TRUTH AND CONSEQUENCES

CHAPTER 2:

SCARS OLD AND NEW

What a night. After encountering Lieutenant Colonel Hughes (whose enthusiastic but kindly demeanour endeared him to Harry and Luna) and the boisterous Armstrong (who was basically a combination of the friendliness and bulk of Hagrid, the eccentricity of Dumbledore, and the narcissistic boasting of Gilderoy Lockhart, though at least he could back it up), Harry and Luna were extensively debriefed and questioned about Sirius Black. Nothing serious: Mustang, for all his stern demeanour, actually believed that they came from another world, given how much Sirius stuck to that story. But he also revealed something that had nearly kept Harry up all night.

Sirius was wanted for questioning by the military for harbouring Ishvalan criminals, as well as engaging in terrorist acts. Mustang himself assured Harry that as far as he knew, the terrorist charges were trumped-up, though one of the Ishvalans he had associated with had been one of the most brutal fighters during the Ishvalan Civil War. Mustang also quietly admitted his shame at being involved in those events. He had encountered Black and the Ishvalans after they had left Resembool.

They stayed the night, as did the Elrics, at Hughes' place. Hughes' daughter was indeed adorable, and Harry felt himself vaguely jealous of the affection and love Gracie got from Hughes, remembering how the Dursleys treated him.

The next morning, before the Elrics left for Liore, Harry and Luna were called in once more, along with the Elrics, to Mustang's office. An unexpected guest was present, a man with a moustache and an eyepatch, and a demeanour both kindly and stern. He was introduced as King Fuhrer Bradley, the leader of Amestris. He asked some questions, and seemed, if not actually satisfied with the answers, then at least satisfied that Harry and Luna were telling the truth, especially once he saw a demonstration of their powers with alchemy. All that information the Truth had shoved into their heads when they were pulled into the Gate allowed them to use alchemy, if anything, more instinctively than they ever used magic. He offered to make them State Alchemists, but they refused. He then said he would send them with the Elrics, for reasons of safety. Edward was a State Alchemist himself, after all.

Luna, however, asked something that caused the man's composure to be shaken. "Does it hurt, what they did to your eye?"

Bradley blinked. Harry couldn't help but notice a series of warring emotions flit over Bradley's face, including shock and anger…before he burst out into laughter. "Not now. But it did at the time. It was the worst feeling in the world." He soon left, still chuckling.

"The last time I saw him laughing like that, it was during my exam," Edward said. "I had pretended to attack him with an alchemy-made spear, and he actually slashed it to bits with his sword, without me even noticing."

On the train to Liore, Edward and Alphonse swapped stories with Harry and Luna. Edward expressed surprising interest in the Philosopher's Stone, as he intended to use one to restore his brother's body, and his own limbs. He was horrified to learn what a Horcrux was, having asked about the term after hearing it the previous night. Most of everything else about Harry, he had heard from Sirius.

Upon prompting from Harry, Edward and Alphonse began to talk about their own lives. They came from a rural village called Resembool, and in fact, their last names came from that of their mother, Trisha Elric. Edward refused to talk about their father, Van Hohenheim, and it was up to Alphonse to tell the two ex-mages that he had left their home some time ago with no explanation. Not long after, Trisha died of the plague, and the Elric brothers were mostly cared for by the Rockbells, one of their neighbours. Pinako Rockbell, and her daughter, Winry.

Four years afterwards, Winry's parents came back as the Ishvalan Civil War heated up. They had brought back with them a trio of people who had been their patients. Two of them were Ishvalans, while a third was a man who, while an alchemist, was fighting for the Ishvalans. The three of them had gotten injured during an attack by a man named Kimblee, and had barely survived long enough to get medical treatment. The non-Ishvalan later introduced himself as Sirius Black, though he preferred to be known as 'Padfoot'. One of the Ishvalans went under the nom de guerre of 'Scar', as he had a massive X-shaped scar on his forehead, while the other, apparently the older brother, went by the name of 'Flamel', after an alchemist who had apparently lived on both worlds. Flamel was, despite being an Ishvalan (the Ishvalans had issues with alchemy, considering it to go against the teachings of their god), an alchemist himself. The Rockbells had saved their lives.

