Catse: Beware everyone. This is a bit long. But if you really like the story, you shouldn't care right? Anyways, here's chappie twenty two, and I hope you enjoy. I know I did. You also get to learn a little bit about the way Kenya and Haku think when in battle. Well, enough of my blabbing, on with the fic!

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Disclaimer: See chappie one....

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"Where is everyone?" Seika inquired, lounging on Genkai's porch. He was drinking a bottle of water, his staff wrapped up in cotton cloth propped up on his shoulder.

"Not sure. They're a little late." Kenya replied, cleaning the Flaming Sword with an old cloth he kept for such purposes.

Genkai stepped out of her temple silently, coming up to the two boys. "Someone's on their way here, but I'm not sure who."

The three kept their eyes on the road, and waited. Sure enough, a tall silohuette of a young woman came walking up the road, a huge box balanced on her left shoulder, and one under her right arm. Her clothing was simple, a pair of baggy red jeans and a black t-shirt with a wolf with blood dripping off it's fangs cascading across the front. Her hair was long and black, shimmering in the light, and her eyes were a brilliant amber, looking at them with a huge smile on her face.

"Hiyya guys! Long time no see!" She said with a sort of New York accent.

"Suki! What are you doing here?!" Kenya shouted, running up to the girl so as to take one of the boxes. Relieved of the burden under her arm, she pulled the larger box off her shoulder so as to hold it properly.

"Yo Kenya. That's what I was going to ask you."

"We're here to train. You?"

"I'm here to bring Genkai her monthly supply of teas and groceries. Hey Genkai! Special delivery!"

Genkai nodded over her cup of Green tea. "Leave it in the kitchen as always Suki."

Suki nodded and walked into the kitchen, Kenya following, only to walk out empty. She looked around a moment, as if taking in the scenery, when her eyes landed on Seika. "Hey, who are you?" She inquired, walking up to him.

"I'm Seika. You?"

"I'm Suki as you already heard. I'm like the assitant teacher at the Flaming Swords Dojo with Kenya's mother and father. They were my teachers growing up so I help them out at the Dojo and buy Genkai her supplies every month. Wait, you're that kid Suta was talking about. The one that had died but was reborn. I heard you got a spirit in your body that won't let you be."

"Yeah, it's Shadow." Kenya replied, smiling.

"Shadow eh?" Suki rubbed her chin in thought. "Well if he can be made an ally he would come in handy. He's a cat demon you know. Plenty of good abilities and reflexes there."

Seika was quiet for a moment, then all of a sudden seemed to be mumbling to himself.

"No…No…I'm not letting you out…Hell no…Shut up…! Shut UP! What? No…! No! You're driving me bonkers! So just shut up!"

"Seika, are you alright?" Kenya inquired, looking at his friend as if he had grown horns.

Seika looked up in a startled state and nodded slightly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Arguing with the kitty eh? Well, I can bet he'll put you up a good fight. By the way, I'm heading off with you when you intrude the base behind the barrier."

Kenya and Seika's jaws dropped. "What?! But…But…You're too old!"

Suki glared at them with a disappointed frown. "I'm not that old kid. They call me a young adult where ever I go! Besides, you're going to need someone to bat off old black witch if she decides she wants to be ticked. If the barrier only allows virgins, then I should be able to help out."

"You're a virgin!" Seika shouted out of no where, looking thoroughly confused.

Suki looked very aggravated. "Yes I'm a virgin! I'm only twenty-one! Geeze, you think because I'm older than you that I've done it! Come on! Get a clue! I'm still young! I'm not doing anything like that just yet!"

A short chuckle sounded off nearby, and the younger image of Kurama walked up to them, a tiny smile on his face.

"You all are amusing. I will give you that." Haku stood up to them, a head shorter than the all three of them them, and about the same size as Genkai.

"Ah, you showed up! Finally!" Seika announced, skipping around. "Now maybe Katai will stop messing around and get her too!"

