This is my first Fullmetal alchemist story so I hope you all like it.

Expected Arrays

Chapter One

Ed sat on the floor piles of books surrounding him. Pieces of paper were thrown about; some crumpled others covered in scribbles. The neat study had been turned into a room of chaos. Half the books were missing off the shelves. The desk in the far corner, where Ed had been previously sitting at, was covered in papers and couple books, though that space was clearly nowhere near enough room as the blonde teen now had a minni fort of books surrounding him on the floor. Alphonse sat posed in the door way, nervously creaking as he rocked back and forth.

"Brother you shouldn't make such a mess."

Ed didn't even bother to look up as he closed another book, placing it on top of the ever growing pile and picked up another.

"Brother? Brother, are you listening?"

"Huh?"

The suit of armored sighed and tried to look as annoyed as his metal helmet would allow. He stepped over the pile of books to look at his bother's most recent notes. He tisked as he noticed a pool of split ink.

"Brother Mrs. Hughes was nice enough to let us research in her house you really shouldn't trash the room."

"I'll clean it all up when I'm done, plus I think I'm on to something here."

Ed picked up a clean sheet while still looking at the book in his hands. He quickly started sketching an array , eyes darting between the pieces of paper. He shut the book soon after, too quickly for Alphonse to look it over. Ed moved the piece of paper to on top of the books. His hand moved furiously.

"It's just missing something,"

"What would that even do?"

"Its not complete yet, but look. With this configuration we might be able to create a locator for the stone!"

Alphonse took the piece of paper careful after his brothers words registered, staring at the half done transmutation circle.

"How are you going to balance this out?"

"Don't know. I need to check some more things in the library. "

"If you needed things at the library why couldn't we just have done our research there?"

Alphonse tone grew more annoyed. He had no idea how he was going to explain such a mess to Mrs. Hughes. Maybe he could promise to help clean the whole house maybe watch Elisia for a night?

"I'm not dealing with that bastard."

"Why would the Colonel be in the library….Brother did you turn in your report yet?"

Ed froze giving his brother a hesitant smile before he continued gathering the notes he would need.

"Brother you can't avoid him forever."

"Watch me."

Ed jerked up, stretching just before jumping over the books, his auto mail clanking down on the wood floor. He paused a second, bending his metal leg a couple of times. The knee joint froze then went back into regular motion. Ed sighed hearing his brother move closer to him.

"I thought you said it just needed some oil,"

"It does, I just haven't gotten to it yet."

Ed placed both his hands on his hips then craned his neck to both sides before he took a step. He let out a small sigh, careful that Alphonse wouldn't hear it, when his knee didn't squeak. He had already oiled it twice just that morning alone and just kept thinking back to their last mission. A couple of idiots trying to transmute shit into gold shouldn't have been that difficult, but the fuckers had some explosives which had thrown Ed almost off cliff. Luckily he landed mostly on his left leg so the shock didn't do much damage, but the damn thing had been acting up ever since. The last thing he needed right now, on top of the bastard trying to hunt him down, would be Winry chucking those damn wrenches. Ed continued his way towards the door.

"Brother."

"Al what? We have to get there before the lunch break or else the bastard might… oh the room."

"We are not leaving this for poor Mrs. Hughes."

"Sorry almost forgot." Ed chuckled but got right to work.

The boys sprinted through central. Ed checked his watch every few minutes. If he could just get in and get out before lunch then Mustang would have no chance of finding them. He gritted his teeth as he felt his knee becoming stiffer.

"Brother slow down!"

"No way! We only got twenty minutes."

They both sprinted up the stairs of the library, dodging other members of the military before sliding into the front desk.

"Al you stay here and be on the lookout I'll go find the two I need,"

"Brother, don't make a mess and wait why do I have to look out for the Colonel?"

But the short alchemist had already sprinted off leaving Alphonse with two very angry librarians.

"Uh I promise it won't be a big mess."

Ed ran through the aisles, no longer bothering to check his watch as he scanned the titles. His eyes flitted so quickly between the books he almost made himself dizzy. His knee continued to creak and he only prayed that it would hold out till he could get some oil. A smile grew on his face as he pulled out the one book and just needed the second. It took only two more aisles till he found it and raced back to the front. He winced checking his watch with only ten minutes left to go.

"Al let's go!"

"You have to check those out first!" the snooty little librarian said, slamming her hand on her desk.

Ed slammed the books on the table looking at the entrance of the library watching it painfully.

"Brother calm down the Colonel doesn't get off until five…."

"Fullemetal!"

"Oh, he got out early."

Ed wasted no time. He grabbed the books out of the librarian's hands and took off, not even sparing Mustang a glance. Al just stared after his coward of a brother turning between the angry librarian and fuming Colonel who didn't even bother chasing after the alchemist.

"Hehe um I think he's coming back, maybe."

Ed now at the desk with his acquired books. The rest of the notes were thrown on the floor again all except for the transmutation circle. Ed's eyes flitted back and forth, turning a page once or twice before he continued the drawing. Ed smirk grew as he finished the last line of the circle. He swung his legs over the seat and grabbed and piece of chalk. He drew a much larger version of the circle on the floor watching the drawing only for a second here and there to make sure they matched. He looked up at the ingredients he had stored in the corner. He sighed a bit knowing how Al would of reacted, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. He was more than relieved when Gracia had taken Elisia to the park for a couple of hours. He didn't think anything go wrong, but just in case having them out of the house was a good idea. Ed quickly walked over to corner with all the bags and picked them preparing to spread them out accordingly.

" Water: 35 l. Carbon: 20 kg. Ammonia: 4 l. Lime: 1.5 kg. Phosphorus: 800 g. Salt: 250 g. Saltpeter: 100 g. Sulfur: 80 g. Fluorine 7.5 g. Iron 5 g. Silicon 3 g. and trace amounts of 15 other elements." Ed sighed feeling the need to recite them all as he dumped them on to the circle. The Philosophers stone was made up of human lives so in order to track it he would need something similar for the array to focus on. It was a long shot but it might work. He kneeled down beside the circle letting out a big breath and clapped his hands together.

"Brother! Don't you leave me behind to clean up your mess!"

"Shit," Ed winced underestimating his brothers speed at returning. He wanted to try this out without anyone else nearby. Alphonse pushed open the door his eyes wide as he took in his brother position. His eyes scanned the elements dotted around the now completed circle and gasped unsure of what to do.

"Brother what is…"

"Fullmetal part of being in the military is reporting to those that out rank you…"

Ed groaned as the Colonel appeared next to Al. His glare set on Ed before dissipating as he took in the scene.

"It's not what it looks like." Ed finally spoke out as Mustangs dark eye widened.

"Brother this array is too dangerous! We should find another way."

"Al we have been running in circles for years. This could lead us straight to it!"

"Fullmetal as your commanding officer I order you do not touch that circle!"

Fuck, Mustang would end this and cut off his research of this circle if he got the chance. Ed saw the panic in both their eyes, but hell this could be his only chance to find the stone. He set his mouth in a thin line and watched as his brother took a step forward.

The minute the blonde began to move Mustang and Al flew into action, leaping forward to try and break the circle before Ed's hands could land. Yet with the slam of flesh and metal against wood the circle started to glow, encompassing them all in the yellow light. Then with a flash of white all three of them disappeared from the room, leaving nothing behind.

To be Continued