I'm in a wacky mood. Sorry if this drabble turns out ... strange.

Pairings: none (whatsoever)

Ages: Ryoga (15), Rio (15), Shun (12), Ruri (8)

Warnings: OOC characters (this was what I like to call the starting point of the invasion), headcanon explanations, crossover etc.

Bracelet

Finding something that fit his little sister in this wasteland of what used to be his beloved home, was not an easy thing to do.

Not only did he have to dodge all kinds of threats (from Fusion soldiers to collapsing buildings) but also a group of older people called The Resistance, who would patrol criticial areas from time to time. Kurosaki Shun was still too young to join himself but that wouldn't stop him from finding a gift for Ruri. It was her birthday after all.

So that was how he ended up getting caught - at the junkyard - by one of the many leaders of the Resistance, Kamishiro Rio.

As the older girl's blue hair swished around in it's unruly ponytail, her pink eyes flashed as another figure followed closed behind her, clearly intent on making sure that she was safe. Or at least that was the vibe Shun was getting from the taller, imposing figure of her twin brother, Kamishiro Ryoga. Or as everyone in the Resistance (bar his sister and some strange friends of his) and Heartland's last survivors called him - Shark. Shun believed that he gained that nickname very easily, there was no doubt there.

"Are you lost?" Rio's soft, melodic voice jugged him from his thoughts. He shook his little head quickly and he held up an old, battered bracelet. Her eyes flashed with something that looked like dread for a moment before returning back to their usual gleam right away. Shun liked to believe that he just imagined that - that he wasn't holding something that was potentially dangerous for his innocent little sister - and yet...

"I believe it's a gift, Rio." the older twin spoke up and Shun looked up into the deep blue eyes of Shark as the elder patted his head. His golden eyes widened at that as a small smile formed itself on the water-duelist's face. "Be sure to be safe while you are heading back. I'm sure she will love it."

"Ani..." as Shun nodded and ran away towards a somewhat dark alley-way, Merag's eyes gleamed with a different light.

"You are worried." Nasch spoke as he shot her a look. "But don't worry. I'm certain that he will be able to protect her when the time comes. He ... isn't... damaged by this pointless war ... yet." he looked away, seemingly far away into the past.

"Ryoga..." she began.

"It's alright. Let's go back before Yuuma cries how we forgot his precious peaches ... or something." Nasch rolled his eyes at the use of his human name as well as the implications of what their stupid friend would do to them for being later. "Come on..."

"Alright..." Merag looked in the direction of Shun's fading shadow one more time before stepping up as her brother began to vanish away towards the still-standing Heartland Tower.

- line break -

"Ruri!" Shun ran up to his little sister as she lay on her bed, her fever having taken up most of her week by that point. "I found you a gift!"

"T-Thank you... b-brother..." coughing, Ruri reached out for the bracelet and Shun knew no more.

- line break -

The rest, as they would say, was history. He never met up with Shark and his worried sister again (outside of the battlefield where there wasn't much room to talk) and he only had a couple of precious years before his sister was taken from him too.

"Kurosaki-san. We are heading out." Akaba Reiji's cool voice broke him away and he got up, ready to head to the Synchro Dimension.

Anything to save his sister - and mankind.

I hope it's not too confusing... it's just a headcanon after all. Anyways, thanks for reading this little drabble of mine!