Alchemy: the science of understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. However, it is not an all-powerful art; it is impossible to create something out of nothing. If one wishes to obtain something, something of equal value must be given. This is the Law of Equivalent Exchange, the basis of all alchemy. In accordance with this law, there is a taboo among alchemists: human transmutation is strictly forbidden - for what could equal the value of a human soul...?

Sorry, I just had to! It's so nostalgic!

Important:

Italics - whoever's thoughts depending on PoV

'Apostrophes - souls talking.'

(Parenthesis - the PoV's random comments.)

Bold - Do I really used bold besides Ed's short rants sometimes?

So now you know what each means just in case you haven't guessed already. I'm putting this here to help you. (Or trying to anyways... Some people were confused.)

On with the story!


Chapter 6: The Sapphire Alchemist


Clair's PoV

When I flipped the test to the front, the pages were filled with equations and scientific reasonings. The butterflies in my gut made me stare at the page for a good three minutes before starting. First, I looked through 256 problems that covered sixteen pages - which wasn't too shabby...but how could finish 256 problems in four hours!? That was less than a problem a minute!

I swear, some of the souls were in LaLa Land, because they sang 'Lalalala' off key just to annoy me. I didn't even bother telling them off. It was like a besetting army surrounding me, while I, the lonesome person, sat curled in a clinch.

Within the first hour, I was able to answer forty-two questions randomly throughout the text, not completely sure if they were 100% correct. The other...214 odd questions were a different story. Most of the exam had symbols and words unable to make sense in my 21st century mind. I mean, what the heck did '∝' or '∯' mean? Looking at them gave me headache, if the stupid souls bugging me wasn't enough. The hauteur LaLa Land souls denied to pause, even for a second; although, I never told them to stop, thinking I'd make them further out of tune...

Hey, nerd dude, could you help me with a few of these? I whispered to my souls. Somehow I felt like a queen without any power... The singing 'choir' paused when they heard me.

'I find it very ignorant that you call me a dude. I'm more than just some man. I circumspect more than you,' his voice echoed in a deliberate tone.

So I'm a naive child that doesn't know what she's doing, right? I told him, rolling my eyes, while I listened to the whispering background noise. I ignored them for so long, I could barely hear them bursting over me. Awesome.

'Yes. You're smarter than I thought.'

I come from a hundred years in the future! I'm not an idiot. Though, I could name a few in my classes... I trailed, thinking of my high school. Everyone running through the halls. People kissing at every corner for pleasure. Teachers yelling at students to take off their hats. People scream at teachers not to do their work or how everyone jumped for joy when there was a substitute. Only the dull, light brown walls stayed the same, always dusty and filled with cobwebs. (I think they were white at one point...)

'Is that your school?' he asked kindly.

You can see my thoughts? I wondered. Then, realized I hadn't answered a question in the passed ten minutes, but, when I dazed at the paper with a small migraine, my mind began to trail into blankness. It was inevitable; I was going to fail...

'Yes, I can. In fact, we all can.'

That's nice, I thought sarcastically. So do you think you can assist me in this debacle?

'Why should he help you, girl?' yelled a man from the foreground with a deep voice, like he was about to beat me. Fortunately, equivalent exchanged worked; I couldn't see their faces, and they couldn't see my stressed face that wanted to cry.

The nerd contently stayed quiet, probably contemplating on what he wanted. I sighed, unsure of what to preach to the man. Sooner rather than later, I gave a speech to anyone that listened, We're only human. I'm trying to live. Trying to survive! There's a million things I deal with on a daily basis, not including you guys. I come from small farm out in the middle of nowhere, and here I am taking an alchemy exam to keep breathing. If I don't pass this test, who knows what could happen to me. The homunucli could kill me over and over again until all of you are destroyed, then they'd kill me in the process. I ran my fingers my hair, my eyes popping at the thoughts slowly consuming my head. I imagined blood spilling from my hair, agony prying deep into my throat, and searing tears wiping across my face unable to speak...

