Summary: When Gilbert Beilschmidt and his younger brother Ludwig try to bring their dead mother back to life, one of them looses an arm and a leg while the other becomes nothing but a soul trapped in a suit of armor. Now they are agents of the government, on the search for the infamous Philosopher's Stone. But their enemies are more ruthless than them.
A/N: I own nothing from these two mangas. I also would like to mention that this is purely Manga based.
Chapter One – The Two Alchemists Part I
"West!"
A young man's yell echoed through an empty house.
"Ludwig! Ludwig? Damn! Damn! How could this have happened!"
The teenager who was yelling was on his hands and knees in front of a transmutation circle in the basement of his house with books and suits of armor next to him.
"It … it wasn't supposed to be like this …" The albino said brokenly. "Oh no …" he said when he realized something.
Teachings that no not speak of pain have no meaning …
"HE'S GONE …!" The albino said pounding his fist on the ground. Blood spilled out from where his left leg ending at the knee.
… Because humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return.
XXX
Four Years Later
"Children of God who dwell on the earth … there is no salvation without prayer and faith," an elder man's voice came from out of several speakers through out a run down city. People were stopping to listen to what the man was saying.
"The Sun God Leto will illuminate thy path. Behold! The Lord hath descended from his heavenly throne to save thee from all thy sins. For I am thy father … I am emissary of the sun God …"
"… A religious broadcast on the radio?" A young child-like voice asked with a accent that was hard to miss. What made it more amusing was that the voice came from a suit of armor.
"'Emissary of the Sun God?'" Another voice said with another accent. "What the heck is that?" The man who was speaking put a fork of food into his mouth. The two were sitting at an outside restaurant.
"Actually, I was just going to ask the same thing about you two …" the man who was speaking was standing on the other side of the counter holding a bottle of alcohol. "Are you guys street performers or something?"
The man who had spoken second stopped drinking his drink. The young man was an albino with lighter skin than the Ishbalans. He wore a black shirt with black jeans and combat boots. He also had a red coat on with a symbol on the back and wore gloves. The albino was also short for his age. His companion was just a person in a giant suit of armor with spikes on the shoulders and on the forehead.
"Hey wait a minute, Pops! What is it about the awesome me and my brother that makes you think we're street performers?" The albino asked.
"Well … I mean … what else could you be?" The man asked. "I haven't seen your faces around here before. On a trip?" He asked. The albino put the straw from his glass in his mouth and began to play with it.
"Uh huh. We're trying to track something down. By the way, what's this broadcast?"
"You've never heard of Father Cornello?" The man's face had a look of shock.
"… Who?" The albino asked.
"Father Cornello, the Sun God Leto's emissary!"
Other people joined in on the conversation.
"He's the founder of the Church of Leto. He can work miracles!"
"He's a wonderful man who came to this town a few years ago and showed us all the way of God."
"Yeah, he's amazing!"
"They're real miracles! It's the work of God!"
During the talk, the red haired teen had slumped down onto the table.
"… You're not listening are you kid?" The restaurant owner asked.
"Nope. I'm agnostic," came the reply. "Thanks for the eats. Let's go," the albino said standing up. His armored companion followed but when the taller man stood up he bumped onto the top the restaurant. The radio fell to the ground breaking.
"Oops," the armored man said, quietly.
"Hey! Could you please be more careful, sir? Frankly, you shouldn't walk around where that suit …"
"Our bad," the albino said, while the armored man looked the broken radio on the ground. "Don't worry, we'll fix it right away."
"You think you can fix it?" The owner asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"Just sit back and watch. I'm never wrong."
The albino's friend than drew a circle with a square inside of it and his symbols around the broken radio with a piece of chalk and stood up.
"Okay, all set!" The man said standing up. "Here we go …" he said getting into a position.
The restaurant owner looked confused.
BOOM!
There was a loud noise and smoke appeared from where the radio and the circle was.
"Wha …?"
"How's that?" The albino asked once the smoke had cleared and pointed to the now fixed radio.
"That … that's amazing!" The owner said, looking in disbelief at the radio. "Can you work miracles?"
The albino looked annoyed.
"Miracles? We're just alchemists," he said. "We're the Beilschmidt Brothers. A lot of people have heard of us."
"Beilschmidt, eh … the Beilschmidt Brothers?"
"Yeah, I've heard of you guys!" People then started to move closer to the two brothers.
"They say the older brother is a state alchemist they call … the Fullmetal Alchemist Gilbert Beilschmidt!"
"Yup," the albino said but then the people moved around to the armored brother.
"So, you're the master alchemist that everyone's talking about!"
"Oh, I get it! They call you 'Fullmetal' because you wear the armor!"
"Uh, no … it's not me. It's him!" The suit of armor pointed to the albino.
