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[The screen is black, with only "Crybaby" playing in the background. It slowly fades into the scene]
[Ryo/Satan is alone, kneeling on the rock where he and Akira first met, with the dead Akira in his arms. He is also crying.]
[Flashback with audio to Akira saying "You're crying too!" to Ryo]
[Flashback cuts back to Ryo crying]
Ryo [Sobbing]: I was despised, and you were a crybaby. But it seems that has turned around now. [Hugs Akira's corpse] I'm alone. Oh so alone. What is this feeling, Akira? I've never felt this before. Love and sorrow don't exist..... Right? So then..... Why am I feeling this?.... [More sobbing] Akira. Akira. Please answer me. Don't leave me alone! [Squeezes Akira's corpse tightly] Akira! Akiraaaa!
[An unknown passage of time passes, as there is no way to measure it. Time is a human construct. And the humans are gone.]
[“Ryo’s Theme” plays in the background]
Ryo [Thoughts]: [Ryo is still crying.] I can expect Him to eradicate me any time now. It'll all be over soon, dear Akira. We’ll start over again and I'll be able to spend time with you again... If only for a brief while. [Ryo looks up at the sky and speaks aloud] Please, I do not want to suffer any more. Just kill me and reincarnate me again. I am willing to start this over again. I'm prepared for my loss.... I am ready to lose Akira again.
[A blinding light appears from the heavens and engulfs him. Ryo is prepared for the annihilation of both him, Akira and what is left of the Earth, but it never comes.]
[Instead he soon wakes up in a white bed. He looks around and his surroundings are also white and pristine. It's his room from his old apartment. He walks up to a mirror in a haze and discovers he's still in his angel form to his surprise.]
[He examines himself in the mirror, tears beginning to form in his eyes. A single drop falls down his face and he quickly catches it with his fingertip and analyzes it.]
Ryo: .... [More tears stream down his face. Soon he begins audibly sobbing.] [After a while, the door to the room swings open. Ryo's eyes widen and he whips his head to the right.]
Akira [Pre-Amon form]:
Ryo! I knew you would be in here! This is a really nice apartme- Ryo, are you.... crying?
Ryo: [Stunned. His tears halt but residue of it is still on his face.]
Akira: Are you... Okay? [Concerned. Walks over to Ryo and puts an arm around his shoulder. Ryo tenses.]
[Ryo is still facing the mirror and when he turns his head to it, to his surpise, he's no longer in his angel form. He is now Ryo Asuka again.]
Akira: What's wrong? I've never known you to be like this... Tell me... What's wrong?... [Tears start welling up in his eyes]
Ryo: Akira.... I... [Starts crying again] [Hugs Akira tightly]
Akira: [Shocked, but hugs him back]
[They embrace for a while, then break apart after they both stop crying.]
Akira: You still didn't tell me what's wrong.
Ryo: I.... I've been having a bad day, that's all.
Akira: Ryo... That can't be the case if you're feeling like that. Sad enough to make you of all people cry. [His face becomes etched with worry.]
Ryo: [Takes a deep breath and tries to school his expression, but somehow, he can't. His face still shows utter misery.] Akira... I'm sorry.
Akira: For what?
Ryo: For everything... For being so cold and heartless, for making all of those children cry, for crushing all of your hopes and making you sad. And... Especially for being a terrible friend. [Tears fall down his face once again.]
Akira: No no no. Don't cry. You have no reason to be sorry, I forgave you for all that. In fact, you had nothing to forgive in the first place. I know you must have had a rough past, it's not your fault. [Cups his face with his hands] Actually, I should be the one who's sorry. I should have tried to help you more.
Ryo: No... You don't understand. You have tried to help me but I never listened. I chose not to care. [Ryo, unlike Akira, is not oblivious to what he had done just a few moments ago. Ryo had destroyed humanity. Ryo did not deserve to be forgiven.]
Akira: That's not true. Whatever you went through in your childhood messed you up. You were just a victim that couldn't get out of your situation.
Ryo: ....No- I......... You.... Saved me.
[His eyes light up and he stops crying.] ...You were there when no one else cared, Akira. Thank you. [Hugs Akira tightly]
Akira: [Smiles and hugs back]
[They break apart once more.]
Ryo: Hold on... How did you get into my apartment?
Akira: [Smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck] Well, I saw a local tv broadcast you were in and I recognized you. I thought we could have a little reunion so I searched some phone books for a phone number under your name and I found you! So I called and this lady picked up and said her name was Jenny. She said she was your assistant? [Ryo nods.] So she asked if I had an appointment with you and I said no. She seemed pretty skeptical of why I was calling but I explained how we used to be childhood friends and I wanted to have a reunion. I told her my name to clear things up and she recognized me! She told me that you talk to her about me a lot. [Akira winks] Anyways, she told me she would have to schedule a date for me to go over to your place so we could have some time to be together. But, she also said she would never tell you so it could be a big surprise when I come over and see you after 6 whole years! [Akira beams.]
