Valt's POV
The vents were large enough that they allowed me enough room to move freely through them, but they were narrow enough that every side of my body knocked against the metal walls as I shook. My personal racket was so loud in my ears that I was positive that everyone in the building could hear it through the vents, and I half expected to hear some form of oppression scuttling towards me.

That was the second time I had lost control that day, and my outbursts were getting worse. With my last episode, I had actually wanted to hurt Lui. The lust that had built inside me when I stared at Lui's stupid smug face, the lust to torture, straight up terrified me.

Get a hold of yourself, I told myself, clenching my fists in an attempt to my shaking. YOU are in control. Remember what PIXAL taught you - the Element is a tool, not a mindset. Only one more person to confront, then you can go back to the Monastery. I closed my eyes and sighed, picturing the blissful sense of solitude and safety behind the sturdy stone walls. Just one more person, then I could go back to training my power under the influence that I could do so safely without hurting anyone.

Oh, First Spinjitzu Master, I prayed, begging to the deity of my heritage. Please, let this be quick.

Then I remembered who was last on my list, and my plan for this little adventure to be over before PIXAL served dinner went up in smoke. There was a reason I was saving this guy for last.

Once my shaking had lessened to a faintly pounding headache, I resumed my caterpillar crawl through the vents, using the spaces between the metal slats as handholds to pull my weight through. For the next half hour, I pulled myself through the vents of the International Blader's Cup, searching in vain for a certain albino. An albino I once thought was my friend...

After glancing through the slats of thirty three vent covers - and passing through the unfortunate odors of at least three male restrooms (seriously - the place had just opened!) - I finally found my white haired/red eyed evader. To my annoyance, he had been right down the hall from where I'd confronted Lui. He was in a room with Victorian style mahogany ceiling, golden orange walls, deep oak flooring, and emerald curtains that framed a window displaying the early night sky. He was standing with two others in front of an oaken desk where a man with greased back Neapolitan hair sat in a black leather chair, a permanent smirk on his face. I immediately decided that I didn't like him.

I recognized two of the extras. The man in the chair was Theodore Glass, the owner of the Raging Bulls, the bey club that my former friend told me he was going to train at. He was the man who invited Shu to leave Japan. The very sight of him made him grind my teeth.

I also recognized the boy with the goldenrod hair standing on Shu's left side. He had gained longer hair, a scar on his nose, a blue poncho, and a deep red launcher strapped to his leg, but I recognized him from the little Mexico trip Wakiya had arranged for our friend group. He was the Snake Pit blader that had lead us out of the jungle back to the Murasaki plane - Boa, I think his name was.

The guy standing on Shu's right side, on the other hand, was drawing a blank in my mind. He had vibrant golden eyes lined with dark bags and bright teal hair, but otherwise, he didn't... WAIT A MINUTE...

As memories of the Snake Pit crossed my mind, I realized that I did know who the guy was. When we met the guy who ran the Snake Pit, Ashtem, we also met his two lackeys: Gold Eye and Silver Eye. This dude's skin tone was not only an exact match to Gold Eye's, but his teal hair was done in the exact same style, and his mouth curled in the exact same manner.

Also, the golden eyes should have been a dead giveaway...

Speaking of Ashtem, now that I'm looking at Theodore, I realize that his skin tone also matched the skin tone of the irritable head of the Snake Pit. His mask had covered much of his hair so that only the hair that hung past his ears was visible, but the white part of Theodore's Neapolitan hair was styled in the exact same way. Not only that, but the sneering mouths were practically twins to each other.

That explained why Shu and Boa, two members of the Snake Pit, were here. It was a meeting of the Snake Pit members.

Gee, thanks, PIXAL, I thought ruefully. All those hours of pouring over pictures and spotting the similarities between them really paid off.

Because now I know exactly who took the Shu I knew away from me.

Allowing a slight grin to pull my mouth, I gripped the metal slats of the ventilation duct and waited for the right moment to show myself. I didn't even bother to put up my hood or mask beforehand. No need to disguise myself for this stop.

If Shu recognizes me, it's just an added bonus.

No One's POV
Theodore Glass stared in barely contained awe at his three masterpieces. Boa Alcazaba, the headstrong soldier. Norman Tarver, the unwavering servant. Red Eye, the unchained monster.

Sheep, all three of them. Sheep that obeyed him without question.

At least, that's what they appeared to be on the outside.

