Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except Isabella.
*No POV*
"A simple rock, red as blood, which promised to turn pain into delight, war into victory, and death into life. It was a thinking person's dream, reason conquering all. And it was in deference to this that it was called the Philosopher's Stone."
*FF*
Lieutenant Maria Ross was completely stunned at what she just heard. Al and Isa were also stunned, and Ed was in total shock and grief at all of this. "How can this be possible...?" Ed questioned them. "I don't know," Isabella said to him. "After all this time, years of searching, sacrificing, and this is the answer we get! The secret ingredient to make a Philosopher's Stone, the only way to make it work, live humans, and in mass numbers!" Ed said to them.
"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*
"*The Truth Behind Truths*"
*Maria's POV*
Major Armstrong is walking to where they are. "Major, please! Will you wait a minute? Major Armstrong!" I called out when he stopped his tracks. "It's just, the kids seem exhausted, sir. They've had a long day. Maybe we shouldn't disturb them right now." I said to him. "Tired, you say? Then I'll have to take them to dinner inthe mess hall. Nothing like food in the stomach to energize the mind." Armstrong said as he continues to walkup, but I followed him.
"No, ah, sir, actually, I think they've already gone to sleep for the night. Why don't I just tell them you came byand wake up in the morning?" I said to him. "Very well, Lieutenant. I guess we do want those kids to get their rest." Armstrong said to me as he leaves. I sigh in relief and faced the other way, but felt a little concerned about those kids.
Isabella's POV
I was in Ed and Al's room thinking about what we've found. I was staring up at the ceiling. Ed was lying on the couch and Al was behind him. "God must really hate people who go against him. I was 11 years old then, and he still has me marked. Every time I thought I was in reach, he'spulled it away, so I'd fall on my face, and then, when I finally got my fist around it... He raises his big obnoxious foot, and kicks me in the teeth. Just face it, guys. It's going to be this way our whole lives." Ed said to me when I sat up.
"Don't say that..." I said to him when Ed turn aside. "I really thought it was going to work out, guys, wewould find the Philosopher's Stone, and it would all be okay." Ed said to her. "It still won't be, we'll find thestone, brother. And we'll get our bodies back to normal. And be happy. People say you and Isa are dogs of the military, that you two have sold your souls to get this far. But that isn't true, it hasn't stopped us, andthis won't either. We've worked too hard." Al said to him.
Maria's POV
I heard every word from behind the door, while I was holding a tray of food in my hand, and my other one on the handle. But I soon let go if it.
Isabella's POV
Ed has his back turned when Al was picking up some papers, and I was staring up at the ceiling all the time. But Al stopped picking some papers up. "Brother? Let's look at it again,from the beginning." Al said to his brother. "I've looked at it enough." Ed said to him. "But there's a chance we misread something, maybe we got it wrong." Al said to him. "I said 'I've had enough'." Ed said to him.
"But what is our code's wrong?! What if that's not what it said, or maybe we missed some key in the paragraph, like a loophole, we should read the whole thing again." Al said to him when Ed got really irritated by that.
"I said 'Enough'!" Ed shouted when he accidentally knocks a teacup to Al's face, which makes the papers fallout of his hands. I sat up from all of that commotion, and see that Ed accidentally knocked a teacup to his brother's face. "Brother...?" Al said to him. "Edward..." I said when Ross and Bloch barged in. "Issomething wrong, sir?" Maria asked Ed when she sees some papers on the floor, and back at us. "It's just a broken cup, go back in the hall. Sorry, Al." Ed said to his brother. "Yeah..." Al said to him when Ross started topick up some papers that fell on the floor.
"So, Ed, that's really the end of it? You won't regret it then, going back before you're finished?" Maria askedwhen she walks up to the table, and picks up the remaining papers. "That's interesting. I didn't realize whatyou were looking for was so incidental you'd abandon it this easily." Maria said to him. "Stop going on like you know what you're talking about. You don't know anything." Ed said to her. "Wrong, Ed. I know what youkids have been searching for is the Philosopher's Stone. And I know that it's created by sacrificing humanlives." Maria said as we all gasped at what she said.
