Chapter Sixteen- The Game

Only the day following Asa's motherly care of the boys (well, except for the one she sort of ran out on), they were all on their feet, walking around, stiff and mildly sore but pretty much healthy. Yusuke and Kuwabara's first choice of business, of course, was to grab a ton or two of food and shovel it down their throats while Keiko and Genkai watched in disgust and Yukina happily brought them more, always the one to serve. At Genkai's urging, Kurama had joined them, but only picked at the wasabi that had been brought to him.

"Ish somefing wong, Kumama?" Yusuke asked, words muddled by his mouthful of rice. When the fox demon gave him a curious gaze, he swallowed down the huge supply of rice he'd just chewed, and repeated, "Is something wrong?"

"No," Kurama lied smoothly.

Kuwabara smirked, and explained to his friend, "Asa-chan hasn't been around all day, and everyone knows Kurama can't be sane without her." He carefully avoided the glare of death thrown his way by their friend, and continued, "And she's being all aloof again like she was the other day. I was getting hopeful yesterday with all her motherly stuff and calling me "Catty" that she'd snapped out of it. But I guess not." He shrugged, continuing to stuff his face while Kurama gazed on sadly.

"Oh, so that's it. What happened between you two, huh?" Yusuke asked, leaning over to elbow him and wag his eyebrows meaningfully. Kurama strongly resisted the urge to stab his eyes with the chopsticks he was holding, and took a deep breath.

"I was trying to talk to her – she admitted that she's still a little angry, but not at us. Then, she just…left." He carefully left out the part where he'd given her a sweet compliment, and blinked at the expression that spread over Keiko's face. "Do you know something we don't, Keiko-chan?"

"Um…not really, but I am aware of girl's goings-on, being, you know, a girl. Why didn't you just ask one of us what was bothering her?" He shrugged, looking at her expectantly. "Well, if you told her something that upset her or…something, she probably left because she didn't want to be feeling what she was feeling at that time. It's complicated," she added, upon seeing all three of their faces grow puzzled. "Asa's gone through a few…changes in her time away from us. She's more secluded, and she's trying to isolate a lot of her emotions for some reason. I think that's why she's wearing all the black of late."

"Oh, so she's toying with him?" Yusuke asked, after a moment of staring at his girlfriend like she'd sprouted wings from her head. She furrowed her brow, wondering where he'd come up with that conclusion, and was about to open her mouth to interject, but the damage had been done. He turned to Kurama, and said, "Well, in that case, I think you should be toying right back."

"I'm…not so sure that's a good idea, Yusuke," he responded, blinking a few times.

"Sure it is! It's kind of like a game – intimidate her. Call her bluff. Do whatever it takes, but win the game!" Again, Keiko tried to speak her words of balm to Yusuke's words of injury, but she stopped, shaking her head at herself when she saw Kurama's eyes change as he took in this information, and wrapped his brain around it. She shrugged and sighed. Maybe a little game is just what Asa needs? she thought to herself. And who knows, it might be just what Kurama needs, too!

-

Asa wandered through the Labyrinth's halls, looking about and wondering why she hadn't thought to ask Genkai for a map to the place. There were intersections and dead ends everywhere – she wasn't sure where she was now, but she was trying to get to her room for some well-needed peace and quiet. Everywhere she'd gone so far, it seemed someone was there waiting for her. She'd run into Genkai in the garden, then Botan and Yukina in the kitchen, Keiko and Yusuke outside, Kuwabara running around the training room like a headless chicken, running from Shizuru, who wanted to kill him, again, and now…great.

"Hn, what're you doing in this part of the temple, onna?" The only mind-reader out of the bunch. Damn. She gave Hiei a sharp look.

"Maybe you could tell me what part of the temple I'm in, and I'll gladly leave," she replied.

"You're in the south wing. My part."

"Oh, great, now you're being territorial, too. Why's this your part?"

"It's the darkest. I can move around. And no one else usually comes here." He crossed his arms over his chest and stood there, looking up at her from her only slightly superior height, eyes narrowed.

"Huh. That figures. Well, could you tell me how to get to my part, then?"

"Turn around and don't turn in any of the intersections. When you get outside, take your left hall and follow it straight to your room."

"Um…do you know the entire layout to this place or something? Because that was pretty weird."

"Hn, better to know where you are than to wander around like a little lost puppy," he returned, quirking an eyebrow at her. She glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest as well, perfectly mimicking his aloof stance. His eyebrow arched higher. "I wouldn't mock me, Asa. I still owe you for yesterday, and now I can walk."

"You wouldn't hurt me, and you know it. Especially not here, in a temple. So blah!" She stuck her tongue out at him and he fought hard not to chuckle or snort in amusement, instead offering a smirk.