On the inside, Boa was fuming. He didn't understand why he had to take orders from the likes of Theodore; he treated the emerald eyed blader like he was nothing more than a tool. He secretly despised the two faced director and was contemplating ways he could escape from under his thumb. But the one person who really got under his skin was Red Eye, who stood right next to him. The albino had been his one and only supporter during his time at the Snake Pit, and he was also the strongest blader in the place, possibly the world. He wanted nothing more than to surpass him. He fixed Red Eye with a withering glare out of the corner of his eye.

Norman was also steaming, but for an entirely different reason. He had once been Ashtem's prize blader, a title he had held proudly within the bowels of the Snake Pit. Then a newcomer by the name of Shu Kurenai came to the lair and quickly stole his title. Now they were above ground, and things weren't any different. He was still held to a lower standard than the new prized blader; said blader was standing next to him right now. The infamous Gold Eye wanted nothing more than to remind the red eyed blader of his place and reclaim his position as Ashtem's number one. He fixed the albino with his own withering glare.

Red Eye, who was once known as the prodigy blader Shu Kurenai, paid his haters no heed. He stared at Theodore, but did not see him. All he saw was the bey stadium in his mind, which held an infinite battle in which all the beys of the world clashed with Spryzen and met an unfortunate end. His fingers twitched as he continued his mental battle. He wanted to destroy those beys. He wanted to destroy those beys right now.

"As you all know, I am the chairman for the upcoming International Blader's Cup," Theodore began, ending their little staring contest. "This tournament will decide which bey is the world's strongest."

"We know, we got the memo," Boa growled. "What we don't know is why you're even holding this stupid tournament. We all know which bey you consider the strongest." He said this with a pointed look at Red Eye.

Theodore didn't even try to rebuke Boa's claim. "There's nothing wrong with testing a theory," He said smoothly. "And it's your duty as bladers to provide a show for the general public, is it not?" None of the bladers had an answer for that.

"So is that what this is all about?" A new voice broke in. "Providing a show for people to enjoy?"

Startled, the group spun around to see... nothing. There was no one else in the office. At first everyone shared the thought that they were just hearing things, then the ceiling vent fell on the office floor with a gigantic CLANG. Dust billowed up from the fallen vent covering, framing the intruder in a literal cloud of mystery. "Or is this about manipulating innocent bladers into leaving their friends and becoming something they're not?" They said in a low voice.

A few seconds passed, then Norman grit his teeth and stepped forward. "This is a private meeting," He growled. "You have no business and no right to be here!"

"Not to mention, you completely forgot the DOOR!" Boa added.

The intruder slowly straightened up, revealing to them a boy dressed in a stormy blue trench coat while a slightly maniac look dressed his face. "Oh, I was just in the neighborhood," He told them, slightly breathless. "And I thought I would swing by and stay hi to a friend." His eyes then swung to Red Eye, who didn't even flinch.

"Wait," Theodore spoke up, straightening in his chair. "That mark on your cheek..." The intruder stiffened as all eyes zeroed in on the wing-like birthmark below their left eye. "I recognize you - you're that Valt Aoi kid!"

Valt sneered at the man. "The only reason that you recognize me is because I was a guest at your little Snake Pit organization a few months back," He growled. Theodore, stunned, didn't respond. "But you, Shu," He added, turning back to the emotionless albino. "Were my best friend since kindergarten... yet you didn't say anything when I came in. Why?"

Boa stepped in. "Hey, you can't just barge in here and target one of us!"

Valt only stared at him with a slightly crazed look in his eyes. "I can, and I'm gonna." He strode over to the emerald eyed blader and shoved him to the ground before anyone comprehended he had moved. "Because I didn't come for the rest of you!" He yelled, standing over the shocked boy's body.

Norman stepped forward, but Valt swung his head towards him and froze him in his tracks. "If you don't want to end up on the floor too, buddy, I suggest you stay back." The golden eyed blader wisely kept his distance.

"If you're here to apply for club membership to the Raging Bulls, you can take it up with my secretary," Theodore exclaimed, starting to sweat as the crazed boy walked further into his office.

Valt tilted his head at him in confusion. "Why would I want to join your little club of liars and monsters?" He growled. "No, I'm not here for you. I'm here to knock some sense into this guy!" He refocused his gaze on Red Eye.

Now the albino reacted. "I have nothing to say to the likes of you," He sneered, clenching his fists.

"Oh, you better have A LOT of things to say to me!" Valt hissed, striding over to his former best friend. "Starting with WHY you fell off the grid and WHY you didn't tell me or any of the others?" He stopped when there was only an inch or so of space between the two of them. "And when you're done explaining that, you can tell me WHY you're like THIS, Shu! I know you; you're not this monster of a blader!" He reached out his hand to touch Red Eye's shoulder, but he wrenched his arm away from the blue haired blader. "This isn't you, Shu!"

