History FanFic / ElementalChessTrilogy

* TheCavalry: Ed, Roy and Riza, assisted by Jerso and Zampano, come to the aid of their friends in ''Flowers of Antimony.'' [[spoiler:Those same friends return the favor at Roy's execution in ''Three Generals''.]]

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming[=/=]TerminologyTitle: The whole series is made of these tropes.

** The trilogy's overarching name, "Elemental Chess," is taken from a chess set that was designed using alchemic principles, to reflect the dual themes of chess and alchemy throughout the three stories.

* OriginalCharacter: Paul Douglas, Simon Sikorsky, Andrew Piper, and the two main villains.

* SarcasticDevotee: Arguably, Ed, who never misses a chance to harass or harangue Roy, but nevertheless proves himself to be very loyal.

* TitleDrop: Of the three story titles, only one actually makes its way into any of the stories. At the end of the second installment, Grumman muses that if they play the game correctly, it could be "a true brilliancy." The final chapter title of ''Flowers of Antimony'', "Quintessence," also gets dropped.

* AffectionateNickname: Similar to "Grummy" before her, it's noted that all of the children in the extended family refer to Izumi Curtis as "Zoom."

* BrickJoke: Grumman can't decide what his future great-grandchild should call him. Roy jokingly suggests "Grummy," which is dismissed and the idea is never mentioned again. [[spoiler:Cut to the last chapter, and this is exactly what ''all'' the children of the allies call him.]]

* LikeFatherLikeSon: Luke has a lot of Edward's personality, including his interest in alchemy and his SingleTargetSexuality, in addition to a strong physical resemblance.

* TheyDo: All three couples who get married in ''Flowers of Antimony''; much later, Havoc and Rebecca. However, considering their MaybeEverAfter fate in the canon and the hoops they have to go through to get to that point, the trope probably applies most to Roy and Riza.
* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: Ed and Winry as in the canon, and also Roy and Riza; Roy confirms toward the end of ''Flowers of Antimony'' that he's been in love with Riza since he was sixteen. It's uncertain how long Ling and Lan Fan have known each other, but the trope may also apply to them.

* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: Played for laughs toward the end/ [[spoiler:After Scar kills Acheron, he and Dong Bao return to the allies with the corpse. When General Armstrong expresses her surprise that he allowed Dong Bao to live, Scar's rationale is simply, "I needed him to carry the body."]]

* TheLadysFavour: As noted above in the ''Brilliancy'' folder, Roy and Riza wear one another's dog tags; the actual exchange (effectively a marriage proposal) takes place in this story.

** ''Chronology'' is expected to be filled with these, since it involves [[spoiler:time travel alchemy]].

** The story and chapter titles of ''Chronology'' will all be terminology related to [[spoiler:time travel]].

In response to an outpouring of fan support for the idea on {{Tumblr}}, it's been announced that there will be a ''fifth'' volume added to the series, beginning sometime in late 2015. ''Chronology'' is intended to be a distant sequel, taking place roughly ten years after ''Three Generals,'' and will place greater focus on the [[SpinOffspring next generation]] of Mustangs, Elrics, and others.

* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: [[Luke Elric and Riana Mustang.]]

In response to an outpouring of fan support for the idea on {{Tumblr}}, it's been announced that there will be a ''fifth'' volume added to the series, beginning sometime in late 2015. This is intended to be a sequel, taking place several years after ''Three Generals,'' and will place greater focus on the [[SpinOffspring next generation]] of Mustangs, Elrics, and others.

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: Piper notes, in ''Three Generals'', that Riza holds this status with the people in Central City because they pity her situation.

* AllTakeAndNoGive: A large chunk of Roy's self-loathing in ''Triumvirate'' comes from his belief that he turned his relationship with Riza into this, taking everything she ever offered and giving her nothing in return.
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: The attack on Central Command in ''Flowers of Antimony.''
* AloofAlly: General Armstrong becomes this to the group in ''Three Generals''.
* AltarTheSpeed: Inverted for Roy and Riza, whose wedding is repeatedly ''delayed'' by extenuating circumstances.
* AltumVidetur: Seen in a few of the chapter titles in ''Flowers of Antimony.'' Justified, as they are actual alchemical terms.
* AmoralAttorney: The prosecutor in ''Three Generals,'' who is on Acheron's payroll. [[spoiler:So is the judge.]]
* BabiesEverAfter: Ed and Winry, as in canon. Falman and his wife have two kids, as implied in canon by the ending of the ''Brotherhood'' anime. In ''Brilliancy'' it's noted that Ling Yao is expecting his first child, who is born during the course of the third story, and Roy and Riza are expecting theirs as of the second chapter of ''Three Generals.''
* BadassBoast: Roy gives one in ''Brilliancy.''
-->"I'm only going to say this once, so listen closely. I am Brigadier General Roy Mustang. I am the Flame Alchemist. I have walked through hell at least three times. I have personally delivered death to two of the seven Homunculi. I have now been stripped of what I hold most precious in this life, and it's entirely possible that because of you, by the time we find her, she may be dead. You have started playing a very dangerous game, [[spoiler:Sikorsky]], because quite literally, at this moment, ''I have nothing left to lose''."

