Fan Fiction / Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ The Key to Alchemy ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
This idea came to me a couple weeks ago, and I couldn't resist. A note about the Ishbalins-In Conquerer of
Shamballa, Lust and Scar were seen in the very end. For those of you who did not notice them, they were gypsies.
Oh, and this is based off the manga, not the anime.
Chapter 1
When she was younger, Dawn had despised the music lessons her mother had forced her to take. Had hated the
violin. A year ago she had learned exactly how useful those lessons had been.
A year ago today, Glorificus had kidnaped her, used her as a human sacrifice. All for the sake of powers
that, at the time she could barely control. She had been so frightened, watching the portal form, knowing that it
would only close when her blood stopped flowing. It had taken all of Dawn’s courage for her to jump into that portal.
She had woken up in an alternate dimension. Without any money or family to turn to, Dawn had barely managed
to survive. In this dimension the only real jobs available to women were in their family’s business or as a
prostitute. She had been wandering the streets, picking pockets to survive when she had seen it. A young woman was
playing a musical instrument, an upturned hat at her feet. Occasionally a person would drop a coin into the woman’s
hat.
It was then that Dawn thanked her mother for all of those lessons. It had taken a month to steal enough
money to afford a well made violin. It took several days of practice to get good enough. Shortly thereafter, Dawn
could be found at various street corners playing her violin.
Once she had made enough money to buy some supplies, Dawn had decided to test out her powers. It had taken
several weeks to figure out exactly how her powers worked, but once she did, Dawn was able to move from dimension
to dimension with ease.
The one good thing about the dimensions was that there was almost always money to be made by a traveling
musician.
Dawn walked through the town, wondering if she would be able to make any money here at all. This part of
Amestris seemed much poorer than farther south. Seeing an inn of some sort, Dawn decided to go in. In towns like
these, people tended to gather at the inns in the evening. Maybe she could trade playing her violin as entertainment
for some food and a place to sleep for the night.
She noticed the two people sitting outside. A blonde haired boy and a man in a suit of armor, a suitcase
next to them. The boy, while not extravagantly dressed, wore well made clothing. Wondering why exactly they were
out here instead of in the inn, Dawn decided to talk to them.
“Hello,” she said. It was unlikely, but she decided to ask anyway. “Is the inn full tonight?”
***
Edward Elric sipped the drink, talking to his brother quietly. He was still annoyed that the innkeeper had
thrown him out, but could understand. From what he understood, Lt. Yoki, the owner of the local coal mine, as well
as just about everything else in Youswell was very corrupt.
“Hello. Is the inn full tonight?”
Ed looked up. A young woman stood about ten feet away. He felt his breath hitch. She was at least part
Ishbalin. She had to be. She had long dark hair tied in a single braid and thrown over her shoulder. Her skin was
darker than his, but not quite as dark as an Ishbalin. Her eyes were... they were light, not dark. Her bone
structure, however was exactly that of an Ishbalin.
She wore a foreign looking outfit. A light gray underdress which clung to her arms and neck with a full,
ankle length skirt, leaving only her face and hands visible. Over that she wore a low cut, sleeveless dress made
of darker gray material. It was fastened in the front with laces . The laces ended at her hips, leaving the rest
of the skirt untied. The lighter gray skirt peaked out from time to time as the light wind blew the skirt around.
She carried a heavy looking pack with a cloak fastened to the top of it.
“No, but I doubt you’d be able to afford a room there,” stated Ed.
She glared at him. In her slightly accented Amestran, she said, “I’m sure the inkeeper would be willing to
let me sleep in front of the fire in exchange for a night of entertainment.”
“You’re a street performer, then,” he said.
It would make sense. Admittedly street performers usually traveled in groups, but occasionally they would
travel alone. Most of the street performers were Ishbalins refugees. Although he had yet to see a lone female
Ishbalin woman working as a performer. From what he understood, Ishbal had been settled by traveling folk about
four or five hundred years earlier. They had been called... he didn’t quite remember exactly what they were called.
Something that began with a g. What was it again? Oh yes, a gypsy.
“I play the fiddle,” she said warily.
Ed nodded, he had always liked the sound of that particular instrument. “You should tell the innkeeper that
you have no money before he tries to charge you, he tried to charge me two hundred thousand for a room.”
“Thank you,” she said, sounding a lot kinder than she had a few moments earlier. “I’m Dawn.”
“Ed,” he said. He was sure that if she knew he was a state alchemist, she would be glaring at him once more.
“It was nice speaking to you Ed,” said Dawn, moving to enter the inn.
