Shu watched the match on the screen in the wait room.

Yes!

Shu froze the screen at the moment Phoenix burst at Spryzen's request. What is is, Spryzen?

You know I prefer Kayden. Yes, it's an English name. Anyways, note Valt and Robin's expression, the moment before the beys burst.

Shu looked. And didn't understand. And played that video again. "Huh?"

Orochi frowned. "Your sister looks surprised." He stood up and traced Robin's eyes to behind the WBBA sign.

Shu stood up as well. "Yeah." He squinted, then jumped backwards. Orochi looked at him in a way that suggested he thought Shu wasn't entirely sane. "S-sorry." His injured arm was making him less perceptive. Normally he would have spotted the purple eyes that looked like his instantly. "Is it just me, or is there something purple in the left corner?"

Orochi pointed to the eyes. "There." He blinked. "But that's..."

"Yeah. It is."

Orochi shook his head. "I'm sure this is none of my business. They're done, so both of us should forget this for now."

Shu looked at the screen again, and his heart beat a bit faster. "I will beat you," he whispered to the screen.

Orochi, with his perfect hearing, gave him the same look-- the one that indicated he was crazy. "Ready to go?"

Shu held out his left hand. The other boy shook it. "Good luck."

"I'll be needing it."

***

"Are you ready, fans, for the next battle?" The announcer worked the crowd up. "Well, next up-- it's Orochi Gimba--"

Music boy stepped out, and his fans cheered. In the crowds, Robin pressed "play"

"--and with no need for titles, Shu Kurenai!"

Fangirls screamed, and Shu winced.

They're even louder than Valt. Then again, there's about one hundred.

One hundred and twenty four.

Oh great, Shu thought back. That's much better.

He readied his beyblade. "Once I win," Orochi told him. "I'll be moving onto the finals and beat Valt. Then I'll be able to move onto the nationals."

Shu found most of that irrational, as there was no guarantee he would beat him, even with a wounded arm. Other than that, Orochi would not make it past Valt, especially after he beat Shu.

Orochi faced the crowds. "Can I get a little support?"

Shu watched Valt ground his teeth as he listened to Shu's opponent rally the crowds. Robin looked unimpressed, as did Daigo. Ken looked bored. Honcho and Wakiya were ignoring the competition and yelling at each other.

The ref started the match.

"Three!" Shu readied his launcher. I've gotta make this quick. I can feel my arm getting worse, and the doctor says my arm might just stop working.

"Two!"

"One!"

"Let it.. Rip!" As he launched, he felt the arm bone move again, causing a fresh wave of pain. Shu barely managed to keep his launch stance.

Spryzen and Odax, Orochi's bey, spun into the stadium. Spryzen took center, being a balance type. Odax spun the outer circle, tip make different pitched scratches. His opponent nodded and closed his. "Good launch." He raised his voice. "Odax, attack!"

Odax roared down to center, where Storm Spryzen's tip glowed red and zoomed around the stadium, dodging a few of Odax's attacks. "Good," Shu said. "Counter break!"

Back in the crowd, Robin frowned. "He's rushing it. There's something wrong with his arm."

Daigo squinted at Shu's shoulder. "Unfortunately, yes. I saw Nika knock his arm while he launched. He's injured, and it looks like his shoulder popped out of it's socket."

Robin muttered something under her breath. "Curse that stubborn idiot. That's why he was nearly late to school."

"He was early."

"Shu usually comes at around seven."

Daigo facepalmed.

Spryzen roared it's challenge as it closed the distance to Odax. The powerful warrior snarled and lifted it's sword. "Finish it!" Shu yelled, not seeing his aura blaze more.

"Attack!" Orochi yelled.

"Storm Spryzen with a ring out finish!" the ref decided. "Shu Kurenai gets one point!"

Shu blinked. Surely Odax should have burst? Then he glanced at his shaking arm.

Oh.

Yeah. Kayden put his head in his hands. You need to be able to ignore your arm, and give one super-powered launch, else Orochi will win and Valt will be in the finals without you.

Shu tensed. I have to keep my promise to Valt. I have to win.

"I did a pretty good job. Almost had him!" his opponent turned back to the crowd, and Shu watched Valt look like he might explode.

He's on our side. That's all I need.

"With a little more support from my fans," Orochi continued, "I could top one of the Supreme Four! Ready for a great show?"

He sure knows what he's doing, Shu noted. Valt would have blown his top by now. The fans want a show, and he's right. They'll get a show, when they support him.

"See? They're here for me." Orochi pumped a fist in the air. The crowd cheered. Robin did an anime fall. "I'm the main act, and you're more of... the triangle."

Valt blew his top. He yelled, "Hey! That's not fair! Shu taught me so much! He's more than just a triangle!"

Ken rolled his eyes and Besu opened his mouth. "Easy on the metaphors."

"A bit nervous since they're all cheering for me now?" The boy turned back to him.

"Not in the slightest." Shu checked where Valt was. He was openly glaring at Orochi. Daigo and Robin made their way over.

Good thinking. Valt's got good intentions, but he'll be disqualified if he tries to take a swing at my opponent.

The ref started the match. Shu got into launch stance, his arm protesting painfully.

"Three!" I can't take much more. I need to finish fast.

"Two!"

"One!"

"Let it... rip!"

Shu launched with all his strength, and he felt his shoulder bone crash against something else-hard. He was no doctor, but Shu could tell it was getting really bad.

Orochi grinned as Odax smashed down into the stadium. "Destroy him!"

