It was a bright, and sunny day in Equestria. The kind of day that was perfect. But as the law of equivalence states, one cannot obtain something without first giving something in return. As Twilight was soon to find out, her world would be flipped upside down.

A strange pony was walking down an old worn dirt road. He had greasy tan fur that clumped together in knots, and a golden mane and tail that shone brightly in the sun. He was wearing a blood red coat that was stained with dirt, and his right fore-leg and his left hind-leg were completely made out of metal. His cutie mark was strange, it was a circle with several lines in it.

He had awoken not too long ago to find himself on the ground. He had absolutely no idea where he was, or why he was there, or anything else for that matter. He hadn't had any idea on what to do, so he had decided to follow the dirt path he'd found, and see if he could find anyone.

As fate would have it, a familiar pink party pony was bouncing down the same path, on a collision course with the strange pony. Pinkie was humming to herself when she was interrupted by a loud clanking noise. Being the curious pony she was, she decided to check it out.

Pinkie hopped towards the noise, and soon the strange pony entered her sights. She found that the clanking noise was made whenever the pony took a step. She squinted as she tried to make out more details of the pony, and then her eyes widened, and she gasped.

Pinkie realized that she had never seen this pony before, and that if she had never seen him before then he was new. Then she realized that if he was new then he must not have any friends, and that made her sad. In that instant she decided she'd throw a surprise party for this strange pony so he could make some friends.

The strange pony lifted his head, and the pink pony entered his vision. When he realized that someone else was there he decided that he would see if he could get some information. He started walking towards the pony, but she was already running off, and he let out a sad sigh.

The pony decided to just continue onwards. The other pony had to have come from somewhere, so he would continue following the path until he found a town. He let out another sigh as he began trotting down the dirt road again, his destination unknown.

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In Ponyville Pinkie was zipping around, not watching where she was going. Other ponies quickly moved out of the way so they wouldn't get run over by the pink blur. One such pony wasn't as lucky though, and Pinkie rammed straight into her, sending papers flying all over.

"Pinkie!" exclaimed Twilight.

"Oh sorry Twilight." Pinkie apologized.

"Where are you going in such a hurry anyways?" Twilight asked her.

"Well I just saw a new pony, and if he's new then he doesn't know anypony. If he doesn't know anypony then he doesn't have any friends, and that made me sad, so I'm off to organize a party for him." Pinkie said all in one breath.

"Oh, well that explains that." said Twilight.

"Yep. Now I gotta go. See ya Twi!" Pinkie said before zipping off again. Twilight smiled, and shook her head at Pinkie's antics. Twilight used her magic to gather up the papers that had been sent everywhere, and put them into her bag before deciding she wanted to see this new pony Pinkie was talking about. She then headed off in the direction Pinkie had come from.

She walked down the path for a few minutes until she found the pony that Pinkie had been talking about. He was walking with his head hanging down. Twilight trotted up to him, and his head shot up as she heard her hoofsteps. “Hi! I'm Twilight." She said, sticking her hoof out for him to shake.

It took him a few moments to realize what the gesture was, but then he stuck his hoof out, and shook hers. "Hi, I'm Edward Elric." he told her.

"It's nice to meet you Edward." said Twilight.

"It's nice to meet you too." he said. During the hoofshake Twilight noticed something strange. The armor he was wearing on his right fore-leg was cold. It should have been heated at least a little by his body heat.

"What kind of armor are you wearing?" she asked him, curious.

"Huh? Oh. You mean my automail?" he asked, lifting his leg up.

"Automail?" asked Twilight, "What's that?"

"Automail is a mechanical replacement for my limbs." he told her.

"R-Replacement?" she stuttered, "Y-You mean..." She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

"Yeah." he said sadly, "I lost my real ones a while back."

"How?" she asked. Ed tried to think back through his memories, but found nothing. He couldn't remember anything at all. He shook his head sadly.

"I'm sorry, I don't know." he said.

"What?!" she exclaimed, "How can you not know?!"

"I can't remember." he said, "Actually I can't really remember much of anything."

"Hmm. Amnesia?" Twilight pondered, "Do you remember anything?" Ed shook his head. "Okay, what's the last memory you have?" she asked.

