Chapter 15: "The Case of Glory"

"You know our names?" Kaia asked, totally taken aback.

"Of course. I was the one who started this whole she-bang-bang. Not to mention I've known your father since he was your age. In fact, I battled him twice and he won the last time."

"Well, since you know our names, can we know yours?" Dakota asked him.

"Oh yes, where are my manners? My name is Brooklyn. I'm one of the many people in this building who will teach and train you to be the best. Yep. To make sure you are really Dakota Nathaniel and Kaia Danielle, I need to see your little slips of paper I told your dad to give you." The twins handed him the scraps. Brooklyn unfolded them, then brought out a pair of horn-rimmed reading glasses. When he had read them, he gave the slips back. "Good. You're the right people. That would be bad if you weren't."

"Um, sir? What are we supposed to call you?" Kaia asked timidly.

"Whatever you feel like," he said happily. "Brooklyn's fine, but not all of the coaches are as nice as I am, especially Garland, he's kind of serious now a days. Anyway, just make sure you asked before calling a teacher or a coach by their first name, got it?"

"Yes," the twins said together.

"Wonderful," Brooklyn said. "Now we need to round everybody else up. Okay." He put his fingers to his lips and whistled. Everybody who just got off the bus looked upat him. "I need everyone whose father was a Bladebreaker or Demolition Boy to come over here, please." When he had finished, other calls and whistles were made. One man with long blue hair called over anyone whose dad was a White Tiger or an All Star over to his group. Another man, a really big man, called over anybody whose sire had been on the Barthez Battalion or the BEGA team, whatever that was. Another called over Majestics and F Dynasty or on the Royal Team to his group. In one group, a lady called for team Psykick and the Saint Shields team. Everyone dispersed accordingly.

After all the confusion was over with, the Hiwatari twins noticed thatnine other people had joined them: the Grangers, Jenna, Buster, a girl with blonde hair, another girl with blackish-bluish hair, that kid name Bryson, and, much to Dakota's dismay, the silver-haired kid. They looked each other square in the eye, and only when Brooklyn called for attention did the boy drop his gaze and looked at the red-haired man.

"Welcome, Starshine. The earth says hello!" He looked around at them with a cheerful smile, but received none in return. "Okay. Well, my name's Brooklyn, and I'll be your Beyblade coach while you stay here, okay? Now, the only way you can get into this here building," he jabbed his thumb behind him at the deteriorated old building, "is to show me that piece of paper your dads wrote. Come, come, lots to do today." Everyone but the twins handed their sheets of paper to him. "Good, good. Thank you," he started handing them back. When he got to the last one he stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Fenrir, is it?" He asked the silver-haired boy. He nodded. "Well, it's a good thing you are not in Garland's group, or your father would be very angry. I would not be much inclined to watch what would happen there. Now, on we go," he said. He opened the door. "Everyone inside," he ordered. "Oh yes. Almost forgot." He handed Fenrir his sheet of paper back.

"Why do we need these back, sir?" Jenna asked.

"Because it's your I. D. basically. You have to keep it until we print you up one with your picture and name and everything. It also tells us who your father is. Or mother. Just depends." They had entered the building,and were stunned to see thatit was pitch dark. "Darn lights. Can't stay on for more than five seconds. Here we are," he said happily, finding the light switch. The lights clicked on, andtheyfound themselvesin a huge lobby. A desk sat against the far wall, big potted plants surrounded the edge of the room, and there were pictures on the wall. Most of them were pictures of bladers long since grown, or bladers that were champions at that very moment in time. Brooklyn led them to the desk. The Bladebreaker offspring were surprised to see Taylor's mom at the desk.

"Hi, Emily. Mine's the first group," he said gleefully, as if all he wanted to do in his life was go to a receptionist's desk and tell that person his group was the first.

"Yes, yes, just go on, Brooklyn," she said to him exasperatedly. Soren waved to her. "Hello, Soren. Go, with Brooklyn, okay? I know he seems crazy at first, but he won't hurt you. Good-bye." She returned to her work.

"That was low, Emily. Gosh. You think people would have respect around here. Ah well, let's continue." He led them down the hall to the right of the desk, and they entered the first door on the left. Inside were three long tables connected together with chairs under them. "Come on, you guys, we don't have all day." When everyone was in, he closed the door and sat on the stool that was in the middle of all the tables and looked them all over, holding a packet of papers that had suddenly appeared in his hands.

