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AUTHOR'S NOTE: For those of you who have read the manga, you know that this fanfic is not accurate to what happens after Eiji goes to leave for Japan. I also changed some things from the anime. I put my own spin on the story, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.
THE ARTWORK IS NOT MINE
RATING: PG-13 (BLOOD, DEATH)
Ash thought of everything that had happened when he met Eiji. He met Eiji and even let him hold his gun and inspect it, it was something no one would have expected of him. Of course, Eiji had no idea that interaction meant something so great.
Then there was when Eiji, Ash, and Skip were all being chased by Dino and his men. It still hurt Ash to think about to this day...how he killed Skip, even though he didn't deserve to die. It was only worse that Ash had to leave him behind to escape Ash's constant nightmare.
The nightmare that Ash caused racked through his brain like every other death he had caused. Shorter's death shouldn't have happened. That's what Ash thought of it at least. The fact that Ash could do nothing as "Banana Fish" consumed Shorter's entire being crushed him, even after everything.
But there were still happy memories that Ash couldn't forget. Despite Skip and Shorter's death tearing Ash's heart apart, he couldn't help but remember Eiji teaching him Japanese. He couldn't help but remember when Eiji scared Ash with the pumpkins. He couldn't help but remember teaching Eiji how to use a gun either.
All of what Ash and Eiji had gone through to discover "Banana Fish", put an end to Dino's terror, and destroying the drug. It seemed like a distant memory now. Ash knew that none of it mattered anymore, none of what he had gone through mattered anymore. Eiji was probably on a plane, going back to Japan, and Ash was lying on a library table, with nothing else but the option to give up.
As Ash lay there, he thought of all of those memories, the good and the bad. It put a smile on his face, how everything went. It didn't even matter that he was going to die, Ash had no regrets now. Eiji was safe and everything was over. Ash was willing to let death take him now.
Eiji had already gone through the airport security and he had already said goodbye to everyone he had met here. Everyone...except Ash, at least not in person. Wasn't Ash the most important person to say goodbye to? He had led Eiji through everything since he got here. They even became good friends. But it meant nothing now. In the next 15 hours, Eiji would be back in Japan and all that had happened would be a thing of the past.
He was excited to go back to Japan, for some things. He would get to see all of the family and friends that he had left behind for some time. He also could brag about his time in America. He would have to leave out the parts about "Banana Fish", Dino, and even Ash; which seemed to be most of his visit here.
Even though he had some excitement, Eiji couldn't get over all of the memories he had made and the friendship that he had developed with Ash. It wasn't fair that he had to leave; it made Eiji want to stay. It made him want to cry, it made him want to go crazy, it made him want to smash something, it made him feel terrible. The friendship that Eiji had with Ash would be lost if he left now. It felt wrong to let that happen. Eiji couldn't let that happen!
Eiji turned around, with his luggage at hand, and started sprinting away from the plane doors. Everyone was shocked, "Where are you going?!", Shinichi yelled out, trailing behind him as Eiji sped toward the airport exits. "Eiji, your flight leaves in five minutes! You can't leave now!", Shinichi exclaimed. "I'm not going back to Japan", Eiji declared, still heading for the exits without looking back, "Wha-? What do you mean you're not going back to Japan?!" he asked, catching up to Eiji and meeting his sped-up walking pace. "My place isn't in Japan, it's here", Eiji's eyes screamed determination as he left the airport and started running toward the rental car that Shinichi had rented for their time in New York. "I believe that my life became fulfilled when I met Ash, I can't leave that now, there is so much that hasn't been said", he finally looked up at Shinichi, once they reached the rental car. "Keys", he demanded, holding his palm out. "But, you don't know how to drive, how will you get anywhere?" Shinichi asked, hesitant to give him the car keys. "I'll find a way". Shinichi was surprised by Eiji's determination. It was expected to find that fiery ambition in Ash, but Eiji had always been more soft-spoken and timid when it came to this sort of stuff. It was as if he was evolving. Shinichi sighed, "Fine, but I'm driving you there". Eiji's face lit up slightly like it would have normally, at the agreement. Eiji raced around to the other side of the vehicle and got into the passenger side, waiting for Shinichi to start the car.
Shinichi and Eiji drove in silence for the most part. Shinichi's mind was wracked with the wonder of why Eiji wanted to stay here so badly. Sure, his friendship with Ash had built up to a certain level, but Eiji also had friends in Japan, and there were still ways to contact Ash. They could still manage to have some sort of friendship, no matter where Eiji was. That's why it didn't make any sense to Shinichi. "You can still get in touch with him...you don't need to be here", Shinichi commented, giving Eiji a concerned look; who's eyes still burned with passion. "It won't be good enough, I have to stay", Eiji said without hesitation. Shinichi sighed and continued to focus on the road.
