//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Hanging Out // Story: Beyblade: Worlds Unite // by Seeker1 //------------------------------// Twilight Velvet was up and about as she was humming to herself. The mother of three was in the kitchen as she continued singing to herself. Today was special for the woman. Because it was the signing of her latest book that she released, Velvet decided to take some time off to refresh herself and her mind after her latest hit-seller ended on a cliffhanger. After nearly two years of waiting, she came up with the sequel to her book. The woman finished serving the plate she was holding and brought her fingers to her mouth. A loud whistle was heard as it rang through the house. "Kids! Breakfast is ready!" shouted Velvet. "Coming, Mom!" shouted Spike as the boy fell out of his room, trying to open his door quickly. The boy struggled before going to the bathroom, hoping to get there before Twilight. Spike knew his older sister had a routine when it came to the bathroom as he hoped for once, he could get there before her, but that was almost impossible given how organized and timely his elder sibling was. To his surprise, Twilight wasn't inside when he approached the bathroom. Spike didn't question it; he was excited that he got dibs first. As for Twilight, the girl wasn't there because she'd been up for quite a while. A little before her mother went downstairs to make breakfast, the bookworm had awoken and spent a good portion lulling over what would happen. The day prior, she'd asked Emerald if he wanted to go to the mall with her, given it was her mother's book signing. He agreed, and she left it at that. But once her mother found out, Velvet had Twilight ask the boy if he would like to come for breakfast before heading to the mall. Twilight was hesitant about asking Emerald that, mostly because it would mean he would meet her parents. Thankfully, her father had been called to work to lessen some of Twilight's anxiety, but it quickly shot up once she figured out it would be just her mother. And knowing her mother was a woman who loved romantic novels, as indicated by almost all of her books. She had no doubt that her mother would comment about how he would be a fine catch for Twilight and try to get the pair together. In the end, Twilight sends a message to her friend to see if he wants breakfast at her house. She hoped he would say no, but she accepted her offer instead. Twilight was pacing back and forth in her room that she'd leave a mark on her floor if she paced any harder. "Okay, Twilight. Okay. Take a deep breath." said the teen as she tried to calm her nerves. "It's just breakfast. It's not like you asked Emerald to dinner to meet your parents. Just breakfast." "Twilight!" yelled Velvet. "Coming, Mom!" said the girl as she quickly straightened out her skirt of ruffles before exiting her room and descending the stairs. "There you are! Your friend is about to arrive, and you're not here to greet him!" said Velvet to her daughter. "Not a great idea to upstage a date." "It's not what you think, Mom. Emerald is merely a friend. And that's final!" said the bookworm, trying to ignore her mother and approaching the dinner table as Spike was already stuffing his face full of waffles. "Spike! Chew your food!" said Velvet as she smacked her spatula on her son's head. "Yes, ma'am," responded the boy as he began to eat properly. Twilight approached her seat and twirled her fork a bit. Just then, the doorbell to their house rang. "Ooh, that must be him," stated Velvet to her daughter with a big smile. The girl sighed as she swallowed a gulp. Twilight pushed back so she could get up and approached the door. Flustered, she paused to brush the wrinkles from her dress and shared a final glance with her mother. Slowly opening the door, the teen inhaled sharply as she met a bright hazel gaze. Emerald had awoken at the crack of dawn as the boy wanted to get some training in before heading to Twilight's house. He was surprised to hear that she had asked him to come to her place for breakfast before they headed to her mother's book signing at the mall, but he figured it would be rude to decline a generous invitation. So he accepted the girl's offer, not knowing what he set off between her and her mother. After going on his morning jog and doing some situps, Emerald approached the stadium in his workshop and was training with his Bey. "Let it... Rip!" shouted the teen. He pulled the string on his launcher as his partner flew through the air. It landed in the stadium as it took off the second its tip landed. The Bey was spinning and keeping momentum as it did several laps around the arena. Lunor was responding to Emerald's aura as the Bey tapped