* BadassInDistress: Riza, during most of ''Brilliancy.'' She gives her captors plenty of trouble, and even [[spoiler:kills the one who was supposed to kill her]], but that doesn't change the fact that she's been kidnapped and stuck in the desert.
* BandOfBrothers: In ''Flowers of Antimony,'' Havoc mentally invokes the trope by name, thinking about Team Mustang as "a band of brothers (and one sister, of course)" for whom he'd still do anything.
* BearerOfBadNews: Repeatedly in ''Three Generals''. Armstrong weeps as he tells Roy and Riza that [[spoiler:Grumman's office has blown up with him in it]]. Later, Havoc, Rebecca, and Ed have to be the ones to tell Riza that [[spoiler:Roy's been arrested for blowing it up]]. And Ed has to be the one to tell everybody that [[spoiler:he's been convicted of the crime and sentenced to death]].

* BigBrotherWorship: 'Worship' might be a bit of a stretch, but in ''Flowers of Antimony'' it's explained that Ling adopted his half-sister May Chang as heiress presumptive when he became Emperor, and in the few years since the Promised Day, they have grown very close and love each other dearly.

* BonusMaterial: ''Notes From the Grandmaster'' is composed entirely of this.
* BookcasePassage: In ''Three Generals,'' it's eventually revealed that [[spoiler:the Fuhrer's office]] has a secret one of these.
* BouquetToss: More like Bouquet Shot Put, since Winry's got plans for where that sucker ends up.
* BreakingTheFellowship: After [[spoiler:Roy's arrest]] in ''Three Generals'', the allies are split up and sent away to either Briggs or Ishval, because they're needed to bolster the military forces there. (At least, that's the excuse that's given by the people pulling the strings.) Only Ed and Winry are able to remain in Central with the homebound Riza.
* BrickJoke: In ''Three Generals'', Grumman can't decide what his future great-grandchild should call him. Roy jokingly suggests "Grummy," which is dismissed and the idea is never mentioned again. [[spoiler:Cut to the last chapter, and this is exactly what ''all'' the children of the allies call him.]]

* CanineCompanion: Riza's dog Black Hayate is this to both her and, after their marriage, Roy. He becomes something of a living MementoMacGuffin in ''Brilliancy''; Roy won't allow the dog out of his sight the entire time Riza is missing because, as Havoc points out, he's the closest thing they have to a child [[spoiler:at the time]].
* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: Played for laughs toward the end of ''Three Generals.'' [[spoiler:After Scar kills Acheron, he and Dong Bao return to the allies with the corpse. When General Armstrong expresses her surprise that he allowed Dong Bao to live, Scar's rationale is simply, "I needed him to carry the body."]]
* CaptainObvious: Invoked by Ed in ''Flowers of Antimony,'' when he addresses Roy as "General Obvious."

* ClearMyName: Roy in ''Three Generals'', when he's WronglyAccused of [[spoiler:murdering Fuhrer Grumman]].
** ClearTheirName: What the allies try to do for him.

* ClosedCircle: Central City, when it gets attacked during ''Flowers of Antimony.''
* CloudCuckooLander: Fuhrer Grumman has great fun pretending to be one of these in ''Flowers of Antimony''. He throws his weight around regarding the plans for Ed's wedding, but in the best possible ways. As Havoc puts it, "It's like watching an overgrown five-year-old plan the world's biggest birthday party."
* {{Continuation}}: Of the manga/''Brotherhood''.
** Probably more of Brotherhood than the manga since [[spoiler: Havoc's legs were better.]]
*** One of the pictures at the end of Chapter 108 [[spoiler: shows him re-learning to walk. He probably got a similar deal to Mustang.]]
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: The traitor in ''Brilliancy'' is placed under Major Armstrong's guard, and subjected to Armstrong's trademark manner of stripping and posturing. In the words of one reviewer, "[[MemeticMutation This method of torture has been handed down through the Armstrong line for generations]]!"

