??? POV 

'Shu? Shu? Shu!'

The agonized cries echoing the clearing seemed to be never-ending. The same name was being repeated over and over again, each one more desperate after the other. The one clad in red-and-gold sounded like her voice was about to break. It still brought no emotion the face hidden behind the black-and-red mask. I stood silently at the top of the ancient temple, almost reaching the leafy canopies, waiting for them to realize that they were being watched. They didn't. How foolish they all were. 

Plain foolish.

Your POV 

'Shu Kurenai is dead.'

My mouth hung agape as a blur of red, black and white leapt down from the top of the temple which was concealed from all of us in blinding light. Ouch. I winced as the movement of my mouth left my windpipe sore. It seemed like hours and hours I had been calling his name, but now I had more interest in the masked figure standing before me, announcing Shu's death. 

'Shu is not dead!' Valt cried out in disbelief. 'No! I don't believe you!'

'Stop talking nonsense,' I spat, stepping forward to the tall figure. 'Who are you, anyways?'

The masked man remained silent. Instead, he walked to the side of the temple, as if he was waiting for something to happen. As soon as he did this a dark purple stadium rose out of the rumbling ground. I frowned and took in stock of the man. He wore a dark grey-and-red streaked mask over his shaggy white hair that only revealed his mouth. He donned a long white sleeveless tailcoat with a high collar and red accents, a black and red bodysuit underneath, and a matching gauntlet on his left arm. I bit my lip to stop myself from gulping. Why does he remind me of Shu so much? 

I shook the thought from my head. He was nothing like Shu. Sure, they might share some similar features, but personality-wise, he was nothing like Shu, ignoring people, announcing somebody they didn't even know was dead. 

'Red Eye,' the stranger said in his slightly deep voice, his head facing directly to us, jolting me out of my thoughts. 

'Huh?' 

'I am Red Eye,' he repeated. 'That is the name you shall use to address me.'

Red Eye. Wasn't that my special nickname for Shu? The one I haven't said for weeks now? And Ninja Girl...

Shu had pulled me away from the crowd into an empty training room in the WBBA Building.

'What's going on?' he demanded, crossing his arms

'What are you talking about? Nothing's happening.' I crossed mine.

'Exactly. You've been avoiding me ever since...you know..what happened in truth or dare.'

'I have not!' I cried out, backing away. 

'Don't lie to me!' said Shu. 'You left early from the sleepover, lied about the seats in the limo, turn down both of my suggestions to talk and basically ignored me after I helped you against Yugo! What went wrong?'

I was stunned. Did I really do all of those things to Shu? Part of me denied it but...I knew I had really done those things....

'Well you're one to talk, always hanging out with those glossy girls.'

'(Y/n), they're fangirls.'

My heart literally froze at my mistake.

'I-I-I'm sorry. I just - everything is so confusing! With Nationals right around the corner, and choosing between people who are practically my family and my best friends for the team a-and all these feelings!' I realized I was rambling. I wiped a tear of my face. Shu came closer to me.

'What feelings?'

'I-I don't even know...feelings for a certain Supreme Four blader?'

'Well, I have feelings for a certain (h/c) blader.'

I smiled. 'And does she have (e/c)?

'Yes she does. And does he have white hair?'

'Yeah...but you know, the thing that strikes me the most is his red eyes.'

'You know, when I first met you, I kinda thought you were a ninja..'

'So...we both admitted to liking each other...' I looked up at him. 'What do you say, Red Eye? Want to make this official?'

Shu grinned back at me. 'Never thought you ask, Ninja Girl.'

(A/N ACK! THE CRINGE!)

I clutched my head and dug my nails deep into my skin as my head started to spin. I inhaled deeply before slowly letting it out again until my breathing returned to normal. I would not collapse due to an old memory. Not again. 

'Well then, Red Eye,' Valt glared at him. 'Where is Shu?'

'I already told you; Shu Kurenai as you know him is dead,' Red Eye responded impassively. 

'We know, we know!' I shouted angrily, throwing my hands up in the air in frustration, the episode that had happened a few minutes ago forgotten due to anger. 'Now enough with your lies. You said he's dead, but how do you know that? Did he come here? What did you know about him?'

'Yeah, she's got a point!' Wakiya agreed loudly. 'If you know Shu is dead, then you must know something. C'mon, say something!'

Red Eye remained silent for awhile, everyone's eyes trained on him like a hawk, watching his every movement as he was thinking of what to say next.  I clenched my hands into fists, wandering where Shu was now. He could be in danger! I would never forgive myself if Shu died on my watch. This stranger was the key to everything. 

'Alright,' Red Eye finally spoke. 'We'll have a battle, right here, right now, in this stadium. If you lose, you keep away from this place or else. If you win I'll tell you what happened to the Shu Kurenai you know.'

'Sounds fair,' I replied, walking to the opposite of the stadium. I dug my hand around my belt and produced my launcher and the newly-evolved Xcalius. 'I'll battle. And I'll promise I'll win this. For Shu.'

There were groans of disagreement from behind me. 'But-'

'No buts!' I cut in, not taking my eye off the battle in front of me. Red Eye smirked ever so slightly. 'Honcho, you'll be referee.'

'Yes,' Honcho immediately agreed, walking to the stadium. 'Ready? Set!'

'3 2 1! Let it rip!'

I gazed as they launched beys carved up the stadium, going at extreme speeds. I frowned and zeroed in to Red Eye's bey, trying to figure out more about it. Something clicked as I watched the blur of red, black and gold. 

'That's Legend Spryzen!' I shouted instantly, snapping my gaze to Red Eye, who simple chuckled in return. 

'You finally noticed,' he sneered. I mentally banged my head on a wall. How could forget to look at his bey? Sure I haven't seen Legend Spryzen in person, but I've been mesmerized by it on TV countless times. I'm really off my game today...

'You really do know what happened to Shu, don't you?' I snarled. 'Fine then. I'll just win this. Go, Xcalius! Upforce Launch!'

Xcalius zoomed into the middle, where Spryzen was spinning on the defence. The performance tip lengthened, two times higher than Suspend Launch would've been. 

'Spryzen,' Red Eye commanded, his voice dripping with venom that sent shivers down my spine. 'Finish this. Counter Break!' 

Spryzen dodged the geared up strike, and circled back towards Xcalius with tremendous force.

'Xcalius!'

'Spryzen!'

I glared with rage at him, and he glared back with equal force. Flames lit up around us, engulfing they beys as well in overwhelming power as they charged towards each other, burning marks into the stadium as they spun ferociously. 

'You've lost, (y/n)!' Red Eye yelled triumphantly as the beys began their count down, zooming towards each other. How does he know my name? 'And I thought you promised to win this for Shu.'

Promise.

Win.

For Shu.

That was it. The last straw I had. Because all I remember is my eyes widening at snarky comment and the world collapsing around me, including the battle.

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Excuse the shortness of this chapter and the flashback, my writing has improved a lot since that shit.

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Word count: 1352