once again, im not overly familiar with military procedures so... and once again, this is no disrespect to anything. but no one wants to die and no one wants their children to die. no matter what fight it is, no one wants to die so... yeah...

Everything was in organized chaos. Everyone was in one type of training or another, whether in the shooting range, alchemy training, laying down wire, all of headquarters was out of their offices and out and about. Edward worried the most about Chris because unfortunately, he was right and the only one with anything close to his alchemy was Crimson. And Crimson wasn't the best of influences. He knew he couldn't keep Chris from him at all times but he just wished he knew someone better to teach him than Crimson.

"Ed."

"Hmm?" he asked, looking at Winry.

"You've been drying that plate for ten minutes now. What's wrong?"

"I've got a lot on my mind. Leaving you, going to war… I've been in the military for most of my life and I've never had to go out and purposely shoot or kill people. It's overwhelming."

Winry touched his arm and smiled. "You'll be fine. Just use your alchemy to keep them at bay and then you'll be home soon."

Edward smiled a little and touched the slightly more prominent baby bump Winry had.

"I just don't want to be like my father and abandon my kid before I even get to see it."

"You'll be back. And don't worry about losing any limbs. You just so happen to know the best automail mechanic around." She said with a wink.

He rolled his eyes behind his glasses. "I'm pretty sure I would like to keep what real limbs I have. Honestly, I don't know if my alchemy would work if I had two metal hands… you just want to build something."

The phone rang and Edward put the plate down to answer it.

"Elric residence, Edward speaking."

"Hey, Edward, it's me."

"Teacher? What's got you calling?"

"Is Chris home?"

"Uh… I think so. You want to talk to him?"

"If you please."

"Winry, could you call Chris to get the phone?"

As she called Chris, Edward told Izumi what had happened with Mustang. Izumi sighed into the receiver.

"Well, that's not exactly what I had in mind…"

"Me either but it happened."

"I'm here." Chris said and Edward said goodbye, handing the phone to Chris. "Hey, Ma."

"Hey, sweetheart. I haven't heard from you in a while. I have heard rumors of another war starting…"

"Yeah! It looks like Drachma broke through the Briggs defenses and is pouring into Amestris! I'm going to be out there, a State Alchemist defending the country!" he said enthusiastically.

Edward, who had gone back to finish cleaning the kitchen, only frowned.

"Oh, I see… so you are going to war."

"Well of course, Mother. The news is all about it."

"I meant you as you, Chris."

"Oh… well, yeah. I'm an alchemist and they need alchemists to drive back the threat."

"But do they need you?"

Chris frowned. "You just don't want me to go to war."

"Well of course I don't. I'm your mother and I don't want them coming to my door with a folded up flag and a letter telling me about your posthumous promotion."

Chris snorted. "Come on, Mom, you're being dramatic. I'm not going to die."

"Do not ever think you are invincible, Chris Curtis." Izumi growled, making Chris jump at her sudden change in mood. "This is war and casualties of all kinds happen within in such a state of affairs. You cannot believe you are invincible, that you will be unharmed by this. If you believe that, then you are a fool and I have taught you nothing."

"Then what did you call for?" he growled.

"I was hoping you'd use your head and not go but I can see that you believe you are invincible because you happen to know a little bit of alchemy."

"Flame alchemy."

"And you aren't the only one who has had it before, mister. Don't get your head so far up your own ass that you can't realize that even with Mustang's ability to wield flame alchemy, he's gone."

For some reason, that statement made Chris very uncomfortable. But he was getting tired of everyone telling him he didn't belong out there fighting. He was in the military to fight, dammit, so why was everyone trying to get him not to?

"Roy Mustang is gone because of something after the war in Ishval. I'm not like him. I'm going to show you all that I'm not just some kid with powers or something. I know I can help the war and I know I can help defend this country! Why doesn't anyone think I'm capable of doing that?"

"Because you are a boy and war is not made for little boys. It's not even made for grown men! Just because you happen to-"

Izumi went into a series of coughs and Chris held onto the receiver tightly, hoping she was alright. When it seemed she had finished her coughing, Chris tried to talk with his mouth dry.

"Are- are you alright?" he whispered.

"I'm fine! I'm worrying about your dumb ass, but I'm fine." She snapped. Chris smiled. "Chris, I'm just worried about you, that's all. Death doesn't just kill bodies, it kills minds. You were already having issues before and… I just don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me, Mom. I've got Uncle Ed, Uncle Al, and Aunie Riza with me. I know they'll protect me and now I can help protect them. Believe in me, Mom… Please?"

"I've always believed in you, kid. Just don't go and die on me, okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

"Put Ed back on the phone."

Chris nodded even though she couldn't see him and told Edward to get back on the line. Edward took the phone from him.

"Teacher?"

"Do not let my son go out there."

"I wish I had that ability-"

"You're his superior!"

"Everyone is preparing for war, Teacher! Clerks are learning to shoot guns at people instead of just being able to shoot it on emergency, janitors are learning how to lay down trench wire with simulations of actual explosions, even the gardeners are being required to learn how to shoot a pistol at least and learn simple combat training just to keep up a tiny line of defense in case the Drachmans get past and come to Central. If I had the ability to save him and some of my other subordinates from the war, I would do it in a heartbeat. Hell, I'd take me and Winry and go south. But we can't. We are military dogs, taking orders from our masters. The Fuhrer wants any and all alchemists to go through training and that's what going to happen. All I can promise is I can try to keep him safe."

