There was nothing. Not light, not darkness, not space, and not time. Nothingness- that was all that there was.
"Are you sure?" A collection of voices whispered. The voices belonged to no one yet everyone at once; perhaps, if they were more harmonious, their tone could be called sad.
"Yes," another replied firmly. This one was distinctively male. "This is my choice."
There was silence, a feeling defined not by the lack of sound as per usual, but by the feeling of tension, stretched taut like a muscle.
"You will pay the price then." the voice echo twice.
"I will," was the short reply. In those two words was a promise. It was understood but never voiced a aloud. "Take care of things here for now."
"We will await your return- no matter how long it will take." And with that, the gates from beyond opened, and there was light.
In the sleepy town of Liore, the morning sun rose slowly as it chased away the vestiges of the night. Wind whipped around the small town which lay off the beaten path. Sand and leaves alike rustled over the brick roads, forming a music that is unique only to the small desert town. In the distance, wisps of smoke curl from small, bent chimneys. They form small, fragrant, clouds before fading into the distance.
The inhabitants of Liore, both young and old, were soundly asleep- except for two very strange, and very awake, outsiders from far beyond the boundaries of the desert.
"The miracles of the Church of Leto, huh," one of them mused. "What a load of bullshit."
"Ni-san," a disembodied voice berated. It came from the hollow of a vintage armor, one that was well worn in and full of scratches. Beyond the helm, red eyes gleamed in the darkness. On closer inspection, the armor was empty- there were no flashes of fabric or flesh from beneath the cracks of the armor. There was just blackness. Emptiness.
"It's alchemy- just simple alchemy, and they all it a miracle," Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, laughed. He had one arm- the metal one- over his eyes as he laid on his bed. The metal was cool against his thin eyelids- a welcome relief in the summer heat. He thought of the demonstration the day before, when the priest had turned a small flowerbud into a sunflower- without a doubt, it was alchemy. He'd bet his automail on it.
"But the priest did violate the law of conservation of mass," Alphonse, the younger brother, pointed out. He was curled up (or as much as he could in an armor) in the far corner of the room.
"Ah- we could be onto something here, Al," Ed said. He raised his fist and clenched it tight; the early morning light reflected off his hands where the metallic joints bent. The creaked slightly from the morning dew- time to dry and oil them, he thought.
"Do you think… it's real this time?" Al asked, his voice smaller than usual. His corner was cold and shadowed, but he could not feel either. It was a wild goose chase- they went after every clue they could find, but there was never any concrete proof that the legendary Philosopher's stone was real to begin with.
He's still just a child, Ed reminded himself (while conveniently forgetting that he too, was a minor). He had to be strong- for Al. It was his fault that Al landed in this mess- he had to get Al his body back- he will. "I think this might be the real deal. There's no way he could have done that transmutation without a transmution circle while breaking the fundamental laws of alchemy without the stone helping him along. He's not a good enough alchemist to pull that off without a rebound."
Silence stretched between them, but it was a comfortable silence- once tempered by the cool morning air of the desert and the twilight of daybreak. The insects and birds woke one by one, and they filled the crisp morning air with their song
Ed took a deep breath to clear his head. He stilled for but a moment before sitting up and throwing his blankets off. "I'm off to take a look at podium from yesterday to see if I can get any clues. We were too far away to really see the signs of a transmutation yesterday, and the square was too crowded afterwards. That third rated priest is not good enough to hide the transmutation marks, so if there are any, they should still be there."
"Right," Al agreed, nodding. He got up from his corner; the metal plates of his armor clacked and echoed around the interior. "Do you need me to come with you, Nii-san?"
Ed shook on his leather jacket and grabbed his crimson cloak from the back of his chair. "No, that's okay. I should be back in a couple of minutes anyways. We have to get started on the report for Colonel Bastard though- and your handwriting's better than mine."
"He'll know that I wrote it again, Nii-san," Al pointed out.
"Whatever," he pulled a face at the mental image of The Bastard smirking down at him. "He doesn't care anyways as long as he gets his damn report."
"Language, Nii-san," Al said in between chuckles. "Alright, I'll get started on the report then."
"I'll be back soon," Ed called with one hand over the doorframe. On his way out, he glanced at his pocket watch (while making an effort not to look at the scratched under cover of it). "I'll see if I can grab breakfast on my way back. I should be back in about ten minutes if I run."
"Okay, I'll come looking for you if you take too long," Al's voice was gentle as ever as he sat down in front of the table and pulled out a sheaf of papers from Ed's travelling case.
"Ah," Ed turned his head and left the room.
The square stretched from one side of the church to the other; in a rustic little town like Liore, it was huge. Restaurants framed the square with little black wire tables and chairs. Ceramic tiles painted elaborate circular patterns in golds and brown. All in all, it was luxurious, by Liore's standard.
Ed could only wonder where the funding came from. He leisurely walked to the far end of the square, shooing off a crowd of pigeons in the process. Ed covered his face with his automail as they took flight in front of his eyes and found their perch in a small cluster of trees nearby. In this hour of the day, the residents of Liore were just starting to wake up. There was no one in the square yet, and sunlight was adequate enough for him to see his surroundings clearly.
Ed crouched down carefully and brushed his gloved hands over the ceramic tiles of the square. As he thought, there weren't any transmutation marks. Although any chalk dust would most likely be blown away by now, there weren't any chalk marks in areas where chalk would likely catch on the tiles.
It was just one more piece of evidence- one more hope that they were on the right track.
He moved in small, quiet steps as he walked around the square and looked for any tracks that he might have missed- any surreptitious marks, anything hidden in the small cracks and crevices.
While he was preoccupied, he missed something very important.
"Look out!" A trail of sound came from somewhere, but none that Edward could see- there was no one around him, and when he thought to look up, the only direction that he hasn't looked in, he only saw a shadow falling towards him before his world blacked out.
Ed's consciousness slowly roused from its sleep; his eyelids seemed heavier than usual- heavier than lead, even. He groaned in pain and tried to lift them with little success. His automail worked perfectly though, much to his relief. Even without opening his eyes, he knew that he was back in the hotel room, on his bed. The fan overhead spun leisurely, making soft swooshing sounds. The slight wind brushed against papers on the wooden desk- no doubt the half-completed report that Al wrote. The bed he was lying on was soft- a softness that he has grown familiar with over the past week.
