"Yuu! Let's battle!"
The blond looked up, finding a grinning Masamune waving at him. Besides him were Zeo, Toby, and King having smiles of their own. He had to say, they were all powerful bladers and they would make excellent opponents. It would be almost hard to predict who would be the victor in the end. Or, that is what you would think.
Yuu was a genius. With correct planning and precision, it would not be too difficult to claim victory. That was how geniuses won and gained their place in the world. Though he was not a Legend Blader or any of that sort, he was still a boy with brains. And judging from the rest of the people he knew, he was probably the smartest one out of everyone. If he just used his well-thought out strategies, he could be winner straight away.
However, he chose not to. That would ruin the fun for everyone, so he decided to stick to the regular head-on style of fighting. Sure, he had his losses, but it was supposed to fun and memorable that way.
Well, according to his friends, that was supposed to be the case. In that way, the strength between the blader and his bey would be shown. The head-on clashes would symbolize the intensity of the bonds between both person and top, and this was exactly how the relationships between opposing bladers grew and friendships formed.
So this is why Tendo Yuu stopped using his knowledge and went with the standards of everyone else.
Besides, he had to owe the redhead who saved his life. Going with Ginga's ways of blading would at least make up for the debt. He was foolish for being defeated by Reiji in the first place, but he did gain some good friends because of that.
But, now, he was tired of all this pretending. What was the point of hiding his true power? His smarts could obviously overwhelm the others' reckless moves. He chose to go with the others' ways to find some enjoyment in beyblade since winning all the time would be boring. But he was already bored with seeing their ethics. It was the same thing over and over. Sure, some of the actions did surprise him, but in the end things were all about being mindless.
Geniuses were not rash. They were thoughtful and careful.
Yuu agilely jumped off the bench he was sitting on and started walking down the path. With a few steps taken, the boy put up two fingers in the air, his back facing the four. "I'm good. You guys have fun without me. I think I'll just sightsee on my own."
Anyway, Masa-moomoo, the boy started thinking while rolling his eyes, it's not like you're going to win with those boring, imprudent attacks.
Currently, Yuu was in New York. After the incident with Nemesis almost controlling the world and after much of the world was rebuilt, the boy had decided to go off to travel around the world on his own. His first destination was New York City and he only chose it because last time he had been here, he was in a coma for a long time. This time he came to sightsee.
As a matter of fact, everyone had split. There was nothing fun to do back at Metal Bey City anymore and no one to hang out with, so Yuu had decided to travel around and sightsee.
He was okay with being alone. Originally he was solitary to begin with before he had met the gang. So this was nothing different from back then.
Hmm... Attractions, attractions... I need somewhere to go. Dang city is so big, I can't even decide on where to go! Actually, I can't even find a fun looking place to go! And everything is so tall! Ugh, why is this so boring? I should have went to Europe first and see if I could have annoyed Team Excalibur or something...
The blond let out a sigh, placing his hands behind his head. It was starting to get boring just walking around aimlessly with no precise place to go. Then again, it probably would have been boring battling with the same and constant idea of being brash. That fighting style so many of his friends believed in was getting really dull.
Dull... Everything in this world was so feeble-minded and insipid. Everything including beyblade.
Perhaps that was a bit inaccurate to say. He was more tired of seeing the same-old battling "techniques" that everyone was into. Did they not use their brains during their matches? It was just the same thing over and over again. The way that his opponents fought was uninteresting. People ruined the sport with their ignorance.
Like, could they not think in their fights? That's what makes the sport interesting. Not just brute strength and dependence on the special powers of the beys. Bladers should be doing their part of the battle, too, instead of relying solely on the strength of their beys.
Sometimes, people are so dumb.
"Oh! My! God! The artwork! The sculptures! The fascination of the beauty! Oh, it tugs my heartstrings! The sheer glory of aesthetic pieces! This is just too much for me to handle!"
Yeah, like that guy - … Wait. What?
"The grandeur! The prestige! The compositions! The craft! The expertise! The artisanship! Oh, my poor heart cannot take all this perfection! Some people are meant to be honored for their knowledge of true artistry and skill!"
