I don't own Beyblade Burst. All rights are reserved for Hiro Morita.
If Phi could change his red right eye and blue left eye to one single color, it would be gray.
Gray, being the color of indecision, would perfectly sum up his mood when it came to his reason for entering this tournament, his attempt to apologize to Aiga.
Granted, the maroon-haired boy was the forgiving type in most scenarios, but with Phi, it was personal. From his former desire to destroy every Bey on the planet to his continuous attempts to break the boy's spirit, the white-haired man honestly didn't think an apology would be just.
As he stared at the reflection of the room in the mirror, the new blood-like red magenta of his overcoat clashed against the white. Phi honestly didn't think he deserved any of it, from the sliding door to the gray desk in the corner and even the black waiting bench that Hearts was sitting on behind him.
What right did he have to be in this tournament? A few months ago, he would have gladly torn the place apart in sadistic euphoria.
Phi pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned, leading to Hearts' Green right eye and Red right eye taking notice of his brother's frustration as commented.
"Cat still got your tongue?" he said, downtrodden, leading Phi to respond-
"Unfortunately, yes."
"Well, what's the matter?"
"I-I just don't think anything worth saying to him."
"Meaning?"
"What could I say? What would change his mind after everything I did? After everything we did?" Hearts ruffled his lilac hair mildly before his dual-toned eyes lit up in revelation as he responded.
"Well, how do you know what he thinks?"
"How would you? He could think I'm playing him."
"I wouldn't know-" Hearts said, holding his hands up, closing his eyes in defeat " But that's the point. It's not the best option, but it's our only one. The question is, are you gonna take it?"
Phi put a hand to his chin in contemplation. His brother did have a point, he was no mind reader, but on the other, that was just it. Aiga could still hate the two of them all the same, not that the boy would be wrong in that, given all the two brothers had done, he'd imagine anyone would feel that way towards them. While the chances swung from likely to unlikely, the chance of not taking the risk and ending up with good results didn't exist.
Hearing the intercom sound for the beginning of the next match, Phi made his way toward the door only to be cut off by Hearts' voice.
"You're leaving just like that? What about the apology?"
"It doesn't matter. It's the finals. If I get disqualified for not showing up, then thinking about it is pointless."
"Finals!? Already!? How come you didn't tell me!?"
At that, Phi swerved his head back over his shoulder with his blue eye closed before snarking-
"Hmm, perhaps you would have realized it had you not been so busy shoveling popcorn into your mouth, yes? He said, recalling the times before and after his matches when he'd see his brother guzzling confection after confection down his throat with little regard for what winning this tournament meant to the both of them. The accusation made Hearts scratch his lilac hair gingerly.
"Well...I mean, tournaments are supposed to be fun—hehe."
At last, Phi walked out into the hall only for his ears to catch a 'good luck' from Hearts back in the room behind him, causing him to quirk a smile. While his actions against Bladers everywhere left him with few in his corner, he could always count on Hearts.
Aiga ran a hand through his knotted hair and wiped some dust off the upside-down "A" button of his red letterman jacket as he made his way through the shadowed, white hallway towards the white light at the end of it all. His blue eyes narrowed in focus on one single goal.
Phi! He thought as he moved further. Aiga knew the heterochromatic man would make it to the finals. He knew he'd have to take him down. But what he didn't know was what his opponent to be was playing at.
Phi swore to destroy his Achilles and every other Beyblade on earth. Now the self-proclaimed god skipped out on the numerous opportunities he had to do so. While a less seasoned version of him would see it as a sign of regret, Aiga knew better, knew that under all the poshness and all the glamor, what Phi really was, a monster, a petty and sadistic one at that.
Crossing through the white light, Aiga blinked slightly as the entire arena came into view; the stage was a vast coliseum of beautiful pearl white. The crowded bleachers led down to angular slopes. The water surrounding the stage rippled as he walked the pathway to the black Beystadium. The Referee stood off to the left of the bowl's center. Aiga's eyes briefly cut up to the tapering white arc touching the blue sky before falling onto the sight of his new opponent.
While he hated the guy's thirst for destruction, he had to admit that Phi liked to destroy with some style. An odd sense of style but a sense of style nonetheless. The man wore a red magenta overcoat with orange sun-esque rings on both sides and a black undershirt underneath. The sleeves of the coat and his red magenta pants coiled with wavey sunbeam designs.
