Disclaimer: The day that I own FMA is the day that I get a pony in my bedroom. Never gonna happen.

Summary: What would it be like if the State vs. Homunculi OVA was part of the actual timeline? (possible RoyOC)

AN: Hiiii! So glad you decided to read this thing. I’m not exactly sure on this…but I’ve seen that OVA so many times that I figured it deserved its own fic. Yes, I do realize that this fic is based off of a Universal Studios thing. And yes, I do realize that that fact alone mandates that I write this in the first person. As I hate that style, I shall only do it for the first chapter to get all the annoying bits out of the way. And I will reveal the sex and appearance of my character in the second chapter. No worries there.

Alchemical Explosion

Chapter 1:

Burst Alchemist

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.

I have lived my entire life by that principle, binding myself to it as I forged my way through life. Despite the fear I hold of using my alchemy against others, I want to be a State Alchemist. I want to stop being afraid of living. For that reason alone, I will join the military and sign my soul over as a dog.

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“Welcome to the Central Command Headquarters of Amestris.” The Fuhrer raised his hand to greet me as I stood stock still, hands clenched at my sides in military readiness. “I am King Bradley, the Fuhrer. Oh, please be at ease.” The smile on the man’s face relaxed me a bit as he gestured for me to calm down. Swallowing, I turned my attention back to hear his words. Folding his hands in the position that I’d come to associate with the military, he went on. “You have been recognized for your excellent abilities. Therefore, as a State Alchemist, you are about to receive military duties as a probationer starting today. You will polish your talent in actual fighting.” At this, I gulped. I was wanted….for FIGHTING. But the Fuhrer continued, as if ignoring my emotional outburst. “Next year, you will be expected to prosper in a qualifying exam, and become an authorized State Alchemist. You will be under the Colonel Roy Mustang, and will be lectured about future military duties.” My eyes widened. I was to be placed under the command of THE Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist. Oh…this wasn’t going to be pretty.

The Fuhrer turned his chair, relaxing, treating me as if I was his equal. “You will be lectured on alchemy, automails, the military, and enemies we are facing. These are all important items.” For a moment, I almost believed this man could be a kind uncle, or possibly my grandfather. “Do not miss anything you hear. Now then, go to the lecture.” As he sipped his tea, his assistant walked in. The beautiful woman suddenly made me feel highly inferior. No wonder I wanted to be an alchemist… She laid a paper in front of the Fuhrer, catching his attention. His surprise nearly made me laugh. “Oh, I see. By the way, any direct of photographic recording, in the headquarters seems to be prohibited. Please note that. Thank you.” I saluted smartly, his gentle rebuke against spying almost bringing tears to my eyes.

I sat in the middle of the crowded lecture hall, faced with a small plan of attack. The most beautiful man I had ever seen commanded the attention of the room, and my complete loyalty without a single sound. When he did speak, I snapped my head in his direction, hanging from his every word. This was my first mission, and I would NOT screw it up.

“The other day, it was discovered that the 5th laboratory, which was supposedly closed off, was secretly in operation.” A gasp went around the room. As ignorant as I was, I could sense that this would mean trouble. “The group who experimented against humanity was called the Homunculi.”

Another man asked a rather brilliant question, one I’d been dying to know myself. “Homunculi is that thing…”

Mustang nodded. “An artificially generated being. It is said it is impossible for human beings to create it, equal to a human being. As for the enemy, they call themselves, Homunculi.” Mustang shifted to a more military stance. “Surely they have abilities that differ from human beings. It has also been revealed that one of them has been hiding in Central City.” Another gasp filled the room. Mutterings were quickly silenced when Mustang held up his hands for order. “Quiet! We don’t know the number of our enemies.” Quickly becoming arrogant, Mustang went on. “We will make round-up arrests. Prepare for dispatch immediately!” I stood with the rest of the room, snapping to attention.

