Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except ocs.

*Streets of Central/Night*

No one's POV:

Blue lightning flashed followed by a large explosion of stone. A short, fat man wearing a tall hat smiled underneath his long mustache. "So you dare to challenge Giolio Comanche, the Silver Alchemist to battle, do you!" the man said, holding his marked hands up. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. However..." Blue electricity engulfed his hands and he hit the ground, sending an army of spear-headed chains at his opponent. Scar flexed his hand and broke the weapons. Comanche shifted and created a small throwing disc with three sharp sides.

He turned and flung them at Scar, who quickly jumped over the disc and ran for Comanche. The Silver Alchemist came to a stop and faced Scar, now with a short sword in hand. He spun and spun until he created a propeller with his sword and body. He flew at Scar at a high speed, who hastily dodged. Comanche rebounded and quickly came at Scar again. Scar ran at the spinning man with his arm outstretched and they collided. Scar's outer thigh burst open with crimson blood.

"Not bad, not bad at all. You got off with just a scratch," Comanche taunted, landing on his peg leg. Scar glared at him. "You can't say the same." Comanche's wooden leg broke apart and he fell backward into the water. Scar then jumped into the water and brought his hand to the guy's face as blue light erupted. Blood slowly lifted to the surface.

{Opening song}

*Rundown Shack/Outskirts*

"What's going on? Who is this?" Scar asked Yoki as he walked up to the door. "Oh sir, you've returned. Welcome back." Yoki stated as Scar got angry and said, "I said, "who is this!" Yoki flinched as the little girl smiled with a bow and said, "Please to meet you," the little girl sitting on the floor said. "My name is May Chang, sir."

Chapter 15: Envoy from the East

"I collapsed by the side of the road. Your master, revived me and brought me back here!" "Master?" Scar looked at Yoki, who looked away as if nothing was said. He brought his attention back to the girl. "If you've recovered there's no reason for you to stay. Be on your way at once." he walked over to a wall and took a seat, cringing from the blow he received the night before.

May got up and ran to his side, looking at his injury. "What, girl?" He asked. "Allow me to close your wound." she stuck five kunai into each of the star's points and smiled. Scar watched as May placed her hands on the circle. Blue lightning ran over his leg and his wound slowly mended itself together. His eyes widened. Yoki gasped. "It's healed!" "It's a skill called Alkahestry from the land of Xing!" She explained.

"She's from Xing?" Scar asked. "That's right, sir," Yoki said. "This girl crossed the desert from the East by herself to come here! Ha! Ridiculous." "No, I wasn't alone! I had her with me too!" The small panda on her shoulder looked back at Scar. "'Her'? You mean this little creature here?" "That's right! Her name's Shao May." May looked back and saw Scar's hand almost on her shoulder. She walked back and studied the tattoos on his arm. "Oh, your arm. That's Alkahestry, right? The art of reading the dragon's pulse, of knowing the power that flows through the ground and how to use it? That tattoo matches the flow of Alkahestry used in my homeland."

Scar dropped his arm saying, "My brother was a student of alchemy and Alkahestry. He conducted a great deal of research into both fields. The tattoo that I bear is a result of that research." May smiled. "That's incredible! Your brother must've been something!" Scar was silent. "I'm not sure of what you two are talking about," Yoki interrupted, "but your wound has healed one, sir. We can be on our way to Central without any further delay." "Oh, that sounds great!" May said. "I'll go get my things." She ran over and put her stuff together.

"What do you think you're doing? Didn't he tell you to shove off, kid?" Yoki said. "We're not exactly going to Central for a picnic, ya know." "I know but I meant what I told you." "Ya mean about all that immortality stuff you were blabbering about earlier? There's no such thing." "Yes, there is! I came here to find it!" Yoki pointed a finger at her as he said, "Oh, shut up! Kids don't know anything!"

