β‘ Β°β’ β> Equivalent Hearts
Warnings: Light violence.
Note: English is not my native language, so if there are any spelling mistakes I feel it beforehand, enjoy the story.
βI just got back from the other end of the country, Roy,β the girl complained. βDo I really have to go?β
The tone of her voice carried a familiar exhaustion; she had spent entire nights unable to sleep. The young woman lazily leaned against the window frame, letting her body rest on the cold sill. Her legs were crossed, and an expression of annoyance was drawn across her face, illuminated by the last orange hues of the sunset. From that height, Central was bustling: the shouts of police officers and the hurried footsteps of military personnel echoed beneath the copper-colored sky.
βIβm sorry, Red. But capturing the Ice Alchemist is the top priority.β
Colonel Mustang put on his long black coat, carefully fastening each button. Then he slipped on the white gloves embroidered with transmutation circles. His movements were automatic, disciplined, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed his fatigue.
βItβs not my fault he got away from you.β
βHe didnβt get away from us,β the colonel exclaimed irritably.
She smiled shamelessly, that half-smile that usually drove anyone trying to give her orders up the wall.
βWhatever,β the redhead replied without even bothering to look at him. βWhat do I have to do?β
Her gaze drifted over the streets of Central, where the sun was dying behind the buildings, leaving a golden glow reflected across the rooftops. The night wind was beginning to blow, stirring her red hair like a living flame.
βLocate him and neutralize him, without killing him,β Mustang said, heading toward the door while turning to look at her one last time. βAnd wait for reinforcements to arrive.β
Red let out a soft snort, and a crooked smile appeared beneath the shadow of her bangs.
βIβll only leave him with a couple of wounds, nothing serious.β She shrugged as she fully opened the window. βI still remember the promise I made you. See you later.β
With a carefree gesture, she flashed him a peace sign. Then, with almost impossible precision, she put on the black goggles resting on her head and adjusted the mask covering the lower half of her face. It was made of dark leather reinforced with matte metal along the edges, designed to withstand impacts and protect her from the cold without hindering her breathing. The straps tightened as she adjusted it, giving her a mysterious appearance.
Without another word, she pushed off from the windowsill and disappeared into the streets below, her short dark-red jacket fluttering as she fell.
Roy Mustang stared at the open window for a few seconds until he heard footsteps in the alley where the girl had landed. She was gone. The nearly nocturnal wind entered the room, moving the papers on his desk and leaving them even more disorganized than before.
βOne day sheβll be the ruin of me,β he finally muttered, shaking his head before leaving the office.
Red ran through the alleys of Central, her silhouette clad in black leather slipping through the shadows of the streets. The sound of her boots echoed against the puddles that soaked the roads as she followed the trail she had learned to identify almost instantly: several frozen bodies, soldiers covered in a thin layer of frost, their faces frozen in expressions of horror.
That was the path. The trail of the Ice Alchemist.
She had to find him and neutralize him as quickly as possible. If someone else from the military arrived first, they would have saved her the trouble, since she was not the only one looking for him; she had simply been assigned to help speed up the job of capturing Isaac.
Her breathing steadied when she stopped running, sharpening her senses. The silence in the alley grew denser, interrupted only by the constant dripping of a broken pipe. Red narrowed her eyes, barely turning her head toward the exit of the alley. And there he was.
The man was crouched over the ground, drawing a transmutation circle with chalk that glowed faintly beneath the bluish light of the moon.
Without thinking twice, Red bent her legs and scaled a side wall with the agility of a feline. The cold air cut against her skin as she climbed to the rooftops; her target must not see her yet. She ran without making a sound, her movements perfectly calculated until she was directly above the man. Then she jumped, her body falling silently, ready to attack and knock him out by surprise.
But the deserter was fast. He turned at the last second, extending a hand toward her in a desperate attempt to catch her. Red reacted instinctively, twisting her body to one side and landing on one knee a couple of meters away. A blast of freezing air brushed past her arm; had it touched her, the same thing would have happened to her as to those police officers who had the misfortune of crossing paths with him.
βWell, I thought you were out of town,β the alchemist said with a smug smile while a cold mist escaped from one of his hands.
βWhat can I say? I got here first,β Red replied. Her voice sounded muffled by the mask, carrying an accent that was difficult to place.
The deserter had barely finished speaking when she was already ready to attack. Red sprinted at full speed, her footsteps echoing against the stone pavement, and launched a kick straight at his stomach. The man barely blocked it with his forearm, but she reacted instantly, grabbing the manβs wrist and twisting it to one side, drawing a grunt of pain from the alchemist. Quickly raising her free arm to strike him in the nose with her elbow, the crunch of breaking bones and a cry of pain could be heard.
βYou bitch!β the man exclaimed in pain, blood running down his face. βIβm going to kill you!β
βTry it,β she challenged, with a smile that did not reach her eyes.
The alchemist quickly surprised her by extending his free arm in an attempt to grab the girlβs head and freeze her, but she barely blocked it with the arm she had used to elbow him earlier. With both of them struggling against each other, Isaac quickly delivered a headbutt directly to the girlβs forehead, the one place not completely covered by her goggles. Red staggered for a second, just long enough for him to break free and touch the ground, raising a wall of earth beneath his feet. The explosion launched her several meters back. She landed on her hands, rolled, and got back up immediately.
The man was already preparing another attack. The air vibrated, and a mist of energy began to form between them. Red took a deep breath through her mask and pulled a knife from a side compartment of her suit. The blade glinted for a moment beneath the moon before something else interrupted the tension.
A flash of blue light crossed the alley. The bricks of the wall began to twist and, suddenly, enormous stone spikes emerged from it.
The deserter jumped backward to evade the attack. Red avoided it as well, leaping to the side with precision.
