Dreams are for Nights
Chapter 12 – Appointment
By ManaGoddess
Disclaimer: I do not own Kamen Rider OOO, because if I did Ankh and Eiji would have been an official couple on the show instead of just teasing us with great Yaoi moments. All characters from Kamen Rider are owned by the Toei Company. The name 'KoAnkh' is mine though.
Author's Note: Thank you for joining me today for the next leg of our quest to bring back true love. Eiji is going to need a lot of help so be sure to cheer him on!
A new breeze was blowing through the windy city of Futo, which usually meant that something was about to change. A crisis was on the horizon and this city would need a hard-boiled detective to protect it from this danger. Detective Shotaro Hidari was just the man this city needed.
Shotaro leaned back in his chair, watching the ceiling fan spin slowly as his mind wondered in boredom. Things had been rather dull since the Narumi Detective Agency had taken care of the latest gang trying to distribute Gaia Memories to this city's population. He was always glad that there was no more trouble in his city, but it also meant he had to take on lesser jobs to keep the lights on and food in their belly.
The side door opened, pulling Shotaro from his daydream. His partner, Philip, stood in the door way, wearing his long dark blue duster over his light blue and white striped shirt, staring at a book with so much intent that he barely missed the side table as he walked to the couch to sit. He turned a page, smiling like a little kid on Christmas.
"What are we studying today Philip," Shotaro asked, moving his feet off the desk and setting them on the floor. He removed his black Wind Scale fedora, placing it gently on his desk atop a pile of reports he was supposed to be looking over. Philip looked up, grinning like a cat.
"Did you know there is such thing as a 'tuxedo cat'? It is such a strange creature! It's like a normal cat, but due to the genetics of its parents the fur can make it look like it is wearing a tuxedo! There have been quite a few famous cats because of this rare pattern…" Philip said mumbling to himself as he flipped the pages in his book. To others, the book looked blank, but since Philip had access to the entire world's knowledge through the Infinite Archive from the Gaia Library, he can read any book about any subject. Often times Philip would get 'lost' in these books, trying to learn all he could about things. It appeared today would be about cats with interesting fur patterns. If it made him happy, then it was no bother to anyone.
"I did not know that, sounds pretty neat though. Did you do those lookups for Akiko? She will be pretty angry with us if you didn't," Shotaro said, standing to look out the window of his tiny office that was also his and Philip's home. "Speaking of Chief, where is she?" Philip paused in his reading to look up at his partner.
"Last I heard she was having lunch with Terui," Philip said, going back to his reading. Shotaro groaned as he poured himself a cup of old coffee.
"That means she will expect us to work twice as hard now that she is all lovey dovey with him." Shotaro sipped his coffee, cringing at the old taste. He wished he was good at making coffee, like that restaurant he had been to a few days ago where he had seen Eiji Hino. He didn't know what they did to their coffee, but it was REALLY good.
"I've done all my work Shotaro, you're the one who continues to put it off until she is yelling at you and hitting you." Philip smirked as he turned the page, his current interest slowly blending into another thing to look up.
"Eh! Why did you remind me Philip?" Shotaro set his half-drunk coffee on the counter, spilling a bit of it over the side as he raced back to his desk to do work that their Chief had left for him. Philip rolled his eyes as he turned the page, reading about how suits were made.
"Guys, I'm back," A girl said as she opened the door to their office. She was short and had brown hair in a pig tail off to the side, but was smiling like a cat that had just been given fresh crème.
"How was lunch with Terui, Akiko?" Philip asked, setting his book aside to help the girl carry a rather large box. She giggled behind her hand, blushing slightly as she looked from Philip to Shotaro, the room's light glinting off her wedding band.
"It was a lot of fun we ate and talked. Much more fun than sitting around having noodles with you two," Akiko said, sticking her tongue out at the two men in her office. Shotaro stood up suddenly, frowning at the girl in mock surprise.
"Hey! We have a lot of fun here, don't we Philip?" Shotaro asked walking around his desk pouting at the girl. Akiko put her hands on her hip, glaring at the wannabe hard-boiled detective.
"I suppose one could say we are entertained. Usually I'm doing some research while you are daydreaming when you are supposed to be working," Philip said, trying his best to hide a smirk. Shotaro's mouth dropped at his partner as Akiko looked rather smug having won this battle. "Of course when everyone is here, it is rather fun."
