Author's Note: Hello, and welcome to WT! This story takes place sometime after episode 26; not any real specific part in the timeline. One thing I want to make absolutely clear would be that I’m setting out to make this female OC almost the exact opposite of a Mary Sue. No amazing singing voice, no alchemy without circles (heck, she can’t even do alchemy!), no military rank/job, no horribly sad (or happy, depending ;D) death scene, no relations with any characters, no packs of suitors, no OAFC (Obsessive Anime Fangirl Complex)-like behavior, etc. As for romance- no. Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I’m so incompetent when it comes to finding a beta, and my inability to see obvious blunders is astounding (and I abuse ellipses so much it isn’t even funny). :( Nevertheless, I try my best, so I hope you have fun reading it ;)…and sorry for rambling.

Summary: A girl named Jennifer finds herself in the world of Fullmetal Alchemist, and gets a lot more then she counted on when a certain short, sixteen-year-old Alchemist with an attitude gets stuck in a corner of her mind. But the story doesn’t end there, as she realizes how difficult living in one of her favourite anime series truly is…especially when she’s black-mailed into dealing with Mary-Sues.

Fullmetal Alchemist and all related non-original (as in, not made by myself) subjects © Hiromu Arakawa, Viz, etc. I’m only borrowing them for a bit, and intend to return them whole and recognizable- I swear :)

Original characters/ideas/fanfic plot/stuff (such as Jennifer) and all related original subjects © Me (Don’t take them without permission!)

Wishful Thinking

Chapter One: How It All Began…

“Have you found anything?”

Ed put down the papers he had previously read, frustrated at his lack of progress. “Nothing at all, they don’t even mention the philosopher’s stone. And here I thought I might find some answers for once…”

Al regarded him silently. His brother’s eyes were already half-closed and he constantly had to stifle a yawn, a sure sign that he was exhausted. But Al knew Ed wouldn’t stop until he either finished the document or found what he was looking for, determined not to lose the last lead they had. He hadn’t even taken off his red trench coat, having plunged straight into the mess as soon as they’d gotten back.

The notes in question were the only documents on human transmutation they hadn’t read, detailing a certain chemical reaction similar to the philosopher’s stone. However, the specifics of such a reaction were sparse and badly written, almost as if the writer did not want to reveal the secrets behind it, which is exactly why Ed and Al hadn’t studied it thoroughly before.

Al sighed, seeing that it would be quite some time before they actually got anywhere. “You never know, there might be something useful. I’m going to buy some groceries; do you want anything in particular brother?”

“You don’t need to do that,” Ed replied. He didn’t look up, once again absorbed in the mountain of paper. “I’ll go out first thing after I finish.”

“Don’t worry, brother, I might as well.”

“Alright, but promise to be back soon-” The door closed with a creak, and Ed realized the Al had known what he would say before he had said it.

Ed smiled ruefully and turned the page. The next sheet had a small, but clear drawing of an intricately designed transmutation circle labeled as a ‘Fredrick S. Avery’s transmigration circle’. Moving into a more comfortable position, Ed examined the fine print next to the drawing curiously.

---

TRANSMIGRATION

Transmigration is the practice of bringing a disembodied soul into another living form, in its most basic definition. It can also refer to the movement of a person, a soul or physical matter by the means of alchemy. Believed to have its roots in some religious beliefs, many alchemists sought to make the myth a reality until in November 12, 1803 a scholar named Fredrick K. Talbot created and employed a transmutation circle specifically made for that very purpose. The experiment was a success, resulting in the first known contact between two different dimensions of reality.

However, the effect itself was unstable, and resulted in the mental instability of Mr. Talbot. His work was confiscated and presumably destroyed, and now only the barest of information can be obtained, including one of the blueprints for his transmutation circle. Many attempts have been made to re-write his work, but none to date have been successful.

---

Could it be possible to employ the same method, but to move a soul into an actual living body? I guess it isn’t as much help as I’d thought, but it could still be useful.

Ed looked more closely at the diagram. It wasn’t complete, as if someone had stopped drawing it halfway through.

I wonder…

His hand accidentally brushed the design. Before he even knew what hit him, there was a sudden bright flare of light and he lost conscious.

---

“Ugh…my head…”

Opening her eyes slowly, the girl became aware of the fact she ached all over. Small but painful splinters dug into her sides, as falling papers drifted in and out of her blurred vision.

