Start Again

by KozmicKat

Kai and Sky Mitchell have been learning and researching as much as possible about the legendary Philosopher's Stone in order to cure their father. It's been five years since their mother died, leaving their limbs removed with prosthetics. Moving away from the good old life was the hardest decisions to make. That's where they learned; sacrifices must be made.

Chapter 1: Fullmetal, Lightning, and Jewlcraft

The night sky was dark. Lights illuminated the city in straight lines leading to the Central Command Center. In an abandoned alleyway, a man finished a chalk array.

000

A man spoke with surprise in his voice, "The Freezing Alchemist? Really's he here?" A deeper, more authoritative voice replied, "We have information that he managed to slip into Central a few days ago. That's why I've summoned you here Colonel. I need you and your men to smoke him, and bring him in."

"Consider it done sir."

000

"Hm, I'm glad you're in Central with us for a while Mustang. It's good to know I have people I can count on."

"Sir," Colonel Mustang said, respect for his superior officer clear in his tone. "One last thing, out rising young stars are here as well. I'm placing them at your disposal."

"Forgive me Fuhrer Bradley, but just to be clear, are you're referring to-"

"I am. The Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, and the twins; the Lightning Alchemist, Kai Mitchell and his sister the Jewelcraft Alchemist, Sky Mitchell." Fuhrer Bradley smiled, looking at Colonel Mustang with his right eye, the other being covered with an eyepatch.

000

"Damn it, The Colonel's never gonna let us outta here is he?" A young man said, his long golden hair braided behind his head. "We already bought our tickets for Liore to, does this mean we're not going?" A tall suit of armor with a young boy's voice stood beside the blonde. "I dunno Al," The short boy said as he stood up. "Hey, we get it hat things look kinda down right now, but let's just hope for the best of us," A young woman said, her messy ponytail of tawny long locks hair swinging as she faced another young man. "Right, Brother?" The young man nodded, "Yep, let's hope for the best." The blonde grumbled, "Alright, but for let's just get this over with, 'kay'?" The man asked. "Right!" The siblings agreed as the suit of nodded. "Lead the way, Brother."

000

Whistles sounded as the alchemist was running down the streets. "There he goes! That way!" An officer shouted, "You! Halt!" Another pointed his gun at the Freezing Alchemist. "Halt or I'll shoot!" He yelled while one more joined his side. The alchemist raised his armored arm. The circle engraved on the back of the arm glowed, and spikes of ice formed from the ground to move the soldiers away, quickly melting as he made his escape. Two more soldiers came into view, one had a dark mustache while the other had blonde hair concealed under his hat. The Freezing Alchemist reached out and took the mustached man's hand, freezing him after his circle glowed.

He fell to the ground and shattered into shards of ice. The other man was about to scream, but before any sound was produced any sound the alchemist grabbed his face and with another flash of his transmutation the soldier fell down, his lifeless wrinkled body releasing hot steam. The alchemist spoke, "Water freezes, water boils. Either way, you're just as dead." He looked, quickly dodging the way of an airborne spear. It dug itself into the ground as the alchemist hopped away from the projectile. "That's alchemy," He looked at the spear as someone approached him in the shadows. "What a nasty thing to do," Black boots with red soles walked out of the dark, followed by a young golden-haired man.

"You of all people should know that great deeds require great sacrifices. Isn't that the law of Equivalent Exchange-?"

"Save your breath, the laws of alchemy don't justify murder!" The young man interrupted. He clapped his together and picked up the spear, morphing the club his gloved hand. The boy adored the weapon with an angry set of eyes and mouth, complementing the center-parted bangs with a straight ahead. All of this had an odd resemblance to the boy's face. "No transmutation circle."

"Don't be to impress now!" The young man ran at the other alchemist as a suit of armor appeared from the behind the older one. The Freezing Alchemist bent backward to evade the metal fist the suit of armor threw at him. The blonde thrust down his club only for the older man to block him with his armored right hand. The alchemist threw his two opponents back, avoiding another attack from the armor. The swung at him again. The Freezing Alchemist seized hold of the club with his left hand and hooked onto the boy's hand with his own.

The blonde flew back in different directions, scraps of his red coat falling onto the ground around him. "What?" The Freezer said, absolutely stunned. The Freezing Alchemist thrust the armored boy down as he tried another attack. "No! I had you! Any in there should've boiled!"

