Okay, the girl I wrote 'Clash of Leather' for has requested me to do a sequel to it. Her and I both worked on the plot, and here's the first chapter to it.

A Boxer's Crossroads

By: Patriot1776

Chapter I

THUD!

The sound of another body hitting the canvas. a sound that has become all too familiar to Sabrina Furdyna as of late. Only problem was that it has been her body making the "thud".

As Sabrina's vision cleared she could make out the referee, holding up the glove of a victorious Botan Sugitani. She couldn't believe it. It was only round 3 of a scheduled 6 rounder and Botan had battered Sabrina to a bloody pulp over two rounds and just 46 seconds into the third.

Kelsey and John sighed as they helped Sabrina up and onto her stool where they mended her cuts.

"What's the matter with me? What's happened to me?!" Sabrina pondered, tears coming to her swollen eyes. It was a question she had pondered many times lately while sitting on the stool as Kelsey and John tended to her bloodied face, over and over and over again. The loss to Sango had been hard for her to swallow, but Sabrina was strong and had given the crowd a fight they'd never forget. But now, Sabrina had found she had changed after that fight, it being her first loss. She'd found herself not as aggressive as she had been before.

In her second fight in Japan, her comeback fight after the loss to Sango Taijiya, she had taken on Momiji Sugitani. Strangely to her, the first punches she'd taken from Momiji had brought images of Sango's hard punches to her mind, and she'd started remembering how much Sango's shots to her head and face had hurt after Momiji landed that first big shot to her head. Things had snowballed from there, more bad memories from her fight with Sango returning as she took more punishment until finally being KO'd in the fourth round, bloodied up in the same places she'd been bloodied while fighting Sango.


(note: I did not draw this or edit it, I don't remember who the original author was, used at Sabrina's request)

Her next fight against Yuka went no better, but that fight brought back even more memories and made new ones as Yuka had hit her harder than any opponent before then. Instead of being KO'd outright, the ref had stopped the fight in the fifth round with blood pouring from her nose and one her eyes very badly swollen shut along with the nastiest cut above it she'd suffered yet.


(same author as above, but light editing by me)

Memories from that fight had left her all but only defending herself and scared in her next KO loss to Kari. She hadn't gotten bloodied up that bad, but the lingering fears from almost getting her head taken off against Yuka were too much to overcome and Kari had put her down in only 2 rounds.


(Original pic by Richard-san, color editing by me.)

Now being KO'd by Botan Sugitani, blue-haired twin sister to Momiji, made her record in Japan 0-5.

The news outside the ring wasn't any better. Sparring sessions with Kelsey were being frequently stopped, due to Kelsey dropping Sabrina so much or just bloodying her so badly. Kelsey was usually leaving for the locker room with a blood-stained sports bra (courtesy of Sabrina's face leaning on it during clinches) and returning to assist John, with her face still having a perfect complexion. Things had not been going well for Sabrina Furdyna, at all.

-

Sabrina was now holding her head in her hands as she sat on the bench in her locker room after the fight.

“What has happened to me? Where's the warrior gone!?” Sabrina lamented. Kelsey came up to her and put a hand on her back.

“Sabrina, just describe to us what you saw tonight when you were out there. Something still has you scared. Were you having memory flashbacks again during the fight?” Kelsey asked.

“That's just it!! I'm not having flashbacks or anything! My mind is just not in it!” Sabrina said, frustration in her voice as Kelsey and John finished medicating her cuts and facial wounds.

“Hmm...” John thought out loud. “Sabrina, I think we need to go back and try watching some boxing movies. How about before your and Kelsey's next sparring session, we spend an evening with Rocky Balboa, and also the Raging Bull?” John said, rubbing his chin. Sabrina nodded at him.

“We'll try that. I'm frustrated yes, but I'm not ready to give up at this yet.” she replied.

-

A week or so later, Kelsey and Sabrina were sparring again, but something was finally changing. Sabrina was doing better. She was managing to do a much better job protecting herself from Kelsey's shots.

“I think those movies were just what the doctor ordered Sabrina, you were more spirited in there against me.” Kelsey said as her and Sabrina climbed out of the ring and John handed Sabrina a towel to hold against her nose and stop the blood that was trickling a little from it. She sighed.

“I dunno. They did inspire me yes, but I still had my doubts just then in there. I think I need to lay off for awhile and not fight for awhile.” Sabrina said. A look of shock came to both Kelsey and John's faces. Before they could say anything however, the gym doors opened and Sango, Kagome, and Kohaku entered, and they all three looked up. Sango stopped at seeing them.

“Oh, it's Sabrina-chan and her friends.” Sango said. Kagome and Kohaku nodded. Kagome sighed.

“She hasn't been the same since her epic battle with you Sango-chan. You want to talk to her?” Kagome suggested. Sango nodded.

“Yes, I think I will.” she said. They all three walked over and Sabrina looked eye to eye with Sango as they walked up.

“Sabrina-chan, it's good to see you.” Sango said.

“Hai, same here. Who's your other friend?” Sabrina replied, a little downtrodden. Sango sighed.

“This is Higurashi, Kagome.” Sango said, introducing Kagome to her. “She's a miko who's also into boxing in a big way. Now," Sango said, pausing as she looked deep into Sabrina's eyes. "that's not the Sabrina-chan I know and fought. What's happened to you? You've been a different fighter since our epic bout. I haven't seen the Sabrina-chan I faced in any of your fights since then. What's gotten into you?” Sango now asked in a genuinely concerned voice. Sabrina sighed and shook her head.

“I honestly don't know, Sango-chan. I get in there to fight and as soon as I start taking punches, my mind wanders. At first, I was having flashbacks of our fight, flashbacks of seeing your pink-colored gloves coming at and then smashing into my face. But lately, those haven't been happening.” Sabrina replied, looking down at the floor.

“The flashbacks have stopped, but the fear hasn't?” Sango asked. Sabrina nodded.

“Yeah. Sango-chan, the loss to you was hard for me to accept. It was the first time I'd ever been pounded like that. I'd never taken so much punishment before in the ring. I've been bloodied up before in fights and especially during sparring sessions with Kelsey here, but that was the first time I'd faced an opponent, you, who kept relentlessly hammering me, and hammering me, round after punishing round. I was in pain and soreness after that fight like I'd never felt, and the next day I was so sore I couldn't really get out of the bed and do all that much.” she said. Sango rubbed her chin.

“My initial pounding shook you, and then it's gotten worse and worse over the last few fights. You've lost your confidence and you haven't gotten it back yet.” Sango now said.

“Yeah. It's hard to build confidence and self-esteem when you're getting your face beat in constantly.” Sabrina replied.

“Something I think you've done wrong Sabrina-chan is that you shouldn't have tried to bounce right back with the same level of competition like you tried to do in fighting Momiji, and then Yuka.” Sango now said.

“I agree.” Kagome said, now speaking up. “Momiji-chan and her sister Botan have both become fearsome boxers since Naraku-san's tournament months ago. I've fought them both, Momiji-chan in particular twice. She was the first person I ever boxed against, in Naraku's tournament, and I barely beat her and we both swelled up our faces good. The second time I fought her, she won handily and left me in even worse shape than after our first fight. She's comparable now to Sango-chan in skill.”

“Are you both saying Sabrina needs to lower her competition level some, and have some confidence-builder fights?” John now asked. Sango nodded.

“Exactly. Sabrina-chan, since losing to me, you've fought the Sugitani sisters, Kari-san, and Yuka-chan right?” Sango now asked.

“Hai.” she replied with a nod.

“The problem there is that all of those fighters, with the exception maybe of Kari-san, are now hard hitting fighters, especially Yuka-chan. They're fighters where if you make one bad mistake against them, they can and will drop you, and that's what's been happening.” Sango now said.

“We thought we were lowering the competition level with Kari, but going into that fight, Sabrina was the most scared she'd ever been when she stepped in the ring, and Kari just took her apart. We rushed back into the ring too quickly after Yuka almost took her head off.” Kelsey said.

“Yes...I still shudder and wince when I think of that fight, I can still see her gloves coming at me and remember vividly the loud sounds of them landing and the thunderclaps of pain from them...” Sabrina replied, closing her eyes and trembling at those words.

“Sango, who would you suggest as an easier opponent for Sabrina to fight?” Kelsey now asked. They all thought for a second, before Kagome shook her head.

“I'd offer to fight you, Sabrina-chan, but I'm like the others Sango described.” she now said. “My punches are power-packed, some say I even hit harder than Kikyo-oneesan. I don't think you want that.” Sabrina nodded.

“Yeah, I don't need that.” she said. Just then Kohaku snapped her fingers.

“I think I know the right person for you to fight then.” Kohaku now said.

“Who do you have in mind outoto?” Sango now asked.

“Koishii, ane-ue.” her brother replied.

“Rin-chan?” Kagome now asked. He nodded.

“Hai. Rin-chan is just coming off her first knockout loss and needs a confidence-booster too.” Kohaku stated. Sango looked suspiciously at him.

“Are you sure you want to put her in the ring with Sabrina-chan? You saw what she did to me when we fought.” she said. Kohaku nodded.

