This chapter's story takes place in the episode, "Intruders in the Challenge Match"! I will always remember this episode as the one where Tsubasa unnecessarily humiliated Kenta on live television. Something else I always thought was weird in this episode was that Libra's supersonic waves could hold the river back, yet it was somehow washed away by Wales and Sophie's Special Moves? Still, guess there's no questioning Beyblade logic anymore...
Another hot take of mine I have is that Tsubasa was slightly jealous that Kenta became the Legendary Blader of Summer at the end of Metal Fury (I always remember how sad he was when he found out about the whole Four Season Bladers). That'll definitely become something bigger and more important to remember for the rest of the story. Ooh, and there's a special surprise I'll be adding towards the end of the episode, so I hope you enjoy the new things I'll be adding! On to the chapter!
Tsubasa's days in the Dark Nebula didn't seem so bad anymore. At the start of the whole time travel mess he found himself in, all Tsubasa would do was mope at the prospect of becoming another one of their foot soldiers again. It was an unpleasant experience then and it most certainly would be again. But it turned out it wasn't.
Maybe it was foolish arrogance guiding his actions, but Tsubasa now made an effort to be less cold to some of the Dark Nebula's members. He wasn't stupid enough to reveal his true mission, of course, but it never hurt to try gaining a few allies. Especially since he had somewhat befriended a few of them after the original Dark Nebula organization disbanded. Better to get the ball rolling early.
One surprising change up Tsubasa experienced was approaching Dan and Reiki to help fine-tune their new Bey, Evil Gemios. They were wary of the new recruit's intentions, of course, but later mellowed out once his assistance was shown to be genuine. Tsubasa simply thought of it as paying back the favor, as it was thanks to their cooperation that Synchrome came into existence in the future. Plus, the two of them definitely needed a bit of help in building their teamwork...
Tsubasa would also take the effort to sometimes eat lunch in the cafeteria and get to know some of the other employees. Small chit chat here and there to seem more friendly. His rivalry with the Kumade Brothers was still incensed by their previous battle, but Tsubasa merely met their glares across the dining hall with a vixen smile and lighthearted laugh.
But the biggest alteration of all that shocked Tsubasa the most was his influx of interactions with Yu. In Tsubasa's previous life, Tsubasa mostly stuck to himself when it came to Dark Nebula matters. He and Yu never talked to each much unless assigned the same missions, and even then, Tsubasa kept the chatter to a minimum. He didn't want to make any type of interpersonal relationship with anyone, and most definitely not some kid.
And of course he would laugh about the silly thought later, but it had been a genuine concern of his back then. Tsubasa had gone out of his way to avoid speaking to Yu in the past. But ever since their little excursion in the forest-
"Tsubasa, battle me right here and now!"
Yu gazed up at Tsubasa intensely, his spirit raring to go. It would've been ridiculous considering that he was holding an ice cream cone in his free hand, but the serious nature of his request quickly shut down any sort of laughter Tsubasa wanted to let out. He mentally facepalmed and silently wondered on how things had become so different from before.
Now everyday, Yu was just so insistent on challenging Tsubasa to a Beybattle. Sure, it was bad in the first timeline, but never like this! Tsubasa knew he shouldn't have continued indulging the boy after that day in the woods. He of course recognized that the younger was following him, itching for a fight, but Tsubasa never should've agreed to it!
...To be fair though, Tsubasa was kind of indulging himself with their battles. Blading would always be his calling, no matter how old he got. And helping Yu get stronger would always be a plus, just as Yu would encourage Tsubasa to get stronger back in their youth. He just couldn't pass up the opportunity for the both of them to improve.
Glancing down at the little kid, Tsubasa gently bonked the top of Yu's head with a closed fist. "Later today, maybe. The boss wants to talk to me about something right now. Probably an assignment or something..."
Yu became unsatisfied with the answer given the pout on his lips and sudden abandonment of his ice cream. "Hmph! Well, make sure to get it done fast so we can battle! I'll show you the new move me and Libra have been working on!"
Tsubasa smiled to himself. As demanding as Yu was, Tsubasa was not immune to how cute and endearing the younger Blader could be. He gave out a hum of acknowledgement before stepping in front of Doji's office. Knowing how he would be facing the man he hated very much, Tsubasa schooled his expression and watched the doors automatically open.
His perceptive eyes noticed that Yu had followed him inside, though Tsubasa paid more attention to the Dark Nebula organization's leader. Doji did not pay Tsubasa any heed, instead entranced by a small potted cactus in the palm of his hand. Tsubasa wanted to scrunch his face up; he never really understood Doji's obsession with cacti.
