A/N: Short chapter, I apologize. Most of the chapter in this fanfic are short, but please read and review anyway. Any and all constructive criticism is welcome!

Also, FYI – the all-italics is not a typo. It's a flashback, if you couldn't guess.

2. Flashback of the Apprentice – Despicable Promise of the Bloodlusting Dragon, Jiusenki

Jiusenki's apprentice walked back to her room in his underground mansion in the Makai. Pulling her hood off, the woman shook out her bushy auburn hair and stared at herself in the mirror. Her aqua-colored eyes stared back at her; the brightest feature in the dark, dismal room. Jiusenki's fortress had very few lights in it, but the woman was getting used to moving around in the dark. She sighed and adjusted her fox ears atop her head; her ears weren't used to being stuck under a hood all day and it was very uncomfortable.

She threw off the rest of her cloak and listened to it hit the floor, the cloth making a "fa-lump" sound on the black carpet. She pulled off her long, black leggings and pulled on her favorite pair of pink shorts. She wasn't used to wearing leggings or all black, but she knew she would have to get used to it someday. She would be working for Jiusenki for a while…

She remembered when she had met the demon Jiusenki…

It was the end of the Dark Tournament, and the stadium was collapsing. The underdog, Team Urameshi, had just won the tournament, beating out the dangerous demon, Toguro. Sakyo had left his mark by blowing up the tournament stadium, killing himself and almost everybody in there. Team Urameshi, Juri, and I had escaped... but barely.

I ran as far away from the crumbling stadium as I could. I wasn't watching where I was going, and I ran into somebody. It was a dragon demon… Not a huge dragon, but pretty big, at least ten feet tall in height, and a purplish-bluish tint to his scales. He had a thin body, but he was still pretty muscular and terrifying.

I screamed and began to run in the opposite direction, but the demon stopped me. He put a large, scaly dragon hand on my shoulder and said in a gravelly hiss, "You're that referee from the Dark Tournament, aren't you?"

"Kind of…" I replied. "I mean, I was, but then I got bumped to a box commentator."

"That does not matter," the dragon said. "You have seen all of the fights in the Dark Tournament, correct?"

"Haven't missed one yet!" I said proudly.

"Good. Then you would know of a certain fire youkai and his red-haired friend who were both competitors of Team Urameshi, right?" the dragon asked me.

I nodded. "Of course! That's Hiei and Ku—"

"Silence!" the dragon roared. "You don't want them to know we're talking about them."

I nodded my apologies. "Sorry…"

"Now, since you know these two fighters, will you become my apprentice?"

Apprentice? I thought. Why does this guy need an apprentice…? "I'm not sure," I answered.

"It would be very beneficial for you," the dragon replied persuasively. "I will pay you quite a substantial amount of money if you help me, and I can get you a job, broadcasting the downfall of Spirit World and the death of Prince Koenma and King Yama to all of Makai."

Downfall of Spirit World? Death of Koenma and King Yama? I wasn't so sure about that…

"Come on, lady. I'm giving you a good offer. You would be wise to take it."

There was something about this guy's voice that just creeped me out… He was threatening me… On one hand, the prospect of a cool broadcasting job and a lot of money sounded pretty good, but… the price was the downfall of Spirit World? Would I have anything to do with Spirit World's downfall? I wasn't sure if I wanted to risk being punished by King Yama if his plan failed…

"I have told you my plan," the dragon said. "Now that you know it, you have to become my apprentice. If you don't, I will make sure I kill you."

Kill me? Yikes! That didn't sound like fun! "Uh… o-okay!" I agreed timidly. "But… can I at least know your name, sir?"

"Jiusenki."

I nervously stuck out my hand for a hand/clawshake. "I'm Koto."

NEXT TIME: REALIZATION OF THE HORRIBLE TRUTH – THE LAST MEN ON EARTH!

Reviewer Responses!

lazy fat kitsune: The next few chapters should answer your question. Thanks for reading and reviewing! n.n

Izandria Johnson: Again, you'll find out in the next few chapters! Thanks for the review!