Okay, I've never actually played Tales of Destiny 2 (although I wish they'd make a remake and localize it in the U.S) but I've read the manga, read the complete translation guide, seen subbed walkthroughs, read up wikis on the characters, looked up the monsters in the different areas, looked up the artes, and saw unsubbed walkthroughs with the translation guide pulled up.

I got the idea for this when I wondered how Rutee would react if she found out her brother was alive. I knew that Judas wouldn't show himself to her that easily, and so I came up with a little scenaro where he won't have much choice. Then I thought about how he showed up right on time to save Kyle and the others from Barbatos, and I wondered "Was he following them this whole time?" And thus, this story was born! This takes place after the Darilsheid jailbreak.

"C'mon, Kyle! Pick up the pace!" Loni hollered.

"But Mom's totally gonna tan our hides!" Kyle whined. Loni sighed.

"You should've thought of that before trying to get that giant lens."

"Hey! You're just as guilty as I am! Besides, I didn't know the lens was gonna break!"

"Well, we should get back to the orphanage as soon as possible," Loni said. "The longer we wait around, the worse the punishment'll be. Besides, we'll need to get as much rest as possible if we're going on a journey."

"If Mom'll let us," Kyle sighed.

"Hey, even if she says no, I already know you'll leave anyway!" Loni replied with a smirk. "I can tell you'll chase after that girl no matter what."

"That's right! I'll prove to her I'm the hero she's looking for!" Kyle exclaimed, pumping one fist into the air. "Let's hurry, Loni!"

As Kyle took off in a full sprint for Cresta, Loni let out a long sigh.

"And here he was whining a few seconds ago... Oh well, can't help that. Hey, Kyle! Wait for me!"

Loni took off after the blonde, the teen already about to enter Cresta. But, before he left the forest, an Owlbear leaped out, Kyle reacting just in time to dodge its swipe.

"Another one?!" Kyle exclaimed. "Hey, Loni! Think you can chop this one up, too?"

"Heh, no problem," Loni smirked, taking his axe out. However, another Owlbear sprung out, bringing its paws down onto the silver haired man, Loni raising his weapon to block. Meanwhile, Kyle had taken out his sword, trying to fight of the Owlbear he was facing.

"Shouhajin!" Kyle shouted, managing to make the Owlbear stagger back a few steps. Kyle took this chance to charge at the monster, leaping up and bringing his sword down, slicing its underbelly open.

"Nice, Kyle!" Loni shouted, swinging his axe, but the monster dodged it in time, roaring as it swiped at him, Loni using his axe to block.

"I'm coming to help, Loni!" Kyle said, heading over to Loni.

"Thanks, Ky- - Kyle! Look out!"

Kyle froze as a third Owlbear burst out of the undergrowth. Before Kyle had a chance to defend himself, the Owlbear swung its paw, claws glinting in the moonlight.

"Kyle!"

Kyle winced as he was roughly shoved away, hitting the ground with a loud thud. He suddenly recognized the voice of the person who called out and looked up, eyes widening in horror.

"Judas!" he shouted. Judas had rushed out from the trees, shouldering the blonde away and taking the hit for him. The masked swordsman was sent flying into a tree trunk, blood flying from four long gashes running across his chest.

"What the hell?!" Loni exclaimed, shoving the Owlbear he was fighting back to give himself time to take in what just happened. Judas groaned, managing to get himself back onto his feet only to collapse onto one knee, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

"Damn you!" Kyle growled, facing the Owlbear. He rushed at the monster, ducking to avoid its swipe and stabbed his sword into its stomach, ripping it out. The monster collapsed and Kyle spun around, rushing over to Judas.

"Take this!" Loni shouted after staggering the Owlbear he was fighting, swinging his axe sideways and slicing the monster in half. He stood, panting, for a few moments before joining Kyle, who was crouched down next to the swordsman.

"Judas, why'd you help me?" Kyle was asking. Judas gave a weak groan before shifting his violet eyes up to meet Kyle's blue ones.

"You were about to get killed, idiot."

