Well now, the third chapter is up! Jen has been nagging me to update, so here it is! Hopefully, this chapter is good, even though it was 100% written during class. Also, Jen has herself an account now! Sadly, I can't remember the name... I'll tell you when I remember/ask her.

Anyways, the chapter is here! It's not too exciting, but its important, so there. Starting from the next chapter, things will start getting interesting.

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or anything related to it.

Chapter 3- Well Now, That was Unexpected

The brothers stared at the paper.

"The newspaper?" Ed asked, incredulous.

"No, an article from the paper." Song corrected.

"Big difference," Was his mumbled response.

Song frowned. "Anyways this—" She gestured to the paper.

"—Is a code of some sort." Kou finished for her.

Al blinked. "So we have to decode it?"

"Bingo! Ten points to the golden-haired boy without the automail!" Song cheered, pointing at Al. "One of you is actually smart."

"Whaddya mean by that?" Ed shouted, but his outburst went ignored.

Song then pointed at Greedling (Greed in Ling's body. At this point in time, however, Ling is back in Xing, so it's actually just Greed, he just looks like he did when he was in Ling.). "You see… the paper is out main mission."

"But since the homunculi were resurrected, they might be a problem!" Ed realized.

"Yep."

Greedling (whom I shall start referring to as Greed) sniffed. "I saved you guys during the Promised Day and this is the thanks I get? Oh wow."

Song sighed and stuffed a pastry in his mouth, effectively shutting him up. At the same time, Kou threw a bag of cookies at him, hitting the homunculus smack on the face. The group then studied the paper as Greed managed to get his mouth around the pastry and chewed vigorously while holding the cookies and sporting a new red mark on his face where he had been hit.

"Wharra wis?" He mumbled.

Song cocked her ear comically towards Greed. "Eh? What's that?"

Kou sighed. "Aren't you the Song Alchemist? Can't you tell? Anyways, he said, 'What's this?' and is waiting for an answer."

Greed swallowed the pastry and nodded, grinning. Kou's unnerving ability to discern any type of sound from another had been the subject of many discussions among the homunculi, along with both his and Song's excellent cooking. The only downside was that they were often busy and Kou was not only antisocial, he disliked having to cook very often. Song on the other hand, loved to cook as often as she could and had dropped by with snacks many times in the past.

Song counted the items she used in the pastry off on her fingers. "Eh, it's a blueberry – blackberry - apple – maple syrup – caramel crumble filling in corn flour bedding."

Kou sighed. "Only you could mix all that and make it taste the way it does. I still don't get why you bother making all that though…"

Song smiled. "Like you can talk! You make some pretty awesome cookies. Your other food is pretty good too, the only problem is you don't like to cook!"

Ed sweatdropped. "Eh? You two make these? And Kou can cook? He doesn't seem like the cooking type…"

Al frowned. "Brother, that's rude!"

Kou glanced at them. "Maybe I make them and maybe I don't."

Ed glared from the vague response. Both Song and Kou were very good at those too, it seemed.

Song simply nodded and handed both of them some scones. "Yeah, I make these. Here, this is a boysenberry and strawberry scone dipped in honey and laced with Belgian milk chocolate."

Al took a bite. "Mmmm! Brother, try it! It's really good!"

Kou sighed as Ed took a bite and agreed with his brother. "Anyways, back to the matter at hand…"

(Warning, lots of flicking will ensue.)

Song flicked a pebble at a grinning Greed who was busy exploring the contents of his bag of cookies. "Come on, lazy face. If you're here, you gotta help too."

Greed pouted. 'I'm not lazy, Sloth is! (Don't tell him I said that though.) Besides, I want to the cookies!"

Kou facepalmed and growled. "Eat while you help then! Sheesh!" 'Who knew cookies could cause so much distraction…'

Song's amused snort appeared in the back of his mind. 'You shouldn't have given him those.'

'Well sorry, and stop using your alchemy to budge into my thoughts! There's a reason it's my mind ya know! It's supposed to be private!'

'Hey, I only budge in when you talk to me!'

'I sent you that thought?'

'…Well, no but hey, only one time!'

'Sure…'

Back in reality, Ed flicked a pebble at Song. "First we need to figure out the code."

Song flicked a pebble back at him. "Right. Lucky you've got me here right? Let's focus on words that are similar."

Kou flicked a ball of paper at Al. "Song's a riddle maniac. I do like codes though. Any ideas, Al?"

Al picked up a leaf, balled it, and flicked it at Greed. "No, but maybe you know? The paper is about the homunculi, anyways."

Greed flicked a cookie crumb moodily at Kou. "No, I have no idea whatsoever…"

Kou caught the crumb neatly in his mouth in a rare display of childishness while dodging a stone from Ed. "Geez, no need to use giant, possibly concussion-causing stones, Fullmetal." The dark-haired boy glared irately at the one who threw it at him.

"When did you start calling me that?"

"Since now. And only when I'm annoyed. Geez."

"How about let's go back to our hotel?" Al suggested.

"Sure. I think that we're actually staying in the room next to yours. You know, the one connected by the door in the wall." Song noted.

Greed shrugged. Ed agreed. Kou simply started walking back. So, everyone agreed, and the five headed for the hotel as Song chatted quietly to Kou.

Just as they entered the room, however, the most interesting thing happened. A bunch of swirling colors surrounded the outside view, and two knocked out blondes, an unconscious homunculus, a Popcorn Kernel, hawk-eyed sniper, and blond mechanic later, the Song and Shadow Alchemists found themselves to be the only conscious members of their now seven-member group. Oh and they were also on what appeared to be an island. Kou looked outside and around the hotel rooms, then at the five unconscious figures on the ground. He and Song turned to each other, and, in perfectly simultaneous movements, shared a look and expressed their thoughts.

"Well shit."

Well, that's that! Hope you liked it! Please review and I hope you keep waiting for the next chapters.