The noise dropped to a dull roar of grasps and moans coming across the crowd. One of them screamed: 'Anarchy!'

'Shut up, dude,' came a bittersweet voice, sounding a resemblance to Greed. 'Heh, that's the girl's thoughts. She doesn't know what will really happen to us, do ya?'

"Right...you can see my thoughts..." I muttered quietly enough for nobody to hear me. "Look, I don't know what would happen, but..." I thought about each homunculi dying, them grasping and screaming in agony while they turned into ash, their stones flooding into the wispy wind against a slab of rumble. Lust, Envy, Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, and Sloth all died roughly the same way, besides Pride who managed to survive the chaos.

'Stop! Please stop!' a whiny voice fell from the nerd.

So you'll help me now, right? I blackmailed him.

'Yes, of course!'

I heard a girl complaining, 'Hey, I think we're in agreement on this one. The nerd can help you, but you must do something special for each of us.' I heard a unified nod between the souls.

Something...special? My eyes squinted, thinking what I could do to please 414 souls.

'Yeah! Every person gets one wish you must fulfill!' shouted a child squealing with anticipation, like he was high on candy... That was my cue to leave because I hated children...if...I could...

But a genie only grants three wishes! I argued.

'You naive girl. If you were a genie, you would have to grant three wishes for each of us. But if you want to grant...1,242 wishes, be my guess. We're doing you a favor, hot cakes,' bickered the man who had Greed's voice. He even acted like Greed, how covenant.

What did you just call me?! I jerked, my mouth slightly ajar.

'Any girl deserves a good name, don't you think?' the man chuckled. Sometimes Equivalent Exchange sucked. I wish he could see my dead-to-the-world glare striking him directly between the eyes.


Bing!

Bing!

Bing!

The bell on the timer rang. The crowd lied their pencils on the table and fell back in their seats. Some sighed with worry, while others were picking their teeth with ease. But me: I kept working until they picked up my test, which wasn't long after the ring.

I manged to answer 200 questions with my buddy's assistance. Hopefully it was enough.

The superintendent watching us race through the questions came to me, saying, "Ma'am, the Fuehrer would like to see you first."

"Uh...okay," I answered, not completely sure how to reply. The superintendent moved me to another room across the hall. I gawked at the maleficence inside the two-story room. It was the same design in the show, same balcony showing the second floor with a twenty-foot ceiling, yet...it wasn't the same. I felt so short.

I noticed someone hiding in the shadows on the second story: Mustang.

When I looked at the Fuehrer in the eyes, the souls inside me went crazy. Explains why I attacked him when I first saw him.

'Kill him, kill him, kill him!' They chanted.

Why do you hate him so much?

The man with Greed's voice stood from the crowd, 'He's a homunculi. How could you not hate him?'

Um...not all homunucli are evil, I told them, thinking of Greed.

'Says you.'

If anything, I knew the souls were hiding something from me... Not only did they hate him, but I still felt a dying bitterness to kill the Fuehrer. I needed to figure out what their secret was before they contradicted my emotions in the future into their puppet.

After that, I ignored them to the point I altered their chant into a 30 Seconds to Mars song: The Kill, which was merely a dramatic love song.

The Fuehrer stared at me with his eyes closed. A few guards surrounded me, four I presumed. "Ah, Clair, nice to see you again. Let's see what you've learned from the brothers, shall we?" he said as he took a slip of tea.

"Do you need something to write with, ma'am?" asked one of the gentleman beside me.

The Fuehrer answered for me, "She won't need one."

I readied myself, breathing in and out calmly and closing my eyes; I dreamed everything would turn as I wanted. With adrenaline, I lined my finger pads, heat straining on them from my breath. Unlike any other time, a sudden pulse rattled through my body, a surge of compelling alchemy. I rapidly placed my hands on the ground to release the alchemy I stored. Sparks unleashed into the air, hitting both the ceiling and the balcony. I took a step back, then fell to my knees. The flash drained me until I was breathing heavier than I ever had. More than dying in the heat or walking fifteen miles in a day; I felt as though I died.

