Chapter Text
Ego waited eagerly in the cavern, he had taken precautions to be careful and avoid Gouma noticing his disappearance.
It would’ve been safer to simply stay back from now on, he could’ve explained that in a letter…but Ego knew he wouldn’t be able to bear giving up these meetings.
Although…there was the question of whether or not he would tell Aiko about the upcoming invasion.
He loved Aiko. Dearly. But…Ego didn’t know how he felt of practically signing his own species death certificate.
Ego turned his head when he heard footsteps, Aiko was holding her usual tote bag but it seemed heavier this time around.
Once she sat down beside him, Ego greeted her with a kiss to the cheek.
”How have things been?” He asked warmly, however, Ego paused when he noticed the redness of her eyes.
“As good as they can be…” The hesitance in her voice worried Ego.
”Are you sure everything’s okay..? You can tell me anything, I’ll listen.” He took Aiko’s hands, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, bringing them up to his lips, he peppered a few small kisses atop them. “You look like you’ve been crying.”
Aiko casted a glance towards her bag and sighed.
”I think I discovered the truth about that illness.”
Aiko had explained everything to Ego, about the sickness, how it affected people, how the kingdom dealt with it and her theory.
She stood a few feet away, arms crossed and looking out into Moonglave.
Ego had taken a moment to let it all sink in before eventually responding.
”Ah. That so?”
”Thats it?” Aiko didn’t seem upset, just surprised.
“I mean…,” Ego scratched the back of his neck. “I suppose it is surprising…it’s just that..I’ve always thought it was strange that we’re the only other species aside from humans…figured we must come from something. I’ve never really thought that hard about it before. Heh…”
“Although how could a few people turn into the large amount of Mercenares?”
”I’m not sure…another theory I have is that when they died, the energy in them is what created King Mercenare.” As she rambled, Ego stared at Aiko and stood up, bringing her into his arms.
”I’m sorry…it must be a hard thing to discover. No one wants to believe their home is the one to do bad things…not even I did, when I was a child. How long have you known about this?” How long has she been shouldering this weight while Ego was blissfully unaware of his beloveds pain?
“A few days” she said.
“Aiko…”
”It’s perfectly fine,” she assured him. “It isn’t ideal…but I’m glad I found out. And I think I know what to do now…. I do wish I had a way to contact you though…but I’ve looked into it and we don’t have any magical items that can teleport items.” Ego’s heart stuttered; she was trying to contact him? That made him far happier than it probably should have.
Racking his brain, Ego tried to think of a way Aiko could contact him.
”Aiko…you have your journal, right? Could you rip out some pages?” Aiko looked intrigued, picking up her precious journal and tearing some blank pages out, wincing as though it hurt herself to do so.
Once Ego took them from her, he closed his eyes and weaved his energy into its fibers.
Opening his eyes, the paper turned a deep black. Blowing on it, it folded itself into a bird and followed him around.
Ego beamed as it dropped into his hand and unfolded. Aiko was staring in awe and immediately bounded up to him.
”Woah- wait- what was that! What did you do? How does that work?” She quickly rifled through her tote bag to look for a pen. Ego chuckled affectionately and handed her the papers.
”They’re connected to my dark energy now. Blow on them and they’ll come to me. The ones I made should last you about a week until our next meeting.” Ego couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride that he managed to lift Aiko’s mood.
”Amazing…” Aiko whispered as she gently put the darkened paper in her journal.
”I learned from the best. I wouldn’t be able to do it without your guidance. It’s a good way we can talk to each other…especially since my brother has started noticing my disappearances.”
”Should you even be here if he’s suspicious?,” Aiko asked.
“And miss our meetings? I don’t think I could even if I tried…I’d miss you too much.”
Aiko was frozen for a moment before breaking into a fit of giggles.
”You really are something else, General.”
”So are you, Lady Aiko.” Moving forward, Ego wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head against her shoulder. “Not just anyone could have broken my walls down so swiftly.”
Looking down at the tote bag, Ego remembered what he wanted to ask.
”Why is your bag heavier than usual?” He pulled away, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh right!” Aiko put down her bag, pulling out a ring and a dagger. “I was thinking of more interesting rituals that were done a long time ago and this came to mind.
I’m assuming your species doesn’t have any bonding rituals such as marriage, right?” Ego shrugged, he didn’t even know what ‘marriage’ was.
”Right…. Well, marriage is a bonding ritual, in simplest terms. It’s used in a few ways, sometimes for alliances, necessity, but it’s more often done out of love. It binds people together intimately, even in death…” Aiko explained and Ego’s eyes lit up.
”Huh…,” he put his head in his hands. “That sounds nice…I’d like to marry you.”
Aiko froze and Ego felt as though ice went down his back. Did he say something wrong? His mind whirled for a way to excuse what he said when Aiko’s ears began turning red.
“Y-you didn’t say anything wrong…” Aiko must’ve guessed what he was thinking. “It’s just a…bold declaration.”
