A/N: This is another periodic chapter, which aligns with the third chapter of this story. (In the third one, although not specified, Kyoya Tategami and Hikaru Hasama were eighteen and nineteen years old, respectively. In this chapter, the events take place a few weeks following the defeat of Nemesis, and the pair mentioned above are sixteen and seventeen years old, with Kyoya being the younger of the two.)

Disclaimer: All canon characters, material and content (c) Takafumi Adachi. (P.S. - I didn't realize that I had forgotten to add this in any of the previous chapters, so I apologize for not doing so. Going forward, each chapter will involve a brief disclaimer.)

Original content/material (c) KYL-T7

A pair of intelligent blue eyes stared at the paws before him. His own, he noted, as he could flex his claws with a mere thought. It's a dream, he determined, angling his head as his gaze travelled the length of his flank and his swaying tail. I'm in Leone's body. Kyoya rarely dreamt anymore, so when he did he knew that it was his bit-beast trying to tell him something. Slowly, he prowled forward, his paws trudging through the oasis undergrowth in search of water. As it turned out, a decent supply was located in mere moments, accompanied by a small waterfall just a few yards away. It was oddly … perfect.

When he crouched to lap at the water's edge, a soft yet sad melody filled the air causing him to freeze and look up. It was the strangest thing he had ever heard, dreaming or otherwise, as the song was beautiful but the words indiscernible. Like an ancient hymn, performed softly in a foreign language. Upon looking, he stilled though remaining in his crouched position. Bathing beneath the waterfall was Hikaru, her blue tresses falling just a little past her shoulders. She had not been there before, and a small orchid was resting behind her ear, her body covered by small cuts and bruises.

Healing wounds … he thought, or perhaps new ones.

She looked lifeless and distant from the world as streams of water slowly slid down her body. And, looking from atop a rocky ledge, blazing in the light of the desert sun were three large, slender black lizards. Their red, reptilian eyes were trained on Ryo's assistant, and although the creatures resembled nothing Kyoya had ever seen before he knew they were venomous.

When the monarch of the group opened its powerful jaws, the legendary blader watched as its fangs, coated with a sickly translucent substance, glinted in the dying sunlight, its tongue tasting the evening breeze. They were hunting and Kyoya knew without a doubt that the target was Hikaru. When he roared, telling her to get away, she turned as though noticing his presence for the first time. The look she gave him was devoid of life and even sadness. Empty surrender, he realized as she fixed him with a gentle smile.

It's too late, her soft voice whispered in his mind.

Without warning, the snake-like creatures slid down the rocky slope, surrounding her. She was pulled under without a fight and, before he knew what he was doing, he dived in, tail and paws thrashing furiously as he fought to reach her in time. As he got closer, a red substance blossomed in the water, tinging his fur with blood. And floating on the surface, as though mocking his effort to save her, was the tiny flower. Hikaru.

Why did it have to be her? Anyone! Anyone else but h –

Pulled from the dream, Kyoya sat up straight, cold rivulets of sweat rolling down the back of his neck. Looking over to his nightstand, he saw that it was 3:48A.M. and nearly swore because of it. Falling back limply onto the small mass of pillows and sheets, he trained his gaze on the ceiling, waiting until sleep drew him under her dark wing once more.

Several days prior, Madoka had announced that the WBBA was planning a gathering – a party, of sorts – for the legendary bladers and their allies. Then, at the end of the month, a gala would be held so that world leaders, political activists, celebrities and many others could meet the young individuals who had fought to protect the Earth, itself. Kyoya had no intention to attend, of course, which was why he had agreed to the smaller event which would take place in a few hours.

†††

Producing a low huff from the back of his throat, Kyoya pushed his way past the set of double doors, his sapphire eyes scanning the room. The international teams, with a few exceptions, had made an appearance: Lovushka, Desert Blaze, Excalibur, Dungeon and a few others. They all appeared to be having a good time, conversing and dancing to some sort of synth-pop song. He hated it already, even more so when he realized that Benkei had spotted him. May God have mercy on my soul …

"B-b-b-b-b-b-bull! Kyoya, old buddy, you made it!" The self-proclaimed Masked Bull shouted, announcing his arrival.

