Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The small sushi shop looked stunning in the morning, the natural light filtering in from the windows, a cozy, warm glow. The air was still as Multi sat and ate quietly, the subtle warmth of air and light luring her into a sense of security. Ms. Myoden sat at the end of the sushi bar, closer to the door, computer open and typing quickly and quietly.
Bird yawned as he walked down the stairs of the upper floor into the main restaurant part of Komaba Sushi. Ekusu followed slightly behind Bird, looking equally disheveled. Bird took a seat at the sushi bar to the right of Multi. He grabbed a bowl of cereal while Ekusu sat with Bird. In front of Ekusu were 5 plates of his favorite red bean and cream sushi.

The ex-pro glanced over the trio, each eating breakfast. The boys had just gotten up and looked the part, while Multi was more put together. Ekusu mindlessly stuffed a piece of red bean and cream sushi into his mouth, head resting on his hand. Ms. Myoden typed swiftly, pulling up images on the screen for Team Persona at the sushi bar. "Your next match is still undecided, as the All-Star Battle just took place. However, we could arrange a meet-up with a team you've battled against before, like Zooganic."
Ekusu perked up at the mention of blading, all tiredness completely forgotten. "Yeah, I can't wait to battle again! Battle, battle, battle.." Ekusu cheerfully exclaimed, tapering off in a sing-song voice about battling.

"Biiirrrddd! Do you wanna battle me?" The blader exclaimed, looking at Bird with excited eyes.
"Yeah! I want to get even better for any match that comes our way!" Bird looked at Ekusu, excitement pouring from the duo in waves. Multi turned from the ever-optimistic bladers to the screen, a fond smile on her face.

She lifted the toast to her mouth and took a bite while analyzing the screen and its contents. 'Ekusu is awful about getting up in the mornings, except whenever blading is involved…' Bird observed as he watched the pro blader eat another red bean and cream sushi. A lone grain of rice was somehow left on his face. Bird mindlessly swiped the rice off Ekusu's cheek, earning the gaze of Multi and Ms. Myoden on the boys. They both turned to the screen a few moments later.

"Why're we competing against a team we've already gone against? I know that B4 hasn't decided if we're going for the Title Match or not, but why does that affect going against new teams?" Bird inquired, turning to Multi and placing a hand on his chin. The split-haired boy took a pause, eating another red bean and cream sushi. Bird mentally recoiled at the blader's preferred choice of food when Multi spoke up. Both of the boys turned to her, awaiting what she had to say.
"Going against a team before B4 assigned one to us could be considered street battling. It doesn’t matter if they’re pros or not.” Multi sighed, "B4 can be really particular about what’s allowed or not. Street battling has its risks for a pro team, especially now with how close we are to the top of the X." Her posture slacked slightly, elbows resting on the table. Her plate lay empty on the counter. “Remember, Bird, this wouldn’t be an official B4 match. More of a meet-up between friends.” Ms. Myoden looked to Bird from where she was sitting, taking over Multi’s explanation.

"A battle or meet-up with Zooganic would do great, as fans have wanted more content of both teams together for a while. Pro bladers should get to know one another on good terms. It shows the audience that you’re capable of having good relationships outside of the competition." Bird nodded his head along with everything Ms. Myoden was saying, putting the pieces together in his head.

"So, what you're saying is that a collaboration would do well for both of us? Even if it isn’t a battle?" Bird questioned, tilting his head back and looking up at the ceiling. “Aw man! I wanna battle! Battles are always the most fun!” Ekusu whined, upset that his opportunity for battle had possibly been ripped away. Bird's messy, somewhat fluffy hair caught Ekusu's eye, lingering a little too long on his teammate to be normal. His fingers minutely twitched, and he turned back to his sushi. The split-hair boy crammed what must have been the 15th piece into his mouth with a small frown. Multi said nothing about how he was acting, but turned her head from where she was looking at her teammates.

"I've been thinking of asking for a collab for a while now, but there are so many potential ideas for streams I don't know what to ask," Multi looked down at her plate in thought.”A battle should be the best. Maybe something else afterward, but if a battle is what the fans want, it's what they’ll get!" Multi shone with determination at increasing Persona’s fanbase.
“Yaaay! We get to blade! We get to blade!” Ekusu’s voice tickled Bird’s brain, a warm feeling spreading in Bird’s body. Anyway, I should be the first blader, Bird, you should be second, and Ekusu, you should be third." The girl looked to her two teammates, who were now both brimming with excitement at the idea of a collaboration. "Oh! Can we get sushi after? " Ekusu perked up; the prospect of getting to battle and sushi always rejuvenated him like a freshly watered plant.

"But wait.. I normally blade first, though." Bird observed her plan as Ms. Myoden pulled up another part of the projection. "Based on their past battles, the chances they switch up to try and shuffle is increased. It makes it so that the bladers they go against would be less prepared if each team member didn't properly prepare. We should adapt to their strategy and use it to our advantage."

"I guess that makes sense.." Bird stated, bowl empty on the counter. 'Not everyone can live off of sushi..' Bird watched as Ekusu finished off a fourth plate of sushi. The slightly golden morning light combined with the peaceful air of Komaba Sushi lit Ekusu in all the right ways, Bird feeling drawn to the other blader.
"Also..." Multi spoke into the room's quiet. "CAN YOU TWO START CARING ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE MORE!?" She screeched to her teammates, who jumped at the sudden loud noise. Bird scrambled up to put his dishes away and ran up the stairs to get ready so as not to anger the streamer anymore.

Unknown to Bird, the blader whom he admired would make glances at him throughout the morning, eyes darting away almost as soon as he made contact. This observation didn't go completely unnoticed, as Ekusu scurried away after Bird, crying for him to wait up. Multi watched the boys with a neutral face, curiosity shining in her eyes.
She started to put away both her and Ekusu's dishes, as in his hurry to follow Bird, he neglected to clean up after himself. Ms. Myoden continued to type at her computer, not looking up at the boy's sudden departure. After Multi had cleaned up and retreated to her room, the ex-pro got up and walked away, leaving the main room of Komaba Sushi seemingly undisturbed in the morning light.

Chapter Text

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!? YOU CAN'T GO OUT IN THAT!" Multi yelled at her teammates, who have once again proven they cannot go out in anything other than their usual outfits. Distress poured off the streamer in waves, her confusion at their outfits apparent.
Ekusu had decided that the ideal of fashion would be a green vertical striped shirt, orange horizontal striped shorts, and a larger, open dark red shirt with a checkered pattern. He had his usual black tights on as well.

Bird also looked… awful. He wore an oversized pink sweater, a brown vest, and dark red checkered shorts. 'His shorts match Ekusu's shirt, must've come in a set.' Multi noticed absentmindedly, but that didn't stop the disgust their clothing brought her from showing.
"It's not that bad!" Bird gestured down at his clothing.
"Yeah, Multi, it's not that bad!" Ekusu insisted along with Robin.
"Are you being serious? Why do you even still have this stuff? Just go change, this.. isn't something I can save."
"What do you meeeaaannn?" Ekusu warbled, as if Multi had just insulted Beyblading and his favorite dog.

