Beyblade Masters (Ninjago x Beyblade Burst)

Hidden Power

Valt's POV
I couldn't see anything. I couldn't hear anything. All I felt was the pain in my fingers as I dug them into the sandy ground. My face burned as a mixture of sweat and tears ran down it. The last hour ran through my mind: showing up at SB Rios, yelling for Xander, Ren Wu showing up and scolding me for letting Xander down, opting to take the Hundred Blader Test to make it up to him, but wiping out after the first blader. The last thing I remembered before this haze of pain was Xander's disgusted face as I sat, panting on the ground.

I just couldn't believe it. My time in Brazil with BC Sol was supposed to show Xander how much stronger I'd gotten since we fought in the National Tournament. How could this trip have gone so wrong?

A voice floated towards me from beyond the fog in my head. Valt, we need to go... Valt, we NEED to go! Shaking my head, I tried to concentrate on the face in front of me. It was Rickson. When did he get here?

He cast a nervous glance at the angry bladers around us, then turned back to me. "Valt, we should really just g..."
       
"No!" I yelled before he could repeat himself a second time. I turned to Ren Wu, who was glaring at me with a look that could melt steel. My gaze traveled to the angsty bey club behind him, then moved to Xander, who was still staring at me in disappointment. I had never seen that look on his face before, at least not directed towards me. I was his friend... or at least I was, until I lost to Ren Wu at the parade. No. I could NOT leave with him looking at me like that.
      
"Ren Wu was right," I told Rickson. "Xander was counting on me to get stronger after the National Tournament... but instead of getting stronger, I grew weaker." My breath quickened as my self hate grew. "I let him down. You NEVER LET A FRIEND DOWN!!"

I felt a hand run down my back, and realized Rickson was trying to calm me down. Nice try, buddy. "Valt, it's okay..."
       
"No!" I repeated. "What part of letting your friends down is 'okay'?" I used my fingers to make air quotes when I said okay. How could he not accept that I needed to do this? I needed to redeem myself. I needed to PROVE myself to Xander.

The lust for redemption dug itself deep inside me, to a place I didn't know existed. It lit a spark in my chest that quickly caught and turned into a raging wildfire that sounded like a beast roaring in my ears. This energy was what I needed. I needed MORE. I began to dig into this new well of energy.

I was so concentrated on gathering the strength to continue, I barely heard the voice telling me to look out. Was it Rickson? Xander? I couldn't respond to see who. All I could think about was building on this new, seemingly endless pool of strength. I didn't know I had this much strength in me... I could do this! I could continue and show Xander that I had gotten stronger!
       
"That won't happen again..." I promised, to Rickson, to Xander, to everyone. "I won't..." Something in me broke, and more energy flooded my body. My eyes closed as I digested this new surge. "Disappoint him..." More energy broke through. My fingers tightened even more, cracking the ground beneath me. So much strength... With this new flow of power, no one would stand in my way! I finished my vow, "AGAIN!!!!"

That was when my vision was flooded with blinding blue light.

Xander's POV (a minute ago)
Valt sat on the ground before me, an image of desperation and misery. He came here to make it up to me... and this is how he shows his strength? This is the guy that beat me in the National Tournament, the guy I went to great lengths to get stronger for. Yet when he tried to do the Hundred Blader Test, a challenge I passed with little trouble, he hit the dirt after the first blader! I know he's my buddy, but COME ON! Show a little back bone!

I watched as his teammate from BC Sol tried to compel him to leave, but Valt wouldn't budge. He glanced at the gathered bladers of SB Rios, then his gaze went to me. I saw him wince at the scalding expression I knew I was wearing. A part of me felt bad for making him feel this way, but I stayed where I was. He needed to get stronger, and I wasn't going to help by coddling him. This was a path he had to go on his own.

As Valt continued his tirade, I heard a cry of surprise from behind me. Turning, I saw one of the club members' BeyPad was sparking. Weird. I've never seen one do that before. Didn't think much of it - he must've dropped it in water sometime before - but as I was turning back to Valt, the BeyPad suddenly exploded in the blader's hands, then a mass of writhing electricity arched through the air... toward Valt.

The BC Sol teammate saw the incoming danger and dove out of the way. But Valt just sat there, a hungry expression in his downcast eyes. Could he not see the electricity? It was kind of hard not to... but he still wasn't moving. I had to warn him- "VALT, LOOK OUT!!!"

Valt still didn't budge. I started to make my way towards him to try to intercept the electricity before it got to him, but when it was about a foot away from him, it split down the middle and went around him. Soon there was a circle of sparking, angry looking electricity surrounding Valt. His teammate cried out and scrambled backwards even further.
It's not hurting him, I assured myself, but there was a question in that thought as well. Why was it attracted to him? And how was it not hurting him? I had been electrocuted once or twice in my life - by accident, of course. But this was three times as much electricity, and it wasn't even touching Valt. What was happening...?
       
"That won't happen again..." Valt said from within the electric cage. I don't think he was even aware of what was happening around him. "I won't..." His eyes closed and the electricity around him grew brighter, snapping loudly. Everyone in the audience, including Ren Wu, took a collective step back. I couldn't move. "Disappoint him..." The electricity grew brighter, this time with a steadier pace. Every hair on my body stood on end. My senses were screaming DANGER, but I still couldn't move. I could only watch as Valt's eyes flew open.

They had turned an electric blue.

With a mighty cry, Valt finished, "AGAIN!!!!"

That's when he disappeared into a ball of blue lightning.

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1181 words... how am I doing so far?