To The Ashes

Phoenix Rebirth
A figure who was resting on a bench had brunette hair that was splayed out in all directions at the ends, reaching down to their waist. Several large clumps of hair stuck out, some curling away horizontally. Their bangs framed their face, though they had two 'layers', with the behind layers falling to rest upon their chest. There were a few locks of hair kept in the middle of their forehead; there was a slim curled forelock of hair at the top of their head. Small hips, white long legs and thighs, and a nice curved rear. There were several impossibly attractive women in Earth, Soul Society, and Hell, though this person's body was far more beautiful than all of those, from past, present, and future, even though he was a guy. It could be classified as art; a body with perfect shape. It looked like a nude body painting or statute on display at the museum. The sun was shining; birds were singing—and yet, he felt utterly, completely miserable. Diavolo Una and Blue Cosmos had been stopped; he had brought closure to the world, and yet...he felt so alone.

"No need for you to go just yet! It's been a long time...Gai." A voice called out. An unfamiliar, yet nostalgic figure approached him with an air of smugness and slipperiness. They had a slender body structure which was similar to his own; possessing wide hips, long legs, and a curved derrière. Come to think of it, they appeared similar to the point that they could be identical twins or related. However, this figure had lavender hair which was cut into a single, thin braid which had a dolphin-tail like ending at the tip, reaching down to their ankles, and the rest of their hair curved out horizontally on their face, with only a single strand in the middle of their forehead covering their eyes, which were outright demonic; being slitted- golden with crimson sclera.

In addition to their figure, they dressed flamboyantly as well; wearing a mostly purple ensemble which was split down to their lower area in the top, such a fabulous air was accentuated by pink feathers which were woven around the collar and the cuffs of the sleeves. Their black jeans also possessed such feathers, though they were serrated by numerous golden chains and pink patches.

"...Masato!?"

"Let it go... My son. I'm not here to fight." Masato smiled at him.

Gai was surprised at all of this. "...Huh!?"

"It's over. Time for you to put aside that armour... And live. It all began with a bunch of fools. Now... They've all passed away. Their era of folly is over. I'm the only one left, and soon... I'll be gone, too."

"...How can you still be alive!?" Gai snapped.

Masato laughed. "Well, I came back the same way Nika did. Either way, you do know the whole spectacle, right?"

Gai was still confused. "...Huh?"

"Diavolo was possessed. The God of Evil, Angra Mainyu, managed to possess Diavolo through his malice for supernatural beings, and use his pathetic desires in order to attempt to wipe out mankind. In order to trick Earth's natural defenses that he was not a god, Diavolo used nanomachines to transplant Angra Mainyu's personality onto his own. He used hypnotic suggestion to turn himself into the god's doppelganger. He managed to become somebody else. When the Earth was tricked, Angra Mainyu really took possession."

Masato continued, "Under certain conditions, someone can be made to play a specific role... Act like someone else. Dinosaurs... Do love to play as birds. It all started with him...Kazuma. Kazuma died by your hand, and by the end, only you could save this world. And now...with the God of Evil vanquished from this universe, there is nothing to threaten it....The hatred is gone. The world is back to zero."

Gai questioned, "You going back to zero, as well?"

"You erased me before. Today... Will mark the second and final time. I'm not meant to be alive, Gai. Only because...I'm a perfect replication of you, I'm able to stay for more than ten minutes here."

Masato smiled and embraced Gai; their first and final hug. "Let me tell you something... Don't... Don't waste the life you have left fighting. You're my amazing, wonderful son. If you'd been in my place back then... Maybe you wouldn't have made the same mistakes that I did. Girouette... You were right. It's not about changing the world. It's about doing our best to leave the world... The way it is. It's about respecting the will of others... And believing in your own. That was the true meaning of heroism; and only you, my son, managed to show that."

"It's almost time for me to go. And with me... it's over. And at last the evil will be gone. Now that the darkness and evil of this world have been returned to zero... A new one... A new future... Will be born. That new world... Is yours to live in. Not as the Rising Phoenix, the children's hero and light in the darkness... But... As Gai Nagareboshi, son of Masato and Megami Nagareboshi. For almost an millennia, the cold soldiers of the past have fought a long, bloody war for justice—attempting to leave it all behind. But on the inside, we were all trapped within our cages."

