Here's the second chapter for today! I will try to get Stormflight and AoN's next chapters done as well, although i have a slight writer's block on both due to not knowing exactly where i'm trying to take them, so i'll have to see if i can get them finished by tomorrow. Anyway, enjoy!
"Ahh, back in Japan at last." Ren sighed as she stepped off the plane in the Metal Bey City airport.
"Yeah, it's good to be back!" Isamu exclaimed.
"I guess i didn't realize how much i was missing the familiar sights of Metal Bey City." Shinobu said, looking around.
Arashi merely grunted, his eyes slightly narrowed and blazing as he scanned the crowd, fists clenched at his sides.
"Are you alright, Arashi?" Maru asked nervously.
"I'm fine." Arashi muttered. "Let's go."
"He seems a bit tense." Da Xiang commented as he stepped off the plane and watched Galaxy Flame weaving through the crowd ahead.
"That's because this is the most dangerous part. Up until now, the DNA team will have mostly been ignoring them, because they were on the Wild Card and therefore not a threat. Now, they're getting ready to face them, and they are again going to be considered a threat. They're all in danger until the tournament." Aguma said.
"Then we'll protect them." Benkei said determinedly.
"You and i have businesses to get back to though. Bull Burger and the B-Pit have been closed long enough." Madoka said.
"We'll keep an eye on them, don't worry." Da Xiang said.
"If we can find them. They've already disappeared." Aguma chuckled.
"Dang, they moved quick!" Da Xiang exclaimed, turning around and slowly scanning the crowd.
"We'll find them eventually. Let's get moving." Aguma said, picking up his suitcase and walking off with the others following close behind.
"Keep an eye out for the DNA team. Now that we've made it to the final round, they may attempt a sabotage on us." Arashi said once Galaxy Flame was outside the airport.
"Is that why you're so tense?" Isamu asked.
"Yes."
"Let's just get to somewhere safe then, like the B-Pit or Bull Burger." Ren spoke up.
"Both will be closed when we get there if we leave now. Plus, the DNA may be expecting that." Arashi said.
"What about the WBBA or Bey Park?" Maru spoke up.
"Bey Park is a definite no, it's too open. The WBBA is on the other side of the city, but it's worth a try." Arashi replied.
"Then let's go." Shinobu said, taking off running with the others close behind.
"The most direct route is to follow the river until Eagle Drive." Maru said, pulling out her computer as the group ran.
"Then that's what we'll take." Arashi said, turning and sliding down the guardrail of the steps leading to the river.
"Showoff!" Isamu called as he took the stairs two at a time.
"We have to get there before the sun sets!" Ren called, glancing at the sky, which was beginning to turn orange.
"We'll make it at this rate." Maru informed.
Arashi suddenly skidded to a stop, growling under his breath as he caught sight of four beys spinning in their path.
"Sorry, but you aren't going to make it to wherever you're headed." Kira smirked from his position standing on the rail at the top of the riverbank.
"Oh, aren't we?" Arashi turned to face the DNA blader, his eyes narrowing.
"No, you're not. You see, we can't take any chances on you being able to defeat us in the tournament, so your battles will have to end here." Baihu said, stepping out of his hiding place nearby.
"But that's cheating! Won't that get you disqualified?" Ren shouted.
"Look around you. There are no witnesses here." Yoshio said as he also stepped out of hiding.
"There doesn't need to be. Any injuries you would give us could easily be recognized as having come from a bey." Arashi said.
"But an unexplained death with no injuries can't be traced to us." Kira said. "And our weapons have just come into view around the riverbend."
Arashi growled and glanced over his right shoulder, only to see a long line of freight barges coming down the river.
"Well, that's a dirty trick!" Maru exclaimed.
"And nobody will ever know we did it. Tomorrow, when your team doesn't show up to the match, Mortem Rio and the DNA will win by default!" Kira laughed evilly.
"Isamu, get the others and get out of here." Arashi whispered.
"What about you?" Isamu replied quietly.
"I'll be fine, just go!" Arashi growled, whipping out his launcher in a flash. "Chimera!"
Isamu, Ren, Maru, and Shinobu bolted as an explosion caused by Chimera kicked up a dust cloud.
