No Holds Barred

Summary: Mugen finds himself tricked and forced into fighting various opponents for entertainment. Fight or die. Kill or be killed. Those are the rules, can you handle it? Post-series. Run away plot from my drabble series. Rating may go up.

A/N: Clear the area, people! Make some room! Get out of swing range, because hair can and will be pulled! (But most importantly, enjoy!)

Chapter 10: Catfight

"Are you feeling hungry?" Hone asked, letting her patient's growling stomach answer for him.

Mugen nodded anyway, feeling the pain of hunger resurface after the pain of bruised ribs vanished.

She offered him another glass of water, which he drank greedily. "It's nearly time for the match, so it's good that your appetite is returning." She stood. "I'll go see if the guards will let me bring you food again – you seem malnourished."

He watched her go. She had a key to his cell to allow her access to her patient, and Mugen was still trying to figure out a way to get it from her. He could always take it by force, but then he ran the risk of her exposing his escape to the guards. The last time that happened, he got caught because that Neko skank ratted him out.

Hone didn't seem like a snitch, but Mugen hadn't survived this long automatically assuming the best in people. He needed more time to recuperate his injuries, first and foremost. He could handle Hone, even if she was a grappling champion; but he doubted he'd have the strength to fend off another dog-pile of overweight guards.

Hone made her way through the winding tunnels to the room where most of the guards spent their day. She knocked on the door politely and waited for someone to get off their ass and answer it.

"Oh." A guard with a piggish nose looked disappointed to see her. "It's just Hone." He opened the door to let her into the smoky room.

Guards lazed about on the floor or on the occasional chair, smoking their pipes or playing cards. Boss had banned drinking during their shift since that had been a possible cause of the newcomer's near escape. Needless to say, it was just one more thing to add to the list of grievances against him.

"I'm looking for Genji." Hone spoke, finding the man when his head turned her way.

"What?" The man replied expectantly, keeping his hand of cards hidden from leering eyes.

"I'll return your key a little later than usual." She told him, lingering near the door – feeling like a lamb in a den of sleeping lions. "I'm bringing more food to Dokuro-san."

Some of the sleeping lions' ears perked up at the mention of the newcomer, and she highly doubted it was out of concern.

"How's my ol' pal doin'?" Genji questioned, crooked smile revealing a chipped tooth. "Can he come out to play anytime soon?"

"He's recovering well enough, considering his injuries." Hone was terse only because she was starting to feel hungry as well.

"Yeah?" Genji chuckled. "Good to know we didn't break my new toy, eh boys?"

A few of the men beside him chuckled and Hone rolled her eyes.

"We're in agreement, then?"

"Whatever." Genji dismissed. "Do what you want. I don't give a shit as long you're back before Neko's match." He smirked lustfully. "I don't want to miss a minute of it."

Her smile betrayed the sickness turning her stomach. "Of course."

She was gone in a flash, seeing no reason to stick around that room any longer than necessary. Only girls like Neko and Yuki dwelled in places like that with men like those.

The kitchen was only a few labyrinthine corridors away from the guard's room. There were no other rooms in this section, which made her wonder if there was a secret exit in the back of the kitchen. Otherwise, the only way to reach these rooms from the outside was to travel from the other side.

Cook was checking on his hefty barrel of steaming rice when Hone greeted him.

"Hone-chan." He smiled. "Aren't you going to Neko's match?"

She shrugged. "I see enough of her on a daily basis to last me two lifetimes. I'll be needing two bowls again today."

Cook eyed her suspiciously as he grabbed a serving tray. "Eating for two?"

Hone grimaced at the thought. "Never."

He laughed at her, pressing spoonfuls of rice into the bowls. "It's always the ones who say never."

Hone pursed her lips, choosing to ignore him lest he ignore her request for food. He brought over the tray of two rice bowls and tossed two pairs of chopsticks her way. Hone caught them effortlessly and nodded her thanks before heading back to the cells. Hopefully, Dokuro-san hadn't fallen asleep again.

She could hear footsteps coming her way and hoped it wasn't anyone who would hassle her for having food.

"Look, Kumo, it's your sister." Neko smirked as they approached, suddenly feeling very clingy.

Hone's eyes widened when she spotted her rounding the corner with her brother in tow. Her heart seized in her chest as their eyes locked and she nearly dropped the tray of food in her hands.

"What are you doing?" Hone was in no mood to play Neko's games, so she addressed her younger brother directly.

Kumo shrugged. "I wanted to watch the fight. Neko invited me while I still have the freedom to leave my cell."

"He's so curious." Neko gushed, mischief in her eye. "But don't worry. This *onee-chan will teach him everything he needs to know."

Hone placed the tray of food on the ground gently and smiled at Neko when she straightened up. Neko had barely finished furrowing her brow in confusion when Hone jabbed the heel of her palm into her nose, like a viper striking a rat.

"Sis!" Kumo exclaimed, gaping at Neko's slumping figure. "She has a fight right now!"

"I didn't break it." Hone snapped at him for being dramatic. She turned to Neko with a dark look. "I hope you recall this pain the next time you think about fucking with this onee-chan."

Neko scowled, eyes teary from the stinging in her nose, and allowed Kumo to assist her down the hallway.

Hone retrieved the tray of food and made her way to Mugen's cell, breathing heavily with adrenaline. Realistically, there wasn't anything Neko could do to Kumo since she was fighting in a match. Kumo would probably see things on Neko that Hone would rather not think about, but no harm would come to him physically. And that's all she could really ask for in a place like this.

She may have overreacted, the more she thought about it.

But that bitch was asking for it.

Hone was no-good with the little mind games girls like Neko played. To her, it was just easier to break a nose to prove your strength than to come up with clever threats.

"Sorry." Hone fished Mugen's cell key from her pocket. "I got a little distracted."

Mugen gave her an incredulous look as she closed the door behind her. "Distracted, my ass."

"Pardon me?" She asked beatifically, handing him a bowl of warm rice. It would have been hotter if she hadn't been interrupted on her way.

"Ain't you one of the ones who first warned me 'bout that bitch?"

"So you saw that." She shrugged indifferently at the amused twinkle in his eye. "Neko is all talk. I may not have responded wisely to her teasing, but at least she knows I see through her tricks."

Mugen shrugged indifferently. "Whatever you say." He paused. "But there ain't nothin' crazier than a woman out for revenge."

"Is that so? You should save your warnings for Neko, then. She needs them more than I do."

He hesitated bringing a bundle of rice to his mouth in order to grin a devilish smirk at her. "You ain't really a doctor's daughter, are you?"

"Why?" She implored. "Are you suggesting we've met before?"

Mugen narrowed his eyes, suspicious now. "Ever been to a cathouse?" It was the only place he could imagine meeting a pretty girl like her.

Hone tilted her head curiously. "Now what sort of business would a doctor's daughter possibly have in a place like that?"

"I dunno." He replied evenly. "But I never met a doctor who liked breakin' bones more than healin' 'em."

A/N: Short, but sweet. Well, not really. Personally, I wouldn't consider a broken nose sweet, but to each their own ;) I don't remember where I heard the term "cathouse" (probably the show, or maybe another fic), but it's just another name for a brothel or whorehouse. Also this is the first time we've deviated from Mugen's POV. I don't foresee this happening too often again, but it's only because it was Hone's fight. If it does happen again, it'll most likely be for the same reason – it's somebody else's fight we're seeing.

*onee-chan = sister, which can also be used to address an older girl you're not related to. A little like how you can call your best friends sisters. Or brothers.

Preview ch.11: Neko narrowed her eyes at him hatefully and Mugen held her glare. It was like a stray cat threatening a mongrel.