//Ghost.// Valt × Shu: Beyblade Burst God

Chapter 09: insanity.

" Let's play a game, shall we? We will smile and laugh to hide our pain, push back the feeling of loneliness that always goes unnoticed.

Go insane first, you lose. "

///

Shu splashes ice cold water against his face, making part of his long wet bangs stick to his forehead. He sighs and turns off the faucet, watching the water swirl down into the drain. Shu looks up and braces his hands on either side of the sink. Dull blood-red eyes stare back at him tiredly, highlighted with dark bags hanging beneath them. His skin a shade paler than before. Overall, he looks sick.

Shu sighs at his reflection. His eyes widen once he sees a different, scary face appear on the mirror. It smiles insanely at him, and Shu realizes that it is himself.

"Hey there, how are you? I'm Shu," the reflection says with a creepy smile. "Like who you'll soon become?"

Shu jumps back, heart racing at the twisted smile in the mirror reflection. "I won't become that," Shu reassures himself.

"Like telling lies?"

"N-n-no."

"But you do seem to master that skill quite easily. Lying in front of Valt just a few days ago - "

"Shut up!"

"What's the matter? Take a good look of yourself in the mirror." Shu reluctantly stares at his reflection. "You look like a mess. A lying, traitorous, sick mess. Still like who you've become?"

"Shut up!!" Shu screams as he grapples for the brush on the sink. He raises his arm and throws it at his reflection. The mirror shatters, glass falling into the sink and countertop, clattering into even smaller pieces on the ground.

Shu slowly sinks to the tile floor in a heap, shaking violently. "I w-won't become li-like... that," he whispers as he ignores a piece of glass that slices his knee.

A ringing echoes through his head and it takes him a moment to figure it is his phone. He shakily raises to his feet and stumbles over to the bedside table, knocking over the red-and-gray mask to the carpet floor in the process.

Shu picks up his phone and sinks back to his knees, flinching as he notices the glass in his knee. He pulls it back sharply and it cuts part of his hand.

The albino gazes back to the phone on his lap and Valt's name flashes against the screen once again. He unlocks the screen and reads over Valt's text message.

Valt: hey... Shu. I was just wondering if u were doing ok. U hung up on me last time so I was kinda worried.
But I also know that u are Red Eye. Or maybe not. Correct me if I'm wrong, k? I know how lonely u are and I'm sorry for not saying anything. I'm really really really really really sorry. If I knew u'd change that much i would never have left u alone. I doubt youre actually reading this but I just want to see u once more. Just 1. I'm still @ Mexico so if u meet me at the oak tree by the fountain I'll be waiting....

Shu frowns. 'If I continue becoming stronger, than I might become.... that. But if I stop I won't have the strength to defeat Lui...'

Shu shakes his head. 'No. I am Red Eye, not that weakling Shu like before. If I become like that reflection, who the hell cares?! I'll destroy Lui and become the strongest beyblader in the world! I might have doubts, but it will pass. I'll stop seeing him so it will go away.

Nothing and no one will stand in my WAY!'

The albino blader starts laughing like a maniac, tears streaming down his face as well; it builds to the growing insanity inside of him. Every doubt vanishes and he is all alone, listening to the ticking of the clock and his insane laughter bouncing off the walls. A side of him cries and tries to break free from the cage it is being locked in; all caring and sane emotion tossed away, buried deep down. His heart is trapped in his ribcage, crying out but a strange insanity keeps it all away, almost scared to leave.

Shu's emotions back away. All that is left of the once great Blader is the insanity that was once pushed down, rising from the surface.

Shu Kurenai is trapped and locked away...

Red Eye has broken free.....

///

" congratulations, you've finally gone insane. "