Fullmetal Alchemist 74

Translation is now as smooth as buttah.

Page 1:
Side: Alchemist vs. Alchemist! The deciding factor is...?

Ed: Kimblee's right hand is tattooed with the sun symbol,
and his left with the moon.

Yin and Yang, essentially.

When the triangles are placed on top of one another, they combine to form a hexagram,
a symbol which represents all four of the basic elements.

By putting the palms of his hands together, Kimblee creates a transmutation circle that causes explosive reactions.

Miles: Meaning we just have to occupy or take out one of his hands somehow?
Ed: That would be the case normally...

But the son of a bitch has a Philosopher's Stone.
That's gonna give us some problems.

Page 2:
Yellow text: Pushing towards an unseeable future, driving their story on!
Title: Chapter 74 - The little man in the flask, "Homunculus"

Page 3:
Border Guard: General Raven?
We never saw him leave...

Bobby: With all the machinery down here,
there's about a million places where you could have an accident, especially if you don't know the layout.

Buccaneer: Hmmmmmm...
The last time I saw him was when he and Major General Armstrong descended into the fort's lowest levels.

Page 4:
SFX: Step step step step

Armstrong: Hn-

Mustang: Oh,
if it isn't Major General Armstrong!

Olivia: I'm amazed a greenhorn upstart like you made it to Central, Mustang.
SFX: Snort

Page 5:
Olivia: How many strings did you have to pull?
Mustang: Not a single one, I got here on ability and skill.
Escorts: Did the air just...get a lot heavier?
SFX: RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUMMMMMMMBLEEEEEEEEEE

Mustang: To what do we owe the honor of your presence, General?
Olivia: His excellency the Fuhrer summoned me.
I doubt I'll be back up north anytime soon.
SFX: Step step step step

Mustang: Then you'll have to join me for dinner sometime.
Olivia: You treating?
If you don't mind me eating you into bankruptcy, I'll be glad to join you.

Mustang: Forget it, then.
Small text: You look like you mean it.
Olivia: Short on cash AND guts, are we?
SFX: Step step step

Mustang: Then at least let me give you some flowers, to match your beauty.

Page 6:
Mustang: There are some wonderful florists in Central.
Olivia: Is that a fact?

Bradley: Now,
Major General Armstrong,

Page 7:
Bradley: I want an explanation for General Raven's disappearance.
What did you do with him?

Olivia: He's not going to buy it.
Your excellency.

Why would you allow such a spineless, careless idiot into your trust?

Bradley: Did YOU eliminate him?

Olivia: You have no need for THINGS like him.
Brainless yes-men with loose lips won't do anything to advance your cause.

Page 8:
Bradley: And you gave the order?
Olivia: I took care of it personally.
If you'd like, I can excavate the body...
It's buried deep in the fort, along with my own blood-stained glove.

Bradley: What did Raven tell you?

Olivia: About your immortal army, the future of our country, the Homunculus, and your true identity.
He revealed it all with hardly any sign of hesitation.

Bradley: And knowing all this, you still answered my summons.

Olivia: Yes.
Let me have that foolish buffoon's seat, please.

Bradly: Hm...

Page 9:
Bradley: Hmmaahahahaha! Interesting!
Very interesting!

I love it!
You struggle so desperately, human!
SFX: THWACK

Bradley: Very well! You shall have your seat!
And in exchange, control of Briggs will be given to my subordinates. Agreed?

Olivia: As you wish.

They're all exemplary soldiers that I've trained personally,
and yours to command.

SFX: Step step step step

Page 10:
SFX: Creeeeeeeeeeee

Someone: Welcome, Major General Olivia Mila Armstrong.
SFX: Creeeeeeeeeeeeee

Someone: Please
take your seat.
SFX: eeeeeee

SFX: SLAM

Page 11:
Henshel: You can't catch a baby tiger without sneaking into the mother's den. (Note: This is literally a japanese proverb equal to our "Nothing ventured, nothing gained.")
And the General pretty much charged right in, didn't she?
Bucc: Yes.

They'll put some puppet from Central in charge here soon.

Henshel: They know so little about Briggs soldiers, it's almost funny.

Even if the true master is absent, we remain collected and operate as a single, cohesive unit, sharing one will, and one consciousness.

That is what makes Briggs, Briggs.

Bucc: The tiger and the bear will soon try to devour each other.
SFX: Squeeze

Page 12:
SFX: Blah blah

SFX: Blah blah

Mustang: Is this seat taken?
Hawkeye: Colonel...

Go ahead.
Mustang: Boy, YOU'RE awfully cheerful.

Page 13:
Mustang: Something bad happen?
SFX: Chomp

Hawkeye: No, nothing.

How has work been?
Mustang: How do you think?

