This was actually the first episode I ever wrote. It's my favorite. Hope you guys like it too.

Same disclaimer as always

13 Flame vs. Fullmetal

East Headquarters was grey. Huge, cold raindrops fell from the sky, drenching the FullMetal Alchemist and his brother. Edward Elric stood at the gates of East Headquarters, shoulders slumped in defeat.

Taking note of his brother's mood, Al asked, "What's wrong, Niisan?"

The short, blond boy heaved an irritated sigh. "I can already hear that smug Colonel. 'So Lior was another dead end? How much longer are you going to waste military funds on this wild goose chase?'" Ed mimicked, stomping around gesturing wildly.

Al sighed, used to his brother's outbursts. A soft noise around the corner caught his attention.

"'Oh, where did Ed go?'" Ed continued to mock his superior, Colonel Mustang. "I'm right here!" he answered for himself in his mock conversation. "'Sorry, sorry, I didn't see you behind that stack of papers.'" Ed stopped his ranting and pacing and heaved another sigh, his outrage draining out of his body with each raindrop that slid off his red coat.

"Well, like you said, we're here," he turned to address his younger brother. Ed drew up short when he realized his brother had disappeared. "Al? Where are you?" He shoved his wet hair out of his eyes. Turning to his left, he spotting the hulking armor of his brother hunched over at the corner. "Al!"

Al jumped at the sound of his name. Turning to Ed, he apologized with an almost sheepish expression on his face. Ed opened his mouth to question his brother further, but just then a strangled cry from inside headquarters split the air.

Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda was crouched on top a file cabinet, his hands pressed up on the ceiling to maintain his precarious perch. He was sweating profusely and his military jacket was unbuttoned to reveal the brown shirt beneath. "What's wrong, Breda?" Havoc asked, his cigarette bobbing with each word.

"Havoc, watch out!" Breda pointed a pudgy, shaking finger towards the ground. First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc and Warrant Officer Vato Farman all turned in the direction he was pointing.

There on the floor, in the middle of the sparsely furnished office, sat a black puppy, wagging its tail. He gave a short, happy bark at the blank stares of the officers. Hawkeye recovered her voice first. "What is this?"

"I believe it is a dog. Its scientific name is --"

"I know that. That is not what I was asking." Hawkeye smoothly cut off Farman.

The gray haired officer immediately saluted. "My apologies."

At that moment, Sergeant Major Kain Fuery entered the office and scooped the object of everyone's attention into his arms. "I'm sorry," he apologized, looking up at the other officers from where he knelt. "But I found him shivering in the cold, and I couldn't just leave him there." The youngest officer begged with his eyes behind his round glasses. His black hair was still slightly damp from the rain outside.

Hawkeye crossed her arms across her chest and tilted her head. "But we can't take care of him here in the office." Her uniform was neatly pressed, her long blond hair neatly smoothed back and clipped up behind her head.

Fuery stood up with the puppy in his arms, "Yes, but as you know, animals aren't allowed in the dorms. Do you know someone who could take care of him?" He looked around the office hopefully.

Farman held up a hand in front of himself. "Sorry, I also live in the dorms."

From his perch up on the file cabinet, Breda ground out, "I hate dogs."

"I like dogs," Havoc said, grabbing the puppy by its scruff as he walked past Fuery.

"Oh, thank you, Lieutenant Havoc," gushed a grateful Fuery.

Havoc merely looked over his shoulder at them and bounced his cigarette up and down in his mouth. "I hear they're very good in stew. In the East, they raise them for consumption," he mused.

Busy contemplating his dinner for the night, Havoc barely registered the weight of the puppy leaving his hand. He opened his eyes to find Hawkeye placing the dog back in an appalled Fuery's arms. "Perhaps we should find someone else to take care of him," she suggested.

Havoc spun around. "I was joking." His statement was met with dubious looks from around the office.

The creak of the door drew everyone's attention. A blond head with long bangs and braid popped in. "Sorry, anyone here?"

"Ed, Alphonse, you've returned," Hawkeye greeted the two brothers as Al popped his metal helmet in over his brother's, warmth creeping into her usually clipped and precise voice.

