Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for Isabella.
*No POV*
The three are at the train station, and Al is getting some food for them to take with. "Let's see. These smell good, right?" Al asked the old woman. Ed is on the phone while Isabella watches. "This is Mustang." Roy on the phone said. "Yes, hello, uh-Lieutenant Colonel Mustang? This is Edward Elric, with the girl next to me Isabella Rockbell reporting at the station, sir." Ed said to him on the phone. "Easy, kid. Don't be uptight. You know it sounds like you've been rehearsing this or something." Roy said to him on the phone.
"Sorry! Sir, I mean Roy, I mean, we're boarding the nine-twenty train for Central." Ed said to him on the phone. "Roger that." Roy said as he receives something from his subordinate. "Hey, wait a minute. There's one leaving before that, isn't there." Roy asked him on the phone."Yeah, but we had a little detour, and we got here late. I think it's already leaving." Ed said to him on the phone. "Get on." Roy said to him on the phone.
"But, why does it matter?" Ed asked him on the phone. "Take it or go home!" Roy shouted at him on the phone as he hung up and turns to his brother and friend after the train's whistle goes off. "Hey, Al!" Ed called out to them. "Boarding time!" Isabella called as she and Ed run off. "Now?" Al asked his brother. "Change of plans, come on!" Isabella shouted as Al ran after he paid for the bread and headed towards the train. Roy already hung up his phone back at headquarters. "Let's test their luck." Roy said as he smirks while his subordinate watched.
"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 believed that to be the world's one and only truth."
{Opening Song}
"*The Man with the Mechanical Arm*"
*Isabella's POV*
The three of us are now on the train towards Central. Ed and I started eating bread along the way. "I can't get a solid read on this "Mustang" character yet. What kind of guy do you think he is?" Ed asked me as a little girl came from her seat to look at us. Al is both surprised by this and the he wave at her, which made her shy, and returns to her seat, making me and Ed look back. Al then looked at us. "Brother, am I scary?" Al asked his brother.
"Please, your kindness in a can." Ed said to him. "Look, mom, He's strange." The little girl said to her mother as Al gasped which made me and Ed look back. "Strange?" Al said in shock. "That's not nice, Marin, you shouldn't say things like that." Her mother said to her.
"But look at them! He must like armor a lot, to wear it everywhere, even on a train! Do you think he gets hot?" The little girl said to her mother as Ed and I look around to see some people sitting quietly, while most of them look at us. Ed and I sweat-dropped at this. "Nothing to see here, folks! Nope, nothin' outta the ordinary!" Ed and I said as we both sat down.
"Geez. No one told me and Ed we had tickets for the Normalcy Express." I said to them as the little girl laughs and waved at thetwo. "There you, you see? She's not scared, she likes you." I said to them. "Right?" I asked her as she nods her head. But then she looks at Ed's arm and he shows it to her. "Cooler than the skin, huh?" Ed asked her as she nods her head, and her mother pats her head. "All right, Marin You've bothered them enough." Her mother said to her as she smiles at us and we smiled back while chuckling, then look at each other.
No POV
The train kept going on, and General Hakuro is with his family, who are sleeping and he smiles at this. "Guess they've had their fill of adventure for now." Hakuro said in happiness. "General, it's great you could make this trip, and bring your family along without incident."The soldier said to him. "Yes, the bureaucrats say the East is unstable, which gives them an excuse not to travel." Hakuro said to the soldier as thetwo laughed.
*FF*
"The higher-ups sure do take it easy, makes you think we're on a pleasure line. Speaking of, where's Hughes? I don't like him out of sight." Falman asked the man. "Sir. He's at the switchboard, talking to Lieutenant Colonel Mustang about a possible gap." The man said to him. "Better be vital." Falman said to him. "Sir?" The man asked him. "I don't like him tying up the lines." Falman said to him while looking at the door.
*FF*
Hughes is on the phone with Mustang not only about the possible gap but about his wife. "I'm telling you, Roy, it's a trip. Ever since she got pregnant, she's turned hotter than a love goddess. It's a miracle of hormones. It's like this angel flew down from Heaven and kissed her on the-" Hughes was cut off when Mustang hung up, and he growls at this. "Lousy phones! Cutting off my conversations! I can't do anything right!" Hughes stammered to himself. "You're the one we can't do anything with." Falman said to him through the door.
