i.

There was something highly energizing about watching the newest Emperor of Xing at work. Ling Yao was not like Emperors of the recent past. He was involved, full of life and passion and youthful determination. He moved rather like a whirlwind and did not sit around and depend on advisors; in fact, he often drove them to anxiety with his bold plans and what they deemed to be western ideals.

Ling was gifted with vision and knew that the construction of the trade road between Xing and Amestris was only the beginning. Xing had to be unified, had to catch up to the rest of the world lest it fall behind and become vulnerable. It wouldn't be easy; his plan for the gradual unification of Xing's fifty clans had already met with stubborn resistance, and it was hard work to win over the leaders of each clan. But Ling was nothing if not determined, as were the youthful nobles and ordinary citizens who were very taken with him and his ideals. He'd acquired quite a following in the past few years; the generation just coming into power and into their own rights were, like any new generation, eager for change of some sort, a way of defying generations past for the sole purpose of establishing their own mark on the world. It was something he'd taken advantage of at once, and it was proving to be a great help.

However, the matter he discussed with his considerably old advisors on one fine summer morning was one that was fairly trivial in comparison to his greater plan. Nevertheless, he was cheerfully adamant about having his way.

"But, my lord, you must welcome him in the traditional way!"

"No, thank you," Ling said pleasantly. "Edward is a good friend. I'm not going to surround him with unnecessary pageantry."

"But..."

"No more 'buts', Hai. You either, Zhou."

Hai and Zhou gave up in despair, shaking their heads at their young Emperor who rarely ever gave ground. With a grin, Ling turned away from them, intent on continuing preparations for Ed's arrival, and proceeded to jump violently. Mei stood behind him, arms folded.

"Stop doing that, Mei!" Ling yelped. He clutched at his heart and heaved a sigh, then cast a rueful glance back at his advisors. "Why didn't you warn me she was there?"

They both looked away innocently. "Well, my lord," Zhou said, "perhaps we would have remembered to had you been a little more accommodating."

"Oh, you two are so difficult," Ling sighed, dramatically shaking his head. "But I'm not going to budge."

Mei looked cheerful at her victory; she was ahead of him now and pulling steadily away. She smiled at Ling in a way that told him she was informing him of something, not asking his permission, and said, "I'm taking Alphonse, Zampano, and Jerso out for a bit of study today."

"But Ed's coming!"

"At noon. We'll only be out in the morning." Mei lost her smile, looking a little concerned. "Something is bothering Alphonse. He's not acting like himself, and I can't figure out if he's just impatient for Ed to arrive or something else. But I thought it would do him some good to get out of the palace."

Ling nodded in sudden understanding but said nothing. He knew what was bothering Alphonse; in fact, they'd talked about it only yesterday. Having Edward and Alphonse as brothers-in-law was something Ling was looking forward to, but that possibility looked like it would only come about farther down the road. Mei was a princess of Xing, close to the Emperor himself, and right now, it didn't matter how famous the westerner who wanted to marry her was. "I'm sorry, Al," Ling had told Alphonse, "but the people are already going through some heavy cultural shocks right now. Now isn't the best time to introduce another." And he'd felt like the biggest bully when Alphonse had put on a brave face and told him it was all right, that he'd thought as much but wanted to be certain.

"Be sure to be back before noon, then," was all Ling said to Mei as these thoughts ran through his mind.

Mei smiled again, thanked him, and promised that they would, before running out of the council room.

Ling watched her go, so full of energy and life. To his mind, she and Alphonse made the perfect match, and just because now wasn't the wisest time for them to marry didn't mean that it would never be. Ling was always scheming, always looking for an opportunity. They would marry if he had anything to say about it, particularly since, some time ago, Mei had bluntly informed him that she would accept no one else. Ling was inclined to agree.

"Hai," he said mournfully. "Zhou. Why must I have so much to think about?"

"Perhaps because you don't listen to us," Hai said reasonably.

"No," Ling said dismissively, shaking his head. "That can't be it."

His advisors sighed in unison, well-used to their lord's quirks by now.

ii.