Something had gone wrong. Like with my fright with the horse, a running trail of terror ran through my spine. What did I do?

I perfected a mood changing dragon decoration in the passed week, but maybe the angered souls triggered...something in my alchemy. My eyes stayed widened until the light faded. Then I smiled, realizing everything worked. An emerald dragon, with it wings snuggled against its body and a tail wrapped around its legs, emerged from the light. It had two numbed horns for ears and two folded fins on its tail. Green meant many things: agitated, nervousness, anxious, and tension...but why was it reacting when nothing touched it?

'Enough screaming already! Jesus Christ, I need an aspirin.' I heard a voice I recognized... Then it hit with me like a ton of bricks.

"Yuki!" I screaming, being aware everyone in the outside world could hear me, but I honestly didn't care. Suddenly, what I thought was solid stone, opened its eyes. The dragon had the same eyes as the horse did: soulful and radiant. It yawned, showing its sharp fangs without a tongue.

Yuki started again with displeasure hiding in her voice, 'I'm a flipping dragon! Clair! What did you do to me! And don't blame it on the stone!'

"But it's the truth!" I screamed, glaring at the dragon. When it yawned again, its wings unleashed themselves. They were twice the length of the body - which was six inches, give or take - when they flew into the air like angel feathers; but, they weren't feathers. They resembled bat wings with a small spike where the hands would be.

The Fuehrer clapped at my disaster. "Well done, young alchemist." He examined the dragon by putting it in his hands. Yuki squirmed to free herself, but couldn't escape Bradly's grasp. The MPs gawked at my creation with their eyes appealed. "I've never seen a soul transmuted into an object before. Quite clever!"

'Clair! Tell him to put me down now!' she yelled at me.

"Okay, okay. Put my pet down, Fuehrer. She doesn't wanna be held," I told him with a smirk.

'I'm not your pet!'

He put Yuki on the ground. She ran over to me chasing her tail like a crazy person...or dragon. When she roared a squeal, it was adorable. It was like a baby lizard crying to get out of its shell. This was the first time I wanted to hug Yuki without being forced by her glomping habit. 'Dammit! I sound like a roaring chipmunk!' The dragon changed colors to a reddish color; Yuki noticed.

At least the mood thing works... I thought, being aware Yuki could hear me.

"Can she speak?" Bradly asked.

"Of course I can speak! All these voices tell me not to, but I say screw it," she fumbled. Everyone's mouths drop besides mine. I stood there nodding to myself with a half-smile, darting my eyes between her and Fuehrer and slowly waiting to see what he would do with her.

I noticed Yuki could hear all the voices inside my head because my alchemy was what kept her on this plane. Something horrible had gone wrong, but at least this time I figured out what was the cause of it. Technically, now she was another soul in my head to make 415. But it still made me wonder... Why didn't the horse speak? Was it because my stone hadn't 'awakened' yet?

The Fuehrer smiled and opened his eye for once with amazement baffling inside it.


Ed's PoV

"Do you think Clair is doing okay in there?" Al asked.

Ed answered quickly, "I'm sure she's fine. The Fuehrer probably took it easy on her, anyways."

"Why would he do that?"

Ed shrugged as a reply as he sat on the marble steps into Central Command. Al lowered his head, "Brother, is there something you're not telling me?"

A flashback between him and the colonel came across his mind a few weeks prior.


"Fullmetal, do you know why Clair is taking this exam?" the bastard asked kindly to Ed with his elbows against the table.

"She says they'll kick her out of the country if she doesn't pass," Ed answered with his arms-crossed, feeling agitated by the question.

Mustang let his hands side off the table while he leaned in his chair emotionless, "You know we've both been to hell and back, Fullmetal, but this girl hasn't. There's more to come after the Tucker case. That was her beginning."

