Beyblade: Metal Guardians, Chapter 13 (Complete)

Hey everyone! I realize that some of you have not yet read the previous chapters of "Beyblade: Metal Guardians". So, for everyone's convenience, I have posted the links to all previous chapters in the Comments section. Thank you, and enjoy! :-D





 "Hey, there they are!" Kenta announced to his friends, pointing at the approaching Team Dungeon. "Hey, you guys!" Toby was the first one to greet them. "Hey, I thought King was supposed to meet us here" Masamune remarked. "He got all excited about you guys coming, and he's preparing a big Greek dinner for you" Toby replied. When the gang arrived at the Dungeon Gym, there indeed was a grand Greek buffet waiting for them! King, wearing his apron and mitts, greeted his friends from Japan as if they had gone to Heaven and come back. He was especially delighted to see Chris. Gingka practically skipped the greeting, and raided the buffet. After a while of feasting and playing catch-up, it was time for yet another nerve-wracking Dispersed Training Tournament, which seemed to swiftly pass by. Gingka was very enthused that Toby and King were competing, but he was totally unprepared when the Lengendary Blader of Venus and Yu's biggest fan, Tithi himself, was declared a finalist, also! Gingka wanted to cheer for his friends, but he had already lost most of his voice. They came out on top with a great fight, and rightfully earned their spots as a Tag-Along Bladers for North America! Tithi was even more elated when he was able to see Yu and his friends. "Yu! Gingka! Masamune! Everyone! Thank you so much for coming to support me!"
    While Tithi and his friends were having their reunion, Takara was mentoring another future tournament winner. "Relax your shoulders. Just focus on the quick, powerful launch" she commanded. "Relax,... focus,..." Asuka thought to herself. "Let it rip!!!" Asuka's Ember Fireblaze was launched yet again, but this time, ever so gracefully, and with a surge of new power. Eight cans lined up in a row were sent flying into the air in a matter of seconds, amazing even Asuka herself. "Alright! You did it, Asuka!" Takara cheered on her companion. Asuka had to laugh, - not a comical laugh, but the kind of laugh you laugh when you feel light-hearted and encouraged. While Takara and Asuka were celebrating with ice cream in a fast food joint, DJ Blader was all over Japanese television. "Hey hey hey, Beyblade fans!" he greeted eagerly enough to grab attention. "The WBBA has officially determined the groups for the Dispersed Training portion of the 2nd Beyblade World Championships. You can see who everyone's with and where they'll be at your nearest WBBA headquarters, and all participants must meet at their designated airport by the date given to them."  Luckily for Takara, the WBBA Headquarters for Japan was right around the block. She requested her printed copy of all the information, and examined it with Asuka. Part of Takara was disappointed that she wouldn't be with Gingka,... the other part of her was relieved. She could only recognize the Bladers from teams GanGan Galaxy had battled in the 1st World Championships; she would be training with Mei-Mei of Wang Hu Zhong, Lera of Lovushka, Karte of Desert Blaze, Sophie of Excalibur, Nile of Wild Fang, Enzo of Team Garcia, Zeo of Star Breaker, and finally, the super-substitute of the A Block, Yuu of GanGan Galaxy. They would all be training in the USA, in the Appalachian Mountains of Massachusetts. Takara was displeased at the thought of being so close to New York, where a big part of Hades Inc. was based, but she was also elated at the thought of meeting Bladers that might actually give her a challenge.
    A couple days later, Enzo Garcia was well on his way to his Dispersed Training sight, the famous Appalachian Mountains. Just the thought of being apart from Selen and his brothers in unfamiliar territory made him feel uneasy. To calm his nerves, he told himself "We'll be back together again before we know it."  The taxi cab he's riding in passes by an extravagant, ornate Catholic Church. The stained glass windows, the "Ten Commandments" tablets, the intricate structure of the dome, the outdoor solar lights to shine on the statues at night, the marble bust of the Virgin Mary, and the granite mold of the Crucifix all reminded him of home. He read the church's roadside sign to himself: "The man who makes a little honest living is better off than the man who gains much by theft and deceit."  That made him cringe. That made him think. That made wheels in his head and heart start to turn, wheels he didn't realize were there.