A/N: READ OR BE CONFUSED!! Um…I don't know what to say about this…Well, I guess I should try to explain. T.T I had the urge for the longest time to write about that guy in episode 134 that Juudai meets in the Dark World detention camp that he thinks is Johan but isn't really…I just felt like putting it from his perspective in a short little drabble. Um, just for the sake of things, I'm going to call him "Johann." :sweatdrops: So…yeah…don't kill me. I watched that scene Haou knows how many times in the sub and twice in the dub and I read about it on Janime countless times as well as watching the episodes before and after this episode and reading the summaries…just to write this fic. :dies: I DID MY RESEARCH DD: Oh, and I know that Shintoism was practiced as the main religion of Japan for a long time and isn't quite the same as it was in ancient times, but well, there are hints of it here because Dark World is sort of set in a period far behind the advances of Juudai's world…So, yeah, if you're offended by the religious undertones, then I apologize. It's a few hints, and it's true to Japan so shut up. And yes, I know the gods are called kami and are actually spirits caught up in the cycle of reincarnation so yeah…

Disclaimer: I do not own GX.

The teal haired boy curled up against the cold stone wall, shivering as he held his knees to his chest. The thin fabric of his tattered blue tunic was not enough to keep him warm on such a chilly night, especially not in such a foreign and frightening atmosphere. Crouching down lower, he tried to conceal himself in the shadows as best as he could, as he heard the Dark World soldiers marching outside the demolished hut that he was using for cover. He was no match against them, especially when he could not walk any longer. His energy had been depleted from the miles of trekking he'd done to escape the onslaught from his village far in the plains. Not to mention his feet were sore and cut, bloody from the effects of running through the rubble of villages barefoot. He'd long ago lost his shoes when he'd gotten stuck in some mud. But he'd had to leave them behind, even if he was so poor he could not possibly afford new ones. It was not worth getting caught.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he heard them pass him by. That was not his day to die. He would live yet another day. A few moments were spent, waiting and listening intently, just in case they came back. Since the village had already been destroyed and picked through for survivors, he felt as though perhaps he was safe. He was no warrior. He'd never been trained in any sort of combat. So if he encountered them, then he would most surely be killed. There was no way he could defend himself. He was weak by nature, a sickly individual. Not to mention he was no duelist. The only reason he'd be captured would be because he was not from those parts. He would be taken along with the natives, simply because he was there and the monsters of Dark World left no one in their path unscathed.

Hours seemed to drag by, yet he could not work up the courage or the energy to get up. He'd reached his limit. Though he tried with all his might, warning himself that it was dangerous to be sedentary and he should keep moving, he could not do it. Tears pricked his teal eyes as a shiver ran down his spine. Was he really going to give up? Was he going to give into death that easily? He had no choice, it seemed. He couldn't do it. He couldn't carry on.

Swallowing back his tears, he took a deep breath to calm himself, as he curled up in a tighter ball. Every muscle of his body tensed, aching, shivering. The apprehension was too much for him. He was weak minded. He almost wanted to throw himself out into the street to end the agony of waiting, to scream out that he was ready to be taken away. It had been far too long since he'd been at home with his family. It seemed like only a distant memory then, a mere dream. Everything that he'd had in the past seemed surreal. It couldn't be. This reality was far too different.

As much as he tried to suppress the memory of the day his life had changed, it came anyway. He could still smell the scent of blood and war, thick in the air. He could still feel the smoke constricting his airways, pouring in from the window from the fires that raged outside. The cries of terror from the villagers and the heartless guffaws of the army mingled in his mind, overwhelming him with fear. His mother and sister had been beside him, under the table, cowering and praying to the gods for their lives. But there had been no mercy. The gods had not looked down on them favorably. Perhaps they'd done something wrong. Perhaps the offerings to the temple had not been satisfactory. Had they not been faithful? Their prayers and their requests had been rejected. He could still remember the way they'd cowered against him, trembling as there was the sound of wood splintering when the door had been broken down. And then the two soldiers had knelt down and looked him right in the eyes as they killed his mother and sister. He'd begged and tried to hold on to them, but it had been too late. There had been no time to cry, however. He'd had to focus on his own life. Right before they'd killed him, the rebel forces had arrived into the village and began to fight back. It surely had been another chance from the gods. The temporary distraction was enough for him to slip away and out the back window. He still was not sure how he'd managed such a narrow escape.

