Chapter Text
Nobody knew who he was. And nobody knew where he had come from. He had suddenly appeared in the Kingdom one day with no memory of who he was or why he was there. Nobody had heard his voice. Nobody had seen his face. And nobody dared to ask. He had soft, blonde hair. Pale, white skin. And heterochromatic eyes, which were hidden underneath a mask framed with sparkling gold. The young boy, who must've been a teen, was definitely out of place... Until now.
The Prince of the Kingdom— the wielder of the Gentle Darkness and soon to be Haou, Jougo, was quite stealthy. Being a child, there were certainly times in which he sought for entertaining activities that did not include having to act formal. Although he had wished for company, (especially of Yubel's), during the times where he had successfully escaped the unforgiving clutches of his father, he did savour the peace he had to himself when he was alone. On particularly good nights when the sky was clear and the clouds had dispersed, Jougo would stargaze on the roof of a house nearby the bumbling market. —Though during the night, it was quiet, of course, and only the chirping of the crickets created a serene melody.
On this certain night, the Prince, successfully sneaking out, pranced onto his usual spot. He found it to be the best, solely because of the great view of the kingdom. Anything could be seen from up there... Including the glimmering lake. Before he could start his routine, Jougo froze. Something shone in the distance. Something was by the lake. At first, he mistook the golden light as a firefly, but no firefly would be that big! Chocolate brown eyes widening in curiosity, Jougo headed to the edge of the roof, spotting a boy, around about his own age judging from his height. This was interesting. As intriguing as the millions upon millions of stars. No one was outside at a time like this. Certainly not by that lake.
Jougo, mesmerised by the mysterious figure, hopped down from the roof as quietly as he could, then made his way towards the lake. He avoided the main road, and manoeuvred through the unknown shortcuts until he heard the crunch of the twig he had stepped on. Alarmed, he retreated to a large tree, getting down low and peering around it. Was the boy still there? Staring out, Jougo held onto the tree. He was a bit stunned upon finding out that he was only about five metres away from the mysterious person.
He had an unique attire. A blue cape with gold around it which reached his knees... A blue vest with more gold... White armour, a funny looking mask, and more white and gold where his boots were...! His hair was golden, and Jougo swore it shone like a gentle, morning's sun.
He leaned outwards, resulting in another twig snapping. The mysterious boy turned at this, hand hovering over what looked to be his sword. And that was when Jougo hopped out of the bushes, waving his hands.
"I do not mean any harm!"
The Prince exclaimed, his voice hushed. Up close, the blonde was just as beautiful.
Seeing that Jougo was no threat, the mysterious one lowered his hand and spoke. His voice mellifluous and gentle.
"I apologise if I gave you a fright... Um."
It didn't seem as if he was one for socialising. He seemed to be hesitating or having difficulty finding words.
"If it is not any trouble, could you be kind enough to tell me where I am...? I... cannot seem to remember anything except for... Pro...Prote..."
Jougo blinked at this. He was caught off by his pleasant voice, and also by his question and the mumbling that came soon after. This is absurd. It may have been creepy, too, but nothing about the blonde seemed evil or of malicious intent.
"This is ... The Kingdom." Jougo responded slowly as he started fiddling with the edge of his own red cape, fingers feeling the silky fabric. "So, uh... My name is Jougo. What's your name? Do you remember?"
The blonde tilted his head to the side as if he were contemplating. He looked rather frustrated by his inability to recall any memories. "Prote..."(1*)
The Prince leaned in, trying to catch his name. "Ma... Mamoru? Is Mamoru your name?"
The other boy seemed uncertain, his only response being "I do not know." Upon hearing this, Jougo could only flash a small smile. He had bumped into an amnesiac, it seemed. A masked amnesiac. That makes him all the more mysterious.
"Well, how about I call you Mamoru until you remember your name?" Jougo offered, picking the leaves off his clothes then straightening his posture. Once he finished dusting himself, he held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, by the way!"
Mamoru gazed down at the offered hand, reluctantly taking it into his own. And so the two stared for what seemed like forever. Jougo could feel an indescribable energy surging through him. It was a tingly sensation that caused him to chuckle lightly.
"...I have a strange feeling about you." Jougo commented, playfully ducking in an attempt to see under the mask. "It is like this is not the first time we have met." Mamoru responded softly, using his other hand to firmly hold his mask.
The staring contest lasted for a minute, until Jougo retracted his hand upon hearing familiar shouting.
"Aww crap, Yubel is here to kick my butt." He hissed, backing away towards the bushes. Lips curved into an anxious smile, the Prince waved. "Promise me to be here tomorrow, Mamoru! Also, if you do not have a place to stay, there is an abandoned cottage just up the hill there!" He pointed to the said place, then sped off. "It was nice meeting you!"
Mamoru, still not having processed what had happened blinked, then looked down at his hand. The warmth of Jougo was reassuring to him, and it was a shame that the safety he craved was now gone.
Once he snapped out of his thoughts, Mamoru headed towards the shabby cottage. His cape flickering in the wind. The shelter was certainly not the best, but it did provide a roof. He would crash here for the night, and maybe the next morning, he may recall important detail...
Author's Note: Thanks for reading ! This is a story that's based off my theory that the duel monster card, Crystal Protector, is Johan's ancestor. You can read the theory at itsashowtime.tumblr.com !
*(1) Protect in Japanese is Mamoru. Thus why Jougo mistakes "Prote" for "Mamoru".