Hello, fellow reader. If this is the first time you have stumbled across my story, then welcome; if this is not your first visit, then welcome back.

Originally there was a whole different chapter titled "Author's Note" that this information was found on, but in light of FFN admins starting to crack down on fics I finally came back around and fixed it.

Let me start by saying that this whole collection was initially started when Valkyrie Revolution made a request asking to see how the biker's friendship was founded. Her original request is in here, as are others; each of these chapters are set in different times, so there will be advance notice of whether or not it is set during canon, post-series, pre-series, etc.

If you have a request, fellow reader, don't hesitate to let me know, but keep in mind that: 1) this and other works of mine are non-yaoi, non-yuri, and non-incest, so please don't ask for any such material; and 2) this story will be complete at 200 chapters, so if you are reading this after the fic is complete your request will not make it into the story (though, depending, it might make it as a separate oneshot).

With that, here's the first chapter to this story. This is set post series and I hope you enjoy it.

They had changed.

Granted, he could not very well knock on the door and catch up with them. He sincerely doubted they would welcome him into their home, especially after all he had put them through; after having their lives ruined and altered for his purpose, one did not tend to immediately forgive or forget. Besides, his travels had brought him full circle to this corner of the world and he figured an unannounced, surreptitious visit would not hurt.

That was what this corner of the house across from theirs was for: he could observe them without too much worry of being seen.

As he looked through the window into the room beyond (another blessing of his current position—the home he was watching did not have blinds), he noticed that they all were different than they had been back in DOOM.

He doubted enough time had passed since the fall of Paradius to warrant a complete transformation of personalities, and even now he could spot the constants in the three men he was watching. The red-haired man was still sitting a distance away from the other two, the youngest had a youthful and boundless energy that was evident as he argued good-naturedly with his companion, and the eldest of them was currently reading a book, looking up occasionally to curb the argument.

Yet there were changes all the same, and as subtle as they were he was able to see them. The cold and aloof persona of the redhead had lifted to an extent and his expression was not so distant and closed; the wild-haired brunet seemed to check himself at moments if he sensed he was going too far in the arguments; and the blond burly man was far more relaxed than he'd ever been when he had been in Paradius.

He smiled softly to himself. That was good. Changes for the better were needed, and after everything they'd been through they deserved this chance of normalcy. The lives he had stolen from them, the ones that had gone stagnant because of him...they were starting to grow once more.

"Glad to see you're all doing so well," Dartz said gently, and then he pulled the hood of the cloak over his head and continued on his way.