(Y/n) (l/n) ~

Just as predicted, Valt and Wakiya won their battles yesterday. Told you, it's just power that matters in the end.

The day after tomorrow are the finals of B and D Blocks. My battle is against Orochi, while Wakiya would be battling Daigo. God knows how Daigo will perform. I just know that if I win, I reach the Nationals. And that's where my real test begins. Lui better make it to the Tournament.

I was currently headed to the Beyclub because Valt had invited me for a little 'practice'. Readers, please don't get the idea that I'm doing any of this willingly. It's just him annoying me till I agreed. The usual.

I walked through the streets of my neighbourhood, enjoying the silence that accompanied me, knowing very well that it wouldn't be there the moment I reach the school building. It was just a normal beautiful day with bright sunshine, but little did I know that the sun will literally come strolling to meet me.

The all too famous pop singer Zachary Kaneguro, who considers himself as the sunrise, turned around a corner in front of me. As soon as our eyes met, he grinned. I wanna run so badly, I can't explain.

With that party mask covering his eyes, the grin was a little too creepy, if you ask me.

"Hey, tiny star!" He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm the Masked Blader."

I blinked. So, this person is still under the delusion that no one is recognizing him?

When I didn't say anything, he retrieved his hand and cleared his throat. "Um, I know you aren't much talkative but—"

"And how do you know that?"

"Here's one of my friends who talked about you. His name is Lui Shiros—"

"Friend?" I chuckled, but there was neither humour nor any emotion in it. "Lui befriending someone is as rare as oxygen occurring on moon."

"Um..."

"Grow up, dude," I advised him. "You both are in the Supreme Four doesn't mean he's your friend. And just because he occasionally exchanges two or three sentences with you definitely doesn't mean he gives a crap about your already useless existence."

"Calm down, tiny star!" he said worriedly. "Is that your normal behaviour to snap at people?"

I gritted my teeth, instantly regretting those two statements. What the hell happened to the the silent treatment I used to give strangers? Did I really just talk that much to Zac?

This is because he mentioned that son of a shark, isn't it? I can't stand even a smallest trace of Lui around me. Even the mention of his name was enough to make me snap at the person in front of me.

It's kinda scary how much his existence affects me.

"Lui clearly respects your power," Zachary suddenly said.

I scoffed. "Are you lost, child? The only power Lui respects is the white dragon that decided to answer his commands. No one and nothing else."

Zac looked skeptical. "He said you're a quite worthy opponent and he takes interest in the rivalry between you two," he finished. "Not like I can deny it. You're the Gold Blader. Lui is the White Tyrant. Wow, I wonder which colour's gonna dominate the other in the end..."

Golden.

"But it will, of course, be the sparkling yellow shine of the Sun that will overshadow all the others!" he beamed, making me roll my eyes. Just look at this stupid blader who considers himself so awesome when he's actually not. "Gold or white, the dazzling glitters always hide every colour behind their blinding glamour. Just like the rising su—Hey where are you going?! Wait, tiny star!"

While he was busy rambling, I had already walked ten or twelve steps ahead. Quickly, he came running from behind and started walking beside me. I increase my speed, and he increased his likewise. I increased my pace even more, so he started running. I started running, and he tripped.

What a joker...

I stopped in my tracks and turned around to look at the so called star that was lying face-flat on the road.

He lifted one finger and explained, "This is because I wasn't made for running." Then he suddenly shot up from the ground and stood in a funny pose, pointing his index finger up in the sky. Then he changed his position, whirled his hands and did an unsuccessful flip.

I sweatdropped.

This person is a whole walking circus! No joke.

"What do you want, Zachary?" I sighed.

"I'm the Masked Blader!" He insisted. "Call me Masked Blader!"

"And my name's (Y/n)," I countered. "I'm not some tiny star."

"Uh, yeah," he seemed to remember and then flashed one of his famous dazzling smiles that can make fans swoon.

I stared at him.

He stared back at me.

"Go eat some detergent," I waved my hand dismissively and then turned around to walk away, but he quickly jumped in front of me.

"Valt Aoi," he cleared his throat. "Twinkle-toes is your friend, right? I want to meet him. Can you please help me?"

I blinked. So that's what he wanted?

I furrowed my eyebrows and checked my watch, looking at the time. Zachary eyed me curiously. "What are you calculating?"

I looked up. "Oh, this!" I grinned at him. "I was just calculating how much time would it take to dig a grave, fill it with glitters and bury your body after cutting off those long hairs."

Zac flinched and instinctively touched his hair. "You what?"

"Look, Zac—"

"The Masked Blader!"

"—Valt Aoi is a very busy person. He's got much more important things to do in his life than meeting you," I informed. "So discard that idea and move on."

He pouted. "I'll give you one of those rare signed albums of Zac the Sunrise. You're a fan of him, right?"