I waited patiently for everyone to leave, to receive my instructions from Mustang himself. The pretty blonde behind him tapped him on the shoulder with her pen, apparently reminding Mustang of his obligation to me. As he walked over, I found myself growing nervous. I took a breath to steel myself.

“You are the State Alchemist probationer, aren’t you?” A simple nod sufficed. He stopped walking when he was directly in front of me, a kind look on his face. I knew that look, that sympathy and almost paternal sorrow. “I feel sorry for you to be involved in an actual fight on your first day.” He began digging through his pocket, surprising me slightly with his next statement. “I will have you think what was assigned to my position to be a misfortune.” Holding his closed fist in front of him, he handed its contents over to me. “Use this. You won’t have time to draw a transmutation circle on the battlefield.” With that, he walked away.

I gulped, then looked down at my hand. A beautiful ring….transmuted to hold my personal array of a yin-yang and triangle. I smiled. This Colonel really did want to keep me safe. I smiled to myself. The least I could do was return the favor with my alchemy. “This time….I won’t run away.”

As I sat in the back of the military truck, idly twisting my ring around my finger, I listened in on perhaps the most crucial conversation of my life. At first, I had been admiring the scenery, but the conversation between Mustang and his staff fascinated me. Anything to further my knowledge of the situation…

“It seems like the Homunculi have taken some hostages.” Fuery, a rather gentle soul, started the conversation. I rather liked this timid man, as he reminded me of myself: unsure and completely afraid.

“And the hostages are…” Havoc, a charming man with some womanly issues, asked next. I had been on the receiving end of his affection, and I had told him rather politely to shove it where the sunlight dares not to shine. Mustang nodded, sparking gasps among his staff. Havoc indignantly glared, his cigarette perilously close to falling out of his mouth. “You knew already, didn’t you?”

Mustang folded his arms smugly. “We will attack as planned. Our priority is for the arrest of the Homunculi.”

Havoc nearly freaked out, rightly so in my opinion. “But they are captured as hostages now!” I stifled a gasp….apparently Havoc knew these hostages.

Mustang smirked. “They are State Alchemists, after all. They will never ask for my help anyway.”

I sighed, hanging my head slightly as the truck bumped me along. This wasn’t quite what I expected….But what could I have expected? I was only a naïve child starting out with a foolish ideal…one that was rapidly disintegrating as Mustang led me along. I wasn’t ready to die….yet the pit of my stomach said that I might.

Mustang led us through to a shabby church. As I admired the architecture, he signaled his men to set the charges. The explosion was familiar to me…as it was my field of expertise. I sighed as we began to enter through our hole.

The bridge we stood on was rather…odd to say the least. I shivered, a bad sense making me forge my way through the cluster of soldiers, heading towards Mustang.

Mustang stopped suddenly, facing back towards me. “Can you hear anything?” Havoc answered for us all. “Not really.” As Mustang looked to his feet, he grunted a bit in surprise. I looked down, noting the tendrils of running water coming from the lush corridor ahead. A familiar sense of dread overcame me, and I dashed to hide behind a door while everyone else was preoccupied. A loud rush of water and the frightened screams of my superiors blessed my ears with the answer to my dread.

As the water flowed out, it swept away Farman, Havoc, and Fuery, but not Mustang or Hawkeye. I watched the water shift, my eyes wide in fright, to a young and attractive woman. I gasped….”The Fuhrer’s….no….”

Mustang looked out from behind the other door, asking Hawkeye the most caring thing I’d ever heard. “Are you alright?” I said that sarcastically.

Hawkeye merely flicked the safety off her pistol. “Somehow.”

The Homunculus began to flow towards us at high speed. Mustang bravely moved forward, fingers ready to snap. “Let me!” Hawkeye merely stuck a booted foot in his way, neatly tripping him. Mustang turned to glare at her. “What did you do that for?!” Hawkeye glared back. “Back off, please. You are useless against a water monster!”

