So third chapter. I still don't own Beyblade, just Kaia. Enjoy!
This sucks.
That Mai-Mai girl was leading us up a mountain trail to Wang Hu Zhong's secret training center. Well it wasn't really a trail, more like a dirt path carved into the side of a cliff.
"So Kaia Mazuhara?" Mai-Mai glanced sideways at me, "as in Bunta Mazuhara the retired beyblade crafter?"
"Yep, that's my grandfather." I nodded, "He even let me design my Vulpus."
"Man, how far is this place?" Masamune wined. I'm glad someone said something.
"Not much farther," Mai-Mai assured us, "it's right over there, see?"
We looked where she was pointing; sitting a top a mountain perch was a golden looking temple, a steep winding path led up to a jade colored gate. I noticed three things, (1) we were above the clouds, (2) it was very, very far and (3) how did we miss that?
"Um do you have a depth perception problem or something?" I blurted, Tsubasa who was closest to me gave a sharp jab to my shoulder. In return I stuck out my tongue and crossed my eyes at the taller boy.
"Someone built a practice area in a place like that?" Modoka exclaimed.
"So, every time you practice you come all the way into the mountains?" Masamune asked disbelievingly.
"How do you have any energy to train after this climb?" Yu wondered.
"The climb is part of our training too," Mai-Mai answered, "so let's pick up the pace, okay!"
We all groaned together as our guide started up the twice as steep path with Gangan Galaxy on her heels.
That girl is way too perky after that climb. We're all dying here; at least have the decency to pant or something.
The pass inclined and declined, zigzagging all the whole way. On either side was a sharp drop off, mist swirled below us. We couldn't see the ground but we all knew it was there. I idly wondered how many seconds it would take before splat, and if anyone could survive.
Probably not, I decided, a person can die from a fall of twenty feet. If someone dropped from this height best case, is sudden death. Worst case, a broken neck and a slow and painful demise.
I shuddered and moved closer to the middle of the… well I guess you could call it a bridge now. This keeps getting better and better. And we have to go down to get back to the hotel. Great.
We finely made it to the gate of whatever this place is called. Well almost. We made it to the stairs leading up to the gate.
Really? That whole trek and we have to go up like four hundred stone steps!? What idiot designed this!?
The doors opened revealing an enormous courtyard where hundreds of students were punching the air in sync, chanting,
"HA, HA, HA-HA!"
They were dressed in identical sleeveless gray karate uniforms. Some worked with weights,
"HA, HA, HA-HA!"
Others balanced on a tightrope, high above the crowed. I tried to contain my laughter when one of them randomly fell.
"HA, HA, HA-HA!"
"What do you think you're doing?" a supervisor yelled in a drill sergeant style, "if you lose your sense of balance you won't be able to launch properly!"
The poor student stammered an apology.
"That's harsh!" Gingka, Masamune, Yu and me sympathized together.
"HA, HA, HA-HA!"
That is getting really annoying.
"HA, HA, HA-HA!"
"What is this place?" Modoka asked, looking around in awe.
"It's our practice area," Mai-Mai explained, "It's called, Beylin Temple." She said proudly.
"What?"
"It's a temple you say?"
"Beylin Temple has been around for over four thousand years now," a new voice answered, "China's best bladers train here."
The source of the voice was a short brown-eyed boy. He was dressed in a purple kimono with red and yellow trim and matching hat. He wore his blue hair in a long braid down his back and a string of jade around his neck.
"Chi-yun!" Gingka cried out.
He's so adorable! What with that serious look on his face and he's even shorter then me! How cute is that!
"Welcome Gingka." He greeted dryly.
What is it with these people and Gingka? He's not the only one on this team!
"Here at Baylin Temple," Chi-yun continued completely ignoring any one who's name wasn't Gingka, "talented bladers from around the country gather to practice and hone their skills. After completing the rigorous training they are then acknowledged as the top bladers in all of China."
"Wang Hu Zhong is a team consisting of four elite bladers who have proven that their skills are the very best in the country." Mai-Mai half explained, half bragged.
"Wow," Modoka said, "That's impressive."
"So then the special training here is the secret of Wang Hu Zhong's strength." Tsubasa spoke up.
"When you said we might lose our confidence you weren't kidding. Were you?" Modoka mumbled.
"Now then," Mai-Mai said sounding a little too pleased, "follow me. There's someone I want you all to meet."
"And who would that be?" Gingka asked. They didn't answer, they just walked off. And we could either stay here or follow them farther into the belly of the beast.
We came to a giant bey stadium surrounded by Beylin students at the ready. Standing in the center was a tall muscular young man; his clothes were sleeveless and white with gold trim.