Okay, don’t panic…I’m sure there’s some practical explanation for this, I just have to find it…

Dazed, she blearily looked around. Jennifer had obviously fallen asleep, but it didn’t explain how she ended up crashing into something made of wood. Good God, she hoped she hadn’t fallen asleep in front of the TV again and smashed into the coffee table- that would be just embarrassing. What had she been doing anyway? And where were her glasses?

Dammit…this doesn’t make any sense at all!

Eyes widening, Jennifer quickly scrambled backward from the unfamiliar voice seemingly right in her ear…or her head.

What the hell?!

My words exactly.

Oh no…oh no, no, no…this can’t be…

Scared beyond belief, she vainly tried to find something familiar in the strange room she was standing in, which was most certainly not her living room. In fact, it wasn’t even her house; it was a plain room roughly seventeen feet in length and width, with two beds off to the side. She was currently sitting on what appeared to have been some sort of a wooden table (before she’d somehow fallen into it), with a couch directly in front of her and a window behind it. Papers were scattered all over the place, lying on the (former) table, couch, beds and floor. The room was practically lit up with a bright orange glow, which covered everything. Definitely not the cloudy afternoon she remembered.

Maybe I hit my head? Am I in shock?

You and me both…

Jennifer, however, was too preoccupied with another discovery to pay attention to the voice in her head. Along with waking up in an unfamiliar surrounding on a broken table, she was now…animated. Her hands, and the rest of her body for that matter, looked like they had been neatly outlined in black and then filled with a single skin-like colour. The shadows didn’t gradually blend into the lighter tone, but were instead sharply divided.

“Oh…that’s strange.” She commented dully, her voice breaking halfway through. Then the teenage girl threw up, as the reality of her situation hit her full force.

Hey! That’s my research!

She scrambled away from the table as far as she could; shakily getting to her feet. “W-who’s there?!”

Sorry, the voice replied hastily, I just-

“Brother?”

Bewildered, she backed away from the front door, bumping into something. Whipping around, she saw what could only be a body buried underneath all the paper; a body with braided blond hair, wearing…a red trench coat?

Her mind went absolutely blank.

“Ed?” Fearful of what she knew she would see, Jennifer turned around hesitantly. Behind her was a huge suit of armor, which regarded her with an air of curiosity. Her entire body tensed, and her pupils shrank.

Then she fainted.

---

Hey, could you wake up already? C’mon, you can’t sleep all day.

What? Jennifer thought dully. Then it all came rushing back to her: the room, the voice, the body and the armor.

That was…a strange dream.

It wasn’t a dream.

The teenage girl jerked, and then found herself on the floor in a tangle of bedcovers. Wincing, she tried to sit up, looking everywhere for the source of the voice.

“What the heck?” Jennifer couldn’t believe the sight before her. It could only be a dream, but how could a dream seem this real? The glow from the sunset (or sunrise, she still wasn’t sure what time it was) was now a deep red, which was strange considering her dreams normally didn’t bother with the passage of time. Laura blinked, gradually loosening herself from the blankets.

“Can you explain this?” Asked a voice, sounding strangely hollow and obviously not the one she had heard before. Jennifer looked up, finding herself gazing at the same, familiar steel armor from before; armor that could only be Alphonse Elric, if logic was thrown out the window.

Stunned and seemingly unable to form a coherent sentence, she said the only thing she could think of. “What?”

The strange throbbing pain from before increased tenfold, her head feeling like it had been cracked open and stuffed with cotton before being slowly sewn back together. Jennifer grimaced and massaged her forehead.

That’s probably a side-effect; I can feel it to. Said the voice hoarsely, startling Laura nearly out of her wits.

I’m hearing a voice and there’s a SUIT OF ARMOR talking to me!

“Is my- I mean, do you know what happened to my brother? Did he bring you here?” Alphonse asked tentatively, realizing that she was overcome with confusion and in pain.

“I…I…I don’t know…” Jennifer replied shakily, while avoiding eye contact with Al. How she’d get herself into a dream as crazy as this?

“Tell me, did something bad happen to him?” The voice, though hollow, was firm.

“I think he’s in my head…or something...” She swallowed nervously, mentally berating herself at how unbelievable that sounded.

Whoever thought couldn’t look surprised had obviously never met Al. “What?”

“Look, I know that sounds stupid, and I really don’t understand half the junk going on here, but there’s a voice in my head that sounds like your brother and can I PLEASE wake up now?!” Jennifer tried her best to hold back tears, her voice slightly hysterical.

Just calm down; I know this is a lot to take in at once, but if you could just stop for a minute and-

“STOP! Just stop!” She said, breaking into tears and not caring whether or not Al thought she was insane. Nothing made any sense at all, so why should she care?

