"Oi, Kaito. We have to go to the human world soon, don't we?" Ryouga idly floats on the water, looking up at Kaito who's flying a few meters above him.
Neither of them feel like entering land, so they stay in their respective realms when talking.
(Yuuma thinks it's funny since Kaito tends to be drenched afterwards anyway.)
"Yeah." Kaito flies closer. "Let's get over with it fast."
Living for a purpose Ryouga hasn't chosen sounds wrong to him, but he's been chosen as one of the four priests of Astral World and and might as well do it. He's never seen human world, after all.
"We might actually have more freedom there, you know."
"You do realize they'll wipe our memories?"
"What?" Ryouga abruptly gets into an upright position. "Why are we still here then? We should object."
Kaito raises an eyebrow. "You yourself should know all too well that Eliphas isn't gonna tolerate that. He'll either kill us on the spot or throw us to human world anyway. Might as well enjoy—"
"Might as well enjoy it while it lasts, my ass!" Ryouga leaps out of the water and yanks Kaito down by the collar. Their heads make unpleasant contact when he drags him underwater.
Since Ryouga is around, Kaito can actually breathe there— the near powerlessness that comes with being far from the sky is still all too apparent though.
Ryouga smirks.
Kaito first scowls, but quickly has a retort. "Usually you're the one who asks me if I'm scared."
"I don't recall ever doing that?" Ryouga would do that, but the opportunity has never come so far.
Strange.
But Eliphas did tell them that all Astral beings are actually just humans who ranked up.
(Maybe losing their memories will not make that much of a difference then.)
Kaito blinks twice. "Anyway."
"Kaito."
"Yeah?"
"Let's try to find each other in the human world, okay?"
Kaito glances at him with a hint of confusion.
"—So doing our job is easier."
"Sure," Kaito says. "Provided you let me back up."
Ryouga lets go of Kaito's collar, and Kaito immediately emerges from the water, pulling Ryouga up with him, out into his realm.
"Oi, it's cold!"
"You fall for this every time."
"Asshole." Ryouga shivers and struggles when Kaito repositions him so he's carrying him bridal style. "So. Is that a promise?"
There is a legend that promises made in one life will come true in another.
For a bit, Kaito seems to think about it. Then, he takes a deep breath,
"Promise."
It's another evening of making money off performing at the pier, and Ryouga still can't piece together what's on his mind.
His life is good. Carefree, in fact.
But when he sees water— when he sees that fisherman who keeps coming to listen every day at the same time— he can't help but to feel like something is missing.
"Wrong note," the fisherman points out. He hasn't having caught anything for an hour or two now. "You're not focusing."
Ryouga sighs and stops playing, turns to look at the fisherman. "Are you really the one to talk?"
"I have enough to get around for two weeks. You should worry about yourself." He smirks under his hat.
"If you care, then help."
"Start playing."
The fisherman has a nice voice.
They're in the middle of the duet when a boy with bright pink and black hair sits down a few meters away from them, listening.
As they end, Ryouga speaks up quietly enough for the boy to not hear, "You know him?"
"Yeah," the fisherman nods. "He's Yuuma. A blacksmith's son, I think."
"And who are you?"
"You ask that after all this time?"
32 days. Ryouga counted. He wonders if the guy did, too.
"You didn't, either, so don't act all condescending." Ryouga scowls.
"It's Kaito."
"I'm Ryouga."
"I see." Kaito takes his fishing pole back up. "You should go on, I feel like he," he nods in Yuuma's direction. "wants to listen, too."
Yuuma grins. "You can go on talking, I don't mind." Then he rubs his neck. "Heh, I feel like I've met you two before."
"Maybe at the market," Ryouga provides.
"No, not like that." Yuuma laughs. "Anyway, mind if my friend Kyouji comes to watch next time?"
That soldier is quite a thing. Surely in the middle of a war, one would not go after a rivalry like this, usually; but Ryouga can't help but to feel fired up.
Commander Kaito, or something.
"You're doing pretty well for someone who's supposed to have no field experience." Ryouga barely dodges a sword aimed at his heart.
"Complimenting the enemy is not a good strategy." Kaito smirks under his helmet. "Or are you trying to switch sides?"
"Unfortunately, I'm not—" Their blades clash. "But you could surrender, you know?"
"Can't do that. I have a brother to protect."
"That's new," Ryouga says, and—
Wait, why is this new?
Kaito's sword pierces Ryouga's shoulder.
The night before the revolution is one they spend together.
