Zen’s POV

I wake up and have the strangest feeling someone has been cursing me. It was probably that bastard Torin making me fight him without any compensation at all.  I hate free labor. I go to the bathroom and cut a hole in space and do my business. Now, it feels like I just made an enemy for life. Maybe I’m just imagining things. I go down stairs.  Besides me, only Sei, Xu Tu, Long Fei, and Sei’s mom are awake. Xu Tu throws chop sticks at me like he’s throwing a knife. I catch them between my pointer and middle fingers. 

Xu Tu: Not bad.  He has good reflexes. I will report back to master Bei Dou. 

Suzaku: Did Bei Dou ask you to test him Xu Tu?

 Xu Tu: ahhhhh .... No.

 Suzaku: Xu Tu.

 Xu Tu: Yes, Madam. Master, I am sorry the madam is too scary. 

Suzaku: I’ll have to talk to him about this later.

 Long Fei: Good luck Boss.

 Sei: Dad should have just let it go. He knows how scary mom can be when she is angry. Last time, she almost burned the house down.

 Zen: Are you sure she’s not the former triad member?

 Sei: Mom’s always had a temper. Good, bad, it does not matter. Piss her off and it will be the last thing you ever do. It is just that mostly bad guys pissed her off and she was labeled as a “Hero” by the government. Grandpa is also a general in the army.  So, he calls in favors from time to time. 

My mom either gets along with Sei's mom really well or really bad. There is no neutral ground. They have similar temperaments. Just then, the others come down and we all have breakfast. Suzaku is taking me and Sei to Demon's Cave. She is also taking Xu Tu as a bodyguard for us. Xu Tu is Sei’s personal body guard and maid. They’ve been together since Sei was four that’s ten years.  We take the limo to the cave.  When we arrive, Suzaku takes out a medallion that glows like the marks on her, Sei, and Xu Tu. Suzaku’s mark is of a red phoenix on her thigh. Xu Tu has an orange nine-tailed fox on the back of her neck, and Sei’s mark is the  dragon on her back which is also glowing like hell.

 Suzaku: We have entered demon territory. I use this medallion as a key. Only contactors can open the area. This medallion is used to gain entrance into the cave.

 As we drive through the entrance, we see several people. Suzaku says that they are here to become potential contractors as well. Suzaku sees a man and her eyes narrow. Just then, Sei eyes the boy with him and her mood suddenly becomes unpleasant. 

Xu Tu: Genbu and his son are here; the bastards.

 Zen: Genbu?

 Sei: Genbu Cho is the leader of the Triad in China. His son, Wu Chen Cho is my age. Genbu has the third Saint Beast, the Armored Tortoise.

 Zen: Aren't they evil?

 Suzaku: Demon's don't discriminate.  It doesn’t matter how good or how bad you are. It just matters if they like you are not.

 Genbu and Wu Chen walk towards us.  Genbu is a tall, lean man with long black hair all the way down to his shoulder's. He is also wearing glasses. Wu Chen is a mini version of him except no glasses and he is wearing a braid.

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 Genbu: Suzaku. 

Suzaku: Genbu, I see your son is getting a contract today. 

Genbu: I heard your daughter has contracted a Saint Beast this summer. 

Wu Chen: Seiryu you won't be the only one that contracts a Saint Beast. The last one, the Demon Tiger will be mine. 

Sei: People stronger and more talented than you have tried to contract with the Demon Tiger and all have failed. There are time limits and many people don't even know what the tiger looks like. 

Genbu: It doesn’t matter what it is. Only you can take out your partner’s true potential. That traitor, Bei Dou. Got a regular snake and turned it into a Mighty serpent. Few people don't know the name of Bei Dou and Shen Ron. 

Wu Chen: I will listen to your words father. By the way Seiryu, who is that? 

Suzaku: Sei's boyfriend. 

Sei and Zen: WE’RE NOT TOGETHER! 

Suzaku: They are even in unison. 

Wu Chen: You don't look like much. 

Zen: You look like someone who belongs in Willow Smith’s music video whipping your hair back and forth. 

Wu: YOU!

 Wu Chen goes for a palm strike.  None of the adults intervene because they think it’s a kid's fight. I catch his palm and twist it around his back. Then, I draw Kurohime and place it up to his neck. 

Zen: I have only ever killed in self-defense. Also, I don't like fighting unless I get some sort of compensation. So, I will be taking this. 

Wu Chen: YOU BASTARD. YOU STOLE MY WALLET! 

Zen: To the winner, goes the spoils that is what my mom always taught me. 

Sei: So, that is where he gets that from. 

Genbu: That sword and the habit of taking wallets off the enemy; How are you related to the Fairy of the Dark Blade or should I say The Shameless Assassin? 

Zen: That’s a new one.  I never heard anyone call my mom that before.  But, I can picture it. She always says, “Never fight for free; take the enemy’s cash. If they don't have cash, pawn the stuff that they have that is valuable.”

 Genbu: Let my son go. 

Zen: I’ll think about it.  How much is he worth to you? 

Genbu: YOUUUU! YOU’RE JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER; TRYING TO EXTORTE ME! 

Zen: I will take that as a complement. My mom always taught me when opportunity comes knocking open the danm door.

 Suzaku: Hahhahahahahahahah. The famous Triad Boss is getting extorted by a kid. This is hilarious. 

Xu Tu: Miss, I thought you went to a Hero's School. 

Sei: Zen is Zen. He is one of a kind.  But, this is kind of funny. 

Zen: My mom was an assassin; my dad was a mercenary. I am not a boy scout. In fact, I probably fall under the “rogue category”. So, unless you have more children, I suggest you pay up. Oh, and lose the snipers I can sense them hiding. I might use your son as a meat shield. 

Genbu: YOUR’E SHAMELESS!  Do you have no honor? 

Zen: Honor can't fill your belly or buy you nice things. Oh, I also like your watch.  I like that too. I could use new one of those. 

After Genbu agrees on my compensation, I give him my information and he wires the money into my account. Then, he throws me his watch. I let Wu Chen go. Genbu is thinking of retaliating.  But, Suzaku and Xu Tu step in. Also, I show him my phone.   it has my mom on speed dial. His face pales. He doesn’t think it is worth dealing with both Sei's and my mom. 

Wu Chen: IF I SEE YOU AGAIN IN THE CAVE, I WILL DESTROY YOU!

 Zen: Yeah, yeah.  Cry me a river; build a bridge; and get over it. 

Wu Chen: YOU! 

Soon after the confrontation, all the contestants head towards the cave entrance. Sei gives me some advice. 

Sei: Trust me.  Pick something cute and cuddly. 

Zen: What? 

Sei: Just trust me ok. Good Luck 

Zen: Ok 

Why would she want me to choose something cute and cuddly?  I head into the cave with the others; still wondering what Sei could have meant. 

???:  POV 

That was an interesting show. That kid is crazy. I have not laughed that hard in a long time. Maybe, I found someone worthy of testing. 

A pair of sharp blue eyes glow inside the cave.