Fullmetal Blood

Hidden Truths

We stand outside the first branch and scream. It's a pile of rubble. "Dr. Marco's research!" Ed screams. "It's all gone!"

Ed picks up a book and it crumbles, "There's nothing left here but ashes. Everything is gone."

"Major Armstrong!" a woman calls.

"Oh, 2nd Lt. Ross and Sergeant Brosh. To what do we owe this pleasure?" Armstrong asks the saluting couple.

"We'll be taking over supervision of Edward Elric, his brother, Elisa Fridley, and Elias Fridley immediately," Brosh says.

"Very well," Armstrong says.

"What is this? Just when I think I'm home free, they saddle us with more bodyguards?" I ask. "This is getting old!"

*****

"All might not be lost. There was a woman very well acquainted with the books in the first branch," Ross says as we ride in the car. "Unfortunately, she wasn't working there anymore."

"That sounds incredibly helpful," Ed says. I lean up against him.

"Something wrong?" Al asks Brosh.

"Oh, it's nothing. Although if you don't mind me asking, why are you wearing a suit of armor?" Brosh asks.

We all jump.

"It's a hobby," all four of us say at the same time, sweating bullets.

"So, what do you say, guys? It's a lovely view, isn't it?" I ask.

"Oh yeah, yeah! It's gorgeous," Eli replies.

*****

We open the door to this lady's apartment to find thousands of books.

"Oh, wow. There's got to be a million of 'em," Ed says.

"Is there really someone living in this place?" Brosh asks.

"Miss Sheska! Are you here? Ms. Sheska!" Ross calls.

"Is someone there?" a muffled voice asks. "Please help me!"

"Um, guys?" Al points at a hand in a stack of books. "There's somebody under there!"

We dig and dig. We finally uncover her. Ed has a book resting open on his head.

"Thank you! I'm so sorry. I got myself trapped under a whole mountain of books!" Sheska yells, bowing profusely. "I thought I was going to suffocate under there. Thank you so much."

"So, uh, are you Sheska?" I ask.

"Yes," she replies.

"And you worked at the library?" Ed asks.

"Oh the library! The word itself is so beautiful!" the girl does one of Winry's rants. "I've loved books my whole entire life, ever since I first learned to read as a girl! That job was heaven! But I forgot that I was supposed to be working and all I ever did was read! They fired me! If I don't find another job, I'll never be able to move my poor elderly mother into a better hospital! But I'm hopeless! The only thing I can do well is read! I'll never find another job as long as I live! I'm useless! Good for nothing! More pathetic than pond scum!"

"Hey, excuse me. There was one thing we wanted to ask you," I say.

"Yes?" she asks.

"Do you remember seeing any research belonging to someone named Tim Marcoh?" Ed asks.

"Let's see, Tim Marcoh. Why do I know that name? Oh! Yes of course, I remember now!"

"Really?" I ask.