Chapter 1 - Zyro's Battle
Overlooking the city, Gingka stood at the edge of one of the tallest buildings in Metal Bey, the wind gusting at his shaggy hair and his shredded scarf.
An ache in his chest merged from his heart as he remembered the words he had just said to Zyro, ones that would haunt and taint the young blader for the rest of his life and would never be able to escape; Gingka could never be direct with someone so innocent and carefree as Zyro was, for he had to keep it a secret from anyone anyway - he could have no one dare panic or know about his current state, it would be too risky.
He had felt his gut wrench when he had spoken those words to Zyro, his heart beating so hard against his chest he swore that it was visible through his skin.
Barely even hinting to Zyro was bad enough to make him want to pass out, but telling Madoka, Tsubasa, or Benkei would be an entirely different story. Supporting one elbow in the palm of his hand across his chest, Gingka placed a hand to his forehead with his eyes closely firmly shut, his head pounding so hard he felt like breaking down and crying on the spot. Yet to show weakness to it was something that he could absolutely not do, something that he would eternally refuse to do.
Silently did the Legendary Blader stand there in silent suffering, trying his best not to whimper as he waited for the pain in his head to pass.
Deep breaths, stay calm, don't move.
Deep breaths, stay calm, don't move.
Deep breaths, stay calm, don't give in...
Madoka looked out the window from the WBBA building, Tsubasa sitting at his desk as he observed the battle grounds to make sure everything was in place - the BTF would ultimately decide who would stand as Japan's representatives, whether it the WBBA or the ex-DNA bladers.
It was bound to a very close call, seeing as how powerful all of them were, especially Zyro, Sakyo, and Kira - that was undeniably going to a be sight to see. Golden-brown eyes turned to the brunette at the window, of who was visibly staring absently out upon the city before her while biting the skin around her thumb nail, the tip turning red as it began to go raw; clearly, she hadn't noticed.
"Madoka?" Tsubasa asked, "Are you okay?"
His voice seemed to snap the brunette out of her trance-like state, bringing her back to her senses and turning her light blue eyes to the Director of the WBBA.
"Oh, Tsubasa.." She acknowledged, "How long have you been there?" Tsubasa put on a confused look, worry flooding his veins like the air that swirled in his lungs. "I've been here the entire time, Madoka," He advised the Bey mechanic, "Is something wrong?"
Madoka didn't answer him at first, looking away and at the carpeted ground underneath her. Tsubasa was one of her best friends, and she knew it would do no good to lie to him - to try lying to him anyway; both him and Benkei could always tell if something as wrong, they had known each other for 9 years.
"I-it's nothing," She stuttered, "Don't worry about-"
"It's not nothing, Madoka." Tsubasa interrupted, standing up from his chair and facing the brunette. With a gentle stature, the Director wandered over to Madoka, putting both hands on either of her shoulders and looking her in the eye.
"Listen.." He began, "We've been friends for a long time.. And I think by now I can tell when you're lying. So I'll ask you again.."
Forlorn light blue eyes looked up to gaze into golden brown that reflected the redhead she loved, though without the same burning intensity she knew, "What's wrong?.." Those words seemed to make the break, the mechanic forcing down a choked sob and hiding her tears from the man in front of her.
"Its just.." She muttered out, "Gingka's back and.. He left so long ago without notice, I just.." Tsubasa understood at that moment, his eyes softening as he took one hand off of Madoka's shoulders.
"You're afraid of him leaving again, aren't you?" He asked, a gentleness in his eyes that was rarely shown. Madoka could only not frantically, tears welling in her eyes as she dared not let them fall and let the dam break.
Though the thought of Gingka leaving Metal Bey City behind once again terrified her and almost forced her to cry out waterfalls - whether figuratively or literally. He had left at least 5 years prior till now and they hadn't heard from him since then, no letters, no calls, no nothing; she had honestly thought that Gingka was never coming back, and after 5 years she had lost hope that he would - all she did was smile and think positively about his training from overseas, and how much more skilled he must be becoming at Beyblade.