"You really haven't changed so much, have you?" he asked, to her annoyance. "He's not here, either, if that's what you were really looking for." Damn, again! He really did know her too well, and that psychic thing wasn't a big help, either.

"Okay, so maybe I was hoping to find him, too. I haven't seen him around…and I didn't know how he was doing," she admitted, tone softening mildly.

"He's fine. That draught you administered to us has all of us on our feet, why wouldn't he be alright?"

"I…uh, I kinda ran out on a conversation we were having. I'm not sure if he…you know, was…"

"Alright with that?" he finished for her, as she nodded and blushed. "I'm sure he was confused, but Fox isn't glass. He won't break so easily. You needn't worry." Surprised at his encouraging tone, she glanced upward at him, and smirked.

"You know, you should try more of that brotherly love crap on your sister – when you finally tell her about being her brother, of course." He gave her a look, but saw the playful sparkle in her eyes, and nodded.

"Maybe I will. When she knows. Now, you'd better go, if you really want some peace and quiet. The idiot's on his way, and I might take advantage of being able to kill him today." They both knew that he wouldn't, of course, but she nodded and smirked anyway, turning around and running through the halls as he'd instructed. She arrived at her room in less than five minutes, then muttered a quick thank you to Hiei, knowing he'd probably hear her.

She paused in the hall, turning her eyes over her shoulder at the room across from hers. It was nearly dusk now, and she hadn't seen him anywhere. Was he in there? She couldn't hear him moving or breathing, a now familiar sound that haunted her every waking moment while she was in her room. She held her breath, listening for any signs of his presence, but after a moment, released it. He wasn't in his room. She should have known that. He probably wouldn't be there until after dark.

She stole into her room, shutting the door firmly behind her. Glancing around, she determined that it was way too dark to actually get any work done, and ventured to seek out another means of light besides the torches out in the hall that glowed faintly through the rice paper walls, casting a lurid luminescence over the place.

Thankfully, Asa found a few pillar candles in a drawer of the night stand beside her futon, but no lighter. No matter, she thought, shrugging and setting the candles around the room on the dresser, night stand, and desk. She lifted her index finger, copying Yusuke's Spirit Gun pose, and closed one eye, aiming her pointer finger at the first candle. Holding her breath, she focused some of her energy on making a small fire ball, which lit up her fingertip, then fired it at the candle. Perfect shot! She restrained herself from doing a little victory dance, and used the first candle to light the others.

Content with the light she now was graced with, she went to her dresser, on the other side of the room, and opened it, pulling out some of her new dark clothes to reveal her more characteristic baby blue fuzzy pajamas. She smirked, picturing the look of surprise on Kurama's face from earlier, when she'd first arrived in Japan in her new black wardrobe. If he only knew… Sighing, she moved to the closet and opened it to reveal her sketchbook and some pencils, among other things she'd kept in there.

At least she could still be her normal self when it came to her artwork. Might not

be much, but it was a start. She put her things on the futon, also finding her portable CD player and headphones amidst a bunch of CDs in the bottom of her day bag. Then she carried her CD stuff over to deposit it on the futon, as well. Finally, she went to the door that led to the bathroom, checking for any signs of Kurama's presence and then locking the door that he would have used, and grabbed her PJs from her room so she could change.

Once she was her pretty, young self again in her light colored clothes and with her hair braided loosely, she put her clothes from that day into the duffle bag at the bottom of her closet and sat down on her futon Indian style, tucking one of the two locks of hair that were too short to be braided with the rest behind her ear and popping a CD into the CD player as she put her headphones on. She had recently taken a liking to a particular song she'd heard on an Anime show that she liked; Inuyasha. ((Don't own it!)) It was called Every Heart. ((Don't own THAT, either!)) Her lips curved upward as the first chords of the soft melody reached her ears, and she unconsciously half-hummed the song to herself as she picked up her sketchbook and scooted back so that she leaned against the wall, folding her legs upward to prop the sketchbook up on them and reaching for her pencils.

Ikutsu namida o nagashitara
Every heart
Sunao ni nareru darou
Dare ni omoi tsutaetara
Every heart
Kokoro mita sareru no darou


Nagai nagai yoru ni obieteita

Tooi hoshi ni inotteta

Meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ai o sagashiteiru
Tsuyoku tsuyoku naritai kara
Kyou mo takaisora miageteiru


Donna egao ni deaetara

Every heart
Yume wo fumidasereruyo
Hitowa
Kanashimi no mukou ni
Every heart
Shiawase ukabete nemuru


Itsuka itsuka subete no tamashii ga

Yasuraka ni nareru youni


Meguru meguru toki no naka de

Boku tachi wa ikite nanika wo shiru
Toki ni warai shugoshi naite
Kyou mo mada aruki tsuzukete iku


Osanai kioku no kata sumi ni

Atatakai basho ga aru soushi

Hoshi tachi ga hanasu mirai ga
Itsumo kagayaite ita
So shine.


