2 The Second and Third Deal

"Who the hell are you! How do you know about us?!" Edward snapped out as he looked at the store owner who had just asked him what he was willing to trade to bring back Alphonse and asked Ling if he wanted Greed back. He's never seen this guy before and as such, this guy isn't someone who can casually know who he and Ling were and what had just happened.

"Ed, calm down! Let him talk alright? He doesn't feel like Father or a Homunculus, but this man is dangerous." Ling stepped in and warned his friend as his eyes were narrowed at the shopkeeper who was smiling politely at them and opted to go for a more diplomatic route. After all, he doesn't have Greed with him, so his combat efficiency has been drastically lowered.

"I apologize for my friend, sir. You see-"

The adult quickly raised his hand as if to silence him, and Ling did as such.

"It's fine, Ling. I can understand Edward's brief hostility, and I'll take that blame for inciting his ire like that." He casually stated before giving them a small bow.

"Now I'm sure you two are curious as to who I am. Allow me to introduce myself. I used to have a name at one point in my life before I lost it, but nowadays, you can call me by the name of Adagium. Now, as to who I am, Fullmetal Alchemist...you can consider me an entity similar to Truth in terms or exchanging one thing for another, but I'm not really affiliated with him whatsoever. That's why I wanted to ask you what you were planning on giving him to get your brother back." The newly introduced Adagium explained as he looked at Edward, who seemed to pick up on what the man was saying.

"However, unlike Truth who deals in the fairness of everything, I'm a selfish individual. What I'm capable of doing, I can do so while circumventing the idea of Equivalent Exchange. So when I do something, maybe I give you more than what you exchanged for. Maybe you give me more than what you truly needed to gain something. It's just a matter of how I feel towards you." He went on as Edward listened in shock that there is a being similar to Truth that can exist in world and ignore Equivalent Exchange if what he said was true. And considering Ling's reaction to him, he must be telling the truth.

"That said, just because I can do this, it doesn't mean that I should go and make an enemy of Truth."

"Yeah, makes sense." Edward stated knowing how brutal Truth can be especially when it comes to collecting its payments, and he's sure that Truth wouldn't appreciate someone breaking that law of Equivalent Exchange either.

He took a brief moment to calm himself from his outburst before speaking with Adagium.

"You said that this store appears to those who are in need, right? I'm not gonna question where or what this place actually is, and you clearly know who the two of us are. So how can you help us exactly?" Edward asked as he looked up at the taller man who then gave his answer. After all, when someone claims to be similar to the Truth and seemed to know who Father was and what he was going to do before anyone else knew, he didn't have any choice but to really go along with it. Not to mention that no normal person just makes a door appear out of nowhere that leads to a random building that wasn't where it should be.

"Well, I would like to start off by saying that I personally can't help you with Alphonse. You already know what you're planning on doing aren't you? You plan on performing human transmutation to see Truth. But like I asked, do you know what you'll have to trade to get him back?" Adagium asked the teenager with a knowing look, who in turn gave a nod.

"Yeah I do." Edward answered and was given a smile as a response.

"You're really an interesting person Edward. To give what you will as payment for getting Alphonse back. Lesser men would have been afraid to do so. In fact, not even I know if I would have been willing to give up something that was essentially my life. You have my respect." The man said to Edward and gave him a nod of approval.

"Adagium, you told me you can bring back Greed right? For my Philosopher's Stone?" Ling asked as he stepped forward and then placed the small glass bottle with the red object in question up upon the counter.

"Then do it. If you can get me an identical Philosopher's Stone that has Greed, then I'll take your deal."

"What resolve...how admirable. You're trusting a stranger you don't even know to help you regain a friend." Adagium stated when he looked at the bottle and took in into his hand. "I'll be sure to return that trust tenfold for you, young Prince. Truly, you two are wonderful first customers. Speaking of whom..."

The shopkeeper then looked over to Edward.