βAs I expected, you managed to evade my attack, Mr. Isaac.β
A deep voice echoed from beside Red. She recognized it instantly; her body tensed before she even turned her head toward the commander who had spoken.
βThat voice... Armstrong.β
βThe very same!β he replied proudly, just before a metal-covered fist smashed through the ruined wall from within. βThe Strong Arm Alchemist, Alex Louis Armstrong!β
The ground trembled beneath the man's enormous footsteps. His perfectly bald head gleamed in the moonlight, almost as if he were a living sculpture.
βArmstrong, you interrupted me!β the redhead exclaimed with feigned irritation, approaching him with long strides.
βI am so sorry, dear Red!β the commander said, leaning slightly to look at her, his voice booming with genuine regret. βI hadnβt seen you.β
She snorted and crossed her arms.
βDoesnβt matter, you saved me the trouble.β
The truth was, she had not really been bothered. She knew what Alex was like and his love for making dramatic entrances. Even so, she did not like being interrupted while doing her job.
Before they could continue arguing, Isaac struck the ground forcefully with both hands. A roar of energy swept through the alley along with a great bluish flash. A wave of water burst from the pavement and instantly extended like a sharpened blade toward Armstrong.
The muscular alchemist stepped aside with surprising calm as the spikes cut through the lances Alex had created earlier. Both prepared an attack, and the collision of alchemy against alchemy produced a deafening explosion. The air filled with fragments of brick and steam.
Red covered her face with one arm, preventing dirt from staining her goggles, stepping back to avoid being injured by the debris. As the cloud began to dissipate, she heard heavy footsteps approaching. They were not Armstrongβs.
A large suit of armor emerged from the smoke, its metallic silhouette reflecting the last flashes of Isaacβs transmutation. Beside it stood a short blond-haired boy in a red coat.
Before they could say anything else, Isaac turned and threw a metal canteen into the air, transmuting it instantly. The container opened like a flower, releasing a massive wave of water and scorching steam directly toward the newcomers.
Red reacted without thinking. Taking advantage of the situation to wound him and keep him from escaping, she managed to see Isaacβs silhouette through the steam and hurled the knife still in her hand with great precision. The blade whistled through the air from its speed and embedded itself in the alchemistβs left arm, tearing a cry of pain from him. She could see she had only hit his arm, and she growled, annoyed that she had not hit where she wanted.
Isaac, still feeling the throbbing pain in his arm, took advantage of the chaos to flee through the smoke. Red cursed under her breath and shot after him, accidentally colliding with the blond boyβs shoulder.
Edward looked up because of the impact and managed to see her, barely through all the steam. He could not see her face because it was covered, so he did not recognize her; he had thought she was an enemy as well, but after seeing Commander Armstrong not attack her, and after hearing that alchemistβs cry from the knife she had thrown and watching her run after him with overwhelming speed, he quickly made a mental note to ask Mustang who she was.
Edward brought his metal hand to the spot where she had collided with him. It had hurt quite a bit.
The sun had already disappeared completely; night covered Central with an icy mantle. After several minutes of pursuit, she managed to corner him on the rooftop of a building. She leapt across the distance separating them, taking advantage of the fact that he was running with his back turned, and drove a knee directly into his cheek, sending him crashing to the ground.
Red drew another knife, this one smaller than the previous one, and walked toward him with firm steps.
βYou know? You can surrender and save me the trouble of sticking another knife in you. But this time, I guarantee I wonβt miss.β Her voice, muffled by the mask, sounded sinister and threatening.
The alchemist glanced at his wounded arm before letting out a groan from the sharp burning pain. The blade was still there, deeply embedded. If he pulled it out, he risked a possible hemorrhage that would be difficult to stop.
The two measured each other with their eyes. Red extended her arm, preparing to throw the knife, this time aimed precisely at his leg. But before either of them could attack again, another voice echoed across the rooftops.
βLong time no see, Ice.β Mustangβs authoritative voice cut through the air. Then he turned his gaze toward the redhead. βAnd good work, Red. Iβll take over from here.β
Red let out an exasperated snort, rolling her eyes.
βSeriously... What kind of fetish do you people have with interrupting me?β
She turned to look at Roy. Behind him stood Riza Hawkeye and part of the military.
βI told you not to kill him, Red,β the colonel reprimanded lazily, crossing his arms while observing the knife embedded in the Ice Alchemistβs arm. The blade still vibrated slightly from the impact, and several thin lines of blood slid down his arm before dripping onto the ground.
The girl, impassive, lowered the hand she had extended to throw the knife and crossed her arms, completely ignoring the colonel. Her breathing was slow and controlled, but the tension in her shoulders revealed that she was still prepared to throw that small knife at him at any moment.
Isaac turned sharply toward the newcomer. His eyes, cold as frost, narrowed.
βRoy Mustang... The Flame Alchemist.β
The colonel took a couple of steps forward, the wind stirring his black coat. Quickly preparing to attack.
βWhat a shame,β he said calmly, adjusting the white gloves bearing the transmutation circle. βI hate having to fight an old comrade.β
<<I donβt,>> thought the redhead, a faint smile hidden beneath her mask. She had no intention of staying in the middle of Royβs crossfire, so she took a few steps back, moving closer to Riza, who watched the scene with a hand already resting on her weapon and an impassive expression.
βComrades?β Isaacβs voice sounded bitter, almost broken. βI have no comrades.β His gaze drifted toward the city skyline, where lights flickered like embers. βIn Ishval... there were only the armyβs dogs!β
Before he could say more, a sharp snap cut through the air. In an instant, a blaze ignited before him, illuminating the rooftop with a scorching glow. The fire roared and surged toward the deserter, colliding with a wall of water Isaac had raised in time to protect himself.