"What do you mean messing around?" Another voice erupted from the trees. Seika froze as he watched the young Urameshi step up. "I had a few asses to kick before I got here. And my damned father wouldn't let up."

"Don't talk about Yusuke like that! He may like to pester when he's bored but can you blame him? You're talking about the guy who skipped class because he was tired of the teachers. And what did he do? Nap." Suki argued, huffing as she set her hands on her hips.

"Then why couldn't he have taken a nap when I was leaving! He was in a fighting move and I was in a leaving one!"

"It just happens I guess." Seika told them with a grin. "Can we start fighting now?"

"I'm guessing you are Katai Urameshi, and you are Haku Minamino. Hiyya! I'm Suki! I work with Hiei and Suta at the Flaming Swords Dojo! And I'll be traveling with you when you head into the main base day after tomorrow!" She rushed, grinning as she shook their hands.

Katai looked at her as if there was something wrong with her.

Haku merely bowed politely and accepted the hand shake and afirming his heritage.

"So you're coming with us? Why? We have enough people already." Katai inquired, setting her bag down under a nearby tree.

"Yes, enough people. But no one to keep Yoru in check."

"Yoru in check? You can actually do that?"

"Hell yeah! I didn't just sit around on my ass when I was with Suta and Hiei. I learned everything they, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama had to teach me. Plus, I had to baby sit the dark brat herself when her parents were out of the house. I will say this. Kenya, you and Satou were much less a hassle than your elder sister ever was. She was a bitch on two feet, causing all sorts of trouble to get me ticked. Sometimes I had to lock her in her room as punishment, which was a bad idea because it gave her time to figure out a way of escaping. But yes, I can keep Yoru in check. I've got as much skill as she does, and more experience. The only thing I lack is the similar blood, but that's not too big a factor. So you won't have to worry about Yoru."

"That's a relief." Seika announced, stepping back towards the temple so as to grab his staff. "You guys are going to be surprised about what I've made my new signature weapon. Check it out!" He turned, the staff in his hands, and pulled the cloth away from it.

"Wow! Lovin' the staff!" Suki announced, taking the weapon from Seika almost instantly. She looked it over a while, then with a satisfied grin, handed it back. "It's made for channeling energy, and the slits in the sides leave it with long life when it's powered up. A fine weapon indeed."

"So you're going to use a staff?" Haku inquired, looking at the weapon.

"Apparently."

"Where'd you get it?" Katai also asked, taking the weapon similarly to the way Suki had to look it over.

"Kuwabara."

"Kuwabaka gave you that!" Suki announced, laughing. "He must have had his friend Icko do it! Icko ain't much on brains but when it comes to weaponry carving he's a genius!"

"You do mean Kuwabara right?"

"Hell yeah! But just like Hiei calls him Carrot-top, I call him Kuwabaka! The names fitting isn't it?"

Kenya, then Seika, and finally Katai and Suki broke into laughter over the name, a few chuckles from Haku and Genkai the only additions.

"So, you were going to start training, correct? Use the tournament field in the back. It'll fit to your needs." Genkai inquired.

"Tournament field? When'd that go in?" Suki asked, stretching her arms.

"A few years ago when the boys wanted a place to train. The forest was far too easy, so they decided to go against each other in an arena, to practice keeping in it instead of out of it. So Koenma asked to have one built here, and payed for it and everything. So now I have an arena in the back. You kids can use it as you please. Be careful about tearing it up though. Yusuke and the others have already torn it to bits several times."

"I'll keep an eye on them!" Suki offered, walking past them towards the back of the house.

"Hey Suki! Don't you need practice as well!" Seika ran up to her side, curious.

Kenya ended up answering for her. "She doesn't need it. She's mastered her abilities and practices them whenever she gets a chance. She doesn't need to practice with us."

"Right on Kenya! I should make you my secretary! You answer everything just right!"

Kenya growled lowly, rolling his eyes in sarcasm. "Yeah, what ever...."

"That's one big arena!" Suki announced as they stepped up to the white tiled Tournament field. It was huge, probably a good fifty feet each edge, simple, although a clean bleach white.