"Girouette and I may have chosen different paths... But in the end, we were both trapped inside the same cage...we were birds, who were unable to spread our wings. But Gai...you've given freedom. You've been able to spread your wings and soar to the skies, no longer a prisoner of fate. It's time for the Rising Phoenix to turn to ash, and be reborn as Gai Nagareboshi. It's time for you to see the outside world through your own eyes. Your body, your soul...they're your own. The hero's legacy ends here—there's no more need for heroes; they only exist in fiction now. Live, for yourself. You only need one Rising Phoenix. No... The world would be better off without phoenixes." Masato coughed up blood; as he collapsed into Gai's arms.

"...Son, don't ever forget. The world is forged by your hands." He made a finger-gun gesture at his son, smiling while handing him a ten dollar note.

"...Here ya go. Consider it payment for all the birthdays I've missed. How 'bout you buy that Nika girl some flowers, eh? ...Anyway, see ya round, son. I've always been proud of you. At long last...this is finally...over." With that, the one known as Masato Nagareboshi had departed from this world, leaving it in the hands of his son.

Wedding
The sun was still out; at an altar outside, a ceremony was being held. In a tent a few meters away from it, a red carpet was rolled out; stretching out to the altar as a young woman who had a tall, slender and toned figure; with glistening ruby eyes and dirty blond hair which is bleach-blonde at the tips with one greenish tip standing out twirled around, in a beautiful wedding dress. Sayaka was alongside her, looking at the bride-to-be in a mirror.

Sayaka gave her a thumbs up. "You look amazing!"

Vittoria smiled at the red-haired woman, before she began to walk down the isle.

Kagirinai, Mitsuru, and Haruko surrounded a slim young man of average height with rather messy black hair, which almost reached down to his shoulders, along with some strands pointing upwards on top of his head and a prominent tuft obscuring most of his forehead.

The trio congratulated him. "Way to go! You're gonna make Vitt real happy!"

Gunha, however, wasn't too sure about this; given his luck in prior relationships. "...I hope so..." Realizing that Vittoria was already at the altar, Gunha scrambled to the altar, panting in exhaustion. Running while wearing a tuxedo was probably not the best idea.

Amusingly enough, Adriana began to read from the book. "Dearly beloved... We are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony. Let us give thanks for the life they will soon share... And pray they have love everlasting..."

A shower of flowers rained down from the sky, for some peculiar reason. It was, just, magic. Adriana handed Vittoria the bouquet, sighing, "...Honestly, what did you expect? I'm a 12 year old girl, I can't read all this. You may now kiss the bride!"

As Gunha leaned in to kiss his now wife, Vittoria did have to ask, "Wait, where's Gai?"

Gunha laughed, "Who knows? He's late for everything, haha." Breaking from his jest, he stared up at the sky, fondly remembering his best friend. "...Gai... Thank you."

Party
.*BRRRRRING!*

A phone's ring resounded throughout the house.

"Hello?"

"Hihihihihihihihihihi, hiii Gai Nagareboshi~" A happy voice practically screamed at him.

"...Ugh, Nika..." The one known as Gai Nagareboshi pouted at this. "How'd you get this number, anyway!?"

Ignoring this question, Nika continued to chatter. "Come over for a slumber party~!"

"...Why the heck would I want that!?" Gai growled.

"Because I broke your bed~" Gai peered over his shoulder, glancing into his room, looking at his broken bed in mild irritation.

"You better have two bunks."

"Nope~"

Meetings
Gai sighed, as he showed up on Nika's doorstep. Carrying a suitcase full of his clothes, he knew he'd be staying here a while. As he rang the bell, Nika gleefully answered.

Nika was an elegant beauty, sporting long straight hair of golden colour. She wore a pair of white gloves and stockings, both adorned with lace. Her eyes were also gold coloured; however, one notable feature of her eyes was that it had a star design on it. Literally, she was a starry-eyed girl. She really was beautiful; so much so that Gai's heart skipped a beat looking at her; though naturally, he was wary of her tricks.

"Hihihihihihihi~ come in!" Nika was cheery.