"Yes," Ed replied. "Is the Colonel here?" Ed's question was punctuated with a soft meow.

"What was that?" Hawkeye questioned, unaware of Fuery silencing the struggling puppy behind her.

Ed's face fell into a customary scowl and turned to Al's guilt-stricken face. "Al! Come here!" he ordered, hauling the suit of armor back into the hallway.

"Ed, your report." Hawkeye called out the reminder to the still slightly opened door.

Ed's head popped back in. "I'll deliver it to the Colonel directly," he said quickly, giving a quick salute before closing the door behind him leaving a very bemused group of officers.

Ed returned to the hallway to find Al with his chest plate on the ground. Inside his hollow torso was a tiny yellow striped kitten. Unable to resist, Ed kneeled down and rubbed the kitten between its ears. "You shouldn't have picked him up," he finally said.

"I couldn't just leave him out there. We can keep him can't we, Niisan?"

"Of course not," Ed exclaimed.

Al bent over the kitten. Then in an explosion of movement, he flung out his arm, catching his brother in the midsection, sending him flying, and ran down the hall. "Stupid Brother!"

Ed struggled to his elbows and stretched out a hand to his runaway brother. "Stop! You're hurting the kitten," he warned.

As predicted, the poor kitten was doing somersaults within Al's unforgiving armor. Through his tears, Al cried back, "I know. I know!"

A five year old Alphonse peeked out of the door, watching his mother and brother.

"Mom, can't we keep it?" Ed beseeched, holding a kitten before him in his two arms.

Al watched as his mother leaned on her broomstick and shook her head.

"So it was a fake." Colonel Mustang's amused voice broke through Ed's thoughts.

Ed looked up at the Colonel flipping through files and reports on his desk. "Yeah, so?" Ed sulkily replied, settling himself into the black leather couch. In contrast to his subordinates' office, the Mustang's was lushly furnished. Two identical couches facing each other were placed before the Colonel's large desk, and Ed was seated on the right-hand side one. Having discarded his soaked red cloak somewhere, he was clad in all black from jacket to boots. "You were the one who sent us to Lior," accused Ed.

"Mmm." Mustang negligently flipped a page. "I have some reports that you were in Xenotime. An alchemist, Mugear, has gone missing."

Ed's face adopted a thoughtful look. "Who's this Mugear person?"

Not fooled by Fullmetal's façade, Mustang said, "Please submit a report on the red water."

Ed immediately dropped his innocent expression and glared at Mustang.

Unaffected by Fullmetal's glower, Mustang continued, "I've also received some calls from the police department in Aquorya." He smirked and folded his hands beneath his chin, propping his elbows on his newly waxed desk. "Is it true that beneath the mask, Siren is very beautiful?"

Ed's face turned beet-red and he quickly turned away. "All right. You've made it clear that you know everything we did," he grumbled.

Sliding his chair back and standing, Mustang sighed. "You've been searching for three years, and you still haven't found the Philosopher's Stone. Why don't you take a break, Fullmetal?"

Ed also came to his feet. "Do you want me to listen to you?" he snapped back. "We have a purpose."

Mustang had turned to look out the window and contemplate the scenery. Behind his desk was a ceiling to floor window that over looked East City and stretched from wall to wall. Ed stiffly saluted his silhouetted back. He did an about face and headed to leave, but paused halfway to the door remembering something. "Colonel," he said, his back facing Mustang's. "There was a doctor in Xerotime who cured sick babies with alchemy. Dr. Marco."

"That name does not sound familiar" came the calm reply.

Ed gritted his teeth. "I figured that such a talented alchemist would at least be known to the military," he pressed.

"I do not know," Mustang laconically repeated.

Ed opened his mouth to ask another question, but was interrupted by Hawkeye's entrance. "Colonel," she began, slight distress written on her normally impassive features. She never got any further. The door was pushed open and a blue stream of two dozen military personnel filed into the office. One of which was Maes Hughes. Mustang stood speechless behind his desk. He gaped at his best friend who merely shot him a quick smile and winked.