"I got dibs on fighting Kenya!" Katai shouted, running up to the arena.

"Hey! I want to fight him!" Seika interrupted, chasing Katai.

Haku shook his head. "With this sort of cooperation, we're sure to loose at the base."

"No worries. I've got that cared for." Suki assured. "I'll just write some numbers on a few pieces of paper and you'll choose off that way. It'll be a short tournament, but there's an even number of people, so that'll be simple."

So Suki set to work, cutting a strip of paper into four pieces, and setting the numbers 1 to 4 on each. Then she crumpled them and set them in a bag so as to be chosen. One and two would be together, just as three and four would.

Haku was the first to step up, pulling out a two.

Then it was Katai with a four. Seika with a three. And finally, Kenya with a one.

"Looks like Kenya and Haku are first up, and then who ever wins between Katai and Seika will go up against who ever wins between them. Shall we start?"

Kenya and Haku nodded. Seika and Katai however…

"Hey! No fair! This thing was rigged! I wanted to go up against Kenya!" Katai shouted, balling her hands into fists before her face as she argued.

"Me too!" Seika added, stomping on the ground.

"Now now guys. It was fair and square. Just leave it at that." Suki replied, sitting under a tree nearby. "So come on! Let's see some fighting. I haven't seen Kenya fight in ages."

Kenya blushed gently as he and Haku stepped into the arena. A little bit miffed, Seika and Katai sat down next to Suki, waiting for the action to begin.

"Rules are the same for Tournament. If you land out of the arena you must get back in in ten seconds otherwise you loose. If you fall you must get up in ten seconds or the same happens. And fight with what you have, but in this case, don't kill the opponent. Of course you know that little bit already, so, on with the match!" Suki reported, leaning back against the tree with a smile.

Kenya and Haku bowed to each other out of respect, and took stances. What confused Kenya though was that Haku didn't really take a stance. He just stood there, adjusting his glasses like he was waiting for something.

"Haku, do you know how to take a stance?" Kenya inquired, standing straight for a moment.

Haku nodded as if he were annoyed. "Yes I do. But I don't require it for this move."

"Oh….okay…" Kenya replied. He had chosen to leave his new sword under the tree, thinking that if he used it, he might cause Haku an injury. For the same, Haku didn't have a weapon on him he could use. But if he was anything like his father, Kenya knew he would find weapons in nature and whatever seeds he kept in his pockets.

Kenya sighed gently so as to relieve the thoughts in his head, and then started the combat.

He ran at Haku, his fists raised, prepared to strike. Just as he jumped to plant his fist in Haku's chest, a wall of vines leapt from the ground to block him, forcing him to dodge and flip over his opponent, in order to try hitting the back. This resulted with the same wall of plants. Haku turned around, grinning.

"You see…I have been taught well in nature's gifts. When I wasn't at school, which was most of the time, my father taught me his trade. I can produce any demon, human, or spirit plant in existance."

"Impressive." Kenya replied with the shock on his face. "I didn't know you had that much mastery."

Haku simply smiled with pride. "Of course. I am in college you know."

"Whoa! I didn't know he knew that much! I don't want to get caught with him in a dark alley!" Seika exclaimed, scrunching up into an Indian style below the tree so as to get comfortable.

"Yeah…No kidding." Came Katai's agreement.

"I'm not surprised."

"What?" Katai and Seika simultaneously shouted. "Why aren't you surprised?"

"You forget I learned what I could from the originals. I got my sword mastery from Hiei and Suta, my martial arts mastery from Yusuke, my spirit control from Kurama, and my spiritual awareness from Kuwabara. I've seen what they can do. It's only natural that the kids would have the same skills mixed in with their teachings, isn't it?"

The two kids hung their heads with a nod. "Yeah, I guess."

Haku snickered. "You can't beat me. Might as well give up this match."

'Okay…maybe I should have used my sword on him.' Kenya thought as sweat dripped from his cheek. 'Maybe I can snatch it during battle. He wouldn't be this cocky if I had a sword in my hands.'

