The boy felt cold floor under his feet walking down the stairs. He tried to make as little noise as possible because he knew if someone would catch him at this hour out from his bed he would be in trouble for sure. The clock hit twelve and its voice echoed in the big empty hall making Jun jump. It wasn't like him to be up this late, usually he didn't disobey any rules of their home, but he couldn't just ignore what he had heard. Someone had called for him when he was a sleep.

Jun looked around in the empty hall, no it definitely wasn't here he should have known. This is where he most likely lost the card but the sound hadn't come from here. The voice of something crying out for him.

"Light and Darkness Dragon?" the boy whispered quietly in the empty hall. No answer. He couldn't even anymore hear the cries he heard in his dream and just after waking up.

"Jun?" surprised and obviously displeased voice asked from the stairs.

Jun yelped and turned around realizing it was way too late to try hiding. Instead he gulped quickly and tried to look as apologizing as possible to the person walking down the stairs "Big Brother Chosaku, why are you up so late?"

"That's my question to you" Chosaku frowned at the six year old: "This is way after your bedtime. Didn't you get a sleep?"

His older brother was just asking casually but Jun could hear the blaming tone underneath the civil words and looked down at his feet. "No. I thought I heard something."

"Heard what?"

"I thought I heard…" Jun muttered, paused not sure should he continue but continued anyway: "Light and Darkness Dragon".

"What?" teenager raised his eyebrows before remembering what it was that his younger brother was talking about. He sighed slowly. "Jun, you don't have that card remember."

The boy shook his head in response: "No, I lost it and now…"

"No, Jun listen" Chosaku kneeled down on the floor so they were eye to eye level: "You don't have that card. It was all just a dream. Our parents have explained this to you many times haven't they?"

"Yes, but…"

"No, it's not time for this" Chosaku stood up again: "Go to sleep Jun, it was just a dream."

"But…" Jun tried to protest one more time but Chosaku didn't really listen just repeated his command. Then he stood there watching as the youngest member of the Manjoume family climbed back to his room. After he was sure Jun was gone the oldest brother sighed once more. Who would have thought one card could cause so much trouble?

It wasn't fun having to lie to your youngest brother but it was always the result that mattered and when the other option was having Jun going around talking about spirits lying wasn't any big deal. As a card Light and Darkness Dragon said absolutely nothing to Chosaku, it was just one the many cards they had bought for Jun over the years because he was so fascinated about them. It wasn't anything special until Jun had gotten convinced it had a spirit inside it.

Manjoume family wasn't first bothered by this, they had just reminded themselves that many kids have imaginary friends. But it just went on and on and on… Manjoumes were very rational people and having their son talking to a thin air just wasn't an option. They took a card away from Jun, explained that it had all just been doings of his wild imagination and that sometimes imaginary friends have to go. Later on they even started saying that never had been a card like that and it was just all just a dream. Chosaku didn't know where the card was now, probably just thrown somewhere or sold away. Either way the effect was promising because aside from little scenes like this Jun had stopped talking about his dragon and started taking the healthy approached that spirits aren't real.

Chosaku yawned, he himself shouldn't be up at this our either. He tiredly scratched his chin, it had become a habit ever since he started growing a beard even though there was barely anything at this point, and continued his way.

…..

Top student.

Jun had never felt more proud. Of course he knew he was going to be the best, there was no doubt about it, but that wasn't a reason not to still feel rightfully proud about it. The graduation generally had gone peacefully and even though he didn't like Judai's decision to leave and travel the world by himself he was sure they'd meet again. There wasn't an option since Thunder still hadn't defeated him and even if he had, he had to admit to himself, he'd still want to see the brunet after all they went through together.

Even returning home hadn't been so stressful knowing that he had succeeded as well as his family wanted him to. Welcoming had been alright and even his brother who he usually had nicely said difficult terms with were happy, not too much though, over their youngest brother. The right away started planning how he could now be useful for their plans in the professional league. Still even his very goal and work orientated family agreed that Jun had finally deserved some free time.

Everything seemed to be just fine. After three years of running around from place to another after Judai or with Judai, from catastrophe to another, trying to study at the same time and even at summer vacation spending your most time going through all the stuff that had happened, trying to make some sense to it while on the meanwhile working on your summer homework… It didn't seem right that everything was just fine. He wasn't use to having time just for himself. He was enjoying it of course but it felt like he was every day just waiting someone to send a message saying: "The world will collapse if you don't get yourself here right now".

That's why when Thunder started hearing strange noises he couldn't just let it be. Of course he also considered that he was so desperate for something to happen that he started hearing things but the voices continued, and continued… As if someone was crying out for him, something very familiar almost friendly.

Even though Ojamas told him they couldn't hear anything Manjoume Thunder didn't just imagine things. If even other card spirits couldn't hear it just meant this call was for him and only for him. One day in the morning night, so early that no one else in his family had woken up yet, Jun was awakened by those calling cries again. He started following them soon finding himself at their attic. He had barely ever been there and by the look of the place no one else had either. It was almost shocking to see place so full of dust in their otherwise perfectly clean house.

The cries echoed in his head while he scrabbled through dusty boxes filled with old toys, school books, accessories and god knows what no one had needed in ages. At this point he already knew what he was looking for. The visions of it, the dragon, had burned to his brain. How could he have forgotten about it? How dared he only remember it now? Finally he found the card. In and old box willed with some of his toys and even few other trading cards he hadn't wanted.

"Light and Darkness Dragon" he whispered in the dusty air.

Jun remembered it all now. He was only six years old at the time but it was as vivid as it had happened yesterday. Seeing his dragon for the first time, short frightening soon turned into joy and the pride of being able to see something as cool as it. His spirit companion. But he hadn't believed in spirits other than his dragon, he had been raised to think that only things he could see and touch were important, so after the card was taken away the constant convincing by his parents and brothers had made him forget. It had all just been imaginary.

"I'm so sorry for forgetting you" Jun said truly meaning every word as he held the card in his hands.

"Will you fight with me again? Light and Darkness Dragon…"

And the apology was accepted, Light and Darkness Dragon appeared.

So, that was it.

I really wanted to write this because I'm more into GX anime than manga and Thunder is definitely one of my favorite characters ever in it but… after finding out about the Light and Darkness dragon it felt like so much more fitting spirit companion for him.

And before anyone asks if it stayed confusing the reason why Thunder only heard his dragon now is that before school he was in too strong denial about the spirits on his vacations while in school he was way too busy (and wasn't necessary even home that much).

All the reviews and constructive criticism is always welcome. ^^