They barely made it on the train as it started pulling out of the station. "That was interesting." Kyle said.

***

"I thought so," Tira said. "I believe he's the one behind all these dissapearances that've started recently. Yukina was one of the people who's gone missing."

Yusei looked down."belive ne,he is the one whos behind it ..... ",hesaid stareing at the table.

-----
Jack sat on the train stareing out teh window."yeah ...."
(GUESS WHAT!!!!!)

Edward flopped down on the seat, followed by Crow. Already the landscape was flying past. He had a thoughtful scowl on his face, for more than one reason.

***

Tira smiled softly. "I don't doubt your resolve." She said. "That's not the reason I'm after him though. There's another threat I believe you should know about."

Jack looked to Edward."whats on your mind?"

-----

Yusie blinked."whats that?"
(I HAVE ALL 3 GOD CARDS NOW!!!!!)

Edward shrugged. "Just mulling over everything that's happened over the past three days." He replied. "A lot's happened. And since you guys were brought here...let's just say that I've got to review my views of alchemy."

***

Tira leaned onto the table, putting her chin on her hands, her elbows resting on the table. "A group of...beings known as the Homunculi. From what I gather, there's seven of them, one for each of the seven deadly sins." She held up a hand. "Greed." She raised a finger. "Lust." Another finger. "Envy. Sloth. Pride. Gluttony." With each name, she raised a finger. When she ran out of fingers, she started over on the same hand. "And Wrath." She finished. "So far, we've managed to discover the identies of Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Greed, and Wrath. Pride and Sloth are still mysteries."

She thanked the waiter as he brought their lunch. Tira took a small box of tablets out of an inner pocket of her jacket and dropped a couple of the tablets into her water. "Trust me, you don't want to know what this is." She said as the tabs dissolved, turning the water blood red. "Anyway, the Homunculi answer to a being they call Father. I've met the bastard, once. Even so, I'm not entirely sure if he's got the same face as he did before." She took a sip of the liquid. "I believe that they're the ones pulling the strings of this country. They're bitches to kill, though. They're close to immortal." She smiled slightly, the smile not extending to her golden eyes. "Then again, so am I. Oh, don't worry, I'm not a Homunculus though." She added to the look he was giving her.

Yusei nodded."i ran into Envy when I first came here ... Yukina ...protected me ....",he said getting a sad look.

----

Jacksmiled some."really now?"

Edward nodded. "When that transmutation circle activated, even if it was by accident, it did something that shouldn't be possible by the laws of alchemy." He explained. "That circle somehow opened a Gate to another universe, which brought you guys through."

***

"So I don't need to explain to you what these Homunculi are capable of." Tira said. "The reason why I explained what they are to you is because I've been getting reports in from my sources that this Kalin fellow is trying to make these guys his allies. I don't believe I need to tell you that would be bad for both of our worlds."

Yusei nodded."yeah ...."

---

Jack looked tohim."if that is how we got here ,cant we go the same way back?"

Edward shrugged. "That's the hard part; I don't know if that's possible."

"Why?" Kyle asked.

"Because...well..." Edward said cautiously. "The circle isn't there anymore. Okay, it's there, but there's a giant crack right down the middle of it, so it won't work."

"Well, there goes that plan." Crow said.

Jack sighed."make a new one"

"That's easier said than done." Edward sighed. "Sure, I could look up the transmutation circle and duplicate it, but it was one that I've seen only once before, and it's one I hope to never see again."

"Why do you say that?" Rua asked.

Edward sighed again. "Well, now that you guys are here, I guess it can't hurt to tell you all the details of what's going on." He said grimly. "But what I'm going to tell you doesn't leave this train compartment. Ever."

Kyle nodded. "You've got my word." She said.

"Same here." Crow said with a nod.

"My lips are sealed." Rua added.

Jack nodded."i wont say anything"

Edward nodded. "Good." He said. With that he launched into a full explanation of everything that had already happened, his and Al's suspicions, the Homunculi, this figure they called 'Father', and what him, Alphonse, and Mustang had already discovered.

"Then there's this General Storm," He finished. "I don't know what the hell's up with her. Or who the hell she is, other than Colonel Basterd's boss."