"Come on, just try to attack me. I'd like to see you actually hit me." Haku continued his taunt.

"He may be powerful, but he doesn't have the right to show it off." Katai replied in a rage. Already she was on her feet, her fists clenched as if she wanted to jump into the arena and start attacking Haku herself.

"Yeah…and he doesn't even have a sword." Seika added, scratching his cheek. He too looked ready to jump in and help.

"You all should have a little more faith in Kenya's abilities." The older girl put in, completely relaxed against the tree, her legs sprawled out before her.

"What do you mean?" Katai inquired, sitting back down again.

"You ain't been around Kenya as long as I have. I've seen what he can do. The kid's a natural predator when put up to the task. Believe me, no wall of plants is going to keep him from punching Haku in the gut if he gets motivated enough. He's just playing with the squirt."

"Really?"

Suki's reply was a nod.

"Well then, get your ass moving Kenya! I want to see you beat him in! Come on! He needs to learn his place!" the younger girl began shouting, again on her feet, this time to cheer her leader on.

Kenya glanced at the young Urameshi and smiled gently with a blush. The enthusiasm wasn't helping too much on his part. He was just beginning to feel embarassed.

"You heard her."

Kenya glanced at his over-confident opponent. Haku was still looking as arrogant as ever.

"Go ahead. Hit me, if my vines don't stop you."

Haku was expecting Kenya to try the same thing over again. Or maybe an attack that would end in the vines still blocking him. He didn't even expect Kenya to even have confidence in winning.

But he was completely wrong.

He knew it the moment Kenya cracked a smile in the arena.

'What is he planning?' he thought, staring at the half koorime.

Suddenly, Haku began to notice a slight change in the aura of the arena.

The tile below his feet was beginning to feel warm to his shoes.

He was beginning to sweat, and the sun was covering over with clouds!

"The Hell…" Haku glanced back at Kenya, and began to figure out where the heat was coming from.

Kenya had his hands rolled into fists, his face was downcast, his eyes closed. He looked to be concentrating on something, and Haku, suddenly, figured out what.

"Smart Kenya. Too much heat and plants can't grow. But do you think that will really stop me?"

After a moment of concentration, Kenya looked up with a gentle smile. "No. Not stop you. Help me."

"What?" But in a moment of time, Haku began to figure out that part, too, of Kenya's plan. Kenya was a fire and ice apparition, but as he had grown up, he chose to use fire, while his older sister, Yoru, chose ice. So if he practiced with fire, and left out the ice part of his power, then he could become a fire apparition. In which, heat in an arena, would cause him to move faster, and become stronger than he was before!

Suddenly, Kenya disappeared, and because of the extreme heat in the arena, Haku couldn't summon his vines to protect him.

The end result: Haku received a deep blow to his back, not strong enough to break anything, but powerful enough to send his head swimming.

Haku fell to the ground, gasping on the little bit of air in the arena. He would have to find a way to stop Kenya, other wise he would win the match off of this smart little trick.

But what plant could he use in this kind of heat?

Kenya reappeared in front of him, and, as Haku wheezed on the air, he bent down and extended his hand.

"Is the heat too much. I can lower it." Kenya asked, helping Haku to stand.

Haku was far too surprised over the other boys kindness to answer.

"No. I can handle it." Haku replied raspily. Then, from out of his pockets, a sharp thorn like flower leapt to try to nip at Kenya's face. On reflex, Kenya was able to dodge the plant, but when he stopped and collected his surprise, he stared at it, bewildered.

"What is that?"

Haku smiled and patted the flower on the head. "They call it the Fire Samolia. It only thrives in desert like conditions, and considering you've made the arena a field for warmth, he can live quite well here. He's also poisonous, so you would probably do well not to get bit."

Haku was expecting, again, a frown from Kenya's face. He received a smile.

"Impressive. And straight from your pocket too. But you do realize, too much heat in this arena and he will die."

"Why do you say that?" Haku inquired, pulling the flower out of his pocket by the roots.