"Ha! If you and Terui had come HERE instead of wherever you two went, it would have been lots of fun," Shotaro nodded to himself, rather proud that he had managed to one up Akiko. Out of nowhere a green slipper appeared in Akiko's hand, smacking him in the back of the head.
"Now you listen to me mister, I'm the Chief around here and if I want a lunch out with my husband it will be much more fun than spending it with you two," Akiko said, shaking her slipper threateningly at Shotaro and Philip. "And another thing," She was cut off by the sound of a train whistle. Confused, the trio looked around the room, searching for where the sound had come from.
"Are you sure this is the place," A man asked from the other side of the door. The trio looked at the door, tilting their heads.
"Well the sign says that it is the Narumi Detective Agency, so it has to be the place," a young girl said, her voice faint and sounding a bit nervous. "We should just open the door and go in."
"Of course we should! I met these guys once, I think. I didn't get to do the handshake so I'm not very sure. However, I will befriend them," a younger man said, sounding very excited. Still, the door did not move.
"I don't think they realize we can hear them," Philip said, tilting his head to the side as he studied the door. "How strange…" His fingers tapped his bottom lip in thought. Finally giving up, Shotaro walked to the door and opened it.
"Can I help you all with something," Shotaro asked, trying his best to sound cool and hard-boiled, even if he was a bit annoyed at the group standing outside his door. It took a moment to register, but on the other side of the door, where the hallway should have been, was a train car on tracks surrounded by sand. Three people stood before the detective, a tall high school boy with black hair, a shy gothic looking girl clasping an iPad to her chest, and a man in a dark green suit.
"Um…Hello," the gothic girl said, blinking up at Shotaro. "May we come in?" Akiko appeared next to Shotaro, trying to see over his shoulder.
"EHH?! Why is there a train in the hallway? I didn't hear anything about this," Akiko said as she pushed Shotaro out of the way to stick her head out the door. Holding onto the door frame, she leaned into what should have been the hallway, trying to get a good look. Instead of the normal brown paneling leading to the outside, there was a vast desert stretching out as far as the eye could see. "This…this…." Slowly Akiko backed away, staring at the strange trio. Philip took a look outside as well.
"This is really fascinating. What is it?" Philip asked, standing on his toes to try to get a better look at the steam locomotive that the trio had apparently stepped off of.
"I would be more than happy to explain, but can we come in first, the portal doesn't like being kept open for very long," The man in the suit said, smiling nervously as he checked the time on his watch. Already the portal had been left open for too long. A shocked Shotaro nodded his head, stepping aside to allow the group in. "Thank you." Shotaro closed the door behind the trio, and then opened it again only to reveal that it was back to the old hallway.
"So, who are you all and how can the Narumi Detective Agency help you? There is no mystery I can't solve," Shotaro said, shaking off his surprise as he gestured for the trio to sit down in their living room. Akiko busied herself with making fresh coffee for everyone.
"My name is Yuto Sakurai, I am a local astronomer. This is Gentaro Kisaragi and Tomoko Nozama, high school students from Amanogawa High School," Sakurai said, introducing the boy and girl who were with him. Gentaro saluted Shotaro with a 'yo' while Tomoko nodded meekly to them, her cheeks flushed slightly as she looked from Shotaro to Philip. "We are here on some important business and don't have a whole lot of time."
"Don't I know you," Shotaro interrupted, staring at Gentaro. The boy had looked very familiar he swore he had seen him before. The boy was pretty hard to forget. Gentaro smiled as he stood up, pounded his chest twice and pointed at Shotaro and Philip.
"I'm the man who will befriend all the Riders," Gentaro shouted, causing Sakurai to shake his head and laugh at the young man's fighting spirit. "We met not too long ago when Foundation X had attacked our school, trying to capture my girlfriend." Shotaro's eyes widened as he remembered that encounter, but he didn't meet any high school students, only two Kamen Riders one of which was Kamen Rider OOO.
"Are you…Kamen Rider Fourze," Shotaro asked his eyebrows rising in surprise. Philip and Akiko jumped at the question, looking at Gentaro in shock.
"You're a Kamen Rider?! But, you are way too young!" Akiko shouted, pointing at Gentaro, who smiled proudly at the trio. Sakurai cleared his throat, trying to reign in everyone's attention.
