AN: I don't own FMA or any related characters - and I don't own the pink lunchbox as well. I just own the idea.

Attention! Time skip! Some ages are given in the chapter but for more information...
Riza, Serena: 31
Jade, Phil: 32
Roy, Maes, Nerissa: 33
Nick, Victoria: 13
Laila and Cai: 14
Owen: 17

DoctorWhotaliaandtheOlympians: WEll Victoria is certainly popular lately.
Roy: And I don't like it. I don't want to lose her to Drachma!

mangagirl135: Okay. Time to figure out Flame Alchemy. I got this. *stares intensly at gloves for an hour* I have something! This little fire symbol, you see it? It represents... Fire. I know, I know. I'm a genius. You don't have to tell me what I already know.
Victoria: According to my science book, you need oxygen to start fire… probably the secret is all about the manipulation of oxygen…
XD Kay. Kay. I just had the greatest idea ever. What if we destroyed the world, and then recreated it... Out of chocolate? What say you?
Kay: To destroy a whole world … that's a lot of work and right now, I am relaxing in a really awesome spa … but I'll keep the idea in mind
Nessa, don't make me tell you the same thing I told Jade about scars. (If you want my opinion on the subject, go look up theme seventeen in my Royai 100)
Nerissa: I know what you mean but honestly the scar on my shoulder looks like someone tried to rip off my arm and succeeded before someone *cough* probably Victoria or Lynn *cough* put it together again.
Vicky, I'm glad you've finally gotten at least some closure about you life. Your parents would be proud. Like I am. :D
Victoria: Thank you.
Jade, I'm so happy for you! You finally get to have a real life with your true love... I wonder what it's like to fall in love.
Jade: Sometimes, it's really painful.
Ava: I agree. It often hurts a lot.
Anyway, you have done the usual fantastic job on the chapter, Ava, so I say goodnight till it be morrow.
Ava: I am surprised that I was able to update – I spent a good deal of today with walking through the forest. It's Father's Day where I live and my father wished my sister and me to go with him and my grandfather

kroutonrex: I like that thought, that we could become a star when we die. It makes me feel a little bit better about that kind of thing. My older brother died a few years before I was born and I was always sad that I didn't get to share a lot with him, but now I feel like a weight has been lifted. Because he's probably there watching me 3
Ava: One of the many reasons why I write is to get my mind out of the depressing thoughts that bother me at times. My grandfather died when I was two years old and he was the heart and the soul of our family. To lose him … well … it was really hard on all of us and even though I was so young, I can still remember how everyone acted. I can even remember that I cried a lot at this time. It was terrible for me because I loved him a lot. Today, I am over it – most of the time – but the idea of death and how we deal with it still keeps me busy at times.
thank you for such an inspiring thought!
Ava: My grade in Philosophy is the best out of all the people in my class for a reason ^.^

Laila sighed deeply as she walked around in her dark bedroom. She didn't need any light because she knew where everything was, so the darkness that surrounded her was a perfect black cover. People who knew her a little bit better would see the little wrinkle between her eyebrows and know that she was on the edge but she was alone and no one could see the wrinkle. She stopped as she reached the desk where hundreds of sketches were to find because she had been really inspired after Victoria's first letter from Drachma. The blond teenager missed her sister far more than she had anticipated. Victoria had a way to sneak into the hearts of other people and once she had reached them, she would stay there and light up the world.

"…so I am not the only one who can't sleep," Rachel muttered somewhere in the darkness before soft footsteps were to hear as the youngest daughter of the chancellor walked over to Laila's bed. "I thought I heard someone walking around, Laila, but I didn't figure out that you're the one."

"Who was your first guess?" the older girl asked as she switched on the light before she sat down.

"Nick was really restless last night and I guessed that he would have another bad night," Rachel said. She had grown into a really pretty little girl with her long blond hair that was usually bound to a more or less messy ponytail. She was closer to Nick than to anyone else and while most other children nearly glorified Victoria for some still unknown reason, Rachel had the most rational opinion of her older sister and glorified Nick instead of the petite redhead.

"You are worried, right?" Laila asked as she rubbed her sister's back. "Hey, I know that you hate the typical girl stuff but maybe we can go shopping tomorrow and distract you a little bit."