* CunningLinguist: Fuery, to a small extent. Justified because in the canon, he was [[ReassignedToAntarctica sent to the southern war front]] and was exposed to the Aerugonian language. He's not fluent, but he has a working knowledge that allows him to translate some key information.
* DancesAndBalls: Just one, in ''Three Generals'', planned chiefly as a means of luring the enemy into attacking. [[spoiler:It doesn't work.]]
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Kimblee, in ''Triumvirate'', quickly figures out a few things the others would rather he not know.
* DeadGuyJunior: Averted in ''Three Generals,'' when Roy explains to Grumman why he and Riza have decided not to name their baby after Maes Hughes or anybody else.
** Played straight in the same story by Ling and Lan Fan, however, who named their first son Fu, after Lan Fan's grandfather.
* DeathByDespair: Roy Mustang really, ''[[LivingEmotionalCrutch really]]'' loves his wife. So much so that when she goes missing and he gets sick, Dr. Marcoh warns their friends that this might happen to him if she doesn't come back alive.
** In ''Three Generals,'' [[spoiler:Riza has to promise that she will not succumb to this when Roy is sentenced to death, mostly for the sake of their unborn child.]]
* DoWithHimAsYouWill[=/=]YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Acheron takes this attitude toward at least a few of his {{mook}}s, even going so far as to offer the life of a specific one to Roy as a "consolation prize."
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:General Piper]] in ''Three Generals''.
* DramaPreservingHandicap: Arguably, Roy's fever in ''Brilliancy''.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler: Riza's pregnancy]] was first written into the story to prevent this from happening to her when [[spoiler:the time of Roy's execution passes.]]
* ElementNumberFive: Quintessence, the fifth element of RealLife alchemy, makes a brief appearance in the title and content of the last chapter of ''Flowers''.

* EquivalentExchange: Naturally, given the fandom. The trope is invoked by name in ''Flowers of Antimony'', when Sig points out to Ed that everywhere he goes, he leaves part of himself with the people he befriends and takes part of them with him when he leaves.
* ExactWords: In ''Three Generals'', [[spoiler:Roy persuades Acheron to promise that he won't do anything to hurt Riza or their yet-unborn child. Acheron consents, and specifically says that no harm will come to them by his orders. When Piper later threatens to have her killed, he points out that Roy never asked ''him'' to promise.]]

* AFatherToHisMen: Paul Douglas's observations in ''Brilliancy'' show that Mustang is still this, as he was in the canon, even though he's leading a completely different group now. It's also shown that Riza is [[AFatherToHisMen A Mother To Her Men]], despite not being the actual commanding officer.
* FictionalDocument: After Riza's pregnancy is announced in ''Three Generals'', Falman sends Roy a book called ''Look What You Did to Me: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin What Every Expectant Father Needs to Know]]''.
** Also in the same story, Roy and Breda comb the five newspapers of Amestris in search of articles that might clue them in to their enemy's movements.
* {{Flashback}}: ''Brilliancy'' has several of these; the revolving point of view allows different characters to remember different incidents. Not a case of ViewersAreGoldfish, however, because while all of the flashbacks are connected to events from the canon, they usually showcase non-canonical details.
* FlatWhat: Ed's reaction to finding out that Ling basically invited himself (and by extension, the Fuhrer, and a large collection of Xingese and Amestrian troops) to his and Winry's wedding.

* AFriendInNeed: Surprising absolutely no one who's met them, Team Mustang [[spoiler: immediately desert the military to rescue Roy from death by firing squad]] in ''Three Generals.''
* FriendToAllChildren: [[spoiler:Grumman]], in the finale, is shown to be this.
* [[ThePresidentsDaughter The Fuhrer's Granddaughter]]: Riza being both this and the General's wife makes her an ideal target for the BigBad because, as TheMole puts it, [[LoveIsAWeakness Grumman and Mustang share a common weakness]].
* GildedCage: The Fuhrer's mansion for Riza, in ''Three Generals''. She only gets to leave it for doctor's appointments. They ''call'' it "protective custody," but...
* GondorCallsForAid: In ''Brilliancy'', when Riza gets kidnapped and Roy's extremely sick, Havoc has Fuery put out a distress call to known allies.
* GrandFinale: The original trilogy wraps up [[spoiler:three years after the climax of the last story, with Fuhrer Grumman telling a fairy tale-stylized version of the trilogy's events to all the kids who have been born to the allies.]]
** The upcoming sequel volume will be the actual GrandFinale of the entire series.
* HappilyMarried: The three couples who get married in ''Flowers of Antimony''; it's also implied that Falman and his mostly-unseen wife are this.