He clutched onto the offending outfit for dear life, showing no signs of giving up on his fashion crimes. Bird turned around and slowly trudged up the stairs, going to put away the outfit that shouldn't have been put together at all. Multi grabbed Ekusu by the hood and marched up the stairs next to Bird, ignoring Ekusu's exclamation of surprise. She stormed into her teammate's shared room, determined on getting them a foolproof closet. 'I need a proper look at what we're dealing with here. This can't go on any longer.' Multi aggressively shoved open the boy's shared closet.

On what was clearly Bird's side, multiple copies of the same tank top and pants were shown. He had a few pajamas stored away, along with his usual cropped red sweater. On Ekusu's side, he had his white jacket, several pairs of his blue shorts and tights, and some Komaba Sushi merch. Where he even got the merch is beyond her, but their wardrobe wasn't beyond saving. It seemed that they just managed to choose the worst possible garments to go together, anytime they wore anything other than normal.
She glanced at the almost-hopeless bladers behind her, still in the offending outfits. Bird shuffled around under her intense stare, avoiding eye contact. Ekusu stared back, feeling no sense of shame at his wardrobe. Her teammates were exhausting to say the least, but every day was sure to be an adventure with them. "We're gonna go shopping. Every purchase that you want to make must be approved by me first. We need to get you guys better clothing. We're pros, our appearances matter." Multi patiently awaited a reaction and found no resistance. "Also, get changed. We're burning those clothes later."

"HUH!" Bird stood shocked, somehow deeply surprised at Multi's hatred for their outfits. "How could Multi be so cruel!" Ekusu hid behind Bird, hands clutching at his arm.
"It's not my fault you have the most awful clothing known to man! They're gonna remember Persona as the team with the worst fashion!"
"Thats not true! My clothing looks just fine! Who doesn't like sushi?" Ekusu protested, still behind Bird.
"IT'S NOT THE SUSHI! IT'S THE STRIPES! THEY LOOK HIDEOUS! NO ONE GONNA RESPECT YOU LOOKING LIKE THIS!" Multi exploded, Ekusu clutching to Bird as they shied away from Multi. "Okay, okay! We'll get changed." Bird, ever the peacemaker, squeaked out to Multi, fearing her anger.
She huffed, turning back to their closet and settling into a crouch. It wasn't bad, just... basic. 'Some other kind of short-sleeved jacket could be good, or maybe some different pants and shorts.' Ekusu started to inch out, peering out from behind Bird. Multi straightened up, startling Bird and Ekusu. "Alright!" she announced, cracking her back as she turned to face Bird. "I'm going clothes shopping for you!"

"Huh? You said we would come too? We are shopping for our clothes after all."
"Nope! I changed my mind." Multi cheerfully responded to Bird's question, Ekusu looking over Bird's shoulder. "The chances of us getting off task or pulled away for a battle are significantly higher when we go as a team. It would be more efficient for you two to stay here while I get everything."
Bird wilted at Multi's words because he knew they were true. Team Persona was noticeable out in public together, Ekusu and Multi always being swarmed by fans. "You two can always find something to do while I'm out. "

"Oh! I know! We can battle!" Ekusu sparked, willing to battle then and there.
"I was thinking more chores-oriented, but that works too."
"C'mon, Bird! Let's go battle!" Ekusu pulled Bird out of their room and down the stairs to the stadium. A smile was fixed on Bord's face as he trailed along behind his teammate. “Just make sure you change!” Multi called out to the retreating forms of her teammates.

Multi stood in the boy's room for a second longer, pondering what could be going on between them. An idea stuck the blader, both making sense and being out there enough that it might be true. Multi exited the bladers' shared room, thoughts trailing off to what could be up between those two. ‘Hmm, I guess I’ll know soon enough. Those two aren’t the most subtle when it comes to things like this.’ Multi glanced back at the closet, and silently closed the door and left.

Chapter Text

"Three.. two... one… LET IT RIIP!" Sythe Incendio hit the stadium, spinning towards the center with vigor. Sword Dran glided along the surface of the stadium, clashing and sparking against Sythe Incendio. Bird knew he wasn't going to win against Ekusu, but battling was still fun. However, losing all the time put a different light on battling and being a pro. Sythe Incendio connected with the rail, an Xtreme Dash barreling towards Sword Dran. Sword Dran was knocked out of its trajectory, Bird's eyes trained on the arena. "Yayy Bird! This is so much fun!" Bird's head snapped up to Ekusu, cheering him on despite being his opponent. "Yeah! Let's go, Sythe Incendio!" Bird called to his bey.

Sythe Incendio snapped at the heels of Sword Dran, hitting the other bey at high speeds. Sword Dran spun, Bird now catching up to what Ekusu ensured happened, consciously or not. Sword Dran locked onto the rim, the Xtreme Dash barreling towards Sythe Incendio. The beys met head-on, Sythe Incendio pushing back against Sword Dran. The collision blew Sythe Incendio out of the stadium, Bird losing once again. The bey clinked against the floor as Sword Dran spun around the stadium, victorious. Bird sighed, scooping up the bey. "Wasn't that fun? Let's go again!" Ekusu waved to Bird, still standing by the stadium. "I'm going to get something to eat. Want to come with me? Ekusu tilted his head slightly at Bird's question before trailing after the other blader like a lost puppy.

The duo walked up the steps into the main restaurant room of Komaba Sushi, still in the outfits from earlier. "Oh! Bird! Ekusu! Would you like to try my new creation- purple carrot and sardine sushi!" Mr. Taisho shoved his latest monstrosity toward the bladers, Ekusu grabbing a plate and stuffing the sushi into his mouth. The split-haired boy's eyes lit up, "Whaoh, Mr. Thaichso, thisch isch," He swallowed thickly, downing another horrid excuse of sushi quickly. "This is great! You should add this to the menu!"

"Why are the carrots purple?" Bird stood out, eyes trained on the concoction in front of him. "Well, I bought them like that! Are they not great for sushi?" 

" Well, I-um," Bird avoided eye contact, sheepish over being confronted about the carrots. Bird felt Ekusu's stare, heavier than the gaze of Mr. Taisho, still holding the plate of sushi. "I'm gonna change before Multi gets back!" The pro squeaked out, turning and borderline running to his shared room. Ekusu peered after Bird's hurried flight away, making no move to chase after him. "He never got anything to eat..." The expert blader muttered, still staring where Bird had exited. 

"Why don't you bring him something to eat?" 

"Hm?" The split-haired boy looked at the head chef, usual smile not present. 

"Here, go take this to Bird." Mr. Taisho shoved a plate of ordinary sushi into Ekusu's hands, motioning him away. "It's about lunchtime, and Team Persona needs to be ready for a battle at any given moment! It wouldn't be good if my bladers starve!" The chef smiled at Ekusu, determined to care for the bladers. "You should probably also change before Multi gets back." The man shuddered at the idea of an angry Multi being something he doesn't want to face. "Okay, Mr. Taisho!" Ekusu did a gesture with his hands that was unintelligible due to the plate he was holding. He grinned, walking away and up the stairs, food for Bird in hand. Ekusu ascended the stairs, entering the hallway and approaching the shared room at a relaxed pace. 

