A/N: This story is kind of a difficult one to explain. Basically, this is a modern day story, taking place basically five generations head of the generation consisting of Ed, Al, Mustang and Hawkeye. So their great-great-great grandparents would be from that time.

Yeah, I probably didn't make sense.

Anyways, the chapters in here are going to be longer than usual because in the way I wrote it, I wrote it as if I was going to keep it on one document, but since some of you guys wanted to see it on FFN (I asked about it on Tumblr), I decided to post it here.

This story does have a plot… and I'm working on starting it right now.

Please review! I know that there won't be any of the Golden Age (as I will refer to it and so will the story) generation characters speaking, but there are references and if you can squint, irony behind the characters of today and in the past.

Oh, and for the record…

Roy and Riza, Ed and Winry, and Al and Mei did get married and have children.

Thank you!

Preface

Alchemy—the scientific study of reconstructing, deconstructing and reconstructing elements together in order to create something by the use of a transmutation circles.

Amestris—the country where alchemy was first discovered and widely practiced until the middle of the 1950s when it started to spread across the world and comingle with the advancement of physics.

There have been many great alchemists at the turn of the 19th century. While they had flashy nicknames such as "The Strong Arm Alchemist" or "The Fullmetal Alchemist", they were just normal people who helped to serve their country back when being an alchemist could get you into the military.

They were people like you and me who had the curiosity and knack for this science. They faced their own demons and downfalls, and eventually made a name for themselves.

During the brink of World War II, the living conditions of Amestris started to fall apart. While they were neutral and kept to themselves, many countries such as Germany, Japan and even the US kept on trying to get into Amestris to learn the secrets of alchemy. This caused most of the big names in alchemy to run away or commit suicide or change their names. They all swore to not let their alchemy be used for the war effort—it was used once and gave great results for the home team, but genocide for those on the opposing sides.

After the war, the big names decided to share their own knowledge of alchemy, but kept their specialty to their family members exclusively. Thus, more people became interested with alchemy and paired with physics that was also going on at the same time. The big names all swore to themselves to not let any one not of blood to know about their specialty alchemic abilities.

In this modern day world, alchemists are known for their research and medical discoveries. While some still use it to defend or attack, the trend of that is falling behind. All alchemists know the basic rules of alchemy: do not create gold, do not create humans and follow the laws of equivalent exchange.

They all have different goals—mostly they are to advance their knowledge of the mysterious science.

Though how much is too much? How much will it take to finally get to understand this science? Will we have to sacrifice our friends and our family? Where does this all begin and where does this all end? "Miss Mikimoto," I hear someone call me, "Are you ready to give your testimony."

"Yes," I quietly say, "Let us begin."

Chapter One

It's morning just before school beings and just when I'm about to get out of my car, a flashy blue Ford Mustang drives into the stall right next to me, close enough to take out the door of my parents' Hyundai Santa Fe. The windows of the car next to me were tinted black, but I bet the driver inside could easily see me glowering in his or her direction. My twin sister, Aya stepped out of the car and looked over the hood. "Who could that be, Rin?"

The driver got out and from my point of view; I can see the top of his black hair. Okay, narrow it down, Rinna—it could be one of those Asian nerds that don't know how to drive. As he kept on moving, I noticed his pale skin. No, he's one of those Amestrian-Xingese mixes like my sister. Shit, could it be? "What's up Rin-Tin-Tin?" his low voice called to me.

I rolled my eyes, almost ready to break his neck apart, "Would you watch where you're driving, Mustang?" What the irony—his last name is Mustang and he drives a car that is called by its namesake.

He smirked as he came around, sticking his hands in his pocket, "You should watch where you're opening doors, Rin-Tin-Tin."

I went up to him nonchalantly and extended my hand out to slap him right in the face. He was caught off guard, almost falling to the ground. Aya came right behind me to investigate on the damage. "Don't call me that," I gritted my teeth, "Lucas Mustang."

He quickly got up and yelled at me, "Yeah, well if you keep on calling me Lucas instead of Luke, then maybe I would stop calling you Rin-Tin-Tin."

