Title: My Friend, My Enemy
Pairings: OMC/Ozuma (unrequited), Kai/Ozuma, Max/Mariam, implications of Takao/Hiromi and mentions of Rei/Mao
Warnings: Major Sap, Heavy Angst (namely Ozuma) and Shounen-ai

Summary

Ozuma's childhood friend leaves the village to find him.
But he's changed. Once caring, bright and full of fun and energy, now all he wants is to track Ozuma down and claim Flash Leopard for himself. He doesn't give a damn about their friendship anymore.
Why the huge change?

Disclaimer: Seriously, do you think that I, an overly-imaginative girl who spends all her money on Nobuo Uematsu CDs and games, can ever own an anime, especially something big like Bakuten Shoot BeyBlade? You must be crazy if you thought that!

Chapter 1
So Glad to See Him, So Painful to See Him...

It was pouring, but he didn't care.
There were bright flashes of lightning, immediately followed by loud rumbles of thunder, but he didn't care.
The wind was blowing so hard, even the strongest of trees looked like they were about to be pulled out of their roots easily, but he couldn't care less.
Only one thing was on his mind, one thing only gave the figure all the strength he needed to keep moving through the storm.
One thing only.
"Flash Leopard," he growled.
The mysterious, hooded man kept walking, without showing any signs of fatigue.

-----

"Go Shoot!!"
That was his battle-cry. The battle-cry of the young, strong captain of the Saint Shields.
Yes, it was raining hard, and yes, the wind was very strong, but he was stronger. He had to be if he were to fulfill his mission of sealing THEM forever.
If he couldn't withstand training in any condition, no matter what, then he wasn't even fit to be called a Saint Shield.
He sighed. Sometimes, being captain was almost painful, emotionally speaking.

Suddenly, he felt like he was being watched, by very familiar eyes.
Quickly dismissing his Bit-Beast, and catching his blade in his hand, he yelled, "Come out! I know you're here!"
The rain water was beginning to seep into his eyes. He ignored it.

"I see you still have those sharp instincts," the stranger said.
The smaller boy's emerald green eyes widened. He knew that voice, but could it be possible, after all those years?

Clearing his throat, he hesitantly asked, "Do I know you?"
The hooded figure's hidden eyes narrowed into slits.
He forgot him?! He actually dared to forget him?! He'll make him pay dearly for that.
"I'm disappointed to see that you've forgotten me, dear Ozuma," was the gruff whisper.

The figure lowered his brown hood from his face, revealing a boy who couldn't have been that much older than 16.
He had long, jet black hair, so long, it nearly touched the ground; he wore it loose. His eyes were rather large and were garnet red in color. They were filled with nothing but pure rage.

"Mist?!" Ozuma shouted in surprise. It really was him, his dear childhood friend. His best friend that he loved like a brother.
But what was he doing here?

The strange boy, Mist, snickered at his reaction.
"So you do remember?"
"Of course I remember! How could I forget my childhood friend?!"
Mist ignored him, and simply said, "It's been exactly five years, eight months and three days."

Ozuma's eyes widened even further. His friend had actually counted all the days since they'd been separated? He had no idea of what to say.
Mist laughed again, "You're really beautiful when you're confused like that."
The younger boy could feel his face tinge with red at that comment, but he said nothing.
He wanted to run to his friend and embrace him, tell him just how much he missed him, but for some reason, he held back. Something wasn't right.

"Mist, why are you here? Why did you leave the village?" he asked in such a soft voice, it was nearly carried away by the wind, which seemed to be getting even stronger.
Mist's eyes narrowed in anger, his face scrunched in such pure fury, that suddenly, Ozuma was beginning to feel very worried, even scared.
"He was mine, damn it! I was more worthy!"
"What are you talking about?"
Mist growled, and moved towards his former friend, all the while his prey backed away from him, until the black-haired one had the other backed against a tree.
He raised his left hand towards Ozuma's face, and for a second, the young Saint Shield was expecting to be struck. He didn't realize he had closed his eyes, until he felt that same hand caress his cheek, almost gently. He opened them.

"You will give me Flash Leopard, or I'll take him away, by force if I have to," Mist growled down at the smaller boy.
Ozuma gasped at those words. He gasped even louder when he felt Mist's other hand grip his wrist in a fierce hold. What had happened to his Mist? Why was he acting like this? Almost crazed.

He tried to escape the other boy's grip, but he failed miserably. Mist was far stronger than he first appeared to be.
"You really don't have an option, kid. You'll either give him to me, right now, or we can do this the hard way."
The grip on his wrist tightened, it hurt.
But, there was no way he'd ever give up his Bit-Beast, no matter what.
"Never!" he cried out. "You can forget it right now, Mist!"

Mist smiled an almost sadistic smile.
"I knew you'd never give in easily. We'll fight for him, then. Winner takes all."
"Mist, what's wrong with you?"

The boy in question lowered his hand from Ozuma's face and used it to snatch his other wrist.
"Like I said, Flash Leopard is mine. I've come here to take what rightfully belongs to me," he said in a dangerous whisper.
Ozuma looked away. He couldn't bare to look at his friend this way. It hurt more than he could ever imagine.
"Flash Leopard was never yours," he said in a soft voice.
"Care to prove that?" Mist asked.
Ozuma said nothing, his eyes closed again.
The black-haired boy nodded at the reaction, this was what he was hoping for. He released the smaller boy's wrists.

