"ALCHEMIST HIGH"

Rating: PG-13

Starring: Edward and Alphonse Elric, Sakura Kinomoto from "Cardcaptors", Chi from "Chobits", Karen Kasumi from "X", Roy Mustang, Subaru Sumergai from "X" and Ichirou Mihara from "Angelic Layer"

Chapter 4 - The Alchemy Grounds, Part One

The sky was illuminated by soft blues and pinks. The day had hardly even began as the stars were off to hide and let the sun take over. It was going to be a beautiful day ... but Ed and Al would of prefered to start it much later in the day.

It was only five o'clock in the morning when a soft knock came upon Ed and Al's dorm door. Ed was curled like a cat under his covers and barley heard the knock at all. Al tried as comfortably as he could to lay upon the twin size bed and find some means of sleep, then again, he was too excited to sleep for most of the night. The knock repeated itself as Al slowly opened his eyes and stood up in his bed. He looked over where the wall clock of their room hung and reached over for their class schedule that Ed had left on the bureau. He barley could make any of it out, especially in the dark, but he could tell that their day started pretty early. Uh-Oh .. I think we should of been up already ... Al thought to himself. The knock started again, this time a bit louder. Ed finally fidgeted in his bed over the noise but kept his eyes glued shut. "Go away ..." Ed slowly grumbled, throwing the covers over his head. Al let out a small laugh. Ed never was a morning person, he loved to sleep. Al got out of bed and walked over to Ed. He placed his hand on his shoulder and softly shook him. "Brother, brother? You have to wake up! I think we may be late for our first class!"

Before Ed could answer Al, the knock became even louder and heavier. Ed made a loud grunt as he dug his head into his pillow to muffle it out. "Go away! Just a few more minutes!" he yelled out. Suddenly, the door swung open, sending Al into a fright as his metal body made a loud rattle on the floor. Ed opened his eyes wide as he took a hold of his pillow and threw it towards the figure who had so abruptly made an early wake up call. The pillow was caught in mid-air. "Well, I'll know better then to get on your bad side in the mornings ..."

"Oh, Miss Kasumi!" Al called out.

Karen grasped the pillow under her arm and walked into the boys room. She threw on the light, blinding Ed near to death. "Jeez, warn a guy before you do that, would ya?" Ed complained, the groginess still bearing in his throat. Ed then immediatly pulled the covers under his chin as a slight blush crossed his cheeks. Karen had just walked in, early as hell, and all Ed was dressed in was a loose white tank and shorts with his hair out of its braid. Karen laughed as she threw the pillow back towards Ed, hitting him slightly in the face. "I'll remember that for next time." she replied. Al stood to his feet as Ed placed the pillow back on his bed and let out a yawn. "So, why the early visit, Miss Kasumi?" Al asked. Karen sat on Al's bed, delicatly crossing her legs and crossing her arms. "I thought, it being your first day of classes and all that I would be your wake up call. You boys have quite a bit to catch up on having started a few months late in the year, so your classes will be very early for the time being. Seeing your reaction Ed, I'd say I made the right choice." she laughed to herself. During her explanation, Ed had already tied up his hair to its usual braid and sat up in his bed. "Don't worry, if there's anyone who can catch up when it comes academically ... its me and Al." Ed assured Karen. "That's right. After all, Ed and I learned the difficulties of alchemy when we were just kids! We'll definitly not slack off Miss Kasumi!" Al reassured her, completley behind his brother. Karen gave them a motherly smile and laughed to herself. "I have no doubt ... I expect great things from you boys. Now ... its best you two get ready and report to class room 205. Your first class is with Ichirou Mihara ..."

"Doesn't he have other students?" Ed asked.

"No ... for his first period, he has only you and your brother. A sort of one on two class so he can help you boys in a crash course to catch up. I'm sure you'll find him ... familiar in nature." she replied, standing from Al's bed and waving back towards them as she made her way out the door. "By the way, how did you boys like the school so far? Found your way around okay?" she asked. Al happily answered her question with such child excitement. "Its amazing! We had no trouble looking around, not with Sakura's help!"

"Sakura? Sakura Kinomoto? Hm, always the sweet little volunteer." she replied.

"You know her well?" Ed asked. Karen leaned upon the door, again crossing her arms and looking out the hallway window. "She's a great student ... a sweet child and has a heart more then likely bigger then this school. I'm happy to see that you guys have become friends. In the meantime, I'll be checking up on you boys during the day to see how your classes went. Mr. Mihara is waiting ... and believe me, if you don't come to him, he'll come to you. And that's always a riot." she exclaimed sweetly, making her way out and closing the door behind her. Ed and Al looked at eachother confused and Al crossed his arms. "A riot? What do you suppose that means?" he asked. Ed sighed heavily as he flexed his fingers on his automail arm. "How the heck should I know? But I don't think I want to find out ... let's just get going so we're not any later then we have to be."

