Summary: "That is why…no matter what form you choose to take—male or female, young or old, we will always be weaved together by fate. You have been and forever will be my counterpart, my destined partner…my Queen."

Disclaimer: I do not own Monochrome Factor or any of its characters. Forewarning, there will be eventual female Akira involved in this story. Thanks and enjoy!

Monochrome Factor: Lingering Shadows

Akira stood, frozen while he stared at the tall, lean man just a few feet in front of him. A battle of mixed feelings and raw emotions warred within him.

About a year ago this same man had mysteriously traipsed into his life, dragged him into a war, forged a pact with him, fought beside him, and drew close to him. It was a bond Akira reluctantly grew comfortable with. However, despite what transpired, it just as quickly came to an abrupt halt. His friend had reached his limit in their world of light—his energy all but depleted.

Akira had awoken briefly as the Light King. He returned the dark element back to his comrade in hopes that it may spare him death. A peaceful moment between them was shared. But once Akira pulled away, he witnessed the man fade—a content smile resting across his face.

And now, here the shin king was; same youthful appearance, same signature clothing, same hairstyle, and same polite, soft smile gracing his lips. His counterpart.

Shirogane.

Akira couldn't decide whether to be overjoyed, relieved, or angered.

Shisui is in critical care at the hospital, danger is once again upon them, and the knowing glimmer in those chilling, blue eyes proved that the shadow knew why.

"Damn you!"

Without warning, Akira lunged, aiming a right hook towards the shin.

Shirogane smirked at the young rei, his cool, calm demeanor unshaken. His raised a white, gloved hand to deftly catch the flying fist.

"Such rash, reckless behavior. I see you haven't changed at all, my dear Akira-kun. Have you missed me?"

Akira growled, yanking his hand back from his counterpart's iron grip. He rubbed his wrist, glaring daggers at the taller man.

"Explain!"

"Hai?"

"It's been over a year since you've disappeared. I find it difficult to believe that only now, with trouble brewing up again, that you magically show up. So, either you're part of the cause, or…you know what's going on."

The older king sighed, returning his hands to rest over the elongated, silver skull on the top of his cane.

"How troublesome, and here I was hoping that our touching reunion would be one of burning passion. You really are a heart breaker."

"Don't toy with me and answer the question!"

A long pause passed between the two of them, each locked in an intense, hard stare. Akira found himself in no mood to beat around the bush. As far as he was concerned, any personal feelings he may harbor can come later. Now was the time for action. He willed as much strength he could muster into his steely gaze.

Shirogane regarded him silently with a slight tilt of his head. In many attributes, Akira was indeed very similar to an apprentice. He was innocent, brash, naive, and got into things without thinking. And yet, the teenager stands before him with every intention of beating him down in a game of wills.

The elder shook his head in amusement.

Akira-kun really is cute.

The icy blue irises of Shirogane's eyes peered back intensely, calculating, and picking apart every mental wall the boy held.

Would telling him everything be too much for him to handle? Is he truly prepared to take on more if presented the challenge? And, would he prove to be an asset or a liability once he gave him the knowledge?

Shirogane smiled softly at him—the polite façade slipping easily back into place.

"You're ever persistent, Akira-kun." He cooed. "But I must ask…are you ready to accept what I have to say?"

Akira faltered.

"What kind of question is that?! If I wasn't ready, why would I ask?"

For a brief moment, the look on the shin king darkened. Akira could feel its intensity, and he had to admit that it made him feel uneasy. However, just as fast as it came, the expression vanished.

"I have my reasons. For one, it is forbidden to speak of the past. The history of both shin and rei alike is not something that's shared. However, in order to explain everything clearly, it'll make things simpler to start at the beginning."

"Shirogane-san…umm…" Aya appeared hesitant from her spot next to Kengo. "Why is it considered forbidden?"

At this, their companion almost chuckles. He peers across the small group with a ghost of a smile gracing his lips.

"That is because…it was I who gave the order."

"What are you talking about?" Kou growled lowly, moving closer to stand protectively beside the younger rei in the room.

Shirogane bluntly ignored him and focused his gaze on Akira.

"As I said, we'll start at the beginning, back to zero…where this mess all started."

The shin king took on a faraway look, a black and white chess board forming in his mind's eye to help him better relay the information.

"Many centuries ago, when man first appeared on the earth, there existed two creatures. Both represented two halves of a complete whole. Darkness resided in one, harnessed fire, and was known as "Shin". While its counterpart basked in light, froze water, and was "Rei". Together they were paired as a monochrome team."

"One King. And…one Queen."

Kou's interest perked up at this. This was news. As he always understood it, there have only been kings that took up the royal line.

Shirogane remained complacent, his gaze distant as two chess pieces took shape in his mind to settle on the board.

"Who created them was never discovered, but their purpose was clear from the very moment they opened their eyes—uphold the balance between dark and light, and bring harmony between their two domains—as 'tuners'."

"Eras passed, and they did as duty dictated—solidifying the borders by maintaining peace on both opposite sides. It remained that way for thousands of years. That is, until things took an unexpected turn on the human world."

"A little time before the events of World War 1, the human population spiked considerably. Tears tore open sporadically across the borders and darkness spread like wildfire. People fell victim to kokuchi attacks one after another, causing mayhem."

"It quickly became apparent to the two Royals that within a few, short decades they would no longer be capable of fulfilling their purpose on their own. Therefore, given the dire circumstances, they conceived a child. Of course, children meant additional manpower and labor, so the concept made sense. A larger number amongst their ranks would certainly prove to make tasks easier. Unfortunately, not long after the queen gave birth, the child died."