I lost all my best assistants - now I can't even escape this crap on my lunch hour.
How about you?

Hawkeye: There are so many things to keep track of...I'm constantly busy with something.
But his Excellency gets things done quickly, so that helps.

He never ducks out early, either.
I should've expected things would be different, working for a true professional.
Mustang: Something tells me this conversation's about to turn south.

Page 14:
Mustang: Why don't we have lunch tomorrow?
Hawkeye: You mean like we're doing right now?
Mustang: Ouch.
That's makes two times I've been rejected today.
SFX: blah blah

Hawkeye: Two times?
Mustang: Yeah, I ran into Major General Armstrong earlier.
She left no room for interpretation, either.

Hawkeye: Same as ever, then?
Mustang: Yeah, she's as harsh as the last time we met.
SFX: Blah blah

Page 15:
Hawkeye: Speaking of the north...

Scar's worked his way up there...
and so have the Elric brothers .

Mustang: Really?
SFX: Tap tap

Hawkeye: Lucy and Isaac from my academy class are up there, too...they taught me a lot.
Mustang: Hunh...
That reminds me, we'll be doing joint training with the north very soon.
SFX: Blah blah

Hawkeye: Is it time for that already?
I remember working with Major Miles' and Captain Buccaneer's units several times.
Their hairstyles are burned into my memory, even more so than their fighting ability.
I always found myself wondering, "Aren't those two COLD"?

Page 16:
Hawkeye: And remember my friend Rebbecca?
Mustang: Yeah, the black-haired girl.
Hawkeye: General Armstrong took a liking to her - she was so excited when she told me.
Mustang:
SFX: Blah blah

Hawkeye: I don't think she considered me anything special,
she called for Dove, Lysander, Edgar, and even York to join her...
The Queen of Briggs never had anything but sharp criticism for me.
SFX: Blah blah

Hawkeye:Then she asked for Ida and Sugar,
I guess I was even lower than them in her eyes...
SFX: Blah Blah

Hawkeye: The trenches in the north were the worst ones I've ever been in.
Mustang: No one in their right minds would ever try to take them during the dead of winter.
Hawkeye: 2nd Lieutenant Havoc got frostbite...he wasn't quiet about it, either.
Mustang: Served him right - the idiot's socks were soaked in sweat and he didn't dry them out.
SFX: Blah blah

Hawkeye: Oscar and Mike were complaining non-stop during the winter training.
Mustang: I'll bet. No one likes being out in that frigid weather.
Hawkeye: Actually, it was about how bad the north's rations tasted.
Mustang: They don't know how good they had it! Nothing's worse up there than the coffee!

Page 17:
Hawkeye: And my friend Uni, who worked in the mess hall?
Mustang: Ah, him. They sent him to bring some supplies back to the fort...
Hawkeye: He went with Nora, since she was a great sniper, and the brought back a nice big deer.
SFX: Clank clank

It was delicious...Charlie grabbed it on the sly and Uni didn't get a single bite.
Mustang: That was his own fault. One of the sayings in Briggs is "Drop your guard and you'll be devoured."
SFX: Clank clank

Hawkeye: Of course, Lucy was always the biggest eater.
Mustang: She'd gained some serious weight the last time I saw her.
I mean, she was on par with BREDA.
SFX: Clank clank

Hawkeye: I heard Uni once joked that if she "ate any more pork, she'd be cooked for dinner tomorrow."
Mustang: Oh man, that started one hell of a fight!
Small text: Hehehe

Hawkeye: If you were there, you should've stopped it.
Starling tried to calm them down and he ended up in the hospital!
SFX: clak

Page 18:
Mustang: That takes me back...
Wow.
Small text: Hahaha
SFX: Tak

Hawkeye: Well, I don't have any more time for chit-chatting.
I've got to get back to work.
Mustang: Right.
SFX: Scoot

Hawkeye: Sorry to leave you alone.
Mustang: No problem.

Mustang: Crap,
I've only got a few minutes to hit the bathroom.

Page 19:
SFX: Flushhhhhh tak tak katunk

Mustang: "Scar" is in the north,
as well as the "Elrics"...
SFX: scribble

"Lucy..."
and "Isaac" taught her a lot...

"Miles"
"Buccaneer"
"Rebecca"
SFX: Scribble"

"Armstrong"
"Dove" and "Lysander"
Next was "Edgar"...
SFX: Scribble scribble

Page 20:
Mustang: "York",
"Ida",
"Sugar"...

"Havoc",
"Oscar",
"Mike",
SFX: scribble scribble scribble

"Uni",
"Nora"...

Page 21:
Mason: That'll be 850 Cenz, and I'll give you a little extra.
Woman: Oh, thank you!

Mason: Come back soon!
Radio: Snow continues to fall on Briggs,
and today brings another strong blizzard.

