automailed | [Action /Voice]

Entry tags:

[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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...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?

[Okay she would laugh at the 'shrimp' thing if this was an appropriate time, but it sort of isn't!]

Yeah, definitely! Don't worry kid, I won't leave you alone with that thing.

[He picks up the pace a little - just enough to keep out of range from Envy's charge - and curses quietly, desperately wishing for some sort of escape. He's Edward Elric, dammit! When there's no exit to be found, he makes one! It's what he does best!

That's right, make an exit... wait, make an exit? Is that even-

He skids to a stop, pulling on her hand to urge her to halt with him before he lets go, clapping his hands together. It's a risky decision (too many unknown variables: how far away is Envy, does alchemy work here, is it Equivalent Exchange, what is this room even made of), but they'll only exhaust themselves by running away. Walking and exploring is one thing, but Envy? It's too much.

Smacking both hands against the floor, a strange, incredibly detailed door rises out of the dark floor, so tall it towers over them. It's familiar to Edward, who doesn't bother giving it a second glance and merely slams his body up against it, shoving as hard as he can.]

Come on, help me get it open!

[She stops as he does and steps back, watching him perform some sort of magic (least she thinks it is) and nods.]

Right!

[She runs to it and pushes her weight against it as well, hoping to use the dream to enhance her strength a little. Not that she can become a macho-man, but the limitless world of dreams does give her some ease in becoming stronger than she looks.]

[With the extra boost, after a moment, the door starts to creep open, light pouring through the crack. It's not opening very fast, but Envy's footsteps seem to be slowing down, as if they're further off in the distance than before. Weird... it's like the light is swallowing everything, even sound. He relaxes a little, relieved, though not entirely calm just yet, just in case. But maybe it's over.

He glances over at the woman, brows furrowing. There's definitely something weird about this, particularly when everything else about this situation is so familiar. Does she belong here, or...]

...Who are you?

[Paprika turns to Edward as he asks that and grins.]

Paprika.

Paprika. [It's a quiet echo, as Envy closes in on them, still moving even as the light continues to spread.] Thanks... for your help.

[He'll try to remember what she did- and even if he doesn't, at least he was able to thank her right before he lets himself step through the gate, the light closing in around him.

Time to wake up.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Action /Voice]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]

[dream]