Shuddering at the memory of his village in shambles, he hugged his knees closer and rocked back and forth a little, trying to keep himself awake. Pain etched across his features as he remembered the pastures set ablaze. The houses either pounded into dust or burned to the ground, the walls scorched with black. The warriors injured and lying bloody in the streets, before they met their imminent death. Women as well lay injured on the streets, ravished, disrespected, ashamed. Navigating through the chaos was no easy task either, with all the bodies and cries for help that distracted him, and the various duel disks scattered across the ground, a reminder of the courageous men that gave their lives. But worst of all was to see the village shrine. What had once been a symbol of prosperity and hope had been reduced to a pile of ashes, the steps cracked as though an earthquake had disrupted the peace, the wooden gate splintered and tilting to one side, about to fall at any second. Falling to his knees, he'd nearly wept at the sight. Nothing would ever be the same again. Nothing could bring what he'd lost back.

How he'd arrived in this village seemed like a blur. He'd been alone for so long, surviving mainly off of berries and spring water in the forest. He'd hoped to find peace to the north, with no luck. The rumors had been false ones, perhaps a trap. It was no safer there, even with this being the base for a huge rebel operation. It was then that he realized that the rebels were unable to fight back. The Dark World soldiers were far too strong and numerous for anyone to defeat. There was no hope.

Feeling cold and numb from head to toe, he felt his eyelids droop. Night was beginning to fall, though it could not be discerned too well since it was always dark. The only light was from a mysterious blue comet that streaked across the sky, emitting enough of a glow to see where one was walking. At the moment, the light from this comet was creeping in through the window, casting dim shadows across the walls. Unbeknownst to him, it illuminated his face, causing him to be visible from the outside. Even if he had known, he was too tired to do anything. He could already feel the sickness grasping hold of him again, making it difficult to breathe. Pain grappled him.

He began to feel himself falling into darkness, into unconsciousness. He was so weak…so sleep deprived…so hungry…Perhaps he would've fallen victim to this state had he not heard the sound of metal clinking in the doorway. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open, though it was difficult to do so. Immediately, a burst of adrenaline rushed through his veins, fueling him. Running on pure fear alone, he leapt to his feet and attempted to escape through the window again. He had no such luck. The soldier seized him by the back of the shirt and gripped his wrist, twisting his arm painfully behind his back as a wide smirk crossed his face, his sharp teeth gleaming in the dim glow of the comet. Leaning forward closer to inspect his catch, he breathed hotly on Johann's face, causing the boy to wince at the sudden contact with his cool, damp skin.

"What do we have here?" It hissed, the rank breath causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up, "A refugee? Well, I'll be sure to take good care of you."

Johann bit his lip, holding back a cry as he felt the cold, cruel metal of shackles being snapped tightly around his wrists and neck. The monster jerked at the chains, prodding him to move forward. He had no choice but to follow. Defeated, he hung his head and trudged slowly behind. This earned him a few beatings from his captor. It complained that he was too slow. Stumbling over his feet, he tried to keep up with the steady pace. However, in his condition, he could not. Barking at him to speed up, his captor prodded him with the blunt end of a sword, threateningly. Johann shivered at the contact, however, complied to the best of his ability. His main goal was survival at this point.

