Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except Isabella.
No POV
Meanwhile, somewhere in the library in Central in the middle of the night. Lust and Gluttony are inside the library searching for a book, with Lust holding a candle stand in her hand. "One book in this whole mess. It's like searching for a needle in a stack of needles." Lust said to herself when she walks to where she can find a book. Unaware that Scar is behind one of the shelves, examining her. "It can't be..." Scar said to himself when he remembers his brother and his brother's lover. Lust gasped and turn to see who it was.
"Someone there?" Lust called when Scar came out of the shadows in front of her. "So, you're him. What are you here for, scarred man?" Lust asked him. "You look like her. But that can't be possible." Scar said to her. "Mmm, what smell is that? It's like an Ishbalan with tasty blood caked all over his hands." Gluttony said as he chuckles with blood on his mouth and teeth.
"Let me guess. You've come here to take care of the Fullmetal pipsqueak, and the Flower girl, haven't you? But we can't have that. We have our own special needs, after all. They have to keep searching for the Philosopher's Stone." Lust said to him. "You're using those two?" Scar asked her as she chuckles. "Silly me, now I think I've said too much." Lust said to him. "Oh, Lust, does that mean I get to eat him, too?" Gluttony asked her as she smiles, and the two started to go at it.
"Humankind cannot gain anything, without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth."
{Opening song}
Ready Steady Go!/ L'Arc~en~Ciel
"Marcoh's Notes"
Isabella's POV
We finally made it to Central, and Ed got all excited about this. "Central! It's good to be back! But why are westanding around when the library's waiting for us?" Ed questioned as he runs off. "Brother, wait for us!" Al called out when the two of us catch up to him. "Come on. What's the big rush, kids? It's not as if the library's going anywhere." Armstrong said to us as he catches up. "After all this searching, we've got our first solid lead! I can't just sit on my butt now." Ed said to him. "He's right." I said to him as well when we see two soldier whose names are Maria Ross and Denny Bloch there saluting.
"Major Armstrong, sir, we've been sent to meet you here as you requested." Maria said to him as we looked confused by all of this, when Armstrong saluted. "Well done, troops. I need to go directly to H.Q. and get back to my other duties. From now on, these two will be guarding you. Introduce yourselves." Armstrong said to them as they do what he said while saluting. "Lieutenant Maria Ross, reporting sir!" Maria said to us. "And I'm Sergeant Denny Bloch, humbly at your service." Denny said to us also.
"It is an honor to meet you Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, and Flower Alchemist, Isabella Rockbell, sir and ma'am!" Maria and Denny said all together when Ed sulked. "Wow! You two certainly live up to your names, sir and ma'am. When they say Fullmetal and Flower, they really aren't kidding!"D enny said to Al and me, mistaking Al as Ed. "Uh. You're talking to the wrong people." Al said to him while pointing to where Ed sulking.
"I'm used to it by now." Ed said to them when Denny freaks out. "Really you mean those little guys?!" Denny questioned when Ed faced him with a scary look on his faces. "Sorry, sorry, sir! It's just Ithought you'd be fuller and more, more metal." Denny said to him. "Shut up!" Ed said to him as he stood up. "Come on, Major, we don't need babysitters anymore! We've all been fully repaired!" I said to Armstrong.
"Sorry, Isabella, I'd avoid it if I could." Armstrong said to me. "We've informed the Major that Scar has beenspotted around Central again. And he's specifically targeted you two in the past." Maria said to the two of usas we faced her. "We have no other choice, you two. You'll just have to put up with it for now." Armstrong said to me and Ed when Maria saluted us.
"But you don't need to worry, Fullmetal Alchemist and Flower Alchemist. We'll keep you two and your brother and friend safe from harm." Maria said to us when Denny saluted as well."We just hope you don't slow us down." I said to her as Ed and I walk off. "Wait! We have a car waiting for youtwo!" Denny said to us while he catches up to us. Al came up to her. "Sorry about my brother and friend. They're like that with everyone. Don't take it personally." Al said to her.
