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 8

The talk that Edwin promised Edward never came. Mustang had simply passed the Elric brothers a scrawled message from the blonde state alchemist that read, "Battling self replicating paperwork and yelling at incompetent subordinates. Will also be leaving for a mission soon. An officer's work is never done. Behave for your big brother. And for the love of Alchemy, control your louder impulses!" then shipped both brothers off to the household of an alchemist called Shou Tucker, the Sowing Life Alchemist, who specialized in the creation of chimeras.

The second note came from Hughes, and it read, "You can learn a lot about an alchemist based on how he reacts around other alchemists and how his library is arranged. Study hard, but don't forget the basic necessities of social interaction. I will try to visit as soon as I can. Until then, behave!"

And strangely, it was the last that Ed and Al would hear of their brother, because no amount of asking would divulge Edwin's whereabouts or doings, for a good long while. Up until one night two weeks before the State Alchemy Exams….

~*~

2126 Hours

4672 Kolstan Street APT H25, Central City, Amestris

Edwin Auric had just arrived in front of the door to his apartment when he heard the phone ring. He groaned and quickly unlocked his door and entered to answer the phone just inside the entrance hall.

"Elric," he said, managing a crisp tone despite his bone deep exhaustion.

"Ed? Get down to the Tucker residence, right now!" Maes' voice sounded almost frantic.

"Maes? What—"

"No time, you'll know once you arrive! Hurry!"

"Very well," Edwin stifled a yawn. "I'll meet you there then. Auric out." He dropped the receiver into the cradle and strode out of his apartment, pausing only to lock his door.

~*~

Military Command Building, Central City, Amestris

Maes dropped the phone carelessly and hurried out of his office, his feet tracing the familiar path through the halls, up several flights of stairs and toward Roy's office. He flung the door open heedless of the protests of the staff.

"Roy! We've got trouble in the Tucker Residence!"

Roy glanced up from a file and frowned. "I don't remember Ed saying anything about this."

"Things change, Roy! You know I've questioned you about putting the Elrics with Tucker from day one!"

Roy frowned and got up from his desk.

~*~

2143 Hours

Tucker Residence, Central City, Amestris

Edwin was not liking this in the least. He'd found out after being transferred with Mustang's staff to Eastern City why Basque Gran had been so eager to throw the brothers out of the Tucker mansion with the flimsy excuse of their pursuing research that they were not cleared for from Hawkeye after they'd gotten to know the staff a little better. There were rumors of Tucker's indiscretion with young boys, and no matter that the Blood Iron Alchemist had some questionable morals, he was not so immoral that he'd allow two young boys to remain in the home of a rumored pedophile. Well… A known pedophile as far as the Brigadier General had been concerned.

Oh Gate. Edward and Alphonse.

There was a high pitched shriek from the house and a table lamp and chair flew out the window, hitting the ground with a crash, sending jagged bits of wood and ceramics and glass flying.

He strode up the path, ignoring Danny Brosch's salute, and stalked up to the hulking form that was an armor bound Alphonse, and the shivering, weeping form of Nina Tucker, clad in only her nightgown and slippers, in front of him.

"Alphonse," Edwin frowned and shucked off his heavy woolen overcoat and draped it around Nina's shoulders, "The child is freezing. Why didn't you get her a robe or a jacket?"

"But Elder Brother… Nina was so frightened… And there wasn't any time!"

Edwin frowned again and said, "Then when Lieutenant Colonel Mustang and Major Hughes arrive, you will put her in the backseat of the car. In the meantime, tell me what happened."

As it turned out, Al was putting Nina to bed when Ed passed them, on his way to Tucker's room, because the man had wanted to talk to the boy for whatever reason. Things were quiet for a while, and Nina was well into dreamland and Al was halfway down the hall when the chaos started. Nina, frightened, had begun to wail, and Alexander had started barking uncontrollably. Al had rushed back and taken Nina outside, and then Danny Brosch and Maria Ross had entered the mansion in an attempt to put a stop to whatever was happening.

Edwin sighed and put a hand to his temple, where he felt the beginnings of a new tension headache starting. So much for a good night's rest after the sort of chaos he'd been forced to preside over in the office today. His subordinates were just a bunch of idiots, loyal, well meaning idiots, but idiots just the same. The last thing he needed was this, whatever this was.

