February 22nd, 1972

"I've got it," Roy called out a moment after the doorbell rang.

Maes looked up, but didn't bother to get up since his son had it. He was too busy going through the cabinets deciding what to make for dinner. Elena was up at the Embassy and he'd promised to have something ready for everyone when she got home. The girls were back at school for the first time in months, but Roy had asked to wait until Trisha got home and they finished the State Alchemy Exam. It was coming up on very short notice, but Roy wanted to go for it anyway and had been focusing on his alchemy.

Maes had decided not to argue.

"Who is it, Roy?" Maes called out after a minute when he didn't hear anything.

He got no response. Curious, Maes went into the other room.

Roy and Trisha were glued together and lip locked standing just inside the still-open door.

"Welcome home, Trisha," Maes said, breaking the moment.

"Oh, hi Mr. Mustang," Trisha said, face still flushed as she and Roy parted. "It's good to see you."

"Thank you, though I'm pretty sure it's not me you came to visit."

Roy gave him a brief 'I might kill you after all' look, that eased when Trisha clearly didn't mind the teasing.

"No, I didn't," Trisha admitted.

"Yeah uh, you don't mind if I miss dinner do you?" Roy asked.

He didn't have to be physically edging toward the door for Maes to get the hint. "No, I don't mind. Just don't-"

"Don't what?" Roy smirked. "Do something you would do?"

"All right smart-aleck, go out on your date before I change my mind and decide the back yard needs weeding before dinner," Maes snapped a dish-towel at him. The yard really did need it, but that could wait.

"I'm going!" Roy laughed as he grabbed Trisha and practically dragged her out the door.

Maes watched them go. Something he would do indeed… he wasn't worried about that, yet. He just hoped that they both did well in the exam, and didn't have trouble reconnecting after everything that had happened lately. He knew only too well how much people changed as they grew up, particularly at that age, and he couldn't help but wonder how it would play out.

"What was your Dad talking about?" Trisha asked Roy curiously as he put his arm around her waist and they walked down the street towards the shopping district.

Roy glanced down at her, and his ears turned pink even as he chuckled. "Oh, I think maybe I've been teasing him too much about Mom being pregnant again. You heard about that right?"

"Yeah I did and… oh!" Trisha's eyes widened briefly, and she almost went back to throw something in the man's face. "I can't believe he said that!" For that matter, she couldn't remember the last time she'd heard Roy and his father joke like that, or at all.

"Yeah well, the jungle can make you a little wild," Roy chuckled, kissing her cheek without missing a step. "Damn it's good to see you, Trish. How was Bueáire?"

"Other than devoid of you?" She asked, leaning into his side a little more. "It was… heart-breaking really, and a little scary. There were riots sometimes, and protestors, and any group that wasn't happy with the government seemed to take its chance to rile things up, but so many people were just focused on putting their lives back together. The Earthquake could have been worse there. They lost buildings, but not as many people, and that disease the… whatever it was called that Uncle Ethan's come up with a cure for… well it didn't come down to Bueáire."

"Thank goodness," Roy replied fondly. "Elle almost died from it."

"But I'm more interested in hearing this story about you torching man-eating jaguars?" Trisha turned the questions back on her boyfriend with a smile. "Torching, Roy?"

She felt gratified as she watched him actually turn pink. "Yeah, I ah, was meaning to tell you about that eventually. I was…"

"Sneaking looks at your Grandpa's notes in Grandpa Ed's library?" Trisha guessed, and once again Roy nodded. "I wish you'd told me. I'd have helped you out."

"I didn't want us both getting in trouble if I got caught," Roy shook his head. "And really, all I'd ever done was small very controlled flames until we were attacked. It was… wow it was amazing, actually," he said, a little breathlessly.

"Then you'll have to show me sometime," Trisha replied with a smile. "Like next week maybe, at the Exam?"

"I hope we do all right," Roy replied, easily sidetracked from Aerugo discussion by the mention of the exam.

"You survived the wild and I was working with General Kane in Bueáire. We're not out of practice, Roy," Trisha replied, feeling fairly confident. "In fact, we might be the best we've ever been."

"Then let's wow them," Roy grinned. "So, now that we've escaped our parents, what would you like to do this evening, beautiful?"

"After all the adventure lately you mean?" Trisha chuckled. "I think, dinner and a movie sounds great. Something silly or romantic, and not at all adventurous."

"Well let's see what's playing then," Roy agreed. "And not Aerugean food."

