Next chapter, here we go! I'm so excited! This is the most words in a chapter I've ever done!

disclaimer: I'm not even going to bother.

On with the chapter!

When I woke up in the morning my whole body was stiff thanks to Wang Hu Zhong's 'special' training. I'll thank them later. After painfully changing out of my pj's, I all but sleepwalked into the main room of our suite. I nodded to Tsubasa and stood by Yu, who was already up and sitting in the living room area.

"Morning Kai-Kai!" he chirped. His enthusiasm was infectious and I found my mood improving despite what I'm sure what was an early hour.

I lazily stretched my arms over my head, smiling to myself at the nickname, "Good morning kido, how'd you sleep?"

"Great! What are we going to do today?"

I shrugged, bending over to touch my toes, "Beats me. Just as long as we don't end up doing something stupid, like I don't know, volunteer to undergo torturous training at the hands of our competition or something, I don't care."

"You guys did walk into a trap." He agreed.

I moved into an almost split leaning to one foot then the other. I'd learned from experience that slow stretching is the best way to get rid of soreness the morning after a workout, "Anger is a feeling that makes your mouth work faster then your mind." I quoted a favorite saying of my grandfather's. He gave me an odd look.

"Oh, hey buddy." Gingka yawned walking over.

"Oh, good morning Gingkie!" Yu greeted swinging his feet back and forth, "Hey what're we going to do today? Where are we going to go?"

"That's a good question." He said waking up.

"We didn't come here for sightseeing you know." Tsubasa admonished, as he joined us at the couches, "We're here to fight in the world championships, remember?"

Masamune bounded up behind him, "Hey guys! Okay, so where we gonna go today? What're we doing? I'm so excited!"

"You too huh?" Tsubasa asked drily.

"You guys!" Modoka rushed in out of breath, "It's here! It's here! It's here! It's here!"

She placed her laptop on the coffee table, "Look. An e-mail from the WBBA headquarters." We all huddled around the computer.

A video of Gingka's dad popped up, "Good morning everyone," he boomed, "It is I, yes, the one, the only, known as immortal Phe-"

"Right. Okay thanks." He was cut off by Hikaru. She glanced at her clipboard, "Listen up people, I need to explain the rules of the beyblade world championships, which starts soon."

Gingka looked up from the screen, "Come to think about it we still don't know what the rules are."

"Who care's?" Masamune dismissed, "We just have to win. Take them all down!"

"The battle will consist of three, one on one matches," Hikaru continued, "Advance guard, second in command, and commander. Who competes and the order they do it in is up to each team. The first team to win two matches wins the battle."

"Best out of three series." Tsubasa mused.

"Easy. Like I said we just have to win them all." Masamune said confidently.

"Just to clarify," I leaned forward, "A sub member can battle even if a regular member is available?"

"That's right," Hikaru nodded, "Though regular members get first dibs." Me and Yu high-fived.

The director interrupted, "In the world championships if you lose you are out. Period. Over, done." He pushed poor Hikaru off screen, "Wang Hu Zhong is strong, but I'm counting on you not to be defeated on the first round got it?"

"No pressure or anything." I mumbled.

"I'm not going to lose." Gingka stated firmly.

"Me neither," Masamune agreed, "Until I become number one; I win, win, and keep on winning!"

The director stuck his head in the camera, "Now get out there and kick some blade!" he moved back pointing to us, "That is all."

Hikaru walked back in frame, "um, yah." And the feed ended.

It was quiet for a moment, and then Modoka broke the uncomfortable silence, "obviously Gingka's dad isn't cut out for a normal, everyday management job." She shook her head, "Not at all."

"I think you're right there." Gingka agreed.

A lot of words come to mind right now. A lot of words. But I'm sure those words would get me punched in the arm. So I'm just going to go with, "Like father, like son." I patted Gingka's shoulder comfortingly, suppressing giggles.

Tsubasa cleared his thought, "Moving on here. We have to think of a strategy for the upcoming battle."

Masamune jumped up, "Easy. Like I said, we just have to win! Win big time! And I'll be the commander."

"You can't decide that yourself," Tsubasa reminded sharply, "We have to factor in the opponents moves for one thing."

"Tsubasa's right," Madoka seconded, "We have absolutely no idea what order Wang Hu Zhong will appear."

"Probably their leader Dashan will be their commander I bet, that's what I'm guessing." Masamune reasoned.

"Look, you can't assume anything." Tsubasa rubbed his temple, wishing he was anywhere else.