~*~

2151 Hours

Roy and Maes scrambled out of the car to find an irritated Edwin Auric at the gate, arms crossed over his chest, scowling up a storm and his automail foot tapping impatiently.

"About time," he snarled. "Those two are still at it, and I'm surprised no one has been killed yet! What did you do? Stop at each and every stoplight that turned red and obeyed traffic laws and limitations?"

Almost as soon as the irate blonde had finished, there was a loud shriek followed by another chair flying out the window. It crashed between the three men, sending bits of wood and splinters into the air.

"And Havoc!" the blonde barked, "Turn up the heat and get the poor girl out of the cold!" That said, he spun on his heel and stalked into the mansion, Roy and Maes following almost meekly behind him.

They encountered Danny Brosch and Maria Ross at the foot of the stairs.

"Sir!" Brosch and Ross saluted, "Major Tucker's bedroom door is locked and we cannot break it down sir!"

"Lovely," Edwin snarled as the caterwauling coalesced into semi-coherent words, followed by a yell of pain and an angry growl. "Just what I needed to finish off an absolutely wonderful night."

The three men hurried up the stairs followed by two lieutenants. The racket became louder and more intelligible the closer they got to Tucker's bedroom, resolving into wails of pain and an angry snarl that was not something said in polite society.

Mustang pounded on the door and yelled, "This is Lieutenant Colonel Mustang! Open this door immediately!"

"Fuck off!" came an immediate reply from a prepubescent male voice.

This was immediately followed by an adult male voice whining, "Oh, look what you've done, you troublesome brat!"

"Oh, just shut up you fucking chicken shit!" Edward barked.

Edwin's face was pinched with a mixture of disgust and fury. "Where did that child learn such language?" he muttered.

"Well, at least he's showing Tucker that it's a bad idea to go after a child who has an older sibling in the military, right?" Maes asked, and received four distinctly un-amused looks. He quailed. "Shutting up now." And the soldiers turned their attention back to the door.

"Alchemically sealed," Edwin said as he brushed his fingertips over the doorframe, the arrays on his gloves glowing softly. "Tucker's work if I'm not mistaken. There was another array active not too long ago, a sound proofing array perhaps. Ed must have disabled it once he realized what was happening."

"Can you undo it?" Roy asked, "we could break the door down, but I'd rather not anyone get hurt if there turns out to be a trap under all that."

Edwin gave the dark haired man a venomous look. "Who do you think you're talking to, Mustang?" He touched the pads of his fingers together and pressed them against the door. There was a flash of light, and the blonde smiled grimly as he backed up and a booted foot slammed into the door just below the lock, snapping the metal through flimsy wood and the door flew open.

The room was in shambles, the bedcovers slashed and furniture scattered about with various degrees of damage. There were two broken windows, multiple gouges in the walls, and a few transmuted pipes and furniture. Edward Elric stood with his back to the door, clothes rumpled, hair askew, chest heaving with rage, a thin, bleeding scratch on his face. The truly worrying thing to the entire scene was that his automail had been transmuted into a long, thin blade, the tip wet with blood. But that was not what held Edwin's attention. It was the handprint and mark on the boy's neck that made the Forge Alchemist's blood boil.

Tucker was in slightly worse shape. His dressing gown was slashed in places, and Edward had obviously drawn blood each time. The man's hands were covered in lacerations, deep, but not life threatening. Edwin viciously hoped that there was severe nerve damage.

"Colonel!" Tucker cried, "I'm glad you're here! The brat's trying to kill me!"

"I will kill you if you touch me again!" Edward bellowed.

"You'll be worse than dead when I am through with you, Tucker," Edwin growled as he thrust Edward behind him and strode forward.

Tucker's eyes widened as he took in the angular face and the narrow eyed fury of the older alchemist. "C-Colonel Auric…"

Ah ha. So the man had completely forgotten the Elric boys' patriarchal lineage, and that included the fact that the Forge Alchemist was their elder half brother. Edwin allowed a razor sharp smirk to adorn his face, and the Life Sowing Alchemist swallowed hard in fear.