Shao May leaped out and dug her teeth into Yoki's finger. He screamed in pain, trying to shake the small animal off. "I already know that immortality can't be accomplished by Alkahestry," May think. "But it is possible through the use of alchemy! That's why I have to find them; the incredible man I heard so much about. They mention the guy has hair and eyes of gold, like the sun, wearing a dashing red coat. They both help anyone in need; the brilliant State alchemist and Edward Elric!" May then had an image of Ed in her head of what she thought he looked like, a dashing tall prince. She began to fantasize as Scar muttered, "Suit yourself, girl..."

*Central Streets/Night*

Riza had just come from shopping and was walking home with Black Hayate next to her. Hayate was sniffing the ground when she suddenly heard something. They quickly turned and began growling. "Black Hayate? What's gotten into you guys?" Laughter was heard as a voice said, "It's dangerous to be walking the streets alone at this hour." a man said, coming out of the shadows and laughing.

Riza dropped her dog's leash. "You never know when you might meet," the man ripped off his head and jacket, "the famous serial killer feared by all! Barry Chopper!" Riza brought out her gun and shoots at the man. He fell to the ground as the gun emptied. "No fair! Why'd you have to pull out a gun." She dropped their groceries and pulled out another gun, shooting Barry again.

"Alright that's it lady, now I'm gonna make you scream!" he put his hands on his head and removed it only to have her gasp and shoots another bullet. "Hey! How come you two are not paralyzed by fear!" "You remind us of someone else I know..." "Lemme guesses, Alphonse something or other." "You've met Alphonse before?"

Hayate ran over and bite Barry's clothes, trying to tear him up. Barry laughed. "Oh, so the guy's a friend of yours, is he?" He put his head back on. "I'm gonna tell ya something, Sweetheart...you are a strong woman!" Barry gained hearts in his eyes.

*Central/Warehouse*

"The Philosopher's Stone?" Mustang said, studying a small book. "I can't believe the Fifth Laboratory was being used to make something like that," Falman stated as Mustang, Riza, Barry, and he all sat around while Hayate and Crystal stood guard outside. "It gets worse," "There's a chance that senior military staff was involved as well." Riza stated. "Plus there were those other two, Lust and Envy... Are they the ones that made you into what you are now?" Mustang asked Barry.

"Nah, it was the researchers who did that. Ripped my soul right outta my body and slapped it into this suit of armor you see here." "We can track down those so-called researchers. If we find them maybe they can tell us who ordered these experiments." Falman explained as Barry said, "Fat chance of that. They were all used to create Philosopher's Stones. There's not a single one of 'em left alive." "Silenced and then use as ingredients," Mustang revised. "How efficiently planned." "Do you think this means they have what they need or will they try and make additional stones?" Riza asked.

"I have one more question for you," Mustang asked Barry. "A little over a month ago military officer was killed in a telephone booth and Central. Were you the one who did it?" Everyone glanced at Mustang as Barry said, "Phone booth? Doesn't sound familiar. Was he all" chopped up?" Mustang closed his little black book and muttered, "...Nevermind."

*Rush Valley*

Whitney's POV:

Ed, Addie, Al and I had reached Atelier Garfiel's shop as they caught Winry walking outside. "Hello there, Winry." She looked at us. "You look like you're in a very generous mood today." Ed said, smiling while Al and Addie fanned happily behind him. "Hi, guys... What're you doing showing up here like this?" Ed then showed Winry the broken arm as Al and Addie pointed out. Winry kept her smile but you could feel the evil aura rise, almost as if a demon had been released.

Winry unrolled some cloth and wrapped it around Ed's arm, who lay on the table with his soul hanging out of his mouth. "Even Paninya is holding up a job now and you four still can't stay outta trouble." "She is?" Al asked. "Yeah. She's given up her former life as a pickpocket and now she earns her money by fixing roofs and doing other odd-job around town." Winry looked back at Ed. "And what about the three of you, huh? Made any progress yet?"

"Yeah, we have." Al stated I said, "It's slow-going though." Ed finally sat up saying, "We're still moving ahead, little by little, I guess." Winry nodded. "Good, I'm glad to hear it... Alright, I've done all I can for now." "Thanks, Winry." Ed stood as she said, "I'm missing some parts so you'll have to make do with a patch job. I'll go and get parts we need, but 'til then, you've got some time to kill."

