Story: The Return of the Fullmetal Alchemist

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fullmetal Alchemist.

Author: ChocolateCherryGenesis

Summary: When giving his brother Alphonse his body back, Ed made a deal. He would be doomed to live a cursed life again. When Naruto is given "fairytale" books that his parents wanted to have passed down to him, he slowly learns of Alchemy, and his eyes fade from blue to gold.

Warning: Some mentions of blood and temporary character death.

Published: Saturday, September 29, 2012

Notes: This is actually a pretty good idea, in my opinion. ^_^ The thought of Konoha's Number One Knuckle-head Ninja being the one and only genius Fullmetal Alchemist? I wasn't able to resist. And I made Naruto so cute as a kid! I hope you enjoy. Thank you for reading!

Chapter One

The Deal and the Awakening

As Iruka walked out of the classroom to help with the young students on the playground, Naruto's eyes flashed a bright gold even from under their blue illusion . . .

Edward Elric saw only a blank, white scape for as far as the human eye could see, with only two objects changing this pattern. The first was a large gate––the Gate. The second was a white figure who's only feature was a black, wide smile on its inhuman face. This was the guardian of the Gate, a completely neutral being who only existed to ensure that the rules of Alchemy were kept. Killing and taking from the Alchemists who tried to bend or break the laws was its only amusement.

The white figure grinned as he saw blood flow liberally from Ed's numerous wounds, given to him in this last battle against the enemy known formerly as "Father" but now as Hohenheim's former acquaintance "Homunculus."

"So, what are you willing to sacrifice, Mister Alchemist?" it asked mockingly. "What could you possibly give me that has worth enough for your brother's life? Equivalent Exchange, remember?"

Edward's golden eyes narrowed dangerously, and his metal limbs creaked with the tension holding him in place as he faced the nightmares of this place with no fear, in order that his brother could be saved. He coughed, some blood tricking down the side of his mouth because of his internal injuries, before he spit it away.

"You know what I want," Edward said in a sort of challenging resignation, if there existed such a thing. "Name your price!"

The being smirked. "Well, Mister Al~che~mist," he drawled. "I want you to make things interesting again."

Edward was taken aback. "Wha . . .?"

"You see," the ruthless thing said. "If you win against Homunculus, the entire world will be wary of bloodshed and it will be at peace. On the other hand, if Homunculus wins, the entire world will be dead, and there will be yet another version of that detestable peace. So," the being said, smirking. "I want to see something interesting again."

"What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"I," the being said. "Want you to live twice. My terms are as thus: In exchange for saving your brother's physical form, you will live another life in the future as Uzumaki Naruto. And so, you will again walk the earth and make things interesting for me."

"I'm not some character to live in a story for your amusement!" Edward shouted, enraged. (1)

The being smirked wider, beyond what is possible for a human. "Oh, but you'll still agree, Mister Alchemist. Otherwise, your brother will die a dreadfully painful death, and you'll have failed him as well as your mother."

"LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!" Edward shouted, furious at the creature for reminding him of his failure––both at failing to bring his mother back to life and for attempting that particular taboo in the first place. He clenched his fist, the metal creaking even louder.

"Why?" the white-colored creature asked. "You will do almost anything to keep a promise––especially to your precious younger brother. Even if it means that you'll have to live two lives before your rest instead of just one."

Edward's mind raced, trying to find another way––trying to find another agreement that could possibly sway the being in front of the Gate from his current terms. But, alas, he could think of nothing no matter how long or hard he thought.

"Fine!" Edward snarled.

The being's smile widened even further. "Then, I'll see you later, Mister Alchemist."

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Years Later

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Edward Elric stood in front of Central's main military building, looking around in awe at the changes to it. Then he marched over to Mustang's office––which annoyed him since it was absolutely huge and thus must have been created just to remind him that after all these years he was still shor––No, Ed, don't think of the s-word. I'm most definitely not short! . . . Arg! I still thought it!

Ed then barged through the doors, his eyebrow twitching in his temper.

Mustang looked upward in surprise, his eyes widening as he caught sight of someone he had not seen since the final battle, years ago, after Edward had somehow miraculously healed Mustang's blind eyes, taken from him in "Equivalent Exchange" by the same being that made its agreement with Ed.

A short young man with long, blond hair and burning golden eyes stomped into the room, his brown traveling cloak billowing around him but allowing Mustang to see glimpses of Edward's favored black clothes with a red coat overtop, still worn underneath the worn, plain, attention-free cloak.