Phi himself had his eyes narrowed in frustration. There was no blistering hate towards him like Aiga had imagined they would be. But an indecisiveness aimed somewhere else, seemingly towards the stadium, as he tilted his head down to look at it, almost like he was avoiding something. Before he finally tilted it up and locked eyes with him.
"Hello...Aiga.." He said with a strained look, causing Aiga to gain a puzzled one in return before he continued.
"Before we begin, I'd," He said before he found the floor more interesting to look at, "I'd like to say I'm sorry for my past transgressions against you." At that, Aiga's look became even more puzzled.
Phi, of all people, apologizing? Part of him thought he could buy it, given how he hadn't wiped out a single Bey since he got here. But another part of him, the hurt part, that remembered how the heterochromatic man tried to destroy him and so many others, how his polite demeanor twisted into the psychopath that did so with gleeful laughter, couldn't buy it for a second.
"Yeah, right-" Aiga said as he steeled his blue eyes, causing Phi to cringe slightly " You honestly expect me to believe that?"
"No, I do not-" Phi said as he closed his eyes solemnly. "But I will prove it to you, here and now, with this battle!!" He finished as he pulled out Dead Phoenix and flashed the face of its layer to Aiga.
As Phi clamped Dead Phoenix to its launcher, Aiga couldn't help but scowl as he chewed on his opponent's words while he readied to launch Achilles. Prove it to him? Like he had anything worth proving. Mind games aside, Aiga knew he had to defeat Phi, no matter what it took!
His thoughts were cut off by the referee sounding off a countdown as the waters around him roared in anticipation for the coming battle, as the countdown reached 1, leading to Aiga and Phi following up in unison-
"3! 2! 1! Go Shoot!!!" The two screamed before releasing their ripcords as Achilles and Phoenix landed in the stadium, the two Tops racing for the center, intent on colliding, leading Aiga to take the first big hit.
" Achilles!! Union Buster!!"
In response, Achilles' blades lit up with orange energy just before it slammed into Phoenix before finally connecting—only for the red Bey to shoot back into a wall, the Bey swiveling desperately for balance, much to Aiga's shock.
"Achilles!! H-how!?" It was an honest question. There was nothing: No special move, no gimmick, no aura, or anything for Phoenix to overtake an attack like that. He would have worried further if the repeated clash of Beys didn't break through his thoughts.
Aiga looked to the right corner of the Beystadium to see Phoenix battering Achilles into a wall with blow after blow, the dark-colored Bey now radiating a red and purple color. He turned his eyes to Phi. The guy's face was still neutral, with no sadism, malice, or a cruel smirk. His eyes were ones of focus, focus on the battle, a focus almost like that of a true Blader.
"Strike Phoenix." Phi declared while pointing his Bey in the direction he wanted. The glowing yet dark-colored Bey ran up the stadium slope to strike Achilles again, only for Aiga to find himself and narrow his eyes.
" We're not done yet, Achilles!! Union Defense!!"
Achilles' form was wrapped in 4 golden shields of energy only to blur into a small tornado that knocked back Phoenix into a wall off to the left, causing Aiga to ball up a fist and shout in victory. His cry was cut off by the sight of the dark Bey streaking towards Achilles with new force, causing him to gasp.
"We're not done!!!" Phi said, "Show them our best, Phoenix!!"
Phoenix slammed into Achilles only to bounce off into another corner before rounding back to barrage attack it. Each strike caused the Top's momentum to become manic as the twisted dark and red spewed from the back of it like a comet, with the last strike knocking it off balance as the red rubber of its ball tip scraped the stage.
"That's it, Phoenix, Dead breaker!"
The Bey bowled for the shielded Achilles, slamming into the shield and pressing the red Bey into the wall, grinding against it with focus, with Achilles giving in and vaulting from the stadium. Aiga looked in shock as his partner shot from the stadium onto the solid white floor as the referee sounded for the victor.
"Over finish, Dead Phoenix has gained one point!!"
The audience roared as Aiga's teeth gritted as he side-eyed his downed partner, only for his vision to be drawn to Phi as he retrieved Phoenix and readied for the next match. Aiga's frustration blinked to confusion. That was it? No taunts? No monologues? It was weird to see Phi not try and make a show out of this. Was he taking this seriously? Whatever Phi was playing at Aiga knew he wouldn't find out until he picked up Achilles. So he did just that.