The clash of elements was brutal. Fire and water met in an explosion of steam that rose like a boiling cloud, hissing among the rubble. Sparks and burning droplets rained down upon the rooftop, creating a deafening roar.
Isaac seized the moment, placing both hands on the buildingβs exposed pipes. The metallic sound of running water echoed beneath his feet before an artificial drizzle began to fall, soaking everyone present and rendering Mustang useless.
βThat fire of yours is useless in water,β the alchemist said with a wide, almost maniacal smile as he began to retreat.
Red watched as he created a bridge of ice with a simple touch. The steam dissipated enough to reveal the crystalline structure extending toward the neighboring building. Isaac ran across it, moving away with surprising speed while the bridge disintegrated behind him.
Roy clicked his tongue in frustration. Before he could even react, Redβs voice reached him from the side.
ββIβll take over from here,ββ the redhead mocked as she passed beside the black-haired man.
The colonel opened his mouth to reply, but he had no time. The redhead had already jumped from the rooftop, landing quickly on the nearest roof. Her silhouette disappeared among the lights and shadows of Centralβs landscape.
She descended agilely, using the structures of the buildings to make her way down, and followed the alchemistβs trail across rooftops and alleyways. In the distance, she caught a small flash: the blond in the red coat had managed to reach him before she did. Edward Elric, whom she had recognized as the Fullmetal Alchemist, had cornered Isaac right at the entrance of the same alley where Red had confronted him earlier.
βThis ends now!β Edward shouted, his voice ringing with authority. βI came back to see why you were in this alley beforeβ¦ and bingo.β
Red stopped just behind the blond, observing the scene. Her breathing was calm, unconcerned. She had no intention of intervening yet; she preferred to attack by catching him off guard, but Isaac had already seen her.
The alchemistβs laughter echoed between the walls, a hollow sound that shifted into a cold expression.
βItβs useless to try to run,β said the suit of armor in its metallic voice from the opposite end of the alley, blocking the exit.
The air was dense, charged with the characteristic electricity of alchemy. Her gaze followed Isaacβs every movement, waiting for the perfect moment to stab him again, this time aimed at his stomach; she was already sick of chasing him all over the city.
A smile appeared once more on Isaacβs face. βAnd who says I want to run?β
He extended both hands to either side and, without even touching the ground, the transmutation circle came to life. But something was different, very different. Instead of the usual blue glow of alchemy, a crimson light engulfed everything.
A roar of energy filled the air, and red beams shot into the sky, piercing the clouds. Not just from that spot... but from different places throughout Central. It was as if the entire city had ignited at once, bathed in that infernal glow.
Red watched the scene, her eyes wide behind her goggles. Her breathing stopped for a second. That light... that color. She had seen it before so many times, years ago, in another place.
βItβs impossible...β the armorβs voice trembled, as though steel itself could feel fear.
βA Philosopherβs Stone,β Edward said, disbelief filtering through his tone even above the roar.
The moment she heard those words, Red knew. What she feared most had just been confirmed: βThe Philosopherβs Stone.β
Her mind sped up along with her breathing, which became ragged. The problem had just escalated to another level. She knew what all of this meant, and seeing once again the different points where the beams rose into the sky, Amestris was in danger.
βDamn it!β she exclaimed furiously, her voice muffled by the mask but loaded with frustration.
The brothers looked at her in surprise, as they hadnβt noticed her presence.
The air suddenly began to turn icy. From the transmutation circle engraved into the ground, a pale glow expanded like a living wave. The cold crept across the stones, and ice began spreading along the walls and floor of the alley, covering the ground with a layer of frost that crackled as it advanced.
βHeβs using the moisture in the air to...β Edwardβs voice sounded incredulous, his golden eyes fixed on the ground freezing before them.
βTo freeze it,β Red replied, barely above a whisper, her breath held behind the mask. The vapor escaping from its edges turned into small white clouds. She stepped forward without thinking, drawn toward the terrible spectacle before her.
Isaacβs figure stood in the middle of the circle, wrapped in an icy mist. His tattered coat billowed because of the wind generated by the alchemy.
βEdward Elric and Irinna Nikolevna,β his voice boomed between the walls, powerful and bitter despite the constant roar of alchemy. βA State Alchemist and a military spy... do you have any idea of the acts this country is committing?β
The blond looked at him in confusion, his furrowed brow hardening as he turned toward the girl. A spy? The word struck him hard. The military had a hidden agent and nobody had told him?
His eyes narrowed, searching the redhead for an answer, but all he saw was the way she clenched her gloved fist, the leather creaking under the pressure. Her gaze simply remained fixed on Isaac, as though the deserterβs words did not deserve a response.
Edward clicked his tongue irritably. He stepped forward, vapor rising around him, and faced the Ice Alchemist once more.
βI donβt care!β he replied with a defiant smile, his eyes shining with furious determination. βThat doesnβt matter to me!β
Isaac frowned, his voice growing deeper, laden with frustration.
βIf you knew, you might try to understand what Iβm trying to accomplish!β
βCould you shut the hell up for once!β the redhead suddenly roared, her patience shattering like glass beneath her boots. Her arm moved with overwhelming speed; the knife shot from her hand, gleaming beneath the circleβs faint red light, straight toward Isaacβs abdomen. βIβm sick of you already!β
The blade sliced through the air with a whistle. Red had been following him for what felt like days. She was completely furious at being unable to catch him once and for all, and she no longer even cared about seriously injuring him. She just wanted to finish this damn mission, go home, and forget the hell that Central had become tonight. But the alchemist seemed determined to make that impossible.
Isaac barely turned his wrist, and an icy gust rose from the circle, deflecting the knifeβs trajectory at the last instant. The weapon embedded itself in the wall, leaving small cracks around it.
