Hello, everyone! This is my first ever Fullmetal Alchemist fanfic, but I hope it's not lame or bad or boring or, well, you get the idea. Now, before I start I think it's fair to tell you that this story doesn't really use the original story line, it kind of happens between events. And another important thing for you to know is that I'm doing this fanfic based on the anime Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Why?

Because I understand the anime better than the manga. I'm sorry if you don't like the anime series! I'll try and make one that's based on the manga once I fully understand it. But before you jump to any conclusions, please read this chapter and review it if you'd like...

And most importantly, please enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood!

Chapter 1

It was raining, no, pouring might be more suitable for the moment. The moon was hidden by the dark rain clouds, and the streets were left to be swallowed by the shadows. That house was supposed to be filled with laughter, but it was cracked. The cries of a little girl couldn't even be heard because of the roaring storm.

"Alice…My sweet little Alice…"

"Let go of me!"

The man was pinning the little girl to the ground with one hand as he held a knife in the other. His face was decorated by a wide maniacal grin and half of it was painted with tints of crimson.

The sound of a creaking door being opened was heard, followed by soft footsteps approaching the scene. A young boy with short messy dark hair and forest green eyes stepped out of the shadows. He was gasping for breath and was wearing a white shirt with short black pants. He caught his breath before widening his eyes as he stared at the scene before him, "Father, what are you doing to Alice?"

The man looked up and, if it was possible, his grin widened. "Seth, perfect timing, would you mind helping me a bit?" He looked back down towards the girl, "Alice doesn't seem to like this game"

The girl struggled against the man's tight hold, trying her best to ignore the crimson liquid that continues to flow down her pure white dress in an endless streak. She looked up towards the young boy with a pleading look as her tears rolled down her tainted face, "Seth…"

The boy narrowed his eyes before stepping forward, "Father, please stop! You're hurting her!" He skidded towards his father and grab hold of his right hand, trying to take away the knife he was holding on to so dearly, receiving a cut on his cheek and abdomen before being thrown towards the wall.

"You can't take her now…" The man said with pure excitement and joy in his voice. He looked back down towards the girl and raised the knife high above his head before bringing it down with full force, "She's nearly complete!"

"AAAAHH!" She screamed loudly when the knife was brought down to her abdomen and moved all the way to her right arm.

The girl's head fell slightly as she gazed down, she could see that every ounce of white was taken away from her dress, replaced by crimson and brownish color because of her blood and the wet ground she was being pinned against. Her breathing began to grow weary as the air around her turned heavy.

She held back her scream when the knife was pulled out roughly. She felt her own heartbeat began to race against her breath as she watched the tainted knife being lifted high above her again, she couldn't even move at the moment.

The man grinned devilishly, "We'll start"

Sparks of light surrounded the room like lightning in a storm, the boy winced slightly before regaining some of his consciousness. The girl threw her head back and screamed loudly as a new source of pain made its way through her. The boy gritted his teeth before trying to get back to his feet, his father…grinned in satisfaction to his creation.

"Don't worry, Alice… It's almost finished, you'll see…"

The boy held back his own body weight with one leg before glaring at his father, "Alice!"

Crimson…Everything I saw was either tainted, or covered in crimson liquid, whether they were my blood, Seth's…or father's. I couldn't tell anymore…

But then, I saw something else, a gate, and nothing else but white as far as my eyes would visualize. "Oh...What do we have here? A cute little girl came for a visit" The gate opened and black thin arms began to reach out for me and I didn't even have enough strength to bring myself up to panicking, after that…I lost my senses.

When I came to, we were running, and the house was in a far distance.

The boy ran. He ran as fast as he could, the small girl on his back. He fought back the urging wind as he tasted salty rain water in his mouth. His eyes were narrowed but he could barely see through the darkness. He could feel the girl's warm breath against his neck, he could even hear her still racing heartbeat against the sound of his footsteps and the rain.

"...Seth…" Her voice was as soft as ever, but the fear and sadness in her tone was clear.

The boy turned around the corner before glancing back towards the girl, "What is it?"

"It was so dark…" She said solemnly. Her eyes were gazed at a distance, "Why is it so dark?" She mumbled softly as she leaned against the boy's back.

Seth raised an eyebrow at her, "Alice, what are you talking about? There are still some lights here, it can't be that dark"

She shook her head, "Not here…Back in the house. There was something there…it was so dark…and it felt so hollow" She whimpered slightly as her grip on the boy's clothes tightened, "It was scary"

Seth narrowed his eyes before looking back straight ahead, "I'm sorry Alice…for everything father did. I couldn't stop him but…" He glanced back at her with a softer look to calm the girl, "You'll be alright. I won't let anything or anyone else hurt you again, okay?"

Alice smiled softly before nodding, "Okay…" Even though she said that, a small part of her was screaming and telling her that this was going to haunt her forever.

Seth gazed down to his feet as he waited impatiently for any reports from the nurses of how Alice was doing. Some of the nurse would glance at him and gave him a pitied look, but other than that…nothing.

He had to wait in the waiting room while Alice was placed in the emergency room to be taken care of. The sky was dark and the lightning could be seen clearly through the glass window that took over an entire wall next to him.

"Seth"

He looked up and saw the doctor looking at him. "How is she?" He asked impatiently, clearly worried of the small girl's well being.

