Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for ocs.
{Opening song}
"Doctor Marcoh's research! It's all gone!" Ed and Aaliyah screamed in front of the burnt-down Central Library. "I can't believe it..." Whitney muttered.
Atop Central's Watch Tower*
"In the end, burning the place down was easier." Lust said. "Is that what you were doing in Central?" Gluttony asked the woman. "Yes...three kids found out about Marcoh's research notes; something had to be done about it." She sat down as she continued, "With that issue taken care of, I thought I would come to see how things were progressing here in East City...is he here?" Gluttony stayed quiet as Lust looked at him. "Gluttony?" "I smell him...I can smell him." Gluttony continued to sniff the air. "The scar-faced Ishvalan is close...I can taste his stink...like blood. I still get to eat him, right?" "Oh yeah, right down to the last hair..."
~Hidden Truths~
In the Sewers*
Scar walked through the sewers, hands in pockets, as he saw the rats quickly scurry off. Scar turned around, only to find a pair of red eyes staring back at him. Gluttony charged at the Ishvalan as the man brought his arm back, ready to attack. Scar brought his arm to Gluttony's head, using his alchemy to blast his head clean off. Lust then came running to him with her ultimate spear. There was then a huge explosion.
East Headquarters*
"Scar hasn't been sighted, not once since with the Elrics and Rockbell." Riza read from the report. "Maybe he isn't even in East City anymore." Havoc said looking over a marked map. "I hope you're wrong about that." Mustang said. "Huh?"
"This case has obviously become too much for Central to handle. If I can close it quickly enough I'll be golden." He smirked and faced them in his twirling chair. "I've got a ladder to climb, and this is how it's done– I need every mark in my favor I can get, at least until I've assumed the office of Fuhrer, that is."
Hawkeye smiled. "You may not want to display your ambitions quite so nakedly, sir." "Yeah," he says, spinning back towards the window, "I'll be sure to remember that in the future."
"Reporting in, sir." A soldier shouted, saluted, and breathed hard from his fast sprint. "We've just received a report of an explosion occurring on the MarrowRiver!" "What!" Soldiers gathered on the bridge at the site of the explosion.
"Was it a gas explosion?" A soldier asked another. "With everything else that's been going on around here, who knows." "There no mistaking it," Hawkeye said, observing the torn piece of material covered with blood, "this was definitely Scar's jacket."
"Have you found the body?" Mustang asked Havoc. He hit his head. "Not yet, but we're still searching," "Either way, he can't be in very good shape after losing this much blood." Havoc stated. "Yeah, but we do this by the book," Mustang said. "We need to find hard proof that he's dead... Alright, Lieutenant Havoc."
"Yes, sir?" Havoc reply. "You and your men will work day and night to clear out this debris. I want his body found! Don't take as much as a coffee break until that's done, do you understand?" Mustang stated. "Come on Colonel, can't you cut us some slack? You're gonna work us all to death." Havoc replied. "Shut up! I don't gotta relax until I see his body and that means you don't get to either!" Mustang said.
"I guess we'll get to work then." Havoc said. Gluttony stood in the crowd, shrouded in a gray hood, with a tear in his eye. "Looks like he got away." Lust said. "I didn't get my snack." He said, sucking on his finger. "Yes, I know. Maybe next time. Though, I think we can safely assume that Scar will be out of the game for s little while. I suppose I'll be heading back to Central again. I need to report back to Father about everything that's happened here."
Central Library/ First Branch: Remains*
The group looked through what was left of the library, trying to find something that survived. Ed picked up a burnt book only to have it turn to ash. "There's nothing left her but ashes...everything's gone..." Ed muttered as a woman's voice called. "Major Armstrong!" They turned to see a man and woman, both in military uniforms, saluting. "Well, Second Lt. Ross and Sergeant Brosh, to what do we owe this pleasure?" Armstrong asked.
"You have been ordered to report back to the Command Center sir!" Ross said while Brosh said, "We will be taking over the supervision of Whitney Rockbell, Edward Elric, and his siblings immediately!" "Hmph...very well then; they're yours." Armstrong said with sparkles around his head. "What is this?" Ed said. "Just when we think we're home free, they saddle us with more bodyguards...this is getting old!" Ed and Whity both whined/complained.