Edward Elric was ashamed to say that this was his first visit to Xing.

He'd been promising to come for years, but that had been easier said than done. What with his journey to the west, then afterward the birth of his first child, not to mention the great social changes taking place in Amestris, his life had taken so many turns that he'd found it impossible to arrange a trip. But things had momentarily slowed, and he'd jumped on this chance.

His arrival had garnered curious reactions, too. His name had gained considerable fame even here, and his appearance didn't help matters. Ed's knowledge of Xingese was rudimentary, but Dao had translated the whispers that followed him.

"Your golden hair and eyes," Dao had explained. "Such things are a rarity here and are attributed to legends. It was the same for your brother as well."

Edward had met Dao Yi at the very beginning of his journey. The Xingese man was tall and serious and usually worked on the new trade route as a translator for Amestrian traders. However, he'd been appointed as Ed's personal translator and honorary bodyguard, and he'd proven to be a good traveling companion, if a mostly silent and formal one.

The journey to Xing itself had been hot and boring, but the trip through the country to the imperial palace had been as fascinating as Edward could have hoped. The locals showed as much interest in him as he did in them, and with Dao's help, he'd had many an informative conversation. Because Ed was so inclined to stop and talk with the locals or to sightsee, they were rather delayed in their arrival at the palace, and Dao was starting to grow slightly impatient with Ed's constant stopping.

"If you're quite done," the man said dryly, when they'd finally arrived at the palace itself, and Ed had halted simply to stare at it with eager eyes.

Edward roused himself from his observation. "Sorry," he said, shaking himself but hardly able to tear his eyes away from the magnificent structure. It was huge and sprawling, much different from the more uniform buildings of Amestris, and it thrilled him. "I've never seen buildings like this before! Your people have amazing architecture."

"And you will have plenty of time to study it during your stay," Dao said pointedly. "We are keeping his Majesty waiting."

It was well over an hour past noon when they set foot in the palace's open courtyard, and Ed, who'd expected a more formal greeting, grinned as Ling burst out from one of the courtyard's adjacent doors. "It's about time!" the Emperor of Xing and Ed's best friend said. Two harried-looking advisors trailed behind him and looked utterly resigned as Ling threw his arms around Ed in a tight hug. "I thought I'd be old by the time you showed up!"

Edward laughed for the simple pleasure of finally being able to see his friend after years. Letters just weren't enough. "Sorry!" he said, aware of the fact that he kept apologizing for his easily distracted mind. Really, who wouldn't be fascinated by such an alien place? "This country is really distracting."

As Ling pulled away, Dao gave him an elegant bow. "It seemed that every few miles he would stop to talk to someone or to sketch a sight," the translator said, looking faintly amused. "I did not know that your Majesty had such respectable friends as scholars."

Ling made a noise of disbelief. "Ed? Respectable? Clearly you didn't spend enough time traveling with him."

"What I did spend was quite enough. He can be most difficult."

"You guys are hilarious," Edward said sardonically. "I'm laughing, look." He glanced around the courtyard and found that, outside of himself, Dao, Ling's small entourage, and a few customary guards, it was disappointingly empty. "Where is everyone?"

"Late," Ling sighed. "As usual. Alphonse and Mei and the chimeras were supposed to be back from training in time for your arrival." He frowned and beckoned to one of his advisors, speaking in Xingese. Ed had difficulty following it, but knew enough to understand that Ling was sending out some people to search for those absent. "Of course, they probably just let the time get away from them," Ling said briskly, switching back to Amestrian. "I've lost count of the number of times they've come in late."

Edward had been looking forward to seeing his brother, as it had been well over a year since Alphonse had traveled back to Xing. He shook his head and smiled to himself; it would be just like Al to get caught up in studying and training. He was becoming quite proficient at alkahestry, and Ed had seen how much that excited him. "What about Lan Fan?" Edward asked. The absence of Ling's usual bodyguard was the most notable.

"She's busy," Ling said mysteriously and changed the subject. "Do we have a lot to catch up on! Dao, thank you for your services. You never fail me."

