A/N: This is my first DSQ fanfic, so please be gentle. Read and review!

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"Mother, mother" called Kyu, shaking his unconscious parent as her eyes slowly flickered open. "Are you all right? What happened? Who were they? Where is Ryu?" questions flooded his mind as he grasped the printed letter in his hand. His mother had been kidnapped by some criminals. Their identity was not revealed in the letter, but Kyu would willingly bet his life on it being one of Pluto's designs! It was a threat to him, delivered last night, possibly by someone through the open window while they were asleep. His mother had most likely been kidnapped without her knowledge, while still in bed, deep in a drugged sleep.

However, it was Ryu who had found the letter. Kyu guessed he had known it was Pluto, his friend had revealed his background to him, not very clearly, but enough for Kyu to understand the basic characteristics of his relations with the criminal organization. He did it for fear that something like this might happen. At first, Kyu had laughed at his friend's apprehensions, saying no one would dare mess with a DDS student if they valued their lives! Obviously, Ryu knew better, and it was because of his idiocy that today his life was in danger. He should have listened to his friend and been more careful!

He understood how Ryu must have felt on seeing the anonymous message. Knowing him, he must have considered it his own entire fault for associating with them. That was why he rushed off on his own to restore Kyu to his beloved mother, without thinking about once himself. Kyu needed to find his friend!

The building was almost in ruins. Kyu ran up to it, and then stood looking at the devastation. He realized that Ryu had known from the beginning that something like this would inevitably happen. He knew Pluto's methods, and had tried to keep Kyu out of danger, even at the cost of his own life!

But why?! It wasn't fair. The trap was supposed to be for him. Why should this have happened to Ryu? What had he ever done to deserve this?! "Idiot" he breathed as he felt tears run down his cheeks.

That anyone should have survived such utter destruction was beyond the range of practical possibilities, but Kyu could not bring himself to believe that his friend was actually dead. He walked through the ruins, calling his name desperately, trying to find some sign of life amidst the scene of devastation.

Suddenly, a flash of blue hair caught his notice. Moving closer, he could see something writhing under a mass of fallen concrete wall. With an effort, he heaved it of the tarnished body of his friend. Other than his face, Ryu's features were beyond recognition. Crimson blood flooded the ground below him, as he struggled to keep breathing.

"Don't worry, Ryu. I'll save you. Just hang in there. Don't give up on me, okay?" soothed Kyu as he touched the multiple wounds on his friends frail frame and felt a wave of hopelessness wash over him. He struggled to keep from screaming out as his heart gave a fierce twist as he watched his friend's breathing giving way as he tried desperately to hold on to Kyu's coat sleeve.

"Kyu, listen to me," Ryu whispered weakly, as blood gushed out of his neck.

"I-I need to get you to the hospital, first. There'll be time for talking later, Ryu." Kyu said hoarsely, as tears ran freely down his cheeks. Ryu smiled weekly at this assurance, as if he called his bluff!

"No," he breathed with some effort. "There wouldn't be. And you know that. Kyu please, listen to what I have to say. You know who did this, right? It was my grandfather's doing. I suppose he wanted to teach me a lesson by killing you. He wanted to retrieve me by using my friends and then use me for his purposes! Kyu, I don't regret doing what I did, I never will! And there is only one thing I have to ask for in return. Kyu, p-promise me, that you will destroy them! With me gone, he will not stop at anything! Promise me, Kyu, that you'll protect them! Don't let them die. Make DDS proud of us all! P-promise me that you will n-not let this be in vain, Kyu. Do you promise?" he asked, but as he said the last words, a smile adorned his face, as if he already knew the answer to that question.

"Anything for you," was all Kyu could manage as he felt a knot form in his throat and his heart gave another painful twist.

"Just one more thing," Ryu closed his eyes and his face looked peaceful as he murmured.

"Yes?" asked his companion.

"Remember me." And the hand that held him slackened and fell with a soft thus to the floor.

"Forever, my friend," the boy whispered, as a tear trickled down his face, and a drop of dew appeared on the corner of his friend's closed eyes.