"Pardon the intrusion, Colonel Mustang." The laughing voice of the Fuhrer drifted in through the door, the Fuhrer himself soon following. His one eye twinkled with merriment.

A slender woman trailed after him. She wore a dove-gray suit and her long brown hair fell in soft waves down her back. Ed studied her features. There was something familiar about her.

Brigadier General Basque Grand strode in soon after, cloaked in layers of confidence and righteousness. At his arrival, Mustang narrowed his eyes. "We will be appropriating here as a temporary Central HQ," Grand informed him, enjoying Mustang's discomfort.

Mustang recovered his composure long enough to snap a smart salute. Hawkeye was already doing the same to his left. "Welcome," he said formally.

The East HQ cafeteria was filled with rows and rows of military personnel and silver watches indicating their State Alchemist status. Ed sat at a table to the side, his head lazily propped up on one hand, listening to Hughes go on and on about his daughter.

"She just follows me around everywhere I go," Hughes squealed. Ed hadn't known it was possible for a grown man to squeal, but he guessed there was an exception for Hughes. He gave a half-hearted laugh as Hughes kissed the picture of Elicia he was holding. "I have more. Do you want to see?"

"Uhh, no." Desperate to change the subject, Ed said, "You should have let us know you were going to be in East City, Major."

"Oh! It's Lieutenant Colonel now. I've been promoted to head of the Intelligence Department," Hughes proudly informed him.

Ed refrained from rolling his eyes. "Doesn't that mean you should be in Central?"

"It can't be helped," Hughes said plaintively. "There's a --" Ed noticed his abrupt stop. "So how's the search for the Philosopher's Stone going?" Hughes quickly covered.

Ed's question died in his throat at Hughes' inquiry. "Not so well, but Mustang is holding information from me."

Hughes sat back. "Maybe he really doesn't know," he said casually, defending his friend.

"No, he just refuses to tell me what he knows about Dr. Marcoh," Ed fumed.

A huge shadow loomed over the table. "Did you say, 'Marcoh'?"

"Brigadier General Basque Grand," Hughes said in a low voice.

Ed nodded. "The Iron Blood Alchemist."

"Are you talking about the runaway Marcoh?" Grand boomed from his impressive height. Bald except for a thick handlebar mustache, the Brigadier General stuck an imposing figure.

"Runaway?" Ed echoed.

The cafeteria had become quiet and everyone turned to listen to the Brigadier General. "Yes, that runaway. It was the Eastern Rebellion in Ishbal. He ran away from the battlefield and stole military documents."

Lunch ended and Ed headed straight to the library where Al joined him.

"Dr. Marcoh. Dr. Marcoh," he chanted, tearing through shelves and shelves of books. Thank goodness the library was empty. Any spectator would have been horrified at the unfettered mess the Fullmetal Alchemist was recklessly creating. "There's no trace of him anywhere," he raged, sitting amongst a pile of books.

"Niisan, maybe you should --" Al's sentence was cut off by a meow.

Ed's expression darkened. "Al, I told you to --"

"But Niisan, it's still raining," Al pleaded.

"You --" Ed began.

"Yo!" Hughes banged in through the door with a cheerful wave.

"What?" Ed turned his enraged face to the unsuspecting intruder.

Startled by the unfriendly greeting, Hughes coughed. "I forgot to tell you something important. This year's assessment will take place here at East HQ."

Ed's face smoothed. "Is that the assessment to renew one's State Alchemist qualification?" Al asked.

At Hughes affirmative nod, Ed's lips spread into a grin, his golden eyes twinkling with devilish pleasure. "Major," he called, standing up.

"That's Lieutenant Colonel," Hughes corrected him, punching a finger at Ed in retaliation for his rude greeting.

"Right, Lieutenant Colonel," Ed hastily amended, eager to disclose his plan. "I have an idea…"

At Hughes' questioning and interested expression and Ed's huge grin, Al let out a sigh, wondering what his older brother was up to now.

Mustang's subordinates sat in their office, filling out the day's endless paperwork.

"Ed wants to fight the Colonel?"

"Yeah," Havoc answered, abandoning his paperwork.

"Can he do that?"

