Chapter 1
Colonel Mustang had grouped Edward, Alphonse and you up to go to the town of Hershey, and to be honest, neither you or Edward were happy about it.
"I can't believe we got grouped with a little girl." Edward grumpily complained.
"Well excuse me! I'm taller than you dumb ass!"
"What's that supposed to mean!?" Edward angrily asked. An irk mark appearing. You realised his weakness and decided to have a bit of fun.
"It means you're short, ya stupid midget." You smirked. Edward looked at you, angered and horrified, and Alphonse just face palmed. You swore you heard Alphonse say,
"Now you've done it."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A CRUMB SO SMALL THAT IT WON'T EVEN FEED HALF AN ANT!?" Edward ranted, you clearly being amused.
"Calm down brother. She didn't say any of that." Said Alphonse, who was holding Edward by the colour of his red coat, stopping him from attacking you.
"Yeah. Calm down Little Red Riding Hood. Don't get your knickers in a knot. It's not my fault that puberty isn't doing too well for you, height wise." You and Edward were yelling witty comments at each other for the rest of the train trip. While the two of you were arguing, you didn't notice Alphonse notice your automail arm.
"Big brother! (f/n)! Look. We're here." You and Edward immediately stopped your arguing and looked out the window to see indeed, that you were at the town of Hershey.
The strange trio got off the train and headed their way towards the town of Hershey. The walk across the desert wasn't so bad for you, since you wore boots, grey shorts, a white t-shirt and a sleeveless, (f/c) hoodie with the hood up to protect your face from the sun. It was still hot, and the walk was rather tiresome, and Alphonse kept sinking, and Edward kept complaining about how hot it was and how Alphonse was sinking on purpose.
"Why don't you just take the armour off Alphonse? Surely it's boiling in there!" You asked innocently. The brothers panically looked at each other.
"Well, if I took it off t-then I would have to carry it a-a-and it will just be a pain." Alphonse stuttered. You looked at the brothers suspiciously.
"Plus he isn't wearing anything underneath!" Edward added, hoping it was convincing enough. Alphonse just looked at Edward, supposedly glaring at him. You had a disturbed expression.
"I really didn't need to know that." You said and began walking again.
You were walking up ahead, determined to get to the town of Hershey before you passed out, leaving Alphonse and Edward lagging behind. Alphonse thought of this as the perfect time to bring up your automail.
"Hey, big brother?" Alphonse asked.
"Yeah Al?"
"Have you noticed (f/n)'s left arm?"
"Yeah I have."
"Do you think she's…"
"No. She seems too, innocent."
"Too innocent?"
"Well, you know. She acts like she hasn't had anything too dark to disturb her childhood." The little they knew.
"Hey boys! Hurry up. We're almost there!" You said excitedly. The brothers' mood perked up as well. They ran towards you, Edward looking relieved.
"Hey (f/n)?" Edward asked.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about what I said on the train. I didn't mean it." Edward apologised.
"I'm sorry too. I only meant half of it." You joked.
"That was a terrible apology!" Alphonse ranted.
"Hahaha! I was joking. I truly am sorry Edward." You said, with a cute, girly laugh. You don't like the way you laugh, but Edward, on the other hand, thought it was the most adorable thing he has ever heard.
"Ed." Edward corrected, with a slight blush appearing on his cheeks.
"Huh?"
"You can call me Ed."
"And you can call me Al!" Alphonse said gleefully, relieved that the little drama that happened in the train early was all patched up and forgotten, and also seeing Ed blush.
The strange trio made it to the town of Hershey, and you and Ed decided to get a drink because you were so damn thirsty. You were sitting at a bar. Edward was drinking some juice and you had a glass of (favouritedrink), with your hood down. Your shiny (h/l) (h/c) hair showing. Back in your hometown, many people (mainly girls) were jealous of your hair. In the background there was a man talking on the radio about some holy crap that the trio really didn't care about.
