Thank you all so much for reviewing! This chapter here is short; I'm sorry for the length, but it's just a brief interlude to transition to the second half of the fic. Lots of people were predicting things were about to start changing- and you're right ;) A change of scenery is really soon now, I promise! Whether it's Hughes and Riza charging in guns blazing, or Ed and Roy saving themselves, or something else entirely- well, you'll just have to hang around to next update to see. But I promise it's coming! Let's just get through this chapter first...

"Hello, Edward," it laughed, head tilting to the side. "Long time, no see."

If he'd possessed the strength, balance- or at the very least, the number of limbs- necessary to run, at that horrific smile, Ed would've turned his back, started running for his life, and never looked back.

As it was, he couldn't do anything more than stand there, trembling, and pierced through with such undeniable terror it felt like that thing was about to eat him alive, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Because, well.. there wasn't.

"What?" the thing asked, somehow quietly and loudly all at once, spreading its eerie white arms in a parody of such innocence it somehow terrified him even more. "Aren't you going to say hello? And I thought we were old friends, Edward."

Ed inched slowly back on the white not-ground, his hand shaking on the cold, non-existent plane. His instincts screamed at him to get away but even if he'd had both legs, there was nowhere to run, and just by the way that thing was looking at him... not looking at him, because it didn't even have eyes...

He got the horrifying feeling that if he turned around and ran for miles, that thing would always be right behind him.

"We..." He swallowed weakly, desperately trying to steady his voice. "You... know me?"

The thing bared its teeth in another manic grin. "And you know me, Edward Elric. Better than any other human in recent memory... your recollection of me is just a little blocked, at the moment." It lowered its arms to the floor, still smiling. "Not to worry. I'll be fixing that shortly."

Ed shook his head, any and all words dying miserably in his throat. He just- it was too much. That wrong array, then this strange place, and that thing, all after Justin and the padded cell and missing Roy- "I don't understand," he gasped numbly, his hand fumbling to push himself back an inch again. "I- I don't-" He looked around again, but there was nothing but white stretching as far as the eye could see... the only thing there was that the humanoid, grinning creature sitting right there before him. "What's going on? W-where- who-"

The thing sighed, shaking its head and somehow managing to look almost disappointed, despite its face only being a mouth and its entire aura the most threatening thing Ed had ever felt in his life. "I always did expect we'd meet again, but I'll admit, not even I foresaw it happening under this circumstances. I'm rather upset, Edward. Our meetings always managed to surprise me, but this one, as you are now... this isn't going to be exciting at all."

Ed tried to swallow back the uncertain terror collecting in his throat, shaking his head again and yet unable to drag his eyes off the thing. He didn't have a fucking clue where he was, just that it was somewhere he wasn't supposed to be, he didn't have a fucking clue who or what that thing was, just, again, that it was something he wasn't supposed to see-

But that thing was talking like it knew him.

For the first time since ending up in this hospital-

There was something that knew him.

"Who- who are you?" Ed finally forced out, pointing a hand that he fought steady out at the grinning thing as he straightened himself up, forcing as much bravado into his voice as he could. What did it matter, anyway? He'd already given up caring about his own life, what did it matter if that thing killed him; he was terrified but some part of him still just couldn't care, and he clutched onto that part, using it to keep as calm as he knew how and find out everything he could. "How do you know me?! How did you know I wouldn't remember you?!"

The thing, once again, looked as close to disappointed as he could imagine.

"I am Truth, Edward Elric," it sighed, tilting its head as it continued to gaze at him; somehow even without eyes he just knew that thing could see and it was looking right at him. "I am the one, and the all. I know everything that's happened to you. And to your Roy. And to your Justin..." It paused, its slick grin broadening just a small, unnerving bit. "To your Al."

Ed's heart dropped.

To...

No, I'm- I'm not supposed to care about that anymore. If I can't get out of the hospital to see Al again, I'm just- I'm not supposed to care about him- I told myself I wouldn't, it's too hard, it hurts too much, I can't, I- I-

"Al?! You- you know Al?! W-who... who is he?! Is he okay?! He- is Al okay?!"

The thing... Truth... smirked again.

"Ah, ah, ah," it cautioned, raising a single finger to wave it at him. That was all it did, but that was all it had to do even as Ed's heart pounded so hard and his mind raced so fast he almost forgot to breathe.

Whatever this strange, wrong place was, and whatever that thing was- there had to be rules. Just like that array that had taken him here in the first place; it wasn't just magic, there was right and wrong and rules, and- and maybe that was one of the rules. Maybe that Truth thing couldn't just tell him things he wasn't supposed to already know. Maybe-

He knows Al...

