'Alchemy... is a science where one understand the structure of matter,

breaks it down, then rebuilds it. With it...

we can create anything with just one transmutation.

Something of equal value must be present.

But what if... it was used for something else...?'

Chapter 1 ~ The Gate

-Me-

"Catherine Cairo, are you paying attention!?" my teachers yells, slamming her ruler on my desk. I nearly fell from both shock and fear. I slowly looked up only to see a very pissed of teacher. I instantly stood up doing quick apologizes, "I'm sorry! It'll never happen again!" She just sighed and continued the discussion which just happened to be science. My name is Catherine Cairo, I'm a scholar at this quote-on-quote 'prestigious' science academy for both middle & high school. For awhile now, I've been daydreaming a lot in class, and its been a problem for me since it gave my teachers a reason why they should keep a good eye on me. Tomorrow is my 12th birthday so that might probably be my main reason why my mind has been wandering somewhere else instead of class.

'That does make sense. My birthday isn't usually something I look forward to,' I thought as I sat back down in my seat and starting listening in what our teacher was discussing. "Alright I want all of you to look on page 210 and start reading until the bell rings," our teacher instructs, writing it on the chalk board so we won't forget. All of us let our an annoyed groan, but did as we were told to avoid getting on our teacher's bad side. I took out my science book from my backpack and started flipping through the pages till I reached it. I wasn't shocked at what I was reading, it had information about alchemy and homonculi. Two weeks we've been learning about it so we kinda got used to it. Before we all got a huge surprise when we opened our books.

There are a number of us that are anime otaku's and the one thing that popped into our heads 'FMA!' the moment we read the covers of our new textbooks. It's very strange on what I was learning, I bet the others felt the same way. BBBRRRIIINNNGGG! That was the final school bell for the day. All of us instantly started putting our notebook and text book into our backpacks. "Now remember class! Tomorrow is the field trip!" we hear our teacher announce. I wasn't in a hurry to leave while the others started bolting out of the room. "Oi Cat! You coming!?" one my friends ask from the door, noticing that I was still in the room. Shaking my head 'no', I remain in my seat as I watch my friend leave the room with the rest of our classmates, leaving only me and the teacher.

After packing up my remaining notebooks and textbooks, I flung my bag over my shoulders and head for the door. When I passed my teacher, an eerie feeling went through my body making me stop to look at her. "Something wrong?" she asks me with a kind, yet creepy smile. She wore her usual black suit and had her hair tied up in a bun, her large chest almost exposed like it usually is and then her piercing red eyes from behind her lens. I just shook my head no and exited the room. 'That women... she's oddly familiar... Er! Don't be stupid Cat you've known her for 2 years!' I thought trying to shake the odd familiarity feeling away. I kept passing by other students who were either chatting or getting things from their locker.

I just wanted to get back home before- "Cat!" and that gave me a signal that it was too late. Before I could make a run for it, a pair of arms wrap around my neck from behind, rendering me incapable of escaping. "Gah! Alice get off of me!" I yell, trying to push away the hyper girl. She pouts and reluctantly does so.

"Geez... you don't have to be so mean..."
"You're the one that always glomps me!"
"Anyway I just wanted to great you an early happy birthday!"
"Oh yeah it's tomorrow..."
"Man... too bad it had to be on the field trip! Agh! I gotta run! See ya!"

And with that she bolts right past me like lightening. I turned to where she ran off to and sigh, that girl has always been hyper but today was on a whole other level. Turning away, I noticed something laying on the floor in front of me. I picked it up to see it was a box. 'This might belong to Alice... Oh well I'll give it to her tomorrow,' I thought to myself while putting the box into my pocket. When I left the school, everyone who was leaving started to stare at me with wonder in their eyes. Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I gave them a face saying 'Don't saying anything or die' which made them backing away. Although I was hoping to gain what you call a circle of friends when I first started middle school, things happened and I ended up having only one or two that hang with me based on our similar interests.