“I know, but you, I, and Kagome-san have both seen all of Sabrina-san's recent fights, and I agree, she's not herself at all at the moment. I don't think koishii would be in that much danger as hesitant as she is currently.” Kohaku now said.

“Who is this Rin-san? What's her full name?” Sabrina now asked.

“Touken, Rin is her name. She's Kohaku-kun's girlfriend and fellow amateur boxer who also got her start in Naraku-sama's tournament. She got knocked out for the first time ever in her most recent fight and it was a big shock to her.” Kagome replied.

“How does she fight?” John now asked.

“Koishii's a speedster in the ring. She throws a lot of punches but they are not bombs. Her punches only jar and sting, but again she throws a lot of them and depends on landing a bunch of shots at once and over time to beat an opponent. Her and Botan-chan fought to a near draw in Naraku's tournament in the first ever boxing match for both of them.” Kohaku now said. Kelsey nodded.

“That sounds like a nice matchup then. Sabrina what do you think?” she now asked. Sabrina thought for a minute.

“She's shocked and possibly scared like I am and she doesn't hit hard...I like it. I think I will try fighting her if she's up to it.” Sango and the others nodded.

“Alright then. When we leave, we'll pay Rin-chan a visit and ask her.” Sango now said. “In the meantime, let's train together. Sabrina, would you like to try and spar some with me and Kagome?” Sango asked. Sabrina's eyes bugged.

“You've got to be kidding!” she said. Sango shook her head.

“I'm serious. I can tell by the way you talk that you're afraid of me, after beating you like I did. I don't want you to be afraid. Fear of me is part of your confidence problem. You need to lose that fear if you want to get your confidence back and facing it head on is the best remedy.” Sango said.

“Besides, I've seen you in action Sabrina-chan.” Kagome said. Sabrina sighed.

“Alright then. I'm not very tired.” she said. Kelsey helped her put her boxing gloves back on while Sango, Kagome, and Kohaku went to the locker room to change. Sabrina climbed back in the ring and started bouncing up and down to get loose again, accepting her mouthguard from Kelsey.

After a few minutes, Sango and Kagome emerged from the locker room. Sabrina's eyes shifted to Sango immediately, who was in her black and pink-trimmed bra and trunks, and wearing her pink gloves again. Kagome meanwhile, was in white and black-trimmed trunks and bra, her gloves the normal red colored.

“Who do want to spar with first? Me or Kagome?” Sango now asked.

“Kagome. I've never seen her before.” Sabrina replied.

“Hai.” Kagome nodded and climbed up in the ring. Kelsey put in Kagome's mouthguard and they both approached the center and touched gloves, then backed off while Kelsey served as ref.

“Go!” Kelsey commanded and lowered her arm for them to start. As they approached, Kagome noticed how Sabrina was rather pensive, with the way she was holding her gloves and she wasn't moving forward very fast. It was how she had looked in her two most recent fights. Kagome decided to take the initiative, throwing a left jab that Sabrina dodged, but didn't counter-punch. She threw the punch two more times and Kelsey again dodged them without counter-attacking.

“Sabrina, what are you doing? Counter-punch!” John said from ringside. Kagome now threw a one-two combination of left jab and right hook that both landed, the left to Sabrina's eyebrow while the right landed to the cheek. Sabrina now countered, throwing a straight left of her own that caught Kagome square on the cheek and jostled her head, while also throwing a right to the body that landed to the left side of Kagome's stomach, but that was all she threw as Kagome backed off.

Sabrina's shots had rocked Kagome a little, but she had quickly recovered and resumed her attack. She tried another pair of left jabs that Sabrina dodged again, and she made to throw a third, but instead threw a straight right with some solid power behind it that caught Sabrina off guard as she dodged a punch that never came, and instead took the full force of Kagome's right hand to her nose. THUD!!

Sabrina's head was rocked back good and her nose started to bleed again, worse than it was when her and Kelsey were sparring. She was dazed as Kagome moved in and now threw another right hand, a powerful hook, and Sabrina now felt an eruption of pain and heard the THUD of Kagome's right glove slamming across her temple. POW!! Kagome's left glove had now found her cheek, and her legs started to get wobbly.

“Enough!!” Kelsey now said as she stepped in between them. Sabrina stood there for a moment to let her vision clear.

“You okay Sabrina-chan?” Kagome now asked.

“Yeah, other than my nose. Kagome-san, you hit hard.” Sabrina now said as Kelsey went to get a washcloth to hold to Sabrina's nose. “When my nose stops bleeding, we'll go again.” she now said. Kagome nodded.

It took about three minutes to get Sabrina's nose to stop bleeding before both her and Kagome raised their gloves again and stood opposite.

“BOX!!” Kelsey barked, dropping her arm from between them.

This time, Sabrina was more aggressive as she came at Kagome.

'I took a strong punch and didn't go down. Maybe I can take another one if needed.' Sabrina thought as she snapped off a left jab to Kagome's face, her glove smacking Kagome between the eyes and jostling her head a little. She repeated the punch again and followed it up with a straight right that landed to Kagome's nose before she raised a glove up and blocked Sabrina's next pair of shots that came at her face.

'Now she's more aggressive, but how much?' Kagome thought as Sabrina's gloves thudded against hers as she kept hers up to block the two-punch combination. Kagome now ducked a little and simultaneously threw a solid right to Sabrina's body, her right glove landing with a good THUD to Sabrina's left ribs and stomach. Sweat spattered from the area of Sabrina's body and she let out a small grunt from it. Kagome didn't waste time and threw now a left to the opposite, her left glove landing with the same results.

“Get away from her!” John shouted as Sabrina was already doing so.

'Man she hits hard, even harder than Sango! Good thing her speed doesn't match up however.' Sabrina thought as Kagome advanced at her once again. Sabrina noticed her gloves were a little too low, leaving her cheek and more of her jaw exposed. Kagome now tried to throw a big right hand. 'Big mistake.' Sabrina thought, then dodging the shot and then letting fly with a right hook towards Kagome's head.

POW! Kagome's head was jerked a bit as Sabrina's right glove found her jaw, surprising her. She didn't get the chance to recover when she then felt Sabrina's left glove land between her eyes and to her right eye three times, then...POW!! Kagome's head was now rocked back hard as Sabrina's right glove landed in a power-packed shot to her nose. Drops of blood flew from her nose along with huge amounts of sweat flying from her face and she staggered backwards, her legs now wobbly.

“Enough!!” Kelsey now shouted and Sabrina immediately lowered her gloves and moved to steady Kagome.

“You can dish it out some, but it doesn't look like you can take it.” Sabrina now said to her.

“You just...caught me...completely off guard.” Kagome said woozily, blood now trickling from her nose. Kelsey now started steadying her and Sabrina let go as Kelsey got out the washcloth and held it to Kagome's face.

“Nice Sabrina, I started to see a hint of the old you just then.” Sango now said.

“Yeah, what did it that time?” John now asked.

“Taking that one to the cheek from her. It was as hard as some of the hardest shots I've taken as of late, and I didn't go down from it. It gave me a confidence boost.” Sabrina replied.

“Excellent Sabrina. You wanna spar with Sango now?” Kelsey asked. Sabrina shook her head.

“No, now I'm getting winded.” she said. Sango then laughed a little.

“Looks like I put on my attire and gloves for nothing then. Alright, we'll go and meet Rin now then.” Sango said, then turning and making for the locker room.

EDIT - Added in some pictures to the very, very beginning.

Sweet, Nice update patriot it rocks!!!!

Look for the predecessor to this, 'Clash of Leather'. It's on here, and GOOD.

X3 Sweet update! X3 I like it so far! Please update again soon! X3[COLOR=red]

Dang man... I think I just made it to about the half way point on G.B.T. and Im completly hooked. Now you post this, and there's a prequill. Man have I got some reading to look forward to...

I cant believe how much writing you can produce. Way to tie your passions for writing and boxing together. Well done Patriot.

Oh and I saw a post where you asked if your sound effects where becoming redundant. I dont think they are... but it got me thinking of some boxing sounds. Here are a few that i can remember.

thwap: jab
fwaap: sweaty blow
fwump:rib shot
zwiip:glancing blow

Just a few... maybe a little too campy (batman and robin esk)

Keep up the awesome work, and Ill keep reading...Thanks :boxing:

And there's also a side-fic to GBT that I did for Sesshomaru_Sama_Fan, 'A Mother's Approval'. It turned into helping me evolve how I write out each round of boxing action. Look for it too.

O_O WT?! How could I have missed this?!

Patriot this is... is..

FLAWLESS! ^__^

Please continue when you may! ^^

Chapter II

“Whoa, this is a much different place, huge too.” Sabrina said as the group now approached the steps leading up to the very large mansion.

“First time seeing a mansion Sabrina-san?” Kohaku asked. She nodded at him.

“It is. Just how rich is this Rin-san?” she now asked.

“It's not her that's rich, it's her adopted family that is.” Sango now said.

“Adopted? What happened to her biological family?” John asked as they now walked up the steps to a gate.