Dao bowed once again. "It was my pleasure." He nodded to Edward next and extended his hand. "As it was a pleasure to travel with you, Mr. Elric."

Edward shook his hand. "Thank you. For putting up with me, too." He smiled, and Dao returned it - a rare thing.

"I will see to it that the horses are unloaded and your things are sent to your rooms," the man said and stepped back. "I'm sure you and his Majesty are eager to talk."

They thanked him once again, and Ling led the way out of the courtyard, not into the palace, but around it; his advisors did not follow him, for once. "You'll get a tour later," Ling said to Edward. "The best place to talk would be the gardens. They're very magnificent," he said, a little smugly. "And quiet."

Ed nodded but did not answer, mostly because he was busy staring at everything, drinking it in.

Ling laughed. "I see Dao wasn't lying. You can study everything later! I want to hear how it's been! How's Winry?"

Edward was sufficiently distracted by this question, and he smiled a glowing smile. It was one of his main reasons for coming, actually, to deliver the news in person and while it was still a long time in coming. "She's doing just fine, considering that she's pregnant," he said.

This took a moment to register, then Ling turned to Edward with wide eyes. "Another one?" He grinned excitedly. "Congratulations! You two must be so happy!"

Edward nodded, unable to stop smiling as he thought about it.

"And how's Matthew taking the news?" Ling asked.

Ed laughed. His young son was a little confused at the prospect, but no less determined to be the best older brother. "He won't stop asking whether he's going to have a little sister or brother," Ed answered. "We'll just have to see."

They reached the gardens, which were truly amazing in both design and sheer beauty. Of course, this served to further distract Edward, who would not be satisfied until he'd been given the chance to explore them a little. By the time he was done, servants had already brought out refreshments and arranged a place to sit on the grass.

When they were properly seated and relaxing, Edward held up a hand to stall any of Ling's further questions. "Hold on," he said. "I want to know what's going on here. I'm your guest, after all, and you haven't told me enough in your letters. How's progress going?"

He knew of Ling's plan for unification and also knew how difficult it was to get into motion. Ling took a sip of Xingese tea, which he'd called Dragon Well, and turned thoughtful. "It's going as well as can be expected," he said. "The Zei clan has been particularly troublesome lately, and one of their leaders is the most stubborn man I've ever had the misfortune to meet..."

iii.

Alphonse Elric had been thinking about Important Things lately.

Namely, marriage, and how best to approach this increasingly difficult dilemma. Talking it over with Ling had done little to ease the situation; it had only confirmed what Alphonse had suspected. He had to wait a little longer, and that was what worried him. Mei hadn't brought anything up, but he knew she was tired of waiting, and Al didn't want to have to draw it out any longer. And then there was the asking itself. Did he wait to ask until some solution or better time was worked out? Or did he ask now, before some Xingese noble tried? The latter possibility made him panic slightly. What would happen if someone else asked?

These things were all on his mind and thoroughly distracting him as he dug around for herbs beneath one of Xing's xiàng mù trees... that is, until he heard Mei gasp.

"What is it?" Jerso demanded. Alphonse spun around to find Mei looking up at a gap through the thick canopy, her face full of dismay, as Xiao Mei clung to her shoulder.

"It's past noon!" she said. "Ed's probably here already!"

Alphonse's eyes widened, and he mentally berated himself for not paying attention. It was easy to lose oneself in time in Xing's thick forests, but he should have known better! He'd been looking forward to this day for weeks!

Mei sighed, shaking her head. "We're going to be late no matter what," she said, as Alphonse and the chimeras scrambled to gather their supplies. "We might as well take our time."

They'd been studying different types of medicine recently and how it affected the human body - an important step in their research into regaining the chimeras' normal bodies, as it helped them to better understand how the body worked. The research was slow going at times, and Alphonse wanted nothing more than to help his friends get their bodies back, but the four of them had taken great enjoyment in such outdoor studies.

Alphonse retrieved one of his bags and carefully placed the herbs he'd managed to gather into it. "Al!" he heard Zampano call. "What's taking so long?"