"What's happening here?" Gingka asked a little nervously.
Before either Wang Hu Zhong member bothered too answer all the beys went flying at once. The mysterious guy in the middle jumped high in the air, effortlessly dodging what had to be at least fifty opponents. Still in mid air he launched his bey, taking out whoever was left with ease.
That was…semi impressive.
He landed in a crouch in front of our little group, straightened up he gave us outsiders a cold glare as defeated beys rained down around him like.
"That was awesome!" Yu shouted.
"All those beys with just one attack." Tsubasa said, even him sounding slightly impressed.
"What's this?" the blader, whose name I still do not know asked, "who are these people?" His tone of voice was confident, harsh, and…cocky? Hmmm. I'll have to look into that.
"Who are you calling people?" Masamune demanded. I resisted the almost overwhelming urge to face palm.
"Let me introduce them," Mai-Mai stepped forward, "these are Japan's representatives. Team Gangan Galaxy in the flesh."
The guy's cold glare morphed into brief surprise, then settled on a warmish smile, "please forgive my rudeness," he said with a welcoming bow, "I am the leader of china's reprehensive. Our name is Team Wang Hu Zhong, I am Dashan Wang."
"You're China's team leader!" Gingka exclaimed.
"Dashan Wang." Masamune echoed.
"I think we've established who he is, what the team's name is and where we are." I mumbled under my breath. The only one who seemed to hear me was Yu, standing right in front of me. He tilted his head up, giving me a questioning look. I made a face and winked at the younger blader.
"Welcome all, to our Beylin Temple." Dashan said proudly. I groaned inwardly, Yu laughed quietly and poked me in the ribs.
But evidently everyone feels the need to keep repeating themselves. Over, and over, and over.
Everyone moved positions, the Chinese team on one side of the courtyard and us lined up on the other. I ended up between Tsubasa and Masamune.
"What?" Masamune asked, "You mean Chi-yun isn't the leader?"
"I never claimed to be the leader." Chi-yun protested.
"No I guess you didn't," Modoka admitted, "we just assumed."
"Team Wang Hu Zhong, huh?" Gingka smirked. Yes they are Wang Hu Zhong, we are Gangan Galaxy. I think we've covered that quite extensively. Moving on, please!
"Hold on," Yu frowned, looking at the three bladers lined up in front of us, "isn't Mai-Mai the team's sub member for the tournament?"
"Where's the fourth?" Tsubasa demanded.
"Never mind," Chi-yun waved off the mention of the fourth like it was a pesky fly, "we don't know where he is."
"He's not here right now," Mai-Mai rushed to clarified, "you'll meet him sooner or later."
Well that was…suspicious. Memo to self: look into this 'fourth member'.
"More importantly," Dashan smoothly changed the subject, "you're Gingka is that right?"
Really? We're here to. Last time I checked Gingka wasn't the only strong blader on the team. If someone addresses Gingka and ignores the rest of us one more time…I'm going to lose it!
"Wait a minute!" Gingka started, "you know who I am?"
"Oh, of course I do," Dashan said in a syrupy voice, "ever since you won Battle Bladers you've become really famous in China too."
"Yah," Gingka smiled, I could almost see this information go to his head, "that's so cool!" I rolled my eyes.
"There must be bladers all over the world who'd like to have a battle with you." Dashan continued. In my perifule vision I could see Tsubasa, Masamune, and Yu look as annoyed as I felt at the attention Gingka was getting here.
"Give me a brake!" I groaned, "or at least put me out of my misery."
"Seconded." Masamune mumbled.
"Here, here." Tsubasa crossed his arms.
"Aww," Gingka blushed rubbing the back of his head, basking in the praise, "go on now."
"However you won't have the chance to face them." Dashan finished smugly.
"Come again?" I crossed my arms.
"The fact is," he continued, "the one's to win the first round and battle the rest of the world will be us, Wang Hu Zhong!"
"What did you say!" Masamune demanded.
"You've all seen our various training techniques," Dashan ignored any outbursts from us, "you must be impressed with them."
"Amused, yes. Impressed…" I pretended to give it some thought, "nope."
He went on like I hadn't spoken, "After seeing that do you really think you can win against us?"
"Of course, no problem!" Gingka assured.
"Why wouldn't we?"
"You're not the only one's who've been putting in long hours." Gingka continued, "all bladers work hard to grow a little bit stronger every day. That's what we do!"
"A good work ethic will never let you down," Masamune picked up, "if you think you're going to walk all over us, you've got another thing coming pal!"
"You've got passion, I'll give you that," Dashan said, still with that smug air about him, "well then Gingka, why don't you join me in my training. You can show me the results of these long hours you spoke of."