Time to show off a little bit of attitude. "What do you want, old man?" Though the irony was not lost on Tsubasa, Doji was still way older than Tsubasa was, so at least it made sense. Nevermind the fact that Tsubasa had lived twice as long as Doji's current life.
The Dark Nebula organization leader was not ruffled at all by the slight spoken by his employee. Instead, he redirected the conversation with a question of his own: "Tell me, do you like cactuses?"
The gray-haired teen pointed his eyes towards the ceiling in false contemplation. "I think they're prickly and dangerous, and way too annoying to deal with. Kinda like a certain someone I know." The knowing smile Tsubasa sent Doji ensured that the man understood who Tsubasa was referring to.
"HEY! You better not be talking about me!"
Oh right. Yu was still here, scowling at Tsubasa off to the side. Well, thankfully enough, Tsubasa was not trying to rile the little boy up. Not yet at least.
"Of course not," Tsubasa rejected the notion. "You're too tiny to be considered dangerous. You're more like a... like a kitten trying to scratch at a post." The exasperated noises made by Yu earned some snickers on Tsubasa's part.
"I'm not like a cat! Ooh, battle me right now and I'll show you my true claws! Gosh, you're such a meanie!"
"No need to fight, you two," Doji intervened. Tsubasa straightened himself up again, no longer relaxed. "Tsubasa, I've got a job I need you to do. You'll need to be doing some work as a spy today."
Well, luckily, Tsubasa was the right man for the job. "Sure. Considering you need glasses to see, it'd probably be better that I do this instead of you, senior citizen." Tsubasa was really pushing it now, but he wanted to see how much Doji could take before reaching a breaking point!
Yu giggled at the snarky comment while Doji continued the briefing. "I'm sure you are aware of the many individuals that have piqued the Dark Nebula's interest. Those that, while important to our plans, can easily become a threat as well. So, I will need you to be performing some reconnaissance on Gingka and his friends."
With the click of a remote, the window behind Doji transformed into a projector screen. Familiar faces of a young Gingka, Madoka, Kenta, Hikaru, Benkei, Hyoma, and Kyoya appeared. Doji and Yu gave their own spiel about the Bladers in opposition of the organization, but everything just went through one ear as Tsubasa remained transfixed on the images and video clips.
It felt very similar to when he had seen everyone else for the first time again. Tsubasa's heartbeat felt louder and more consuming, kind of like when he first met Gingka, Yu, and Madoka. Seeing those cherished friends of his so young and lively once more. That once crushing, overwhelming feeling became diluted over time, but still very well and alive.
Ah, but he couldn't get caught up in remembrance now! Ground yourself in the present moment, Tsubasa! You still have a role to play!
"Ah yes," Tsubasa drawled. "Because a bunch of kids playing a game of spinning tops is the biggest threat to a millionaire corporation. You truly do have your priorities straight." It was a bit difficult to muster a sarcastic tone when all Tsubasa wanted was to be honest with his feelings. Free.
Doji let out an amused noise. "You joined the Dark Nebula for a reason, you should know that those expectations need to be met. Now, get going already! There'll be two Bladers at the tournament you need to watch out for!"
"Understood," Tsubasa nodded. A sour taste left his mouth at the thought of crossing his old (old? Future? He still couldn't wrap his head around all this time travel stuff...) friends, but it was necessary. Just before he could vacate the office, a hand tightly clenched the side of his pants. "Huh?"
"Hey, I wanna join in too!" Yu stared up at Tsubasa with pinched eyebrows, an annoyed aura emitted from his tiny body. "Why do you get to have all the fun while I'm stuck here? You can't even battle me right now like you said you would!"
"Hmm," Doji hummed, amused. "Considering Tsubasa's previous tone of voice, I was originally going to give him this solo mission as punishment." Wow, Tsubasa's strategy actually worked? "But I suppose it may be useful to have two agents on the field for this particular assignment. That'll mean Tsubasa will have to watch over you and whatnot."
"Yeah, that's totally fine!" Yu scrambled up the lounge seat and leaned over the top. A pleading face with puppy eyes alongside hands clasped together were a deadly combination. "Please, please, pretty please, Tsubasa? We won't even have to battle today like I asked, promise!"
...Did this happen in his first life? Tsubasa couldn't remember. Still, he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to reacquaint himself with his little brother figure. "Fine by me," the teen sighed in resignation. Yu threw both of his hands up in victory.
"And can we get some dinner and dessert afterwards?"
"...Fine." And as Yu cheered giddily to himself, Tsubasa broke out into a smirk. "But I call steering the helicopter. We'll let Daiki take a break this time, I wanna be the pilot for once." Then Tsubasa dashed off in a burst.
