Quon stared at Quetzalcoatl. Jin stared at Quetzalcoatl. Future Orochi stared. The other bladers stared as well. Quetzalcoatl blinked.

Quon was shocked, he couldn't help it. Okay, he had expected it, because when he time travelled- time travelled- what's surprising anymore.

Still, it was the first time his beyblade, his friend and companion, showed his true form to him and- it was scary and at the same time wonderful.

"Quetzalcoatl," Quon greeted softly.

Quetzalcoatl didn't move his mouth, but he responded, "Quon."

The air vibrated at the short syllable. A gust of wind came at Quon's direction, warm and welcoming in the midst of the freezing tunnel.

"Quetzalcoatl... we need your help," Quon said, ashamed.

Well. Asking for help for a first conversation was definitely not a good impression.

As if to read Quon's thoughts, Quetzalcoatl started to laugh, shaking the air around them in amusement. There were breezes here and there at each chuckle.

"Quon. My friend," Quetzalcoatl said. "I will be here to help you and your friends. There is no need to feel ashamed. Tell me, what do you want?"

"We need to get out of here," Quon said, fumbling with the hem of his jacket. "Heracles locked us here, and I'm afraid you are our only hope."

Quetzalcoatl looked around. His eyes narrowed quickly. "This is...? Don't tell me..."

"This is a time tunnel, unfortunately," Orochi said. "This is the future. I am this future's Ginba Orochi."

"I see..." Quetzalcoatl said. "Do you remember anything like this happening when you were young?"

Orochi shook his head. "It never happened. I was still head banging to music at that time while they are already travelling to the future," he laughed bitterly. "The future is changing, and no one has a clue how to fix it. I have been locked here for god knows how long, but I know the Kings will have an idea. That's why we need to get back as soon as possible."

Quetzalcoatl's expressionless face morphed into one full of sadness. "I do not have the power to do what you ask for. I am very sorry."

His head was bowed. Quon blinked, eyes slowly widened in panic.

"But!" Quon exclaimed. He didn't show any anger. He could never be angry for Quetzalcoatl for something he couldn't do.

But he just felt very, very, very afraid.

"Quetzalcoatl, are you sure?" Quon asked desperately. "What are we going to do? If we don't get out of here, we are all going to d... Please."

Valt, from the back, shouted in fear, "Guys! Valkyrie isn't responding!"

Akira was in his own fit of panic. "Anubis as well! What are we going to do!"

Quon was sweating now, looking at his bey spirit with pleading eyes.

Quetzalcoatl looked uneasy. "There is... one."

Quon snapped back into full attention. "What?"

"There is one way. But you won't like it," Quetzalcoatl said.

"What is it?" Quon urged, ignoring the warning.

"Time is the most powerful and complex and terrifying energy in the universe. I myself is far below It. Wind is far slower than light. We have to sacrifice something in order to get out of here," Quetzalcoatl explained.

"Something?" Quon repeated.

"Someone," Quetzalcoatl sighed deeply. "Time for time. A life for a life. A sacrifice to pay the price."

The bladers looked horrified.

"That's..." Quon started. "We can't just-!"

"I'll do it."

The bladers' heads turn to see who spoke. Quetzalcoatl looked as well.

Orochi stood there, closing his eyes tightly after he made the statement.

"What?" Quon said, taken aback.

"You can take me," Orochi sighed.

"Wha- No!" Quon objected. "We will figure this out eventually-"

Orochi didn't say anything but looked at his future self, equally as shocked.

"Listen. I have lived more than any of you have. You all still have a whole life ahead of you and I am counting on all of you to live it," Orochi said firmly. "I will not accept it if we all die together now."

He walked towards a frozen Orochi and placed both hands on his younger self's shoulders.

"Orochi," he addressed.

Orochi straightened immediately, eyes fearful. "Yes?"

"You will not die like this in the future as I do today. You will rewrite the future. You will make sure that this will never happen. Never. If you ever die, make sure to die a fabulous death, unlike this one, " he cracked a grin. "Promise me."

"I-I promise," Orochi choked.

Orochi smiled gently. "Good. Live your life. Be happy and keep on blading. Don't listen to the same song again and again for weeks," he teased, a bittersweet grin on his lips.

"I will," Orochi said
"This will never happen again," Orochi promised, patting his younger self's head and turned to Quetzalcoatl. His eyes were dark with determination.

"I'm ready," Orochi said.

Quetzalcoatl looked at him with genuine pity. "As you wish."

Orochi grinned widely at the group, holding in his tears. "I'm really dying today, just like Heracles wanted. How unfortunate," he joked sadly. "Remember, all of you. You will never experience this again. You will rewrite the whole damn future and kick Heracles' ass, ya hear me?"

The bladers nodded fiercely.

