DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST A FAN-MADE STORY!
The two were slumped on the ground near each other, deeply asleep because they knew they were both safe.
Or so they thought...
At about 5 o' clock in the morning, Kendra's sleep was disturbed by the sound of scuffling. Suddenly, before she could open her eyes, a heavy kick landed in her stomach, snapping her awake.
"Ugh...!" she gasped, staring around her. She realised that she was surrounded by several men, each of whom sported clothes wearing the Dark Nebula logo, which she wasn't familiar with. She also caught sight of a tall man in a rich, navy blue suit with spiky brown hair, a single yellow strand of which fell between his spectacles.
But what got her attention the most was the sight of Tsubasa, being restrained by three of the men.
"So, you must be Kendra, correct?" the man in the suit said.
"What's it to you?" she spat, realising that he was probably the one responsible for hurting Tsubasa.
"Now now, where are your manners young lady?" he taunted with a smirk.
"Oh and I'm guessing you have any? I heard AND saw what you did to Tsubasa. No one lays a finger on him and gets away with it, understand? Now get your filthy hands off him!" she said angrily, pushing herself up.
"I'm surprised actually, that you managed to save him. But it is very annoying as well. You see, I don't like it when someone interferes with my plans," he said, grabbing a lock of Tsubasa's hair and playing with it.
"Not only did I save him, I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to him, and for sending out your little friends to lie to us. I haven't forgotten about that," said Kendra, glaring daggers at him as he grabbed Tsubasa's chin.
"Really? Well then, you probably won't forget about this either," he nodded at the man who had kicked Kendra while forcing Tsubasa to look at them.
Suddenly, the guy punched Kendra in the face and shoved her roughly down on the ground, her lip bleeding sickeningly into her open mouth.
"Kendra! Kendra!" Tsubasa fought madly against the men holding him, desperate to stop them from hurting her.
"How does it feel, Tsubasa, to helplessly watch your precious girlfriend getting beaten to a pulp while being unable to aid her?" Doji laughed cruelly as he thrived in the look of panic on Tsubasa's face.
Kendra tried to push herself up but the man grabbed a handful of her hair and hoisted her up, aiming a violent punch at her chest. The pain made her double over, Tsubasa's screams ringing in her ears. What could she do now? How would they get out of this one?
The man held her hair in his fist and made her watch while Doji took out a small silver lighter from his jacket pocket and flicked it on, smiling at the fiery gold ember that shot up and tossed about madly.
"What are you gonna do?" Kendra gasped, spitting out blood.
"You saved your darling last time, but this time things will be very different, Ken-Ken," Doji brought the lighter towards Tsubasa's face while he writhed in fear, his eyes squeezed shut.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a beyblade spinning so fast it was just a copper blur, slammed into Doji's hand, sending the lighter flying, it's flame dying in midair. At the same time, a man descended behind Doji, knocking him to the floor with a clean strike of his fist.
Kendra stared at the man, taking in every detail. He wore a long red coat over slim black clothes, and his face was concealed beneath a silver mask.
Where did he come from...and who is he? She wondered.
"Leave them alone, now," he ordered in a deep voice that sounded robotic beneath the mask.
"W-who the h-hell do you think you are?" Doji snarled, pushing himself up from the ground.
"Doesn't matter. I told you to leave them alone, and right now, if you know what's good for you," the man said.
Doji glared at the man, sizing him up. A particular look in his eyes told Kendra that he wasn't liking the look of things.
Listen to him, take your men and go, just leave! Kendra inwardly begged, staring intently at them.
"For now, we will retreat. But be warned, this won't be the last you've heard of us," Doji snarled before beckoning his men. They threw Kendra and Tsubasa onto the ground and followed after Doji, retreating into the darkness of the woods. Kendra sprang up immediately and ran over to Tsubasa, falling on her knees beside him.
"Tsubasa! Are you okay?" she asked, wrapping her arms around him.
"Y-yeah...I think so..." he sighed, leaning onto her.
"What about you Kendra, are you okay?" the man asked.
"I'm fine, I think...Hey, thanks for helping us out," she said, fingering her split lip.
"It was nothing. I'll never let the Dark Nebula hurt anyone of you again," he said, then reaching up, he clasped his mask and pulled it off with a click, revealing his face.
Kendra stared at the man who looked like an older version of Gingka. He had the same eyes, same hair, and same distinctive eyebrows. Were they related somehow? And who was he anyway?
"You, you look just like-" she started to say.
"-Gingka? Of course...he's my only son," he answered, his voice clear now that he wore no mask.
"Y-you're Gingka's dad? But I-I thought that...I thought he had told us that his father is dead..." said Kendra.
"It's a long story, and it's what he was left to believe. But soon, I'll rejoin him, I'll let him know I'm alive. But right now, I have to help you two get home," he said: "By the way, my name is Ryo Hagane."
"Nice to meet you, and thanks again," said Kendra, allowing him to examine Tsubasa.
"What did they do to him?" he asked, taking in his wounded body.
"They tortured him for information...And then they...tried to burn him alive," she finished with a murmur, knowing how painful it was for Tsubasa to remember the previous night.
"Typical of them...But don't worry, I'll carry him back home so he won't have to stress the wound on his leg," Ryo gently lifted Tsubasa into his arms and stood up: "Can you walk?" he asked Kendra.
"Yeah, I'm not too hurt," she answered.
And so, as the morning broke out, displaying the round sun across the heavens, the three made their way back home across the woods.