"Ah, you're awake. How are you feeling?" An unfamiliar voice said to his left. The voice was a light tenor with a slight twinge of an unfamiliar accent. It was soft and gentle- the kind of tone one would use with a scared beast.
The thought of an unfamiliar presence in his room woke him immediately. Adrenaline shot through his veins, and before his mind could catch up to his body, he threw his covers in the general direction of the voice and leapt into a fighting stance. Ed blinked for half a moment and relaxed. He stood up on the bed and bounced slightly on his heels; the springs squeaked ominously with every motion, but he paid them no mind.
The unknown figure squeaked in surprise- a very civilian gesture, Ed thought. He struggled and flailed for a moment before untangling himself from the confining cloth.
"Ow… Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. " The mysterious male sounded wary and a little annoyed as he tugged the bedsheet off him. Ed studied the figure in front of him carefully. The male looked to be around Ed's age, perhaps around sixteen or seventeen. Unruly dark brown hair stuck up at various angles, and lithe muscles showed from beneath his shirt. The brightest pair of green eyes Ed has ever seen peered directly at his own golden ones.
Upon receiving no reply, an awkward silence filled the air. Hesitantly, the teenager continued, seemingly concerned. "Erm…what is the last thing you remember? You hit your head pretty hard."
Yeah, thanks to you, Ed thought to himself. "I went out for a walk and some idiot fell out of the sky and knocked me out." He too, was pretty irritated as well. He had no time to waste on trivial matters like this, let alone a matter that causes him bodily harm.
The man barked out a weak laugh. Or at least, it sounded like a bark. "Yeah, sorry about that, I fractured your sternum, left collarbone, and three of your ribs."
Now it was Ed's turn to be annoyed. Of all people for this man to fall on, it had to be on him. Seriously, the probability of a person falling out of the sky at daybreak and landing to him was next to none. Though perhaps the stranger was lucky that there was a person to break his fall. From what he could remember, the man was most likely in free fall and might not have survived the crash otherwise.
Oddly enough, Ed didn't feel any pain at all. He gave himself a mental pat down to be sure- no pain at all, and no IV drips or anything. Unless his nerves are dead or the man was lying (which Ed doubted since he recalled how intense the pain was), he should be in a world of agony right about now. So why wasn't he? He wasn't all bandaged up either, and the sudden movement didn't hurt him at all. He double checked his mental acuity- still as sharp as ever. There were no pain medications at the table or at his bedside (not that oral medications are supposed to be fed while the patient was unconscious).
"What happened?" Ed asked instead. He mentally analyzed the guy who literally crashed into him. Perhaps his analogy of Icarius was a bit too literal? The yet unnamed stranger scratched his head (a nervous gesture, Ed mentally cataloged). He could see that from the muscles on his arms and abdomen, the man was active- and a fighter, most likely, judging by his stance. Yet, he acted like a complete civilian. Something was suspicious.
"Well, I guess I should probably do some explaining," the man admitted. That would be nice, Ed thought sarcastically. "My name is Harry Potter- I'm a travelling alchemist from the West. I like to see the world, so I take odd jobs here and there to make the ends meet. It just so kind of happened that the priest here hired me to fix up the church's roof and give the tower bell a good clean. When I was finished with cleaning the bell before morning service, I tried to reach the edge of the roof and slipped. I couldn't get a foothold on anything and just fell. Boy, am I glad that you broke my fall when you did." Harry rubbed his head sheepishly. "You were in pretty rough shape after that, so you had me worried. While I was working on bandaging your wounds, a guy in a huge set of armor came looking for you; he sounded pretty concerned. He introduced himself as your brother, I think? He carried you back to the hotel, and I healed you completely then."
"Al- where is he?" Ed asked. His gaze narrowed- obviously, this alchemist was highly skilled at all things healing. He felt perfectly fine despite his grievous injuries. He glanced at the floor- no chalk marks again, but this person was clearly not affiliated with the church. And given his healing skills- Ed saw no scars- this guy was a cut above the priest. That led him to the question of why: Why did such a skilled alchemist work as an errand boy for Cornello of all people? "And what time is it?"
"Your brother went to get you food- it's about noon right now. You slept through most of the morning, I believe. " the man replied, glancing at his watch. "He didn't want to leave you, but I didn't know what you can and can't eat, so he went instead."
"I see." So clearly, this man was able to predict when he would wake up. On closer inspection, he couldn't see any smudged chalk marks- did the man not use a transmutation circle? There was no smell of ozone or odd chemicals. In fact, the man before him seemed to be an ordinary, lively teenager, except he moved with the grace of one highly skilled in martial arts.
"He should be back soon, actually," Harry continued. "He left a while ago; I think he mentioned something about stew?"
Ed got up from his bed and did some light stretches. Surprisingly, he was not heady from the blood loss. Instead, it was as if he had never gotten injured at all and had simply slept in.
"Everything working alright?" Harry asked pointedly while pulling out a chair for Ed to sit on. He disappeared briefly into the kitchen and emerged with a glass of water.
Ed nodded his thanks and took a gulp of water. "It should be alright," he said, looking at the screws and bolts on his automail. "Nothing's loose or detached."
"That's a relief then," Harry smiled. "I'm not really too familiar with automail, so I can't really do much with it."
Ed shrugged. "Not a lot of people are- they only became popular after the Ishbal, and only the East was affected for the most part."
Harry nodded.
"You're an alchemist?" Ed asked. He had questions- many of them- and he will get some answers.
"Yes," Harry replied plainly. "Alchemy is my trade. I'm an orphan, and my teacher died a long time ago, so alchemy is really all that I have left."
"Sorry to hear that," Ed said a bit hesitantly.
"No, it's okay," Harry said nonchalantly. "It was a long time ago, and I hardly remember them anyways. Besides, I like to see the world; I have a really bad case of wanderlust. I can't stay in one place for long," he laughed. It broke the awkward tension in the room easily, leaving the air lighter than it was moments before.
At this, Ed smirked. Wanderlust was a concept that he understood very well.
"So you take on odd jobs here and there?" Ed asked while sipping his water. His pinky caught on a strand of golden hair, making him wince.
"Yeah, I have to eat somehow," Harry joked. "I could probably do better, with my alchemy and all, but a guy like me can't stay still for more than a month at most. It's hard to find an alchemy job- research or otherwise- that lasts for such a short period of time. Besides, it's nice to use my alchemy for the people- tell them and let them see that alchemy's not always some dangerous and ill-begotten voo doo that only does harm."
