Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is Alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
For the Love of Alchemy
Chapter 6:
The Games We Play
"So they packed up and left." Lieutenant Colonel Hughes stood within his house with the phone to his ear. Turning a bit he could see his daughter, he smiled as she played with her dolls.
"How could I stop them, their goals are similar. We just have to wait and see who can reach their goal." Roy's smooth voice came over the line and Hughes just rolled his eyes.
"Don't do that Maes, I know what I'm doing." Hughes rolled his eyes again as he laughed.
"You can't mess with their lives like this for long, Roy. The high-ups are pissed because they know you want to get higher, and pushing those two is how you're getting there." Now Roy laughed and Hawkeye yelled in the background.
"It needs to be done."
"So how did you make that sword?" Christina turned away from the window at the sound of Edward's voice.
"Alchemy, well mostly just the handle, the blade is interchangeable. My Alchemy skills can change most things into a blade." Christina rubbed her arm through her jacket. She looked at Ed who sat right across from her within the train car.
"But how'd you form it from your arm?" Alphonse made his presence known and she took off her jacket to show. The boys watched as Christina pointed as she talked.
"The bones from my upper arm are what form the blade. The bones in my lower arm expand so they can take over for the upper arm bones." Christina showed him the Alchemy circles and he grabbed her arm to study the strange circle.
"How'd you get the blade then?" Alphonse asked as Ed just stared at the circles.
"Let's just say there used to be a metal statue in one of the yards by the battle. I knew I was going to hit some trouble and I transmuted it before I started having problems." She smiled sheepishly as she pulled her arm back. Ed looked up and noticed that Christina's face was a bit red.
"Where are we going?" She turned her head back to the window and looked out at the country side.
"Resembool, I want my automailest to take a look at your back. If it does break around the bottom of the gem we can get her to fix it, I hope."
"Where are you from Christina?" Ed leaned back and Al stood up.
"Were you going Al?" Christina asked, by passing Ed's question. Al waved at her and then went out into the hallway.
"He's checking the baggage area, we brought an extra bag and he won't let me see in it." Ed put his feet on the seat and asked his question again.
"You'll find out, we'll pass it on our way to Resembool. I think we're stopping there too." Christina didn't look too happy about that and just continued to stare out.
"Brother we've got two hours before the train leaves, what are we going to do?" Alphonse and Ed turned away from the train worker and joined a very spacey Christina.
"I say Clark here shows us around. It is her home town and all."
Christina turned her head to Ed and gave him a small nod. They walked down the lively road and passed people getting ready for a celebration.
"What's going on?" Ed stopped at a small shop and watched as a woman placed decorations everywhere.
"Welcome to Chaono, we came just in time for 'The End' celebration." Christina had now brightened up and turned to them.
"'The End' celebration? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Asked Al as she waved at people they passed.
"Yes it's a good thing, follow me." She gave the boys a wink and turned and ran. Realizing that she was getting away, the two followed.
"This is the House of Chaos, an ancient family long since gone. This is the house that challenged all Gods all Suns. She was mere mortal, torn between the holy ground and un-holy ground. She fought a way that ended this day many years passed." Christina came to a portrait of a phoenix and a dragon locked in battle. A girl stood at the bottom with one black wing and one white wing spread. Her armor was busted and she had her sword raised above her head.
"You use Alchemy and believe in a God, after all the damage that's been done." Ed spoke and came face to face with the picture.
"I don't believe in God, I believe in her, because she faced a world against her. We're like her; we don't belong because of what we've done." Ed stared at the girl, long black hair and eyes in a glare that made his blood run cold.
"You believe in her, not me, so why celebrate?" Ed looked at Christina who was on the ground drawing an Alchemy circle like the one on her shirt.
"There are three branches of Taboo: Human Transmutation, Body Transmutation and the Transmutation of Many. All branches are related. We celebrate because she was an un-holy creature that believed in these three branches. Equivalent exchange only exists in all three because was see it fit." Christina stood up and held her hand out to Ed. He looked at her hand and then to her.
"Our bodies normally hold all that needs to be used for an exchange. Human transmutation is mostly the only Taboo that needs outside elements." He held out his automail arm and Christina drew a circle on it.
"As long as you stay here you won't mess up your nerves. Transmute that circle," she pointed to it and back up. She placed her hand on her arm and transmuted the circles on her arm. Ed slowly followed deciding against clapping he also ran his hand down his automail.
The small room lit up and Ed's face began to show many emotions. Christina watched as his arm disappeared up to his elbow and formed a sword in his hand. Christina pulled out the handle of her sword and they stood just staring.
"Edward Elric you have now just dabbled in two Taboos."