"All might not be lost...there was a woman who was well acquainted with the materials in the First Branch," Ross told them as they all say in the back of a car. "Unfortunately...she wasn't working there anymore." "That sounds incredibly helpful..." Ed muttered as he crossed his arms and turned his head to look out the window. Whitney punched Ed's left shoulder, and Ed whined and glared at her and she ignored it and Addie was sitting on Whity's lap.
"Something wrong?" Al asked Brosh. "Oh, it's nothing...although If you don't mind me asking, where are you wearing a suit of armor?" Ed, Al, and Whity looked at each other before turning away and saying, "It's a hobby!" Brosh and Ross began to whisper to each other. As Al and Ed decided to change the subject. "So...what do you say, Al, Addie, and Whity... the lovely view isn't it?" "Oh yeah, it's gorgeous!" Al agreed. Addie sighed.
Mysterious Woman's Place*
They had finally reached the woman's place, knocking on the door and opening it only to find mountains of books. "There's got to be a hundred in here!" Ed was amazed as Brosh asked, "Is there really someone living in this place?" The group began to squeeze through the piles of books in search of the girl. "Ms. Sheska, are you here?" Ross called. "Is...someone...there...?" Addie, Whity and Al heard someone call, but their voice was muttered.
They both turned to find a hand raised in the air. "Um...brother...?" Al asked as he pointed, causing everyone to look in that direction. "There's someone under there..." Addie and Whity quickly ran to help, Ed close behind as the others followed.
Ed, Whity and Addie were panting when they were finished getting the girl free. They each other took a seat on the ground as the girl bowed saying, "thank you, I got myself trapped under a pile of books!" She put on her glasses. "I thought I was going to suffocate under there! Thank you so much!"
"So, uh, are you Sheska?" Addie asked. "Yes." she said. "And you worked at the library." She cringed. "Oh the library," she smiled, her eyes glistening with the word, "the word itself is so beautiful! I've loved books my whole entire life, ever since I learned to first read as a girl! That job was Heaven!"
"But I forgot that I was supposed to working and all I ever dos was read, so they fired me. If I don't find another job, I'll never be able to move my poor elderly mother into a better hospital. But I'm hopeless! The only thing I can do well is read! I'll never find another job as long as I live! I'm useless! Good for nothing! More pathetic than pond scum!"
"Um, excuse me." Ed interrupted, "there's one thing we wanted to ask you." She stopped her crying, "Yes?" "Do you remember seeing any research belonging to someone named 'Tim Marcoh'?" Whity asked her. "Let's see Tim Marcoh, where do I know that name? Oh! Yes of course! I remember now!" She says. "Really!" Addie said.
"Oh, yes! I'm absolutely positive! There were some handwritten notes stuffed into a bookcase where they didn't belong." Sheska said. "The notes really were there after all! Which means they burned up with everything else in the library." Ed said. "Did you want to read them? Is that why you're asking?" She says. "Yeah," he said, getting up and starting to walk off, "but it's too late now. They're nothing but a pile of ashes."
"Sorry to bother you," Al said, following his brother. The girls stayed behind. "I remember everything that was in them. Would that help at all?" Sheska said. The brothers stopped. They turned and looked at her shocked. Addie giggled at her brothers' silliest. "Uh, it's just how I am. I'm able to remember the content of any book I've ever read."
They screamed for joy, tears streaming down Ed's face. "It could take a while, but I could write them out for you." Sheska said. Whity took her hands and smiled, "Thank you, Bookworm! You're my hero!" "You're, uh, welcome?" She replied.
Sheska set down the last of the papers. "Here you are! Complete copies of all Tim Marcoh's notes." They all looked at the piles and piles of papers in awe. "Sorry, I know five days is a long time to wait, but there was quite a lot to write down." Sheska said. Ed picked up one titled: 1,000 Recipes for Today's Menu by Tim Marcoh.
"Unbelievable! There are some amazing people in the world!" Al admired. Addie nodded her head. "This is incredible." Whity said in amazement. "These are really Doctor Marcoh's research notes?" Ed asked. "They sure are! Come and take a look at them!" Sheska helps up two of the rewritten books. "Written by Tim Marcoh–one thousand easy recipes!"
"Six cups of rice, one carrot, two onions, salt– oh great!" Ross said, looking over the notes. "Does this mean we came all this way for a cookbook?" "Miss," Brosh asked, "What part of this made you think it was an important document?"
