A/N: This entire chapter is of a flashback to where Riza was in the academy, going to her graduation and ending with her rushing into war grounds. I know I said that I would head to the beach, but I wanted to add some character background from how I see it. This is kind of rushed, but I promise this will somehow fit with future events. Know that I haven't read the manga, I haven't watched the movie, so this is kind of going off with the two anime's of fullmetal alchemist 2003 and 2009 versions. So please wait a little longer as I finally have a feeling of where this fanfiction is going!

Enjoy!

[Flashback]

Rebecca was tidying her bedside, it was the first day in training. Today, they started on combat. There was a shy girl, also cleaning up her small area across the room. She had short hair, choppy and unfitting for her face. She was most likely the same age as her.

"Excuse me, Miss Hawkeye," A voice came behind the young girl, dressed in a military personnel outfit, already trained in everything.

The blonde saluted to the woman, her face filled with excitement.

"I just came to stop in to see how you were doing; we were given your report early this morning." The woman glanced with pity, a look Riza wasn't familiar with.

"I'm well, ma'am." She kept the conversation short, the person patting her shoulder, and soon leaving.

She put her hand down as the woman left the room, leaving a mail letter behind. She looked shocked, rushing to open the parcel.

It had a smaller bag, a soft leather, it could most likely fit a few items.

She put the letter back into the envelope, sighing deeply as a ring slid onto her finger, an emerald that shined from the light in the room. She looked relieved as the ring glided onto her finger, finally fitting perfectly.

"So, your name is Hawkeye?" Rebecca swung over to the girl, having a cheerful face.

"Yes, Riza Hawkeye, and you?" She let a small smile slip to the woman.

"Rebecca Catalina, almost at your service!" Rebecca gave a happy salute, letting the hand fall quickly.

An alarm shouted through the building, a voice being stern, taking over, "All trainees report to the garden. I repeat, all trainees report to the garden." The alarm quickly moved everyone, people slipping onto people. It was chaos.

Rebecca and Riza stuck next to each other the entire way. They all packed together neatly in lines, parallel and facing the other troops. Everyone stood in position, feet clacking together, one hand to their head strictly as the other clenched in a fist by their hip.

"So, today will be combat training. How would one of you like to be used as an example?" Everyone stood quietly, Riza grinning with determination.

"How about you?" The man stood in front of her.

She stood quiet, the man yelling in her ear, "I said, how about you?"

"Yes, sir!" She responded quickly, her chest strengthening.

"I like your attitude, though it's a little cheerful for my liking. A soldier must be ready for everything, and you are as fragile as they come." He insulted her, grabbing her arm. It was soft and curved, no muscle stood with her as an ally.

"I apologize-" She screamed as he took her arm behind her back, forcing her head down to the concrete. She cried and winced in pain, "I am very sorry, sir!" She yelled to the concrete, as she was unable to move herself; she was still stuck in his grasp.

"You must be ready for everything! Not be plowed through!" He shouted to everyone including the blonde. He ripped her from the ground.

"Try again!" He raised his leg, flexable as he kicked her to the ground with his knee. Her entire body jerked in angles undescribable.

"And again!" His voice stood above everyone, as people fliched away from the sight. The man was taking down an innocent girl. Rebecca was shocked, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

Hawkeye finally braced herself with her hands, her eyes dark. She kicked out her leg, tripping the man to his rear. She got up, grumbling as she raised her leg above her head, kicking him with great force. He didn't fight back, bracing his head as she continued her outrageous pattern of pressure to his body.

"Stop!" The man screeched to the woman.

"That's enough, Miss Hawkeye. I believe the trial for this is over for you." He had a maneating grin on his face, "You, Miss Hawkeye, are ready for the next steps. Thank you for being a prime example." She was breathing heavy, anger running through her bones. But was it anger, she asked herself.

No, this was a feeling of pride. It was growing at an alarming rate.

"Thank you, sir." She huffed out finally, smiling fiercely.

"Now, may I ask something, Miss Hawkeye?" She tilted her head as he got up.

