Beyblade: A New Era

Red Flame

As the third match finished off, Ace prepared his beyblade for the fight. He was seated on the bench with Jaime and Carl. He slowly got up, fixed his hat and walked off to the stage, not saying a word to Jaime nor Carl. Jaime felt offended and was about to scold him, but Carl stopped him.
"Relax, Ace is like that," Carl said. As they waited for their matches, Ace made his way to the dark tunnel before the big doors. The darkness around him seemed to comfort him somehow, but he knew what he would have to face when he got home, which was a path that he was not looking forward to.
As the words of Charlie Boncal vibrated through the thick, big doors, Ace managed to ignore them, as well as his opponent's words of encouragement. He tightened the fist on Flaremane and remembered the promise to hold onto what he was fighting for. This is why I started training with Rodolpho and this is why I have you, Flaremane, he thought. Once I take the stage, there's no turning back.
    His opponent, unaware of Ace's current mental state, awkwardly spoke, "Um...good luck then. May the best blader win!"
Suddenly the doors opened, bringing in the realm of stark, bright light to the cracks of his unspoken past. As Charlie Boncal announced the start of the fourth match, Ace solemnly walked over to his place and said, "Aye" to when Boncal asked if they were ready. Dismissing the coldness of Ace's curt response, Charlie started the countdown while Ace's opponent prepared his launcher. As the countdown started, each number became a bang of the drum for Ace, a reminder of his past and the reason why he came to the tournament other than to compete for the thing he loved. Finally, the singular number came down to a word and Ace suddenly heard a familiar voice as well as the face.
With quick pace of his arms, he whisked out his launcher and reeled in his winder, latching on Flaremane. When the countdown finished, Ace released it, "Let it rip!"
Flaremane went off like a bullet straight out of a gun, hitting the side of the dish like a meteor against the ground, vibrating through the stage. His opponent was nearly caught off-guard but caught himself. He noted, "Man, that was some launch! Hey, you're not bad, kid...huh?"
He was still taken aback by Ace's absence of words. For Ace, he had one goal in mind: to fulfill that promise. Despite everything that's been happening in his life, all he could focus on is getting that battle with Maya, even if it's his last wish. He snapped, "Let's go, Flaremane!"
Suddenly, the spirit within his beyblade listened to his voice and raged on with a fiery passion, ramming into the opponent's beyblade and shooting it off the edge. Maya, along with the boys, gasped and were in shock. Rodolpho was amazed by this experience. Never had he seen such power rose up before. All his time he spent training with Ace, he's never seen this much potential within the silent kid's belt. The mysterious woman gasped, "My, someone's eager to get this done."
Eli gasped, "Whoa..."
His opponent screamed out of fear as he helplessly watched his beyblade fly off uncontrollably into the air and crash on the floor, smashing into a million pieces. He fell to his knees as he picked up the remnants of his damaged bey. Charlie Boncal, shocked at what he saw, stammered, "It seems like the battle was over before it wasted another second. Give it up for S—dah, I mean, Ace Serrano!"
Gasping silently, he looked up to see what had just happened: his Flaremane was spinning in the middle of the dish was like there was no tomorrow and seemed to be looking up at him with a sense of happiness, or if it was looking for it. Ace was speechless for a moment, like a deer in the headlights. He then realized what had happened and got down on one knee, letting out his hand for Flaremane to roll up the dish and onto his open palm. It stopped spinning as soon as it hit the flesh. He was stunned at what Flaremane could do and smiled, slowly accepting it. "Wow," he said to the slightly heated beyblade. "Look at what we can do together."
    He rose up, placing Flaremane back into his pocket and bidding his opponent farewell, leaving the stage. His opponent called after him, "Hey, wait! Can you teach me what you did?" But Ace just kept walking, leaving into what would seem like his victory walk, but it didn't have the triumph he was looking for. He may have won the battle, but there's a war waiting for him.
His new friends, shocked from what they had just seen, awaited for Ace to make his return. Maya jumped and cheered, "That was awesome! I could never imagine you having that much power! I can't wait to meet you in a battle someday..."
    Ace, slightly proud of his sudden victory, maintained his silence and composure as he took a seat between Carl and Jaime. Maya, feeling offended by this, pouted, "Well, you're welcome for the compliment!"
