(Note: I know I'm pushing the usual boundaries of goodfic with this, but I'm going to try as hard as I can to keep this from turning into a Mary Sue, and I'm trying to keep the characters as true to their creator's display of the world as I possibly can.

This takes place after the movie, and (I hope) will offer some explanation to how Equivalent Exchange was kept in the movie.

Please let me know if it's going borderline badfic, so that I can fix it. I really don't want this to crash.)

Summary: "Given: When Electronics glitch, strange things happen. When a virtual reality set glitches, sometimes reality iteslf can change, for better or for worse. And sometimes, the hardest part is trying to get home again. Lana Hirokan must make her way through a new life in Amestris, while trying to understand exactly why life has thrown her across the Gate. Perhaps, though, our dreams are closer than we ever expect them to be."

Glitch

Chapter One: Sony VR

I sat in my chemistry class, positively bored to tears. Ms. Jasun was repeating the virtues of the periodic table for the seventeenth time over, and I was at the point of reciting it with her—That's how damn predictable the woman was. Not to say she wasn't a decent teacher… Just really, really, really, really redundant (Oh, I'm sorry, I think it's catching. Whoops!) .

Saja passed a note over to me, distracting me from my rambling, already distracted thoughts.

Lana—

Wht do u thnk a/b new game 2day? Hrd it's VR. Anime ttls frm Jpn!

I smiled. There was a new game system coming out today, that new VR set straight from Japan. As far as I had heard, VR had tons of games already, taken from all kinds of things. Anime, movies, you name it. Even Halo 4 had made a version for the Sony VR.

Even more amazingly, I had a ticket for a free SVR, that I'd won from a writing contest. I was going after school to pick it up, that was for sure. I'd have to decide what games to buy.

Dr. Maria Ross stared at the computer screen, sipping a cup of coffee. It was one of those years, that was for sure. Everyone knew that the sun tended to flare about every 11 years, but this year was stronger than most. They would have to keep an eye on the magnetic field coming from the Sun. There was always a chance that something, somewhere could go wrong.

A hand pressed on the back of the chair. "Dr. Ross?" A young woman said, looking over Maria's shoulder.

"Scieszka! Have you heard of high energy particles of this magnitude?" Maria asked. The girl had one hell of an eidetic memory, so chances were that if these had happened at any point in history, she'd know.

"No, Ma'am," Scieszka said, cleaning her glasses. "These are the strongest fields I've ever seen. And that might be trouble, with our atmosphere."

"That's what worries me." Maria said. "There's no doubt that we'll be seeing quite a few electronics glitches this season."

I stifled a shriek when the bell rang, and half-dragged Saja out of the classroom.

"SVR TIME!!" I cried, tearing down the hallway. Playing video games was great, but to FEEL them? I couldn't even imagine how awesome that would be.

The GameStop where I'd be picking it up was a five minute drive from school, but I made it in four, thanks to a good supply of green lights and nice drivers on the way out of the parking lot. Saja was practically bouncing in the passenger seat (We'd promised to share the system.) and I was chattering at thirty miles a second.

"Ohmigod! I can't believe today's the day. And it was a prize! We get an SVR and we don't have to pay! Ohmigod!"

"Hey…" Saja said, "What game are we gonna get?"

That brought me up short I parked the car. "I dunno… What do you want to get?"

"Something Anime. Wouldn't that be totally cool? To be an Anime girl? And like, kick ass in heels?"

I shook my head. "Too Magical Girl-esque for me. What about an action anime?"

"Like what?" she asked. She, admittedly, watched more Shoujo than was good for her, and had missed on a lot of the better titles.

"I was thinking that Fullmetal Alchemist one. Apparently you start the game and you're preparing for the State Alchemist's Test."

"…Alchemist?" She asked.

"Uhm… nevermind. You'll learn the story as you play, I'm sure."

Saja shrugged. It wasn't THAT important.

We walked into GameStop, clutching the ticket for dear life.

"Hi, How can I help you?" The guy at the counter asked.

"I'm here to pick up my SVR," I told him, holding out the prize ticket. "And the game that comes with it."

