Original subtitles

Alchemy...

the science of understanding, deconstructing,

and reconstructing matter; however,

it is not an all-powerful art.

It is impossible to create something out of nothing.

If one wishes to obtain something,

something of equal value must be given.

This is the Law of Equivalent Exchange--

the basis of all alchemy...

In accordance with this law,

there is a taboo among alchemists.

Human transmutation is strictly forbidden.

For what could equal the value of a human soul?

On their journey to Resembool,

Ed and Al encountered former State Alchemist Dr. Tim Marcoh,

who admitted to possession

of an incomplete Philosopher's Stone...

Moved by Ed's determination,

Marcoh gave the brothers the location

of his hidden research materials.

After Ed's automail had been repaired,

he and Al immediately left for the first branch

of the National Central Library,

where they hoped to find Dr. Marcoh's research

into the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone.

Augghh!!!

Dr. Marcoh's research...! It's all gone!

In the end,

burning the entire place down was easier.

Oh, is that what you were doing in Central?

Yes...

The Fullmetal boy found out about Marcoh's research...

Something had to be done about it.

With that issue taken care of,

I thought I would come to see how things

are progressing in East City... Is he here?

Gluttony?

I smell 'im... I can smell him!

The scar-faced Ishvalan.

He's close. I can taste his stink--like blood!

I still get to eat him, right?

Oh yes, down to the last strand of hair.

Scar hasn't been sighted...

Not once since that incident with the Elric brothers.

Maybe he's not even in East City anymore.

I hope you're wrong about that.

Huh?

This case has obviously gotten

to be too much for Central to handle...

If I can close it quickly enough, I'll be golden.

I've got a ladder to climb,

and this is how it's done...

I need every mark in my favor that I can get...

At least until I've assumed the office of Fuhrer, that is.

You may not want to display

your ambitions quite so nakedly, Sir.

Yeah...

I'll be sure to remember that in the future.

Reporting in, sir!

We've just received word

of an explosion occurring on the Marl River.

What?

Was it a gas explosion?

With everything else

that's been going on around here, who knows?

There's no mistaking it.

This was definitely Scar's jacket.

Have you found the body?

Not yet, but we're still searching.

Either way, he can't be in good shape

after losing this much blood.

Yeah... But we do this by the book.

We need to find hard proof that he's dead...

All right, Lieutenant Havoc.

Yes, Sir?

You and your men will work day and night

to clear out this debris...

I want his body found...

Don't take so much as a coffee break until that's done,

do you understand?

Come on Colonel,

can't you cut us some slack...?

At this rate, you're gonna work us all to death.

Shut up!

I don't get to relax until I've seen his body.

That means you don't get to either.

I guess we'll get to work then.

Looks like he got away.

I didn't get my snack.

Yes, I know...

Maybe next time... Though...

I think we can safely assume

that Scar will be out of the game for awhile.

I suppose I'll be heading back to Central again...

I need to report to Father

about everything that's happened here.

There's nothing left here but ashes.

Everything's gone.

Major Armstrong!

Oh, Second Lieutenant Ross

and Sergeant Brosh...

To what do we owe this pleasure?

You have been ordered

to report back to the Command Center, sir.

We'll be taking over supervision

of Edward Elric and his brother, effective immediately.

Very well. He's yours.

What is this?

Just when I think I'm home free,

they saddle me with more bodyguards?

This is getting old!

All might not be lost...

There's a woman who was well acquainted

with the materials in the first branch.

Unfortunately...

she wasn't working there anymore.

That sounds incredibly helpful.

Something wrong?

Oh... it's nothing...

Although, if you don't mind me asking...

why are you wearing a suit of armor?

It's a hobby! It's a hobby!

A hobby?!

What kind of freaky hobby is that, Lieutenant?

Who are these boys anyway?

So... What d'ya say, Al?

It's a lovely view, isn't it?

Oh yeah, yeah, it's gorgeous.

Oh, wow...

there's gotta be a million of 'em!

Is there really someone living in this place?

Miss Sheska... Are you here?

Miss Sheska...?

Is someone there?

Please help me!

Umm... Brother...

There's somebody under there!

Start digging! We're coming!

Thank you! I'm so sorry!

I got myself trapped under a whole mountain of books!

I thought I was going to suffocate under there.

Thank you so much!

So, uh, are you Sheska?

Yes.

And you worked at the library?

Oh, the library...!

The word itself is so beautiful...!

I've loved books my whole entire life...

ever since I first learned to read as a girl...

that job... was heaven!

But I forgot

that I was supposed to be working,

and all I ever did was read...

So they fired me.

If I don't find another job,

I'll never be able to move my poor,

elderly mother into a better hospital...

But I'm hopeless...!

The only thing I can do well is read...!

I'll never find another job as long as I live!

I'm useless! Good-for-nothing!

More pathetic than pond scum!

Excuse me...

there was one thing we wanted to ask you.

Yes?

Do you remember seeing any research

belonging to someone named Tim Marcoh?

Let's see. Tim Marcoh...

Where do I know that name...?

Oh! Yes, of course. I remember now!

