Thanks for sticking by so far. You have no idea how happy your reviews make me and how many times I stare at them a day.

resplandorrosa626: I'm trying to give those two a stronger bond than they had in the anime. I mean, sure they got along at the end, but the way they fought almost all the time kind of got to me. Yeah, the family feels is something I really wanted out of the series quite a lot as well. But since I didn't get as much as I want, I'll write as many stories about it as I can. I already have a few ideas with Hyoma and Chris and some others. I'm glad you enjoy this story so much. Thanks for the encouragement!

.paul: I'm glad you like it. Come to think of it, I did think something was up with the previous chapter but since I couldn't put my finger on it, I published it. Your review reminded me that I forgot to edit and add more material to it. I'm thinking of rewriting it, but maybe some other time. Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the compliments. They really lifted my mood up quite a lot. The show actually sidetracked the team (aside from Gingka) a bit, which was actually one of the things that motivate me to write this story. So, I'll be giving the characters some more traits while trying to keep them as IC as possible, but the second part could change depending on what I feel like or how many differences this AU will have. Your review wasn't that long, so no worries. Besides, I like long reviews. Reminds me that people actually read my stories.

Guest: Yeah, I've always hated Reiji for hurting Yu. Ever since I was a kid. Come to think of it, I actually used to think about ways to torture him back then too. Let's both go and hunt down our resident snake *grabs a pitchfork*.


The Stage is Set: Chapter 3: Participation

Yu narrowed his eyes into a glare at the ceiling as he stared up at it while laying on the bed. He gritted his teeth. It wasn't fair! How come everyone could battle in the World Championships but him? They had all battled in the first round so shouldn't he get a turn in the second round? How could his teammates be so remarkably stupid?! It wasn't f a i r! He was a part of the team too!

He huffed, pulling Libra out of his pocket. "We'll show them," he promised his partner. "We'll show them that we can handle ourselves." Libra gleamed in the light that shone on it through the window, as if to show him that there was always a ray of hope, exactly what his special move reminded him of.

"Our next opponents are the Russian team, Team Lovushka. So, how are we gonna do things for the second round?" Madoka asked as her gaze swept over the boys lounging in the hotel room, eyes hardening as if to warn them not to fight over it.

Although he was facing the blue eyes that seemed to have frozen into ice, Masamune grinned excitedly. "Easy. I'll wipe the floor with my opponent first and Tsubasa and Gingka can fight the rest."

Green eyes blinked for a few seconds before Yu let his argument known. "But that means I won't get a turn." Everyone turned to him, blinking as if they'd just noticed he was there. What was he, invisible or something? "It's not fair. I'm a part of the team too!" His voice rose with each word and Yu was aware that he sounded like a whiny child but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Surely, they acknowledged him as a member, right? Of course, they'd have to be stupid not to. Sure, he may have lost to Masamune in the selection round, but he wasn't weak. He had defeated Gingka once! That had to count for something, right?

Gingka gave him an uneasy smile. "Yeah, but if Masamune and Tsubasa win, it'll be two in a row and we can move on to the finals."

Yu suddenly became aware of something sharp in his hands and loosened his tight grip on Libra, sighing as he did. Gingka was being an idiot. It wasn't like he couldn't win too. Why couldn't they just have some faith in him?

"Yu?" he heard a familiar voice and immediately sat up as Tsubasa walked into their shared room.

Yu huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "What do you want?" Why couldn't he just leave him alone for a while? He didn't need a babysitter.

Tsubasa crossed his arms as well, raising an eyebrow as he did. "You've been here since morning." Something Yu couldn't pinpoint shifted in his golden eyes and the eight year old actually thought for a second that he was worried. Surely enough, Tsubasa asked, "Are you okay?"

The younger of the two rolled his eyes. As if he needed Tsubasa getting himself all worried about him. That was the problem with grown-ups. They always thought they had to look out for him when he could do fine on his own. "I can take care of myself."

Something in his expression shifted again and gone were all the signs of worry. Tsubasa shrugged and turned back to the door. "Fine by me." His tone was uncaring, but Yu had learned to pick up subtle gestures about him, like the fact that he was frowning the way he always did when he was worried and how his shoulders were tense just a tiny bit.

A small pang of guilt settled in his chest and his stomach twisted uncomfortably. Yu looked away for a second, hearing the sound of footsteps coming from the teen's direction. He hadn't meant to make him feel guilty. Maybe he should apologize... Wait, if Tsubasa wanted to help, he could help him train and prove it to the rest. After all, he had been entirely neutral in the argument, which was more than what he could say for the rest.

Besides, Tsubasa was one of the strongest bladers he knew. Not that he'd ever say that out loud.

"Hey, uh... Tsubasa?" The said teen stopped and turned to him with a triumphant look. He huffed silently to himself at the smug look. "Will you help me train?"

The only reply he received was surprised blinks and a, "What?"

Getting off of the bed, Yu ran up to him and leaned forward as if he was revealing something top secret as he said, "I want to prove that I can handle myself in the World Championships. So, will you?"

"I see." Tsubasa sighed, running a hand through his "perfectly fashionable" hair, as he put it, the same way he did when thinking hard about something. "I have a feeling I'll regret this later, but fine."