Wow. He's talking about himself in third person. He knows that I'm aware of his true identity. Heck, I literally said it just now. But he's still trying to act like he isn't Zac.

"No, I'm not."

His jaw practically dropped to the ground. "Do you even have a life?"

"I do," I replied. "And that too, a lot better than yours."

"But, tiny star—" he was cut off by a hard smack on the head.

"Ow..."

"Be grateful it wasn't a punch," I said. "If you so much as call me a tiny freaking star one more time, I will take off this mask, cover you in dead butterflies, and make you eat one of your albums," I threatened and then added: "Signed by me."

"Wait—"

"And even take that pretty jacket of yours that I like very much," I ended off with.

"Look, I just wanna meet Twinkle-toes. Is that too hard for you to arrange?"

"I already told you, Valt has more important things to do."

"What can be more important than meeting me?"

"Battling his friends, eating beybreads, training for the Regionals, adoring cockroaches, creating new moves, annoying random strangers, thinking of new nicknames, displaying his stupidity, trying to learn how to—"

"Except for the training part," Zachary pointed out. "Whatever else you said, is useless."

I blinked. "Funny how it's still more useful than meeting you."

"Pleaase," he pleaded. "I went through so much trouble for that. I came especially to you because only you could help me—"

"You stumbled upon me."

"But I was going to find you only!"

As if this 'sunny' problem at hand wasn't enough right now, Orochi Ginba turned a corner from the block behind Zac, and came walking in our direction. His eyes were closed, and I almost wished that he would walk past without noticing us, but then he heard Zachary talking and opened his eyes.

Orochi frowned at the scene spread in front of him but kept walking until the last second when he stopped by us, no doubt wondering what the hell was happening here.

I swear this day can't get any more musical.

"In the market that day, and now here?" he hummed. "Is it a coincidence that both times I found you doing something related to Zac?"

I decided to ignore that.

He smirked and put down his headphones while Zac looked crestfallen. He mumbled something about him being the Masked Blader and the sunrise being beautiful.

Orochi turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Zac the Sunrise. Didn't expect to find you here."

At the mention of his name, Zac gasped and after fake looking around for listeners, he cleared his throat and flashed a pose. "Hey, fellow person! I'm not Zac the Sunrise. I'm the Masked Blader. Probably you've heard of me. I'm quite famous!"

Orochi looked like he wanted to go home and confirm the number of Zac the Sunrises in this world.

He turned to me for explanations. "What's going on with him?"

"Am I his mom?" I said annoyingly. "How the hell am I supposed to know whether he had injured his head during childhood?"

"Oh, (Y/n). I almost forgot your always ready-to-bite attitude," Orochi popped a bubble. "Your brain having issues?"

"No," I smiled sarcastically. "Singers nowadays having issues."

"I see," he hummed, wiggling his fingers in the air like he was playing an invisible piano. Then he patted Zac's shoulder. "Hang out with her all you want, but watch out for Shu Kurenai."

It took me three full seconds to process what he said.

WHAT THE—

Zac must've frowned, but the mask concealed most of his face so I couldn't tell. "Why?"

I also turned my head towards Orochi, expecting an explanation. He frowned thoughtfully. "I think I remember Rantaro Kiyama mentioning the possibility of Shu getting jealous when I battled her two days before."

Wait, why don't I remember something like that? Am I having short-term amnesia?

But now that I think about it, I faintly remember Kiyama saying something like that. But, of course, I didn't pay attention to it before. Oh, he's so dead today.

Zac's lips twisted into an interested grin while I gritted my teeth in embarrassment. "That's so adventurous!"

"I need to make a song on this!" Zac beamed again. This person smiles a lot, I've noticed.

"Zac, Orochi. I'll say this once." I said in a calm tone. "Don't get any ideas just because Rantaro said something. I'm gonna go meet him right now and I can assure you he'll pay for whatever he said. But you two, forget this if you don't want to share the same fate as him."

Orochi looked highly terrified. I turned to Zachary. "I'm not Valt's PA. Go find his siblings if you want."

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"Heyyyyy, (Y/nnnnn)," Valt greeted as soon as I reached the terrace. I smacked him upside down the head.

Rantaro winced for his friend and turned to me. "You're angry like always, I'm guessing?"

"No, it's people like you who make me angry."

Rantaro narrowed his eyes. "You're so rude."

I laughed. "Oh, you haven't seen rude yet."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Faster than Valt could eat a beybread, I had Rantaro in a headlock from behind, forcing him down on his knees. He groaned in pain while Valt watched in confusion. I noticed Daigo was nowhere to be found. I made a mental note to check for him later.

"What's wrong? What did I do? It's probably a misunderstanding. I'm sure I can explain!" He rambled on.

"Let me think about this," I pretended.

