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“So this is where you’ve been. You’re a hard guy to find, Ryuga.”
A voice echoed against the walls of the volcano, filling Ryuga with a sense of familiarity as he recognized said voice, yet couldn’t put a face to it. Though, there was a tinge of annoyance on his face as whoever found him had interrupted his training. With a click of his tongue, Ryuga extended his hand out to the bursts of lava in front of him, summoning his new Meteo L-Drago towards him, and looked down on the cloaked, pale-haired man who called his name.
“What business do you have with me?”
☆☆☆
Hyoma, as the blader introduced himself, was a friend of Gingka Hagane. He was looking for Ryuga as one of Gingka’s teammates was left with a fraction of the dark power in his body from the aftermath of their battle in Battle Bladers. Ryuga wasn’t sure what inclined him, but despite his previous impression of the blader in front of him, Ryuga decided to follow.
Ryuga recognized Hyoma as the opponent of his previous servant, Reiji Mizuchi, during Battle Bladers. At the time, it was satisfying seeing weak bladers succumb to the obvious greater power, but knowing the effects of the Dark Power now, Ryuga was conflicted on how to feel about it. He remembered the screams from the battle, how Hyoma fell to his knees in defeat and huddled himself over his broken beys, eyes flooded with stress, despair, and tears, shoving his allies away to grieve by himself. Yet, looking upon those periwinkle eyes, full of determination and certainty, Ryuga could tell that this was a different person now.
“What makes you think I care enough to help your buddy out,” Ryuga narrowed his eyes at the Aries blader. Hyoma’s facial expression didn’t waver at his hostility, instead, the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly.
“Just a feeling.”
The response annoyed Ryuga even more, though not enough to launch his bey towards the guy.
“We should head somewhere where we can discuss this more,” Hyoma turned around, crunching snow beneath his boots as he began to walk down the path Ryuga followed to reach the volcano. “I’m sure the idea of a warm drink doesn’t sound bad after being in the cold for so long. Koma isn’t that far, but I’m sure you already know that.”
“I didn’t say I was coming!” Ryuga replied, standing still for a few moments before begrudgingly following. The warmth from the volcano had already disappeared, and a warm drink did sound nice.
☆☆☆
It was interesting, Ryuga thought, the way Hyoma led him through the mountains and through the forests, revealing what would look like random turns and unnecessary climbs to inexperienced hikers to actually be shortcuts and secret passageways. Ryuga himself could only catch a few of the well hidden man-made indicators of passageways to Koma. For someone who traveled far to find him, only to choose to walk right back to Koma, Hyoma showed no signs of fatigue.
“I’m surprised you haven’t stopped yet,” Ryuga broke their silent travel.
“No need,” Hyoma replied, smiling. “I know this area like the back of my hand. I once led some of Gingka’s friends around in circles. Took a while for them to notice.”
“You’re not thinking of leading me in circles now, are you?” Ryuga raised an eyebrow.
“Of course not,” Hyoma raised his hands, tone unconvincing. “I’m sure you’d figure it out rather quickly if that was the case.”
☆☆☆
A scene of buildings of what made up Koma Village began inching closer as Ryuga continued on following Hyoma, careful not to walk too close.
“What causes you to bring him of all people here, Hyoma!?” a voice from above Ryuga’s head roared. Quite the welcoming greeting.
“Hokuto,” Hyoma greeted the person, or dog, that was standing on a nearby tree branch. “I thought we talked about how we should start treating guests now.”
“That boy is no guest of mine!” Hokuto grimaced.
“So be it,” Hyoma continued walking, letting Hokuto give both of them the stink eye. “I have important matters to discuss with him.”
Ryuga followed, trying not to think too hard about the fact that Hyoma lived with a talking dog. As if the guy could get any weirder.
“Don’t pay much attention to him,” Hyoma scratched the back of his neck. “He’s still a bit hung up on the past.”
“And you’re not?” It bugged Ryuga, the way this guy had been speaking to him without distaste in his voice or without a glint of hatred in his eyes. Every person he'd come across before had always expressed some problem with him (which was obviously deserved). The fact that he wanted to know why also bugged him.
Hyoma paused his steps, taking a breath to speak without turning around.
“Gingka seems to have faith in you, so I will too.”
☆☆☆
Hyoma led him to a small house Ryuga could only assume belonged to the Aries blader. The walls were adorned with shelves full of books, kick-knacks, and pictures of what seemed to be from times long before now. He only gave the photos a quick glance, he wasn’t here to get personal with the guy or anything.
The warmth was welcoming, a stark difference from the wilderness he chose to stay in most nights. The thought of staying in a place like this, however, made his neck itch. He didn’t want to get too comfortable.
“Tsubasa has the dark power you say,” Ryuga said, swirling the tea that Hyoma had poured him.
“Yes,” Hyoma replied, pouring his own.
“And you want me to fix him or something? Because that’s not possible, not with the Dark Power.”
