Bittersweet Birthday

She arrived at Central Headquarters shortly after her train stopped in the capital city on a chilly January morning. Honestly, she would prefer to be with her husband in Dublith, where it was nice and warm this time of year, but it had been nearly eight months since she had last seen her students. She was long overdue to see how they were doing. Plus today was a special day.

"Teacher!" Yelled a surprisingly deep voice from the large front doors of the building.

Izumi smiled as she made her way towards the boy. "You seem to get taller each time I see you, Alphonse."

"Yeah. I already past Brother's height when he was seventeen a long time ago," Al laughed.

"Speaking of Ed," Izumi said. "Where is he?"

Motioning to the door before leading the woman inside, Al answered, "He's with the General in the cafeteria. He kept getting in the way".

"I can imagine," she chuckled.

As they neared their destination, Izumi heard the incessant barking of a dog, followed by the thundering voice of Major General Mustang.

Alphonse laughed. "He's really excited today."

"It's not every day you turn twenty-one."

The boy stopped, his well-worn mask finally crumbling as he laid eyes on his older brother. "I just wish…he could spend his birthday normally…"

Izumi followed his gaze into the room. Pain seemed to shoot through her chest as she saw the young man who felt so much like her own son; memories of events begging to be forgotten still fresh in her mind.

It had been nearly a year since they found him after three years of being labeled MIA. After officially being declared deceased a year into his disappearance, no one had any hope left that Edward was still alive; not even Alphonse. The boy was devastated to hear his only family had disappeared during his first mission as a Colonel. Convincing him that his brother was really gone, after everything they had gone through together, was one of the hardest things Izumi had ever had to do.

But then, two years later a group of soldiers, led by First Lieutenant Jean Havoc, discovered a secret lab hidden deep within the mines of Youswell that had been conducting illegal experiments on several missing persons throughout Amestris. The biggest surprise, however, was finding the Fullmetal Alchemist huddled in a corner, frightened, hurt, and incredibly malnourished. At first glance, he appeared to be just a regular dog but for his golden mane covering his head and shoulders. This thinned out over his back before fanning out to cover his long tail with blond hair. The rest of Edward's body was coated with short brown fur, while his pointed ears were almost black. His eyes were the only things about his appearance that hinted this young chimera once was a human.

After the alchemists responsible were arrested, Ed was taken to Central, where Havoc left him in Mustang's care. Al was called in from Rizembool, and together, he and the General nursed the chimera back to health while trying to find a way to return him back the way he was.

Unfortunately, they soon discovered that years of being in that form, with the alchemists "fixing" anything they saw imperfect or flawed had left them with a perfectly seamless chimera. Ed's bones and muscles had settled and adjusted to the change so thoroughly, any attempt to separate him from the dog would most likely have the same result as it did with Nina Tucker. None of them were willing to risk that.

Ed wasn't in any physical pain anymore, but the fact that someone as utterly brilliant as the Fullmetal Alchemist could be reduced to an animal with the mindset of a four-year-old child hurt his friends and family more than the young man would ever know.

Izumi glanced over at her youngest student, sadness written clearly on his face. She knew he tried to stay strong for Ed, but the fifteen-year-old could only handle so much before he finally broke down. "Al," she started, placing a gentle arm around the boy's shoulders. "Regardless of his current situation, Ed is happy." She nodded toward the chimera, who was currently running circles around various soldiers as they attempted to get a late breakfast before a long day at Central HQ. "Don't you think he wants you to be happy too?"

"I know but…" Al sniffed, holding back a sob. "Brother worked so hard to get my body back…now he's the one without his regular body, and there's nothing I can do about it except-"

He was cut off by a painful squeeze of his shoulder. "Don't you even start thinking that way again," the woman warned him, eyes fierce. "You know what it takes to make a Philosopher's Stone, and you two already used up the one you had to get your bodies back the first time. Even if you did have the inhumanity to make another one, which I know you don't, because you're better than that, do you really think Ed would be satisfied knowing he got his mind and body back because his brother slaughtered thousands of people? Do you really think so little of him now?"

"Of course not!" Alphonse protested. "I just…we were finally normal again, and then…It's not fair."

Before Al knew what was happening, his teacher twirled him around and wrapped him in a tight hug. "I know it's not fair, Al. You boys have been through far too much, and I'm so sorry you've had so many obstacles in your way to happiness. But you have too many people who care about you for you to make another mistake. You know if you failed at this, it could kill Ed, yourself, even both of you. We're not about to let that happen." Her voice became more firm, her grip tighter as she continued, feeling the trembling in the thin frame in her arms. "Ed always said, 'when things get tough, you have to move on; move forward. You ha-'"

"You have a good, strong pair of legs, you should get up and use them," the boy finished quietly, voice cracking. He buried his face in Izumi's shoulder as the dam finally broke. Clinging tightly to the woman who had become his second mother, Al cried out the grief that had been building up for so long.