"Shu as you know him is gone!" Red Eye suddenly roared, aggressively pushing Valt away from him.

His former friend blinked, but regained his composure and came after him again. "You know that's not true, Shu," He begged the albino, quickly placing his hands on his shoulders before he could protest. "I don't know what this creep has been telling you, but the Shu I know wouldn't fall for a word of it! Where is he? WHERE IS THE SHU I KNOW?"

"Can't you see?" Theodore suddenly broke in, retaining his former smirk. "I revealed to him how the Beyblade world truly works - only your own strength matters. Everything and everyone else is unworthy in your eyes." He placed his elbows on his desk and intertwined his fingers in front of himself. "He took the lesson to heart, and became the foreboding monster you see before you! And if you think you can bring him back to his original mindset..." He narrowed his eyes at Valt. "Then you're as pathetic as he used to be."

The way this man, this villain, looked at his monster of a best friend like he was a prize he had just won made Valt even angrier. "STAY OUT OF THIS, OLD MAN!" He shouted; Theodore didn't even blink. "I WAS TALKING TO MY FRIEND!"

"SIT THE FUCK DOWN!" Red Eye declared. "I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND, AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO MAKE ME!" He took a stubborn step towards Theodore's desk, with Boa and Norman already flanking it. The sneer on the older man's face looked like it belonged on a rat.

Valt's eyes widened in anger, but there was also a look of desperation in them. "No..." He growled. "I've already done it twice today... Shu, please... don't make me do it again!" His fists were shaking, and one reached up to cover his chest.

"Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" Boa asked Red Eye, who didn't reply. His narrowed eyes were staring at the shaking boy in front of him.

Valt took a few deep breaths, his hand still clutching his chest, his eyes still wide in rage. Then, almost against his will, his mouth opened and he started to sing:

(Start song at 2:28)

The whole room was quiet except for the snapping of electricity. The four members of the Snake Pit could do nothing except shake in fear at the sight of the glowing blue boy with the lightning cavalry.

"Good God..." Theodore breathed.

"Heaven help us..." Norman whispered.

"Ay dios mio (Oh Lord)..." Boa grumbled in fear.

"Kami wa watashitachi o mamotte imasu (God protect us)..." Red Eye moaned. (I have no idea if that's correct.)

Valt was silent for a second, reveling in the lightning he created. His fingers twitched as the blue electricity danced around his hands, and his mouth hung open as he panted slightly. Finally, he looked back at Red Eye and grinned. It sent shivers down the albino's spine.

"I think I understand, Shu," He said pleasantly enough, but his voice had been magnified to the point that it shook the walls. "You left me and the others because we were too weak for you, right? We were so far behind the great Shu Kurenai that you began to believe that we would only hold you back. So you ditched us and made off on your own. And look-" He gestured to Red Eye, to his general existence. "You've succeeded! You're an indestructible monster! And you never looked back, not once." His grin faltered slightly, but he continued. "But now look at me! I have the Element of Lightning on my side! I'm a monster now, too; maybe even more so! We're both monsters!" He stepped closer to the albino, who made no move to step back. "So what do you think, Shu - am I good enough for you now?"

Red Eye did a double take at this. Good enough for him? What was he talking about? "V-Valt..." He stuttered.

At that moment, Theodore, apparently feeling a sense of courage, stood up from his desk. "Such power..." He said in awe, staring at the lightning with lust. "Such awesome power..." His mouth stretched into a horrifying smile. "Oh Red Eye, why didn't you tell me that your friend could do this? I could have invited him into the Raging Bulls as well! With this power, no one would stand in our way!"

Valt's face instantly transformed into one of pure fury. "You...!" He yelled, the outburst equivalent to a crash of thunder. "You creep... YOU... YOU TOOK SHU AWAY FROM ME!" He held up one palm, let some lightning gather at the center, then thrust it towards Theodore. A huge bolt shot out and cleaved the desk in two, scattering the contents that were both in and on the piece of furniture, and filling the room with the smell of burnt wood.

Boa and Norman dove out of the way and Theodore was forced backwards into his chair, which in turn tipped over. Much to everyone's annoyance, he seemed to be suffering from euphoria and was laughing in hysterics. "SUCH AMAZING POWER! IF I HAD KNOWN THAT SUCH POWER EXISTED IN THIS KID, I WOULD GONE FOR HIM INSTEAD OF SHU KURENAI!" His followers looked on in shock as their leader continued to laugh maniacally.