Not that she may have ever seen how much his skills had improved over the years.
But she had been wrong when she saw Gingka from the camera on Maru's laptop, a glimmer of light re-sparking in her heart when she say those golden brown eyes and spiky red hair.. But when she saw the situation he was in, she knew that that all might be - very - short-lived. She finally had him back here again, back home where he belonged, with all of them - but she knew the redhead better than that.
Gingka never really stayed in one
place for too long, he traveled everywhere and always moved around - Metal Bey may have been the first home he ever really had since he left and abandoned Koma. Tsubasa gently pet her hair, the brown locks bouncing back into place once his hand left them, and then flattened again as his hand covered them.
He understood Madoka's feelings perfectly, knowing how much she cared for Gingka and wished for that adorable and clumsy dork to stay, to come back home and once more be with them all. And Tsubasa did try to look on the positive side of things.
"Madoka.." He said softly, "All that matters now is that he's back home.. With all of us. Where he belongs.."
Madoka wiped her tears from her eyes and looked up into golden-brown eyes that were all she had for the last 5 years, her own light blue orbs rimmed with droplets of salty tears that had yet to fall.
"He won't leave, Madoka.." Tsubasa insisted with as much of a positive demeanor as he could muster, knowing not if he believed it himself, "Don't worry." With a weak smile, Madoka wiped away the rest of her tears and stood tall and upright as she always did, her hands at her sides and slightly damp with wiping her eyes so much. Tsubasa was right, there was nothing to worry about.
How silly she must have looked!
Gingka was back home now, where he belonged with all of them - it was going to be fine. Wasn't it?
"Yeah, you're right, Tsubasa." A smile crossed handsome tanned features, before gently patting her on the shoulder before heading back to his desk where he sat back down and went back to observing the preparations for the first duel between Zyro and Yoshio.
Madoka looked at him before looking out the window with a bright look on her face towards the sky, a blue sky that reminded her of the day when they had defeated Nemesis for good. Her own words of 'you're right' echoed in her ears like the ocean through a conch shell.
"I hope..." She thought to herself and did not dare say aloud, so that she did not worry Tsubasa any further than he already was...
"Are you sure that's what he said, Zyro?" Shinobu asked as the 4 of them sat around the Fire Blader, telling them what had happened when he "ran into" Gingka down the hall.
"I'm positive that's what he said, Shinobu," Zyro answered, "And there was something really weird about the way he said it."
"Weird, like how?" Kite asked as he too moved to get involved on this conversation, of course joined by his baby brother.
"Well.." Zyro began, thinking for a moment in complete silence as he too asked himself that question. He did know that it felt weird when Gingka said that, but he himself didn't entirely know what kind of weird that 'weird' was. "Its almost like.." He continued, "It was some sort of warning or something.."
"But why a warning?" Ren asked in a concerned voice as she looked at Zyro with brown eyes filled with curiosity at this run in with the Legendary Blader. "I wish I knew, Ren.." Zyro answered in defeat of his own mind and with a sigh, "I wanted to ask him about it, but he took off before I had the chance too.."
Of course, that was half a lie, as Zyro had just wanted to desperately get out of that hallway before his claustrophobia made him go insane and crush him against the floor in silent suffering and succumb to weakness - of course he hadn't had time to ask Gingka what he had meant when he said that.
"Well, I think you have to figure it out on your own, Zyro.." Said Eight shyly as he looked up from his lap at the ginger-blacknette, "That's probably what he wanted in the first place."
A coated arm of Kite's slid around his brother and placed his palm on his shoulder, the young bluenette feeling warmth spread from there and throughout his much smaller body as his big brother held him with one arm.
"Yeah, maybe you're right." Zyro said thoughtfully with a dorky smile that nearly made the deep bluenette wanna giggle - as girly as that sounded. "I guess I'll just have to try and ask him." Zyro insisted, "I mean it can't be that serious, can it?"