After a minute or two, Jennifer attempted to regain control of her emotions. “I’m sorry; this is a bit too much to take in at the moment…I shouldn’t have broken down like that.”

Al looked at the teenage girl before him, her eyes red-rimmed as she furiously tried to get rid of her tears. He lowered his head slightly, trying hard to find something to say –anything to make her feel better.

“It’s alright, I’d probably do the same thing if I were in your situation,” Al said softly. “I’ll try my best to help.”

By now Jennifer’s breathing had evened out, and she listened to him while attempting not to focus on the situation at hand. She found herself holding back even more tears though, grateful for the reassurance.

What Al says is right, we’ll find a way to get me out of here and you back to where you came from. The voice- No, Edward Elric- said quietly.

I’m sorry, I sound really pathetic don’t I? She thought somewhat bitterly, distantly wondering why she wasn’t having a more severe reaction to all this.

Shock, I’m guessing. Ed replied. It still hasn’t sunk in yet. And you don’t sound pathetic- I’ll probably be a basket case later on.

Thank you. I’ll just…try to stay out of the way. I hope I can get back home…

If there’s a way, we’ll find it. He responded. Jennifer found herself envying his certainty.

Al noted Jennifer’s eyes had gone rather blank. He watched her closely; unable to truly guess whether or not she was really telling the truth. It was plain to see that she was distressed, but how could his brother’s mind end up in her body? As far as he could see, she didn’t mean any harm, but was just confused and possibly frightened for some reason.

It doesn’t make any sense…He mused.

Jennifer leaned back into the couch, and closed her eyes. Unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion, Al decided to suspend judgment for now and continue to keep an eye on her. After all, stranger things had happened, and her story could very well be true.

A few minutes later, Al put her onto his bed again, deciding that she probably needed it more then he did. It didn’t make much difference to him, and Ed obviously needed the other one.

His mind set on finding out what exactly did happen, he gathered up the notes and turned back to look at her. “We’ll work on this tomorrow, I promise.”

Then he began his search.

---

The next morning started…well, rather abruptly.

I wish I had something productive to do…

“AHH! There’s a voice in my head!”

How many damn times are we going to have to do this? Ed thought irritably, not in the best of moods. He hadn’t been able to sleep the whole night.

“Oh…sorry!” Jennifer replied nervously, still getting used to the idea of another person in her mind. In fact, she was still getting used to the idea of a teenage boy in her mind.

Wait…Oh no.

‘Oh no’ what?

I…umm…well…

What?

You’re a guy…and I’m a girl.

Amazing, you win a cookie. He thought sarcastically.

No, but I mean…I have to do something…err…private right now.

Such as…?

Well…something that you…umm…well…

There was a long pause, during which Jennifer tried to fight her embarrassment and untangle the cocoon of bedcovers. She was successful in the latter, but bitterly lost with the former.

I have to…use the little ladies’ room.

The silence that followed was practically the epitome of awkwardness.

But she was desperate. Is it possible for you to go to…I don’t know, go to the back of my mind? PLEASE?!

Go…go right ahead. He answered, his voice taking on an odd tone.

Relieved but mortified, Jennifer did just that, opening up the nearest door only to stop in her tracks.

Wait…that’s a closet…

---

In the dreary, pitch-black darkness of Jennifer’s mind sat Ed, the chill from the non-existent stone floor giving him goosebumps. Only by drawing his legs close to his chest and wrapping his arms around them could he even attempt to stay warm, leaning against a nearby equally non-existent stone wall.

“What a fine mess I’ve gotten myself into,” he said to himself quietly. He wasn’t afraid of the shadowy surroundings, but it was still reassuring to have someone to talk to.

Of course, none of this had really been his fault in the first place. But did it really matter? All he knew was that he’d been stuck in the same dark stone room since that bright flash of light.

I hope she doesn’t find out that I saw a few of her memories…

Shortly after being trapped in this godforsaken shadowy corner of her mind, he’d seen images of whatever sort of life Jennifer had lived before. Nothing strange, just snippets of a conversation with her sister, or a book she’d been reading…or a certain television show she’d watched. And after realizing her voice was the same in the memories…everything had come together perfectly.

Add in a dose of humiliation, insomnia and that realization, it was no surprise he was currently a wreck (however well he hid it).

I’m finished.

Alert the media. He thought dully, wondering how much it would hurt if he repeatedly hit his head against the wall. Jennifer didn’t reply, and Ed began to feel guilty for taking it out on her. But dammit, he wanted answers!