Ed nodded and pulled off a hair elastic off his wrist. He could empathize with that- by the people, for the people- it's what the State Alchemists stood for (or at least, what they stood for in name).
"How long have you been in Liore?" He asked. His words were slightly muffled, as he held onto the elastic with his teeth. He braided his hair with ease and tied it back.
"Just a couple of days," Harry said. "I'll probably leave in a day or two and head off to the next town down the rail."
Fair enough, Ed thought. But he wanted to confirm something with the alchemist before he skipped town. "Have you seen any of Cornello's miracles yet?" he asked lightly, seemingly making small talk.
"The Priest's?" Harry asked with a raised brow. "I wouldn't really call them miracles, per se, but I have seen them a couple of times. Why do you ask?"
Ed hmmed in thought. So he wasn't the only one who thought that the priest was a fraud- this alchemist was clearly skilled enough to pick up on the fact as well. "Did you ever notice anything odd with them? Those miracles of his?"
Harry leaned back and laughed. "Besides the fact that they're not miracles? I'll eat my glasses if it's not alchemy that he's doing."
Ed chuckled and leaned his weight on his automail arm. Harry was easy enough to get along with, and he seemed to be able to put people at ease very easily. Perhaps a bit too easily, the paranoid part of him warned. But, he has faced more dangerous things than overly friendly strangers. "Did you notice? His alchemy-"
"Violates the law of Conservation of Mass," Harry finished for him. He began doodling arrays absentmindedly on a blank sheet of paper. Ed inspected it curiously. It looks like something related to water and carbon?
"He probably has some kind of elixir or gem stone- something that both focuses and enhances alchemical energy," Harry analyzed. He propped his head up on his elbow in thought- the clumsy civilian persona began falling off him in chunks, and the sharpness of his eyes belayed the sharpness of his mind.
Bingo, Ed thought. This was what he wanted to see- the alchemist side, the warrior side of the stranger. Whoever he is, he was definitely someone more than just the average run of the mill alchemist.
"Well, whatever it is, it reeks of trouble," Harry warned, shaking his head. "As soon as I finish patching up the roof, I'm getting out of here. I want no part of this madness whatsoever."
At least the guy has a healthy sense of self-preservation, Ed thought (it is something that he sorely lacks). He didn't even know of the Philosopher's Stone, and yet he knows that there's trouble brewing on the horizon.
Just then, a polite knock interrupted whatever Ed had thought to ask next. Hastily, Harry got up and opened the door wide- it was Al, who was carrying a large bowl of stew and a loaf freshly baked bread.
"Welcome back," Harry said with a nod. "Here, let me help you with that. I'll toast some of the bread to go with the stew."
"Thanks," Al said and handed the bread to him. Harry took it easily and retreated to the kitchen.
"Brother, how are you feeling?" Al gently laying down the tray in front of Ed.
"Like I got a good night's sleep, surprisingly." Ed shrugged and popped his shoulders. His mind however, was whirring at lightening speed- how is it that the State has not snapped up such a promising alchemist yet? And such a young one at that?
"Brother?" Al waved a large armored hand in front of Ed's face.
"Stop that." Ed said, annoyed. He casually swatted the hand away. The usual grumpiness was back.
"Just checking." Al sounded playful, even though he couldn't physically grin.
"Hey Al, what do you think of…" Ed asked, tilting his head in the direction of the kitchen.
"Harry?" Al finished. "He's a nice enough person- polite, responsible, nice… You could probably learn from him, Brother," Al teased.
Ed kicked Al's shin petulantly- not that it did anything. Al only laughed in reply. "He's very skilled in healing, I'd say. It was really interesting to watch, and not a lot of people specialize in healing. I really don't think he meant to fall on you, Brother."
Still, Ed pouted. "He didn't use a transmutation circle?"
Al thought for a moment. "No, now that you mention it, he didn't. He just clapped his hands and touched you on the shoulder."
Ed narrowed his eyes. No transmutation circle and a penchant for healing… Something was fishy. Healing- or any branch of organic science- is rare in alchemy considering how closely it edges to the taboo of human transmutation.
"Do you think he knows of the stone?" Al asked.
"I'm not sure… I think he has suspicions, but I'm not sure if he knows of the stone specifically. It's a bit too early to judge, but I don't think he's after it. He definitely knows that Cornello is a fraud," Ed snorted and began shoveling stew in his mouth. He forgot that he missed breakfast, and now his stomach was reminding him keenly of it.
Al chuckled. "I'm glad that we're not the only people here who don't believe in Cornello's miracles."
"Yeah," Ed agreed wholeheartedly.
"I'm back with toast," Harry said cheerfully. He emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of freshly toasted bread and a small dish of butter. "the toaster looked clean enough to use, and there was some butter in the fridge."
Ed nodded his thanks and picked up a piece of bread.
"Do you not want some, Al? I sliced up enough bread for two." Harry asked, noticing the lack of food.
"It's okay," Al said, frantically thinking of an excuse. "I bought some food at the bakery on my way back, so I already ate."
"Alright," Harry said doubtfully. "If you're sure."
Al nodded. "Here, you can have some too," he said, hurriedly stacking an empty plate with toast.
"No, no," Harry shook his hands. "I shouldn't impose- not after all the trouble I caused you guys. Besides, I'm not that hungry."
"Nonsense," Ed waved away Harry's concern and pulled him back down on his seat. "Alchemy takes a lot of energy, and you did some pretty detailed work back there. You didn't even leave a scar."
"Besides, I doubt Brother can finish it all anyways," Al added.
Sheepishly and a bit embarrassed, Harry began to nibble on the bread.
"Say, Harry," Al started.
"Yes?" He put down his bread and gave Al his full attention.
"Do you live around here? We were thinking about seeing the church a bit while we are here," Al hedged.
"No, I'm a traveler- I live at the inn about two blocks down. I got here a couple of days ago, and I'm probably going to leave soon. I guess I could give you guys a tour of the church though- I now it well enough by now to take you guys around. Lemme tell you- that church has a lot of leaky pipes," Harry laughed a bit.
Well, water leaks aren't the only leaks that church has, Ed thought.
"I'll probably fix the rest of them today and tomorrow, but sure, I can take you guys around the church tomorrow if that's okay with you guys," Harry offered easily.
