STEH Chapter 1, The Mission

An early, spring Wednesday afternoon, Edward Elric strolled into Central Command, heading toward his superior officer Colonel Mustang's office. There weren't many soldiers around; Ed figured he had come right in the middle of lunch break.

Walking through the long, nearly empty halls, Ed sighed, wishing he could be anywhere but there. It had been relatively peaceful that morning; he and his younger brother had nothing to do until their train left the next day, so Ed had slept in late, and Al had spent the morning reading. Then, interrupting the serenity (and Ed's slumber), the colonel had called, ordering Ed to come to his office immediately.

Finally reaching the office, Ed shoved the heavy door open and quickly noticed Riza Hawkeye was the only one in there. Hearing the door open, the lieutenant looked up from her work and turned around in her desk chair to face him.

"Hello, Edward. How are you?" she greeted with a smile.

"Hey, Hawkeye. I'm good, you?" Ed replied, smiling back as he continued to walk toward the colonel's inner office.

"I'm doing well, thank you." Riza said, turning back around. She watched Ed stride over to the Roy's door and suddenly kick the door open with a loud slam! The lieutenant shook her head with a sigh. She knew he would do that, he always did. It used to scare the crap out of everyone in the office, but over the years they'd gotten used to it.

Roy didn't look up from his work or even flinch when Ed kicked his door open, adding to the ever-growing dent it the wall where the handle hit, then sauntered in, a satisfied smirk on his face. Ed stood in front of the colonel's desk with his arms crossed, but his superior refused to acknowledge his presence.

"Hey," Edward said loudly with annoyance, "I'm here. So what do you want?" Roy finally looked up and raised his eyebrows slightly in mock surprise.

"Oh, Fullmetal. I didn't hear you come in."

Ed rolled his eyes with an irritated sigh. "Look, just tell me what I'm here for so I can go back home." Roy sat up straighter and began looking through a stack of folders on his desk. After a moment, he pulled one out and opened it.

"Well, Fullmetal, I have a mission for you." he told the fifteen-year-old.

"What?!" Ed immediately exclaimed, "But Al and I have a train to Liore leaving tomorrow morning! Can't someone else do this?"

The colonel grinned, "Sorry Edward, but you're the only one in the entire military who can do this mission." Ed's blonde eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"Really? I'm the only one who can do it?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, the only one. Now listen carefully." Roy instructed as Ed sat on one of the couches in front of his desk. "This mission includes undercover work. You, Lieutenant Hawkeye, and I will be working together, posing as a family; Hawkeye and myself as the parents and you as our son. I don't know why I, a colonel, have to go undercover, but it's the Fuhrer's orders."

"Probably 'cause the Fuhrer wants to see if you can still do something after sitting on your butt in an office for years." Ed suggested with a smirk.

Roy glared at the teenager and continued. "Anyway, in a town north from here, there is a wealthy family, the Connor's, who own a weapon-making company. The Fuhrer has a hunch this company has been supplying the Drachmans with weaponry, but he needs to find out for sure. We will spy on this family and try to gather evidence. Since the Connor's daughter is your age and attends a rich private school called Ouran Academy, you will be enrolled there as an honor student."

"I'll what?!" Ed shouted, slamming his fist on the armrest of the couch. "There's no way I'm going to school!"

"Yes, you are. The orders come directly from the Fuhrer." Roy informed him with a smug grin. "Now, I wasn't finished. Your main job will be to befriend this girl, get as close to her as you can so you can find out as much as possible about her family. While you are in the school, you, Hawkeye, and I will be able to keep in-contact with an earpiece." The colonel stopped to hand Edward a pale yellow folder. "There are more details in here."

Edward opened the folder and skimmed over the papers, only committing the important parts to memory. Honor student in Ouran... Keep first names but use the last name "Coleman"…More stuff about the school, some stuff about the Connor's, blah blah blah. This whole thing looks stupid and a waste of time. Al and I have much more important things to… wait a sec.

Ed immediately looked up from the papers and voiced his thoughts. "Wait, what about Al?"

Roy looked reluctant to answer, but finally spoke. "Alphonse... can't come."

The teen reacted just how the colonel figured he would. "What!? Why not!?" he demanded.

Roy sighed, "Because, Fullmetal, think about it. We will be acting as a normal little family. Normal families don't usually include boys in suits of armor."

"So?! We can… he can stay hidden! No-one will even know he came!" Ed argued, trying to think of a way his brother could come with them.

"Edward, would your brother really want to stay cooped up, hidden inside, for the entirety of the mission? And how do we get him from the train station to the house? It's going to be hard enough to keep the great Fullmetal Alchemist's identity secret, but don't you think the big suit of armor accompanying you would be a dead giveaway? He could blow our cover, Ed."

