"You think that you're the only one special?"

It's been a while since he last thought of Masaki Keigo, let alone saw him. He'd never thought he would recall all of those exchanges back then but here he was.

But well, it was not as if he could help it. Thinking about this now.

Now that he thought of it, he wondered if those statues that Masaki found... were ever real? Or was it truly man-made using the remains of the other destroyed giants from Tiga's pyramid.

Because after seeing the ancient ruins in Ruruya as well as the remains of the fallen warriors, he was no longer sure. Because now he had the thoughts, those statues could possibly be real. Considering even back then, during that great battle... some of the ancient giants had used armies of Golza to fight. And that giant had his own monster statue by his side.

But... if those were real, why were they hidden inside that cave? So far from either Ruruya or Tiga's Pyramid. Was the giant originally good... or evil?

Also, was that statue of a giant even have any connection to Masaki? Was Masaki's impure heart the only reason his giant form turned dark, or was there another reason? Could that giant also be a giant of darkness originally?

"You may be smart, and able to analyse about the nature of the power of light... but you cannot be Ultraman Tiga!"

Back then, did he uttered those words out of instinct? That there was no way that Masaki could become Tiga, because Tiga was him. That time, he said that Masaki couldn't become Tiga... not that he couldn't become an Ultraman.

Even without Tiga's ancient memories inside of him, he knew... that the ability to absorb another's powers and converting them as one's own—into light—was not a common ability. And probably even more for giants of darkness.

He thought of that day when they first found Tiga's pyramid—no... when they first found Yuzare's time capsule. Back then he was the only one that thought that the capsule was genuine. It was not only because of Golza's appearance. Back then, a part of him kept insisting that the giants must exist. Perhaps because of his Ultra DNA, or something else... he sensed that Yuzare was someone he could trust. Even if his first meeting with Yuzare in this life was through that hologram, he had that strong feeling that she was trustworthy.

When Golza and Melba were destroying the other statues and tried to do the same on Tiga, he felt the anxiety. That time, the very thought that the statue of Tiga could be destroyed... it alarmed him. Not just because he thought that the last giant could be their last hope to fighting the monsters that started appearing. There was something else. Back then he didn't ponder about it too much but now he wondered. Back when he tried to stop Golza from destroying his statue; was it purely out of worry that their last hope destroyed... the reason he attacked Golza recklessly? Or was it because he didn't want Golza to destroy what remained of his ancient past as a being of light? His old body?

Back then when he first saw the three statues, he was only drawn towards Tiga. Not only because he so happened to have the ultra DNA, or that he's part of GUTS. He did sense a connection towards the statue. That time he knew which of the three was Tiga.

"You just chanced into the pyramids..."

It was not by chance. Even if Melba's appearance weren't reported at that time, he would still have insisted for the team to search for the giants. Also, even if they didn't immediately go to find the pyramid... he had an inkling that Yuzare's AI would do something to still get him to the pyramid. He knew that the AI could have done that. And that time, he didn't just blindly stumbled into it. He was drawn towards the pyramid, his body being beaconed towards it... like a long lost memory.

Daigo sighed as he stared towards the sea before him. This particular spot at the base was always his favourite. It gave a nice view of the sea, and it was always calming to be able to stand here doing nothing.

He recalled the time when he saved General Sawai; the incident that allowed him another chance to join the training academy to become a member of GUTS. Back then, he really did... not have any ulterior motives. To take advantage of any rewards he could get by saving that person. That time, his body just moved to save the general from being kidnapped. Because that should be natural, right? He's not even sure if he was being courageous at that time. It just happened.

That time, was it just him... or was that also part of his ancient self's instincts reacting on the desire to save people?

It could be... or not. There wasn't really any way to tell, was it?

He couldn't remember any more on how he ended up joining TPC. Was it really just by chance that he thought of joining the transport crew? Or did he really want to join GUTS, despite not being able to make it to the training academy that first time he applied... for lack of other options in looking for jobs. Was it truly by chance that he ended up here... or was there some divine intervention that made it all happen?

Was it really by chance that he was Tiga? And not only because he had merged with the statue that belonged to Tiga? Were these ancient memories he had truly his... or only there because Tiga was now a part of him. But that didn't explain to him about Kamilla.

Kamilla had no problems recognising him after so long. And along with Yuzare message, it hit him even more now to realise that those two were very sure of his identity as Tiga. Added with the 'new' ancient memory that Kamilla forced him to remember, he had to wonder just how much of his current life was shaped to lead him into becoming Tiga. How much of his current life... was even his?

Daigo thought of the other giant statues that were with his at the pyramid. Are they, still around somewhere? Leaving their physical bodies to head to the further parts of the universe. Because suddenly he wanted to ask them. How did the old him die? Did that Tiga wished to be reborn a human so that he could be around to save humanity again the way he couldn't in the past? How did Yuzare know that history would repeat the second time? Did Tiga told Yuzare that?

Or. Did those two... stayed by his side to accompany him despite knowing that they themselve would perish alongside? Daigo's heart started to hurt at the thought. He didn't even remember ever their names now, yet those two. Protected him even until the end.

How frustrating. Because there's still parts of his memories missing. Even if a lot of the questions he used to ask were answered, even more, popped up inside his mind.

Ever since Kamilla made him recall his ancient memories about her, other memories—ancient ones—started coming back to him. Not just the memories of that battle between the giants. But also of the memories of the time he was protecting the ancient humans from harm. The memories became even clearer after he left Ruruya.

He remembered that he did care about Kamilla, he remembered his feelings for her. And it pained him to find out belatedly that she also wished to be a part of the light. Just like Rena.

It hurt him to realise that, only at the end when she died.

"... because I loved you."

"... my friend."

Now that even more of Tiga's ancient memories resurfacing inside of him, it made him rethink about his current life. As a human as well as light, how should he live his life now... after being aware of his past life's memories? After being aware that he was not just a human with an Ultra DNA, but also a being of light in his past life. Just... how should he live his life now, knowing all of that?

"You looked like you again had the weight of the world on your back."

Daigo jumped, before turning around to see Captain Iruma Megumi smiling at him.


Wrote this like... in 2015. And forgot to post this up besides on my Dreamwidth. Haha. Might as well finish this piece now that I remembered it exist.