Episode

      && Basic info

            This episode is adapted from the extra chapter that came with Volume 3 of the manga. Of course, with extra things included. The reason why Edward dueled with Roy is also different in the manga.

The main feature of this episode is of course the part where Edward had a duel with Roy for his assessment that year.

Things to note from this episode:
Edward is good at imitatingn Roy
Edward & Alphonse's search for Doctor Marco started
Alphonse's obsession with cats (thanks to Edward?)
Edward has his soft spot towards animals
Hughes's love (and obsession) for his daughter is real
Riza's really bad at giving names
Edward noticed Sloth (spoiler for future episodes)
Roy is ruthless towards his subordinate
Roy's 'true' intention in becoming Fuhrer
Scar made his first appearance

Beyond this point, all contents are written by the awesome Kat L. Thank you!

    && short Summary (spoiler-free)

As is his duty as a State Alchemist, Edward Elric must make a report on his findings on the Philosopher's Stone. But unfortunately, he's got nothing and the last thing he wants to do is face his commanding officer, Colonel Roy Mustang, empty-handed. Ed also challenges Mustang to a mock duel for his annual state alchemist assessment. Who will prevail - the Fullmetal or the Flame?

      && Full Summary (spoiler)

After a few detours and deliberately making some turns, Edward and Alphonse Elric finally find themselves at the gate of Eastern Headquarters one rainy day. It's time for Ed to make a report to his commanding officer, Colonel Roy Mustang, and the Fullmetal Alchemist is anything but thrilled. Even before they enter the headquarters, Ed shows his dislike for the Colonel by making an impersonation of him and rants afterward. Meanwhile, Al seems to have found something that he's not showing his older brother...

In HQ, there seems to be something amiss. Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda has climbed up to the top of a locker in fear. The reason? Master Sergeant Kain Fuery couldn't resist bringing in a puppy from the rain. The question is...who would take care of him? Warrant Officer Vato Falman and Fuery can't take him; the dorms they are in don't allow pets, Breda is apparently deathly afraid of dogs, while Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc is dropping hints about stir-fried dogs (even though he claims
that they are jokes). While they're still deciding on this matter, Ed and Al drop by, but before anything else, something meows in Al's armor!

It turns out that it's not just Fuery who likes taking in animals from the rain. When the Elrics split before Mustang's subordinates start asking questions, Ed finds a kitten in Al's armor. Al just couldn't take the little thing being out in the rain, and even though Ed's also got a soft spot for critters, he tells Al to leave it. Of course, he's not about to let go of that cat easily, and storms away while Ed
has a flashback to his childhood, when he also took in a kitten and Trisha said no.

When the flashback clears, Ed is in Mustang's office. Ed accuses Mustang of leading them on a wild goose chase, as it turns out the Colonel was the one who told the Elric brothers of a "Philosopher's Stone" in Lior, and Mustang stresses that he never told them to unseat Cornello. But Ed then accuses his superior of manipulating the situation so Lior would be under the military again.

Mustang also asks about Ed's other escapades in Xenotime and Aquroya (especially about the beautiful thief Psiren) and reminds him that it has been three years ever since Ed became a State Alchemist, and yet he and Al still weren't close to the Philosopher's Stone. Before he could forget, Ed inquires about someone called Marcoh, whose name has been dropped in Xenotime and supposedly cured the poisoning caused by the red water. Mustang denies knowing who Marcoh is.

First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye interrupts the two State Alchemists. They've got visitors - Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes and Major Alex Louis Armstrong included - but the most prominent among them all is Brigadier General Basque Grand, who tells Mustang they're making the Eastern Headquarters their temporary Central command center. When Mustang asks why, Fuhrer King Bradley enters the scene, accompanied by a woman not dressed in military uniform. But it's not the Fuhrer who catches Ed's eye - it's the woman, who seems strangely familiar to him...

