A/N: well, here we are again. thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far- know hat you mean about length so am trying to work on that a bit :) but yeah, again please R&R, hope you like latest instalment, btw next chapter will probably jump back to Mustang's lot to check in on the investigation. Hope you are having a good day wherever you are! :D
"Chief… hey, hey Chief… you with me?"
Edward Elric gradually cracked one eye open, his left since the right one was currently swollen shut and no doubt turning a unique shade of purple. He didn't want to in all honesty, but that voice had piqued his interest.
"Havoc? Is that you?"
"Hey there kid, umm, how are you feeling?"
"Dumb question."
The figure in front of him looked a little embarrassed, his voice had sounded genuinely concerned. Somehow it made the whole situation both comforting and painful, as the teenager wished with all his might for just a moment that this was real. Too bad for him.
"So, why has my brain dredged you up?"
"Hey that's a little harsh Chief… although on balance a fair question… I think it is because the guard outside this dump is smoking at the moment- I reckon you smelt it and voila here I am." The apparition grinned a little at his deduction. The boy blinked, or rather winked, tiredly…
"Well, it is good to know that even in my current state some of my intelligence is still alive and kicking."
"What are you talking about? That was my idea!"
"Yeah, but you aren't real- you are me, ergo it was my reasoning that figured out your existence."
A new voice chipped in, "Wow Fullmetal- you are actually arguing with yourself over who had an idea first, you or you. I never realised your self-esteem was so… stunted."
"Great, now even my subconscious is calling me short."
"Must mean that deep down you acknowledge it as truth- guess that is why you always scream at me when I comment on it- you are just that deep in denial."
"Well, we all kind of knew that already about the Chief. I mean, there is no way a prodigy could be genuinely that delusional to be so wrong about their own size…"
For a moment Ed just looked back and forth between the apparitions before him, "Yeah… I don't think now is the time to be discussing whether I am delusional… you know, just taking into account the fact that neither of you are actually here. Hang on, why are you back Mustang? I mean, I get the logic behind Havoc, as far as you can call this insanity logical that is… but why you as well?"
"Afraid I don't really know Fullmetal, maybe I am just your default setting?"
"That is a truly disturbing thought."
For a while there was silence, even though the figures didn't disappear. Eventually Ed spoke up again, voice low and slightly tinged with embarrassment. "You know, even though I know that you aren't actually here… umm… thanks for being here? I guess…"
"Ok Chief- now I am sure that something is deeply wrong. Just how hard did that guy hit you?"
It flashed through the young alchemist's mind, the sneering face of the Drachman soldier as he threw a fist towards his prisoner's unguarded stomach, forcing the air from his lungs in a wheezing gasp which left a sick sensation in his abdomen. The accented shouted questions about the military, about the locations of bases which he didn't even know and wouldn't have told if he did. His silence had been met with greater anger, and suddenly he had been assigned the role of punching bag. As much as he would have liked to say that it all blurred together it wasn't true. He had felt every single impact as a new form of pain, even when his skin had become a patchwork of tender agony, the latest blows were always felt as a new burning star. He shuddered as he remember the sound one of his ribs had made, just before there was a final crash to his face and everything had gone dark.
With memory came feeling, and at once every dull ache crescendo to a roar which for the space of a heartbeat consumed his senses and seemed to make his ears ring as he hissed through his teeth. How had he not noticed it before? He glared at Havoc and spoke through gritted teeth, "Another dumb question."
"Technically you are the one asking them…" the hallucination grumbled under his breath, and Ed wasn't sure whether his headache was from a likely concussion or just trying to figure out his own mind.
"It's probably both." Mustang piped up from where he had leant against one wall.
"I didn't say anything."
"For the love of- I am in your head remember? So obviously I know what you are thinking."
Okay, it was definitely the result of his own subconscious.
"Well that is not very nice."
"Would you stop doing that?!"
The look from the image of his superior spoke volumes. It developed into a staring match between alchemists, lasted about a minute and then suddenly Ed broke down into pained laughter.
"Oh my god, I am actually trying to stare down myself. I really am losing it…" The wheezing laughter began to verge on hysterical as the enormity of what he said sank in, transforming into hiccupping sobs as he gasped for air, "I'm losing it, I'm really losing it. There is no one here- you two aren't real. I am alone, all alone… it's just me, in the dark, alone… I'm losing it…"
"Hey, Fullemetal! Snap out of it!"
And even though he knew it wasn't real, and was seriously considering giving in to the rising panic in his own head, he still latched onto that ghost of a voice as a lifeline.
"Look, we may not really be here, but the fact you are seeing us doesn't mean you are going nuts. True, you are not exactly on an even keel- not that you are normally the most reasonable of brats to begin with, but you haven't lost it. Our presence is proof of that- proof that you are still fighting, that you haven't given up. The fact you are seeing us just shows that you are still able to use a coping mechanism even in this situation."
Somehow that was working, calming himself down as he thought it through.
"All you have to do is hold on. You know that the real versions of us are going to come for you. We will find you and get you out of here. Until then, we will keep popping up- sort of like an internal cheer squad… although without the mini-skirts, since whilst the real Mustang would probably go for something like that, I am still you and frankly that would be a genuinely traumatic experience for our psyche don't you agree?"
"Umm, yes I apparently do since I just said it…"
It was confusing, yet comforting, and for the moment it was all he could take as exhaustion stole over him and all versions of his current reality faded into the blank oblivion of sleep.
