I leaned against the wall of one of the buildings alongside the street, my gaze lowered and my stare blank as other military officers began to go through the scene, Fuhrer Bradley preoccupied with one of them.

All I could focus on, though, was the bloodied hand that laid just outside the reach of the cover that had been placed over the now featureless body, the hand covered in the red dust of what used to be a philosopher stone, the tattoo inked into the palm ingraining itself into my memory.

I felt my throat close up and tears sting the edges of my eyes, but I quickly fought it back, pulling the jacket that had been laid on my shoulders closer as I refocused my gaze on the swirls of the tattooed hand of the infamous Ishvalan War hero. Everything else seemed to fade into the background until the clink of armor met my ears.

Lifting my gaze ever so slightly, I met a sight that let me breathe; before the Fuhrer stood a tall suit of armor with eyes that glowed red and a shorter, very handsome blonde-haired boy.

Well, at least I'm okay enough to still be able to appreciate an attractive guy, I thought to myself, trying to seem inconspicuous as I stared at my fictional childhood crush and hero. If that's really who I think it is, I'm saved and saved by a pretty hot angel. Forcibly shaking myself out of my fangirl-induced infatuation, I chastised myself, he's two years younger than me now, isn't that weird? And I also just killed someone - well I didn't, but Bradley's gonna say I did - and he'll think I'm crazy… Wait.

I paused, my eyebrows furrowed and my gaze drilling into the ground, if that was McDougal, he was going to die anyway – and by the Fuhrer's hand, not mine. Not mine. Why am I getting bent out of shape? I didn't even kill him - I told myself, but that changed nothing as I looked at the covered body on the ground and a surge of nausea overwhelmed my senses.

I quickly turned and slipped past the officers and others crowding the street, only making it a few yards before I plopped down on my knees and heaved, my empty stomach clenching painfully with each surge of nausea. Balling up a fist, I hit the pavement in frustration, exhaustedly resting my forehead against the cool wall of brick in front of me as the spasms in my throat and stomach subsided.

I hate this, I grumbled to myself, and upon noticing the newfound silence around me, closed my eyes and added mentally, shit.

"Are you okay?" A high-pitched, echo-y voice reached my ears, and I recognized it automatically. I cringed, turning away slightly in embarrassment as I took a few deep breaths in order to stabilize myself.

"If only," I wheezed quietly, taking my head away from the wall and sitting back on my heels so that I could crack my eyes open and peer at the two figures who loomed over me, one considerably taller than the other.

A white gloved hand entered my vision, and my aching body relaxed slightly just at the welcoming sight of it. I reached up a clammy hand and took it, surprised at its rigidness as I was helped to my feet. Oh yeah, automail, right.

"Thanks," I breathed, slightly taken by the golden eyes that greeted mine. I blinked, and a tired, sheepish half-smile took over my expression as I awkwardly let his hand go.

"I'm Edward, and this is my younger brother, Alphonse," the beautiful boy introduced hesitantly, and I greeted them both with the best smile my emotionally exhausted, shaking body could offer.

"Nice to meet you guys," I said, making sure to regard both Ed and Al each in turn, "I'm Lynette." Al's red gaze grew smaller in a way that made it seem as if he were smiling, and Ed nodded in acknowledgement.

"It's nice to meet you too," Al replied, and my heart eased at his light voice.

"Please ignore," I motioned embarrassedly at the place I had just been half-puking, "what just happened, I've had a hard day."

"That probably doesn't even cover it," Ed met my eyes and I nodded gratefully.

"More than accurate," I agreed, and silence fell over us until another fellow butt into the non-existent conversation.

"Now, Lynette, you've had a pretty exciting day," the Fuhrer stood next to the Elric brothers, smiling in that fatherly and innocent way that put me on edge, "It's probably about time you went home for now." They seemed more than unaware of his true nature as they accepted his words easily, the elder brother tucking his hands in his pockets while the younger stood by cheerfully.

Fuhrer Bradley turned to the Elric brothers and asked, "Boys, would you mind escorting this young lady home? It's gotten pretty late and I think it wouldn't be too safe to walk back by herself."

Says someone who insists I killed a human weapon with my own hands, I wanted to retort as the Elric brothers agreed to the Fuhrer's request.

When all eyes were on me again, I went pale, realizing that I had no place for the Elric brothers to take me to. Oh god, how am I going to explain this? This isn't like a fanfiction where someone can just pop up out of nowhere and no one cares, I'm dealing with military and documentation and shit does that technically make me an undocumented alien –

"Lynette?" I snapped out of my panic, forcing myself to relax.

"Sorry," I said, shaking my head slightly to ground myself, "That sounds great, actually, I'd really appreciate it." I sent a grateful smile at the Elric brothers before shifting my gaze back toward the Fuhrer who held an unsettlingly calm expression.

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to stop by Central Command tomorrow," the Fuhrer directed at me, and I nodded hesitantly as he continued, "You'll just have to give an account of what happened for the case file, nothing to worry about. I'd like to send an escort for you in the afternoon, where are you currently staying?" A question that seemed innocuous enough to someone who didn't have anything to hide, that of which I most certainly did.

I began to panic, searching for some, some kind of answer -

"Half Street," I blurted out the street name scrawled across the paper still stuffed in my pocket, the only address I could recall, "284 Half Street, the gray apartment building, apartment number 239… What time should I be expecting to leave?" The panic didn't subside, though; the fast beating of my heart was almost painful in my chest as I prayed to God the Fuhrer wouldn't notice my lie.

