Haven't finished reading the manga and watching the anime (both 2003 and Brotherhood versions), but I already got an idea for Fullmetal Alchemist's fic. Also inspired from Ripple Effect by shatterboxin.
Ed and Al always knew their family was weird. With a dad that never seemed to be different in any pictures, to a mom that wore mismatched socks just because she liked it – yeah. Their family was weird. But it was their family, nonetheless, and both boys loved em' very much.
Then, their dad came home with a bunch of hooligan dressed in black as if they were in a band or a cult. Probably both. Probably not. Honestly, who were these weird people, father?
Apparently ; their cousins.
Shocking, Ed knew. Who would have thought dad had a brother? Al genuinely believed that dad was that kind of guy who appeared out of the blue, completely nowhere. Who knew dad had a past?
Their cousins consisted of six weirdos with weirdo names. Huh. Who would had thought?
From the youngest, Sloth, who also had the most muscular body yet with the laziest personality. Gluttony, the kind boy with a heart as big as his stomach. Envy, the freaking jerk who kept stealing Ed's water bottle. Greed, who was... Greed. Lust, who somehow the most normal among them, and finally, Pride, who somehow the youngest looking despite being the literal oldest.
Yeah. These guys were Ed and Al's cousins.
Either way, a fate was a fate. A family was a family. Sure, their family was a bit weird – okay, probably too weird with a dad and cousins that never grow old (Ed and Al tried not to notice that they also aged physically slower compared to their peers. No... they were just... late bloomers. Yeah. Late bloomers) and a mom that was fond with mismatched socks – but they were family.
That was all that matter.
Wait— their cousins seemed to be loathing the government? Who doesn't? Either way, being a State Alchemist seemed to be giving loads of privileges. Sooooooo... don't mind if the brothers go to try on the Alchemist exam!
• The Homunculi (aka the cousins) lived with Ed and Al since the boys were children.
• Ed and Al not only inherited most of their dad's appearance, but also the inner biological parts... so they grew up slower compared to the rest of the kids.
• The Elric brothers and the Homunculi got attached (family, am I right?)
• Trisha still died, and Van still left, but the boy didn't get to do a human transaction because Pride and the rest said no-no.
• Al was not an armour, but he lost his left leg while Ed lost his right arm from an accident.
• Both brothers had always been deeply intrigued with alchemy. So after their mom died, they met Izumi like in canon and became her students so they could learn more about alchemy.
• Afterwards, the brothers were still deep in grief over the lost of their mom, however. So when one day two military dudes came to their village looking for the rumoured young talented Alchemists, the brothers agreed to join up. Also, by being State Alchemists, they would be granted deeper access to the military study regarding alchemy, and that caught the boys' attention.
• Their cousins absolutely loathed the military, for some reason, and forbid the boys from ever joining the military. But of course, neither Ed nor Al listened and secretly kept contact with Mustang.
• Ed and Al ran away from home to join the military. Only Granny and Winry were aware of their plan, and neither stopped them. Well, they tried to talk the boys out of it, but that didn't work.
• Note : Both Ed and Al were twelve and eleven when they joined the military, but they looked like they were around ten. When Ed turned fifteen, he looked like he was twelve. Al, too, appeared younger due to their father's... um, heritage (????). But also, because of that, the brothers were able to do the clap thingy without any circle transmission.
• After finding out that the brothers had become military dogs, the Homunculi were trying their best to get them quit from becoming State Alchemists.
• Ed and Al, obviously, wouldn't let them.
Two brothers became State Alchemists for special privileges while trying to avoid their protective cousins from dragging their butts back home. The brothers wanted nothing more but to study more and — oho? Philosopher's Stone turned out to be real? Also, the military seemed to be involved in something much darker?
But what this? Ed and Al's family were somewhat related to these?
Well. Their family had always been weird.