Meguru meguru toki no naka de

Bokutachi wa ai o sagashiteiru
Tsuyoku tsuyoku naritai kara
Kyou mo takaisora miageteiru


Meguru meguru toki no naka de

Boku tachi wa ikite nanika wo shiru
Toki ni warai shugoshi naite
Kyou mo mada aruki tsuzukete iku.

Asa's smile had grown a little wider, and she had closed her eyes, then opened them to start sketching something. She didn't know what; her hand was doing the sketching, she was just following its orders as she listened to the song. To her dismay, she saw when she was finished – and Kurama's picture sketched by her own hand smiled peacefully up at her, all the mystery in his eyes still there on her paper. "Chikushou," she muttered under her breath, ripping the paper from the book. She couldn't destroy it, though. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to crumple it up. So, instead, she folded it as many times as the paper would allow, and buried it in the nightstand's drawer under all the other candles that were there. She'd hide it someplace more suitable later.

She thought she heard a ruffle of fabric outside her door, and paused her CD player, listening. Then, a soft knock resounded through the room. "Come in," she called in annoyance. She half-figured it was Botan or Yukina, and only just masked the instinct to call whoever it was in pleasantly with her annoyance at her sketching. Holding in a sigh of relief and cursing herself for her near-screwup, she looked up to see someone she didn't want in her room at all at the moment – Kurama, looking concerned with his brow furrowed, one eyebrow arched to his hairline in curiosity. She realized with another mental curse that he'd probably been in the hallway long enough to hear her ripping out the sketch and cursing under her breath. Damn it all, anyway.

Furrowing her brow in agitation as she threw her headphones aside and got quickly to her feet, revealing the fact that she had a tank top on that went a little bit above her naval and flannel pajama pants that were clinging to her form quite visibly. He suppressed a gulp, and forced his eyes to meet hers as he asked, "Daijobu, Asa-chan?"

"Hai, I'm fine," she nodded brusquely, her eyes cold. "Sorry if I was making too much noise." It didn't go unnoticed to her that he was ready for bed as well, dressed merely in pajama pants, topless but for the dark red robe that was thrown on loosely and still open to reveal his chest. Thank goodness her face was hidden in shadow since her back was to the candles, she thought, feeling her cheeks grow warm. (a/n: hehehehehe… (grows horns))

"You weren't, I was just worried…I see you've returned to your original color…" he commented, eyeing the bright blue color of her pajamas.

"It's only because they don't make flannels in black," she retorted.

He paused, looking closer at her face. "I see… Are you certain you're quite alright?" he asked, noting that even in the shadow, her face looked awfully red. "You look as if you may have a fever…"

Her eyes visibly widened a bit, and she turned her face away, mumbling, "Yeah, I'm fine…goodnight, Kurama." The tone of her voice indicated that she clearly wanted him to leave. Kurama's brow furrowed as he remembered what Yusuke was saying earlier. She was toying with him…and he should toy right back.

"I'm not sure you are okay…and I am not going anywhere," he replied, his voice strangely, almost deliberately, low and menacing. She looked up then, surprised by his intimidating voice and proximity as he stepped into the room and crossed his arms over his chest. Her blush was gone, fast.

"I told you that I'm fine, Kurama, you don't need to worry about me," she replied, not moving away. If she did, he'd think she'd given him the upper hand. She was very suddenly aware that she didn't want to be here right now – she wasn't good with confrontation. However, she swallowed her fear as best she could, standing to her full height and eyeing him with contempt. "And you are going somewhere, because you're currently invading my four foot diameter of personal bubble." He was caught off guard by the admission, and stepped backward. She again had the upper hand. Since he was standing in her doorway, she eyed the door pointedly, then looked at him.

This annoyed him. He didn't know why she was shunning him, and was surprised that it annoyed him so. Yes, he had lied to her about who and what he was, and yes, maybe he had used her a bit…hell, she'd been there for him when he broke up with Maya and everything, why should she have to put up with him keeping secrets from her for as long as he had? But he did not deserve the way she was treating him now.

The annoyance and hurt she saw in his eyes made her bite her lip, and he caught the action, but couldn't discern it from being either impatience, anxiousness, fear, or regret. She wasn't exactly the easiest person to read, after all. She merely stared at him for a moment more, then said in a voice barely above a whisper, "Goodnight, Kurama."

He stepped backward, a little surprised by the tone of voice she'd reverted to, and she closed the door in his face, her silhouette still visible through the thin rice paper as she leaned back against the door and sighed heavily. He thought he saw her shoulders tremble, but he couldn't be sure, and simply backed across the hall into his room, closing the door and turning to it before he grumbled to himself. He'd allowed her to push him away, again.