Offering a slight nod of his head, the Legendary Blader of Spring watched as Nile and Demure came into view, each brandishing a roguish smile.

"So … this is what Japan's like," the Egyptian chuckled. "Hard to imagine you as a city guy, Tategami."

Kyoya grunted softly; if Nile thought this city was his home, he was sadly mistaken. Unlike Benkei, Kenta, and Madoka, the Leone wielder had been born in the former capital of Japan: Kyoto. To his mother, it had been the most beautiful place in the world, and so she had affectionately named him after the city of his birth. Pulled from his thoughts, Kyoya raised his head when he heard Madoka's voice. Apparently, a barbecue was being hosted on the terrace, and without any warning Benkei perked up like a lovestruck puppy.

"Say no more, Madoka!" He crowed, moving faster than Kyoya or anyone else would've thought possible.

"Should we go after him?" Demure asked.

"Only if you want to get something before the food disappears," Kyoya muttered, and with Benkei, Gingka and Masamune in one place he suspected that would be within the time span of five minutes or less.

Heading out onto the terrace, the rest of the teams were greeted by a long table of food, and a few oddly arranged pedestals with vases of freshly picked flowers. Probably courtesy of Madoka, he guessed. While most of the international teams kept to themselves, there were a few that chose to dine together. That was probably why Masamune had stuck with Team Dungeon as opposed to GanGan Galaxy who was eating alongside Wang Hu Zhong … and that irritating Chinese playboy, Chao Xin, who seemed to be strangely quiet and spacing out. From what little Kyoya knew of him, the self-absorbed brat never missed an opportunity to "flatter" the mechanic, so what on Earth had him so occupied?

"Hello, everyone! Nice to see you all," an enthusiastic voice echoed, hinting at the Director's arrival. Nothing out of the ordinary, Kyoya noted until he heard the soft click of heels. A moment later, Hikaru emerged from the shadows of the adjacent office. Instead of her normal navy blazer and short pencil skirt, she was wearing a white romper with laced sleeves, and a pair of white stilettos which accentuated her long, toned legs. "I hope everyone's enjoying themselves!"

"I am now," Chao Xin purred, briefly looking at his reflection in a pitcher of water. Rising from his seat, he straightened his jacket and headed for Ryo's assistant.

"Should we step in," Nile asked, easily seeing how this could go south.

Although irritated, Kyoya merely shook his head. "Watch and learn."

Doing as his former teammate instructed, Nile watched as Chao Xin swaggered toward the Ice Queen, or at least that was what Masamune had called her from the sidelines, getting far too close for comfort. Nile couldn't catch most of what was said, but he got the impression that the Chinese player had used a sleazy pick-up line. One which had failed, he noted as Hikaru looked neither flattered nor impressed. A moment later, her eyes grew cold as she took a step closer to the Chinese youth and whispered something which caused him to turn white as a sheet of paper, as she gripped the edge of his jacket and dropped him with a swift punch to the gut. Landing on the ground in a heap of limbs, uttering no more than a feeble squeak, Chao Xin curled into a foetal position, causing a dark chuckle to rumble in Kyoya's chest. Never one to shy away from impulse, Nile crossed the terrace and loomed over the Chinese male.

"From afar, it's hard to tell what hurts more … Your pride or your liver," the Egyptian muttered, feigning innocence.

Chao Xin hissed something in response, probably an expletive, but he was in too much pain for his words to be discernible.

Practically skipping back to his former teammates, Nile erupted with laughter. "I don't know who that girl was, but if she blades anything like she fights she must be a force to be reckoned with."

"Hikaru …"

"What?"

"Her name," Kyoya clarified.

Realizing that it took a lot to gain any recognition from his former captain, Nile paused, allowing his gaze to wander until it settled on the mysterious Hikaru once more. "So is she a good blader?"

"She collected fifty thousand points not long after I did, and she was the only female who qualified for Battle Bladers."

"Points?" Demure spoke up, earning a strange look from Kyoya until realization sunk in. He frowned for a moment, recalling that – apart from Benkei – none of his former teammates had a counter. They probably never had any use for one, not in Africa, at least.