"If it's any consolation you did ruin my coat."

Before the Freezing Alchemist could move, an electrical shock coursed throughout his body as tiny crystal-like daggers flew past him as one made a small cut on his uniform and through his skin. "What the-" He trailed as the girl's voice spoke up, "I really don't like resorting to this, but don't give us trouble or else." The girl warned.

The Freezing Alchemist then grabbed their hands, signaling the boy's shock had worn off as he attempted to use his alchemy, but only for the same result from Edward. "Ow!" The girl jumped away. "Dammit, that hurt!" The boy muttered angrily to himself when his nerves sensed the pain. The man's right arm was revealed to metal, as well as the boy's arm. Its screws and plates shining in the full moon's light. "Automail limbs!" The man ripped off his coat. In its place stood a black jacket with a dark undershirt beneath it. The other boy tore off his military jacket. The girl moved her bangs out of the way and tore off her medical eyepatch, "Ones who don't use transmutation circles, and who have automail limbs. I know you. You are the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric, the Lightning Alchemist, Kai Mitchell and the Jewelcraft Alchemist, Sky Mitchell!"

He pointed his index finger at the suit of armor, "So it's not you?" He rubbed his head sheepishly. "Oh, um, well no. I'm his younger brother Alphonse."

"But he's a runt!"

"You may not want to do that." Sky sighed.

"Oh yeah!? Can a runt do this!?" Ed spat angrily. He clapped his hands together for a moment and then touched the ground with them. Sky sighed again in annoyance as Kai barked out a laugh from Ed's sudden rage. Stone pillars came up and out of the ground and surrounding buildings, completely encasing the man's head in a solid frame of the stone pillars. "I have the heard the stories but I've still never imagined this - the Fullmetal, the Lightning, and the Jewelcraft Alchemists as little kids!" the Freezing Alchemist said. Ed clapped his hands again, then pressed to a nearby surface. "Don't call me little!" A giant hand of concrete flung the Freezing Alchemist out of the column prison.

"You know Brother, I don't really think he was talking about your height just now."

"Well even if he wasn't, he still pissed me off!"

"I have a really bad feeling about this," Sky sighed for the third time that night as Kai's laughter rang in the air.

000

"Looks like you underestimated your opponent, Fullmetal," said Mustang. "Who is this guy anyway?" Ed asked glaring over at the Colonel while Kai and Sky were sitting beside him, Kai crossed his arms as Sky held a disappointed face. "You'd know if you listened to the briefing like I told you to, but no, you had to charge right after-" Mustang said mockingly but was interrupted. "Yeah, yeah!" I get it, alright! I'm sorry! Whatever, Ed said tiredly. Mustang smiled. "Next time a superior tells you to pay attention you might just try it. The twins seem to get the picture most of the time."

"Hmph, fine."

"Now then, his name is Isaac McDougal, or as he was known back in the day, 'Isaac the Freezer'. He's a former State Alchemist."

"Former?" Ed and the twins asked both at once. "That's right." Mustang stood up and walked to the window. "He served in the Ishvalan War. During that time, he gave us no signs that's he turned traitor. But after, immediately resigned from his commission and went into hiding. He's been working with the Anti-Establishment Movement ever since." He looked at Ed and the twins. "Taking him into custody is a matter of top priority. Whether that's dead or alive, it's up to him."

"No way, I'm not killing anyone for you."

"And that's your choice. Your orders are to simply help us contain him, that's all." Ed glared silently at Mustang. He gave his back to the boy once more and smiled out the window. "Off topic, have you turned up any leads on getting your bodies back to normal?"

"Maybe if you ever gave us time to look!" Ed replied annoyed.

The door flew open, revealing a man in a uniform with black hair and rectangular spectacles. "Roy! How goes?"

"Heard you let them put in charge of catching the Freezer, huh? One hell of a nasty assignment! But hey, could be your chance to earn that promotion to Central!" Here comes that pest Roy thought to himself. "Oh say! Looks like my timing was perfect! You are two are the Elric Brothers, and you're the Mitchell Twins, right? Wow, it's an honor to finally meet the youngest State Alchemists ever! You're real legends around here!" The man enthusiastically said, shaking the armored hand of Al. "I'm Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes, a pleasure!"

