I nodded, agreeing to do so.
I smiled as I finished my bath in peace, taking my time getting dressed
for my visit with my grandfather.
I decided upon a simple blue short sleeve button down shirt with matching
pants and combat boots.
I was just in the middle of blowdrying my hair when my dad walked by the
bathroom entrance to check on me.
"You look nice as always, son. I'm sure your grandfather will be very pleased." my dad said.
I smiled. "Thanks. You look nice too. I'm ready to go whenever you are." I told him.
My dad and I had a quiet ride to the small military base hospital where my grandfather was being cared for. From what my father told me, my grandfather wasn't really that old, but he had gotten weak and weary in his later years and my father had used his influence to provide him with a home where he could be taken care of. My dad had nothing but good things to say about his father, that his dad nay not be as strong as he used to be, but he was just as stubborn and headstrong as I was.
"You remind me a lot of him, Kai. I'm sure the two of you will connect right away." he told me.
I smiled, thinking of this. I had brought my dad's Beyblade with me, in case my grandfather mentioned it. I was sure my Dad would mention that I had made it to the regionals, that I had begun to take interest in the family's favorite sport. I was prepared for this outcome and was okay with it. I took a look around the lobby as I waited on my dad to register at the hospital desk. There wasn't much to look at, but I was never one to stay still for long periods of time. I saw someone that looked familiar to me waiting at a nearby pharmacy window, retrieving some supplies.
"Carlos, is that you?" I asked him.
Carlos snorted. "I guess you found out my secret. I'm a diabetic; I have to come here for my medicine. I don't like being teased about it, so go away and leave me alone." he told me.
"I wouldn't tease you about something like that, Carlos. Where's Artesia?" I asked.
Carlos smirked. "Why am I not surprised that you would ask about Artesia?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean, it's pretty obvious to anyone how you feel about her, but I have news for you, Kai. She's my girlfriend and she is with me. You may have impressed my friends with your Beyblading skills, but to me, your getting into the regionals means nothing. You need to fiqure out what you're dealing with quick, new boy, or you'll be dealing with me. You got that?" he told me.
I crossed my arms in front of me and contimplated him for a moment. This guy was no threat to me, but it was obvious how he felt about my friendship with Artesia.
"It's pretty obvious that you need some time to simmer down for awhile. I have someone waiting on me, so I will bid you farewell for now, Carlos. Thank you for your advice." I told him. I left him to his thoughts as I rejoined my dad to take the elevator upstairs to my grandafather's room. My dad and I stopped dead in our tracks at the entrance of his room as we could hear what we assumed to be him shouting at one of his nurses.
"Oh good, it's you, Twain. You got here just in time. Please remove this nurse from my room as quickly as passible." my grandfather said.
"I mean no disrespect to Shodan-san. I merely wish to bandage this unslightly wound on his neck." the Asian nurse said.
I winced to myself when I saw the wound in question. It was on my grandfather's neck, a bright red throbbing scar that resembled the strike from a vicious animal's claws. It was obvious that it was causing him a great deal of pain, but he was determained to keep his nurse away from him for some reason.
"You may leave now, young lady. My son and I here will call you if you are needed." my dad said.
She bowed to the three of us and left. My grandfather sighed with relief, sitting up to greet the two of us.
"Thank you for your help, son. I see you have brought my grandson with you to visit me today." Shodan said.
"Yes. This is your grandson Kai. Kai, this is my dad." my dad told me.
"What happened to your neck, Shodan-san?" I asked.
"Kai! Don't be so impolite! I've taught you better manners than that!" my father exclaimed.
My grandfather smiled and chuckled. "No, it's alright, Twain. Your boy is very inquisitive. That should always be encouraged. Come over here and sit with me, boy. It's Kai, right?" he asked.
"Yes, sir." I said.
He pulled back his longish dark hair to allow me to see more of the horrible scar on his neck.
"This scar is the main reason I'm in this hospital, Kai." he told me.
"It is? Were you attacked by some vicious animal or something?" I asked.