"Mustang," Edwin said in a warm, reasonable tone that was completely at odds with the vicious expression on his face, "damage control if you please. Hughes, take Edward downstairs and get him cleaned up. Lieutenants Ross and Brosch, do inform Al and Nina that everything is now under control. Major Tucker and I need to have a little discussion concerning the morality of including children in his… indulgence of his fantasies."

"Don't kill him, Ed!" Maes said nervously. He'd never seen Edwin so furious before.

"Let him!" Edward yelled, "The bastard touched me! I might be a kid, but Brother lectured us over and over since we made the decision to come to Central about good touches and bad touches!"

"Alright," Roy said raising his hands in a placating gesture, "Calm down Edward, and let's go downstairs. And Edwin please try to stay calm?"

"I'm not twelve years old. I know what I can and cannot do. Now, all of you, out!"

Edward gave Tucker a triumphant look and allowed Hughes to usher him out of the room and down the stairs, with Roy following them.

"Brother's going to send Tucker to the MPs in a matchbox," the child grinned when a shriek drifted down the stairs.

"That's what I'm afraid off," Mustang sighed.

~*~

2241 hours

The Military Police had been present for ten minutes before Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Auric exited the Tucker Mansion, his left hand carrying a suitcase that had been obviously hastily packed, and his right hand was clutching a fully dressed Shou Tucker's elbow none too gently. The Life Sowing Alchemist's injuries seemed to have been dealt with, but it seemed that Edwin had not been very gentle if the way the man cringed and tried to keep as far away from the blonde as was possible while the Forge Alchemist was holding on to him with the mechanical strength of an artificial limb.

"I hope you're foolish enough to keep talking," Edwin hissed as he threw Tucker bodily into the back of the MP's vehicle, "Because I hear that the Military Police don't take kindly to your sort." His smirk was filled with cruel satisfaction as he added, "And after what you've done to my brother, I will savor every second of your suffering… Pedophile."

Disgusted looks were instantly sent toward Tucker by the MPs and Edwin strode across the distance to the military car where the three children were waiting. "Mustang, will you go with him? We don't want an unfortunate accident happening to Tucker on the way."

Roy groaned and straightened from where he had been leaning against the side of the car. "That was cruel. You know the MPs object to the preferences of child molesters."

Edwin's smile was hard, and his eyes glittered with triumph, "I know."

Roy groaned again, "Sadist," he muttered, and climbed into the back of the van. The doors slammed shut, and after a moment, they were gone.

He turned to the two boys, and his expression softened. "Come on, you two. My apartment isn't far from here. We'll walk."

~*~

2255 hours

4672 Kolstan Street APT H25, Central City, Amestris

The walk to Edwin's apartment had been mostly quiet. Ed and Al had the feeling that their brother did not want to speak of what had transpired, in fact, the boys had a suspicion that their brother was not in the mood to talk at all.

Edwin unlocked his door and ushered the boys in, handing Edward his suitcase as he said, "It's a bit small, but it will do for now. I'll make up the couch for you Ed. It'll be a bit awkward, but the two of you can stay until the end of the Exams."

"What? Why?" Al asked. His voice conveyed hurt at the perceived abandonment.

Edwin glanced at the soul-bound armor and said, "Because Mustang and I will be getting our new postings then. You and Ed will probably go with Mustang, and I'll be going elsewhere."

"Oh."

Edwin sighed and waved at the bookcase against one wall that Edward was eying hungrily, "Most of my other books are in storage, but feel free to make use of what's here. The bathroom is over there if you need it," he pointed to a door, "I'll go get some blankets and pillows to make up the couch."

And he strode toward his bedroom. He pulled open the wardrobe and began pulling out blankets and pillows, and hefting them into his arms, strode out to the living room, and dumped them on the couch. Al was at the bookcase, and if the sound of running water was any indication, Ed was in the shower.

"Brother?"

"Yes, Alphonse?"

"Is something bothering you?"

"There are a lot of things that bother me, Alphonse."

"It's just… If we're being a bother…"

Edwin turned around and put his hands on his hips, studying Al's body language closely. "What on earth makes you think you're a bother, Al?"

