-)*(-

A quick ride to the town's edge later, Daisuke walked up and stepped through a bare warehouse's large entrance. The place inside was expansive, but worn. The concrete floor was dingy and many of the high windows were missing their glass. Above, metal bars intertwined before the roof. A forbidden air immersed the place. Daisuke turned around to usher Satoshi in before either of them could think better of it.

"Ready?"

"Just what are we suppose to do?" Satoshi asked, stepping through and looking around curiously. Immediate disapproval set the other's jaw firm and Daisuke started feeling like the biggest fool for causing all this ruckus. Maybe he was acting like a child with his foolish wants?

"Um...I think we should get our phoenixes out and make sure they're warmed up." The redhead brought a hand up to rub nervously at his nape. Satoshi seemed willing enough to go with the flow as he walked further in, passing Daisuke to set his backpack down near the center of the place.

"All right, then," the blue-haired teen said before unzipping the strapped pack. A beautiful white phoenix emerged slowly, revealing its crescent head, slender neck, and ruffled chest. It unfolded its wings to fly out into the warehouse. An aura rippled over the mystical bird, giving the illusion that white fire danced along its back and impressive wingspan. It circled fast all around Satoshi, making his short blue hair wave about in bursts of air. "This is Molten, my phoenix," he said, with what could only be a competitive smile. Daisuke gulped. Their little chick stood no chance against that. Inside, Dark was turning green with envy. But there was no way the kaito was going to give up without a fight! Satoshi speaking again gained the two's attention:

"Isn't it fitting that a water lover such as myself should tame fire?" Satoshi lifted his arm and the phoenix slowed to land on it gracefully. With the bird still, red-gold became visible in constant swirls within its largest primary feathers. Just for an instant, gold gleamed from azure eyes.

"Are you a-all right, Satoshi?"

The teen looked back at him, confused. "Yes." Glasses got pushed up higher on the bridge of his nose. "Let's see your phoenix now." Daisuke was really starting to regret this as he unhooked his poke'ball from a belt loop. He gulped one last time before throwing it halfway to Satoshi, who face-palmed. As soon as the ball hit the concrete, there came a POOF!

Smoke seeped out from the partially melted toy.

Satoshi breathed deeply, trying to remain aloof as his phoenix took off from him and landed by the smoldering thing to check it out. "Oops," Daisuke muttered, as Molten used her feet to pull the remains of the poke'ball apart. Torch stood in the middle, happy as a lark. He enjoyed bursting into flames almost as much as his mother had. Molten shook her shiny head at him in disapproval. He looked up with squinted beady eyes. The tension began mounting rapidly between them.

"Hehe, with my nerves and all, I forgot to say the famous catch phrase. His name's Torch. …You're not going to be able to use your poke'ball, are you?"

"I'm not going to bother," Satoshi responded dully, having yet to lift from his hand.

'All right, Daisuke, don't fret about Molten's size. If we can just get in a shot and return her to being a little chick, the odds will even out.'

'If you've got a plan I'd love to hear it.'

'Nope. This battle is all yours.'

'What? But this is all because of you!"

'I wanna see how well you can do against creepy boy.'

'Dark!'

A sudden screech filled the warehouse. Torch was latched onto Molten's long, wavy tail. She spun around, trying to grab at him with her beak, but he was just out of reach. She spun and spun, determined not to give up, but dizziness caught up with her and she wobbled before falling and sprawling against the concrete.

'That's the way to show her, Torch!'

"Wait! Torch, we weren't ready!" Daisuke called out, racing forward and scooping the little guy up. His red-gold downy feathers were mighty warm. The Wing Tamer prepared for tossing a likely fireball. "Are you okay, Molten?" The white phoenix stood, eying the redhead bending to check on her. Quick as a snake she snapped, but Daisuke jumped away. "Whoa!" Molten looked ready to give chase as he backed further, but a simple word stopped her from proceeding.

"Halt," Satoshi called out. "Don't be a sore loser, Molten. You lost the first round, but there will be more."

"Huh?" Daisuke said, averting his eyes from the pissed bird to his friend. "That should be a foul."

"No. I was watching the two. They both started on equal terms."

"Oh..." Daisuke stood, staring for a few minutes. He was probably having a debate with his inner kaito.

"If you're ready for the next round, put Torch down and let's go. Satoshi gestured with his hand impatiently. Daisuke snapped back to the present.

"Oh, yeah." The young thief stooped to place the chick back on the ground. "Ready," Daisuke announced. Satoshi nodded, giving a slight, sly smile.

"Molten, tackle!" The bluenette pointed at the two. The lighting reflecting on his glasses effectively hid the glint in his eyes. Molten obeyed the command, sprinting off and leaving scratches in the old concrete from her steel-like claws. Daisuke panicked. The phoenix was coming right for them both. He turned and ran, Torch right behind him.

"You can use flamethrower, can't you?" Torch looked up at him like he was crazy. "Be a fireball, then! Flame up! Or anything!" Molten was coming up mighty close behind them as they circled the interior of the warehouse.

"They can't learn flamethrower until they're older," Satoshi said, matter-of-fact like. "If you want, I can give you a demonstration." The glasses were still hiding his blue eyes.

"No! Call her off!" Daisuke begged.

"Halt!" Satoshi called out again. Molten slowed, looking to her master curiously. Daisuke slowed as well, eventually stopping when he deemed it safe. Torch jumped to perch on his shoe. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought this was a battle, not a show for crybabies." He sounded very disappointed.

Daisuke jerked at the harsh words. "I didn't mean to..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"We'll call it here. Enough is enough. This wasn't the best idea in the first place. Come on, Molten."

