Hiya, Rine-Line here!

Well... Want to hear my excuses? Heh. It's been almost a year since I've updated. School was really tough, I'll LJ rant about it later. Seriously, I've wanted to update so many times throughout the year but I was in too much of a bundle of nerves. I appreciate all the reviews/favourites/alerts that kept coming in this time period; they've inspired me to keep going, even if at a snail's pace.

As for whether I've gone rusty in writing after a year... Well, you can judge for yourself with this chapter. I think a lot of you readers must have given up on me after a long time of silence. Haha. Thanks anyway. Thing is, as much as this chapter is the answer to a cliffhanger, it can be a bit... boring. Seriously, there are lots of blocky paragraphs about the characters' thoughts or of conversations. But it depends on your cup of tea in reading.

I hope you enjoy!

Fusion Hearts

Chapter 7: Morning Sun

'I'll tell you the truth.'

Johan unconsciously clenched his fists, sensing that they were shaking in the tension. It was just one statement but...

Why was he so apprehensive?

This was something he longed so much to know because he didn't want to be the only one who was still not privy to it. So why did he feel like he was afraid to know?

Was it because it always hinted that something terrible happened?

But if he backed out now, then he would be stuck in the dark forever. And this was a feeling that he never liked, and his dreams from before this only served to remind him of this uncomfortable fact. So he remained silent, gathering his inner courage as he waited for the story, the 'truth', to come out of Judai's lips.

Judai didn't know what exactly inside of him made him say those words, but the words tumbled out before he could stop himself, and there was no going back whether he wanted to or not. But he shrugged it off; he planned to do this anyway. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, priming himself for what he was about to say.

Truth be told, this would be the first time he ever told of his life's recent events to anyone. It was all because everyone else in the Academia witnessed with their own eyes or learned through word of mouth, what were those incidents, both causes and effects. He had no need to tell it like the tale of tragedy it was, and frankly, he never had the time to even do so. He saw, he heard, he cried, he experienced... But he never talked about it to anyone else with his own voice.

It was both ironically funny and strange as to why Johan ended up being the first person he talked to about it, when the Fuser was the most recent stranger he'd met. Fate was definitely perplexing. He wondered why the feeling that Johan would be the foremost person who could relate to how he felt existed at all.

"Johan... Did you ever wonder why I was in Ruby Village by myself that day?"

The seemingly unrelated-to-the-current-topic question caught Johan off guard as he echoed with a "Huh?"

Ignoring the slight dizziness that most likely came from magic overuse kickback, Johan tried to get his bearings in order.

NOW that Judai mentioned it, he realized that he never did ask him directly. Daitokuji-sensei hinted that it was not a simple walk, since he gave Judai detention for it but he didn't think it was because of something serious and that it was just a mischievous escapade.

"I ran away, Johan. From the Academia... from my friends... from my problems..." Judai spoke, closing his eyes gravely as he slowly walked towards the moonlit window.

"...Why?" Johan's voice still carried his concern. He was trembling slightly, and would have given up to the prodding of his emotions had it not for the thought that if he gave in it might make Judai stop. "Just... just what did the Dark Army do to you?"

"They didn't do anything to me directly. But to someone else..." Judai finally reached his destination, and the light from the sky reflected well the misty brown orbs.

"The Dark Army killed my parents."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The night may not really be dark, but even the inky blackness could not conceal the sparkle of bright ruby.

Fleeting footsteps barely made any echoes as a silhouette of a young child could be distinguished skipping playfully between trees on leaf-littered grounds.

The red-eyed boy gave a small smile as he looked ahead, where the section of the Duel Academia main building that housed the infirmary towered over him.

"Looks like both of them are facing what they are most afraid of. But... They will come through it for sure!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A heavy feeling weighed on him as he was left unable to say anything after finally knowing that such a tragedy occurred. Johan just stared sadly, at a loss on what he should say or do. Was this heart-wrenching feeling... pity? Empathy...?

"The Dark Army killed them... and it's my fault!"

... ... ...

Wait, what?

Johan's sad demeanour immediately changed into a puzzled one. "Wh-why?"

The Tamer took a deep breath, and then turned to look at Johan again without any traces of sadness in his eyes. "Fujiwara-san and Daitokuji-sensei told you that I'm a target because of my ability to fuse monsters, right?"

Johan nodded, albeit slightly uncertainly, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"And you've probably seen my friends, the Neo-Spacians. They were strong themselves but there were older and more experienced Tamers who also had powerful monsters. Those guys from the Dark Army never really focused on going after me, until that incident a few months ago."

Judai leaned against the wall beside the window. "It was a field trip to the temple at the top of the mountain: the Rainbow Ruins. Nobody is allowed to enter inside but at least for History class we were allowed to see the outer structure of the place up close. But then, when we were about to leave, Shou mentioned that he forgot something up there and I went with him. But when we got there, as I waited for Shou, I saw some guys from the Dark Army sneaking around the place."

"People from the Dark Army? At the Rainbow Ruins?" Johan questioned in utter confusion. Why would a renegade group be skulking around that place? An empty sacred shrine had no connection with their supposed goal of taking the throne.

"Well, they saw me. But I didn't see exactly what they were doing but they assumed I must have and they immediately attacked. They had more experience than I had."

~0~0~

"Uwah, Aniki!"

"Shou!"

