Science Only Deals in Absolutes

Chapter 2 - Transmutation Circles

Edward would always remember those short years that he and Al spent with their mother. The school year started in late September and would end till part way through May, of course you had the Fall Solstice to look forwards too. Carving Pumpkins, getting candy from neighbors, a party at the Rockbell's home. Dunking for Apples and dressing up as ghouls or the Mysterious Witches and Wizards that first practiced Alchemy.

Winter Solstice was even better, snow littered the ground and he and Al would have a snow ball fight; which he let Al win every time though he denied it, of course. They would decorate a tree taken from the forest with glowing candles, strings of popcorn, and apples hung on the branches by bright ribbons of red, purple and gold. They would each get one present from one another; one to open before bed, which was always new pj's that Mom had some how made - and then two more in the morning before a huge breakfast of cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon and hot chocolate.

Edward never remembered his Father in these settings. He couldn't decide if maybe he had forgotten simply because memories fade, like photographs get yellowed, or if his father, simply, was never there in the first place.

Needless to say, When he and Sam got up on the start of the school week before Christmas break, which Edward consistently called Winter Solstice - to a cloudy gray sky that hinted at snow, or so Edward's Automail ports told him - Edward knew that he had spent more time here than he had thought. Three weeks being with this family and Sam was becoming less grumpy, Bumblebee seemed to be okay with him, and the other Autobots were less wary but still on their guard.

Not that he cared. He had been with the Military of Amestris for a very long time and if he knew one thing about one Military, than he knew it about all of them - always be on guard. It didn't help, he figured, that he had just come out of no where with a huge alchemic blast (not that they knew what that blast was and he wasn't going to tell them a damned thing).

He and Sam waved good-by to Judy and Ron as they walked across the driveway to the street where Bee sat waiting. The trunk was popped and the teens put their bags in the back before getting into the car. Edward sat on the passenger seat, he never was one to drive, too many distractions. Sam almost never did, Bumblebee liked to do it. He was a careful driver, the sentient-car, never would he move unless the teens were buckled, he would go the speed limit and stop exactly when he needed too.

"Are you excited about Christmas?" Sam asked. He and Edward, though getting used to each other, were wholly different people. Not at all like brother's, but more like people forced to spend time together.

Edward was a book hog, a fact bank to be exact. He could remember so many things it was uncanny. Sam on the other hand liked girls, cars, music and not doing his homework. It was a sad day in the Witwicky house when Edward brought home perfect scores and Sam was failing almost every class. Not that Sam wasn't a smart boy, he was, but Edward just seemed better at the whole school thing.

"Kind of, it's kinda like what we do back home, but without electric lights," Edward replied, for a while now, the Witwhicky's had their home decorated for Christmas, Edward was very impressed to see that instead of the use of flame, the electric lights gave the same glow and feeling to the tree without having to worry about the branches catching fire. He would love to find a way to make that when he got home and with the use of alchemy, light bulbs and some wire, he was sure he could do it. He'd just have to find an array and adjust, slightly.

The drive to school wasn't very long and before the boys knew it, Bumblebee had parked, the trunk was open and they were both heading to their classes. At first, the Principal had been rather worried that Edward wouldn't fit into school, and he was right. Edward had been sent to the office several times for fighting, which were all started by other students and of which Edward only finished. He wasn't the sort of boy that went around making trouble. Not really. Edward was a shy, kid who yelled at others about making fun of his height. He didn't like bullies and he'd nail them to the wall. He didn't like guys forcing themselves on girls either, which sent said boys to the hospital.

Sam was a ladies man though only one girl ever really gave him the time of day, but that didn't matter. Much. Sam and Edward would sit together at lunch, and some times Edward would explain things to Sam.

On such conversation went -

"How old are you anyway?" Sam asked.

"Seventeen, you?" Edward replied, giving a raised eyebrow to Sam in warning.

"The same," Sam replied, surprised.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked.

"I don't know, I just figured you'd be younger," Sam muttered.

"WHAT YOU THINK THAT I HAVE TO BE A SUPER GENIUS TO GET INTO HIGHSCHOOL WHEN A TWO YEAR OLD CAN PASS THE BLOODY TEST!?"

Needless to say, insinuating Edward to be younger than he is will mean just as much earache as insinuating him to be short.

- - -

Mr. Damon was writing something on the board; science class was nothing like Alchemy, in fact, Alchemy was considered magic in this world and if not magical it was thought of to be an archaic science. Basically, Alchemy was what brought on science, birthed it, or so Mr. Damon explained. Edward didn't believe it.

He took this chance to surreptitiously bring out a think not book. It wasn't a real note book, it was an alchemy book full of array's he had never seen before. He had found it at a garage sail an old lady was putting on, it cost him five dollars but he didn't care. These were array's he had seen before, but never got the chance to study. He had seen where he had gone wrong with the array he had been using to get from one universe to another.

It was meant to do that.

That made sense.

"Mr. Elric! Are you with us?"

Edward looked up, "Yeah,"

"Well, name the things that make up the human body," Mr. Damon was glaring. Edward blinked for a moment, drew a blank from the science text they were using, then he shrugged and opened his mouth.

