Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Naruto or Full Metal Alchemist

Summary: I only wanted to see my mothers smiling face, and to see my brothers face full of pride once again. But when they died, Al and I wanted them home with us again. But after the accident during the process of losing my arm and leg, and Al with his entire body. We never thought that our brother had a life besides with us, because he had always been our brother he had always been there. Now as a state alchemist I want to be out of my brother's shadow, because it's what is blocking me from finding out about him, and this secret life he had, or was it even a secret at all, I will find out one day.

Title:

My Brother's Shadow

Chapter 1: Learning Of His Past

Looking back I would say that we were foolish trying to bring them back to life, I mean after living for so long I realized that day was both a blessing and curse. We were cursed because we had lost Al's body, and my arm and leg. But it was a blessing because it was the start of it all, we both had a name that was known almost all over the world that was a friend of the people, and the defender of justice, The Full Metal Alchemist. But that name could never amount to his name, the name that was still talked about in the market place amongst strangers, telling them that he shopped there once in his travels, or that he purchased an item back in the day.

He was the real hero back then, even he was younger than himself when he went to make a name of himself, he was only a child when he fought in the war of Ishbala, when he both disgraced and honored the military with his actions. Saved half of the whole population which was pretty amazing because if he didn't, only half of that amount would be alive today.

He was the true defender of justice, or maybe he was at the right place at the right time. I never knew about his life when he wasn't with us since I was a little kid when he came home, or how he become an alchemist since he died before he could tell us about his travels, not until much later in my travels when I met a few suspicious individuals who knew more than they let us believe. Although I never thought that he was the one we needed to talk too at the end, what we always thought was impossible was made possible, because that is just who he was, even if he wasn't there at all.

My older brother by seven years, Naruto Elric, The Golden Alchemist of the State, and the Fuhrer's right hand man.

The sky was pitch black, not a star shining in the night, nor the moon to light the night sky, then the sky starts to rain with a horrible storm, as if the earth was crying. Two young boys were in their home in the basement, about to start a terrible taboo, human transmutation.

Far away a single figure watches from afar as he witnesses the light shining from a single house, he knows the light is from a transmutation circle, but he doesn't know what they were making, what they were doing, and he knows the ending result was going to be a horrible thing, the feeling in his gut is what tells him this.

The circle began to glow a bright white color, holy feeling, as it turned into gold, then everything went black.

Edward was in so much pain when he regained consciousness, in his dazed state he looked below him seeing a large red puddle, as realization hit him, he clutched his left leg as the pain swallowed up his attention, his next thought was where his little brother was, as he searched he found a pile of clothes...they were Al's, the same ones he was wearing before they started the transmutation circle.

Frantic, he drew up the conclusion in his mind, the result was his right arm, and his brothers whole body, scared that he lost another member of their family he looked to his side and saw a pile suit of armor, he used his finger to draw a seal using his blood and created another transmutation, screaming out to the circle to return his little brother, he was all he had left in the world.

As his little brother woke, his right arm was used as leverage to return his soul, while his brother knew full well that his body was already taken and all he could actually take back was his younger brothers soul, at the loss of their mother and older brother, who both succumbed to an illness, they never knew what their mother died from, but they knew what their brother died from, after listening to the doctor give his diagnosis, he said it had something to do with his older brothers heart, and that it was being attacked by a fatal disease, that would kill slowly and painfully, and would shorten his lifespan.

Flash Back: Four years ago

Naruto Elric died the month after Edwards eighth birthday, the sky was a deep red as the sun was setting, and the stars were starting to come out, the two younger brothers knew something was wrong as they walked home from their weekly dinners at the Rockbell's, Naruto was a lot more quiet then usual, as he prepared the boys to leave since he was not healthy enough to make the trip down the road. He smiled a lot more sadly then his happy sunlit smile that made them happy, as he sent them on their way.

When they made it home, they noticed there were a lot of the villagers standing inside and outside their home, when they finally got inside the house, they noticed all the attention was set on their older brother, and current guardian. There was a man with black hair, and tanned skin, wearing the blue uniform of the state military, and his black eye patch covering his eye and a small bundle in his hands. He was with another who had raven black hair which was cut short, he stood tall even with the tears streaming down his face he never let himself down from his duty. The older male looked at the now two Elric brothers with sadness in his single eye, as he held out a small envelope in his hand and gave it to the two small children.

