It was midday, and the sun beat down on the trio as they walked through a thick, overgrown forest. Ryuga led the way, as usual, with Kenta and Tsukiya trailing behind. The air was filled with the sounds of nature—birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the distant trickle of a stream.
Tsukiya's eyes wandered, scanning the area with a kind of curious excitement, even though they had been walking for hours. Every so often, she would point out something of interest to Kenta—wild berries, strange trees, even a squirrel darting across their path. Kenta, for his part, was all smiles, enjoying the break from Ryuga's usual intensity.
Then, up ahead, they came across a tall tree, its branches heavy with ripe fruit hanging just out of reach. Ryuga stopped abruptly, his sharp eyes locking onto the tree. Without a word, he pulled out L-Drago, a small smirk forming on his face.
"You're not going to…" Tsukiya began, trailing off as Ryuga lifted his launcher.
Ryuga chuckled darkly, loading his Beyblade. "I'm taking the whole tree down," he said flatly, fully prepared to send L-Drago flying into the trunk with enough force to fell it in one hit.
Before he could launch, Tsukiya stepped in front of him, holding up her hand. "Wait," she said firmly, her expression serious. "You don't need to destroy the tree just to get a few fruits."
Ryuga's eyes narrowed, golden irises glinting with mild annoyance. "Out of my way, kid," he growled. "I don't have time for—"
"Let's make a deal," Tsukiya interrupted, her tone confident as she held her ground. "If I can get those fruits down without destroying the tree, you leave it alone."
Ryuga's smirk returned, but this time with an edge of mockery. "A deal ?" he scoffed. "You really think you can do that ?"
Tsukiya met his gaze without wavering. "Yes. And if I can, you'll leave the tree standing."
Ryuga stared at her, his smirk fading into a hard line. The silence stretched between them, tension building, but finally, he gave a small shrug, clearly unimpressed. "Fine," he muttered, stepping back and lowering his launcher. "But don't waste my time."
A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of Tsukiya's lips. She turned away from Ryuga, pulling her bow from her back, her movements quick and efficient. Kenta, watching the exchange from the side, couldn't help but feel a little nervous, but there was also admiration in his eyes. He had already seen how skilled Tsukiya was with her bow, but this was different—now she was doing it in front of Ryuga, and the pressure was on.
Tsukiya nocked an arrow with swift precision and aimed at the nearest fruit, high up in the branches. For a moment, everything was still. The forest seemed to quiet as she focused, her ice-blue eyes narrowing, locking onto her target.
With a graceful pull of the string, she released the arrow. It flew through the air with deadly accuracy, hitting the fruit's stem and sending it falling toward the ground.
Before the fruit could hit the forest floor, Kenta scrambled forward, catching it just in time. "Nice shot, Tsukiya-chan !" he called out, his voice filled with excitement.
She smiled, not missing a beat, as she readied another arrow. "Thanks, Kenta-kun," she replied, her tone light and confident. "Let's get some more, shall we ?"
Without waiting for an answer, she fired another arrow, then another. Each one found its mark perfectly, and Kenta raced around, catching the fruits before they could hit the dirt. It became almost like a game, the two of them working together in perfect sync. Kenta, breathless but grinning, picked up every fruit with care, as if he were part of the action, not just a bystander.
Tsukiya glanced back at Ryuga once, her eyes full of quiet satisfaction. He stood there, arms crossed, watching her without a word, his expression unreadable. But he hadn't stopped her, and that was all the victory she needed.
Once she had shot down enough fruit, Tsukiya lowered her bow and turned to Kenta, who had gathered the pile at his feet. "That's enough for all of us," she said with a soft smile. "You did great, Kenta-kun."
Kenta beamed, looking at the fruits in his arms. "It was a team effort," he said proudly, catching his breath. "I just… didn't expect to be running so much."
Tsukiya chuckled. "Well, you earned your share. Here, have some," she said, handing him one of the larger fruits.
Kenta accepted it with a grateful smile, biting into it and savoring the sweet taste. "This is delicious ! You really saved the day, Tsukiya-chan," he added between bites.
