This story is for Swift's contest. The challenge was to create a ZeroG romance story with the ZeroG characters, not just set in the epicness that is the fourth season, but involving the characters. So, here is my entry, and I hope you all enjoy!
Zero: But first, Galaxy would like to direct your attention to an authoress known to all of us as mysterygirl2.0. Her stories are awesome, but they lack only one thing: readers. So, let's get her some! Once you are done here, if you could go look up mystery's stories, that would be great!
Ren: Galaxy does not own Metal Fight Beyblade, or sharpies. Why she put that on my cue card, I have no clue, but enjoy!
He's amazing. I mean, seriously, what other blader was given a bey by a legend and then told by that same legend to surpass him? And what other blader has such gorgeous blue eyes? Whoops, focus, you're battling him and can't let him beat you that easily. Arghh, great! Where did he go?
"Ifraid!"
Oh, there he is. Dang it! I'm losing again! Dodge it, Phoenic!
"Aww, come on!"
Phew! I may not be able to focus that well anymore when I'm around you Zero, but that doesn't mean you are going to beat me so easily. Now, here I come!
"Ifraid, Burning Upper!"
Oh dear, I'm doomed…
"Yeah! I won again! Who's next?"
-Sigh- He never notices me, except when we're battling each other. Then, he only pays attention to my bey… If only he would even just look at me, for once.
Ren sighed and walked out of Bey Park, stopping for a moment to look back at Zero, who was already deep into another battle. The blonde turned, a slight flush across her cheeks, and exited the building. She wandered around Metal Bey City for a while, not really sure where she was going or where she even wanted to go, but somehow found herself at the B-Pit. She gazed up at the shop for a few moments before entering.
Madoka looked up. "Hey Ren! What's up?"
"Nothing." Ren sighed.
"You caught me right at closing time, need anything?" Madoka asked, setting down the bey she was holding and looking directly at the young girl who was standing in the middle of the shop uncertainly.
"N-no… I'm not really sure why I came, I was just wandering around and ended up here I guess." Ren replied.
Madoka's turquoise eyes instantly perceived that something was wrong.
"Are you alright, Ren? Something seems to be bothering you."
"I'm fine." Ren lied.
"Come on, I'll close up a few minutes early and we can talk about it over some tea or something, girl to girl." Madoka said, waving the blonde downstairs and walking to the front to lock the doors and lower the metal barricade, indicating that she was closing up shop for the day.
Ren wandered into the downstairs workshop rather absentmindedly, but was instantly fascinated by all the tools lying neatly in their places. She wandered over to the couch and sat down as Madoka came downstairs, turning on a small coffeepot and filling it with water before joining her on the couch.
"So, what's up?" Madoka asked.
Ren shrugged, avoiding the turquoise-eyed gaze of the older woman. A slight flush crept across her cheeks as she thought about Zero again.
"Is it about someone you like? A crush?"
Ren's brown eyes snapped up to meet Madoka's turquoise ones, in shock at how easily the brunette had guessed. The blonde flushed even redder.
"It's okay Ren, who is it?" Madoka asked, getting up as her coffeepot indicated that the water was hot.
"Z-Zero." Ren replied nervously.
"Zero? He is cute." Madoka agreed. "I can see why you might like him, but what's bothering you about that?"
"He never notices me, apart from when we're battling." Ren sighed as Madoka handed her a cup of tea.
"I know how you feel." Madoka said, looking down at the cup of tea clasped in her hands.
"Huh?" Ren looked up at the brunette in surprise.
"I used to always be in the same boat, following a strong, cute guy around, but never actually telling him that I loved him. Looking around, it seems like every strong guy has that one girl who is watching from the sides, wishing that he would notice her. Sure, she may be bold with others, even when he's around, but she's too afraid to speak to him about her feelings."
"How... How did you know all of that? You just explained something that I wasn't sure how to!"
Madoka smiled. "I used to follow Gingka himself around all the time, playing the faithful mechanic to keep the hero up and running. But, I always wanted to be something more. I always wished I could just tell him how I felt, and now I don't know where he is, and I haven't seen him for the last five years."
"Oh..." Ren said. "So, what do I do then?"
"The best thing you really could do would be to just go tell him." Madoka replied. "Like, right now, if you can. Gingka left suddenly, one morning, without saying anything about it. The only indication I had that he wasn't kidnapped or something was a note he left on the kitchen counter, saying that he had gone to train around the world and didn't know when he would be back. I've regretted not telling him that I loved him ever since."
Ren was suddenly filled with fear that Zero might be leaving right now. After all, he was the Neo Battle Bladers champion, recently crowned, and had been talking more and more lately about wanting to go travel the world to find and challenge all of the bladers that had ever fought Gingka, hoping to even challenge the Legend himself.
"I-I have to go find him!" the blonde whispered.
Madoka smiled. "Then go, and good luck." she said, watching as the young girl ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time in her rush.
I have to find him, I just have to! What if he's already left... No, he couldn't have, it's only been an hour since I last saw him!