* HeroicSacrifice: Ling offers to make one in ''Flowers of Antimony'' in response to the villain's demands, but the other characters don't let him.

* HeroWorshipper: Paul Douglas, who grew up hearing about Roy Mustang and "his merry band of brigands" and specifically requested to serve under him in Ishval. [[spoiler:This is easier to understand once it's revealed that Paul is a relative of Maes Hughes, Roy's deceased best friend.]]

* HijackedByGanon: In ''Three Generals'', [[spoiler:General Piper]] turns out to be merely TheDragon to Acheron, [[spoiler:who has teamed up with Dong Bao]].
* HopeBringer: Part of the reason the men send for Roy Mustang when Central City is attacked during ''Flowers'' is because they figure that having the Flame Alchemist in their midst will boost the morale of the Amestrian defenses. (It does.)

* IfIDoNotReturn: Roy in ''Brilliancy,'' when entering the building in the desert.
-->'''Roy:''' Give me five minutes. And ''don't follow me''.
* IHaveYourWife: Sort of inverted in ''Brilliancy'' - it's more the question of "''Who'' has my wife?"

* IncrediblyLamePun: Havoc, at Roy and Riza's wedding, has probably the silliest line of the entire series.
-->'''Havoc:''' As Colonel Hawkeye's loyal brothers in arms, it is our sworn duty to uphold our beloved sister's honor and see to it that this wild mustang is well and truly saddled.
* InfantImmortality: In basically half of the chapters author notes for ''Three Generals'', the author takes the time to specify that nothing happens to [[spoiler: Roy and Riza's baby.]] She points out that this is in response to the multiple reviews and private messages she received begging for this reassurance.

* IronLady: Riza's narration in ''Three Generals'' refers to General Armstrong, at one point, as "the iron lady of Briggs."
* IShouldWriteABookAboutThis: At the end of ''Flowers'', Ed decides that he's in a unique position to write books which explain alchemy to people who might otherwise not understand it at all.
** In ''Three Generals'', Roy reacts to the success of Ed's book by saying that maybe he should write one. Breda comments that nobody would believe his life story even if he had the time to write it.

* IWasJustPassingThrough: In ''Three Generals'', Olivier Mira Armstrong maintains that she doesn't really care what happens to Roy; she just can't stand a {{miscarriage of justice}}.
* TheKnightsWhoSaySquee: Douglas to Roy and Riza in ''Brilliancy'' via [[spoiler:Maes]].
* TheLadysFavour: It's revealed in ''Brilliancy'' that Roy and Riza have been wearing one of each other's dog tags since after the war; they claim it's for practical reasons (they're each other's next of kin), but Roy also admits later that it was the only kind of commitment they could make to each other under the anti-fraternization laws. The actual exchange is seen in ''Triumvirate''.
* LastKiss: In ''Three Generals'', when [[spoiler:the condemned Roy says goodbye to his wife before his execution, he tries to put everything he didn't say into one final, intense kiss. Fortunately, it turns out to be a NowOrNeverKiss instead.]]
* LeaveTheTwoLovebirdsAlone: Played with in ''Flowers of Antimony''. The military personnel do their best to leave the newly-engaged Roy and Riza alone together on the train... but the guys from Team Mustang have left a listening device in the compartment with them.
* LetsGetDangerous: In ''Three Generals'', how the allies [[spoiler:stop Roy's execution]].
* LikeABadassOutOfHell: Doesn't actually ''happen'', of course, but referenced in ''Brilliancy'' when Ed visits the bedridden and feverish Roy, who jokingly wonders if he's died and gone to hell. Ed tells him that he wouldn't go to hell if he died because they'd be afraid he'd take over.

* TheMaidenNameDebate: Team Mustang has some trouble figuring out what to call Riza after she marries Roy. They eventually settle on Ladyhawk.
* TheManBehindTheMan: What Acheron is hoping to become in ''Three Generals.''

* MementoMacGuffin: Riza's silver earrings; as he explains to Winry in ''Brilliancy'', they were a gift from Roy when they were teenagers.
* MiscarriageOfJustice: The circumstances leading up to [[spoiler:Roy's execution]] in ''Three Generals''.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:Sikorsky in the second story]]

* MoralityPet: Riza is this for Roy in the canon, but in ''Brilliancy'', his speech to the traitor makes her seem more like a MoralityChain. Ed is only able to keep Roy from killing the guy by pointing out that she wouldn't want him to do it.
* MorningSickness: A recurring problem in ''Three Generals''. [[spoiler:In an odd twist, it probably saves Roy's life at one point.]]

