"Alright, I'll start the count down."
"Gias, what are we doing here?"
"It's a Beyblade gym. My dad owns it."
"Okay. What are we doing here?" I repeated the question.
"I'm helping you to control your power."
"How is, this, going to help?" I gestured to an empty stadium.
"This stadium is special. Just launch and watch." He walked over to a screen and tapped a couple of things. "Alright, load up!" I hesitated.
"...You're not gonna let me go, are you?"
"The longer you stand there the more difficult I'm going to make it."
"Alright, alright, I'll play along." I set Leone on the launcher, feeling a little heat coming from it. I gave it a look. "Hey you, behave." I settled into my stance and took a breath.
"Let It Rip!" Leone landed in the stadium and circled down to the middle, spinning calmly. "Now what?"
"A Stamina Type." Gias pressed a button and a small slot opened on the side of the stadium. A single, yellow Bey shot out, landing and spinning around. "Beat it."
"...Leone." Leone leaped to action, whirling around and slamming into the Bey, knocking it across the stadium to slam into the other side. It bounced to the bottom. A claw came down and grabbed it, pulling it out of the way.
"Wow, Leone really is strong. Alright, let's try a Defense Type." I sighed, seeing where this was going.
'Just play along James...' Another Bey popped out, this time green, circling around.
"Leone." Leone smashed into this Beyblade, knocking it straight up before dashing around in a small circle, catching it on the drop and slamming it into the stadium wall. It dropped to the bottom as well.
"Oh...I might need to turn up the difficulty..." He was blinking owlishly.
"Gias, I really appreciate what you are trying to do. Honestly. But this Bey is on a whole different level."
"Well, I'll just have to wear it down then. How about two Attack Types!" I nearly facepalmed. Two blue Beys popped out and rushed at Leone. Leone circled around to the center and they followed. The two Beys slammed into it from opposite sides, putting everything they had into their attacks. Soon they both fell over, all of their energy wasted. I huffed, tired of this already.
"Gias, how high does the difficulty go?"
"Tenth top Blader in this country. Why?"
"Crank 'er."
"A-are you sure?"
"Put out all four types."
"What?! Are you insane?! They'll smash you!"
"I need to show you Gias. I'm not messing around." He stared at me as I looked at Leone.
"I, I hope you know what you're doing..." Soon four Beyblades were circling Leone as it sat there. I could tell these Beys weren't weak. If I didn't have Leone, I'd be in serious trouble.
The Attack and Balance Types rushed it. Leone waited until the last second, then dashed away, slamming into the Defense Type at the same time and letting out a barrage of attacks.
The Attack Type rushed Leone again. Leone broke away from the Defense Type, making them hit each other. The Balance Type tried to hit Leone, but it missed. Leone retorted with a small burst of attacks, leaving it scrambling for balance.
"Leone, left!" It zoomed to the left as the Attack Type dashed by. I scoped out the battle arena. The Stamina Type was in the middle, the Defense Type guarding it; the Attack and Balance Types were circling them, staying in between them and Leone.
"Interesting. They strategize..." I shifted from one foot to the other. "Leone. Breakthrough." Leone dashed straight down. The Attack and Balance Types moved in for a pincer attack, but Leone put on a burst of speed, dashing past them.
The Defense Type moved in front of Leone, ready to protect the Stamina Type. Leone's Face Bolt gleamed and it slammed into the green Bey, shoving it right into the Stamina Type. Both Beys started pushing back, the yellow one moving around to push into Leone alongside the green one. The two other Beys slammed into Leone from behind, trapping it on all four sides. I hummed in thought. Gias looked at me with concern.
"James? Are you just going to stand there? Do something!"
"Just waiting for the right..." I was staring at the five Beys closely. I saw a slight give in the Stamina Type. "That one." Leone pressed into the yellow Bey, shoving it away and retaking open space. The other Beys tried following, but Leone dashed away.
"How is it still spinning so fast?! It's like it hasn't taken any damage!"
"Oh it has. But it's not enough." I shook my head. "Not even close." Leone caught up to the Stamina Type and smashed into it, pushing it up against the edge of the stadium. "Now." Leone shoved it out of the stadium.
"How?! That was our best Stamina Type!"
"1 down. 3 to go." I looked at the 3 Beys coming to attack Leone. "The Attack Type is already lower on energy...Defense Type." My eyes locked on the green Bey, which was slower than the other two. Leone zoomed around, a swirl of wind following it.
