Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter, here's chapter two. Enjoy.


Chapter 2 – The Military Parade

Amestris had once been a military state, warring with most its neighbours, forcing smaller countries to become part of its self. But that was not the country Evelyn Lucinda Mustang grew up in. The Amestris she knew was ruled by a government, over seen by a President, who happened to be her father. He was often, fondly, referred to as King, though he wore no crown. She herself was sometimes called Princess. The military had been greatly downsized during his Presidency, the state alchemist program scrapped completely.

Despite all this there was an annual military parade through the streets of central. Evelyn had never liked being in the spot-light but this was one of those things she had to attend, she was long past complaining.

Instead she brushed her father's uniform coat, for although he was not in direct command of the military anymore he was still part of it, with a clothes brush to make sure there were no stray hairs or such.

Riza stepped into the room, also in her military dress uniform, for once a skirt instead of the usual trousers. She smiled at her husband and daughter. Evelyn laid down the clothes brush and nodded in satisfaction that her father looked his best, before checking her own appearance in the mirror.

She was wearing a black, knee length dress with a long string of pearls around her neck, knotted at the bottom. Her honey blonde hair was pulled back into a clip behind her head. She'd put on some dark red lipstick but nothing about her eyes for she was already self conscious of them without drawing more attention. Not only did she have neither the intense dark of her father's or the warm hazel of her mother's each eye was a different colour. The left being a dazzling crystal blue and the right a rare gold, a trait that, according to her parents, had skipped a generation and was in fact a gift from her maternal Grandmother. She wished she could attribute her eyes to one of her parents, or any feature, she didn't really look much like either of them.

A gloved hand lightly rested on her shoulder and she looked away from the mirror back to her father, who smiled at her. "You are beautiful," he said with a wide smile, before turning to Riza, "you both are." He stepped away from the dressing table in front of him and held his arms open for the two women. Once they had both stepped towards him and were safe in his arms, he sighed happily. "What would I do without my girls, huh?"

"Be a lonely old man, I expect," Riza answered with her usual bluntness.

"I knew there was a reason I married you," Roy said. Evelyn just laughed, far too used to her parents by now.

A puppy butted its head against her leg before sitting down to look up at her with wide eyes. "Oh Roe," she said pulling the puppy into her arms, while trying to avoid being licked in the face. Another, older, dog came into the room and sat down beside Riza, thumping its tail while looking at the puppy's exuberant behaviour. Evelyn put the puppy back on the floor and gave the older dog a scratch. "Look after her, Musket," she said the older animal. Musket looked up at Riza waiting for his mistress to verify the command.


The parade had wound its way through the streets of central as it did every year and now the people mingled with the blue uniformed military personnel as the bustled about stalls that had been set up and a large fair in Central's biggest park. As the evening drew in people started to go home and it was time for the ball, this ball being the event of the year for high-ranking military officers, politicians and the aristocracy.

There wasn't a speck of military blue as the officers had rushed either home or to their offices to change. As the President and his family were announced all attention in the room turned to them. Roy was dressed in a dark, well cut suit, with an accompanying red sash that indicated his position; his hair was slicked back from his face. Riza wore a conservative black dress that still managed to look sexy. Evelyn wore a bright red dress that was almost the same shade as the presidential sash, with a black ribbon tied round the middle.

As her parents were distracted by other adults with their boring talk Evelyn crept off to find her friend. As she weaved her way through the mingling upper classes she felt someone tap her shoulder. Turning round she found her father's faithful friend and bodyguard. "Uncle Jean," she cried throwing her arms around the man who wrapped one arm around her but kept the other on the stick he was leaning against.

"Hey kiddo. How you doing?"

"I'm fine, where's James?"

"Hovering by the buffet last time I saw him."

"Thanks." With that Evelyn dashed off to find the boy.

It didn't take long to find James Havoc, who was a younger version of his father right down to his clear blue eyes and fluffy fringe. He greeted his childhood friend with a gleeful look.

"Finally someone who isn't boring, you look nice by the way," he said.

"Thanks. Actually I was hoping you could cover for me. It's the only way I can see Michael."

"Maybe your Dad's right about him Evie."

"Oh please, don't you start as well. Its fine, Michael's a nice guy. Will you do this for me?"

"Of course I will, see you later." Evie gave James a quick hug before disappearing through the waiters' entrance.


It was late when Evie crept back into the house that night. As she tiptoed past the living room door, her shoes swinging from her hand, the fire suddenly blazed to life.

"What's the point, Lou, both your parents are soldiers we're trained to her people creeping past us," Roy's voice said from the door way. Evelyn had flinched when the light had flooded the area, now she sighed and turned to her father with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you have to be so theatrical?" she said. Roy ignored her comment and folded his arms.

"Where have you been," he asked.

"Out with some of the girls, the party was boring," came the reply.

"Oh really so it didn't involve a motorcycling riding boyfriend then."

"If you knew where I was why'd you ask?"

"Because I would like some honesty from you and some respect, I am your father and I told you, you weren't allowed to go out with that boy, he's far too old for you and he has a motorcycle. He's the clique boyfriend from hell."

"Oh come on, you don't like him because he owns a motorcycle, that's ridiculous."

"Why won't you just do what I tell you?" The argument had increased into shouting that caused Riza to come down stairs.

"Why should I? I'm not some military drone of yours to order about."

"You are too much like your father."

"Roy!" Riza's voice cut the argument off. Roy looked startled by his own words. Evelyn gave him a confused frown.

