Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for Isabella.
Isabella's POV:
-Isabella: Age: 15-
-Edward: Age: 15-
-Alphonse: Age: 14-
Ed, Al, and I are looking for any books about the Philosopher's stone, but there wasn't a single book about it. I groaned at this. "There aren't anymore books here about the Philosopher's Stone. Just shoot me in the head, will 'ya?" I said. "I can't believe that Cornello's stone was a fake,now we're out of leads again." I said as Ed closed up a book in his hands. "Mustang's gonna scream our ears off." Ed said to her. But then Al found something.
"Brother, look!" Al said as he picked up the book and showed it to his brother. "Introduction to Alchemy. Takes you back, doesn't it?" Al asked his brother as he takes it and looks at it. Ed sighs. "I guess." Ed said to him. I look to see what's going on. I walked up to Ed and look at thebook in his hands. "What is that, Ed?" I asked him. "Oh, this? It's called Introduction to Alchemy. Al and I remembered this book back when we werekids." Ed said to me. "Oh, I didn't know that. Can I see?" I asked him. "Sure." Ed said as he opens the book so that I can look.
Ed is handed the book and flips it [open to a basic transmutation circle]
[Fades into a flashback to Resembool. On screen text reads, "*Isabella: Age: 6**Edward: Age: 6* *Alphonse: Age: 5*]
It was a beautiful sunny day in Resembool, we see the Rockbell residence in the distance. Young Winry and Isabella while Winry is holding her dog named Den in her arms,while she watches Ed and Al draw something. "See, this line goes here." Ed said to his brother. "Hey, I'm bored." Winry said as Ed continues to draw."One more second, Winry." Al said to her."All right, we're done. What do you think, Winry?" Ed asked her. "I think that's a lousy present." Winry saidto him.
Edward and Alphonse both spill what appears to be a pile of dust into the center of the circle before putting their hands down on it, activating the array. The "dust" begins to take shape, however its unsettling appearance scares Winry and Isabella.
Winry: [screaming] Ahh! [falls to her knees, while Den barks at the array]
Alphonse: Winry! Isabella! [both he and Edward get up to console a crying Winry and Isabella.]
Alphonse (Narrator): That was our very first use of alchemy. Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one and only truth.
{Opening song}
No One's POV:
Ed and Al are sitting outside of the Rockbell residence, while Den barks at them. "They weren't trying to scare you, Winry and Isabella. They went to a lot of trouble." Her father said to her. "That's right, Edward and Alphonse were just trying to do something special for you two." Her mother said to her. "I'msorry about this, it was a misunderstanding." Ed and Al's mother said to them as Winry and Isabella's grandmother Pinako enters the room.
"But no mistake of talent. You know, I've found even the most gifted folks give up, before they do anything of real merit, but your boys have oneheck of a start. Look at this work." Pinako said to their mother showing her the doll. "I know, it's stunning. But they shouldn't learn anything aboutalchemy." Their mother Trisha said to her. "Well, they are his sons, after all." Pinako said to her. The two are still outside when their mother came byand they stood up. The three walk home while their mother looks at the book and closes it.
"Okay, boys, no more secrets. When did you dad teach you alchemy?" Their mother asked them. "How can we learn from somebody who's neverhere?" Ed asked her. "We learn it from his book." Al said to her. "You mean, you really understand it on your own?" Their mother asked them. "Yeah,more or less." Ed and Al said to her. "So, are you upset with us?" Ed asked her. "You mean for using alchemy? No, Ed, I'm proud. I think I'll brag toeveryone I know." Their mother said to them. The three came back home and at their father's studies.
"Now, be sure to put the books back where you found them." Their mother said to them. "We will." Ed and Al said to her. "And when your dad getsback, make sure you thank him." Their mother said to them. "Okay." Ed said to her. "Alright." Al said to her. "And that door's off-limits, okay." Theirmother said to them. "We hear you!" Ed and Al said as they ran towards the books. "There they are!" Al said to Ed. "Get that one!" Ed said to him."No, you can't pull that one first!" Al said to him as several books began to fall on them, while their mother sighs at this.