βDamn it!β the girlβs complaint echoed through the air, frustrated.
Before she could move, a metallic crash shook the street. An enormous figure emerged from the wall of ice with a heavy leap: the armor. Alphonse landed with force, kicking up a cloud of frost. His movement was fast, precise, almost impossible for someone of his size. Alphonse delivered a punch that struck directly into Isaacβs side, followed by another, and another. The blows rang out like hammers against stone until the alchemist lost his balance. With a final kick, he launched him flying out of the alley.
Isaacβs body rolled across the pavement, striking the wet stones before crashing into the railings that separated the street from Centralβs river. Shards of ice flew in every direction, and the vapor from the water mixed with the freezing air, enveloping the scene.
βAl, nice work!β the blond praised his brother with a satisfied smile as he watched him approach.
Irinna advanced toward Isaac with firm, measured steps. The sound of her boots echoed against the nearly frozen ground. The alchemist stirred on the pavement, his breathing uneven, damp hair plastered to his forehead with sweat and water.
βAnswer me,β she said firmly, impatience in every syllable. βHow do you have a damn Philosopherβs Stone?β
Without hesitation, she grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head back. Isaac clenched his jaw, his crooked smile barely visible beneath the white mist surrounding them.
βI donβt know what youβre talking about,β he replied with feigned calm, his eyes full of mockery.
Irinna tightened her grip even more, fury pulsing in her jaw, but before she could respond, Edward intervened, his tone filled with challenge.
βEither you tell us willingly,β he began, his voice rising an octave and echoing across the frozen surface of the river, βor Iβll make you!β
Isaac let out a hoarse, incredulous laugh. The redhead glanced at him sideways and snorted.
βDo you really think this is the best time to be spouting nonsense?β she growled, and without thinking, drove a punch straight into his cheek.
The impact rang out with a metallic echo, a sharp sound contrasting with the icy silence. Isaacβs head snapped to the side from the force of the blow; a thin trail of blood slid from the corner of his lips.
βBelieve me, if he canβt make you talk, I can,β Irinna warned in a low tone, as cold as the air surrounding them. βAnd you know it very well.β
Isaac glared at her furiously, and his blue eyes gleamed with hatred. The air became dense, vibrating. A tremor ran through the ground.
Suddenly, right in front of them, Centralβs river began to riseβfirst with a tremor, then into a colossal mass that rose like a living wall. The water surged upward until it formed a wave that eclipsed the night sky, freezing instantly with a sound that resembled thousands of panes of glass shattering at once.
Irinna froze for an instant at the sheer magnitude of the alchemy, and that moment was enough. Isaac shoved her hard, forcing her to release her grip.
βBastard!β she growled, stumbling back several meters from the force of the shove.
The railing separating the riverbank from the rest of the street tore free from the ground entirely, merging with the wall of ice into a distorted amalgamation. Isaac seized a section of railing with agility, his silhouette rising as the wall itself began to move.
Irinna didn't hesitate. She ran after him, her breathing quick, the wind uselessly lashing against her face hidden behind the mask and goggles. She grabbed onto the remains of the railing, feeling the metal bite into her gloves, and began to climb. She wasn't going to let him escape again. Not after everything that had happened.
The air was cutting cold, and the wall tilted dangerously. For a moment she thought she would fall because it had been sharply diverted to one side, but she managed to propel herself with one final leap, reaching the top just as Isaac stopped at the edge of the precipice, unaware of her presence.
She seized the opportunity. Her right hand slid to the hidden compartment on her left wrist; from it emerged a thin yet durable thread, black as the night, gleaming beneath the moon. She ran across the slippery ice and threw herself at him with the momentum of a predator.
She slammed into his back and wrapped the thread twice around Isaac's neck, then pulled hard backward, causing him to fall onto his back, but that didn't stop her from tightening her grip even more.
The man let out a muffled grunt, his hands searching in vain for the cord strangling him. The material was too thin, impossible to grab when pulled that tight. His gasps turned into gurgles. Irinna felt his breathing become irregular beneath her weight; she only had to squeeze a little more. Just a little...
But Isaac refused to give up. With the arm bloodied from his old wound, he transmuted a small blood knife and, with a desperate movement, plunged it into the redhead's thigh.
Irinna's scream tore through the air. The pain burned like fire against her skin, forcing her to release her grip. Isaac jumped away, coughing, one hand over his bruised neck. He glared at her with hatred while she pressed both hands against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding and keep the ice from being stained red.
Then a voice thundered above the wind.
Both turned toward the source of the shout. A stone tower rose from the ground with a dry roar until it reached the height of the wall. The Elric brothers landed right in front of her.
Irinna took advantage of the moment. She dragged herself backward along the wall, trying to steady her breathing while tearing the sleeve from her jacket. The stabbing pain wouldn't let her think, but she managed to wrap the fabric around her thigh, pulling it tight to stop the bleeding.
The structure's trembling intensified as Edward and Isaac clashed through alchemy once more. The impacts rang out like thunder. Fragments of ice broke off the wall and fell onto the frozen ground.
Suddenly, a stream of hot water sprayed all of them. Irinna raised an arm, futilely trying to shield herself, letting out a complaint when the hot water touched the open wound.
In front of her, the battle reached a critical point. Isaac had climbed back onto the wall and, in a swift motion, grabbed the armor's head between his hands. The transmutation was instantaneous: an explosion of steam engulfed the air, blinding everyone.
Something heavy fell in front of Irinna, sliding across the ice. She looked down... and what she saw left her frozen.
"Alphonse!" Edward shouted from within the mist.
Upon seeing the inside of the armor, Isaac stepped back. His face displayed a mixture of shock and horror.