"Edward. I told you that I couldn't help with Alphonse, but I can still help you. Tell me, remember the toll that you paid to open the Gate in the first place?"

"Well yeah, of course I do. It was my left leg. Why?"

"Well, this is a simple deal. I want a glimpse into what you're sacrificing first and learn about it and in turn you'll get your leg back. It's an equivalent exchange right? The leg you lost when you opened the Gate will now be restored when I have access to your own Gate before you give it to Truth?" Adagium asked, with Ling turning to his friend.

"Wait, Ed, what's he talking about?" The Xingese prince asked the Amestrian and Adagium saw it fit to fill in the blanks while Edward merely listened in silence.

"In a nutshell, to bring Alphonse back, Edward is going to sacrifice his ability to perform Alchemy. Please don't try to convince him otherwise, Ling. He's resolved to do it and this is the only solution that doesn't involve using another human's life."

"I see..." And Ling did see, especially considering his friend's resolve on not using a Philosopher's Stone and by that extent, another life. And as such, he'll respect his friend's decision.

"And speaking of giving. Ling. I promised that I'd get you a Stone with Greed back, but I need my own payment from you as well, and it's probably more simple than Edward's payment for me. You don't need to understand the process of how I'll get it, but all you need to know is that I wish to gain your knowledge of how to read the flow of the Dragon's Pulse, since that's something I find very interesting. Is that a good enough deal for both of you gentlemen?" Adagium asked the two, giving Ling and Edward a moment to consider this deal.

Needless to say, their answers were already prepared.

""You got a deal.""

And with that two deals were sealed, the ledger in the back of the shop recording the deal that its owner had just made, unbeknownst to Ling and Edward, not that it would harm them unless they back out.

"Excellent. In that case, Edward, feel free to draw a transmutation circle on the ground here with whatever you want to use. Feel free to grab one of those lances and carve it into the ground if you gotta, I can repair all this when we're done. You see, I gotta go with you to the Gate if I want access to it and to get Greed back."

Before Edward or Ling could object to this obviously crazy plan that was concocted by the merchant, he was quick to reassure them.

"Don't worry. I won't be affected by Truth all that much due to my very nature. Now go ahead and get started alright? The sooner, the better, and I mean that quite literally, the faster we get going the easier it'll be for me to help with Greed."

And so, even if reluctantly, Edward quickly drew the transmutation circle using a javelin that Adagium sold to carve a circle in the floor now the two stood side by side with Ling standing off a distance away, watching them.

"Edward, if you would?"

"Right."

Edward clapped his hands together to begin his transmutation and when he slammed his palms into the circle, the two were greeted with a flash of light...

[1st POV]

"Huh...so this is your Gate." I murmured to myself as I looked up at Ed's Gate of Truth.

After I had gotten my bearings, I found myself face to face with Ed's Gate of Truth, but it seemed not there were no other occupants with me. How strange. But not unwelcome.

"Well Ed, a deal's a deal."

I placed my hands on the Gate and opened it. And I gotta say...

Holy shit.

The knowledge that Ed's gate was providing me, no wonder why he had been screaming when he first opened it as a child. Any lesser person would definitely have gone crazy with the knowledge and even now, I'm thankful for my supernatural constitution. After what seemed like forever though, the gate slammed shut before it seemed to begin dissolving away.

So it seems like he's finished his talk with Truth. But I got my payment. I had access to Edward's Gate and its knowledge of alchemy and that was good enough for me. How interested indeed. Something tells me that I can easily sell it for a very very high payment.

"Well then, aren't you an interesting person. Hello, foreigner." A voice called out from behind me, and I turned to see a white silhouette that looked like my own form. So it was finally here then.

"Hello there, Truth. I'm sure you know what brings me here aside from young Edward's Gate. I would like to make an exchange please. A Philosopher's Stone with its many many human lives for an equivalent, but not of human souls. Oh no, I just want a stone with only one soul so that I can return to my client the soul named Greed." I said to this world's version of God.

