Desperate Measures Chapter 1: Help

Author's Note: Welcome to the first chapter of Desperate Measures! Just to put things into perspective this story takes place after the first season of Legend of Korra and after the defeat of Father in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Reviews are always appreciated.

I also apologize, I do not know much about the military, but I'll try to be as accurate as I can. If I make a mistake, I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: I own nothing expect the original plot of this story. I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or The Legend of Korra.

3rd Person P.O.V

The earth shook and shuddered underneath her feet. All around her were the sounds of screams, bullets and shells. These were the sounds of war. But the screams were of her comrades, and the bullets and shells were fired at her. They were being bombarded and were struggling to fight back. All around her were the sounds of hopelessness, death and destruction; the sounds of the war they were losing.

It had been 3 months since Lan Fan had enlisted in the Xingese Voluntary Forces. Only 2 weeks after that she had been shipped out to Amestris to contribute to the war effort. Not many people had come with her. Xing and Amestris had formed a quick friendship once Mustang became Fuhrer and conversely, Ling became Emperor. The people of Amestris had welcomed the new bond as they had saw how the former prince had helped save their country, but Xing would not have it. Emperor Ling was sitting on a landmine and he knew it, but it hadn't stopped him from sending aid to their new ally. But even with the extra help Amestris didn't stand a chance. The country of Amestris had once been a superpower that ruled the surrounding world with an iron fist but they had been corrupt. The prosperity and peace the country had reveled in for so many years had all been a charade. The Homunculi had ruled everything and that's what had made them so strong. But two determined young men started a war that shook the country of Amestris to the very core and in the end the Homunculi were defeated.

But they weren't in the clear yet. An overwhelming large number of people had died in the war and many people were still confused. The war had left Amestris vulnerable and the countries bordering Amestris sought out the revenge they had so desperately been craving. Like venomous snakes they struck sinking their fangs into the lands of Amestris. Even alchemy, their greatest weapon, wasn't enough to save them now.

But Lan Fan had fought with Amestris before and wouldn't let them die now, just like her master. With a frustrated battle cry, the young warrior switched the knife she was holding into her automail hand and put her full weight into thrust at an enemy's chest. The light faded from their eyes and he slumped into the mud. Just as she went for another kill; three long horns blasts sounded from the trenches behind Lan Fan.

"Retreat!" an Amestrian solider cried out.

With a sharp "tsk" Lan Fan surveyed her surroundings; all around her were her fallen comrades slowly sinking in the mud. They were brutally outnumbered and outmatched. They had no choice but to fall back. The young warrior knew better than to turn her back on her enemy though. Expertly, Lan Fan jumped backwards and tucked her knees into her chest, executing a rushed back flip. Her feet slipped in the mud when she landed, but she had made some space between her and the enemy. With one last smoke bomb into the enemy trench, Lan Fan finally felt safe enough to turn around and run. She could hardly see this war ending in their victory.

Fuhrer Roy Mustang ran a gloved hand through his raven hair with a sigh of frustration. He could feel a headache coming on and everything around him sounded much louder than it needed to be; every sound sending a sharp peg of pain through his skull. It was near the end of the work day; everyone would be heading home soon. Despite this fact, three strong knocks on the door thudded through his head.

"Enter." Roy ordered firmly.

"Sir, the troops stationed near the Aerugo border have retreated further back." A solider reported dutifully.

"Where are they now?" The Fuhrer pressed.

The solider swallowed heavily. He could no longer stare the Fuhrer in eyes, certainly this wasn't good news. "They are not to South City yet sir." He replied uncertainly. Although the solider had cleverly phrased the news as to not set off the Fuhrer's temper, Mustang saw the words for what they really were. The Aerugon soldiers had broken through the border and were inching ever closer to the center of Amestris.

"You are excused." Fuhrer Mustang commanded stiffly. With a quick bob of his head the solider shuffled out of the office. Not only were the Aerugon gaining ground in the south but Creta was invading in the West. Thankfully Drachma hadn't been able to break through Fort Briggs at the northern border yet, but their army was getting reassigned to the western border, so the fight there would be harder than ever. Their resources were wearing thinner everyday and alchemy wasn't enough to save them anymore. The aid from Xing was scarce; they simply couldn't provide the help they needed unless Emperor Ling decided to conscript his people. But Roy knew that Ling wouldn't do that to his people especially when the Xingese people were so discontent with Amestris. But the fact still remained that Amestris needed help.

Roy's headache grew worse and a light pulsing started in his head. He had finally fulfilled his dream; became Fuhrer. He was supposed to fix things and atone for his sins and so far all he had done was make things worse. With a powerful swipe across his desk and a sharp yell, the Fuhrer's paperwork littered the air like snow. One specific image stood out to Roy's eyes more than the others because that image looked back at him. A sketched eye peered at him through a drawing of the gate of truth. Admittedly Roy could never quite get that image out of his mind since he had seen it with his own eyes. After that he hadn't been able to see anything at all but still he couldn't forget what he had seen. Thankfully Doctor Marco had been able to return his sight, but still couldn't forget what he had seen. He had done this sketch to show to Riza once he could draw again.

He had been to a different world then, not that he remembered much of it. He had been dropped into a room by black spiraling arms and the only things that were around him were two doors; the door that he came from and another door that he had not yet been through. A door to another world he presumed. A dark thought brewed in the Flame Alchemist's mind, a door to a different world; a different world with different possibilities. Roy allowed a glimmer of hope to light in his heart. With a rush of inspiration Roy went to find his old companion, General Riza Hawkeye. When he entered the halls he was met with emptiness and the sound of his footprints echoing against the wood. Roy was aware that everyone had probably gone home but he knew that Riza would still be in her office working as hard as ever. How would she react? He hopefully wouldn't be gone for long; he couldn't be gone for long now that he was the Fuhrer, but he would need someone to watch over the place when he was absent. But then Roy realized exactly how his former Lieutenant would act; how he had ordered her to.

"You'll always be behind me so if I ever stray from my path shoot me in the back." That's what he had told her so long ago. Roy was fully intending to find something to help him win this war from the other world. Yet he wasn't even supposed to be in this war at all. He was supposed to be rebuilding Amestris not validating the reputation it had already gained. If he told Riza his plans she would surely see that as straying.

Roy returned to his office and took a deep breath. He would have to return to Amestris before the afternoon or else it would be discovered that he was missing. He'd have to leave no trace of the alchemy that would be necessary to gain access to the gate. Roy rarely did much alchemy now that he was Fuhrer and even before that he do much besides flame alchemy but he was sure he could pull it off. Elric had once deconstructed and reconstructed himself, Envy and Ling in order to get out of Gluttony's stomach and he had passed through the Gate without having to sacrifice anything. Surely if that little shrimp could do it so could Roy.

Roy removed his gloves and clapped his hands together just as he had seen Elric do so many times before. He looked to his boots and saw them and the skin below unravel right before his eyes. He felt no pain as his body began to unravel until finally he was gone completely.

Suddenly he was back in the white abyss with the two doors. A voice sounded from behind him that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"We meet again, Roy Mustang."