Encounter on Imperial island

Arthur carefully watched the silhouetted figures on the beach from between the foliage he hid in. He had spent weeks carefully observing, following and tracking Team X members all over X-zone… and they had finally led him here: right to the shores of the continent beyond which lay Imperial Island.

He had gathered enough intel to understand that their base of operations was on Imperial Island, concealed to the eyes of other people. He had never come this close to their home base before… and he was closer to finding the leader responsible for all of this chaos than he ever had been before.

He listened to what he could of their conversation between the crashing waves and whistling wind.

“What should we do, Master?” one of members of team X on the beach asked.

Arthur tensed and held his breath. Master? He had heard captain before… but was their main leader actually here? He couldn’t believe his luck.

He strained his gaze on the figure who was being addressed. Unfortunately, he wore a long black cloak that shrouded his whole body in shadow which dashed any hopes Arthur had of identifying him from his vantage point. However, he could see that his build was slight and smaller than others around him… it couldn’t be… was he a child?

But there was no time to contemplate such affairs as the young man soon spoke.

“Keep patrolling the area. We know the direction they are coming from, so send out more men to battle them. We MUST have the platinum emblem.”

“Yes, sir!” They cried in unison.

Arthur was now certain of the man’s identity as their leader. What he wasn’t sure of, was why his voice sounded so familiar to him.

The question echoed at back of his mind as he watched the rest of the men scatter to their respective assigned areas, leaving behind only their leader. He must be quite confident in his skills, to send away all his men like that.

Once they had been dismissed the leader of Team X brought out Imperial Tiger from where it had been hidden behind a sand dune, ready to depart to his stronghold in Imperial Island once more.

Only this time, Arthur was going to follow him. And hopefully try challenge him to a race, that would change everything.

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Arthur had followed him all the way to Imperial Island from across the ocean by bunny hopping over the rocks that formed a pathway between them.

So far, the leader of Team X hadn’t seemed to notice Arthur. He planned to keep following carefully at a distance, until the conditions were favourable for him to confront him with an advantage.

The plan was in place… but the boy’s voice kept haunting him. Why did it sound so familiar to him?

Was he someone from the knights of the X City? Which would clearly explain why he felt familiar. No, his frame and size were too small for that… they had requirements they needed to meet to be admitted as such.

Then, was he one of the apprentice knights? No, Arthur wasn’t close enough with any of them to feel such an uncanny familiarity with them.

But who else was there for him to feel like he was near an old comrade? He did not know. He wished he did, so he could be prepared for whoever it was that he was about to face and race.

Arthur had carefully maintained the same distance with the mysterious figure as he rode across the moonlit hills towards the old castle at the centre of the island, but now his target’s riding was beginning to falter.

Arthur initially thought he’d simply stumbled and would soon recover. But contrary to expectation, he seemed to wobble and half-dismount half-fall from his bike entirely. Imperial Tiger dismounted and discarded, he crouched on the ground clutching his head while heaving deeply.

Arthur hadn’t the slightest idea what had overcome the young man, but he wasn’t about to let it go to waste. They were right on the hill of a slope with uphill right ahead of them… his specialty. It was like the universe had aligned to give him the chance he needed to take down the leader of Team X.

While the black-clad figure was still slouched over on the grass clutching himself, Arthur dismounted Hammer Head and strode over while announcing, “I am Arthur, captain of the X zone knights! And I am here to challenge you to an Idaten-”

The figure turned around revealing his visage to full view under the moonlight, causing Arthur to stop dead in his tracks like he turned to stone.

“Kyoichi?!” Arthur cried in shock, forgetting his original objective in the moment.

Just as Arthur’s recognition of who was facing him was followed by mortification, Kyoichi's was followed by juxtaposing relaxation.

“Arthur!" Kyoichi breathed in relief, a faint smile overtaking his otherwise ghostly pale and sweat covered face.

“Kyoichi… you… the leader of Team X was you all along?!” Arthur demanded in disbelief.

Then immediately regretted it, as he watched Kyoichi's face contort with remorse. However, that did not affect his usual sound mind or level voice when he spoke.

“Yes… I was challenged by someone far more skilled than I was, and fell under the control of the dark emblem when I lost,” Kyoichi explained through ragged breathing, his face now firm and unchanging. “Now I find myself the leader of Team X, current ruler of X zone.”

Arthur realised something odd about the whole situation, the reason he hadn’t instinctively attacked or retreated by now. “You… don’t appear like you’re under the control of the dark emblem right now?”

