Sorry, a bit late this time. Yes, it's in letter format again. What can I say? I like this format!
Day 16
To And Fro
(Madoka/Chao Xin)
Hey Madoka,
Thought I'd write to you to check on how the team is doing after our team-building lessons! Da Shan's got us in extended training for the next few weeks for the Wildcard Tournament so I won't be able to watch any of your battles live. Hope the boys aren't giving you too much grief. Just remember, they can be daft sometimes. Give them time, they'll be fine.
Chao Xin
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Dear Chao Xin,
I loved getting your letter. Most people nowadays send emails, so getting a real pen-and-paper letter was wonderful. Yes, the boys are behaving (mostly. Tsubasa was muttering about four thousand year old Chinese techniques earlier, but I think that was because he couldn't manage to get his blade in sync with Yuu's). Hope you get into the wildcard place.
Madoka
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Dear Madoka,
Wow, I wasn't really expecting a response, let alone that fast. Your handwriting's really good.
Of course we'll get that place. Just you wait and see. Then we'll come back for Gan Gan Galaxy and beat all of you! We're going to the top of the world!
Chao Xin.
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Dear Chao Xin,
This is actually really fun. It must be so strange for you when you're in the tournaments and you've got access to all the WBBA's computer equipment so that you can talk to us over the video links whenever you want. Letter-writing is becoming one of those lost arts of communication.
Talking of communication, I wish the boys would communicate properly. There's something wrong with Tsubasa, but he's not telling us anything. I wish he would; I'm getting worried about him.
Madoka
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Dear Madoka,
Tsubasa's a strong blader and he's very individual from what I know of him and his style. He'll probably be okay. I say probably because it's not like you to get worried, which means it's something serious.
Just keep an eye on him and make sure he's safe. Chances are he's just working through something. Something like that happened to Da Shan a few years ago, and it took about two months for him to get over it. But he did get over it, with everyone's support. Tsubasa's going to be fine.
Chao Xin.
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Dear Chao Xin,
Thanks for that. I guess I just worry too much about the boys. They can be so silly at times, but they're so strong that if something went wrong it could be catastrophic.
I've started to look forwards to getting your letters whenever they arrive. The WBBA are posting them all on for me.
Madoka.
P.S. Congratulations on making the Wildcard! We're going to be calling you this evening, but I'm writing this in the morning so I thought I'd write it anyway.
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Dear Madoka,
Thanks! Just Excalibur to go now, and then we'll face you.
It was good to see you again. I'm sorry about Tsubasa. Maybe my advice wasn't so good. I hope he'll be better before we have to battle again.
Chao Xin.
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Dear Chao Xin,
No, it was good advice, but Tsubasa was just a bit too far gone. They're talking about removing him from the team, but I don't think they will because Yuu's threatened to quit if Tsubasa's removed, and then we wouldn't be a valid team.
I'm scared, Chao Xin. What if Tsubasa's been really ill all this time and we just haven't noticed?
Madoka
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Dear Madoka,
Stay strong. Tsubasa will recover, I promise. I saw what happened to him against Chi-Yun, and we've watched the battle against Demure and Masked Bull (Benkei? Someone said that was his real name) so I know how scary this must be for you. But Tsubasa is a blader and he's tough. He'll pull through. Just believe in him. I don't know exactly what's going on, but I'll be here whenever you need someone to write to. I'll do whatever I can to help.
Chao
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Dear Chao Xin,
You always give the best advice. Thanks for being there. I know it hasn't been the easiest of times for your team either, what with Excalibur and all.
Gingka's determined to beat them, not just so that we can get to the Finals, but so that he can avenge you. He was quite upset that he wasn't going to be facing Da Shan again, and Masamune was all fired up to face Chi-Yun.
I hope I'll get to see you at the Finals when we get there. I know it's a very long way for your team to come, though, so I won't blame you if you want to stay and train instead. But I can't write everything I want to in a letter and your advice is so much better in person.
Madoka
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Dear Madoka,
Wow, this has been a bit crazy. It's been ages since I wrote to you.
First, congrats again on Gan Gan Galaxy's win against Starbreaker!
It was wonderful to see you again at the celebration - and to fight alongside you against Hades City and its bladers. Sorry that we had to go back to our Temple so quickly, but Da Shan wanted us to start training for the next World Championships as soon as possible. I was going to come and say goodbye, but you were stuck on the City.
Hope you're getting enough rest in between fixing Pegasus! China's four-thousand-year-old network said that it was really badly damaged in the final battle, and you're the only person Gingka would trust with his blade. You're the only person I would trust with repairing my blade, except our training masters!
Anyway, I'm rambling. Stay safe,
Chao
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Dear Madoka,
You know, it's odd. I woke up this morning and thought "I wonder what Madoka's doing right now?" I then spent about ten minutes working out the time difference between here and Japan, only to decide that you were probably asleep.
It was strange. I think I miss you - and your ability to yell louder than Da Shan.
