The King of Blades
Chapter 4
"Mum, dad we've got a team registered finally." Victor said over supper with his family. There were four of them all together. His father, mother, five year old sister Sophie and Victor made up his family. "With the school term closing on Thursday we'll now be able to dedicate far more time to practice." he continued.
"Wow you kids are really into this thing aren't you?" his mother said. "Well it's always healthy to have something you like."
"To me personally, aside from the spirit factor.." his dad stated "..they're just spinning tops. I used to like spinning tops back when they were just that." he snorted.
"Oh come on dad." Vic objected "I've told you more than once there's far more to it than that. I even explained some of it."
"I know son but all I could hear was static with some 'spin gear' and 'eight-heavy type weight disk' mixed in it." Vic face faulted.
"Just kidding boy. Don't worry, I'm not that old even though you've given me more grey hairs than I should have now. Like your mother just said, it's good that you enjoy something and actually put your heart into it so we'll always support you even if we can't keep up."
"Thanks mom, dad."
"And me too Vicky." his sister chimed.
"Yes you too Sophie."
That Thursday, after school had closed early for the last day of term, they were all trying to get as much training in as possible, Craig and Inga were watching Daniel and Drigo training in the park. They knew their flight to England, the location of the tourney would be Friday morning so that didn't give them much time but at least everything went smoothly with all their parents agreeing to sign their indemnity forms. Parental consent was all that was required, everything else from the trips to accommodation to eating was provided for them.
"Fenrir attack." Daniel calmly commanded and his black blade was on top of Drigo's rusty gold one with a barrage of knocks but Drigo held his ground. "That's it Armourdon just hang in there, he doesn't have enough brick-force attack to penetrate our guard."
"Oh really? Then I'll just have to give you a better hit." Let's hit his base below his attack and defence rings where he isn't so iron-clad, it's how we've beaten him before.
Fenrir charged in and tilted far forward till the blades on it's attack ring nearly touched the ground and struck Armourdon's spinning base hard which proved very effective as it lurched away in a little wobble but came under control again. But Drigo wasn't phased.
"About time. I've been waiting for you to try that but this won't be like before. Armadillo Roll!"
The rusty gold beyblade came to a standstill in the centre of the dish and a brown aura, a little tinted with orange exploded from it's centre to reveal a giant three banded armadillo, bigger than even Fenrir and Gospel, which immediately rolled itself into a tight ball like shell. The blade as if imitating began to wobble but in a strangely stable way and it did so faster and faster until the defence ring was seemingly a wall. Drigo smiled.
"Come hit me again."
"Hmm." Daniel appeared unprepared for this new development. It seems that wobble means his tough defence ring is constantly shifting, if I attack high, it's there to block and if I attack low it's now there as well, a true total defence.
"That's a neat skill." Daniel conceded "But can it defend an attack from directly above?"
"Bring it on!" Drigo barked smiling in an almost feral sort of way.
"Easy now boys!" Inga jumped in. "There'll be plenty of opportunity for that at the tourney, this practice is to assess our own strengths and weaknesses."
"You're right." Daniel let out with a snort. "But I was just having a little fun, I was gonna go easy on him and his little armadillo."
"Ha! You were just gonna break your teeth for the second time trying to bite through my fort wolf-boy." Drigo shot back also snorting.
Inga just rolled her eyes "Whatever the case may be it doesn't matter, Craig and I also need a go in there, it's getting late and remember our flight leaves tomorrow morning."
The two withdrew their blades and Craig and Inga were now on opposite sides ready to launch. Drigo gave the countdown and they were away with Craig immediately on the assault.
Gospel charged towards Tavi but the red blade twisted to the side quickly to avoid being hit and just circled Gospel almost in a taunting manner. Gospel charged again but the result was the same he couldn't match up to Tavi's speed.
"Hmm, okay then." I'll wait for her to come to me. Gospel came to a halt at the centre of the dish with Tavi still circling it.
"Tavi let's do it." Inga called and her red blade developed a red glow at it's centre followed by the emerging of her bit-beast, an orange mongoose heavily tinted red due to it's aura, a sleek formed creature that epitomised speed grace and deadly precision. Tavi shot towards Gospel. Craig smiled.
"Gospel Resonate." The silver blade gave a glow at it's centre and it's blue attack ring began to blur as it vibrated. Tavi hit it hard but was sent flying back with Gospel having moved minimally.
"Huh?" Inga was confused. I thought it was due to high attack power before but he wasn't even moving this time and I was still flung back, the same way Fenrir bounced off him. "I've been meaning to ask you how that worked." she said.
Craig smiled "I'm not entirely sure myself but what I do know is that Gospel can bend certain physical laws. when it comes to impact, he's a king of redistribution and deflection. You do know about resultant forces and momentum a bit don't you."
"Not anymore than more than Mr Schmidt has taught in class but a little, yeah." Inga replied. Even more intently listening was Daniel.
