Your POV 

'We won, (y/n)! Thanks to you!'

We actually won. I had envisioned our victory at the World Cup so many times, but now that it was happening...it was so surreal. I entered a happy daze as my teammates paraded around me, hoisting me up on their shoulders. Still too numb to do anything, I scanned the crowd. 

Lui had showed up, but now he had disappeared into thin air. Good. Free was on the opposite team, but I didn't dare look in his direction. It was too awkward after the break up one month ago. Raul, Kitt, Honey and the rest of BC Sol was jumping up and down with joy. Chris was reduced to tears, burying her face in her lap. Hundreds of spectators cheered, chanting my name over and over again. A million cameras flashed simultaneously, bright lights shining upon us. 

I looked around at my teammates, my friends. We had pulled through for BC Sol. Shining smiles adorned their faces, each one crinkled into happiness. Joyous laughter were emitted from their windpipe. A golden trophy adorned with the beyblade symbol and BC Sol's name was handed over to me. My own face broke into a huge, shimmering smile that felt like it could never waver. (e/c) hues scanned the arena once again. 

But there was still one person missing. 

Then did my smile falter.

All of a sudden, despite the cheerfulness surrounding me, it felt like my happiness was being sucked up into a large void, never to be seen or felt again. Instead, a huge lump arose in my throat. Miserableness replaced the happiness, clouding over my head and gripping steadily onto my body. (e/c) began to reflect mournfulness. I let out a faint gasp. 

Shu. 

Shu, where are you?

--------------------------

It seems like I had gotten my answer. 

I watched in horror as the final part of the battle played out. My legs moved by themselves, bringing me towards the stadium without my permission. Or maybe I was just in shock.

It had been five days since our victory at the World Cup. At our after party, Wakiya had come bursting into BC Sol, showing us a clip of Lui challenging Red Eye. I hadn't heard about him ever since our encounter at Snake Pit, but he had been apparently going around and challenging all the top bladers like Renwu, Ghasem and even Xander. 

Wakiya did some little digging around and figured out where the battle was going to take place, in some forest near New York. Lui completely crushed the mysterious Red Eye, and for a moment I was thankful for that, until I saw his identity. 

Wind whipped around the stadium, but I protectively put my arms in front of my face. Yellow light bursted from the stadium as Legend Spryzen was thrown onto the soft grass. 

Crack. 

My feet froze to the lush grass. The sound of something cracking captured my attention, my (e/c) hues immediately whipping up. The highly-detailed mask that concealed Red Eye's identity split in half, the wind throwing it to the floor. Curiosity bubbled in my chest for a moment as I leaned forward, eager to see Red Eye's identity. 

I almost wished I didn't. 

Curiosity killed the cat. 

 Strands of white were blown backwards in the fresh air. I squinted trying to get a closer look at the loser of the battle. A familiar hand snaked up my hand, preventing me from getting closer. I could hear the younger's voice. 

'N-No way...' Valt trailed off, completely stuck in a state of shock and disbelief. The mop of shaggy, white hair had fallen across his face, concealing his full complexion. Valt's hand faltered and slipped away. He had seen it too. 

I forced myself to swallow the lump that had surfaced in my throat. I found my head pounding with disbelief. My hands curled into fists as I inhaled sharply. My mouth twitched open as a million thoughts buzzed around in my head. Tears pricked my eyes, blurring my vision, but it was still crystal clear. 

Crimson. It was only for a second, but the familiar shade of crimson had flashed towards Valt and I. Just plain crimson that revealed Red Eye's identity. 

'S-Shu,' I croaked out, walking towards the owner of the crimson rubies. I could hear the other's gasps from up in the mountain. I had finally found him. The boy that unwillingly went missing from my life, the person I had spent nights crying about, breaking other's hearts for. Yet here he was. I gently touched his slumped shoulders. 'Hey, I'm her-'

'Don't. Touch. Me.'

I stepped away in surprise, as his voice growled, withdrawing my hand. My forehead crinkled. That voice. It was so familiar, yet so different. His head turned towards my direction and I could see his scarlet hues for the first time in months. The ones I had fallen in love with. Yet, here they were, piercing me like a shattered glass. 

