Whee! I have over 100 reviews! I wuv you all. I finally feel like I've gotten somewhere. And now, to finally get further with everyone standing around in the cold! Hee hee haa haa an' stuff!

You dudes rock my world.

"Erm… this is a bad thing, isn't it?" Shigure sidles off the deck and closer to where Yuki/Shimo and I stand, looking distinctly out of his league, possibly inching closer to take advantage of the meagre protection we might be.

I barely manage to stop myself from strangling him, trying to stay focused on the glassy-eyed figure of our housekeeper. Her whole demeanour changed the instant she touched the hilt, and she stands holding the sword like she could easily use it, her blank eyes running over the blade.

"Gee, Shigure, let's see. Tohru's holding an evil, possessed sword. I wonder?" Yuki bites back.

With a flick of one of her small, pale hands, the sword is lowered to Tohru's side, and the Sword Elemental stares me straight in the eye, then bows low and elaborately. "Master,"

I incline my head, feeling all too aware of my surroundings, ready to jump out of my skin if I hear any little noise. My nerves are straining so hard that I can feel Yuki/Shimo standing behind me, and Shigure behind them. "Blade, what is the meaning of this?"

"A challenge, my lord. I know that you are worthy, but what of the creature that claims to be your guardian? It's other form wishes to be your mate, but you are the master," Blade's eyes snap over to glare at Yuki, "and he is not worthy."

Yuki glares dangerously. "What do you want us to do?"

Yuki holds the sword the Blade has supplied for him like he fears it's about to try and bite his hand – which could very well happen, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Yuki might win.

Look at it this way, Yuki and I have been trained since we were able to walk to be able to fight; myself more than Yuki, but it still adds up to the same thing, with the mouse's natural ability to… constantly kick my ass (injustice!). We have been trained since we were tykes, and that includes weaponry; from the katana, what Yuki is currently holding, to throwing axes and beyond. More importantly, in whatever weapon we tried to use, Yuki was still always better. My sneaking suspicion is that Blade has all my skills. All my skills, and my ability level, which is, still lower than Yuki's. He should be able to beat it, because it should be like fighting myself. Please, god, let him realise this, and not get psyched out because he's fighting Tohru.

I walk up behind my cousin and put a hand on his shoulder. "Yuki. Screw this up, and I'll never forgive you. It's just like fighting me; Blade is me. I hope you understand that this is very important for getting you accepted by the Elementals, not just this one. I don't know why or how, but these things gossip. If you lose, Blade will spread it to every other Element in a ten mile radius, who will in turn spread it to others. You'll forever be known as 'the weakling who is not worthy'."

"Why are you telling me this?" Yuki whispers back at me.

"Isn't it helping?"

"No."

"Um… some other incentive then?"

"Like what?" is Yuki's scathing reply.

"Well, then, you don't want me to promise you an hour alone with me in your room so we can practice 'touching Kyo'?"

"…That'll do."

"Good. Great. Now remember, Blade is only as good as I am. You can beat me without breaking a sweat." I finish our conversation with a kiss to the side of his neck, then a pat on the bum. "Go get him… her…. It… thing! Whatever!" I wave a dismissive hand at the both of them. "I don't care anymore!" and stalk off to join stand, with my arms crossed, beside Shigure.

Yuki hefts the three feet of steel in his right hand, passes it briefly to his left, then back again.

Tohru's body cocks it's head to one side, and starts circling Yuki. "Shimo, are you listening?"

"What is it you want?"

"I just hope you realise that this mortal is fighting for you as well,"

Yuki's body nods. "I am aware." An uncharacteristic smirk blossoms on his face. "That's why I'm not worried."

Blade snorts. "You've spent too long with the rat, I'm afraid, it's done strange things to your psyche."

"I prefer to think of it as 'expanding my horizons'." Shimo retorts, raising his sword to block a slow strike from Blade. 

The two continue to banter, even as they start with slow stokes, sizing each other up.

"Your body's weak, Shimo, you won't last long."

"At least I'm not the one in the body of a girl,"

Oh god, he's inherited my misogynist streak.

"He looks enough like one,"

"Ask the master. He's definitely a male."

I lower my flaming face into my hands as Shigure sniggers and punches my shoulder. "I'll kill them, I'll kill them both…"

The battle starts in earnest, and it paints such a surreal scene. Tohru fighting in her nightgown against Yuki is strange enough, and then there's the fact that my cousins' eyes are faintly glowing amber, one bright point in the night that's otherwise as dark as the inside of a cat. He's also wearing his sleeping clothes, pale blue with a boarder of sheep on the three-quarter length pants. It's ridiculous, and I know that when I look back on it, I'll laugh. If all goes well. If not, then… Oh dear.

It's all rather frustrating. I feel like some sort of damsel being fought over by a couple of knights. The Sheep knight, and the Lace Knight. Personally, I'm rooting for the sheep. He's prettier. I just wish that I could jump into the fry, kick Tohru in the head, and start yelling at Yuki/Shimo.

But that's not about to happen. When, not if we get Blade out of Tohru, I don't want her wondering why her nose is broken. But I still feel eternally weak. I think I'll sulk for a couple of days on the roof, then challenge Yuki. That usually makes me feel better.

As I muse, Blade's sword glances off Yuki's hand, and it suddenly occurs to me where this is headed. "Idiots!" I leap forward as Yuki raises his sword and start to bring it down with more force than necessary, no longer play.

I shove my way in-between the two squabbling spirits, and the shot that was intended for Blade glances off my forehead, deflected by the fortunately solid bone that is my skull.

"Aw, fuck!" I grate out, one hand going to my bleeding scalp while I boot Yuki, who is still recovering from the shock factor, in the solar plexus. At the same time, I shove Tohru back and hear her hit the frozen ground hard behind me. "Fucking retards! Aw, fuckin' hell!"

I make a show at wiping blood out of my vision, and glare at Blade, who is still tenaciously clinging onto it's sword. "First point for house of Sohma!" I kick the sword out of her hand, then stumble forward to grab it myself. "Point, set and match, Blade, now stop it."

The spirit moves from the sword that I am gripping down into my arm like it's being severed down the middle. I bite my tongue to keep from screaming, and keep holding the sword until I know Blade is inside me properly.

The sword stays, and enraptured, I stare at the hilt. It's covered in ivory, and carved with a scene of men with wings. A smile impulsively comes to my face. "Hey, Yuki, I think this is for you."

Yuki and Shigure blink up at me from where they kneel next to Tohru.

"Ummm, Kyo-kun," Shigure helpfully points out, "Your face is still bleeding…"

I just needed to put that last line in. It just fit. Hmm… I wonder what they'll do about Shigure, ne?