Disclaimer: I still don't own FMA as much as I wish I did...I don't, I own this story and the original characters that I made up.
Just a quick note: The next chapters are really super short, so i'll put chapters 5 and 6 on together ok?
Roy was now Colonel. He had been contacted by a 12 year old boy, who wanted to become a state alchemist. Today he was waiting for the boy and his younger brother to arrive. He met them outside the office building, with a kind greeting. One boy was in a tall metal suit of armor, and one was a short blonde boy. Roy turned to the suit of armor, "you must be Edward Elric, I'll be glad to take you to my office and talk about your taking the exam." "Ahem..." Roy turned to the blonde boy, "I'm Edward Elric..this is my little brother Alphonse," he gestured toward the suit of armor. "Oh, I'm sorry..I've just never seen such a small alchemist..." Roy said with a smirk. Edward obviously got angry..."WHAT'RE YOU TALKIN' ABOUT! THAT I'M SO SMALL I CAN'T EVEN REACH A DOOR KNOB! WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M A TINY SHRIMP?" "Brother please, he didn't say all that!" Alphonse tried to soothe his older brother. "I'm sorry he got so mad, Sir, but he really hates when people comment on his...height.." "Or the lack thereof?" Roy said with another smirk. "Really though, Edward, I was just joking." Edward frowned, "can't we just get up to your office and schedule an exam?" He asked impatiently. "In a little while, Edward, I'm waiting for my little girl to get home from school first..." Roy said with a proud smile. "We didn't know you were married, Sir," Alphonse commented. "Oh, I'm not, my baby is adopted. I was a good friend of her parents, but they died." Roy explained quickly.
The boys expected a tiny child of maybe about 5 years old the way Roy talked about her...but they soon discovered that they were very mistaken. A young girl of 10 wearing a pink skirt and a white top with a pink bow around her shoulders, white knee socks, and pink shoes, obviously a school uniform, with long brown pig-tails, tan skin, and glistening hazel eyes came skipping up the street. That can't be Mustang's kid! Edward thought. Alphonse and Edward stared at the beautiful girl as she ran up to Mustang and hugged him. "Hi Daddy!" "Hello Princess, how was school?" "Great, but I'm glad to be home with you now." She stopped and looked at the two boys who were looking at her in disbelief. "Sweetheart, these are the Elric Brothers, Edward and Alphonse. Edward wants to take the state alchemy exam." She smiled at them and said "nice to meet you." The boys smiled beack at her.
Edward got a feeling in his heart from this girl that seemed to ease his pain. When he smiled at her, he felt like he was really smiling for the first time since...the accident.
The four of them went up to Roy's office and sat down. "So, " Roy began, "what's your story?" "Well.." Edward answered, "I'd like to become a state alchemist to undo some things that I've done..to my brother," he gestured at his brother again. Roy looked puzzled, "I don't understand.." "Look," Alphonse said drawing everyone's attention to him, he removed his helmet and Roy and Calien were shocked to discover that the suit of armor was empty, there was no person inside. "When our mother died, we studied alchemy so that we could try to bring her back...We failed...I failed." Ed said looking at the floor, ashamed of his actions. "I made Al do this...We didn't get our mother back, and I lost my left leg...Then things got worse...I lost Al's body, all I could do to get him back was sacrifice my right arm in exchange for his soul, and attach it to the suit of armor." He quickly glanced at Calien to see how horrified she looked. Tears were in her eyes, but there was no horror or fear.
"I see," said Roy..."So...what can being a state alchemist do to help you?" "We're looking for the Philosopher's Stone...so we can get our normal bodies back." Ed said quietly. "All right," Roy said, "You'll be tested in three days, be warned, however, you'll be tested against me...the flame alchemist," he said with a grin. "I'll do my best." Ed replied with a smirk. "Until then, you boys will be in the room down the hall on the right...across from Calien's room," Roy said with a smile, "please take them down there, sweety." "Sure, Dad," the girl said obediently, she stood up and smiled at the boys, "follow me, guys," she said. The boys silently stood in unison and followed the girl out of the room. When they reached the room, the girl smiled at them again, and Ed got a warm feeling in his chest that he didn't understand. "This is your room, guys," Calien said in a friendly voice. "Thanks," Ed said, "We didn't get to learn your name," he added. "Oh," she said, "I'm Calien." She smiled again. "You wanna stay for a little while?" Ed asked. "Okay," she said with a smile. The three of them went inside and sat down to talk for a little while.
