My heart is beating out of my chest, and I desperately shake the peace-keepers who cease hold of me, but their grip is like cold steel. My mind reels, and Greed's horrible imitation of the girl from district 12 runs through my mind, "I volunteer!" But this time,

I am the one saying it.


It is days like these where the fresh smell of oil and the static of machines running smoothly can not ease my nerves. Now, the only thing clear to me is how Winry-like my last thought just sounded, and how I couldn't hack into the Capitol's database earlier, much less disable their firewall. Al is worried, of course, that they will find a way to trace it back. I doubt this though.

In a place like District 3, one had to have their smarts about time, or so help me die.

I don't like the Capitol's heavy occupation here in District 3. Never mind, I hate the Capitol. They've been sticking their noses in my research in Chemistry and Physics, suggesting I get a state license for my advancement in those field. I'm many thing, but I, Edward Elric, am not stupid. Aware of what the capitol, painted faces and forced smiles, does, and I hate it with all my being.

Which is a lot to say for me. I'm generally a nice guy, ask anyone. Granny says it's not in me hate anyone.

Granny, I sigh. She must be more worried than Alphonse and Winry combined. I continued to pace through the District, old pieces of ash still clinging to the bottom of my ebony combat boots. I rip my eyes away from the ash. I look up to the sky for refuge, but find none.

Despite its current run down state, I love District 3. After all, it's my home, but one thing I hate most amount it is the sky. It isn't bright blue, like I've seen on TV. It's full of gray clouds, with the sun peaking past it, offering its rays. It always looks like it's going to rain, but hardly ever does. It just looks like... it needs to let it out.

It's just another thing I push back in my mind.

I swear some where in my distant memories I've seen blue skies, but it must have been before the Dark Days of Panem. Before the rebellion when mom was still alive and Hohenheim (Father? There's a joke I haven't heard in while) wasn't completely M.I.A., and the ever-oppressive Capitol, who does not grasp the any morals of patience and acceptance, hold was not as strong as it is now.

Ever since District 13 was wiped off the map of Panem (so most believe), All weever did was fear the Capitol, and we've been watching our nation's children been thrown into an arena to fight to the death, to remind us why the Capitol should be fears.

The only thing I hate more than the Hunger Games is my own uselessness, because I know I can't stop it.

The affects of the what became known as the "Dark Days" showed on District 3. Most of our labs and factories had been hollowed out to their skeletons. Most of the houses in the central part of the District (where I lived) where in something that a few citizens dubbed "The Volt."The houses, modern and boxy, but far from luxuries, had been reduce to rubble, or chunks of them were slowly break away. Ash still lined the streets, and the Capitol and it's affiliates hadn't bother to make an effort re-building.

The Justice Building, which was at the end of a street that jutted out from the Volt like a T, had remained completely untouched, completely finished in fine marble. The rebels never took it over, and the Capitol dare not destroy it's most precious symbol of power. Their symbol is carved on the bronze doors.

"Beautiful scenery, eh?"

Chills run down my spine when I hear the familiar, cold voice down my neck. I quickly decide nothing says hello like giving a friend a nice metal-fist to the face.

"Easy there, Fullmetal, and with your metal hand, too?" Greed says calmly, catching my fist in front of his face. He calls me a teasing name he uses to refer to my metal prosthetics and several other qualities about me Greed never let elaborated on. "It's not very polite."

The devious smile on Greed's face, showing off his pointed teeth, only faces me frown. I pull the hood of my bright red coat over my head. "You shouldn't be out here." I grumble, only because it's true. Peace-keepers may be dumb asses, but they can match his face to the wanted posters all over Panem.

"I hate to admit, pipsqueak, but you're right."

"I'm not a pipsqueak!" I hiss. I would love to knock his head clean off his body, but I don't think the Peace-keepers would exactly approve.

"Lighten up will ya?" Greed says as he strolls away from the center of the square, and approaches to the nearest store front, one titled Nuts & Bolts. His fingers pass along a sign on the front window. It is his wanted poster. It sports his face,his real name, and his devilish grin, but it most notably is titled. Wanted: Dead or Alive. "God, I look awful in this picture."

I raise an eyebrow. "If you ask me Greed," I say. I don't use his real name, only Greed, using his name would snap a few unwanted heads my way. "You have bigger problems to worry about than how good you look in that picture."

"If you get caught, I'm sure the punishment for leaking Capitol files and trying to assassinate President Bradley isn't light. Dead or Alive." I add.

