"Let him in here, Nasch," Merag said softly as she padded back toward the heavy door of the throne room. She reached for it and retracted her hand when the handle felt warm. Her eyes narrowed when she looked back at her brother over her shoulder.

Nasch lowered his hand, "he doesn't belong here."

It had been a week. Or at least it felt like a week. There was no pass of time in the Barian world, but Nasch was still used to the sleep and waking schedule of Earth, and it had been a long week. Asterope had started following him around almost exclusively. Sometimes he was with Merag or even worse learning tricks from Vector, but enjoyed his time with Nasch the most. It was easier for Nasch to ignore in the beginning. Asterope didn't speak for days. But he suddenly did yesterday, and his tone sounded exactly like IV, not a child to match his appearance that now reached up to Nasch's waist in height. (However his speech patterns were nothing out of the ordinary for his preconceived age, and that only messed with Nasch's mind more.)

"He only belongs here," Merag stressed as there was a bang on the other side of the door. The only thing it could be was Asterope's tiny fists on crystal. Nasch was thankful he hadn't learned how to open portholes yet.

"You can't send him back to Earth, they'll all know when IV suddenly shows up," she reminded him as she abandoned the door for now walking back to her brother's side. "Or do you want to give Yuma a reason to look for you after everything."

Nasch balled his fists at his sides as they shook slightly. "Of course not," Nasch's voice bit and was harsh.

"Why him?" Nasch said after a time, his bi-colored eyes fixed on the door.

"You know souls end up here when they still cling to a purpose."

Nasch's whole body was tense. "He's always been a pain." If IV really was the only one who ended up in the Barian world in the end it means he was never fighting the common goal with his brothers and Yuma. Or at least he wasn't after he learned the truth about Ryoga. IV still had purpose, and Ryoga would always be that purpose.

Nasch let the doors fall open and the young boy who was leaning against them stumbled inside. Asterope caught himself before his face kissed the crystal floor and looked up at Nasch. He quickly ran to his side, wrapping his arms around his king's middle, trying to pull himself up into Nasch's arms. He liked how they felt around him, even if he didn't understand why.

"Why wouldn't you let me in?" Asterope asked as he looked up at Nasch, his one eye large and searching for answers.

Nasch ran his finger over the scar on his armored face. Why of all his physical appearances did that thing have to transfer. He sighed, his mood beginning to soften, "I want you to learn something new, Asterope."

"New?" Asterope blinked and then laughed, his whole face lighting up, "you mean you're going to teach me something?"

The Emperor chuckled as he pulled the boy into his arms and carried him up the stairs. Asterope rested his head against his chest as his small arms clung to his shoulders. Asterope was endearing, if he would allow himself to admit it. Nasch wondered if this was how IV was, no Thomas he supposed, was before the Barian world changed his life when he took his father away. He decided in that moment he wasn't going to let this life be terrible at a Barian's hand either.

"If you knew how to create portholes you could have come in here whenever you wanted."

"The starry things you guys make?" Asterope asked and Nasch nodded as he sat in his throne, the young boy in his lap.

"Yes, to be honest I'm surprised Vector hasn't taught you yet," Nasch knew it would be right up Vector's alley to annoy him with an Asterope that could teleport when he was still avoiding the child.

"He tried, but I couldn't do it." Asterope revealed before he turned around to look up at his king, "but I'm sure you're a better teacher, Nasch."

"That's for sure," Nasch agreed as he straightened Asterope's shoulders so he was facing forward again.

"It's simple, you just have to concentrate," Nasch created one in front of them with little effort, "just think of the place you want to go and it will appear to take you there."

"But I don't want to go anywhere right now, I'm happy here." The child replied innocently as he slumped in Nasch's lap already growing bored.

Nasch decided to use the boy's need to be near him against him for another moment. He set Asterope down on the floor and stood up walking toward the porthole.

"Come on, Asterope," he said as he stepped into the porthole, "follow me."

But the porthole closed before Asterope could get to his feet.

"Nasch!" The child cried out into the space the porthole once occupied, "where did you go?"

"Merag!" The Empress looked up at the throne when she heard the boy cry her name in desperation. She quickly climbed the stairs and crouched down next to Asterope on the cold crystal.

"What is it, darling?" She asked as she rubbed his back trying to comfort him.

"Nasch was trying to teach me how to do the starry thing. And he told me to follow him, but he disappeared in one before I could follow. And now I don't know where he is." Asterope was speaking fast, barely pausing between his words. Now he'd have to search all over the castle again.

Merag nuzzled the crimson mop, understanding her brother's intentions. He pushed Asterope out of the nest and told him to fly.

"Follow him, then."

"H-how?"

"With a porthole."

"But I don't-"

Merag hushed him and took his hand in hers, "how did he tell you to get them to appear?"

"Just to think of where I wanted to go, and they'd take me."

"And where do you want to go?"

"Where Nasch is." It left his lips before he thought about it. His chest constantly burned if he wasn't with the king and he didn't understand why. But he knew he wanted to be with Nasch, especially in that moment.

"Then think about it, and the 'starry thing' will open."

Asterope's muzzle constricted together as he thought about it. Thought about how happy and light he felt when he was at his king's side. Even when they weren't talking, which admittedly was a lot for some reason. It strained on his mind at first as the porthole began to swirl tightly in front of him. As it opened his mind relaxed until it was just as open and free as Nasch's was a moment ago. He stood up and walked cautiously toward it. He was afraid to do it alone, but Nasch was on the other side.

"Go on, Asterope, he's waiting for you this time."

Asterope nodded and gingerly stepped into the swirling stars. When both feet were inside it closed around him, everything blacking out for a moment before the light returned and Nasch was standing in front of him right outside the castle.

"Proud of you, Asterope." Nasch said his eyes bright as he held out a hand to the boy.

Asterope laughed, "it worked! I wanted to be with you and it worked!" His cheeks were bright red from laughing as he fell into Nasch's arm clinging to it.

"Teach me more, Nasch."

Nasch laughed as well. "One thing at a time." he teased pulling Asterope close to him, his fingers tickling the boy's sides.

Another porthole followed behind the wrestling pair and they paused looking behind them. Merag stepped out, a gold glove in her hand that had a magenta blade protruding out of it.

"I know what he can teach you next, darling."

Asterope pulled from Nasch's embrace, almost entranced by the armored glove in Merag's hands, "what's that?"

"He can teach you to duel," she looked at her brother whose eyes were wide on his face. He hadn't seen the duel disk since that night, and really never wanted to again, "this deck is fated to you, Asterope. And no one understands how it works like Nasch."

"Is that true?" He approached Merag and took the duel disk from her, "this is mine?"

"Yeah it is."

"Merag..." Nasch hissed his voice low in warning. He was beginning to accept Asterope and she wanted to tear IV back int o the picture again.

"Of course, dueling is just for fun now." She said her eyes smiling, "right, Nasch?"

"Yes, yes," he shook his head trying to rid IV from his thoughts, "come on, Asterope. I'll teach you how to duel next." He took the deck from its holder on the disk, "this deck has a powerful soul it won't be easy to use."

Asterope took Nasch's large hand with both of his smaller ones, "I can learn anything if you're my teacher."