Chapter 1 The Beginning
"Huh?!"
Ed's eyes grew wide in astonishment. Another child had graduated from the Alchemy Exam. The kid was twelve.
"Yes. He's going to be working under me-- possibly with you as well." Roy continued, looking out of the wide window.
"So, what's his name? You know, I've got Fullmetal, you've got Flame... so what does he got?" Ed asked curiously.
"I've heard... he's the Darkness Alchemist." Roy replied.
Ed became even more curious when the door opened. Roy and Ed looked to see a boy with a brown paper boy hat, blue eyes, in navy blue overalls and a white t-shirt with brown shoes stride into the room. Ed raised an eyebrow and snickered.
He thought the Darkness Alchemist would be more... well... scary in a way.
"Move, Karlan."
The boy stepped aside to reveal another, and taller, kid with a black cap and black jeans with a loose black t-shirt and sneakers. His black eyes flashed dangerously and sent chills up Ed's spine.
"Excuse my brother, Karlan. He didn't mean to barge in." The kid older said, taking his place beside the younger sibling.
"No harm done. Now then, I am Colonel Mustang; you will be working under me and possibly along side Fullmetal." Roy said, pointing to Ed on the couch.
The Darkness Alchemist gave one glance at Ed.
"I see... my name is Haruka; The Darkness Alchemist. Now if you would please excuse me, I must finish settling in at my lodgings."
Ed watched Haruka leave with Karlan at his heels.
(((Space)))
"How many times must I tell you not to wander off?!" Haruka snapped.
Karlan muttered an apology when they were inside their room.
Haruka sighed.
"They call this a dorm? It's pathetic."
"It'll probably have to do for now." Karlan reassured, "Then we'll get a better place later."
"Right." Haruka agreed.
Karlan snickered.
He was eleven years old. Karlan pointed to Haruka's black cap.
"When are you going to take that off, sister?"
"Right now." Haruka replied, whipping off the cap.
Her hair fell down to her waist. It was black like the night sky; matching her eyes. Karlan smiled.
"I don't understand why you want to hide the fact you're a girl."
Haruka snorted.
"Why else? I can scare off the other women and not attract the guys."
"Unless they're gay." Karlan snickered.
Harkua's fist collided on Karlan's head; giving him a goose egg sized bump.
"If you don't watch your mouth, you aren't going to be able to stay here tonight." Haruka threatened.
Karlan rubbed his head and nodded.
Their was a knock on the door.
"Oh shit!" Haruka whispered, grabbing her cap.
Haruka quickly put her hair into a small bun on the top of her head and then put the cap over it. Karlan moved away from the door as Haruka walked towards it. She opened the foor slightly and glanced out.
"What do you want, blondie?" Haruka sighed, using a deeper tone like earlier.
"My name's Ed."
"As I asked, what do you want?"
"What kind of alchemy do you control?"
Haruka bit her tongue and glared at Ed.
"Look, I don't have time to deal with you so back off and go away."
With that, she shut the door.
Karlan gave a low whistle.
"Wow. He must've ticked you off."
Haruka shook her head.
"No, he was asking a question I wouldn't answer."
(((Space)))
"He's such a bastard!" Ed cursed angrily.
"Brother, he just might be stressed out from this whole ordeal. You should give him some time. He's only twelve, right?" Al reasoned.
Ed sighed.
"Still... I can already tell he's gonna be trouble..."
(((Space)))
It was morning. Haruka opened her eyes and yawned. She had slept on the floor while her brother slept on the bed. Haruka stood up and leaned backwards; causing her back to make cracking noises. She began walking and noticed it was Tuesday by looking at the calender.
"Tuesday? What's on Tuesday..." Haruka wondered out loud; scanning the calender for any events.
It was her brother's birthday.
Luckily, he was out cold and it was about seven in the morning.
Maybe if I can sneak out, I can grab some things, come back, and celebrate when he awakens.
Haruka nodded at her plan and put her cap on along with a black leather trench coat to go over her black jeans and black turtle neck. She packed a suitcase with extra clothes just incase she needed to change and show herself as a girl. Haruka left a note in Karlan's hand and slipped out behind the door. As she walked out of the Command Center, she sensed someone following her. Haruka abruptly turned to see blondie again.