Too late to make any more than that, the rest were the ones that started it with the rumors. When I first came to this school, I was in a grumpy mood since I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. An older student thought it was a good idea to mess with me by grabbing my hair, which I responded nicely with a kick to the face. Since then I was feared by students. Only few kids my age ever came up and treated me like a normal person. The school bus' were lined up but I decided not to ride on it today. Its gonna be a long walked home but I didn't care, I felt like cooling my head off today. The streets were busy as usual, malls and shops filled up, friends passing by laughing, everything around me was noisy. Can't blame it though it is the big city.

I stopped in my tracks and looked up a bill-board sign that stood high above me to the right. 'Everyone can except who you are,' it read. 'Yeah right... everyone but me,' I thought and looked away continuing my way home. It strange to be different, people around me were either black haired or brunette while I'm the blonde head around here. They say if your hair is purely red then you're a bad child. I knew someone like that in elementary when I was a kid but he disappeared for some odd reason, nobody knew why and since then he was never seen again. Till today, the parent haven't found any information on what exactly happened to the kid and as time went on people started to forget him and his existence in the world.

Everyone in thinks he's dead by now. I wouldn't blame them for thinking like that, it's been almost 4 years since we last saw him and his family, excluding his parents, finally gave in to the though of never seeing the guy ever again, though there are sometimes I would visit his parents since he was almost a friend of mine. I didn't believe in that type of stuff but these guys do and not in a good way. After a few miles of walking I finally got home. I headed up the steps searching for the keys in my pocket. "Is that you Cat?" a voice calls out from above. I looked up to see one of my neighbors Mrs. Russel. So far she's the only one that likes me besides Alice. "Yeah I just got back!" I yelled out smiling. When I found the keys in my pocket, I unlocked the door only to be greeted by darkness.

"Geez... they still didn't fix the lights?" I groaned, closing the door behind me. Heading up the stairs, more noise erupted through the building. This place wasn't what you call home sweet home, but after staying here for 7 years, makes a person ignore all the ruckus. Reaching my apartment door, a bottle crash into the wall inches from my face. I turned my head around pissed off, yelling, "Who the hell did that!?" Normally it was a drunk man but this time it was different. "Shut up you little girl!" yells a women who seemed to be in her 40's. "Little!? Hey I may be 11 but I am not little girl!" I retorted, glaring daggers at her. She came up to me ready to punch me until her 'boyfriend' came up behind her calming her down with soothing words, "It's okay baby... she's still young and growing alright so let it go..."

He looks over and gives me a wink. I shivered and instantly ran into my apartment. God that was gross! I sighed and flicked the light switch on. The lights turned on to reveal an almost completely empty room; filled with only a single bed, desk, small bookshelf, and an old fashioned TV. Not much to buy when you have only 20 bucks a day at a part-time job. I wanted to take a shower but I was too tired and just walked to my bed jumping onto it. I felt something under my hand. I lifted my hand up to reveal my manga book of FMA. I loved the story, everything taught me how to move on and be strong. "I don't have homwork so..." I opened it up and started to read. So far I was on the 3rd book, knowing how manga worked it'll take me awhile to collect the rest.

Not to mention the fact that I'll be budgeting more of my manga if I want to keep up with the series and the bills I paid for using the internet too much for watching the 2003 series, I haven't even gone past the 1st episode on the latest anime series but I really want to catch up if I want to watch the finale. While most otakus I met at some local conventions, disguised as a different character at every one of the, were into Naruto and One Piece, I personally prefer FMA over all the other anime's & manga's that are presented for all to see. The worst one is I didn't want to read anymore so I just set it ontop of my nightstand. I laid down on my back and stared at the ceiling. "If only alchemy was real," I muttered lifting my hand up the air. "I could be able to change everything."

++The Next Day++

"Everyone listen up! This is a very important trip today and I want all of you to stay together!" our teacher intructs us as we all board the bus. From behind some student was complaining, "I hear that we're just going to watch some sorta cult today." "Really? Man that sucks..." the other complains. I think our teacher heard it and headed to where those two student were. "If you boys think this is your waste of time then why don't you get off now?" she asks and that's when the bus started to move. "But we can't now ma'am," one said noticing how fast we were going. "We could let you off while it's moving," she offers. By the death silence that I heard, they probably turned white out of fear and kepted their mouths shut.