"I'm sure you don't recognize this scar, Kai, considerign the limited knowledge you and your dad have of where it came from. This...is called the mark of the beast." he told me.
I gasped out loud. Grandfather Shodan, the Beyblade world champion, was the first person I had ever seen with this scar. I guessed it made sense that his Dranzer would mark him, considering how long he had him.
"I've heard of this affliction, Shodan-san, but how exactly is making you have to be here?" I asked him.
"It's hard to explain. You see, my Dranzer marked me because I am one of the few that are destined to be his master. Because of that, he draws his power directly from me. When we battle, he draws power from battling, but otherwise he uses my energy, leaving me very weak and making my mark more noticeable to others. I am not as old as you think, it's just my Dranzer that has caused me to be so weak. That's why I had hoped you or your father would carry on the legacy so I could pass on y Dranzer on to one of you." he told me.
"Did you know that Kai made it to compete in the regional Beyblade competition, Dad?" my dad asked him.
"No. I did not know this. I wasn't aware that you had decided to take up the sport, Kai. The regionals, you say? Congratulations, Kai. I am very proud of you." my grandfather said.
"Thank you, Shodan-san. I don't know if I could ever be as good a Beyblader as you are, but I am willing to try." I told him.
"Spoken like a true Beyblader. I knew if I waited long enough, there would be another in the family to carry on my legacy. I'm sorry it has taken so long for you and I to finally meet, Kai. I have known about you since you were born, your dad has doted on you since day one." Shodan said.
"I told Kai that the two of you were alot alike." my dad said.
"If his euthasium for life and for the sport of Beyblade are close to mine, I would believe so. You do realize that if you make it through the regionals to the world championships, you'll eventually have to face me, right?" he asked me.
I hadn't realized that, and I couldn't imagine why I hadn't thought about that. It wa probably because I had never thought I would get that far in the competition. He seemed to sense my apprehesion, and petted my back affectionately.
"You have nothing to worry about, Kai. If an amateur Beblader like you can make it to the regionals, then you'll be more than a suitable opponent for me. I look forward to that day, grandosn. If you are truly worthy to inherit my Dranzer, then when you beat me, I will be honored to pass him on to you." my grandfather said.
To Be Continued...
"You look nice as always, son. I'm sure your grandfather will be very pleased." my dad said.
I smiled. "Thanks. You look nice too. I'm ready to go whenever you are." I told him.
My dad and I had a quiet ride to the small military base hospital where my grandfather was being cared for. From what my father told me, my grandfather wasn't really that old, but he had gotten weak and weary in his later years and my father had used his influence to provide him with a home where he could be taken care of. My dad had nothing but good things to say about his father, that his dad nay not be as strong as he used to be, but he was just as stubborn and headstrong as I was.
"You remind me a lot of him, Kai. I'm sure the two of you will connect right away." he told me.
I smiled, thinking of this. I had brought my dad's Beyblade with me, in case my grandfather mentioned it. I was sure my Dad would mention that I had made it to the regionals, that I had begun to take interest in the family's favorite sport. I was prepared for this outcome and was okay with it. I took a look around the lobby as I waited on my dad to register at the hospital desk. There wasn't much to look at, but I was never one to stay still for long periods of time. I saw someone that looked familiar to me waiting at a nearby pharmacy window, retrieving some supplies.
"Carlos, is that you?" I asked him.
Carlos snorted. "I guess you found out my secret. I'm a diabetic; I have to come here for my medicine. I don't like being teased about it, so go away and leave me alone." he told me.
"I wouldn't tease you about something like that, Carlos. Where's Artesia?" I asked.
Carlos smirked. "Why am I not surprised that you would ask about Artesia?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean, it's pretty obvious to anyone how you feel about her, but I have news for you, Kai. She's my girlfriend and she is with me. You may have impressed my friends with your Beyblading skills, but to me, your getting into the regionals means nothing. You need to fiqure out what you're dealing with quick, new boy, or you'll be dealing with me. You got that?" he told me.
I crossed my arms in front of me and contimplated him for a moment. This guy was no threat to me, but it was obvious how he felt about my friendship with Artesia.