"Why did you choose to join the military?" She responded rather quickly, putting on a facade, "There's someone I need to protect." The man nodded.

"So you're going to risk your life, kill, chase after people who will want to harm you and those close to you, to protect this person?" He asked in a straight voice, never quivering.

"Yes, sir." She was quiet, though her words followed pursuit with his tone. This was something she would need to pull off in order to follow him into the ranks, and help him reach the top.

"I also take it you're a certain granddaughter; there's been a note for you to head down to the third floor to a certain man with an annoying mustache," The girl didn't look surprised one bit; she knew what was going to come. The talk was going to come to her, and it wasn't going to be a calm one.

"May I ask permission to bring along someone with me, sir?" She raised her eyebrows, scanning the crowd for Rebecca.

"Yes, go ahead. Just make sure at fifteen hundred hours you report back to your rooms so you don't miss dinner. Tomorrow will be excrushiating work, part two of the combat training." He spoke to the women, looking back up to the crowd, "All of you are dismissed!" He shouted, everyone soluting with a, "Yes, sir!"

She and Rebecca were making their way down to a certain mans office, who must be the famous grandfather.

"Thanks for coming with me, Rebecca." The dark haired girl nodded, "It's a pleasure. Are you okay though? He threw you down pretty hard back there."

"I'm fine. All I need to worry about is what happens next." Her voice already changed, along with her facial features and expressions. She changed so fast in those twenty minutes.

She opened the door, knocking twice as she walked in.

"Yes, yes, hello." A mans voice grumbled, looking up as an unimpressed look came to his face.

"Riza, I didn't know you'd be coming. And who is this?" He looked over to the dark haired woman, "My name is Rebecca Catalina, sir. I was kindly asked by Riza to accompany her." He rose his eyebrows, "Well, well, well. Already close friends to someone?" Hawkeye didn't pay no means to her grandfather, just staring at him blankly.

"Now, come sit down. We need to have a talk about your decisions." He pushed his glasses up on his face, frowning.

"You can join us, Miss Catalina. I promise I won't bite." His voice was crooked, like someone left a door open, except the tone of it was stuck repeating itself. She didn't know how to feel about it, behaving orders as she sat down in the chair next to Riza.

"Now, Riza, you must know what it means: a military dog. Are you really sure about this?" Her eyes met the table.

"Yes, I'm sure. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here."

"Don't tell me, he put you up to this."

"He didn't do anything!" Her voice echoed in the walls, "I apologize, but no. He simply gave me a card at the deranged man's funeral." Her voice hushed, still shaking from her emotions.

"You know that deranged man was your father right? I hope you know your mother loved him very much," He took a mug off the table, sipping it. The smell coming from it was spices, neatly collecting with each other; Tea.

"How she did, I'll never know the answer to."

"He wasn't as crazy and twisted before she passed, Riza." She looked up to meet his eyes, her facial expression crumbling into something different, mixed with shock and interest.

"So you're saying if she just, didn't die, he would be fine?" He nodded hesitantly, "In a sense."

"Your mother had a calming arouma to her, even when she was growing up. One day she brought a man home, and he was a patient man. Though, you should know already, even he almost did what the alchemists call the greatest sin." Her eyes lit up, a curve in her lips that weren't happy one bit. She clenched her jaw, her eyebrows creasing in the center.

"He almost did human transmutation?" Rebecca said the words that were hiding in the back of her new friends skull, wincing as she heard the final words left Rebecca's mouth.

"You must understand, he did love her. Bound to marry, but the sickness came. No one said falling in love was easy, Riza." He comforted her, trying to get her to understand. She didn't want to believe it.

"He did tell you about my daughter, didn't he?" She shook her head, "Only a few things left his mouth, if he sat at the table that night."

"She loved dancing," She tried remembering what she looked like. She was only able to think of a sillouete of her mothers body, swinging about the house, cleaning. It's been too long before she actually glanced to any photos.

"She was artistic," She thinks back to the paintings on the walls in the old house. She made hands have the personality of enjoying life, peace, serenity.