Gai stepped into her house. As he expected, it was expensive looking—multiple drawers, a nice red carpet, and a 15-inch plasma screen television; Nika was extremely rich; fitting considering her former job as a bureaucrat. Gai sat down on a chair, as Nika followed suit, continually looking at him with a big smile.

Later that day...

Gai had dressed in his usual black pajamas as Nika was wandering around in a white bra and panties—both laced. It was a distracting sight, but she didn't seem to care about that.

"Okay, Nika. I'll see you in the morning." Gai yawned as he trudged upstairs.

Nika continued to smile, though she turned around, looking in the mirror. She could never say it to his face. Ever since she had given her life to save him three centuries ago, she had been absolutely quiet about her true feelings, watching him love and be loved, breaking up with numerous loves. All...with that transparent smile.

Truth be told, the only person she ever loved was Gai Nagareboshi, and that love was what kept her moving on through this world.

Even though she hated everything...she loved him. She loved him more than anything in the world—to her, he was the stars in the sky, the vast landscape, everything.

She wanted him to be hers so badly.

And yet...

She could never build up the courage to tell him.

"...Not, tonight." Nika said to herself. She was going to tell Gai exactly how she felt.

"Zzzzzzzz...." Gai was sleeping so easily; even though the floor mattress and the accompanying sheets were in a state of being thrown around.

Nika was carefully creeping up the stairs, making sure that she didn't wake Gai prematurely. She was still half-dressed, though her provocative appearance didn't do much to the absolute seriousness that she felt right now.

Reaching Gai's room, Nika stepped in lightly, before sitting down on the side of his bed. "Okay, since I can't ever bring myself to tell you anything like this face to face, I've decided...I may as well tell you while you're sleeping, Gai Nagareboshi." She coughed and straightened up. "Here goes."

"I want to let you in on a little secret, Gai. I'm not who you think I am. In fact, my disguise is so thin, I'm surprised you haven't seen right through me. I'm the girl of your dreams masquerading as your best friend. Sometimes I want to rip off this façade like I did when I gave my life for you, but I can't because I don't want to lose you in any form. So I decided that it's better to live with the lie than expose my true feelings. This is so much easier when you are unconscious."

"Ten thousand plus years, and there's only one thing I've ever been sure of. You. When I say I love you, it's not because I want you, or because I can't have you — it has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try... I've seen your kindness, and your strength, I've seen the best and the worst of you and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. I got so scared when we were separated by the universe resetting...I felt like we'd never see each other again..."

Nika tenderly caressed Gai's hair. "Yuuhou told me that there are two types of girls: the ones you grow out of, and the ones you grow into. I really hope I'm the latter."

Nika began to tear up. "I may not be the one you love today, but I'm hoping one day you'll run to me. Because I think you're worth the wait."

Stopping herself from bursting into tears, Nika stood up in a huff, preparing to leave before she could be rejected. "I love you, Gai Nagareboshi—"

"Ungh..." Gai yawned. He blinked a few times, before sitting up from the bed, looking at her.

"Gai, did you—" Nika gasped.

Gai nodded. "Yep. All of it. Let me tell you right here and now— I'm a guy that's ill at ease, and knows only how to fight. That's why it's been hard for me to say this. Honestly, I remember when we first met on that rainy morning, thousands of years ago. You were my first friend, and since then, we've been together. I want to remain together, Nika. Together, forever."

Nika's eyes brightened at this. "So, you..."

"I guess...ever since that day, I've been looking for love in all the wrong places. Hizashi, Mitsuru, Kurenai...they were all an attempt to fill that void in my heart. I love them all, but honestly...I'd give them all up just for you. I love you, Nika." This was...surprisingly heartfelt, coming from Gai.

Nika's eyes were sparkling again as she sat back down on the bed. Her face approached Gai's, and, for about a minute, Nika's lips lightly touched Gai's lips. They didn't even touch each other properly, but Gai couldn't even say any words. It was an indescribable feeling.

"Hihihihi~ I guess, that's my first kiss~" Nika smiled with her blushing cheeks.

Suddenly, it hit Gai. "...Crap! We forgot Gunha's wedding!" He grabbed Nika's hand, before rushing downstairs. Obviously, this wasn't a good idea while the two were half-dressed.

"Come on, Nika! Yatte yaruze—no, I mean...Let's do it!"

FIN