Shu kept his face blank. His launch had worked. Spryzen was flying around the stadium with power he had only seen last year. As he yelled the command for the Upper Launch, he felt someone watching him.

Get me over there. Now.

Spryzen, enough! We're in the middle of a matc--

His repremand was cut short by his shoulder. Shu almost checked to see if it was actually on fire, but instead fixed his gaze on his bey. The two beys collided, seperated, and collided again.

"Again!" Shu roared.

"Finish it!" Orochi commanded.

"Let's win this!" they finished together.

Spryzen hit Odax, broke away, and slammed into it again.

Odax's pieces went flying. One nearly smacked the Descendant between the legs.

Orochi's jaw dropped. "What the--"

"Storm Spryzen with a burst finish! The score is two to one! Shu Kurenai wins the match!"

Everyone cheered, and the music boy stood up. Shu shook his hand, and nearly let go, but a sharp pain shot up his arm. He winced.

Dang it! He felt Spryzen frantically running around, trying to shut down that section of his nervous system. Thought that would last!

D-don't worry. I'm fine for now- gaah!

Shu's aura turned lighter.

Orochi's eyes narrowed, and he lowered his voice. "You... you're injured?"

Shu said nothing, but glanced at Valt.

The other boy followed the glace. "You made him a promise," he said, understanding. "You were looking a step ahead this whole time... you were looking at something bigger."

"I guess..."

"An outstanding match!" Hanami yelled. "Well, we have our two finalists!"

Orochi walked off. "See you around."

Shu walked back to the waiting room and pulled his sleeve up. The swelling was down, but it still felt extrememly sore. He gingerly touched it. "Agh!"

Sorry! Don't use your right arm for now, until I can try to fix it!

Before he got the chance to respond, the door burst open. "Shuuu!!" Valt ran in, shaking him by the shoulders. He clenched his teeth, trying not to yell. "That was amazing!! Come on! We're having a celebration back at my house! Let's goo!"

Shu came up with a response as fast as he could, which at the moment was his previous normal speed. "Isn't it a bit strange that we're celebrating together when we're rivals?"

"Do you care?" Valt tugged at Shu's tie, nearly choking him. "Come on! Mom says she made a new type of beybread! She wouldn't give me any hints, but I've got a pretty good idea..."

He looked up in the air, and thought of a huge stadium made out of beybread. The idea was so crazy, his thought bubble appeared in real life.

Shu was dubious. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Let's go find out!"

"Sorry," the red-eyed albino told him, gently pulling away. "But I need to do something first."

"Okay!! I'll see you there!" Valt raced out, and Shu sighed in relief.

I think I'd better go to the doctor's again...

Sure, but you know what he's going to say. "You need to stop beyblading for now, yadda yadda yadda."

Yes, but I'm going to need painkillers, or I'll be awake all night again.

Go talk to Robin. She'll give you some of her money. Not that you wanna know where she got it...

Just his luck, Robin walked into the waiting room. "Valt's already at the celebration. The Sonic wants to ask what's taking you so long. Also, Spryzen told Ramos, who told me, you needed money for something."

"Yeah," Shu replied, using one of the lies that Spryzen just created. "I-- uh, maybe am needing to buy-- uh, something for Valt..."

Robin smirked. "Sure." She dug out twenty dollars from her backpack and gave it to him. "Oh, uh, also, Mom and Dad are at work more often than usual. Did they tell you why?"

When Shu shook his head, she continued. "They're losing money, and the enterprise is failing. So... uh, I may be out later than usual."

A Murder Mystery episode ran through Shu's head. "You'd better not be an assassin."

She snorted. "Oh, yeah. As if." Robin walked back out. "Buy something nice!"

***

Shu was breathing heavily by the time he locked his bike at the hospital. He let his arm dangle, and, careful not to accidentally brush anything, waked to the door.

Ken stopped him.

He walked out from near a pillar. "Hi."

What surprised him the most was that Ken wasn't talking with his puppets. "Uh, hi?"

Ken hesitated. "I move around a lot, never really made friends. Valt was my first true one, and now I have lots of them..." He thought for a moment. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, Valt's a great guy. Ask him out soon!"

He turned red, not used to being so blunt, or even talking much, and before Shu could say anything else, disappeared.

Well, that was... weird.

Agreed.

***

"You're shoulder's getting worse," Dr. Steve told him, putting away the mini X-ray. "You really need to drop out of the tournament."

He was Dr.Steve's examination room, all blue walls and white... everything else. Shu sat in a plastic white chair in his undershirt while the doctor checked his shoulder. Now that Shu had a good look at it, the bones in it looked really weird. Not good.

Shu shook his head. "I-I promised a friend that I'd make it to the finals with him."

"Your friend wouldn't want you to hurt yourself to keep your promise." He watched Shu sit there, and suddenly flich. "I rest my case."

His eyes were closed, and he was breathing shallowly. "T--tomorrow is the last day. Then it's a week before the-- the team tournaments. H-how much time do I need?"

Dr. Steve shook his head. "Unless you get decent healing, about three days ago, you could be healed. Or... no, that's way too far."

The albino tilted his head. "What?"

"Nothing. I just heard that a professional healer got an apprentice. Don't know who, but you could try to ask them."

Shu inclined his head and stood up. "Thank you, but I really need to go through with the tournament."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. Painkillers are in the front, one every four hours."

Shu turned around, and the door crashed open. Valt stood there, tears tracking down his face. "Shu... Why?"

--

OOHHHHHH DRAMMAAAAAA!!!!!!
hehee