"What are you now? Some kind of stalker?" .
"I was going to the library." Ed lied.
"Pfft... yeah, okay. Is it that you're worried that I might break something?" Haruka asked in a sarcastic voice.
She noticed Ed's temple was beginning to throb and turned away from him. Ed walked next to Haruka and put his hand on her shoulder to try and stop her. Suddenly, Ed's hand turned purple and sparks surged through it. He yelped; jumping back in suprise. His hand had been electricuted.
"I'd advise you to never do that again unless you want your hand blown to pieces." Haruka suggested before walking into the park leaving a dazed and confused Ed.
(((Space)))
Karlan's eyes opened. He sat up and noticed his sister was gone. Karlan saw the piece of paper on his palm and opened it. The note said that Haruka was gone into the city to buy a few things. Karlan sighed.
"Always rushing into danger, aren't you?" Karlan muttered under his breath, putting on a t-shirt and jeans.
He shut the door behind him and began running down the hall. Karlan's birthday was also a day for something else.
A day where his sister was usually hunted down by homunculi.
Not paying attention, Karlan burst out of the front doors and smacked into a figure; falling and rolling down the steps. As he sat up and cursed himself, a blonde boy ran down the steps to him.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Karlan looked up and saw the blondie from the Colonel's office earlier.
"I'm fine." Karlan said as he stood up and wiped the blood away from where his mouth hit the ground.
"Do you know where your brother is?"
Karlan raised an eyebrow to Ed.
"What's it to you and do I have to tell you? Jeez... people these days..." Karlan sighed.
"Listen you little brat, I'm trying to ask you if you know where your brother is!" Ed snapped.
"Well, you know what? I don't like the sound of your attitude so I think I'm not gonna tell you where he is." Karlan snickered.
He loved toying with grown ups.
"Why you--"
"Karlan. What's going on."
Karlan looked and saw his sister walking towards him with grocery bags.
"Sorry. I was knocked down the stairs by this knit wit." Karlan replied, pointing to Ed.
"Now wait a second! I--"
Haruka gave Ed a death glare; chills ran down Ed's spine.
"Let's go." Haruka commanded as she proceeded up the steps; leaving Ed outside.
(((Space)))
"You know today is the same day that they come after you!" Karlan snapped.
They made it back to the room, but Karlan was pissed off and Haruka was cooking.
"Look, today's your birthday and that's that." Haruka replied as she mixed the batter in a bowl.
Karlan sighed.
"Are you ever going to reveal yourself? I mean... you can't hide the fact you're a girl forever."
Haruka glanced at Karlan.
"I will for as long as I can. Right now, I don't need anybody's pity. We need to gain access to the library; that's the only reason I joined."
Karlan shrugged his shoulders.
"You know... I could be of assistance. As you are the Darkness Alchemist, I suppose I could also be known as your opposite." Karlan teased and ended up with a smack to the head.
"Even so, you should know better than to use your alchemy here. Anything could happen." Haruka warned as she put the bowl on the floor.
"Are you going to transmute an oven?" Karlan asked curiously.
She snickered.
"Oh yeah. I bought the materials we needed."
Haruka dumped the contents of the bags onto the floor and drew a transmutation circle around the ingrediants.
"You ready?"
Karlan nodded and sat on the bed; watching intently.
Haruka activated the circle and there was a blue flash. When the light subsided, an oven stood where the ingrediants once were.
"Okay. Where's the outlet?" Haruka wondered aloud as she got up and looked around the room.
Karlan pointed to the wall behind the stove. Haruka smiled and plugged the oven into the wall.
"That the first time you've made an oven?" Karlan questioned.
"No. Anyways, I think the cake will be ready in a half hour." Haruka smiled as she put the batter into a strange container and into the oven.
She took the cap off and began brushing her hair. Karlan sifted through the bags to see what Haruka bought.
"Clothes, food, chalk, gloves, and hats? Wow. Where did you get this stuff and most importantly, where did you get the money?!" Karlan gaped.
"You don't need to worry about things like that. Let me do the worrying." Haruka replied as she put the brush onto the dresser.
(((Space)))
"What is it?!" Ed snapped as he walked into the colonel's office.
