On the day we decided to depart, we burned down our house.
Al, are you sure you're okay?
Leaving the village, I mean. You don't have any regrets?
What are you talking about, Brother?
We decided to do this ourselves, you know.
Actually, I think you're the one who will miss it more, don't you, Brother?
I'm all excited. After all, I'm going to become a State Alchemist! Me!
I feel the same way. I'm going to get your body fixed, after all.
That's all right. You just need to worry about yourself.
Still, how do we get to be State Alchemists?
What kind of training does it take...?
If they have performed human transmutation, and were able to escape with their lives, then I am more interested in them.
They could make fine State Alchemists.
Anyhow, we're going to go meet this Roy person.
Who knows? With a talent as abundant as mine is, it'll be a piece of cake!
Are you concerned about Winry?
Nothing we can do about it.
It's something those two have set their minds to.
I'm sure they'll be back once they grow up.
Ed... Al...
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.
Brother, do you know which train we're supposed to transfer to?
Yeah, it's at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning. Until then, let's get some sleep.
My bag!
Al!
That was a cinch!
Kids, huh? Off to bed with you, now, like good boys!
What!?
Why don't you give it a rest there, instead!?
Nicely done!
That was something else! Was that strange power just now alchemy?
Yeah.
To think that boys your age could be alchemists!
In these parts, Majhal would have to be the only alchemist around.
Majhal?
Sure. It's said that he has helped others out many times with his alchemy.
He's quite well respected.
Where is this person?
Ah, the next village over. But you'd better not go there now.
There's this ominous rumor going around.
The rumor says that dead people are coming back to life in that village, and attacking the villagers.
Do you know about this Majhal person, brother?
No, but I saw that same name among all those letters of his.
You mean Dad's?
If I remember, he wrote about human transmutation.
If it's the same person, it couldn't hurt to meet him, right?
Yeah! This looks like it's going to be a good trip.
You sure seem unusually happy.
Well, we did catch that purse-snatcher, and everyone congratulated us.
I'm not sure how to say this, but I'm happy that our alchemy was able to help others out.
Brother, are you all right?
No, I'm not! That seat was hard, and bounced around something awful.
Weren't you bothered?
Mm-mm.
I'll tell you what, those are some incredible decorations.
Is there some festival going on?
Yikes! That one went toward the village!
What are you doing here!? This place is off-limits!
We're in the middle of a fireworks rehearsal here!
F-fireworks...? What are you talking about!?
The fireworks for the festival, of course!
I've never seen your faces before, have I?
What's with this guy? He's got on a strange outfit!
Cut it out!
Let's get them. Should be fun.
We got them!
They're weak!
What are you doing?
Are you Majhal?
Wow, this is amazing.
An impressive spirit bonding.
H-he knows about me, Brother!
Just what you'd expect of Hohenheim's sons.
Apparently, you've inherited his great talent.
Now then, what can I do for you?
I can't very well turn down the request of the sons of a dear friend.
We wanted to ask about the human transmutation you wrote about in the letter you sent him.
Human transmutation? You do know that it is forbidden by law, right?
Maybe so... But I want to return Al back to normal.
The costs accompanying a human transmutation are altogether too great.
I know how you must feel, but such an act is something that only God is allowed to perform.
Then, why did you correspond with him about human transmutation?
Youthful enthusiasm... I guess you would call it.
Majhal, I made some rose jam, if you'd like some...
I'm always grateful, Levi. Thanks.
Not at all...
Was there something else?
N-no. E-excuse me...
Okay then, take care.
Come to mention it, there's a festival happening soon, right?
Yeah, the Requiem Festival.
The spirits of the dead are sent up on fireworks, to return them to Heaven.
I've heard rumors about this village.
They say the dead are coming back to life, and attacking people here. Does that have anything to do with it?
That's just a silly, baseless rumor.
My, my, I'm certainly having a lot of visitors today.
You!
Come on, Clause! Majhal, I'm really sorry about this.
Why do I have to apologize!?
It's their own fault for being so weak, isn't it!?
For boys, anyhow!
- Brother, control yourself!
- What!?
Clause, I know that you're upset about your sister dying.
But you were once such a gentle little girl.
What would your late sister think if she saw you now?
Shut up!
Nobody knows how I feel!
My sister didn't just die...
...she was killed when that lady came back to life!
Came back to life...?
Clause!
Hey, hold up!
You guys... are alchemists?
It's been half a year since my sister died.
We didn't know the cause.
One of the passing villagers found her, looking like she was asleep, but she was dead.
And then, on the night of her funeral...
Clause...
K-Karin!?
Dad said that she was a woman who lived in this village a long time ago.
You know, right? The dead woman came back to life and killed my sister!
And not only her!
It's all because of her!
Look, if you're alchemists, then avenge her for me!
I've asked Majhal, but he won't do anything!
So...
It's only natural that Majhal wouldn't do anything.
