Disclaimer: I do not own "Full Metal Alchemist" or its characters. I am making no money from this story.

Author's Note: Sorry about another short chapter. I've lost most of my creativity. I took a break yesterday, because I was having serious writer's block. I planned on posting yesterday, at noon, but I then extended my personal deadline to today, at noon. I missed that. Posting this chapter is about half an hour late, by my own standards. It's also nowhere near as long as I hopped. I promise I'll get my chapters longer, and update faster, as soon as I get my creativity back. - Zack

Roy called for all his most trusted men. Armstrong, Breda, Elric, Falman, Fury, Havoc, and of course, his wife, Hawkeye had all assembled in the conference room. Roy had asked all of them how they thought this situation should be handled. Roy knew that they had to go to war, and that thought disturbed him.

Roy was thinking of a way to avoid the war. It didn't seem likely to happen though. So Roy decided they must plan on fighting. The first thing Roy decided must be done was to call Western Headquarters, so he did so. He told them that Creta planned for war, and that they must be prepared. He told them he would be sending Armstrong there, with about 5,000 troops, just in case Creta attacked before they had a true strategy.

Roy ordered that all State Alchemists in Eastern and Southern Headquarters be temporarily transferred to Western Headquarters. He wanted to be ready for this war, and he would be. Roy looked to Riza, who was calling both Eastern and Southern Headquarters. Then, he turned and looked to his men.

"Let's get back to the work. Shall we?" He asked them, calmly.

Everyone started getting back to work, except Armstrong, who asked for proper orders, if he was to be transferred now, or later. Roy told him he should go catch a train, and wait at Western Headquarters for the rest of the troops. Armstrong divided up the papers, and handed a small stack to everyone else. Then, he saluted, and left.

Roy, as well as everyone else, started to do the rest of the paperwork. They sat silently, not questioning Roy about his tactics. They knew Roy, the Flame Alchemist, had a trick up his sleeve, as always.

After about an hour of silence, and hard work, the papers were all signed, and finished. Roy then has Cheska file the papers, and then asked her to give him a picture of Maes Hughes. She did so, and Roy looked at the picture for a second, before walking back to his office.

"Maes, why'd you have to go and get yourself killed? I'm at the top, like I wanted to be, but where are you? You said you'd support me from below, and be at my side, but I don't see you here. There's going to be a war, Maes, and I'm going to go join it. I'm a top-notch alchemist, and it will boost the men's moral if I go, too. Maes, I know you're somewhere. Look over me, and Riza, will you? She's going to have a tough time, being by herself. I just hope that I can end this war quickly, and come back home to my wife. Please Maes, allow that to happen," Roy was saying to himself, while staring at the picture of Hughes.

"I'll go with you," Roy heard someone say. "You know, as your secretary, it's my job to go with you."

Roy turned around quickly, to see his wife standing there. He stared at her for a moment, as if thinking. In fact, he was thinking. He didn't want her to go, and be in danger, but she was right, in the sense that, as his secretary, she had to follow him wherever he went.

"You'll be in too much danger. I cannot allow it," Roy told her calmly.

"Sorry, Roy, but I have to go where you do. You know the law," Riza replied.

"Very well, but you're to stay off the front lines. Is that clear? I'm not going to lose you. Not ever. Especially in some dumb war."

"Agreed."

Roy walked towards his office door. On his way out, he kissed Riza on the cheek. He told her that he was going out, and that he'd be back in an hour or so. The first place Roy went to was a flower shop. He bought an assortment of flowers. He then went to the military cemetery, and left the flowers, as well as the picture of Hughes on Maes' headstone. He sat there, for about fourty-five minutes, thinking about all the great and terrible times he and Maes went through.

After he thought, and cleared his mind, he got back up, and slowly walked towards the office. When he arrived, Riza handed him a ticket. He sat down at his desk, and read it. It was a ticket to the train station in the West. The station where Roy and his comrades would devise a battle strategy against Creta. Roy smirked. He'd be leaving with Riza that night.

Roy finished what work he had left, and told Cheska to watch over things for him. He ordered Breda to go pick up tickets for himself, as well as for Fury, Havoc, and Falman. Breda saluted, and left the office. He told Falman, and Fury to go wait at the station, and get their tickets from Breda. He then turned to Havoc. He kindly asked Havoc to drive Riza and himself to the station. Havoc saluted, and went out to the car.

Roy and Riza walked out, about five minutes later. They were both ready for combat. They got into the car, where Jean was waiting for them. Jean started up the car, and looked in the rear-view mirror. Roy nodded, and Jean started to drive away from Central, towards the train station, where a train would be waiting for them, and would take them to Western Headquarters.

Riza asked Roy to wake her when they arrived at the station. He nodded, and she laid her head on his shoulder. She fell asleep instantly. Jean kept driving, taking a quick glance back to see Roy every fifteen seconds, or so. Roy looked lost in thought. He was looking out the side window, rather than looking forward, like usual.

Finally, they arrived at the station. Roy kissed Riza on the forehead, and gently awoke her. She got up, stretched, and got out of the car with Roy. They walked into the station, and saw Breda, Fury, and Falman. Breda handed Havoc a ticket.

Roy and Riza sat on a bench, waiting for the time to strike midnight. That was when the train left. It was only 11:40 now. Breda, Falman, Havoc, and Fury were to act as bodyguards for Mustang and Hawkeye. Both were important members in the state, as they held the highest two positions of government there.

Roy told them not to worry; that he wouldn't be attacked here, of all places. He also told them that if they thought it was dangerous here, that he should see them while on the Creta-Amestris border. The clock now read 11:55, so the six boarded the train, and took one compartment. They would all be sitting together on this train ride. Roy had already decided, they'd sit as friends, like back when he was Colonel. He wasn't going to be their superior, but rather, their friend. Roy found an empty compartment near the back of the train, and let the other five in first, before getting in himself.

Author's Note: In the next chapter, I will have almost all conversation. This conversation, however, will have some foreshadowing, and it will have some importance. Besides, the friends need a good reunion, and I plan to let them have it. So yes, that's my warning to you. If you hate conversation in stories, wait for Chapter 4.