A/N: HELLO! I'm SOOOOOO sorry for not updating sooner! I had my first four weeks of school and joined a sport. Also, I've been trying to download all of the FMA Brotherhood episodes to try to make an AMV! Exciting! I had a HUGE internal debate whether I wanted Hawkeye or Hughes to come with Roy, but zi made a decision, and the mystery person debuts in this chapter. I had a lot of fun writing this, since there is a HUGE FLUFFY BROTHERLY FLASHBACK. This is a Non-Yaoi story so... Yeah. I also don't have any plans for pairings. ANYWAY! READ ZE STORY!

[Edward's POV]

"Well, that was unexpected. It seems that you know how to fight." Dumbledore said as he analyzed my hostage-taking skills.

"Cut the crap, old man. The only thing I want to hear from you is an explanation!" I yelled, getting frustrated at the lack of answers I was getting. To prove my point, I pressed my blade harder against Lupin's head.

"My, my. Impatient, are we? I swear, the youth have no respect for their elders." Dumbledore said while stroking Fawkes's feathers.

"Albus, if I might interject, this is extremely uncomfortable. I would appreciate if you would give the boy his answers before he skewers my head." Lupin suggested with a chuckle. OK, now I'm pissed. They're not taking me seriously. I really hate being a kid.

"Fine. Have it your way." I grumbled as I clapped my hands and reverted Lupin's coat back to normal. I clapped once more, and turned my blade back into my automail covering. Both Dumbledore and Lupin stared at me as If I had two heads.

"What? Haven't you ever seen Alchemy before?" I asked them, irritated at their starring. Apparently telling them I was an alchemist didn't help one bit. They looked even more confused than before.

"Young man, did you say… Alchemy?" Dumbledore asked me, trying to clarify. I backed up a little. I probably shouldn't have said that.

"Um… Yeah. Is there a problem?" I asked nervously. I may have just given personal information to a possible enemy.

"You know, you are one strange child. Dementors chase you, you have metal limbs, and you speak of a form of magic called Alchemy. Are any of these things connected?" Dumbledore asked.

"Woah, woah, woah. Wait. Magic?! What kind of fumes are you breathing, old man?" I said with a chuckle, trying to avoid the question.

"I assure you, there aren't any fumes this far in the countryside. Just clean country air." Dumbledore replies coldly.

"Well, I think all that cleanliness is making your brain go fuzzy." I retorted.

"That may be, but I still haven't forgotten about those metal limbs of yours. What exactly are they?" Dumbledore asked innocently. I really hate telling people about my Automail. Not because I'm ashamed of having prosthetics, Winry would kill me if that was so, but because it's a memento of the biggest mistake of my life. It's sad, actually. I'm not even a teenager and I've been consumed with regret.

"You may know know much about magic, but we can regrow missing limbs with our art." Dumbledore told me, much to my astonishment.

"You're kidding, right?" I asked, hoping he wasn't. This could be what me and Al have been looking for.

"I assure you, I am not kidding. We possess the abilities." Dumbledore said, in a serious tone. He wasn't lying.

"We can relieve you of those metal prosthetics if you'd like. Our nurse can regrow your arm and leg in no time at all. Would you like that?" Dumbledore offered. I thought for a minute. Could he really give me my limbs back? Wait, I've made up my mind.

"I'm grateful for the offer, but I have to decline. I put his needs first. I have a promise to keep." I tell him, completely serious.

"I see. You have a vow to keep. I understand." Dumbledore told me, a knowing smile on my face. I'm glad that he decided not to pry, but that doesn't change how I said my answer. Restoring Al is my first priority. To be honest, I really don't care if I get my limbs back or not. I just want to see my little brother smile again. Every time I see Al staring off into space at night, waiting for morning, it's like nails are being pounded through my heart. I want him to be able to be a kid while it lasts. I had to become the adult after our mother died, but it was worth it to see Al smile for the first time after she died.

"Al, dinner's almost ready." I call, my ten year-old voice ringing through the kitchen of our house. I was pushing two pieces of fish around on a skillet, effectively cooking it. We were researching Human Transmutation for so long, that we accidently skipped dinner at Aunt Pinako's, so we had to make dinner ourselves.

"Coming, brother." Al replies with a yawn. He walks over, and sits down at the table. We both have dark circles under our eyes, and Al still hasn't smiled even once since Mom died. He folded his arms on the table, and buried his head in them. I saw his strange behavior, and walked over.

"Al? What's wrong?" I ask, wanting to comfort my younger sibling.

"Brother, is all this really worth it?" Al asks me, a tone of doubt overlaying his words.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Human Transmutation. Is it really worth trying? I mean, nobody's ever succeeded." I get it now. He's scared that it won't work out.

"Of course it is. We'll get to see Mom again. Everything will be back to normal." I reassure him.