“I’m not,” Kyoichi grunted in acknowledgement, getting up onto one knee with some difficulty. “I am only able to regain control of myself for limited periods of time… which are increasingly waning. Which is why-” he leaned forward and grabbed Arthur’s white shirt while gazing up at his face imploringly. “I need you to take care of me now- while you still can!”

The amount of desperation from the normally stoic boy caught Arthur off guard. Despite a knight who was trained to be ready for many things… he was not prepared for this. He had no idea what he should do. Certainly, Yuki had told him to “do something” about their leader if he managed to find him… but what was he to do?

“What do you mean ‘take care of’ you?” Arthur whispered, the tremble in his lips felt only by him. But having the occupation he did… he already knew the answer.

“You’re a knight, right? You must have weapons.”

“Yes, but-”

“Then use it!” Kyoichi hissed. “Use them and end me while you still can! You know as well I that there is little chance of you being able to beat me in a race, so you might as well finish me outside of it!”

Arthur clenched his mouth tight. His logic made sense… but as a knight, he was trained to protect the vulnerable and young, not kill them.

“Do it,” Kyoichi urged firmly, like he just asked him to throw garbage into a bin.

“There has to be another way…” Arthur objected hesitantly.

“There isn’t! I’m too skilled for you to defeat!”

But he was too young for him to kill.

“I can’t…”

“You have to!”

“Why do you want to die so much?” Arthur finally gasped, feeling horrified by the dark decision by someone so young.

Hearing the question verbalised made Kyoichi feel like he had been struck by lightning. A hundred thoughts and emotions flashed through his memories momentarily paralysing his mind.

Overhearing relatives say “he shouldn’t have been born… he’s a mistake” as a child and being the focus of attention on their family after his parents controversial union.

Doing everything he did in life to show their words were wrong… showing them that he was worthwhile in everything he did, from academics to athletics.

Trying to achieve perfection in everything in life, so no one would think such things about him, or say anything about his family.

Always staying at the top of everything, to prove his value to world… and to himself.

Only to start loosing his grip and starting to fail everything one by one, like dominoes toppling… his grades, his races, his family, his life.

When he had come to the X-zone he had hoped that he could do better…

Like he had been given another chance to prove himself.

But he had failed that too.

Instead of protecting the world like he was supposed to, he had only brought it destruction.

Instead of protecting the people he was supposed to, he was seeing himself trying to harm them.

He was truly a disaster that could not succeed in any world, bringing ruin to everyone around. The longer he remained, the worse things became for everyone.

Why should he die?

To him, the answer was quite clear. Because he didn’t deserve to live. If he couldn’t succeed… then he was a failure, unworthy of life. Such was he, in every world he lived in.

Arthur watched the light leave Kyoichi's eyes as he asked the question, like a spark going out in the darkness of night.

Then moonlight gleamed across the darkness of his eyes in resolve, but still devoid of life like a void inhabited by a haunted ghost.

“You have to!” Kyoichi commanded again, this time his tone indicating he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

But that only made a stubborn man like Arthur dig his heels into his position even more with a frown.

“I said, no!” Arthur shouted, his decision final. He took Kyoichi by the shoulders, shaking him. “Look, you’re able to regain control of yourself at times… we might be able to do something with this! You could sabotage your own plans or help us from the inside!”

“You think I haven’t been trying?!” Kyoichi cried in anguish. “My time of regaining control over myself keeps getting shorter… soon I’ll be possessed entirely! Please… I don’t want to be the reason that everyone around me suffers… I don’t want to be the reason the whole world gets destroyed.”

This reasoning shook Arthur with its reality. He let his arms drop to his sides, his hands curling into fists. Hadn’t he felt similarly when he hadn’t been able to protect X-City from Gabu's hands? Had he room to talk sense into someone who had caused worse chaos to befall the world? While one might say it wasn’t their fault directly… reality was that the weight of the consequences were crushing to live by. And in his case he had simply failed to stop the villain… how much worse would it be if he had instead wrought the destruction by his own hands?

“Please, Arthur…” Kyoichi pleaded, gripping his shirt tighter than ever. “Before it’s too late…”

Arthur did not know what the best cause of action would be anymore. Indeed, it was his duty to protect the people of X-zone. But…. could he kill a child to do it? Kyoichi was too skilled to be defeated by anyone he currently knew of in an Idaten Battle… and so long as he remained controlled by the Dark Emblem, even more would fall under its control. But if he ended Kyoichi's life, could he bear the weight of the decision? Would he be able to look his little sister in the eye after he killing her brother?

“Hurry! There’s no time left!” Kyoichi cried.

“I…” Arthur faltered.

