Chapter Text
Chapter 1 Truth?
"Mom! Mom!" The melodic but hyperactive voice of a teenage girl calls out repeatedly. "Come on, mom! Let's get going!"
A gentle, tall, short haired middled aged woman laughs at her energy. "Calm down dear. It's just your high school choir concert." the girl's mom, Rose, said.
"Yeah, but I have a solo in it! And you know I love to sing!" the girl laughs.
"Yes, of course. You do have a beautiful voice." Rose replied.
Saige Tamanaka. Your average hyperactive tomboy of a girl with an amazing voice, which she used often and loudly. She has fair skin, pale-almost white-blonde hair in a low fluffy ponytail complimented by bright blue eyes. She typically wears an outfit consisting of sweatpants or shorts to go with some baggy v-necks or loose tank tops.
She is a major anime fan like anyone else. But one of her all time favorites is Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. She just loved all of the action and the plot with all of its' twist and turns. The comedy obviously helped too. It was a big part of her childhood since she was able to watch it with her dad, a military man, before he passed away three years ago when she was twelve.
"Oh! And remember, after the concert, we have to get the biggest pizza we can get!" Saige chirped as she practically bounced to the car.
Rose chuckles with a sigh. "Saige, you are almost an adult you know. Isn't about time to start acting like one?"
"Until I hit a major growth spurt or I turn eighteen, not happening!" Saige replied with a laugh.
Luckily for Saige for who is five foot two, she doesn't have much of a height complex. It actually always lets her make the joke she's 'fun sized' instead of short. It always managed to get a laugh out of her parents.
Days like this with just her and her were all regular to Saige. Sing, either for concerts or for fun, play or joke around with her mom, and just go to school and watch anime like any other teenager. But, that all changes for her in an instant after one fated day, all starting during her summer break abroad with her mom.
"Finally! Summer break!" Saige cheered, raising her arms up with a big grin after finally reaching the their destination.
"Saige, calm down. I swear, one day you'll make that beautiful voice die out." Rose sighed.
Saige jokingly reacts hurt. "No way! My voice would never abandon me!" she protests.
For this trip, the two of them decided to finally travel England like they wanted to for so long now that they've saved up enough money. For Rose, it was simply because she loved the culture here. And for Saige, well, she just really wanted to go there after seeing so much in England in all kinds of tv shows and movies.
"Come on mom! I want to get in a little sight seeing before we go to our hotel." Saige said, already pulling her mom along.
"I'm coming. I'm coming. I wish I had your energy." Rose agrees.
After renting a car, two of them went to some not too fancy restaurant for lunch before actually going sight seeing. They went to see Big Ben, obviously, and just stopped to walk around London. But, as they were walking around, something caught Saige's eye that usually wouldn't catch anyone else's. It was an old abandoned building, completely fenced off.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Rose asked as she stopped next to Saige.
"Nothing. It's just that building is giving me a weird feeling." Saige answered.
"You're probably thinking it resembles something from an anime like you did with every black taxi car we saw." Rose jokes.
It was true. Saige did mention the black cars looked like ones from Full Metal Alchemist. Maybe it's a reason she actually liked London so much, it reminded her of the show she and her dad loved so much.
"Huh, you could be right." Saige said, scratching the back of her head. "Still, it's just kinda sticks out to me for some reason."
Rose sighs. "Before you ask, yes, you can go and take a look at it. I'll be at café across the street when you're done. But don't try and cause any trouble." she warns.
"You're the best, mom!" Saige squealed. The two walked off, Saige actually running, in opposite directions. She quickly closed the distance between her and the fence that kept her out of the building.
"Sheesh, mom was right. It's a bit small, but building definitely looks familiar. Imagine if it was actually-" Saige began to say, but when she accidentally leaned on the fence, that portion she was leaning on somehow gave way and she fell face first onto the ground on the other side of the fence.
"Blegh! Oh god, dirt got in my mouth!" Saige complained, spitting a few time.
Looking up, she finally put her attention back on the building that was now in reach. She looked around, and Saige saw no one around guarding it, and it seemed like no one was looking either.
"I know I should leave...but something is seriously throwing me off about this place." Saige mutters "Hmm...More sight seeing isn't causing trouble though. And it'll only be for a second."
With that in mind, she scrambled to her feet and raced towards the building. When she reached it, the main door was mysteriously unlocked locked, so she easily entered. All the lights were off inside, but sunlight was getting inside, so she could still see.
But, what Saige saw inside wasn't exactly impressive, but it was also puzzling. Book shelves on every wall, books and paper were scattered on the floor, and there was one sole table in the middle of the room. And while there was clearly more of the building to explore, she felt it's wouldn't end well to go any further in.
"I know it's abandoned, but they could've cleaned this place before they left." Saige mumbled.
She walked towards the only table in the room and soon saw that something was sitting on it. It was something in a small glass bottle and in a circle that was carved onto the table's surface. The substance in the bottle was bright crimson red.