"Ohhh, Biiirrdd! I brought you something!" The door opened, revealing Bird in his usual black tank top and pants, holding his red jacket. The slightly shorter boy looked up from where he was crouching, an earlier outfit in a pile on Bird's left. Ekusu gestured the plate out to Bird, grinning while staring expectantly. The other boy wordlessly grabbed the plate from the blader, inspecting the meal. Bird looked up at Ekusu before standing, plate in hand. "You really should get changed before Multi gets back."

"Yes, team leader!" The split-haired boy jogged to their shared closet, throwing the doors open. Bird exited the room softly during Ekusu's scramble towards their shared closet, shuffling to the left of the closed door to eat. Bird sat down with a humph, picking up the chopsticks and eating one of the pieces of tuna sushi. 

The sushi Ekusu brought him was an assortment of thankfully normal sushi. Tuna, salmon, and eel were the 3 types brought to him, with 3 of each. Bird went for the eel next, the now familiar taste of sushi being both comforting and alienating. He had never grown up with sushi, though it was somewhat present in the small town where he lived. 

Was this what Ekusu and Multi were always surrounded by? Being constantly around grand architecture, stunning food, and exciting experiences occasionally felt like too much. It was great, don't get him wrong, but adjusting from nothing happening in his small town to everything at once took quite a length of time. Bird continued eating the pieces of sushi one by one, down to just one piece of salmon sushi. Komaba Sushi held some similarities to Bird's hometown. The wood floors, both matte and warm, are a stark contrast to the Bey stadium below, cold yet always holding an air of excitement from Beybattles taking place almost constantly.

Bird held the chopsticks in the motion of picking up the sushi, but he had no desire to eat it. Was he really fit to be a pro, to be on this team? The chopsticks hovered over the sushi, completely still. Multi and Ekusu were amazing bladers, and he was just... average. Ordinary. Would he really be here if not for his teammates? The door to Bird's left slammed open, banging loudly against the wall the blader was sitting against. 

"Bird?" Ekusu called out, looking to the right, then the left. Ekusu looked down to where Bird was sitting, grinning playfully. The blader exited the room, closing the door and crouching in front of Bird, in his usual clothes. "Are you gonna eat that?" The split-haired boy's blue eyes burrowed into' Bird's own, peeling back every feeling Bird tried to keep hidden. 

"Oh, um, no-" Ekusu snatched the chopsticks from Bird's hand faster than he could blink, picking up the sushi and stuffing it into his mouth. "C'mon, Bird! Let's go to battle!" He sprang up, ever-present energy taking center stage. "Yeah, but we should put this plate back." Bird stood up, mildly scratching before going to put the dishes away. The main restaurant area of Komaba Sushi held a certain air for Bird, comforting and relaxing. The duo walked behind the counter, washing the plate and tossing the disposable chopsticks.

"Bird?" The mentioned blader looked up to where his teammate was standing, watching Bird's every motion. 

"Yeah?" 

"Can you make some red bean and cream sushi?" 

"NO! I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THAT!" 

"Awww, whyyy?" Ekusu groused, upset at Bird's refusal to enlighten his request. "You should make it yourself if you want some that bad," Bird watched Ekusu wilt against the counter, face pressing into the cool surface. "Hmmhmhmmnmgmmm..." Ekusu murmured into the counter as Bird finished putting the plate away. "I'm gonna go practice. Wanna come with me?" Ekusu twisted his head to where Bird had walked to the hallway, eyes staring into everything Bird was, exposing every secret. The calming air of the room settled into his bones, the last grasps of morning slipping away, and Multi was still out on her desperate shopping trip.

Ekusu straightened up from where his head was resting on the counter, turning fully to Bird. A piercing ding was heard in the quiet room, breaking the quiet tension that was slowly creeping up on the duo. "A notification?" Bird muttered, reaching for his phone as Ekusu strutted over to Bird. Ekusu took his place, peering over Bird's shoulder to see what the notification was. The notification was a text from Multi, who had been gone for about an hour by now. "Huh? I wonder what Multi wants," Ekusu continued, looking at Bird's phone screen, tapping the screen in favor of answering Bird's question. The messaging app was pulled up, opening to Multi's contact. "What would you be willing to change for new outfits?" Bird read aloud, both bladers watching as the bubble that showed Multi currently typing stopped and started a few times. "Colors? Any certain non-essential features?" The screen read, Bird and Ekusu both looking at each other. Bird started typing out a response to Multi, stating how their colors didn't really matter, as they were just colors and not anything special. 

The typing bubble popped up a few times and stopped. Multi not replying for a minute to Bird's text. Bird and Ekusu wandered over to the sushi bar, settling down next to each other. The text bubble from Multi picked up again, Bird wondering what was going to be sent. "On my way," Ekusu read aloud Multi's last text, not responding to Bird's message about colors. Bird shivered, the faintest feeling of something being wrong coursing through him like lightning. "Are you nervous?" Ekusu must have picked up on Bird's feeling, drawing their eyes toward each other, away from the screen.  "Multi wouldn't hurt us... right?" Bird asked, answering Ekusu's accurate observation with a question of his own. The duo stared at each other for a second, the realization that they would have to wear whatever Multi bought for them, or else face her wrath. Bird swallowed, mildly nervous feeling back again. 

"How long would it take her to get from where she is to where we are?" 

"Oh, probably not very long. Maybe around the same time as four beybattles," Ekusu stated, very confident in his very incorrect statement. 

"Are they four short battles? Or four long ones? Is it a mix of short and long battles?"

"It's enough for one battle between us!" 

Ekusu sprang up, ready to head towards the stadium. "C'mon, Bird!" Bird stayed sitting. Despite the severe power gap between Ekusu and himself, the power gap between Ekusu and every other blader, he seemed really happy to be around Bird. He looked at Ekusu, and his smile was full of warmth, attempting to burn the image into his mind before getting up. When Persona gets to the top of the X eventually, Bird has contemplated the very real chance that Ekusu would leave, seeking more than being at the top could give. He just has to be ready for when that time comes. 

“Bird? Are you there?” The split-haired boy waved a hand in front of Bird’s face, the other blader looking up at the pro. “I don’t want to wait forever for another battle,” Ekusu sighed, beginning to catch wind from the tornado of unidentified emotions wildly thrashing in Bird’s chest, under his skin and ribs. 

“Yeah, I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?”

…Huh? Ekusu’s questioning gaze lingered on Bird, attempting to pry out the things Bird was keeping hidden, far, far, from anyone’s gaze. Far from anyone’s judgment. Bird could display his mediocre blading and deal with the criticism, but anything more, and he might snap. 

“Something’s bothering you, so I won’t force you to blade. We could try something else if you want. Oh! Maybe a sport? We could find something to do, as long as it’s something we could do together!” Bird watched Ekusu list off activities and other things they could do together while pacing around in a small circle, the feeling of being wanted warming Bird.