"But-"

"Al, come here." I hold out my arms, and pull him into a hug. I take my right hand, and run my fingers through his short hair. Like how Mom used to when we were upset.

"It'll be OK. Don't worry. We're in this together. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." I tell him encouragingly. He slowly returns the embrace.

We sat there for what seemed like hours, hugging each other. One thing's for certain; I won't let anything happen to Al. We need each other. If we don't take care of each other, nobody will. If that means that I have to become an adult for him, so be it. I'd do anything for Al. I'd die for Al if it came to that.

"Brother, do you smell smoke?" Al asked me. Oh, crap. I break the embrace, and dash toward the kitchen. I was right, unfortunately. Our dinner was on fire.

"Al! Get some water!" I yelled to him, fanning the smoke from the fish away from my face. Al returns shortly after with a bucket of water. I take it in my hands, and dump it over the skillet and stove. When the fire is but out, I let out a sigh.

"Well, what about dinner?" Al asks, his stomach growling. I pick off a piece of fish, and snap off a chunk. It separates with a crunch. I put it in my mouth to taste it. I gag. It's the worst thing I've ever tasted; like eating charcoal.

I run over to the sink, and rinse out my mouth. I turn to Al, holding my throat.

"It's a little on the crunchy side." I say with a sheepish smile.

That's when it happened. For the first time since our mother, Trisha Elric, had died, Alphonse gave a true smile. Not only that, but he started laughing uncontrollably. I couldn't help but to burst out laughing with him.

I smile to myself at the memory, but then notice that Dumbledore and Lupin were staring at me expectantly.

"Sorry, did you say something?" I ask.

"Yes, do you know how exactly you got here" Lupin asked.

"No. Sorry, I don't I'm as in the dark as you are at this point." I tell Lupin truthfuly. That is true. I don't have the slightest clue as to how I got here. I was on a mission, then i was being chased by creatures that I had never seen before. It doesn't add up.

"Oh, I see. That's fine, but I'd still like to know. By the way, why were the dementors chasing you?" Lupin asked. I looked from him to Dumbledore. They obviously wanted to know the same thing.

"Are you talking about the things that chased me here?" I questioned, not entirely sure what a dementor even is.

"Yes, they are. The feed on human emotions, and are especially attracted to people who seem to have experienced horrors in their lifetime. Harry had the same problem two years ago." Lupin supplied.

"Harry? The kid who confronted me in your classroom?" That explains a few things. if he had the same problem, then that explains that student's behavior.

"Harry has had a difficult life, so the dementors are attracted to him. I'm guessing that you haven't exactly had the luxury life either." Luping speculated.

"Correct. Good things never come without a price. I learned that the hard way. You have to sacrifice to obtain. Equivalence." I explain to Lupin.

"That may be true, but some people are destined to have a dark path in life." Dumbledore said, his eyes meeting mine, completely serious. We stayed like that for several minutes until our staring contest was interrupted by the door to Dumbledore's office being slammed open. A man with greasy black hair burst through the door.

"Headmaster, there's been another. Two more people chased by dementors!" The mystery man shouts to Dumbledore.

"Thank you, Severus. We'll be there shortly." Dumbledore replied as the man left the office running away from the scene. Another? Did he mean that another person from my world appeared? Who is it?

"Young man, grab my arm." Dumbledore told me, holding out his forearm. Out of curiosity, I took hold of his arm, and I experienced a sensation that I'd rather not experience again. It felt like I was being pulled through a vortex by the navel. I couldn't see, and I was really dizzy. I felt like I was going to be sick when the twisting and turning finally stopped.

Once I regained my composure, I became aware of my surroundings. I was in the giant room that I had ran into when the… Dementors chased me. Dumbledore walked to forward to follow a loud banging noise that was now apparent to my ears. I also gravitated toward the noise, and found it to eerily familiar.

As i walked forward, two figures came into view. One was in a kneeling position with a hand pistol, firing at two dementors that were approaching them. The kneeling figure's bullets weren't doing them any good, however. The creatures just kept coming. The other was lying on their back, apparently unconscious. It was then that I realized that I knew these people. The kneeling person was a blonde woman in a blue uniform, and her hair tied up. The figure laying down was a black-haired man who was wearing an identical uniform.

At this moment, Dumbledore said the same phrase that he said when he helped me, and a white light shot forth once again. The silver arch pierced the dementors like a glowing dagger, and the creatures were no more.

The blonde woman turned to see where the light had come from, but her eyes found me instead. Brown eyes interlocked with my golden ones.

"Edward?"

A/N: How 'Bout that? Was it good? Bad? REVIEW! Any and all flames will be given to Roy Mustang and Natsu Dragneel. Oh, that flashback Ed has? Totally made that up. I hope you don't mind me adding in things in the brother's past that didn't happen in the anime/manga. ANYWAY!

Until Next Time,

~HaganeNoWriter