Water surrounded her but she wasn't drowning. She glanced around, finding nothing but the emptiness of blue. Suddenly, it began to swirl around her, heating with an intensity she had only felt a few times before. Small cuts began to appear on her body as tiny, blade-like currents of water danced over her skin. The water seemed to gain an acidic quality as her cuts began to burn. She scrunched her eyes shut and winced, unable to defend herself against the attack.
A chorus of voices screamed vengefully at her and the heat intensified, slowly burning away at her skin. It hissed in protest as blood and burnt flesh drifted in the water around her. Crimson filled her vision until it was all she could see. A reminder of all the young brunette had spilled in the last nine years.
She had committed one of the biggest taboos to humanity and her victims wanted to ensure she never forgot; that she paid for it. Their faces continued to haunt her thoughts, hanging over her head like a sword waiting to strike.
An onslaught of emotions flooded her as memories of the last nine years playing in her head; remorse, terror, sympathy, and resignation. Of course, she couldn't forget! The lives she had destroyed, the families she'd devastated; there wasn't a day that passed that she didn't feel guilty for it. Yet, at the same time, she fought against the sick pleasure she was starting to find in it.
'It serves them right for taking what they have for granted,' whispered a traitorous thought.
'They have what I don't! How is that fair!' came another.
'Kill them!' Another.
'Kill them all!' And another.
"No!" She screamed, scrunching her eyes closed and holding her head, clawing at it as if to silence them. Genevieve refused to become a monster. No, those people had unknowingly gotten tangled in the dangerous web of the military.
And they paid the price as her parents had. Paid the price as she had, - as she was paying.
"I never wanted this!"
There was a ripple from above and sunlight beginning to spill into the ocean around her. Suddenly, everything stopped; the water cooling and calming. The sticky crimson liquid slowly cleared from the water, warm light shining around her. When it gently warmed her hands, Genevieve slowly lowered them and looked over herself.
All her wounds were gone. Instead, her entire body was covered in dried and fresh blood that was not her own. She scrubbed at it furiously, trying everything she could to get rid of it.
But to no avail.
She was forever engraved with the sins she committed. They would never go away, never fade into nothing as her hope of having a normal life had. No, her sins would forever haunt her, waiting until her guard was down to crush her into a pathetic mess.'Go. See the fate that awaits you.' The voices sounded cold, yet understanding. How could they understand? She briefly wondered if they had been watching her as she was forced into this lifestyle.
Obeying the chorus of people, she swam upward. Anxiousness gripped her heart as she broke the surface. Gasping for breath she suddenly needed, icy irises glanced around. There was a small isle a short distance to her right. As she cautiously swam closer, Nevie noticed a white animal sitting on the shoreline. Its fur was white except an ombre of dusty pink on the edge of its ears, two golden rings hanging at the top of each gradient. Emotionless red eyes stared at her, fluffy white tail waving in anticipation.
'You have great potential, Genevieve.' Its head tilted but its expression remained the same. 'I'll be seeing you soon.'And suddenly, she recognized the creature as the one that had changed her mother. The implications of its appearance were not lost on her. Fear speared through her heart at the meaning of his words.'You cannot walk away from fate, Puella Magi.'
Genevieve gasped, bolting awake. Sweat soaked her bandages and the sheets. Her heart was pounding out of her chest, breathing ragged with the remnants of fear from her nightmare. She placed a shaking hand on her forehead, slowly calming down as she thought back to the terrible dream.
"See the fate that awaits you." Did that mean she was fated to be a monster?
"Genevieve?" Her head snapped over to see Al staring up at her with what she could only assume was concern. A pale cloth draped over his side and he was sitting in a crate beside the bed. Only then did she realize they were in a hospital room. She sighed. "Are you alright? You were screaming in your sleep."
Her eyes widened. "I-"
Before she could answer, Ed burst through the door. "Genevieve! You're awake!"
A wary smile pulled at her lips. "Yeah."
Ed stilled. Before he could ask about the smile, Al started scolding him for not knocking first. "Besides," he continued, "if you had come earlier, you could've woken her from that nightmare."