"Wha- Hey, wait a minute!" Yu gave chase immediately. "Can you even fly a helicopter?!" And Tsubasa's chuckles echoed through the hallways of the building.
Kenta had totally jinxed himself. That had to have been the reason. Kenta thought he had lucked out when finding out that Hyoma was fighting on the river side of the tournament, but he shouldn't have grown so lax, even if he was winning most of his battles without a hitch. It should've been the final match, but-
"Kenta, I challenge you."
Those words were coming from above. With his moment of celebration interrupted, Kenta glanced up towards the source of the voice. High atop one of the tree branches was a teenager with flowing stormy gray hair, clocking in at a height even taller than Gingka and Kyoya. Piercing eyes watched Kenta closely, like a predator keeping tabs on its prey.
"You'll be okay battling me, won't you?" the intruder asked before performing a front flip and landing gracefully onto the ground. This was not what Kenta signed up for!
"Whoa, hey! Who are you?!" Because most Bladers actually entered tournaments instead of ambushing opponents right at the end! Still, this guy moved with elegance and ease, uncaring of how he was technically-not-technically violating the rules. Though his smile was not unkind and malevolent, it was full of unadulterated self-confidence.
The teen rose up to his full height. "The name's Tsubasa," he introduced himself. Tsubasa then flashed a beautiful hyacinth-colored Bey. "And this is my partner: Earth Eagle. You down for a chance to test your skills against me?"
It was so sudden and without any warning at all, but- "I'm not afraid of battling against you! I accept the challenge!" His Blader's Spirit acted on its own. Kenta brandished his own Bey, Flame Sagittario, towards his opponent. Neither were willing to back down from the fight.
As both Bladers took position on their sides, Kenta attempted to concoct a viable strategy. He had never met this Blader before nor seen him in a tournament, so Kenta was basically in the dark. It didn't seem like Tsubasa was point hunting, but he still couldn't let his guard down. Moreover, Tsubasa apparently knew who Kenta was, but not the other way around. He was at a terrible disadvantage...
Still, there was no time to be moping around! All Kenta could do was grit his teeth and get ready for a hard-fought battle. The two Bladers counted down and quickly launched their Beys, though neither opted to take the initiative. It seemed like Tsubasa wanted Kenta to make the first move.
Well, Kenta could certainly work with that! Sagittario collided with Eagle and the two Beys did their own song and dance, gauging the strength of their competitor. From what Kenta could see, it seemed like Earth Eagle had greater defense than Sagittario. Its attack power also seemed to match Kenta's own Bey. He wasn't sure if a stamina battle would be the best option for this fight.
"Sagittario!" Kenta called out. The golden Bey charged straight ahead at its contender only to crash into thin air. Eagle had disappeared in a haze and popped up right back behind Sagittario. The Stamina Type Bey tried to attack again, to no avail. Kenta gasped at his ineffective strikes.
Standing atop a sliced tree stump, Tsubasa made an unimpressed huff. "Your attacks are too straightforward, I can read through them already. I'll show you how it's done. Eagle!"
The tables were flipped as Eagle bolted towards Sagittario. With each hit, Eagle bounced off of its target to strike from a new side, creating a barrage of massive damage. Sagittario's attempt to counterattack had the Bey flying straight into the air. "Hang tough! You can do it, Sagittario!"
Tsubasa made an entertained face. "You won't be able to win if you keep letting your opponent attack you like this! Eagle, aerial attack!" The purple Bey obeyed the command and ricocheted off of a tree, taking to the skies. Diving straight towards Sagittario.
"Sagittario!" Kenta's cries did nothing to curb Eagle's unrelenting midair attacks, talons sinking into Sagittario's flesh. "Hang on! Don't quit, Sagittario!" But the Bey could do nothing against the lilac bolt of lightning striking it down.
Tsubasa waved an arm out. "C'mon, don't tell me that's all you've got!" This time, the positions were reversed and Eagle stuck to the ground. Each of Eagles attacks juggled Sagittario in the air, preventing the Bey from landing back down. Streaks of blinding purple illuminated the stadium.
"S... Sagittario..." Kenta could only pathetically watch Sagittario being ruthlessly beaten. He had thought that he had become a stronger Blader after all those battles, but the one-sided nature of this fight completely demolished that belief. Kenta had been so confident after sweeping the competition in the tournament too. But against this guy, Kenta was... Kenta was...!
Tears began forming in the corner of his eyes. It felt like all of his hard work and pride as a Blader amounted to nothing at all. Crushed like an insect.
