A/N: Hello, readers and lovers of FMA! This is my first fanfiction, and I have a vague idea of where this story is going. Anyways, here is a long first chapter for you! This is a manga based story, and I'm not sure about what pairings I want to use yet. But there will be no yaoi and no Elricest! There is an OC closely involved, as well. Please feel free to read and drop me a review. I am continuing this.

By the way, I could not bring myself to fully write out the word "hell" in a swearing context. But I felt that Edward just wouldn't be Edward without his vibrant language, so when you see this: he**, it means that word. Also, the word "kin" means gold in Japanese.

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA. I only adore it.

It was Market Day in Lichenburgh, and heads were turning to gape at the walking suit of armor and his golden-haired companion, Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Brother, they're staring," whispered Alphonse, the younger of the two siblings.

Ed waved his hand dismissively and opened his mouth to retort when a little, ecstatic child pranced up to the two. The kid giggled and hugged Al's leg while jumping up and down with excitement. A harried mother followed while wiping the sweat off her flushed brow.

"I'm so sorry, sir," she murmured, addressing Al and smiling wearily. "But I must say, it gladdens my heart that even foreigners outside the city are hearing of our festive Market Day." The woman beamed at Edward, "You fellows outdid yourselves with the costume. Have a nice Market Day!"

Before a stammering Ed could even start to produce words, the mother chased after her rambunctious daughter, who had wandered over to a gaudy candy stall.

"What the he**?" cried Ed. He rubbed his pulsing temples as he watched the stares around them melting into smiles of realization. "You don't mind it, do you, Al?"

With the familiar rattling of metal, Al shook his head and replied with a level tone. "It's not the first time, Brother."

As they continued walking through the crowded and embellished street, Ed couldn't help but think that he was feeling quite... happy. Despite the stupid mission for which he and his brother had come to the town for, it had been a long time since Ed and Al had seen so many laughing faces. Ed was only sorry that he had a duty to fulfill. That bastard colonel had prescribed that the Fullmetal Alchemist investigate a rogue alchemist that had been transmuting gold.

Though he had a military duty lurking in the depths of his mind, the lightheartedness of the holiday was quite infectious. In fact, Ed and Al were hopeful that they might find out something about the Philosopher's Stone. After all, there was a decent pool of books in the city today.

Although he knew that he had to start asking around about the rogue alchemist soon, at the moment Ed found himself scanning over the pages of a particularly interesting alchemy book. "Al, take a look at this-" he started, turning to face... Al? He stopped, realizing that he had been walking for a while now, and that the clanking sound of Al's stride had ceased.

Ed looked around him. The streets were filled with merchants and excited hagglers, but there was no Al to be seen. "Al? Al! Alphonse!" The blond youth swore colorfully before remembering that it had been a long time since Al had been to a fair. They'd been through hell, and this place, this setting- was an exhilarating reprieve from their usual hectic exploits.

Al was bound to be somewhere. He couldn't be too far away, and luckily for the *short* Fullmetal Alchemist, Al was an easy landmark in a crowd. If his little brother had gone and picked up a stray kitten somewhere, Ed would kill him. He considered the situation, reluctantly set down the book, and started retracing his steps.

~*****~

After some time and too many exasperated inquiries of, "Have you seen a giant suit of armor?" and having been misled to an armory, Ed found his sibling standing motionlessly in front of a stand selling containers. The stand was a disarray of cages, caskets, baskets, and the like. On the table was the subject that had enraptured Alphonse.

It was a large, grayish, and speckled kitten in a wrought-iron cage. The wretched creature was emaciated and weak from lack of food and exercise. Sensing potentially dangerous thoughts from Al, Ed stomped over and shook Alphonse's arm.

"What the he**, Al? This is where you run off to, without even saying a word?"

If a suit of armor could frown, Al would have done so. "But Brother, look! It's terrible!"

Ed sighed in irritation. "Al! Let's go. I want something to eat!"

"But Brother, that poor kitten!"

"It's not our problem, Al!"

"Brother! You're so mean!"