Rachel was someone Laila was really worried about by now because for someone who claimed to hold no adoration for the resident tomboy of Central City, Rachel was surely a lot like their sister.

"Shopping?" Rachel frowned deeply as she leaned against her sister. "Well, you know that I hate it."

The door opened quietly as Nick entered. His black hair was in a mess but his dark eyes shone bright and seemed to illuminate the whole room. "Mind to tell me why you are keeping me awake?" he said.

"Oh, shut up, Nick," Laila said with the typical hint of annoyance in her voice. "We are just talking."

"The situation is getting far more serious, you know?" her brother said unimpressed as he sat down on the desk. "Are you even aware what is going on right now or did you spend too much time in the hospital to scold your boyfriend?" he got up and paced around in a really Roy-like way. "We have an army that wants to destroy Ishbal. We have a head of security that suddenly blushes when she speaks to the medical staff. Oh, well … and yesterday, we had a hurricane in Jade's office but thank Truth, Phil stopped her from destroying everything in her joy. I look like I didn't sleep in three weeks and the last time I saw Uncle Phil, he didn't look better. Missing the other half of your soul is kinda annoying, I guess. I really wished that Elicia came back soon. And when I waved goodbye to Aunty Nessa, I saw something really strange on her wrist and now I wonder if it was a bruise or a tattoo."

"Considering her wildness, I guess it's a tattoo," Laila shrugged. "Anything else?"

"Pictures of your walk in the park with Cai ended up in all the newspapers," her brother said while he raised one eyebrow in a move which he had copied from Serena. "What do you say?"

Laila's paled considerably. "I'm screwed," she whispered.

"Well, mom doesn't take it seriously – especially since Cai was officially discharged by the time you decided to go for a walk," Rachel said. She knew her brother's speech because he had said nearly the same thing to the strange Edward-person when they had met the blonde in town.

"Let's hope that Vicky doesn't do anything too foolish while she's in Drachma," Nick said while he rubbed his temples. "Everything is so … chaotic right now. Miss Ross is still having trouble with hiding the bruise she got from her bar fight on her last mission. Do you remember what she said when she came back and reported to Serena? 'Well, I can't remember anything because I hit my head when I went down but I'm pretty sure that it was a full success.'"

Laila giggled as she clapped her hands and shook her head. "I always knew that there had to be a reason why I liked her so much," she said amused. "Miss Ross is an awesome woman – and a great role model … but that doesn't mean that I'll cut my hair."

"That's good to know," Nick said drily as he walked over to the window. "I sure wished that Nessa was there," he admitted. "She usually has such a … calming presence…"

"That's when she doesn't throw knives at other people to ensure that they listen."

"Ah, don't be like that, Laila," Rachel chuckled. "Nobody is perfect – that's what dad says all the time."

"I hate to break the news to you but the only reason why he is so relaxed about whatever Nick, Vicky and I do is that he knows that he was far worse in his youth," Laila muttered under her breath.

"You are being far too negative," Nick chuckled as he turned around to face them again.

"And you are at least as optimistic as your twin," the older blonde snapped at him.

"Well, Vicky is the optimist and I am a realist," the sole son of the family said amused. "You are the pessimist around here, Lai. Maybe you should spend more time with Jun Li because she is one of the most positive people I ever met."

"She says that she took too many pills when she still served the xingese empire," Laila tried to argue.

"No, such an optimistic spirit can't be forged by drugs, Laila!" Rachel said enthusiastically. "You have to be born with such a spirit – or you need to learn it from a true master of high spirits!"

"What are you talking about?" Helena yawned as she appeared in the doorway.

"Nick is lecturing Laila," her younger twin explained with a wide grin on her identical face.

"Oh, and by the way: when we blackmailed Sheska, we broke the law. And that, my dear sister, is what's going on right now. I would say that Amestris is in trouble," Nick grinned at Laila.

"That was Vicky's plan."

