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There were no breaks in the Dark Nebula. After a few days, training was all one knew. A week later, and one forgot the faces of those they had been close to; if there were others in the building, they were never seen nor heard. Any longer, if someone had even made it that far, and the mere concept of sunlight no longer felt real. The flickering of fluorescents now replaced the light of the sun.
Kyoya Tategami had stayed there for nearly an entire month.
He felt as if he was slowly losing his mind. It had been test after test, improvement after improvement, day after day, but nothing was ever enough for Doji. That very fact had been humiliating, almost as humiliating it had been to lose to that wretched nobody, Gingka Hagane. If being a lab rat for a shady corporation would let him take his rival down once and for all, then so be it.
If the strain of doing nothing but training and sleeping didn’t kill him, his own anger surely would, but only if the wilderness didn’t lynch him off first.
Kyoya didn’t know what he expected when he was summoned to the helipad, the light of day causing him to squint angrily at Doji, nose scrunched up in displeasure before they had left all bounds of the city that he had grown up with, alongside his siblings (mostly, at least.)
Until this moment, he hadn’t known what existed outside of the city. Trees passed by underneath them, large hills had come and gone, but the land had soon become barren stone and his confusion only had seemed to grow. Entranced by what laid beyond manufactured concrete and glass, Kyoya did not understand where they were going.
Somewhere, someplace; Kyoya wasn’t really paying attention to the answers Doji gave, as much as he knew he should have been paying attention, not just catching snippets and immediately dismissing them without more than a second thought. It was as if he promptly ignored anyone who had any authority, their words never processed, and immediately thrown away. Kyoya saw their lips moving, but never gave enough of a damn to listen, even when he had been the one to ask.
It had been like that with his father; it was now like that with Doji, and would likely stay that way until Kyoya matured and grew up.
Barely listening to what Doji had to say, grabbing a parachute and jumping out of the plane without a second thought was more than the usual behaviour from the impulsively reckless Kyoya, however, it had left him with no food and water.
Looking up, as if he could retrace his actions, he could spot the black speck in the sky, already leaving back to the comforts of the city. No matter now, he could manage. He’s already managed a few years of living on his own in a warehouse. How different could this be?
He’d be just fine.
Shifting his gaze, Kyoya rose a hand to block out the harsh sun. He could just barely make out the top of the steep cliff from the bottom of the rocky canyon, the wind gently gusting around him, rustling the clumps of foliage that seemed to be strewn about. He unclipped his harness.
No matter what, he had to make it to the top.
Involuntarily, his stomach sank, the realization that it wouldn’t be easy setting in, but Kyoya shrugged it off, boots crunching against the ground as he made his way to the nearest cliffside. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something smooth, a light gray-yellow scattered and contrasting against the dark, rugged ground. Quickly, he picked up his pace. He didn’t need more than a glance to tell what it was. He’d prefer not to join the bones.
Gingerly, he placed a hand against the rough surface, contemplating his position, contemplating his pride . He had to make it to the top to battle Gingka, right? That’s what he wanted, right? He took in a nervous swallow.
Kyoya’s brain eased to the thoughts of his family. His father’s pressure to be the best at everything only weighing him down; his mother in America with his brother, Kakeru, who didn’t want to talk to him anymore, and Raion, the sibling who had supported him no matter what, even when Kyoya had become the family disappointment, well, until Raion had found out that Kyoya had been lying to him.
Maybe there was more to it than just Gingka, maybe Kyoya wanted to prove his pride and worth to the people he should have been the closest to, but it was just easier to pin the blame on someone he barely knew than delve into the complexities of his emotions.
Maybe.
He shrugged it off, nails scratching harshly against the rock.
I have to prove myself, prove myself!
Kyoya found himself a foothold and ascended, keeping his mind focused on his goal. Hand by hand, foot by foot, he slowly made his way up, using his bitter thoughts as motivation alongside his nervously pumping heart.
Just you wait, Gingka, I’ll get revenge for the humiliation I felt when you beat me, I’ll--!
Kyoya didn’t finish that thought. The rock he was holding crumbled from underneath his fingertips a scream ripped through him as he fell down the side of the canyon. His hands scrambled for anything to hold on to, nails chipping more against the cliff side, but it was a futile attempt. Kyoya slammed against a ledge, the breath being knocked directly out of his lungs, the force only causing him to catapult further down, unable to regain his breath, unable to scream.