Just give me a minute.

And so, with the sense that he’d hurt her feelings, Ed was left to wait in the shadows.

---

Jennifer gazed into the bathroom mirror with almost morbid fascination. She wasn’t beautiful or even pretty, but an average, plain sort of girl. Uncombed black hair that wasn’t quite shoulder-length, brown eyes, and a typical (if not slightly scrawny) build were good words to describe her appearance with, if you cared to do so. She wore a baggy dark green t-shirt; along with navy shorts, white socks and beat-up running shoes. Besides that, all she had was her necklace and her glasses.

But this was something far from Jennifer’s mind, as she became more and more aware of the pickle she was in. She had no money, no job and no support of any kind. But most importantly, she didn’t have any sort of useful skills to get a job with.

I’m not the sort of person this happens to…

What in the world would she do if they found a way to get Ed’s mind back into his body, and the Elric brothers decided to kick her out? There was no telling how bad things could get…

---

“Hey, wouldn’t it be great if I ended up in Amestris?”

It was recess, on a day like any other. Jennifer was currently reading underneath one of the few trees on high school property, sitting next to a friend of hers named Hailey Simmons. Hailey was absolutely obsessed with Fullmetal Alchemist, having read all the manga, seen all the anime, watched the movie and bought most of the available merchandise. She also happened to be an Edward Elric fangirl.

Looking up, Jennifer gave her friend a confused look. “Why?”

Hailey snorted. “Why? Because it would be cool! I could meet Ed, prevent Maes Hughes from dying, learn alchemy, and loads of other neat stuff.”

“Sounds kind of dangerous to me,” Jennifer said uncomfortably, closing her book and putting it down on the grass next to her.

Hailey raised an eyebrow. “How?”

“Well, think about it. The story takes place back pre-1920s. That itself brings up a whole host of problems. There are Homunculi, military cover-ups…you name it, and Fullmetal Alchemist has probably done it.”

“How could living in an alternate version of the past be difficult? Sure, there might be a few things I’d have to get used to, but they aren’t gigantic. Plus, I could deal with the Homunculi.” Hailey replied triumphantly.

“How? You don’t know martial arts or any kind of self-defense. They’d cream you.” Jennifer pointed out, somewhat reluctantly.

“They’d cream you too.” Hailey shot back.

“Maybe, but I’m not the one who wants to go. Furthermore, if you go back almost a hundred years you won’t adapt right away. Think about it: no toasters, no microwaves, no TV, no computers, no digital-anything, cars aren’t mass produced, and the list goes on. It’d be a nightmare!”

Hailey rolled her eyes. “It wouldn’t be that bad.”

Jennifer bit her lip. She didn’t want to sound patronizing, but she couldn’t think of any better words for what she was going to say.

“Actually, it would. Who’s to say Ed and Al would care one way or another about you? If they couldn’t keep a kitten, how could they afford to pay more then twice as much for food, clothes, accommodations and other necessities? Living with them won’t be fun either- they travel a lot, and you’d be deadweight.”

---

It was the strangest thing, seeing a scenario she’d once discussed up close and personal. It scared her. But what good would it do if she curled into a ball and just cried? Then Jennifer would never get back home, or get a certain state alchemist literally out of her mind.

I guess I’ll cross that bridge if or when I come to it. She thought firmly. I’m not going to cry anymore. This is a distressing situation, but it could be much worse; much, much worse.

You've been awfully quiet.

Jennifer blinked, startled that she’d forgotten about him so quickly. Sorry, just thinking.

Can I…say hello to Al?

The abrupt question caught Jennifer off guard. Umm…I don’t know if he’s there.

That surprised Ed. What?

Look, I just check. I can’t stay in this bathroom forever, and I need to grab my glasses. Opening the door, Jennifer peered out into the room. The suit of armor was nowhere to be found.

Nope, I don’t see him. I think he said something about research last night…maybe he found a lead? She suggested.

Tentatively, she surveyed the room for any sign of her eyeglasses, which she had forgotten about until now. They lay close to couch (which she noted was upright, which was probably Al’s doing), apparently forgotten after she’d made her untimely entrance. Speaking of which …

Oh no! My glasses!

After hurriedly putting her shoes next to the door, she bent down and carefully picked her glasses up. The frame was in decent condition and the lenses were surprisingly intact, although one had a rather large chip in it near the edge.

