Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ A.W.O.L. ❯ A.W.O.L.: Prologue ( Prologue )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
Warnings: OOC-ness! Yaoi! Bad Grammar! Misspellings! And first FMA Fic!



A.W.O.L.


Edward Elric. He was an enigma among the military. When his mother died, him and his brother tried to bring her back. In result Alphonse Elric lost his body and was a soul attached to a suit of armor, and his brother Ed lost his right arm and left leg. He became a state alchemist and was said to be the 'People's hero'. At the age of 16, the young boy had found the Philospher's stone and used it to bring back his brother's body. Sadly though, the stone was destroyed under the pressure of its task and could not be used to heal Ed's own body. Not that Ed minded, he would always hold the reminder of his mistake with him. Or so he wrote in his report to Colonel...no...Brigadier General Mustang.

You see....after Ed's mission to get his brother's body back was accomplished, Colonel Mustang was promoted along with the rest of his subordinates. Ed on the other hand, he went missing from the military. Mustang suppose it was because Ed finished what he set out to do. But his subordinates seem to think otherwise. Lieutenant Colonel Riza Hawkeye seemed to think Ed left to spend more time with his brother in Rizenbul. Colonel Maes Hughes on the other hand, seemed to think that Edward wanted to travel around without the military's leash around his neck. Either way, that put pressure on Brigadier Gerenal Mustang, because it was one of his men.

One thing was clear since the three years they last saw him.

Edward Elric went AWOL from the military.

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"Have you heard the rumors Roy?" Maes Hughes asked as he lounged on the couch in Roy's office.

"What rumors would that be Hughes?" Roy asked not looking up from his paperwork.

"There's a protector in a village not too far from central." Hughes replied with a smile.

"A protector?" The Brigadier General raised an eyebrow and looked at his old friend.

"According to my sources, an alchemist is protecting the village from some rogue chimeras." Hughes said pushing up his glasses. "The chimeras that have been going around central seemed to be leaving and flocking toward that village."

"Really..." Now he was interested.

"By the looks of it, it seems the chimera are being controlled. And the controller doesn't like his pets being destroyed." The Colonel smirked and looked at Roy. "I'm tempted to go out and take a look."

"Why don't you then?" Roy asked leaned his chin on his right hand.

"Because...." Hughes whipped out a pictures of his darling daughter, Elysia. "My sweet daughter will miss her daddy!" Rolling his eyes, Roy went back to his paperwork. "So you're not going to check it out?"

"Why should I? A rogue alchemist doing us a favor, what's more to do?" Roy asked. "I rather have all my people here and on alert." Hughes sighed and shrugged. He was about to say something further, when someone knocked on the door. "Come in."

"Brigadier General, sir." Riza Hawkeye entered. At her feet, Black Hayate, her dog stood obediently. She saluted to him.

"At ease, Lieutenant Colonel." Roy replied with a smirk. "Have you considered my idea on wearing a skirt?"

Riza's eyebrow twitched. "I have..." Her gun was pointed at Roy in a millisecond. "I've decided if you asked me again I would just blow your head off."

"I see." Roy replied. "We'll discuss this later." Riza put her gun away and sighed.

"I came to inform Hughes that one of his men came back from scouting the village being attacked by the chimeras." Hughes stood and looked at Riza.

"What did he say?"

"He said to relay a message: 'I heard the clap'. " Riza said.

"The clap Hughes?" Roy asked. "What does that mean?"

"It means Roy..." Hughes turned to him with a smirk. "I've found Elric."

"Edward?" Riza stepped farther into the room. "How did you figure that he was there?"

"Yes, do tell..." Roy asked slowly, getting over his shock, which he didn't show.

"Well I've made this my private case for about three years. "It wasn't until the chimera appeared and started to attack is when I really got into it." Hughes explained. "I was by the train station when I saw Winry and Al get off the train."

"Alphonse and his fiance? What were they doing in Central? I got no word that they were coming." Roy said sitting up straight in his chair.

"Nor did I," Hughes replied. "So I decided to follow them. You wouldn't believe who picked them up from the train station though."

"Who?" Riza asked.

"This is going to shock you beyond belief. Do you really want to know?"

"Stop stalling Colonel." The woman glared her hand twitching toward her gun.

"Alright..." The man replied. "Scar..."

"Scar picked up Winry and Al?" Roy asked standing. "Did they seem like they were in trouble?" His brow furrowed together. It didn't make sense...why would Al and Winry willingly walk into the hands of a person like that?

"No, they were actually smiling when they saw him. I tailed them out of Central and to the village. There is a large home not too far from it, but that's were Scar drove them too. I was too far away to hear anything, but by the way Al acted and practically ran into the house...I'd have to say I found him." Hughes pushed up his glasses with a grin.

"Ed? Are you sure?" Riza asked. She had been worried about the young boy that she thought as a brother. Sure Al would call her, but no one has seen hide nor hair of Ed since his last report. Hayate looked up at Hughes with a face that said, 'It-better-be-Ed'.

"Earlier I said that an alchemist has been protecting that village. Come on...even Havoc could see this." Hughes looked at Roy.

"You said that your man heard the clap....you assume it was FullMetal's Transmutation Clap, right?" Roy raised an eyebrow.

"That's the theory..."

"We can't base this on theory. I need facts Hughes." Roy said.

"Roy..." Riza looked at him.

