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“Sensei—is that—“ Kuro couldn’t finish. She hit the ground in a single moment. “Homunculus . . ..” she managed to whisper.

“Ed, take Kuro and your brother and run!” cried Izumi. She placed both hands on the ground. Wall after wall were slashed at by Lust’s extended claw like hands.

Ed turned to Kuro. He helped her up. “C’mon Kuro, Sensei can take care of this,” he said. ‘I hope so.’ He heaved her limp body onto his back. “Lets go Al!” The two brothers ran in the direction of the shop.

“Nii-san!” cried Al.

“I’ll go back for her once we get Kuro to Sig,” said Ed as if reading his brother’s mind. He picked up his pace slightly.

“Do you want me to take her?” asked Al.

“No, she’s an alchemist and you’re the Philosopher’s Stone!” yelled Ed. He stopped at the door to the meat shop where he learned Alchemy. Opening the door, he saw Sig carrying Mason’s lifeless body to a spare room. “Mason-san . . ..”

Sig turned to the trio. “Where’s Izumi?” he asked.

“We ran into the Homunculus, Lust and she made us take Kuro back here,” answered Ed hollowly. He set Kuro down. “Take care of her, Sig. I’m going to go and help Sensei.”

Sig nodded and proceeded with putting Mason on a bed where he could rest until he could be laid to his final rest. He led Kuro’s numbed body to the dining room table. Al followed. “You shouldn’t have run off like that, Kuro,” he said.

“Gomen nasai,” muttered Kuro. A chillness set into her body that she hadn’t felt in such a long time that she almost didn’t recognize; the feeling of losing someone a feeling that she couldn’t stand to bear. ‘I’m sorry Sensei,’ she thought. She clenched her fists as tears threatened to spill.

“What happened between you and Izumi when she found you?”

“I—I—she—she said that she wanted me to give her punishment for her sins—what they are, I don’t know,” said Kuro. “I enjoyed it—punching her until I could no longer raise my arm.” She let out a crack of mad laughter.

“You cannot be blamed for your actions,” said Sig. “However, I doubt that Izumi will let you out of the shop until you have learned to control your emotions.”

The door opened. Izumi walked in, closely followed by Ed. Except for the bruises Kuro gave out, Izumi only had a small cut on her cheek. Ed on the other hand had lost his automail arm.

“Kuro, can you come with me out back?” asked Izumi in a worn tone. Kuro stood, swayed a bit, and followed Izumi outside. “You seemed to know what that was back there. How?”

“I recognized the Oroboris mark,” answered Kuro in a voice that was unlike her own.

“Which Homunculi have you run into?”

“Except for the one that Ed called Lust; one that can change into anything, one that eats everything, and one that can use alchemy,” answered Kuro.

“Is that all of them?” asked Izumi.

“Yea,” answered Kuro.

“Did you know that a Homunculus is created through a failed human transmutation?”

“So could that mean that I did revive my mother?” asked Kuro.

“Nothing can bring back the dead,” Izumi answered sorrowfully. “I know because I’m the one that created Wrath; the Homunculus that can use alchemy.”

“You attempted—human transmutation?” cried Kuro in shock.

“I did,” said Izumi sadly. “I tried to bring back my son that never had a chance at life.”

Kuro lowered her head. “Gomen nasai, Sensei.”

“Kuro, a Homunculus is the shape of an alchemists sins,” said Izumi seriously. “If you ever see someone that looks like your mother, you must discover if it is a Homunculus and if it is; you must destroy it.”

“I don’t think I can do that Sensei,” said Kuro.

“They aren’t human; they have no soul,” said Izumi.

“Even so,” said Kuro. “I couldn’t do it because if I did create a Homunculus, that means it’ll take the shape of my mom and I couldn’t bear destroying that Homunculus.”