"Can't breathe, can't breathe, can't breathe, can't breathe, can't breathe, can't brea—"

"Cut the drama! You're able to speak alright."

"Please leave me alone. I wanna live!"

"Any last wish?" I demanded.

"A battle!" He exclaimed. "With you!"

Valt's head popped up in front of Rantaro. "HEY, WHAT ABOUT ME?! BATTLE WITH ME TOO!"

"Wow. I feel honoured," I told Rantaro, ignoring Valt and finally freeing him.

"What did I even do?!" He asked, maintaining a safe distance from me.

I tilted my head innocently. "What was it that day with Orochi? I faintly remember you saying that 'the Shu awesomeness will be jealous,' huh?"

"TALK TO ME TOO, (Y/N)! I WAS THE ONE WHO CALLED YOU HERE!" Valt interrupted, trying to garb our attention but we ignored again.

"Why're you threatening me after two days? It doesn't make any sense."

"I remembered it now."

"You've got some serious memory issues."

I smacked his arm. "Shut up and answer my question."

"CHICKEN POOP AND PIG SOUP!!" Valt screamed again. "WAIT, THAT RHYMES!"

"Actually, I—Uh, I thought, well, you look a lot like Shu."

"So?" I demanded.

Rantaro smiled awkwardly and muttered something like, "Why do you have to be so stubborn? Just let me be."

"ARE YOU TWO IGNORING ME??" Valt screeched again.

"You said something?" I crossed my arms, tapping my foot impatiently.

"Nope, no, not," he quickly denied.

I raised my right eyebrow. "If I were you, I would've started talking a long time ago."

"TALK TO ME!" Valt screamed, trying to grab our attention yet again. Apparently, he was feeling left out (which, he really was).

"You seem close friends with Shu," Rantaro made a dizzy face. "I've noticed you two being a lot more talkative than usual when y'all are together. I just said it that day because most people only have one close friend."

I narrowed my eyes. "Talkative, huh?"

Rantaro looked relieved, almost because I didn't kill him for speaking that statement. But I found myself thinking about it.

Talkative and friendly with Shu? What's that supposed to mean?

Hahaha. Who am I kidding? I exactly know what that means. Rantaro thinks me and Shu are friends. Is it because I smiled that day when I was with him? But how would Rantaro know that? He wasn't even there.

One thing I wanted to make quite clear. I am not friends with Shu. And neither with anyone from the Beyclub, for that matter.

But for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud to him. What is wrong with me?

Ehh I can care less. These people can think whatever the hell they want. It's not like I owe any explanations to anyone. Their fault for assuming I'm friends with any of them or Shu. At this point, I don't even care if Rantaro said it to Orochi that day. Let them do what they feel like.

"So, you still mad?" Rantaro asked when I didn't say anything.

"What're you talking about?" I frowned. "Me and mad?"

He blinked, confusion clear in his eyes. "Um, yeah?"

I twitched my left eye. "I only do furious."

"I'M ALSO STANDING HERE!!" Valt screamed again.

Rantaro blinked up at me, silently agreeing. I suddenly asked, "You wanted to battle me?"

My question probably took him off guard. Rantaro muttered a hesitant 'Yes', obviously not knowing how to feel about it.

"I'LL BE THE REFEREE!" Valt screamed, reminding us of his presence once again but we didn't ignore him this time.

"Okay, buddy," Rantaro fist bumped him. "Now see how I beat her!"

"I'll cheer you," Valt told him.

"Heck yeah," Rantaro agreed, pulling out his launcher.

I ended up 'training' with Valt and Rantaro for almost two hours, but it wasn't anything like training to me. I swear they were pathetically weak; couldn't even give me a good fight, so the two hour training was useful only for them. After that, I headed straight to my training in the national arena. Now that was a blast!

Just like back in the Snake Pit...those were such good times. There, we used to have training schedules even harder than this, but I reduced it for myself since when I became powerful enough to stand on my feet. I still don't know whether it's a good or a bad habit, but I know that I won't be able to stop it till god knows how long. I may not push myself as hard as the Snake Pit's rules need, but I do it enough to keep going with the same energy as before.

Now I can't just risk forgetting about my home while I'm here. I eventually gotta go back there. And everything will continue. Just like that. The manipulation, brainwash, dark, and everything else Snake Pit's principles say. How I'm able to be different from them after staying with them for so long, is beyond my understanding. Ashtem says I'm difficult. I don't know, though.

A long time ago, I started to find pleasure in destruction; a part of Snake Pit's training. I don't want to stop myself but even if I did want to, I wouldn't have been able to. These years, I've seen many bladers fail and get kicked out. I don't want to lose the only home I have.

It's kinda impressive how Ashtem knows how to make sure his bladers stay his. It's like once you go in there, he somehow closes the doors from outside. Then not only you can't escape, but also you'll think you're there with your own will. You wouldn't even realize that Ashtem is controlling you. It's simple brainwash.

