Kiyomaro thought of Gash. His blonde hair, his golden eyes, his small body-at least, it was small in his faded memories. It was autumn of Kiyomaro's senior year of high school and he still hadn't been reunited with Gash in these two years, now going on three. This didn't come as much of a surprise to him, as he knew the rules. But Gash was the king! Couldn't he figure out a way a little bit faster, especially with the help of his father, the former king, and Zeon and Earth?

At least they still got to exchange letters and pictures every once a month or so. It was about all of the social contact Kiyomaro ever got recently. He was starting to change back into the boy he was when he'd first met Gash, he realized in a daze, the kid who only kept to himself who lived life passively, through books.

Kiyomaro got out his laptop and the books his father had sent him. He was determined to find out more information about the Makai, and to help Gash. He would see him again. In person, he'd never admit it, but the kid was like his little brother.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Urghhh!" Kiyomaro exclaimed. "This had better be important!"

Kiyomaro thought back to the last time he said something like this with someone at the door. The day Brago and Sherry came. The day him and Gash nearly got the life beat out of them. The night that they had become determined to fight for his right to stay.

He took a deep breath. After all, what if it was just Mizuno dropping by again, needing help with her math homework again? Or someone he hadn't seen in a very long while, like the Riddle Professor?

He opened the door and saw a boy in a dark blue cloak. No way, there's no way this is Gash, this just some weird kid, he thought to himself.

The boy was about a few heads shorter than Kiyomaro, and his face covered by his mantle's hood. He looked to be about ten years old… Kiyomaro did the math.

"YOU!" Kiyomaro grabbed the boys wrists and pulled him inside. "Who the hell do you think you are, covering your face up like that!?" Kiyomaro put Gash into a headlock and flipped his hood off. "Did you really think you could fool me!?" He smacked his golden head-and not very lightly. The boy didn't whine like he would've a few years back. In fact, he didn't even flinch, and even laughed!

"Well, of course not! You're the smartest person I know, Kiyomaro!"

Gash disappeared, using the mantle's magic, and appeared on top of Kiyomaro, and flipped him over, hands behind his back. He laughed, still sounding like the young boy that had left the Human World not so long ago.

"See how strong I've become?"

"Yes, I do, now could you please let go of me?

Gash did as he was told. "Sorry… You're not really mad at me, are ya?"

"Gasshu." Kiyomaro stood up in front of his friend who was still on the ground. "Rise up, and take a step towards me."

"Oh… Um… Okay…" Gash proceeded to turn around and run the other direction. "MOOOOOOOOOM, KIYOMARO WANTS TO HURT MEEEEEEEE!"

"GASH, SHUT UP, SHE ISN'T EVEN HOME!"

"UWAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED A BIT!"

"NEITHER HAVE YOU! I SAW YOU THROUGH THE WINDOW, READING DUSTY OLD BOOKS WHEN YOU COULD BE HANGING OUT WITH YOUR OLD FRIENDS!"

Kiyomaro grabbed Gash's arm and pulled him into a hug.

"Do you have any idea how much I've missed you?"