Judai huffed in exhaustion. Strong as he was, he was still not used to sending out many of his Neo-Spacians at the same time and keeping their existence up for a long and life-threatening battle. Shou still wasn't used to sending out his own monsters either but compared to Judai, he had a lesser chance of survival in the fight.

The others didn't know that they went back to the ruins, although they would have been noticed missing by now. Still, it was a long trek up and down the mountainside and by the time help would arrive... Judai didn't want to think about it. The two of them didn't have much choice.

He looked at his friend straight in the eye. "You have to get help, Shou!"

"But what about you!"

"I'll be fine... somehow," Judai said before pushing Shou off and out of the path of a stray attack. "Just go!"

"Aniki!" Shou didn't really want to leave him but... "All right! But don't you lose!"

Judai was a bit taken aback by the sheer determination shining in those eyes behind glasses. Truthfully, he'd never seen Shou like that before. But... Maybe it was always there and Shou just could not show it completely. He smiled and struck his pose. "I won't lose!"

The bespectacled teen nodded before running off, away from the impromptu battlefield in front of the old, mysterious structure. Judai watched him go, making sure to block off the attacker who attempted to stop his friend.

"You've got guts trying to take us all on by yourself, boy," a Dark Army Equipper amusedly commented as he swung his long spear to ward off the attack of one of the Neo-Spacians, Aqua Dolphin.

Sweat trickled down Judai's face as he faced the enemies off apprehensively. They were strong, no mistake about it and he had to use up a lot of Duel Energy just keeping his monsters alive and able to use their abilities. If he faltered now, the Neo-Spacians would disappear because there would be no Duel Energy to keep them up. But looking at the situation, he had Aqua Dolphin, Flare Scarab and Air Hummingbird out and while there were better chances of winning in increasing quantity, he couldn't summon another Neo-Spacian lest he completely pass out from stamina loss. Even now, he was at his limits maintaining all three of them, if his breathing becoming ragged every other minute or so was of any proof. He felt the spirits of the remaining three Neo-Spacians in their cards in his pocket emanating their worry for him and he was glad for that, even if he wasn't exactly sure how he could sense that when they were in their cards. It wasn't the first time that it had happened though but really, he mentally shook off his thoughts, this wasn't the time to be deducting mysteries, as he dodged yet another attack gone astray.

"Whoa!"

Unfortunately, he didn't dodge correctly, or rather; luck landed his foot in the way of an innocently sitting rock, resulting in him tripping unceremoniously, although luck did also save him from a nasty collision with another bigger boulder that just happened to be right beside the majestic closed double doors of the Rainbow Ruins.

Still, he was disoriented by the sudden panic that the turn of events brought, not to mention his energy was constantly being drained maintaining his Neo-Spacians. And there were still no signs of help arriving.

The Tamer sat up, leaning against the door of the old temple, and grit his teeth in a surge of dread. Is this it?

At that moment, a flash of light emanated from one of the pillars that surrounded the Rainbow Ruins, temporarily blinding all who were present, even the Dark Army attackers as well as Shou who had just arrived along with their teachers and several guards and soldiers of the kingdom.

'What's going on?' Judai thought, trying to squint through the illumination. Though it was not really clear, he could make out a small figure sitting atop the column.

'A... squirrel?'

The tiny creature raised its tail and that action appeared to be the trigger of a shattering sound that seemed to come from the sky itself. When Judai turned his eyes toward the sound, he was met by the sight of a new monster bathed in a grayish-silver light.

'But that's... That can't be...' Images from past dreams immediately came to mind. Dreams of this particular monster being involved in a battle... A voice shouting out its identity...

"Neos...?"

The silver human-shaped monster turned to him and nodded. The three Neo-Spacians then glowed in their respective coloured auras, rising towards Neos.

'Power isn't about numbers, right?'

'Eh?' Judai looked around. Everyone else was left awestruck by the appearance of Neos so who could have said that? He turned back to look again at the creature he thought was a squirrel that was atop the pillar before. But it was no longer there. A voice... in his head?

'When two powers are combined, it is stronger than when they are separate, right?'

'Two... powers? Combined?'

'You just need to believe.' Then the childlike voice chuckled.

'Believe?' Judai looked towards Neos and the Neo-Spacians who wore expressions that trusted what he would tell them.

Judai shakily got up, letting out as much of his Duel Energy as possible. This was a risk. He'd thought of it before but other people especially his teachers said that it was impossible, for it'd take a great amount of Duel Energy even if it were possible. But maybe it WAS possible; it was just that no one ever tried it.

And he would.

"Activate! FUSION!"

With the force of that command word, or more accurately, a spell, Neos and Aqua Dolphin were surrounded by brilliant light, one that was so luminous everyone was forced to shield their eyes in some way. When it had died down, there in place of the two monsters was a new unknown monster, but noticeably had the characteristics of both monsters that were now gone. Flare Scarab and Air Hummingbird were flanked on either side of the monster emanating power.

"What is that...?" the confident Equipper from before ironically asked in fear.

Without wasting any moment, the new monster let out its attack, echoing sound waves that shattered rocks and rendered a few people squinting and covering their ears. But it was powerful enough to send the enemies who were conveniently located near to lose consciousness.

By the time everyone had gathered their wits, there were three bodies covered by the distinctive cloak lying in the ground. The triumphant monster now faced Judai in silence, who was staring in a mixture of amazement and curiosity. He slowly formed the words he wanted to say. "You're... both Neos... and Aqua Dolphin... A fusion of them... Aqua... Neos?"

