Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Blade ❯ The Beginning, part 1 ( Chapter 1 )

 

Blade

 

Chapter One: The Beginning, part one.

 

Fore notes:

Hopefully, you've all read the main fore notes, rather than skimming over them nodding in a bored fashion. If you are one of the `bored' people, go read the notes with interest for crying out loud. Why am I stressing this so much? I guess I just want people to have a good understanding of the character they'll be and the overall setting. Fair enough, right?

 

Zirconia is a town made up by me; it's not an actually place in the anime.

 

Begin:

 

“Lieutenant Roizen. You are to accompany the Elrics on their travels and try your best to keep them out of trouble. Report anything important to me immediately.” Mustang stood behind his desk, looking at you with an unreadable expression on his face. “Is that clear?” He continued to stare at you with his cold black eyes.

“Yes sir, Mustang sir,” you state, suppressing a giggle and saluting. Mustang sighed. “What? Did I do something wrong?” you inquire.

“Sometimes I think that you don't take this seriously. The Elrics are messing with some dangerous stuff. Stuff linked to what got the brigadier general…” Mustang trailed off. You dropped your head and stared at the floor blankly. “I'm only concerned about yours and the Elric's safety,” he said softly.

“I know, and I do take it seriously. Especially after what happened to Hughes.” You lifted your head up and looked at Mustang. “But I don't see what it could hurt to have a bright outlook on things, rather than being so gloomy all the time.” You smiled and clasped your hands behind your back.

Mustang gave you a half-smile. “Maybe that's one of the reasons I'm sending you with the Elrics. Lord knows it's not because of your alchemy skills,” Mustang said in a mocking tone.

You glared at him. “I'm very good with my alchemy! Just because it's simple and I don't make a fancy show out of it doesn't mean it's not effective.”

Mustang shrugged his shoulders. “If you say so.”

You sighed. “Shouldn't I be meeting the Elric's at the train station before they decide to leave without me?”

Mustang raised an eyebrow. “Yes, why aren't you?”

You sweatdropped. “Because I haven't been dismissed.”

This time it was Mustang who sweatdropped. “All right, dismissed. Make sure to do the best you can.”

You turned and walk towards the door. “Don't worry, I will!”

 

Ed was just starting to board the train, ignoring the protests from his brother, when I heard an agitated voice calling his name. “Edward Elric! You stop right there!” He turned around, already knowing who it was.

“Hey Morrigan, what took ya? Mustang giving you a speech about keeping us out of trouble?” Ed began to do his impression of Mustang. “Morrigan, you must do your absolute best to keep the pipsqueak and his brother out of trouble!” You giggled. “Now go out there and make the military proud!”

“Yes, it was pretty much like that. But that won't get you out of trouble. You were going to leave without me!”

“No, I wasn't. Back me up on this, Al!” Al just looked at his brother. “Come on, I wasn't going anywhere…”

“I'm sure you weren't,' you said and grinned. “Chibi-chan.”

Ed stared at you. “C-chibi-chan?” He quivered. “W-who…ARE YOU CALLIN' SO SMALL THAT IF THEY WERE TO GET DROPPED IN A HANDFUL OF SAND THEY'D BE LOST FOREVER!”

“Nii-san, Morrigan said nothing of the sort…” Ed growled. “Well, she didn't.”

“Al is right, Ed. I never said you were so small as to be lost forever in a handful of sand,” you said dramatically as you draped your hand over your forehead.

Ed growled again. “Let's just board the train before we get left behind.” Scowling, he picked up his suitcase and made his way onto one of the train cars.

You sighed and followed him, with Al right behind you.

 

You and the Elrics were the only ones occupying your car as the train pulled away from the station. This was a good thing; you could discuss any mission-related details without worrying about eavesdroppers.

“So, where are we off to now, Ed?” You asked as you watched the scenery fly by.

Ed raised an eyebrow. “You don't know?” You shook your head and continued to look out the window. “That figures. Stupid Mustang. We're headed to a city north of Central-“

“I can see that,” you interrupted. “What's the name of the city?”

Ed glowered and started to speak again. “It's called Zirconia. Rumor has it, the people in that town have been researching the Philosopher's Stone, and even tried to forge it once. “

“Oh, so what happened?”

Ed shrugged. “No one knows. Some say they lost half the city and ended up with a stone. Others say that they lost half the city and ended up with a bunch of corpses and rubble.”

You winced. “Sounds like a nice place to visit.”

“Yeah, but a lead is a lead,” he said, shrugging again.

“Nii-san, what if they really did forge a stone? Would that mean that…?” Al trailed off.

“Yeah, it would.” Ed looked out the window. “They would have used the lives of the people in the city to do it.”

You looked between Ed and Al.” Oh, come one now! It's just a rumor far as we know! No need to get gloomy and depressed!” You said, smiling.

Ed glanced at you, and then turned his gaze back to the window. “Maybe, but you don't fully understand.”

You sighed. “I know more than you think,” you mumbled as you stood up.

Ed looked at you questioningly. “And where are you going?”

You stuck your tongue out at him. “Don't try and act like my parent. I'm going to the next car over to get out of this gloomy atmosphere. You guys should really lighten up a bit.”