“Yes. Koichii's parents were killed in an armed robbery a decade ago and her current family found her and adopted her.” Kohaku said said as Sango pressed an intercom button next to the gate. A camera was above the intercom.

“Yes, identify yourself.” a female voice said from a speaker.

“Taijiya, Sango, Sayono-san, and some friends.” Sango replied. After a few moments, the voice returned.

“Alright then, you're clear to enter. I'll meet you at the front door of the main house.” the voice, apparently this Sayono-san, replied. There was the sound of a motor then turning on and the gate then opening, leading them into a well sized courtyard. Inside, in a covered garage, Sabrina, Kelsey, and John saw a large, new make Rolls-Royce sedan, silver, as well as an older looking Rolls-Royce limousine that was two-tone silver and a very dark blue.

“Yikes, they are rich! What kind of jobs do her adopted family have?” Kelsey now asked.

“They're both the top executives of one of Japan's major heavy-machinery producers, Taishou Heavy Industries.” Miroku explained. It was then they reached the front door and Sango pressed the door bell. They then heard the opening notes of the Westminster Quarters sound as the doorbell chime. The door then opened and Sabrina's, Kelsey's, and John's eyes widened in shock.

Before them stood a woman with reddish-silver, slightly curled hair, golden eyes, and pink marks on her cheeks that were curved. Her ears were pointed and pointed up. She was dressed in a long, french maid uniform.

“Sayono-san! Let me introduce you to the new guests!” Sango now said, and motioning. “This is Furdynya, Sabrina; Urso, John, and Green, Kelsey. All three of them are from the United States and moved over recently.” Sabrina, Kelsey, and John then bowed.

“An honor.” John said, then looking up. “And you are?” he asked.

“Ando, Sayono, and servant to InuKimi-sama and Sesshomaru-sama. So what brings you all here?” she asked, before noticing the odd looks she was getting Kelsey, Sabrina, and John. “Oh! You all have not seen youkai before haven't you?” They nodded. “It'll take some time to explain later. So again, what brings you here?”

“We're here to meet Rin-chan. Sayono-san, I'm an amateur boxer and I'm wanting to ask her if she would like to fight me in a few days.” Sabrina now said. Sayono's eyes narrowed some.

“So Rin's next opponent possibly has showed up? Okay then. I'll be right back.” she said as she then left, walking down a hall. Sabrina and Kelsey now turned to Sango.

“Are Sesshomaru-sama and InuKimi-sama youkai as well?” Kelsey asked. Sango nodded.

“They are. Very powerful ones too.

“What's the difference between us and youkai, other than the strange appearance?” John now asked.

“Well, it's complicated, but I can say some youkai possess superhuman strength and abilities. Sesshomaru-sama and InuKimi-sama in particular mostly possess superhuman strength and speed. InuKimi-sama in particular is a professional boxer in the youkai ranks here in Japan.” Sango now said.

“Hmm...” Sabrina now wondered, tapping her chin with a small grin. Sango now shook her head.

“Don't even think about asking to fight her later Sabrina, she's a professional champion. She'd outright refuse it.” she said. Before Sabrina could respond to that, Sayono now started coming back down the hall, a tall, regally dressed woman following who had very long, straight, white hair that was up in two ponytails and went down the length of her back to her waist. However, the group of humans could tell she was a youkai as her face was very young looking She had two peach-colored stripes on either side of her cheeks, and a crescent moon mark on her forehead. Her eyes were golden as well. She seemed to be wearing a large pelt about the bluish-gray and white striped kimono she wore, that also had butterflies in the pattern too.

Kelsey, John, and Sabrina sensed she must be either Sesshomaru-sama or InuKimi-sama and immediately dropped to their knees and bowed, while Sango, Miroku, and Kohkau did as well, but they already knew who she was.

“Ah. So Sayono, these foreigners are the new guests Sango brought to visit us?” the regal lady asked.

“They are, InuKimi-sama.”

:excited: :victory: :kittylove:

:hehe: I guess those emoticons pretty much say what I have to say, Patriot.

Please continue when you may. ^^

Chapter II (continued)

InuKimi looked them over.

“Rise.” she said. Upon them coming up she asked a question. “Which among you foreigners are this amateur boxer I've heard about who wants to fight Rin-chan?”

“I am, Furdyna Sabrina.” Sabrina said.

“This is InuKimi-sama.” Sayono now said.

“Sabrina-san, are you the only fighter of the foreigners?” InuKimi now asked.

“No, I am too. Green, Kelsey. I'm a close friend of Sabrina's who spars with her a lot.” Kelsey now said. John also introduced himself.

“So, InuKimi-sama, you are a boxing champion in this country?” Sabrina asked. She nodded.

“I am. The reigning women's youkai champion. I have fought males occasionally, but not often.” InuKimi replied. Sabrina now couldn't resist.

“You think you'd allow me the honor of sparring with you as well as Rin-san?” she asked with a grin. She got a grin back from InuKimi, and then InuKimi shook her head.

“I'm afraid not. We youkai are many times stronger than humans. It is hard for me to control my strength when I'm in the ring. I might kill you or seriously injure you.” she said.

“Even if you just try to get me with love taps to just show off to me your speed?” Sabrina now asked, some deflatedness in her voice. InuKimi nodded.

“Yes. Just showing off my speed, I fear breaking your jaw, or worse. Now, I would like to know something. Why are you interested in stepping in the ring with Rin-chan?” she now asked.

“She's lost badly the last four bouts she's been in, and she needs somebody to fight to rebuild her confidence.” John now said, speaking up. InuKimi looked at him.

“Oh? How badly?”

“KO'd in all four of them.” Sabrina now said with a sigh. InuKimi looked back at her, an eyebrow raising.

“Her record since coming to Japan is 0-5, InuKimi-sama.” Sango now said.

“Who did she fight first when she first arrived from America?” InuKimi asked her now.

“Me. We pummeled and pounded each other for 8 very punishing rounds in a fight that was bloody and featured much breast punching at times. I finally put her down in the last round, and in the fights since she's not been the same.” Sango now said.

“Sango-chan was the first person to really hammer me non-stop in the ring, and completely absorb all I threw at her besides beat me.” Sabrina now said. InuKimi now tapped her chin with a finger, in thought.

“You have not recovered yet from your first loss. Are your four recent losses due to you taking on opponents that were too strong? Or did Sango-san punish you that badly to begin with?” she asked.

“She tried to come right back against opponents that were as good, or in one case, better than Sango-chan is what happened.” Kelsey added in. InuKimi shook her head.

“Then Sabrina-san, you really have depleted your confidence, but I think you have chosen the right opponent to fight in Rin. She got knocked out, and knocked out hard, for the first time in her amateur career in her last fight. It was a knockout that really, really shook her. I'll go and talk to her and bring her out here and we'll see if she's willing to accept this. There is one thing I want to know first.” InuKimi now said in a stern voice, looking Sabrina square in the eyes. “Who started the breast punching in yours and Sango's fight?” she asked stenly. Sabrina sighed.

“Me.” she said. InuKimi nodded.

“And Sango made you pay dearly for it. I DO NOT want to see you doing that during yours and Rin's fight if she accepts. I will not stop the fight if you start it, but my opinion of you will be decidedly negative in the end if you do, and Rin will probably switch to focusing on your breasts exclusively from then on in turn if you start it, as I've taught her that. Now, I'll be back shortly.” she finished, then turning and heading off down the hall in a different direction. John now looked at Sabrina sternly.

“You hear that Sabrina? No breast punching in this next fight. You think you can keep from it?” he asked.

“Why is she so concerned over it?” Sabrina asked.

“InuKimi-sama, like all high-ranking taiyoukai, considers honor and chivalry to be a very serious matter. Breast punching in female boxing, if you don't already know, is of course a dirty tactic and considered to be almost the same as hitting below the belt in men's boxing but because of how the rules are, is still legal and will not be outlawed probably. InuKimi-sama holds no mercy at all for opponents who purposely breast punch her in the ring. When somebody does it to her, what she then does to them in return can be quite unpleasant to see. Just thinking about what she's done to past opponents who did it to her is making me shiver.” Sayono now said.

“What did she do to them?” Kelsey now asked.

“She then proceeded to torture them for the rest of the fight. On every occasion it's happened, it was in the second and third round of a 12 or 15 round fight. After it happened, the next round InuKimi-sama would go to breast punching them almost constantly and also pound, and pound, and pound their faces, stomach, and ribs with punches just strong enough to leave them hurting a lot after each punch, but not really taking away their stamina or risking swelling or bloodying them up to where the ref would be forced to stop it. She'd also take care to keep letting them fight back some to keep the ref from outright stopping it on a TKO.” Sayono replied. Everybody else's eyes widened in shock.

"What condition would the fighters be left in?" Kelsey asked a quaver in her voice.

"Both eyes swollen shut practically for one thing. In fact, their face often would be so swollen it would be hard to recognize them. Meanwhile they'd have cracked ribs and their stomach and breasts would be as red as their gloves from InuKimi brutally pounding on those areas so much. Many a time InuKimi would wait until the last part of the last round to knock them out, and they'd have to be carried out on a stretcher. When somebody breasts punch her, she loses any and all respect she had for them up to that point." Sayono said with a shiver.

