What I Wouldn't Give

Unexpected

The Bladers fire their Beys into the stadium. The crowd goes crazy as the Beys dash around each other, moving so fast that the cameras can barely keep up.

Valt is out of his seat in an instant, cheering for Aiga at the top of his lungs. Rantaro jumps up a moment later. Both Bladers sprint to the front of the stands, clinging to the railing, leaning over it and screaming at Aiga to win.

"YOU'VE GOT THIS, AIGA!" Valt shouts. "DON'T LET ME DOWN!!"

"COME ON! WIN THIS!" Rantaro screams.

Ranjiro sprints down and joins them. "FOCUS YOUR ANGER! FOCUS YOUR ANGER!"

Aiga can't hear a word that they're saying. All he can hear is the sound of his own heart pounding. In fact, he can barely hear that. He's gone deaf, focusing on nothing but the powerful feeling in his veins and the intensity of the battle before him. At this point, he can't even see Phi beyond the flashing lights and glowing auras of the Beys as they crash and collide.

Shu leans forward in his seat, not even daring to do so much as cheer. Behind him, Fubuki leans over Shu's chair, trying to get a closer look at the jumbotron.

"He's got this," Fubuki says quietly. "He's got this, I know he does."

"He does," Shu agrees, "but only if he can keep up his focus."

Aiga's heart hammers in his chest. Adrenaline pumps through his veins so hard that he can barely even think straight. The most he can do is scream at Achilles and hope that his Bey understands what he's saying, because even Aiga can't hear the words coming out of his own mouth.

This battle has taken over his every sense. Achilles is starting to infiltrate his mind. There isn't anything else he can do besides sit back and be the vessel that his Bey needs to complete this task.

Across the stadium, Phi isn't saying anything. He's smirking, feeling like he has this one in the bag. Though, he clearly doesn't know what's coming for him. A moment later, and Phi grins. He holds his hand out in front of him.

"Vortex," he says, rather calmly for being in the middle of a Bey battle. "Take him away."

Now. Aiga hears in his head. Now, do it now!

"NOW!" Aiga screams.

Now.

Now.

Now.

"ACHILLES!" Aiga shouts at the top of his lungs.

He feels his Bey's power ripping through his entire body. It's painful, and he lets out a loud scream of agony. His every nerve is on fire, his heart is overwhelmed, his brain is screaming, but there isn't anything else can do.

He has to do it now, before Phi even gets the chance to use any of his tricks.

It was almost too late, but luckily the Vortex took longer to open than Phi anticipated. A burst of light erupts from within the stadium, Aiga's aura begins to glow even brighter. He watches above the stadium as Achilles' form appears, running straight at the opening black hole.

A strange light comes from Achilles, a light that Aiga has never seen before in his life. A light that shouldn't be there, a light that seems out of place.

The light flashes.

Everyone, the Bladers and the audience, are momentarily blinded.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Aiga screams as the light begins to strobe, flashing again and again. The split seconds that it isn't there, Aiga can see Phi just beyond.