"Well Roy, if you wish...we can follow a chimera into the village and see what happens." Hughes said.

"No..." Roy replied. "FullMetal left the military. He probably rather have peace than work for us."

"What if the Furher finds out though Roy? Someone else will go after him like Archer." Hughes looked at his friend. He could understand Roy's intention on allowing Ed to have some peace, but with Ed killing the Chimera...he was attracting attention. Hughes stared at Roy as the man sat back down with a sigh.

"Hughes is right Roy." Riza said attracting attention to her. "Archer would love to catch Ed because he went AWOL."

"Ed can take care of himself...I'm sure he's probably gone already." Roy said in a tone that said this conversation was over. Riza and Hughes sighed and saluted before leaving. Hayate growled at Roy before leaving too.

Riza sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Stubborn man! He's always like this when it comes to Ed going AWOL."

"Can you blame him?" Hughes said looking at Riza.

"Hey! I heard you found the boss..." Havoc said as he walked to them. Not too far behind, Fury and Breda were looking on.

"Roy seems to think otherwise." Hughes said. "We can't investigate it any further."

"Aw....I was hoping to see Ed again." Fury said. Havoc and Breda agreed on that.

"Enough...we got to get back to work. If Ed wanted to see us, he'd come back." Riza said. Hayate barked agreeing with his mistress.

"Alright...we better listen to the lady." Hughes said. "Or face her gun..." They laughed and went back to work. Riza was planning though. She wanted to find out for herself and no way is a stupid man like Roy going to stop her. She smirked. In a few days, she will do it. She just had to plan it right.

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Rain poured down for the rest of the week. No one could be seen on the streets. Well...no one but a person in a long white jacket with his hood up. He walked the streets of central heading toward one house in particular. He casually walked up to the door and knocked.

"Coming!" The voice called from inside. The person in white quickly stepped to the side and leaned up against the wall, so not to be seen.

Glacia Hughes opened the door to her home and stared at into the rain. She blinked. "Hello?" No answer, but something started to glow. Her necklace. She told her husband she got a matching set in the market for her and Elysia. The necklaces where on chains and held an amber colored stone at the end in shape of diamond. Her daughter's necklace was the same only hers was shaped as a flower. "Edward? I know you're out here. The stones only glow for you. Maes is not home so you can come in if you wish."

Ed stepped away from the wall and stood in front of Glacia. "Hello..." Glacia smiled and stepped aside. Ed stepped in, then clapped his hands together before pressing them to his chest. He alchemically dried himself before taking off his white jacket and putting it on the hanger.

"Elysia! Uncle Ed is here!" Glacia called as she closed the door.

"YAY!" The seven-year old girl cried. She suddenly appeared and jumped into Ed's arms.

"Hey! How you doing Elysia?" Ed asked the girl.

"I'm fine Uncle Ed! See! I kept my necklace on just like you said to!" She said holding up her necklace. Ed smiled. In truth, those necklaces were something Ed invented. He wanted to keep tabs on everyone in central so he contacted Gracia. The necklaces have an alchemic array embedded in them. This allows the stones to glow whenever Ed is near. Not only that, Ed sends letters to her in invisible ink. When hovered over the ink, the stones will glow and the ink will appear under the light.

"That's good Elysia. I'm glad!" Ed said. He was nineteen, almost twenty years old now. Surprisingly, he had a growth spurt and stood tall at five foot seven and a half inches. His hair wasn't in the normal braid. Since it was longer, Ed justs pulls it back into the ponytail which reaches the middle of his back. His amber eyes were the same as was his face. He wore a black tank top under an opened short black jacket with a pair of black leather pants that were tight around his waist and butt.

"Ed, I'm glad you came." Gracia said.

"Why?" The young man asked turning slightly with Elysia in his arms.

"Maes tells me he tailed Alphonse to the village." She said. "I think he's trying to convince Roy to go there."

"It'll never happen. Roy is too pig-headed." Ed said as he played with Elysia, spinning around and what not.

"Uncle Ed, why do we have to kept your secret?" Elysia asked with a slight giggle from the spinning.

"Because if your daddy's bosses found out. I could get in trouble...and so would your daddy if they knew he knew where I was." Ed said setting Elysia on the ground.

"Aww....does that mean you aren't going to visit as often?" She asked.

"I'm afraid not. I have to stay away from Central as much as I can." Ed replied standing. He looked at Gracia. She smiled.

"I understand Ed. Just be sure to call okay?" Gracia said. Ed nodded. "Oh wait!" Gracia disappeared into the kitchen. After a few minutes, she came back out with a bag. Ed was already in his white jacket and was telling Elysia of the children in the village. He looked up and frowned.

"Oh Mrs. Hughes I can't...not again." Ed said.

"I insist Edward. Please, it all I can give." Gracia pushed the bag into Ed's arms. "There's some food in there and some medical supplies. I want you to take care of yourself."

Ed sighed and nodded grabbing the bag. He hugged Gracia and then knelt down and hugged Elysia. "I'll write to you guys soon."

"Be careful Edward." Gracia said as Ed opened the door and pulled up his hood.

"Yea, be careful Uncle Ed." Elysia said holding her mother's leg as Ed walked out.

"Always. Take care guys." He replied before walking off. Neither of the persons, noticed a figure stopping.


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That's its for the Prologue! Now onto the really story in the next chapter!