Shu and Lui's relationship is... complicated, to say the least. However, over the years they have come to an understanding.

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The first time Lui met Kurenai Shu, Lui was ten.

He'd been the champion for three years in a row, nobody ever came close to beating him. He was the undisputed champion of Japan, and – as most ten-year-olds thought – he thought he'd never lose. Then, Kurenai Shu arrived.

He was a dark horse that year, rising through the ranks with an ease that made others want to disappear. People praised him as a genius, a master strategist. Lui wasn't impressed. So what if he'd won all the way through his regional tournament? It only meant that the others were all incompetent if they were beaten by a newbie. Lui didn't pay Shu much attention then.

However, Shu continued to be an unexpected unstoppable force. The nationals started, and once more, Shu rose through the ranks. Won battle after battle, match after match. He rarely let anyone get a point off of him, he only started showing some more trouble in the quarterfinals. The semi-finals were also more difficult, but nevertheless, Shu won once more. Making him Lui's opponent in the finals.

Lui started to feel ... threatened by Shu's unexpected appearance. Would someone come and steal his title? No, this was impossible. Right?

(What would happen to Lui if he lost his title, his power? No one ever respected a kid, no one ever listened. Would Lui go back to being invisible?)

Lui decided he couldn't let that happen. Not only was Shu not allowed to win – though he probably wouldn't anyway – but he needed to be taught a lesson. He needed to know that no one, challenged Shirasagijo Lui and won. No one.

He needed to fear Lui. He needed to get down on his knees and given Lui the respect he deserved. That was all that mattered.

(If Shu had no fear, he wouldn't stop coming. He'd take all what Lui had worked for, he'd destroy Lui's life. It was only natural for Lui to fight back.)

Standing in front of Shu in the stadium, Lui for the first time really saw him. He was taller than Lui, but also smaller, he still had a softness in his eyes when Lui's were hard with determination. He would learn that there was no 'friendly' competition as the adults put it. This was only pure merciless battle.

Lui had a plan in mind. A plan that would stop Shu from ever trying again. That would humiliate him, destroy him. That would assure that Lui would forever stay on top of the Blading ladder.

He sent Spriggan flying right into Shu's eye. Shu fell to his knees, bleeding all over the floor. Lui laughed.

Shu stood back up, though, fire in his eyes and in his entire being. His eye was bandaged, and he tried again, but Lui shut that down as well. Burst finish. With a score of 3 to 0, Lui was the winner.

(Lui didn't care for the pain Shu was in. He didn't care that Shu was escorted off the stage, finally letting choked sobs escape him. He didn't care that Shu had to be brought to the hospital. He didn't want to care.

Afterall, Lui was safe. So, it was okay.)

Lui watched as Shu got stronger and stronger. How he wore the scar as a trophy, a reminder. How he flashed it to Lui as a threat.

(Lui had underestimated Shu's tenacity. He knew that now. Sometimes, Lui looked at the scar and wondered if it had been worth it. Shu would carry it for the rest of his life, wouldn't he?)

Shu showed many new strategies through all the matches. His newest was a left-handed launch that was infinitely more stable than his right. At first, anyway. He was getting better with both, after all.

By the semi-finals, Lui had decided that scarring an opponent wasn't worth it.

(And it had nothing to do with the fear he'd heard from Shu – who had always seemed untouchable – when he'd cried out for his best friend to watch out as Lui had tried to put him back in his place like he'd done with Shu.

Those things were completely unrelated.)

Spriggan was destroyed right in front of his eyes. Lui couldn't believe it. He felt a rage he hadn't expected. The battle had been one of the best Lui had had, there had been so much strength and fire. And then, it was over like this?

Shu was devastated, it was plainly to read on his face. Shu screamed, the raw pain in it making Lui understand just how much this had meant to Shu.

Yet, Lui didn't reflect on it much at all. He had a final to win. A final that was just as dissatisfying as the semi-final. Valkyrie burst for nothing. A crack in the stadium. A crack!

This was ridiculous. It was disrespectful, it was an outrage. And they wouldn't get a rematch. Sometimes, Lui wondered who really knew what was going on here. The Bladers knew what they wanted. The adults never listened.

Still, Lui didn't have time to care too much. The international tournament, the World League, was starting soon. So, Lui went to train.

Lui thought everyone must have been blind. Red Eye was obviously Kurenai Shu, how could no one - especially not his best friend - notice?

Lui beat him easily still, a smirk on his face. It was obvious, so why was everyone so scared and sad?

