Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ The Crow: DeathMetal Alchemist ❯ The Quiet Place ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

The Crow: DeathMetal Alchemist By The Wolf Demon

Disclaimer: The Crow is owned by James O'Barr and Dimension Films. FullMetal Alchemist is owned by Hiromu Arakawa, Funimation, Aniplex, Bones, and Adult Swim.

Author's note: This story will take place in an alternate timeline but will remain true to the spirit of the tv show and movie. During the final episodes of FullMetal Alchemist, this story came to me and was beggin' to be written. Now I bring this to ya, my fellow wolves and Crow-ites, let's start the show.

Chapter 1:
The Quiet Place

Winry Rockbell was working on a few metallic limbs in her shop. Her grandmother, Pinako, went to go buy some spare parts for the store. Winry took great pride in making automail limbs, she made them for people who lost an arm or a leg in accidents or wars. Although she did a great deal for the comminity for replacing lost limbs, it wouldn't bring back someone very special to her, a young boy named Edward Elric and his baby brother, Alphonse Elric. Three years had went by since they died. Winry was very close with the Elric boys, especially during the time their mother died from natural causes. They looked up to her as an older sister and would often stay at her home for days on end. And sometimes, Ed and Winry would have their usual arguments over little things but she still cherished those moments. All that was now gone and during the time of the Elrics' deaths, Winry went into a deep depression.

It was around that time, she began to drink. Winry would take about two or three shots of alcohol each day but she wouldn't drink it too often. Pinako was aware of her granddaughter's drinking and threatened to throw her out into the street if she didn't stop. Knowing she wouldn't work on her grandmother's shop and doing the thing she loved, Winry agreed to Pinako's bottom line but sometimes, old habits would die hard. Winry sat in her bed, sipping on some jack daniels while hearing a knock on her door.

"Winry, sweetheart," Pinako's voice called. "It's grandma."

Winry quickly hid the whiskey under her bed. "Come in, grandma."

Pinako entered Winry's room with a jovial smile on her face. "Hi, dear. How are you feeling?"

"Still depressed," Winry said.

"Honey, I know you're sad about Edward and Al but you should move on," Pinako said.

"How can I?" Winry asked rhetorically. "They were the brothers I never had. Why did they have to die like this?"

"I know it ain't fair to you but you realize death is a part of life," Pinako said.

"But it's not fair!" Winry exclaimed.

"Winry, calm down," Pinako pleaded.

"How can I!?" Winry shouted. "I loved them very much!"

"Winry...let it go," Pinako said. "I know what'll clear your head. Would you mind buying your grandma some milk and tomorrow's dinner?"

Winry stopped to think about it. "Ok, grandma. I've been couped up in here anyway."

"Ok but don't let me catch you buying anything alcoholic," Pinako said.

"Ok, grandma. Love you," Winry said.

"I love you too, sweetheart," Pinako said.

Winry got her house keys and left for the market. After buying the milk and speghetti dinner, she decided make a stop at the Elric residence. Winry had been hesitant coming pass the house since the Elrics died in it. She walked up to the door and opened it. She lay her groceries down and wandered through the house. Winry picked up a picture of Ed, Al, and herself that was hanging on the wall. Those were good times back then. She suddenly heard moaning coming from upstairs, so she placed the picture on the end table and investigated. Winry checked out various rooms upstairs but found nothing. However, when she went into Ed and Al's room, she saw a blond haired boy missing a right arm and a left leg lying on the ground. She realized who the boy was, it was Edward.

"What the fuck!?" Winry declared. "Ed!?"

She noticed him dressed in a ragged and torn brown shirt, a pair of old green shorts, and he had no shoe and sock. Edward carried a makeshift crutch and had rag tied around the stump of his left leg. He was covered in blood and his long blond hair was matted in filth. This sight of Ed almost made Winry want to cry for him. She came to him and tried to lift him off the floor but Ed suddenly screamed and backed away from her.

"Ed!" Winry screamed.