Kou watched the man standing in front of them pause. Something about this story didn't sit right with him. He could sense something off by the way of Shirogane's sudden body language. The king was gripping the top of his cane a little too tightly.

"They were faced with a very tough decision. True, they were not human. Humans were nothing but living, breathing souls, and perished easily. However, it still would be a long time before their offspring would reawaken. As spiritual creatures, it was only a matter of time. But how long was the question. The speed of deterioration along the boundaries was accelerating. So…they returned to their home in the nexus."

"Nexus?" Kengo blinked at them, cocking his head to the side. "What's a nexus?"

"Are you that thick in the head?" Aya sighed. "Listen carefully, you. A nexus is like a—well, it's kinda like…"

"It's a dimension that links two corresponding worlds."

The gaze of everyone's eyes traveled to land on Akira. He kept his eyes closed from his spot on the couch with his arms crossed over his chest. Slowly, he opened his gray orbs to meet his counterpart's.

"Correct?"

Shirogane let a small smile slip past.

"Hai. And it's where the two of them resided. From there, they could coordinate, keep track, and pinpoint where to fine 'tune'."

The chess board from earlier reappeared in the king's head. Black and white stretched for miles across the board, while clean-cut stone columns raised sky high to touch out of eyesight. A mirror took shape in the reflection of the expansive floor.

"What's more, it also housed what could very well have been their undoing."

Shirogane's voice grew quiet—taking on a grim tone.

"They both knew it was necessary, but it was meant to only be a temporary fix. The only way to restore the crumbling balance was to involve the humans—and in order for that to take place, they needed to divide their 'factors'. Humans don't possess the same abilities as shin or rei. They aren't meant for it. But times had grown desperate. Therefore, with the strength they had left, they used what's known as the 'mirror of twilight' to split and spread the factors they held across the globe. This would enable others to join their rank and aid them in repairing the damage that took place."

Shirogane closed his blue eyes, envisioning the pair of them hand in hand, the mirror beneath them glowing bright, and the energy pulsing in a heavy rhythm around them. He gazed for a long time at those red, crimson orbs. They were always comforting, familiar.

"But, as I said before, it was only meant to be temporary. Once the mirror powered down and the deed was done, they awoke to look at each other—much like the first time."

"I to you, and you to me." The last sentence escaped the king's mouth in a hushed whisper. "However, something was…different."

Shirogane's lips drew into a straight line.

"…she traded in her womb for the body of a man. And when I searched those eyes again…not a single ounce of recognition stared back."

The jaw of Kou's mouth slowly dropped to the floor.

There was no way. This had to be some sort of sham the shadow came up with.

"Ryuuko always did value life. In fact, he cherished it more than anything. I couldn't fathom why he chose to do what he did. Although, in the end, I suppose it didn't matter. He didn't speak of it— or anything that happened between the two of us ever again."

Kou found himself having to sit down on the arm of the couch. He moved a hand through his dark hair as old memories floated back to the surface of Ryuuko—his lord and 'king'.

"I think I may ask Shisui to speak to Shirogane for me. He always looks angry, and when I ask him why he just gets angrier."

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.

The rei chanced to get a glimpse at Akira sitting next to him. If he was piecing any of this together, then surely he'd need mental therapy. Surprisingly, the boy held no reaction. Only a blank look and bored expression rested across his features.

It was just as well.

"In any case, there was still work to be done. Ryuuko went his way as I went mine. We recruited two other individuals to serve as kings, and gave them instructions to seek out others to serve as their 'children'. It was dangerous to get humans involved—they're unpredictable. But there was little choice."

Shirogane had to stop. He reached a white, gloved hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. The tip of his black top hat tilted forward to hide his eyes.

"I warned him…so many times NOT to be so damn NIAVE."

The grip on the skull of his cane returned, and the look he gave once he glanced up startled Akira greatly.

"…but you didn't listen."

Kou stood up instantly, picking up on the change in hostility. He didn't like where this was suddenly heading.

"What are you getting at?" Akira asked, but Shirogane this time ignored him.

"No, instead you chose not to heed my warnings, and continued to do what you wanted. You thought the best of everybody, let your guard down, and in the end…got yourself killed for it."

The teenager growled, abruptly standing up to push past Kou in order to match the accusing glare.

"The hell you talking about?! Why are you involving me in all this?"

Shirogane scoffed.

Oh, the irony of it all! That poor, naive soul. Did he really not have a clue?

The shin king took a moment to collect his composure. Sometimes it was difficult to remember that at this point in time, a teenage boy stood in front of him. He reopened his eyes with what he hoped was a softer look.

"Akira-kun, when are you finally going to realize that we are NOT human? We do not die as they do. Only the vessel disappears…"

Akira swallowed hard. His body started to tremble as realization flickered to life, settling uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach.

"…the soul remains for eternity."

He took a few nervous steps back.

Shirogane followed.

"That is why…"

Akira's back hit a wall. He stared, growing petrified of the serious look permanently etched onto his counterpart's face.

He's gone crazy!

Shirogane drew closer, icy blue orbs set intensely.

"…no matter what form you choose to take—male or female, young or old, we will always be weaved together by fate. You have been and forever will be my counterpart, my destined partner…"

Don't say it.

The shadow leaned forward to draw Akira's chin and gaze up gently with his gloved fingertips.

"…my Queen."

AN: I have to say that my eyes are swimming after starring at this bloody chapter for so long. It felt like it was missing something. But anywho, yes, Shirogane may seem a bit out of character. I'm striving for a little bit of both the anime and the manga put together. Not sure if I'll continue this story yet or not. I have a nasty little habit of starting things and not finishing them. A beta reader may be nice though…since no one I know of actually likes to read fiction about Monochrome Factor. Shame too—cause it's such a good anime.