Sure enough, there aren't any more books written...
about the Philosopher's Stone.
What that minister had was a fake, and once again, we don't have any other leads.
How about we go back to Central, then?
Brother!
Look!
An Introduction to Alchemy. This sure takes me back.
Huh, you think so?
Hey, this is boring!
Hold on, just a little longer.
All right, done!
Watch this, Winry!
You said you were giving me a present.
And we're making your present right now.
That was our very first transmutation.
Man cannot obtain anything without first sacrificing something.
In order to obtain anything, something of equal value is required.
That is alchemy's Law of Equivalent Exchange.
At the time, we believed that to be the true way of the world.
Winry, you were wrong to do that, after those two went to all that trouble.
That's right. Both Edward and Alphonse were doing it for you.
I'm really sorry about this.
No matter how much they learn,
the usual person gives up somewhere along the way.
But those boys are already magnificent alchemists.
But those boys shouldn't know anything about alchemy.
They are, after all, his sons.
So when did your dad teach you about alchemy?
How could we learn anything from someone who isn't ever around?
It was written in that book.
You can understand something as difficult as this?
- More or less.
Did we do anything wrong?
No, you did outstanding! I think I'll brag to everyone about it.
Be sure to put the books back where you find them.
Once Dad comes home, make sure to thank him. And lastly, do not open that door.
- Understood!
Here they are!
Dad departed without telling anyone where he was going,
so Mom started staring off into the distance a lot.
But still, once we started practicing alchemy,
she would smile at us more frequently.
Mother was praising us.
We competed with each other as we became absorbed in alchemy.
Mom!
Look, look!
See?
Oh, my!
Brother made it! I can still only do this.
Incredible, both of you! You certainly are his children!
Would Father commend us too?
Yes. Once he comes home, I'm sure he will.
I'm going over to Winry's!
Brother!
Brother...
Do you hate Father?
I wouldn't say I hate him... I don't remember him too well.
Whenever anyone talks about him, Mom makes a strange face.
That's what I don't like.
S-sorry...
Let's go over to Winry's!
W-what do you mean?
Just like I told you!
My mom and dad are dead.
B-but your folks are doctors, right?
That's right. That's why they went to the war in Ishbal, and now they're dead.
W-Winry, our father is...
...kind of in the same situation...
It's not the same!
If you're dead, that means you can never come back again!
It's not as though you can't ever come back.
I read so in a book.
There is this artificial person thing, called a homunculus.
It sounds sort of like a doll that doesn't have a mind, but with alchemy, your folks could probably be-
Stop right there!
That is something which is not allowed!
Alchemy is not all-powerful.
That's why we automail engineers exist, you know.
Dirty old hag...!
I feel sorry for Winry.
What's the matter with you two?
What's the matter, Edward? You're such a big boy and this looks funny, you know.
Al, you're so slow!
Mom, sorry we're late!
Mom...!
Mom!
She hasn't been sick since just today or yesterday;
she has been suffering from this illness for years now.
Honey...
These here are letters that came for him.
If we send a letter to each one of them...
Someone will know where he is, and tell him to come home?
I don't want him to come home! But we don't have any choice! Damn!
Your dad...
...left us this money.
I haven't touched it. Use that, and the two of you take care of each other.
What are you talking about, Mom?
Would you transmute something for me... Edward?
I know... A corsage would be nice.
He... always... made them for me...
The reason why Mom was so thrilled to see us practicing alchemy...
...was because it reminded her of Dad.
That's what we finally realized.
Brother, I'm hungry...
I'm cold, too...
Let's go home.
Al...
Let's... bring Mom back.
Look, here in his notes!
I don't understand it all, but something about human transmutation is written here!
If we can decipher this...
But, it's written here that human transmutation is forbidden.
If dead people can come back to life, then of course it would make anyone happy.
Nobody has succeeded, and they're all frustrated, so the grown-ups have just prohibited it.
Al, if you, me, and Mom can all live happily together again, then Mom would be thrilled!
Still, maybe we should ask Dad about this first...
It's his fault that Mom died! Mom was always waiting for him, and he didn't even come home for her funeral!
If this is something that he couldn't do, then we'll do it!
We're gonna do it!
We found ourselves a teacher, and learned alchemy from the beginning.
And then, one day...
Water - 35 liters; carbon - 20 kilograms; ammonia - 4 liters; lime - 1.5 kilograms...
Phosphorus - 800 grams; salt - 250 grams, saltpeter - 100 grams; fluorine - 7.5 grams; iron - 5 grams; silicon - 3 grams...