"No, Sagittario...!" Kenta's eyes clamped shut and he made a pitched whine. When had he gotten so bigheaded? Just because he had a Special Move and trained against many great Bladers like Gingka and Benkei didn't make him strong! He was still that weak little kid that needed to be saved from the Face Hunters, he wasn't an amazing Blader at all! He was tiny and weak and pathetic, he was-
"Don't avert your eyes, Kenta! This battle isn't over yet!"
Huh?
Kenta opened his eyes up once more, gaze remaining trained on the floor. He realized that Tsubasa was shouting at him over the sound of clashing metal. "Sagittario's still out there fighting! It hasn't given up on you, so you shouldn't either!"
Those words echoed in Kenta's mind and he slowly turned back to the arena. Though Eagle's attacks hadn't stopped, Sagittario was still holding on by a thread. Still awaiting Kenta's command and ready to claim victory. That was all Kenta needed to muster his resolve.
Just like Tsubasa, there were many talented Bladers out there far more powerful than Kenta was. People that had Special Moves just like Sagittario, who trained day in and day out to become an even stronger version of themselves. Kenta couldn't turn away just because of the strenuous trials waiting ahead! He had to fight with everything he had to even have a chance at fighting toe-to-toe with them!
Kenta clenched his fist in front of his face. "I just have to become stronger with Sagittario! Let's do this!" He extended his pointer finger. "Sagittario!" The Bey evaded the attack and fled beneath a formation of logs, hidden from Eagle's line of sight. When Eagle came to strike down, it was time for Sagittario's counterattack.
Dazzling flames wrapped around Sagittario like a warm embrace. Sagittario's Flame Claw struck back to meet Eagle in a head-on assault. Tsubasa's countenance shifted to one with more pride, though still certain in his capabilities. "Not a bad strategy! But you still stand no chance! Metal Wing Smash!"
When both Beys met, a shockwave rang out that shook the trees and the dirt below. Kenta held an arm out to protect his eyes and just barely heard the clang of an unmoving Sagittario at his side. Tsubasa caught his still-spinning Eagle with a clean movement, leaving Kenta gaping in disbelief.
"Ah..." Well, Kenta figured it would have ended that way. If he had gotten it together earlier, maybe things could have been different. But he and Sagittario still fought tooth and nail with all the power they had at their disposal. For sure, next time, Kenta would-
Tsubasa leapt down from the tree trunk and began approaching Kenta. Said young Blader flinched, taking a step back. What did this guy want from him now? Was Tsubasa actually trying to steal his Beypoints?
The older teen eyed the fallen Sagittario, resulting in Kenta picking the Bey up and holding it protectively. Tsubasa crouched down and tilted his head to the side, analyzing the Blader and his Bey closely. "You're one of Gingka's friends, right?"
"Huh?" That was not the question Kenta had been expecting. Still, Tsubasa continued staring at his fellow Blader and Kenta gave a curt nod as his answer. Tsubasa then turned his eyes to the covered Sagittario.
"His Pegasus and my Eagle prefer aerial attacks because it's harder for Beys to defend." Kenta made a confused noise. "It avoids damage from another Bey's Fusion Wheel and the Energy Ring is typically a weak point for most opponents." Then, with a sly grin, Tsubasa pointed at Sagittario. "I bet if you worked hard at it, Sagittario could do a deadly midair attack with its claws. You should totally try that out next time."
And then Tsubasa rose to his feet and turned away. His steps were the loudest thing in the clearing and Kenta had to blink a few times to understand what had just happened. Then, Kenta yelled out, "Wait a second!" Tsubasa spun around again to face his younger competitor. "Just who in the world are you, anyway?"
The challenger scrutinized his contender, though Kenta recognized the absence of ill intent. Tsubasa let out a deep breath. "I'm a Blader just like you, Kenta Yumiya. And though it may not seem like it yet, I know you're gonna become a Blader even more amazing than me." He cracked a grin. "Let's hope we battle each other again soon." And Tsubasa disappeared past the trees.
Kenta watched him walk off, shifting his eyes between Tsubasa and Sagittario. There was some underlying emotion in Tsubasa's tone of voice, though Kenta could in no way discern it. All the little boy could do was stand there in silence, trying to comprehend what in the world just happened.
What a strange guy...
Yup, Yu had absolutely no regrets! Not only did he get to fight against a pretty interesting opponent, but Tsubasa even treated him to a nice dinner and dessert after too! Yu gladly munched on his cup of shaved ice, mindlessly trailing after Tsubasa. He didn't even know where they were going, simply reveling in the wonderful taste of icy sweetness.