"Hey, Zyro!" A familiar voice said from behind them in the doorway, all of them turning to see the small pink-haired girl with the laptop, of which they only knew as Maru. Her violet eyes glistened with light and excitement as she held her laptop snug under one arm.
"Your duel with Yoshio starts soon." She said with a smile, "I suggest you get going." Zyro smiled and nodded, "Right!" With excitement, the Fire Blader stood and made his way for the door.
"Zyro.." Zyro stopped in his tracks and looked back at Shinobu, who was looking at him intently with his green eyes glistening naturally against his tanned skin. "You better not lose." A smile crossed Zyro's lips before he gave his best friend one of those thumbs up of his.
"Hey, I'm not losing anytime soon, Shinobu!" He assured as that determined light shone in his eyes, before taking off from the room and down the hall, followed by Maru of who was opening her laptop as she hurried after him.
After the energetic teen left the room, Shinobu smiled and shook his head. "Always so sure of himself." He muttered, knowing fully well that someone like Zyro would undoubtedly win against Yoshio - he did it before...
From where they were, Tsubasa, Madoka, Benkei and Maru watched as the preparations for the first battle were finally completed, the audience cheering madly for it to start as Blader Gai appeared on the screen.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" He announced, "Welcome to the first battle of the Bridge To The Future Tournament!"
Cheers roared out madly through the crowd as the tension grew and some were literally jumping in their seats from excitement. It was wonderful thing to see, and it brought back memories for the 3, remembering all those tournaments and Bey Battles they had witnessed when they entered - they were always lead by Gingka at that time, with that loud and optimistic demeanor of his that never got old.
Madoka missed the presence of having Gingka at her side - he hadn't shown up and she knew that they couldn't wait for him under any circumstances; hopefully he was watching it from somewhere nearby. Only she didn't get why he wouldn't want to be there with them if he was.
"Hey Tsubasa.." Madoka spoke softly, looking at Tsubasa who stood beside Maru, "Where do you think Gingka would be?"
"I don't know, Madoka.." He said, "But we don't have time to worry about that right now. Right now, Zyro and Yoshio's battle is about to start." Madoka simply nodded and turned back to what was happening outside, listening to Blader Gai's announcing voice that sounded almost exactly she remembered; Blader Gai had been different back then of course. "Now, ladies and gentlemen! Put your hands together for the Champion himself: Zyro Kurogane!" Cheers roared through the crowd as Zyro came out in to the warm daylight of the Bey Stadium, a smile on his face as he was greeted by his loved fans who clapped and cheered at the Fire Blader as he walked over to the Cyclone Stadium.
"And former DNA Blader, Yoshio Iwayama!" Cheers once more split through the crowd as Yoshio entered from the dark hallway and out into the arena, joining Zyro at the Cyclone Bey Stadium and stood opposite him.
"Bladers, ready!" Zyro could feel the eyes of his friends on him, their voices cheering in the crowd as he readied his Bey upon his launcher in unison with Yoshio, holding them out in front of them.
"3!"
Everyone counted down the seconds, silence falling except for the chants while the duel was about to begin.
"2!"
Yoshio could feel the eyes of his fellow ex-DNA bladers behind him in the audience, master Kira probably with his arms crossed and that usual displeased expression which he always took on on his face.
"1!"
Both prepared to launch the ready, the jagged pieces of their launches digging into the skin of their hands; Zyro's blue eyes even thought he caught the flash of a white scarf flowing in the breeze.
"Let it rip!"
With all the strength and force of their spirits, Zyro and Yoshio launched their Beys into the Cyclone Stadium, cheers once more ripping through the crowd.
Most of his body covered by shadows, Gingka watched from the battle from nearby, witnessing as Zyro determinedly battled against Yoshio with fire in his eyes, Yoshio smashing back into him with the force of his Blader's Spirit that raged within both of them.
This is dearly what he loved to see.
2 bladers battling it out with all of the spirit they had, never giving up until the very end where the outcome would be determined. It warmed his very heart of which in his chest felt so cold. The pain in his chest caused Gingka to tear away from the duel as a hand went over it and gripped the clothes above it.
