"So.....Theodore, I always hoped that once you stopped him he would be gone but I thought I would get to help you..."

"What was it like being taken to the Snake Pit?" Valt asked quietly, looking at Fubuki for the first time.

Fubuki was silent for a long time.

"It's a place no blader should go to..."

Flashback

After being captured by the Phi and Theodore's army Fubuki was taken to one of the cells in the Snake Pit.

At the time the Dread Tower no longer succeeded Theodore's needs so by changing Phi's mind they had moved their operation to one of the Snake Pits taking Fubuki with them.

The first couple of days Theodore had stayed back at the Dread Tower to gather some of his stuff and to keep BC Sol off their trail from finding them.

Meanwhile Phi had been left in charge to look after his bladers and make sure they didn't rebel or anything.

Which meant Phi could do whatever he wanted without Theodore holding him back.

Meanwhile for Fubuki he had woken up in a cell hours later with a headache and his hands in chains.

Struggling, he pulled with all his might trying to break or slip free but he knew it was no use. He was trapped. Theodore and Phi had done this so many times they had it down to an art.

There was an eerie chillness to the cell making him shiver a little and his fingertips were numb. The only light was from the other side of the cell where a guard stood and the fluorescent light from above.

"Help!" He yelled. The sound echoed faintly through the industrial cell but no one came to his rescue instead he was only meant with silence. Even the guard outside his cell didn't flinch from the yelling.

Fear stabbed at his heart, the realization had hit him like a ton of bricks. He was actually in the Snake Pit. The mere thought of the place scared most bladers and now Fubuki was there with no way of escaping. He was going to be turned into Phi's puppet and there was nothing he could do about it.

The fear and defeat made him hang his head in shame.

But at least they had gotten away...

Fubuki may have been trapped but at least everyone had managed to get away including the one person who could stop all of this. Theodore could do whatever he wanted with him and sure Fubuki would admit he was terrified of him but at least he didn't have his claws on Valt.

The cell door opened slowly and for a split second Fubuki thought it was Theodore but instead Phi sauntered into the room with the door closing behind him.

"Phi, what are you doing here?"

As Fubuki tried to look to see if anyone else was around to ask for help, a smile had crept over Phi's face.

"I know what you're trying to do Fubuki and they can't help you even if they wanted to, I am the puppet master and only I can pull their strings."

"Why are you doing this and what do you want with me?"

Phi only laughed, making Fubuki even more scared, Theodore was bad but there was something unpredictable about Phi that made Fubuki even more scared of him.

"You know Fubuki I was there that night..."

Leaning against the wall Phi was now looking away lost in thought.

"That stupid little play was the first time I ever used this power.... and you were my first puppet. The look on everyone's faces thinking you were one of them! One of those corrupted bladers everyone was afraid of!"

"But why does that.."

"It doesn't matter why I'm doing this Fubuki." Phi said as his eyes flashed black causing Fubuki to shut his mouth.

"It's funny really, all you bladers are the same. All scared of becoming something like me, your own worst fears and yet what you don't realize is that I'm more powerful and yet you still hold back? Why is that?"

Standing up from the wall Phi's friendly manner was now gone.

Fubuki looked at him scared but in that moment something clicked in his brain.

"You were there that night when Valerie and I were leaving!"

"I would've easily gotten to you if she hadn't messed everything up, but instead I managed to make it up by getting Arthur and Toko. You're only a pawn in this game Fubuki, but soon you'll be more than that.."

Holding out his hand Fubuki was lifted up but was held back by the cains.

"You won't get away with this Phi!"

"I already have Fubuki,"

Fubuki was slowly drifting off, and he felt his body grow heavy. HIs heart had slowed down and his eyelids got heavy. He tried to fight it but the dream state had overpowered him causing his mind to go blank. The last thing he remembered was Phi and his smile looming over him.

"It was awful being controlled like that...some bladers knew what had been happening under his control while others like me didn't remember anything. But I did remember everything I said or did was twisted by Phi and Theodore."

Valt was silent for a few seconds taking all this in.

"You weren't even yourself anymore in that kind of state, it may have incredible power but watching someone go through something like that is scary...Which is why you need to tell us what's going on with you Valt, we're all worried about you!"

Fubuki stood up covering up the sun.

"I know what's happening to you is scary but if you could just..."

"I'm fine Fubuki."

A shadow had fallen over Valt his resonance flared up except this time it was a dark blue, the same shadow from earlier grew in power.

Taking a step back Fubuki almost tripped on the stairs as Valt stood up.

"I'm just trying to help Valt you know you can't keep going down this path!"

The shadow across Valt's face disappeared and his eyes were now glowing blue. Wind swayed the grass and trees and the sun seemed to disappear. The animals nearby ran off.

Just like Aiger...Fubuki thought.

"Every day I train as hard as I can to keep him at bay but Theodore.... he's getting stronger and I don't know how long I can keep this up. I keep trying to control this but it feels like I keep getting distracted by Shu, Sasha or Kris bugging me all the time!"

Valt's resonance got bigger and his power grew darker the shadow behind him was now clear in the shape of Amaterio's bit beast.

"You try and act so high and mighty Fubuki but you're just like Shu! Besides you can't even help me, you weren't even corrupted Phi was only controlling you! He didn't even hurt you like he did to Free or to Shu!"

Fubuki opened his mouth but closed it. Valt calmed down realizing what had just happened, his resonance died down and the forest quieted. Finally his eyes stopped glowing as the wind settled down.

"Valt, you need to go talk to Shu maybe he can..."

Before Valt could reply he sprinted back to BC Sol leaving Fubuki lost in the forest with no light or way back.