"So, boys, you're really convinced you're ready for this." "That's right." "Just tell me what to wear to graduation." "Careful, Ed." "I'd hate for you to get cocky." "As you know, you find your own training." "I suggest him." "The Sewing-Life Alchemist, huh?" "Shou Tucker." "He practically wrote the book on bringing things to life." "That's how it started." "We'd spend the months before the exam living at the Tucker estate." "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return." "To obtain, something of equal value must be lost." "That is alchemy's first Law of Equivalent Exchange..." "In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth." "Take the memories of distant days, tear them up with your own hands, and squeeze the life out of your sorrows for me." "Come on, and pierce my heart as it yearns for your love!" "Looking at the sky, thinking tomorrow must be coming, it's too much for my captivated heart to take." "As a bird flutters along beside me." "I wonder where he managed to find his light." "Say, would you carry me along on your back as well?" "And leave me at the highest place there is, far away from kindness?" "Take the memories of distant days, tear them up with your own hands, and squeeze the life out of your sorrows for me." "Come on, and pierce my heart as it yearns for your love!" "Two years ago, Mr. Tucker used alchemy to create a Chimera that could actually speak our language." "Quite a feat." "How the heck did he do that?" "Beats me." "I guess it was some kind of composite using several animals with different genes." "Had the brass in an uproar." "Needless to say, he's passed the exam." "Sounds awesome." "Yeah." "Now it's not just the two of you." "Mr. Tucker has a four year-old." "So be polite." "What about his wife?" "Isn't he married?" "Let's go in." "That's his house?" "It's so" "Yeah." "It's pretty big." "Come on, boys, the door's over here." "Right, sorry." "Coming!" "Guess everything's big here." "You know that's bad, Alexander!" "Oh, my I'm sorry." "No prob." "Just don't say roll over." "Sorry about the mess." "We just lack a woman's touch here." "Oh, that was sexist, wasn't it?" "I've been so out of sorts lately." "Hey daddy Bigger brother's clothes are funny." "They're like our pots and pans." "Aren't they heavy?" "That's okay." "Bigger brother is very strong." "Mr. Tucker," "I'm sure you'll have a chance to talk to these boys about their unusual traits." "Until then, please, just take them as they are." "Nina, why don't you play in the courtyard for a while." "I bet Alexander's lonely." "We'll play later, okay?" "Sometimes I wonder if I have the vigor to raise her right." "You're so young to be taking the exam!" "I'm happy to help." "And we thank you for it, Mr. Tucker." "To start, we'd love to see that Chimera you created." "The talking one!" "I'm sorry, you've come to late." "It-- died shortly after it was made." "Besides, studying for the exam comes first." "It's a monster." "You'll need much more than an overnight cram session to pass." "Wow!" "This is the reference room." "You're welcome to it." "I've never seen so many books." "And they're all about alchemy?" "This collection is nothing, really." "You should see the Alchemy floor they have in the National Library, in Central." "Books are the best tools we have." "Pass your exam, and you'll have access to dozens- no, hundreds-of times more knowledge." "Really?" "Brother!" "We should get started." "He already has." "Edward, making progress in your studies?" "Yes sir, some." "But I've gotta speed up, there's so much I don't know." "Yes, the more steps we take forward, the longer we see the path is ahead." "But you're so young, you needn't worry about taking the exam this year." "No!" "I don't care what the odds are." "I don't care how long the path is." "I'm going to take this test." "I don't make excuses." "Bigger brother isn't eating his dinner!" "That won't do!" "You have to eat to get grown-up!" "I think I'm plenty..." "Thanks." "Wow." "It sure looks delicious!" "Make sure you chew!" "Mmmm!" "Yeah!" "This tastes great!" "Good." "Now eat this steak." "You still up?" "My head is too full with all the stuff I learned." "Yeah." "Ed?" "Get some sleep." "You shouldn't worry." "You're smart, and determined." "You'll pass." "Maybe." "It's nice here, though, isn't it?" "Kinda like before." "In those days, the two of us wanted nothing more than to become State Alchemists." "We