Welcome back to Accidental Reverse! We're reaching the end of Arc 3 now, just a few more chapters!

I'll be honest, I don't really like this chapter. It's boring. It's an intermediate chapter that had to happen after the cliffhanger last time to further develop the plot, but nothing really happens here - fortunately, I believe next chapter will be more interesting again, so look forward to that!

Onto the reviews!

Sonia Kumar: Hey Sonia. I hope you enjoy the movie part XD The stalker joke is NEVER GOING AWAY. More on Shuu soon, he's gonna be playing a pretty big part eventually. Tenma absolutely does not understand why Raimon is overprotective, he's perfectly fine. His words, not mine. Honestly I think Shindou didn't really bother to remember everything Tenma did at the start, and he remembers the Wasure Teta thing but he doesn't quite understand Tsurugi's annoyance for it lol. ''Hide Tenma from the world'' if only you could… because this is only the beginning :) Bye hedgehog princess, see you soon!

Purple Marshmellows: Because I like angst :D I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

SorakoMizumi: You trusted me, you say? Well, then it was your mistake :D Ah, Tenma is gonna be having a hard time…

bryank97: Thanks!

Ryuamy: Hey there! I'm doing fine, mostly. Yes, Raimon doesn't always understand their troublemaker but they trust him haha! Tenma is gonna be going through a loooot of heavy stuff soon. Sorry not sorry about the ending MUHAHAHAHAHA- I know this new chapter took a while, it was quite hard to write. Is Shuu really a Seed? I'm not sure, I think he works with Fifth Sector but he's not officially part of them, right? Ahh, it's not that easy to figure out what else I've got planned, is it? XD I hope you'll like it though!

2ndOutOf7: Glad you liked it! The stalker joke is never disappearing MUHAHAHAHAHAHA. Thank you! What's better angst than horrible angst after everyone was happy a second before, right? This chapter doesn't do much, unfortunately, I find it kind of boring but it's necessary, and the next few chapters will be interesting!

FlameRaining: Oh my god you are so right :'D I'm actually not sure when the movie takes place, but I always assumed it was somewhere after the Genei-Raimon match and before the Arakumo-Raimon match, since Fifth Sector is still a thing and Endou returns after the Arakumo match. Anyway, I'm going with that timeline in this story. Haha, no one can resist Tenma's insanity XD OH JUST WAIT FOR SENGUUJI, WON'T BE LONG NOW HAHAHA.

Coco Baldwin: Thank you! Please stay safe as well!

Clairou29: Thank you, hope you enjoy!

Lucia: No, Shuu doesn't know Tenma's from the future. You'll just have to wait and see!

Shiranai Atsune: I'm glad you liked it!

Guest: Glad you liked it, and happy belated birthday!

Siris123: Thank you, I'm happy you like my story!

Guest: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES :D

D.N.S Akina: Ahahaha, I'm sorry, this chapter literally doesn't explain anything about what happened, oof. Next chapter though! You'll just have to wait and see what happens with Ancient Dark! I actually haven't really planned anything for Hakuryuu, but who knows what'll happen? I hope you've found another job and that you're doing alright!