That Blader Yu had faced off against, Hyoma, had thought he was soooo clever! Totally his fault for underestimating how powerful Libra's supersonic wave was! Tsubasa obviously did well against Kenchi too, so that was two points to the Dark Nebula and no points to Gingky and his friends! Totally an awesome day spent for Yu!
So he became a little bit puzzled when the two Dark Nebula Bladers wound up back at the tournament entrance close to the evening. "Hey, what are we doing back here for?" Yu inquired. "Forgot something?"
"Huh?" It seemed like that had been what snapped Tsubasa back to focus, as his eyes began surveying his surroundings like he was disoriented. "Oh, oops. Sorry, I forgot where we landed the helicopter earlier."
"Wha- You forgot?!" Tsubasa had actually been pretty good at steering the helicopter to their designated location (Yu wondered where he even got the training from). The only problem was that he kept scaring Yu with suggestions of a couple of "air tricks" he wanted to try out. "Maybe you're the one who's an old man, considering that you can't remember! That's probably why your hair's gray too!"
"Maybe..." Tsubasa shook his head. "I guess I ended up tracing our steps on accident. Here, we can head back to- Oh?" He paused and looked a ways into the distance. Yu instantly copied the movement. Two familiar figures were standing towards the middle of the clearing.
"Let's meet again at the Battle Blade... Eh?" The person that had been standing there was the white-haired Hyoma. And right beside the guy was-
"Oh, hey Kenchi!" Yu waved over the younger Blader. Finally, someone around his age! The blonde dashed towards his friend, excitedly bouncing up and down as Tsubasa followed with a shake of his head. "It's been a while! How did your fight with Tsubasa go?!" Yu impatiently shook Kenta's shoulders a bit.
"Yu...?" Kenta seemed disoriented by the appearance of the Dark Nebula Blader. His eyes darted between Yu and Tsubasa. "I don't, what... Wait, what are you even doing here?!"
Yu stuck out one of his pointer fingers. "I came here to challenge that guy over there!" Hyoma made a befuddled noise. "It was a fun battle, but he totally underestimated me and Flame Libra!" Said Blader slapped his face into his hand.
Kenta scooted a bit away to look past Yu. "So then who's that guy supposed to be?!" The green-haired kid asked about Tsubasa. "He's the one that beat me, how do you know him?!"
"'That guy'? Wow, am I really that forgettable that you don't remember my name?" Melodramatically, Tsubasa squeezed his hand over his chest, the other propped along his forehead. "I'm a bit hurt, Kenta. I thought you could at least commit my name to memory since we were acquaintances..."
While both Hyoma and Kenta made sounds of utter stupefaction, Yu couldn't contain his laughter. "I didn't know you could be such a drama queen, Tsubasa! But that's totally what you get for beating up Kenchi in a fight!" That snapped Tsubasa out of his lighthearted demeanor, his face now scrunching up.
Abruptly, Hyoma yanked back on Kenta to make space between his companion and the Dark Nebula Bladers. "Kenta, you shouldn't be trying to get so buddy-buddy with them." Wary eyes glanced towards Tsubasa. "We both know that Yu's part of the Dark Nebula organization, but what about him? Who's he supposed to be, and what are these two planning?"
Tsubasa gave the most self-confident smile. Rather than feeling threatened by Hyoma's keen perceptiveness, Tsubasa seemed more impressed than anything. "Well, just think of me as this guy's glorified babysitter. It seems like he's always causing trouble wherever he goes, after all. It's surprisingly a good-paying job."
Oh, Tsubasa did not just say that! "I don't need a babysitter!" Yu cried out in disgust. "I don't need anyone to watch over me or anything like a little kid! I'm not that hard to deal with!"
"You literally cut the river side of the tournament short," Hyoma deadpanned, most likely embittered by the crushing defeat. "The semi-finals match didn't even finish and no one won any points because of you."
That fact caught Tsubasa off-guard, eyes bulging in his sockets. "You did what?" He said that so shrilly that Yu wanted to gawk at the sight. Yu had never seen so Tsubasa so flabbergasted before! "You robbed him of his points?"
"It's not like the battles were interesting anyway!" Yu complained with his arms resting on the back of his head. "Everyone was super duper weak and he would've won anyways! And since I beat him, I should be the one to-"
"Give him back his points."
The command was spoken in such an emotionless, solemn tone. Yu had to do a double take on Tsubasa, whose eyes were burning into Yu's forehead. "What?! No way, I won those! I beat Hyoma, that means I get the points!"
"Through underhanded methods, yes." In a strange twist of events, Tsubasa remained solely focused on Yu while wearing a serious expression. "You didn't sign up for the tournament, you don't deserve to steal the reward from the people who did. So give it back to him."
