"Here are the schedules for the tournament. Listen for your round number! I will only say it once! Make sure you know it." The elderly Kitsune announced as he marched to the center of the room. He stepped onto a small button on the floor and stepped back as it emitted a click. An eight-foot pole jutted out in its place, little black sensors glimmering all over it.

 Fiery orange holographic screens flashed out from the sensors, listing the rounds and the names of the competitors competing in each round. All the Kitsune in the room rushed to the pole, eager to see who they were up against. Hundreds of murmurs started to fill the room as everyone started to take in the match-ups.

 Damion scanned the different screens for his name, hoping he wasn't in the first round. He sighed in relief when he found his name listed for the eighth round. He carefully traced across the screen to find the name of the Kitsune he would face.

 "Who's Chieko?" He asked Alvar, who had been scrutinizing the boards beside Damion. He glanced over at the board Damion's name was on and made a face as if he had just swallowed something bitter.

"A difficult foe for newcomers but you should be able to handle her. It's how you win the match that will determine the winner." Alvar answered mysteriously, leaving Damion feeling anxious.

I wonder what he means by how I win. Isn't scruffing your opponent the only thing that matters? He thought to himself, feeling a pit open up in his stomach. He walked around the pole, trying to see if he could find Miyuki's name or Kiki's. And Alvar's too. He soon found Miyuki in the third round against someone named Arata and a few minutes later found Kiki in the seventeenth round against a Kitsune named Wakumi. As he scanned the boards he noticed the first board flickered and changed.

"Round one Winner: Makoto," Damion said under his breath as he read it, realizing with a jolt it wouldn't be long before Miyuki went to fight and then it was only a matter of time before it was his turn. He quickly went back to scanning the boards, wanting to find Alvar's name before Miyuki's round started. He finally found Alvar listed in the eighty-second round against someone named Gold.

I wonder which round Hiro is competing in. Damion thought and started to search for his name. He jumped as someone laid a hand on his shoulder. He whirled around and found Alvar staring at him, a strange light in his eyes. Was it. . . excitement?

"Miyuki's round is about to start; follow me." Alvar rumbled and Damion nodded, following Alvar as he weaved between all of the Kitsune that were still gathered around the boards. They ended up by a wall a few feet from the curtains, with not a single window in sight. 

"How are we supposed to watch the match?" Damion asked, moving aside as Kiki reached them. A fire burned in her eyes and she looked happier than she had ever been since Alvar joined them. Before Alvar could do anything Kiki moved in front of him and clicked a button cleverly hidden in the rocky wall.

Immediately several rectangular windows opened all along the wall on either side of the curtain. Kitsune started crowding the windows as the elderly Kitsune prepared to announce the match.

The crowds roared with anticipation as the curtains on each side of the ring fluttered and revealed the fighters. Miyuki was in her beautiful fox form, her bright red fur gleaming in the lantern lights. Her two tails lashed behind her as she stalked toward the ring. On the opposite side, a large grey fox emerged, his green eyes glowing. He fluttered five tails behind him, each ending in a pastel green color.

"On this side of the ring, we have Arata Romaji!" The older Kitsune announced, gesturing to Arata with a sweep of his hand. The crowd erupted into growls and snarls of excitement. "And on the other side of the ring, we have Miyuki Zang!" He announced, raising his voice so he could be heard over the crowd.

Damion was surprised to find himself growling along with the crowd. He glanced at Alvar and Kiki and found them growling as well. He turned back to watch Miyuki and saw the Announcer raise his hands for silence. The crowd immediately quieted, all eyes on the ring.

"Now the Competitors will exchange a few words with each other, either wishing luck to one another or taunting one another." He shouted and stepped back as Miyuki and Arata entered the ring. They bowed their heads and faced each other, fire burning in their gazes.

"It's been a while Miyuki," Arata said, a smile tugging at his lips. Miyuki grinned back at him, completely oblivious to the crowd around them.

"Well, I'm not as reckless as I used to be." She replied with a flick of her ears.