Asa went to the futon, then, thinking about it, paused to sweep her sketchbook and pencils onto the floor, and blew the candles out so she could crawl underneath the blanket that lay on the futon. She pulled her CD player to her, shoving the headphones in place over her ears and opening the CD player to pop in an American CD that she'd learned to like at the beginning of her dark and mysterious days. They were called Evanescence ((don't own that, either)). Turning the music up all the way, she listened to the song that reminded her most of her current situation, Taking Over Me. The tune immediately calmed her frayed nerves, and she sighed, relaxing into the pillow as she listened to it.

You don't remember me,
But I remember you.
I lie awake and try so hard
Not to think of you.

But who can decide what they dream?
And dream I do…

I believe in you.
I'll give up everything just to find you.

I have to be with you,
To live, to breathe,
You're taking over me.

Have you forgotten all I know,
And what we had?
You saw me mourning my love for you,

And touched my hand.
I knew you loved me then.

I believe in you.

I'll give up everything just to find you.
I have to be with you,
To live, to breathe,
You're taking over me.

I look in the mirror and see your face,
If I look deep enough.
So many things inside that are just like
You are taking over…

I believe in you…

I'll give up everything just to find you.
I have to be with you,
To live, to breathe,
You're taking over me.

I believe in you.
I'll give up everything just to find you.
I have to be with you,
To live, to breathe,
You're taking over me.

Taking over me.

She was half-asleep before the song ended, and as she finally drifted off, tears were at the corners of her eyes as she whispered, "Gomen, Kurama-kun…" She didn't realize that someone had come to check on her, and was currently standing outside her door, lifting his hand to knock when he heard her say this.

Yusuke paused, blinking, and looked across the hall to Kurama's room, to see a light through the rice paper door that indicated that the fox was in his room reading or whatever he did before he went to sleep. The spirit detective looked at Asa's door again, and quietly, opened it ajar to peek inside.

He saw from the small amount of light offered by torches that lined the walls of the temple that Asa was asleep, but tears were pouring down her face, and she was listening to an unfamiliar song that he knew was from America. His brow furrowed, and he shut the door, just as quietly as he'd opened it.

If Asa's apologizing to him in her sleep…she must really be toying with him, that's why she's changed her attitude and wardrobe…but why would she…OH! His eyes lit up as he realized Asa's plan. She wants to…well, what a little smartass. I'll have to give her congrats later. I'll just leave her alone now, though…poor thing.

He shook his head in amusement, glancing again at Kurama's door, and shrugged his shoulders, sighing and heading off to bed. He'd check on the love birds again when he woke up in the morning.

-

Asa awoke with a start, sitting up and gasping aloud as she sensed something strongly amiss nearby. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest she feared it might explode, and her headphones that still rested on her ears told her that the CD had long since been finished. She tossed the headphones aside, immediately standing and walking to her dresser, though she knew from the pitch black in the room that it was still sometime in the middle of the night. She looked down at her watch, catching some of the light from the hallway's torches through the thin door, and saw that it was only about two in the morning.

She paused once she'd reached the dresser, realizing that the deep, even breathing she heard was Kurama's. He wasn't snoring, but she could hear him like he was in the room. These walls were freaking thin. She vaguely wondered if he could have heard her wake up, but shrugged the idea away as she thought, Impossible; he'd have woken up, too…

She fumbled around in her dresser, and pulled out a pair of black bell bottoms, and a black button-up blouse that was rather snug on her. She hurried into the bathroom to change, afraid of waking Kurama, and when she returned, she found her brush in her bag, pulling out her braid and pushing the brush through her raven wing locks a few times before she pulled it all back into a high pony tail that Botan had taught her how to do. Even still, those two damnable locks at each side of her face were too short to put up. She didn't bother with her choker, but grabbed her coat as she slipped into her boots.

Whatever was going on, she couldn't let it continue. That much she knew her instincts were telling her. She was outside of her room, quietly closing the door, when she heard a sudden, short gasp. Turning to Kurama's room with concern, she tiptoed across the hall to lay her ear against the crack of the door. She could hear his labored breathing as he tossed and turned in his sleep, and a few mumbles could be heard as well, something that sounded like the name, "Ai…"

Her brow furrowed in concern, but she shrugged it off, hurrying down the hall so she could exit the temple. She followed her strange feeling from the temple into the woods around it. It was a demon, she was sure.

Come on, Asa…you can find this thing… she told herself in annoyance, looking around the woods carefully. You're a priestess now, after all, you dope. Use your awareness…find what you're looking for…let yourself have it… She closed her eyes, and could picture something far to her right.

