Welcome! I'm glad you decided to read my story. This is not my usual fluff or Edwin based content. This is post manga fic that has material in it that is difficult to digest. This is based off historical events in China and Ukraine. Particularly, the event known as Holodomor in Ukraine. A manmade famine that killed thousands. Brace yourselves. It's going to be a rough ride but there will be something bittersweet. I promise. And please feel free to look up Holodomor and the China famine under Mao's reign. It's very intriguing. And I do believe it's important to know history so that we can prevent repetition of certain events.

Edward is 26 years old and enjoying his adulthood far more than his childhood. He and Winry had married when they were 18 and had two lovely children. Thomas is 6 and Lucy is 4. Edward had done research for a few years but after Lucy was born, he needed something that provided more cash for his growing family especially since the business in Risembool wasn't doing as well and Winry needed more time off due to being a mother, and with her grandmother's passing, they didn't have a free babysitter. It was also peaceful times so soldiers weren't losing limbs in battle.

So Edward reluctantly rejoined the military. Though now he was grateful that he had. He had risen to the rank of colonel and had a small team underneath him. He was based in East City, and Winry had moved up there with his children. They were sad to leave Risembool but had settled quite nicely in East City. Winry had her own shop and could now afford a babysitter to help her with Lucy while Thomas was in school. Edward didn't have to travel much so he would be able to come home after his shift and be with his family. It wasn't what they had planned but it seemed like it had worked out.

But now Edward and the Amestrian military had a new mission. Drachma had overtaken a small country to its west called Kiva. Amestris had stayed out of it, not wanting to be involved. But several years had passed and there were conflicting reports coming out of Kiva recently. There were disturbing reports of limited food supplies. Drachma had denied the reports saying that the peasants were trying to revolt. Some reporters went over to the capital of Drachma and saw no food shortages. However, a few independent Amestrian reporters had snuck out of Drachma's capital into Kiva's countryside and reported back to Amestris of people suffering from hunger. Drachma had then claimed there was a bad crop disease that had killed most of the grain producing plants. Amestris offered food relief along with Creta, and Drachma accepted on behalf of Kiva.

Edward was at the train station in his uniform with his heavy coat hanging on his arm. It was March which meant it was warming up in Amestris but still cold in Kiva. He bent down to hug his children goodbye. His daughter had tears in her eyes that were starting to fall. "Daddy don't go."

Edward replied "Daddy has to go. There are people that need our help. But I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed her forehead. "I love you."

Edward turned to his son. "You're the man of the house. Help your mom out. Okay?"

Thomas nodded. "Got it dad." He was enthusiastic about his new role. Edward saluted him and Thomas saluted back.

Edward stood up and Winry figured it was her turn for the goodbye. Edward embraced her. "I'll miss you." He told her.

"I'll miss you, too. Take care of yourself, especially your leg," Winry said smiling at him. Edward wasn't going to war, so she didn't feel as worried for him.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Always with the leg. I got it handled. I've taken better care of it over the years."

"Finally, my instructions are sinking in," Winry pulled her face from his chest so she could see his eyes but she didn't release his arms.

The train whistle blew. Edward and Winry were startled but then kissed each other knowing it would be a while before they could again. They said "I love you" to each other.

Jean Havoc was on the train calling for Edward from the train windows. "Hurry up Colonel!" Edward ruffled his kids' hair and got on the train. He waved at them from the window as the train departed.

Edward had sat with his team. Jean Havoc was First Lieutenant, Maria Ross was Captain, Kain Fuery was Second Lieutenant as was Denny Brosch, and there were also some new recruits. Warrant officer Henry Grey, and Sergeant Mila Ivanov who was also their translator for this trip.

The team talked on the train casually, occasionally laughing at a joke at one of their comrade's expense. They stopped in Central and more soldiers boarded. Edward and everyone else saw General Mustang board and stood up to salute him. "At ease everyone. I'm glad to see we were able to meet this way. Colonel Elric, we need to discuss some things," Mustang said as he reached into his pocket.

Edward reached into his pocket arming his retaliation. Mustang flashed a photo first. "Just look at my son, Charles. This was his first time at the beach in Aerugo. He's nine months old now!" Mustang had the biggest grin.

Edward flashed his picture of his own son riding his shoulders. "Well look at how much Thomas has grown! He's in his first year of school!" Edward had a big smile as well.

Mustang pulled another photo. "Well here's Riza holding the baby. Doesn't he look so much like her? Same hair color and eye color."

Edward pulled his next photo out also. "Here's my wife holding Lucy! She just turned 4 and she favors her mother too!"

Mustang snickered. "Good thing she does. We don't need a female version of you running around."

"The same goes for you!" Edward sneered.

Jean scoffed. "Will you two stop with the dad competition? It gets old pretty fast."

General Mustang and Colonel Elric brushed it off and went to a private car. On the way there, Mustang gathered the other colonels in charge of food relief teams. Edward had a glass of whiskey in his hand and sipped on it while they discussed the plan. Mustang ordered one after going over the plans, and they sat back in the chairs.

After Edward's team ate dinner on the dining cart, Edward decided it was time to go over the plan with them. The team seemed at ease. This wasn't a battle plan. This was a plan to distribute food and help those in need.

Edward sat down with a map of the region of their destination. "We've been assigned a small village called Odissa. It's a peasant village. There will be one other team there. There will be a medical tent and a food distribution station. Our tents and our own food tent will be behind there."

Second Lieutenant Brosch "Why are there two food tents? Why not just have one?"

Captain Ross answered. "The tent for the citizens will be mainly distributing food supplies that they can cook at home. We also will have a mass meal there also. Our mess tent will have our soldiers cooking our meals for us so we can focus on the task at hand."

Edward continued "Our task is to get the food to the people. We will have cooking assignments in the tent so I hope you guys have some skills."

Jean snickered. "I feel bad for the people that have to eat this stuff. I don't think most of us are proficient in the kitchen." The team laughed with him and shook their heads.

Edward waited for them to quiet down and continued. "These people are hungry. I'm sure they'll be grateful for whatever they get. We will have to be in charge of rations and make sure they are distributed properly. Everyone gets a fair share of food." The team agreed.

While en route to Odissa, Mila, their translator, was teaching them basic phrases in Kivian so it would be easier to communicate with the locals. Edward brought his own book also and was picking it up quickly while a few others were a little slow. Havoc especially struggled with the language.

They stopped for an overnight in Creta. The teams stayed in a hotel and enjoyed a lovely meal in the dining room. Then some of them went down the street to the bar for drinks. They were enjoying wine and beer with their comrades. This mission didn't seem like it would be terrible but little did they know what was in store for them.