"Oh? How interesting. You want the entity known as Greed with this Philosopher's stone, but you don't want the many other human lives that are part of it, am I correct?"

"Yep, you got that right. I have something that can power the stone in the place of human lives, unique to only me in this world. Not to mention, bartering with many human lives never goes well. After all, I'm sure you know that better than anyone. Besides, wouldn't you say that this is a more than fair exchange? All these lives returned to the natural order and laid to rest for just one soul to return to its friend?" I asked and then held out the flask that contained the stone in question.

Within the next moment, a black hand snatched the flask away and I calmly watched as the flask was enveloped by the dark hand as it went to Truth's Gate that had cracked open just slightly, while Truth and I stared at one another.

Another moment later, the dark hand returned and then, upon reaching my position, the limb opened to show the flask with a bit of red liquid inside it.

"It looks like your deal has been accepted if only because of unforeseen circumstances and because you are able to disrupt the balance of Equivalent Exchange due to what you are. But don't expect a similar exchange to be allowed in the future, foreigner." Truth said to me before it turned away and walked to its Gate, the flask being deposited into my hand.

"No worries. This is the only time this will happen." I stated as Truth suddenly disappeared from my line of sight. Now then...

My eyes went to the flask that was in my hand.

"Welcome back to the mortal plane, Greed. Let's get you back to your friends shall we? I'll have to make some modifications on you first so that Ling can still have a Philosopher's stone to bring back home with him." I said to the liquified stone powered by a single soul. Well, time to experiment with some Elixirs and Ethers mixed with some reality warping bullshit. I think they'll help substitute for human lives.

{Hours later...}

[3rd POV]

It had been hours since Edward and Ling exited the store with Alphonse to reunite him with everyone who were waiting for them, making sure that it wouldn't disappear when they left, and after what seemed like forever, the door opened up and all of the Amestrians and company who were there when the door appeared witnessed a young man with red-violet hair and amber eyes coming through it before looking around.

Ed and Al's teacher, Izumi, and father, Von Hohenheim, amongst many of their friends were told of how there was a shopkeeper on the other side of the door who had willingly gone through the Gate to merely gain access to Edward's Gate of Truth in exchange for his leg and came out with a brand new Philopsher's Stone without a single toll paid from his body. And then he proceeded to kick them out of the store for some privacy so that he could restore the Stone to a state similar to the one that Ling had, telling them to make sure that Alphonse was fed a bit of food and given some actual clothes. The alchemists who heard this story couldn't help but wonder what kind of person this young man was to be able to calmly perform this feat as if it was child's play and walk away unscathed in any way. And now he is out here in Amestris now.

"Where's Edward and Ling? I have what I need for them." The young man called out the two boys in question as they both stepped up to greet the man known as Adagium, Edward bringing Alphonse with him with Ling helping the former Alchemist support his brother.

"We're here. So...do you have them?" Ed asked and Adagium merely smiled before reached into his vest's pocket to pull out a blue glass bottle with a gold liquid within it and handed it to Edward.

"Edward, this is what is known as a Hi-Elixir. It has very special healing properties that makes it possible to regrow your limbs. You may not believe me, but I want you to keep an open mind. This is something that is beyond even science so it will be unexplainable as to how this can give you back your leg, but I assure you it is possible. Take it when you return home and have removed everything automail related from your body. It will be extremely painful as you've no doubt guessed, but it will do its job."

Edward took the bottle and looked at it almost reverently. Sure, he is an avid believer of science, but after witnessing this man pull what seemed to be the impossible and even retrieve a human soul for his efforts from Truth, he'll keep an open mind at least this once.

"Alphonse Elric, it's good to see you in person. My name is Adagium." Adagium introduced himself to the younger Elric brother who gave him a smile.

"It's nice to meet you, sir. Thank you for helping Brother and Ling. I'm sure that they're grateful for what you're doing for them." The frail boy said as he looked up at the man who had aided his big brother and his Xingese friend.

