When Ed and Al arrive in Central City Roy Mustang places them with the the "Sewing-Life Alchemist" Shou Tucker, the only person to have created a talking chimera.  After meeting Nina, his daughter, and their dog Alexander, they settle in.  The boys decide that Ed will be the one to take the exam since both don't need to be tied to the military in order to get their research on the Philosopher's Stone done.  Ed finds out that there are three areas to the test, the written exam, the oral exam and the practical exam.