Say something Al, are you still with me?
Why didn’t you run away when I told you to?!
Because, steel-for-brains, then he would have killed you!
So you decided to die instead?! That’s really smart!
Don’t call your older brother an ‘idiot’, idiot!
That’s not how we do things! (Ed grunts)… Live and be content while we can, live to research more alchemy, so one day we can get our bodies back… That is how we do things brother! Dying!? And dying by yourself!? And leaving me on my own!?! That’s something I won’t let you do! Oh great! Now my arm’s fallen off too! Today is a terrible day!
We’re really fallin’ apart at the seams, aren’t we? Everyone who sees us must think we’re a joke…
You see? I came out fine as ever.
(Sighs) You know, maybe it’d do you some good to get your hand slapped every once in a while.
Don’t blame me, that guy’s a wall… I can’t figure him out… (Al’s scream is heard; Roy and Hawkeye look towards the break room)
Creation follows destruction! I’ll fix him up nice and pretty!
Bonding a soul to steel is no walk in the park, Fullmetal’s the only one that can fix Al now, go ahead ask him.
That’s right, it’s my burden… But before I do anything I have to get my other arm back…
Well, that is an interesting fix, isn’t it? I mean, if the great Edward can’t use his alchemy…
He’s just a useless teen with a grumpy-ass-attitude.
Anyway… I’ll have to take some leave now… I'm going back to my mechanic. You know the one, don’t you?
Sure, Ed, how can I forget? I saw you at her house, unconscious, with that same stump of an arm you have now, bawling in your sleep, "It hurts! I'm going to pee my pants!" So tough.
So where you going to go once you’re fixed?
Central… I’ve got something to look up in the library there…
That’s a heck of a trip you’ll need some protection. I would volunteer but… Well, since the Führer going straight to Central and I’m part of his escort, I can’t go.
They just put me back in charge here; I’ve got to look after this place.
And I’ve got to look after the Colonel.
You could send me, but I don’t know how much help I’d be up against a fanatical alchemist serial killer.
BFBreda, Falman, and Furey
(Ad-lib they agree with Havoc)
That settles it, send me! I’ll protect the boys on their journey for repairs and investigation!
Really, Ed, what do you plan to do if Scar shows up while you’re missing that arm?
Can’t fight; can’t exactly carry your hobbled brother to safety either.
Children should listen to adults!
Ah! You can’t call us children! Al, why don’t you stick up for us here!?!
That is the first time I've been treated like a kid since I became a suit of armor!! Thank you!
The train leaves soon Edward Elric… We’d better go pack our bags.
Uh… This is the first time I've been treated like luggage!
(Cramped by Armstrong) Spacious…
(Knocks and salutes Edward)
KKid
Newspaper? I’ve got tea, too!
(Motions for the kid to leave him alone) Hey, I've got a message from Roy.
He said, "Don't die under my command; you're enough of a pain without the paperwork." And that was it.
Tell him, "Fine, there's no way I'm dying before you do, you morally bankrupt Colonel with a God complex."… And tell him to take this gorilla escort here off my hands too.
Alright, easy. (Edward looks away) Look, Ed. I don’t know what Marcoh said to upset you, but I found some info you might find helpful. About three years ago we found the remains of a girl, who’d been turned into a chimera, I’m sure you remember.
The way she was torn apart… Turns out it’s identical to the way Scar’s been killing people.
(Gasps) Thanks, Hughes. That does help; now I can take him on.
Uh, you're talking to the wrong guy.
(moaning) I'm used to it by now.
BBrosh
Huh? Really? You mean this little guy?
BBrosh
I'm sorry sir, sorry! I just thought you'd be fuller, and uh, more metal!
Ugh, shut up! Come on, Major, we don't need babysitters anymore! We've both been fully repaired!
So these are Marcoh’s notes. On the surface they appear to be an ordinary cookbook...
You really think the secret to the stone is in here?
It does make sense. Marcoh didn’t want just anyone to read it so he wrote it in code. And 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.
Damn, so much for that whole ‘No sweat’ business. Get markers, make a few columns, I thought it’d be easy!
It’d be a whole lot faster if we could just ask Marcoh.
We’re trying to keep the military out of the loop here, Al, and Marcoh’s in the Führer's custody now...
Wakey, wakey! So how you doing there, boys?
Lieutenant Colonel! What’s the matter, been to busy to come say ‘hello’?
It’s these damn ‘Scar spottings’ lately. It’s got us chasing our own tails. So, Al did you get the ‘full-body repair’ you needed?
BBrosh
They sure are chummy with the Lieutenant Colonel, don’t you think?
RRoss
Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. If there were to be an attack here, we can not insure the safety of these two as we’ve been ordered. They should return to the command center now.
I told you Ross, don’t get in my way!
RRoss
Lieutenant Colonel as long as Scar remains at large, security of State Alchemists must be a top priority,
Sorry, Ed, but I’m afraid Lieutenant Ross does have a point.
But then again, this really isn’t my jurisdiction, why don’t you take it up with Major Armstrong?
RERoss and Edward
(Ad-lib they don’t want to)
RRoss
(Regains composure)
Lieutenant Colonel, we’re close to it now, I can feel it! I’m begging!
Hmmm... What I’d like to do is give you extra protection, Ed, 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.
All your case files? You mean they were stored in the First Branch, too?
Yeah, affidavits, suspect list, crime scene logs, all of it.
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 it was in reach, he’s pulled 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, Al. It’s going to be this way our whole lives.
I really thought it was going to work out brother, we would find the philosopher’s stone, and it would all be ok.
It still will be, we’ll find the stone, brother. And we’ll get our bodies back to normal. And be happy. People say you’re a dog of the military, that you’ve sold your soul to get this far. But that isn’t true, and it hasn’t stopped us, and this won’t either. We’ve worked too hard.
Brother? Let’s look at it again, from the beginning.
I’ve looked at it enough.
But there’s a chance we misread something, maybe we got it wrong.
I said ‘I’ve had enough’.
But what if our code’s wrong?! What if that’s not what it said, or maybe we missed some key paragraph, like a loophole, we should read the whole thing again.
I said ‘Enough’! (accidentally knocks a teacup to Al's face) Uh!
RRoss
Is something wrong, sir?
It’s just a broken cup, go back in the hall. Sorry, Al.
RRoss
So, Ed, that’s really the end of it? You won’t regret it then, going back before you’re finished? That’s interesting. I didn’t realize what you were looking for was so incidental you’d abandon it this easily.
Stop going on like you know what you’re talking about. You don’t know anything.
RRoss
Wrong Ed. I know what you boys have been searching for is the Philosopher's stone. And I know it’s created by sacrificing human lives. (Boys gasp) I know it was uncalled for, but I was listening through the door.
Well, if you eavesdropped you must know. It’s pointless to chase after it now. Leave us alone.
RRoss
You really are a child.
RRoss
You’re scared. Frightened, you might have to admit, everything you’ve done was wasted effort. … Am I wrong? It’s ok to feel lost. And not have reasons. But verifying whether Marcoh’s theory is the truth of not is worth something in itself if you ask me. After all, what you boys have been searching for is a lot bigger then you, or Al. Why don’t you try searching for it a little longer, Ed, but without worries, about the final result?
You’re right, it’s like a book. Just because you’re mad and stop reading, it doesn’t change the way it ends.
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, Al!
