... long time, no see, Beyblade fandom? Yeah... Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry about that. I kinda got sidetracked with deviant art plus my anxiety and stress has really hit me hard recently... I kinda needed a break. *smiles* But hey! Your friendly neighborhood ice princess is back with a new story! I hope ya'll will like it, because I'm excited for it!
Read on my beautiful readers!
"No! Absolutely not!"
"Kuro Maria Blackheart-"
"Don't use my full name, Bao Bastille Blackheart-"
"Ahem,"
"Aguma, I hear you, don't you dare-!"
Da Xiang sighed as who he previously thought to be the more dignified member of the "Treacherous Trio" (Chao Xin's nickname, certainly not Da Xiang's) erupted into loud, rumbling laughter.
"I'm sorry, but those are your middle names?" Aguma chuckled, leaning against the wall, "Sounds like something you would hear from Italy or even Brazil."
"Considering our mother was from South America," Kuro Blackheart crossed her arms. "You're not far off. Our dad got to pick our first names so long as our mom got the middle names."
Aguma blinked, "Wait, seriously?"
"You've known me for how long, Aguma?" Bao sighed, exasperatedly. "Since we could walk, and this surprises you? Honestly-"
"Excuse me," Da Xiang interrupted. "Sorry to intefere, but if we could get back to the reason I called you three here in the first place?"
"Yeah, and my answer is still no. I'm not going to compete in the World Championships," Kuro yawned. She twirled a black and silver lock of hair around her finger.
"Oh, come on, Kuro! All you have to do is compete in the qualifiying rounds!" Bao exclaimed, "You only get the team spot if you make it to the final four!"
"Three," Da Xiang coughed, and all eyes turned to him.
"Come again?" The former members of Beylin Fist chorused. Kuro just raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, Aguma has already been guaranteed a spot on the team, considering his status as a Legendary Blader," Da Xiang looked down at the papers in his hands. "And yes, I tried to convice them to just let you compete in the qualifiying rounds, but they said, and I quote 'What's the point?'."
Aguma's sigh was long suffering, even as Bao said, "Well... they have a point."
Kuro rolled her eyes, "I'll think about it," she turned and made her way for the door. She stopped when Da Xiang spoke again.
"If it's of any way to convince you... I think having you as a team member will be more than enough to show the students here that you can be taken seriously."
Kuro walked out.
"Nile! Dinner's ready!"
Nile Storm startled, barely managing to keep his grip on his phone, "Hey, I'll call you back later. Dinner's ready and if I don't get out there soon my sister will kill me."
Nile heard a snort on the other end of the line, and Kyoya Tategami's voice carried down the line, "Yeah, you might want to do that. I remember her temper from the last time I met her." His voice became muffled and Nile heard a yawn, "Besides. I was supposed to be asleep hours ago."
Nile glanced at his clock, cursing, "Damn it Kyoya! It's after two thirty in the morning in Japan!"
Kyoya laughed, "Yeah, so?"
"I can tell Nefertiti you're sleeping habits and she will get on the next flight and drag you to Egypt just so she can make sure you're on a healthy regimen,"
"You do that and I will never talk to you again,"
"Nile!"
Nile rolled his eyes and shouted back, "I'm coming!" Into his phone he said, "Talk to you later Kyoya. Get some sleep you crazy feline."
Nile hung up and walked out of his room, inhaling deeply as the smell of koshari, his favorite dish, hit his nose. He walked towards the kitchen, sitting down at the island right as his sister slid a plate of the food to him.
"Eat up," Nefertiti Storm said. Her brown and white hair was pulled up into a messy bun, several strands framing her face. She looked tired, even as she put on a smile, "Tell me about your day."
Nile picked up a fork, "Well... I stuck around the house today. Did a few chores around here."
"I noticed the laundry was done," Nefertiti commented, as she fixed herself a plate. "And the dishes. Good for you."
Nile rolled his eyes, "Watched a little television." He grinned, "Guess what?"
Nefertiti sat down across from her brother, raising an eyebrow, "You know I don't like guessing games, Nile."
