Ryuga's Return

Chapter 9

Ryuga's POV

With his battle with Kenta looming ahead in a couple of days, Ryuga started trying even harder to gain control of his new Beyblade. He couldn't allow himself to lose. Ryuga had refused to battle with anyone else, too scared to risk defeat, which seemed more likely with a bey he could still barely use. What was he missing? Connecting with L-Drago had been so easy. Ryuga's new bey wasn't as strong as L-Drago, hardly any bey was, but it still had power: power Ryuga still couldn't bring out. No matter how hard Ryuga tried, the bey refused to respond to him.

Right now, Ryuga was with Kenta and Madoka in their now usual spot in the forest, with Ryuga trying to break small boulders with his new Beyblade. It was probably a bit extreme for such a new bey. However, Ryuga didn't know what else to do.

"Go!" he called, flinging his arm. "Destroy it!"

The bey leapt into the rock, scratching against it with a screeching sound. Ryuga's heart was ablaze. *If I can't even break this rock, how can I possibly beat Kenta? Or anyone else?!*

"SMASH IT TO PIECES L-DRA-" Ryuga stiffened, putting his hand over his mouth.

Kenta and Madoka both gasped. The bey leapt backwards off the rock, its fusion wheel digging into the ground before coming to a complete stop. Ryuga stood frozen.

"Ryuga...?" Kenta took a step toward him, his eyes wide.

Shaking himself out of his trance, Ryuga knelt down and picked up his bey. Shame now burned him from the inside out.

"That's enough for today," Ryuga muttered, forcing himself to stand. "Kenta, tell your parents I'll be back later."

Kenta stared at him anxiously for a moment before dipping his head. Ryuga turned and walked away.

"Ryuga, wait!" Madoka called, chasing after him.

Ryuga let out a grunt. *Can't she see that I want to be alone?!* Madoka walked beside him, gazing up at him with a similarly worried expression. Ryuga didn't bother meeting her gaze. He tried to focus on the path ahead, even as his head was bent in shame.

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you what the problem is." Madoka's voice was stern.

Ryuga clenched his jaw. "You don't say," he growled, bristling with rage.

*Of course the bey won't respond to me. I've been treating it like some L-Drago clone.*

"Ryuga... do... Do you even want to Beyblade anymore?"

Ryuga didn't bother with a snide remark. It was a genuine question, one Ryuga had been asking himself ever since Kenta told him he was getting him a new bey. He enjoyed the feelings Beyblade had once brought him. However, he couldn't fully get invested in it now without his true bey, that much was obvious.

"Well?!" Madoka demanded.

Ryuga stopped walking. "What's it to you?!" He snapped, turning to her with a glare.

"I..." Madoka froze. "I thought we were friends." She looked down at the ground, taking a step back.

Ryuga froze. He hadn't even considered that, he'd been too focused on other matters. Ryuga continued walking.

"Are we?" Madoka murmured, continuing after him.

*I don't know...* Ryuga didn't mind spending time with Madoka, he certainly tolerated her more than others but were they really "friends?" Did he really need another friend? Ahead of him, the bushes began to rustle. Ryuga stopped, holding his arm out to stop Madoka as well.