Aya stood between us, as usual, putting both of her hands on our chests to spread us apart. "You two are crazy," she sighed, "its not even 7:30 yet and you two are fighting."

"Stay out of this Ayame!" We both screeched, but then realized what we got ourselves into. Aya hates it when people call her by her first name. The main reason was because of the namesake. Aya isn't as good as an alchemist as the namesake and from what I've heard from Uncle Carter, Aya takes the personality of the original Ayame's twin sister Megumi. There's irony that five generations later there is another set of twins surprised everyone when we were born. Mom believed that she was going to have one daughter, but then when she gave birth two came out. Aya was hiding behind me—as she does today. However, despite the mystery behind how our mother didn't know that there were two, we are the pride of the family just as Ayame and Megumi were back at the turn of the 19th century.

Upon hearing her name, Aya kicked Luke in the balls and almost slapped me if she didn't snap out of that crazed state she gets into when she hears someone call her Ayame. And now you understand why everyone always calls her Aya. Luke stayed on the ground until he really had to move or he would get run over by one of the students. He rose up quickly, walking at least three steps ahead of us into the school building. Keeping his cool demeanor intact, he stuck his hands back into his pocket and fought off the possible surging pain in his groin. I whispered to Aya, "I wonder how many more kicks it will take for him to not have children anymore."

She laughed at my response before Luke turned around and met dark eyes to dark eyes. "Hey, what hour do you have advanced alchemy II again?"

I know what you're thinking. How could there be a second half to advanced alchemy? The standard for all students at West Point High School was for all to take biology or integrated science during our freshman year and then chemistry our sophomore year. Then it started to divide up the masses; you could take the beginning alchemy class or the physics class as a junior and then move on to any of the AP courses for your senior year such as AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics, and Advanced Alchemy. The way that most alchemic based families like mine do their science credits are biology freshman year, chemistry sophomore year, take an alchemy class or test out of the beginning alchemy class during the summer of our sophomore year, and then take advanced alchemy I and my senior year will consist of me taking advanced alchemy II.

Advanced alchemy I focus primarily on what you learn in basic alchemy with an extension to all the details. What Advanced Alchemy does not to that the second half of the class does is work on chimeras and bio-alchemy. Sure, we also extend more on the first half of the class, but it's mainly on bio-alchemy and medical situations.

What I'm really excited for this year is the trip to Amestris in the spring. The country still functions, but from what I've heard from my cousins, the land is a mystery to all. They say that their alchemy becomes powerful once they return back to where it all started and the excitement just builds on and on. There are secrets imbedded in the country that vary from person to person. One of the seniors last year, Alexis Corbin told me that the trip was useless. I had to do some research on her family to find that the Corbins are from Irish descent. The people that have the most fun on these trips are Amestrian based families. However, the curious mind always let those who don't have Amestrian descent and some people can find the excitement in the trip.

"Third hour," I grumble low enough to not hear me. By now, we're in the courtyard of the school walking through the groups of freshmen that don't know what to do. "I'm in your class dumbass."

Luke turned around and lets us catch up to him. He started to walk next to us, causing some of the underclassmen to look at us suspiciously. I hated when this happened, but I couldn't get Luke away from me. "I heard Mr. Pauser had to leave the advanced alchemy II class and there's a guy from the Alchemy Institute that's in his place." The Alchemy Institute is an academy outside of town where all the preppy kids go. Not only that, but the AI (as every one refers to it) is one of the main schools across the United States that focuses primarily on alchemic education and research. It's where my dad works as a leading researcher.

I know, I know, I should be going to the AI right? But I made myself go to West Point for a couple of things. One of them was for Aya who surprisingly didn't pass the regulated test for AI when we were fifteen and the other one is a secret. Dad didn't want me to go to West Point either. He saw that I wouldn't fit in well with the girls in my designated class. They were all pretty preppy and only in the AI to learn basic alchemy and because of their fathers to feed them a good education. None of them would be continuing on with alchemy after high school and they wouldn't specialize.