"But you always followed orders didn't you?" she said.

"Eve, forget what your father said and go to bed," Riza commanded in a voice that wasn't to be argued with. Evie nodded and headed for the stairs, still pondering her father's words.

"Roy Mustang, what the hell were you thinking," Riza berated him once their daughter was upstairs.

"I wasn't," he said quietly.

"Evidently."

"She argues like him. When we argue I can see him standing in front of my desk fuming over some useless lead or something. I was thinking it then it just came out."

"Well maybe she won't think too much about it."

"She's Ed's daughter, of course she'll think too much about it."

Evelyn crept back up the stairs silently; too shocked by what she'd heard to give the apology she'd be going too.


"You're kidding right?" James said leaning forward to look at his friend; her face clearly said she wasn't. "So any idea who this Ed is? Do you even care?"

"Well apparently he's my real dad. Yes I care, I want to find out who he is and why he didn't want me."

"It might not be as simple as him not wanting you."

"Anyway I don't have much to go on. Ed we don't even know what it's short for."

"Edward, what else can it be short for."

"Edmund, Edwina, it might not even be my dad."

"Ok, so how do we go about getting more information, I'm assuming you don't want to talk to your folks."

"Apparently they aren't my folks. Anyway I thought some breaking and entering might be called for. How do you feel about breaking into the President's office?"

"Seriously? Hell yeah I'm so in," James replied with a manic grin.


The house was empty apart from the two fifteen year olds who were currently fitting a stolen key into the lock of an office.

"Man, this is his home office, this is nowhere near as fun," James complained.

"Oh come on, like we would ever manage to break into his work office, besides what we want is more likely to be here. After all, the whole nation thinks I'm a Mustang, he's not going to keep evidence of my real parentage there is he?" Evelyn replied logically.

Once inside both teens immediately began to rifle through piles of papers and draws. After several minutes of turning up nothing but boring things James opened the bottom draw of a previously locked filing cabinet, using his talent of lock picking. "Wow, this is one massive file," he said pulling out a thick wad of papers and dumping it on the desk. Evie turned to look, noting the name on the front.

"Look, the Fullmetal Alchemist," she said tapping the printed name. James gave her a look that clearly said he had no idea who that was so Evie clarified. "The Fullmetal Alchemist was a state alchemist years back, he was the youngest ever to get the qualification and he was called the hero of the people. He was one of the most famous and he saved the whole country along with my Dad and yours, he was my childhood hero," Evie finished.

"Really? Mine was Captain Crazy," James replied.

"The comic book hero?"

"Yeah that's more normal than some real life dude, especially one who knows our dads. Hang on, I remember that name now except dad always calls him Boss or Chief or something. Hey, wouldn't it be cool if his name was Ed and he was your real Dad," James said with a grin. Evie eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly.

"His name is Ed, Edward Elric," she said quietly. James looked at her stunned for a second before she carried on, "but he can't be my Dad he died when he was sixteen, my Dad, Roy, he was only a Colonel at the time. I wasn't born until after he became president." As she spoke Evie began to rifle through the papers.

She pulled out a thick padded envelope. Inside she found several smaller envelopes and a pocket watch. She emptied the contents over a clear bit of desk and picked up the watch.

"A state alchemist pocket watch," she whispered.

"I thought Mustang destroyed them all when he scrapped the state alchemist program. Why'd he keep this one?"

"I'm guess because it belonged to the Fullmetal Alchemist." Evie clicked it open, it had stopped, probably a long time ago. On the inside cover was a crude inscription.

"Don't forget, 3rd October 11," James read over her shoulder, "what does that mean?"

Evie shrugged, "no idea." She lay the watch down. She then picked up a letter and opened it. She read it out loud so James could hear.

"Dear Roy and Riza. I'm writing to inform you that Edward, Alphonse, Mei and I would be delighted to attend your wedding. We all look forward to seeing you then. Yours Winry." Evie and James shared a look,

"What rank was your Dad when he got married?" James asked.

"Some form of General."

"So assuming the Edward mentioned in this letter is Edward Elric, he clearly didn't die when the stories say he did."

"I don't understand."

"Me neither, what do the other letters say." Evie picked up another one.

"This is a wedding invite, Edward Elric and Winry Rockbell. He lived long enough to get married at least, judging by the date he could only have been 20ish. That's young."

"Do you think he is your real father?" James asked. Evie ignored in favour of picking up another letter. Again she read it out loud.

"Dear Riza, I'm so thrilled to here you and Roy are having a baby. It's truly the most amazing thing. You better watch Roy when he becomes a father, Ed's acting like Mr Hughes used too. I wouldn't be surprised if Roy did too. So we'll be having our babies at the same time. It's going to get loud here with two children but you and Roy must visit. I hope to hear from you soon, Winry." Evie finished the letter and looked up.

"Ok, just picking up a few points, this letter was written about 16 years ago right? So I'm guessing you are one of the unborn babies. However, unless I'm much mistaken you don't have any siblings, maybe you were wrong maybe you really are a Mustang," James said.

"No they clearly said I was Ed's daughter, so that means Winry must be my mother."

"Ok so your real parent's names are Edward and Winry Elric. So what are you going to do now?"

"Well for a start Winry clearly knew Mr Hughes."

"I'm lost, does that name mean something?"

"Elicia's dad you idiot."

"Oh, so we go see her?"

"Exactly."


Reviews are much appreciated. ^^