"Dad left a long time ago, when Ed and I were still boys. Mom stared off into the distance a lot, but she carried on as if nothing were wrong. Westarted studying alchemy, like our father before us. The more we learned, the more she smiled. She praised us. And we competed with each other. We became absorbed in the science that made you feel like you were magic."
*FF*
Ed and Al ran up to their mother. "Mom!" Ed called out. "Look, mom, look!" Al said as their mother turn to look at them. "Whatcha got there?" Theirmother asked them as they show her their creations. "Brother made it, isn't it awesome? I can still only do this one." Al said to her as shesmiles. "Well, I think they're both gorgeous. You two really are his kids, no doubt about it." Their mother said as she takes Ed's creation, while theyboth laugh. "You think dad'd be proud too?" Al asked her.
"Yes... Once he comes home, he'll tell you so." Their mother said to him. "'Kay." Al said to her. But Ed takes his creation from his mother and runs off."I'm goin' to Winry's!" Ed said to her. "Brother, wait!" Al called out as their mother looks down. The two are sitting on a hill with Al looking at hisbrother.
"Brother, why are you so angry at daddy all the time?" Al asked his brother."Come on, what do you think? He ditched us. I can't say I hate him, I don't remember him enough. But when mom thinks of him, she gets sad. That'sreason enough not to like him." Ed said to his brother as he looks down. "I guess..." Al said to Ed as he patted his head and stood up. "Come on, let's go show this to Winry and Isabella." Ed said to his brother.
Pinako clutches her fist as Winry and Isabella cries thier eyes out, while Ed and Al are both shocked at what she said. "Wha-what do you mean 'dead'?" Al asked her. "Don't be stupid, Al! They're plain dead, my mom and dad are dead!" Winry said to him tearfully. "But, how? I thought they were just doctors." Ed said to her. "They went to be surgeons for the war in Ishbal. There was a surprise attack." Isabella said to him. Al walks up to her.
"Winry... Our dad's gone too, you know... We make it okay." Al said to her while placing his messed up creation on the table. "Shut up, you idiot!" Winry shouted as she tossed it aside making it fall to the floor. "Your dad just ran off, my parents are both dead! They can't ever come back!" Winry shouted at him. "Winry! that's mean, you dont have to say that..." Isabella said while drying her tears. But Ed picked up Al's messed up creation.
"That's not necessarliy true." Ed said while Winry looks at him. 'i read it in a book. There's this artificially made thing called a Homunculus. It's sort of living doll, without a mind to begin with. but some scholars believe with alchemy, if you're willing to give up enough-" Ed was then cut off by Pinako.
"Stop! There'll be no talking like that in this house, do you understand me! That's a forbidden science. Alchemy is not some magic, end-all answer. That's why we auto-mail engineers exist." Pinako said to him. "Backwards old bat..." Ed said. Pinako then began throwing random objects at Ed and Al causing them to run out for their lives. They started to walk home with sad expressions on their faces.
"You know, she's right. Winry's already lost more than we ever will." Ed said to his brother. "Poor Winry. Can you imagine how that'd be?" Al asked him. Ed then sees his mother in the distance, and she waves at them. Ed runs up to her and hugs her, while Al walks up and hug her as well. "What's the matter with you two? Come on, Ed, even you? My little man? What could be so bad?" Their mother asked while holding them.
*FF*
"We just have to wait. I can tell you, this isn't some sickness she contracted yesterday. She must have been dealing with this for years, not telling anyone." The doctor said to Pinako. But their mother began breathing while muttering something. "Honey..." Their mother muttered as Ed and Al look on. "These are all the letters he's sent us. If we mail something to each of these addresses, explaining everything..." Ed said to his brother.
"Someone is bound to know where he is, and can tell him to come home." Al said to him. "Damn it, I don't want him here! But it's the only way. She has to see him." Ed said to him. Then nightfall came and everyone talked to each other in the house. "Your dad... He left us money... I've never touched it, I was... saving it for you boys... Use it, and take care of each other." Their mother said to them while they held her hand. "Don't be silly, we'll use it with you." Ed said to his mother.