Irinna struggled to her feet, staggering, and took the head in her hands. Despite the weight of the metal, she managed to lift it and move forward, limping. Edward reached her and, without thinking, took it from her hands, fitting it back onto his brother's empty body.
"It's incredible..." he murmured. "Have you managed to bind a soul to a suit of armor?"
His gaze became analytical, almost fascinated, until he took notice of the boy's metal arm.
"You're missing an arm..." he said with a grim smile, then looked at the armor. "And your younger brother has lost his body entirely..."
<<Human transmutation>>, she thought to herself, quickly confirming what she had already suspected since the first time she saw them and confirming the rumors that circulated through the hallways of Headquarters every day, though she had never been interested enough to ask Roy whether those rumors were true.
Apparently, that was no longer necessary.
"You broke the taboo!" Isaac shouted, his voice overflowing with a mixture of astonishment and contempt. "The greatest crime an alchemist can commit! You performed human transmutation!"
Edward's expression darkened. He lowered his head, his fists trembling. Anger and helplessness were reflected in every fiber of his being.
Without waiting another second, he launched himself at the enemy with a roar. His metal fist struck Isaac in the abdomen with force, making him double over in pain. Edward took advantage of the moment to strike him at the back of the neck, slamming him into the ground.
The Ice Alchemist reacted immediately, transmuting sharp spikes that erupted from the ground. Edward jumped back just in time while Alphonse intervened, smashing the spikes with a blow and delivering a devastating kick that launched Isaac off the wall.
The Alchemist's body slid uncontrollably down the slope of the wall, slipping across ice and compacted snow. The scraping sound mingled with the whistle of the wind sweeping through the streets of Central, where the night had become a tide of frost and white vapor. At the bottom, the alchemist crashed onto the paved ground with a dull impact, leaving a dark trail of blood across the frozen surface.
Edward and Alphonse didn't hesitate for a second. They threw themselves after him, sliding down the wall with the agility granted by adrenaline. The metal of Edward's automail scraped across the ice, leaving an echo in its wake. Upon reaching the ground, both landed in guarded stances, alert for the slightest movement from their enemy.
Irinna was the last to descend. Her silhouette crossed the slippery snow and landed on one bent knee. A faint groan escaped her lips as the impact disturbed the wound in her leg. She rose with difficulty, pain throbbing beneath the fabric of her black pants, and walked toward the brothers with clumsy yet determined steps, limping, her breath filtering out from beneath her mask, creating white clouds in the frigid air.
"Give up! "Edward shouted, his voice echoing between the barracks walls. "There's no water here for you to use!"
Isaac, propped up on one elbow, slowly raised his head. His face was covered in dried blood, but his eyes shone with an almost fanatical determination. A twisted smile crossed his face, revealing teeth clenched by rage and delirium.
"Are you forgetting something? "his voice, though hoarse, sounded firm, almost triumphant. "The human body is composed of seventy percent water!"
Irinna's heart lurched. In that instant she understood what he was trying to do: the same trick he had used before, the one that had cost her a deep wound in the leg only minutes earlier, turning his own blood into a weapon.
"Fullmetal, watch out...! "she shouted, breaking into a run toward the blond.
A blue glow emerged from Isaac's arm, followed by the sharp sound of blood forming at an inhuman speed. Crimson spears transformed from his arm like gigantic thorns, cutting through the air with a deadly whistle.
Edward tried to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough. Two spears embedded themselves into his shoulder with a wet crack. Pain shot through his entire arm like an electric shock.
A few meters away, Irinna felt something cold and sharp force its way into her side. The air escaped her lungs in a gasp. She looked down: a blood spear had pierced her rib, her own blood streaming from it. She fell to her knees, her vision blurred by pain, and pressed the wound with her black-gloved hand.
The sound of metal tearing through the air announced Alphonse's intervention. With a swift and precise movement, his armored arm cut through the remaining spears, shattering them into fragments that fell like crystals onto the pavement.
Isaac managed to get completely to his feet, staggering but still defiant. He clutched his injured arm with his other hand, blood slipping between his fingers, while a broken laugh escaped his throat.
"You have no idea!" he shouted, his voice reverberating through the frozen walls of the headquarters. "This country is not what you think it is!"
His crazed gaze lifted toward the ice-covered buildings. Around him, the temperature dropped even further. The air crackled with alchemical energy. The headquarters' walls began to freeze over, covering themselves in a thick layer of frost that advanced rapidly, while snow fell in erratic spirals.
Isaac laughed loudly, a cackle that sounded more like a maniac's laughter. Then, taking advantage of the confusion, he turned around and fled, disappearing into the white shadows, leaving behind a trail of icy vapor.
Silence returned to the streets, broken only by Irinna's ragged breathing.
The redhead could barely remain conscious. The pain in her side was unbearable; she could feel the rapid pulse within the wound and the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. With effort, she lowered the mask covering her face, letting it hang from one of its straps, and pushed her goggles up onto her forehead. Her pale skin was exposed, beaded with sweat despite the cold. The night air hit her harshly, forcing her to take a deep breath.
"Ed... brother..." Alphonse's metallic voice trembled with concern as he knelt beside his older brother.
Edward, gritting his teeth, remained standing despite his injuries. His gloves were soaked in blood, but his gaze remained fixed on the direction the alchemist had escaped.
"I'm fine," he muttered, with a mixture of anger and determination. "Let's go after himβ" He brought a trembling hand to one of the spears embedded in his shoulder and, without hesitation, pulled hard. A dry crack and a pained groan filled the air. "That bastard..." he huffed, throwing the chunk of frozen blood far away. "He can't beat us."
He rose quickly, blood staining his red coat, ready to run. But his gaze shifted toward the redhead, barely standing on her uninjured leg, maskless, her breathing uneven and her eyes a shade of gray so light they almost seemed silver, fixed on where Isaac had fled.
