Hey y'all! I know that I haven't updated in a while, and you're all furious with me for pushing yet another one of my outrageously new ideas on you. However, I hope that you guys will excuse my absence for the time being and forgive me because things here at school have just been so very busy! For those of you who think I'm kidding… well… here's a message for you: I'M NOT! College is so time consuming with midterm exams and all that. Argh! Too ---- much ---- planning ---- ahead! ---- for my ---- small ---- brain!

Anyways: I've just started to get into Fullmetal Alchemist through the manga. I don't know exactly when this story takes place, but you guys who have seen the show or read the manga: you can pick a place in the timeline. I now realize that Ed and Al may seem slightly out of character to you, but I can try to change that.

Now… On to the story!

Disclaimer: I am not the creator of Full Metal Alchemist! Nor do I own it.

One:

Why he left us, I'll never know exactly why. But I do blame myself for it. He left us to be discovered by Achmeid. I had not yet discovered my talent then. I was useless against Achmeid at that time…

I remember my mother and father had told me to run. To run and never look back…

"Rei, you must leave. You are the only one who can find him even if you don't know where he is. You must find him."

"But Father, I—

"Listen to your father, Rei. You know what you must do… you will be killed as well if you stay with us."

"Mother, I can't leave you here! This man—you cannot stop him on your own!"

"We know, Rei. We will stall for time while you search for him. Now go!" Father pushed me out the door and I tripped and fell to the dirt outside our house, "Take my motor bike, Rei. It will get you safely away from here as fast as possible."

That was the last time I saw my parents alive…

----- Elsewhere… in the present -----

"Brother, what are you doing? It's time to wake up!"

Edward Elrich groaned and turned away from the sound of his younger brother's voice.

"Brother…"

"Go away, Al…"

"But it's time to get up!"

"Leave me alone, Al… Can't you find something else to do right now?"

"Okay, I'll let you sleep. But Colonel Mustang won't be happy with you later today, if you do."

Ed sat up fiercely, now fully awake, "Damn that bastard!"

"You shouldn't use such violent language, brother."

Ed jumped out of bed and began pulling on his clothes. All the while shouting, "I can't believe he would do this! Why? WHY? WHY SO EARLY IN THE MORNING!"

"It already 10:30 in the morning, brother."

"Shut up, Al!" Ed yelled. But he soon regretted saying this. The helmet that was Al's head dropped in sadness because his current body could not cry. Al stood up from where he had been kneeling besides his brother's bed and headed for the door.

"Fine. I see how it is…"

"Al, I didn't mean it --" Ed began apologetically as he watched Al place his metallic hand over the doorknob and turn it, "that way."

Al, however, opened the door and stepped into the hallway beyond. Before closing the door behind him, Al responded, "By the way: the Colonel said we have a mandatory meeting in his office in five." With that, Al closed the bedroom door softly, leaving Ed in a sad state, half dressed.

"Al…"

----- FIVE MINUTES LATER -----

"Do you really think it's necessary to wake us up this early?"

"Yes."

"Bastard…" Ed mumbled under his breath.

Mustang's eyebrow shot up, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

Roy closed his eyes, even though he still wasn't satisfied with Fullmetal's answer. "Alright. Let's begin. The reason I called you all here is because we have a situation."

"Duh… why else would we be here?" Riza Hawkeye grumbled, yet she smiled at Roy when he glared in her direction.

I know that this is a poor beginning for this story, but deal with that. It will get better. I hope….

Finally, (because I bet you guys don't really want to listen to me ranting anymore) I just wanted to say that I am really trying to get past all my writer's block for the following: A Robin's Story, Kazel: The Dragon Demon, Dueling 101, Another Exile, One Pheonix, Red Snow, Return, Just Some Poetry, and Secrets of Silence. Wow! How many stories is that! That's a long list! I better get moving!

HOWLS! –--riawolf