born && raised in aerugo to a pair of humble farmers , noelle has unfortunately experienced the hardships of life without substantial income. while she does not blame her parents for their current status in the world , it has fueled an unwavering flame of determination to rise to the top && provide her family with the lifestyle they deserve. through studies of several trades , noelle showed great promise through the lens of alchemy -- vicariously consuming knowledge at local libraries or applying as an understudy to other alchemists , she does everything that she can to understand the information at her fingertips. unfortunately , this goes against the shared belief of her parents that alchemy was a form of witchcraft && shall not be tolerated to any degree , no matter the promises of benefits she insists upon. doubling down on this outlet , noelle continues to pursue alchemic studies in lieu of continued farmwork && aspires to become a state alchemist for the formidable country of amestris. her relationship with her parents becomes dangerously frayed , but she promises she'll go above && beyond to secure them a healthier lifestyle.

through the use of her dear monteblanc ( classic old frill pigeon ) , noelle attempts to keep in touch often with her family since they do not own a landline telephone. all letters are without exchange , && while it wounds noelle deep down , she will laugh off the feeling && chalk it up to '' silly antics ''. this loss of support manifests in seeking validation from her superiors && other individuals that invoke a sense of parental security. in complete && utter denial about how they've disowned her && that she is not welcome back home -- with the way she speaks of her family , none would ever guess that this relationship could ever be anything but healthy. truthfully , they miss her as much as she misses them. . . but she did this to herself.

her time in amestris for the longest while was pickpocketing for the sake of survival. menial jobs that no one else wanted to do became her bread && butter while she studied all that she could. once lodging && planning her next meal was taken care of , noelle eventually found herself rooted in dublith for an indiscriminate amount of time ; her main source of income was giving boat rides through the famed kauroy lake to yock island.

pocketed a fabled philosophers stone ( mistaking the item for a ruby ) in passing from a strange individual within the outskirts of central city , near the defunct laboratory five && central prison. fleeing the location immediately as to create a sizable distance between herself && her target , noelle holds onto the stone for a few days. in insselberg , she tries to pawn the stone off for quick cash , but is made aware of its true nature as a philosopher's stone ; coveted by many means she'd be putting a target on her back. . . unable to sell the artifact && forced to keep it hidden , she figures to use the stone to better her alchemy. in the future when she is educated ( to some degree ) on the creation of philosopher stones , she is mortified && ceases use of the stone immediately ; however , noelle refuses to part with the stone && has taken upon herself to protect what amalgamated consciousnesses live within the stone && see they get their closure. she is unaware that keeping it alive is doing more harm than good since others with malicious intentions can get to it.

noelle had proven herself worthy to führer king bradley on the date of 06 / 30 / 1914 , aged thirteen on the cusp of fourteen. aside from the state alchemist's pocket watch for identification , noelle had earned the title of the stormsurge alchemist. unfortunately learned firsthand that the denizens of amestris aren't particularly fond of state alchemists , going so far as to call them the '' dogs of the military '' in such a scathing tone it irritates her. while her alchemic prowess was something to behold , she was no edward elric. rather than ask for tips or marvel in his presence , she'd much rather focus her energy on expanding her knowledge to be even better than the supposed best. this one-sided rivalry is likely exhaustive for anyone to bear witness to something so trivial. . . [PROBABLY] eventually learns to accept herself as she is , and acknowledge edward as a potential friend and ally rather than competition.

stationed originally at the southern city's headquarters , noelle was tasked with aiding troops on the frontlines of the border war , what better use than someone who was native && can speak the language. her alchemic knowledge proved vital to concuss the enemy ( that of which was her own people ) && secure areas. involvement firsthand seemed to be too much for noelle ( who was wrought with guilt && refused to continue ) to the point that she was delegated to eastern city command ( as another child to babysit ).