"It's just…" the soul-bound armor shuffled, "I know you're busy, but…"

Ah, so that was the problem. "I missed you too," Edwin said quietly, "As for why I allowed Mustang to leave you with the Tuckers, I thought it would be a good idea. Nina would keep the both of you grounded, and you'd have the chance to study with another State Alchemist other than myself." He resumed preparing the couch. "We never thought… If we had known he would do something like this, we'd never have left you boys with him. For that, I am sorry."

"Don't be," Edward rasped from the bathroom.

Edwin straightened and turned to study the child. Golden haired fanned loose over his shoulders, and a bit of bandage was plastered onto the cut on his face. The bruises stood out starkly against the paleness of the child's throat, and Edwin was suddenly reminded of the day when he'd chased a rogue alchemist north into Briggs towards the river, the ice cracking under the combined weight of the two alchemists while the other man's hands were wrapped around his throat, squeezing, squeezing, and the ice giving way under them. Then there was cold and Darkness. Remembered opening his eyes to find himself cradled in the arms of the most unlikely of people, Major General Olivia Armstrong on their way back, finding Mustang waiting at the base, pale face paler than normal, eyes wild with worry. Remembered his pained rasp of I'm sorry and Olivia's barked Don't be! And Mustang's quiet and choked It's alright, Ed, Don't be sorry, kid…

Edwin dragged himself out of the memory, gasping in memory of the struggle to breathe, and found that at some point, Ed and Al had moved him onto the couch, Ed, hugging his flesh arm, and Al kneeling in front of him, holding his automail hand, soul fire eyes fixed on his face.

"Brother?" Edwin glanced down at the source of the shaky voice and the fear in those tawny eyes so much like his, and yet so different, struck him like a physical blow.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked shakily.

"I'm Fine." A pause… "Sorry," Edwin rasped, "just…" he gently tugged his arm out of Edward's grasp and brushed it lightly over the marks on the boy's throat, "This just reminded me… When I was younger, I chased an alchemist into the river… He nearly strangled me, on the ice, and it broke under us… If it wasn't for a good friend of mine, I'd have probably drowned…" he gave Edward a one armed hug, "It's not your fault."

"Maybe we should stay with Major Hughes?" Alphonse asked quietly.

"Oh Al…" Edwin sighed, "Did I scare you that badly?"

"You were never like this in Dublith, Brother," Al whispered.

"I was never under the same roof with you overnight," Edwin corrected gently, "There is a difference. You recall when you were around five or six, and the Rockbells went to Ishbal, and then I followed not long after?"

"Yeah?" Edward replied warily.

"I had been a State Alchemist for less than six months at the time. Mustang had been certified at the same exam I was. In Ishbal…" Edwin's voice was quiet, "We all did things we're not proud of, and none of us came out of Ishbal the same as we went in. Some went insane, some became monsters, others broke, and some of us were tempered into stronger people, and some were transmuted into someone else entirely, but everyone who survived Ishbal were driven by what we saw and did. Some gave up, and some aspired to a greater ambition. Truthfully, the ones that died were the lucky ones. Those of us who came back…"

He took a deep breath and continued, "We have big plans for this country, Mustang and I. Things will be very unstable from this point on. Once you pass the exams, Mustang will move you around like chess pieces, and there will be times when I will do the same. The entire military will be your enemy, but I want you both to know that neither Mustang nor I will ever knowingly put you into danger if we can help it. Your goals are important, we'll all do our best to protect you and help you achieve them, but in the long run, both Mustang and I will be looking beyond the completion of your quest, toward the culmination of our own ambitions. Previously, I wasn't there for you as much as I would have liked, and unfortunately, from this point on, it's likely that our contact will be minimal at best. So please, learn subtlety and display at least a modicum of restraint. Behave for your commanding officer, and please don't make a big fuss over trivial things."

Two pairs of eyes studied him, and finally, Edward spoke, "What are you planning brother?"

Edwin's lips curled in a cold smile. "Mustang and I are going to create a power vacuum, and then we're going to fill it."

Alphonse shivered, the empty armor shifting and clanking quietly. "You're going to over throw the Fuhrer…"

"Correct. Speaking of which… I've never liked the thought of this, but we'll need a suitable alchemist, one we can trust, one who has the sheer grit and moral fiber that no matter what happens, no matter what orders he is given, that he will do what is right, and by simply living by the adage of "Alchemist be thou for the people" draw attention away from Mustang and I, to be our decoy and later, our attack dog."

