The Rising Dawn
I'd like to give a small thank you to my best friend for helping me out with the title.
"Fullmetal, hold up a minute."
Edward Elric stopped walking and turned to the voice of Colonel Roy Mustang. What could he want to talk to me for? Alphonse and I only just finished one of his mission field trips so what could he possible want? In fact it was just an hour ago I gave him my report.
Mustang stopped right in front of him and Ed braced himself for the worst.
"I thought it would interest you to know that Fuhrer King Bradley announced that the Alchemy Exam will be held in three months from this Thursday."
"I, what?" this was far from what Ed was expecting.
"I meant to tell you after you delivered your report to me." Said the Flame. "Well I suppose I have but my original plan was to tell you then and not an hour later."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I thought it might be fun for you watching new alchemists be recruited from the sidelines and not from inside the arena as you have."
Edward thought back to when he took the Alchemy Exam. The anticipation could've sent the weak hearted into cardiac arrest. He surprised himself that he didn't get an ulcer or something when stress and nerves worked their slow, agonizing curse.
"Well, thanks. But is this a random act of kindness or are you working up to a point of leverage?" Edward asked with a raised eyebrow.
Mustang gave him a fleeting grin and walked away. Ed stared at his retreating back. The Alchemy Exam he thought, this will be so great to watch! A small tremor of excitement worked its way from his little antenna hair even through his automail leg. I gotta tell Al! Where is that overgrown mailbox?
The Fullmetal jogged down the hallway to the room that he and his brother shared, hoping that Al was there. Once in front of the door he yanked it open.
"Hey Al, I . . ."
The room was empty.
"Dad gummit." He mumbled. "I suppose I could always find him using a giant magnet. Oh well, I'll just wait here."
Excited tremors still flooded his body about once every four minutes until Al entered the room at around dusk. Ed jumped up, eagerly hoping no one had told Al yet.
"Hey Al, did ya hear?"
"Hear what, Brother?"
Perfect, thought Ed. I'll be the first to tell him. This is great!
"About the Alchemy Exam in three months!"
"Oh that, yeah. Hawkeye told me while I was walking down the hall a few minutes ago . . ."
Ed fell flat on the floor like a flipped pancake. But I wanted to be the first to tell him! If Irony is a Homunculus I'll kill 'em.
"Isn't it exciting, Brother? This time we'll be the ones watching instead of the ones doing all the work."
"Oddly enough Mustang said something extremely close to that, actually. And what's all this 'we' stuff? I did 95 of all the hard work. Now that I think of it-it was probably more than that."
"Maybe," said Alphonse. "But I gave you 100 moral support so it evens out don't it?"
Ed couldn't help but smile. "Yeah I guess you're right. I don't think I ever really gave you a solid, set-in-stone thank you did I?"
"No need. We've done enough together that would be as good as a thank you."
Edward's smile widened as he took off his jacket and lay down on his bed just looking at the ceiling. Al clinked into his bed and the brothers were silent for a few moments.
"Brother."
"Yeah Al?"
"What do you think the chosen Alchemist will be like?"
"Who knows?" Ed rolled on his side to face Al. "I just hope he or she isn't like Mustang or Hawkeye."
"Or Frank Archer." Alphonse suggested.
He saw his brother shiver at the mere thought.
"I'd like it if they had a normal personality other than being a ego filled, self-centered, psychotic loser."
"I certainly hope you're using those adjectives individually and not describing one person."
Once again Al saw his brother shiver.
"Can we stop talking about this? I'd rather go to bed without much risk of nightmares, ok?"
"Heh, good-night, Ed."
"Night, Al."
So how'd ya like them apples? Not much to begin with but all great stories tend to have a slow beginning.
Hiei: Did you say apples?
Me: It's an expression, what do you want?
Hiei: oh, I thought you actually had apples; I was going to use them as targets since I can't find Kuabara.
Me: I'll help you out in a second but let me do the preview. (looks around frantically) Hey! Where's the preview.
Hiei: I think I saw Kurama using it to sign autographs.
Grrr! Well I guess you'll have to wait until the next chapter for a preview. Now please excuse me while I throttle someone!