Doctor Max Knox had been enjoying his night shift so far but it was over when the paramedics brought in one of the most annoying and bossy patients the Peter-Hamilton-Hospital had ever seen. Serena Hawkeye's face was ghostly pale and she had her eyes closed while she held her shoulder where blood was seeping through her clothes. One of the paramedics shrugged as he saw the doctor who was grabbing a pair of gloves. "The young lady was shot," he explained. "She was waving goodbye to her older sister, you know, and some strange guy appeared and tried to kill the sister but this girl wanted to play the hero and took the bullet. Her sister is talking with the police but she will be here soon enough. To tell the truth: she didn't look happy at all."

"These guys are exhausting," Max muttered under his breath as he marched straight into the surgery. The last few months, he had been more than busy with fixing up the agents of the Amestris Fire Lion who got injured on duty. Some injuries were minor like Maria Ross' bruised cheek, others were really serious like Jade Mustang's pierced and poisoned shoulder.

Serena opened her eyes and her lips twisted into something that looked slightly like a grin. "When I said that I would see you later, I didn't mean that way," she said in a weak attempt to ease the tension.

"Looks like you are still conscious," the doctor said darkly. "I give you credit for staying with us. Most other people would have passed out from the shock. You should be proud to stay awake all the time."

She huffed and coughed up crimson blood. "Now they really can call me the Crimson Lady," she said with a sigh while she rolled her eyes. "I dealt with far more pain before," she explained. "I am just happy that it didn't get my sister…" she smiled contently. "Oh, when Nessa arrives while I am still in surgery, make sure that someone tells her that I gave her the order to leave for Ishbal just like we planned it beforehand. "I will recover soon enough…"

And slowly, she passed out.

Fate had never been kind with Nerissa Hawkeye and she had known it for years.

Between the day the news of Serena's demise had hit the public and the day she had gotten her sister back, she had hated to look in the mirror because no matter how she styled her hair, it would always be Serena's face looking back at her. Yes, the insanely smart alchemist was two years older but they still looked like twins most of the time. Looking into the mirror had been painful for years and just when she had been able to look in the mirror without feeling guilty, Serena had to go and take the bullet. Nerissa had explained what happened to the police and had been to hospital just to hear that Serena had given her the order to go to Ishbal without waiting for the outcome of the surgery. Nerissa hated to follow orders and she hated it even more than usually as she boarded the train to the East while her thoughts were with her sister.

"Why so gloomy?" Edward asked. He had been scheduled to return to his family for the next few weeks since the remaining agents could handle the situation without him.

"Serena … this silly, silly girl took the bullet that was meant to hit me," the older blonde said. After all the missions they had done together, a certain friendship had come to be between the both geniuses.

"Younger siblings do things like that," Edward said with a shrug and leaned back. "Knox junior does the surgery, huh? Well, the boss will be back to work in no time, believe me."

"I am quitting," the blue-eyed blonde said while she looked at the passing outside.

His golden eyes widened considerably. "You are insane!" he said sharply. "Because of this incident?"

"You don't understand," she said but she knew that he understood too well.

"Don't take me for dumber than I am," he said and rolled his eyes. "I understand; you are scared."

She huffed. "You should know by now that I never get scared," she said and sounded slightly insulted.

"You were never scared for your own life because – let's face it – you couldn't care less about that. The only reason why you were nervous before was when good old Jade got hurt and we thought for a second that her life was as good as over before you designed this array and we somehow got her onto a stable level and managed to bring her home," the younger agent said. "You are an extremely gifted alchemist, Nessa, and it's true that you were never scared before because you always knew that you could get your way out of everything – somehow. But you are helpless when other people get hurt."

She glared at him and less brave men would have left the country and signed up for a new nose and a new identity after her famous glare.

"The truth hurts, huh?" he smirked as he looked at her.

"You would know," she said while she mentioned towards his leg.

Roy smiled as he watched from behind his book how Victoria and Owen came back from their nightly walk through the huge garden of the palace. Victoria's cheeks were reddened and she laughed softly for some unknown reason. On the other hand, being the only real optimist among the older children made her responsible for being in high spirits most of the time when she wasn't depressed. Owen was right behind her, some snowflakes in his hair and a bright smile on his lips.

The chancellor lowered his book and smiled at the younger ones. "You had fun, huh?" he asked.

His daughter's smile was so bright that it nearly made him blind again. "The gardens are really pretty," she said while she sat down on a couch. "Well, I finally know what I want to be when I am older!"