"Now how do they expect me to run a tight security with a family of four, and a love bird?" Falman asked himself. "Roy? Yeah, these piece-junk phones. So how am I gonna handle it if she has the baby tomorrow? I mean, emotionally." Hughes asked Mustang as he taps his finger on the table in anger. "Hughes. You've told me about this fifty times already. If you're really having problems containing yourself, take it up with your wife." Roy said to him angrily.
"I already have, Roy. I talked to her this morning." Hughes said to him as he snaps his fingers in anger. "Then stop bothering me!" Roy said to him as his subordinate named Hawkeye pick up another phone. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, Major. But let me offer a bit of feminine advice. BABIES AREN'T BORN AFTER JUST FIVE MONTHS!" Hawkeye said to him.
"Uh... Sorry, I lost you. Geez, she actually believes we're talking seriously here?" Hughes said to himself. Then Falman checks the cart to see something but then sees Al and Alice in the process. "Major breach..." Falman said in shock. "Okay, that'll do it, Hughes. I've just gotten confirmation from Intel. We're not being tapped. How's the train look? Are there any suspicious O's or P's?" Roy asked him. "Nope. No person, no objects, in view anyway. There's been more boarding and onboarding than-" Hughes was then cut off by a ringing phone and picked it up.
"Yeah, go ahead." Hughes said on the phone. "There's somebody here!" Falman said through the phone. "Tell me." Hughes said to him. "A man on the train. He looks like he's ready for a full assault." Falman said to him.
"You found weapons?" Hughes asked him. "No! He's in a huge suit of armor!" Falman said to him. "Armor?" Hughes questioned and Roy laughs. "That one is okay, and there should be two other kids with him, sort of a pipsqueak and his girlfriend." Roy said to them. "Pip-" Hughes gets cut off. "-squeak?" Falman questioned.
Isabella's POV
I was sitting next to Al while Ed is sleeping. But then the three of us heard footsteps coming. "He's right, there are two people with him! And he is small, and he does have a girlfriend." Falman said as Ed woke up from the word "small" while I grow mad at the word "girlfriend". "WHO ARE YOU CALLIN' A RUNT SO TINY, THAT HE CAN ONLY BE SEEN WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, YOU JERK?!" Ed stammered at him. "I'M NOT EVEN HIS GIRLFRIEND, YOU JERK!" I stammered at him as well as he moves back.
"Relax, kids. The colonel said it, I was just repeating-" Falman was cut off when two men started pointing guns at him, while he draws his. The three of us are shocked by this when one of them knocked him unconscious. Everyone on the train is completely shocked by this event. "No heroes today. Everybody shut up and get your hands over your heads. Or say hello to a bullet." One man said as the three of us put our hands in the air.
No POV
A gunshot was heard when the door opens to reveal a pair of gunslingers in front of General Hakuro, his family, and the soldier. The soldiers tried to attack but were shot by one of the gunslingers, while Hakuro and his family ducked. "Who are you?" Hakuro asked one of them as a suspicious man appears from behind the two gunslingers. "Good morning, General Hakuro." The suspicious man said to him.
*FF*
Hughes can hear everything from outside. "Hughes, what is it? Has something happened? Hughes, talk to me." Roy said as Hughes hangs upon him. But then two more gunslingers came in to see if anyone is in the switch board, but no one is in. "Go tell Bald. We've got the switchboard, it looks intact. They didn't have anybody manning it." One gunslinger said as Hughes looked outside. Roy and his subordinates are quite confused about this.
"You think it's them, sir?" Hawkeye asked him. But then the phone rings and he picks it up. "We've got a call to Headquarters from General Hakuro. He says it's an emergency." A voice said to him. "Patch it through." Roy ordered. "It's me. Lieutenant Colonel Mustang, you there?" Hakuro asked as the man named Bald takes the phone from him.
"Speaking for the Eastern Liberation Front, Blue Squad, the name is Bald. We've got the train and your general." Bald said to him on the phone. "What do you want?" Roy asked him. "Don't play stupid. We lost contact with one of our allies this morning. Someone who was supposed to deliver a manifesto to you." Bald said to him. "I don't know what you mean." Roy said to him. "Okay, fine. I'll give you the short version. You have our leader in Prison Eight, bring him to Central Station. We'll have ourselves a trade." Bald said to him.
