-38-

I close my eyes and sigh heavily. I am stuck here while Parad went out inside Emu's body. He's going to head to the hospital and trick Hiiro and the others into thinking he's Emu. Then he'll probably try fighting Emu on his own after threatening a few people to do so.

"I know that your life is boring without Parad, but you really don't have to sigh all the time. It isn't going to bring excitement your way. Don't you have a game console to play and some music to listen to?" Graphite is in his usual mood I see. 

I open my eyes and look over at him, shaking my head. "I am tired of doing the same thing every few minutes, Graphite. And you know what? Talking to you isn't any better." He's rude and just plain mean to me. 

"Listen, we both know that you don't want to be here. If you try running off, I won't stop you at all," Graphite tells me, looking me dead in the eyes. "You're not good for Parad and it sucks that he doesn't see it. I was trying to accept you here at first, but I simply can't do so. You just don't feel right. You know, in place?" 

So, he knows that I don't want to be here and that I have no actual feelings for Parad now? But is he being honest about allowing me to go? Doesn't he listen to Parad?

"I'm not going to run off and get you into trouble, Graphite. I know you've been wanting me gone and I can't allow myself to let us both land into serious trouble. Now, leave me alone here."

"Parad is wrong about you."

"What do you know?" 

"I know that you somehow got him interested in you. I know he cares a lot about you, but I don't think he understands that what he feels for you isn't the same as how that Emu guy feels for you," Graphite answers. "Besides, you probably have an important mission to go on."

"What mission are you talking about?" I want to know.

"I overheard Kuroto talking to himself when he thought no on was around. Of course, this was when I was working with him and Parad. That was before I got the gashat that was left out."

I shake my head. "I don't understand. Get to the point, Graphite."

"He said this world was falling apart and that it needed something to fix it." Graphite looks away from me. "I didn't want to bring up your role in his plan before, but I am sure that he brought you here now. Everything points to that being the case."

"You're not wrong about me. He did bring me here." I am not going to admit where I came from though.

"I'm going to do what I am supposed to and have fun, but you need to figure out how to fix things here and save yourself. That is how I know you're not a good fit for Parad." So, he's been aware of this for a long time now? "I know I could have brought this up long before this, but I didn't feel the need to. I wasn't sure if Kuroto was being honest or just plain insane."

If Graphite told me this all earlier, I would have already ran off. However, I do not want to piss off Parad right now. If he loses to Emu, I can definitely go free since he'll be gone. I assume he will be gone, but I have no proof of that. I'm sure he wants to fight to the existing point. 

"So, you're just going to stay here?" Graphite asks me. 

I do not have a choice but to stay here and wait to see what happens. If something bad happens and I leave, nothing good will come out me doing so. If he beats Emu, still nothing good happens to me. But I won't die instantly for leaving so there is that. I guess that is a positive.

"I am not wanting to die, Graphite."

"But the world needs you to go doesn't it? You can't just stay here forever."

"I think I can do what I want to." I honestly can do what I want to do and he can deal with it. "Hiiro is handling things for me right now. Once I reunite with him, we'll figure out how to save the world together."

Graphite laughs. "Hiiro is helping you? Why doesn't surprise me?" He shakes his head, looking away from me, and smiles. "He's always helping nice pretty girls isn't he?" 

"I don't think he intentionally helps other pretty girls because they're pretty. And wait! You think I'm pretty?" 

He looks back at me. "Just because I don't like you that much, doesn't mean I don't find you attractive. You're not as beautiful as other women in the world, but you have a natural appeal to you that definitely attracts Emu to you."

"Natural appeal?"

"You have enough decent looking features about you that make you attractive. Of course, I'm way better looking than you." He's still an egotistical Bugster. I have to remember to bop him in the face later.

I nod my head slowly. "I see."

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Who?"

"Parad and his host. They're both going to be fine."

"How do you know?"

"Because I have a feeling something bad is going to happen today and that we're not going to have our way for once." He looks away. He must know what is going to happen then due to what is going on in this world. If he is aware of that, then I can somewhat trust him.

I look down. "Alright," I reply. 

"He's back."

I look up and over as Parad storms into the room as pixels float around him, looking a bit glitchy as usual. Oh, he looks really mad right now! I guess Graphite was right that something bad happened. Wait...who is back?

"Huh?" I blink. "What are you talking about?"

He stops, eyes burning. "Kuroto the Mad Man."

"Kuroto is alive?" How in the world did he come back to life?

"Poppy brought him to where I was fighting Emu and he was his old Kamen Rider self. He then negated my ability to take over Emu and ruined my fun!" Parad whines, sounding very upset, and he turns from me. "I am going to kill him!"

"Wo-ah, calm down!" Graphite exclaims. "We can handle him real easily."

Kuroto is back? So, that means they're going to find a way to get me back now, right? Of course that is what is going to happen. Kuroto brought me here and he is going to need me to help him figure out what is going on in the world. 

"Please calm down," I beg and he turns to me, eyes not burning as much now. "I don't want you to keep worrying about him. If you do, you're never going to be able to give me the love I need from you."

"You're right that I won't be able to do that. I'm sorry for going all crazy over it," he replies, nodding his head as he forces a smile onto his face. "Elkie, I am sorry for threatening Kuroto's life in front of you. You don't need to know about that plan."

I force a smile onto my face. "It is fine, Parad."

I just have to deal with this all for a bit longer and than I can go freely. Kuroto will be able to keep Parad busy so I can get free. Emu knows where I'm at so he can come and get me. Graphite is in on what is going on, so he'll definitely let me go and claim that Emu stopped him. Well, I hope that is what I can make him claim once Parad is gone and we can talk.

Parad steps closer to me and he holds out his arms. "Come and hug me to make me feel better about my day. It really sucked. It is like getting a Game Over in a game, which I haven't done before. But I can kind of imagine how it feels to be the other two Kamen Riders." Oh, he is making fun of Hiiro and Taiga right now isn't he? At least he's not making fun of Kiriya. 

I step closer to him and he pulls me into his chest, hugging me against his body tightly. He feels so warm right now. But I know what is way warmer to be in. Emu's arms are the warmest and nicest to have around me. Way better than hugging Parad. Not that I am trying to make Parad seem like second best to anyone, but it is how it is sometimes. 

"Are you hungry?" he asks me.

"She's definitely hungry," Graphite answers, beating me to the response. How does he know what I want and don't want?

"I'll get you something to eat by using our CEO friend," Parad states, pulling back a bit. "I'll see you in a moment."

"Alright." I can't wait to be free from his grasp.

The moment I can reunite with Emu will be the best moment of my life here.

A/n: And here's the update! I can confirm that we're getting closer to Elkie's freedom. I was originally going to have her join him when he visited the hospital, but I decided to change that. I think it'll be better to have something else happen.

I hope you enjoy and sorry for the wait!