Chapter 176 - War Potentials!

Inside Mustang's office,

"The Ishvalans are people from East, Who believe in one god, Ishvara. Due to religious differences, they'd always been in conflict with Central Government. But, Thirteen Years ago, when an army officer accidentally shot an Ishvalan child, the story exploded in an all-out civil war. Riot let to Riot, and soon civil war spread throughout the East area. After seven years of a gruesome war, Military commanders took a new tactic. They used State Alchemist in an all-out genocide campaign. They were recruited as human weapons. It was an opportunity to test their suitability for war."

Mustang closed his eyes as he spoke, "I was one of those alchemists; that's why there is a certain justice as to why the last of Ishvalans would seem vengeance."

It was filled with Mustang's unit, Maes Hughes, Major Armstrong, Ed, Al.

Tatsuya and Miyuki were also there.

They came to talk about why Tatsuya let go of Scar, but the answer they got, was that Scar was an Ishvalan. Understanding what was going on, Mustang explained the reason behind it.

Mustang opened his eyes, glaring at Tatsuya, "But, that is my burden to carry, I don't understand, how you are involved in it?"

"As I said, I owed him a favor."

Hughes looked at Tatsuya frowning, "A favor?" He was the one that warned Tatsuya and Miyuki about Scar. He was sure they didn't know about it at that time. How come in such a short time, Tatsuya owed Scar a favor.

"For killing Shou Tucker..."

"Huh?"

"?!"

"Hm?!!!"

Everyone in the room burst out in gasps of surprise.

Ed even stood up, "You didn't kill him?!!!" He asked Tatsuya in astonishment. He and Al had been upset because they thought Tatsuya and Miyuki were the ones to kill Tucker.

His question brought the attention of others even more.

Mustang's eyes became grave, "what is going on?"

Tatsuya let out a breath, "Two years ago, Tucker made a talking chimera." After a few moments of silence, Tatsuya continued, "He used his wife to transmute that."

The gasps resounded in the room again, but this time rather than surprise, they were horrified.

"Two days ago, he did it again...this time he used his five years old daughter and pet to create one."

"That's crazy!!" Riza patted the table with fury all over the place.

"That's...how could someone..." Major Armstrong was at a loss for words, but his tightened fist and downcast eyes projected the intense anger he was feeling.

"That was why you Ed thought you killed him?" Lt. Colonel Hughes asked. On the surface, he seemed calm about it. But, anyone paying attention could see the veins pulsing on his clenched fists.

Before Tatsuya could reply, Riza interrupted them, "Wait! from what I know, his daughter is fine. She even went shopping with you today."

Mustang narrowed his eyes in realization, "You used Human Transmutation." Now it made sense to him.

"Human Transmutation?!" Riza shouted in astonishment, her eyes surveyed Tatsuya's body, "but..."

"My eyes were taken as the price of using Human Transmutation...just when I was thinking about what to do with Tucker, Scar had killed him. That's why I said I owed him a favor."

"I understand how you feel, probably more than anyone else in this room." Lt. Colonel Hughes stared at him with a solemn gaze. As a father who doted on his daughter with everything he had.

"But, Scar is killing State Alchemist all over Amestris."

"It's not that I am doubting you; even I can see you are blind. But, when you fought Scar, you didn't seem blind." Jean took a puff of smoke.

"That was just another use of Chi..."

"Ed, Al, You should leave now..." Miyuki, who had been silently sitting beside Tatsuya, spoke.

"What! Why?" Ed stood up, appalled.

Miyuki narrowed her eyes as they flashed, "Now."

Ed straightened up, frightened, "Yes."

Although he said so, he didn't move from his place.

"Come on, Ed, we should go now." Al pushed Ed leaving.

Opening the door, he looked back, "then we will see you later." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

*Thumb*

"Is there anyone else who can't control his or her facial expressions in check?"

Kain fidget after hearing Miyuki's question, "maybe I?"

"I would suggest you leave...this could get you killed."

Kain looked towards Mustang, who hesitated before nodding.

After Kain left, Mustang leaned back on his chair, "what is this about?"

"Do you have a map?"

Riza glanced at Mustang for approval before taking out and bringing a map roll to Miyuki. She spread it on the small table in front of her.

"When we first came to this country, we felt something crawling under our feet. The next thing we noticed was that there was something wrong with this country's Alchemy."

Major Armstrong crossed his arms, looking at Miyuki, "Amestris Alchemy has developed in the Military direction because our borders are surrounded by large countries."

Tatsuya shook his head, putting his sunglasses back on, "that is not what she means. You see, the Alchemy here is supposed to be used by using the energy released from the movement of Tectonic Plates. As Miyuki said, things are crawling under the ground, acting as some kind of buffer or something that is twisting the Alchemy here."

Mustang looked down at his feet, "I suppose you can tell that because of Chi?"