"Water: 35 Liters. Carbon: 20 Kg. Ammonia: 4 Liters. Lime: 1.5 Kg. Phosphorus: 800 g. Salt: 250 g. Saltpeter: 100 g. Sulfur: 80 g. Fluorine: 7.5 g. Iron: 5g. Silicon: 3 g. And 15 other elements in small quantities*," Edward rattled off serenely.

The class was absolutely quiet and even the science teacher looked amazed; "Very good, Mr. Elric, for that I won't give you a pink slip for not paying attention. Don't let me find you doing it again," he grumbled. Edward gave a sheepish grin and a salute.

Poked from behind he turned to get an annoyed glance from Sam, he shrugged again. He couldn't help what he was interested in. The class bell rang and Edward gathered up everything he had with him. He slipped on his red coat and walked towards the door with the other students. As soon as he was outside, he was grabbed on the back of the neck.

"Look at this, guys, I found a runt! What a specimen!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO SMALL THAT HE COULDN'T BE SEEN BY A TELESCOPE!!!!" Edward raged. The hand on his neck disappeared as his opponent laughed. The boy was Trent's young brother, Brent. The brother's seemed to like to pick on Sam and Edward a lot, but Edward would punch first and ask questions later. He didn't care for either of them. While Trent was as dumb as an ox, Edward actually had a hell of a time with Brent because the younger brother was the smart one.

"Look it here Elric, I'm the star of the science class and I won't let you take my place. So, if you know what's good for ya, you'd best back off and keep your head down, otherwise I may just have to pound it down," Brent was smirking. It was the sort of smirk Roy Mustang gave Edward when he knew he had one upped Edward once again. It pissed him off.

"Look it here you dolt. I don't give a damn what you think or want, I don't care," Edward turned. The hallway was less crowded now. At least some people were around.

"Don't walk away from me Elric, I'm better than you!"

"Don't talk to me about who's better!" Edward brandished an Automail fist at the boy, disguised by his glove; "I know more about the world and life than you, I've made mistakes and all you've ever had to do is worry about your grades. Al and I never had a chance, so shut up before I put my fist in her face!"

Brent stepped back from the sheer surprise this brought on. He hadn't known that Elric had a brother.

Edward turned, ignoring Brent and his science goons. He spied Sam coming up to him and he stopped for the other. They walked down the hallway together.

"So, where's your brother?" Sam asked.

"Back home, in Amestris," Edward replied.

"I hope you get back, then, to be with him," Sam smiled lightly, this gave Edward a sweep of courage and the rock solidness he was known for. No longer scared of the question of 'IF' he'd get home, it was all a matter of 'when'.

- - -

Christmas was a week away and school was out. However, that did not stop The Secretary of Defense - Mr. Hal Charles - to stop by. He pulled up in a black car with no markings on it whatsoever.

Judy answered the door and with a worried look on her face she brought him to the kitchen; then she shooed Sam and Ron from the room, told Edward to stay and followed her family. They had been munching on cookies with hot chocolate and speaking as a family. It was something that Edward never had and he had been wishing for Alphonse to be with him. The younger boy always yearned for such things.

"Mr. Secretary, I hadn't thought that I'd meet you," Edward said, they shook hands.

"Me neither but something has come up and it seems that you are the person with the most knowledge," Hal replied. He sat down and munch on a cookie himself. Edward waited.

"At midnight our satellites picked up something very odd, we haven't seen it before, but, maybe you have," Hal brought out several photographs he slid them across the table so that Edward could see them.

In the photographs Edward was able to see a desert with a rather huge transmutation circle glowing red. He recognize it. Golden eyes growing wide and the hitch in breathe told Hal that the boy indeed knew something.

Edward covered his reaction too late, but tried to play dumb anyway; "Can I keep these, I need to do some initial research before I can tell you anything, from the basic structure I don't think its anything that'll kill people, but I wouldn't take the chance," Edward said as nonchalantly as he could. Hal nodded.

"Of course you can keep those, those are copies anyway and I can always get more," he finished his cookie and stood.

"Have a merry Christmas," Hal said, then he left the kitchen. Judy, Sam and Ron waited till they heard the front door swing shut before they entered their kitchen again. Edward swept up the photos and gave them a smile.

"What was that about?" Judy asked.

"They're just being paranoid, its nothing to worry about," Edward waved a hand as if it didn't matter. He then finished off his hot chocolate, grabbed a few more cookies and made the excuse of homework in order to go to his bedroom.

It was less stark than it had been when he first arrive. The walls were covered in transmutation circles, studies he was still working on. He added these pictures, and stepped back.

"I can't believe it," he muttered, running a hand through blond hair, "Someone is trying to make a Philosopher's Stone…."

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TBC

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A/N - HAHAHAHAH! Plot twist! And so soon. I am in love.

* - this is a line from the manga when Edward is explaining to Rose what he and Al did and why Religion doesn't help people. I don't know if this is scientifically correct, but I didn't want to try and find it out for myself because science isn't my thing. So, if it isn't accurate, lets just pretend it is. *lol*