Summary:

Edward Elric finds himself pulled back through the Gate, his brother left alone on the other side. Once again, he finds himself fighting through hell and fire to get his brother back, enlisting the help of an ex-State Alchemist, searching for a less bloody way of opening the Gate. Gaining knowledge of the Key, Edward begins searching for a way to locate the Key, his newcompanion, Violet McCloud, constantly pulling at his curiosities.

Disclaimer:

I do not own FullMetal Alchemist, but this plot is purely my own design.

Chapter One- The FinalStrike Alchemist

"What the hell!" Edward Elric gasps as solid black tentacles wrap around his body, hoisting him from the ground below.

Feeling a hand, smaller than his own, grip his own, he glances over his shoulder, his sulfur-gold eyes peering down at his younger brother. Alphonse Elric, barely seventeen years old, struggled to keep his brother from being dragged into the vortex. Feeling his gloved hand begin to slip, Ed shifts his gaze from his hand to his brothers terrified face.

"Brother!" the small voice of his brother cried out in desperation.

Seeing his brother's feet leave the ground, Edward glanced down at their joined hands once more. Swallowing his own fear, Edward looks back into the golden-brown eyes of his younger brother, "Al! I'm sorry!"

Releasing the grasp, his brother hitting the ground below, the darkness enveloped him, his brother's saddened eyes fading into the darkness.

"Al!"

The prone body of Edward Elric jerked into an upright position, his chest heaving with labored breaths. Wide, fearful gold eyes frantically searching the room he found himself in. Inwardly questioning where he was, Edward swung his legs over the bed, his automail leg glinting in the sunlight seeping into the room.

"You're awake," a soft voice whispered, causing him to glance up at the open doorway.

Standing in the doorway, a pretty brunette, about two years younger than him, leaned against the door frame, her light brown eyes filled with an innocence he had only ever seen in one other person. The girl didn't bother saying another word as she entered the room, silently handing him the glass of water. Ignoring the gaze, Edward drank the water, his parched throat burning at the sudden liquid passing through.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Edward questioned after draining the glass of its contents.

"My name is Katherine Willows and you are in my home. I found you lying on the riverbed. I would've taken you to the hospital, but people in this town are known for not taking well to State Alchemists," Edward felt his shoulders tense at the words, his gaze snapping up to meet her own, "I was checking your pockets for any sort of identification. May I ask your name?"

"Edward," he paused, "Do you have a phone I can use?"

The girl smiled warmly, "Of course. It's in the study. You are more than welcome to use it. I'll go make some food, since I'm sure you must be starving."

Despite his current state of being, Edward found himself smiling softly at the kind girl. Something about her reminded him so much of Al, maybe it was the almost naive sense of kindness she seemed to have. Getting out of the bed, Ed made his way out of the room and eventually found the study. Entering the room, his gaze instantly glancing over the several bookcases, he made his way to the desk. Dialing a familiar number, he inhaled deeply.

"Hawkeye speaking," a familiar sharp feminine voice barked into the phone.

"Hey Hawkeye, it's Edward," he paused as a gasp sounded on the other line, "Can I speak to Mustang? I seem to be in a strange situation."

"Just a moment, FullMetal," the woman replied.

A few seconds later, Ed felt his shoulders tense as a familiar, arrogant voice seeped through the phone, "Edward? Please tell me this is some sick joke."

"I wish."

Rain poured from the darkened sky above as a lone silver-shined black wolf dashed through the open field. Sharp green eyes focused on the lone human sitting on the top of a hill, legs crossed, pale hands resting in their lap. Slowing its fast pace to a stalk, the wolf came to a sudden stop beside the darkly dressed figure. Laying down beside the human, the wolf made a slight whine from the back of its throat.

"I know, Kayden," Silver-violet eyes slid open slowly, the seated figure glancing up at the broken heavens, "Something doesn't feel right to me either."

Another whine caused the young woman to look down at the wolf, her limp hand moving to rest between the animal's ears, "I agree. A rather bad storm does seem to be approaching. Do me a favor and fetch the others for me. I have a feeling this is just the beginning."

The wolf moved to stand, its tongue running over the girl's wrist before it dashed away once more. Silver-violet eyes watched solemnly as the graceful animal moved across the field, "I love you too."

The boot-clad foot of an automail leg connected with the wooden door of a familiar office, Edward Elric entering the office of Colonel Roy Mustang on his own accord. Still to this day, Edward seethed as the dark-haired Alchemist didn't bother looking up from his paperwork. The older man motioned to the seat across from him, the seething young-adult sitting down with a thump.

"I thought you said you can help me," Ed snapped, his irritation flowing through his words.

Parting with Katherine just the other day was harder than he wanted to admit. In the short span of two days, Ed found himself growing an attachment to the girl, who reminded him so much of his brother. He remembered the satchel of money she gave him, ordering him to not open it until he was settled into his seat. After opening the contents of the satchel, Ed found himself promising himself that he would pay her back, no matter what.

"Relax, FullMetal. I, myself, cannot assist you. One, I am a rather busy man, and two, you and I both know, I don't have much experience with the Gate," Before Ed could interrupt, Mustang held up his hand, silencing the younger boy, "but, I do have an old acquaintance of mine that I contacted. Anything there is to know about Alchemy, and McCloud knows it. And if not in mind, McCloud definitely knows of places where one can find information on any Alchemy subject."