"Very well then. We have a deal. But I don't want any fatalities. If one man-" Roy was cut off when Bald hung up on him, while he puts the phone back in its place. "You sure about this? They have the manifesto, they're serious. But you know the General's policy on negotiating with terrorists, he'll hold-" Hawkeye was cut off by Roy.
"Easy, Hawkeye. No one's negotiating with anyone today. I've already made arrangements." Roy said to her as the two subordinates look at each other. Bald looked a bit puzzled at Roy's words. "Something ain't sitting right. What is this Mustang up to now?" Bald asked himself as he turns to Hakuro. "If he tries anything, don't think it'll just be you! I'll kill every damn passenger on this train!" Bald said to him.
*FF*
With Falman tied up and unconscious, the two men are searching for something on one man. But then one of them noticed Ed, Al, and Isabella there. The two men with guns began to walk towards the three with Al looking afraid, Isabella looking calm and keeping her cool, and Ed looking determined.
Isabella's POV
The two men with guns came walking towards us, while we just stand there with our hands up. "Brother." Al said to his brother. "Edward..." I said to him. "Don't worry." Ed said to us as the two men with guns stopped in front of us. "Helmet, take it off."The thug ordered as Ed and I started gasping.
"Look!" Ed and I said as the two men look at the other way. But then one of them turn which made me and Ed kick/hit him in the face. "Bad idea." The other thug said pointing the gun at us. But Al hits him in the head, knocking him unconscious. with the two thugs knocked out, the three of us turn to each other on our fine work.
"You dumb kid. What are we supposed to do now?" One man asked as we turn to face some people. "Don't you think they'll notice when two of their men have gone missing? And what's gonna happen to us then? They'll want retribution. We would have been safe if we'd just cooperated until we get to Central." One man said to us.
"That's right." The other man said to us. "What were you thinking?" One woman asked us. "What do we do next?" I asked Ed. "Didn't plan that far." Ed said to her. But then one of the thugs regained consciousness and started pointing his gun at Marin and her mother and was going to shoot them, but Al stopped him by stomping on his back, knocking him out again. Ed then grabbed the gun and look at thetwo.
"Are you guys okay?" Ed asked them. "Yeah." Marin's mother said to him. I sighed in grief and look towards the door. Then I turn towards Marin with a smile on my face. "Sorry about that. Your big brothers and sister here will take care of this somehow, okay?" I asked her as she nodded. Then the four of us look at the door. "We'd better get started, guys." I stated. "Right." Al said to me. "Wait, over here." We hear a voice say as we see the soldier we saw earlier crawling after he regained consciousness. Ed began untying the poor soldier free.
"How embarrassing. Who are you guys, freelancers?" The soldier asked us. "Just three old-fashioned alchemists." Ed said to him. "You don't say? Well, I'm Falman, State Warrant Officer." Falman said to him. "A soldier, huh? You don't look like one." I said to him as he chuckles. "Yes, well, there's a reason for that. We've got a special passenger on board. You know, the front car kind." Falman said to me as I gasped. "So that's why these thugs are here, isn't it?" I asked as he nods, and Ed growls at this.
"And they decided to drag us down with 'em." Ed said as he and I stood up to face Al. "Al, Isabella, and I are goin' up top, to throw a surprise party. You go with him from below." Ed said to them. "Yeah, okay." Al said to his brother. Then Ed and I made it on top of the train and got ready to face those guys.
No POV
"Yeah, go ahead." One thug said through the phone. "Get over here, quick! Those damn kids!" The other thug said through the phone. "Hey, there's something funny goin' on next door." One thug said to the other as he got ready to leave but then sees Al in front of him. He was shocked by this and gets ready to shoot. "Wait, you shouldn't do that." Al warns as the thug started shooting him, but the bullets were deflected, and were injured in the leg. Al sighs at this.
"I tried to warn you about the ricochet. You'll only hurt yourself." Al said as another thug came in. "What happened?" Another thug asked as Al groaned, and the thug got ready to shoot. "No, wait!" Al warns as the thug shoots, but his bullets were deflected also, making him injured as well. Al sighs again.