Shortly afterward, Ed is with Hughes in a crowd of military officers who came from Central HQ. It turns out that Hughes was only recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and put in charge of court martial investigations. Ed tells him about their progress on the Philosopher's Stone and how Mustang is supposedly hiding some information about this Marcoh character. Grand overhears their conversation and rants about how Marcoh was a deserter during the Ishbal rebellion and has been
missing ever since.

For a second time, Ed asks Mustang about Marcoh. And for the second time, Mustang denies knowing anything. Ed turns to the library, which is just as useless. Al is with him again, but still hasn't gotten rid of the cat. Hughes enters and informs Ed of his assessment, in order to renew his State Alchemist certification. But before Hughes could tell him how it goes, Ed is struck with an idea that may help him kill two birds with one stone. He chooses a battle assessment, wherein two State Alchemists go head-to-head in a mock duel and are graded on the usage of their skills, and picks Mustang as his opponent. Thus, Fullmetal versus Flame!

Mustang's subordinates discuss this among themselves, like why Ed would choose the Flame Alchemist (According to Hawkeye, if Ed wins, Mustang has to take care of Al's cat), and who would have the upper hand. During the conversation, Fuery continues taking care of the puppy in the office, but fails to hide him as Mustang drops by. He instantly spots the puppy, takes him from Fuery...and starts raving about the greatness of dogs and how much he loves them, even dancing and laughing with the puppy, much to his colleagues' surprise. Asked about Ed's challenge, Mustang is not as excited about the assessment - it doesn't seem fair, making a kid go against him.

But contrary to his assumptions, the Fuhrer is all for the battle assessment, and Hughes even proposes using the parade grounds. Still, Mustang is all right with Bradley's decision and will obey him...at least, until Mustang becomes Fuhrer himself. Hawkeye and Havoc warn Mustang of his ambitious declarations, which could be considered treason, as they leave the office. Then Mustang proclaims that when he is Fuhrer, all female officers will be required to wear tiny miniskirts, increasing Havoc's loyalty and briefly forgetting that Hawkeye is with them.

Hughes hosts the assessment (a.k.a. "Eastern Command Center Festival"), and starts off the festivities with a huge billboard of his beloved daughter Elysia, which isn't exactly well-received by the crowd. Then again, neither are the two contenders of the battle (Mustang is booed for being power-hungry and always snatching everyone else's girlfriends and the audience claims that Ed is too short, which instantly causes him to fly into a fit of rage that is only stopped by Al).

Ed's strategy? A fist in Mustang's face. And if he wins, not only does Mustang get a new cat, he has to tell Ed everything he knows about Marcoh.

The assessment begins as Hughes ducks for cover and Mustang makes the first move, easily setting off a fiery explosion with a snap of his fingers and catching Ed off guard. In the audience, Havoc explains to Fuery how Mustang's flame alchemy works while the Colonel is busy showing off and so far outdoing Ed.

Ed is reduced to running as flames erupt all around him, and resorts to hiding in the audience. But Mustang has another trick up his sleeve - he loudly insults Ed's height, which causes Ed to lose his temper and totally give away his location. In mere seconds, many of the audience members go flying and much of the parade ground is reduced to rubble.

Mustang spots Ed lurking in a flurry of smoke and dust. However, it was only a dummy of Ed wearing the red cloak, meant to distract Mustang while the real one ambushed him from behind with an automail blade, ripping the Flame Alchemist's right ignition glove. Now it's Ed's turn to flaunt his skills, transmuting the ground into a huge cannon - pointing straight at Mustang, who's far from defeated as he takes out his left hand from his pocket and unveils another glove. And with a very self-satisfied
smirk, Mustang demolishes Ed's cannon with a single snap and sends the Fullmetal Alchemist flying again.

Just as Mustang is about to finish a conceding Ed, the Colonel remembers a man he killed during the Ishbal rebellion and hesitates. In this crucial moment, Ed points his blade at Mustang's throat. The battle ends in a stalemate - actually, the Fuhrer decides to end it there and leaves the two alchemists to clean up their mess.

