Big News for the Elrics

Isaac was looking at the sky thinking about Alissa. Why did she look at me like that? Why did she smile? I thought after she knew about this, she wouldn't want to talk to me again... I'm so confused!

"Hey, Isaac. What are you doing out here all alone?" Ed walked outside to see how Isaac was doing.

"I'm just trying to think Ed... I don't know what's going on in my head."

"Is this about that girl?" Isaac made a strange face and tried to hide the truth, but was unable.

"Uhh... yes. I can't get her out of my mind. She knows about this." Isaac pointed to his arm with an uneasy look on his face.

"Oh man. How?"

"Winry didn't screw one of the screws in all the way. She grabbed my arm right on that screw. I got it taken care of but still." Isaac heard a noise that sounded like footsteps on the grass. "What is that?"

"Hello, Hamilton," said the familiar voice of Olivier Mira Armstrong. Isaac didn't turn around. His face turned to shock and he was immediately horrified. He'd forgotten about his agreement with Olivier.

"Uhh... Olivier... heh heh heh."

"You only get to call me Olivier when I'm not pissed off. You haven't shown for our dinner plans yet, and it's almost 10 o'clock. You didn't forget did you, Hamilton?" Isaac finally turned to face Olivier.

"I... I'm sorry." Isaac's body drooped. "Ed, I forgot to mention it, but you, Al, Win, and I were supposed to go eat dinner with the Fuhrer and Colonel Armstrong. I was so excited about my test and so confused about Alissa—"

"Ross?! What about Ross?!" demanded Olivier, with a concerned look on her face.

"She and I had a little meeting after the test. She discovered my secret, and still smiled at me after the results were made public. I'm just so confused."

"Hamilton, do you have feelings for this girl?"

"WHAT?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT OLIVIER?!" Isaac was very flustered by this statement. He'd never felt feelings for anyone, so this didn't shock Olivier at all.

"Isaac, it's a totally normal thing to happen..." said Ed.

"*sigh* Let's just get the other two and go enjoy a nice meal with Alex and Olivier."

"You realize that once you become a State Alchemist, you'll have to call us Colonel and Fuhrer right?"

"Yes... wait. When I become one?"

"I believed you could years ago, Hamilton. Now, I know you can. You're a wonderful Alchemist, Hamilton. You've got everything I'm looking for in a State Alchemist. You just have to prove it in your interview and practical. You'll make it." Isaac began to choke up. He knew his former General believed in him, he just didn't know the extent.

"Now, you two go and get your friends, and we'll go enjoy Alex's cooking."

"Wait… You let Alex anywhere near your kitchen?" Isaac was noticing that the relationship between the Armstrong siblings had begun to grow to a bond stronger than any other he'd seen, excluding the Elrics and Winry.

"He's gotten much better at not blowing things up. Trust me." The two kind of chuckled and smiled. Isaac couldn't remember the last time he was this happy. He had a feeling it wouldn't last though.

Edward went inside and had Alphonse and Winry follow him out to Olivier's car.

Olivier began driving the four friends to her home. Isaac looked out the window silently when he noticed the surroundings didn't look the same. This isn't the way to the Armstrong estate… they must have moved.

"Well, we're here. Hope you like it. It's a little bit different," Olivier said, motioning for Isaac to step out of the car. Isaac looked up and saw the estate. It had the same color as the old estate and the windows were shaped the same, but the place was three times bigger. Isaac fell back in shock at the size of the gargantuan estate. "What do you think?"

"Do you even have enough stuff to fill this place?!" Isaac yelled.

"Well, if things go as planned, I will soon. I want you to guys to stay with Alex and I for your time here in Central. No point in paying for a hotel, even if Alphonse here makes enough money to pay for it. I have a room for each of you to have your own, if that's what you want." The four looked at each other, as if to contemplate collaboratively through body language. Ed looked directly at Isaac and nodded his head.

"We'll stay with you guys. Thank you very much, Olivier."

"You should probably get into the habit of calling me Fuhrer. You've only got about a week left of not being military." Isaac nodded at Olivier. The group walked inside and the first thing Ed, Al, and Isaac noticed was the smell of the food. Their faces turned to pure joy and they floated toward the source of the smell.

"Those three… Ever since Al got his body back, he's been so much like Edward. And then Isaac—" Olivier interrupted Winry.

"Isaac's been like that since before he was eleven. His mother and I were good friends, and I helped Alexia and Ross raise him. He was a Briggs soldier with the heart of a boy that never belonged in the military. He's got the resolve of a military-man though. Let's go join the three of them, shall we?" Olivier smiled at Winry. "Oh, by the way, it's best for you to tell Edward about your situation, before time tells him."