*FF*
"Problem, Bald. We've lost contact with the rear cars!" One thug said to him. "What's goin' on here?" The other thug asked one of them. "Damn Mustang's reneging on our deal, that's what." Bald said to him. "Did you think this could work?" Hakuro questioned as Bald and the thug turn to face him.
"You're a rag-tag extremist group with an outdated cause. You can't out gun the State Military. Why don't you surrender while you can?" Hakuro asked him, but Bald shoots him in the ear making him cringe in pain, while his family watches in horror. "I'm the one who's giving the orders around here, General. Don't forget." Bald said to him as he turns to his subordinates. "I want a fresh sweep of every in of this train, understand? And check the outsides too, top to bottom." Bald ordered his subordinates as he growls.
Isabella's POV
Ed and I continue to reach the engine, but we see a branch coming we hit it, making us fall off, but were saved by someone. "You know, there's a real art to train walking. I'm shocked you two made it this far." That soldier said to us. "Thanks, I guess." Ed said to him. "I'm Major Hughes and you two are Edward Elric and Isabella Rockbell, is that right?" Hughes questioned us.
"Uh, yeah, that's right." I said to him. "Mustang told me about you three. I'm an old friend of his." Hughes said to us as Ed and I gasp. "TheLieutenant Colonel?" Ed asked him. "Yep. He's always bragging about that silly promotion, too. Come on, Ed and Isabella. We better work as a team." Hughes said as Ed and I watched.
The three of us made it to the engine part of the train where two thugs point their guns at the workers. Ed sees through the window and sticks his tongue out, making the thug look at the window. "Hey, what's the matter?" The thug asked the other as Hughes came through the window and used his dagger to stab his hand.
"Where'd you come from?" The thug asked as Ed and I kicked him in the head, making him fall to the floor, where the two workers then punched those thugs in the face. Then another thug came out to see what happened and sees me and Ed climbing. "Well looky there. Two sitting ducks." The thug said as he shoots at us, but we ducked for it. "Hey! You two okay?" Hughes asked us as he ducks. Ed then started drawing a transmutation circle and used alchemy to create a cannon.
"What the...?" The thug said in shock as Ed and I got up. "Say goodbye." I said as Ed fires the cannon to hit the thug, knocking him unconscious. "Ah man, that was smooth!" Hughes said in awe as the worker moves in front of him. "Hey, you two! Don't mess with that tender! It's the life of this train!" The worker said to us. "Right! Sorry!" I said to him. "Box of tender..." Ed trailed off as he and I think about this. He and I then smirk at this idea.
*No POV*
"You can't go up there, Bald. There's something crazy up top!" One thug said to him. "We've lost contact with all the other cars now! They said something about a guy in armor, and a girl with pink hair, then the line went dead! What's going on?!" The other thug said to him. "Control yourself!" Bald ordered them. But then they see a transmutation, which is what appears to be a speaker with Ed's design on it.
"Attention, gun-toting extremists. You hear me all right? Or did you blow your ears out playing target practice?" Ed through the speaker asked one of them. "What the hell is that?" One thug questioned that voice. "Let the hostages go! You've got no right to drag these travelers into your politics!" Isabella through the speaker said to them. "You two are one of Mustang's secret agents, aren't you?! Interfere, and I'll kill these hostages one by one." Bald said to them.
"You're just itching to draw blood, aren't you? All right." Isabella through the speaker said as the transmutation created a water pipe. "Looks like, like a pipe." One thug said about the pipe. "Okay, passengers, please hold onto your seats, and get ready for some turbulence." Ed, through the speaker, said as water began flooding the whole cart. Outside, Ed and Isabella watched in amusement. "Here goes." Al said as he opens the door making the three thugs come out and see him get ready to beat them up. "Welcome to the brig." Al said all fired up.
*Roberta's POV*
Al started beating up those thugs outside, and Bald started getting up, while Hughes opens the door with a dagger in his hand. "Just look on the bright side, Bald. You probably needed a shower." Hughes said to him. But Bald got up and Hughes throws his dagger at him, but it deflected Bald shoot him and he ducks, making him hold his injured shoulder in pain.