"He told me to come when the illness was too much for him to handle, I came as fast as I could but even with my duties set aside I didn't come fast enough. You should know his funeral arrangements will be made by the military, its what we do for all of our soldiers, and for the Golden Alchemist there will be many who will want to attend, I give you my condolences young Elric brothers." The man left without another word, or reply from the two young boys as they stood in place, shock had them shaken, their brother Naruto was dead, he was dead and would never return. The other male stood in front of them, after wiping away his tears, he stared at the younger brothers of his best friend.

"He told me that he wanted you to have his necklace, the blue jewel that he always had around his neck." The raven haired man said as he held out his hand, and in it was the family crystal necklace, but Edward didn't care, as he stared at the beautiful jewel, he was in shock, and the only thing holding him back was the jewel before him.

"Its for Edward, it's was always meant for the oldest born but since he-he has gone off to a better place. It's now yours." the man finished, although his voice quieted a little at the end, and tried his best to hold in his tears, he was lucky he was even allowed to be by the Fuhrer's side to see him, when there were many who wanted to see him one last time. And he knew Naruto would be angry with him if he were too cry once again.

After handing Ed the necklace, the man left without giving out his name. Ed held the shiny stone to his face, as tears fell down his face, he was torn to pieces he was lost, he wanted to be in denial but he knew what they said was true.

He was gone.

In the next few weeks hundreds of people came by to the funeral, many were in uniform, and the rest were regular people. The was also the day that Ed remembered that the older male that first seen them had said Naruto was in the military, and was the Golden alchemist. But none of that mattered at the moment, he only cared about saying good-bye to Naruto, and maybe to ask their mother to watch over their brother in heaven.

Now they needed a teacher to teach them more about alchemy, so they can do one goal.

Bring them back to life.

Flashback end: Back to the Drama

Ed was slowly losing consciousness, he couldn't keep his eye's open, the only thing in his mind that he repeated in his mind like a mantra, was the only thing he could hear at the moment.

'I did it, Al is back.'

"You shouldn't look, it wasn't human." He said as he slipped into the void of blackness. Alphonse was crying aloud when he saw the disfigured being in front of him.

"I don't understand Ed! What happened? You're theorems and equations it all seemed right-"

"The theorems weren't the problem, it wasn't the math. It was us!"

Kneeling at the doorstep of the Rockbells, holding his bloody older brother on his lap pleading to the old woman, and her granddaughter.

"Please help him, he'll bleed to death." The younger female took a step toward the armored person, a look of recognition crossed her face.

"Al? Is that you?"

"Winry get my medical kit right away." The older woman demanded as she advanced towards the two brother, she already lost the oldest brother and she wouldn't lose any others until they died of old age.

She had just finished patching up Edward, and laid him on the bed, as Alphonse just finished explaining what had gotten them in this predicament since they left a couple of years before.

"Well that explains a few things, a human transmutation. Never seen such a furious reaction before." An unknown man appeared in the room, as he closed the bedroom door behind himself, as he analyzed the scene in front of him.

"Pardon me." He continued as he revealed his rank in the military with his silver pocket watch.

"A state alchemist?" Ed spoke aloud, as he stared at the man, who walked up to them.

"What are you doing here? I have no time to entertain dogs, can't you see these boys are hurt!" The old woman spat, as she glared at the man before her, with a controlled anger.

"Take it easy ma'am, I'm just checking the mail." The alchemist proved this by lifting a letter from his over coats pocket, showing them what he was really after.

"One of our letters! Then you know where my dad is?" Ed asked with hope clearly heard in his voice as he waited for the raven haired man to answer him.

"I only wish kid, we've been looking for Hohenhiem for a long time, and we're still only kicking up dirt."

"Well if you didn't have any information, why did you come? You sure as heck aren't going to find his dad here."

"Lets call it nostalgia, or misplaced curiosity, whatever it was I'm happy I came. If these boys can try human alchemy and survive, their dad just dropped a wrong on my priority list. Also they have a chance of being as great as their older brother." The last part his whispered, so that no one heard, as his gaze landed on Edward.

"I want you out of this house immediately, I've had enough lives wrecked by the state!" Pinako yelled, she had enough of the man before her, she had already lost so many of her loved ones who joined the state military.

"The names Lt. colonial Roy Mustang state alchemist, pay me a visit at central sometime. If your anything like Naruto, you'd come."

After the talk about becoming a state alchemist, many days had past since Pinako saved young Edward. He was walking up to his brother, who was practicing sparring with his fists.