"That case has nothing to deal with this!" he yelled to clarify his first judgement, but soon he realized it had everything to do with it. "Clair becoming a state alchemist is her choice and there's nothing I can do about it." Ed bowed his head at the irritating situation at hand, but kept his eyes darted at the bastard. "Me and Al will handed this. The Fuehrer made her our responsibility. Sure, she may become an alchemist like you and me, but I know it'll get me one step closer to figure out what she's hiding." He smirked at him, perking his head. "I remember someone telling me it's better to move forward than stay stuck in concrete, even if it's through a river of mud. Maybe it's her desire and destiny to go into the mouth of the unknown. That's her choice."

Mustang gave a level-headed sigh, almost agreeing with him, "Just remember, Fullmetal, that Clair hasn't been through hell yet. Try to protect her from that. She's too innocent with too much potential to waste on the battlefield."

His head and eyes turned sightly and a puff came from him. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, then left the room.


When Ed remembered to that scene, he wondered if it was best if she didn't pass the exam. She could leave this country and maybe have a shot at a normal life. Then, he thought about the Pure Stone. Could she have a normal life with that thing?

"Ed, did you hear me?" Al asked to snap Ed out of his daze.

"Oh, yeah. I heard you," he scratched the back of his head. "It's nothing, Al. I was just thinking. Don't worry about it."

Al dazed at him with some worry hidden on his armor, but he left his brother alone about. "I hope she passes." Ed could see the smile in his brother's voice, but he didn't hope for the same fate.


Yuki's PoV (First Person)

My body was a flipping dragon. I was glad I could speak now, but a dragon? Really Clair, really? On top of that, all the souls in her head were now screaming at the both us. I tried my best to calm them, but it was too much for me. It was like two werewolves fighting and someone stepped in-between them telling them to hold their horses. Would they listen?

"Hm... I think your assessment went well, young alchemist. Your test results will be completed in a week," Bradly praised as he left with two guards. He waved good-bye as Clair picked me off the ground.

I made a circle following my tail before looking at her with curiosity in my fins. I couldn't feel my scales, but they didn't have a jagged edge. Instead, they were as smooth as a filled gemstone. I looked at her abnormal eyes after I sat in her palms, my tail wrapping around me, "You're crazy, you know that?" She smiled with a laugh.

"C'mon, adorable pet. I just have to show Ed and Al what happened to you," she gave an evil smirk.

"Hey! T-t-t-this! Grr! I'm not your pet!"

"I never realized how fun it was to mess with people until now," she giggled, then rolled her eyes. "Psst, this is nothing compared to how much you've picked on me through the last two years we've been friends."

"Yeah, turning me into a six-inch dragon is payment for that," I almost screamed at her. But Instead of playing attention to me, she looked at the balcony. "Are you even paying attention?"

"Hm, seems Mustang's gone. If anyone, he probably liked my show."

"Huh? Mustang was here!" I screeched. She nodded, then headed outside with me in the palm of her hands. I buried myself deep in her hands to keep balance from falling on the floor. I knew having a six-inch body wasn't the greatest, but that didn't mean I was going to break it either.

When we arrived outside, the world looked so...big...compared to how it was before. The sun perched high in the sky at midday while the trees swayed in the breeze. I refused the urged to look at the ground, afraid it would scare me into a dizzy spell. It was...peaceful. "Ed! Al!" Clair screamed, running toward the stairs. I closed my eyes before they came to us and wrapped my tail around my body, acting like the decoration I was intended. This'll get her back for sure.

'I wish I had some popcorn. Anyone else feel the same?' snickered one of the voices.

You really had to go there, don't you? I shook my head.

I heard the shorty's footsteps, but strangely Al's echoing hollow footsteps weren't with him. "You're an idiot, Clair," Ed stated. I felt her head bow melancholy. My horns twitch when Ed sighed and smacked Clair in the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"Don't take things so literal, Clair. I'm sure you did fine," he said...almost happily. Weird. Maybe he liked messing with people, too. Probably. He was Edward Elric, after all. "So, what's this, anyways?" he poked me in the stomach.

