I'm gonna become a state alchemist!
Why had I ever thought that? When I was a little kid, alchemy had been my favorite pastime. My mother, who died when I was very young, had been a skilled alchemist and I had obviously inherited it. Dad was just a clumsy, blundering dolt that couldn't make a transmutation circle work to fix a stick. But even if he couldn't apply it, he knew the principle of alchemy better than anyone I knew. I grew up learning alchemy from Dad and he often told me I was almost better than my mom. I loved to perform alchemy for him, because it made him happy that his theories would work and it reminded him of my mom. He always said I looked like her, same brown hair, same green eyes, same small nose, and same kick-ass attitude when I was angry.
Dad and I liked to experiment with alchemy, bending the circles in ways that probably shouldn't have been attempted. Three times we very nearly destroyed our house. I was never really sure why Dad liked tampering with the circles and I new that for the most part, his alterations were possibly dangerous. But I was just as curious as him to see if his theories were correct. Most of the time, they ended with some sort of explosion (usually singing some part of my body). Dad would always laugh (after making sure I wasn't hurt) and say, "Well, that one didn't work, Merryn. Let's try a different one".
As the years went by with our experiments, rumors reached of us state alchemists. Most of them were rude remarks about "dogs of the military" but a few (and these were the ones I listened to) told us of their courage and alchemy skills. I was eight when I first told Dad I wanted to be a state alchemist. His eyes wavered between pride and sorrow. He asked me why and I told him, "State alchemists protect the people. You always told me to use my abilities to defend those who are weaker than me. When I become a sate alchemist, I'll be able to do that." I was so naïve. Many people in the small town we lived in tried to discourage my dream but I was set in my ways and since Dad encouraged me to go at it, I ignored the townsfolk.
When I was thirteen, Dad and I stumbled across a new form of alchemy circles. Well, it was really just one circle. Dad had me try it out and when I successfully transmuted something with it, Dad, one got completely high from his accomplishment, and two, tried a slightly altered from but with the same principle. It didn't work. He tried several different ways but only our first circle worked out.
With my new alchemy, and a years worth of practice with it, I went off to Central. I got my state alchemist license within two months. The fuehrer happened to be there when I was being tested and he was amazed at my abilities, comparing me with "that shrimpy kid, Fullmetal". His statement seemed to have motivated the higher ups on where I was to be stationed. With my silver watch came my new name and superior.