“Uh, what's InuKimi-sama's record?” Sabrina now asked.

“51 wins, 7 defeats, and 2 draws. 40 of her wins are nasty knockouts. She been champion for five of her 10 years in the ring professionally. She's a very active boxer too, as she likes to fight five to six times a year.” Sayono said Everyone's eyes widened again in shock.

“Okay, I can believe it then her being able to torture opponents like that. As long as she's been champion I'd think she'd have problems finding good competition.” Sabrina now said. Sayono shook her head.

“Not really. InuKimi fights purely for sport, not any bit for money. Money, as you can see from her estate here, she already has plenty of, so she can fight for free and allow her opponents to take huge purses, even though they get beat pretty badly everytime.” Sayono said.

“Uh, wouldn't that mean she fights substandard competition a lot?” Sango now asked.

“No, she does have a requisite for taking fights too. Opponents have to of course be top-ranked. But money pay-out and purses are of no concern to InuKimi.” Sayono replied. It was then that InuKimi came back down the hall now with a black haired girl who was the same height as Sabrina, and had her hair in a side-ponytail.

“Rin, meet your challenger, Furdyna Sabrina.” InuKimi now said. Both her and Sabrina bowed.

“A pleasure to meet you Rin-san.” Sabrina now said.

“Same here. So you want to fight me huh?” Rin now asked. Sabrina nodded.

“Indeed. Me and my friends here think we could both use each other to build our confidence back since we both got knocked out recently in the ring.” she said. Rin sighed.

“Yes...I'd never been hit as hard as Misun-san hit me in the third round of my most recent fight. Everything seemed to blank out as soon as her right glove landed between my eyes. Next thing I knew I was on the canvas unable to focus on anything and only hearing the ref's count as gibberish, and even afterwards when InuKimi-sama and Kagura-sensei were helping me up I couldn't understand them and things were still spinning too widly for me to focus on anything or keep my balance.” she said, looking down, then looking up. “I'm worried, I've never seen you fight Sabrina-san. I'm hesitant to accept.” she said. Sabrina frowned.

“Would seeing me spar change your mind?” Sabrina asked. Rin nodded.

“It'll make my decision easier.” she replied. InuKimi now put a hand each on their shoulders.

“That's what we'll do tomorrow then. You two will watch each other spar.” she said, then looking over at Sango. “Would you like to be their sparring partner?” Sango nodded.

“Doesn't bother me any InuKimi-sama. In fact, I've been wanting to spar with Sabrina-chan so she can lose her fear and stigma she's had of me since our fight.” she said. Sabrina nodded.

“Yeah, I might as well face it and do it too.” she said with a sigh.

“Then we'll both spar with Sango-chan tomorrow and show each other what we can do before we touch gloves.” Rin now said.

Changed the earlier update a little. I didn't like the cars I had given InuKimi and Sesshomaru earlier in 'A Mother's Approval'. As high up as Sesshomaru and InuKimi are, I got to thinking a Lincoln and Cadillac weren't good enough. So, here's what InuKimi and Sesshomaru now get around in:

InuKimi's Limousine <-- Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, the most exclusive Rolls-Royce available from 1968 to 1991. Over that 34 year run only 374 of them were built, all by hand, most of them limousines like this one. InuKimi does not drive this one, Sayono serves as chauffeur and she rides in the back, at times Sesshomaru with her. Formal matters having to do with the running of Taisho Heavy Industries and requiring her presence she uses this car for, as well as company ceremonies, and for all of her professional boxing matches she arrives at the fight venue in this. InuKimi does still have the Cadillac though, as she now uses it for less formal things that she can drive herself to, so it still gets occasional use.

Sesshomaru's Sedan <-- Current production, 2004-present, Rolls-Royce Phantom VII. Sesshomaru does not believe in using a chauffeur, so his Rolls is a sedan/saloon that he drives himself. All formal things Sesshomaru uses this car for. He still has the Lincoln, but doesn't use it hardly any now and he's thinking of getting rid of it.

Well, what do you guys think of these cars, along with the update?

Nice updates so far! So Rin and Sabrina-Chan are gonna spar some next update? Huh...

I think, personally, that Sessh would have a black one, instead of silver, and it'd be a jag instead of a sedan....but that's just me. ^^;; XDD

Update again soon!

~Kari

Chapter II (continued)

The next day, Sabrin, Kelsey, and John were all back at InuKimi's manor with Sango, Kohaku, and Miroku. They were downstairs now in the manor's fully equipped gym, complete with boxing ring, timer, and gong.

“Just what I would expect since she's so rich; a fully-equipped gym.” Sabrina said, looking around.

“Sabrina-chan, you aren't feeling intimidated about sparring with me are you?” Sango now asked her. Sabrina looked over at her and shook her head.

“I am, a little.” she admitted.

“Well, since this is a sparring setting, I'm not going to go all-out on you. Just remember that.” Sango replied. They were now looking around for the doors to the locker rooms when the main doors to the gym opened and Rin and a tall, young looking, and very attractive looking man with long, straight, silver hair entered. Rin was wearing a sport bra and boxing trunks that were both colored orange and cream in a large checkered pattern. Sabrina and her friends looked curiously at the man accompanying Rin. They noticed his youkai features.

“Rin-san, who is that?” Sabrina now asked. Kohaku provided the answer.

“That's koishii's mamachichi, Sesshomaru-sama.” he said. As Rin came over and greeted everybody and especially hugged Kohaku, Sesshomaru walked up and started to look over Sabrina and her friends, all three of them audibly gulping. He looked very similar to InuKimi, except his cheek markings were peach colored and were doubled up. His crescent moon forehead marking was also facing the opposite direction as it was on InuKimi.

“Uh, konnichiwa?” Kelsey said up to him, as her, Sabrina, and John now bowed their heads in front of him.

“Which one of you are who has challenged Rin to a fight?” he asked in a stoic voice that spooked them. Sabrina raised her head and looked into his golden eyes.

“I am.” she replied. Sesshomaru now looked over Sabrina carefully, seeming to size her up. He now looked at Sango, then back down at Sabrina.

“Are you going to touch gloves with her today and fight?”

“No, Sesshomaru-sama. Rin-san hasn't even accepted yet.” John now spoke up.

“That's right Sesshomaru-sama, I haven't accepted yet. I wan to see Sabrina-san in action against somebody else first, and then she'll watch me some, then we will have the final decision on whether we'll formally fight or not.” Rin now said, putting down the sports bag she was holding, then looking at Sango. “Sango-chan, who are you going to spar against first?” she asked.

“Sabrina-chan first. I was the first one to beat her in the ring and I beat her bad. Punished is a better word. She's afraid of me and she needs to lose that fear first if she's going to start getting out of this losing streak of hers. Now Rin-chan, where are the locker and dressing rooms for this gym?” Sango replied, still looking around. Rin pointed off toward a pair of doors set in a far wall.

“That way, through those doors.” she replied. Sango and her friends went to one door while Sabrina and the others chose other one.

In their chosen one, Sabrina opened her sport bag and got out a black sport bra and yellow pair of trunks with black trim, and also a pair of red boxing gloves. Kelsey looked curiously at her choice of attire.

“Why the attire that you've gotten killed in in your four previous fights? I would think you'd have busted out the white and pink for Sango.” she said. Sabrina looked at her.

“I'm wanting to bring some of the old magic back to these dibs Kelsey. These of course are what I won all my fights in back in the States. They've lost their luster since coming here to Japan and I want to bring that back. Besides, the other set still has memories attached to them I don't like, about how bad Sango pounded and pummeled me. Not wearing them I hope won't bring some of them back when her and I spar.” she replied, stepping into the shower stall to change.

Over in the other locker room, Sango had just emerged in her signature black and pink-trimmed sport bra and trunks. Miroku and Kohaku were now lacing up and taping her signature pink boxing gloves.

“Sango, how long are you and Sabrina-chan going to spar for?” Miroku asked as he worked on getting her left glove laced and taped. Kohaku was working on the right glove.

“Until I start to see the Sabrina-chan that managed to swell up and bloody my face, The one that managed to put me on the canvas that one time during our eight rounds together. The Sabrina-chan I see currently is a weak koneko. A tough koneko maybe, but still a koneko nonetheless, who is a glutton for punishment. I want to re-awaken the mesu-raion she was when we originally fought.” Sango said with a serious look about her face.

“I'm no so sure about doing that ane-ue. You need to save a little for Rin-koi too.” Kohaku chipped in.

“Outouto, Rin-chan canno hurt me for what we're doing today. To hurt me, she has to punch, and punch, and punch me almost non-stop for several rounds. We're not going to be going that long today. Getting Sabrina-chan to lose her fear of me is the big focus for me today.” Sango replied to her little brother as she now got up and pounded her pink gloves together with some force. Miroku and Kohaku now gathered up some water bottles and towels and they left the locker room to see Sabrina, Kelsey, and John emerging from the other dressing room. Sango raised an eyebrow at Sabrina's choice of fight attire. “Sabrina-chan, what are you doing wearing the same attire that you've been knocked out in so much recently?”