He did a double take. "You won the SVR? Damn…"

"What?" I asked, ready to defend my gaming as a chick.

"I'm jealous. I want an SVR."

I laughed, relaxing. "Me too. Where is it?"

A taller man came in through a door in the back wall, a gleaming cardboard box in his hands. "Here you go, ladies. And what game did you want?"

"Hey Saja, you pick." I said, smiling. "I got the free system, it's only fair that you get to pick the game."

"Uhm…. I want to play the Naruto game!"

I sighed. Naruto was the one non-Shoujo anime she'd watch, though I couldn't understand why. But to her, her own, and that was okay with me.

I cast a glance over the shining game boxes, looking for one that I would want to play. "How about that FMA game?" I said, picking it up. "$30 dollars? That's not bad at all! Not for a new game!"

"So will you be getting that, then?" The cashier asked.

"Yup," I said, handing him the coupon and games. He rung it up, and returned the games to me in a plastic bag.

"Thirty-forty-nine," he said, and the register dinged happily. I paid, and we left the store.

"I can't wait to get home!" I chirped as we left the shopping center, and I drove her over to her house. "Come over this weekend, and we can play!"

The instant I walked into my room, I dropped my school stuff and made a beeline for the TV. Fuck homework, I was going to VR for a while.

It was actually a fairly simple setup. The goggles, fingerpads, and headset all had their own color-coded jacks that plugged into a small black box that in turn connected to power. I turned on the system, slipped in the DVD, put the gear on, and fell into the world of my dreams.

It was year 12, Central city. One year after the famed Fullmetal Alchemist had passed his Alchemy Exam at age twelve. One year after the bar was raised for Alchemists who had ever dreamed of joining the military.

My task was simple, after I had created my character: To select a specialty, and find training before the Exam in three months. But first, I had to speak to one Roy Mustang.

I walked the streets of Central, taking in the sights. This certainly was unlike anything I'd ever seen, and I was amazed at the texture I felt as I brushed my hand along the wall. It really did seem like a reality, as long as I didn't focus too carefully down the smaller alleys and side streets, where the map wasn't created. I looked around, and noticed a large white building in the distance with an emerald green banner hanging down the façade. Central Command. I began to walk toward it, noticing as I did so that I couldn't really feel the ground beneath my feet—Just the area moving towards me. But that was probably a good thing, as I wouldn't want the cords to rip away from the box, thanks to excess motion.

I entered the building, gaping up at the high ceilings and pure existence of it all. A woman's voice broke me out of my reverie.

"Can I help you?" she asked, with an air of boredom.

"I'm looking for Roy Mustang," I told her.

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked.

"I…" A beep sounded in my ear, and a recording began to play of a 'letter' that had apparently been sent to me, about an appointment with the Lt. Colonel. "Yes ma'am," I said, "I do."

"Name?" she asked.

"Lana… Hirokan." I said, making up a surname on the spot.

The woman picked up a phone, and dialed a number.

"Yes, Mustang? I have an appointment for you. Some young woman… What?... Lana Hirokan. Yes, sir. Sir."

She looked up at me and smiled. "Go on up. Fourth floor up the stairs, and three doors to the right.

I nodded, and allowed the camera to take me away.

Looking around as I moved up the stairs, I discovered that if I inclined my head certain ways, I could take control of the camera and go where I wanted. That little tip I filed away for later use.

A couple of minutes later, I was standing outside an oak door. I knocked, and waited with baited breath to see who would answer.

A woman opened the door, and I forced myself not to do a double take. This was definitely the 2nd Lt. Hawkeye, and she looked every bit as reserved as she appeared in the anime.

"Ma'am?" I said, for some reason concerned about how I appeared to fictional characters. "I'm looking for the Lt. Colonel Mustang."

"Of course," she said, opening the door wider. I could see a dark-haired man sitting behind the desk, staring out the window near him. "Come in."

A chime rang in my ear, and a disembodied voice cheered "success!"

My first task was complete.

"Save,"I commanded.

"Saving," the voice responded. The goggles went dark.