"She played the piano," She doesn't remember music around the house, only quiet reading, and loud yelling. Pages being scribbled on, chalk on floors. Though, there was a piano Roy would play a soft tune on, once in awhile. Usually in the evenings, while she made dinner.

"And she loved you and your father very much, Riza. Don't do anything rash."

"Would also trying to do what's right, and fall in love be along the lines of rash?" She looked up to him, the man smiled, "No, just be careful. Sometimes love is painful." He looked at the time.

"Now, it's time for us to part ways, you don't want to be late for dinner. I heard the second part of training was tomorrow, and mind that you don't want to be tardy: it's not pleasant." He gave a quick warning, standing up after taking another sip of his tea.

In the morning, things are different. The alarms sound, and everyone heads to the garden once again.

"Now, today, we all will be doing the second part of your combat training. As yesterday was a small 'show'. Hawkeye and I had a fair fight, but today you will demonstrate and do your skills with each other, switching every ten minutes!" The crowd was tired, yet managed to yell out, "Sir!" Through their red eyes that were deprived of sleep.

Riza didn't know how to fight one bit when she got there, she only knew weak spots in the human body. Mostly were lessons taught in the medical books she read when she was younger.

She was able to meet face to face to a blonde man, with rustled hair and brown eyes. He didn't look interested in the lessons, laughing to his friends about 'how dumb are these lessons,'. She scowled at him, trying to find the points in his body that would give her the round.

'There,' she thought to herself, looking to the connecting joint from his shoulder to his neck. He was turned away at the moment, but as soon as the whistle blew...

She snagged him, making him jerk to the motion, his body twisting in angles. She was able to kick him to the ground, wrapping his arm behind him, sitting on the back of his body. It was almost too easy for her.

A soldier clapped for her victory, "Wow, nicely done. You completely paralyzed the guy. Would you like to see if you could go against a second lieutenant?" Hawkeye curled her eyebrows together, a fire in her eyes.

"The real question is whether or not you're going to lose your throne as a second lieutenant; I could take that position from you in just a few months as I'm here." The man smiled, "How about this, you win, and you'll get a well respected drink, on me. You can even bring a friend along." He shrugged his shoulders smugly, closing his eyes in content for a second, before opening them fiercely.

"Sure, but," She looked around for her friend, who just punched a guy a good yard from her, "Drinks tonight? This captain over here says if I beat him in a fair fight, we will be rewarded." Rebecca smiled widely, "Yeah! You beat his ass!" She swept her foot under her opponents feet, making him land on the ground.

Rebecca was bored, "Ugh," The word kept a long drawl from her lips, "Aren't any of you strong enough to kick a woman's ass? All of you are weak." She stretched her arms up, groaning out her muscles that were barely being worked up. She hadn't worked up a stretch, yet.

The trainees continued their workout, groaning about how it's getting them no where, and others because they're lazy. It pissed Riza off quite a bit.

She sat up from the man, being relieved from her weight on him that he admitted cracked his back, though she was pretty slender.

She cracked her knuckles, resuming to her neck. She stood tall, already expecting a strong fight. The man didn't get noted to a second lieutenant so easily. Rumors take it that the position as first lieutenant, not second, takes a good two years of hard work.

She couldn't begin to imagine the life of the person in front of her. Blue eyes, blonde hair. His hair was dimmer than hers, but they could easily be marked as siblings. It annoyed her, as though he was a clone of her already. They couldn't be the same age, he had to be older somehow.

She continued calculating his body, looking for his most fragile points. It wasn't going to be easy, she already dealt with a Brigidiar General yesterday, only nearly damaging him. That one walked away easily, it's like she didn't leave a scratch. He was a bulky man.

This one, though, could be possibly easier by a larger amount. If she could do her number of hits right to his... 'Think, Riza.' Abdomen, neck, collarbones. She was going to be fine. His waist would do nothing, his hands: nothing, his legs: nothing.

