stayin alive

chapter 1

"i hate that colonel bastard. we just got back from a yet another unsuccessful attempt of finding the philosophers stone and now he wants me to go on another mission?!?"

"well, this is your job brother. it's not like you can refuse his orders."

"i know i know but still. it hasn't even been a day since we got back. i just want a break sometimes."

edward and alphonse were on their way to mustang's office to receive a new mission. they had just gotten back from another mission about some sightings of a philosophers stone in a town quite aways away. it had taken 8 hours to get there and 8 more to get back. edward was exhausted. the train seats were always so uncomfortable, it strained his neck and back. alphonse, on the other hand, didn't mind because he couldn't feel the seats. his soul was trapped in a body of armor after all. it's not like he could sleep on the train either so he wasn't tired.

"brother, i know you're tired but you still need to be respectful to the colonel. he has given us so many opportunities to find the philosophers stone. i know he may be a jerk to you sometimes but you just need to suck it up for now. because we will find the philosophers stone and we will get our bodies back. so just stick with him until then. okay?"

"yeah i hear ya. i'll try." edward looked down and started thinking about how much of a brat he'd had been to the colonel. he was 15. almost an adult and acted so childish.

'wow,' edward thought, 'i really need to step it up and help the colonel more. fuck have i really been like this to him? and everyone else?'

"brother?"

edward was still lost in his thoughts.

"brother!"

"yeah? what al??"

"we're here."

"oh," edward looked up, "sorry. let's go in."

the two brothers headed into the building and made their way to mustang's office.

"hello, edward and alphonse."

riza was standing in front of doors to the colonel's office.

"the colonel is ready to see you." she smiled.

"hello lieutenant." alphonse smiled back.

riza opened the doors and the brothers followed her in. she made her way to the couch in front of the colonel's desk and gestured her hand for them to sit down.

"hello fullmetal. nice to see you arrive on time for once." said roy. he was sitting in his chair with a smirk on his face and one leg crossed over the other. his hand under his chin, using it for something to rest it on.

"hey colonel bastard." edward said firmly with his arms crossed. he was impatient. already wanting to get out of his office.

"so i take it you didn't find the philosophers stone? what a pity. i really thought it would be there. the reports seemed so real. and you two traveled so far. just for it to not be there."

"oh shut up! you're the one who sent us there! you send us all over the damn country and work us so much! don't you think we deserve a break sometimes?!?" edward snapped. he had enough of the colonel teasing him.

"people in the military do not get breaks. once you become a dog of the military, a state alchemist, you do not rest. you should've known that before you signed up." mustang replied.

edward scoffed, "whatever. just tell me my next orders so i can get out of this damn place. i don't want to see your face for awhile."

mustang brought out a folder. he took out a wanted poster, " this is micheal shanboya. he is known as the gun alchemist-"

edward cut him off, "there's a gun alchemist?! i didn't even know-"

"yes there is. i thought you would be smarter. alchemy is the science of understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. there can be an alchemist for anything that's made of matter. a gun, for example, is matter. so it's possible for someone to be a gun alchemist."

"yeah i knew that." edward rolled his eyes.

"back to the point, this man," mustang pointed to the face on the wanted poster, "he has been terrorizing many people and we need to put an end to it. guns and alchemy is a dangerous and powerful mix. he needs to be stopped."

"if he's so dangerous, than why are you sending a 15 and 14 year old to go after him?" edward asked. he smirked knowing mustang would have a hard time answering his question.

"simple. your brother," mustang walked up to alphonse and tapped his armor with his fist, "is bulletproof. you can use him as a shield to get close to shanboya and capture him. you two know how to fight and are actually pretty damn well at it. so, you guys are our best option for this."

alphonse gasped, "you're really gonna use me as a shield against some dangerous man?!? let's not forget he's good with guns!!"

"alphonse. i know it might sounds scary to you but you're literally made out of metal! would you rather have your brother charge at him recklessly and get shot??" mustang asked.

"i will not get shot." edward said.

"even so, you need your brother," mustang looked at edward, "and you need him too." he turned to alphonse.

"okay. i'll try my best to protect my brother." said alphonse. agreeing to mustang's plan.

"yeah. i guess i'll do it. but if anything goes wrong," edward pointed at mustang, "i'm blaming you."

"blame me all you want. i have confidence that you'll capture him." said mustang.

they sat there for a few moments in silence. mustang was waiting for edward to yell at him or tell him an insult but nothing came.

"alright then. here's where he was last spotted," mustang handed edward a sheet of paper with all the information they needed, "it isn't too far away from here. i'd say about 10 minutes if you drive and 30 if you walk there."

"alright. cmon al let's get going." edward stood up and headed to the door with his younger brother following.

edward was about to open the door when mustang said, "hey. be careful."

"yeah yeah. you can count on me." edward waved him off and opened the door walking out.

"colonel. you need to be more easy on them. they've already had enough shit to deal with." riza said as the door was closing.

"yeah i guess you're right. i forget that they're children sometimes." mustang said, scratching the back of his head.

"alright. the colonel said it would take about 30 minutes to get there so let's leave right now and just get this over with." edward sighed.

edward and alphonse headed towards the town where the gun alchemist was. roy looked out his window and watched as the brothers walked away.

he thought, 'they'll be fine. right?'