Luke nudged my side, "So, do you think your dad is going to be the teacher, Rin-Tin-Tin—"

"Absolutely not," I immediately told him, "Dad is doing a huge research project on Shadow Alchemy. And if he were to become a teacher, it would be in that—not in bio-alchemy. The family has no understanding of that."

Luke sighed, "Great, now we're going to get some preppy teacher who thinks of us as nothing. Maybe as your senior president—"

"Fat chance, Mustang," I scoffed, turning away from him and heading down the hallways in a different direction. Luke ran for senior class president when he was a junior and won immediately. It wasn't his good looks or his family history of being a person of power that got him the votes it was his whole heartedness. He brought together the sides between the alchemists and the physicists (we're always clashing against each other) and brought the class together. He represents the class well… at least that's what I secretly think. I make the impression that I want to be the class president sometime soon.

Advanced Alchemy II –

The teacher wasn't in the room when Aya and I both walked in at the same time. The hot shot of the class (surprisingly it's not Luke); Bradley Hartford groaned when we came in. "Shit, these girls are in this class?"

"Shit, you passed baby alchemy?" Aya smirked, walking past him in the front of the class. We took our seats in the back of the room, placing our binders on the desk before I started to draw my transmutation circles on my hands. Tips on how to use alchemy for fighting: draw your transmutation circles on some surface on your hands so that it will be easy to pull out your alchemy against them. Drawing them on the ground drops your guard and makes it easier for the enemy to get you.

We watched as some of our friends like Haley Grand and Lucia Peterson walked in, but we didn't say anything to them. They gave us small smiles and then took their seats closer to Bradley. We both knew that they were all jealous of our skills… I was top of the Advanced Alchemy I class last year and barely pushed a finger to do anything. They all said that I should take physics instead of alchemy, but what would I do with physics if my dream is to become an alchemy researcher like my dad? Luke is the only one who really understands where I'm coming from… even though he has no clear-cut future with his alchemy.

The teacher stood in front of the room and started to call off names. He was about middle aged with curly brown hair and glasses, wearing a nice clean-cut purple shirt with a matching tie underneath a grey cardigan. His pants were black and he looked like he really belonged to the AI. He told us that if we name a nickname, yell it at him so that he can call us that from now on. "Ayame Mikimoto."

"Aya please!" my sister shouted.

"Rinna Mikimoto."

"Present." He looked up at the two of us. He gawked. I could tell by his expression that he didn't know which one was which.

"Okay, are you two twins?"

"Yes," we replied in unison.

He sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. "Tell me how I could tell you two apart."

We exchanged glances before Luke scoffed, "Other than their alchemic skill, if you call Rinna 'Rin-Tin-Tin', she gets mad at you. The same goes for Aya if you call her by her real name. Though, it's a lot more brutal." We both glowered at him, just wishing to cut his throat open.

The teacher ignored Luke—thank god—and looked at us. I cleared my throat; "There really is no way until you get used to it. I'm sorry sir." Unlike the original Mikimoto twins, Aya's hair isn't brown. Our hair is naturally straight (with the exception of today where Aya curled her hair) and black. Our face shapes are the same and the eye expressions. Our facial expressions at some times can be different, but can be mistaken as similar. Our body sizes are the same. The only thing that tells us apart is our personalities. Not to disgrace our great-great-grandmother and aunt, but from what I've researched, it was easy to tell them apart. Some alchemic accident happened with Megumi and it turned her hair brown. The history doesn't allow me to get into further details into it… to my dismay. As the teacher kept on reading the list, there was this boy who walked into the class room wearing a red sweater jacket and had short blonde hair.

While the teacher was practically glowering at the late kid, Aya whispered into my ear, "That's Professor Wilfred Curtis, isn't it?"

My eyes widened. The renounced Curtis family… The name was familiar because Izumi Curtis back when all these last names weren't important was the alchemy teacher for Amestris' biggest alchemists: Edward and Alphonse Elric. The Curtis family is always involved with alchemy and teaching in it, but it surprised me when they didn't start the AI in the middle of the 1950s. No, I will get into that topic later, but just so you remember: the Curtis family didn't start the AI, instead they teach.

