A/N: For the 'Driven' theme on Dokuga's LJ comm - 300 words, no more no less.

Originally posted on August 9, 2010. This won third place! :)

A 'journeyman' is a good fighter, but hasn't had the success to make him popular. He steps in when other fighters have to cancel, to pad a successful fighter's record or to give newbie fighters a good opponent to help their reputations. Journeyman live itinerant lives, going where they're needed.

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Journeyman

Despite the ache in his shoulders from the previous night's fight, Sesshoumaru had forced himself to rise early and get to the seedy, little gym at the end of the block. It wasn't the finely tuned studio that he had once practiced in, but it had punching bags, a nearly complete set of free weights, and patrons that kept their noses in their own business. With one exception.

"I am not here to make conversation," Sesshoumaru warned as he taped up his knuckles.

"That's cool," Koga said, smirking. "I just want to tell you that the location has changed for tonight's fights."

The taiyoukai glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "What happened?"

The wolf lifted a newspaper, opened to the second page, to eye-level. "Some idiot overdosed a block from the warehouse."

"That must happen frequently in that part of town."

"Not to someone that matters. Not with rolls of bills in his pocket and beat to hell and back," said Koga.

Sesshoumaru scowled. "It was someone who was at the fights."

"One of those human, rich kids," affirmed the wolf with a nod. "Must've thought he'd celebrate his winnings by getting high. Cops and journalists are everywhere. Obviously." He shook the paper again.

The taiyoukai took a deep breath and thought of Kagome's warnings, just as he had been doing all week. She was right - this was dangerous. A death connected to the fights only created greater risk.

Still, she had been there again last night, cheering and making bets with that familiar flush in her cheeks. In those moments, she wouldn't have warned him away. He recognized that compulsion. He felt it when he stepped into the ring - he was driven to it, despite every peril.

"Where do I have to go?" Sesshoumaru asked.

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