"The two may not look like much, but they've come through for us an many occasions." Armstrong said when Maria faced him with tears in his eyes. "So make sure they find what they came for." Armstrong said to her. "Sir, I'll try. But I'm afraid it's for that now." Maria said to him as he looks at her. "As fate would have it, that library's first branch burned down. Just last night," Maria said to him.
*FF*
The three of us are in front of the burned down library in shock at all of this. "You've gotta be kidding..." I saidin shock. "Scar's on wanted posters all over town. And several eye witnesses saw him in this area just before the fire started." Maria said when Ed picks up the burned book, but it turned to ashes in his hand. "Brother..."Al said sadly. "Edward..." I said sadly as well. "Our only decent lead is a pile of ashes." Ed said out of sadness.
No POV
Meanwhile, somewhere at Central Headquarters. Hughes is talking to Roy about his daughter, and other stuff. "And I'm not just saying this because I'm her father, Roy. Everyone agrees! Seriously, you have to hear the girl! And to think she's only three years old! She has the voice of an angel! That settles it! She's gonna be an opera star!" Hughes said to him on the phone. "Lieutenant Colonel. Some of us have real work to do." Roy said to him through the phone.
"Yeah, I've got loads of it! I never know where the hours in the day go!" Hughes said to him through the phone as he started laughing, while Roy get irritated by this. "So, Hughes. You think there's a way to use alchemy to send fire through a phone line? Torch someone's ear off?" Roy asked him through the phone.
"I'm not sure, Flame Alchemist, great question. I'll get my people on it. There is another reason that I calledyou through, Roy. Based on eye witness accounts, we're now certain that Scar was involved in the fire. But from the looks of things, I don't think he acted alone. There are signs of struggle that got way out of hand." Hughes said to him through the phone.
"And Scar. Any sign of what happened to him?" Roy asked him through the phone. "There's evidence of the fight dragging into the sewers. His blood stained clothes washed up further downstream. We don't know if that means he's dead, or just naked. On another note, ever since the death of Brigadier General Grand, therumor mill's been going crazy. People are saying that you're gonna be transferred back to Central soon. Ofcourse, there are some factions here putting forth the ridiculous notion that you're the one who's behind these rumors. Can you believe that?" Hughes asked him through the phone.
"That is ridiculous, still.. A homecoming in Central... It sounds nice." Roy said to him through the phone. "Be careful, Roy. You've got some enemies around here. In very high places." Hughes said to him through the phone. "I'm ready anytime." Roy said to him through the phone. "My advice to you is to make as many friendsas you can, friends who will support you when the time comes. Which is why I make this crucial suggestion. You find yourself a wife!" Hughes whispered when Roy slams the phone back in its place.
"Give it a rest!" Roy shouted out. "Please, Colonel, don't take it out on the phone." Riza said to him. "Come on, sir, get off the desk!" The woman shouted at Hughes.
Isabella's POV
We're now at another library, and a male librarian whose name is Gerald showed Bloch the remaining booksthey recovered from the first branch. "We've been searching all morning. I'm sorry, but these are the only books that we've recovered." Gerald said to him. "Out of the whole first branch?" Bloch asked him when Ed picks up one of the books. "We'll be okay." Al said when Ed begins to take out more books when the dark skinned woman appeared before Maria.
"I'm sorry, officers, but I'm not seeing any books by Tim Marcoh in the main building. If they had been movedhere from the first branch, there'd be a record of it." The woman said when Ed and I faced her. "Wait a sec. isn't it possible that somebody has it checked out right now?" Ed asked her. "I suppose. But the circulation records were destroyed in the fire." The woman said to him as he sighs. "Gotcha." Ed said to her. "I guess we're never gonna find that book." Al said to us.