"Got ya," she mumbled victoriously, running off in the direction of the strange feeling. She didn't go far, when she heard a 'swoosh' and caught a blur of red passing right in front of her. "…Crap," she squeaked, just as a red, ugly demon grabbed her throat and threw her back into a tree, pinning her up against it. Her feet dangled, and she choked underneath the pressure of his hand at her neck. Maybe you got me…

She eyed the creature angrily, as it spoke, "My, aren't you a pretty little thing? And where'd you come from, Priestess?"

"None of your business," she shot back, growling in fury.

"Hmm…you smell like that old psychic, Genkai," he said, narrowing his eyes. "And a kitsune…" He leaned close to her, running his nose over the skin at the base of her throat.

"Get away from me!" she exclaimed, flinging her knee upward – and hitting a rather sensitive spot that sent the demon flying backwards into a fetal position. Asa fell to the ground on one knee, and was instantly on her feet, looking up at where the demon had landed – to see that it disappeared. "Kuso…" she grumbled under her breath.

"It's not nice to curse like that, young Priestess," hissed a voice right at her ear. She spun around, throwing her fist up at the demon's face, but it grabbed her wrist, then her other as she threw up her other hand to wrench the first free. "You're quite adorable when you're frustrated, you know that?"

"Shut up and stay away from me, you prick," Asa ground out. She pulled back as hard as she could, throwing herself back onto the ground and flipping him over her head, kicking her foot upward to throw him. The wind was knocked from his lungs, and he released her hands, allowing her to get up and turn to him. Her skin had marks that looked like burn scars where he'd held her on her wrists and at the base of her throat. She knew now what kind of demon this was. An Akumu Youkai; a nightmare demon. They had the power to probe one's deepest subconscious fear and use it against them. He'd already gotten to one of her lighter nightmares – one involving her mother's death and her own near-fatal experience.

She hadn't told anyone, not even Kurama, how her mother had died. She was only six years old, and had been asleep in bed beside her mother, since her father had gotten called into the hospital, when something had happened, and the house was suddenly engulfed in flames. Her mother hadn't gotten enough time to wake up and save both her child and herself – she wrapped Asa in her robe that she'd doused with water, and with her last hope of saving her daughter, took her to the back deck, that hung over a lake. She had dropped Asa, knowing that she could swim fairly well, into the water, but the deck collapsed inward, and her mother hadn't escaped the fire that left her daughter with a burn mark on her back.

It was almost expected by the Akumu that Asa was highly pissed.

"Ah, you've discovered who I am now, have you?" he asked, standing up now that he had his breath back. "Young Priestess, you don't seem to understand who you're up against. I am Osore, a Class C demon. There are few who can survive my attack."

"I couldn't care less who you are, or who can or can't survive your 'attack'. I just want you dead."

"But if you kill me, you'll be haunted until you face your fear," Osore smirked, "No mere mortal wants to face their fear, which is why they run from it."

"My mother taught me something that contradicts your theory, demon," Asa said, raising her hands in front of her, palms up, and closing her eyes. "She said that fear is only a tool used to intimidate people. She was right. I don't get easily intimidated, not anymore." A huge energy erupted from the girl in front of him, and a white sphere appeared in the area above her palms. Her eyes opened, and they were glowing a bright white color, the irises and pupils completely gone. She threw the energy ball at Osore, and with a sharp cry, he vanished. She dropped to her knees, spent, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps as her eyes returned to their normal ice blue color and her spirit energy subsided.

She was surprised, when she finally managed to stumble to her feet and return to the temple, that no one had felt her enormous spirit energy and woken up. Of course, she wasn't surprised for long…Genkai was standing in the hallway outside her door, waiting for her, and smiling when she saw her trudge up the hall.

"You did well," Genkai said quietly, glancing at Kurama's door. Asa hid her wrists and ducked her head to put a shadow over the burn mark on her throat, nodding at Genkai once. "Rest now. They're not going to go easy on you tomorrow. And don't worry, no one but me knows. Spirit awareness weakens when one is in a soporific state."

"Kay…arigato, Genkai…oyusami," Asa mumbled, waving slightly as she went into her room. Genkai waited until she heard Asa's even breathing, then smirked, turning and walking down the hallway to return to her room. Asa would not be resting easy tonight – she'd killed an Akumu Youkai – she'd probably have more nightmares than she'd care to discuss.

-

Asa looked at herself in the mirror above the bathroom sink the next morning, then shook her head with a frustrated sigh. She hadn't had a night terror since she was eight, but her dreams after she'd returned had been filled with frightening images of her past, and there were bags under her eyes to prove it. Even a long, hot shower had not removed the dark circles.