"I know it was uncalled for, but I was listening through the door." Maria said to him. "Well, if you eavesdropped you must know. It's pointless to chase after it now. Leave us alone." Ed said to her. "You really are a child, aren't you?" Maria questioned when Ed sat up, and I walked over to where they are."You're frightened of it. That all the answers will disappear. You're terrified you might have to admit that you've done... Was wasted effort... Am I wrong?" Maria questioned when Ed felt so completely lost at what she just said.
"It's okay to feel lost. And not have reasons." Maria said to him when she stood up. "But verifying whether Marcoh's theory is the truth of not is worth something in itself if you ask me. After all, what you kids havebeen searching for is a lot bigger than you, Isa or Al. Why don't you try searching for a little longer, Ed, but without worries, about the final result?" Maria asked him when she gives him the papers she just picked up to Ed, and he starts looking at it.
"You're right. It's like a book. Just because you're mad and stopped reading. Doesn't change the way it ends." Ed said to her. "That's right!" I said when Ed stood up. "We've had roadblocks and we've conquered them all! I'll be damned if we stop halfway! We'll take this all the way to the finish! Let's do this, guys!" Ed said to us. "Right!" The two of us said to him when Ross sighs in relief.
*FF*
We all began talking about Marcoh's research. "Dr. Marcoh's research is sound in theory, but even with the inclusion of humans in the forging process, it still never made a perfect Philosopher's Stone." Ed said to us. "So there still might be other methods." I said to him. "Right. But let's check his method first. I want to seethe truth of it with my own eyes." Ed said to her when he realized something. "Wait a second. Truth..." Ed trailed off when he opens the paper we received.
"Bottom of the page... Like an after thought." Ed said to us. "Hmm?" I hummed at him. "The genuine truth behind truths... Of course! He was saying there's still something more!" Ed said when Bloch sets somethingdown on the table. "According to his data, it takes refining equipment to create a Stone. You'd need a massive facility. Like a whole complex." Ed said to us. "Well, there are currently four alchemic laboratories running under the military's watch. They're all pretty big. I know Dr. Marcoh was assigned here, at the third lab." Denny said to him
"No, Isa and I already went to all four labs in the city, and there wasn't anything remarkable going a lot of fast-talking bureaucrats." Ed said to him when I point at something. "Hey, what about this?" Iasked Bloch. "Oh right. There used to be a fifth lab, but they closed it down years ago. It's just an abandoned building now. Apparently there were structural problems, so they made it off-limits." Denny said to me. "That's it." Ed said as we faced him, and he points at something.
"Look. There's a prison right next door." Ed said to us. "So they had a spacious lot of federal land. What are you getting at?" Maria asked Ed. "If people are the key ingredient in a Philosopher's Stone, doesn't it make sense to put lab in a place where you a convenient, state-controlled supply?" Ed asked her as we all gasped. "You don't mean they used the convicts!" Denny said when I drew a circle over the fifth lab.
"Why not? You couldn't have a cleaner plan. Take condemned prisoners, say they're executed, then use them for experiments. Who was running this laboratory?" I asked the two. "Lab Five. That would be Brigadier General Grand." Maria said to me. "And he was killed by Scar, as you're obviously aware." Denny said to me aswell. "What do you think?" Al asked his brother. "There's no choice." Ed said as he stood up. "What do you say we go check it out ourselves, guys?" Ed said to us. "Sure." I said to him when Ross begins to protest.
"Now just hold on a minute! From here out this is grown-ups' work. Besides, as long as Scar is loose, you and Isa are walking targets. You can't afford to stroll around Central." Maria said to him. "Yeah? So what?" Edasked her. "Let Bloch and me be your eyes on the ground. We'll go to Lab Five, and see if anything's out of theordinary. If we see anything, we'll give you a full report. It's our duty." Maria said to him when she bows athim. When I walk up to Ed, and faced Ross with a smile on my face. "All right. We clearly can't argue with you. You guys can take care of it." I said to her as she salutes. "Ma'am. It's the right choice." Maria said to me.
