I'd always known love could exist. Our mother used to tell Ed and me all about it. Every night, she'd say she loved us so much, and that Daddy loved us somewhere. Winry and Grandma loved us too, and so did many people in our village. But those were in the good days, and it seemed that love, like so much else we'd lost, had burned up with our house.

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.

The Brothers Elric and the Phoenix Alchemist.

Chapter One: Narrow Escape.

((Author's Note: This is told only in dialogue, so it may get confusing. If you have any questions as to who is speaking, please private message me, and I'll flag the line with a footnote pertaining to the character's name. And for this chapter only, the words of the vampire lord are italicized. Enjoy!))

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Al! Come on, we gotta move out!

Brother...

Come on, on your feet, Al! Get up, the vampires are coming!

Brother...

We gotta get moving, Al, before they... NO!

We see you have failed, FullMetal. You and your companion shall be the ultimate feast. Metal and blood, so much iron and sulfur, to drive the senses wild. We shall enjoy this so much. The vampire's delicacy. Say goodbye to this world, Edward Elric. You are finished.

That's what you think!

Wha-- Al, was that you? Who is that up there?!

Quiet, you miserable human! Whoever this intruder is will soon be annihilated, and then we can feast, my broth--

Al! I think he's dead! Can you see anything Al? What about the other two? Where are the other vampires? And who, who are you? What?! You're just a kid! How old are you, ten, twelve?! How did you kill three vampires, when two adult alchemists couldn't?! Who the hell are you?? Say something!!

If you'd come with me, I could take care of your brother. He's passed out.

Who are you?!?

Now that Al's all fixed up, will you tell me your name?

I see you've calmed down. Al, is it? And you're Edward. Such curious names.

Don't change the subject. Who are you?

My name is Calantra. You can call me Cal.

Cal, then. You're really young, aren't you?

I think so.

You think? You don't know? Where are your parents?

I'm an orphan. My father was killed in the Ishbalan rebellion.

And your mother?

Died when I was little.

Oh. Mine too.

Al! You're awake! Hey, guess what? This is Cal, and she's another State Alchemist! I know she looks really young, but she's actually thirteen, and turns out I'm not so short after all! I saw her licensure, she's called the Phoenix Alchemist, and she worked under Hawkeye, the lieutenant that was paired with Mustang! Al? Al, are you okay?

He's probably a little tired, Ed. Taking on three vampires will do that to you.

Not to you! And how did you do it, anyway? Must have taken some serious alchemy.

Brother...

I'm here for ya, Al! Where does it hurt??

I feel fine, Brother. But my vision's fuzzy. I see you, and a little girl.

No, Al, you're not hallucinating. This is our savior.

Pleased to meet you, Alfonse. I'm Calantra.

Wow, you're so little! Can I call you Callie?

Callie. That's sweet. Sure you can. I think I'll just stick to Al, though. It would be a little embarrassing for a huge suit of armor to answer to "Alfie"

Err... umm... yea... Stop laughing at me, brother!

So you're really a State Alchemist?

Mmmhmm. Are you going to demand to see my licensure, or will the pocketwatch suffice? Your brother seemed to think I had stolen it. Of all the crazy schemes.

That's my brother. Don't mind him, I like you. Er, wait, no! That's not-- I mean, um!?

It's okay, I know you meant like a friend.

No, well... errr...

Well, isn't it?

No, well, Callie, you're just so young...

Oh. I see. So even though I'm a State Alchemist, who swore my childhood away to join the military, and even though I've seen more action than the pair of you put together, and even though I've been through two wars and nameless unspeakable research facilities without batting an eye--- I'm still too young for you? Is that it?

Well, it's sort of like p-pedophilia.

No, it isn't. Honestly! In that suit of armor, you could be an infant soul, or the soul of an aged man or woman! How do I know you're really a sixteen-year-old boy?!

Well, errr...

And if you do like me in that way, it's not a crime!! Three years isn't such an insane difference, you know.

I know, but--

Hey, what are you guys talking about??

Alchemy!

Nothing, brother!

Well, which is it? Are you talking about alchemy, or just gossiping about me? Oh come on, Al, you're such a bad liar. Spill! Anyway, there's something I wanted to talk to Cal about.

I'm listening, Ed.

In private. Sorry, Al.

Is this what we talked about last night, brother?

mmmhmmm.

Oh! Right! Well, then, I'll go take a walk!

