I'll Take ANYTHING Different

[ShadesofGrey18]

"Ow... OW. OW!! Yes! They're real! Please let go of them!" Momiji half-shouted, wincing in pain, tears leaping to the corners of her eyes.

Aya turned to face Eddy directly. "...I like you, kid; you've got spunk. Most people just get frustrated and stomp off after the second time. Okay, then; we should get some proper introductions. I'm Aya. Aya Shameimaru, Crow Tengu, newspaper reporter extraordinaire. And you are?"

[nintendonut1]

Eddy raised a brow, intrigued. Well... he was not expecting that! But hey, she respected his tact. That was a step in the right direction!

"Now, that's more like it!" He jacked a thumb into his chest. "Name's Eddy, Super Child of Speed at your service!" He glanced over as Ed pulled back and apologized profusely when Momiji got upset. "...my chum's Ed."

[ShadesofGrey18]

Aya smirked. "Niiice, another speedster. I'm the fastest in Gensokyo." She then pulled Momiji over. "This is my friend, Momiji Inubashiri. Number One Guardian of Youkai Mountain and one of the best trackers you'll ever find."

Aya started to float in the air. "So, what's your story?"

[nintendonut1]

Faithfully, Ed scampered over and stood beside his pal as Eddy replied, "Ehhh... children of destiny, saviors of earth, and all that jazz. You know, the typical stuff."

"What about YOU guys?" Ed asked eagerly.

[ShadesofGrey18]

Aya said, "We're Youkai from Japanese mythology who live in a world called Gensokyo. Basic idea is; it's a place kept secret from the rest of the worlds thanks to a Border. We're here 'cause a friend of mine came here on some important business. I'm a reporter so I decided to check the place out."

Momiji said, "Aya and I have been friends for a long time... a good century and a half at least. What about you two?"

[nintendonut1]

"Oooooh," Ed cooed in interest. He felt like he MIGHT have known what they were talking about, buuuuut Japanese culture still kind of flew over his head. He'd always be married to his classic b-rated horror.

"Not much of a secret when you tell everyone, if you ask me," Eddy snorted.

"Awww... we haven't been friends THAT long..." Ed pulled his friend into a big hug. "But Eddy's been my pal since I can remember!!"

"...you can barely even remember what you ate for breakfast this morning, Ed."

"Precisely!"

[ShadesofGrey18]

Aya laughed. "Maybe, but even if they did know, they probably couldn't get there. The Border keeps most everyone inside in and those outside out. ...'Cept for this one lady who has the power to bend boundaries... that's how we got here."

Momiji chuckled at the two. She then said, "So, how long have you two been here on the Island? We haven't been here for very long and we're kinda curious about this place."

Aya flipped her notebook out and got her pen. "Yeah, I'd love to hear a bit from people from here!"

[nintendonut1]

"Oooh, we've been here for a LONG time!!" Ed piped up, rocking a stiff Eddy back and forth by the shoulders. "We've had lost of great adventures!"

Eddy seemed to urk at that, zipping out of Ed's clutches and glaring at him. "Great?? Great!?! You call being hunted down by villains of every shape and size great!? You call getting your feelings being beaten into a pulp by a bunch of self-serving angels GREAT!?! That is, BY FAR, the stupidest thing you have EVER said in the history of Idiocy in FOREVER!"

Ed flinched, not understanding why Eddy was getting so upset. "Awww... I know we hit hard times but..."

"Our best friend is gone, Ed!!" Eddy shrieked, by now letting out frustration he'd been keeping in for some time. "He left because he felt like he had to because he turned into an angel on this STUPID ISLAND!!!"

"...it's not the island's fault..." Ed muttered aside, discouraged.

[ShadesofGrey18]

Aya dropped her pen and notebook in shock. "W-What?! ...There are angels here, too? ...And from the way you make them sound, they're no better than that spoiled brat Celestial back in Gensokyo..."

Momiji said, "Um... if it's alright to ask... your friend got turned into an angel? What happened there?"

Aya then said, "I'm guessing you have no idea where your friend left to?"

[nintendonut1]

Eddy was grinding his teeth when he turned at Aya's question. "They're conceited, selfish, high-and-mighty brats that think they have a right to kill whoever they want and hurt anyone that tries to give a damn about them." He seethed further towards Momiji. "And it's none of your business what happened!!"

"Double D wasn't any of those things..." Ed muttered, clearly distraught over his pal's yelling.

"That was the whole POINT, Ed! Because he was human first! He was the only GOOD angel and they pushed him away because of it!" He took a moment to cool down. "...we don't know where he went. We've been searching for god knows how long."

[ShadesofGrey18]

Aya furrowed her brow for a minute. She then said, "Then we'll help you. Momiji here is the best tracker in all of Gensokyo; if anyone could find your friend, it's her. Take her with you; she's pretty capable in a fight, too." Aya then paced a little. "I have my ways of getting information, being a reporter; tell ya what, I'm gonna get in contact with a friend of mine; he's pretty knowledgeable about things so he might know what to do. He has some pretty powerful connections, too."

Momiji said, "Right; we will help; that's a Tengu's promise."

Aya flipped a phone out of her pocket and called someone. "Hey, Mike; I need to talk to you about something. Meet me near Portal Park, alright?" She flipped the phone shut and said, "If you need me, contact me through Momiji and I'll be there in a flash." Aya then took off towards the city after throwing a wave backwards.

Momiji said, "All right then; where shall we search first? Do you have any ideas?"