Beta:TaintedLetter

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

"Ellie... never leave Command without me, or Wrath," Selim ordered late one night.

The two had made a little fort in his bed while they were taking turns reading aloud from a rather hilariously dark story. It was Elizabeth's turn to read, and she had gotten a few chuckles out of Selim, but about ten minutes ago he had grown extremely quiet. His shadows flickered around in irritation, becoming sharper and darker under the warm light of the lamp they had under the covers.

His eyes were nearly shut from being narrowed so tightly in anger, and his posture stiffened.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked with concern. She reached out a hand to place it over Selim's.

"There's been another murder," Selim said, his voice low and almost snarling. "It's confirmed... someone is targeting State Alchemists."

Alarmed, Elizabeth gasped. "What? Why?"

"Does it matter? Stay close to us at all times. We'll have guards posted outside your greenhouse."

Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip. "Okay... will you be okay?"

Selim's lips twitched into the ghost of a smile. "Didn't I tell you, Ellie? I'm very strong."

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Earlier that day, Edward Elric

"That Liore case was handled by you two. Let me convey my gratitude," Colonel Mustang said.

The man sat behind his desk, his hands folded in front of him while the two brothers took a seat on a couch in front of him. Ed had his head resting in his hand, trying not to get irritated by the condescending Flame Alchemist.

Even if it wasn't intentional, Ed always got the impression the bastard was smugger than a con artist who just duped his latest victim.

"No big deal, we didn't do it for you," Ed muttered.

"So this Philosopher's Stone was a dud, too?" Mustang asked.

Ed furrowed his brow as he recalled what he had seen. On their quest for the Philosopher Stone they had ventured to the town of Liore, where it was rumored a man could conjure miracles out of thin air. The man in question possessed a scarlet red stone that allowed him to do exactly that, but it shattered after Ed had defeated the false prophet. "The Stone was a fake, but its power was incredible. It transmuted this huge chimaera."

"I wonder how he used the Stone to do something like that," Alphonse commented. "We've only ever seen plants being transmuted by Lizzie, nothing like animals or humans."

"Still, it is kind of interesting, huh?" Ed remarked. "If we looked into it, it might come in handy for us getting our bodies back."

He and Alphonse had briefly debated on joining Elizabeth for her experiments with cadavers, but neither could scrounge up the stomach to do so. They had settled for reading Elizabeth's notes and going over what she had discovered whenever they visited.

But that was all limited research, since Elizabeth always prioritized her plants and medicine.

It'd be nice to see a different perspective, maybe discuss it with someone who's done more broad research.

Mustang sat back, his chair creaking in the process. "In that case, why don't you get some help from a specialist?" He pulled out a file from his desk, tossing it to the brothers. "The Sewing Life Alchemist, Shou Tucker. He's a researcher dealing with chimaera transmutation. I'll introduce you to him."

"You'd go through all that trouble?" Alphonse asked just as Ed leapt up and pointed an accusatory finger at Mustang, immediately sensing something phishy.

"He's up to something!" Ed howled. "He's definitely up to something!"

"Don't be so suspicious of me," Mustang snapped. "After the Liore case, this makes us even. Being indebted to you would be repulsive."

Ed narrowed his eyes with plain skepticism. "Hmph. Fine. Introduce us."

"Let's leave now, then," Mustang muttered, his right eye twitching with annoyance.

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

True to his word, Mustang took both boys over to Shou Tucker's house. It took the Sewing Life Alchemist by surprise to have guests, but he invited everyone inside with gentlemanly manners. Mustang introduced both parties, and Ed began to explain their interest in transmuting life.

"We've done some research into transmuting life, but nothing like what you've done, " Edward began with a grin. "We've studied under Liz—er—Elizabeth Luxanna—"

"Oh," came Shou Tucker's flat response, his shoulder stiffening at the mention of the Spring Alchemist. "Yes, her. She's very brilliant, isn't she? If she were to ever venture into animal, or human testing, I bet she'd have no trouble making a chimaera."

"Probably," Edward agreed, reflexively thinking back on how Elizabeth was already experimenting with human corpses.

'Yeesh,' he thought. He could never do that, he didn't have the stomach for it. He was a man of science so he understood the importance of testing with cadavers but Ed didn't think he could do it.

"Aha, you didn't have to agree so easily..."

"Oh, sorry," Ed apologized. 'Although it's probably true... she's got some crazy good intuition. At times, it's like she's way older than she actually is.'

Shou Tucker fell silent for a few seconds before he smiled kindly. "You boys are welcome to use my library. I'll be curious to see what students of Miss Luxanna think of my research."

"Thank you, sir," both boys chorused.

"Daddy?" came a small voice around the corner. A girl barely older than six appeared, her big brown eyes widening upon seeing the guests. She was a cute thing, with her hair done up into two braided pigtails. Following right behind her was a massive dog with soft white fur, and gentle eyes.

