Because the series' finale of GX just begged for something like this to be written...

Thanks to Olynthus for proofreading and helping out with the concept and plot!

Disclaimer: I still own nothing

Badlands National Park, South Dakota – 2.30 p.m.

George Baker liked his job, really he did. But right now he wished he could be somewhere else. Preferably at home, with a nice cool drink. The heat was killing him, and even if he could have found a cooler place, he wouldn't be able to enjoy it. He had a job to do: patrol the park and make sure that no visitors got lost. Today however, he didn't think he would meet anyone. After all, who would be crazy enough to walk around in this heat?

Sighing, he grabbed a bottle of water stored underneath the passenger seat of his jeep. He had saved it for temperatures like this. He quickly unscrewed the top and gulped down half of the bottle at once, then grimaced. Storing the water underneath the seat had done nothing to prevent it from warming up. He drank again anyway, lukewarm was better than nothing at all.

He spent a moment staring at the rock formations that had formed over the years, admiring their shape. This was why he liked his job, he never got bored of this view.

He emptied the rest of the bottle and threw it on the passenger seat, then quickly turned the ignition key and prepared to drive on. Only then did he spot movement out of the corner of his eye.

He squinted. Someone was walking in his direction. Apparently there really were people crazy enough to come here right now. He turned the jeep around and drove in the direction of the other person. Better make sure he wasn't lost, or needed help.

When he came closer, it became apparent that the other person was, in fact, very far from home. His features were oriental, probably Chinese or Japanese, but he couldn't discern the difference. Very young too, he didn't look older than sixteen. The boy was wearing a red jacket and carrying a red duffel bag with him. And... was that a cat?

George stopped the car near the boy, who looked up and gave a cheery wave. The cat stopped too, meowing loudly, which prompted the kid to pick it up. On second thought, he didn't look so young. Sure, he was small, but there was something about the shape of his eyes that gave him an older, more serious look. He suddenly felt as if this kid was something special.

Still, he had a job to do. He waited until the boy had come over to the car, then asked:

'Shouldn't you be somewhere where it's a little less hot, kid?'

He was met with a look of incomprehension.

Great. The kid was apparently as foreign as he appeared. He tried again:

'I am George. Who are you?'

He vaguely noticed that the boy didn't appreciate being talked to like a small child, and also that there seemed to be a weird sort of energy in the air, centered to the left of said boy. Despite the heat, he was suddenly overcome by a strange sort of coldness.

He quickly shrugged it of, though, and at the same time, the boy spoke up.

'Judai', he said, using his right hand to point at himself. Then, indicating the cat, he added: 'Pharaoh'. He appeared to hesitate a second, as if wanting to introduce someone else (but the place was deserted, except for them). He then shrugged, readjusted the cat (one hand hadn't been enough to support it) and spoke once more:

'Where am I?'

George had to mull the phrase over in his mind several times. The boy's English was almost incomprehensible, and moreover: how could he not know where he was?

He decided to humor the boy:

'Badlands National Park'

Another look of incomprehension.

'South Dakota?' he tried again.

Nothing.

'United States of America?' How much more general could he make it?

Fortunately, the last sentence had gotten a reaction.

'America?'

'Yes, America!' The kid's English was still barely understandable, but at least they were getting somewhere now.

He was just about to try and get the kid to come with him, and maybe try to find someone who could understand him, when several strange things happened at the same time. The boy started talking very fast in what apparently was his native tongue. Only, his conversation partner seemed to be... well, nothing.

And did his eyes just change color...?

George closed his eyes and shook his head frantically, and when he looked up again, the kid's eyes were a regular brown. He must have been imagining things.

The boy had stopped talking and now seemed to be listening intently. He nodded several times, then turned back to him.

'Thank you!'

He had officially lost track of what was going on. The boy gave another cheery wave at him and started walking away.

'Hey, wait! I can't let you go off on your own!'

The boy only gave him thumbs up. The cat jumped out of his arms and started to walk alongside him. And once again, there seemed an energy patch hovering close to him.

George decided that either the kid was crazy, or he had been out in the sun for too long. Maybe the boy was just a hallucination. Because why would an underaged, unaccompanied kid who barely spoke English be wandering around here? Besides, who would take a cat with him?

Maybe all he needed was some shade and rest. It was a very hot day, after all.

A few remarks:

I don't wish to offend anyone with the 'Chinese or Japanese' remark, but it is, however, the truth that many western people simply can't tell them apart.

Also, I know that Judai is at least seventeen canonically, but once again, oriental people generally appear to be younger than they are in the eyes of western people.

Reviews are, once again, appreciated but not asked for.