It was at that moment that three men in military uniforms pushed past her, giving her looks of disdain. Ed
heard one of them say, “Out of the way! We’re coming in!”
Dawn landed on the ground, barely managing to muffle a cry of pain. Ed walked over to Dawn, knowing that if
the soldiers came back they might hurt her. Ishbalins were second class citizens at best. No Ishbalin woman wandered
around alone, mostly because very few people would think anything of hurting or raping one of them. Ed knew that if
an Ishbalin was in trouble, crying out for help, no normal Amestran would help.
“Are you alright?” asked Ed.
Dawn nodded. “I just landed on my hand wrong, I”ll be fine.”
Ed helped her to stand up. “Wait over there, I’ll go see what’s going on.”
Leaving Dawn outside, Ed entered the inn just in time to see Yoki backhand the innkeeper’s son. Ed managed
to block one of the soldier’s sword with his automail arm, the sword braking in half. After explaining that he was
a state alchemist, he left with Yoki and the soldiers. Hopefully he would be able to find out exactly what was going
on.
It was then that he saw Dawn standing in the doorway, watching what was going on. Lt. Yoki approached Dawn,
a lecherous look upon his face. Before she could move, one of the soldier’s had grabbed her arm, holding her in
place.
“Let me go!” she growled.
Lt. Yoki looked down at her, examining Dawn far too closely for Ed’s liking. “What is scum like you doing
here?”
Attacking a smug, arrogant look to his face, Ed began to talk, hoping that he could convince Yoki and the
soldiers. “I’d suggest you let go of her.”
Lt. Yoki looked at Ed, an annoyed look upon his face. “Why would you care about what I do to an Ishbalin?”
Ed walked over to Dawn, brushing aside the soldier’s hand. He slipped his arm around her waist. “Dawn here
was separated from her troupe several months ago. She is traveling with me until we find them.” He turned to Yoki
giving him a knowing look. “It’s dangerous times for a pretty woman to be traveling alone, wouldn’t you agree?”
Lt. Yoki smiled, showing that he believed Ed.
***
Dawn stood off to the side, playing a ballad on her fiddle. Several feet away Ed was eating dinner with
that rather disgusting Lt. Yoki. She had been eaten with the maids in the kitchen an hour earlier.
Dawn still wasn’t sure if she should be grateful for Ed’s interference. Ed had certainly saved her from
being raped or worse by Yoki’s soldiers, but she still was not sure of his intentions. Ed had implied that in return
for his “protection,” she gave him sexual favors. As to whether or not Ed expected her to... repay him for the
recue, Dawn did not know.
She was not much of a fighter, but she knew enough to survive. If Ed tried anything, Dawn would make sure
that he could not reproduce.
Being mistaken for an Ishbalin so often was starting to get on her nerves. Dawn knew that the Ishbalins
were descendants of a group of Romani which had started a town out east. Their numbers had grown over time,
eventually becoming a country. Hank Summers, well, his name wasn’t really Hank Summers, but that was beside the
point. Her paternal grandmother had been a full blooded Rom. Dawn’s coloring was a little bit off, but according
to her father, she could have been her grandmother’s twin.
She watched Yoki try to bribe Ed. Seeing Ed accept the bribe, Dawn decided that perhaps it was not the best
idea to trust him.
As Ed got up to leave, he said, “Come Dawn.”
Dawn was left to hurriedly pack up her violin.
***
Ed walked back to the inn, hopefully Al would still be there. He had a plan, but it would involve breaking
the law. But only for a little while.
Dawn trailed behind him. He knew that she was suspicious of him, but he hadn’t had a chance to explain.
After this was over he would apologize.
Seeing the remains of the inn, Ed stopped short. He could here Dawn’s gasp of horror. She touched his arm
cautiously.
“You have to do something,” she said quietly.
“What do you want me to do, give them money to rebuild?” Ed asked, showing his displeasure at the idea.
“I-what? No,” she stuttered. “You’re an alchemist, can’t you rebuild the inn?”
Ed opened his mouth to refuse, but then he saw the look on her face. Dawn was nearly in tears. He was never
quite able to refuse a crying woman. With a sigh he walked over to the remains of the inn, ignoring the calls of the
townsfolk. Concentrating on what needed to be done, he clapped his hands and then put them to the ground. A moment
later the inn stood once more.
He turned back, looking for Al. This would complicate his plans a little, but hopefully he would be able to
accomplish his goals before Yoki found out about this.
He walked over to his brother. “Al, we need to get going.”
“What are you-”
Ed turned back to Dawn. “Wait here, help them set up the inn or something. My brother and I will be back
later.”
