Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or Harry Potter. I own a nasty attitude am owned by three cats.

Chapter Six: Mental Bond

Thousands of images flew past his eyes, as well as sounds and ideas; like his experiences with the Gate, he was able to instantly comprehend them. Unfortunately, also reminiscent of his experiences with the Gate of Alchemy, the enormous amount of information being forced into his mind made him feel like he was about to explode. The pressure was almost unbearable. Looking more closely, hoping to latch onto a single image or idea as a lifeline, he realized most of the images were from his own life. Edward saw himself playing with Alphonse and Winry in his hometown of Resembool, taking the State Alchemist's exam, and fighting with Russel Tringham; he saw the town of Xenotime, Lior, and the ruins of Ishbal; fights and deals with the homunculi swam before his eyes. More than sixty years worth of memories of this world beyond the gate were almost forgotten in the face of his powerful memories from his times in Amestris, and the times he spent with his brother.

Aside from his own experiences, he saw confusing flashes of a life seen through vision tinted slightly red and rather closer to the ground than he was used to. He experienced slithering through caves, crawling through muck, and fighting viciously with large mammals that thought he would make a good meal.

The visions abruptly receded, leaving instead a searing pain throughout his entire being. Though he had never screamed during automail surgery—a procedure known to make even hardened war heroes cry for their mommies—if he could have located his mouth and vocal cords he would have screamed until his voice ran out. Just before he lost all awareness, he saw two things. One, the gate and the non-human person that spoke as its voice, the thing that now had his missing limbs attached to its torso; and two, he saw a dark blond, amber eyed teenager in black clothes and a red coat. Alphonse looked up at the sky, shock on his face, his mouth forming one silent word: "Brother?"

The first thing Edward noticed when he regained consciousness was that he was lying down. The second thing he noticed was that he was lying face down, on something hard and flat. The third thing he noticed was that he was sore all over, with the ports of his false arm and leg stinging fiercely. Putting his hands flat on the floor, he pushed himself up and got into a more comfortable sitting position. Rubbing his temples, Edward tried to ease his pounding headache and reorient himself. A gutteral growl derailed his already scrambled thoughts, and he looked towards the source of the sound.

Somnel was flopped down on his back inside his cage, growling deep in his throat and shifting like someone who didn't want to get up but knew they had to. The kaivul's scales were a rosy, washed out pink. Even though he was lying down, his whole body seemed to droop more than it should.

"Somnel?" Edward muttered, sounding just as tired and confused as he felt.

'That Gate doesn't know how to mind its own business…' Somnel growled, eyes shut tightly as he yawned hugely. Turning on his side, he addressed Edward. 'But then, you don't either. I guess you started it.'

"What do you mean?" Edward asked sleepily.

'It makes sense now, how you were able to sense me and speak mind-to-mind,' Somnel said, ignoring Edward's question. Somnel gave him an accusatory glare. 'You cheated.'

"How so?"

Somnel nodded his head towards Edward. 'That necklace you have under your shirt, and that ring on your finger.' He paused, as if trying to remember something. 'That thing hanging from your ear and that stick strapped to your arm, too,' Somnel added, referring to the slightly dangling, barely noticeable red drop hanging from Edward's left ear and the ironwood wand strapped to the underside of his prosthetic arm. 'All of them were boosting your power and your senses.' The kaivul gave him a long look. 'Without those things you're actually rather average, am I right? At least in terms of magical power.'

Edward gave a somewhat sheepish smile. "Guilty as charged," he replied. "I cheat sure as a politician in an election." Edward paused for a moment, and an awkward silence filled the air. "Ahem…so…uh, what now?" he asked the kaivul.

Somnel huffed. 'You get me out of this place—and you're not buying me, you're…paying for my freedom—and then we find lodgings for tonight. We get some rest, and then take whatever comes to us.'

Edward looked at him strangely. "You certainly like to make…odd plans." Stretching his neck, he added, "I already have plans for tonight, and I know where we're going tomorrow."

'Good, good. You're at least somewhat competent.' Ignoring Edward's light protests at his barely concealed insult, Somnel continued, 'By the way, you should be able to speak mind-to-mind with me easily now.'