Ryo: [His face softens and he smiles warmly.] Wow, how impressive. My dear friend going through all that trouble just to see me again. I'm sincerely touched.
Akira: It's no problem. I was afraid you weren't going to remember me but now I'm so happy that you still do!
Ryo: Oh, Akira. I could never forget you. [He smiles and wraps his arms around him]
Akira: [His eyes widen in surprise and he blushes furiously.] Th-thanks...
Ryo: [He simply laughs. A sincere, light-hearted laugh.]
[Exit Scene.]
[Enter Ryo and Akira in Ryo’s living room. Both of them sit on the couch casually conversing, catching up on their lives nowadays, with Jenny watching over them.]
Akira: I’m signing up for track and field this semester! I was in it last year, but I wasn't good at it at all, so I quit halfway through. Up until now, I've been practicing with Miki and I've improved! [Akira bounces in his seat]
[Ryo subtly flinches at the mention of Miki. He's always despised how close he was to her, but he couldn't let that show. Especially when he's barely reunited with him in this reincarnation.]
Ryo: That is really nice, I'm proud of you! I'm glad you are finally improving in regards to your running abilities. I will support you once you sign up for it.
Akira: You'll go to my competitions? [His eyes light up]
Ryo: Yes. When I have time.
Akira: [Cheers and hugs Ryo] Thank you Ryo! This means so much to me.
Ryo: There is no one else I would want to support more than you. I have faith in you.
Ryo: Jenny. [He signals to Jenny] May you come over here for a moment?
Jenny: Yes, sir. [She walks over to Ryo and Akira with an empty kettle in her hand. It appears she was about to make tea.]
Ryo: I thank you for allowing Akira and I to meet again. Without your assistance, our reunion would never be. Thank you, Jenny.
Jenny: You are welcome, sir. I recognized his voice from when he was a child. He may have grown bigger since then but he still sounds like the caring, sweet child he was.
Akira: [Slightly blushes and looks away] Thank you…
Ryo: [Chuckles] Yes, that is true. Akira, you have not changed at all. And that is a wonderful thing. [He puts his arm around Akira’s shoulder]
Akira: [Turns his head to look at Ryo]
You haven't changed much either. You're still that smart kid who represses his emotions. [Akira snickers] But I'm glad you're starting to show me how you really feel. [He smiles]
Ryo: Yes, I am as well….. Jenny? May you continue making that tea you were in the process of making? I would like some chamomile. Akira? Do you drink tea?
Akira: Yes! I love tea. I mostly like tamaryokucha and shincha. But I think I want to go for shincha today.
Ryo: [Smiles] Jenny? May you make a cup of shincha and a cup of chamomile, please?
Jenny: Yes, sir. [Walks off with kettle in hand to the kitchen]
Ryo: [sighs] Hmm. Akira, wait a minute. I must go to my room for a while. Talk to Jenny or use my television for entertainment. But please do not watch pornography. It is an…. unpleasant thing to have in my search history. Having questionable items in my history can affect my reputation as a professor.
Akira: Couldn’t I just sign into my account? N-not that I watch that kinda stuff anyways...
Ryo: No. Even if you did, the video would still be listed as being watched on my television. No one expects me to have any guests, so there is no one expected to watch that besides me. After all, Jenny is not permitted to use the television.
Akira: [Pouts] Oh.
Ryo: Anyways, I will be off. I will return in 20 minutes. [Ryo walks out of the room.]
[Exit scene]
[Enter Ryo, standing in front of his bathroom mirror, staring at his reflection.]
Ryo: [He raises his hand up to his face, and slowly trails his fingers down his cheek, in the way a tear would stream down it.] [Thoughts] This… wet substance that excreted from my tear ducts…. What was it?... [Although, Ryo already knew the answer.] Why must I feel this? Human emotion is useless. A curse only higher beings can recognize. Those that are below them know not of the perils of emotion. I was reduced to this…. Pathetic human form. So why….. Why do I feel this? Why do I long for this? Why?.... I… Learned my lesson. So, why do I have to have my hopes risen by a false sense of security, only to watch him…. die at my hand again?.... Is this your way of harshening my punishment, God?...
[Ryo expected an answer, an explanation, a reason for why he is still suffering. He already suffered once, twice, thrice, and countless times he has lost his only love in the entire universe: Akira. He expected his Father- no, God- to tell him. Tell him why he has doomed him to lose Akira for millennia, when all he wanted was to be able to rule his own planet, his own universe, just like Father. It would've been like those medieval kings and princes. The king- God- would have allowed his son, his great prince- Lucifer- to rule over at least a small kingdom, to give him a sense of self worth. A tiny sense of power. A power that may or may not have been abused. But either way it would've been a perfect coexistence between both of the rulers God and Lucifer. But, God had become enraged with Lucifer, taking his request as a threat to overthrow him. He wanted everything under His control, He did not want a ruler besides Him to consider equal. He scoffed at the idea Lucifer proposed and banished him from Heaven, giving him a new name: Satan. A name that would soon be feared by all once the demons originally inhabiting the Earth were destroyed by God and replaced with humans. Earth was Hell for Satan. He did not want to even associate with humans, even when he became one. Until he found Akira.]
