Title: The Forged Alchemist

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Summary: The Homunculus have left Amestris in shambles, and the new Fuhrer is an incompetent who is leading the country to downfall. When all hope is lost, Edward puts to the test a theoretical array, and enter Edwin Auric, the son of Hohenheim of Light, and elder half brother to Edward and Alphonse Elric.

Chapter 6

September 15, 1896; 3:50 PM

Risembool, Amestris

As it turned out, not everyone who had been in Ishbal had been allowed to leave immediately. Edwin and Roy had been kept in Central until the regiment that had been in Ishbal long before their arrival had returned from their six month leave before the Alchemists and the troops that had accompanied them to Ishbal were allowed to depart for their own six month leave of absence. As it was, Edwin had spent the better part of a week convincing Roy to accompany him back to Risembool, if only to apologize to Pinako Rockbell before their departure and then spent two hours talking the man onto the train, and after their arrival, Edwin had spent almost two hours talking Roy into leaving the train station.

At the moment, the two alchemists were in the Rockbell shop, terrified out of their wits of a little old lady and her nine year old grand daughter.

"You are both fools," Pinako said finally.

Edwin swallowed hard, and glanced at Roy out of the corner of his eyes to see that the Flame had not raised his head since his stammered apologies. If nothing else, his head was bowed even lower.

"One, a fool to try and change what could not be changed, the other a fool to think that the military is a way to do any type of good for the people. All the apologies in the world will not bring back my son and his wife."

The two soldiers, already standing together, side by side, edged a little closer together. Pinako, spotting the movement, scoffed.

"I thought the Alchemists of the Military are attack dogs that know no fear? My son and his wife were killed by fearful pups? At least stand tall and look me in the eye! I won't forgive you if you can't tell me to my face truthfully why my children are dead!"

"There is no excuse," Edwin said firmly, "Merely the slaking of bloodlust for a man who has too much power. On the battlefield, we fall prey to our own base desire to live, and in the end, it is that desire that leads us to an inability to fight unjust orders. It led to the deaths of two good people who were just as precious to us as they were to you. Nothing can bring them back, but at least we can do our best to set to rights the hurts that we have inflicted!"

Pinako smiled. "There now, doesn't that feel better? You couldn't have done anything about your orders, not if you want to live." She turned to Roy and said firmly, "And I trust Edwin's judgment in the character of the people he chooses to support. You would not have killed willingly; otherwise, this foolish boy would never have befriended you to begin with. However, I will not forgive you. You should have fought. Both of you, especially since Edwin knew that this could happen. But you didn't, so I won't forgive either of you." She turned and vanished into the interior of the shop.

Edwin released a shuddering breath, and said dryly, "Well that went well."

Roy shook his head and placed a hand on Edwin's shoulder. "Let's go see how your brothers are doing," the dark haired alchemist murmured.

"Yeah," Edwin sighed and made his way to the door. "Let's go."

"Um… Edo-Nii-san?"

Edwin half turned to look at Winry. "Yes?"

"Ed and Al…" the girl shifted uncomfortably, "A few months ago, there was a big storm… The river was about to overflow, and then this lady made a wall to keep the river from flooding… Ed and Al went with her to learn alchemy…"

"Oh? So where did they go?"

"To Dublith." Winry fidgeted, clutching the doll that Ed and Al had made for her close, "We don't know when they'll be back."

"To Dublith then," Roy said, "and let's see if this woman who is supposedly teaching your brothers alchemy is trustworthy."

Edwin bent down to ruffle Winry's hair. "Thank you. I'll be back some time in the next five months, and if you're a good girl, I'll bring back gifts for you and the boys, alright?"

"Un! Come home safe, Edo-nii-san."

Edwin smiled and straightened. "Come on, Mustang, let's take our time. We have five more months at the very least."

"To the train station then?" Roy asked as the two left the shop.

"No," Edwin glanced upward briefly before setting off down the road, "To the Elric House on the other side of the hill. It's almost dark. The train will still come in and leave tomorrow. There's no need to rush."

"Taking me home already?" Roy teased as they made their way toward the hill, "Don't you think you're taking things a bit fast?"

"What the hell are you thinking? Get your mind out of the gutter Mustang, before I emasculate you!"

~*~

October 14, 1896; 11:45 AM

Dublith, Amestris

"So this is Dublith?" Roy muttered, "What a place. How are we going to find a pair of boys in here?"

