"The Fullmetal Titan"
By cdc100
Summary: Edward Elric is a new resident at Jump City. When the city is in danger, the Teen Titans must turn to the Fullmetal Alchemist for help.
Disclaimer: This is a work of pure non-profit fan fiction. I do not own any of the characters, their weapons, their abilities, or any of their universes, nor do I own any of the lyrics that will appear in later chapters, or any of the products mentioned in the story such as Coca-Cola, or Playstation.
Chapter Four
"Into the H.I.V.E."
The Titans stood at the ready, waiting to attack the man in armor if he tried anything.
"Are you guys the Teen Titans?" he asked in a high-pitched voice.
The Titans were surprised. Judging by the voice coming from the armor, he couldn't have been more than ten or eleven years old.
"I was told to find you guys," explained the armored figure.
This statement caught the Titans' interest.
"Titans, stand down," said Robin.
The Titans then disengaged. Cyborg retracted his cannon, Starfire's hands and eyes stopped glowing, Raven removed her hood and stopped her powers, and Robin put away his birdarangs.
"Who are you?" asked Robin.
The armored arrival responded.
"I'm Alphonse, but my brother and my friends call me Al. I take it you guys are the Teen Titans? I'm sorry that I keep asking, but nobody ever answered."
"Yes, we are. Sorry about that," said Robin.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all."
He extended his armored hand, and each Titan shook it.
"Red and green uniform, mask… you must be Robin. Part machine and part human… Cyborg. Pale skin, dark uniform… that must make you Raven. You're green, so you've got to be Beast Boy. And that just leaves Starfire."
"Yeah, you're right," said Robin, smiling. His expression then turned serious. "Look, if you're a fan or something, you've actually caught us at a bad time, but we'd be happy to help you with whatever you want some other time."
"Actually, before two weeks ago, I'd never even heard of you. But, more importantly, my brother sent me to find you. He had some urgent information that he wanted me to give you guys."
Robin looked at the others.
"I think you'd better come inside with us."
He led the way back to the living room.
"You guys have a nice home," said Alphonse.
"Thanks. We built it ourselves," said Cyborg.
"I bet that when you guys aren't fighting crime you must have the time of your lives in this place."
"Yeah, we do. So, Alphonse… wait, do you prefer Alphonse or Al?" asked Cyborg.
"Just 'Al' will do."
"It is glorious to meet you, Al!" exclaimed Starfire, throwing her arms around the armored guest. "How did you get here? What is your favorite color? Why do you wear this armor? Would you like to be my friend?"
"Umm… Walked, blue, long story, and sure, why not?"
"Oh, welcome, friend Al!" exclaimed the alien, engulfing Al in one of her incapacitating hugs. While most people wouldn't be able to breathe when one of these was involved, Al merely giggled at Starfire's display of affection.
"I feel welcome here already," said Al.
"Right. So, Al, what was it that you wanted to tell us?"
"Uh…"
"Robin! Please, you must not press our guest to give us his information so hastily! We must be more hospitable! On Earth, you would say, 'business before pleasure.' Am I correct?"
She ran off into the kitchen to whip up one of her Tamaranian surprises.
"Wait! Starfire!" exclaimed the other Titans.
She came back holding a large platter of a transparent green jello-like substance with white mushroom-like shapes in the center.
"Do you wish to try my homemade glorg?" she asked.
"NO!" exclaimed the other Titans.
"It's no trouble," said Al, examining the jello. He then picked up a spoon and began shoveling it in through his helmet.
"Mmm. This sure tastes great," said Al.
"Do you desire more, friend Al?" asked Starfire.
Al shook his hands in front of his body.
"Oh, no. You've been more than kind," answered their armored guest.
Starfire bowed her head and smiled.
"Very well. If you are sure."
Cyborg looked at Al's armor and was immediately puzzled.
"What's with this armor that you wear? It can't be so strong you'd want to wear it all the time."
Al chuckled.
"You might not believe it, but wearing this armor has saved me more times than I can count."
"How so?" asked Raven.
"Eh… it's a long story," said Al.
After a while, Al went on to explain the reason for the recent xenothium theft.
"Me and my brother know what they're stealing it for, and we've come to help stop them."
"Who is your brother, Al?" asked Beast Boy.
The armored figure lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, but… I can't tell you that. You see, my brother has a load of people who'd like to get their evil hands on him, and maybe even kill him."
"It would help more if we could know his name, Al," said Robin.
"Please try to understand, Robin. My brother just doesn't know who he can trust at the moment. And, to be completely honest, neither do I," answered Al.
Robin quirked an eyebrow.
"Okay. Well, can you at least tell us what the H.I.V.E. is doing?"
"They are using the xenothium that they stole from that plant in an experiment. They're going to break it down and reform it into some kind of weapon."
Cyborg decided to ask a question.
"Have any idea what kind of weapon?" he asked.
"Well, according to my brother, their leader is trying to reform the xenothium that he stole into a large-scale bomb powerful enough to level all of Jump City."
Beast Boy let out a nervous chuckle.
"Well, that's certainly not good."
Al let out a small groan.
"My brother has a plan of attack set up, and he wants to help you stop these people."
"Not that we're complaining or anything, but… why are you and your brother so concerned about us?" asked Beast Boy. "Like you said, until a couple weeks ago, you'd never even heard of us."
"My brother and I… we try to help people out as much as we can. If you knew my brother, you'd understand. When things are bad, he feels that he has the responsibility to make them right."