LaLaLa: Yes my boy is a sweetheart but. please. someone get him away from all those clothes and just let Shindou pick them, please, his fashion sense is okay. I mean, even Tsurugi at least has some sort of style, emo as it may be. Although maybe Tenma considers 'bright colours' to be a style…? Aki- Aki being a carrot, oh my god, now we know where he got it from. Shindou is Extraordinaire and we all know it. I love it when you see how close Raimon is, although yeah, it's kind of sad that they're already at that point. Still, I'm weak for that, so a lot of the distrusting you see in the anime is solved here quickly. I don't know where I got the scanning idea, but I'm just wondering if it makes Tenma OP. To be honest though, he's got so many powers that I like, mentioned once and then never again so… anyway, I like experimenting with his Soul powers, and this 'scan' in particular is just honestly him checking the 'souls' of other things around him (so basically every living creature because my headcanon is soul power = life force so everyone has it. Go read All We Are if you're interested in more of my Soul ideas, because I go absolutely crazy there haha). Tenma being a baby… yes I understand the feeling. WHICH WILL ONLY MAKE IT WORSE THESE CHAPTERS. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Team dynamics? Did you say team dynamics? Hit Me Up, I swear. Team dynamics are to live for and as you may have noticed, I am going far too crazy with 'em. Hug? Tenma? Does Tenma get a hug? Well. People want to /give/ him a hug, yes, but the Real Question is, will he allow it? Endou doesn't know a lot right now. He knows the team had trouble with Kidou and the Resistance. He knows Tenma was kidnapped again and that he has a Chained Keshin. That's basically it. 'That boy needs to work better on communication' OH. YOU. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. AHAHAHA. You like the stalker joke, you will not be disappointed by the next big joke that I absolutely cannot wait for lol. But. Soon. Soon it will be here! Okay. OKAY. I said to myself, I will finish this reply soon but- can I just? Go off? About the Tenma-Shindou relationship that I absolutely love? Because everyone's been comparing them as brothers here which- yes. yes. But especially here, in AR, there's an extra layer and that's that Tenma is captain. Has been captain for years, has been (in terms of 'hierarchy' in the team, at least) Shindou's equal – Shindou is his closest advisor, his strategist, and he's his senpai, someone he looks up to and respects and who cares A Damn Lot about him. So yeah. That's why Tenma isn't calling Shindou 'captain', because he cannot see Shindou as his captain – he sees him as someone who will support him in leading the team, not someone he himself will follow, because Tenma has outgrown that role. And here, in AR, it's hard for him to find a compromise, because Shindou is captain and Tenma is a newbie and by all means, he should respect and be a bit intimidated like the other first-years are. But Tenma can't be, because this is Shindou, his best friend, his advisor, someone he trusts and loves. But he also doesn't want to undermine him in this time where Shindou is supposed to be his captain and, well, Shindou knows damn well that Tenma isn't a regular first-year and he notices that Tenma doesn't blindly follow his orders and, well, he doesn't actually say anything about it. Because if he pulls the 'I'm your captain' card, what if, just what if, Tenma denies? He doesn't want that. And when he does- well, it means a hell of a lot to him that Tenma acknowledges it. AND NOW I'LL STOP ABOUT THESE TWO, SORRY. I just. I love them, okay? A lot XD I actually haven't planned all that much with Ancient Dark, so we'll have to wait and see! Oh my god Shuu, I can't even begin to describe how much I love Shuu and- after this chapter, oh my god, I love Shuu. You'll see why when you've scrolled all the way down lol. Trauma? What is trauma? Tenma doesn't know. BUT HE WILL. IN THIS CHAPTER, HE WILL KNOW. Yes, give me your tears and I Shall Drink Them :D Yeah the mentally unstable thing is kind of. well. Arc 3 is the beginning of his breakdown, is all I'm saying (poor guy, he doesn't deserve everything I've planned for him). Thank you! It means a lot – I used to have a lot of trouble with emotional scenes when I started out. Well let me ask you- how do you know Tenma is going to wake up at all?

Light yuri: I'm honored you'd review here, thank you! I'm really glad you like my story enough to leave a review. I'm still working on my other stories, don't worry, it's just slow going right now. Haven't really been focused on writing, I just moved out and started university. Of course there will be more chaos! Whether people will find out he's from the future, you'll have to wait and see! Same goes for the SSC! Nope, haven't seen Orion or Ares. Stay safe!

Aquila Aqua: Yup, they're just not appearing a lot since Tenma didn't train with them and it's written from his perspective. I have no idea how Raimon will find out about what DQE means XD but it will probably come up at some point. Ahahahaha that's definitely a possibility XD

ChuLian: Hey Taco XD Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! Sorry for the wait! No worries, you can ask, just don't be mean about it XD Fuyuka introduced herself also to the rest of the team, and she never formally met Tenma.

Sshiho59: Ahahahaha Raimon wasn't happy but they'll forgive Tenma because he's a sweetheart. So yup they're pretty casual about it in the end – ''Tenma says we need to get kidnapped, guess we don't have a choice'' *sigh* - Endou has sort of realized he can't treat the team like kids, since they're already so involved, more than they ever were in the anime. Tenma does what he wants, especially if it's innocently embarrassing his friends as a way of revenge for things they haven't actually done yet XD Yeah, Tenma really went through a lot last time, and it's not over yet :D Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Inamory: Thank you so much for this comment. Your comment actually motivated me to work on this chapter when I really didn't have any inspiration! So thank you for that. I've been writing for five years now, and there's always been someone who had an annoying comment, and you really don't know how much it means to be when someone speaks in my defense. Don't worry, I'm alright! I've had my own problems, of course, but everyone has. I just use my own experiences to try and make my writing real. Don't worry that you weren't here in the beginning. What matters to me is that you left a comment that really touched me and reminded me of why I enjoy it so much to post these chapters. Your English is fine, no worries! Take care of yourself as well, alright?

ArionInazuma08: Glad you liked it! I'm actually planning to keep Soar low on the radar. If they went public, they'd be influential. They could start to misuse their influence. That's what Fifth Sector did, and everything Soar doesn't stand for. But who knows, maybe they will be revealed at some point haha! You stay safe too!