She grinned, leaning her bow against a nearby tree and taking a fruit for herself. "I told you, the best part of having a girl in the group is that I can take care of you two."
Ryuga, who had been silently observing the whole scene, finally broke his silence. "Tch. Do whatever you want," he muttered, turning his back to them. "I'm not interested."
Tsukiya bit into her fruit, her gaze lingering on Ryuga's retreating form. She knew he was annoyed, but she wasn't about to let him ruin her good mood. She had won the bargain, after all.
As they sat down for a brief rest, Tsukiya leaned back against the tree, enjoying the moment. She glanced over at Kenta, who was happily finishing his fruit, and then at Ryuga, who, despite his cold demeanor, hadn't launched L-Drago once.
She smirked to herself, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Looks like I saved the tree," she whispered to Kenta, just loud enough for Ryuga to hear.
Kenta chuckled softly but gave a subtle nod of agreement.
Ryuga, though clearly irritated, didn't respond. Instead, he continued walking ahead, leaving Tsukiya and Kenta to share a triumphant look behind him.
For Tsukiya, this small victory felt sweeter than the fruit itself. Even if Ryuga refused to acknowledge it, she knew she had earned a little bit of his respect today, whether he'd admit it or not. And that, she thought with satisfaction, was only the beginning.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
The sun was setting as the trio entered a small city nestled between rolling hills. The city was abuzz with activity, street vendors calling out their wares, kids running around, and banners hanging everywhere, announcing an upcoming Beyblade tournament.
Tsukiya's eyes lit up when she saw the posters advertising the tournament, her fingers itching to grab Artemis and test her skills once more. She glanced over at Ryuga and Kenta, her decision made.
"I need to enter this tournament," she declared, her voice firm and determined.
Ryuga, barely sparing her a glance, simply shrugged. "Do what you want," he muttered.
Kenta, on the other hand, looked surprised. "A tournament ?" he asked, tilting his head. "But we're supposed to be traveling—"
"This will only take a few hours, Kenta-kun," Tsukiya interrupted with a smile. "I promise. Besides, I can gather some information about legendary bladers ."
Kenta frowned slightly, but he knew better than to argue. "Alright, but… why as Selene ?"
Tsukiya's gaze softened. "Because after this, I want to leave her behind. My parents will be watching. I want them to know that I'm fine—stronger, even."
Kenta nodded slowly, understanding dawning on him. "I see."
With that, Tsukiya turned on her heel and headed toward the registration booth. She quickly signed up as Selene, the mysterious blader in the mask. Her last time donning the disguise, she thought with a mix of excitement and apprehension. This was her chance to make her mark, to prove to herself—and to Ryuga—that she belonged among the best.
The tournament began swiftly, and the stadium was packed with spectators. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as bladers from all over the region gathered to test their mettle. Kenta and Ryuga stood on a nearbybuilding, watching as Tsukiya, in her mask and usual attire, prepared for her first match.
"Who's her opponent ?" Kenta asked, craning his neck to get a better view of the arena. His voice was filled with curiosity. He had seen Tsukiya battle Ryuga, but he hadn't seen her in a formal tournament.
Ryuga remained silent, his golden eyes fixated on the arena, analyzing her every movement. He was intrigued, though he'd never admit it. He wanted to see how Tsukiya—this Selene—handled herself against a variety of opponents, especially now that she had tasted defeat at his hands.
The first opponent was a blader named Daigo, a brash and overconfident teen with an attack-type Beyblade. He smirked arrogantly at Selene as they took their positions in the arena.
"You think you can beat me, masked girl ?" Daigo taunted, pointing at her. "You should've stayed home. I'm going to crush you."
Tsukiya didn't respond. She simply placed Flame Artemis on her launcher and locked eyes with Daigo from behind her mask. Calm. Collected. Ready.
"3… 2… 1… Let it rip !"
The Beys shot off their launchers, crashing into the arena with a loud clatter. Daigo's Bey charged forward aggressively, aiming for a quick knockout, but Tsukiya was already two steps ahead. Flame Artemis darted around the arena in a crescent-shaped path, avoiding the attacks with graceful precision.
