"He's not home yet?" Colonel Mustang spoke on the phone. "I see. Yes, I'll meet him directly at Central Command. Yes, goodbye."

He hung up and turned to Lieutenant Hawkeye, his subordinate. "Let's go," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," she nodded as well.

He opened the door, revealing Dr. Knox who was watching and tending to Lan Fan in the other room. "What are you doing?" Dr. Knox asked Colonel.

Colonel smirked, "I'm figuring who is friend and who is foe."

"Jeez, what is it with all of you?" Dr. Knox sighed. "Your wounds aren't even healed yet, and you're looking to get into trouble again?"

"The Führer could be a Homunculus," Colonel reminded him of his goals. "I can't just take it easy. Besides...we just left the children back on the battlefield. If I don't act now, I'll be setting a bad example as an adult."

He left Dr. Knox standing at the doorway and got into the car with Lieutenant Hawkeye, driving both of them to Central Command. Colonel noticed that Lieutenant Hawkeye was smirking. "What's so funny?" He asked.

"Nothing," she replied. "I was just thinking, if Edward found out that you treated him like a child, he probably get angry."

"Just repeating what you said."

"I have to admit, this is unexpected, Colonel. You taking such bold action as this..."

"Like hell, it's bold. I'm just paving the way. Besides...belated though it may be, I'm thinking of heeding his warning."

Pulling up into and parking at Central Command, Lieutenant Hawkeye and Colonel Mustang got out of the car. "So are these the gates of glory or the entrance to Hell?" He asked, standing outside the building. "Lieutenant, you wait here. If anything happens to me, then at least you'll get out of here."

"No sir," she replied, causing Colonel to stop in his tracks.

"That's an order," he repeated, firmly.

"I cannot obey it," she stated.

"You sure are stubborn," he muttered.

"As you are well aware, sir," she smiled softly.

Colonel sighed, "All right. Wait here. I promise, I'm coming back."

"Yes, sir," she saluted. "Happy hunting!"

*~*~*~*~*~

"So, are you Colonel Roy Mustang?" A soldier named Raven, who was speaking to ColonelMustang. "I got a call from my wife a while ago."

"Lieutenant General Raven sir," Colonel puffed his chest out of false respect. "I've been so busy since I transferred here, so I apologize for not coming to pay my respects earlier and only doing so now, so late at night."

"No problem," Raven chuckled. "By the way, how is that old fox Grumman doing?"

"The same as always, sir," Colonel smiled, remembering all the losses he suffered during their many games of chess. "He said you were extremely sentimental and tended to your soldiers while throwing your own life in the line."

"What an affront!" Raven cried. "I was chosen to transfer to Central because of the compassion I had for my men?! That border-dwelling old coot has no business saying anything!" Remembering Colonel Mustang was in the room with him, Raven cooled off. "Pardon me," he apologized.

"Not at all," Colonel replied. "I'm fact, General Grumman said that if the General became irritated at that story, that were still jigs a man, and would be there if I needed you."

"The old fox got me again, did he?" Raven sighed in defeat, making the two of them laugh. "It's time for my meeting. Let's walk there together," Raven offered.

As they walked, Raven filled the silence with small talk. "Have you gotten used to Central yet?" He asked.

"No, sir," Colonel replied. "I make every effort to speak with the citizens, but..."

"You can't undervalue the word on the street."

"But most of it is just mindless drivel. Scar was seen giving food to a cat, or some people who are immortal have appeared, or that the Führer is a Homunculus."

The last comment made them both stop in their tracks but Raven burst out laughing, seeing all the ridiculous things Mustang has "heard". "You've got no sense of humor, do you?" Raven sighed. "Are you sure you were one of Grumman's men?"

"I failed to pick up any of that from him, sir," Colonel admitted.

"Well, even that bit of gossip will give us something to talk about over tea."

"Huh? I couldn't possibly something like..."