"Bey points," the Leone wielder explained, "equate to fiat money. They only have value in institutions designed for bladers."

"I see," Nile began, "so … you earn points by entering into tournaments?"

"Sometimes, but they can be won outside of them as well. A victory as a result of a sleep-out will earn a single point; a stadium-out will get two points."

Nile froze. "And … you said she obtained fifty thousand? She's … impressive; but, if she really is as good as you say, why didn't she compete in the World Championships? No offense to our rotund friend over there," he nodded toward Benkei who was currently trying to scarf down a shish kebab … or three, "but could you imagine what Wild Fang would've been like if you had convinced her to join?"

"I cannot," Kyoya muttered. In all truth and honesty, he didn't believe that he – never mind anyone else – could convince Hikaru to do anything. That, and she had never bothered to explain why she had surrendered the opportunity to compete. He had always assumed it was so she could focus on her studies, or job as the Director's assistant. Besides, even if she had competed – and there was no doubt in his mind that she could've won – she would have chosen GanGan Galaxy. Wild Fang hadn't been formed at the time, and he doubted that she would have followed him simply for the sake of companionship.

"Well, I'd like to meet her."

This time it was Demure who took the opportunity to speak. "Why?"

Nile produced the flattest look possible, his eyes losing their natural emerald lustre. "Have you been paying attention? Beauty, drive and power – what's not to like? I don't know about you, but I have every intention of introducing myself to her. Who knows, perhaps one thing will lead to another and I'll have a date by the end of the night."

"You seriously want to end up like that dribbling idiot," Kyoya grunted while jabbing a thumb towards Chao Xin.

"Unlike that scoundrel, I have class and actually know how to please a woman."

The look that crossed his teammates' faces was priceless – an uncomfortable mixture of disgust and barely contained laughter.

"I knew you were strange from the beginning, but I didn't think you had suicidal tendencies."

Nile merely rolled his eyes in response. "Just watch me and weep," he quipped while smoothing out his jacket.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Kyoya did just that as Nile approached Ryo's assistant. At first, the conversation appeared to be light and on equal ends pleasant; Nile was the perfect gentleman, making use of mildly flirtatious comments, and Hikaru didn't look like she would attack any time soon. But when the Egyptian made his true intentions known, it was as though a wall had formed around Hikaru, encasing her in a block of ice. Her eyes darkened, though her face remained neutral as she excused herself from the conversation and headed to where Ryo was laughing and exchanging mild banter with Kenta and Benkei.

"So … how'd it go?" Kyoya practically snickered.

"Believe it or not, I actually didn't get around to asking for a date."

"What pissed her off, then?"

"I asked if we could battle later and she completely shut me down."

"Maybe she doesn't consider you to be a challenge," Kyoya said, his dark voice nearing a condescending purr.

"I bet you'd get the same reaction from the Ice Queen." Nile taunted, coining the nickname Masamune had used.

"Unlikely," he replied. "Prior to Battle Bladers, she nearly gave me a run for my money, so to speak, if only we hadn't been interrupted by three trespassers."

"So she almost defeated you?" He asked in disbelief. While Nile knew that he was a good blader, although not one to brag, he also knew that Kyoya was at least five times as fierce and had enough endurance to back him up in the heat of battle. If Hikaru was anything like what his former captain said, she was arguably just as dangerous, if not more so …

"Yes; however, when we last fought, I emerged as the victor."

"How long ago was that?" He pressed; if it was recent, perhaps Kyoya was starting to lose his edge.

Kyoya frowned, it couldn't have been long after Battle Bladers had commenced. He recalled that Benkei had been fighting against Tsubasa, while Kenta had been facing off against those ridiculous Dark Nebula twins. Upon hearing this, Nile's vulpine smirk grew.

"Maybe you should challenge her to a battle," he began slowly. "I mean, her skills could've improved with time while yours could've–"

"Forming that sentence was a mistake, and if you comment on my prowess as a blader it will be your last." Kyoya growled, remaining rooted in place.

"Okay, okay … fine. But you really should; maybe its time that a queen sat upon the throne … even if she is a little frigid."