admires majority of the amestrian state military , paying the utmost respect to her superiors ( especially lieutenant hawkeye , for her skillset && general disposition ). kind of a boot licker initially , at least until she gets to learn them better && feels comfortable to initiate playful banter. in fact , it's rather difficult for her to establish friendships with others given her home-life && minimal interaction with other children her age. . . majority of her friends have been either family or animals , but she's determined to change that ! being apart of the military had exposed her own loneliness that she was largely unaware of , wanting to share stories && chat but having no one in her personal corner to turn to.

a transmutation array has been tattooed by a close aerugonian friend on her upper back ( tied to her spine / central nervous system where electricity naturally travels ) , hidden by her clothing. this allows noelle to seemingly utilize lightning alchemy without drawn transmutation circles before her. has an in-depth understanding of how electricity works , && to some similar degree -- fire , though incapable of manifesting. the symbols found inscribed on her back are: platinum ( ☽☉ ) , air ( 🜁 ) , earth ( 🜃 ) && iron ( ♂ )

in order to utilize this lightning alchemy , noelle has to understand what creates lightning to begin with -- disruption of the air around her by alchemizing particles to generate this opposing charge ( negative to positive ; vice versa ). a simple snap of her fingers can cast the lightning like a projectile towards whatever she's aiming at. albeit a new skill , noelle has even begun testing the limits of lightning with the creation of natural flowing lightning strikes by charging the ground with opposing charge. this power is amplified within the rain , as rain ( water ) is a major conductor of electricity ; be warned that utilizing such alchemy in the rain is dangerous both to the opponent && user , behaving as a glass canon of some sort. storing electricity in the body is far from ideal , an overcharge of energy runs the risk of damaging vital organs. likewise , this alchemy is weakened severely in desert climate where there aren't as many water particles in the air. metal offers no defense to this element , as it will act as a lightning rod && attract the initial strike -- rubber is a wonderful way to nullify the effects , but it must be strong enough or else the heat from the electricity will melt as soon as it passes through. you can tell when she's become supercharged with the static crackling around the air or more notably her hair raising.

in theory , she can call down these lightning strikes without moving her hands or body , but they are wild && unpredictable. in order to utilize her alchemy in an effective && safe ( enough ) way around allies , her body ( namely her arms ) is needed to direct it. there are specifics to certain movements , though. snapping her fingers yields a focused bolt ( projectile ). an open palm can result in either a controlled burst , utilizing all five fingers to collectively channel in a wave ( better for disarming && concussing opponents ) to knock-back a target or invoke haphazard movement. an emotionally-charged palm strike doesn't channel together for a wave , it spreads out from each individual finger for a scattered shot. it is imperative that she maintain her composure for the sake of others , this strike could unintentionally strike someone else && is much more difficult to control due to its wide spread. using two fingers is like a precision needle && both hands extended for a chained lightning ( following the path of least resistance ) through closed circuit , both of her arms would be considered the positive && negative terminals of a battery.

to go more into specifics , using both of her hands is essentially her final strike -- this internal current allows noelle fine control over charge distribution , it is no longer wild lightning anymore it's all her. she becomes the epicenter in this moment , lightning exiting one hand to strike a target ( maybe even multiple , depending on how close they are or if water is involved ) && return back to her in a loop through the next arc. serious drawbacks depend on how long she's been channeling this lightning -- electricity constantly running through her nervous system can result in nerve fatigue , burns && likely losing consciousness. likewise , if an enemy manages to grab her during such use of her alchemy ( especially ) anywhere on her arms , it might trap the current && backfire internally like a fuse blowing. due to its high voltage && inherent risk it poses to herself , noelle shouldn't use anything like this. . . but if she's desperate enough to sacrifice herself if it means stopping everything else ? good luck in trying to talk her out of it.

noelle's body behaves as a conductor with the human body being 55% water , allowing the electrical charge to run rampant through her body && leave through her fingertips. due to this , her arms have thin red scars mimicking pathways of lightning concentrating at her fingertips. she has considered tattooing said markings with a darker color in hopes to turn her feelings of self-consciousness into feelings of confidence.