"Edward...would you be a sweetheart and transmute something for your mother? Yes, I know...a ring of flowers would be nice." Their mother said as Ed gasped. "You see your father...always...used to make them for me..." Their mother said as she dies in front of them, while her hand goes limp and lifeless. The next day, everyone in the small town including the brothers and Winry, Isabella and Pinako attended their mother's funeral. Flowers were on her grave when it happened.
"And that's why we finally understood. The reason why Mom had always smiled at our alchemy... It had reminded her of Dad."
Sunset came by as people leave the cemetery, while the brothers stayed behind. Al was sitting in front of the grave, while his brother stayed standing. "Brother, I'm hungry, and I'm cold too. How are we gonna do this? How are we gonna live without her?" Al asked his brother. "We're not, Al. We're going to bring her back." Ed said to him.
Isabella's POV:
"Ed, Al..." both of them look at me and saw that I was behind with a sad look on my face. "I hope you two are not doing something stupid." I said while crossing my arms. Then time skips, we were at the basement with them. "Look, it's right here in his notes. I don't understand it all, but he's written something about human transmutations. If we can just decipher it..." Ed said to us.
"But, I heard that human alchemy's forbidden. This book says the same thing." I said to him. "Forget about that. If scientists could bring people back to life, we all know we'd be better off right? Alchemists tried for centuries, and couldn't figure it out. Slapping a "forbidden" label on it was just a way for them not to feel bad about their failure." Ed said to me.
"But... Maybe we should ask dad about it first." Al said to his brother. "Don't start with that junk again, Al. Mom's life drained away waiting for him, it's all his fault she's dead. He didn't even come to her funeral." Ed said while clenching his fist. "No. this is something our dad couldn't do. But we will, we have to." Ed said to us. 'Edward...' I thought to myself. But then some images of our times on an island and a silhouette of our teacher appear.
No One's POV:
"We used some of the money, to find ourselves a teacher. And we learned alchemy from page one. The serious kind. We were done making dolls and roses."
"Water: 35 l. Carbon: 20 kg. Ammonia: 4 l. Lime: 1.5 kg. Phosphorus: 800 g." Ed reads. "Salt: 250 g. Saltpeter: 100. Sulfur: 80. Florine: 7.5. Iron: 5. Silicon: 3 g." Al reads. "And trace amounts of 15 other elements." Ed read as the two are done with both the circle and the ingredients. "Yeah, that's everything. The physical ingredients of a human body. Now if we can just put together a soul, we should be able to call mom back from the other side." Ed said to his brother.
"Edward, you sure we should do this?" Al asked his brother. "Of course, don't wimp out on me now." Ed said to him. "But no one's ever done this right. I mean, alchemy is Equivalent Exchange. The body content seems simple enough, but what about the soul? What could we possibly offer?" Al asked his brother.
"Just hold out your finger, okay?" Ed said to him. The two brother cut their fingers until blood started spewing out. Then they dropped their blood onto the ingredients. "What's a soul,really? When you take out the myth, it's just a spark that starts life. This is our blood, from her blood. That's a fair trade." Ed said to his brother. Rain began pouring hard outside as a soldier looks out in the distance of the small town.
"There's something foul in the air." The soldier said to himself. The brothers have just started the transmutation, which first began with the yellow light. Then it started turning into purple and Ed looks shocked by this. Everything in the room started with the glass being broken and the pages being blown off. "Brother... Something's going wrong here." Al said to him. But then he felt some arms grabbing onto his arm and screams when Ed turns to look.
Isabella's POV:
I heard screaming from inside the house making us stand up to wonder what it was. "What was that?" I said looking confused. But I just stood there like nothing. "Don't tell me... Don't tell me that they did it." I said as I clench my fist. "I hope that's they didn't it." I said as ran towards the scream.
No One's POV:
"And that's the last thing I remember. Him reaching for me, his leg already broken down by the forces of alchemy."
Then Al wakes up in the suit of armor, but no longer has a physical body. "Huh, what is this?" Al asked himself. But then Isabella burst through the room and sees the mess. Isabella began coughing because of the smoke in the way. "Edward, Alphonse?" Isabella called out as she saw Al and Ed there. Her eyes widen at this.