felt like once we did, this great big door would just open up." "Ah, no, it's that late already?" "Yo, Alphonse!" "Where are you?" "Let's hope the dog didn't think he was a hydrant." "Al?" "Hey, brother." "We made angels brother!" "Come look!" "I wish you could stay, I mean after you pass the test." "It gets lonely with just Dad." "What are you drawing, little big brother?" "A Transmutation Circle." "See, if I have a wish, it helps it come true." "Okay." "Now watch this." "You made me magic flowers!" "Decent work." "Major Hughes!" "Hey I came for you." "Ed, gotta keep you from studying through your birthday." "He's right." "That's today!" "How did you know that?" "I haven't told anyone yet." "I'm in the Investigations Department." "Wouldn't make much of a major if I couldn't manage that." "Don't look sad, you're all coming." "I can't throw a birthday dinner and not invite his friends, right?" "Welcome, kids." "I've heard lots about you." "This is my lovely wife, Gracia." "Your stomach's a melon!" "Yes, yes." "You're having a baby?" "Soon?" "Any day." "There's a big fuss inside my belly saying she wants to come out and see the world." "Really?" "Wanna feel?" "Eee!" "Heck no!" "I do, Mrs. Hughes." "Well go ahead, Nina." "I felt it!" "It moved!" "It feels funny!" "Who wants refills on their birthday tea?" "Sounds wonderful." "Gracia!" "Honey!" "It's here." "The tea?" "The baby." "But, but the doctor said next week!" "Well the baby just said now." "And I'm pretty sure she gets to choose." "Okay." "I'll get your bags." "But the snow!" "It's a blizzard outside!" "Right, you can't leave." "I'll bring the doctor here!" "You kids help her!" "How do we do that?" "I guess this counts as party games." "Okay, I've got the hot water bowl." "Thanks, Edward." "Set it on the floor, next to me." "Okay-- what else?" "Well, let's see." "I guess I'll need a lot of fresh towels." "Okay." "I'm just glad your pain's passed." "He's been gone for so long." "Yeah." "He probably had to walk." "I can't do this!" "I'm dying!" "What are we supposed to do?" "She said she's gonna die!" "That's just an expression!" "Listen, she's not dead, she just fell asleep!" "I don't know." "If you think of it like alchemy, making a life's expensive." "You'd have to give something up!" "Childbirth is not alchemy you dope!" "Look, she's alive!" "Can I do anything, Mrs. Hughes?" "You could all stop yelling!" "Damn it all." "Alchemy's the ultimate science" "There has to be some way it can help her!" "Little big brother." "The water's very cold." "Ed, what did you do?" "I have no clue!" "You heated the water." "Alchemy!" "How did you use alchemy without a Transmutation Circle?" "I don't know!" "I just used my head!" "I can feel its head now!" "She can feel its head!" "What's that mean?" "Deliver it!" "I'm not touching baby stuff!" "I can't believe she's so beautiful, Gracia." "It's all thanks to you kids." "I couldn't have done it without the other birthday boy and his friends." "We didn't do anything." "You were right by my side." "This alchemy stuff didn't really help her out at all, nothing a water heater couldn't do." "Yeah." "Now moms, on the other hand, there's your miracle." "Gracia did something tonight alchemists couldn't do in a thousand years, no strings attached." "Our mom did it, too." "Al" " You okay?" "You think I was that soft when I was born?" "And warm?" "Of course you were." "You were still soft when you were five." "Yeah." "After the birth, we dove into the alchemy books with new determination." "We were going to pass our exams, and get our bodies back the way they were." "I've been thinking, brother." "That night at the Hughes'." "You changed the water without a circle." "Most people can't do that." "But it was just a fluke." "I haven't been able to do it since then." "Still, you showed it was possible." "I need to learn how, too." "Okay- how bout I quiz you twice as much?" "Okay!" "E-day, as we called it, was fast approaching." "It's always the same." "Written test, then an interview, then practical skills." "There's no way to know how many people will apply." "But the state only accepts one or two each year." "One or two people?" "You're kidding me!" "It's rough." "Uh, what kind of stuff do they do in the interview?" "That varies, I think." "With me they just asked questions, but I've heard physical exams are pretty common, too." "Uh..." "You don't say." "After that, if you pass the