train to tokyo [shui]

Prologue

This story takes place after the God Blader's Cup, but before Super Z.

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Bring. Bring. 

The device vibrated in my pocket, the noise echoing through the whole house. I put down the manga I was currently reading and dug through my pocket for my phone. My forehead creased when I saw who was calling me. 

Father?

Why would he call me? Both him and Mother knew that I would behave perfectly well by myself. He knew I was alright. So why call me? Nonetheless, I picked up the phone. 

'Hello?'

'Shu...' Father's voice was racked with sobs. In the background, I heard Mother cry. 'I need you to come to Tokyo.'

'Why?' I asked, not sure if I wanted to hear the truth. 'What's happened?'

'I'm sorry to tell you over the phone, but...' I could hear him sigh heftily. 'But Grandma has died.'

No way. 

I dropped the phone out of shock. My heart and throat contracted with grief. Time stopped, and it felt like I was frozen. It felt like something important, was falling from my heart into a big, dark abyss and could never be found again.

Oh no. 

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My eyes were still red from crying. I mean, they were always red but now they redder. Blotches streaked my face unnaturally, and everyone stared at me as I walked past them outside. I couldn't blame them. My hands were still quivering from sadness. 

I had never been close to Grandma Anzu. Now I regret that. She was my last living grandparent, and now...she's gone. I took a deep breath, even though I shuddered a lot, and knocked on the honey-golden door. A head popped out, and her purple eyes scanned my face with concern. 

'Shu, are you okay?' Chiharu asked, gently grabbing my wrist and bringing me inside to their living room. I shook my head in distraught. 'Oh dear. I'll go get Valt.'

As I sat down, I heard rather loud and clumsy footsteps coming down the stairs. A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. The bluenette finally appeared, tripping down onto the carpet, face-first. The smile grew. But nonetheless, he was up on his feet in a flash. 

'Woah, what happened to you, Shu?' Valt asked, sitting down next to me as Chiharu wrapped a blanket around me and pushed a mug full of steaming hot cocoa into my hands. I nodded graciously. 

'Um, my grandma died,' I said quietly. I could tell from Valt's face he had not experienced this before. 

'Oh, you poor thing,' sympathized Chiharu, sitting down on the opposite sofa. 'I supposed you got told over the phone?'

'I was,' I said glumly. 'But I know it's hard for my parents as well. They've asked to go to Tokyo tomorrow to see them and...the funeral.'

'How?' the world champion asked. 'By a plane?'

'No, by a train,' I said. 'From Beigoma to Tokyo. It will also go through an old war battlefield route in the High Hills of Hajimari.'

'How long would the train ride be?' questioned Valt. 

I shrugged. 'Maybe a whole day.'

'A whole day?' repeated Valt. 'Won't you be bored? After all, you can't practice beyblade onboard the train.'

'I'll read,' I answered. 'And maybe studied what happened in the war place.'

'You're no fun,' complained Valt and laughter spilled out of my mouth which was nice, considering my grandmother just died.

'Well, since you're leaving tomorrow and it's six o'clock now, I suggest you leave and start packing,' smiled Chiharu, getting up. 'It was nice to see you, Shu. I'm sorry about your grandma.'

'It's fine, Chiharu,' I nodded as she vanished into the kitchen. She pushed a bag of pastries into my hand and led me to the door. 'Oh no, I couldn't-'

'Just take it Shu,' smile Chiharu.'Valt's been eating way too much.'

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I walked back to my apartment, my feet digging into the ground as the rubber sole rubbed off in the gravel. A touching memory halted me as I let it pass into my head. A small tear trickled down.

'Grandma!' I said. 'Why are we leaving to Tokyo?'

'I'm sorry, Shu,' the old woman smiled sadly. She picked the five-year-old me up and placed me on her lap. 'But here in Beigoma, the health care is terrible. It's hard to explain it to you, even though I know you're very clever, but I'm getting older, and my body is starting to grow old and weary. Your grandfather has already passed away, and I know I'm next.'

'Don't say that,' I immediately frowned up at her. 

'But it's true,' laughed Grandma softly. 'Your Father's job has allowed him to work over in Tokyo, and the health care is excellent there. But Father doesn't want to let Mother raise you up by herself. Even if Beigoma is very dear in their hearts, it's time to leave.'

'But I don't want to leave!' I suddenly said, crossing my arms over my chest. It was Grandma's time to frown down at me. It wasn't like me to be angry. 'I don't want to leave Xandy and Valt!'

'Oh, your friends,' Grandma calmed down, another sad smile appearing. 'The towering giant and the blue hedgehog. Shu, you'll make more friends in Tokyo.'

'But I want to be friends with Xandy and Valt!' I continued to argue. 'I'll even stay by myself if I have to!'

I remember pestering Mother, Father and Grandma so much until they let me stay by myself at Beigoma. I didn't stay by myself for the first three years, as I was too young. I stayed with Valt, and then Xander until I was eight. But...that was my last ever conversation with Grandma alone. And now...she was gone. 

I forced myself to stop crying, and continued to make my way back to the apartment. But the empty feeling continued and expanded. 

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Ah, that was shit. 

I'll do better next time, I promise. I'll try to make the chapters longer, but it will take longer to write up chapters.

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Word count: 1016