Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for Whitney.

{Opening song}

"God's children live upon this land. Pray and thee shall be saved. Those who have lost their way, the Sun God, Leto stall..." The radio drones.

Ed, Whity and Audrey are drinking orange juice and apple juice's, sitting at strange diner in Liore, and eating lunch.

"So what are you guys, like street performers or something?" The man at the diner asks. Ed spits his soda everywhere as Whitney try not to split out of her mouth. "Seriously, do we look like street performers to you?" Ed asks. "Yes, that's why ask?" The diner man says. "Let's go, Al, Addie." Whity say as they get up. Al bumps his helmet and the radio falls off, smashing to bits.

"Hey! Easy! I didn't mean nothin' by it!" The man says. "Sorry, accident. We'll fix it." Ed says. "How's that? It's smashed to hell?!" The man says. "Watch and learn, gramps." Addie said. Al draws his transmutation circle with a chalk. "Okay, here goes." Al said. People have gathered. Al fixed the radio. "There, see? How's that?" Ed asks.

"Amazing! It's a miracle. You've been touched by the Sun God, just like Father Cornello." The man said. "Touched by who, now?" Ed said. "It's not a miracle. It's alchemy." Whity said. "Oh, so you four are Alchemists. I've heard of that." One guy pipes up. "Then maybe you've heard of us. We're the Elric siblings, and that's the Ice Alchemist." Ed stated.

"Elric siblings, you say? And Ice Alchemist?" The diner man asks.

"Hey, I do know that name!" One says. "I heard the elder sibling is the Fullmetal Alchemist and Ice Alchemist, Whitney Rockbell." Another asked. "Wow, so you two are the young Prodigies?" Another asks Whitney and Al, everyone crowds them.

"Um no...it's not me." Al waved his hand for assurance. "Huh?" They all said. "What? You mean it's that shorty over there?" One asked. "WHO'S LITTLE? COME HERE AND SAY IT TO MY FACE! I DARE YA!" Ed shouted angrily.

Chapter 3: City of Hersey

After Whity calmed Ed down a bit, they heard the guy's radio back on. "So what's with this guy on the radio?" Ed ask. "Th-That's our leader, Father Cornello." They're all still quite shaken by Ed's outburst. "We were lost until he came to town and began teaching us all the ways of the Sun God Leto. He grants eternal life to those who are faithful. He can even resurrect the dead; his miracles are proof of what he says is true."

"So this guy's claiming he can bring the dead back to life...now that's something I've got to see." Ed said with interest in his eyes. There was a gathering where Cornello would be performing his miracles. They headed there and watched. He transmute a flower petal and a red glow filled the area. It disappear and a flower made of crystal was left. "So, what do you guys think?" Ed asked us. "There's nothing to think about, that's alchemy; no doubt about it." Al reply.

"Yeah, I agree with Al, he is ignoring the laws of Equivalent Exchange." Whity said. "Hmm, he should only be transmuting that flower into things of equal mass." Ed said. "It's like he's changing the organic matter into inorganic matter. He shouldn't be able to do that unless..." Al trailed. "I wonder how he does, because you guys told me about alchemy and it's equivalent exchange." Audrey said. "Yeah, just one way...bingo." Ed said.

We walk to a church and a girl was praying. "So this is the Almighty Leto. Ed stated. As we walked toward her. "Welcome, are you four interested in Letoism?" She asked us. "Nope, can't say that we are. We're not much of religious types." Ed said. "I'm sorry To hear that...to know God is to know hope. if we believe in divine grace, through him, all things are possible. If you believe Leto would bless you and make you taller!" She said. "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Ed shouted as Al and Whity held him back.