"Or so you want people to think because you are not going to let us anywhere near a battlefield unless there is no other choice," Edward added glibly, and was rewarded by a smile.

"You know me too well Edward," Edwin smiled.

"You're our brother," Al said, "You're all we've got."

"We're all each others' got huh?" Edwin's smile was nostalgic, "Sure. If you say so." He glanced at the clock and quickly extricated himself from his brothers. "Now, it's late. I still have to be in the office tomorrow. Ed, get some sleep. You'll run down your body if you don't give it a chance to rest, and with the automail hindering your growth, you'll need all the sleep you can get. Al, feel free to look through my books, just stay away from the books on the top shelf. My personal notes, you know."

"Yes brother!" the two boys chorused, and Edwin smiled, feeling his spirits lift as he made his way to the bedroom.

He'd forgo the shower and leave it for the morning. It was unlikely that the boys would be going anywhere, anyway.

~*~

Two weeks Later… 1900 Hours

Edwin never imagined that he'd be giving any prospective alchemists this particular talk, much less Edward or Alphonse. But as things stood, Roy's creative mind had come up with several other very interesting things to charge Shou Tucker with besides the attempted sexual contact with a minor, and the Fuhrer had approved the Elrics being tutored by their brother. Not surprisingly, even Brigadier General Gran had approved of the Elrics staying with the Forge more than when they'd stayed with the Life Sowing Alchemist. The apartment was a more than a little cramped, having been meant to house a single occupant instead of three, and Edwin had books shipped out and shipped in almost every day for the benefit of Ed and Al.

Edwin quickly mixed a cup of cocoa for Ed, and poured himself a cup of coffee, and ignored the shuffling of Al's armor, which indicated that the soul-bound boy was trying not to laugh. He smiled inwardly; trust Al to see that Edwin was finding tricks to get Ed to drink milk without the younger boy knowing. He knew that Al was seeing the irony, Edward and Edwin shared a hatred of milk, but Edwin was forcing Ed to drink it without ever letting on the devious trickery that went into the thankless task.

"Alright," Edwin sat down with a cup of coffee, "Let's talk about the State Alchemist Exam. It's only two days away, after all."

"We'll blow them all out of the water!" Edward boasted.

Edwin smiled indulgently. Had he really been that bad when he was younger? Then he recalled the headaches he'd often caused for Mustang, and decided that he might have been worse. At least this time, Edward had an adult he trusted to ground him somewhat.

"Ego, Ed," Edwin chided gently. "Don't get arrogant. The Exam has three parts, a written exam, an interview, and a practical exam. All of them weed out the foolish, the stupid, and the week. The State generally only accepts one or two alchemists a year."

"One or two a year?!" Ed and Al were surprised and horrified.

"Yes," Edwin agreed, "My Exam saw the largest number of State Alchemists certified, there were three of us, Mustang, myself, and one other. The exam is rough, and the competition, if there are Cadets present, is brutal." He smiled coldly, "Mustang and I spent most of the third exam playing mind games with the other candidates and covertly forcing them to make mistakes. Military Cadets who study alchemy are practically State Alchemists already, and most won't give up their slot to a civilian lightly."

"And you speak from experience," Al's voice was both amused and nervous. "So this interview… What does it entail?"

"The interview…" Edwin sighed and took a sip of his coffee. "The interview is fairly straight forward. They ask you questions and you answer them." Edwin stared into the surface of the dark liquid as he added, "On the other hand, it's also not unheard of for the interview to also include a physical examination." He set down the cup and studied Alphonse and said, "Because of this, I am going to save Roy the effort of searching the two of you out later on. Alphonse, unless there is a body in that armor, which you and I both know there is none, I forbid you from taking this exam. I will not stop you from taking the written portion, but pass or fail; you must withdraw before the interview."