"So what are you? Street performers or something?" The bar tender asked. Ed spat out his drink in disgust, you just gave the man a dead panned look.
"Do we seriously look like street performers to you?" Ed asked, quite rudely.
"Yeah. That's why I asked." The bar tender replied.
'I guess we do look like street performers, with Al in a suit and all." You thought.
"We're alchemists." Al said sweetly.
"Don't be so stupid. This is the famous Fullmetal Alchemist. And the pretty girl is the Song Bird Alchemist. Just as famous" Said a hooded woman sitting to the right of Al. The trio and the bartender just look at the woman funnily, while the woman walks away.
"Fullmetal Alchemist? Song Bird Alchemist? I don't think I've heard of you." The bar tender said. Ed just scoffed.
"Come on Al. (f/n). Let's go." Ed said. The other two nodded and got up. Poor Al hit his head on the roof, sending the radio that was on it crashing down onto the ground, breaking into millions of pieces.
"AGH! I didn't mean anything by it!" The bar tender said.
"Sorry. It was an accident!" Al said, slightly panicking.
"Yeah. We'll fix it." You added.
"How the hell are you going to fix this?! It's smashed to hell!" The bar tender angrily stated.
"Just watch." Ed said smugly, wearing a smirk. Al drew a transmutation around the remains of the radio and clapped his hands over it, a blue light appearing and nearly blinding everyone who watched. Once the blinding blue light disappeared, there stood the radio, fixed like it was never broken in the first place. There were gasps and impressed faces from amongst the crowd. Ed was smirking proudly, and you couldn't help but feel proud too. Ed looked over to you and winked, which caused you to blush.
"Hey! They can perform miracles like Father Cornello!" Someone said from the admiring crowd.
"We can do what now?" You asked, extremely confused.
'Who is this Cornello guy they are talking about?' You thought.
"Father Cornello! Have you not heard of him? He is the man that brought us out of the shadows, the ruins, and showed us a new light, a new hope. He performs miracles like you. You must also be blessed by the Sun God Leto." A villager gleefully explained. You and Ed looked like they were about to crack up laughing on the spot.
"We don't perform miracles. And we aren't blessed by this Sun God that you speak of." You sassily explained.
"Yeah. We're alchemists." Al continued.
"The Fullmetal Alchemist and the Song Bird Alchemist." Ed said. There were a lot of blank stares in the crowd. Ed look very disappointed, and quite annoyed.
"Fullmetal, huh? Oh yeah! I've heard of you guys before! The famous alchemists Fullmetal and Song Bird!" Someone said in the cloud of blank stares. Ed's face turned from annoyed to proud. He was puffing out his chest, wearing a smirk. But the proud stance soon went away when the villagers started to gather around you and Al.
"Wow. Sweetie you're so pretty! Why would the military let such a young girl fight?" A middle aged woman complimented you. You just laughed awkwardly and blushed slightly at the praise.
"And I guess that's why you were called the Fullmetal Alchemist, wearing the armour and all. Very fitting." Someone said to Alphonse. Al frantically shook his head and waved hands.
"No, no, no. You've got it all wrong. I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist." Al tried to explain. The villagers looked at you, hoping for an explanation. You just nodded at them and pointed to a very pissed off Edward.
"Wait. You mean that shorty over there is the Fullmetal Alchemist." A poor soul said. Ed just blew up.
"WHOSE LITTLE?! COME SAY IT TO MY FACE! I DARE YA!" Ed ranted while throwing the poor people around, while Al and (f/n) shake theirs heads.
"We're sorry! We're sorry! We didn't mean it!" Someone said. Ed scoffed and the trio started to pay attention to what to preacher said on the radio.
"So, what's with this guy on the radio?" Ed asked. The villagers who he just thrashed around looked terrified and like their souls just left their bodies. You felt sorry for them.
"T-that's our leader, Father Cornello." The bartender said.
