Kojima stood still as she glared at Meiky like a bird watching her prey. Meiky was a little feistier than Kojima, bouncing from foot to foot. For two users of the same element, the two girls seemed completely different from one another.

“This should be interesting,” Rai commented.

Fu nodded at his little brother, whose hands were clasped over the whimpering Matsuo and Saruwatari’s mouths.

“A bird verses a cat is always interesting.”

Yumi looked up at Fu.

“Bird…verses a cat?” Yumi was confused.

“Kojima is an eagle,” Fu explained. “Meiky is obviously some form of cat. That may be very well why they are about to go at it.”

Yumi groaned. “Won’t Kojima just get her ass handed to her? Aren’t her bones weak or something?”

“This match doesn’t require physical contact,” Fu told her with a bit of irritation. “Kojima can attack from afar with her fire. But, she can also use a quick eagle-like strike when the time calls for it. Koji’s body is ready for battle at the moment since she has been given time to brace herself. She sustained her first ankle injuries because she didn’t expect her falls. Do you follow?”

Yumi nodded.

“So she only got hurt from being an idiot?”

Fu slapped Yumi on the back of her blond head.

“Idiot…”

Rai sighed at the two.

“All right, little girl,” Meiky threatened. “You decided to mess with the wrong fire stylist. I’ll show your evil-doer ass!”

“What the hell do you mean ‘evildoer’?” Kojima questioned. “You’re the ambushers.”

“Silence!” Meikey shouted. “I shall do justice to you!”

Meiky lunged for Kojima, but she dodged closely, a little hesitation in her movements. Meiky whipped around quickly, her hand twirling around in a karate chop to Kojima’s neck. One ungraceful swoop of Kojima’s arm blocked the hit with ease. As flames engulfed Kojima’s arm, Meiky jumped away from her quickly.

Kojima went into an attack position, spreading her legs about shoulder with apart, her kimono not allowing her to go much further. She bent her knees slightly and raised one hand, She curved her index and middle finger inward slightly, her ring finger and pinky tightly against her palm.

What’s that suppose to be?” Meiky asked with an attitude.

“Eagle-style, bitch.”

It was Koji’s turn to lunge at Meiky. But unlike her rival, Kojima’s movements weren’t planned out. She didn’t care how she took care of Meiky as long as she did it.

With her eagle-fist hand, Kojima grabbed for under Meiky’s shoulder. Meiky, not expecting it, couldn’t get out of the way in time.

At first, Meiky chuckled, Kojima’s hand colliding with her armpit, but then she cried out in pain as Kojima pinched tightly the tendons and muscles. Meiky could feel her whole left arm go numb as the circulation was cut off. She was immobilized by pain.

In one quick movement, Kojima had a hold on Meiky’s right wrist. Letting go of Meiky’s underarm, Kojima ducked under Meiky’s right arm and clasped her captive hand to Meiky’s back. As Kojima raised the hand higher up the back, Meiky’s cries grew louder and louder as the pain intensified.

Kojima used her free hand to push Meiky’s shoulder downward, causing her entire body to follow suit. In a matter of seconds, Kojima had her rival pined down, her face pressed against the ground.

“And that’s how the Chinese do it,” Kojima explained.

“Oww!!” Meiky flailed her free left arm around, but it was no use. “Please…Don’t hurt me!”

“Is that fear I hear?” Yumi questioned putting her hand to her ear and leaning into the scene. “Beg, you mother fu—”

“Yumi,” Fu said in a stern voice.

“What? Koji should have fun with her 80 year old self’s victory!”

“Yumi!” Kojima let go of Meiky and stormed over to Yumi.

Yumi grinned at Kojima and held out her fist. Kojima sighed before extending her own.

“Pound it!” the two girls exclaimed.

“Uhhh…Hate to break up your love fest, but…”

Fu pointed to Meiky.

She had gotten to her feet with the help of the man dressed in green. He stood up straight and looked at them with an all-to serious expression.

“My name is Hatsuhotura Koy,” he explained. “I will not stand for my comrade to suffer such an un-justiceful defeat at the hands of such a sleepy-eyed young lady.”

“You got a problem with the way Koji looks?” Fu demanded calmly. “Take it up with me.”

Rai slid from behind the cousins and over to his brother.

“Please, brother,” Rai pleaded. “Do you not see his arrows? This is not your type of battle. You can only do close-range.”

Fu huffed, but placed his large hand on Rai’s skinny shoulder.

“I guess I could let you teach this asshole a lesson.”

Rai looked over at Yumi for a split second. Then, he reached into one of the bags in the cart. He pulled out a long, skinny metal rope. But it wasn’t just a rope. It had a small, sharp dagger attached to one end and a weight to the other. A chain whip, but a pitiful one at that.

Koy chuckled. “Is that supposed to represent your package?”

Rai looked taken back. He blushed bright red.

“Please. Let’s not get personal. Besides, I don’t want you getting upset over the fact that you most likely don’t have one.”

“Burn!” Koji shouted spontaneously.

“Mega burn,” Yumi agreed.

“Dude, that was third degree!” Kojima commented.

“Rai got skills!” Yumi shouted thrusting a fist up into the air with a grin on her face.

“Shut up!’ Fu growled with irritation. “We get it!”

Yumi stuck her tongue out at Fu. But then her attention was put back to Rai. He and Koy were circling each other now, Rai swinging his chain whip overhead, Koy adjusting his bow and arrows.