Edward opened his eyes. "Ah, the Gate. My old friend." Suddenly a wave of panic hit him. "Al! Where are you, Al?!"

"Edward?" He heard Alphonse call his name from somewhere in the blank whiteness. Edward looked around wildly until he saw another person in the distance. "Al! Is that you? Did it work?" he called.

"Yeah!" came the reply. "Oh, big brother, it's so great! I have my body back and- wait, what about you?"

Edward slowly looked down, and he saw the arm and the leg he had lost so long ago back in their places. It's as if nothing ever happened, he thought. "Yeah... me too." He stood up shakily and ran towards his brother, his arm and leg feeling odd.

"Wait..." Al said. "If you're here, and I'm here, and we both have our alchemy... what did we exchange?"

Edward felt a knot of fear form inside his stomach. "I think we're about to find out." He stared at a hole opening through the Gate, one that would hopefully take them back home.

Then they fell through.

The first thing Edward saw was an odd building, and if he actually believed in that kind of stuff, he might have called it magical. Then, a boy wearing a black school uniform ran out. "Whoa, are you two okay?" Edward nodded. Alphonse was too busy staring at the weird black bunny-like thing on the boy's shoulder. "What is that?"

"Mokona is Mokona!" Mokona answered. Al yelled and jumped back.

"Don't be scared," the boy said hurriedly. "Mokona is harmless. Usually. Anyway, I'm Kimihiro Watanuki."

"Edward Elric," Ed said warily.

"Hi! I'm Alphonse Elric!" Al said cheerfully.

"Why don't you come inside?" Watanuki offered.

"No thanks," Edward started to say, but Al gave him "the eyes". "All right," he sighed, following Watanuki and Alphonse inside.

"Um, do you mind telling us where we are? This place doesn't look familiar at all."

"This is my boss Yuko-san's shop. Most people haven't been here."

I was thinking on a larger scale, Edward thought, but he figured that he would find out soon enough. They walked through halls that were filled with things they had never seen before and ornately carved furniture. Finally, they came to a stop in front of a screen.

"Enter," said a voice from behind the screen door.

Watanuki pulled open the door to reveal a woman in the most extravagant outfit Edward had ever seen. "Ah, Edward and Alphonse Elric. I have been looking forward to your visit."

Neither of them said anything. Usually when someone started off with that speech, it was an enemy about to attack.

"There is no such thing as a coincidence," she continued. "There is only fate. And it was fate that you came here. Tell me, do you both have a wish?"

"A wish?" Edward scoffed. "I don't believe in magic. Everything that we've ever done has been through our own hard work. That is all that counts."

Yuko seemed unfazed. "Oh, really? Then tell me, Edward Elric, aren't you familiar with the phrase 'equivalent exchange'?"

Edward drew back.

"Alchemy itself is based off this law. While there is no alchemy in this world, 'equivalent exchange' applies to much of what we have today."

"Wh- what do you mean?" Edward asked, unsettled.

"When I grant a wish, I require compensation, no greater and no less than what I have given to you, the customer." Yuko smiled. "So tell me, what is your wish?"

Still both brothers remained silent. "If you cannot think of anything, then let me make a suggestion. Right now, you are in Japan, which by itself is far from your home. But the Gate, in exchange for your bodies, has sent you into another dimension as well."

"Then... we wish to go home," Alphonse said.

"Easily done," Yuko said. "Do you not have any personal wishes?"

"No," Al said, smiling. "Everything is perfect."

"I see you have achieved true happiness," Yuko said. "How about you, Edward? Do you have any personal wishes?"

Edward shifted uncomfortably. There was one thing, but... "No... I don't."

Yuko smiled evilly. "Watanuki," she said, her voice turning high and girlish. "What is your age?"

"Fourteen years," he replied, uncertain of where this was going.

"And what is your height?"

Edward paled.

"74 inches."

"And you aren't the tallest in your class, are you?"

Watanuki glanced at Edward, worried. "No, I'm average height."

"All right!" Edward exploded. "I wish... to become tall!"

"There it is," Yuko giggled.