Anime100: Thank you for reviewing! Nope, no one will know Tenma is from the future!

Guest: Hahahaha sorry about that XD I'm not always trying to kill Tenma. If he's dead, he can't suffer! So often I'm just (mentally) torturing him a lot! Hope you'll keep enjoying it! XD

Olsoon: Thank you, and right now!

megankirstenborja: Common sense will rule everything!

Guest07101005: Glad you liked it! Welcome to the site, then XD Don't worry, I'm just happy you could enjoy this. That's the whole reason I'm updating, after all! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too.

SYHA-09: Here it is!

Emily: Same here!

Disclaimer: don't own

Hope you still enjoy this chapter!

Accidental Reverse Arc 3

Shuu, previously meditating and now finding himself left free of his previous tension, watches the strange, young brunet seating cross-legged on the grass. They're hidden far between the trees of the island, where Fifth Sector does not dare go and outsiders would lose their way if they ever tried to pass through without guidance.

Never before has he shown anyone the way here.

The trees rise high into the sky, casting shadows over the ground. There's an air of ancient stillness around them, only animals and the wind breaking the peace here.

Taking in the child's features, Shuu hums a soft song underneath his breath. A small bird curiously lands on the grass a few feet away from them.

He has never brought outsiders to the sacred pathways of the island, not in all the time he's been here. He never imagined he would, not even if it was someone he knew their entire life.

And yet, within hours, this child has seen more than any Fifth Sector agents posted here.

As his song continues, the bird is lured closer. Shuu gazes at it with a slight smile, stretching out his hand to it. Only hesitating for a moment, the small animal hops onto his finger and he raises it so that it is at eye height with him.

There is something in the back of his mind.

He has always honed his senses, sharp and accurate as they are; so much so, that his team sometimes jokes about foresight.

Now it tells him that he knows this strange child, even though he never forgets a face. Plain as he might be at first glance, just like any other teenager, he would remember meeting someone this mystifying.

But he hasn't.

Shuu hums the last notes of his song, stroking the bird's feathers with his other hands. Every moment, he finds himself expecting… things. Reactions he should not be able to anticipate this early in their acquaintance, the ability to read the brunet's emotions from his face when it should, by all means, be blank to him.

And that sense of familiarity he should not have.

Then there are Tenma's own words.

You remember, he'd said.

As if he should know something. As if they hold shared memories.

His humming fades away and the bird leaves its perch. Shuu watches it disappear into the trees, the tranquillity of his ancient surroundings leaving him calm like it always does.

That tranquillity, however, is roughly broken when his instincts scream.

Immediately the captain is on his feet, twisting to stare wide-eyed at his companion.

Tenma's face is scrunched up, sweat beading on his forehead, and yet he does not wake from his meditation. That alone is a sign something is amiss; but it is nothing in comparison to the aura of energy surrounding him.

Red energy.

Shuu gapes at the sight, taking a step back as Pegasus' wild energy spikes sharply, uncontrollably. The moment itself lasts for a few short seconds, in which the wild Keshin screams soundlessly before it disappears just as quickly as it came. As the last spark of red disappears, Tenma's eyes flicker behind his eyelids, and he goes limp, crumbling to the ground.

''Tenma!'' Shuu calls, and he's at the brunet's side in an instant. Worry tints his mind and leaves a sour taste in his mouth as he reaches out to take the boy's pulse – it flutters, a little too fast, but thankfully steady.

The captain takes a slow breath to calm himself, scanning his friend's crumbled form. He is unresponsive and that nearly sends Shuu into a panic, even though he really shouldn't be so emotional about a near stranger.

He rolls the brunet onto his side, hoping the movement will cause some kind of reaction, but Tenma's face stays slack. Even when Shuu calls for him, there is nothing, and eventually he admits defeat. Despite the sudden collapse, nothing else seems to be distorting the brunet's aura, and therefore the captain reluctantly stays put – also because he does not want to leave his friend alone when he's defenseless like this.

Instead, Shuu settles down to keep a careful eye on the unconscious brunet, mind racing all the while.

Red energy.

The memory of the wild Keshin keeps replaying in his mind. He has seen it before. How could he not?

He has heard from Fifth Sector that they call it Chained, nowadays. An apt name, although he himself doesn't use it – its appearance is rare, very rare, and the one thing he will never assist Fifth Sector with. They find it a good idea to endanger the world's natural energy in a way like this, they deal with it.

But Tenma is not with Fifth Sector.