"Is it not what you're looking for?" Sheska asked. "All I did was copy down what I remember." "Wonderful. So this was just a wild goose chase?" "Sheska," Ed asked. "Are you absolutely sure that this is flawless reproduction of the notes." "Oh, yes! I'm one hundred percent certain!" She said. Whity smiled.
"Than thank you very much! You're incredible!" Whity picked up a stack of notes. "Alright, let's get these back to the library."
Al and Addie nodded and picked up their own set of papers. "They should have related materials there." Whity said and handling a bundle to Brosh as well. "Oh," Ed said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small book, "I almost forgot Sheska's fee." He took a pen and scribbled some numbers down. "Lieutenant, here."
He handed her the folded piece of paper and his pocket watch. "This is my registration number and pocket watch for I.D. Withdraw that amount from my Annual Research Grants and make sure Sheska gets it, Kay?" He walked off.
As they walked out, they heard them shouting. Whity and Ed smiled knowing full well why they screamed.
"I don't understand...these are cookbooks." Brosh said as Ed and Whity looked through some. Al were near a bookcase, grabbing a few books. "What could they possibly have to do with alchemy?" Brosh continued. "Alchemy is a powerful art; it can be incredibly dangerous if misused. In order to prevent that," Ed showed him a page of the notes, "Alchemic research is always encrypted. They were designed to look like ordinary recipes but are actually powerful alchemic notes. Only the alchemist who wrote them can understand." Whity said. "If they're so heavily encrypted, then how are you going to decipher them?"
"It's not going to be easy. We'll have to use all of our alchemical knowledge." Ed stated. "Wow, sir that sounds really complicated." Brosh said. "Ed gasped. "Al, Whity, there is a section in here about green tea." "Green tea? Are you thinking what I am?" Al asked as Whity said, "Yeah; it could be a reference to the green lion." As Addie watches the trio do the deciphering of the notes.
Later*
"Why does this encryption have to be so hard?!" Ed shouted, now frustrated. "I don't know...maybe we should ask Dr. Marcoh about this directly?" Al asked. "No way! That would be admitting defeat!" Ed shouted as he gripped the paper and pen in hand, tightly. "Did you find anything Whity?" Ed asked turning to the girl, only to go wide-eyed. "What the hell?!" Ed yelled, now past frustrated. Whity had fallen asleep on the table, pen still in hand and Addie was reading a book while sitting next to Whity.
"Let her sleep brother...you know reading always makes her fall asleep." Al said. "Yeah but this isn't the time to be sleeping, Al!" Ed was about to wake the girl when he heard a voice say, "Excuse me?" Ed and Al looked to the door to see Sheska with Brosh. "Sheska..." Ed muttered as she bowed.
"Thanks to the money you gave me, I was able to move my mother to a better hospital. I really appreciate it." She said. "Nah, it was no big deal, really." Ed said, waving his hand. "Have you guys had any luck deciphering it yet?" Ed and Al had grim expressions as she sweatdropped. Al asked, "Have you found another job yet?" It was her turn to gain a grim expression as they sweatdropped. "Anyway, you three made me feel better. It was nice to know even a pathetic mess like me can be useful. So thanks for that as well." She bowed. "You're not a pathetic mess...I thought that the kind of determination you show in reading is a talent all it own. Besides, your memory is incredible." Ed said. "You should have more faith in yourself." Al told her. "Thanks, Al..." She said. "Yo!" The four looked up to see Hughes. "Lt. Colonel Hughes." Ed said. "Major Armstrong told me you three were here." He walked over to the desk, slamming his hands down and causing Whity to jump. "I wasn't sleeping!" She shouted as she quickly grabbed some notes, pretending as if nothing happened and Addie giggled at Whity waking up.
"What gives Ed? I told you three to give me a shout the next time you were in Central." Ed rubbed the back of his head as he said, "Oh...something urgent came up, sorry." Whity placed the notes down before looking at Hughes, confusion on her face. "Lt. Colonel Hughes? When did you get here?" Whity said. "Hey, Whity!" He waved to her.
"We've had a lot of cases to deal with lately and we're still working on getting the Tucker/Chimera situation settled." Hughes said as Ed, Whity, Addie, and Al all looked down. "I guess that brings up some unpleasant memories, huh?" He asked, sitting in front of Ed. "You have no idea..." Addie muttered. "Anyway, as if things weren't bad for us already, the First Branch had to burn down in the middle of all this."