Molten glanced at Daisuke and Torch sadly, then she briskly walked after Satoshi, who was already striding away with his backpack draped against his back. The young thief stared down at his feet, feelings hurt.

'Are you just going to let it end this way? Redeem yourself!' Dark demanded.

'But I—'

'Now! Before he steps out the building!'

"Torch, you want to try again?" Daisuke asked the chick quietly. Its beady eyes seemed to beam intensely back at him. "Fine." Crimson eyes sparked. "Show him a tackle of your own!" he said, loud enough to draw attention. Torched jumped off, his tiny wings extended on either side of him, and ran for all he was worth. Satoshi turned back. He didn't look impressed.

"I'm no longer interested."

"I didn't come here for it to end like this!" Daisuke shouted, getting into the spirit. Satoshi smiled and let the backpack slip from his shoulder. At an inquisitive incline to Molten's neck, Satoshi nodded and the bird sprinted toward Torch.

All right, now what? Daisuke asked himself.

Torch knew what to do. As Molten came close he ducked his tiny body close to the floor and she sailed right over him. He snapped his head up, grabbing her flowing tail as it passed above him. With a squawk she began turning circles again, trying fruitlessly to get him off her.

"If one action fails, try another! Molten, fly and weave through the beams above! Knock him off!"

Molten took off. A ring of dust moved over the concrete as she rocketed straight up, heading for the metal beams with single-minded determination. Torch dangled behind her helplessly.

"Hang on!" Daisuke yelled. He then noticed how close Molten's feet were to Torch's position. "Go for her feet!"

Torch tried to do just that, reaching out with his little feet and making daring grabs while biting the tail feathers tightly within his beak, but the wind shear, along with all his maneuvering caused him to slip off and fall. Satoshi smiled broadly.

"Tuck and dive from your position!"

Molten drew her wings in, dipping to nosedive straight down. Torch had just a small head start in front of her, looking inquisitive about where he was going to land below. Daisuke had yet to give a command.

"Grab him!"

A long, four-toed bird's foot reached out, the dewclaw acting more like a slender thumb as it also wrapped securely around the small chick. Torch cried out. He wasn't scared, he just knew he wasn't in a position to win now. Daisuke gasped, but just as quickly recovered and grinned.

"We've got—" Satoshi didn't get a chance to finish as Daisuke snapped his fingers. Torch suddenly turned into a red flame. Satoshi looked curiously over at the redhead. Surely he knew flames wouldn't hurt a phoenix of the same element? He looked back up as Molten screeched. She looked terrified of the fireball in her grasp, dropping it as she quickly soared higher to land on the beams above. Torch fell the rest of the way to the concrete, squeaking happily once his flames went out.

"That's what I thought," Daisuke said, almost smug. Satoshi looked over at him with slightly wider eyes than normal. Crimson ones were already staring straight at him. "You taught her not to flame up, and so now she'll avoid it thinking that if she remains even close to fire, she's doing something wrong."

"Very clever," Satoshi admitted. "She knows better than to let flames consume her. She doesn't want to revert to being a chick, but don't think you can use that as an advantage—she has more control over fire than your little one." As if to prove a point, whitish-green fire started pouring down from the roof like a waterfall, dousing Torch and causing the inside of the warehouse to jump up in temperature immediately. Daisuke stepped back against a wall as the scorching heat rippled the air around them.

'Those two are working in perfect sync. I'm afraid we're in way over our head here. Even though Torch is a great partner, a few hours of training won't beat this. I really wasn't expecting Satoshi to be able to handle her this well.'

'I'm afraid this is getting a little dangerous for us!' Daisuke retorted back through his link.

The flames died, revealing scorched cement and Torch on his back with his feet stuck up in the air.

"Torch!"

A beady blue eye opened and revolved to look at Daisuke, then just as quickly shut again.

"Torch?" What was he doing? Playing dead wouldn't work for his kind.

"So," Satoshi raised his arm and Molten flew down to land on it, "he's too tired to continue?"

"I..." Daisuke wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Molten jumped to the concrete, slowly and cautiously inching her way over to Torch.

"Be careful, Molten," Satoshi warned. By the look on his face he was expecting something to happen, he just wasn't sure what. Molten kept going inch by inch, carefully observing to see if Torch would give anything away, but he stayed stubbornly still. Finally he twitched. As she was about to leap back into the air, he scrambled to his feet and ran, jumping to her back where he flamed up as hot as he could.

Molten panicked as the red flames thoroughly washed over her. Squawking loudly, she took off and flew low within the warehouse. Satoshi backed up to his own wall to avoid getting hit by the bird running blind.

"Molten, hurry and redirect the fire!"

The flames waved somewhat differently as Molten continued to fly all around, circling a few times before Torch could no longer keep his flames going. Tired, he rolled off to the floor and Molten burst out of the remnants of the flames, looking none the worse for wear. She cawed happily and turned around to aim a finishing blow at her little opponent.

'How are we suppose to beat her when we can't make her flame?'

'I was sure that was going to work...'

Molten's sharp beak was closing in on Torch. He was too out of it to move. Daisuke clenched both of his hands into fists. Would it hurt the little chick to burst into flames one last time now that his energy was so low? The young thief couldn't stand the thought and ran out into the makeshift arena to stop the attack.

"Halt!" A familiar, refined voice called out. Molten listened, even though it wasn't Satoshi who had spoken; it was Krad. She flapped hard in midair, pausing three feet away as Daisuke scooped up his phoenix. Crimson stood to stare at the white angel.

"Dark." Golden eyes clearly looked passed Daisuke to the kaito within.

-)*(-