The Weird, Wild, and Wonderous World of Beyblade

Shu & Valt-Visions

Shu jerked away his bedsheets, got to his feet and went to the window on the left. Lifting the curtains, Shu was nearly blinded by the overwhelming light and the picturesque setting in front of him. Seven years out from the Red Eye incident and it still didn't feel real, clear blue skies, birds flying everywhere, and a perfect view of the Japanese sea all while he was taking a break from being the manager of the second strongest team of the most popular sport on the face of the earth.

I am Red Eye, and this blaze is my fate.

Shu turned away from the window and pulled down the curtains as he began to get dressed, the fiery haze of that nightmare stinging at his conscience all the way through. It didn't feel right being here, all the people he hurt, all the things he'd ruined during his time as Red Eye, it couldn't snap away just like that, could it?

"Just focus on your friends." Shu said to himself in the mirror as he got done putting on his black jacket lined with red. "Focus on having a good time and we'll sort it all out later." With that, he turned to the nightstand on the left of his room and walked over to it, picking up his Bey, Burst Spriggan, putting it in his pocket, and rushing out the door, ignoring how much heavier the Bey felt in his hand than the day before.

Shu's focus barely lasted a second.

Walking down the busy streets left Shu feeling awkward, so many people just passing him on the sidewalk without a care in the world felt so strange. Thanks to the God Bladers Cup being televised practically the whole world saw his rampage with Spriggan Requiem along with how moody and irritable he was back then, and here people were, waving and smiling at him without a care in the world.

Deciding that some quiet was for the best, Shu decided to take a detour through the tree-dotted park. Here, the sky was practically blocked out by leaves with the exception of a few beams of sunlight and the world was silent with the exception of buzzing insects and flapping bird wings.

Shu began to feel the sense of unease simmer down as he took in the surroundings. It was a perfect place for him to get his thoughts together, no people, no dark thoughts, no guilt.

That was another voice chimed in. "Hey, there he is!"

Shu felt the hairs on his skin rise up as he turned around to see three guys, all about fifteen or so, standing behind him with eager looks in their eyes, that eagerness made Shu's stomach churn all the more as one of them ran up to him.

"Hey, you're Shu Kurenai, right?" Shu gave a nervous smile and nodded. The guy lit up at that. Every other word he spoke was like a knife of guilt stabbing into Shu's gut.

"Good to see you back in Japan!" He held out a hand that Shu gingerly shook. "Big fan, a real big one, poster on my wall and everything,uh..." The guy scratched his head for a bit as guilt stabbed into him further. If only this kid knew.

"Um, say," The guy said. "Sorry to pull the cliche on you, but you think you could give me and my pals some pointers?" Every second Shu looked into his eyes was another dark thought about how ruthless and horrible his Red Eye self would have been to him. He didn't deserve fans, he didn't deserve a peaceful day like this, not after doing something like that, not after knowing what was at stake. Cringing slightly, Shu let go of the guy's hand and stumbled back with a rub of his hair.

"Um, sorry, kinda busy at the moment, maybe some other day." Before they could even respond, he jogged off.

Having made it out of the park, the white-haired boy eventually found himself at the meet-up site his friends had chosen for their reunion, Beigoma Academy. Him and his friends had a ton of history in this place: aside from Valt, it was the first place he'd met with them, the first place their Beys had clashed with each other, and the sponsor of their team for the nationals.