They had come for him an hour before… an hour? Was that right? Probably, seemed roughly that long… well actually it had felt like far longer, but the detached part of Edward's mind, the part able to stand back and watch with a measure of detachment as his interrogation swiftly degenerated into brutality, that part reckoned on an hour.
But, as had already been mentioned, it felt like an awful lot longer.
By the time his captors had left, Edward Elric had become little more than a limp body being held up by cold metal chains alone. At least that was how he looked on the outside. Inside his head was another matter entirely, a whirling vortex of white hot rage and a desire for vengeance, a thirst for blood of frightening intensity for one so young.
He fed that rage, clung to its searing heat as a way to ground himself, a distraction from the fact that oh god EVERYTHING HURT.
"Wow Fullmetal aren't you a pretty picture." Despite the sheer weight of the exhaustion pressing on his body, the sparks of agony flickering over almost every inch of skin, he still managed to flinch in surprise. That voice, deep and slightly husky, the auditory embodiment of smugness with just a dash of self-righteous flair. God it was good to hear it.
Slowly, Edward raised his head, squinting a little at the form which his eyes could just about make out in the dark of his cell. There was the sound of a small snap, and suddenly the comforting glare of alchemical flames dancing over an open palm brought the details into sharp focus. Despite his condition, the teenager actually managed a faint ghost of a smile at the image, even finding comfort in the cocky grin which he had always hated so much.
"Hey Colonel Bastard." The boy's voice was harsh and scratchy, too little water… too much screaming…
"Now is that any way to speak to your superior?"
"Huh, superior asshole more like… look, you gonna untie me any time soon?"
For a moment there was only the sound of his own wheezing breaths, and then he noticed something off in the Colonel's expression. "What's the problem bastard?"
"Umm well this is kind of awkward actually… I can't set you free."
"Why the hell not?!"
"Oh come on Fullmetal, use your genius little brain-"
"Who are you calling-"
"Dammit, I am not actually HERE!"
There was silence, a deeply echoing void as the gears in Edward's brain spun at a thousand miles an hour.
"You… aren't here?"
"Someone get a prize for the prodigy."
"So… I'm hallucinating then?"
"Bingo! Actually I am kind of flattered that this is what your subconscious chooses when you are in trouble."
"Don't let it go to your head, bastard."
"That would be your head, Fullmetal."
The young alchemist groaned softly. This had the potential to drive him… "Does this mean I have finally, properly gone crazy?"
"I wouldn't go that far- more like as a reaction to hunger and pain your mind has summoned up little old me as I guess some form of coping mechanism. So… yeah, maybe a bit delirious, but I wouldn't go so far as cracked."
"How comforting."
"Don't blame me- not here remember? Just you talking to yourself… which admittedly does sound a bit nuts…"
The teenager growled softly. "Look here, wet-match, if you don't have anything useful to say then just get lost will you? I am in enough pain already without having to stare at your ugly mug."
Somehow the product of his own over stimulated mind managed to look offended. "Well, I was going to tell you to hang on, that we are coming to get you, but if you are going to be snippy about this scenario I guess I could leave you alone."
"Coming to get me? And how would a figment of my imagination have any idea what was going on outside this pathetic hole?"
"Because- I am the you that knows you better than you know yourself. And you know them."
"You are starting to sound like Truth…"
"Look here runt-"
The door to his cell crashed open, and a new silhouette came into view, a new voice broke through the dark. "So, State Alchemist… let's try this again shall we?"
A/N: whoop 2 chapters in one day! for some reason got really into writing this today! thanks to those who have commented on this so far- seriously makes my day to know that people are actually reading this :D hope you are liking it so far :)