*FF*
The three of us sneaked out after what I just said to them. Ed checked to see if it was clear, and he gave us the signal for us to catch up to him. Then we all ran off to Lab Five.
*Schiezka's POV*
I laid my head on the desk in relief. "Okay, Lieutenant Colonel. I'm done writing down the court record forcase 3263. Can I please go home now?" I begged him. "Great, glad you're done." Hughes said to me. "Yeah, you mind holding for a minute." Hughes said through the phone when he reads another list of things I need to do. "All right, Schiezka, let's keep the ball rolling. Case number 9572, please." Hughes said to me as Igasped. "They're going to be using that in court tomorrow, so let's make that a rush job." Hughes said to me. "Yes sir..." I said to him weakly.
"What's wrong? You need an energy boost?" Hughes asked me as I gasped again. "No! That's not necessary!" I stammered when he showed me a picture of his daughter. "Look! This is aspecial little swimsuit edition, with mommy's hat on! Isn't she the most adorable angel you've ever seen in all existence? One look at her happy face, and all fatigue just flies away! Doesn't it?" Hughes asked me. "Yes..." I said weakly. "That's what I say. She's a natural-born healer!" Hughes said happily.
"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel? Lieutenant Colonel? What's going on there? Can you hear me?" One man asked through the phone when Hughes stopped what he's doing, and he answers it. "So, have you found Scar'sbody? Not yet? Okay. Well don't forget about the security for the library. Send them tonight. Hmm? Oh, yeah. She's a real miracle-worker. I definitely owe Ed and Isa one for introducing me to her." Hughes said through the phone as I got my butt working.
Isabella's POV
The three of us finally made it to Lab Five, and Ed sees the gate. He walks right up to it, and he didn't have the strength to bend the bars, and the two of us walked up to him. We then see some wires there. "Are those tripwire alarms?" Alice asked him. "Yep. For an abandoned facility, the security sure is tight." Ed said to her. "It keeps getting more suspicious."I said to him. "Come on, let's try the back." Ed said as he runs off. And we followed him to the back, and stopped our tracks.
"Al, boost." Ed said to his brother. "Up you go." Al said when Ed got tossed up, and lands on the top. "My turn now." I said as I get tossed up as well, and land on the top. Ed begins to give Al a lift up. "I hate to say it, but you can't fight convenience. It's times likethese I'm glad not to have an arm and leg made of flesh and blood." Ed said to his brother as he laughed a little. "Same here." Al said as he climbs up. Then we reached another way in, but it was blocked.
"Another barricade." Al said to us. "Yeah. We'll have to find a more creative way in." I said to him. "Hey. Upthere." Al said when he points at something. Ed opens the vent, and sees something. "Looks like it goes all theway in. All right, you wait here." Ed said to Al. "Will you and Isa be okay by yourselves?" Al asked him. "Okay or not, it's our only choice here. We're not gonna get your big metal bodythrough this vent." Ed said to him as he crawls inside I crawled right after Ed. "Sit tight. We'll be back in a bit." I said to them and they go into a sad position. "You now it's not my fault I'm big." Al said sadly.
Maria's POV
I was on the phone. "Lieutenant Maria Ross. I need to speak with Major Armstrong, please." I said through the phone when I wait for him to call. "What is it, Lieutenant?" Armstrong asked me through the phone. "Sorry, sir,but there's something I need to speak to you about." I said when we hear a gun shot from somewhere. Siren shave gone off when the MPs are shooting at Scar who has infiltrated here. One of them loses ammo, and hetries to reload."Hey! Contact Command. Tell them we need reinforcements, ASAP!" One MP ordered the other.
"Yes sir!" TheMP said when the other MP was blown off. And Scar runs up to the other while shooting at him, but his gun was tossed aside and he grabs the MP by the throat while panting for breaths. "You are not my concern, footsoldier. The Fullmetal, and the Flower. Where are they?" Scar questioned the MP when we ran up towhere Scar was. We finally made it and see some MPs dead, or injured. I then noticed that the stairs have been destroyed, and noticed that Scar's going to where he's going.