“I-of course,” Dawn said quietly.
Shamballa, Lust and Scar were seen in the very end. For those of you who did not notice them, they were gypsies.
Oh, and this is based off the manga, not the anime.
Chapter 1
When she was younger, Dawn had despised the music lessons her mother had forced her to take. Had hated the
violin. A year ago she had learned exactly how useful those lessons had been.
A year ago today, Glorificus had kidnaped her, used her as a human sacrifice. All for the sake of powers
that, at the time she could barely control. She had been so frightened, watching the portal form, knowing that it
would only close when her blood stopped flowing. It had taken all of Dawn’s courage for her to jump into that portal.
She had woken up in an alternate dimension. Without any money or family to turn to, Dawn had barely managed
to survive. In this dimension the only real jobs available to women were in their family’s business or as a
prostitute. She had been wandering the streets, picking pockets to survive when she had seen it. A young woman was
playing a musical instrument, an upturned hat at her feet. Occasionally a person would drop a coin into the woman’s
hat.
It was then that Dawn thanked her mother for all of those lessons. It had taken a month to steal enough
money to afford a well made violin. It took several days of practice to get good enough. Shortly thereafter, Dawn
could be found at various street corners playing her violin.
Once she had made enough money to buy some supplies, Dawn had decided to test out her powers. It had taken
several weeks to figure out exactly how her powers worked, but once she did, Dawn was able to move from dimension
to dimension with ease.
The one good thing about the dimensions was that there was almost always money to be made by a traveling
musician.
Dawn walked through the town, wondering if she would be able to make any money here at all. This part of
Amestris seemed much poorer than farther south. Seeing an inn of some sort, Dawn decided to go in. In towns like
these, people tended to gather at the inns in the evening. Maybe she could trade playing her violin as entertainment
for some food and a place to sleep for the night.
She noticed the two people sitting outside. A blonde haired boy and a man in a suit of armor, a suitcase
next to them. The boy, while not extravagantly dressed, wore well made clothing. Wondering why exactly they were
out here instead of in the inn, Dawn decided to talk to them.
“Hello,” she said. It was unlikely, but she decided to ask anyway. “Is the inn full tonight?”
***
Edward Elric sipped the drink, talking to his brother quietly. He was still annoyed that the innkeeper had
thrown him out, but could understand. From what he understood, Lt. Yoki, the owner of the local coal mine, as well
as just about everything else in Youswell was very corrupt.
“Hello. Is the inn full tonight?”
Ed looked up. A young woman stood about ten feet away. He felt his breath hitch. She was at least part
Ishbalin. She had to be. She had long dark hair tied in a single braid and thrown over her shoulder. Her skin was
darker than his, but not quite as dark as an Ishbalin. Her eyes were... they were light, not dark. Her bone
structure, however was exactly that of an Ishbalin.
She wore a foreign looking outfit. A light gray underdress which clung to her arms and neck with a full,
ankle length skirt, leaving only her face and hands visible. Over that she wore a low cut, sleeveless dress made
of darker gray material. It was fastened in the front with laces . The laces ended at her hips, leaving the rest
of the skirt untied. The lighter gray skirt peaked out from time to time as the light wind blew the skirt around.
She carried a heavy looking pack with a cloak fastened to the top of it.
“No, but I doubt you’d be able to afford a room there,” stated Ed.
She glared at him. In her slightly accented Amestran, she said, “I’m sure the inkeeper would be willing to
let me sleep in front of the fire in exchange for a night of entertainment.”
“You’re a street performer, then,” he said.
It would make sense. Admittedly street performers usually traveled in groups, but occasionally they would
travel alone. Most of the street performers were Ishbalins refugees. Although he had yet to see a lone female
Ishbalin woman working as a performer. From what he understood, Ishbal had been settled by traveling folk about
four or five hundred years earlier. They had been called... he didn’t quite remember exactly what they were called.
Something that began with a g. What was it again? Oh yes, a gypsy.
“I play the fiddle,” she said warily.
Ed nodded, he had always liked the sound of that particular instrument. “You should tell the innkeeper that
you have no money before he tries to charge you, he tried to charge me two hundred thousand for a room.”
“Thank you,” she said, sounding a lot kinder than she had a few moments earlier. “I’m Dawn.”
“Ed,” he said. He was sure that if she knew he was a state alchemist, she would be glaring at him once more.
“It was nice speaking to you Ed,” said Dawn, moving to enter the inn.
It was at that moment that three men in military uniforms pushed past her, giving her looks of disdain. Ed
heard one of them say, “Out of the way! We’re coming in!”
