This story has been sat around collecting dust for almost a year now and I haven't done anything with it. Mostly because I started back at college and forgot about it. Then I found new things to obsess over and this poor old thing lay dormant. However with summer holidays looming ever nearer once again I have decided that I need to start wrapping up my loose ends occasionally. Thus, this story is being resurrected...
Again I add the warning that this will be yaoi, so if this offends anybody then I would suggest skipping this story and looking elsewhere
Disclaimer: Hiromu Arakawa maybe a woman but I'm afraid she is not this woman.
Chapter 1- Thursday
"We've got about 3 minutes left. Complete the question on the board or you're not leaving." The drill sergeant Miss Higgins instructed. Edward joined the groan which broke out around Central High's Class 2A and he looked unhappily at the slide that had been projected on the whiteboard.
'Calculate the empirical formula of a compound containing calcium and oxygen when oxygen is 16.6 percent'. Ed's immediate grievances were lost at the words and he felt a chuckle rise to his throat as pulled out a particularly useful bit of information from the depths of his memory. Cheerfully he wrote out the chemical formula for quicklime- one of those lovely, quintessential alchemy elements.
"You know you're supposed to work that out; mathematical equations and all that?"
"You're just jealous of my seriously superior knowledge Tringham."
"Hardly," Russell snorted, "who'd be jealous of a little runt like you?"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO LITTLE HE'D BE CRUSHED BY ONE OF HIS OWN BRAIN CELLS?"
"ELRIC! DETENTION!" Miss Higgins screamed back, but was drowned out by the lunch bell and the subsequent stampeding students. Ed, jumped into the sea of disappearing students, threw his answer sheet on the table next to the door and ducked out of the classroom before the angry woman could call him back.
The two second years made it to the heavily packed lunchroom in record time and, ignoring the glares burning into their backs, they made a beeline for a table to the far right. It was made for eight people but of course this had been completely dismissed by the group of nine who were sat in a misshapen circle. Ed slipped into an empty chair sat waiting for him next to his brother, Alphonse.
"Good afternoon."
Roy Mustang sipped his coke as he eyed Edward suspiciously, "What are you so happy about?"
"Nothing," Ed answered, digging through his backpack for lunch.
"He just escaped detention Colonel," Russell provided, although it was slightly muffled as somehow he was already halfway through a sandwich.
"Another one? You're getting good at that. So you took my warning to heart then?" Roy asked with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk.
Ed scowled, "like hell you're going to stick me behind a desk for three months! I'd go crazy shut up in that hellhole: office gossip, bitchy women and stacks of boring paperwork that you can't be arsed to do; I'd probably go on some kind of killing spree." Ed finally gave up rooting about in his bag and turned to his brother. "Hey Al did I…?" Ed stared down at the box that had been slid across the table.
"You forgot it this morning," Al told him.
"Al you're the best little brother a man could ask for," Ed informed him with a grin, quickly prying open his large bento box to devour the contents.
"Only because you treat me like I'm your wife," Al replied unhappily and turned to his other neighbour, leaving Ed to frown at the roughly-shorn hair at the back of his head.
"It's Maths next, right?"
"Yeah," Fletcher Tringham replied, "think we've got a supply today though."
"A supply?" Jean Havoc asked, turning away from the homework tutoring he was receiving from Kain Fuery, "Is it that really hot one? The one with all the..." Havoc made an hourglass gesture with his hands, "...curves?"
"I don't know," Fletcher replied, eyeing the man warily.
"I know the one you mean!" Heymans Breda exclaimed, "The blonde one, she's always wearing skirts and heels."
"Oh Miss Kelly!" Roy supplied helpfully, "yes she is a beautiful example of the female specimen," he proclaimed dreamily.
"HEY! HOW COME YOU KNOW HER FIRST NAME?" Havoc lamented loudly.
Roy leaned back in a quixotic pose, "Oh, we went to a nice little Italian restaurant a few weeks ba…"
"WHAT?" Several voices crushed over his sentence.
As the group around him got drawn into the discussion, Ed noticed Fuery make the mistake of starting a conversation with Alex Armstrong.
"So err… Major. Are you well?" he asked the imposing man politely.
The major turned his head towards the smaller boy slowly and Ed watched as realisation dawned on Fuery's that yet again he'd made some obscure conversational mishap, "Am I well Sergeant?" Armstrong boomed, "Do my beautiful muscles not sing with perfect health?" 'Major' Alex Armstrong demanded, his shirt landing on the head of some poor girl sitting innocently behind him. "Listen to their healthy swell! Listen!" The muscled teen pushed his arm so far into the bespectacled boy's face it pushed against his nose, and flexed it expertly. The man positively sparkled.
