D3 Chapter Ten

Dimension 3
(Ed returns to a place that once held many surprises in his dimension, but more await him and his double within these walls.)
Sequel of “Living in the Mirror”

Chapter Ten: Return to Lab 5

(major spoiler alert: don’t read unless you’ve seen all of the first series or else want to be spoiled.)

The two Eds stood before the large concrete fence that encased the, so-called, abandoned Laboratory 5.

“Okay, this is going to be a little tricky... Last time, Al gave me a boost over the fence, but since he’s not here-” (not to mention not able to touch him if he were-)

“Al!” Edward yelled and ran toward the entrance. Ed looked to see Alphonse and Trisha Elric being led through the front gate.

“Well, I guess we won’t have the element of surprise,” Ed said as he clapped, while running toward Edward. Making his signature lance, Ed joined the fight.

Just as they got Alphonse and Trisha free, however, numbers 48 and 66 came out. Between the suits of armor and the homunculi, both of which are nearly invincible, the two humans were quickly defeated.

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Ed woke to find himself and his double being chained to a wall.

“Be careful with that one. He can perform alchemy by touching his hands together,” Lust said.

“We will take heed, Ma’am,” 48 said and chained Ed’s hands above his head, separately, where one couldn’t reach the other.

“What do you homunculi want with Tucker’s formula?” Ed demanded.

“You seem familiar with us,” Lust noticed, “so you should know, our goal is to become human.”

“How?! Do you want to gather people from other dimensions to have more ingredients to make a Philosopher’s Stone?!”

“I see... You’re very familiar with us in your dimension. - But you’re wrong.”

Ed was surprised. He thought he had it right.

“That started out as a possibility... but then you showed up. You found a more interesting use for the formula, when you and your double switched bodies.”

“You want to switch bodies with a human version of yourself, from another dimension,” Edward stated, having woken up at some point during the conversation.

Lust smiled, proving him to be correct.

“Aren’t you forgetting something, Lust?” Ed asked. “You homunculi already have bodies. What you want are souls, and you’re not going to get any.”

“No, you’re wrong. There’s a way to control-”

“In my dimension, your double realized that her master had no intention of turning her or the other homunculi into humans. Tell me - isn’t it true that your leader wants a new body?! Isn’t that the true reason for this?!”

The sound of high-healed shoes was heard and Lust turned her head toward the newcomer. She was wearing a floor-length gown, held in shape by a hoopskirt.

Ed widened his eyes. “Teacher?!”

“Don’t listen to his lies, Lust. You and the others will always have a place with me.”

“O-of course... Dante...”

Ed stared at the body of Izumi Curtis. How could his teacher be the one controlling the homunculi? Lust called her Dante, so his suspicions about Dante being their leader was correct, but he never thought of the old lady taking over Izumi’s body. She was always so strong. How could she allow someone to take her body?!

“I see you’re surprised, Edward,” Dante said to Ed. “I had my suspicions... Ever since I was told your coat bore my seal.”

Ed didn’t have his red coat with him, having left it in Risembool last he was there. That would mean the homunculi were watching him from the very beginning, when he first, by chance, followed Johnston to this world - termed dimension 0, the origin, by Johnston and Tucker.

“I only wore that seal because it was my teacher’s!” Ed said, his anger clearly evident.

“Of course,” Dante said with a smile.