Noting their quietness, she headed back to the front but gave a quick glance at me then continued her way to the front. "Geez that lady freaks me out... What happened to the kind teacher we used to know," I wondered out loud. "Yeah she's more weirder than before," Alice blurts out appearing right next to me. "Agh! Alice you scared me!" I screamed. She just giggles making me sigh in annoyance. Someday this girl is gonna give me a heart attack. I still wonder how we're still friends at all. I crossed my arms and leaned back in my seat looking out at the window. "Have you noticed some of the teachers have been acting weird lately?" Alice asks to get rid of the awkward silence. "Really... I wonder why..." I groan not caring of what she's saying.

All I want is peace and quiet only until this girl kept blabbering how weird things have been going on around school. "Are you listening?" she asks finally noticing me gazing out the window. I yawned yawned in response. Alice pouts and left my side, saying, "Fine be like that." Finally alone at last! Usually at times like this I would be doing a happy dance, but I gotta stay cool to keep my reputation. Let's just say I have multiple personalities so it's hard to tell what I'm like. "Everyone please get your stuff ready! We're arriving in ten minutes!" yells out teacher. I sighed and just grabbed my backpack that was on the floor, putting it onto my lap. I looked out the window again and saw a giant black building. It was actually amazing... problem was that it looked a giant door.

Talk a about of weird sense of fashion. The bus came to a stop making everyone on board leave as soon as the door opened. I sweat drop thinking, 'They're sure in a hurry to get out.' I threw my bag over my shoulders and started heading down to the exit. "Wow!" I exclaimed staring at the huge area. It was so big! Big enough for a king! "Settle down kids we need to get inside before the performance starts," another teacher orders. I turned to take a look at the teacher, she almost looks exactly like Lust. Now that I take a better look at the teachers there was about only 7 of them, even the short kid kinda reminds me of someone, but I can't say yet who it is."Is something wrong Ms. Cairo?" a creepy voice asks me from behind. Of course it was 'my' teacher who just gave me a very eerie smile. "No... it's nothing...' I muttered and ran to where my classmates were.

-Normal-

"Is it her?"
"Yeah I'm sure of it. It's that midget alchemist's girlfriend."
"Then it was a good idea to do the transmutation here."

From behind the two a girl came up wearing a hood. The two adults turned to her. "When is the party going to start?" she asks in a very bored tone.

-Back to Me-

The whole place was filled up and it was so cramped here. "Agh! Hey watch it!" I screech after feeling someone stomp, and I mean stomp, on my right foot. At the center was a stage, lucky for me I was able to get a front row seat. Lights hit the stage to reveal a man in a white cloak. When we all saw him, we all quiet down to hear what he had to say. He seemed very familiar for some odd reason... I can't put my finger on it...

"Welcome, today is a special day for all of you children of the future world. I am here to introduce you to a new age that will fall upon us on this day, an age different from the one you currently! As you know the world is slowly dying thanks to your so called science that is used day by day. Humans wasting they're own precious life when it could be used for something else... something of greater power! During the past few weeks you've noticed a sudden change in one of your lessons, Alchemy," my eyes widened in pure shock at the words he spoke. "I've watched for years as your world change at every mistake leaders make in hope of changing the world for peace. You lack so much even for a younger generation such as yourselves... and that is, the true understanding of what you humans are meant for. I am known by my children as Father and you all are sacrifices for the new age."

I understand now, the purpose of why were here, why this man looks so familiar to me, and why he talks about humans when he looks like one himself. This man, he's Father! I remember what Alice told me about this guy, he's the one who gave birth to the homunculi and named then after the seven deadly sins. Not many in the room didn't seem to get what was going on except for those who also figured it out like me. Only a few of knew what he meant by sacrifice. I've read bits and pieces of him on the internet to see if what Alice had told me was true, and it amazed me on how much on creature could cause that much destruction. Six of our teachers and an elementary student came to his side as if they were his body guards.

