Sorry it's taken so long! I have exams next week and should be studying, but my writers block has temporarily lifted, making a whole heap of ideas flow into my head. Thus I shall write for your entertainment. Thank you Vienna and Silver and Yami Sakura for your team submissions! I will use the Red Dragons in the Semi-Finals and if it's okay with Silver and Yami Sakura can I merge the Milies and the Aztecs into one team, it would make things so much easier.

Part One. Section Seven.

Kai was studying again. He yawned in his tedium, and put his book aside and reached for another one. He opened it up and started reading as he reached for his coffee. He really shouldn't be studying with everyone else in the tent, trying to sleep, but he couldn't go anywhere else, for fear of being eaten alive by large sub-tropical bugs. Tyson stirred slightly is his slept, and Kai froze, not wanting to wake to annoying younger teen.

Tyson fell silent again, and Kai continued studying. Some hours later, Kai reached for his first textbook and found that Ray had rolled on top of it.

"Dammit!" Kai whispered, as he gently tried to push Ray off the book.

Ray groaned and rolled over, turning to face Kai. He reached out in his sleep, and pushed Kai away.

"Dammit! Ray! I need my book!" Kai whispered again as reached for the book, hoping to yank it out from under Ray, not wake him, and not tear any pages out in the process.

He got a good hold on the book, and gently pulled. The book, and Ray wouldn't budge. Ray sleepily put his arm out, grabbed the book from beneath him, and rolled over again, taking the book with him.

Kai growled a curse, and then gave up. He probably needed to sleep anyway.

The next four days flew by, the Bladebreakers, winning all their beybattles and gradually moving up the platforms, nearer to the citadel. Kai kept up a healthy balance between study and practise, Tyson, a not so healthy balance of eating and annoying Kai. Ray was practising with his new Driger, and Max was almost nowhere to be seen.

"Have you seen Max?" Ray asked as they walked to the citadel, for the Semi-Finals.

"No, I haven't. I haven't all week." Tyson said, pushing his way through the thick crowd.

"I helped him fix Draciel's Attack ring yesterday." Kenny offered.

"That doesn't help." Ray sighed. Weaving closer to the citadel, with his cat-like grace.

"If he isn't at the Citadel, when we get there, we forfeit." Kai stated bluntly.

'Kai's been really edgy today.' Ray thought to himself.

Tyson caught the flicker of faint annoyance in Ray's eyes, but decided not to say anything. If Ray was annoyed, then Kai would be raging mad, 'Best not disturb the peace.' Tyson thought.

Tyson led the way up the steps to the Citadel, worry in his eyes, when he did not see Max on their bench.

'Max is really gonna catch it from Kai now' Tyson said as he sat down quietly on the bench, pulling Dragoon out of his pocket.

"Well folks! It's come down to this! The Semi-Finals! Held on the citadel, the two winning teams from today, advance to the Temple of Quetzalcoatl tomorrow for the Finals of the Central American Tournament!"

The announcer listed the Semi-Finalists over the loudspeaker, and the opposing team filed up to the citadel, and silently sat on their bench, looking across at the Bladebreakers.

The leader stood up and counted the Bladebreakers out loud.

"One….Two….Three….Four….Where's the fifth stooge?" He asked, a sneer on his face.

Tyson bit his lip. A single thought passed through his head.

'Where are you Max?'

Okay, so I skipped a few days…. All you need to know is in the story.

 ;)