"Kill some time, huh?" Ed said, sipping an orange drink while walking down the streets with Al, Addie and I. "How the hell, are we to do that in a town made entirely of auto-mail shops?" They saw Al and Addie kneeling at an alleyway as I asked, "What you got there Al and Addie?" "Did you find a stray cat or something?" "Uh, well no." Al held up an unconscious man. Ed spits out his drink and Addie and I panicked.

"Woo-hoo! I feel so much better!" The man said, sitting at a table with three dozen empty bowls. "You guys are lifesavers! Thanks a lot! You're treat, right?" As a group of people crowded around, as the man who ate a lot. "When did I say I was paying?" Ed asked, irritated. "Let's not quibble over something so small," the man said, laughing nervously. "Who you callin' small!" "How lucky I am to have found such hospitality." He continued, wiping a tear from his eye, "So far from home."

"Far from home?" I asked. "You mean you're not from here?" Ed said. "Thats right. I came from Xing." "Oh, Xing that's... The country to tube east of the desert!" Ed said. "Yeah. And crossing that desert was rough, let me tell me." "Why in the world would you take that route?" Addie asked. As Ed placed his arm around my shoulder. "Hmm, I wanted to visit the ruins of Xerxes! That route goes by them." Ed glared at the guy as he tried to calmly say, "Xerxes ruins? I hear there's next to nothing out there." "I wanted to see for myself. Anyway, I was headed here to do some alkahestry research."

"Alkahestry?" I asked. "Yes. I believe it's what you here called alchemy. In Xing, it's known as alkahestry. It's mainly used in the medical professions." "Huh? Different countries, different customs, I guess. Here alchemy's used mainly military. It's not hard to see why. Even now we still have skirmishes at the borders of Aerugo to the south, and Creta to the west. North of us is the huge country, Drachma. We have a ten tatives nonaggression pact with them and the Briggs mountains stand between us, making invasion difficult, but our relationship is still dicey at best."

A woman came over and cleared the table, tube awing crowd dispersed.

"Sounds like you guys have got your hands full alright." the guy commented slipping his hands into his large, tan sleeves.

"Things began to move towards the militaristic when the current Fuhrer King Bradley, first came into power."

"I have to say, I'm curious about alkahestry. A branch of alchemy that's medically specialized." Al started as Ed said, "Yeah, me too." "By any chance, are you four alchemists?"

"We're sure are! I'm Whitney Rockbell." I stated as the guy said, "What lovely name~" Ed cleared his throat saying, "I'm Edward Elric, her boyfriend; we're State Alchemists." "I'm his younger brother Alphonse Elric; nice to meet you." "I'm his younger sister, Audrey Elric." Addie said. "Oh really? I had no idea she would date someone so..." "I dare you to finish that sentence..." Ed muttered. "Let's not fight guys... Now, so what's your name?" Ed removed his arm from her shoulder as The guy said, "My name is Ling Yao." he put his hand out as Al placed his on top. Ed stayed stubborn until I got up and grabbed his hand placing it with mine.

"So Ling, what else can ya tell us about alkahestry? We'd sure love to learn more." Ed asked. "Noting, yeah sorry, but I'm not an alkahestrist." Ling said, smirking. "If you don't practice alkahestry, why come all the way here to research it." Ed asked, trying to contain his emotions as best he could. "Well see, I'm looking for something, you four may have heard of it before." He opened a squinted eye. "The philosopher's stone." Our eyes shot open. "I'm very eager to find it. Do you know anything about it?"

"No; we can't help you." Ed grabbed my hand and began to walk off with Addie and Al as Ling asked, "Hmph, you wouldn't be lying to me, now would you?" He snapped his fingers as Ed and Al had kunai at their necks, and I was held by Lung's blade to her neck, "Do you have something to tell me?" Ling placed his head to rest on my shoulder and Ed started to get angry. "Let...her...go..." "Tell me what I want to know?" "Why the hell you're interested in it?" Addie asked.

Ling grinned evilly. "I want to achieve immortality," Ling stood up as a tone entered the scene. "Out with it, what do you want to know?"