Izumi stroked his hair; heart aching, as she knew this was all she could do for her boys. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the face of General Mustang, who bore a sad smile that reflected the one she knew was on her face as well.

Al pulled away suddenly as he felt a tugging on his pant leg. He looked down to see the big golden eyes of his brother, head cocked to the side in questioning.

"Why is Al crying?" Ed asked, voice sounding more normal after the recent surgery to fix his larynx, though it still sounded slightly warped.

Al wiped his eyes with his sleeve as he kneeled down to be eye level with his brother. Putting on his best reassuring smile, he replied, "It's nothing, Ed. I'm just feeling a little sad, is all".

Tail wagging, Ed put a paw on his brother's bended knee and gave the boy's chin a lick as he said, "Play with Ed! Then Al won't be sad no more!"

Al laughed at the chimera's simple way of solving any sort of negative feelings. "I thought you were in time out," he told him with a knowing smirk.

"Oh?" Izumi said, a smile coming to her own face as well. "Was Ed being bad on his birthday?"

"No!" he objected, head jerking up to look at the tall woman, who smelled of all kinds of delicious meat. "Ed is a good boy! It was Black! Black is mean," he grumbled, eyes narrowing in a glare.

"Black?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye's dog, Black Hayate," Al offered. "They…don't get along very well. But the General and I have both told Ed not to fight with Hayate anymore," he sent a disapproving glare his brother's way. "He apparently didn't get the message, so he's been in time-out here, instead of with everyone else in the General's office."

Ed whimpered, tail between his legs. "Black is mean," he repeated. He jumped as Mustang's booming voice barked behind him.

"And didn't I tell you not to let him bait you like that?"

"Black is mean, Roy!" the chimera yelled as he whirled around to face the man. "He bites and pounces on Ed when Ed is minding Ed's own business!"

Mustang sighed. "I told you, when he does that, go tell Riza, don't try to bite him back. That just causes to you to end up in time-out again, doesn't it?"

Ed lowered his head for a brief moment before turning back to Alphonse. "Al is nice; doesn't bite Ed. Al should come play with Ed." He looked up to Izumi. "Teacher too…just don't bite. Roy said biting is bad."

The woman couldn't help but laugh. "I take it you've had a problem with this before?" she asked said caretaker.

"You have no idea."

Al scratched behind his brother's ear as he stood up. "Would it be alright if we played out back? I think the people here probably want to eat in peace."

The chimera barked in excitement as Roy gave an affirming nod, then lead them to the grassy courtyard behind the massive building. He and Izumi sat down on a nearby bench as they watched the brothers chase each other through the large space.

"So I take it things are going well?" the woman started after a pregnant pause.

Mustang reclined in his seat, trying to get comfortable on the hard surface. "Considering his condition nine months ago, Edward is doing a lot better. He eats just as much as he used to, and has finally gotten to a healthy weight. Basically, he's doing great physically. We've been trying to work with his speech; get him to talk normally, but it's slow going. It's like the dog brain just clouded all of his thoughts and made them slower, simpler. Gracia's helped out a lot with disciplining him; we use a lot of tactics she used with Elysia. They seem to be working fairly well. That is, except when it comes to Black Hayate. The dog is normally very well behaved, but Hawkeye thinks he's adopted Ed as his pup, and likes to keep him in line; show him he's the boss." He chuckled. "Needless to say, Ed can't stand it."

"He always did have a problem listening to his elders," Izumi added knowingly. After a stretch of silence, she asked, "And the rest of you? I talked with Al earlier, but what about you and your men? I know you all care about him, it's practically impossible not to. Are you all handling it well?"

Roy glanced at her, not missing the unspoken question of, "are you okay?" Sighing, he said, "Things would be better if none of this ever happened, but everyone's holding up. Not to say it doesn't get difficult seeing him like this. God only knows how much I wish things were like they were before, but we've accepted things for what they are. We all know it's impossible to do more for Ed than we already are. We try to make his life as enjoyable as possible; give him the childhood he never got."

"And you? You spoke a lot of 'we', but what of Roy Mustang?"

The General rubbed his temple, not wanting to have this conversation, but knowing a woman like Izumi Curtiss wouldn't take no for an answer. "I don't know…some days he's the sweetest person in the world and others he's a real brat, and he's gotten so clingy. He can't stand being alone. If he's not by my side, he's by Al's and he cries if we even leave him to go to the bathroom. He's just…not Fullmetal anymore."

Izumi gave him a sad smile. "You're right. He's not Fullmetal anymore; he's Edward. And Edward has been through a very traumatic experience, one he suffered through all alone. You and Al have become his protectors; you're the ones he trusts with his life. And I've no doubt he would do whatever he could to protect you as well. I also have no doubt that if he were in his right mind right now, Ed would bite anyone who even thought of showing him pity."