Shuu knows as much, it has been confirmed by many sources. From what he has seen of the brunet so far, it's clear to him he would never willingly work for them. What's more, that annoying little voice in the back of his mind tells him as much.

But then, how did Tenma turn into a Fragmented One? And why did he collapse as he did? Are those two events related? He has never heard of such reactions concerning a Fragmented One when there is no other active Keshin in the vicinity, and Shuu himself keeps an iron hold on his own Dark Exodus.

A shiver runs down his spine at that thought, because…

What would have happened if he hadn't?

The sun is starting to set when Tenma says goodbye to Ancient Dark. It's been hours since he woke up, and Shuu's dark eyes are still full of worry whenever they find him. The brunet has changed back into his Raimon uniform and his friend accompanies him to the edge of the forest.

He's unwilling to leave, that much is clear, but there's not much else he can do. He's tried to talk with the brunet when the younger first woke, but Tenma's been tight-lipped the whole time.

So, with a softly spoken reminder of, ''if there's anything I can do to help, come find me,'' he disappears between the trees and the brunet is left on his own to continue.

The watchtower his team is staying in is in sight now, and Tenma can see small yellow figures moving around. They grow closer as he nears and he can see the exact moment he's been noticed, when one yellow blur on the roof of the tower suddenly halts.

Holding up his hand in greeting, Tenma giggles softly when he can see a sudden flurry of activity. It's too far away for him to hear them, but he imagines whoever is playing lookout must've told the others he's back.

As he lowers his hand again, one of his teammates moves in his direction. It's not long after that he recognizes Kurumada. Involuntarily, he frowns a little – that's not who he was expecting.

It seems his older teammate knows exactly what he's thinking, for when he's in earshot, the first thing the defender says is, ''the guys wouldn't let Shindou go because he's 'too soft on you', apparently. Tsurugi is annoyed, or, more annoyed than usual, and Sangoku's trying to keep the peace. I offered to play escort since we weren't getting anywhere.''

Tenma makes a small noise. ''Hello to you too, Kurumada-senpai,'' he says, voice quiet.

The defender huffs. ''Hello,'' he amends as they start on their way back.

''I really don't need an escort.''

''Tell that to Sangoku.''

Huh. Seems like his teammates have upped the protectiveness level.

When the two reach the watchtower, it becomes obvious what Kurumada meant. Tsurugi is climbing the stairs to the roof, shoots Tenma a single glare, and then continues on his way. Sangoku, Amagi and Kirino seem to be talking to Shindou, the captain's expression perfectly composed.

Tenma lowers his gaze.

His companion leaves him to join Shindou and the others. After a moment of pause, the brunet decides against following him or trying to talk to Tsurugi. Both of his best friends know him too well; they'd see right through him, and while he loves them for that, he can't deal with their prodding right now without breaking down.

Instead he treads over to Shinsuke and Hikaru.

His two fellow first-years give cheerful greetings when they see him. At least they don't seem to be affected by whatever has gotten into the rest of the team.

But, amends the time traveler as he mumbles a quiet ''hello'' back, maybe they do. They're oddly secluded, here to the side of the tower, and much less enthusiastic than he'd expect.

''What's wrong?'' he asks, instead of acknowledging their frowns at his lack of enthusiasm.

The two startle but share a look immediately after.

Tenma waits and his patience pays off. ''Everyone's tired,'' mutters Hikaru, ''and grumpy. From training.'' Shinsuke nods in agreement.

'And stressed, it seems.'

That… might be his fault. Scratch that, it is his fault. After everything that happened this week, he'd be surprised if tensions weren't running high right about now.

It sends a stab of guilt through him.

If he could, he'd stick around while they're on the island, if only for their peace of mind – nevermind that right now, being with his beloved team is the one thing in the world he wants the most. But…

But with these new developments with Ancient Dark, and- and Pegasus, there's just too much for him to do. Too much at risk to play carelessly.

He wouldn't forgive himself if he put them in anymore danger.

Looking at them his two first-year friends now, so withdrawn from their older teammates and sitting quietly to the side, the time traveler knows this isn't doing any of them any good either.

He averts his gaze.

This is his fault; he should be the one to solve it.

So on his next exhale, Tenma tilts his head and pokes Hikaru's arm, gaining the attention of the purple-haired boy. When he blinks curiously at him, the brunet smiles mischievously.

''Tag, you're it.''

''…I'm sorry?''

The time traveler jumps to his feet and dances a few steps backwards, making sure to be out of arm's reach – Hikaru can be surprisingly devious sometimes. ''You're it! Catch me if you can!'' he cackles, moving a little further back. His two first-year friends share a bewildered look. ''Aw, c'mon, scared I'm too fast for you?'' he sticks out his tongue.

