Shu's POV 

I don't like it. 

I don't like it one bit. Frowning, I stared at the space across my desk in deep thought. A strange feeling had been niggling at me this whole morning. Like an instinct that told me I, or someone I cared for, was in danger right now. 

And it wasn't one of those feelings that just made me uncomfortable. It was much more...sinister and serious. I closed my eyes, my head spinning with a million questions on who was in danger and what it was. 

I would've called my friends right now, to check that they were all okay, but the phone connection was down. Xander's fault, of course, he and Xavier were spending a few days here had somehow managed to hit the power with a penta saber while training. How he did that is beyond my imagination.

Moving on, it frustrated me endlessly that one of my friends was in danger, but I couldn't do anything or even know about anything. I was completely in the dark about everything. Literally. Xander knocked out the light power too. 

knock knock 

Breaking out of my thoughts, I glanced up at the door where the sound originated. There stood Xavier and Xander, the latter looking uncomfortable being this large in what seemed like such a tiny room to him. 

"Yes?"

"The construction people say that the power's nearly restored," replied Xavier. "It'll come back at any second."

As if on cue, the lights up ahead flickered back on. Not wasting a second, I reached the telephone sitting on my desk and began calling.

A few minutes later and Wakiya, Daigo, Honcho, Ken, Boa and Fubuki had all confirmed that they were perfectly alright. Dread began welling up in my stomach as I came to the realization I had to call the two people I didn't want to be in danger the most. 

I told myself that this feeling could just be a mistake, just a figment of my imagination or something from the mood-swings of puberty. But something told me it wasn't. 

I dialed in the numbers that went straight to Valt's phone, and it started ringing. My heart was beating like crazy when it was sent to voicemail for the fourth time. Quickly, I rang (y/n). If something happened to Valt, (y/n) would know too since they were both at BC Sol. 

It continued to ring endlessly. I thought it was impossible, but my heart rate quickened. Was it possible that both of them were in danger? For a second it seemed like it was destined to meet the same fate's as Valt's call. And then...

"Hey, Shu."

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Your POV (half an hour earlier)

Darkness. 

That was all I could see. Just pitch black swallowing me up. None of my body parts could move, it was like they were bound in extremely tight chains. Then, there was a flash of light. 

Usually, light means that something good is happening. It's symbolic to heaven and goodness. But this time, I'm not so sure that light is good. It was an eerie light. No, it wasn't light. It wasn't like the goodness it represented. 

It was a deep, royal purple arising in the form of flames. To my horror, those flames were on me, engulfing my sight and my body. My heart pounded and I tried to move, but the chains held me still. 

Then I realized. The flames were my chains, bounding me tightly. Horror and fear washed over me, and the flames begin to increase. The pain started, so fearfully painful it made my head ache and everything go numb, until the only thing I could feel was the pain. 

I let out a scream of agony as the pain only increased. It was indescribable. It was getting to a point where I thought it would be better to be dead than to suffer this pain, when it suddenly disappeared. 

I blinked in confusion. I barely had anytime to wonder what was going on when a new feeling began overflowing inside me. The feeling of power, of satisfaction, of relief. I relished in this feeling. 

The groans of agony started again, but this time it wasn't from me. An immense beast that had appeared in front of me, clutching a sword, a beast I would recognize anytime. Xcalius. 

Like in the other dream, fire was wreathed around its body like it had previously been for me. It darkened to a violent purple, I could feel the pain vibrating off. It made me giddy with an unknown emotion. 

I glanced around in haste, wondering where that Phi's dragon was, and how it was making Xcalius so in pain. But I couldn't see anything. Only darkness. 

I stepped closer to Xcalius, hoping to break off the chains. The pain was taken to a whole other level. The unknown emotion burned brightly, puzzling me. As I continued to step closer, it seemed as if the pain was only increasing. 

I started to run, wanting to make it in time. By the time I got to Xcalius, the look on his face was not what I had expected. It contorted in anger, in fury. Not in recognition or happiness. 

Then it all clicked into place. 

How Xcalius only got more hurt when I got closer. How Xcalius seemed so furious, and how he didn't recognize me.The unknown emotion; it was satisfaction of seeing Xcalius crumble under power. Phi's dragon was here, but in a different form of monster.

I was the monster.