He had to admit she had a rather unusual appearance.
The blond walked toward her. He wasn't planning on leaving her there. Even though he knew the Central military would arrive soon, even though duty called him to pursue the enemy, something inside him refused to abandon her. Maybe it was to avoid the guilt of leaving her there, or maybe he simply felt particularly kind that night; he wasn't sure.
He extended his automail hand toward her, the light from the streetlamps reflecting off the surface visible where his glove didn't cover it.
"W-what are you doing?" Irinna asked, panting. "Go after him before we lose him."
"I don't care," Edward replied firmly, his golden eyes fixed on her.
A lie. He did care. He wanted to know how Isaac had a Philosopher's Stone, to at least find an answer through him that could help them recover their bodies. But he realized he would feel guilty if he left her there alone.
"I said I don't care, idiot," he replied with a crooked, almost mocking smile. "Accept the help before I change my mind."
Irinna looked at him for a moment, surprised, and then a weak laugh escaped her lips, followed by a groan of pain. She extended her free hand, the one that wasn't pressing against her wound, staining Edward's white glove even more with her blood.
Edward took her hand without hesitation. His metal hand was stained with blood as well, but he didn't let go. He pulled gently, helping her to her feet. When he saw her injured leg trembling, he slipped one arm around her shoulders so she could lean on him, and with the other hand wrapped around her waist, securing her against him.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Don't thank me," he said without looking at her.
Alphonse watched the exchange in particular confusion; he had never seen his brother being so kind to someone he didn't know.
Irinna let out a small, exhausted laugh as they walked together through the frozen street. With every step, the echo of their boots rang between the walls of ice that were slowly beginning to crack. The red light of the transmutation circles went out one after another, until the glow disappeared completely.
They both knew it. That could only mean one thing: someone had stopped Isaac.
Despite the pain, they quickened their pace as much as they could. When they reached the next street, the scene brought them to an abrupt halt.
The air smelled of iron and earth. The streetlamps flickered, casting long shadows across the wet pavement. Several Central officers surrounded a motionless body covered by a white sheet. Blood had begun to seep around the edges of the corpse.
Edward, Alphonse, and Irinna approached slowly, without speaking. Just seeing the tied hair of the corpse was enough to know who it was: the lifeless body of Isaac McDougal lay there, still.
The air felt dense, almost heavy, as though the entire city was holding its breath. The lights of the streetlamps reflected off the ice that still covered part of the pavement, slowly thawing. Not only were several Central agents surrounding Isaac's motionless body, but among them, one figure stood out inevitably. His bearing was calm, his back straight, and his hands clasped behind him. He wore the same dark blue uniform as the military, but there was something in his presence that commanded immediate respect, an authority that was unsettling.
"Generalissimo King Bradley..." Edward murmured incredulously, barely believing what he was seeing.
His voice cracked slightly, a mixture of surprise and confusion. It wasn't common to see the FΓΌhrer himself supervising a field incident.
Irinna narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharpening with suspicion. Something about the scene didn't sit right with her. Bradley was a man of power, someone who rarely dirtied his hands with this sort of matter... at least, not directly. Yet there he was, standing beside the corpse of the Ice Alchemist, observing everything with a calmness that seemed too rehearsed.
Still, given the circumstancesβthe scale of the attack, the casualties, the chaos in Centralβhis presence here was understandable.
The FΓΌhrer seemed to notice the three youths only a few seconds later. He turned gracefully, revealing his single visible eye, which flashed with a glint as fleeting as it was unsettling.
"Oh my..." he said in a jovial, almost paternal tone. "The Fullmetal Alchemist and the spy Red. Good work, I congratulate you." His voice sounded light, without the slightest trace of tension, as though he were speaking of a routine accomplishment rather than a body lying a few meters away. "You know?" he continued with a barely visible smile. "You could say I helped you. So now I'll be able to brag about it in front of my son."
The words hung in the air like threads in the wind. Irinna observed him in silence, needing no longer explanation. Her mind connected the pieces instantly.
<<He killed him>>, she concluded, her brow barely furrowed. And though she didn't say it aloud, the certainty in her gaze was enough to confirm it.
However, she didn't have time to dwell on it. The accumulated tension, the constant blood loss, and the physical exhaustion finally began to take their toll. Her vision blurred, the edges of reality darkening as black spots danced before her eyes. Edward noticed immediately: her body was going limp in his arms, her weight suddenly giving way.
"Hey!" he exclaimed, catching her before she could collapse completely.
The usual mocking tone in his voice vanished, replaced by genuine concern. He completely ignored the sharp pain in his shoulder, gritting his teeth as he held her firmly. The blood of both of them stained their uniforms, warm beneath the icy night air.
Irinna didn't respond. Her breathing became uneven, her head fell forward, and finally, everything went silent. The dead weight in Edward's arms confirmed the inevitable: she had fainted.
The air in the room smelled of disinfectant, mixed with that faint metallic scent that always accompanied hospitals. The stillness was almost comforting, broken only by the constant hum of the white ceiling lights.
Irinna began to stir slowly, feeling the weight of her own body before opening her eyes. She blinked a couple of times, dazzled by the brightness of the room. The light stabbed at her pupils, making her close them again with a small groan. When she finally opened them once more, the surroundings gradually revealed themselves: a spotless white ceiling, cold lights, a half-drawn curtain, and the soft beeping of a machine in the corner.
She let out a sigh, bringing a hand to her face before carefully sitting up. The rough fabric of the hospital gown clung slightly to her skin, and when she looked down, she noticed the bandages covering her torso. Others were wrapped around her palms and wrists. Apparently, her gloves hadn't protected her completely. She leaned back against the hospital bed, releasing another sigh, this one more tired. Her injured leg barely responded, numb, but there was no unbearable pain.