Down the hall, Maes saw them go into the room, and he threw open the door to Roy's office. Roy explained the boys' story and Maes told Roy what he had just seen. "If the boy becomes an alchemist, I was planning on assigning Calien with him..she'll be a state alchemist soon, ya know," Roy beamed proudly. "If you partner them together, that boy will fall for her, I can feel it," Hughes said. "Don't be outrageous!" Roy scoffed, "They're only children." "Just trust me," Maes warned. "By the way," he added, "look at this picture of our baby, Roy! Isn't she just a little piece of heaven on Earth?" "Of course Maes..." Roy trailed off. Maes and Gracia had had a baby girl that year, they named her Elicia. She was only about three months now. Calien spent a lot of time with the new baby, and helped Gracia care for the baby. Helping to give her baths and feed her, even changing her diapers. Calien loved the new baby as if they were sisters. Maes and Roy would be the only two adults at Central who would know of the Elrics' misake. Roy told the others that they had been in an accident during the civil war in the East.
Back in the boys' room, Calien sat down on one of the beds. "So, how old are you?" She asked, trying to make conversation even though she was normally shy around new people. "I'm 11 and Brother is 12," Al said, "How about you?" "Me? I'm 10...I'm going to be a state alchemist one day too," she beamed. "Oh yeah?" Ed asked with genuine interest. "What do you specialize in?" "I've been practicing being a water alchemist..like my biological father was..watch!" She jumped up and thought for a second, a light seemed to go on in her mind as her eyes widened. She poured a glass of water and then she touched the glass and closed her eyes..concentrating, the water started to bubble. Ed and Al watched in amazement as the water came out of the glass into mid air, became a blade and froze. "See how sharp it is," she handed it to Ed. He ran his finger along it and it neatly slit his finger, a drop of blood trickled out. "That's pretty good," he admitted with a gentle smile. "And it won't melt until I melt it." She added proudly. "I'm going to have a hard time getting into the military, though," she sighed. "Why's that?" Al asked. "Because I have to beat my dad, and someone else because I'm his family member, so to make sure that he didn't cheat to let me in I'll have to beat him and then someone else." She mumbled gloomily. "I bet you can do it," Ed reassured her. Calien smiled at him, "thanks, Ed." "That reminds me," Ed began, "why don't you need a transmutation circle, if you're not already a state alchemist..you don't have a watch, and you don't wear any gloves..." She giggled and showed them the circles on her hands. "You're a...natural alchemist?" Ed said in surprise. "Yeah, my father was James Anarnore..the water alchemist." "I've heard of him, I hear he was a strong alchemist." Ed smiled as he said it. "Well..I should go do my homework," Calien stood to leave. "It was really great meeting you, Edward and Alphonse Elric." Before she left, however, Ed had to tell her one more thing. "Wait!" He called to her. "Yes?" She said turning to him again. "I like you, Calien..it's not too often I meet people who are shorter than me." He smiled and stood very close to her comparing their height. He was, in fact, taller than she was by three inches. "Well..." she said, "I was born prematurely..four months actually, and the doctors said that I would be naturally small for the rest of my life, and I grow slowly also. So, I wouldn't be like this if I weren't born so early." She winked and smiled at them and left the room.
Ed touched the door after it closed behind Calien. "There was something about that girl.." Ed said. Al chuckled to himself. "What?" Ed demanded. "Nothing, Brother."
Thanks again for reading my story. Please review...Getting new reviews brightens my day :) . Bye-bye for now guys!