Star: Hey folks! Well guess what?

Scythe: (hopeful) You are going to die and I will be freed from duty as your muse?

Star: (eye twitches) No, I need help with something.

Scythe: (suppressed laughter) Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

Star: I'll bet you are... Anyway, I was wondering if any of you could give me an idea for a way to connect Kagome to Yusuke? Like directly, family or something like that? Pretty please? (puppy dog eyes)

Scythe: If no one helps out, I'm sure I will be able to think of something, being the wonderful muse that I am.

Star: Shut up, you cocky vampire.

Scythe: Hey! What did I say about calling me vampire?!?

Star: But you are one.

Scythe: Only half! The other half is a wide range of demon blood that I am very proud of. (crosses arms and turns away)

Star: But—

Scythe: NO BUTS!!! THE NEXT TIME YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT I WILL FIRE ENERGY BALLS AT YOU!!!!

Star: (gulp) Yes Scythe...

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Hiei: 15 Kurama: 24

WARNING: CHAPTER 11 WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER FOR VOTES! THE FINAL COUNT WILL BE GIVEN ON CHAPTER 12!!!

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Chapter 9:

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LAST TIME:
He smirked then brushed past Kagome, heading over to the area where they got on the ship at the start of the journey. They were docking as he and Kagome were talking, so they should be able to exit in a moment or two.

Touya soon saw that he was right as the ramp leading from the ship to the ground was set up, and he pulled a once again protesting Kagome over to it with him.

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Risho and the others arrived on the ground next to them a moment later.

"Nice acting!" Jin complimented happily once there was no danger of being overheard.

Kagome blushed. "Thanks! I've kind of been doing things like that all my life," she said modestly. She never COULD take a compliment... "Um, where are we supposed to go now?" she asked, changing the subject. Besides, she really wanted to know anyway!

"We must go to the hotel here on the island, where the gathering is for all the rules and junk. I don't see WHY we have to go, but it is required that all participating teams must go and sit through the boring lecture," Risho explained. Then he looked thoughtful. "But Koenma's team does not have to go... I would like to know why, but it doesn't really matter I guess."

Kagome's curiosity peaked. "Who's Koenma?"

Gama balked at her. "You don't know who Koenma is? What are you, a complete imbecile?"

This earned Gama a death glare from the miko. "I do not know who Koenma is. I am sure the reason is because I am ONLY a human." She glared some more at the make-up master reproachfully.

Touya decided to speak up for some unknown reason. "I am sure that IS the reason, actually. Koenma is the ruler of Rekai, and therefore has control over demons AND humans, so those that know him respect him."

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms, looking away. "I don't see what's so special about this Koenma person anyways. I mean, if I don't know who he is, then how can I respect him?"

Jin laughed, causing Kagome to smile. "That is true," he said. "If you don't know someone, how CAN you respect them?"

The others decided not to answer this. Risho sighed. "Come on. If we have to go to this meeting, I would like to not be late. It could cost us in the tournament." With that, he began walking away toward the fabled hotel and the sure-to-be-tedious assembly.

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Oh boy! Was Risho ever right that that would be boring! The group had just gotten out of the meeting and was now in their assigned rooms. Kagome had had to go to the meeting because for some reason they did not want to see her dead... It was understandable for Touya to feel that way, and maybe even Jin, but Bakken, Gama, and Risho HATED humans. It was kind of confusing Kagome, but she didn't let it bother her.

There wasn't really enough space in the room they had been given for the five members of a participating team, let alone an extra roommate, so Kagome had volunteered to sleep on the couch. Of course, concerned for his friend's safety, Touya had also volunteered to sleep on the other couch, opposite the coffee table from Kagome.

"Tomorrow I will begin training you," he confided in her before they went to bed.

"Why are you going to train me?" Kagome wanted to know.

"Because, not all demons are as weak as those ones on the ship, and you will need to know how to defend yourself against them."

"And how exactly are you going to train me? You do have matches you know, and you can't miss them or your team is disqualified."

"That is my secret."

"Okay, then what are you going to train me IN?"

"The art of using a sword, probably a katana, and some of the more advanced ways of defending yourself. Though your speed is great, most demons' is greater, so that advantage will not always be on your side."

"Fine, whatever..." Kagome was getting sleepy all of a sudden. Her eyes slowly drifted lower and lower as she curled up on her couch into her blanket, and soon, she was fast asleep.

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Kagome woke up a little groggy, but shook it off in a matter of seconds. Today she was going to train! Man, she couldn't wait!