Ed took a quick breath, ready to yell back, but couldn't think of a valid comeback and slowly let the breath out in a sigh. "…Can I at least call him?"

Roy nodded his head, "Yes Edward, you may call your brother during the mission." Ed looked relieved to hear this. "We will be leaving in two days, on Friday. I expect you to be at the train station, packed and ready to leave, at exactly 7:00AM."

Ed groaned. "I have to be there that early?" he complained, looking as if just the thought exhausted him. Roy sighed and shook his head. Typical teenager, he thought.

"Yes, Ed. Seven isn't that early, you know."

"Fine. I'll be there at seven." Ed grumbled.

"Good." Roy turned his attention away from Edward and back to the stack of papers on his right. "You are dismissed."

Friday morning, Roy stood at the Central Train Station entrance, tapping his foot and constantly looking at his silver pocket watch.

"Seven oh five," he announced angrily, "I told him seven o'clock on the dot."

"I'm sure he'll be here any minute." Riza assured him.

"He'd better be!" Roy yelled. But it was nearly fifteen minutes later when Roy spotted Ed and Al running toward the train station. Ed stopped in front of the colonel and bent over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"You're late." Roy growled. Ed frowned up at him.

"Yeah, I know that." he said between gasps, "Why else do you think I ran here?"

"I told you to be here at seven, it is now twenty after! Why is that? Is your clock too high up on the wall for you to read it?" Roy asked with sarcasm.

Ed bolted up straight. "Who are you calling a tiny speck of dust that only be seen with a microscope?!"

The two continued to argue while Al tried to stop them, and Riza could only shake her head. It was only early morning and the two were already at each other's throats. She couldn't even imagine what the nine hour train ride would be like.

"We're going to miss our train." She stated loudly. All three heads turned toward her.

"Well, we'd already be on the train if someone hadn't been late." Roy said, glaring at Edward.

"Well, you-" Ed started to yell, but Al stopped him.

"Brother, please!" he said, reaching out and putting a hand on Ed's shoulder. "You don't have time to argue, you have to go." With a growl directed at the colonel, Ed turned around to face his little brother.

"Yeah, you're right. So, I guess this is goodbye for now."

"Try to be careful and take care of yourself while you're gone!" Al said.

Ed rolled his eyes and grinned. Whenever the brothers were separated, Al worried himself sick the entire time. "Al, I'll only be gone a few weeks. I'll be fine."

"I know," Al said softly, and lowered his head. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too." Ed stepped closer to Al and wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his head on the cool metal as his brother's arms encircled him and hugged gently. After a moment he let go, picked up Ed's suitcase and handed it to him.

"Bye, Brother!" He said with a small wave as Ed started to walk away.

"See ya, Al!" Ed waved back over his shoulder, then jogged a few steps to catch up with Roy and Riza, who had already started toward the train.

The trio boarded the train and selected two long seats facing each other. Roy sat on one seat at the end, Riza sat on the other next to the window. Roy pulled out a newspaper and decided he would ignore Edward the entire train ride.

Ed plopped down next to Riza and gave her a smile.

"Hey," he greeted.

Riza smiled back. "Hello, Edward."

Ed sat quietly and gazed out the window as the train started and pulled out of the station. After a few minutes of sitting there, he bent down and pulled out his suitcase, took a book out of it, and slid it back underneath the seat.

Ed slouched in his chair and propped his feet purposefully on Roy's lap, crinkling the newspaper he was reading. Without a word, Roy grabbed Ed's ankles with one hand and dropped his feet back to the floor. Ed immediately put them back on top of Roy's paper. He heard an irritated sigh come from Roy, and hide his smile behind his book. Once again, Roy shoved Ed's feet off of him, and straightened his newspaper. Ed's feet were back in the colonel's lap not even two seconds later, this time, tearing the newspaper. Roy slammed the paper down next to him and threw Ed's feet forcefully to the floor.

"Cut that out, Fullmetal!" he barked.

"Cut what out?" Ed asked with fake innocence.

With an exasperated sound, Roy slid over on the seat so he was next to the window and in front of Riza. He picked up a section of the newspaper that wasn't torn and continued reading.

Ed went back to his alchemy text, but grew tired of it fairly quickly. Like many alchemy books, it only repeated things he already knew. Unfortunately, that was the only thing Ed had brought to occupy him on the train, so now he was stuck with nothing to do. He checked his pocket watch; it was only eight o'clock, and they didn't reach the town until four thirty at the earliest. Ed sighed and propped his head up against his fist with his elbow on the armrest.

"I'm bored." he declared.

"So entertain yourself." Roy answered, without even looking up.

"Gee, thanks. That helped a whole lot." Ed replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Be quiet, we're reading." Roy told him.