"Well, then, why would he think us untrustworthy?" asked Robin. "That's everything that this team stands for."
"On our travels, my brother and I have met people who at first glance seemed decent, but we later learned that they were bad. I'm sorry, but me and my brother have made that mistake too many times to be anything but careful."
"Fair enough," said Robin.
Al looked up at the team's leader.
"I know I'm not giving you much to work with, and I don't blame you if you don't trust me, but my brother and I want you to know that we will do whatever we can to help you stop them."
Robin looked at the other Titans, and then back at Al.
"Let us talk for a second, okay?"
Al nodded.
"Yeah. Okay."
Robin and the other Titans went out into the hall.
"I don't know about you guys," said Beast Boy, "but I find it to be a little weird for a kid wearing a suit of armor to come up to us and ask for help."
"Well, he seems to me like he genuinely wants help," said Raven. "How much trouble could a kid who doesn't sound like he's older than ten cause? Before you ask, this time, I did read his aura."
"Alphonse does not seem to be capable of any malicious acts. He seems to be a friendly person," said Starfire.
"Well, whatever the case, he and this brother of his are the only ones who know anything about the H.I.V.E.'s plans. If he wants to help us stop them, then, like it or not, we need to trust him."
"Are you sure about that, Robin?" asked Cyborg. "The last time we trusted a guest, she…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone merely looked at Beast Boy, who cast a glance to the side.
"Don't worry. I know what Terra did. That's why I'm not so sure about trusting these guys yet."
"Beast Boy, this may be the most rational thought that you've ever had, but I'm going to have to agree with Robin on this," said Raven.
"So, it's settled," said Robin.
He led the Titans back into the living room, and found Al standing by the screen embedded in the window.
"Oh, hello. I couldn't help but notice how technologically advanced this tower is," he said. "Did you guys figure everything out?"
"We will accept any help that you and your brother can offer, but are you sure you can handle this? I mean, you don't sound like you're older than ten."
Al chuckled.
"I know I may not sound like it, but I'm actually fifteen years old. I'm not much older than Beast Boy."
"And what can you do, exactly?" asked Raven.
"Well, me and my brother were both trained in the martial arts, and my armor is very strong," answered Al.
Robin offered him his hand.
"Welcome to the team."
"Okay, Alphonse. You said that you and your brother had a plan of attack. What did you have in mind?"
"Do you guys have a map somewhere?"
Cyborg clicked a few buttons on his arm and brought up a large map on the window-screen.
"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Al.
"Al," said Cyborg. "If you get excited at every amazing thing you see in this place, you're going to wear yourself out."
"Right, sorry. Okay. About fifty miles south-southwest of Jump City, the H.I.V.E. has set up a base on the ocean. My brother has been keeping his eye on this place for weeks. Evidently, toward the bottom of the base is a giant drill that's being used to excavate raw minerals to combine with the xenothium they stole, and if they can, more xenothium."
"How do you plan to get in?"
"My brother received an invitation to see the process. They want my brother to help them with the process. Our plan is for me to come over masquerading as him, and while I'm keeping the H.I.V.E. busy, he'll rig the facility to explode."
"Well, it seems like you have this all pretty well figured out," said Robin. "What do you need us for?"
"There's a chance that my brother might not be able to help me in the event that a trap is sprung. And he knows that you are the only ones who have real experience fighting these guys."
"Good point," said Robin.
"Anyway, the invitation lists a rendezvous point, where I'll go, and when I get into the vehicle, I'm sure you guys can stow away."
"We'll think of something," said Robin.
The next day, Al led the Titans to the Rendezvous point, where a large motorboat docked. Al went to the motorboat, where a tall man with a white and yellow uniform stepped out.
After whispering something to Al, the man led him into the motorboat. The motorboat then sped off. The Titans took this as their cue to follow him in their own boat. They followed him until the motorboat that Al occupied had stopped. They saw the man leading Al into a large black submarine. After Cyborg dropped anchor, Raven engulfed the party in a bubble of dark energy, and brought them aboard the submarine.
After this was done, all that was left for them to do was to wait until they docked at the base, which was not long.
When the submarine docked, the Titans hurried out and into one of the hallways. Robin kicked out one of the ceiling panels, and gestured for the others to follow him. Beast Boy transformed into a rat as he joined the others in the ceiling. As soon as everyone was crowded in, Robin shut the ceiling panel. When Al came out of the submarine, the team followed him and the grunt down the hallway to a conference room.
"If you'll please wait here, sir, the Headmaster will be in with you shortly," said the grunt.
Al took a look around the conference room. Every panel in the room was shaped like a hexagon. It truly made the H.I.V.E. look like an actual hive.
He heard the door open, and a tall man with gray hair and an elongated chin walked in. But this was not all that Al had noticed. He looked like Cyborg, but with a red substance powering his armor instead of a blue substance.
"Ah," said the man. "It is an honor to finally meet the Fullmetal Alchemist."
Cyborg spoke softly.
"The Fullmetal Alchemist?"
Robin brought his finger to his lips, and shushed Cyborg.
He extended his hand, which Alphonse shook.
"And you are…?"
"Blood. Brother Blood."
Blood then put his hand on Alphonse's shoulder and led him down the hallways, showing him the various facilities inside their base, while the Titans followed close behind. Soon, they came to the refinery.
To Be Continued…