The sleek blue and silver coloured monster nodded its head before separating into Neos and Aqua Dolphin. Then all four monsters shone as they returned to card form, fluttering down towards Judai's hand. Neos' card was on top of the pile and the Tamer stared at it in near disbelief.

"Aniki!"

Shou's relieved call snapped Judai to attention. He smiled, taking his eyes off the card for a moment and letting his mind drift back from the clouds and into steady reality. "Shou...!" He felt a little tired and it affected the volume of his voice... Though maybe that was an understatement, seeing as he had just come out of an extremely tough battle alive.

... Wait.

"Aniki?" Shou blinked up to him after seeing the other Tamer with a shocked face. Judai looked at his cards again.

He'd done a spell previously thought impossible. That in itself was already an anomaly.

But to remain conscious and not be completely drained of energy after doing it?

"This is..."

~0~0~

"Well, that was pretty much what happened back then. I really don't know how Neos just appeared there or if that little creature was even real. But... it really happened."

Johan could only nod, mesmerized by the tale that he'd been listening intently to.

"After that, I learned how to improve using Fusion, and got stronger with it. But then news of what happened reached the Dark Army because..." Judai paused, taking a deep breath in. Johan waited in understanding that the Tamer was catching his breath from the storytelling. He still waited when Judai walked towards him and sat on the chair beside the bed and was now closer to him. Had Johan been less immersed in his curiosity and anticipation, he'd have been stunned on how close the two of them were now when, weeks before, the distance between them was so far in more than the physical sense of Judai avoiding him. But as it was, he merely sat ever attentive on the edge of the side of the bed, facing the Tamer a few feet away.

"Shou, Manjyome, Misawa, Asuka and I were out in Sapphire City one day. It was still the time when people weren't afraid of the Dark Army and we were still allowed to go out of the school campus. A group of them came after us, although since the five of us were more familiar with our magic then, we were at least able to hold them off. But then, one of them yelled that they intended to make me join the Dark Army. And that they would resort to any method to do it..."

Memories of the conversation in the orphanage's kitchen flooded back to Johan's mind. When Daitokuji-sensei mentioned that the Dark Army would go after the people he cared about... If the Dark Army did the same to Judai, then... "That's when they—"

"—went after my parents. My only relatives. The guy who did it... called himself Knight. He... He told me that the Dark Army would go after my friends and—"

This time, it was Judai who was interrupted mid-sentence by Johan, who looked sideways with an upset expression as the actions of Judai during the past days finally made sense. "—You avoided your friends."

The brunet fidgeted with guilt in his seat. "... Yeah. Because I thought it was my fault. And on the day that I ran away from school, it was because I lashed out angrily on my friends."

"But..." Johan slowly turned his head back towards Judai, bright green eyes locking with the Tamer's own russet. "...One can't protect anything by running away."(1)

Such serious and bitterly underlined declaration brought silence to the two boys, though it was more a thoughtful than an awkward one. Judai spent it staring at Johan, surprised, though it slowly turned into curiosity. On the other hand, Johan was deeply immersed in his thoughts to notice that.

What he just said... He'd proven that himself. Or rather, it was what he learned from what happened earlier in the day. Running away and not fighting back was cowardice and people who were like that wouldn't be able to protect anything, not others, and especially not themselves. He didn't want to remain helpless forever and he was granted that desire.

But... why did it come with the price of destruction?

Just when he learned a way to fight back and not run away from danger, he had done what he feared: chaos and ruin. Did that mean that his wish was wrong?

"That's not true, Johan."

Judai's own assertion that countered the earlier statement broke Johan out of the haze that he entered because of his clouding thoughts. The Tamer elaborated, now smiling a little himself. "It may have been wrong in my case, but it isn't with yours, when you saved me back at that night at your house in Ruby Village. Your power enabled us to run away from death. You wanted to run away using your power back then because you thought it would save me. Your Dimension Crossing is amazing, Johan, and it's a power that can protect."

'A power that can protect...' Johan echoed in his mind. Then he looked down dejectedly. "But earlier today I nearly destroyed... no, I broke the school's barrier with that power. How can I protect with it? It's certainly different compared to Dimension Crossing, isn't it?"

"But it doesn't change the fact that it's your power, Johan," was Judai's response. "It was the same with my Fusion."

The Tamer's smile was small, outlined by bitter regret and accepting realization. "When I learned that it's the reason why the Dark Army went after me, I refused to do Fusion, because doing it reminded me of what the Dark Army had done to me. Everyone was angry at me for that, insisting that it wasn't my fault. But when the Dark Army attacked us at your house, I realized that Fusion was a part of me and no matter where I go it won't change. If I've been given this power, instead of hiding it, I'd rather use it to protect my friends."

"Judai..."

"Johan." The Tamer stood up and put his hands on Johan's shoulders. "Don't be afraid of your own power. I won't run away anymore. I will protect you from your power if I had to."

"No."

Judai blinked, letting his hands fall to the sides, feeling the disappointment and fear running through his veins. There was such conviction in that simple word. Was Johan's trust in him lost for good?

"Ah... I don't mean it that way, Judai." Johan caught Judai's limping hand by the wrist. "It's just that... I really do not want to remain helpless anymore. And Judai, up until now, I didn't know that being a target of the Dark Army was such a burden for you, and you've gone through far worse things than I did because of them. Yet you're the one sacrificing yourself for your friends. You avoided your friends because you thought it would protect them even if you didn't want to stay away from them. You're just as hurt as they are, but you're trying to be strong for their sake too."