"Brother, she's just trying to help." Al said. Ed flop down in a pew. "What about bringing the dead back to life? Do you believe that's possible too?" Ed questioned her. "Yes." She stated without a thought. Ed sighed and pulled out his notes, reading them out loud. "Water 35L, Carbon 20kg, Ammonia 4 L, Lime 1.5 kg, Phosphorus 800 g, Salt 250 g, and various other trace elements." She has a confused look on her face as I says, "Those are the ingredients for the complete adult human body." "It's been calculated to the last gram but still there hasn't been one successful case of creating life. You're telling me that something modern science can't do can be done with prayer?" Ed stated. She said, "Lend thy voice to God and the prayers to faithful shall be answered."

"Did I mention all those ingredients could be bought with spare change from a kid's pocket? As it turns out, humans are pretty cheap." Whity said. "That's blasphemy! People are...we are all children of God created in his image!" She shouted at them. "Hmph, you have to understand, Alchemists are scientists. We don't believe in impossible concepts like creators or Gods. We observe the physical laws that govern this world to try and learn the truth. It's ironic really, but the through the application of science, we have been, in many ways, given the power to play Gods ourselves." Ed smirked.

"So you're putting yourself on the same level as God? That's just sheer arrogance!" The girl says. "You know, there's an old myth about a hero who flew on wings made of wax. He thought he could touch the sun, but when he got too close, his wings melted and he came crashing back down to earth. Right, Al?" Ed said. "...Brother..." Al said. Whity sighed. "I'm sorry, miss. This is difficult for me to ask, but do think your Father Cornello could even save two arrogant scientists like us?" Whity asked her. "Of course, that's wonderful! If anyone can lead you to the creator's love, he can!" The girl says.

~Time skip~

We walked through a hallway in the church. "This way, Father Cornello is a busy man." A man said. "Don't worry; we understand. We won't be long..." Ed said as we walked into the room Cornello was occupying. "I'm glad we agree. We'll make this quick." The doors suddenly closed as the guys pulled out guns at pointed them at Al and Whity. Two more guys came and held Ed and Addie. "Brother Cray and Mark, what is this? What do you two think you're doing?!" The girl, Rose, asked with fear slowly rising in her eyes. "Rose, these heathens have come to snare the Father." Guy said, "They are evil and it's God's will." Another guy said. "Wow. That some God...?" Whity spat. "Well like you said, let's make this quick." Ed flips the guy on his right. Whitney punched the guy in the stomach who had a gun pointed at her. Al was able to punch the guy holding the gun as it slid toward Rose's feet.

"What is this commotion?" A man's voice asked. Ed, Al, Addie and Whitney looked up to see Cornello standing on a platform. "Aw, Fullmetal and Ice Alchemists, welcome to come to the home of our sacred order." Cornello spoke. "Father Cornello!" Rose called excited to see the man. "I must apologize for my disciples' behavior. It seems they've been misguided." Cornello said. "Okay, and say I believe you weren't the one guiding them. What next?" Ed ask. "Have you come to learn the ways of Leto?" Cornello asked us. "Well, there are a few things I'm curious about. Like how you've been using second-rate Alchemy to deceive your followers?" Whity said. "My dear girl, I don't know what you mean. What you're doubting to see as Alchemy are the miracles of the Sun God, Leto. Look again. Could mere alchemy create something from nothing in this way?" Cornello makes a Leto statue.

"Yeah, that's what I didn't get at first." Ed says. "How can you perform transmutation that ignored the laws of Equivalent Exchange?" Whity said as she scratched her head. "As I said, it's because it's not alchemy." Cornello slams the statue down on the railing in front of him. "But then I started thinking about it, " Whity said. "If you'd somehow managed to acquire a certain object to amplify your alchemy, one that's said to make the impossible possible, that would explain everything." "What?" Cornello said. "We're talking about the Philosopher's Stone. Your ring. That's it, isn't it?" Whity asked. "We've been looking for that."

