Resembool! We're in Resembool!
So what exactly are the Colonel's orders?
Can't you tell me already, Major?
I don't know many of the details, either.
I was simply told to bring you along to Resembool to meet up with the others.
Meet up with who?
Good day, Major Armstrong.
And...
Yo, Boss.
Second Lieutenant Breda?!
Brother should have arrived in Resembool a while ago...
...but he still hasn't called...
And besides, I'm here if he needs to have his arm repaired.
There's so much we don't know, including Second Lieutenant Ross' case...
Which is why I'm here to explain.
S-Since when?!
Where did you even come in from?!
The window.
I'm technically a criminal, after all.
Well, you guys don't need to worry about Edward.
Right now, he's probably...
So hot...
That damn Colonel... he didn't mention a word about us having to leave the country...
Mr. Han, are we almost there?
We've been here for a while now.
See? The Xerxes ruins.
Whew~
I almost burned myself with my automail...
Why is the brat with you?
For certain reasons.
Xerxes, huh...
I remember reading about it in the tale about the Sage of the East.
Sage of the East?
Yeah.
A fairy tale about the alchemist who introduced alchemy to our country.
It's a legend about the sole survivor of the Xerxes Kingdom, which was destroyed in one night,
and how he arrived in Amestris, just recently founded at that time, and spread alchemy throughout the country.
In our country, there's a legend stating he arrived from the west.
Eastern alchemy as we know it today is a combination of the skills he brought us and Xing's technology.
Oh, the one developed as a method of healing?
That's right.
We refer to him with respect,
as the "Sage of the West".
And this is where that sage was from?
That's what's been told.
Wow...
I wanted to see the Xerxes ruins.
Now I see why...
But I wonder if it's truly possible for them to be destroyed in one night despite having advanced technology like this.
It could just be a legend.
What are you doing?
This way.
We're going in pretty deep, aren't we...
Edward!
Eastern Headquarters, where I used to be stationed, was great.
It lacks the bustle of large cities, and most of all, there are so many beauties.
That stupid colonel!
Second Lieutenant Ross!!!
Now, for the embrace of reunion!!!
I'll pass!
Second Lieutenant Ross!
There's no telling when we'd get caught if a dead person was walking around the country, so we had her flee.
So the Colonel knew all along Second Lieutenant Ross was innocent?
Don't you think you're being a bit too flashy?
You think so, too?
Yes.
Hauling her down to the police station in front of a crowd...
Murdering a colleague is an embarrassment to the military, and yet, to have it make headlines...
It's me.
A call from Warrant Officer Falman on a general line, sir.
Put it through.
Colonel! About the murder of Brigadier General Hughes...
Hey Falman! Let me talk to him for a bit.
Barry?!
Yo, Mr. Mustang! Did you see the paper?
I've got something interesting to tell you.
Hey, Barney! You shouldn't use this line for private use!
I'll call you back from outside my office, so hang tight!
What? Is that true?
Yeah, the bullet the lieutenant used was the one she shot me with.
I still have the hole in my right hand.
I think we can set something up...
Huh?
Barry, don't you miss going on rampages?
Roger. I won't kill.
The second passage to the warehouse district, right?
Breda, go find these ingredients right away.
Pork bones and meat, carbon, ammonia.
What's all this for?
I'm going to whip up a burnt corpse.
H-Human transmutation?!
Don't be stupid.
It's going to be something that resembles a burnt corpse.
But if the medical examiner looks closely...
I'm going to burn it up so badly they won't even be able to have it appraised.
But what will you do if they decide to check the treatment marks on her teeth?
It's all under control.
Will you be able to do it?
I'm no expert, but I do know enough to make it happen.
I'm also good at transmuting burnt corpses.
Hurry!
You're Maria Ross, right?
It's a dummy.
You're going to die here tonight.
Don't just sit there.
Oww...
Yo, Fullmetal.
What's the meaning of this, Colonel?!
Huh? Was that the fullmetal boss?
That's not good... this was unexpected.
Edward...
Well, the Colonel will take care of it.
Let's go.
Roger.
While Barry was helping Ms. Ross break out of jail, he made a deal with the Young Master.
And the Young Master commanded me to escort her to the east.
And we promised him we'd meet here to set Second Lieutenant Ross free.
I see.
I still don't like it...
It means the bastard colonel pulled a fast one on us, right?
It's more convincing to actually have you see her than to explain it in words, right?
I know, I know.
The Colonel is totally right this time.
Speaking of the Colonel...
I also recall him saying, "Having a pissed-off brat around the place would just be a total nuisance to the mission!"
That damned colonel!!!
What is this mission you speak of?
Is there something else to do aside from rescuing Second Lieutenant Ross?
Yes.
We decided to fish out the mastermind hiding within the military.
Next time I see him...
Fish out?
Barry, who knows the secret behind Research Laboratory 5, went out and made a mess.
They'll definitely come to shut him up for good.
So that's how it was.
So the only reason they took Ed was because he'd be a nuisance?
I guess you could say that.
And I lent them a hand in exchange for Barry telling me the secret to his body.
But it turns out...
The scientist who turned me into this is long dead, so I don't really know.
What?! That's not fair!
Oh yeah, that Alphonse guy is kind of in the same boat as me, so why don't you try asking him?
So I decided to come to you instead.
It's a promise, so I'm counting on you!
Umm... I really don't have anything to do with that promise...
