Chapter 23:

-(Ningenkai)-

"I can't believe you tackled me, you little ass."

"Quit whining. It's not like you're seriously injured."

"Oh, a nosebleed doesn't count?"

"It went away; get over it."

"Brat." Sachi made a face. "Spoiled."

Yumiko laughed. "Far from that." She leaned back, supporting her head with her arms by gripping each other. "So why are you out here?"

"I could ask you the same," muttered Sachi. "Preseason starts soon."

"My family is up here in Hokkaido," she managed to respond lightly. "What about you? If I remember, they're all in Kyushu."

"Hmph. I've got a beneficial cousin up here."

"Whatever." Noticing something sticking out of the folds of her cloak-

A dagger hilt.

"So… you turn up in Hokkaido, with the excuse of a cousin while all of your family is in Kyushu, wearing a cloak (which I totally did not believe was your sense of fashion), and carrying metal weapons on your person." The girl eyed the other. "Something's wrong with this picture."

"Hmph. And you show up here, heading back to the family who you so dutifully hated before, cutting it quite close to the volleyball tryout dates, which I know you have never done before." Sachi returned the ebony gaze with deep sapphire. "What's up?"

"Meh. I don't have to tell anyone anything."

"Watch yourself Sato," she snarled. "I may be your friend, but you come very close to insulting my family."

Yumiko blinked. "Excuse me? What did you just say?"

"You heard me- Sato."

"What is with you! Suddenly you show up acting strangely, and calling me a Sato like it's a bad thing!"

"It is. You have said something like that yourself."

"Well, still. You never pushed it." She examined her. "Is something wrong?"

"You don't know do you?"

"Know what?"

"…Ignorant brat…"

"Oh, do cram it and tell me already."

"This is going to take a while…"

-(Reikai/Heaven)-

"Step forward," boomed a loud voice. Enma graciously bowed his head as multiple Shinto gods began to fill the room. "What is the trouble?"

Almost immediately, the crowd turned to two people, glaring, in the middle.

The first was a female. Dressed in a pure white kimono with gold threads decorating the hems, with a pale yellow under-robe, and a gold obi, her light grace was exemplified. Hung about her waist was a sword, and a fan was grasped lightly in her hands, her hair styled.

The second was a male. Wearing a midnight blue kimono, a white under-robe, black haori with star patterns on it, and fine sandals, complete with tabi, gave him a majestic air. His skin was pale, his eyes ferocious.

Enma sighed. "Amaterasu, (1) Tsukiyomi. (2)"

"Lord Enma," stated the female. The other god only nodded in greeting.

"What happened," Enma monotoned.

"I sent my brother, Tsukiyomi, to represent me at a feast which Uke Mochi was hosting." Several deities nodded in affirmation. "She served the food to the guests-"

"One could hardly call it hospitality!" snapped the god. "The food was produced in the most disgusting way!"

"Do not interrupt Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi. Let her tell her side of the story first, and you will tell yours afterwards." The moon god quieted down, glowering though. Enma nodded at the sun goddess to continue.

"She provided a great amount of food, of a wide variety. My brother, disgusted at her perfectly acceptable behavior, slew her."

"Tsukiyomi."

"My sister lies," he started immediately. "Yes, I was sent by her to represent her at the feast of Uke Mochi. But to serve the meal, out of her mouth spewed game into the forest; . A thoroughly disgusting way to serve the food, and treat the guests; I struck her down as her punishment."

Enma sighed. "I cannot find a reasonable way for the two of you to be satisfied- not without displeasing others, or risking the survival of the three worlds. Your fights have brought destruction to other places." All of the deities nodded in agreement. "There is one solution though." They waited for him to continue.

"You will each be represented by a ningen family- the noblest daimyo (3). One out of each of the family will be chosen by either god to battle every fifteen deity years. That is all I can satisfy you with."

The woman bowed low, half kneeling. "I consent to this deal."

"Hmph." The man glared before bowing too. "I consent."

"Swear by blood." The two cut their palms, glowing red blood pooling to the floor around them, not staining their clothes though.

"Are you satisfied with being represented by a Chosen ningen to fight your battle for you every fifteen years?"

"We are," they chorused, power lacing their voices. The room erupted into a bright flash before restoring to its normal light.