“I thought as much,” the other sighed, sitting on a chair across from his guest. “From what I’ve seen, he starts freaking out during battles, and a surge of dark energy surrounds him. He becomes…unstable.” A strained expression crosses Hyoma’s face, the first Ryuga has seen since he’d been in his presence.
“It looks similar to what you went through,” Hyoma continued. “Without the confidence of it all, I guess.”
“If you think you’re going to convince me by flattering me, you’re wrong,” Ryuga sipped his tea.
“Of course not,” Hyoma chuckled. “I was just pointing out a fact.” Ryuga glared at him.
“The Dark Power isn’t something someone infected with it can fight against,” Ryuga slid his fingers along the gold gauntlet on his arm, tracing the edge of L-Drago’s case before tapping it and settling his hand. “The more you fight against it, the more it consumes you.”
“I bet Tsubasa has been trying to fight it this whole time, then,” Hyoma’s head drooped.
“Anyone would. It’s not exactly something that’s friendly with you.”
“Is there…is there any way you could help him? You did give it to him, after all.”
Ryuga snorted, then sat silently for a moment, contemplating Hyoma’s question. Ryuga assumed his relationship with the Dark Power was different from whatever baggage Tsubasa was dealing with, but the overbearing desire and need to win every battle was surely something they had in common. He did give it to the guy, and maybe giving some assistance to Gingka’s teammate would check off the debt he owed his rival.
“I’ll think about it,” Ryuga continued to sip his tea. “But I can only do so much. Don’t come crawling back to me if he doesn’t fix himself after.”
“Thank you, Ryuga,” Hyoma softly smiled once again. Ryuga forced his eyes down to the cup under his lips.
☆☆☆
Sun had set by the time Ryuga had finished his discussion with Hyoma. It wasn’t like him to lose track of time.
“You can stay here for the night by the way, if you want.” Hyoma said. Just the words Ryuga wanted to hear.
“No need,” Ryuga replied shortly.
“Suit yourself,” Hyoma shrugged, shuffling through a box on one of his shelves before heading towards the front door with objects in his hands.
“What’s that?” Ryuga questioned, eyeing the things in the other’s hands.
“Just some supplies. Taking a break outside. Care to join?”
Intrigued, Ryuga sat up from his seat, and once again started following him.
☆☆☆
“Is that…marijuana?” Ryuga questioned, watching as Hyoma skillfully layed out a sheet of rolling paper and rolled its contents with ease. “Isn’t that, like, illegal?”
“When did you start caring about what’s illegal?” Hyoma laughed, gesturing at Ryuga’s gauntlet where L-Drago was set. “Besides, who’s gonna come out here all the way to Koma Village with its population of two to enforce the drug laws?”
“Fair point.” Ryuga sighed, eyeing the supplies Hyoma had laid out on his porch.
Hyoma must have noticed him staring, as he offered a hand for L-Drago’s blader to sit next to him. “You wanna try?”
“I have no need to indulge in such activities,” Ryuga turned his head.
“At least roll one for me? Bet you can’t roll one as well as I can.”
Ryuga’s eye twitched at the challenge, and he sat down with a grumble, ignoring Hyoma’s hand. How hard could it be? It was rolling paper. A small piece at that. Ryuga took a sheet of rolling paper for himself and held it in the palm of his hand, using a free hand to reach for the goods and line a center of it in the sheet. His handling of the joint could’ve been much more delicate, though. Despite being careful to not spill any of the contents out, a few bits fell onto the porch, which Hyoma thankfully didn’t mind much.
“There,” Ryuga held his first joint to Hyoma’s eyes.
Hyoma stared in silence, mouth closed but eyes wide. It was a little freaky, the way he was staring at Ryuga’s creation, and Ryuga couldn’t tell what emotion was going behind the other’s irises. It was even weirder how quickly the shape of his mouth formed a wide grin.
“What is THAT?!” Hyoma laughed, holding a hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle his giggles, which didn’t work very well as every time he took a look at Ryuga’s hand, more came out.
“What? What’s wrong with it?” Ryuga demanded an answer, looking back and forth between Hyoma and the joint. The scene in front of him just made Hyoma laugh even more.
“Look at it!” At this point, Hyoma had to use an arm to prop himself up from falling backwards with laughter. In Ryuga’s hand was an incredibly poorly wrapped joint, twisted and turned, the contents all in the center of the “roll,” the shape of the rolling paper too thick and uneven to comfortably hold and smoke.
“Man, get out of here!” Hyoma continued laughing, unable to contain himself as Ryuga angrily flicked the joint towards Hyoma’s face.
“I’m leaving,” Ryuga sat up as Hyoma tried to regain his composure.
“Wait, I was joking, come back!” Hyoma reached out after wiping a tear from his eye. “I’ll smoke it for you, promise!”
Ryuga kept on walking, away from Hyoma’s home and away from Koma Village.
“At least check up on Tsubasa, all right!?” Hyoma shouted towards Ryuga one last time, before taking a match and lighting the worst joint Koma Village had ever seen.