A/N: Two things: 1) I'm sorry the chapter is late. But I believe that a decently written chapter is much more important than getting it posted on time. Like all my Mustang chapters, it had to be rewritten...would it be this hard for me to write Ed if I was a Ranger? I don't know. 2) Yes, I've seen the whole series, yes, I know about Bradly. (Spoiler Alert for series) He did a damn good job of fooling everyone, and you can take what he says in this chapter more than one way. So no complaining about the Fuhrer! Oh, and I was sure I'd get an e-mail or two about "why didn't Roy freak out if Ed had disappeared for THREE days?" Huh, what-ev.

Normal is Subjective

Chapter 8

Roy Mustang walked to the field where he and Ed had fought. Funny how long ago that fight seemed. His team was excitedly going back and forth, wondering what amazing feat they would be seeing.

Was it because they weren't alchemists that they didn't understand?

Alchemy's Number One Law: Equivalent Exchange.

The Elric brothers repeated it like a mantra; "Never forget Equivalent Exchange." What was Alphonse exchanging for placing his soul again and again into different shells? How was Roy supposed to protect those two if they consistently seemed determined to get themselves killed?!

He had panicked when Edward had not reported to the office the morning after he'd finally gotten Edward and Alphonse to talk. Roy had been surprised at how easy it had been to force those two to settle whatever differences they had. It had almost been too convenient. He'd had a difficult time hiding his surprise when he had seen the glowing red eyes on the small figurine.

At ten o'clock the next morning, an hour after Edward had been showing up every day for over a month, Roy had started to wonder. It had been routine. The way subordinates were supposed to work. Why wasn't Edward there? By noon the colonel had excused himself for lunch and started hunting. Neither boy had been in their dorm, but the room showed no signs of a struggle. If someone had tried to hurt the boys, Edward would have surely put up a fight. He had run back to his office, ready to rally the troops into a search party when he'd gotten a call from the Central Library. Some kid was trying to access restricted alchemy texts. A new librarian, obviously. Roy had gone to the library, and found both boys quietly arguing alchemy laws and theories that he'd hardly heard of, much less comprehended.

What he did understand made his stomach burn with a new kind of fear.

It was an intriguing idea. One that would be very useful. Amestris would never have to worry about its surrounding countries ever again. How many brothers-in-arms would still be alive if they'd had this technique in Ishbal?

Or, Roy guessed, how many more Ishballians would be dead?

Those boys couldn't handle another blow. Alphonse asked Edward if he would use Alphonse's technique if they could figure out how to replicate it...Edward protected Alphonse, Alphonse protected Edward. Each in their own way. What kind of target would Alphonse be painting on himself if they were able to weaponize this alchemy? Did kind-hearted Alphonse not understand that this would be used as a weapon? That to save their own soldiers, they would use it to kill their enemies? Alphonse was young, innocent, but not naive. The Elric brothers had seen enough of the world to understand.

Though, those two were highly advanced alchemists. Roy hardly understood what they were going on about, how would your average alchemist even begin to replicate it?

Roy shook his head, refocusing his attention back to the field. He shouldn't have agreed to this. His curiosity had gotten the better of him. What if it was possible? He selfishly thought about what honors this discovery would give him. He had found Edward Elric, he was the boy's commanding officer.

Protect the Elrics or climb the ladder?

Alphonse looked right at Mustang and the team for a moment before going back to moving the steel plates around the field. Three stacks were transmuted by Edward into different sets of armor, the fourth was left off to the side.

"Wow," Havoc laughed. "Look at the boss' face. Does his smile look different to you?"

Riza answered, her steeled face softening for a moment, "It's a real smile. That's what's changed."

"Oh, hey!" Fury hushed, "They're starting."

Roy was mesmerized by the fight. He had always wondered how the suit of armor had been so agile, so skilled, and the proof was now in front of him. The armor had not been armor to Alphonse; the boy had treated it as if it had actually been his body. The armor had moved with such fluid grace, because Alphonse moved with such fluid grace.

And skill!

Alphonse and Edward both fought the same way they thought. Edward was hasty, spontaneous, but once you knew him, usually easily predictable. Alphonse watched, studied, waited for an opening, only exerted the energy that was absolutely necessary. It was easy to see why Edward always lost.

Maybe he had chosen they wrong brother after all?

Then Alphonse was taunting Edward, and Roy felt himself grow nervous. Edward would never hurt his brother, but Roy had been on the receiving end of the Fullmetal Alchemist's alchemy before.

