automailed | [Action /Voice]

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[Action /Voice]

[The week had passed with a certain degree of... something surreal, fake, imaginary. Edward can remember the white room, the gate, but most of all, the emptiness of it all. No Truth, no second gate, no Al. He'd been completely alone. And even his own body had felt as fake as the seemingly endless room; it was detached, uncomfortable. As if- as if it wasn't real-

...But that's impossible, isn't it?

He had plenty of time to debate the theory in his mind, at least. Whatever his body was in that place, it didn't need sleep. And as the hours passed into dull, empty silence, as his shouts and rants echoed back to his own ears, pointlessly, his only gain was a newfound clarity of what Al's nights must be like. If nothing else, this experience has given him an even greater incentive for getting Al's body back.

Nothing lasts forever, though, and eventually - he's not sure when or how long it's been - the simulated Gate of Truth collapses and dissolves around him, leaving only darkness.

And then come the dreams.

They're always different, always so vivid. An unfortunate consequence of an overly imaginative alchemist with ambition. This time it's Al - real Al, Al's body, frail and pitiful and starving, yet smiling at him-

"You'll come back, won't you? You won't leave me here again? It's been so long."

His soulless eyes are empty, yet somehow filled with an unbearable suffering at the same time. It's only been a few days for Ed, at most. How could Al endure years of that place, with only Truth and this same sense of loss to keep him company?

"Brother- why did you do this to me?"

Al, Al, Al, I didn't want-

"I can't go with you."

And Al's gone before Edward's hand can reach him, dissolving from view. Just like all the others.

"You're just running away."

He turns, expecting Hohenheim, but finds only the misshapen, slack-jawed remains of his human transmutation. Not his mother. It was never his mother.

"Why did you create me?"

There's a wrench in his chest as slimy, mangled fingers slide down his cheek.

"Why did you just watch me die?"

Gone, again. In the quiet, in the darkness, he can hear Truth laughing.

And soon after he wakes up, gasping, on the bed of an empty hospital room.]

...Didn't work...

[Once settled and no longer so disoriented (or so alone, for that matter) Edward manages to wriggle over to the bedside table and get his journal open and running. This would be so much easier if his automail was working...

But his automail had been destroyed. He knows that, he'd felt it happen. So Winry must be okay, if she was able to make him replacements. That also means that it's been at least - no, more than - three days since the failed transmutation. One thing at a time, though...]

I'm back. ...Is everyone okay? The transmutation, it didn't-

[....]

Winry? I can't move my automail.

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Who would want that? There's nothing here.

[Nothing but the monsters in the dark. He shudders, suddenly, feeling a brush of something furry against the back of his leg. Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down, it isn't her.]

[She notices the creature that reaches for him and her frown deepens. What are these things.]

Then you should go.

[Edward crosses his arms, if only to keep them away from the chimera's inquisitive nuzzle. It doesn't stop her from whimpering, "Big brother", but he pretends not to hear it.]

If you know a way out of this...

[Since when were hallucinations so helpful?]

[Big...brother?]

I know a way out. I can't take you that way though. But, you know a way out too that only you can take.

If I knew a way, wouldn't I have taken it already?

[The darkness goes away when it goes. That's just... how it is. Normally he'd make himself an exit, but with no material to transmute, that's not an option.]

I don't know if you would or wouldn't. I never even met you after all. [She looks around. It really is dark around here.] So, do you know why you are even here?

...Not really. [He's never even sure where this is. This isn't normal- he's never actually talked to these phantoms before. They've just sort of. Guilt-tripped him into utter misery.

All in all, this is really, really weird.] Do you?

[Why is she here, if he's never met her before? This isn't a memory.]

[She doesn't blame him for questioning her like this. At this point she's use to it, whenever people find themselves able to recognize her. She shakes her head.]

I don't. I just wandered in and found you.

...Wandered in from where? It's not like this place has a door. [It's not like it has anything that resembles reality.] Who are you, anyway?

I'm just Paprika. No one special. [She looks around for a moment and then moves closer to him.] We should look for a way out for you. If you don't want to be here anymore that is.

...I don't. [And it takes all his willpower to keep from shuddering as he hears Tucker's whisper behind him. "You and I are just the same."] Can you help?

I'll do the best I can. [With that said, she offers him a hand.]

[He hesitates at that- he can't really help it. He doesn't like to touch them. They change, they mutate, they become hideous nightmares, they mock him and his past, the decisions he's made. Touching her could result in any of those things.

But they've never offered to help him before. They've never... been kind.

So finally, cautiously, he takes her hand. His eyes narrow, waiting for something terrible to happen, just in case.]

[He can wait as long as he wants, but nothing happens to Paprika when they come into contact.]

Are you ready?

[That's... unexpected. But a welcome change from the norm, so he nods, his gaze falling to their hands. If this is the way out, he'll take it.]

Yeah, I'm ready.

Good.

[She pulls on the arm, ushering him to move with her. She...has no idea where she is going here. This dream is so dark. But, any place could be better than this place.]

[He follows willingly, though he can't help but look around, uncertain. It's never this quiet. It's never this calm. Is it her? Is it him? Is it-

Wait, nevermind. There's a childish giggle in the wind - is that wind? - and tendrils of Gate arms brushing against his legs as he walks, every few steps gripping him tightly enough to make him stumble.]

Looks like it's... not going to be easy.

[Paprika hears the giggles, but doesn't turn around.]

It never seems to be. I can't remember the last time I had an easy escape. [She adds with a light-hearted smile.]

[Edward kicks a foot out, a mixture of irritation and misery crossing his expression before he tries to mask it. It's always harder to do in this place.]

You do this often?

[This is getting more and more strange. Is she from the outside, like him?]

Only sometimes. I tend to observe more than actually act, but a lot of times I don't give myself a choice. [She says, giving his hand a quick squeeze. Just a reassurance that she is actually here.]

[No choice, huh? He's been there. Edward picks up the pace, ignoring the quiet growl in the darkness, though he does falter and stop when a monstrous creature comes into view in the distance. Can he fight in here? Should they run? Shit...]

[...Oh dear. She's definitely a bit awed when it comes into sight.]

That's rather big isn't it. ...Wanna run? [She turns to him. Hey, she's not against taking the less dangerous route.]

[Yyyyyeah, especially since Envy is looking particularly cranky today. Maybe someone called him ugly again. Edward nods, twisting away and taking off at a dead run, pulling her along with him. Even if they're stuck wandering aimlessly running through the dark, even if the swift, pounding footsteps behind them sound like they're getting closer, running away is preferable to fighting when he can't win like this.

Not with the lost souls of Xerxes crying out for help and staring him in the face.]

Woah!

[She automatically lets that out as he begins pulling her. Her feet quickly pick up the pace, so he won't be left dragging her around.]

Hey, you're pretty quick!

[He's glad that she knew to move with him right away, if only because Envy is pretty fast for his size. Ridiculously so, even. He bristles at the sound of Envy taunting - "Fullmetal shrimp", just what he needed to hear right now - but lashing out would just get them both killed.]

He's too fast for me to hold back. Can you keep up?

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