"This is Yuki. Or...well...Yuki's soul bonded to an object," she held me up with a nod in her voice.

Ed looked at me ecstatic by Clair's words. "That's impossible." He poked me again.

'Yuki move or I swear... Don't do this to me.' Clair demanded.

Make me.

'Oh, okay, we'll play that game, then.' Clair positioned her hand in a tilt. I began slipping from her sweaty palms. Swiftly, I used my tail to grab Clair's thumb to keep me from falling. When I opened my eyes, Ed was gawking at me in amazement. I could see laughter in his eyes, but he wasn't laughing. He was more baffled than anything else.

"Hiya! Name's Yuki Tenshi!" I pranced, then sat looking straight at Ed's golden eyes. His pupils were still starstruck. "Yes, I am a dragon. Get over it, shorty."

"WHO YOU CALLING SHORT, YOU HALF-PINT MIDGET DRAGON!" Ed shouted in outrage, then came his whining voice, "Who calling short, anyways? You're only six-inches tall!"

"Just shut up, will ya! It's not like I haven't notice." I rolled my eyes. "Where's your brother? Alphonse Elric, I presume. Clair told me about you guys."

We'll keep our secret about our side of the Gate together, okay? I told her. Maybe being telepathic to my best friend wasn't horrible.

'What secret!' the souls scream. Again, I ignored them like Clair did. She nodded to me.

The pipsqueak sighed with his hand scratching below his bangs, "This is still impossible."

"...Your brother?"

"But-!" His eyebrow that were fruitfully confused fell below his eyes in a fundamental glare. After a while, like, twenty minutes, his glare remained baffled, but one eyebrow was raised. "Still impossible."

"Stubborn fool," Clair muttered.

"I'm not stubborn; it's just not accurately possible to do this with alchemy unless..." he trailed.

You haven't told him about Truth, have you? I asked.

'Nope,' my friend answered with a slight smirk.

No wonder... He doesn't know much about the Philosopher's Stone either, which causes a dilemma for you and me both.

'You're telling me.'

"Hey, you never did say where Al went," Clair changed the subject on him to bring him back to reality.

For a second he hesitated before he snapped out of it...somewhat, "He's probably found another cat or something again." He frowned. "He didn't leave too long ago, so he's around here somewhere." He paused, and began with a grin, "So dragon girl, can you fly?"

"My name is Yuki!" I scream again. "But...uh...I never tried." I lifted my wings high into the sky a little passed Clair's boobs, which wasn't weird because she didn't have any... Ed's eyes widened when he saw me and muttered something under his breath I couldn't hear. When the wind caught me, I leaped off her hand. I stared at the ground, realizing I was higher off the ground than I originally thought. In panic, I flapped once, but it was useless. My face landing face first in the stone pavement.

"I'm going to take that as a no," Ed half-smiled.

"Hey! At least I had the courage to try!" I complained. "Anyways, it turns out I'm too heavy to fly. Wait- You knew that all along, didn't you!"

Ed didn't deny it. "Lets go find Al," he commanded.

"Don't just ignore me!"

He ignored me.

"Hey! C'mon!" I followed them down the steps. My claws made it hard to get down them without falling. Not only that, but the stair looked like a never-ending downward spiral. Soon, they had made it to the bottom when I was still near the top...

Clair came to get me. "C'mon slowpoke." I glared at her comment without bickering again. (Being a six-inches tall was stressful enough...) She picked me up and carried me to the bottom, then sat me on the ground. "Try to keep up, okay?"

"Uh-huh," I sighed, struggling to keep up with their running. We manged to find Al in an alleyway with a cat, just like Ed had expected; though, I think we all expected it.