"Thanks, that would be great," Ed agreed, never the one to let an opportunity go.
"We wouldn't want to cause you any trouble," Al added politely.
"Nonsense," Harry said, waving his hands. "Consider it an apology and equivalent exchange for accidentally falling on you. You probably shouldn't do anything strenuous today- even though your wounds are healed, you need time to rest your body. I'll probably head out tomorrow at about eight? The church doesn't allow visitors before then, so it's probably best to sleep in a bit."
So report writing it is, Ed thought to himself with a sigh.
The next day, the sun rose cheerily across the horizon, once again bathing the peaceful little town of Liore with pale orange light.
The birds chirped as usual, and the sleepy citizens of Liore woke to their morning broadcast of morning service. They listened to the preaching and blessings from their church, the church of the sun god of Leto. The soothing words gave their hearts peace and serenity to start off their day.
In front of a small inn secluded in the street corner stood two strangers- they were by far out of place from their surroundings. While the rest of Liore was barely awake, they have been up since daybreak- as was their habit.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting," a light tenor voice called out from the second story. Hanging half out of the shuttered windows was Harry, whose hair was messy enough to almost form a spiky afro.
Ed raised an eyebrow amusedly at the state of disarray the other male was in, which only made Harry growl at him in jest.
"Give me five minutes- I'll be right down," he shouted before vanishing back into his room.
"Please take all the time you need- sorry to rush you," Al called back.
In exactly four minutes and thirty seven seconds, Harry emerged from the entrance of the inn with a piece of toast in his mouth and half an arm through his jacket. His hair was in slightly less of a birds nest, but only by a thin margin.
"Hey, sorry for the wait," Harry mumbled around his toast while struggling with the other sleeve of his jacket. Helpful as ever, Al held the sleeve straight for him.
"Thanks," he said, holding onto the half eaten slice of bread with one hand. "Sorry about that- my alarm didn't go off this morning. Oh, and I didn't get your names yesterday- I forgot to ask."
Somehow the words reminded Al very much of someone else. He looked pointedly at Ed, who only scowled back. "No problem- don't worry about it. My name's Edward Elric, and my brother's Alphose Elric," he said instead.
Harry went still and stopped in the middle of the road for a second. Then, he nodded and continued as if nothing happened. He finished the last of his toast and brushed away the crumbs. "The church is that way- there are some areas that aren't open for people to visit, but the view from the roof is really nice."
In reality, Ed could care less of the view. But, he would play along just this once. Clearly, by his reaction, he has heard of them- though most alchemists have at this point. "Cool," he nodded, seemingly not caring at all about the reaction. "Is the church big?"
"Yeah, it's pretty big," Harry agreed easily. "It's easy to get lost in if you're not familiar with the layout. There's a basement, three floors, and a roof. The Priest's office is on the top floor, and the bell is at the top of the church."
"I see," Ed said. He would have to map out the church's layout later when he has time.
"Wow, that is pretty big for a church," Al echoed. "What do they do with all that room though? The town doesn't have that many people."
Harry thought for a moment, his head tilted to the left. "Actually, I'm not all too sure. I've never been in the basements before, I guess, but there are some pretty odd looking bars over the windows… I noticed when I was pulling the ivy off the church walls."
"You didn't think it was suspicious at all?" Ed hedged.
"Of course I did," Harry shrugged. "I'm pretty sure whatever they're doing there is completely illegal, but I'd rather not stick my neck out like that. In this time and age, it's better to just stick your head in the sand and pretend that you didn't see anything. Besides, it's not up to a civilian like me to kick up a fuss over it." He glanced at Ed's silver watch as if to make a point.
Ed grinned. "If that's the case, then perhaps you could include the church walls as well in your tour."
Harry's eyes crinkled up in a smile that hid them completely from view. "Well, if you insist…there are some really interest mosaics there that I think you should see."
Al glanced between the two of them uneasily. Something tells him that he should never leave those two alone for any stretch of time.
Two large oaken doors creaked open, revealing the luxurious and spacious interior of Cornello's office. The priest of Leto reclined comfortably on the chair in front of the fireplace. He held in his hand a steaming up of morning tea; the bright red ring on his index finger clacked against the pure white porcelain.
Another priest entered, bowing his head as he did so. "Founder, a little boy and an armored man who called themselves the Elric Brothers are asking for an audience with you."
"What?" the priest asked, confused. He set down his tea on the tray in front of him and turned to face the speaker. "I'm busy- tell them to go home… Wait- did you say the Elric Brothers? Edward Elric? "
"Yes, I'm sure that was the name of the boy," the priest replied. "Do you know him?"
"Oh, this is extremely bad!" Cornello said, slapping one hand over his forehead. "He's the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric!"
"What? You mean that pipsqueak brat? This is a joke, right?" He gasped and leapt to his feet.
"Idiot!" Cornello scolded, "Age is irrelevant to being an alchemist! I've heard that when he was twelve, he obtained the license for being one of the State Alchemists, but… I see, he really is that rumored brat."
"But why is a State Alchemist here?" The underling priest hissed. "Could it be that he knows about our plan?"
"It seems that the dogs of the arm have excellent noses," Cornello said shakily. Sweat beaded on his forehead and dripped down in rivulets.
"Do you want me to send him away?" The priest asked.
Cornello sighed and shook his head. "No, doing that would be too suspicious. He might return if we turn him away. How about this- they never came here."
The priest gaped before replying shakily, "As long as God is content."
"Since it's still early, let's see the outer walls first," Harry said nonchalantly. "I'm not sure if you guys will get the chance to see it afterwards." He walked across the tiled road of the church gardens leisurely with his hands in his pockets.
Somehow, that was more ominous than it sounds, Ed thought suspiciously. He had his guard up, but it was not directed at his guide. They made their way around the church, when suddenly, their guide bolted.
Quick as a snake, Harry changed pace and ducked behind a corner. He crouched down gracefully behind a bush. He gestured them to follow him. "This way," he said quietly. The cheerful tour guide was gone- in its place was a war veteran. His steps left no sound as he sneaked through the underbrush. Sharp green eyes scanned the surroundings periodically, but his breath was not labored, and his actions were not frantic. Clearly, he was an old hand at infiltration.
"A repairman, huh?" Ed whispered softly with skepticism dripping off every syllable. He wondered absently if the man had a split personality.