He fell against another ledge, sliding to the brink, threatening to be tossed down further, like a rag doll down a flight of stairs. Kyoya’s legs dangled, the wind swaying them from side to side. He could hear his heartbeat frantically within his ears as if it was struggling to keep him alive just as much as he was struggling for breath.
Not… good...
Kyoya pulled himself up, kicking his boots against the terrain for any grip. Panting, he looked over the edge, towards the bottom. Fortunately, he hadn’t been too far up, yet . Unfortunately, if he had been any further up, he may not have been so lucky. Kyoya swallowed hard, his tongue catching in his throat. It was best to take all the falls now when he could afford it.
Standing up, his blue eyes looked towards the setting sun, the sky beginning to wash over with a light orange, wind tussling his hair playfully as it slowly picked up.
Again and again, Kyoya climbed and fell, although he slowly made his way further up. With every fall, he rose, climbing even higher than before, but he was becoming tired as the adrenaline was wearing off; not to mention, his mouth felt just as dry as the canyon itself.
Gingka... if this is what it takes to defeat you...
A rock breaks underneath his foot, causing him to land on his side with a sickening crack. Surely something dislocated, or worse, broke, but still, despite the pain, he forced himself to not pay any mind to the dull ache in his side, or his fingers that had been rubbed red and raw from the canyon. He was slower to get up this time, hunger and thirst finally starting to wear his body down, as if he was a twig slowly being whittled away, but his sheer determination and anger won over any rationality.
“No matter how many times, no matter how many times…” It had become a mantra, to say again and again with every fall, and every injury. Kyoya’s arm had scraped along the side of the cliff with one of the last few falls, which one exactly , he wasn’t quite sure, but blood was still slowly seeping out as he continued to climb.
“No matter how many times...”
Another chunk of stone tumbles away from underneath his bodyweight, sending him plummeting towards the ground, but too far from the cliff side to be intercepted by a rocky ledge that had already saved his life repeatedly since Kyoya began to climb, and now, he thought he would die, not even registering the scream that had ripped through his lungs as he descended.
Sheer desperation propelled Kyoya to use his launcher as a grappling hook, but against all odds, it worked. Now, Kyoya hung idly in the air, barely hanging onto the cable as the winds picked up, causing him to swing side to side.
A drop of blood dribbled down onto his face from his arm.
Icy blue eyes cast downwards towards the bottom of the cliff, blurry and unfocused from his current altitude. Kyoya’s heart skips a beat, with fear eating away at him once again.
For the first time in a long time, Kyoya wanted to cry.
“I can’t fail now! I’m too close! I gotta hang on!”
No one can hear his cries for help, of course, say for any creatures that may have lived in the biome, but at the moment, it was the least of Kyoya’s concerns. No water, no food. He was beginning to feel weak -- a part of his mind taunting the idea of letting go of the launcher’s cable to be put out of his misery.
Who would miss him anyway?
He was alone.
Looking up, his exhausted eyes quickly widened at what they saw. Kyoya knew it wasn’t real, that Gingka wasn’t really standing on the ledge, his arms crossed with that confident smirk Kyoya itched to claw off. He let out a growl, bringing his other arm to hoist himself up bit by bit, no matter how exhausted his body felt, every muscle screaming for a rest.
Oh, he’ll show Gingka what he deserves for looking down at him like that-- he’ll show them all! Kyoya Tategami didn’t need anyone, he’s been so alone since everyone had left him, but he was alone now, and look at him, he was surviving against all odds!
Finally, Kyoya had reached the ledge he had hooked onto. Panting loudly, he kneeled on a single knee, resting his injured arm on the other. He looked down at his cargo pants and toyed with the hems of the holes. Annoyed that they had been ruined, but originally they had been pulled from a dumpster. So what did he expect, really?
Looking back up, he inspected the area where he sat. This ledge was certainly larger than the others, lined with caves against the canyon wall. Briefly, he thought about taking shelter and resting within one, as inky clouds rolled by, threatening a storm, but then his heart had stopped, hearing growling from within the darkness.
Retinas from within the shadows shone red as the wolves emerged, their lips pulled back, revealing fangs that rivaled Kyoya’s own. The blader quickly rose to his feet, his aching muscles tense with fear, his mind pulling up the name Doji had given for the location: Wolf Canyon.