The walk seemed to last forever. Johann kept stumbling and falling, which resulted in a sharp smack to the face or a kick in the rear. The physical abuse only made it harder for him to pick himself up and keep going. However, he managed to do it at the threat of death, which lingered in the back of his mind. That did not make the trip any easier, especially since the terrain was rough and unfamiliar. Eventually, a large wooden stockade loomed in the distance, an unwelcome sight for Johann. After all, this might be the end for him. This might be the last few steps he took on this earth, the last few breaths of dank air he gulped. A few jabs to the back kept him going, even though he wanted to dig his heels into the rocky ground and resist.

Once in the detention camp, the soldier led him past several cells dug out in the rock, until they reached a vacant one. The cries and pleas for mercy rang out endlessly, piercing the otherwise silent atmosphere. Chills ran up and down Johann's spine as he smelled the sour scent of blood and rubbish. Death and decay overwhelmed his senses, coming at him from all sides. A rough shove sent him falling on his face in the cell, into the dirty, rotten straw that was scattered across the cold stone floor. Laughing at Johann's pathetic state, the monster seized him by the front of the shirt and threw him against the rock wall, knocking the breath out of him. Then, it removed the chains only to snap another shackle around his wrist, attaching him to the wall. The soldier stepped outside the cell, not even bothering to shut the rusty iron door, which was its way of further humiliating him.

"You should have prayed to the gods for better fortune," It mocked, "You should've worked harder to become a mighty warrior! Instead, you allowed yourself to wither away into this sad excuse for a man. You are no man. You are a mere boy! Just look at yourself…you're so thin and weak. There's nothing you can do. You're not even worth our time! The other captives will have the luck of joining our army, once we train them. However, you will stay here to rot and die." With that being said, the monster let out a shrieking cackle, and walked away, leaving Johann to himself.

Whimpering, he shifted his aching body and stared with dulled eyes up at the ceiling, his dried lips moving in silent prayer, his breaths coming shorter. Even if he did survive the night, chances were, he would not make it through the next day. If the soldiers did not do him in, then his own body would. He'd suffered far too much already. And he did not have the willpower to endure any more.

He awoke to the sounds of movement from outside. Opening his eyes halfway, he watched as the soldiers chained prisoners together, jabbing them with the blunt end of spears to keep them in line. With a stifled gasp, he realized that they were about to leave without him. The monster who'd taken him captive leered at him, its eyes flashing. Johann's heart sank at this sight. As the others began to march out of the camp, he struggled desperately at his bonds, calling out to them weakly, begging to be taken with them. A few sympathetic glances were cast in his direction from fellow prisoners, but in the end, it was all to no avail. The gates soon closed, leaving him behind, alone and hopeless.

Shock soon settled in as he realized his fate. If he'd had any bit of hope left at all, it was surely gone by then. Even though he continued to call out for help until his voice was hoarse, he got no response. No one could hear him in the vacant camp. The only thing his yelling did was further deplete his energy. Finally, he gave up. It was too much of a struggle to keep trying when it was futile.

He stared off into space for awhile, hoping that maybe someone would come find him, though deep inside, he knew this was not likely. Finally, he let his head drop, his chin on his chest. He would surrender himself to the eternal slumber. At least that would offer him some relief. Hopefully he would meet his family again, there, in the afterlife. It was not worth living if he had no one in the world. He was weak, sick, broken. The world was going to hell anyway, it seemed. And that was one thing he did not want to stick around to see. If he had to witness any more death or destruction, he was sure his heart would give out on him.

Sleep put him out of his misery temporarily. He wasn't sure how long he slept, or even if he did at all. For all he knew, he could've passed out. He woke up several times, though each time he felt all the more drained. Soon, his slumber turned for the worse, as he was plagued with various nightmares pertaining to the way things had been before the monsters of Dark World had taken his life from him.

The faint sound of footsteps outside caused him to stir a little. Feeling drowsy, he didn't even bother to lift his head. Knowing his luck, it could be a soldier coming to put an end to his life. He could only sit against the wall, his head hanging low. Hearing whoever it was coming closer, he braced himself, afraid that the end was near. A small gasp was emitted from the newcomer.