As he picked up his partner, Aiga's vision was cut off when the red, blue, and gold top gave off a pale red glow that consumed everything around him as he found himself in a pale red, almost pinkish void; his gaze at his Bey blinking to his view of its red warrior avatar.
"Hey, what is it, Achilles?" Aiga asked nervously. While their interactions nowadays were more casual, given who they were facing at the moment, he wasn't expecting anything good from this.
"It would seem that Phoenix's Resonance has shifted somehow," Achilles responded. Aiga tensed slightly.
"Shifted how?"
"The malice and shadow that it once held before have vanished. Its fighting spirit was as pure as any other Bey from this tournament.", This had Aiga narrowing his eyes in thought. Was Phi telling the truth? While it was far-fetched a few minutes earlier, a second piece of evidence just dropping in his lap was far too much of a coincidence. And while a resonance expert was something he'd hardly call himself, given that Achilles just got off of fighting Phoenix and feeling said resonance for himself, it was safe to say he knew Aiga could trust him. But then again, not having Dark Resonance was a ways away from being without malice. People like Lui were perfect examples of that.
"What should I do, Achilles?", Aiga asked with a frown. He knew what Phi had done in the past, the horrors he tried to inflict on him and Bladers everywhere, but he also knew that all this evidence was too big to ignore. While he didn't know what was running through Phi's head, he did know that he shouldn't turn down what now seemed like an honest attempt at redemption.
"That decision will lie with you, I am afraid, but if I could leave you with one thing, it would be to keep an open mind to not misguided yourself on false passions." The warrior concluded as Aiga softened his gaze.
"You're right. Thanks, Achilles." He remarked as the red light around him shrank back into his bey, the world coming back into view. As the crowd's screams filled his ears again, Aiga looked back at Phi with a questioning glance, the white-haired man staring gingerly in return. Aiga didn't know what to make of Phi just yet. But he did know that if he tried anything. If this really was all just his sick game. He'd need to be ready for the worst and do so in advance.
Looking at Achilles' red, blue, and gold layer, Aiga felt his frustration sink back in. With the power that Phi showed off last round, he'd have his work cut out for him going forward if he wanted to put up a good fight. Aiga knew what doing that would mean. He'd have to give it his all from the start. The question was how he'd get the time to do that. But tilting Achilles to its side so the Forge disc and Driver came into view, Aiga felt a spark light in his mind.
While the flat tip of the Driver was fine for some aggression, Aiga knew he'd need way more. Looking at the bulky yellow of the Forge disc Aiga shifted the yellow outer layer to the side to see the metal weight shift with it to his satisfaction. With the weight off balance Achilles could get the attack spike it needed. Turning his attention back to Achilles' layer, Aiga plucked the Union Sword ring from the top of it and shoved it in his pocket, giving Achilles less weight to throw around.
Shifting his attention to Phi, Aiga clamped Achilles to his launcher once more and readied himself for another fight. His eyes narrowed, hoping the changes to Achilles would be enough as the Referee's countdown began again, leading both the Bladers to follow up like last time.
"3,2,1, Go Shoot!!"
As Phoenix and Achilles slammed back into the arena, the two tops rushed around the bowl's slope until they raced down to the center, with the now red and gold Bey taking the lead. Phi called out to Phoenix, only for Aiga to cut in as his hair became a warm, vibrant red, as his tied-back hair erupted into a valley of crimson spikes while he roared out.
"Achilles!!!"
On cue, a glassy green-eyed warrior in red and gold armor erupted from Achilles' spinning form, its red cape billowing as it slammed its sword down, prepared for aggression.
Achilles radiated orange power as it circled and made first contact against Phoenix, the dark Bey not even getting a chance to struggle before the ring around it immediately blasted into the air and thudded onto the stadium floor near a wall.
Phi was completely unfazed, "Phoenix!!" he called out as his sclera filled with a pale purple, and his voice began to echo. Dead Phoenix erupted a dark red and purple energy that was then ripped away by a gray-armored, dark red bird that screeched into the sky and unfurled its flaming wings.