Yuu stopped walking and narrowed his eyes. There was an oddball standing in front of some fancy, white building. The guy was practically dancing around the street, jumping from one see-through window to another, eyes sparkling with pure delight. The boy was surprised the young man had no shame in performing these actions...or perhaps he was not even aware of his embarrassing movements.
Though, it was not hard to tell who the person was. Anyone could recognize that unusual-shaped hair anywhere. It was Jack, one of the participants in the Beyblade World Championships that took place about a year and a half ago. Specifically, a member of Team Starbreaker, which represented the United States of America.
Well, he does slightly look better without that goofy makeup covering his whole face, Yuu thought as he observed the crazy male. He even changed his wardrobe, I think. Hm...he certainly looks more mature compared to how he looked during the tournament. Though, his behavior says otherwise... I didn't expect to see him again. But, then again, it's no surprise since I am in New York...
The boy shrugged to himself and sighed. "Guess I have to stop him before he makes a bigger fool of himself."
It was impossible for one to hear footsteps amidst the large congregation in the city, which is why the red-haired never heard anyone approaching him. He jumped in the air when he felt a sharp poke on his side.
"Who dare let his finger touch my beautiful body?" he shrieked in horror.
It was not until he heard a high-pitched chortling when he realized who it was. Jack turned around only to see the small boy laughing with his arms on his stomach.
"Wow! You looked really stupid just now!"
Jack flipped his hair and placed them crossed across his chest. He smirked, "Well, well. Look what we have here. A really short boy with no fashion sense."
"Hey! Don't call me that! And for your information, my sense is perfectly fine! Thank you very much, ugly and former make-up wearing psycho!"
"Aren't you a crude fellow?"
"Says the really girly she-male!"
"I'm fabulous!" The red-haired let out a humph and turned to the side. "Anyway, what's a shorty like you doing alone in this huge city such as New York? I recall you coming from Japan."
The shorter of the two rolled his eyes. "I have a name, you know. Tendo Yuu? Whatever. I got bored in Japan and decided to travel around. What's the big deal with that? Am I not supposed to come here or something? I think America is supposed to be a free country, so I should be able to do whatever I want!"
The teen raised an eyebrow. "Yes, yes... It's not like I'm telling you to leave. Mere curiosity just rattled my brain." He paused, glancing back up to the tall building. "So I assume you're here to sightsee, eh? I would like you to know you're in front of the most famous museums of all time!"
"Oh," Yuu replied in a deadpan voice. "Am I, really?"
"Why, certainly!" Jack raised both of his arms high into the air. "MOMA!"
Yuu blinked his eyes. "Uh... What's a MOMA?"
"What? You mean you never heard of MOMA?"
"Um... No?"
Jack gasped dramatically. "Why, it's a fabulous museum! It's perfect for an art fan like me! The Museum of Modern Art!"
"Psh. More like fanatic."
An anger mark was almost visible on the young man's face. "Bad-mannered, aren't you?"
The boy shrugged. "Hey, freedom of speech. I'm just being honest with you."
"Humph, and I was just about to offer you to accompany me in a phenomenal journey through wondrous works of art."
Yuu widened his eyes in mild surprise. He had not expected for his...enemy to ask him to hang out. (What relationship did they even have?) Going to museums was something that friends or family members did together. Hell, they were not friends or even acquaintances for that matter.
But it was not like he was going to lose anything if he did go with the crazy person. What was the harm done?
"If the offer is still up, I'll take it. It's not like I have anything better to do in a place I'm not too familiar with. Plus, I think it's smart to go with someone in a huge city like this."
The teen grinned. "Then let's get going, shall we?"
He saw the world in black and white. He had forgotten when that exactly began to happen, but it did. His view of society had gotten so low, ever since he realized that everything was dull. That was his favorite word right now. There was nothing interesting about seeing boring bladers who did the same crap again and again in each battle.
The impulsiveness was annoying, and stupid. If people just thought a little bit more the battle, maybe things would be more entertaining. But, no. No one was a genius like him.
Lame.
This is boring! With a capital B!