Wilfred Curtis is a mentor to my father. The two talk every now and then to exchange notes, but Wilfred always acts so stuck up around him like he knows everything. It annoys us when he's around with my father since we've driven past the address where Prof. Curtis lives and seen his living conditions. It made sense to me that day in that class why Prof. Curtis was taking this job. Not only was West Point going to pay him, but also so was the AI. He has both of those jobs. And in this damn economy, he really does need it.

I felt remorseful for the professor. He wasn't used to kids walking into class late or being so loud in the hallways. The AI, like I've said, is filled with snotty rich kids that either want to be alchemists or attend because it's the best school in Vermont. So, as you would expect, the students are all pretty respectful people (to the teachers, not themselves I know) and come in on time. There is never any problem with truancies or rule breaking that happens at West Point.

The kid gingerly pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, handing it to Prof. Curtis, "Sorry, I got lost."

Prof. Curtis sighed, looking at the piece of paper, "its fine. I got lost here as well today. What's your name?"

"Nick Elric?" He turned around slowly. Aya punched me in the shoulder while my ears perked up. An Elric? You've gotta be kidding me! His family is immerged in alchemy! His roots trace all the way back to Amestris and even Xerxes, one of the ancient civilizations of this world that started alchemy and alkahestry! I watched him as he casually took a seat behind Cam Fuery.

Prof. Curtis introduced himself as one of the leading teachers at the Alchemist Institute. He started to talk a little bit about his background with some of it going back to his roots in Amestris, which always makes me happy. Unlike the teacher before, he is going to treat us like college students and pick our own seats and what not. He is only going to help us learn more about the science and treat us as if we're going to major in this science. I know for a fact that Aya and I are, but Luke? We still didn't know and half the class was probably going to stop learning after high school.

He also specified that we do some research on our family names to see if there was anything pointing to Amestris and a specialized alchemic ability. He turned to the board, "Now I want you guys to shout out family names and their specialized alchemic abilities."

Cole Lawford blurted off, "Armstrong, Strong-Arm alchemy."

Prof. Curtis turned back to the room after he wrote the name on the whiteboard. "Now does any one know what specific alchemic ability it is? Right now, the way you're referring it is a code name based off the Strong Arm Alchemist back in the early 1900s."

I let Aya answer this question since she does know, "It's a form of alchemy that reconstructs, deconstructs and constructs rocks into formations such as spikes and statues." She shuddered, remembering the picture that was in the history book of an Armstrong standing in front of a tall statue that was in his image. Armstrongs were not only known for alchemy, but for random sparkling.

"Good," he stated, turning back to the board and writing some more. "Rinna, your family is pretty immersed in alchemy."

I folded my arms across my chest. This was easy. "The Mikimoto family: shadow and dark alchemy."

"What's the difference between them?" I knew he knew all of this information since he works with Dad. Dad is focusing solely on shadow alchemy as dark alchemy has reached its limit. Ayame figured it out before she got to pass on the traits. It wasn't until one of Grandpa's siblings found out about dark alchemy.

"Shadow alchemy focuses on the shadow that a person has, creating things of unimaginable power such as blades that can cut through steel and hover boards that can fly silently through the night. Dark alchemy is about blinding and the absence of light."

I saw Luke turn in his chair and whisper nerd at me. Good thing Prof. Curtis was looking away since I flipped the bird right at him. "There's one more."

"What?" I whispered, looking at Aya with a confused face. There has never been another trait. Dad didn't tell us—the history books didn't tell us!

He sighed, putting his marker in his pocket, "its light alchemy, using it to blind and counteract the dark alchemy. It was developed by Ayame Mikimoto's half brother Tatsuya, but it hasn't been passed down or known to the world until his notes appeared in a warehouse in Amestris. You should really brush up on those facts, Rinna." The class laughed at me. They knew that if there was anything about Amestris and the family roots, they could consult me. I knew it all. And I had to. I had to remember the family roots… even if they weren't my own. "All right, let's keep on going…" he looked at the roster, "Luke Mustang. Your family should have something in it."