This was really bad now, I can even tell now who they are one by one. Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Greed, Sloth, and also Pride were there standing in front of all of us. Damn it I should've realized it sooner! I started to step away little by little, but one of them caught sight of me and smiled. "And it seems one has volunteered to start the celebration," smirks Envy who jumps off the stage and headed towards me. I wanted to run, run away from what's happening but I was too late, Envy grabbed my head and started to drag me back to the stage. The students started to panic on what was going on. I was shoved forward making me fall downwards on the ground. "Now it's time..." one of them mutters. I was lifted off the ground by the back of my collar.

"Let me go!" I yelled as I tried to get out of whoever's grip. But I stopped struggling and saw that it was sloth holding me. Take note: if a huge, tall muscular guys is holding you... do not struggle if you want to not be crushed by a huge hand. Father walked up to my frozen body holding up a knife. "You're not gonna cut a piece of my body... right?" I asked, scared for my life while the blade got closer. It was the most stupid question ever, it just made Father smile at my weak self and sliced the skin of my right hand. The slicing didn't really hurt but the drop I got did. I was instantly dropped like a ragged doll. "Now perform alchemy!" Envy yells and points a gun at my head. Getting on my knees, I looked up at all the people who had terrified looks. I could even spot Alice in the crowd and she was just as scared.

"If you don't start now," Envy started to point the gun somewhere else, "I'll shoot them one at a time." My eyes widened in shock and my body started to tremble all-over. I disregarded idea of using alchemy, "People cannot use alchemy here! All of us are just average human beings that have no special abilities what so ever! Even I can't perform alchemy!" These people are going to die if I don't do it, but they'll still die if the transmutation is performed. A bang echoes through the room and a scream erupted immediately as I watch a body collapse to the ground. Thankfully he was alive but the boy was now bleeding like crazy from his left shoulder. "Next one," Envy aims his gun at another random direction with a big wicked smile. "No! Stop it!" I don't know what had happened.

The moment I slam my hand on the ground a sudden light flashed and the wood from the stage came to life and wraps itself around Envy's leg, causing me to gap in shock and for him to look pleased at the sight. "So you can use alchemy!" he laughs as he easily breaks his leg free. "Looks like the alchemy in this world is too weak. If that's the case, then start the transmutation! If not them I won't just injure the next human! There are plenty of lives here to use." With no other options, I clapped and slowly placed them on the ground. Red light appeared on the floor and everyone started to scream in pain and agony. "Hahaha! Keep on screaming you pitiful low lifes!" a voice laughs from behind me. I turned around and saw another shocking sight.

"You are... me!?" I yelled in pure horror. There behind me stood a girl who had the same face, same voice and same hair but the problem was... their eyes were pure red as blood.

"I am Jealousy... who once lived as a human but was sacrificed to bring back a beloved..."
"Why are you all here!? You all should be fake! Fictional characters from a book!"
"You disappoint me. Back home you were... no... I was the strongest to never give up and believe in almost everything. Too bad you're just a copy."
"Copy... no! I am me!"
"Then how come you are so interested in that so called story?"

I couldn't say anything at that point, that question struck a never inside me. When Alice showed me my first manga copy of Fullmetal Alchemist four years back, I became so absorb with it that it took me years to read something else. "You've been an outcast by these people for so long due to your lack of parents. Think of this as punishment for what they have done to you," the girls says with an evil grin and watches as everyone continue to suffer. There was nothing I could do, they were all going to die right here in front of my eyes, even Alice is going to die. As soon as I saw Alice trying to walk towards me, happiness filled up inside of me and I started to reach out for her. Our hands were inches away from each others grasp until that girl got in the way by grabbing my head, pulling me away from the reach of my friend.

"Alice!" I cried out as I watched her slowly dying. She wanted to scream, cry out for my name but it ended up silent with tears forming in her eyes. "Yes... watch as your friend dies!" she yells laughing evilly. Soon she gripped onto my head harder and forced me to look up at her, the girl was giving me a dark happy look. "Seems like you get your wish. Good-bye my dear me..." she mutters. A blue light suddenly appears and blinds me for a few seconds, then a sudden pain coursed through my body once I regained my sight. I screamed in agony, louder than the people in front of me. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, an eye suddenly opens up above me and familiar black arms began to reach out down to where I sat. "No! No!" I cried out as I struggled to get out of its grasp. The arms grabs my legs first then my arms.

