"Do you think I don't know that I was too weak on my own?!" Eiji raised his voice suddenly, but it wasn't anger so much as it was desperation. "In the past I failed to protect the people who were most important to me. An entire village died because I wasn't strong enough, Ankh!"

He was exasperated nearly beyond words, but if he had any chance of making Ankh understand he had to keep going.

"I do know how it feels when you want do everything you can to protect the ones you love. I know you think you can only do that as Ankh, but you're wrong. You're wrong because even if you're trying to keep her safe you're breaking her heart! How is that right?!"