Equivalent Exchange and All Matter! (On Hold)

Chapter 8: The Philosopher's Stone.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for Isabella.

Isabella's POV

The rain continued to fall as Ed claps his hand and placed them on the blood-spattered wall out of sadness, but nothing happened. Al had his head down.

No POV

The clapping sound continued when the military came by. "It's so cruel. If the devil really does interfere in this world, we've seen his work tonight." Hawkeye said to Mustang. "The devil's work, huh? We State Alchemists are human artillery they roll out if nothing else works. And when the military calls, it's our duty to respond regardless of how grotesque the scenario is. To serve, we have to distance ourselves from emotional attachments. In that way, we don't even come close to Tucker." Roy said to her. "With respect, that's thereasoning of an adult. But, those children are still just..." Hawkeye said to him while looking out the window.

Isabella's POV

While I was shocked and then the Lieutenant Colonel came making me and Al look at. I walked up to Ed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Edward? Edward, the Lieutenant Colonel..." I called as Ed turns to see Mustang there. "There's no use, kid." Roy said to him as Ed faces him with a look of anger. "You can't go around trying to bring every living creature that dies on your back, Edward. It'snot possible, and it's not healthy." Roy said to him as Ed growled.

"Anyway, who'd you be helping by bringing back a malformed Chimera?" Roy asked him as Ed looks on. "It's an ugly world out there. And from here on out, it's only gonna get uglier on the path you've chosen. Just be thankful it wasn't you and get on with your life." Roy said to him. "Get on with my life?!" Ed asked out of anger as Roy grabbed his wrist. "There's a reason you and Isabella became State Alchemists, right Ed? Can you really afford to get distracted by every little lost cause?" Roy asked him. But then Hughes came out of the car.

"Great. Well so much for making it home in time to kiss my little girl goodnight." Hughes said to himself. "Crime scene's over here." One soldier said to the others. "It's up to the Investigations Department now. Step aside." Roy said to him. "Right, we will." I said to him as Ed runs off passed Hughes. I followed him while Al catch up. "We got some kinda mess here. This the work of that serial killer we've been tracking, Mustang?" Hughes asked Mustang.

"No, that guy only goes for women. Besides, this thing wasn't carved up..." Roy said to him. "Right. I'd say it's almost as if, that poor pathetic creature were blown from the inside." Hughes said to him. Ed was in anger and in sadness of what happened tonight, I was acting like nothing happened here tonight.

"Humankind cannot gain anything, without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equalvalue must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that tobe the world's one, and only truth."

*The Philosopher's Stone*

Isabella's POV

The three of us are at the estate the next morning, Ed was opening and closing his watch while I just sat there, then we hear Havoc coming. The three of us followed Havoc inside the estate. "Why so glum, you two?" Havoc asked us. "This job's a little more real, than Ed and I bargained on. I think we just need something to take ourminds off this whole mess." I said to him. "So, um... What's this assignment you've got for us?" I asked him. He then took us to Tucker's studies.

"Here 'ya go." Havoc said to us as the Chimeras are roaring inside the room. "Your orders are to go through and organize all of his stuff. You should familiarize yourself with all the results of Tucker's experiments." Havoc said to us. "So you want me and Isabella to take over that maniac's research?!" Ed asked him.