She saw through everything. His hands were strongly built, no luck over there. Everything she could easily hit anyone else would work, but him.. She knew it wouldn't be glorious, already seeing a way his arms could throw her by the legs.

She kept thinking, and her blood started to calm down; she was able to breathe.

"Brigadier general, permission to take a fair shot to Hawkeye?" The lieutenant asked the man, who was watching over the smaller battles in the garden. He continued looking outward, "Permission granted, lieutenant." He gave his okay, "Everyone take three yards back from the Lieutenant and Trainee Riza Hawkeye." The man gave an order, everyone being relieved as they could stop.

She watched all the people stepping back from them, giving room for the fight. He must have been something if they needed so much space.

Rebecca was smiling with a want for a good throw-down. Though, Riza already saw a glint in her eye for the man she was about to defeat.

"Alright, are you ready, Miss Hawkeye?" He was calm, collected. It pissed her off. She didn't nod, but she did get into a stance for her answer.

"From the count of ten, you will take your positions and fight, understood?" The two nodded to the Brigadier general.

"Ten," He started, the lieutenant taking a deep breath, calming his mind. She cracked the other side of her neck again.

"Nine," She watched as he did some kind of yoga pose, one that reminded her of a tree. She understood the way it cleared his lungs from any undesired discomfort; he must be a smoker. He had to be.

"Eight," She saw the glint of a small package, along with a tin.. Yep, he was definitely a smoker. This made her wonder if she could kick him in the chest, but resigned the thought as he showed off his arms. She did give it to him for being attractive somewhat. He flexed, sending kisses to the crowd who cheered for him. All she could do was raise an eyebrow to him, and try not to laugh.

"Seven," Rebecca was swooning.

"Six," She took deep breaths trying not to think about what his legs could possibly look like.

"Five," He definitely saw through her facade, giving her a wink.

"Four," She wanted to kill him. She got into a better stance for her to attack him.

"Three," The crowd started to yell along with the Brigadier general.

"Two," She needed to be ready.

"One!" They ran at each other, Riza raising her leg only to be grabbed by his arms. She was suddenly glad she wasn't wearing a skirt as he sneaked a peek before swinging her across the battlefield. She gasped for air as she hit the ground.

"You don't look as calm as before, Hawkeye," He purred, walking to her so casually.

"Screw you!" She hollered to him, raising herself from the ground.

"Such a fowl mouth, Hawkeye." She was able to kick his legs from underneath him, raising her foot into the air, high above her head. She was about to kick one into him.

He tumbled backwards in a roll, catching her leg, flipping her back on the dirt. He seemed impressed as he drew it all the way to her head without the bending of her other leg.

"Why is it you're so flexible?" He was surprised.

"It's called yoga in the darkest hours of the night, sir." Her voice hadn't shook.

"I doubt it's only yoga, ma'am." He adressed her with respect. She still wanted to ruin him.

"Okay, and a little dancing in the kitchen." He scoffed again, "I still don't think that's all it is." Her eyes widened as she got the message, remembering Roy in the empty room.

"Damn you!" She closed her ankles around his head, succeeding in flipping him over.

"You know, I could get used to this position; it's pretty comfortable." He closed his eyes, letting out a relaxed sigh. He was having too much fun, pressing every button he could find. She had a furious blush spreading her cheeks.

"You're letting your guard down, ma'am." He was still locked between her legs and the ground, she smirked, "Have I?"

He responded with turning his body around, slight discomfort as her ankle pressed against his windpipe. Her skull was now stuffed into the ground, underneath his foot.

She raised her eyebrows, seeing an opening. She kicked, and he groaned as his groin had a giant shock within it, mirroring repeatedly until the pain was all throughout his tender spot.

She was released, kneeing his back that would go through to his abdomen. He let out a shocked gasp, his arms pushing against the ground so he wouldn't fall completely.

She grabbed a pressure point, hidden in his neck by his shoulder, making him cringe. He was hers until the whistle blew. She threw a punch in his shoulder, rippling down his collarbone. He was wincing.

