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Kuro closed her eyes and relaxed her muscles. She snuggled closer to Ed. Ed smiled fondly at her and began rubbing her back. “It’s ok Kuro,” he whispered. “You’re safe here.”

Izumi walked in on the couple with a pot of food. “Ed—could you go and get the plates?” She looked at Ed, shock all over her face. “Am I intruding?”

Edward stopped rubbing Kuro’s back and shook her awake. She looked up at him innocently. “I have to go and get some plates. You can stay here if you want.” She nodded at him and sat up. Ed smiled childlike before disappearing into the kitchen.

Izumi smirked at Kuro. “You shouldn’t get that close to Edward,” she said softly.

“I’m not,” replied Kuro. She felt her face grow hot. “We barely know each other and even then; I can see that he likes that Winry girl.”

“Kuro—it’s not only that he might like someone else,” said Izumi. “He has a very dangerous life style. I don’t think that you should get caught up in it. It’ll only cause you more pain.”

“How would his life style be any different from mine?” asked Kuro coolly. “Remember—I created a Homunculus.”

“He searches for the Philosopher’s Stone,” answered Izumi. “He won’t even let me get involved even though I’m the one who taught him alchemy. He once told me—that he’s willing to help bear my sins if I’m willing to help him with his and still he won’t let me get too close to him when he’s doing research on the power of the Stone. I doubt that he’ll let you help him much.”

“The Philosopher’s Stone is just some child fantasy,” said Kuro.

“I don’t really think so,” said Izumi. “I know the stories as well as any other alchemist and now that I’ve seen what Ed and Al can do, I believe that there is a way to create the Philosopher’s Stone. After all that I’ve heard about the war in Ishbal I knew that a mediocre stone had been created.”

“Alchemists aren’t ready for that sort of power,” said Kuro coldly. “Legend has it that anyone who gets near the stone dies, but I still don’t believe in such a thing.”

“And you have good reason to stay away from the stone.” A hooded figure stood in the corner of the room.

“How did you get in?” hissed Izumi. She blocked Kuro from view. “Go and get Ed,” she whispered.

“Mother?” cried Kuro. She ran out in front of Izumi.

“Good girl, Kuro. You did just as your mother told you. You did well in distracting this filthy alchemist.”

“You were working with the Homunculi all along!” cried Izumi.

“No, I wouldn’t work for or with the Homunculi,” said Kuro. “I only did what my mother told me; nothing more.”

“This is not your mother.” Ed stood in the open doorway. “She’s a Homunculus. The shape of your sins and she must be destroyed.”