The Untitled Story- Part One (FMAB FF)

BACK AT THE CERTAIN ALLY IN CENTRAL...

Isaac blinked, then pointed to Alphonse. “Not you?”

“Oh, um,” Al said awkwardly. “I'm his younger brother, Alphonse.”

The Freezing Alchemist turned to Israel next. “And not you?”

“Do I look metal to you?”

“And who are the rest of you?”

“We just work for the military.” Thalia answered.

“You're not a state alchemist either?”

“Just because I have a pocket watch doesn't mean it's a state alchemist pocket watch.”

“This runt...?” Isaac's head drooped slightly.

March laughed, while Ed looked about ready to blow a fuse. “Who's a punny runt?!” Clapping hands together, a thick wall rose around Isaac, making it that only his face showed. “I'm the only state alchemist here!”

“To think that a man they call the Fullmetal Alchemist is just a little child!” Isaac said, his voice strained.

“That's what I thought too...” March mused, almost to herself.

Ed clapped his hand again, pressing his automail right arm to the wall. “Don't call me little!” And, as if on cue (probably in Ed's mind), a large rock hand shot forward, blasting Isaac back.

“Brother, I don't think he meant your height just now.” Al said.

Ed's eye twitched. “Even if he didn't, he's going to pay!” Spinning around, Ed pointed at March. “And what did you say just now?”

March shrugged. “Nothing, shrimp.”

“You're more of a shrimp here!”

“Is it just me,” Thalia mused, jumping lightly to the ground as the two began to fight about height, “Or do these missions always seem to end up like this?”

“Edward completely knocking the target around?” Israel asked.

“No, March and Ed fighting over who's more of a shrimp.”

AFTER A RITRIEVING OF A ROGUE...

March bent down, handing Lei and Rin their own small orange, watching happily as the two ate the fruit, making small chitters and munching sounds. Al stood next to her, talking with a soldier.

“That's the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric for you!” the soldier said, aiming it at Al. Thankfully, Ed was more a ways down the alley. “Thank you very much for your assistance.” The soldier looked down to March. “And you too, Miss Saxon!”

She cracked a smile, nodding her head as she turned away, Al explaining who he was again to the soldier. March walked up to Thalia and Israel, who were watching other soldiers taking Isaac away.

“He was a formidable foe.” Israel said softly.

Thalia snorted. “Right. Says the kid who he threw to the ground.”

“He was a formidable foe, like I said.” Israel insisted. “He did it to Al too.”

March made a small 'hmm', looking at Isaac, lost in thought. Thalia and Israel turned to her.

“What's up, Mar?” Thalia asked.

“I feel...” the girl said, choosing her words carefully, “...like we've underestimated out mission...”

“Hey guys!” Ed called. “Let's go!” Turning away and hurrying after Ed and Al, March swooped Rin off the ground, Thalia scooping up Lei. They were nearly to the end of the alley when there was a loud thump behind them. As Israel span around, hearing the others doing so behind him, he saw bright blue alchemy sparks, none other then Isaac's. Steam erupted through the alley, making it so that no one could see a thing.

When the steam cleared, the Freezing Alchemist was gone.

A SPARE OFFICE IN CENTRAL COMMAND CENTER...

“Looks like you underestimated your opponent, Fullmetal.” Colonel Roy Mustang said. The five were in his temporary office at central. “You three too.”

“Who is that guy?” Ed huffed, from where the teenagers were sitting on the couches.

“I thought I told you to listen to the briefing.”

Israel raised his hand slightly. “May I remind you that we were in a telephone box and couldn't breathe?”

“But you, Ed,” Mustang continued, “Have no excuse. You had to go right after him--”

“Yeah, yeah, all right.” Ed waved his hand slightly. “I'm terribly sorry.”

“You should listen more carefully when your elders speak.” Mustang smiled slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.

“Right, right.”

“Who exactly was he?” Thalia asked, tilting her head. March was leaning on her, eyes slightly glazed over as she tried to not fall asleep.

“I'm getting there. Now then, his name is Isaac McDougal.” Mustang said. “He's a former State Alchemist, who they called Isaac the Freezer.”