* MyNameIsInigoMontoya: Roy does this just once, when confronting TheMole in ''Brilliancy''.
* NeckLift: Mustang performs one on [[spoiler: Sikorsky]] when he finds out they're responsible for Riza's kidnapping and possible murder.
* {{Nephewism}}: Almost. [[spoiler:Paul Douglas was the son of Maes Hughes's cousin, but still referred to him as "Uncle Maes."]]
* [[spoiler:NeverFoundTheBody]]: In ''Three Generals.'' {{Justified|Trope}} because [[spoiler:if Grumman really had been in his office when it exploded, his body would have been incinerated beyond recovery.]]
* TheNicknamer: Ed, for Roy; he almost never uses the man's actual name, instead referring to him as things like "General Bastard," "General Chess Fiend," and "General Flamethrower."
* NotSoDifferent: [[spoiler:Acheron]] tries to invoke this on Scar. [[spoiler: Scar's response is "No, we're not" and proceeds to [[YourHeadAsplode blow up the guy's head]].]]
* OfferedTheCrown: In ''Three Generals'', Grumman has a chat with General Armstrong about the future. [[spoiler:She tells him to appoint "the fool your granddaughter married" as his successor, because she doesn't want it.]]
* OneWordTitle: ''Brilliancy; Triumvirate''

* OpenSecret: Roy and Riza's feelings for each other prior to their marriage. {{Lampshaded}} in Dr. Marcoh's flashback in ''Brilliancy'', in which he observes that "Like almost everyone else in a ten-mile radius, he knows, and like everyone else who knows, he will humor them in silence."
* OriginalCharacter: Paul Douglas, Simon Sikorsky, Andrew Piper, and the two main villains
* OutOfTheInferno: In ''Brilliancy'', [[spoiler:Roy enters the building where he's been told he'll find Riza's dead body. Several minutes later, it explodes, and the rest of the company think he's committed suicide. As they're preparing to leave, Roy and Riza both show up in this fashion.]]
* PapaWolf: ''Three Generals'' makes Grumman something of a Grandpa Wolf.
* PermissionToSpeakFreely: Invoked by Douglas toward the end of ''Brilliancy.''
** {{Played with}} in ''Three Generals,'' when Fuery shyly asks Riza for "permission to hug."
* PimpedOutDress / FairytaleWeddingDress: While it never gets described, Winry's wedding dress is implied to be this if Ed's [[JawDrop reaction]] is anything to go by. Lan Fan's wedding dress plays it straight.
* PlayingDrunk: Fuhrer Grumman, at Ed's bachelor party.
* PlotWhatPlot: As noted above, ''Triumvirate'' technically has no plot, but is effectively a very large AdaptationExpansion of volume 15 of the manga.

* PostClimaxConfrontation: Sort of. In ''Three Generals'', [[spoiler:after the allies stop Roy's execution and reunite Riza with her husband and grandfather, the reader learns that while this was going on, Scar was off killing Acheron]]. Since it was happening at the same time as the climax, it's technically ''not'' a PostClimaxConfrontation - but the chapter in which it takes place comes after the chapter containing the climax.

* PrecisionFStrike: [[spoiler:Riza]] gets off a beauty when confronting TheDragon in ''Three Generals'', though not with that specific word. It's noteworthy because up until that point, the worst thing anyone had said in the entire series was 'damn,' and it also doubles as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome for the character.
* [[spoiler:PregnantBadass]]: Riza, in ''Three Generals''. Part of the reason [[spoiler: Riza's pregnancy]] was written into the story was so the author could [[{{Troper}} add this trope to the fic's trope list]].

* PunctuatedForEmphasis: Done in the understated way in ''Brilliancy.''
-->'''Roy:''' Find. My. Wife.
* RankUp: All the allies, except for Riza, get promoted at the ball in ''Three Generals''; this is partly an overdue reward for their efforts on the Promised Day and partly a reward for helping the Mustangs in ''Brilliancy.'' It also gets explained why Riza jumped from being a Lieutenant to a Colonel - a four-rank promotion - at one shot. (She had been refusing promotions for years in order to stay in Roy's unit.)

* RedHerring: Some of the newspaper articles that Roy and Breda study in ''Three Generals''.

