EMBELLISH-

It's strange.

No matter how hard I run, and how fast I push my body to get somewhere, I just cannot seem to leave here. Wherever here is.

I would say that it looks like one of my many trips to a certain Gate with blinding whiteness surrounding it.

However, after much exploration, with no real fruits of victory, I have discovered this place to be quite the contrary. It is dark; completely pitch black, with no walls, no ceiling and seemingly no floor as well.

You can imagine exactly how scared shitless I was, being in such a bleak unknown area.

I remember going to get Al's body back- did that actually work? - and I did see the actual area where the Gate was located.

But then, when I had awoken from numbing pain in my head, I was here, and there were no signs of life anywhere other than my own. I'm not even sure if I could still be considered to be alive.

Because, what really defines one as being alive?

I know I read in a book once about wildlife, which had been Al's, it defined the word as 'a plant or animal that is born, eats, grows and has babies.'

Well, humans are animals, and I had been born, I did eat (Mustang's raided fridge was proof of that), I did grow (though a little too slowly for my tastes), though I never did have children. I can just imagine that bastard's face if I told him I was pregnant, that is if he didn't faint on the spot.

Yet, Teacher chose to say it was one who was full of energy and vigour and with a zest and interest in life and who is aware of things.

I didn't have much energy or vitality these days, and I wanted to live, but was I really aware of things?

I'm hesitant to say that the longer I stay here, the more I feel less alive.

Shouldn't I be able to feel when I pinch myself?

Shouldn't I be hungry?

Hell, within all reason, I should have died from dehydration by now.

And most to my horror, it appeared that I couldn't perform Alchemy.

There was however, one explanation.

I know I told Al once that the living creatures are composed of three things in an Alchemist's eyes: a body, soul and spirit. The spirit being what attached a soul to the respective body.

What if my spirit had been taken away and I was merely a soul now?

Kind of like Al, only without an object to house myself in.

The revelation that one is actually an entity with no brain of its own is really a frightening prospect.

Something very curious happened today.

I saw Roy.

It wasn't for very long though.

He stood there and addressed me by my military title, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to do. I looked to him, and just when I got my hopes up, his face faded away and I was back in the darkness.

But hell, it was a start.

If I could actually make contact with my body, then maybe I could regain myself long enough to attach my soul back to where it should have been.

So, I waited for the perfect opportunity.

It seemed the first time; my happiness was what started the reaction. And all I'd need was a very strong emotion.

For once, I could feel myself cry.

Then it happened again, Roy was lying beside me, and he asked me if this was hard on me too. I put all of my energy into nodding. Because in reality, I don't think he could ever fully understand just how hard it was. To be with no one and on the brink of insanity nonetheless.

But really, the bastard could be pretty dense sometimes, and would likely deny that I'd done anything. That meant I had to do something he would recognize, something I'd done only with him.

I kissed the base of his neck lightly.

"You really can hear us can't you?"

I wanted to cry out, wave an enormous banner above my head, or simply never let go of him to get my message across.

But, let's face it, willpower alone, not matter how strong, doesn't always grant wishes.

So, I whispered a reply, and was rewarded with seeing the complete look of shock pass his face, before I too slipped into darkness.

'Yes.'

I could hear him. Even when I was angry and thought I didn't want to, his voice would still permeate through to me. I've never been so grateful for something going against my wishes.

It was the same now, he was calling me. Although, I seemed to have lost my voice. Because I couldn't reply.

He was shouting at first to me, ("Edward!") and then calling Al in a panicked voice ("Alphonse, come here quickly!").

("What is it sir-?") My whole, fulfilled baby brother whose voice no longer possessed a low echo questioned at the call. ("Brother! Can you hear me?") He was calling to me, Al was calling to me, and now Roy was too. Why couldn't I answer?

I could feel their hands grasping at my shoulders as my empty body became more lax and was drooping out of Roy's hands, no longer able to support itself.

Why couldn't I touch them?

Was my desire not strong enough?

I may have been called a prodigy in my younger days, but there are some things that even I do not understand.

("W-What's wrong with him?")

Al sounded like he was crying. I didn't want him to feel sad.

("He's not breathing…")

What?

That was impossible, if I wasn't breathing, then wouldn't I be dead already?

In the darkness I saw a form with light streaming behind it. It reached out to me slowly with a pale hand, spattered with blood. I tried to reach it and ignored the two people I treasured most frantically screaming. Sharp teeth gave a smile that appeared wicked, yet, left me strangely comforted. Its mouth moved, as if to speak, but like me, it seemed unable to form a sentence.

That didn't mean I could not hear its voice piercing through my head.

'Why didn't you make me right?'

Make it? In confusion I glanced back to it.

'Now you're here too.'

Where was 'here'? I didn't want to be here, I wanted to be home.

Desperately, I turned back, back towards Roy and Al and away from the being I had created years ago, away from the hellish land of death it thrived in.

I stretched my hand upwards, to the light, not believing the sudden cold I could feel creeping over my body.

("Don't die on me-")

'I don't want to die!' I screeched and pushed myself harder.

("-Full Metal.")

'Roy?'

("You can't leave me alone. And your brother, are you just going to abandon him too?")

'No. I promised I would come back. I promised!'

The light became brighter and brighter until it blinded my sight.

'Help me, Roy.'

Suddenly, warmth spread through me. Warmth that I knew.

I felt the heat pouring into me from lips that I knew all too well. And I was lifted from the darkness and into the light.

In exhaustion I sighed heavily and buried my head onto the shoulder of the one who saved me. "I won't die so easily."

The arms around me tightened, drawing a shaky breath my saviour mumbled, "I know you don't."

I smiled.

AN: "If you're confused and you know it raise your hands!"

Seriously, I realized this was a little jumbled, but people asked for a continuation, so I was obliged to listen. For those scratching their heads in bewilderment raise any questions you have and I shall rise to the occasion.