“Former?”

“That's right. He took part in the Ishbalan War of Extermination as a member of the military.” Mustang walked over to the window, looking out.

March's eyes focused as she felt Thalia move slightly. She saw her friend frowning, looking down at her lap.

“After the war, he renounced his State Alchemist title, and went on to join the antiestablishment movement. Taking him into custody is a matter of top priority. We may have to kill him, depending on the situation.”

Thalia spoke up. “I think I remember something about this freezing guy. Maybe my parents said something about him.”

Mustang nodded. “Your parents did meet him from time to time, but they never liked him.”

“I'm not about to kill anyone.” Israel said it at the same time as Ed. The two, surprised at the sudden synchronicity, shrugged it off and turned back to Mustang.

“Suit yourselves. All we're after is your performance.”

“We're not circus monkeys...” March mumbled, eyes still closed. “And Rin and Lei never preformed in any circus...” Thalia smiled slightly, looking down at her half-conscious friend.

“By the way, Ed, Al,” Mustang continued, “Have you found any leads on getting your bodies back to normal?”

Ed made a face that clearly said 'No! Why do you want to know?'

“No they haven't!” March sang.

“You never give me any time to!” Edward retorted back at Mustang

Suddenly and without warning, the door swung open (thus causing Lt. Hawkeye (who was resting her eyes next to Roy's desk) to look up, and March to nearly fall off the couch), a cheery voice coming out. “Yo, Roy! Hell of an order you drew, to take the freezing Alchemist into custody, huh? Or is this your big chance to be promoted to Central?” Mustang slumped slightly. “Oh? By any chance, are you the Elric Brothers?”

“Ah...”

“Wow, it's an honor to meet the youngest State Alchemist!” The new-comer said, shaking Al's hand wildly. “I'm Maes Hughes, Lt. Colonel.”

“Um, I'm his younger brother, Alphonse Elric.”

“What?” Hughes leap forward., toward Ed. “You're the Fullmetal Alchemist?” He saw Israel, Thalia and March, and grinned to them too. “Hi Sergeant Majors!”

“Ah, hi Hughes...” The three said in a reluctant (translated: awkward) unison.

“Hughes...” Mustang said.

“Yeah?”

“If you don't need anything, then go home.”

“I will go home, once my business is done.”

“Eh?”

“You guys don't have a place to stay yet, right?” Hughes asked the teenagers. “So come home with me.” Suddenly with a serious expression on his face, he whipped something out of his breast coat pocket.

The teenagers all jumped with scared and surprised expressions on their faces, expecting something deadly.

...but it was only a picture of a little girl no older then 3, held by a woman.

“My wife, Gracia, and my daughter, Elicia.”

The five teenagers exchanged a few looks.

“Paperwork!” Israel cried out suddenly, making everyone else (all for Hughes) in the office jump again.

“What?”

“Paperwork!” He said. “I have paperwork that I really have to get to!”

Thalia and March caught on, there eyes widening as they cracked their faces into massive smiles.

“Yep!” Thalia said. “So much paperwork that we still have to do!”

“I better help them!” March announced, too tired to put on a better act.

“Well, suit yourselves!” Hughes said happily, before he proceeded with dragging the Elric boys to his house. The minute he was gone, March slumped onto Thalia's shoulder again, tired once more.

“Sleep...” She muttered. Mustang came up behind them, ruffling March's hair, much to her dis-taste.

“You actually do have paperwork to do, Elysium.”

“Oh, yes, um, can I do that tomorrow?”

“Then you might as well run after Hughes to catch up.”

“Israel, you're doing the paperwork now.” Thalia immediately said.

“Fine, fine...”

“Maybe if you do all your paperwork you'll actually pass the State Alchemist exam the next time.” A sleepy voice said, March listening to the conversation.

“You didn't even take it in the first place!”

NEXT MORNING...

“Mustang's out.” Israel said, grabbing his coat from a chair. Thalia already sat on the desk, ready in full black attire. March slammed the book she was reading shut with a small 'whomp'. Standing, Leviathan and Passerine waited patiently to see where she would go.