I felt the blood rush to my face like it always did when I got mad, I just lost it.
"He's not the only one on the team you know!" I yelled, "I could do your training easy!"
"Kaia!" Modoka exclaimed.
"Bring it on!" Gingka accepted, "let's do this!"
"Gingka!" Modaka turned to him.
"Count me in too," Masamune jumped in, "I'll do it too!"
"Masamune, calm down!" Madoka begged. It didn't do much good though.
Dashan smirked and I got this bad feeling we just walked right into some kind of trap. They gave Gingka a uniform, "Hey!" Masamune wined, "why don't I get a uniform?"
"Could be worse," Yu chuckled, "could've been a kilt." I laughed at the picture that formed in my head. And handed my hat to Yu for safe keeping.
"No pandas and no uniforms!" In the end the both of us got one of their grey outfits, but I think it was just to shut us up.
The first thing Dashan did was take out a long bamboo pole with a weight on the end, "a powerful launch requires good arm strength, "he said spinning it around with practiced ease, "this training exercises is used to gain that arm strength. Being able to completely control this weighted staff makes one a true blader!" He finished with the weighted end pointing in our faces.
But instead of the desired effect we Gangan Galaxy weren't phased, "that looks like a lot of fun!" Gingka laughed.
"Ha," Masamune agreed, "this will be a piece of cake!" all of us ran to the other staffs propped up on a wall. We greedily grabbed a staff. It was a little blurry what happened after that, but the next thing I knew I smashed into something hard and somehow got pinned between Masamune and Gingka.
He-he. Awkward.
After we got untangled, Dashan led us to a big lake with floating logs all facing the same way, and several targets were mounted on one side, "a steady launch requires a keen since of balance. So being able to launch accurately while crossing these floating logs makes one a true blader," Dashan took a giant leap, jumping from log to log effortlessly. When he was close enough he launched his bey, reducing the targets to splinters.
Gingka said, "we should be able to do this one no problem!"
"Race ya!" I hollered starting forward.
"Easy as pie!" Masamune said as the two ran to catch up. Side, by side, by side we maneuvered across the logs then simultaneously launching out beys, hit the targets head on. We cheered and I fist pumped in victory. Unfortunately we shook the log a bit too much and ended up in the drink. Whoops.
"Actually," Dashan sounded surprised, "hitting the target on your very first try is…pretty impressive. Well done Gingka."
"That's true." He grinned.
I could feel my face turn red, "What?"
"Hey buddy," Masamune fumed, "we hit it too you know!"
He either didn't hear us or didn't care. After the three of us dried off, we ended up in a shadowy candle lit hallway with big wooden men lining the walls. It was straight out of an Indiana Jones movie.
"If you can not launch accurately from any position you will never know the feeling of victory." As Dashan moved forward the dummies reacted. Throwing punches and jabs, he easily dodged and launched his bey. It hit the target and the dummies reset, "being able to launch accurately while dodging the wooden dummies attacks makes one,"
A true blader. We get it.
"A true blader!"
"If it's just dodging," Gingka said sounding unsure, "I can do that."
"No sweat." Masamune gulped. The two raced ahead, I held back just to see what would happen. Epic fail. They barely made it three feet before they got socked in the faces. I darted in sidestepping the unconscious boys and making it close enough too lunch, I whipped out my launcher, loaded Vulpus, and...One of the dummies sucker punched me in the gut. I ended up moaning on the floor.
Through the pain I heard Madoka's voice, "are you guys confused?"
After that it was kind of a blur of balancing in a bamboo forest holding full buckets of water, back bending with a heavy weight on my stomach, and standing in a waterfall with my arms out. Finely we were back in the courtyard out of breath and energy.
"That wasn't so tough." I panted lying down next to Masamune.
"No problem," Gingka gasped, "I can keep going."
"Hey." Modoka started sounding concerned, "are you three alright?"
Yu put his hands on his hips, "what were you guys thinking taking this so seriously?" he scolded placing my hat on my face so my eyes were covered.
"We weren't thinking," I replied, "that's the thing." I didn't bother to move it so I just listened to the others talk.
"They've been training here along time, of course their better at those test's." I could almost hear Tsubasa shake his head as he said this.
"You're right," Gingka admitted, "they have the advantage. But we still should have done much better."
"Absolutely right." Masamune agreed.
"I was surprised," I groaned at Dashan's syrupy voice, "that you were able to do as well as you did. You are definitely worthy to be the battle bladers champion Gingka."
"Aww, what a nice thing to say."
"I'm still here you know!" Masamune fumed, "hello?"
