Chapter 1- I Have My Reasons

Alchemy, one of man kind's greatest discoveries, but it could be its downfall. With alchemy there is only one rule, equivalent exchange. Human kind cannot gain anything without giving something in return. To obtain something, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange.

The only reason why I learned to use alchemy was to benefit myself. I had no home and no one to depend on; it has been this way for so long that I've gotten used to it and like it. Well I guess I do not have much of a choice since my parents were killed 10 years ago, when I was 6 years old. I remember the day the State came to my home and took my father away in one of those black cars they always drive. My mother tried to stop them, but they arrested her for treason. She came home four days later beaten and bruised. When she came home she left again, she went to Ishval. She went to get my father, little did I know she and my father where never going to come back. A week later a General from the State came to deliver their Certificates of Death. I never cried that much before, until that day. That memory still haunts my dreams. I do not blame the State for my parent's deaths; they went to Ishval to do their duty. I blame the Ishvalans, even with the propaganda about the war in Ishval.

I wandered the streets of Amestris; this was where I was born and I intend on staying here. Due to the loss of my parents I was kicked out of my home, like an animal, and thrown into an orphanage. I could not stand living there, so as soon as I could, I learned as much as I could about alchemy. I would all ways sneak out of the orphanage to go to the library. My father was a State Alchemist and had always forbidden me from learning it. Now that he was gone, nothing was holding me back.

I learned and practised as much as I could, I did my own research and my own experiments. When I was twelve I left the orphanage for good. I heard of someone who was a very experienced alchemist, and I needed a teacher. I used alchemy to turn some lead from the local mine into gold. Hopefully that would be enough to get her to teach me. The day came, and I finally tracked down the alchemist. Her name was Izumi Curtis. She lives with her husband who is a butcher. He has his own shop; I know this because I would steal scraps from them. I have seen Izumi before but I never realized she was an alchemist at all. Her husband is strong and has huge muscles, he caught me once. He hurt me really bad, his grip broke my arm. Izumi all most caught me one time; she used alchemy to make a stone wall. I used a piece of chock I all ways carry to make a transmutation circle and made her wall turn to dust. I just barely got away. This time I was not going to steal scraps, I was going to be taught alchemy. Taking no for an answer was not an option for either of us. I was going to learn alchemy and she was going to teach me. I just prey Izumi or her husband does not recognize me.

I walked up to her house, and opened the fence gate in front of her home, and walked up to her door step. The moment I knocked on the door was the most nerve racking moment of my life.

Izumi opened the door and said "What do you want?" in an angry voice.

I responded "My name is Luke and I want to learn Alchemy, I want to become your apprentice."

She laughed in my face and gloated out "Ha! You are only a child, what do you know about alchemy." I was not going to take no for an answer. So I drew a transmutation circle and grabbed small rocks I found on the ground. I transmuted a statue almost a metre tall.

With eyes full of doubt she chuckled and said "Impressive for someone of your age. Why do you want to learn alchemy?"

I froze. I did not know how answer the question, I could not tell her my reason for learning alchemy. My very selfish reason, I know inside what my reason was. I wanted to learn alchemy to take revenge on those filthy Ishvalans. They were the reason why my parents are dead.

My father the Silver Alchemist was called to the war in Ishval; my mother followed him to try and bring him home. But they both paid the price with their lives and gained nothing. How could equivalency, something so simple be so harsh?

Again Izumi asked "Why do you want to learn about alchemy". She started to become impatient and I was getting scared. I thought of fake reason, a small lie that will judge whether or not she teaches me.

I held my head up high and told her "I want to help people. I want to serve the people with my gift."

"Hmm….." she said with a smirk. "Well kid, even if I was going to teach you I would need permission from your parents. So get lost."

My head dropped "My parents are dead, they died in Ishval. I have nothing but alchemy, that's how I was able to survive for 6 years on my own."

"Well kid I am truly sorry for your lose but, I cannot help you. Good day."

"WAIT! I have gold" I yelled. "I have lots of it, take it all. All of it! Just please teach me, I want to become a great alchemist."

She could tell I was serious now, she knew I wouldn't take no for an answer. She stared down at me, with this wired look in her eyes. I could tell she was deep in thought.

"Let me see that gold!" she demanded.

She grabs the bag out of my hands and inspects the gold. I was worried if she would realize that the gold was transmuted or she would turn me away regardless of the gold or not.

"Nice try, I can see what you did here." She scolded as she turned the gold back to the lead I stole from the mine. I pulled the hood of my jacket over my head and turn to leave. I apologized to her for wasting her time and started to go on my way.

"Wait, I'll teach you. I will teach you alchemy on one condition. Never disobey my teachings."

For the first time in years I felt the feeling of happiness inside me. I was ready for everything and anything she could throw at me. Until she left me on an island all alone without any food or supplies and I was forbidden from using alchemy for one month.

Before she left she said "When I come back in a month you better have this riddle solved. One is all, all is one. If not I will not teach you, see you in a month."

Living on this island was difficult; I had no idea what I was doing. I was never taught how to live like this; well I guess it's not that different from living on the streets. But there I had to kill animals for my survival. Fishing didn't bother me that much but the one thing I could not do was killing a small animal like a rabbit or a fox. But one day I realized what Izumi wanted me to learn. One is all and all is one meant that the world has a flow, if I or an animal dies, the world keeps on going. This was equivalent exchange. Everyone including me cannot interrupt this flow; it needs to keep on flowing. It will continue to flow but when someone disrupts it, there are serious consequences.

I barely survived considering I was not allowed to use alchemy while I was on the island. Just like she said she came back and got me, and she taught me alchemy. It was hard but I didn't give up with revenge as my motivation. As she promised she taught me everything but one thing, she can do alchemy without a transmutation circle. Whenever I asked her about it she would ignore it and change the subject. It's still a mystery to me today. After four long years of learning and training I was ready to go off on my own again. I said my good byes to Izumi; it was weird because I was saying good bye to a person I have become fond of. It was hard, but it had to be done, I knew my time with her was done. I held out a hand for a hand shake but she did something I never thought she would do. She went down on one knee and hugged me, I was in shock. I hugged her back, at the moment I felt something I haven't felt in a long time. What was this feeling? My heart had grown hard and cold over the years but know I felt different. It's hard to explain. After she let go she pulled something out from her pocket. It was a pair of white gloves; they had transmutation circles on the palms. These gloves would take away my need to draw a transmutation circle when I want to use alchemy. I thanked her with the upmost gratitude. I was happy but sad at the same time, I was very grateful to her for teaching me but I was sad to go. This was the first time in a long time I had a home, with someone who took me in because the wanted to, not because they had to. We said our final good byes but, one day we will see each other again. I turned and walked away through the gate I entered some time ago. I tear fell out of my eye, I was going to miss Izumi. Now I am on my own again. Before I head to Ishval to get my revenge, I need to go to Central.