“So we're going, right?” Thalia asked. “I've been cooped up in here all day. I need to beat up a someone.”

Israel nodded. He went over to the table, lifting two gauntlets off and sliding them onto his hands, clenching them a few times.

“Alchemy?” Thalia observed.

Israel nodded. “Alchemy.”

March threw the book back on the couch, going to get her coat. Stretching extremely, Thalia's eyebrows shot up as she attempted to put her foot behind her head while standing (and failing, of course). When she was done, Rin and Lei both leaped onto their respective shoulder.

The girl in black got out her own pocket watch, swinging it a bit, small sparks flying off of it. She was still sitting on the desk. March made a small movement as she got her own alchemical instruments out, ready. Israel headed for the door, March following. He turned back to Thalia.

“You coming.”

“Alchemy.” the girl repeated again slowly, stormy eyes falling onto the transmutation circle on the pocket watch. Then she threw it up again before quickly catching it, gave a quick nod, and took not the door out, but the window, into the afternoon sun.

INTO THE CITY...

March entered the alley, and practically ran into Isaac and Major Alex Louis Armstrong. The two were having a facedown. As Isaac span around to face her, she swore, her voice rising an octave. His hand was aiming for, her barreling down.

Trying to remember what Thalia tried to show her, March jumped high (even so more back then up). Rin shot off her shoulder, extending to be what looked like wings. Water sliced where March's face had just been, making an indent on the wall behind her.

“Like said!” Isaac yelled, turning back to Armstrong. “It cuts through anything!”

“It is all naught before my fist!” Armstrong roared as another round of razor water sliced for him, courtesy of Isaac.

But Armstrong punched it.

Armstrong punched water.

Steam erupted through the alley once more, miniature copies of Armstrong's head (made of stone) flying in different directions.

“Major!” Al cried out as he and Ed rounded the corner, right into another blast of water. March gasped in surprise as Al grabbed her around her stomach, doing the same with Ed, using his body to shield them from the blast. “Look out!”

“Water from his canteen? Thank you, Al!” Ed said.

“Of course.” March said. “He couldn't have just pulled it magically from the air.”

“Let's get after him, Brother, Mar.”

Armstrong walked up behind them. “Let's go, alchemists.”

“Right!”

“Yeah!”

“Sure, why not.”

LATER AT NIGHT...

Thalia was walking on a rooftop. The wind was gently blowing back her night locks, and her eyes were like those of a birds' as she was on the lookout. Pocket watch swinging from grip, she saw Rin fly from the corner of her eye.

She froze as there were footsteps behind her, running. Spinning around Isaac McDougal was running straight for her, hand outstretched, transmutation circle on the palm.

Swinging her pocket watch, sparks wildly grabbed at Isaac, mixing with the blue sparks he threw her way. They danced across Isaac's skin, silent and deadly. His face winced as he pushed on. Thalia's concentration faltered, her stance she didn't realize she was in wavering.

He wasn't going to stop. But she realized that too late.

He barreled into her, and pushed her off the edge.

Now, she wasn't immortal. Even though she was a master of stealth, and not bad at alchemy, she could die from this fall. She would. Thalia's arms flailed as she tried to grip onto anything that could save her life.

But what kind of mission would this be, if Thalia Jane Circe died this quickly in?

Her hands found grip on a windowsill to a dark window, cherished pocket watch falling to the street below. Well, this was good. Sort of. She wasn't dead, at least.

Thalia inched her hand down, trying to get to the hidden pocket on her shoulder, careful not to put too much weight in just one place.

This was going to be a long night.

SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY...

“Israel!” March called, running up to the older boy. “Have you seen Thalia?”

“She was on the rooftops.” He replied, turning away from the soldier he was talking to. The small girl frowned, looked around, then ran off again.

“Kay, thanks!” She yelled over her shoulder, disappearing around a corner.

“Well that wasn't weird at all.” He muttered. Looking up to the roof, he started walking for a fire escape, flexing his fingers. “But, there are a million ways this night could go wrong.”

Reaching the fire escape, he set to climbing it, starting a list. “One, McDougal could get away.”