"If only we could conform Dr. Marcoh's book was even in there last night. That would be a start. Was anyone else working with you at the library, who might know?" I asked her. "No, Gerald and I were the only two librarians on staff at the first branch." The woman said to me. "Just the two of you?" I asked her. "Being restricted to State Alchemists, we didn't get too much traffic." The woman said to me when I remembered abrown haired girl with glasses on.
"Last time Ed and I were there. We remember a mousy girl, with glasses on." I said to her. "Oh, I know. You're talking about Schiezka. But you must not have been there lately, because she was let go." The woman said to me. "Let go?" I questioned her. "She was an odd duck. Never really fit in around here." Gerald said to us. "Yes, she always had her nose in a book." The woman said to him. "Really?" I questioned her.
*FF*
We made it to Schiezka's house and Denny knocks on the door a few times. "Guess she's not home." Denny said. "The lights are on inside. I'm going in." Ed said to us. "You can't do that!" Maria said when Ed opens the door, and we sees a load of books inside. "It's nothing but books in here!" Ed said in awe. "I can't believe somebody actually lives in that!" Denny said in awe as well. "Excuse me, Ms. Schiezka, you home? Schiezka?" I called over a pile of books. "I don't think she's here." Al said when I see something about that pile of books.
"Help me, please! Somebody? Please help!" We hear Schiezka's voice called out from under a pile of books and we shrieked at this. We then started to dig her out of the pile. "She's in here somewhere!" Al exclaimed to us. "I know! Just keep digging!" Ed and I exclaimed to them when some of the books fall on topof us.
*FF*
After we all got Schiezka out of the pile of book, we gave her a drink, and we all started panting after we got her out. "Thank you all so much. Really. They always said I'd probably die with my head in a book. I just never thought they never meant it literally." Schiezka said to us. "Schiezka, you used to work in the library's first branch, isn't that right?" I asked her. "That's right. Unfortunately they fired me for what they call lack luster performance, i.e. reading, instead of doing my work. I needed that job. My mom's sick, and I've got to pay her bills. But, being surrounded by all those books, I couldn't control myself." Schiezka said to me.
"Sorry to hear that. Let me just cut to the chase. Do you happen to remember ever seeing a book written by Tim Marcoh while you were working there? It's really important." I asked her. "By a Tim Marcoh?" Schiezka questioned me. "Yeah. It would probably have been a thick handwritten research journal." I said to her. "Letme see here, thick handwritten research journal... Tim Marcoh... Oh! Yeah, I remember now! It was a leatherbound volume with lots of handwritten pages. Very thorough! Plenty of detail!" Schiezka said to me. "And you're sure about that?" I asked her.
"Yeah, I remember all the books. Especially the ones in the back."Schiezka said to me as we gasped. "In the back?" I questioned as the three of us sulked. "Then it was in there,and we'll never get to read it." Ed said sadly. "Brother..." Al said sadly. "Edward..." I said sadly as we sulked. "Sorry about that, guys... I know how upsetting it can be when you can't find that one book you're looking for. It's a tragic story I'm all too familiar with. I myself once scaled the heights and plunged the depths of the highest mountain of books for three days, but still find the elusive tome I'd been searching for. It's so tragic...So very tragic." Schiezka said sadly as she starts sobbing.
"Don't do that, Schiezka, you helped us out. Thanks to you, we at least know that the book really existed in there... And now I think I know what my next move is." Ed said to her. "What? You mean it's not totally a lost cause?" Denny asked him.
*FF*
We went back to the burned down library's first branch. "I'm gonna transmute the ashes of these books to their original form." Ed said to all of us. "That would be incredible! You could really do something like that?" Denny asked him when Ed claps his hands together. "Watch and learn." Ed said to him when a gust of wind blew the ashes away. "Wow! Strong wind! Is that what I was supposed to be watching for?" Denny asked when Ed and I fell to our knees and sulked again.
"I guess we're just not meant to read it." Al said as Ed and I sighed sadly. "Actually... If you want, I can reproduce the book for you, no problem." Schiezka said as we faced her. "I've got a photographic memory, you see, so I can recreate any book I've ever read... And since I did read that book while I was working there in the library..." Schiezka said to the three of us. "You can do that? Then why in the world didn't you say so earlier?" Ed asked her.
