Edward Does Love

Chapter Twenty-One

AN: Guys... 932 views... We've got this! Let's see if we can push to 1,000 with this chapter!

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The Stone

After this Doctor Marcoh guy finished his story, we learned that after the war he had changed his name and began to live in hiding out here. But when he left, he also took top-secret military material with him.

"I just couldn't handle it any more." the Doctor said. "Order or no order, to have to dirty my hands with researching that thing any longer would be too much."

"What thing?" I asked.

Dr. Marcoh kept his head down. "It took so many lives... During the civil war, so many innocent people died because of it... Too many." He sighed "I could spend my whole life trying to make up for the things that I have done, and I wouldn't be anywhere near my debt. But I had to do something, so I came here to be a doctor and save people, instead of killing them."

"Doctor... What exactly was it that you were ordered to do research on?" Major Armstrong asked. "What thing?"

Dr. Marcoh looked up. "The Philosopher's Stone."

Ed gasped and I jumped up. "Those top-secret materials that I took where my research documents... And the stone itself."

Ed jumped up, and slammed his hand on the table "Do you mean you still have it?" He asked urgently. "Here?"

The doctor sighed and pulled something out of his coat. It was a glass tube with a liquid in it. He unscrewed it as I asked how that could possibly be the stone. Dr Marcoh just pored the liquid onto the table, and it fused together, causing us all to gasp.

"Just as the stone can take on many names, it can also take on many forms." He said, as Ed began to poke it. It was almost like gelatin, it jiggled, but it also stayed solid.

"It is not necessarily a stone." He continued "However, what you see here is an incomplete product. There is no way to tell when it will reach it's limit and become unusable."

"Finished or not, it showed great power during the Ishbalan War, right?" Ed said.

"Isn't this like what the priest had in Liore?" I asked, and Ed nodded.

"His was also incomplete, but it did amplify his powers dramatically." Ed grinned sinisterly. "If a mere imitation this powerful can be produced, who's to say a complete version can't?" He slammed his hand on the table again.

I felt my eyes widen as I said "Please, Doctor Marcoh, we need access to your research materials!"

The shocked man turned to Major Armstong. "Major, who exactly are these kids?"

"These kids are State Alchemists."

The doctor gasped and said "What? But they're merely children! After the war, there were many State Alchemists that turned in their certifications. Because they refused to be used as human weapons anymore. And now a child- no two children!"

"You think I don't know what I signed up for?" Ed retaliated loudly. "I understand what I'm doing, but I don't have any choice, neither of us do! So if this is a mistake, then it's a mistake we have to make! There is no other way!"

The room grew silent, and Ed told him our stories. He looked at our bodies and then deep into Ed's eyes and then into mine. I had a strange flash of a man in his middle-ages when he did. I gasped and the image disappeared. I told myself to tell Ed as soon as I could but the doctor spoke again.

"I see. So you've committed the taboo." He looked at Al. "Amazing. The ability to Transmute a specific person's soul like this. Being able to recover so quickly and push on in the condition you're in. Maybe one as talented as you two could create a complete Philosopher's Stone. But I can't show you my research."

"Why not?" I protested.

"You mustn't seek the Stone!"

"Not even if it's to get our bodies back?" Ed challenged.

"Do you think we want to live our lives like this? When I could die from running up some stairs?" I challenged.

"Of course not!" The doctor spat. "But I can never show you this! It is the Devil's research! If you chase the Stone, you will go through hell!"

Ed pushed himself up. "I've already been through hell!" He screamed.

"Please..." the doctor said quietly. "Please just leave..."

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We sat at the train station and Armstrong questioned our decisions. "Are you sure about this, you two?"

Ed and I looked up at Major Armstrong and he continued. "Even an incomplete Stone could be useful. I could've taken it from the doctor by force."

"Yeah I suppose..." I said.

"And I wanted it really badly too." Ed interjected.

"Still." Al said, in his crate. "We don't want it so badly that we would deprive a town of its only doctor to get it."

"You see, we gained a lot just knowing that you can make the Stone." Ed said, deep in thought. "Now all we've gotta do is find some way to do it!"

"What about you, Major?" I asked. "How do you feel about not reporting to Central on Dr. Marcoh's location?"

"I met a simple small-town doctor today by the name of Dr. Mauro. I don't see any real reason to report that." Major replied. I chuckled and Ed smiled.

"Wait!" Someone panted behind us. It was Dr. Marcoh. He handed Ed a piece of folded paper. "This is where my materials are. If you are absolutely sure you won't regret finding the truth in the end, look here. Look closely. Maybe you'll find the truth hidden within the truth. But," he turned away. "I've said too much already. I hope the day will come when you can restore your bodies!" And just like that, he left.

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AN: Hello! What do you think they will find in the research? Do you think Rachel really saw someone from her past?

It's up to you! Thank you all for reading, my Sillies, and goodnight!