Hai guys. It's Tris again. This time I have a chapter fic for you. This is Chapter One. Woo! The italics are from a certain song in Mulan. Yay! I want to thank the Hetalia writer Pit-Trap for helping me with this. She? may not know it but ha ha. 3
I also want to thank VioletLolitaPop for helping me out of several binds that occured while writing this whole story. I could not have done it without you.
This fic is decidated to you all!
I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. Thank you.
The sun rose to see twelve people walking down a dirt road. "I wonder what the boss wants," Jean Havok said thoughtfully.
"Knowing Roy, it could be anything," Maes Hughes said. Edward Elric sighed.
"I see something up ahead," Riza Hawkeye commented.
They reached Roy Mustang and stopped. He looked them over, his dark eyes wearing a smirk. "Colonel Maes Hughes," he said. "Major Edward Elric, Major Alex Louis Armstrong, Lieutenants Riza Hawkeye, Jean Havok, Heymans Breda, Maria Ross and Denny Bloch. Sergeant Major Kain Fuery and Warrant Officer Vato Falman." He paused. "Alphonse Elric and Winry Rockbell. You two didn't have to come."
"We really wanted to and we ain't leaving now," Winry replied.
"Fine. I won't go easy on you even though your civilians." He walked away as Al gulped. "I know you're all wondering why you're here. I've been informed we're getting lazy back at Central Headquarters. So we're here to see if we can prove them wrong. Any questions?"
"Yeah," said Maes. "Why am I here?"
Roy shot his best friend a look. "You wanted to come when I told you I was doing this and you volunteered Armstrong, Ross and Bloch to come also."
"Oh yeah. I remember now." Maes replied while the mentioned three looked upset.
"Any other? No? Good. Follow me." Ed made a face at Roy's back as they walked but she wasn't paying attention and she tripped. A hand helped her to her feet and she looked up at Roy. He frowned at her and ran back to the front. She froze, grabbing her chest. She had been pretending to be male since she was 8 so she had to make sure the bandage that had been her ally since 12 hadn't betrayed her.
"You okay, Ed?" asked Maes who had fallen back too keep pace with her. She nodded as the thirteen halted again. They had arrived at a training ground. Somebody groaned.
"For that Havok, you're going first," Roy snapped. He demonstrated the first challenge, running through obstacles over a stretch of ground. He motioned for Jean to go next. "Let's get down to business to defeat the Huns." Jean got halfway through and fell on his face. "Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?" Riza, Ed, Maria and Winry glared at him. Winry walked through it, followed by Riza and Maria. The rest tried and failed just as epically as Jean but Alex and Maes. Alex stepped over all of it and Maes did his best impersonation of a kangaroo. Roy sighed. "You're the saddest bunch I've ever met but you can bet before we're though, Mister, I'll make a man out of you."
They went to the next part, a cliff face. Everybody groaned as Roy began to climb it. "Tranquil as a forest but a fire within." He sat up top and smirked down at them. "Once you find your center, you are sure to win." Ed glared up at him and began the climb herself, seething at him internally. She got halfway up and slipped. Alex caught her before she hit the ground and frowned, putting her back on her feet. "You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot and you haven't got a clue." Roy descended as nobody else wanted to try. "Somehow I'll make a man out of you."
Next was a lake filled with rocks of all shapes and sizes. Roy crossed easily and so did Kain. The rest began at the same time. Denny almost lost his balance. "I'm never gonna catch my breath."
Alex uncertainly stepped forward. "Say goodbye to those who knew me."
Jean jumped for a rock. "Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym." He collided with Maes who went for the same rock at the same time. Both fell in. Riza made it across but she accidentally knocked Al in.
Winry observed from a halfway point. "This guy's got 'em scared to death."
Ed stepped over Heymans' hand at he tried to get back up on a rock. "Hope he doesn't see right though me." She stepped on.
Maes floundered towards what he hoped was an edge. He had lost his glasses in his fall. "Now I really wish that I knew how to swim." Al helped him out and handed him his glasses.
Ed made it across to stand with Riza, Kain and Roy. They watched the rest try to swim out. "To be a man," all sang in unison.
Roy brought them to the next one and climbed up in a tree. "We must be swift as the coursing river."
"To be a man."
He showed them the next one. "With all the force of a great typhoon."
"To be a man."
He jumped out and landed by Ed. "With all the strength of a raging fire. Mysterious as the dark side of the moon."
She jumped, startled before glaring at him and going to try herself.
"Time is racing towards us 'til the Huns arrive," Roy sang. There was a crack, a squeak and a crash. "Heed my every order and you might survive." Ed ran out, her face red and briars clinging to her skin, drawing blood. He pointed at her things. "You're unsuited for the rage of war, so pack up, go home, you're through." She put a sack in his arms. He peeked at its contents and frowned, looking up to see her run back to the beginning. "How could I make a man out of you?" He handed it off to Riza and ran after her.
"To be a man," Ed sang.
Roy caught up with Ed. We must be swift as the coursing river."
She turned a fourth glare on him and ran through the obstacle course without error. "To be a man."
He followed her. "With all the force of a great typhoon."
She flew past the cliff and lake. "To be a man."
"With all the strength of a raging fire." It was his turn to jump as she landed beside him. "Mysterious as the dark side of the moon." They sang together.
Riza handed the sack back as she headed off with the rest, who were determined not to be showed up. They went through the chorus again and most fell to the ground exhausted. Roy reached into the sack and pulled out an apple. "We do it again tomorrow." Everybody groaned as he walked away, biting into it.