The young man's face was set in a well-used frown, his eyes narrowed as he started directly into Mustang's eyes with a scowl.

Mustang smirked, but before he could make any sort of attempt at humor, Edward interrupted.

"No height jokes, no teasing, and no purposefully annoying me," Ed said shortly. "Or else I'm putting my auto-mail arm through your scull––no exceptions."

Mustang grinned. "You've sure gotten testy," he said.

Ed plopped down into a chair, crossing his arms and generally putting off an anti-social vibe. "Those stupid societies keep insisting that I'm the heir of some ancient civilization!" he shouted.

Mustang raised an eyebrow. "And they're right."

A twitch pulsed above Edward's eye, before he blew up in the leader of the military's office, said leader of the State Military himself smirking superiorly.

"So what if my dad was distantly related to the Xerxesian royalty?! So what if just because the royal line died out he's the last survivor of the first Alchemists?! So what if I just happened to inherit the right to that kingdom when I turned eighteen?!"

"So, they decided to stuff you into some ancient ruins and watch as the Alchemic systems reactivated and restored the city to its former glory, pledging their loyalty to you," Mustang said.

Edward Elric––the Prince of Xerxes, though he furiously denied it––reddened with rage as he started off on a very long rant, causing Mustang to laugh heartily.

Eventually, hours later, Mustang spoke when Edward finally took a deep breath. "You know," Ed's former commanding officer said. "There's rumors that the Xerxesians actually sent ships to another continent," he said. "And set up a city there."

Ed shrugged. "It's been four hundred years," he said. "They're probably all gone by now, and even if they're still alive, they probably don't remember their original country."

"Whatever you say, Ed, but I still think this city of "Levis" seems very interesting . . ." Mustang trailed off.

Ed snorted, before waving half-heartedly at Mustang and walking out of the building.

The faces around him were all filled with content, many of them witnesses of the Tragedy of Amestris a few years ago. Central had been rebuilt, the State Military had been retrained, and the country seemed to be better for it. It was much different from the time he had been a State Alchemist.

Before Ed could realize what had happened, he was riddled with bullet holes. He glanced down at his clothes, which were rapidly being stained with his blood. He then looked upward at a group of wanted rebel soldiers from King Bradley's reign who still wished for the wars and bloodshed of the previous era, and everything seemed to slow.

Mustang raced to his window, his eyes widening in horror.

Ed wanted to heal himself with his Alchemy––which he tried to channel through his Xersian Royalty ring which acted as a amplifier of Alchemic power. However, it was too late. Edward Elric's golden eyes slowly dimmed, and he fell to his knees, trying to keep up his strength.

The world, which had seemed muted and paused, suddenly started again. Blue-uniformed State Officers charged in their direction, while civilians screamed loudly.

Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, the Prince of Xerses, and the Hero of the People, slumped and fell to the ground, his usually bright golden eyes blank and dead.

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Unknown Amount of Time Later

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. . .

. . .

. . .

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

A heartbeat slowly started, and Edward Elric soon grasped his surroundings. He could not see, but he could hear another soft, reassuring heartbeat. His mother's heartbeat.

Then Edward Elric closed his eyes, losing his memories for a while as he fully became Uzumaki Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato and his lovely wife Kushina.

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A small, blond-haired child started crying, and Kushina smiled widely as she heard her son for the first time.

The doctor soon handed Naruto to his mother, who gasped in shock.

Staring up at her were not the blue eyes of his mother or his father, but the eyes that belonged to Kushina's ancient ancestors. The golden eyes of the Xerxesians.

It was true, then? The ancient prophecy handed down secretly through my people? The same prophecy that stated that the Xerxesian Prince would one day appear as a normal child?

Kushina frowned. All who saw those eyes would know that they held power. Though she was only one-fifth Xerxesian, she still belonged to it's bloodline and secrets. Her own eyes and those of her parents and grandparents, who had founded the Whirlpool Country, were known to flash golden when they released power.

It would endanger her child.

She smiled, thinking of her child's fate. Perhaps he would be able to use Alchemy, an art that had been lost through history! Her child would be great, and he would be a great gift to protect the people. He would restore the great city of Levis. And even if he didn't, he was her son, her beautiful baby boy! Her sweet child!

She hid her actions as she drew a Seal––all that remained of Alchemy, and what her country was known for––on his forehead, using it to anchor a genjutsu. His eyes turned from a blazing golden to a bright blue, and she smiled. She immediately wrote a short letter in a sealed scroll, hiding it in a nook in the cave that she was giving birth in while her husband held his son with joy and tears.

