Shame on me for not updating sooner. I'm sorry for leaving you waiting. But don't worry, it's unlikely to happen again for we're nearing the end of the story and I think I'll be able to get the last three, maybe four, chapters done much faster. So please bear with me for the time left :D

Thank you all for the reviews! :3

Chapter 30

A Bumpy Ride

"Late trains..." Mustang grumbled in a tone that put an unspoken "I hate..." in front of the words he said aloud.

They were at Resembool Train Station, waiting for the train that was supposed to bring them back to Central. And so far it was running late. Almost twenty minutes, a scandal in a country where arriving at the station at 11:30 when the train was scheduled for 11:29 meant you could watch your train vanish in the distance without you on board in ninety percent of the cases. Needless to say that the people who were used to being on time for their trains became royally pissed whenever a train was late after all.

Hawkeye just sighed at her commanding officer as the man slouched on the bench they occupied. He seemed to have decided that there was no one around he needed to impress so he might as well let it be obvious that he didn't like waiting around. Ed just grinned, despite not being too happy about having to wait himself. He liked to see Mustang showing frustration about something as mundane as a late train, it somehow made him seem like any normal civilian and so Ed could almost pretend that they were just a group of normal people. It felt good to have that little break from the craziness that usually surrounded them.

Suddenly Mustang perked up and when Ed followed the man's gaze he could see steam rising on the horizon, a telltale sign that their train was finally about to arrive. Though when the train drew closer it became obvious that it was not a civilian train meant to carry people but a military freight train. This time even Hawkeye sighed and slumped in her seat as they prepared to see that train pass by and wait even longer for their ride.

Yet the freight train slowed down and came to a stop at Resembool Station. Ed had almost forgotten that his small home town was the main source of the wool the military needed for their uniforms and other stuff, but he remembered as he watched several crates being loaded onto the train. And then it seemed like the three travellers had some luck after all. One of the train workers saw the colonel and the lieutenant's uniforms and since it was a military freight train he asked where they wanted to go.

"We're on our way back to Central, but our train is running late. Very late," Mustang supplied with a glance at his pocket watch.

"Oh, we could take you with us then, we're on the way to Central as well! So what do you say, sir, nonstop express back to town?" the friendly redhead with coal dust all over the face asked.

"That would be very nice!" Had the train worker been a woman he might have swooned at Mustang's smile. But as it was he just grinned and scratched at his neck, smearing some more black grime and dust all over the place. Ed liked this carefree person who was so happy that he could help someone.

"Well, follow me then! It's not very luxurious and you might get a bit dusty but you'll be back at central so fast it will be worth the bumpy ride! I'm Thomas by the way!" He did a lazy but not mocking salute for Hawkeye and Mustang, the way Havoc sometimes did, and grinned at Ed.

"Nice to meet you Thomas, thank you for taking us along," the colonel said as they followed Thomas towards one of the wagons near the end of the train.

"No problem, sir!"

Thomas cheerfully yelled at the other train workers to let them know of their guests before finally pulling open the sliding door of one of the wagons. "I think this one will be the most comfortable to ride in, it's not loaded fully up to the roof so you can sit on the crates here. Plus there's lots of light falling in here."

"It'll do, thank you." Hawkeye was already climbing in.

"Yeah, thanks for taking us!" Ed grinned and hopped in after the lieutenant.

The colonel nodded at the train worker. "Thank you, keep up the good work," he said before making his way into the wagon as well. The door was closed and a while later the train started moving.

It was indeed bumpy and a bit dusty, but unlike in the small seats on the civilian trains they could change position often enough to not let it bother them. The only thing that really annoyed Ed was the lack of windows. He knew he'd be bored out of his mind soon with nothing to distract him. So looking for distraction he glanced over at Hawkeye.

She seemed to be in search of something as well because she was inspecting the freight. Confused, Ed turned to Mustang, hoping the colonel could explain why his lieutenant was scrutinizing every surface in the wagon. But the Mustang was busy smirking widely at the Hawk.

"Give up, Lieutenant, there's no way that I can do paperwork properly and legibly on this bumpy train ride and with no smooth surface to put those precious documents on!" he said triumphantly.

Then, he almost cringed and nearly ducked behind a crate when Hawkeye threw him a glare that spoke of punishment through even more paperwork later on. Only years of training in keeping up an unfazed appearance allowed him to remain seated where he was and sheepishly scratch at his neck while inconspicuously peering at the pistol on her hip to make sure it was still in its holster and not in her hand.

Ed was about to let the colonel sweat a bit by suggesting he could transmute a crate into some sort of desk when Mustang suddenly turned serious. "But even if it was possible to do paperwork here, I would still rather use the time to tell you what Hohenheim told me. After all I didn't talk to him so long without a reason."

Hawkeye dropped her glare and Ed fidgeted a bit where he sat. It still irked him that Hohenheim had talked to Mustang so much, even after the colonel made it clear that he wouldn't be the second man to leave Ed behind.

The colonel stretched and got comfortable on his crate before starting to talk.

