I know that it's been a while since I've updated this story. I sorta had writer's block for a moment, since I knew where I wanted to take the story just not how to get there. Luckily, however I have over come my problem and will now be updating this story more. No promise when I'll update however. Besides that I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews on any one of my stories. They feed my ever-growing ego. Smiles

I had to raise the rating of the story; Bankotsu has a potty mouth.

Chapter Two: Vacation over.

Rei was worried. Her friends had left her house a few hours ago and since then she had been feeling weird. There was a soft hum inside her head that she usually only got when they were about to go up against a foe. She had even tried looking into the sacred fire, though the fire hadn't helped. Instead of seeing their newest enemy she had just encountered that idiot that she had met earlier. She had felt so confused by his appearance in the fire, had it been the fire's way of telling her to be aware of the guy? Irritated she had walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea. The warm brown liquid had instantly clamed her nerves, who needed coffee? However that peace didn't last long when a sudden soft, yet urgent not on the door brought her from her thinking. Walking to the door she quickly opened it after seeing a tuff of blue hair swirling in the mid-summer wind.

Standing outside her door was her best friend Ami, or Ames as Rei called her. The short bookworm was wearing a snug hand knitted light green sweater with a white tee shirt underneath. On her lower body she only wore a flimsy looking pair of light blue pajama pants with white and green stars on them. And Rei wasn't even going to mention the green crocodile slippers that covered Ames dainty feet. Finally noticing that her friend was struggling with her two duffel bags and her briefcase Rei hurriedly took her friend's bags. A honking noise made her look past Ames to she Ames's parent's waving at her. With a little difficulty she waved back and watched as they drove off. She was so confused.

"My parents are going on a second honeymoon so I thought that I'd come over here and spend the night. I was going to talk to you about it at the café but I forgot. You're not mad are you?" Ames asked.

"No, you can come by anytime. Now let's get inside, your bags are really heavy." Rei huffed as she stumbled through the door and dragged Ames's bags to her bedroom. "How long are you going to stay?"

Ami looked around Rei's room, smiling as she saw different pictures of them and the rest of the scouts on Rei's dressers. "Two to three weeks." She murmured.

Rei set her bags down on the hardwood floor. "Okay, give me a moment and I'll straighten up the guest room."

Ami looked at Rei. "Guest room?"

"Yeah. I converted the storage room into a guest room. There was nothing but junk in there anyway." Rei explained.

"Oh."

Ami watched as the fiery priestess walked out of the room to prepare the guest room for her. Slightly nervous she began to twirl her new ring around her finger. The ring was a simple white gold band studded with chips of sapphire. It was odd how she came to have it, a gift by someone she didn't even know. Her blue eyes clouded over as she fondly remembered the moment.

Memory

Ami ran out of the bookstore hurriedly. This was the last time that she would dare to go in that store. Her face was red from her embarrassment. How was she supposed to know that all the books in there were smut? It had been horrifying, especially when she saw her mother wondering down the aisles! Oh! What was she going to do? Distracted by her thoughts she ran into something very hard. She gulped as she brought her sapphire glaze up to light golden brown eyes. She blushed heavily when she noticed strong arms around her frame.

"Um…I'm sorry." She murmured as she stepped back and composed herself. Her small hands brushing off her white pleated skirt.

"No problem." The cool baritone voice made her look up at the man.

Broad shoulders covered in a dark green long sleeved shirt flexed as he bent down to pick up the books that she had been carrying.

"Thanks." She said as he handed her the textbooks.

She watched as he tossed her a careless smile, the action making his slightly fanged teeth apparent. She slightly wondered about the bright green markings on his face and the metal claws attached to his hands. Looking down at her own hands she noticed the ring. How weird.

End

"Ami? Ames? Can you hear me?" Rei asked worriedly as she lightly shook her dazed friend. What was wrong with her?

"I'm fine Rei." Ami answered.

Rei sighed as she let go of her friend. She rocked back and forth on her heels as she studied her friend. Rei wasn't stupid she'd noticed the new ring on her friend's hand and from the look on Ami's face the ring hadn't come from her parents. She smiled slightly as she guessed that her friend probably had a slight crush on the guy, lucky guy.

"Your room is done. It's late and you seem tired, why don't you go get some sleep?" Rei suggested as she watched her friend's head nod from lack of sleep.

"Okay."

Ami stood up and walked out of Rei's room, knowing that her friend would find the small gift that Ami had left her.

Apartment Downtown

Bankotsu angrily threw a vase against the wall. The other members of the Band of Seven backed away warily. They knew that it was best that they did not bother him while he was pissed off. Bankotsu paced back and forth for a bit until he got tired of that and went back to throwing things against the wall.

"Tell me, Suikotsu. How could you forget where you had left Jakostu? Look at him! That bitch fucked him up! Speaking of that how could some whore kick your ass Jakotsu? I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE ACTUALLY HAD THE NERVE TO BOAST ABOUT IT. That..that..bitch!" He bellowed as stomped around the seven-bedroom apartment, which cost them a small fortune every month on rent.

His ego was slightly bruised. He had command the greatest group of mercenaries back in their own era and now some wrench had kicked his third in command's ass? He couldn't believe it and he sure as hell wasn't going to accept it. There would be blood. He had allowed them to be too lazy and relaxed, it was time for them to get in the business again. And they'll start by destroying that haughty wrench and anyone else that the bitch was associated with.

"Bankotsu?"

Bankotsu turned and looked at his men. " We're going back to work. We'll start with…a museum. Yeah, we'll clear out that new museum that was just built."

"Lovely, I can try out this new poison that I made." Mukotsu laughed gleefully as he began to move around the apartment packing different poisons in his backpack.

Bankotsu glanced at Renkotsu who was polishing one of his new throwing daggers. Renkotsu hadn't been much of a fighter before; he usually just stood back and watched as they executed one of his brilliant plans. He had been the brains of their group, yet lately Bankotsu had noticed that Renkotsu had been training to take a more hands on approach in combat.

"You coming, Ren?" Bankotsu asked.

Ren nodded.

"I wanna come, too!" Jakotsu whined having completely forgotten his injuries.

Bankotsu snorted. "Yeah right! You're in no condition to go anywhere. Kyoukotsu! Ginkotsu! You two will stay here with Jakotsu."

Kyoukotsu growled. "We always stay here!"

Ren, Jakotsu, and Suikotsu sweat dropped, while Bankotsu's left eye started to twitch. "That's because, Kyoukotsu, you are too large and Gin is too abnormal." He muttered annoyed.

"When are we leaving?" Renkotsu asked.

Bankotsu looked at him. "Now."