He gives me a pointed glare. "Thanks for announcing it to the world, bastard."

Okay, maybe I was an idiot... sometimes.

We silence ourself when we see peacekeepers come near, and process into a different part of the District, without the big city noise and closer to the border.

Greed's a Capitol deserter. You can tell if you get close enough. He had unconventionally long hair, like myself. He didn't have bright tattoos, apart for one on the back of his hand, or dyed skin, but his eyes were unnaturally slit and purple and his teeth were pointed. Obviously Capitol procedures.

We slip into a dark alley, avoiding the Peace-keepers prying eyes. We slip down the alley farther, until we reach the end of District 3. It is an electric fence that divide's District 1 from 3, but there is no trace of District 1's existence for miles. We know this is the only place Greed and I can talk in real privacy. Not even Jabber jays would follow us here.

It doesn't take long for me to do so, but I disable the electric fence. I use my automail hand to expand the barb-wire, and we venture out into the wild's for about a mile until we reach an open clearing. It gets colder towards District 1, and it is still daylight, so I know it safe to start a fire.

As gather wood from fallen branches, I talk to Greed. "Any news from the shadow world.

"District 13 still exists." Greed replies, shrugging.

I know I should be shocked, but Greed and I have had a theory for the past couple years. "So, the underbelly of the Mockingjay? You picked up on it as well." I say, dropping the branches in front of me.

Greed scratches the back of his head, grimacing. "Once or twice. The lady who did the report this morning? from District 13? She's an old friend of mine."

I know that Greed did not have any friends, or at least didn't call them friends. He called them 'possessions' rather. I re-examine his words and catch eye of that smile on his face. "My god, Greed! Please spare me," I pause to swallow the upcoming barf in my esophagus. "I don't need to know about all your fucking affairs!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You're just a kid." Greed folds his hands, and looks up at me with a smile that's too wide for my taste.

I scowl, and throw one of the branch at him. He keenly avoids. "I'm not just some kid, Greed. If your really going the play the age card with me, then get the hell out of my sight. I'm sure the Capitol is dying to know where you are."

"And with the information I've given you, they'll kill you too, and everyone you hold dear. They stole my possessions, Ed. They'll take yours. They're not exactly above killing Children."

I stop what I am doing, and Greed takes notice.

"Your worried about the reaping aren't you?"

I throw match onto the pile of wood, and a fire ignites. "Terrified." I mutter.

"I'm not exactly surprised. Death's a scary thing. I should know, me and that old coot are next door neighbors now."

"It's not exactly me I'm worrying about."

Greed's body relaxes and he rolls his eyes. "You know Alphonse is just as an adapt fighter as you if not better. You bother can defend yourselves, and offend against enemies. Not to mention you two are scientists. You can probably whip up some bomb thing, and wipe out the entire arena. I'd say District 3 has a chance."

"I'm not killing anyone for the Capitol."

Greed raises an eyebrow, because he knows if I were in the Hunger Games. I would do whatever it takes to come out alive.

Damn that bastard for knowing me so well...

"What do the tributes look like this year?" I ask. I finally relax enough to sit on the log across from Greed.

"Glad you asked actually. They're an interesting lot. I might actually get entertained by mindless murder." Greed's smile doesn't fade when he sees my glare. "A brother and sister from 1, Careers. The girl has unmistakable bloodlust in her eyes. The boy's muscles are impossibly large. Two Careers from 2. The girl was trained to protect the male. It's borderline freaky. The guy kinda looks like me. A little girl, roughly twelve, from 4. Such a shame, she's strong, but scared for her life. Another little boy from 9, creepy-looking, like from a horror movie. Hot chick and a blubber-beast from 7. And from 12..." Greed whistled the whistle that meant rock-bottom.

I lift my head, and raise an eyebrow in his direction. "What about 12?"

I know that District 12 is one of the most despised and poorest district in all of Panem. It is were they mine coal, and the most teresseas are drawn from there. Their tributes were always the least adept for battle, because they were not trained in the mines until seventeen. Only the men went into the mines as well. Many had lost fathers in mining accidents, so their families could not be supported. They were fragile when they went in the arena. District 12 members never made it past the blood-bath in the cornucopia.

"It's nothing. I just can't believe some blonde chick volunteered from there."

People volunteered often for the games, but from 12... it's a surprise to say the very least. I simply stare at Greed, my face blank.

