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Edward glanced down at his left foot hesitantly, a slight blush tinted his cheeks as he realised his prosthetic leg was walking barley across the tiled floor. The teen cursed his own stupidity and narrowed his eyes at Roy, looking over to the man red faced and embarrassed.

"You're a real bastard, you know that?"

The Colonel merely smiled and continued to walk, knowing full well it wasn't the blondes fault. He couldn't feel the cold tiles against his foot or the tough leather of his boots. After years of searching for a way to regain his limbs, Edward has been cast to another world and returned with yet another prosthetic. Roy wondered if Ed had ever intended to fix himself at all, he wouldn't have been surprised if the years of questing for the stone had been entirely for Alphonse.

"You know if I didn't feel so shitty right now, I'd probably hit you..." the teen muttered, his cheeks still tinted a light shade of pink. His golden hair was beginning to slip from its ponytail, the loose strands cascading down his hair and back. Ed reached a flesh hand into his hair and pulled the elastic with his fingers, gold pooling around his shoulders. It wasn't often anyone got to see the blonde without his composed mask. His hair was free from its usual form, his automail clearly on show, and his fiery temper has faded into fatigue. He looked more like his age, a young carefree teenager than an experienced dog of the military. It was amazing how the blonde could change so quickly from a normal teen to a soldier and state alchemist. From such an early age, Roy knew what he was capable of. After several years of growth and improvement, it was safe to say no one dared to mess with the FullMetal Alchemist.

"You ok chief?" Jean had been trying hard to ignore Ed rubbing at his neck for the last few minutes. It was clear the teen was trying slyly not to divert any attention to himself.

"I'm fine" Ed knew it was a lie, and an obvious one at that, but he was in no mood to be told he was unfit for action. He was sure he wasn't the only one that wanted this over with quickly; although the Elric knew he would only be a burden if any injuries affected his performance when it was most needed.

The lights began to flicker lazily, the buzz of electric humming above their heads as the power cut in and out repeatedly. Jean began to curse as his head thudded in protest, the weak bursts of artificial light stinging his eyes. If this was a minor head wound, he was sure thankful he'd escaped with just a scratch.

Roy sighed as the corridor seemed to stretch further and further as the team continued to walk, the white walls endlessly disappearing in the distance. His feet began to ache; after all, they weren't used to much walking in one day. The Colonel spent most, if not all his military hours behind a desk, shielded from the dangers of the outside world and it's ever changing seasons. There had been many a time when Edward had appeared in the man's office all those years ago, soaked to the skin from the vigorous downpour, a wet braid clinging to his back and a pair of narrowed, glaring eyes. The teen had been cast out on missions rain or shine, despite how his automail protested during extremely hot or cold seasons. When he had first joined the team, complaining about his 'lazy' superior had become a regular occurrence. After a few months, the blonde found he didn't have the energy to argue or complain anymore, and haled himself into the office, slammed a report rudely on the desk and kick the door upon entrance and exit. A routine he would always be well recognised for.

"Have the halls always been this... long?" Roy groaned his usual military posture slipping into a slouch.

"Yes sir" Risa grit her teeth, holding back a burst of rude and insulting comments. It was this hall she was made to walk several times a day, going backwards and forwards with stacks of joyful paperwork.

"Asses like you wouldn't notice..." Ed spat without attempting to curb his rudeness like Hawkeye, "You doss about in the office all day while mugs like us get sent half way across the planet..." he moaned, his legs beginning to grow heavier. It was taking more and more effort to haul the prosthetics across the floor. It took patience, strength and co-ordination. It wasn't just simply a case of just walking. Not being able to feel his legs meant Ed had to rely on his nerves and brain for the correct timing and functions.

Usually, rehabilitation was supposed to take years. After already having to experience the loss of one leg, the teen sailed through the healing process much to the doctors and nurses amazement. It wasn't all sunshine and roses. There was one thing that Edward hadn't quite perfected still. Balance. As he walked through the silent, dark hallways he was beginning to lean over to one side.

His left leg was constructed beautifully by Winry, each bolt and wire fixed and placed with much precision. The teen had grown used to coping with manoeuvring the large hunk of metal. His right leg however, was a different story. It was a simple, frail design, much like a spare from Pinako but much thinner and delicate. It certainly didn't match the rest of his limbs. He could have changed it if he wanted an upgrade, disposed of the ugly thing. But like his right arm and left leg, he wanted to keep it as a reminder, a metallic scar. Ed didn't want to sound sappy, but it had a lot of memories too. It was one of the few reminders he had of his trip to the gate that wasn't stored in his head.

Some people had pictures; some had tattoos, and Ed? Well, he liked to be different.

The main reception was just in front of them, the lamps flickering in sync. Just like the office, its paperwork littered the floor; sopping wet documents clung together beside a shattered mug, its brown contents staining the pages.

There was no sign of injury or struggle, just the remains of what was once a neat and ordered pile of documents. The flash of gun fire appeared through the windows, the courtyard a death trap awaiting its next unfortunate victim. Roy looked back, and then to the single door leading outside.

"We didn't come all this way for nothing" he narrowed his eyes and looked to the clock on the floor, the hands still moving behind the broken glass.

The whizz of bullets and yelps rang through the air, the Colonels subordinates reluctant to move forward. As he moved closer to the door, Roy was well aware the three blondes behind him did not follow. He peered over his shoulder.