"Alright! I know just the place to do it too!"

"I regret it already."

"Shut up!"


Tsubasa's reaction was, for a lack of better words, boring. As his golden eyes swept over the barren desert near the town which reflected in eyes, he asked, "You want to train here?" He turned to Yu with a raised eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Of course," Yu said. Who wouldn't want to train in a desert? "So, time to get this started!" Yu ran ahead, stepping over the sand as fast as he could while calling to Tsubasa. "Hurry up, Tsubasa! I'll leave you behind at this rate!"

Even with how loud he was told he could be, Yu could hear the sand shift as Tsubasa followed, undoubtedly at a slower pace. The silver haired teen, meanwhile, was beginning to reconsider what he was inclined to call his worst decision ever.

And what the heck was with the temperature?!

Tsubasa froze when another thought hit him, time stopping for him momentarily as the ground seemed to move away from under his feet.

The hadn't brought any water to the desert.

It was official.

This was the last time he was ever going to agree to Yu's decision.


Tsubasa mentally thanked his lucky stars when they met Desert Blaze later that afternoon. The two had nearly passed out from dehydration, because apparently, training was much more important than their health.

He couldn't believe he let himself cave under Yu's puppy-dog eyes. Seriously, if his co-worker agents ever got to know about it, he'd be stripped of whatever dignity he had left. He could withstand the training it took to be a special agent, defy Doji and actually try to taunt Ryuga but couldn't force himself to look at those big, green...innocent...tearful...irresistible eyes? Just what kind of an agent was he?

On another note, the team had confessed that they were there to start training from the scratch after their defeat at the hands of Excalibur. To Tsubasa, all that mattered was the fact that they had the common sense to bring water when going to a freaking desert.

Emptying the bottle given to him to the last gulp, Yu spoke up. "Thanks." He wiped the remnants of the water from his mouth with his sleeve.

"Yeah, thanks," Tsubasa said. Let it not be said that Tsubasa was ungrateful.

"Don't mention it," Karte said, waving it off. Literally, with his hand.

"So," Gasur said, making the two turn to him. "You're working on a new special move?"

Yu nodded. "Uh-huh. Then they'll have to let me battle in the tournament."

Gasur made no comments but closed his eyes, an amused and somewhat nostalgic smile coming to his face "You know, you remind me a lot about my little brother."

"Brother?" Yu repeated, tilting his head.

The leader of Desert Blaze nodded slowly. Behind him, Tsubasa could see his teammates sharing concerned looks. "Yeah. He used to love battling more than anything."

"Used to?" Tsubasa asked.

"He died because of cancer a few years ago." Gasur's expression shifted to remorseful, as if it had somehow been his fault. Then, it was gone, replaced by a smile. "We'll help you with your training."

Yu's face lit up. "Really?"

"Sure." Behind him, his team nodded. "Since we can't face you guys now, we'll just have to help you face the guys who defeated us."


"Libra! Photon Ray!"

A light green pillar of light, like Inferno Blast, appeared from Libra, only that it was horizontal instead of vertical. As everyone covered their ears to keep then safe from the high pitched humming, it reached Striker faster than lightning and fried the bey before Masamune even had the chance to do something.

Training had taken almost the entire day. Yu had insisted on staying "a few more hours" even after Gasur and the others had left, forcing Tsubasa to agree with his kicked puppy-dog eyes.

Surely, they had to be a weapon of some sort.

It had gotten to the point where their teammates had had to come and look for them. As soon as they had been found, or found the three since Masamune and Gingka seemed to have gotten in another eating competition instead of looking for them, Yu had challenged the two of them. Never one to back from a challenge, Masamune had, true to his hotheaded nature, agreed.

Which lead to the dramatic revealing of Yu's new special move.

At Striker's still form came into view in front of a building - the two hadn't even waited to find a dish - Yu jumped and cheered. "Oh, yeah!" Tsubasa badly wanted to laugh at the others' dumbfounded looks. Hey, he couldn't help it. They were hilarious.

As his eyes wandered over to the celebrating Yu, pride swelled up in his chest. At that particular moment, Yu barely seemed like the crying kid who would come to find him in the middle of the night because of a nightmare about the Dark Nebula or his parents.

When he finally stopped bouncing around, Yu asked with a bright smile. "Now can I battle in the World Championships?" Even when he wasn't using those tearful wide eyes, Yu still managed to make Tsubasa want to nod along any of his request.

Just what had this kid done to him?

It was Madoka who spoke. "I...don't see any reason not to..." Disbelief laced her voice, as if she thought what she'd seen was just a dream.

Yu jumped and pumped his fist in the air. "Alright!"

Believe it or not, Tsubasa was inclined to call him a prodigy.

Not that he'd ever say it out loud.


Okay, so this one came from my frustration about the fact that Yu and Tsubasa never get any upgrades. As for Desert Blaze...well, those guys need some representation too, right?

Anyways, like last time, please point out any mistake you see or any OOC moment and I'll do my best to fix it. And if you do find something OOC, please explain why it seems like that too.

See ya next time!