A/N: Hi! So here's a new chapter. It's actually been done for a while, but I also want to inform you now that this is pretty much the last of it. I intend to write the rest of the next chapter tonight, but it'd be a while before it was up regardless. I might have another up-and-coming story, however, because I'm impulsive and publish things I write whenever I really feel like it. Enjoy!

Title: Another Kind of Battle

Author: liketolaugh

Rating: T

Pairings: None

Genre: Friendship/Adventure

Warnings: AU

Summary: 'An Amestrian battle is different from a battle in any other region. For one thing, a human battles right alongside their pokemon.' 'There were three requirements to be a State Alchemist. First, you had to pass the State Alchemist exam. Second, you had to have at least three pokemon. And third, you had to get the first four gym badges.' (Follows Ed through his Pokemon journey and then skips ahead to a post-2003 anime AU. Post-Sinnoh Ash in later chapters.)

Disclaimer: If I owned Fullmetal Alchemist, would I really be here right now? Or Pokemon, for God's sake.

When the military man came, Riolu couldn't have been more relieved. Ed had woken the next day, but he hadn't woken. He'd barely looked at Al, barely spoken to Riolu, not even acknowledged Togepi when he cuddled him or Eevee when she crooned concerned words.

Riolu hadn't gone back into his pokeball since Al had let him out, had even hidden it when Winry, the girl who'd been the one to tell him that Ed had lost his arm, his leg, that he couldn't fight or train or walk anymore, had tried to make him.

Now Ed's eyes were burning again, aura strong, and ready to go into surgery.

And he was not going in there without Riolu.

Riolu growled at Winry again, belligerent, and Ed finally smiled softly.

"It's okay, Winry," Ed told her. She stopped. "Riolu won't get in the way, will you, Riolu?"

Riolu shook his head vigorously. No, he wouldn't do anything to jeapordize his trainer. Not anything.

Winry looked ready to argue, but she laid eyes on Ed, helpless in his wheelchair, and sighed.

"Okay," she muttered. "But the moment he gets in the way, he's out."

Riolu nodded once, resolute. And no matter how much he wanted to, he didn't move from his corner once through the entire surgery.

Rehabilitation was long and hard. Al and Riolu were with Ed every step of the way, but that didn't make it much easier – Al was still learning to control his strength, and Riolu was strong enough to help Ed stand back up, but not tall enough to help him stay there.

Still, they managed, somehow, and Riolu had never been more proud of his trainer.

And Ed never once tried to make him go back in his ball.

"Are you ready for this, Riolu?" Ed asked quietly, steady on his metal leg and metal arm not shaking in the slightest, kneeling in front of Riolu.

They were about to leave Resembool, the place they'd stayed for a year, the place his trainer had been born, to go on a journey of their own. Not a pokemon journey, no – but one maybe even longer, harder, and more life-changing than that.

The first step of that was to get four gym badges, the first requirement before taking the State Alchemy exam.

Just like their battles, Amestris' gym system was different from that of other regions. There were two gyms in each of the main cities: North, East, South, and West. One of these was a civilian gym, and the other, a military one, run by a civilian and a State Alchemist, respectively. You didn't have to be in the military to challenge the military gym, but you needed all of the civilian badges before taking the alchemy exam.

Riolu huffed out a 'huh' and nodded, determined.

"Mi, minu!"

Ed looked up, confused, as Minun came running out, nearly in tears, hopping up and down at Ed's feet, one hand clinging to his black leather pant leg. "Huh?"

"Minu!" she wailed. She reached for his pouch, scrabbling at it frantically. "Mi mi, nu inu!"

Ed, confused, reached into his pouch and pulled out the only thing currently in it, his five remaining pokeballs. Minun snatched one of these up and held it up to him, fierce determination matching Riolu's in her eyes. Ed was still confused.

A now-familiar clanking approached.

"She wants to come, brother," Al said quietly, Plusle on his shoulder, Togepi cuddling up to his upper arm as he cradled him. "They both do."

Ed stared at Minun in surprise. "Really?" he asked. "But… you're a house pokemon. You never wanted to battle."

"Minu!" Minun said fiercely, hopping up and down insistently. "Min minun!"

"You don't care," Ed realized quietly. He bit his lip. "You're really sure? There's no going back."

"Mi-nu!" Minun insisted, now more of a whine. She brandished the pokeball.

Ed smiled softly and took the pokeball from her. She stood, tall and determined, and he reached out and tapped her on the head with the pokeball. She disappeared in a streak of red and the pokeball wobbled once, twice, and then binged quietly. He smiled and tucked the ball into his belt, straightening up.

"Alright," he said quietly. "Let's go."

"Brother?" Al asked curiously, armor clanking as he walked one step behind Ed. "Why are we taking the walking route? I would have thought that, with your impatience, we would've been taking the trains."

Ed let out a sigh, pushing his bangs out of his eyes with his automail hand as Riolu, too, looked up at him expectantly. "Yeah, I would've preferred that. But remember, Al, I don't just have to beat the four gym leaders." He looked up, gold eyes irritated and face set in a frown. "I don't even have the three pokemon required for my certification, and Minun's not battle-trained yet. I'll use the time it takes getting from city to city to train and catch some more pokemon."

Al let out a soft 'oh', nodding. "I see."

