p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""The alchemists are here!" People screamed as the world shook, blood and death everywhere. A girl sobbed softly as her brother similed down at her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Go with your mother, she'll get you to safety." The girl grabbed his hand. "But what about you?" Her brother just smiled and shook his head, turning away from her and running out of their small home, down the street firing his weapon wildly against the surge of soldiers. She cried as her mother dragged her away, sprinting down the street with young the girl, no older than four years old, in her arms. The world seemed to become soaked in flames, a tide of heat and light. The mother continued running, holding the girl tightly until they turned a corner and were met by a wall of bullets and fire, searing pain engulfed them and everything went dark. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ria stared forward impassively as she marched into the government building ahead of her. People stared at her odd outfit as she passed, the cloak over her face masking her features, her gloves adorned with runes-like symbols. A pair of soldiers marched on either side of her, giving her a stiff salute as they reached their destination, waiting at the door, weapons resting at their sides. Führer President Bradley smiled, no emotions showing on his face. "Show us what you can do, alchemist." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ria smirked behind her hood, placing a hand on the floor, the other being held out in front of her. A blast of white light filled the room as she used her alchemy until the light was far outshined by another, far brighter light. A bolt of lighting jumped from the ceiling to the floor, wind rushing away from the source as soldiers throughout the room stumbled back in surprise. The light disappeared as quickly as it arrived, leaving a scorched mark in the floor as though it had been struck by lightning. President Bradley burst into laughter. "The youth of this day and age never cease to impress me. I look forward to seeing the results of this assessment Miss Ria. I believe I know just where you'll be working." Ria saluted stiffly in turn. "You flatter me sir."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Edward Elric groaned as he marched to the Führer's office. He didn't know why he had been called in and meeting with the Führer were rarely simple chats, or so that bastard Mustang had told him. Ed, having only gotten his title as the Fullmetal Alchemist only a month before, didn't have much experience with such meetings. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The Füther smiled as he walked in and gestured for him to sit down. One of the two chairs in front of the desk were already occupied, a small (but still taller than Ed, he noticed with a flicker of annoyance), cloaked figure sitting in the other. "Miss Ria, please meet Mr. Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""This is him? He seems a bit runty." She replied, raised an eyebrow beneath her hood as Ed exploded with rage. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING RUNTY YOU RUNT?!" The Führer spoke with mirth in his voice, not batting an eyebrow at Ed's rant. "Yes, Edward is a bit small, but I'm sure the two of you will work wonderfully together." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" Ed frowned, cooling down noticeably. "Working together? Why would we be working together?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You are partnerless, are you not? While your brother is perfectly effective, he is still a civilian and can't legally be considered your partner. So, I've assigned our newest alchemist to work with you. You'll also be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel while she'll be working directly under you." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ed sighed. "Fine. When do we start?" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Right now."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ria smiled as she walked out behind Ed, twirling her newly acquired pocket watch, showing her title as the "Lightcaller Alchemist." A cool title, much cooler than "Fullmetal" at least. "So where too first?" Ed grinned. "You should meet my younger brother, Alphonse."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ria stared forward impassively as she marched into the government building ahead of her. People stared at her odd outfit as she passed, the cloak over her face masking her features, her gloves adorned with runes-like symbols. A pair of soldiers marched on either side of her, giving her a stiff salute as they reached their destination, waiting at the door, weapons resting at their sides. Führer President Bradley smiled, no emotions showing on his face. "Show us what you can do, alchemist." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ria smirked behind her hood, placing a hand on the floor, the other being held out in front of her. A blast of white light filled the room as she used her alchemy until the light was far outshined by another, far brighter light. A bolt of lighting jumped from the ceiling to the floor, wind rushing away from the source as soldiers throughout the room stumbled back in surprise. The light disappeared as quickly as it arrived, leaving a scorched mark in the floor as though it had been struck by lightning. President Bradley burst into laughter. "The youth of this day and age never cease to impress me. I look forward to seeing the results of this assessment Miss Ria. I believe I know just where you'll be working." Ria saluted stiffly in turn. "You flatter me sir."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Edward Elric groaned as he marched to the Führer's office. He didn't know why he had been called in and meeting with the Führer were rarely simple chats, or so that bastard Mustang had told him. Ed, having only gotten his title as the Fullmetal Alchemist only a month before, didn't have much experience with such meetings. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The Füther smiled as he walked in and gestured for him to sit down. One of the two chairs in front of the desk were already occupied, a small (but still taller than Ed, he noticed with a flicker of annoyance), cloaked figure sitting in the other. "Miss Ria, please meet Mr. Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""This is him? He seems a bit runty." She replied, raised an eyebrow beneath her hood as Ed exploded with rage. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING RUNTY YOU RUNT?!" The Führer spoke with mirth in his voice, not batting an eyebrow at Ed's rant. "Yes, Edward is a bit small, but I'm sure the two of you will work wonderfully together." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" Ed frowned, cooling down noticeably. "Working together? Why would we be working together?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You are partnerless, are you not? While your brother is perfectly effective, he is still a civilian and can't legally be considered your partner. So, I've assigned our newest alchemist to work with you. You'll also be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel while she'll be working directly under you." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ed sighed. "Fine. When do we start?" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Right now."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ria smiled as she walked out behind Ed, twirling her newly acquired pocket watch, showing her title as the "Lightcaller Alchemist." A cool title, much cooler than "Fullmetal" at least. "So where too first?" Ed grinned. "You should meet my younger brother, Alphonse."/span/p