Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood · Season 1
Two years ago, Tucker transmuted a Chimera that could understand human speech. That earned him his certification as a State Alchemist.
By understand human speech, you mean... wait, you mean it talks? A Chimera?
Right. Supposedly. It only said one thing. "I want to die." After that, it refused to eat until it got its wish.
You transmuted your mother? As an 11 year-old child? I see. So that's what earned you the title Fullmetal Alchemist. You've had a rough time of it, for someone so young.
This is my library. Feel free to look around.
Alright! Let's dive in! I'll start with this shelf.
I'll try starting over here.
I'm going to head back to work now. I'll send somebody by to get you this evening. [He blows air out of his nose and smirks]
They've got some ability to focus. I'm not sure they even know we're here anymore. [He adjusts his glasses] Quite a catch, these two. A couple of prodigies.
Oh, Mr. Tucker, I almost forgot. I've got a message for you. It's from the Colonel. He says "Don't forget, Assessment Day is coming soon."
Yes. Please assure him I know.
Right.
[Tucker sighs.]
Hey, Daddy? What does Assessment Day mean?
State Alchemists have to report on their research once a year in order to keep their certification. You see, last year Nina your daddy didn't get a very good evaluation. Unless I do something really impressive this year, I won't be a State Alchemist anymore.
Huh? No, you'll do just fine, Daddy! I know you will. You're always studying so much!
[kneels to hug Nina] You're right, Nina. I have to try hard... [in his thoughts] ...or we'll be left with nothing. Again.
Your mother left two years ago?
Daddy said she went back to live at her parent's house.
It must get a kind of lonely just you and your Dad living in this big house, huh?
[Shakes her head] Not really. Daddy's so nice, and plus I've got Alexander to play with, too! But lately Daddy's been studying in his lab all the time. I guess that does make me a little bit lonely.
What I want to know is why this guy is only targeting State Alchemists and no one else? If it's the military he's trying to hurt, he could go after normal soldiers. Surely soldiers would be easier to kill than highly skilled alchemists, especially ones that have been State certified.
Maybe the certification is the reason. State Alchemists are given high pay and special privilege. It must be any number of people who envy them for their positions. Or perhaps, they feel they have not upheld their creed, Alchemists be thou for the people. Alchemists that were supposed to be pillars of science and truth are turned into the military's walking weapons as soon as they receive certification. There are plenty of people I'm sure who have not forgotten the role that State Alchemists played in the Ishvalan Civil War.
Before I earned my State Alchemist certification, our life was terrible. We were so poor in those days. My wife couldn't stand living that kind of life, so she left us. [He sighs.] I can't afford to fail this assessment. I don't want to go back to those days again. I don't even think I could.
Don't worry, Daddy! It's OK! If those people do tell you no, me and Alexander will growl at them until they say yes!
[He chuckles] You tell them, Nina.
Hey, Nina. I've got an idea... do you want to play with Daddy tomorrow?
Really?!
Yeah.
[Nina jumps onto Tucker] Woo-hoo! Alexander! Daddy says he's going to play with us tomorrow! [Alexander barks.]
If ever there was an example of the Devil's work in this world, this case would definitely be it.
The Devil, huh? A State Alchemist must be willing to act, able to take another's life when ordered to without question. In some ways, Mr. Tucker's actions and our own may not be all that far apart, when it comes to interfering with other people's lives. We choose our own path, knowing full well what we're doing. That's the way it is. Right, Fullmetal? [Ed has his face down, arms folded, his body drenched in the rain.] You will more than likely come across cases like this again in the future, and you may end up having to get your own hands dirty as well. Are you gonna shut down like this every time?
We may be called dogs of the military. We may even be cursed as devils. That doesn't matter. Al and I are still going to get our bodies back. We know the truth. We know we're not devils. I know we're not gods. We're human... [suddenly screaming]: WE'RE ONLY HUMAN! ...who can't even do anything to save one innocent little girl... so what good are we then?
[Tucker and Chimera Nina are sitting in a room together, facing each other.]
I wonder why no one's capable of understanding me. Nina.
[Scar appears in the doorway.]
You're Shou Tucker, correct?
Who are you? Not military... [now sounding fearful]: ...who are you?! How did you get in here?! There were military police out front!
Foolish alchemists who turn their back on the ways of God... [He grabs Tucker's face.] ...shall be punished.
[Scar executes Shou Tucker with his destruction alchemy. Tucker's body falls to the ground in a pool of blood.]
[begins to shed tears] Daddy's hurting... Daddy hurts... No, Daddy...
You poor creature. Once you have been given this form, there is no way of separating you again. [He places his hand to Nina's head.] At least, your passing will be in peace.
[A flash of lightning occurs. Scar is seen walking outside.]
God. Hear me. Two human souls have just been returned to you. Please accept them into your loving arms. Please grant these poor lost souls everlasting peace and salvation.