These are the elements that comprise an adult human.
The structural formula...
By including a soul in this,
we should be able to call Mom's spirit back and connect it with her body once again.
Brother, are you sure we should?
What are you talking about, now that we've come this far, Al?
But still, alchemy is about equivalent exchange, right?
We've got the ingredients for the body,
but what do we exchange for Mom's spirit?
Don't worry, just stick out your finger.
Information... about the soul...
That's everything. Let's do it, Al.
Resembool Village...
Brother, there's something not right here!
Al!
Brother!
Brother!!
Al!!
The last thing I saw...
...was the sight of Brother's left leg being broken down and disappearing.
And then...
What's this...?
I'm sorry, Al...
Brother!
Brother, what happened to me? And... your arm...
With just my right arm... I was only able to bond your spirit to the armor that was sitting over there...
Brother...
So, what about Mom?
It wasn't...
...human...
That can't be... How come?
Brother, your theories should have been perfect.
My theories weren't what was wrong...
What was wrong...
...was us...
Grandma!
Brother...
Help my brother...!
Al... is that you?
You guys are back from your training?
So then, why...?
Don't tell me you were thinking of creating your mom, were you?
So that's it. That was the light of human transmutation, huh?
I've never seen such a furious reaction in a transmutation before.
Pardon me.
A State Alchemist?
What business does the military have here?
As you can see, these boys have been seriously injured.
This letter came my way.
That's one that Brother sent to Dad's acquaintances!
We have been searching for your father, Hohenheim, for a long time.
We still don't know where their father is.
There are hurt people here. Go away.
If they have performed human transmutation, and were able to escape with their lives,
then I am more interested in them than their father.
They could make fine State Alchemists.
This boy hasn't done anything. Go away, we have things to do here.
I am State Alchemist Lt. Col. Roy Mustang.
Come pay a visit to Central.
Uh, good morning, Winry.
Al! Are you awake!? I'm sorry, I was just...
Grandma, in the house, there's some money...
You dummy, don't be worried over something as trivial as that.
That's not what I meant.
Use that money and fix me up with some automail.
I'm going to go see that Roy guy from earlier,
and become a State Alchemist.
I'll need the freedom of my own arms and legs to do so, right?
You mean, you were listening?
I heard about them from my teacher. If I become a State Alchemist,
I'll be able to read valuable documents that the state is in charge of,
and be provided an allowance, and allowed to do research on my own.
What's more, that watch can amplify an alchemist's power.
Didn't your teacher tell you this?
Once war breaks out, you will be brought into it,
and if ordered, use your alchemy to take lives for the good of the people.
In the war that claimed my own sons' lives,
there were State Alchemists involved.
I don't care if I have to become a dog of the military or whatever.
There is something that I have to do.
Ed, are you still at it?
Just bear with us. This is the highest quality stuff I can make!
We're okay! Don't come in!
I'm surprised.
Even adults scream at the pain of attaching each nerve to the mechanisms.
This pain is nothing...
...compared to his...
It's been a while. Should we go at it, Brother?
"To train the mind, one must train the body."
That's what Teacher said.
But Al, are you going to be able to handle it in that body?
I'm not going to lose to some automail!
Brother, are you serious about becoming a State Alchemist?
I don't know if I can become one or not, but I am going to go see that Roy guy.
Don't do it.
I've made up my mind.
Well then, I'll become one!
You couldn't.
Brother, are you still planning to transmute Mom?
You said at the time that we were wrong to do so, didn't you?
I'll become a State Alchemist, and then I'll find a way to get your arm and leg back.
You don't have to worry about that.
But it's my fault! If I had objected, you wouldn't have lost your leg...
And then you lost your arm in order to bond my spirit...
What about you? What are you supposed to do with that body?
Brother...
I'm going to go find a way to get you back to normal.
You won't try anything with Mom, right?
It's likely that there isn't anything in the world that we can exchange equivalently for Mom's life.
And besides...
I don't want to lose you, too.
In that case, I'm going with you.
But why?
Brother, you slack off too quickly! If I'm not around...
Is that what you're saying?
And I...
...don't ever want us to get separated again.
Even though they were our own bodies,
we would still be seeking to perform a forbidden human transmutation.
If unsuccessful, this time we would probably disappear from this world for good.
There would be no telling what further reward we would receive.
There could be no turning back for us.
And so, on the day we left on our journey,
we burned our house down.
Fullmetal Alchemist!
Episode 4: "Transmution of Love"
When a doll takes on life, a man learns of his own foolishness.
And yet, he'll do it again, if he can transmute love.