Fullmetal Alchemist

The Other Side of the Door

1

"Ready, Al?"

Al was quiet a moment. "Yes."

Edward: Age 12 Alphonse: Age 11

The boys were about to perform the most forbidden of Alchemy. The two have gathered together the ingredients needed to create an adult human body. The calculated components - 35 liters of water, 25 kilograms of carbon, 4 liters of ammonia, 1.5 kilograms of lime, 800 grams of phosphorous, 250 grams of salt, 100 grams of saltpetre, 80 grams of sulfur, 75 grams of fluorine, 5 grams of iron, 3 grams of silicon, and a little bit of 15 other elements. Something is lacking, but the only thing they could think was the missing component was a soul. The two each pricked their fingers, hoping that their offering of blood would be enough.

"That should be a fair trade. . . "It was a science, for one thing could only be created from something else of certain value or mass. This was known as Principle of Equivalent Exchange, and it was Alchemy's first law.

The two laid their hands down onto the transmutation circle with the wish fresh in their minds. The circle lit up with a brilliant golden hue, illuminating the room. They were ecstatic with the feeling that this project was going to work. They could feel the powers of their transmutation circle building around them, growing in power, just as they expected. But, then the light turned into a dark lavender color. The boys looked to each other wondering what was happening.

Alphonse screamed as a vortex of light opened up before him. Edward watched, screaming out for his brother as younger Alphonse started to get sucked into the vortex, it eating away his body. The older brother tried to help his brother, but he was unsuccessful. He continued to reach out toward his brother's fading body till something odd felt wrong to him. Disregarding it quickly he ran over to a large suit of armor. With some minor trouble he pushed a suit of armor to the ground, removing the helmet. Using his pricked finger he drew a small transmutation circle out of his blood.

Ripping off his shirt he also drew one on his arm and heart. He concentrated hard on attaching his brother's soul to this armor. Placing his hands on the circle he closed his eyes, there was a flash, and Edward saw something. There was a large door in front of him. He saw strange images of people and places that didn't exist in his world. The door opened and strange shadowy human-like creatures came out, grabbing his arm and ripping it off of his shoulder. The vision shortly ended and Edward screamed out in pain. Alphonse woke up and started to look around before shouting.

"What happened? What is going on? Why am I in a suit of armor?"

He then noticed his brother laying there with blood rushing out of his shoulder.

"Brother!" He shouted before rushing over and picking him up. Alphonse then hurried out of their home and over to their neighbor Winry's. After explaining the situation to Winry and her grandmother, the two quickly began to work on stopping the blood that was coming from young Edward's arm. It was touch and go for a moment, the wound hadn't closed off, the transmutation power of his arm into the soul transfer wasn't pretty, wasn't neat. But, after some time the arm was patched up.

As Edward slept, a young man walked into the Pinako's house and examined Ed. "To think that these boys could try Human Alchemy and survive..."

From behind the man, Pinako, Winry's grandma, snarled with darkness and contempt in her voice. "You! You're a dog of the military! Get out of my house!"

Slowly the man turned around and looked upon the old woman a moment. Nodding his head he slowly walked past her towards the door out, "Just let him know… he has a place at the military if he so wishes..." The man left the house as quietly as he came in.

The next day Edward awoke and examined his surroundings, and his body. He looked over at his brother, sitting over in the corner, now trapped within a suit of metal armor. Closing his eyes again, Ed thought about everything he had done, and all the problems his rushed and stupid human alchemy. His brother had warned him, his brother was fearful, and yet still he had pressured Alphonse into doing it - and it had cost his brother his body. He was going to make this right.

"Auntie Pinako... there's some money at my house... "

The old woman turned to face the young boy and smiled a little, "Edward its safe...rest up..."

"No, use it... use it for automail... "Ed said, looking towards her. "I'm joining the

"I was hoping you were not awake for that."

"I know; I don't want to be a lackey of the state as much as you don't, but they have the best library, and I need to fix what I have done."

Pinako was quiet a moment. She was one of the finest automail surgeons in the area, and she knew what she could do to give this boy an arm back - but - she wasn't happy that he was going to take off to the state and become one of their lackeys. Then again, she knew that if anyone could fix the mess that had been created, Ed could, with time and knowledge behind him. Finally she nodded and turned away out of the room to prepare.

Blocking out the thoughts that raged in his mind, Edward finally got up off of the bed and walked slowly over to the bathroom. It was going to be hard to go to the toilet with one arm, but he knew he could do it. Slowly he unbuckled his trousers and let them fall to the floor. Removing his underwear he too let that fall to the floor, and he prepared himself.

A mere second later, there was a high pitched scream.