The pair was walking down the halls...extremely slowly. They were not getting anywhere, and most likely they would not finish seeing every piece of the museum by the end of the day at this rate. The red-haired teen kept on stopping by each artwork and commenting on the goodness of the details. The texture of sculptures, the skilled strokes of paintings, the flawless features of every damn composition...
And those were just five percent of his comments.
"Hey, Jackie, why do you like this stuff so much?"
"What a weird question to ask," the male stated. He smirked, closing his eyes to form a thoughtful look. "Art is composed of so many fascinating aspects. They take time to create and one always has to meticulously pay attention to their coarse of action. In this way, vigor is created. These 'stuff,' as you say, start off as nothing and become lifelike as a result!"
"Lively...huh?"
"Not only that. One can create art with reckless strokes! Even without thinking up of any procedure or tactic, art is born! It's truly mesmerizing if you think about how two different ideals can both end up with harmonious, elegant, exquisite pieces of art!"
"Hm... So what you're saying is that imperfect strokes yet planned strokes can both create a beautiful piece in the end?"
"Exactly that!"
The next coarse of action was astonishing for the fanatic. He suddenly saw the young boy's face darken and his eyes cloud with anger. Such an expression clearly did not belong on this youngster.
Yuu turned his heel, fists forming on both sides of his tiny body.
"Bullshit."
Jack would have never anticipated this particular word to roll off the blond's tongue. He was almost frightened by this change in the boy. He seemed so friendly and childish, nothing like how he was acting right now. But there was one thing that ticked him. The word.
"Art is no bullshit! I'll have you know that it takes much effort for all this to form into something grand! If you just take a look at the fine traits of each artwork, then you will fall in love with its radiance! Especially the colors that bring out vitality!"
The Libra-blader turned back to Jack and glared. "And I'll have to know that I don't see it."
"Wha-"
"I can't see them!" Yuu cried harshly, hot tears now strolling down his face. "I can't see the damn colors!"
He had grown colorblind. Ever since he viewed the world with monotony he could not see colors anymore.
Sure, it was physically impossible to see in black and white when his whole life he had seen every single thing in color. He never got into any accident or was born this way. Despite these facts, Yuu Tendo had become something who could not see pigments, shades, chromaticity, complexion, hues, tints... All those. It was depressing, but perhaps that was the punishment he was given for thinking negatively of the world.
It was not his fault. Everyone was dumb. There was just one ideal that should be followed: planning was the key to victory. Scrutinization was how one should win in battles, not just depending on the bey's brute force. There was no chance a dumb person could win against a genius.
Which was why he was upset by Jack's speech of the formation of artistic compositions. Reckless strokes can become perfection? Unbelievable! That was not art, then! That was fooling around! That is what everyone did while blading, too! It was all the damn same thing!
Yuu planned to run off, but his feet did not move no matter how much he tried to push them. He stood there, sobbing and wailing, having no intention of stopping. This was new. He never cried and never showed his real emotions. He was so good at that. Anyone could tell if they knew that he was pretending all that he was doing with the fake blading.
He was doing such a good job. So why did it finally break now?
Dammit! Why in front of Jackie, too?
"Hey," a voice said to the crying boy. Though Yuu could not see clearly because of his teary eyes, he knew it was Jack in front of him. "Hey, is it true about how you said you can't see colors?"
"Y-Yes," Yuu bitterly replied, hiccuping as he said his answer. "I...I can't see them. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet... I can't see them."
Jack let out a sigh, placing a hand on the younger's shoulder. "Look, I'm not good at placating or comforting. Basically, I'm not good at any of that sort... But I do want to stop your crying. You just look too...silly for it. It doesn't suit you."
The blond did not say anything and wiped his tears as best as he could. However, his sleeves were wet and it just added excess moisture to his face. This sucked so much. Here he was, causing a commotion in a museum and making himself look pathetic in front of the psycho.
Maybe I'm the psycho, instead...
He felt a thumb gently caressing the area under one of his eyes. Of course the finger belonged to Jack, but why was he doing this? Did he not just say he was bad at soothing?