Ren skidded to a halt suddenly as her path was blocked by Iwayama and Genjuro.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Genjuro asked.
"None of your business, now outta my way!" Ren replied, stepping to the side to try getting around the two DNA bladers. However, Iwayama stepped in front of her, blocking her path.
Ren paused, surprised, then turned to walk the other way, only to find herself surrounded by DNA bladers, who all raised their launchers.
Ren growled under her breath as she reached for her own launcher.
"Phoenic!" the silver and golden bey flew from its launcher, knocking several DNA beys away before coming in contact with Genjuro's Genbull.
"Kyahh!" people walking a few blocks away heard the cry as Ren put all of her power into a desperate attack, trying to escape. However, her efforts were quickly defeated by the combined efforts of the DNA bladers who were her opponents.
"Nice try, but your battle ends here." Genjuro smirked as the blonde hit the ground.
"After all, we do need new recruits." Iwayama said.
Ren paled, grabbing her defeated bey and again trying to run.
Iwayama started to go after the brunette, but leapt back out of the way as a silver and red bey flew at him.
"Hey, leave her alone!" Zero shouted, stepping between the blonde and the DNA forces.
Iwayama smirked. "Make us." he challenged. "Goreim!"
"Ifraid!" Zero's bey charged.
"Zero..." Ren blushed, watching the black-haired blader as he fought the DNA bladers.
A few minutes later, the DNA bladers fled, shouting threats over their shoulders as they ran off.
"Are you okay, Ren?" Zero asked, turning to the blonde, his blue eyes full of concern as he held out a hand to help her up.
Ren nodded and took his hand, her heartbeat increasing as she felt his strong arm pulling her to her feet.
"Thank you..." she muttered as the contact was broken, keeping her brown eyes on the ground.
"Are you sure? You don't seem that good, are you sick or something?" Zero asked.
"N-no, I'm fine." Ren said, glancing up to meet his eyes, then back down to the ground.
"Then lets get out of here before those DNA forces come back." Zero suggested, turning to lead the way.
"Z-Zero..." Ren stammered, determined to tell him.
"Yeah?" the teen turned to look at her.
"I-I..." Ren found it harder than she had thought it would be to just say those three little words. They stuck in her throat, nearly choking her. Zero stood patiently, one eyebrow raised in surprise at her sudden shyness, but he said nothing.
A clap of thunder attracted their attention suddenly, and the two teens looked up as the sky started pouring rain on them.
"Come on, whatever you were going to tell me, you can do once we get inside." Zero said, grabbing Ren's hand and starting to pull her through the rainy streets, towards Bull Burger, which was the closest of their usual hangouts. they arrived soaking wet, only to find that only Benkei was there, as it was nearly closing time.
"Hey guys! Let me get you some towels, you look cold." Benkei greeted, looking up and spotting the two shivering teens as they entered the door.
"T-thanks Manager." Zero shivered, wrapping his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm.
Ren jumped and bit back a scream as a loud clap of thunder filled the air, and the lights in Bull Burger turned off.
"Looks like we've got quite a storm." Benkei's voice came out of the dark, and Ren felt the purple-haired blader carefully place a towel around her shoulders.
"I'm going to go see if i can get the electricity back on, you guys can just have a seat in one of the booths or something." Benkei said, turning towards the back of the building as another flash of lightning lit up the sky.
Ren stood there shivering, scared. The memory of her earlier experience with the DNA bladers wasn't helping much, either. Suddenly, the blonde tensed, then relaxed as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind.
"Hey, are you sure you're okay? And what is it you wanted to tell me?" Zero's voice asked, right next to her ear.
"I-I'm fine. Zero, I- I love you." Ren blurted out.
Zero released his hold on the blonde, who turned to face him. The Ifraid blader's face was a mixture of emotions, mostly surprise, but also happiness and a slight trace of the concern he had shown earlier.
"You.. What?"
Ren sighed. "I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but-" Zero placed a finger over her lips, cutting her off.
"No, I caught what you said, it just took a moment for my brain to figure out what it meant. I-I love you too, Ren." he said, enveloping the blonde in a hug.
A few hours later, the lights in Bull Burger turned on, accompanied by a triumphant "Yeah! Bu-bu-bu-bull!" from Benkei in the back room. The Manager returned to the front to find Zero and Ren slumped against the wall, fast asleep, with Ren's head on Zero's shoulder and his arms around her shoulders.
"On second thought, I'll leave the lights off. Sweet dreams, you two." Benkei chuckled, flipping the switch at the front of the shop and heading back into the back room to go to bed.
Outside, the lightning flashed, and thunder roared, but the two teens sleeping inside took no notice, sleeping the night away.
Me: This needs a sequel!
Zero: A… what?
Me: A sequel! I have to have Gingka come back and do a GinMado!
Gingka:-sarcastically- Oh yay, I'm so doomed…
Me: ^_^ Oh Gingka, you're always so pessimistic lately when I'm around…
Gingka: And I have good reason to be.
Zero: Umm… Anyway, see you guys next time!