I really have nothing to do with this, do I...
Philosopher's stones... Homunculus...
I wonder why I was dragged into all this.
Now we have quite a bit of information.
If we discover the truth behind the murder of the Brigadier General, the situation will change, too.
We'll definitely prove you were falsely accused.
Lieute- Brigadier General Hughes...
He's really gone, isn't he...
What do you plan to do now?
Move forward on the path you're content with.
We have someone who's willing to collaborate with us, even though we committed taboo...
We also have someone who'll scold and support us...
I have a younger brother who I made a promise with... to return to our bodies...
I also don't have anywhere to return...
With that said, I have no choice but to move forward...
In a way that won't cause a single death of anyone important to me.
If it seems someone is going to be victimized, I'll protect them.
It may be difficult.
It's hard enough keeping my own head, but protecting others, too...
It may be arrogant of me,
but this is the only thing I can think of,
so I'm going to move forward.
Second Lieutenant Ross, what do you plan to do now?
I plan to go to the country of Xing.
Should I at least let your parents know?
No.
If it happens that information about me being alive is leaked from my parents, it'd be irreparable.
I see.
Major Armstrong. Second Lieutenant Breda.
Hm?
Please pass a message to Colonel Mustang for me.
"I greatly appreciate you saving me."
Ask him to order me back in the case of emergency.
I will gladly risk my life to assist him if that ever happens!
I will.
Stay well, Edward.
I never got you back for that slap.
Maybe next time.
Yeah. Maybe next time.
You have good friends.
Mr. Fu, what is Xing like?
It's a pleasant country, with great food and nice people.
There's no need to worry.
So I can expect a paradise after crossing this desert, right?
You sure can.
However, crossing this desert is a cruel task in itself.
Careful.
You should conserve your fluids.
I'll drop by your store tomorrow.
What do you want as your gift, Elizabeth?
Pardon me, Roy.
Kate, we have customers.
Could you go get Jacquelyn?
Jacquelyn, we have customers.
Roger.
Whoa!
Barry!
Calm down, Falman.
You can't kill this one!
This smell of cigarettes...
Second Lieutenant Havoc?!
Hey! What do you think I'm disguised for?!
This is why I can't stand guys who aren't used to battles!
I-I'm sorry, sir!
You were only "dragged in".
So don't attack him.
Someone from the army could be watching us at any moment.
You...
We're heading outside!
But there may be enemies outside!
We don't have to worry about that.
Shit!
Second Lieutenant!
Don't worry, we have the hawkeye on our side.
I just heard a loud noise. Is something wrong?
Nothing at all.
The customer played a prank on Jacquelyn, so I hit him a little.
Oh my.
You're harsh, Elizabeth.
All right, don't move.
We have a lot to ask you... er...
Does he understand what we're saying?
You've gotta be kidding me...
This is...
That's my body!!!
What?! How could this be?!
They threw in some kind of experimental animal or a soul inside my body!
And now, he's here to get his soul back!
This brings back so many memories!
I haven't seen it since I had my soul pulled out of me!
A transmutation circle.
It's similar to the one I saw in Research Laboratory 5.
A two-headed dragon... A sun...
Agh, dammit! The top part's gone, so I can't tell anything!
Need something from me?
If it's money, I don't-
An Ishbalan?
Young lad, would you become a hostage in order for us to get our holy land back from the army?
There's no way the army would give in for one kid like me.
The civil war began with the death of a child, as well.
We don't know what could be the beginning of a change in history.
Cut it out; this is disgraceful.
Lady Shan!
You idiots...
Are you trying to bring shame to the Ishbalan name?
Could you let that man go? He won't try to harm you anymore.
Why did you save me?
Don't you all hate Amestrians?
I know that not all Amestrians are evil.
Both Lady Shan and I were saved by Amestrian doctors when we were badly injured during the civil war.
In all honesty, we despise your kind, but I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for that couple.
Couple?
Could you be talking about the Rockbells?!
You know Doctor Rockbell?
Y-Yeah...
The doctor saved so many of us Ishbalans.
I see...
So Uncle and Aunt Rockbell...
They stayed with us, despite the war getting worse and worse.
How were their last moments?
They were killed by an Ishbalan...
...an Ishbalan patient they saved.
No way...
We're so sorry...
We couldn't stop him.
Who was it?!
I couldn't see his face.
But he was an Ishbalan with a tattoo on his right arm.
When you get the chance, please convey our feelings to their gravestones.
Both our gratitude... and our apologies...
This is just grand!
This is like the once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to cut up my own body as much as I want!
You told me earlier not to kill him!
To hell with this mission!
My soul keeps shaking... It wants to cut him up!
You can't do that.
Besides, wouldn't the normal approach to this be wishing to go back inside your old body?
That body won't last much longer.
Oh, so it's rotten...
I can't stand it anymore!!!
I'm going to cut him up!
I get to decide what to do with my own body!
I said, no!
What's wrong?
I wonder if it's a fight?
Seems like there's some trouble between her and the customer.
Oops, I'm going to have to call you back.
I've got a customer, too.
She's a strong, proud woman.
A beautiful woman, loved by her comrades.
But her weapon which shoots down enemies has lost its power, and her flame of life fleetingly went out.
Next time, Fullmetal Alchemist:
Episode 19, Death of the Undying.
She becomes anguished. Her memories bring about her suffering.