"AAH!" Edward screamed as he felt a flashback coming into his mind.

In his mind's eye, Edward saw Winry smiling as her beautiful blue eyes looking so happy. As the flashback ended, Edward swung the crutch at the air while he screamed.

"Get the fuck away from me!" Edward shouted.

Winry quickly hugged Ed as she said softly, "Shh. Ed, calm down. It's me, Winry."

"Win...ry?" Ed repeated.

"Yes, Ed. It's me," Winry said. "Come on. You're coming with me."

Winry picked up Ed and helped him down the stairs. She sat him down on the couch to call her grandma. Pinako picked up the phone and heard Winry's voice over the reciever, telling her Ed was back and come to pick her up from the Elric home. Pinako didn't believe her at first but she had this strange feeling that Winry could be right. She went to her car and drove to the Elric house. When Pinako got there, she saw Winry helping Edward out the door. Pinako helped her granddaughter to get Ed into the car. Winry grabbed her groceries and the photograph of herself and the Elric boys. Winry got into the car to return home. As Pinako got into the house with the groceries, Winry helped Ed into the living room and laid him down on the chair.

"That poor dear smells like crap," Pinako said. "He needs a bath. Winry, take off his clothes and draw him a bath."

Winry blushed. "But grandma..."

"Come on, it's not like he's your boyfriend or anything," Pinako teased.

"It's nothing like that," Winry said as she blushed a dark shade of red.

"Then why are you blushing, sweetheart?" Pinako asked.

"I'll just draw him a bath," Winry said firmly as she pulled Ed up and walked into the bathroom.

Pinako smiled. 'She's in love with him. I know it.'

Winry got into the bathroom and prepared Ed's bathroom. She turned on the hot water faucet then threw out the crutch. Winry took off Ed's ragged old clothes while blushing. She placed him into the tub and turned off the water. Winry left the bathroom as the amnesiac Edward closed his eyes and slept in the bathtub.

(Nightmare)

Edward and Alphonse Elric created a giant circle in the middle of the floor of the living room. They cut their fingers and sent droplets of blood onto the circle and started some ritual. In the middle of it, beings in black attacked the Elric brothers. They couldn't make out their because they were covered in shadow. After it was all over, Edward and Alphonse were dead. Soon afterward, Al's face beamed into the dream then it shifted into a giant black bird. The bird cawed as the dream ended.

(End nightmare)

Edward rose out of the water as he screamed, "Al!!"

He thrashed about in the tub as Winry ran into the bathroom and hugged Edward tightly. Ed kept on chanting Al's name as Winry said, "Ed! It's ok. Calm down."

"Al," Ed said.

"I'm afraid Al's dead," Winry said sadly.

"Dead?" Edward repeated. "Then why am I alive?"

"You're not alive either," Winry said with regret. "You and Al had been dead for over three years."

"Three years?" Ed echoed. "Then what year is this?"

"2010," Winry said.

Ed was shocked upon hearing what year it was. It had been three long years since he and his baby brother died. Suddenly a crow flew into the bathroom and looked at Ed and Winry with familiarity. The crow tilted its head and cawed.

'Ed?' A familiar voice called out.

"Oh, my god. Al?" Edward asked.

'Yes, brother,' Al the crow said. 'Hi, Winry.'

"Al, what happened?" Winry asked.

'I don't know,' Al said. 'One minute I was gonna meet my mom again and the next I'm in this body.'

"How long have you been a bird?" Winry asked.

'Three years,' Al said. 'I was watching over my brother. I tried to tell him the both of us came back but he couldn't remember during that time.'

"That must've been horrible," Winry said.

'Yes,' Al said.

"What did Edward return from the grave for what reason?" Winry asked.

'I don't know,' Al said. 'But this resurrection may have something to do with some legend.'

"Legend?" Winry repeated.

'Yeah but I don't remember what kinda legend though,' Al said sadly. 'Along with Ed, my memory also lapsed for the last three years too.'

"You both don't remember what happened from three years ago?" Winry asked.