Perhaps he was right to not be with his friends at this time; Madoka would undoubtedly grow worried for him and push him to tell her the truth. He knew that she was - and may never be - ready for the truth. None of them were.
Maybe this was from what was happening to him - or maybe it was because he knew he had lied to the youth who he kept his eyes on in the 2's battle.
"Go, Ifraid!" He remembered those words from their first battle, the exact words that he said now has Ifraid and Golem clashed against each other in heated battle. Zyro looked up to him.
Gingka knew that he did.
Each time he looked at him he would see that light of admiration in his blue eyes, hoping that - one day - he could be just like his idle. Kids like that always had silly dreams of one day saving the world like their favorite heroes; only Zyro did save the world. He saved it from the DNA's control over the Beyblade World.
Gingka knew that Zyro wanted nothing more than to have the redhead be proud of him, a sense of approval in all he's done along with respect between one another. He hadn't said it.. But he already was proud of Zyro.
For seeing that bonds and friendships were more important than winning, that the connections you make with others are what really matters in the end. The simple fact that Zyro understood the way of his Blader's Spirit, was enough to make him more proud of him than he had ever been of anyone.
Not like he would ever get the chance to tell him that. Tears threatened to fall from his golden-brown eyes, but he refused to let them; there was no sense crying when it wouldn't make any of this any better.
Especially the fact that he would have to leave again...
"Go, Ifraid!" They all heard Zyro cry as the friends watched from the stands, Eight up on the first bar of the railing to see better with Kite right behind him to make sure he didn't fall.
"I hope Zyro can pull through on this one." The young bluenette said with hope, "Yoshio seems to be putting up a good fight." "Bandit Golem is a Defense Type.." Kite reflected while he adjusted his glasses upon his nose, "While Samurai Ifraid is an Attack Type. Offense and Defense are good together, but they come to a close call in battle."
Ren glanced over at the spiky-haired bruenette, her gloved hands on the railing as she cheered on the duel which they hoped was in Zyro's favor.
"What do you mean, Zyro's beaten Yoshio before." She inquired with interest, "If he's won before than he can win again."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." A familiar voice spoke, causing the 4 friends to look over and see Sakyo Kurayami walking towards them, closely followed by Takanosuke Shishiya.
"Sakyo?" Shinobu questioned, "What are you and Takanosuke doing here?" The Dragon blader grunted slightly, the part of his hair inevitably covering his eyes bouncing as he flicked his head slightly; almost as if to say 'I'm fabulous' - at least in Shinobu's head.
"Same as you!" Takanosuke said energetically with a smile, "We came to watch the tournament with our new teammates!"
Sakyo inertly sighed at the boy, and decided to speak.
"Zyro may have a good chance at winning," He said, "But that does not mean he doesn't have a chance at losing either." Red eyes made their way over to the heated battle of the Ifraid and Golem Bladers.
"Everyone has new strategies, and no doubt have grown even stronger." The 5 around him looked at the Dragon Blader in astonishment as he spoke, making sure to pay attention to his words as Sakyo was no one of the most patient of people.
"Though even I doubt that Zyro would lose to someone like Yoshio." He said, "Kira Hayama is the one most in Zyro's league. For Zyro to lose to him, would not be a surprise."
"But Zyro's not going to lose!" Ren protested, bringing her attention away from the battle.
"Zyro's got all of us by his side cheering him on, there's no way he can lose!" Sakyo gazed at her for a moment, an unintentional irritated light in those eyes, before looking back to the battle at hand.
"Now!" Zyro cried, drawing the attention of everyone. "Special move! Burning Uppercut!" A transparent spirit of an armored samurai appeared upon the field, its fists blazing with fire that could be felt from the stands; granted that it was just an illusion. Even with how many people had seen Zyro's special move, it amazed them every time.
"Come on, Zyro!" Sakyo heard Takanosuke exclaim, joining in the cheering crowd as Bandit Golem and Samurai Ifraid clashed fiercely with each other. The redhead watched the battle in silence, looking upon the spirits of Ifraid and Golem as they clashed with each other. Only from that did he spot the movement of what looked like fabric flowing in the breeze; torn fabric that looked like wings half-stripped of their beautiful white feathers.
