"Stupid Colonel Bastard. 'I want this report on time for once, Fullmetal.' Who does he think he is? He always has to know what I'm doing." Ed complained under his breath as he stomped towards Central Command, with his younger brother behind him.

"Come on, Brother. It's not that big of a deal. It's just a simple report like all of the ones before." Alphonse said trailing behind.

"But Al, think about it, things have changed. Amestris is a Democracy now! Bradley's out of power, Father's defeated, and the Homunculi are dead. Therefore, I shouldn't have to write anymore reports." Ed smiled back at his brother goofily before it snapped back into glare.

"That's how it should be anyway." He huffed again and continued walking. Al just sighed.

"Whatever you say, Brother. Try bringing it up with the General if it's so important to you."

"I think I will, Al!"

Snap, Snap, Booom.

Ed jumped at the sound and quickly pulled his hands together before he spotted the source of disruption.

"Lacy! Look look! We blew a hole right straight in the dirt!" Two little kids sat crowding around the dirt. A punk clutched in the older boy's right hand. Ed looked down at his own hands and made a fist with his own right hand.

The two kids slowly stood back up and pulled out more firecrackers and lit them and watched them pop off once again.

"Look at that, Brother! They're celebrating. It's hard to believe that the Promised Day was only a year ago, but everyone sees it as a new start." Alphonse smiled at the two kids and caught their eye. He waved and the kids grinned back at him.

"Do you guys want to have a try too!? They're these new things called firecrackers and they're super cool!" The girl ran over and placed a lit punk in Ed's right hand. He looked down at her with surprise.

"That's alright, we really should get going, but you two have fun with your fireworks okay?" He smiled at the girl and gave the punk back. The two kids frowned but nodded, waved, and ran back off to destroy more of the courtyard. Al smiled as he watched them run off and made to follow Ed as he headed back towards Headquarters.

As they made their way to the gate the guards just waved them through as usual. Ed could still remember the first few times he had come to Headquarters and they had refused to let him in, saying that he probably just took his dad's own pocket watch. As if that bastard would ever become a State Alchemist.

"Colonel Bastard! Here's your report!" Ed kicked opened the door and smirked at his commanding officer.

"That's General Bastard to you, Fullmetal." Roy pinched his nose, no doubt developing a headache now that Ed was in the building."

"Finally got a report finished? After all these years, one would think you'd have learned to get them done in a timely manner for once." He sighed. "But I guess I can't expect that from someone with such a short attention span…" Roy trailed off as he smirked at his subordinate.

"Who are you calling so short he can't even reach the top the desk to write out a simple report?" Ed yelled.

"I don't see anyone else, hell, I hardly even see you behind this stack of paperwork."

"Screw you Colonel Bastard!"

"He's a general now Brother! Learn to be more respectful."

"Um, Alphonse, him calling me a bastard isn't respectful either." Roy smiled at Al as he blushed.

"Whatever. Just take your damn report already." Ed shoved it in his face.

"Ah, thank you, Fullmetal." Ed stood glaring still at his commanding officer still as he read over his report.

"General, do you have anything planned for the holiday?" Roy looked up from the poorly written report.

"Oh. They have declared it a holiday, haven't they? Isn't there a parade tomorrow or something?" He looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling, the report now forgotten.

"Yeah! And there will be fireworks. I'm hoping Brother will want to go get some. It could be fun, you know? If you want, you could go to the parade with us." Al looked at Roy with pleading eyes.

Sure, Ed and Al were a lot older than they had been when Ed had first joined the military. Now they were both in their original bodies – minus a leg. They were still incredibly young though. Ed was only seventeen, and Al a year younger at sixteen. They were still kids.

"I guess I could skip out on paperwork for a parade and some fireworks." He gave another smile to Al while Ed just stood there with his mouth open.

"Shut your mouth before you start drooling on my floor, Fullmetal."

"Brother! Look at that!" Al pointed towards a big float, with various people dressed up as familiar faces.

A sad excuse for a Roy Mustang stood on the float with white gloves and a fake Array stitched into his gloves. As the man snapped little fires sparked through various parts of the float.

"Haha. Would you look at that Colonel Bastard. That guy has got you down pat!" Ed doubled over laughing. Roy glared down at Ed and then back at the imposter.

"I wouldn't be laughing at him just yet Brother…" Al trailed off as he pointed again, but this time it was towards the figure next to the fake General.

A small, short, child stood next to him dressed in a red cloak.

"You've got to be kidding me! I'm not that short! Why do they have a kid playing me!?"

Roy laughed. "I'd say that kid is probably more qualified for your position than you."

"Shut up, Bastard! Can we just go shoot off some fireworks now, please? This parade is lame…" Ed turned on his heel and his red – authentic – cloak trailed behind him.

"Who needs fireworks when you're the Flame Alchemist?"

Al rolled his eyes. It was going to be a good way to remember the first year of independence from Father, the Homunculi, and celebrating the new found democracy of Amestris.