"Stop trying to shoulder everything by yourself, Judai."

Johan's eyes shone with steel determination and burning fire that it could have been unwavering fury otherwise. But they were not eyes of anger... that much was the aura Judai could feel from them. He briefly wondered how Johan's eyes could emit such fiery willpower and still retain their gentle gaze. "But I understand how you feel. While it did lead me to do something irreversible like what I did earlier, like you, I also want to be able to protect the people I care for even if I had to do it myself. I guess I can't really completely blame you for that." He grinned. "If you really want to protect me from the Dark Army... or even my own power, I'll only allow it if you let me protect you too."

And it was as if a huge load was figuratively lifted off of Judai's shoulders. The situation and his feelings were drowning in confusion before but now, he got the feeling that everything was going to be all right. The biggest and most genuine smile he's had in days was making its way to his face, along with an uplifting tingling in his body like he was going to float away like a cloud if Johan wasn't holding his hand.

Similar to Judai, Johan was feeling happier and content than he had ever been. There were going to be many consequences he had to face tomorrow for what he did, but with this, his new-found power wasn't going to forever be labelled as a weapon of destruction. If he needed to control it and fight with it, he would, if it meant being able to protect everyone he cared for. Even if this new power could destroy, he would make an effort to make sure it was going to be used right because, like Judai said, this power was his. Both the good and bad consequences were things he had to face and deal with. If the owner of that unknown voice was the one who provided him the means to do magic, then like with Dimension Crossing, he would find a way for this new ability to be able to protect rather than create destruction.

Then two pairs of eyes met, and understanding passed through the short expanse of space, unseen by any being. Johan abruptly stood up at the same time that Judai pulled him. So who really initiated it? It was difficult to tell. But neither of them cared for the answer to that. Both were already lost in the swirling hurricane of emotions, of happiness and contentment, and they let the gust sweep them off like leaves, unknowing and negligent of where they would end up falling. This was a risky move, and a lot was at stake. Their actions would certainly affect not only themselves, but the people around them. But they were willing to take that risk by acting on the whims of their feelings.

The gap was gone in a flash.

Indeed, just like back at the night that started the change in their perspective of each other, both boys could honestly admit that the wonderful feeling that seemed to bloom from the moment like a magical midnight rose, was there again, and this time much more pronounced to the point that it was overwhelming their senses. Warmth from each other seemed to seep to the very cores of their bodies, burning every last existence of the coldness of doubt and fear. In the atmosphere was reassurance, safety and something else that seemed to shine so brightly. Reassurance that everything would be all right in the future somehow, safety that stemmed from being in each other's presence and finally, a most exhilarating feeling that they've never felt before was like Duel Energy running through their veins, very much electrifying and breathtaking. Had it always been there? Or had they just discovered its existence? Either way, both could admit it was present now and stronger more than ever.

Recently, the distance between them was not only physical but emotional, and with this, the hole created by the ache of separation and longing to reconcile was quickly filled by the gentle rains of forgiveness and understanding. Being like this, there were no barriers to separate them, and for now, the Dark Army, the uncertain future, and the cold night were all far away.

The tingling feeling Johan felt back then ran through his body, as if he really was back in that night again, enveloped in Judai's warmth. It was a pleasant feeling at the same time that it was making his heart thump like crazy. He was new to this... Well, he'd never felt this way before with anyone else after all. But that wasn't going to stop him. There was no going back now, and he'd taken more than one step forward anyway. He would have gotten worried but the wonderful feeling soothed him. Floating in between reality and fantasy, he vaguely sensed that Judai's bangs were tickling his face. Such realization only served to increase the tempo of the frenetic dance that his heart was doing.

True, he was unsure how this situation came to be, but there was no uncertainty with the way he held Johan like this. He had the chance to stop this from going stronger when he kept his distance from Johan. But now, he mentally berated himself for even thinking of such a notion. He only made things more difficult, not to mention painful, for both himself and Johan. Well, he'd definitely learned his lesson now and he'd never consider it again, he vowed to himself, as his hand slowly went up towards Johan's hair. The talk they had tonight was to settle their misunderstanding, and this was something that sealed the pact they made in that conversation, no matter how spontaneous. That promise was his purpose and now, more than ever, he wanted to change the grim future that hung over their heads which remained for as long as the Dark Army pursued both of them. Avoiding Johan was so painful, and even though his old belief of avoiding others so as to not involve them nudged at him that this decision was wrong, being far away from Johan both in body and heart and losing him was a price he could never pay, even if he could readily sacrifice everything else.

Johan unconsciously closed his eyes, letting the tender, blissful sensation flow freely throughout his body like a fresh spring. He had to admit that it was so hard to keep up with the dangerously fast pace that his life was taking. There were so many things that he still didn't know, his powers being the forefront of that. The unknown and the darkness that lay ahead was very scary, but if he himself were to get afraid, what more of the people around him, especially the ones who cared so much for him? He had to stay strong and hope. And he would be able to do that much more confidently now that his heart was no longer in turmoil like it was before. It was almost like a fog was slowly being driven away from the entirety of his body and in the abyss of his mind, he could see a light, surely so bright yet barely visible beyond the dissipating haze as if it was being shielded there...

What was that!

Johan's mind, already out of focus because of his emotions, was further sent into a scramble upon that sight within him. It was really strange; this feeling that something like a lock was opened in the darkness was every bit unnerving. He hoped that it wasn't going to be something dangerous again.