"Immortality; please...what a bunch of nonsense." Ed rolled his eyes. "Not to me, isn't it..." "I can't say I like your way of asking questions, especially when you involve Whitney." Ed pushed the kunai away as he continued, "Kind of rude, don't you think?!" He punched the man, then lit up from the air and down kicking Ed's good shoulder as I called. "Ed?!" I tried to struggle as Ling said, "Just stay calm." Al moved from the sword as Al called, "You're going to fight us too?" "Hold on." Al tried but then kicked his head. As the four of them started to head off in different directions, fighting as Ling let me go with a sigh.

"Ha! There they go! Hey Pops! Let's add some desserts to my tab." "Sure." "You're letting me go?" I asked as Ling said, "Of course; I could never hurt a beautiful girl yourself." I blushed as she say across from him. "So..." Ling said. "Don't even think about." Aaliyah said to him. As Ling had a shocked experisson on his face. As Ling continued eating then finish and said, "We should check on them."

I nod in agreement.

When we made it to Ed and Al, I was kinda shocked by the results. Ed had an arm off completely as he stood in front of a girl in a trap. While Al was carrying a tied-up old man. My eye was twitching at anger.

"Okay! Good work guys!" Ling said.

"Why you! What're you so chipper about?!" Ed asked annoyed.

"You guys have got some pretty impressive skills." He stated. "I know, come work for me and together we can take over this country, what'd ya say?"

Ed ran to him annoyed. "I've had enough of your idiotic chattering! Just go back to Xing!"

"Look, there they are!" A man shouted. I turned my head and saw a crowd of pretty upset people.

"Look at the mess you've made! You practically destroyed the whole town!"

"You're covering the damages!"

"And your restaurant bill too!"

Ed backed up. "H-hey wait! Hold on a second! This guy and his entourage should be paying for everything!"

Long who was standing next to me was now looking like a total fool. " I'm so sorry. I don't understand much language in this country okay, Buh-bye now!"

"Hey! You get the hell back here!" Ed screams now pissed off. Al turn his head to the old man tied up next to him only thing is that he was gone. Al gasped. "He ran away!"

We looked up and that the girl was gone too. "The other one did too!" Ed screamed. "You've got to be kidding! How am I supposed to fix this place up with only one arm?"

"It's okay brother." Al started now raising his hands. "I'll take care of it."

Addie blinked at him. "Huh? What? You mean you can do alchemy without a transmutation circle now." "Yeah. I think it's because of memories I recovered." Al stated. "That's awesome Al!" Addie said.

Ed stared at him now thinking to himself. After a short minute, he screamed and fell to the ground. With their Older brother's dignity written in blood next to him. I stared at him in somewhat disbelief. "Don't worry, you can leave this all to me!" Al looked at Ed. "What's the matter, brother?"

"Um... Ed?" I asked sitting next to him and poking him like a kid would if they found a dead animal.

*Back at Garfiel's*

"We're back!" Ed, Al, and I called out as we walked in. But we saw Ling drinking tea with who I guess was Garfiel.

"Hello! We meet again!" Ling greeted with a smile.

We sat there and stared at him before Ed walked up and hit him with his auto-mail arm. "What's your sorry butt doing here?!" Ed asked annoyed.

"Now, now, we're all friends, right?" Ling asked.

"Is that how you treat your friends? By sticking your dogs on them?! Those two didn't go easy!" Ed growled enraged.

"Let it go. I promise I'll give them a talking to later." Ling stated with a smile. "The girl's name is Lan Fan. The old man is called Fu. Their family has served mine for generations. They're quite good at what they do."

"So you shake down strangers for food, and yet you can somehow afford two personal attendants?" Ed pointed out.

"Well, I am the emperor's son after all." Ling stated.

"The emperor's son?" I repeated under my breath.

"That makes you..." Al started.

"A prince!" Ed, Al, Addie and I finished. Ed and Al then hunched over and started laughing. Addie and I blinked at them along with Ling.

"Not the reaction I anticipated." Ling stated dumbfounded.