(Lui pointedly ignored that he felt uncomfortable as well. That Shu's scream - bloodcurdling and so, so raw - had let a shudder run down his spine. This wasn't the rival he'd faced before. This was his enemy. Shu was dangerous.)

Shu had a new Bey. One that destroyed Longinus and gave Shu the revenge he'd been wanting for such a long time.

Lui was stunned. Shocked, more likely. Yet, he laughed. Laughed, because laughter was safe. People didn't approach someone who laughed in the face of danger, of despair.

Lui left the stage, not looking back. People wondered how he composed himself so well. A Blader's pride was their Bey. The destruction of a Bey was... Well, it was bad.

(Lui leaned against the wall in the locker room. He didn't cry - he wasn't sure if he was capable of that, honestly – but he did let out a few curses. He did ball his fists. And he understood now.

Shu's pain had been worse, Lui knew. His revenge had been justified, Lui would have done so too.

That didn't mean Lui was fine with it. If he'd ever face Shu again – doubtful, though, after the finals in which Shu was utterly beaten and injured – he wouldn't hold back. He'd go full force and hope to destroy him once more.

This was how revenge worked, right?)

Shu was back. As the leader of the New York Bulls, he came back making everyone turn to look at him. To admire him.

Lui wasn't sure what to think of it yet. He was surprised, but at the same time not. It wasn't the first time Shu had exceeded his expectations.

Lui wasn't participating in the team-battles – he never did – but he did come to watch. Free and Valt were there – they had long since drawn his attention, if for a slightly different reason – and Kurenai Shu would be there too. Lui would admit he was curious.

Before the first match, one that would put BC Sol against some unknown team, Lui went to the bathroom. While in the stall, he heard familiar voices. Someone was throwing up.

It was Shu. And he sounded awful, even after being done. Valt, from the sounds of it, had dragged Shu into a hug.

"Shu..." he said, ringing for words. Lui felt like he was intruding, but leaving was out of the question.

"I'm sorry," Lui heard Shu whisper hoarsely. "It... it just took me by surprise. It shouldn't have..."

"Shu," Valt said, in a tone firmer than Lui had ever heard. "Don't apologize. He scares you, that's okay. You can't be strong all the time."

"But I have to," Shu answered, and he was close to breaking down for sure. "I'm not the only one he has hurt. I have to be strong for them."

"That's just unrealistic," Free chimed in. Lui was surprised. First, he hadn't noticed Free's presence. Second, he hadn't expected Free to say that, but maybe he knew something about fear. Or he was just repeating something his leader had said. She seemed like the type.

"Free's right," Valt said. "Sometimes you have to break down, right? You told me that."

"I guess..."

"Valt, you have to go," Free said, "the match is starting."

"What?!"

There was some movement Lui could hear, a slight bit of panic and a small laugh. Shu.

"You're not going, Free?" Shu asked.

"I'm not interested in the first match," he replied. "They'll manage."

Lui saw Valt leave through a small crack in the stall door. Lui was sure there had been some silent communication. After a little while, Shu and Free came out as well, and Shu stood at the sink, rinsing his mouth and thoroughly washing his hands. Once he was done, he splashed water on his face, also wetting a little part of his hair.

"You're ready?" Free asked. Shu nodded in response.

They left, and Lui was alone again. He mulled over what he'd heard, and was equally shocked and admiring of the friendship between those three. He hadn't thought Free to be friends with those two soft-hearted Bladers.

Later, Lui saw them passing by in the hallway, and there was a man as well. Alexander Gilten, Shu's predecessor with the Bulls. Lui saw Free walking closer to Shu and Shu actually almost hiding behind Free, who was barely taller than him. Lui suddenly made the connection.

So this is the leader of the Snake Pit, huh? Interesting.

Lui admired Shu's strength in facing the man as he started up a conversation with them, and also admired the fire in Shu's eyes which instead of burning everywhere and everyone, was clearly controlled and directed towards the man in front of him.

Maybe Lui didn't need revenge after all. Shu had learned his lesson and was a much more worthy opponent for it.

Shu and Lui stayed in contact over the years, mostly by Valt's insistence. They sometimes greeted each other during interviews, praised each other's skill or debated about their apprentices.

(Lui had been in New York during the Battle-Ship-Cruise. He'd wanted Goshuin to prove himself, as he'd done before against Shu's protégé, but instead he saw an utter humiliation. Oh, well. The kid would get stronger for it.