He was sitting in his seat, slouching with his arms across his chest. He shook his head. Prof. Curtis's eyebrow rose, "What do you mean there isn't?"

"There isn't any special ability that my family has," he stated, "It's just a family that once ruled Amestris according to Rin-Tin-Tin." Oh, I wish I could kick his ass… "But that's what legacy it gave itself up to."

Prof. Curtis looked at him with a surprised look. "Are you serious?" Luke nodded, "Well, I could see why. The Mustang family is associated with flame alchemy. However, there has only been one. Some how, who ever was the flame alchemist didn't pass on the traits to the next generation unlike the other families. Keep on going." We decided to play this game for thirty minutes. I wasn't taking notes since I already knew so much about the Amestrian based families. "Besides alchemy, what do all of these families have in common?"

"The Amestrian roots?" Luke asked.

"Yes, that and…"

"Secrets that must not be told," another added.

Prof. Curtis went back to the board and started to draw it like a web diagram. He put Amestris and alchemy in the middle and connected the families. Then he started to dashed arrows to each family that was related to one another. For instance, because Ayame Mikimoto was a subordinate and a comrade to Roy Mustang and Edward Elric, there were arrows pointing to those families from each family. Luke doesn't notice this, as I can tell, and draws it without fully understanding the point. I noticed that Nick was a little bit concerned about that part of the drawing, but kept on drawing it like Luke. "And maybe for those of you who are the fifth or sixth generation of these families," he tapped the board, "you'll find the secrets in Amestris. Which brings us to our next point," he segued his way into talking about the trip to Amestris and started to hand out papers. "Tomorrow, I want you guys to come up with a way to use your alchemy for defense, meaning that you cannot resort to drawing your transmutation circles. They need to be drawn on to something that can be activated such as a glove or a piece of clothing that you might wear." I had an idea already sculpted in my mind, but that would mean I would have to scrap some metal off of something at home. Mom doesn't like when I do that, but maybe she has an old frying pan for me to use.

"What you see in front of you is the list of the top ten advanced alchemy II students at West Point and their rank according to the state." The State of Vermont and pretty much the entire United States gives out a test every year to all registered alchemists. This test makes sure that we can keep our registration and our rights as alchemists (we get more benefits thanks to the dangerous shit we get ourselves into.) This also ranks who is the best alchemist in the state. There's a huge tie for the best alchemist in the country, so they don't judge that. The ranks are all divided by age so that Amestrian born naturalized citizens who still live today can still outsmart everyone in their age group and not get upstaged by a seventeen year old at the AI. The test is similar to the original State Alchemist board test in Amestris with a written and then a showcase of what the alchemist has researched or discovered how to do in the last year. "This year's classes at West Point and at the AI are too big to take in one group to Amestris. So, we've decided to only give this opportunity to the top fifteen students from each school based not on their rank in the class, but their rank in the state." My heart dropped. I looked gingerly at Aya. I knew that her grades weren't as perfect as mine were. I had to get her ready to come to Amestris with me. I don't go anywhere without my sister that is within my control. I can control how Aya studies and learns alchemy like a manipulative bastard, but I would know that it was for her own good to come to Amestris with me. I want her to know the experience that I am experiencing.

"However, the state test is only given out every end of the school year, meaning that it is somewhat unfair. We're still going to use your rank in the class and average you out. So, those who really want to go… make it an effort and a reward," he had a twinkle in his eye when he saying that. It scared me quite a bit since Prof. Curtis can be intimidating and downright a creep.

Right now, the state standing for the senior class alchemists are John Paul Armstrong from the AI (who is an absolute babe if I could point that out,) me from West Point, and then a couple people in between me and Aya with Luke Mustang somewhere fitting in that mix. I knew that in the class, I was one, Aya was two and Luke was three. However, Luke and Aya tend to duel it out for the number two and number three seats. I feel that Aya should always stay at two since she's already going to become an alchemist. Luke doesn't show any interest in it whatsoever… but that may be because he doesn't know his family's specialty.