into his owner's feelings. It gained even more speed as it moved in the blink of an eye; the Bey created a barrier as it zoomed up the side of the arena and was caught by Emerald. The wind died down as the teen looked at his hand. His Bey seemed to shine as it looked like Emerald was communicating with his partner. Soon he looked over at the worktable as a clock showed the time. "Well, time to head over to Twilight's place. Don't want to stand her up," stated the boy. He soon arrived after freshening up and heading toward the girl's home. Emerald took in Twilight's home and neighborhood as he noticed how clean and nice it was. The home itself was a decent-sized house with a garage connected to it, along with a backyard. Emerald could deduce that Twilight's parents had good-paying jobs to afford something like this. The teen soon stopped his social-economic analysis as he approached the door. With a shoosh, the door opened, as the boy was now looking into a set of moderate violet eyes. The two teens stood there as they looked at each other. Emerald dumbly blinked in response, sheepishly scratching his head while he glanced over Twilight's figure. "Hey," said the boy. "Hey," responded the girl, also sheepishly. "Um… you look nice," Emerald murmured after a brief duration. Twilight bit down on her lip, fidgeting until she recollected her nerve and straightened her posture. "And you... look nice yourself." The girl tried her best to compliment her friend. "Sweetie!" called out Velvet in a song-like tone. "Come in, quickly," said Twilight as she gestured for the boy to follow her and not keep her mother waiting with her thoughts. Emerald followed the student president as he came to a table filled with tons of breakfast foods. The teen looked about as he saw Spike and a woman coming out of the kitchen. Emerald saw the woman and, at first, glance, could already tell where Twilight got her looks from as she seemed to be an older version of her daughter. Though, despite her age, he couldn't help but admit the woman looked beautiful; no doubt, her husband was a lucky man to snag someone like her. "Why, hello there. You must be that Emerald boy that my daughter talks about." "MOM!" yelled Twilight as Velvet's smile grew even bigger. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Sparkle." "Please, just call me Velvet. No need to be so formal." said the woman as she approached the table and sat down. "You're just in time for breakfast, have a seat." "Thank you, ma'am," said Emerald as he accepted Velvet's offer and took a seat. Spike noticed Emerald as the older boy took a seat a few meters from his seat. The younger teen looked at his older sister's friend as he still seemed to be reminded of the words he said to him when they first battled. He ate his food silently and didn't want to upset his sister or mother. "So... you're the one my daughter spends most of her time with?" smiled Velvet, with her hands under her chin. "MOM!" yelled Twilight, knowing what she was doing. "I'm not sure if that's an accurate statement. In terms of Beyblading, I guess I am," said Emerald, seemingly to defuse Velvet's hidden meaning without knowing. "Funny. At first, my daughter despised the idea of Beyblading. Saying it was a childish game." "Actually, I said it suits and tailors more toward children than other people," said Twilight, trying to save face in front of her mother and mentor. "But then she meets you, and suddenly, she's interested. Has her own Bey and has made it past the first round of the district tournament. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've had quite an effect on her." smiled Velvet. "Thanks?" said the boy, unsure if Twilight's mother was complimenting him. The girl slumped in her chair, wishing she could hide from all her mother was trying to do. "Alright, I'm done. Thanks, Mom!" said Spike as he hopped off his seat and quickly left out the door. "Spike!" shouted Velvet, as he seemed to have forgotten to put his plate in the sink. She tried to call for him to return, but the boy was long gone. "I swear, he's gonna be in for an earful when he returns." The group soon finished their breakfast as they had an hour to reach the mall. As Velvet gathered the dishes to put in the sink, Emerald offered assistance and helped Twilight's mother by taking the plates to the kitchen and immediately washing them. "I appreciate the help, Emerald. If only I could get Spike to it from time to time," stated the woman, as she knew how Spike hated to do his chores, especially the dishes. "It's no trouble at all, Ms. Velvet. I'm used to washing dishes," confessed the teen. "Still, to think that you're living alone in your place. Doesn't it ever get lonely?" asked the woman. "I don't