Ed slumped in his seat with an exaggerated groan. He crossed his arms and sat there, looking around the room for something to do. He sat up a little straighter and started playing with his braid. He pulled it over his shoulder and braided the little section of loose hair at the end over and over. Then he undid the entire plait and re-braided it. Then he did it over again. He grew tired of that quickly.

Ed slouched again, and when he did, a few strands of his long bangs fell across his nose. He blew a puff of air at the hair and watched as it flew up, then right back down to where it was. He blew again. And again.

"Stop it," Roy snapped. "That's annoying."

"I'm not doing anything." Ed grumbled.

"Yes, you are. You're being annoying." Roy repeated.

"What, I can't breathe now?" Ed retorted.

"Quiet," Riza ordered.

Ed's mouth immediately snapped closed and Roy quickly returned to his newspaper.

Edward crossed his arms and slumped in the chair again. He decided to look out the window, but quickly discovered from his slouched position, Riza was blocking his view. Not feeling like sitting back up, Ed stayed how he was and pretty soon became lost in thought, thinking about the mission. He wondered what the house they'd stay in would look like, and how big it was. He wondered about the school he'd be going to, what it was like, and if it'd be any fun.

Suddenly, his head nodded down and he jerked it back up, snapping his eyes open. He didn't even remember closing them. Ed sat up ramrod straight and tightened his crossed arms over his chest, stubbornly refusing to fall asleep. A few moments later he caught himself nodding off again. Giving up trying to stay awake, he snuggled down in the seat again, closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep. Minutes later, the train bumped and jostled Ed's sleeping form, causing him to fall to the left.

Riza turned from her book and looked to her side when something leaned against her arm. It was Edward, fast asleep. She bent down a little to see him and smiled at his peaceful sleeping face. Just then, the train bumped again and Ed started to fall forward. Riza quickly grabbed him and gently pushed him back against the back of the seat and he leaned back into her arm. Realizing he would just fall again, Riza set down her book and began to carefully shift Ed's position. Holding onto his chest with her free hand, she moved the arm he was leaning on around his shoulders. He was now slumped against her side and she was holding him secure. Riza smiled again when Ed subconsciously snuggled into her and sighed softly.

"It's about time." Roy spoke up quietly. "I was hoping he'd just sleep most of the ride." Riza nodded in agreement and looked back down to the softly snoring boy.

"Hopefully, he will." she said.

"So, this is our new home."

Ed now stood in the doorway of the home he'd be staying in with Roy and Riza for the next few weeks. The train had arrived at the station right on time, and the group had gone grocery shopping before heading to the house, which was already furnished and everything, all they needed was food.

Roy walked pass Ed, arms loaded with bags of food. "Well, for now it is. Go take your things upstairs and come help us with the groceries."

Eager to see the second story of the house, Ed obeyed and ran up the wooden stairs, skipping every other step.

At the top of the stairs was a short hallway leading to a door in front of him, one to the right, and two to the left. Ed opened the door in front first and discovered it was a bathroom. Next he tried one of the rooms to his left. It was a bedroom that he guessed was meant for him.

The whole room was decorated in either light or dark green: light green walls, dark green bedding, and dark green curtains. It had dark wooden floors, the same as the rest of the rooms upstairs, and a white door that lead to a small closet. Except for the bed and dresser, both made of a similar shade of wood as the floor, the room looked bare.

Ed sat down on his bed, setting his suitcase on the floor and looking around the room. He wrinkled his nose in disapproval. Too much green, he thought, Al would like it, though.

Leaving his suitcase on the floor, Ed walked to the closet across the room and opened it. Inside he found two sets of black dress pants and two light blue blazers with the Ouran crest on the chest pocket. He frowned at them, not please that he'd have to dress so formal just to go to school.

"Stupid rich people and their uncomfortable fancy clothes..." he muttered, closing the closet door.

"Ed! I told you to come help down here!" Roy yelled from downstairs. Ed rolled his eyes but did as he was told.

He ran down the stairs, jumped off the bottom few steps and jogged out the front door. He headed toward the open back of a black car, much like the one the colonel usually drove, parked in their driveway. Ed grabbed two bags in each arm and went back into the house. He walked through the short hallway that led to the kitchen/dining room at one side and a living room at the other.

In the kitchen, Riza was busy putting things away and Roy was heading back to the car for more groceries. Deciding to let Roy do the harder work, Ed stayed in the kitchen to help put the food away.

"What's dinner?" he asked Riza as he pulled apples out of a bag and set them on the counter.

"What do you want?" Riza asked in reply.

Ed thought about it as he put the apples in a fruit rack on the counter. He grabbed another bag and the first thing he took out was the package of chocolate chip cookies he'd insisted on getting.

"These?" he asked with a grin, holding up the cookies.