I had to giggle at Mustang’s reaction. Apparently the poor man didn’t like being called useless. Hawkeye stepped forward, shooting the Homunculus. “Colonel, we will deal with this. So, take care of the Elric brothers.” With a new purpose in mind, Mustang nodded and headed off down the corridor. Gesturing for me to follow him, we ran at a breakneck speed.

As I huffed alongside him, my braid flying behind me, I noticed the sound of battle ahead. Of alchemy…and something else entirely. As we neared the end of the corridor, Mustang snapped, frying something midair with his deadly flames. I blinked, choosing to hang back and watch as Mustang made his entrance. “Oh? I see you are still alive. I don’t have to send out funeral offerings.” I sighed at his inconsiderate comment, aimed at a small blonde figure and a heavily armored person. The suit spoke, its voice young. “Colonel!”

Two more people, a young long haired child and an amazingly fat and drooling man, emerged. The boy swore. “Bastard…”

Mustang didn’t even allow him to finish his threat, preferring to merely ‘turn up the heat’ on the two. As the two screamed and moaned, I stifled a gasp with my knuckle. This…was cold hearted warfare…. What I WANTED to do….

The blonde, who turned out to be a young male, glared at Mustang. “I didn’t ask for your help.” Mustang merely smirked back, giving a biting retort. “You may say that, but it seems like you were troubled by the Homunculi.” The armored male called Mustang back to face the flames. “Colonel!”

A skirted…palm tree haired individual stood amidst the ashes, called ‘Envy’ by the blonde boy. “Don’t think you killed us just because you did it once.” As he spoke, the ashes of the three Mustang had flamed began to rise up, regenerating into their former selves. I stared, speechless in horror; hand over my mouth to keep from choking out dry sobs.

The blonde boy merely shifted his weight, readying himself. “Then, as many times as you wish.” Mustang pulled his hand out of his pocket. “Ready?” With that, a burst of water flew out of the wall, followed by dozens of spikes. Easily avoiding them, the water flowed back to the three leather clad Homunculi. Envy grimaced, then called its name. “Sloth!” As it shifted to form its maidenly shape, I heard the sound of many boots clicking across the floor.

I gasped as over a dozen men, each with a State Alchemist’s watch, lined up military style. A tall, nearly bald man stood at the front. “Elric brothers, Colonel Mustang, we came as extend.” I grinned. Reinforcements are always good.

The armored person seemed happy. “That’s amazing! All the State Alchemists are here!” With that, Mustang’s staff came running up, Hawkeye at the lead. An alchemist started laughing maniacally, his palms glowing as he spoke through his grin. “How sweet! It seems like I can blow up huge fireworks for the first time in a while. There you go!” As he spoke, he exploded…something.

As the battle raged, I found my door to be highly unsafe. Ignoring the sounds of battle, I made my way behind a pile of rubble, determined to stay hidden while the military took care of the fight. From my spot, I could see the tall alchemist, shirtless, fighting with the fat Homunculus, and soldiers fighting the watery Sloth. I shivered, nearly breaking down in tears from my fear.

As Mustang fell back to near where I hid, behind a new pile of rubble, I gaped at him in shock and fear. He noticed me, gasping as he looked at me. Dashing towards me, he rebuked me on the fly. “Probationer, what are you hesitating about? Reveal your power!” At the end of his entreaty to me, water lashed out and caught him. I gasped, looking around my rubble as Farman was snatched by the Homunculus. Mustang struggled, digging his heels into the ground as he was dragged. “Hurry up and extend your arm! Use your alchemy!”

With a shuddering sob from me, I slowly began to raise my arm, my fear nearly crippling me. I bit my lip, pouring in as much power as I could into my new ring. As Mustang called me to hurry, I shook my head, focusing all my power. I clenched my fist, triggering the familiar green light of my alchemy.