"Um," Al stopped the shaking, "You want Edward, I'm actually his younger brother Alphonse."

"What!" Hughes said, breaking his and Al's hands apart and looking at Ed. "You're the Fullmetal Alchemist! Sorry I had no idea you'd be so..." Go on, say 'little', Ed thought angrily, I dare you. "And you must be the Mitchell Twins! The Lightning and Jewelcraft Alchemists!" Hughes said as he approached the twins. Kai nodded his head as Sky smiled. "My name's Sky and this is my brother Kai. We're Ed and Al's colleagues, it's nice to meet you!" He returned the introduction and she immediately liked this man, he was just great! "Hughes," Roy said.

"Yeah?" Hughes asked as the handshaking stopped.

"What are you doing here? Go home."

"Actually, I'm here on official business." The enthusiastic man straightened up, suddenly taking on a more serious demeanor. He looked at the four kids. "You, Elrics, Mitchells, I understand you don't have a place to stay. Which means you'll have to come with me." They looked at each other then back at Hughes, puzzled. Maes Hughes' face became more serious and he reached into his left breast pocket, pulling something out of it. Ed, Al, and the twins became more nervous about what they might see. The object in Hughes' hand was a photo of a woman and young girl. He smiled childishly, "My wife Gracia and my daughter Elysia, we'd be happy to have you!"

000

A small girl smiled brightly as she looked at the two brothers and twins. Her hair was pulled back into two high pigtails. She couldn't have been any older than three. "Hi, princess!" Hughes crouched down and rubbed his face against his small daughter's cheek. She giggled. "Ow! Daddy, your bread is itchy!"

"Like this?" He rubbed his face against hers even more and laughed. "Itchy! Itchy!" She giggled louder, the pleasure of her father playing with evident in her voice and laugh. "Look! We have guests!" Maes said, standing up and motioning his hand at the three young boys and girl. "These are the Elric Brothers and the Mitchell Twins." She pointed at Al and Kai, "Big brothers," then at Sky, "Big sister," and then down at Ed, "Little brother!"

"Nice to meet you," Ed said trying to contain as much of his fury as possible. "My name is Edward Elric. This is my younger brother, Alphonse Elric. Get that?" He formed a fist. "Young-er bro-ther." He emphasized the syllables. "But younger means little." She defended. "You're little." Hughes scooped up Elysia and headed, while Al held Ed back from pulverizing the poor girl, Kai snickered as Sky followed in behind with a worried expression that he might accidentally hurt the little girl. "Just let it go, Ed, these people are being nice to us to let us stay here."

"Where do get off calling me little!? Have you looked in the mirror lately!? I'm taller than you are!"

"Thank for letting us spend the night here Mrs. Hughes," Sky thanked Gracia.

"It's no problem at all," Gracia smiled.

000

"I hope you kids are hungry. Gracia's cooking is delicious!" Hughes said with a smile.

The table was full of laughter and delicacies. Ed, Al, and the twins sat on the opposite side of Haes, Gracia and little Elysia. Ed smiled at one food in particular. "Okay! Eat up!" Hughes said jovially. Ed, Kai, and Sky picked up their forks and knives. "Thanks!" They filled their plates and started eating the food. "You weren't kiddin' this is great! What do you guys think, Kai, Sky?" Ez muttered something that sounded 'delicious' as Nala swallowed. "You're right, Ed! This is really good!"

"Don't be shy," Gracia smiled graciously, "Eat all you want."

"Okay!" Hughes looked at Al. "Alphonse, how are gonna eat wearing that armor? Take it off, relax." Ed and the twins ate slower and Al put an arm behind his armored head. "Well, ya see, uh-"

"And...he's not allowed to! He has to wear it all the time! It's, uh, part of his alchemy training! You know how it is! I'll eat enough for him!"

"Training!" Elysia laughed, frailing her arms about. "Choo! Choo!"

000

Central Prison

The full moon shone brightly through the dark and wispy clouds. The door leading to animate was open wide. The inmate laughed. "Hands down, that's gotta be the funniest joke I've heard in a long, long time. The Freezing Alchemist wants to come to play his sidekick, well as fun as they sound, the Crimson Alchemist always works alone, I always have." The man was locked up, his hands bound in a way so they could not come together. "Kimblee," McDougal said, "If we work together we can bring down Bradley and his godforsaken military. You saw the horrors that took place in Ishval. You were there, damn it! You know the things Bradley ordered us to do, the kind of man he really is. That's why you killed all those officers, isn't it? To send a message?" He pleaded urgently, desperation plain in his voice. Kimblee chortled, "I think you've got me all wrong. My motives aren't so sophisticated as revenge or honor or any of that. The reason I killed all those men, was because I could." His lips formed a grin that never seemed to quite reach his cold eyes. "It's that simple."

