Older Then Time, Loving Forever
Doctor Marcoh
When the train stopped at the station before Resembool, Armstrong suddenly lunged to the window and yelled,
“Dr. Marcoh!! Aren’t you Dr. Marcoh? It’s Alex Louis Armstrong from Central,” he called, Edward was looking at the man as I looked back out the window the man was quickly running away,
“Someone you know?” I asked,
“Yes… He’s a skilled alchemist that was involved in the research department at central. He was studying the use of alchemy for medical purposes, but he vanished during the civil war.” Armstrong explained,
“Let’s get off!” Edward quickly moved,
“Hmm? Don’t we get off at Resembool?” Armstrong asked,
“Why get off here?” I asked,
“If he use to do that kind of research, then he might know something about biological transmutation too!” Edward stepped off the train.
I trudged behind as Armstrong pulled Alphonse out of the cart with all the sheep. I was sitting at the bench as they walked over and past me. I followed behind them, as they asked questions on where Marcoh was but we learned that he was actually the local doctor called Mauro.
When Edward knocked on the door and opened it a gun was greeting his face as he just dodged the bullet,
“What did you come for?” Marcoh asked,
“Please calm down doctor,” Armstrong said as Edward was in shock,
“Did you come to take me back?” Marcoh held the gun shaking,
“I’ll never go back! I beg you! Let me go…” Marcoh begged.
“No that’s not it. Please listen…”
“So you came to kill me and shut me up for good?”
“First if you could please lower your gun,”
I sighed at the pathetic argument and stood in front of Marcoh and moved his hand up to aim at my forehead,
“Shot me if you want, it won’t do you any favors, we aren’t here to hurt you. We just want to ask you about something important to us, please,” I asked, Marcoh stood there shaking and holding the gun at my forehead,
“Rea…” Edward went to take a step forward but I guessed Armstrong stopped him,
“You’re a brave girl… fine… I’ll let you in, but I’m not coming with you!” Marcoh said.
~
“I couldn’t stand it any more… having to obey their orders… dirtying my hands to research the things I did… and then used it in the civil war to slaughter hundreds of thousands of people… it was an awful war… so many innocent people died… I couldn’t make up my actions if I paid them for the rest of my life. But still I try to do what I can… that’s work as a doctor in this place.” Marcoh explained.
“What were you researching before you left? What did you take with you…? Armstrong asked, Marcoh put his head down,
“I was making the philosopher’s stone.” Marcoh spoke, we were all shocked, most of all me.
Who were they using as ingredients… I don’t even wanna know…
“I took the stone and the research data.” Marcoh explained,
“You have the stone?!” Edward asked,
“Yeah… here it is.” Marcoh held up a small jar then taken the lid off,
“stone’? looks more like a liquid…” Edward spoke as Marcoh dropped it on the table and it solidified.
I glared at the stone, I could sense the lives inside it, I heard all their screams. I covered my ears,
“Rea?” Edward looked at me,
“I’m fine…” I lied and looked away from the stone.
“The Sage’s stone, the stone of heaven… the great elixir… the red tincture… the fifth element. Just as there are many names for the philosopher’s stone, it seems that it might not be a stone at all. But this is just something that was created for experimental purposes. It’s an imperfect compound, and it’s impossible to know when it will reach its limits and cease to work. But even so, compounds like these were secretly used throughout the civil war, and they were tremendously successful.” Marcoh explained.
“It may be imperfect… but the fact that you made it means that it must be possible to make the perfect stone someday, right? Dr. Marcoh! Can you please show me your data?” Edward asked,
“What!? What do you mean to do with such a thing? Major Armstrong who is this child…?” Marcoh asked,
“He’s a state alchemist.” Armstrong spoke,
“This boy… he has a state license at his age…? He must have been lured by the promises of privilege and research money… how foolish! Do you know how many alchemists threw away their licenses after the war? I wasn’t the only one who hated myself for being used as a weapon… but you still…” Marcoh spoke,
“I know it was foolish! But I had to! I have to achieve my goal… even if it means sleeping on a bed of nails.” Edward explained.