"The last thing I remember is waking up a few minutes ago." he told her.

"Huh. That's strange." she mused, "Do you at least have a place to stay at?" He shook his head again.

"I don't think so." he said.

"Then you'll stay with me until you can get your memories back." Twilight told him.

"You'd do that for me?" he asked.

"Sure. I could never turn away anypony in need." she said.

"Thanks." he said.

"Your welcome." she replied, "Let's head back to my place for now."

"Alright." he said, following her as she started trotting back towards the way she had came from.

"I'm very interested in that automail of yours." Twilight said as she walked, "I hope you'll let me take a closer look at it. I've never seen anything quite like it." Ed let out a small chuckle.

"You remind me of Winry. She-" he cut off suddenly as a sharp pain shot through his brain. He clutched his head in his hooves and collapsed on the ground. Then he heard voices.

“Are you sure brother?” asked a familiar voice.

“Yeah Al. We haven’t been training all this time for nothing.” said another voice he recognized, “We’ll get Mom back for sure.”

Before Ed could hear more, he was suddenly shaken out of it. His eyes snapped open, and he looked into the worried face of Twilight. "Are you okay?" she asked, worry apparent in her tone.

"Yeah, I'm okay." he told her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I don't know." he said, "I just suddenly heard some voices. I don't know what it means though."

"You remember something?" asked Twilight, excitedly.

"I don't know." he told her, "I might have."

"Well we should-" Twilight was cut off by a shout.

"Get out of the way!" Suddenly a multicolored blur crashed into Ed, sending him flying along with it. They skidded along the ground to a halt, sending up a huge cloud of dust. When the dust cleared Twilight saw the familiar shape of a cyan pegasus along with Ed entangled on the ground.

"Get off me!" he exclaimed, shoving the pegasus off of himself. She let out a guilty chuckle.

"Sorry 'bout that." she apologized.

"Hey Rainbow!" called out Twilight, catching her attention.

"Oh hey Twilight!" she called back, waving at her, "What are you doing here, and who's this shrimp?"

"SHRIMP!" yelled Ed, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SHRIMP?!" Rainbow Dash smirked at him.

"You shrimp." she said. Suddenly Ed snapped, and lunged at her.

"I AM NOT A SHRIMP!" he yelled. Before Dash had any time to react, they were both squabbling on the ground, wrestling for dominance. Finally Rainbow Dash was able to pin down Ed.

"What's wrong shrimp? Am I too strong for you?" she taunted.

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S THE SHRIMP!" Ed yelled before clapping his hooves together, and slamming them into the ground. Suddenly there was a bright light, and a pillar of earth shot from the ground, ramming straight into Rainbow Dash, knocking her off of Ed.

Ed shot up, and stared at his hooves with confusion written all over his face. He was quickly joined by two others. Finally Rainbow Dash spoke up. "What the hay was that?!" she exclaimed.

"I-I don't know." he stuttered, "I just did that on instinct."

"Well whatever it was, that was cool!" said Dash.

"Maybe it has something to do with your memories." contemplated Twilight.

"His memories?" asked Dash.

"Oh, that's right!" said Twilight, "You don't know yet. Ed here has amnesia."

"Amnesia." Dash repeated, "Isn't that, like, the stuff that doctor give to  you to put you to sleep?" Twilight let out a sigh, and shook her head.

"No Dash." she said, "That's anesthesia. Amnesia is where you lose all your memories."

"Wait, so you mean you can't remember anything?" Dash asked him. He shook his head.

"No I don't." he said.

"We're hoping to find something about his memories." Twilight told her.

"Well good luck with that." she said, "I gotta get going. See ya." With that, she flapped her wings, and took off into the air. Just then, Ed's stomach growled, signaling how hungry he was. Twilight let out a small chuckle.

"Sounds like you're hungry." she said, "Why don't we go get something to eat? I know a little bakery called Sugarcube Corner."

"That sounds great." he said.

"Right! Let's go." she told him before swinging around, and walking off. Ed quickly followed behind. As they trotted down the path something nagged at the back of her mind. Something that Ed had said. Finally she decided to ask her question. "Who's Winry?" she asked.

