Ryuga's Return

Chapter 1

Ryuga's POV

*That one time, it was only for a brief shining moment, I became serious. I promised. Take it! KENTA!*

Ryuga's eyes snapped open. Sunlight was blazing around him, making him shield his eyes with a grunt. It seemed like only a moment ago Ryuga was giving Kenta the power of the star fragment.

*How am I alive?* He thought he had used up the last of his remaining strength to give his star fragment to Kenta... yet somehow he was still here, wherever "here" was. Ryuga reached for L-Drago. His heart skipped a beat when he realized he didn't feel his brace on his arm. Ryuga sat up and looked around. All around him was a barren dry landscape, almost like a desert but L-Drago was nowhere to be seen.

"R-Ryuga...?"

Ryuga stiffened at the sound of a familiar voice. He looked over his shoulder. In the distance, stood the very kid he had entrusted his power to. *Kenta...* Ryuga smiled. Out of everyone else in this world, he was happy Kenta was the first person he saw.

"Ryuga! Ryuga, you're alive!" Kenta's cries carried on the wind as he bolted toward Ryuga.

Kenta sobbed violently as he threw his arms around Ryuga, who just sat there and allowed Kenta to hug him. The kid fell to his knees, sobbing and clutching Ryuga. After a few moments, Ryuga gently pushed him away and got to his feet. Kenta took a step back. He sniffled, wiping the tears off his cheek.

"What happened?!" Kenta asked, gazing desperately at Ryuga. "I saw you disappear!"

"I don't know," Ryuga admitted.

*How can I still be here when L-Drago isn't?*

"Nevermind, it doesn't matter." Kenta grabbed Ryuga's hand and Ryuga noticed the kid trembling. "I'm just glad you're back! I was so worried, and scared, and-"

"Kenta." Ryuga cut him off. He gazed at Kenta for a moment, noticing that his eyes were red and puffy. "Why aren't you with Gingka and the others?"

"I..." Kenta looked away. "I was going to catch up, I just wanted to hang back for a bit."

Ryuga raised an eyebrow. "To cry?"

"Would you judge me if that was why?" Kenta asked, his voice suddenly drained of any emotion.

"No."

"It was..." Without warning, Kenta hugged him again. "I missed you."

Ryuga stared at him in awe. *I missed you... No one's ever said THAT to me before.* Kenta and Ryuga both fell silent for a few moments.

"Hey, where's L-Drago?" Kenta asked, taking a step back and gazing up at Ryuga curiously.

Ryuga looked away. "Gone."

"Gone?!" Kenta repeated, his eyes wide.

"It disappeared," he explained, staring at where his arm brace would've been.

"But... I thought it just went with you..."

"It didn't. I don't know where it went." *I don't know why I'm still here,* Ryuga added silently to himself, *Without my L-Drago...*

"Well, your fight against Nemesis must have been really tiring, for both you and L-Drago." Kenta pointed up at the sky. "The bey might be resting in the cosmos, like Pegasus was after Gingka's fight against you."

Kenta's response left him so confused that Ryuga wondered if he just had a stroke.

"...what?"

"Uh... long story." Kenta rested his hand on the back of his neck. "I can explain it on the way."