Roy laughed. "You may have a point there. Though I'd have to put him in time-out again for biting."

The woman chuckled behind her hand, but before she could reply, a young feminine voice called from the doorway to the building.

"We're ready!"

A gold and brown blur blew past them, tackling the woman before she could even react, shouting, "Winry! Winry! Winry!" and licking her face happily.

She laughed, attempting to push the hyper chimera off of her. "Okay, okay, I get it; you're excited."

"Yes! 'Cause it's Ed's birfday, Winry!"

Standing up and brushing herself off, Winry looked towards the remaining few in the courtyard. "Riza told me to come get you all. She said we're ready to start." Then eying Ed, "That is, if the Birthday Boy is out of time-out now."

The chimera looked to his caretaker, a pleading look in his eyes. "Ed is a good boy now, Roy."

"I don't know," Mustang started, an amused glint in his own eyes. "Can you really get along with Hayate?"

Ed nodded his head roughly, his eyes taking a minute to refocus after such quick movement once he stopped. "Ed is good. Now can Ed have cake?"

They all laughed as Roy told him, "Alright, let's go party before you explode from all that excitement".

~oOo~

They had decided to throw him a party as if everything were normal. The cooks in the cafeteria had been nice enough to whip them up a small feast, which they ate in Mustangs office. The room was currently decorated with brightly colored streamers and balloons, much to the man's chagrin. Gracia supplied the cakes, a special one that wasn't harmful to dogs for Ed and one for the rest of them. Presents were piled up on the General's desk, while they ate at the tables Havoc, Breda, Falman, and Fury had dragged in earlier that morning.

Everyone chattered about nothing in particular as they consumed the delicious food. Though no one voiced it, they all bore the same sad look in their eyes every time they looked at the Birthday Boy. They all cared so much for him, and it pained them to see him in this state. Their grief was hidden well from Ed though, who couldn't seem to hold his tail still or stop talking to those around him long enough to eat. After all, it wasn't often all his friends were gathered in one place.

Once the party had had their fill of the meal, Mrs. Hughes prepared Edward's cake, putting twenty-one candles in it and lighting them. This was quite a feat, considering the cake was fairly small, meant for one. Alphonse had to grab him to keep him from sticking his face in the flaming cake while they sang to him. Ed howled happily along with them then, once finished singing and ordered to do so, attempted to blow out his candles. Elysia tried to show him how by smashing her face up and blowing on the smoke filtering off of Havoc's cigarette, but the chimera's mouth was unable to move like the girl's was.

When the candles started dripping, Ed let out a frustrated, "No! Don't poop on Ed's cake!" He looked to his brother. "Help, Al. Candles are being bad!"

The boy chuckled. "Sure, I'll help. But you have to make a wish when the candles go out, okay?"

"'Kay."

Al took a deep breath, then blew on the candles that were already starting to go out on their own.

Once the flames had all been extinguished, Ed closed his eyes and said aloud, "Ed wishes Al will be happy, 'cause Ed doesn't want to see Al cry anymore". He opened his eyes to see surprised looks staring back at him, one in particular coming from a teary-eyed Alphonse. Edward leaned forward and licked a tear off of his brother's cheek. "No crying, Al. Be happy!"

Izumi gave a small cough from the other end of the table, catching the boy's attention. Al looked at her to see an "I told you so" look on her face.

"Sorry, Brother," Alphonse said, petting the chimera's head. "I don't mean to cry all the time. And I am happy. I have you here with me and you're happy, right?"

"Yes! Ed is very happy. Ed has Al and Roy and everybody here, and that makes Ed very, very happy."

"Then as long as you're happy, then I'm happy too." He moved his hand to scratch behind his brother's ear, saying, "Happy Birthday, Brother".

Edward licked his face once more before turning and diving into his cake, eating candles and all.

A/N: This little plot bunny has been scurrying around in my head for a while now, so I finally decided to catch it and do something with it. I think chimera!Ed (particularly dog) is absolutely adorable. x3 Unfortunately for him in this story, the alchemists who turned him into a chimera were at Shou Tucker's level, so he wasn't as advanced as Marta or the others created by the military. I'd imagine though, since Ed is a genius, as a dumb chimera, he'd be significantly smarter than if he were of a normal IQ level. So instead of having the mind of a dog, only repeating words he hears, he has the mind of a four-year-old human.

This is just a one-shot, so I highly doubt there will be more…I honestly don't know where else I would take this, so if anyone wants to take this idea and make a story out of it, feel free to do so. Just let me know about it, okay? Because I want to read it. xD

Disclaimer: I own nothing. All things FMA belong to Arakawa-sensei. This was merely written for the amusement of myself and other FMA fans, and I get nothing but enjoyment, wasted time, and sleep depravation from writing this.

Reviews are loved! :D