"Huh?"
"You mean the little guy?"
"I'M NOT LITTLE! DON'T CALL ME MIDGET! OR SHORTY! OR SHRIMP! OR UNAWESOME!" the albino now known as Gilbert yelled.
"I'm the younger brother, Ludwig Beilschmidt," the person in armor said.
"It's me," Gilbert said, looking mad and pointing at himself. "I'm the 'Fullmetal Alchemist'! Gilbert Beilschmidt!"
"Sorry about that …" the people were saying to the now angry albino.
Before Gilbert could say anything else, a female's voice interrupted.
"Good day, sir. My, you're busy today," the speaker was a young girl looking no older than 15 or 16 with long black hair with bangs that were dyed pink. She wore a long light colored dress.
"Oh hello, Rosé," the shop owner said. "Going to the temple today?" He asked as the young girl, Rosé took out a wallet.
"Uh-huh, with some offerings. The usual, please," Rosé said and turned to the brothers, "oh, some new faces …"
"Hello," Gilbert and Ludwig said at the same time.
"Yeah, they're alchemists … they say they're looking for something."
"I hope you find what you're searching for," Rosé said, holding a bag full of food, "may Leto bless you!" With that the girl left.
"Rosé's become so happy lately."
"Uh-huh, and it's all thanks to the father."
"Huh?" The albino asked.
"Not only does that girl have no family, but she lost her boyfriend last year in an accident …" the shop owner started saying.
"It was hard to see her so sad. I felt really bad for her," a man sitting near the Beilschmidts said.
"That's when she was saved by Father Cornello! He taught her about the Sun God Leto!" Another said.
"Preach on! He raises the dead, and the souls of his faithful live forever. Cornello's miracles prove it," a third added.
"You should see it for yourself! It's definitely the power of God!"
"I tell you, pray and have faith. All thy prayers will be answered …"
XXX
"… And the grace of his light shall shine upon all of his children," the man speaking was some what tall, bald with thick grey eyebrows and wearing black robes.
A click showed that he had turned off the large P.C.A.
"A fine sermon, your holiness," a man said who was standing next to the elder.
"Yes, thank you your holiness! It's always an honor to hear you preach," a second man said.
"You holiness!" Rosé's voice rang out as she ran towards Father Cornello.
"Oh, it's you Rosé. My, so dedicated! You're an example to us all," Cornello said turning to the female.
"No, I'm just doing my duty," she replied. "Um … by the way, father … when will you be able to …?" She asked nerverously.
Cornello smiled at her. "Yes, I know what it is you ask," he started, "God has seen your good deed. Then …" he placed a hand on her shoulder and Rosé smiled brightly, "but it is not yet time, Rosé. You understand, don't you?" He asked. "Hmm?"
"… Yes, father," Rosé said, sadly, looking down, "You're right …. Not yet …."
"That's a good girl, Rosé," Cornello said.
XXX
The state alchemist and his armored brother stood in a cathedral, looking at a statue of the Sun God, Leto.
"Oh, you two again!" Rosé's voice rang out as she entered the cathedral. "Are you going to join the Church of Leto?"
"Naw ... sorry but I'm not religious," Gilbert said turning away from the young woman.
"That's not a real answer! If you believe in God, you can live with hope and gratitude every day. It's wonderful!" Rosé said looking pleased with her small speech. "If you have faith, you'll grow taller for sure. Miracles do happen!" Rosé added.
"What was that?" Gilbert said, looking mad and looked like he was going to punch Rosé.
"Easy, easy," Ludwig said, holding back his elder brother. "She's not saying it to be mean, bruder."
"Sheesh, how can you honestly believe theses things?" Gilbert asked once he had calmed down, sitting on a bench. "Do you really believe that if you pray to God the dead will come back to life?" He asked.
Rosé closed her eyes as she answered. "Yes. I do …!"
Gilbert sighed and took out a small notebook.
"Water: 35 liters. Carbon: 20 kg. Ammonia: 4 liters. Lime: 1.5 kg. Phosphorus: 8000 g. Salt: 250 g. Saltpeter: 100 g. Sulfur: 80 g. Fluorine: 7.5 g. Iron: 5 g. Silicon: 3 g. And 15 other elements in small quantities …"
"Huh?" Rosé asked confused.
"That's the total chemical makeup of the average adult body," Gilbert said. "Modern science knows all of this, but there has never been a single example of successful human transmutation. It's like there's some missing ingredient … scientists have been trying to find it for hundreds of years, pouring tons of money into research, and to this day they don't have a theory," Gilbert shut his notebook. "They say science is a lost cause, but I think it's better than sitting around on your unawesome asses praying and waiting for something to happen.
"For that matter the elements found in a human being … is all junk you can buy in any market with a child's allowance. Humans are pretty cheaply made."