Really?

Oh yes, I'm absolutely positive.

There were some handwritten notes

stuffed into a bookcase where they didn't belong.

The notes really were there after all!

Which means they burned up

along with everything else in the library...

Did you want to read them?

Is that why you're asking?

Yeah, but it's too late now.

They're nothing but ashes.

Sorry to bother you.

I remember everything that was in them.

Would that help at all?

Huh?!

It's just how I am...

I'm able to remember the content of any book I've ever read.

It'll take awhile,

but I could write them out for you.

Thank you bookworm...!

You're my hero!

You're... welcome?

Here you are!

Complete copies of all Tim Marcoh's notes!

Sorry, I know five days is a long time to wait,

but there was quite a lot to write down.

Unbelievable!

There are some amazing people in this world!

These are really Dr. Marcoh's research notes?

They sure are.

Come and take a look at them.

"Written by Tim Marcoh...

One Thousand Easy Recipes"

Six cups of rice, one carrot,

two onions, salt...

Oh great. Does this mean we came

all this way for a cook book?

Miss, which part of this made you think

it was an important document?

Is it not what you're looking for...?

All I did was copy down what I remember.

Wonderful--so this was just a wild goose chase?

Sheska... are you absolutely sure

this is a flawless reproduction of the notes?

Oh yes.

I'm one hundred percent certain!

Then thank you very much...

You're incredible!

All right. Let's get these back to the library.

They should have related materials there.

Oh... I almost forgot Sheska's fee.

Lieutenant... Here...

This is my registration number

and the pocket watch for ID.

Withdraw that amount

from my annual research grants

and make sure Sheska gets it, okay?

Right... I'll get on that right away, sir.

I assume that I can just take this note down

to the State Alchemist office?

That should work.

Well... Sheska, you're a life saver!

Bye!

From his research grants, huh?

Did he miss a decimal point somewhere?!

Wow!

How does a boy like that

have this kind of money to throw around?

I-I don't understand...

These are cookbooks.

What could they possibly have to do with alchemy?

Alchemy's a powerful art...

It can be incredibly dangerous if misused...

In order to prevent that...

Alchemic research is always encrypted.

These are designed to look like recipes

to the average person,

but they're actually advanced alchemical notes....

Only the alchemist who originally wrote them

can understand.

If they're so heavily encrypted,

then how are you going to be able to decipher them?

It's not going to be easy...

We'll have to use all our alchemical knowledge.

Wow, sir...

That sounds really complicated.

Al, there's a section in here on green tea!

Green tea?

Are you thinking what I am?

Uh-huh...

t might be a reference

to the Green Lion of metallurgic alchemy...

Do we have copies available of Flamel's Codex

or Lambspring's Concerning the Philosopher's Stone?

Of course.

Alright... take a look at this here...

And here too, you see?

Yeah, you're right...

And maybe here, too.

Great... We've got a place to start...

Let's do this!

Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist.

Why does this encryption

have to be so damn hard to figure out?

Brother... Maybe we should ask

Dr. Marcoh about this directly.

No way...!

That'd be admitting defeat!

So this is a contest now?

Excuse me...

Sheska!

Thanks to the money you gave me,

Edward, I was able to move my mother

to a better hospital... I really appreciate it.

Aw, it was no big deal, really.

Have you had any luck deciphering it so far?

Have you found another job yet?

Anyway... you two made me feel better.

It was nice to know that even a pathetic mess

like me can help out sometimes.

So thanks for that as well.

You're not a pathetic mess.

I think that the kind of dedication

you show to reading is a talent all on its own...

And besides that, your memory is incredible...

You should have more faith in yourself.

Thank you, Al.

Yo!

Lieutenant Colonel Hughes.

Major Armstrong told me you two were here.

What gives, Ed?

I told you to give me a shout

the next time you made it to Central.

Oh... something urgent came up, sorry.

It's just as well.

I've been busy too.

They talk to Colonel Hughes

like he's an old friend!

Just how high up are these boys?

We've had a lot of cases to deal with lately...

And we're still working on getting

the Tucker Chimera situation settled.

Sorry...

I guess that brings up some unpleasant memories, huh?

Anyway...

As if things weren't bad enough for us already...

The first branch had to burn down

in the middle of all this.

That's been a problem, huh?

A big one...

All our case records were stored

in the stacks at that location;

trying to work without 'em...

hasn't been a picnic, let me tell ya.

What?

Uhhh...

Huh??

Hey, Lt. Colonel,

I think I've got exactly the person

you guys are looking for.

Well, I have read

the military's criminal case records,

and I do remember them all.

That's all I needed to hear, lady, you're hired.

My office pays well, so don't worry.

Oh, I-- You're saying you want me...

Oh!

Thanks so much!

I'll have faith,

just like you told me to...

Thank you! Thank you!

Come on now, right to work!

She may not be thanking us for long.

How did you put it again, Al...?

"I think dedication is a talent all on its own."

Very smooth, little brother.

Very smooth...

Well, it's something I always think

whenever I see a certain someone I know.