"Edward! Alphonse!" Isabella cried out as she ran up to them. "Oh my Gosh, what happened to you two?!" Isabella cried out. "I don't know." Al said to her. "But, what happened to Ed?" Isabella asked him as Al turns to look at this brother. He lost both his arm and leg. The girls' eyes widen when they saw this. and rushed over to him.
"I'm sorry... Al..." Ed said to his brother while holding his bleeding missing arm. Al rushed over to his side with Isabella. "Brother! What happened to you? And me... What happened to me?!" Al asked him as he cradled his older brother in his arms. Isabella both look on at this. "What in the world happened to you two?" Isabella asked him.
'There wasn't much time, Isabella..." Ed said to her as her eyes widen. "What do you mean?" Isabella asked him. "I used my right arm as material in a transmutation... All I could manage was to attach my brother's spirit to the armor in the corner..." Ed said to her. "Oh no... But...what about your mother?" Isabella asked him. "You two shouldn't look... It wasn't human." Ed said to her.
"What do you mean?" Isabella asked him as she, and Al turn to see a disgusting figure there. Their eyes widen at this. Isabella scream at the sight of it. "It looks...awful." Isabella said out of shock. "I don't understand, Ed! What happened?! Your theorems and equations, they all seem right." Al said to him. "The theorems weren't the problem, Al and Isabella... It wasn't the math... It was us..." Ed said to them. "We need to get you some help, now." Isabella said to him.
*FF*
The three arrived at the Rockbell residence, and both Winry and my grandmother Pinako are shocked when they see Al holding his brother, bleeding while Isabella are beside him. "Please...help him... He's gonna bleed to death." Al pleaded them. "...Al, is that you?" Winry asked while her grandmother gasped.
Isabella's POV:
Rain continued to fall as Al and I talk to Winry and Pinako, while Ed's resting in bed. "We didn't even know you were back from training. How did all of this happened, Al and sis?" Winry asked us. "Well clearly, it's a product of mischief. You were trying to bring back your mother, weren't you?" Pinako asked Al.
"That's true, Granny. I wasn't involved with this, but Ed and Al were." I said to her. "What do you mean, Sis?" Winry asked me. "I mean, me never performed that forbidden transmutation, because it's a great taboo." I said to her. But then we hear the door open with a soldier coming in.
"Well that explains a few things. A human transmutation, I've never seen such a furious reaction before. Pardon me." The soldier said while showing his pocket watch. "A State Alchemist?" Al questioned himself. "What are you doing here?! I have no time to entertain dogs, can't you see these kids are hurt?!" Pinako asked him.
"Take it easy, ma'am. I'm just checking the mail." The soldier said to her as he reveals the letter to them. "One of our letters! Then you know where my dad is?" Al asked him. "I only wish, kid. We've been looking for Hohenheim for a long time, and we're still only kicking up dirt." The soldier said to him.
"Let's call it nostalgia, or misplaced curiosity. Whatever it was, I'm happy I came. If these kids can try human alchemy and survive, their dad just dropped a wrung on my priority list." The soldier said to her. "I want you out of this house, immediately! I've had enough lives wrecked by the state." Pinako said to him as he walks to the door. "The name's Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang, State Alchemist. Pay me a visit at Central sometime." The soldier said as he leaves, leaving me and Al stunned by this man.
'If it is true, then I might be a State Alchemist and help those boys get what they want back.' I thought while taking everything in my head.
*The next day*
The rain stopped and it became sunny. Winry came into the room with a bowl of water and a cloth in her hands, and she placed the wet cloth on Ed's forehead. But then she turns to look at Al and me. I was sleeping, while Al just sits there like nothing. She began touching Al everywhere until he wakes up. "Good morning, Winry." Al said as Winry shrieks. But she calms down.
"Al! You're on! I mean, you're awake! I'm sorry, I was just, uh... What about... I can... Um..." Winry said as I wake up with her babbling. I was rubbing my eyes. But then I noticed that Ed woke up to see the ruckus caused by Winry. Pinako then began changing Ed's bandages.
"There's some money in the house, in a closet." Ed said to her. "I'm sure it's safe. There are more important things to worry about right now." Pinako said to him. "That's not what I'm saying. I want you to take it as payment, for auto-mail." Ed said to her after she finished changing his bandages. I was completely stunned by his words.