Another punch was thrown, after another. She let her anger out until she was forcing air down her throat. The Brigadier general finally blew a whistle, signaling the fight was over and to shake hands.

She had bruises, but so did he. They were both breathing heavily for oxygen. She lent her hand, being shaken by the second lieutenants.

"Riza Hawkeye." She said to him.

"Oh, cute, you're telling me your name." She scowled at him.

"Okay, okay. Jean Havoc, at your service. Completely single and in need of a girlfriend." He hinted playfully, being slapped in front of everyone.

"Jeez, I thought you were done with punching me around." She tilted her face away from his, along with her hand.

"I don't appreciate you flirting with me, sir." She said flatly, "Now, I do remember a conversation about drinks." She offered the words to him again, raising an eyebrow.

He grabbed the carton from his pocket, grabbing a cigarette. He stuffed it between his lips, grabbing a small lighter for it. He puffed the smoke, sighing in content as it filled his lungs.

'I was fucking right.' She thought to herself, glaring and rolling her eyes.

"Hey, Rebecca, come on!" She heard her rush though the croud, "'Kay!" Slipped from her lips in acknowledgement.

She saluted the Brigadier General before leaving, "Thank you for allowing the fight, sir!" He looked to the crowd, before looking to her, "Today is a weekend, so it doesn't exactly matter what time you get back. Just be back by fifteen hundred hours so you can reach your schedule. Next week is gun training." He looked to the lieutenant, "And you, take it easy with the ladies at the bar tonight. We don't need to have another Georo." He warned.

"I'll explain at the bar." He told Riza casually. He saluted quickly, leaving with the two women.

They were laughing, everyone at the table was laughing. They managed to get a long table at a bar, having some of Jeans friends along with Rebecca and Riza.

"Okay, okay, but do you really think that's actually a thing?" Jean blurted out. They were having a bubbly conversation on strippers, and how one of Jean's friends noted on a stripper being pulled to the ceiling and looking like an angel.

"It was completely real, trust me!" The man chortled.

"Maybe in your dreams," Havoc looked over to a waitress, asking for another tray of rum. She ran off, going off to the bar table.

"Don't you know what getting loaded means, Riza?" He stared at the blonde, completely content in her current placement.

"Yes, but mind I ask you that you call me Hawkeye?" She was uncomfortable by her first name, thinking back to Roy. She only wanted a few people to have the privilege of calling her by Riza.

"Alright, then.." He thanked the waitress, handing out drinks to everyone. The others hooted and cheered for the man ordering all of their drinks.

"Let's play a small game, alright? It's called Paranoia," The men laugh, knowing this one too well.

"But first, let's introduce ourselves clockwise." The two girls nodded, looking towards everyone at the table.

"Alright, I'll start, I'm Jean Havoc." Rebecca took her turn quickly, "And I'm Rebecca Catalina."

"Hawkeye." She put, looking to the ground.

The man next to her said his name was Bobby. She recognized him as a trainee from earlier, getting slammed by Rebecca.

The next man being listed as Neil. She didn't see him at a training troop, so maybe he's just a friend.

Three others were introduced, being civilians. They introduced themselves as Martel, Dolcetto, and Roa. They also informed the group they have plans to join the military next year.

Martel looked rather tomboyish, fitting in with her two friends. She was the only one drinking, however, as she told the table about the pairs habits that are being worked on. They looked just fine with having glasses of sparkling water with the table.

Another man, sitting next to Havoc, looked paranoid already, "Heymans Breda, mention anything about dogs, and I'll kick your ass." He was stocky, and now here vision was cleared when he mentioned a fear of dogs. Jean laughed about this friend, appearing to be very close to the man. He had the same badge and star as Jean, marking him a second lieutenant as well.

"Alright, now that's settled, I'll explain the game of Paranoia. And Breda, you might fly out of the room with the thought I'll put in your ear," Everyone chuckled, Riza having a small smile on her face, "But, Paranoia is a game where you have to put a question to the person to your left, and that person has to answer aloud. We'll switch it up, of course."

