A/N: I forced myself to write and this is what happened. It's really short. I need to go write something happy for once.
He had lost. He had promised Flame that he would win - and he lost.
Bohman was rattling on about the trap card effect that would bring his Life to zero, but Takeru couldn't focus on any of that right now. He had failed Flame - his partner - and he was going to die.
Worst of all, he would be leaving Yusaku and Revolver on their own. Lightning still had Kusanagi's brother and Bohman would have two more Ignis.
He wasn't strong enough. He couldn't beat Bohman and help save Link VRAINS. He had beaten Windy, but that had only led to his own downfall. And Flame-
Flame was gone. Even if Lightning and Bohman were defeated and the network would be restored, Takeru had a persistent fear that Flame may never come back.
There was a void in his chest, one that had formed when Flame died. This must have been what Spectre had felt when Earth was dissected by SOL Tech. He had used that emptiness - that pain - to continue his fight against Bohman, but now that he had lost, it was just there: empty, and eating him out from the inside.
He cursed as his own attack was reflected back at him, sending him flying back into the air. He was soaring, just like he dreamed as a child in a blank gray room, but it was all wrong. He was supposed to be soaring through the clouds, burning the skies and adrift in blazing glory, but he was plummeting like a bird with freshly-clipped wings.
As his body began to evaporate into data, he squeezed his eyes shut. This was the end. Yusaku and Revolver were humanity's only hope now.
And who knew how Yusaku was fairing at this point? His duel with Kusanagi left him anguished and Takeru's own defeat would leave its own mark on the hero. Yusaku would be bearing the weight of the entire network and the wishes of humanity on his shoulders.
Revolver was still alive, and he would help Yusaku. Takeru hated to admit it but Revolver was actually an ally. And distantly, Takeru wished he could accept Revolver's apology in person, but with his body already half gone, he doubted that was a possibility.
Takeru lifted his arm weakly and looked towards his Duel Disk. It was empty.
"Sorry, Flame," he whispered, despite having no one to hear it. Flame was gone. He was apologizing to thin air. Silently, he prayed that he would have a second chance to be with Flame - to meet in a better life. One without fighting and wars and hurt and with late night talks and train rides together and smiles.
His vision was blurring so he squinted at his empty Duel Disk once more, waiting for Flame to pop out of it with crossed arms and a stupid idea and a reassurance that everything was okay. And when the hope died in his chest, he swallowed his fear and sent up one last sentiment.
"Playmaker," he began, because of course, Yusaku had to have been watching, "I leave the rest... to you."
Bohman raised a golden hand, absorbing the trail of neon cherry blossoms into himself in a moment of collected triumph.
Soulburner. A good, honest human. But there was no place in his future for a sometimes phoenix.
A/N: Rip Takeru. You had a good run. (Send me asks/requests on Tumblr! My username is Zeiskyte.)