Ask Madoka

Metal City Times
Issue 4 of Ask Madoka
By Madoka Amano

Hey guys! Welcome to issue four of my advice column. It was nice to hear back from some of those I'd helped and to receive new questions. I enjoy helping each and everyone of you and I wish you all luck in implementing my advice (if you wish to) into your days.

Dear Madoka

I'm in high school right now but I seem to be having problems making friends. Whenever I do something everyone just stares at me. I sometimes think that they think that I am weird. Sometimes when i make a new friend they just end up saying bad things at me or backstabbing me. I think I'm destined to always be alone.

What do you think?

Sincerely,

Alone with Destiny

Dear Alone with Destiny,

High school is a tough time for everyone. I used to have this exact same problem until I decided to stop caring. And once I began to accept that there were a lot of people who couldn't or wouldn't accept me for who I truly was, I began to see all those people who had the exact same problem as I did. I'm not sure who all you've tried becoming friends with, but some of my best friends- outside of my beyblade friends- are my fellow outcasts. And there's always the fact that high school is only four years of our lives. Eventually, we'll move on to bigger and better things and all those people who were popular or couldn't accept you will be long gone. Life has a way of doling out karma to people like that. My main advice to you is to keep an open mind to everyone, seeing all people- even the seriously strange ones- as potential friends. Also, keep your chin up and know that it'll get better in the future. People come and go in our lives, the new replaces the old.

So, Alone with Destiny, I hope you realize that you may not be as alone as you think.

Very sincerely,

Madoka Amano

dear madoka,

i battle tsubasa and almost won! and yuu saw the WHOLE battle. he said that was awsome, so awsome he challenged me! i'm sure i can win. ( maybe ) i think we're becomeing friends. i kind of like it. anyhow how was it to see the world madoka? could you tell us the experience?

by,
fan person

Dear fan person,

You must be a truly formidable blader indeed, to have come so close to victory against Tsubasa! He's very talented and since you did so well against him, I'm sure you'll do fantastic against Yuu. I wish you the best of luck, in both your battle and blossoming friendship.

To address your other question, traveling the world was fantastic. Seeing all the different cities and landscapes; it was all truly stunning. My favorite part was seeing all the different cultures and meeting so many different people. Like the Russian team or going to Brazil. It was all so fascinating and I learned so much along the way. I highly suggest travel, for anyone you is interested in it.

Thanks for the intriguing question!

Sincerely,

Madoka Amano

Dear Madoka,

Are you positive about that? Really, I only actually see him when I go to church on Sundays, so our friendship really isn't that strong in the first place. That's why it's so extremely awkward between us, or at least in my opinion. In that case, what should I do then?

Sincerely,

Unsure

Dear Unsure,

I wish I could help you more with this problem. It really all depends on how much you value his friendship and how much you really like him. If it's just a minor crush and nothing big, it might be best to just let it pass and allow things to settle back to normal. Just don't act different around him. Play it cool and act like you would normally. If it's something bigger, stronger feelings perhaps, then maybe it would benefit you to talk with him and see how he feels about the situation. In all honesty, a lot of this is up to you now. Trust your instincts and go with what you feel is right.

I hope this somehow managed to help. I truly wish I could do more.

Sincerely,

Madoka Amano

Dear Madoka

I have heard you like Gingka ,but I have also heard that you like Kyouya. I'm lost so please tell me.

Dragon's rider

Dear Dragon's rider,

Well then! You sure don't beat around the bush! I'll be honest with you. Gingka and I once had a discussion about this very topic. He had feelings for me that weren't reciprocated. We're still the best of friends. And while I believe Kyouya to be..ahem...quite attractive, I just don't see him falling in love with a girl like me. But a girl can dream, can't she? I hope this helps sort out any confusion, for anyone out there reading this.

Sincerely,

Madoka Amano

Dear Madoka:

There's someone I really, really like, but I don't think he likes me back. Well, sometimes he /acts/ like he does, but other times it's like I don't even exist. What do I do?