Bird swallowed before thinking of a response. “No, I want to blade.” Ekusu stopped his ramble and pacing, coming to a halt right in front of where Bird was still seated. “I’m just…” Bird paused, searching for the right words. “I love blading, but it gets overwhelming. You and Multi are so popular and talented at blading, and I’m just some kid from a small town. I don’t know what I add to Persona as a team.” Bird’s fists clenched in his lap as he avoided eye contact with Ekusu. “It’s just that-”

“Popularity doesn’t matter to me.” Ekusu cut Bird off, forcing direct eye contact with the shorter boy. “Neither does talent with blading. I love battling against strong opponents, but no one is as strong as me.” The bluntness of Ekusu’s statements was both aching and soothing, a reminder of the reality Bird was surrounded with. “If I were concerned about constantly battling around the strongest, I would’ve stayed with Pendragon.”

“But you didn’t.” Bird both questioned and stated, knowing the answer. 

“I didn’t,” Ekusu confirmed. “I’m here because I want to be, and I want you to want to be here too.” Ekusu’s words resonated within Bird, not fully subduing the storm, but taming it. Bird really, really wanted to be here. And if Ekusu wanted to be here, Bird would be here too. Bird abruptly stood up, forcing Ekusu back a few steps. Bird was determined to be here, determined to stay by Ekusu’s side as long as he could. Multi is also a great friend, and Persona wouldn’t feel complete without her either. Bird stared into Ekusu’s eyes, a grin settling on both of their faces.

"Alright, let's go again! Even better this time!"

Chapter Text

The door to Komaba Sushi slid open, revealing Multi. She was carrying four reusable shopping bags, two on each arm. “Thanks for doing this for me.” Multi slid into the room, revealing Yuni behind her. “It’s really no problem! Besides, their sense of fashion is so not pop.” Yuni pulled out her phone, her perfectly manicured nails typing on the screen. 

“Those two are in a fashion crisis, you don't even know.” Multi sighed to her companion, who took a seat at one of the stools at the bar.

“Can you wait here for a sec? I’m gonna go find Bird and Blader X.” Muti set the bags down on the counter, walking off towards the stadium. 

As she descended the stairs, the sounds of a battle grew nearer. The familiar clashing of metal and words spoken between her other two teammates was almost comprehensible, but stopped by the time she reached the door. 

"Bird, Blader X. Come upstairs." Bird was holding Sythe Incendio, and Ekusu was stationed next to Bird, the side away from Multi. "Also, put your mask on. We have a guest over," She turned and started up the stairs, leaving Bird and Ekusu to scramble after her. Multi sat next to Yuni in the main room, Bird and Ekusu (now in the Blader X mask) emerging a few seconds later. "Oh, hey Yuni!" Bird greeted the other blader, Yuni, giving him a kind smile in return. 

Multi scooped up the bags, gesturing for the others to follow her. She led the group down the hall to Bird and Ekusu's room, sliding the door open and placing the bags on the floor. The other bladers shuffled in behind her, Bird sliding the door closed. Multi sat down, dividing the contents of the bags by who they were for. 

"We got various items because your closet is severely lacking. We ensured that everything in here can be worn more than once, and that you couldn't throw together a bad outfit even if you tried." Bird sat down in front of Multi, slightly to her right. Ekusu followed Bird and took his place across from Muti. Yuni sat directly next to her on Multi’s left. Not like they would need to try to assemble a bad outfit. Multi picked up a bag and shoved it in Bird's arms, doing the same for Ekusu. They started rifling through the bags. Bird's eyes caught on something shiny. He grabbed the item, pulling out a spiked red cuff. 

The color was identical to his usual jacket, the spikes dull and short so as not cause harm. "Whoa," Ekusu muttered, touching one of the silver spikes when Bird held out the accessory. "The spikes were Yuni's idea." She gestured to the blader who was seated next to her. "Mhm! It's also good to not deviate from the colors you're associated with. After all, if Multi suddenly switched to red, Blader X to rainbow, and Bird to blue, the associations with those colors would be confusing. Trying to confuse your fans is totally not pop." 

"I see what you mean," Bird scribbled notes down hurriedly in his notebook, which he always had on hand for things he should remember. Blader X continued sorting through the clothing, laying everything out in front of him. Some blue shorts that were the same color as his usual ones, a few plain t-shirts, nothing special. "Unfortunately, the price that had to be paid for looking okay no matter what was unique. However, Blader X has the mask, which is recognizable enough." Bird had more to work with, being as Multi would put it, more plain. Bird wasn't very popular, and therefore less recognizable, despite being the leader of Team Persona. 

Bird mindlessly stuck his hand into the bag again, pulling out the first thing he touched. "Patches?" Bird questioned, holding out the patches Multi had bought. They were in the shape of bird wings, an interesting mix of realistic and cartoonishly simplified.

"I was thinking we could sew those onto your red jacket." Multi explained. 

"You're already a bird, so why not run with it?" Yuni perked up, Multi nodding in agreement. They were referencing Bird's name, along with plumage ease hair. Bird turned the patches around in his hands, observing how they were thin and flexible. "It matches the color of your headband," Ekusu observed, grabbing one of the ends of Bird's headband to compare the color with Bird. Multi and Yuni had painstakingly made sure that everything would be in order, checking every clothing combination and choosing the right colors. Brands were important too, but the main focus was on fixing their clothing disaster. 

Yuni checked her phone, typing away at whatever had her attention. Ekusu was muttering about how blading in all of the new clothing would be, while Bird continued quietly inspecting the clothing and accessories. 

"I'm gonna have to go," Yuni sighed, standing up. She stretched, bringing her arms above her head and putting her phone away in her pocket right after. "Burn needs me for something. Zonamos is probably there too." 

"I can escort you out," Multi offered, waiting to see if Yuni would accept her offer. 

"No, I'm okay. Thanks though!" Yuni waved her hand, dismissing Multi's request. 

"See you later, Multi!" Multi waved to Yuni, who swiftly left the room, gently shutting the door behind her. She turned back to the rest of Team Persona, aka her clueless teammates. Ekusu pulled the Blader X helmet off his head, hair ruffled. Bird's new clothing consisted of some similar t-shirts and pants to what he already had, some shorts, and the accessories. "Hey Bird?" The boy looked up the question from where he and Ekusu were looking at their new clothing. 

"What do you think of the spikes?" 

"They're pretty cool. I would wear this often," he responded, showing interest in the new addition to his outfit. Good. She had guessed he would like the spikes, but she was unsure how he would react to the final accessory. Multi procured the final bag she had been hiding from both Bird and Ekusu. It was small, holding only one item. She had a feeling Bird might like what was inside, purchasing the item despite a nagging feeling he would hate the object. It was a 50/50 chance in her opinion that he would either hate or love it, and she hoped she made the right choice. 

"Another bag?"

"Yeah. One last accessory." She handed the bag to Bird, watching as he and Ekusu observed the bag. 

"What are you waiting for? Open it!" Ekusu encouraged Bird, even more curious than Bird, to know what was inside. Bird took the box out of the bag, placing the bag aside. He opened the box, revealing a spiked choker, similar to the cuff, just in a bigger size. Multi realistically knew that if he didn't want the accessory, it would be fine, but she still felt mildly nervous over his opinion. Bird turned the accessory around in his hands, inspecting every part. His face was blank, which was unusual for the blader. The silence was thick and uncomfortable. Multi refrained from shuffling around or fidgeting, instead preferring to keep an illusion of composure. 