"YOU'RE THE REASON I'M LIKE THIS; WHY WOULD I BECOME YOUR PROTEGE?!" Valt roared before sighing dramatically. "You people really follow this guy?" He asked incredulously, one eyebrow raised while one hand pointed lazily at the hysteric Theodore Glass. "He's a psycho! A simple display of power, and he's drooling without shame! Disgraceful." But then a maniac smile of his own crossed his face and the hand he had been using to point at the man now snapped into a claw shape - like the claw of a beast. "Don't worry... I'll remove him from the face of the Earth for you. Then you'll truly be free." Lightning gathered in the clawed hand; much like before, except this lightning burned brighter - almost threateningly so. Realizing the normally gentle boy's intent, Red Eye stepped forward - to do what, he wasn't sure.

But before he reached him, the lightning around him took the shape of a woman with a warm expression, dressed in armor with a long ponytail, who immediately knelt down and grabbed the arm that had been posed to strike. At her touch, Valt's expression softened and the lightning in his hand dissipated. With a start, Red Eye realized that he recognized the woman - she was a younger version of Valt's mother, Chiharu. Then a man joined the pair. Red Eye recognized him as well, as he often came to Valt's birthday parties before he passed - he was a buffer version of Valt's grandfather, though time had taken his name from memory. A woman with a bowl cut joined the trio, then another woman with a Mohawk. If they were going down the line, Red Eye guessed they were Valt's great grandmother and great great grandmother. They all said, one after the other:

(Start song at 3:23)

The lightning faded, though Theodore's laughing hadn't subsided in the least. Norman went behind the desk to help the man while Boa just stood there awkwardly, still shell shocked. Though none were as tense as Red Eye and Valt as they stared at each other, tears running down the cheeks of the latter. "Is that really why you left, Shu?" He asked tearfully. "Because I'm not good enough for you?"

The albino blinked and slowly shook his head. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. After a few seconds, Valt sighed and took a step towards the door. "I should have known. I may have started Beyblade before you, but you were always one step ahead of me. Maybe more than one. I used to train myself sick trying to keep up with you... but I personally think I've gone too far with this." He looked down at himself and smiled grimly. "We're both monsters now, Shu. But I may be worse."

Tears still streaming down his face, the blue haired blader ran out the door and fled.

Red Eye stared after him. For some reason, the image of Valt surrounded by lightning was burned into his mind. At first, he thought it was because he was impressed by Valt's new power like Theodore, but as he focused on the image, it wasn't the lightning that stuck with him.

It was the fact that even though Valt had been surrounded by unimaginable power, he had looked so vulnerable and afraid.

The albino had seen all sides to the hyper boy - excited, joyful, angry, sad, anxious, annoyed, especially hungry. But he had never seen him so scared. He looked like a boy who knew that he was holding a gun and knew that he could use it to kill people, but had no idea how to aim it. It pulled at Red Eye's heartstrings... and for once, he didn't mind.

The sound of coughing invaded his thoughts, and he turned to Theodore finally recovering from his euphoria. Valt said that Theodore was the reason he was like this, He reminiscenced. But Theodore did nothing to him directly besides...

He stiffened. Invite me to America and then into the Snake Pit. He looked down at himself as if he was seeing himself for the first time. It's not Theodore - I'm the reason Valt's like this.

"Hey Red Eye," Boa said softly from his corner. "You okay?"

The albino said nothing for a minute. Then slowly, he shook his head, swaying his pearly white hair. "That's not my name," He told the confused emerald eyed blader. "My name is Shu Kurenai. And my best friend needs me." He walked over to the desk (or what was left of it), reached into his pocket, pulled out Requiem Spryzen, and threw it at Theodore's feet. "I quit. I'm leaving the Snake Pit."

"You can't... just leave," Theodore protested weakly. Norman, who sat behind him propping up his back, had a similar expression of shock on his face. "Y-you signed... a contract."

"To hell with the contract!" Shu exclaimed, catching everyone off guard. "You made me turn into someone I'm not, which made my best friend have a mental breakdown. I'm the reason he's that monster, so I have to help him."

Without looking back, the former prize blader of the Snake Pit ran out the door. There were no other thoughts in his mind besides his one true goal - to find his blue haired friend and apologize the heck out of him.

My best friend needs me.

But I need him more.

——————-
3790 words

FINALLY, SOME SHUALT!!

I KNOW IT'S NOT REALLY ROMANTIC, BUT STILL - I FOLLOWED THROUGH ON MY PROMISE FOR SHUALT!!

ANOTHER LANDMARK - THE FINAL COMIC OF MY "STFD" MUSIC CHAPTERS!!

NOW I CAN UPDATE WITH MORE FREQUENCY!!

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