Carl looked up to Maya and pleaded, "I think Ace is feeling tired from his match. An attack like that does tend to draw a blader out."
"Well," Jaime responded, popping up from his seat. "Whatever kind of attack that was, it was 200 times awesome!"
Ace stayed quiet. Jaime pleaded, "No, really! I would've never predicted that in a million years and I read minds!"
Carl agreed with Jaime and asked Ace, "Are you alright?"
Ace kept his posture and ignored Carl and Jaime. Maya scoffed and remarked, "Whatever! If Mister Moody wants no say, then he wants no say!"
As the next match was prepping up, the young athletes were met by the same humble elderly man in a suit and the mysterious woman who was sitting next to Rodolpho. Speaking of Rodolpho, he joined them as well, unaware of what was to happen. Noticing the mysterious woman, Maya gasped, realizing who it was. The frizzy brown hair, those green eyes, and that little chuckle...she had never expected this person to arrive here.
Carl and Jaime recognized the elderly man and Carl greeted, "Hello, Mr. Dickinson. How are you, sir?"
"Very good," he responded happily. He looked to the girl with the pink braids and introduced himself. Maya, nervous of this man, introduced herself, "I'm Maya McArthur. How are you, Mister...Diggens?"
"Dickinson," Carl corrected, nudging into her side. He whispered, "He's the chairman of the Beyblade Battle Association."
Maya gasped, "So he's the boss?"
She bowed down and apologized for her introduction. Mr. Dickinson chuckled, "No need to apologize. I was just visiting this town and I've seen the sport of beyblading has expanded to some parts."
The mysterious woman, who looked familiar to Maya, responded, "Oh yes, chairman! We may seem unknown, but with cities like Amarnia and Piyorka Town getting introduced to this sport, who knows how fast this will grow!"
"That sounds incredible," Jaime exclaimed. He looked to the mystery woman and asked, "Uh, who are you?"
The woman chuckled, removing her shades to reveal hazel eyes. Then Maya gasped. She slowly raised her finger to the woman and whispered, "Could it be...?"
"Maya," the woman said to her. Rodolpho and the boys were surprised and confused that she knew who Maya was. There was a silence and tension between them, as Maya searched for it in herself to find out where she knew this woman from. Suddenly, it came to her. Maya gasped harder and ran to her, hugging her torso. Maya sobbed, "Oh it's you...I'd thought I never see you again..."
"Oh, Maya," she said to the girl. The boys were left confused at the situation. Carl, knowing of Jaime's strange ability, asked him, "What do you make of this?"
Jaime nodded, baffled by the view. "So many questions, so many memories...what do I say?"
"What?" Carl was even more shocked. He shook Jaime and rambled, "Come on! Focus on one thing!"
A little dizzy, Jaime blurted out, "Something about fairy tales..."
Noticing their failure at finding out, Maya wiped her tears and said, "I apologize for this confusion. Guys, I want to introduce you to a friend who taught me about beyblading."
Facing her, Carl asked, "You're..."
The mystery woman revealed her name. "Dr. Malani, a fellow researcher on Bit-Beasts and a beyblader myself."
"Whoa," Carl said, amazed by her description. "You're a blader? I would've never guessed that you're a beyblader!"
    Dr. Malani chuckled and looked to Maya. Maya went onto introductions. "Dr. Malani, these are my friends: Carl, Jaime and..."
    "Ace," he finally spoke up. Carl, Jaime and Rodolpho looked over to Ace, who rose from his seat and joined the small group. Dr. Malani recognized him and pointed out, "Oh you're that tough boy from that match. Many compliments on your victory!"
   He nodded slightly, accepting her compliments. Rodolpho chuckled to himself, "Oh typical Ace..."
Mr. Dickinson, seeing all of this, spoke, "Since all of you have completed your first matches, how do you feel right now?"
Wiping off the tears from her mauve eyes, Maya responded, "I feel ecstatic. I can't wait to meet more bladers!"
"That's the spirit."
    Carl added on, "I may not seem like it, but I pack a real punch in a match, especially a tournament."
