X/FMA: Tipping the Scales: Exit Fees
Jul. 8th, 2005 03:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bard_linnRandomly had inspiration on this again. This IS the last part I can do until I get my hands on the manga though so I have no idea when it'll be updated again. Not entirely happy with this. Oh well. This is more of a fun project than something serious, and I can always revise later. ^_^
Arc: Tipping the Scales [Previous sections found here.]
Summary: Leaving for the Other Side
Warnings: Strangeness
Exit Fees
//Left.//
Edward followed the instructions and turned his feet left, moving onto a side street. The road quickly turned into a narrow alley. Ed looked around, slightly apprehensive. This wasn’t a good part of town. He could take care of himself of course, but it wasn’t somewhere he generally went.
//Stop.//
‘You’re beginning to get annoying,’ Ed mentally growled.
Catalyst ignored him. //Call the Gate.//
“Are you INSANE?” Ed yelped aloud, forgetting for a minute where he was and what he was doing.
//Call the Gate.// Catalyst repeated calmly, not sounding flustered at all.
“You don’t CALL the damned Gate,” Ed hissed.
//We must go to the other side.//
The other side of the Gate? Ed paused. WAS there another side?
//Yes.//
Damn it, not having your thoughts to yourself was really annoying. “Right, so I call the Gate and just go through?” Yeah, right. The Truth would never allow that.
//Call the Gate. I will handle the rest.// For the first time since the thing had woken up, Edward felt an emotion from it. Dark, twisted satisfaction and a hint of mischief. Ed slowly placed his hands together, and started the alchemical reaction. The black doors opened –
-and took him in.
Edward stumbled to his feet, standing once again before the Truth. “Back again?”
Ed opened his mouth to shoot back a retort and found himself unable to control his body at all. “You have something that belongs to my host.”
The figure looked momentarily confused. Then it stiffened. “Catalyst.” Ed felt his head nod. “Too bad. These were part of his price.”
“I will not have a damaged vessel. These metal limbs will be of no use to us on the other side.”
“We have rules, Catalyst. Your host knows them as well as the rest. Unless you choose to sacrifice something of equal value, you will get nothing. Nor will you pass through this Gate.”
“I obey rules only when I choose to.” Catalyst gave The Truth a long look. “I suppose your life would be equal trade.”
//Are you INSANE?// Ed yelled at Catalyst. He attempted to wrestle control back but to no avail. He was still a prisoner in his own body.
“You can’t do that.”
“Try me.” Tension mounted in the air between the two beings, tightening almost to snapping point.
“Fine. Go.”
“Very generous,” Catalyst replied. He gave a short bow and moved over towards the doors behind the Truth.
“I’ll remember this.” Unspoken was the threat that should they return, the being guarding the Gate wouldn’t be so kind.
//What the hell do you think you’re doing?// Ed hissed. You didn’t get the Truth made at you. It was suicide. //What are we going to do when we come back?//
‘Worry about that should we return.’
//What do you mean should?// Edward demanded, feeling a slight touch of fear. He couldn’t leave Al, he COULDN’T. Especially not before restoring him!
‘Quiet. This will be difficult enough without distractions. Unless you want to end up scattered into a million pieces.’
Sensing Catalyst was entirely serious, Edward quieted, silently steaming as the being did – something – with the Gate. The pair passed though. Ed was immediately assaulted with pain and collapsed.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a city like one he had never seen before.
Arc: Tipping the Scales [Previous sections found here.]
Summary: Leaving for the Other Side
Warnings: Strangeness
Exit Fees
//Left.//
Edward followed the instructions and turned his feet left, moving onto a side street. The road quickly turned into a narrow alley. Ed looked around, slightly apprehensive. This wasn’t a good part of town. He could take care of himself of course, but it wasn’t somewhere he generally went.
//Stop.//
‘You’re beginning to get annoying,’ Ed mentally growled.
Catalyst ignored him. //Call the Gate.//
“Are you INSANE?” Ed yelped aloud, forgetting for a minute where he was and what he was doing.
//Call the Gate.// Catalyst repeated calmly, not sounding flustered at all.
“You don’t CALL the damned Gate,” Ed hissed.
//We must go to the other side.//
The other side of the Gate? Ed paused. WAS there another side?
//Yes.//
Damn it, not having your thoughts to yourself was really annoying. “Right, so I call the Gate and just go through?” Yeah, right. The Truth would never allow that.
//Call the Gate. I will handle the rest.// For the first time since the thing had woken up, Edward felt an emotion from it. Dark, twisted satisfaction and a hint of mischief. Ed slowly placed his hands together, and started the alchemical reaction. The black doors opened –
-and took him in.
Edward stumbled to his feet, standing once again before the Truth. “Back again?”
Ed opened his mouth to shoot back a retort and found himself unable to control his body at all. “You have something that belongs to my host.”
The figure looked momentarily confused. Then it stiffened. “Catalyst.” Ed felt his head nod. “Too bad. These were part of his price.”
“I will not have a damaged vessel. These metal limbs will be of no use to us on the other side.”
“We have rules, Catalyst. Your host knows them as well as the rest. Unless you choose to sacrifice something of equal value, you will get nothing. Nor will you pass through this Gate.”
“I obey rules only when I choose to.” Catalyst gave The Truth a long look. “I suppose your life would be equal trade.”
//Are you INSANE?// Ed yelled at Catalyst. He attempted to wrestle control back but to no avail. He was still a prisoner in his own body.
“You can’t do that.”
“Try me.” Tension mounted in the air between the two beings, tightening almost to snapping point.
“Fine. Go.”
“Very generous,” Catalyst replied. He gave a short bow and moved over towards the doors behind the Truth.
“I’ll remember this.” Unspoken was the threat that should they return, the being guarding the Gate wouldn’t be so kind.
//What the hell do you think you’re doing?// Ed hissed. You didn’t get the Truth made at you. It was suicide. //What are we going to do when we come back?//
‘Worry about that should we return.’
//What do you mean should?// Edward demanded, feeling a slight touch of fear. He couldn’t leave Al, he COULDN’T. Especially not before restoring him!
‘Quiet. This will be difficult enough without distractions. Unless you want to end up scattered into a million pieces.’
Sensing Catalyst was entirely serious, Edward quieted, silently steaming as the being did – something – with the Gate. The pair passed though. Ed was immediately assaulted with pain and collapsed.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a city like one he had never seen before.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-07-09 03:33 am (UTC)And I love omnipotent (is that how you spell that?! 0.o) beings. So much. XD <3<3<3<
Hmmmmmmmmmm, though kinda reminds me so far of the Ellimist from way back in my Animorph reading days XD; *waves hand* Don't mind my rambles either, I like and shall keep watching. XD
no subject
Date: 2005-07-09 01:55 pm (UTC)Hm. Catalyst is CLOSE to omnipotent, but not quite. For all that it claims not to follow rules it does have a few. (I foresee him driving Ed up the wall. XD)
Never did read those. And I don't mind rambles. They're interesting.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-09 03:00 pm (UTC)Interesting. I'm sort of agreeing with Ed here: Yelling at the GATE?! Never really a good idea.
Great stuff!
no subject
Date: 2005-07-09 03:07 pm (UTC)Psssh. It's just the Gate. *kicks it* XDDDD
Thanks!