"Coming!" he called back. "I have to be careful with-"

He stopped dead, froze completely. He'd lifted his head for a brief moment and now saw two glowing blue eyes peering at him through the foliage in front of him. Alphonse found it hard to breathe, caught between wonder and fear, as a massive head emerged ever so slowly from the brush.

It was a tiger. He'd seen them in paintings and tapestries in the imperial palace, and he knew they were considered very great animals. But right now, as the tiger continued to move forward and gaze directly at him, all that was on his mind was self-preservation. He held very still, but was ready at any moment to bring his hands together to defend himself.

Something was off about this tiger, though. It was not the normal orange color; it was completely white, though still dark-striped, and it didn't look the least bit hungry or threatening as it gazed at Alphonse. In fact, it seemed... interested. Curious. But that was insane.

"Shit!" he heard one of the chimeras mutter, then a rumble as they both transformed. "Don't move, Alphonse!" Jerso hissed. "Don't startle it!"

However, it was Mei's voice that brought the possible ensuing fight to a halt. "Don't hurt it!" she said. Though Alphonse could not see her face, didn't dare take his eyes from the tiger's movements, he heard wonder and reverence in her voice. "That's... that's a white tiger! They are sacred!"

"It won't be so sacred it if eats him," Jerso growled. "What do we do?"

Alphonse didn't hear a response to Jerso's question, mostly because the tiger chose that moment to emerge completely from the brush. It was barely a few feet from Alphonse now, watching him steadily, and Alphonse wasn't sure if he could defend in time should the creature choose to pounce. But it didn't seem to want to. He was almost convinced of the curious look in its eyes, as crazy as it seemed. It moved a little closer, and he held his breath, hardly daring to even blink.

The tiger was so close that he could easily reach out and touch it. And to his astonishment, he found himself doing just that.

"What are you doing?" he heard Zampano whisper furiously.

Alphonse's hand was trembling, but he couldn't look away from those blue eyes. He reached forward ever so slowly, brought his hand up within an inch of the tiger's head... and to his utmost surprise, it moved forward and rubbed its head affectionately against his palm.

The shocked silence that followed this would have been comical in a less tense situation. "... um, what?" Alphonse said, slowly glancing back at Mei and the chimeras with a helpless look on his face.

They looked just as nonplussed, although Mei's eyes had grown huge and shocked, and Xiao Mei was hissing quietly at the tiger, obviously not happy with this animal intruder. Mei seemed more surprised than the rest of them, her mouth hanging slightly open. "Oh, my..." she said quietly. "Alphonse, I... this is amazing." Her expression was slowly changing to one of reverence. "You... you have to test something," she said. "Walk back to us."

"But..." Alphonse looked down at the tiger, who seemed pleased. Its eyes were closed, and it hadn't stop its nuzzling. "What if it gets angry?"

"I'm almost positive it won't," Mei breathed.

"Almost positive?"

"Ninety percent."

"And what about the other ten percent?"

"Al, just trust me!"

Well... he did want to marry her. Alphonse took a deep breath and slowly rose from his crouch. The tiger didn't get angry; it only curled around his legs, insistent on staying close to him. He took several hesitant steps, turning around, and the tiger followed him. It didn't stop following him even when they reached the others, although its hackles started to raise when it smelled the chimeras and Xiao Mei. It curled possessively around Alphonse, much to his shock, as Xiao Mei uttered a little growl.

"Guys, change back," Mei told the chimeras. "Xiao Mei, be nice."

The chimeras didn't question and were soon back to their human forms. "That is something," Zampano said, looking amazed. "It likes you!"

"Are you sure it's not just marking its next meal?" Alphonse asked nervously.

Mei was starting to smile. Her eyes were shining, and she seemed inordinately pleased about something. "Definitely not," she said. "This is incredible, Alphonse! I can't believe this would ever happen in my time! And to you!" She looked like she wanted to kiss him right then and there, although Alphonse dearly hoped she wouldn't; he wasn't sure he could take much more excitement.

"What do you mean, Mei?" Jerso asked curiously.