Ed let out a little grin. "Besides, the walking route is traditional, isn't it?" He looked back to the front. "No one ever finishes their first pokemon journey the same as when they started. Walking from place to place, we can probably learn a few things. Maybe even get a few leads ahead of time."

Al brightened. "Yeah! I'd really like to meet some new people, brother."

For a few minutes, both of them were silent. Riolu strode tall, proud, and stoic beside Ed, and Minun hopped nervously a few steps ahead, ears sparking. Ed watched her out of the corner of his eye, but kept facing front.

"Swellow!"

Minun let out a startled, fearful squeak and sparked hard. "Min!"

Ed laughed and the Swellow swooped over their heads. He leaned down and rubbed one of Minun's ears, barely wincing at the slight shock.

"Don't worry, Minun," he reassured the little blue bunny. "No one'll get past me and Riolu."

Minun sparked again discontentedly. Ed grinned reassuringly and straightened back up.

Ed kept an eye out and smirked when he found a large clearing. He glanced at Riolu, who grinned at him and gave an excited huff.

Ed dropped his pack and took three strides into the clearing. Riolu darted past him and planted himself a way ahead of Ed, facing him with excitement gleaming in his eyes.

Al chuckled quietly and sat down against a tree, waiting patiently. After a moment, he patted the ground beside him and said to Minun, "Come here, Minun. Brother wants you to watch."

"Mi mi?" Minun said uncertainly. Al waited, and finally, Minun darted over and plopped beside Al, fidgeting worriedly.

Ed grinned at Riolu, and then leapt forward, straight at the blue fighting type.

Riolu hissed and dodged aside, but Ed was expecting that; he caught himself on his hands and whirled, aiming a kick at Riolu. Riolu caught his leg and threw him.

Ed yelped and took the fall on his metal leg, rolling to neutralize the rest of the impact. Riolu darted forward and struck at Ed before he could do more than get to his knees. Ed blocked with a metal forearm and struck with the other, catching Riolu squarely in the chest and making him stumble back.

They continued like that for some time, evenly matched. It was clear from the start that Riolu was faster and stronger, but Ed could match him with wit and foresight. This was about typical for a pokemon-human battle; while pokemon were far from stupid, they were more involved in the here and now than thinking two steps ahead.

It helped that a human could, with effort, train themselves to come very close to matching their pokemon in speed and strength.

Finally, both battlers drew to a halt, panting lightly. Ed, dirty and bruised, straightened up and turned, striding over to Minun.

Minun looked interested, despite herself. Ed grinned, shoving mismatched hands into leather pockets.

"That's what you'll be doing," he informed her, voice serious despite his grin. "Sparring with each other'll make us both better." He scuffed his plain combat boots across the ground. "I'll have to get a set of boots with rubbed soles at some point, but I'll deal 'til then." His expression changed to match his tone. "You sure you want to do this?"

Minun, who's ears had been twitching and sparking with interest, leapt to her feet. "Mininu, minunun!" she said furiously.

Ed grinned again. "Great." Backing away a little, he continued, "Move training'll be a little different, but I'll still keep an eye on things. For now…" He grinned. "Come on!"

Minun didn't hesitate this time. She darted toward Ed – fast, because of her size, but not as fast as Riolu. Not nearly.

Ed stepped aside, and Minun, not expecting that, charged right past and overbalanced, tumbling forward.

Ed ignored the opening and waited patiently. Minun pushed up and turned to face him, eyes burning with frustration. She moved differently this time, pattern jagged and jumpy.

Ed let her clip him this time and frowned when he hardly felt it. He stopped, straightening out of his battle stance, and Minun turned and glared at him, brimming with frustration.

"Mi, minu!" Minun snapped, angry at herself.

Al, voice soft, nonetheless said what both of them were thinking. "Brother, this isn't working."

Ed made a frustrated noise and nodded. Minun deflated, clearly upset. Ed smiled at her halfheartedly.

"No, it's alright, Minun. It's not your fault, it just means I'm not very good at this yet." He paused contemplatively, thinking for a moment. Finally, he nodded decisively, stepped back, and spread his arms. "Minun, use Tackle on me."

Minun gave him a startled look. Al looked at her and gave her a warm look.

"It's alright, Minun. Teacher trains her pokemon this way, too. And she trained us this way."

Minun nodded, focused on Ed, and charged. He let it hit him this time, swaying back slightly with the hit.

Of course, having always been a house pokemon, Minun had never fought before, not even in the wild.

"Again," Ed ordered, gold eyes confident.

Minun gritted her teeth and charged, hitting Ed again. Again, Ed hardly swayed back. Minun deflated. Ed smiled gently and knelt down in front of the little blue pokemon.

"You're small," Ed told her, ignoring Al's badly stifled laugh, "so no one expects you to be strong. But I know you, Minun, and I know you can be strong. You can do this." He stood back up. "Minun, Tackle."

Minun used Tackle.

Alright, so I hope you liked that. Anything you have to say is much appreciated - if you've got an idea or a request, go for it. I promise I won't laugh. (Unless it's a pairing, then I might. *grin*) By the way, assuming I get that far, Ash - from immediately post-Johto - will be showing up eventually. He'll be about Thirteen and he'll have his Johto team because starting in Amestris with a new team is a bad idea. Please review!