Boy: Bye Mr. Mason!
Mason: Bye now!

SFX: Vrum

Page 22:
SFX: Katunk katunk

Officer: Is the Alchemist Izumi Curtis present?

Mason: She and her husband left on a trip yesterday.
I'm watching the store while they're gone.

Officer: Where did they go?
Mason: Dunno,
Traveling is one of their hobbies, so they usually don't come back until they feel like it.

Officer 2: Are you sure she's not here?
Don't try to hide them.
SFX: Blink

Page 23:
Mason: Look, if she ain't here, she ain't here!
Who do you people think you are, anyways? Coming over here outta nowhere and demanding to see Mrs. Izumi...

Officer: We're here on the Fuhrer's orders.

Mason: The Fuhrer?
SFX: Grab

Bido: The Fuhrer's goons...
Mason: I really have no idea when they'll be back.

Page 24:
Bido: It's them...

They're the ones who abducted Master Greed!

Officer: Very well. We'll be leaving this area later today.
Tell her to contact me as soon as she returns.

SFX: Vruummm

People: What did they want?
What nerve!
Really...

SFX: Vrumrumrumrumrum

Page 25:
SFX: Vrumrumrumrumrum

SFX: Vrumrumrumrumrum

SFX: Clang clang clang

SFX: Clang clang clang

Greed: Hunh.
This is a rare sight, you almost never come by,
SFX: tak tak tak

Page 26:
Greed: Pride.
SFX: Clang clang clang

Greed: What's dad up to?
Pride: He's sleeping.
SFX: Claclang

Greed: Heh...
Two rare sights in one day.
SFX: Clang clang

clang

clang...

Page 27:
All the small sky SFX: Jibber Jabber

Page 28:
SFX: Jibber Jabber

SFX: Swish swish

Swish swish

Flask: Kid...
Hey, Kid...

Hellooooo...
Anyone home?

Page 29:
Flask: Ah-
You're ignoring me.
SFX: Swish swish

Come here...
C'mon, over here.
On the shelf.

Page 30:
Flask: Here.

Boy: I'm busy. I'll with to you later.

Flask: Shouldn't you, say, act a little surprised or impressed or something?
Boy: You gonna give me something if I do?
SFX: splash splash

Page 31:
Flask: Don't scare easily, do you? I like that.
What's your name?

Boy: Number 23.
Flask: 23? I want a name, not a number.

Boy: Don't have one.
I'm just a slave.

Flask: A slave...
"Humans with no rights or freedom who are bought, sold exchanged between other humans in legal conveyance," right?

Boy: Con-WHAT-ance?
Flask: "The transfer of ownership rights to an outside party."

Boy: Tr-...huh?

Flask: Boy, you're stupid.
Boy: Screw you, asshole!

Page 32:
Flask: You know, I have no idea why I'm like this, or how I came to be.

It must've been you
who gave me his blood.
Boy: Blood...

Yeah, when he was experimenting on me, my master DID take a lot of blood...

Flask: Then you are the one who gave me life.
You have my gratitude, uh...

"23" sounds so cold.
Why don't I give you a name, as thanks?
Boy: Who do you think you ARE, anyway?

Flask: Who cares? It'll be a great name, I promise.
Let's see...Theo...
Theofilatos Bombastus...

Page 33:
Flask: Va-
Boy: Waaaay too long.

Flask: Right, right, you're stupid, you won't be able to remember anything long...
Boy: Quit calling me stupid!

Flask: Okay, Van...

Van Hoenheim.

Page 34:
Boy: "Van Hoenheim..." I think I can remember that.
Flask: It's spelled...
Actually, can you read or write?

Hoenheim: Nope.
But I can do my work just fine.

Flask: Then you'll be stuck here forever.

Don't you wish for freedom, for liberty, Hoenheim?

Will you live your life to the end as a slave, bound to others, with no rights of your own?
Trapped in a web, left to rot, dying with your freedom stolen and no knowledge or experience of the vast world we live in?

Page 35:
Flask: Because that's the same as living in a flask, as I do.

Knowledge is to be treasured. It is true power - the only way to live a life without becoming a burden to others.
The way a slave, like you, can escape his shackles.

I can give you knowledge,
Van Hoenheim.

Hoenheim: ...Who are you?
What...what's YOUR name?
SFX: Fizz

Page 36:
Flash: Why don't you just call me
"Homunculus."
SFX: Grinnnnnn

Mustang: What the hell is this...
SFX: Fwoosh

[H: Considering the first "L" in "Bladley" was "Rebecca" that's clearly a fuck-up. I'd suggest scanlators try to change it to "Bradley".]
Mustang: Selim Bradley is Homunculus...!!

Impossible...
It can't be...
can it?!
Text: The true form of the darkness, revealed!