"That's too back Kimblee." McDougal walked out of the caged cell. "That truly is too bad." He closed the doors and hit the officer guarding the cell. "Keep up the good work." The frozen man fell to the ground, his body shattering into shards of ice as he hit the floor.

000

Hughes sat on his red sofa, a single lamp lighting the living room. "Maes dear, what's wrong?" Gracia asked, coming out of their bedroom. "Can't sleep?"

"Guess not."

"I know what's in that head of yours," She said taking a seat next to her husband. "You're worried about those kids, aren't you?"

"You know what they call State Alchemists, right? 'The dogs of the military', not exactly the most popular bunch. I try to imagine what it must be like enduring that of their age." Gracia smiled comfortingly at the man at her side.

000

"Brother, Kai, Sky are you awake?" Ed and Sky lay under the covers from their beds as Kai's soft snores filled the quiet small space. Looking over at Al who sat on the floor. "Mrs. Gracia's quiche, it looked a lot like mom's, huh?"

"It must have been," Sky answered. "Almost as good too," Ed added.

"Really?" Al asked excitably. "In that case, I'm definitely adding it to the list of things I'm gonna eat once I get my body back." Al took out a small black notebook and scribbled down some letters. Ed snickered. "Right, put it on there. Right near the top!"

"Brother? Sky?"

"Hmm?"

"I sure would like to get our old bodies back soon."

"I know," Ed said.

"Me too." Sky agreed.

000

"Once more," Isaac said, finishing another transmutation circle. "One more and Fuhrer Bradley's on his way to hell."

000

"We have a confirmed report that McDougal broke into Central Prison last night," Mustang said, "Whatever he's up to, his growing bold. That means our time is short. Close off all the roads. Search every inch of this city. When you find him, shoot on sight - that is an order from the Fuhrer himself! But if I find him first," He said, putting on his ignition glove and walking out in front of the armed men, his eye burning with fierce determination, "He's mine."

"Get a medic! Hurry!"

"Report to headquarters: five men dead!"

"How awful," Al said, looking at one of the steaming casualties. "He gets away, but how?" Sky asked herself as Kai gave a frown. "Looks like a steam explosion," Ed observed. "Raise the temperature of water fast enough it expands with the force of a bomb blast, and the human body is seventy percent water. Let's hurry, we have to find him before he hurts anyone else," He said walking away from the scene. Al and the twins nodded and followed him.

000

"Finished," McDougal said, adding the last chalk line to the circle. Stone spears shot out of the surrounding him. He jumped out of the way just in time to preserve his life. "Impressive reflexes Isaac, you were able to dodge my alchemy so easily!" A deep voice boomed.

"I know what voice." Isaac readied his guard. "Is that you Armstrong!?"

"Indeed!" A first clad in armored knuckles crashed through the wall, followed by a muscular body. "None other. it is I, the Strong Arm Alchemist; Alex Louis Armstrong, in the flesh!" He spoke, barely moving his mouth under his large, blonde mustache. "Aw, shut it!" McDougal sent a forceful blade of water at Armstrong, who speedily moved out of its path. "I've always wanted to chop that ego down to size!" He sent another watery attack at him. "Expect you'll need far more than water to quench my fists!"

000

Ed, Al, and the twins turned as an explosion of steam and rock sent stone heads of Armstrong into the air and past them. "Major!" Al said, running behind Ed and the twins in front of his armored body, turning his back at the explosion, shielding his brother and friends from the hot gas. "Thanks for the quick save Al," Sky said with a small smile as Kai nodded in agreement, "Yeah, thanks a lot."

"Let's go, he's getting away!"

"Come then," Armstrong said. "After me Elric Brothers, Mitchell Twins!"

"Right!" They said in unison.

000

Night fell quickly. Cool freezes grabbed at McDougal's dark ponytail as he stood over the city of Central Command. "it's been a long time Freezer." Isaac looked and met the fiery gaze of the Colonel. "Well, Roy Mustang. Heh, so the Flame Alchemist came out to play."