Thanks a bunch,

Kyouya Fangurl

Dear Kyouya Fangurl,

My advice for you? Decide whether he's worth the risk. If you think he is, ask him out. If not, then it would be a good deal to try and move on. My guess is as good as your as to his attitude. He's either playing the 'hard to get' game or he's a flirt or he's interested but doesn't know how to show it. Is he the shy sort that may be sort of awkward around people he likes because of lack of experience? Or is he the popular guy who's been around the block a few times? Look at his personality and try to decide why he might be taking this 'hot and cold' approach. Then decide whether he's worth it or not.

Wishing you luck,

Madoka Amano

Dear Madoka

The Random Number Genarator (RNG) is being anonying... Is there a way to predict it's out come if it comes only to 100? And I lost my brothers special disc which he used to play Tales of the abyss when I sorted out my room... Is there a way to get out of troble safely? As my brother will be not very happy with me and would never forgive me...Thanks

From One worried for her safety

Manakete-girl

Dear Manakete-girl,

Hmm...as far as I know, there's no way to guess the outcome of a Random Number Generator. Although, there are some fascinating theories that say it can be influenced by human thought. It sounds crazy but they've done some legit studies on it. If you're interested, you might wanna look it up. As for the disk...well, I'd be honest with him. Taking responsibility for one's actions is an important part of growing up, even though it sucks sometimes. And boy do I know it. I would also continue to look for it and if it's replaceable, purchase him a new one.

Sincerely,

Madoka Amano

Dear Madoka,

I've been feeling really depressed lately because one of my loved ones disappeared from the face of the earth and I haven't heard from him since. I never feel like talking, and my temper is out of control lately, and my behavior's freaking out my family. How could I calm myself down and go back to being myself?

Sincerely,

Miss Depressed

Dear Miss Depressed,

One of my closest non-beyblade friends suffers from chronic depression. She often finds herself in situations like the one you yourself are in right now. I don't know if you've talked with your family about how you've been feeling, but it might be a good idea. Together, you can decide if you want to look for professional help but I'm not going to tell you to do that because it's a personal decision that involves you and your closest family. In the meantime, to cope with the loss of your loved one, perhaps you could write a journal recording all the good times you had with him. I find, when my mother died, it helped to remember all the good times we'd had and to think about how she would want me to be living my life. She wouldn't want me to be depressed and not live to my full potential. As for your temper, well, I don't know what to tell you. I can have an explosive temper myself and I find that conjugating verbs in Spanish helps me calm down. But it's different for everyone. I encourage you to find something that helps you to cope. But in the meantime, I strongly advise you to talk with your family about how you've been feeling if you haven't already.

Wishing you the best,

Madoka Amano

Dear Madoka,

Yet another question: Among any male Blader you've ever known, who do you think is the most immature, obnoxious, and annoying?

Also, thanks for letting me know how you felt about Rago hurting you.

Sincerely,

AlxkendBlader

Dear AlxkendBlader,

Hmm...I'm not sure. I sometimes have a hard time dealing with Masamune, although I love him like a little brother. I don't really find anyone particularly obnoxious- except for maybe Chao Xin (what with all his fangirl indulging)- but the most annoying blader I know is probably Benkei. Too much obsession over Kyouya. As for immature, I find that Yuu will occasionally not take things as seriously as I believe a situation calls for. But unless you ask me who the most evil blader I've met is, I've tended to like most of the bladers I've met.

Interesting question.

Sincerely,

Madoka Amano

Thank you to all who shared with me! It really lifts my confidence to see you all trust me to give you helpful advice. I hope I haven't failed you or let you down. Feedback is always appreciated.

Anyone else out there who feels like they need some good, old fashioned advice should feel free to send their thoughts to the newspaper. I won't hesitate to answer honestly, I promise.

Thanks one and all, once again!

Madoka Amano

A/N: And Madoka, the advice fiend, strikes again! I have to say, some of the things y'all trust her with are really touching. Others are pretty fascinating. And still others made Madoka spit food all over her computer screen. She will now be covering it with clear plastic when reading new questions.

Now don't hesitate to send in your issues. Madoka will help you. Besides, Metal City Times just formed a new, easier way to send in your thoughts. There's a nifty blurb at the bottom saying Review this Chapter with a speech bubble next to it. It, in all actuality, sends the newspaper your problem for Madoka to read and respond to!

So yeah! Have no fear, Madoka is here!

With all love,

Chaos