Summary: DBZ/FMA X-over. Sequel to my Alchemy and Saiyans fic. Chi-Chi decides to have Gohan learn alchemy, so she sends him to Amestris.

Disclaimer:

IWA: Since I'm updating so fast, BK doesn't have time to write disclaimers. Don't expect anymore funny ones in this story.

BK: Standard disclaimer applies.

"Speaking" Thoughts (Me to you) "Telephone or other such communication device"

Last time:

"Well?" the Fuhrer prompted, jolting her out of her thoughts.

Sloth tossed the paper back on to his desk. "Send the specialist. It could be dangerous. I'm going to take a few days off."

She turned and left.

Chapter 17: Capture

Al watched worriedly as Ed trudged along in front of him. They were on their way to the temple of Leto to retrieve the Dragonball. Al sighed as he remembered how the two of them go to be there.

They had all been at Rose's when Bulma suggested that they should probably go get the Dragonball.

"Mirai, Gohan, help Rose clean up. Goku, stop playing with the kids. Vegeta--"

"Bulma," Ed had interrupted. "Can I go alone?"

Bulma had stopped and looked at Ed worriedly. "I'm not sure that's a good idea..."

Ed had shaken his head. "I'm going alone."

"No, you're not," Al had informed him. "I'm going with you." Al had thought at the time that it wasn't a good idea to turn his brother loose on Liore in the mood he was in.

"But Al--"

"I'm going with you, nii-san."

And that's how Al wound up going to church with his disturbingly quiet and depressed nii-san.

When they got to the church, they were stopped by the soldiers posted outside. Ed showed them his pocketwatch and the soldiers immediately snapped to attention and saluted. They didn't have any more trouble after that.

The sanctuary, just like the rest of the church, was eerily quiet. The Dragonball was on the altar, surrounded by flowers and other offerings. Al walked over and picked it up. He turned back just as Ed spoke.

"Al..." His voice was pained.

"Nii-san?"

"What did we do wrong, Al?"

Al's eyes sofened as much as they could, what with him being a suit of armor and all.

"Nii-san..."

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Goku and the Brats were playing with the kids when the Elric brothers walked in. Ed was still obviously depressed, and Al was worried but silent.

"Alright, let's go," Ed said.

Bulma looked up from her book. "You have the Dragonball?"

Al nodded and held it up.

Bulma closed her book with a snap. "Right, then. Let's start packing up, guys!"

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Goku waved. "Bye guys!"

The kids waved back. "Bye!"

Rose snagged Ed's arm before he managed to get into the plane.

"Are you sure you're all right, Ed?"

"I'll be fine," he replied, pulling his arm back and boarding the plane.

Al hovered worriedly as his brother curled up in a window seat, staring morosely out the window.

"Nii-san?"

"But why... didn't he tell me?" Ed murmured.

"Nn?"

"Mustang. He must've known... so why..." Ed lapsed into silence.

Bulma walked out of the cockpit. She gazed at Ed for a minute, then pulled Al aside. "Is it really okay to just leave him like that?"

Al sighed. "There's nothing anyone can do. If he hasn't snapped out of it in a little while, I'll call Winry or Sensei for advice. Some quiet time may help."

Bulma nodded. "Alright. There's another Dragonball a ways away, but it's not moving and it's in the middle of nowhere, so why don't we head for that one?"

Al nodded, clanking. "Thanks, Bulma."

Bulma smiled and headed back into the cockpit.

Al looked around. Vegeta was stretched out on a couch with his eyes closed, glaring at anyone who came near him. Goku, Gohan, and Mirai were playing cards. Or rather, Gohan and Mirai were playing cards, and Goku was watching avidly and asking questions every two seconds. The Brats had headed off into the kitchen a while ago.

Al went over and joined the card game.

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Mustang was sitting in his office in Central, glumly signing papers, when Hawkeye opened the door.

"Sir, the Fuhrer's secretary is here to see you."

Mustang looked up, put aside the paper he'd been reading, and stood up.

A woman wearing a cream-colored knee-length pencil skirt, a matching vest, and a green shirt with her chestnut brown hair pulled over her left shoulder walked in. "The Fuhrer wishes to see you, Colonel."

"Very well," Mustang replied, walking around his desk and accompanying her out the door.

"What does the Fuhrer want to see me about?" Mustang asked after a few minutes.

They turned a corner.

"The Fuhrer does not wish to see you. I do."

"What?" Mustang asked, bewildered.

"I require information."

"From me."

She smiled.

"And if I do not wish to give you such information?"

The Fuhrer's personal secretary glanced at him, amused. "My dear Colonel, I don't need you for information..."

They turned another corner and Mustang walked into a strange-smelling piece of cloth. As his sight went dark, he heard her say, "...you're just the bait."

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A few hours later, the plane stopped and Bulma walked out of the cockpit holding the Dragon Radar.

"Okay, we are directly on top of the Dragonball." She walked over and opened the door. "One of you Saiyans go get it." She turned and held out the radar.

Vegeta opened one eye and gave her the There-Is-No-Way-In-All-The-Hells-You-Could-Make-Me-Do-That Glare (TM).

Goku, on the other hand, bounced over excitedly. "I'll go! I'll go!" He bounced out the door and disappeared.

Bulma blinked, then looked at the radar she still held. After a minute, Goku sheepishly flew up to the plane again.

"Um, where is it?"

Bulma rolled her eyes and handed the Dragon Radar to him with a grin. "Right beneath us, Goku."

He disappeared again.

A few minutes later, the Brats came out of the kitchen and approached Bulma.

She turned to them. "What?"

"...We're hungry," Goten told her.

"There's food in the kitchen."

"Not anymore," Trunks informed her.

Bulma heaved something that was part sigh and part growl. "Alright, we'll stop at the nearest town for the night."

Goku popped back into the plane, holding the Dragonball up triumphantly.

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In the inn's restaurant, the group was having dinner. The rest of the cusomers had stopped eating and were staring slack-jawed at the Saiyans. Ed had taken a few bites and then started pushing the food around on his plate.

Trunks, sitting next to him, eyed Ed's meal, having finished his own already.

"You gonna eat that?"

"No."

Trunks shugged grabbed the plate, and wolfed down everything on it.

Al quietly got up and walked over to the manager.

"Can I use your phone, please?"

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"...and now nii-san's all depressed and he's not even eating..."

"That does sound serious," Winry replied over the phone. "Hey, describe that 'Dragonball' thing again?"

"It's a 6-inch-diameter sphere. It's dark green with a blue alchemic symbol in it."

"I thought so. We've got one here."

"...Wha-at?"

"One of the kids found it. It came up during plowing. Since you guys are the only alchemists they knew of, they brought it here, figuring you'd drop by eventually."

"...Oh."

"So I take it you'll be by in the next few days?"

"...Sure."

"I'll tell Granny to make up some extra beds, then. Bye, Al."

"..."

/click/

Al stood there for minute, then headed back to the group and talked to Bulma. "We're heading for Resembool."

She blinked. "Why?"

"Because one of the two people in the world who can slap nii-san out of that--" he jerked his thumb at Ed, who was staring off into space "--is there, and they found a Dragonball."

Bulma blinked. "Resembool it is, then."

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IWA: And that's the next chapter! Sorry, I forgot to update yesterday, and I nearly didn't get to today. My brother was on my computer. He should get his back sometime this week, tho'. (cheers) Yay!