[Exit Scene]
[Enter Ryo lying on his bed, presumably having been there for several minutes, and staring at the ceiling.]
Ryo: [Raises his arm towards the ceiling.]
[Thoughts] The sky is so close, if I go outside. But, I wonder… Why can't I bring myself to go up there and fly far, far away, so I can forget about Akira?... So I can forget about everything else, and this cycle of pain and sorrow can finally end? Why can't I do it?... [Speaking aloud] Akira, why can't I do it? [Tears fall down his face. He turns around and buried his face into his pillow, muffling his crying.]
[Suddenly, Ryo feels lighter. Lighter than air, and as soft as a bird’s feathers. He has once again become Satan. The reminder of his tragic life he just experienced hours ago… Or perhaps countless centuries considering God had to not only reincarnate his soul and Akira’s, but the rest of the world including all the life that inhabited it. Has he become Satan once again, or was this human form only a disguise that didn't require him to reincarnate as Ryo Asuka whenever he had to take on a human appearance again?]
Ryo: [Slides off of the bed after sitting up and walks towards his full-length mirror, still crying.] I am not ready to show myself to Akira. Not yet. I must wait for the perfect moment- or not at all. Maybe he would like me better if I stayed in human form. After all, he did seem to hate me once he found out my true identity... I'm going to have to turn him into Devilman again if I don't want him to die earlier than he's supposed to… Goodbye, Satan… And hello, Ryo Asuka.
[Ryo closes his eyes and transforms back into his human form]
[Exit Scene]
[Enter Ryo walking back into the living room, with Akira gone. He can hear voices talking from inside the kitchen. He walks into the kitchen to find Akira actually conversing with Jenny- who is finished making both of their tea- about who knows what.]
Akira: [Turns towards Ryo] Ryo! You're back! Jenny’s done with the tea. It's not cold yet, so drink up! [He smiles cheerfully]
Ryo: [He walks towards the table where Akira placed his tea and sits down on one of the chairs. Jenny eyes him in a way he cannot interpret the meaning behind. Jenny truly works in mysterious ways.] Thank you, Jenny, for the tea. And thank you, Akira, for waiting patiently. [He bows his head slightly as a gesture of thanks.]
Jenny: You are welcome, sir.
Akira: Aww, it's no problem! [He smiles as he makes his way over to Ryo. He then hugs him from behind the chair.]
Ryo: [He is unused to this much physical contact, but if it is with Akira, it is more than acceptable.]
.... Akira? Are you going to drink your tea?
Akira: [He becomes flustered and lets go, as it seems he has embraced him for far too long.]
Y-yeah...
[He walks over to his side of the table and awkwardly lifts his cup to his lips to take a sip.]
[Jenny chuckles unbeknownst to the both of them, and watches them with amusement. She continues her work by picking up the used dishes to clean them in the sink.]
[Ryo stares into his tea cup, not taking a sip just yet, but rather examining the honey-like orange liquid sitting in his cup.]
Ryo [Thinking]: This chamomile must taste rather sweet, just as sweet as my reunion with Akira. However, as soon as I am finished with the sweet sensation of both, they will be taken away from me in an instant to leave me deprived and empty....
Akira [Looking fairly amused at Ryo]:
Are you gonna drink your tea? [He chuckles.]
Ryo [Raises his head to look at Akira rather emotionlessly]:
Yes. I was simply.... thinking.
Akira [Jokingly]: Don't get all deadpan on me again. I thought you were glad that you were able to express your emotions to me more now.
Ryo: I am not. Also yes, I am glad I am able to express myself to you more, but I am not being deadpan.
Akira: You are. What were you thinking about?
Ryo: ...I was thinking about-
Akira: Come on, be honest.
Ryo: What makes you think I was going to make something up?
Akira: I just know. I know when you're not being honest with me. We've been friends for years. Even if we've been apart for 6 years, I still know you like the back of my hand, Ryo. [He smiles.]
Ryo: Very well... I was thinking how much you mean to me, and how I could never bear to lose you again for another 6 years.
Akira: You never lost me. I was always here, in spirit. And I still am. I'm here for you no matter what, Ryo. Even when I'm away from you.
Ryo: Akira.... You do not know how much that means to me. [His expression falters]
Akira: I do. It means to you as much as it means to me. I'll always be here for you.
[Ryo stands up, walks towards Akira and embraces him. As they embrace, Ryo finally lets his expression show what he is truly feeling: sadness and relief. They stay like that for a while until Akira eventually breaks them up.]
Akira [Smiling]: Okay, go drink your tea now. It's getting cold.
[Exit Scene]