Part 1-The happy family:
Ed and Al lived with their mother happily in a little house in a town called Resembool. Their father had gone out on a journey but hasn't returned since. His current whereabouts are unknown. So, the three lived together for a quite some time. They were neighbors with the Rockbells, Winry and her grandmother. Winry's grandmother was a specialist in automail and had her own shop. Ed and Al were friends with Winry. Anyway, the Elrics brothers seemed to get along well and barley got into a fight. Ed was Al's older brother. Ed always protected Al. He may not intentionally show it, but he truly loves his younger brother. Al respected his older brother and often did whatever Ed wanted them to do. They often played with Winry and showed her the power of Alchemy. Even at a young age, (around 6 + 7)Ed and Al studied and practiced Alchemy. Their mother was very proud of them, she thought of them like their father, who was also a Alchemist.
Part 2-The Elric Bros. lesson:
Little did Ed and Al know that when they mess with Alchemy, there's always consequences. "You can't gain something without sacrificing something else of the equal value." This was called "Equivalent Trade." When the Elric Bros. find out the murder of Winry's parents, they mention "human transmutation." Winry's grandmother immediately stops them from saying anything else about it since it's "forbidden." The two brothers stood silent for a second when Ed makes a snotty remark, which causes them to flee out of the Rockbell's house.
Part 3-A dark cloud covers over the happy family:
For months, without knowing, Ed and Al's mother has been suffering from a unknown sickness. Could this be the consequences of the two brothers practicing Alchemy? Or something else? Before her death, the seriously ill mother lies in her bed holding her children's hands tightly. Ed and Al sat close to her and talked to her softly. Al, who was too sad to say much just stared at his dying mother while Ed who seemed to be the one who was effected the most of this; kept her talking. The two bros. held their mother's hand to the very end. She didn't last long before her grip losen and her hand falls. For a while, the room was silent leaving the Elric brothers to their sorrow. It was a msytery of what illness killed her. This was a HUGE effect to them. Especially Ed, which causes him to rage with mixed emotions of sorrow and anger.
Part 4-Pupils meet sensei:
After their mother's death, Ed and Al started studying alchemy even more. Both of them planned to bring their mother back to life with the power of alchemy. They focused on books about human transmutation. At first they weren't that skilled in alchemy and they were determined to improve themselves in it. One evening in the neighborhood of Resembool, a big rain storm took place causing floods. The people gathered to help bound rocks to block the river from overflowing. Ed and Al also tried to help. This was their chance to show everyone what they can do with alchemy. Sadly Ed and Al's power wasn't good enough to stop a raging river. But a woman named Izumi pops in the sence and ceases the water by creating a huge wall made of rocks with alchemy. The whole crowd was amazed by here strength. Plus, Ed noticed she was able to use alchemy without a transmutation circle. Izumi's skills really impressed the two brothers and the two boys wanted her to become their sensei (teacher). Izumi wasn't crazy about the idea. She refused at first glance of the Elric brothers. With their small hands on the floor and down on their knees, Ed and Al begged her again. Izumi looked at them silently and sighed. She finallys says yes and the Elric bros. gleam with joy. The training has just begun!
Ed and Al went through alot of harsh training. First Izumi taught them how to build up the body by fighting. Also for defenses. The poor young boys tried to attack their sensei but were thrown away like a sack of garbage. The next step for the two alchemist wanabees will be more intense than just playing in the yard.