"Get them!" Kira roared, sending his teammates after the retreating group.
"Not on my watch!" Arashi snarled, blocking the DNA bladers with his Chimera.
"Arashi, come on!" Isamu called, pausing on a bridge over the river to glance back.
"Oh, no you don't!" Kira growled, using Bahamoote to force Arashi backwards until the bluenette was standing right at the very edge of the river itself.
"One false move and you fall in. If you dare try to rejoin them, i'll knock you in." Kira threatened.
"Arashi!" Isamu yelled, sounding scared.
"Go!" Arashi shouted, turning to look at his brother. "We will meet you at the B-Pit, now go!"
"On second thought, you won't!" Kira roared, causing an explosion that threw Arashi into the river directly in front of the first barge, which was soon over the place where the bluenette had disappeared.
"No! Arashi!" Isamu wailed, trying to dart forwards.
"Isamu, no! We have to get out of here!" Shinobu shouted, grabbing the bluenette's arm and pulling him away.
"I'm sorry, Isamu, but we can't go back. Arashi said to go to the B-Pit, and that's where we're going." Shinobu said firmly.
Isamu shook Shinobu's hold off his arm and bolted away, tears streaming down his face.
"Isamu!" Ren called, starting after the Kerbecs blader, but Shinobu stopped her.
"Don't. He'll be fine. Come on, let's go." Shinobu said sadly, running off.
"Should we go after them?" Yoshio asked, watching as the remaining members of the team disappeared around corners and down alleyways.
"Hmm… No." Kira replied. "The death of their beloved team leader should cripple them enough, and if we ask for a knockout battle, then we have the advantage with four bladers to their three. Let them run. They will fear us now."
"Agreed." Baihu smirked.
"I don't think they're still after us right now." Maru panted as she and Ren reached a street corner and paused to catch their breaths.
"Doesn't look like it." Ren commented. "But poor Isamu."
"Yeah. I can't think of a way Arashi could get out of that situation, not with that long line of barges there. He's practically trapped underwater." Maru sighed.
"I know. Hopefully Shinobu will find him. I have to wonder though…" Ren trailed off.
"Huh?" Maru looked up at the blonde.
"Arashi didn't say that he would meet us at the B-Pit, he said 'we will meet you at the B-Pit.' That implies that there was someone else there or something." Ren commented.
"Probably Gingka, after all they were in contact, right? Maybe Gingka was on his way and will rescue Arashi!" Maru exclaimed.
"Yeah! Maybe you're right! Let's get back to the B-Pit and tell Isamu!"
"Wait, when did those clouds get there?" Maru asked as rain started sprinkling on them.
"Dunno." Ren laughed as the two started running for the B-Pit.
"Oh, good, you guys are safe." Madoka sighed as Shinobu and Isamu entered the B-Pit. However, her look of relief quickly turned to one of concern as the two teens approached her, noticing that Isamu had tears falling from his eyes and that Shinobu looked rather subdued himself.
"What happened? Where are the others?" Madoka asked, paling slightly.
"Ren and Maru are making their way here by a separate route. Arashi is…" Shinobu stopped as his voice became choked.
"The DNA attacked, didn't they?" Madoka said, putting a comforting arm around Isamu's shoulders as the bluenette released a fresh burst of tears.
Shinobu nodded quietly. "There was a long line of freight barges and they basically just pushed Arashi into the river. I don't think there's a way he could get out from under them in time."
"Ohh…" Madoka looked sympathetically at Isamu, who was now sobbing into her jacket.
"Come here, Isamu. It's going to be okay." Madoka whispered, pulling the teen into a hug and gently stroking his hair. "Come on, let's go downstairs so you two can rest."
"There you two are." Shinobu said as Madoka and Isamu started down the stairs.
"Aww man, you beat us here?! Well, glad to see that you got here, of course." Ren panted.
Madoka glanced up, looking relieved at the sight of the two. "Come on, let's get you all downstairs. You two are soaked."
Ren and Maru glanced down at their wet clothes.
"Yeah, it started pouring all of a sudden." Ren said.
"We must have just missed it then." Shinobu commented as they all went downstairs.
"Yeah, probably." Maru sighed.
"I'll get you two some dry clothes." Madoka said, gently maneuvering Isamu onto the couch before handing Ren and Maru some towels and going back upstairs.
