Disclaimer: I don't own any FMA characters. This story is based on Shakespear's play "Taming of the Shrew".

Note: This story does not exactly follows the FMA time line.

1) Ed and Al never lived in Resembool.

2) Ed and Al tried to transmute their mother at age 20 and 19.

3)Ed and Winry never met before this chapter.

4) Ed joined the military at age 20.

Chapter 1

Al…Al…Mom…

Mom died nine years ago…Al and I traveled all over the world to learn alchemy and to find a way to revive her. For nine years…nine years…we learned everything we know…I thought we are ready…

But I was wrong…I looked over my father's transmutation equation. I gathered all the ingredients that a human body composed. I cut my flesh to call out to her soul. I thought everything would go well. Just as my brother and I placed our hands on the transmutation circle, things went wrong. They took my little brother. I chased after him. I ran…I ran…

Until I ran up to the Gate…the gate opened, it showed me all the knowledge about alchemy…the knowledge that I yet known…in exchange, it took my arm. I didn't care about my arm, all I wanted was my little brother, the only family I have….I was able to transmute his soul and attached it on a gigantic armor. And in exchange, it took my leg…I bled…I bled from the heart and from the limbs…it hurts…but that pain was nothing compared to Al's…

Al…

Al…

AL!

Ed awoke in sweat. Panting, he looked around, everything was white. It wasn't his house. It wasn't his room. Where was he? Before he could think about anything else, he realized that he was in pain. Something was missing—his limbs. He couldn't feel his right arm and left leg. They were gone. Where is Al? Ed wondered. Before he could say anything, he sank into unconsciousness.

When he came to, he saw a gigantic armor sitting next to his bed. And there was another person, a tall man in blue military uniform.

"Brother…" the armor talked. Its voice sounded like Al's. Of course, it was Al. It was the armor with his soul attached to it.

"Glad that you are awake, shorty," the man said to him with a smirk. Ed wanted to smack him. He was 5'4'', not that short. Well, maybe for a twenty years-old guy. He was short among the other kids when he was young. His mother often reasoned that it was due to the fact that he refuses to drink milk. That was true. Ed had always hated milk. But whatever that caused his shortness, he could not stand anyone in the world calling him short.

"Who are you calling short?" Ed said weakly. Although he was angry, he was not in the condition to fight.

"I'm Colonel Roy Mustang," the man told him, took out his silver watch. "Your brother took you here just in time."

Ed looked at Al, the gigantic armor. "Al…"

"It's okay, brother. I'm here. I'm fine."

"Al…" Ed whispered, with tears in his eyes, realized that he was in a hospital. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't…"

"You said your theory and equation are right."

"It's not the equations Al, it's us who are wrong."

"Mom…"

"She…she isn't human."

"So, you two tried to transmute humans, huh," the man named Roy said. "You know that human transmutation is against the law, legally and scientifically."

"What are going to do, arrest us?" Ed asked with annoyance.

"No, that's not what I have in mind," Roy looked at Ed with curiosity. "If you can survive after such a powerful human transmutation, then I am quite interested in you, more than in your father."

"My father…"

Roy took out an envelope. "You are searching for your father, right?"

"No," Ed looked away. "I don't care about that bastard. He abandoned us. He didn't even come back when mom died. I don't give a damn about him."

"We can put him aside for now," Roy said. "A man like you, I think, is very suitable to be a state alchemist."

"State alchemist?" Al asked.

"Yes, state alchemist."

"Sorry, I'm not interested to be one of you dogs of military," Ed said. "Now I need to rest, you can go."

"My name is Roy Mustang. My rank is Colonel. My second name is the Flame Alchemist. Remember that." Roy told him and left.

"You know, brother, maybe…"

"Maybe what? Don't you remember what our teacher told us? 'Never be a dog of military. Once you become one, you would have to use your alchemy skills to the state's benefit only, even if it means to take the lives of the innocents.'"

"Yeah, it's true…but I also heard that state alchemists can access to the sources of alchemy that ordinary people can't. If we become the state alchemist, we might…"

Ed looked up at the ceiling. Al did have a point. If he became the state alchemist, he would have the access to the information on alchemy that he never seen before. Perhaps then he would find a way to restore his body and Al's.

"You would like to have your body back, right Al?" Ed asked.