He reached the roof, still talking. “Two, this Freezing Alchemist could succeed in whatever he's trying to do.” Eyes trained on figure on anther roof, straight ahead. “Three, more people could die. Four, I could die. Five, he could completely wreck the city. Six, we could catch the wrong guy.”

More figures were talking to the first figure now. They were probably Mustang and other soldiers, the first one Isaac.

“Seven, Isaac could fall off a roof and land of the Fuhrer, killing the both of them.” The two were using alchemy. Steam and fire shot up into the air. Israel quickened his pace. “That last one's a bit far-fetched but hey, who's counting anyway?”

“Flame will never beat water!” Isaac yelled, running off the roof, creating a large 'bridge' of water...

...to run right into Israel, who intercepted him.

“What's your opinion on water vs. steel?” He asked, his two gauntlets transformed. One, (the one he was currently jabbing at Isaac) a pointed dagger, and the other (hanging at the ready) a massive fist.

Grabbing at his hand, Isaac attempted to throw him to the side, but Israel was ready. He lifted his knee up, knee-ing Isaac in the stomach, forcing the older alchemist back.

Of course, it never quite occurred the Israel that Isaac could take away the ice bride with just enough time for Israel to start falling, then re-build it just in time for himself to make it across.

And of course, that was what he did.

“Eight,” Israel counted. “I could fall off a roof and then die.”

DOWN BY THE STREET, WHEN ISAAC HAS STARTED HIS MASTER PLAN...

“It's a...” March gulped. “Giant wall of ice.”

“Get back, Sergeant Major!” a soldier called. “We're going to try and blow the ice away!”

Without warning, there was a loud explosion somewhere else in the city, at another point in the ice wall that Isaac had created with Alchemy. An Explosion of fire, by the looks of it.

“Never mind.” March called to the soldiers. “I'll try first.” She looked at the wall of ice. Her mouth twisted slightly. Leviathan shivered on her shoulder in anticipation. Holding her hand back, she made a throwing motion at the wall, a dagger embedding itself there.

This time, her alchemy's way of literally backfiring would be handy in this situation.

“Bombs away.” She said.

And then, to put it bluntly, the wall tried to explode.

March blinked. “What?” She walked up to the wall, puffing her cheeks out like a blowfish might. Her tone took on one of annoyance. “Oh really? You think that every time I try and do something progressive, you can just blow up? But when I actually want you to blow up, you don't?”

“Sergeant Major, get back!”

March ignored them. “Well, I'll tell you somethin', nimrod!” She extended her hand forward, about to poke it, “When I want you to-”

And get this. When her finger hit the dagger, then it exploded.

THE NEXT DAY...

“So, I finally made a transmutation circle, got to the ground safely, then this big lump falls on me.” Thalia said, elbowing Israel. The two, along with March, had woken up in their respective beds in Central Hospital after the events of the day from before. Apparently, the mission had been successful, Isaac having been stopped from destroying Central (And, little to March's knowledge, Isaac had pulled the moisture from the air at one point).

March chuckled, petting Lei. Rin sat on Israel's bed, making content sounds (that suspiciously sounded like purring) as he petted her.

“My alchemy just backfired again...” March said sheepishly.

Israel laughed. “Well, at least you didn't fall off of a building.”

“Hmm.” Thalia mused, looking out the window at Central below. “Maybe we should take a quick trip. Gather together our alchemy and stuff.” She looked back to find March and Israel staring at her. “...what?”

“Gather together?” March asked. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Ah...train?”

“On a train!” March chirps. The three laugh. It's quiet for a moment, a comfortable silence. Then, without warning, there's a sudden yelling from the room next to them. Edward, actually.

“AAAAAAARRRRRRMMMMMMSSSSSTTTTTTRRRRRRROOOOONNNNNGGGGGG!! NOOOOOOOOO!!”

-

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood fanfiction part ONE!

Now, this may not seem very EXCITING, granted. But I used this episode to basically introduce the characters. They tagged along for this once. They'll get their own spotlights soon, and explanations on how they came to work for the state. They won't just tag along for every episode so that I can in-put my useless little comments.

And before anyone asks, no, they're not State Alchemists...

...yet. 

>:3