A/N: Alright before we start, I want to clarify that this is my first fan fiction! So obviously I need experience, anyway...I'd like to thank CaptainAmericanna for helping me with a few ideas throughout this story and just inspiring me to write this! (This chapter is episode 02 in brotherhood...that's the storyline I'll be following; and the alchemy used from my OC won't make sense because it doesn't follow the rules of alchemy, but I'm doing that on purpose so don't fret.)

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters or any information that seems like it's from the show or online sources!

Chapter 1: Promises

Two grieving boys sit at a grave. Neither one bothering to have moved since that morning. The younger boy, Alphonse, looked over at his older brother.

"Brother...can we go home? I'm hungry..." He shivered for what felt like the millionth time. "And cold."

After a long moment of silence...Edward, the older boy, had thought of something.

"Let's bring mom back."

Not too far down from the boys, stood a girl no older than 15, dressed in an Amestrian military uniform. Shoulder length jet black hair was down and straight as could be. Her chocolate brown eyes that were red and swollen from crying, the dull, almost lifeless, and pained gaze of a "war hero" were looking upon two graves.

Urey Rockbell. Sara Rockbell.

The only two people worthy of living happy lives out of all the other soldiers in that hell hole known as Ishval. She scoffed quietly. That place was worse than a hell hole. That'd been proven multiple times. They had been killed. Murdered. And there wasn't a damn thing she could've done. It had been too late. She shook her head from her thoughts. No. Making myself feel guilty won't help anyone. She had been listening and watching the boys from the corner of her eye. So when she heard that...

"Don't waste your time kid."

Both boys looked over in slight shock, neither had noticed her there.

"It isn't worth your time."

Edward glared at the girl. "How the hell would you know?! You can't tell us what we can and can't do! Who the hell are you?!" He was angry. No, livid. How dare she say that. She didn't know a damn thing about them. Who was she to try and stop him from seeing his beloved mother smile at them again. He was the best damn alchemist he knew! Hell, she couldn't even look them in the eye and say it. Coward. Alphonse sweat dropped as his brother seethed.

"Sorry about brother...he has a lot of anger..."

"I do not!" Standing up, he clenched his fists, still glaring at the young soldier. "Now why don't you look me in the face and say that again!"

She smirked feeling a bitter amusement from the two children, ignoring the little "threat" and still not looking away from the graves.

"Sorry kid, I've seen things you wouldn't even consider having a nightmare about...my life has been in danger more times than you can count. Your threats don't really do much for me." Kids really are amusing, especially this one.

Ed blinked and Alphonse swore he saw steam coming out of his ears. So he decided a distraction might be necessary.

"You know...you sure do look young to be a soldier, miss...how old are you?" She tensed and squeezed her lips in a thin line and squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to go through those damn emotions again. She willed herself to seem like she was still calm, still having not taken her eyes off the graves.

"Be quiet Al! I'll ask the questions."

She had been thinking over why he had been wanting to bring their mother back, other than the obvious reason. He didn't seem to be stupid...neither did the other one...if he was an alchemist then he knew that it was a taboo...so why wou-

She cut off her thoughts off as realization hit her...then nothing but pure rage filled her mind.

Alphonse looked at her curiously, wondering why she seemed...angry?

"Um...are you alright? I'm sorry if I made you mad..."

Her head was looking down and her hair covered her face from her nose up. Her teeth were gritted, her eyes glaring at the graves.

"So you think you're that good huh kid? To attempt the taboo?"

Ed blinked, shocked. She saw through it...She scoffed.

"You're only a kid. You haven't seen hardly any shit from the real world. Not even the most skilled State Alchemists could do it. What makes you think you can?" She was beyond furious. Pissed off didn't even begin to cover it. But she hid her rage as best as she could. The glare that came her way gave her an answer and boy when she did get her answer...

He had quickly recovered and was irritated majorly. She thinks she's so damn smart. He scoffed mentally. I'm way smarter than she is. His thoughts came to a screaming halt as a scream escaped his throat when he was lifted into the air by his collar. Her face still hidden behind her hair. She looked...demonic.

"Listen up ya cocky brat. No one has performed the taboo successfully." She winced mentally. "So don't you think for even five seconds that you are any different. If I get word that you go and try to attempt it..." She gripped his collar tightly and (harmless) lightning started flickering around her hands. "I'll hunt you down and make sure that you won't have any of your limbs."

He looked white as a ghost. He gulped and was shaking very noticeably. Alphonse didn't look any better as tears ran down his cheeks. But she didn't budge. She was blinded by the rage, she couldn't even see his face. Not that it mattered anyway, her hair was still in her face.

I understand feeling grief, shortstack...but trust me...it's not worth it. That...thing...it's not even human. You guys aren't ready to witness shit like that...hopefully you never have to be. Innocence and ignorance is a luxury I can't have...

