[Action /Voice]

[truthget]

[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

Comments

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

[Paprika, still wandering around since the last night, finds herself inside of Ed's dream. At first she has to wonder what she is seeing, until she realizes that the two - the dreamer and the dream - are meant to be brothers. She watches on silently for a moment until she finally mumbles.]

How sad.

[Then the transmutation comes and Paprika is shocked and horrified by the sight she sees. It was nothing like she saw before. Even worse, looking at it...it felt real. Too real.]

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

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

[dream]

[truthget]

[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.]

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

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

Are you ready?

[dream]

[truthget]

[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.

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

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.]

[dream]

[truthget]

[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.

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

[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.]

[dream]

[truthget]

[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?]

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

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.]

[dream]

[truthget]

[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...]

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

[...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.]

[dream]

[truthget]

[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.]

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

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!

[dream]

[truthget]

[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?

[dream]

[byakkoyagirl]

[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.