Saige blinks in surprise. "What the heck? A small glass bottle? Doesn't look all that old either. Has someone been hear recently?" she questioned.
She leans down to inspect the bottle and the carving a bit more. But when she see what the circle on the table actually was, her eyes went wide. Now, Saige was actually trembling and her face grew pale.
"W-wait a second, isn't that...a transmutation circle?" Saige said. And she was right. The bottle filled with the red substance sat dead center in a small transmutation circle on the table. She easily recognized it from Full Metal Alchemist.
Saige shakes her head and even smacks herself. "Ok ok, I must be going crazy. I mean, come on. An actual transmutation circle from Full Metal Alchemist? I'd like to think I'm not that crazy yet."
"And besides, if that was a transmutation circle, wouldn't that mean this red stuff is..." Saige trailed off.
She slowly moved her hand to carefully grasped the small bottle. But, she apparently wasn't careful enough. The moment Saige touched the bottle, the liquid and transmutation lit up the whole room. It became so bright that Saige had to shield her eyes from the harsh light.
It took a few moments for the light to die down, but when Saige opened her eyes again, if her face could get any paler, it did. Because, she was no longer in the same room as before. Saige now stood in a clear white void. Nothing and no one in sight as far as the eye could see.
"Wh-what on earth?...Isn't this...It can't be..." Saige muttered. For once, Saige couldn't figure out what to say.
"Hello."
Saige stiffened and looked straight ahead upon hearing someone else's voice. But to her even greater shock, the only thing she was met with was an outlined white figure who's only visible quality was its mouth.
"Now way...Truth?" Saige breathed out.
"Oh good, you know who I am. That makes things so much easier." Truth says. Just like in the anime, Truth's voice echoed and was mainly someone else's with her own mixed in.
Saige's shoulders tremble and she takes a tentative step back. "...What's going on? How is this even possible?" she asked.
Truth laughs. "You're the one who found the Philosopher's stone, you should know." it answered.
"So that was the stone?" Saige mutters.
"Exactly. And since you were the one who found it, you'll now be a part of this little game I'm putting together." Truth said.
Her eyes widened. "G-game?! What are you talking about?" Saige asks hastily.
"The game of life and death of course. One for a story that's already been told. In this game, if you die, you lose everything. But if you live, you win everything." Truth said.
"Wait a minute, what does that even-" Saige tried to argue, but her voice stopped coming out, literally.
Her mouth moved, but nothing came out. Saige quickly and concerningly realized this development. She initially thought something happened to her hearing, so she snaps her fingers by her ear. She can hear just fine. So she instead tries her voice once more, continually moving her mouth, trying to make at least so much a peep, but nothing. Her voice, it was gone.
"My... My voice! What happened to my voice!?" Saige mentally panicked.
"Come now. You should know what's going on by now." Truth said, but it's voice, it wasn't the same way it was a few moments ago. It was her's. Truth took Saige's voice.
"It's the law of equivalent exchange. So don't worry, you'll gain something in return." Truth said.
"What!? What is he talking about!?" Saige thought.
"Now, I think it's about time we begin our game. And don't worry, you'll learn the playing field very quickly." Truth said.
When Truth stopped speaking, Saige began hearing a slow creaking sound behind her. When she turned around, she saw a massive door slowly opening behind her. She knew what it was immediately- her own portal of truth. When it fully opened, the eye inside of it opened and many black arms shot out from the darkness within the gate.
Saige couldn't even scream as the arms began to pull her into the gate, she could only struggle and squirm. And just like that, the gate closed, pulling Saige into a world where she must fight to survive. The next thing she knew, she landed flat on her back on the hard ground that was all wet.
She slowly sat up, rubbing her head. "Damn, that hurt!" Saige thought and tried saying. But, she was quickly reminded of the fact that Truth took her voice.
"That's right...Stupid Truth! Why my voice, of all things!?" Saige thought, smacking the ground.
While her thoughts were angry, Saige actually felt like crying. Her voice was very precious to her. And it's it not like she knows sign language, so how would she communicate with people? Carry around a pencil and note pad? She didn't know yet. But after taking some time to calm down, she looked around and was surprised to see where she landed. Not only did she realize it was raining, but she was sitting in some random alleyway.
"Great. Just where the heck did Truth drop me?" Saige thought, rising to her feet.
Before she could focus on that, she heard the sound people screaming, followed by loud thuds. Saige looked down the alley way and ran towards where she heard the noise. All she had to do was turn a few corners, but what she saw almost made her throw up. Two full grown men in uniforms were lying on the ground, dead, with blood pooling under them.
"Oh god. I think I'm gonna hurl!" Saige thinks, covering her mouth. "No, calm down, calm down! I just... I need to take a closer look at them."
Calming her nerves and stealing herself with a few deep breathes, Saige looked closely at corpses before her, looking closely at their uniforms. While it still made her nauseous trying to ignore all the blood, she recognized their outfits soon enough.
