This is going to be quite a chore to find just one book.
She couldn't be...
Who's there?
What do you want, scarred man?
You look like her...
But there's no way you could be-
I smell something, I smell something.
It's the smell of an Ishbalan, covered with blood.
You intend to involve yourself with the Fullmetal pipsqueak, don't you?
We can't have that. We still need the boy to pursue the Philosopher's Stone.
What are you talking about?
Oh dear, perhaps I said too much.
Can I eat this one, too?
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.
We're here! Central!
Phew! How about we head for the first branch right away?
Brother, hold on!
You don't need to hurry, the library isn't going to run off!
We've finally got a definite lead! I can't just sit still now!
Maj. Armstrong, we have come to greet you.
Well done.
I will be proceeding directly to the command center, so you will be in charge of guarding these two from now on.
Lt. Maria Ross!
Sgt. Denny Brosh!
It's nice to meet you, Fullmetal Alchemist!
Wow, you're dressed just as your second name implies!
You do indeed wear it with dignity.
This happens all the time.
Eh, I'm used to it.
Then, it's this little fellow-
No, I meant... I didn't think you were going to be a child like this...
Aah, enough already!
Major! We don't need any guards! The two of us are both perfectly put back together!
I really would like to let you go, too, however...
We've received information that Scar has appeared again in Central.
That's right. Just put up with it for now.
Fullmetal Alchemist, leave everything to us!
I just hope you don't slow me down.
Ah, we have a car waiting!
I apologize.
He's always like that. Please don't let it bother you.
Despite how he appears, he has overcome a bitter past many times...
Please overlook his behavior for me.
R-right... But actually, as it happens...
Last night, the first branch was all but completely lost due to a fire that broke out.
You're kidding me, right?
According to eyewitness reports, we suspect that it was the act of Scar, who is on our wanted list.
Brother...
Our lead is all burned up.
Really! Seriously, seriously! I want you to hear her, too! She's a prodigy! And she's only three years old!
She has an angelic singing voice!
That settles it! She's going to be a future songstress!
Lt. Colonel, I'm working here.
Huh? Fancy that! I'm working too!
Geez, I wonder if there is any alchemy that can burn someone up on the other end of the phone.
You say such frightening things, Flame Alchemist.
Now then, about that other matter.
According to eyewitness testimony, we're certain that Scar was involved.
However, looking at the site, I can't believe it was the work of him alone.
There is evidence that he was fighting with someone.
Any news on Scar?
Signs of fighting continue on away from the building site into the sewers.
We discovered his bloodstained clothes further downstream, but we're not sure if he's alive or dead.
Right now in Central, following the death of Brig. Gen. Grand,
there are plausible rumors going around that Col. Mustang will be returning.
Then again, there are others who think that you're the one behind the disturbances.
Hm, how ridiculous. But then...
Returning to Central, huh?
That doesn't sound bad.
Watch yourself. You've got a lot of enemies among the higher-ups right now.
I'm ready for them.
Make as many friends as you can, who understand you and will support you.
Which means, as soon as you can...
...find yourself a wife!
Shut up!
Colonel, take it easy on the phone.
Lt. Colonel! Don't sit up there!
We've been searching since this morning, but these are the only books we were able to recover.
This is terrible.
Brother...
Sure enough, there aren't any books authored by Tim Marcoh in the main building.
If they had been moved there from the branch, there should be a record of it, after all.
Um, is there any possibility that it was checked out by anyone?
Yes, but since the circulation records were also burned up...
I see...
It was probably burned up together with all the others.
If only we could have confirmed that his book was really even in there...
Was there anyone else that worked there?
He and I were the only two people on staff in that branch.
Just you two?
Only State Alchemists were permitted in the branch, and all.
I think I remember there being a young lady there who wore glasses.
Ah, you mean Sheska? She was fired a little while back.
Fired?
That girl was a little unusual.
Sheska was a bookworm.
Worm...?
I guess she isn't home.
The lights are on. Let's open it!
You can't!
What a mountain of books!
Does someone actually live here?
Sheska, are you here?
Sheska!
She's not here.
Help...!
Dig! Dig! Just keep digging!
There's someone... there's someone buried here!
Thank you very much!
I inadvertently knocked over that pile of books. I couldn't breathe, and thought I was going to die.
Sheska, you used to work at the first branch, right?
Y-Yes. All I ever did was read books while I was working, so I got fired.
I have to support my sick mother, but I'm just no good at anything besides reading books
Um, anyhow, Sheska...
Do you remember there being a book authored by someone named Tim Marcoh at the branch?
Tim Marcoh?
It would probably be a thick, handwritten research journal.
A thick, handwritten research journal...
By Tim Marcoh...
Yes, I remember! It was leather-bound book, with handwritten manuscripts inside.
Are you sure about that?
Yes. I remember all of the books in the branch's collection.
Which would mean, sure enough...
Damn. We're right back where we started.
Brother...
Yes, indeed. It sure is sad when you can't find a book you want to read.
I know that feeling terribly well.
I, too, once wandered among this mountain of books for nearly three days,
but still did not find the one volume I wanted to read.
It's so sad, so sad...
S-Sheska, thanks. With your help, we at least confirmed that the book existed.
We'll manage to do something from here on.
You mean, there's still some other way?
I'm going to take the cinders of all the books that were burned, and transmute them back to their original form!
Incredible! Can you really do something like that?
Watch closely!
Uh, what about that? Is it okay for that stuff to go flying off?
No matter how hard you try, it'll be impossible, Brother.
Um, if you'd like, shall I reproduce the book for you?
I remember the entire contents of a book once I read it.
