Dead silence filled much of the desolate atmosphere where he stood. At his foot, lay his long-time friend and companion, lifeless and unmoving.

It was just over three decades that Kazuya and his companions disappeared from the face of Japan, though to them; it was barely but a day. Kazuya still remembers. When his friend disappeared.
It all happened in a blur, after Yuji had finally cornered and killed Douman, Kazuya went over to Takeshi, bent over the floor attempting to recover his glasses. Pascal sat dormantly as Yuji peered over the terminal for faults. Then, he jumped. For whatever reason, he was compelled to jump straight into Gouto's terminal. Takeshi's face had alarmed me and before I knew it, Yuji had followed after Pascal. I followed the lead of Takeshi, barely even having the opportunity to heal my wounds, to the terminal where th three of us wound up at Shinjuku.

With naught a sign of Pascal.

I felt a wave of despair. Ever since my dear mother was consumed by demons within sight of my very eyes, Pascal was all I had to a true companion. Yuji and Takeshi, though good allies, were barely more than acquaintances with me. Pascal himself was a cherished gift from Mr. Nakajima, my life idol and my mother's former high school peer. Yuji half-heartedly attempted to soothe my concerns, though I still despaired.
Pascal would never survive on his lonesome, not against the might of the damned demons. At that point, I had no choice but to pull my self together. Soon I lost Yuji and Takeshi parted ways, heading off on a separate path; with the Gaians. I found myself in the midst of a war between what were formerly my remaining friends. I did find companionship in Yuko, but she wasn't enough.

In the midst of this chaos, Pascal drifted from my mind. Whether he met his end was a question I had no desire to concern myself with, much to my dismay. Our path soon brought to Tokyo Destiny Land, where I saw him again.

My friend stood on the bridge, yet he was my friend no longer. He was crazed, tormented and no longer recognized me. At his first sign of hostility directed to me, my heart sank. Yuko readied her magic, though she hesitated upon realizing that I had neglected to summon my demons. "Why do you hesitate to summon Ose and Senri? You certainly must realize the beast standing before us displays hostility?"

"No Yuko, that is no beast. That's my friend, he's no beast. He must recognize me, certainly he must. I refuse to accept that I will have to draw my blade at yet another friend!"

It was of no use. I could not force out the truth. As Pascal pounced at Yuko, my mind went blank. I fiddled with the COMP, not understanding my actions. I summoned Kugutsu against my better judgement, my common sense all but defied. Pascal did diverge his attention to rip apart Kugutsu, during which I finally summoned Ose and Senri, to join Yuko in battle.
Everything that occured after went past my mind. I had not yet even realized that my dear friend laid in a puddle of dark, muddy liquid, wheezing under the pressure of my blade. I recognized the familiar pulse of Bufudyne, as Yuko readied a spiralling pillar of ice directly at Pascal. I defied my common sense and embraced Pascal, his deep murky blood staining through my armour. I nuzzled against his familiar mane, an act he returned weakly to my chest. His sense had returned in his last moments, as he whimpered with his dying breath.
The whimper that, prior to this entire mess, he had used whenever mother would refuse to let him in the house. The whimper that always said: "I'll be a nice, just let me stay with you!"

I openly cried as his blood ran cold against my hands. Ose and Senri nonchalantly returned to their place in my COMP and Yuko simply left me to my own, respecting the deceased Pascal.

Pascal was dead. Living no longer. I cursed out, with no attempt to conceal my sorrow. Damn the demons, they who took away my mother. Damn the gods, they who took away my hope.

Damn myself, for being unable to assist my friend in his hour of need.
With resolve in my eyes, I beckoned for Yuko, and we set out for Tokyo Destiny Land.