"You two stay here. The rest of you, move to the other 's going to Ed and Isa's room." I ordered as we went to where Scar's going. Scar kicks the door open and sees no one there. He then sees the paper on the table, and he uses his own alchemy to turn the papers into blanks, and he creates a ball of words, and he sees everything form within it. "So, Fullmetal and Flower, now you two understand the the truth as well." Scar said to himself when he notices the map of Lab Five encircled on there. He then hear us coming this way, and we came in fully armed.
"Scar! Freeze!" I shouted as we all started shooting at him, but he run out of a window, and he runs off. I look out to see he ran off. "Damn." I cursed out. "Lieutenant, look!" Bloch called as I faced him. "What about, Ed, Isa, and Al? Where are they?" I asked him. "Here's a good clue." Bloch said to when I noticed that they ran off via the rope they made. "Damn those three..." I said to myself.
No POV
Lust, Gluttony and Envy are inside a tower, and began talking. "The town of Liore has been handled tightly, just a harmless, bottomless sand now, there's no one left who knew anything useful." Envy said to Lust. "Beautiful work, Envy, we're glad to have you back in our midst; things are going well here, too." Lust said to him when he turns into Ed. "But what about those runts, Fullmetal and Flower? I heard they've gotten wind of the lab. Don't you think we should take care of them? Before they tell the military our secrets!" Envy asked her.
"I'll kill them! Let me! Let me, please!" Gluttony said to them happily. "Be patient. I've watched them for a longtime, and I still think they can grant our wish, we can always kill them after that, can we?" Lust asked Envy when he turns back into his old self. "I don't care what you do with them, Lust, as long as they don't mess upour, 'precious plan.' Although, I do think it's unlikely that they'll get passed those 'funhouse' guards no oneever does." Envy said to her.
"I give them direct orders not to lay a hand on the kids, but that ensures nothing. They are idiots after all." Lust said to him. "If it starts looking like too much trouble, we'll have to kill them all." Envy said to her. "I know that." Lust said to him as Gluttony laughs with a smile on his face.
Isabella's POV
Ed and I are going through this tight vent. "Damn it! This is smaller than we thought!" Ed shouted to me. "You're right about that, Ed." I said to him as we continue to crawl through. "See, if we were normal-sized, wewouldn't have fit, and we would've had to call this off. It really is a good thing we're so small." Ed said to me. "Uh, Ed." I said to him when he stopped, and realized what he just said. "AAAUGHH! NO IT'S NOT!AHHHHHHHH!" Ed screamed out loud.
*FF*
Ed kicks open a duct, and he lands down on the floor, while I do the same thing. Ed sees some lights in theroom. "Lights are still on..." I said to him. "How do they explain that when they say they don't use this place anymore... Just running up the bill for fun?" Ed questioned when he stepped on something, and I was behind him. We looked up to see some spikes on the ceiling. We gasped at this as they come down, and we dodged that, and land softly. "The hell was that?!" Ed questioned out of shock. "I don't know." I said to him when he pressed another button.
A huge knife came out of a wall, and we dodged it. Then needles came out of another wall, and we dodged those by making our bodies be in place where they hit. Then the floor opened to reveal a trapdoor, and Ed held on for dear life, while I do the same. We climbed back up, and we started chuckling at this. "For them to go to all this trouble, they must have something they really don't want to be seen..." I said as Ed and I climbedback up. "We're getting excited... We just love being right..." Ed said to me. "You're right about that." I said tohim when he pressed on another button.
We gasped when we hear something coming. Then we felt the earth shaking as we stand up to see what it was. "Now what?" I questioned about that noise coming. But then it revealed to be a giant rolling boulder heading our way. We screamed at the sight of it and we run for our lives away from that thing.
No POV
A recording of Ed and Isa running for their lives from a giant rolling boulder, followed by a recording of Al outside. Number 66 laughs at the sight of them. "At last!" Number 66 said happily as he stood up. "Where are you going? We're under orders, not to lay a hand on them." Number 48 said to him. "Orders? Idon't care about orders. This one's all for me! I'm going to drain out their marrows!" 66 said when 48 draws his sword. "Wait. There are three in our quarry, and two of us... You can't monopolize the pleasure..." 48 said tohim.
