I guess I should draw attention to a few things:

One, this is a sequel to "What Could Have Been" but if you don't want to read the first story, you might be able to follow this one without reading it, since I'll probably explain the things you need to know.

Secondly, there's two pairs of Elric brothers. I'm calling the ones we know by the names Ed and Al, and the other two by Edward and Alphonse - just to help keep them straight.

Chapter One: Role Confusion

"Ed! I'm so glad I found you!"

"Ugh..." he uttered as he woke. His head throbbed painfully.

"I can't believe it took us over three days to find you, brother!"

"Three days, huh?" he asked. He glanced around to see that he was in an alley. "Where's..." he started to ask, wondering what happened to the other him, when he realized that something felt wrong. His arm didn't feel right. Something just... felt different... And as he glanced toward his right arm, he had a sinking feeling he knew what was different. He pushed up the red jacket sleeve to see metal.

That wasn't right...

He looked up to see a suit of armor towering above him, and jumped back in surprise. Then he remembered that the other him said he had bonded Al's soul with a suit of armor. So... That was Al. And... He was in the other him's universe. And... He was the other him.

"You're awake!" Alphonse said joyfully. "Did it work? Did the other Ed make it back to his dimension?"

"Huh?" Ed asked. "What are you talking about? I am the other Ed," he said as he started to sit up. He then noticed his right arm. "...aren't I?" he asked, staring at his real-and-not-metal-like-it-used-to-be hand. He discovered that he had Edward's clothes on, as well.

"...Are you okay, brother?" the fourteen-year-old boy asked.

"Uh... I'm not sure..."

"What happened here, anyway?" Alphonse asked, gesturing toward the destruction around them. "Mom and me got word that you two went here to see a guy named Tucker, and we heard there was some type of break-in while you were here."

"Well... we found out how that dimensional portal was formed and who created it - Tucker, the Tringum brothers, Scar, and a guy named Jonston all played a part... But the Tringums are long gone, and Scar killed Tucker and Jonston."

"Those were the two men found here with you?"

Ed nodded. "Yeah. Jonston was the only one who had ever successfully gone through the portal - except me, when I followed him here."

"But, it was the other Ed who-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Look - I am the other Ed. After Scar left, we thought we could activate the formula ourselves, and send me back to my own world, but something went wrong... I can't explain it. I have no idea how it happened. But now, it seems as though I'm not me anymore."

"...Maybe you should see a doctor," Alphonse suggested.

"I don't need to see a doctor, Al. I know what I'm talking about," Ed insisted as he started to get up. But as he stood, his head began to ache and he clutched his forehead seconds before he blacked out.

"Here, brother," Al said, extending a hollow metal hand toward Edward.

"Thanks," Edward said with a weak smile as he grasped the metal hand with a metal one of his own. As Al lifted him to his feet, Edward said, "Al... there's something I need to tell you..."

"There you are!" Armstrong said. He walked into the alley, toward them. "I'm glad you're okay, Fullmetal. We were worried that guy may have been more than you could handle."

"You mean Jonston?" Edward asked.

"Is that his name?" Armstrong asked. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep up with your chase. Unusual, since the skill of running has been passed down through the Armstrong line for centuries."

"Oh..." Edward said and raised an eyebrow.

--End Chapter--

I decided to go through and change a few small details in this and "What Could Have Been" to make it fit into a time in the show. So... Armstrong needs to be the one that comes at the end of the chapter, instead of Hughes. The time I decided on is when Armstrong was with Ed and Al, so he needs to be there. (Unfortunately, I may need to do some extra explaining in some other chapters... I may not have to, though, and add it into a chapter I haven't written yet, and then it'd be a good thing.)