"A gardener?" Roy's left eyebrow twitched slightly as he looked at her.

She pouted slightly as she rolled her eyes at him. "What kind of student of medicine would I be if I would want to become a gardener?" she asked while she chuckled. "No, I still want to become a doctor because that's something good and I will be able to help many people with my talent. But I also want to have a career that allows me to make Amestris … greener."

For a second, Roy was tempted to argue with her but his experiences with Kay, Lynn and Riza had taught him that it was useless to argue with a young woman who had decided on something. "That sounds like a … wonderful idea," he said calmly and patted her hair.

His dream had nearly destroyed Ishbal and it had stolen the lives of some of his closest friends. Riza's dream had shattered her old world and everything she had believed in. Kay's dream had broken her in the end and it had thrown her into the darkness of her own soul. Charles' dream had been fulfilled but his loyalty had destroyed it in the end as well. Lynn's dream had been great and she had come close to become the best alchemist for organic transmutation but the Nina-Tucker-incident had broken her dream like a cheap mask of porcelain when it met the hard ground. Martin's dream had been to surpass his father who had been an investigator as well and in the end, the fulfilment of his dream had been his downfall. The only one who had had a modest dream that hadn't been dedicated to become better than someone else or to claim that the one who had the dream was more powerful than another person had been Serena who had dreamt of being reunited with her oldest sister again – and she had gotten her wish because she had respected her uncle's words: 'Be careful what you're wishing for.'

Riza was tired as she entered the gym of the ministry of science at six o'clock and for a second, she envied Jade who was already busy with her usual training. The Mustang-family was of xingese descendant and for that reason their fighting style was closely related to the martial arts of the eastern country. Phil for example had a liking for classical xingese weaponry while Jade preferred her bare feet and hands. Abigail as head of family combined both techniques for the reason that they were meant to be used together. For a second, Riza watched how Jade performed a combination of kicks and punches in front of the mirror at the southern wall where she could watch herself.

"Good morning," the vice-chancellor said friendly as she put down her bag and took out her hairclip in favour of a simple ponytail. "I hope you slept well, Jade."

Her colleague rolled her eyes without interrupting her training. "Allen fell down the stairs at three o'clock and woke Mia when he screamed. Now they are both up and on a sugar high."

Abigail who had been punching a training dummy some metres away grinned widely as she brushed back a sweaty strand of her black hair. "I told you that dealing with twins is no fun, Jade," she said smugly as she stretched her long arms. "But you had to be a stubborn little girl and tell me that you would do everything far better than I … well, now you know what I had to deal with – and I had three kids of this kind because Roy was a horrible nuisance when he ate too much chocolate…"

"Well, the chocolate was the only thing at home neither Phil nor I would have killed him for eating it," her daughter said while she shrugged. "If he had touched my oranges, I would have murdered him. If he had eaten the blueberries, Phil would have been his killer. He had no other choice."

"Nice excuse from a woman who tortured her poor cousin for years," Izumi said from the bench where she was trying to keep the hyperactive twins from jumping around.

"Hey, it got boring to torture just my brother all the time. I had to switch between my targets from time to time, Aunty Izumi."

First of all:
You need to know that I usually update right before I go to bed and since I check my mails with my handy every morning because some teachers would write us a mail if he would miss the first 2 hours. I also check my reviews every morning. That means that I have a really good morning when I get many reviews. Save my morning - review now!
And everyone who puts this story as a favourite should take the time to write at least one review. 47 people have it as a favourite but it seems that the people who are reviewing are always the same 5-10 :(

Vote, people, vote! Vote, people, vote! Vote, people, vote! Vote, people, vote! Vote, people, vote! Vote, people, vote!

Thank you, everyone who reads this story! It makes me really happy - and happiness is something I miss since I had to stop swimming because of some serious problems with my right shoulder which aren't solved yet :(

Announcement 1: I opened a poll on my profile, so I would be happy if someone would use it^^

Announcement 2: what-is-the-color-of-love pointed out that 'Aerugians' as name for the people of Aerugo looks/sounds better than 'Aerugoans' ... who besides me agrees with that?