Title: Solemn Deceit

Warnings: Emo(ish)!Al.

Summary: Ed commits suicide to fix a problem, leaving Al to fend for himself. No one knows what problem Ed killed himself to fix.

Word Count:754

Solemn Deceit

It was Al's second time to take the state alchemy exam he had even passed it last time, but got asked to drop out of the running in account for Ed, and he said ok. The exam hadn't changed much. The basic concepts were still there with a few new questions because, since Alchemy is a form of Science, it was still being found out and studied and evolving. They weren't too much of a hassle for the young brunette though, so it didn't take him too long to finish it. But that wasn't what he was worried about. It was the showing off your form of alchemy that stalled him. What was there to use? Hell what was his special form? He hadn't tried alchemy since Ed's death.

Al stood there looking at his hands for a bit before out of, I'd say muscle memory but he'd never done this before in his life, reflex, he clapped his hands and set them on the ground a dummy made of dirt suddenly standing before him. He stood up, clapped again, and set his hands on the shoulders and the figure started walking. Al was just as surprised as everyone else who was watching him, though he didn't show it. He had no clue that doing this was even possible. He wondered if he could possess people, not that he'd ever try, he was just curious. He let the figure walk for a bit before willing him to transmute another figure, trying to test the limits of this ability. The figure obeys and then crumbles in a pile of dirt as the next figure remains standing awaiting orders. Al wills it to walk back to him before having it crumble to the ground also.

He ignored the constant murmurs, be they good or bad he didn't know, probably both, from the watching crowd as he turned to face the Colonel. This was apparently his special ability, for he couldn't just use the whole clapping thing because that was what Ed had done. Mustang nods at him indicating he had passed. If Winry had been there, he'd offer a small smile to his superior officer, but since she wasn't here he didn't need to put on that façade. He didn't have to act happy, everyone who knew him and Ed would know why and completely understand.

Al follows Mustang and the others who had passed the alchemy exam back to the building, the Colonel parting the crowd like he was Moses parting the Red Sea (1). Al stays slightly behind and to the left of the Colonel for no reason other than it was slightly comforting.

They enter the building again and everyone was sent off to their own ways except for Al. He was, by body language alone, told to follow his superior, and so he did, all the way into the Fuhrer's office.

"Well, well, well, it seems to be ironic that you'd choose Al after choosing Ed a few years ago. Are you sure this isn't out of pity?" The Fuhrer asks swinging a state alchemist watch from his finger.

"I am sure. In fact, I believe his performance was better than Fullmetal's, and I'm not counting challenging me right afterwards." Roy answers.

King Bradley chuckles slightly before tossing the pocket watch at Al. the brunette catches it from reflex, head flinching away slightly. "You're name is now, the Animation Alchemist." Al looks at the watch before attaching it to his belt loop and deciding that when he got the chance he'd carve 3 oct 10 in his watch, only changing 11 to 10 because Al was ten when they burned the house, Ed was eleven.

Al looks up at Fuhrer King Bradley and smiles slightly, a real smile, not forced. "Thank you sir, I won't let you down"

"I don't doubt it," Bradley says with his slightly creepy smile and dismisses Al and Roy from the room.

"You're going to be working under me, just like your brother did but I'm not going any easier on you because you're better behaved than Fuulmetal, understand?" Roy asks leading Al to an exit of which he didn't have to pass all of the hopefuls.

"Yes sir," Al replies.

"And if you ever need to talk yo anyone, we all knew him too."

"Yes Colonel." Al nods then leaves to find a place to stay at while he's here, knowing that when he reported in the next day he'd be sent off on a mission.

A/N: ugh...so short I couldn't find a way to extend the chapter and it's bugging me. I have all the chappies planned. And if there's enough (if any) Winry haters I may be able to do a sequel to this fic. But if, once again, I only get one review, no sequel D: Well...you know the routine. Reviews make me happy and update! XD

(1) forgive me if that was wrong I can no longer be sure it was Moses or the Red Sea at this point cause it's been so long since I've been to church and much longer since I've heard the story

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~Evelynn