"Yup, every year State Alchemists have to renew their qualification. In this case, the battle itself becomes the assessment," Breda explained.

Havoc took a drag from his cigarette, leaning back negligently in his chair. "I wonder who will be stronger when those two duke it out."

Fuery looked up from the ground where he was feeding the puppy. "The Colonel, right?"

"I don't know," Breda rejoined. "When you take into consideration his performance in Ishbal…"

"But why would Ed want to do such a thing?" Fuery asked.

Hawkeye looked up from her paperwork, her pen still poised above the stack of papers for the Colonel to sign. "I heard that if Ed wins, the Colonel will have to take care of a kitten." She arched a meaningful eyebrow at the stack of unfinished paperwork still sitting on Havoc's otherwise clear desk.

"A kitten?" Fuery's face dropped. "I guess I can't ask him about this puppy." He sighed.

Roy entered the office, his eyes scanning its occupants, coming to rest on Fuery. He walked up and plucked the puppy out of his arms. "A dog," he said. Holding the dog at arm's length, Roy looked him over. "Isn't it good?" he cried, bursting into a smile.

"Really?" Fuery eagerly asked, hoping his search was finally over.

"Of course," Roy stated, swiveling to face his youngest officer. "A dog's loyalty is most admirable. It will obey its master's orders, it doesn't require a salary, and it won't complain when you treat it harshly," he cried gleefully, gesturing with the dog in his hands. "Wonderful. A dog is a human's slave," he laughed. "I love dogs!"

With each word of his commanding officer's speech, Fuery's face fell and dissolved into tears of despair.

"Yo, Colonel," Havoc interrupted Mustang's laughing. "Are you going to take Ed up on the offer?"

Mustang quieted down and smirked. "I could never become serious against a child. It's a pity you can't see through my gallant refusal."

Later that day, Mustang stood in the Fuhrer's temporary quarters flanked by Hawkeye and Havoc. The Fuhrer chuckled at the young boy's request. "Go ahead and fight the Fullmetal Alchemist," he said to Mustang's astonishment.

"But, but," Mustang sputtered.

Grand moved forward from behind the Fuhrer. "Are you not confident about beating the Fullmetal boy?"

Roy gritted his teeth at the question.

From the Fuhrer's other side, Hughes said, "The Fuhrer has approved the use of the parade grounds so we can minimize the damage."

Stunned, Mustang saluted them stiffly and exited the room.

"I will abide by their rules for now," he said to the two officers behind him as they strode down the empty, sterile hallway. "Until I become Fuhrer and control all of the military."

"Please watch what you say, Colonel," Hawkeye admonished coolly.

Havoc tilted his head. "Why do you hold such a big goal?"

Mustang stopped. "That's a stupid question," he finally said. Havoc and Hawkeye exchanged confused glances. "When I'm in control of the military…" Havoc and Hawkeye leaned in attentively to their commanding officer. "…all female personnel will have to wear mini-skirts!" Roy finished, striking a pose.

Hawkeye hung her head, while Havoc rushed up to Mustang. "Colonel," he cried, latching on to Mustang's leg. "I'll follow you anywhere."

"Good," Mustang boomed. Hawkeye silently marched past the two unprofessional imbeciles she worked with, her face carefully expressionless.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Hughes yelled into the microphone in the middle of the parade ground surrounded by military personnel who had come out to watch the famed Fullmetal Alchemist battle the Flame Alchemist. "Today, we have a special treat for you. But first…" Hughes pulled a cord and whipped off a blanket off a huge board. "This is my daughter who has just turned three this year," he announced with a flourish, proudly displaying the towering picture of Elicia clutching a teddy bear.

"What?" the outraged crowd demanded, throwing whatever they could find at the board. Rocks, brooms, rakes, and shoes pummeled Hughes' poor darling daughter. A couple missiles hit the top, and with a groan, the board toppled over onto a futilely waving Hughes.

Minutes later, the Lieutenant Colonel reemerged on the parade ground bandaged up, but none the worse for wear. "Now for the main event," he announced. "In the Red Corner is the Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang."

Roy stood impassively, flanked as usual by Havoc and Hawkeye, oblivious to the comments being hurled at him. "Give me back my girlfriend." "I want a promotion like him."

