AbhorsenSabriel87: Hey y'all, I'm back again with yet another story from my new computer!
Ser: We get it, Sabriel. You're happy about your new computer.
Sabriel: --grins-- Darn right! Anywho, this story, like the other one, is from a show/manga I don't get to watch very often but have a lot of fun messing with anyway.
Ser: FullMetal Alchemist.
Sabriel: Correct! Now, as I shall so state in a moment, I own nothing.
Ser: And for referencing, there shall be a guide to all of the Spanish phrases and words at the bottom of the page if none of you know what they mean.
Sabriel: Also, they were all pieced together out of a dictionary, so if I made a mistake, please tell me! ¡No hablar Español!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and my beautiful Original Characters, so DON'T SUE MY POOR LITTLE OTAKU SELF!

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Chapter 1: In The Beginning

Humankind cannot gain without 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 truly believed that to be the world's one and only truth…

-Alphonse Elric

((9 years ago))

---"Catch her!"

---"Hurry up!"

---"Don't let her get away!"

---The day was just beginning, the predawn sky shimmering with the golden and red tones of the desert. Within its deadly yet protective confines lay a small village, as of yet still darkened by the lack of the blistering sun. While much of it had yet to wake, a small girl was already running for her life, deathly afraid for what would happen should she stop for even a moment before she reached the hut a few yards from the village outskirts.

---The dress she wore was simple and handspun, as well as purely white. The hood over her head was the same, though her feet and hands could be seen easily. Brown skin as was typical in the desert tinted her skin prettily, and light golden hair framed her child's face. Over her eyes, though, an oddity; she hid the windows of her soul behind a pair of sunglasses, so dark even the sun could not pierce them to reveal the orbs behind. If it could, though, anyone could notice that she was terrified of what her future may hold.

---As nimble as her feet were, whilst looking behind she tripped upon a loose stone, sending her tumbling to the ground just outside of the village. As she struggled to her knees, her pursuers gathered around her fallen form, each with malevolent hatred easily read on their young faces. Each of the ten was male, and between the ages of six and thirteen, all with eyes the color of pure gemstones.

---And each one hated her more than anything in their world.

---"Guess you figured out that running doesn't do you any good, bruja," one boy stated smugly. He was the oldest and the biggest by far, easily towering over the two ten year olds by him, smirking with defiance and malice that glinted coldly in his sapphire eyes. "All of you heretics think that you can go ahead and live among us like normal people. Well, tu no puedes! You defile our homes just by being here!"

---By now the young girl had risen to her feet, though her head was still bowed in submission and her hands clasped in front of her. She took his verbal abuse without an objection, sound, or movement, and when he paused for a moment, she still spoke just barely above a whisper.

---"Por favor, señior," she murmured softly. "Let me go home. I have done nothing to you, and I assure you that I never will."

---"Ha!" he shouted, though the girl did not move to acknowledge it. "You think I'll just let you go, chica? After what I've already told you?" His smile grew broader and more wicked, if possible, as he gazed at the subservient girl before all of them. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

---The girl, taking this as the okay to leave, curtsied deeply and muttered something in gracious response, then turned her back to the young man to leave. Anger flaring in his dark eyes, the boy picked up a large stone from the ground and threw it hard. From its impact came the sickening crack of bone against stone, and as predicted, the girl fell once more, the sunglasses flying from her face as she collapsed limply, barely conscious.

---"Don't you dare turn your back on me, bruja!" he snapped coldly, watching with rage as once more the girl struggled to sit upright facing him. "I say when you get to leave. ¿Comprende?"

---The girl remained silent… then looked up into his eyes as every boy there besides him gasped in terror, though the leader himself took a step backwards at what he saw; the reason for the sunglasses on her delicate face.

---"¡A Dios mio!" one of the younger boys gasped in terror. "¡Ella es demonia!" The other boys began to murmur in fear until the eldest once more regained his control. "Then we shall have to kill her, si?" he demanded, now glowering at the still cowering young female in the centre of their circle. "Death by stones!"

---At this rallying cry, the boys immediately grew fearless again, each picking up a stone from the ground to throw at the helpless child before them. Each holding their projectiles, they all threw at the same time.