And since I've read most of the books in the branch...
You mean it? Can you really do that!?
It's a silly little talent I have, but if I can help you out.
Here you go!
There was a lot of content, so it took me three whole days to write it all down.
This is Marcoh's research journal?
Really?
Yes! Everything from light and easy hors d'oeuvres, to party dinners you'd invite guests to.
Tim Marcoh's "1000 Recipes for Today's Menus"!
Right?
One tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper...
This really is today's menu.
Are you sure you didn't get the wrong author?
You're not serious! All I did was reproduce what I was told to.
It was all in vain, I'm sorry to say.
No.
You're sure that, word for word, this is the same thing that Marcoh wrote?
Yes, no doubt about it.
You're incredible! Thanks!
Lt. Ross!
Give Sheska this amount of money for me.
If you go to State Alchemist Services with my references there, they'll take it out of my research budget for you.
Al, let's go!
Hold on!
Sergeant, here.
What is he planning to do with a book like that?
Indeed...
That much!?
For him to pay out this amount all at once, he sure is a State Alchemist!
Wait, please! Where are you going?
We're going to hole up in the Central Library for a while.
They'll have abundant materials and dictionaries, after all.
You can't mean it! We still don't know Scar's whereabouts.
We can't guard you in such a high-traffic area!
Well, you can report that to your superiors, or whatever else you like!
This is our problem!
We've finally found ourselves a lead.
Forgive us.
Marcoh's research journal...
It definitely appears to be an ordinary cookbook at first glance.
The secret to the Philosopher's Stone is written in here, huh?
It's encoded, to protect against it being misused.
They do say that alchemy was born in the kitchen, after all!
With me working on this, it'll be an easy task!
Ah, and here I thought I could solve this right away.
This is one hard code to break.
If only we could ask Marcoh directly.
He abandoned his research. We can't very well rely on him anymore.
Yo, Ed, Al!
Are you doing all right?
Lt. Colonel! What's the deal? We haven't seen you around at all!
It's Scar's appearance. He's got us running all over.
Al, did you get your body fixed up all right?
Yes, thank goodness.
Those two are on familiar terms with the Lt. Colonel!
Lt. Col. Hughes!
If anything were to happen here, we could not ensure the safety of these two.
They should return to quarters at the Command Center.
I asked you to leave us alone!
As long as we do not know where Scar is, we should reexamine our security structure!
Lt. Ross is definitely right.
Lt. Colonel...!
However, I can't make the call on my own authority. Why don't you ask Major Armstrong?
- No, not him!
- No! Please, not him!
Lt. Colonel.
I'm just one step away. I'm begging you.
I'm at a point where I can't do very much about the Scar matter.
On top of that, all the case records have been burned up. There isn't any work to be done.
Case records? Those were at the branch, too?
Uh-huh. Affidavit records, lists of names, the whole bit.
Lt. Colonel...!
Me!?
Um, sure I've read the military's criminal records, and lists of convicts.
You'll be fine.
If what you say is true, this will help us out greatly.
I'll vouch for her. If you're going to hire her, now's the time.
You mean it? To think that I, whose only ability is reading, would become part of the Court-Martial Office...
It's not like that.
Working at something really hard is a talent in and of itself.
You have an incredible memory, after all. I think you should be proud of it.
Thank you.
Um, I will do the best I can! Thanks for your consideration!
All right! Now that that's settled, let's get right to work. I pay handsomely!
Thank you very much!
I guess I've got no choice.
I'll send someone from the Court-Martial Office to cover library security.
Eh? Thanks, man. And I didn't even mean for this to happen, either.
Liar!
See you later. Don't go working on that too hard.
Just a moment please, Lt. Colonel!
Lt. Ross...
I know what you're going to say, but they are not the kind of guys that give up easily.
I'll dispatch additional men to you by tomorrow. I'm asking you to make due.
Why are you supporting them this much?
Letting them continue to work, when you know the danger to them! Those boys are still children!
Which is why we're protecting them. Right now, what they are doing is something that only they can do.
It is the role of us adults to watch over children like them.
I leave you to it.
Brother...!
You're homunculi, are you?
My, there are still humans who believe in our existence.
I didn't get to eat him.
I would have liked to have verified Marcoh's research journal.
But there's no need to now, is there?
Ah, you're awake?
That is a surprise. I didn't think you were going to come back to life.
Where am I?
Mister, you're an Ishbalan, right?
Don't worry! This is a town of Ishbalans!
Grandpa! He's back to life!
You've held on to your life, young one.
You're the guy, aren't you? The one on the wanted list.
Relax. There's no one here who would sell out one of their own.
I had no idea there were this many surviving Ishbalans.
It's not just here.
There are little villages all over the land, and everyone is still going strong.
"The entire world is the bosom of our God, Ishbala."
No results today either, huh?
I don't know what it is that they're studying, but I wish they'd give it up already.
Those boys won't give up until they've found something.
And it's our job to protect them.
You've gotta be yanking me!
Now I understand. The reason this is called the devil's research...
The reason Marcoh abandoned his research...
Brother...
It's no wonder! The material needed for making a Philosopher's Stone...
is live human beings!
Huh? What's the matter?
And here...
I finally thought it was within our grasp!
You're going?
Thanks for your help.
You couId just stay here.
I cannot do that. I am a person who has betrayed the way of God.
That arm is amazing.
Yeah.
Bokura wa ima demo saknderu
We always find ourselves crying out, even now.
It's something precious that I got from my family.
Fullmetal Alchemist!
Episode 19: "Behind what is Behind the Truths"
CentraI Laboratory No. 5...
There is a hell there that we were unaware of.