A/N: Hey, people… hehe… sorry for that late update… but without further ado, I give you the fight scene!

I only own Leigh.

I was spent. There was no use in sugarcoating it. The adrenalin from before had worn off and I had to admit, it was taking all I had to stay on my feet, following Shura.

Rin seemed to notice my lack of energy. "Leigh, what's wrong?"

I raised my eyebrow. "Two huge fights. I'm not frigging Kenshin Himura; I can't do multiple boss fights in one day. Now quiet so I can listen to my music." With that, I put my ear buds in and turned on some Bayside. Thankfully, when the creepiness had ended, my iPod was back to normal. I just let myself be distracted by the lyrics. "Got a stage and a mike, which I use to say things you won't like…" I mentally sang along. When I got to "I and I, we're taking control of our lives," Shura stopped us.

"Here's the Tokyo Branch Headquarters. Stay here while I get your cell." She told a young man, about 19, that she wanted the Great Cell. He nervously handed her the key. She grabbed Rin again and dragged us to the cell she was using.

She stopped when Rin looked at the inscription above the door, asking, "What's that mean?"

I looked at the inscription above, as well, a Latin saying, extremely old, Beati Bellicosi. Shura looked at it, too. "It ain't Japanese, it ain't English, I don't know what the hell it means."

"I do; Beati Bellicosi, 'Blessed are the Warriors'." I returned their confused glances. "What? My grandfather taught me Latin and German."

Entering the cell, I understood exactly why it was called the 'Great Cell'. That's because it was freaking huge. You could fit half the dorm in it.

Throwing Rin aside, she chanted and put her hand above the tattoo on her chest as a purple sword came out. Once it was out all the way, she sprinted towards Rin, who had just stood up. Unsheathing the katana that was thankfully the one that my brother gave him, he tried to block the attack, blue flames instinctually coming to his aid.

She smirked. "Those flames… Satan's blue flames… that is the evidence I need to prove that you are, indeed, related to Satan." She stopped. "Okumura Rin, adopted son of Fujimoto Shirou, brother of Okumura Yukio, I declare you related to Satan and sentence you to death." She charged him again, sword aimed for his heart. Rin recovered from the shock in time to redirect the stab, but barely, cutting his side.

I ran to his side, fatigue gone, and adrenalin coursing through my veins again. My sword blocked a shot aimed downward, one hand on the hilt, another on the flat of the blade, forcing me on one knee. "You just made a big mistake," I growled, glaring up at her, forcing myself to my feet. We paced each other waiting for the other to make a move.

She started talking. "So protective. Just like Gerry, eh?"

What? No, Leigh, focus. Read her movements. Watch her paces, pay attention to how her arms move. "What do you mean?" I watched her. Her feet still paced a circle, arms not so much as twitching.

"I mean that you're just like your grandfather. I can tell right now. You're trying to read my movements." She ran forward, sword making a clear intention of slicing sideways. I reciprocated the charge, sword making a pose of stabbing. This was a game of 'Chicken', I knew. Whoever lost their nerve would back out, and we would be stuck in stalemate. But I wasn't backing out. That wasn't something I did. I knew that my sword was deadly sharp, capable of cutting through a body with one swipe. It wasn't going to hesitate ending Shura's life. On the other end of the spectrum, Shura's sword was just as sharp, and hers had a design that wasn't improved upon for years, and there was a reason for that: as far as weapons that didn't involve gunpowder went, the katana was the perfect sword, a killing machine. The same thoughts seemed to come through Shura's head, as she feinted to the right, spinning around, pacing again, sword at the ready.

"How did you know my grandfather?" I asked, watching more closely for movement. Nothing. I was clearly outmatched; at least as far as being able to hide strategy went.

"He taught me. You didn't really think that that old Dragoon was able to teach me swordsmanship. Your grandfather was the best Knight out there." She charged me again, sword in a hauntingly familiar position, but not something my grandfather could possibly know. The Gatotsu. I only knew about it because when I was studying to join the cram school, I paid special attention to the sword forms while reading Rurouni Kenshin. There wasn't any stopping her. This is it, I thought. But then a blue blur of motion knocked me out of the way.

"Rin?" I asked.

He smiled. "You saved my ass. I thought it was fair that I returned the favor." He looked at Shura, obviously taking a little break. "Now we need to talk strategy. Neither of us can take her out. She's way out of our league."

I sat up. "That's because my grandfather taught her. If he taught her the way he taught me, there's no way." Then it occurred to me. "Tag team."

"What?"

"Tag team. It's popular in America. Teams of two will take each other on, one fighting at a time. When one gets tired, the other leaps in. If we can do that, we might have a chance. You in?" he nodded. "Good. I'm in first. I'll let you know when to come in."

Standing up, I flipped Shura off. "Up yours, Implants!" I yelled, getting her attention. She smirked again. You know what? Screw it, I thought, sheathing my sword. There's a reason I was feared for my fists in America, and that was because I could do a lot of damage with them. Plus I didn't have to haul the sword around. Taking off the sheath, I knew this could either be a really good decision, allowing more attacks and flexibility, or a really, incredibly stupid one, throwing away my chief weapon. I really hoped it was the former. This time I wouldn't let her get a leg up on me. I charged her, left fist ready. She had her sword in an unreadable position. The attack could come from any side. It came from the lower right, cutting me, causing red blood to come out of the wound. Wait. Red blood? What was happening? Michael? Raphael?

Yes? The latter responded.

What is this?

Your body took a great toll, using your 'gift' for the length of time you did. I'm working, but your blood has lost the properties it had before. You are, for the moment, 'only human'. I can only offer you guidance.

I cursed before yelling, "Rin!"

He nodded, leaping into action. I held my side in pain. It looked like I was out for the rest of the fight. I watched as Shura bit her thumb, chanting again, watching the sword grow. Rin's flames emerged. I wanted to help. But I couldn't get up. Wait… Rin was holding his own against her, and he was winning. Eventually he won, disarming her and pinning her to the wall, katana at her throat. I listened to her tell that she was taught by Fujimoto, and how she learned with Yukio.

After Rin said something, gesturing to me, she took out a roll of gauze wrapping it around my wound. "Listen. I'm sorry about being rude about yer grandfather. He was a great teacher, even though he was old when he got around to teaching me. He'd brag about yer, yer and yer siblings. His smart but reckless grandson, his smart but snooty granddaughter, and the youngest one who was talented but rebellious. He loved yer all, and I'm sorry I couldn't come to his funeral. I mean every respect when I say yer just like him. As for that brother of yers…" she smiled, "is it just me or is he a few rounds short of a full clip?"

"He's pretty nutso. Now… to introduce myself properly… Leigh Smith." I held out my hand.

She took it. "Shura."

I looked at my still-bleeding wound. Chuck was going to murder her, I realized. I remember how he'd react when I was picked on as a kid. "Nobody hurts my little sister."

Well, damn.

A/N: So… that's that! Sorry for the long update!