"Now that you mention it," Yu spoke up, "Who's our leader anyway?"

We all looked at each other, as strange as it sounds that topic hadn't come up yet.

"Okay," Masamune started, "I'll do it."

I snorted, "You'll do what now?"

"I'm not sure about that." Yu muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What're you saying, substitutes." Masamune shot back.

"I'm not the substitute!" Yu yelled, "I'm the super great, number one sub, that's what I am."

"In other words you're a super great sub among subs." Masamune replied cheerfully.

"And I could think of a hundred reasons why you shouldn't be leader." I glared, "Starting with the fact that I haven't gone up against any of you, and I'd win."

"I'm out of here." Yu started to stomp off.

"Hold up Yu," Gingka held him back, "let's just get back to figuring out our battle order. Okay?"

"Right," Masamune agreed, "and making me the commander."

"Whatever." Yu said dismissively, "no problem. But if the first two lose, then the competition is over and you won't get a chance to battle at all."

"What?!" Masamune exclaimed, "You mean it could be over before I even get to battle once?"

"That's right," I winked at Yu, taking over, "imagine, being a regular member, coming all the way to China and not getting a chance to battle in this historic opening event."

Yu grinned, "then you'd be absolutely no different then a substitute." We bumped fists.

The effect was instantaneous, "You guys can not lose!" He pointed at Gingka, "Okay," then Tsubasa, "okay!"

"Masamune," Gingka started, "if we both win then you still don't get a chance to battle."

"HUH? Well then one of you has to win, one of you has to lose." He decided.

"Get over yourself buddy," Gingka shot back, "if you want to make sure you get to battle then be the advance guard."

"I'm the number one blader," Masamune yelled, "I should be battling the commander!"

I leaned toward Modoka, not taking my eyes off the seen. "It feels like we're drowning in testosterone." She rolled her eyes and whispered back, "Tell me about it."

"Do you think that Dashan could actually be the advance guard?" Modoka cut off the boys, standing up.

"Winning the first match stops the opponent in their tracks," Gingka started, "going with the strongest first could be their strategy."

"Or maybe they just want us to think that it is." Tsubasa said.

Masamune held his head like all this thinking hurt his brain, "If we think that much about it we're never going to decided anything!" he pointed at Tsubasa, "The advance guard will be Tsubasa, you have to win!" he turned and faced Gingka, "The second in command will be Gingka, you lose. And then as commander I'll finish it!"

"Is that even a real strategy?" Gingka demanded.

"Hey," Yu spoke up, "I got an idea. I'll compete!"

Masamune turned sharply. "The subs don't compete!"

Yu looked like he was going to blow his top, "I'm so out of here." He started to stomp away.

"Right behind you." I got up to follow.

"Yu, Kaia wait a sec," Modoka put a restraining hand on our shoulders. Then faced the rest of Gangan galaxy, "Come on you guys chill out! This meeting is over."

What? Was it something we said?

"Everyone go and cool off!" she said firmly.

"But Modoka," Gingka started, "that's not.."

She looked at him menacingly, "did you hear me or what? This meeting is over! OVER FOR NOW!" she finished loudly. Gingka and Masamune scampered away in fright. I chuckled.

"Unbelievable." Madoka muttered. Yu, seeing the commotion was over, poked Madoka's arm to get her attention, "what now?" she snapped.

"The leader." he said impatiently.

"Huh? Are you talking about me? No, no, no, no, the supporter being the leader has never been done before."

"Neither has a Beyblade world championship." I reminded. "I'd vote for you."

"Anyway, I gotta go for a walk." She ran to the door. "Bye!"

"Where're you going?" Yu called after her.

"To Beylin temple. If we don't know whom the third blader is we won't be able to figure out our strategy, right? Kaia, you want to come?"

Hmmm. Climb up the side of a mountain to ask questions we're probably not going to get the answers too… "Not really."

"Okay, catch ya later!" The doors slid shut behind her. It's almost unnatural how perky that girl is. Except for that brief moment of anger back there. I shuttered.

"Well, I'll see you two later." I walked toward the door.

Tsubasa eyed me suspiciously, "And where are you going?"

"I don't know. Out," I waved him off, "I'll leave a message at the front desk if I need to be bailed out or something." I gave him a wink and a toothy grin. He rolled his eyes.

I wondered around aimlessly for a while. Watching the people go by, browsing at vender carts, and enjoying the local food. Who am I kidding; I was bored out of my mind. Then I saw it, a bey park. With a huge grin on my face I just about skipped to the entrance.