“Do it before-” Suddenly Kyoichi released his pulled grip on Arthur, causing him to stumble away as Kyoichi fell to the ground groaning while clutching his head.

Confused, Arthur reflexively went into defensive mode and looked to the direction of his bike. In doing so, his vision caught on Imperial Tiger… whose Dark Emblem was glowing with a golden aura. His eyes widened with realisation as he watched the aura transform into a dark purple. Turning back to where Kyoichi was on the ground on all fours, he saw the struggling cease.

While Arthur stood unsure of what to do for a moment- Kyoichi raised his head up revealing dark midnight green shadows under his eyes and burgundy colour tainting his front hair, under which a menacing grin and cruel eyes empty of emotion. Gone was the lost desperate child that Arthur wanted to protect- leaving in his wake a demon who desired to kill rather than be killed.

Arthur immediately turned to rush towards Hammer Head- cursing his own foolishness and hesitation that may have cost him not just his life but also the whole of X-zone.

He could only hope to get a head start and outride the leader of Team X.

But as he managed to reach and mount his bike- he looked downhill to see his escape route off the island cut off by a line of half a dozen Team X members, silent silhouettes against the moonlight sky. So they have patrols here too…!

Just as he grit his teeth and wondered if he might be able to run deeper into the island before circling back- he turned around to find the Leader of Team X behind him his dark robe swaying in the wind, like a ghastly spectre manifest of the Dark Emblem itself.

If Arthur tried to challenge them to an Idaten Battle- there was a good chance their leader himself would answer the challenge and he doubted his skills could beat Kyoichi Shido, just as he had said himself.

Before he could make a move, the riders sped forward like a wave, and had them both surrounded under the moonlit hills.

Even so, Arthur was no weak rider to go down easily- both as a knight and as the owner of an Idaten Bike. He decided to try and ride his way out of them- if he could ride his way through solid rock he should be able to ride through people without a problem.

So he rode straight ahead- up the hill in front of him, speeding past the dark cloaked figure whose robe flapped in the wake of his speedy riding.

“Get him!” Kyoichi's shout rang out behind him, still clearly audible above the rush of wind.

There was nothing to hesitate over anymore- he had to escape and give this information back to the princess. They now knew the identity of Team X’s leader… and now knew what they were up against.

Two Team X members caught up with his riding and flanked his sides, ready to knock him off his bike while another blocked his path ahead- this did not cause any reduction in speed in response and Arthur rode straight into him like a knight charging into battle with a sword, sending the man flying ahead.

As the man fell off his bike and his helmet was knocked away, Arthur gasped as he recognised one of the knight from his own division. Ever one to feel a strong bond of camaraderie for his teammates Arthur wondered if he had gotten hurt- but that moment’s distraction was all that was needed for the riders flanking him to attack his bike, shaking his stability

Before Arthur could regain his speed and balance properly to maintain his lead, two others bunny hopped in front of him and blocked his path lances they crossed, obstructing his way ahead. Undaunted, he was confident he could jump over them and plough away anything that still hit him- only to be knocked down by the remaining one jumping right onto his head from behind with his bike. Blind sided, he fell along with Hammer Head, and the Team X members swarmed him, beating him with their lances until he ceased to move.

Two of the Team X riders picked up Arthur’s unconscious body by the arms.

“What should we do with him?” One asked.

“Shall we throw him in the dungeons?” The other suggested.

“No,” came Kyoichi's firm reply. “He’s not enough of a threat- or that insignificant of a pawn. Throw him out onto the opposite shore. He will be useful for leading Sho Yamato to us. And when they arrive… we will be waiting.”

The worst part of being controlled by the Dark Emblem wasn’t having no control over your own body… but being aware of everything it did the whole time. Kyoichi wasn’t sure if it was the case for everyone who fell under its control- or if it was just unique to him, like his moments of clarity. But he felt like screaming and choking himself as he watched them take Arthur away. Because if there was anyone who deserved to be dragged across the ground and thrown away like trash, it was himself.

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EXCERPT END

There we go guys... my attempt at Kyoichi angst, with some bonus serving of Arthur content! 😆

It's been a good decade since I last watched the show so idk how consistent I got things with canon... but those familiar might see what this references: There is an episode that opens up with Sho and co finding an unconscious Arthur at the beach whom they rescue, and he reveals this was done to him by Team X. Furthermore, we see that he's aware of Kyoichi being leader of Team X, as well as his fellow knights being of its members under control of the dark emblem. It made me curious about how he came to know all this, as well as how he ended up in that terrible state. I wanted to see an Arthur focused episode that went into it or even just a flashback about it so bad but we never did, so this was my attempt at making one.