"Yes, he is Kamen Rider Fourze. I guess this means you are Kamen Rider W?" Sakurai asked as everyone took their seats once more. Philip smiled as he flipped through pages on his book, glancing up at Gentaro and the mysterious young girl as she flipped through images on her iPad.
"Yeah, we're W. Who are you," Shotaro asked, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to look imposing at the other trio. Tomoko smirked as she looked at Philip who rolled his eyes at his partner.
"You two are very special, there is a really deep connection," Tomoko said, tilting her head to the side as her eyes sparkled in the light. "Very interesting indeed, are you BOTH W?" Philip raised an eyebrow at the girl.
"You are also mysterious, are you using a Gaia Memory?" Philip asked studying the shy young girl sitting in front of him.
"How do you see the things you do? I read online that you can access any book," Tomoko leaned towards Philip, mischief sparkling in her eyes. The two studied each other, trying to figure out the other's secrets.
"I am Kamen Rider Zeronos and we need your help." Sakruai interrupted, drawing everyone's attention once again, silencing the room. Shotaro leaned back crossing his foot over his knee. He thought about his hat still on his desk he probably should grab it to complete his detective look. Although, this was a serious matter and would require a serious hat. Akiko did her best to shake off the shock as she handed coffee out to their guests.
"What do you need us for, how can we help," Shotaro asked, his face serious. If Kamen Riders were searching him out, it meant something important was going on. Even Akiko brought over one of the dining room chairs to listen to the older Rider.
"First off, do you know Eiji Hino?" Sakurai asked, hoping he wouldn't have to explain everything. Shotaro and Philip exchanged glances.
"We know OOO. Does this have something to do with that Core fragment?" Shotaro asked frowning as he remembered the lunch at the Cous Coussier. Sakurai nodded his head.
"OOO needs our help! He needs all the friendship of the Kamen Riders to help him through this tough time," Gentaro said smiling at the other Kamen Riders.
"Yes, we are heading there to help him. Will you two join us, he needs our strength to survive this," Sakurai leaned forward, setting his coffee on the table, wincing slightly at the bitter taste. He removed the watch from his pocket, his fingers running over the inscription in the back. 'The Past Should Give Us Hope' the inscription read. Shotaro nodded standing up and grabbing the white hat off the post on the door, his thumb running over the tear in the hat. Taking a deep, shuttering breath, he placed the hat on his head and turned back to the room.
"We'll help him, let's go Philip," Shotaro said, his heart pounding in his chest. Philip nodded, rising as the rest of the group did.
"This is so sudden! We have so much work to do Shotaro," Akiko said, wringing her hands as she stood and began to pace the room. "I have to call Ryu and let him know what's going on so we can get ready and head out." Shotaro placed his hands on the Chief's shoulders, smiling at her with a serious look in his eyes.
"Chief, I need you and Terui to watch over Futo while we are gone. It's up to you guys to protect my precious city," Shotaro said, squeezing the girl's shoulders. Taking off his white hat he placed it on her head, smiling down at the glue that held the Agency together. Without her, this place would have crumbled long ago. "Be a person worthy of that hat Akiko." Tears swelled in the Chief's eyes as she wore her father's hat her heart pounding in her chest.
"Shotaro, we have to go," Sakurai said, smiling at the scene in front of him. There was so much pride in the girl's face.
"It's so AWESOME," a sniffling Gentaro said, doing a mini jump of excitement that he usually did when he transformed. Philip placed his hand on Shotaro's shoulder, chuckling and shaking his head. Shotaro grabbed the hat he had left on his desk, it was just as serious as the Boss's hat.
"Come, we must be going," Sakurai said, checking his pocket watch one last time. He waited a few moments and then opened the door to the agency as a green train came to a stop right outside.
"Welcome to ZeroLiner," Gentaro said, drying his tears one last time as he put his arms around Shotaro and Philip's shoulders, walking them towards the door. "Wait until you try some of Deneb's candy, it is delicious!"
The door closed behind the group, leaving a partially stunned Akiko watching the group go, holding her father's hat. For a moment, she could almost feel her father standing beside her, proud of the woman she had become. She would do everything in her power to protect the city her family loved so much.
-OOO-
"My name is Ramon and I'm the ferryman of the Underworld. If you want to cross that water, I'm going to need a special token. A kid has to eat you know?" Greed glinted in the boy's eye as he stared at OOO, his eyes shifting to the belt.
