Envy watched Ed with a mild glare for a few moments until he was satisfied that the boy was off in his own private world. Only then did he snatch the stupid bib off from around his neck and toss it over his shoulder onto the floor.

He made short work of the food on his tray, ravaging it and filling his stomach quickly. However when he looked up he found Ed had barely gotten half way through with his own food and so he decided to just ignore the chibi for the time being, carefully manipulating his form just enough to find the fasteners to the booster seat and unlatch them.

He slipped down off the chair and under the table, absently toying with the idea of biting Ed on the leg but decided better of it and darted across the room, scurrying under tables and around oblivious officers until he was out the door and in one of the hallways. With a few quick glances to make sure things were clear, he jumped upward, kicking in one of the ventilation covers before hauling his body up into the air duct.

"Think I'll see what our precious little fire bug is up to before I go check on Wrath. Maybe I can get chibi OUT of this boring building, and myself out as well." Envy muttered and complained as he crawled through the vent system, frowning a bit as a thought occurred to him.

"And where the hell is the tin can anyway?!"

Ed was deep in though mulling over the past few days...he absent mindly picked at his tray, then deciding hie was finished stood to his feet, he glanced over to where Envy was sitting only to find he wasnt there..Ed almost felt fear leap into his heart.

'Where did he go?..he had to find him"...then shaking his head he rememberd that Envy was not an innocent child, he was a sin that he was now rid of for the moment and hopefully forever.

Ed then left the mess and started for the east wing of HQ, he haddnt seen Al in two days and that was very unusual, not that he was worried..with things as they were he was glad to have more time to himself,

He was sure Al was burried somewhere on the east tower doing reaseach which was exactly what he should be doing...Ed headed off that direction.

Envy scurried and crawled along through the vent system, arching an eyebrow at some of the noises he could hear echoing up from a few of the rooms he passed, but he kept moving. When he got close enough to Wrath's chambers he discovered via eavesdropping that the fuhrer was at home with his family. Snorting, Envy continued on, eventually heading east ward and up into a higher system of vent shafts.

"You know..being the highest command in Central, you would think, that they would DUST once in a while!" He snarled, barely containing the urge to sneeze as he continued on, pausing when he came to the end of the ducts.

Peering out he glanced between the vent folds and arched an eyebrow curiously.

"Just how many books do these humans need?"

After reaching the tower Ed was now worried...his brother was not there...and no one had seen him since yesterday...Ed chewed his bottom lip...it wasnt like Al to disapear like this....he started back down the tower and with out even a thought of his orders from Mustang to stay within the boundries of Headquarters...he dashed down into the busy streets of central.

Envy happened to be standing near enough to one of the windows in the tower to see the flash of familiar gold and red go blitzing out into the main streets of the city. He paused, staring for a moment until the little blurb of colors melded into those of the other citizens and then felt his eyelid twitch.

"You know, he really ought to be more careful about obeying his superiors. tsk, chibi-san you are going to be in SOOOOO much trouble later on. I'll have to intercept you!"

Smirking at the thought of geting a little revenge for earlier maltreatment at the hands of his precious alchemist, Envy carelessly punched a hole in the glass and shifted his form into that of a medium sized hawk, nothing too out of the ordinary, and then took off, soaring rapidly through the skies until he caught sight of his target.

"There you are..now..where are we off to this time shrimp?"

An amused light flickered in his eyes as he flew above the high roof tops and street lights, keeping his eyes focused on Edward the entire time.

Ed ran at a full pace untill he reached the downtown of central, first he checked every bookshop, then every hotel, then with a heavy heart he started for the hospital.

By this time it was late evening and Edward had exhausted his search of Central....his stomach was empty but he diddnt notice. After striking out once again at the hospital the young alchmist decided to lastly check the train station,

The evning sun was waining and cast its last rays over the horizen, as he made it to the train platform...But Al was still nowhere to be found.

Upset Ed decided to buy a ticket and start searching the closest town.

His train diddnt leave untill midnight so Ed leaned up against the wall of the station feeling botherd.

Envy followed Ed all over Central, from building to building and around one street corner after the next. He was starting to get slightly pissed off when the boy finally came to a stop at the train station.

"For someone with such short legs he sure runs around a lot." The sin snorted softly as he perched on one of the rails above the loading station, watching Ed with renewed patience. It seemed the runt was going to be leaving Central on his own, but if that was the case at least Envy wouldn't have to wrangle some false mission for him.

Ed was compleltly obliviouse to Envy ...in fact he had forgotton all about what had heppend just that morning, All he was worried about was finding Al...finnaly his train pulled into the station and Ed quickly boarded and took a seat by the window, because he was a state alchemist he was able to procure a first class private car..he was not in the mood to be botherd by strangers.

The train wistle blue and Ed relaxed back in his seat heading for the only place he could think of that Al could be.....Resembool.

Envy watched Edward board the train and waited till after the boy was on before swooping down on top of the train car. He cautiously shifted forms back to his favorite and then dug his hands into the metal roofing, securing his grip as the train pulled out.

He tossed his head a bit, rather enjoying the wild breeze the train created as it picked up steam, pulling farther and farther away from Central, away from Father, away from the other sins, away from that stupid colonel. Envy felt his lips quirk up into a wide grin.

"Hmmn quality time with chibi san and NO one to get in my way of a little fun. Seems the shrimp had a good idea after all. A REALLY good idea." He snickered at the passing scenery, watching it fly by.

After a fullnight of traveling it was early morning when the train pulled into Resembool.
Ed had slept fitfully, he hated traveling by train...especially alone.

The familiar sounds and smells of Risembool..filled his senses...and he felt happy and sad all the the same time....he began his trek to a all too familiar spot, where their house once stood.
he prefered to walk there...enjoying the nice slow paced life of his former home.