she has a profound curiosity about alkahestry && its medicinal qualities. for some odd reason , noelle can't seem to comprehend its usage or how to channel the supposed '' flow of energy '' ( this is from all the negative-energy that lingers within her , her soul is at unrest ) , despite it following the same basis of lightning alchemy. in time , she'll learn && expand her skillset , but for now. . . she harbors a petty dislike towards those who can freely use alkahestry -- especially if they appear to be showing it off.

since her alchemy is largely apart of herself now , tattoo && all , there are times where she involuntarily discharges or reacts without meaning to. it's a double-edged sword , her consciousness going against what she may wish to share or how she'd carry herself. this manifests in violet sparks shimmering off of any exposed skin , especially through phalanges or the central of her transmutation array where most of the charge is stored. likewise , noelle has been known to sometimes discharge electricity in steady bursts to unintentionally mirror her heart beat. think of an emotional barometer , unable to fully hide how she's feeling. . . her greatest weapon && vulnerability.

has moments of being scatterbrained , often misplacing items which in turn wastes time && exasperates her to no end. it's the primary reason why she has such a strong dislike regarding the state alchemist pocket watch. if this piece of silver is to signify her status , she's royally screwed. . .

hinted at having dyslexia , noted by her strong peripheral vision && difficulty reading -- especially small lettering , which seems to blend together for her. strange enough , it appears noelle has eidetic memory ( strong spatial skills ) that comes in handy for short-term instances but holds no real benefit with longer durations.

an affinity for creative outlets , especially architecture && music. the surgestorm alchemist plays the hammered dulcimer for her own entertainment && has even looked into purchase of one for when she returns home. nothing stops her from making idle music to pass the time , any item within grasp is an instrument , no matter how unconventional.

due to monteblanc's presence , noelle unintentionally attracts many feline friends. as cute as they are , she shares no interest in them. in fact , they partially unnerve her since they're likely looking to eat her dearest friend -- something she's irrefutably against !

gone her whole life in perfect weather conditions for plentiful crops to thrive in , noelle herself cannot handle cold weather to any degree. often times she will bundle up with thick clothing if she must travel to notoriously chilling regions. her only solace in a time like this are warm drinks , particularly hot teas && honey.

the coloration of noelle's hair is not natural , despite what she might insist upon ! it is actually brown in color , with the upper layer bleached && dyed honey blonde for added contrast. this two-toned look is achieved by splitting the hair horizontally && altering the top portion. noelle is fond of this look , going out of her way to touch up any showing roots or cutting her own hair for proper stylization. it's hellish to comb in the morning , every formation of a knot you could think of && then some. . . this is solved by tying her hair into a bun before rest.

she stands at an average height of five-foot && three-inches for most of her teenaged years , only hitting the mark of five-foot five-inches well into adulthood. not particularly assed about her height like some of her peers , she does find it funny that out of everyone ( appearing human ) , she's by far the tallest without taking her superiors into account.

as skilled as she is , noelle is still just a kid at heart && she enjoys harmless pranks at the expense of those she considers friends. when introducing herself to someone of her caliber , she has been known to administer a small shock through her palm when shaking their hand. this is reminiscent of hand buzzers && entirely intended for lighthearted fun. likewise , this type of behavior has earned her the moniker of '' human battery '' , much to her chagrin.

aside from these harmless pranks , noelle isn't particularly fond of physical contact && prefers little to no touch unless it's specified beforehand. she's only just recently grown comfortable linking pinkies with someone as her form of a '' hand hold ''. in fact , it's become rather signature to her person since not many others share this behavior.

can absolutely be brash && argumentative should the opportunity present itself ( likely in response to other outspoken people , like a switch going off ). noelle is not the best with other hot-tempered individuals , highly reactive so it's best to always have a level-headed person to keep her in line. has bouts of agreeableness even towards fiery personalities depending on how her day is going. bonds best with friendly && outgoing people , to which noelle will subconsciously mirror their behaviors for a joyous exchange. the type to speak out for meek individuals who express discomfort doing it on their own , she will always be the voice of strength && passion for friends && family alike.

sometimes she is too much for her own good , outspoken to the point where it often lands her in trouble ; made worse because of her inability to ask for help && willingly involve other people in her messes. stubborn to a fault , many of her messes would be easily resolved via an apology && yet she chooses to double down && puff her chest out in pride.