"The ring is just a ring. I am God's humble servant. It is from him alone that I derive my power." Cornello said. "You are one sad little man?" Whitney said disappointed. "Still trying to sell that line, huh?" Ed ask. "If that's the way you wanna play it, I guess I'll have to come up there and beat some truth outta ya!" "My, you are m quite the incorrigible heathen, aren't you?" Cornello said. "Rose, dear?" "Yes, Father?" Rose said. "That gun there beside you. Pick it up." Cornello commands. "Uh, okay." Rose pick it up. "Now, child, I want you to shoot the Fullmetal and Ice Alchemists." Cornello said. "No, I-! Father, I can't do that!" Rose said.

"I am the Sun God's chosen emissary. My word is the word of Leto. I said shoot them, Rose. It's God's will. Why hesitate? When you lost your fiancé to that tragic accident last year, who was Is it that saved you from the very depth of despair? Have you forgotten?" Cornello said. "It was you, father." Rose said with her head down.

"That's right. It was I who took your hand and led you into god's light. And you recall what it was that I promised you then?" Cornello said. "You said if I had faith, you'd bring him back to life!" She points the gun at Al. "No, wait! It's not me, honest!" Al said. "Damn it! I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist! It's not him, it's me!" Ed screeches. "It's the short one? You're kidding?!"Cornello yelled. Rose points the gun at us, "I'm sorry, but I have to do this. I don't have any choice." "He's been lying to you, Rose." Whity said. "You're wrong! I've seen his miracles! Father Cornello will bring him back to life! I have faith." She points the gun at Ed.

"Fine, then shoot." Ed said. She shoots, but the force makes her knock Al's head off instead. "Al!" Ed, Audrey and Whity then Rose dropped the gun and screamed Addie looked worried for her brother. "Good...now pick up the gun and shoot the others now." Cornello said. "Haven't you made her do enough already?" Al said. Rose and Cornello looked with shocked looks towards Al as Ed brought him his helmet. "Don't worry, he's pretty solid." Ed knocked on his armor for assurance. "See? No harm done." Al spoke, showing the two the inside of his armor. Al placed his helmet back on. "An empty suit of armor that walk and speaks...do you still doubt it, Rose? This unholy thing is an abomination. The evil of this kind must be purged." Cornello said. "And I believe my chimera is up to the task." A huge door opened, revealing a chimera.

"So, this is what do with the Philosopher's Stone? That's just twisted..." Ed spoke Rose started to back away from fear. "Anyway, looks like I'll need a weapon." Ed clapped his hands together and placed them on the ground, transmuting a lance. "No transmutation circle...?! So the State Alchemist isn't just for show...you truly gifted. However..." The chimera then charged at Ed, who tried to hit it with the lance only to have it break and get slashed across the leg. "Your little spear is no match for chimera claws that tear through iron." Ed smirked. "Hmph, you shredded my pants..." Ed said. The chimera removed its claws, only to have them break.

Ed took that as a chance to kick it. "I guess those claws don't do well against steel." Ed stated as his automail leg showed. "Don't just stand there! Bite the girl!" Cornello shouted as he pointed to me. The chimera turned to face me and then charged. "Hm..." Whity said. Whity sidestepped and toss the animal and it crashed against the wall and cried in pain.. "His leg, and a brother trapped in armor...I see...it's all becoming clear. You did it, didn't you? The one thing even a novice alchemist knows not to do..." Cornello said.

"Why don't you come down here and try me? I'll show you real quick who the novice is!" Ed removed his red coat to show off his automail arm. Rose covered her mouth in shock. "Rose, this is the price of their sin; these fools attempted Human Transmutation...the greatest taboo for any alchemist. In their arrogance, they tried to bring someone dead back to life." Cornello said. "Hey, shut the hell up!" Whitney shouted. "This is what happens when you try to play God or whatever the hell it is!" Ed said. "Ed." Whitney muttered. "Rose...is this...what you want..." Audrey asked her.

