When Don woke, he had absolutely no idea where he was. It certainly wasn't where he'd collapsed and it seemed unlikely to be death. There was a stone ceiling above him, but it was too warm to be a cave.

He tried to sit up, but hissed in pain and fell back, though he noticed gauze wrapped over his injuries.

"Hey, take it easy... You're just going to make it worse.." A voice said somewhere out of his field of vision.

Don turned his head to the side enough to see the person.

He was a Chaos being and had dark crimson skin with green eyes and white bangs with a spiked, purple ponytail. He also had dark grey and blue pants with a blue cloak.

"Who are you..?" Don asked, his voice sounded weaker than he liked.

"My name's Yael. I happened to come across you while I was out looking around.. You're lucky. You're pretty messed up and you wouldn't have made it on your own." Yael replied.

Don just nodded slightly, not sure he wanted to respond to that.

"Anyways," Yael said. "Who are you? I haven't seen you around before. And you're different from the others..."

"I am Don Thousand.." Was all he said, not wanting to get into details.

Yael seemed to get his hint and nodded. "Well, you'll be staying here for a while then. Though, I'm guessing you probably knew that. I won't ask you what happened. But it did have to do with the whole 'Chaos banishment' and Astral World, didn't it?"

"Yes.."

"Thought so.." Yael sighed. "They've been causing a lot of trouble with it.."

"I can imagine.. You decided to be exiled peacefully then?" Don asked.

"Yeah.. I saw what happened to someone who didn't and.." He shuddered. "It wasn't pretty, to say the least.. Did you?"

"No.. But I was spared.. A part of me wishes I hadn't been sometimes.."

Yael smiled sympathetically. "I know what you mean.. It seems pretty rough here, in a way.. It's just so empty.. And I haven't been able to find anyone I know.. I hope they're alright.."

Don didn't respond, what Yael said bringing up too many thoughts of his so-called family.

"Hey, I'll leave you to rest, alright? I'm sure you're still tired and probably weirded out with all this.. Just don't try to get up or move or anything.." Yael said, seeming to sense Don's discomfort, then left his vision again and was followed by the sound of a closing door.

Don sighed and stared numbly at the ceiling, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation.

Finding no answers, he decided to try sleeping, knowing he had nothing better to do.