"What kind of token," Eiji asked curious as to what the boy would require. Suddenly Ramon was standing right in front of him, a mischievous smile on his youthful face.
"I want that red token in your belt," He said, pointing to the Taka Core Medal. OOO took a step back, his hand protectively over the belt. "I like the red one, it's very pretty." He giggled as he stepped towards the Rider once more. "What will it be?"
OOO looked at the belt, his heart pounding in his chest. He unclasped the belt, canceling the transformation and removed the three cores. The boy giggled as he picked up the Taka medal, holding it up to the dim light of the room. It took every bit of Eiji's will power to not reach for the medal.
"It's so pretty! I like it! Fine your fee is paid. You might want to stay transformed though, it can be pretty bad out there," Ramon said as he walked over to his little boat and pushed it into the water. Eiji felt defenseless as he realized he didn't have any other cores on him.
"I can't, you are holding a piece of my transformation." Eiji's voice was flat and deadpan as he stepped into the little boat, nervous as his weight caused it to rock a bit violently in the strange glowing green water. Ramon bit his lip as he stepped into the boat, pushing off of the shore.
They floated in silence, the only sound coming from Ramon as he ferried them across the river. Eiji looked around the enormous cavern, wondering how it all fit into the strange flying castle that was some part of a creature. It made no sense to Eiji, but then again he was in a strange Nightmare Realm.
"Why does the water glow?" Eiji looked over the side of the boat, but could only see his reflection in the odd, green water. He could see fish moving underneath, but it was difficult to make out what kind they were. Ramon laughed nervously as he pushed them along, Eiji was surprised at the young man's strength.
"They glow from the things living in it," Ramon's answer was short and to the point almost as if he didn't want to talk about. Looking behind him, Eiji saw that they had a ways to go on this journey, so he might as well continue talking.
"What kind of fish are they? I've seen a few fish that can glow in the real world, n-not that there is anything wrong with living in this…place." Eiji looked down at the bottom of the boat, hoping he didn't embarrass himself too much or insult his host. Ramon shook his head, his dark hair swaying with him.
"They aren't fish, they are lost souls." Ramon lifted his oar a bit out of the water. A ghostly hand clung to it, another hand reaching out to grab the side of the boat attempting to hoist something into the boat. Eiji gasped, reaching for his OOO driver, searching his pockets for the medals.
"W-what is going on?!" Eiji asked as he moved away from the sides of the boat. The boy glared at the arm, shaking his head in disgust. Holding the oar in one hand, he spun quickly and snapped his fingers. Bubbles appeared all over his body causing him to have a shimmery look. The bubbles popped, leaving behind a green aquatic form that looked like a Merman. Ramon's eyes adjusted, locking on to the arms that were trying to tip his boat to eat the fresh soul.
"Bashaa!" A bubble shot from Ramon's mouth, hitting the strange arm and causing it to release the boat, sinking back underneath the water. He shot another bubble at the hand holding onto the oar, and it quickly let go. Shaking his head, Ramon continued to ferry them down this strange river.
Eiji could do nothing but stare at the little boy...or what used to be a little boy. He had fins coming out the side of his face and his fingers were webbed. Green and purple scales covered his body as his red eyes scanned the river for anyone else who might like to try to get a free ride. "What are you," Eiji asked, his voice a whisper above the gentle waves lapping against the boat.
"I am the last of my kind, the Mermen. After our races were hunted to near extinction, Jiro, Riki, and I took residence in Castle Duran to help keep it calm and take care of it. We also help out Kamen Rider Kiva when he needs us." The boy pushed the boat down the river, the other side finally coming into view properly. "Since we moved to the Underworld, we were all given new jobs. Mio guides the souls here, Jiro protects the front door to make sure no one wonders in here by accident, I ferry them across the river, and Riki judges them based on how they acted in life." Eiji rubbed the chill away from his arms; this was too much to deal with.
"What if they don't have a token to pay you with, do you still ferry them across?" Eiji wondered, feeling his pocket for the two remaining core medals. Ramon shook his head, firing another bubble at a hand that had tried to pull the boat off course.
"No, if they can't pay then they wonder until they can. Most try their luck at swimming across but you can see how well that works." Ramon sighed as he shot another bubble at an arm trying to reach into the boat. "I feel bad for these spirits, they are lost and hurting but there is nothing we can do for them." Eiji nodded his head, his mind trying to wrap around how many souls were lost here.