What?! Al? Ed?

In here, Cal. Your study.

Oh, okay. But what's so secret?

I want some answers. About your life.

Well, couldn't you ask them in front of Al? You've been really distant this past week. What's kept you quiet?

I'm... disconcerted by something. (Gosh, I feel like I'm talking to a psychiatrist, and she's only a little girl!) It's just, you suddenly appear and all our problems are solved. A beautiful girl living alone in the wilderness of this rocky coast, where nothing grows, and an alchemist of the state! Forgive me for being curious!

That's not what you're truly talking about, though. Come on, Ed, you can trust me.

I-I'm getting to it. (God, her eyes are so deep, I feel like I'm staring at the ocean through that window) You see, it's not so easy to talk about. Even to Al. And I just met you not even two weeks ago.

So? There's always plenty of time, and I'll answer whatever questions you have.

Yea, I know. It's just, I think there may be something more. (What is that look in her eye? Should I go on? Oh dammit how does anyone do this, anyway?? This is madness, she's thirteen! Calm down, FullMetal. Look her in the eye, and say it.) And I'm afraid I'm falling for you.

Wh-what? Pardon?

It's crazy, I know! You're only thirteen! But it's not just me, Al feels it too. There's something weird going on here! I mean, no don't look at me like that! I'm not saying YOU'RE weird or anything, it's just... err... well... (DAMMIT ALL TO HELL THIS IS NOT WORKING! What would Al do?!?) Look I'm sorry, please don't take it that way! Cal, look at me!

I'm looking, FullMetal.

(She never called me that name before. I must be in huge trouble.)

Are you listening to me, Ed?

(That's better)

I said, "It's only teenage lust. This sentimentality, it'll pass."

Cal, you don't mean that! Cal, don't walk away from me, we're not through here! Cal!!

Al, are you even listening to me?

Hmm? Sorry, Callie, I got distracted! (Your eyes are like precious stones, and they reflect this cursed metal into something beautiful. In her eyes, I actually look handsome. It's a miracle. No, it's just Callie.)

Al! You're still not listening.

Oops! Sorry, Callie. I promise I'll pay attention this time.

Good, but don't sound like a schoolboy. I'm not your teacher. But I do have something important to say.

Then say it, Callie. I can handle it. (She's going to tell me she's in love with Ed. I knew it. Who could love an empty piece of scrap metal? Oh Lord, I can feel the tears already!)

I don't quite know how to begin.

That's okay, Callie. I know what you're going to say.

No, I think I've got it. Here we go. A heart cannot be transmutated, Al.

What do you mean?

Nothing can govern the human heart, not physics, not chemistry, not even alchemy. As h-humans, we make our own decisions regarding such matters as hatred, friendship, and other sentimentalities.

I know. But what you call sentimentality, Callie, others might call love.

Al, you know I have feelings for you, but--

I know. I know! And that's what keeps me going when everything just seems to get harder. To know that despite being a lump of grey metal, someone special to me returns my feelings! It's not just emotion, Callie, it's something deeper.

Al--

Something that comes from the inside. I may not have a body, but I still keep my soul intact. And-- And I want you to have it.

Al--

Callie, you can accept or reject it, but you'll always have me. I may be some inhuman tin can, but I think I belong with you.

Al! You're not a tin can, you're a boy! A good one. You're a human, s-same as anyone.

Callie, you can't say I'm human.

Al--

Look at me! Look at me, Callie! What do you see? Flesh and bone? No! A cold, hard bar of steel.

Al, when I look at you, I don't see the metal. I see the man.

Callie...

You can't transmutate a heart, Ed.

I know, and maybe that's why yours meant so much to me.

Ed, there's nothing that says an alchemist can't fall in love. No law, no /principle/ that you can refer back to on this one!

Cal, it's not that simple. There are complicated forces at work here.

What's so complicated?! This is personal, not a matter of the state!

It's not just the military, you know. They don't own me!

You sure seem to act like it!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Cal, you know, this is why I fell for you in the first place. You're so opposite of all the other girls I've ever known. They're all obsessed with makeup and boys, and don't have any true passions for anything. But you, you're dynamic and volatile, like an unknown element--

Welcome to my world, Edward Elric.

Cal!

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((I know it got a little cheesy toward the middle, but I always imagine Al being quite the "sentimentalist". Reviews are love! If you want the second chapter, you know what to do!))