* [[spoiler:ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated]]: In ''Three Generals'', [[spoiler:Grumman is believed to have been murdered.]] Hell, the narration even has the trope name word for word.
* ReunionKiss: In ''Three Generals'', between [[spoiler:the General and his Colonel]] - after they salute each other. Also counts as a SmoochOfVictory.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Subverted in ''Brilliancy'', where [[spoiler:the reason for Riza's abduction is to try to induce Roy to go on one of these against the Ishvalans. When it doesn't work, the villains intend to kill her to get the desired reaction. It ''still'' doesn't work.]]
* RunningGag: For a while in ''Brilliancy'', Roy's lack of enthusiasm for winter potatoes. It gets one last small CallBack in ''Three Generals.'' Ed's multiple nicknames for Roy may also qualify.
* SacrificialLion: Subverted. [[spoiler:Grumman is NotQuiteDead.]]

* ScarilyCompetentTracker: [[spoiler:Scar.]] Good news for the allies, bad news for the enemy.

* SequelHook: The end of ''Brilliancy''.
* [[SettleForSibling Settle For Best Friend]]: Rebecca accuses Havoc of having done this in ''Three Generals''.

* ShipTease: ''Three Generals'' very subtly hints at a deeper relationship between Olivier Armstrong and Major Miles.
* [[spoiler: ShotAtDawn: Roy is sentenced to death by firing squad for the supposed murder of Fuhrer Grumman. It's even mentioned that these things normally happen at dawn. However, the execution in the story takes place at 3:00.]]

* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: The members of Team Mustang come to Ishval in ''Brilliancy'' because they receive a letter written in Roy's old chess code, which no one outside of their group would know. [[spoiler:As it turns out, that's not quite true...]]

* SubordinateExcuse: At Ed's bachelor party in ''Flowers of Antimony'', [[spoiler:a very un-drunk Fuhrer Grumman announces his intention to repeal the anti-fraternization law, making it possible for Roy and Riza to finally be together. He doesn't identify this as his reason, but seeing as he's a ShipperOnDeck for them in the canon, it's not hard to figure out.]]
* SuddenlySuitableSuitor: See above

* TakeAThirdOption: Invoked in the FAQ at the end of the series, regarding the author's decision to [[spoiler:make Roy and Riza the parents of twins]].
* TeamMom: Havoc's nostalgia in an early chapter of ''Brilliancy'' suggests that Riza, at least occasionally, filled this role in the past to the members of Team Mustang. Lampshaded prior to this in ''Flowers'', when Ed sleepily thinks that she would "make a pretty good mom."
* ThatsAnOrder: In ''Brilliancy,'' when the group is getting ready to go rescue the kidnapped Rebecca, Roy tries to order Riza to stay behind. She flatly refuses, although circumstances require her to do so after all. Later, after [[spoiler:Riza is recovered alive, Roy says this as a follow-up to "[[PleaseDontLeaveMe Never leave me again]]."]]

* TheyDo: All three couples who get married in ''Flowers of Antimony''. However, considering their MaybeEverAfter fate in the canon and the hoops they have to go through to get to that point, the trope probably applies most to Roy and Riza.

* ToBeLawfulOrGood[=/=]ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: They are dedicated soldiers, but the members of Team Mustang (much like in the original canon) elect to [[spoiler:desert and return to Central to try to save Roy from being executed]] in ''Three Generals''.
* TranquilFury: This is the response garnered when the AmoralAttorney in ''Three Generals'' dares to suggest that Roy cares more about his ambition than he does about Riza.

* UnbrokenVigil: When Roy falls ill in ''Brilliancy'', one of the allies (usually Winry) is appointed to hold one at all times.

* [[spoiler: UntoUsASonAndDaughterAreBorn: Riza gives birth to twins [[TakeAThirdOption specifically because the author couldn't decide which gender the kid should be.]] ]]
* UnwittingPawn: In ''Three Generals'', [[spoiler:General Hakuro]] is actually innocent. He has no idea what he's helping the bad guys achieve.
* VerbalTic: Acheron has a weird accent. When the allies meet him for the first time, Falman notes that he pronounces Roy's name as ''Arroy Moostangy.''
* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: Ed and Winry as in the canon, and also Roy and Riza; Roy confirms toward the end of ''Flowers of Antimony'' that he's been in love with Riza since he was sixteen. It's uncertain how long Ling and Lan Fan have known each other, but the trope may also apply to them. [[spoiler:The supplemental material indicates this is also the case for Luke Elric and Riana Mustang.]]
* VillainTeamUp: In ''Flowers of Antimony'', the BigBad recruits allies from all three of the countries that Amestris has spent the last several decades battling. [[spoiler:Later, he's shown to be in league with the other BigBad, too, which more directly fits the trope.]]
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:General Piper]] in chapters 17 and 18 of ''Three Generals.''