"But brother—"

"No buts!" Edwin barked, and the two boys jumped. The Lieutenant Colonel took a deep breath and said in a gentler tone, "This is for your own good Alphonse. If the exam proctors were to open your armor to perform a physical exam, they would first see that the armor is empty and then the blood seal. If that is the case, you will be shipped off to a laboratory faster than you can say antidisestablishmentarianism. Once Edward passes, the military will have two of three sons of Hohenheim in its service. For Edward's sake, if not my peace of mind, will you do as I say, Alphonse?"

Al's shoulders slumped. "Yes, brother."

Edwin nodded, "Now, the third exam, as I have said, is highly competitive. I'm not joking when I say that the third exam is the most important in determining whether or not you are certified. The first is to weed out the ignorant and the second, the unfit. The third determines if you have the mindset and creativity that is almost always a must for an alchemist in the field. Half the participants, much like Tucker did, will bring research that they have already completed, and the other half will perform on the spot. Were you any ordinary alchemists, I would have warned you on this matter beforehand, but now it's not important."

Edward blinked. "Why?" the younger blonde asked.

"Because you can perform alchemy without circles," Edwin said simply. "It's a very useful and rare ability, and the military will want that capacity in their service. I will also warn you, Edward, that once you're in, you may not be able to leave. The military will not let your ability to perform alchemy without circles go easily, so you need to be sure, even if you enter the military for Al's sake, are you willing to bark on command for the rest of your life if the military refuses to let you go?"

Edward stared at him and Al said quietly, "What about you, brother? If you wanted to leave, will the military let you go?"

"I am a commissioned officer, and it would not be easy for me to leave the military," Edwin said calmly, "And I have no intention of leaving the military until my ambitions are fulfilled. But if I were to want to leave, I would be permitted to do so, provided I stay on until my contract expires. It is not unusual for an officer to retire early because they are unable to cope with the stresses of the military."

Edward stared into his own cup. Edwin sipped his coffee and said, "There is still two days before the exam. Think on it. If you are unwilling to bind yourself to the military, I can do the research for you, and you can investigate the leads you need. Even if there is no Elric in the ranks of the State Alchemists, there is still me. You can always come to me for anything that you need."

"I don't need two days to decide," Edward's eyes were firm. "I have Al, and I have you, brother. I will take the exam and I will pass. If the Military as it is now will not let me go, then I will help you, and maybe the new regime will let me go."

Edwin studied the boy and smiled sadly. "I will roast Mustang until he lets you go," he promised, "Although I don't think it will be necessary. I think in Fuhrer Mustang's regime, he will let you go because you are as dear to him as his own son."

Edward scoffed, "That pompous ass?"

"Language, Edward."

"Sorry, brother."

"Go to bed now. I need to call Mustang and let him know to submit your papers."

~*~

Two days later….

Central Command Headquarters, Central City, Amestris

Edward and Alphonse entered the examination hall, and found seats in the back, side by side, but far enough apart that they could not be accused of cheating. Edward looked around, noting that the observation deck was full of officers, two familiar, the others, not. One was obviously the Fuhrer, how could he not be when his picture was plastered over every newspaper in Amestris? The other two were Generals, one of whom was Hakuro, whom Ed remembered seeing briefly in passing on the train, the other, darker skinned General, Ed did not recognize. The last two officers, the lowest ranked, and youngest of the five, Edward recognized.

"There aren't as many people taking the exams as brother said there would be is there?" Al asked.

"Yeah," Edward looked around, "From what brother had said, I thought there would be a lot more people."

The Fuhrer stepped forward on the platform, catching the attention of the room and said, "The Preliminary Exam will now begin. Good luck."

"Begin!" the dark skinned officer barked.

~*~

Several hours later, Roy studied the results of the exam, Edwin reading over his shoulder.

"So they both passed?" the Flame said thoughtfully, "I'm surprised…"

"Is that a bad thing, Mustang?" Edwin smirked.

"Not really. Although it seems that Hohenheim breeds true," Roy agreed, "but Alphonse…"

"Al will withdraw from the exam," Edwin said, "I've already spoken to him on the matter."

"But it's best to make sure," Roy murmured, "I'll let you know how the conversation goes hmm?"

"They both know what is at stake," Edwin said softly, "But very well."