"No," Ed replied. "We don't remember a thing."

"You were murdered in your house," Winry explained. "Detective Roy Mustang tried his hardest to find the people who killed you but he couldn't. He's still working the case today, even though everyone else in the force has almost given up. Six months ago, rumors started about creatures with superhuman abilities. Nobody knows who they are or what they can do but what Mustang knows is that they're dangerous and he thinks they might have something to do with what happened to you two."

"Look likes we're gonna have to go find him," Edward said.

'How can you if you don't have a right arm or left leg?' Al asked.

"You both know I have automail limbs," Winry said. "I can construct a new arm and leg for you, Edward."

"Sure but I need some help to get out of the tub first," Edward said.

"Um, sure," Winry said with a blush on her cheeks.

Winry helped Ed out of the tub while trying not to look at his privates. After drying him off, she dressed him in a pair of black boxer shorts and got to work on Ed's new automail arm and leg with Pinako's help. It took about half-hour but Winry and Pinako were able to finished Ed's new limbs. They attached the automail arm and leg to Ed to where his right arm and left leg used to been.

"Does it hurt?" Winry asked.

"No," Ed said.

"Are you sure?" Pinako asked.

"Yeah," Ed said. "All I need now are some clothes."

"You're not wearing those smelly old clothes, that's for sure," Winry said.

"I found these in your old house," Pinako said as she got out a sleevless black shirt, a long sleeved coat with zipper, black leather pants, black leather belt, black boots, and a red overcoat.

"At least they're clean," Edward said.

Edward donned his new clothes as Al flew into the living room. Ed stood there as he asked, "How do I look?"

'Looking sharp but there's something missing,' Al said.

"Al?" Pinako asked.

'Hello, grandma,' Al said. 'Ed, you must wear a visage that would scare our killers after they're dead.'

"Um, what's that supposed to mean?" Ed asked.

'You...gotta wear make-up,' Al said.

"You mean rouge and lipstick and eyeliner!?" Ed asked. "Hell, no! I ain't a transvestite!"

'It's not to make you look pretty,' Al answered soberly. 'It's to make you look scary.'

"I think I got that covered," Winry said.

"You're gonna put makeup on me?" Ed asked.

"I always think you'd look good with make-up on," Winry said playfully.

Ed blushed and managed to stammer out a "Winry!"

"Still got that make-up kit from Halloween last year, sweetheart?" Pinako asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Winry said. "Should be in the closet."

Winry got her old Halloween make-up from the closet and set it down on the table. She opened the box to get out some white face paint. Winry smeared it all over Edward's face except his eyes and mouth. Winry placed the white make-up jar back into the box and got out the black make-up. She got out a big brush and dipped it into the black paint, Winry painted Ed's eyes and mouth with it. She got a thin brush and dipped into the face paint to draw lines above and below Ed's eyes and both sides of his mouth. The lines extending from the corners of his mouth were curved, suggesting a wicked smile.

"Get me a mirror," Edward said.

Pinako got a mirror from the closet and handed it to Ed. He saw his reflection in the mirror as he said, "Hell, yeah. I'm looking bad ass now."

'You might wanna disguise yourself, brother,' Al said. 'Don't wanna draw attention to yourself.'

"Oh, right," Edward said as he clapped his hands and preformed an alchemic spell on his face.

"Ed, your face!" Pinako exclaimed.

"Just an alchemic glamour spell," Ed said. "I can simply transmute the make-up into my true face and I'll be just another face in the crowd. Now, it's time to pay Detective Mustang a visit and solve this cold case. Let's go Al."

Before the Elric brothers could leave, Winry grabbed Ed's mechanical right arm and said, "Wait."

"Winry, what is it?" Ed asked.

"It's nothing," Winry replied. "It's just that . . . will you be you the next time I see you?"

"Of course," Edward said while blushing. "Let's go, Al."

The Brothers Elrics left the Rockbell home while Winry thought what she almost said to Edward.

"Winry, honey?" Pinako asked. "What's wrong?"