"Well, it's real good to meet you guys. Most of you look almost exactly like your parents. Excellent." He looked at them with a cheery smile that was not returned from anyone except Soren. "First things first. I think I told you my name, but in case you didn't hear me, you can't remember, or you weren't here at the time, you may call me Brooklyn. This is my son, Lexington." Heindicated a boy who seated next to the girl with blonde hair. He waved unenthusiastically. His coal black hair greatly contrasted with his father's. Dakota sensed Kaia straighten up slightly. "He is also going to help me train you and to help you learn what you need to learn.

"You may be wondering what exactly will be happening while you are here for three months or longer. Well, you'll be training, not just in the art of blading, but in the art of self-defense and literature and arithmetic. For those of you who don't know what that is, literature is word that means 'reading and grammar'. Arithmetic is a just a big word for 'math'. Now…"

He went over to the erase board behind him and wrote K-12 on its surface. He turned back around. "I need to know what grade everyone is in. Whatever you were in last year, you will automatically be upgraded to the one after it. For example." He walked over to the girl with blonde hair. "Shady, what grade were you in last year?"

"8th," she said nervously.

"Awesome." He put the number 8 under the K. "Now, since you finished last year coming out of 8th, you would be in…" He put a 9 under the 12. "9th grade. See? It's easy. How about you, Lilly?" The girl with black-blue hair jumped. "Come put your grades up here."

The girl got up and walked over to the board. She was short, and she walked very fast. She could hardly reach where Brooklyn had written. Finally, she went back to her seat, having written 7-8 under the 8 and 9. "Very good," Brooklyn said to her. "Your father would be very proud. Now, I'm going to ask you what grade you would be in this year, okay? We'll start with you, Bryson."

"10th."

"Okay. Fenrir?"

"10th."

"Oh great, both of them are in are class," Kaia whispered.

"Shh," Dakota warned her.

"How about you, little Soren?"

"I'll be in 3rd grade this year!" He held up 3 fingers.

"Wow, keep up the good work! Nyra?"

"8th," she said.

"Twilight?"

"10th."

And on he went through Buster and Jenna, who both said 8th. When he got to the twins he said, "And the Hiwatari twins?"

On the other end of the table whispering started. The twins glanced down the table, and then both said, "Tenth."

"Wow! Five tenth-graders, huh? Plus Lexington! Marvelous. You'll all have time to get to know each other, then."

"Um, sir," Buster piped up. "Will anybody in the other groups be in our classes?"

"That's a good question, Buster! Yes, they will be. All kids in the same grade will be in the same class. But it is in this group that you will train. Any other questions about classes or training?"

Nobody answered. "Okay, then," Brooklyn continued, "Well, the way we will divide you guys for rooms is boys on one floor and girls on another. After that, you will be divided on what team your sire was on. For instance," he went over and clapped Lexington on the shoulder. "I was on the BEGA team, so he and Oberon will be in one room. And then for another example," he went over behind Fenrir. "Fenrir's dad, Tala, was on the Blitzkrieg boy team, so he and Bryson will be in the same room, as will Dakota."

The metaphorical brakes seemed to screech in Dakota's head. Fenrir was Tala's son? And he, Dakota, would be sharing a room with that kid? He had to put a stop to it.

"Uh, sir, my dad was on the Bladebreakers, so wouldn't that mean I would be in Twilight's room?"

"Yes, but it all depends on what team your dad was on last. It had to be different somewhat with you since your father moved around so much. Just like Kaia will also be in a room withShady and Lilly. End of discussion. Now, I believe that you should be going to your first training session in about five minutes. We shall have to move to a different room. Come, we must hurry." Everyone got up, and filed out of the room.

When they had left, Kaia caught up with Dakota. "This sucks! I don't even know those girls, and I'm supposed to share a room with them? What the hell?"

"Well, you got it better," Dakota said jealously. "Do you know whose son that is?" He indicated Fenrir.

"No. Who?"

"You remember that red-headed man? And those other 2? Tala, Spencer, and Bryan,I think they were.Well, I think Fenrir is Tala's son. And Bryson is Bryan's, andShady is Spencer's daughter. I don't know who that other girl is."

"Ian's," said Nyra abruptly. "I heard my dad taking about him. He was also on the Demolition Boys' team, but not on the Blitzkrieg team. That's his daughter, Lilly. Just thought I would give you that bit of info." She walked ahead.

Dakota looked at her disbelievingly. "You know, that was so random, it wasn't even funny."

They kept walking down the hall until they came to a pair of big doors made of oak. "This is the special training room," Brooklyn announced. "This is where all bladers come to train and learn new skills. When you come in, do be careful. Some of the training machines can be dangerous." He opened the doors.