In front of him, Harry chuckled. His shoulders hardly moved at all. "Well, a repairman isn't the only occupation I've had, that's for sure. Peace, Fullmetal, I mean you and your brother no harm."
Ed's suspicion peaked. Outside of the Bastard Colonel, no one called him Fullmetal. Was he in the military?
"And no, to answer your question, I'm not affiliated or working for any military organization," Harry said matter-of-factly. "I can practically hear your brain working overtime. You can stop now- whatever you guess won't be close to the truth, so you might as well save your time."
Al couldn't help but laugh, even in a situation as dire as this. Sneaking around was harder for him given his bulk, but the light green of the armor blended well with the leaves of the forest floor.
Ed thought that perhaps he liked the other personality more. Nonetheless, he kept his eyes peeled for any movement.
"Here," Harry gestured. Both Elrics crouched around him and followed his gaze. Hidden near the ground was a very small grate. It was undoubtedly rusted with dried blood, and an eerie scream emerged from it. It was quickly muffled by the ground.
"That's the basement?" Ed raised an eyebrow.
"It's a part of it- the part not open to the public, of course," Harry said with dry humor.
The smell of rotting flesh hit all three of them hard, followed by an ominous gurgle. "And you've never been in there before?" Ed asked skeptically. He has seen enough chimera labs to recognize them on the spot.
Harry shrugged and smirked. "Well, like I said, the church has a lot of leaky pipes that need to be fixed. Would you believe me if I said no?"
Ed shifted into a fighting stance- which in itself was a reply. Al remained where he was, completely unconcerned. It spoke volumes, since Al was a much better judge of character than he was.
"Relax, Kid," Harry said exasperatedly while minding to cover Ed's mouth before his temper could get the best of him and blow their cover altogether. "I'm not out to get you- I promise on my pride as an alchemist, alright?"
Ed glared silently and wondered if he should lick the hand covering his mouth.
"Don't you dare lick my hand," Harry warned. Behind him, Al chuckled.
"It doesn't really matter anyways- that guy's living on borrowed time now. I would have handled it if you guys didn't come by, but why do this the unofficial way if it could be done nice and legally?" Harry chuckled.
Ed eyed him with no small amount of suspicion. "I thought you said that you didn' t want to stick your neck out."
"Do you really think they'll be able to pin it on me?" Harry snorted.
Ed thought for a moment before replying, "Hm… Did you really fall on me?"
Harry laughed again. "Yes, I really did fall on you."
"By accident?"
"Maybe."
"Come on, Cornello's undoubtedly waiting for you guys now," Harry rolled his eyes. "That guy is a third rated coward, but he's stupid enough to try something underhanded."
"Then that stone on his ring," Al asked as the part slowly emerged from the underbrushes and made their way to the front entrance of the church.
"It's a Philosopher's stone," Harry agreed.
"Then it's real!" Ed exclaimed. So clearly, Harry knew of the stone's existence. The next question is, is he after the stone? Ed doubted that the man came to Liore "by accident."
"They're real alright," Harry nodded. "Though this one probably isn't of any use to you guys." He eyed their automail and the empty case of armor.
"What do you mean?" Al asked curiously.
"Hm… You'll see what I mean in a bit," Harry gave them one last glance as he shifted seamlessly back into Harry Potter the Orphaned Repairman.
"Ah, Sister Rose!" Harry greeted cheerfully with a shy smile. "Good morning!"
"Harry," she replied with a grin and a light hug. "Good morning to you too! May Leto light your way and grant you a day full of joy!"
"Thank you," he replied enthusiastically, acting every bit the teenager that he was supposed to be. "I'm really sorry that I couldn't fix the roof yesterday- I slipped and fell when I was cleaning the bell" he said sheepishly.
"Oh my!" Rose gasped. "Are you alright? Don't worry about the roof- I'm sure Father will understand."
Harry smiled timidly. "Yes, I'm alright thanks to Ed and Al- they caught me from my fall. If it wasn't for them, I'd probably be dead by now."
Ed watched them both skeptically. Whoever this guy was, he's a really, really good actor. It spoke of volumes- the fact that he'd put up an act in front of Rose.
"Thank you so much, Edward, Alphonse" Rose said earnestly to the brothers. "God has opened your eyes to the kindness and needs of the world."
Ed nodded, all the while thinking that she was spewing absolute nonsense. Especially since that fall was no accident.
Harry nodded as enthusiastically as Rose. "Yes, so when Ed and Al said that they wanted to meet Father Cornello, I offered to give them a tour of the church. It's really the least I could do after the trouble I gave them yesterday… The architecture is truly beautiful, and the view on the roof is splendid! We're going to head up there after they give their greetings to the Father. They might even make it on time for the morning service. I probably won't be able to finish the roof repairs today though."
"Yes, that is a great idea," Rose exclaimed. "No, don't worry about the roof for now, Harry- what you're doing now is far more important."
"Would you like to join us, Sister?" Harry asked humbly. "I've only been here for a couple of days, so I'm afraid I don't know much about the history of the church."
If it were not for the sliver of a smirk on his face, Ed would have believed him too.
"He's really good," Al bent down and whispered in Ed's ear.
"Ah. Too good," Ed whispered back.
"I would love to," Rose smiled, completely missing the nature of the man before her.
"Excellent!" Harry exclaimed. "Ah, there's the priest."
"Good morning, Brother," Rose smiled.
"Good morning, Sister Rose, Harry" the priest said reflexively, only that his voice wavered. Ed almost snickered behind him.
"Now, please enter. The Father is waiting for you." he said, holding out the door for the party.
"The founder is a very busy man and doesn't have much time, but you sirs have good luck," he said. Behind him, the great doors shut with a certain finality that unnerved Rose.
"Sorry, I don't plan on talking to him for very long," Ed said, completely unapologetic.
"Yes, we'll end this quite soon," the priest said with a toothy smile. "Just like this!" In a flash, he pulled out a small hand gun and shot Al point blank in the head. His helmet flew off, and the rest of him dropped to the ground in a loud bang.
Behind him, two church workers crossed their spears in front of Ed to hold him back.
As expected of a civilian, Rose screamed loudly. To Ed's irritation, Harry merely stood there with his hands in his pockets, completely nonplussed. Ed wondered how these people could be stupid enough not to see that guy as a threat- when he's obviously dangerous and standing there without any presence at all.
"Brother! What is the meaning of this?!" Rose screamed frantically.