Craig continued "Well regardless of the difference in our momentums, instead of cancelling out as in non-elastic collisions or exchanging as in elastic collisions, Gospel combines both and divides the force between us, except he's a little biased so he gives more to the opponent, I'd say about ninety percent."
Inga was stunned. "So the harder I attack you, the harder I attack myself in reality, is that what you're saying?"
"Pretty much. I can even enhance the effect by attacking as well to increase overall impact. My attack is strong but not that strong as to just throw blades like Fenrir around."
"So that's how you defeated my Fang." Daniel stated. "I was effectively attacking myself, and with Fenrir increasing the gravitational dropping power, it's only natural that it would be thrown back even further than the height from which it originally came down."
"Exactly." Craig replied.
"That's a bit haxed isn't it?" Drigo asked "I mean what can any physical blader then do aside from sheer insane force which would make your ten percent of the impact effective?"
Craig thought back to the crack Fenrir had given Gospel before replying. "Are you kidding? No one's invincible, there's a way to get around it without necessarily using force. More importantly since we're on the subject Daniel, how the hell did you end up in the ring when you where apparently the one leaving it?"
Daniel answered "It's an ability I call the Ne..." but was interrupted.
"Hey everyone!" Vic greeted as he arrived and everyone's attention turned to him. "I just got all our stuff from the admin offices along with our programme schedule. hope you're all packed and ready for tomorrow's flight, England's quite a way off from here in the States." Everyone nodded in confirmation. He continued "What you need to know for now is that we leave early in the morning and arrive late afternoon towards evening at Gatwick airport. We'll then be taken to our accommodations and be free to get some rest until Saturday morning, when we'll be driven to the main beystadium with all the other competing teams for the opening ceremony and exhibitions. On Sunday we'll be given the results of the draw for our groups but otherwise we'll be free so Monday will be our first match. I personally can't wait, I've had this feeling boiling in the pit of my stomach for days since registration, it's just so exciting."
"I know how you feel." Craig nodded. "I better get going then." Everyone agreed and took off home.
The following day at the airport:
"And remember to be careful now Danny and good luck, we'll be rooting for ya."
"Okay got it." Daniel said impatiently trying to escape his mother's prolonged embrace.
"Everyone's said their goodbyes already and boarded already, bye mom, dad." He was relieved to have escaped without being noticed by the others who were on the plane. Not that he didn't appreciate the affections but that was for home behind closed doors, it wouldn't do well for the 'strong and unphased' persona he used in public.
Within minutes the plane was off and everyone was settled in.
"Cool." Drigo began "You know, I've never been to England before. But for you Craig it's simply like going back home isn't? You must be thrilled."
"It's nothing to write home about." Craig replied nonchalantly then chuckled at the irony of his words. "You may find it anti-climatic especially when you experience the weather."
"It won't be so bad Inga said, I've been there before. At least it's not winter now."
"So what's the match structure like." Daniel asked Vic.
"We'll first be in groups of five teams each and there are four groups in total. We'll have matches against each team in our group and for every victory within the match a team acquires a point so it's not just a 'best of' type match."
"I see, so there are twenty teams, five members minimum so at least a hundred bladers participating, there must definitely be some strong ones." said Daniel.
"Yes but at the end of the group stages only the top two teams in each group move into the quarter-finals, so you won't get to fight everyone." Vic dictated.
"Good that means the weaklings get sifted out early so all we have to do is make it past the group stages then the real fun begins." Craig chimed but Daniel calmly interrupted
"Not so fast hot shot, we could be dealt a curve-ball by fate and placed in a group of monsters so let's just hope that's not the case."
"If that's the case then we'll just show them who the real monsters are." was Inga's optimistic statement. "It's not like we're pushovers either."
"Really?" Daniel replied with an edge of sarcasm "We're not? And you're sure because of what exactly? I mean have you even entered a competition before?"
"Okay then, you can be a pushover if you like Mr 'Broke-My-Fang' but I on the other hand can at least guarantee my blade's in one place not several at the end of my matches." she sang tartly.
That hit home and Craig almost spat his juice trying while trying not to look in Daniel's direction, he knew a healing wound had just been re-opened. Drigo raised his magazine to cover his face and Vic tried to at least salvage something from the wreck that was Daniel's pride.
"Ouch, it must be said, that's One Inga and nil Daniel but you're both right in some way you know. We need to have a positive attitude in order to keep our spirits high but at the same we have to be prepared for anything, we can't afford to underestimate anyone, not now." Vic stated. As captain he was trying not to take sides or have animosity rear it's ugly head between his team-mates. He stifled a smile though. Nothing wrong with a good dis here and there. It'll keep his ego grounded for a while.
"Whatever." was Daniel's only reply but Vic could see the proverbial twisted knife edge in his chest.
Vic threw his head back and his mind wandered. I wonder if I'll see her there, now's not the time Vic just focus on hat we came for. He eventually fell asleep.
The rest of the trip was spent in relative silence in the wake of that awkward situation. The plane continued on towards the next destination.
Okay, on to England here it comes. New teams, new faces and new experiences in the competitive world of beyblade.