She tightened the towel that covered her to her knees instinctively, and without another thought, she reached for the small bag of emergency makeup she carried with her, finding the concealer and applying a good amount underneath her eyes. Satisfied, she reached for the clothes she'd chosen to wear for her first training session – her black bell bottoms, these being thin, easy-to-move in cargos, a dark violet sleeveless turtleneck to conceal the bandage and burn scar on her throat, and some training tape that she'd worn back when she was in karate class ((if you've ever been in any fighting class, you know the stuff I'm talking about, that you can wrap your knuckles and wrists in? It's awesome!)) so she could hide the well-wrapped burn marks on her wrists, as well. She didn't want any of them worrying about her.

After she was ready, she brushed her hair into a quick braid to keep it out of her face, and left her room, trying to remember her way around the Labyrinth of Hell. She paused at the intersection of hallways, and was surprised when a bubbly voice asked from behind her, "Not lost, are you?"

"Botan!" Asa cried, turning around and gripping her friend in a hug. "Dude, I am so far lost, it's ridiculous."

Botan giggled, "Well, come with me. I'll get you to the kitchen so you can eat something before your big day!" Asa nodded in gratitude, but wasn't very hungry all of the sudden. In fact, as she mused over how her day might go, her appetite completely disappeared. Her nerves were already frayed as it was. She did not need a panic attack today.

Attempting to calm herself, she asked, "Botan, what do you think the boys are gonna have me do today?"

"Not sure, they were talking about it a little bit last night, though…I think you've got your own special training program."

"Crap. That can't be good."

"Eh, I wouldn't worry about it," Botan shrugged. "You'll do fine."

"Yeah, okay…"

"I heard you had a little confrontation with your Knight in Shining Armor last night!" Botan cried.

"Oi, can you say that any louder, Botan? I don't think they heard you in Scotland!" Asa shot back, furrowing her brow at Botan, who blushed lightly, lowering her voice.

"Sorry," she giggled, "But seriously, what happened?"

"Not much. Just told him to get out of my four foot diameter of personal bubble and some other crap. Something tells me he had a heart-to-heart with one of the guys, and they encouraged him to act like an ass. He was being more stubborn than freaking Hiei!" Asa snorted, narrowing her eyes. Botan nodded in understanding.

"So, in truth, he kinda intimidated you, right?" she asked, smiling knowingly.

"Sorta…but don't tell him that," she replied with a nod of her head. "In fact, you're not supposed to tell him much of anything we discuss…period."

"Gotcha," Botan said eagerly, folding her hands behind her back as she leaned forward slightly to look Asa in the face. Something about the girl's eyes was troubling Botan. The eyes were mirrors to the soul, and if that was true, something was definitely wrong with Asa. "Hey, Asa-chan…did you sleep much last night?"

"…Aa, why?" Asa asked, furrowing her brow and averting her eyes to look at the other end of the hall.

"You just…look weird, is all," Botan admitted. When Asa didn't respond, she sighed, then looked up at their new surroundings, "We're here!"

Asa turned to look as Botan opened the door to Genkai's dining room, stepping back so that she could pass through first. Smiling at the deity as she did that, she glanced around, her smile fading fast when her eyes darted over a green-eyed redhead standing off to the right, watching as Yusuke and Kuwabara devoured their breakfast at the table. Genkai and Hiei were both there as well, eyeing the two in disgust. Yukina came in from the kitchen with another tray of food in her hands, then looked at Asa and Botan as they came in, distracting the others' attention as she said, "Well, ohayo, Botan and Asa! Are you two hungry?"

Botan nodded, but Asa shook her head, instead asking Yukina if she could take her to the kitchen so that she could make some tea. Yukina nodded, setting a plate of food in front of Botan, and led Asa into the kitchen. Asa was fully aware that two green eyes followed her every movement. Yukina showed her around the kitchen, then went to take some more food into Yusuke and Kuwabara as they called in unison, "YUKINA!"

"That's got to get annoying," Asa commented, giving Yukina a sympathetic look.

The ice maiden shrugged, "As long as they're happy…I don't mind it, really."

Remembering her conversation with Hiei the day before, Asa smirked. "Hey, have you heard any news about your brother yet? You were looking for him, last I checked."

Yukina's gentle smile fell, and she looked away. "Hai, well…I have found out nothing. I'm beginning to fear that my brother is dead." Asa nodded, her expression both apologetic and remorseful for her friend.

"I doubt he is…I bet, somewhere, he's looking for you, too," she said gently, in the same tone of voice she used to comfort everyone. It made Yukina's smile light up, and she nodded in agreement, gratitude in her eyes. "You'd better get going, before Yusuke fires his Spirit Gun at us. I'll stay in here until the tea's done." Yukina nodded, carrying more food into the boys. Asa sighed, shaking her head, as she looked out the window above the sink. Glancing at the shadowy corner, she spoke again, "You know, it's rude to watch people and not let them know you're there, Hiei."