"It's been enough time, we should see what we can do." Edward looked at his brother, and continued where he left off.

"To train the mind to its full potential, we gotta train the body. That's what our teacher said, but I don't know, how good can you be as a empty heap of steel." He asked in a teasing tone.

"Better than a couple chunks of automail, I know that!" Al answered back, taunting his older brother.

"Brother are you serious about being a state alchemist?"

"I'm serious about trying, I'm gonna see this Mustang guy and find out if I have a shot."

"I don't want you to join."

"I've made up my mind."

"Then I will too-"

"You can't!"

"Brother, are you going to try to bring back mom, and Big brother again? I mean we agreed it was a mistake right? All the bad things that happened-. I'll become the state alchemist, and I'll find a way to get you back to normal, with a real arm and leg again. Then you can forget about all these other things you say you have to do-" Ed finally spoke cutting off Al, as he spoke softly.

"It's not your burden to carry Al."

'You aren't carrying the necklace Al.' Ed left unsaid.

"Well why shouldn't it be? I wanted you to stop, but I went along with it anyway, I'm the one who had the feeling, I should've acted on it, and then you gave up your arm to save me." Al ranted desperately, trying to convince his brother, but Ed never let him finish as he kicked him into the river.

"You've got no place feeling sorry for me Al, k?"

"But brother."

"I'm serious, I'm the one who has to fix things, and get your body back."

"Then we won't try with mom and big brother again?"

"Well chances are, there isn't anything in the world we can trade for their souls, besides all that, no. I don't want to risk losing you again Al."

"Good! I want to come with you."

"Why's that?"

"You're no good without me, you'd just turn into a jerk."

"Thanks for the endorsement." Ed answered as he deflated, but when Al spoke again he returned his full attention to his younger brother.

"But seriously we're all we've got, from now on, we can't do anything that could pull us apart."

As they sat Edward told Alphonse about the notes in their father's study that told about a blood red stone called the philosopher stone which was able to bypass the original restrictions of alchemy, a stone that didn't need to be used for equivalent exchange, and was able to restore them to their original bodies.

"Al, If we can get that stone, we'll be able to get our original bodies back, you especially." Edward started off, he started to think about how he would be able to achieve that quest he was putting himself on, he knew about the State Alchemist that came to see him when they thought he was passed out from pain, he knew about Roy Mustang coming by to investigate his father, after he read through their mail sent out to him, which was obvious that never reached him. Ed thought that man looked familiar, but shook the feeling away.

"Brother?"

"What is it Al?"

"C-Can we say good-bye first, I want to go see mom, and Big brother." Edward grimaced when he thought about those two, thinking about them this quickly made him think about his failure, and his greatest mistake, but he wouldn't ever disrespect those two, he loved his mother and older brother, he would say good-bye and ask for their forgiveness one day.

When they arrived at their graves, they noticed someone put fresh black rose, a Lavender, and an almond on Naruto's grave, Edward had no idea who would do that, but he didn't really care at the moment, but he knew that very scene would be recorded into his memory as they said good-bye to their brother and mother.

Ed squeezed the necklace his brother gave him, that was tied around his neck, it was a beautiful blue gem, that seemed to shine every now and again. Ed remembered the day Naruto told him about the necklace and how it was a cursed necklace that killed all those who were to weak for its power, but it kept him safe, but it almost killed him when he was younger, but ever since then he survived, he never gave up, or at least that was what the stories were told about him.

Edward started to remember all the training they had with their teacher, but the only thing Ed could remember at that point was all the gossip with all the townsfolk, always talking about an alchemist who stopped in their town once before, and went off and became a famous hero for the people. He always wondered who that boy was that they were talking about, but at the moment he had to say good bye to his mother and brother one more time before they left again.

Then on the day they left, they put their home into a flame, and left as it burnt to the ground, burning everything away, leaving nothing to return too, if they ever came back.

They were at the train station when Ed called Colonel Mustang, who was telling them about the details about becoming an alchemist of the state. As he was looking through papers, he discovered an opportunity the boys could use.

While reading the documents he couldn't help but try to recall the event that 'he' used, it seemed like an age ago. He instructed the boys to catch the train that was leaving that very second, or just pack up and go home. It was their only ticket into getting into the military, without the minimum age requirement being put in place.

It was the perfect setting.

This is basically a preview of the first chapter I am working on, it isn't the official one, but pretty close.

:D