---"¡PARA!" All of the stones halted immediately just as the sun broke the horizon, some suspended just inches from the girl's fingers where she had flung her hands out to protect herself. Frightened now not only of the boys, her breathing was labored in her fear as one of the younger boys began muttering a prayer of salvation. The prayer was never completed, however; even as they all stood there in surprise, the rocks suddenly turned back on their original course at the same velocity, cracking into the craniums of each boy who had launched it. All doubling over in pain, none were able to see through the pain to the girl snatching up her fallen eyewear and fleeing from the scene.

---Dashing up to the house sitting on the village outskirts, the child cried out, sobbing as she went. "¡Padre!" she pleaded, darting into the house and the arms of the man just inside. "¡Socorro me, por favor! Please, Padre…"

---"¿Mi hija?" the man questioned, his dark amethyst eyes searching the girl grasping onto his waist in worry. "¿Qué paso? Estas hemorragia."

---"It was the pueblo niños again, Padre," she sobbed, burying her face into her father's shirt. "They chased me and called me a witch, then threw rocks at me."

---"Silencio, me niña," he murmured gently, kneeling down and pulling the child into a gentle embrace. "Es poco importante. ¿Tú bien?" The girl nodded and wiped her eyes free of the salty tears running rampant down her tan cheeks. Her father smiled gently and nodded. "Bien," he said kindly, picking the girl up with the greatest of ease. "Now, let us look at that wound, me hija. If you let it alone, the desert sands will make it very malo, si?" Again the girl nodded, and the tall, raven haired man carried her into another room, very simply decorated with only a cot and dresser with a small mirror upon its surface. Placing her down on the cot with the utmost care, he looked her in the eyes and said calmly, "Te lo recoger madre. Quèdate ahí." With that, he left the room swiftly, leaving the girl to cry and wish she had never left their humble abode that day.

((Present Time))

---"Maverick!" A young blonde man turned about at being called, his expression surprised and confused as a dark haired man ran up to him, holding a file of papers, his expression urgent and deeply sorrowful. He wore the standard blue uniform, a silver pocket watch chain dangling from one of the pockets where his alchemic watch resided. In his distress, however, the other seemed only to notice the person before him. "Maverick," he gasped, grabbing onto the first's slender shoulders as if he were about to collapse, "something terrible has happened."

---"¿Qué quieres, Coronel Mustang ? What is it?" the first asked, his exotic voice firm in its own worry. The man called Mustang looked up into the reflection of the other's sunglasses, his eyes brimming with unshed tears held at bay only by his pride.

---"It's Maes," he broke out, bowing his head and collapsing. "Maes is dead."

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Sabriel: Well, that's it for now. Sorry about the cliffy, but I wanted to start with the very beginning and some of the very end in the first chapter.
Ser: I think you confused them more than anything.
Sabriel: Shut up! Anyway, here's the list of definitions for you. Enjoy!

Bruja – witch
Tu no puedes – You cannot/can't.
Por favor, Señior – Please, sir
Chica – girl
¿Comprende? – Understand?
A Dios mio – Holy Christ/God
Ella es demonio – She is a demon
Si – Yes
Para – Stop, cease
Padre – Father
Socorro me – Help me
Mi hija – My daughter
¿Qué paso? – What has happened?
Eres hemorragia – You are bleeding
Pueblo niños – Village boys
Silencio, me niña – Hush, my girl
Es poco importante – It is not important
¿Tú bien? – Are you alright?
Malo – Bad
Te lo recoger madre – I will fetch your mother
Quèdate ahí – Stay here
¿Qué quieres, Coronel Mustang? – What is it, Colonel Mustang?
Adiós - Goodbye

Sabriel: Yeah, that's it, so I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I liked writing it!
Ser: And to the theme of Ghostbusters, nonetheless…
Sabriel: --laughs nervously-- I happen to like that song, okay? And it was all I had on hand.
Ser: --sighs-- Whatever.
Sabriel: Tell me what cha think, mm'kay? --waves-- Until next time readers, adiós!