I sat in silence looking at the stone the whole time as Edward explained why he needed the stone, I still could hear the souls from inside the stone crying out in pain,
“So… you committed the ultimate sin… I’m surprised that your were able to transmute a soul… if you have that kind of talent, you might even be able to create a complete philosopher’s stone.” Marcoh explained,
“So then…” Edward smiled,
“But I can’t allow you to see my data!” Marcoh concluded,
“But why not?!” Edward snapped,
“I’ve said everything I’m going to say. Getting your original body back… the stone shouldn’t be used for something so trite.” Marcoh stood up,
“Trite?!” Edward stood up in protest,
“Doctor! Isn’t that a little harsh…?” Armstrong spoke, I agreed with Marcoh. But I thought that Edward should learn the truth about the stone so he would find another way to get his and Al’s body back,
“No one will ever see my research. It’s the work of the devil. And it can only lead straight to hell.” Marcoh explained,
“I’ve already seen hell.” Edward snapped,
“No… please go.” Marcoh spoke.
Edward and Armstrong walked out the door, I stood in the doorway,
“If you wont show him the data, at least drop a bread crumb so he can learn for himself, I know what it takes to make the stone… I’ve lived many years to understand a lot about the stone and its negative effects… but… at least give him a trail to follow then he’ll leave the stone alone and look for another method… I know that when Edward learns that the stone is made out of live humans… he’ll leave it alone.” I explained, Edward and Armstrong were down the end of the street by now,
“Who are you?” Marcoh asked,
“An enemy of the people who forced you to make the stone,” I looked at him,
“You’re trying to stop them?” Marcoh asked, I nodded,
“Good, they need stopping from what they are doing,” Marcoh explained.
“Rea! You coming!” Edward yelled,
“Yea!” I waved, “Think about it, Marcoh,” I walked down the stairs and ran towards Edward and Armstrong as they sat down at the station and started talking.
I went off to buy something to snack on, as I came back I saw Marcoh walk off again,
“What was that about?” I asked,
“Look,” Edward shown me a piece of paper, I smiled at the writing,
“What are you smiling about?” Edward asked,
“Oh, nothing… just life really,” I walked around and sat down back in the train.
“Dr. Marcoh!! Aren’t you Dr. Marcoh? It’s Alex Louis Armstrong from Central,” he called, Edward was looking at the man as I looked back out the window the man was quickly running away,
“Someone you know?” I asked,
“Yes… He’s a skilled alchemist that was involved in the research department at central. He was studying the use of alchemy for medical purposes, but he vanished during the civil war.” Armstrong explained,
“Let’s get off!” Edward quickly moved,
“Hmm? Don’t we get off at Resembool?” Armstrong asked,
“Why get off here?” I asked,
“If he use to do that kind of research, then he might know something about biological transmutation too!” Edward stepped off the train.
I trudged behind as Armstrong pulled Alphonse out of the cart with all the sheep. I was sitting at the bench as they walked over and past me. I followed behind them, as they asked questions on where Marcoh was but we learned that he was actually the local doctor called Mauro.
When Edward knocked on the door and opened it a gun was greeting his face as he just dodged the bullet,
“What did you come for?” Marcoh asked,
“Please calm down doctor,” Armstrong said as Edward was in shock,
“Did you come to take me back?” Marcoh held the gun shaking,
“I’ll never go back! I beg you! Let me go…” Marcoh begged.
“No that’s not it. Please listen…”
“So you came to kill me and shut me up for good?”
“First if you could please lower your gun,”
I sighed at the pathetic argument and stood in front of Marcoh and moved his hand up to aim at my forehead,
“Shot me if you want, it won’t do you any favors, we aren’t here to hurt you. We just want to ask you about something important to us, please,” I asked, Marcoh stood there shaking and holding the gun at my forehead,
“Rea…” Edward went to take a step forward but I guessed Armstrong stopped him,
“You’re a brave girl… fine… I’ll let you in, but I’m not coming with you!” Marcoh said.
~
“I couldn’t stand it any more… having to obey their orders… dirtying my hands to research the things I did… and then used it in the civil war to slaughter hundreds of thousands of people… it was an awful war… so many innocent people died… I couldn’t make up my actions if I paid them for the rest of my life. But still I try to do what I can… that’s work as a doctor in this place.” Marcoh explained.
