Summary:
In return for his help with the Bald Edward incident, he asks Colonel Roy Mustang to help him learn more about bio-alchemy in case it holds the secret to restoring his body. Mustang refers Ed to Shou Tucker, a state alchemist specializing in creating chimeric alchemy, who became certified two years ago after making a chimera capable of human speech. However, Mustang informs Ed that the creature only said “I want to die” and didn’t live too long after that. Introduced to Tucker, Edward explains his intentions and is given access to a number of bioalchemical texts in the alchemist’s private home library. While Edward immerses himself in books, Alphonse becomes acquainted with Tucker’s young daughter, Nina, and their dog, Alexander, which eventually draws Ed into their merriment. Unable to find the information they need by sundown, the brothers decide to return the next day and continue their research, but as they leave, their escort, 2nd Lt. Jean Havoc delivers a message from Colonel Shou Tucker – saying that the “Sewing-Life” alchemist’s annual evaluation is coming up. When young Nina asks her father for an explanation, he tells her that the state alchemist must submit the results of his research in a year to qualify for more grant money. If the resulting evaluation is unsatisfactory, said alchemist risks being kicked out of the State Alchemist program. Nina is confident that her father will pass, given how much time he spends studying, which reassures him.The Elric brothers return the next day to continue their studies, but decide to spend time playing with Nina when the little girl reveals how lonely she has been in the past two years since her mother left and her father immersed himself in his research. Meanwhile, Shou is desperately trying to come up with a satisfactory evaluation report. The next day, the boys return again, but are surprised to find the house dark and seemingly empty. Searching for the Tuckers, they reach a back room where Shou declares that he has created a second talking chimera. He demonstrates this to the astonished boys and even teaches them to repeat Edward’s name, but when the chimera unprompted refers to Ed as “Big Brother”, Fullmetal realizes the terrible truth – that the creature before him was created from the fusion of Nina and Alexander. together, just as Shou’s first talking chimera was forged from his mysteriously absent wife. When Sewing-Life dejectedly confirms this, Edward furiously condemns Tucker for messing with human lives, but Tucker responds by accusing Fullmetal of being just like him – messing with his brother’s life and performing human transmutation just to test your own abilities. . Hearing this, Edward became enraged and began to savagely beat Tucker with his automail fist, causing Alphonse to physically restrain his brother to prevent Sewing-Life from being beaten to death. However, Alphonse is also ready to snap and silences Tucker before he can do so, then apologizes to Nina, saying that neither he nor his brother can undo the damage their father has done to her, and the boys report the situation. to the East City headquarters.At HQ, Edward discusses the situation with Colonel Mustang and acknowledges that while – as the State Alchemist – he will likely see much more evil and may even be ordered to commit his own atrocities as a “human weapon” for the military, he will continue on his path until he reaches his ultimate end. goals. But at the same time, he acknowledges that despite his abilities and status, he is only human and that he could not save a single little girl. style=”text-align: left;”>At the Tucker estate, a mysterious stranger with an x-shaped scar on his forehead murders the guards at the gate and enters the house, where a bruised and battered Shou confides to Nina that no one understands him. Upon discovering Tucker, the stranger declares to him that as an alchemist who strayed from the path of God, he must die. He places his right hand on Tucker’s face, manifests a special ability, and destroys Shou’s body from the inside. When the stranger notices Nina beginning to mourn her late father despite what he did to her, he apologizes for what happened to her and repeats the process, asking her to go in peace. As the stranger leaves, he asks God to take care of the two souls he just sent to the afterlife, removing his sunglasses to reveal red eyes.