Chapter 7: Weapon of choice
"The process of alchemy, if you think about it, is pretty simple – comprehension, deconstruction, reconstruction. What no one ever talks about is the aptitude, talent required to recognize and manipulate the physical objects with natural energy," Edeline tried to lay out the basis of her research project to the group scientists and alchemist who were assigned to her.
"We know that Amestrian alchemy utilizes diastrophic energy that is released from the movement and collision of tectonic plates deep within the planet's crust to power transmutation. Meanwhile alkahestry from Xing is centered on a concept called the 'Dragon's Pulse' which speaks of the Earth itself having a constant flow of chi (life energy) which flows metaphorically from the tops of mountains down to the land, nourishing everything it passes with that energy as does blood coursing through the veins," she continued sketching up the two concepts on the board. Her drawing was as bad as ever, especially when she depicted the dragon's pulse with an actual dragon that had horns and everything.
"So what makes someone capable of manipulating this energy? Alchemy requires a full understanding of chemistry, physics and ancient alchemical theory, but not all people can become competent alchemists merely by studying. So what is the source of that inherent talent for manipulating matter and energy? Hereditary traits, genetics? That's what this project is set out to find out," the ex-alchemist concluded her monologue.
When absolutely no feedback came, she sighed and spoke up again.
"Any questions?" the blonde asked.
No one had any. Mixed emotions could be seen on the faces of the people in the room. Awe, admiration that the famed Fullmetal Alchemist was going to be conducting a research project with them. Confusion as to the age and height of said alchemist. Shock at his – as they had no idea she was actually a girl – sense of style and absolutely lack of drawing skills.
Yeah, she could see all that etched clearly in the expressions of the people in front of her, but she decided to ignore it.
"Okay, planning meeting to set up hypothesizes and the methodology that we are going to use to prove or disprove them tomorrow at 0900," Fullmetal clapped her hands together to signal that everyone was free to leave.
As the room cleared out, she noticed Mustang leaning against the back wall. It seemed he had come down to Lab 3 to listen to the kick off too.
"What do you want, bastard?" Ed muttered to him as she put her notepads and stuff away. "I was coming to your office after this anyway."
"Oh, nothing, just interesting idea," Roy smirked at her smugly.
"Shut up, you put me up to this. And this at least requires minimal actual alchemy to be performed, at least on my part, which I can have some of the others do," the ex-alchemist huffed.
She would have loved to take part in this personally too, not just supplying the intellectual foundation and idea, like coming up with the tasks the participants will have to do to test their level of alchemical knowledge and abilities that then they can compare to what their ancestors or descendants can do. This will prove to be a very long-running project anyway, who knows how long she will be actually required to be on the team of researchers.
"You could always test if height has anything to do with alchemical aptitude too. Maybe because you are closer to the planet's core, you can use its energy better," he snickered, unable to restrain himself.
"You know that has absolutely nothing to do with it, dammit!" Edeline screeched at the top of her lungs as she stomped past him to get back to HQ.
"Is this really necessary?" the small blonde dubiously looked at the set of disassembled guns in front of her. They had already gone through the theoretical knowledge on firearms, their parts, proper handling, and safety, but when it came to actually touching one Ed would always chicken out, so Riza prepared this task to move her along.
"I recall you promising the General that you will become proficient with it," Hawkeye commented with a small smile as they sat at a table at the shooting range. "That entails also learning to clean and maintain your weapons."
"You do realize I was sort of humoring the bastard. You know as well as I do that guns and I don't mix," Ed recalled that one time when the then lieutenant left her with a gun in the forest. She never ended up using it because she just felt too uncomfortable. After a trip to Gluttony's stomach, it was returned unused to the sniper in front of her. Then again, Fullmetal still had her alchemy at the time. She let out a heavy sigh knowing full well that this was inevitable if she wanted to be useful.
"Let's just start with the basics and then we can build up to actually firing it," Riza tried to reason with her co-worker in her understanding yet no-nonsense attitude that usually carried herself with around the teenager.
"Oooor… I could just use the knives Gracia gave me," Ed hummed, actually contemplating the idea, her mind going back and forth between being determined on actually handling guns and shying away from them.
Edeline had already equipped herself with sheaths on her forearms from which she can pop the throwing knives into her hands with a flick of her wrists, and practiced in most of her spare time to be able to actually use them efficiently. It took some getting used to – compared to her auto-mail blade that she always transmuted back in the day – but she was learning fast.
"That won't do you much good in long range fights," the Captain stated nonchalantly as she focused on meticulously cleaning her own handgun.
"I always liked to just get in the middle of things…" the golden-eyed blonde huffed as if that was a reasonable excuse, but she grudgingly began the process herself anyway. The last thing she wanted was the gun to jam on her when she really needed it and had no other option. Plus Hawkeye wouldn't always be around to baby Ed through the process of maintenance. This was the least off-putting step of the whole thing anyway.
Riza just smiled to herself with a little shake of her head. It seemed the Elric girl had actually paid attention all along despite her protests because she was doing a mighty fine job of cleaning then reassembling the firearm in front of her. She made sure the girl practiced it a couple more times with actually disassembling it too.