"Johan!"

He heard the call faintly, though not enough to completely wake himself up. The footsteps came closer, into the cell. There was a pause, then the sound of the straw rustling as the person crouched in front of him.

"Johan…"

Finally, Johann opened his eyes part way. His vision was hazy and blurred, though he could discern certain features of the boy in front of him. His chocolate eyes regarded Johann with concern as he momentarily looked him over. Knowing that his condition was less than ideal, Johann let his eyes close again, giving the silent message to the other that it was hopeless. He was too tired to even try to survive.

"Are you all right?" The voice prodded, "Come on, speak to me!"

He heard himself mumble in response, though he wasn't entirely sure of what he had said. Whatever he'd said, though, it made the other boy all the more desperate. He grasped Johann by the shoulders and shook him a little.

"Come on, wake up!"

Groaning, he let his eyes open again, his expression melancholy. Well, he was already going to die. He might as well trust this stranger. After all, he might get a chance to leave the detention camp and get comfortable, then.

Seeing that Johann was stirring again, the other boy smiled wanly. "See? There…you're going to be all right…"

Shaking his head, Johann sighed and murmured in a thin voice, "I don't know…I can't…"

"Can't what?" The brunet grasped him by the shoulders.

Sighing, Johann let his bloodshot gaze wander back in the other boy's direction. "How…how did you know my name?"

"Because you're my friend," The other responded, looking puzzled.

"But I've never…met you…How could you possibly know my name?"

"You don't remember me? Yuuki Juudai?" The boy asked, looking somewhat crushed, "We're best friends…"

"Yuuki Juudai," Johann repeated, "I've never met anyone by that name."

Juudai looked slightly hurt, until he lifted Johann's chin and looked him in the eyes again. With a little sigh, he shook his head and dropped the other boy's chin. "I'm sorry…Please forgive me. I thought you were someone else. You see, my friend is missing and…you look like him. Well, mostly. But I see now that you aren't him…You just don't look exactly alike."

"It's all right…" Johann murmured, looking away.

"Well, no matter," Juudai told him, standing and beginning to pick at the lock of the shackle, "I'm going to get you out of here, Ok?"

He murmured a word of gratitude as Juudai continued to work on his bonds. He couldn't imagine why anyone would risk the danger of coming to a detention camp for his friend, then make himself even more of a target by staying to help a stranger.

"Hey, where are the other prisoners anyway?" Juudai asked, finally getting the iron band to snap open.

Johann sighed heavily. "They were already taken away. I was left behind because I wasn't a warrior…" He explained as Juudai lifted him from the ground and supported him with one arm.

Juudai gave him a sympathetic look as he started to lead him out of the cell. "It's Ok," He said soothingly, "I'm going to save you, all right? I'm sorry…"

Johann started to sink to the ground, unable to support his own weight. Quickly, Juudai caught him and pulled him back to his feet, pressing him closer to his side. The warmth radiated from the other boy; it was comforting to feel the body heat of another human after having been cold and alone for so long. Feeling exhausted, he clung to Juudai's side.

"There, it's all right," Juudai encouraged, "Let's just keep going, Ok?"

Johann nodded weakly, his head dropping back down. "I don't know if I can keep going…" He panted, "I've gone weeks without a decent meal…"

"Well," Juudai told him, "As soon as we get out of here, I'll be sure that you're fed, Ok? I'm going to take care of you. I won't let you die."

Although he felt uncertain of this, and uneasy about trusting a stranger, he just nodded weakly. "Thank you…"

Jeering laughter came from a few meters away, catching both boys' attention. Juudai clenched his teeth and tightened his grip around Johann's waist. "Damn it…"

Begrudgingly, he raised his head to behold the sight he so dreaded: members of the Dark World army blocking their path, waiting for them. The monsters stared at them with wide, grotesque sneers on their faces. Juudai pressed the other boy closer and attempted to put himself between the army and Johann. The leader of the army stepped forward a bit, his hand on the hilt of his sword. His glowing green eyes sent a chill down Johann's spine; he was truly intimidating.