The two Beys smashed into each other and separated repeatedly. Running down to the stadium's slopes as they circled it. Their respective auras tailed off them as neither gave an inch to the other. Aiga and Phi were tight-lipped all the while like they were both looking for some kind of crack in the other's game that never came.
Phoenix rushed for its lost armor and slammed against it, causing the ring to ricochet into the wall before it and fly into Achilles, exposing the Top's metal underside as it flew back into a wall on the stadium's right and flipped into the air, leading Aiga to smirk.
"Union dive, Achilles!!" The red Bey's flipping ended as it straightened in midair and then, like a comet, fell forward bathed in red energy. The Bey's landed on the face of Dead Phoenix's layer, only the dark Bey's ball tip to scrape the floor as the Bey ground back in annoyance. The epicenter of their duel radiated sparks of red and purple before exploding outward into a wild orb of thunder, blinding both Bladers as they shielded their eyes and braced themselves for the overwhelming force it let off as it exploded. The power whipped the waters around them into small waves.
The smoke filling the arena floor began to recede as Aiga coughed slightly before looking down to the arena to see the state of the battle. His eyes widened as they saw Dead Phoenix, its Layer, disc, and driver had fallen to the stadium floor in a Burst Finish. The smoke receded further to reveal Achilles, ts stamina holding on for dear life as it wobbled to a halt.
But Aiga didn't care about seeing that. All he wanted to see was Phi, the look on his face. The hairs on his body bristled at the thought of what it would look like. Would there be hate? Smugness? Or his typical serene look? Do whatever you want, Phi. I'm ready for you! He thought as the smoke receded some more. The blurry silhouette of Phi came into view before the cloud passed over him.
And he was smiling.
No malice, no anger, just an honest, content, almost proud smile as he raised his hands laxly at his defeat. The guy just grabbed his Bey's parts from the ring and moved toward Aiga as the redhead hunched aggressively on reflex. Phi just folded his arms.
"I congratulate you on your victory. As I said, I have shown you my Blader spirit. But whether you choose to accept it is your choice." He said before walking off into the darkness of the corridors to the waiting rooms, leaving Aiga to simply stand there and look down at Achilles, pondering his words.
Maybe there's something to this new Phi after all.Phi could change his red right eye and blue left eye to one single color, it would be gray.
Gray, being the color of indecision, would perfectly sum up his mood when it came to his reason for entering this tournament, his attempt to apologize to Aiga.
Granted, the maroon-haired boy was the forgiving type in most scenarios, but with Phi, it was personal. From his former desire to destroy every Bey on the planet to his continuous attempts to break the boy's spirit, the white-haired man honestly didn't think an apology would be just.
As he stared at the reflection of the room in the mirror, the new blood-like red magenta of his overcoat clashed against the white. Phi honestly didn't think he deserved any of it, from the sliding door to the gray desk in the corner and even the black waiting bench that Hearts was sitting on behind him.
What right did he have to be in this tournament? A few months ago, he would have gladly torn the place apart in sadistic euphoria.
Phi pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned, leading to Hearts' Green right eye and Red right eye taking notice of his brother's frustration as commented.
"Cat still got your tongue?" he said, downtrodden, leading Phi to respond-
"Unfortunately, yes."
"Well, what's the matter?"
"I-I just don't think anything worth saying to him."
"Meaning?"
"What could I say? What would change his mind after everything I did? After everything we did?" Hearts ruffled his lilac hair mildly before his dual-toned eyes lit up in revelation as he responded.
"Well, how do you know what he thinks?"
"How would you? He could think I'm playing him."
"I wouldn't know-" Hearts said, holding his hands up, closing his eyes in defeat " But that's the point. It's not the best option, but it's our only one. The question is, are you gonna take it?"
Phi put a hand to his chin in contemplation. His brother did have a point, he was no mind reader, but on the other, that was just it. Aiga could still hate the two of them all the same, not that the boy would be wrong in that, given all the two brothers had done, he'd imagine anyone would feel that way towards them. While the chances swung from likely to unlikely, the chance of not taking the risk and ending up with good results didn't exist.
Hearing the intercom sound for the beginning of the next match, Phi made his way toward the door only to be cut off by Hearts' voice.
"You're leaving just like that? What about the apology?"
"It doesn't matter. It's the finals. If I get disqualified for not showing up, then thinking about it is pointless."
