Chapter 30: The Truth Inside the Armor

Synopsis
Bido, outside of the blocked off alley leading to the Devil's Nest, hears and sees that there are soldiers in town and hopes they're not there to hunt down all the chimeras.

Soldiers standing guard in the area where the last of the chimeras were cut down are surprised when two of them, Loa and Dorchet, rise up apparently from the dead. Neither guard remains standing after the two chimeras finish with them. They head off into the tunnels to make their escape.

Alphonse, still bound and with Martel inside, sits in the tunnels contemplating the silence now that the battle has ended. Foot steps are heard and Greed comes back into view followed closely by Führer President Bradley who quickly puts his sword through the homunculus one more time. Martel sees this and attempts to exit Al, but Al won't let her out. Greed begins to rise again and as he does Loa and Dorchet come upon the group. Rueing that they have happened upon the group yet still loyal to Greed the two prepare to engage the President. Before they do they break the chains holding Al and tell him to get Martel out of the tunnels. Martel continues to try and overpower Al in order to get out and help her friends. She is unsuccessful and is forced to watch her friends be slaughtered by the President. Meanwhile Greed has recovered enough to once again attack Bradley, but the President once again puts the homunculus down.

Al begins to realize he needs to get Martel out of there, but before he can the President comes over to him to see if he is alright. He assures Bradley that he is fine and can find his way out, but before he can Martel takes control of Al's arms and proceeds to choke the President. Führer President Bradley then proceeds to skewer Martel through a gap in Al's armor. The process of Martel dying inside him causes Al to remember what occurred when he and his brother attempted to bring back their mother. Now he too has seen "The Truth" and proceeds to black out.

Al awakens to find Ed yelling at him to say something. Armstrong has already opened Al up and removed the body of Martel. Al realizing this breaks down since he couldn't save her. They prepare to head back to the butcher shop when President Bradley stops them to question them on whether they've given any information to Greed. Ed states that they have not given any information, either military or alchemic, to Greed. Bradley then questions Ed asking if there is any connection between Ed's arm and Al's armor body. Ed refuses to answer and the President sends them on their way telling Ed to make sure he takes good care of Al.

Back at the butcher shop as Ed is finishing up cleaning Al's armor they talk about the days events. Al tells Ed that he has gotten him memory back. They also discuss the Philosopher Stone making people with the ouroboros tattoos beneath the hospital back in Central and how they related to President Bradley. They question why Bradley didn't apprehend rather than kill all those that he did. The fact that the President led the days attack also strikes Ed as odd.

Back in Central Riza Hawkeye is heading home after doing some shopping on her first day off since being transferred. A figure is stalking her from the shadows. Eventually Barry the Chopper, aka Number 66, comes out of the shadows offering to escort her home. Riza refuses and 66 comes at her with his cleaver. Riza is quicker, however, and pulls a revolver from her bag and puts a number of bullets into him. Before he can recover she pulls an automatic pistol from beneath her skirt and puts some more rounds into the beast. When 66 realizes she's not fazed by him he tries to scare her by taking his head off and showing that he's just an animated suit of empty armor. Riza reveals that she knows Alphonse which is the main reason 66 doesn't scare her. 66's demeanor changes and he starts to exhibit an infatuation towards Riza. Riza phones Roy Mustang to come help her deal with her prisoner.

Chapter Notes

 * Blood sacrifices combined with alchemy are what's required to see "the Truth".
 * Riza Hawkeye is not someone you want to follow down a dark alley. Or a lit one for that matter.
 * Barry the Chopper was supposedly an executed criminal, but somehow became Number 66.