“The white and pink dibs still have memories from our first fight attached to them, and I'm hoping wearing these helps keep them at bay while we spar, Sango-chan.” Sabrina replied. Sango nodded in understanding then at that. They now both noticed that Rin had now donned her boxing gloves, a pure red in color too like Sabrina's. “Who's refereeing the sparring?” Sabrina now asked.

“I am. I want to see both you and Rin up close.” Sesshomaru spoke. Sabrina's and Rin's eyes widened.

“Why Sesshomaru-sama?” Rin asked as he climbed into the ring and walked to the center of it.

“Because I want to make sure you regain your fighting spirit. Now, into the ring, whom ever is sparring with Sango-san first.” he said, then commanding. Sabrina now climbed in the ring, a hardened look on her face, and Sango now also climbed in. They approached the center of the ring, Sango putting in her pink mouth piece as Sabrina put in her yellow one. They both now got in the ready position.

“Sabrina-chan, don't be the harmless koneko who only takes punishment. That's not at all what I want to see.” Sango said, pounding her pink gloves together. Sabrina pounded her red gloves together too.

“I won't Sango-chan.” she replied.

“Are you two ready?” Sesshomaru asked them both. They nodded, not taking their eyes off of each other. He raised his arm up between them and brought it down in a sweep. “BOX!” he now said with authority.

Huh...seems to be most approprite for Sessh to be reffing.

Let's hope Sabrina-Chan can get some of her fighting spirit back now! X3

Update again when you can!

~Kari

Chapter II (continuation)

Sabrina was the first one to come at Sango, but instead of starting up with the jab, she started out with a wide sweeping right hook that Sango easily dodged. Sango however did not return fire.

“Sabrina, what are you doing? Don't come out throwing wide shots! Use the jab, the jab!” John shouted out from ringside as Sabrina now tried a hard straight left that unfortunately did not have a lot of speed on it and Sango dodged it as well. This time she did return fire, her left glove flashing out in a pair of fast left jabs that caught Sabrina Furdyna on the right cheek. They were not very hard however and just lightly jostled her head. Sango did not follow up the jabs with more punches. She was trying to give Sabrina chances to fight back and build confidence.

Sabrina seemed to have not heard John, for she now threw another power-packed straight left that had no speed on it. Sango, after easily dodging it again, returned fire with another pair of flashing left jabs, her pink left glove again finding Sabrina's right cheek, but this time she did follow it up. She followed the jabs up with a solitary straight right hand, her pink right glove impacting with moderate force between Sabrina's eyes and jarring her head back more.

“Jab Sabrina, jab!!” Kelsey now shouted out. Beside her, and standing next to Kohaku, Rin was watching the action closely.

'So far, it seems all that Sabrina-san knows how to do is just power punch. She acts like she doesn't even know what a jab is. No wonder she got knocked out in her four previous fights. This may turn out to be an easy fight, like I need.' she thought.

Back in the ring, Sango threw now three left jabs that all three landed either on Sabrina's right cheek or between her eyes. When she responded again with a hard straight left followed by a wide right hook that Sango again both dodged, Sango had now seen enough.

“Time, time!” she now said loudly, dropping her gloves and Sesshomaru raised his arm up between them both. Sango now shot a disgusted look toward Sabrina. “Sabrina-chan, what is wrong with you today? You're not jabbing at all and you're leaving yourself wide-open. If we were really fighting, I'd have knocked you out in a bad way already.” she now said. Sabrina sighed and closed her eyes.

“I'm not going to lie to you Sango-chan, I'm still scared of you. I'm throwing the big shots as a way to try and stifle that fear. Maybe hurting you with a big, powerful shot will get rid of it that much sooner.” she replied.

“Then you have no business stepping in the ring with Rin though having such an easy opponent might just do her some good.” Sesshomaru now said, looking at Sabrina. Sabrina looked at him.

“Why do you say that?” she asked. Rin provided the answer.

“Because right now, I'd be landing punches on you with no problems at all Sabrina-chan, a lot of them. Speed is the name of my game and what I rely upon when I'm in the boxing ring. I'm not a power puncher like you seem to be.” she said, pausing a moment, then continuing. “Dodging punches like those you are throwing, with no jabs thrown beforehand, are so easy to me I can do that in my sleep.” she finished.

“So Sabrina-chan, do you want to continue and try to do better against me, or do you want to see Rin-chan spar now?” Sango now asked. Sabrina thought for a moment then hardened her face up.

“I want to continue. The only way I'm going to lose my fear of you is to keep going fighting you.” she replied, then raising her red boxing gloves back up. Sango now grinned.

“Now that's the spirit.” she replied, raising her pink gloves back up to ready position too. Sesshomaru now brought his arm back up between them.

“BOX!” he said firmly, dropping his arm back down.

This time, Sabrina was more aggressive. She came at Sango now instaed of just waiting for Sango to come to her. Her left glove started to pump forward in some jabs now, but Sango could see there was still a lacking of confidence in them. She started to slip her head to the left and right to avoid them.

“That a way to work the jab Sabrina, but put more effort in them! Trust yourself!” Kelsey now shouted, encouragement to her. However her opponent in Sango was was still easily slipping her jabs.

'Sabrina-chan is starting to get more determined. Time to do something different to hopefully get her a little more mad and see if she directs it the right way.' Sango thought as she slipped another pair of left jabs before moving to her right now and letting loose with a right hook, her pink right glove landing with an audible POW to Sabrina's jaw, jerking her head around with a nice spray of saliva from her mouth.

As Sango hoped, Sabrina was not hurt or stunned from the punch. She instead just looked surprised and confused at her, as if she was about to verbally complain, but she didn't. The punch did freeze her momentarily, but not for long as Sango's left glove then landed with a similar impact to her right cheek, rocking her head back.

'So, Sango-chan's turned this into a full-on rematch huh? Alright then, game-on! Just don't go for my breasts, and I'll leave your pillows alone too.' Sabrina thought as she now countered with a big left of her own that this time had solid speed on it and landed between Sango's eyes with the same force as Sango's last two shots to her own face.

As her head was rocked back good from the punch, Sango was smiling inwardly.

'That's it Sabrina-chan, now...UNG UHN!' she had just taken two big right uppercuts to her body in mid-thought. 'You're back to your old self!' she finished the thought while then blocking two lefts to her other side and countered with a left hook of her own that landed solidly to Sabrina's temple and jerked her head to the right. She still wasn't stunned from it however. She instead countered with a pair of right uppercuts to Sango's ribs that shuddered her body good and got some saliva to spew from her mouth.

Sango now backed up and lowered her gloves and Sesshomaru raised his arm between them as Sabrina's mouth dropped open in shock, her mouth guard coming out partially.

“Cease!” Sesshomaru said firmly and Sabrina took out her mouth guard reluctantly and lowered her gloves.

“Sango-chan, what are you doing?! Are you actually quitting?!” she now asked in a surprised and annoyed voice.

“I think you forgot that this was just sparring, Sabrina-chan. It doesn't matter though. I believe you've lost your fear of me.” Sango replied as she took out her mouth guard. Sabrina's eyes widened in realization.

“Oh, that's right. I guess I did forget. I'm now wanting to have a full rematch with you sometime, after I beat Rin-san however.” she now said. Sesshomaru then suddenly looked at her sternly.

“Do not start making such assumptions when you have not even seen mamamusume in action. Rin, into the ring, it is your turn.” he said stoically, then looking outside the ring at Rin. She nodded happily.

“Hai!” she said happily and went up the steps to get in the ring as Sabrina stepped through the ropes to jump down off it while Sango re-inserted her mouth guard.

“Rin-san, what did you think of me?” Sabrina now asked her through the ropes.

“You have a scary amount of power, but you also appear to not jab enough. I might just have a field day on you because of that. Just watch me Sabrina-san.” she replied and then put in her mouth guard and touched gloves with Sango before they both raised them and Sesshomaru raised his arm up between them.

“You sure you want to fight Sango again?” John now asked Sabrina. She nodded at both him and Kelsey.

“I'm sure. For a change I wasn't getting constantly pounded and I was hitting back good.” she replied.

“You do know she may have been holding back right?” Kelsey asked.

“Probably, but it doesn't matter. I'm getting my confidence back, that's the key thing.” Sabrina replied as they all turned their attention back to the ring.

“BOX!” Sesshomaru again said firmly and lowered his arm to start Sango and Rin's full-contact sparring session.

Sabrina seemed to have lost her fear of Sango at the end of thier parring match.

:boxing: WAY TO GO, SANGO!

>_> What are you cheering for, Jack? That was only a sparring match.

-_- Sabrina is no longer afraid of Sango is she?

-_- No..

Then... WAY TO GO SANGO! ^^

*face palms* Sometimes I wonder how we became related.

Nice! Sabrina's got her old fighting spirit back! A little bit on the cocky side...^^;;

Although, if she doesn't do anything about jabbing, then I think she's screwed for her fight with Rin. She can't simply rely on power alone if speed is what Rin's best at...

