Disclaimer: The only thing I own is my sanity, my characters (Kona, Shinza, and Kaiya) and my plot line (and I'm not so sure I still have my sanity at the moment). Shaman King and all the characters that aren't the ones I mentioned above are property of their creator. Lucky.

This is just strange. I really had no reason to write it, but I did anyways. Essentially, my character decides to take on Faust VIII, a necromancer who seems to have a tendency to, oh, I don't know, kill things. But of course, it's for a good cause, as the psychopath only wants to resurrect his dead lover Eliza. Yup. And that all makes sooooo much sense. rolls eyes Whatever.

"Faust?" Kona, a young Shaman clad in all black, inquired. The name had appeared on her Oracle Bell/Reader/Thing. "The name sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't figure out why..."

"Wasn't he the shaman who brutally murdered the overseer of his last match?" Kona ghost ninja, Shinza, spoke for the shadows of a nearby tree. Kona responded without turning around.

"That's it! That's the one!"

"You would think an act of violence such as that would earn a disqualification for the tournament."

"One would think" A shadowy figure stepped into the dim moonlight. It was obvious from his tone that he was one of the ones who thought Faust should have been disqualified. Kona nodded in response, knowing already who the mysterious newcomer was.

"Kaiya." The Shaman officiant nodded to acknowledge he heard her.

"Faust is a very dangerous opponent. It would be advisable to withdraw from the fight." Kona glanced over at him.

"I believe we've been over this before- if I want your opinion, I'll ask for it."

"I realize that, but this is a special case. Kona, if you don't withdraw from the fight, Faust will not only talk the match, but your life as well!" Kaiya's tone indicated how close he was to getting down on his hands and knees and begging. Kona shook her head.

"No. Shinza and I will take on Faust and we will come out victorious. and move onto the next round." The cockiness in the Shaman's voice was obvious, but for good reason- she and her guardian ghost had faced many opponents and had defeated them all. The duo's record was impeccable, and no mere necromancer was going to change that, no matter how vicious.

"But-" The officiant's protest was cut short with the totally inconspicuous disappearance of Kona and Shinza. Damn ninjas he thought Always racing off to get themselves killed And how true his words were was never known to the Shaman and her ghost.

"Shinza..." Kona whispered, not having the strength to speak out loud.

"Here Kona. As always." The ninja's despair was evident.

"I guess Kaiya was right... we should have withdrawn."

"No Kona. Don't say that. You know it's not true."

"Don't I?" The Shaman glanced down at the pike lodged in her midriff, pinning her to a tree. She smiled weakly, as if amused by the way things had turned out. "You're right. We shouldn't have withdrawn. This is the way I wanted it... Death in battle, the way of a warrior."

"Kona..." Shinza looked at her partner in concern as the aforementioned coughed, producing blood. Kona smiled again. She turned her head in the direction of which Kaiya was standing, overseeing the match.

"Who's his next opponent?" The information was classified, and everyone there knew it. But, seeing as how the girl was about to pass into the next life, her guardian ghost moving on with her, Kaiya decided an exception could be made.

"Yoh Asakura. I believe you met." Kona nodded, hardly able to hold her head up any longer from loss of blood.

"Kick his ass, Yoh. Give 'em hell for me..." With that, Kona's body went slack and Kaiya could see her spirit drift up to Heaven and into the afterlife. He hoped with all his heart her dying wish would be honored. Kaiya looked up to the sky and said into the night

"Kick his ass, Yoh..."

So...yeah. Loved it? Hated it? Whatever. Just tell me! Please review!