And as soon as mud and water covered Alphonse, Edward was laughing hysterically, and Roy finally realized what had looked strange from the beginning. They were not watching a battle simulating, they were watching two children play.

Alphonse quickly rid himself of the mud and ran straight for Edward, easily tossing the older brother down. Roy hadn't realized the younger had used alchemy until Edward was trying to stand. The ease with which those two used alchemy was astounding. They didn't need to concentrate, it didn't phase them in the least, alchemy was just another extension of their martial arts.

A small crowd had begun to gather, not a surprise, he'd had to explain why he was requesting the field in the requisition papers. Any mention of the Fullmetal Alchemist always brought onlookers.

Mustang watched curiously as Alphonse ran across the yard while Edward struggled to free himself. Alphonse pulled a piece of chalk from his pocket and slid on his knees the last few feet. The array was drawn in barely seconds and in less time, a suit of armor lay on the ground. The boy pulled something from his pocket and placed it on the chest of the armor and there wasn't even a flash as Alphonse fell to the ground and the armor sprang to its feet. The metal helmet turned to the sleeping body before familiar red-fire eyes turned to the audience and locked with Roy's.

Alphonse was trying to prove himself. The boy had asked specifically for Roy to watch. The youngest Elric wanted someone to be proud of what he could do. The boy was showing off to the only father-figure he had known.

And Roy was very proud.

With that thought came a wave of guilt. Hadn't Roy been just thinking how he could use this to gain more power to become fuhrer?!

Now, Edward wasn't paying attention. Alphonse wouldn't hurt...

Roy released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when Edward dodged at the last moment. Edward yelled something Roy couldn't quite make out and the next they knew, Edward was covered in water and mud from his own pipe.

What would it look like if this fight was real? As much as Roy hated to admit it, he couldn't help but wonder. What these boys were doing was beyond the understanding of nearly, if not all, other State Alchemists, but if it was possible...

Two sets of armor now fought Edward, Amazing. They didn't move with the same practiced ease, but they were putting up enough of a fight.

Then, they just stopped.

"Whoa. Who'd go onto the field during a simulation like this?"

"Yeah, what are they doing?"

Roy had completely forgotten the crowd and scanned the field. Sure enough, a small group was standing over Alphonse's body. Roy stood, ready to vault the fence and unleash a wave of fire at whomever would try to hurt the boy. Then he stopped. It was Fuhrer Bradly. What the hell was the fuhrer doing?!

The two suits of armor collapsed loudly, Alphonse didn't know.

Dear God, Alphonse didn't know it was Fuhrer Bradly! Neither he nor Edward could see the faces of the people over him.

"Alphonse, NO!" He bellowed as loudly as he could as he saw the boy's body stir. Roy jumped the fence, running the instant his feet hit the grass. Everything seemed to slow. He watched as Alphonse's fist hit the fuhrer, the boy rolled out of Bradly's grasp, and took a defensive position. As the boy had moved, the fuhrer's personal guards raised their rifles. Edward was ahead of Roy, but neither would make it in time. What would Edward do if Alphonse was executed before his eyes? This can't be happening.

He saw Edward dive for his brother...there was a shot...

Roy froze and held his breath.

Edward had tackled Alphonse to the ground, his body curling protectively over his younger brother and he stared wide-eyed at the fuhrer. Bradly had one hand raised, signaling his guards to stand down, his other hand was just over the smoking barrel of the rifle he had knocked away from its target.

Edward tore his eyes from the fuhrer, searching his brother for injury. Roy couldn't see the boy, but Edward must have been satisfied because his head shot up, but he stayed over his brother as he yelled, "What the hell?! Who walks onto a field where—"

"Fullmetal!" The colonel yelled, snapping to attention. How was Roy supposed to salvage this?!

"I'm terribly sorry," Fuhrer Bradly spoke softly, "I didn't mean to frighten the boy. All I saw was a child lying right in the field. I have a boy not too much younger, I guess my fatherly side got the better of me." His grin was a little to wide, "Is he the one with the amazing idea on how to improve my army?"

Ed leaned back enough for Roy to catch a glimpse of Alphonse; the youngest Elric was still curled in a fetal position, shaking uncontrollably. Edward smoothed back his brother's bangs and answered, "It's both our idea. Why couldn't you have just asked us after? The last time he snapped back so fast it took him half a day before he could try again."

This had happened before and Edward was still allowing this?! Roy stepped loser, Alphonse's eyes were closed, his brow furrowed in pain, he was covered in sweat, shaking, gasping, and Roy could see the small puddle of vomit next to the boy's head. Edward had said that he trusted that Alphonse could do this. What did these boys know that Roy didn't? They always spoke of a Gate. Did this Gate really give them some incomprehensible knowledge?

