Title: Snapshot
Characters: Johan, Gem Beasts||Ship: N/A
Word Count: 500||Chapters: 1/1
Challenges: Diversity Writing Challenge, A66, one character's view of something or someplace; GX Flash Bingo, #170, Kaiba Dome
Notes: This takes place in a different universe of my writing, which is very Johan-focused. You can read more about it in Let The Games Begin.
Summary: Johan's not really a tourist but he can't help but want a few memories of places to show the folks back home.

Domino City. In all of his travels since he'd arrived in this world, Johan hadn't seen anyplace that seemed so unlike… home. Some came close – anywhere that had more plant-life than people – but there was something about Domino City that tugged at a warm place inside of him.

There were duelists here. That had to be it. The only time he'd seen more duelists anywhere in this world were times when he attended tournaments. There duelists were thick on the ground. Here they still were, and some of them were strong duelists.

Not strong enough, not the one that he was looking for by any means. But strong all the same.

He closed his eyes for a few moments before he turned and looked at the glimmering dome not that far away.

KaibaDome. The KaibaDome. Where prospective students came every year to try to get into Duel Academia.

I wish I'd been there when he showed up.

To see Yuuki Juudai in action would've been amazing, according to everything that he'd ever heard about him. To see it here, in this magnificent place dedicated to dueling, would've been even better.

Johan.

Sapphire Pegasus stood beside him and rested his muzzle on Johan's shoulder. It is a magnificent place indeed.

He didn't say the 'but' that Johan could feel he wanted to. Johan took the chance to avoid that part of the conversation.

"All those duelists in there. I'd like to see them all." He knew he couldn't. He didn't have time; the boat to Duel Academia would be leaving shortly. Besides, he didn't think he'd made it on the day of practical exams anyway. Hadn't those been last week?

Johan. Sapphire Pegasus nudged him again. We can't admire it forever.

Oh, but wanted to. He knew exactly what his father would want to do to this place: tear it down, render it into little more than rubble, crumbs, and ashes, and every duelist in there would become a part of Super Fusion. All of those who weren't duelists would be imprisoned and slain in whatever interesting ways Brron could come up with.

It wouldn't at all be the first or the last time that it happened, and Johan suspected it had happened many more times since he'd set out on his quest. It was what Brron did.

It was why Johan was here in the first place, to seek the false Haou, the one who would try to steal Super Fusion from his father and wreck his plans.

Sapphire Pegasus nudged him one more time and Johan let out a long sigh. As much as he might want otherwise, he really had to go.

He resolutely turned his back on the KaibaDome, then turned back quickly, fishing his camera out of his pocket. He'd bought it mostly on a whim, so he could take pictures of places in this world and one day show them to his father.

One quick snap, and then he headed away. No time to waste.

The End

Notes: No, I haven't forgotten this world. Johan's backstory will come soon enough.