Storm is Coming (FMA story)

Future Is Now

"Yo, colon- I mean general! Did you check this out?"

He does that only to annoy me.

Roy poured some wine to both glasses and gave the other to Havoc, who gladly accepted.

"Thanks a lot. I have only drunk water this week. The Glass Alchemist's trick caused an awful amount of paperwork."

"So it did to me, so you can leave if there is nothing important for you to say, major Havoc. I need to get ready to announce Grumman's death, on top of all."

Havoc sat down and watched the photographs on the wall. Roy wasn't a man of paintings, so he decorated the room with photos instead. Most of them were about the Mustang team.

"I mostly came to bring this. True News is writing about you again. You seem to have a rival."

Roy drank his wine and laughed. "Another 'handsome, young officer who has realized Riza Hawkeye's beauty'? Geez, those people in that paper have no imagination", he chuckled.

"No, it's a woman now. And an alchemist. Her style of alchemy is even stranger than yours", Havoc answered and tossed the paper to general.

"The Storm Alchemist? Uses electricity as a weapon, something no one else has mastered. Is this finally a match to general Mustang's flame alchemy, whicg still stands for some reason as the most powerful type? Blah blah. They aren't even revealing the name! What a thrash company."

Havoc lit his cigarette and stood up. "Well, I gotta leave now. Where's Riza, by the way?" he asked while putting his coat on.

"Major Hawkeye is with Alphonse. The Superior Alchemist needs someone to guard him", Roy stated.

"That's still a stupid-ass nickname. See you at the bar at nine!" Havoc shouted behind the door.

Roy made sure the door was locked and laid on the couch. Just a few minutes of sleep, he promised to himself.

...

"Jane! Repeat what I just said", Alphonse ordered.

"Alchemy is understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. It is still not all-powerful. Nothing can be created from emptiness. To obtain something, something of an equal value has to be lost. This equivalent exchange is the basis of all alchemy. The greatest taboo of alchemy is human transmutation. Anyone must never do that."

Alphonse clapped a little. "Very good. Even though only Jane had to say that, everyone should know it now. Bring me your homework, please."

"Mr. Alphonse is too strict. He gave homework after first lesson", one kid in the back mumbled to a friend.

"You should see him with one of his cats, he's like a different person!"

Alphonse smiled.

The lesson went on and had almost reached its end now.

"Can I ask a question, teacher?"

"Go on, Keith", Alphonse nodded.

"How can you transmute with just tapping your thumb and index finger?  Mrs. Curtis required putting her palms together."

Alphonse sat back to his chair. The kids were expecting a long explanation. "I have given both my body and soul to Truth. With one sacrifice, you can transmute like mrs. Curtis. But I made another sacrifice in the final battle four years ago."

"Now I have two questions, teacher", Keith continued.

Alphonse almost laughed. "Ask them both, then."

"Your brother made two sacrifices, too. Why he wasn't so powerful?"

"He sacrificed only limbs. Soul's value is infinite, but it can be 'bought' with a small price."

I gotta ask nii-san why sacrificing part of Envy's Philosopher's Stone didn't grant him this ability.

"And didn't you sacrifice your soul to get your brother's arm back?"

"That's true. But to gain knowledge from Truth, one only needs to go trough the gate. So it is like a bonus in addition to your other 'purchases'", Alphonse laughed.

"But now, the lesson is over!" Hawkeye shouted from the door. "No homework today", Alphonse added.

After the kids were gone, Alphonse left the class too.

"Where are you going now, Al?" Hawkeye asked while she opened the door for Al.

"I think I'll just go to my apartment for the rest of the day. I want to call Mei. And nii-san."

"Shouldn't you visit the archive to plan tomorrow's lesson?"

"That's true. I'll go there in evening."

...

She tapped all her fingers together and released a bolt of lightning. It destroyed the mannequin completely.

"This is still hard. Maybe I should try the alkahestry method."

Someone appeared behind her.

"It would easen the aiming, but it's slower. Too much slower. You're not a xingese fighter like that princess."

She shot another bolt. "I'll try the first half of it, then. It has no risk of a self-shock."

Her companion grinned. "That just hardens the aiming. But I need you alive."

"Good to hear. You guys didn't care about these things in the past."

"I have changed. A little."

She put her gloves on. "Enough from tonight. I'll go to sleep."

"Good night."