In that case,

a certain someone should hurry

and get back to work,

or you're gonna have to come up

with a new motivational phrase.

I'm awake!

The library's closing.

They've been at it for ten days now.

I'm impressed they're still going

after all this time.

To hell with it!

What did you guys do to this place?

Don't get angry because you can't crack it.

Throwing things won't help.

We did crack it.

We cracked the code

and decrypted the notes.

Really? You did?

But that's a good thing, isn't it?

There's nothing good about this, damn it...!

This is the devil's research...

It should have been destroyed.

Doctor Marcoh... was right. It's evil.

What's so evil about it?

The main ingredient for a Philosopher's Stone...

Is human life!

In order to manufacture even a single stone,

you have to make multiple human sacrifices.

How could the military authorize research

into something so horrible?!

I can't believe it. How awful.

Do us a favor...

Don't speak to anyone about this.

But, sir...

Please!

Just pretend you never heard any of it.

What's this now?

The Elric brothers are holed up

in their room again tonight?

Yes... they haven't been eating, either.

The fatigue must be catching up to them...

They seem to have devoted all their energy

to these notes.

They worked so hard to decipher

those notes only to find out that.

It disturbs me too, just thinking about it.

I bet I'd act the same way!

What was that?

Oh! It was nothing, sir!

Your behavior is most suspicious!

Brother...

You should really get something to eat.

No thanks.

Pretty awful, huh?

You know, Al... it's like...

We try so hard to grasp the truth,

but it always slips away.

And now that we finally have caught it...

it turns out the truth is too dangerous to hold.

I'm starting to think this

is God's special way of torturing people

who've committed taboos.

I wonder... If it'll be like this all our lives?

You know, Al...

There's something I've been wanting

to tell you for awhile.

But I guess I've been too afraid to say it.

What?

I...

Elric brothers, I know you're in there...!

Open up...! This is the Major!

What do we do?

We ignore him, that's what.

I know what it said, Edward Elric.

How tragic!

To think the legend of the Philosopher's Stone

is built on such a terrible secret!

We're... we're really sorry.

It's hard to stay quiet

when someone like him asks you...

Imagine the military

being behind something like that...

Often the truth is more cruel

than we'd bargained for.

The truth!

What is it, Brother?

Do you remember what Dr. Marcoh

said at the station?

Huh?

Look closely...

maybe you'll find the truth

hidden within the truth...

I didn't have a clue

what he was talking about then, but now...

It's the same as with alchemical notes...

What you can see...

on the surface is only a portion of the truth.

There's still more to find here.

There has to be...

Currently there are

four operational alchemy laboratories

in Central that have connections to the government...

We can narrow it down even further.

Marcoh worked in the third laboratory.

We should start with that one.

It's the most suspect.

Al and I've been to all the laboratories in the city...

None were doing any remarkable research.

Here.

What's this building used for?

It was designed for the fifth laboratory,

but it isn't currently in use...

The building isn't structurally sound,

so it's been classified off-limits.

It's there.

Huh...? How can you be so sure that's it?

There's a prison right next door.

Okay, so?

What was the main ingredient

for a Philosopher's Stone?

You said it needed live humans--

There'd be plenty of condemned criminals

in the prison.

Officially, they'd be recorded as executed.

They're using the prisoners to make the stone.

Don't look at me like that.

I don't like talking about this anymore than you.

Prisons from other jurisdictions

could be used too...

I wonder if the government is involved?

Why do I have the feeling

that we're getting involved

in something really dangerous here?

That's why we told you to pretend

like you'd never heard anything!

This has the potential

of becoming a political nightmare before long...

I'll look into what we've talked about tonight.

In the meantime, officers...

speak of this to no one.

Sir!

And you, Elric brothers,

behave yourselves!

I know you two boys...

You were thinking about sneaking

into this building and taking a look around,

weren't you? Admit it!

We weren't!

We weren't! We promise!

Yeah, sure we weren't.

Hmm...

A guard posted at an unused building. Interesting.

That is suspicious.

How do we get in?

We could make our own entrance.

They'd notice the light

from the transmutic reaction.

Well, in that case...

And... Up!

They're not taking any chances, are they?

Al... you need to wait here.

You're fine on your own?

Whether I'm fine on my own

or not isn't the issue.

You're too big to get through here.

It's not like I asked to get this big.

Sixty-six?

What is it, Forty-eight?

It looks as if we've got guests.

Some daredevil idiots came to visit, did they?

Damn...

It's even tighter in here than I thought.

I couldn't get through this far

if I was regular sized...

Lucky I've got a small body.

Oh no!!

I just called myself a tiny little pipsqueak!

There are lights on.

"Not currently in use."

Who are they trying to fool?

This is it all right.

Ed's taking a long time.

There were once two men

who knew more of bloody blades than human sympathy...

They snuffed out life, laughing as their weapons flew...

Now, they guard the darkness, hollow shells

of the villains they once were....

Next time, on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood--

Episode Eight. "The Fifth Laboratory."

There are those who find pleasure

only in battle, who feel alive only during a fight...

They are coming soon...

with blood on their hands.