"Put it on! You'd look good!" Ekusu's chime pierced the tense silence. Thank his inability to read the room at times. Bird blinked, looking at Ekusu. "You really think so?" 

"Of course. You look good in a lot of things," a finality in Ekusu's voice. He reached out to touch the choker, then Bird's neck where it would lie. There was something that Ekusu didn't seem to notice, but Multi sure did. She was quite aware of her surroundings and could pick up on small details others often missed. A subtle blush crept up Bird's face and neck, Bird being drawn into his own thoughts. "What are you waiting for? I wanna see!" Ekusu urged Bird on, excited to see his teammate with the accessory. Bird looked from Ekusu back down to the choker, fingers slightly tightening around the item. The motion wouldn’t have been caught, but Multi noticed. She decided not to point it out, but to keep a close eye on his reaction. 

Bird opened up the choker, putting it on and looking at Ekusu. Bird was quiet, not unusual, but it felt a little strange. Ekusu looked at Bird, eyes seeing everything Multi couldn't. Multi was sharp, yes, one of the rare things she truly prided herself on, but she couldn't peer deep into someone the way Ekusu did with Bird now. Truth be told, it freaked her out. Because in that moment, she could see the blader that fought all the way to the top of the Slash tower with Pendragon. The unstoppable natural disaster with the mask of Blader X. She saw it in the way he picked apart Bird with his gaze, the way he would before a match with any opponent. She didn't know what he saw, but she knew that Ekusu was dangerous. Blading was everything, and there was someone who could tear you apart like you were nothing. Someone who could crush you to dust and not even notice. That's why numbers and analytics were safer. When you can turn everything into problems that can be solved and trends that can be mapped, everything makes sense. While Ekusu ripped bladers apart in the stadium, Multi would run numbers and manage from her playing field. It's what she was good at, so it's what she would do for now.

"I..." Bird's voice was low, tone soft. He touched the choker, fingers grazing the metal ring in the front that held the two sides together. Yes, they were in Komaba Sushi. They were in Komaba Sushi. Multi crossed her arms, grabbing onto her sweater sleeves and feeling the familiar material. 

"I like it. I like the choker," Bird stated to Ekusu and Multi. He sounded confident, like he had made up his mind. Multi took a breath, just now realizing she had been holding it. How peculiar. Ekusu grinned, going off about how good Bird looked. Bird blushed, talking and refuting Ekusu's comments. Multi wasn't focused on her teammates, despite being in the same room as them for quite some time. She stood up, stretching her arms out in front of her. 

"It's been fun, but I have things I need to do." 

"Like what?" Bird inquired, Ekusu tilting his head slightly at her statement. 

"I've gotta work on some more beycrafter-related things," She responded, dancing around the question. It was clear that Bird noticed her avoidance, but didn't probe further. Ekusu just watched, head slightly tilted. She wondered if Ekusu saw right through her, too. Multi exited her teammates' shared room, walking down the hall to her room. When she got there, she closed and made sure to lock the door. Multi collapsed against the wall. She just needed a little time, that was all. She knew she was not the strongest blader. Multi had lost against Shiguru many times, but why she was panicking now was beyond her. There was something about Ekusu, though, that made her fear. He was so powerful, and she had no doubt he knew, too. Whenever he bladed, it felt like a monster was lurking just below the surface, watching. It felt like being hunted, if she had to describe it. It always left her shivering, hiding the gooseflesh to the best of her ability. She wasn’t sure Bird felt it, with the way he was constantly on the edge of his seat with Ekusu’s blading.

Maybe some kind of relaxation would be good, but that would have to wait until after Persona's next battle. Follow the numbers, she told herself. Even if her teammates had to take the backseat for a while, the numbers held comfort. The world would continue spinning. Multi curled around herself, arms wrapped around her legs, breathing forcefully even. The numbers never lied. She just had to persist a little longer.

Chapter Text

Ekusu isn't stupid. He knows this. He may not be as smart as Bird and Multi when it comes to other things, but his knowledge of Beyblade battles outweighed everyone else he knew. He didn't get this far on raw talent alone. Ekusu may not know how to make his complex thoughts into coherent words and sentences all the time, but his instincts never led him wrong. And at the moment, his instincts told him that something was amiss with Multi. 

Multi was highly intelligent, being an official beycrafter and streamer after all. She possessed a talent for blading itself, but nothing overwhelmingly stunning. Ekusu didn't have enough information to be able to confidently dive into Multi's problems as he would in a beybattle, so he would have to sit back and trust she was smart enough to handle it herself for now. However, he wasn't too fond of how she looked at him before she left for whatever reason. He didn't like that gaze. He didn't want that gaze falling on Bird. Something in him stirred, storming at the thought of her possibly looking at Bird like that. He had a feeling she wouldn't.

Bird straightened up from where he had put away their new clothing. Ekusu watched Bird stretch, cracking his back and sighing. He wordlessly walked over to the door, where he started opening it, then stopped, turning around to face Ekusu.

Bird gestured for Ekusu, questioning if he wanted to follow with a look. While Bird was standing by the door, Ekusu was seated on the floor. He wordlessly got up, following Bird out the door. Multi was probably still in her room from when she suddenly left. Bird glancing at the door before he headed down the stairs with Ekusu in tow. Bird was still wearing the choker at Ekusu's request. It was lunchtime now, so if Multi really wasn't down in the main room, Bird would bring something up to her.

Bird was… interesting. He was incredibly weak when they first met, but Ekusu has seen his progress with his own two eyes. Improvement was made, but Bird was just barely starting to scratch the surface of what being a high-ranking pro needed. He also always made certain… choices when battling, adjusting his stance at the last second, or changing how he launched. 

It seemed as though he was constantly setting himself up for failure. It was deeper than that, Ekusu was sure of it. There was a flicker. The faintest trace of... Ekusu wasn't sure. He didn't have the right words to describe it, not in a way that made sense to anyone but him. The thing within Bird was always too far beneath his murky surface for Ekusu to properly peer into the depths. How long it would take to see what Bird hid, if anything was there at all, was a wildly different question.

Ekusu glanced up to where Mr. Taisho was back behind the bar. "The usual, Ekusu?" Mr. Taisho chimed, already assembling red bean and cream sushi. “Yep!” Ekusu chirped as he nodded, knowing he was going to get what he ate almost every day again. 

There were days when Ekusu deeply missed Pendragon. He found himself longing to be on that team again with Shiguru and Chrome sometimes. But he had a feeling he shouldn't be there, with them. Staying at the top of the Slash tower and managing their reputation became boring; Ekusu yearned for the stadiums and adrenaline more than anything. The clash of metal and competition called to Ekusu like a siren, absolutely irresistible. 

That was part of why Pendragon was so stifling. He was stuck, stuck between being where every blader wanted to be and feeling no satisfaction at all. He barely batted, Pendragon only taking on the occasional powerhouse team. Ekusu was restless, thirsting for blading, unable to be satisfied while controlled at the top. He felt chained, only able to see what he could’ve had from the top of the Slash tower. Being able to battle Chrome at their full strength was one of the reasons he left; the other, the one he didn’t dare utter, is that being so restrained was killing him. But he found Bird. The interesting, weak little Bird that he had formed Team Persona with. Bird had never won Persona by even one point. Ekusu won enough points for both of them. 

