Chapter 19: Christmas in Eagle City! (Part 1)
December 22...
A plane is flying smoothly in the skies and nearing it's destination, Eagle City Airport. It soon touched ground and despite the snowfall, it's not heavy so the flight is pretty smooth.
Once it's clear for disembarkation, the passengers in the plane disembarked in an orderly manner including Kappei, Emma and Gumchi. (Due to his size, Gumchi does not need a passport and ticket so he snuck in without being seen)
"Here we are. It's been so long since we've been here." said Kappei.
"I know right? I wonder how everyone is doing?" Emma asked as they made their way to the arrival gate. After settling some checking and stuff, they exit the airport with their luggage as, "Okay Gumchi. Coast is clear."
"Citee! Citee!" Gumchi popped out of one of the luggage of Kappei and cheered at the sight. Snow has blanketed the city as they waited. "Ms Warren told me she'll be arriving in a few minutes to pick us up for a ride to your grampa's house." Emma told him.
And then, a car stopped before them and the window was lowered down, "Need a ride?"
"Ms Warren!" Emma cheered as she got out of her car to meet up with the teens.
"Nice to see you. It's been a while but I did see you before talk with the girls at the WNA Academy." Kappei greeted her.
"Indeed. You must be Kappei. You were a true ninja back then." Ms Warren greeted and winked at Emma regarding him. She ended having the tint of red on her face as, "Put your luggage at the back of my car and I'll drive you guys to your destination at your choice." Laura ordered as the teens paced their luggage at the back compartment and go inside her ride sitting behind her and on the front, "Hi! Hi!"
"Oh! I didn't see you before." A startled Laura noticed him.
"That's Gumchi and don't worry, he's harmless and full of fun." Kappei assured to her as the little gum guy sat on the front. Once ready, she drove off.
Eagle City...
"The whole city didn't change much. Still the same as usual." Kappei noticed.
"Well there's a bit of change in the city. The WNA HQ has begun constructing gateways connecting WNA Academies to their main HQ." Laura revealed to them.
"Cool! Say, now that you mentioned it, mind if you drive us to the academy first?" Emma asked.
"Sure! I bet you wanna meet some people that you know before right?" Laura replied as Gumchi is seen eating potato chips in the car.
WNA Academy...
"Never thought we'll be back here again just for a visit only." said Kappei as they just reached the building via monorail which is the only way in and out of the academy back then.
"I got something to do also. Feel free to look around and I'll text you when you're done." Laura told the teens as they entered the building.
Walking around, they recalled the many memories they had back then. "I hope we'll see our old classmates and friends again." said Emma.
"One day we will." Kappei replied as they looked out at the view. The battle arena is cleared off the snow and they see children all training together.
As they observed some more, someone appeared and noticed them. "What the...are you guys...""What the...are you guys..."
"It's been 3 years Bruce." Kappei greeted as he, Gumchi and Emma faced their former teacher who's still the same in appearance and behaviour as, "AHAHAHAHAHA! It's been too long hasn't it?!" Bruce ran and hugged the teens as they smiled.
It now cuts to them in the cafeteria as the lady who runs the place recognizes them. "You've travelled a long way did you? Here." She served them a cup of hot chocolate each as they drank it slowly.
"How are you now that you're teenagers?" Bruce asked.
"All good. We went to the ninja high school in California." Kappei replied.
"Oh that! It's been 7 years since I graduated from it!" Bruce recalled.
"Right. We met your older brother." Emma revealed and he was perplexed at first but soon laughed joyfully. "No way...Ha! Ha! Ha! Spruce is still doing good I see!" He exclaimed with laughter.
"He's our PE teacher." Kappei added. "Also, you and him have the same awakened power right?"
"Of course! But I can't use them in front of the little tykes in the academy. They have yet to see it firsthand until they begin high school." Bruce stated firmly when, "Hey Bruce. Can we-" They stopped at the sight of, "Oh my gosh! It's you two!"
"Hi Amy! Hi Daisy!" Emma greeted them as Kappei and Gumchi waved at them. "What brings you 2 here?" Daisy asked.
"We're just paying a visit." Kappei answered as they told them how they're doing.
"Impressive. I remember being enrolled to the high school in Oedo." Daisy recalled.
"Same. But mine's in the UK." said Amy.
"And after graduation, you all met here for the job right?" Kappei asked and the senseis nodded.
"Anything else you guys talked about?" Amy asked.
"Bruce has an older brother teaching in our high school." Kappei revealed.
"What? You have a brother? Tell me about him!" Amy asked excitedly as she grabbed his shoulders and shook him excitedly. "I think I'm going to my room to rest." said Daisy. "Nice seeing the 2 of you."
They nodded as she took her leave. "Amy can you let go off me?" Bruce asked and she complied. "Still, it's good to see you again. Are you both here for some Christmas break?"