Kyoya's frown deepened. He admitted that it had been a while since he had battled such a talented blader, and Hikaru was a challenge … An interesting one at that, but if she had turned down Nile's offer, he wasn't certain that she would accept his.

Taking a sharp breath through his nose, he slowly approached her, watching as her eyes raked over his form with indifference …

Just like the day we met … It had been during the Survival Battle, and he had heard a small commotion in the woods. He had entered a clearing, next to a burbling stream and crouched next to it had been Hikaru. She had looked familiar, but he had been unable to place it at the time. In retrospect, he realized that she had been there when he had used the Wild Wind Fang Dance against Gingka for the first time.

In the woods, though, her slender fingers had been in the water – perhaps inspecting it – but upon seeing him she had slowly risen to her feet, crossing the stream with an elegant bound. Her engineer boots had hardly disturbed the Earth as she landed several yards away from him. She had assessed him with indifference, while he had folded his arms and closed his eyes with a cocky smirk on his face. He had taunted her, saying that she should be an amusing opponent, and she had told him that they would see just who would be laughing when she beat him. He had nearly laughed outright at such audacity, but fury had rolled through his blood with a fiery passion.

Not that different from now, he realized uncomfortably, though fury was not the source of it.

"Hikaru," he began, offering a slight nod of his head.

"Kyoya …" she replied, her tone somewhat pleasant but neutral as always; professional, he realized as she was waiting for him to continue.

"Let's battle."

She frowned, and for a moment Kyoya suspected that she would decline, treating him no differently than Nile but what she said next surprised him.

"Why?"

"What," he nearly choked, never having been asked a question like that before concerning a battle.

"You vowed to defeat the legendary bladers before challenging Gingka," she clarified. "I'm not one of them."

"I need a reason to battle with you?"

Hikaru sighed softly and conceded to give him one battle. Going to the edge of the terrace, she opened the small clutch purse she had been carrying, producing her karabiner launcher and Aquario. Clicking her bey into place, she took her position at the edge of the rooftop stadium, with Kyoya mirroring her stance.

"Hey, everyone!" Yu shrieked with excitement. "Yo-Yo and Hippity-Hop are gonna battle!"

†††

Looking with cautious eyes, Hikaru watched as Leone and Aquario landed in the stadium simultaneously. They almost looked as though they were dancing, twirling and weaving almost seductively alongside one another, but Hikaru knew better. Leone was circling her. In her mind, she could hear the soft scratch of his unsheathed claws, and to everyone else she appeared to be calm and collected. No one realized that she was petrified, willing and struggling to calm her racing heart. Now, it felt like there was an empty space between her chest and stomach, and she suddenly wasn't so sure that it had been a good idea to go along with the commencement of this battle.

When she saw a glint in Kyoya's sapphire eyes, hinting that he was ready to attack, she made Aquario vanish at the last possible moment. This earned her a growl from across the stadium and an exclamation of surprise from the former members of Team Wild Fang and everyone else who had chosen to watch.

"Kyoya, you never mentioned that her bey could disappear!"

"Kind of busy, Nile," the Legendary Blader of Spring snarled, his eyes searching the stadium for Aquario … which, at the moment, seemed impossible. If Demure couldn't find the water bearer by now, he didn't think he'd have much luck either. Pausing to think, he allowed his mind to travel back by about three years before a wicked smirk curved on his face. If he couldn't see Aquario, then he'd just have to shatter her illusion … "Lion Gale Force Wall!"

Kyoya grinned, watching as Leone swept through the stadium, his claws slashing and tearing down everything in his path in search of his prey. As for Hikaru, she steeled her resolve and literally dug her heels in to prevent her from sliding back any further. She was nervous, she could admit that, but she had faced much worse before. Even from Kyoya.

When the wind finally relented, however, the Leone wielder's eyes were furious – Aquario was still nowhere to be seen.

"Where are you hiding," he growled, for he could still hear the water-attributed blade even if he couldn't see it.

Even Chao Xin began to search for the blade, commenting that it was an ingenious move to conceal it.

Hikaru permitted a small smile. In his haste to find Aquario, Kyoya had actually swept it up into the air. He just didn't realize it yet, but he would soon enough … In three, two, one …

"What the hell," he roared as Aquario's storm fusion wheel sliced into his energy ring from above, momentarily giving her position away.