It slammed into the Defense Type, sparks flying. It pushed the Defense Type around like it was a toy, knocking it left and right. It wore down rather quickly, but it was still fighting.
"Leone, would you quit playing around?" Leone put on a burst of energy, smashing into the green Bey and depleting its energy within seconds. The green Bey slid down to the bottom of the stadium.
"Its attack power is insane! How is that possible?!"
"I tried to tell you Gias." Leone spun down to the middle, a small whip of wind kicking up. The Balance Type dashed down and let out a machine gun style attack, tiny blasts going off faster than I could count.
"Well, that's new," I noted with interest. Leone was shoved backwards, and had to regain its balance. "That's a real barrage attack right there. Give them an uppercut." Leone slammed into the purple Bey, launching it upwards. I was watching it, ready to call an order, when I heard the Attack Type dash around.
'Shoot. I forgot about that one.' It slammed into Leone and the Balance Type landed without issue.
"Grr, amateur," I reprimanded myself. Leone knocked the Attack Type away. "Finish that one!" Leone dashed after the Attack Type, but it pulled away, built for more speed. The Balance Type sat in the middle, having a Performance Tip built for defensive stamina. Leone turned and dashed at it, planning on trying the same trick again.
"Leone, on your right." The Attack Type slammed to Leone, knocking it off course. "Cut it out!" It dashed away, mocking Leone. I could tell Leone was getting annoyed, as it was kicking up a small wind.
"I thought you would have more trouble with the Stamina Type."
"Leone doesn't have any speed right now. His Spin Track is in Up Guard mode, so it's for defensive maneuvers." Leone went after the Balance Type again, actually making contact this time. The balance type let out another machine gun barrage and knocked Leone away.
"Well, that could make things complicated...Leone, counter with your own barrage." The machine guns blasts were added to when it landed its own attacks, both Beys being knocked away.
"Lock it in. Again." I ordered. Soon the Balance Type was weakened, and it pulled away so the Attack Type could enter the scene. Leone took a hard hit and was knocked away.
"Okay, let's play. Leone." I held my hand up level with my head. "Open Guard mode!" I pushed my hand down and Leone let out a burst of energy as its Spin Track changed modes. It dashed around and vanished. Gias gasped.
"What?! Where'd it go?!" The Attack type Bey was dashing around, looking like it was trying to hit something. "What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing. It's just too slow." Leone appeared in the middle of the stadium, spinning calmly. "Leone, spaz attack." Leone vanished and appeared on one side of the stadium. The Attack Type dashed after it, but simply went right through Leone. Another one appeared on the other side of the stadium. The Attack Type went right through that one as well. Two more visuals appeared. Then one more. Five Leones were spinning in the stadium, calmly moving around and crossing paths. The Attack Type was dashing around sporadically, trying, and obviously failing, to land a hit.
"How is Leone doing that?"
"It's moving at such a speed that it leaves an after image. That Attack Type is too slow now." The Balance Type snapped out of position, zooming around to help its partner. Both of them were dashing around like maniacs.
"That's insane..."
"Do you get it now Gias?"
"Huh? Get what?" he looked at me with confusion.
"I told you Leone was on a whole new level. These two Beys are wasting all of their energy hopelessly trying to hit it. They never will." I got a dark gleam in my eye. "I'm simply too strong." A shower of sparks blew upwards as the Balance Type was skidding across the arena, its Fusion wheel grinding into the floor. It caught its balance and righted itself, severely weakened.
"What just happened?"
"Leone is bored. It's toying with them now." The Attack Type suddenly went flying upwards. It fell back towards the stadium, but right before it landed, Leone appeared and smacked it upwards. "Leone is a bored cat playing with its food." The Balance Type tried to attack Leone, but it slipped from view. The Attack Type was getting weaker, and Gias could see it was done fighting.
"James...okay. I get it, they can't beat you. Please, just end it."
"...Fine." One final smash sent the blue Bey flying out of the stadium, landing hard. The Balance Type took two hits before it stopped spinning and slid down the stadium floor.
Leone appeared in the middle, a small burst of energy being put out when its Spin Track flipped up. It leaped up and landed in my outstretched hand. I stepped down from the side of the stadium.
"James...how is Leone so strong?"
"It just is. And that was but only a part of its power."
"PART?! How is that possible?!"
"Did you ever hear about the black sun?"