I was just about to say some cheesy greeting when a familiar voice reached my ears, "Alright my first win in China!" Masamune. I snuck up behind my cocky teammate.

"Ready for your first loss?" he turned surprised to see me standing behind him smirking.

Before he could answer someone launched a bey. It hit Striker full on and bumped it out if the arena.

"What do you think you're doing?" Masamune demanded the new player.

I studied this blader closely. He was dressed in high-end clothes and dark, probably designer, sunglasses. His brown hair fell in shaggy locks around his face, which was arranged in an arrogant smirk. Behind him stood squealing fan girls, out right fawning over this, this…pretentious poser. His, um following sang his praises as he ate it up greedily, admitting that he really was the number one blader. I snorted wondering how an ambush attack proved anything. He announced it was time to go and, with almost unnatural swagger, walked out the door.

I chewed my thumbnail in thought, "um, okay." That seemed it snap my teammate out of his daze.

"Not so fast buddy! You can't take off just like that!" Masamune yelled, "You have to battle me for real!"

"Aw don't sweat it dude," he replied, lazily, "my girls just wanted to see me flex my beyblading mussels." Wait a second, his girls? So that makes him sexist too. "So, you know, later." He turned and walked away.

"Hey wait a second here," Masamune grabbed my hand and pulled me along after him, "You can't just run away after sending my Striker flying." He dropped my hand, "We have to have a real battle!" I flexed my hand, after Masamune'd griped it so hard.

"Wow, you sure are annoying kids." He chuckled. "Hey, you have absolutely no idea who I am, do you?" he's fan started squealing.

"Chou Xin! Chou Xin!" More fans, both boys and girls, rushed towards him almost knocking me down, Masamune wasn't so lucky. They group around him, chanting his name. "Chou Xin! Chou Xin!"

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're Chou Xin." I rested a fist on my hip.

"So he's a Chinese singing idol or something?" Masamune guessed.

The, by now large, crowed stared like he was crazy, "no he's a member of team Wang Hu Zhong!" The third regular member!

"Huh? Wang Hu Zhong?" Masamune started to count on his figures, "let's see, um. So that means," he jumped to his feet, pointing at Chou Xin, "you're the Chinese team's third blader, right?"

Man he's lucky he's cute, I rolled my eyes. What? He is.

"I'm Japan's commander," Oh boy, "cause I'm the number one blader, Masamune Kodoya. Let's battle Chou Xin!"

"No thanks man," he laughed, "okay looks like it's time to leave these two little bladers alone and go get something cool to drink." His group squealed in agreement and they walked off.

"Hey where're you going!"

Chou Xin walked up to a refreshment stand and offered to pay for drinks. "Hey bud, don't sweat it. It's just that winning against you would have no meaning, you know what I mean?"

"What did you say!" Masamune yelled, "I would be the winner. Me, me, me!" he ran toward them, only to have Chou Xin pour his drink on his head. I found myself giggling at my over zealous teammate's dumbfounded expression. I should step in, but I'm still kinda ticked off about his sub dissing. And besides I want to see how this plays out.

"You can't do that to me!"

"Doesn't your team have anyone on it that's a bit more chill then you?" Chou Xin asked with a bored look. His eyes flickered to me, "How about you? Haven't I seen you someplace before?" he flashed me a dazzling smile. He's cute, like really cute. But I know his type, and besides I don't date.

I gave him an equally flashy grin, "yah, that's why I don't go there anymore."

"Sorry to break it to you," Masamune said after thinking about his question, "but there's a guy who hates losing, a real downer, a bratty little kid, and a sarcastic sub." Pictures of Gingka, Tsubasa, Yu, and…me flashed through my head. Hey wait a minute!

Chou Xin groaned, "You have to be kidding me. Then maybe I should just sit this one out, and hangout with my friends here. Do you want to join us?" he asked me with a wink. I chuckled to myself; he can't take the rejection, especially from a girl. If I had to guess I'd say mommy issues. See how he surrounds himself with females, something along the lines of abandonment issues, or not seeing eye to eye. What? I like Lie to me, Bones, Castle…

His fan girls looked shocked at his not battling, and jealous because I'd gotten a wink. "If the opponents are lame it'd just be boring, you know?" Is this guy for real?

"Are you serious?" Masamune's face had started to turn a shade of scarlet. "Just what do you think the world championships are?"

Chou Xin looked confused, "what are talking about?"

"Answer me! What is beyblade to you?"

