Chapter One
When I was younger I would always look at my father's Alchemy books. I know now what the Promised Day is; my parents really never hid it from me unlike some other people who were affected by it. I just think that they thought it was inevitable that I would find out somehow, which I did at the age of thirteen. Snooping is something I really don't tend to do, but when I started to notice older people who would just stare at me and whisper things about my eyes or hair, that's when it began. I never really thought much of it until I started to get the preteen attitude where no one could look at me unless they wanted to fight me. I blame my father for that stupid short temper.
My teachers were the worse at it honestly, they would try to be cool and collective about their stares but I was smarter than that. I knew silently they knew something about me that I wouldn't have dared to even imagine. That's when I started to snoop. I probably could have asked my Dad in person, but I felt like it was bigger than that. Something I needed to discover on my own almost. After dinner that night I just waited for the appropriate moment when I would sit in my room to listen for my parent's door to shut. Then I sprang into action.
I opened the door quietly in fear it would squeak. Slowly, I passed my sisters room knowing that she was asleep and if Sara would have woken up she would tattle on me. I remember distinctly every step I took was followed by a squeak from the wood flooring. After about a minute of walking with caution I just ran to the library with light steps. Finally, after what felt like hours of sneaking around, I made it to my father's library; with a sigh I opened the door.
It isn't much of a library; the room wasn't even that big. Just a standard bedroom transformed into an office like area with a desk in the middle of the room and 6 shelf's next to each other covered in books and a velvet red couch off against the right side of the room. On the desk is a light to shine down on the paper work Dad does, some papers and pens lay there still from his studies that morning. I gradually walked over to the desk and switched on the light and then plopped down on the swivel chair.
Looking down on the note pad, I barley could make out my father's hand writing, it read "Promised Day. Spring 1915". Strikingly, that was the first time I have ever heard about the Promised Day. Being curious, I walked over to one of the shelves and found a book labeled "Spring 1915: All About PD." Written by Jean Havoc. I pulled it out and opened it to a picture of a man in a metal suit. I've seen this before. I thought still flipping through the book. I stopped when I saw a picture of a boy with a metal arm. He looks just like me. The description underneath the photo said "The Fullmetal Alchemist; Edward Elric." My breath hitched in my throat. Dad?
I immediately flipped the pages back to the suit of armor and the description underneath the photo read "The Boy in Armor: Alphonse Elric." With that I dropped the book with a loud clatter. Uncle Al. And that solo thought I remembered where I've seen this suit of armor before, it was at Granny's house. The pictures on the bulletin of Mom, Dad and Uncle Al. Thinking about the pictures, the boy with the metal arm looks more like my father than I looked like him.
"Ahh, so you found them." I jumped when the voice spoke towards me. I turned my attention to the door to see my father leaning against the door frame. "Sorry if I startled you Theo, I just thought there was an intruder in my library then I just realized it was my thirteen year old son creeping around the house." He spoke with a slight bit of annoyance in his voice.
I just stared at him in shock; I couldn't help but look at him with new eyes. I looked at his left arm but it was all flesh. The gray tank top he was wearing revealed some scarring by his shoulder but nothing I haven't noticed before. His right leg was metal as always and now I wondered why it was like that. Something I never gave a second though too now made me second guess my father's whole life and partially mine. Suddenly, anger rose out of me and my fist clenched at my side. "You're the Fullmetal Alcemist. What does that even mean? What happened to your arm? And your leg? Why does everyone stare at me at school? What is the Promised day? Why-" Smoothly my father walked up to me.
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on T," He smiled calmly as if none of this fazed him, which angered me more. "First of all I was The Fullmetal Alchemist; I haven't been called that in year's son. And to understand this whole thing, you need to recognize this one thing: Alchemy is a law of equivalent exchange. As long as you receive ten of something you will lose ten of something in equivalent power. Now that being said, you can apprehend fully what I am about to tell you. While I explain everything, you will not interrupt me, you will hold your questions until the end, and you will not repeat any of this to Sara; she has to find out on her own." He paused staring at me, he was only was a foot away.
"Yes, I agree." I reached down and picked up the book and placed it back into the bookshelf.
"You may want to take a seat Theo, this will take a while." He pause as he watched me sit on the couch, he pulled out the swivel chair and face me when he sat down onto it. "Well it all started when my mother died..." From that point on I have been an alchemist. I have studied with my father the powers of Alchemy and the history of it. From that point on, my life has never been the same.
"Dad! Theo took the last piece of bread!" Sara, now fifteen, still hasn't broken the tattle tale stage of her life. And considering she was a daddy's little girl, she didn't need too.