"We find a shop," Edwin said, "People always talk when buying groceries, even if it's just a passing 'how do you do?'."

"Where do we start?"

"You start by getting us a hotel. I'll get the information. We'll meet up out here in two hours."

"You sure? The two of us could probably find your brothers faster."

"No offense, Mustang," Edwin said. "But this Izumi Curtis might be willing to let a military dog approach her new apprentices if it's just me. I'm Edward and Alphonse's brother. She has no legal right to keep them from me. And also," Roy shivered as his friend's face turned cold and dark, "You'll need plausible deniability, because if she's put them in harms way in any way, shape, or form, I will kill her."

If either two soldiers noticed the young man who left the grocery store near the Station empty handed moments after stepping inside, they never said anything.

~*~

Izumi hadn't been pleased to learn that her newest apprentices had a brother in the military, as it meant that Edward and Alphonse were bound to enlist once they were old enough. The fact that Mason had come running from the grocery store saying that a pair of soldiers had arrived in Dublith and one was threatening her life, was not much of a surprise. According to most of the people she'd asked in Risembool, Ed and Al's brother was highly protective of his half brothers, and had been sent to Ishbal. Everyone knew that most of the soldiers and alchemists who had been sent to Ishbal had returned, and Izumi was only surprised that, even with military resources at his disposal, it had taken the older man this long to track down his brothers, although to be fair, he likely had not been lucky enough to have been one of the soldiers granted leave immediately after returning from the desert. So when a tired looking man clad in the Amestrian blue and gold and a black overcoat bearing military crests on the lapels and sleeves, she wasn't surprised, although the similarity between this man and his younger half brother was astounding.

"Izumi Curtis?"

She blinked. "Yes?" She had been expecting a voice similar to Ed's a little raspy, and maybe a bit loud, especially since they seemed so alike. Not this low, husky tone that closely resembled a bedroom voice that seemed to wrap around a person. Goodness, if the similarity between the two were any indication, Edward was going to grow up to be absolutely stunning.

The soldier smiled sheepishly, "I'm Edwin Auric. I heard that you'd taken my two brothers as your apprentices?"

"If you're talking about Edward and Alphonse Elric, yes," Izumi agreed, somewhat befuddled, "they are now my apprentices."

"I hope they haven't caused you any trouble," Edwin said as he stepped into the shop.

Izumi laughed, "Oh, no trouble. Come on into the back. It's not very comfortable talking out here."

"Thank you," Edwin said, "however I would not like to impose…"

"Nonsense," she waved lightly as she opened a door to let him in, "Besides, you look exhausted. Despite the war being six months in the past, it looks as if you haven't been sleeping well."

"Normal beds are too soft after a year sleeping on stone and sand," he shook his head as he stepped past the counter. "It seems a person can get used to anything. How are Ed and Al? I know the two can be rather reckless at times."

"They are doing well enough, according to my assistant. They should be back from their trip in another two days. I'm sure they'll be glad to see you."

"Right up until I get my hands on them," Edwin's voice was tired, "They were supposed to stay in Risembool until I got my next posting, at which point, I was going take the both of them with me so they'll go to school where I can keep my eye on them, the troublesome little brats."

Izumi laughed as she puttered about making tea, "Sit," she said, waving at the dining table, "Speaking of troublesome brats, you have my assistant all in a tizzy. Mason overheard you after you arrived yesterday on his way to the grocery store, and is now convinced you are going to kill me."

Edwin laughed as he accepted a cup from Izumi, "I admit I can be more than a little overprotective. After what I was sent to do in Ishbal, I would like for my brothers to never have to experience or know of such a thing as hardship or injury."

Izumi noted that the gloved hands that Edwin wrapped around the cup had a near invisible array embroidered onto the snowy fabric in off white. A State Alchemist then. "Ah, for the world to be perfect."

Edwin smiled warmly over the rim of the cup at the dreadlocked woman. "Agreed."

Izumi decided that she could come to like this man, State Alchemist or not.

~*~

October 16, 1896; 9:00 AM

Dublith, Amestris

"Ah! Good morning, Edwin!" Izumi called as two soldiers entered the butcher

shop, only one of whom she recognized.