...!

And this time, Johan was sent into another phase of shock, although this was because Judai had wrapped his arms around him, mirroring his sudden act nights ago. But now, there was no panic, uncertainty or fear in them. It... Felt like a sanctuary... A temporary haven from the terrible reality awaiting him outside.

But it existed, and that was what mattered, right?

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Here it is..."

A pile of books collapsed nearby but Fujiwara paid no attention to it as he took out an old-looking tome. Honest in his spirit form merely looked at the fallen books, unruffled that such a thing happened. Indeed, he looked like he was used to such occurrence if his calm demeanour was of any indication.

"Honest."

The angel immediately snapped to attention at his Master's soft voice.

Fujiwara ran a finger down the old yellowing pages of the particular book he took out, deep in thought. Even under only the moonlight, it could be easily seen that the book was worn from age. The Fuser held it delicately in his hands as if it would crumble away if he didn't.

"The situation... is actually a lot more serious than we thought. And... so would the destruction that it will bring in the future."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Aniki?"

Silence.

"Aniki!"

"Uh... Umm... Just a little more... Let me sleep..."

"ANIKI!"

"Wh-wha!"

Judai immediately threw the covers off him as he sat up, hair sticking out in all directions, eyes still unfocused. "Shou?"

The smaller Tamer frowned. "Seriously, Aniki. We have classes today, you know."

"Huh? We have?" Judai blinked, much more awake now.

"Yeah. Despite what happened yesterday... Well, no one was seriously injured so the rest of the classes can take place... according to Daitokuji-sensei anyway."

"Eh? No way..." The brown-haired Tamer pouted, flopping back onto the bed.

"We don't have a choice. Anyway, Aniki, where were you last night? You weren't at your bed when I woke up in the middle of the night."

Judai laughed nervously before flashing a sheepish grin to Shou. "That's... Well... I couldn't sleep... so I was out for a walk?"

"Hmm..." Shou's expression clearly showed that he was not convinced and very suspicious of his friend.

"Really, Shou! I wasn't doing anything suspicious and I came back quickly. And no one saw me so I won't get in trouble!" Judai said cheekily.

Shou crossed his arms and tapped his foot on the ground, frowning at Judai. "Well, if you say so..." He huffed, before a smile makes its way on his face. "... I haven't seen you this happy for so long, Aniki."

In response, Judai smiled happily.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"How are you feeling, Tom?"

The aforementioned was sick in bed with a high fever. Edo adjusted the blanket covering his young adoptive brother. Nero became sick a few days ago, and judging by his worsening condition, it looked it wasn't going to get better anytime soon. Saiou was at work while Mizuchi was cooking food in the kitchen downstairs, leaving Edo to take the de-facto role of taking care of the sick child... not that he had problems with it, of course. He didn't have any teaching work to do for the day anyway, and even if he had, he'd choose to take a day-off.

"Big Brother Edo...?" The ill kid muttered.

"I'm here," the silver-haired teen said reassuringly. Tom coughed for a bit before smiling weakly. "That's... good. Because... you know... I had a dream... that Big Brother Johan... was in... a very dark place. It was scary... and painful and—"

Edo cut the younger boy off, soothingly holding his hand. "Ssh... It's just a dream, Tom. Everything's going to be okay. Johan is in a safe place and nothing bad will happen to him. So do your best to get better, all right? So that you would be able to greet him when he comes back home."

The orphan child was near tears from recounting his experience but did not cry outright at the calming of Edo. He just nodded timidly, usual vigour gone because of the illness. He seemed afraid to close his eyes and sleep, probably due to the possibility of another bad dream but he trusted in the words of his adoptive older brother and eventually rested. Edo sighed, taking the opportunity to adjust the wet cloth on Tom's forehead.

Ever since Johan left the orphanage, there was a noticeable change in the atmosphere in the house. Somehow, it didn't seem so... lively anymore. Sure, the kids would still play and be happy but perhaps the joy brought about by Johan's stories and flute-playing was a different kind, one that was quite as magical as he was, and the impact he had over the little kids was more than just physical as a big brother to them. He'd eventually become a sort of 'light' for all of them even if they had never noticed it. Or maybe it was that they'd just accepted it casually without knowing its importance?

He frowned as he leaned back on the chair he was sitting on. He might have said that to Tom but... He couldn't deny that he was not completely confident about the situation either. The teen prided himself on his unshakeable composure that earned him the title of "Gentleman Prodigy" but even that solid self-control was challenged by a human fear of the unknown. He often won, beating down his tumultuous emotions into submission to present people with his coolness under pressure facade.

But he also often got the same dark foreboding of the possible future that Tom just mentioned.

Because even he could not predict the possible outcome of this entire situation.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

It was a majestic place.

The walls were made of stone and solid bricks that looked like they would not yield. The lighting was provided by rows of torches, each one bursting with a brilliant flame amidst the faint light of the night evident from the gigantic glass windows, even if they could not completely brighten the entire place. Draperies hung symmetrically in velvet cloth while the space was wide enough to hold in capacity a huge crowd.

It was a very typical throne room.

However, the aura of the place was far from ordinary, seemingly brought about by the occupants themselves.

"The balance of power will crumble soon."

A concerned voice pierced the silence.

"I know."

A different tone countered it, this one much calmer and devoid of worry, clearly contrasting the earlier voice.

The first speaker's anxiousness was increased rather than assured by the confident statement. "What if a war happens...?"

