(Age 12)
Today was the day that Edward and Elizabeth left for Central. They were greeted by the two that had visited on the first night: Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. The twins had maintained minimum contact between them and had been eventually introduced to Riza properly. Due to the unique circumstances of the twins' testing, they were escorted by the two military personnel once they reached Central. The ride was really...something else. But that's for another time.
Edward had a few words of encouragement from Roy before entering the testing area. Roy's form of encouragement was really more like issuing a challenge. Elizabeth wasn't sure if it was just the Colonel's personality, or if he knew that riling Edward up would motivate him more. Elizabeth was chatting civilly with Riza. There wasn't much sustenance to the conversation, as Riza was very polite and private. Though the woman was more than capable, she seemed to put on an air of reservation.
When the twins parted ways with their escorts, they came to a large testing area. Here, there were over forty other candidates. All of them were several years older than the twins, with the youngest of them probably being no younger than twenty. Edward and Elizabeth were separated before the test began. Though they understood, it was still a bit unsettling. The fifty-question multiple choice test was fairly easy to complete, though it was obvious that many of those testing with the twins were not as well studied in the area of alchemy.
Once the time limit was up, the proctors threw out all unfinished tests, as well as those who submitted them. Elizabeth was getting extremely nervous. She wished she had practiced more for the next part of the examination: The Demonstration.
Edward and Elizabeth were allowed to demonstrate their alchemic skills together for a few reasons. They would be separated when that actual alchemy was being performed, there were extra guards around, and there was a rather curious observer for this demonstration. Edward was seated in the viewing section, as Elizabeth would demonstrate first. A tall, imposing man was seated at the front of the room, with several armed soldiers on guard in the surrounding area. He was also armed, with what the twins could only guess would be a decorative saber. As Elizabeth walked up to the center of the dirt-floored area, two men in the center saluted her.
From the seating area, Edward asked, "Who's he?" to a nearby guard. He didn't bother to hush himself in the slightest, meaning nearly everyone in the demonstration area heard his comment, including the man himself and a slightly mortified girl. Elizabeth was wondering how her idiot of a brother didn't recognize the leader of their country.
The guard was surprised at the question, but didn't allow a reaction. In its place, he simply introduced the man Edward asked about, saying, "That's the Fuhrer, King Bradley. Show your respect."
Edward grumbled something inaudible before taking his seat and not asking any more questions. He didn't want to ruin his sister's demonstration, or the nerve she had built up until this point. He knew how nervous she was getting, and wanted her to be able to demonstrate her alchemy quickly, so that she didn't lose her nerve.
With all the distractions and interruptions aside, the Fuhrer stood from his sear and smiled as a greeting. It was warm, but almost unnatural on his aged face. "Elizabeth Elric, correct?" The man didn't pause for an answer as he continued, "It isn't every day that a child is allowed to take the exam, let alone pass it. And there were two of you. Congratulations on making it this far. Now, if you would..." The Fuhrer gestured to the floor just past the few steps he was standing at the top of, "Please begin your demonstration."
Elizabeth nodded curtly and stepped forward, just enough to be in front of the two guards in the center with her, rather than between them. One asked, "Do you need something to draw a transmutation circle with?" Not trusting her voice, Elizabeth continued her silence and simply shook her head. The guards stepped back a bit to allow her room.
Elizabeth looked around the room for a moment, to gain a sense of her surroundings. It wasn't surprising to any of those present, but they watched her with curiosity nonetheless. She took note of the Fuhrer's position, as well as the four guards on top of the steps with him-two on either side of him. There was a small seating area to the left and right of the steps, for any higher-ranking alchemists that wanted to watch the demonstrations. There were a few curious people there, as well as Edward, but the main population of the room was the soldiers present. Including the soldiers guarding the Fuhrer, there were about twelve guards. Four guarding the Fuhrer, three along each seating area, and two guarding either side of the only exit to the room.
Aware of her surroundings and carefully planning her next moves quickly, Elizabeth took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Then she moved-exhaling as she brought her hands together, inhaling she dropped her her knees and placed her hands on the ground, exhaling as she transmuted. A blue glow flashed through the room.
And nothing changed.
Still with her eyes closed, she stood on an inhale. The guards fidgeted, not sure if they should say anything or not. "Miss Elric," one began, about to take a step. Elizabeth's eyes shot open and she held her arms straight out to either side of her body.
"Don't move. Don't breathe." She warned. Slowly, she brought her arms into her chest, then flicked her right arm out sharply. A hidden flint inside her automail's wrist made a spark, and the real demonstration began.
