Chapter 2: Colonel Mustang and 2nd Lt. Hawkeye

The train comes to a quiet stop, as long as you weren't paying to the squealing and chugging of the wheels. Ed opens his eyes and looks at Al. Shoving him in the shoulder, his brother groans and wakes up rubbing his eyes, still a little weary. Ed grins and says, "We're here Alphonse. We're back." Al shot to his feet almost instantly and looks down at his still sitting brother.

Ed stands up and beside his brother. They walk side by side down the aisle and leave the train, hopping off the steps. Central was a big city in the center of all the towns in its area.

It was clean and usually was the home of the State Alchemists. In other words, it was their Headquarters. They walk down the dirt road and stop in front of a large set of buildings. The library was being rebuilt just a ways down. All of the books were being rewritten thanks to a woman who had read every book and remembered every last word in all of them.

They push the doors open and walk in. The first to see them was Colonel Roy Mustang. The Flame Alchemist. With a snap of his fingers he can make a spark then manipulate it into flames. (Author's Note: If you don't watch Full Metal Alchemist, each character will be introduced.) "Hey, it's the shrimp!" Roy calls, waving as he came towards them.

Ed's eye twitches and he flips out. "I'M NOT A SHRIMP! I'LL SHOW YOU A SHRIMP! AHAHA! I'LL SHOVE MY BOOT UP YOUR.." Alphonse, who had caught him as he jumped in the air, had covered his mouth quickly. Before he had a chance to say anything rash, he cuts him off.

Roy comes up to them and stands still. "So, it seems you both have gotten your bodies back. You must be Alphonse, in the ….flesh I think I should say?" Roy says to him, becoming curious. Al nods and bows a little, holding his brother to the side.

Al instantly noticed something different about Roy. There was a patch over his eye. "What…happened?" He points to his eye.

"Our so called Fuhrer did that…it seems he was a homunculus." Roy responds to Al's pointing and questioning. "I was shot in the eye." He grins proudly. "Thankfully…"

Riza Hawkeye cuts him off as she walks up to them. "Thank fully I was just outside and came in to take care of his wound." She finishes his sentence and bows forward a little to Ed and Al. "I'm sorry about interrupting you Colonel." Riza whispers to him as she stands up straight again.

"So…who's the Fuhrer now?" Edward asks, clearly he had cooled down after their soft talking and such.

Roy grins proudly and places his hands at his hips. "Not me," he sighs sadly. Al and Ed slap their foreheads. "The new Fuhrer….is no one. There is no Fuhrer. We decided to run the country as a government of State Alchemists' Edward." Roy adds answering Ed and Al's brain fried expressions. Soon enough they nod and agree that what the State Alchemists' decided as a whole must have been the right choice.

Lt. Hawkeye smiles at Ed and Al. "I'm glad to see you back in these parts Full Metal." She says happily. "And I'm happy that we will all get to see what your brother looks like." Riza adds softly as she salutes for a moment then turns and leaves, her hands at her sides, moving in a soft rhythm.

Ed and Al smile and salute for a moment as well as she leaves, turning a corner down the hallway. They drop their arms and turn their full attention to Mustang. "Colonel, I'd like for you to grant the permission to allow my brother take the State Alchemist's exam." Ed says, bowing his head, he made a face at Roy as he continued to look at the ground. He didn't hate Roy; he just hated his dumbass remarks. He feels Mustang pat his head and he growls under his breath. Why pet him? He's not really a dog even though he had earned another nickname. The dog of the state. Everyone knew he took the jobs that other State Alchemists wouldn't take back when he was younger, and seeking out the Philosopher's stone for his brother and himself.

"Fine, Edward. I'll grant your brother permission to take the State Exam. But first you have to do something in return." An evil smirk appears on his face making Al flinch.

Ed looks up and glares at the Flame Alchemist. "What…might that be, Colonel?" he grumbles in annoyance.

An hour later sitting in what seemed like an Alchemist's dorm room. Ed was yelling out furiously. "No! No! No! No! That piece of crap Mustang!" He couldn't believe what Mustang was ordering him to do. It was like blackmail almost. "He's such a damn idiot! How does he know about that!" he moans in irritation as he falls backward and rests on the couch in the living area of the dorm.

"Please brother," Alphonse was practically begging on his knees. "I want to become a State Alchemist just like you!" His eyes suddenly appeared to have floating hearts in them. Ed knew his brother looked up to him…. though he was always literally looking down on him. Since, his being taller and all. They both sigh almost at the exact same time. Al had the feeling Ed was just about to give him and do as Roy had ordered.

Ed groans and sits up, leaning his back against the supporting end of the couch. "Why does he want me to say that though!" he yells demanding an answer. But, no one in the room could answer it. Especially since there were only two people in the dorm. Al shrugs and stares at his brother with puppy dog eyes. "Fine, fine Al! I'll do it, but only because you're my brother." He says still annoyed about what Mustang wants him to do.

The next day, Ed stood up on a table in the State Alchemists' cafeteria. Roy grinning and sitting at a table just across from the one he was on. Alphonse, Lt. Hawkeye, and Lt. Major Havoc sat beside Mustang.

Ed pulls off the gray glove on his right hand. The auto mail hand became visible to everyone in the café. Someone sets a brown cloth at Ed's feet and he looked down at it and sighed to himself. Clapping his hands he brings himself down and touches the cloth. Then he touches himself. A dog costume appeared on him. He sat on the table and looked around, his eyes closed. "I'm the dog of the military. You can call me… Hagaren No Baka." He says softly, and then he looks at Roy and sees him make a gesture to keep going. "And of course, in due to my shortness you can say Hagaren No Chibi." The State Alchemist's in the cafeteria crack up in laughter.

The only people not laughing were Major Ross and 2nd Lt. Riza Hawkeye. Alphonse didn't laugh either, but he was stunned and dumbfounded. He had no idea what Roy told him, he didn't know the complete sentences and such. 'Full Metal Idiot' or 'Full Metal Pipsqueak'. Ed seemed struck with humiliation. He had said all of that just to make sure his younger brother got a shot at becoming a State Alchemist.