DISCLAIMER:

I DO NOT OWN METAL FIGHT BEYBLADE OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.


8-year-old Hikaru immediately grabbed 9-year-old Ryuga's hand and started tugging him towards the ice-cream vendor, seeming not to care that her best friend's hand was filthy with sawdust and grass stains.

"Hey, Hikaru!" the vendor - Joules - greeted her. He raised an eyebrow at Ryuga. "Is this your little cousin?"

Ryuga pouted and muttered something inaudible under his breath.

"No!" Hikaru giggled. "He's my best friend! Ryuga, this is the nice man I told you about! His name is Joules!" She bounced up and down enthusiastically. "Joules, this is my best friend, Ryuga!"

"And I'm older than her!" Ryuga informed Joules. "By one month!"

"That's nice," Joules said, handing Hikaru two vanilla ice-cream cones wrapped in napkins. Hikaru set the money on the counter, beaming as she handed Ryuga his treat. Joules continued. "It's just that..." He awkwardly stared at the pair. "You're pretty short."

Ryuga crushed the ice-cream cone in his fist. It was true, though. He was shorter than his female friend, and that made things awkward.


Flashback:

"Ryuga!" Hikaru squealed. "Last night, I watched this really good cartoon and the guy carried the girl! Can you do that, please?" She turned her sparkling purple puppy-dog eyes towards him. He raised an eyebrow and used his hand to measure the height difference.

"I'm a midget," he grumbled to himself.

"Carry me, carry me!" Hikaru held out her arms.

Ryuga awkwardly put his hands underneath her knees and back, then...

"Ouch!" Hikaru yelped. "Ryuga! Ryuga?" She looked around. "Are you okay?"

"Could you please get off me?"

"Sorry!"


"Oi! Kid!" Joules exclaimed. "You just... your ice-cream..."


A few years later (at one of the tournaments auditioning for Battle Bladers)...

Ryuga approached the female blader, who eyed him suspiciously. "What do you want?" she growled. Ryuga said nothing. And just like he did several years ago, he used to hand to measure their height difference. He was a good five or six inches taller than her.

"Yes!"

Hikaru stared at him quizzically.