"That's a problem, huh?" Ed asked. "A big one. All our case records were stored in the stacks at that location. Tryin' to work without 'em hasn't been a picnic, let me tell ya." Hughes exclaimed. As the trio looked at each other and than over Sheska. She gasps. "Hey, Lt. Colonel," Ed said smiling. "I think I've got exactly the person you're lookin' for!"
"Well I have read the military's criminal case records, and I do remember them all–" she said but interrupted. "That's all I needed to hear, lady! You're hired!" Hughes said. "My office pays well, so don't worry!" "Oh, you're saying you want me!" She looked at the Elrics and Rockbell. "Oh, thanks so much! I'll have faith just like you told me to! Thank you! Thank YOU!"
Hughes grabbed her collar and dragged her out of the room. "Come on now, right to work!" He laughed. "Well." Ed said, with a pen in his mouth and waving, "she might not be thankin' us for long." He sighed and put his head back on the table. "How did you put it again Al? 'I think dedicated is a talent all on its own? Very smooth, little brother, very smooth." Ed grinned. "Well, it's something I always think when I see two certain someone's I know." Al said looking at Ed and Aaliyah. "You don't mean Ed, right?" Whity asked as Ed shouted, "What's that supposed to mean?!" Whity giggled as Ed calmed down saying, "In that case, some of us should get back to work." Ed glanced at the as she said, "Yeah, yeah..."
Ten Days Later*
"To hell with it!" Ed yelled angrily as he threw books and paper around. The four sat on the floor, all depressed. "What did you guys do to this place?" Brosh asked as Ross and he walked in. "Don't get angry because you can't crack it; throwing things won't help." She said. "We did crack it..." Whity muttered. "Huh?" They asked confused. "We cracked the code and deciphered it..." Al told them. "Really, you did? That's great!" Brosh said excitedly. "That's a good thing, isn't it?" Ed slammed his fist to the ground saying, "There is nothing good about this damn it! This is the Devil's research...it should have been destroyed. Dr. Marcoh was right...it's evil." "What's so evil about it?" Brosh. asked.
"The main ingredient for a Philosopher's Stone is..."Al started as Whity finished, "Human Lives!" They had a horrible faces on. "How could the military research into something so horrible..." Brosh said. "I can't believe it...how awful..." Ross muttered.
"Do us a favor...don't speak to anyone about this." Ed told them. "But sir–" Brosh started as Ed said, "Please...just pretend you didn't hear any of it..."
Ed, Whity, Addie, and Al were currently in their room with the lights out, sitting in silence. Ed and Whity lay in bed with her face buried into the pillow Al sat on the floor, leaning against the back of the couch. Addie was laying on the couch. "Brother, Addie, Whity, you three should go get something to eat..." Al said as they both replied with, "I'm not hungry..." "...pretty terrible, huh?" Ed asked.
Al hummed in agreement as Ed said, "You know...we try so hard to try and grasp the truth but it slips away...and now That we have finally caught it, it turns out that it's too dangerous to hold."
"I'm starting this is God's way of punishing people who have done the taboo...I wonder if it will always be like this..." Whity said as Ed said, "Hey guys...there has been something I wanted to ask you three for a long time... I guess I've been just too afraid to say it..." Al shifted to look at Ed as Whity as she rose from the pillow questioned him. "What? Al asked. "I–" there was then a knock at the door and Armstrong's voice, "Elrics siblings! Rockbell! I know you're in there! Open up! This is the Major!" "What do we do?" Al asked. "We ignore him, that's what." Ed said as the door suddenly broke down.
They all began to panic. "I know what it said Edward and Whitney!" As Armstrong had tears falling, also with sparkles. Ed and Whity then glared at Ross and Brosh. "We're sorry!" Ross said as Brosh said, "it's really hard to stay quiet when he's asking!" "Imagine the military being behind something like that! The truth is more than we bargained for!" Armstrong said. "...truth..." Ed muttered. "What is it, big brother?" Addie muttered, now standing next to him. "Do you remember what Dr. Marcoh said at the station? "Huh?" Al asked as Whity said, "Hm...didn't he say something about, 'the truth hidden within the truth'?"
"Yeah...I didn't have a clue what he meant but now...it's the same as with alchemic notes. What you can see on the surface is only a portion of the truth. There is still more here; there has to be."