Shortly after the Rockbells returned, an alchemist called Izumi Curtis helped Flamel save Resembool from flooding. Unlike Flamel, Izumi didn't have to use a transmutation circle. Although Flamel had taught the Elrics much in the way of alchemy, they begged to become her apprentices, and after some time, she acquiesced, putting them through a long period of harsh and intense training. Shortly after they returned, Sirius and his Ishvalan friends left Resembool, as the State Military was sniffing around, but also because they had a job to do, hinting that the entirety of Amestris was in trouble.

Two years later, determined to revive their mother, the Elrics attempted Human Transmutation, the greatest taboo in alchemy. And for their pains, they encountered the Truth. Alphonse couldn't remember what happened, or at least remembering meeting the Truth. However, Edward did. First, he lost his left leg to the capricious entity. Upon realising that Al had lost his body, he sacrificed his right arm to bind his soul to a suit of armour that had been in the basement. The deformed thing they had created instead of reviving their mother lived for all of less than a minute before it died.

Shortly thereafter, Roy Mustang arrived, hoping to try and recruit the Elrics as State Alchemists, particularly Edward. He was horrified to discover what had happened, but was sympathetic enough to the brothers' plight. His speech, however, persuaded Edward to become a State Alchemist, if only to access rare texts and resources that might be used to help them get back to normal.

"The thing I don't get is why the Truth didn't take anything more than your magic from you," Edward mused after they had finished their stories. "I mean, he took a lot more from us."

Luna shrugged. "I got the feeling he would have taken something had we kept our magic, even if he didn't take our lives or souls. It must get lonely in there, though. In the unlikely event that any of us perform Human Transmutation, I will keep a bar of chocolate and a teddy bear on standby."

"He has two of my limbs, and Al's body," Edward remarked sullenly. "He's got plenty of toys to play with."

Only Luna heard the faint sound of eldritch snickering.

Deep below Central, in a chamber not known to many, an old man with a beard sat on a bizarre, mechanical throne. He looked very much like some sort of deity. To virtually everyone who knew of his existence, he was called Father. But in actual fact, his name was once 'Homunculus'.

At present, only three others were in the chamber with him. One was King Bradley. The other was a young boy with dark hair and dark eyes. Despite appearing to be the son of Bradley (and indeed, this was how he presented himself in public, as Selim Bradley), they were actually siblings, of a sort. Paradoxically, the youngest and oldest siblings in this bizarre family.

Bradley, to his adoptive 'family' (unlike them, he wasn't born a Homunculus, but transformed into one), was known as Wrath. The boy who masqueraded as his son was known as Pride.

The third was an androgynous teenager (in appearance, anyway) with black spiky hair, an athletic build, and dressed in clothing that was equally as androgynous as he was. He had the physique of a teenaged boy, albeit athletic, but had a voice that could have been that of a teenager or a woman, raspy and venomous to boot. His name was Envy.

"So, these are two more ex-mages from beyond the Gate?" Father asked. "And they used alchemy without a transmutation circle?"

"Yes, Father," Wrath said. "They were surprisingly frank to Mustang. I presume it was to avoid getting in trouble."

"Well, that means that we have at least two definite Human Sacrifices to keep an eye on, along with the Elric brothers."

"This was why I told them to travel together. There is safety in numbers, after all. I'm somewhat worried about the Lovegood girl, though. The way she spoke about my eye…I think she knows of the Ultimate Eye's existence, if not its power or origins. I laughed it off, but I still can't shake the feeling she knew more than she said. Apparently she discerned Alphonse Elric's nature pretty quickly. Still, we can't forget that the two of them managed to stop Isaac McDougal."

"Feh. So the Fullmetal Runt and his bro have a couple of new troublemakers to accompany them," Envy sneered. "What happens if they really mess things up in Liore?"