"Brother?" Alphonse called weakly. He coughed before vomiting again. Edward pulled the younger boy into his arms and pressed his automail hand against a flushed cheek. Alphonse leaned into the metal, "S-sorry. Di-n't see..."

"No need for apologies, son," Bradly smiling. "Keep working on it. We'll need to have these sorts of problems fixed before we can start training troops. Wouldn't want to leave anyone defenseless."

"Its not that..." Edward argued. "He said...its like when you're in a dark room and someone turns on a light. It hurts your eyes. Al says its like that, except with all your senses."

"Still, a fascinating idea. Whatever funding you require, I will be sure that it is approved. With a weapon like this, Amistris will be an unstoppable force." He turned to Roy, "Colonel Mustang," he motioned for Roy to follow as he turned and started walking. "That is Alphonse Elric?" The fuhrer asked as soon as they were out of earshot from the brothers.

"Yes, sir." Roy answered, he hope it didn't sound as forced as he thought it had. He didn't think he could follow an order to make Alphonse a State Alchemist.

"Fullmetal is very protective of his younger brother."

"Yes, sir. Alphonse had been very sick for the last five years. Its only been a few months since he has gotten better."

The fuhrer laughed, "It is unfortunate."

"Sir?"

"I don't want to see that boy become a State Alchemist. I was warned to make sure you didn't get both Elric brothers a few years ago. No one person should control that much power."

Roy was left gaping. What could he say to that?!

The fuhrer gave a dismissive wave. "You are not the only one vying for power, Flame Alchemist. There are many people, more ruthless than even you. Many people have been looking through records recently, and your staff is not very careful about covering their tracks...but then, neither are others. I would watch out, Flame Alchemist. You are very young to hold the rank you do. Many people do not like their power threatened. Or for those under them to be trying for higher positions."

Did Bradly know?! How could the fuhrer have found out about his plan to one day run the country?! Roy tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"You are a formidable opponent," Bradly looked back to where Ed and the rest of Mustang's team was fanning and helping Alphonse slowly drink a cup of water. "You have a very powerful, very vulnerable alchemist under your command. You don't need another. Allow them to finish their work, this may be very useful. And one day, perhaps our ranks will have use for a Puppeteer Alchemist. Until then, don't allow any transfer. You are more honorable than others of your position."

Roy was trying to understand. The fuhrer was warning him? Bradly didn't want Alphonse to be a State Alchemist...yet, vulnerable...Roy knew someone was after Edward, but there was nothing official. The fuhrer was giving him a clue?! "Thank you,sir."

"For what?" Bradly laughed, "I just made you a babysitter."

Roy saluted, "Yes, sir."

"Take good care of them, they have proven themselves to be very useful. It would be a shame if such a resource was lost." The fuhrer nodded and left.

Roy sighed, what was it about those boys? He made his way back to his team, Alphonse still did not look well. The boy's eyes were closed and he back was against Edward, as if he didn't have the strength to sit up.

"He just needs to rest, colonel," Edward said, more calmly then Roy thought he should. "It'll pass."

Roy chose not to answer with the lecture about Alphonse's safety that he so wanted to bash into the boy's brain. "Let's go back to my house; we'll call Cullings." Of course Fullmetal tried to argue. "You are coming to my house, Alphonse will sleep on something better than a military issue cot, and you will eat something aside from the slop they serve in the mess hall."

Edward sighed, "Fine."

"Fury, Havoc, make sure the field gets cleaned up."

They both answered with "Yes, sir."

Hawkeye drove the three to the colonel's house and left to gather the rest of the day's paperwork for the colonel to finish at home. It had been a silent drive. Alphonse wouldn't speak, and seemed to be in an uneasy sleep.

Roy unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Why don't I take him upstairs, and you put a kettle on to boil?" Roy asked, shifting the boy in his arms.

Alphonse grunted, "What's that smell?"

"Smell?" Edward asked, "What do you mean?"

Roy took a tentative breath, Alphonse was overly sensitive, but Roy could smell something strange as well. It smelled...metallic?

He took another breath and began to feel light-headed. Metallic? Gas! Roy turned to the front door, "We have to get out of here!" But it was too late, Edward was already stumbling, blinking trying to focus his eyes. Alphonse suddenly seemed far too heavy and Roy heard Edward's metal limbs hit the floor, just an instant before he himself fell.