Winry's cheeks gave off a shade of red. "Um...it's nothing, grandma."

'There ain't no denyin' it. She's got the hots for him,' Pinako said mentally.

(Military headquarters, Mustang's office)

Col. Roy Mustang was fustrated. Over the last three years, he tried to solve the Elric murders with no success. Every lead he chased down had dried up and lead him to dead ends and he had another case on his hands; the slayings of state official alchemists. The only thing he knew about this killer was he went by the name of Scar and he was from a small village of Ishbal. Soon enough, he would have a visit from someone unexpected.

"Hello, Detective," A familiar voice said.

"Who's there!?" Roy called out as he put on his alchemic glove. "Come out before I burn you alive!"

"Flame cannot harm me, Col. Mustang," The voice said solemnly as its owner came out of the shadows. "And I'm not alive, I'm dead."

"No way!" Mustang exclaimed.

"Way," Edward said. "I heard you were trying to solve my murder for three years now."

"Well, yeah," Mustang said. "The case fustrated me since day one. If you came back, then where's your brother?"

'Right here, sir,' Al said to Mustang.

"Your brother is a bird?" Mustang asked.

"Yeah, his spirit somehow merged with a crow," Edward said. "I wanna know if you may have heard of some legend about a crow."

"Yes," Mustang said.

"Al and myself need to know," Ed said.

"All right," Mustang said. "Sit down."

Edward sat down as Roy started to tell the story.

"In this legend, it was said a crow would carry a soul into the afterlife but when a grave injustice accompanies the soul into the great beyond, the crow must return the soul here on Earth to avenge that injustice," Roy said. "You two, the Elric brothers, have came back to seek revenge."

'But we don't know who these killers are,' Al said.

"We are willing to join you, Colonial," Edward said.

"You want to join the military?" Mustang asked.

"Yes, Al and I want vengeance on those bastards who killed us," Edward said firmly.

"Very well but you must take the State Alchemist exam first," Roy said.

"A test!? We gotta take some god damn test!?" Edward exclaimed.

"It's the only way," Roy said. "Now if you excuse me, I have another case that involves a murderer who's after State Alchemists."

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked.

"This doesn't involve you, Ed," Mustang said.

"When I join the military, then I am involved," Ed said defiantly. "Who is this Alchemist killer you're tracking?"

"He's a man from Ishbal, a small village somewhere in Iraq," Mustang said. "His real name is unknown but he was dubbed 'Scar' due to the x-shaped scar on his face. He has a distinct tattoo on his right arm which serves as his weapon. Scar is very desperate and dangerous."

'He might be linked to our killers, brother,' Al said.

"We don't know for sure, Al," Ed said. "I wanna fuckin' know why he's killing State Alchemists in the first place."

"Like I said, Scar is very dangerous," Roy said.

"I'll show you who is very dangerous around here," Edward said with a demonic smile. "Where does that tattooed jerk off hang out at?"

"He doesn't stay in one place but he was last seen here in Central," Mustang said. "He got the hell out of dodge before we could arrest him. Where he is now, we don't fucking know."

"Is he a terrorist?" Edward asked.

"No. His mission is a bit more personal than that," Roy said. "And he would never associate himself with terrorists of Bin Laden-like calibur."

"But he's killing State Alchemists," Edward said.

"His reasons for that is unclear right now," Roy said.

"He must be stopped!" Edward exclaimed. "Next thing, he'll kill innocent people!"

"Scar wouldn't harm an innocent, Ed!" Roy declared. "Scar may have killed State Alchemists but he isn't the type to harm an innocent for his personal cause! You don't know him like I do!"

"So?" Edward asked. "Scar has to be punished."

"He will but we will do that in accordance to the law," Roy said. "Now, I'll contact my superior, Gen. Bradley, about you."

"Whatever," Edward said.

At another part of the Central office, Gen. King Bradley's phone rang. Bradley picked it up as he placed a spent cigar into an ashtray.