"Simple," Father said. "We will send you to play the role of Father Cornello for long enough to begin the riots needed for the Nationwide Transmutation Circle. Cornello is an imbecile, whose usefulness is on the wane. He's already attracting too much attention from the State Military, attention that demands action. Unfortunately, Lust and Gluttony haven't been able to keep him on a leash."

Envy snickered at the thought of causing so much bloodshed. He had, after all, been responsible for starting the Ishvalan Civil War.

Pride then spoke up. "Have we heard anything further on the prodigal brother?"

"We've only heard rumours about Greed, nothing more," Wrath said. "Certainly nothing concrete about his whereabouts. There are rumours that he has recently retained the services of some rogue chimeras from the military, but nothing definite."

"When we do locate him, we will trust you to bring him to us," Father said.

In the shadier parts of Dublith, there is a bar and club known as the Devil's Nest. Given the rather seedy reputation of that establishment, one would be forgiven for wondering why Izumi Curtis, the apparently-devoted wife of a local butcher, was visiting it. True, she had a rather short temper and a strength that belied her beauty, but she was also a devoted wife to Sig Curtis.

She approached the rather busty woman tending the bar, and without further ado, said, "I'm here to see Padfoot."

The bartender froze briefly, before asking, "Password?"

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The bartender nodded, before reaching below the bar and pressing a button. A rather tall, imposing man in what looked like military dress emerged. "This way," he said without any preamble.

Izumi was only slightly nervous as she was led out the back of the bar. She was good at kicking arse and taking names, and knew she could handle herself pretty well in a fight. Her only problem was her chronic illness, caused by her only venture into Human Transmutation, a venture that robbed her of a number of her organs, including her womb. All while she was trying to resurrect her stillborn child. It meant she had a tendency to vomit or cough blood, often while under stress.

Izumi was led into a back room where two men lounged on a pair of couches, attended to by beautiful women. Both had dark hair, and unusual eyes. One had short black hair, violet eyes with slitted pupils, and had a lean, muscular air about him. The other had grey eyes, a neatly-groomed beard, and was the one Izumi recognised. While the first man had a pair of women sitting on either side of him, the second had only one: a woman with short blonde hair, green eyes, and dressed in a tank top and trousers that seemed militaristic.

An Ishvalan man, dark-skinned and red-eyed, perpetually sullen in expression, was standing nearby, an X-shaped scar marring his forehead. He nodded politely to Izumi, out of courtesy rather than any true like of Curtis: he didn't like alchemists of any stripe. However, as she wasn't a State Alchemist, and detested him, the two had a small cordial relationship when they met briefly. "Mrs Curtis," he said.

"Scar," she replied, equally politely. Even in normal clothes, he still held the bearing of an Ishvalan warrior monk, and he would certainly be a challenge for her. "Where is your brother?"

"Studying and working things out," Scar said. "Despite his heresy, he has a dedicated mind, and we need it for what is coming."

"Now, now, Scar," the first dark-haired man said. "So, Izumi, I know you've got a lot of questions. The thing is, ol' Padfoot and I have entered into an alliance, of mutual benefit. It's a new concept to me, I will admit, but frankly, we share the same goal."

"Which is what? Rebelling against Central?"

"Well, very very crudely put, yes," the dark-haired man said. "Oh, but where are my manners? I am Greed."

"Who names their child Greed?" Izumi snorted.

"My father was an asshole of the highest order. We've never quite seen eye to eye for the past century." He smirked at the expression of astonishment blooming across her face. "Oh yes. I'm actually two centuries old. I'm kind of the black sheep of my family."

"Impossible," Izumi said. "Unless you're doing something really obscene with alchemy."

"I am something really obscene done with alchemy," Greed said. He showed off a tattoo on his left hand, of a dragon eating its own tail, around a stylised hexagram. "You'll find it hard to believe, but I'm a Homunculus."

Izumi felt a little thrill of horror at that. "Oh no…someone was stupid enough to make one?"

"Well, to be fair, my father was very powerful. I noticed that you actually believed me pretty quickly."

