DISCLAIMER:

Me: I don't know who owns Beyblade: Metal Fight specifically, but I know it's not me!

Ryuga: You got that right.

Me: Don't you dare hurt my feelings again!

Ryuga: Why shouldn't I?

Me: (lifts up a frying pan) You know very well which part I'll hit.

Ryuga: You wouldn't!

Me: You won't be able to use the bathroom for days.

Ryuga: ...

Me: Mm-hm! That's right! I'll do it if I have to, Ryuga-sama!

Ryuga: ...

Me: Hello? (waves hand in front of Ryuga's face) Ryuga? Ryuga-sama? You there? (looks at frying pan) Oh well...

Ryuga: Uh-uh! (runs away)

Chapter 12: Redemption

"That was so awesome!" I heard someone call out. Now that I wasn't concentrating on battling, I could see that there were a lot of people sitting in the audience. One of them was that little kid... Yu, who used to be part of the Dark Nebula. He was the one who commented on the battle. Beside him was a fellow Legend Blader: Titi, the short, pink-haired blader who owned Death Quetzalcoatl.

Yu's emerald eyes met mine and he fell silent, studying me as if to see if I was gonna blow my top.

This didn't go by unnoticed by Kyoya and Miyako. God, do they see everything?

I awkwardly turned away.

By the time the sun finished setting, everyone had had their full share of battles, including Yu. Now, he was excitedly jumping up and down in front of Miyako, his mouth going a million miles per hour.

I walked back to the B-Pit, a little bit behind Gingka. Miyako and Kyoya were more at the back, seeming to enjoy the other's silent company. Benkei was having an animated conversation with Kenta.

The problem was that Yu and Titi were on Kenta's other side. Every now and then, I would notice Yu sending me an uncomfortable glance.

I rubbed the rough, now-fading scab that had formed over the gash on my left arm and took comfort in the fact that Doji was behind bars.

Maybe temporarily, but still in jail.

I caught Miyako gazing at the stars and smiling. Maybe it was because she seemed more at home in the darkness. Maybe it was because of Kyoya. He seemed to be the only person around here whose personality matched Miyako's, besides mine.

When we got to the B-Pit, the first thing we saw before we opened the glass door was my mother and Ryo. My mom was perched comfortably on the counter, almost leaning against Gingka's dad, who was standing beside her.

They seemed like they've known each other for years... like best friends.

It probably had something to do with the fact that they were still talking like they had a billion more things to say.

Ryo was showing Mom his Bey, Burn Fireblaze, and she was showing him hers: Nightmare Rex.

Then they finished one topic and moved on to another one.

Those two are crazy.

I just hoped they wouldn't fall in love with each other. There was no way I wanted another sibling (coughGingkacough).

Gingka pushed the door open and we filed into the room.

They were still talking. I leaned on the wall next to the door.

"Hello?" Madoka piped up.

The two adults turned to her. "You're back," Ryo said. "Oh, hi!" my mother exclaimed. "How did the battles go?"

Yu stared at her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Hana Matsubara, Ryuga and Miyako's mother." She shook his hand, then Titi's.

"Ryuga and Miyako's... mother?" Yu's gaze flickered to me for a second.

"Yes. What are your names?" Mom smiled in a friendly manner.

"I'm Yu," he said, sounding a little nervous.

"I'm Titi!" the shorter one chirped.

"I've heard a lot about you two," my mother said.

Yeah, I thought. From Ryo.

What? It's probably true!

"Especially about what my son did at Battle Bladers." Mom's head snapped up and she gave me a cold, hard stare. Everyone went quiet.

"Apologize to Yu right now."

I glared at Ryo, who smiled sheepishly.

"In front of everybody?" I whined. There was no way I was going to apologize to a little kid.

"Yes."

"Now?" I was trying to stall for time to make up an excuse.

"Yes."

"Here?" I picked at the scab, trying to get it to bleed so I can go upstairs and get the bandages.

"Yes."

"How do I apologize?" I was now frantically scratching my arm.

"Ryuga!" Ooh... she was serious. She never called me by my real name unless she was serious. Miyako's eyebrows shot up until I thought they would vanish into the jungle she called her hair (does she have endangered species hiding in there?).

"What if I don't?" I asked her, a little challengingly.

My mom unhooked her frying pan and held it up. "I will use this." She tapped her palm with it.

"Sorry, Yu!"

The blonde looked at me weirdly, like he couldn't believe what just happened.

We enjoyed a really loud and crowded dinner. Mom, Madoka, Yu, and Titi sat at the table. Miyako and Kyoya leaned on the wall next to each other. Ryo, Gingka, Kenta, and Benkei were up against the kitchen counter. I was standing near the door, ready to get out once I was done. I still wasn't used to being around a lot of people.

After I cleaned my plate, I tossed it into the trash. Yu finished his dinner and made his way towards me. "You really apologized to me?"

"Yeah."

"Did you mean it?"

"Maybe," I said, watching Miyako snatch a slice of cake from Kyoya's plate. He retaliated by pelting her with a piece of chicken.

It was nice to know that Miyako still had a sweet tooth. And that she found a new friend to hang out with.

Yu prodded my arm with his finger. "Are you sure it wasn't because your mom threatened to beat you up?"

"I would rather starve than to get hit on that area with my mother's iron frying pan," I said dryly.

It took a moment for Yu to realize which area I meant. "Oh! Did she ever hit you there before?"

"Whenever I do something bad. Which was a lot."

"Ouch... Does this mean we're friends now?" Unlike Kenta, he had no trouble voicing his thoughts, because he just stood there and blinked cutely at me.

I stole a glance at Gingka and Kenta, laughing at something Benkei said. Then at Ryo and my mom, who were talking their mouths off about some random subject. Then at Kyoya and Miyako, shoulders touching as they quietly whispered to one another. Titi was looking at Yu expectantly, his unsure gaze flickering to me before he jumped off his chair and started walking to where Yu and I were standing.

"I guess so," I finally replied. (A/N: MAKE SURE TO READ THE BOTTOM!)

I need your opinion on something, quick! Do you think Ryo and Hana should get together after a few weeks? I wish that was possible, although it sounds weird! There's so many things that could happen if Gingka, Ryuga, and Miyako were related by law... MWAH-HA-HA-HA!

And KyoyaxMiyako was kind of something I fantasized about when I got bored, and now it won't get. Out. Of. My. HEAD! GR! Maybe it's because their personalities are so similar! As you can probably see, I'm confused with myself right now! But don't worry! They're just friends right now!

What do you guys think? I'm nervous here!

(Oh yeah, and to add to the humorous atmosphere of the story, I don't think the title fits anymore, but I don't think that matters, anyway!)

P.S. Spoiler Alert! Did anyone else see Episode 146 when Ryuga gets beated up badly by stupid Nemesis, and knocked unconscious? And yeah, Doji's probably dead in some pit by now, because he laughed his head off when Ryuga kept of getting hurt.

I HATE DOJI! Not that I didn't hate him before, but I HATE him even MORE now!

Ryuga... please be okay. Me and Kenta are crying for you... ;_;

Okay, maybe more like x_x

Because if you die, I'm gonna commit suicide! :((

Love, ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS,

~DragonFang2011 (see, my penname was based on your name! And the year I saw you!...)