Isabella's POV
Ed and I kept on running for our lives from that giant ball of boulder. "You know for a lifeless ball of rock, it sure is persistent!" Ed said to me. "Which is why we're running for our lives from that thing!" I said to him when we tripped over a small rock. "Gah! No..." Ed and I said when we rolled over to different sides when that giant rock goes passed us. But when it rolls passed us, it leaves me and Ed safe and sound without a scratch. "See? And all this time we thought being normal-sized would be a good thing..." Ed said to me. "That's right." I saidto him when we still realized what we just said.
"DAMN IT! Enough is enough!" Ed and I shouted when we clapped our hands together and used alchemy to stop all of the traps, unaware that someone is inside an unknown room. Ed and I begin to walk down a hallway when we see a door there. "Finally, a nice basic door." Ed said as we walked right inside a room, andsee nobody there, but a skull we just stepped on. We looked a little scared by it when the door automatically closes behind us.
"Nice of you two to come." We hear a voice said when a moving armor called Number 48 came up. "Graciously do I welcome you here." 48 said as he draws his sword in front of us. "You don't look toowelcoming with that sword." Ed said to him. "I have been entrusted with guarding these grounds. For now,you may call me Number 48." 48 said to him.
"48? Catchy." I said to him. "It's been silent for too long. I'm pleased to faced someone capable again. But you luck has run out, running into me. Do not think ill of me, children." 48 said when Ed turn his arm into a blade,and I transmuted a rock into a dagger. "And you don't think ill of us, for being the children who defeated you." Ed said to him. "How 'bout a little blade-on-blade?" Ed and I questioned him.
Alphonse's POV
I was still waiting outside for Ed and Isa. "They're sure taking a while. What could they be doing?" I said wondering, then I hear a shout from above, and I look up. An armor that's moving attacked me, and I dodged him. We're shocked by all of this when an armor calledNumber 66 stood up. "Nice. You move well for a big thing, Good." 66 said tous. "Who are you?" I asked him.
"Ooooh. So demanding. I guess I should answer. I'm Number 66. Though, that's just what they call me atwork." 66 said to us. "Number 66?" I questioned on his name. "Yes. I have a proper name, too. But if I told you, you'd be so shocked you'd wet yourselves. I'll tell you when I'm peeling your skin." 66 said to me.
Isabella's POV
Ed and I got into our fighting stance. "As guardian, you must know this place pretty well. We've got a questionfor you." I said to 48. "Defeat me, then we'll talk." 48 said to me. "Now, let's see how good you are." 48 said ashe charged at us. "Quick." I said when I dodged his attack, and Ed got his jacket slashed revealing his automail.
"Auto-mail up to the shoulder. Perfect." 48 said when his sword clashed with Ed's arm, and my transmuted dagger. "My sword can even cut through steel." 48 said to him. "I hope you're kidding, pal. If I break this arm again, there's a girl who's gonna wring my neck." Ed said to him. "He's right, 'ya know." I said to him when Ed felt something from his auto-mail.
Winry's POV
A screw fell on the table, and I looked at the table. I picked up the screw and examine it. "That's Ed's..." I trailed off when I gasped at the sight of it. "Whoopsie." I said to myself.
No POV
Our sword fight continues when 48 almost attacked Isabella, butsh dodged his attack, and kicked him in the armored-chest. 'Those reflexes.' Isabella thought when 48 moved back. "Why you!" 48 said when he charged at her. "Got him for 'ya, Ed!" Isa called when she moved aside and Ed got ready to attack him by jumping to the side andgrabbed his armored helmet open. Isa made it to her side when Ed landed softly. They turn to face 48 when he satup. "Curious, children?" 48 questioned when he showed us his blood seal, and we gasped at the sight of it. 'Ananchoring seal. Body-less armor. He's just like Al.' Ed thought to himself.
Alphonse's POV
As I turn to see that 66 is beginning to charge at me.
{Ending song}
Tobira no Mukou e/ YeLLOW Generation