Hitoshi could understand why Takao had been acting so sporadically as of late. He could sympathize too. But he found it hard to when there was an important tournament going on and because of Takao, they had lost the first round. All because he didn't have his team. Not just a team, but his team.
Considering that everyone on the Bladebreakers abandoned him – or at least, it sure felt like it – Takao had taken it pretty badly. They all had their own teams to go back to, just so they could have a chance at becoming the champion. But Takao… he didn't have a team without them. And he wasn't taking their leave very well.
He was going through mood swings, at one moment upbeat and talking about how they were gonna blow them out of the water and make them regret leaving him. But the next moment, he'd just run off without warning and mope about it all. He was really going hard on Daichi too, blaming him for any screw-up that might've happened during training. Takao was obviously furious.
Hitoshi didn't know what to do, and neither did Kyoujyuu. Daichi tried his best, but had cracked his tough shell quite a few times already in order to yell back, a shouting match ensuing every time. Everyone was tense. Not only did Max and Rei just up and leave, but Kai… He never even gave them any sign of warning. That was what bothered Takao the most.
They all had teams to go back to, and he'd barely scraped together a team, only being able to thanks to the BBA's qualification tournaments. But he and Daichi had a wavering strength of teamwork, winning easily, then losing pretty badly. Whether it was a victory or a loss, Takao still didn't want to have it with Daichi. He wanted to share the feeling, whichever it may have been, with one of his old teammates.
Unfortunately, they were no longer his teammates.
"It's not my fault…" He muttered to himself while they were all getting packed up to go to Italy for the second round of the tournament. "Not my fault…"
Instead of packing like everyone else had already finished, he was sitting on his bed in his hotel room, spinning Dragoon lightly in his hands. He gazed at it with unfocused eyes, thinking back to his battle with Rei and Lee. He'd lost control over his emotions and ended up losing, putting all the blame on Daichi, when he had nothing to do with his personal problems.
He lost his title because of it.
His head lowered, making his fringe shadow over his eyes. "Damnit!" He clenched Dragoon in his hand, feeling weak.
Takao slowly got up, hesitating slightly on his feet. Whenever he felt this way, all he'd do is start running. Instead, this time, he was glued to his spot. Running away was too much like Kai, and if that was the problem he was running from, then using the same reaction Kai would have would be running right back into the issue. He didn't want to run this time. Not if he wanted to show Kai what was coming to him.
His door opened suddenly, shocking Takao out of his reverie.
"Takao." It was Hitoshi.
"What do you want?" Takao's brow furrowed, as he sat back down on his bed, folding his arms defiantly.
"Are you done packing?" Hitoshi asked, looking about the room. Beside the drawers of the hotel room, there was a suitcase with clothes and whatnot thrown in at random. "You haven't." His voice was starting to sound irritated. "How much longer are you going to sulk in self-pity, Takao?"
He didn't respond, not trusting himself to give an acceptable answer.
"It better be soon, since none of us are going to take this any longer." Hitoshi informed him. "By the time we get to Italy, you'd better have snapped out of it, got that?"
Takao was looking directly at him now, glaring slightly – though the effect was lost on Hitoshi since he looked like he was torn up in pieces. "I'm not sulking, I'm thinking."
"About what?" Hitoshi challenged.
Takao lowered his gaze, becoming very interested by the floor. "How everyone has their own team to always go back to, and without them I have nothing." He paused, hesitating. "Everyone left me and I'm back where I started." He confessed, his hardened features softening. "And now I'm stuck with a pipsqueak I can barely get along with who thinks he's better than me and a genius who can work beyblading with computers, but relies solely on his theories."
"That's why I chose them, Takao. To be on the team, you have to have knowledge and a drive to get better. They both have those qualities." Hitoshi explained, brow furrowing. "But you're the only one on this team who can bring Daichi and Kyoujyuu together like that, because you already know you have the talent and skill. But you lost it, and that's why you failed. Don't think that just because you're a world champion that it means you're invincible. You're only as strong as your teammates, and they're losing hope fast with your negative attitude."
Takao couldn't think of anything to say to that, and sighed inwardly at his inability to keep it together when it mattered the most.
Finally, Takao spoke again. "Well I'm going to win the next round against Kai and beat him so badly he'll wish he never switched sides, and prove to Kyoujyuu and Daichi that they can still believe in me." Takao told him determinedly.
Hitoshi was doubtful of how confident Takao was of that happening, but didn't question his resolve – he knew that if he did, it would crack Tyson's tough shell all over again. "Alright, you better stick to your words and do that then." Hitoshi said. "But in the meantime, finish packing. We're leaving for the airport tomorrow and I don't want to miss our flight because of you."
Hitoshi turned and walked out, shutting the door loudly behind him, leaving Takao to himself again.
He stood up and crossed the room, heading towards his messy half-packed suitcase and the drawers, sifting through some of the clothes that weren't folded. Clutching Dragoon in his hand, he looked down and smiled sadly. "At least I have a team of my own now." He said to his beyblade, trying to convince himself. "At least I can say that I have one to go back to just like all of you."
Hehehehe... I've been going through a Beyblade obsession as of late, and just felt that I had to write it. I've been getting episode after episode of G-Revolution uploaded to my iPod, and just needed to write about it and this came out. Same with my other Takao/Kai friendship fic, Walking Away... just had to write something!!
As for my neglected stories... sorry about those, but I just can't write for something that I have a writer's block on. But these Beyblade fics are helping me get rid of that annoying pest called writer's block so maybe soon... ah oh well!
Hope you enjoyed this!