Her eyes narrowed at him, but she should have expected it. He tells his brother everything. Pools of gold turned a curious gaze to his bandaged companion. "What nightmare?"
"It's nothing." Nodding to his armless right sleeve, she changed the subject. "What about your arm?"
"Well…" Ed sighed, trailing off. He would drop the subject for now. "I'll just have to visit my mechanic. You should come with us. We are partners."
She nodded as her gaze softened. Maybe her dream wasn't as far as she first thought.
"But first, we have to wait for the doctor to discharge you." Ed gestured to her wrapped torso. Thankfully, the doctor had been gracious enough to have her jacket cleaned and draped over her. "You have a bad bruise on your back and even more on your arms and legs."
Noting the strained tone in his voice, Genevieve said, "If it were me, you would've done the same."
He looked at her startled before a smirk quirked his lips. "Yeah well, I don't think you'd need it."
"Where did you learn to fight like that Genevieve?"
The brunette flinched at Al's question. She lowered her head and stared at her lap. "I'd rather not say."
Ed and Al exchanged a look then turned back to their new friend. At that moment, they realized they knew next to nothing about her. They'd only just met and she had already risked her life to save theirs. Both silently vowed to try to get her to open up.
When they got on the train, an overly muscular man with a single tuft of blond hair was waiting for them. Ed seemed to recognize the man, sulking as they approached their seat. There was something missing but she brushed it off for the time being. Once they sat down, a knock came from the window. It was a man with black hair and green eyes almost hidden behind his square glasses.
"Yo." His voice sounded familiar.
Seeing the friendly face, Ed slid the window open and poked his head out. "Lieutenant Colonel?"
"Mustang and the others were too busy at headquarters to come down here, so I came to see you off." The man finally noticed the aloof brunette sitting across from Ed. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it. Brushing it off for the time being, he asked, "Who is this?"
"I'm his partner, Genevieve. We were assigned together a few days ago." Not knowing this man made her a bit wary. Her eyes lacked any clear emotion as she held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, sir."
"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes." He shook her hand, having heard about her from Roy. The normally composed colonel had seemed a bit suspicious of the girl's behavior. Needless to say, he had to agree. The ice in her gaze nearly made him shiver. No one so young should ever have such a look. Which could only mean one thing. She was obviously hiding something. But what?
"Why is Major Armstrong here?" Ed's question pulled him out of his thoughts. He chuckled slightly.
"What would happen if you got into another fight with Scar?" Fullmetal clenched the empty sleeve of his jacket. "Neither of you are in the condition to fight right now. It's for your protection."
Genevieve nodded in understanding. She may have been trained to push her limits, but this time the brunette knew better. One wrong move now could cause permanent damage. That's the last thing she needs.
The Major glanced down at Edward and sighed. "Such childish stubbornness."
"I'm not a child!" Genevieve smirked at Ed's outburst. "What're you smirking at?"
As he calmed, the boy realized his partner was already warming up to them. He silently hoped this trip would help her. Both he and Al wanted to learn more about the mysterious alchemist. Before they left, Mustang mentioned her files were blank besides a brief mention of her working in the military before the state exam. It made Ed wonder what she'd been doing, as well as why she had suddenly applied for the test.
Hurricane snapped him out of his thoughts as she realized what, or rather who was missing. "Where's Alphonse?"
There was a smug look on Armstrong's face as he mentioned a car full of sheep. This time, Genevieve chuckled a bit. Of all the places, that little boy was stuck with a herd of sheep. She shook her head.
A loud whistle interrupted them and Hughes finished seeing them off. With a salute from the lieutenant colonel, the train started to leave.
When the smoke was all he could see, Hughes's smile fell and his eyes hardened. The veteran didn't like the look in her eyes when they'd met his. He would be looking into that girl's past to see what he could dig up. Roy may not have found anything, but maybe his status as an investigations officer would help.
As Ed slept, the Major pulled out a book. Leaning on a lazy sun-kissed hand, Nevie's thoughts began to drift to her nightmare. It wasn't the first time that white cat-like creature had appeared in her dreams. Whenever she dreamt of being trapped or isolated by her growing PTSD, he appeared after she finally got out.
Her eyes closed as her thoughts turned to his last words before she woke. 'You cannot walk away from fate, Puella Magi.'