"It would eventually turn into a war, one way or another. The only question is when it will formally begin."

To hear such a grim statement from a steady voice predictably shocked the frantic person. "If that is the case, then why..."

The calm speaker, who had been up until now, seated on the throne, stood up. A red cape flaunted his aura, lightly billowing as he slowly walked across the room. "You are worried about this."

"Your Majesty..."

Turning back, the royal guy showed a small smile, illuminated in the moonlight from the window rather than the light of fire. "For that I am thankful, even though this might come across as insensitivity on my part. Because it makes me feel that your oath to protect me does not just come from your sense of duty... Rather, you really desire to protect me from the bottom of your heart."

"My king, that is...!"

"Yes, I am delaying the topic with this, so I will go back." The king chuckled, non-mocking mirth apparent in his tones. "Regarding the situation... I am not a believer of destiny, but I admit that this is unavoidable because of the lure of power."

He sighed. "We are all human, granted access to what is practically unlimited power. With force being the only unreliable implementer of discipline, is it not a surprise at all that sooner or later, desire for power and domination would eventually rise to the surface and override the morals of the people? War is the product of greed, the desire of something, be it well-intentioned or not."

"But you are the king, the strongest in the land. You can defeat them, and I will be by your side."The follower respectfully reasoned out.

"Ah, that may be so. But I myself know well that the power of one can be overcome by unity of several," was his declaration, outlined by a tone of enigma.

A short silence ensued, the servant seemingly pondering the meaning of that odd statement. Then the king said, "However, we are not alone in working to prevent this imminent disaster."

"Because of your knights?"

"Both as a king and as a magician," he replied with a mysterious smile. Then his expression changed to one of seriousness as he asked, "Do you think that power should be limited?"

The king's servant thought over his answer carefully, the sheen of his black eyes seemingly changing by the unstable light provided by the flickering flames of the room. "If it would otherwise lead to destruction, then I think it is a viable option," he said honestly.

Momentary silence passed, the weight of the answer hung in the air as neither spoke. The king's gaze was fixed on his companion, studying with an unfathomable stare that did not betray the notions running through his mind. Yet even under this potent gaze, the servant was not intimidated at all, his figure not faltering at the slightest bit. Was it a display of bravery...

... Or a silent declaration of unwavering trust?

Nodding, the king stated, "Yes. That is what I also think about all of this. It does seem to be the solution that would settle the situation." But then he chuckled humourlessly as he said, "However... do you not think that it is strange when you view it from a different perspective?"

"If we put a restraint on power, we will prevent its abuse. But while access to the power can be controlled, the human desire cannot be restrained. Rather, the more we prevent people from obtaining power, the greater their desire will be to break the rules. Like a greedy treasure hunter who is not afraid of the dangers that he will face as long as he reaches the treasure in the end. After all, the greater the quantity of traps and barriers protecting the treasure, the more it becomes valuable to the eyes which are clouded by greed..." The royal man stated this all as he walked back to sit down on the throne. With an elbow propped on the armrest, his head tilted against a gloved hand. "... What do you think of that?"

The servant was left speechless at first but he still replied in the end. "It... It is also true, Your Majesty."

"It is certainly depressing, but it is a truth that we must accept... Much in the same way as recognizing the fact that we have no choice but to do this."

"But—"

The doors of the room burst open with a crash and an armoured servant came running in with a panicked face, surprising the previous occupants of the room and making them turn their attention to him.

"Your Majesty! It's terrible! Cobalt Village is—!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Hey, it's you again!"

Judai was slack-jawed at seeing the mysterious young kid again, who merely stared at him with cat-like red eyes as he hung with his arms on the branch of a tree in the Academia's mini-forest. Smiling widely, he let go and dropped to the ground freely, cushioning his fall by stomping hard on the bed of leaves below. In the process, he created a ripple effect, causing other leaves to fly throughout the air in a flurry. It was a strange sight, as if the dry leaves were dancing in midair. But pretty soon, some of them were carried further away by stray winds but every single one eventually landed back on the forest floor. And there was the young boy, standing as if he didn't just drop from a high branch of a tree. The fact that said kid's grin was not affected whatsoever by his stunt was coming off as terrifying.

Judai concluded once again. 'This kid is weird.' The evidence kept piling up.

"Did I not tell you that you would see me again?" The red-eyed boy inquired with a tilt of his head, as if he was naturally curious as to why it would not be a logical conclusion.

The Tamer blinked as he recalled. "Oh right, you did..." He didn't know why, but his instinct was telling him earlier today when he passed by the entrance of the forest to go in. Well, he was the type to trust his instincts more than anything so he followed it. And it led him to the earlier sight. He was actually on his way to see Johan then. Things were really getting strange. Kuriboh poked out from under his vest and ran excitedly toward its friend. The kid giggled while patting the ferret on the head.

Judai sighed. He really should be used to the kid's dissonant and abrupt actions by now. "Anyway, why are you still here? If you're hiding in the forest, that must mean you're not related to anybody, are you?"

With a rustle, Kuriboh jumped out of the strange boy's arms and skittered toward the side before gazing with its beady black eyes. His head was bowed low, purple tufts of hair shadowing his eyes ominously.

"You broke the second seal."