displays curiosity with automail && the numerous materials used for its creation. despite not ( fortunately ) needing any prosthetics , it doesn't stop her from browsing various wares within rush valley. she can appreciate the finer details of metals , given their conductive relationship with that lighting she's so fond of.

has an affinity for sweets , but her all-time favorite must be lemon meringue pie. at times this can be debilitating , especially when she has more pressing matters to tend to but a bakery is just around the corner. . . sugared confectionaries are one thing she insists on sharing with others in hopes of bringing mutual joy. in fact , any lemon-flavored pastries have her heart && then some !

unlike other teenagers her age , noelle doesn't particularly trouble herself with the prospect of a lifetime partner. as far as she's concerned , she'll carry on just as she always has && that she's not missing out on anything in particular that friends couldn't already bring to the table. the surgestorm alchemist can be rather blasé about rejection , not even the slightest hint of pondering the possibilities. should she consider a partner , it would have to be someone already close to her -- a friend or nothing at all.

noelle is responsible for the very piercings on her body , entirely done by herself to kill the time. while the miscellaneous earrings hanging from her earlobe piercings vary day-by-day , the hidden tongue piercing remains ever unchanged. in fact , not many people are aware of her tongue piercing. this has to do with how noelle talks -- she'd have to stick her tongue out or point it out for others to even recognize. her reasoning for said piercings ? because she could.

the stormsurge alchemist has large amber brown eyes , akin to a deer. when she makes eye contact , there's something strangely comforting about their look. almost reminiscent of someone you remember , but can't exactly explain who. she prides herself in their appearance when they catch just right in the sunlight , && can be found admiring herself in the mirror should the opportunity present itself. after all , a little vanity never hurt anyone , right ?

difficulty falling && staying asleep , labeled an insomniac with these symptoms which results in noelle staying awake for too long well into the night , trouble gaining adequate amounts of hours at rest so she often wakes earlier than intended. typically tired && sluggish in her movements early morning , so she's made it a habit to lean on the caffeinated joy that is coffee && cream. don't try talking to her prior to this , she'd shoot such a look that could kill. . .

the surgestorm alchemist has several fears just as any other human being would , but ranked the most to least debilitating would read: thalassophobia , atelophobia / atychiphobia && necrophobia. the development of thalassophobia is that much like amestris , her hometown in aerugo is also land-locked -- meaning noelle's interaction with the ocean is limited to downright nonexistent. lakes can also be an offender depending on how deep && clear the water is , she refuses to go anywhere near a body of water that she cannot see the bottom of. it's less about what lurks in the dark && more of how she might not ever come back to the top if she falls in. both atelophobia && atychiphobia go hand in hand , with the fear of imperfection in direct correlation to her fear of failure. if noelle does not achieve perfection to be at her prime , then her chances of completing her lifelong goal of pushing her parents onto greener pastures is essentially zilch. she can't afford to leave this up to chance , to fate ; they're counting on her back home , they just don't know it yet. necrophobia isn't as severe as the other previously mentioned fears , as any person harbors a strange relationship with the aspect of death. in situations such as funerals , noelle will visit to show her condolences && grieve. what really affects her is the potential rabbit-hole effect , intrusive thoughts envisioning the people around her passing away with nothing to be done. death is natural occurring , && human transmutation is forbidden above all else. since she's self-aware of her feelings concerning death , noelle won't allow herself to think too deeply about it if she has the chance.

noelle , despite her scrunched nose && roll of her eyes , is actually incredibly touched whenever others consider her. whether this be taking her into account && bringing along additional servings of food just for her or brewing teas && coffees for her , she'll noticeably perk up with a delighted smile. . . along with an awkward hum of gratitude until she gets better used to expressing herself.

in contrast to the nonchalant wit that she kindly carries everywhere with her , the stormsurge alchemist can easily be defeated with a glass of warm milk && dim lighting. if her internal temperature is too warm in the late hours of the night , she grows steadily drowsy -- this is good , though. it might not always combat her insomnia , but it can certainly help quiet down that loud mouth of hers.