Ed snorted. “As if you're always so cheerful and happy.”

“No, I'm not. But I'm not down on myself every other day, either,” you said as you opened the car door. “Try to look at the positive things, Chibi-chan.” Ed began his classic paroxysm of anger, but you stepped out of the car and closed the door before he could get out more than three words.

 

As it turned out, the car next to yours was empty as well. `Good,' you thought. `I can have some peace.' Just as you thought this, the door slid open and a woman with piercing violet eyes walked in. `So much for my peace.'

The woman made her way down the isle, and took a seat adjacent to you. “So, where are you headed?” She asked in a strangely soothing voice.

“Well, my…” You thought for a moment. `Can I really call the Elrics my friends? Every time I've been with them is because I was assigned to be.' The woman watched you, waiting for your answer. “My partners and I are headed to Zirconia.”

“Ah, yes. Zirconia. Would you happen to be an alchemist? Most people that visit there now-a-days go because they heard the rumors.”

You tilted your head to one side. “Rumors? You mean the ones about the Philosopher's Stone?” The woman nodded. “Yes, I am an alchemist, but I'm not interested in the stone. My…partners are, though. That's why we're going there.”

“I see.” The woman turned her head to the window. “You know, the rumors aren't completely untrue.”

“What do you mean?”

“It's true that the people of Zirconia tried to forge the Philosopher's Stone, but something went horribly wrong and half the city was left in complete ruin. Perhaps if they had had a stronger alchemist…” She said, with a hinting tone in her voice.

You didn't reply. `Something seems off about her. How does she know this? And why that tone of voice? It's as if she knows that…' Your thoughts trailed off and you stood up. “I should get back to my car before my partners start to worry,” you stated and began towards the door.

“Yes, wouldn't want them to worry, would we now?” The woman also stood. “As for me, I'll head back to my car as well.”

You nodded and muttered a few words of farewell, and then slipped out the door.

Once you were gone, the woman grinned and morphed into the one and only Envy. “The seed has been sown. Now we'll wait and see if it will grow.” And with that, he was gone.

 

Ed was staring at you as you took your seat across from him.

“What?” You asked, a bit perturbed.

“It's just that…you look a bit unnerved,” he said, sounding genuinely concerned.

“Well, you try talking to a woman with eyes that seem to stare through you without losing your nerve.” Ed tilted his head to the side. “I met a woman on the other car, she told me that the rumors about Zirconia were true. They did try to make a stone, but it turned out disastrous.” You left out the comment about needing a stronger alchemist.

“Really? Who was she? How did she know?”

“She didn't leave me with a name, and I don't know. But I didn't trust her. There was something…off about her. I say that we forget about her and figure this out ourselves.” Ed nodded, but you could tell that he was still pondering what you had just said.

 

The rest of the train ride went by in silence. After what seemed like an eternity, the train pulled up to the Zirconia train station.

“Finally!” Ed proclaimed as he stepped off the train and into the glow from the setting sun. “I thought we'd never get here!”

You smiled and looked around. Tall mountains to the north, lush fields to your east and south, and to the west was what could be called a wasteland. Ruins of old buildings and remnants of the past were all that remained. “Hey, Ed…” You say softly as you point to the west.

He looked in the direction you were pointing. “So far, the little rumor we heard is turning out to be credible.”

Al stared off into the distance. “Nii-san, do you really think that they tried it?”

“I dunno, Al. We'll find out soon enough, though. First we should find a lodge, unless you want to sleep outside,” he said, looking at you and Al.

“I second that. I'm not sleeping outside,” you say and start off into the center of town.

 

After finding an affordable place to stay, you and the Elrics set off to find a diner, seeing as how the lodge you chose didn't have a kitchen.

“I vote we find the best place in town!” You said enthusiastically.

Ed shook his head. “What do you think I am? Your wallet? We'll find an affordable place to eat.”

You frowned. “That's the same thing you said about the lodge, and that's why we have to share a room, rather than having separate ones!”

Ed shrugged. “At least there are separate beds.” You continued to frown. “What?”

“I'll just buy my own food, then, even though Mustang's orders were for you to pay the expenses for all of us. So long as it's military business, you'll be reimbursed for it anyways.” You grabbed Al by the arm and began to drag him down the street. “Come on, Al.”

Al didn't resist, but he did protest. “What? Why me? What about Nii-san?”

“Forget about him, he wants to starve me to death!”

“That's not true! Get back here with my brother!” Even without looking, you could tell that Ed was having one of his moments. “Morrigan! I order you to get back here!”

“Shouldn't you listen to Nii-san? He is a higher up in the military.” You continued walking. “Morrigan, please! Don't fight with Nii-san!”

You sighed. “Oh Al, I just want to eat! Ed is going to try and starve me.”

“I am not! Stop being stubborn and just pick a reasonable place to eat!”

“NEVER!” you shouted and bolted off dragging Al along. You knew that Ed was probably throwing a tantrum, but you didn't care. He would forget all about it in the morning.

 

To be continued…

 

-Mana, chapter completed June 11th 2005.