"....Up.... Wa....Up.... " Hiei heard a voice say. "WAKE UP!"

Hiei's eyes shot open as he entered into consciousness, and immediately he received a hard kick to the ribs. Hiei groaned as he felt the pain of the assault.

"Jeez, it's about time you woke up, brat!" The soldier who kicked Hiei said.

Hiei didn't reply. He was too worn out to care. It's been two days since he was brought to this place on the Island of Fire, and in that time he's had minimal sleep, received many different kinds of physical torture and been utterly ridiculed in front of the demon villagers in ways he'll never admit to. Not to mention he was really craving that drug....

The soldier who woke him up pulled Hiei out of the stone hut where he'd been sleeping and took him over to where Kyo and a few other soldiers stood.

"You look pathetic, boy." Kyo said as they approached. "I wish you could see yourself; Huge bags under your eyes, cuts and bruises everywhere, the absence of color in your skin, your ratty, torn clothes.... And, on top of that, you stink like a rotting corpse."

Hiei just glared and tried to put on a tough act. He knew he needed to get out of here somehow.... And it didn't seem too heavily guarded around the prisoners' area.... Maybe he could actually make a run for it.... If it weren't for the fact that his legs hadn't healed yet. And besides that he still couldn't seem to get his mind off that drug....

"Hmph. I guess we can't really expect you to be too enthusiastic.... After all, these past couple of days have been rather tough on you. But I think I know what will liven you up a bit...." Kyo said as he held up a small vial that contained the blood red coloured drug. "So, how badly do you want it this time?"

Hiei knew this was bad. The last time Kyo had brought the drug to him, the mere scent of it made Hiei want it so much that he lost control of himself and practically begged for it. However, this time Hiei put all his willpower into holding himself back. Though, the desire still caused him to tremble, and it was clear on his facial expression that he really wanted the small amount of liquid that was in that vial.

Kyo smiled as he looked at the expression on Hiei's face. The boy showed an intense desire, but also a great fear. It was clear he was afraid of making a fool of himself.... Afraid of being vulnerable. And it was also clear that he would fight as much as he could to avoid those things.

Kyo then proceeded to open the vial, and then poured it onto the ground and onto his shoe. Without even thinking, Hiei had brought himself to the ground and was licking up as much of the drug as possible. He knew in his head that he really didn't want to be doing this, but he couldn't control his body. Between dirt, he could taste the drug as it burned down his throat and it made him want more. He felt like no amount would be able to satisfy him. Even when he was licking Kyo's shoe and felt the sheer humiliation of such an act, all he wanted was the drug.

The soldiers laughed hysterically at what the stubborn, arrogant boy had been reduced to. The embarrassment struck Hiei like a thousand blades. He couldn't stand for this kind of treatment. When there was no more of the drug, Hiei looked up at Kyo's face. The fire lord was smiling as he looked down on Hiei with superiority and enjoyment. Hiei's embarrassment quickly turned to pure rage. Using all the force he could muster, Hiei launched himself upward and hit Kyo with a punch to the face.

Kyo was sent many feet off the ground before he landed, rolling in the dirt quite a ways away. A few soldiers quickly grabbed Hiei and held him tightly, while others rushed over to their lord.

"My Lord, are you alright?" They said over and over again.

"I'm fine." Kyo insisted, as he got to his feet and brushed the dirt off of himself. Kyo looked over at the boy who dared to assault his captor. Hiei's eyes were filled with hatred as he glared back at the lord.

"My Lord, the boy must pay for this!"

"That's right! How shall we go about punishing him?"

"You men will do nothing. I'll take care of the boy myself." Kyo replied.

"But, my Lord -"

"Don't question my orders! Now leave!" Kyo yelled. The soldiers flinched with fear at their lord's outburst, but the left him alone with Hiei.

"What was that all about?" Hiei said with a forced calm.

"Nothing, really." Kyo responded. "I sometimes just can't stand those lowlifes."

Hiei smirked at that comment. "Well, what are you going to do to me this time?" He demanded.

Kyo paused for a moment, as he looked at Hiei then smiled. "I'd like to say that I'm going put you through more pain than you can ever imagine.... But in all honesty I really don't want to do that to you." A puzzled look crossed Hiei's face. "You're like your father was when I knew him. You're exactly the way he should have stayed.... Stubborn, defiant, and never letting anyone get the better of him."

Hiei sighed with frustration. This was why he couldn't care much for family. He hated having to live up to them. He hated having to bear their burdens. But most of all, he hated being constantly compared to them.

"That was how your father was supposed to be...." Kyo continued. "But he wasn't. When we brought him back from that icy world he was changed.... Broken." Hiei stared as he took in Kyo's words. "There was no longer any life in his eyes. No desire to live. It was as if his soul was frozen in a state of emptiness.... He was pathetic. I couldn't stand to see him like that. It angered me. I couldn't believe that he would give up his freedom - or even his life - for the sake of a worthless woman! I wanted him to fight back.... And become angry.... I wanted him the way he used to be! I kept him alive longer than I would any other prisoner, hoping that he would once again become himself.... But he did nothing. Absolutely nothing! He endured everything we did to him, as if it didn't even matter! And those eyes...." Kyo paused for a moment to calm himself down. "But not you.... You're the way your father should be...."

"Will you shut up, already?" Hiei said with an angered look on his face. "Ever since I got here, all you talk about is my father. But I'm not him, and I don't care who he was or what happened to him. It's all meaningless to me."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Kyo said, almost sarcastically, with an amused look on his face.

That made Hiei angry. He surrounded his fist with fire, and launched himself at Kyo. The fire lord, however, caught Hiei's flaming fist with his bare hand and kicked the black-haired demon hard so that he flew quite a ways away, and hit the ground hard.

"Your injuries don't seem to bother you too much. Perhaps you've already had experiences with extreme pain?" Kyo said, still showing off an amused smile. "You may deny that you're like your father, but the fact is that you are. Even the way you're always yearning for a fight...." Hiei clumsily got to his feet while Kyo spoke. That drug must still be taking effect, since that kick hurt more than it should have. "Though.... If it's a fight you want, I'll gladly give it to you. But I'm feeling we should put more at stake. How about this: If you can, by some miracle, win, I'll let you go free. But if I win, you'll become my personal slave."

Hiei didn't respond. He needed to think through his chances. He was already badly wounded, and the problem with his legs would hold him back considerably.... Not to mention that he could tell Kyo was a well trained fighter.

"Of course, you could always decline the offer, and stay here for the rest of your life." Kyo added.

That settled it. Even if his chances were nearly impossible, it was still his only chance. "Fine. I accept your challenge."