Bouncing back into the stadium, both beys appeared to have lost some momentum already, but Hikaru had to admit that the battle wasn't half bad. If anything, it felt strangely good, like flexing and stretching old muscles that had been locked up for some time.

Maybe … maybe it's okay to battle again, she thought inwardly, her smile deepening a little while Kyoya's eyes darkened. He had suspected that she would put up a fight, but he had never expected to lose this much rotation speed before establishing what he and Leone could really do.

"Bahahaha," Yu shrieked with delight. "Yo-Yo's getting his butt kicked!"

"Oh, yeah!?" He grunted, his eyes narrowing into slits, "King Lion Tearing Blast!"

"Infinite Assault!" Hikaru countered, throwing Kyoya off his game once again as steam practically rose from his head. No one was entirely certain why Kyoya was having such a hard time concentrating, but it worked well in Hikaru's favour.

That's it, Kyoya snarled inwardly. Time to stop playing with her, Leone.

"Special move: King Lion Crushing Fang!"

This time when the tornado arose, Hikaru had no time to counter his attack. It was the strongest one she had ever seen before. A move she was witnessing for the first time as she watched Kyoya's eyes waver between blue and furious red. Just like Tsubasa. Just like Ryuga. He was angry, and she had no idea why he was taking it out on her as she struggled to keep her footing.

There's no time to protect Aquario, she realized, remembering that bladers could feel what their bit-beasts felt. And right now, it felt like a million knives were piercing her body. She was struggling to breathe and felt herself becoming lightheaded as Aquario was swallowed up by the tornado – perhaps twenty feet in the air – before Leone struck out and sent it flying.

At that moment, she finally lost her footing and was sent wheeling back.

When the wind and dust cleared, everyone knew that Kyoya had won – just like last time, Aquario had managed to land a few yards behind him.

Did you see that, Nile? And to think you had the nerve to insult my–

Kyoya's inner monologue stopped short when he realized that no one was cheering or even telling Hikaru that she would have better luck next time. Instead, most of them had rushed by, worry etched onto their faces.

Oh, no …

In the heat of their battle, Hikaru had been sent flying, and had it not been for a strangely placed pedestal and the thin railing she could've gone over the side of the building. If her trajectory had been off by a few more inches, she would've been nothing more than a bloody stain on the sidewalk below.

Pushing past everyone, Kyoya felt his heart stop when he saw his unintended handiwork. Hikaru was lying at his feet, as still and as frail as a leaf – as though a single, careless touch would crumple her. The pedestal next to her had fallen, the pink petals slowly descending to the ground, some drawn to her hair and body while others were drawn to the spilt water … now tinged red. Blinking, Kyoya now realized that a glass shard from the broken vase was embedded in the palm of Hikaru's right hand …

Her eyes were sad, as though she had lost something dear to her heart, and with caution she used her other hand to support herself as she rose to her feet. Carefully, she removed the glass which had now been stained red and began to move wordlessly. Everyone moved out of her way as she went to retrieve Aquario.

As she went to leave, a guttural baritone called out and she stilled, waiting to see what he could possibly want now.

"Wait, Hikaru!" Kyoya yelled, racing to catch up with her with a few people in tow, including the Director. "Hikaru, I swear to God I never meant to–"

She immediately cut him off by placing her left hand against his face, framing it with her slender fingers. (In that moment, everyone looked nervous. Kyoya never permitted anyone to touch his face or come within the general vicinity of his scars. Not that anyone had ever dared to, but it was an unofficial generally accepted rule held by the entire group.)

"It's not your fault," she whispered, implying that it was someone else's before pulling away and leaving Kyoya cold. Now he was the one who felt as though he had lost something, watching with muted pain he couldn't describe as Hikaru turned around the corner and vanished. Just like Aquario.

†††

When Hikaru left, Ryo could immediately tell how everyone felt, and as such he thought it was right to tell them why Hikaru had reacted the way she had. He told them of the final matches and last minute changes of Battle Bladers. He told them of how Blader DJ had ordered everyone to evacuate the stands and arena when things got too violent, following the match between Reiji and Hyoma.