"Rose, these men are heretics that are going to trap the Father. They're demons!" the priest declared.
"No! If that's the case, then surely the Founder wouldn't have allowed-" she protested.
"The Founder has allowed this! The words of the Founder are the words of God! This is the will of God!" the mad priest shouted back.
Rose hesitantly took a step back while Harry snorted quietly. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Old Man."
Ed merely glared hard at the priest as if expecting him to spontaneously combust.
"Oh? That's a mean god," Al said kindly and gripped the pistol's safety.
"What?" The priest screamed, alarmed at the sight of Al's empty armor. In the moment's confusion, Ed took the advantage and flipped the church worker hard on his back. Al punched the priest straight in the face. As the last man screamed and tried to run away, Harry dropped out of the shadows with the grace of an assassin and held the man in a choke hold. With a strong pressure over his throat, he quickly passed out and dropped to the ground in a dead faint. He set the man down on the floor, careful not to make a sound.
"Easy," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"How anyone ever believes that act you put up, I'll never know," Ed grumbled.
"Maybe I'm just that good," Harry grinned arrogantly and dusted off his black gloves. Dressed in dark greys and browns, he blended easily into his surroundings. His posture straightened, and he stopped with all unnecessary movements.
"Wha- what's going on?" Rose panicked, her breath coming in short and rapid pants.
"Oh, this?" Ed saw that she was pointing at Al and backing away. "It's always like this."
"There- there's nothing inside! It's hollow!" She hyperventilated, stating the obvious.
Harry blinked. "You didn't think that it was odd that someone wearing a huge suit of armor wouldn't even take off the helm to breathe properly in a desert?"
She blinked out of her panic for a moment to consider the question- it was a fair point. She looked at Harry for a moment more, as if seeing him truly for the first time.
"This is someone bearing the sin of trespassing God's domain- just like me, and my brother, too," Al said, looking away. And Harry too, most likely.
"Edward too…?" Rose echoed.
"Well, let's stop talking about this," Ed rubbed his head with a sigh and surveyed the damage around them. "You saw your God's true nature, didn't you?"
"No! There has to be some kind of mistake!" she shook her head frantically. Behind her, Harry rolled his eyes and easily picked through the pockets of the priest.
"You're grave robbing?" Al asked skeptically.
"They're not dead, so I'm technically not grave robbing, no." Harry smirked.
"Geez, you're just like Brother," Al said exasperatedly.
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said and held up a ring of keys.
"Sheesh, the lady has seen this much, and she still believes in that fraud of a Founder," Ed's eyelid twitched in anger. Then, he sighed. "Rose, do you have the guts to know the truth?"
Harry shook his head. No, she really doesn't. If she ever appeared before the Truth, she'd be eaten up in a heartbeat. He can guarantee it.
"By the way, you secretly enjoy freaking people out, don't you, Al?" Harry snickered.
"So, this is the Founder's room, hm?" Ed stood in front of the large doors, looking up.
"Yeah, that's the one," Harry confirmed.
"Oh? You're supposed to say welcome, aren't you?" Ed grinned when the door swung open with an eerie creak.
"Welcome to our holy church," Cornello said, his tone even as he descended down the stairs. "Have you come to learn our teachings?"
"Yeah, I want you to tell us a whole bunch," Ed grinned, "Starting with the cheap alchemy you use to trick your followers."
"Hm… I wonder what you're speaking of? Grouping my power of miracles with alchemy would pose a bit of a problem. If you saw it once, you would understand," he said, the benevolent mask still firmly in place.
"I've already seen it," Ed cut in rudely. "The thing I don't get at all is how you were able to transmute something while ignoring the laws of alchemy."
"That's why I said it wasn't alchemy," he said patiently.
"I thought so," Ed grinned. "It's the Philosopher's Stone- you're using that. It's the ring, isn't it," he said, pointing at the ring.
Cornello gripped his cane tightly and dropped his act. "Hmph- I expected no less from a State Alchemist. It is exactly as you said!"
"You are correct! This is a mysterious power amplifier that was said to be found only in legends! If we alchemists use this, we can perform tasks of great magnitude with little cost!"
"I've been looking for that," Ed said tensely.
"Why do your eyes look like they want it?" Cornello taunted with a smirk. "What would you wish for by using this stone? Money? Fame?"
"And what about you? What do you want? You've made a religion through fraud- what more could you want? If it's money, you can get as much as you want with the stone." Ed rebutted.
"No, it's not money. Even if I were to just sit there, it would enter my coffers through the donation of my faithful believers," Cornello grinned.
"On the other hand, I need obedient, faithful believers willing to throw away their lives for me. It's wonderful! An army which doesn't fear death! I've steadily advanced my preparations- in a few years, this country will be mine!" He exclaimed with a great laugh- as was stereotypical of most villains.
"Oh geez," Harry sighed. "I only hear this a dozen times a month," he grumbled. Besides, he wouldn't get three steps in before the homunculi shut the entire thing down.
"That often, huh?" Ed raised an eyebrow at Harry. To the priest, he said, "Don't care. Moving on."
"Don't just say a couple of words about my plans like "Don't care"! Aren't you from the army?" The Father completely lost his composure.
"Nah," Ed shrugged. "I guess you could say that- country, army, I don't care about that stuff. Look- I'll get straight to the point. Give me the Philosopher's stone, and I won't say anything to the people of this town about your fradulence."
"You're trying to threaten me?" Cornello's visage twisted into one of madness. "The people of this town won't believe you! I am loved by them! They are my servants? No matter how many times you yell, they won't listen! That's right! Because these stupid people have been fooled by me!" He followed his speech with a grand round of stereotypical laughter.
Ed only snorted and clapped sarcastically. "Well done," he said. "Well, I didn't expect any less of the Founder. Thank you, for giving us a most riveting speech. They won't listen to what we say, but what about the stuff she says?"
Ever the dramatic duo, Al slowly unclipped the chest plate of his armor to reveal a curled up Rose inside.
"Rose!" The Fonder gasped. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Father!" She yelled hysterically. "Is what you just said true? Have you tricked us? The power of miracles, God's powers- you weren't going to grant my wish, were you? You weren't going to bring him back!"
Harry looked away from the scene. He leaned against the back wall and merely tilted his head back. It was always hard to accept loss- no matter which form it came from. His heart panged, and he hurriedly shoved his feelings away deep, deep down inside of him.