The doctor smiled slightly, "She'll live" Seth sighed in relieve when the doctor said that. He furrowed his eyebrows, "You can sleep in the same room she's in. There are two beds there, it won't be good for you to stay awake all night" The doctor said as the nurses began leaving the room Alice was currently resting in.

Seth hesitated for a bit before nodding. He stood but was quickly stopped by one of the nurses, "I think you might want to change your clothes first…" She said gesturing towards the ragged clothes the boy was wearing. "I've prepared them for you, please change before you sleep, alright?"

"…Alright"

Seth lied down on the bed while gazing up the ceiling with an empty look. He was wearing plain white top and equally white and plain pants. His bed was placed near the window and Alice's was placed closer to the door. Their beds were supposed to be separated by a curtain but Seth let the curtain to be folded, so he could gaze at the girl easily.

He looked to the side and saw Alice was already vast asleep and bandages were wrapped around her wounds, half of her face was also bandaged, the left half. He turned from his normal position so that he'd be lying on his side, making it easier for him to look at the girl.

"Alice" He narrowed his eyes as he recalled what had happened in their house earlier. He sighed before closing his eyes, "The military will be sending their dogs to get us for sure" He said to himself before he drifted away into sleep.

I won't let them take you Alice… I promised I'd protect you, and I will.

"She was used in a human transmutation, that's more than enough reason for us to take her back to central" The dark haired man said as he gazed at Seth.

Seth narrowed his eyes, "What happened to me and my sister in none of your concern…I won't let you take her"

The man sighed before looking back at the boy with narrowed eyes and a serious look, "I can't blame you if you wish to protect your sister, considering what's happened to her… But you need to understand the fact that the military will be more than capable of helping her recover" He said while hoping in his heart that the boy would just cooperate so he could get it over with.

Seth narrowed his eyes and sent the man an exactly same look, "And I don't think you understand the fact that she also needs me to stay with her. Our father is gone and our mother...died a long time ago, I'm the only family she has left"

"But don't you understand what could happen to her in her current state?" The man paused and examined the boy's expression before continuing. "The transmutation your father did is unknown to the military, so no one has a clue as to what it's capable of. In her current state, she's still unstable and far too dangerous to be left unguarded"

Seth turned quiet and let the fact entered his mind before a sigh escaped his lips. 'I know he was going to say that…But even if I knew, I still can't change the fact that he's right. Her condition is probably getting worse, and only father knows how to finish that transmutation, but if there's a small possibility to change her back…'

"How do I know she won't be harmed?" He said as he began putting his mind together at his probable decision, one that he hoped he won't regret later on.

The man pulled out a semi-smirk, "You're a very protective brother, aren't you?"

"Brother?" Seth looked up and saw Alice walked out of her room, a blanket covering her small frame. She was still wearing the white hospital clothes and all of her bandages were still there. She furrowed her eyebrows when she caught a glimpse of the man in uniform, "Seth, who is he?"

Seth gave the man a slight glance before taking a deep breath. He opened his forest green eyes and looked at the girl with an unreadable expression, "He's from the military…" He paused before continuing his sentence, "And we're going to have to stay with him for a while…His name is Mustang, Roy Mustang"

"We?" Alice repeated.

"We" He clarified.

"We?" Roy said, cutting in on the conversation.

Seth sighed again before once again repeating himself, "We" He sent the man a murderous gaze, one that says, 'I don't trust my sister's life in the hands of the military. So it's either I come along or she won't be going anywhere'

Roy couldn't help but smirked in the boy's behavior, 'He'd actually go to all that trouble just for her?' He shook his head lightly before rubbing the back of his neck, "I don't mind taking you along but, I'm not sure the Fuhrer will allow-"

"I can do alchemy" The boy said, cutting the man's sentence.

Roy raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, "You can?"

He shrugged, "I learned from my father… He wanted me to be a state alchemist" He glanced back towards his sister, "Right, Alice?"

The girl smiled softly and nodded. She turned around and saw a nurse calling her, she looked back towards her brother. "I better go. Tell me the rest later, alright, Seth?"

"Sure" And with that, she ran back towards the nurse's aide.

"...That's your sister?" Roy asked, earning a look from Seth before he sighed.

"Yes... She doesn't look like me, does she?" He looked at Roy from the corner of his eye seeing him nod. He looked back towards Alice and his gaze turned softer, "She used to have dark hair and green eyes as well, that is until…that transmutation. Her appearance changed completely, even her skin tone changed"

"Actually, that's not what I meant. Well, the fact that she doesn't look like you is true but, what I was really wondering is… Why does she…" He paused before looking back towards the girl's back, "…looks like a-"

"Don't say it!"

Alice…I did it sweetheart! Aren't you happy for me?

I've done what others couldn't have done before! I opened the gate and gave it to you…the entire reward. You'll use it in your alchemy, won't you?

Yes, and now...

I'm begging you all! Please stay with the story and review! Please! Please! PLEASE!... Ehm... Yes, please.

If you noticed the title, it might sound weird but it actually explains most of the story and you might even figure out what happened to Alice and what will happen later on... It all depends on your talent in observing... And staying patient as to stay with the rest of the story :)

I'm desperate here! Please review...