Son of the Flame Alchemist

Chapter 2: A Mistake

10 years later...

Richard knelt upon the stone before the ruined house, sketching a transmutation circle upon the ground with a piece of chalk. After providing the necessary formula, he pressed his hands to the circle. The chalk lines glowed blue with radiance, and the house began to rebuild itself. Townspeople gasped as they watched the ruins turn to dissolve, slowly reconstructing themselves. In a matter of seconds, a brand new house was before them.

Richard and his father walked through the streets of the village, helping the people with repairs when needed. Finally, Roy spoke.

"You've progressed quickly, Rick," Roy said, smiling at his son.

"Yeah, but its nothing compared to what you can do, Dad," Rick laughed, mimicking his father's clapping alchemy. "All you have to do is press your hands together."

Roy laughed at this, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well I hope that you don't ever do what I did, son. Being sightless was, well, a nightmare."

They walked in silence for a bit before Roy spoke again. 

"How're things with Sally?" he asked, nudging Rick.

"She dumped me a few days ago," Rick said, though he didn't sound too upset about this. "Said that I was too focused on alchemy and not enough on her."

"That's too bad. She was quite a looker."

"Dad, come on!" Rick clenched his fists, though he wasn't  angry.

"I'm just saying son, she would have been a great match for you."

They'd arrived at their estate, where Riza was at the gate, waiting patiently for them to arrive.

"Took long enough," she said as she pecked Roy on the lips.

"Sorry, sweetheart, the damages to the village were greater than we originally thought," Roy said, pulling her closer.

"I'm going to go to the study, and, uh, leave you guys to it," Rick rushed away, fishing in his pocket for a piece of paper. Scribbled in black pen was a transmutation circle, a circle forbidden to all Alchemists: the human transmutation circle. However, Rick was certain that this variation of the Fullmetal Alchemist's circle would work, as he wouldn't be trying to bring someone back from the dead; he would be trying to create an entirely new human. As far as he knew, know had tried to do such a thing, but he was certain that it could work.

All he needed were the ingredients.

. . . . .

Rick sat in the cellar of his home, the mound of ingredients piled in the center of the room. He'd made sure to clear the stone floor of anything dust to keep any other materials from interacting with the transmutation. He checked the formula for the circle, then again, making sure that he hadn't made a mistake; the formula was programmed to transmute the materials into a teenage girl roughly the size of Rick.

Finally, he smiled as he pressed his hands to the circle, activating it. Blue energy lashed through the air as the transmutation began. Rick watched as the materials twisted and swirled together, shifting into a human shape. Success was close, he knew it. He blinked, but when he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the cellar.

Rick was in a place with no color; it was completely blank, and empty except for him, the stone doors behind him, and a white figure which sat upon the floor.

"You are both intelligent and foolish, Alchemist," the figure said, standing. "You sought to create an entirely new human. You, who have not lost anyone dear to yourself, have attempted to do the impossible. I will reward you for your efforts, but not without a price. I will give you a power unlike those who have come before me."