"I hope that never comes to pass," she unknowingly mumbled aloud.
Armstrong glanced at her profile briefly before his curiosity finally got the best of him. Closing his book, he set it on the seat next to him and cleared his throat. "I've been meaning to ask you something." He paused, watching as she turned to face him. As with Hughes, Armstrong was unsettled by the detachment in her icy gaze. He swallowed. "There's a cold gaze to your eyes. Why?"
She stiffened before sighing softly. It was only a matter of time before someone had the courage to ask. Thinking for a moment, Genevieve decided to vaguely share the reason. She may not trust him, but the brothers did. That, and she desperately wanted to open up. Holding this burden was important, but it was also stressful. Maybe making these steps would help her fill the hole in her heart.
"I spent the last nine years in a dangerous profession that portraying any emotion would expose weakness and provide an opening." Genevieve glanced back out the window, a slight frown marring her features. Bittersweet memories of staying in back alleys and hiding on roofs glazed her eyes. The fight to survive was a tough one, especially when her fellow colleagues spent all their free time ridiculing her and the parents that died trying to save her. "The last six were spent relying on myself."
Armstrong scowled. Six years? What had happened to leave her ten with a necessity for self-sufficiency? His only response was a piercingly cold gaze and the major let the topic drop.
Ed yawned, stretching as the train pulled to a stop. It had been a long three hours, but there was still another two and a half to go. Noticing the slight, glazed-eyed frown on his partner's face, the blond went to ask what had happened when the Major caught a glimpse of someone outside. He leaned out the window, nearly crushing the young teen in doing so.
"Dr. Marcoh? That is you isn't it? It's me! Alex Louis Armstrong, from Central!" The elder man in question turned to see who was calling his name, only to be horrified and start dashing off.
Ed sighed in relief as the burly man gave him enough space to sit comfortably. Casting a curious glance up at the Major, he asked, "A friend of yours?"
"He was a talented state alchemist looking into medical applications of alchemy. He disappeared shortly after the Ishvalan Civil War, taking classified documents with him." At that, Ed raced out of the train, Genevieve not far behind him. Armstrong left to get Alphonse from the cargo car, promising to catch up with them.
"This is it." A delicate hand gently knocked on the wooden door. The villagers had pointed them to Dr. Marrow's apartment. Every time the three alchemists asked, people would mention how the doctor healed them in a flash of red light. Suspicion piqued, they asked for his address. When the door finally opened, an elder man was pointing a gun at them. There was a frantic look on his face and his hands were shaking.
"I'll never go back!"
"Go where? We're not here to take you anywhere." Ed held his hands up in surrender.
Marcoh lifted the pistol, aiming for the Major. "No! I refuse!"
"Doctor, please." Armstrong took a calming breath as his irritation grew. "Put the gun down."
"Why? So you can take me back?"
His patience snapped. Throwing the immobile Alphonse's crate at the man, he yelled, "Would you please calm down!"
"Al!"
Dr. Marcoh led them to a table in the back room. When he glanced toward Genevieve, she saw a ghost of horrified recognition flicker across his eyes. "Are you Ishvalan?"
"No." She sighed, used to the strange association. The only resemblance she had was her skin tone and maybe her height. "I do have mixed blood, just not from Ishval."
The doctor relaxed a bit before launching into a long conversation. The Crystal Alchemist began explaining how the military had forced him and his team to research and create the stones. Most were used on the battlefield in Ishval. The leftovers were given to the Fuhrer with no explanation whatsoever.
Genevieve's eyes gained a knowing glint at that information. So that's where they came from. She and her colleagues had been forced to use some at least once in their work. Strangely enough, it hindered her alchemy rather than amplifying it. Yet another thing her peers had teased and beaten her for.
He showed them a vial of shining red liquid and everyone was silent.
It was then he noticed the stiffness in Genevieve's posture. Only an injury would cause such a thing. He silently got up and walked over to her with the vial in his hands. She remained still and silent, watching him the corner of her eye. The others watched in awe as the doctor placed a hand on her back and a flash of red lightning blinded them. When it settled, they realized the doctor had healed her.