Good update. Update again when you can! ^^

Chapter II (real conclusion)

Rin came at Sango with the speed Sango had come to expect, having seen her in action previous times. What Sango wasn't expecting was Rin to start jabbing so suddenly. As soon as Sesshomaru had lowered his arm, Rin had started throwing her gloved left hand at Sango's face, the glove landing between Sango's eyes three times in jabs before Sango had slipped to her right and countered with a right hook to Rin's cheek that landed solidly and jostled Rin's head a bit.

Rin now backed off and dashed to her right practically and came forward in a flash, now jabbing toward Sango's body and landing two lefts to her stomach followed by a right hook to the ribs. Sango wasn't grunting however, as the punches did not have much power on them, mostly just aggravating her. She responded with two-punch straight left-right toward Rin's head, but Rin deftly ducked and slipped both shots before moving in and delivering a solid right uppercut to Sango's chin that jerked her head back some and got some saliva to come out of her mouth, but not much else, Sango shrugging the punch off.

Outside the ring, Sabrina was rubbing her chin with one of her gloves as she watched.

“She's as fast as Botan-san was, but she's jabbing so much too.” she said as she continued to watch as Rin followed up her uppercut with three more snapping jabs to Sango's head, this time the shots finding the right eye and temple. She then followed up with a right hook that Sango slipped, and then herself slipped and dodged the left hook and right hook Sango had countered with.

“Rin-san knows how to move her head as well.” Kelsey commented then, Sabrina nodding in agreement. Sango had now backed off and was now trying to get Rin to chase her. Rin took the bait and started persuing her. When she started to come in through the side and tried to jab at Sango's temple, Sango was ready, matching her movements and ducking down, throwing two solid straight lefts followed by a harder fight to Rin's body, her gloves landing with audible impacts to Rin's stomach. Rin grunted from the punches and stooped a little to cover herself up while trying to back off, but now it was Sango who chased her, now throwing first a power packed left hook to Rin's forehead and temple, her pink left glove landing there with an audible THUD and jerking Rin's head to the right and sending some sweat flying.

Pain shot through Rin's head as the punch landed, her vision being jostled and blurred briefly, when she then saw Sango's pink right glove coming at her from the opposite angle. THUD! Another shot of pain, from the other side of her head and her vision was jostled again, the blurring staying this time as her head was jerked hard again, more sweat spattering. Now she saw in slow motion Sango's left glove coming right at her face. POW!! Her head was shocked back as Sango's glove landed squarely between her eyes, and she felt her legs give out as she fell forward and her face met the ring canvas.

“Cease!” Sesshomaru said sternly. Sango now stooped down next to Rin.

“You okay Rin?” she asked. Rin lifted her head and shook it a bit to clear her head, then turned it and saw Sango looking down at her, now offering a glove to help her up.

“H-hai...” She said groggily as she lifted one of her own gloves up and took it, and Sango hefted her up some and put an arm over her shoulder to help her over to the corner as Sesshomaru went and lifted a stool into the ring.

“Rin, do you know what you did wrong just then?” Sesshomaru now asked her as she sat down on the stool and leaned against the corner.

“I...tried to go after Sango-chan...I fell into her ruse.” she said. Sango nodded.

“Yes. You were doing well against me up to that point.” she replied. Sabrina, Kelsey, and John now walked over to the corner. “Well, now that you've both seen each other's strengths and weaknesses, when do you both want to fight for real?”

“I'd like to spend a week training first, and we do the fight as a full amateur fight, in front of an audience.” Sabrina now said. Rin nodded.

“I like that idea too. Sesshomaru-sama, do you approve?” she now asked. The inu-taiyoukai nodded as well.

“Acceptable. Shall I go and call Sugitani Momiji then?” he asked.

“Please Sesshomaru-sama, her help as a sparring partner will be invaluble.” Rin replied, then looking at Sabrina. “See you in a week. Sesshomaru-sama will setup the fight. May the best girl win.” she said. Sabrina nodded at her.

“Same here.” All boxers then left the ring and got out of their fight attire, and Sango, Sabrina and their friends left.

*nods* It seemed Rin was jumping into things there, hopefully her sparring with Mojimi will help her some. ^.^

Whoot! Can't wait for the real fight!!! X3

Update again when you can!

Chapter III

Sabrina did not like the way the sky looked at all as her, Kelsey, and John walked out of her house to begin the 20 minute jog to the arena that her fight with Rin was going to be held in. It was going to be some time before her and Rin actually touched gloves after she got there, but she wanted to get there early so she could see the other fights on the fight card.

What Sabrina didn't like at all about the sky was that it was cloudy and looked like it could rain later in the day, or more like at anytime. The sky was very overcast and Sabrina could sense it in the air that it could open up at anytime.

"Oh great. I may just get soaked on the way to the gym to fight Rin." Sabrina said as all three of them started down the sidewalk at an easy pace, all three of them carrying a sports bag.

"You still insist on jogging to the arena Sabrina?" Kelsey now asked, before adding, "I personally think you shouldn't anyway, even if the weather was better. You need to save as much energy as you can for your fight with Rin-san." she finished.

"I agree Sabrina. That may be another reason you've done so horribly in your recent fights. In every one of them you chose to jog to the arena instead of riding. As you know, there are other ways of warming up once you get there." John now added in, speaking for the first time since they left her house. They went a little further before Sabrina stopped and nodded her head as Kelsey and John stopped too.

"Yes , you guys are right. I do need to save my energy. Let's instead go over to the bus stop over there and take the bus to the arena." Sabrina now said.

"Sabrina, you look like something else has you concerned." Kelsey now said. Sabrina nodded at her.

"There is, Kelsey. The sky and the way the air feels, like it could become a downpour have me wondering if they are ominous signs about my bout with Rin." Sabrina replied. She then felt Kelsey patting her on the back.

"Don't start thinking that way. Come on, lets get in the bus stop kiosk and wait for the bus." Kelsey now said as all three changed direction and quickly got over to the bus stop.

-

In another part of Tokyo, in a very large mansion actually, Rin and Kohaku were packing her boxing gloves, trunks, top, and shoes along with water bottles, med supplies, and hand wrappings for her hands when the door opened on the room they were packing everything in and InuKimi walked in.

"Ohayo*, InuKimi-sama!" Kohaku said, greeting her then bowing.

"Ohayo, InuKimi-sama!" Rin repeated, bowing as well. InuKimi-sama gave them both a warm smile before bowing herself then speaking.

"Ohayo to you both as well. Is everything packed?" she now asked.

"Almost. All that's left is Rin-koi's ring robe." Kohaku replied. InuKimi nodded at him before she looked at Rin seriously.

"How are you feeling about today, Rin?" she now asked the young girl and also her adopted granddaughter. Rin took a deep breath.

"I'm nervous InuKimi-sama. I really am. This is my first real fight since almost getting my head taken off by that right hand of Mi-sun-san's a month ago. I'm wondering if Sabrina-san's shots are going to be that hard and hurt that much." she now said. InuKimi walked up and put one of her strong and feminine youkai hands on her shoulder.

"I'm actually glad you said that Rin. You are being honest with yourself. That is a good sign that you have been dealing with it well." she said. The female inudaiyoukai then removed her hand from Rin's shoulder, before continuing. "The first round against Sabrina-san is going to be the hardest for you, but once you get beyond that first round, the fight will then get easier." she finished. Rin now gave her a quizzical look.

"Why do you say that, InuKimi-sama?" she asked.

"Because once you get beyond that first round without getting knocked out, the butterflies in your head and the cobwebs from that knockout will be gone." Kohaku replied, answering Rin's question for her. They had now finished packing Rin's things and were heading to a garage in another part of the manor that Sabrina, Sango, and the others had not seen during their visit several days earlier. It was smaller than the front garage, and entering it, Rin and Kohaku, carrying the sports bags, made their way over to an older, large, boxy, and white Cadillac that Sayono was standing next to the driver's door of.

"Rin." InuKimi said from the doorway into the garage. Both Rin and Kohaku turned around.

"Yes?" Rin asked.

"Do not actually try to start boxing until round 2. The only thing you should be concerned about in the first round is getting through it and losing your fear. Once you get your confidence back, THEN start really going after Sabrina-san." InuKimi said firmly. Rin nodded assuringly.

"Hai. Your not coming, InuKimi-sama?" Rin now asked. She received a nod from the
inudaiyoukai in return.

"I have my own boxing training to continue Rin, as well as reading up things concerning work from musuko. You'll do fine without me there." Rin now bowed at her along with Kohaku.

"Domo arigato, InuKimi-sama!" Rin replied enthusiastically, then her and Kohaku laded the bags in the Cadillac before climbing in as Sayono climbed into the driver's seat to take them to the arena.

Ohayo - Japanese for 'good morning'

Finally giving this fic some attention after seemingly abandoning it I know. Thank somebody on MSN for nagging me into continuing it. Thank you! ^^

Noah, except for one itty bitty spelling error, for which I have notified you about and you may edit soon ^^...

Your latest update was and is nothing short of....