Ed sighed and looked away from the frighteningly common spectacle to survey the crowds. The population of Central's dining hall seemed quite content to stare at the half-naked teen: they were no doubt enjoying the lunchtime entertainment; but on the opposite side of the room Envy Homunculus was directing his attention directly at Ed. The purple-eyed teen grinned when he caught Ed's gaze and gave a mock-salute. Ed gave him a glare and the middle finger in response.
Of course, this only seemed to amuse the other further and Ed scowled as he looked pointedly back to his friends. Roy caught his gaze.
"I think the Homunculi want a fight," Roy noted from across the table. The words caused an inactivity to spread amongst the group. They stopped heckling; muscle-flexing; retreating so far back that they were almost lying on Havoc's lap to turn their heads to face Roy. The dining hall population, sensing that the entertainment was over, returned to its meals.
Edward nodded in agreement, "We're not even two days into the year, I think it's a record. I wonder what they want this time."
"No doubt we'll find out soon enough... or we could just ask them." Roy grinned as that plan made itself at home in his mind. Unfortunately it was soon to be dislodged
"And how would you go about explaining that to Father, Colonel?" Riza Hawkeye asked calmly, her hair was pulled gently into a clip but somehow it didn't manage to soften the disapproving features of her face. "That would be provocation and that would be prohibited."
"Relax Riza… it's just a little question," Roy responded flippantly, leaning back in his seat. Riza stared at him for moment before she turned away and proceeded to ignore him, "Riza? Riza come on… it's not like a question is going to kill anyone." He argued with a frown.
"It's Lieutenant," Riza informed Roy coldly, still demolishing her apple in small, efficient bites.
There was an awkward shuffling and glances between other members of the group as the two of them glared at each other.
"Hey, anyone for a game of footie?" Havoc eventually interrupted, his grin a little watery. He got a lot of grateful agreements. As they left, Ed glanced back at the table and wondered if the scowling two had even noticed everyone else leave.
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"I can't believe you were jealous."
"I just don't want to have to listen to you bragging about your past conquests anymore. You are mine now after all."
"You're surprisingly possessive."
"You say that like you weren't practically snarling at Jensen Adams for talking to me in Chemistry yesterday."
"Hmm... that's true. I guess that makes us a pretty good pair then."
Ed listened to the exchange with shock, his face mimicking the slacked jaw expression of everyone else around him. Havoc's after-school cigarette tumbled to the floor unnoticed as the group of boys gaped at the sight of their colonel and 1st lieutenant necking against the side of Roy's old Ford Mustang.
"Woah..." Breda breathed incredulously.
There was a strang silence as the two finally became aware of their audience. Roy stared at them foggily, a silly smile just visible in the corners of his mouth, whilst Riza, looking quite pleased with herself, wiped delicately her mouth with a thumb.
Finally Ed snickered, "so the great Roy Mustang finally met his match..."
"Yes, he does look a little dazed doesn't he?" Russell added, an evil grin beginning to mar his handsome features.
"Well I suppose his womanising reign had to come to an end eventually," Breda added mock-solemnly.
"It was a good reign wasn't it?" Falman continued, a rare wicked smirk slipping across his face, "it began in middle school you know? And now 6 years and 73 women later it finally comes to an end." At this point Ed took a moment to decide that Falman's memory stretched far across the borders of formidable, deep into the land of just downright scary.
"Just think Havoc- he'll never be able to steal another woman again," Russell remarked slyly. The man, who had been a state of lamentation once again, slowly lifted his eyes to stare at him.
"Oh yes, if he ever tried it with anyone else just think what the Lieutenant would do?" Breda snickered. The group turned their very amused attention to their superior- he did not look impressed.
"Home. Now," Roy barked; his annoyance, however, did nothing to dampen the spirits of his men, who continued to giggle and snicker at his expense.
"Sure, sure," Ed sniggered, "come on guys, let's leave our love-struck colonel to his master." There was another round of snickers and Roy looked ready to start snapping his fingers at Ed's trademark blonde plait, which Al apparently took as the cue to get his brother out of there before he got carried away.
"Come on Ed, I'm hungry."
"And miss this opportunity?" Ed replied with raised eyebrows, "I think not. You're such a party pooper." Suddenly his arm swung out to hook around Al's neck, pulling him down so he could grind his knuckles into the top of his brother's head.
"No! Brother, you're too rough!" Al exclaimed struggling free and ducking behind Russell who started to laugh loudly.
"Oh God, that sounded wrong." He gasped out. The two brothers stopped their antics to stare at him.