"Oh, Nina. Come in, say hello to the Elric brothers. The one in the armor is Alphonse, and Edward here is his older brother. Edward is the Fullmetal Alchemist. Boys... this is my daughter, Nina."

Nina shyly smiled at them. "Hello. Are you going to help Daddy with his research?"

"Maybe," Ed commented, tossing her a friendly grin.

"I wish I could help Daddy with his research," Nina whispered. "He's always working so hard..."

"Now, now, Nina... " Shou chided. "Why don't you go play while I show the Elric brothers the library."

"What are you currently researching?" Alphonse politely asked.

"Well, I got my State Alchemist Certificate by creating a talking chimaera... I hope to do the same again."

"Oh, wow-"

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

The following week, Elizabeth Luxanna

Elizabeth stared mournfully at her latest batch of hybrids, having to officially count them as complete and utter failures. She had been trying to devise a more powerful general antivenom, and antibacterial but combining all the necessary hybrids kept resulting in failures. She had been working at this experiment for several months—almost a year—but she simply couldn't get it to work.

Her math was correct. In theory it ought to work, but in practice she just couldn't get it down.

It was with great reluctance that Elizabeth decided to shelve the project for now. She would return to it when she could look at it with a fresh mind, and a touch more experience.

She sighed as she began to set about packing away all related notes, and cleaning out the pots.

Failures were just a part of being a scientist. She lost count of how many ideas she's had to shelve over the years because she kept coming to a dead end.

'I wonder if I'll even have room for this experiment in my storage,' Elizabeth thought. 'Hmm... I may have to requisition another storage locker for my notes.'

It took a solid three hours for Elizabeth to properly clean up Project Super Anti, and another hour for her to carry everything over to her storage unit inside Central Command. When she was done, she debated on what her next project should be.

'Another weapon? Maybe a new poison? What about a new sedative? Pain reliever? Maybe something small to help with anxiety? Or maybe I should just continue my experiments on a human nervous system?'

That sounded fascinating. The human brain was a complex organ that no one really understood. Elizabeth was only barely scratching the surface of her research into neuroscience, and it was a truly marvelous endeavour.

Although she doubted she'd have enough time to truly delve into the truth of the human brain in her one lifetime.

It'd be swell if she could have a prolonged life like Selim. Then she would have plenty of time to venture further into the engrossing, and mysterious world of science.

She might even have time to delve into quantum physics!

Wouldn't that be a delight?

Elizabeth smiled to herself at the very idea.

'And I'd get to spend more time with Selim.'

Her smile stretched a little wider, her eyes shining at the very thought.

What a dream to have!

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

A week later

Elizabeth itched to pull at her rapier. Never before had she felt so utterly frustrated and upset. Her fingers twitched, but she held on tightly to her self-discipline and refused to give in. She clutched tightly at the adorable picture of her her and Selim smiling together.

"Admit. It," she hissed out, her gaze burning with intensity.

Maes Hughes kept his back straight, holding up a picture of his wife, and another picture of his daughter. He growled out. "Never. I hold the all time cutest pictures in existence."

"How dare you!" Elizabeth shrieked. "A duel! I demand a duel to correct this great dishonor!"

"HA! I know better than to fight one of you freaks!" Maes howled. "You will never win this battle of wits, so you're trying to resort to violence."

"This cannot be a battle of wits when my enemy is clearly too stupid to see the divine embodiment of adorableness before him," Elizabeth snapped, waving the picture of Selim in his face. "Everyone else can see, and accepts this as fact!"

"You're delusional if you think that!" Maes slapped his hand on his desk. "Why, I bet if I call Roy right now he'll agree with me."

"Blasphemy! As a sane soldier he would immediately see the greatness that is Selim!"

The two glared hotly at each other before Maes abruptly got up. "Let's test that then, shall we?"

Elizabeth haughtily raised her chin. "Fine!"

It took barely a minute for them to reach a phone and for Maes to place a call to Mustang.

"Yo!" Maes greeted. "Mustang, we need to talk."

Roy Mustang was quiet on the other line for a moment before he sighed. "If this is about your daughter and wife again I'm hanging up."

Elizabeth grabbed the phone. "This is a matter of urgency!"

"What? Elizabeth? What's going on?"

"This deranged man keeps insisting his daughter and wife are far cuter than Selim Bradley! Correct this fool by agreeing with me that Selim is a million times cuter."

There was dead silence on the other hand, and then the click of the phone.

Elizabeth stared in disbelief at the phone. "He hung up? But this was important!"

Maes clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Poor guy doesn't understand that."

Elizabeth pitied Mustang. "To not be able to appreciate cuteness in life... what a sad existence."

Maes rubbed his chin. "Yes, I agree. Welp, it's about time for lunch, want to join me?"