There's a sudden switch when Hikaru lunges for the brunet, trying to tag him back, but Tenma was prepared and dodges the attempt easily. The purple-haired boy gets to his feet and makes a second attempt, again dodged, before turning on Shinsuke.

The small defender-turned-keeper barely manages to avoid it. ''Hey!''

Hikaru shoots him a grin and that's all the challenge the boy needs to join in too.

''Well,'' says Tenma, glancing between his two friends, ''see ya!'' and then he turns on his heel and sprints over the sandy field, hearing Shinsuke follow his example only a second later.

''Wha- no fair! No head starts!'' protest Hikaru as he chases after them.

He manages to catch Shinsuke, the smaller boy being a bit behind Tenma, and the three first-years proceed to chase each other around for the next few minutes. The brunet himself stays out of reach for a little while, until his small friend catches up to him.

Change of plans.

As he darts around Shinsuke, barely avoiding his attempt to tag him, the brunet spins on his heel and sprints to the tower.

Right.

Towards.

The.

Senpai.

There are a few startled yelps from them when a blur almost crashes into them, barely avoiding collision as it is. No one is really surprised, though, when they recognize the source.

''Tenma,'' sighs Sangoku, ''what are you doing?''

The brunet blinks up at him from where he's hiding behind Amagi with big, sparkling grey eyes. ''Please hide me.''

The older players share a look between them. When the younger boy doesn't elaborate, they take the bait, knowing very well they're doing so. ''From what, exactly?'' asks Sangoku, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

(Oh please. Tenma's is much better.)

''From Shinsu- oh boy.''

Seeing the small teen in question running up to them, clearly having spotted Tenma, said brunet doesn't waste a second in reacting. He twists easily on his heel, glances at the wall of the tower – he's been climbing cliffs for years, this one is no challenge – and then pauses.

Hands. Right.

But Shinsuke is getting really close and Tenma's pride is not gonna allow him to lose this game.

Well then.

Only one way to avoid the seemingly inevitable outcome.

He suddenly takes a short sprint, building up speed, and his eyes flash blue just as he jumps.

With the added energy and precision of Soul Trance, he half-lands on the wall with simple grace and immediately turns it into a launching pad to jump to one of the trees standing a few feet away. He hops between the tree and the wall like that two more times, reaching higher each jump, before he arrives at the top of the structure and lands on the balustrade there.

The entire process only took a few seconds.

Tenma throws a glance at his teammates below, all staring at him in various degrees of disbelief. Or exasperation, that one is surprisingly common too.

Shinsuke shoots him something akin to a glare, only it looks much too adorable on his face to be intimidating. Cons of being a short thirteen-year-old. ''Isn't that a bit much?'' he yells at his friend.

''Hey, go big or go home. Considering we're stuck on an island, the choice seems obvious,'' Tenma returns, sticking out his tongue for a moment. Then he grins. ''Besides, it's fun!''

Shinsuke heaves a sigh that, although not audible from the time traveler's position, is obvious from his movement. Amagi reaches out to pat the first-year comfortingly on the head.

''What are you even doing?''

Tenma sharply glance to the side and then beams at the new arrival. ''Kyou-chan!'' said Seedling shoots him a glare, this one much more effective than Shinsuke's, but the brunet knows him well enough to see it's one of his 'I'm-not-actually-mad-only-pretending-to-keep-up-my-emo-image' glares. ''Wanna join?''

Tsurugi gives a slight shake of his head, heaving a sigh, before glancing at the sky as if asking for patience. ''And why would I, pray tell?'' he asks the other.

''Practice and team building!''

''Is that just going to be your reason every time you drag the team into one of your schemes? Team building?''

Tenma actually pauses for a second to think that over and then shrugs. ''I mean. It's not wrong.''

''You are unbelievable.''

''And yet y'all love me anyway. Tag, you're it!'' he leaves a gaping Tsurugi behind after having poked his shoulder, easily jumping on the balustrade only to immediately launch himself into the sky again. ''Shin-chan, you're not it anymore!'' he calls as he lands on a branch, and okay he might be cheating with his Soul Powers to keep his balance as he twists around to shoot a grin at Tsurugi. ''Catch me if you can, Tomato-chan.''

A cackle leaves his lips as he disappears between the leaves, hearing his friend's frustrated growl.

He doesn't stop in his path, though, knowing the chances of the other Keshin user hunting him down right now. He weaves through the branches until he drops to the ground, breaking his fall with practiced ease and immediately using the senpai for cover again.

Tsurugi follows him only a second later, his eye twitching.