"Hn." Hiei stepped forward from the shadows, his arms crossed over his chest. "It's almost time to start."

Asa raised an eyebrow, "I'll take that as a 'thanks' for comforting your sister."

Hiei gave her a sharp glare, as if to say "you're the one who caused her discomfort," and she sighed, "Where're we going?" She turned to take the tea off as it started to whistle, and poured herself a cup, nursing it carefully as she turned again to eye him inquiringly.

"There's a training ground out back. We're going there so we can see if you have any fighting skills at all," Hiei smirked.

"Hn," she snorted, copying his characteristic phrase, "I did do stuff while I was in Ireland, you know – like, fighting stuff. With Jin and Touya and Natsu and Kasu."

"I know…but that doesn't mean you've got any skill. Although, I must admit, it's good to see that I was right – you're still acting like yourself around everyone but the Fox," he spoke, ruby eyes glittering with vengeance.

"Look, Hiei, I don't pry for answers about you, don't pick on me for the ones about me," Asa snapped, furrowing her brow at him and realizing he'd read her mind. Hiei cocked an eyebrow in surprise at her defiance, but nodded after a length, muttering what sounded like an apology, but she couldn't be sure.

"Let's go," he said after she was finished with her tea. "They're waiting."

"I thought Kuwabara and Yusuke were eating?"

"No, Genkai kicked them out right after Yukina took them their food," Hiei informed her. "By the way, you'd better try your best – you're going to have an audience today."

"Thanks for the info, dude…" Asa mumbled, glancing around when they reached the back to see Botan, Genkai, Keiko, Yukina, Shizuru, Kasumi, Natsumi, Jin, and Touya all sitting on a balcony above the arena-looking piece of concrete in front of her. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama were waiting for them in the center of the arena.

"Oi, Asa-chan!" Yusuke greeted brightly. Asa smiled at him and Kuwabara, but frowned at Kurama, whose eyes narrowed in reply.

"So, what's up for today?" Asa asked, her uncharacteristic dark voice returning. Hiei and Yusuke both glanced at her, knowing that she wasn't really like this now, then at each other, smirking.

"Well, we drew straws to see who'd get to fight you – and Kurama's your opponent," Kuwabara supplied, looking rather happy about it. "Which is good, because I still insist that I can't hit a girl…especially not you, Asa-chan."

"Thanks, Catty, means a lot," Asa rolled her eyes at the big softy, and turned to look at all those on the balcony. "Hey, everyone!" she called, waving at them with a smile.

"Hi, Asa!" they all answered in unison, Jin giving her a thumbs-up as he called out, "Good luck there, lass – ye'll need it to be fightin' the redheaded kitsune, you will!"

"Arigato, Jin-san!" There was a large rock in the pit of her stomach when she turned to look at her opponent, as the other three cleared the battlefield quickly. Well, I can't just not fight him… she thought to herself, suppressing a sigh.

"You'll probably want to take off your coat, Asa," Kurama said, glancing down at her coat. She realized that it would make it difficult for her to move, and nodded in consent, thankful that she'd wrapped her wrists in the training tape earlier as she shrugged out of the offending article, skipping over to hand it to Yusuke, who was waiting at the side of the ring for it, and smiled at her reassuringly. She couldn't help but feel a bit naked as she returned to the center of the ring, reaching up to tighten her pony tail instinctively.

"Try to keep up, now, Asa-chan," Kurama told her.

Her eyes narrowed, and she was about to make a snappy comeback, but he disappeared. She blinked, then, stepping forward, felt an arm wrap around her waist from behind, and Kurama's hand covered her mouth. He really wasn't going to be easy on her, she realized then, as he whispered warningly, "You'll have to do better than that, Asa."

"Hmph!" She turned halfway, bringing her elbow back and landing it in his middle, making him jump back in surprise, releasing his hold on her. She turned and backed away, eyes narrowed angrily at him. "I'll do just fine without any advice, thank you."

He grunted in reply, and pulled a rose from his hair, causing Asa to cock an eyebrow. "How in the hell did you keep that there that whole time I thought you were just human and I didn't notice?"

"I'm unaware… How did you become a priestess within a month of disappearing to Ireland, and why did you go?" he retorted, narrowing his eyes.

"As if you don't know," she shot back.

At the sidelines, everyone sweat dropped, imagining one hell of a lover's quarrel breaking out before their eyes – Genkai merely smirked. This was going to be interesting. Kurama rolled his eyes at her comeback, and turned the rose into his infamous Rose Whip. "I am not going to go easy on you just because you're Asa."