The boat suddenly jerked to a stop, the bottom grating against the shore on the other side of the river. Blinking, Eiji looked around at the new area as Ramon hopped out of the boat to pull it further on shore. Eiji stepped out onto the mosaic walkway in front of him that lead to a strange Ancient Roman Temple. The pathway was lined by torches that reflected off of the strange stained glass walls.
"Well, this as far as I take you. Up head you'll find the King and Queen waiting for you. They are really nice. Make sure you say hi to them for me, and remind them that I'm hungry." Ramon pouted and rubbed his aching stomach.
"I will. Will you still be here when I come back out?" Eiji did his best to calm his pounding heart, but it was very hard to do since he was so close to Ankh. Somehow, Eiji knew that Ankh was nearby and that he NEEDED Eiji.
"Yeah, I'll be here, but it might cost you again." A wicked smile played on Ramon's face as he flipped the Taka medal, catching it in midair. He waved after Eiji, smiling and laughing. "Good luck Eiji!" Eiji smiled meekly and waved back as he headed up the path to the Ancient Roman Temple.
-OOO-
Eiji slowly approached the imposing round building, its pillars holding up the roof and possibly even the top of the cave, as the temple appeared to be built into the side of this enormous cave. Voices echoed off of the marble walls and floor, reaching all the way to the entrance where Eiji was. Since there was only one room in the building, he headed into the room.
Two figures sat upon thrones, a man on a gold throne and a woman on a silver one. The man, dressed in an 80's style brown plaid jacket with matching pants, was leaning on the arm of his throne, completely engrossed in conversation with the woman wearing an all-black dress. She smiled fondly at the man, her long brown hair covering part of her face.
"You know I would do anything for you darling, but I can't see why we should remodel. This has such a nice feel to it," the man said, gesturing grandly to the room with its sparse decorations. As he gestured, the man suddenly noticed Eiji standing there awkwardly, unsure of what to really say. "Oh, who do we have here?" He stood suddenly, walking down the stairs on his raised platform to stand near Eiji.
"M-My name is Eiji Hino," Eiji answered, bowing slightly to the man circling around him, studying him.
"You seem a bit too alive to be here, why is that?" the woman asked as she slowly descended the platform, an air of importance surrounding her. The man raced over to her, offering his hand for her to take as she stepped down. "Thank you Otoya." She smiled at him fondly, kissing his cheek. Otoya chuckled to himself as he kissed the back of the woman's hand.
"For you Maya, anything," he said, kissing her hand once more. Eiji blushed as he watched the couple, unsure of what to do with his self. He cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the other two.
"Excuse me, are you the King and Queen," Eiji asked, standing nervously in front of them, his heart pounding.
"Yes, I guess you could call us that. I am Otoya and this lovely creature is Maya, my darling wife," the man introduced, smiling at Eiji. "Why are you here Eiji? Only the dead are allowed in this world."
"I'm here to get someone back. Mio said that his soul was being kept down here," Eiji said hesitantly. Maya tilted her head slightly, inspecting Eiji.
"Are you looking for that man who was attacked by the Crow on the surface," Maya asked as she clasped her hands in front of her. Eiji's breath caught as he remembered fighting that horrible Crow monster, how close the fight had been. It was luck that Eiji wasn't killed right then and there. He nodded his head meekly afraid to trust his voice.
"Oh yes, I remember that man, or at least what was left of that man. He went through quite a bit. He did stop deteriorating finally," Otoya asked, looking at Maya as he wondered to another door in the circular room. "Riki, where did that man go?"
A tall and imposing man entered the room, wearing a black suit with white gloves. He bowed to the man and the woman, his face stoic and calm.
"The man is resting," he said very slowly, deliberately thinking of each word before he spoke. Otoya sighed dramatically as he shook his head.
"Well at least he is well. Could you fetch him for me please?" Otoya smiled at the tall man, watching him bow with his hand to his chest before leaving the room again.
"Is Ankh…alright," asked Eiji as his heart pounded about ready to burst from his chest. Maya approached and laid her hand on his shoulder.