~*~

Roy smiled as he entered Edwin's office. The difference between their respective staffs in terms of professionalism and productivity and efficiency was clear. Neither of them ran a very tight ship, but Edwin would not tolerate slacking while there was work to be done. If his people were wasting time then their paperwork had best be finished; otherwise he hardly cared what they did as long as it didn't reflect badly on him. Roy's office on the other hand… Falman and Hawkeye were perhaps the most productive of the lot. Nothing at all compared to Edwin's much smaller staff consisted of two lieutenants and a corporal.

"Hey, Ed," he said, leaning against the door.

The blonde barely glanced up from his paperwork. "I did tell you that the boys and I had already discussed how far Al would be going in this exam, didn't I?" he said quietly.

"You did," Roy chuckled, "I wonder how I'll ever control those two, considering how well they listen to anyone who's not their brother."

"Threaten to send them south."

"South?" Roy closed the door to the inner office and strode over to sit in the chair in front of the desk, "You're sure?"

"Heard it from the Fuhrer himself just a few minutes ago. I'm headed over to Southern City a little bit after the exam ends."

"That's not a lot of time."

"No," Edwin smirked, "Bradley doesn't like having me near him for long periods of time. Now I wonder why?"

"Does he suspect you know?"

"Unlikely, but you can never be too careful. As long as it's simple baseless accusation, no harm no foul."

"Up until an assassin puts a bullet through your head," Roy muttered darkly.

"Hush!" Edwin put down his pen, "Don't say things like that! There are worse things than death in this world, and I personally can't die here. I can't afford to die now. There is too much at stake; Edward's precious future, and your Golden Era."

"There is also your own precious future as well, Ed," Roy said quietly after a while.

"My future has ceased to exist except in my memory," Edwin smiled sadly. "And in six years time, even that will be gone. All I have is this uniform now."

Roy slammed his hands onto the table and leapt to his feet, fully fed up. "Dammit, Ed!" he hissed, "The military sent you back to be a martyr so the country could survive, but that doesn't mean you can't live your own life! You're your own person, unique from Edward and Alphonse Elric and you have every right to live a life away from them. Hell, I'm not even the same Flame Alchemist who was your CO so you shouldn't even be listening to me at all!"

Edwin's smile became amused, "You're becoming more for me what Maes is for you," he said drolly.

And it was true. Edwin suspected that if anything ever happened to Roy, he'd likely fall into a similar state of mind that the Flame had been in after Gran had forced him to kill the Rockbells, and much as Roy had become reliant on Edwin and Maes after the Rockbells' deaths, he'd probably become reliant on Maes as well.

It was sheer irony at its very best because if Edwin ever decided for whatever reason to pop out the portrait in the watch that his former CO had given him before the entire mess had started, he'd have found the message the Brigadier General Mustang had left him. One that stated that in no uncertain terms was the former Fullmetal to at anytime, become in any way, shape or form, like the Flame Alchemist in either self crucifixion tendencies or behavioral patterns. Of course, prodigy or no, the former Fullmetal, now Forge, never thought to pry the portrait from its resting place, and so the message went unheeded, and as time passed, more than one person noted the similarities between Flame and Forge.

None of them knew it yet, except maybe for Maes, who, as a rule, noticed these things, but this same problem was soon going to apply to Edward as well, especially since the Forge Alchemist was his primary role model, and Edwin and Roy were already remarkably similar personality wise to begin with. But that wouldn't be for a while yet, and it would be four years before all three, the Flame, the Forge, and the Fullmetal would be together in Central again. And by then, they'd all have developed habits and tics that would differentiate them from one another. But for now, they still had at least a month before parting ways, and the Elrics had been staying with Edwin for the better part of two weeks. It would be more than enough time for Edward to pick up habits not only from his elder brother, but said elder brother's best friend, so that by the time they left Central, most people would be confused as to whether they were looking at the Forge or Fullmetal Alchemists.

~*~

The Next Day…

Edwin studied the State Alchemist candidates who had passed both the preliminary exam and the interview. Edward stood out among them, being the youngest present, and Edwin remembered when once, it had been him down there, surrounded by alchemists older and more experienced then him.

"Remember our third exam?" Roy murmured.

"I only hope this one is less eventful," Edwin smirked. "I'd hate to have to roast someone for putting my brother in danger."