"The only thing keeping that living is your spirit energy, not this heat. If you were to, say, die or get knocked out, he would die."
Haku smiled. "If you think so."

Kenya frowned. Now was about the time to get ahold of his sword. But how…how would be the best way? He couldn't really create his own weapons, unless it was summoning the Black Fire Dragon his father had taught him into a sword, and he was no where near the experience for mastery over it like his father was.

He sighed. Maybe if he could be knocked out of the arena…?

"Go Kenya! Kick his thorny little ass!" Katai shouted, jumping around under the tree. Suki was certain that if she continued, Katai would end up stepping on her leg and ticking her off to the point of trying to beat up the younger girl. But she doubted she would have the strength to beat the young Urameshi. She had heard much talk from their parents. Katai had a ton of power she still had to master, Seika, needed experience and practice with is weapons, and control of his own spirit energy, and Kenya, had a ton of Spirit energy that needed mastery. Haku was the only one who had all of his abilities mastered. The only thing he needed was the experience. But so far, what she could tell, even with what they had and needed, they were a force to be reckoned with, these kids. They were the Earth's future. They were it's life.

"Get a move on Kenya! You can beat him easy! Come on!" Seika added, looking rather enthralled. The fight was getting to them, and making them overly excited.

"Guys, calm it down or you're going to hurt my ears." Suki acknowledged, rubbing her fingers in her ears so as to clean out the wax.

"Sorry."

Suddenly, just as they were watching, Kenya ran towards Haku, his fist raised, and attempted a punch.

"What's he doing?" Came the inquiry of the young Urameshi. "That's a rather stupid move, just to attack out of no where."

"He must be planning something." Seika added once more, smiling. "Kenya won't let us down."

As they watched, the plant Haku held leapt out to snap at Kenya, but just in time, the half koorime leapt over and landed behind Haku, attempting a strike there.

Haku's plant nipped at him there too, and forced Kenya to fly out of the arena, and near his blade.

"So that's what he's up to." Suki mumbled, her hand on her chin in thought.

"What do you mean?"

Suki smiled at Seika and Katai, and answered. "He's too proud to just step out of the arena to get a sword. Besides, that usually means forfeit. He tricked Haku into getting him out of the arena, so as to grab his weapon."

"But isn't using the weapon from out of the arena against the rules." Katai added, Seika nodding the same question.

Suki shook her head. "Nope. Used to be. But when you're at a demon tournament, none of this really matters. It's just kill or be killed. I've seen a few myself. The demons don't care. They'll stick to the general rules, but after that, it's just a fight to the death."

Katai and Seika didn't seem satisfied with that response, and returned to watching their leader fight.

Kenya, with sword in hand, leapt into the arena, and just as we was coming for a landing, the flower turned and nipped at him, getting a good bite in his arm. Kenya's reply to it, was to swipe his blade and cut off it's head, knocking it from Haku's hand.

He stopped in front of Haku, his sword arm bleeding from the bite, poison in it.

"You better lower the heat Kenya. The poison will spread too fast." Haku acknowledged, surprised that his plant had bitten his friend. He wasn't expecting Kenya to actually get bit. But then again, anyone could, even if they were being careful.

"It's alright. I'll survive." Kenya replied, tightening his grip on his arm.

"No you won't. That plant has a supreme poison that kills fast. Please lower this temperature or your going to die!"

Kenya shook his head, and his closed his eyes a moment as he tried to combat the poison away from his heart.

In an instant, Suki, Seika, and Katai were in the arena, fighting the blistering heat to try and convince Kenya to lower it.

"Do it Kenya! This is no time to be tough! Lower it so Haku can get rid of the poison!"

Kenya, having trouble standing, did as he was told and lowered the barrier of heat.

He collapsed on the ground, his face pale as the arena cooled.

"Haku! How dare you use something that deadly on him!" Katai shouted, running to hit Haku in the face for the incident. A Flaming Sword jumped in her way however, preventing her from doing it.