"It's pretty obvious that you need some time to simmer down for awhile. I have someone waiting on me, so I will bid you farewell for now, Carlos. Thank you for your advice." I told him. I left him to his thoughts as I rejoined my dad to take the elevator upstairs to my grandafather's room. My dad and I stopped dead in our tracks at the entrance of his room as we could hear what we assumed to be him shouting at one of his nurses.
"Oh good, it's you, Twain. You got here just in time. Please remove this nurse from my room as quickly as passible." my grandfather said.
"I mean no disrespect to Shodan-san. I merely wish to bandage this unslightly wound on his neck." the Asian nurse said.
I winced to myself when I saw the wound in question. It was on my grandfather's neck, a bright red throbbing scar that resembled the strike from a vicious animal's claws. It was obvious that it was causing him a great deal of pain, but he was determained to keep his nurse away from him for some reason.
"You may leave now, young lady. My son and I here will call you if you are needed." my dad said.
She bowed to the three of us and left. My grandfather sighed with relief, sitting up to greet the two of us.
"Thank you for your help, son. I see you have brought my grandson with you to visit me today." Shodan said.
"Yes. This is your grandson Kai. Kai, this is my dad." my dad told me.
"What happened to your neck, Shodan-san?" I asked.
"Kai! Don't be so impolite! I've taught you better manners than that!" my father exclaimed.
My grandfather smiled and chuckled. "No, it's alright, Twain. Your boy is very inquisitive. That should always be encouraged. Come over here and sit with me, boy. It's Kai, right?" he asked.
"Yes, sir." I said.
He pulled back his longish dark hair to allow me to see more of the horrible scar on his neck.
"This scar is the main reason I'm in this hospital, Kai." he told me.
"It is? Were you attacked by some vicious animal or something?" I asked.
"I'm sure you don't recognize this scar, Kai, considerign the limited knowledge you and your dad have of where it came from. This...is called the mark of the beast." he told me.
I gasped out loud. Grandfather Shodan, the Beyblade world champion, was the first person I had ever seen with this scar. I guessed it made sense that his Dranzer would mark him, considering how long he had him.
"I've heard of this affliction, Shodan-san, but how exactly is making you have to be here?" I asked him.
"It's hard to explain. You see, my Dranzer marked me because I am one of the few that are destined to be his master. Because of that, he draws his power directly from me. When we battle, he draws power from battling, but otherwise he uses my energy, leaving me very weak and making my mark more noticeable to others. I am not as old as you think, it's just my Dranzer that has caused me to be so weak. That's why I had hoped you or your father would carry on the legacy so I could pass on y Dranzer on to one of you." he told me.
"Did you know that Kai made it to compete in the regional Beyblade competition, Dad?" my dad asked him.
"No. I did not know this. I wasn't aware that you had decided to take up the sport, Kai. The regionals, you say? Congratulations, Kai. I am very proud of you." my grandfather said.
"Thank you, Shodan-san. I don't know if I could ever be as good a Beyblader as you are, but I am willing to try." I told him.
"Spoken like a true Beyblader. I knew if I waited long enough, there would be another in the family to carry on my legacy. I'm sorry it has taken so long for you and I to finally meet, Kai. I have known about you since you were born, your dad has doted on you since day one." Shodan said.
"I told Kai that the two of you were alot alike." my dad said.
"If his euthasium for life and for the sport of Beyblade are close to mine, I would believe so. You do realize that if you make it through the regionals to the world championships, you'll eventually have to face me, right?" he asked me.
I hadn't realized that, and I couldn't imagine why I hadn't thought about that. It wa probably because I had never thought I would get that far in the competition. He seemed to sense my apprehesion, and petted my back affectionately.
"You have nothing to worry about, Kai. If an amateur Beblader like you can make it to the regionals, then you'll be more than a suitable opponent for me. I look forward to that day, grandosn. If you are truly worthy to inherit my Dranzer, then when you beat me, I will be honored to pass him on to you." my grandfather said.
To Be Continued...