keep in mind i have only watched this episode once, and i'm writing based off from memory, so most parts are probably incorrect, sorry.

Your POV 

"Morning (y/n)."

The CEO of WBBA cheerfully greeted me in the private viewing room before taking a sip of some herbal tea. I yawned widely, the sleep getting to me, and took a seat besides her, placing my head on the long desk. I greeted back not-so-cheerfully a, "Hi Kris. I'm tired."

She chuckled. "I can tell."

"Ten o'clock," I paused and yawned, shutting my eyes. "Is way too early."

"I know, right?" a familiar voice added. I heard the sound of someone copying my actions next to me. "Sleep is good for you, so why can't we sleep more?"

"Too much sleep is bad," Kris responded in amusement. "Valt, (y/n), you need to wake up. We have a special guest on board today, and he's part of the Turbo 4."

At this, we both shot up. I grinned, "Seriously? When is he coming?"

Normally I wouldn't be that excited to see a new blader, he most likely didn't have a prodigious skill that set him apart, like Aiga, Phi and even Shu. But hey, I'm not a prodigy either yet I'm somehow champion. 

I only want to see him because he's a part of the Turbo 4. I want to see one of the members in action, in the arena. It would give me a rough idea of their skills, and I do want to see how the new generation of beyblade is going. Plus, you never know who could be your biggest rival. I also want to see how similar they are to the original Supreme 4.

I miss those days. 

Those days back in Japan. When I could actually see my friends every day, not once in a month. When Lui was my biggest threat. When I didn't take beyblade seriously. When Shu had loved me...

Don't think about that, (y/n), I scolded myself. Shu saw me as his best friend. Nothing more. All of that relationship stuff is in the past. I've seen just how devastating the affects of a broken relationship can be, and gone through it. 

So why do I still long for his touch?

"Any second now," Kris's voice jolted my from my thoughts and the smiling teen came into focus once again. As soon as those words left her mouth, the view of the stadium in front of us darkened. A spotlight shone on the doorway, no doubt where the new blader would enter from. 

"Hey all you bladers!" Hanami's voice boomed from the speaker. I spied some cameras set up in the room two rooms away from us, and I knew Hanami was broadcasting from there. Next to that room I could see two rooms which contained the bladers competing so far and their entourage. "It's bey o'clock! I'm Hanami, your beyblade-loving MC, and we're live from the Battleship Cruise!

"For todays program," Hanami began explaining. "Another well-known skilled blader will be joining us. He's known as the successor of the famed Xander Shakadera, he's a member of the Turbo 4 and even a prince! Ladies and gentleman, I welcome you, Xavier Bogard!"

A short, fair-skinned boy with gray hair that defied gravity and turquoise eyes stepped forward into the spot light. At that moment, the whole world eyes' were on him. 

His outfit seemed a little militaristic, but he was a prince, after all. It consisted of a dark-red tunic with black cuffs and gold borders, two gold  fourragère attached to the right shoulder. 

A blue sash crossed his body, accenting his knee-length socks that were tucked into brown shoes. A belt that matched his eyes with the letter "X" emblazed on it was fastened around his waist to keep his black shorts up. 

He wore a friendly but serious and calm expression as he gazed out into the windows that we stood behind. Confidence beamed from him, but not arrogance that would be expected from a prince. 

So this is Xavier Bogard. 

Xander's apprentice, the one Xander had been spending so much time on. He must have potential, otherwise Xander would've never bothered to train him. I could already sense his passion for beyblade, but passion doesn't win you battles. 

"I am Xavier Bogard," he spoke boldly, voice echoing throughout the empty arena. "I am looking for a rival, one that will push me to be better! If you think you can fit that position, come down here right now and battle me!"

A rival that will push me to be better. 

I cocked my head to the side slightly. Those were, without a doubt, Xander's words. 

I glanced sideways to my left, a little surprised that Valt was making no attempt to interrupt the show so he could battle Xavier. Huh. He really has matured. 

A movement in the arena caught my attention, so I turned my eyes back to the stadium again, where Aiga Akabane was marching out to battle Xavier rather arrogantly. He grabbed Z Achilles, showing it off the Xavier. 