"In the Blue Corner is the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric."

Ed stood next to Al, looking painfully short compared to the hulking armor. "Where is he?" the crowd asked. "An elementary school kid?" "Do your best, bean boy!"

At this last jibe, Ed lost the leash on his very short temper and flew into a customary rage. "Who are you calling small?" he screamed, flailing his arms and legs as Al held him back.

"Niisan, you have to save your energy," Al reminded his brother.

"You're right," Ed panted. "Today is an important day. Today I get to beat the shit out of the Colonel with no consequences," he grinned. "And I'm gonna get the information about Marco."

"Do you have a plan?" Al asked nervously, wary of the gleam in his brother's eyes.

"Hit him with my fist!" Ed yelled.

Ed met Mustang in the middle of the parade ground. "I don't care about the assessment. When I win, you'll give me the information about Dr. Marco," Ed said. Mustang merely smiled.

"Ready…" Hughes turned around and started running. "Fight!" he called out when he was a good distance away from the two alchemists.

"What?" Ed cried, gazing after at Hughes' rapidly shrinking back.

"You're slow," Mustang yelled, bringing his fingers up and snapping. Flames burst from his fingertips, shooting out at the young boy.

With no time for a transmutation, Ed spun around and did the only thing he could. He ran.

"Flames are rising up in mid-air," Fuery observed with awe.

Havoc looked down at the youngest of Roy's subordinates. "Is this the first time you've seen the Colonel's moves? His gloves are made from special ignition cloth. When he rubs it together, the flint creates a spark. He adjusts the amount of oxygen in the air, and BOOM it goes," he explained, watching Ed frantically sprint around the parade grounds.

"A soldier must end the battle swiftly," Mustang instructed as Ed ran to the edge of the arena, flames licking his heels. Ed jumped over the stone barrier that held back the spectators and began to weave through the crowd, effectively hidden by the taller personnel.

Mustang smirked. "It's hard to aim for a target that's so small," he called out, waiting for the expected response from the hotheaded blond.

As predicted, Ed sprang up from the sea of soldiers, screaming, "Who are you calling short?"

"Anger your enemy to distract him," Mustang lectured. Ed's and the faces of the soldiers around him turned gray as Mustang pointed his fingers in their direction and snapped. The huge resulting explosion sent them all flying.

His uniform still clean and unmussed, Mustang stood in the midst of the smoke and rubble and looked around. "Looks like I overdid it a little," he dryly observed. A slight movement and glimpse of red caught his eye. "Hey you," he said, recognizing Fullmetal's red jacket. But as the dust cleared, Mustang saw that it was not Ed. It was a dummy wearing Fullmetal's jacket and a tongue mockingly wagging in the wind.

Mustang only had a split second for recognition to sink in. He turned at a sound behind him and saw Fullmetal rushing toward him, his auto-mail arm transmuted into a blade. Instead of feeling the makeshift sword plunge into his flesh, Mustang cursed as the steel ripped through the transmutation circle embroidered on his glove.

Ed came to a halt and spun around to face the Colonel. "Now you can't use your flames anymore," he gloated. He spread his arms wide and clapped his hands together in a flamboyant gesture then slammed them to the ground. The military spectators watched in awe as a huge cannon took shape in a matter of seconds with Ed perched on top of it.

Mustang smiled. Ed eyed him suspiciously then gaped as the colonel pulled his left hand out of his pocket, revealing another glove. Ed only had enough time to let out a strangled holler before flames engulfed his cannon.

Facedown in the remains, Ed coughed and pushed himself up into a sitting position and turned to look defiantly up at the Colonel. "Fooling someone is a valid strategy, Fullmetal," Mustang said, slightly emphasizing Ed's title.

"Finish me off," the boy demanded.

Mustang smiled and readied his fingers. "I will," he assured the younger man, looking at Ed's eyes. Another set of eyes, years ago, filled with fear flashed in his mind. Taken aback he blinked and found Ed's auto-mail sword at his throat. The two stood there in the torn up grounds, blade ready and fingers poised to snap.

