Ritsuka was fighting against Edward for all that he was worth, but it was doing him absolutely no good. In addition to his unyielding metal limbs, Ed seemed to have developed a new inner strength since his contact with the Red King, and he was holding Ritsuka back almost effortlessly, like a father holding a flailing child.
Desperation was starting to overtake Ritsuka; he had to get to Soubi now. He had never heard his Fighter scream like that; he couldn't imagine what was being done to him, but he could sense horrible, agonizing pain. Soubi! Soubi, I'm coming for you, I'm coming…!
Suddenly, Ritsuka's insides froze. It was as if time literally stood still. Soubi had stopped breathing. Ritsuka's entire world began to bleed together like tinted paints smeared across a torn canvas. He saw himself standing in front of his brother's grave, lighting incense at Seimei's funeral, the will to live being slowly sapped out of him till he was nothing but a dry cicada shell, hollow and empty. Seimei's burning, reeking corpse stared at him with vacant eyes, mocking him, pulling him further into the ever-ravenous darkness. His father's funeral surfaced for the first time from his well of missing memories; Ritsuka was standing stock-still like a zombie, watching his mother swallow colored pills like candy. None of it seemed real. Then he was standing in front of a cream-colored coffin draped in purple silk. Laying inside was his beautiful Fighter, his face stark-white, his soft blonde hair framing his face like an Angel, his sparkling sapphire eyes closed forever…
No. No! I refuse. I won't be swept along by yet another tragedy. I refuse to be a victim of fate…!
"NO!" Ritsuka echoed Soubi's cry as he snapped his eyes open and looked straight into Edward's startled face.
"Edward. I'm going." Behind Ritsuka's voice was Her voice, and Ed could only nod and open his arms.
"Let me come with you." He stood, offering Ritsuka his hand. Ritsuka took it and they both stepped through the door.
There were ashes flying all around them, making it hard to see. Ritsuka saw Ed out of the corner of his eye dashing to catch Roy as he collapsed, but he didn't have time to worry about them.
Soubi lay on the floor covered in grey ash, his face nearly as white as in Ritsuka's vision, his neck burned black. It was all Ritsuka could do to not start screaming and never stop. He rushed over, gathered his Fighter in his arms and clung to him, weeping bitterly. Tears fell in torrents, like never-ceasing rainstorms. He cried and cried and cried, for everything that had happened to him in his short, sad life, for all the inequity in the world. Out of his mouth came a great wail, a primal howl from the very deepest part of him. It was if his entire soul was crying out for release, for an end to suffering, praying that someone might hear, that someone might know the anguish of one desperate little boy, and the wretchedness of all helpless children everywhere.
Someone did hear. His lament went not unheard; his tears were not in vain. The Keeper of All Tears, the One Who Weeps for the Sorrows of the World, she also wept for Aoyagi Ritsuka. The White Queen's tears fell upon him like cool raindrops, and he paused, his little body still shuddering with sobs. She reached her arms wide to embrace both Fighter and Sacrifice, and as she gathered them close to her bosom, Ritsuka heard her speak gently in his ear.
Bring him down to the Sea. You must breathe for him. He needs your voice.
Ritsuka found himself walking on the beach, carrying Soubi in his arms, his long blonde hair blowing gently in the breeze. He wasn't sure how he was able to carry his Fighter like this, but he kept going, down to the water, into the embracing arms of the Sea, as the Lady had instructed. The Sea, to which all things, in the end, return.
As he stepped into the cool waters, Ritsuka's strength and will began to return. He breathed in the salty sea air, taking great gulps of it into his lungs. Moving deeper into the waves, he saw that Soubi was also benefiting from the healing waters; the wounds on his neck were closing, and, to Ritsuka's great amazement, the Beloved scar had disappeared. How…?
Ritsuka had no time to wonder about this, however, because Soubi began to twitch and flail in his arms. He was coughing, choking. Ritsuka started to panic, but then he remembered the White Queen's words: You must breathe for him. He needs your voice.
Ritsuka cupped Soubi's head in his hands, then lowered his lips gently on top of his Fighter's, sending him the silent command: Breathe. Once again inhaling the briny air deeply, Ritsuka breathed directly into Soubi's mouth, sending the calming, healing energy of the White Queen along with life-giving air. He did this several times until Soubi gasped, throwing his head back, his eyes fluttering open, then closing again. Something was still wrong. His breathing was shallow at best.
He needs your voice.
"Soubi! Soubi, can you hear me? Come back to me! I need you! Please, please come back! Where have you gone?"
The waves suddenly started to grow larger, sweeping Ritsuka and Soubi along. The scene changed. Ritsuka found himself walking along the beach once again, but this time his Fighter was nowhere to be seen. In his place was a little boy of perhaps 7 or 8 years old, his kitten ears still poking out of his blonde hair. He was sitting by the side of the water, crying.
Ritsuka approached him slowly and sat down next to him. The boy just kept on crying, paying him no mind. "Are you all right?"
The blonde boy looked up, dusky-blue orbs drawing him in, and Ritsuka knew: this was his Fighter, only for some reason he was seeing him as a young boy. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"
Little Soubi only shook his head and continued to cry. Ritsuka tried again. "What is it you need?"
Small hands moved to his throat and he coughed, once. He needs your voice.
"Y-you don't have a voice?"
Little Soubi nodded miserably, tears falling freely from his huge shining eyes. He put his head in his hands, sobbing silently, and when he bent down, Ritsuka noticed that his back was lacerated with ugly wounds, as if he'd been beaten with a whip.
Ritsuka touched his shoulder ever so lightly, and Little Soubi recoiled. "Who… who did this to you?" But Ritsuka knew. Ritsu. That bastard…!
"Soubi…" The boy looked up, startled to hear his name. "That man… that bad man who did this to you, he's gone. He's gone and… he can't hurt you anymore."
Little Soubi blinked up at Ritsuka, then proceeded to cry even harder. What did I do wrong? Then Ritsuka realized: he'd just informed Soubi that he was Master-less. He may as well have kicked him.
"No – no, it's okay. I-I'll be your Master now."
Sniffing, Little Soubi looked up again. "Yes, I'll be your Master; I'll take care of you, and… and I'll lend you my voice."
Ritsuka stood up, and taking Little Soubi's hand in his, he cried out over the Sea. His voice rang out over the waves, a powerful lament. Little Soubi watched him in wonder.
"Now you try," Ritsuka said, putting one arm around Soubi and one hand on his heart. "Go ahead. I'm right here with you."
Little Soubi stood there trembling. He coughed, coughed again, then retched and started to falter, but Ritsuka caught him and held him up. Deciding to try a different tack, Ritsuka moved his hand lower, to Soubi's abdomen, and began to roar, stomping his feet as he did so. He encouraged Soubi to imitate his actions.
Scrunching up his face, Little Soubi made his hands into fists, splashed his feet up and down in the water, coughed and coughed and coughed, and then finally let out a raw, guttural sound, like a wounded animal, horrible, yet at the same time purgative and purifying. Ritsuka joined him and the two of them roared at the top of their lungs, splashing in the waves, vibrant, alive, and no longer voiceless.
Ritsuka put his arms around Little Soubi and kissed the top of his head, nuzzling his kitty ears, and then there were no ears. His big grown-up Fighter was lying in his arms, alive and breathing and crying and smiling and suddenly everything, everything was all right with the world.