"You're awake!" The metallic voice echoed through the room, warm and cheerful, with a hollow resonance that was easy to recognize.
Irinna startled, quickly turning her head. Off to one side, on the other bed, a tall figure of polished metal sat on the floor, hands resting on his knees. The gleam of steel reflected the hospital's white light.
"Uh, hi," the redhead greeted, raising a hand with a small and somewhat awkward smile. "Alphonse, right?"
The gesture was returned enthusiastically.
"Yep!" the armor replied in a youthful voice. "And that's my older brother, Edward."
Irinna followed the direction of his gesture and saw the unconscious blond on the neighboring bed. His hair was loose, falling in messy strands over the pillow, and a bandage crossed his forehead.
"I'm Irinna," she said softly, still sounding somewhat fatigued. "Nice to meet you, Alphonse."
"Nice to meet you too, Irinna," he replied with that natural kindness that contrasted with his warrior-like appearance.
The redhead looked around the room. Sunlight poured through the large windows, bathing the floor in golden tones. The blue sky told her it was daytime, but she had no idea how much time had passed.
"How long was I unconscious?" she finally asked, turning her attention back to Alphonse.
"All night," he answered without hesitation. "The sun came up a little while ago."
Irinna nodded silently, processing the answer. Her fingers carefully felt the bandages on her rib and thigh. There were no signs of stitches, only clean, firm dressings. She let out a relieved sigh; the wounds hadn't been that deep. They had probably given her a blood transfusion after seeing her condition; that explained why she didn't feel as weak as she expected.
"We were scared when you fainted last night," Alphonse said, lowering his voice slightly, as if reliving the worry. "And when you didn't wake up on the way to the hospital, we thought the worst."
Irinna lowered her gaze to her bandaged hands. She remained silent for a moment, letting the sound of the wind beyond the windows fill the space between them.
"We only calmed down when the nurses brought you here," Al added, sounding more at ease now. "They said you'd be fine."
She looked up and gave him a genuine smile.
"Thank you for worrying."
"It's nothing," the armored boy replied. "It was the least we could do after you helped us stop Isaac."
Irinna let out a brief laugh.
"I wasn't much help either... look at me." She gestured to her condition.
"That's not true!" Alphonse exclaimed with such conviction that it startled her slightly. "Of course you were a huge help. Don't sell yourself short."
The door opened then with a soft creak. A nurse entered with quick steps, carrying a basket full of fresh fruit. Seeing Irinna awake, she smiled in relief and approached her.
"It's good to see you're awake," she said cheerfully as she set the basket on the table. "Let me check on you."
Irinna patiently allowed herself to be examined. The nurse checked her vision, pulse, and bandages. Everything seemed fine.
"The good news is that your injuries weren't deep enough to require stitches," she commented while removing her gloves. "If you keep improving like this, we might be able to discharge you today. Would you like me to call someone?"
"Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, please."
When the nurse left, the room became quiet again. Irinna eyed the basket with interest: shiny red apples and a small bowl with a table knife. Her stomach growled silently. She picked up one of the apples and carefully began peeling it with the knife, focusing on the rhythmic sound of the blade cutting through the fruit.
"Is Edward okay...?" she asked Al without looking up, slicing the apple into pieces.
"Yeah, I'm okay," replied a deeper voice, still somewhat hoarse.
Irinna looked up in surprise. Edward was slowly sitting up in the neighboring bed, making his hair even messier. He still had the bandage on his head and another peeking out from his shoulder, but his eyes were already as lively as ever.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his expression somewhere between serious and concerned.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied with a slight smile, extending the bowl toward him. "Want some?"
The blond looked at her, confused at first, but eventually accepted. His metal hand carefully picked up a slice.
"Irinna," she answered softly.
Edward nodded with a small smile.
She returned the smile and took another slice for herself, enjoying the fruit's fresh sweetness.
Edward couldn't take his eyes off her. Every time Irinna raised an apple slice to her lips, he felt curiosity eating away at him from the inside. There was something about herβthat calmness, those silvery-gray eyes, her quiet and mysterious presenceβthat had him completely intrigued.
While she absentmindedly chewed, he finished his slice as well, but unlike her, he didn't seem to enjoy it much. He had too many things on his mind. His gaze sharpened slightly as it dropped toward the floor while a stream of thoughts dragged him along relentlessly.
He still had trouble believing it. Roy Mustang hadn't told him, as if it weren't something important, and that only made his irritation bubble up even more. How the hell had the commander and the others kept quiet about something like that? Since when had there been a spy in the military, and why hadn't anyone told him?
He clenched his teeth in frustration, feeling a slight pull in his injured shoulder.
What else are they hiding?
His gaze settled on Irinna again. She seemed calm, too calm, as though everything that had happened the previous night was just chaos from a long time ago. And thinking about it, he could only conclude that she wasn't from Amestris. Besides her unusual hair and eye color, she had a strange accent he couldn't identify.
Edward narrowed his eyes, studying her carefully. It wasn't just her appearance that was unusual: she had demonstrated remarkable precision and knowledge. She had deduced Isaac's intentions almost as quickly as he had. She had immediately recognized Isaac's plans to freeze Central. And when she mentioned the supposed Philosopher's Stone, she hadn't sounded surprised... but rather like someone who already understood exactly what it was.
Could she be an alchemist? he thought, tilting his head slightly. But no... he hadn't seen any transmutation circles on her gloves or anywhere else. He hadn't seen her attempt alchemy during the fight either. She had only fought Isaac hand-to-hand, leaving him with some serious injuries, such as the bruises on the Alchemist's neck.
All of that only confused and intrigued him more.
He ran a hand through his hair, making it even messier than usual, and glanced sideways at her. She was still eating the last apple slices with a distracted expression, completely unaware of the hurricane of thoughts she was causing.