"I think the boy who was picked first was a lover or something. Talk about touching. Jeez, the word's that came out of her mouth," Greed batters his eyelashes, and clasps his hands next his face. "Mustang, you idiot! Out come the peacekeepers, I volunteer. Then, dead silence."

I whistle. The girl is an idiot. "She's a fool," I repeat. "The best thing she could do for him is stay alive outside the arena, not join him for suicide."

"I don't know, Ed. Don't underestimate your opponents. District 3 may not be the only one with a chance this year."

"Al and I are not going to be in the Hunger Games."

"I'll be seeing around, Fullmetal." Greed says, slamming his hands to his knees as he got up.

"And where the hell do you think your going?" I ask, scowling.

"District 1's only a couple miles away is it not? Land of Luxury, I think I might find myself some concubines."

As I recall the meaning of that word, my face turns bright red and more bile forms in my throat. "The fuck! Greed! Ever heard of modesty!"

"Yep, I just don't put into practice." He says with a final wave.


The Reaping is first thing the next day, and I question why we get dressed to watch children get slaughtered.
I searched for Alphonse's face in the crowd. He is roped off from me, with his proper age group- fourteen. He casts me a reassuring smile, that does kind of reassure me. Alphonse had that talent, to make people feel warm around him. I look at the group of girls of my age, 15, and give Winry Rockbell, my mechanic, a very weak smile. I know it's extremely forced. Winry probably knows me well enough to see that.

Peace-keepers line the back of the stage in front of us, and line the crowd. I think they look like their from another planet in their white uniform, their too modern, even for the people of District 3. Then again, anything from the capitol was just plain freaky.

A woman from the Capitol steps up on the stage, well, she trips a few times, but it's understandable considering she's wearing 8 inch heels. Once the woman, stumbles toward the mike, she readjust her sequined glasses, and speaks to the lot of children awaiting probable death. "Welcome everyone!" She says in a welcoming tone. I've always known this woman to be Cheska, who does the games every year my name has been in the reaping. "Today, we will chose one very brave man and daring young woman to represent District 3 in the sixth annual Hunger Games, now without further hesitation, Let us begin this year's reaping."

When her hand drops in the bowl, every heart beat in the square picks up, and become one collective heartbeat, ringing in my ears. Gradually become faster, faster, faster until-

"Alphonse Elric."

My heart stops completely.

When I see Alphonse being taken away from me and I can't think. Actually, I don't think at all. Before my mind even registers what I'm doing. I'm pushing down everyone in crowd, running after my brother. "Al! Wait!"

I run straight into the peace-keepers. "No! You have to stop! He's my little brother!" They don't listen, they can't. I try to break away from their grasp but they're grip is like steel. "You can't take him away! He's all I have left. He's my little brother!" I yell, my voice cracking.

Greed's horrible imitation of the girl from 12 runs through my head. "I volunteer!"

But this time I am the one saying.
The next moment is a blur. Pinako is ripping Alphonse away from the peace-keepers, and his pleading screams is the only sound in the dead silence. Yet, it sounds like it's miles away. Peace keepers escort me onto the stage, and Cheska putts her arm around the other hand circling my back. "Well, a volunteer!" She cries, though I tune her one. "And what your name be my fine young man?"

"Edward Elric." I choke out, my voice strained from my screams.

"Edward Elric. Such a handsome young boy." She cooes, nudging my chin. "With bravery like, yours District 3 might have themselves a winner. If you please. . . " She gestures to a spot on the stage, and I do as she bids me.

As I am walking their, I don't feel like myself, like I'm not in my own body. My head is disoriented, like I'm walking a movie that's just all-too-real.

It only becomes worse when Cheska calls out the next name.

"Winry Rockbell."


When I write X-overs crossing over characters of one world into another, I try to adopt a voice similar to the original author(s), as I attempted in "A Heart Made Fullmetal." I just feel this makes it feel more authentic.

Keep notes that there must be slight changes in one's character. Edward, normally, would never kill anyone he considered human. Even if forced. Some, though proven good in the series, will kill others they may be friends with in the series. Some of their blood-lust can be heightened (for example, Olivier could easy be (a much saner) Kimblee) .Keep in mind, they do not have these bonds in the series. Automail exists. Few AU details.

I made them from District 3- which excels in Science (like Physics, which is an our world equivalent to Alchemy), and Mechanics (Winry's depot).

Sorry if you didn't get to see much back-story for our dear Edo-kun, but Ed will have dreams and flash-backs in the arena.

Review or I will kill-off everyone you love.