"Yup!" They replied in unison.
"Nice! Chill out and enter the ice age!" Bruce joked with a grin as Amy shook her head but still being positive. "Same old Bruce..." She thought.
Just then, Emma got a text message from Laura. "Huh..."
"What is it?" Kappei asked.
"Bruce. Do you guys happen to have a gateway in the academy?" She asked and he nodded.
A while later at the basement, they arrived to see one built near the elevator and Laura is waiting for them along with 2 familiar faces.
"Ron! Jane!" Emma recognized as they waved to them. "You 2 grew up fast." said Ron.
"Yeah. Kappei looks handsome with his hair a bit longer, Emma grew so beautiful with her hairstyle still the same but the hair length has grown a bit longer and Gumchi is still Gumchi." Jane described.
"Hi! Hi! Ronee! Janee!" Gumchi jumped up to them as they cuddled with him.
"How are you 2 doing?" Emma asked.
"All good. We got our jobs back at the WNA HQ and Jane and I are together." Ron answered her question.
"That is why I see a wedding ring on her finger." Emma pointed out as Jane chuckled. "A few months had passed since our marriage and we're enjoying our adult life well."
"What about Burton and Berecca? How are they doing and where are they?" Kappei asked.
"They're doing great. 3 months ago, they got married and now, they're spending a week at Oedo for some R&R." Ron answered.
It cuts to Burton and Berecca kissing and cuddling in the mixed bath in a bathhouse.
And back to them, "They should be back by tomorrow. And in time for the WNA Christmas Party." said Jane.
"Ooh. You guys are having a party? Nice!" said Emma.
"Even so Kappei, your grampa's invited." said Ron when Laura checked the time. "Speaking of which, I need to drop them off at their place."
"Sure thing. We'll try to visit you when we have the time!" Jane called out as they waved them goodbye and left the academy while they returned to the WNA HQ via the gateway.
Outside after the visit...
"You knew about their adult forms Ms Warren?" Emma asked.
"Definitely, when they present themselves to us, most of us are too astonished at first but a few who knew them before their transformation cleared things for us and with that, we're even." She answered as they went inside her ride and she drove off. "So Kappei, where's the address to the house?"
"Here Ms Warren." Kappei handed the paper containing the address as she read it. "Alright. We'll be there soon enough!" And Gumchi is playing with her stuffed yellow Marmot toy by hugging it.
And literally soon enough, "We've arrived!"
"Whoa! I didn't expect the house to be this big!" Kappei exclaimed in excitement as he, Emma and Gumchi got out of the car and went to the back to get their luggage.
Now the house is two stories high and it looks like a mixture of a traditional house in Oedo and a modern house in Komerika. Approaching the door, Kappei rang the doorbell as behind, Laura drove off. Seconds later, the door opened and, "Ah. I was expecting you 3. Welcome."
"Hi grampa."
"Hello there Gen'unsai."
"Grampee! Grampee!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! It is so good to see you all! Come, make yourself at home." Gen'unsai let them in as inside, "Wow! It looks so neat and modern! Like a modernized version of our old house in Iga!" Kappei exclaimed as they looked around.
On the first level is the living room, dining room, kitchen, training room, Gen'unsai's bedroom and a bathroom. On the second level, there are 4 bedrooms and a large bathroom and a meditation room.
"Go and rest up. I'll prepare dinner and here's your bedroom key Kappei. Emma, you're free to choose which room you want to use. All are unlocked." Gen'unsai told them as they went up with their luggage. There, "I wonder if grampa moved all my stuff to the bedroom?" Kappei thought to himself as he found his room in which the door is closed while the rest are open. "I'll take the one across." Emma told him and she went inside to settle down.
"Well. Here goes nothing." Kappei unlocked his room and, "Oh boy! All my stuff is inside!"
Yup, Kappei's bedroom is something. It has his bed, wardrobe, a flat screen TV with a VCD player, a desk with a chair and a large drawer, a shelf where there are CD cases containing CDs for anime, TV shows and movies placed in it, a small bed in front of his which is for Gumchi and finally, a display cabinet containing all of his collectibles based on some TV shows.
They consists of the 12 Gransazer action figures consisting of Sazer Tarious, Mithras, Lion, Remls, Velsou, Dail, Tawlon, Tragos, Visuel, Gorbion, Pisces and Gans. Next up is the 3 Justiriser action figures which are Justiriser Glenn, Justiriser Kageri and Justiriser Gantt. Finally, there's the 3 Ryukendo action figures known as Ryukendo, Ryuguno and Ryujino. 18 action figures in total and they have moveable arms and legs with their signatures weapons.
"I've played with all those when I was growing up. Especially after my shinobi training, I would watch my favourite TV shows." Kappei recalled as he looked at his drawer which has 3 sections. He went to open the top one and inside, "My collection is even there!"
