Chapter 1:

"Tickets! Front row tickets here! Get 'em while you can! Would you like a deal on the best seats in the house, m'am?" a small green man asked me. "Baka, do you realize who you're talking to?" I asked as I turned to glare at him from under the hood of my cape. "I'm sorry m'am. I didn't recognize you m'am. It's good to have you with us ma'am. Sorry to bother you m'am." The petrified demon yelled as he ran. "That was fun." I laughed to myself as I turned to go to my seat, "I love doing that. Scaring dumb demons who don't know any better. Ha!"

I walked into the "Honored Guest" box; I was the only one there, as I expected to be since I was early. I took off my dark hunters green cape to reveal my black and blood red halter shirt with black hang-off sleeves, black leather pants and high-heeled black leather boots. As I took my seat, I looked out the window in front of me to see which side of the Arena I was on. As I did, I saw my face in the reflection. The face that I hadn't seen for more than 500 years.

I saw my four black stripes (two on each cheek). I saw my shoulder-length, dirty-blonde, rock star-like hair. I saw my tan skin. I saw my ears perched on top of my head as they turned to listen for any surprise attacks. I looked into my sea-blue tiger-eyes. I saw the four stripes on the upper parts of each arm. I saw the little ruby-winged, butterfly necklace that he gave me. Then I remembered the night he gave it to me…….

It was the night of the new moon, the perfect night for the heist. "You ready, Kochou-chan?" the handsome youko next to me asked. "Of course I'm ready; I wouldn't be here tonight if I wasn't." I replied. "True." He chuckled as he flashed a rare, beautiful smile, "Go and get those jewels." "Yes, Kitsune-san." I saluted teasingly as I got away before he could whap me upside the head. 'He REALLY doesn't like to be called that, but that's the whole reason why I call Kurama that. And because I'm the only one who he's never tried to kill for it.' I laughed to myself.

I crept through the bushes that surrounded the castle. Kuronue, Kurama, Muroko, and I were in London, England that night, and we were going to steal some of the Royal Crown Jewels. "Alright. You both know the rules." "Yes, Kurama-sama, we know." Commented Muroko with his strong, deep voice through the walkie-talkies that we used to communicate to each other with. This was the final heist before Kurama and Kuronue would choose who would replace Yomi. Out of all the demons, it was down to me and Muroko. It was the night that would define our lives, or at least Muroko's.

Muroko and I would both enter at the same time but through different entrances to see who would get to the jewels first and who ever got there first could take whatever they wanted and give it to either Kurama or Kuronue (depending on who we started with). I knew exactly what I wanted to get Kurama. It was a small little ruby-winged butterfly on a silver chain. The most secure thing in the there but it would mean so much to me if I could get it to Kurama.

As I crept around to the entrance I was to go through, I spotted a guard and froze. He passed by without a word, his walkie-talkie sounding like it had a fuse and was about to explode. I silently stepped up to the door. It was an easy enough lock to pick, since my claws sliced through the three bolts like they were butter. I was soon inside the vault. I was surprised at how easy this was as I checked for alarms around the door and on the floor. And guess who came in and almost tripped them off? "I thought I would beat you this time, Kochou." Muroko griped, "Well you can't win them all, Muroko, and I'm going to claim my prize." I carefully walked across the floor as I approached the safe where the necklace was. It was a simple safe with no extra wiring on the outside. Still I didn't have my prize yet. I got around all of the wiring on the inside and carefully lifted the necklace out. It was beautiful. Then I had a wonderful idea. I decided to put something back in the safe so that the humans would have something to remember this night by.

After I got the necklace out, I carefully made my way back to the exit. Then I decided to scare the crap out of everyone by saying into the mike, "Now I'll have my fun with the humans. BAIL OUT!" I shouted as I purposefully tripped the most obvious alarm by opening the door again." WHAT THE #$ DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING KOCHOU!" "YOU'RE GONNA GET KILLED!" Kurama and Kuronue shouted back. "They can't kill what they can't find." I said as I calmly jogged out the door where Kurama was. I started to grow my wings so that we could bail. "I AM GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS WHEN WE GET BACK FOR PULLING THAT LITTLE STUNT BACK THERE!" Kurama yelled into my ear as I took off with him on my back. "HEY! At least I warned everyone before I did it and it was SOO boring." I scolded Kurama. "Fine, I would have done the same thing if I were you." He sighed as if he regretted admitting it. "And look what I got for you Kitsune-san." I smiled as I handed him the necklace. Silence. I tuned my head to look at him. He looked, shocked. "Why the hell did you get this when you could have had all that other stuff?" "First, because it was actually a challenge." I smiled at him, "and second, I wanted to leave a little ….'surprise' for the humans to find." I giggled. "Well," Kurama stated, "I think I agree with Kuronue on this one, you've got the job Kochou-chan." "Are you serious! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" I was so overwhelmed with excitement I was doing flips the whole way back. As we reached our destination, and as soon as his feet were on the ground, I tackled Kurama with a hug of gratitude. Then, as I saw Kuronue and Muroko come out of the bushes, I tackled Kuronue with his own hug. "OK enough with all of the mushy stuff, we have to get back before the sun rises." Kuronue announced.