"Your feet should be shoulder-width apart," Hawkeye instructed Ed as she stood in front of the target at the shooting range, correcting her stance. "Left foot a step ahead of your right. Lean forward slightly with your knees bent, making sure you're firmly balanced."
It has taken them a few weeks to get the blond ex-alchemist to the point of actually being able to comfortably pick up a loaded gun, and this was finally the day when she was going to shoot it.
"Basically like a fight stance," Ed mused as she bent her knees a little too far.
"Almost. You don't need to crouch that low as if you are trying to jump your target," Riza chuckled a bit as Ed came back up. "Okay, right elbow almost straight left one should be flexed at a slightly obtuse angle, hand cupped under your other hand and the butt of the gun."
"I think I got the hang of it," the younger team member stated as she cradled the mock plastic gun.
"Let's practice aiming," the Captain continued as she handed Ed her the actual gun. "Right arm in line with the handgun and pointed at the target. Good. Ensure that the top of the front sight post is level with the top of the rear sight and that the rear sight appears evenly centered within the notch of the front sight. After leveling the handgun and ensuring your firearm is aimed correctly, you will need to focus on the target…"
After a few more minutes of explaining Ed took a final breath, steadied her aim and began firing at the target. It wasn't half bad for a first try. All of them actually hit the mark, fairly well in one group even if not in the dead center.
Neither of them knew at that moment, but the ex-alchemist was to become one of the best shooters in the army beside the Hawk's Eye. Nonetheless, she would still prefer her knives on any given day.
Time skip – 3 years later after a wild night out…
Having Winry and Al visiting in Central was a nice novelty and change for once from the monotonous daily routine of the office. Ed hadn't seen them in years. The setting could have been different and less embarrassing on her part but that was sort of unavoidable given her recent promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and the night of celebrations Mustang had sprung on her unexpectedly.
More surprisingly Winry had agreed to move to Central to be closer to Ed. She wasn't quite sure yet what that had meant regarding their relationship, but the blond mechanic had already left, right after a late lunch, to catch the last train to Rush Valley to make arrangements to move her business up to Central. Then she was going to head back to Resembool to break the news to Granny Pinako and get her personal belongings from there too. In a couple of weeks she would be around so much that Ed would get sick of her – at least that's what she had promised.
"Nice place you have…" Al commented as they finally entered Ed's apartment in the late afternoon after – at least partially – getting over that hangover at Roy's.
"Yeah, a major's paycheck can go a long way when you don't really have to worry about travel expenses or auto-mail repair costs," she muttered as she glanced back at her brother who was busy looking around in the living room. The fact that she wasn't the one who actually came up with the interior design helped a bunch with the general outlook of the place too.
"You really haven't broken it all these years?" the younger Elric's eyes went wide.
"Nope," the ex-alchemist laughed, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry, make yourself at home," she added once she saw that Al was still standing unsurely by the door.
"So that's why you haven't seen Winry ever since that two-week leave. She wrote to me complaining about that, you know," Al sulked at being the go-between in this lover's quarrel his sister wasn't even aware that she was having with the mechanic.
"Well, if she had maybe written something about that in the letters she sent to the person it actually concerned, then maybe something could have been done about that…" Ed pouted as she flopped down on her couch, Al soon following.
"So are you two going out now? Finally?" he chuckled, looking thoroughly amused once his sister turned beet red.
"Ah… I… have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," she deflected, averting her eyes as she scratched her chin.
"Come on, she is moving to Central… that ought to mean something," her brother pushed on unrelenting, wanting all the juicy details of their heartfelt talk that surely had taken place during Ed's auto-mail checkup since both girls emerged from the room looking immensely calmer. Winry's behavior could have been described even as giddy.
"Nothing happened, okay? I just said that I was sorry and that I would like her to stay and that was all…" Ed burst out suddenly, all flustered.
"No more kissing then?" he teased with an all-knowing smirk.
"Oh, shut up!" the smaller blonde threw a pillow right in his face while becoming all flustered at the images she recalled from last night.
Once they calmed down Ed began to question Al about his time in Xing, what he had seen, how their friend's been, especially Mei after the blush her little brother managed to produce at the mention of the tiny alkahastress.
"So am I going to be an aunt soon?" it was her turn to tease now. Payback time! The reaction she got was nothing she expected though. Although going all sorts of brilliant shades of red, he didn't deny anything vehemently. "No freaking way!" Ed exclaimed at the revelation that her little brother wasn't a virgin anymore. "How old is Mei again? She was like eleven when we first met her…" she did the head calculations. Al was nineteen now. Was that even legal for him to get it on with a sixteen-year-old? Xing laws were said to be stricter on this than the Amestrian ones.
"She was thirteen. Only a year younger than me," Al deadpanned. "Before you jump to conclusions, she is not pregnant, we are being careful."
"I bet you are…" d sipped on the tea that she had prepared for them in the meantime, a little irritatedly. Al was the taller, the more patient, well-mannered, and innocent one… yet he lost his virginity before me… or maybe that was exactly why… it was always the ones you would least suspect.
"That reminds me," he changed the subject quickly. No matter the close bond, sharing the secrets of your sex life with your sister was just plain weird. "I think I found a way to get your alchemy back."
A/N: If you want to read about that night, check out Change of heart :)
Nice cliffhanger isn't it? Don't worry I won't leave you hanging for long.