"Theo! You give that piece of bread to your sister, or so help me I will ground you." My dad's was coming down the stair fiddling with his tie. He was wearing black slacks, a white button up t-shirt, and he is fiddling with his blue grey stripped tie.
"Dad. Are you kidding me? That fatass has a bowl of cereal and now she wants toast? All I have is this piece of toast!" Protesting never got me far in the past; I knew somehow I would end up giving this piece of bread to Sara. I looked over towards Sara and she stuck her tongue at me. "Brat."
"Watch your language, and you're seventeen. She's still growing." He finally made it down the stairs and took a seat at the rectangular table next to his daughter. I stood standing by the door leading out to the living quarters. Sam honestly didn't look much like dad. She had dark blond hair and dark sapphire blue eyes. Already, she is a heart breaker at school, making my life harder. Sara went through a stage when she was ten and she hated her name, she insisted on everyone calling her Sam. My dad thought it was cute so that's why she got her new nickname Sam from.
"Take it you selfish piece of garbage," Spitting out those words didn't even help my hunger growing in my stomach. All I ever want is this house is a good meal, that's it. "Now, o'brilliant father of mine, what will I be having for breakfast since your dictating what I can and cannot eat." I threw the piece of toast at Sara; she caught it, of course, while snickering. She can piss me off so much.
"Where's your mom?" Not even aware of my question, I sighed and walked over to the table and took a seat across from Sara and my dad.
"She's doing laundry outside or something." Pausing suddenly, I then snatched the piece of toast off of Sara plate and stuffed it all in my mouth. Swiftly, I stood up and ran to the backyard door to find my mother.
"Hey!" I heard Sara protest from the dining room while running away. Smiling, I continued on a walk through the door and found my beautiful mother hanging up towels.
"Hey T," My mom looked over at me with her bright blue eyes and a perfect smile. T has been my nickname since I was born because Theo wasn't short enough. Walking over to my mom I gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"You need help with anything Mom? I took the last piece of toast from Sam, so I don't think Dad or Sara want me in their domain." My mom has always been on my side with things, even if I act like my Dad in some aspects, I will always behave like my Mom in most things.
"Well no, you can't really help me considering that was the last towel," My whole family is sassy I swear. "What time do you need to leave for school?" She said softly picking up the laundry basket and walking to the porch.
"Probably now actually, let me hold that so I can protect my face when Sam charges me with a knife or something," I took the laundry basket from my Mom and, with caution, climbed up the steps anticipating an attack. When I saw nothing as I opened the door, I lowered my arms. "Sara! Let's go! Time for school!" I yelled throughout the house. Nothing. I looked at my mom for guidance.
"Edward? Get Sam, she needs to go to school! And you need to go to your meeting!" She called out after me. Again no reply. "Prepare for battle boy, they are plotting." My mom grabbed the wrench off the counter top next to her and bent her knees slightly so she was in an athletic stance. I reached in my pocket slowly and pulled out some chalk. Quickly I drew a transmutation circle on the bottom of the laundry basket and raised it again. Silence.
"Attack!" I heard my father yell from upstairs and before I knew it he jumped from the walk way upstairs and landed inches before me. He swung his fist to my head and I blocked it swiftly with the basket.
"Edward!" My mother was appalled that he was fighting me at seven in the morning. My dad came back at me with an attack to the stomach; I thrusted the basket at him than took the opportunity to transmute it into shackles on is hands. The blue light illuminated the room as the plastic morphed to cover both hands and up to his elbows in a plastic cocoon of his hands and arms. I jumped over him and then landed behind him quietly. Behind him I quickly drew another transmutation circle on the floor just behind his feet, I transmuted it and blue light went in the room again. The floor turned into two hands and grabbed my father's ankles making him fall.
"Shit!" Dad yelled as his face hit the floor with a thud. Even that made me wince but I also couldn't help but laugh. Just as a cackle was about to leave my body, I was hit from behind the head and fell forward right next to my father's body. At the same time we both turned our head to see Sara holding a wrench. I looked at my mom who was now wrench-less.
"Traitor." I hissed at her, she smiled coyly. I stood up and drew a transmutation circle around my dad then released him from his capture; the basket and floor were back to their original structures. "Sam, let's go. We are going to be late for school." And with that I grabbed her and my backpack then walked to the door not caring if she followed.
"Theo! Wait up!" She called after me but I was already out the door. I looked down at my hands and it was already too late, my veins in my wrist and hands were already streaked in ruby red. Dammit, the Philosophers stone is acting up again.