That's because your story is unbelievable.
Besides, I'm not too wild about taking any revenge.
What are you talking about? You guys are really just scared, aren't you?
And you call yourselves alchemists!
You're just a pipsqueak and an armor-otaku!
Pipsqueak...?
Armor-otaku...?
Don't you call me a pipsqueak! I'm still going to grow up ultra-big!
You're a pipsqueak now, aren't you?
Pipsqueak! Pipsqueak! Ultra-hyper-super-pipsqueak!
Shut up!
What about you!? If you're a girl, why don't you at least dress a little like one!?
None of your business!
Karin? Yes, she did live here.
She made a living by raising flowers. She was a beautiful woman.
It must be twenty years ago now.
She succeeded in cultivating a very difficult blue rose.
Her smile at the time was simply...
However,
while she was riding in a carriage, shipping her blue roses to the city...
...she fell down along the mountain roads, and died there.
But they say that this Karin is attacking the villagers.
There's no way that could be.
The dead do not come back to life, after all.
And besides, even if she were to come back to life, it's inconceivable that she would attack the other villagers.
What do you think, Brother?
It's true, dead people don't come back to life.
But, supposing that someone were to perform a human transmutation...
The only person in this village who would be capable of that is Majhal.
Did you hear that just now?
What?
We're really going to do it?
Yeah, we're going to catch this Karin zombie with our own hands!
What, are you afraid!?
Someone else is probably going to get killed if this keeps up!
Y-yeah, but...
Geez, what are you doing, old lady?
I'm sorry.
- I don't need your money, just go, would you?
- Anyhow, we make our move tonight.
- You can't just stay here all day over one bowl of soup.
- Got that?
Brother! Wait up!
What's wrong, Al? Are you scared?
It's not that. There aren't really any zombies around, right?
Don't be ridiculous.
If the rumors are true, then it could only be by human transmutation.
It's worth checking out.
We did it!
We caught her!
You're hurting me, Al...!
Oh, you guys...!
O-over there!
You... took my sister...!
Clause!
That sound...!
The alchemist Majhal... Second-rate after all, I guess.
That's Majhal for you!
Yeah, Majhal, I knew you would put down that zombie for sure!
What's the matter, Brother?
That was neither a zombie, nor was it a human transmutation.
It was the same sound that I heard that other time...
Majhal will be cross with you,
wandering around his residence on your own like this.
And what about you?
Brother!
W-what's all this...?
Brother!
Brother, are you okay?
So, you're awake?
It appears that you have seen something which you were not to have seen.
Yeah, I saw... the identity of that zombie.
This is your doing!
Yes, spirit bonding.
I take a mannequin, who is the perfect likeness of Karin, and bond one of the village girls to it.
By doing so, they were supposed to have come near to a living Karin.
But you failed!
Spirits do not tend to bond to vessels that are unlike them.
You may think they are bonded, but ordinarily, they are not functional.
There were even those who slipped out of here on their own, and wandered around the village.
Do you realize what you have done!?
Why the hell would you do this!?
Karin was the only woman I ever loved.
No matter how many years pass since Karin's death, my scars will not heal.
I made up my mind that I would bring Karin back to life through alchemy.
However, it was impossible for me to perform human transmutation.
That being the case, I wanted to at least create something that was close to Karin.
That's what I thought.
You're sick!
No! I just love Karin!
You're going to assist me now, in a spiritual bonding for my love.
No way.
Indeed. You're just as stubborn as Hohenheim was.
Um, I wanted to thank you...
You foolish girl.
Stop!
Please stop, Majhal! Do not do this any more!
Shut up! This has nothing to do with you!
Hey, do something fast!
Just a little more...!
A blue... rose...?
Receive this girl's spirit, and smile upon me this time without fail, Karin!
No! Stop!
Stop, Majhal! You don't understand a thing!
What you were seeking has been right next to you!
What are you talking about?
Karin didn't die!
After the accident, she lost her memory, and lived from then on someplace else!
And then, twenty years later,
Karin got her memory back, and came straight back to you.
But you didn't realize it was her!
Majhal...
Impossible... Are you saying that this woman is Karin?
Karin was more beautiful than any other woman!
Like a rose...!
Face reality!
Flowers wither. But Karin's feelings towards you have not changed!
Silence! Say one more word, and I'll kill you!
Majhal! Majhal!
N-no... You are not... Karin...
There's no way... you could be Karin...
What are you moping about, Al?
I was thinking that alchemy can also delude people.
Yeah, you're right.
Hey!
I'm sorry about everything. You really are terrific alchemists, huh?
That may be so, but who are you?
Don't tell me you're... Clause!?
What do you mean, "Ehhh!"?
You definitely look better in those clothes!
See ya!
Fullmetal Alchemist!
Episode 5: "Dash! Automail"
You wanted power too, didn't you?
That's what the man with the mechanical arm said to me.