Shinichi arrived at the bar where Ash and Eiji first met and Eiji barged through the door. Everyone inside the bar turned their heads in curiosity, "Where is Ash?", Eiji asked desperately. Nobody responded to him; they all stared at him. Eiji grew angry at the silence, "Where is Ash?", he demanded, his voice growing more fierce. Soon enough, a man from a table stood up and faced him. The man was Sing. He sighed and walked over to where Eiji had busted through. "He told us all before he left here to not come and look for him, so we haven't seen him since he left", Sing announced. Eiji sighed and bowed his head in defeat.
"Knowing Ash...", Sing said at Eiji's reaction, "He's probably trying to find you after I gave him your letter", he declared. "Try looking around where he could've run off to", he said. Eiji didn't stay for another word. He immediately turned around and rushed out of the building. Shinichi didn't move. "What am I going to do about him?", Shinichi asked, to no one in particular, "I think you should let this happen", Sing replied, "It seems like that's what they both want anyway", he smirked.
Eiji ran up and down the streets, scanning the streets, sidewalks, and buildings for any sign of Ash, unfortunately, though he couldn't see any trace of him. Still, he continued, determined to find Ash. Even if Ash went to the airport and couldn't find Eiji, they would still meet on his way back. Eventually, Eiji had lost his breath from all of the running and noticed something as he was hunched over, catching his breath. There was a red spot on the concrete.
Eiji inspected the red spot closer and found out that it wasn't an ordinary blood spot. It was a spot of blood. Eiji looked forward in horror and found that it wasn't just a spot, but a trail of blood. Eiji followed the trail of blood into what appeared to be a library. But the blood trail stopped after the library entrance. Still, Eiji didn't leave the library. He looked around the library for that golden head of hair that Eiji adored. He found that golden head lying on the top of a table. Eiji's face lit and his heart swelled with joy. He completely forgot about the blood trail and ran over to where Ash was sitting. With a smile on his face, Eiji bent down to where Ash's head lay.
It looked like Ash was sleeping, for he had a smile on his face as well. Eiji poked Ash playfully, "Ash, wake up", Eiji declared, "I'm not going back to Japan!", he exclaimed. Ash didn't stir at Eiji's poking or his voice. Eiji gave him a confused look and started shaking him, to wake him up. Ash gave no response.
Eiji started getting annoyed with Ash and wondered if Ash was doing this on purpose, but then he noticed something. Ash's hand was covering something over his abdomen. Eiji curiously moved Ash's hand off of his body to end up gasping aloud. Ash's hand was covering a serious stab wound in his abdomen. Eiji became more panicked and realized that the blood trail he spotted earlier, was Ash's blood. Eiji began shaking Ash more aggressively but to no avail. Tears pricked Eiji's eyes as he soon realized that Ash would not wake up. Eiji ignored the terrible thoughts in his mind and continued to try and wake up Ash. "Ash! Please wake up!", Eiji cried out, "Ash!", tears poured down Eiji's face as he gave up on shaking Ash awake. Eiji sobbed and collapsed into a chair next to Ash; he wept for what seemed like an eternity. Ash was gone and Eiji would never get to have those memories with him again.
A faint sobbing sound rose Ash out of his slumber, and he checked his surroundings with tired eyes. It didn't take him long to notice Eiji seated next to him, crying softly. Everything around Ash seemed fairly normal, except all of the sounds sounded muffled and the colors were dimmer than they were supposed to be. Ash wondered what had happened to his vision and hearing where everything seemed so different, but then he remembered. He let his guard down, and now he was dead for it. Ash glanced over at Eiji who hadn't brought up his head from his agonized sobs. It took him a minute to notice that Ash was sitting on his own corpse. It was obvious enough to him that he was dead and was in between the afterlife and living, but he didn't know how to get out of it. Suddenly, Ash was unable to see his hands in view anymore. Surprisingly, however, Ash stayed calm and did not stir into the panicked and angry phase that he was so used to. Instead, he looked down at Eiji and smiled.
Ash was pleased to see that Eiji had come back for him, but it was too late now. He, originally, was going to try and stop Eiji from going home; but it looks like he wouldn't have had to anyway, with Eiji sitting here. It was depressing that Ash would never see Eiji again once he had fully disappeared. Now, Ash's calves had evaporated to wherever they had gone, all that stood was Ash's thighs, arms, and torso; along with his head.
Eiji looked up to where Ash's spirit loomed and his eyes went wide, "Ash?", he said, confirming to Ash that he could see him. "Ash...", Eiji said once more, as if that was all he could say. By this point, half of Ash's torso was missing. Tears streamed down Eiji's face; he knew that this would be the last moment that he saw Ash. Ash only smiled, "My soul is always with you...", he said, trying to resist the urge to cry. Eiji almost cried out in pain at the words of Ash. All that was left of Ash was his head now, and Ash knew that he didn't have much longer to be with Eiji.
"Sayonara Eiji"
