Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade…although I once bought the toys for my nephews! Which they ended up losing…

Me: .:Eyes the sharp pointy thing in Sarah's hand:. What's with the knife?

Sarah: Y'know…it just occurred to me that Rei hasn't really appeared yet.

Me: .:Blinks:. Well you asked for a story with plot. I can't just have them jump in bed with each other and have hot monkey man sex.

Sarah: .:Glares:. Must you be so crude! Rei/Takao is OTP! They'll never do something as hasty as that! Rei has to woo him-

Me: .:Snickers:. Did you just say woo?

Sarah: .:Glares:. Just get on with the damn story. And Rei better be in the next chapter or else your Kakashi plushie gets it!

"So then," Kai said seriously, pining Takao with a fierce glare. "Why are you retiring? I thought Beyblading was your life?"

The world champ sighed as he propped his head on his left hand, his right idly twirling a leaf that had fallen on the table. "I love Beyblading, that'll never change. But I can't really see myself competing into my thirties or even my twenties. I'll be seventeen in a few months, it's time I started thinking about my future. You're nearly eighteen Kai, don't you think these tournaments are becoming a bit old? Don't you ever wonder what you're going to do for the rest of your life?"

Kai gave a weary sigh as well. "For once, Kinomiya, you said something intelligent. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought of retiring as well. I guess I always figured I'd quit first, not you."

"Yeesh, Maxie said almost the same thing! Why is it everyone thinks that I'm only interested in Beyblading?" Takao said with a pout, bringing his gloved hands to rest underneath his chin.

Kai scoffed slightly. "Because you're Kinomiya Takao, World Champion Blader and our resident garbage gut."

"You're so mean Kai!" Takao cried.

"Hn."

Takao narrowed his eyes. "Oh no you don't! You're the one who wanted to talk, don't get all silent on me now!"

"Hn," Kai grunted with a small smirk.

Takao growled before looking away. "Jerk!"

The two friends sat in a comfortable silence for several minutes before Kai voiced a question that had been nagging him. "So what are your plans now?"

Takao visibly perked up, his body vibrating with excitement. "I've been accepted at Kanazawa!"(1)

"Kanazawa?" Kai repeated with a questioning frown. "Isn't that an art college?"

"Yeah, well…" Takao started with a sheepish grin as he reached a hand back to readjust his hat.

"Hn, never pictured you as the artsy type, Kinomiya," Kai drawled with a smirk.

"Urusai! I'm not going to learn how to paint or sew!" Takao snapped with an embarrassed blush.

Kai's smirk widened. "So spill. Why're you going there?"

"Well it's grandpa's fault really," Takao said in a conspiratorial voice. "He's had me training with him in the dojo since I could walk! It's the swords Kai! I was always obsessed with them! They're so beautiful!"

"The swords?" Kai asked faintly as he tried to bury his amusement. "What does your love of all things pointy and shiny have to do with an art college?"

"Arrrgh! And you guys call me dense! Kanazawa has one of the best blacksmith programs in the world!"

Kai blinked showing the younger boy just how much he had managed to shock him. "You're going to become a blacksmith?"

Takao smiled proudly. "Yep!"

"You do realize that metalworking isn't really a marketable skill don't you?"

Takao narrowed his eyes. "Sourpuss," he muttered. "It is if you do decorative metalworking. You'd be surprised the crap that housewives will convince their husbands to buy. Just think," Takao said as his eyes gained a dreamy, sparkly look. "I can make decorative weapons that are functional yet aesthetically pleasing! Or I could make statues and even if they're butt ugly I can call them abstract and slap a huge price tag on them, and someone will still be stupid enough to buy them!"

Kai gave him an assessing look. "You really want to do this?"

"Yeah, I really do," the blue eyed boy said softly as he calmed down.

"And I can't talk you out of it? I could always hire you myself."

"No you can't talk me out of it. Since when have I ever backed down from what I believe in?" Takao asked with a wide grin. "Besides, me at a desk? I'd ruin you, you'd be bankrupt in a week!"

"Hn. You know where to find me."

Takao gave his friend a soft smile. "Yeah Kai. I do. But you better not be a stranger, you hear? I'll be in Tokyo during the week for class but I'll be coming back on the weekends to help gramps around the dojo. I expect calls and visits from you Mr. Grumpypants!"

"Hn. It's nearly been an hour."

Takao blinked in confusion. "What?"

"The annoying small one. He set a curfew for you."

Takao's eyes widened as he shot up from his spot on the bench. "Oh shit! That little brat would actually call the cops! I've gotta go Kai, see ya at the hotel!" Takao yelled as he ran from the park.

"Oh and Rei!" Takao shouted up at the tree four feet from where Kai and he had been sitting, causing the poor nekojins that had been eavesdropping to nearly fall from the tree. "If you wanted to know why I was retiring you just had to ask! I still consider you my friend even if you have been a jerk lately!" With that Takao sprinted out of the park, hoping he'd make it back to the hotel before Daichi could create a scene.

"Baka," Kai grunted as Rei and the rest of his team jumped down to land in front of him. "We were on a team together for three years, do you really think he wouldn't be able to tell?"

Rei gave a fangy grin as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.(2)

1. Kanazawa is an actual college in Japan. But that's as far as the similarities end I think. It's an art college but I wasn't able to find out if they really had the best blacksmith programs or whatever they're called. So any artists shouldn't take my word for it. J Oh and I don't own the college! So don't sue me please!

2. Yes! Rei finally makes an appearance…I was starting to worry it would become a Kai/Takao pairing! So put down the knife Sarah, I can guarantee Rei will feature even more in the next few chapters.

A/N: Review please!