With Hina out of commission, Ankh was forced to reevaluate his situation. He was currently completely defenseless; he could probably cling to Gotou, but the new Birth user was still inexperienced in actual combat, and personally unmotivated to protect a Greeed. He might do it to prevent the hostile impostor from reviving, but he was equally likely to lock Ankh's cores in a safe deposit box until the current Yummy was defeated, if not permanently.
Ankh needed to find a new-if only temporary-OOO user. Of the remaining combatants, Satonaka was notorious for refusing to work when she wasn't on the clock and required a monetary motive, something Ankh would be unable to supply. Date was also no good-the man had a tendency to not utilize his suit's special features. It was a trait that was bad enough for Birth, but worse for OOO, who needed strategy to get the upper hand.
Of the noncombatants, Eiji was an awful choice on several levels-a Greeed probably shouldn't use OOO, and while Ankh had no guarantee that Eiji had crossed that line, it was better to play it safe. How his medals would interact with the driver was risky, too-they had already proven to have a mind of their own, and if they decided to channel their capability for destruction through OOO-Ankh couldn't see that ending well. He contemplated Chiyoko for about five seconds, but explaining the situation to her would be too much of a hassle, and whether she would actually help was an unknown, which left him with only one option.
Ankh pulled up a chair to Hina's bedside, closed his eyes, and abandoned his host's body. The Greeed wasted no time transferring to Hina-his best bet for OOO was Shingo, but remaining as only an arm was strategically disastrous. It took only a few minutes to integrate himself with her mind, broken and subdued as it was by the Yummy; just as he suspected, he was able to use her as a host. Ankh sat up and examined his arm as he flexed it, making sure everything was acting the way it should. He felt his new hair rearrange itself as his influence spread, moving to drape over his right shoulder in a cascade of curls. Ankh gave it a glance-it had also changed to the same golden yellow that Shingo's hair did.
"Hina?" The Greeed eyed his former host as Shingo took in his sister's new appearance for a few seconds; when he spoke again, his tone indicated that he was aware of the situation. "Ankh." Before he could continue, the sound of footsteps indicated Eiji's return.
"Gotou said he-" The newcomer paused mid-sentence as he rounded the door and took in the situation. "Ankh!" his voice rose accusingly. The bird-creature in question rolled his new eyes and hopped off the bed as Eiji wound himself up into lecture-mode. "You can't just steal people's bodies without their permission!"
Shingo winced as the Greeed raised Hina's eyebrows-he knew exactly what response Eiji was about to get. He took the opportunity to step in, literally inserting himself between Eiji and Ankh's escalating glaring match.
"It's okay, it's only for a little bit," he placated the other human.
Eiji hesitated-he had been so fixed on Ankh taking Hina's body that he hadn't noticed Shingo until he spoke. The latter took advantage of this to change topic with a warm smile.
"I'm Shingo Izumi-we met before, but thank you for looking after my sister in my absence."
"Ah… No, it was nothing." As Eiji trailed off awkwardly, a rustle of clothing from behind the detective drew the two guys' attention. Eiji's cheeks flushed pink when he saw what was causing the noise-Shingo turned, and immediately understood.
He chuckled softly, "I'll help Ankh get dressed." Eiji nodded and left the room, trying to avoid looking at the Greeed, who was shamelessly examining Hina's bra in an attempt to determine what to do with it.
Shingo knew Ankh better than anyone else. Ankh's possession of him had granted the human knowledge of Greeed, of the O medals, of OOO itself. He knew the potential of his new driver in a way that had been kept hidden from his sister, although most of it was trivial, like why Tatoba was a combo. Still, he could strategize with the medals as readily as a Greeed. His knowledge made him a threat to Ankh's control over Eiji's information; if the two humans were alone together for any amount of time, Shingo would spill everything about the purple medals. Even worse, at least to Ankh, Shingo would reveal-in painstaking detail-just how pitiful a race the Greeed were. The last thing Ankh wanted was the pity of a human, especially a do-gooder like Eiji.
As soon as Ankh was satisfactorily clothed, he drug Shingo past a confused Eiji and back to their apartment.
"Was that really necessary, Ankh?"
The Greeed made a dismissive noise and headed for the fridge.
Shingo frowned, "I'd rather you drop that habit for a while-it somehow sounds crasser coming out of Hina's mouth than mine."
Ankh pulled his head out of the fridge, and with a piece of celery held between Hina's lips, looked Shingo in the eye and made an even more dismissive grunt. Shingo sighed as Ankh moved to perch on one of the dining room chairs, hands filled with the spoils of his raid.
Shingo imitated Ankh's usual noise as he strode over to the Greeed, "don't sit with one leg up when you're in a skirt." He took hold of his sister's leg and maneuvered her foot off the chair and onto the floor. Ankh shot him an indignant look, clearly considering putting Hina's other leg on the chair out of spite. Shingo matched him with raised brows and a patronizing stare, "don't." With Hina's face, Ankh's expressions looked like a small child's-one still thinking of disobeying. He stared at the Greeed for a few more seconds; satisfied that Ankh wouldn't change sitting position, he took a seat next to the Greeed.
"We need to decide on your new cover story."
"Just use the same one." Shingo responded to Ankh's attitude by plucking a carrot stick from his hands.
"That story was bad enough the first time," he looked Ankh in the eye as he took a bite from his prize. The Greeed scowled and sank his teeth into several of his vegetables at once. Shingo smirked, "we need something decent... And a new name. I'm thinking Anko."
Ankh nearly choked on his snack, "why don't you just slap cat ears on me and call me Kazari while you're at it." Shingo shrugged.