The orange cat with golden-slit eyes jumped out of his arms, then began to pounce at me. "No, no, no! Be a good kitty!" My yelling didn't stop the cat from leaping on me. Its claws tried to dig into my rock body, but was unable to. I really didn't want to hurt one of my favorite creatures, but I bit its tail to let me go. The cat yelp, then scampered into the distance. "Ha! You're just glad I can't breathe fire!" When I turned my head to the crowd, Al looked at me in a gaze while Ed smirked. "What?"

The Elric brothers didn't answer me. Instead, Clair picked me up and pawned me off to Al. When I tipped my head over his hand, I was terrified from being up so high. My color turned into an obsidian color./Just great. Clair has to repay me for this. I'm not just a dragon...no, I'm a chameleon dragon!

"Al, this is Yuki now." She rubbed the back of her neck, bowing her head. "I didn't mean to... Honest! It was just an accident."

"No, this is amazing! Clair, you're could make a breakthrough in alchemy!" Al chimed.

"Really?" she gazed at Al like he was the crazy one, but, in fact, we were all crazy; Al tried to lighten the mood on this situation. If anyone, he was the only sane one.


Clair PoV

The day I had been waiting for all month had finally arrived: my results. I sat in Mustang's office with Yuki standing on the back of the black furniture. Mustang instructed Ed and Al to stay outside the door until we ended our discussion. "Here," he handed me a large yellow envelope with my name on the left-hand corner. The folder looked as through it was opened before, but I ignored it. I ripped it quickly like a child opening its biggest gift on Christmas. Without hesitation, I pulled out a slip paper from the Fuehrer.

I read the cursive print quietly to myself with my heart racing:

I, Fuehrer King Brady, hereby pledge from this day forth a new state alchemist is amongst us. Perfections of the art appoints SAPPHIRE to CLAIR ARAGON, for your alchemy is control by an antithetical ruby. You shall obey policies from the government with an ample amount of money for your research funds concerning the government. You've gain the right to reading materials in different facilities, such as the National Library, and have the equal rank of a "major".

"So Sapphire, do you like the name?" Mustang asked. So he was the one that looked through the folder already...

My heart skipped a few beats hearing someone say it out-loud. I smiled. "I love it!"

"The Fuehrer also wanted me to tell you something. Your friend," he pointed at Yuki, "is kept secret to anyone outside the military. She can't speak to anyone, and since it seems you can talk to each other otherwise, it shouldn't be much of an issue. However, if she does slip a word, anyone around spreading rumors will be prosecuted," Mustang explained.

"Why?"

"Technically, between you and me, I saw it. You did Human Transmutation, which is strictly forbidden and you should've been killed on the spot. However, the Fuehrer let it slide for whatever reason, probably because of that stone in your gut the brothers told me about," he sighed, "If I was you, I'd watch my back."

"Uh...sure. After being kidnapped by Tucker and being trapped in a hospital for two days, I've learned that much," I argued with a sigh. When Mustang moved a box to end of his desk, I grabbed it from him. Inside, had a state alchemist pocket watch with a finite silver lining that sparkled in my eyes.

Suddenly, when I sat back in my seat, Yuki grabbed it in her jaws and scampered towards the door. The chains rattled against the floor as she dragged it. "Yuki! Where are you going?!" I quickly started chasing after her.

'I have to show the brothers, now don't I?' she screamed at me with her thoughts. I smiled, then sat down in my seat once more.

"Anyways, you were saying?" I asked.

Mustang had an eyebrow raised in bewilderment, but replied to me without asking anything. "Um, furthermore, the Fuehrer has given you an assignment, and to make sure your loyalty is with the military, the job must be done without the Elric Brother's help."

My eyes jumped awake at that fact. With me being an alchemist, they didn't need to protect me anymore. I was...alone. I agreed to the assignment, even though I never had a choice in the matter, "Uh...sure. What's the assignment?"

"In the West district, you need to find a rogue state alchemist by the name the Blood Alchemist. It is said that he can tame control the water inside your blood vessels to leave you immobilized. The city he was last sighted in was Pendleton."