Suddenly, the sickening laughter that I hated so bitterly echoed throughout the empty forest. I turned my attention to the baby-blue haired male. Seemed like I had forgotten about him. I gritted my teeth together as he cackled as the scene unfolded around him, as if we were his won entertainment show. 

'I knew it from the beginning,' he whispered maliciously, his gaze concentrating upon the albino. 'Shu Kurenai. You changed your whole personality to beat me. Even dumped your precious girlfriend. Even though I still crushed you!'

His laughter continued. I could sense Shu tense up, clenching his fists impossibly hard as the truth sank in. He had lost against Lui. All his hardwork for this battle completely demolished. Just as Lui said. Anguish and pain filled my body as I could remember the day I was in Shu's position like it was yesterday. 

His scarlet eyes twitched as he screamed in shame. The organ that was placed left on my chest heaved with pain as he walked away from the stadium, his back facing us all.

No. I'm not going let you walk out of my life again. 

I ran faster than I had ever before until I caught up with Shu. I gripped his shoulders, stopping him from walking. 

'Shu...' I whispered. 'Come back to me. I need you.'

I looked directly into his familiar eyes, yet there were something about them that were off. His scarlet orbs glowed viciously with anger and hatred, as if he just wanted to be alone. My forehead crinkled as I felt his aura light up, even more powerful than usual. His chest heaved with anger and shame as resentment swirled like a storm in his eyes.

'I-I love you,' I breathed, determined to distinguish his anger towards Lui. For a moment, his rubies cleared and I saw the ones I fell in love with, full of love, warmth and passion. I could feel the tears tethering on the edge, and then rapidly plunging down my cheeks. 'Come back to me. Please?'

His face twitched and the aura returned. I gasped and stumbled backwards as pure hate clouded his eyes, the old scarlet fading, slipping out of my grasp. My lips parted  as I swallowed difficultly. Shu's body was standing right in front of my, hatred flaming around it. But I feared the Shu I had fallen in love with had walk out of my life ever since I had met Red Eye. Permanently. 

'S-Shu?'

'I said don't touch me!' Shu suddenly screamed, shoving my hand off him, the anger and resentment burning more intensely than ever. The contact knocked me off balance, and I descended not-so-gently towards the dewy green blades. I blinked in shock, tears trailing down my cheek. 

'You're not Shu.'

My worst fears had come true. He really had changed. I didn't recognize the person I loved anymore. What I saw in his place was a hideous monster, consumed by bitter hate and pure thoughts of revenge. 

Revenge...

'You made Lui bleed?' 

Shu had come out of the pale doors, marching through the Bey Club, ignoring their words of sympathy, making his way towards me.

'But he made me bleed as well!' I replied angrily. 'And he had no right to call us pathetic! I-I wanted payback for-'

'For what?' demanded Shu, interrupting me, pushing Xander aside so he could properly speak to me. 'For being mean and a bitch? For breaking my bey? For taunting both of us?'

'Yes!' I cried out, outraged that Shu wasn't helping me. We gripped each others shoulders, leaning to each others faces and growling. 'He deserves revenge, Shu. And I'm going to serve it to him.

'(y/n), listen to yourself!' Shu shouted, and a jolt of pain shot through my arm. My eyes widened as Shu's grip tightened. 'You said yourself to Valt to not sink down to Lui's level. You're better than this, aren't you (y/n)? You're better than Lui, so don't change that and stoop to his level of lowness! Just...don't be Lui.'

'I-I-I' I realized I had gone speechless at the last comment. I blinked and looked around at the foyer, everyone from the Bey Club to the audience to Hanami to other bladers were looking at us. I swallowed hard. Shu's grip relaxed, but he grasped my wrist instead, leading me towards the exit without saying anything. I didn't protest, but looked into his red hues, searching for any emotion. A breeze that floated through our hair announced our arrival at the beach. We both kicked our shoes off before settling into the dense sand, squishing it slightly. I knew the sun was setting, but this time I didn't bother myself to look and admire it. Instead, I looked towards the sand below me, shells of pink and white hues scattered across the sand, the occasional seaweed washing up on the shore as the seagulls cawed. 