Wait for it...


FLAWLESS VICTORY! ^_^

In other words, my friend..


YOU PASS! with flying colors ! :excited: :victory: :kittylove: :cheer:

Short update, short scene here.

Chapter III (continued)

Sabrina was glad now that Kelsey and John had convinced her to hitch a ride to the arena, via the bus, for her fight with Rin. It was now pouring the rain as the bus moved along the streets to get them there. All of them quickly ran, carrying the bags, to the doors of the small arena when the bus pulled up and let them off. Inside, they met arena staff who directed them to the locker rooms after Sabrina showed them her fight registration paper as proof she was competing on the day's fight card. It was in there that Sabrina found Kagome and two other girls she didn't recognize. Kagome looked up as soon as Sabrina and her friends entered.

"Sabrina-chan!" Kagome exclaimed, getting up from taping the boxing gloves of another girl, who had neck-length hair and was in a white with green trim boxing top and trunks. The other girl in the room had hair that went down to her waist and was tied in a long tail at the base of her neck. Two long 'side' streams of hair running from her bangs to her shoulders then went back to the hair band where the tail came out. All of the hair was an extremely dark brown, almost black as ebony.

“Kagome-chan, what brings you here?” Sabrina asked. Kagome gestured at the girl who's gloves she had been taping as she now went back to working on them.

“She does. Sabrina-chan, meet Miyagi Eri, a dear friend of mine from school. The other person here is my older sister, Kikyo.” Kagome replied, now gesturing to the girl with the long hair. Kikyo was now putting on a set of hand pads. Sabrina, Kelsey, and John all three bowed.

“Glad to meet you both.” Kelsey now said.

“Same here.” Eri and Kikyo both now said, before Eri continued. “So, Sabrina-san, Kagome-chan says you've been knocked out in your last four fights?” she now asked. Sabrina nodded with a sigh.

“Aye, I have. I'm 0-5 since moving to Japan from the United States. I'm seriously hoping to turn things around today.” she replied.

“Who are you taking on?” Kikyo now asked. Eri then got up, her gloves now fully taped, and walked to Kikyo before starting to throw punches at the pads, Kikyo now beginning to move them around in a random fashion as well as herself moving around the room.

"Touken, Rin, is who I'm taking on. You're fighting today too as I can see Eri-san, so who is it for you?" Sabrina replied, then asking a question of her own. She was now watching intently as Eri now moved fluidly around the room, throwing punches at the pads over Kikyo's hands.

"Ung! The last person to...Uhn...knock Rin-san out. Ung...uhn! She's a really good fighter and I hope I can beat her. I fight first today. Ung...uhn!" Eri grunted as she continued to throw shots. From what they could see, Eri was a speedster in the ring, but she was not as fast as Rin was during the sparring session a week ago, but she was still faster than Sabrina's current speed.

"We wish you luck then. Come on Sabrina, lets find you a locker in here to store your stuff and then find you a seat to watch Eri from, if that's what you want to do." John now said. Sabrina and Kelsey now both grinned at him.

"Are you kidding? Of course we want to watch her! You never miss a chance to see another boxer in action! You just might find yourself facing them someday." Kelsey now said, speaking for Sabrina as well.

x3 Great updates sorry it took me so long to catch up with everything. But I'm getting there! This is my catch-up night! XDD

hmm...maybe Sabrina'll pick up some hits and tips from Eri, while watching her fight and possibly use it in her fight against Rin. ^^ I'm getting excited to see this fight!! X3

Update whenever you can!!

Chapter III (continued)

Miyagi Eri's fight with Lee Mi-sun, from South Korea, had been scheduled for six rounds, like all the other fights of the day, including Sabrina's fight with Rin. Mi-sun was a little taller than her, about an inch or two, and had purple hair tied in a long pony tail. Her trunks, top, and gloves however were all black, compared to Eri's white with green trim top and trunks and red gloves. Mi-sun's bust was well sized and her stomach and rib muscles were well-defined.

Eri had started the fight off well, coming out in the first round and landing a few good combinations on the South Korean in the first round, but Sabrina, Kelsey, and John all got the feeling from watching Mi-sun that she was holding back. Their theory proved to be correct when the second round started. Mi-sun, after dodging Eri's first few shots had then started to snap off hard jabs that were rocking Eri's head. The South Korean was overall slower than Eri, but her jabbing speed was equal to that of Rin's. Judging from how much Eri's head was moving each time one of them landed to her face, it seemed that they had very good power behind them as well. Eri was forced to back off and stay away from her for the rest of the round after she landed a painful looking right hook to Eri's body after keeping her occupied with three left jabs that had come at her in a blur.

Besides Sabrina, Kelsey, and John all watching the fight among the crowd in attendance, Rin, Kohaku, and Sayono were watching the fight too. They got the impression that Mi-sun now was just as powerful as Sabrina had been while watching her and Sango spar, but faster.

When round three started, both Sabrina and Rin saw that whatever advice Eri had been given in her corner by Kagome and Kikyo, she was following it, as she was now trying to stay away from the South Korean, trying to get Mi-sun to come after her instead, and Mi-sun had been happy to oblige the offer. There had been a problem with the strategy however, mainly that even though Mi-sun had gone to coming after Eri like she wanted so she could try to catch her with counters, she was not being able to do a very good job of avoiding Mi-sun's punches so she could. Mi-sun was still popping of jabs that were being very hard for Eri to dodge, and now she was taking more power shots to her ribs and stomach, some of those shots landing hard enough to visibly spatter lots of sweat from her body. Sabrina and Rin were also at times also seeing saliva spewing from Eri's mouth when Mi-sun's gloves were finding her body. She nonetheless did manage to land some solid counters in the round. After Mi-sun had thrown another rib jarring body shot, Eri had returned fire with a right hook that jerked Mi-sun's head around and spattered sweat from her face. She had responded however with a straight right that shocked Eri's head back hard, spattering sweat too, to end the round.

In round four, Eri had kept to the same strategy as she had brought out in round three, with a modification. She was now trying to counter jab as Mi-sun was coming at her. It worked somewhat, as she was able to reduce the number of jabs that Mi-sun was throing and landing, but it still didn't do anything to slow her down. Eri meanwhile was slowing signs of slowing down herself as Mi-sun continued to land solid body shots on her.

Rin was shaking her head as she watched the fight.

“Eri-san needs to start going after Mi-sun-san's body NOW, or she's not going to make it to the end of this. I know this from experience. Mi-sun's doing to her exactly what she did to me before landing the right hand that I still see vividly landing in my mind that left me confused and disoriented for five miniutes.” Rin said. Kohaku nodded in agreement.

“Eri-san's defensive skills are not up to par for facing her. They're still at the same level they were in her first-ever boxing match, against ane-ue. That won't cut it if she's going to keep boxing.” he said.

Similar thoughts were on Sabrina, Kelsey, and John's minds.

“This fight ain't going the distance. I can feel it. Eri's defensive skills are not where they need to be for this opponent.” Kelsey said, shaking her head as she said it. John and Sabrina both nodded.

“Yeah. Main problem that Eri's having is that she only knows how to dodge it looks like. She doesn't know anything about blocking punches. With Mi-sun's gloves thudding into her body so much, her speed and energy's going away and with it her ability to defend herself. This Mi-sun's giving me a lot of pointers too about how to fight somebody like Rin who has a lot of speed.” Sabrina commented.

Chapter III (continued)

Round five of the fight was a repeat of round four, with the difference being that Eri's speed continued to diminish as Mi-sun continued to pound on and soften up her body, going to the head when Eri tried to protect her body. Because of that, her ribs and stomach were now starting to redden noticeably while her right eye was starting to swell up now from the relentless assault of Mi-sun's left glove landing there in jab after jab. Eri was not dodging near affectively now as she was at the beginning of the fight because as Sabrina predicted, her defense was disappearing as her speed diminished, and she was taking more punches. Rin and Sabrina were both wondering after round five ended if Eri was even going to answer the bell for round six. They were both surprised when she did, and Mi-sun continued to turn her into a living punching bag.

“The ref needs to stop this. Eri's doing nothing but just absorb punishment now. She can no longer defend herself or fight back.” John now said as Mi-sun was backing her up into her own corner with straight rights between her eyes.

“I agree, Eri's finished-” Sabrina started to say, but was cut off when they suddenly saw Mi-sun wind up a straight right that landed to Eri's stomach with such power that besides the huge spatter of sweat from her body, her mouthguard flew out of her mouth with a huge deluge of saliva. Her legs really started to wobble then as Mi-sun reared back a left hook that landed to her right temple hard enough to be heard where Sabrina and the others were sitting. Eri's head was jerked around violently with a massive spray of sweat from her face and hair along with another deluge of saliva from her mouth. Her legs at the same time turned to jello and she collapsed to the canvas. The ref did not bother with a count, waving his hands to end the fight as soon as her face met the canvas. Mi-sun's gloved hands went up in triumph while Kikyo and Kagome both climbed into the ring to help her up and get her on the corner stool. The ref let them, choosing to hold Mi-sun's gloved left fist up in victory alone as the ring announcer climbed into the ring to announce the knockout.