(Yeah, as if. That little glint in his eyes is definitely amusement. He's just pretending not to enjoy this, the bastard.)

(If he thinks Tenma is going to accept that, he's dead wrong.)

''Do you have to use us as cover?'' comes Shindou's dry voice.

The brunet glances around Sangoku – the one he happens to be hiding behind – and blinks innocently. ''Yes.'' At the bland look that gets him, he just shrugs. ''What? It's not as if I'm hoping to get you roped into this, nope, nada, not for all the swimming cupcakes in the world. Whatever gave you that idea?''

''Tenma…'' starts Kirino warningly.

Immediately, wide grey eyes are turned to him. ''But senpai…'' whimpers the brunet suddenly, using all the force of Sasuke's puppy dog eyes he has in him, ''can't we just have some fun? Please?''

The senpai give in.

(Of course they do. Their future selves, after having been exposed to it for a year, still have a hard time denying him anything when he looks at them like that. Not a chance their younger counterparts will have better results.)

(When Endou, Fubuki and Kabeyama return from their stake-out, it's to the sight of yellow-and-blue blurs running around the watchtower that is their main base.

''These kids are hilarious, where did you even find them?'' comes a voice from somewhere next to them and Fudou waves when his friends look over. He's reclining against some rocks, watching the chaos.

Endou pauses for a second.

Then he asks, ''Tenma?''

Another voice answers. ''We're not sure, actually.'' They all, with the exception of Fudou, look up at the trees. Kazemaru is seemingly playing squirrel, holding up a hand in greeting. ''But probably.''

For a short minute, the group watches the game of tag unfold in front of them. It's a little… extreme, for lack of a better word- why is Ichino swan diving from the tower -but they seem to be having fun, and Kazemaru and Fudou haven't stepped in yet, so things must not have left the 'potentially dangerous' borders yet.

All those things, considered, Endou decides there's only one thing to do now.

''I'm joining them!'')

It's late, most likely having passed midnight already, when Tenma finds himself alone on the roof.

The rest of his team is fast asleep – he made sure of that before sneaking out – and so he has high hopes he won't be disturbed tonight.

As he settles against the wall of the tower, staring at the cold stars shining high above, he shivers. Although the spring night isn't cold, per se, it is a bit chilly considering he's only wearing his soccer uniform.

He leans his head back until it rests against the wall.

Logically speaking, he should go back inside. He needs the rest, he knows; he's still injured and with the match against the ultimate team in two days, he can't afford to be tired.

And Pegasus-

No. No, he can't think about that. He needs to focus.

He owes it to his team.

(Both of them.)

He opens his eyes, without even knowing when he'd closed them, when something hot runs down his cheek.

For a second, confusion dims his thoughts. Then it clicks and he reaches up to furiously wipe the tear away.

Another shiver runs down his spine, leaving little goosebumps in its wake. He hugs his knees to his chest to preserve some warmth.

He can almost hear Kyousuke (the Kyousuke he hasn't seen since he woke up in a room that shouldn't exist anymore, the best friend he'd left behind) calling him an idiot and telling him to go back inside before he catches a cold. Takuto will no doubt scold him for not taking care of himself, together with Sangoku, while Kariya ropes the other first-years into a ploy to save him from the senpai's anger.

A weak smile touches his lips before it fades.

God, how he misses them.

There's a deep ache in his chest, pressing on him until every breath feels heavy and not enough. It makes his hands tremble and his eyes burn, and every time he thinks he has pushed it away it slams into him again.

He misses them so much it hurts. And now, he's even lost the last, real link he had, because Pegasus is-

Pegasus is gone.

(Tenma woke up in an instant.

Suddenly he was awake, almost nauseous from the sudden shift, and for a second awareness was followed by confusion.

He- it's- what?

There was a dull, pulsing ache in his limbs, a burn in his arm, his hands; he wondered what kind of match he must've played to be this sore afterwards. No doubt Sangoku would scold him for being reckless again – but there's no use lazing around like this, and so he opened his eyes. Or, he tried to. There was a sharp flash of light, stabbing through his skull, and with a silent groan he twisted his head away.

God, what happened?

''Tenma? Are you awake?''

The brunet halted, recognizing Shuu's voice and he had to wonder why his friend was-

And then it all came back to him. Time traveling, Soar, God Eden, his Keshin.

He shot upright immediately and then found himself nearly crumbling to the ground again when the dull ache turned into needles of pain, his vision swirling sickeningly. He would've fallen back down if there weren't suddenly hands supporting his shoulders, and it took a moment for the rush in his ears to fade enough to hear Shuu calling out to him. ''Hey, take it easy!''

