No One's POV
PIXAL walked the halls of the Monastery, moving very slowly. She came as the bearer of bad news, and wanted to delay the inevitable as long as she could. But news like this could not be hidden for long.

She came to a nondescript sliding door, already knowing who was waiting inside. Preparing her servers for what was sure to come, she slowly slid back the door and peered into the room. Her young ward hadn't moved since she had last checked on him. He didn't even acknowledge her presence as she entered.

Taking a deep breath, PIXAL started, "Valt..."

"Is it time for training, PIXAL?" He spoke up, though she had to turn her ears' sonar way up in order to hear it.

"No, training isn't for another hour," She informer him, making a mental note to put a clock in his room. "I've found a news report that I think you might want to see."

"If it's that BC Sol won the World League, I already saw it," He told her, a bit louder that time. "Wish I could tell them congratulations..."

Refraining from reminding him that he could leave if he wanted to, PIXAL stepped closer to his bed. "No... it's about your friend, Shu Kurenai."

In the blink of an eye, Valt had whipped around, grabbed PIXAL's right arm, pushed up her kimono sleeve, and pulled her onto the bed so that they were pressed against each other. Ignoring the humiliating position she was in, PIXAL willed her arm to project the news report:

Red Eye is Shu Kurenai!

Anyone who was watching the news on Thursday would have seen Lui Shirosagi's message to the mysterious Red Eye, challenging him to a bey battle. We can only assume Red Eye took the challenge and lost, because the next time he was seen in public, the mask was gone. Under it was Shu Kurenai, who had gone missing three months prior.

Above the news report were two pictures side by side. One was a young man wearing a half mask with red highlights that PIXAL assumed was the nefarious blader Red Eye. The other was the same young man without the mask, who had deep red eyes, pure white hair, and an angry expression on his face. Shu Kurenai.

Valt was quiet for a long time, even after he released his hold on PIXAL's arm. His eyes were wide and his hands shook. Shu was Red Eye. He had battled Red Eye himself, and he didn't even put two and two together. SHU was RED EYE.

"I've already checked several other news sources to see if it was true, and unfortunately, it is," PIXAL informed him quietly, holding Valt close. "I'm sorry, but you had a right to know."

No sound came from Valt. When he did finally speak, it was equivalent to a mouse in a pillow factory, "PIXAL, can I be alone?"

She started at how empty his voice sounded, but she could not refuse his request. "Of course." Silently, she stood up and left the room, sliding the door closed behind her. As she walked away, she couldn't help feeling that she had only made things worse...

Valt's POV
My head kept running in circles as I digested the information. Shu was Red Eye. My best friend turned into a psychotic blader... and he didn't even tell me or the others why. He didn't even say goodbye. I gripped the cloth over my heart. WHY, SHU??!!

(Start the song now.)

~I should have known.~

~I'd leave alone.
Just goes to show.
That the blood you bleed is just the blood you owe.~

~We were a pair.
But I saw you there.
Too much to bare.
You were my life, but life is far away from fair.~

~Was I stupid to love you?
Was I reckless to help?
Was it obvious to everybody else?~

~That I'd fallen for a lie?
You were never on my side.~

~Fool me once.
Fool me twice.
Are you death or paradise?
Now you'll never see me cry.
There's just no time to die.~

I ran out of my room, leaving the sliding door hanging on its hinges behind me. I continued running through the halls, with one destination in mind. I was really doing this. I was really going to give in to my heritage.

Why, Shu? I kept yelling in my mind. You were always the one pushing me to get stronger, but THIS... this is too much!

When I finally looked up, I was at my destination, a sitting room. Memories of people laughing, eating, and playing video games in here filled my brain, but I had no need for them. It was the secret of the dart board on the far wall that caught my attention. Crossing the room in brisk strides, I pushed the dart board back with one hand. Concealed behind it was a rectangular red button. I pressed it, then stepped back. To my right, a hidden elevator opened quietly. I stepped inside, pressed the down button, then patiently waited as the elevator started descending.

I hope your new self likes what I'm about to do, Shu.

~I let it burn.
You're no longer my concern.~

~Faces from my past return.
Another lesson yet
To learn!~

~That I'd fallen for a lie.~

~You were never on my side.
Fool me once.
Fool me twice.~

~Are you death or paradise?
Now you'll never see me cry.~

~There's just no time to die.~

~No time to die.
Hmmm...~

~No time to die!~

~Fool me once.
Fool me twice.
Are you death or paradise?
Now you'll never see me cry.~

~There's just no time to die.~

"Valt!"

Startling a little, I turned around to see PIXAL standing in the doorway. "I see you've claimed your family's weapon," She noted. "Does that mean that you've fully embraced your role?"

Staring down at the sword that was still warm in my hand, I allowed myself to grin. It hurt, but it also felt good to smile. "Yeah, I have," I said, turning back to her. "Uh, PIXAL? Can we work on swordplay today?"

PIXAL's POV
Seeing Valt smile made me a little surprised. That's the first he's smiled since he came here, I thought. What exactly happened down here?

But of course, I could not refuse his request, especially since swordplay was obviously going to be his main fighting style. "Of course. Come, we'll start right away."

——————-
1082 words.

My second comic music number.

Phew! How'd I do?