That...

That means Al's real.

Ed stopped, something agonizing and yet intensely happy expanding in his heart to the point that it hurt.

My Al is real.

He really was out there.

Ed stopped tremulously, taking another moment to just breathe- but for a moment, no matter how wrong and terrifying the situation was, all he could do was smile.

"Okay," he finally managed, calming himself down with a shiver, because whether Al was out there or not, he was still trapped in here. "You can't tell me about Al. But... but you can tell me about me?"

Truth nodded slightly, that eerie smile still stuck firmly in place.

Ed hesitated, something close to panic collecting in his throat. "...Can you tell me about Roy? Can you tell me if he's okay?"

Truth just smirked.

His heart clenched, something cold washing through him from head to toe. Looks like a no, then.

"Yes, Edward, I do know you," Truth went on, so suddenly Ed all but jumped, another cold chill shooting down his spine as his skin itched and crawled. "This would be our third meeting... I've never met anyone three times before. Usually once is the limit; most die on their way through. Ah-" Truth scratched at its head, grimacing faintly in mock confusion. "I believe I'm supposed to meet your Roy rather soon, as well; it'd be his first time, too, and if things stay as they are, a rather unique visit. I'm looking forward to it."

Ed's heart dropped again, just as Truth returned its frigid smile back onto him.

"R... Roy's... they're going to make him..."

"Ah, ah, ah," Truth warned again, shaking its head, and the words caught in Ed's throat.

It made sense, though, didn't it? Because Justin had told Ed weeks ago Roy was only there to force his hand, that he didn't care what Roy did beyond that- but Justin had already proven himself to be a goddamn liar. And if they'd made Ed use whatever wrong array that was to end up here, then it only made sense for then to force Roy to do the same thing.

Roy was going to end up here, too... just like he was...

"Twice is exceedingly rare," Truth went on, waving a hand as if it couldn't care less about the horrifying revelation Ed had just had; Ed jumped again, barely able to focus on it past the roar in his head. "You were the first in a while to come running to meet me a second time. The last was several centuries ago, but I admit to arranging that one myself- her first toll was her sanity. Her second time through killed her..." Truth sighed sadly again, shaking its head in mock disappointment. "It was a shame, too. I rather liked her."

There was a chilling silence. Ed swallowed again.

"Her... toll?" he finally asked.

Truth smiled coldly.

"Yes, Edward. The toll." The thing paused, still watching him- and then, chillingly, smiled even broader than before. "That's what we've been dancing around this whole time, really. Humans arrogant enough to come to this place of knowledge and truth must be made to paid the price. Humans arrogant enough to delude themselves into thinking they have the power of a god- well, that is why I am here, Edward." It spread its arms again, this time looking almost close to laughter. "If you come here seeking power, then I'll give it to you- I'll give you as much as you want. All you have to do, Edward, is just pay the right price."

Ed shook his head again; his mind was spinning, entire world reeling. This was all just too much to take in. It was more than Justin, more than that entire damn hospital, he'd understood that since the moment he'd landed here- but more than that hospital did not make it better, and it certainly didn't make it safer, either. At this point Ed almost would've been relieved for the chance to go back to his little padded cell, because at least that was familiar, at least there he knew all the dangers; there was a sickening sort of safety in the familiarity of it all, but here...

That smiling thing could do absolutely anything it wanted to him, and Ed was so helpless here he couldn't even conceptualize what it was.

"I- look, you- you Truth thing," Ed gasped, scrubbing a trembling hand over his face desperately. "I didn't want to come here, okay? I have no idea what this place even is, but they forced me to! I didn't have a choice! They're the ones behind it, not me!"

"Yes. I know, Edward."

"So- so why are you telling all this shit to me?!" he shouted back, but still somehow just couldn't stop himself from shaking. "I don't want any knowledge or power or whatever from you; if you're this all powerful god thing, then go take it out on them! They're the ones responsible here! Just let me go home; I don't want anything to do with you!"

"Yes, Edward, I know you don't. I am, as you said, this all powerful god thing. I know. There's no need to shout it all at me as if I'm deaf," Truth drawled back, that creepy fucking ass smile still firmly in place. "That's what makes all of this so awfully disappointing to me. I absolutely love taking you arrogant humans down for size... and you, Edward, have been one of my most favorites. I could always count on you to come back for more, because as smart as you were you always still somehow thought yourself smarter than me- but this? As you are now?"

