Ryuga x King

Alone in America

King's POV

King stared blankly at the stadium as Variares charged toward its opponent's bey. The bey flew into the air, landing with a clink. Variares spun lazily beside it.

"Aw man," the girl controlling the other bey sighed. "You win again, King."

King sighed as he snatched up his bey, possibly just as disappointed by this boring one-sided battle as his opponent was.

"King always wins," the kid beside her sighed, his head hung low. "It's no fun battling him."

"It's not my fault I keep winning!" King insisted, his eyes narrowed.

"No, it's our fault for not being strong enough," the girl replied, rolling her eyes. "We get it."

King winced. "That's not what I..." He turned away, letting out a sigh. "Nevermind."

It had been like this all day. When King wasn't doing a ridiculous amount of shadow launches, he was having one-sided battles like that one. In the five weeks since he'd returned to America, nearly all of his battles were like this. King let out a disappointed sigh. Pocketing Variares, he made his way through the gym. It didn't take him long to spot Masamune, Toby, and Zeo all battling together in one of the stadiums. King stopped a few paces away.

"Go Spiral Lyre!"

"Hit 'em hard, Striker!"

"Get 'em, Spiral Fox!"

The three beys all clashed with each other at once, forming a triangle as sparks flew up between them. Eventually, Striker and Fox were flung back. Lyre spun away, dashing toward the two beys again. Toby cheered a little.

"Lyre! Attack Fox!" he ordered, holding his hand out toward his bey.

Lyre charged toward Spiral Fox. As they were about to clash, Fox's spin track suddenly rotated, making Lyre scrape by harmlessly. Toby's eyes went wide

"Go now, Fox!" Zeo exclaimed.

Fox clashed with Lyre in a screech of metal. Toby grunted. Zeo and Toby's eyes narrowed as their beys continued to clash.

"Don't forget about me!" Masamune called, his eyes ablaze. "Striker!"

Striker charged for the two of them, taking Lyre and Fox by surprise and flinging them into the air. Toby and Zeo both gasped. Their beys barely landed on the edge of the stadium. However, they didn't have time to sigh in relief as Striker charged for them again. They met the attack.

King instinctively reached for his bey. Biting his lip, he glanced between his bey and his launcher, inwardly debating joining this battle. Then he sighed. He had battled his three friends so many times in the past several weeks alone that the idea didn't offer the same excitement it used to. Toby, Zeo, and Masamune were all great bladers. However, they were great bladers that King had beaten every time and had practically memorized the fighting styles of.

Masamune's gaze suddenly locked onto him. King froze.

"Hey King," Masamune greeted with a huge smile. "Wanna battle with us?"

"I uh..." King looked away, letting out a sigh. "Actually I kinda wanted to leave..."

Masamune snatched up his bey, his eyes suddenly filling with concern. "Another bad day?"

King nodded. The sound of Fox and Lyre's spins suddenly disappeared as well.

"King, you okay?" Toby asked, walking toward him.

King looked up. Zeo and Toby were gazing at him in concern as well.

"I'm fine," King insisted, forcing a smile. "Just uh... getting a little bored. We've been here a while."