They all gathered around the table as they turned the lights on. Armstrong pulled out his map and said, "Currently, there are four alchemic research laboratories in Central that have connections to the government. We can narrow it down even further...Marcoh worked in the Third laboratory; we should start with that one, the most suspected." "
"Hm...Al, Whity, and I have been to all the laboratories in the city and none were doing remarkable research." Ed glanced down at the map to a spot labeled: Fifth Laboratory (Closed). "What's this building used for?"
"It was designed for the Fifth Laboratory." Ross said, "but not currently in use. The building's not structurally sound so it's been off-limits." "So it's there." Ed said. "Huh?" Brosh asked. "How can you be so sure that's it?" "There's a prison right next door." Whity said. "Okay, so?" "What was the main ingredient for the stone?" Ed asked. Brosh thought about it for a minute and then said. "You said it needs live humans..." "There'd be plenty of condemned criminals in the prison...officially; they would be recorded as executed." Whity stated as Ross said. "They're using the prisoners to make the stones..." Ross then gained a nauseous look.
"Don't look at us like that; we don't like talking about it more than you." Ed stated. "Prisons from other jurisdictions could be used to." Al said. "I wonder if the government is involved..." Whity said in thought. "Why do I get the feeling that we're involved in something dangerous?" Ross stated.
"That's why we said to pretend you didn't hear anything!" Al said. Armstrong rolled up his map and walked to the door, turning to the others saying, "This has the potential to become a political nightmare...I'll look into what we talked about tonight." He glances at Ross and Brosh saying, "In the meantime, speak this to no one." "Sir!" They saluted. He then looked to the trio and says. "Martin, Elric siblings...behave yourselves." He gave a scary look as he continued, "I know you four and you were thinking about sneaking into the building and looking around, weren't you?!"
"We weren't! We promise!" They all began to shake with their hands raised for assurance.
Later/Fifth Lab*
"Hm...a guard posted at an unused building...interesting..." Whity muttered as they peeked over the corner of the wall. "That is suspicious..." Addie trailed off as Ed said, "I wonder what they're hiding...?" They all walked over to one of the walls as Al asked. "How do we get in?"
"Well we could make our own way in...?" Ed suggested. "They would notice the light from the transmuted reaction." Whity told him. "In that case..." Ed trailed off as Al cupped his hands, tossing Ed up the wall. Ed grabbed the barbed wire with his auto-mail, letting some loose for Al to climb.
"Get on," Al said as Whity and Addie did as told. "Hang on tight." Al began to climb up the way. Ed jumped down as Al reached the top. "Ready brother?" Al asked. "Yeah." Ed said as Whity asked, "Ready for what?" "Here she come!" Al whispered/shouted. "Woah." Whity light shouted and fell into Ed's arms as he set the girl down. Whity glares at them. "Warn me next time?!" "Yeah, Yeah." "Come on."
They followed Ed to a door that was blocked off. "They aren't taking any chances are they?" Ed asked. Addie noticed a shaft. "We could use that." Whity pointed. Ed walked over to it, taking the cover off. "Al, Addie you two stay here and wait. Whity and I will go take a look." "Are you sure you'll be fine?" Al asked. "Whether we're fine or not, you two are too big to fit." Ed told them as he crawled through. "Sorry guys..." Whity said as Al pouted saying, "it's not like I sake to be this big..." Addie put a hand on her brother's shoulder petting it.
Somewhere else*
"46?" "What is it 48?" "It looks as if we have guests..." "Haha, some daredevil idiots came to visit, did they?"
"Damn, it's even tighter in here than I thought." Ed said as Whity and he crawled through the shaft. "I couldn't get through this if I were regular-sized...lucky I have a small body..." Ed said. "Uh, Ed?" Ed then realized what he said and shouted, "OH NO! I JUST CALLED MYSELF A TINY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK!" Whity just sweatdropped. Ed kicked the vent off and jumped down. "Careful." Ed said as he hold his hands to catch Whity jumped in.
"Okay." She said. "There are lights on." Ed stated looking around. "Hey, it's like someone waiting for us to come." Whity said. "Yea, it these." Ed replied.
Outside the lab with Al and Addie
"Ed and Whity sure are taking a long time..." Al muttered waiting in his same spot. "Someone on the roof looked down at Al and Addie with a butcher knife in hand. Al heard a noise and quickly turned to see someone jump down, attacking him as the sound of a blade hitting metal could be heard.
{Ending song}