And it turns out be beyblades. There's Storm Pegasus 105RF, Rock Leone 145WB, Flame Sagittario C145S, Dark Bull H145SD, Storm Aquario 100HF/S, Rock Aries ED145B, Flame Libra T125ES, Earth Aquila 145WD, Earth Virgo GB145BS, Burn Phoenix 135MS, Lighting L-Drago 100HF, Dark Wolf DF145FS, Evil Gemios DF145FS, 4 Rock Orso D125B with the colours, bright red, mud brown, pure white and smokey grey respectively, Poison Serpent SW145SD, Storm Capricorn M145Q, Dark Cancer CH120SF, Thermal Pisces T125ES, 2 Rock Scorpio T125JB with the colours chocolate brown and pink, Galaxy Pegasus W105R2F, Ray Unicorno D125CS, Rock Zurafa R145WB, Thermal Lacerta WA130HF, Poison Virgo ED145ES, Hyper Aquario 105F, Storm Northern Cross 125FS, 2 Rock Ravens 125FS with the colours, gold and grey, Burn Wolf SW145WD, Evil Wolf DF145FS, Gravity Perseus AD145WD, Grand Cetus WD145RS, Grand Cetus T125RS, Grand Capricorn 145D, Rock Serpent SW145WD, Storm Serpent SW145SF, Flame Serpent SW145F, Vulcan Horuseus 145D, Counter Scorpio 145D, Meteor L-Drago LW105LF, Ray Cancer M145Q, Ray Cancer 135SF, Cyclone Herculeo 105F, Ray Gil 100RSF, Flame Byxis 230WD, Evil Befall UW145EWD, Hell Kerbecs BD145DS, Spiral Capricorn 90MF, Basalt Horogium 145WD, Dark Poseidon 145WD, Solar Blaze V145AS, Cosmic Pegasus F:D, Fang Leone 145W2D, Flash Sagittario 230WD, L-Drago Destructor F:S, Mercury Anubis 85XF, Beat Lynx TH170WD, Scythe Kronos T125EDS, Hell Crown 130FB, Spiral Fox TR145W2D, Spiral Lyra ED145MF, Blitz Unicorno 100RSF, Variares D:D, Forbidden Eonis ED145FB, Omega Dragonis 85XF, Jade Jupiter S130RB, Phantom Orion B:D, Death Quetzacoatl 125RDF, Duo Uranus 230WD, Bakushin Beelzeb T125XF, Kreis Cygnus 145WD, Fusion Hades AD145SWD and Diablo Nemesis X:D. 77 beyblades in total and they're still as new as ever.
For the middle section, he opened it to find his vast Yu-Gi-Oh! card collections all stored in card collection books. He opened one which has all the normal monster cards placed inside. He also has effect monster cards, fusion monster cards, synchron monster cards, Xyz monster cards, pendulum monster cards and link monster cards in the other books. Each card has about 3 copies of itself stored it the books. Furthermore, he has a couple of deck holders containing decks of cards based on some archetypes that he favours.
And finally, the bottom section and inside are 5 bey stadiums, 20 launchers and many extra beyblade parts and cards. That's it.
As Kappei admired his collections, Gumchi admired them as well because it's his first time seeing all this. "Playee! Playee!"
"Alright then." He took out the stadium, placed it on the floor, took out several beyblades and the 2 launchers and played with Gumchi as he cheered enjoying the newfound fun.
Meanwhile, Emma just settled down and decided to take a bath. There was a towel already on her bed so she took it and went to the bathroom located between her room and the empty spare room.
Inside, "It's so clean and spacious!" Emma thought in excitement for the bathroom has a toilet, sink, a shower area and the best part for her case, an in-ground bathtub which is large and rectangular with a bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap on a soap dish on the side of the bathtub.. Wanting to get started, Emma went to the faucets and turned on the hot and cold water to mix them together but with more heat. While it's being filled, Emma returned to her room to get her nightgown and undergarments. After that, she returned to the bathroom and waited for the bath to be filled.
Once filled up near the brim, she turned it off, shed off her clothes putting them in an empty laundry basket already set up, removed her blue hair tie placing in on the countertop and dipped herself in the bath. "Oh...that's the ticket..." She could feel the heat warming her hot body as she took the shampoo and used a bit of it to wash her hair. After that, she grabbed the bar of soap to scrub herself. "Oh Kappei...ahhh..." Why is she moaning? Better give her some privacy right now.
Dinner time...
An hour later at the dining room, everyone gathered together as on the table, each has a bowl of rice with chopsticks and spoons and on the center, there's slices of roast chicken, green vegetables in oyster sauce, slices of boneless fish, fried dumplings and a bowl of extra rice in case anyone wants a second helping. Plus, the teens are fresh from the baths and wearing their nightwear.