As we walked to the hideout, I noticed that it was quiet. Way too quiet. I looked at Kurama and Kuronue, they had noticed it too. Then Kuronue covered my eyes as I reached for the door handle. "Very funny koumori-san. Now get your hands off so I can open the…" "SURPRISE!" shouted a bunch of demons I hardly knew, "What the hell is going on here!" I asked in confusion. "Don't tell me you forgot your own BIRTHDAY!" Muroko exclaimed. "And you saved me some trouble back there. Ureshi tanjōbi, Kochou-chan." Kurama said as he fastened the necklace around my neck. "Kurama! Thank you so much!" I cried as I gave him another hug. I wish I could have told him then and there the entire truth. Who I really was. Why I did so many horrible things. I wish I had another chance to tell him ……………

"Miodreth Avonii! How are you! I'm so happy to see you again! It's been so long! Ogre, fetch me some squid from the concession stand!" "Yes Koemna-sama," sighed the blue creature as he turned to go. "It's good to see you too Koemna. I'm doing fine. How is your father?" I gasped to the little toddler-like boy, who was hugging me so hard I could barley breathe. "He still hasn't forgiven you for stealing his pendant even though you returned it." "Well, I guess I wouldn't forgive me if I was him either." I smiled as the boy let go of his Death Hug. "Speaking of your father, where is he?" I questioned. "He's taking a vacation and he left me in charge of the Reikai. As usual." I must have been giving him a weird look because Koemna asked, "Why do you look so surprised? It's not like I'm not qualified for the job, is it? Or do you think that I shouldn't be running the Spirit World?" I chuckled, "No, it's just the fact that your father took a vacation the week my banishment was up. Anyways, do you know who got the guest team this year? I haven't had a chance to find out which teams are fighting this year." I asked as I looked down into the arena below me. "Well to answer your question, I don't know. Since father left the team was up for grabs and Spirit World has made quite a profit from the bids. My team is Team Urameshi. A talented group." Koemna smiled up at me. "Where IS that darn Ogre with my squid?" "Right here Master Koemna. Hello to you Mistress Avonii. How are you?" the ogre said to me as he handed Koemna his squid-on-a-stick. "I'm doing fine Jorge. And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Mio?" I answered as I turned to Koemna,"Since when did you start liking squid, Koemna? As a matter of fact, when did you start liking human food at all? Never mind. The first fight is about to start." I said as I looked out the window down into the arena.

"HERE'S A TEAM FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW! TEAM UREMESHI!" I heard Kato announce to the crowd. "GO HOME YOU FILTHY HUMANS!""YOU TRAITORS! YOU DISGRACES TO THE MAKAI!" I heard the crowed shout to the team as I turned to Koemna,"You have HUMANS on your team! Why in the Makai would a team have humans! Koemna are you sure you have this team? If you say no I will believe you without question, but if you say yes, I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Sadly, yes, that is my team this year. And the same guest team from the Dark Tournament last year. But one of the humans, the one who the team is named for, is extremely powerful and has been Genkei's apprentice for sometime now." Koemna replied "Mio? Mio! MIO! Daijobu!" "Estoy bien." I replied as I picked myself up from the floor where I had fainted.

"What did you just say?" Koemna questioned. "I said 'I'm fine' in Spanish. I had to learn SOMETHING while I was banished." "True." He replied. "Anyways, about my team. Yusuke Urameshi, the human the team is named for, unexpectedly died a couple years ago and became our new Spirit Detective, with the help of my assistant, Boton. You remember her don't you?"

"Of course I remember Boton. The blue-haired girl you got the hotts for, right?" I asked teasingly.

"Yes the blue-haired girl I……hey." Koemna replied as I tried to suppress my giggles. "You still act like your in high school you know that Mio?"

"'Those who act young, stay young'. And I can't help it. Plus, it gives me an advantage when I'm fighting. My opponents think that they're fighting a demon that's immature and inexperienced, not one who's over a thousand years old." I scolded Koemna as I turned to watch the first fight.

"Anyways, the shorter red-head is Kurama. Apparently, he took over a human embryo before it developed a proper soul." "Run that by me one more time, Koemna." I said in disbelief, there was just no way. Could it be him?

"He took over a human…"

"Not that part. The part about his name. I could have sworn you just said Kurama, but that's not possible." I laughed at myself.

"I did say Kurama and it is entirely possible, Miodreth. I thought you knew that. Or is it something else? You just got this weird look in your eye that I've never seen before." Koemna asked more out of curiosity than of worry. "Was he a Youko thief?" I asked intensely. "Yes he was, but why do you want to know?"

"I'll tell you about it later, Koemna. But first I have some unfinished business to take care of." I said as I grabbed my cape and ran down to the exit where the teams came out of the Arena.

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