"Right." Al agreed.

The sun just started to peak into the windows of the school as Ed and Al began making their way across from the dorms and to room 205. Al was so excited, not only because the school was emaculate and amazing, but it made him feel like a kid again, minus the metal armor that held his soul. Ed kept his eye on the unmoved campus. A few young teens were walking across campus to early classes, even some State Alchemists were on the early move for the day. He couldn't help but hear his gut tell him something else was going on with the school, but with nothing out of the ordinary, he numerously dismissed his uneasiness. Al pulled out the schedule and tried his best to figure out where room 205 was located. "Um ... uh ... I think we're ... close?" Al replied, squinting towards the sheet. "Give me that!" Ed replied, snatching the paper from Al's hands. "Lets see ... if I'm not mistaken ... this Mihara's class should be-"

"WIGGLY E-CHAN!"

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Ed and Al both yelled in unison. Al fell back, landing with a metal clank as Ed fell back right in Al's lap. Ed held his hand on his heart as his breathing became rapid. "What the-" Ed managed to utter, as the both looked upon a tall lanky man in a white lab coat. He walked towards them as he wiggled his body and arms. "W-Who are you?" Al replied, a little scared. The man in the lab coat stopped his movement. He crossed his hands in front of his chest and smiled widely as he glared at the boys through his glasses. "You must be the Elric Brothers ..." he announced. Ed and Al became a little uneasy with this weird stranger before them. Ed's uneasy instincts about the school flourished again within seconds, as he looked at this man with distrust. The man in the lab coat walked closer towards them and bent down to their level. He reached into a pocket in the inside of the lab coat and pulled out a picture. He looked from the picture to the boys and back again. He looked sternly upon the boys as they all shared a moment of silence. Then, out of nowhere, the man let out a big smile. "You are the Elric Brothers! And aren't you two just adorable? Your picture doesn't do you justice!" he playfully squealed. The boys faces went ... blank. "And to think I have the legendary Elric Brothers as my pupils! Wait till I tell the other teachers, they'll be so green with envy! Lucky me!" he squealed again, this time holding the picture to his cheek. "Um ... e-excuse me ..." Al softly replied. "Yes Alphonse?" the man answered back, his face still sparkling with adoration and glory. "Your pupils? Does that mean your -"

"No! That's impossible!" Ed replied, cutting him off.

The man's glasses gleamed as he let off a smirk. He stood up as he placed a hand on his hip and the other with the picture to his lips. "That's right boys ... your teacher for the next six weeks ... the one responsible for getting you boys caught up with the rest of your Mokona class ... Ichirou Mihara! But you can call me E-chan!" he announced happily. Ed let out a soft nervous laugh as Al's face was a stone surprise. "Now come on boys! To the classroom ... we have a lot to go over and not enough time to do it!" Mihara sang, leading the way inside towards the East Side of the campus. "Well ... it could be fun ..." Al said, trying to convince himself as well as his brother. "Hey, brother ... is it just me .. or does he remind you of someone else we know?" Al asked, now settling down. Ed stopped laughing for a minute and looked towards where Mihara had walked away. Ed let out a scoffing laugh and scratched his head. "Yeah, I know ... he acts just like-"

"Hughes!"

At that same moment, back in Karin's office, Karin was on the phone with Maes Hughes, who was back at Central. "Jeez, Karin! Do you really have to yell my ear off? I can hear you perfectly fine!" Hughes replied, covering one ear. Karin let out a loud sigh as she took a seat at her desk. She brought the phone to her other ear, and held it there with her shoulder. "I told you not to call me here during day hours ... you know if any of the higher ups of the State Military catch wind that we're still in friendly contact -"

"Hm ... you know better then to worry about that Karin. You know our conversations are well covered well beneath even our supreme commander in chief." Hughes assured her. Karin paused for a minute. Her eyes wavered a bit as she smiled. "Roy." she replied. Hughes let out a laugh. "Surprised? He has quite a lot of power ... more then he used to if you remember. So he has more then enough to make sure certain phone calls are off record." Karin leaned back in her seat, and turned it towards the window. "Its amazing ... he can cover phone calls you make to me but he won't do the same for himself. He's taken every chance he gets to avoid me ..." she softly replied, holding back a possibility of tears. "Now stop that ... if he was going out of his way to avoid you, do you really think he would of showed up with me when we dropped off Ed and Al?" he sharply answered back. Karin let the thought of it sink it as she remembered when she saw Roy that day. "I guess not ... but Hughes ..."