"Oh no!" Trisha laughed. "I think I've had enough of that for a while." But definitely not nearly enough of him.

"Glad to know we still agree on things." Roy stopped long enough to turn her and kiss her again, right there on the sidewalk.

Trisha kissed him back, not caring who might look. Roy was different but then, so was she. And he was right; they did still seem to be in sync. It just felt good to have him back.

February 25th, 1972

"You know you can't eat like that forever," Charisa commented from above Tore as she looked down at him, sprawled indolently on the couch.

Stuffed to the gills after a delicious dinner, Tore just grinned back up at her. "Don't challenge me." Most anyone who'd gone into Aerugo this time had come back lighter than when they left. Something about limited rations and hard labor –and alchemy use- always did that.

"It wasn't a challenge." She wrinkled her nose, but then dropped down on the ledge of couch he left available. "And it's really hard to enjoy a night alone with you when you're incapable of moving." She poked him in the side. "We're lucky Dad wanted to take Dare to that new children's movie tonight."

"That's true," Tore had to admit. "I never figured your Dad for the cartoons type."

"He's a child at heart." Charisa chuckled, then leaned over and kissed Tore lightly on the lips.

Full or not, Tore couldn't resist pulling Charisa down on top of him. "Well I'm not."

"No, you're a dirty-minded teenager at heart," Charisa teased him, though she didn't fight his embrace. She hadn't turned him down since he got home. Maybe Breda had taken Dare as an excuse to get out of the house.

Tore chuckled and kissed her deeply. "Yes, I am." She felt so… good…

Until her elbow jabbed him in the stomach.

"Watch it!" Tore grimaced, rubbing his side and swallowing at the lurch of his very full insides. "Ugh."

Charisa rolled to the side with an apologetic grimace. "Sorry. I warned you."

"Yeah, yeah. Maybe I should finish digesting first," he agreed, lying back down. "I don't suppose you've seen the news today?" he asked. He'd spotted one article earlier he thought might interest her.

"Only some of it," Charisa admitted. "We were really busy at work." She reached over him for the paper. "Why? Was there something interesting?"

"Yeah, check out the business page," Tore took it out of her hands and flipped through it to the front of the business section.

"Business? Since when do you read business news?" Charisa asked, giving him an odd look.

"Trust me." There it was, Tore flipped it open and stuck it under her nose. "Read that."

Charisa picked it up and looked down at the lines. Tore waited, trying very hard not to grin as she read the news.

"That bastard totally deserves that!" She crowded exultantly before blushing. "Sorry, I mean. Really?"

Tore's face split into a broad grin. "Yeah, it really happened. Valentino's furniture had heavy investment in Aerugean woods. The market's gone bust there, and they've lost out on millions." He'd nearly cheered himself when he saw the paper at HQ. Raul's family's company wasn't quite bankrupt, but they were very likely to be in the red for several years making up for the investment loss.

Charisa smiled and snuggled up next to him. "Couldn't have happened to a better guy."

February 26th, 1972

Trisha stared at the board of names posted on the Central HQ training grounds, almost fearing to see what was there. Yesterday she and Roy had taken the written exam. Assuming they passed, this morning they would their interviews and, after that, the practical examinations. But had they passed the written? She knew that, thanks to both of their Grandfathers and their views on alchemy, she and Roy were actually now the exceptions to the rule, coming in and taking the exam without first going through the intensive year course that trained potential State Alchemists.

Not that everyone took the class. Tore hadn't, but Trisha knew her mother, Roy's father, and Uncle Cal had all sat through the classes before the exam. Still, she and Roy had the benefit of learning everything from Grandpa Ed and her mother themselves. Surely that counted for something, right?

"Well?" Roy asked as he walked up, sipping coffee in a thick paper cup. "How did we do?"

"Since when do you drink gourmet coffee?" Trisha asked, teasing him to help calm her own nerves.

"Since I discovered that the Aerugean stuff is way better than the crap they tried to serve us yesterday?" Roy chuckled. "Have a sip."

"No thanks. I'm jittery enough already." Trisha turned back to the board and made herself really focus. The finalists were listed in alphabetical order, not by number, so she scanned down to the H first, looking for Pass or Fail. That was all that was listed though she knew that she could request the results from General Kane later.

Heimler, Trisha…. Pass.

Still holding her breath, Trisha's eyes scanned quickly across to the Ms.

Mustang, Roy…. Pass.

