“Tyson?” Kenny let himself into the dojo and peered around the door into Tyson’s room. “You in here?”

Tyson, it seemed, had given up all pretence at being all right and had his head resting on his knees. He looked pale and tired. “I thought it would be easier to stand up to them.”

Kenny sat down beside him, balancing Dizzy on his lap. “I wish you didn’t have to.”

“I know,” Tyson said, laughing a little. “I wish that too. But they-“

“You don’t have to tell me what they did, Tyson.” Kenny stared at the wall. “I was there with you, remember?”

Tyson just nodded against his knees and they fell into silence. Kenny wondered what it was like to harbour this much resentment and be so afraid to lose his friends. He’d never worried that he wouldn’t like them, or they wouldn’t like him. They always just had. But Tyson – Tyson had almost lost Kai in Russia and Kenny could still remember the look on his face when they’d been standing apart on the ice. This, though. This was different and Kenny didn’t know what to say to fix this. He wondered if Ray, Max and Kai knew what they’d just lost.

Because they had, of that Kenny was certain.

“You know what?” He stood, wrapping Dizzy close to his chest. “You’ll beat them, Tyson, and you’ll show them why you’re the champion.”

Tyson finally raised his head and Kenny was startled to see him look sceptical. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because Dizzy and I won’t let you down, Tyson. We won’t let you lose, either.”

Regaining some of his old enthusiasm, Tyson grinned. “Well then, Chief. Bring it on!”

--

Tyson watched Dragoon circle the cans, distracted. He sighed and held out his hands, fingers shaking as Dragoon flew up and into them. So much for Kenny’s pep talk and help. “I know you’re there.”

“I never meant to hurt you.” Kai wasn’t even fully in view before he spoke.

Snorting, Tyson turned to face him. “You never do,” he sighed. He turned his gaze back down to Dragoon. He owed everything he and Dragoon had been through, and achieved, to the Blade Breakers. Did everything they’d done mean so little to the others?

Kai seemed to know what he was thinking. “We all needed to do this. I did.”

“To prove that you’re better than me?”

Kai frowned and Tyson could see the anger flare. Good. Maybe Kai would know what it felt like, this betrayal. “No. To prove that I can. I’ve spent my whole life wondering if someone – anyone – could beat me. In you, in the others, I see it as maybe, yeah, someone can.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Tyson sneered. He tried not to show how much of an impact Kai’s words had had on him. “You’re willing to throw our friendship away on a maybe.”

“That wasn’t my intention,” Kai snapped.

Tyson shrugged and kicked at a can, having nowhere else to direct his anger. Even now he wouldn’t hurt Kai with words. He’d hurt him where it would matter the most. In the Bey Stadium. “Intention or no, that’s what’s happening.”

“Have you had this conversation with Max and Ray, too?” Kai’s words were almost mocking and Tyson bristled.

“Does it matter? This is about you, Kai. Fight me or fight for me. You can’t have both.”

Kai was silent for a moment and Tyson just looked at him. “If I choose not to fight for you?”

Shaking his head, Tyson’s heart seemed to snap in two. This was Kai saying this. They weren’t ever supposed to end. “Then I guess nothing’s changed, has it?”

“I’d say everything has.” Kai met his eyes and Tyson hurt to see Kai’s hurt.

“You’ve never-,” he started. What? You’ve never cared enough? You’ve never been this sentimental? “Where does that leave us, then?”

Kai didn’t say anything. He couldn’t.

“I think,” Tyson said, slowly. “That you should go. We’ll battle soon enough, I guess.”

“Tyson-”

Tyson’s head snapped up. “Go, Kai, please.”

Kai was gone before Tyson could even turn back around.

Standing in the middle of the garden, Tyson slumped momentarily. Then he straightened, his head held high. Everything about him, from his posture to his tight fingers, spelled defiance.

But his mind screamed nothing but failure.