How everyone had ran away, fleeing for their very lives as Ryuga's dark move had been unleashed. The Dragon Emperor Soaring Bite Strike. The one person who hadn't been able to get away was Hikaru. The cameras had kept rolling, even while the bystanders fled. A burst of light, like a concentrated ray of lightning had shot out from the stadium, rushing up at the wielder of Aquario. It had torn the seats apart, ripped through concrete and shattered the bases of nearby skyscrapers belonging to the Dark Nebula. It had been horrific, and, by some miracle, Hikaru had managed to survive.

Gingka shuddered at the memory.

"I remember … When he was laughing," Gingka whispered, still unsure what to say since it had been L-Drago controlling Ryuga, and since said blader had vanished since doing his part to create Flash Sagittario. "… when I turned Hikaru over, her shirt turned red and her stomach was bleeding …"

Ryo nodded. "The WBBA's medical team managed to heal her a little, so she could congratulate you when you won, but she was probably in pain the entire time. However, her troubles don't start or end there, I'm afraid. You see, Hikaru was diagnosed with PTSD – unpleasant things, memories, thoughts and sounds are enough to trigger it. They also discovered some other unpleasant things, but I won't go into detail about that …"

"What unpleasant things," Kyoya said quietly, his voice sounding distant and unlike him.

"… Are you absolutely sure you want to know? It's … personal and not something that should easily be repeated."

"Not a word," Kyoya promised, his fingers crossed behind his back where no one could see. If the occasion called for it, he had every intention of bringing it up … depending on what was shared with him.

Sighing softly, Ryo explained that the physicians had reported to him, considering his position in the WBBA and the fact that Hikaru seemed to have no one else … "Gingka is somewhat … correct when he says that Hikaru's stomach was bleeding. The doctors determined that she sustained external and internal injuries as a result of her battle against Ryuga … It was heavily implied that she may never be able to have children of her own."

"That's horrible," Sophie and Madoka murmured, each casting a glance at two particular boys: Wales and Gingka.

"It is," Ryo agreed, "but there's more … With the exception of the international teams, most of you realize that Hikaru's mission was to fulfill her mother's dream …"

"I heard about that," Benkei admitted.

"Yes; she wanted to fulfill her mother's dying wish," Ryo murmured, causing Kyoya's eyes to widen. "You see, Hikaru's mother died as the result of a strange disease – lymphangioleiomyomatosis, or LAM for short. All we know is that it struck quickly, and the paperwork indicates that it ended her life when she was only thirty-three years old … And … unfortunately, this version is hereditary."

"What?" Kyoya nearly choked, hoping he hadn't heard right.

"It isn't necessarily successive, but there is a high possibility that Hikaru could test positive for the illness. You see, LAM only targets females, most of whom are diagnosed between twenty and forty years old and there is no cure for it. The physicians who I spoke with advised her to stop blading, so the disease doesn't run its course … prematurely, but ultimately it was Hikaru's decision to quit."

Kyoya quickly did the math, feeling his blood run cold. Hikaru was seventeen years old – only slightly older than him. "She only has thirteen years left …"

"That's what they think, anyway …"

Kyoya couldn't fathom what that was like for Hikaru … Waking up, watching every sunrise and sunset, knowing that you were a day closer to your last. Knowing that the date had been predetermined – set in black and white on a medical sheet. She'd probably never be able to purchase her first house. Never be able to build a life with …

Stop it.

Allowing his eyes to wander, he realized that Hikaru had left behind her launcher and purse. Carefully gathering both, he turned to face Ryo.

"Do you know where she went?"

"Probably walked home … She usually leaves around six o'clock anyway."

Kyoya paused; he knew Hikaru was tough – perfectly capable of looking after herself – but he also knew that the streets could be a rough place. Especially at night. But once he had acquired the scars and his status as the leader of the Face Hunters, things had changed … It was like people couldn't get out of his way fast enough. But Hikaru was different. People were drawn to her … Her confidence. Her power. Her looks. Her reputation as the world's strongest female blader. People noticed her – she was a walking target.

And if enough people noticed her … things could get ugly.

"Where does she live?"