"Ekusu? You okay there?" Bird's inquiry startled the boy, jolting him out of his thoughts. Ekusu blinked, turning to look at Bird instead of drilling holes into the table. 

"Yep!" He popped his lips at the end, smiling at Bird. Bird narrowed his eyes at Ekusu, but didn't inquire further. Mr. Taisho placed a plate of red bean and cream sushi down in front of Ekusu, who started ravenously stuffing sushi in his mouth like it was his last meal. Bird received a plate of regular sushi, which he started to consume at a normal pace. The sushi was exquisite, the perfect flavor filling Ekusu with joy. Bird watched the other blader, visibly relaxing as he saw the pro scarf down the sushi and let whatever thoughts were bothering him be swept to the side. All of them were troubled lately. 

The pair continued eating in a peaceful silence. As Bird ate the last piece of sushi on his plate, Mr. Taisho handed him another plate. "It's for Multi. She hasn't come

down to eat yet." 

"I guess she didn't," Bird said, turning his head toward the stairs. Ekusu watched Bird think, gears churning in his head. Just as Ekusu predicted, Bird got up, plate in hand, and set off towards Multi's room. Ekusu turned back to his sushi, finishing off the last few pieces. The silence wasn't awkward, but it wasn't the most comfortable—a...lukewarm silence. 

The lukewarm silence persisted for a few minutes before footsteps were heard. Bird and Multi emerged from the staircase, Multi looking significantly more exhausted than when he last saw her. Bird and Multi both sat on their respective seats, Multi laying her head on the bar. Bird's eyes lingered on Multi, gears turning as if faced with a complicated opponent for a beybattle. Every opponent was complicated or had some kind of severe power gap with Bird, so Ekusu figured every battle was complicated for him.

The silence didn't warm up. With Multi wrung out and Bird in his own world, Ekusu was once again left with his thoughts. 

Ekusu didn't always like his thoughts. They said things that he disagreed with, or revealed more about him, uncomfortably close to the surface of his mind when they should've been buried deep, deep down. Blading always brought out many sides of him. It made him... hungry. The hunger was always there, but the sheer thrill of the competition brought it out every time without exception. Being able to battle other bladers, the adrenaline of it all, excited Ekusu and made him ravenous. But now, in these quiet moments, he waited. If he had to wait too long, he would leave. Simple. Starving wasn't good for anyone, not in any way, shape, or form. Ekusu deeply hoped it wouldn't come to that, but Pendragon wasn't able to avoid it, so how Persona would keep Ekusu would have to be a question answered later.

 He recognized that this probably wasn’t normal among bladers, based on the few that were more in tune with the thoughts and emotions of their opponents, looking deeply unnerved when they had the unfortunate experience of being torn apart by Ekusu. They must have picked up on something Ekusu didn’t fully know how to hide before he donned the mask of Kamen X. It wasn’t a problem now, so it should be fine. 

Multi seemed to come to them, shaking the fog out of her eyes. She looked to Bird, then Ekusu. Multi stood up out of her chair, a determined look on her face. She exhaled out of her nose as if she had just come out victorious from a long and difficult battle. Just then, her phone went off as Ms. Myoden walked into the room. She stood by the bladers instead of taking her usual seat. 

"Your next match has been set," she announced, gaze falling on the bladers and Mr. Taisho. 

"Well, who is it? Who's Persona going against?" Mr. Taisho eagerly stated, excitement palpable, even though Persona's next match was predictable. Ms. Myoden sensed the loud anticipation coming from Mr. Taisho, as well as the quiet, more desperate air from Team Persona. Her eyes narrowed minutely, expression quickly reverting to the polite neutrality she was usually seen with. 

“Persona’s next opponent is,” Ms. Myoden glanced around, checking to see if the attention was still on her.

“Pendragon.” Multi finished off, eyes darting up from her phone screen. The air grew thick with tension, layered thicker with more emotions than Ekusu could begin to name. Bird tensed up, eyes glazing over as his thoughts dragged far, far away from the room they were currently in. For someone who plainly showed when he was thinking, his actual thoughts were beyond what Ekusu could imagine. Ekusu glazed over to Multi, who was thinking, but not with the same raw desperation that radiated from Bird. Multi was thinking with careful planning, attempting to predict her opponent’s moves long before they even reached the stadium. The moment Bird’s desperation is fully processed through Ekusu and Multi, they shift their gaze over to Bird faster than Ekusu can do an Xtreme dash. The look on his face screamed out to Ekusu, his instinct setting off warning lights. Bird’s expression conveyed unknowingly that he was planning something, something self-destructive, to do whatever he could to secure the win. This was all Ekusu’s best guess, but he thought Bird should’ve been someone easy enough to read once he got to know him, despite every secret buried deep inside of Bird. 

Ms. Myoden also seemed to sense Bird’s dangerous thoughts, as her sharp voice quickly broke the silence, attempting to disperse the tension as quickly as it came. 

“Bird, are you okay?” Her question was quick and precise, breaking Bird out of his spiraling. 

“Huh?” He seemed… unaware, for the most part. Ekusu and Multi made eye contact, Ekusu hoping his concern didn’t break free enough that he seemed too preoccupied to face any of the incoming challenges that were heading their way, like the way the air changed before a storm. Ms. Myoden gestured for Bird to get up, undoubtedly escorting Bird to his and Ekusu’s shared room. The light glinted off one of the spikes on the choker that Bird was still wearing, drawing Ekusu’s attention for the last few seconds that Bird was in the room. The air was still tense as Bird left, leaving Ekusu and Multi to prepare for the storm that was swiftly approaching. 

Chapter Text

Bird liked to try to be at least a little bit ahead of Team Persona's opponents, even if it turned out to be a desperate scramble to try and keep up rather than gaining information that would help lead him to victory. He knew what the majority of Persona fans thought of him, even if they bothered to spare him a second at all. Bird leaned against the wall to the right of the locked door, curling around himself as much as he could manage. 

Bird's forehead lay on his knees, arms squished between his chest and legs. He must've looked quite pathetic there, curled up and trying to shy away from the inevitable. Persona would have to battle Pendragon and face stronger opponents after that. While Multi and Ekusu thrived in the spotlight, Bird missed when he was with Albatross. Being good enough to fight a way into Xenon City, while being relatively unknown in the grand scheme of things. 

Bird moved his arm up to rub at his eyes when he was made aware of the choker once again. He has almost forgotten. Almost. The weight was still there. When he dug that spiked cuff out of the bag Multi gave him, it should've been a sign. A sign that something was going to happen, even though he should've seen it coming from a million miles away. Pulling that out of the last bag was a death sentence, marching Bird towards the guillotine. 

A collection of fast-paced knocks on the door had Bird's head snapping towards the sound, trying to shrink himself down even further. 

"Bird?" Multi's voice broke the unsteady silence. He didn't respond. Instead, he shied away from the noise.