"Oh no, it's my pleasure young man. Of course, while I will admit to being a selfish person who is getting something from this, they are people worthy of respect and as such, it's worth helping them." The merchant responded before turning to the Xingese boy.

"Now Ling...I will collect my payment first. All I need you to do is shake my hand and I'll be able to collect your knowledge that way. You don't need to question how, just know that it works." Adagium said and held out a hand towards Ling, which he took, and after a brief moment as well as a chill traveling down Ling's spine, the shopkeeper released his hand.

"Alright, that's it. Thank you very much for your payment Ling...huh...so this is what the presence of other people feels like..." Adagium murmured before he shook his thoughts away and extended his hand with a flask of red liquid.

"I'm sure you remember how Father inserted the Philosopher's Stone into you last time. We'll need to repeat this process again. And it will also hurt just like last time."

"This is a pain I'm willing to accept to get Greed back. After all, he's my friend." Ling stated with resolve in his voice.

"How admirable indeed. You are an incredible man, little Emperor. Now keep in mind that this Philosopher's Stone is...slightly different than the original, but no weaker than what you had traded me." Adagium said and then watched as Ling was quick to borrow a knife from one of the soldiers and quickly cut his hand before coming back to the merchant.

"Let's do this. Lan Fan, please don't interfere. I'll be fine." Ling had said to his retainer to which she gave him a bow.

"Yes, my lord."

"Very well. Brace yourself." Adagium then tilted the now open flask and then watched as the red liquid entered his wound and watched as its power began to filter into the prince's body.

All that Ling felt was pain. His entire body was overcome with extreme pain as he began writhing on the ground and vomiting up blood.

'Arrrrrrgggggh!! It hurts! It hurts so much! But Greed is waiting for me. He's waiting for all of us! GREEEEEEEEEEED! Your friends are heeeeeeere!' Ling mentally yelled in his head as he was struck with endless bouts of pain while Lan Fan had to be restrained by the others when she saw how dire her Prince's condition was.

After a moment though, the screaming stopped and Ling lied still on the ground, but Adagium didn't seem all that worried, even if everyone else was worried. But unbeknownst to them...

'Damn it, you freaking pissant. I can't believe you went through all this trouble again just to get me back. What the hell is wrong you with Ling?' A voice asked within Ling's mind and rather than the maelstrom of souls that merely greeted him and a large face, there was an empty white room where Ling stood across a copy of himself who had a much rougher appearance and didn't look like he had taken a beating with his arms cross, a grin on his face.

'Sorry Greed...I guess you rubbed off on me more than I thought. After all, we're your greatest belongings, aren't we? We're your friends. Of course I'd take this risk for you.' Ling responded with a small smile and watched as Greed scoffed and then turned away.

'Whatever. Let's not get too mushy alright? That'd be too weird as hell. Now wake up already, the damn shrimp and Lan Fan are getting worried. But still...thank you...my friend.'

And with that, a groan escaped Ling's lips as he began to get on his feet.

"Ling? Is that you? Or is it you Greed?" Ed asked as he approached his friend, not sure who is in control.

"It's me Ed. But don't worry. Greed's back." Ling assure him as he lifted his head up at Ed and gave him a smile that was returned by the Fullmetal Alchemist before he then bowed to Adagium.

"Thank you very much Adagium. I am forever in your debt for bringing Greed back."

"Ah, no need to thank me Ling. I'm just going through with my deal. As far as I'm concerned your debt as been paid." The merchant stated before walking back to the door.

"Oh, and some parting words. Worry not Colonel Mustang. You'll definitely get to see the future with your own eyes without my help. May Chang...be more assertive alright? Now ta-ta! I'm heading off now! Also Edward, rejoice, for you will one day be able to grow up some, you little shrimp. And maybe you and Winry can finally get laid in the future."

And with those words to the three individuals, one of whom from which angry expletives filled the air because of the man's comment, Adagium walked through the door he had come through and closed it behind him, after which it disappeared in front of every single person who saw it.

