The Alchemist's Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own MLP:Friendship is Magic, FullMetal Alchemist:Brotherhood nor Overwatch, and I'll put this only on the start of the first chapter so if you want to re-read it, just go back to this chapter.

-Two friends named Henry and Edmond are going to a animagames con, each one with their own made up costume.

Edmond is with the classic Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist, even with a mechanical leg and arm to go with it.

Henry, for his part, has always been fond of purple. Something possessed him to create a costume that looks like someone smashed together a punk rocker and a computer genius...actually, he always has been pretty good with computers. Ascii code in particular is always second nature to him. As such, the hacker look.

mostly just a purple-ish cloak sort of outfit with this little bob he made out of his brown hair. The two friends seems to be walking and talking on the convention-

"I'm telling ya, I really think I could'a done more with the hair...at least I got the gloves right." -Said Henry. The gloves had little pointed tips, that looked like...either claws or slightly modified jack-ins for some of the more modern devices. Jokingly called "shiv USB's"- "course, it's missing somethin'....since I wasn't able to get my hands on Neon after all."

-apparently he had wanted his rather impressively made "cybernetic implants" to glow a little with neon. But couldn't get it. Ambitious fella.-

"well, you actually did great man, tho I'm really proud of my own costume" -Edmond said, pointing at his own costume he made by himself-

"yeah, I mean how did you even get those prosthetics right?" -Henry asked, curious-

"it was really hard to get the metal parts right... I had to make an whole schematic for it! -Edmond said- "tho I'm missing one thing"

"really?" -Henry asked, an eyebrow raised-

"the medallion who represents the badge of the Alchemists" -Edmond replied- "I didn't have it. Oh well"

"oh, yeah that's pretty major...hey, maybe you'll luck out and one of these stall guys'll have one." -Henry said, trying to find an solution for his problem-

"yeah, you're right... wait..." -Edmond said, looking at something- "isn't that the merchant from Resident Evil?" -Edmond asks, pointing to an nearby stall-

"huh?" -Henry looks.-

"come on! I want to see what he sells!" -Edmond walks towards it, hoping he find the badge-

"alright." -Henry walked over too.-

-the merchant is at his stall, seemingly just...waiting. All the other conventiongoers are ignoring him, for some reason. As the two approach, he grins eerily...wow, talk about a good resident evil cosplay.-

"Hey ol' man! I'm looking for an badge from FullMetal, do ya have one?" -Edmond asks, as he looks over the items on the stall.-

ah, a fine day to you two gentlemen. Edward Elric, I do believe, and...that's a rather interesting design choice of yours. -the Merchand said- So, you're looking for the badge, hmm? as a matter of fact...I do. You're in luck. It's the last one, too. -he said-

-Edward smiles widely- "Great! How much for it?" -he asked-

-he withdrew from a box, what looked to be an exact replica of the badge. Down to the tiny etchings, the shine, the feel of the metal...it looked to be a perfect copy.- well, most people would try to pawn this off on you at about 100$. I however, would consider myself a much more shrewd merchant. for you.... -the grin of the Merchant widened a little.- take it. I was going to pitch them anyway,  nobody else is buying, sadly. -he said, handing it to Edmond-

-Edmond picks it up, looking at it with awe- "Wow... its's perfect... and for free! It's almost a dream coming true!" -He says clearly excited-

-the Merchant seems happy- this is why I go to these things, you see....ah, to brighten up someone's day with the right trinket at the right time is simply divine. -the way he says "divine" is almost...spine tingling. And neither know why...-

"you're an god dude, simply an god" -Edmond said, putting the badge on his pocket-

-this makes him chuckle- not the first time I've been called that. Now...how about you, my good sir? -he turned to Henry.- see anything you like?

"well..." -Henry seemed kinda skeptical at first.- "ya got Neon or...something else to make these glow?" -he taps the "implants" which were really just some well detailed headphones.-

glow, hmm? I know just the thing -the Merchant said as he rummaged about in his inventories of items, most in locked boxes oddly enough, and produced a sparkling purple/pink dust-

just apply a little of that with the brush, and it'll glow in no time. -the Merchant said-

"sweeeet... How much for it?" -Henry asked-

well, normally I would give it to you for free too, but a man has to make a living somehow. So... Give me an nickel. -the Merchant said-

"...a nickel? that's it?" -Henry asked, increduously-

that's it. -the Merchant confirmed-

"woah...dude, you are like...the straight up most generous person I've ever met at one of these things." -Henry said, surprised by the Merchant's generosity-

-the Merchant chuckles- oh after today, you'll find someone even more so than me.

"I personally doubt about that... You just basicaly straight up gave these things to us... Thanks an lot man" -Edmond said with an smile-

go ahead, give it a shot. -the Merchant said-

-Henry went ahead and tried the...it kinda looked like glitter, on as the headphones actually started glowing purple a little.-

"Whoa..." -Both of them said as they look at it, amazed-

"thanks ma-" -the Merchant disappeared-

"uh... where'd he go?" -Henry said, looking around-

-Edmond noticed that too, and start to look around, to find nothing- "I dunno..." -he shrugs-

-unseen to the two of them, a black mist slipped under a locked door and vanished.-

"huh...guess he was missin' a deadline or something." -Henry said, shrugging too-

"Ok... well let's walk around more then, so we-" -Edmond was cut off when the bagde start to glow-

"huh? what the heck is it doing?" -Henry asked, looking at his pocket where the badge is-

"What the..." -Edmond picked up the badge from his pocket to look at it, only to the brightness to get more intense- "What's going on?" -he asked, barely managing to look at it-

"I dunno... This is kinda freaky...maybe you shouldn't keep holding it." -Henry replied, as Edmond notices something on his head-

"your headset!" -Edmond pointed, looking at it directly now-

"what about it?" -Henry tries to take it off, but somehow it wouldn't come off his head-

"it's glowing too!" -Edmond said, an bit scared now-

"aw geez...." -Henry said. Then, something clicked on his head- "what the heck did that merchant d-" -then suddenly, both of they blacked out-

-the Merchant, who was spectating everything from affar grins below his hood- and so it begins.... I hope both of you will prove me right.

-he let out an last laugh as his presence vanishes into the air-