• ❁Alchemic Scars [Editing]❁ •

Chapter 14 - The 5th Laboratory

(Photo above does not belong to me!!)

Chapter 14 - The 5th Laboratory

"If what it says in the documents is true, then the raw materials to create a Philosopher's stone are living humans," Edward explains through pants of anger and gritted teeth. "And it takes millions of lives just to make one stone..." His hand clenches tighter onto his jaw in aggravation.

The Second Lieutenant and Sergeant begin to yap away in annoyance at how this could be let to happen under the military's watch. But I don't care about what they say, all I care about is staying out of something I have gotten myself almost too into to get back out again. To protect my remaining family and the friends I have found again, I must not dive too deep into the depths of the military. At least, not any further than I already have. As much as I want to - need to - I shouldn't. But, regardless of my wishes, I know that wherever the Elric brothers go, I must follow so to fulfil my duties as their guard. The only option then would be to leave my siblings behind.

"Can you please not tell anyone about this?" Edward pleads the adults. He's still squatted and slouched over on the floor with the research notes scattered around him like the rest of us in the room. As the two soldiers start to protest the boy cuts them off as he continues. "Please act like you never heard this."

They don't protest anymore. Instead, they stand up in silence and proceed to remove themselves from the room. A small click as they close the door tells that the lock has been turned, and we can be safe in the silence we hold.

I stand up and walk over to the small couch in the room. "It seems God really does hate us." I snarl. "Every time we get close to finding a way to get your bodies back, it seems to slip away as soon as we have it in reach."

Marcus coughs quietly from the perch I placed him in on the table. "I've been observing the notes while you have been deciphering them, I can examine them further to see if anything has been left out. All of it has been stored in my memory banks - my pages - so it will be possible."

"There's no point," Edward grumbles as he proceeds to lay himself across the couch as I lean against it on the floor. "We poured over them for days. You won't find anything new."

"Edward's right Marcus. There's nothing left to find." I say, the monotonous tunes back in my voice.

"What do we do now?" Jacky stammers quietly.

"There's nothing to do, Jacky. We've hit a dead end. This time, there's no getting around it." I pull myself off of the ground and straighten my cloak. I sigh indignantly and pull my sister out of my earlobe. "I'm going to take a shower. Maybe mull things over in hot water. I suggest while I'm gone you four do something productive, rather than grieve in this pitiful silence." I wave over my shoulder as I walk away.

The bathroom is only a room or two down from where we are in the apartment, so it doesn't take long for me to get there. I enter the small room and immediately head for the shower. I turn the taps and watch as the dripping water turns into a constant gushing, the heat of it making vapour rise and fog up the room. I take off my coat and black attire and fold them neatly on the toilet seat lid, my pocket watch resting gently on top. I step into the shower cautiously to test the temperature. When I decide that it's hot enough, I step in wholly, letting the water wash down my body and through my unkempt hair.

-

It's easy to lose track of time when you're enjoying a peaceful and relaxing shower. I lose track of time so much so that I don't even realise that the hot water has almost run out. I sigh dejectedly as I turn off the taps and see the water dissipate into a small drizzle, then to nothing.