Oh well, could be worse… Putting them on and carefully picking up the shard from the lens, Jennifer directed her attention to another problem. Thankfully, when she’d thrown up earlier she’d just barely missed Ed’s research papers (which had been gathered up and presumably taken by Al). Unfortunately, it had managed to soak into the carpet and was going to be tough to clean up.

Ed, do you have any cleaning supplies or something? I need to deal with the mess I made earlier. Sorry about that, by the way…

You’ll have to settle for soap and water.

She winced again. Perfect.

And then she set about cleaning it up.

An hour or so later, Jennifer was pretty sure she had finished. She surveyed the carpet with a critical eye, checking the still-slightly wet spot for anything else she’d need to scrub out. Ed had been shockingly quiet during the whole ordeal, which Jennifer wasn’t quite sure whether to take as a blessing or a bad omen.

Finding nothing, she collapsed on the nearby couch. As if on cue, her stomach rumbled. Could I get something to eat?

But before Ed could even reply, there was a rustling sound from the direction of his bed.

She blinked, and inched closer for a better view as her curiosity won out over her fear. What Jennifer saw made her pause, as she found herself face to face with Ed’s body.

Only instead of being unconscious, he was trying to sit up.

“Hungry…” He murmured.

…I wasn’t expecting that.

Neither was I. I thought that if you didn’t have a soul, you ended up a homunculus…

I‘m guessing that’s only when you try to bring the dead back to life. Maybe it was just part of my mind that was transferred during the accident?

Jennifer’s thoughts were interrupted when Ed (or his body, depending on which you prefer) tried to stand up and ended up nearly falling over. She quickly grabbed him, nearly losing her balance in the process.

Dear God, you’re HEAVY! The teenaged girl could barely stand herself; let alone somehow manage to hoist him onto his feet.

I’m not that heavy! He replied defensively.

Yes you are! I bet it’s your automail…and the weight belt probably doesn’t help. I bet you weigh more then I do!

After a moment or two, she managed to lift him onto the bed. It was disconcerting, seeing the normally energetic and outgoing Edward Elric sitting there with a dull look in his eyes.

Jennifer’s expression gradually softened. Here she was, pretending that everything was normal when it wasn’t.

I must be a grade-A bitch…She thought bitterly.

They obviously couldn’t leave his body here. What if one of his friends or military personnel showed up? Or worse, what if Scar made it past security? No, it was obvious she was going to have to drag his body along with them; which meant…

“Okay, now where did he put his coat?” She wondered aloud, searching every part of the room she could think of.

Try the couch.

She blinked. “What? Oh…okay.” And when she checked, his infamous red trench coat was indeed lying on one of the armrests.

When I fall asleep in the middle of working, he usually puts it there.

Jennifer quickly grabbed it (along with a few other articles of clothing), and set about playing dress-up. If she had considered the fact that they were alone, in a room together, and Ed was currently incapable of doing much, the next paragraph might’ve been M-rated. Luckily, Jennifer was far from being that type of girl, and the thought didn’t even cross her mind. As it was, she tried to avoid touching him more then was necessary.

You know, there are a lot of fangirls who would die for a chance like this. She pondered.

What?!

Glad to finally get some sort of reaction from him, she continued. I mean, I know a lot of people back home who would love to be going through this.

You’re kidding me!

Unfortunately, I’m not…there, I’m done.

“Okay, I guess we’re ready to go.” She said with more confidence then she felt, standing back and admiring her handiwork. He was completely dressed now, although all she’d really had to do in the first was put on his coat and gloves.

Thank you. He said sincerely, and Jennifer suddenly felt guilty.

Umm…I know we didn’t to a great start, but can we try it again? She asked hesitantly, feeling slightly discouraged when he didn’t reply immediately.

Unknown to her, Ed smiled tiredly. There were worse things than this (though he couldn’t think of any at the moment…), and if he was stuck here for a bit the least they could do was try to get along.

My name is Edward Elric. I’d say it was nice to meet you, but...well, you know the drill.

My name is Jennifer Milford…and I don’t have anything witty or interesting to say…except I don’t think I have any money.

Insert sigh. Don’t worry; you can borrow some of mine.

Oh…sorry! And thank you! She replied, flustered. Why did she always stick her foot in her mouth?

And so, the search for Ed’s wallet began.

You know, you’re going to have to pay me back when this is over. He sounded smug, but she just smiled.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

He was probably joking…hopefully.

---

For the few of you that made it this far, I’d just like to say that I would REALLY appreciate constructive critism. Although, this will spontaneously go Super!Parody next chapter. Consider this story equivalent exchange for Stranger Than Fiction :)