I sat up as my eyes snatched open, breathing heavily and sweat dripping from my face as if I just battled. A hand pushed me back onto the bed, my head sinking back into the pillows. A voice spoke, directed at me. It was too fuzzy to know who was speaking, or maybe my hearing was just temporarily blocked. "Stay down, (y/n)!"

Faces crowded my view of what usually would've been the ceiling. Kris, Valt, Free, Kit, Sasha, Honey, Cuza, Silas, a nurse. That's when it hit me. I was in the infirmary of BC Sol. Free removed his hand from my chest, concern etched into his face as he asked, "Are you alright, (y/n)?"

"I'm fine," I said instantly, as if it was a habit. Maybe it was a habit, a rather unhealthy one. "There's no need for this many people. All I did was faint."

"That's a big deal, (y/n)," Valt said seriously. It was a weird sight. "And that dark aura was all around you. Just before you woke up, you were thrashing like crazy. Did you have a dream?"

"More like a nightmare," Cuza added, shuddering. "What was about, anyways?"

"I don't know," I lied, not comfortable with sharing it with this many people. "My head hurts like hell. I think I forgot, it's not that big of a deal."

"If you say so," Silas said suspiciously. 

"If your head hurts, here's an ice-pack," the nurse chirped from my left side, handing me an ice-pack. I nearly scoffed. Like that will help with an evil maniac. Then I could've hit myself. That was so unnecessary. 

I accepted and managed to smile, "Thanks."

I turned my gaze back to the bladers. "How long was I out for?"

"About fifteen hours," Kris replied. Gosh, that was so long. "It's the morning of the next day, meaning..."

Realization struck me as I put two and two together. I slapped my forehead and groaned, "Oh no! I have my battle with Aiga and Phi today! When is it?"

"One hour," Kris bit her lip. "If you're too ill to blade, I'll understand, we can postpone it-"

"No, no, I'm fine!" I exclaimed. "I'm seriously good to battle. Just don't postpone it."

My head was spinning, from either the fainting or the stress and panic, I don't know. But one thing I knew for sure; I was not postponing the match. I won't have Aiga and Phi thinking I'm a coward who needs more time to train before battling them. I don't need an excuse to beat that pathetic duo.

But could I beat them? Aiga, for sure. Phi, I don't know. I didn't train as much as I needed to, and my head is still aching. Not to mention how groggy and tired I'm feeling, how my energy seemed to be drained. 

And then there was the issue with the monster and the darkness and everything. I can't possibly be turning to the dark side. That dream, or whatever, is just a dream. Nothing more, nothing less. Completely irrelevant. Aiga's the one who's becoming a maniac obsessed with darkness, not me. I'm perfectly okay. 

But still...

"Can I talk with Free and Valt?" I addressed the room. "Alone?"

The others nodded and left the room, leaving behind the two and the nurse. I glanced at her, "Leave."

"O-Oh. Okay," she mumbled, shuffling out. Like always, guilt filled my mind. But I had more pressing issues to think about. I looked back at Free and Valt. 

"That nightmare you had," Free began, eyes boring into mine. "It wasn't just a dream, was it?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my spot. "No, it wasn't."

"Go on then," Valt made a motion with his hand. "Tell us."

I took a deep breath, and told them. Valt was a perfect audience, his mouth hanging open on multiple occasions, and adding sound effects. Free, on the other hand, kept silent the whole entire time, his eyes looking as if he was contemplating. Which he probably was. 

"...and then I woke up," I finished.

"You're sweating," Free noted. 

I blinked, realizing that what he said was true. "I am?"

"(y/n), it's obvious that you're unsettled by this nightmare," Valt observed. Like I said before, it's weird seeing Valt so serious, but maybe it's something I have to get more used to now. "I would tell you to skip today's match, but I've known you for too long to know that nothing can stop you. I guess all I can really tell you is to keep safe from Phi."

"I agree," Free voiced his opinion. "Phi is the reason why you're acting all evil and stuff. He's making you become the monster and hurt Xcalius, it's obvious. You need to somehow stop him."

"It's just..." I trailed off, staring at the ceiling. "It's so easy to use the dark power. It's just so tempting and powerful. I lose control."

"Become stronger," Free suggested, but it wasn't really a suggestion. "Mentally and physically."

