DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters of the show. I do, however, Isadora and Jona.

This first chapter is about Isadora and Jona, but don't worry Ed & Al will be making an appearance in the next chapter.

Four years ago

Long black locks danced in the water as she laid still. Her skin - from the waist up - was as pale as the moonlight while the rest of her body remained strange. Instead of legs extending from the figure, the female was covered with blue iridescent scales with an oversize fin where her feet should be. Jona wasn't quite sure what sort of beast laid before him in his cast iron tub. She was otherworldly and something only fantasy could conjure up. Reaching into the water, his rough calloused fingers stroked the softness of her cheeks in awe. This creature was obviously real, but he couldn't help wondering when did she come from.

While lost in his daydream, cerulean blue eyes slowly blinked open under the water. At first everything was hazy, but as she began to focus her vision she realized something horribly wrong. Before Jona could even draw himself back from the creature, an arm shot out with the water acting as an extension of her just gripping tightly at his neck. As she rose out of the water, she slammed him against the wall with so much force that she could hear a groan leave his lips. Yet even with pain coursing through his frail body, he saw in her eyes so much fear.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Her voice shook as the fingers loosened enough for him to catch his breath.

"M-my name is Jona, I found you lying in the middle of a forest…" He answered slowly, "Currently you are in Dublith."

"Dublith? I never heard of such a place…." Her confusion and fear only increased, but she didn't suspect the man to be lying. As she lowered him close to the ground, the creature's the arm lost its form and splashed down to the floor as she lowered her own arm. Leaning against the tub, she gripped the sides. She couldn't remember how she ended up here except for -

"The witch." She said suddenly only dragging him into her confusion as she continued talking. "S-she told me that in order to bring my brother back I needed a sacrifice." Equivalent Exchange. Jona thought to himself. "So I sacrificed myself because, well heh…" A small laugh left her lips, "Father always preferred Ezekiel over me...he needs kings to rule his kingdom; not princesses."

As she spoke, he couldn't help, but to make his way over to her and placing a hand over hers. She didn't flinch or shriek away from him, she just stared at him for a moment before resting her forehead against his shoulder. Her entire body curled toward him as she let out the loudest sob he had ever heard - human or not. He couldn't imagine the sort of life she had been through, but what was certain this woman was tricked into a form of human transmutation.

Once the tears subsided, he let her rest for the time being just tucking a folded towel underneath her head. There was no point in talking now, he would just have to give her rest. Jona figured she had been through enough already.

The next morning she awoke to the sunlight peeking through the window. She wasn't used to being so close to the brightness that she ducked under the water the best she could. Shifting her body so that her tail hung slightly out. She felt trapped, but safe at the same time. Isadora wasn't sure how long or when she fell asleep, but she knew that she needed to apologize to her savior. Land walkers were frail as far as she could see and she had treated him so roughly.

Looking down at her hands, she clenched them tightly. She promised herself she would never use that again for a weapon and yet, she caused harm to someone. While she could feel so much disappointment welling up inside, she just let it go immediately. "I must apologize…" She wasn't sure how to though, she was trapped in this small tub. "Tsk, that witch lied to me when she said she'd bless me...thrusting me on land without legs to help me…" She mumbled as she looked her tail - glared even.

On land, she was useless and trapped, but in the sea she was free to go as she pleased. Now though? She didn't even know where home was anymore. Bringing her head back up to the surface, she had come face to face with her savior. A small yelp left her lips as she splashed her tail causing her to soak him. Covering her face, she just groaned.

"I'm so sorry, sir...I didn't mean...first I hurt you a-and now I-I sorry, if you wish to get rid of me then I understand…" Isadora spoke the words so fast as she bowed her head to him.

Only instead of anger, she received a light laugh, "It's fine, child. I'm not upset. I should be the one apologizing to you." Jona said warmly as she looked up to him, "I've scared you twice when you're obviously not from this world. Everything must be frightening and strange."