"Yeah, the guy who collapsed on the side of the road and then mooched food off us is the son of an Emperor!" Ed yelled bursting into more laughter. That soon ended when a kunai was thrown close to Ed's head. Ed blinked for a second before screaming in fear.

"You will not speak badly about Master Ling." Lan-Fan swore to peek at us from behind the window. Her glare was set on Ed.

"Good to see you too." Ed scoffed.

"No your probably right! It's not a big deal. The emperor has a lot of sons." He started. "It's like this. My country Xing is broken up into 50 different clans. With an Emperor reigning over all of them. The daughter of each clan's chief become one of the Emperor's wife and bears his children. The current Emperor has 19 daughters and 24 sons. I come in as number 12 in that line."

My eyes went so wide at that number that I was scared they might pop out of my head. That would be a total of 43 kids! What the hell?! How?! Why?!

"43 kids?! That's incredible!" Ed gasped.

"It's scary... I feel bad for the mother." I trailed off.

"The issue of secession must be tricky one." Al muttered.

"Indeed it is. That's the problem we're facing right now." Ling stated. "The Emperor's health has begun to deteriorate recently. Each clan is doing everything they can to curry favor. And I'm no exception."

"You want to up your chances by finding immortality?" I restated.

"Exactly! Okay! The Philosopher's Stone... what information can you offer?" Ling asked with his wide smile.

"Not happening! The stone isn't a tool for some political game." Ed growled instantly.

Ling then hugged Ed tightly. "Then I'll have to stay with you until you tell me!" He sang.

Ed then started to hit with his automail arm frantically. "No! No! No, you don't get off me!" Ed screamed.

"Hey, Ed!" I heard a new voice call out. Winry was back.

"Did you see all of that? There was some kind of fight on the main street. So it took a while to..." she trailed off now noticing Ed's arm. she stopped mid-sentence and stared at Ed. Winry's hellfire was about to break loose! "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ARM?!" Winry shrieked now attacking Ed. Ed screamed in fear.

"Edward Elric!" Winry shouted, throwing tools and pieces of metal at him. "You careless little jerk!"

Ling smiled at the amusement.

"Young Lord." Fu said.

No one's POV:

Ling sat on the roof, watching the sunset behind the tall mountains in the distance.

"Why do you put up with this boy?" Fu asked. "There's no need to bow to someone so far beneath you."

" if all it takes is a little bowing, I'll consider it a small piece to pay. The fate of the five hundred thousand Yao clansmen rise on this we can't worry so much about appearances."

~Back to the other~

"So, where are you headed to break your auto-mail this time?" Winry furiously asked, reluctantly fixing Ed's arm.

"You just assume I'll break it?"

"We were thinking about doing some digging in central." Whity said.

"You guys are going back to Central! I wanna go too! Take me with you!"

"What do you wanna go there for?" Ed asked.

Winry smirked. "I'd like to go see the Hughes family again."

"But don't you have a lot of work to do here?" Al asked.

Garfiel chuckled. "It's okay if you want to go Winry. You should take a break every once and a while."

"Oh really! Thanks so much, Mr. Garfiel!"

"Okay, we'll all go!" Ed said.

"Central, here we come!" Addie shouts and pumps her fist.

Winry laughed.

"Oh, we're going to central! How exciting!" Ling said, hanging down from the roof.

"I told you, you're not coming with us!" Ed shouts at Ling.

The scene changed to a cart being driven by a horse. Inside it May was sleeping. "So, the little girl is coming with us after all." Yoki said. Scar clutched a nut. "Sir, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. You have never told me what your name is. If you don't mind, I would very much like to know it."

"Ishvalan names are sacred. Ishvalan people take great pride when speaking their names aloud as they are gifts from God." Scar said.

"Well, then, sir, yours must be a special one indeed." Yoki replied.

"I have renounced my Ishvalan name." Scar said. "Now go!" He broke the shell of the nuts in his hand. "Keep moving!"

"Right!" Yoki said. "I'm walking down a path of no return so I will leave behind me every gift I have received from God." Scar said.