Gingka threw his souitcase into the storage of the hovercraft. sighing.
"WHAT?!" Kenta's voice yelled.
Everyone turned to see the boy, who was standing with Kurai- whose back was turned to him.
"What do you mean you're not coming with us?!"
"Red flag!" Kyoya said, grabbing his survival backpack- which he always insisted on bringing- and running to stand with his cousin. "I'm going with you!"
"Same here!" Ryuuga called, also grabbing his backpack and running up to the girl.
"Where Ryuuga goes, I go!" Kenta spoke up, clutching the straps of his backpack.
"No." Ryuuga and Kyoya said at the same time.
"Yes." Kurai hissed, her eyes and tone of voice daring the boys to argue with her.
"Oh, yeah!" Kenta whooped.
"Now let's go." Kurai disappeared into the woods, hardly giving any time for the three boys to catch up with her.
"Now that Johannes is part of the Tigers, you kids need to train even harder." Ryo was pacing, agitated. "In both Beyblading and physical. GO!''
Everyone was either on the roof or in the practice room in record time.
Kurai, Kenta, Kyoya, Ryuuga. Whatever you're doing, good luck, Gingka thought, running into the training room and activating the pop- up holograms and unleashing Pegasus to his full potential.
"So... Where are we going?" Kyoya panted from below his cousin.
The group was climbing up a mountain wall. They had been in the hot sun for nearly two hours now- and only Kenta had been able to keep up with the teenage girl, even if his arm was still wrapped in gauze.
"Seriously... Kid. How... are you... holding up?" Ryuuga gasped out, nearly ten feet down from Kenta.
"Well... Isn't my endurance and strength enough of a clue?" Kenta shot back. Ryuuga cringed at the comment that sounded like an insult.
"Yeah... Sorry I didn't believe you." Ryuuga murmured.
Suddenly, Kurai shouted out. "Kenta look out!"
Kenta froze at the unmistakable sound of a hiss. He slowly turned around, seeing a King Cobra rose to it's full height and it's hood flared out.
"No. Sudden. Moves." Kurai commanded, slowly making her way back down. "When I get to you, take my hand and jump."
Kenta didn't respond. But instead, he took up what looked like a fighting stance and looked the snake right in the eye.
"Ohhh, bad idea." Kurai said.
"Don't be stupid!" Ryuuga growled.
"Quiet." Kenta whispered. He moved his head and body to the left- the cobra did the same. Kenta moved to the right, the snake mirroring him.
"Oh." Kyoya breathed, pulling himself up beside Ryuuga. "I see what he's doing. He's hypnotizing the snake so he can get away. Only snake whisperers can do stuff like that."
"Snake whisperers?" Ryuuga demanded.
"Yeah. Kurai told me she saw something in Kenta from day one. So she's been training him with him. So small snakes, then working his way up to bigger and dealier- but not posionous."
"So... This is a first time encounter?" Ryuuga muttered.
Kyoya simply nodded.
"Kenta. Take my hand. Now." Kurai murmured, her hand outstretched to Kenta.
In a way that seemed like it was part of his moves, Kenta reached out and took Kurai's hand. He broke the eye contact and jumped up a full seven feet from the cobra, landing on Kurai's back.
"You two are going to have to go around and look out. I forgot to warn you- This is Killer Cobra Mountain. See ya at the top!" Kurai called down, climbing with the agility and speed of a wolf.
Kyoya and Ryuuga looked at each other, then back at Kurai and Kenta- who had already disappeared over the top of the mountain.
"KURAI!" The shouts echoed off the wall face.
"About time you two showed up! Not that I was getting worried." Kurai teased, looking into the fire. She felt the death glares she was getting from the two boys.
"How the hell could you do that to us? Your cousin and boyfriend? Hello?!" Kyoya demanded.
"She was only teasing man. Give her a break." Ryuuga huffed, sitting beside the girl, leaning back on his arms and crossing his ankles.
Kyoya growled, but snapped out of it when he saw Kenta asleep on the opposite side of the fire. "Just because he's asleep, I'm gonna let it pass. Next time, maybe not."
"Whatever." Kurai shrugged, laying her head on Ryuuga's shoulder, soaking in the fact that he didn't push her away, but instead wrapped his arms around her and leaned against the tree she had been leaning on.
Kyoya made a disgusted, retching sound. "I swear if I have to deal with you two acting like this, I'm gonna go mad."
"Then just turn around. Jerk." Kurai sneered.
Kyoya bit back a few choice remarks, but threw his backpack on the ground and turned his back to the fire and the couple- growling softly when he heard Kurai and Ryuuga talking to each other and laughing quietly with each other.
God, I hope this mission doesn't take forever, Kyoya thought, before falling asleep.