Kenta leaned forward, his eyes wide. "She's… she's not even attacking," he muttered in disbelief.
"She's analyzing," Ryuga said quietly, his tone devoid of emotion. "She's waiting for the right moment."
Tsukiya smirked beneath her mask. Daigo's Bey was powerful, but reckless—exactly the kind of blader who would tire themselves out quickly. And she knew exactly how to handle that.
With a flick of her wrist, she triggered one of Flame Artemis' special moves. The spirit of Artemis appeared, manifesting as a glowing archer above the stadium. She pulled back her bow, and an arrow of energy shot out, striking Daigo's Bey directly. The impact sent his Bey flying across the arena.
"Moonlight Piercing Shot !" Tsukiya called out, her voice calm and controlled.
Daigo's Bey sputtered and stopped, defeated in a single move.
The crowd roared with excitement, and Kenta's jaw dropped. "That was incredible ! She took him down so easily !"
Ryuga's eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp. He remained silent, eyes closed.
The next few rounds went similarly. Tsukiya tore through the competition, her movements precise and her strategies flawless.
In the semi-final match, Tsukiya faced a blader with a defense-type Bey, one that could absorb hits and keep spinning. The crowd watched in anticipation, expecting this to be a drawn-out battle. But Tsukiya had no intention of letting it drag on.
As her opponent's Bey hunkered down, staying steady in the middle of the arena, Tsukiya let Flame Artemis dance around the perimeter, biding her time.
Kenta blinked, watching closely as Flame Artemis accelerated. The crescent path it followed began to glow, and the spirit of Artemis appeared once again, releasing a crescent-shaped arrow. The energy arrow formed a glowing snare around the opponent's Bey, pulling it toward Artemis with an invisible force.
"Crescent Moon Snare !" Tsukiya called out, her voice steady as always.
The opponent's Bey struggled, trapped in the snare, and within moments, Flame Artemis unleashed a flurry of rapid attacks, each one striking with pinpoint accuracy. The defense-type Bey couldn't hold out, and it stopped spinning, defeated.
Kenta jumped to his feet, cheering loudly. "She did it ! Tsukiya-chan is amazing !"
Finally, the championship match arrived. Tsukiya faced a blader known as Alex, a well-known tournament champion with a powerful attack-type Bey. The crowd was buzzing with excitement, and Tsukiya could feel the pressure mounting.
As they launched their Beys, Tsukiya's heart raced. She could feel her parents watching—this was the moment she had been waiting for.
The battle raged on, Alex's Bey coming at Flame Artemis with relentless force. But Tsukiya stayed calm, dodging and deflecting every hit. The crowd gasped as Flame Artemis danced gracefully around the attacks, never losing its balance.
Finally, Tsukiya saw her opening. With a sharp command, she called out, "Moonlight Piercing Shot !" and the spirit of Artemis fired her arrow once more, striking Alex's Bey with immense power. The impact was enough to send Alex's Bey flying out of the arena.
The crowd erupted in cheers, and Tsukiya stood victorious.
But instead of celebrating, she did something unexpected. Slowly, she reached up and removed her mask, letting it fall to the ground. The arena went silent as she revealed her true face for the first time.
"I am Tsukiya Mikazuki," she announced, her voice strong and clear. "And this is my last battle as Selene."
Her parents, watching from home, were stunned. But seeing her confidence, her strength, and her victory, they couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. She was fine—more than fine. She was a champion.
After the tournament, Tsukiya returned to Ryuga and Kenta, a satisfied smile on her face.
"There's something I heard about," she said, her tone more serious now. "A tournament at thchampil of Babel. And the reward… it might be a Bey with a star fragment. The winner is rewarded with the 'mysterious ancient Bey that holds the power of light inside' ".
Ryuga's eyes narrowed, his interest piqued. "A star fragment ?" he echoed.
Kenta, standing beside them, looked between the two, his eyes wide with excitement. "Then… are we going ?"
Ryuga smirked. "Of course. If it's a star fragment, it's mine."
Tsukiya grinned, ready for the next adventure. "Let's head there," she said, her voice filled with determination. "This journey's just getting started."