A scarf, from the shadows of a nearby building where somewhere stood, watching the duel with shadowed eyes. Almost anyone could recognize that scarf; including Sakyo.
"Is that..?.." Sakyo thought to himself, before an explosion from the stadium drew his attention away from that, everything being blocked from their view as a huge cloud of dust arose from the Cyclone Bey Stadium, concealing the beys and the Bladers from sight.
Everyone fell silent in dreaded tension, no one daring to make a sound as the dust slowly cleared.
Eyes widened as they all saw Bandit Golem embedded into the outer crater of the Cyclone Bey Stadium, while Samurai Ifraid remained spinning in the center of the Stadium.
"I would say I don't believe it, but I totally do!" Blader Gai announced from overhead, "The winner is Zyro Kurogane!" A grin crossed Zyro's face as his Bey flew back into his hand, holding it up in triumph from his victory.
"Yeah!" Ren cheered as she nearly jumped up and down, "Way to go, Zyro!" Zyro glanced at them all and gave a thumbs up towards them.
"Nice going, Zyro!" Eight exclaimed cheerfully with both hands in the air, but making sure to support himself on the railing.
Madoka smiled softly at Zyro's victory, looking down at Maru as she cheered as well. "Yeah, way to go Zyro!" The young pinkette exclaimed happily, though holding her laptop firmly in one hand to not drop it. Madoka spotted a small smile on Tsubasa's face, apart from the huge grin that had made its way onto Benkei's, which was no surprise. "Looks like we'll be off to a good start.." The silverette said as they all gazed out upo Zyro's victory. Yoshio, however, had fallen to his knees in his defeat, feeling Kira's - not the mention the rest of the former DNA bladers' - eyes staring into his back in disapproval at his defeat.
He even felt it as Kira's eyes left him as he walked away to speak to him later, leaving the rest of the former DNA bladers there to mentally make him feel ashamed of himself. "Hey, Yoshio." A kind voice said from above him, drawing the much larger blader's attention to look up into the blue eyes of Zyro Kurogane.
A smile was placed upon his face as he instead looked upon him with astonishment and approval that his teammates didn't give him; at least, they didn't give him much of it. Surely they were disappointed, but they were still teammates, right?
"That was an awesome duel!" Zyro exclaimed as he smiled at the much larger blader, a light in his eyes as he watched Yoshio stand from on his knees. "You definitely deserved the win, Zyro Kurogane.." The green-haired blader said to the dual-haired one, "But one day me and my Golem will beat you."
That kind of talk of course never dampened Zyro's blader's spirit, and instead the ginger-ravenette ended his hand to Yoshio.
"And I can't wait when you do!" Zyro said with a fire that blazed with eyes that were clear as water, and - forgetting the teammates and leader that he had let down - Yoshio took Zyro's hand in his much larger one, being careful not to hurt it and watched as the Fire Blader ran off to join with his friends, save for the blond and the redhead.
Looking at them solemnly, Yoshio's gaze turned to Bandit Golem between his larger fingers. There was always something odd about Zyro Kurogane, that was something that could never be denied; maybe it was just the way that he dueled with such a passion it was frightening.
Or maybe it was the way he saw others through battles...
A soft smile crossed Gingka's face as he watched Zyro run up to his friends, who were gathered around him in excitement save for Sakyo who just stood there with his arms crossed as he watched Takanosuke fuss innocently over Zyro's victory. It wasn't one of his normal dorky smiles that he often sported for them all, but a softer one that shined through to his maturity over the years he had been gone. Or maybe it was what happened to him at..
No, it wasn't exactly the time to think about that now.
What he would focus on was watching Zyro and his friends soon become the Japan representatives once they beat the former DNA bladers.