"Appeasing me like this doesn't suit you, Jackie."
Jack scoffed. "Well, what do you expect me to do?"
"Just leave already!"
"I can't just leave someone who cannot see the loveliness of coloration."
"But I just told you I can't physically see them. You think you could change it by consoling me?"
"Of course not, but at least I could attempt to find out the cause."
His tears did eventually come to a halt. Yuu swallowed a lump and diverted his look to another direction, anywhere away from Jack. The boy could not bring himself to make eye contact with the other for whatever reason.
The blond breathed out heavily. "You want to know?" His words came out as whispers. "The way you were describing all that stuff about art, I applied it to blading."
The older blader blinked. "Blading... As in the sport."
Yuu closed his eyes, biting his lower lip. "Yeah. I'm a genius, okay? I know how to win battles. I can just win by analyzing the opponent's bey, seeing what it is capable of, and finding out the weakness in a short time. It isn't hard for me. But winning all the time would be too boring, so I tried to battle like how everyone else does. No matter how much I tried to enjoy myself, I just couldn't with the thought of how everyone battles using no thought during their matches irritating my mind.
"...People are dull, uninteresting, stupid, ignorant. Shouldn't one win by their capability – their thinking? I began to see everyone in monochrome because of that. They deserve to be seen that way! You may think I'm all normal, but I'm not! I hate people who can't think for themselves! Everyone, no matter who, has the potential to be a genius, but they choose not to! It's wasteful! Smarts make things interesting, not ignorance and stupidity! Their ideals are pathetic!"
He panted loudly, out of breath. There, he said it. He finally said the thing that bothered him for so long. It was odd to say this to someone he did not know too well, but it was Jack who said he wanted to know what the problem was. Now he was looking forward to the teen's reply.
Instead of saying anything, Jack reached into his trench coat pocket. He fumbled around until he had gotten a hold of what he was searching for, and Yuu was able to tell what it was: Jack's bey, Killer Beafowl. Why was he taking that metal top out?
"Do you know why I like my bey, shorty?" the male asked.
The lad chose to ignore the insult and shook his head.
"The colors express a profound beauty. My bey illuminates appealing colors of the rainbow. It's a marvelous bey fitting as a palette and fitting for someone like me. But that is all I do not wish to say. Are you confused so far?"
"I am never going to understand an artist's language..."
Jack let out a chuckle. "My point is that these colors bring out all sorts of emotions. They symbolize much depth. A genius like you should know that. This intensity can be found through beyblade, sentiments flying in frenzy all over the place. Joy, sorrow... Do you still think of these emotions that people express as dull, trivial, useless? They are all in the same category."
"I...I..."
"I can understand, now. Art and blading are two different sports with much in common. The fascination and aesthetic ardor... Thoughts are both needed for these activities, but one does not need those to be victorious. These games are played for entertainment, not for strategical thinking. Planning is not only needed for these diversions."
That was true. What the hell was he thinking the whole time? Ginga had mentioned this so many times: Blading was all about fun. It was all about the mutual emotions. Statistics did not matter. Why was he being a fool? He had begun beyblade to have fun, not to criticize.
Wait... What is this? I see... I see...!
"I see red."
"Red?"
"The color of your hair, it's red." Yuu paused, putting on a light smile. "It suits you, you know. Red is the color of passion, right? I forgot...how passionate the world can be."
Yeah... I've been looking too dully at everything that I forgot the very importance of beyblade and the bladers. Passion... It brings out the strong emotions through bey and blader. Those reckless attacks are always so full of confidence and vigor. Everything becomes lively that way... It's funny how it was Jack who reminded me of this, out of all people... Him and his fanboy self for art and its colors. Heh.
"You know," the boy gave a thumbs up, "you're a pretty chill guy."
Jack patted the younger boy's head. "Likewise, my friend."
"Oh yeah. I forgot to mention something."
"And what may that be?"
"I'm not a maniac like you."
"A maniac?"
"You know, maniacs are berserk, crazy, insane, frightening, dangerous, monstrous, inhuman, reckless, disturbing, and completely out of control!"
"How rude!"