Yours, very puzzled,
Chao
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Dear Chao Xin,
Actually, I wasn't in Japan on the date that was on the postmark. Gan Gan Galaxy were still in America to say goodbye to Masamune and his friends, so I was probably sitting out in the parks with Toby and Zeo, watching Masamune and Gingka battling (Gingka borrowed a spare blade from the Dungeon Gym). They really had a good go at it – there was hardly anything left of the stadium when they were done. Then Yuu and Tsubasa got jealous and teamed up on them, and before I knew what was going on there was a tag-team battle royal in the middle of the park, Masamune-Gingka, Tsubasa-Yuu and Zeo-Toby. The Tsubasa-Yuu team won, but Masamune claims that's because he and Gingka had been battling before then and hadn't relaunched, and Gingka said it was only because he didn't have Pegasus.
Sorry, I didn't mean to bore you. It would be nice to come and visit you again. Perhaps you could ask Da Shan if he'd like to have some kind of training meet-up. I'm sure Gingka would jump at the chance as soon as I've finished with Pegasus.
Madoka
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Heya,
Sorry I haven't written for so long. Da Shan's new training regime is crazy. It was nice to see you again when you came to ask about the Legendary Bladers. I still can't believe those Beylin Fist bladers got the Star Fragment over Beylin Temple, though.
Hope you're safe. All this Nemesis stuff is starting to get me worried, and it's not like you have a blade to defend yourself. Be careful, okay?
CX
P.S. You could never bore me.
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Dear Chao,
Don't worry about it. I guess writing letters kind of takes a back seat during a global crisis.
I'll be fine; I know it looks like I'm following the danger, but I'm in the safest possible place – with the Legendary Bladers. If anyone can stop Nemesis, it's them.
You stay safe too. The evil-doers have the Beylin Fist bladers on their side, though Gingka's doing his best to persuade them otherwise, and if they decide to come and attack the Temple they wouldn't have any problems with it, not with Aguma's Star Fragment.
I hope I'll see you soon.
Madoka
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Hey Madoka,
Can you help me with something? I'm trying to write a story and I can't work out how it ends. I'd like your input.
CX
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Dear Chao,
Sure, I can help. What's the story about? I'm not saying I'll be any good at making suggestions, but I might be able to think of something.
Madoka
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Madoka,
Okay, the story goes something like this:
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who had four brothers. She loved them a lot even though they were sometimes really silly and annoyed her. Sometimes she had to threaten to take away their weapons so they wouldn't fight each other instead of the other kingdoms around. They were trying to beat all of them so that they could be called the strongest kingdom in the land.
In one of the other kingdoms there lived a handsome prince. He was very popular with the ladies of his country, but he didn't love any of them. Instead, he was in love with the princess, ever since he'd seen her when she and her brothers came on a diplomatic visit to his country. He'd met her many times since then, and they'd even talked a few times. He thought she was kind to her people, funny, sweet and very beautiful. He also thought she was incredibly strong and just a little bit scary when she was cross.
However, he and his family had lost their fights against the princess's brothers even though they tried with all their might. So he didn't think he was worthy of the princess, and didn't really know how to tell her that he liked her and wanted her hand in marriage – or even how to ask her if she liked him in return. After all, her brothers would defend her from any suitors whom they didn't think were suitable, and a defeated enemy – even one who was now allied to their kingdom – wasn't at the top of their list, especially as a big enemy was coming their way and marriage wasn't really on their minds.
Anyway, what I want to know is how the prince should approach the princess. Should he go out and slay a dragon for her and bring her its head to prove his strength? Should he write her a letter telling her how much he loves her? Should he bring her treasures from his family as a gift? Should he battle one-on-one with each of her brothers to win her hand? I figured you'd know what a princess would like best.
Thanks!
Chao Xin
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Madoka,
Are you alright? I haven't heard from you in ages. I hope you didn't get hurt by all the stuff that happened with Nemesis. I'm worried about you.
Write soon,
CX
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Chao,
Sorry for the delay. I was just thinking about how your story should end.
I think that the prince should wait until he actually sees the princess and then ask her straight out. Dragons are very rare, and he might get seriously injured fighting one. That would make the princess very sad if she truly loves him back. Same for one-on-one combat. Letters are very romantic, but sometimes what's written can be misunderstood. He should go and find her, and if her brothers protest, then she'll probably tell them off if she wants him. You following me?
Madoka.
P.S. Terribly flattering as it is, I think a marriage proposal might just freak Gingka and Tsubasa out a bit too much. Maybe just ask if I'll go out with you. I might even say yes.
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Dearest Madoka,
Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.
I love you.
Chao Xin.
P.S. You always see right through me.
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Dear Chao,
Your letter arrived before you did, so I'm writing this whilst listening to the sound of the princess's brothers and their allies being surprised at the prince and his family arriving. So by the time you get this, you'll know what my answer was.
Love,
(Princess) Madoka