"I will battle you, Xavier!" declared Aiga confidently. "And beat you, right here!"

Xavier smirked, mirroring Aiga's actions and bringing out his bey as well. "I'm warning you, it won't be easy!"

Leaning against my propped up palm, I gazed at Xavier's bey which looked oddly familiar. Surprise flooded me when I realized that it was a version of Xcalius. Xcalius X4 1'Sword, to be exact.

Xander trusted him enough to give him an Xcalius? Interesting.

Let's see if you're worthy enough to wield Xcalius. 

"3 2 1!" the two bladers yelled, preparing into their stances. Aiga's looked suspiciously a lot like Valt's, I noted. With a jolt, I realized that this would be my first time seeing Aiga battle as well. "Let it rip!"

The two beys of metal began spinning around the stadium, each with incredible speed. So Aiga went with attack, fighting fire with fire. 

They clashed with each other over and over, but none of them could gain the upper hand. Aiga and Xavier were both equally strong. The tension was more thrilling than I had remembered, and I'm sure it had everyone on the edge of their seat. 

Then it happened. Xcalius clashed with the side of the stadium, and at this Xavier's eyes widened, knowing what he had to do next. I had spent enough time training with Xander to know what this meant. 

 He let out a fierce battle cry, activating his aura. Powerful flames flickered to life, surrounding Xavier as his eyes lit up with power and determination. "Xcalius! Dual Sabers!"

The called on bey zoomed with amazing speed towards it's target, Z Achilles. The two beys grinded against each other, sparks flying, while the owners of the two beys gritted their teeth simultaneously. 

burst

"Xavier Bogard wins the battle," the referee announced. "With the score 2-0."

I observed the two participants of the battle after this declaration was made. Xavier smiled triumphantly as he bent down to pick up his bey, but didn't try to flaunt it off to Aiga. I glanced at the loser of this match who was picking up the three pieces of Z Achilles. 

He had a frown on his face as he gazed down at his bursted bey, looking slightly shocked that someone had managed to beat him so effortlessly. I knew I was shocked. The prodigy of beyblade who had defeated Lui so easily lost so quickly to Xavier. 

I won't lie. I was expecting a better fight from Aiga. Everything I've heard about him made him seem so overhyped after watching this battle. He doesn't seem like the prodigy I had in my mind. By the look of Valt's face, he wasn't expecting that either.

I narrowed my eyes at the Achilles blader. What was going on with him, then? 

Xavier then called out to the rest of us, "Who's next in line to have a battle with me?"

The apprentice of Xander seemed quite skilled, which I had expected from him. He did seem to bond with Xcalius quite well, better than I had expected. I grinned, knowing exactly what I was going to do next. 

I ran.

I ran out of the viewing room and into the stadium arena that Aiga had just left. Kris and Hanami looked at me as if I was crazy, I was ruining their tournament after all. 

But I just couldn't help it. I wanted to battle Xavier. He was the apprentice of my cousin, the wielder of another Xcalius and an overall good blader. I wanted to see how far his skill went. 

"I will battle you!" I thrusted the newly evolved Xcalius out to him. He grinned, getting out his bey as well. "Xcalius to Xcalius!"

"So you're the real world champion," Xaiver spoke, looking at me as if evaluating something. "And you're Xander's cousin."

"That I am," I confirmed. 

"You know," he began speaking, looking at me directly. "When Xander told me about his rival, how that person can push you further, he was referring to you."

"Oh?" I smirked slightly, making a mental note to tease Xander about this later. 

"Yes," Xavier nodded. "Your rivalry with Xander inspired me. I want to have a rivalry like that. That's the reason why I came into this tournament. And the reason why Xander became so strong is because of you. So you better live up to the expectation."

I get it now. He wants to see if I'm worthy of being better then his master. I got ready into my usual battling stance, not planning to show off Soaring Boost just yet. "I'll surpass that expectation in your head."