It doesn't last long— neither of them can work up the mood— but it's comforting, and Ryouga appreciates that Kaito doesn't mind him staying; doesn't mind him keeping both of them awake with his nightmares.
"I don't think I'll survive it," Ryouga says quietly.
They are outnumbered. It'll be a miracle if they manage to go through with the king's assassination in the first place.
"Me neither."
"You know, you could always stay and watch the house."
"And let you have all the fun?"
Ryouga chuckles. "Well then, let's meet in the next life?"
A bad joke.
"Sure."
Nasch is surprised when Durbe arrives, but he's not alone.
"And you are?"
"Tenjou Kaito." Kaito's glance is dismissive, and it pisses Nasch off. "And you're the king?"
Kaito gets elbowed by Durbe. "I told you to be more polite around—"
"It's fine," Nasch turns to Merag. "Is the audience room free?"
"Yes, oniisama."
"That's the first time," Kaito mutters, glancing at Merag for a bit.
"What is?" Nasch feels like agreeing despite not knowing to what.
Kaito himself doesn't seem to know either. "Nothing, nothing."
As it turns out, spending his dying moments in Kaito's lap isn't as bad as Nasch expected.
"So you went to fight Vector anyway." Kaito's voice is quiet and strained.
"Couldn't be helped."
"You could've listened."
"Would you have? If you were me, and Haruto was the one who—" Nasch coughs up blood, and the rest of the sentence gets lost.
"Nah."
"What about Yuuma?"
"Didn't make it."
Nasch scowls. "Kyouji?"
"Might make it."
"Then go." Nasch puts his hand over his crest. "It's not like I'll survive."
"At least try for once, asshole." Kaito looks desperate, and Nasch doesn't like that look on his face.
After all, the war is over.
"Not like you ever do, either."
"I do." Kaito scowls.
Nasch smirks. "Sure."
Five hundred and fifty years have passed and Nasch still can't piece it together.
From Barian World, he can see them— humans lives, bound to end either in Astral World or Barian World.
Yet those three keep showing up. Tenjou Kaito, Tsukumo Yuuma, Yagumo Kyouji.
They aren't always called that— sometimes Kaito is Kite, sometimes the surname is different; but it's distinctly them and they always reincarnate close to each other.
Sometimes they're brothers, sometimes they're strangers; but they meet all the same, even if not at the same time.
Fascinating, in a way.
(Nasch wants to talk to them, but whatever causes them to reincarnate is likely Astral World's fault.)
He looks at his reflection in a crystal; his right blue eye.
Why is it like that?
The Number Hunter's voice is oddly familiar.
So is the desire to fight him.
As well as his condescending gaze and the way Ryouga can't stand it.
"You're quite the romantic."
He's heard that before.
They're in the airship when all of a sudden, Kaito speaks up,
"'If you're scared, you can stay and watch the house.'"
"Huh?" Ryouga raises an eyebrow.
Did Kaito finally come up with a retort, or what?
"Have you said that somewhen before?"
"Are you coming on to me?" Ryouga smirks.
"In your dreams."
Which, yeah, he does, but Ryouga sure isn't gonna admit to having those dreams around anyone.
Death is supposed to feel more dead than this.
But here they are, back in Astral World, memories complete.
"So."
"So."
They don't get to say more than that, because Eliphas approaches them. "You did well."
"Did I now?" Ryouga laughs. "I expected to get thrown out or something."
"You were targeted precisely because of what you are. That's not your fault."
Yuuma must've left quite the impression on Eliphas.
"So? Where's Kyouji?" Kaito raises an eyebrow.
"Already back on earth. Your reincarnation cycles drifted apart."
So much for helping humanity, huh.
Ryouga shoves his hands in his pockets. "Alright then. I'm going to the ocean."
Eliphas nods. "But don't get too comfortable."
"Eh?"
"Yuuma is fighting Astral for a chance to revive you two."
"That's just like him." Kaito floats just above the ground, seemingly not used to that power anymore. "We're not allowed to tell him?"
"Not a word."
"So, about that." Kaito flies just slightly above the water surface.
"I'm not mad." Ryouga turns around so he's swimming on his back.
"I didn't expect you to be."
"That doesn't mean I don't want a rematch though."
Kaito laughs. "In what? Karaoke, dancing, fencing, archery? Dueling?"
"All of them." In one fast familiar movement, Ryouga pulls Kaito into the water. "Let's start with swimming."
Kaito elbows him and starts swimming ahead in the shore's direction. "Bring it."
"Oi!"