Disclaimer: I don't own FMA… BUT ON WITH THE STORY!

My grin widened as the soldier stepped back, stunned.

It's time for you to strut your stuff, girl, I thought to myself. I was dead nervous, because I have never tried this before, but the science worked out fine. But now was not the time for thinking.

It was time for action.

I clapped my hands, and put them out straight into the air. Quickly as I could, I made a dragon out of the water in the air, freezing it solid. With magnificent speed, I used more alchemy to have fire spurt out of the dragons mouth, blazing blue fire that lit up the room.

What I had done was simple. The chemical makeup of air has certain elements. Oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, and a few other small gasses. The chemical makeup of water is H2O, otherwise known as two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom to make a water molecule. It's obvious, really. I used the hydrogen and oxygen to form water, and I quickly transferred the heat energy from the water (effectively freezing the dragon to the helium to light it on fire, letting the remaining oxygen and the carbon dioxide rise into the air. I had to do this all in a matter of seconds for it to work, and envision the correct alchemical circles in a split second to do two transmutic reactions seconds in between.

But it worked. I stood there proudly, next to my unmelted ice dragon, and bowed.

"I'm finished." I said, straightening myself up. To say everyone was gawking at me was an understatement. I could even see the Fuhrer look completely shocked for a moment, which I've only seen happen once in the entire FMA. I relished my talent, and I enjoyed every minute of flaunting it off.

The Fuhrer recovered at light speed, though, smiling at me.

"That was very good, Miss La'va." He said, "You may proceed to the other room to take the written test."

I bowed again before following a soldier through a doorway on the opposite side of the room from which I entered, going into a small room with white walls and a bunch of small tables clustered around the middle. A few packets of paper were stacked on one table, and the soldier told me they were the written test. I went over to pick one up.

Aww man, I thought, I hate long tests…. Especially state performance tests in my old world. I sat down at a small table near the other guys who had already performed and were still taking the test.

I took one look t the test before silently groaning. If I hadn't crammed last night, and this morning, I'd be toast, I thought, glad I had talked Mustang into getting me the books.

I stretched as all the alchemists were released from testing, and we all filed out of Headquarters main building, spreading out onto the street.

"How'd ya do, pipsqueak?" I heard one of the men yell to me, followed by other alchemists laughing. I turned on my heel and smiled at them sweetly.

"I'm sure I kicked your asses!" I laughed heartily, walking away before they had a chance to reply. And I knew for certain I would get in. I'm too dangerous, with my martial arts and now alchemy, to leave alone. No, they had to control me, the military needed fighters like me. I grinned as I strode on, pulling out the map just to realize I had taken a wrong turn.

This'll take me a while, I thought, but still kept my confident air as I tromped on, trying to solve the maze that was Central City with an upside-down map.

I had finally made it back to Hughes's place, and I knocked on the door. Gracia opened the door, and the next thing I knew, I was being tackled by Elicia.

I laughed, rustling her hair. I smiled at Gracia, who seemed to notice my enthusiasm.

"It went well, I presume?" Hughes said, popping out of nowhere. I was surprised for a moment but nodded happily.

"I couldn't have done better," I said, picking Elicia up and carrying her in my arms as I entered the house.

"Well, you did spend all that time studying," Gracia reminded me. I nodded.

"And if I hadn't, I would have been screwed big time," I laughed, "My head is still aching from all the thinking required by the written test." Elicia pulled at the collar of my sweater, looking at me with that little angelic smile of hers.

"Let's play now, ok?" She said. I squealed as Hughes laughed.

"She's so cute!" We exclaimed to each other simultaneously, making Gracia sweat drop. Hughes and I both gave each other a thumbs up, wearing matching grins.

This was going to be an enjoyable stay.

After playing for a while with Elicia and helping Gracia prepare dinner, we all sat down to eat.

For dinner, Gracia and I made a bird, either a small turkey or a big chicken, I couldn't tell. But she stuffed it with her signature stuffing, which was probably the most heavenly food I've ever tasted. I almost burned the green beans when we were boiling them, but Gracia quickly saved them. Along with those, we had beets and water for a drink.

"So, what did the test involve?" Hughes asked. I took a quick sip from my glass of water to wash the stuffing down before answering.

"The written test was probably hard." Gracia said. I shook my head.

"Not that hard. I've done harder things." I waved off their concern. "But I am certain I'll be picked to be one of the State alchemists." I said, but only speaking the truth.
"What did you do?" Hughes said. I winked at him.

"That's for me to know," I laughed slightly, "And you to eventually learn." Gracia and Hughes sweat dropped as Elicia laughed.

"When are you going to get the results?" Hughes asked.

"Oh, I'm supposed to report to Headquarters tomorrow. All of the alchemists that took the test will attend a meeting, where the results will be announced."

"Then you can come with me. I have some business there tomorrow morning. When do you have to report in?"

"They said to report at fourteen hundred hours, so I'm guessing they meant two o'clock."

"That's right. How did you learn to tell military time?"

"It's not that hard to figure out. I mean, there isn't a fourteenth hour on a clock, so I just used the fourteen to count up from twelve o'clock, midnight, and I just assumed the hundred stood for the rest of the zeros." I lied. In reality, my best friend's dad was in the U.S. Navy, and he's the one who taught it to me, but I couldn't tell Hughes that. I mean, he's a detective, for gods sake! If I say anything suspicious, I'm dead!

"Oh, geez, you're too smart or your own good," Hughes laughed. I laughed slightly.

I didn't know how much longer I could keep up with the lie. It was heartbreaking, lying to perfectly honest people that have been wonderfully polite. Hell, they even felt like family. And, I wasn't sure what to tell Ed and Al, since they know I saw Truth, they'll be suspicious that I'm not missing any body parts…..

And I just can't stand to lie to them anymore.

Hey guys! I had to research this chapter a little bit for the dragon part, but other than that I liked it. I've been so bored these days, finishing all my school work ahead of time, leaving me nothing to do but write. But OHHH! Lynette said she couldn't stand to lie to them anymore! So, will she tell them the truth? CLIFFHANGER! Oh, I'm soo evil, giving you so many cliffhangers. So, what do you guys think of the story so far?

My lovely readers, please review~

Thanks!