"Listen Karin ... there's a real reason for me calling this time." he interrupted. Karin laughed a bit. "You mean we're not doing our usual girl chat banter? Not even a Elicia story?" she joked. Hughes let out a soft laugh as he took off his glasses and smiled to himself. "I'll make up for it, I promise. But I'm speaking on behalf of Roy ... he's worried about you." Karin scoffed, rose from her seat and stood at the window, overlooking the now bustling campus. "He doesn't have to worry anymore, Hughes. I transfered over to this school so the higher ups would turn their eyes off Roy ... I did it to help him. To keep me out of the picture like he wanted and to keep the eyes of the military fixated elsewhere so that Roy could work on his heading up." she throughly explained. Hughes twiddled his glasses with his fingers and sighed. "Karin ... he's worried about you personally ... not worried about you because of the military."

" ...Why?"

"Roy mentioned something that day after we dropped the boys off. He didn't feel right after we left. Something about the presence of the school. And I have to admit ... I felt the same."

Karin scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. "I don't understand ..." she questioned. "Roy just wanted to check up on you ... he does think about you all the time you know, despite all that has happened." Hughes assured her, trying to keep her calm. He didn't want to stir up any trouble for her, especially if what he and Roy were feeling was just a fluke. Karin smiled and laughed. "I know ... you keep telling me that. I just hope things will change ... where we don't have to be strangers anymore."

"It will. I promise you that. But uh ... you know, for now could you-"

"Hughes, you don't have to ask. I don't understand this feeling you both are feeling from the school ... but I'll keep my eye out for anything and see if there's anything on the background of the school that could pose some problem. Besides, your a major remember and I must follow orders."

Hughes placed his glasses back on his face and leaned back in his chair. "Your a doll, Karin. I'll tell Roy. And, Karin ..."

"Yes?"

"Your still a knockout."

Karin's entire face flushed red as she nearly dropped the phone. "H-Hughes? A-A-Are you feeling alright?" she stammered to reply. Hughes let out a loud laugh. "That wasn't from me ... that's from Roy ... he told me that after he saw you that day. Heh, just thought I would leave you with that little tidbit before I said goodbye ... well, goodbye!" he quickly replied, immediatly hanging up the phone. Karin was left speechless, as she slowly went to hang up the phone. Her face still remained red as she held her hand to her heated cheek. She looked back over to the window as her eyes fell on a picture she had hidden between some books. She pulled it out and gazed upon it. She hadn't looked upon it in years. It was a picture of her and Roy and Hughes. Quite a few years ago. She had longer hair back then, that passed below her shoulders a bit, still curly and unruly. They were in front of the officer training district before they went onto become militants of the military ... before Roy took his own State Alchemy Exam. She stood between them, with a big smile on her face and her hand in salute. A clean shaved Hughes stood by her left, with a big smile on his face and his hand up in a peace sign. Roy, a very young and all about living his life, stood to Karin's right. He had a caring a charming smile on his lips. His arm was wrapped around Karin's shoulder and his head was tilted towards hers.

It was a picture of simpler times. When three best friends had the same dream and went on to fufill them. When they had fun and when their worries were only where were they going to eat that night. But times change ... without warning. No one knew that better then Karin. She looked at Roy in the picture again and smiled. "Hm ... your still a knockout too, Roy."

"Once again, Mihara-"

"THAT'S E-CHAN MR. EDWARD!" Mihara yelled out. Ed and Al sat in the large classroom that belonged to Ichirou Mihara. It was large, obviously for a class of at least fifty or so, in the construction of a college classroom. But in it was just these three. Al sat next to his brother, taking notes in an empty notebook given to him by Mr. Mihara. Edward also had one, but it laid there empty. Ed laid his head on the desk, tired. Four hours had passed and Ichirou had begun to run out of blackboard to write on, which had extended from one end of the room to the other. "Okay, alright already ... E-chan ..."

"Yes, Ed?" Mihara replied lovingly. "Listen, not that your class wasn't invigorating and such but ...all you've taught us is the basic of alchemy. I know this may come as a shock but ... we know everything there is to know about basic laws, principles and bases of alchemy, I mean for one, I AM a State Alchemist." Ed sharply pointed out. Ichirou stood at his desk very sternly for a second as he crossed his arms. "Then I'm surprised you didn't pick up on anything within this class, Ed. There's much more to alchemy then just reviewing up on it ... you find much more secrets and an even bigger spectrum to alchemy when you read between the lines." Ichirou's sudden comeback to Ed left Ed speechless for a moment and also made him feel a bit like an idiot. "Going over the basics isn't a waste of time Ed ... you may find it to be a useful strategy in your own alchemy. If you and your brother intend to take classes here and sharpen your skills Ed, start by sharpening on opening your mind."