"I can't go through with my plan, lugging around a couple of stumps. I'm gonna visit that man, Mustang, and become a State Alchemist." Ed said to her. "I was hoping you weren't conscious to hear that talk." Pinako said to her. But then I walk up and stood right by Ed's side. "And I'm joining him on that." I said to her.
"Not you too, Isabella." Pinako said to me. "He's not the only one Ed and I have heard from, the teacher we had told us about State Alchemists. They've got access to the federal library in Central, with books about alchemy that no one else has. They'll pay you, and fund your research, and 3 those pocket watches amplify alchemic reactions." I said to her.
"Please tell me that's not all your teacher said. What about State Alchemists being the military's attack dogs, called into war to mow down the lives of people the state tells you are bad, did your teacher mention that? In the attacks that took the lives of my sons, there were alchemists involved. When war comes again, are you two ready to do the same?" Pinako asked me. "Roberta and I don't wanna be chained to the state anymore than you. But I'll do whatever it takes to fix things." Ed said to her. "Fix you, or the world? Make sure you ask yourself that." Pinako said to him.
No One's POV:
Ed is receiving surgery by Winry, Isabella and Pinako. "Just bear with us, Ed. It's the highest quality procedure we can do." Winry said to him as he grunts in pain. Al snuck in to take a peak but is yelled at. "Stay out of the room, Al!" Isabella ordered as Al leaves. "I'm impressed, Ed. Even adults scream in this part of the operation, we're attaching each one of your nerves to the mechanism." Pinako said to him. "This pain's nothing, compared to what he's given up." Ed said to her.
Al started training the next day, while Isabella train as well. But then Ed walks up to them. "It's been enough time, we should see what we can do." Al said to us. "To train the mind to its full potential, you gotta train the body. That's what our teacher said." Isabella said to him. "But I don't know, how good can you be as an empty heap of steal?" Ed asked his brother. "Better than a couple of chunks of auto-mail, I know that." Al said to him as he smirks. The two then started training while Isabella do the same.
"I will become the State Alchemists, and we'll find a way to get you back to normal, with a real arm and leg again. Then you can forget about all these other things you and Roberta say you have to do." Al said to him. "It's not yours burdens to carry, Al." Ed said to him. "Well why shouldn't it be? I wanted you two to stop, but we went along with it, anyway. We're the ones who had the feelings. We should have acted on it. And then you gave up your arm to save me." Al said to his brother as he kicks him in the water.
"You two have got no place feeling sorry for me, Al, okay? Ed said to him as Al came out of the water. "But, brother..." Al groaned. "I'm serious. Roberta and I are the ones who has to fix things, and get your body back." Ed said to him. "Then, you won't try with Mom again?" Al asked him. "Well, chances are there isn't anything in this world we could trade for mom's soul. Besides all that, you know, I don't wanna risk losing you again, Al, or Isabella." Ed said to him. "Good, Alice and I will have to come along with you and Roberta, though." Al said to him.
"Why's that?" Ed asked him. "You two are no good without us. You two just turn into jerks." Al said as Ed sweet drops. "Thanks for the endorsement." Ed said to him. "But seriously, we're all we've got. From now on, we can't do anything that could pull us apart." Al said to him as Winry and her grandmother look on. Isabella stopped training and look at the two, and Isabella started blushing at what Ed said about losing his brother and her. 'Edward...' Isabella thought to herself.
Isabella's POV:
I helped the boys burn down their home, and everything inside of it. I was wearing tight black socks with a black skirt, and black heal boots. Not to mention a black tank top, a black jacket and a blue coat. I was also wearing my long blonde hair in a ponytail. The three of us watch as we burn down the family home.
*No POV*
-Isabella: Age: 11-
-Edward: Age: 11-
-Alphonse: Age: 10 -
"Even though we were trying to restore our bodies, it was still Human Transmutation we were after, a forbidden science. If we failed the next time, there would probably be nothing left for us. We had no idea what the future would hold, but we knew there was no turning back. So, on the day we left, we burned down the family home, and all the familiar things inside. Because some memories, aren't meant to leave traces."
{Ending song}