really think about it much. My grandmother checks up on me occasionally since my parents are away. Plus, I've been able to take care of myself for quite a while. The way I see it, my parents are happy that I can fend for myself and don't need to worry about them." stated Emerald as he continued to wash the dishes. "You're such a mature young man. Any girl would be lucky to have you. So... any eyes for someone?" asked Velvet, trying to get some gossip. "No. And to be honest, I'm interested in pursuing a relationship. My passion is for Beyblading. And my focus is on winning the tournament." confessed Emerald. "Yes, well... nothing everything is about Beyblading. Word of advice, try to enjoy other aspects of life." said the woman before looking at the grandfather clock in the living room. "Twilight, come dry these dishes. I need to go change." The bookworm came down the stairs as Velvet went to her room to prepare for her book signing. She approached Emerald, who was washing the dishes, as she grabbed some on a stack and began drying them with a towel. "Hope my mother wasn't bothering you too much," said the girl. "Nah. She was just concerned since I live alone," the boy responded. "I see you inherited her smarts and beauty and her concerning nature." Twilight's cheeks went slightly pink at hearing what the boy said, unaware of what he said and how it made the girl feel. She quickly put that thought out of her mind and continued to dry the dishes while Emerald continued to wash. "So, what's going on with you?" asked Emerald. "What do you mean?" retorted Twilight, having a slightly nervous chuckle. "You seem, I don't know, distracted. Wanna talk about it?" "Not today. It's my mother's big day." "Alright." Emerald chose not to press the matter further and honored Twilight's request. The boy then smirked as he swung his arm to splash water in the girl's face. Her friend's actions took aback Twilight before she reached into the other half of the sink and splashed some water on his face. The two chuckled before they began to have a little splash fight. Velvet was watching the pair having their little fun as a smile came on her face. While Twilight might have just told her that she and Emerald were just friends, she couldn't help but feel there was something more between the two. Soon all three began to get ready to head out. Velvet started the car as both Emerald and Twilight got in the backseat. It wasn't long before they arrived at their destination as people left the massive building. They entered the place and began to head toward the mall section, where Velvet would be signing and giving away her latest book. They soon found it as a huge line was forming that wrapped around the floor level she would be on. "Woah," said Emerald as he was surprised by how many people were fans of Twilight's mother and her writing. "Now then, kids. Go ahead and have fun. I'll be here if you need anything. Twilight, make sure you're back here by 5 pm so we can leave. Not a minute later." instructed the woman to her daughter. "Yes, Mom," said the girl to her mother. She then turned to Emerald as she smiled before reaching into her purse and pulled out some cash. The woman handed the money to the boy, surprised by the weight and amount he received from the woman. "Here you go. Feel free to spend it on her and get some lunch," said Velvet as she winked at Emerald before walking toward the desk. Some people in line noticed Velvet approaching the table, and they all made noises. The woman waved to her fans and sat down as some assistants began to get things settled in to begin the signing. From afar, Twilight and Emerald watched the first few books the girl's mother signed. "Your mother is really talented." "Yeah." "Like you." After hearing Emerald say that, Twilight turned her head and played with a strand of her hair. She didn't know why, but hearing the boy say that made her feel... something. The boy then began to walk away as Twilight followed him. "So, what do you want to do?" asked Emerald as he looked about the many shops and stores. The two teens then began to traverse the megamall. The first stop that the pair made was a bookstore, as it caught Twilight's eye. It was no shock to Emerald as he knew where Twilight's love for books came from. It was a very big store, with dark green carpeting and white walls with green trim. It was all one large room with what looked like hundreds of bookshelves in it. They'd say they were in a library if one didn't know any better. Twilight quickly found herself in the adventure section, skimming through the stacks in search of her book. Emerald went over toward the magazine section. Eventually, he got bored and went to where Twilight was and found the girl