/ This story is based on a series of roleplays that my friends and I did back in October 2014. The personality of canon characters will differ as they were played by others. Some of the things were changed since it got repetitive at times, but this is my retelling of the memories that we had together. Please excuse my writing as my skills are not great.

Chapter 1: Part 1 - Umbrage

Soft chuckles, husky laughter, and playful giggles.

That was their happiness.

Featherweight kisses, affectionate nuzzles, and snug hugs.

That was their love.

An empty cabinet, a hole in the wood, a curious eye.

That was the beginning.

Ebony grin, ivory ensemble, scarlet eyes.

That was fear.

A clap, a toss, a bomb.

That was the end.

Alive.

Pink eyes flew open.

She was alive.

Sluggish feet rested against the cabinet door.

Where was her mom?

After several tries, she kicked it open.

Her dad?

She crawled out into a room of fire.

Charred corpses.

The black nothingness enveloped her.

The blue crackle of alchemy disrupted the silence of the hallway. The once locked door swung open to reveal itself to her.

"Pardon the intrusion," the mercenary murmured as she stepped inside.

The room, as well as the rest of the building, had the scent of stagnant air. Her boots left their mark in the layer of dust as she reached the window. She shoved it open, allowing a damp breeze to flow through the room.

The girl swung the sling off her shoulder. She took out a few bullets from her cloak pocket, rolling them around in her gloved hand. She loaded them into the firing chamber. She switched the safety off then propped the rifle against the window still. Raising the scope to her eye, the girl scanned the bustle of the market. The sight of russet hair entered her view.

Don in the traditional blue overcoat and pants was Major General Neil Ray Johnson. The information that had given to her stated that he had one of the highest body counts in the Ishval Civil War despite not being a State Alchemist.

One shot. She always wanted to make it only one. They did not need a drawn out death, even if they deserved the worst.

Her finger rested on the trigger as she recited the prayer.

May retribution be merciful upon thy soul,

For thy sins have at last caught thee.

Finite in distance and bound by death,

I, Jessica, release thy soul, and by my hand, slay thee.

A twitch of the finger; the bullet pierced through the neck. The government official fell forward from the sudden pain. Clutching his throat, the blood cascaded onto the pavement. Panic began to spread through the crowd like wildfire as

The girl slammed the window closed. She rushed out of the room, pulling the hood of her cloak over her head. Sprinting to the end of the hall, she rushed up the final flight of stairs and onto the roof. Without slowing down, she leapt onto the nearest building. As she soared through the air, images flashed through her mind.

A pistol pressed against her forehead. A hand lying in a pool of blood. A child sobbing hysterically.

Her legs buckled as they made contact with the cement floor. She tumbled into an array of potted plants. Unfortunately for her and the plants, the pots shattered. The cloudy sky rumbled faintly of the promise of rain. The girl lifted her head at the sound of thunder.

Not the time for second thoughts today, Jessica.

She gingerly pushed herself off the ground, being careful to not cut her hands on the terracotta. Her cloak had thankfully protected her from any cuts. Taking a moment to calm her nerves, she took the time to brush the dirt off her clothes. She clicked the safety back on her rifle then swapped it out with the shotgun strapped on her back.

The girl stood up, took a deep breath, then leapt off the roof. Her boots created white energy as she activated the symbols. A burst of pressurized steam reduced the speed of her fall and she landed lightly on the pavement. She paused to catch her breath, brushing away her hair from her face.

The sound of a gunshot caused her to instinctively drop to the ground. She wasn't quite quick enough; the bullet left a cut as it flew by her temple. Jessica rolled behind a line of garbage cans as a barrage soon followed.

Seems like they're quicker than usual today.