"Hm, perhaps being a messenger of god was a lie," Cornello permitted. "But with this stone, there is a possibility that your lover can be revived!"
"Rose, don't listen!" Al shook his head.
"If you go, you won't be able to come back," Ed tempted. So he too, thought that Rose was too faint of heart to return from the Gate.
"Be a good child and come here," Cornello tempted. "What's wrong? You're one of us. Am I not the only one who can grant your wishes? Remember your beloved!"
"Well?" he demanded.
And away, she walked, head down in defeat. "I'm sorry you two, but this is the only thing… this is the only choice I can make."
"Good child, really," Cornello cooed.
"Now I will have to purge these heretics that threaten my religion with haste," He said and pulled a lever to his left.
Ed turned at the sound of a tail slapping the ground, and Harry casually slid over to stand by Ed.
"The Philospher's stone really is an amazing thing- it can make things like this. Is this the first time you've seen a chimera? Hm?" Cornello's eyes were open just a slit.
Ed and Al were suitably unimpressed- neither was Harry, for that matter. Chimera were a dime a dozen in Central, and the government condones several underground chimera labs. So no, it really wasn't their first time seeing a chimera.
A failed chimera, Harry thought and mentally rolled his eyes. Whoo.
"It is a bit hard to fight unarmed," Ed shrugged and clapped his hand on the ground. Before him, rose a spear made of steel. Harry observed the speed and detail with which the spear rose. There was room for improvement, really. It was rather slow, and the transmutation marks were coarse and easily seen.
"Why you! To transmute a weapon from the pavement without a transmutation circle- I can see that the title of State Alchemist isn't just for show, but it won't be enough!"
With a swipe of its claws, the chimera sliced clean through Ed's spear and his pants.
"Edward!" Rose screamed from the sidelines.
"Haha, how is that? How do claws that can cut through iron feel?"
"Rather dull, if that's all it can do," Harry remarked, watching Ed recover with alacrity and give the beast a solid kick in the chest. Real chimera on the other hand, can think and act for themselves. Incomplete ones like that half-cat beast can only act on their instincts.
"This one's a bit special," Ed said, allowing the beast to latch onto his automail arm. "What's the matter, Kitty? Get a good taste!" he said as he flung the chimera off of him.
"Good grief, Ed. You don't treat your automail well, do you?" Harry asked, remembering the rusted over screws in Ed's knee. "You should take better care of it."
Without further fanfare, Harry sighed and clapped his hands together, drawing both brothers' attention. Out of the ground emerged a long sword made of black, non reflective metal- carbonated steel. Before the cat could get its bearings, Harry slipped behind it and sliced the head off cleanly. With calmness that belay experience, he flicked the blood off of the blade and wiped it clean.
"You too, huh?" Ed said dryly. Still, he could not see what was taken of the older male as toll. "I had my suspicions."
Harry shrugged, not at all inclined to answer.
Behind him, Cornello and Rose gaped, having no idea that their shy and timid errand boy could harm a fly, let alone cleanly behead a chimera.
"You guys really thought I was just an errand boy." Harry raised both eyebrows in disbelief. This guy calls himself an alchemist? Errand boy, really? If anything, he was closer to a professional assassin.
"Rose, take a good look- this is human transmutation- the bodies of sinners that have breached God's domain!" Ed shouted as he ripped off his torn sleeve.
In silence, Harry bowed his head for the children who have seen and experienced far more than they ever should.
"Rose, you should get out of here," Harry said calmly while erecting a steel wall from the ground. The bullets richoted off the wall and tore holes through the tapestries.
With one fell swoop, he picked up Rose in one arm and tossed her over to Al- all the while ignoring her panicked screams.
"She'll be safer if you just toss her in the armor," Harry remarked while easily cutting through the crowd before him. With a light swing of his blade, the soldiers of the church drop like flies. It was really more of a hassle than anything else to keep the wounds non fatal.
While they were fleeing from the small army that Cornello had gathered, they made their way to the broadcast room.
"Oh ho," Ed rubbed his chin. His face stretched into a wide smile.
"I believe the bell is right above here on the roof" Harry said helpfully.
"What?" he asked innocently when Ed's eyes turned to him. "Don't tell me you weren't thinking the same. Rose, you know how to get to the roof, right? I'm off to pick through Cornello's bank transaction records," Harry said with a malicious grin.
"Eh?" Al asked.
Harry began flipping through one of the books on Cornello's shelves quickly enough to make any lawyer jealous. "In every case and every accusation made, there must be objective evidence to support your claims. Besides, I already know where everything is- it's just a matter of going back and retrieving it. I'll meet you in half an hour or so." Without further ado, he closed the book with a snap and leapt out the window.
Rose rushed to see if he was okay, only to see no trace of the man whatsoever.
" 'Slipped and fell' my left shoe," Ed complained with a growl. "That guy knew exactly what he was doing." Al only shook his head and laughed.
He had a job to do- he know he does. In a mere half a month, Liore will turn to a bloodbath- another point on the bloody crest that defines Amestris. The homunculi will make sure of it one way or another, and it was yet too soon to show his cards. There was nothing to be done for Liore because it was simply the fate of this town, and there was nothing anyone can do about it. The homunculi had the process down to an exact science, and anything that he does now will mean nothing.
However, he'll make sure to take his own advice- in every accusation made, there must be objective evidence. And this time, he'll make sure that they get it. The homunculi and their "Father" will get what they deserve.
In the darkness, Harry Potter promised the fate of the world and melted into the darkness.
"My, I leave you two alone for an hour, and this is what happens," Harry said with a grin as he craned his head up to see the full view of the statue. "And you say that you're not a believer of God."
"It was a dud- a fake." Ed echoed despairingly.
"The Stone?" Harry asked and took a seat on Leo's arm, over the third finger.
"Yeah," he sighed. "And here I thought that I could finally restore you, Al," he said to his brother.
"I told you it wouldn't be of any use to you," Harry shrugged. "At the rate at which he was using it, it would have been too burnt out for you to use."
"I see…" Ed sighed heavily.
"No… This has to be a lie. He said he could bring him back." Rose's voice was hollow. She fell on her knees and sobbed pitifully.
"Rose, give it up," Ed said bluntly.
"Why does it have to be like this? What am I supposed to do now? How am I supposed to live?! Tell me- please!" She sobbed.
