Wow. Edited some. Didn't realize that my writing had improved enough for me to spot my own mistakes and want to fix them. So yeah.

Thanks for reading. :3

Don't own either FMA or SINF.

Where are we going?" Virginia Dare demanded to Dr. John Dee. The two were hurrying down the slow streets of a small village just east of Munich, Germany, their destination.

When she was only met with silence, Virginia repeated her question, annoyed.

"Where are we going?"

After a small, but noticable pause, Dee sighed.

"To visit an immortal or two."

"How stupid are you to think they'll help us?" Dare exclaimed, exasperated, as she wove her flute around in the air. "The whole world is against us!"

"These two people have never taken a side in the Elders' war," the tailored man replied patiently. "They keep to themselves, and if my information is correct, they don't really even have a master."

Dare narrowed her eyes. "So they have the Exilir?"

"No. Their homeland is supposedly another shadow realm. They were granted immortality, for a price—they destroyed the only laygate to their world. But that's off subject. If we can get even a tad bit if help from the two of them, we might get away clean… or at least gain extremely powerful allies."

The woman's lips twitched, barely resisting the urge to let out a shirll, feral note to decapitate the idiot of a 'doctor'. She looked over at Dee sharply, not believing him, wondering what was in his drink last night. Had he finally gone mad? In that case, she would have to ditch him and find a place to hide for a while. That was going to cost her dearly.

"And what immortal would be able to do that?" Dare snapped. "How old are they? Surely their names must be wide-spread if they could do such a thing!"

"Strangely, they're only a few years older than 100, but their skills are almost legendary. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. They try hard to keep their names covered."

"Just tell me who would possess such ability at an age like that," Dare's voice was a monotone, but it was deadly.

Dee sighed at her incompetence. "Edward and Alphonse Elric."

Walking down the streets of an older part of Munich, Germany, the Twins of Legend and the Flamels tried not to attract attention. It wasn't very hard, as everyone who passed them by seemed to only be hurrying around with their own business. They all ignored the group of four, most likely just assuming them to be some teenagers with their grandparents.

"Where are we going?" Sophie asked Perennelle.

"To visit an old alchemist friend of Nicholas. Van Hohenhiem, I think it was. Nicholas thinks he might be able to help us."

"Oh."

"Is he an immortal?" Josh tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice. He failed.

"Yes, I believe so. Maybe older than Nicholas and myself," Flamel's wife answered smoothly, ignoring the venom in Josh's voice.

Sophie and Josh weren't exactly sure what to expect, but from their previous encounters with Flamel's friends...they were wary, to say the least. "Friends" of the Flamels weren't always the best company. They all seemed to have some sort of magnet for trouble and danger, too. Or maybe that was the twins themselves.

Nicholas himself was walking ahead, mumbling to himself and thinking. Now where was it...? Oh, there!

The three watched him turn into a small, well-kept flower shop.

"Good morning," An old woman greeted them warmly.

Nicholas smiled brightly at her. "Hello, madame. I couldn't help but stop by your lovely shop. These flowers simply captivate the eye."

With a slight smile, the woman chuckled a bit, then said, "You're not here for the flowers, are you?"

Blinking in surprise at the woman's deduction skills, Nicholas tried to regain his composure. "Why would you think something like that, madame?"

She shrugged slightly, indifferently. "The youngsters I share the appartments with have more than a few unusual friends. I can just see it in your eyes, you're probably looking for them."

Nicholas shook his head, dropping his act. "No, but I am looking for a man by the name of Van Hohenhiem. Do you know him? The last letter he sent me was from this address."

The woman frowned. "I can't say I have. You might want to ask Edward and Alphonse, though, they might have known him."

"Thank you, Frau..."

"Elysia. Elysia Hughes."

"Thank you, Frau Hughes."

Right on cue, footsteps were heard tromping down the stairs, and two blonde teenagers walked into view.

One had long, golden blonde hair tied up into a ponytail and eyes to match. The other (presumably younger) had short, light brown hair and hazel eyes. They looked very much like brothers.

"Bye, Elysia," the elder looking one said casually. "We're heading out-"

Edward's eyes drifted to the four strangers now staring at him and his brother. Within a second he smiled politely (it was a grimace, if you could see it closely. Ed? Social? No), and Al said, "Are you looking to buy some flowers? Well, you've come to the right place. Frau Elysia has some of the best flowers in Munich!" With a polite smile, Al bowed slightly and made for the entry of the shop with his brother.

"Hold on a minute, boys," Elysia said, causing the two to stop and turn around. "This man asked about a Van Hohenheim. Do you know him?"

With a bit of a surprised look, the golden blonde turned his piercing gaze on Nicholas. "He's dead. You won't find him here," he said with a rather direct tone.