He saw Haruka and Karlan sitting on the couch.
"Well, Fullmetal, you've been assigned to another mission with the Darkness Alchemist." Roy replied; handing a manilla folder to Haruka and Ed.
They both opened it and looked at it's contents.
"Your mission is in a city called Relonda. It seems that girls are ''vanishing'' and never seen afterwards. Your mission is to investigate and stop the disappearing acts."
Ed and Haruka nodded.
"Your train leaves in one hour. You are dismissed."
Ed walked out of the office followed by Haruka and Karlan.
"Look, we're gonna be working together so how about we cooperate?" Ed sighed, turning to face Haruka.
"Careful. Don't want to do to much wishful thinking." Haruka replied smugly as she walked past Ed.
"Dammit! You could at least show me some respect!!" Ed yelled.
Haruka turned her head slightly and looked at Ed.
"I have no respect for the likes of you or the military."
Karlan frowned as Haruka proceeded down the hall and looked at Ed.
"Um... please excuse Haruka. He means well." Karlan apologized before running after Haruka.
Ed's temple throbbed.
"What... a... brat!!"
(((Space)))
Haruka glanced at Ed across from her. They were on the train and it was starting to move. Karlan was talking with a giant suit of armor next to Ed, named Al, who claims to be his brother. She glanced out the window and watched the grassy green hills go by.
"So, Haruka, what's your favorite animal?" Al asked.
"Um... sorry, but Haruka doesn't talk much..." Karlan apologized.
Haruka silently thanked Karlan.
"Why not?" Ed asked.
Karlan shrugged.
"Beats me."
"Okay. So what's yours?" Al asked.
Ed took out some paper and began doodling. Haruka thought of an idea and took out a piece of paper and a pen. Ed looked at her curoiusly as she finished drawing. Haruka handed the piece of paper to Al and he gasped.
"Wow!! Thanks!!"
It was a sketch of two kittens curled up on a rug. Karlan smiled as Haruka nodded; looking back out the window. Soon, Al and Karlan left to look for the snack vendor.
"So why don't you like the military?" Ed asked.
Haruka ignored him.
Ed's temple throbbed.
"Haruka, listen when people are talking to you!"
Haruka gazed at Ed with a blank expression.
"I don't want to answer your question. Not everybody wants to share their reasons for what they do or dislike."
Ed looked at Haruka intently.
"I've been watching you since you arrived. You aren't very social and it's a big suprise from what I've seen in previous years."
Haruka winced.
Oh crap...
She felt a slice open on her left arm along with five others. Haruka shifted slitly in her seat; enough to block Ed's view of her arm. Ed continued talking about his "observations" while Haruka became a bit more nervous in each passing second. She knew that the blood would be seen through her clothing.
"Haruka?" Ed asked causing her to look at him.
"What?"
"I asked why do you refuse to tell me what alchemy you control." Ed repeated becoming impatient.
"Well... because I don't want to." Haruka replied simply.
Oh damn, oh damn, oh dammit!!!
Haruka could feel the blood beginning to seep through the fabric. She stood up abruptly, making sure that her bloody arm was facing towards the door, and bolted. Apparently, Al and Karlan were outside the door. Haruka slammed into Al; knocking off her cap. Karlan clapped his hands and placed them on the door; causing it to be covered with wood. While Al was on the ground, Haruka ran. Karlan was behind her while she put her hair back into the hat; placing the cap back onto her head. When they reached the part of the train outside that connects the compartments together, they stopped.
"Jeez!" Haruka yelled.
Karlan grabbed her arm.
"This is why I told you not to go out! We can be found out! If we are, then everything's lost! It would've been for naught!!" Karlan snapped.
Haruka nodded in agreement as she let his words sink in. She had almost costed them their entire life of work and dedication.
"I'm sorry." Haruka muttered as she saw the blood stain on her sleeve.
Karlan sighed and let go of Haruka's arm. He pulled his backpack off of his arm and pulled out bandages; wrapping it carefully.
"You know... we gotta find a way to break this curse..." Karlan mumbled.
"I know brother..."
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Yayz!!! Chappie 1 is finished!!! XD R&R and tell me what ya think!! No flamies please!! Thank you!!
- 6Fullmetal-Chibi6