"We were lost before he came to town and began teaching us the ways of Sun God Leto." One villager said.
"He grants eternal life to the souls of the faithful." Another one continued.
"He can even resurrect the dead. His miracles are proof of what he says is true!" Another villager finished.
"So, this man is claiming he can bring the dead back to life?" You asked.
"Now that's something I gotta see." Ed finished, you and Al nodding in response.
The strange trio were amongst the crowd, watching a large, bald man turn a blossom into a beautiful, crystal flower. You knew there was something fishy about that man and his tricks, but you couldn't help but be amazed.
"So that's it huh? What do you guys think?" Ed asked, shielding his eyes from the sun.
"There's nothing to think. That's alchemy, no doubt about it." Al said.
"But some how he is bending the rules of equivalent exchange. He should've only been able to transmute that flower into something of equivalent mass." You stated, earning nods from the brothers.
"He's changing organic matter into non-organic matter. He shouldn't be able to do that, unless…" Al started.
"Yeah, there's just one way." Ed finished, looking at the ring the large man wore.
"Bingo."
As the trio was walking towards the church, the tower bells chimed. When they walked in, the saw a young woman kneeling in front of a large stone table with four lit candles on it, that was in front of a large statue with a staff and a pointy crown. You assumed she was praying.
"Well, this is the all mighty Leto." Ed said, getting the young woman's attention. She got and smiled a warm smile.
"Welcome. Are you interested in Letoism?" The woman asked.
"Nope. Can't say I am. I'm not really the religious type." Ed said. You were hoping he wouldn't say anything stupid and offend the lady. You got to have a good look at the young woman. She was tall and slender, and very pretty. She had long, dark hair, with rose coloured bangs and purple eyes, and was wearing a knee-length, white dress. The young lady gave Ed a dumbfounded expression, but was soon replaced with a small, closed eye smile.
"Well. I'm sorry to hear that. To know God, is to know hope. If we believe in divine grace, then through him all things are possible." The young woman said, Ed watching her with an emotionless expression.
"And if you believed," The woman started, referring to Ed, who was now giving her his full attention."
"Then I'm sure he would bless you and make you grow taller." The innocent woman said enthusiastically. You couldn't help but start laughing. Al was holding Ed back who was desperately trying to get to the woman.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Ed angrily said through gritted teeth.
"Easy brother, she's just trying to help." Al said sweetly. Ed sighed, but then turned to you and an irk mark appeared. You were on the ground, clutching your stomach, laughing like a mad man.
"You! Stop laughing!" Ed said, pointing an accusing finger at you.
"I'm sorry! I can't. It's too hilarious!" You said between laughing fits. Ed sighed once again and said on the closet bench.
"What about bringing the dead back to life? Do you believe that's possible too?" Ed asked the woman. Sensing the serious atmosphere, you stopped laughing and got up from the ground. The lady smiled another closed eye smile.
"Yes." She said. Ed sighed. You were slightly disappointed in the naivety of this woman. Ed reached into his pocket and got out his notebook and opened it.
"Water 35 litres, Carbon 20 kilograms, Ammonia four litres, Lime one point five kilograms, Phosphorus 250 grams, Saltpetre 100 grams, and various other trace elements." Ed read from his notebook. The poor woman looked Ed with a dumbfounded expression, then looked to you for an explanation. You looked at her with a sad expression and started to speak.
"That list was the complete chemical make of the human body for the average adult." You said, hoping she would understand. Ed decided that you're explanation wasn't enough, and continued.
"It's been calculated to the last microgram but still, there's never been a reported case of successfully creating a human life. And you're telling me that something modern science can't do you can do with prayer?" Ed asked aggressively, earning a gasp from you.
"Lift my voice to God. And the prays of the faithful shall be answered!" The woman retorted, looking slightly pissed.
'Ed, you better stop now before you annoy her any more.' You thought. Unfortunately, you're prayer was not answered.