"Huh?! You knew?! How?" Winry freaked out as Olivier somehow knew her secret.

"When you're a woman, it's pretty obvious to you when another woman is pregnant."

"*sigh* Well, I'm glad Ed's not a woman then… although he's so oblivious to everything, he probably still wouldn't figure it out." The two share a laugh and head toward the dinner table.

Everyone had finished eating except Ed, Al, and Isaac, when Isaac finally sat back, and said, "Wow, I'm stuffed. You've gotten much better Alex!"

"Thank you, Isaac! It means much more than you can imagine to hear you say that!" Armstrong ripped his shirt off while saying this and posed in the Armstrong way he so often does.

"Alex, it's not that big a deal. You're allowed to keep your shirt on when your excited, you know."

"Isaac, there are more important things right now than my brother's shirt. Like how are you going to prepare for your interview tomorrow?"

"You know, I haven't really thought about it… I mean, all I really can do is be ready for any question they throw out there."

"And if they ask about Human Transmutation?"

"I'll stay strong and show no signs that I've committed it. I won't let this be ruined after getting a perfect score on the test. Not like that."

"Good. I won't be your interviewer, but I will be in the room, and judging you afterward. Don't think that means you'll automatically move onto the Practical, though. Come on you four. I'll take you to get your stuff from the hotel and bring it back."

"But we're not done eating…" said Ed, with a mouth full of food, as he and Al looked up at Olivier. Winry walked over the two and grabbed their ears.

"Stand up, you damn pigs. You don't need to eat that much anyway," she said.

The four went with Olivier to their hotel, got their stuff, and checked out. Olivier was gracious enough to pay for it. They started going back to the new Armstrong Estate as Olivier noticed that everyone was asleep, excluding her and Winry.

"So, did you tell him?" Olivier asked Winry.

"I can't muster the ability to yet. I'm so scared."

"Why? That man is going to be a great father. I can tell by the way he loves you and Alphonse. He'd do anything to protect you two. You have nothing to be afraid of."

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Alphonse as he woke up. "Who's going to be a great father?"

"AHHHHHH! Al go back to sleep!" yelled Winry, startled.

"No way! You're- *mmph*" Alphonse started to say before having his mouth grabbed by Olivier as she stopped the car.

"Alphonse, I do not mean to hurt you. I am going to let go of your mouth. But you have to not say anything to your brother. This is Winry's responsibility. She must get over her fear." Oliver let go of Al's mouth and he just sat back in shock. Alphonse Elric was going to be an uncle.

The five arrived back at the Armstrong Estate. Isaac and Ed awoke to see Alphonse awake.

"Hey, Al, I thought you fell asleep before us?"

"Uhh… I woke up."

"Ed, we need to talk when we get inside," Winry said, dreading what had to happen. They went inside and upstairs to their room. Winry grabbed Ed's arm and sat down with him. "Ed… I love you. I've been afraid of this for a while now. I'm just not sure how you're going to take it…"

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"What?! No! Ed, just listen. I… I'm… You're going to be a father." Ed just sat there staring blankly at Winry's lips as the word "father" rolled off of her tongue. He had secretly been wanting a child, but now that it was actually becoming reality, he was scared. But, his heart wanted to scream with joy. "Edward?" Ed hugged Winry and they both began tearing up.

"Winry, I love you." Ed dropped to one knee and got a box out of his pocket. Winry's eyes opened wide and her mouth was numbed open. "Will you marry me, Winry Rockbell?"

"Oh… my gosh… Ed, I would love to be your wife." The two stood up, kissed quickly and then shared a hug. Then, out of nowhere, Al, Isaac, Olivier, and Alex burst through the door, Alex not wearing a shirt of course, collectively screaming for joy. They all shared a hug and everyone except Edward and Winry left the room.

Everyone went to bed at a decent hour that night, except for Isaac. He began remembering a meeting he'd had before performing Human Transmutation.

"You want me to do that? That's impossible!"

"Edward Elric must become an alchemist again for this to work. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it."

"How do you expect me to do that?!"

"The Philosopher's Stone. With the Philosopher's Stone, you can do anything you want without Equivalent Exchange. It can and must be done."

I don't know how she expects me to be able to do that. I don't know anything about this Philosopher's Stone. But, the master plan must be carried out. Isaac sat up to get a drink and revealed an Ouroboros tattoo on his back.