-(Ningenkai)-

"That's what happened." Sachi swung her legs up onto the railing. "Amaterasu chose her mortal kin, the Emperor family, giving them her magical sword, Nagasaki. (4) Tsukiyomi chose a daimyo family, one of the future Shogun family.(5) But after our fall in the Meiji Era, we were degraded further and further in social status until we were nothing more than ronin.(6) We have engaged ourselves in the martial arts ever since, waiting for our rise." Yumiko was silent.

A bell rung; they were nearing the island. (AN: yes, unrealistic with the timing, but deal with it.) The few people on the ship were coming up to the deck, but milled around on the other side so that she could continue.

"The Suzuki and Sato Clans are supposed to be enemies. That's why Roka was un-nominated as the Chosen Warrior, and I got elected- he was 'fraternizing' with the enemy (you and Takeo)."

"Aren't you doing that right now?"

Sachi grinned. "It's what I was doing since I met you. But they don't know that."

Yumiko remained in thought, staring off at the water. "All this because of a pair of god's little fight? This is stupid." 'Hiroshi… you were the Chosen Warrior… the one to succeed… and to think I was jealous of you all this time. I wanted to be the one who fought a battle for another.' Tears started to form in her eyes. 'This is so stupid- I was so stupid.'

"The noblest daimyo…" Her voice cracked. "W-who am I really?"

"A descendant from the sun goddess herself, Amaterasu. Somehow, your family got cut off from the throne, and now has no claim to it. You have the ability to wield the Nagasaki sword, had it been discovered."

Another bell rung; they had pulled up to a dock in a city, soft lights glowing. Some noise was heard along the streets, but most people were asleep. Yumiko took the remembered path to her family's estate, Sachi following. They managed walking through half of the city before they reached more natural areas.

She shivered slightly through the vest. "F---ing freezing up here…" She slung her bag over a shoulder.

Sachi shed her cloak, rolling it up. A fighting outfit stunned Yumiko; a black sleeveless top with a high collar, sleeve edged with white, and a white ribbon attached to the shirt in the middle was worn, with fingerless gloves, or armbands (she couldn't really tell), that went up past her elbows so that a larger majority of the skin was covered. Black, three-quarter pants with slits on the sides, also edged with some white lining, covered the bottom half, ebony slipper like shoes on her feet. A wide white ribbon held back her hair, which was also given a blue sheen by the moonlight.

A worn leather belt loosely circled her hips. A line of throwing daggers was attached there; a pouch, bulging with shuriken and poison vials also hung there. Small lengths of cable and grappling hooks were on the back. Sachi slipped on some spikes onto her hand and feet, sliding a metal fan into the vacated space on the right side of her belt. (7)

"…" Yumiko stared as she saw the large amounts of weapons her friend had.

She snorted softly. "You Sato Clan… you strut around with your swords held high, proclaiming superiority. We, meanwhile, hunt in the dark, taking out those who oppose us. We are truly higher than you."

"Why are you in Hokkaido?" she demanded, black eyes burning. "Why?"

"The Battle between the Chosen Warriors will begin soon. The next week, say, around. The Sato home is the place of battle, this time. That's where I'm going."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"You will not set a foot on my compound." She tossed her green hair arrogantly. "As the last of the Sato Clan, I demand my respected authority. Leave."

"Hmph. You do not own all of Hokkaido."

"And I don't deny it. But you will stay off our lands."

"… So this is how it will be, Hiya."

"I've started nothing you've not wanted."

She glared. "Brat." She clambered up a tree, using her foot and hand spikes, disappearing from there on.

'I'll miss you Sachi. You're my pillar, my support.' She sighed. 'D--- this family. I wish I had never been born into this mess.' Yumiko set forth at a light jog. 'Move along. The pain will pass.' A faint light had come over the top of the trees, turning the sky a light dusty blue.

-(Reikai)-

"Her energy signal isn't showing up anywhere! ARGH! D--- THIS!"

"Koenma, please calm down," responded the kitsune to his fury tantrums. "We'll be able to locate her soon."

"Yumiko can already shield her energy?" asked Jin, puzzled.

"Yeah, when did that happen?" Kuwabara was also slightly lost.

"No…" Touya stared off into space. "She never learned… it must be her powers acting up."