on a similar note of sleeping habits , she's notoriously strange for how she rests. noelle has an aversion to pillows && beds -- staples of comfortable sleeping arrangements. this is because her early years on the farm , she took a particular liking to resting in the barn with the animals && on top of the hay bales.

noelle wants to smell sweet && comforting , even if her use of alchemy overrides it ( turning the air thick with ozone ). her morning hygiene routine consists of soaps made from almonds && honey , something homely that brings her peace. matter of fact , the scent strongly resembles the confection marizpan ( from italy , aerugo's real-world counterpart ). it's not too overwhelming , but it does stand out especiall if you're hungry. unfortunately , this attracts a lot of bugs ( namely bees ) who come out to investigate the source of the scent. this can get obnoxious at times when she is trying to work but they're crowding , not to mention the guilt she feels if she's not maintained the charge around her body && they are shocked out of the sky. noelle must be acutely aware of how her alchemic reactions are bleeding through in order to offer a safe area for these bugs to linger. this takes a great deal of focus that she might not even have , preoccupied with other things happening in her life. conscious effort to get ahold of her skills is imperative , if she cannot spare time to control the tempest , then it will devour her whole.

her admission into the amestrian military's state alchemist division was not the result of being wooed by her alchemic prowess. it was a done deal the moment he caught that wild look in her eyes , a stray dog willing to do anything && everything to survive out here. didn't need to understand her background or motivators. that one look was all it took to know that she'd make an excellent puppet , that her humanity would be the very reason why she would fall on the fated promised day. the fuhrer's been playing the long game with noelle , seemingly making his rounds at the most convenient of times to track her progress under the guise of goodwill. . . so when noelle was faced with a dear part of her heart , her soul ? of course her body would act before her brain does , not chancing any more wasted time she emits a charge from both palms to the deceased akin to a defibrillator. . . except the soul had been gone at that point. her reaction rebounds && the last thing noelle sees is the narrowing jade of wrath's eye. she was set up to fail.

it's incredible how her body responded to the loss of her arms from the elbows down ( the same hands && arms that ached to push her parents above poverty ; the part of her that guides the lifeblood of her alchemic reactions ) once passed through the gate. seemingly instinctual , wild charge flitted around her && struck , electro-cauterizing the bloodied mess left behind. soon after , noelle's barely-conscious body was tossed with the other sacrifices as a spare for father's plans. it isn't to last long , though -- she's very good at burning herself out like flickering candlelight && would still get up to fight until there's nothing left to burn. without arms , it's extremely difficult to guide her lightning. . . but not impossible. this wild dog strikes with every last bit of herself remaining , kicks arcs of violet to concuss && damage before collapsing for the count -- noelle's last bit of consciousness just hopes it was enough to aid her allies.

rehabilitation post promised day is difficult for whitlock , the automail she once admired is now apart of her. it just doesn't feel like herself anymore , the buzz behind her fingers that surged through her being before was muted && dull now. her world view feels bleak despite the fact that they had won. maybe she should just be glad that those she cares for are safe && healthy now , that there's no other place to go but up from here.

tw. suicidal ideations -- following up with the previous headcanon , her suicidal ideations have always been passive ( it's been manifesting since the first letter detailing her elevated status as state alchemist yielded no response from family ) && for the most part they don't even sound overtly dangerous at first -- more-so exhausted && detached. her mannerisms have always been reckless in combat , a distinct lack of self-preservation that those well-hardened by the military could pick up on instantly. her humor can be deflective to mask her despairs , with high chances for her to pull inward && shut everyone else out , or just the general unspoken obsession with earning the right to live. it all comes to a head on the promised day , the worst in her is on full feral display with no way to get through to her. frenzied && snapping teeth at whoever looks her way , it's the only && final behavior at such an extreme , nothing will ever top that. post promised day steadily slots back into the passive aspect , but is remedied post-xing ( for good ) where she heals , learning that she doesn't need to scratch && bite for the right to exist for no one other than herself.