"That's a bummer. I liked seeing you in my apothecary and I'm expecting to see you there afterward." Murmurs of amusement rippled through the crowds. Damion leaned over to Kiki and whispered.

"Does she know him?"

"They're childhood friends. Arata is a medic at the local Apothecary here and often tended to Miyuki whenever she got hurt doing something idiotic." Kiki held a finger up as Miyuki spoke. 

"I think I'll be the one fixing you up this time." She shot back and several oohs could be heard from the crowd. Arata smiled and they both turned to the announcer and nodded.

"Alright then; Let round three BEGIN!" He exclaimed, jumping out of the ring. Before Damion realized what he was doing he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted.

"GO Miyuki!" He covered his mouth but felt a flutter in his chest when Miyuki glanced at him and grinned before she dodged Arata. He watched, transfixed as the two circled each other. Arata took a quick step forward, snapping his teeth at her. Miyuki jumped and lunged back at him, nearly getting his scruff but missing it by a hair. She rolled as Arata tried to grab her scruff, just barely getting out of the way.

Miyuki let out a bark and swatted Arata’s nose. He wrinkled it and stepped back, shaking his head. Before he recovered Miyuki tried to sneak up behind him but before she could reach his back a strange thing happened. A leafy vine shot out of the ground and smacked her across the face. She yelped in surprise and jumped away just as Arata was coming to her side.

"What was that?" Damion asked Kiki, thoroughly confused. Before she answered she shot a nasty glare at Alvar. He merely glanced at her and whispered something that Damion couldn't hear do to the wild crowd.

"That was an elemental move. They are only allowed at the tournament." Kiki whispered in his ear. “Arata’s element is Forest which enables him to control plant life. The only rule with the elemental moves is that you can't restrain your opponent." She explained, pointing as several more vines popped out of the ground, slapping Miyuki if she got too close.

"Why didn't Alvar tell me about this when we were training last night?" Damion asked, feeling upset that Alvar hadn't told him about a critical move that could be used in these matches.

"He didn't tell you because you don't have one. You're not normally Kitsune, remember?" Kiki added very quietly, making sure no one heard them. Damion nodded and turned back to focus on the fight, feeling somewhat bummed that he couldn't use cool elemental moves like everyone else.

I wonder what Miyuki's element is. He thought as Miyuki snatched one of the vines and pulled, tumbling to the ground as it snapped.

Arata moved in, leaping and aiming for her scruff. Damion's breath caught in his throat as he watched, willing Miyuki to dodge Arata. At the last possible second Miyuki rolled over to her back and kicked out her back legs, hitting Arata square in the belly. Arata fell to the ground, trying to catch his breath when Miyuki leaped over and grabbed his scruff. He became limp in her mouth and the crowd erupted into cheers.

"Miyuki Zang is the winner of the third round!" The announcer shouted, his voice nearly drowned out by the crowd's roar. Miyuki released Arata and helped him to his feet. They looked into each other's eyes, both grinning and out of breath before they turned and headed to their tournament rooms. Damion turned to see Miyuki enter the room through the curtains and turn away to a room to the left.

A few minutes later she returned in her human form, her green eyes still burning with that fire at the beginning of her match. She sauntered over to Damion and grinned.

"Was I awesome or what?" Miyuki said as she held her hand up.

"You were totally awesome!" Damion answered, high fiving her hand. Her grin grew bigger and she turned to Kiki and Alvar.

"You handled him just like I would have! Even when he used his element you did well. Great job, Miyuki." Kiki said as she gave Miyuki thumb's up.

"Ahem." Damion turned to see Alvar looking irritated at Miyuki and Kiki. Kiki's smile turned to a scowl and she stepped away from Miyuki and sidled up to Damion, glaring at Alvar. Damion shuffled his feet as Alvar began speaking, feeling uneasy. "That was a sloppy fight. Your actions were all delayed and you nearly lost the fight. You misjudged your distance several times and-"