Her thoughts stopped. Ignorance...was that why he thought he could do it? Has no one told him before to not do it...there had to be someone who knew about alchemy that cared about these boys enough to show him that he didn't need to do it...had no one done that? Now that she thought about it...where's their dad...?

Her thoughts were once again interrupted when she felt something wet on her hand and she blinked, no longer pissed off, but feeling guilty. Lord, I made the poor kid cry. Maybe I scared him a little too much...

She put him down and looked back at the graves. "Now promise that you won't do it." He hesitated and she glared. Even if he couldn't see the top part of her face...he could feel the glare. So he lied the best he could. "I...I promise."

She knew damn well he was lying, but she'd let it slide...she couldn't rely on just his word, I mean he was still a kid. Alphonse hiccuped from crying so hard and she blinked. Maybe I should control my temper a little more...I'm such an asshole. She pondered then smirked and looked at Edward.

"Your face is wet."

He sniffed and hiccuped a little and stubbornly wiped at his face to get rid of the tears. God she felt horrible for making the poor kids cry. Maybe she had some emotions left...so much for trying to not feel...

She pointed her index fingers at each of their faces. Red light flickered around their tears as they were taken off their faces, leaving their faces dry, and into the air in front of them. They blinked and both grinned from what the two blobs of tears in the air. They've never seen that kind of alchemy before...No transmutation circle! The grins turned into excited smiles when the tears formed into flamels with harmless lightning flickering around grins turned into Cheshire smiles when they saw the two flamels of their tears turn into bracelets. One turned into a wide, metal cuff with a flamel surrounded by lightning on it. The other bracelet was a simple chain bracelet with a plate that had the same flamel on it. The chain one went to Alphonse and the cuff went to Edward. Alphonse put his on and Edward put his on his left arm.

She grinned at how excited they were. Man, these kids sure do love alchemy. She hugged them, still feeling horrible but not quite as bad.

"I'm sorry you guys...I didn't mean to scare you that bad..." Alphonse blinked and his eyes softened to a loving look that he only a mother was lucky enough to see from their child and hugged back. Ed stiffened and his eyes went big, his face turned pink.

She pulled away and stood up and turned around walking towards the entrance of the cemetery and waved a hand.

"W-Wait!"

She stopped and turned her head slightly.

"What's...what's your name? And why haven't you shown us your face...?"

She grinned at how adorable Edward was.

"You'll find out some day." She walked out of the cemetery leaving a flabbergasted Edward and a dazed Alphonse. Then Alphonse waved at her.

"Thank you!"

She grinned, satisfied, and walked off towards the Rockbells house.

Edward took the cuff bracelet off and looked at it and turned it over and blinked.

"Viper? You think that's her name brother?" Ed thought over it for a second.

"I...I don't think so Al, I'm not sure what it means..."

They both looked at where she had left, standing in a comfortable silence.

"She hugs like mom does..."

Ed blushed and a look of sadness and longing showed in his eyes.

"Yea...she did..."

As he looked at the cuff bracelet she had made...he swore one day he'd find her again...terrifying or not, he wanted to know her name and who she was. How could someone so young be that terrifying. He shook his head and looked at the rising moon, silently apologizing to the mysterious soldier girl. I have to try...for Alphonse...for mom...

"Let's go Al"

As they made their way home...they both were lost in their own thoughts. One older brother thinking about what transmutation was sure to come. The other thinking about the girl and how she never looked at their faces.

Unbeknownst to the brothers...that mysterious soldier girl had made a great impact in their lives. For better or for worse? Only time would tell.

The young alchemist walked down to the Rockbell home lost in her thoughts, a million questions running through her head.

Where were those boys' father? Did they even have anybody...? They're not orphans are they?! Oh Lord if they were I'd take them in, in a heartbeat. Then again I'm only 15...

She stopped her thoughts immediately. "No. Stop thinking about that. You're alive. That's all that matters." She nodded her head, determined not to let it bother her...hopefully.

She stepped up to the porch as she reached the home and sighed.

"Here goes nothing..." She rubbed the necklace in her pocket then knocked on the door.

When the door opened, she blinked. Did the door open by itself?

"Can I help you?"

She looked down and blinked yet again.

Oh.

She shook her head and smiled politely.

"Yes ma'am, are you Pinako Rockbell?" The older woman observed the girl in the military uniform warily.

"That I am, who are you?" After introducing herself, Pinako had a surprised look on her face. "You're a lieutenant colonel? You sure are young to be such a high ranking officer of the military..." The girl smirked and chuckled light-heartedly. "Yes ma'am, I get that a lot." The older woman nodded. "I can see why...so what's brought you here to my home?" The soldier face grew grim as she sighed. Putting on a convincing smile, she gave the older woman a kind look.