"But why'd you risk your own life?!" Kyle demanded. Loni raised one eyebrow at the masked swordsman. He'd thought the guy was a stubborn jerk who only thought about himself, so he was curious to Judas' reason as well.

"I don't know myself," Judas admitted. He winced, gritting his teeth and clutching at his wound, but continued to talk. "My body just moved on its own. I... ugh... guess I just want... to atone for...what I've done to- -"

Judas cut himself off, gasping in pain, his grip over the wound tightening as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Judas! Hang in there!" Kyle shouted. Judas gave out a long groan before going limp, making Kyle panic. "Judas!"

"Don't worry, he only passed out," Loni told him after checking for a pulse.

"We need to get him to the orphanage quickly so Mom can help him!" Kyle said.

"Hold on, Kyle. Sure, he may have helped us escape from the prison and saved your life back there, but can we really trust him? He still seems pretty shady," Loni replied.

"So are you saying we should just leave him here to die?!" Kyle demanded, making Loni take a few steps back.

"Whoa, calm down, Kyle!" Loni said. He sighed. "Fine, fine. We'll take him to Rutee. Happy?"

"Thank you, Loni!" Kyle exclaimed. He and Loni each took one of the swordsman's arms, wrapping them around their necks while they used their other arms to wrap around Judas' waist, holding him up between them.

"Huh, the guy's lighter than I thought," Loni commented, stealing a glance at Judas as they made their way into Cresta. "Let's just hope Rutee doesn't kill us for this."

Rutee had just finished cleaning the dishes when the door was thrown open, making her jump. She spun around, expecting a thief, or even worse, that man who murdered Stahn. Instead, it was Kyle and Loni, both of them carrying a wounded person wearing a dragon skull over his face.

"Mom, we need you to help Judas here!" Kyle exclaimed.

"Hold on, where the hell were you two?!" Rutee demanded, storming up to Loni and her son. "And how do you know this person?!"

"It's a long story, Rutee, but this guy needs help right away!" Loni replied. "We'll tell you what happened later." Rutee stared at this "Judas" person. Something about him seemed familiar. She returned her gaze back to Loni and Kyle.

"Set him down on the bench over there. You two head to bed. I'll take care of him. And in the morning, I want to hear a full explanation of what happened."

"But- -" Kyle began, but Rutee cut him off.

"No buts! Bed! Now!"

"We'd better do what she says, Kyle," Loni told the blonde. Kyle gave a relunctant sigh, he and Loni gently laying Judas down on the bench and headed upstairs.

"Honestly, what have those two stepped into this time?" Rutee muttered before turning her attention to Judas. 'These wounds are horrible! He needs treatment right away!' she thought, rushing off and opening a cabinet, taking out the first-aid materials. 'If only I still had Atwight... No! This isn't the time to be thinking that!'

She hurried back over to Judas sitting the unconscious swordsman up and removing the cape he was wearing and laying in down on the nearby table. She then gripped the skull he wore over his head and took it off so she could get his bloodsoaked top off to treat his wounds.

As soon as she saw his uncovered face, Rutee gasped, dropping the mask, the skull hitting the ground with a loud bang, releasing the swordsman and causing him to fall back onto the bench, Rutee recoiling and covering her mouth with both hands, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"Ugh..." Judas groaned, opening his eyes slowly. Falling back onto the bench must have woken him up. His eyes slowly took in his surroundings. As soon as his gaze landed on Rutee, his eyes widened slightly. That's when he noticed his mask laying on the floor and Rutee gawking at him in horror.

"I-it can't be...!" Rutee gasped. Judas quickly panicked, trying to get back onto his feet so he could make a run for it, but the excruciating pain from his wounds caused him to freeze, giving out a short cry.

"Dammit...!" Judas growled. "I can't believe... this is happening..."

"L-Leon?!" Rutee murmured, taking a few steps back. "H-how are you...? I thought you died!"

"I did, but- - ARGH!" Judas had both hands over his wounds, snapping Rutee out of her shock long enough to get a few Lemon Gels, giving them to Judas.

