Chapter One-Failed science

"Ling, what the hell did you do?" Edward's voice had a hollow quality to it that wasn't normally there. Ling walked over, eyes squinting up, regarding the situation. Finally he shrugged and smiled innocently.

"Well I did say I didn't know what I was doing. Guess this stuff is more complicated then I thought."

"Complicated? Complicated! You better fix this now!" Edward was beyond angry and was unable to express his feelings any other way. So he resorted to yelling.

oOoOo

(Twenty minutes earlier)

"I've decided that I want to try Alchemy." Ling's announcement was made as the Elric brothers had just entered their room to find him sitting there waiting for them.

"Damn it, who let you in our room!" Edward yanked his coat off his shoulder and tossed it on the couch. Everywhere he went in Central now, Ling seemed to pop up randomly. Why couldn't they keep him locked up. "And what makes you think you can do something like that anyway?"

"Well you guys can do Alchemy so why not." Ed crossed his arms with a disapproving look on his face.

"You make it sound like we're stupid." Ling waved his hands back and forth.

"No nothing like that. Just that you two learned when you were just kids so surely someone of my intelligence can figure it out even if I haven't ever done it before."

"Yup, that really sounded like you were insulting us. And to be honest I don't think it's something you should be messing with." Edward felt a leather hand on his shoulder.

"I don't see why he shouldn't be able to try it." Edward turned back, glaring up at his brother.

"Cause it's just gonna cause more problems. You can't just learn Alchemy. It takes focus and you have to know what you're doing."

"Are you referring to those circles? I know how to draw them. I found some pictures of them in one of your books. You're standing on it." He pointed to the wooden floor where a freshly painted circle was. How the two of them hadn't noticed it when they walked in, they weren't sure. They also didn't recognize this particular circle. It wasn't like any one they'd ever seen before.

"Ling, you can't just draw circles anywhere. Alchemy can be dangerous too," Al warned as he moved out of the circle along with Ed.

"Yeah, what are you thinking?" Ed continued to scowl at him. The Prince pouted back at them.

"Oh you guys are no fun. I wanted you to show me how to do it." He slumped to his knees on the floor in front of the circle.

"Forget it, you're just gonna use it for something stupid like immortality." Ed was dogmatic about not helping him with that pointless quest.

"Fine then, I'll figure it out by myself. Like I said it can't be that hard." He stared back down at his circle. "Don't you just put your hands on it like this."

"Hey! Don't do that here!" Ed and Al moved to stop him but somehow the circle activated and the room began glowing blue.

"What's going on? There's no way he could get it to work so quickly," Alphonse glanced back at Edward.

"Don't look at me, I didn't activate anything." Suddenly Edward started to feel dizzy. He took a step away from the transmutation circle. It felt like the room was spinning. "Ling, knock it off, this isn't something to mess around with." Alphonse was about to move towards Ling in order to pull him away from the circle but found himself sinking to the floor. "Al, are you okay?" Ed's uneasy feeling got worse and he felt as though something unseen was lifting him from the floor.

Eventually Ling realized that he didn't even know what to do next and removed his hands from the edge of the circle. The room went back to normal as the blue electricity faded. Edward collapsed, his metal knee hitting the floor hard. The sound was only outdone by the clanging of Al's armored body landing on the floor as well on the other side of the circle.
"Guys? You okay?" Ling looked from Ed to Al and then back again. Finally the armor's hand moved as it tried to sit up. For some reason the large mass of metal took a second as though it was having a difficult time.

"Huh? What happened?" Al looked around, crimson eyes glowing in curiosity. Ling got to his feet, dusting the front of his pants off.

"Well that was pointless. I don't think I understand Alchemy any better now." The armor's gaze moved to the blond laying across the floor. "Hey, wait a second. What's going on?" Al glanced down suddenly touching his metal body almost in a panicked fashion.

"What are you talking about?" Ling seemed confused.

"Why is my body over there and I'm over here?" The armor pointed at Ed who was still unconscious. Ling glanced back and forth between them again before bringing his finger up and pointed at the armor.

"You're Ed?" The crimson glow from the helmet's eyes narrowed and leather gloves balled into fists revealing the armor's anger. An emotion Alphonse Elric rarely showed.

"Ling, what the hell did you do?"

oOoOo

A/N- this is going to be a fun story. I can't wait! Another OVA and my first fic with Ling in it.