Part 5-One is All, All is One:
Izumi's next lesson will test the Elric Bros. how to survive in life. Sensei brings Ed and Al to a empty island filled with trees, wildplants and wild animals. Of course the brothers thought they were going on a happy fun camping trip. No, Izumi just gives them a dagger and tells them she will return in a month to pick them up. They were very surprised that Izumi just left them alone on a strange island. (see more details in the manga or episode 28)
Part 6-The forbidden alchemy:
By all reasons Ed was furious and hurting pretty bad of the death of his mother. He believes it was their father's fault for not returning and being with them. Ed basically saw his own father as a jerk. All of Ed's anger seemed to be raged towards him. This was proven whenever Al mention their father. Ed would say, "I don't want to hear about him!" One day, they were in their father's room filled with books and papers on Alchemy. Ed had a plan thundering his his little head. With their father's studies and papers, he tells Al, they are going to try and do an Human Alchemy. Human Alchemy was not something that simple. No one in the world was able to successfully complete a Human Alchemy. Ed and Al, especially Ed was determined to bring their mother back to life. When they drew the "transmutation circle", the spot where they change a thing into something different. Their studies which involve the rule of equivalent trade, "You can't gain something without sacrificing something else of the equal value." This was important to any Alchemy as we know. The Elric bros. placed a pan of the particles needed to make a human in the middle of the circle. One last thing was added to the pan was 2 drops of blood, one from each brother. Soon, they began by putting their little palms on the edge of the circle. A bright light than brightens from the outlines of the transmutation circle. The particles in the pan begin to change. Getting excited, Ed and Al watch as the particles began to move, which they hoped to form into a female body, but something went wrong. The light changes color and a dramatic thrust of wind blows and causes bottles to shatter and papers to fly. Ed and Al were in deep trouble. Al suddenly was being sucked into the circle and Ed who was being attacked by the contents in the pan. Ed's left leg was slowly being eaten away while Al yelled out to his brother. "Ni-san!!" Al cried. Ed quickly reached with his right arm to grab Al's hand. At this point Ed lost his right arm, but saved Al's soul. After, the commotion, Al wakes up to find he was still alive. However he didn't feel wounded. He looked around and saw his hand was different. Al's soul was put in a armor suit in exchange for his body. Ed, who was in terrible pain moaned in terror to see his right arm and left leg was chopped off. "It took my leg!" Ed cried. Al quickly went over to assist his brother. Al replies, "Nii-chan, you saved my life, but lost your arm." Ed who grumbled in pain was carried off in Al's arms to the Rockbell's house. This occured on Feb. 1910, Ed, age 11 and Al age 10.
Part 7-Roy Mustang's arrival:
During the chaos of Ed and Al mother's transmutation, one lone man was outside in the stormy evening. This man goes by the name of Roy Mustang who is an State Alchemist. At the Rockbell's estate, Ed was lying on the nearby bed while Al, Winry, and Grandma Pinako watches over him. Edward's right shoulder wrapped in several bandages, blood was still sighted. Just than Roy opens the front door and wips out his pocket watch imforming he is a State Alchemist. Mustang walks in the room and lowers his soaky hood. "I am here because I recived this letter written to Hohemheim," Roy explains. Al points out that was a letter they wrote to their father for help. Mustang scans among the people and spots Edward on the bed. That moment Roy tells everyone that he never saw such a strong human transmutation reaction before and how he was amazed that Ed survived the whole thing. Pinako depends Roy to leave since they were in a middle of a crisis. Finally Roy reveals his name to the family. "I am Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang, also known as the Flame Alchemist. Come and visit Central City sometime and take the Alchemist exam."
Part 8-Ed's decision:
The next morning, Pinako was wrapping clean bandages on Ed's shoulder. Ed asks Pinako if she can make him some automail so he can go to Central City. "So, you were listening last night weren't you?" Pinako says. The elder brother replys yes. Ed wants to pass the Alchemist exam and become a Dog of the Military. Pinako explains that becoming one means that if they are called to war, they have to follow arders wheather they like them or not. And it could mean killing the ones they treasure most. However Edward didn't care what difficult paths lied ahead, he had to set things right. Somehow, he had to return Al's and his body back to normal.
Part 9-The quest begins:
Right after Ed made up his mind, Winry and Pinako got started on making automail for Ed right away. During the process of attaching the metal limb to the nerves, Ed refused to cry since he knew the pain he was feeling didn't compare to the pain of his little brother. Al waited outside the room hoping Nii-san was going to be ok. Several hours later, Ed's automail operation was a sucess. Al was outside training while Ed walks up to him. Al wants to travel with Ed, but Ed tells him he can't. Determined, Al throws a punch at Ed. Easily Ed leaps out of the way. While training, they argued. Al tells Ed that he had to come along to get his arm and leg back. Ed wanted to recover Al's body and thought Al should stay at Resembool. "Al, I don't want to lose you too." Ed states, "and besides what is going to happen if you get in trouble?" Ed knocks Al in the water and than helps him out. Al replies, "But nii-san, sometimes you're lazy and who is going to get you going again?" Finally Ed gives in and says Al can accompany him on his journey.