"Huh?" started Ed.

"You mentioned her earlier. Who's Winry?" she asked again.

"Did I?" asked Ed, "I don't remember."

"Huh. So you don't know who she is then?" she asked. He shook his head no. "That's weird. You must have said it instinctively." she told him.

“Weird.” he said.

“Anyways, here we are.” said Twilight, motioning in front of her at a small town, “Welcome to Ponyville.”

“it looks nice.” Ed said.

“It is.” she told him, “Now follow me.” Ed nodded, and started following Twilight as she walked into the town. As Twilight trotted down the streets of Ponyville, she noticed they were unusually empty. Normally they’d be bustling with ponies. “Where is everypony?” she wondered aloud, “Usually this place would be filled.”

“It is unnaturally quiet.” Ed agreed.

“I guess we’ll find out later.” said Twilight, “For now let’s just get something to eat.” Ed nodded in agreement, and followed her farther into the small town. Soon Twilight stopped in front of a familiar little bakery that was decorated to look like a giant gingerbread house.

“We’re here.” she told him.

“Wow. Looks good.” he said.

“It is.” she told him, “Wait til you meet Pinkie.” At the thought Twilight let out a small giggle. Ed’s stomach growled once more.

“Can we get something to eat now?” he asked.

Twilight gave a small chuckle before replying, “Yeah. C’mon, let’s go in.” With that she reached out her hoof, and grasped the knob. She then twisted it, and pushed inwards, causing the door to swing open.

Suddenly Twilight was blasted with a wave of noise, and confetti. “SURPRISE!” many voices called.

“AHHHH!” exclaimed Ed as he reared up, and fell backwards onto his flank. Suddenly his vision was filled with a giant pink blur. He leaned back, and the pink pony he’d seen earlier had entered his sight.

“Did I surprise you?” she asked, “Did I?”

“Wha-” Ed managed to get out.

“I saw you walking down the street earlier, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen him before, and if I’ve never seen him before then he must not have any friends, and if he doesn’t have any friends then he must be lonely’ and so that made me sad, and I decided to throw a surprise party for you.” she said, without taking a breath.

“Wha-” he said again.

“So were you surprised?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah.” he said.

“I knew it! Come on, let’s go partay!” she said before bouncing back inside. Ed stared after her blankly for a moment before turning back to Twilight.

“What just happened?” he asked. Twilight let out a small giggle before answering.

“Beats me.” she told him, “I’ve been trying to figure that out ever since I met her. Come on, I’ll introduce you to my other friends.” With that, she dragged him inside, and through a crowd of ponies to where a group of five ponies were standing.

Ed recognized one of the ponies as the pink pony he’d just encountered, and one of the other ones was Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash was the first one to spot them. “Oh, hey pipsqueak.” she said casually.

“Who are you calling a pipsqueak?!” he exclaimed.

“You pipsqueak.” she said. Suddenly they were in each other's faces.

“You wanna fight?” asked Ed.

“Try it.” said Dash. Just then, they were pushed apart by an orange pony wearing a hat.

“Woah. Simmer down there y'all.” she told them.

“She (He) started it!” they both said at the same time.

“Ah don’t care who started it!” she said, “This here’s a party, and y’all need to lighten up, and have some fun.”

“Fine.” they huffed, turning away from one another. The orange mare then turned to him.

“By the way, mah name’s Applejack.” she told him, “This here’s Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity. I reckon y’all already know Rainbow Dash and Twilight. What’s your name?”

“My name is Edward Elric.” he told her.

“It’s mighty nice to meetcha.” she said, offering her hoof out.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” he said, taking her hoof, and shaking it.

“Boy howdy, that sure is some weird armor y’all got on.” she commented.

“This isn’t armor.” he told her, “It’s my automail.”

“Well what the hay is that?” she asked.

“Automail is a mechanical replacement for limbs.” he told her. Suddenly she turned a shade paler, and everypony but Twilight let out a gasp.

“A r-replacement? Y-You mean you l-lost your l-leg?” Fluttershy stuttered.

“Yeah. And my back one too.” he told them, showing them his his left hind-leg, making them gasp again.

