Chapter 6: Pain

"Brother!" Aila yelled as Alphonse awoke. "Here, have some water!" She said as she hurriedly grabbed the cup from the bedside table, lifting Alphonse and putting the cup to his lips. Alphonse took a few sips, then looked at his surroundings. He's in his and Cedra's room, Cedra's bed is messy, nothing on either bedside table, a small chest, which is empty on the far wall, a small dresser on each side wall, both of which barely have anything in them.

"Wh..." Alphonse tried to speak as his throat clenched close. 'I guess my throat is drier than I thought, and I can't even move my arms..." He thought to himself. Aila lifted Alphonse again, allowing him to drink more water.

"Wait here, I will get mother!" Aila said as she left. After a few minutes, Edrit came into the room, she looked exhausted, almost like she hadn't slept in days. Alphonse looked over, using most of his strength just to turn his head.

"will I be able to go in soon?" Cedra asked.

"Soon, yes, just wait a little bit, okay?" Edrit responded. "Alphonse, how are you feeling?" She asked him as she sat on a chair next to his bed.

"I... I'm... Fine." He responded with a raspy voice.

{Your vitals say otherwise.} Prism responded.

'Well... Sometimes white lies are necessary.' Alphonse responded.

{Well, don't make a habit of it.} Prism said sternly. {I will not have a pathological liar as my host.} She said, attempting to lighten the mood.

'Well, no promises.' Alphonse responded lightly as he let out a small cough. Edrit propped Alphonse up and gave him some water. "Mother... you look... so tired..." Alphonse stated in a quiet tone.

"Don't worry Alphonse, your the one that's wounded after all." Edrit said as she began to activate her magic.

"Mother... You must be exhausted... Don't expend energy you don't have." He said. Alphonse gave a soft gaze towards his mother, but it was also a warning gaze.

"Fine... But I will come back later!" She said with frustration as Cedra walked in.

"Brother, are you all right? Cedra asked as she climbed on the side of the bed.

"I'm fine." Alphonse said with a light smile.

"That's good. Mama couldn't sleep because she was worried, but if you are all better, then she can sleep." Cedra said with the innocence of a child as she looked down.

'So she was exhausted.' Alphonse thought to himself with a monotone voice.

{It would seem so, though it was rather obvious.} Prism said lightly.

'You know, I'm still not used to you just popping into my inner dialogue!' Alphonse yelled inwardly.

{I do not apologize.} Prism said apathetically.

"I'm gonna sleep for now." Alphonse said to Cedra.

"B-but you just slept for so long!" Cedra opposed. Aila walked in.

"He wasn't sleeping per se, Cedra. It was like a... restless sleep. He is still very tired!" Aila said as she picked up Cedra and walked her out of the room. "Come now, you have to train with me!" She said.

'My older sister is rather good at dealing with Cedra, isn't she?' Alphonse asked Prism.

{Agreed. Though I think it is because she has several younger siblings.} Prism responded as Alphonse agreed. {Now that I think about it... In your past life you were the youngest, weren't you?} Prism asked as she scanned Alphonse's mind.

'Why ask if you are just gonna scan my memories?' Alphonse asked.

{It is rhetorical.} Prism responded.

'Whatever... Hey! Are you able to give me a mind space that I can train in while my body rests?' Alphonse asked as he looked at his memories with Prism.

{Affirmative: however, the speed of which you train your skills is decreased by 75%.} Prism responded.

'That's fine! Just being able to train while asleep is an amazing feat!' Alphonse responded resplendently. 'Prism, please activate it!' Alphonse said quickly as he gathered his mind to prepare himself.

{Initiating: Complete: Your body will now be unable to move, that is until you leave this space.} Alphonse's vision began to fade as he went into a deep slumber. When his vision came to, he was floating in an empty space.

'Prism, am I in?' He asked.

{Affirmative: You are in your mind space, while you are in here, it is as if you are dreaming.} She responded. {I can also control portions of it if you allow me.} She stated.

'You remember the stances better than I do, so will you make a body for yourself and spar with me?' He asked Prism. A screen popped up in front of Alphonse asking him to confirm access to Prism.

{Affirmative: You must press accept.} She stated as Alphonse clicked the button.

'Way ahead of you.' Alphonse said as he got ready to see the body that Prism chooses.

