Kiyoshi: You are a moron.

FCL64: I'm aware you think that. What is it this time?

Kiyoshi: This chapter is irrelevant to the story.

FCL64: No it's not. It teaches the readers more about Kaien. All they know about him so far has been told from a third person perspective or from Ayaka. Third person pov isn't very…informative about the person's thoughts, and Ayaka is more than a little biased.

Kiyoshi: *sigh* Well, we have partial ownership rights to Ayaka, Kaien and Kyo. Lori belongs to us. Zuberi belongs to us as well. At least once he comes back.

Kaien pov

2007 A.D.

Where am I? I've never seen this place before in my life. It's cramped in here. I sit up. Not a good idea. I lower myself back onto the bed. My gut hurts so bad. I always knew it wouldn't be fun to split ways. Hiei is a ruthless killer. Can't exactly say I'm much better myself, though. At least I care about someone though.

Then again, Hiei has been looking for someone. A girl named Yukina. He never told me what she is to him though. Somehow, I wonder if the bond they share is similar to that between me and Ayaka. He gets moodier when she's around, mentions the name less frequently and looks away each time I say sister.

That hardly matters now though. I wonder what happened to him, though. He isn't here. I just remember that at roughly the same time we both got one good hit in. After that, it was pointless to keep fighting. To try meant to die. I remember I fell, and before he could reach me to kill me, he hit the ground too.

I groan. Suddenly a woman appears. "Oh, you're awake. That's good. The other man left yesterday." That's embarrassing. I slept longer than him. She continues, ignorant of my mortification at the thought that Hiei was stronger than me. "Although, I probably shouldn't have let him go. He woke up and, after only four hours, took off. I do not understand. Two days of sleep is not enough to heal those kinds of wounds." She goes about the room, doing who knows what, always talking. "Two and a half really isn't enough either. I hope you stay a bit longer. I don't want you to harm yourself. What happened to the two of you? The other man wouldn't say."

Hiei wouldn't talk. Go figure. "We had a…business disagreement."

"You were fighting each other?" she sounds horrified. "Over business?"

I nod, smiling. She hands me a bowl and a spoon. This is very odd. Am I dreaming? Or am I dead? I make no movement to eat, and she frowns at me. "You won't get better if you don't eat. What is your name, anyway?"

"Kaien."

"That's nice. I'm Lori. I found the two of you bleeding out in my backyard."

"I didn't see any houses nearby," I mutter, still not eating. There could be poison. Years of the work I do have taught me that it is best not to eat or drink anything if you do not see it prepared.

"Well, yes. I don't live near there, exactly, but it's still my property."

I look at her. She looks almost human. The only things that would set her apart from the are her bright orange eyes and turquoise hair. Lori…hmmm… I sit. Oh, that hurts. But as she said, I won't get better if I don't eat. And I won't eat if I don't know what's in the food. I do not let the pain show on my face. She still frowns in disapproval. Then she reaches over, dips the spoon into the bowl and takes a bite. "Satisfied? It's not poisoned. Now just eat the stuff."

Heh. She is something. I slowly sniff the soup. I doesn't smell dangerous, at least. Not that that means anything. I carefully take a bite. It's still hot. She sits and watches me. Suddenly she says, "You have the bluest eyes I have ever seen in my life."

"And?" I ask.

"I find it odd. I have never before met a fox demon. I was not expecting you to look so…normal. Yet you do look normal. Your hair is an ordinary color. Your eyes do not glint in strange shades.""

Like her eyes are an ordinary color. "And on whose appearance did you base your assumptions?" I have a guess…which actually makes this whole conversation much more entertaining.

"The thief Kurama," she replies without hesitation. That's what I thought. "I've heard of his silver hair and golden eyes, as well as the strange bat demon, Kuronue I think, he works with. Oh, and the girl. I don't remember her name, but I guess she is a fox demon as well." She certainly likes to gossip.

"Her name is Ayaka," I tell Lori.

"Yes, that's it. You've heard of them then? Word is the three of them have disappeared and are planning a bigger heist than ever before." Definitely gossip.

"I cannot speak for Kurama, but Kuronue has been dead for many years now. Kurama and Ayaka's partnership fell apart after that." How upset Ayaka was about both the death and the way she and Kurama could no longer work together effectively.

Lori's eyes are wide. "Really? Where did you hear this?"

I laugh. "From Ayaka herself. She's my sister." I find this woman odd.

Lori is on her feet in an instant backing away from me. At least as far as she can in this crowded space. "Please, do not harm me. I did nothing but good for you. I will keep Kuronue's death to myself if you will just let me live."

I laugh. Watching people get nervous has always made me laugh. "It would be ungrateful of me to kill you, Lori. And I do not care if you tell anyone. It hardly matters to me. The only way I am involved is as a comfort to my sister. However let me offer some advice: move away from here."

"What?" she asks. "I can't do that. This is my childhood home."

"If you do not want to die, I suggest you leave. While Kurama, Kuronue and Ayaka try to avoid conflict, Hiei and I are not so…peaceful. If word gets out you helped us, your life will be in danger." There. I have warned her. If she chooses not to leave, it is not on my hands.

She looks at me. "Can I come with you?"

"What?"

"I have nowhere else to go. Can I come with you?"

I look into her bright orange eyes. "You would not like my business. I see you care about others. You would find what I do repulsive." I stand, my gut still aching. "Now I must be going."

She frowns. "Take care."

Now business as usual.

2010 A.D.

What fun. A fight to the death to see who becomes king of the demon plane. I am not entering. That would be foolish. I know I am not strong enough to even hope to beat many of these people. Maybe if Ayaka and I were allowed to work together. But this tournament will give me a chance to see what kind of…leadership I will be up against. I am, after all, a criminal.

I only recognize a few of these names. Yomi and Mukuro of course. Hiei. He must have improved a great deal to be doing so well. Then Kurama…if it is the same Kurama, I find it odd that he is coming out into the open like this. Particularly since most think he is dead or in hiding.

But there are many serious contenders whose names I do not recognize. Yusuke, Raizen's son I believe. A man named Enki and his wife Kokoh, old friends of Raizen's I guess. Several others connected to Raizen. Then a group who were allied with Yomi until someone came up with this completely unorthodox plan.

And my dear sister Ayaka. Perhaps no one else can see it's not your true form, dearest sister, but I can. Aka. My, my. How uncreative. I shall be praying you don't die.

Okay, on to reviews...

animegrlsteph: yep. Love Yusuke right there.

Foxgirl Ray: Yes...the pendant is kind of over the top. But I was at a loss for what it should be able to do (and its having power is very important for the story). And that's pretty much what came from it. Should make the story interesting.

And thanks to White Rose Fox for the reviews to previous chapters.