Human foolishness never ceases to amaze me. Wouldn't you agree, Gluttony?
Fools, all of 'em.
Fools indeed, sad but true.
[Father Cornello walks in, apparently alive.]
Well, well. If it isn't the Father.
Yeah, Father.
Sorry to have to put you to all this trouble.
As soon as we have everything handled here, I have my own responsibilities I need to get back to.
The Fullmetal boy's interference was irritating, but at least we were able to make it work in our favor. Looks like we'll finish up ahead of schedule.
Manipulate a little information, spout some empty rhetoric into the believers, and you have a fine recipe for instant violence. Humans are such simple creatures.
Bloodshed gives way to more bloodshed. Hatred breeds more hatred... Until all the violence soaks into the land, carving rivers of blood. and no matter how many times it happens, they never learn. The human race is made up of violent miserable fools.
Was he more than willing to play into our hands?
Are lots of people gonna die again?
Yes, they will.
Ooh! Can I eat all of them after they die?
No, you may not. By the way, Envy, could you lose the old man costume? It's rather unattractive.
["Cornello", or rather, the individual named Envy, frowns, then smirks.]
Come on. I was just staying in character. But... if you insist. [He begins to transform] This time around I'll grow a younger, cuter body, what'ya say?
[Envy finishes transforming, adopting the form of an androgynous, teenager-ish figure with feminine clothing and spiky hair. Just as he finishes his morph, Brother Cray walks in!]
A-! A-A monster! What's going on here? What have you done?! What have you done with the real Father Cornello?!
It's your call.
He called me a monster, i'd say that's quite rude, don't you?
Can I eat him? Can I?
[Gluttony proceeds to devour Cray off-screen.]
Oh, hate to hear the news. Shou Tucker, head Alchemist of East City? He's dead.
Tucker? Why should we care about a little nothing like him?
Because it's him who's responsible for the murder.
Speaking of East City, isn't that where the Flame Colonel is staying right now?
Yeah, and apparently, the Fullmetal brat's there, too.
Oh, is he? As furious as I am that he interfered with our work here, we can't very well let him die. He's an important sacrifice.
[Gluttony has finished eating Cray. All that remains of the man is a pool of blood.]
That was so yummy!
We'll find some way of handling the situation. The other one we were speaking of... what was his name?
I've been thinking about this for a long time. We put all our trust in alchemy but in the end... what is it? "Alchemy is the science of understanding the flow of matter and its laws... The process of comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction. The world flows too. It must also follow laws. Everything circulates... Even death is a part of that circulation. You must accept the flow." Hmm, Teacher sure drummed that into our heads, didn't she? I thought I understood it... but I don't understand anything... Mom proves that. Now here I am again, trying desperately to figure out a way to do the impossible... I'm such a hopeless idiot... All this time and I haven't grown up one bit. I thought maybe the rain would wash away some of this gloom that's been following me... but right now every drop that hits my face is even more depressing.
I don't even get that much... without a body, I can't feel the rain hitting my face. That's something I miss...all the time. I wanna get my body back soon, Brother. I just wanna be human again. Even if it means going against the flow of the world, and trying to do the impossible.
[thinking] Damn it, what the hell is this guy's problem?! Making enemies isn't something that I ... Well I never really avoided it, but there's no reason someone should be trying to kill me!
Major, watch what you're doing! We don't wanna destroy the city, do we?!?
What do you mean? Destruction and creation are two sides of the same coin! You must destroy to create! THAT IS THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE! [takes off shirt, poses epically]
Did he have to strip?
Are you surprised? He's clearly insane.
Oh, is it over now?
Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, where have you been this whole time?
I thought it best to lay low.
You didn't think about maybe backing us up?
Of course not! A person like me shouldn't get dragged into a freakshow with you pack of pseudo-humans! It's bad for my health!
[punches Edward, leaving him shocked] Why didn't you run away when I told you to?! What kind of idiot are you?!?
No way! I'm not just gonna run away and leave you behind!
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY YOU'RE A IDIOT! [punches Edward again as their quarrel catches attention from a spectating military]
What do you keep punching me like that for? If I'd run away you coulda been killed, you know that?!
And maybe I wouldn't have been! Making the decision to die is something only an idiot does!
Hey, easy on the "idiot" stuff. I'm still your older brother, got it?!
[grabs him by the collar] I'll say it all I want to! Survival is the only way, Ed! Live on, learn more about alchemy! You can find a way to get our bodies back and help people like Nina. You can't do that by dying! I won't allow you to abandon the possibility of hope, and choose a meaningless death. [his arm falls off] Oh, great! Now my arm came off because my brother's a big fat idiot!
Hmm... We're really falling apart, aren't we, Brother? We look like we belong in a junkyard.
But we're still alive.
We are.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
