Summary:
Ling Yao, a traveler from Xing, insists that the Elric brothers tell him what they know about the Philosopher’s Stone while sitting in a small cafe in Rush Valley. Edward and Alphonse try to get up and leave, but are stopped by Ling’s two bodyguards who appear out of nowhere. Ling demands to know how to gain immortality and claims it’s just for family matters, but Edward decides to resist. He tries to punch the warrior holding a knife to his throat, but ends up getting kicked in the face. A warrior with a sword to Alphonso tells him to learn some manners and calls him a “serf.” Alphonse tries to grab the blade of the sword and tells the warrior to watch where it’s going. He takes it as a threat, despite Al’s attempts to calm him down, and ends up knocking him to the ground. Ed and Al both stand up and begin to understand that this is not the style of fighting they are used to, but also state that the two warriors are not as strong as their teacher. They attack Ling’s bodyguards again, sending the brothers in two different directions. Ling watches them leave and says they are all such hot heads and orders dessert.The fight would set off a series of events that would cause the temporary destruction of Rush Valley. Edward follows the hooded warrior through what appears to be a factory. Ed eventually catches him on the roof, where Ed fights with the transformed staff, but the warrior soon snaps it in half. Ed’s arm is almost broken, but he manages to push the warrior away from him. Ed starts to try to explain the reason for the violence, then insults Ling. The warrior responds by trying to gouge out Ed’s eyes, but Ed quickly dodges and finds the warrior losing his cool when he insults his master.At the same time, the other warrior chases Alphonse across the rooftops, and Al accidentally falls into a warehouse, leaving a gaping hole in the roof. Examining the hole from above, Paninya jumps into the warehouse and finds Al in a pile of rubble. The warrior jumps after Al and the two start running out the door and down the street. Paninya says he thinks he understands and saves Alphonse the trouble of explaining. While escaping, the two begin to form a plan to attack the warrior. The warrior begins to think that the armor may be empty. Just then, Al and Paniniya quickly stop and turn to face the warrior. He yells that “bringing others to your side won’t help” and continues to charge.At the same time, Ed is still fighting the hooded warrior with a slight advantage now that he has angered his opponent. After exchanging melees and blows, Ed quickly uses alchemy to destroy the warrior’s mask, revealing that she is actually a woman. With Ed stunned, the warrior takes the opportunity to throw her kunai at his exposed automail arm, severing the wires and disabling it. He then shoots a small bomb and throws it at Ed. On the other side of town, Paninya also pulls out the left leg of his overalls and prepares to fire his hidden carbine. The elder warrior is surprised by this and two deafening explosions are heard from the other end of the city.The warrior is able to jump out of the way and hang onto the Rush Valley sign, avoiding the worst of the blast. He begins to think that he shouldn’t underestimate the Amestrians. Just then, Alphonse shoots up to the top of the transfigured pillar, transmuting the coils from the inscription and trapping him in place.A pile of rubble surrounds Ed’s arm with the automatic mail. The warrior investigates and thinks she overdid it. Once she pulls her arm out, a trap will spring and pull her off the ground. Edward emerges from behind and berates her for using explosives in a populated area. He explains how he set the trap because he used to catch rabbits as a child. She doesn’t seem to mind, but instead demands that Ed return the mask he broke. Alphonse, with Paninya accompanying him, comes to Ed. Alphonse carries the older warrior, still bound. Soon Ling comes to find them and Ed quickly becomes angry. Ling asks if they would like to become his servants, saying that they can rule the country together, but Ed yells at him and tells him to go back to Xing. An enraged mob confronts them and demands that they repair all the damage they have caused and also pay the huge food bill. Ed and Al start to say that Ling will pay for it, but Ling runs off, claiming that he doesn’t understand their language. Al turns to see that the warriors in black have also fled. Since Ed can’t transmute anything with the automail’s broken arm, Al agrees to repair the damaged landscape. Ed quickly realizes that Al can now transmute without a transmutation ring, and becomes distraught when his younger brother is as good or better than him.The brothers return to the Garfiel Studio only to find Ling there as well. Ed and Ling start a ruckus in the store, but Winry returns. Seeing Ed’s ruined arm, he beats him to a bloody pulp and then meets Ling over tea. Ed then demands that Winry repair the arm so they can return to Central City. Ling overhears him and wishes to go too, but Ed vehemently refuses to accompany him.Meanwhile, Yoki transports Scar to Central by carriage. Yoki wishes to know Scar’s name, but Scar tells him he threw him away.