"We did it!" She breathed heavily with relief. "We passed the written!"

"Was there any doubt?" Roy grinned giving her shoulders a squeeze. "We have fabulous teachers, and study buddies," he added with a wink.

Trisha chuckled. This was true. They had each other and together they could accomplish anything. "That's right. So, let's get through these interviews and get on to the good part." She was looking forward to the alchemy demonstration portion of the exam. On that, she was sure she had a skill that the military would find useful. No one else they had knew how to use it. And Roy well, how could they not want another flame alchemist?

"I think that was one of the toughest rounds of interviews we've had in a while," Sara commented to Kane as they walked back to the office. "You and Rehnquist were grueling."

"As if you would have been any easier on them," Kane chuckled.

"No, I wouldn't," Sara agreed. In truth, she might have been harder but then, that was part of why this year it wasn't her rotation. With Trisha taking the test, she didn't want there to be any sign of favoritism. It was the same as when she had taken the test. Her father had chosen not to be part of the decision process even though it was his program she had come up through and he had ever right to have a say. "What did you think of them?"

"It's a pretty average bunch," Kane admitted with a shrug. "With a few potential stars in the mix. I mean, we have a lot more people passing the first portion of the exam these days, even the interviews, and since we're trying to rebuild numbers still, that's not a bad thing."

Out of the forty people to take the exam, twenty-eight had actually passed the written and gone on to the interviews. Out of them, Sara knew that fifteen were still being actively considered for positions if they demonstrated that their alchemy could be useful to the government in either a martial or other useful capacity. Now-a-days, other forms of alchemy and research were much more acceptable.

"It's a bit easier than it was when we tested isn't it?" Sara asked with a smile.

"And you had it easy compared to our first class," Kane replied. "Marcus, Marion, and I were surprised they passed three. In the past you were lucky to get one or two. Of course, that was also because so few met the standard. Education has improved."

"So what do you think they've got planned for their demonstrations?"

"Not sure, but you can bet they're going to be interesting," said Kane as he glanced over at her. "When I heard Mustang had picked up flame alchemy after all, I have to admit, I was a bit concerned, and I still am. But he seems like a very stable, level-headed young man. You've taught him."

"I have," Sara nodded, having no problem talking about the other student she shared with her father. "Roy's never given me trouble, unless you count the fact that he's dating my daughter. He's a very meticulous alchemist, and he uses his brain and he's not reckless. Though I'm not sure how I feel about the fact he managed to teach himself flame alchemy. Riza specifically asked that we not teach it to him, and we didn't."

"Can't blame him for wanting to learn it." Kane said as they entered the office. "Not after what Flame did, and even with the troubles Firebrand had, he was an incredible alchemist. It's a family legacy."

"Dating back to his great-grandfather," Sara nodded. "You did know it was Riza's father who codified the flame alchemy, didn't you?"

Kane nodded. "You're right. I'd almost forgotten. Well, I just hope this Roy Mustang is as good as his namesake."

"He will be," Sara said after a moment. "I really think he will be."

Trisha stood in the middle of the circle, and closed her eyes and concentrated. She knew that Kane knew about her sound amplification trick, but there were a few things she had figured out with her ability that she wanted to demonstrate as far as manipulating air waves and pressure. So she stood, her hands cuffed, and concentrated. She didn't wear gloves though she had drawn her circle on the ground. Quietly, slowly, she bent down and pressed her hands to the circle.

As the energy began to flow, she controlled it, focused it. First, sound; she reached out to the three men standing off to the side; Generals Kane and Brewster, and President Rehnquist. Quietly she wove air and sound until it reached their ears the way she wanted and she whispered, every so softly, though to them it would sound clear in their ears, "I hope you enjoy the show, Sirs."

A moment later she whipped air so loud it cracked as she focused it sharply and jabbed it into the lock on the cuffs, forcing the mechanism open, and the cuffs dropped to the ground. She could have done it softer, or more subtly and silently, but the effect was what she wanted as she heard small gasps from the people around her.

Trisha opened her eyes. Rehnquist's face was neutral, but Brewster looked interested, and Kane slightly… amused?

"Thank you, Miss Heimler," Kane said, and nothing else before he turned to the next alchemist in line. "Mustang, you're up."

"Nice work," Roy whispered in her ear as he passed her.

"Thanks. Your turn," she replied.

Roy walked out to the middle of the circle, and Trisha returned to her spot to watch, eager to see what he had planned. He hadn't even told her exactly what he was planning, though Trisha would have bet Grandpa Ed's old State Alchemist watch it involved fire.