Before Ed could reply, a firm knock sounded on the door. Much to Ed's irritation, Mustang stood from his desk as he called for the person to enter. Glancing over his shoulder, his irritation faded at the sight of a petite, ebony-haired girl. Sharp silver-violet eyes barely paid mind to him as she approached the desk. Ed found himself looking over her pale face, a single scar marking her left temple. Dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt, a silver-trimmed purple, high collared vest thrown over it, the girl's curves were obvious as Ed glanced her over. Solid purple leggings covered her legs from underneath a pair of black shorts, boots firmly connected to the floor with each step she took.

"Violet, it's good to see you again," Mustang greeted, his usually mocking black eyes softening just a bit at the sight of the girl.

Watching as she slid into the seat beside him, Ed's gaze locked onto the pale hand, covered by a black fingerless glove, that moved to support her chin, "Afternoon, Mustang. I will admit that it has been awhile. I'm afraid I've been rather busy as of lately."

"I'm sure you have. You must be wondering why I called you here," Mustang motioned to Ed, who found himself on the receiving end of her passive gaze, "This is Edward, the FullMetal Alchemist."

Something unreadable flickered through the silver-violet eyes before they turned back on Mustang, "You're lucky I was passing on my way through here, otherwise I honestly wouldn't be here. Now, let's cut to the chase. Tell me why you asked for my audience."

"FullMetal is looking for a way to open the Gate," Mustang seemed to hold back a sigh at the cocked eyebrow he received, "A way that doesn't require the blood of a human."

"And you're asking for my help why? As much as I appreciate you understanding my innate ability of finding information, I cannot just help some random kid look for information that could potentially lead to everyone in this world being at risk," the girl replied calmly.

Ed's hand clenched the arm of the chair as Mustang let out a sigh, "I called you because you are the best of the best. He needs to open the Gate."

"I have more pressing matters to attend to than helping some dumb kid get his hands on valuable information," she retorted with boredom.

"Damn it! Either you help me, or I'll find someone who will!" Ed snapped, his right hand clenching the wooden arm rest, causing it to crack under the pressure.

A snort came from the strange girl, "Right. Because there is anyone else that knows where to find such information. Look, Mustang," the girl stood up, "I appreciate you acknowledging my talents, but I left the Military for a reason. I'm not to be used as a tool, and while I know that isn't your intention, I cannot begin to understand why I should help someone I don't know."

"You're leaving!" Edward snapped to his feet as the girl headed for the door, "You're just going to leave, without hearing Mustang out?"

A firm hand settled on his shoulder and in a split moment, Ed found himself sitting once more, Mustang standing beside his chair, "FullMetal was pulled through the Gate for some unknown reason, and his brother is left on the other side, in a world torn apart by a world at war," Ed found himself falling silent as the girl pauses at the door, her hand resting on the doorknob, "Now, are you going to help, or not?"

"Mustang, I'd love to help, but I don't exactly have the same military perks that I once had. The only place I can think of, to find such information, is completely out of my clearance level," she replied.

Mustang smirked, "Do you honestly think I wouldn't give you the clearance you need?"

A moment of silence filled the air before the girl let out a sigh, nodding her head, "Alright, I'll do it," Turning on heel, Violet moved to stand before Ed, "Give me your hand." Extending his hand, Ed found himself on the receiving end of a sharpened glare, "Your human hand." Before he could react, the girl stripped his left hand of its glove and a sharp pain registered in his mind as something sharp dragged along his palm. Watching wide-eyed as the girl dragged the same blade along her own left hand before clasping both injured hands together.

"What the hell?" Ed gasped out as something seemed to shock through him.

Meeting the silver-violet eyes, Ed fell silent, allowing the girl to speak, "Swear it. Swear to me that finding all of this information, opening the Gate, is in no way an act of self-service. Swear to me, that this is not for your own selfish gain."

"I swear it," Ed stuttered out, slightly confused as the shock seemed to intensify. "I swear I'm doing this all for Al."

Her strangely colored eyes flickered again, "Then I swear, that I will do anything, and everything, within my abilities to get your brother back to you."

A sharpened shock caused him to yank his hand from her grasp. Hearing her tell him that they leave in two days at nine in the morning, he watched as the strange girl left the room just as silently as she came. Turning to Mustang, who stared at the closed door, Ed demanded answers.

"Her name is Violet McCloud. She was the second youngest person to become a State Alchemist, you being the first obviously, and the first female State Alchemist. She went by The FinalStrike Alchemist," At Ed's piercing glare, Mustang allowed his fingers to wind together as his elbows moved to rest on his desk, "She resigned from the Military almost three years ago."

"What did she do to me?" Ed demanded.

"A Blood Oath," Ignoring the suddenly exclaimed echo, Mustang continued, "A Blood Oath is pretty much a pact made between two people. She wants to make sure that everything she is about to help you with is something that is truly not for your own selfish gain. And, with the basic Equivalent Exchange, she made a pact with you, that she would help you with everything she could. If either one breaks their oath, they will end up living a cursed life."

"Cursed life? Like how?"

Mustang shrugged, "I do not know. It's not something she runs around doing with everyone. If my count is correct, you are her seventh Blood Oath." Ed couldn't contain the echoing of that number, causing Mustang to glare sharply, "Yes. You are her seventh. Her younger brother was her first Blood Oath, followed by her three closest friends. The fifth one was myself and the sixth one..." Mustang paused, looking into the eyes of the FullMetal Alchemist, "The sixth Blood Oath she made was made with Alphonse Elric."