"Hello?" Bradley asked.

"Gen. Bradley, it's me," Mustang answered over the phone.

"Roy, it's nice hearing from you," Bradley said. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a kid in my office," Roy said. "I think he wants to join the military with us."

"What's the lad's name?" Bradley asked.

"Edward Elric, sir," Roy replied sternly.

"Edward, huh?" Bradley asked. "Send a file on him to me."

"Sure thing, Gen. Bradley," Roy said.

A nerdy-looking secretary walked into the office with a file in her arms. She plopped the file onto Bradley's desk as he said, "Thanks, Sciezka."

"You're welcome, sir," Sciezka said.

Bradley opened up the file on Edward Elric. "'Edward Elric, born: October 10th, 1989, died: September 22nd, 2007. Father is a German immigrant named Van Hohenheim, status: missing, and mother is a housewife Tricia Elric, status: desceased. Brother is Alphonse Elric, status: desceased. Hometown: Risembool, Ontario, Canada.'"

Bradley seemed somewhat confused about the file, he was told that Edward was in Mustang's office but when he read the file, it was said he was dead. He brushed his moustache with his thumb and forefinger while thinking about it.

'Is this some kind of sick joke?' Bradley asked himself. 'How could Ed be dead if he's going to join the military? It is rather odd.'

It took Bradley a few moments to digest it all. Having a dead teenager into the military was a tad too morbid for him but he thought it would be a good idea for Edward to seek vengeance on the people who murdered him and his brother. Bradley decided to contact Mustang for his final judgement.

"Mustang, it's Bradley," Bradley said. "I've made my descision, the boy will join the military. All he has to do is take the State Alchemist exam."

Back in Mustang's office, Roy said, "All right, thank you, sir."

Roy hung up the phone as he told Edward, "Good news, you'll joining us after all."

"Good, it's payback time," Edward said. "I just wanna get the fuckin' test out of the way and hunt down those assholes."

"Head to classroom 101, it's only one floor up," Roy said.

"Ok, see ya later," Ed said as he left the office.

'That kid's gonna make one helluva good alchemist,' Roy said mentally.

Edward ran up the stairs for the class then ran through the hallway. It was then he bumped into a soldier who was smoking a cigerette.

"Hey! Watch where you going, you little retard!" The soldier shouted.

Something inside of Edward's mind snapped. What some people don't know is Ed was very sensitive about his height.

"Who the fuck are you callin' a little retard, you chain-smokin' jerk off!?" Edward screamed as he stomped the soldier's head.

Another soldier heard the comotion and ran to see what was going on. He saw a blond-haired teenager spinning a soldier around over his head.

"Hey! Knock it off!" The soldier shouted as he grabbed Edward, causing him to drop the smoker.

"Let me go! I'm not done!" Edward screamed.

"Hughes, you better keep that little punk away from me!" The soldier shouted.

"Let me go!" Edward shouted.

"Calm down! Havoc, what the fuck did you do to make him upset?" Maes Hughes asked.

"He bumped into me, that's what," Jean Havoc said.

"I'm not asking you that," Maes said. "Why is he pissed off?"

"I called him a little retard," Havoc said.

"If he was retarded, he wouldn't be here right now," Maes said. "Now get the hell outta here before I throw ya in the barracks."

"Whatever," Jean said as he walked away.

"Sorry about that, sometimes Havoc can be somewhat of a jerk," Maes said. "I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Lt. Col. Maes Hughes. You must be Edward Elric."

"Yeah, that's me," Edward said.

"Are you looking for something?" Maes asked.

"I'm lookin' for the classroom so I can take the State Alchemy exam," Edward replied.

"Oh, right down the hall and go right," Maes said. "Before you go, I wanna show you a photograph of my daughter."

Maes quickly whipped out a photo of a three year old girl with pigtails as he smiled with glee.

"Isn't she cute?" Maes asked excitedly. "She'll be turnin' three in two weeks."

"She looks a lot like you," Edward said.

"Yep and she does have her mother's eyes," Maes said.