"Ah, so there IS a warrior left. Just as I thought…"

Juudai clenched his teeth, eyeing him warily. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"I am the Zure, Knight of Dark World. As for your second question, insect, you'll find out soon enough." It replied, walking past Juudai and turning its back on him.

Johann felt uneasy but was too weak to do anything. He felt Juudai's muscles tense as the teen began to turn a bit, trying to keep himself facing his adversary. The brunet's grip tightened around Johann's wrist as he braced himself. There was a brief moment of calm. Then, Zure turned suddenly, unsheathing his sword and pointing it towards the two. At first, it seemed only like a challenge. However, it soon became apparent that it was more of a threat to their well-being than originally anticipated. As energy shot forth out of it, Juudai leapt out of the path and fell backwards, dragging Johann to the ground with him. Before Zure had had time to recover, Juudai leapt to his feet and shoved Johann behind him, his fists clenched.

"That's enough!" He shouted, activating his duel disk, "If you want a fight, then let's do it this way!"

"A duel?" Zure asked. He seemed to be considering it for a moment as he leaned on his sword. Then, he laughed loudly. "If that's what you want, insect! I'll crush you soon enough!"

"We'll see about that," Juudai replied.

Johann leaned against the wall, trying to keep his eyes open. He could not believe this was happening. A young boy was challenging the Knight of Dark World? This was unheard of. It was definitely worth watching. If only he had the strength to do so…So he might see with his own eyes what sort of fate awaited him. If only he'd had the strength…If only he'd had something to eat…If only…The last thing he remembered as his eyes drooped shut was Juudai playing Fake Hero to summon Neos…

There was a strange, somewhat obnoxious squeaking that would not stop. It had gone on for some time then, over and over in the background. Accompanying the unwelcome noise was a constant motion. It was almost as though Johann were floating, only he was being jolted too much. There was a light weight on him, though he wasn't quite sure what it was at first. Something strangely rough in texture yet soft to touch was rubbing against his cheek, causing him to itch a little. There was a faint sound in the background that was lower than the squeaking. He could recognize it, yet he couldn't quite place it…It was a dull murmur. What was it? Every then and again the tone raised or lowered. There were two different types of the noise: one was lower in pitch and the other was neither high nor low. After a moment, he came to realize that it was the sound of human voices. He wasn't sure if this were a good thing or a bad thing.

He soon became aware of a faint scent. Sniffing a little, he recognized the smell as roasted meat. His stomach growled, the sharp pangs of hunger grasping him again. The need for food gave him motivation enough. Slowly, he opened his eyes to find Juudai sitting on the edge of a wooden cart, duel disk on his left arm, his knees pulled up to his chest. Guiding the ox-like beasts that drew the cart was a middle-aged man in a simple green tunic and tattered cape. His dark hair was about chin length and there was stubble on his cheeks due to several days without having shaved. His weathered hands grasped the reigns tightly; Johann could tell that he did a lot of physically taxing work. Perhaps he was a rebel warrior? One could not go by appearances alone, though. He couldn't tell exactly what the man's position in society might be. After all, he was foreign to these parts.

"Hey," Juudai called, seeing Johann was awake. He offered the other boy a friendly smile, and more importantly, a bowl of stew. "You must be hungry, right?"

Johann sat up quickly and snatched the bowl from Juudai's shaking hand, his eyes as large as saucers. He quickly brought the bowl to his lips, waving manners entirely out of the picture. Even though he'd been taught to behave more civil in front of strangers, he didn't care. It was almost as though he were afraid that Juudai would snatch it away from him at any second! All the while that he ate, he kept a sharp eye on Juudai. The brunet merely smiled at him and hugged his knees closer, then turned his head, to look at their surroundings. Johann watched him with eager curiosity. Although he was alert and wary, there was so much he wanted to know about the other boy.