They opened the door revealing soldiers all sitting at the meeting table, sipping tea. All the corrupted soldiers. "Go on, tell them your joke," Raven encouraged, picking his beard. "Something about the Führer being a Homunculus. Please continue."

Colonel but his lip, realizing what trap he walked himself into. "What's the matter, Colonel Mustang?" A familiar voice asked.

A feeling of dread washed over Colonel as he hiccuped, the Führer Bradley emerging from the shadow of the room in an ominous manner. "If I were a Homunculus, then so what?" He asked. "Is that a problem?"

Colonel clenched his fists, understanding Hughes' warning now. There wasn't trouble coming to the military, rather it's the military that's the cause of trouble. "Please, carry on the meeting," the Führer addressed his men. "I would like to have a chat with the Colonel myself."

*~*~*~*~*~

Colonel sat uncomfortably in the Führer's office, his head down as the Führer faced the window. Colonel Mustang felt like a child about to receive a scolding from his parents, and it was humiliating. But, Colonel had a job to do, so he was going to go for it. "Why are you keeping me alive?" Colonel interrogated.

"In order to allow you to understand your position," the Führer replied, sipping his tea.

"How long has the military been bowing to the Homunculi?"

"This has all been set up since the birth of this nation."

"So you've been watching us struggle and snickering to yourselves for all this time? Your hands that were trembling at General Hughes' funeral...did you fake that too?"

"Everyone makes too great a fuss over the death of one soldier. He must have at least known that there was a possibility that his uniform was what he would be buried in. General Hughes' child...could there be anyone more noisy in the middle of a funeral? She truly did grate on my nerves."

"I thought you had a child too! How can you say that!"

"You mean Selim? He's a very good boy."

"What if he were to find out that the father he looks up to is a Homunculus?"

"Is that a threat? That won't work. He will never be a way to get to me. But your case is different. She can be used to get to you. In fact, at this very moment she should be receiving a letter from the Personal Bureau that starting tomorrow, she will be under my watch."

Colonel flinched as his eyes widened. His most beloved subordinate...was being snatched out of his own hands? "And not just her; your other subordinates are being sent off to the furthest corners of this military's power," the Führer taunted. "And that's that, Colonel Mustang."

"You...I...you can't...!" Colonel stuttered, loss at words.

"Oh?" The Führer narrowed his eyes. "What else do I have to do to get to you? Perhaps....using Joyce?"

Colonel stopped dead in his tracks. "You wouldn't..." He started.

"You forgot when you made that report, you requested for her to be on a independent, long-term assignment and yet still in your team?" The Führer smirked. "It's not unconditional, as you should know. I can simply deny that request and she will be back here, working in Central Command and there will be nothing you can do with both of them in my hands. You wouldn't dare break that promise you made...would you?"

Colonel trembled in his seat. "What on earth made you be like this?!" He demanded.

The Führer slowly turned around, coldly staring at the Colonel. "I do not remember my parents names, their faces...I don't even remember my name," the Führer explained, reciting his entire life story. "I don't know if, before I was given this name, I was abandoned, or sold. 'Prospective Führers'. That's what they called us. They gathered us all to one place, where we were given education in various matters. From kingscraft and humanics to hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship and swordsmanship. I was certain that I would be the person who would run this country. That's what I believed, and I endured all training. A Philosopher's Stone is a high-energy body that includes the souls of many people. When placed in a human body, it is met with rejection, as it attempts to take over that body. That was related until, as a result of the destruction and mending caused by the Stone, the original body either died, or it overcame the Philosopher's Stone. I chose the latter. All that remained was a single soul, and the feeling of wrath. Was the soul made someone else's by the Philosopher's Stone, or was it the one I originally had? I no longer know."

Colonel took in the shocking information before standing up. "If you were originally human can't you live as a human, and not as a Homunculus, Sir?"

"Go back to being human? Impossible," the Führer sneered. "This body transcends a human one. It is a far superior form. Just as you humans are proud of being human, we have our pride as Homunculi. The woman you killed died with pride, didn't she?"