Chapter 1: Tournaments

My Beyblading adventures throughout three years of my life are documented here, as this story. It wasn't done alone however, and had much support from my friends who added in their point of view from time to time. But this is mainly seen through my, Yuffie's, eyes as I travelled with the Bladebreakers. In our world where Beyblading was everything, this, is our story.

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"

The shout ran clearly throughout the city streets that I was in, and I literally fell to the floor as the sound of my own voice hit my ears, painstakingly angry at the news I was just given. My grandmother however, just sighed at my oh-so-predictable reaction. My surroundings were decidedly more peaceful.

The setting sun had made the clouds become thin and wispy in the Japanese city of Kyoto, and had let the sky become the definitive of a warm summer evening. As old and as dusty as the day, the streets let the wind whistle through them until my grandmother started tapping against the stone floor impatiently, sending the vibrations echoing throughout me. But I didn't remove my eyes from the cold, hard pavement as my mother's mother began to already lose her patience.

"Look Yuffie, you have to! You have the skill!"

"But I don't want to go to that Beyblading tournament," I mumbled softly. "I will just lose, and let you down." My gran simply remained annoyed and impatient, tapping her foot harder against the stone. Letting out a sigh with a beautiful mix of depression and dread with a 3:1 ratio, I simply thought: I don't want to do this.

But it was then that I noticed my Beyblade casually spinning towards me, the ice blue colour with a few shades of mauve and periwinkle against the glowing sunset in the background sparking a funny contrast. I smiled as it span towards me, almost hesitantly, like a puppy wanting to sniff me. With a slight chink it spun into my hands and with that I pushed myself off the ground as if it took effort.

So the weight is already upon me... My melancholy thoughts multiplied further as I gazed upon my blade, something which I knew would be just as involved as me in carrying out this task.

That's right. Task. This wasn't given to me by my grandmother just so I could have more of a social standing in life or that crap. The reason? Ah, top secret that is! Sorry friend, I won't babble about my family secrets just like that! Oh, well alright, I'll just get on with it...

"So will you do it?" asked my Gran, poking me on the forehead to get my attention. I looked up, up to that energetic old woman with her grey hair in that bun I loved, and that dojo outfit that had been worn a hundred times over, and just smiled. I didn't mind going to tournaments and getting experience at the very least. Shame my family played such a large part in it...I mean, just me by myself was nothing at all. I was just in a bright sunset orange and ice blue winter outfit, with orange bangs and the rest of my blue hair wrapped in a bun. Stand out much? (But hey, I like hair dye).

All comedy aside, I simply looked down onto my Beyblade, as icy coloured as my eyes. It seemed to glisten coldly under the sun's last rays, but I gazed on it with the warmth the sun couldn't give, on my one true friend...

Returning to my gran, I looked back up.

"I-"

"So have you decided on what you're going to do, Yuffie-chan?" intruded a new, cheery old voice onto the scene. With mild surprise I saw it to be Mr. Dickinson, standing there with his cane, hat, small round glasses and usual formal attire, smiling his usual smile.

Yes, it is true. Mr Dickinson is... (Drum roll please)...NOT my grandfather! Did you think he was? Hah! Well, he's NOT! (Although he is my great uncle but what the hell).

However, judging from my uncle's smile and my knowledge on his character, I could guess he was anticipating a positive response with his question. Great. So with a fake smile on my unconvinced face, I just tried to stay cheerful.

"O-Oh, good evening Uncle..." I muttered. Yeah, that was a good start.

"So are you going to enter it? The regional qualifying tournament?" my uncle then asked optimistically, with that tone of voice that said he really expected me to do it whether or not I said no. Sighing, I momentarily wondered why my family always expected so much of me. I was only twelve after all and twelve year olds shouldn't have as much responsibility as I did in their lives. Right then, I wanted more than anything to get that across.