Roy returned the smirk with one of his own, "I can hear soldiers snapping to attention when your brothers walk past already."

The last of the potential alchemists trickled in, and Basque Gran ticked them off a list and nodded to the Fuhrer as he slipped it into a pocket. The Fuhrer stepped forward to face the gathered alchemists.

"Welcome to the Practical Skills Exam," he said, "As you can see, we have provided some raw materials for you. Use them to create whatever you see fit."

"Hmm… This is rather nostalgic," Edwin murmured as one of the candidates activated a circle in a flare of yellow light.

A spire of stone rose into the air. Beside Roy, General Hakuro made an appreciative noise. "Very nice detail," he said.

"But he used so much energy, he can't even stand up," the Fuhrer's voice was amused.

Edwin and Roy exchanged amused smirks as Edward gaped in astonishment. "You can't get tired?!"

"Did he think that State Alchemists have the luxury of resting in the middle of a battle with an enemy alchemist when they run out of energy?" Roy wondered.

"Cut the kid some slack," Edwin murmured, "He doesn't entirely know what he's trying to get into just yet. Just wait until his first mission, then he'll start to understand what he's gotten himself into."

In the meantime, another alchemist shoved his way out of the crowd, and began swiftly drawing an array and dragging branches into the circle and splashing water into the center. There was a flash of light, and a bulbous white mass rose into the air.

"Wood and water to make a hydrogen paper blimp!" Edward cried.

"Oh, very nicely done!" General Hakuro commented.

"Well done indeed," Edwin murmured, "But there is one fatal flaw, and it lies in how thick that paper is…"

The words had barely left his lips when the fragile paper construct sprung a leak, sending the blimp earthwards.

"That's not good!" Roy said, stepping forward and pulling on his gloves as the officers on the ground realized that the spire was in the path of the falling balloon, and the first alchemist was still unable to move.

"A good chance to test the candidates' mettle," Edwin said quietly.

Roy glanced at his friend, and the spark that was being rolled around in the blonde's pyrotex gloved fingers. Geez, and the Forge called him a pyromaniac?

"It will have to be up to them to fix this," Edwin murmured thoughtfully, "A spark and hydrogen… Geez, of all things to make, it just had to be a paper hydrogen blimp."

Roy rolled his eyes as the potentials yelled and milled about in confusion. The calmest of the lot was also the youngest, and contemplating tawny eyes hardened as the child came to a decision and raced forward. Beside Roy, Edwin stiffened and the normally unnoticed off white arrays on his gloves sparked as he extended his hand as if reaching out to stop the child. Edward clapped his hands together and slapped them against the spire just as the blimp stuck it, causing it to crumble, raining debris down toward the incapacitated alchemist below. There was a flash of light, and those present threw up their arms to shield their eyes.

The light faded, and then there was a soft swishswish as flowers rained down from a massive wreath with two white wings, drifting slowing to the ground.

"Huh," Edwin commented, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "What do you know?"

"Alchemy without circles," Roy commented as they watched Edward stare at his hands as if awed, "And the real thing this time, it seems. Not like your secretive arrays on your gloves, Forge."

Fuhrer said calmly, "It looks like we've found our alchemist. The youngest we've ever had."

Edwin glanced past the Fuhrer toward Basque Gran who met his eyes and inclined his head. Edwin's lips curved upward in a secret smile as he turned his eyes toward the boy who he'd once been. Everything was as it should be. And everything had just begun. Pride would never know what hit him.

He was once the Fullmetal, the foundation of the newly burgeoning trust between the people and the military, the tool that was supposed to bring forth a new era, but the homunculi had made it so Fullmetal would not be enough to build a new regime out of. Now, he was the Forge, and he would build from the ashes and scorched earth with fire and tempered in blood, the new regime that the Homunculi had cut off at the knees. The sun was, at long last, rising, and while the sky was clouded, the future promised to be a bright one, because all the pieces were in place, and the board was set.

Edwin Auric, the Forge Alchemist, formerly Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, was once more in his element, in the chaos that inevitably followed a quest for a Philosopher's Stone.

For the time being, Life was good, and he thanked the Gate for it, and he would make sure that for Ed and Al, Life would stay good.

~*~

TBC…