Dawn landed on the ground, barely managing to muffle a cry of pain. Ed walked over to Dawn, knowing that if
the soldiers came back they might hurt her. Ishbalins were second class citizens at best. No Ishbalin woman wandered
around alone, mostly because very few people would think anything of hurting or raping one of them. Ed knew that if
an Ishbalin was in trouble, crying out for help, no normal Amestran would help.
“Are you alright?” asked Ed.
Dawn nodded. “I just landed on my hand wrong, I”ll be fine.”
Ed helped her to stand up. “Wait over there, I’ll go see what’s going on.”
Leaving Dawn outside, Ed entered the inn just in time to see Yoki backhand the innkeeper’s son. Ed managed
to block one of the soldier’s sword with his automail arm, the sword braking in half. After explaining that he was
a state alchemist, he left with Yoki and the soldiers. Hopefully he would be able to find out exactly what was going
on.
It was then that he saw Dawn standing in the doorway, watching what was going on. Lt. Yoki approached Dawn,
a lecherous look upon his face. Before she could move, one of the soldier’s had grabbed her arm, holding her in
place.
“Let me go!” she growled.
Lt. Yoki looked down at her, examining Dawn far too closely for Ed’s liking. “What is scum like you doing
here?”
Attacking a smug, arrogant look to his face, Ed began to talk, hoping that he could convince Yoki and the
soldiers. “I’d suggest you let go of her.”
Lt. Yoki looked at Ed, an annoyed look upon his face. “Why would you care about what I do to an Ishbalin?”
Ed walked over to Dawn, brushing aside the soldier’s hand. He slipped his arm around her waist. “Dawn here
was separated from her troupe several months ago. She is traveling with me until we find them.” He turned to Yoki
giving him a knowing look. “It’s dangerous times for a pretty woman to be traveling alone, wouldn’t you agree?”
Lt. Yoki smiled, showing that he believed Ed.
***
Dawn stood off to the side, playing a ballad on her fiddle. Several feet away Ed was eating dinner with
that rather disgusting Lt. Yoki. She had been eaten with the maids in the kitchen an hour earlier.
Dawn still wasn’t sure if she should be grateful for Ed’s interference. Ed had certainly saved her from
being raped or worse by Yoki’s soldiers, but she still was not sure of his intentions. Ed had implied that in return
for his “protection,” she gave him sexual favors. As to whether or not Ed expected her to... repay him for the
recue, Dawn did not know.
She was not much of a fighter, but she knew enough to survive. If Ed tried anything, Dawn would make sure
that he could not reproduce.
Being mistaken for an Ishbalin so often was starting to get on her nerves. Dawn knew that the Ishbalins
were descendants of a group of Romani which had started a town out east. Their numbers had grown over time,
eventually becoming a country. Hank Summers, well, his name wasn’t really Hank Summers, but that was beside the
point. Her paternal grandmother had been a full blooded Rom. Dawn’s coloring was a little bit off, but according
to her father, she could have been her grandmother’s twin.
She watched Yoki try to bribe Ed. Seeing Ed accept the bribe, Dawn decided that perhaps it was not the best
idea to trust him.
As Ed got up to leave, he said, “Come Dawn.”
Dawn was left to hurriedly pack up her violin.
***
Ed walked back to the inn, hopefully Al would still be there. He had a plan, but it would involve breaking
the law. But only for a little while.
Dawn trailed behind him. He knew that she was suspicious of him, but he hadn’t had a chance to explain.
After this was over he would apologize.
Seeing the remains of the inn, Ed stopped short. He could here Dawn’s gasp of horror. She touched his arm
cautiously.
“You have to do something,” she said quietly.
“What do you want me to do, give them money to rebuild?” Ed asked, showing his displeasure at the idea.
“I-what? No,” she stuttered. “You’re an alchemist, can’t you rebuild the inn?”
Ed opened his mouth to refuse, but then he saw the look on her face. Dawn was nearly in tears. He was never
quite able to refuse a crying woman. With a sigh he walked over to the remains of the inn, ignoring the calls of the
townsfolk. Concentrating on what needed to be done, he clapped his hands and then put them to the ground. A moment
later the inn stood once more.
He turned back, looking for Al. This would complicate his plans a little, but hopefully he would be able to
accomplish his goals before Yoki found out about this.
He walked over to his brother. “Al, we need to get going.”
“What are you-”
Ed turned back to Dawn. “Wait here, help them set up the inn or something. My brother and I will be back
later.”
“I-of course,” Dawn said quietly.