Fire exploded around her, spiraling outward in an intricate design. It flicked up, licking at the ceiling but remaining at a safe distance. It danced around the guards and spectators. The final burst of flame spread behind the Fuhrer himself, and rose up above his head in the shape of their national symbol, a dragon. The guards jumped away from the flames or jerked in fear, but the Fuhrer stood perfectly still and admired the demonstration with composure.
The Fuhrer gave Elizabeth a short, polite clap. It appeared he would refrain from commenting until both were completed. It was now Edward's demonstration.
The guards didn't bother to ask Edward if he needed anything to draw a circle with. In all honesty, a few were a bit wary at the thought of even approaching one of the twins. Edward wasted no time to begin his demonstration.
He took a wide stance towards the front of the room, a bit closer to the Fuhrer than Elizabeth had. Bringing his hands together just as she had, he dropped to the ground and was rising again after only a brief touch of the ground. The ground was being drawn up, in the shape of a spear. Edward had hardened the dirt floor into a stone spear, complete with a dragon at the blade for a personal touch.
Once again, the Fuhrer clapped politely. This time he spoke, "Alchemy without drawing a circle. The Elric's truly are impressive." The comment, though nothing unusual, cause Edward to look at the Fuhrer with an odd expression.
The young boy twirled his spear around and replied, as if thinking out loud to himself, "You know, Fuhrer King Bradley, you should really come with more protection to this kind of event." With no further hesitation, and before anyone could process it, Edward ran towards the Fuhrer, raising the spear at him. With the point of the spear only inches from the Fuhrer's face, he added, "This could be an opportunity to assassinate important people, you know." Though he had half a dozen pistols aimed at him, the potential damage could have already been done, and Edward had made his point.
The Fuhrer scoffed as Edward lowered the spear. The pistols also dropped as the Fuhrer popped his saber back into the holster. "You may have nerves of steel, but you're too naive if you think that I need this many guards." No sooner had the Fuhrer stopped speaking, the spearhead of Edward's weapon fell to the ground, cleanly cut.
Edward froze, processing what had just happened. "I didn't even," he glanced up at the man in surprise, "see you move..."
Colonel Mustang escorted the twins to his office. He was going to give them their necessary documents and other information regarding their orders, now that the two had officially been accepted. It was his job, as their ranking officer.
Grabbing the two silver pocket watches by the chains, Roy held them out to the two children before him, "Good job you two," he noticed that the two of them were making an active effort not to be too excited, though Edward was clearly proud of himself, "This means you're officially dogs of the military. How does it feel?"
Edward snatched his watch away and smirked, surely about to respond with some snarky comment. Elizabeth nudged him out of the way to take hers, much less forcefully. She smiled sweetly and replied, "However you want us to feel," her smile slipped into more of a smirk as she couldn't maintain the sweet facade, "Sir."
Mustang shook his head a bit, amused and almost impressed, "You're going to get along just fine, Elizabeth," He glanced at her brother and let out a short laugh, "And you will too, Edward, if you learn a bit from her." The twins made the motion to leave, but had their attention brought back to Mustang when he slung his feet up on his desk. In his hand, he was holding out two envelopes. They didn't appear to be sealed, so he most likely had already read them. Ignoring that fact, the two took their respective letters and opened them to read for themselves.
As they read, Mustang explained a bit, "Along with the official pocket watch, each State Alchemist receives a title. I am the Flame Alchemist." He smiled, as if remembering something funny, "Doesn't the Fuhrer have a sense of humor?"
Edward grinned, reading his title out, "The Fullmetal Alchemist." He glanced at Mustang, "It suits me, I like it."
Their ranking officer looked to Elizabeth, who was still taking in the letter and its contents. "And you?" he prompted Elizabeth, wanting to hear her reaction.
She smiled, "I think I could get used to it," she replied, holding the paper carefully, "How does it feel to have someone else using your name?"
Roy scoffed, pulling his feet off the desk and learning forward to more easily throw responses back and forth with his underlings, "Well," he started, drawing it out slightly as he looked at the girl, "I suppose it'll be fine if it's just a cute little girl using my name, Broken Flame." He leaned back in his seat, looking rather smug with himself.
Elizabeth's face flushed, she didn't appreciate being called cute, and definitely not when it more closely resembled an insult than a compliment. Without a reply, she could do nothing but huff at the patronizing tone and turn away.
Edited.