Finishing the last drop of stew and smacking his lips in satisfaction, Johann set the bowl down and looked right at Juudai. Feeling heat flush his cheeks, he quickly apologized. "I'm sorry for being so rude…And thank you for saving me."

Juudai nodded, sighing a little. "It's all right. And you're welcome." He leaned back a little, yawning and shutting his eyes, though his expression soon became troubled.

"Where are we going?" Johann suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" Juudai opened his eyes and propped his cheek on his knuckles, his teeth chattering a bit from cold. "Oh, well, we're going back to the hide-out so you can get some rest. I'll probably go back to the detention camp afterwards, though…Just to make sure…" He stared off into the distance wistfully, his eyes searching the horizon.

"You…lost someone close to you?" Johann asked, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

Juudai took a moment to respond. Then, he nodded, still staring off in the direction of the detention camp. The frigid breeze played with wisps of his hair, the chill causing him to press his legs closer to his chest for warmth. Teeth chattering harder, he moved closer to Johann, who draped the blanket he'd been under around both of them. Juudai accepted his invitation and curled up in a corner with him.

"You're not accustomed to such weather?" Johann asked, surprised.

Juudai shook his head. "I mean, we do have cold weather where I come from…It just seems that the temperature is colder here. But I suppose it's because you don't have a sun."

They fell silent for awhile, huddled together for warmth. The only sounds were the creaking of the cart and the sound of the wheels against the beaten road. Glancing over at Juudai, Johann wondered where he'd come from. Something told him that then was not the time to ask such questions. He really wanted to know about Juudai's home, and about the person that he'd lost. Had he come to the region with this person? Had he come with anyone else? As it was, it seemed as though he'd come completely on his own. He seemed to be the type to drift and roam freely. But wasn't he ever lonely? Didn't he ever regret it? He watched the other boy's every move in fascination.

Juudai closed his eyes, his chin quivering a bit as he tried to keep his teeth from chattering so violently. He exhaled heavily, breathing out a puff of smoke in the chilled air. Lowering his forehead onto his knees, he shivered all the more. It almost seemed as though he might even be praying. But perhaps that was a stretch. He didn't strike Johann as the overly religious type.

Sighing heavily, Juudai finally broke the silence by mumbling. "I hope my friends made it back safely."

Johann looked down at the brunet, puzzled. "Your friends?"

He nodded, his face still buried in his knees. "They followed me and watched me duel…When I defeated Zure the other soldiers left. I really didn't want them to stick around since it was dangerous, so I sent them back while I checked the place out. They didn't want to go but…I tricked them into promising me they'd do what I requested of them and they had to do it."

Johann just nodded, though he held his tongue. He felt as though it were best to just let Juudai talk whenever he felt fit.

They didn't get another chance to talk, however, for the cart soon stopped. The man leaned over and whispered something to Juudai, who nodded in response. Jumping off the back of the cart, Juudai thanked the man and helped Johann off. Then, as the man was riding away, Juudai put a hand on Johann's arm to guide him and support him as they walked a ways, past the ruins. They stopped at what appeared to be a solid stone wall. Juudai gave it a push, which revealed a secret entrance. Stepping into the hall, Johann blinked, letting his vision adjust. The inside was a narrow hallway lined with torches to light the way. Juudai shut the door, enclosing them in the small space. As they walked with Juudai leading, their footsteps echoed softly off the walls. They went a ways until they came to a door, which Juudai opened, revealing a warm interior living space with the village's survivors sitting around a campfire. The refugees glanced up when the heard the door open, then looked relieved to see Juudai. A group of teenagers leaning against the wall and sitting on the floor rushed over to the brunet, soon bombarding him with questions. They looked quite excited to see him, and even more excited to see Johann.