'I know it's hard to not want revenge. But we have to try.'

I blinked and looked up at Shu, who was looking down on me, speaking softly.

'I know,' I managed to croak out. 'I'll try.'

The scene shifted, and I was somewhere high in the mountain tops, right in the same valley. Tall, oaks shot up from the ground, their leaves rustling and dancing in the warm wind that smelled of blooming flowers. The sun was setting dramatically, reflect scarlet light off the ribbon of sparkling, crimson water down below me. A river that reminded me of blood. Everything about this scene seemed peculiarly unnatural. A tall, intimidating figure donning a dark mask embroided with dragons stepped on to the sand littered with pebbles. He crossed his arms expectantly, as if he was waiting for someone. 

Perhaps that someone was the young blader basking in the depths of the shimmering crimson water, letting the current pull him along. Stray white locks created downstream ripples, the only movement in the calm, serene flow of scarlet liquid. His eyes was shut tight and his hands were curled up aggressively, as if he was remembering something filled with pain. A blood-curdling scream filled with anguish echoed throughout the valley.

Shu.

Instead of converting into an emotional mess, I found myself watching the scene with curiosity. A million questions buzzed in my head, such as how did I end up here?, but I pushed them aside. I peered over the edge of the rocky cliff, barely concealed by a berry shrub. However, the two figures seemed like they meant serious business. 

Shu walked up towards up the masked person, clutching Legend Spryzen tightly in his hand. His eyes dropped to the footprints made by me and the BeyClub today. Perhaps he was thinking about his loss, still resentful. The masked figure looked down at the albino, dismay evident on his face. With a pang of horror, I realized who it was.

'Still angry about your loss to Lui?' tutted Ashtem. Shu's face contorted into plain hatred. The Snake Pit leader crossed his arms in disdain. 'You know this would have never happened if you had left Snake Pit.'

Shu glanced up at the hidden eyes, shock and belief beginning to gleam in his dark-wine hues. Furiousness began arising in my chest like a rising monster. Ashtem was the one convincing Shu to be a monster, always confronting him after his most bitter losses. 

'What can I do to come back?' The Spryzen owner asked, all emotion completely shutting down on his face. A smirk was drawn onto Ashtem's features, but Shu seemed oblivious to this. 

Come back to Snake Pit?

The monster erupted, howling and roaring with resentment and anger. I wasn't going to let Shu go. Without thinking, I jumped off the cliff. Somehow I landed without any injuries, but I didn't stop to think about my miraculous powers. As soon as my eyes landed on Ashtem, I lost control. The outrage consumed me, and I charged to protect Shu.

'Stop!' I shouted, throwing my arms out as I stepped in front of Shu. But the conversation did not stop. Ashtem and Shu hardly moved considering there was a person standing in the middle of them. 

'First, you must abandon Legend Spryzen,' Ashtem commanded with authority, as if I wasn't there at all. Shu lifted the scarlet bey and brought it down on the rocks hard. It bursted and split into three separate parts. 'A bey that has lost has no more value.

'Shu!' I cried in shock. He would never do this to his partner. I turned back to face the albino, but I didn't find my reflection gleaming in his eyes. A theory rose to mind. I lifted my left hand higher, until it was in line with our faces. Then I brought it down hard, slapping Shu's face in the process. 

It didn't hurt him. At all. Probably because my hand went straight through his face. I looked down in horror. Was I a ghost? I spun around to face Ashtem. 

'(y/n).'

Terror and shock blinded me. Maybe he finally uttered my name after I had pulled out the finger at him? But there was something about his voice. It didn't have that cruel edge, but it was filled with urgency instead, which was weird because the voice sounded extremely childish and innocent. 

'Valt?'

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Ashtem is not Valt in this book, do not worry it was a dream. Our main character is still very much alive. 

Also, I think I made up for the lack of words in my previous chapter.

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Word count: 2431