<<Okay, Ed. Calm down. Think of your questions before opening your mouth,>> he told himself, trying to organize the storm in his head. <<Start with something simple. Just find out what a spy is doing working for the military. Or if she really is one. Or ifβ>>
The door burst open with a sharp bang that made the windows rattle.
Irinna jumped, dropping the knife into the bowl, while Alphonse straightened in alarm. Edward instinctively planted his metal hand on the edge of the bed, ready to stand.
The atmosphere changed instantly, becoming heavy and tense. And standing in the doorway, entering with firm steps and a gaze capable of freezing the air itself, was a familiar figure.
Alex Louis Armstrong stormed into the room like a hurricane of drama, sunlight shining behind him and an absurdly large bouquet of flowers in one hand. His imposing figure filled the entire doorway, and his blue eyes gleamed with emotion, already clouded with tears he made no effort to hide.
"Edward Elric and Irinna Nikolevna!" his deep, vibrant, almost sing-song voice boomed, echoing throughout the hospital room. "Upon learning that both of you had been hospitalized, I came at once to offer my sincerest support!"
The silence that followed was pure bewilderment. Edward wore an expression difficult to decipher; Alphonse tilted his head in confusion; and Irinna, still holding the fruit bowl, merely blinked a couple of times in disbelief.
"Oh no..." Edward muttered, covering part of his face with one hand, already knowing what was coming.
Major Armstrong took a couple of steps forward with the bearing of someone entering a stage and gently placed the enormous bouquet on the table beside Irinna. Then he turned toward them, placing one hand over his chest and flashing a radiant look.
"I shall keep you company while you recover!" he declared with almost heroic enthusiasm, and before anyone could react, his other hand had already reached for the vest of his uniform.
In one fluid, exaggerated movement, he tore it off, revealing his sculpted, gleaming torso beneath the hospital lights. The muscles of his arms shone with an almost mystical radiance as he struck a glorious pose, the background seemingly vibrating with imaginary sparks of light.
"Does the beauty of my muscles, forged through generations of the proud Armstrong family, not bring you comfort?" he exclaimed as tears of emotion streamed down his cheeks. "Do not be shyβyou may touch them!"
The reaction was immediate and comical.
"NOOO!" all three shouted at the same time.
Unable to contain herself, Irinna doubled over slightly, laughing out loud while trying to cover her mouth with her bandaged hand.
"Please put your clothes back on already!" Edward protested, red with sheer embarrassment. "We're in a hospital, for the love of God!"
"Ah, youth! So full of energy and modesty!" Armstrong replied with theatrical drama, covering his torso again, though tears still flowed from his eyes. "Your words touch my sensitive soul!"
Alphonse let out a metallic chuckle, and even Edward had to look away to hide the smile threatening to escape.
Still laughing, Irinna shook her head and exhaled between breaths.
Before the scene could continue with Major Armstrong's usual eccentricities, the hospital door opened again, this time with a calm, firm, measured movement. The atmosphere shifted immediately: Armstrong's chaotic energy vanished within seconds as Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye entered, carrying herself with her usual impeccable composure and serene expression.
Her footsteps echoed with military precision across the polished floor, and her eyes assessed the situation in a single glance: Armstrong without his jacket, Edward looking like he wanted to disappear, Alphonse visibly uncomfortable, and Irinna trying not to laugh again.
"Colonel, please put your uniform back on," Riza requested in a calm but firm voice, crossing her arms.
The effect was immediate. Armstrong, still teary-eyed, straightened up with a "Yes, Miss Hawkeye!" and began putting his uniform jacket back on with the solemnity of someone acknowledging a superior authority.
With the situation now under control, Riza turned her attention to the redhead resting on the hospital bed. Her expression softened slightly when she saw her awake.
"You've been discharged. We can go now," she said, and though her voice remained professional, there was a warm undertone that revealed a certain affection.
Irinna nodded calmly and swung her legs off the side of the bed. Her leg still hurt a little, but she could put weight on it without much trouble. Riza approached and offered her a hand to help her up, a gesture Irinna accepted with a grateful smile.
Once on her feet, the redhead turned toward the others. Edward, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, lifted his gaze just as she looked at him. Her gray eyes met the alchemist's golden ones. Irinna raised a hand in farewell.
"See you later," she said simply, her tone calm but carrying a trace of fatigue.
"Farewell, dear Irinna!" Armstrong boomed with his usual dramatics, pressing a hand to his chest in an exaggerated salute. "May the strength and passion of the Armstrongs always be with you!"
Irinna couldn't help but smile at the overwhelming enthusiasm as Riza, visibly resigned, guided her out of the room.
Edward watched them until the door closed softly behind them. He wanted to say something, stop her, ask her everything that had been running through his mind... but he remained motionless, saying nothing.
When silence reclaimed the room, he let out a frustrated sigh and sank slightly into his pillow.
"Great..." he muttered. "Right when I was about to start asking questions."
Beside him, Alphonse let out a soft metallic laugh.
"Looks like you'll have to wait, brother."
Edward clicked his tongue in resignation and turned his gaze toward the window. The morning sun bathed the room in warm light, and though his body still ached, his mind was already working, replaying everything that had happened the night before.
Well, this is the first chapter of my new fullmetal alchemist fanfic!!! I hope you really liked it, this chapter had already been written for several months, and so far I have only been writing 5 chapters and I am writing 6. And as you may have noticed, the protagonist is very inspired by Marvel's Natasha Romanoff, I'm sorry, but I had to. The art of the chapter is also completely made by me, maybe with some inspirations here and there, you know.
That's all for today, I'd be glad you commented to know what they thought. This is just the first chapter in a great adventure ahead. Xoxo ππ
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