"Also, if someone asks what the question was, that person has to drink. Understand, girls?" They nodded quickly, eager to play the game.

"This is something of my own idea, but how about if someone doesn't want to answer the question, we'll do a dirty pint?" Their heads tilted in confusion, everyone blurting out hoots and pounding their fists on the table in laughter.

"Dirty pint is meant for a coin, but basically you mix in all of the drinks on the table, and have a pint of liquor that the person has to down if they're wrong. In this case, if you dodge a question, you'll have some dirty liquor to fill your system with." The men hollered and whistled in excitement, Neil shouted across the table, "If that's the case, I might just answer a question wrong to get the pint of alcohol!" Heymans put his brain to work as he thought about this.

"Maybe we should have the person flip a coin to have a fair game on dousing the liquor. That way, it's a 50/50 chance the person will get loaded." He persuaded, the group nodding their heads in agreement. Neil put his hands up, "Alright, alright. But a fair warning, I'm a magician with flipping coins," Heymans chuckled at the man, "Then let's have a different person flip the coin. You're not getting it, man." The man cursed, saying he was fine with that adjustment.

Music started blaring through the club, going outside to the public streets. A wall opened to the hot spot. Everyone saw a couple of 'entertainers' walk out to their rightful place, noting that it was now 'happy hour'.

"Alright let's get this started." He heard a question from Heymans, answering with, "Strippers."

Bobby stared to them, "What was the..." Everyone pointed to him, giggling on how he downed a shot swiftly, "Drink! Drink! Drink!" Heymans cheered.

Rebecca had a giant belly laugh as Havoc whispered something in her ear, "Alright! That's not fair!" She had to shut her eyes, a few tears leaving her eyes as she continued her laughing spree.

"Yes, yes, I do." She answered him.

She let a small wisp of air leave her mouth as she said something in Riza's ear.

She sighed, "Can you not," She blushed furiously, looking away from the table.

"Ooh, someone doesn't want to answer a question!" She watched everyone mix their drinks into a pitcher.

"God damn it, Rebecca." She was flushed, pressing her lips together with wide eyes.

"Alright, so would you rather kiss up to the question and not have to drink, or would you rather drink, or would you rather kiss your friend?" She eyed the drink, "I'd rather be drunk as hell before I make out with my friend, that's for sure." Everyone hissed at the rejection.

"Alright pick a side of the coin," She replied quickly, "Heads!" The coin spun on the table.

"Damn it!" She yelled as everyone whistled to her direction.

"Alright, so what was the question you didn't answer? I think we can agree you could give us that." Bobby yelled across the table over the music, downing another shot for the exchange.

"If you're the only one taking a drink, then I think you're the only one to give you that question." Her eyes went wide when everyone at the table, besides the former's, take a shot for the question.

"You guys are terrible."

"I asked her if she's had sex within the last month," She grinned, "And my guess is yes, so I also asked who it was." Riza was hot, she took the pitcher, downing the drink as everyone screamed for her to drink all the alcohol, totaling to a 100 proof drink.

"Damn!" Roa laughed as she took a small break, yelling for someone to get her a long tube. A waiter was laughing as he funneled the hose to her mouth, gently pouring liquor through it. All the people in the bar, even the dancers were cheering for her to take the drink.

She felt a trickle of the substance go down her chin, smiling as she took the rest of it quickly. When she was done, she sighed in relief, looking over to the group with her mouth open to note she was done. She was dizzy, being helped back to her seat by Rebecca.

"Holy shit, Riza." Rebecca watched her friend swing to the music, tempting to dance out of her seat.

"You know, you's kind of really pretty," Her friend was dazed, putting her head on the friends shoulder.

"Alright men, let's continue this, without Riza drinking anymore." She waved to a waiter, asking politely for a glass of water for her friend.

"How much do you drink?" She raised her eyebrows, Riza responding with, "A lot."

Havoc laughed to the pair, "Alright, everyone, down your five shots within the minute!" He watched everyone take their drinks, chugging them down like Riza did those minutes.