"Um, well buddy I've never thought about it before. But the outfits are cool, and the chicks dig me."

"What are you saying?" Masamune clenched his fists, "Is that what it's all about for you?"

"Why are you taking this so seriously? It's so uncool, and I'm sure your friend agrees with me."

Everyone turned to me, but I was too fumed to care, "No I don't! You're a member of China's beyblading team for the world championships! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Masamune picked up from there, "Beyblading is the clashing of two spirits. It's a true battle."

"I'm not really following," Chou Xin rubbed his temple, "it's making my head hurt." His fans looked concerned. I face-palmed.

Masamune was seething, "come on."

"Chou Xin!" a new voice called. We turned to see Dashan, who had probably been watching the whole argument unfold, "whether or not you participate is decided by the leader, me." He rebuked, "I don't care if you're bored, or your head hurts, you're going to battle with one of them now. Or are you afraid of looking uncool if you lose?"

I glanced at Masamune and held up my hands for rock, paper, scissors.

"As if." Chou Xin replied, "I'm not afraid of anything."

Once, twice, shoot!

He won.

And then rubbed it in my face with a short victory dance.

Dashan continued to vex Chou Xin, "then get in there and battle! If you don't it looks like you're running away from an opponent."

"I'm not running anywhere!"

"So what will you do, Chou Xin?"

"Okay fine," he gave in, "but if I win then you really have to, like, let me sit out the championships."

"So does this mean you've agreed to battle me?" Masamune demanded.

"I don't have much of a choice, do I? But this stadium is much too lame for me. The most awesome stage for me is there." He pointed to the Great Wall of China.

Sure, why not?

We chose a secluded section of the wall. In one corner stood Chou Xin, flanked by cheering fan girls. The pitch at which they shrieked made me feel like someone was taking a power drill to my eardrums. I hoped this would be a quick battle so I could find an ice pack for the throbbing.

And on this side was our very own, Masamune. Accompanied only by yours truly. It was a sad comparison really.

"I won't let you waste anymore time," Masamune proclaimed readying Striker, "let's go Chou Xin!"

The Chinese blader held up his own bey, "whoa, just chill out dude! My Virgo is gonna send your bey for a ride buddy!" His flock squealed in unison. I idly wondered if any of them had a life outside of following their hero around with a vain hope of getting his attention.

I looked from Masamune's determined face to Chou Xin's relaxed form. Somehow, I don't think this is what Modoka meant when she told us to 'cool off'.

They launched. Striker attacked somewhat recklessly, Virgo moved effortlessly out of the way. Next thing I knew the two took off running on the low railing the Modoka told me not to stand on yesterday. The squealing flock seemed unwilling to peruse, probably fearing a broken nail. I, however, gave chase.

I'd been watching Chou Xin and Virgo's movements the whole time. They were fluid, changing, only moving as much as he had to. He reminded me of a river moving around a rock in its path. If Striker hasn't landed a hit by now, it has a disadvantage as it loses stamina.

And yet Masamune continued to use the same ineffective stragity.

Finely the two beys made contact. But, I far as I could see, Virgo hadn't taken any damage. It happened again, and again. I went through my mental beyblade database factoring in numerous variables, trying to remember what could give a stamina type such good defense.

I settled on either an ED145 or WD145 spin track, both have three free spinning 'wings' that fend off and redirect attacks. Striker is an attack type with a lot of power, unfortunily against this spin track that doesn't matter. Having the ability to fend off these hits, and better stamina, gives Virgo the upper hand.

Virgo tried a special move, but Striker, Striker can take a hit. Masamune, determined to defeat Chou Xin, pulled out his own special move.

"Lightning Sward Flash!"

To my delight, Masamune's advantage, and Chou Xin's shock, Virgo was hit head on. Again and again, the purple bey was pushed back.

Dashan, who'd been regarding the battle with a critical eye, questioned his egotistical teammate, "Why haven't you finished it yet?"

Chou Xin gave a start, "Dashan!" I looked up at his team leader, who'd chosen a lookout tower as a vantage point. Standing near him were Tsubasa and Yu, who'd apparently gone sightseeing again. I grinned and waved. Yu waved wildly back, Tsubasa raised a hand in greeting.

"If it goes on like this you will lose Chou Xin."

"I'm not going to choke and let that guy steal my thunder!"

It was a clash of special moves. Neither bey was giving an inch. It was anyone's game. A cloud of dust picked up making it hard to breath, and impossible to see. The wall started to break apart, as the after shock knocked me off my feet. I heard a rumble and Masamune call out as he fell. I snatched off my hat, using it to swat at the air and make the dust settle.

