Gates

A meeting at the Gate, between two people who have experience with dying.

Daniel Jackson was on his way to Ascension, again. It was his second time around, so he knew what to expect.

But he was not expecting this.

He found himself in front of a tall gothic-styled gate, made of stone with an eye carved onto its doors. All around was utter white nothingness. The most unexpected thing, however, was the blond haired boy shouting at the thing.

"Your mother was a plastic garden gate!" The boy said, kicking at the doors. He then proceeded to insult its ancestors with some very creative imagery and curses. After a while, Daniel cleared his throat to announce his prescence. The boy turned, stared at him. "Who the hell are you?"

Daniel was a bit taken aback by the rudeness of the statement, but answered nonetheless. "Um, hi. Daniel Jackson." He waved.

The boy stared at him. "Huh. Edward Elric. Call me Ed."

After a few minutes of staring and awkward silence, Daniel couldn't take it anymore. "So, where are we?"

"We're dead. I think." Ed said as he sat down on the doorstep of the gate.

"Well, I knew that. But this isn't really what I was expecting." Daniel looked up and around.

"Me neither. It's supposed to open and pull you through."

"You sound like you've done this before."

"Ah... twice, actually." Ed looked a bit sheepish.

"You've died twice? Wow, I've only managed once. Good for you."

"Thanks. How'd you die?"

"The first time it was long and painful due to extreme radiation poisoning." Ed nodded sympathetically. "And this time I was in an enemy spaceship in space when it disintegrated."

"Space, really? That's a lot more exciting than mine. I tried to resurrect my dead mother when I was eleven, and after that it was a bomb that destroyed the me of another reality while I was in his body, and this time I got stabbed by my immortal half-brother through the heart."

"That's interesting."

"Not nearly as much as it sounds." Ed assured him.

They sat in silence for a bit, but it was more comfortable this time.

"So, Ed. You've been here before. What is this thing?" Daniel motioned to the gate.

"That's the Gate of Truth. I suppose it thinks its a god or something. You go through it when you die. Or, you're supposed to at least. For some reason it's not letting us through just yet."

"Huh. Last time it was a Stargate." Upon seeing Ed's puzzled look, he elaborated. "A vertical ring with water-like stuff in it. Let's people travel to other planets with Stargates instantly. Built thousands of years ago by the Alterans."

"Sounds cool."

"Yeah. You know, I thought I was on my way to Ascension."

"Then I think you're at the wrong Gate. This one goes to Hell, or something like it. You took a wrong turn somewhere."

"Actually, Ascension is the process of shedding the physical body for the consciousness to ascend to a higher plane of existence." Daniel explained.

"Whatever you want to call it." Ed shrugged amiably.

Daniel sighed.

Just then, a bright light appeared before them. Barely visible inside was a woman's face.

"Daniel, you've strayed from the path." She told him, sparing a glance for Ed.

"Yeah, I got that." He said.

"Come on, I'll take you back."

"What about Ed?" Daniel asked, looking at his new friend. Ed was watching interestedly.

She looked sharply at the boy. "His kind are not welcome."

"Hey, old hag, I should--" Ed stopped short, blinking. "Ah, never mind, Daniel. My brother's resurrecting me anyway. See you." And with that Ed vanished.

Daniel blinked. "Alright then, I guess." He stepped into the Ascended's wavy strands of light, and was on his way again.

Unscheduled offworld activation. Said Walter over the com.

SG-1 was in the control room in minutes, looking at a closed iris. General Landry stood behind Walter, who had just found that there was a radio signal coming through. Sam helped him connect to it. A voice came in fuzzily.

-a Daniel Jackson there, please put him on.

"There's no IDC, sir." Walter offered the confused General.

"Jackson?" Landry asked.

"I don't know either, sir." Jackson shrugged.

Landry pressed a button and spoke into the mike. "Hello? Who is this?"

Hey, an answer! There was the sound of scuffling and talking in the background, and a voice saying very distinctely 'I can't believe I'm letting Fullmetal make first contact with another people.' This is Edward Elric, from the country Amestris. I'm looking for someone named Daniel Jackson. Do you know him?

Landry twisted his head to look at Daniel. It took him a few seconds, but the archaeologist finally remembered. "Oh, Ed! I'm met him while I was dead. The second time. Here, let me talk to him." Among the bewildered faces of his coworkers, Daniel leaned over the mike. "Hey, Ed. It took me a while to remember."

No problem. Do you know how many gate addresses I had to try to find you guys? Hundreds, I tell you! I was starting to think it was one of the ones I'd forgotten.

"You memorized hundreds of gate addresses?"

Well, I would have done them all but the Gate doesn't let you hang around for more than a few seconds when you're inside.

"Daniel." Mitchell said in a warning tone. "I think you have some explaining to do."

"Yeah, sure, but it'll probably be easier in person. Can they come through?" He asked General Landry.

The General was at a loss, not really sure what to do. "If you can vouch for him."

Daniel smiled. "Do you want to come over here in person, Ed?" He asked into the mike.

Yeah, sure. In the background, the same voice from before said 'Shouldn't you ask permission first?' and Ed's voice said 'Like you'd say no.'

Landry smiled. "Open the iris."

"You can come on through now." Daniel said.

And whatever they were expecting, it was not what they got.

I could really continue this, but I don't want to ruin it. I know it doesn't end well, but, meh. I didn't even mean to take it this far. The original ending was going to be Daniel recalling that he'd met Edward while dead. Then it was Mitchell speaking. But now this all sounds like a prologue. Damn. Feel free to plagiarize, adopt, or copy, as always.