Luna had teleported the three of the them back to the ground near the plunge pool. Luna had turned back into a regular cat, lying flat on the ground. Vanessa was shaking from her experience while Edward was breathing heavily and placing his hands on his head.
"T-Those things… What the hell's going on here?"
Edward grabbed Vanessa's shoulders "Cpt. Kingston, explain what's going on here! How did the cat turn into a panther?!"
Vanessa was snapped back to reality and called out "Luna!" She heard a weak meow in reply and turned back to see Luna collapsed on the ground. Vanessa gently scooped Luna into her arms. Edward asked if Luna was alright.
"I think she exhausted her power from saving us back there…"
"Power? That's right, how is it that she can transform?"
"Uh…" Since the cat was out of the bag, she might as well tell the truth "Well, you see…Luna is a witch's cat."
Edward nodded and thought back to when they were at the gate. Why didn't the black hands grab him? He recalled that when the black hands moved back, Cpt. Kingston was waving her right hand furiously at the same time as well. He suddenly had an epiphany.
Edward jerked his head back and pointed at Vanessa with a trembling hand "Y-You're a witch!"
"H-How did you know?!"
"So, you are one!"
Vanessa hunched her shoulders with an upset expression on her face.
Edward heard the splashing of water then turned around "What the hell?!"
The black hands rose from the water?!
Edward pulled Vanessa up and they ran back to camp. The black hands uselessly flailed in the air before going back into the water.
~Back in the Camp~
Edward suggested that they make a report about what they saw back there.
"NO, you make the report. I'm under orders to be resting remember? I don't want to get in trouble!"
Edward couldn't argue with that so he got up and left, but not before telling Vanessa to stay put in her tent because they still had things to discuss. Vanessa felt a little put off by his warning but decided to take her glasses off and get some shut eye.
After a couple of hours, Edward arrived back in the tent and announced "Alright, I told the higher ups that you managed to remember the location and that I went to investigate on my own."
There was no response except the sounds of snoring. "SHE'S SLEEPING?!"
His reaction jolted Vanessa awake "W-What? What's going on?" She looked for her glasses nearby and put them on.
Edward sighed before repeating his words. Afterwards, he sat near her sleeping bag and said "Now it's time for you to answer some questions. I…I'm sure I've never seen those things in my life but when I saw those black hands… I thought…I thought they looked familiar…" By the time Edward stopped talking, he looked completely terrified and had a headache.
He turned to face Vanessa "Please Captain! If you know what they are, then please tell me!"
Vanessa simply had a somber expression on her face.
"You know, don't you?"
"Um…would you believe me? Even if what I had to say sounded a little crazy?"
"Heh. After seeing what happened back there and all this, there's nothing farfetched I wouldn't believe I guess."
Vanessa explained that Edward did see the black hands before. He just can't completely remember because his world and he has been distorted. "You've seen the black hands before because…"
"Because?"
"I…I'm not sure you want to hear this…"
"I've been listening to what you have to say, haven't I? So please, tell me."
"Um… You mentioned your mother before, how is she?"
Edward told her that she passed away many years ago but wondered why Vanessa was asking about this.
"Well, you see…Your world has been distorted so to speak. In your original world…You and your brother, Alphonse, learned alchemy at a young age. When your mother passed away, it devastated you two to the point that you tried to bring her back to life. That gate back there… I think it used to be the Gate of Truth. Well, when you two tried to do it, you got pulled towards the Gate of Truth and the black hands pulled you there. Uh…Edward?"
Edward was frozen with a look of terror on his face. He was sweating and his heartbeat quickened its pace. Vanessa was frightened for him and raised a hand as if she was about to touch his shoulder but Luna stood up and pushed Vanessa's hand down.
Luna jumped onto the table with the typewriter and wrote out "PTSD. Let him calm down on his own."
Vanessa pushed herself out of the sleeping bag and got up to read Luna's message. Her eyes widened. She had heard of this condition before. By giving Edward the answer to his question, she had unintentionally given him trauma. It was clear that she felt very guilty about what she did.
Luna typed out "It's not your fault. You told him what he wanted to know. He'll be fine."
After some minutes, Vanessa knelt and asked "A-Are you alright Edward?"
Edward chuckled "Yeah…Don't worry about me, I'm ok now!"
"I-I'm really sorry Edward. It's my fault…"
"Nah. You just woke up my memories is all."
Edward paused then he exclaimed "Guh!" He looked down at himself then leaned back to grab his head "Ah! How long have I been acting like this?! I can't believe I'm acting like some fancy pants!"
Edward told Vanessa to excuse him for his earlier behavior since he wasn't acting like himself and to just call him Ed from now on. "Alright, Ed."
After Edward realized that his world and everything in it has been twisted; Vanessa explained that she was a witch whose mission was to turn his world back to normal.
"So…How exactly are you gonna do that?"
"I…I think I have to use a magic spell on the Gate."
"Just that? A spell? No fighting or anything? Why didn't you just fix it the last time?"
His comment made Vanessa snap "Listen here, Mister! The Gate was going to get you then it went after me remember?!"
Edward flinched back in fear "Y-You're right about that…"
Just at that moment, Major Armstrong barged into the tent. "Mr. Elric, you are hereby ordered to lead the Army Research Team to the Gate."
Vanessa looked at Edward, this was their chance to get back to the Gate!
"Can Cpt. Kingston come with us?"
Major Armstrong looked at Vanessa before asking "Are you sure you're up to this? You'll be going along as an armed escort tomorrow so get some more rest Captain."
Vanessa stood up and saluted "Sir, yes sir!"