"Yeah, why in the world didn't you say so earlier?" I asked her as well. "Well, because people have always made fun of me for it. But, if I can be of some help..." Schiezka said to us.
*FF*
We made it back to Schiezka's house, and she sat every single book she remembered about Marcoh on the table. "All-righty, it's all here! As you can see, it's a pretty long book, so it took me three whole days to get it all on paper." Schiezka said to us. "And this... This entire pile is Marcoh's research? Are you sure?" I asked her. "Yup! Detailed, step-by-step instructions for everything from Appetizing Appetizers to Delectable Desserts! It's Tim Marcoh's One Thousand Recipes for Making Magic in the Kitchen!" Schiezka said to me asour mouths dropped at what she said, and she started laughing.
*FF*
Maria begins reading one of them. "One tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper... Nothing too magical about this recipe." Maria said when Denny moves to Schiezka's ear. "You think maybe you got the wrong author?" Denny asked her in her ear. "Not a chance! I reproduced verbatim what Dr. Marcoh wrote in those journals." Schiezka said to him. "It was all for naught. Sorry, Fullmetal and Flower." Maria said to me and Ed.
"I don't know." I said to her when they faced us. "So, Schiezka, you're positive every word's precisely as it wasin Dr. Marcoh's version?" I asked her. "Oh yes, ma'am, no doubt about it." Schiezka said to me. "Schiezka, you really are an amazing talent." I said to her when I faced Maria. "Lieutenant, make sure she's properly compensated." I said to her while giving a paper and my pocket watch while Ed does the same thing. Then wewalk towards the door.
"You'll see a figure there. Go to the State Alchemist Treasury and have them take that amount out of mine and Ed's research budget." I said to her. "Al, come on." I called as Ed and I walked out. "We're right behindyou!" Al said as they followed us. "But I'm security! Take care of this, Bloch." Maria said when she gives Denny mine and Ed's watches, and the pamphlet, and runs out. "I don't get it. What the heck are they going to do with a cookbook?" Denny questioned. "Bake a cake?"Schiezka questioned when she and Denny sees the paper, and they shrieked in shock. "If they can authorize that kind of expenditure, they must have some reputation!" Denny said out of shock.
*FF*
The three of us are walking down the sidewalk when Maria ran up and blocked our path. "Sir, ma'am, wait up! Where are you two going to now?" Maria asked us. "We're gonna hole up in the Central Library's main building for now. After all, they've got the best resources for this sort of work." I said to her. "No way! A library was Scar's last mark, and he's still at large! It's impossible for us to protect you in that kind of public venue!" Maria said to me.
"Figuring out a way to do your job is your problem, Lieutenant Ross! Getting the Philosopher's Stone is mine." Ed said to her as he walks passed her, and I followed him and Al stopped his tracks. "Please, try to understand. We've finally got a lead." Al said to her as he walk off with Maria watching us leave.
*FF*
We arrived at the library with a pile of Marcoh's notes on the table. "So these are Marcoh's notes. On the surface, they appear to be an ordinary cookbook..." Ed said to us. "You really think the secret of the stone is in here?" I asked him. "It does make sense. Marcoh didn't want just anyone to read it, so he wrote it in code. As for the cookbook disguise, you know what they say, "Alchemy was born in the kitchen." So now all we have to do is crack this secret language of his. No sweat." Ed said to me. "Mmm..." I hummed when the three of us gotto work on cracking Marcoh's codes. We got started on looking up some books, unaware that Maria is watching us from behind the door. Then she sees Denny sleeping, and she sighs at the sight of it.
