3. Graphite.

T: A little further mixing about with cannon but hopefully not too much that it'll be confusing! Apart from this warnings remain the same and only the plot bunny is mine.

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Ototo,

It's been a week since I last saw your face, something that seems a little unbelievable considering how much has happened in that short space of time. I guess tousan was right and things move at a swifter pace in the city!

I'm currently living with someone from the Military headquarters research department. His name is Maes Hughes and he's a little…obsessed…with his family. I've gotten used to tuning him out when he gets on one of his rants about his 'cute' daughter or 'sexy' wife, something that's allowed me to see how intelligent he is bellow his excessive personality.

Hughes is helping me prepare for my alchemy exam and I am hopeful that, with his tuition, I'll be back in the blink of an eye.

Tell tousan that I am sorry that I left without warning, that I love him and that I shall do anything in my power to make things right again.

All my love,

Oniichan.

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"…I heard yesterday that they arrested Mr. Tucker."

"It seems that he was conducting some very unpleasant experiments."

"Define 'unpleasant'."

"You are better off no knowing, Ed."

"What are they going to do with his daughter?" His companion is silent a moment too long and, feeling sick, he enquires, "Did he perform one of these 'experiments' on her?"

"He was under a great deal of pressure, state alchemists are evaluated each year, you see, and, should they prove lacking, their licences are revoked. It seems he used his daughter to recreate his infamous talking chimera."

"There had to be another way…"

"Desperate men do desperate things, Ed, you know that well already."

"You'll shoot me if I get that desperate, right?" The other laughs and ruffling his hair he counters, "Of course," before he enquires,

"Have you decided what you're going to do in the exam?"

"I'm going to be myself."

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A darkened room and a three legged stool that had been as a test of courage; Bradley's voice, patient as always, asking him the one question he has still no true answer to,

"Why do you wish to become an Alchemist?" He'd stared at Bradley's blank face, at the faces of the other assessors, and his mind had emptied out of every answer that he was assured the panel would deem 'acceptable'.

Silence and then a sharp image of his mother's face had bloomed before him.

Struck with the memory of her scent, of how happy she had been before the illness had taken her he had replied,

"I want to become and alchemist to protect those I love, to do everything in my power to assure that no one else dies."

The smug smile on the face of the 'legendary' Flame Alchemist had boiled away his nerves and he'd attacked the practical exam with an enthusiasm that'd 'wowed' the judges.

Sweat heavy on his body and the memory of that darkened room strong still in his mind he'd stood once again under the gaze of Bradley's unwavering eye.

"It is a rare number of individuals who pass the exams, Elric-san."

"Lieutenant Hughes has made me aware of that fact, sir."

"Has he also made you aware of the conditions surrounding the 'employment' of every state alchemist?"

"In the event of a war a state alchemist will be called upon to use his powers to kill. Also a state alchemist is loyal to the military and must complete all of the tasks assigned to him by his commanding officer."

"I suggest that you go and eat a hearty lunch, Elric-san, the colonel is known to be a little harder on 'rookies'." He stairs, dumfounded, a moment and then, the subtext of the command sinking in, he straitens out into a salute and responds, "Yes sir," before he marches from the man's office.

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"Your watch and your certificate." The colonel passes both items into his care and, a teasing smile on his lips, he enquires, "Are you curious to know what title you have been given?"

"Title?"

"When you become a state alchemist you are given your watch and a title that acts as a codename of sorts."

"Isn't 'the flame alchemist' a little too showy to be considered a codename?"

"The fuhrer has an odd sense of humour, Elric-kun, this you shall learn quickly."

"What is my title then?"

"The shadow alchemist."

"Because of my father's codename?"

"It has also been given to you because of those." The other remarks as he gestures to his gloves.

"I see what you mean about his sense of humour." The other dismisses the remark out of hand and, glancing down at his paperwork, he says,

"Report to lieutenant Hughes and he shall brief you on your first assignement."

"Yes sir." There is sarcasm in his tone and, judging by the elder man's smile, he notices this fact. He believes the other has let it ride and then, just as he reaches the doorway, the colonel says,

"Be sure not to get lost, Elric-kun."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO TINY THAT HE'D EASILY GET LOST amongst A COLONEY OF ANTS?"

"I don't believe I said that."

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Oniichan,

Congratulations on passing your exams last week. I wanted to come to congratulate you personally but tousan has not been at all well this last week and I am scared to leave him alone…perhaps, if you will allow it, I could come to see you when he is better. Winry has decided to come and see you next month, she wanted to surprise you but I thought it was better that you were warned so that you could organise things a little before she arrived.

The house seems so empty without you here; tousan has been trying his best to make up for your absence by regaling me with stories from the past but recently he's been loosing the narrative half way through or simply falling asleep before he could finish the tail.

Tousan wished me to tell you that he is not angry, that he understands why you feel you must take this path.

Sending you all my love,

Ototo.

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T: Graphite is, as I'm sure everyone knows, the material used to fill pencils. Ed's alternate codename has been giving me a real headache, especially as the new one is clunky enough that it feels wrong for Roy to use it instead of Ed's name...hopefully its not too weird! Please review and look out for the next chapter Tuesday at the latest.