As my arrays began to glow nearly everywhere, glowing brightly, I saw Mustang’s shock. “This is…”

As everyone stopped their fights to stare at my powers, I heard the tall alchemist from before comment on my power. “You overdid it.” In those final moments, I giggled nervously, hiding behind my rubble as I held my hands over my ears. “Oopsies…”

The explosion hit everyone, blowing a giant hole in the underground cathedral.

Later on, I stared at the glowing sunset, composing myself for the hatred of everyone. The smoke from Havoc’s cigarette floated over to me, marring my view for a moment. Mustang made his report to his fellows, Armstrong and Archer. “Consumption of my unit is severe.” I hung my head a bit, knowing that was my fault. We will withdraw for the moment. We will find them, however.”

The suited boy and his brother walked up to the group. “Colonel, we will be going now.” Havoc seemed disappointed. “Really? You’re leaving already?” The blonde looked at his brother. “We must continue our journey. The journey to recover what we have lost.” The armored boy bowed to my superiors as his brother turned to leave.

Suddenly, the blonde noticed me. He ran over, a grin on his face. I was prepared for him to laugh at my feeble control….but not what he really said. “You were great earlier!” My eyes widened as he grinned widely at me. “I will see you soon.” He gave a small wave at me before running off to join his brother. I blushed slightly, glad the sunset could hide the evidence of my pleasure. “Thank you….”

I ran a hand through my hair, holding my ringed hand to catch the last rays of the sun. “I’ll see you again, Elric brothers.”

A hand clapped down on my shoulders, prompting my squeaking dash away. As I turned to face my ‘attacker’, the first thing I noticed was his long ponytail. The second thing was his maniacal grin. I sighed, ringed hand on my heart. “Y-you….scared me!”

The man held up his tattooed palms, grinning widely. “Sorry there kiddo. Never expected to see the day an explosive alchemist was scared by a pat on the back…”

I sighed, scooting over to give the man some room. “Well…I’m easily startled…”

The man grinned. “Well my little rabbit, name’s Kimblee, Crimson Alchemist. Welcome to the fold.”

I swallowed. Here I was, talking nonchalantly with the biggest war-criminal of the era…”N-nice to meet you….umm….I h-have to give my report to C-Colonel M-Mustang….” With that, I made my disgraceful exit, braid hitting Kimblee in the face as I fled.

I took a deep breath, my new uniform constricting slightly across my chest as I attempted to keep my cool. Running a nervous hand through my hair, I took another breath as Hawkeye walked in. She smiled softly at me, handing the most important manila folder of my life over to Mustang.

He gave a cocky smirk at me, slowly opening the envelope as his staff looked in. I gulped, clenching my fist tightly as I awaited the results of my exam. “So…..how b-badly d-did I d-do?”

Mustang frowned, throwing the stack in front of me. “You failed us all.”

I sniffled, my lower lip quivering as I looked down.

…and so, by the power vested in me as the Fuhrer, King Bradley, I hereby name….

“Fail s-sir? B-but…it says….I’m…n-named?”

Mustang sighed, a twinkle in his eye. “You failed to become Flame Alchemist 2!”

….Megumi Hajirau as the Burst Alchemist….

I grinned at Mustang. “But my name’s a lot better, isn’t it?”

He grinned back. “Welcome to the Military, Megumi.”

A chorus of “You go, Ms. Megumi!,” and “Attagirl!,” sounded from the staff. I simply smiled, holding my hand out for my watch. I, Megumi Hajirou, former shy rabbit of Dunthow, was now Megumi Hajirou, the Burst Alchemist.

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AN: Cha chaaaaaaaaan!! The first chapter’s DONE! First, I wanna thank my beta, a Ms. Lily, and my ichizoku! Jenova Kaa-san is actually writing again!! nasp Meh, well, you all knw what to do. It’s a purple button that says “Review”! Push it, and tell me what you thought! Oh, and flamers, I’m going to write this no matter how stupid you all sound, so don’t try.

L-d-L