Shinobu sat down in a nearby chair with a sigh as Ren sat down next to Isamu, who had buried his face in his hands and was attempting to calm down. The blonde gently began massaging the bluenette's back, causing him to take a few deep, trembling breaths before calming down and leaning back against the couch cushions, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Maru perched herself in Madoka's chair and began absentmindedly messing with a few spare parts that were laying on the brunette's desk.
"I still can't believe it…" Isamu muttered after a few minutes of silence.
"What if he got rescued?" Ren spoke up.
"That's impossible, there was nobody around." Isamu replied.
"But what if he had called Gingka and he was on his way? He could save him, couldn't he?" Maru said.
Isamu shook his head as a fresh cascade broke out. "No, there's no way that could happen."
"Then how come Arashi said, 'We will meet you back at the B-Pit'?" Ren asked, putting an arm around the bluenette's shoulder.
"Because he expected to come back, but that's impossible now. He's gone." Isamu sobbed.
"No luck. We can't find a trace of them." Aguma and Da Xiang sighed as they entered the B-Pit.
"Well, that's alright. They ended up back here anyway." Madoka muttered.
Aguma looked worried at the brunette's tone of voice. "They met the DNA team already, didn't they? Are they alright?"
"Yeah, but Arashi's gone." Madoka replied.
"Gone? Gone where?" Da Xiang asked.
Madoka sighed and closed her eyes, looking down at the ground. "Dead." she muttered.
Aguma's mouth opened slightly in surprise before he too sighed and looked at the ground. "I see. Where are they?"
"Downstairs. Isamu's pretty distraught." Madoka replied.
"Naturally." Aguma sighed, heading downstairs.
"Shh, he's sleeping." Shinobu whispered as he caught sight of the two older bladers, motioning to Isamu as he spoke. The bluenette had his head resting on Ren's lap, her legs slightly moist with the tears that were still falling from his eyes even in his sleep.
Aguma nodded and leaned casually against the wall, crossing his arms and looking solemn.
The group remained silent and near-motionless for the next few hours, sad and solemn expressions on every face. A few tears splashed down a cheek every once in a while, marking when someone began thinking of the near-emotionless bluenette. Ren sighed and leaned back against the couch, barely in time, as Isamu sat up in a cold sweat, panting, his eyes wide.
"Are you alright?" Ren asked, concerned as the bluenette scrambled to his feet and started for the stairs.
"I have to go… I have to find him." Isamu muttered, running up the stairs.
"Gahh! Wait! The DNA could still be out there!" Ren called, as she and the others followed.
"We'd better stay with them. Madoka, you hold down the fort here, we'll be back." Aguma called as he and Da Xiang followed.
"Alight. Be careful!" Madoka called as the group disappeared into the dark night.
"Isamu! Isamu, wait up!"
The teen ignored the calls of his teammates as he ran, all the way back, back to the river. He wasn't really sure what was driving him, but he kept running. Inside his mind, there was a small spark of hope that Arashi might have somehow survived, even though it would have taken around two hours for all of the barges to pass the spot, and there wasn't enough space in between the side of the barge and the riverbank for a person to fit in. Logic told him that there was no possible way for the older bluenette to survive, but hope told him there was, there had to be.
Isamu stopped running as he reached the bridge that he had been standing on when Arashi had fallen into the river. He hesitated for a moment, catching his breath and wondering why he was even here, if he should just head back. Nothing was within sight on the riverbank, even though the dim moonlight made it difficult to see.
"What are you doing?" Ren asked as she and the others caught up.
"I-I don't know…" Isamu muttered.
"We should head back. It's pretty late." Shinobu said.
"Yeah, I-" Isamu froze mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he held his breath.
"What is it?" Ren whispered.
"Shh!" Isamu quickly hushed the blonde as he looked around. "Did you hear that?"
"Isamu, please don't tell me you're imagining-" Shinobu began, then gasped. "He's not imagining…"
"Below us!" Isamu called, racing to the end of the bridge and jumping over the rail that barricaded him from the riverbank.
"Gahh! Wait up!" the others exclaimed, following the bluenette.
Isamu skidded down the grassy patch and froze once he reached the concrete, peering into the dark shadows under the bridge.