Ryo gave him the address, but also told him that Hikaru could just as easily pick up her belongings tomorrow. But by the time he had finished speaking, Kyoya had already left.

†††

In the comfort of her small apartment, Hikaru took a warm shower and switched into a tank top and a pair of fluffy pants, almost ready to call it a day when a knock sounded at her door. Unlocking it, though leaving the chain in place, she peered outside and was confronted by a dishevelled Kyoya. His hair was a little wilder than usual and his eyes told her he had a lot on his mind.

"Hey," she murmured, sliding the chain aside so they could properly see one another.

"Hey."

"Is there something I can help you with?"

Reaching inside his jacket, Kyoya produced her purse. "You left it behind with your launcher."

Blinking, Hikaru accepted the items, her right hand now bandaged from earlier.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What do you mean," she pressed, stepping back so he could enter the apartment, closing the door behind himself.

"You stopped blading … and you never once said anything about it – before or after choosing to accept my offer to battle."

Hikaru's eyes narrowed – despite what Kyoya thought, that wasn't an offer. "I don't see how it's any of your business."

"You could've had a panic attack or worse …"

As soon as the words escaped his lips, Kyoya wished he could've taken them back but it was too late. Hikaru now knew that he was no longer in the dark.

"… It was my decision, Kyoya; contrary to what most people think, I don't need your approval or anyone else's prior to making a choice. If I want to quit, I'll do it on my terms. If I want to battle for the sake of battling again, that's my choice as well." She replied, her tone just as professional as it was at the WBBA.

For once, Kyoya was involuntarily speechless until Hikaru saw something waver in his eyes.

"Even so … you could've told me. I wouldn't have pressed the issue."

"Are you being serious?" Now the Leone wielder looked downright confused. "From what I've heard and seen, you're not exactly the type of guy who likes having friends or generally being considerate of others. You may be in denial about it, but I think you know that Benkei is the closest thing you have as a friend and I've seen how you interact with him. You barely tolerate his presence, never mind anyone else's. We're acquaintances – not friends, so why would I impose my troubles on you?"

If Kyoya had been gearing up to say anything before, it had just been destroyed. Soundly. For the first time in his life, he wished that he could say she was wrong – that he did possess good qualities and had what it took to be a friend. But he knew she was right: when he and Gingka had fought after his return from Wolf Canyon, the younger male had asked him about his maltreatment of Benkei – he had sneered at the thought of being connected to him by friendship. When he had shown up in America, during the Spiral Force incident, it hadn't been for the sake of helping anyone – he had only been interested in Ryuga's presence. When asked by Tithi why he had fought against Nemesis, he had made it very clear that he had not done so in order to save the world – it had mostly been for his own benefit; if the world and its inhabitants were destroyed, that included him.

Sighing softly, Hikaru strode past him and removed a small aquamarine kettle from her cabinet. Filling it with water, she produced two cups from the dishrack and waited to see if the Legendary Blader of Spring had anything else to say. When she saw that wasn't the case, she felt a twinge of guilt, even though it didn't have a basis. Maybe it was simply from the fact that she could've said things differently … However, she took no issue with the question she posed. How could Kyoya possibly be serious? They weren't friends – they only had mutual acquaintances and that wasn't enough of a reason for her to tell him about the personal details of her life.

"Look, just forget that I said anything … I was out of line," she murmured, reaching up to get two packages of tea when she felt a strong presence behind her. Pausing, her hand still poised in the air, she felt the heat radiating from Kyoya's body as he gently wrapped his hand around hers. As a result, she nearly had the urge to shout in irritation. What could he possibly want now?

"I'm sorry," he whispered, causing Hikaru's eyes to widen when she realized that his fingers were gently brushing over the area where the shard had pierced her hand.

"It's not your fault, Kyoya," she said for the second time that day. "I knew I wasn't ready to battle, but I pushed myself anyway. I wanted to see if my old fears still affected me as they did during the World Championships – now I know."

Without warning, he spun her around to face him, the quick movement nearly causing her to land on the counter in pure shock. Her eyes blazed with indignance, while his shone with renewed determination.

"Let's make a deal – I'll try to change my outlook on people in general, and you continue to fight until you're strong enough to battle again."