noelle whitlock is born.

becomes painfully aware of her current socioeconomic status after she begins attending school -- other children her age speak of the great things they do with their parents , noelle cannot relate.

noelle realizes that her parents have been sacrificing so much to give her a normal childhood.

atop the barn later that night , her hand outstretched to the stars -- she vows to do whatever it takes to provide for her parents && allow their aching bones to rest. a child's solution to an adult's problem.

at 8-years-old , noelle is experimenting as an understudy with several trades && seems to possess a natural inclination towards alchemy.

well aware that her parents are irrefutably against alchemy ( && by proxy , alchemists ) because they consider it '' witchcraft '' , so she begins to spend long hours at the local library under the guise of schoolwork ( but that only lasts for so long ).

noelle insists that alchemists are on the rise , that she's heard talk of them being great && powerful people. even when her relationship with her parents is becoming tense , she throws herself further into the study under a traveling alchemist.

after a particularly bad thunderstorm that shook up the wildlife ( && herself ) at the farm , noelle saw the great potential from something so destructive , leading her to research lightning alchemy in specific && if it was even possible.

after much trial && error , noelle is successful in her use of lightning alchemy.

has experimented with coils && what is / isn't conductive , found out that the best conductor is through herself despite the inherent risk it poses to her health.

entrusts a close friend to tattoo her self-developed transmutation array on her upper back , that way she wouldn't need to continue drawing the array && could behave more unpredictably.

tests in secret , in different environments && has found that she's most empowered when it rains -- but the tradeoff is that she becomes a glass cannon herself.

noelle decides that she wants to seek out the amestris military && offer her services to them. she's not particularly hateful towards her home country , rather , amestris is seeking people like her with this natural penchant for alchemy. she would thrive there , have a future.

her end goal is to become a state alchemist for her neighboring country , despite aerugo at war with them -- this labels her a traitor in the eyes of her family , despite her doing all of this for them.

just a month shy of her birthday , noelle decides to head out of aerugo with monteblanc via train to set her plan in motion. her parents do not see her off nor acknowledge her , but she promises to write them often.

with no money to her name , in an unfamiliar country at that , noelle survives via pickpocketing && offering herself to menial jobs that no one else wants ( such as delivering news , housekeeping && much more ).

drifting across the southern part of amestris ( warringstown , south city && lastly , laurelvale ) , she settles in dublith for a while -- only to find her sole job as a ferryman , taking those brave enough through kauroy lake to yock island.

despite the money she made surviving in dublith , it wasn't enough to keep up with the cost of moving around. when her funds are low in the outskirts of central city , she's presented with a golden opportunity to nab what appeared to be a glimmering gemstone , pocketing it when accidentally bumping into the individual.

waiting days before moving again , she heads over to innselberg to pawn off what she believes to be a ruby. surprised to find out that she's landed a fabled philosopher's stone , && that they're unwilling to take such a highly coveted item in fear of attracting danger.

learning to test the limits with the philosopher's stone in conjunction to her alchemy , allowing for more charge to run through her body without it exhausting her as quickly or as easily. feels as if her full potential has been unlocked , but a part of her enjoys feeling alive when she uses her alchemy so the stone is stashed away in a velvet black pouch.

rather bold in her approach to the amestrean military , disclosing that she's here to make something of herself && offer her services to the military. naturally , she's rejected for just being some headstrong child but she's not going down without a fight -- this is all she has left. causes a small commotion in the hallway that alerts the fuhrer himself , resulting in his presence to examine the noise.

like a wild dog , noelle has that determined && impulsive look in her eye that sparks interest in king bradley , allowing for a last-minute state alchemist exam that goes exactly in her favor , showcasing her lightning && willingness to follow orders.

dubbed by the king himself as the surgestorm alchemist for how charged her actions were && use of electricity.

originally positioned at southern command to be of use in the border war. lightning ( if handled correctly ) could serve as a major leverage. noelle follows her orders to a tee , concussing enemies && adapting as well as she can.