He'd met Shu by accident during his morning run and had been consequently victim to Shu being silently pleased about the outcome of the match for the rest of the day.)

Lui watched both Free's and Shu's losses against Phi and had been angry to not have been given a turn. While Free then ran around the globe trying to get stronger again, Shu seemed to have another plan.

Shu taught Aiga well, Lui had to admit, and the battle was entertaining. Shu was a teacher at heart, a Blader who was at his best when it was to teach others a lesson. Lui wasn't sure what to make of it, except laugh. It really was funny.

(It suited him so much, it was almost ridiculous. The powerful master of fire, the strategist, the leader, was at his core just a coach. It was a nice change.)

By the time Lean arrived, Shu had been secure in his position as team owner for some time. He didn't make those amateur mistakes anymore; he was always confident and kind. He'd brought Lean to Lui after Free had lost. Lui knew he wasn't Shu's first choice and this was fine.

(They were civil, sure, and they sometimes bantered a little with each other, but they weren't friends. Shu hadn't completely forgiven Lui – not that Lui had expected him to – and they would never be close for that reason. But, not being at each other's throats did help to better appreciate each other's skill. And to ask for help, if they ever needed it.)

Shu wasn't angry when it didn't work out. He was quiet, and gentle. He had a defeated aura around him sometimes, as if he wasn't sure what to do with Lean anymore, but he never acted on those feelings. That's why Shu still had Lui's respect.

Shu's next plan was ... interesting to say the least. It was working, surprisingly, as Lean in each and every battle seemed to trust his teacher a little more. Shu's patience was paying off, and Lui had very quickly realised what exactly he was hoping to accomplish.

(He'd heard what Kiyama Rantaro had told Shu in the hallway. About only wanting power, about being just as bad as Lean.

He wondered how anyone could be so stupid. Especially when Shu flinched, and then coldly responded that he could choose whomever he wanted as a tag-partner. That it was his choice.

Were they all seriously blind?)

Lui was also starting to truly understand the appeal of having someone permanently under his wing. Drum was loud and obnoxious, but he was also strong and funny. He was fun to be around, to train with and to laugh with. Drum reminded Lui of Valt, though Drum was also much less inclined to be polite if he was excited. He also never saw Lui's past, so that was nice. Lui wasn't so proud of the things he'd done before.

(Shu's scar had been a mistake from an overly territorial and arrogant kid. A stupid decision from someone who couldn't see the long-term consequences. Lui couldn't change it, but he could never do it again.

Even without saying sorry, he knew that Shu had understood, when he smiled at Lui for the first time, without malice or challenge behind it. Just a kind, greeting smile. It was nice.)

Lui watched from the side-lines as Shu managed to get through to Lean and the kid finally gained control of his Flare. Lui watched as Kiyama apologized to Shu for ever doubting him. He watched as Shu was properly greeted and teased by his friends.

Lui approached him in the evening, after the impromptu party the others had thrown was fully started and Shu went out for air. They stood silently next to each other in the spring night for some time, until Shu spoke.

"Thank you," he said so quietly Lui almost missed it.

"What for?"

Shu shrugged. "For helping, for understanding. Generally for not getting in my way, I guess."

"Why would I?"

"I don't know," Shu admitted, "but I felt like I needed to say it."

Lui was silent for a moment.

"Why should I stop you when I know you're making the right choice?"

"Because everyone else, at some point, thought me crazy. Crazy that I would go out of my way to try and save a lost cause. I guess it was nice to know that someone didn't care if it was a lost cause or not."

"It wasn't," Lui said, "the kid wasn't a lost cause; he was just difficult to reach. And honestly, an impossible task is just what you're good at, Kurenai."

Shu smiled, the moonlight making his crimson eyes look dangerous. Lui knew his own were almost glowing like that, too.

"I want a rematch, by the way," Lui said. "You haven't properly faced me in years."

"Oh?" Shu chuckled, then turned to Lui with a challenging smile on his lips. "I guess that can be arranged. If you're prepared to lose, that is."

"You're on, Kurenai," Lui said, then laughed loudly into the night.

Lui had felt threatened by Kurenai Shu once. Now, Kurenai Shu was his rival, a challenge and someone Lui trusted.

Now, thanks to Kurenai Shu, Lui had learned what it meant to hurt and what it meant to move on. How some people struggled, and still fought. For that alone, Shu had Lui's respect.

Even if, right now, the only thing that mattered was who would get in the lead of their battle score.

Lui was looking forward to that match.