"We know you're in there. C’mon, Bird." Her steady, soft voice made Bird feel more panicked than soothed. The knocks returned, growing frantic. Ekusu must've been there too, as Multi would've been more organized than that, even with something as simple as knocking on the door. The door jiggled as someone, likely Ekusu, tried to force the door open. 

"Bird? This isn't funny!" Ekusu's voice was sharp, yet intertwined with other emotions he couldn't bring himself to care about. Bird felt like opening the door, spilling all his conflicting emotions out, as if that would curb everything he was feeling. The urge grew as the seconds stretched on. Bird steeled himself, bracing himself to unwind from the tight little ball when the commotion stopped. A lower voice was now present, murmurs not fully processing into words. The voice most likely belonged to Ms. Myoden.

"But-" Ekusu. He probably wanted to stand behind Multi as she scolded him for being the weakest blader on the team. The muttering continued, then paused. Ekusu’s voice registered in Bird’s mind, but his actual words were beyond Bird. Footsteps, leading away from the door. Everything went quiet again. 

Bird was a straight-A student, scouted for several sports clubs, but of course, he had to pursue the one thing he wasn't good at. Why was he even the leader of Team Persona if he was so weak? He couldn't entertain fans like Multi or captivate them like Ekusu. Some forums online, or video essays on BeyTube, talked about how his teammates were the perfect team. Nothing in those ever fully mentioned him beyond filling the role of leader. Many bladers and fans alike claimed that Bird was only given the team leader role so as not to be totally useless. Bird was starting to agree. 

He knew he shouldn't be paying attention to what fans say. They don't have an understanding of how Persona really works, away from the cameras and invading eyes. But as Multi worked away at building up Persona's already large fanbase, he felt useless. Bird couldn't bring in fans, he couldn't lead, and most importantly, he couldn't blade. He missed the most important factors a good blader needed, so logically he was best replaced. 

Turning his head away from the door, Bird looked toward the windows. The day was bright, sunny in a way that made everything seem like it should've been perfect. And it should have. Instead, he was curled up on the floor, panicking over something he had understood as unavoidable weeks before. He was pathetic. 

------

Bird was unsure exactly how much time had passed, but had an idea it must have been at least 2 hours based on the light coiling in from the window. Evening was becoming more and more apparent, with the sun setting and the light becoming a warmer, more yellow-orange color. He knew he was going to have to face everyone else soon and weather their reactions. 

"Bird, if you can't face off against Pendragon, how can you face any team after that?" He could practically hear them say it. Mr. Taisho would be forlorn that the blader he put so much faith in couldn't even commit to the sport. Ms. Myoden would be disappointed that all the training she had him go through, creating specially for him, was for nothing. Multi would be angry that her time, effort, and money were wasted on him. She would resent herself for not pushing herself to make him better. And Ekusu...

Bird stood on shaky legs. He wrapped an arm around his torso, the other bracing against the wall. All of this, just because of a battle? It wasn't even something unexpected. 

... On second thought, he didn't have to face the rest of Team Persona just yet. He would have to eventually, because of the battle against Pendragon. Bird checked his pockets, finding his wallet. Thumbing through his money, he had enough on his person to get him through what he was planning to do. If he couldn't face his problems, he would just have to settle on running from them. At least until he was strong enough to win. Just once. 

—---

Multi approached the door, which was still closed. It was probably still locked, too, which wasn't that big of a deal. They had let the door stay locked anyway; Mr. Taisho had spares upon spares of keys to each room with a lock. 

"Just in case I lose one! And then, if I lose the backup, I have a backup for the backup!" He stated, sounding cheery despite the worry for Bird that all of the residents of Komaba Sushi held. It was quite ridiculous, but she supposed it was quite useful at times.

She rapped on the door, waiting for any sound that would prove Bird to still be in there. There were tense moments when Ekusu would have to be stopped from running upstairs and ripping the door off its hinges. Multi checked the time on her phone, which was 5:27 PM. She wishes she could've been stationed right outside the door the entire time, but she and Ms. Myoden battled with Ekusu to occupy the time and stop him from doing anything rash.

She rapped on the door again. No response, which Multi fully expected. Maybe a third time? There was no other noise in the hallway besides her knocking on the door. There was no noise, no shuffle, nothing. No need to panic, there was a chance Bird was just asleep. She knew from personal experience that panic or whatever Bird was feeling made you tired, so he was just napping. Not a problem. She reached for the keys while also setting one hand on the door. She selected the 3rd key on the ring, the one that went to Bird and Ekusu's room. She shuffled, accidentally nudging the door in her not-at-all-rushed movements for the keys. The door slid open, as if it had never been locked in the first place. The room was empty. Bird wasn't there.

Chapter Text

Bird wasn't in his room. Alright. There was a chance that he needed to go to the bathroom to freshen up. Or maybe he was at the sushi bar of Komaba Sushi? No, that wasn't possible. She would have seen him on the way up if that were the case. He probably didn't sneak past her while she wasn't looking, as he most likely would have been too tired from the previous stress. To the bathroom she went. She walked down the hallway, quickly but not too fast. Going too fast would make Ms. Myoden upset, and Bird wasn't going to scurry out and run away if she didn't get there in time.  

She arrived in front of the bathroom door, preparing to knock. If Bird was in there, though, wouldn't the door be locked? And if it wasn't, then she could just open the door and see Bird wasn't inside. Breathing deeply, she grabbed the door and opened it. The door revealed the bathroom, same as it ever was. Most notably, it was vacant. 

This was... not ideal. Multi could do no more than stand in the doorway, taking in the empty room. The others. She had to tell the others. The hallway stretched on, Multi walking through the borderline unbearable, unsung tension. The air was too light. The air was way too light for what was about to feel worse than the initial back-breaking worry they carried for their teammate. The Pendragon battle still loomed in the distance, and Bird's now disappearance was a... nuisance, for lack of a better word. She turned the corner, coming to a halt at the top of the steps. 

Multi had long since outgrown her fear of the dark. There were many scarier things about being an influencer, after all. The stairs were much darker than they should've been, or much darker than they were meant to be. The steps she walked on so many times had grown cold. Fear wouldn't get her anywhere, though. Taking a too-light breath, Multi started to descend the stairs. 

Arriving in the stadium room allowed Multi to see the remnants of a battle, Keel Shark being flung out of the stadium. The clattering of metal against the concrete floor was too loud. Ekusu's gaze snapped up, head tilted toward Multi like he was a confused animal. Mr. Taisho was also there, trying to lighten the mood to no success. Mr. Taisho had grown more strained at Multi's arrival. He could most likely sense the storm Multi brought with her. 

She didn't want to constantly be the bearer of bad news, but the job fell on her time and time again.

"How's Bird?" Ekusu predictably asked first. She had barely a second to steel herself before Ekusu barreled on with his questions.

"If he's better now, then we can battle, right?" His face morphed into an easy grin, turning to face Multi better. He spun, fully straightening up. 

"So, where is he? He's not still hiding, is he?" His grin lessened, but didn't fully slip off his face.