"And the fact that I did just as good, if not way better is of no relevance?"
"No really," he continued, "being able to do that much on your first try is truly impressive, Gingka."
"Guess not then," I snorted.
"What!" Masamune yelled, "am I invisible or did you lose your glasses?"
"I know you must be tired," that jerk face ignored us, "but how' bout hanging out with me a little longer Gingka?"
"Huh?" he started confused, "okay. But, to do what exactly?"
"To do battle with me." At that I sat up, putting my hat on backwards where it should be, "I heard you were exempt from the qualifying compition, so you didn't battle at all. I think it would be a good opportunity for you to get back into the spirit of competition,"
Gingka jumped to his feet, the previous soreness forgotten, "I've been waiting to hear those words! I'd love to battle, it's on Dashan!"
"Okay," Dashan smirked, "it's decided then. I'm honored to get this chance to battle the battle Bladers champion."
"The pleasures all mine." Gingka accepted.
Because we all know that worked out so well last time.
We changed back into our own clothes and ended up in front of a bey stadium.
Dashan smirked. "Are you ready to begin, Gingka?"
"Yah," he said eagerly, "I was born ready!"
"I want to battle too!" Masamune wined. "This is so messed up," I agreed.
Dashan produced a bey and launcher, "this is my bey, Rock Zurafa. Even though this is a practice match I'm not going to hold back!"
"Sounds good to me!" Gingka grinned, "I'm going to give it all I got too!"
"3…2…1…Go!"
"The two bey's race off around the arena. Pegasus delivered a series of quick, strong attacks, pushing Zurafa to the edge of the stadium!"
"What are you doing?"
I grinned sheepishly, "narrating."
"Rock Zurafa, strong arm slash!"
"Zurafa fights back with a weak special move, but Pegasus won't go down that easy!"
Tasubasa glanced at me sideways, "aren't DJs supposed to be impartial?"
"Yep." I grinned. But something felt off. The others were talking, but I didn't pay any attention.
"Go, Go. Special move," the whole yard lit up, "Star Booster Attack!"
"Rock Zurafa, stomp surge!"
"GO!" Masamune launched Striker into the battle, "Go now Striker!" Striker intercepted the clash between to two team leaders, resulting in an explosion. The shock wave almost knocked me off my feet. When the light and sound faded away the three beys were still spinning.
"What do you think you're doing, Masamune?" Gingka yelled.
"Chill out." He returned calmly, "Don't get your undies all bunched up. I just wanted to battle too, is all."
"But that's nuts!"
"You don't mind," he continued looking past Gingka, "do you Dashan?"
Dashan caught his bey, "Hmm, interesting. You really are an interesting bunch. I'm so looking forward to the first round." He drawled, turning his back and walked away.
"Dashan?" Gingka tilted his head.
That was weird. "I guess we'll just show ourselves out then." I quipped hesitantly.
"Did you completely lose you mind!?" Masamune yelled at Gingka as we made our way down the long trek to the hotel.
"What are you talking about?" he returned.
"You were about to show the enemy your best move before the competition," Masamune explained, "First I thought it was weird they were only complementing you. It was rude and goofy. But after sucking up too you, he got you to agree to a battle so he could see your special move, know what I mean?"
"I get it!" Modoka exclaimed, "thanks to Masamune the Chinese team still doesn't know about the destructive power of the Star Booster Attack!"
"You're right," Gingka admitted.
"That is sneaky, underhanded, and knifing," I said disapproving, "sounds like something my sister would do."
"So we went to do some snooping on the enemy," Tsubasa started thoughtfully, "but we were the one's who's secretes were almost spilled."
"I nearly blew it," Gingka shook his head, "I got too excited because I haven't battled for so long."
"Well I just hoped you learned your lesson." Masamune teased.
"Good job figuring out what was going on, Masamune." Yu commended him.
"Oh well when you're going to be the new number one guy you gotta keep your eyes open." I rolled my eyes wanting so bad to correct him, but I let it slide. Just this once.
"But at least now we know something about Zurafa's abilities." Madoka pointed out.
"A bey that can absorb repeated attacks, Huh?" Tsubasa mused, "He's a strong one."
"It's no big deal," Gingka started confidently, "the stronger the opponent is, the more pumped up we get! Right? Why can't it start sooner! Bring it on, cause we are going to hit you with everything we got!" he shouted at the temple.
That was a good speech, I feel so pumped up! There's just one thing that's worrying me, "Does anyone remember how to get down?"
And that's it for this chapter, I hope you all liked it! A quick question for you all, who would win in a fight between Yu and Kaia? Or how about Gingka and Kaia, or anyone and her. Think about it.
Until next time,
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