A chill tided over him as Judai was literally frozen in the spot once the smaller boy tossed his head up and pinned him with an unsettling gaze from shimmering blood red orbs. His face was so blank, but his crimson eyes were a different matter. Neither accusatory nor soft, the stare lingered between those two kinds although it was definitely powerful. The tone of that voice was still of an innocent child's and it was such a discord to the uttered sentence. Suddenly, the air felt so different, so detached, and so unnerving. Kuriboh had taken refuge under a large leaf with a quiver, but still peeked out from under with its sleek head.

Even in his mind-petrified state, Judai was able to retain what he heard.

'Seal?'

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Thank you, Lilyvere-san."

"Only as long as you promise to look out for yourself more, all right? As much as the infirmary is open, it's not a second home, if you keep getting life-threatening injuries, dear."

"W-well... I'll try, in any case...!"

And Johan shut the door before the school nurse could add more things on the list about things he should not be doing if he wanted to stay away from the clinic. It's not that he was attached to the place or something, but then the motherhen matron was most likely just worried about him, even if she had a weird way of showing it. Taking a deep breath, he began to walk away from the infirmary carrying a small bag that contained his used clothes and a few school notes. He winced as he remembered that he stayed for an entire week there, as opposed to two or three days. It was because, for some reason, there were particular periods over the days when his whole body would just ache so much he could barely stand up and then there were times wherein he would feel electrified as if bolts were travelling through his blood. The pain seemed to reach the very core of his soul.

Frankly, it scared him as much as it hurt. According to Ayukawa-sensei and Lilyvere-san, it was most likely the kickback from too much usage of energy but he felt it was something else. It did not ache to this intensity when he first used magic months ago. He wondered if it had anything to do with the new kind of magic he was able to do; it appeared to use a lot of his energy in turn for causing damage with a lot of magic energy. It was almost a miracle as to how he'd endured it all in the past week. Truly it hurt, but it had subsided over time until he no longer experienced the spasmodic attacks and that's why he could now go back.

Well, not everything was fine and dandy though. He still had detention to do to make up for the destruction he caused, even if it wasn't entirely his fault, and that he was the victim in the first place. But he was the one who destroyed the barrier so he still had a hand in the chaos. Lucky for him that there were people who witnessed what really happened, so the three guys who bullied him were punished for their acts. There was also the fact that thanks to his display of magic, most students went out of their way to stay away from him and were now afraid of him, fearing that if he was angry enough, he'd go do an outburst of magic to decimate the school. It was ridiculous, really, because it was not in his nature to do such a thing and he was explicitly forbidden to do that form of his magic by the headmaster himself, and only under the watchful supervision of a teacher. Besides, he was threatened with even more detention or a possible expulsion if he actually did do it, although he'd be exposed to outside danger if that actually happened.

Sighing, he entered the dorm room he shared with Fujiwara, noticing that his companion wasn't in the room. Setting his bag down, it was unavoidable that he'd notice the piece of paper lying on his bed. Eyebrow instinctually rising in curiosity and confusion, he took it and read it, briefly wondering if it was just one of Fujiwara's random drawings and symbols. But his guess was not off, after all, for it was indeed a message from his older schoolmate.

There is no need to rush, nor should you take things too slow or you will only be left behind.

Sometimes, a single step is all you need to reach the place you want.

Johan didn't know if he should be grateful for the seemingly encouraging words or if he should be frustrated at the fact that the instructions left behind by Fujiwara was written in riddles. It was obviously the older teen's handwriting, and he could only wonder why it was written as such. He was about to get out of the room and leave, when the glimmer of orange caught his eye. It was a feather, which apparently had been under the paper so it was hidden until Johan took the note from on top of it to read.

Recognition dawned on his mind as he picked it up as well. The feather was from Honest. White but with sweeps of orange and light yellow, it was unmistakably from the angel. Before Johan could contemplate why it was there, the feather shone before disintegrating into tiny particles of light which went into the paper clutched in Johan's other hand, engulfing it in a momentary bright light.

When the flash died down, Johan stared at the note, blinking in confusion because the previous writings were gone. Instead, there was a different message now, and the moment his eyes laid upon the new words, a bolt of pain struck his head, as a rainbow line cut across his eyesight. His vision wavered and he almost buckled down from dizziness and it was only firm will that kept him standing. Yet, as quickly as it came, the pain was gone and his eyesight was slowly going back to normal.

That... was weird.

He now turned his attention back to the note at hand, and his eyes widened when an entirely different message blinked back at him.

Go to the usual training place with your magic.

You have permission.

...WHAT?

It took a good few minutes before Johan was able to feel the weight of the message. Dimension Crossing? B-but... But he failed at tha-

'Don't be afraid of your own power.'

Judai's words echoed in his mind... and he felt like an idiot for panicking. He took a deep breath, calming himself down. Now he had one more reason to be grateful for meeting Judai. Gripping the note tightly in his hand, he looked seriously ahead, where slim beams of the afternoon light filtered through the window. His mind made up, he pocketed the piece of paper and closed his eyes, immersing himself in his own inner world. He raised his right hand till it was level with his chest and concentrated. The feeling of his surroundings slowly diminished to give way to the black world of his soul. Strange... Back then, it was only inky comforting darkness. But now, there were floating crystals in the area like miniature islands. Without any shine or twinkle, they were more like unassuming clouds than translucent, polished precious rocks. However, he had no time to dwell on the mystery of their sudden appearance, so he diverted his attention into gathering his Duel Energy.

Fujiwara was testing him. Not only his control of his magic but also his resolve. Of course. After what he just did, it would have been normal if he were a mess of nerves, scared of what he had done and be hesitant to use his power again. He'd witnessed the destruction he could cause with his unknown magic. He'd seen what he was capable of, and how dangerous it could be if the power fell into the wrong hands. He'd finally understood the weight of the consequences that came with being a magician.