"You can make this easy on the both of us," Roy said, surrounded by armed soldiers who were blocking all exits. I'd rather not fight an old war buddy."

"War buddy? Please, don't flatter yourself. I knew no friends in Ishval. Only military bastards and their damn dogs!"

Mustang snapped, a wave of heat flowed by McDougal followed by orange and yellow flames. Water brush up and steam drifted up into the air. Isaac put his hand down on a pipe. Water shot down through multiple pipes around the building's roof. The soldiers were sprinkled with water, while another pipe sprayed Mustang directly in his unfortunate face.

"When water meets flame, the flame goes out." Isaac ran across the roof and crossed a bridge of ice to another rooftop, destroying it once he left off it.

000

"Damn it!" McDougal muttered, removing the large chunks of rubble from the chalk circle. He smiled. "Ah, still there. Perfect!"

"Stop right there!" Ed said as he, Kai, Sky stood at the entrance of the alley. "We ere wonderin' what you were doing' in this alley, so we came back to check it out, and bingo!" Isaac laughed and stood up. "There's nowhere to run this time!" Al said, running up and blocking the back exit. "Clearly, but who's running?" McDougal lifted his hands and a red glow was emitted from the chalk circle. Red lightning flashed through the air from each circle throughout the city to another circle laying elsewhere in Central. "An alchemic reaction, on this scale," Ed observed.

"Impossible! Unless you don't think he's - " Al said. Ed looked back at Isaac and grinned. "A Philosopher's Stone!" The red light turned blue and the air was being sucked into the circle. Sides of the buildings iced over as snow swept over Ed and the twins.

"He's freezing all the moisture in the air!"

"Edward Elric, Kai, and Sky Mitchell." McDougal stood in front of the red and blue iceberg. "You've sworn your lives to the state as dogs of the military! But, do you really know who you serve or what their true purposes are?"

"Who cares!" Ed shot back and smirked. "It's not our problem - !" Kai and Sky nodded in agreement. "Don't be a fool! He'll lead us all to ruin! I'm only doing what needs to be done!" The man spoke pleadingly with a desperation and defense clear in the words he spoke. "I told you, I don't care!"

Al leaped over the glacier and aimed for Isaac. He threw one fist, then two each evaded by the Freezing Alchemist. He brought up a leg and kicked the Freezer's torso, sending him flying back. Ed and the twins jumped out of his way as McDougal rolled into an iron fence nearby.

"Alright! Nice work Al!"

"But we still have to stop his alchemy!" The armor spoke, worried about the outcome of this. "I know. So where is it?" Ed asked McDougal. "You have a Philosopher's Stone, don't you?" Sky asked. The Freezing Alchemist smiled. "What are you talkin' about?"

"We won't ask again. Now, where is it!?" Ed asked angrily. "And what are you going to do, children? You're out of your league!" Isaac shouted a crazed tone taught them. The canal's water rose and froze, ever-growing towards the sky as well as Central Command. McDougal latched onto the fence as it got taken away by the crawling ice. Ed, Al, Kai, and Sky ran from the iceberg coming at them. "Stand back and prepare for a demonstration of Armstrong Alchemy!" Armstrong formed a point with his hands and aimed at the glacier. "He's all yours Major!" Ed said panicking as he ran alongside Al and the twins, past the Strong Arm Alchemist.

"Witness the alchemic art," Armstrong said dramatically, his marked knuckles glowing with alchemic lightning, "Pass down the Armstrong family for generations!" He thrust his hands into the ground, taking out a large chunk of ice. The glacier stopped, but from its right side, another train of ice charged into the surrounding buildings. "That's unexpected," said Alex, stunned. "What the heck are you doin'!? You made it worse!" Ed yelled at him. "I was mere -" his explanation was cut short by ice which burst through a building, now back on its course and heading to Central Command. "The ice walls!" Al said. "They're merging. Ed finished. "But that would mean..." Kai trailed while Sky looked troubled.

"If they all meet in the middle...Ah, damn it! It's Central Command!"

"He's gonna freeze it over!" Ed, Al, and the twins realized. "Major, Al, Kai, Sky and I will try to slow him down. Care you take off the transmutation circles?"