"Finals!? Already!? How come you didn't tell me!?"
At that, Phi swerved his head back over his shoulder with his blue eye closed before snarking-
"Hmm, perhaps you would have realized it had you not been so busy shoveling popcorn into your mouth, yes? He said, recalling the times before and after his matches when he'd see his brother guzzling confection after confection down his throat with little regard for what winning this tournament meant to the both of them. The accusation made Hearts scratch his lilac hair gingerly.
"Well...I mean, tournaments are supposed to be fun—hehe."
At last, Phi walked out into the hall only for his ears to catch a 'good luck' from Hearts back in the room behind him, causing him to quirk a smile. While his actions against Bladers everywhere left him with few in his corner, he could always count on Hearts.
Aiga ran a hand through his knotted hair and wiped some dust off the upside-down "A" button of his red letterman jacket as he made his way through the shadowed, white hallway towards the white light at the end of it all. His blue eyes narrowed in focus on one single goal.
Phi! He thought as he moved further. Aiga knew the heterochromatic man would make it to the finals. He knew he'd have to take him down. But what he didn't know was what his opponent to be was playing at.
Phi swore to destroy his Achilles and every other Beyblade on earth. Now the self-proclaimed god skipped out on the numerous opportunities he had to do so. While a less seasoned version of him would see it as a sign of regret, Aiga knew better, knew that under all the poshness and all the glamor, what Phi really was, a monster, a petty and sadistic one at that.
Crossing through the white light, Aiga blinked slightly as the entire arena came into view; the stage was a vast coliseum of beautiful pearl white. The crowded bleachers led down to angular slopes. The water surrounding the stage rippled as he walked the pathway to the black Beystadium. The Referee stood off to the left of the bowl's center. Aiga's eyes briefly cut up to the tapering white arc touching the blue sky before falling onto the sight of his new opponent.
While he hated the guy's thirst for destruction, he had to admit that Phi liked to destroy with some style. An odd sense of style but a sense of style nonetheless. The man wore a red magenta overcoat with orange sun-esque rings on both sides and a black undershirt underneath. The sleeves of the coat and his red magenta pants coiled with wavey sunbeam designs.
Phi himself had his eyes narrowed in frustration. There was no blistering hate towards him like Aiga had imagined they would be. But an indecisiveness aimed somewhere else, seemingly towards the stadium, as he tilted his head down to look at it, almost like he was avoiding something. Before he finally tilted it up and locked eyes with him.
"Hello...Aiga.." He said with a strained look, causing Aiga to gain a puzzled one in return before he continued.
"Before we begin, I'd," He said before he found the floor more interesting to look at, "I'd like to say I'm sorry for my past transgressions against you." At that, Aiga's look became even more puzzled.
Phi, of all people, apologizing? Part of him thought he could buy it, given how he hadn't wiped out a single Bey since he got here. But another part of him, the hurt part, that remembered how the heterochromatic man tried to destroy him and so many others, how his polite demeanor twisted into the psychopath that did so with gleeful laughter, couldn't buy it for a second.
"Yeah, right-" Aiga said as he steeled his blue eyes, causing Phi to cringe slightly " You honestly expect me to believe that?"
"No, I do not-" Phi said as he closed his eyes solemnly. "But I will prove it to you, here and now, with this battle!!" He finished as he pulled out Dead Phoenix and flashed the face of its layer to Aiga.
As Phi clamped Dead Phoenix to its launcher, Aiga couldn't help but scowl as he chewed on his opponent's words while he readied to launch Achilles. Prove it to him? Like he had anything worth proving. Mind games aside, Aiga knew he had to defeat Phi, no matter what it took!
His thoughts were cut off by the referee sounding off a countdown as the waters around him roared in anticipation for the coming battle, as the countdown reached 1, leading to Aiga and Phi following up in unison-
"3! 2! 1! Go Shoot!!!" The two screamed before releasing their ripcords as Achilles and Phoenix landed in the stadium, the two Tops racing for the center, intent on colliding, leading Aiga to take the first big hit.
" Achilles!! Union Buster!!"
In response, Achilles' blades lit up with orange energy just before it slammed into Phoenix before finally connecting—only for the red Bey to shoot back into a wall, the Bey swiveling desperately for balance, much to Aiga's shock.