An intimidating air wafted out from the Earth Eagle Blader. Yu could've sworn his heart stopped from Tsubasa's deathly face, eyes shadowed and lips curled into a frown. In a way, it kind of reminded Yu of Ryuga's ferocious energy. When the Dragon Emperor himself would tear apart his enemies without mercy. Not even Yu could say that it didn't scare him from time to time. He never would've expected it from Tsubasa of all people though...
Yu had turned slack-jawed, mouth opening and closing without any words. Kenta and Hyoma's reactions meant that it wasn't just him. Tsubasa tsked as he realized he wouldn't be receiving any answer from his partner. "Ugh, fine." The teen unclipped his Beypointer before turning to Hyoma. "Here, how much was the tournament reward? I can spare a couple thousand."
Hyoma certainly hadn't been expecting that. "Huh?" He looked Tsubasa up and down, gradually coming to the realization that the other teen was being serious. "Uhh, I can't just accept points from you like this." A thought then crossed Hyoma's mind and his face gained a scheming attribute. "We would have to have a fair battle for me to accept."
"A battle? Huh, wait a second..." With a hand held out, Yu began counting on his finger. "So if me and Kenchi wanted to join, then that'd be four people. Four's a pretty even number." His eyes sparkled as he began vibrating ecstatically. "That means we can totally do a team battle or something! Kenchi, get them to let us join in on the fight too!"
"Wha..." Kenta's brown eyes moved between his three fellow Bladers. "Umm, I mean... I guess we can...?" His determination suddenly solidified itself. "We should. There's a lot of things I need to work on, so the best way to improve is to keep battling strong opponents. Let's do it!"
"Kenta..." Hyoma stared on at his companion before exhaling in content resignation. "Very well. We accept the challenge, but I'll be teaming up with Kenta for this match!"
"That's fine!" Shining eyes faced the unmoving Tsubasa. "You'll let me join in too, right, Tsubasa? This is a team battle, we need an even number!" Yu then flinched when Tsubasa slowly turned with an unreadable expression. Right, he was still angry with Yu...
He didn't expect Tsubasa to suddenly burst into hysteric sniggers with a pointed smile on his lips. The sight kind of freaked Yu out. "You know what? Fine, Yu. You can join in on the team battle." His grin gained a bit of an angered tinge. "I'll just team up with those two and we can all gang up on you, okay?"
It took Yu a few seconds to process the statement. He blanked out for a moment. "Wait, WHAT?!" Okay, Yu was a powerful Blader, but not that strong! Tsubasa was already hard enough to battle against, much less with two other teammates! "Hey, how is that supposed to be fair?! Teams should be even!"
As if running on spite itself, Tsubasa somehow made the most exaggerated shrug known to mankind. "I don't like playing with cheaters, Little Boy. I'd rather be teaming with Bladers that have manners. Good luck fighting on your own." Tsubasa then stepped away from Yu. Closer to Kenta and Hyoma, but not enough to overstep their boundaries.
"W-W-Wait, I...!" Yu glanced helplessly at Tsubasa, then turning to the other two for help. Neither of the Bladers knew how to respond to the situation. Still, Yu tried to defend himself. "B-But that's not-!"
"I already said it, Little Boy. And I'll say it again. I'm. Not. Playing. With a cheater." Tsubasa blew a lock of hair out of his face. "I fight fair and square no matter who my opponent is. And unless you have a good reason, you can't be violating the rules and ruining it for everyone else." He didn't even want to look at Yu, as if he was repulsed by his tiny companion.
That got Yu into a bit of desperation. He had never seen Tsubasa so angry before and he definitely did not want to see it again! "Alright, alright!" Yu conceded. "I won't do anything like it again, promise!" He redirected his eyes on Hyoma. "I'm sorry for ruining your match! I'll make sure to give you back your points after this!" The declaration was mostly genuine. Hopefully enough to earn back Tsubasa's favor.
Said teenage boy huffed in begrudging approval while Hyoma stared onwards. It was probably quite the change up from his opponent's previous attitude. "Okay...? I guess that's fine." He deeply exhaled. "Let's just get this battle going already."
That was Yu's cue to unleash Libra's Inferno Blast. One hollow in the ground later and the four readied their stances. Yu made a quick side-eye. Tsubasa still hadn't made any sort of acknowledgement and simply remained fixated on the opposing team. Discerning eyes watching their every move. Uh oh, hopefully this wouldn't jeopardize their win. Well, Tsubasa was strong enough to handle himself, so they should be fine.
"Three! Two! One! Let it rip!"
