Chapter 1-1: Wishing Upon Dark Stars
The Dark Dragon loomed over them, large and imposing.
Porky was dead.
Duster and Kumatora were unconscious.
Boney and Flint were gone.
And Claus was…
Claus was dead.
Lucas would know. He'd killed him himself.
He tried to console himself with the knowledge that, if he hadn't, then Claus would have killed him instead.
The Dark Dragon waited patiently for the light-hearted child to make his wish.
Lucas closed his eyes and focused hard.
"I wish….I wish that the world could be reborn. Back to the way things were before the Pigmasks came. I wish mom and Claus were back, too.."
He added that last bit as an afterthought, so he wasn't entirely sure if Hinawa and Claus would actually come back. But even if they didn't, saving the world was his first priority.
The Dark Dragon spread its wings, and Lucas fought against the resulting winds. There was a swirl of darkness around him, and then…
Everything went black.
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"…ucas.."
"Lucas…"
"….Wake up…"
"Lucas…wake up…"
"LUCAS! WAKE UP!"
The blonde boy groaned softly as he stirred awake. Tired blue eyes fluttered open to meet anxious and worried green. Lucas blinked as the owner of the eyes got off of his stomach.
"Dad! He's awake!"
Lucas sat up and looked around. He was back home, safely in bed. The familiar wooden walls of the house brought a sense of comfort to him. But more than that…
"It's about time you woke up, Ruka."
"Claus…? Wha…? What happened…?"
His redheaded twin-his alive and well twin- smiled down at him.
"…You did it, Ruka. You saved all of us."
For Claus to say something like that…surely that meant he remembered everything, right? Lucas was so tempted to ask, but Flint came in with a wooden bowl of soup before he could say anything.
The knowing smile on the cowboy's face was all Lucas needed to know that his father remembered everything, too.
Lucas, Claus, and Flint. They were all together again, just as it should've been.
But even so…
"Where is…where's mom? Is she okay?"
If Claus came back, then she should've, too, right?
Claus's smile vanished, to be replaced with a frown.
"Lucas…mom…she…"
"Oh…I see…"
It was strange, how twins could understand each other so clearly, to the point where they hardly needed to speak for each other to get the message.
But then again, Lucas supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. No matter how powerful the Dark Dragon was, it would still be difficult to bring back the dead, and even though they were twins, it must have still been hard for it to bring back Claus.
But even without Hinawa, things should be better now. Claus was back, so their father wouldn't be off looking for him every day.
Claus took the soup from Flint and Lucas allowed his redheaded twin to spoon-feed him. The soup was warm, but not nearly as flavorful as when their mother had made it.
Flint wasn't the best cook around, and he knew it. But they all knew it'd be enough for them to get by without Hinawa.
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The night was calm and cool, and Lucas slept peacefully, cuddled against Claus.
From the windowsill, a figure watched, silently. Dressed like the Commander he used to be, his blood-red eyes glinted eerily in the night.
The boy radiated only innocence and kindness, not at all like his Other, who leaked of strength and confidence and recklessness.
From the moment he'd been separated from his Other, he knew he had to protect that blond boy's innocence, no matter what.
"Lucas…no, Ruka…I swear, no matter what…I won't ever let you get hurt again."