"I can do that too." Ankh threw a cherry tomato at his face, Shingo caught it in his mouth with a chuckle. Frustrated, the Greeed stormed off to his room; the human grimaced as the door slammed-Ankh had taken Shingo's room out of habit. It seemed he'd be sleeping in his sister's bed for a few days.
Shingo showed up at Cous Coussier the next day, ready for duty. He'd be taking over Hina's shifts while she was "sick"; his younger, visiting cousin "Anko" would be hanging out in one of the store's booths while he worked. That was what he told Chiyoko, at least-Eiji gave the story a quiet nod as Shingo spoke, marking it as passable.
Ankh didn't resist the urge to grimace when someone called him Anko, unfortunately; Eiji and Shingo used his real name when Chiyoko was out of earshot, though the latter almost seemed to enjoy using it when his boss was nearby. Eiji had just brought out another ice-pop to placate the Greeed about "her" name when he felt something tug his attention towards an otherwise normal spot. Ankh shifted in his seat; Eiji glanced over to find him eyeing the same direction.
"Is it that Greeed again?" He asked softly. Ankh replied with a grunt Eiji couldn't quite interpret.
"Yummy." He got up and headed for Shingo, tapping him on the shoulder rather than wait for him to finish taking a table's orders. Eiji came over and took Shingo's notepad from him.
"Take your time with your family emergency, I've got you covered." He smiled at the OOO user and turned his attention to the table, trying his best to ignore the distracting pull of the Yummy.
Shingo was passable as a combatant; he didn't have the experience or instincts of his sister, but he had a better technique, wrought from his police training and knowledge taken from Ankh. The Yummy got the better of him, though, hurling him several meters; Shingo didn't rally in time, and once he managed to pick himself out of the dirt, the Yummy had left. Ankh snorted derisively as Shingo ended his transformation.
"You're pretty laid-back for someone in your situation."
"Ah, you wouldn't get it, Ankh." The human smiled and began walking back to the cafe. After a glance at the Greeed's confused expression, he continued, "I'm a member of the police; I volunteered to fight in dangerous situations to protect people. Hina didn't. So, just this once, she's not in danger."
"And if my impostor shows up?"
"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it."
Ankh snorted dismissively.
"You know, after everything is over, it wouldn't be bad if you stuck around."
"Huh?"
"Nothing," a smile tugged at the corners of Shingo's lips, "just a passing thought."
Ankh had been religiously guarding the cafe kitchen to prevent the two humans from being in an isolated spot for an extended period of time. After Shingo satisfactorily convinced Ankh that he wouldn't mention purple medals or Greeedification to Eiji, he was finally allowed in the same room unsupervised. Currently, the two humans were washing the cafe's dishes.
"Eiji, have you been feeling alright lately?"
"Eh?"
"You've looked a bit under the weather these last couple weeks is all."
"Wait, 'weeks'?" Eiji paused in the middle of scrubbing a plate.
Shingo gave him a warm smile, "I've been getting a general idea of what's going on through Ankh."
"Ah." He finished the dish and passed it to Shingo, "I'm completely fine, though."
After a few more dishes had been cleaned in silence, Shingo spoke again, "you can tell me the truth, you know." He spared a glance at Eiji, "I can keep it secret from the others." Eiji continued to clean as if Shingo hadn't spoken; he reached into the soapy water for a mug and suddenly cringed. Once the attack passed, he seemed to reconsider Shingo's offer.
"The last time I traveled, a war broke out in the region... Some of the mental effects have resurfaced lately."
"And you think," Shingo started cautiously, "that's what's been causing you pain?" Eiji nodded, but seemed distracted by another part of the room.
"My doctor said I'm in prime physical condition." He let out a weak chuckle, "I really am fine."
Shingo looked at the other human, his forced smile and pale complexion, and re-evaluated his promise to Ankh.
"Listen, Eiji, there's something I need to tell you." Eiji studied him intently, "I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I didn't want you to find out like this, but the way things are..." Shingo set down the plate he had been drying and held Eiji's gaze.
"Promise me you'll fight it."
"What do you mean?"
"Promise me you'll fight your attacks when you have them, that you won't do anything reckless, and you'll leave the Greeed and Yummies to Hina and the others, no matter what I tell you." Eiji frowned.
"If someone's in danger right in front of me-"
"Then promise me you'll wait until the very last second-when it's life and death, and not bruises and cuts." Eiji bit his lip, mulling it over.
"Alright." Shingo measured his response-it wasn't as reassuring as Shingo would have liked, but this was the only time he had to tell Eiji the truth.
"The sixth set of medals-the purple ones." Eiji nodded for him to go on, "five of them are in your body. Your attacks-however they're manifesting-are because of them." Shingo took a deep breath and released it, "they're turning you into a Greeed."
Eiji closed his eyes and let the information sink in.
"That's why you have to fight it, and why the others kept it a secret from you-if you called on the medals too much, it would accelerate the transformation."
Eiji examined the soap bubbles on the surface of the water in the sink, savoring its warmth on his fingers. He felt his attention being tugged away by a Yummy, but ignored it, focusing on Shingo.
"How much longer do I have?"
"Days, if you speed it up. A week if you don't. Maybe a month if you fight it."
"Mmn." Eiji's nod was resolute; he had made up his mind to fight, but whether it was against the medals or with the medals, Shingo couldn't tell.
"You've probably already noticed a difference in-" He was cut off by the kitchen door slamming open; the two boys turned to see Ankh in the doorway.
"Shingo, Yummy." The Greeed immediately turned on his heel and left, Shingo chasing after. As he reached the door, the human turned back toward Eiji. After searching for what to say, he managed one word.
"Sorry."
The edge in his voice told Eiji that he wouldn't be seeing Shingo for a while.