going through her tenth book. He was amazed that the student council president could read in that allotted time but knew how smart she was. After a bit, the pair approached the counter and soon exited with Twilight carrying a rather large bag filled with books. "Wow, that's a lot of books," said the teen staring at the filled-up bag. "Yeah, there was a sale in the classics section. Buy one get another half off. Plus, I got three A.K. Yearling books, including the new Daring Do." Twilight said as she gave a nervous chuckle. Soon a growl was heard as Emerald looked at his stomach. "Don't mean to be rude. But can we get something to eat? I'm starving." The food court was on the second floor. Instead of waiting for an elevator, the duo ran up a spiral staircase. Emerald quickly ran up the stairs, only to hear a loud thud. He turned around to see Twilight on the floor by the staircase. Twilight, who was trying her best to keep up with the boy, tripped on the last step, which caused the contents of her bag to spill onto the floor. The teen glided over to his friend and helped her up. "Woah, that sounded like it hurt. Are you okay?" asked the boy in a concerned voice as he helped Twilight to her feet. "Yeah, aside from a little bruise, I'm fine," said Twilight as she rubbed her elbow. Emerald quickly knelt beside her and returned all the fallen books to the messenger bag. He picked it up to realize it was very heavy. "Wow, these books are heavy," said the boy. "Yeah, I think I may have gone a bit overboard." said a slightly embarrassed Twilight, who extended her arm to grab the bag. Before Twilight could get it, Emerald quickly slung the bag over his shoulder and flashed her a grin. "Don't worry, Twilight, I'll carry these books for ya." "Um..a-are you sure? They're really heavy." said a now blushing Twilight. "Of course! They're not that heavy," said the boy trying to sound tough. "Plus, the restaurant is right over there. It's no problem." "Thanks, Emerald." "Don't mention it!" The place the pair went to was one of those sports/bar-type restaurants with sports memorabilia and photos of sports teams lining the walls. Flat-screen T.V.s bolted to the walls showed different soccer, football, and basketball games. There were a few people there, but it wasn't busy yet. The two were quickly seated in a booth by the entrance. "I never knew this place existed," said Emerald as he looked around and admired the restaurant's memorabilia around the restaurant. "Rainbow Dash comes here all the time!" explained Twilight, knowing how her friend and the people she hung out with consider this their hangout. A waiter came over as he took the teen's orders. Once that was taken care of, Emerald began to look around the place until the girl got his attention. "So, how are you enjoying this, uhm, hangout?" asked Twilight as she smiled nervously. "It's okay," responded Emerald as he leaned back. "I'm sorry about my mo-" "It's fine, Ms. Prez. No big deal." Twilight was glad that Emerald wasn't bothered by how her mother acted. "So, about the next round? I'm glad I made it, but I'm still nervous." "Don't be. If you made it this far, then the rest is a piece of cake," said Emerald as he sipped his water casually. "What's your secret? How do you remain so calm?" wondered Twilight. "I'm just built differently," responded the boy. "But in all seriousness, I've been doing this for so long that it has become second nature. It's almost like a sixth sense where I don't need to think too much to apply it." "Wish I had that," muttered Twilight. Soon their food arrived, and they began to eat. After they paid, they went to a few more stores in the mall and bought a few different things here and there. They passed by Twilight's mother as she was still signing her books; she noticed the pair off in the distance and waved at them. "Sweetie! Are you having fun with Emerald?!" "Yes, Mom!" responded Twilight to her mother. "Okay! I'll be here if you two kids need anything! Go on and enjoy your date!" Twilight grumbled before walking off and pouted as Emerald just shrugged. The pair continued to explore as they passed more shops. The boy used the money given to him by Twilight's mother as he kept on paying for anything that she wanted. As they walked by a window, Emerald stopped and looked into it. The boy saw something that caught his eye as he entered the store. Twilight was so busy looking at the many windows that she didn't notice that Emerald wasn't following her. When she asked for the boy's opinion, she didn't get a response and turned to see he was gone. "Emerald? Emerald?" Twilight was calling out to her friend, wanting to know where he disappeared. The girl was looking about as many people passed her. She soon felt a tap on her shoulder. "Hey, Twilight!" "Ahh!" said the girl, jumping at the sudden voice. The teen looked behind to see Emerald standing behind her. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" expressed the bookworm. "I've been standing here for two minutes," responded Emerald as Twilight blinked before smiling nervously. "Anyways, I saw something and figured you might like it. Here you go." The boy dug into his small bag and pulled out a box. The girl took the object from her friend as she took the top off. Inside wasn't anything fancy, but a simple necklace. Twilight took the thing out and lifted it as she got a good look. "You got this... for me?" said the girl. "Figured it'd make a nice gift," stated Emerald. "So... you like it?" "It's... nice." "Nice?" "Y-Yeah, n-nice." Twilight was at a loss for words. She couldn't quite say what she wanted as she continued to eye the necklace her friend gave her. "Look, if you don't like it, I'll just return-" "No!" Twilight blurted out, pulling the necklace away towards her chest before the boy could hope to reach it. An awkward silence filled the room as Emerald stared dumbly at the girl's shift in demeanor. "It's okay. I like it. It's just... I didn't expect you to get me something, is all." "Oh, well... hope you enjoy it," said Emerald as he kept on walking. Eventually, the time came for the pair to head on back to Twilight's mother. Velvet was shown signing the last of her books as she gave them to a little girl and patted her head before waving goodbye. One of the organizers began to clean up. The woman stood up and slipped on her purse as she looked to see if her daughter was present. Five minutes passed, and the pair still didn't show up. Just then, some running was heard as Twilight approached the horizon as the teen was huffing and puffing. The lavender-haired girl hunched over her mother as Velvet stood there with her arms crossed. The woman looked over her daughter as Emerald casually approached the escalator and walked over with his hands in his pocket. "What did I say?" stated Velvet. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry for being late. Please don't ground me." pleaded the girl as she looked at her mother for not being here when asked. Velvet looked at Emerald and began to approach him. Twilight was biting her hair as she feared what her mother might do. Velvet looked at Emerald as the boy kept his calm demeanor. The woman's gaze soon softened as she laughed slightly. "Did you two have fun?" asked Velvet. "Ehh, I enjoyed it," said Storm with a casual shrug. "Good. And don't worry about being late," said the woman as she began to walk. Twilight was stunned to see that her mother didn't do anything to Emerald for them being late. "Come along, you two," said Velvet. Emerald began to walk as Twilight was still processing what had happened. It was getting late as the sun was starting to set. Emerald was in the back seat as he was staring out the window. The passing buildings zoomed by as Twilight was seated on the other side. The girl looked at her friend before looking at her hand, still containing the necklace he had gotten her. The car then stopped as Emerald was now looking at his home; Velvet had offered to drop him off after they stopped to get some dinner. "Well, here we are." "I appreciate you giving me a ride home, Mrs. Velvet." "It's no trouble at all. It's the least I can do for a friend of my daughters," smiled the woman. The boy unhooked his seatbelt and opened the door. He grabbed his takeout pizza box before the window rolled down to allow him to speak with Twilight. "See you on Monday, Ms. Prez." "Try not to be late," stated the girl as Emerald smiled smugly. "Have a good night, Mrs. Velvet." "Good night, Emerald," said the woman before leaning over so that only he could hear her. "And thanks for keeping an eye on my daughter. She's in good hands." "Uh-huh," responded the boy, not picking up on what Velvet was implying. He turned and began to head toward his house. Velvet smiled before starting the car and taking off. Emerald watched the vehicle before it disappeared from sight and entered his home. Twilight looked out the window as they drove home, seeing the many houses passing by. She then looked down at the necklace before slipping it on. She tied the back of it and looked at the necklace as it dangled from her neck and rested against her skin. "You seem to like it," said Velvet, keeping her eyes on the road while knowing her daughter was looking at her necklace given by Emerald. "It's a nice thought, is all, Mom," responded the girl. "It sure is," said the woman to herself as she noticed her daughter touching the necklace in the above mirror as a smile crept on her face.