Zo's notes~

Well, well, well. It seems we have us here a Fullmetal Alchemist fanfiction. Sorry to say that Ed and Al will NOT be in this fanfic, it is two real people placed in their world, about two years after FMA Brotherhood concludes. Ed and Al WILL be mentioned, but, most likely, nothing more. I anxiously await feedback, and I hope you enjoy my own FMA universe story.

Chapter 1: Hope

Erika quivered in fear and pain. "No," she whispered to herself, sobbing with agony. "I couldn't save you..."

The somewhat muscular teenage girl writhed on the blood-drenched wooden floor, cursing at herself under her breath for even attempting a human transmutation. She had almost lost her only family, who, even then, was really just a friend.

Just a torso, head and legs, Erika lay on the floor, bleeding and breathing heavily as she cried.

…..

…..

... Sister?

Noa awoke, so to speak, confused, but not dazed. She could feel nothing, but as she attempted to move, she saw that her placement had changed. She saw her only friend nearby, sobbing, slowly bleeding to death. With closer inspection, Noa realized that her friend's arms were both missing.

Sh-

Please, please tell me I'm not a...

Noa looked down at her body.

Oh, shiiiiiiiit.

Noa realized exactly what happened. She herself had been bleeding to death from being tortured by a murdering maniac, a man who called himself Gore. It was obvious that Erika had attempted to either bring her back from the dead, or somehow save her life. She had heard the stories of the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother. Would they have to go down the same path?

Please, be a dream!

The older girl, now a suit of kendo armor (a wonderful, fun thing, you understand), picked up her friend and ran to the nearest automail shop, luckily a good friend of the two girls, who had lived together for years now. It was also lucky that they only lived around the corner.

"Please, tell me you can help her," Noa begged, holding onto Erika tightly. "Help her..."

Mr. and Mrs. Willan immediately began treating Erika's stumps, and made sure they healed properly. It took quite some time, almost a week, before the poor, but strong willed, girl would wake up.

Noa was now a suit of kendo armor. Her face was nonexpresive, except for a pair of soulfire eyes that shone with sadness and admiration for her sisterlike friend.

No, this can't be happening again.