"I made a promise." After Pinako sighed and gave her a knowing look, she added on a softer tone, "May I see Winry?" The older mechanic nodded and called for the young girl. "Thank you." The soldier girl clasped her hands behind her back as she looked around the home and workplace, lost in thought. Pinako had started working on automail.

"War is a cruel thing really."

The older woman looked up for a moment curiously.

"All the death, suffering, and pain caused by all the violence...being around all of that destruction...it effects a persons mind..." She noticed a small, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl walk in...unnoticed by her grandmother.

"A light...you wouldn't think that there could be any at all I such a cruel place...all war does is rip away the innocence in the world...but none the less, there was one...a light...two lights actually." The young Lt. Colonel looked over at the older woman. "Your son and daughter-in-law were lights among the darkness of war...they saved countless lives...Amestrian and Ishvalan alike. Nationality didn't matter to them. They both saved me. Physically and mentally. And there is nothing. Nothing. In this world I could do to ever show just how much gratitude I have for the two of them...but I can try. Starting with keeping the promise I made."

The older woman sat there in shock. How in the world is this girl this wise...she is has not even lived long enough to have such wisdom...the young soldier had made an incredible impression on the older woman. She thought she had come to apologize for their loss...similar to how everyone else had. A simple 'sorry' and they'd be done...there were a few who had spoken of the noble actions her son and daughter-in-law had done...but this girl...this girl had shown so much sincerity and meaning behind her words.

Said soldier turned to Winry and smiled.

"Hey there Winry...it's nice to finally meet you." After introducing herself to the little girl, she bent down to be at eye-level with the small girl. "But I gotta say sweet cheeks...I didn't expect you to be so incredibly pretty." The older girl winked. "Pictures don't even begin to cover just how pretty you are." Winry blushed and giggled.

"Thank you...you're pretty too! Like a...a princess!" The older girl grinned, "Then you must be a fairy, but I think you need wings for that." After winking at the younger girl, Winry's blue eyes twinkled with child-like wonder that had been missing from the orphaned girl. The twinkle only grew bigger when she saw butterfly like wings form in the soldiers hand, red sparks flickered as the wings formed. The older girl grinned and helped her put the wings on. Winry grinned the biggest grin she could and hugged the girl. The older girl tensed and swallowed thickly. It's just a little girl. Calm the hell down. With that, she hugged the girl back.

"Glad ya like it fairy, but I have something better."

She took the necklace out of her pocket and showed the smaller girl the locket that held pictures of her parents in it.

"Your mom and dad wanted me to give this to you." She helped Winry put it on. The little girl eyes watered and she sniffed.

"Thank you..." Her lip quivered and she rubbed her eyes. The older girl smiled sadly and hugged the little girl against her chest.

Pinako observed, pleased that this older girl knew how to talk with people normally. Unlike the other soldiers who had come there to inform her about her son and daughter-in-law. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard something that surprised and pleased her even more than she was.

"If it's all the same to your grandma...I'd like to keep an eye on you."

The Lt. Colonel looked over at Pinako for the affirmative, which she received with a nod.

"Yay!" Winry's tears stopped immediately. The older girl grinned, "How about you go run off and play with your wings."

Winry nodded and hugged the girl then ran off to go play. The proclaimed "war hero" stood up and walked over to Pinako.

"So...did those two brothers loose their mother?" Pinako nodded. "What's their names?"

"Edward, the older one, and Alphonse Elric." She nodded and bit her lip. "Would you mind not telling them my name?" She smirked. "It'd ruin the fun." The older woman looked at her curiously and shook her head.

"I assume you ran into them. I hoped they behaved themselves." The girl smiled. "Yes ma'am they did..." Walking to the door, she added. "I'll call and visit as much as I can. My brother might call as well." She opened the door. "Keep an eye on those boys." With a two finger salute and a quick goodbye, she walked to the train station. She was once again lost in her thoughts. I hope those boys don't go through with it...as she kept on thinking...a permeant place in her heart was made by a little girl and two brothers from Resembol.

When the train arrived at Eastern headquarters, she got off and headed to the phone and made a call.

"Amestrian Eastern Headquarters, how may I help you?"

The girl sighed and rolled her eyes. They really need a better way for officers to communicate. It sounds like I'm calling the dry cleaners.

"Direct me to Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang's office."

"Code please."

The girl groaned and a tick mark appeared on her head.

"Alpha, Shark-bait, 5-20-6-1-24."

The lady directed her to his phone line.

"This is Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang, how can I be of assistance?"

"Hey Pyro, remember that favor you owe me?"

She heard a groan on the other side and could practically hear him roll his eyes.

"Unfortunately."

She smirked.

"I need you to keep on a few kids I know..."

A/N: there's chapter 1! If theirs any questions just ask! Review please!