"You came back with Johan--don!" A large, tan, muscular boy with dark hair in braids exclaimed.

"We were so worried about you when you sent us back!" A girl with long blonde hair and hazel eyes told him, smiling warmly, "But we're glad to see you safe and sound."

"Now maybe we can go home," Grumbled a thin, pale boy with a mop of messy ebony hair.

Juudai shook his head. "No, this is not the Johan we came to find…He just looks like him. But he's very sick, so he should stay here with you guys for a few days. I'm going back to the detention camp. I might find some clues as to where Johan might be." He turned his back on them and started to walk out again.

"Aniki, wait!" Cried a short boy with blue hair and glasses. He stared up at Juudai with large, teary gray eyes as he grabbed him by the arm. "Please don't go out there alone again. Let us come with you! We're your friends and Johan's friends too! How could you forget…?"

"Sho…" Juudai's bangs fell in his eyes, masking his expression. He placed a hand on the top of Sho's head and patted him a little, "I'm sorry. I have to do this alone. It's my fault he's gone."

The others started to protest, but Juudai murmured a soft apology and a word of parting before he quietly closed the door. Immediately, Sho flung the door open and ran out into the hall. The others followed suite, only to stop and look around, puzzled. Juudai was nowhere to be seen. It was as though he'd vanished in thin air. A moment was spent wondering where Juudai had gone. Then, the group decided to split up to look for him. After all, they couldn't leave him to wander Dark World alone!

Johann would've gone to look for Juudai as well, since he was rather startled by the sudden disappearance, however, he was physically unable to. Seeing that he was leaning against the wall and panting, the blonde girl approached him and put an arm around his shoulder, leading him back into the room.

"You really are in a poor condition, aren't you?" She sighed heavily, "Well, don't worry. I'll stay with you if you'd like. The others will probably find Juudai soon, and it's obvious you need someone to take care of you. Don't worry; I'm a good friend of Juudai's. You can trust me."

He smiled gratefully up at her as she helped him down to a small cot, and pulled the blankets over him. "Thank you…um…."

"Tenjoin Asuka," She told him, shaking his hand, "And don't worry about it. If you need anything, let me know. Ok?"

He nodded feebly and dropped his head to the pillow. It felt nice to be in a warm bed again, something comfortable and safe. Feeling exhausted and feverish, he let himself start to drift off to sleep again. Hopefully, he'd be able to find his way home again if this problem was ever solved. Hopefully, someone would come along who could save Dark World. He couldn't be sure, but he felt as though the potential might rest in Juudai. He'd seen him act in so many courageous feats already. It astonished him how much he'd do for his friends, much less strangers! He'd done so much already for everyone, and yet he kept putting his life out on the line for others. Thinking of this made him wonder who it was exactly that Juudai had lost. Was that person really that close to him? He couldn't imagine caring about someone so much to going to this extent. Not that he'd be selfish. He just wasn't as strong as Juudai, nor was he as bold. Juudai just seemed to be such a stable individual. Not to mention he possessed a power in him like no other. It was almost as though he were the type that anyone could depend on, that could do anything. Little did he know, though, exactly how dark Juudai's power was. He was oblivious to the imminent danger that lingered beneath the surface, even as his trust for the brunet grew.

A/N: Ok, so yeah…probably will be a two-shot or a three-shot but that's about it. I don't know. It depends on what you guys think. This was a kind of boring chapter(not to mention it really jumped around and was rushed at the end and lost a lot of steam…really sorry for that), but the action will heat up next time most likely. Unless I don't continue it. It's an experiment, again. I just really wanted to try it out. I feel as though this chapter was lacking since it sets the background and all. And I tried to follow the canon events up until Johann was spared instead of killed like in the canon. I also didn't include the duel since it was the same as in the canon…And yeah, some of the dialogue is similar to the lines of the canon. :is bricked: But yeah…I just tried…whatever.