* WackyCravings: One story in ''Notes From the Grandmaster'' centers around Roy having to deal with Riza's pregnancy cravings in the middle of the night. She has something of an addiction to grilled fish, which is probably not very easy to acquire in ''the desert''.
* WackyMarriageProposal: Of a sort. [[spoiler:Roy and Riza become engaged when Winry throws her wedding bouquet, which has a wrench hidden inside it, at Roy's head. Riza pushes him out of the way and catches it (without realizing what it actually ''is'' until she does), and HilarityEnsues.]] A later chapter assures the reader that there would have been a normal one in the near future anyway.

* WeddingSmashers: Somewhat subverted. The invasion in the first story doesn't really have anything to do with disrupting Ed and Winry's wedding; it's just that the ceremony is the reason that the real targets are available to attack.
* WhamEpisode: Arguably, several. All three stories have happy and peaceful openings only to be slammed with chaos after a few chapters. Special mention must go to [[spoiler:Roy's apparent suicide]] in ''Brilliancy'', which at least gets cleared up in the same chapter, and [[spoiler:Grumman's alleged murder]] in ''Three Generals'' - which not only is not immediately resolved, but has multiple follow-up Wham Episodes.
* WhamLine: In ''Three Generals'', via telegram, a single word to let the allies know the outcome of the trial. [[spoiler: Checkmate.]]
* WhenSheSmiles: Riza, although considered pretty under normal circumstances, is shown this way in Dr. Marcoh's flashback in ''Brilliancy.''
* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: ''Flowers of Antimony'' has this, with Ed thinking about what's happened to the rest of the cast since his wedding. Somewhat justified, since ''Flowers'' was supposed to be a stand-alone story and the epilogue was intended to wrap it up.
** ''Three Generals'' ends with this, but also has something of a Where Are They Now ''Prologue'', with Ed bringing Winry (and the reader) up to speed on what's happened since the end of ''Brilliancy''.

* TheXOfY: ''The Game of Three Generals''
* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: In ''Three Generals,'' Riza deliberately calls Breda by his first name (Heymans) in one scene to drive home to him just how really worried she is about the situation.

* CliffHanger: More chapters end on cliffhangers than don't.

* FlatWhat: Ed's reaction to finding out that Ling basically invited himself (and by extension, the Fuhrer, and a large collection of Xing and Amestrian troops) to his and Winry's wedding.

* GrandFinale: The trilogy wraps up [[spoiler:three years after the climax of the last story, with Fuhrer Grumman telling a fairy tale-stylized version of the trilogy's events to all the kids who have been born to the allies.]]

** In ''Three Generals'', two characters are located in hotel room 611. This is a reference to June 11th, known in the FMA fandom as "Royai Day."

** In the last chapter of ''Triumvirate'', Roy makes a remark about Maes and Gracia serving "fancy tuna" at their upcoming wedding reception. This is a shout-out to ''OuranHighSchoolHostClub'', in one episode of which Mori (who shares a voice actor with Roy in the English dubs) says that exact phrase.

* VictoriousChildhoodFriend: Ed and Winry as in the canon, and also Roy and Riza; Roy confirms toward the end of ''Flowers of Antimony'' that he's been in love with Riza since he was sixteen. It's uncertain how long Ling and Lan Fan have known each other, but the trope may also apply to them.

* WhamLine: In ''Three Generals'', via telegram, a single word to let the allies know the outcome of the trial. [[spoiler: Checkmate]]

* [[spoiler: YourHeadAsplode: How Scar defeats Acheron.]]

!!This fan fiction trilogy contains examples of the following:

* BadassCrew: Team Mustang and company - by ''Three Generals'' this has expanded to more than a dozen people, whom Grumman collectively refers to as 'the allies.'

* HundredPercentAdorationRating: Piper notes, in ''Three Generals'', that Riza holds this status with the people in Central City because they pity her situation.

* InfantImmortality: In basically half of the chapters author notes for ''Three Generals'', the author takes the time to specify that nothing happened to [[spoiler: Roy and Riza's baby.]]

* OpenSecret: Roy and Riza's feelings for each other prior to their marriage. {{Lampshaded}} in Dr. Marcoh's flashback in ''Brilliancy'', in which he notes that "Like almost everyone else in a ten-mile radius, he knows, and like everyone else who knows, he will humor them in silence."