Edward looked a bit nervous, but he bit his lip and closed his angular golden eyes. 'Somnel?' he asked cautiously, hearing his mental voice distort and echo.

'Yes, Edward, I hear you. Try to have a bit more confidence, though, and speak louder!' Somnel encouraged.

'How do you speak louder?' Edward asked, surprised at the clarity and volume of his own voice.

'Like that,' Somnel said approvingly.

'Wow…why is it so much easier? I don't feel any drain on my power at all, and I don't have to concentrate so much!' He paused, confused by the amount of emotion showing in his mental voice. He was usually much more controlled than this.

'It's because of the bond we just established. If you try speaking mind-to-mind with anyone but me it will be just as difficult as before, but between the two of us it's about as easy and conscious as breathing.' Somnel looked tiredly up at Edward. 'Well, come on. Get me out of here.' Obeying the unspoken demand, Edward grasped the handle of the cage and—doing his best to not make Somnel slide around—walked through the store (which Edward thought seemed more like a maze) and approached the cashier counter. Seeing the small silver bell on the desk the harried employee had gestured to earlier, he rang it and set Somnel's cage on the desktop.

Edward only had to wait for a grand total of five and a half seconds before he heard the voice of the employee from before yell, "Coming, coming!" The voice was followed by several crashes and bangs. A miserable groan drifted beyond the door, and it occurred to Edward that he ought to be mildly concerned about the poor man's health.

"Um…hello? Are you all right back there?" he called. A weak acknowledgement was heard before there was a shifting of metal on metal and another loud crash. This time the noise was followed by a startled yelp, more shifting metal, and heavy footsteps. The employee burst out of the door with a panicked look on his face, turning around as quickly as he could to shut the door. He seemed to find this quite a difficult thing to do, as he was panting and red-faced, pushing with what seemed to be all his might and the door still wouldn't fully close. Edward stepped around the counter and placed his gloved hands flat against the door, the only sign he was straining himself his furrowed brow and slight scowl. Together the two men managed to shut the door firmly, and only once the white wooden door was locked, barricaded with two boxes, and charmed by the both of them did the employee fully relax. The brown-haired man collapsed against the side of the desk, sliding down to the dirty floor in a cloud of dust.

"Thank you…" he mumbled gratefully. He sat for a moment, regaining his breath while Edward and Somnel watched him with two curious gold eyes. After a minute he rather unwillingly lifted himself up from the ground, standing behind the desk while gesturing Edward to stand in front of it. He did so, and the employee cleared his throat and said, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yes," Edward replied, nodding towards Somnel's cage and carefully avoiding mentioning anything about purchasing the prideful creature. The brown haired man glanced at the cage and, to Edward's surprise, seemed to understand.

"That'll be three gold galleons and six silver sickles." Edward nodded and produced the correct amount of money. Depositing the coins into some compartment behind the front desk, the employee seemed to dig in a drawer for a moment before finding what he was looking for. He handed a piece of thick, very worn, official looking parchment. Examining it, Edward realized it was a certificate of ownership. Quickly stuffing the document into one of his coat pockets, Edward unlatched the door of Somnel's cage; much to the employee's alarm. "Sir—!" Edward was startled too when the kaivul darted out of the cage with the agility of a water snake, landing on Edward's chest. Gently keeping himself attached to Edward's clothes with his claws, Somnel climbed up his front and settled himself around Edward's shoulders. The kaivul made sure not to stick his new partner with any of his claws, and gently wrapped the thin end of his tail around Edward's tanned neck. Quickly calming himself, Edward reflexively stroked the top of Somnel's head, which was right next to his right cheek.

Thanking the employee, Edward turned to leave. Picking up his suitcase by the door, he looked back over his shoulder and asked, "Need any help with whatever's behind that door?"

"No, no," the other man said, sounding very put out that his job prevented him from accepting the needed help. "It's just a case full of jumping leeches, nothing too terrible." Edward raised an eyebrow at him and turned around again, pushing the door open with the jingle of a bell. "Have a good day, sir!" he heard the employee call to him before the door gently shut.