"Achilles!! H-how!?" It was an honest question. There was nothing: No special move, no gimmick, no aura, or anything for Phoenix to overtake an attack like that. He would have worried further if the repeated clash of Beys didn't break through his thoughts.
Aiga looked to the right corner of the Beystadium to see Phoenix battering Achilles into a wall with blow after blow, the dark-colored Bey now radiating a red and purple color. He turned his eyes to Phi. The guy's face was still neutral, with no sadism, malice, or a cruel smirk. His eyes were ones of focus, focus on the battle, a focus almost like that of a true Blader.
"Strike Phoenix." Phi declared while pointing his Bey in the direction he wanted. The glowing yet dark-colored Bey ran up the stadium slope to strike Achilles again, only for Aiga to find himself and narrow his eyes.
" We're not done yet, Achilles!! Union Defense!!"
Achilles' form was wrapped in 4 golden shields of energy only to blur into a small tornado that knocked back Phoenix into a wall off to the left, causing Aiga to ball up a fist and shout in victory. His cry was cut off by the sight of the dark Bey streaking towards Achilles with new force, causing him to gasp.
"We're not done!!!" Phi said, "Show them our best, Phoenix!!"
Phoenix slammed into Achilles only to bounce off into another corner before rounding back to barrage attack it. Each strike caused the Top's momentum to become manic as the twisted dark and red spewed from the back of it like a comet, with the last strike knocking it off balance as the red rubber of its ball tip scraped the stage.
"That's it, Phoenix, Dead breaker!"
The Bey bowled for the shielded Achilles, slamming into the shield and pressing the red Bey into the wall, grinding against it with focus, with Achilles giving in and vaulting from the stadium. Aiga looked in shock as his partner shot from the stadium onto the solid white floor as the referee sounded for the victor.
"Over finish, Dead Phoenix has gained one point!!"
The audience roared as Aiga's teeth gritted as he side-eyed his downed partner, only for his vision to be drawn to Phi as he retrieved Phoenix and readied for the next match. Aiga's frustration blinked to confusion. That was it? No taunts? No monologues? It was weird to see Phi not try and make a show out of this. Was he taking this seriously? Whatever Phi was playing at Aiga knew he wouldn't find out until he picked up Achilles. So he did just that.
As he picked up his partner, Aiga's vision was cut off when the red, blue, and gold top gave off a pale red glow that consumed everything around him as he found himself in a pale red, almost pinkish void; his gaze at his Bey blinking to his view of its red warrior avatar.
"Hey, what is it, Achilles?" Aiga asked nervously. While their interactions nowadays were more casual, given who they were facing at the moment, he wasn't expecting anything good from this.
"It would seem that Phoenix's Resonance has shifted somehow," Achilles responded. Aiga tensed slightly.
"Shifted how?"
"The malice and shadow that it once held before have vanished. Its fighting spirit was as pure as any other Bey from this tournament.", This had Aiga narrowing his eyes in thought. Was Phi telling the truth? While it was far-fetched a few minutes earlier, a second piece of evidence just dropping in his lap was far too much of a coincidence. And while a resonance expert was something he'd hardly call himself, given that Achilles just got off of fighting Phoenix and feeling said resonance for himself, it was safe to say he knew Aiga could trust him. But then again, not having Dark Resonance was a ways away from being without malice. People like Lui were perfect examples of that.
"What should I do, Achilles?", Aiga asked with a frown. He knew what Phi had done in the past, the horrors he tried to inflict on him and Bladers everywhere, but he also knew that all this evidence was too big to ignore. While he didn't know what was running through Phi's head, he did know that he shouldn't turn down what now seemed like an honest attempt at redemption.
"That decision will lie with you, I am afraid, but if I could leave you with one thing, it would be to keep an open mind to not misguided yourself on false passions." The warrior concluded as Aiga softened his gaze.
"You're right. Thanks, Achilles." He remarked as the red light around him shrank back into his bey, the world coming back into view. As the crowd's screams filled his ears again, Aiga looked back at Phi with a questioning glance, the white-haired man staring gingerly in return. Aiga didn't know what to make of Phi just yet. But he did know that if he tried anything. If this really was all just his sick game. He'd need to be ready for the worst and do so in advance.