"You are so sick Tringham," Ed told him seriously, his face pulled in disgust.
"What's this about Ed being rough?" Breda asked from across the room group, his eyes laughing as much as those around him.
Ed spun round to face them, "You're all sick!" he exclaimed appalled, "I'm leaving and I'm taking my little brother away from you perverts." He stalked away with Al trailing behind him, rolling his eyes.
"Don't be too harsh with him Ed- he's only small!" Russell shouted after him.
"SICK!" Ed's voice echoed back and he seethed the group erupted in laughter behind him. "Seriously, those guys...!"
"You are such a hothead brother," Al informed him and then cut him off before he could argue, "Race you home?"
Ed considered him a moment before shooting down the street, "see ya, sucker!" he turned his head to flash a grin and ran headlong into a man walking round the corner. The two of them crashed to the floor and the man's laptop case flew out his hand and smacked into a lamppost with a sickening crack. The owner stared in dismay.
"Oh crap!" Ed exclaimed, "Sorry, old man. Here, let me fix it for you- I'm an alchemist!" Ed had already clapped his hands together and advanced before his victim could say anything.
The laptop-owner just gawked at the light glowing around his case, still only halfway to realising what had just happened.
"There you go, all sorted." Ed smiled toothily as the light disappeared. He held out his hand to help the man up.
"An alchemist?" a deep voice asked from beside them.
Ed spun to face a tall man with dark skin and a scar crossed beneath his sunglasses, "Yeah, why?" he asked warily.
"Do you know of Zolf J. Kimberley, the Crimson Alchemist?" the stranger asked. He was leaning against the wall somewhat lazily, his hands buried in his pockets, but he still cut an imposing figure.
"The one who was involved with the Ishvalans?" Ed asked. Al came up behind him and looked at the stranger curiously.
"Do you know where he is?" the scarred man continued.
"No. After he killed a civilian he was thrown out. No-one really knows what happened to him after that, although it's been said he joined with the Homunculi. Why, what did you want with him?"
"I want to repay him for something," the man replied darkly, his face turned to stare down the street, though Ed got the feeling that it wasn't bricks and mortar that he was seeing.
Ed frowned and scratched his right shoulder absently, "… right. Well if I hear anything…" he made to move away but hesitated, "wait- what's the name?"
"I don't have one," the stranger answered before he pushed away from the wall and walked back the way the boys had come from. Ed and Al watched him go before looking at each other with identical expressions of confusion.
"Do you reckon he's a little… you know?" Ed circled a finger round his temple and made a face.
"Brother! Don't been mean!" Al replied, he shook his head and tugged at Ed's sleeve "come on; let's go home before Mum worries."
"Yeah, 'kay. Still racing?" Al grinned and set off running. "Oi!" Ed shouted after him before giving chase.
The forgotten laptop-owner stared after them and then back at his bag, before musing aloud, "Who'd have thought little kids could be Alchemists too?"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORT?"
"BROTHER WE HAVE TO GO HOME!"
"NOT TIL I'VE TAUGHT THIS GUY A LESSON!"
"BROTHER!"
(F)(U)(L)(L)(M)(E)(T)(A)(L)
Dante stared down at the corpses strewn across the floor with a heavy disdain. She was middle-aged with short brown hair that curled at the ends. Her face was beautiful; perfect features which she'd spent years schooling into perfect expressions; and she moved with the grace of money.
Stepping over a prone form she glided to the middle of room where on a podium was an uncut ruby. At least it looked like an uncut ruby; it was blood red and it was made up of uneven surfaces and jagged edges.
Dante sighed, "It's still not right," she toned disappointedly.
"No. Was it the transmutation circle?" a man asked from his position by the door.
"No," Dante glanced down at the circular chalk line that surrounded her and the stone. She followed one of the three trails of blood from the circle's outline to where it encircled its owner. The carcasses were connected at the corners of a large, upside-down chalk triangle which was inside an even larger chalk circle.
"Do you want me to take care of the bodies?" The man continued.
"Just get some of the servants in here," she commanded. The man disappeared. "There's still not enough getting through." She muttered to herself. She swiped the small stone off its stand and held it closer for inspection, "the composition's perfect, there's just not enough. The dogs aren't enough," she glared round at the canine forms as though they had insulted her. At that moment the man returned with three men dressed in white shirts. The servants quickly started to remove the bodies from the scene, obviously used to the job.
The man watched Dante as she stepped back quickly, his eyebrow cocked questioningly.
"I think we may have to up our game, Pride" Dante replied.
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Hope you enjoyed, please review ^_^