"Let me go! This isn't what I wanted! I didn't want to go in exchange of others lives!" I tried to reach out with my left hand but something happened that nearly broke my sanity. At first, I thought I was seeing things. In reality the hands were slowly taking my arm in the same manner Ed lost his leg and Al lost his body. Before I could pull it back, the process was already complete and my arm was gone, causing blood to spurt out in where my limb once was. I don't remember anything at that point except for the agonizing pain after my arm was taken. All I know was that I kept screaming and thrashing as I was brought closer to what I know is the 'Eye of God'.

++The Gate++

I gasped for air and pant heavily. 'What happened?' I thought trying to piece together of what I can remember. Then it all came back to me in one second. The people, the transmutation, and that girl. I collapsed on my knees and start shacking all over as the images of all the screaming people entered my head like a shock wave. "Yo!" a voice greeted. My head shot up to see the last person I wanted to see, the Truth. It sat the in its usual spot, smiling widely at me like it has done to all that comes to face it and the Gate's judgment. I finally noticed where I was now that I a better look at my surroundings, I was in front of the gate itself standing there high and tall. "Y-You're the Truth..." I stuttered in fear still staring at it. It smiles and cackles, "Hahaha! So that's what you call my other?! Well sorry kiddo, you're wrong!"

"Huh!?" I gasp, taking a step back and look at the figure from head to toe with suspicious eyes.

"Why am I here?"
"Someone offered you to me. But I will only take one thing from you and then you will pass through."
"Pass through... you mean enter the gate!?"
"Yes, right now you are the other side of the gate and your side is where there is no such thing as alchemy. Just think of it as the opposite as the other."
"If so then does that mean that those people are who they say they were!?"
"Sadly no, they are copies of their past selves that were able to escape their fate and entered this side to redo what they were suppose to do. It just so happened you are exactly identical to someone on the other side who died which wasn't suppose to happen."

The gate started to opened and a huge eye appeared in the center. But this was different, the eye was blue and lifeless in the darkness. Arms shot out coming towards me making me panic and try to run for my life. "No! I don't wanna go!" I yelled as I tried to run away from the arms. I knew it was useless but I didn't want to go, I know I've always wanted to go to Amesteris except... this wasn't what I ment! Soon enough my body was being dragged in while I struggle to get out of it's grasp. As I kepted being pulled in, my left arm slowly started to disinegrate. I screamed louder trying to get out and to keep my arm. "Don't worry you're going to make everything ok," Fate reassures smiling at me. Everything at that point went black as soon as the gate doors shut.

-Winry-

It was stormy outside, even thunder was added to the pouring rain. "Geez it sure is gonna be a long storm..." I muttered looking out the window. It makes me curious how Ed and Al are doing now... It's only been a few hours since they left and it was kinda lonely not to have them around, Al was suppose to stay but he suddenly changed his mind instantly out of nowhere and decided to go with his brother for support. Outside the rain, a figure started walking up towards I think to my house. I was scared a bit noticing how the figure was limping. When thunder boomed in the air, a short amount of light eluminated at the figures body. I was shocked to see the face of a girl who seemed to be in pain. The girl collapsed on the ground making me instantly react by going outside without any cover. I ran out in the rain and toward the fallen girl. "Hey you alright!?" I asked worriedly. She didn't respond, I panic and tried to bring her inside. "What is it Winry?" Grandma Pinako asks from behind me. I couldn't respond cause as soon as I was able to lift the girl up I noticed she was missing an arm and bleeding a large amount of blood.

I gasped and instantly started carrying her inside. "Grandma she needs medical attention!" I yell as soon as I was able to get inside with her with me. Blood was dripping onto the floor but not so much, it seemed she's been bleeding for awhile and that can't be good. "Hold on you're gonna make it...!" I whispered as I carried the limp girl down the hall.

To be continued~

Sorry I had to redo it again! I was debating with myself if I should make her from our world or born and raised in FMA. Hope you like it! Oh and this is how Cat looks, except a little younger and a smaller chest, just looked up blonde girl concept at deviant art. The name of the pic is exactly the same as the one you searched.