Seeing that Touya was also in the process of waking up, she whispered to him, "Hey Touya, when are we going to start training?"

Touya had to blink for a moment before his head was working properly. "Right after we eat, I suppose. Why, are you anxious to start?" he said with a grin. Oh, how he enjoyed teasing her!

Kagome grumbled a bit, but decided to grace the ice master with an answer. "Of course I am looking forward to it. Training has been pretty much the only thing in my entire life that I actually looked forward to."

At this, Touya feigned a hurt look. "You didn't even look forward to hanging out with me when we were kids?"

Kagome giggled. "How about, SINCE YOU LEFT training was the only thing I looked forward to."

Touya nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, when are you suggesting we eat? My team has a match later today. We need to begin as soon as possible."

Kagome happily stood and walked over to the bathroom, where she proceeded to get dressed. Returning to the main room, she headed over to the door and tapped her foot impatiently. "Well, I'm suggesting that we leave now, but it looks like you aren't ready yet, Mr. I'm-in-a-big-hurry." She smirked.

Touya smirked right back and before she could even blink, was dressed and ready to head out the door.

"Crap, I forgot you were a demon," she mumbled, but it was loud enough for Touya to hear.

"Why, I think that it would be a terrible mistake to forget something like that, Kagome. Though I do take that as a compliment in saying that I am not completely heartless when I'm around my friends."

With that, the two headed down to the Oriental Breakfast area in the restaurant to have a quick bite to eat (donuts for Kagome, fruit for Touya). After they finished, they rushed out the door and stopped at the line of trees after they got out of the crowd of demons. Touya grinned wickedly.

"I do NOT like the look on your face, Touya!" scolded Kagome. There was more than a hint of worry in her voice as she said it.

He looked at her with childlike eyes. "I'm not going to do anything Kagome! Honest! You're my best friend, how could I hurt you?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I remember that look from when we were little, so don't you go thinking you can fool me! Something is up your sleeve..." She looked at him suspiciously.

"Come on, let's have a race."

"To where?"

"Just follow me!"

"Hey! That's not fair! If I follow you, then there's no way I can win the race." He pretended not to hear her, as he had already taken off for the desired location. "You come back here!" Kagome yelled after him as she caught up to his lessened speed. (Duh! If he went full speed, then Kagome wouldn't be able to catch up OR follow behind.)

Kagome followed about a foot behind Touya until he stopped suddenly in a clearing, causing her to fall on top of him. Well, not really on top of him, but she ran into him because she couldn't stop fast enough. Touya was still standing as Kagome seethed.

"Well, that was a good warm-up!" he said cheerfully, looking around at the small lake, the large boulder next to it, and around the clearing they were in. "Now, I want you to stand on that rock there," Touya continued.

Kagome glanced at him, then at the water, suspiciously. "Whatever," she stated, before stepping up on the rock and turning to face him.

Touya materialized a katana out of ice, examined it for a second to make sure it was right, and then handed it to Kagome. She gripped it pretty well, but it wasn't quite right. Touya understood that she really HADN'T handled a katana for a while. He patiently re-taught her how to hold one correctly.

"There, that should be good. I'll be going now to my match." He turned to walk away, but wasn't surprised in the least when Kagome yelled at him.

"WHAT!? You teach me how to hold a katana correctly then you walk away? That's NOT a lesson, stupid."

"You forget this is ME we are talking about. That isn't all to my lesson plan. YOU will stay here and practice holding the sword correctly while I go to my match. I will return after the match is done."

"There is no WAY I am going to stand here and hold this katana while you go off and have fun fighting. I am at least going to watch--" she was cut off as she felt a sudden cold at her feet, but it quickly disappeared. Looking down at her feet, she noticed that she was frozen to the rock. Then she felt something cold on her hands, and no, it was not the sword. When she investigated, she discovered that her hands were frozen to the katana in the correct position.

Kagome turned to face Touya. "What did you do that for?" she yelled in a demanding tone.

Touya was already turning to walk away as he answered. "It's the only way to keep you here and training while I'm gone. I'll be back after the match. See you later!" She watched as he disappeared into the shadowed woods.

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Star: My brother actually cares... Aw, how sweet!

Scythe: No, he just thinks Hiei is cool...

Star: Party pooper...

Scythe: For cryin' out loud! It was one lousy vote!

Star: STILL, he hasn't even read the story and he voted!

Scythe: (shakes head) I'm getting a migraine...

Kagome: Oh, and did I mention that I KICK BUTT!!

Star: YAY FOR KAGS!!!!

Scythe: What did I do to deserve this...