"Good morning, Mrs. Curtis," Edwin replied. "I apologize, but something has come up, and despite being on leave, it seems that as the only fire alchemists in the military, Flame and I are the only alchemists suited to dealing with the problem. Please give my regards to my brothers. Hopefully things will be wrapped up quickly, and I'll be back to have a proper reunion with the boys."

"Oh," Izumi smiled, "Do you have to leave immediately?"

"Our train leaves in an hour or so," Edwin said, "We need to be in Eastern Headquarters by two at the latest to meet Lieutenant General Grumman for our briefing."

"I see," Izumi said, "The boys will be terribly disappointed. But work is work."

Edwin smiled. "Indeed. Let the boys know that I should be back in Dublith in two weeks at the latest please?"

"Certainly."

~*~

November 23, 1897; 8:35 AM

Risembool, Amestris

"They did WHAT?!"

The dark haired man dressed in a blue military uniform winced and held the phone at arm's length as the person on the other end of the line ranted in displeasure at the top of their lungs. An old woman in the background shook her head, torn between amusement and disapproval. The soldier put the receiver back to his ear when the volume finally dropped.

"Hand the phone to Edward, Mustang, so I can chew the brat out! How could he be so irresponsible!"

"Hey, now, Auric," Mustang said soothingly, "The kid's still recovering. He's lost an arm and a leg."

"Does it sound like I care!?"

"I know you do, Auric, and yelling's not going to solve anything."

"It would certainly make me feel better! Fine, hand the phone to Pinako."

Mustang sighed, "Really, Auric, You're not normally so hasty." He turned toward the old woman, "I've talked him out of yelling at the boys, but he wants to talk to you now."

Pinako rolled her eyes and shooed Mustang out of the room as she placed the receiver to her ear. "Pinako Rockbell."

"How are they, Granny?" Edwin's voice was soft.

"Stubborn. Your friend nearly scared Winry to death, the way he reacted."

"I'm not surprised. Maes and I had to talk him out of human transmutation the first few days after… after Ishbal. Not our best moment, the three of us."

"No, and it wasn't your only moment in the shadows."

"He'll want automail. Please give him your strongest and lightest. I will cover the cost. Tell him… Tell him to use the money in the house for food and train tickets… and if it should come down to that, medicine."

"Don't worry. You know we'll take care of him."

"I wouldn't worry, if my mere presence did not change everything."

"Nothing has changed much thus far from what you've shown and told me. If I recall, you're coming to the critical points. Worry more about your mission, Ed."

"Then I leave my precious future in your hands Granny. Auric out."

"Goodbye, Ed." Pinako gently lowered the receiver to the cradle. Why did she feel so bereft? She'd known for years that Ed and Al would eventually leave, and had long ago come to terms with the fact that Edwin Auric saw her as an analogue of the Pinako Rockbell of his childhood, so why did every time she come in contact with this so very obviously military man, did her heart feel like it was breaking just a little bit more?

~*~

August 12, 1898; 1836 Hours

Central Command Center, Central City, Amestris

Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Auric, the Forge Alchemist had just finished the last of his paperwork when his office door flew open.

"Hey, Ed! Take a look at this!"

The aureate man ignored the bespectacled green eyed man who had rudely barged into his office, and adamantly did not look at the pictures being proffered in favor of straightening his papers and carefully capping his pen and placing it in a drawer.

"Isn't she beautiful!? I'm so happy with my lovely Gracia! And you know Ed, you just don't smile enough! I know what you need, and that is-"

"If you finish that sentence with the word "wife" I will broil you."

"-a good lay."

"Maes…" Edwin sighed.

Maes tucked the picture away and leaned on the desk and said, "Your brothers will be coming to Central soon." Edwin nodded. "You've been working pretty hard, Ed," Maes continued quietly, "and I know things are coming to a head, but there's nothing you can do to change the future that you came from if you're too exhausted to think straight."

"Maes," Edwin said just as quietly, "This needs to be dealt with."

"But not at the expense of your health. You are the only one with the knowledge of what needs to change, the only one who can seem to understand that code in those books. Ed, your mission is important, but you also have a second chance here. Don't throw it away."

The blonde smiled. "I know. But I can't stop. Not until I can be sure that the boys will be safe. Until this country is no longer on the precipice, I cannot stop."

"If Roy's going to be able to take care of your brothers in East City while you're in the South and I'm in Central, he'll have to know."