He would be scared.

And that would make him doubt.

...That was it. He'd found his answer. This was the reason why his Dimension Crossing failed after the night Judai hugged him.

Miniature pieces of gems appeared out of thin air in front of Johan, gathering to form the familiar gem-shaped portal like diamond dust. Power was flowing out of Johan's body as he remained mentally deep within himself.

At that time, he began to get uncertain about his relationship with Judai. He was afraid of breaking their friendship yet he never talked to Judai about it to clear things up. He thought the stalemate of vagueness was a delicate balance that he would break if he disturbed it by confronting his best friend. But his curiosity fought it with equal ferocity and it had left him as a mental and emotional mess who could only think of what-ifs and possibilities.

It was the same with his power. Unconsciously or not, he'd actually been frightened of his very own magic ability. There was the factor of it being unknown, but he held so many qualms about it. He wasn't able to conquer the fear of his own power, and that's why that incident happened. Regretting it was out of the picture, but in a way, it was almost as if his own magic was telling him to accept reality, even if it had to be a straightforward slap in the face. Yes, he had power, it could go out of control, it could hurt people, and it could cause destruction. So what was he going to do?

His heartbeat skipped a fraction of a second as he formed a determined resolution within himself. Accept it, settle it, and not run away from it. Yes, like his feelings that were in a mess before a week ago. He was the one creating his own fears through his doubts. He should not let things hang in the air unresolved. And this... This was what finally realized the night he and Judai finally faced the truth.

But what about the future, which is oh-so-grim and dark, enshrouded with the veil of unknown?

The future... The exit of Dimension Crossing portals... Both were things that had no certainty to them. He could envision the place he wanted to go, but there was no guarantee he'd end up there the moment he steps into the portal and it terrified him if it so happened that he made a mistake and end up outside the school, or worse, in the middle of danger. When it came to his magic, Fujiwara did remind him that it was deeply connected to his heart and his emotions. In his moments of doubt such as when he harboured that thought, it was human instinct to turn to safety, and even if he was not fully aware of it at that time, he already had considered refuge in Judai. That was most likely why his wayward portals appeared near the Tamer.

The tension between him and Judai was finally burned away because he took the courage to go ahead and ask Judai, rather than drown in his uncertainties and fears.

Could he do the same for his magic?

He slowly opened his eyes, and was met by a scene so familiar to him. The white light that shone from the passageway of the gem portal revealed nothing of the secrets of the other side. A door to another place, yet at the same time not a door for there was nothing blocking entrance to it, which showed another contradiction because even if it was open, not a speck of the destination could be discerned. It was truly a test of bravery, resolve and conviction without intending to.

Johan lowered his hand limply to the side as he stared at the pentagon portal. He'd done it. After a long time of being unable to even begin the process of creating portals, the feeling of success was absolutely wonderful.

Sometimes, a single step is all you need to reach the place you want.

He felt the beginnings of a smile make its way to his face. If he had not talked with Judai, he'd probably still be a bundle of nerves now. That night brought about more changes than he thought. In a way, it was a beginning.

He pulled away from his thoughts and looked at the Dimension Crossing portal again. Dare he take that single step?

His smile grew wider.

'More than that. It's... a leap of faith!'

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Fujiwara turned a page of the book he was reading, unmindful of the very bright light emanating from above a few meters away from where he sat under the shade of a tree, back propped against the trunk.

A few minutes later, there was the unmistakable sound of the arrival of a new person. Only this time, said person dropped from the bright light with a graceful landing. The older Fuser glanced at the corner of his eyes as Johan exited his Dimension Crossing portal without as much as a panicked shout. Johan descended to the ground in a crouched position, head bowed from the momentum.

The book in Fujiwara's hands snapped close at a light twist of his palms at the same time as Johan's exit portal disintegrated into tiny powder shards. The gem pieces began falling down like stardust particles, sparkling as they rained over Johan. Fujiwara's usual serious face was devoid of it, as he showed an expression that was a cross between a small smile and a proud smirk.

"You have slacked off long enough."

Johan looked up, peridot eyes gleaming with life. He chuckled.

"Yeah!"

To be continued...

Yay! The ending is not a cliffhanger for once! ...Oh wait, it isn't? Judai's in trouble?

Whoops. xD

Well, that's something to wait for in the next chapter, right? *gets pelted by stuffed animals*

Truthfully, ever since Chapter 5 I've been waiting to get to this part. But of course, it was not possible without setting up the conflict first, along with the parallelism. I think I've tested your patience long enough, dear readers. If you got this far without dying from all the deep thinking and long-winded conversations of the characters in the story, that's some effort because when I was rechecking the fic, even I got lost. Haha.

Once again, I strike. I did reveal the 'truth', only to raise more questions, eh? When Judai discovered his Fusion, I'm sure there were a lot of strange things there. What about that flashback in the middle? Then, there's the cliffhanger (in the middle?). Oh, there's also a glimpse of the situation back at the orphanage. Things would probably start picking up soon~

I hope you enjoyed it regardless.

Next chapter preview:

So what is this seal, anyway? Oh and it looks like detention won't be as simple as sitting in a desk waiting for hours to pass. Looks like trouble is brewing for Johan... again.

Review if you please. All comments and suggestions are appreciated.

~Rine-Line