"Striker!"

"Virgo!"

The match was over. The only question being, who had stopped spinning?

It was Striker.

I looked at Chou Xin, then to Virgo who was just barely hanging on. It'd been close. Too close for his liking. The third man had been unnerved by the thought of almost losing. He shook himself, as if trying to rid his mind of such thoughts, and picked up his bey.

He glared down at Masamune, "don't go getting on my nerves, even though it's over." Then he looked up at Dashan, "I won okay. Are you all warm and happy now?"

"The tournament is the day after tomorrow. Start training hard."

"Say what?" he wined, "but we had a deal!"

"Chou Xin! You won today only because you got lucky, one fatal misstep and you and Virgo would've been the ones to fall."

Chou Xin scoffed, "are you telling me I would've lost?"

"In an official stadium things would've been very different for you today. That's something that you, after getting serious for just a minute, should know best of all!"

"Me? Serious?" His mood returned to the lighthearted ladies man I dislike so much, "sorry pal, but the word serious just isn't in my vocabulary." Dashan glared him down. If looks could kill… "Fine. I'll compete."

I slid down the slope of gravel to Masamune, "You okay?"

"I almost had him," he mumbled a bit dazed, "why couldn't I beat him."

"You were a bit…" I groped for a more gentle word then I wanted to use, "reckless. In my opinion." I added, slinging an arm around his shoulders, "let's go before someone calls the cops for destroying a national landmark." I led him away as Tsubasa and Yu approached us.

We've got a lot of explain to do.

Gingka and Modoka started to chough before we'd gotten with in three feet of them.

"What give's you guy's" Gingka asked. "Why're you covered in dust?"

"It's not dust, " I corrected. "It's the Great Wall of China." Madoka did a double take, as if she was sure we weren't senseless enough to do anything that might cause an international incident.

Ha, she should know better.

"Gingkie, Wang Hu Zhong's third member use's a Virgo!" Yu said excitedly.

"And he uses Ti Chi techniques," Tsubasa added.

"And he's a sexist, flashy, arrogant, smug, vain, stuck up, egotistical, condescending…"

Gingka held up a hand to stop my raving, "we get it."

Modoka narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "and how do you know this?"

"Because Masamune battled him and lost." Yu replied innocently.

Gingka's mouth dropped open in surprise, "Masamune, you lost!"

"It's no big deal!" he snapped, "I'm going to wipe the stadium floor with him next time! In the real battle, I'll teach that fashion plate a lesson! Just watch me!"

"Of coarse we don't know what order they'll be battling in." Tsubasa said.

I turned to him, "wow, you are a real downer." He glared. I made a face.

Modoka's laptop beeped saving us from further interrogation. It was the WBBA. The order of Wang Hu Zhong's appetence had just come in. Advance Guard: Chou Xin. Second in command: Chi Yun. Leader: Dashan.

"Plus there is a message from Chou Xin for Masamune, which is pretty strange. Hikaru?"

"Thank you." The blue haired assistant read off her clipboard, "Hey, annoying dude, don't run away. In a real battle I'll calmly, brilliantly, and awesomely, defeat you."

Masamune growled at the screen. I snorted, "don't forget humbly."

"I'll have to finish things quickly cause I have a date afterwards." Hikaru double-checked the last line, "eww, who is this guy?"

"I did a rant earlier. Do you want to hear it?"

"I'm good."

"Who's running away?" Masamune yelled. "And what's he thinking about a date for anyway? You guys, I'm going to be the Advance Guard. I'm going to fight Chou Xin, got it?"

Yu rolled his eyes, "fine what ever."

"No objection." Tsubasa said.

"And that solves that." I agreed.

"Um, if that's what you want, go for it." Gingka nodded.

"All right! You better get serious Chou Xin, very serious!"

"So," Modoka started, "what's this about The Great Wall of China?"

The four of us looked toward Masamune with nervous expressions. Knowing full well what Modoka's reaction was going to be, I made a break for the bathroom,

"I call first shower!"

And that was the forth chapter, I hoped you all liked it. I'm going to try and put a battling seen in the next chapter between Kaia and whoever you want. It just can't be Masamune because his on that training thing in that episode. Leave me a review to tell me if you want her to fight Gingka, Tsubasa, or Yu. Hay, you've read the whole chapter, and now you're even bothering to read this authors note. See you're still reading it! Why not leave a small review?

see you next time,
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