"Thank you," she mumbled curtly.
"You're welcome." He returned to his seat and poured the contents of said vial onto the table."This particular stone is incomplete. There's no way of telling when it will run out."
Ed gently pushed at the strange stone, watching as it rippled away from the contact, before smirking. "Incomplete or not, it showed a lot of potential in Liore."
Genevieve's eyes widened. She had known the Elrics uncovered a plot while passing through, but she hadn't seen mention of the stone. Suspicion settled in her stomach. The homunculi had been leading alchemists to the stone for years. She could already tell they wanted to lead Ed to one. Her only question was why.
"Please Dr. Marcoh," the blond stood with a determined look in his eye, "I need to see your research."
The elder man turned a questioning look to Armstrong. "Major, who are these kids?"
"These kids are state alchemists." A look of horror crossed his face.
"But they're only children!" He looked down, massaging the bridge of his nose. He began mumbling about Ishval. "Now children; a girl too."
Her eyes narrowed at that last comment. Could this man truly be so shallow? She was the first female to succeed in passing the test. That had to stand for something. Her life had already been hell. She didn't need a sexist to worsen it. Genevieve growled but it was covered by her partner's next outburst.
"You think I don't know what I'm doing?!" A gloved hand clenched the empty sleeve of his red coat. "I know this is a mistake, but it's one I have to make!"
After telling Dr. Marcoh the tragedy of their story, he complimented Ed's work in binding Al's soul. But he still refused to show Ed his research.
"What about you, girl?" There was a strange lilt in his voice when he asked her that. Almost as if he thought her unequal. "How did you become an alchemist?"
Did he just-? "By my own merit, doctor." She growled as her icy orbs narrowed at him, freezing over with indifference. "Besides, I'm here to help Edward and his brother. My life has been a worse hell than theirs. I'm just making sure it stays that way."
Glowing red and gold stared at her in shock. She hadn't mentioned her past before so it was an understandable shock. They tried to think about what her words meant but both decided it best to wait.
Marcoh gulped nervously, put off by Fullmetal's youthful determination and Hurricane's cold attitude. He kicked them out. She wouldn't apologize for her tone. It was clear he thought her inferior just because of her gender. Before she left, Genevieve leaned back inside.
"Best be careful Doctor." She smirked sadistically at him, "You never know who's watching."
And with that, she followed the others to the train station, leaving a frightened man to contemplate his actions.
"Wait!" They turned to see Dr. Marcoh with a slip of paper in his hand. He stopped, bending over to catch his turned to Hurricane with a wary gaze. "I must apologize for my actions. It was wrong of me to say that."
Ed and Armstrong looked at the man confused. Neither had caught his offensive comment about girls. It grew into shock as the brunette made a sound of disgust.
"Don't apologize if you don't mean it, doctor," she snarled. Turning on her heel, Nevie grabbed her ticket from Ed and walked to her seat. When Marcoh finally recovered from the cold dismissal, he held out the little sheet. "Here, this is where I hid my research. I hope you can find the truth hidden within the truth."
With that cryptic message, he waved them goodbye.
There was a nagging feeling in the back of Nevie's mind as she watched the exchange but ignored it. If her hunch was right, she couldn't do anything about it. Not that I'd want to. Her eyes widened at that thought. Quickly shaking it away, the brunette waited for her companions to join her.
In their seats, the four alchemists looked at the note. It read 'National Central Library, 1st Branch.' Major Armstrong told them it was a large archive far in downtown Central. Ed decided to go there once he and Al were fixed. Genevieve merely nodded her agreement before turning to look out the window.
Another three hours of riding - a half hour delay from lack of fuel - and they finally made it to Ed and Al's hometown. The young blond led them down a beaten path until they reached an older, two-story yellow house. It was framed with green railings and window covers with a balcony on the second floor. A crooked wooden sign stood a few feet in front reading "Auto-Mail".
A nostalgic smile pulled at Ed's lips as an elder woman came out. She wasn't much taller than his shoulder. Sunlight shone on two round lenses, keeping her eyes hidden. There was a pipe in her mouth with a thin wisp of smoke just barely visible.
"Hey there Granny."