Kyoya had survived countless falls, defying death at every moment he could, but wolves were not stationary like rock. Wolves were feral, wild creatures, and compared to a death caused by falling off the face of a cliff, the death caused by wolves would be more painful in every aspect Kyoya could think of.
Gravel crunched underneath the calculated footsteps of the pack, hackles raised. It felt as if every sense of the lion blader had been amplified by his fear -- he could see almost every hair on the muzzle of the wild canines, in the distance, Kyoya could hear a clap of thunder. Even if the harsh winds had been mostly warm, he still shivered, wondering if the wolves could smell his fear.
What am I gonna do?
Kyoya takes a few steps back, once again at the edge of the cliff he had worked so hard to climb. He could hear dirt fall over the edge, bouncing along the cliff side until it grew so faint you couldn’t hear it, growing smaller until you couldn’t see it. He takes in another nervous gulp, his throat throbbing from the dryness.
Another, stronger gust of wind blows over Kyoya, familarily tussling his forest green hair. He can feel himself tethering between the force of the wind, and the edge of the cliff, an idea creeping into his mind.
“Wait, that’s it!” A confident smirk spread across his face, the fanged grin matching his wild eyes as he looked back towards the wolves, setting Leone onto his launcher. “Let’s do it! Let it rip, Leone!”
The wolves glance at the beyblade, eyes wide with confusion as it created a small, but weak tornado for the first time, the regular gale force wall being amplified by the high winds of the canyon, unbeknownst to Kyoya that it would become the foundation of his future battle style.
“How do you like the lion gale force wall, fur balls?! Mangy wolves like you can't stop the king of beasts! Now get out of my way, mutts!”
The wolves look at one another briefly, before looking back at Kyoya with another growl rising out of their throats. Another paw step forwards, and then another. They are not afraid.
“So!? You wanna get blown away!?”
Another step.
Kyoya feels his heart sink as the fear sets in once again. No matter what he was doing, he was not as powerful as he tried to be, and that realization had fully set in as he looked directly into the eyes of the predators that stood before him. No fear, no remorse, no hesitation. He could see himself reflecting in their eyes, their eyes seeing him as not only an intruder, but as prey.
Time seemed to freeze.
They’re...studying me… They’re sizing me up! Trying to figure out how strong I am, whether I’m stronger or weaker than they are, who’s the better warrior!
It was almost trance-like, the way they had looked at each other, neither side backing down. Thunder roared from nearby, but it had been the cold raindrops falling from the sky and rolling down his skin to knock the teen back to his senses. As a wolf lets out a howl, Kyoya’s blood seemed to go cold.
It’s not working, it’s not working.
Suddenly, Doji’s words ring in his head again. “The true warrior proves himself only when he faces a seemingly impossible challenge. We call this, the fangs of the heart!”
Throw away fear, it doesn’t matter who my opponents are… wolves or beybladers! Who cares!? Kyoya clenches his fists, a mixture of anger, fear, and frustration boiling under his skin as a poisonous concoction.
The only thing that’s important is who is stronger! Who is the better warrior! Will I win? Or will I lose? That’s all that counts!
He needed revenge. He needed to win against Gingka, to restore his pride and his very faith in himself.
“I WILL NOT LOSE!”
The wolves charge forwards, their paws drumming against the ground, jaws open and yelping. However, as a bolt of lightning crackles behind Kyoya, he screams, letting the emotions bubbling under his skin out in a powerful bellow.
“I will-- WIN!”
The wolves stop their attack, whimpering in fear at not only the lightning but also at the spirit of Leone that had gleamed with a roar to protect his beloved blader. Kyoya growls back more, just as feral, if not more than the wolves. The tornado steadies itself, growing in size as it begins to violently and recklessly shake the ground. The wolves turned tail, trailing back into their caves.
---
Kyoya finally reached the top of the canyon at the peak of sunrise, letting out another roar, this time one of triumph. However, the Kyoya that came out of the canyon was not the same person who entered. Despite Kyoya being alive, the old Kyoya died the moment he threw away all his bonds to fend for himself, and reckon there was nobody but himself to trust.
In his eyes, he proved that he had the fangs of the heart, but from the perspective of anyone else: the fangs had been gnawing and consuming what little heart Kyoya Tategami had left.