Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade OR Naruto. I wish I did, but I don't.
"Rei, keep your speed up. If you're fast enough, you won't get hit," Kai instructed as he watched the Chinese boy spar with Tyson. "Tyson, watch your form. Stand with your feet further apart, it'll help your balance."
"Aw, c'mon, Kai, can't we take a break? We've been training for hours," Tyson whined.
"You know, Tyson, if you tried harder and actually listened to the advice Kai is giving you, you'd be done sooner," commented Akane from her place monitoring Max and Cassie's sparring match.
"Cassie, don't hesitate," Akane told the female neko-jiin. "It's like in a beybattle. You hesitate, you lose."
"I don't get why we even have to do this every day," Max put in. "How is this going to help us be better bladers?"
"If you strengthen yourself, you're also strengthening the bond between you and your bitbeast by staying near the same ability level," Rei explained, dodging a punch from Tyson and knocking the younger boy in the shoulder.
"Tyson, watch your form!" Kai was getting impatient, having been telling Tyson the same thing for the past three hours.
"Kai, would you just shut u-!" Tyson was cut off by what sounded like an explosion. "Whoa, what was that?"
Immediately, Kai ran outside the walls of the property to find out what was going on. A nearby warehouse was on fire. Apparently, the explosion came from there.
Kai was debating on whether or not to go and investigate, but his train of thought switched subjects when he saw something on the roof of Tyson's house. He turned his head to look, eyes straining slightly in the late evening light. A shadowy figure stood on the roof.
The figure hadn't noticed him. Taking a closer look, the phoenix blader saw that the person on the roof was watching the others. Kai rushed back to his team, knowing from instinct that the figure was up to no good.
"Guys, we need to get going. I think the explosion was just a distraction." Kai glanced around until his crimson eyes met Rei's golden ones. The blue haired boy could tell what the other was thinking just by the look in his eyes. Rei was silently asking if someone was after them again. Kai gave a nod only Rei would notice.
"What do you mean by a distraction? Is someone after us?" Cassie asked fearfully.
"Yeah, what's going on?" Tyson questioned.
Kai exhaled sharply. "Enough of asking questions, already! If I'm right, then we need to get going now! You all have five minutes to grab a few things, but not too much, because we're going to have to move quickly."
Akane was the first to dash inside to grab a few things, quickly followed by the others.
Kai was the first to be back outside, keeping his eyes focused on the figure on the roof, but not in a way that was obvious. Akane was the next one to come outside, and began interrogating Kai while they waited on the others.
"What's going on? Where are we going to go?" Akane questioned.
"I'm positive the explosion was a distraction. There's been someone watching us from the roof since it happened. I'm not sure yet where exactly we're going to go, but I do know that the woods there," he pointed at the woods on the edge of the property, "lead out of the city. Actually, it leads to large forest that continues on for quite a bit."
"Who do you think the guy on the roof is?"
"Not sure, but I get the feeling that he's not a beyblader... Keep in mind; it's not just bladers that want our bitbeasts."
Akane nodded and left the conversation alone as the other four came outside.
To everyone's surprise, Tyson had actually listened and was only carrying a small red and blue backpack. Rei was holding his drawstring bag that he always had when he was going somewhere, and Cassie had her small white, red, and yellow backpack, though she was clutching a leopard plushie in her arms.
"Come on," Kai led them to the edge of the woods. "This'll be the safest way to travel."
"We're going through the woods?! No way am I doing that!" Tyson exclaimed.
"Shut up, Tyson. Just do what I say right now," Kai snapped, starting into the forest. Cassie followed without hesitation, knowing that something bad must be going on for Kai to lead them into the woods at nightfall. Akane and the rest also followed quickly.
I realize this's probably a short chapter, but I already have another chapter or so typed up, so there'll be very little wait for the next chapter or two.