"So you're graduating tomorrow huh?"

Ren turned around to see his dear avatar, Blaster Dark, sitting on a rock on the Planet Cray. The redhead had been visiting the Shadow Paladin regularly, often conversing for him. Dark had supplied him advice and sometimes unintentionally gave him a few laughs.

"Yeah..." He rubbed the back of his neck with a hand, taking his place in front of the man. "Time sure flies huh?"

"Mm. Seems like it was only yesterday since I first met you." Blaster Dark remarked, his face warping into an expression of annoyance. "You were such a little brat. It took every once of my strength to prevent myself from strangling you."

Ren let out a nervous laugh, but mentioning the first time they met sparked some interest. He sat down on the mossy stone under him, tucking his chin on folded hands.

"Tell me about it."

Blaster Dark looked at him in surprise. "I thought you remember."

"I do." Ren gave him a cat grin. "I just want you to retell it, for old time's sake."

Dark cursed under his breath, but Ren was close enough to hear him, and he shuddered.

Yikes, I've seen people get in deep trouble for cussing and they didn't even say as much as he did. He mused.

But from the looks of it, Blaster Dark didn't want to tell him. Ren pouted at him, giving him his best puppy face, stifling a smile as his avatar winced.

"Please, Dark-chan?"

"Wha- I- nngh..." Blaster Dark started, raising his hands in defeat. "Fine. It was a couple of years ago..."

Ren was sitting in his desk, staring at his deck. For days he had been working on it, making sure that Foo Fighter would make it to the championships. And yet, he felt like his work wasn't enough.

The redhead let out a sigh, rubbing his aching eyes. It was becoming dark already, the sun slowly retreating into the jagged horizon that lined the distant mountains.

'What can I do...' He mused, red hues staring hard at the "Vanguard" logo on the back. 'What can I do to make this deck better...'

As if to answer, a bright flash suddenly crossed his eyes. The redhead widened his eyes. Was that his imagination?

The redhead immediately tried to remember if the flash of light looked like anything. But the poor redhead seemed to have the brain endurance of a jellyfish, because as soon as he tried to think, his brain became fried, and he slumped his head on the table, steam coming out of his ears.

"Darn it!" He cursed to himself, gaze averting to look back at his cards. "That was nothing. Concentrate on building the de-"

Another bright flash, this time clear enough to make out a dark jagged figure.

Ren cocked his head, rubbing his eyes. What was that? He studied the figure as he imagined it in his head, coming to the conclusion of...

"A cat!" He proclaimed, proud of himself now. "A cat person is coming to visit me!"

"I wouldn't say so, little one." A voice deeper than his rumbled, sounding slightly amused. The boy flinched back, startled, and he glanced around the room.

"Who are you? Where are you?"

A third bright flash answered him, as his background warped. The small bedroom around him wavered, before glowing and morphing into a barren area. Stars twinkled in the sky, and three moons illuminated the night. Ren immediately recognized the place.

"Cray!"

"That's right." The voice rumbled again, but this time did not seem so distant (and also what Ren would call, "echoey"). The red haired boy spun around to see a tall figure in black, blue lines decorating ebony armor, with a strong, stoic face that bore fierce green eyes. The redhead wanted to whimper as the man stared down at him. Feeling that sharp jade gaze pierce him made him want to shrivel up.

"Who are you?"

The man's gaze softened. "I am Blaster Dark of the Shadow Paladins."

Ren widened his eyes. That clan's name, "Shadow Paladin" sounded pretty cool to the redhead, and he looked closely at the knight again, examining his structure, and taking a better look at his eyes. This time, instead of shivering under the cold sharp gaze, he admired the beauty in his eyes, brilliant green hues glittering like polished jades. He smiled, and ran up to the Shadow Paladin.

"Dark-chan, you're so cool!" He grinned. Blaster Dark caught him as the redhead leaped into his arms. Luckily, the Shadow Paladin was light on his feet, so they didn't topple over, but he still looked shaken.

"Dark... chan?" He murmured as the redhead pinched his cheek and admired how squishy it was, giving him a large hug.

"Ne, Dark-chan!" He smiled. 'There it is again.' Blaster Dark monolouged as the redhead climbed onto him and forced him to sit down, resting snugly in his lap. "Do pigeons have feelings?"

Blaster Dark's eye twitched. He wasn't expecting this. Sure, this was just a child, and there was no doubt that he would act immature, but he thought the boy might be controlled by Psyqualia and act smug. But as he saw the little twinkle in those large crimson eyes, he couldn't help but smile at his innocence (Though that was short lived as he quickly became annoyed with Ren constantly abusing his cheeks)

Soon, Ren had tired out his energy, which was understandable since he had tired most of his energy out from staring at a deck for 5 hours straight. The boy curled up in the man's lap, asleep, a lock of red hair flying up and falling as he gently breathed on it. Blaster Dark smiled, though this time a bit more sorrowfully, knowing this child would soon by poisoned by the lust for power.

"I will be with you no matter how you are like." Blaster Dark murmured.

And the gentle glow of Psyqualia passed behind him, the orb of light leaving as quickly as it had come.

"Wow.." Ren breathed. Even though he remembered this event clearly, his heart was aching with nostalgia as Blaster Dark finished the last syllable of the retelling.

"Satisfied?" Blaster Dark snorted, sighing. "After that, you fell into the trance of Psyqualia, but despite that, I chose to stay with you, whether you saw me as a tool or not."

Ren smiled, getting up to hug his avatar. Though he had grown, Dark was half a head taller than him.

"Thanks for sticking with me, Dark chan.." He murmured, smushing his face snugly in the blue cloth of his armor. Blaster Dark did not smile, but his eyes softened and glittered as he hugged Ren back. They stood there for a moment, hugging to the point where it became awkward.

"Ne, Dark chan..." Ren murmured.

"Hm?"

Ren ripped himself from his avatar's embrace, giving him a cheeky smile.

"Do pigeons have feelings?"

The question struck a chord in the Shadow Paladin, and he grit his teeth.

"You son of a-"

The Shadow Paladin began to get up as Ren turned on his heel to run, laughing as a comically fuming Blaster Dark chased after him.

And of course, beyond their view now, a hovering orb of Psyqualia floating where they were once sitting, glowing dimly.