"It is...It has always been banned to come on shore, but I can't understand why did that witch bring me here. She said I had to pay a toll and suddenly I was in a white room." She felt that she could tell this human everything, she didn't know why, but even in such a short time she found comfort in him. "I remember someone grinning at me, telling me that instead of a toll...he'd give me a gift, but it would cost me…" Isadora tried to remember what the gift was, but nothing could come to mind.

Suddenly she felt a sharp excruciating pain coming from her tail and just scream as if she was being torn apart. As she looked down, the water glowed with a red flash only causing more damage than good. She couldn't figure out what was happening, but as soon as she tried to kick up her tail out of the water a leg appeared instead.

"How?" Jona began.

"I-I-I don't know...I've never - " Isadora stopped to think for a moment and then whispered, "Instead of a toll I'll give you a gift instead. The place you're going you'll require these, but if away from a source of water for too long and you'll surely die...gone away like foam of the sea…" She didn't feel like she was speaking the words, it felt like someone was using her to say the words. One thing she did know was that this was no gift, but a curse.

She stayed silent for a bit unsure what to say so instead the old man filled in the silence. "In this world, you mustn't tell others what you just told me." He said in a serious tone, "Here you will be punish or worse killed. I'm not sure what it is calling in your country, but here human transmutation is a grave sin...people can't come back…" She turned to him with anger in her eyes, but she couldn't so much as raise her voice because the look in his eyes were so sad and so pained that it made her wonder.

From then on, Isadora lived with Jona. He was a father that she never had and she loved him with all her heart. He taught her how to walk which she still struggled with from time to time, but she quickly caught on. He showed her the city, met the people of it. She learned so much from him even the magic - alchemy of this world. Jona knew that from even their first meeting, Isadora had gift and she was more than willing to learn. Granted she was still afraid of the power she possessed. Shifting between legs and her tail never got easier, but she learned to deal with the pain that came with it.

One Years Ago

"There are so many other paths, but a dog of the military? Are you sure, Isadora? Once you make this decision there is no going back." Jona, now in about his eighties, asked.

Isadora was about sixteen years old now, at least that was something that stayed the same in both worlds. She had grown taller than when she and Jona had first met. She smirks a little whenever she stood beside him because instead of looking up at him, she joked about looking down at him. When did he get so small? She wondered. Three years being with the man seemed so long and yet so short. She learned so much, but still didn't feel like enough.

She twiddled her thumbs as she focused on his questions before those cerulean blue eyes focused on his own golden ones. "Yes, I'm sure. The only way I'm ever going to figure out what happened to me is by becoming one. The military has the resources I need. I'm sorry if this disappoints you, that's the last thing I want to do, but...I have to do this whether you approve or not." She never faltered, she didn't look away from him. She wanted him to know that no matter what, he wasn't going to change her decision.

A silence fell between the two as the staring contest commenced, but Jona was the first to blink only letting the girl to have a smirk form on her lips. Even without words, there was an understanding between the two.

"You win, but - " He began.

"There's always a but with you," She responded and motioned him to continue once he gave her a slight frown.

"You need to see a woman in town, her name is Izumi."

"Why?"

"If you're going to join the military you'll need to know how to fight. While you're excellent with your water alchemy, you need to train your body. Just say that Jona, sent you."

She couldn't argue with that, he was right and he knew it. While she was great at keeping her distance, she was awful with close range and hand-to-hand. If she was ever in a situation like that then she would surely die. Sighing, she took the paper from him that had the address. "Alright, I'll see her." Even though she didn't know what to expect, she could feel some excitement bubbling in her stomach already. Getting up from her seat, she started heading out.

"And for the record, Isa. I will never be disappointed in you." Jona spoke as he got up from his own seat and started to head to his study. "If you think this is right then I'll put my trust in that."

"Thanks Jona - no, thanks dad, for everything." She replied and the door slammed behind her.

Jona, himself was glad that she didn't stay to see the old man weep like a baby. He would have been embarrassed. "They sure do grow up fast." He laughed as he shut the door to his study. "Or maybe I'm just getting old."