"Did I mention all those ingredients I read off?" Ed started, folding his arms behind his head. You knew where this was going.
"Down at the market a kid could buy every single one of them with the spare change in his pocket. As it turns out, humans are pretty cheap." Ed finished.
"Edward!" You said sternly, but before you finished scolding him, the woman went on.
"That's blasphemy! People are, we're all children of God. Created in his image." The woman said. Ed just laughed.
"You have to understand, alchemists are scientists. We don't believe in unprovable concepts like Creators or Gods. We observe the physical laws that govern this world. To try and learn the truth." Ed said.
"Edward stop. That's enough!" You said sternly, but he didn't listen.
"It's ironic really, that through the application of science, we've been given many opportunities to play the role of Gods ourselves." Ed finished. You were furious.
"So you're putting yourself on the same level as God? That's just, sheer arrogance!" The woman said, angered by the egotistical comment made by the short alchemist. You looked at Al, giving him look that says, "Help me!" He nodded in response.
"Brother-" Al started, but was cut off from Ed… again.
"You know, there's an old myth, about a hero who flew on wings made of wax." Ed started. Everyone in the room seemed to shut up, curious as to what this myth had to do with anything.
"He thought he could touch the sun, but when he got too close his wings melted and came crashing back down to earth. Right Al?" Ed said, giving Al a sideways glance.
"Brother." Al replied, sounding slightly sad and shocked. Al was staring at something. Ed followed his gaze and saw you, looking like you had seen a ghost. The traumatised glint in your eyes. The tears threatening to spill from the corner of your eyes. That 'myth' reminded you of an event, an event you have tried so hard in these last five years to forget. Ed didn't like seeing you in this state. A girl who is always to bubbly and cheerful, looked weak. And it felt like if someone made a wrong move, she would break down, and crumble away. Ed got up with a bit of grunt.
"I'm sorry miss. This is difficult for me ask, but do you think your Father Cornello could even save an arrogant scientist like me?" Ed asked. Both you and Al were shocked by this statement. Even the lady was taken by surprise.
"Of course, that's wonderful!" The lady said, quickly becoming her old, happy, religious self again.
"If anyone can lead you to the light of the creator's, he can!"
The midget, the suit of armour, the girl and the religious woman were walking towards a mansion, assuming being owned by Father Cornello himself.
"Hey (f/n)?" Ed asked you. You didn't respond. You were still angry with him for saying what he said. You knew it was stupid to hold a grudge against him for something like that. He probably didn't understand how hurtful his words were. But still, no one is allowed to extinguish someone else's hope. Ed sighed.
"Seriously. You're still mad? What did I do?!" He asked, getting irritated.
"You spoke." You replied, getting straight to the point. He looked at you, confused and slightly offended.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"I mean, you said things that no one in this world has the right to say, scientist or not." You looked at him, to find him looking at the ground, confusion still written all over his face. You sighed.
'How dense can he be?" You asked yourself.
"This religion has given that woman, this community hope. Whether it be a fraud or not, it still gives them hope, and makes them happy. You do not have the right, no matter how desperate and stupid their choices may be, to extinguish someone else's hope. I don't know if you can relate, but when an opportunity comes along that gives you hope, it feels like you are the happiest person on earth. But once that opportunity, that hope, get's snatched from you, or goes wrong, or cannot be done in the first place, it hurts. It hurts like hell." You finished, tears forming in your eyes. You didn't look up, afraid you would start crying.
The tears you've bottled up for five years, you will not allow them to fall, no matter what. You do not want to appear week, or broken. You want to be strong. You want others to look up to you, not feel the need to carry you on their shoulders.
"I'm sorry." Ed finally said, sounding sad and angry all at the same time. To be honest, it kind of scared you, but you kept your ground.
"I'm not the one you should be apologising to." You said, looking up at the woman, and Ed following your gaze, who nodded in response.
To be continued...