Late in the afternoon, with Hawkeye and Al standing by, Ed and Mustang are working on the parade grounds they ruined. Ed asks his commanding officer why he didn't finish the battle, and Mustang starts to share his experiences in Ishbal, when he killed many people, including the man he saw in his flashback, and finally tells Ed about Marcoh. Truly, he deserted, and is still alive.

Out of candidates to care for the puppy, Hawkeye volunteers to take him. Suddenly, the puppy decides to use the office walls as a toilet, which causes Hawkeye to shoot several bullets around him, but not meaning to shoot the puppy, as discipline, and names him Black Hayate.

Meanwhile, Mustang and Hughes are having some drinks, and Hughes tells Mustang about the situation in Lior, about the civil war that has arisen after Ed and Al supposedly dethroned Cornello. But the "priest" seems to be back, and still gathering supporters. Mustang decides not to tell Ed for a while, as Lior has been one of Ed's first successes. Later, Hughes warns Mustang about the State Alchemist assassin, who was spotted around Central and caused the officers to badger the Fuhrer to move them to the East.

Ed and Al, instead of saddling Mustang with a cat, decide to give it a new home before leaving to see Marcoh.

And in Central, the killer takes down another soldier, blowing his brains from the inside out. The scarred man decides to head East.

Notable Quotes: (Taken from the English dub)

Edward Elric: Once again I'll have to listen to Colonel Sarcasm tell me how I screwed up. [impersonating Mustang] "Struck out on the Philosopher's Stone again, huh? How am I supposed to keep funding this goose chase? Money doesn't grow on trees there, chief. Ed? Where'd you run off to? Oh, wait, there you are! I couldn't see you there beyond my paperwork, seeing as how you're so short and all. Ha ha ha ha ha!" [sighs] I know. We're already here, so I might as well get the verbal abuse over with.

Roy Mustang: When I'm Fuhrer, there will be changes! That day...all female officers will be required to wear...TINY MINISKIRTS!
Jean Havoc: You're a miracle, Mustang! I'll follow you for the rest of my life!
Roy Mustang: Yes!

Roy Mustang: Dog, huh? [brief pause] I LOVE DOGS!
Kain Fuery: Really? You mean it?
Roy Mustang: OF COURSE! Dogs embody loyalty! They follow their masters' commands above all else! Be a jerk to them and they don't complain and never once beg for a paycheck! Trust me, Fuery, they're the great servants of man! Loyal canine, how we salute thee!

Maes Hughes: Look, can you believe how big Elysia's gotten? She can even ride a tricycle now! She follows me everywhere on that thing like my own escort of cuteness!
Edward Elric: Yup, you're the same as ever, Major. Nice and insane.

Edward Elric: [to Al] Stomach purring?

Alphonse Elric: So what's your strategy?
Edward Elric: I told you, a fist in his face!

Roy Mustang: So tell me, is it true Psiren's a real ten under the mask?

Riza Hawkeye: Care to explain this one [the puppy], Falman?
Vato Falman: It is a dog, Lieutenant. Carnivorous canine mammal, I believe the scientific name is -
Riza Hawkeye: That's not what I'm asking, Falman. You need to loosen up.

Maes Hughes: Incidentally, take a look! [unveils billboard] My daughter, who turned three this year! Isn't she adorable? No, wait, don't fall on Daddy! ELYSIA!

Roy Mustang: I guess I can't torch you all...this is hard; he's such a small target!
Edward Elric: WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALL?!
Roy Mustang: If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate, and never fall for an enemy's taunts.

Roy Mustang: A soldier favors haste over cleverness. Means there are no cheap shots,
Edward. Strike quickly and you'll end it quickly, too.

Roy Mustang: All war is deception. Think your enemy has a weakness and it becomes his strength. Remember that.

Edward Elric: Don't call me small! I'm gonna break down your feet and stick 'em on your head!