her breaking point was hearing aerugonian soldiers cry for help in their native tongue , for them to have mistaken her as one of them.

noelle's newfound refusal to utilize her alchemy against these people spurs conflict , to have her identity questioned as neither aerugonian nor amestrian. someone who doesn't belong on either side of the fence. . . it hurt.

under the guise of reallocation towards a growing internal threat , she is promptly pulled from the front lines && brought to the eastern sector. all eyes are on the display of domestic terrorism from issac mcdougal which makes this the perfect time to shift this pawn.

frustrated at herself && her inability to follow simple instructions has noelle eager to make a good impression in eastern command. if she listens hard enough , follows orders enough , maybe she'll be allowed to stay.

maybe someone like colonel mustang will see her as more than the wreck they salvaged.

babysitting duty bro.... ill elaborate later but it's a one time brief thing

thats what u get for scouring the 3rd lab ruins :)

tentatively leaving this here for now until i develop more of her role in the canon story >:) i always intended for her to be a supporting character tagging along every now and then for specific missions/canon events SO I GUESS.... CANON DIVERGENT but that's her entire existence technically

i don't know exactly how id want this to pan out SO its a WIP FOR NOW. but here are some ideas :)

implied someone dies and out of desperation (and without thinking) she performs human transmutation..... trying to defibrillator revive someone with electricity but the soul already moved on/too late so that triggers the gate/truth to yoink her

both arms from the elbows down are taken as her toll , becomes an additional sacrifice && ushered in with the others.

despite the cauterized wounds , noelle refuses to be down for the count and instead takes her wild charge out through kicks from her boots && keeps going until she drops.

the immediate dangers are gone , she can finally breathe ( && adjust to life with prosthetics now ). despite the journey , noelle doesn't know where to go from here.

hands her philosopher's stone over to marcoh , if there's any chance at liberation for the damned , he'd be the one to know.

picks up a few jobs to keep herself preoccupied , from architecture to offering her services as an alchemist to those who need her.

despite this , nothing ever quite feels fulfilling. . .

returns home to aerugo on her fifteenth birthday , is no longer the young girl seeking worth from others around her. despite being so young , the experiences she endured have hardened her && caused her to develop tougher skin outside of her closest friends.

catches up with her parents , clues them in on her life && what she's going to do next. it's been so long since she's last seen or heard from them. noelle tells them to save their breath , she didn't return for apologies -- just wanted to see how everything was both the same && yet so different.

it doesn't feel like home , not the way she had hoped for those years ago. . . but that's alright.

departs the next day , back to the very nation she feels she belongs.

spends a lot of her time wandering amestris , taking trains whenever possible or trekking on foot from one city to the next.

noelle feels lost in the absence of purpose , nothing sticks to her && she believes that she'll find meaning in the next town.

a transitional period for her , reflecting deeply on her losses -- her arms , her innocence , her parent's acceptance. eventually gains true emotional closure , assessing where she fits in a world that seemingly has no need for her.

perhaps she keeps in touch with her allies through monteblanc's delivery of letters , speaking of her travels && what she's encountered , what's transpired in their time away.

returns to central city by request of dr. marcoh , is made aware that her stone was in unrest seeking her.

the consent && chorus of voices embedded in the stone itself insist on restoring the one that looked over them && regarded them with compassion. this is what they want for her && she could never deny them.

once restored , she thanks her companions && marcoh for giving her that part of herself that has been missing for so long -- her own metaphorical soul once more ( feeling that buzz through her being ).

feels at peace with herself over events that have transpired && closure she has gotten from her family. her soul feels lighter && she's inspired to visit xing for a good break && to see what she can learn.

finally free from all the stressors && mental blocks , alkahestry comes almost naturally to her now , a stark contrast to a few years ago when she tried utilizing it. demonstrating her growth , no longer that emotionally stunted girl trying to make a name for herself.

returns to her home country of aerugo to set up healing stations across the northern border.

teaches alkahestry to those who are willing to listen , wants to encourage healing to combat the damage that had been done for years.

aha...... who knows at this point (smirk emoji)