But then she felt the Kyūbi stirring. At her weakest, someone was pulling the Kyūbi away from it's rightful place in her own seal. She closed her eyes in death, making her husband promise to take care of their son and always enjoy life.

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Six Years Later

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Uzumaki Naruto was understandably confused as he was called to the Hokage's office. He looked upwards at Grandpa Hokage with cute eyes, blinking innocently. "What do you need me for, Grandpa Hokage? I didn't set off that prank, honest!"

The Third Fire Shadow of the Village Hidden in the Leaves chuckled. "You're not in trouble, Naruto."

"I'm not?" Naruto asked. He was very intelligent for his age, something that stumped everyone around him since Naruto was mostly left to his own devices, the Village hating him for being Jailor of Kyuubi. Naruto's intelligence, however, was very rarely challenged as it was.

"Of course not," the Third Hokage said. "No, I have a present for you."

Naruto grinned, jumping around energetically.

The Hokage eventually calmed Naruto down. "You remember how I told you that I couldn't tell you who your parents were?"
Naruto nodded sadly. "Yeah . . ."

"Well, I can't tell you who they were, but they mentioned in their Will that in case anything happened to them, they wanted me to give you some things."

Naruto's eyes brightened with so much pure hope that it was sad. "They did?!"

"Yes," The Hokage said with a soft smile. He pulled out a pair of small, wooden chests. He gestured to the first. "This belonged to your father, and contains some simple Chakra Control exercises, five D-Rank jutsu, and a C-Rank jutsu for you to study but not attempt," he suddenly appeared stern. "Trying to use a C-Rank jutsu without the necessary Chakra can be deadly! Under no circumstances are you to try it!"

Naruto appeared humbled, looking at the chest in awe. "My dad was a ninja?"

"Not only that!" the Hokage exclaimed, grinning at Naruto. "He was one of the best ninja I'll ever know. He could take on those chūnin teachers that make fun of you with both hands behind his back, blindfolded, and without jutsu."

"Wooooow," the six-year-old said, eyes wide and bright.

"And," the Hokage said. "He wanted you to be powerful and strong to protect your Precious People, too, like he died doing."

Naruto took the chest out of the Hokage's hands, preparing to run straight home to the orphanage and open it.

However, the Hokage caught the back of his orange t-shirt and lifted him into the air with a large smile. "Aren't you forgetting something?" the Hokage asked, looking pointedly at the remaining chest.

"You mean that's mine too?"

The Hokage dropped Naruto to the floor, taking off his hat and nodding. "That is your mother's. She told me that it is filled with fairy tales and the seals of her people."

Naruto picked up the second chest that was almost as long as his entire arm, tucked one under each arm, and ran off.

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Naruto snuck away, opening the chest with a blood seal on the lock that kept only relations able to open it.

First, he opened his father's.

Naruto,

If you are reading this, it means that something happened to your mother and I.

It also means that the Third Hokage has an important reason to keep our identities away from you. He doesn't know what I wrote in this letter, but he thinks that I only left you things that wouldn't hint at my identity. It's wrong to lie to him, but I couldn't take the chance, when it came to my little boy. However, no matter what, you need to know our names. It is you right, son. I should know, because I was also an orphan.

I am the Forth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. Your mother is the beautiful Uzumaki Kushina, who I love will all my heart. We wanted to protect you, and we had a bad feeling that our deaths would be soon. That's why your mother and I made the old man promise to give you these chests. They'll give you things to remember us by . . .

~ Namikaze Minato,

Forth Hokage,

Golden Flash of the Village Hidden in the Leaves

Naruto blinked tears out of his eyes, but it was no use. Great rivers of tears flowed to the floor, Naruto's eyes squinted shut and his face set into a large, happy smile.

I have a dad! I have a dad that loved me! The Forth Hokage that I look up to so much is my dad!

Those were the thoughts running through his head.

And I had a mom who loved me, too!

Naruto roughly wiped away his tears at that––I am six, after all, and not a little kid anymore, he thought to himself. I can't worry my mother who is looking down at me from heaven!––and moved to the second chest.

He looked at it and opened that Blood Seal as well, gasping as he saw piles and piles of books, scrolls, loose paper, and ancient parchment. On top of the haphazard arrangement, another letter lay. Fingers shaking, Naruto opened that one, too.