"Don't. I was the stupid one, for going to that limit to get ahold of my weapon. I deserve to get hit." Kenya told her, taking his weapon back.

Haku looked confused for a moment, and then noticing Kenya condition, jumped to action in pulling the venom out.

A quick use of spirit energy, and a bandage later, Kenya was again standing strong on his two feet, his sword still clasped in his hand.

"So…who wins?" Seika inquired, looking at the two.

"The battle hasn't been decided yet." Was his answer from Suki.

"Yes it has."

Everyone looked at the one who had said it. Haku smiled up at them, and began walking away.

"Kenya won. There's no way I would have beaten him, even if I tried. He's the winner. Not me. This battle is over."

They stared at him, confused even as Haku stepped out of the arena, and leaned against another tree, his head bowed.

Seika shrugged, patting Kenya on the back. "You won! A little bit weird a win, but you won."

But Kenya didn't look at all pleased with this turn of events. He had hoped for a longer battle. But then again, a short one, would be good enough for practice.

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Catse: What do you think? Like the battle? I think it's perfectly just like Haku to walk away from a battle he already knew he would loose. Now Kenya seemed a little desperate to win the battle, but he didn't want to be considered a coward by loosing to the eight yea old arrogant. He just wanted to prove himself as a good leader basically, showing how far he can go for his wins.

Well, I started another fic...two actually, but I'm not sure if you want me to start putting them up or not. I was bored in Multimedia class, and didn't have this story to write on, so I got a little bit busy. The names of both are Blood Baby, and Blood Red Sign. Yes I know, gruesome names.

In any case, Blood Baby is about a little girl who grew up as a demon slave. Their owner, a demonic slave trader used them for everything they had, and when they slouched, they were killed. Her family was tired of being controlled, and so as to give their children a better life, they rallied up the other slaves, and ran. Their only problem: The castle they lived at was in the middle of a desert, and nothing, not even a tree was anywhere outside the castle walls. They would starve and dehydrate long before reaching freedom.

But they kept running, and as they came up to a cliff, a band of demons used specifically by their master, was sent to kill them off or round them up. Most were killed. The little girl, her nickname Blood Baby because her hair was the color of blood, noticed a group of four men on a cliff. The group, the YYH team, was preparing to kill off the castle, and the only way to do it, with enough power to destroy the master (whom by a matter of fact was kidnapping humans to use as slaves) was to kill the servants as well. They didn't want to, but they had no choice.

They killed off everyone except for the little girl, and when they came down to check for survivors (to save them) she went crazy with rage and attacked them, getting knocked out by Hiei to keep her from hurting anyone. When she woke up, some demons told her lord Koenma wanted to talk, and when she did talk to him, he told her that because of what happened to her, Spirit world would take complete care of her, and raise her up so as to live herself. But she would also have a teacher.

The teacher: Kurama. After a while, the little girl and Kurama form a tight bond, like father to daughter, and Kurama would give anything to protect her. But what happens, when the master they thought they killed, is not really dead?

Then there is the new fic I just started, called Blood Red Sign. It's about a girl from America, who's half Japanese, half Irish, and her father has decided to move her to Japan because one: American schools held no challenge for her (she's a practical genius!) and two: Her father needed a new job and Tokyo provided it for him.

She moves into a certain house, and takes a room that is decorated by dragons. The next day she goes to school, and who but Kurama is the one that gets to show her around. But things don't stay peaceful in her new life. In fact, it's all the opposite. What happens, when you find out the house you just moved into, was, two hundred years ago, a legendary battle field for the worlds most dangerous demons. And the demons...have yet to finish the battle...This is a KuramaOC romance/ghost story, fit with horror, some comedy, and many bloody scenes. Yeah...I watched a few twomany movies on Halloween, and I was feeling depressed, so I decided to write a bit of this.

Tell me if I should start updating either of these, and I will try! Oh, and please review if you can. I'm not sure if there's anything wrong with the system now, but there always seems to be something wrong with this site. Well anyways, til later! Ja Ne for now!