"Of course, and I would like to restore your arm and leg."

"Then, when I'm better, let's go find that Mustang guy."

"Sure."

The two brothers made the decision: they would join the state military and become state alchemists. There may be unpleasantness ahead, but the risks were worth to take. Yet, there was one problem the brothers were facing: Ed needed a new arm and new leg. Without them, he couldn't go anywhere, let alone join the military.

---x---x---

A few days later, Ed phoned Mustang. He told him that he is interested to become a state alchemist, but he is not able to do anything unless he has a new arm and a new leg.

"Need new limbs?" Roy asked. Then he laughed. "That's no problem. Get automails."

"Automails?"

"Yes, those mechanic limbs. Never heard of them?"

"Sound familiar…I probably have."

"The automails are mechanic body parts that can replace the lost ones. I heard that they even work out better than normal body parts."

"Really?" Ed paused for a second. "Where can I get them? How much do they cost?"

"…" Mustang was silent on the other side of the line. "I'll be seeing you at the end of the day." Then he hung up.

Ed could guess what he meant—automails are not cheap. But he and Al did not have that much of money. Their parents had left them quite some money, but they spent up most of it on their journeys. He could get automails, but he couldn't afford them.

That evening, Mustang arrived with his three subordinates. Mustang may often act like an arrogant jerk, but his subordinates were nice enough. He also brought along his best friend, Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes.

"It's nice to see you boys," Hughes said, with a warm smile. "Here," he took out a photo of a little girl who was about three. "This is my daughter Elysia. Isn't she an angel?"

"Yeah, she is adorable," Ed said. Then he turned to Mustang. "You come to talk to me about automails, colonel?"

"I have the sense that you worry about the price."

"True, Al and I are not millionaires. From your tone of voice, I can tell that it's not cheap."

"You got that right."

"I have a suggestion!" Havoc, one of Mustang subordinates cut in, took out the cigarette from his mouth. "There is a place called Rush Valley. I heard there are some automail mechanics with big hearts. If you can tell them your story, maybe they would give you a big discount."

"You mean if I tell them a story that is pity enough they would even give me the automails for free?" Ed said, somewhat angered. He may have lost his limbs, but he needed no one's pity.

"Hey, don't take this the wrong way. Right now, the question is how to get your automails."

"Hmmmm…." Hughes rubbed the bottom of his chin, thinking about something.

"Something on your mind Hughes?" Mustang asked him.

"I heard, that there is an automail shop down in a village called Resembool. It's not very far from here, only miles away from the east. Anyway, it was owned by a grandmother and her granddaughter. They are the Rockbells."

"What about them? They give out automails for free?" Ed asked.

"Not exactly. The Grandmother Rockbell is quite a strange little old woman. I heard that if any male customer would take her granddaughter as his wife, she would supply him with much as automails he needs for the rest of his life, without any charge." He looked at Ed, chuckled. "After all, you don't need to pay for anything once you are family."

"Are you talking about the Shrew of Resembool?" Breda, another Mustang's subordinate asked.

"The Shrew of Resembool?" Ed looked at him with curiosity.

"Oh yeah, I heard of her," Fury, the Mustang's third subordinate added. "I have seen her actually. It was two years ago. I went down to Resembool to visit an old friend of mine. One day he went to the Rockbells to deliver groceries. He knocked on the door, there was no respond. So, we waited. After we waited long enough, my friend lost his patience, so he began to bang the door. Before he knew it, the door sprang open and a wrench was launched at us. There she was, the Shrew of Resembool. She was screaming something at us with a pointing finger. Then she was throwing another wrench at us. My friend grabbed me and ran."

"What does she look like?" Al asked.

"I heard that she's quite beautiful. I didn't really pay any attention to her looks, because I was busy dodging from her flying wrench. My friend told me that everything about her is perfect, except for being a shrew."

"No one in the village wanted to marry her," Breda said. "It's not hard to understand. Her temper of hell scared every man away. She probably would end up as a spinster in her grandmother's shop for the rest of her life."

"Which is why her grandmother would make such an offer: marry her granddaughter, and you can have automails as part of her dowry," Hughes finished the story.

"How old is she?" Ed asked.

"About eighteen," Breda replied.

Ed shut his eyes for a while, then he told Mustang, "When I'm well enough to travel, I will head down to Resembool."