The Horuseous Blader rolled his eyes, "Live a little, sis. No, the WBBA officials for Africa came on the news today- there's going to be a new World Championships?"
Nefertiti raised an eyebrow, green eyes sparkling, "Really? So soon after Nemesis?"
"They said it's to help raise funds for the recovery of Nemesis, as well to get people back into Beyblade again. But... there's a catch," Nile said.
"There always is," Nefertiti agreed.
"People who previously competed in the last World Championships can't compete in this one," Nile sighed, falling silent.
"Ah," Nefertiti murmured.
For a few moments, the siblings ate in silence. As Nefertiti finished her food, she looked up, and froze when she saw Nile staring at her.
"But you can," Nile whispered, realization dawning in his eyes.
"What?" Nefertiti narrowed her eyes.
"You can compete in the World Championships!" Nile exclaimed, smiling brightly.
"No," Nefertiti shook her head, standing up. She picked her plate up, and headed for the sink, "Nile, there's no way I could. I have work and classes to attend. I'm the only reason we have a roof over our heads!"
"Your classes are all online, plus you have over seven months' worth of vacation time saved up! The World Championships are at least three!" Nile stood up and followed his sister. He set his empty plate on the counter next to the sink.
"I haven't competed in a contest in years!" Nefertiti exclaimed.
"You help me train for every tournament I'm in and you beat me half the time!"
"I'm twenty three! I'm too old!"
"The age limit is thirty-five,"
"I- I can't leave you alone!" Nefertiti said, desperately.
"Oh, now you're grabbing at straws. I'm nineteen, I can handle myself!" Nile crossed his arms, "Please Neffy...?"
Nefertiti grimaced, "Don't call me that."
"Just... just think about it? Please?" Nile pleaded, "I know how much you used to love Beybattling and I know how much you still do... To see you in the World Championships, even if you don't win, would be awesome!"
Nefertiti sighed as she began to wash the dishes, "... fine. I'll think about it. I make no promises though."
Nefertiti startled as Nile beamed and hugged her, "That's all I ask sis." He looked up at her, "Do you mind if I head out for a while?"
"Be home before midnight," Nefertiti sighed, watching as Nile saluted and ran out. She heard the apartment door slam shut, and sighed again. A thoughtful look appeared on her face, as her mind drifted down the hallway and to the items in her bedside nightstand. Silver edges and a purple energy ring appeared in her mind's eye, with the symbol of a winged snake.
"Me, in the World Championships?" She murmured, "Ha- what a thought! It would never happen!"
"Joint Special Move - Fire and Ice Devestation!"
An explosion rocketed the practice stadium, and four Beys went flying out of the dish.
"Hah! Boom baby, we won by a landslide! Up high!"
A ginger haired teen with icy eyes sighed in exasperation, and relucantly reached his hand up to slap against his companion's, "It's not that big of a deal, Nero."
Nero Konzern gasped dramatically, "Not that big of a deal?! We just beat everyone on Team Excalibur!"
Lucas 'Luke' McKandless pinched the bridge of his nose, "Yes. The very people we train with on a day to day basis. It's nothing special. If you wanted it to be special, it should be a team we've never met!"
"Luke, buddy, calm down," Wales McKandless walked up to his younger brother.
"I am calm!" Lucas exclaimed.
"Lucas," Wales said, warningly.
"It's not my fault Konzern drives me nuts!"
"It's not my fault that you have anger management issues, and yet here we are," Nero crossed his arms.
"I'm sorry, who's the Italian here who will rant every other minute?"
"Oh, I was under the impression that you Irish redheads were the worst when it came to tempers!"
Lucas and Nero growled, getting into each other's faces. Wales pinched the bridge of his nose and looked over at Julian, Sophie, and Klaus with a pleading expression.
Julian took pity on his companion, and stepped up, "Nero, back off. If you two are going to fight, save it for a tournament."
"Like there's any big ones coming up any time soon," Nero sighed, running a hand through his messy blonde hair.
"Actually, there is," Sophie smiled, catching both boy's attention. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled a flyer out. She unrolled it, and held it out for both teenagers to see.