As Maes babbled on and on about his daughter, Edward sneaked off for the classroom. Maes noticed Edward had disappeared. He let out a defeated sigh as he said, "Hey, where'd he go? He must've took off to take that exam. I'll see him next time."

Ed arrived at the classroom a few minutes later and noticed about fifteen or so others taking the exam. It didn't escape his attention that they were all older than he was. Refusing to be daunted by this fact, he took his seat at one of the empty desks. The examiner came up to him and gave him the exam papers to fill out. It took him an hour or two to complete it then handed them over to the teacher. Within a few hours, Edward was notified that he had passed his test and became a part of the militarty. Now Ed can finally get his vengeance on his murderers. It was then he was called to Roy's office.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Edward asked.

"I heard you passed your test with flying colors," Roy said. "Oh, yeah, I got something for you from Gen. Bradley. It's a notice and I think you might want to look at it."

"What kind of notice?" Ed asked.

"Just read it and see," Roy said as he handed the young soldier the note.

"'Congratulations on passing the exam. I hope you do well here in the military. I've heard you have a metallic right arm and left leg, I thought it would be nice to dub you, 'The FullMetal Alchemist'. I wish you good luck for your search for justice and once again, congratulations, FullMetal Alchemist,'" Edward said.

"What do you think of your codename?" Roy asked.

"I like it," Edward said. "In fact, I like a lot. FullMetal Alchemist will be a name everyone will fear and respect. My killers will wish they never messed with me."

A sinister smile cracked Edward's face while Roy tried his best to his fear behind his military bravado. He handed the young alchemist his very own pocket watch to keep like every other soldier. Edward and Al left the office with their goal of vengeance on their minds. Whoever their killers are, they better pray to God when the FullMetal Alchemist shows up.

(Undisclosed location)

A bald and intensely fat man gallopped down the hallway as he yelled in a childish tone, "Lust, Lust!"

The fat man encountered a beautiful, raven-haired woman wearing a revealing black dress.

"Yeah, Gluttony?" Lust asked.

"He's back! He's back!" Gluttony announced.

"Who's back?" Lust asked.

"That kid we killed," Gluttony said. "I just heard he returned from the dead and joined the military. He's out to get revenge on us!"

"Don't worry, Gluttony," Lust said. "We'll take care of that brat like we did last time."

"Yeah," Envy said as he came out of the shadows. "He's gonna have a few pot holes on the road to vengeance."

"We'll make him wish he didn't come back from the dead in the first place," Lust said.

"Goody, goody!" Gluttony shouted as he clapped his hands like a kindegartner. "Can I eat him? Can I?"

"Of course," Lust said. "I'm sure he'll keep you full for a while."

Meanwhile, a man with silver white-ish grey and black hair and a x-shaped scar on his face stood in a dark alley. He looked at the tattoo on his right arm. He always wondered why his deceased brother gave him his arm. Long ago, he lost his own right arm during the Ishbalan Massacre. Since that day, he was consumed with rage and sadness. Scar dedicated his life to making the military pay for killing his people. Suddenly, he saw a blonde-haired young man wearing a red coat with a silver pocket watch in his pocket.

"So the military has another dog on their leash," Scar said. "Whoever you are, I'm sending you straight to Hell by Ishballa's will."

With that said, Scar disappeared into the shadows.

To Be Continued...

Author's note: The first chapter of the first story of the new has come to a close. You maybe wonderin' why I set this story into the future rather than the early 20th century. Well, although I wanted to remain true to the FullMetal Alchemist anime, manga, and movie, I thought it would be a good idea to re-imagine the story somewhat and the story is set in our world rather than the world where Amestris is. I'm bettin' ya EdWin fans were disappointed with the outcome of Conqueror of Shamballa as I was. Don't worry about that, they'll get together later on in the story, I promise ya. Enjoy the first chapter of the first Crow/FMA xover and I'll see ya later, my fellow wolves and Crow-ites.

May the wolf spirit guide thee...