* SecretKeeper: Hughes was this for Roy and Riza, as revealed both in flashbacks and in reminiscences. Specifically, he covered for them during the Ishvalan war to give them a couple chances to be alone together, and he was the only one who knew about the exchange of dog tags (see TheLadysFavour). Many other characters had their suspicions about the pair over the years, but Hughes was the only one who ever absolutely knew for certain.

* BonusMaterial: Side stories of the trilogy occasionally appear in the weekly competitions at [[http://fma-fic-contest.livejournal.com LiveJournal]]. These will eventually go on FFN with the rest of the series.

The first story, ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6813723/1/Flowers_of_Antimony Flowers of Antimony]]'', [[ContinuationFic begins about three years after the Promised Day]]. Al is returning to Amestris for Ed and Winry's wedding, and Ling Yao decides to follow and essentially crash the party. Due to his new status as Emperor of Xing, Fuhrer Grumman schedules a welcoming parade and all sorts of nonsense for the inadvertently political event. [[ChandlersLaw Chandler's Law]] is then invoked when Central is attacked by unknown invaders. ''Flowers'' was the only installment of the series intended to be read as a stand alone story.

* CanineCompanion: Riza's dog Black Hayate is this to both her and, after their marriage, Roy. He becomes something of a living MementoMacGuffin in ''Brilliancy''; Roy won't allow the dog out of his sight the entire time Riza is missing because, as Havoc points out, he's the closest thing they have to a child [[spoiler:at first]].

* HenpeckedHusband: Ed becomes this, to the surprise of absolutely no one. Roy also shows shades of this.

* IncrediblyLamePun: Havoc, at Roy and Riza's wedding, has probably the silliest line of the entire trilogy.

* LivingEmotionalCrutch: It's shown that the Mustangs are a benign form of this for each other. Whenever one of them thinks the other one is dead, the results [[HeroicBSOD aren't pretty]].
** Then again, that's pretty firmly established in the canon.

* WeddingDay: Five of 'em[[note]]]Ed and Winry, Ling and Lan Fan, Roy and Riza, Al and Mei. The last pair had two weddings; one in Xing and one in Amestris[[/note]], with a sixth taking place during the TimeSkip between the last two chapters of the last story. WeddingsForEveryone!

* WeddingDay: Five of 'em[[hottip:*: Ed and Winry, Ling and Lan Fan, Roy and Riza, Al and Mei. The last pair had two weddings; one in Xing and one in Amestris]], with a sixth taking place during the TimeSkip between the last two chapters of the last story. WeddingsForEveryone!

* AFatherToHisMen: Paul Douglas's observations in ''Brilliancy'' show that Mustang is still this, as he was in the canon, even though he's leading a completely different group now. It's also shown that Riza is AMotherToHerMen, despite not being the actual commanding officer.

* HiddenAgendaVillain: Acheron

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Averted hard, especially with Riza; not only does she still have the scar on her throat from the Promised Day, but [[spoiler:after she's recovered from her kidnapping in ''Brilliancy'', she's bruised, bloodied, filthy, and has a twisted knee.]]

* DeadGuyJunior: Averted hard in ''Three Generals,'' when Roy explains to Grumman why he and Riza have decided not to name their baby after Maes Hughes or anybody else.

''The Elemental Chess Trilogy'' is a series of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' fan fictions by @/LadyNorbert. Set in the continuity of the manga/''Brotherhood'' anime, the stories are written in present-tense style and have a revolving point of view. The fic series is an attempt at OriginalFlavor, mixing the genres of mystery, action, romance, comedy, drama, and suspense.

* TerminologyTitle: The whole series is made of this trope.
** In ''Flowers of Antimony'', the story title and all chapter titles are actual alchemical terms.
** The story and chapter titles of ''Brilliancy'' are all chess terms.
** The story and chapter titles of ''Three Generals'' are all terms from different variants of shogi, or Japanese chess. This was chosen for the third theme because shogi incorporates elements of both chess and alchemy.
** The trilogy's overarching name, "Elemental Chess," is taken from a chess set that was designed using alchemic principles, to reflect the dual themes of chess and alchemy throughout the three stories.
** In ''Triumvirate'', the story and chapter titles are all military terms.

* [[spoiler:NeverFoundTheBody]]: In ''Three Generals.'' {{Justified}} because [[spoiler:if Grumman really had been in his office when it exploded, his body would have been incinerated beyond recovery.]]