That is, that is what many hoped would happen. But that hope only brought his situation to mind even more, torturing his very soul as he looked at Zyro and tried to see an innocent boy with the desire and blader's spirit to win; but when he looked at him, all he could see is what Zyro would turn into once he learned the truth of what he had meant about what he had told him earlier that day, and that look that he pictured burned his soul more than anything ever could.
Why - oh dear god why - had he ever gotten Zyro involved with all of this. He never regretted telling him to strive to be a great duelist, to follow his dream and surpass the Legendary Bladers with his friends by his side.
He didn't regret coming back to Metal Bey City and reminding Zyro of the importance of the Blader's Spirit that lead them on through any challenge whether thick or thin. He didn't regret ever being an inspiration to Zyro and giving him Samurai Ifraid, telling him to follow the path he wished to take to surpass him who had defeated Nemesis.
Even now has he looked upon the smile that crossed Zyro's face, he wished that innocence could stay there for just a little while longer before he knew the truth.
Before he put the pieces together with his friends and they were corrupted by what he had done.
All he wanted was for Zyro to remain the innocent child that he could still be for the time being. After all, it wasn't a role that he would have forever.
"Zyro.." The redhead whispered so softly it came out as a wisp of wind that disappeared into the breeze, "All I wish is that you would never change.."
And like the breeze that fluttered across the air, the Pegasus Blader disappeared to other whereabouts in the city, his words floating on the wind before they disappeared into meaningless nothings that wouldn't mean anything as they traveled through space and time. Gingka Hagane regretted few things in his life.
He was a carefree spirit who made his own path, yet allowed fate to tangle in with the mix as his guide with destiny.
Zyro had learned from the Legendary Blader, as had thousands across the world who had been reached by his spirit, growing and striving to make someone like him proud of them and create a path to the future.
Gingka Hagane regretted very few things. One of the few things he regretted was lying to his friends...
Madoka smiled as she watched Zyro excitedly celebrate his victory in one spot with his friends and teammates, the sight reminding her so much of Gingka and them when they were young, remembering how Gingka had fierce battles that often ended in explosion, Benkei cheering on Kyoya whenever he dueled in a booming voice, Masamune arguing with Gingka about who was the Number 1 blader ever, Kenta jumping on and celebrating excitedly with Yu like the small and innocent children they were.
Maru reminded her of herself, of how she observed every battle on her laptop and fixed their Beys whenever they took damage in battle - which had mostly been always, mind you!
Tsubasa had been the quiet one, but with that dark power awakening at the damnedest of times and had scared them all; but the silverette eventually got over it once all of it was over, that other side of him never returning; that, or laying dormant in his mind until the right time.
"I can't wait to study this new data from their Bey's, Chief!" Maru said happily, skimming over the data she had collected from the battle with her violet eyes before looking up. Madoka looked down at the pinkette and smiled, "Well, I suggest that you start gathering up what you can, Maru." The brunette advised, "There's no telling what you'll get from the next battle."
"Got it, Chief!"
And without any further words, Maru ran off to do her research on the battle that had just taken place.
Madoka looked out towards the sky above the stadium with a gentle look, remembering that Gingka wasn't by her side at this moment but that he had hopefully watched the battle from somewhere afar.
"Madoka.." Madoka's eyes widened when he heard his voice in a near whisper, glancing around the room and expecting to see him somewhere in there. But he wasn't. "Madoka?" The brunette looked over at Tsubasa, who was now looking at her with Benkei with a concerned look. "Are you alright?" The silverette asked out of his concern for his friend. Madoka looked at him with her turquoise eyes for a moment before she simply nodded with a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She answered. Tsubasa just nodded with an unconvinced look, putting a hand on her shoulder and walking with her and Benkei towards the door.
"Come on, we have things to do." Tsubasa said as they walked towards the door, Madoka glancing back over her shoulder.
She could have sworn she had heard someone say her name just then, but maybe it had just been Tsubasa when she had been caught up in her thoughts about Gingka.
"It was probably nothing.." She concluded in her thoughts and left the room with the 2 of her friends. Yet it wasn't nothing; it wasn't.