Solitary applause broke the silence. The Fuhrer, flanked by Grand and his secretary approached the two duelists. "A splendid match," he praised, dropping his hands back to his sides.

At the Fuhrer's appearance, Roy stepped back from Fullmetal. "I am honored by your compliments," he saluted.

Still on one knee, Ed looked up. "Wait," he cried in frustration. "We're not done."

"Yes, but if you two continue, the damage will become harder to clean up," the Fuhrer replied, deadpan.

Hawkeye stood alongside Alphonse overlooking the ruins of what were once the parade grounds. Hawkeye held Mustang's blue military coat, and Alphonse echoed her stance with his brother's red cloak. "It can't be helped," Hawkeye said, the faint blue of a transmutation light reflected in her brown eyes. "They were ordered to clean up the mess themselves."

Amidst the rubble, Roy yawned and sat on one of the many rocks he had created during the battle. "This is why I didn't want to do this," he complained, leaning forward on his shovel. His white collared shirt clung to his body, damp with sweat, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

Ed clapped his hands and transmuted another area of rock. "Colonel, why didn't you finish me off?"

"Huh?" Roy looked over his shoulder at Ed.

"You had enough time," Ed pointed out.

Roy turned back around. "The East Rebellion was many years ago," he began.

"You mean the one where the Ishvalians rose up against the military?"

Roy nodded. "Many people died at our hands. Many soldiers died. Dr. Marco left the battlefield and never returned." He looked down at his hands. Images of a scorched land and dying people flashed through his head. "I still believe that he was the sanest man there."

Roy looked back up at Ed. "You should go to see him."

"He's still alive?" Ed asked in disbelief. At Roy's nod, Ed smiled. "Colonel, you still haven't told me why you didn't finish the attack." He looked out at the sunset and at the rubble they still had to clean up. He had gotten the information he'd needed. Some things, he mused, were better left unsaid. "Never mind. Never mind."

Riza Hawkeye considered the squirming puppy in Fuery's arms. "If no one else will take him, I will," she said matter-of-factly to the officers' astonishment.

"Oh thank you, First Lieutenant," Fuery gushed gratefully. The fidgety puppy finally wriggled his way to the floor. With a happy bark, he scampered to the wall, lifted his hind leg, and proceeded to relieve himself of the water Fuery had given him earlier.

Fuery watched slightly embarrassed. "Hey now, you can't do that just because you have an owner now," he lectured to the unabashed puppy.

The rest of what he was going to say was cut off by the cocking of a gun. Fuery swiveled his head to gape at the blond lieutenant as she fired off a round of shots. Around the room, jaws dropped.

The smoke cleared to reveal a shaking puppy standing up on his hind legs, his front two paws stretched above his head. In a neat circle around him, the bullets were buried in the wall.

Pulling up her gun, the corners of Hawkeye's mouth curved upwards. "I discipline strictly," she said simply. "Come now," she said gently, walking up to the dog. She placed her gun back in the holster that hung comfortably on her hip. "This way to the bathroom, Black Hayate" she cooed. Hawkeye went into the adjoining bathroom with her new pet, leaving behind a speechless office.

Fuery recovered his voice first. "Black Hayate?" he managed, tears pouring down his face. Who named their dog after a hurricane?

Ed and Al both stood in an alleyway near East HQ facing the wall.

"It wouldn't be fair to ask the Colonel to take care of him," Ed finally said, looking downwards. The object of his attention placed its paws at the edge of the cardboard box and meowed.

Al considered the information Ed had relayed to him. "Equivalent trade," he agreed.

With a sigh, Ed clapped his hands together and a familiar blue light filled the alleyway, glinting off Al's metal. Ed dropped his hands to his side. "Sorry this is all I can do for now," he apologized, turning and walking out of the alley.

Al stood where he was, saying goodbye to the striped kitten. Soon, he, too, turned and followed his older brother out of the alleyway leaving the kitten cozily ensconced in a blue buggy.

Thanks for reading. Reviews & comments more than welcome. Last night after hitting the gym, I felt creative and did most of episode 14, so I'm back on track. Just need to do some editing and it'll be ready.