"Brother, are you saying…"

"Yes, Al. What choices do we have? We are penniless."

"But you know what you are doing, right?" Hughes reminded him. "You are taking her as your wife."

"Yeah, a kid like you, I'm not so sure you know how to handle a woman, let alone a shrew," Havoc said.

"A kid? WHO ARE YOU CALLING A KID?" Ed yelled at him.

"Calm down, Edward Elric," Mustang said. "We are trying to remind you that you are not making a business deal. You are talking about getting married."

"I know."

"And let me just remind you that you can't just marry her today and divorce her tomorrow. If you do that, even if the state allows, she would probably take the automail home with her."

"Colonel's right," Havoc agreed. "Youwill bestuck with her for the rest of your life!"

Ed hung his head, let out a deep sigh. "Like I said, I don't have any choice. Plus, what kind of a woman would want to marry a man without limbs and a little brother who is a huge armor? Maybe, this is somewhat of a…a destiny, if that's what you call it."

"All right then, Edward," Hughes said. "It's your choice. Just remember, she may be pretty, but she's a shrew!"

"So what? I can be more of a shrew than she is!"

"Think you can tame her?" Mustang teased.

Ed only smirked.

---x---x---

One month later, Ed and Al headed down to Resembool. Mustang and Havoc came along. Mustang just wanted to make sure Ed get to Resembool safely while Havoc was interested to meet the beautiful "shrew".

Resembool was a village in the countryside. The air was fresh and the sky was clear. The four of them couldn't help but admire the wonderful surroundings. Yet, their admirations were interrupted by a man running fast as a deer toward them. He had a missing arm.

"Hey," Mustang grabbed his shoulder. "What are you running from?"

"I…I…" the man could hardly catch his breath. "I'm running away from that old woman!"

"The old lady Rockbell?" Havoc asked.

"Yes, that's her!"

"Why are you running away from her?" Al asked.

"Originally, I was going to buy an automail arm from her. Then, she offered me the automail for free, if I would marry her granddaughter. Hell, no! I rather live with one arm than marrying that girl! Then the old woman refused to let me leave. And that shrew came and smacked me with a…a…

"A wrench?" Mustang asked.

"Yeah, a wrench."

"By the way, where do they live?" Ed asked. "I need an automail. And I heard they make the best ones."

"They live right down this road," the man looked at Ed. "Some bad luck got you that caused you lose your arm and leg? Listen to my advice, kid. Go somewhere else. Anywhere is better than the Rockbells."

"I heard about the Shrew of Resembool. And I need automails and I am lack of money. So, basically, you are looking at the future husband of that shrew."

The man gave Ed a strange look. "Kid, you are crazy. But, this is your life, have it your way."

And he ran away.

"Guess that girl is really something," Havoc murmured.

They walked down the road, and at last, they found the house of Rockbell. It was a long walk, since it was an isolated little town with people lived scattered around. All four of them were exhausted. When they arrived to the front door, one of them had to go and knock. But who?

Ed was out of the question. Al had to carry Ed. That left up to Havoc and Mustang. Havoc looked at Mustang and Mustang looked back at him. Finally, Mustang went and knocked on the door. He waited, but there was no response. He knocked again. Then, he lost his patience. Angrily, he banged on the door.

"IS ANYONE IN HERE?" he shouted.

WHACK! Before he knew it, Mustang felt something hit against his head, hard. Immediately, he fell on his head. A wrench landed next to him. It flew from the above. Havoc, Ed and Al looked up. From the window, there stood a young woman in her late teens. Milky skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. Her figure was slim. Not bad. Fury was right, she was beautiful, Ed thought. So this must be Winry.

This girl named Winry a.k.a the Shrew of Resembool looked angrily at them.

"WHAT ARE YOU BANGING ON THE DOOR FOR? DON'T YOU GOT ANY MANNERS?" she shouted at him. With that said, she smashed the window shut, nearly shuttered the glass into pieces. Mustang remained on the ground, moaning.

"Is that the shrew?" he asked.

"That's my future bride," Ed said.

From the Author: I know that I have mentioned about my story "The Breakup". However, after relooked at the plot, I found that its plot is very similar to the plot of my very recent story "Dangerous Liaisons". So I decided to put that story on hold.