"So these are the great Fullmetal and Ice alchemists, Edward Elric and Whitney Rockbell. He's isn't even half a man!" Cornello said. "Who the hell are you to judge?! You're just a phony who can't do anything without a Philosopher's Stone!" Ed said pissed off. "Father, we want you to hand over the stone before you get hurt." Al says. "Don't be absurd! Why? So you can use it for yourself! Oh please...if you fools are eager to play God, perhaps I should send you to meet him instead!" Cornello transmuted a machine gun and began to shoot at them. Ed quickly transmuted a rock shield to block the attack. "Nah...God and I, we don't get along too well. Even if I went, he'd just send me back here." Ed said.

Cornello growled as he started to fire again. Al quickly grabbed Rose, shielding her from the bullets as Ed made door to escape through. "This way!" Ed shouted as he grabbed my arm and pulled me through the hallways. "Don't just stand there! After them!" Cornello shouted as he yelled to guards next to the alchemy-made door. The five continued down the hall. Then there where guards were waiting. "What are you gonna do kids? You're outnumbered..." Ed, and Whity smirked at each other as Whitney kicked their hands to their weapons to drop. Then there was a blue flash as the guards looked up to find Ed with a newly transmuted automail arm. What had caused them screaming was what he turned it into. Al used that as a chance to kick the guards as they all ran out of the building.

As we ran pass a room and Ed stops and look at this and asked, "Huh?" "What it this room?" I said to her. "The Broadcasting room, this is where Father Cornello delivers his sermons over the radio." Rose replied. "Oh really..." Ed said with a devious grin on his face. 'Uh-oh, he got a idea about this, isn't he?' I thought looking worried.

The bell tower was shown, but the bell was missing from it. "What do you think of Cornello now, Rose?" Al's voice asked.

There was a clanging sound as Al put down the bell on the tower the two were on. "He just opened fired. He didn't care that you were in the way." Al said as he worked with the bell. "But...that's because..."

"What he said back there is true, isn't it?" Rose asked, looking away from Al. Al paused in his work. "We're not evil. All we wanted was to see our mom smile again."

The screen changed to the creature the boys made and Al, a suit of armor, kneeling next to his limbless and bloody brother. "But our transmutation failed. It didn't even have a human form." Rose gasped as the wind began to blow around them. "We learned our mistake the hard way. People don't come back from the dead, not ever." "That's not true. I mean..." "Alchemy is based on the law of equivalent exchange. The price of even a failed human transmutation was enormous. It cost my brother his left leg," Al reached up and removed his helmet. "And it cost me my whole body." The blood seal was shown. "Do you see it? My brother drew that with his own blood."

Rose stared in horror at the blood seal.

"His leg had been taken. He was bleeding. I can't imagine the pain he was in. But through all that, he still gave up his right arm to transmute my soul and bonded me to this suit of armor." Al finished as he put his helmet back on.

There were flashes of scenes of the blood seal being drawn, Ed's bandaged stump of a left leg, and a crying Ed clapping his hands before the scene went back to Al finishing the transmutation circle he was drawing.

"Now, I just want to help him get his body back to the way it was. He wants to find a way to get me back to normal too." Rose was shown as Al continued. "It won't be easy. We might even get killed along the way.

But that's the path we chose." Al reappeared on the screen. "All we can do is keep moving."

"But Father Cornello said..." Al looked up at Rose, shocked to see her trembling. "He said he can do it. He promised me. Just because you and your brother failed, that doesn't mean...it doesn't mean he will!"

The scene changed to an office. A black boot was seen on the screen of the office as Cornello ran past the opened door. He came back a moment later and stopped in the doorway.

"There you are, you infernal brats!" Cornello screamed. Ed and Whity are sitting on his desk, with the announcing tape running. Ed's legs are crossed in a sexy way and he's wrapped his real arm around Whity's shoulders. "Look, can we just cut the crap and talk here? All I want are some straight answers about the stone, tell me what I need to know and I'll be on my way, or we can get the military involved." Whity said to him. Cornello growls and shuts the doors, "Ask your questions." "You could do anything with the Philosopher's Stone, right? So why waste all that power performing phony miracles?" Ed asked.