Xavier copied my actions and got ready into his stance as well. His turquoise hues shimmered with pure confidence and determination. I gasped slightly, when his eyes began to turn in red familiar ones. I smiled, he really did remind me of Xander. 

a/n: when y/n is looking at Xavier, she's reminded of how similar the look in his eyes looks to xander's, hence beginning to turn into xander's eyes. when i say red familiar eyes, i'm talking about Xander not shu. 

"3 2 1!" Everyone began counting down. I tightened my grip on the launcher, ready to pull the string out. "Let it rip!"

The Xcaliuses began circling each other, Xavier's in clockwise, mine in counterclockwise. They beys came into contact, each one charged up with power. I gritted my teeth before commanding, "Xcalius! Upforce Launch!"

My bey obeyed the demand, zooming towards the other Xcalius with astonishing speed. They collided again, but more fiercely this time. Sparks began flying as the performance tip of my Xcalius extended to a height that would've never been achieved three years ago. 

"Hang in there Xcalius!" Xavier yelled, no doubt referring to his own bey. Sheesh, it was getting confusing with all these Xcalius. 

To my disappointment, Xavier's Xcalius wasn't knocked back as I had pleased. It was repelled out of the stadium, but the outer rings that made this stadium unique caught it. I glanced at Xavier, the truth dawning on him that his Xcalius would've been knocked out if it wasn't for the rings. "Lucky. But your bey won't be so lucky next time!"

Closing my eyes, I let the familiar aura surround me, flames beginning to grow. I smiled in relief, before realizing something. 

No. 

This familiar aura wasn't mine. I've felt it before, but it's not mine. It gave off too much of a dark presence to be mine or any of my friends. It was tainted to sinister purpose, ready to strike for the worse. 

And it was surrounding Xcalius.

And it was beginning to take over me. 

I clenched my fist, not planning to give up. I felt that faint aura of Xcalius fading, and reached out for it. Determination began to flood me, and in no time the dark aura had vanished, replaced completely by Xcalius's. 

Wasting no time to be confused, I channeled the power into using the rings of the special stadium. I drove Xcalius onto the top ring, grinding the performance tip against the edge to build up friction. Fire began trailing Xcalius as the bey came down from the ring with breakneck speed. I raised my hand into the air, feeling the power completely envelop me, "Now! Final Strike!"

burst

I grinned triumphantly and collected Xcalius from the arena as Xavier dwelled over the fact that he lost. "Good job, kid. You put up a great fight."

"Thanks," he grinned back. "And Xander's lucky to have you as a rival."

My grin growing wider, I began walking back to the viewing room with Xcalius in my hand. Then my grin stopped and was replaced by a frown.

A person, another blader from this tournament was on the staircase, leaning against the wall. His eyes were closed, and long, wavy white hair surrounded majority of his attire. His attire consisted of a space-cadet blue sweatshirt with white borders on the sleeves and a red symbol, a crimson coat with a three-pronged tail and a shade of yellow borders and stripes, a white belt with indigo studs and buckle with an orange-red border, indigo diamond-shaped earrings, and burgundy pants fused with a pair of shoes. 

a/n credits to the person who wrote this description on the beyblade wiki 

The fact that I stopped wasn't because I was surprise to see another person there, but rather because the dark aura which had scared me so much was coming from him. He was reeking of it. A mixture of panic and fear began to seize me.

He opened his eyes, revealing heterochromia eyes; one scarlet and the other a deep blue. Realization dawned on me. This was the rumored immortal who had defeated Aiga Akabane. Phi. "Hmm, if it isn't (y/n) (l/n)."

That voice. It was dripping with evil and darkness. Not only that, but it was terribly familiar. But I couldn't remember where I had heard it from. "In the flesh. Phi. You planning to battle?"

"I'm honored you know my name," Phi smirked, full of arrogance. "As for your question, it depends on the person. But if I'm going to battle you, which I plan to,"

He paused, leaning towards me. I was frozen on the spot, and what he said next sent chills down my spine. Not because the words scared me, but because I had an awful feeling that he was capable of what he was implying.

"Watch out. Every champion eventually loses their crown to a better champion."

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

yay, another chapter done! sorry for the wait. 

REMEMBER...VOTE...COMMENT...SHARE!!!

Word count: 2456