"Try to bury those dark thoughts," Valt added. My insides clenched. It was really obvious that I was thinking in an evil manner, wasn't it? "Phi preys on your light self by strengthening your dark self to take over. Phi can't get your dark self to take over if there's not darkness in the first place, right?"

"Wrong," I immediately snapped back without thinking. "That's impossible, everyone has to have a little darkness in their body. Having only a light self is beyond human will. It's so obvious. I'm right, and you're wrong."

Silence filled the air as I realized what just happened. Valt just stared at me, looking hurt. The familiar feel of guilt washed through me and I rubbed my temples in an attempt to sooth the soaring headache. 

"Even though you're right," Free spoke before I could, his cold tone directed to me. "You could have worded that in a less harsh manner."

"You're right," I said before directing my voice to Valt. "Valt, I'm so sorry."

"No, no, it's alright," he gave me a big smile I could only hope wasn't fake. "You are right, it was silly for me to think that."

"No, Valt-" I tried to speak, but he interrupted me.

"How about you call Shu?" Valt changed the topic. "He's been possessed by darkness before, surely he knows how to counter it now."

I picked up my phone, but just before I could press the call button for Shu, the phone started vibrating. 

"Speak of the devil," Free said wryly. "You two really do seem like soulmates."

 I ignored that last part and asked, "Can I have some privacy, please?"

"Sure," Valt grinned again, which only set off the guilt. He looked at Free. "Let's give those lovebirds some privacy."

Once they were out of the room, I swiped and pressed the speaker button. I tried to make my voice sound normal and the headache go away. "Hello? Shu?"

"(y/n)," panic was in his voice, which made my heart drop. Was he alright? "Are you and Valt both okay?"

I hesitated. This was my chance to tell him about the nightmare and about the dark aura and get his advice. 

"Yeah," I lied. "Why'd you ask?"

I heard a sigh of relief from his end of the phone, and the panic in his voice vanish. "I had a weird feeling this morning that somebody I cared for was in danger. It's nothing though, everyone I called turned out to be alright. Strange."

"Y-Yeah. Strange," I fiddled with my necklace from all those years ago, secretly touched that Shu cared for me despite the situation. 

"Are you sure you're alright?"

I closed my eyes, and anxiety started playing up. Go on, (y/n). Tell him about the situation.

"Just a bit nervous is all," I nearly kicked myself for not telling him. "Aiga and Phi...they're both strong opponents."

"That's true," somehow hearing Shu's voice soothed my nerves. "Aiga seems like a prodigy, and Phi's extremely talented. But you'll triumph against them, I know you will. Same with Valt."

A tender smile came onto my lips subconsciously. "I hope you're right."

"I know I am," Shu replied, somehow managing to say that sentence without sounding smug. "Look out, though, (y/n). I've heard how Phi and Aiga's presence are tainted with darkness. I don't want that to happen to you."

I hesitated again before replying, "Thanks. And it won't."

"Valt's match is started now, I have to go," I heard Shu stand up and some papers being ruffled. "Good luck. Bye."

"Bye," I whispered, and the sound disappeared, much like my chances of defending the darkness. 

I let out a frustrated scream. Why couldn't I tell Shu? When I told Free and Valt, it was so easy. But when I was talking to Shu, there was a knot of nervous anticipation bundled in my stomach the whole time. 

Shu deserves to know what is going on with me. I trust him, I know he'll stay with me. I trust and care about him even more than Free and Valt. He's probably the most important person to me. So why is it that he's the absolute hardest to tell? 

It's because he's the most important person to you, that's why you don't want to tell him, a small voice in my head said. I sighed as I thought it over. It actually did make perfect sense. 

He's so important to me I guess I don't want him thinking that I'm a monster. I want him to think good of me, not bad. It's sort of like a crush situation, where the girl acts like somebody better than herself to get the guy. But it's not like that, Shu and I are just friends. 

Still, even if we are just friends, it doesn't change the fact that he's important to me. Why would somebody as great as him want to be friends a monster like me? I made the right choice in keeping in a secret from Shu. I hope. 

I heard the crowds go wild, and I knew Valt's match with Aiga was starting. I crossed my fingers and hoped that Valt would win over that annoying brat. I want to see Aiga crushed. 

No, I'm thinking like that again. I shook my head before letting out another frustrated sigh. 

I really am turning into the monster I'm terrified of.

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do you think (y/n) should've told Shu about the situation?

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Word count: 2661