Chapter 6: Sparring

Thank you to everyone who read this story, and if you haven't read Angel of Earth yet, one of my friends suggests it highly, I am supposed to tell you that. Now on with the story.

Seto drew away from the kiss quickly, staring down at the blonde who was eyeing the ground wearily. "Guess I better go gt my work done...." He said before tearing off into the woods, heading back towards the town.

"Mutt?" Kaiba called after him, looking at the blondes retreating back. "What did I do wrong now?"

Jou ran through the town looking for Yugi or his grandfather before spotting both sitting on the towns outer stone wall, well, gramps leaning against it. "You asked for me gramps?" Jou asked, jogging up to them.

"It's sparring practice, and you're late." He replied, more than a little miffed that the pup was late. "warm-ups begin now! Ryou! You and Jou pair up! Yugi! You and Malik! Tea! Be prepared for any bloodshed!"

"Right." She said, walking up to the wall and leaning against it.

"What about me?" Honda asked, running up in time to see everyone get into fighting stance.

"You Ref! I want no foul play in this round, understand Malik? Jou?"

They both looked at him, happy they weren't facing each other or else foul play would happen. "Yes sir."

"Excuse me sir, but what is going on?" Yami asked, while he and the other Krishens, including Kaiba who found his way back, asked, looking at the older demon.

"Sparring!" Tea said enthusiastically. "This round, since it is first, has no weapons, nor elements, plain hand to hand,. first hit wins, round two, one weapon of your choice, round three, weapon switch, use your opponents weapon against them somehow, then round four, hand to hand again, but elements allowed, and round five, no holds bar."

"Can we join? Sounds interesting." Otogi asked, eyeing Jounouchi from his perch upon the wall.

"I will watch Krishens take their first round after my students finish their first round." Sogoroku said, calming slightly. "Hiroto, fetch their weapons."

"Yes sir!" The brunette said. Before remembering how many weapons he had to actually carry. "I am going to need help again, Jou-Chan will kill me if I break another weapon."

"You better fucking believe it!" Jou said, staring daggers at his friend. "That sword cost me a fortune to fix!"

Sogoroku looked down at the youngest Krishen. "Mokuba right?" A nod. "Well, help the idiot."

"Right." Mokuba said, quietly following the brunette, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Ready?" Gramps said, all four taking fighting stance. "Set!" All glaring at each otehr, which honestly wasn't that vicious since they were all friends. "Fight!" And they were at it, arms and legs swinging at kicking. Dodging and jumping.

Yugi and Malik were facinf off with each otehr easily, dodging every hit thrown. Whilst Ryou and Jou were going at it as though there was more tension that was desperately needed to be worked off. Suddenly, their fight was over, as Ryou landed the first hit, square into the blondes face, throwing him crashing into the stone wall, cracking it where he hit. A gurgled sound escaped his throat as he slid down the wall into a crouched sitting position. "Round one, Ryou!"

Ryou ran up to the blonde, lifting his head towards him. "Are you ok Jou-Kun?" He watched the blonde smile and stand. "Oh thank the gods."

Jou slapped the white haired pheonix on his back and laughed. "You honestly think you could hurt me with that weak little kick?"

"Weak!?" Tea shouted. "He threw you into the wall! Eight and a hlaf feet from where you were standing!"

"And he has done so much worse." Jou said, looking at her. "Remember last week? When he fought Malik?"

"Yeah, he picked me up into the air, over his head, and chucked me across the sparring grounds, which mind you, is like, what, fifty yards? If more?"

"So yes, my kick was a little weak. But Jou is preoccupied or something, because his defenses were poor today."

(Switching to two very alone individuals, Mokuba and Honda.)

Honda sat on the floor of the weapons hut, picking out everyones weapons. "Let's see, Jou is good with his falming staff, Yugi, his wind bow, Ryou, umm, twin flame blades, and Mali, dammit, he is the hardest to figure out!" Honda said, searching through every weapon in the building.

"What about this?" Mokuba asked, picking up a set og numb-chucks. "Will these work?"

"Holy shit kid, we haven't seen those for ages." Honda said, picking up said item. "These were Jou's when Granps first bought him."

"Bought him?" Mokuba asked, a confused look on his face. "Is Jou, a, a slave? He isn't treated like one."

"Unfortunately, yes he is, but gramps refuses to treat him as such." Honda smiled sadly. "Jou has a little sister too, but he hasn't seen her for years, and misses her greatly. But he can still visit his mom when time allows him too."

"Oh, his mother? A wolf demon as well?"

"No, she was an inu, a dog. She had the ability to shapeshift and cast ice spells, each child inherited one of those abilities, but Jou refuses to use ice, it goes against his natural element and makes him feel slightly sick."

"Dog? So Jou really is, a, mutt?"

"Don't call him that to his face, he is disappointed as it is. didn't you see the difference in his ears? Where one stands and the other lays flat on his head?" A nod. Honda sighed, picking up the weapons, handing the bow and numb-chucks to Mokuba. "We better move, gramps will kill us if we take any longer."

(switch again)

Everyone kept chatting away, not noticing the miffed look on the elders face, or the childish smirk on Yugi's face, staring at the distracted Malik, running forward, he brought Malik back into the spar with a tiny hit ot his cheek. "Round one! ME!"

"No fair! I was distracted!"

"All's fair in love and war!" Yami said walking up behind his counterpart. "Well done Yugi." He said, placing a solemn hand on the boys shoulder.

But that wouldn't settle for the 'hug everybody you meet' boy. He pouted slightly and turned to face Yami before tackling him to the ground in a rather tight hug. "Thank you!" He said, kissing Yami's cheek.

"Get a room!." Bakura sneered, looking at the elder. "Our turn?"

Suddenly a crack of thuinder was heard above their heads as the clouds found it very interestings to open up at that moment. "Spar postponed until the next dry day. Everyone inside now." Sogoroku said, heading for his house.

Jou stared at Seto with a sad look before heading inside. Seto, insistent on actually making up with his new counterpart, followed quickly.

TBC

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