A Blader's Heart (Beyblade Metal Saga X Reader)

Chapter 1: Welcome to Japan [Edited]

Location: New York City, New York
-June 14th, 2020, 7:17 AM (ET)-

The car was silent as you sat in the passenger seat in the parking lot at JFK Airport. Your flight to Metal Bey City, Japan was expected to depart at a quarter to eleven. And despite how excited you were to return to Japan, it didn't feel right to leave New York. Not now. Not after what had happened a couple of months ago.

"What's going through your head, sweetheart?" your mother asked.

"I can't stop thinking about Toby. I just... he collapsed in front of me, Mom. One moment he seemed completely fine, and the next, he was on the ground. And now he's been in the hospital for months. It feels wrong to leave the country when he's hospital-bound with an illness that could kill him! And then there's you, and I just-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Your mother rested a hand on your forearm and squeezed. "Darling, neither myself nor your friends want you to put your life on hold for us. I know you say you're going to Japan to participate in competitions to get more money for me, but I don't want you to. I want you to enjoy yourself. Don't worry about me."

"But you've been getting worse..."

A strained smile came to her face. "I know. But there's only so much money can do. Now, you may be twenty and an adult, but I am still your mother. And as your mother, I am telling you to go to Japan and enjoy yourself. I will let you know if anything about my health changes, and I'm sure Masamune or Zeo will let you know if that happens for Toby."

You chewed on your bottom lip. Your mother was right. Masamune and Zeo had promised you last night that they would tell you if Toby's condition changed. Toby also didn't want you to delay your trip to Japan for him. And though you were worried about your mother and friend, you had to acknowledge that your mother was right about money. There was only so much it could do, and she had undergone everything she possibly could've gone through to treat her illnesses.

"I'll be on the first flight back if anything changes here," you said and your mother smiled.

"I know you will. Now, before you go, final check to make sure you have everything. Passport, phone, and wallet?"

"I have them, Mom. Along with everything else you made sure I remembered before we left the house."

She flicked your forehead at your teasing tone.

"Smart-ass. Did you say goodbye to your friends?"

"I saw Masamune, Zeo, and Toby at the hospital last night. Ethan, Maeve, Fallon, and I grabbed lunch yesterday. And I texted King, who is ultra jealous and begging me to take him with me."

Your mother chuckled. "Sounds like King. Well, it seems you have everything, though I do have something for you."

You raised an eyebrow as your mother grabbed a wrapped box and handed it to you. You eyed her but took the box and unwrapped it, removing the lid and gasping. Inside was a brand-new launcher. It was black with green accents and had a golden handle with Ra-Hora's face bolt image engraved on the bottom of it. There was a digital screen on the launcher, telling you your beypoints, wind direction, wind speed, angle of the launcher from its current position, and a bunch of other stuff you couldn't wait to try.

"I know you've been using a temporary launcher since your old one broke, so a friend of mine made this for you. It does a lot, including scanning beys and telling you their stats, strengths, and weaknesses."