"People aren't objects! That's an insult to the creator! God will punish you for saying things like that!" Rosé yelled. Instead of the reaction she had expected, Gilbert laughed.
"Aha ha-ha!
"Alchemists are scientists. We don't believe in unprovable concepts like 'God.' We strive to uncover the principles of creation in the matter of the world, the world to pursue truth …
"It's ironic that we scientists … who don't believe in God … are in a sense the closest things to him," Gilbert said.
"What pride …" Rosé asked. "Are you saying that you are God's equal?"
"Well …" Gilbert closed his eyes. "It's like that myth about the hero … he made wings out of wax so he could fly … but when he got too close to sun … to God … the wax melted and he crashed to the ground."
Rosé looked very confused.
XXX
Father Cornello waved to the crowd of people who were standing outside and they threw flowers at him.
"Your holiness!"
"Give us a miracle!"
"Your holiness!"
Cornello caught a flower in his hand and then put his other hand on top of it.
Boom!
When he opened his hands there was a huge sunflower instead of the small flower he had held only seconds before.
The crowd cheered happily.
The Beilschmidt brothers stood in the back of the crowd watching, with Gilbert standing on a suitcase to see.
"That kind of transmutation has to be alchemy," Ludwig said.
"That's what I thought," replied his brother. "But what about the laws …?"
Rosé looked over to the brothers. "So you came to see him after all! See, he does have miraculous powers. Father Cornello is the Sun God's child," she said, happily.
"Naw," Gilbert replied. "That's alchemy, no matter how you look at it. Cornello's an unawesome fraud."
Rosé quietly growled at that.
"But he can bypass the laws for some reason," Ludwig added.
"Yeah … that's the problem right there," Gilbert replied rubbing the back of his head.
"'The Laws?'" Rosé asked.
"Most people think that alchemy can do anything and create whatever you want … but in reality there are certain concrete laws.
"I guess the two big concepts are 'The Law of Conservation of Mass' and 'The Law of Natural Providence.' Although some Alchemists conjure with four elements or with three principles …"
"Huh?" Rosé asked, looking hopelessly lost in what Gilbert was saying.
"Um, let me try …" Ludwig said, "A substance can only be created from the same substance. For example, if something's mostly water, you can only use it to make other things with the attributes of water."
"In other words, the basics of alchemy is the 'Equivalent Exchange'! That means to obtain something, something of equal value must be lost.
"But that old guy is making too much out of too little … alchemy-wise that's breaking the law," Gilbert said, looking at Cornello and noticing his ring with a red stone.
"See? So why don't you two just have faith that it's a miracle already?" Rosé asked.
"Big Bruder … do you think …?"
"Yeah, I do," Gilbert said, his red eyes narrowing. "I think we found it."
The elder brother turned to Rosé suddenly. "Hey lady, I'm starting to get interested in this religion! The awesome me would love to speak to his holiness. Do you think you could take me to him?"
"Oh my! So you're finally starting to believe!" Rosé said, looking extremely happy.
XXX
A man walked into a room where Cornello was having some tea.
"Your holiness, there are some people here who are requesting an audience with you," he said. "It's a boy and a man in a suit of armor. They say they're the Beilschmidt Brothers."
"What?" Cornello asked. "I'm busy – send them away," then something struck the priest. "Wait, hold on. The Beilschmidt Brothers? Gilbert Beilschmidt!"
"Yes, it was the boy who called himself that … do you know him?"
"Aaggh …! This is bad! It's Gilbert Beilschmidt … the Fullmetal Alchemist!"
"Wha …? But he's a little brat, only this high," the man put his hand to around his mid chest, "you're joking right!"
"Fool!" Cornello said, "alchemical skill has nothing to do with age! I had heard that he obtained the title of State Alchemist at age 12 … so … the rumors about this brat were really true …"
"What is a State Alchemist doing here! Could it be that our plan …"
"It seems the dogs of the military have good noses," Cornello mused, thinking.
"Shall we chase them away?"
"No, that would cause more suspicion. And even if we did chase them away, they'd come back … and bring more. Let's just say … They never came here," Cornello said with an evil look in his eye. "How does that sound?"
The dark haired man looked surprised before smirking.
"It shall be as God wills …"
To be continued in Part 2 …
I hope you're happy with this chapter. It's nearly 10 pages in Word. It's actually a lot harder than it looks to write a something out of book and try to change the wording to fit the characters you are switching it to. Well since Ed and Gil do seem to have the same kind of personality to me it wasn't that hard so far …
I will be doing most of the story's chapters in parts because frankly it's sometimes just too long for me to write out in one go.
Please read and review this story. Also try to go easy since this is my first time writing in the APH and FMA fandoms.
Until next time!