Out came four Beys, each pair taking their own side. Libra and Eagle spun side-by-side while keeping their distance from the other two. None of the Bladers were willing to make a move yet, instead opting to size up the other team. Yu's face soured. He really wasn't one for waiting around!
"Don't-"
"Go get 'em, Libra!"
Ignoring Tsubasa's words of caution, Flame Libra blasted off in its enemies direction. Its first target appeared to be Sagittario, smacking it far enough to separate it from its teammate. "Don't let him push you around, Sagittario!" Kenta called out. "We're both Stamina Type Beys, so we can't be taken out in a head-on clash like this!"
Sagittario fought back against Libra's push, both drifting towards the center of the stadium. "Kenta, I'll back you up!" Hyoma offered while charging ahead. "Go, Aries!"
"Don't forget about me!" Without warning, Eagle darted towards Rock Aries and began an onslaught of damage. "Divide and conquer, as they say!" Tsubasa beamed. "Your opponent's gonna be me!" Hyoma growled, but did not falter in meeting Eagle's attacks.
Meanwhile, Kenta was struggling in posing an equal match to Yu. Said blonde boy furrowed his brow. "C'mon, you gotta do better than that!" Kenta snapped out of his daze. "You're basically handing it to me, and that's no fun! Try a little harder, why don'tcha?"
"Alright then!" Kenta obliged. "Sagittario, push him back!" The Bey followed up with the command, opting for quicker attacks that backed away a bit with each strike. A safe bet in avoiding damage. In the back of his mind, Yu vaguely thought about the similarity to a certain someone's technique.
"That's better, Kenchi!" Yu complimented his friend. "But that's still not gonna take me out! Go hard, Libra!" Libra's collisions grew in ferocity. Sagittario was now starting to lose its edge, though it still fought back regardless. Yu smirked; Sagittario was starting to get more aggressive now. If Kenta kept training harder, Yu might just have another rival to watch out for.
On their side, Eagle and Aries warred with one another. Both Beys pressed onward, knocking back their opponent. "It's no good it that's the full extent of your strength," Hyoma goaded a bit. "Aries! Horn Throw Destruction!"
The ram knocked into Eagle ferociously. Its horns threw the purple Bey into the sky, a direct hit. Hyoma smirked to himself at the sight of the vulnerable Eagle high in the air.
Tsubasa whistled, impressed. "I'll admit, that's a pretty strong Special Move you've got there." His smile sharpened. "But that's a big mistake on your part! Don't you know that eagles rule the skies for a reason?"
Hyoma realized his mistake too late. His eyes blew wide open. "Aries, get out of there!" The Defense Type Bey stood no chance as Eagle unleashed a series of swooping dives. "ARIES!" Tsubasa couldn't help the smirk on his lips.
The sudden shout caught Kenta's attention. Having been the victim of Eagle's barrage of hits earlier, he knew he had to intervene. "Hang on, Hyoma!" Kenta allowed Libra one more hit order to gain momentum. Then, Sagittario was hurtling away from the Stamina Type Bey and in Aries's direction.
"Hey, don't just run away!" Yu whined. "We were supposed to be having the ultimate Stamina Type battle here!" Kenta ignored the Blader and carried onwards. He wasn't used to this form of attack, but now was better than never to try it out!
Sagittario flew towards the outer perimeter of the stadium, a few inches away from the edge. "Jump high, Sagittario!" The Bey listened and leapt into the air, curving back towards the center. Though it wasn't a clean hit, the flying Sagittario managed to whiff Tsubasa's next strike and force Eagle to miss its dive attack.
Hyoma let out a sigh of relief once Aries glided away to safety. "Phew. Thanks, my friend," he said to Kenta, who gave him a thumbs-up. Sagittario and Aries now raced next to look each other once more. "Let's try to turn the tables now!"
"Hehe, I don't think so!" Both Bladers rotated towards Yu. His cheeky grin gained a bit of a threatening quality. "This is a team battle, don't you forget about me! Libra! Sonic Buster!" There went the infamous antlion trap, transforming the stadium's floor into sand.
"Oh no, Sagittario!" Though both Aries and Sagittario were spinning strong, it was only a matter of time until they were swallowed up. Kenta grit his teeth. What could he possibly do?
Tsubasa called out, "Thanks for the assist, Little Boy! Now let's not hold anything back, alright?"
"I told you not to call me a little boy!" Despite the angered statement, it could not dampen Yu's excited smile. "Get them now, Libra!" The Stamina Type gleefully raced towards their opponent, with Eagle trailing closely after. Libra knocked Rock Aries around first before Eagle followed after. The two Beys continued a coordinated assault against the Defense Type.