But Tenma ignored it, barely even registered the words, because he was clawing around for something, anything, the slightest trace-

''Pegasus,'' he half called, half sobbed, and only realized he said it out loud when Shuu fell silent. The panic was heavy and real, and he didn't know whether he was nauseous from the pain or the terror.

There was nothing, nothing.

''Pegasus!'' but this time it was nothing more than a broken cry as he started to succumb to the icy loneliness in his chest, the silence in his head.

His Keshin would never ignore his calls when he was this distressed.

The hands on his shoulders pushed gently until he turned around and caught sight of Shuu's face through his blurry vision. And it wasn't his Shuu, but it was someone familiar, and Tenma wasn't in a state of mind to care. ''He's- he's gone,'' he sobbed instead, because that's what this was- even, even when Pegasus was fully chained, he was still there, faintly, but- but now-

Now there was nothing.

The tears spilled over then, but he barely felt it.

''Tenma, I don't understand,'' Shuu said, soft voice tinted with alarm. ''Your Keshin? Your Keshin is gone?''

The brunet jerked his head down in a shaky nod, nausea creeping up his throat, and then curled up as much as he could; legs pulled up, face hidden behind his knees, and he hated how the following darkness reminds him of what he saw before.

His team was gone, his Keshin was gone, even Shuu wasn't the one he trusted with his life- it's all gone.

(He thought he was alone when he couldn't talk with Pegasus.)

(He was wrong.))

Even just the memory of it has him gasping in something that- it's- he doesn't want to compare this, to pretend any of this is bad enough to be compared, but it reminds him of how Hayami (the older Hayami, his Hayami, the one who would silently pull him – any of them – aside when he noticed them being overwhelmed, his own anxiety helping him recognize what his teammates needed at any given moment) would describe his own panic attacks. His chest is tight, his breathing shallow; every mouthful he gulps down seems not enough.

Not enough.

And that feels- that feels heavy. Too heavy, and too familiar.

He presses his eyes shut, blocks out the sight of the starry sky above, and ducks his head low. Hides his face in his knees as if that would help hide him from the world.

I don't know what to do, he wants to scream, but what would it matter? So he bites on his lip, harshly, because his teammates are sleeping in the building below him. He can't wake them up, they need their rest – he's caused them enough trouble as it is. He's so tired.

Couldn't sleep if he tried, he knows, but it's not that kind of tired anyway.

In the following second, the only warning is a soft huff, shoes scraping over stone as someone climbs onto the roof, and then a voice asking, ''Tenma?''

The time traveler goes rigid.

He remembers this, but. The timing's off. Why is the timing off? Tonight was supposed to be- it's the second night on the island, not the first.

More footsteps, coming closer now until they're directly in front of him. The brunet doesn't look up, not even when there's a soft touch to his shoulder. ''Hey, can you look at me?'' the question sounds soft, gentle, as if talking to a scared animal and that's what brings Tenma to react, lift his head just the slightest bit so he can meet Endou's dark eyes.

Last time, Endou joined him on the roof during the first night, not the second, so why…

''You've been crying,'' the man notes quietly, his usual smile nowhere to be seen as he kneels on the roof. There's something sad in his face, something that makes Tenma want to run.

When the younger doesn't respond, Endou's features contort into a frown and without a word he shifts until he can sit down next to the teen, leaning against the wall. Tenma can feel the man's gaze on him but doesn't dare lift his head more than he already has, only his wet eyes peeking out.

He never wanted anyone to see him like this.

Hasn't he given them enough trouble? And now- now he's lost Pegasus again, completely this time, and it's his own damn fault. Why is he dragging his friends, his coach, down with him?

''Stop that.'' At the sudden words, he can't help but glance up. ''I can see you overthinking,'' Endou tells him, and then breathes out quietly, features softening into a smile. ''I used to talk with my teammates beneath the stars all the time, back when I was a Raimon student. It's nice, isn't it? Feels like everyday life can't touch you here.''

Tenma makes a soft sound, barely a hum – it's true, the stars are stunning so far from any cities, bright and countless. He wonders how far away they are – sometimes, he likes to pretend he can see the same stars as his friends from the Grand Celesta Galaxy, although they're so far away the chances are slim. It's still a comforting thought, when he's had to say goodbye to so many people he cares about.

He curls up tighter, hugging his legs to his chest with enough force his injured arm starts protesting. The stars, usually giving solace, are now just another reminder of his situation.

His beloved team had always been right there within arm's reach, standing at his side; he never thought he'd have to say goodbye to them.

He didn't even get the chance to.

Tears burn in his eyes though he tries to hold them back, unwilling to cry in front of his coach. A soft sniffle escapes him, loud in the silence of the night, and the brunet ducks his head so he doesn't have to see the look on Endou's face.