It turned out to be far more than that. Trisha watched with interest as he drew a very complex circle like one she'd never seen before, though it was a modification of the one Roy had used before going to Aerugo. He took his time, but the transmutation itself happened in less than fifteen seconds.

One moment, Roy was crouching there doing nothing, in the next a circle of the earth seemed to drop away from right in front of their feet, and up from the center of a pit three feet wide and six feet deep that suddenly surrounded Roy, a wall of flame shot straight upward, but so smooth and so even that it almost didn't look like fire at all, save for the intense heat it gave off.

And he held it, for thirty seconds.

"That's enough, Mustang," Kane called out.

"Yes, Sir." And the flames dropped and extinguished.

Trisha stared at her boyfriend in wonderment. She had always known he was talented, as well as skilled, but she had no idea he had that much control of so much raw power!

Apparently no one else had either. The others who had made it to the final cut stared at Roy as he returned to his spot outside the circle, and the next alchemist moved forward.

Roy met her eyes as he turned around to face front, and winked.

A State Alchemist was supposed to be professional, capable, and calm. Well, maybe not calm. From what Trisha had heard, neither Grandpa Ed nor the Flame Alchemist had ever been particularly calm people, no matter how put-together Grandpa usually seemed. This was good, because Trisha was just doing her best not to hyperventilate as she sat in a room with the other alchemists who were all waiting for the same thing she was; to find out how many of them had passed the Exam.

"Relax," Roy patted her hand, earning him a couple of odd looks from other alchemists.

Trisha smiled at him. "This is relaxed as I get right now. How can you be so calm?"

"Because I don't see how you could possibly have not gotten in," he replied more softly, mostly not to be overheard by the others in the room.

The door opened, and Trisha forgot what she was going to say in response as a Second Lieutenant stepped in and nodded, looking around the room. "If the following people would please come with me," he said, looking down then at the list in his hand. "Cardiff, Heimler, Johansson, and Mustang."

For a moment, Trisha wasn't entirely sure she had heard correctly, until Roy was standing and giving her a nudge. Then she came back to herself and stood, gathering her dignity, and followed the Second Lieutenant down the hall, taking her cue from the others and not speaking.

Soon enough they found themselves in an office she knew well, having come here from time to time as a child with her mother. Trisha tried not to smile like an idiot as they were led into General Kane's office, and the door closed behind them.

Kane was standing behind his desk, with that serious expression Trisha remembered from Aerugo. "Congratulations. You have been chosen as our newest crop of State Alchemists. Here are your orders," he gestured to envelopes sitting on his desk. "Inside you will find your official rank as well as the State Alchemist title that President Rehnquist has personally picked for each of you." At that, he grinned. "Welcome to the military."

Trisha took her orders with decorum and took her time reading through them even though she knew the majority of what it entailed. She was to have the rank of Major, and from there on down to the part she really wanted to read; her title. What would they call her? What name would she have that would strike fear into the enemy?

You have hereby been given the title of the Whisper Alchemist.

Whisper. Well, she supposed it was accurate enough, but Trisha couldn't help feeling just, for a moment, disappointed. Who was afraid of a whisper?

"Hey, that's a good one."

"Read your own papers," Trisha jerked hers away from Roy, who was leaning over her shoulder.

"I did, Whisper," Roy grinned.

"And so what name did they give you?" Trisha asked.

"Firestorm."

"At least yours is fierce," Trisha sighed.

"What's wrong with Whisper?" Roy asked, lowering his voice as they were dismissed and allowed to leave Kane's office. "I think it sounds… deadly."

"Deadly?" Trisha looked at him askance.

"Yeah. The only thing that's ever scared me was that Jaguar, Trish, and he was absolutely silent until the kill." Roy shuddered and for a moment he seemed to be staring into something else. "No one hears you coming. That's your talent. And it fits. I mean, your mother's name is Twilight, and that's not something people would think of as fierce. It's more subtle than that. My name's just as blatantly obvious as Dad's, and Grandpa's."

"Another Mustang flame alchemist in the military," Trisha smiled at him, feeling a whole lot better. "What on Earth is Amestris going to do with you?"

Roy smiled back. "Hopefully, a lot."

Author's Note: 1/16/12. Finis! Another generation of State Alchemists takes the stage. I wonder just how much trouble and adventure they'll get up to. More story coming with a new story next week!