The warrior looked through the shadows of the trees, scanning, watching, listening. There was a snap of a twig and his head whipped left and there on the hill he saw his target in silhouette. The demon.

A boy as tall as them, thin and proud, wearing the ceremonial red wooden demon mask, looked down on the warrior and then turned as the warrior was joined by another. These two were the only challenge to the demon, the only two who stood a chance at catching up and taking him down.

A quick step backwards and the demon disappeared down the hill, the warriors exchanged a quick grin, took a breath, and then raced after him. The chase was on.

The demon had speed and grace and would hop over fallen trees and rocks like they were nothing. The warriors followed soon behind. They would catch sight of the demon and then he was gone. They'd catch up and he'd suddenly take off.

The two warriors caught their breath on a ridge as they looked down at the two trails below leading into the patch of woods the two knew well.

"This is the best hunt we've ever had. I'd get him by now normally." The first warrior observed with a grin.

"He's not bad. That demon. But I'll be the one to take him down."

"Heh. I don't think so. First one that gets him wins, don't forget. This is our chance, no matter which path he chose it'll come out by the shortcut. One of us will get there first and the other will can loop around."

The other warrior nodded and the two went sprinting down a separate into the woods.

The demon was looking at one of the native lizards in wonder when the second warrior caught up with him.

"Slacking off demon? You'll regret it!"

The demon turned and looked at the warrior.

"You kids do take this stuff seriously, huh? You even died your hair."

"This is my natural color!"

"Sure it is. And for your information, I wasn't slacking off, I was waiting for you guys to catch up a little. I don't want to be doing this all day."

The warrior pulled out the black bandana. To win the hunt, all he had to do was tie his color band around the demons wrist. He prepared the cloth in his hand and lunged at the demon.

"I'll teach you underestimate a warrior!"

The demon dodged easily but he wasn't expecting the warrior to grab his clothing as he went by, pulling the demon around with him and then into his waiting elbow. The wood mask cracked and the part that covered the demons left cheek and mouth snapped off, leaving a cut in the flesh behind. The demon hit the ground and fell on top of him to keep him pinned and get his band on the wrist.

"You cut me, asshole!"

"Suck it up. You're a demon, aren't you?"

The demon stilled beneath the warrior and for a second the warrior was caught by those deep blue eyes beneath the mask. He became increasingly uncomfortable with how close they were, their position, and how his hand was practically holding the demon's in order to get a more controlling grip. In training he was never so close to press against anyone like this.

"I am." Suddenly a leg comes up from out of nowhere and kicks the warrior in the balls. "Demons don't play fair. And you shouldn't underestimate them either!"

The second warrior twisted over in pain.

"Suck it up. You're a warrior, aren't you?" The demon shot back with a now visible smirk. The demon stood and leaned against a tree for a moment, taking the moment to recover from had almost been defeat.

The first warrior dropped from the branches above him and pinned him to the tree. Shocked, the demon drew back a leg.

"That won't work on me…Demon." The first warrior warned him with her softer feminine voice.

The visable cheek through the demon mask started to turn pink and the blue eyes widened.

"You're a girl?"

The warrior girl seemed upset at this reaction and elbowed him in the solarpexus, sending him to the ground to join warrior number two in agony.

"No, I'm the warrior that defeated you." She hissed victoriously as she knotted her white arm band around his wrist.

"Then it's my pleasure to be beaten by someone so worthy…and cute."

"Oh…" She stammered for a second, realizing it was just surprise at her gender and not any sort of judgment on it and not sure how to react to any compliment not tied to strength or skill. So she just smiled and nodded at the demon.

A shrill whistle echoed around the forest and the two looked at the second warrior, who was blowing on the silver whistle meant to signify the end of the exhibition and that there had been a winner decided.

The second warrior shrugged.

"I'll defeat you next time."

"Che, I wouldn't count on it."

"I was talking to HER."

"I know you were IDIOT. Obviously she's BETTER."

When Sensei found them a little while later, the demon and the second warrior were still rolling around on the ground fighting each other while the first warrior girl just watched with an amused smile.

Later at the Baratie, after a band aid had been applied and Sanji was drinking a cup of tea with the shitty old man out of his brand new tea set, Zeff asked him the question.

"So, was it worth it?"

"It is a nice tea set." Sanji fingered the glass after a moment and grinned. "And there are other kids working hard too."

Sometimes it was hard to see. The only kids he ever saw were the children of customers and even if you counted the ones his age or older they all seemed stupid, lazy, ill mannered, and unmotivated. Not serious.

He had felt like a freak. The kids on that island though, especially those two. They worked hard for something. It was something good to learn.

"And if they need another demon for next years festival?"

Sanji remembered running through the woods and how each warrior had pinned him differently and how each seemed so alive.

"Yeah. I'd do it again."