Looking at Achilles' red, blue, and gold layer, Aiga felt his frustration sink back in. With the power that Phi showed off last round, he'd have his work cut out for him going forward if he wanted to put up a good fight. Aiga knew what doing that would mean. He'd have to give it his all from the start. The question was how he'd get the time to do that. But tilting Achilles to its side so the Forge disc and Driver came into view, Aiga felt a spark light in his mind.
While the flat tip of the Driver was fine for some aggression, Aiga knew he'd need way more. Looking at the bulky yellow of the Forge disc Aiga shifted the yellow outer layer to the side to see the metal weight shift with it to his satisfaction. With the weight off balance Achilles could get the attack spike it needed. Turning his attention back to Achilles' layer, Aiga plucked the Union Sword ring from the top of it and shoved it in his pocket, giving Achilles less weight to throw around.
Shifting his attention to Phi, Aiga clamped Achilles to his launcher once more and readied himself for another fight. His eyes narrowed, hoping the changes to Achilles would be enough as the Referee's countdown began again, leading both the Bladers to follow up like last time.
"3,2,1, Go Shoot!!"
As Phoenix and Achilles slammed back into the arena, the two tops rushed around the bowl's slope until they raced down to the center, with the now red and gold Bey taking the lead. Phi called out to Phoenix, only for Aiga to cut in as his hair became a warm, vibrant red, as his tied-back hair erupted into a valley of crimson spikes while he roared out.
"Achilles!!!"
On cue, a glassy green-eyed warrior in red and gold armor erupted from Achilles' spinning form, its red cape billowing as it slammed its sword down, prepared for aggression.
Achilles radiated orange power as it circled and made first contact against Phoenix, the dark Bey not even getting a chance to struggle before the ring around it immediately blasted into the air and thudded onto the stadium floor near a wall.
Phi was completely unfazed, "Phoenix!!" he called out as his sclera filled with a pale purple, and his voice began to echo. Dead Phoenix erupted a dark red and purple energy that was then ripped away by a gray-armored, dark red bird that screeched into the sky and unfurled its flaming wings.
The two Beys smashed into each other and separated repeatedly. Running down to the stadium's slopes as they circled it. Their respective auras tailed off them as neither gave an inch to the other. Aiga and Phi were tight-lipped all the while like they were both looking for some kind of crack in the other's game that never came.
Phoenix rushed for its lost armor and slammed against it, causing the ring to ricochet into the wall before it and fly into Achilles, exposing the Top's metal underside as it flew back into a wall on the stadium's right and flipped into the air, leading Aiga to smirk.
"Union dive, Achilles!!" The red Bey's flipping ended as it straightened in midair and then, like a comet, fell forward bathed in red energy. The Bey's landed on the face of Dead Phoenix's layer, only the dark Bey's ball tip to scrape the floor as the Bey ground back in annoyance. The epicenter of their duel radiated sparks of red and purple before exploding outward into a wild orb of thunder, blinding both Bladers as they shielded their eyes and braced themselves for the overwhelming force it let off as it exploded. The power whipped the waters around them into small waves.
The smoke filling the arena floor began to recede as Aiga coughed slightly before looking down to the arena to see the state of the battle. His eyes widened as they saw Dead Phoenix, its Layer, disc, and driver had fallen to the stadium floor in a Burst Finish. The smoke receded further to reveal Achilles, ts stamina holding on for dear life as it wobbled to a halt.
But Aiga didn't care about seeing that. All he wanted to see was Phi, the look on his face. The hairs on his body bristled at the thought of what it would look like. Would there be hate? Smugness? Or his typical serene look? Do whatever you want, Phi. I'm ready for you! He thought as the smoke receded some more. The blurry silhouette of Phi came into view before the cloud passed over him.
And he was smiling.
No malice, no anger, just an honest, content, almost proud smile as he raised his hands laxly at his defeat. The guy just grabbed his Bey's parts from the ring and moved toward Aiga as the redhead hunched aggressively on reflex. Phi just folded his arms.
"I congratulate you on your victory. As I said, I have shown you my Blader spirit. But whether you choose to accept it is your choice." He said before walking off into the darkness of the corridors to the waiting rooms, leaving Aiga to simply stand there and look down at Achilles, pondering his words.
Maybe there's something to this new Phi after all.
I always found it odd that these two never reconciled, like pretty much every other Hero/Villian pair in this series, so here I go.