Elizabeth beamed. "I'd love to! We can finish our discussion at a later time."

"Sounds good."

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

The following day, with Edward and Alphonse.

Anger had been drained away by Ed, a weary exhaustion settling over him. Shou Tucker laid unconscious in a pool of his own blood, and his daughter—

'What kind of man turns his own daughter into a chimaera?! What kind of person could—could—'

It sickened Ed to look at what had happened to Nina and her dog now. They were forcibly transmuted together into a sad creation that was looking mournfully at Shou.

"Daddy... Daddy's hurt..." the chimaera whined in a childish, twisted voice.

"Brother... what are we going to do?" Alphonse asked in a small voice. "Nina..."

"Oh," came Shou Tucker's flat response, his shoulder stiffening at the mention of the Spring Alchemist. "Yes, her. She's very brilliant, isn't she? If she were to ever venture into animal, or human testing, I bet she'd have no trouble making a chimaera."

"Probably," Ed had agreed.

The memory came unbidden, but with it came an idea, a hope.

Ed grinned mirthlessly at his brother. "Let's make a call, Al."

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

(ELIZABETH)

Elizabeth happily chewed on her lobster mac and cheese. It was rare to receive the meal twice in the same month, but her and Selim were lovin' it. Mumma sat beside Papa, and across from Elizabeth. Selim always sat beside Elizabeth, and across from Papa.

Selim was also on his third bowl.

"My goodness, what an appetite you have when it comes to lobster," Mumma laughed. "Maybe we should move to the sea when we retire, that way you'll have fresh fish every day."

"That'd be nice," Selim said wistfully.

"I wouldn't mind that," Papa remarked. "Nothing quite like the taste of the sea."

"I'll do a hard pass on that," Elizabeth said with a shudder.

"Oh, come on, Ellie," Selim said with a cheeky grin. "The kraken isn't going to get ya."

"You don't know that!"

Papa and Mumma laughed at Elizabeth's fearful reply. As Elizabeth began to blush, Selim also started to chuckle. The family continued on with teasing the young girl for her fear of the kraken for another few minutes before a messenger politely interrupted the dinner.

"Urgent message for Miss Elizabeth," the man quietly said.

"How urgent?" Papa inquired.

"It was stressed to be very important by the Fullmetal Alchemist."

With a frown, Elizabeth got up from her seat. She tossed Papa a pleading look to protect her plate from Selim's sneaky attacks—he would absolutely devour her plate the moment she got up if he could get away with it—and went to answer the call.

Since the phone was kept in another room, it took her a few seconds to reach it.

She was not expecting the bombardment of information Edward just given her.

"A... wait... um... you want me to reverse a chimaera transformation?" Elizabeth tried to clarify.

"Yeah, can you do it?" Edward asked her.

'I literally have no idea,' Elizabeth thought, bewildered. "Um... I can try. What was combined again?"

"A little girl named Nina and her dog."

"Oh..." Elizabeth trailed off. She had plenty of practice with the human nervous system thanks to her cadavers, but she had never experimented on dogs before. Or really any animal outside of rats.

'I'll need to consult with a veterinarian and see if they have some spare... bodies,' Elizabeth thought, feeling a little sick at the thought.

But it sounded like it would be for a good cause.

'And this sounds really interesting. I don't think there's been any research done into reversing live transmutation.'

The scientist inside of Elizabeth was already drooling at the thought of getting her hands on this particular problem.

"I can... I can definitely try," Elizabeth said after a moment. She didn't want to make any promises until she got a closer look at what she was dealing with. "Can you... um... take Nina to Eastern Command for now? I'll pick her up tomorrow."

"Yeah! Thanks, Lizzie!"

Elizabeth bade her friends goodbye and then headed back to dinner. Papa was holding her plate of lobster mac and cheese up in the air, exchanging glares with Selim while Mumma politely ignored their behavior.

"Good call, dear?" Mumma asked.

"Yeah... um... Papa, can I go to Eastern Command tomorrow?" Elizabeth asked.

"Why?" Papa asked, handing Elizabeth her food back.

"A new experiment," she said, looking over at Mumma. She knew Mumma would get upset if she blatantly told the truth at dinner. "Please?"

Papa rubbed his chin in thought for a moment. "I suppose so. I'll go with you, we can do the reports on the train out."

"Can I go?" Selim asked excitedly.

"You have school tomorrow," Mumma chided.

Selim pouted. "Fine... tell me all about when you get back, okay, Ellie?"

Elizabeth leaned over to kiss her best friend on the cheek. "You know I always do."

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Answer: One: Made it longer. Two: Have the homunculi be more present throughout, especially Wrath and Pride. Three: More Hoenheim and Happy!Family Elrics.

Question: What was your absolute favorite moment in FMA? What about your least favorite?

Reviews are love!