"I… I have trouble imagining his reaction…" Edwin leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands, "I mean, we've always been so similar, and then I consider what my own reaction to the news would be if I were in his shoes…"

"Not good?" Maes' tone was dry.

"I was a stubborn fool, and Roy can be just as bad."

"But he has to know if things are to change."

"I don't want him to treat them any differently."

"Them or you?"

"Both."

"You won't know unless you try, Ed. I'll even come with you to help out."

"Thanks Maes."

"Anytime. Now we have an hour and a half give or take a few minutes before the end of the workday. Let's go mess with Roy's head."

"You're a freak, Maes," Edwin said, ducking under his desk to alchemize a hidden compartment open, "Roy and I put up with you how?"

"You know," Maes said dryly, "under the desk isn't the best hiding place for sensitive documents like you have."

"I move it around a lot," Edwin said as he ducked out from under the desk, a small leather booklet tucked under his right arm along with a thick manila envelope stuffed with papers. He held in his left hand a pair of arrayed ignition gloves, the familiar array in red embroidery faded to a dark pink and the formerly white fabric yellowed, prey to the ravages of time. He gently rubbed his thumb over the array, golden eyes sad.

"It's been ten years since the Brigadier General Mustang gave me my watch wrapped in his gloves," he murmured, "I wonder if anything has changed? Has the war ended yet? Is Amestris still a free state? Has he become Fuhrer yet? Al would be twenty eight, twenty nine by now. Did he marry Winry? Do they have children?" He looked up, "I'm here for the greater good, but I can't help regretting what I'm missing, or if some of the theories are true, the future I came from has ceased to exist. Can you believe that even after all these years, I still want to be sixteen again with Mustang calling me short and you annoying everyone with your pictures while Alex sparkles in the background?"

"I see," Maes' face was sympathetic, "It's getting closer to what you consider the golden years of your childhood, and its making your homesickness worse."

"It'll be strange watching Ed and Roy fight from an outsider's perspective."

"Stranger still to know that you can match Hawkeye in a gunfight?"

"Mustang wouldn't let me near a gun unsupervised even if it was unloaded, and he insisted that someone watch me like a hawk at all times in Drachma! I'm surprised I could even fire a gun half decently!"

"And now it turns out not only are you one of the strongest alchemists in the military, but also one hell of a sharpshooter."

"Although truthfully," Edwin murmured, "There was this stint when the State Alchemist Killer was active when Riza loaned me one of her guns. I returned it to her after the debacle in Liore, and I'm not quite sure, but I don't think Mustang was aware that I had it. He'd have flipped if he knew. He was always overprotective, even in the beginning."

Maes chuckled at the affectionate tone. "Now come on, he's still the same Roy you knew; it's just that you're a peer instead of a subordinate this time around."

"Which is why it's so weird," Edwin admitted as he locked his office door behind them. "We were both promoted at almost the exact same time, and even so, I have to resist the urge to tell him to shove his orders up his rear every time he barks at one of the majors in my general direction. I shudder to think of how I'll react every time he calls Edward. I can just imagine it: Mustang will bark out of nowhere, "Fullmetal!" and Edward will reply, "What now, Bastard?" and I'll be over here, twitching like mad."

Maes swallowed his laughter at his friend's disgruntled expression. "I'd pay good money to see that."

"You and him both," Edwin muttered, "And in the next few months, you'll get the chance to do exactly that."

~*~

The workday was drawing to an end, and Riza Hawkeye was finding that keeping the members of the staff, including her commanding officer on task was progressively getting more difficult. Right up until the staccato beat of boot steps came to the door, and the group bent their heads over their tasks, pretending to look busy. The door swung open, and a solemn faced Major Maes Hughes and a tense Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Auric strode into the outer office, long strides eating up the distance to the door of the inner office.

Hughes paused and said, "Hawkeye, is the Lieutenant Colonel in?"

That the normally easy going man had actually stopped to ask instead of just barging in was a definite sign that something was going on. "Yes sir," she nodded.

"Ensure that no one disturbs us," Edwin snapped as Hughes pulled the door to the inner office open. "If you catch anyone eavesdropping, you are to shoot to kill, understood?"

Four heads jerked up to stare in surprise at the two officers. "Yes sir." Hawkeye replied, confused and concerned. What the hell were they going to get into this time?