"Consider them erased. I'm on it," The large man spoke with confidence, sure that nothing would compromise his task.

000

"Fuhrer King Bradley," McDougal said, riding on top of an ice wall, "For your cold-bloodied crimes in Ishval, I condemn you to a frozen hell."

"Not so fast!"

Ed, Kai, and Sky rose upon a column of stone. They jumped off, landing on the ice. Al followed his brother and friends after completing his transmutation circle. McDougal sent a freezing wave of ice at the four kids. "Two can play that game!" Ed yelled, clapping his hands and sending his own wave of ice at Isaac. Kai and Sky joined Ed as they slammed their hands together, blue waves charging at the Freezing Alchemist.

The tip of the wall broke off. McDougal hopped off, grabbed an ice chunk, and sent a boiling and misty rain at the four alchemists. Ed and the twins screamed as the hot liquid touched their bodies. Isaac ran back on steps of ice that he transmuted, aiming for the distracted Ed and twins. "Brother! Kai! Sky!" Al cried, quickly moving them out of the way. "Too slow!" McDougal shouted, reaching and transmuting Al's armored head. "Alphonse!" Ed and the twins cried out for their brother and friend. His head blew off and he fell backward, bringing Ed and the twins along with him.

McDougal stood over Ed, Kai, and Sky. An armored leg shot up, barely missing Isaac's jaw. He looked at the armor in surprise. A circle of dried blood marked the back inside of the hollowed suit. "There's no one in there - it's empty!" McDougal was clearly shocked, unsure of what to think of the phenomena. Ed picked up Al's head. "But that could be true if his soul was bonded to the armor...So you lost your arm and your brother - he lost his entire body." He smirked, figuring it out quickly. "I see, it all makes sense. Al screwed his back on. Ed and the twins' attention was fully focused on Isaac.

"You fools committed the ultimate taboo! You attempted human transmutation, didn't you!? Alchemy's one and only unforgivable sin!" His voice dripped with thrilled excitement. Ed's eyes widened with anger, Sky's eyes held a blistering fire as Kai gritted his teeth and fists.

000

"ALLL! Damn it! This - this shouldn't happen!" Ed looked back at his leg, missing up to his knee with think blood dripping onto the floor.

An armored suit fell, its head rolling away.

"Give him back!" Ed cried, drawing an alchemic circle in his own blood. "He's my brother!" Tears streamed down his face. "Just give him back! He's my little brother! He's all I have left!" He clapped his hands together and a bright flash filled the room.

000

A soft breeze blew Ed's red coat and golden braid and Sky's ponytail. "Ya know, there some limes you really shouldn't cross. With those words, he ran furiously at McDougal, punching him in the stomach and striking him down. Isaac sent icy spikes at Ed, who flipped back away from the danger. "I didn't have to get shot to lose these!" Kai shouted. "If you were to know us, then maybe you'd understand more!" Sky glared at him. "But you've thought wrong." Al and the twins replaced McDoual in their assault and kicked him off the ice wall. The four of them slid off the wall, landing in front of the Freezing Alchemist. "Give it up!" Ed shouted, running to his brother's and friend's side. "There's no water to use here!"

Isaac chuckled, crimson blood trailing down his head and right arm. "You've forgotten something - I have all the water I need: seventy percent of my body!" He extended his arm forward, sharp spears of his blood embedding themselves into Ed's left shoulder.

"Ed!" Al and the twins shouted.

Al chopped off the frozen blood with his hand and Ed fell to his knees. McDougal held his bloody arm and stumbled backward. "Why can't you fools understand? I'm trying to save this country!"

The icy walls hit the edges of Central Command and began to climb the building, creeping up in the same manner as frost. Isaac laughed crazily and started walking away.

"Brother? Brother!" Al panicked over his brother, concerned about Ed's shoulder.

"Are you ok, Ed?" Sky asked with a worried face.

"Come on, we're going after him. I'm not done." Ed pulled the bloody spikes from his shoulder. "Not even close."

000

Shots fired at the ice wall in front of the military soldiers. "Did we get it?" One asked. "Ugh! Not again!" He continued with despair. The dents grew and repaired themselves every time a shot chipped away at the frozen fortress.

A furious and soaked Mustang walked up to the wall and snapped, sending a large blast of fire at it. "What do you think of my flames now, you bastard!?"