A sting hit Ed. This Ichirou Mihara was quite a fellow. Very much like Hughes in almost every way, especially in his surprsing alertness, wit and astute manner despite his joking and childish banter before. Ed casted his eyes downward momentarily and bit his lip. "Sorry ..." he managed to get out. "Brother, its only the first day ... and we've been up since pretty early. Don't just brush stuff off ... we should make the most of it." Al assured his brother, placing his hand on Ed's shoulder. Ed nodded and picked up his pen. "Your right Al ... sorry. Please continue Mr. Mi- I mean, E-chan." Ed exclaimed. Mihara smiled and placed his chalk down. "We'll continue tomorrow ... I've worked you guys enough for one day. Take the rest of the day off and I'll see you same time tomorrow." he exclaimed, taking the eraser and erasing the board. Ed and Al couldn't help but be a little relieved. They couldn't be bound to sitting in those chairs one more minute.

The boys made their way out the door and into the hallway, where the encountered the large student body of Alchemy High. "Whoa ..." Ed replied. Al laughed. "I guess there's a whole lot more students here then the few we saw last time." he exclaimed. Many of the younger students as they ran in the halls, stopped in their tracks and looked over at Al. He was a very ominous presence in that metal of his. Even a few students their age looked over to them, whispering to each other and eyeing them in awe. Ed sighed and smiled nervously. "I think we're going to start getting very populer again ..." Ed whispered over to Al. "Heh, well at least we'll have friends ..." Al replied, waving to a pair of young boys who happily waved back. "And I don't feel so alienated here because of my armor." Ed smiled over at Al, happy that he was enjoying this place so much. "Well, as far as I'm concerned ... I'm happy to have made one friend-"

"Ed! Al!"

Ed smiled widely as he looked over to his right. Perfect timing, he thought to himself as the young and upbeat Sakura came running towards them. "Sakura!" Al happily called back after her. Sakura caught up to the boys as she started catching her breath. She held her bag to her side and the same Botany book in her hands. "Good morning!" she sweetly chimed. "Morning!" the boys greeted in return. Sakura fumbled a bit with her book and the weight of her backpack as she tried to talk to them. Without hesitation, Ed quickly grabbed the book from her hands and held it for her. "How was your class with Mr. E-chan?" Sakura asked, bowing slightly as a thank you to Ed. Al happily laughed. "I really like him! He reminds us of another friend we have!"

"Heh, yeah just what we need ... another insane friend! He's not too bad ..."

Suddenly, a loud grumble could be heard from Ed's stomach. Ed groaned a bit as he held the Botany book to his stomach to try and quiet it down. "Aw, Ed are you hungry?" Sakura asked. Ed slowly nodded his head, as the grumbling in his stomach got worse. "We haven't eaten a thing since we woke up-" Al stated. "Then lets go to the mess hall! We can get something to eat and hang out ... I have the rest of the day off too." she exclaimed. "Perfect ... now how close is this mess hall?" Ed replied, his face slowly turning white. Al held on to his brothers shoulders as he helped him walk. Sakura led the way, walking slowly backwards so she could face Ed and Al. "Hey, I was wondering ... since you guys wanted to check out more of the school, I figured you guys would really like to go see the Alchemy Grounds."

Al and Ed stopped in their tracks for a moment. "Alchemy Grounds?" Ed asked almost in a whisper. Sakura nodded. "Uh-huh, its where anyone of the student body can practice their skills against others, like a duel. Just studying alchemy doesn't make you better, but putting it in actual use is a big part of it too!" Ed's eyes gleamed as he smiled a wicked smile. "Heh, and I thought this place was just books, teachers and tests ... now I'm really loving the place!" Ed responded. Al laughed nervously. "Ed's gonna love it ... he loves to put what he's learned and see how he can use it! Hey brother, it will be just like when you fought Lieutenant Cornel ..."

"Yea, but this time I'll get to show my real skills! I went easy on Mustang that time!"

"Yea, sure you did ..." Al jokingly responded.

Sakura laughed at them as they continued making their way down to the mess hall. Watching from down the hall and hiding behind the corner was a shadowy figure. He was dressed in a plain black high school uniform and had dark brown hair. His arms were crossed as he watched the three of them leave the hallway. His eyes set on Sakura and gritt his teeth at the sight of the other two. Keh ... he thought to himself ... your nowhere in her league ... Fullmetal.

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE ALCHEMY GROUNDS, PART TWO