At the hospital, Roy Mustang criticizes Riza Hawkeye for believing Lust’s words and falling into despair during their battle. He points out that if she is to remain his subordinate, she needs to focus more on her will to live and be more assertive. Mustang is also disappointed that he has to share a hospital room with Jean Havoc, as he would prefer his own room with a beautiful nurse. After Hawkeye mentions that it’s easier for her to protect them both, Mustang points out that it’s strange that the Homunculus hasn’t tried to kill them yet after what happened. At the Homunculus hideout, Envy is angry at King Bradley (Wrath) for allowing Mustang to leave after burning Lust. As Gluttony brushes off Lust’s death, Bradley reveals to Envy that the reason he hasn’t killed Mustang yet is because he’s an important sacrifice regarding the Gate. In their hotel room, Al worries that his body may be rotting at the gate and imagines that if he gets it back, it might smell too putrid to be with Ed and Winry. Ed believes that when they both used their blood to try to revive their mother, a connection was made between him and Al’s body in the Gate because their souls mingled in the process, which Ed refuses to believe. the reason his body is so short. While a disbelieving Winry claims it’s because Ed didn’t drink his milk, Al believes that with Ed’s sleeping habits, it could also be part of the process.
The Elrics head to the hospital to visit Mustang and Havoc and meet Kain Fury who is on a mission for Hawkeye. Using the maps provided by Fuery, Hawkeye explains that based on the symbols from the transmutation circle found in the white room below Laboratory 3, the laboratory is the center of a potentially large circle that passes around Central. Since this also includes Central Command and the Führer’s headquarters, it is clear that the Führer is connected to the Homunculi who are under Central. Al then reminds them of the strangeness of Greed’s hunting, and Ed points out that even though Greed wasn’t connected to them, the Leader’s action of killing him and his Chimeras without asking them is also strange. Mustang now believes that the enemy has infiltrated the state military with deep connections to the top brass and asks Ed to be careful from now on. After the Elrics leave, Mustang is happy to seize a big opportunity like this and asks his men to be ready, but Havoc has to decline as he has to leave active duty due to his injuries becoming a paraplegic. In the lobby, Mustang meets Dr. Knox, who has come for the exam, and admits how he had to help cover for Mustang during the incident with Maria Ross due to their relationship from the Ishval Civil War. Before leaving, Knox warns Mustang not to get too involved with what he’s involved with, which Mustang admits he does. Noticing the book Mustang has regarding the spinal cord, he reveals that it had to do with one of his men having a recent operation.
While chatting it up with Heymans Breda, Havoc reveals that he will now be helping out at the family store and there is nothing that can reverse his condition, not even Automail. Breda leaves saying that this pension will not suit Havoc. Secretly communicating with Mustang downstairs, Breda reveals what Ed mentioned about Tim Marco who could restore Havoc’s legs, and Mustang sends Breda to look for him. When Major Armstrong has to cover up Ross’s survival when he sees Denny Brosh, who has also come to deliver a letter to him, Ed heads back out of the lab. 3 revealed to Al that the entrance to the white room was sealed with alchemy. Ed remembers what the Homunculus said about the two victims and suspects it has something to do with him seeing the Gate and coming back from it. Brosh then arrives with a letter and asks that they return to their hotel room. It turns out that Scar has returned to Central again and killed more State Alchemists. In their hotel room, Ed tells Al what he was told in Scar may have killed Urey and Sara Rockbell, but he needs more details to confirm. Agreeing not to tell Winry just yet, Ed suggests luring out Scar, not only to confirm it, but also to lure out the Homunculi, since they can’t let them die. Al doubts this plan will work considering how tough Scar was last time and the Homunculus is already so hard to beat.
Ling, who has been eavesdropping on Lan Fan, decides to help them, as learning the secret of the Homuncula’s immortality will help him with his own mission, especially since he needs to pay off Ed’s food bill. When Ed sees the bill, he angrily throws them both out and also wakes up an angry Winry. Winry suggests that she delay her return to Rush Valley in case Scar breaks his arm with the automatic mail again, and asks that he not do anything dangerous after angrily hitting him with a wrench. Breda arrives at Marco’s house in the Nameless Village to find it cluttered and abandoned. After Breda contacts him, Mustang meets Havoc, who is in the process of retiring, and urges Mustang to leave him behind and move forward for Maes Hughes. All Mustang can say is that he’ll catch up with him one day, and Hawkeye mentions after Mustang leaves the room that Mustang doesn’t give up on his subordinates. Although not fully recovered, Mustang decides to return to active duty.
Ed begins using alchemy to help the people of Central with their problems to try and gain attention and quickly becomes a “celebrity.” Mustang soon meets him, and during the call, Mustang mentions Marco’s disappearance, which was probably done by the Homunculus. Questioning Ed’s recent activities, Ed confirms to Mustang that it is to draw Scar to him, and while the two argue about how useless they were against Scar last time, Hawkeye notices that Scar has arrived. As Ed begins the fight, Al explains that it’s to hunt down the Homunculus because they can’t let one die as sacrifices. Al then suggests that Mustang work on diverting the MP to avoid any interference since shooting Scar would ruin their plan. As the Elrics begin to use their transmutations, Ling and Lan Fan wa