first two, you move on to the hardest challenge, the practical skills." "Half bring results of their research, like I did, and half perform on the spot." "You boys have a plan, right?" "Damn it, what am I gonna do?" "I didn't think I'd need a demonstration." "And what about a physical?" "They could open up my armor, and find out there's nothing inside." "Hey, maybe you can stuff Alexander in there and pretend you're a talking dog." "I don't think that's very funny." "With our anxiety piling high, E-day finally came." "We hoped if we could pass the written part," "Colonel Mustang would help with the rest." "We'll now commence the preliminary exam." "Good luck." "Begin!" "Big brothers!" "How'd it go?" "I didn't finish, and my wrist feels like spaghetti." "I got through it, but next comes the interview." "I never imagined that the younger one would pass it, too." "Is that a problem, sir?" "There's gotta be a way." "No!" "You can't say that!" "I've worked so hard, for months!" "I'm not dropping out now!" "If you want to go on without revealing your past, you have no choice." "That's not good enough!" "I'm not getting split from my brother!" "Easy, Al." "You remember what Aunt Pinako said, right?" "State Alchemists are military, and get thrown into service whenever wars break out." "You have to do what they say, even hurt people, for some good you don't understand." "It means you're a dog of the state, with a leash around your neck." "But Ed" "One of us has to join to get what we need, but we both don't have to." "Let me go alone, and I promise I'll fix things-- get us back how we were." "Brother." "A chair with three legs." "It shouldn't keep its balance." "Take a seat." "Alchemy is the science of balance." "If you have the gift, it will not refuse you." "Go on, then." "State Alchemists are also not afraid." "Very good." "Now, tell me why you wish to be an alchemist for our military." "Um, because..." "I'm waiting." "Because I made a promise." "To the only family I've got." "I told him I'd become an alchemist in service to the state." "And take all the good and bad that comes with it." "Al." "Do you think we decided right?" "Chose the right path?" "I don't know, brother." "But I do know this;" "I don't want to be in this suit anymore." "I want to feel things again." "It's strange." "We've been right beside each other all this time." "But I can't remember what your skin feels like, or how you smell." "And then, the day of the practicals." "I'm off." "Uh..." "Not yet!" "Go on, Nina." "I made something for you." "It's a circle to help your wish!" "It's great." "Thanks, Nina." "Welcome to the practical skills exam." "We've provided you with some nice raw materials for your alchemy." "You may use them to create whatever you see fit." "Gee, nice guidelines." "What the heck am I supposed to create to impress them?" "Impressive detail." "But he used so much energy, he can't even stand up." "You can't get tired?" "Outta the way" " I'm next." "What's he cooking?" "I hope that little big brother's okay." "Don't worry." "You gave him your circle, remember?" "Nicely done." "Trees and water into a hydrogen paper blimp." "That's not good." "Look out!" "Alchemy without circles." "I think we've found our alchemist." "Youngest we've had." "Magic flowers!" ""Edward Elric;" "State Alchemist Certification Examination"" ""Edward Elric;" "State Alchemist Certification Examination" "PASSED"" "Al?" "Hm?" "Today marks a big turning point for us, you know." "It's full speed ahead now." "And if dead ends come, then we'll find another way." "Someday" " I swear" "I'll get you back the way you were." "Uh-huh." "And when that day comes, your full body will be there, too." ""Older Brother - 12" "Younger Brother - 1 1"" "With you always being in sight, I can manage to draw breath." "And if it's for me, then that ought to be enough, by itself, and yet..." "All little old me ever does is repeat the same old mistakes." "How much strength do I need to come by before I can get by without hurting anything?" "I am not going to stray, I'm going to trust this love, and with it I will go on living!" "I'm going to take these wounds, the ones that will not close, and I am going to squeeze them tight!" "The two of us will keep on walking, and never come back again." "Even now, deep within my heart, this indelible sin still pains me." "Darling" "Fullmetal Alchemist" "Episode 7:" "Night of the Chimera's Cry" "Nina."