"He is resting. Thankfully I was able to revert some of the damage but I'm unsure of how much can be salvaged," she smiled up at him as she tried to reassure him. A moment later the tall butler appeared once more, this time holding what appeared to be a pile of rags. Riki set the pile gently on the floor, the top of the pile moving enough to expose Ankh's face.
"ANKH!" Eiji shouted, dashing to his partner and pulling back the blanket he had been wrapped in. The scene below was awful. His left arm was gone from the elbow down as was his right leg. Part of his calf on his remaining leg appeared to have disintegrated at some point as well. Blood was caked onto what remained of his favorite jacket and shirt. "What…what did you people do to him?" Eiji's voice shook as he gently touched the Greeed's face. Tears rolled down his cheek from the sight below. A woman's hand touched his shoulder drawing him back from his grief.
"I did everything I could to slow down the deterioration. The Crow Yummy had gotten a hold of him and he has a sort of poison against spirits that causes them to fade. We didn't know he was this bad off when we sent Mio for him," Maya said, squeezing the grieving man's shoulder. "I am sorry." Eiji reached out and held Ankh's hand, squeezing it tight.
"Will he…will he ever be whole again," Eiji asked as he brushed the hair out of Ankh's face. Ankh's cheek twitched a bit as he tried to roll away from Eiji's touch. His eyes fluttered open, but they were completely vacant. The Greeed stared at Eiji but didn't seem to actually see him. Shaking his head slightly Ankh closed his eyes again and let his head fall to his chest.
"That's up to Ankh. He has been healing slowly down here, but how long it will take for him to be whole again is anyone's guess," Otoya said and he stood next to his Queen, holding her hand in his. Eiji stood, determination keeping his spine stiff as memories of his friends flooded into his mind. 'The past should give us hope, and the future will come to save us' he had learned at the Milk Dipper. If there was ever a time he needed hope, it was now. 'The dreams are important, they are your key for getting him back' the mysterious girl, Tomoko, had told him at the astronaut themed breakfast. Yes, he was in the dream world, and he knew these were real. 'The Orpheus myth is important, it might be how you get back' the other half of the detective had told him. If he was going to save Ankh, he needed to act now.
"What would happen if I took him to the surface, if I woke him up," Eiji asked, looking down at the Greeed who had somehow stolen his heart all those years ago. There was so much joy in seeing him, but so much pain. He would like to have shared at least one nice dream in this realm. No, it was all nightmares and hunts. He would change that and create plenty of happy memories on the surface with him. Otoya and Maya exchanged glances.
"I don't know honestly. If he has a body in the Awaken Realm, then I guess the dissolved appendages would slowly come back, it might feel like they are asleep at first. As for his mind," Otoya shrugged as he went back to his throne and sat down.
"We have never had anyone try since we've taken over as King and Queen all those years ago. I know I can walk between worlds since I'm not dead or alive. I think Ankh might be able to walk back, seeing as Greeed are neither alive nor dead," Maya smiled reassuringly at Eiji before taking her seat next to Otoya.
"Please, let me try, I can do it!" Eiji stepped towards the couple, his face full of determination. "I have to try…he means so much to me." Otoya smirked at the Rider, tilting his head to the side to look at his Queen.
"Why do you try so hard," Maya asked, genuinely confused by his human emotions. Being a Fangire, she didn't know much about how the humans interacted with each other, especially since her job used to be to hunt down any Fangire who fell in love with humans and kill them. Of course that all changed when she met Otoya.
"Oh yes, please tell us why you want a chance to run the Orpheus Gauntlet," Otoya said, smirking at his wife as he leaned back in his throne. He could see it clear as day but sometimes people needed to figure things out themselves. It was also a good learning experience for his wife who knew next to nothing about love.
"Well, he is my partner, I need him to help fight against any threats," Eiji started, a light flush creeping over his cheeks as he stole a glance at Ankh, who was waking up again and staring at Eiji.
"Idiot…I've been here…for years…you don't…need me…go…" Ankh said quietly, coughing up blood into the blanket that was wrapped around him. Eiji took a step towards him but Maya's outstretched hand stopped him.
"He is right. Your partner has been here for quite a while. That is not a good enough reason," Maya stared at Eiji sternly, trying to see the depths of his human soul. "What is the light inside you that caused you to break all sorts of rules to come to this world? Jiro should have killed you the moment you stepped foot in Castle Duran." Eiji flushed as he looked at his feet, unsure if he could trust himself.