"Okay then, let's go!" he yelled.
"What?" Ozuma said dumbly, his eyes wide open now.
"You won't give him to me willingly, then I'll take him from you by force. Draw your blade, right now!"

"No! I refuse to fight you!"
"Stop being such a weakling and fight!"

Mist had already attached his white blade to his launcher. He was dead serious.
Ozuma realized this. He bowed his head, he really had no choice. He had to fight.
He had to battle his dearest friend, and he had to win, or he'd lose Flash Leopard forever.

-----

Both boys looked at each other.
They stood in their fighting stances, the rain and wind starting to let up.

"Are you ready, kid?" asked Mist mockingly.
"Don't call me that! Not ever again!" Ozuma screamed in a voice that nearly sounded heartbroken.
Mist rolled his eyes. "You're so weak!" he spat.
With that, he launched his blade with no warning whatsoever.
Ozuma had no time to think, and shot his blade as well.

"Let's make this quick! Quezacotl!" the tall one shouted out.
The white blade began to glow. Mere seconds later, the beast appeared, a strange, bird-like creature surrounded by lightning, flapping its wings furiously.

"Okay, Quezacotl! You know what to do! Show no mercy!"
Mist's blade was relentless. It was on the black blade in two seconds flat, and it was practically crushing it with its brute strength!
Ozuma screamed in pain. He fell on one knee, feeling his strength ebbing away.
"What? Don't tell me that that's all you've got to dish out! After all those years of training, this is the best you can do?" Mist continued mocking.
"S-Shut up! Flash Leopard!"

The black blade managed to throw off Quezacotl for long enough for Flash Leopard to emerge.
Mist's eyes narrowed with want. He simply had to have that Bit-Beast for himself! He had to possess that brilliant creature.

"Quezacotl! Judgement Bolt, now! Give it all your strength!"
The white blade seemed to surround itself with little but powerful sparks of lightning energy.
Without even giving a chance for Ozuma to retaliate, the blade was coming straight towards him! It was going to hit HIM!

"Mist, don't!"
Then suddenly, without warning, Flash Leopard was standing before him.
Stood there, ready to protect his young master from any harm.
Both boys' eyes widened in surprise.

Quezacotl's powerful bolts hit Flash Leopard head on, emitting a loud growl of pain.

"Flash Leopard, no!" Ozuma screamed out, his eyes painfully wide, brimming with tears.
"Fool!" Mist yelled.
They heard a loud crack, and realized that the emerald orb on Flash Leopard's forehead had shattered into pieces.
Mist quickly recovered from his shock.
"Keep attacking! Don't let up! Knock his blade out! NOW!"

Quezacotl did so easily.
The black blade fell on the wet, damp grass, Flash Leopard missing from the bit chip.

"Mist... don't..." came the pained whisper.
Ozuma was on both knees now, his hair wet on his shoulders, his clothes a disheveled mess, his body covered in scratches and other small wounds.
He looked up, Flash Leopard stood there still, looking down on him protectively, daring anyone to try and raise their hand on his master.

"Run!" he tried to shout, but nothing came out. His throat suddenly felt painfully dry.
Mist looked at him cruelly. "You're so weak! Look at yourself! I've never seen a more pathetic sight!"
Ozuma didn't respond, he kept on staring at his Bit-Beast. He had saved him from Quezacotl's powerful attack. All this time, Ozuma had regarded Flash Leopard as nothing more than a tool, but now, after what he'd done for him...
"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Mist growled.
"Enough! You're mine now, Flash Leopard!"

The white blade was still spinning in rapid succession. Quezacotl used its powerful, mighty wings to latch on the weakened beast.
Then in a flash, they were both gone.
Gone in Mist's BeyBlade.
That same blade flew into Mist's awaiting hands, which gripped it tightly in their grasp.

The black-haired boy could feel a new warmth coming from his blade.
Finally, he finally had Flash Leopard, weakened from losing the emerald, but now, it was his!
He couldn't stop the laughter that was rippling through his chest.

Ozuma looked up sharply, at this boy who once was his best friend.
"Why? Why are you doing this?"
"Because I'm stronger. As the strongest member of our tribe, I deserved Flash Leopard more than anyone."
"You're not the strongest," was the whispered reply.
Mist rushed to him, gripping his face and forcing the younger boy to look at him.
"And you are, maybe? You! A pathetic little whelp! Ha! Don't fool yourself!"

He said no more. He had what he came for. He had no reason to stay.
Releasing Ozuma's face roughly, he turned back, put his hood back on and started walking, his blade held tightly in his right hand.

Ozuma was still on his knees, soaking the grass with hot, fat tears. He'd lost Mist, but he'd also lost Flash Leopard. He'd lost him for good.
Raising his head to the clouds above, he let out a pained scream, "FLASH LEOPARD!"
And just like that, the rain stopped, and the wind died.

TBC

Okay, how was it?
This is my very first BeyBlade V-Force story, but actually I've had this idea for months!
So, was it good?
Yeah, I love Ozuma angst! I feed of it!
But, yeah, I hope it wasn't too crappy, it being my first BB fic and all.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to comfort moi poor Ozzie!

Oh yeah, oh yeah, Quezacotl isn't mine! If you're reading this, and you're familiar with Final Fantasy VIII, you'd know that he's that awesome Guardian Force, and one of my fave summons. (He can beat Ixion any day!)

So, with all disclaimer issues aside, I hope you enjoyed and kindly review, but please don't flame! If you must criticize, then do it maturely, and don't flame.
Thank you!

I hope to have the next chapter posted ASAP!