Fullmetal Alchemist: Angels of Mercy-

Chapter One: Turn of Fate

Disclaimer: I do not own:

Ed: Me.

Al: Or me.

Roy: Or me...

Other characters: Or us.

But I do own:

Yuki: Hello!

Shiro: Konnichiwa!

Kai: Yo.

Taylia: Hello :3

ON WITH THE STORY!


"I was told you have a sick child?"

The man in the doorway stared dumbly at the green-cloaked young woman in the doorway and nodded. She looked past him.

"Would you show me to them? I have found a cure for the disease."

Still thunderstruck by the courage/nerve (whichever it was) by her, he simply moved aside and let her walk in.

He didn't even need to show him into the sick girl's room; she simply followed the sounds of coughing.

"Elisa Vercio, am I correct?"

"Y-yeah. If you don't mind my asking, who are you?"

The young woman in the cloak looked to Elisa's father with a smile.

"Shiro Calov, sir. Now, if I may have your permission, I have the cure for the coughing disease that has been infecting Xenotime."

Mr. Vercio just nodded. Shiro walked over to the sick little girl and withdrew a small vial of a strange blue liquid from a pocket inside her cloak. She set down a doctor's bag and dug out a syringe and needle, filling it with the krylon blue substance before injecting it into Elisa's arm. As she wrapped the dirtied needle in cotton, Elisa's coughing died down to a peaceful, easy breathing pattern. Shiro smiled softly, kissed the girl's forehead and stood up.

"Thank you, thank you so much Ms. Calov." Mr. Vercio half-wept.

"You're very welcome. Now, I have quite a few more houses to visit."

As she headed out the door into the night, Mr. Vercio called out to her.

"Please be careful, miss! There are wild chimeras running rampant around here!"

"I will!"


On the other side of Xenotime, a similarly clad girl left the last patient's house, running dangerously low on vaccine.

I'll have to make more.

Out of the quiet night air, a fierce roar overlapped a piercing scream.

Shiro…


Shiro rolling-ducked as a wolf-cougar chimera pounced at her, but she wasn't fast enough to avoid getting several huge gashes across her back. The healer alchemist hissed in pain.

Damn it…

Pulling a knife out of her pocket, she quickly carved a transmutation circle into the trunk of a tree before slamming her hand on it and drawing out a bo staff. As the chimera ran at her, she spun it around in her hand before swinging it with all her might at the beast, making forceful contact with its head. The beast roared furiously and charged again, its huge jaws clamping down on her staff and snapping it in two pieces. One swipe of a paw, and Shiro splashed into the water on her side, too hurt to stand up again.

Wait… this water… it's infected…

That was the only thought that could go through her mind before a gunshot rang out. A dying yowl came out of nowhere, then there was silence. As footsteps came toward her, Shiro blacked out.


"Shiro! Damn it Shiro, where are you?"

Growing worried and impatient, Yuki picked up the pace as she continued her frantic search for the older healer. She knew Shiro wasn't too bad a fighter, but she couldn't help but be concerned. As she stepped into a clearing, she yelled up to the full moon.

"SHIRO!"

"So she's your friend, is she?"

In less than a second, Yuki whirled around with a kunai (1) between each finger, ready to fight whoever it was that spoke. Out of the shadows of the trees, a young man with blonde hair covering one of his eyes appeared. In his arms was Shiro, soaked in what blood and some other magenta-red liquid. She was injured in multiple places, and the man carrying her had a large wound on his chest, the kind made by claws off some kind of big animal.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt her. You can put those away."

Yuki eyed him suspisciously.

"And why should I trust you?" She demanded.

"Would you rather that we stand here arguing while the red water chances getting into her bloodstream?"

He had her on that one...

Damn it.

"Fine, but I'm watching you."

That seemed to be a good enough answer.

"Fine. Follow me."


Yuki followed him out of the forest to one side of town she hadn't seen before. She couldn't help but feel a little more relaxed when the scent of lemons wafted into the area as they approached a small log cabinbehind the lemon grove.

"Belsio, Fletcher,you there?"

"Russell?"

Two sets of footsteps, one heavy and slow compared to the other set that was apparently running down the stairs. The dull glow of an oil lamp came closer, held by a boy not much younger than the one carrying Shiro. He too had messy blonde hair and blue eyes, and wore a green dog-ear hat, white shirt and dark green trousers. He couldn't have been much older than Yuki herself.

"Get the first aid kit and antidote, Fletcher. This girl was attacked by a chimera, and red water may have entered her bloodstream via the wounds."

" 'Kay."

As quickly as he'd come, Fletcher dashed off again in search of said medical supplies. Yuki watched like a hawk, a kunai in hand,as Russell took Shiro into another room and gently put her down on an empty bed. Shiro was starting to sweat, and her breathing was becoming more rapid as if she were hyperventilating. Fletcher came in through the doorway with a box, the first aid kit, and a vial of a reddish-purple liquid.

"Thanks."

"Sure thing, brother."

Fletcher looked over at Yuki, who still hadn't spoken. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted by his older brother.

"You, girl, you'll have to take her shirt off and dress her wounds."

Yuki glowered at the nickname.

"I have a name. It's Yuki Harlequin, if you don't mind." She snapped.

"Fine, Yuki. Now if you would be so kind." He repeated, gesturing to her wounded friend.

She walked over to the bed, but turned around.

"Both of you, shoo. Out!"


Nnn... wha... where am I?

Half-opening one Prussian blue eye, her vision showed nothing. Opening both eyes all the way, her vision slowly came in to focus as she recognized Yuki's roan cloak hanging on a peg from the door, which stood slightly ajar. Forcing herself to sit up, she winced slightly. Shiro looked down at herself. Her shirt, which had been clawed to ribbons by that chimera, had been removed, and now she was bandaged on her back, shoulders, chest,right armand abdomen. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the excellent quality wrap job on her bandages was Yuki's handiwork. Familiar footsteps clomped towards the door as she tried to stand up, leaning heavily on the wall. The door opened, but all that could be seen was a silhouette.

So, my rescuer was a man. Why am I reminded of Snow White? The last part she thought bitterly.

Trying to take a step forward, her knees gave, but whoever it was standing in the doorway was fast enough to catch her before she hit the wood floor.

"Try not to over-exert yourself, you're still healing."

She could feel the slight vibration of a man's voice against his strong chest, her hands instinctively gripping his upper arms while his hands held securely to her waist. Her face flushed slightly, but before she had the chance to register that she was being unusually shy, a coughing fit shook her slender frame.

"That red water must have made you sick. The best thing you can do now is rest."

Her savior's hands moved to her arms and helped her to sit back down on her bed again.

He's gentle...

"Get some sleep. Your friend is out distributing more cough vaccines and won't be back for a while."

Suddenly feeling very tired, she lay down. He pulled the sheet up to her shoulders and walked towards the door.

"Wait."

He looked back at her.

"What is your name?"

He paused a second.

"Russell Tringham."

Russell...

Without even another thought, the comfortable unconsciousness of sleep overtook her.

(1) Kunai- Throwing knife