"Your eyes aren't human. It would take some pretty sophisticated bio-alchemy to do that. Either that, or you're a Chimera, like I'm sure a few of these people are, or even a Homunculus. They may be thought of as impossible, but I've seen, Hell, I've done some impossible things over the years."

The other seated man chuckled. "I told you she was sharp, Greed."

"Yeah, well, most people, when they learn what I am, tend to be sceptical," Greed said. "I remember what you said, Padfoot, when you first learned what I was. I had to have old Roa here beat me up." He indicated the tall, imposing man who had escorted Izumi in.

"That was fun to watch," giggled the blonde woman Padfoot was sitting next to.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure it was, Martel. But I'm sure you have more fun with your flexibility in bed with ol' Padfoot there, eh?"

Padfoot and Martel chuckled. Scar, however, scowled. "If we are quite done with the innuendo…"

"Oh, I had more, but you go right ahead," Greed said with a grin.

Scar met Izumi's eyes with an expression that said, I'm surrounded by idiots. Out loud, he said, "We brought you here because you are an alchemist who violated the Taboo. That means you have encountered the Truth."

"How do you know?" Izumi asked.

Greed chuckled. "Padfoot and Scar saw you forming that temporary dam during the flood in Resembool. And I know about where that little ability to do alchemy without a circle comes from. You see, that makes you very useful to the wrong people." He became serious all of a sudden, as if a switch had been flicked, and the result was chilling. "Like my father. I know something of his plans, you see, and people who have seen the Truth are key to them."

"What do you mean, your father? And what plans?"

"Izumi," Padfoot said, getting her attention. "His father was a Homunculus created in Xerxes centuries ago. The disappearance of Xerxes' people was his means of gaining power and freedom. But he intends to repeat something similar with Amestris. We're working on a way of stopping him."

"…And you want my help?" Izumi asked.

Greed shrugged. "Well, it would be nice. The fact is, Scar's brother is an expert in alchemy, but I would feel safer having another alchemist I can trust looking things over, and you've made no secret of your contempt for State Alchemists. Plus, you and your husband are pretty handy in a fight. And the less alchemists who have encountered the Truth Father has at his disposal, the better. Incidentally, a little birdy has told me that your last couple of apprentices are amongst them."

Izumi scowled. "I knew Edward has ended up as a State Alchemist. Idiot. And I wouldn't be surprised, given what I heard, that he ended up like I did. Or Alphonse, for that matter."

There was a knock on the door, and a man was let in with a telegram. Greed took it, before laughing, and passing it to Padfoot. Padfoot, however, stared in horror. "Oh no…"

"What's the matter?"

"We've got informants in Central, and one of them has passed on information to us. Did ol' Padfoot here ever tell you about his godson?"

Izumi nodded. The man had mentioned his godson when they met in Resembool, and the Elrics spoke more about the godson, having been told tales of Harry Potter by Padfoot.

"According to this," Padfoot scowled, "they've followed me here! Prongslet and the Lovegood girl! And that means they're in danger!"

"Calm down, Padfoot. Yo, Scar? You know that State Alchemist we've been researching? Y'know, the one who wasn't at Ishval, but we still suspect is a Grade-A douchebag anyway?"

"Shou Tucker, the Sewing Life Alchemist. The one who may well have turned his wife into a very crude Chimera nearly two years ago. What of him?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if the Elrics head to East City before long. They're heading to Liore, and Mustang has his post at East City. Do you think you can stand both being secret bodyguard to them, as well as investigating Tucker?"

Scar nodded after a moment's contemplation. "Very well. And should I find evidence of wrongdoing?"

"I'll leave it up to your discretion."

Izumi nearly expected a smile to appear on Scar's face. All that appeared was a stoic, grim determination that was perhaps more disturbing. The man was driven, presumably to avenge his people, and Heaven help anyone in his way, for nobody else would…

CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:

So, we have Luna the Homunculus Detector, the Homunculi plotting, and Greed and Sirius not only teaming up (they'll be called the New Marauders, incidentally), but they're asking Izumi for help. Oh, and I'm shipping Sirius and Martel.

No numbered annotations this time.