Edwin nodded sharply and strode into the inner office. The last thing the staff of Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang saw before the door slammed shut was the bewildered and concerned look on their commanding officer at the order that his long time friend had given the female sharpshooter.

~*~

"Was that really necessary to terrorize my staff like that?" Roy asked as Edwin pulled out a bit of chalk and swiftly drew an array and activated it.

"The well being of the State depends on how well we keep this a secret, Mustang," Maes said firmly once the transmutation was active. "You becoming Fuhrer is second to this."

Roy straightened in his seat. "What have the two of you gotten into?" he asked warily.

Edwin held out a manila envelope stuffed full of papers wordlessly. Roy glanced at his friend's face, and found the twinge of concern transforming into full blown terror. Edwin had always been meticulous and serious and in more than one case moody as hell, but other than during Ishbal, Roy had never seen the blonde look so grim.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" he asked as he took the envelope and opened it. He glanced at the topmost sheet and froze. He recognized the handwriting; he saw it every time he scrawled his signature onto another piece of paperwork or filled out a report. It was a letter to him in his own hand, written on military stationary stamped with his name, rank, and the date, yellow with age with the military watermark.

What truly shocked him to his core were the last three sentences.

With Amestris on the verge of downfall, sending Edward back in time was our only viable solution to ensure the future. Please take care of him since I can no longer do so. He is much more fragile than he seems.

There was a folded bit of pasteboard attached, and Roy flipped it open and gasped. On the right was a picture of the group, not too long from the present, including Roy and his staff and Hughes, who with the help of an armor bound Alphonse Elric had hefted a thoroughly disgruntled Edward up so his bandaged head was level with Roy's. On the left was another picture. It had obviously been taken on a battlefield, standing in front of the ruined gates were an older him with a large patch over the left side of his face wearing the stars of a Brigadier General, on his left was the grimfaced Edwin or Edward, with the stars of a Lieutenant Colonel, and to the blonde's left was Riza wearing the insignia of a Captain. Crouched at their feet were Breda, Falman, Fuery, and Havoc with the usual cigarette hanging from his lips. Judging by the insignias all of them had since been promoted. The thing that frightened Roy the most, was the way his older self and Riza had pinned Edward's arms behind him, and how Breda was the only one in front seated, right on top of the blonde's feet while Falman and Fuery braced his legs and Havoc was half turned toward him.

"So…" he whispered, "You… You're from the future? You're little Edward Elric?"

"That is correct." The blonde's voice was toneless, "I am what Edward Elric may grow up to become."

Roy turned toward Maes, who looked completely unsurprised. "You knew."

"He told me on the day he received his watch."

"So why me? Why now?"

"You were going to find out eventually," Edwin's voice was toneless and somehow tight with disapproval, "Although my orders were to give you the information on the day that Edward Elric gains his State Alchemist Certification, Major Hughes convinced me otherwise."

"Come on Ed," Maes placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "Don't withdraw on us now…"

"I may not have been the best subordinate, but I've never fully disobeyed orders before either," his voice was cold, "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

A blast of flame over their heads made Hughes flinch though Edwin hardly blinked.

"Hey!" Roy barked, "Concentrate on the problem please!"

"Oy," Maes turned back toward his old friend. "Calm down, Roy."

"I am calm!"

"Not with the way you're yelling, no you're not," Maes retorted. "Tell him, Ed."

"Major Hughes is correct, sir. Kindly compose yourself, Sir. With respect."

Roy paused mid rant and blinked. "Ed?"

"Yes sir?"

"That's kind of creepy."

"Acknowledged sir."

"Seriously. You're not my subordinate. Do you have to defer to me?"

"Sir…" tawny eyes took on a hint of confusion, "This soldier has only ever been subordinate to the Flame Alchemist. Even under the command of other officers this soldier's first priority was the assignments from the Flame Alchemist's desk. Now that Lieutenant Colonel Mustang is aware of the situation, this soldier is to obey the Lieutenant Colonel's orders."

"I thought you said you weren't good at taking orders?"

"This soldier never fully obeyed orders but he never went against them either."

"And stop being so formal! You're freaking me out!"

"Yes sir."

Maes could only grin as Roy looked increasingly frazzled while Edwin's lips twitched upward and his eyes held a brief glimmer of amusement. It was becoming obvious that even if some of what the blonde was saying was true, he was goading Roy on purpose. Maybe things would be just fine after all.

~*~

TBC…