”Is it? But it’s true. You’re the first and only person to have ever made me feel this way...,and I’d want to be with you forever…but if I misspoke-”
”No-no you didn’t.” Aiko finally turned her face and Ego saw that it was tinged a deep red. An unfamiliar but not unwelcome sight.
Leaning in, he captured Aiko’s lips in a gentle kiss, hand coming up to her cheek. Aiko seemed taken aback but leaned into the touch as Ego ran his other hand through her hair.
When the two finally parted, Aiko pulled away, allowing some of her white hair to cover her face.
”Let’s leave it at fiancés, for now. It’s people who are…engaged to be married at a later date. Perhaps when war isn’t at foot.”
”Fiancés…that sounds nice.” Ego eyes went back to the dagger and ring. “So…what were you going to tell me about those?”
Aiko’s attention was drawn back to the items, as though she had forgotten they were there.
”Ah…well, I was going to tell you about an old wedding tradition. It was a bit of a...morbid tradition. It was often done when royal unions were split up.
These rings were given on the wedding day and often held gem stones with certain meanings, picked out by the spouses. The rings both held the same stone to bind them spiritually, since it was believed gems were made from tears the goddess of love.
My mother had found one of these rings during her research and was allowed to keep it. However…when these unions were split up, they used the dagger to sever the finger that had the ring on it, to sever their bond with one another completely.”
Ego let out a low whistle. “You weren’t kidding…that is pretty damn morbid. And you guys call us the monsters.” Despite the nature of the joke, Ego let out a laugh.
”Our species doesn’t have anything like that…since we aren’t one for sentimental things. But…we do have a small tradition that younger Mercenares took part in.
If you had someone you wished to keep safe in battle, you’d give them a dagger and carve the hilt of it with a design of your creation.” Aiko’s eyes narrowed towards her journal but made no move to open it.
“I see….”
”You know…,” Ego observed. “It’s been oddly quiet tonight.”
”Ah, yeah. I left Reina at home, I wanted some alone time for our meeting for once.”
”…thank you. I love you.”
“All that just for not bringing her?” Aiko laughed. “Is she that bad?”
“…If I say yes would that affect our relationship negatively?”
Aiko’s mind was whirring as usual. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to say to Shizuko about her discovery but Aiko knew she couldn’t stay silent.
No doubt Shizuko would be horrified once she heard of it.
Talking to Ego last night had really cleared her mind, he had a way of easing situations.
Aiko stepped into the hallway before immediately running into Michael.
”Oh, good morning Aiko.”
“Good morning, Michael. Do you know where the princess is?” Aiko decided to get straight to the point.
“Ah…I believe she’s in the garden. Is there anything you need?” Michael cocked his head.
”Nothing you can help me with.” Aiko said, not unkindly, just bluntly.
With parting words, Aiko walked to the garden where Shizuko was gazing at the flowers, surprisingly enough, Mayumi was next to her.
”Shizuko…, Mayumi.”
”Oh! Good morning Aiko.” Shizuko greeted and Mayumi turned her head, beaming.
”Aiko! The whole groups here!” Despite Mayumi’s cheerfulness, Shizuko must’ve noticed the expression on Aiko’s face.
”Is everything alright? You seem tense.” Aiko took a deep breath, pulling the files from her bag.
”I haven’t been completely honest with you, Shizuko. In the archives…I had found what I was looking for.”
Extending the files, Aiko explained her research. She watched as Mayumi’s face twisted into horror. But Shizuko remained stiff and Aiko’s grip tightened on her bag.
”It’s awful…isn’t it? I never would’ve thought…” as Aiko observed Shizuko, the truth became more clear. “You knew…didn’t you?”
”I didn’t know all the details…but yes, I was aware of it. But I don’t see why that’s important. It happened such a long time ago, are you insisting we’re at fault for their invasion? This happened centuries ago.”
”Don't put words in my mouth. I’m not saying anything, I’m just saying that we are at fault for unleashing the Mercenares upon the world in the first place when- if there was even an effort made to find a cure instead of shipping them off- things might’ve ended differently. ”
“People were getting sick from mere contact- they couldn’t have risked doctors,” Shizuko argued. “It was better off that way- so it couldn’t spread.”
”Are you aware that children were infected? Many commoner children were affected and sent off like cattle. Was that ‘better off’?” Aiko’s voice began to raise and Mayumi tried to intervene.
“Hey-let’s calm down a bit-“
“It’s tragic, yes. But you of all people should know some tragedy’s are unpreventable!”
”Except this could’ve been! There wasn’t even an EFFORT!”
”Are you blaming me for that?! I wasn’t even born!”
”I’m not, but the way you defend their choices is appalling! I’ve expected better from you!” Aiko snapped.
"Oh please! I don't want you of all people going on about morals! You who willingly entertains blasphemous and immoral ideas! There is a reason knowledge is kept from you!" Shizuko hissed. Mayumi got in between.
”Both of you, stop! We’re the Precure! We aren’t supposed to be fighting like this!” Aiko and Shizuko stared at each other, breathing heavily.