"The White Tiger!" she said excitedly. "It's an ancient legend dating back to Xing's beginnings. It's why they are sacred animals. Out of all of Xing's creatures, the white tiger is the most intelligent and renowned." When Xiao Mei hissed indignantly at this, Mei smiled and stroked her head. "Except for you, of course."

Alphonse looked down and found the tiger gazing up at him expectantly. Hesitantly, Al lowered his hand and patted its head. It seemed pleased, and if he hadn't known any better, he would have said it was purring. "What's the legend?" he asked, unable to take his eyes away from the magnificent creature next to him.

Mei looked thrilled to relate the story. "When Xing was a very new country," she began, "it was just a collection of tribes that warred with each other. It had very little potential with all the fighting going on, but that all changed when Len Rei, a scholar and a warrior, found an injured white tiger in the wilderness. Despite its ferocity, he nursed it back to health, and it quickly became his closest companion. It was the largest white tiger in our history, and it was the strongest of its kind. With it by his side, Len soon became a master of the wild. It was said that he could command the animals and the forests. Many of the tribes feared him for this, but he didn't want them to fear. He wanted to unite the tribes under one name and make Xing into a strong country. So he did. With his tiger companion, called Sun Rei, he united all of Xing, both humans and land. The tribes came to revere him and named him Emperor Len Rei. It was under him that our present system of government came about." Mei was beaming now. "And because of Sun Rei's closeness to him, the race of white tigers became allies of our own race. They are a rare breed, but it is said that they appear at times of great change to befriend a worthy human."

By the time she finished, Zampano and Jerso's eyes were bulging, and Alphonse was speechless. "You mean," he spluttered, "wait... what do you mean? I'm not... Ling's Emperor, not me!"

Mei laughed. "Not all white tiger companions have been Emperors or even Xingese! The Philosopher of the West befriended one named Shan. One of Xing's greatest scholars and inventors also befriended a white tiger about two hundred years ago, and he was a common man to begin with."

Alphonse once again looked down at the tiger, who leaned against him, content to merely rest there. His mind was spinning. Was it just a legend or was it truth? Was this just a fluke, a creature that had taken a liking to him against all the rules of nature, or was it something more? He had no clue. "I... what do you think, Mei?" he asked desperately.

"I think you're going to do great things for Xing, Alphonse!" Mei said happily. "For the world, even!" It was clear that she believed it wholeheartedly.

Alphonse looked at the chimeras, who shrugged in unison. "It'd be one explanation for why a man-eater is suddenly not eating man," Jerso said reasonably, while Zampano nodded.

"We've seen stranger," Zampano reminded them.

It didn't make any sense, but then again, what in Al's life actually had? After all, he'd spent several years of that life as a walking suit of armor. "Then..." he said, thinking hard, "what do we do?"

"We bring it to the palace, of course!" Mei said, much to Alphonse's alarm. "This is huge! Ling is going to be happy, too. It's a clear sign that his reign will be historic."

"Bring it to the palace?" Alphonse echoed, wide-eyed. "Is that safe?"

"He... or she... will listen to you," Mei said. "You don't need to be worried. Now..." She crouched down and brought herself to eye level with the tiger. "Are you a male or a female, hmm?"

"Female," Alphonse said automatically, before he even thought about it. Everyone looked at him, and he ducked his head, sheepish. "I, um... I can tell," he said, though he hadn't even checked. "She's a girl."

Mei's face grew even brighter. "You see? She's definitely chosen you!"

As if in response to this, the tiger nuzzled Alphonse's leg once more, purring delightedly. He looked down with wide eyes and hesitantly stroked her beautiful, thick fur. There really was something amazing about this, now that the shock was wearing off. What if what Mei said was true? Why him?

Well, there was one absolute certainty about all of this... Edward was not going to be happy about this particular stray cat.

end part one.

Notes | I really need to stop assigning temporary titles to things. They tend to get stuck.

Has two parts. Takes place several years after the manga ends, long enough for several changes and big events to have taken place. As such, I had to create a lot of my own canon for this, some it necessary and some of it purely for fun. If it resembles any other post-manga canon that another fanfiction author might have created, it's completely unintentional. I've avoided reading such stories for the purpose of creating my own, first.