It took little time to locate the necklace half that the apparition was looking for. I was almost was disappointed when I learned that a chamberlain of Koenma himself possessed it. Sadly, by all accounts, this was going to be a quick snag and drag.

When I arrived at the chamberlain's home, no one was there. No alarms were set, and to top it off there was no guards posted. Even my home had better security! Oh well, he'll learn the hard way this time. It took all of five minutes to walk inside, head down to the vault, and crack the vault's code. In ten minutes I was walking away from the building to go back to the bar where I agreed to meet the lightening apparition. So much for my great skills.

Three days later found me standing in front of the lightening apparition with a half of a necklace in my hand and some very beautiful armor in hers.

"This is some armor that I'm sure equals the value of the necklace you're holding in your hand. It was made by sorcerers for Manwe." I'm sure she could see the gleam in my eye as she walked over, grabbed the necklace, and set the armor on the ground next to me.

"You can call on me for any job in the future." I yelled after her. "As a matter of fact, why don't you let me buy you a drink and we can talk business?" The lightening apparition turned heel and smiled.

"My name is Nolidoli, and sure. I'd like that."

"So, what are you doing tonight?" Nolidoli asked, looking at my direction. When I had invited her for a drink that night, I hadn't realized how lonely I had actually become. We'd become fast business partners and, over time, friends. Nolidoli wasn't like most of her lightening apparition relatives--who were generally a pious bunch--but specialized in black mail. Black mail, assassinations and thievery fit well together, and business bloomed with the two of us working together. It seemed that we were the all in one go to for any needs of the Makai. We'd become well known enough that when the next tournament came around, we were given ring side seats by a demon who thought that money didn't speak as well as the gift did.

"I was thinking that tonight, all the contestants will be arriving tonight and I want to know who I should be putting bets on." Nolidoli smiled; she knew just as well as I the real reason that I was going and it had nothing to do with making some quick cash. One of the humans on Koenma's new team was claiming that he was Youko Kurama. Not only was the energy signal human in this being, but he was a red head. Youko had had flowing white hair since the day I met him. I wanted to eviscerate the little bastard for dragging my old comrades name in the mud. The Dark Tournament presented a perfect opportunity to get a hold of the ass, and I didn't plan on letting him leave the island alive. Crossing me had become a deadly thing to do.

Since Slayer's attack, I'd become stronger. Slayer could easily kick my ass up and down the Makai, but most demons tried to stay on my good side.

Nolidoli and I would be dressed to kill for the Dark Tournament. She would be head to toe in white leather and I would be in my black leather. There hadn't been a Tournament for several years, and the whole of the Makai hummed with excitement.

"M, I'm ready when you are." And so we made our way to the island.