The sun hung lazily over Amestria, casting long shadows across the training ground. Barrels teetered on stones, wooden dummies leaned precariously, and a suspiciously confused chicken strutted around the edges, occasionally dodging sparks from errant transmutations.
Adam Thompson stood in the center, coffee in hand, coat flaring dramatically. He surveyed the scene with a critical eye, as though the chaos surrounding him were a perfectly composed symphony.
"Ah, my brilliant protégés!" he announced, voice booming. "Today, we wrap up years of chaotic mentorship. Optional panic. Correct: skill acquisition. Mandatory flair!"
Edward groaned. "Wrap up… you mean this circus is ending?"
Alphonse tilted his head under his helmet. "Do you ever end anything normally?"
Adam twirled his coffee cup like a baton. "Correct. Optional clarity. Mandatory spectacle. Now, behold the final montage of your training!"
---
The day unfolded like a cinematic reel of absurd triumphs and controlled disasters.
First Scene: The Barrels
Edward carefully levitated a barrel, spinning it perfectly across the clearing. Alphonse followed, balancing another barrel on the edge of a stone stack. For a brief, glorious moment, everything seemed orderly.
Then, in true chaotic fashion, the barrels wobbled, toppled, and rolled into one another like drunken bowling pins. Edward ducked, Alphonse leapt, and the chicken—perfectly unbothered—somersaulted over the mess, landing gracefully atop a barrel.
Adam clapped once, perfectly balanced on a floating plank. "Correct! Optional disaster. Mandatory style! Note: chickens are excellent indicators of chaos proficiency."
---
Second Scene: Coffee Acrobatics
Adam vaulted over a spinning barrel, pirouetted mid-air, and took a slow, exaggerated sip of coffee without spilling a drop.
Edward stared. "How is he… how is he still holding coffee?"
Alphonse chuckled. "I don't even care anymore. He's impossible."
Adam landed smoothly and waved a hand toward a row of stones. "Precision, flair, and caffeine, my young transmuters! Optional mistakes: entertaining. Mandatory learning: achieved!"
Edward muttered under his breath, "I can't believe this actually teaches us something…"
Alphonse nodded. "Yeah… it does, in a ridiculous way."
---
Third Scene: The Coordinated Chaos
Adam lined up a series of obstacles: barrels floated, planks spun unpredictably, and stones hovered at varying heights. The brothers had to navigate the chaos while performing coordinated transmutations.
Edward lunged, narrowly avoiding a spinning plank. Alphonse adjusted mid-jump to keep a levitated barrel on track. Sparks flew, leaves danced, and a stray stone bounced off Adam's coat without disturbing his coffee.
Adam clapped dramatically. "Correct! Optional fear. Correct: skill acquisition under chaos. Mandatory: applause for myself."
Edward groaned but grinned. "We actually did it. Somehow."
Alphonse laughed. "It was ridiculous, but we did it."
---
Fourth Scene: The Final Lesson
Adam stood atop a barrel, coffee raised like a chalice. "Now, my protégés, the ultimate lesson: embrace mistakes, wield chaos, and always—always—maintain style!"
He gestured to a final task: Edward and Alphonse had to levitate multiple objects simultaneously while navigating a series of spinning planks and floating barrels. Failure was optional; flair was mandatory.
The brothers synchronized perfectly, transmutations precise, movements fluid, and for a brief moment, chaos and order danced together beautifully.
Adam gave a dramatic bow, coffee spilling ever so slightly. "Correct! You have mastered the art of chaos integrated with precision. Mentorship… complete!"
---
Farewell: Teleportation and Reappearance
Edward and Alphonse stared as Adam raised a hand, swirling sparks around him. "I shall now depart, but do not fret. I shall meet you… in style!"
With a flourish of light and a swirl of sparks, Adam vanished, leaving the brothers blinking in astonishment.
Edward muttered, "I'll never get used to that."
Alphonse chuckled. "Yeah… but it's him. Of course he'd vanish dramatically."
---
Joining the Brothers: Central City
Moments later, Edward and Alphonse found themselves on the train to Central City, neatly dressed in their new military uniforms. The platform bustled with soldiers, steam hissing from the engines, and the smell of fresh coffee wafting from vendors.
A familiar voice rang out.
"Good morning, Edward! Alphonse! Optional excitement. Correct: caffeine ingestion. Mandatory: flair!"
Edward spun around. "Adam?!"
There he was, leaning casually against the train car, coffee in hand, coat flaring like a superhero banner.
Alphonse laughed, relief and amusement in his voice. "You always show up at the weirdest times."
Adam winked. "Correct. Optional punctuality is overrated. Chaos ensures entertainment. Coffee… mandatory."
Edward shook his head, smiling despite himself. "You're impossible."
Alphonse nodded, chuckling. "Impossible… but we wouldn't have it any other way."
---
Final Scene: Departure
The train whistle blew, signaling departure. Adam waved theatrically, sipping his coffee, while Edward and Alphonse boarded. The trio settled in their seats, the cityscape rolling past, and the hum of possibility in the air.
Adam leaned back, coffee in hand, coat still flaring. "Remember, my protégés: chaos, flair, and caffeine are forever. The next chapter… inevitable. Adventure… mandatory."
The brothers exchanged a glance, unsure if they had met a genius, a madman, or both. One thing was certain: the lessons, the laughter, and the flair would stay with them forever.
And thus ended Adam's mentorship… and the next chapter of their lives began in Central City.