It felt as if Truth was looking him up and down, staring at him without eyes, and for the first time in this horrible meeting that cold smile started to slip, fading into something actually genuinely displeased. "There's nothing arrogant about the pathetic creature you've let yourself become now, Edward Elric. You're nothing. You're as pathetic as a human is meant to be- and I'm here to knock arrogant humans back down to their rightful places. You, Edward, are not one of them. You didn't even know what you were doing when you activated the circle. It's like punishing a baby who drops a gun and makes it fire, Edward. As much as it pains me to say it... there is nothing that I want from you."

Truth paused again, its slight grin returning. "This time," it amended, a hint of laughter chasing the cold words after him, and Ed couldn't help but shiver again.

"Well... well- fucking great, then." Ed swallowed, inching himself away again. "That's just fantastic. I mean- you didn't have to call me pathetic, like five times, but- we understand each other, then. None of this was my fault. So just- take this all out on Justin," and help me and Roy while we're at it, "and- and there we go, then. We'll be good."

Truth, however, did nothing.

This time, did not even smile.

Ed's own nervous grin started to slip away, something close to cold fear shivering in his hand again. "...well?" he prodded again, forging forwards as confidently as he could. "What're you waiting for?" he pressed- but he already knew in his heart what it was.

It was why he hadn't wanted to use that array, and it was why he'd known, even as he touched his hand to it, that it was the wrong choice.

"There's only one way out of here, Edward," Truth told him flatly, so flatly it hurt, and Ed's heart lurched again.

Only one way back home.

He knew what that meant.

Truth climbed to its feet, turning its back on him to leave him shaking on the floor, round- whatever it was. There was nothing here but an ever expanding whiteness, nowhere for him to run, nowhere for him to hide, but somehow now that he wasn't being stared at he was even more frightened than before. Somehow, like this, it felt even more obvious that even with that thing staring away from him there was nothing Ed could do to protect himself, that whatever horrible thing that was or whatever horrible place this was Ed was helpless here, and that Truth could destroy him with a snap of its fingers and that was that. That was it. Ed may've felt powerless against Justin but this, here...

This was on a whole other level.

There was nothing he could do here at all.

"Please don't kill me," he gasped out, the words suddenly spilling out of his mouth before he could stop them, before he could even think- because it was all be ludicrous, wasn't it, trying to bargain with this creature, but he had to try, didn't he?! "Roy needs me! If you kill me, then they'll kill Roy, and I- please, just don't kill me! I'll- whatever you want, I don't care, but I-"

"Shhh, Edward," Truth snapped, flinging out a hand out to silence him; this time when his mouth snapped shut, Ed honestly didn't know if it was his own panic closing off the words in his throat, or if that creature had somehow forced the silence on him. Whatever it was, Ed found himself wordless, just crouching there on the floor and staring up helplessly as that thing stood there, back to him and head down- waiting.

Waiting, for Truth to make its move.

Until finally, it turned back around to look down at him as if a god staring down to a fly. Its wide, predatory grin was back, full force, and while Ed sat there frozen on the ground, its hand reached out the same way the rotting woman's always did, eerie fingers extended as if to take Ed b the hand.

"I think have an idea, Edward Elric," it said, and smiled wider than ever before.

"...he SURVIVED...?"

"How is he alive?! He's not missing anything, is he?! I thought- is the array wrong? Or did he use it wrong?"

"How is he still alive?!"

...

Where... am I...?

"Take him back. So the experiment failed- that doesn't matter. Take him back."

That white place... that thing... it's gone.

Am I... am I back?

I can't... move...

...

"Take him back, and leave him there. Patients get forgotten about and die like that all the time- nobody'll think twice. And even if they do, it'll be too late to change anything."

I- I can't...

Where am I?

Where's...

...

Someone's yelling. I can't hear... someone's yelling at me... why can't I hear? Why can't I move?

Where am I?

Someone's yelling...

...

"..metal..."

"...to me... metal..."

"...fullmetal..."

...

Fullmetal...

That's...?

"Fullmetal!"

That's...

"Fullmetal, please! Listen to me!"

That's-

"FULLMETAL, LISTEN TO ME! I'LL SAVE YOU! I'M COMING, I PROMISE! I'LL FIND A WAY TO SAVE YOU!"

That's- that's-

"FULLMETAL!"

Roy...

Feeling flooded back into him in perfect timing with the padded door swinging shut, and Roy's final scream, still ringing in his ears.