"Ranks so far are number one, Rinna Mikimoto. Number two…" his eyes widened. This surprised him by a long shot! "Nick Elric." I was amazed at that feat that the newbie was able to surpass not only my sister who was created in my image but also Luke. I could tell why he was number two; he's an Elric. His family is so submerged into alchemy that almost everyone is an alchemist and does something with it. Edward Elric, the founding father of their alchemic background, was a great alchemist back in the turn of the century and very famous. The name Fullmetal Alchemist is synonymous with every living alchemist. The Elric family is that big of a deal. "Number three is Luke Mustang." He smirked at Aya, mouthing Ayame and then she tried to throw her pencil case at his head, "number four, Ayame Mikimoto." It's just weird to know that the girl who was named after one of the greatest alchemists in the 1900s is number four and an Elric beat her in her rank. He kept on naming them down until he reached fifteen. And then, he continued on.

"You will all find out if you are worthy of this trip by the end of the month. We're going to have one big test in the upcoming weeks that combines the history of Amestris along with questions that can be found on your state ranking tests and their State Alchemist test. I wish you all luck. There will be upsets, I will promise you that." The bell rang and immediately, everyone started to file back into the hallway.

I wasn't too concerned about the big test that could make it or break it for all of us. I mean, Aya and I have been taking practice state ranking tests for years thanks to Dad (because the AI takes them all the time and he sneaks those out for us to use.) And if the state ranking tests are the same as their State Alchemist certification tests, then it won't be too hard. Along with that, Aya and I often quiz each other on Amestrian history and know more than what the textbook has told us. We have a secret weapon.

My family is pretty rich I have to say. We're rich enough to send Aya, Xavier (our little brother) and I to any college in the United States and the Amestrian State University in Central City. The money is old—Ayame Mikimoto's husband was a renowned alkahestric doctor in Amestris, which at the time, there had been none before him. He gained a lot of money and it just added to the fact that Ayame was a State Alchemist and was paid a lot for her rank (she reached Brigadier General before her death) and her status. Avery was the only child, so they didn't spend a lot of money. I remember reading a diary from one of them saying that they bought a car and a new house when her superior officer Roy Mustang became the leader of the country, and they moved to Central. Avery wrote a diary on the finances of the Mikimoto family, stating that it wasn't a problem thanks to the benefits after his mother's death and the money they saved. It eventually got all six children to a healthy life. Then the money started to grow and grow once the family started investing and researching. Right now, we're living off the money Dad has made as a researcher at the AI. It's a hell load of money.

We live on a huge estate outside of town. Our next-door neighbor is about half a block away. I don't usually parade my riches (mainly because I'm not like that) and so when people come to my house they're astounded by the sheer beauty and mass of the place. I don't know how many square feet the house is, but it's huge. We have a basement that holds a movie theatre and a two-lane bowling alley. The backyard has a pool and a basketball court for Xavier. There are 5 bedrooms not counting my parents' suite. Bathrooms… six, I guess. The kitchen is first class.

And you're still wondering why I go to West Point.

Along with that, you're still wondering what our secret weapon is.

In our house, we have a library. It's where all of our family's documents and notes are on our alchemy. Not only that, but it holds all the books that our family just wants to store in there, so I bet you can find a diary from Ayame that talks about how she felt after Megumi got married or something or another. There are cookbooks and storybooks scatted around the place. It's a nice place to study with cherry wood bookshelves that climb up the walls and one of those cool ladder things that you can ride around the whole room on it just like Xavier does when Dad isn't home.

See, these diaries are unfiltered and they tell more history than the history books. There's a huge black dot in Amestrian History in the early 1900s. It's a conflict known as the Ishvallan Civil War and the country isn't proud that it happened. Because of it, many things happened in the 1910s. The country going to be sacrificed for the rulers of the country back then and it started off with that civil war to create bloodshed. The day known as the Promised Day where most of the Alchemic Families of Amestris got their spotlight. The conspirators were arrested and convicted and they eventually saved the country. After that, the country started to work into better grounds. It turned from a military state into a democracy a couple years later.