It was the most amazing room the Hiwatari twins had ever seen. Every bit of the floor that was not covered by training equipment was concealed by dozens of Beystadiums, each a different color and thickness. Here and there were little rope ladders that led to the next floor. On one end of the room, a gigantic waterfall plunged from the ceiling, splashing into a pool of water below that was frothing merrily. All the walls seemed to be made of glass. When Dakota looked closer, it was not a wall, but a huge glass case filled with trophies, pictures, beyblades, and other equipment on the shelves that were installed into it. Some of the pictures looked to be several years old, while some seemed to have been taken only the day before. The kids looked around in amazement, wonder, and astonishment. How could such a big room as this fit in such a tiny building?

"Most of it's underground," explained Brooklyn when Jenna asked. "We had to find a secret place, and then we had to make it bigger. And the only way to do that was start going down. Yep."

"Mr. Brooklyn?" called the girl named Lilly. "What is this used for?" She pointed to the glass cabinet.

"Ah, yes, I was wondering when one of you was going to ask. Well, my dear, that is the Case of Glory. Beybladers who have won tournaments, huge battles, or done great deeds for the sport are in that shelf. There were so many good bladers in fact, we had to make the case bigger, so that's why we have several floors to show off the many honorable people. You can climb the ladders and explore if you like. You may recognize some of the people in the pictures."

As all the young bladers explored, the twins looked the case up and down. The first shelf was dedicated to a team called the Majestics. In one of the pictures, a boy with green hair launched a pinkish blade. Beside the frame stood a gold-plated plaque that read:

Oliver Polaski

Owner of Unicolyon

"Team Majestics"

Many of these plaques were the same, except having a different occupant name. About five minutes into the exploration of this room, someone cried, "Look!"

The twins raced to where Jenna was, thinking something or somebody was in trouble, but found instead that Jenna was looking in on one of the shelves. Just as the bottom shelf had been dedicated to the Majestics, this was one was also devoted to a certain team. This team just happened to be, well, if you can guess, the Bladebreakers.

"That's my dad!" Jenna exclaimed. Sure enough, in a frame made of emerald and silver, taken round about 20-years ago, was a much younger Ray, holding a silver trophy in his hand. Beside it, was a similar plaque, but was much bigger and engraved with curly writing:

Ray Kon

Guardian of Driger

Leader of White Tigers

And Member of Bladebreakers

As Jenna looked at her father's plaque, she noticed something beside it. In the case, on a silk pillow, sat Driger MS, as did every other Driger blade. "You guys…" she said in awe. "I know what my dad did with those blades now. He put them in here, that's why I couldn't find them in the house. No wonder…"

She continued to survey the plaque and blades, while Dakota and Kaia looked for their father's. They didn't have to look far. It was much bigger than Ray's, or anybody else's they had seen. More pictures than what Dakota had witnessed down in his father's training room were in this dedicative memorial. Most were of other team members and battles that he had won in tournaments. Lights from the top of the case shown on everything, which seem like everything was to be shining with glory. The plaque for Kai was much bigger too.

Kai Hiwatari

Guardian of Dranzer

Leader of Bladebreakers,

Blitzkrieg Boyz, and Bladesharks

Second Place World Champion

2002-2005

"Cool, huh?" said a voice right beside Dakota.

He looked up to find Fenrir standing right beside him, his head rested on the glass. He was looking at the plaque just as Dakota had been, but then moved his attention to the picture right above it. This picture Dakota had failed to notice. This was of the two boys' fathers. Both of them looked beaten to the point of death, as if they hadjust foughta war, not a battle.

Fenrir spoke again. "I know for a fact that this picture was taken right after his father," he nodded toward Twilight, who was looking at a different memorial, "defeated that man." He nodded again, but at Brooklyn.

"You mean…?" Dakota asked him without finishing his sentence.

"Yes. Well, my dad didn't battle him. Just yours. He almost died in that battle. As did my father in his battle against Garland." He sounded both disappointed and angry. "That won't ever happen to me," he said defiantly.

"It could," Dakota said.

This time Fenrir actually looked at him. "Oh, and you think you could beat me?"

Dakota chuckled. "Think? No. I know I can beat you. With my eyes closed."

"All right, put your blade where your mouth is and show me, hick boy!"

Dakota eyed him angrily. "Oh hell no. You are in for a world of pain!"

Both of themrushed over to the nearest stadium and put there blades in their launchers. "You have no idea how much trouble you're in now, Hiwatari!" he cried.

"Oh, I'm not the one who's in trouble. Let it rip!"

"Let it rip!"

End of Chapter 15! I will not be posting anymore chapters until I start getting more reviews and comments. If yall fail to give me any, I will take down my story and I can just leave yall hanging. Don't think I won't do it either. Please review! I really don't wanna take down my story! Squirrel