"Well you see-"

"Oh, that's too bad! Registration closed yesterday and I can't squeeze in another like Ray-kun..." Mr. Dickinson muttered with a hint of disappointment as he looked over to his bottom left in afterthought. My determination turned into a sweat drop as I realized how even if I did say yes, my uncle would still push me into going. I didn't understand anything anymore.

"Actually I was-"

"It starts tomorrow at 9am sharp, but you better be there as my grand niece even if you're not entering. That way maybe we can fit in an observational match as well, with you against Kai-kun!"

The sweat drop grew larger and I might well boost ratings, the grand niece of the host against the champ, but... I then raised a hand to massage my forehead as I felt the exasperation sweep through me. No, I didn't really like Kai. According to my uncle though it seemed that Ray would be there, that weird Chinese guy who travels a lot...

Hmm? Oh, so you're wondering on my history with them now? Aren't you curious today? Well, let's just say I've met them and I know them. I didn't know Ray as well as Kai but this 'observational match' would be the first public match against the latter if Uncle was serious about it...

But I didn't want to do it. My reasons? Well for one, Kai and Ray are both boys. And boys were usually jerks. Period.

Seeing my thoughts as well as a bat could see the sun under a boulder, my uncle smiled.

"See you tomorrow then, Yuffie-chan!"

I snapped to reality. "Uncle wait-!" Gone. He was already walking away from me, far away from me.

Two seconds of strained silence later though, I could hear a small fit of giggling from behind me which evidently wasn't doing a good job in hiding them. Knowing the source without hint or question, my head pulsed slightly.

"If you giggle for a second more, I'll kill you before your age has a chance," I muttered, low and menacing. Gigglebox paid no attention and the giggling was turning into cackled laughter. My anger elevated.

As fast as I could, I winded my launcher, snapped my Beyblade onto it, and spun round as I let it rip.

"Don't laugh at me!"

Already raring to go though, my grandmother let rip her Beyblade in unison with me. Blocking my attack with ease in mid-air, she and I pushed against each other. Grinding and sawing all the way down to the ground, I had to retreat momentarily to let Drachia catch his breath. Or more specifically mine. With some taunts from my gran to fire me up, I gathered my thoughts and feelings and went on the attack.

"Drachia, take to the skies!"

Slowly yet majestically, my cobalt and sapphire coloured Bit-Beast emerged from his blade, spreading his arctic wings. Flapping them and instantly forming snow around the blade, it did a short run up before spinning through the air, Drachia's wings keeping the Beyblade aloft. The old bat was fast though, calling out her own Bit-Beast as well and sending her emerald hawk into the sky. The air battle commenced.

"Rachia, Arctic Axe!" my gran cried.

"Drachia, use Iced Talon Strike!'' I yelled.

Both blades did similar yet different manoeuvres. Rachia encased itself in thick ice, ready to drop like a frozen boulder. Drachia did too, but with sharper, thinner ice especially around the point, ensuring that it would bore a hole straight through her blade. As if an airborne jousting contest, they made towards each other like missiles with their unique trademark colours of green and blue. But then Drachia got caught under Rachia's point and ice block, causing them to crash down to earth together. The dust cleared.

Rachia was triumphantly spinning in small circles like a kid at a candy store, while Drachia remained motionless, surrounded by a perfect circle of ice.

"You BRAT!"

The moment the results were shown, those words were shrieked into my ear with a matching whack to my head. Water in my eyes, I looked up to my gran as I feverishly rubbed my injury. Precede lecture.

"Concentrate dammit! Your hot head is swelling up your brain so fast I'm not sure even your Bit-Beast can cool you off now! You do the same mistakes again and again, won't you ever learn?" she bawled as if the world championships were tomorrow instead of the regionals, spraying me slightly with spit and breath that smelt of year-old chocolate. Ewwww...gross. Truly nauseating...

As the lecture progressed though, I just continued rubbing the swelling bruise on my head and thought.

Tomorrow is going to be a looooong day.