"Hello?" the Kerbecs blader called nervously.
A weak cough came in response. "I-Isamu?"
"It's you… It really is you!" Isamu exclaimed, rushing into the darkness and dropping to his knees next to a silhouetted figure laying on his side, propped up on one elbow.
"I'm… alright." Arashi coughed as the rest of the group reached the concrete just out from under the bridge.
"You scared me…" Isamu began sobbing, helping Arashi into a sitting position and hugging him.
"I'm sorry." Arashi muttered, wrapping his arms around his brother.
"He's alive… I don't believe it…" Aguma breathed.
"Come on, let's go back to the B-Pit." Isamu said, pulling out of the hug.
"Isamu…" Arashi sighed.
"Is something wrong?" Isamu sounded worried.
"The gig is up." Arashi said.
"Huh?"
"I'm soaked. It's over."
"Oh…"
"What do you mean, 'The gig is up'?" Shinobu demanded as Arashi slowly got to his feet, still panting and coughing up water.
"Don't tell me that you were acting as our friends this whole time, when you were really on the DNA's side! Is that how they knew where we were, where we were headed, and at what time earlier?! Did they fake your death and then pull you out after we left?" Ren demanded.
"All this time, and you never seemed to bat an eye at it. It's true, i didn't tell you who i really was, and neither did Isamu. We've been putting on an act this whole time, and you never picked up on the clues." Arashi chuckled.
"What are you talking about?!" Maru demanded.
"You of all people should have guessed. The seeming fear of water, not wanting to even get near it, not swimming. The high level of skill and huge reserve of power that enabled me to regain Chimera's spin even after five minutes straight. The behaviour of an attack-type under the guise of a stamina-type that you were always so confused over. The knowledge of all the bladers we met, as well as their techniques. All of this seemed contrary to everything that i said was true, yet you never did anything more than comment on it being a bit odd. You forgot about it after that, when the truth was staring you in the face." Arashi slowly stepped forwards as he spoke, pausing right at the edge of the shadows under the bridge.
"All this time, you asked questions that remained unanswered, when any one of the Legendary Bladers could have answered them, but didn't. Even Julian Konzern knew, although he was the only team leader who did. I have known precisely where Zero was this entire time, yet i hid it from you."
"So, you are a DNA blader then? Why? Why would you do this? And why didn't anyone stop you, if they knew who you were? And where is Zero?" Maru demanded.
"Right behind me." Arashi replied.
"Huh?" the entire group, minus Aguma, looked shocked.
"What are you talking about?" Ren asked.
"It takes quite a lot of effort to hide black and orange hair underneath blue hair spray, but we did it." Arashi said as Isamu stepped forwards.
"I am Zero." the Kerbecs blader said. "This entire time, i've been hidden under the name of Isamu Hikou, but I am Zero Kurogane. TriFlame Strike is merely Burning Uppercut under a different name."
"What?!" the others almost yelled.
"Like i said, hair spray. That's why we wouldn't get in the water." Arashi said, stepping fully out of the shadows and pulling out the hairtie holding his samurai topknot in place, allowing his hair to float back into place.
"GINGKA?!" Everyone except for Aguma took a slight step back in shock.
"And you never guessed it." Gingka grinned. "Aguma knew, and so did Chris, Kyoya, Julian, and King. Yuki and Kenta helped us come up with the whole plan, but other than that group, nobody knew. Now, does that explain Chimera's attack-type behaviour? Chimera and Kerbecs are merely Pegasus and Ifrit hidden safely away underneath a holographic image."
"So that's how you did it!" Ren exclaimed after a few moments of silence. "That's why you had Madoka give Pegasus to Arashi, because it was you, and that's why you never showed yourself in the daytime!"
"Exactly." Gingka coughed.
"Still got water in your lungs?" Aguma spoke up.
"Are you kidding? I can barely breathe over here." Gingka gasped.
"Then we should get you back to the B-Pit." Da Xiang said as the redhead began having a coughing fit.
Gingka nodded, coughing up more water and causing the still-disguised Zero to look even more concerned.
"Hang in there." Aguma said, slipping an arm under the redhead's shoulders to support him as they walked back towards the B-Pit.