(Night Time)
Nightfall came, and the four of us became exhausted at our work. "Damn, so much for that whole 'No sweat' business. Get a marker, make a few columns, I thought it'd be easy!" Ed said to us like he was a mess. "It'd be a lot faster if we could just ask Marcoh." I said to him. "We're trying to keep the military out of the loophere, Isa, and Marcoh's in the Fuhrer's custody now..." Ed said to her when Hughes barges in. "Wakey, wakey! So how you doing there, kids?" Hughes said when Ed and I sat up, and stand up in excitement.
"Lieutenant Colonel! What's the matter, been to busy to come say 'hello'?" I asked him. "It's these damn 'Scarspottings' lately. It's got us chasing our own tails." Hughes said to me. "So, Al did you get the 'full-body repair' you needed?" Hughes asked Al. "Yes, sir. Good as new." Al said to him with Maria and Denny seeing our conversation.
"They sure are chummy with the Lieutenant Colonel." Denny said when Maria walks in the room. "Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. If there were to be an attack here, we cannot insure the safety of these three as we've been ordered. They should return to the command center now." Maria said to him."We told you Ross, don't get in our way!" I said to her. "Lieutenant Colonel as long as Scar remains at large, security of State Alchemists must be a top priority." Maria said to him as he sighs.
"Sorry, Ed and Isa, butI'm afraid Lieutenant Ross does have a point." Hughes said to us. "Don't say that..." Ed said to him. "But then again, this really isn't my jurisdiction, why don't you take it up with Major Armstrong?" Hughes questioned and Ed, Maria and I stammered. "No, please, anybody but Armstrong!" Ed and I cried out when Hughes faced Maria, and she regains composure, and keeps her cool.
"Lieutenant Colonel, we're close to it now, I can feel it! I'm begging!" I said to him. "Hmmm... What I'd like to do is give you and Ed extra protection, Isa, but between hunting down Scar and scrambling to replace the case files that were destroyed in the fire, my men are all completely tied up right now." Hughes said to me. "All your case files? You mean they were stored in the First Branch, too?" I asked him. "Yeah, affidavits, suspect list , crime scene logs, all of it." Hughes said to me as Ed smirks at this. "You're in luck...!" Ed said tohim.
*FF*
We made it to Schiezka's house. "Me? Really? Um, I know I wasn't supposed to look through those military records, but I ran out of books while I was working there." Schiezka said. "Well, that's what we wanted to hear." I said. "If she can actually do what you and Ed say she can, Isa, that would certainly be a big helpfor us." Hughes said to me. "She can do it all right, trust me. So what do you say? Does she have the job?" I asked him. "Honestly? You mean a weirdo like me, whose only skill is reading, might be able to work for the military?" Schiezka questioned me.
"Don't sell yourself short. The world needs people who really care about something and work hard at it. You have a gift, Schiezka. You should own it. Be proud of yourself." I said to her. "Thanks, Isabella." Schiezka saidto me. "All right. I'll take the job, if you want me to. Thank you for your consideration." Schiezka said to Hughes. "Sure! You're hired. Now that that's all settled, let's get right to work. And, you should know, I paybetter than Ed and Isa." Hughes said to her as we all started laughing.
"Thank you so much!" Schiezka said to him when Ed and I faced Hughes with smirks on our faces. "I guess youand Isa win again, Ed. Now I can free up a couple of additional soldiers to cover the security in the library for you two." Hughes said to him. "Wow, thanks, pal! I wasn't even thinking about that as a possible outcome."Ed said to him. "Right." Hughes said to him.
*No POV*
Hughes leaves Schiezka's house. "Night everyone! Don't work yourselves too hard." Hughes said when hewalks down, and Maria came out and stopped him. "Just a minute, Lieutenant Colonel!" Maria called when Hughes faced her. "Lieutenant Ross, I know full well what you're going to say to me now. But, I know those kids, too, and they'll do whatever they want, regardless of whether we give them permission or not. All we can do is protect them as best as we can. I expect your cooperation." Hughes said to her.
"I can't agree with you just giving them a blank ticket, encouraging them to continue despite all of the danger! With all due respect sir, they're only children!" Maria said to him. "There's more going on here theny ou understand. Those three children in there have the ability to find something that no one else can. This State's future is in their hands, and as adults, it's our job to enable them. When you have kids, you'll understand." Hughes said to her as he leaves.