''You were so cheerful earlier today,'' the man says but it's not accusing. It's soft, sad. ''Were you pretending?''

Tenma tenses a little. He doesn't think Endou is mad, knows him well enough to say he'd never be angry about one of his players being upset, but still. He's already caused so much trouble, so much. Mutely he shakes his head in answer to Endou's question, because he wasn't pretending. It had been fun, he may- may have pushed it a bit, may have started out with a forced smile, but he did it to cheer up his team. There's nothing wrong with that, right?

When he breathes in, trying to compose himself, it's shaky. Still, he pushes through, and lifts his head to face his coach fully, digging his fingers into his arms.

Endou's expression softens when he looks at his charge, and his lips twist up into a rueful smile. ''Things haven't been easy for you, have they?'' he mutters quietly, and reaches out a hand. It hovers between them for a short second but when the teen doesn't do anything to move away, he continues the motion to ruffle the brunet's hair.

Wide grey eyes look up and Endou's smile turns into a chuckle, letting his hand rest on the boy's head. ''You should rely on your team a little more, you know?'' When Tenma averts his gaze, his coach nudges him. ''Hey, none of that now. They're your friends, they worry about you. You're a kid, all you should do is play soccer and have fun, so leave the big stuff to us adults, alright? That's what we're here for.''

If only it was that easy. He can't- can't just pretend nothing is happening, stay out of it. Heck, half of what is happening right now is because of him. He can't ignore that responsibility.

Endou seems to know what he's thinking. He sighs and pulls his hand back, resting it in his lap instead, staying quiet this time. He keeps his eyes on Tenma, though, dark and inquiring, and something in the brunet breaks.

He can't stand the silence, he can't.

''I-'' the word is choked up, and to his shame he feels a fresh wave of tears escape. He wipes them away roughly, shakes his head as if that'll stop them. ''It's not that simple, I can't just- Fifth Sector, the revolution, I- I started it, everyone's scared and it's- it's because of me, because I don't care and- and put them in danger,'' he gasps out, head bowing as he curls up into a ball, fingers hooking in his hair. The still healing cuts on his palms burn, but the pain is grounding. ''It's- it's all my fault-''

''Stop that right now,'' Endou suddenly cuts in, and now he does sound mad. It immediately has the teenager shutting his mouth.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Why couldn't he just keep his thoughts to himself? He should've known that this- thing, he started, after waking up in the past would be hard to get through. He promised himself not to put any more weight on the shoulders of those he cares about.

And yet he still failed at such a simple task.

Endou's talking, then, and he doesn't seem mad anymore. Just determined, but it's different from how he usually sounds.

''None of this is your fault, okay?'' he says, clear in the quiet night, and when he catches Tenma's gaze the younger brunet can't bring himself to look away. ''This isn't your fault, Tenma. It's not.'' He stresses the last part when the teen mutely shakes his head.

How can he believe that when everything, everything seems to be breaking apart at the seams?

With a shuddered breath, Tenma hugs his knees close to his chest again. His arm protests against the pressure; he doesn't care. Like this, beneath the vast night sky, he feels so very tiny.

The silence in his mind is crushing.

''Oh, kiddo,'' Endou murmurs, and it might've gone unheard if it wasn't so silent. That's what does it; Tenma inhales sharply and then he's sobbing, trying and not fully succeeding in muffling the sound. He hates it, hates crying like this, knowing that his coach is right there to see him but now that he's started he just- can't stop.

He cries until he has no tears left and his eyes are drooping with weariness. It replaces the jumbled mess of emotions until all he feels is hollow, the chasm in his chest reflecting the one in his mind.

And through it all, Endou stays like a silent guardian beside him.

Shuu, chilling on his island: yay :D

Shuu, after his island has suddenly become Japan's most popular vacation spot: what are all these children doing here :(

Shuu: aND WHY DOES THAT ONE HAVE A FRAGMENTED KESHIN OH MY GOD AB SIO N

.

Tenma: let's play tag :D

Raimon: oh thank GOD he finally came up with something NORMAL-

Tenma: LET'S PLAY MURDER TAG :DDD

Raimon: O.O

.

Tenma: finally, after almost 40 chapters, the Keshin situation is slowly getting better...

Pegasus: but wait get this- what if it... gets worse instead?

.

Tenma, before: everything's fine :D

Tenma: [insert emotional breakdown]

Tenma, after: still fine this is fine :D

Endou: oh my god you are anything /but/ fine PLEASE let me help you you're just a KID

Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed! See you next time!

- Yara