"This is why I told you not to go into the military."

"Well how else was I supposed to get Al's body back? I wasn't going to leave him in that body forever. If not for the military and my ability to go wherever I needed to go, given missions and tips on certain things, I would have never been able to get my little brother back to normal."

"Then you should have gotten out after that."

"That is not how this works. Look, I'm doing the best I can. I have my hands tied here."

Izumi sighed. "Just don't let me see an officer coming up my street with an Amestrian flag, a dumb hat, and a stupid letter talking about how brave my little boy was and what he did for his country. I want to see my son coming home to me."

"And you can bet your ass I'll make sure it happens."

A few more weeks passed and reports from Eastern Headquarters were looking more and more like they were going to need help. Edward really didn't that was surprising. The Fuhrer wanted a war and he wanted to use his alchemists… and dagnabbit he was going to get it! As he expected, he found the draft paper in his door when he went to his office. He sighed and pulled it out, shoving it into his pocket. He'd read it later…

"Brother!"

Edward turned as Alphonse ran up.

"Did you get drafted too?"

"Of course I did. That's a stupid question."

"Sorry… it's just some people actually didn't. I think mostly people who don't do much military mission work."

"I'm sure. Hawkeye too?"

"Yeah… What about your crew? Did you read who else was going?"

"No."

"Well you need to let them know soon… I'm not happy about it, Ed."

"Neither am I."

"I'll be by your side the whole way, alright?"

"You scared?"

"No! I mean… I just don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either. I just got you back, I can't let you literally die on me."

Alphonse smiled as he walked away. Edward opened his office and some of his staff stared at him. They must have all seen the note get slipped into the slot of the door. He didn't say anything and walked to his office. He closed the door and sighed, using the letter opener to read the summons.

"Did I get in?"

Edward jumped and looked up at Chris, who was leaning over his desk with an excited look. Edward made a face at him.

"I don't know."

"You're procrastinating!" Chris yelled, almost going into a temper tantrum. "Stop being such a dork and tell me what it says!"

Edward sighed and adjusted his glasses to look at the paper. As he suspected, he and Chris were on there. Ironically, Elysia was as well. He turned his head a little at that.

"It looks like you're here." He said.

Chris yelped in happiness, jumping up in the air and fish pumping.

"Alright! I get to go burn some Drachman ass! Yeh-yah!" he yelled, doing all sorts of strange victory dances.

Edward watched him calmly, waiting for him to calm down. He finally did and fell into the seat in front of the desk.

"Oh my god, I'm so happy!" he exhaled with a laugh.

"I wish I could keep you from going, but I can't. So… I had a feeling that you would be selected. Here." He said, opening his drawer and pulling out a square box. "You'll need these."

Chris grinned and leaned forward.

"What'd you get me? A shit ton of papers so I can do my flames right? That's the only thing that really sucks, ya know? I have the power to make fire and yet I have to use paper or sand or something to get it." He opened the box and stopped, his smile slowly fading. "Wh… what are these?" he whispered softly.

"Ignition gloves."

"Ignition gloves?"

"They do exactly what you were complaining about, it keeps you from having to do a transmutation circle all the time. They are made of a special fabric that creates just enough of a spark that you can make fire. Colonel Mustang had some just like this."

"Yeah I've… I've seen them on Auntie Riza's wall…" He slowly stroked the gloves and then he grinned, pulling them on. "These are great, Uncle Ed!"

He nodded as Chris stood up and stood out a little. He held out his hand.

"Hey, how do I look?" he asked, and poised his fingers to snap as he struck a pose.

Edward had to do a double take because it was as if Roy was standing right there. He knew his superior was now long gone but his body was here, although with a different mind.

"Like you're ready to do battle."

Chris smiled and then took the gloves off.

"I won't use them until I get to the battlefield. Was there anything else?"

"I think that's plenty, don't you think?"

"I never know… Thank you, really, Uncle Ed. I really appreciate you getting these for me."

"It's the least I could do." He said, trying not to make his smile as forced as he felt it was.

Chris took his gift and left the room. Edward took off his glasses and grabbed the bottle of pills in his bottom drawer. Those weren't just look a likes, they were Roy Mustang's ignition gloves. Edward had found them while looking through some old junk that they had shoved into the closet of his office. They were good as new and although he knew it would regulate things, it still didn't ease his heart.

"How has your training been going?"

"I think he's where you need him to be. When will I be able to go back to doing what I was doing?"

"Soon. In the mean time, keep feeding him these thoughts, alright Crimson?"

"Of course. Anything to cause a riot… and when I get back, I'm going to cause more than just a riot."

"You just focus on your job and you'll come out on top in the end."

"I'll endure it, I guess."

"There's a good boy." A black gloved hand patted him on the head. "You're doing so well until now. Don't' think about what you'll get in return, just think about what we told you to do. You'll get distracted if you don't."

"You're quite boring at times, you know?"

The woman smirked in the shadows of the room as she walked away from Crimson, her boots the only other echo besides their breathing.

oh my, what is crimson up to and who was he talking to? sneaky little buggar...

and it looks like it's official chris. you've got the gloves... you're real alchemist now! unless it rains but i'm sure edward omitted that info on purpose and prays it rains the whole battle haha. oh well...