~*****~

All this while, the store's merchant had been watching the eccentric pair argue. Those two were too loud- they were driving the business away. And that meant less money, less real and valid money, anyways.

The merchant was a bit unnerved by the armor guy (who knew how much flesh and muscle could be stored in there?), so he decided to address the golden punk.

"Hey, are you planning to buy something, shorty?"

The merchant could swear that the kid's head turned to him by degrees. "Who. Are. You. Calling. So. Short. That. YOU NEED A MICROSCOPE TO SEE HIM?!"

Al saw an opportunity, and he boldly (or stupidly) took it. While both his brother and the merchant were distracted, Al swiped the cage containing the kitten right off the table, wildly grabbed his brother's collar, and started to run, yanking Ed with him.

As they darted through startled throng of people, Ed slapped his left hand to his forehead (if he wasn't careful, he might have given himself a concussion with his automail) in deep frustration. "Al, you idiot! Look at what you've done!"

The merchant was running after them and was only a little ways behind. Al, who hadn't responded to Ed's vexation, suddenly ducked into an alley, pulling his brother in as well. With a nimble and experienced hand, Al procured a piece of chalk and drew an alchemy circle, transmuting a wall between the street and the alley.

When he was done and had deemed them to be safe, Al spoke at last. "Sorry, Brother, but I just couldn't help myself." He held the kitten's cage at eye level. The poor thing was trembling like a willow in the wind. Al tucked the cage into his armor's compartment, obviously trying to protect it from his older brother's wrath. "It would have starved to death."

Fortunately for the kitten, Ed was out of breath and didn't even attempt to chastise Al. He knew full well that kittens were the only things for which Al would abandon all reason.

"We'll talk about this later," Ed grumbled, "But first, let's find an inn. I'm starving." He sighed and strode deeper into the alley, looking around for an easy way out. Without warning, the wall Al had transmuted erupted in a shower of rubble.

The merchant that had been trailing them was standing in the midst of the broken wall, rubbing his first and laughing hideously. It was obvious to the trained eye that the man had broken through with alchemy.

Both boys quickly assumed the fighting position, but Ed relaxed and leaned against the wall as soon as he saw that Al was already on the case. After all, it had been Al's mad impulse that had landed them in this situation.

The merchant gave Al a tight-lipped, malicious grin. However, to the merchant's disappointment, the special villain effects didn't seem to faze the brats at all.

"So you know a little alchemy, armor guy," he spat. "How dare you steal that merchandise! I'll show you your place!"

"Kittens aren't merchandise!" roared Al, as he hurtled forward.

The merchant managed to dodge the nimble blows, but he was visibly impressed. "That kitten is a special one. It's mine!" He threw a kick, which was deftly blocked and diverted by a chop from the opponent.

~*****~

Ed watched as the bothersome merchant dueled his brother in a fist fight. The old man was better at hand-to-hand combat than they had reckoned, but Ed wasn't worried. In such combat, Ed had rarely won against Al.

"Al, hurry the he** up! It's getting dark and I'm hungry!"

The merchant broke away from the fight and stopped. Al stepped back and eyed his opponent warily. The man grinned, this time revealing a set of brilliantly golden teeth.

"Since you lasted this long, I'll show you kids something cool," he purred, licking his lips. "But I'm warning you- if you see this, I'll have to kill you."

Before either of the brothers could respond, the man revealed a golden necklace, which had a complex alchemic circle inscribed onto it. The necklace glowed, and a purely gold spike emerged from the ground. The spike whistled forward to target Al, who sidestepped and only received a slight grazing.

Edward's eyebrows rose in surprise. This turn of events had been completely unexpected. "Well, well, well," he said, stepping up and placing a gloved, automail finger on the tip of the gold spike. "So here is our infamous criminal, Al."

The vendor smirked. "Are you scared, midget?"

Al groaned. "Uh oh..."

In the end, Ed had exploded, but this time, having no restraints on his alchemy, had clapped his hands and destroyed the alley, the storefronts of two nearby shops, and the gold transmuter.