The name rung in my ears until I realized something unique about that city. It was where my journey started. I would have to deal with that idiot again. Of course, I would. He was going to love me!

"Um Mustang, can I ask you a question that stays between you and me?" I asked, thinking about a simple person, ...or a complex person, in my mind for the past month. If anyone could help me, he could.

Mustang nodded as I scooted insecurely in my seat, "Um...do you know where Van Hohenheim is? Even a relative location would help."

"I'll answer you if you answer why," Mustang gambled.

"Oh! Of course! You know how he's Ed and Al's father, right? Well, if his sons are this great, he's gotta be better. If that's correct, I can maybe figure out more about the stone," I answered with my heart pumping out of my chest, like I was breaking the law by asking a simple question.

"I like your motives, Sapphire, but nobody from the government has spotted him for years. I'm sorry, but I cannot help you."

"Can you give me anything?"

"Even if I did say anything, and you did go this place, he wouldn't be there. If the military can't locate him, nobody can," he explained somewhat dearly, but without consent in his tone.

"O- Oh, okay, I understand. I'll look for him myself."

"After you get the first assignment done," he sounded harsh.

My eyes widened when he threw a folder at me, "This contains the information we know on the rogue. It's your job to figure out what he's hiding and report back to me if you find anything."

"Do I have to do those stupid report things like Ed?"

"Yes," he immediately answered.

I stood up, stretching, then walked toward the door with two envelopes in my hands: one for my assignment and the other for my diploma. "Thanks for the good luck," I rolled my eyes sarcastically.

This is gonna be the hardest week of my entire life.

'Don't forget about our wishes!' bustled one over the rest.

I nodded sarcastically, Uh-huh, I'll get right on that.

"Oh, and Sapphire..." he trailed like he wanted to tell me something, but never followed through.

"I know, I'll be careful, Mustang. Don't worry about me," I replied, knowing he cared somewhat about me.

"That wasn't what I was going to say." His dark eyes beaded at me. Seriously? "Remember to keep Yuki from speaking to anyone."

"I get it! Geez, you're worse than my mom telling me to clean my room. I got this, okay?" I mouthed, waiting to hear something else come out of him. When he didn't say anything, I walked outside to meet Ed and Al celebrating my victory..., or should I say Al praising me while his brother said nothing. When I told them about me leaving, Al gave me good luck, while Ed still refused to reward me. Al kept trying to get his brother to feel excited for me, but it didn't work.

I learned something from that incident as well: Ed cared about me. The only logical reason he didn't say anything was because now I was a dog of the military, just like him. He never admitted it, but he never wanted this life for me; I could see that by looking in his down-to-earth eyes and frown. That was enough to make me smile.


So... Few things I need to mention here. The Blood Alchemist I know is LeFay's thing, but I need this person in my story. You know how Clair's blood all whacked out, I need it for something...interesting. *grins like smiledog* Besides, the guy's nothing like Taylor, so don't even yell at me. If you do, then I suppose that's alright. If you file it as plagerism, I'm okay with that, too, but like I said it's a well-needed character to bring the story out more. If you have a better name to give someone that transmutes blood for his alchemy, tell me! XD Thanx!

Okay, second topic: I'm late. Awe well, I would give you a million excuses, but that's what they are excuses so why should I even say them...

Third topic: Yuki's a dragon. Cool, huh? I figured everything that has happened to me is bad, horrible, diabolical, or down-right cruel, so I decided to pick on someone else instead! It just happens to make me happy. Lol!

Question of the chapter: Did you have a good day? (I didn't because my siblings don't know how to get along. I don't like fighting, so hopefully your guy's days will cheer me!)

Okay, new thing. I keep trying new things, but I think this one will actually work! (I know it's two questions in a row, but this one has rewards! I don't know what they'll be yet, but I'll think of something... Don't be a cheater.)

FMA Trivia question: What's the name of Mustang's competitor in the South Command? (Like Olivia is in the North; who's in the South?)