"Because with each miracle, I can attract new believers to order, believers who would lay down their lives for my sake. I'm slowly building an army, a legion of holy warriors, unafraid to die. In a few more years, I'll be ready to unleash this finest order upon the world and I'll use the Philosopher's Stone to tear this country apart." Ed and Whity sit with our chins and our automail hands. "Who knows, I might even carve a slice for you!" He laughs evilly. Ed and Whity laugh. "Yeah, wait, what are you laughing about?"

"I knew it, you are a novice, aren't you." Whity say while holding up the switch showing the microphone was on. The microphone is down at his feet. "You don't mean that! Why you? How long has that been on?!" Cornello screams. "From the start. Your believers heard every word," Ed said. "How could you? You'll pay dearly for this!" Cornello said. "Sorry, not today!" Ed slices his cane with his automail hand in the blade from right in half. "Just face it, you're outclassed here."

"I am without rival!" Cornello screams, transmuting the half he still has. Ed hand spring back over to where Whity was. The transmutation rebounds and blends with his arm. "It rebounds?!" Ed stated the obvious, Whitney was shocked. "No, I won't be disgraced like this!" Cornello yells. "Now kids, behold the true embassy of the Sun God, Leto!" He becomes huge and punches the wall. Ed and Whity do a backflip out of the newest "doorway." He goes to punch us into the ground, but they cartwheel out of the way. Just for the other hand to go against Ed's automail.

"My word is the divine word of God himself. My fist is the almighty fist of judgment!" The man is truly insane. "Oh yeah? The fist of God, huh?" Whity ask as Ed and Whity push back and run. "If that's what you want, you can have it!" Whitney scream as Ed and Whity transmute a hand and slam him into the ground. Whitney go over to him and smack her head against his. "Shut up! Just give me the Philosopher's Stone!" His nose is bleeding. The stone rolls off and shattered, blowing away. "What the hell? The stone; is supposed to be perfect material, how could it just break like that?" Ed ask in shocked. "I don't know! I don't know anything about it! Spare me, please! I was wrong! Please, I beg you!" Cornello begs.

"It's a damn fake." Ed said, standing up and pulling Whity up with him. "Please don't! I'm helpless without the stone! Spare me, please!" Cornello begs. "You mean we went through all this, risked our lives, for this one possible chance, and it's a fake?" Whity was disappointed. "So, uh, what about me?" Cornello laughs nervously. "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO, JUST GET OUT OF HERE!" Ed screamed, frustrated and mad. "Alright!" The man is gone in seconds.

"And what about the stone?" Audrey asked. We're telling her and Al about what happened. "Phony, just like him." Whity say. "Oh." Al sounds broken hearted. "I'm sorry, Al and Audrey, for a while there, I thought we'd found a way to get your body back." Ed does one lone tap on Al's armor. "Give me the Philosopher's Stone!" Rose screams. She's pointing a gun at us.

"Rose." Al stated. "Like I was saying, it was a fake. It wasn't real. Besides, it shattered now." Whity said. "Liar! You wanna keep it for yourself, don't you? So you can use it on your bodies, that's right, and so you can try to bring your mother back again!" Rose screams.

"Shut up!" Ed screamed. "People don't come back from the dead, Rose." Ed look like he's gonna cry. "Not ever. Ever." Whity continue him. We started walking. Rose falls to her knees. "But he promised me. He said if I prayed, it would happen. A miracle. That hype was all I had left. What am I supposed to believe in now?" She's crying. "Tell me what to do!" Ed and Whity walk past her. Al and Addie follow. "Please!" "I can't tell you that," Ed said. "You have to figure it out. Stand up and walk. Keep moving forward. You've got two good legs, so use them. You're strong to make your path."

Just as they walk away Rose looks up.

{Ending song}

Uso/SID