"Front entrance is no good. Too many guards." Edward hisses, cursing their luck as they take cover behind a thick bunch of trees. A large wall surrounded the just as huge mansion, the only entrance by the gate that was being protected by armed guards. "Armed, too. They must have something worth guarding."

"Up and over?" Alphonse suggests and Edward nods, Elena eyeing the height of their obstacle. Quickly and quietly as not to get caught, the Elrics make for the wall as Alphonse plants himself at the base, just like in Rush Valley. With a running leap, Edward lands on Alphonse's hands as the armor then launches him up onto the fifteen foot concrete. Once settled, he motions for Elena to do the same and she nods without missing a beat. Taking a jump up onto Alphonse's waiting hands, she feels the force of his strength as she flies up into the air.

"Too much!" Edward nearly yells as he manages to catch Elena before she goes all the way over. Noticing her wide eyes and shaking body in the sparse lighting, Edward looks her over. "You okay?"

"That was amazing."

"Sorry!" Alphonse whispers the apology, accustomed to throwing Edward's weight around and not his lighter sister's. After helping Alphonse lift himself over with a rope, they survey the yard that contains various shrubbery as well as a few armored guards.

"None at the back." Elena observes, pointing out the convenient gap missed out by the nightly patrol.

"That's our entrance." Tossing the rope over the other side, the Elrics climb down.

Using the dark of night, Edward and Elena signal for the bulky suit of armor to sneak past the inattentive guards as they go from each bush and hedge, then finally to the back of the mansion. Clapping his hands, a door transmutes from the wall as they slip inside.

So many books. Elena looks around at the small library they find themselves in.

"Okay, now what's the plan?" Edward tests his siblings as they scan each bookshelf.

"Run fast-"

"Find research notes-"

"And read them before anyone catches us!" Edward finishes, and they split up per shelf. Finding a promising spot by the entrance, Elena picks a book up and begins to read, noting anything useful in her own sketchbook.

"Did you hear that?" Alphonse looks up from a stack of notes, the helmet's eyeless gaze at the stifled footsteps behind the door. Motioning for Elena to hide in the shadows, she obeys and takes a transmutation circle paper out. Just then, the door opens to reveal two unarmed males with the shorter and younger behind his companion. The taller had to be no older than Edward, his appearance completely different with paler hair and simple clothing while the younger's yellow hair sticks out from the green headband he wears.

"Quite the plan you have. You're smarter than I thought." The elder says rather coolly, his worried headband wearing companion stepping out from behind him.

"You have to be the real Elrics." Unlike his brother, the boy sounds surprised at seeing them. Getting an idea of who the two had to be, Elena looks past them to see if there's a third.

They don't have an Elena. She frowns, slightly disappointed of the impostors.

"And you have to be the ones stealing our names." Edward counters, his anger about the topic showing as the older boy walks over as the other stays where he is. Elena keeps her eyes on him, but he seems the opposite of his big brother. In fact, he looks guilty and clearly doesn't want to fight.

"How interesting. The little brother in a suit of armor, and the shorty who became a state alchemist at the age of twelve." He stands so confident in front of his counterpart, a smirk forming on his face when he sees how the height comment riles Edward up. "But I don't want to fight you, Ed. There's plenty of gun-wielding guards outside who'd love to, but I'm sure you saw them on your way in."

"Russell." The boy pleads, only to be ignored. He looks around, wondering what he should do when his eyes land on Elena. "Oh. Hello."

That gets his older brother's attention as he glances back, giving Edward an opening as he tries to land a punch on the seemingly unsuspecting Russell, but he catches it without even having to look.

"I know about your automail arm." He says rather matter-of-factly to Edward, but doesn't hide his surprise at seeing the innocent-looking girl. "I didn't know about the flower."

I'll show you flower! Not having to be told by Edward, Elena presses the paper against the wall behind her back as a short sword emerges. In a flash, she arms herself with it and charges at the older boy much to the shock of the younger.

"Well, look who has thorns." Russell dodges out of the way as he lets go of Edward who happily performs alchemy on the freed automail limb.

"Ellie!" Alphonse protests, surprised by his little sister's outburst and attack as the two Elrics go after Russell, not even noticing that the boy had materialized at his side. He had to be no older than Elena, and Alphonse sees himself in the the worried eyes as he watches the battle and condition of Russell. Being concerned for their siblings was a trait they clearly shared as both Alphonse Elrics follow the moving fight.