"Think about that on your own- stand up and walk. After all, you have two perfectly normal legs to stand on." Ed said and walked past her. Al and Harry followed suit, though Harry laid a hand on her shoulders.
"Be brave, Rose," he said with something akin to sympathy. It was a blessing, and it was the only one he could afford to give freely.
"So, what happens now?" Harry asked as Ed and Al hurriedly packed their bags.
"We finish our report and go to the next assignment that we were given," Al said while hoisting up the suitcase.
"All of your evidence is right here, by the way," Harry said while patting the case in his left hand.
"You're coming with us," Ed said firmly, surprising his brother and Harry both. While he didn't fully trust the man, he wasn't about to let an expert in biological transmutation go, especially one who have done human transmutation go. Besides, what he does now is a phenomenal waste of his talent. "You're a witness."
"Huh?" Harry pulled a face at them. Al seemingly caught on to where Ed's train of thought was going.
"It's not like you have anywhere else to go," Ed argued. "Besides, given the state of things now, the church isn't going to pay you for your work. Once the church workers wake up, they'll remember you."
"It's not safe here anymore, and it's better to travel in groups," Al added. "The colonel- the one we report to back at East District- might call you up in a court of law as a witness in the case."
"And you just assume I have nothing else to do?" Harry raised an eyebrow, fully prepared to give the brothers the slip and disappear.
"Well, do you?" Ed challenged. His chin tilted up in defiance.
Harry ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "How troublesome. Is it always like this with you guys? I swear, all this stress can't be good for my heart."
Ed rolled his eyes. "How old are you? Eighty? Let's get going, Old Man!" he said, not taking no for an answer.
"Well, I suppose," Harry said doubtfully, not rising to the bait. "Where are you guys off to next?"
"Youswell mining town," Al said while checking the paper that detailed their assignment.
"Really? Are you sure? I've been there before," Harry said skeptically. "There's seriously nothing there."
The train ride to Yousewell was by far uneventful. In fact, the train was completely empty on boarding, and even the cashier had to check with them twice to make sure that they didn't as for the wrong location by accident.
"There's no one on board," Ed said, a bit surprised at how dead the air was.
"I told you," Harry said exasperatedly. "Seriously, listen when people tell you stuff."
"We had heard rumors, but we didn't think it was that bad," Al added.
"The town at the end of the east- Youswell, huh," Ed wondered and folded his map.
"So, why are you guys looking for the Philosopher's stone? You're awfully young- both of you." Harry asked, jolting Ed out of his thoughts.
Ed and Al looked at each other, wondering if it was safe to tell him. And how on Earth did Harry manage to guess Al's age?
"We… We want to restore our bodies," Al said, knocking on his empty breast plate.
"Not to complete your transmutation?" Harry asked. His expression was completely blank, and Ed could not get a good read on the thoughts that lurk behind those green eyes.
"No," Ed said firmly. "We were stupid- what we did was inexcusable. We only want to restore ourselves. Al doesn't deserve to be stuck in an armor for the rest of his life."
"I see," Harry said and looked out of the window. "No, you really don't deserve that."
"If you don't mind me asking, who…?" Harry hedged.
Al looked down at his gauntlets and said in a small voice, "Our mother- she died from an epidemic when we were kids. We tried to bring her back, but Ed lost his leg, and I lost by body. Then Ed gave his arm to bring me back."
Ed looked away, the conversation dredging up unpleasant memories for him. But it had to be done- to gain some, he had to give some.
"I see- you have my condolence then," Harry inclined his head.
"What about you?" Ed interjected. Condolences mean nothing to him. Condolences won't bring Mother back. "You've clearly done human transmutation as well." He held out his hand in a gesture of equivalent exchange.
Harry smiled, as if he had seen the question coming. "My fiancé and our undead child," he said as a means of answer. "I… Something far more important than a limb or a body was taken from me- something that can never be returned."
Ed's mind whirred. What can be more important than a body? Something that can never returned- a soul? But Harry clearly had a soul. An organ? No- not quite.
"How long have you guys been looking for the stone?" Harry asked instead, steepling his fingers.
"Three years," Al replied.
"Three years… you became a State Alchemist to go looking for the stone, huh?" Harry sighed and leaned back. "They'd never say no to a talent like yours," he mused. "Have you guys found any leads to the stone? I'm not after it myself- there's nothing I would do with it-I have no use for something like that."
Al shook his head. "No, beyond Liore, we have no other leads."
"Do you not want to bring them back? Your loved ones?" Ed blurted out.
"I see," Harry nodded. "No, there's no point anymore. The dead can't come back, and that's that."
Ed nodded glumly. "What do you know of the stone?" He asked.
"Know of it?" Harry repeated. "I know of it- I've seen it before. It's not necessarily a stone, strictly speaking. It was in liquid form- about a couple millimeters in volume, and it was the brightest red that I've ever seen."
"You've seen it? Where?" Ed leapt up in his seat.
"Down, Tiger," Harry snorted. "The guy who had it is long dead, and I can't tell you anyways. Anyone who knows the true origins of the stone gets killed for it. Why else do you think it's so hard for you to track one down? The people behind the whole thing are very, very thorough. I only managed to see it for a few scant moments, and even then, the one who let me see it was killed a week later."
"You can't tell us anything? Not even a clue?" Al asked.
Harry's lips thinned, and he shook his head. "No, the only thing I can tell you is this: don't look for it."
Mandy: This one is the third draft of my FMA/HP cross, and it is completely different from the other two. It's the most recent one- I wrote this from scratch a couple months ago. In this one, Harry is still the Truth, but that is his price for trying to abuse his privilege as the Master of Death to bring back Ginny and the unborn James Sirius from the dead. In this fic, the price he paid was his mortality, and he has to serve the Gate for an unspecified amount of time (kinda like how the Titans got punished), and now due to Ed's over-payment at the end of the series, he is freed from the rest of his time (gotta say, Ed's potential to change the world is enormous). As such, he traveled back in time to prevent people from dying and to repay Ed by making his journey a bit smoother. And then well, stuff happens (I won't give away the rest of the plot now). But basically this idea stemmed from the question "What if God (the FMA one) was once human?" And so self-employed, world saving assassin Harry Potter happened.
I do feel kinda guilty for slotting in a character into the FMA verse, as mentioned before, but let me know if you guys want me to continue with this idea, and which one you guys like the best.