"Don't lie to us this time, give us the real reason," Otoya sounded as if he was bored. He knew this boy had something to say and he wouldn't let him leave until he said it. If Eiji wanted Ankh to be able to get out of here, the Greeed would need to borrow quite a bit of strength and courage from this Rider.
"I came here…I came here to save Ankh…" Eiji started, lifting his gaze to meet Ankh's. For the moment, Ankh's eyes were crystal clear as he watched his partner. "We are partner…friends…" Otoya let out a loud yawn stretching in his throne and shifting while tsking his tongue.
"Not good enough. Keep going," Otoya said, receiving a playful slap from Maya. Eiji flushed a bit brighter as he scrubbed away the tears, turning completely towards Ankh.
"Everyone has missed you Ankh! The Cous Coussier just isn't the same without you." Eiji continued as he took a step towards the fallen Greeed. Ankh simply 'tch'd' and looked away.
"You don't need me…anymore…that detective…shared memories with me…so he can…do everything I used to," Ankh panted, his chest feeling heavy. It was strange; his head hadn't felt this clear in a long time. He did feel tired though, tired and so heavy.
"No, you two are different people. You may look alike but that is where the similarities end. You are Ankh and he is Shingo. You're…you're my Ankh…" Eiji's voice trailed off at the last part. Otoya smirked as he leaned forward in his throne, now they were getting somewhere.
"Huh? What…do you…mean 'you're Ankh', I belong…to no one…I'm…free…" Ankh sat up a bit straighter, his strength coming back to him slowly. He still couldn't explain the heaviness in his chest though.
"Yes, you are free; free to do whatever it is you desire. Just…Just know that I'll always…I'll always…" Eiji's voice caught in his throat. He could do it, he could say it. He walked over to Ankh and knelt down next to him, pulling the broken Greeed into a warm embrace. "I'll always love you Ankh, just the way you are. Whole or in fragments, I will love all of you, now and forever. If you'll let me, I promise to always protect you and keep you safe. No matter what happens, I'll always come after you, even if I have to go to the bottom of hell once more."
Ankh stared at the Rider, his heart in his throat, having no idea what to say. Had Eiji always felt like this? Right now, in this embrace, Ankh felt as if nothing could harm him. He felt whole for the first time in…ever. "You idiot…" Ankh said, smirking to himself.
"I believe that was a marriage proposal, wouldn't you say so darling? Well Ankh, will you accept this man's undying love for you? He has literally gone through hell to find you," Otoya leaned out of his chair to get a better look at the romance going on below. Eiji looked relieved to finally have gotten that off his chest, but now he was terrified at how Ankh would receive his declaration. He honestly didn't mean for it to sound like a proposal…
"I say…you're an idiot," Ankh said, glaring at Eiji. Eiji's heart stopped, threatening to shatter into a million pieces. Silence hung thick in the room as Maya slid her hand into Otoya's. A smile spread onto Ankh's lips as his facial features softened. He reached up with his talon and cupped Eiji's cheek with it. "But you are my idiot. Why would you give your life up for me? I'm not even a real human I'm just a pile of medals." Tears filled in Ankh's eyes. "We could never have a normal relationship. Heck I'm not even sure what that is."
"Don't worry, neither are we," Otoya called from his spot, breaking the tension of the moment briefly. He gestured for them to continue. Eiji flushed brightly as he stammered for words.
"I don't care that you are a Greeed, you are still Ankh and that is all that matters to me. I would gladly spend the rest of my life with you," Eiji placed one hand over the talon, his other on Ankh's chest, where his heart should be. Ankh looked into the Rider's eyes, his heart pounding in fear and excitement as the weight seemed to increase on his chest. "I love you Ankh."
"I love you too Eiji. Yes, I will stay by your side for the rest of eternity," Ankh said, his face turning a bright red that matched his talon. With nothing else to do, Ankh pulled Eiji down into a kiss, pouring his heart and soul into it. Eiji tightened his grip around the Greeed, making sure he stayed safe in his arms. Maya, Otoya, and Riki applauded the newly engaged couple. The men blushed furiously as they quickly jumped apart.
"Well then, I guess we can give you our blessing for a happy marriage! You may take a chance at the Orpheus Gauntlet. Be careful though, you cannot look back and you only get one chance. He is following you; trust your heart that he is safe. You can only look back when you have reached your sanctuary," Otoya said as he helped Eiji to his feet.
