Ed and Al go on a mission to inspect a mining site in a small dried up town.  When they get there they discover that the people there don't like the military.  Ed finds out that it's because the military man in charge of the mine, Yoki, is taxing the people to death.  Ed uses alchemy to transform stones into gold and "buys" the mine.  He then gives it to the local townsfolk.  Before he can leave though, Yoki and his alchemist confront Ed and Al.  They defeat the alchemist and the townsfolk run the military off.  This is the beginning of Ed's new reputation for being an alchemist "for the people".