"... he's not there." Multi's whisper was more than enough based on the reactions from the other three people. Ms. Myoden grew significantly more strained, while Ekusu tilted his head and his eyes widened. The smile remained, as though it forgot to leave after receiving bad news. After a sharp glance from Ms. Myoden, Mr. Taisho mumbled a quick excuse about dinner and hurried out of the room, glancing back with a worried expression as he left the room. He normally would have tried to stick around longer, but Ms. Myoden left no room for arguments in the quick look. 

Multi repressed the urge to slip into one of her streamer personas to try to calm the tension. That would only make things worse. Breaking down the problem to solve it always made things easier, so that's what she would do now. She would have to be quick. The tension was her timer. Ms. Myoden was able to fully think things through, so she wasn't the priority here. Ekusu was still staring at her, waiting for the perfect answer that would never come. 

Ekusu was either going to run out of that shop to search for Bird himself or wait until Bird calmed down and came back. Neither of those options sounded right to her, but it would be the best she could work with. 

"Bird isn't here. We should search for him, as it wouldn't be good if he went far." Option one it was. If Ekusu was going to do something impulsive, then it would be best if they had a general idea of what was supposed to happen before. 

Ekusu remained unresponsive, but he did stop staring at her. He turned his head to the stadium, where he allowed his gaze to settle.

"If I may?" Ms. Myoden's voice was calm, eyes flicking between the two other bladers. She continued once she was sure that both of their attention was on her fully. 

"To start, we should check the cameras. It may not end up being very helpful, but it will give us a starting point." Ms. Myoden had regained her posture, not that she ever lost it in the first place. 

"That's... Yeah, that's a good idea." Why hadn't Multi thought of that sooner? She was a streamer and a famous blader; she had to think about every possibility all the time. A mistake could mean dire consequences, and the same applied here.

"Ekusu? Are you coming?" 

"Huh?" Hearing his name seemed to surprise Ekusu a bit, his head turning to where Ms. Myoden now stood beside Multi. The question was fully processed, as he replied a second later.

"...You go on ahead. There's something I want to check first." 

And with that, Ms. Myoden and Multi were off. The access to the cameras was in Multi's

computers, so that was their goal. The walk up the stairs was painfully quiet, charged with questions that Multi didn't have the answers to. The pair walked in silence, right up until they got to Multi's room. The door was opened with haste, Multi hurrying over to her monitors to avoid wasting any time. She logged in quickly, Ms. Myoden taking over to get the camera footage. Komaba Sushi had a few cameras, but they were strategically placed. The first two cameras caught nothing over the last day or two, the duo sorting through footage in the hopes of catching even a glimpse of Bird. 

The third camera proved lucky. Camera three was the one just outside the entrance to Komaba Sushi. Clear footage showed Bird exiting Komaba Sushi with a clear intent to stay quiet. He didn’t seem to have anything with him as he walked to the left, out of the camera's view. He started off going left, which was something. There was no guarantee he would continue going in that direction, which frustrated Multi to no end. 

"If I may?" Ms. Myoden reached out, gesturing to the computer. Wordlessly, Multi stepped aside, Ms. Myoden taking over. 

"If you could write this down somewhere?"

"Oh, yeah." Multi pulled out her phone, swiftly creating a new document for everything about this... predicament. 

Realistically, reporting a missing persons case and withdrawing from the Championship battle was the best option. The battle was in two weeks. There was a chance they wouldn't find Bird before that. Would dropping out now, and admitting Persona couldn't handle big upcoming challenges, be the best option? Dropping out right before the battle was scheduled showed that Persona was prone to rash decisions when career-changing events were about to take place. Both of those options are bad, but what seems worse? Both of them showed that the leader of Persona was prone to giving in to pressure and running away, which made the rest of Persona look worse. The public didn't even know about the Championship battle, though it was largely predicted.  But if they dropped out now, B4 would know. If B4 knows, then Number One would know. Despite being an AI, Number One is hellbent on making as much of a ruckus about Beyblading as possible. 

"Did you get all that?" Ms. Myoden called out, never taking her eyes off the screen. Multi looked up, the back down. Her document was completely blank. For a few of their precious seconds, neither of them said anything. 

Ms. Myoden looked from the screen to Multi, observing Multi's expression for half a second, and how her hands hadn't moved to write anything down. It was predictable. It was sad. Being too predictable can get you crushed in Beyblade, alongside the streaming world. She was supposed to be adapted for both of those, but her reactions now told other stories.  Multi stared down at her phone, hands tight from the death grip. 

The doorknob creaked, drawing the attention of both Multi and Ms. Myoden. Ekusu stood in the doorway, holding the door open, taking in Multi's panicked air and Ms. Myoden's calmer desperation. Ekusu silently took in the scene, a few stressed seconds passing before he held out his hand. 

There was a paper. The paper couldn't have been larger than a sticky note, and it was a toned-down yellow color. 

"He left a note," Ekusu spoke. 

"He.. left a note?" Multi parroted back, eyeing the paper that Ekusu held out for her to see. She grabbed the note from Ekusu's open hand, scanning her eyes over the text. Ms. Myoden read the note over Multi's shoulder, camera footage paused. 

With a sharp inhale, Multi whipped up to Ekusu, her eyes wide as she connected dots. 

"Ekusu?" 

"Hm?" He hummed back, staring directly at her. 

"Where are Bird's beys?" 

"They're not there. I think the rest of his stuff is still there though." 

"Are you absolutely sure?" The emphasis she put on her words made Ms. Myoden aware that Multi had a theory, and it was either very close to correct or very far off. Bird was more predictable than the other members of Persona, so Multi would've been able to come up with some theories, despite the lack of evidence. 

"I'll go check." With a glance between Multi and Ms. Myoden, Ekusu turned and started walking back down the hall. He walked the distance, Multi following on his tail, while Ms. Myoden stayed behind and got the notes from the camera footage. 

The door to Bird and Ekusu's shared room was ajar, just how Ekusu had left it. It was bizarre, as Bird was insistent on having the door closed most of the time. It felt too quiet. Ekusu stepped into the room without a second thought, and Multi hastily followed in after. 

As Ekusu was poking around the drawers, Multi racked her brain for anything that Bird would have said that would indicate where he would go. His beys were very obviously missing, so he had gone somewhere where his bets were needed. That barely narrowed things down. 

"His stuff is still here."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Ekusu straightened up from the drawer he was digging through, shutting it softly. He stretched, arms going up behind his head, and brought them down in front of him. 

That was a hint to where Bird had flown off to. One more number for the equation. That was more than enough to deduce Bird’s location. It was unlikely he was constantly moving, after all, as he had taken nothing with him.

"C'mon, Multi think.." She muttered, starting to pace around in a small circle.

Just think. 

Think. 

...

THINK!

The numbers to the equation were all there, but why couldn't she solve it? She was supposed to be better than this! Multi paced around, fidgeting with her hands. Ekusu watched on, head slightly tilted like an animal that didn't understand what it was seeing. 

"Multi..?"

She didn't acknowledge the inquiry, as she paced around. 

"He would have to go somewhere where he wouldn't need to bring anything, right?" Ekusu plowed on. Multi stopped dead in her tracks, gears finally turning after Ekusu kick-started her thought process. She whipped around to face Ekusu, who was caught off guard by her sudden understanding. 

"I might know where Bird is."