[1st POV]

"Holy shit that was amazing!" I cheered and laughed when I had gotten a reaction out of calling Ed a shrimp. That is easily going to be one of my greatest memories from my first customers.

I gotta say, this job actually isn't that bad, it was kind of nice actually talking to these people in the flesh and getting to know them, even if for just a little bit. Edward and Ling were pretty cool guys for sure. Maybe I should return to Amestris with some of my Potions and stuff to sell in the future to Ling and May so that the former will have a better hold with Xing and the latter can use them to help study alkahestry. Thoughts for later.

"Alright then, let's see my stock now..." I murmured and then walked to the counter where a manifest was laid out for me.

[Rainbow Bridge Stock Inventory]

Potion - ∞

Hi-Potion - ∞

Mega-Potion - ∞

Ether - ∞

Elixir - ∞

Hi-Elixir - ∞

Phoenix Down - 3x

Mega Phoenix Down - 1x

Antidote - ∞

...

...

...

Stamina Potion - ∞

Skill Orb: Gate of Truth [No toll] - 3x

Skill Orb: Knowledge of Reading the Dragon's Pulse - 100x

Hm...so maybe because I got a copy of my own Gate of Truth without any actual consequences to myself, I guess that due to the inherent rule that had been established by Truth and his principle of Equivalent Exchange being circumvented, especially since its not there in person to take the toll, something won't be paid to receive all that alchemical knowledge.

But damn it all if this thing was expensive as all fucking hell!

While there are no distinct cost for these items since it'll scale to whatever the world is like, like Potions being cheaper in a fantasy world that creates them but expensive in a world without the stuff, I can see the relative worth of each item in comparison to each other and goddamn! The cost of the Gate of Truth is essentially astronomical compared to everything else I have! There is no literally no form of money that I'm aware of that can be used to buy a copy of the Gate.

Holy fucking shit.

Ahem...

As for Ling's knowledge of reading the Dragon's Pulse...it makes sense that the knowledge can be sellable in the form of a Skill Orb as well. And considering that you can sense, locate and track the Qi of living beings around you, such as animals, allies and foes, it's very handy to have, especially in a world filled with combat and dangers. How interesting that it's only a limited number, but a hundred is nothing to scoff at, since Ling could easily use his skill to distinguish between the homunculi. You can give that to a skilled group of warriors and nothing can stop them. Not to mention that the stuff I used for Greed costs me nothing at all personally and the process of getting him was fairly easy, so it was a fair trade I'd reckon. Besides, as selfish as I claim to be, who doesn't like helping the good guys at times?

Still...I gotta say, I definitely made a killing.

*Ring!*

Oh? Looks like I got another customer? Well then, looks like things are looking up for me.

"Hello there and welcome to the Rainbow...Bridge..." I trailed off and looked at the teenager in front of me.

A high school student with short spiky brown hair and two short locks of hair behind his head, and light brown eyes. And he was wearing a black school blazer, black pants, and a red shirt. But most importantly...

I could feel the presence of an extremely powerful being concentrated in the boy's left arm because of my ability to read the Dragon's Pulse and on top of that...

This guy doesn't ooze a dark supernatural feeling, which he should have by the time of his worlds canon.

Well then, looks like this is my first chance to cause some chaos in another world.

"Welcome Issei Hyoudou. What would you give to take off my hands a large photo set of girls with massive boobs? Like tons and tons of photos?"

Sorry Breast Dragon Emperor, but I'm afraid that my selfishness is kicking into high gear today. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm gonna strip you of your Boosted Gear just so you can get a picture collection of hot anime women. And regardless of the fact that you will be known as the strongest Red Dragon Emperor if you kept him, I'm gonna give Ddraig to someone more fitting.

Or better yet...oh yes, this might actually work...

Sorry, not sorry, Rias Gremory. You're fucked against Riser now without what is pretty much your greatest future arsenal.

{AN: Read Creator's Thoughts below for post chapter notes}