Everyone was snorting on the easy task, looking back to Rebecca who was calming her friend down while she dazed on the strippers, talking on how they looked.

"I could th'so rock that outfits' better than them!" She exclaimed, being hushed by the dark haired woman, "Sweetie, you're not about to ask them for the outfit, okay?" The blonde curled into her, softly saying something along the lines of an acceptance.

One week later, she was in a range for practice, being told lessons on the guns for the fifth time with the class. She chose out a pistol, getting a mark near the center of the board. She smiled on it, shooting again, sticking her tongue out in concentration.

She moved over to a sniper rifle, aiming to the center of the puppet board, the red circles marking near the head and heart. She shot, the gun jerking into her shoulder. She felt a sting of pain, reloading her gun quickly before shooting again. It didn't miss one bit.

Havoc peered behind her, helping her with the position of her gun, their hands touching. She felt slightly flustered, listening to his whispered words in her ear. She shot again when he let the distance grow between them, hitting the head straight in the center. Again, hitting the heart bullseye.

She was graduated, and she was now marked as a first lieutenant, Havoc and Breda wailing on how they should have gotten the position, even though she aced everything. Her personality changed a great deal; the only comfort being of her friend Rebecca. Havoc didn't help one bit as he teased her on the life she was living. She had a duty to be finished, and needed to move forward to Ishval, the battle still raging.

She heard so many deadly rumors on the child being shot, fires coming and going, giant guns that appeared from the ground.

She heard his name.

He's alive.

She needs to find him.

She needs to go to him, set things right. The war is getting worse.

She needs to-

Her thoughts stop as she reaches Ishval, the dessert soaking the blood like a sponge. It smelled like death, left to right. Her heart was racing, watching people die, one after another. Soldiers shooting blindly, fires raging, the heat boiling in the heat.

She was pointed to a tower, an area for her to shoot and protect.

There's no hope for anyone in this place.

She saw someone known as the Crimson Alchemist, people being killed as soon as he clapped his arrays together, pressing upon a building, which collapsed, crushing millions. He acted like it was a game of tag, smiling and laughing on his victory as he slid down the bricks of concrete.

There was fires raging.

She heard a pop in the air.

It was him.

She furrowed her eyebrows, thinking of her back. He was supposed to protect, why is he here killing? What is the means for this war? Her thoughts were firing up as she reached the top of the tower after running what seemed a good two miles.

She took her case of weaponry out, unloading the tools of chaos. She quickly set herself up, setting three pistols in front of her on a stool by the window. She aimed, shooting someone in the head from three kilometers away, protecting a soldier on their side from their fire axe melee weapon. She winced as she saw the death.

So much death, so much blood pooling into the sand.

They taught her everything from combat fighting, lessons on the military, guns, strength and stamina, but they didn't ready her for this. She couldn't help herself as her eyes went to a person, a teenager, who raised their weapons to a soldier. Someone shot them, but she could tell they weren't regular arms.

It's the Iron Blood alchemist, no doubt. His annoyance of a mustache showing as he grinned to the finishing blow on over ten Ishvalans.

Someone behind him was crying, holding a body of an Ishvalan, asking what was the meaning of the killings. He was forced to be sent off the field in his breakdown, being replaced quickly.

He looked familiar. During the training at the academy, they displayed all active state alchemists.

It was him, the Strong Arm alchemist.

He was supposedly one of the strongest men from the military, heavily weighed, and like his name: he was strong.

There was a soldier yelling, "Look out!" As someone attacked them, sending a bullet in their thigh. She shot the person immediately, along with three others.

This was chaos.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that flip to the past, guys. I'll publish more soon! Keep looking at the updates I put on my profile!

Also, Georo is a person I made up, but I'll put it out there that he's a soldier that did disturbing things and is in prison during this fanfiction. I probably won't mention him again. He basically went to a bar, got a girl drunk, and took extreme advantage over her. Yep.

Anyways, next chapter will be the beach. I really needed to get this part of my imagination out into the story. It'll fit with the rest.