"Do you have any better ideas?"

"I didn't think so. On my command, make a dive for cover and don't move until I tell you"

Roy pressed his back to the door, the ice cold glass piercing through his thin shirt. A tight knot of nerves was already beginning to twist and turn in his stomach, wreathing uncomfortably. The three blondes behind him were waiting impatiently for the call to move forward, prepared to flinch at the smallest of sounds. No one dared speak from fear of missing the queue to move, reluctant to stay in the office block alone. If they had to go anywhere, they were going together.

"NOW"

The door swung open, squeaking in protest on its hinges. The team followed, diving for cover behind the nearest object, which happened to be the frail wooden fencing separating the grass from the pavement. The yard was a court of destruction. The earth was scattered in lumps and mounds, the dirt powdered across the neat paving slabs. The smell of smoke undoubtedly hung in the air. They all recognised it, especially Roy. The scent of burning, devouring everything and everyone. Ed could remember distinctly the smell of a corpse; he'd encountered it so often he had become immune to the instant urge to gag.

The sound of firing began to grow stronger, bullets piercing the wood in a scattered motion. Jean clutched a pistol to his chest protectively, cursing the stinging sensation at the back of his head as it touched the fence. His eyes darted nervously after each loud explosion, the light reflected in the window panes behind him.

"We'll never make it in one piece!"

"Jean, have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" Roy looked to is subordinate with determination, hoping his bravery would rub off on the man. "There's no need to-"

The Colonel ducked as a rain of soil was thrown forcefully over the fence from a strong explosion, collecting in his short raven hair.

"Worry" he finished finally.

"Can you blame him?!" Ed exclaimed, shaking the dirt from his hair, "How are the four of us supposed to take them all down?"

"You always were optimistic...." Roy rolled his eyes, pulling his damp white gloves from his pocket ad beginning to search for something.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ed looked dumbfoundedly at his superior, who was searching thoroughly through his navy pockets franticly.

"I need..." his onyx eyes paused at the earth smeared ground. He had of course, been looking for something to write with. After all the paperwork he did, Roy was surprised not to find a biro or marker lurking in his pockets. Smearing the earth on his gloves, Roy added another transmutation circle to the fabric, just below the large crimson circle. Hopefully, all those years of research and training hadn't been for nothing.

"When I give you the signal, go"

"Signal?" Risa asked.

Roy smirked, "Trust me, you'll know it when it comes"

// "Trust me, I really don't think you want to be-"

"Do you have any better ideas?" the blonde was out of ammunition, and searching the floor and the deceased reluctantly for spares. Usually, he would have refused. Stealing from the dead and dying was below his morals and standards. But now, it was either Edward's morals or his life.

"I've heard bad things about-"

"BAD?! You want bad? We're in a war Al!!" Ed was crouching on the floor, avoiding the mess of crimson and mud as best as he could, determined not to ruin his green uniform any further. It could be weeks or months until he had access to a spare, although now was defiantly the time to be more concerned about the approaching mob of soldiers that seemed to go on to infinity.

"I wish you'd stop with the superstitious crap... it's not like their using it anyway!" he began to search more and more franticly, fully aware of each crucial passing second.

"Edward..." Alfonse resembled a deer caught in the headlights. His usual tidy hair was ridden with dust, streaks of mud staining the roots and tips. He fumbled for his gun and got to his knees, pressing his back to the remains of what used to be a strong wall. His large eyes darted nervously from fear of missing anything important. One move could change everything. He knew that, and undoubtedly, Edward did too.

"Superstitious? Can you blame me?" he called over the loud firing, "You're always talking about that place you're from, Armetris, or whatever the hell it's called!"

"You know what? I don't know what's real and what isn't anymore! This is more than just a nightmare..." Al looked back over his shoulder to his determined friend, who was still searching amongst the debris and corpses. "Hurry up!"

"I'm trying!" the teen would never usually allow himself to get into a situation like this. With just one clap, he could have rid them all, or at least delayed them anyway. Ed had learnt that life on the other side of the gate was much harder than home. Nothing was simple. "Stuff this crap!" the blonde got to his feet and motioned for Alfonse to join him.

"We could be searching forever! We need to find cover-" a bullet collided with his helmet, the teen ducked from instinct, craning his neck to Al.

"Come on Al!"

"AL!"

Alfonse turned sharply, locking eyes with his best friend fearfully while his limbs refused to move, like big blocks of cement.

"You have to make a promise!" the shaking teen said to Ed.

"Now isn't the time!"

"Promise me we won't get separated!"

BANG. Flames danced across the land. The land that they had been forced to call home for many months.

"Promise me Edward! I can't go on alone!"

"I swear with my life! Now go!" Ed couldn't pry his gaze from the teen that resembled his younger brother. His emotions instinctively assumed it was the younger Elric, and were rammed into overdrive. Of course it didn't matter if he was looking at Alphonse or Alfonse. He'd do anything for them both. He may not have been related to Alfonse by blood, but they were close enough to be brothers.

Ed reached out a hand and grabbed Al by the collar, pulling him to his feet roughly.

"GO!" //

It's been way too long since I included a flash back!

I know they aren't in order, but eventually the stories from the gate will piece together and make sense. See you next chapter :)