Kenta bit his bottom lip. "This isn't good, we're already losing stability because of the sand! I'm just gonna have to bet it all on my Special Move right now!"
"I'm with you, Kenta!" Hyoma agreed. The two exchanged a nod before Aries hurtled towards Libra. "Aries! Horn Throw Destruction!" Aries flashed brightly as it charged Libra.
"Not today, pal!" Yu giggled before Libra vibrated violently. Green energy welled up like a fountain, spouting out immediately after. "Libra! Inferno Blast!" Hyoma grit his teeth as Aries was sucked into the Inferno Blast, but still holding on.
"Now's our chance, Sagittario!" Again, Sagittario raced over the edge and flew up into the sky, in a better position than earlier thanks to Eagle being grounded. Raging flames shot out. "Special Move! Sagittario, Flame Claw!"
In a way different than usual, Sagittario dove down similarly to Eagle straight towards Yu's Libra. It cut through the pillar of viridescent light and smashed into Libra Yu's eyes widened. "Libra, hang on!"
"Huh, seems like you took my advice!" Suddenly, Eagle was rushing towards the fray. "But I won't be left out of this one! Eagle, Counter Stance!" A purple haze engulfed Eagle and it seemed to pick up speed.
"W-What's that?" Kenta and Hyoma both vocalized. Tsubasa shot them a knowing grin as Eagle cut through the green curtain. Smashing into Aries and Sagittario both.
A massive explosion rang out and all Bladers had to cover their eyes for a second. Then, Hyoma and Kenta both gasped as their respective Beys laid fallen across the sandy ground. Eagle had still been spinning strong, though Libra had been affected by the dual Special Moves and was wobbling a bit. "No... We lost..." Kenta spoke aloud.
"I'm afraid so, Kenta," Hyoma sighed while dropping down to pick up Aries and Sagittario. Libra and Eagle faithfully returned to their Bladers' palms as well. "But our teamwork seemed to improve at the very least. We did the best we could."
"That was amazing!" Both Hyoma and Kenta were caught off-guard by the dazzled look in Yu's face. The boy's arms flapped up and down ecstatically. "Getting hit by two Special Attacks was awesome, and Kenchi's sky attack was super cool too! This battle was so fun!"
"I'll have to agree with that," Tsubasa admitted while shaking his head at Yu's silliness. "The two of you are definitely outstanding Bladers." The taller teen crouched down at the edge of the arena and held a hand out for Hyoma. Hyoma hesitated a bit, but once seeing that there was no malicious intent in Tsubasa's eyes, he accepted the gesture and allowed himself to be pulled up.
Yu stepped over while brandishing his Beypointer. "I still need to return the points back, since Tsubasa said so." Though it was spoken a bit begrudgingly, Tsubasa still gave a proud look to his teammate. Hyoma was a bit surprised, though reluctantly nodded and began pulling out his own Beypointer for the transfer.
Off to the side, Kenta stepped forward with a face brimming with resolve. "Thank you for battling us," he said to Tsubasa sincerely. "Your advice was genuine and the match gave me a lot of things to think about."
"No trouble at all," Tsubasa brushed off with a softer grin. His countenance became more serious and determined. "Kenta Yumiya," he began, "one day, you're gonna be one of the most incredible Bladers. The road along will be a difficult one, but keep pushing yourself and you'll get there. I'm looking forward to seeing you and Sagittario reach your full potential."
The vast encouragement was not something Kenta had anticipated. Still, he could feel the authenticity of Tsubasa's assurances and accepted those words. "I will," Kenta simply said with nothing but a promise.
Yu then came back to Tsubasa's side and Hyoma withe Kenta. Tsubasa made a small waving gesture. "Well, hope to see you guys at another tournament." A teasing glint. "In an official match, of course."
And that was all that needed to be said. As the two Dark Nebula Bladers walked away, their opponents figures growing smaller and smaller, the evening sunset washed over Tsubasa and Yu's faces. Summer warmth felt nice and relaxing after their heated match.
"The team battle was actually kinda cool!" Yu marveled. "I normally battle by myself, but it's really fun facing a Lott of opponents at once! We make a pretty good team, don't you think?"
Tsubasa snorted. "Sure thing, Little Boy. But where's my thanks for the rescue I pulled off at the end?"
"Hey, I could've held on without you! Libra's Inferno Blast would've probably swept both of them away by itself!"
"If that's what you think, Wonder Boy. Guess that means you don't want to join in on my team battle training then..."
Yu's stride paused for a minute. And then... "Woah, team battle training?! Let me join, let me join! I wanna get better at playing with somebody else on my side!" And Tsubasa chuckled as the two Bladers hurried their way back to the helicopter.