"Since Hohenheim travelled so much and has a vast arsenal of knowledge, I asked him what he knows about creatures who have a Philosopher's Stone for a heart and don't die from a shot through the head. Well, he knows them and called them Homunculi."

"Homunculi?" Ed asked, his brain immediately starting to sort through his memory for everything he knew about those beings.

"Yes. Apparently there are a few of them running around. Hohenheim is just testing a theory about what they are up to. I think-"

And suddenly the whole world seemed to topple over.

The train car jumped, then lurched, then jerked and finally it turned over and up was down and left was right and for a moment Ed was sure all laws of gravity had decided to play a prank on him by leaving him utterly confused in the sudden crash. All he knew for sure was that suddenly he was grabbed, felt like tied up with ropes though whatever had him was alive, looked like plants but wasn't and closed around him like a cocoon. Something hit him over the head and the last thing he saw was Mustang and Hawkeye trying to grab a hold of something as the train car turned over once more.

His head hurt.

He tried to blink.

The light flooding through his slowly parting lashes hurt his head even more.

He kept his eyes shut for a while longer... or at least he tried to. He heard Mustang and someone else talking and he wanted to know what was going on. He was sure he had heard that sadistic other voice before somewhere...

"You just won't die you little human cockroach, will you? Ah well, more fun for me! Let's see, you are supposed to have died in this accident... So how about we smash in your head, starting with that nose you just won't stop poking where it doesn't belong?"

Ed finally opened his eyes enough to make out the blurred form of one of the creatures – homunculi, his brain corrected – from that night in the alley. It seemed to be a he and was bend over the sprawled out form of Mustang. The colonel seemed a bit dazzled as he lay in the train wreck but gradually those dark eyes became aware and sharp with intelligence. Not far away from him lay Hawkeye, knocked out, dead, Ed couldn't tell but he hoped with all he had that she was only unconscious.

The boy tried to get up, only to realise that he was still wrapped up in those green, living ropes. To his horror they seemed to come out of the arm of that homunculus creature.

"Stop squirming, pipsqueak. You're lucky you're already a confirmed sacrifice. Just hold still and you'll live until we don't need you anymore." The homunculus grinned. Envy; Ed remembered the other homunculus had called this one Envy.

Envy turned back to Mustang who just cleared his throat before starting to speak.

"So you had a train derail just to get me? Not exactly subtle, are you? Makes me wonder what I did to make you chase me?" The colonel had managed to sit up and glared at the homunculus before turning to take in the scene around them when there was no immediate answer.

The train had come to a stop a good way next to its rails and was half way lying on the side, pulled into that position by what used to be the wagon Ed, the colonel and Hawkeye had been in. The wreck was still and silent, no movement, no sign of the train workers. It would have been worse had it been a civilian train full of even more people and Ed wondered if the homunculus had tried for some damage control after all. But he still couldn't be happy that the number of death was small this way. Death was death, no matter how high the number and had he been able to Ed would have punched Envy in the face until the homunculus stopped moving. But as it was he could only squirm and dither like an angry shark that was dizzy from a hit over the head and hopelessly stuck in a fisher net.

"Oh, so far you haven't done anything but be too nosey..." the creature finally drawled and scowled at the colonel while tightening its grip on Ed to keep him still.

Mustang ignored Envy and scrambled over to Hawkeye, having finally spotted her. "Lieutenant!" Carefully he checked her pulse and then sighed in relief. Good, Hawkeye was alive.

Envy snarled. "I was talking to you, stupid human!" He made to extend his arm and grab the colonel but then shrieked in pain and pulled back as flames licked up his skin. Ed was dropped to the ground as the homunculus regenerated and focused on Mustang.

The Flame Alchemist narrowed his eyes at the creature. "How about we have a nice conversation full of you explaining what's going on and after that you'll follow the fate of your friend – what was her name? - Lust?" The colonel's voice was cold and Envy actually blanched a little.

The alchemist did not take his eyes off the homunculus when he spoke to Ed. "Fullmetal, get over here."

Ed blinked. He needed a moment to process the order, his head still a bit dizzy. But then he made his stumbling way over to Hawkeye's limp form next to Mustang's feet. He growled at himself, feeling the need to help and hating that he couldn't.

Oh, he had seen Mustang burn that other homunculus to death but he had also seen the toll it had taken on the colonel. He couldn't risk that happening again, they were far too far from help this time and he just couldn't lose the colonel! Not after all that had happened, not when he had just heard Mustang promise that he would never leave Ed behind!

Panic welled up in the boy and he cursed whatever had hit him over the head and rendered him so uncoordinated. It had probably been that homunculus beast that now stood there, snarling at Mustang.

"Tch, you won't get to burn me, I'll kill you!" Envy lashed out but before he could hit Mustang he doubled over, holding his burned face. "Fine, you'll get your battle!" He hissed in rage and tried to snag Hawkeye's unconscious form by extending his arm into those green tentacles again. He screeched in surprise and pain when those where burned off too.

"I am quite precise with my fire so you better don't try to touch them. I'll only hurt you more if you do so focus. on. me." the colonel calmly spoke. "Now tell me, what is it you think I shouldn't poke my nose in?"

