So getting back into the groove of Zexal with this drabble! But Arc-V has me hyped for the episode in two weeks :3

Anyways, enjoy!

Set a year after the Numbers War/Barian Emperors Invasion, making Yuma a 14-year-old and a second year student. By default, everyone else is a year older too.

Sadness

"Oi! Yuma!"

The young teen, who had been walking to school by himself that chilly morning (winter was coming for sure, he could feel it in his bones) as he was - once again - late (old habits died hard after all) and he thought that all of his friends were already attending their classes, but when he turned around, he found all the former Barian Emperors aside from Gilag (who had become a teacher's assistant) walking towards him with smiles on their faces, Alit (the one who called out to him) even waving as though he had too much sugar that morning.

"Guys... what?" Yuma looked confused. "How come you are all late too?" he stared at Durbe especially, the fourth year student was never late. It was one of the many reasons why his teachers loved him so much. Why would he break his habit?

"Nasch here figured you would be late." Misael spoke. "So we decided to be late with you this morning... well, all but Durbe. We sort of forced him..."

"Don't mind me." the silverhead looked flustred and worried, as though some teacher would jump out of the nearby bushes and scold him for being late, him a honors student. Vector patted his back a bit too hard with a wide grin on his face, causing the older teen to stumble a bit before regaining his bearings.

"Indeed, Yuma-kun." the redhead spoke, adjusting his bag over his second year uniform. "I'm used to it but Durbie-chan here..."

"Don't call me that either." said former knight muttered under his breath, causing everyone else to sweatdrop as Shark stepped forward, looking somewhat scary (well to anyone who wasn't Yuma, the other Emperors and their group of friends) in his third year student uniform, the familiar fang around his neck. Yuma remembered the first day of school and seeing him with it. Naturally, none of the teachers could say anything since he was attending classes regularly thanks to his younger twin sister, so they had just let it pass.

"Shall we go?" he questioned, the same smile on his face, now softened as he looked at one of the youngest in the group. Despite everything that happened and Yuma being older and supposendly wiser, he and Kaito were still quite protective of him and worried about him. And he knew that too, not that he talked about much of anything with either of them anymore. Over the last year, Yuma had grown very silent and he barely resembled the Yuma they used to know. That was why they had decided to go with him this morning. That and guilt. The horrible guilt that still ate them up a year later.

"Sure." the second year student forced himself to grin as Vector stepped forward and grabbed his arm, beginning to drag him towards the school like he used to before his betrayal. With Yuma's yelp, all the other remaining Emperors began to follow as well, the wind carrying Rio's cheerful laughter as she shouted at Vector to slow down a bit.

They knew that deep down, the young boy hadn't forgiven them. And if he did, he sure didn't forget. And that only made them feel guiltier. So guilty and yet...

... they would try to make up for it. In any way they can.

Hope you liked this drabble! So yeah, no romance. If you want to see some, be my guest though and be sure to tell me in your review which implications of romance you see in this particular drabble. I'm curious to know :)

Thanks for reading!