    "And I know what everyone is thinking," Jaime cheered. They all looked to Ace for his intel. He stared at them and shrugged, "It's just a match."
    They gasped and Maya took offense. "Just a match?" Ace walked like he wasn't bothered. She walked up to him and continued, "If it's just a match, then what are you doing here?"
Dr. Malani noted the shocking response as well. She added on, "Yes, it seems very unlikely that a strong young man like you can say about a tournament, unless, of course, there's a bigger deal behind it."
    Ace perked up and turned around, hiding his expression. He softly spoke, "I came here for a reason...and I intend to hold onto that reason."
He walked off into the waiting room and sat in the corner, clutching onto Flaremane. Jaime remarked, "Well, that's a weird guy."
    Carl shrugged, defending, "Ace has his own way of things, and I tend not to interfere with it."
    Maya, raising her fist in front of her face, exclaimed, "Well, sourpusses like him ain't gonna rain on my parade! I've beaten the champ in the first round and now...the road's clear for me!"
    "Hey," Carl halted her. "Did you forget about us?"
    "Yeah," Jaime laughed. "You got three hombres you know of, plus dozens of bladers running for that crown!"
Maya chuckled, "Sorry...tournament hype."
    They all laughed.
Hiding around the bend, hearing the whole thing, a shady figure may have gotten his target. Shocked by what he heard, the shady figure can only confirm that it is true: one of the members of his gang had fallen before he could step up, and that means war. Chuckling, he murmured, "You just messed with the wrong fabric."
Whoosh! His light blue sturdy jacket fluttered as he turned back to return his destination.
In the waiting room, as the population varied between matches, Ace didn't seem to let it bother him. He was concerned and focused solely on his purpose for the tournament. Just like Maya, he too came to make a name for himself, like he had last year. Last year, he barely had a grip on his own launcher but this time, things are different. Now that he has Flaremane in his hands, he knows that he had greater chance...but how great of a chance does he have?
Suddenly, a familiar blond friend came by his side. "Busy day?" He startled the young boy. Ace gasped and found that it was Rodolpho and returned to his brooding.
Rodolpho sighed and continued, "You know, you can't keep this forever. I know something is bothering you. Ever since you came to my office last year after spring break, you were desperate to learn more about beyblading and even challenged me. And that's when you started trusting me..."
    Ace remained silent.
    Rodolpho continued to reminisce about how Ace and his Flaremane, and how determined the young boy was about blading. But one thing that struck him the most from the other bladers was the difference between his attitude towards people and attitude towards Rodolpho when they first met. He noticed that, in the beginning, Ace felt comfortable around Rodolpho and seemed eager to learn more. But, as the year progressed, Ace's comfort stayed but his attitude towards Rodolpho became the quiet, curtness he gave to others. It felt like he was departing physically, but stayed mentally. But no matter what, Rodolpho thought about Ace, he still has the fire that burns.
Ding! A bell had rung and Charlie Boncal called out on the intercom, "Alright, all first matches have been completed! Please wait while we organize the second match!"
Outside the waiting room, after Dr. Malani left with the Chairman for a private conversation, Carl asked the anxious Maya about her beyblade. "Hey Maya, may I check Pixolon?" Carl asked.
A little skeptical, Maya offered him Pixolon and saw him bring out his bag, which revealed to have a tool set. Maya and Jaime were amazed and Carl, unbuttoning to extend his tool set, pressed a button and a skinny pole rose up from the front of the bag. Pixolon was placed on top of it and a small light behind it shone on the bey, examining its feature. Maya asked, "Are you doing a checkup?"
"Precisely," Carl responded. He explained, "This is something that I was able to acquire from the hobby shop. I'm very good friends with the owner and he offered me this as a thank-you. It's to help me with my friends and their beys, and since your bey is different from what I've seen, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it."
    "Wow," Jaime exclaimed. "You seem very patient for a thing like this."
    "You bet!"
    A screen reeled up along with a keyboard and Carl started typing. As he read the screen, he can be heard speaking to himself. "Alright...Spintrac is secured, Defense and Attack...whoa!"
    "What is it?" Maya asked in a panic. Carl looked up at her and asked, "Where did you get this bey from?"
   "Well," Maya said, "it's a long story..."