“What were you researching before you left? What did you take with you…? Armstrong asked, Marcoh put his head down,
“I was making the philosopher’s stone.” Marcoh spoke, we were all shocked, most of all me.
Who were they using as ingredients… I don’t even wanna know…
“I took the stone and the research data.” Marcoh explained,
“You have the stone?!” Edward asked,
“Yeah… here it is.” Marcoh held up a small jar then taken the lid off,
“stone’? looks more like a liquid…” Edward spoke as Marcoh dropped it on the table and it solidified.
I glared at the stone, I could sense the lives inside it, I heard all their screams. I covered my ears,
“Rea?” Edward looked at me,
“I’m fine…” I lied and looked away from the stone.
“The Sage’s stone, the stone of heaven… the great elixir… the red tincture… the fifth element. Just as there are many names for the philosopher’s stone, it seems that it might not be a stone at all. But this is just something that was created for experimental purposes. It’s an imperfect compound, and it’s impossible to know when it will reach its limits and cease to work. But even so, compounds like these were secretly used throughout the civil war, and they were tremendously successful.” Marcoh explained.
“It may be imperfect… but the fact that you made it means that it must be possible to make the perfect stone someday, right? Dr. Marcoh! Can you please show me your data?” Edward asked,
“What!? What do you mean to do with such a thing? Major Armstrong who is this child…?” Marcoh asked,
“He’s a state alchemist.” Armstrong spoke,
“This boy… he has a state license at his age…? He must have been lured by the promises of privilege and research money… how foolish! Do you know how many alchemists threw away their licenses after the war? I wasn’t the only one who hated myself for being used as a weapon… but you still…” Marcoh spoke,
“I know it was foolish! But I had to! I have to achieve my goal… even if it means sleeping on a bed of nails.” Edward explained.
I sat in silence looking at the stone the whole time as Edward explained why he needed the stone, I still could hear the souls from inside the stone crying out in pain,
“So… you committed the ultimate sin… I’m surprised that your were able to transmute a soul… if you have that kind of talent, you might even be able to create a complete philosopher’s stone.” Marcoh explained,
“So then…” Edward smiled,
“But I can’t allow you to see my data!” Marcoh concluded,
“But why not?!” Edward snapped,
“I’ve said everything I’m going to say. Getting your original body back… the stone shouldn’t be used for something so trite.” Marcoh stood up,
“Trite?!” Edward stood up in protest,
“Doctor! Isn’t that a little harsh…?” Armstrong spoke, I agreed with Marcoh. But I thought that Edward should learn the truth about the stone so he would find another way to get his and Al’s body back,
“No one will ever see my research. It’s the work of the devil. And it can only lead straight to hell.” Marcoh explained,
“I’ve already seen hell.” Edward snapped,
“No… please go.” Marcoh spoke.
Edward and Armstrong walked out the door, I stood in the doorway,
“If you wont show him the data, at least drop a bread crumb so he can learn for himself, I know what it takes to make the stone… I’ve lived many years to understand a lot about the stone and its negative effects… but… at least give him a trail to follow then he’ll leave the stone alone and look for another method… I know that when Edward learns that the stone is made out of live humans… he’ll leave it alone.” I explained, Edward and Armstrong were down the end of the street by now,
“Who are you?” Marcoh asked,
“An enemy of the people who forced you to make the stone,” I looked at him,
“You’re trying to stop them?” Marcoh asked, I nodded,
“Good, they need stopping from what they are doing,” Marcoh explained.
“Rea! You coming!” Edward yelled,
“Yea!” I waved, “Think about it, Marcoh,” I walked down the stairs and ran towards Edward and Armstrong as they sat down at the station and started talking.
I went off to buy something to snack on, as I came back I saw Marcoh walk off again,
“What was that about?” I asked,
“Look,” Edward shown me a piece of paper, I smiled at the writing,
“What are you smiling about?” Edward asked,
“Oh, nothing… just life really,” I walked around and sat down back in the train.