"These uniforms... They're from the Military Police in Full Metal Alchemist. Then I really am in Truth's world!" Saige concluded.
She looked at the house that the now dead men were in front of. With the conditions of the area and the way the house looked, Saige was eventually able to figure out exactly where and when she was.
"With all this rain and the dead mp's, if my memory's right, then that all means... This must be Shou Tucker's place." Saige figures.
Her eyes drift down to the bodies again with a grimace."And that means this is Scar's handiwork then. And if this just happened outside of Tucker house, he must be inside now." she thinks.
But upon realizing all that, Saige's eyes suddenly go wide. "Wait, if he just got inside, then... Oh my god- Nina!"
Without even thinking, Saige runs inside the house, only thinking about saving Nina, even if she was now a chimera. She easily found the room Scar was in, following the wet footsteps he left. But unfortunately, Saige was already too late to stop Scar from killing Tucker.
After the telltale glow of Scar's deconstruction alchemy, Tucker fell to the floor in a bloody heap in front of her very eyes. Saige placed her hands over her mouth in pure horror, regardless of the fact no sound would come from her. In real life, the way Scar killed people was much more gruesome than she anticipated.
In her chimera form, Nina padded toward's her father's body. "Daddy's hurting...Daddy hurts...No daddy..." Nina says, tears streaming down her face.
Scar looks down at Nina. "You poor creature. Once you've been given this form, there is no way of separating you again. At least, your passing will be in peace." Scar laments, placing his hand on Nina's head.
When Saige sees this, she jumped into action. She ran right at Scar and, no matter how useless it clearly would be, she actually takes a swing at him. But luckily for her, Scar is at least surprised enough to move back away from Nina. This let's Saige then stand between him and Nina.
"Just what do you think you are doing here, little girl?" Scar asked. Unable to, Saige didn't answer him.
"So, you refuse to speak. Very well, but if you interfere, you will be eliminated as well." Scar said, cracking his knuckles.
Saige's whole body trembles, but she doesn't move. "Crap, I really didn't think this far ahead. And I know full well he's serious about killing me. Still, it doesn't matter. I won't let Nina die, not if I could help it!" Saige thought.
"Come on, think! How can I get away from him while covering for Nina!? Think, think!" Saige's thoughts rush through her head as Scar gets closer.
Suddenly, the memory of the gate of truth popped into her head. And that's when Saige realized, if she did see the gate of truth, then maybe- just maybe- she can do alchemy like Elric brothers.
"...You know what, screw it! What more can I lose right now!?" Saige settles.
Scar then lunges at her, trying to do the same thing he did to Tucker. On instinct, Saige claps her hands together and slams them on the ground. And just as she hoped, the wooden floorboards bend and reshape, creating a wall of wooden between the murderous Ishvalen and them.
"Yes! It worked!" Saige cheered in her head.
Taking the opportunity they now have, Saige got as good as tight of a grip she could get on Nina and bolted for for the window. Running full speed, she jumped through the glass with Nina in her arms. Luckily, they made it through no problem. Saige even made it so Nina landed on top of her, although causing herself to land on the shards of glass from the window. Without her voice, she couldn't even grunt or scream from the pain.
"...Big sister... Are you hurt?..." Nina asked, looking up at Saige.
Saige looked down at her, and she didn't need her voice to answer her. She easily smiled and patted her head. Though upon hearing the deafening sound of the wooden wall she made being destroyed, Saige quickly snapped back to reality and began getting back onto her feet. Even with shards of glass in her legs and arms, Saige had to run while making sure Nina followed. It was even harder since she had to worry about tripping in the rain.
"Shit shit shit! Pissing off the skilled mass murderer on my first day! Just perfect!" Saige panics in her head.
She repeatedly shakes her head to clear her thoughts. "Ok ok, just think! I should probably find Ed and Al! They are the main characters after all! Let's see, after the whole thing with Nina, they were on the steps of the military base here in the series. So I just have to find it. Please let this be easy." Saige thought.
Even though she thought this, Saige gradually began to slow down until she comes to a complete stop."Wait a second. What am I doing?"
"If I find and warn them about Scar now, who knows what'll end up changing." Saige thought. "And Nina, she was meant to die. What's going to happen when they see her alive?"
"Big sister..." Nina calls out, snapping Saige out of her trance and making her look down the chimera "Can we play?... Can we play now?" she asked.
Saige smiles, but now being one caused by pity as she patted Nina on the head once again. "I wish I could still talk, then I could reassure her." Saige thought.
'Let's keep moving' Saige mouthed. Luckily, Nina seemed to understand what Saige was trying to actually say because as Saige walked towards an abandoned place to stay dry, Nina followed her.
"We'll find a place to sleep tonight. Then tomorrow, I'll find a way for us to meet the brothers. My heart is racing. But, without my voice, I wonder how this'll all work out." Saige thought.