"I wouldn't have expected any less," she growled. He brought the handle of the whip to his shoulder, preparing to strike out, even though every one of them knew he wasn't actually going to try and hit her…everyone but Asa, of course. Rolling her eyes, she lifted her palms in front of her, much like she had the night before.

I'm not sure how much energy I have left…hopefully it's enough, she thought, eyes beginning to glow the bright color they had before. Needless to say, most of her audience members, the ones who weren't already aware of her power, were shocked as a large ball of energy formed above her palms, then spread outward, surrounding her and glowing white as a small wisp of what seemed like a ghost came out from the orb that shielded her body and moved forward, wrapping around Kurama's rose whip. The fox demon was the picture of surprise as his eyes widened, his rose whip stolen from his grasp, pulled by the small wisp of light to wrap around the orb that surrounded Asa.

Her bright eyes went wide, and the rose whip disappeared. "There, your weapon's gone," she finally spoke, her voice weak and sounding strained. "That means I win, right?"

"Hai," Hiei spoke for the surprised Kurama. Asa nodded, dropping her hands to her sides and dropping to her knees, her eyes closing, the white orb around her disappearing.

"Asa?" Kurama stepped toward her, but she held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm fine," she gasped. "Your whip-thingy's back there." She pointed behind him, up at the balcony. The balcony's occupants all looked to their right in surprise, to see Kurama's rose whip hanging wound up on one of the posts on the railing.

Impressed, Yusuke spoke up, "I guess that's it for today, Asa-chan. You'd better go get some rest… Well, that came a little too late," he finished annoyedly, causing all eyes to return to Asa, who had fallen unconscious in the middle of the arena. Kurama was already at her side, turning her over and picking her up gently in his arms.

"She used too much energy," Genkai observed, jumping down to the boys' level, and meeting Kurama as he walked toward them. She laid a hand on Asa's forehead, and pulled away gently when she saw one of the tape pieces loose on her wrists. Furrowing her brow, she lifted Asa's wrist, and started unwinding the tape.

"What're you doing, hag?" Yusuke questioned, coming to her side to see for himself.

"Shut up, dimwit…Gauze," she said softly, when the tape was removed and revealed the gauze wrapping Asa's burns. She peeled back a piece of it gently, in turn revealing the raw burn mark there.

"Kuso, what the hell happened to her!" Yusuke demanded.

"Damn…I knew I should have woken one of you to go with her," Genkai mumbled to herself, "That Akumu demon must have burned her last night."

"Akumu…wait… YOU LET HER GO OFF AFTER A DEMON BY HERSELF!" Yusuke demanded, "Grandma, are you crazy! She could have been killed!"

"You wanted me to see what I thought of her power. I did," Genkai replied, narrowing her eyes at him. "She's very powerful indeed, but she cannot unlock her full power for much of the same reason you couldn't, dimwit – she needs to focus all her energy and emotion on something, but she doesn't have something yet."

"Oh, okay. Well, someone's gonna have to yell at her when she wakes up for not telling us she was injured," Yusuke said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, no need to worry about that – I can handle it," Kurama muttered in a voice that could have been depicted as a growl as he glared down at Asa's peaceful face. Yusuke almost winced at his face as he carried Asa inside the temple to take her to her room, and glanced at Genkai.

"Great job, Grandma, now you've got Kurama pissed," he said snidely.

And so the game begins. Oh, and, you know, Akumu demons are evil jerk-offs. Akumu means 'nightmare;' so I looked up some info on random nightmare demons, and they usually take your worst fear and use it against you. Yup. Like, if you're afraid of snakes, they, I dunno, make you feel like you're in a pit of snakes or something? Anywho. We have reviews again! I'm so happy (cries).

Yusuke- Then why're you crying!

Because I can! (sniffle sniffle) Leave me alone and just do the review responses! (hides to cry of happiness some more.)

Yusuke- Okay then… Lala, howdy again! You reviewed for the Meka-goes-crazy chap! Go you! Wow, you're smarter than ME! I didn't even realize there was a puzzle to begin with! (adds on poster, "Of course that's because I hate Meka and this story and they can both go to hell.")

I SAW THAT YOU JERK!

Yusuke- …Oops.

Kurama- Mel-chan, you're not to blame! No need to apologize! We forgive you anyway! And I wouldn't EVER have one of the death plants devour you! (smile)

Touya and Hiei- Hi Sun Priestess! We're reviewing together, as in, in unison, thanks to a really wild Meka-experiment which I (being me, Hiei) have to kill her for later. That full-fledged priestess thing, it's coming up. But don't think our stubborn little Asa and our almost-as-stubborn little Fox-boy will be so glad about that! (wink)

Kuwabara- COOKIES! (has stolen cookies from Meka) Okay, peeps. Here's your hint for the next chapter – Ai will be making an appearance, after a little one-on-one between Foxy and Little Priestess.