Nicholas looked disappointed. "I see... Well, then I should probably be off. Oh, excuse me, Frau Elysia. Allow me to purchase a few of these lovely roses. No, no, I insist. Keep the change."

As the Flamels and twins headed for the door, Ed called to them, "Hey, why did you want to see Hohenhiem for?"

Flamel blinked, contemplating what to say. "He was an old friend of mine. I had a few science theories I wanted to share with him, but I guess it's a little too late now."

Ed narrowed his eyes. All of a sudden, Flamel was being pushing up against the wall, and Ed's arm was barring his way out. "What the hell do you want with him, old man?" Ed growled. "What this time? You know he was an alchemist. So what occult are you from? I've already dealt with, what, twenty of you already. Get lost."

Flamel calmly placed a hand on Edward's arm. "My name is Nicholas Flamel. I, too, am an alchemist. You could probably find me in any of his alchemical journals. Now, the question is: who are you?"

Ed released the man roughly, standing back by his younger brother's side. "Edward Elric. Hohenhiem was my father."

Nicholas nodded, his gaze now looking pointedly at Al.

"Oh! I'm sorry," Al realized. "Alphonse Elric."

With an acknowledging nod, Flamel swept his hand towards his companions. "My wife, Perenelle, and... our grandchildren, Sophie and Josh."

Ed narrowed his eyes, having heard the small pause in Flamel's sentence.

There was an uncomfortable silence, and then Ed gruffly added, "That old man would've coded his alchemical research. Even he's not that stupid. I'm sure I couldn't read his stuff if I tried."

When no remark came from Flamel, Ed scowled and rolled his eyes. "Well, what're you just going to stand there? Get lost."

"Brother!" Al admonished, now glaring at said blonde. "I'm really sorry about Ed, Mr. Flamel," Al said honestly. "Umm... why don't you guys come up to our apartment?"

"What?" Ed spun on his brother. "Al, they're completely strangers. And who the hell knows what they want! You don't just go inviting every random person you see on the streets to our apartment! They're not cats!"

Al pouted slightly. "That's rude, brother. Maybe we can help, since they're looking for dad, we can probably answer at least something they came for."

Ed huffed. "Whatever. Come on, Flamel, whatever your name is."

The Flamels and the twins followed the brothers up the stairs, and into an apartment. Josh and Sophie dropped down on a couch, while the husband and wife situated themselves in two chairs by the small table where the brothers probably ate.

The door closed quietly, and the two brothers stood in front of the four.

"I take it you're one of those 'immortal' guys, right?" Ed sighed.

Nicholas nodded curtly. "I am Nicholas Flamel."

"And I am Perennelle Flamel, his wife."

Ed cursed. "I thought we had covered ourselves up, Al."

Al sighed. Then he turned to the twins. "What about you two?" Al asked oh-so-innocently.

"Oh, Sophie Newman."

"...Josh Newman."

"You guys must be twins!"

"We are!" Sophie laughed.

"Are you immortal, too?" Ed asked coldly.

"No way!" Just blurted out.

"We're just 15!" Sophie assured them.

Ed nodded, then smirked. "Still the youngest looking immortal, huh, Al?"

Al smiled at his brother. "Youngest LOOKING. If they were immortal, then they'd be the youngest to be immortal, not me!"

"You two are immortal!" Josh gasped.

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Did that slip? Yeah, we are."

"You said something about looking younger than you are...or were when you became immortal?"

"Oh, yeah! Wait...do you want the long version or the short version?" Al asked.

"Simplest one," Ed muttered. Then he grumbled something about 'not short'.

"Well, then, I lost my body when I was ten, and when I got it back, I was fifteen, but my body was still ten. So I became immortal when I was seventeen, but my body was only twelve," Al recited, rather mater-of-factly.

'I thought his childish face had an adultified tint to it,' Nicholas confirmed.

"How'd that happen?" Sophie inquired.

Josh's eyebrows were furrowed, trying to make sense of the sentence. Everyone else was too, but hiding it much, much better.

"None of your business," Ed growled.

She shrunk back down.

"Ed!" Al scolded.

"So if you guys are immortal, what magics do you know?" Josh glanced at his sulking sister.

Ed snarled. "Magic. I hate that. We don't practice any of the 'magics'," he said venomously.

Al sighed. "We're scientists. We don't believe in unprovable concepts. Equivalent Exchange. In order to gain something, something of equal value must be lost. Magic defies that principle."

Ed snorted. "And besides, who needs magic when we already have all we need?"

Al grinned as Ed put his arm around him.

Nicholas sat back in his chair. If they didn't practice magic… what place did they have in this world of immortals…?

" I have to admit, I'm curious," Flamel started slowly. "If you do not practice magic…and you say you are scientists… would the two of you happen to be alchemists?"

Edited 1-31-12.

Edited 2-14-12.