Bridge Over Troubled What-Ifs

The Deep Road to Hell

To most people, a bridge was just a way to get across a body of water or a large gap in the earth. You walk or drive across it and you're done. Not much to think about unless you want to come up with some kind of clever metaphor for achieving goals or something equally philosophical.

To some people though, a bridge could be home. More than home even.

And so Parsee Mizuhashi stood in the middle of the bridge she'd lived on and around for centuries, motionless except to sometimes look in a different direction or to breathe. Heavy footsteps approached her.

"Why are we back here, Parsee?"

Parsee turned to look at the armored warrior behind her: Kamen Rider Chalice, the form her Shadow had assumed back in 2015 when an evil spirit had given her doubts and fears form.

"Just looking for answers here, I suppose," Parsee said, turning to stare back at the darkness.

"A waste of our time," Chalice sighed. "But do as you will."

"Thank you."

Parsee was once again alone with her thoughts. She could hear fairies in the distance and those weird yin-yang creatures flying about, but none dared to approach the bridge, not while its princess was back. She spent hours mulling over what Reimu said, what had happened in the previous year, and her own experiences on this very bridge. Being given control of a multi-billion dollar, interplanetary corporation after an interdimensional dragon tried to run it into the ground, having to help stop a massive civil war on another world from ripping opening the wall between dimensions, enough Kobber drama to last even her extended lifetime...

It was hard to tell where her doubts over one problem ended and another began. Reimu had, fortunately, provided some perspective, rightfully noting that she'd lost fights before Hot Topic and gotten back up. Months of tanking corporate profits were another thing, trying to pull up from the financial plummet caused by the MALP-verse Draco funding terror in her world. Perhaps she was finally beginning to gain some perspective, finally on the verge of a breakthrough!

Then the chamber went cold. Deathly cold. Parsee looked about, curious but unconcerned.

Unconcerned until someone began whispering.

<Mizuho-chan...>

The bridge princess' ear perked. A name she hadn't heard in years by a voice she hadn't ever expected to hear again.

Not after she cut his throat for cheating on her with another woman the night before their wedding.

She turned in time to see the voice manifest a body, a swirling specter forming a dark-haired man in a kimono centuries out of date carrying a gleaming katana.

<Mizuho-chan, I found you...>

Parsee dropped to her knees, supernatural terror coming over her as her dead fiancé walked towards her, arm extended.

<Mizuho-chan, I need you...>

<Get away from me!> Parsee cried as she backed up on the bridge, her eyes never leaving the ghost before her.

<Mizuho-chan, I'm so cold...I need you...>

<GO AWAY, EIICHI!>

<I need you...to die...>

Parsee screamed as the ghost was suddenly before her.

<You killed me. You killed her. In cold blood. So cold. Can't move on.>

<I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! GO AWAY!> Parsee screamed, curling up into a ball.

<Need your blood...to warm up...then I can go...> He raised his sword.

<I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT! FORGIVE ME, PLEASE!>

The sword came down, its blade digging into Parsee's neck to her spine. Her rolls eyed into the back of her head and she slumped over, fading away.

...

...

...

The specter of Eiichi stood there for a moment, confused. Bodies didn't just disappear. Or did they? It had been so long since he'd had a coherent thought. There was no blood for him.

Only mocking laughter echoing off the walls.

<Did you really think I would just sit there? Did you think I'd just let you cut my head off?!>

Parsee's laughter grew louder, landing where her clone had been a moment before.

<Five hundred years and you still don't know how to use that,> she said, tutting. <You took TWO lessons just so you could tell your associates that, yes, you did take swordfighting lessons.>

The ghost tilted its head, listening with growing comprehension.

<You never even used it except to show off and cut melons in half. No wonder it's still in such good shape,> she continued stepping forward.

The ghost stepped back, his expression growing concerned.

<And expecting me to just curl and die just like that? You never COULD stand to do your share of a job unless dragged kicking and screaming,> Parsee growled, jabbing the ghost in the chest.

She slapped the sword out of Eiichi's hand. <The only thing you did yourself was trying to manipulate me into being a good wife. I did my damndest to become the kind of wife needed to make our marriage work so that our families could prosper together, even actually giving in to your stupid requests! "A proper wife shouldn't interrupt, Mizuho-chan. A proper wife should know how to make tea, Mizuho-chan! A PROPER WIFE SHOULD KNOW HER PLACE, MIZUHO-CHAN!">

Parsee's eyes flared as she forced the ghost into retreat. <I was stuck on this bridge FOR CENTURIES repenting for the one misdeed I did against you and your mistress, whom I note isn't here - I guess til death do you part is the furthest you can commit too - and you couldn't find me ON THE ROAD TO HELL!>

<M-Mizuho-chan, I-!>

<I'M NOT TANAKA MIZUHO ANYMORE!>

Parsee rose into the air, lording over the spirit of her ex-fiancè, rage building.

<Tanaka Mizuho died the same day you did and in her place Parsee Mizuhashi was born! The green-eyed monster of Gensokyo, CEO of Dra Co, owner of the Stars Above nightclub, mistress of Cian's Floating Castle!

And it's not Parsee-chan, before your foul mouth opens again. You may call me Parsee-SAMA, unworthy as you are to look upon me.>

The ghost began to vanish, cowed into escape, but Parsee would not allow this, grabbing the apparition's robe while she could.

<Oh, no, you're not getting off so easily. You see, I'm not longer a human either. I'm a hashihime, the mistress of this very bridge. You are so eager for warmth? Then I hereby BANISH YOU TO HELL!>

She began using a spell card to send the flailing fiancè to visit Satori in Hell, but stopped when a woman's weeping fill the chamber.

<So THAT'S where your mistress is. Come on, dear, you can get in on this eternal damnation!>

The weeping slowly grew into growling as a towering apparition crawled down the hallway, the image of a petite woman fifteen feet tall, a knife jutting from her neck as she wept tears of blood.

Parsee whistled appreciatively. <Damn. A vengeance spirit? How many lies did he whisper in your ear to make you this angry about death?>

She cast Eiichi aside with a grin as her new adversary, much more formidable-looking than the pathetic ghost, reached her bridge. <I forgot to mention one other name I go by now, "honored husband"...>

She pulled out a device from behind her back and placed it on her belt. She placed both hands on it and lit up her eyes.

<They also call me...Kamen Rider Hime.

TRANSFORM!>

A flash of light gave the chamber its first actual illumination in years, dying as quickly as it erupted, leaving a blue-armored figure standing in Parsee's place. Heavy footsteps followed as Kamen Rider Chalice reappeared.

"May I join you in this battle, Kamen Rider Hime?"

"I'd be honored, Kamen Rider Chalice."

The vengeance spirit howled and swung a claw.