She had the urge to backhand him, but she relented as her heartbeat returned to normal.

"Kyoya … change may be possible for you, but it's not in my case … and maybe that's the way it's supposed to be."

"What on Earth are you speaking about," he nearly snarled, caging her in by placing his hands on the countertop.

"Battle Bladers," she murmured. "Out of the three of us – me, you and Tsubasa – perhaps its better that things turned out the way they did. GanGan Galaxy needed Tsubasa to win the World Championships and to stop Spiral Force. The entire world – the universe, probably – needed you to protect it from Nemesis. In my case … it wouldn't have made a difference. No one needs me, Kyoya. I could be killed on my way to work tomorrow – maybe in a car accident, or perhaps a run-in with the wrong person – and the world would still continue to spin just as it always has. The sun would rise and set the same way … Children would still go to school and learn about the alphabet … People would still participate in bey battles … with no one the wiser."

Kyoya's eyes narrowed into slits once more, and he could feel his blood pressure rising. He knew Hikaru wasn't aware of it, but after he had learned of LAM, he found it ironically cruel that she was throwing the concept of death around in a casual manner.

Without thinking, he slammed his fist against the countertop, causing Hikaru to jump and accidentally brush against him in fright. Realizing that she had to put a stop to whatever it was, she quickly grabbed the packages of tea and shouldered her way out of his makeshift cage, going to turn off the stove before the water got too hot.

"What on Earth is wrong with you!?" He roared, receiving no response from Hikaru as she prepared the beverages, her eyes downcast.

When a cup was offered to him, he felt the urge to smash it against the floor but refrained from doing so. Seeing as he wasn't going to accept it, Hikaru huffed softly, placing it back on the counter until he decided otherwise or left the apartment. As she alluded to before, she wasn't going to impose anything on him.

Bringing her own cup to her lips, she gently blew away some of the steam, her eyes never once leaving Kyoya … just in case he chose to throw another tantrum.

"You're wrong," he grunted, his statement blunt and seemingly pointless until he continued speaking. "It would make a difference – people do need you."

"First of all, Ryo doesn't count – the Immortal Phoenix will always need someone – who doesn't necessarily have to be me – to keep him in check," she chuckled before taking a sip. "And I never thought you were a liar until now."

"Excuse me?"

"C'mon, Kyoya – you don't need to sugar-coat things for me. I know I may not be worth much, but I'm not stupid. Trust me when I say it wouldn't change a thing. A funeral could be held, and Ryo would easily find a new assistant in a week or so. No one needs me."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"

"Fine," she conceded, in no way believing him as she set her tea aside and folded her arms across her chest, "excluding Ryo, name one person who would be impacted by my death."

When Kyoya said nothing, she retrieved her mug and headed for her armchair, curling her feet beneath her.

"That's what I thought …"

"… Me."

"What?"

"Should I spell it out for you? K-Y-O-Y-A. Me," he said, pointing at his chest.

"You would be impacted by my death? … I guess if I died, you'd lose a would-be rival – one less person for you to dominate and prove yourself against in the stadium."

"No …"

"Then why?"

Exhaling softly, Kyoya crossed the expanse of the room, stopping so he could lean forward – his head nuzzled in the space between Hikaru's neck and shoulder.

"Beats the hell out of me," he growled against the curve of her ear, nearly causing her to squirm, "because I don't have a fucking clue …"

†††

Once things cooled down, Kyoya had finished his beverage – although, somewhat reluctantly – and left the apartment with a firm snap of the door. Following his strangely cryptic words, not much else had been exchanged between the teens. They had watched some television in silence, only stopping when Hikaru's phone buzzed, reminding her that the WBBA had to hold a small conference the following day.

As the Legendary Blader of Spring left, Hikaru couldn't help but stare after his broad-shouldered form as he stalked down the street below her apartment before rounding the corner and disappearing into the night. In that moment, neither could've guessed that in two years' time, things would be very different indeed.

Gingka would finally taste the bitter sting of defeat for the first time, courtesy of Kyoya and Fang Leone.

And Hikaru would discover just what the Leone wielder had been trying to say when he cornered her in that suede armchair.