I took a cold shower as soon as I reached home. I like it that way in the evening because of the intense training. For hot showers, we already have the mornings.

I made a plate of spaghetti for myself and peacefully sat down, relishing the solitude cuddling with me.

It was so silent and for so long that I had started to question the Beyclub's existence. Normally, one of them always comes to annoy me around 7:00 in the evening. Most of the time, it's Valt. At other times, it's Valt and Rantaro both.

This has become such a regular schedule that right now I'm practically waiting for one of them to bang their fists on the door.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Told ya—Wait, hold up. Valt and Rantaro never ring the bell. They were probably never taught to.

Then who the heck this is?

I cautiously stood up from my chair and walked up to the door. Out of habit, I threw the door open and said, "Get away from here. No human's home."

Daigo looked back at me. "Hello to you too."

"What is it?" I asked annoyingly.

Daigo's jaw hardened and he looked away at something on the right wall. "Why did you even tell me to talk to her? It was already decided!"

I steeped over the threshold to look at the person leaning against the wall beside the front door.

"Aren't you gonna let us inside, (Y/n)?" Shu laughed, completely ignoring what Daigo said. "Rude much?"

What was the need to laugh? What's so funny?

"I'm not rude," I replied back. "I just wasn't taught to politely pretend to be nice to people who I can't stand."

"That's it!" Daigo gritted his teeth. "I'm not talking to her. I wasn't here to insult myself."

"Daigo," Shu said sternly. "How about I teach her how to talk?"

Daigo put his hands in his pockets but didn't say anything. Shu smiled at me. "Can we come in now?"

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

"Okay so, what brings you sane people here?" I said, sitting in the middle of the couch. Daigo and Shu sat in separate chairs, across from me. "Talk quickly and leave me alone."

Shu crossed his arms and sighed, not saying anything. I raised an eyebrow at Daigo. He gained a sudden interest in my tablecloth, staring at it.

"How to put this..." he looked at Shu for help.

"No one's judging you here. Talk freely," Shu assured him. I wanted to say that I'm obviously gonna judge, but decided against it.

And then it hit me.

He's gonna talk about cheating earlier, right?

"You probably know but I want to say this myself," Daigo paused, keeping his attention on the tablecloth. "It felt so right at that moment."

"I know," I said honestly.

"No matter what I thought then, now I realize that was not what I wanted. What I did, was so wrong. The situation was wrong. My intentions were wrong," he looked me in the eye and confessed, "I know I was wrong."

Bold.

"That doesn't even matter anymore," I said plainly. A smile would've helped a lot right now but, you know, my lips don't always cooperate. It's so stupid sometimes, speaking encouraging words while sounding indifferent. "What's done, is done. I don't need your confessions anymore. The present doesn't need your guilt anymore," I paused. "What matters, is how you make things right again."

Daigo breathed, not saying anything but I knew he agreed.

"Show some courage. Apologize to Yugo. Forfeit the finals," I said. "Be brave. Act a hero; because I know you are one."

Shu had a proud smile on his face and Daigo's expression quickly changed from regret to shock, apparently because of hearing these kind of things from me. I can't blame him either. He always saw me as that rude, cruel, sarcastic, heartless blader. Even I didn't know I could pull this off.

Last time I encouraged someone, it was me. I still remember the pathetic situation I was in. Fallen in the battle, my bey crushed, and my dreams shattered just like Lui had claimed so many times. He was so true to his words.

I still remember that moment when I rose to my feet with a dark determination surging through me. That was when I knew I wouldn't agree on anything less than revenge. I knew karma wasn't coming for Lui, so I had to play that role.

Because the only karma I ever knew was Karma Akabane from Assassination Classroom.

He's hella hot, by the way.

"That's what I also thought I should do," Daigo agreed timidly. "I'll apologize to him and make things right again."

"I knew you had it in you, (Y/n)," Shu said out of the blue.

I looked at him suspiciously. "What?"

"Shu said I should talk to you," Daigo answered slowly. "He was the one who suggested that you'll be a good advisor on this one."

"How come?" I still couldn't understand.

"You look wise enough," Shu said. "No one else noticed in the arena, but you saw what Daigo did."

"And how would you know that?"

"You're as predictable as the direction of a falling raindrop."

"Careful," I shifted back. "The winds may change their flow. It will affect the raindrops too."

Shu looked confused of what to think about it.

"Fair enough," Daigo answered for him and stood up. He nodded at me in thanks and made his way to the front door.

"Thanks again," Shu smiled before walking out with Daigo.

I closed the door and stood there in deep thought. This was more difficult than I had imagined. But for the first time in years, I felt such respect for someone.

I wasn't feeling shameful because my friend had cheated. I liked the way I was proud, knowing he was ready to sacrifice just to make things right again.

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In 3921 words.

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