OMFG!!!!!!! WTBW is officially ONE YEAR OLD!!!! yay!!

and we authoresses are so pathetic, we've only written 17 chapters...but hey! this is the end of book 5! so ha! -sweatdrop- (Ember: sorry, ppl, Kira-sama is hyper today... Kira: sad part is, it's true...good part is, NO MORE FINALS!! -burns finals- Ember: -laughs- -blinks- wait...ACK NO! MY ART PROJECT!!! -sobs in emo corner-)

hehe...um...sorry? blame the weather - tis cold, raining, and i'm kinda sick, so i'm HYPER!!! hehe, sorry...

here's the 1st aniversary chappy!!!

"Mrs. Izumi!" called a group of children, running toward the group. "Mrs.…" the crept around Sig, "Izumi!" they finished, tugging at the alchemist's clothes.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"My train's broken!" one of them declared, holding up the object. "Help me fix it!"

"Ok," Izumi replied. "I have my tools in my house."

"Huh?" the kid looked confused, and a little disappointed. "Aren't you gonna use alchemy?"

"No!" Izumi said forcefully, walking into her house.

"Why?" another kid demanded.

"My dad said Mrs. Izumi was a powerful alchemist!" another added.

"We don't need alchemy to do this," Izumi frowned, grabbing something. "We can just use our hands."

"Using alchemy would be easier and quicker!" a kid retorted.

"Shut up!" Izumi looked annoyed. "The axle of the wheel is just broken!" She handed the fixed train back to one of the boys.

"Ew…it's ugly!" he complained, as the others laughed. "Mrs. Izumi's skills suck!"

An anime vein appeared on Izumi. "Noisy whelps!! If you don't want it fixed again you should look after your toys!"

"Heh heh," the boys grinned. "Thank you!"

The four went back outside, and they boys called, "We'll bring it back if it's broken again!" as they ran off.

"Didn't I tell you to look after it?!" Izumi shouted.

"Mrs. Izumi…" a soft voice said from the gate. The group turned to see a small girl, holding a sleeping cat.

"Manny!" Izumi looked surprised. "What happened? You need something fixed?"

The girl, Manny, shook her head. "Chiko's not moving," she said, her voice breaking. "Please fix her…"

Izumi's face was sad as she took the cat gently from Manny's arms. "She's already dead," she told the girl.

Ed and Al watched sadly, while Rei turned away, her eyes hidden. Bella looked at her questioningly, but remained silent.

"Isn't she broken?" Manny asked hopefully.

"No," Izumi shook her head. "She's dead."

Manny looked desperate. "Mrs. Izumi, please fix her!"

"I can't do that," Izumi apologized.

"I thought Mrs. Izumi could fix anything?" Manny smiled. "Even Chiko…"

"Manny…" Izumi looked at her sympathetically. "Living things are different from toys. I'm not God." She took the girl's hand, placing it over Chiko's heart, then Manny's. "Manny and Chiko both have 'life'," she explained. "Chiko's life has ended. It can't come back."

"I don't understand!" tears began to form in Manny's eyes. "Because…yesterday till…"

Izumi smiled at her sympathetically. "Though I can't bring her back to life, I can make a grave for her. Ok?" Tears streaming down her face, Manny nodded.

On a Hill…
"Life will come to an end, a return to the dust from which we came," Izumi said as they waved goodbye to the sobbing girl. "The spirit becomes memories, living in the minds of people. Everything changes, the same as with human life. Though I know this as a fact," Izumi looked at the setting sun, "it was difficult to tell that little girl."

"Master," Ed spoke up, "do you…think we could revive a dead person?"

"Yes," Izumi replied, speaking over her shoulder. "Ed. You think being the army's god is such a good idea? Do any of you?"

"Since it began," Bella looked down, "When we're called to be living weapons, we don't know if it means we'll have to take a life."

"I'm afraid," Ed whispered.

"But you'll do even this, to accomplish your dreams?" Izumi pressed.

"I have a dream that must be fulfilled, no matter what," Rei replied for him. "I'll die if I must, but my dream will come true. No matter what I must do. I'm sure it's the same for Bella and Edward."

Ed and Bella nodded.

Without warning, Izumi kicked backwards, her foot slamming into Ed's chin. "Looks like you didn't just break my rules!" she frowned down at him. "Al, the armor…it's empty inside."

"!!" Al's head shot up.

"Ed has a mechanical arm," Izumi's eyes narrowed at Bella and Rei. "And I'm sure you two have automail as well."

"How…" Al asked, shocked.

"How did I know?" Izumi finished for him. "When I threw you, the left and right side made different sounds," she said harshly. "You think I'm stupid? Don't take me for a fool!"

Ed looked down, ashamed. Bella, too, looked away, and even Rei's eyes dropped.

"What happened," Izumi asked, quieter than before. When it had been silent for a moment, she glared. "Speak up! What actually happened? Tell me, now!"

"………" Al looked down.

Ed's fist tightened, and he looked up. "Where should I start…"

As the Elric brothers retold the story of their past, taking turns, Izumi listened intently. Rei stood still, only her unwavering, blank stare showing her interest, while Bella watched random insects fly by.

Finally, they finished their tale. Izumi nodded, her eyes not forgiving, but not exactly accusing, either. The three – the brothers and Izumi – turned to Bella, as if expecting something.

She looked back at them quizzically, then sighed. "I guess…I should start at the beginning…"

mwahahaha! hehe...

to be honest, the only reason this chapter got typed was cause i was bored - i got myself re-re-re-re-re-rehooked on Tsubasa Chronicle a while ago, and i finished episode 52 today (wahh!!! no more till April '07! and then only in Japan, cause stupid FUNimation hasn't released it in the US yet! even tho they bought the first season of TC and XXXHolic, as well as the movies...-glares- ah! back to what i was saying...) and i was bored - and thus, the readers have every right to be happy!!

heh, umm...oh! review! and send death threats to Ember-baka!!