“That must be horrible darling.” said Rarity.

“Not really.” he told her.

“But how did ya lose your legs?” asked Applejack.

“That’s the strange thing. I can’t remem-” Ed cut off as a sharp wave of pain sliced through his brain causing him to fall to the ground, and clutch his head. Suddenly he heard a voice. One that he had heard earlier before.

“Alphonse no!” it shouted, “No, dammit. You can’t have him too. Give him back! He’s my brother! Take my  leg. Take my arm! Take my heart, ANYTHING, YOU CAN HAVE IT! Just give him back! He’s my little brother, he’s all I have left!”

As suddenly as it came, it went. His eyes snapped open, and he was left looking into the worried, and slightly green faces of six ponies. “What the hay just happened?!” asked Rainbow Dash.

“I-I don’t know.” he said, shaken up by what had just happened, “I just heard a voice. I don’t understand what it meant though.”

“Do you think it has something to do with your memories?” asked Twilight.

“Maybe.” he said.

“Hold on a second.” said Applejack, “What the hay are y’all talking ‘bout? What memories?”

“Oh, that’s right.” said Twilight, “You all don’t know yet. Ed here has lost his memories.” The others gasped for what seemed like the hundredth time today.

“That must be horrible darling.” said Rarity, “I’m sure we’ll do anything we can to help you get your memories back. Right girls?” The others all nodded their heads.

“Thank you all.” he told them. They all stayed quiet for a tense moment, trying to think of what to do when Rainbow Dash thought of a way to lighten the mood.

“Why don’t you show them what you did earlier.” she told him.

“Huh? What do you mean?” he asked.

“You know. What you did when we were fighting.” she said.

“But that was just an instinct.” he told her, “I don’t know how I did that.”

“Just do what you did last time.” she told him.

“Would you two tell me what the hay y’all are talking about?” said Applejack.

“Come on let’s show them.” Dash said, dragging him outside, the others following behind closely.

“Alright, well I guess it doesn’t hurt to try.” he said. He then reared up, clopped his hooves together, and slammed them into the ground. Absolutely nothing happened. No flash of light, no pillar of earth, nothing.

“What? Why the hay didn’t that work?!” Dash asked.

“I told you, I did it instinctively.” he said.

“What was supposed to happen anyways?” asked Applejack.

“This huge thing of earth was supposed to shoot out.” Dash told her. Applejack let out a snort.

“Sure, right.” she said disbelievingly.

“Hey Ed, what does your cutie mark mean?” asked Pinkie randomly.

“Cutie mark?” he asked, craning his neck to see what Pinkie was looking at. He got a glimpse of what Pinkie was looking at. What he saw was a familiar looking circle with several lines inside of it. Suddenly another wave of pain shot through his skull, and he clutched it as he fell to the ground.

“What are you trying to accomplish by learning alchemy anyway? Just tell me that.” asked a female voice.

“Well, um, we wanna help others out.” said the voice from the other times.

“Do you have your parent’s permission?” the female asked.

“Well, um.” the voice started.

“I’m afraid they have no parents.” said a more elderly female voice, “I’ve been taking care of them since their mother died.” There was a moment of silence, then the first woman let out a sigh.

“It always happens. I’m just too nice.” she said, “I’ll give them one month, do you mind if I take them with me for that long? I’ll test them to see if they’re even worth teaching alchemy to in the first place. See if they have the right talents.”

“And what happens if you find out they don’t?” the second woman asked.

“Then I’ll send them back right away.” the first woman told her.

“And what happens if we pass?” asked another voice, “What’ll happen then?”

“Then we’ll begin your alchemy training.” she said.

Alchemy. Alchemy. Alchemy! Something inside his head clicked, and suddenly all of Ed’s knowledge of alchemy flooded back into his mind. In one fluid motion Ed jumped up, clopped his hooves together, and slammed them into the ground.

Suddenly there was a bright flash, and everypony lifted their forelegs to shield their eyes from the light. When the light faded, they lowered their legs, and their eyes widened at what they saw. Standing in front of each of them was a perfect copy of themselves, only made from earth.

“I remember now.” he said, “I’m an alchemist.”