Riza smiled, "Those can wait until after dinner."

Edward returned to the bags of groceries and quickly found two big boxes of macaroni and cheese. He held them to Riza and raised his eyebrows. "This?"

Riza nodded. "Alright, but do we need two boxes?"

"Hawkeye," Roy said as he walked into the kitchen, carrying the last of the groceries. "Have you seen Fullmetal eat? It's like he has a hollow leg."

Ed grinned, taking one of the bags from Roy. "Nope, just a metal one."

An hour and two heaping bowls of macaroni later, Ed returned upstairs after exploring the rest of the downstairs. He'd found the downstairs was boring; he'd discovered nothing but another bathroom and a laundry room in addition to the kitchen and living room he'd already seen.

Ed walked into his bedroom and sat down on the bed. He considered just going to sleep then, but he knew he had other things to do first, like unpack and call Alphonse.

Ed smiled at the thought of his younger brother. He knew if he didn't call soon, Al would call him, all worried that something crazy had happened, like the train had crashed, or train bandits were holding them hostage, or aliens that happened to be on the train had abducted him.

Still grinning, Ed got off the bed and knelt on the floor in front of his suitcase, deciding to unpack first, before calling Al so he wouldn't forget. He opened the old, worn suitcase and started taking out clothes and putting them in the drawers of the dresser.

After cramming half his suitcase's contents in one drawer, Ed noticed something in the suitcase, underneath his favorite pair of pajama pants. Moving the pants, he found a small, gray and white stuffed kitten, one that he had made himself years ago. This was Alphonse's beloved Socky, who was named for its white paws that looked like socks. It was a Christmas present Ed had made with alchemy and given to him when Al was only nine years old.

From the day he got it, Socky went with Al everywhere. It had even gone to Teacher's during alchemy training, and now it often accompanied them on long missions. Ed could recall waking up to find Socky curled in his arms or against his side during hard nights after automail surgery and the few times he had landed himself in the hospital during their quest for the Philosopher's Stone.

Edward smiled and gently lifted the toy from his suitcase. Right where the kitten had been sitting, he spotted a piece of paper. He picked it up, knowing it was a note from his brother before he had even looked at it. Written in Al's neat handwriting, it said:

"Dear Brother,

Since I can't be there, Socky will take care of you while you're gone. He can help you sleep better if you have nightmares.

Love,

Alphonse"

And next to Al's name was a small drawing of a smiling cat.

Later that night, when Riza peeked in Edward's room to see if the boy had gone to bed yet, she smiled at what she saw. Ed was curled up in bed, with the blanket only up to his waist, and a gray-and-white stuffed cat tucked under his chin.

AN: MAN, I've been dying to finish and post this for a long time! I started it a good few months ago. At first, this was going to be two separate chapters, but I thought they were too short so I put them together. (This is the longest thing I've ever written, almost 4,000 words!) Unfortunately, it may take awhile for me to post the next chapter. I originally planned to wait until the whole thing was finished, then post a chapter a week or something like that, but that would take way too long and I'm just to eager to post it!

So anyway, this is what happens when I read Another Run of Events by 0-mirage-0 (Which I highly recommend, like my fave fanfiction ever.) and Ouran HSHC manga. I've read a few fanfictions where Ed goes undercover in a school (two that I can recall), and I got to thinking, What if he went undercover in Ouran Academy? And the idea wouldn't leave, so I wound up with this.

So, since Ouran and FMA are in like completely different universes, here's what it's like in this story. Ouran Academy is in Amestris, (Not in Japan) in some random un-named town that may or may not be named later. The town is near the Amestris/Creta(?) boarder so that's why the hosts and other students have foreign names. ( 'cause they like, moved to Amestris or something… lol kind of made that up last minute. Doesn't make too much sense but whatever. XD) Also, the story is FMA time: early 1900's. Why? 'Cause I wanted them to ride a train to the town, that's why. I like trains. :D And if they didn't have communication ear piece thingys back then, they do now. XD

Oh, and Ed mentioned they were supposed to be going to Liore. That was just because I needed a town name and that was the first I thought of, but it could actually work. I haven't given the specific time of the series this takes place much thought, but let's say this is around the time of the beginning of Brotherhood, like after the Freezer Alchemist thing (ep. 1) but before Liore, which is where they went after that.

Who remembers Socky from my story Christmas with the Elrics? Anyone? …No?

Also, two more things: if anyone has a better title, I'd love to hear it. No so fond of this one, but it's all I could think of. And the cover picture is just the rough sketch (drawn by me) so far, I haven't finished it yet.

Please leave me a review! I'd love to know what you think or if you have any tips for me to improve. Just please, no flames. Be warned, I stole Roy's gloves so I can flame you back! ;)