Envy glowered but decided on answering the question, probably trying to buy some time to figure out a way to get Mustang without getting burned. "Like you don't know! There's only one thing you've been secretly investigating for a while now, isn't there?!" he trailed off with a cackle when Mustang's eyes narrowed even more.

"Are you telling me that you're so pissed off because I'm looking into Hughes' case? What the hell would a crazy little moron like you have to do with Maes Hughes?"

Envy just grinned widely. "Yes, Maes Hughes... quite the intelligent man and such a good heart, wouldn't you agree? Let me tell you a little story about him so you'll finally understand why we don't like you poking around in the matter..." And Envy sat down, crossed his legs, propped his elbows on his knees and rested his head in his palms. Still grinning he started his little story.

"You see, when our dear Meas Hughes heard that the Elric boys were around and had a hard time decoding some research he came by to cheer them up. But those boys were gone, out to head after another clue, after a complete stone that was said to be not far away. They just figured that Marcoh's research wouldn't run away while they pursued that other stone that seemed to be so promising. So, being the true friend he is... " a smirk " was... our dear Hughes thought that, just in case that this other lead turned out false, he would help them decode Marcoh's research.

I know, I know, Maes Hughes was no alchemist. But he still was a very smart man who had a talent for codes and hidden information so with what the pipsqueak and his brother already had decoded for help he was able to unravel quite a bit of this puzzle. Not all, but the main gist. Enough to find out about that sweet main ingredient for a Philosopher's Stone. And knowing those selfless brothers would never use a stone made from human lives he tried to warn them. But having no idea where they currently where he started to dig in deep." Envy sighed.

"In hindsight I really should have let him stop them. It would have caused far less problems than we have now because you," he pointed at Ed "have messed up the transmutation and you," he pointed at Mustang "started snooping around. Anyway, while our dear Hughes searched for the Elrics he also tried to find out where that stone you were after might have come from, because after all it takes a lot of human souls for a decent stone. And that in turn lead to him putting far too much thought into all the little wars this country had going on, until finally he saw the circle on the map.

The last nail in the coffin he built himself ever since he became involved with you alchemists. We had to kill him then, couldn't risk him calling The Flame and let him know about our conspiracy. Or risk him stopping the Elrics from hunting after one of our little helpers who was supposed to go and create some blood shed in the north with that cheap test stone we gave them. It was just so convenient to have you out of the way up north so we could get our hands on Marcoh's research and destroy it once done with Hughes. And you wouldn't believe how much fun I had giving that idiot human up north a nice slow end when he screwed up and let you take that stone from him and make a mess out of one of our sacrifices."

Envy cackled but then stopped abruptly. "Though that sadly wasn't worth the trouble. He screamed nicely but we still have one sacrifice less and we have to think about another way for a blood seal by Briggs. Can't even send Kimbley up there now because stupid Lust got in my way. Such a shame. And now I gotta kill another potential candidate because he won't stop pining after Hughes... Such a mess, all because of one damn man..." he sighed. "Now, if that wasn't too much for your little human brains I trust you now understand why I am quite frustrated with you and would love to take it out on the Flame Colonel here?"

"There are two things I'd still like to know, after that you can bring it on..." Little sparks fell from Mustang's gloves already. "One: Why did you send Kimbley on that killing tour in Central?"

"Easy!" the homuculus laughed. "To keep you so busy hunting another criminal that you had to stop looking into Hughes' case! Though maybe a scape goat would have done a better job with satisfying your curiosity. Maybe I should have blamed that Ross girl, she-"

"Two:" Mustang interrupted, disgust written all over his face. "You said we. But who exactly killed Maes Hughes?"

Envy clapped his hands like an exited little kid. "Well, my dear colonel, that would be me!"

And the colonel laughed. "Like such an idiot whose plans went all wrong could have killed a man like Hughes!"

"Idiot? I think an idiot is someone who falls for a cheap trick like this!"

Red lightning flickered around the homunculus as its shape changed. And then the monster turned into a mother, into loving, innocent Gracia.

But an ugly grin twisted her kind face when the creature that took on her shape laughed, laughed at their wide eyes and horror. "Your face! Just like Hughes! Just like him when I shot him! All the sorrow and pain and confusion just because his wife pointed a pistol at him and fired!" And then the laugh turned into a pain filled screech and smoke left that mouth instead of the mad giggle.

"Interesting how easy the tongue burns, huh?" Mustang asked, pulling the cloth of his ignition glove tight over the back of his hand. "Fullmetal, stay with the lieutenant and make sure you two have cover. I'll show this scum how it is to be at the receiving end of punishment...!"

Snap. Boom. Screams echoing around the wreck of the train as flames cast their shadows over the dead steam machine.

Ed had been afraid of losing the colonel to injury.

Now he saw that the ugly demon of vengeance that just started to devour Mustang from the inside was much more dangerous than everything that Envy could cause from the outside.

It scared the hell out of the boy yet it also made him stronger.

You're always strongest when you want to save someone so important to you.