She smiled, pulling the pipe from her lips. "Hello, Ed. It's been a while. It seems you've gone and gotten smaller."
His expression quickly changed to irritation. "Granny, you're supposed to say 'How big you've gotten'."
The woman's eye twitched in irritation. "Why would I say something so obviously untrue?"
Genevieve chuckled as they started butting heads, insulting each other's height, only to be cut off by a wrench hitting the blond in his forehead. She briefly wondered where it had come from before looking toward the house.
"I thought I told you to call before you stop by for maintenance!" On the balcony was a blonde haired girl with a navy blue crop top, beige pants, and a green bandana that held her long hair away from her face. She laughed at him when he shouted in anger and waved. "Welcome back."
They merrily introduced themselves and walked to the crooked wooden door. The girl, Winry Rockbell, was Ed's automail mechanic. Needless to say, she was upset to see his automail in pieces. Genevieve and the young mechanic were a little awkward but managed to become friends. Poor Ed knew he would regret letting them meet. However, he was quite surprised to see his partner genuinely smile a little more around the blonde.
He had noticed it before, but his new friend had an intimidating air about her. This made him wonder what her life was like before they met. It was then he remembered a promise she had yet to keep. Deciding to wait, he left for a cup of coffee.
Finally noticing the shape Al was in, Winry scolded the two brothers for making her worry. Each cringed from pain upon receiving a swift kick to the head. Once she was calm, they explained the situation. The two Rockbells were unhappy with the abruptness of it but sighed and got to planning. It would take Winry three all-nighters to redesign and build another arm while Pinako adjusted his leg. They took it with a smile and decided to start after eating.
Dinner was peaceful until the conversation turned to Hurricane. Apparently, Ed had not forgotten about their deal before getting attacked. "So Genevieve, you never did tell us your story."
She froze at the accusatory lilt to Ed's tone. Thinking it over, she figured he would find out eventually. Holding up a hand, she kept eating. Silence reigned until all the food was gone. Carefully setting the fork and knife on the plate, she gave him a raw look. In that moment, he saw just how much anger and sadness the brunette had been hiding. It was almost too painful for him to keep eye contact. "My life was peaceful until the military intervened."
Winry gulped, having felt that way herself. "What do you mean?"
"My mother was a refugee, trapped when her car crashed. The Fuhrer's men found and arrested her. She spent two years after her initial interrogation under protective watch. One of those soldiers eventually fell in love with her, and she with him.
Seeing the warmth in her expression when mentioning the soldier, Ed asked, "Your father?"
She nodded. There was a nostalgic glint in her eye at the memory of her parents. A small, sad smile pulled at her lips as she continued. "When the Fuhrer discovered those feelings were mutual, he proposed a deal. He would let them marry if my father kept her out of trouble. They were happy for a few years and had me."
She fell silent for a moment. "Even as a child, I could see the contentment they had."
The memory of her parents having fun in the kitchen as they made lunch played in her mind. Her father had startled the happy humming of her mother as she spread mayonnaise on their sandwiches. The butterknife had gone flying and left a trail of mayo with it. Cleaning it all up shortly afterward was a pain.
The brunette gave a sigh as she continued. "One day, I had stumbled into my dad's study and found books on alchemy. According to my mom, I took to it like a panther to the savannah." She smiled a little at the reference, knowing it would go over their heads. It didn't matter though. Nevie knew her parents would laugh. "They trained me and helped me study up to the day they died."
The others could hear the way the brunette's voice reflected her bittersweet nostalgia. It made everyone's heart clench in recognition. The young blonde especially. She remembered her parents in much the same way. They trained her in mechanics and medicine until the day they left.
That was why she hated the military so vehemently. They'd taken the homely warmth of her family and lessened it into near nothing. She and her grandmother had been reduced to mourning. Even now, the house doesn't feel as homely as it used to.
Winry swallowed the lump in her throat and asked, "What happened?"
"While working, they discovered something strange about the military. Unfortunately, their superiors found out and had them executed for treason, blowing up our house with us in it." Her eyes glazed over at the image of her house in ruins. The adrenaline that raced through her veins faintly did so as she recalled the memory of running. "I was lucky to have escaped with my life."