"Your excitement is quite strange." Prism said as her body appeared in an instant. Prism has rainbow-colored hair, likely referencing the refraction of light caused by prisms, her body is thin, with a modest chest, pale skin, with a pretty face, and white robes, they are similar to the robes worn by Shaolin monks, her eyes are the same color as her hair.

"Your body feels... Logical..." Alphonse said with a monotone voice.

"Is something wrong with that?" Prism asked.

"Well, no... Wait! Your voice sounds like a normal persons voice!" Alphonse realized. "In fact, it sounds quite nice!" He said as Prism looked away.

"Anyway, shouldn't we get to sparring?" She asked Alphonse who was getting a bit distracted. "I chose a body with a similar height to Raeloph, to allow for an easier adjustment when sparring with him." She stated.

"Oh, right! haha." Alphonse laughed as he imagined the sparring area from the dojo. The space around him quickly changed as it formed into what he wanted. "Alright, let's start!" Alphonse said as he went into the Tiger stance.

"Yes, let's." Prism said as she did the same stance.

(One hour later)

Alphonse is on the ground, panting as Prism walked over. She crouched down and made a small stick appear. "Are you okay?" She asked as she poked him with the small stick repeatedly.

"I-I'm fine, just need... a bit of rest is all..." Alphonse said as he took a few deep breaths. "Hey, is there some sort of time dilation available, I mean time is relative, and perception is based on the mind." He asked after regaining his strength.

"Yes, actually there is." Prism responded.

"Are there any limits to it?" Alphonse asked, urging her to continue.

"Yes, you can only make one hour in here equal twenty minutes out there, it's like making a three to one dilation." Prism said as she got back into stance.

"Is it auto, or do I need to enable it?" He asked as he did the same.

"It is a manual control you must enable." She stated with a monotone voice as she lunged to attack. She used a basic punch, going after Alphonse's face.

"Enable it please!" Alphonse said as he parried the punch with his right hand.

"Enabling..." Prism said as Alphonse countered with a left hook. Prism caught it and kneed Alphonse's stomach. Alphonse collapsed as he held his stomach.

"This is a dream space! Why do I feel pain?!" Alphonse asked as he freaked out a little.

"Simple. Similar to a Lucid dream where you can feel different sensations, in this mind space you can feel pain at full power." She responded as if it wasn't good information to have. Alphonse didn't ask why, as he knew the answer would be 'you didn't ask.' So he got up as he ignored the pain, and got back into stance.

"Give me a moment!" Alphonse said as he got out of stance. He closed his eyes as he envisioned new surroundings. "I'm getting bored of the dojo, it has too little in the way of decoration." He said as the space around them shifted. A large explosion appeared out of nowhere as it went out in all directions, matter spilling out everywhere, after a few moments, the matter settled, and formed what looks like a galaxy, as well as a sparring platform, which overlooks it.

"I can see why you would choose this kind of space, but did you have to make it so flashy?" Prism both complimented and questioned Alphonse.

"Of course I did! It looked even cooler that way!" Alphonse said as he tried to dispel the doubt of awesomeness from Prism.

"Okay... Let's just spar already." She said as she got back into stance.

...

Alphonse began to regain his consciousness, as he looked around. his mother is healing him, as she has done before. Aila watching over him to check if he's awake. "Mother, do you want me to grab him some water?" Aila asked as she looked at Alphonse's face as he woke up.

'How long did we spend inside the mind space?' Alphonse asked Prism.

{Inside we spent approximately 48 hours, out here it would be 16 hours.} Prism said with her robotic voice.

"Yes Aila, please do that." Edrit responded as Alphonse sat up.

'I feel a lot better, though my muscles are a bit sore.' Alphonse thought.

{That is due to your mental exercise, it still has an effect on your body.} Prism stated. Alphonse looked at his mother. Edrit sighed as her magic gave out.

"I... Don't have any more mana..." She mumbled to herself.

"Thank you, mother." Alphonse said as he looked at her with a smile. "Please rest soon, as you have used a lot of energy." Alphonse said as Aila walked in with a pitcher of water and a cup. Aila poured water into the cup and as she was about to help Alphonse drink it, he grabbed the cup. "Thank you Aila." He said.

"Your welcome, but are you sure you can handle holding it yourself right now?" She asked.

"I'll be fine, I'm pretty much healed now!" He said as he took a sip of water.