The Beginning Of A New Era

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Colonel Mustang stared at the two figures before him. They looked familiar, yet he was certain he'd never seen them before. His onyx eyes were narrowed quizzically, dark brows knitted together in both confusion and doubt.

Raven hair brushed against pale cheeks as he pushed his chair back, evoking a shrill screeching sound. The notorious clicking of stiff boots against tiled floor was heard as the Colonel ambled around the side of his desk and halted directly in front of the small beings.

Three pairs of eyes faced upwards. Two were filled with anxiety and fear, one contained an emotion that was unreadable. Mustang studied their faces carefully, searching for signs of trickery. None were found.

He exhaled silently and bent down, his face now level with those of the two smaller beings. They cringed instantly and took a step back, nearly bumping into the older person standing behind them.

The Colonel eyed them suspiciously and extended a gloved hand, reaching towards the figure on the left. His fingers came in contact with a soft cheek and he stroked it gently, as if ensuring that the person was not an illusion. The individual shuddered and drew back to hide behind the figure on the right.

The figure on the right appeared to be a boy no older than four. He was small, scrawny and looked rather frail compared to the boy on the left, who seemed moderately chubby and well-nourished.

The two were most likely siblings, as they shared some similar characteristics. The seemingly shy child had short, unruly bronze hair and glossy chocolate eyes that held both uncertainty and anticipation.

The skinny child had silky golden hair pulled back in a messy braid(1) and large amber eyes that contained a mixture of emotions that were difficult to decipher.

Mustang gave the blonde-haired kid a second glance. He had definitely seen those eyes before, but where? He knew only one person who had gold eyes, and…

Wait a second…

The Colonel's obsidian eyes widened, dark pupils dilated slightly. He tried to hide the look of shock but it was futile.

He leaned back on his haunches then slowly raised himself to his full height. He turned to the third person who stood motionless behind the two boys.

"Hawkeye, are they…?"

The blonde woman bobbed her head. "Yes, sir. They are most definitely the Elric brothers."

The Colonel ran a gloved hand through his thick raven hair. "What happened to them?"

"We don't know. They were in that form when second Lieutenant Havoc delivered them to me."

"Havoc?"

"Supposedly, he found them wandering the streets outside of Central. I don't know the full details. You'll have to ask him."

Mustang sighed and stared unconsciously at the wall, contemplating what to do next.

"Shall I have Lieutenant Havoc report to you?" Hawkeye asked hesitantly.

Mustang shook his head. "That is unnecessary."

Hawkeye hung her blonde head, her mind spinning with thoughts. What had happened to the Elrics? Who had done this to them? Why? What would happen to them? What were they going to do?

What were they going to do…

The female Lieutenant cleared her throat. "What do you suggest we do now?" she questioned solemnly.

"I don't know," Mustang replied with a slight edge to his tone. He gazed down at the children again, and they stared back at him with wide, anxious eyes. The darker-haired kid ducked behind his sibling in an attempt to avoid the Colonel's onyx glare, an act that provoked the blonde brother, who in turn sent the older man a disdainful frown.

"Sir," Hawkeye addressed the Colonel, "I doubt that glaring at the children is required, nor is it assuring."

Mustang disregarded her and directed his gaze to the far wall, glowering at it as if it were to blame. Hawkeye sighed and stooped down in front of the kids as Mustang had. "Hello, my name is Riza Hawkeye," she greeted politely, struggling to keep her voice soft and maintaining a reassuring tone.

The blonde boy's gaze instantly turned soft. "I'm Edward Elwic," he replied in a child-like manner. "And this is my brudda, Awphonse." He gestured towards the bronze-haired youth, who grinned sheepishly and waved his hand.

Hawkeye couldn't help but smile at their adorable toddler accent. They were also reasonably polite, unlike the original Elric brothers who appeared rather rude and hostile.

"It's nice to meet you, Edward, Alphonse," she paused. "How old are you?"

Edward looked thoughtful. "Four, I think."

"How old is your brother?"

Alphonse stepped out from behind Edward and held up three fingers. "This many," he stated proudly. Edward beamed, obviously pleased by his sibling's response. "How old are you, Wiza?"

Hawkeye chuckled at both the mispronunciation of her name and the question itself. "Let's just say I'm older than you, alright?" The boys bobbed their heads simultaneously. The Lieutenant ran her hand through their soft hair affectionately before getting to her feet and directing her attention to the pensive Colonel.

"Sir?"

"Lieutenant, I need to talk to you… privately," Mustang stated in a monotone. Hawkeye could tell he was serious, as he had refused to look at her when he spoke.

"Right," she replied. Hawkeye fixed her gaze toward the Elric brothers, who were staring at the two adults dubiously. "Boys, would you mind leaving the room for a second?"

Edward silently agreed and took his younger brother by the hand to guide him out of the room. Hawkeye quietly closed the door behind them, but not before giving them a final tentative glance.

"What do you propose we do?" The blonde woman asked as she confronted the Colonel. Mustang refused to look up as he responded quietly,

"We only have one choice."

Hawkeye furrowed her brow. She had never heard Mustang speak like this before. He was known as a stoic, emotionless man, he rarely let his emotions show through his voice. And yet, she could tell by his tone that he was distressed.

"Are you sure?" Hawkeye questioned in concern. The raven-haired man nodded, onyx eyes swirling with unfathomable emotions.

"There's nothing else we can do…" he trailed off and raised his head to stare out the window at the cerulean sky.

"I'm going to have to adopt them."

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This Is A Oneshot, I Repeat, A ONESHOT. There Will Be No Second, Third, Etc… Chapters. I Concur, This Is An Odd Way To End A Story (Rather Cliff-Hanger-Ish) But This Is NOT The End. It's The Beginning…Of A New Era Of CHIBI-NESS! –Cue Sparkles And Colorful Lights–

That Is All, Thank You For Wasting Three Minutes Of Your Life To Read This Oneshot.

(1)- I Know Chibi Ed Didn't Have A Braid, But I Am Deeply Devoted To It, And I Shall Prove It Now. I ADMIT MY UNDYING LOVE FOR EDWARD ELRIC'S BRAID. The Braid Stays. Get It? Got It? Good.

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