"What about Ankh, he can't walk though," Eiji worried, looking down at Ankh, love and pride shining in his face as he reached his hand out to Ankh, the Greeed taking it and pulling himself to his one good foot. Maya appeared behind the men, smiling softly at them.
"He can walk in his Greeed form. Go on, give it a try. Be warned though, it will hurt," Maya said, her voice soothing and calm. Ankh nodded and took a deep breath. He felt for the cores inside him, the tiny fragments that held him together. It was odd he had only half of his core. Frowning he searched for it and found it locked away safely at the Cous Coussier in this realm. It was strange indeed. Summoning strength and squeezing Eiji's hand, Ankh channeled energy from the Core, shifting his body to that of his Greeed Bird Form.
It hurt like a bitch. He felt as if the parts of him that no longer existed exploded through shards of glass to become whole again. A scream escaped him as his body shimmered. He couldn't hold it, he didn't have enough strength.
"Hang in there Ankh, you can do it," Eiji cheered him on, taking both of Ankh's hands in his, squeezing them reassuringly. Ankh clasped them in a death grip, his body refusing to hold his full form. Finally he had to settle on being half human half Greeed, his missing appendages replaced by the Greeed ones. At least he could walk now. He collapsed against Eiji winded and out of breath. Those comforting arms wrapped around Ankh's damaged body once more, pouring comfort and warmth into the Greeed. "You did it, I'm proud of you."
"Thanks. Now then, how do we get out of here," Ankh asked, looking around the room he hadn't really seen before. Eiji pointed towards the door that was almost hidden on the wall.
"I think we go that way, but how will I be able to pay Ramon? He took the Taka medal before," Eiji thought allowed.
"YOU GAVE HIM ONE OF MY CORE MEDALS?!" Ankh shouted, his body shimmering for a moment as he tried to go into full Greeed form again. Eiji laughed nervously as he held his arms up defensively.
"D-Don't worry…I'll find a way to get it back…I hope." Eiji said, backing away slowly. Maya giggled at the couple, leaning against Otoya. Reaching into a pouch at her waist she pulled out two tokens and handed them to Eiji.
"Give him these and tell him he owes you the Core Medal. Tell him if he doesn't then I won't bring him back some of those noodles he loves so much next time I go back to the Awaken Realm," Maya said, smiling a bit mischievously. Eiji opened his hand to see two black chess pieces, one of a king and the other of a queen piece. Ankh frowned at the pieces and looked at Maya questioningly.
"I met a girl who had that same chess piece on her hand. Are you two the bosses that sent for me," Ankh asked picking up the Queen piece to examine it in the firelight. Maya nodded her head.
"Mio was Queen of the Fangire before her death. She still has the powers of the Queen and is now my apprentice here in the Nightmare Realm. I don't have my Queen Powers anymore but I am still a Fangire. My sons were able to help me until a new Queen was found. I hear she is doing a good job," Maya said, rubbing the palm of her left hand where the mark used to be.
"Tell her thank you. She did a good thing in bringing me here." Ankh bowed his head towards the couple as he slowly began to hobble towards the entrance.
"You will see her soon enough, she is at your Sanctuary watching over your other half. She always did have good motherly instincts," Otoya said as he sat back down in his throne. "Oh and be careful, once you leave this room the Gauntlet officially starts."
"My other half…you mean KoAnkh?! He is still alive?! Come on Eiji, we have to hurry," Ankh shoved Eiji in front of him, giving him an extra push just for good measures.
Eiji took a deep breath and stepped through the door, a strange mystical veil covering him like a spider web as he did. He felt it instantly, the change in atmosphere and the distinct feeling of loss. He couldn't sense Ankh at all. He tried to turn around to make sure that Ankh had stepped through.
"KEEP WALKING!" Ankh warned in his head, no his heart. Eiji straightened up his eyes looking forward as he started walking towards the little boat that sat at the edge of the river. He could do this, he believed he could.
Author's Note: And so the trial begins. We've built up so much to this and Eiji almost messed it up in the first two steps! You can do it Eiji! Believe in yourself! We are all cheering for you! Make sure you read and review!
Just so you know, they never mentioned if Maya died in the series. Taiga is working hard to find a new substance for Fangire to feed off. Who knows what will happen!