There are more things in the diaries that aren't in the history books. Like for instance, there's this really funny part about Ayame in there. It involves some of Luke's ancestors, but you know, I'll never tell him because he one doesn't care and two, doesn't know who his great-grandfather is. Anyways, Ayame was a subordinate for Roy Mustang for a long time. His assistant and future wife was Riza Hawkeye and they were childhood best friends for a long time. One of Roy's best friends from the military academy, Maes Hughes kept on insisting that he get a wife for a long time. Hughes never got to see Roy marry Riza because he was murdered during the time the government was trying to sacrifice the country—or in this case, get ready for it.

When Ayame went to Central to become a State Alchemist, she stayed with Hughes and learned about his ambitions. It was there where Ayame strived to get them together and often faced with the fact that they wouldn't tell her. She kept on insisting even past Hughes' death. She wrote diary entries on how she tried to do it and how it failed or how it succeeded.

So, here we are in the library: I'm with my laptop and Aya is with a couple pieces of metal on the "alchemy table" in the middle of the room. The table has been the centerpiece of all our alchemy trial runs for years that it's surprising that it's still standing up. She drew a circle before putting her hands together and touching the circle. A blue light started to form and then it died away. She smiled, picking up the bracelet with three charms shaped like transmutation circles. One of them I could tell was the circle to activate the shadow ability. The other one was for a blinding ability and the last one was for creating the shadow armor would cover her arms and harden. The bracelet was big enough and the charms were long enough for her to slip one in between her palms and activate it, causing her shadow to turn black and move around. "Nice," I smiled at her from my computer.

Aya sighed, "Rin, you don't even have one yet."

"On the contrary," I stated, getting up and facing her. I pulled the necklace out from underneath my shirt collar to reveal the transmutation circle for activating shadows. I put my hands together and touched the circle, causing both of our shadows to solidify and move. We could combine our shadows if we wanted to, but for this exercise, we decided to keep them apart. Xavier walked into the library.

"Cool Rin! Can you show me how to do that?" He exclaimed, setting his books on the table and walking to our shadows.

I laughed, ruffling up his jet black hair, "No way, kiddo. You still need to learn the basics of alchemy and the laws before Dad lets you learn how to control the shadows." I touched the circle pendant, making the shadows a light gray and becoming dormant.

Aya smirked, "Maybe if you can sculpt a figurine for me, then we can show you."

Xavier pouted. I knew he hated those types of alchemy. He just wanted to blow up stuff instead of take this the hard way. But we warned him that we needed to learn the laws and basics of alchemy before diving into the tough stuff. The laws were the most important as our family has disobeyed the laws three times and not necessarily paid for it, but over came it with a painful lesson. "Look Xav," I sighed, "We were both eleven years old when we started learning alchemy. Of course, we were reading the history of our family before that, but still. You will be come as great as us."

He scoffed, "I just want to be number one."

"Everyone wants to be number one," I pulled my little brother into a tight hug. See, in other families, you would have the brothers and sisters fighting with each other. Not in our family. It must have to do with something about Ayame always sticking by her sister no matter what and letting them forget about the pain their brother brought to them. Avery was an only child, but he had a lot of friends growing up and he learned to love them all. Then the big six all got along and now us. "Don't worry. If I become number one in the state or if I'm number one in the graduating class at West Point, then I'll mentor you. Is that a deal, Xav?"

He nodded, taking a step away from me. "Thanks Rin."

"Hey, don't forget that I'm pretty effing awesome, Xav," Aya insisted, sticking a Nutella covered wafer in her mouth. "Luke Mustang may be number three at West Point, but he doesn't specialize."

My smile disappeared. You know how I keep on saying that Luke Mustang doesn't specialize? I always feel bad when ever I heard that or tell people that. He's a great alchemist and comes from a great alchemic family, but the true reason behind it is so vague and unknown. Not even Ayame's journals or Avery's journals say why the Mustang family doesn't allow their family members to specialize. I mean, I don't know when the family stopped doing that, but I had to assume that it was sometime close to when Roy became famous.

Luke has told me why he couldn't specialize.

His words were cold.

"I can't. My parents won't tell me."