"But she has them under control," said Yusuke. "She just can't use them."

"If it's not the brat, then what else is there," monotoned Hiei.

"Roka," stated Kurama, as if obvious. "He would protect her. The spirit of Takeo too."

"But HOW!" He banged his fist, frustrated, on the desk. "He can't just mask her energy, like that! Only high level people can do that! Or people who have been trained to do so!"

"The toddler is right for once." The punk eyed his friend. "Can you explain?"

Kurama pondered a bit before answering. "I think I recognize the plant. It saps away your spirit energy-"

"Making it untraceable," murmured Touya, "if it's nonexistent."

"But unusable," the redhead finished.

"Wouldn't she be weak?" asked the Detective.

"No- the plant replaces the spirit energy with its life energy, so the one who takes it is as good as defenseless when it comes to use of power. The life energy could be used, if taught to do so, but it's mainly used for total energy concealment."

"How long does the plant last?"

"In a large dosage, a month at most."

"…"

"D---."

"We're going to have to find out how much Roka gave her, or just wait it out."

"I suggest we wait-" a portal opened as an interruption. The kitsune only closed his mouth, stepping in after the first few.

-(Tokyo)-

"Roka-san." A polite knock sounded on the door. "Please open up." No response. "If you don't comply, I will have to resort to force."

"Hmph." Hard, dark eyes stared at him through the crack in the door. "I do think that your counterpart disturbed me enough last night."

"I'm very sorry for his behavior. May I come in?"

He was once more visually examined, before being allowed to step in. He led him to a small kitchen, pouring him some tea out of the steaming kettle. "Where are your friends?"

"Outside," he responded. "We hoped to gain less attention, and wouldn't want to intrude upon your hospitality."

"Hah." Roka took a sip of tea. "Cut to the point kitsune. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible."

Emerald eyes averted to the left. A knife had seemingly disappeared from a set of kitchen knives. No, even the blades were not shaped for only culinary uses… "I pose no threat to you at the time being. I will not attack you in your territory."

The man slammed the hidden knife into the middle of the table. The wood cracked slightly, hilt buried deep inside. "You are a danger to Yumiko. Cut to the point kitsune."

The redhead merely blinked, mask unchanging. "You are familiar with the Takenoko Plant, yes?"

Roka's eyes widened. "How?"

"I need not repeat my question."

He snorted. "The Suzuki Clan is skilled in the art of fighting and manipulation."

"Ah. Then how much did you give to Yumiko?"

"This will not help you in tracking her down. Why do you ask?"

"It is useful information that will inform us about our situation."

He shook his hair out of his eyes. "I don't trust you kitsune."

"Nor should you." The redhead fiddled with his cup. "And I you. But I'm hopeful that we can agree on some sort of terms concerning Yumiko- for her sake. She needs refuge."

His glare, though angry, was dulled slightly by thoughtfulness. "Hmph. A little more than a teaspoon in her tea. Last night."

"Thank you." He rose. "I'll be leaving then." Roka ushered him out, not rushing Kurama, but not too polite either. He walked briskly to the park two blocks away where the others waited.

"Well?" asked Yusuke impatiently. "How much?"

"Three days worth."

: End Chapter

(1) The Shinto goddess of the sun. Hopefully that little passage cleared some stuff up about her.

(2) The Shinto god of the moon. (I dressed both gods differently (how I imagined them), so don't count on it for reference. If you guys want to find out more about Japanese god-folk, go to Wikipedia. It is my newfound love.)

(3) Daimyo: Lords of big plots of land, that have samurai directly respond to them, and ensure their faith by giving the samurai land.

(4) Nagasaki: the sword of the goddess Amaterasu which she gave to the Imperial Family of Japan (all Emperors are treated like a god in Japan).

(5) Shogun: The military leader of Japan (vs. the spiritual leader, the Emperor of Japan). Shoguns have the most political power, and all the samurai/daimyo in Japan are under his order.

(6) Ronin: Wandering samurai who have been put out of work because their lands are taken away or their lord's lands are taken away.

(7) Those are all weapons typical of a ninja. (Wikipedia, again)

Insaneningen14: reason of update- CHINESE NEW YEAR. Mwah, I love you all. Thanks for the reviews.