A collective gasp came from the table before the Major spoke up. "Did they tell you anything they found?"
Memories flooded her head of reading her parents' findings. Oh, she knew alright. But they would kill her if she told. "No. They kept me out of it. I only knew they were investigating."
The Rockbells only had one spare room, so Genevieve had to sleep with the brothers. Granted, Al never slept and often went on walks, so she didn't really mind him. Ed was typically mellow when exhausted so she wouldn't be bothered by him either. A relieved sigh left her lips as she entered the room in her night clothes, weapons still on her. After years of doing so, the young brunette had grown accustomed to wearing them at all times. She laid in the bed closest to the window, mind finally calming a bit.
Genevieve never thought she would share that with anyone. Much of it was vague and only touched on the start of her hardships. But it was a start. The image of her parents smiling down at her, proud of her determination and perseverance filled her sight. She allowed herself a smile as tears pooled warmth in her eyes.
"I'm climbing out," she murmured.
The darkness of her past would always hunt her. But now, she refused to let it keep dragging her down. She wasn't just the refugee's daughter anymore. Not just a worthless pawn in some elaborate underground conspiracy.
She was Genevieve Dawkins, the Hurricane Alchemist. A water alchemist with a unique twist of power. The first female state alchemist to join the ranks of the military. The girl who was finally bringing her dreams to life as she fought the chains of her captors.
"And I will be victorious." With that vow, Genevieve fell into a light sleep.
Ten minutes later, she felt like she was being watched. One eyelid peeked around unnoticeably, suspecting her partner to be the source. Sure enough, Fullmetal was standing over her. He must've tried going to bed because his sheets were a bit tangled around his feet. Al wasn't sitting in the chair by the door but she shrugged. He must have gone for his usual walk.
Pools of ice turned an inquisitive gaze to the boy across the room. She waited another twenty minutes before saying something. "Is there a reason you're staring at me?"
The blond blinked, comprehension slow to dawn on him. When it did, he tried to jump back but stumbled over his sheets and into his bed. His face reddened as Nevie chuckled slightly.
"How long have you been awake?"
"About half an hour." He groaned and palmed his face in chagrin.
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
She tapped her chin almost mockingly. "I wanted to see how long you would stay there."
Edward grumbled. Knowing he'd been caught was embarrassing enough. But the fact that she'd been awake the whole time had him fuming a bit. Before his thoughts could become too angry, she interrupted them.
"Anyway. Why were you staring in the first place?"
His frustration dissipated and a strangely soft gaze met her own. "I was thinking about what you told us at dinner. To be honest, I didn't think you would actually tell us anything. I never realized your life had been so difficult."
Genevieve held up a finger and quoted, "'Never judge a book by its cover; you'll never know the story if you do.'" Her parents had drilled that saying into her from the moment she could read. With good result too. The last nine years would've gone much worse without it.
Ed gave her a strange look, brow raised in question.
"My parents ensured I always knew that. Besides," suntanned hands clenched in memory, "it has saved me a lot over the years."
He nodded, thinking he would do the same, but she'd yet to answer his question. "Why did you share with us though?"
"I wanted to." Edward blinked.
"You did?" She ignored him that time though.
"That, and you would have found out eventually." He gave her a questioning look. "Mustang seems like the type of person to investigate someone he doesn't trust."
Ed had been suspicious of her at first too. Considering her attitude, it was justified. "You did seem like you were hiding something when we met."
"With good reason." Icy pools hardened as she glared at him. "Ever since I lost my parents, life forced me to focus on survival. I've done things I'm not proud of, but I survived."
"What did you do?" He'd noticed the tone in her voice and didn't like it. She was still hiding things. From the sound of it, they were dangerous secrets. If that's the case, how can I get her to trust me?
His only response was a shake of her head. An annoyed sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back in his bed. The young blond hated being left in the dark, but he wouldn't push.
One day, I'll tell you both. "Goodnight, Fullmetal."
"'Night Hurricane." We'll find out someday.
Author's Note: So...finally finished this. Finals week is next week so I'm trying to find time to write among studying and packing to move. Yup! I'm moving to a new state! Anyway, please try to be patient with me.