"'The Second World Championships'?" Lucas asked, and looked up at Wales, "For real?"
"It says they're wanting to raise more funds for the recovery of Nemesis... all ticket sales and entry fees will go towards that, plus any donations," Nero's blue eyes scanned over the page. He looked up at Julian, "You... want us? To compete in the World Championships? Shouldn't you guys, as the original Excalibur?"
"That's the catch," Klaus spoke up. "They don't want any existing teams to enter, because they're wanting to show the world, that even after Nemesis, there are still plenty of new Bladers that haven't been scarred by the destruction caused by a Bey."
Lucas and Nero looked at each other, then back at Exaclibur.
"We'll have to do qualifying rounds, won't we?" Nero asked.
"They begin next week," Julian nodded.
"We'll have to prove ourselves as team members," Luke mused.
"Even we did," Wales said.
"Will the limit be four members?"
"Three actually," Sophie rolled the flyer back up. "Every team can have up to four members, plus a tech analyst- slash- Bey mechanic. However, because he's originally from Europe, and is a Legendary Blader, King already has a place solidified on the team."
Nero and Luke looked at each other again, a silent conversation flying between them. Then, in sync, they shrugged.
"Alright," they chorused. "We're in."
"I'm sorry- You want me on the American team? When there's already going to be two Legendary Bladers? Isn't that... putting me in the shadows?"
"Well it's not like you're used to it!" King chirped, and yelped as Chris whacked him upside the head with a glare.
"King is actually going to Europe, to be on their team," Chris Cadelle, Legendary Blader of Winter, stated. "I've already been asked to compete for the American team, and so has Tithi. They're joining Canada, North America, and Mexico for this World Championships."
"And it really sucks I can't compete in this one!" Masamune Kadoya groaned. He was ignored.
Christina Cadelle, Chris' younger sister, frowned, "Just because King isn't on the team doesn't mean that I'm not going to be overshadowed... Tithi is a Legendary Blader too."
"And to his advantage, he lives in Egypt, with Dynamis, where not many reporters can get to him," Chris pointed out. "People don't know him, and he's changed in the year since Nemesis. The kid has gotten taller, according to the letters we get from Dynamis. Also, he never competed in any tournaments before Nemesis, so there are no records for him. Our opponents won't know he's a Legendary Blader."
Christina sighed, "I suppose ya'll have a point." She shifted on her feet, "Will Coach Steel let me go- I mean... I kinda work here."
"If ya don't go, I'll fire ya!" From his office, the manager of the gym's voice could be heard.
"I think you have the answer to your question," Chris said, dryly.
"... When do the qualifying rounds start?"
"So your brother is going to compete in the World Championships, Yo-Yo?"
"Quit calling me that! ... Yes, Kakeru has been training to win the qualifying rounds," Kyoka Tategami sighed at the energetic blond's question.
"Are you sad you can't compete?" Yuu asked, innocently.
"Not really," Kyoya shrugged. "I can get a battle from Gingka anytime I want."
"Gingky's sad he can't be in the competition. All of the other Legendary Bladers have got themselves places on their home teams, except you, Gingky, and Kenta. Even Madoka, but she's the mechanic," Yuu said.
Kyoya's lips quirked into a smirk, "Gingka will cheer up with Beybattle, just watch. I have heard rumors about Hikaru entering the qualifying rounds though."
Yuu's eyes lit up, "Really? Hikaru is gonna enter? That's so awesome! She's become such an awesome Blader since Nemesis was defeated! She's so good, and her Blading means I've had another person to battle with..."
Kyoya tuned out the blond's inconsistent rambling, something he was used to. His eyes were drawn to the flatscreen tv hanging on the WBBA lounge room walls, where a timer was ticking down until the qualifying rounds of the next Beyblade World Championships.
Only two more hours to go, and Kyoya really hoped his brother got a spot on the team.
Hope you will be kind enough to leave a review, and not just be a ghost reader!
This fanfic will update at random, as I'm currently in college, so please bear with me on updates!
Review?