Jack sighed."well thats just plesent"

---

Yusei sighedas he finoshed eating*

"Tell me about it..." Edward grumbled.

***

Tira laid down her fork. "I want to find Yukina as badly as you do, Yusei." Tira said. She smiled. "And I believe I may have a way."

***

Kalin was staring at the picture he held in his hand. It was one of the few things that got brought with him from his world. It was one of him and Yukina, back when they were kids. Back when he first gave her that pendant. He wore the match to it around his neck.

"So this is what happened to you...?" He asked quietly. In the back of his mind, something was telling him something was up. That the Leviathin had to be stopped.

Liviathin had eneterd the temple andlooked at the alchemist he was controlling and growled. "nothing yet...whats takeing so long!",he growled looking at Yukina. "even without a sole your willis strong",then laughs. " no mader , if i have toill kill you......"

-----

Yusei looked to her."you do?!"

----------

Jack sighed.

"I apologize, master." The alchemist said. "There is something about her...her soul is still connected to her body somehow and it is blocking the transmutation."

***

Tira smiled and nodded. "But I hate to tell you this, but dueling the way you're familiar with won't work that well in this world." She said. She considered for a moment. "Usually, I wouldn't like having to do this to someone so young, and without any training...but, it's my only choice if you are to have a chance."

She looked Yusei in the eyes, her gold irises flashing crimson. "I am about to teach you alchemy in a very fast, very immersive, and very dangerous fashion. It will require me to impart my knowledge directly into your mind." She said. "I won't do so unless you give me consent."

Liviathin sighed."but i wonder how"

---

Yusei thought a mment,"do it"

"As I said before, master, I do not know." The alchemist replied.

***

Tira nodded. "Try to ground yourself in reality somehow. I don't want you to be lost in the torrent." She said. She then placed her hand, as cold as the rest of her in body temp, to Yusei's forehead and poured all of her knowledge of alchemy into him.

Livithin sighed."keep trying if it does not work i will desose of her,not that Kalin will know or care"

---

Yusei nodded then foucoused on whats she told him to allowing the knowledge to go into him*

Several minutes later, Tira pulled her hand away. "How do you feel?" She asked, hoping for the best.

***

As the awkward silence continued on, Crow decided it would be best to pass it by somehow.

"Hey, Ed," He said, "I know Yusei's been teaching you how to duel, but how's about a game or two of Duel Monsters to pass the time?"

Edward yawned. "Sounds good." He said, pulling his new deck out. "I was getting bored anyway."

Jack smirked."oh,this should be interesting....."

----

Yusie blinked a few times."my head hurts....but other then that,fine"

"That it should." Kyle said, leaning back in her seat.

Crow and Edward swapped decks to cut and shuffle, then started the duel. Edward looked up. "Uh, who goes first?"

"Flip a coin." Kyle said, digging in her back pocket and pulled a quarter out of her wallet. Crow was looking at her with a dumb look on his face.

"What the heck do you have that for?!" He asked.

"Crow, just because coins and cash are no longer needed, does not mean that it's outdated to have it in your pocket." Kyle said patiently. "Okay, pick a side."

"Heads." Edward said.

"Tails." Crow responded at the same time.

Kyle flipped the coin. "Tails. Crow goes first."

***

Tira nodded in relief. "You've actually responded better than the rest of the people I've done for." She said. "An asprin or two should solve the headache problem."

Yusei smiled some."good...."

---

Jack smiled."alright you two get on with the dule you two,i want t seewitch loud moth will win

"I'm not a loudmouth!" Crow and Edward protested in unison.

"Just shut up you two. Especially you, Ed. You're worse than Rua when you're bored." Kyle said. "So, shut up and duel already."

"All right already." Crow muttered, drawing. "I summon Blackwing-Blizzard the Far North in defense mode and set one card face-down and end."

***

Tira got up from the table to go pay. "I get off-duty at 1600--4:00 pm for civilians. Wait for me here. I keep a set of extra clothes at my office for reasons such as these." She said. "Trust me when I say that Yukina will still be at some measure of safety until then. With any luck, that's when Ed and the others will be here as well." She sighed. "My word...I had no idea you would do such a brash thing as come here on your own. That's something Ed would do..."