Episode 10: Separate Destinations (2009 series)

When the conspiracy surrounding the Philosopher's Stone closes in on the highest ranks of the military, one of Roy Mustang’s most trusted and cherished allies is murdered.

Synopsis
Reminiscing about the Ishval Civil War, Colonel Mustang remembers the point at which he decided to aspire toward the position of Führer in order to protect all of those everyone beneath him and the point at which Lt. Colonel Hughes has promised to support him. Lt. Hawkeye wakes Roy from his reverie so he can finish the built-up paperwork before their transfer to Central City is enacted.

In the hospital, Edward recounts to Alphonse, Hughes and Major Armstrong the events that took place inside Laboratory 5, but they all lament the fact that further investigation is made difficult by the facility's mysterious destruction. As Hughes and Armstrong make plans to work their connections in order to find out more, they are all shocked by a sudden visit from Führer King Bradley, who informs them that he is well aware of their recent actions and their search for the Philosopher's Stone. Remarking that the enemy they seek is both powerful and elusive, Bradley commends their trustworthiness, but forbids them from sticking their noses in any deeper or telling anyone of their investigation while promising that he will call for their assistance when the time comes. After he leaves, Winry returns to the room with train tickets to Dublith that Edward had asked her to procure and the Elrics reveal that they are headed there to speak with their teacher. Noting that Rush Valley - the holy land of automail - is on the way to Dublith, Winry makes plans to tag along and bids the Hughes' goodbye. On the train out of Central, Ed explains to Winry that they hope their teacher can help them become stronger in both body and mind as well as shed some light on the Philosopher's Stone.

That evening, Hughes looks into the news regarding recent Letoist riots in Reole and remarks that, with all the riots and battles that are going on all around the country, and struck with a strange realization, rushes to the record room, where his worst suspicions are confirmed. Before he can rush to inform the Führer of his findings, however, he is accosted by Lust, whom he recognizes by the Ouroboros mark that Edward had drawn for him. They attack simultaneously, but Hughes emerges as the victor, albeit injured by Lust's bladed fingernails, and flees before Lust revives herself. Maes makes his way to the military phones to contact the Führer, but reconsiders and exits the compound in order to use an outside line in a phone booth. As he frantically tries to reach Roy, telling the military operator that the military is in great danger, he is stopped by Envy, disguised as 2nd Lt. Ross, but is able to recognize the impostor. Spying a family photo that Maes had accidentally dropped, Envy morphs to the form of Hughes' wife and fatally shoots him. As Hughes bleeds to death in the phone booth, Roy is patched through and senses something is amiss when Maes does not answer from the other end. On the train, Winry shares an apple pie that Mrs. Hughes had baked for them and the Elric boys reminisce about how much help Hughes has been to them, resolving to thank him upon their return to the capital.

Hughes' funeral is held and the attendees - which include Mustang, Armstrong and Bradley - are visibly grieved by their friend's passing as well as young Elicia's inability to comprehend her father's death. After the ceremony, Roy stands at Maes' grave, shedding tears for his friend while musing about how Hughes had promised to support him from below but has now been posthumously promoted two ranks. He personally interviews everyone who had seen Hughes on the night of his death, discovering that there had been an unseen struggle and that Maes had gone out of his way to use an outside line before tying to relay a message to the Colonel about an imminent threat to the military. Meeting with Major Armstrong, Mustang is informed through cryptic language that there are multiple unknown suspects in the case of Hughes' murder, that someone in Central Command has ordered Alex not to speak of the matter to anyone and that the situation is somehow connected to the Elric brothers and their search for the Philosopher's Stone. Roy makes plans to investigate the matter further once his transfer to Central is complete.

Episode Notes

 * This episode is adapted from content in Chapter 15: Fullmetal Heart, Chapter 16: Separate Paths and Chapter 61: The Hero of Ishval.


 * The Transmutation Circles that appear on the background of this episode's title card are those appearing on Roy Mustang's gloves and Alex Louis Armstrong's gauntlets.


 * Hughes' final words are exclusive to this version: he dies almost immediately without saying anything in the manga, while in the 2003 anime, he has a flashback to the day where he devoted himself to aid Mustang's dream, once Mustang told him about it.