"Perfect," Orochi turned to Quetzalcoatl. "Please keep Odin safe until the very end."

"Until the very end?" Orochi echoed.

His future self smiled knowingly and looked at Quetzalcoatl. "Do whatever you need."

A blinding lime green light engulfed the man as he finally allowed his tears to flow freely. Tears of joy and fear; the joy of being the necessary sacrifice, and a great fear of the unknown.

"Remember what I told you!" He bid his farewell. And then he was gone with the light.

"Thank you," Quon whispered.

"It had to be done," Quetzalcoatl said sympathetically after a long, silent minute. "I am now strong enough to get you all out of here. Are you guys okay with that?"

Orochi stared at the spot where his future self was once standing, eyes distant. "Yes. Please. Take us back."

"His sacrifice will not be in vain," Lui gritted determinedly. "We will end that asshole."

"Grab on to me," Quetzalcoatl said.

The bladers did so quietly and held on to his scales and tail.

"Ready?" Quetzalcoatl asked.

"As I'll ever be," Quon answered.

And as strong as a typhoon, out they went with another flash of light.

~~~

Meeting your younger selves... wasn't that great, Shu decided.

No. It had been an absolute disaster.

Asgard had been peaceful. Their rule was strong and steady. Bladers here and there were happy.

But when Heracles showed up, everything changed. The timelines fucked themselves up and the future changed drastically. Asgard, no, this future would be as good as dead at this rate.

"Jin," he called.

"Yes?" Jin replied, raising an eyebrow. His eyes were as heavy as Shu's, tired and pressured from all this mess.

"Do you have any idea why Heracles wanted Asgard to fall?" He asked. "Any history... records?"

Jin clicked his tongue. "Has any of you offended him personally before?"

Shu looked taken aback. "No, I don't think so."

Jin shook his head. "There are not much about Heracles... but I know that he was the demigod son of Zeus."

Shu's eyes widened and snapped towards Zac. The man was sweating, eyes closed as he concentrated to connect with all sorts of gods and spirits in hope of finding an answer. Shu turned back to Jin.

"Wait. Do you think..."

He was cut off by Rantaro's sudden shout.

Rantaro was shaking slightly, eyes flashing gold as he received another message from the coming future.

"What is it?" Lui asked.

"Quick... Ukiyo... Yugo... open the portals... All of them..." He gritted out.

Ukiyo and Yugo looked at each other. "All of them?" Yugo asked.

"Yes! Quick," Rantaro replied.

The two nodded and raised their hands. Nine wheels, in purple and green, formed in front of them.

The wheels turned quicker and quicker, and then they turned so quick they started to spark fire. They visibly enlarged as they lit aflame until the wheels all merged together as one and a brilliant white enveloped the green and purple and out came Quetzalcoatl, carrying the bladers from the past.

They fell onto the ground and Quetzalcoatl disappeared, leaving the bladers with their future selves.

"Are you all okay? Where had Heracles taken you?" Xhaka asked immediately.

"It was some sort of time tunnel... he meant for us to get trapped in time," his younger self replied, dusting his shirt before standing up.

Lui frowned. "How did you get out? I thought you have to pay a heavy pri..." he scanned the group. "Don't tell me..."

"No, all of us are present," Shu replied. "We found Future Orochi there and..."

The rest of the sentence was left unsaid and the bladers' head hung low. Zac's hand flew to his mouth in horror.

"No..." he whispered, knees weakening. His lips are trembling as he tried to grasp reality.

"Yes. He sacrificed himself so that we could get out," Orochi said, voice grave.

"Then we will avenge him," Akira bit out, murderously cold at the loss of his friend. "He will p-"

Akira stopped abruptly when he heard it.

Screams of terror from every direction below the palace filled them with dread. The air smelt metallic, of something they dared not imagine. Zac rushed towards the balcony in trepidation, robes fluttering in the suddenly freezing wind.

Asgard was just as sunny and bright and beautiful if there weren't fire everywhere; cannons fired at every second, loud booms tearing through the peace of the realm accompanied by ear-splitting crashes, masking the faint sound of people's cries as they fled for their lives.

Then came a chorus of thundering footsteps as hordes of soldiers in shadowy black came marching into sight. When Zac looked closer, he realised that the person leading the army of obscure creatures was glowing blood red.

Heracles.

The man promptly snapped his head towards the balcony where Zac stood, face filled with a mixture of dread and fury.

Zac didn't have to see his face clearly to know he was grinning like a bastard.

"EMPERORS!" He boomed. His voice was loud and clear to make sure everyone in the realm heard him.

The gunfire stopped and the smoke cleared. The screams died out gradually, waiting in fear for what he had to say next. The air was thick, layered in dust and suffocating flames.

His voice lowered, but the message was still as chilling.

"I hereby declare war on Asgard."