"When will he learn?" Hawkeye sighed, closing the case she carried, which contained multiple sets of ignition gloves. "It's bad enough he's useless on rainy days. Another bright flash of fire rushed at the wall.

000

McDougal walked wearily down an alleyway, resting against the walls for support. A man stood in front of him. "Bradley." Isaac chuckled softly, then busted out laughing. "Perfect!" Red liquid came together from his injuries to form a crystallized spear. He staggered into a forward run, a crazed smile gracing his face. He swung at Bradley and stopped once he passed the man. Bradley's sword was drawn. McDougal's shoulders burst with blood and his spear broke into large fragments. He fell silently to the ground, blood puddled beneath his bod, dampening his pulled-back hair. A small, red stone rolled out and disintegrated into the breeze.

000

Kimblee smiled. "Now that is too bad."

000

Colonel Mustang, now dried, snapped and sent flames at an icy wall in an alley, causing it to melt and evaporate.

"Major, go now!"

"Leave it to me!" Armstrong flexed and his shirt flew off. "The Armstrong fists will not fair!" He shouted slamming his fist into the ground. An avalanche of rock broke the last circle before it was completely iced over. The alchemic reaction creased and the lighter reds and ice disappeared.

000

Ed held his shoulder and took in deep breaths. Al, Kai, and Sky stood behind and behold a covered body surrounded by military men. Fuhrer Bradley, you're here?" Ed asked. "Ah, yes. A job will do Fullmetal, Lightning, Jewelcraft," He said. smiling beneath his dark mustache. "I came out to see if I could lend a hand, and to think that I'd be the one to actually catch him! If nothing else, this should make an exciting story for my son!"

000

"Achoo!"

"Ooh, is that a cold I hear?" Hughes said, running up to Mustang sitting at his desk. "Aw, never mind. From what I'm told, you're the man of the hour!"

"Nah, I just destroyed the transmutation circles," Mustang said casually. "The Fuhrer is the one who actually brought down McDougal."

"Sure, but the Fuhrer is telling everyone that is you. So congratulations!"

Mustang looked at him in disbelief. "Oh, so it's like that, huh? Suit yourself, but some friendly advice - next time a superior tells to take credit for something you didn't do, you might wanna try it for once." Mustang flushed in embarrassment.

000

"You know," Al said at Ed's bedside, "We never did find out whether he had a Philosopher's Stone."

"No, Ed shrugged dismissively, "But maybe it'll say something in the official report." Ed sat in a hospital bed dressed in bluish-gray hospital scrubs. his injured shoulder was wrapped in a clean, white bandage. Sky glanced at Ed and spoke up. "Hey Ed?" He looked towards her direction. "Yeah?"

"You know, I'm glad Al, Brother and I were able to help you take him down. If we weren't there, I don't think that you couldn't do it without us," Sky put her hands up in defense, "Not that you'd be useless or anything against him!"

Ed chuckled and smiled softly. "No problem, it was nothing."

The door burst open. Roses came in, followed by a large Major Armstrong; his lone blonde lock of hair curled down to his bare eyebrows. "Greetings, Edward Elric. When I heard you were in the hospital," His voice rose in volume drastically, "I dashed right over!" Ed, Al, Kai, and Sky backed up, a bit terrified. "And as I suspected," Armstrong continued joyously, setting the bouquet of roses on a nearby table, "You're in desperate need of my assistance!" He stripped off his shirt and the four kids screamed. "You need the example of a perfect physical specimen to inspire your recovery. You see You're looking livelier already!"

"Will you get out!?" Ed yelled angrily at the superior officer.

000

"Ah, I see. So Isaac's dead, is he?" A beautiful woman spoke into the phone. "That's a shame. I had such high hopes for him too. But, the Philosopher's Stone?" She paused, letting it mull over in her mind. "Hmm, sounds like he overused it." A fat, bald man bit into a crunchy substance. The woman covered the phone's receiver. "Gluttony, try to chew quietly, I'm on the phone." She put the phone back to her ear. "Yes, things are going well here in Liore. We'll be ready. It all begins very soon."

I know this sucks! Please forgive my bad grammar and writing! This is my very first time writing an actual story! So please forgive me! *bows*

Anyway *sweatdrops* Lemme know what ya think! And if I can correct any errors! Thank for your reading! ~KozmicKat