[When the announcer had first begun to speak -- "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special treat for you tonight! A heart-pounding tag duel to the death, with Hell Kaiser Ryo and his mysterious companion in the spotlight!" -- he had just been confused. A little irritated, maybe. What was Saruyama trying to pull, setting him up for a tag duel without giving him so much as an hour's notice?

Now he hears the cage door open behind him, and something heavy hits the concrete floor, and when he turns around his heart comes up into his throat.]

Juudai!

[No, this can't be right, this isn't happening. He forgets about his persona for a second and drops to his knees, grabs Juudai's hand to make sure it's real. It is.

The audience murmurs, and he knows they're trying to make sense of this display of concern, fit it into the plotline that they're all keeping track of.

The collars are already on both of them, and their opponents are entering the other side of the ring.]

...Juudai. Wake up.