I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who has read this story. For reading, for the favorites and the follows, the reviews, the private messages... everything. You all are so wonderful! Please feel free to message or review anytime in the future! Here is the next installment; I hope you enjoy it. :)

"We're lost." I stared up at the sky, walking beside Shizuru. She tilted her body to the left, so I moved with her and watched the tree we passed for the eighth time. "We're literally taking the same four paths repeatedly."

"I could've sworn that it was this way." Botan fretted. I sighed, watching her look to and fro, and glanced to Yukina, who crept near me.

"Hey." I nudged her gently. "How are you liking our hike?"

"I would enjoy it more if there was an end in sight." She confessed, wringing her hands. "I am worried for Kazuma."

"I know how you feel." I crossed my arms and leaned my hip against one of the rock formations nearby, watching Botan pace a few times before decidedly pointing her finger in the same direction we had already gone. "Well, at least we're getting some good exercise. It's been torture being cooped up in that hotel room because of the rain."

"You were out for three hours yesterday." Shizuru pointed out. "And the day before."

"Yeah, but I got caught in the rain and couldn't leave for the rest of the night. I wanted to stay outdoors."

"You always did get cabin fever pretty easily."

I stuck my tongue out at her, grinning and starting to walk again, following her movements. I went to twiddle with the chain on my wrist, only to find bare skin meeting me. I stopped, staring at my arm, my heart pounding. Where was it?

"Guys, I have to head back to the hotel." I panicked, starting to retrace where we had been walking and searching the ground frantically for any sign of my bracelet.

"What? Why?" Shizuru put her hand on my shoulder. "Ella-"

"I can't find my bracelet. It must have snapped and fallen off when I was spacing out, or it fell off in the room... I'll meet you at the stadium." I promised, moving away from her and continuing my search. Where was it?

"Would you like some assistance looking for your bracelet?" Yukina wondered, concern lacing her voice.

"Yeah, we could search the area while you run back to the hotel and see if we find it?" Keiko offered, stepping toward me timidly.

"No, it's fine. Please, go to the tournament. The guys need their cheering squad. I'll be fine, I just need to find it." I insisted, waving them off with as much of a smile as I could muster. "I'm sorry, I promise I'll be okay. I'll see you there."

I turned around again, speed walking with my eyes focused on the grass. It was awkward walking this way, but this was how I was facing when it would have fallen, so this was my best bet to see it.

"Her dad gave that bracelet to her when she went to live with her mom. She only takes it off for recitals and when she showers..." I listened to Shizuru fade into the distance and tried to block it out. I didn't want to think about dad right now. I couldn't.

There was no sign of silver in the undergrowth, and I kept my eyes glued to the ground straight up to the hotel. I skipped steps up to the hotel room, glancing about the hall to make sure I was clear before I focused on my water. I closed my eyes, focusing hard, and forced it between the door and the frame, pushing the lock back and opening my eyes to the door swinging open. I glanced around the room, checking my little corner, the book I was reading, my pillowcase, everywhere it could have possibly become unclasped in the last few hours. It wasn't there. It wasn't in the bathroom, it wasn't in the kitchenette area, and it wasn't on the table where we had all been playing cards and gorging on junk food.

My heart was skipping beats and dots were crowding my vision. God damnit where is it?

"Looking for this?" A silky, dark voice wondered.

I whipped around, suppressing any sound at the presence of the tall man leaning in the doorway. My eyes narrowed in on the chain on the end of his index finger, looking small and frail in comparison to him. He narrowed his eyes at me, and though I couldn't see most of his face because of the mask he was wearing, I could tell he wasn't impressed with what he saw.

"What are you doing in here?" I held my ground despite my desire to step backwards and create more space between him and I. I recognized him as Karasu, one of the members of Team Toguro, and one of the most intimidating people I had ever seen up close.

"Why do we do anything in this world?" He shot back, a lazy quality in his voice. "We do things because we are compelled by our emotions. Boredom, love, hatred... Emotions are what govern our entire lives, all of our beings. Our essence."

I frowned, glancing him up and down to try and figure out what he was on about. He glanced to towards the room that belonged initially to Hiei and Shuichi and I followed his gaze, taking him out of my eyesight for less than a second on impulse.

"Or in this case..." His voice came from behind me, and I squeaked, bouncing straight up and whipping around to face him, backing away as quickly as I could. "The emotion governing my actions is closer described as 'disappointment'."

"That's a harsh statement coming from a man who won't even show his face." I snarled, feeling like a cornered animal.

"I had high expectations for you, I must confess. He spends so much time around you, drops his guard when you are near. I had hoped that you would be half as interesting, but it would seem that you are nothing more than an aimless, average little distraction for him in this place."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your relationship with Kurama of course." His eyes narrowed again behind his mask, but I couldn't tell if he was smirking or glaring at me. It was hard to read him, with his mask and his consistently relaxed posture, as though nothing could possibly affect him. "You are incredibly boring, a dime a dozen little girl with a cute enough face to get by and not enough power in her entire being to ever be worth spitting at. What does he see in you?"

"Give me my bracelet and get out of our room." I snapped, my fist quivering. He laughed, his long black locks shaking and swaying around him.

"Do you want to hit me? You can try, if you'd like. I decided not to kill you because it's simply too early, but if you want to die I can hardly stop you."

My heart palpitated again, a hard lurch in my stomach causing bile to rise up my throat. I pushed it down, keeping eye contact with him in my fury and trying not to show how truly frightening that idea was.

"Nothing to say at that? Maybe you have more brains than your bullheaded cousin after all. You certainly received all of the looks." I blushed, narrowing my eyes at him again and clenching my teeth. "A word to the wise; say your goodbyes while you can. Before the end of this tournament, you are going to lose everything you hold dear."

"You don't know anything." I declared, lifting my chin and swearing at myself for letting my mouth open. "Our team is going to win, and we will all walk out of here alive. You're going to rot in the deepest pits of hell, and no one will ever remember your name."

I could feel the smirk this time, as if I could see his mouth beyond that insufferable mask. "That mouth is going to get you into trouble one day."

"Your love of your own voice is going to get YOU into trouble."

He moved past me, strolling toward the door at normal pace, like every movement was a mockery to me, and didn't bother glancing back. At the door he casually flicked my bracelet over his shoulder, the chain hitting the carpet with a small thud. I ran to the door, looking out of it to find him gone. I wasn't surprised, but I could feel the fury rising in my chest once more. I stooped to pick up my bracelet, growling at the broken link in the chain that caused it to fall off my wrist.

I glanced at the clock, sticking my bracelet into my pocket and dashing out of the room to try and get to the tournament stadium at a decent time. I didn't even want to think about the vampire wannabe or his ominous statements; I just wanted to see my team kick butt and move on to the next round.

Every fight won was one fight closer to going home.