*Days Ago*
"Brother!" Scar's voice called when an image of his brother, and his lover are seen, and Lust appears with asmirk on her face. Scar and Gluttony go at it when Scar blows Gluttony's head, but his head is intact and Gluttony grabs Scar's chest and squeezed it, until blood comes out of his mouth. But Scar destroys Gluttony'sarm, and he moves back. But moves aside when Lust attacks from behind, and she tosses the candles asideand attacks him.
Lust attacks him and they fell to the other level of the building, and she attacks him, but Scar dodges it. Scar sees what they really are when fire started to burn up some books everywhere in the building and Scar stood up. "I see. You're Homunculi." Scar said to them. "Clever. I didn't know there still humans who knew that word,let alone believed that we exist." Lust said when Gluttony begins to attack Scar again, but Scar created a wayout, and the whole building shook from the inside out.
The whole building exploded, and the inside went up in flames and Lust and Gluttony sat back to watch the fireworks. "So sad. I didn't get to eat him." Gluttony said to Lust sadly. "Yes, a pity. I would've liked to haveverified Marcoh's research journal. But I guess it makes no difference, now." Lust said to him as they leave the scene, and the whole building went up in flames.
*FF*
Scar then wakes up in a tent, and a boy whose name is Rick checks on him. "Oh, you're awake. Really wasn'texpecting that... I thought we were gonna have to bury you for sure!" Rick said. "Where am I?" Scar questioned him. "Hey, it's true that you're and Ishbalan, isn't it?" Rick questioned when Scar hears what he just said. "Don't worry, it's not bad! Everybody else around this colony is, too!" Rick said to him.
*FF*
Several Ishbalans in this colony are still alive after the rebellion, and Rick ran up his grandfather, while Scar follows him there. "Grandpa! He's up! He's not dead!" Rick called. "Oh! You must be quite the stubborn muleto have come back from that one. Well, you're the one, aren't you? The one on all their wanted posters? You can relax, warrior. There's none among us who would sell out one of our own people." Rick's grandfather said to Scar.
"I had no idea there were this many Ishbalans alive after the Massacre." Scar said to him. "It's not just here, my son. There are settlements like this scattered all across the country. Our people are thriving. Oh, sons of Ishbala, the entirety of the world is the bosom of the Lord our God." Rick's grandfather said to him.
Maria's POV
Bloch and I are outside the door, and Bloch started to yawn and stretch at the same time. "They still haven'tfound what they're looking for, huh? I haven't the foggiest clue what they're doing in there. But, I wish they'dgive it a rest so we can go home!" Bloch said. "It won't happen... Look, they won't give up until they get whatthey came for. And we just give them invisible security until they do." I said to him as I sigh.
Isabella's POV
Ed started to stammer at what we've found. "Damn it! I get it now. Why they all call this quest the devil's errand... Why they either quit their research or are driven insane by it..." Ed said to us. "Easy..." I said to him."The secret, guys... The last ingredient of the Stone... It's live human beings!" Ed said to us.
Maria's POV
I gasped at what I heard from behind the door when Bloch came up to me. "Hey, what's the matter?" Bloch asked me when he looks through.
Isabella's POV
We were all shocked at all of this turn of events. "Just when I thought... Just when I thought it was finally within our grasp!" Ed said to us.
No POV
Scar told Rick everything about him leaving. "You're leaving?" Rick asked him. "Thank you for all your help." Scar said to him. "You know, you could stay." Rick said to him. "I do not belong here... Regardless of my intentions, I've done far too many things that betray God's law." Scar said to him when he sees his arm. "That tattoo... It's incredible." Rick said to him. "Yes. It was a gift my brother gave to me... So I couldn't forget." Scarsaid to him.
{Ending song}
Tobira no Mukou e/ YeLLOW Generation