"Yes..." Miyuki shot a look at Tatsuya, "We traveled all across Amestris to find the source of it."

"Did you find it? The source?" Lt. Colonel Hughes asked. As soon as he asked, he widened his eyes, "It's Central...that was why you were acting weird."

Miyuki let out a surprised smile as she looked at Lt. Colonel Hughes, "Yes, It's central."

Major Armstrong glared at her, "You realize what your accusation means?"

Miyuki took the pen from Tatsuya's front pocket, "Liore, Pendleton, Fotset, Ishval, South City, Riviere. Do you remember any other historical civil war or skirmishes where many people were killed?"

Warrant Officers Falman didn't understand what this meant. With his extraordinary memory, he knew a few more places, "There is Cameron, Fiske, Wellesley." He hesitated, "But, I don't remember anything happening in Liore?"

Hughes said, staring at the map, "Yesterday, Riots started in Liore. There is a full-scale civil war going in there."

Mustang walked over, watching over the table, staring at the map.

Suddenly, Lt. Colonel Hughes widened his eyes, he ran over to Mustangs table, taking a scale and pencil from it.

He ran back, sitting beside the smaller table on his knees. He started making lines with great focus.

Soon, everyone in the room widened their eyes, watching Hughes work.

"How could...??!!"

"That is impossible?!!"

"What?!!"

"How can this be...?!!"

"It's some kind of Transmutation Circle..." Lt. Colonel muttered, although he didn't draw the complete Transmutation Circle, just the outline. But, he understood this was a National Wide Transmutation Circle.

Mustang's looked at the map in horror, shock, and anger, "what is the meaning of this..."

Tatsuya didn't explain, just said a sentence, "Xerxes disappeared in one night."

Mustang glared at him, "what are you trying to say?" Although he had a feeling, an idea, he didn't want to believe.

"Someone is trying to Transmute, the whole of Amestris...No, some of these events happened not long after the country was created. It would be more appropriate to say, Someone created our country for this purpose." Hughes's eyes were shivering.

"But why? What do they hope to achieve?" Major Armstrong had a hair-raising expression on his face.

"Don't know..." Miyuki declared, "there is much we would like to know as well, like the thing in central. It could travel underground or in shadows. Keeping its eyes and ears on people, even when you are alone...there is something that is listening to you, and this is not a ghost story."

Major Armstrong looked at them in surprise, "Is that some kind of Alchemy?"

Tatsuya shook his head, "It is a living creature of some kind...we also saw some human-shaped Chimera's in Dublith." His eyes turned towards them, "there is much going on in this country...But, I think that is enough for now. We can talk more when you digest this much."

Mustang walked back, putting his hand on his table. With his back towards Tatsuya, he asked, "Do you have any idea what could be going on?"

Tatsuya stood up with Miyuki, "No...but there is one thing that stands out."

Hughes looked at him with sharp eyes, "what?" Right now, every clue would be helpful.

"Philosophers stone...that is the only thing that could grant immortality needed to a person...to carry out a plan stretching across centuries."

"You are not suggesting?!!"

Tatsuya shrugged, "As I said, it just stands out. Scar...is a war potential, and so are people in this room." Seeing Tatsuya and Miyuki walkout, Mustang sat on his chair. After a while, he rubbed his eyes, leaning back.

"Hughes? What do you think about it?"

"There are a lot of questions I have...but I highly doubt these attacks were a coincidence." He placed his hand on the north, "this is the only place left...Briggs."

Major Armstrong knit his brows, "that is where my sister is...We must inform Fuhrer of this."

Suddenly, Mustang became silent, "if this country was created for this purpose...then Fuhrer might not be on our side."

Hughes agreed with Mustang, "that's true. I need to see if there is something in Military files."

"What about the thing in shadows Tatsuya warned about...Your life might be in danger." Riza remembered the warning.

"There were also Human Chimera's that they talked about. Is that even possible?"

"Is it really philosopher's stone?"

"We should let Elric brothers continue their journey and try to find out more about the stone. Also, do not talk about this in Central...even in sleep. We will have to come up with a code."

"Major Armstrong, even if we are not chasing after Scar for the moment. Can you escort Elric Brothers? They would need to get their body back to normal."

"Yes, Sir!!"

Outside,

Tatsuya walked behind Ed and Al, with Miyuki beside him, "I am surprised you didn't try to hear."

Miyuki chuckled, "they tried."

Ed straightened his body in shock before looking away and whistling.

"I...We...Ummm..." Al couldn't explain himself.

"Did you hear?"

Ed hesitated before speaking, "No..."

Tatsuya turned to Miyuki, "did you?"

Miyuki just nodded with a bright smiling face.

"When?"

*Ling*Ling*Ling*

"Mmm?" Miyuki took out the remote monitor before signaling Tatsuya with her eyes.

They stopped, "Go back to the hotel; we will see you later."