Naruto,

I am your mother, Kushina. There are many things you need to know about your father and I. You see, I came from Whirlpool Country, which holds a great secret that you must not let anyone but your most trusted people know! Even then, try to keep our secret only to your children!

Look around you and listen carefully before you flip to the next page. Burn it the moment after you've finished reading it, though you can keep the other pages.

Naruto did as he was told, and quickly flipped to the next page after carefully looking at his stuffed animals with a suspicious glare, hoping that Froggy wouldn't hop off to tell anyone.

I am a descendent of Xerxes. Or, more specifically, a descendant of a colony of Xerxes named Levis located on a different continent from them. Our people used to be able to draw Transmutation Circles on the ground and use Alchemy, but that talent was lost to us with time. Now, we only use Seals, though we are great masters of them.

When I moved with a small group of my people to the Village Hidden in the Leaves to hold captive the horrible beast Kyūbi, the Whirlpool Country was targeted by Stone Country, and it was destroyed in the Third Great Ninja War. All that remains of our vast secrets is the contents of this trunk. Many of our secrets are hidden in a code made by the Icicle Alchemist, and look like storybooks. Keep it secret. Keep it safe. (2)

Study this as well as you can, my son. You are the last remnant of our once great and proud people.

Naruto blinked. Alchemy? That was a familiar word . . . He obediently set fire to the second part of the letter, throwing the ashes to the wind.

He looked at all the different books, finding them interesting. The newer books were all easy to read, but the older ones looked like fairy tales. The Tale of the Five Arrows, The Bearskin of Truth, and No Hope for Gilbert were only a few titles.

He blinked, before cracking open a newer-looking book and starting to read.

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A Week Later

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Chūnin Instructor Umino Iruka looked worriedly at Naruto, who was normally the loudest and most annoying student in his class. Naruto was famous for playing pranks, yelling loudly about his dream to become Hokage and gain respect from the village, and running around with unmatchable energy. Iruka often became annoyed at Naruto, because he never concentrated and was willingly the Class Clown, wasting his great intelligence that Iruka had caught a glimpse of.

Naruto was silent.

When the rest of the class walked outside for their well-earned recess, Naruto remained so concentrated on his book that he didn't even notice when the class filed out.

Iruka slowly walked toward Naruto, looking at the book pile that Naruto had been going through during class.

Ninja Tactics, The Story of the Three Goats, Countries and Their Customs, History of the Whirlpool Clan, and The Skies Tragedy.

From the front of the class, Iruka had only seen a few of those titles, and he hadn't bothered to look closer because of Naruto's silence. He had become curious when the silence lasted for four whole hours.

Naruto was peering at a map in Countries and Their Customs, writing notes in a large, thick journal.

"So, what are you looking at?" Iruka asked.

Naruto jumped, glaring at Iruka. "Hey, don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack! Anyways, I'm reading, of course," he said, holding up a book and waving it in front of him.

"Well, yes," Iruka admitted. "But what sort of book are you reading? You're usually not so quiet."

"Lots of things," Naruto said brightly. "Mother left these books for me in her will. I'm going to read all of them!" he exclaimed.

Iruka froze, before putting on a gentle smile and nodding. "Congratulations, Naruto. I'm happy for you." As Iruka turned away, he couldn't help but glance backward at Naruto, who was once again completely enraptured by his book. He looks like he's detirmined to memorize the whole thing, Iruka thought. Though, I really can't blame him. If my parents had left behind anything like that after their deaths, I would treasure them too. Poor Naruto . . .

But Naruto was taken in by his books, learning things about not only the Elemental Nations and the Hidden Villages, but also about Levis, Xerses, and Alchemy. Everything was so interesting.

When Iruka told them about all these rules and regulations, barely letting them practice practical lessons, Naruto was so bored. But this . . . It talked about secrets, and history, and things that Naruto could actually use. It talked about golden eyes, and about descendants of royalty who could activate the city of Levis, which was now unfindable ruins, and make it repair itself almost instantly into the city it once was. It talked about things that seemed like magic, but needed so much science and knowledge to use that Naruto wondered how he could have ever considered such things mere "magic."

These books contained knowledge that awakened Edward Elric's memories.

As Iruka walked out of the classroom to help with the young students on the playground, Naruto's eyes flashed a bright gold even from under the blue illusion.

(1) Irony, much? Sorry, folks, I couldn't resist! What we do to these poor characters . . .

(2) Lord of the Rings quote! ^_^

To Be Continued

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