The swordsman took them, eating them without hesitation, the bleeding almost coming to a halt and the wounds partially closing. Rutee gestured for Judas to remove his top. He hesitated, but complied. Once it was off, Rutee applied a salve to disinfect the wound, the stinging causing Judas to groan. Once she was done, she took out a roll of bandages, wrapping them around his chest until the wounds were covered. There was a moment of silence, but Rutee finally broke it.

"For 18 years, I thought you were dead. Yet here you are, not looking a day older. What... what the hell happened...?"

"I was, but it's a long story. But, Chaltier and I are back," Judas replied.

"Chaltier too...?"

Judas nodded, pulling out a second sword that had been hidden by his cape until Rutee took it off. Rutee gasped, seeing the familiar blade.

"It's been awhile, Rutee. Well, more for you than for us," Chaltier said. Rutee pulled out a chair, sitting down and resting her forehead in one hand.

"Rutee..." Judas started, but Rutee interrupted him.

"What's your connection to my son?"

"Excuse me?"

"How did you meet him?" Rutee asked, raising her head from her hand.

"He and Loni had been thrown into Darilsheid prison and I helped to break them out. Then they were attacked by Owlbears and I managed to save Kyle," Judas replied.

"And what's with the new name?"

"Your son gave me it."

Rutee let out a long sigh. Weariness was evident in her eyes. "I just don't know what to think anymore. My own brother back from the dead... What next? Gald will start raining from the sky?"

"Rutee, where's Stahn?" Judas asked. Rutee seemed to stare off into the distance, tears spilling from her eyes.

"He was murdered 10 years ago by an unknown man," she replied. "The man had taken Loni hostage to disarm us before cutting Stahn down and wounding me. Loni still remembers the incident, but Kyle... Kyle must have been so traumatized he forgot that day. To keep him from learning the truth, we told him that Stahn had gone on another journey."

"I see..." Judas murmured. He grabbed his other sword and tossed it over to Rutee's feet, startling her.

"Wh-what are you...?"

"If you want, you can kill me now," Judas said. "I won't stop you. I don't blame you if you hate me for betraying you and the others."

Rutee clenched her fists, anger flaring in her eyes. "Dammit, are you insane?! If it weren't for you, we'd have drowned in the Libra IV! Sure you tried to kill us, but you were only trying to protect Marian! Do you realize how crushed I felt when you died?! You're my brother for crying out loud! And now you want me to kill you?!"

"R-Rutee...!" Judas stammered, shocked at that confession. Before he could say anymore, Rutee shot forward, pulling him into a tight embrace, tears falling freely.

"I'm so glad you're alive, Leon..." she sobbed. "I'm sure Stahn would be, too."

Judas froze for a few moments before relaxing, returning the embrace, hugging his sister for the very first time. "I don't get how you're able to forgive me..."

"I still can't forgive you entirely," Rutee admitted. "But, there is a way to atone for what you did somewhat. And that is..."

The next morning, Kyle was up without anyone having to wake him for the first time, walking up to Rutee. "Um, Mom..."

Before he could continue, Rutee's palm collided with his face, causing a large red mark to appear on his face. "That's for last night!"

"Oww!" Kyle moaned, rubbing the sore spot.

"I've already given Loni the same punishment," Rutee said, her hands on her hips. "Now, you'd better make sure you have everything prepared if you're going on a journey."

"Huh? What?"

"Loni already told me everything. He's waiting for you outside. I'm certain you're in capable hands," Rutee replied.

"What about Judas?" Kyle asked.

"I'm okay," Judas said, coming into the room. Rutee had managed to fix up his clothing. "We should head out soon."

"'We?' So does that mean you're coming too?" Kyle asked. Judas nodded.

"I'm certain an idiot like you wouldn't last long, even with that other idiot helping you out."

"What?!" Kyle exclaimed. He huffed, turning around and heading out the door, Rutee chuckling before turning to Judas.

"Remember what I said."

"I know," Judas replied. "I swear, I'll keep your son safe." Judas headed out the door, Rutee standing in the middle of the room for a few moments.

"Stay safe... Emilio."

Please tell me how I did, since this is the first time I did a fanfic where I had to actually look up all the information.