”I’d like those files back.” Shizuko reached her hand out.
”Keep them, I’ve already copied them all down.” Aiko threw the papers into the air and stormed off.
The moment Aiko got home, she removed one of the black papers and dipped her pen in white ink.
Sharpening his spear, Ego stiffens as Gouma walked up to him. The two haven’t really spoken since their argument.
”Hey, let’s go on a patrol.” Ego blinked in surprise, looking around.
“Is it a good idea to leave the camp unguarded?”
”We’ll leave Animus in charge.” Poor Animus…always working over time for the two. Ego placed his spear down and stood up.
”I feel like we should put him on the payroll for how much responsibilities we shove on him.”
Gouma laughed as the two walked out of camp, he called over Animus and just told him to keep an eye out.
”I was thinking about giving him a promotion, he’s a nervous fellow, but competent. And the others like him enough to listen to him.”
”Doesn’t sound bad…,” as they walked away, Ego casted a look around them. “Why are two generals going on patrol..?” Gouma shrugged.
”I just thought we haven’t talked in awhile.” Ego scoffed.
”Awhile? You mean three days?”
They passed by a tree and Gouma picked that gross red fruit that Aiko had told him was called an “apple”.
”I mean…we haven’t really talked casually since you became a general. Never really got a chance for a good ol bro on bro chat…” he gestured between the two of them. It was silent before Ego’s shoulders began to shake with laughter.
”’Bro on bro’?”
”Yeah…” Gouma straightened up, tapping a finger on the apple. “I’m never saying that again.”
Picking another apple, he offered it to Ego, who shook his head.
”I’m good. I don’t like those, too sweet. I prefer the orange ones with the thick skin. Did you know you have the peel the skin to eat it?”
Gouma glanced at Ego as he bit into the apple.
”How’d you find that out…?”
“Oh…just…I tried to eat it like those fruit…but it was too thick so I took it off.”
Looking at the apple Gouma had placed down, he picked it up and focused his dark energy into it before taking a bite.
”Huh…that sweetness is gone…” Ego observed.
Gouma was staring at him, fixing his glasses.
”Where’d you learn that..?” Ego shrugged.
”I can put dark energy into hearts, I can put it into other things.”
Gouma nodded, though his gaze grew distant.
”Ego…humans are cruel beings…sometimes…they are even more selfish than us.” Ego blinked in surprise at the sudden seriousness to Gouma’s voice. Gouma just continued.
”They act as though we’re the monsters because of how we feel things…but they’re worse…they love so easily…and yet they still choose cruelty.
They act as though we’re all one in the same…as if we don’t have a mind of our own. As if we’re simple minded and can be entertained by the majesty of their world, and maybe we are…, before plunging a knife in the hearts they claim we don’t have.”
Gouma’s hand came up to a gold chain on his neck before ripping it off and throwing it a few feet. Ego didn’t know what to say, his hand coming up to his brother’s back but Gouma stood up before Ego could try to comfort him.
“They say we create monsters but no! We reveal the monsters that are underneath- and humans are as good and righteous then they shouldn’t be so easily corrupted- but no!
They are selfish and even if they do love something they will decide they love another more and toss you aside for the sake of the ‘greater good’!” Gouma picked up the chain and held it close.
”It’s unfair…why are we monsters from birth..? What do they have that makes them so great…? Perhaps we are only bitter…because that’s the only option they’ve given us…. No point in kindness if all they expect from you is greed….”
Ego stood up.
”Gouma…what are you talking about? What’s wrong..?”
Gouma snapped his head up.
”YOU! Why am I not good enough for YOU?!” Gouma’s voice began to break as he stood up, getting in Ego’s face. “Why must you confide in a HUMAN when I am RIGHT HERE?!” Ego recoiled at his words.
”What are you-“
“DO NOT PLAY DUMB WITH ME! I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING!!!” He pressed a finger against Ego’s chest. “I DON’T BLAME YOU FOR FALLING INTO THEIR WORLD OF “kindness” OR WHATEVER JUNK SHES SPEWED BUT ITS A LIE!” Gouma breathed heavily. “It’s a lie…it’s a sick...twisted lie.
Tears began streaming from his face.
”You…,” Ego started, his voice soft, “don’t know anything…. She’s not…,” he wasn’t even going to deny it anymore. “She’s not like that.”
”That’s what I thought too…” Gouma laughed. “Why can you speak to her so freely? Why can you tell her everything and yet I know nothing?! I’m your brother…why don’t I even know you?” He leaned his head against Ego’s chest, shoulders shaking as he sobbed.
”I gave you everything I had….” He choked out, voice soft. “It wasn’t a lot…but it was all I had….”
Ego lifted his hand, not knowing what he could possibly do or say.
”I didn’t know…you cared….” Gouma backed away, staring at Ego, hands slipping under his glasses to wipe away tears.
“You…are all I have. And this…whatever is going on…will be the death of you.” Gouma turned on his heels and stalked off back towards the camp.