"Around three," he merely answered, and I nodded again, smiling hesitantly as he bid the Elric brothers and I adieu. He turned on his heel and walked easily down street alone, his slowly retreating figure gradually fading seamlessly into the dark and leaving me with the two Elric brothers.

"So," Ed started, and I looked at him shyly, "How would you get to that apartment?" I held back a smile, they really are going to escort me home, what gentlemen!

I paused. Wait, shit, that's not even my apartment! Wait, the doorman said that the rent wasn't up until the end of the month - he "already" moved out? Maybe, just maybe…

"This way," I motioned in the direction I had come from, half-sure I had run straight down the street from the building. We walked in silence for a little bit, my thoughts too absorbed in trying to formulate a plan.

"What day is it?" I asked, trying my best to seem nonchalant. I chanced a glance over at Ed, who merely shrugged.

"The 19th, I think," he answered, and I hid a relieved smile, something that unbeknownst to me Ed caught, his eyes furrowing slightly.

God bless, I thought, maybe I can get away with staying there for a while. Besides, the doorman doesn't seem too alert and I could easily sneak past… I sighed and tugged on the drawstring tied around my neck, pulling out the little bag I had.

"Hey," I started, and turned only to find the two brothers already looking at me. I cleared my throat, slightly taken aback before I continued, "Do either of you recognize this kind of design?" I held up the small pouch and Ed leaned closer to examine it, unconsciously making me more nervous with every inch closer he came.

I took it off and handed it to him, hesitantly deciding to trust him. He held up the pouch with Al observing it from above, both brothers puzzling over it a little before handing it back to me.

"It looks like it could be Ishvalan," Ed said, his eyes watching my expression carefully as his younger brother hummed in agreement. My mouth opened a little and I looked back at pouch, suddenly being struck by how obvious it was.

The colors, the white hair… I hit myself in the head, laughing slightly at my own stupidity, Of course it's Ishvalan! How did I not guess? I looked back at the brothers only to have them staring at me as if I'd lost my marbles.

"Sorry," I said, shaking my head as my smile subsided, "I just feel like an idiot for not realizing it before."

"Why do you ask?" Ed's eyes stayed focused on me, and I looked back at him, taken off guard before my expression hardened.

"Let's just say I'm looking for someone," I said vaguely, turning my gaze back forward and my jaw clenching slightly. Someone who, at this point, I will throttle for information if I need to. Sensing my intentional reticence, Ed fell quiet and we continued on in silence.

Once we finally reached the apartment building - which upon reaching I sighed in relief, thanking God I was able to successfully find my way back - I turned to the Elric brothers, giving them a tentative smile.

"This is the place," I said, stopping in front of the steps to the large, intimidating grey building. The brothers stopped too, and looked at me in a way where I almost reached out to them both if only to just bring them closer; they seemed distant, far away, impersonal in a way that felt quite odd.

Then again, I know things about their lives that they don't even know, I thought to myself, coupled with the fact I made it a point to be secretive and not talk, no wonder I feel as if they're much less comfortable with me than I am with them. I cleared my throat, hesitantly.

"Thank you both," I started, my voice emerging in a surprisingly demure and slightly ashamed tone, "I'm sorry if I haven't been very… amiable, I'm not very good at dealing with trauma and tonight has been more than enough to probably scar me for life." A smile emerged on my face instinctively, the type of smile that crosses your face when you say something so serious and full of misery and fear but you pass it off as a joke for the sake of those you say it to; to not be a burden, I smiled, even when I felt like I wanted to cry as I was faced with being alone once again.

"Are you… going to be alright?" Ed asked, his golden eyes careful and watchful.

I kept smiling, smiling being the only thing keeping my heart from spilling over, breathing in and out and in again to harden the emotional barrier that kept the wave of hot tears just behind my eyes at bay.

"Yes," I lied.

"Are you sure?" Al's voice seemed just as unconvinced as his brother's expression.

"I'll be much better after some sleep," I said, waving them off, "I promise."

The minute I crossed the threshold of the apartment, successfully having snuck past the doorman and to the place that started this whole thing, I closed the door behind me quietly. My back met the door and I slid down, tears burning my eyes and my hands burying themselves in my hair.

For the first time in my life I was completely alone, broke, and had unknowingly set myself up to play a game more dangerous than I could've ever imagined.

Hi guys!

Alright alright hear me out guys, I know it seems a littleeeee bleak right now but I got a reason for it! It'll all make sense in the coming chapters, but our dear traumatized protagonist in the mean time gets to meet the famous Elric brothers! I wonder if they'll come in again soon~? hahaha

Those of you who've read the original TGHB, surprise! Luka is Ishvalen! I would've made it more of a German name (or Ishvalan, if only one of the Ishvalans had an actual traditionally Ishvalan name and not just "Scar" (description-based and not real) and "Miles" (English version of the Germanic name Milo)) but I guess I just decided to stick with the old name for old times' sake. Also, who doesn't love a handsome yet mysterious Ishvalan OC? Exactly. Everybody. No? Just me? okay haha

You're probably not gonna see him for a while so I'll leave you alone with these questions: What's his past like? How is he related to what happened to Lynette, and by extension, the yet-to-be-explained presence in Lynette's room in chapter 1?

Love you guys! Drop a comment in (you guys give me life I swear) and follow/favorite this story and me as an author for updates!

My lovely readers, thank you and until the next chapter!