"What's the matter? Don't like my company? Before I finish off the General, I'll take care of you." Bald said to him. "Me first!" Ed said as he and I got in and the two ended up in an arms war. I got in by helping Ed and placing my hands on his arms. But then he sees that Bald's arm is mechanical.
"Two auto-mailers. Go figure." Ed said about Bald's arm. "You two are just brats. Don't tell the army's feeding kids into its chophouse now." Bald said in shock. "You're gonna pay for that "brat" comment. And no one's feeding me or Ed into anything, we're on our own." I said to him angrily.
"A little piece of advice, kids. I used to be in the military, too. It was fine as long as I was pissing on cue, but then I wanted this upgraded arm. They didn't like that, felt I'd be stronger than my superiors." Bald said to the two of us while I held onto Ed's arms for support. "You see, the queen bees don't like it when the little workers have a sting they can't control." Bald said to us as Hughes looks on at this.
"Shortly after the procedure, they discharged me. Since then, I've gotten a taste for destroying them, and the nation they command!" Bald said to the two of us as he moves more, making my grip on Ed grow more tired and more tired by the minute. "You understand, kids. You've got an arm just like mine, and your friend here doesn't have one. You two wanted to be stronger, too. And the military, they'll just get rid of you two as long as you're not convenient." Bald said to us.
"No, we don't understand. And, don't you ever lump in my reasons for this arm, with yours!" Ed said to him as he breaks Bald's arm into pieces. Bald was shocked by this when Al came behind him, and Al punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious. Ed and I sighed at this and the two of us gave them a thumbs-up, while the two did the same. Hughes started chuckling at this.
"Well good grief. That was something different." Hughes said in awe. Then the train continued to head towards Central. And it finally made it to Central. All of the thugs including Bald are tied up, and Roy and his subordinates came up to him and look down on him. "Don't take any lives. That's all I asked you, Bald. And as it turns out, it seems you did just as you were told." Roy said to Bald as he smirks.
"So, I take it, you're Mustang." Bald said as he got himself free via the blade on his arm and gets ready to attack him. Hawkeye was about to attack as well but was stopped by him. He uses his alchemy to burn Bald to a crisp and Ed and I shielded our eyes at this. "That flame! That's awesome!" I said in awe as we see Bald turn into a crisp.
"I controlled myself. The damage to your skin isn't nearly as bad as it feels. You can call me Roy Mustang. Or just Lieutenant Colonel. Hell, you can call me the Flame Alchemist. Whatever you do, remember the pain." Roy said as Ed, Al, and I look on at this while Hughes was behind us. "So he's Mustang." Ed said as he and I ran up to him.
"Brother! Isabella!" Al called out as Ed and I stopped in front of him. "Hey! You knew. You put us at risk on purpose!" Ed said to him. "Come on, Ed, you think I've got the whole world on strings? Anyway, you and Isabella should focus on the good new here. The General heard about your and Isabella's exploits saving the train, and agreed to make a special exception. He's letting you and Isabella take the State Alchemy Exam. You two are going to be the talk of the military, kids." Roy said to us.
"Exception? But you always said we could take it! That's the reason we came!" I said to him. "Be realistic, Isabella. The state never let kids take a military exam before. But, I guess luck's on yours and Ed's sides. Good thing you two took that earlier train, don't you think?" Roy asked me as Ed and I sighed Roy walks up to Ed and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Whether or not you two take the test is still up to the two of you. I'm not trying to run your lives." Roy said to us as he and his subordinates walk off. "Of course, Isabella and I will take it! And pass! We would've done it anyway!" Ed said to him as Hughes chuckles and walks off. Then Al walked up to us. "Those people had us dancing right at the palms of their hands, didn't they? I guess it doesn't matter what we do. We'll never be the ones in control. "Al said to us. The three of us look on at what Mustang said about the exam.
"There they are! Over here! Over here!" We hear a voice shout as we turn to see Marin and her mother there, and she was laughing and waving at us. "Hey, Marin!" Al said out loud to her. "Thank you, big brothers and sister! I'll remember you! Thank you!" Marin said to us as we all wave at her while laughing.
{Ending Song}