Elemental Chess Trilogy: Difference between revisions

''The Elemental Chess Trilogy'' is a series of ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga)|Fullmetal Alchemist]]'' fan fictions by [[User:Lady Norbert]]. 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 [[Original Flavor]], mixing the genres of mystery, action, romance, comedy, drama, and suspense.

 

 

''[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6856095/1/Brilliancy Brilliancy]'', the unexpected sequel, begins approximately eighteen months after the events of ''Flowers''. The setting is changed from Central to Ishval, where Roy and Riza - now married themselves - are still working to revitalize the area. They are surprised by the arrival of their old unit, who claim to have been summoned by a coded letter that they thought was sent by Roy. The letter, which was not from Roy at all, warns of danger lurking in the desert. Soon, with Roy ill and Riza missing, the old team calls for reinforcements to find the one(s) responsible.

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

* [[Affably Evil]]: Acheron has shades of this.

* [[All Your Base Are Belong to Us]]: The attack on Central Command in ''Flowers of Antimony.''

* [[Aloof Ally]]: General Armstrong becomes this to the group in ''Three Generals''.

** Probably more of Brotherhood than the manga since {{spoiler|Havoc's legs were better.}}

* [[Cool and Unusual Punishment]]: 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, "[[Memetic Mutation|This method of torture has been handed down through the Armstrong line for generations]]!"

* [[Cunning Linguist]]: Fuery, to a small extent. Justified because in the canon, he was [[Reassigned to Antarctica|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.

* [[Dangerously Genre Savvy]]: Kimblee, in ''Triumvirate'', quickly figures out a few things the others would rather he not know.

* [[Dead Guy Junior]]: 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.

* [[Flat What]]: 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.

* [[Four Star Badass]]: Olivier Mira Armstrong, of course, and also Roy Mustang, since the canon indicates he got promoted sometime after the Promised Day. {{spoiler|In the third story, he ranks up again to Major General while she becomes a Lieutenant General.}} Riza Hawkeye, meanwhile, got promoted to [[Colonel Badass]].

* [[Friend to All Children]]: {{spoiler|Grumman}}, in the finale, is shown to be this.

* [[Gilded Cage]]: 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...

* [[Gondor Calls for Aid]]: In ''Brilliancy'', when Riza gets kidnapped and Roy's extremely sick, Havoc has Fuery put out a distress call to known allies.

* [[I Should Write a Book About This]]: 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.

* [[I Was Just Passing Through]]: 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]].

* [[Last Kiss]]: 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 [[Now or Never Kiss]] instead.}}

* [[Leave the Two Lovebirds Alone]]: 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.

* [[Not So Different]]: {{spoiler|Acheron}} try's to invoke this on Scar. [[spoiler: Scar's response is "No, we're not" and proceeds to [[Your Head Asplode|blow up the guys head.]]

* [[Offered the Crown]]: 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.}}

* [[One Word Title]]: ''Brilliancy; Triumvirate''

* [[Only One Name]]: Acheron

* [[Permission to Speak Freely]]: Invoked by Douglas toward the end of ''Brilliancy.''

** [[Played With]] in ''Three Generals,'' when Fuery shyly asks Riza for "permission to hug."

* [[Playing Drunk]]: Fuhrer Grumman, at Ed's bachelor party.

* [[Point of View]]: The [[Rotating Protagonist]] type; the perspective revolves, with chapters showing the action through the eyes of different characters. This creates something of [[A Day in The Limelight]] for minor characters such as Kain Fuery, Scar, and Rebecca Catalina.

* [[Post Climax Confrontation]]: 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 [[Post Climax Confrontation]] - but the chapter in which it takes place comes after the chapter containing the climax.

* [[The Power of Friendship]]/[[The Power of Love]]: The driving motivation of all of the good guys, in one way or another.

* [[Protectorate]]: Riza, to the members of her security detail.

* [[Punctuated for Emphasis]]: Done in the understated way in ''Brilliancy.''

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

* [[Scarily Competent Tracker]]: {{spoiler|Scar.}} Good news for the allies, bad news for the enemy.

* [[Sequel Hook]]: The end of ''Brilliancy''.

* [[Settle for Sibling|Settle For Best Friend]]: Rebecca accuses Havoc of having done this in ''Three Generals''.

* [[This Looks Like a Job For Aquaman]]: Nearly everyone's unique talents get put to use at some point. For example, ''Flowers of Antimony'' makes use of Fuery's skill with communications equipment and Sheska's ability to recall esoteric information she's read, while part of ''Brilliancy'' relies heavily on Scar's alkahestry and his access to his brother's encoded research. {{spoiler|The ritual he uses in ''Brilliancy'' becomes a [[Chekhov's Skill]] in ''Three Generals''.}} Even Winry's ability to make delicious apple pie comes in handy.

* [[Title Drop]]: 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.

* [[Tranquil Fury]]: This is the response garnered when the [[Amoral Attorney]] in ''Three Generals'' dares to suggest that Roy cares more about his ambition than he does about Riza.

* [[Trope Overdosed]]

* [[Verbal Tic]]: 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.''

* [[Victorious Childhood Friend]]: 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.

* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Ed and Roy, whose sniping provides some of the best comic relief of the series; the truth is that they really do like each other, they just don't like to admit it to other people. Their wives, at least, are not fooled. In ''Three Generals,'' Ed finally acknowledges that Roy's kind of like his older brother.

* [[Wacky Marriage Proposal]]: 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 [[Hilarity Ensues]].}} A later chapter assures the reader that there would have been a normal one in the near future anyway.

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

* [[When She Smiles]]: Riza, although considered pretty under normal circumstances, is shown this way in Dr. Marcoh's flashback in ''Brilliancy.''

** ''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''.

* [[World of Badass]]: Much like the canon, nearly ''everyone'' gets to do a little ass-kicking here.

* [[Writers Cannot Do Math]]: The age of Elysia Hughes in both the first and third stories had to be corrected after the stories were posted.

* [[The X of Y]]: ''The Game of Three Generals''

 

{{reflist}}