"I didn't know you can cook." said Emma as she helped herself to some fish.
"Ha! Ha! Kappei and I are the only ones living together under one roof back at Iga. I have to raise him all by myself. Teaching him this and that and so on." Gen'unsai stated as he took a fried dumpling and ate it.
"Dinnee! Dinnee!" Gumchi cheered and ate some chicken and rice.
"So how are things here grampa?" Kappei asked as he ate some vegetables followed by the meat.
"I'm adjusting well. The dojo is complete and I open it on weekdays only to do the teaching and training." He answered. "It's also near though I always could use a lift. An old man like me can't walk so much."
"So a ninja from the WNA will give you a ride?" Kappei asked.
"Precisely." Gen'unsai replied as they ate and talked more about certain topics while Gumchi helped himself to some second helpings.
After dinner...
Kappei went back to his room to rest and inside, Gumchi is playing with all his Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. "Perhaps I should try something new...oh yeah! That one empty room between my room and the other empty bedroom!"
He made his way there and inside, "Grampa uses this room to quiet down his mind. What will it be like if I give it a shot?" He sat on the mat in the middle with his legs crossed, eyes closed and hands together. He quieted his mind as meditation begins...
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"Be one with the Fire..." An orb of fire is formed.
"Be one with the Water..." An orb of water is formed.
"Be one with the Lightning..." An orb of lightning is formed.
"Be one with the Wind..." An orb of wind is formed.
In his mind, 4 elemental orbs all created and rotating around as it cuts to him still in the midst of meditating and literally, the 4 elemental orbs are circling around him.
Downstairs, Emma is in the dining room and she has a glass of milk with her. Gen'unsai then entered in. "Thinking of something dear Emma?"
"I'm just here to get a drink." She replied and also, "Since it's just the 2 of us, may I speak to you about something?"
"Of course. I'll answer whatever question you have." He took a seat across her as she thought a bit. Then, "Kappei once told me this. He doesn't know about his parents when growing up. He even asked you about it but you only told him that only when he's old enough, he'll know about it."
Gen'unsai said nothing for a moment. "This is a personal family matter between me and him. Why did you ask me this question?"
"Because we both share a similarity regarding...family." Emma replied and told him about her past.
"I see now...to think both of you met after graduating from the academy is a surprise." He chuckled about it. "You ever believe in fate?"
"I'm...not sure about that." She replied.
"Because I have a very strong feeling that fate is connecting you and my grandson to something...special." He replied. "And soon enough, destiny will bring you both to a bright future. Who knows?"
"Wow...I didn't expect your words to be something..." Emma replied as he asked her this. "What do you see in Kappei?"
"He's strong, kind-hearted, cares for others and leads our class in a selfless way." She answered and smiled to herself over him. "I even bought him a Christmas present."
"What did you get for him?" Gen'unsai asked.
"It's a secret and on Christmas Day, I'll give it to him. Hope he likes it." said Emma.
"I know he will. Now, would you like to look at some family pictures?" Gen'unsai asked and it piqued her interest.
At the living room, "Oh my gosh. Kappei is so cute as a baby!" Emma squealed in adoration as she browsed through the family album with him. "To think you went solo into raising him up all by yourself is a challenge but you still brought him up well."
"So true." Gen'unsai then stifled a yawn. "I'm going to bed early. Be sure to get some rest also."
"Alright and goodnight." said Emma as he went to his bedroom.
After that...
Upstairs, Emma went to look for Kappei and soon found him still in the meditation and with the 4 elemental orbs circling around him. She was startled by this and he opened his eyes as the orbs vanish away. "What brings you here?"
"Just...checking on you." She replied as she entered the room. "I didn't know you're into meditation."
"Just trying it out and...it's mysterious." He replied as she sat across him. "Emma, I think I never told you this. But during the day when I was beaten down by those bullies, I hear voices."
"Really?" She asked.
"4 voices. A female voice followed by 3 male voices. They told me not to give up and I listened to their words." He said to her.
"And at that moment, it awakened in you..." Emma realized. "There might be a connection between them and your power."
"Who knows? But I do not know their identities." He added.
"And during meditation, you heard them again right?" She asked.
"Correct." He replied as he thought of something. "On the day we visit the orphanage, I'm gonna give them a big surprise."
"Really? What are you going to give?" She asked.
"It's a secret." He replied and thought of it. "The presents are all delivered to the orphanage safely right?"
"Indeed. Yesterday, Ms Warren told me that she was able to discreetly deliver them all to the orphanage. They are stored away currently."
"On Christmas Day, the miracle will happen." He replied as they stood up and left for their rooms to turn in for the night.
It's time to spend the Christmas as Kappei, Emma and Gumchi settle down and make preparations
Everyone's celebrating Christmas respectively and next chapter is where the fun begins! See ya!