In her part of the stands, where she was sitting, Rin was shaking her head. Sayono noticed this.

“You look as if you were expecting that, Rin-sama.” she said. Rin nodded at her.

“Yeah, Sayono-chan. It was just a matter of time before that happened. Mi-sun was just taking her apart bit by bit, taking away her speed because she could see that speed was the cornerstone of Eri-san's defense. Kohaku-koi, come on, let's get back to the locker room and start getting me ready for Sabrina-chan. Me and her are up next on the fight car after this next fight.” Rin replied.

“Of course, lead the way.” Kohaku said as they all three got up and started for the locker rooms. Meanwhile Sabrina, Kelsey, and John had went over to Eri's corner to talk with her as well as Kagome and Kikyo.

“Ouch...I'm going to be feeling that for...a few days...” Eri said groggily as Kikyo and Kagome helped her out of the ring and guided her to the door to the locker rooms, Sabrina and her friends behind them.

“You know what the real underlying problem you had was, Eri-san?” Kelsey now asked from behind.

“I think Kikyo-chan gave me an idea...something about defense...” Eri replied, grogginess still in her voice.

“Exactly, Eri-chan. You still haven't learned yet how to effectively block. That simply MUST be fixed before you get in the ring for your next fight.” Kikyo now said.

“Mm-hm. Eri-chan, I think you shouldn't even schedule another fight for yourself until you're blocking better. That Mi-sun figured out speed is your only defense in the first round and like the smart fighter she is, went to working on taking away your speed all throughout the fight just so she could do exactly what she did to you in that fifth round.” Kagome now added in.

“Do you need any help with her in the locker room? We're heading back there because my fight is after this next one that's about to start.” Sabrina now asked them. Kagome turned her head back to her.

“I don't see why not. One of us has to tend to her and the other could use a little help in packing her things away.” she replied.

Eri's face was now pretty swollen up. Her right eye was swollen halfway shut while her left cheek was very badly swollen, along with her right and left temples. Mi-sun had really opened up on her face unimpeded in the fourth and fifth rounds, and her face showed it. Her body was red too, from Mi-sun pounding on it non-stop for almost the entire fight.

Once back in the locker room, Kikyo and Kagome sat the bruised Eri down on a bench and Kelsey and Sabrina set to work removing the tape from her boxing gloves while Kagome and Kikyo started to put away the med supplies and water bottles they had brought along with them. Sabrina and Kelsey worked quick in getting the tape off of Eri's gloves and then unlacing them.

"How are you feeling Eri-san? You feel good enough to stand unassisted?" John now asked when her boxing gloves were off.

"Let me see." she replied. Sabrina and Kelsey both took posistions beside her, ready to grab her if she started to teeter. She slowly rose to her feet and at first it looked like Sabrina and Kelsey were going to have to grab her, but she managed to keep her balance. "I think I can make it over to the shower stall to get out of my dibs and wash off." she now saidd, the grogginess now disappearing from her voice.

"Take it slow, don't rush." Sabrina now said as her and Kelsey now slowly guided her to the shower stall. She managed to make it over to it unassisted and enter it. Kagome came over with her change of clothes and laid them across the top of the door leading in. Their assisting jobs now finished, Sabrina and Kelsey now went over to the locker that John had picked out earlier and put the majority of Sabrina's things in. "Alright, I think we can now move to getting me ready to fight Rin-san." Sabrina now said.

"Go right ahead. Onee-sama and I can handle things from here." Kaghome replied. Opening the locker up, Sabrina removed her sports bags, handing one of them to Kelsey and they opened them up and first got out Sabrina's chosen dibs for her fight with Rin, the same solid black top and yellow with black trim trunks she had sported during the sparring session a week ago.

-

In Rin's locker room, she was now in the shower stall changing. She stepped out of the stall in the same dibs as well that she had worn during the sparring session a week ago, orange and cream checkered top and trunks, and now orange boxing shoes. As she walked over to sit on the bench, Kohaku got out her red boxing gloves while Sayono removed from her other bag her neatly folded boxing robe that was in the same orange and cream checkered pattern as her boxing top and trunks.

"How are the butterflies Rin-koi?" Kohaku asked as he now slipped the boxing gloves over her hands.

"Growing, especially after seeing Mi-sun in action again. I've got the feeling now that Sabrina is just as strong as she was, but thankfully not as fast." she replied.

"That right there is your key to beating her. Outmaneuver her, use the ring, and constantly pepper her with punches. Meanwhile you're also keeping your arms down over your ribs and stomach to block her from hammering you there and taking away your speed." Kohaku now said as he was now first lacing up and then moving to taping the gloves up. Rin closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and hardened her face up.

"Yes, I can also use what Eri did wrong to know what I need to do to keep Sabrina-san from taking my speed from me. Unlike Eri, I can block some as well as dodge." she said as Kohaku finished taping her gloves. He then walked over to the bag the boxing gloves had come out of and now pulled out a pair of punching hand pads and slipped them on.

"Alright saiai, time to get psyched. Up and start knocking the pads around." he now said with a grin. Keeping the hard look on her face, Rin got up from the bench and startd to let her hands go at the pads. Her gloves moved in a blur as she threw one punch at a time at first, but in quick succession before soon moving to throwing combinations.

-

Over in the other locker room, Sabrina was now doing the same thing as well. Her shots were not moving as fast as she thudded punches into the punching pads worn by Kelsey, but they were landing with harder impacts.

"Alright Sabrina, let's go lower now. the body is your prime target for Rin. Envision its her body instead of the pads!" Kelsey said now with vigor as she lowered the punching pads down to level around her breasts and stomach and Sabrina now started to after them there. Kikyo, Kagome, and Eri had already left the room earlier, so Sabrina, Kelsey, and John all now had the room to themselves. Sabrina had a stone-faced expression as she expelled a quick breath through pursed lips as she punched, following the movements of the punching pads as Kelsey moved them around in front of her body and breasts. She was also moving around the room too to give Sabrina multiple moving targets. Both her and rin, in the other locker room, continued this exercise until they were both sweating much now. It was at that time that the phones in both locker rooms rang. John picked up the phone in Sabrina's locker room, while Sayono was the one to do it in Rin's.

"Rin-sama, it's time." Sayono said after hanging up. Rin took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Let's go then." she said. Sayono now gathered up the water bottles and med supplies while Kohaku put Rin's ring robe on her, and they then left the room.

"It's showtime Sabrina." John meanwhile said as he hung up the phone in her locker room. Sabrina hit her red boxing gloves together while looking down at them.

"Alright. Now, no matter what happens out there, I'm NOT ending this fight on the canvas or with the ref waving his arms in front of me. Whatever the ending, this fight WILL be going the distance, the full six rounds!" she said with vigor and intensity as Kelsey now put her ring robe on her while John was the one gathering together the water bottles and med supplies. "Let's do this!" Sabrina finished, and they now left the room and proceeded out to the ring.

-

The arena that the amateur fights today were going on in was the gym of a large high-school in the area. Still, it was great as a venue for amateur boxing. The crowd was filling every corner of it and the lights shining on the ring contrasting with the dimness of the arena surrounding it gave it the feel of being at a professional boxing event.

There were no spotlights shining however on Rin as she came out of the doors leading to the ring, Kohaku and Sayono behind her. There were a few eyebrows raised in the crowd seeing the inuyoukai Sayono with her and Kohaku, but Rin had now come to expect that kind of thing. Even though her matching boxing robe a hood, she did not have it up as she walked to the ring allowing everybody to see her beautiful ponytailed hair as she threw punches toward the air in front of her. She had been given the red corner when the fight was made, and now her, Kohaku, and Sayono climbed into the ring at that corner, Rin now bouncing up and down a little on the balls of her feet as she waited now for Sabrina and her entourage to show.

Sabrina had a stone-faced expression as she came out of the doors into the arena now with John and Kelsey behind her. Her boxing robe was yellow with black trim like her trunks were. Unlike Rin's, her robe did not have a hood, and her neck-length dirty-blonde hair was a large contrast to Rin's dark brown, almost black, shoulder-length hair that was pony-tailed. Her and her friends walked briskly to the ring and climbed into it via the blue corner, Sabrina choosing not to do any air-punching on the way to it.

Sabrina and Rin were now both bouncing up and down slightly on the balls of their feet as the arena announcer began the pre-fight introductions. After those were finished, the referee motioned them both to the middle of the ring for pre-fight instructions. As both fighters and corner crews met ring-center, it was now clear to see for the first time the true height differences between Sabrina and Rin. The top of Rin's head only came up to the bridge between Sabrina's eyes. During the ref's instructions, Rin couldn't help but be intimidated a little looking up a bit at Sabrina and seeing Sabrina giving her a stone-faced expression.

“Touch gloves.” the ref now finished.

“Remember what InuKimi-sama said Sabrina-san, NO breast punching. I've got one of her servants in my corner watching to make sure.” Rin said as she brought her red boxing gloves down on Sabrina's similarly colored gloves in a solid pound. Sabrina nodded.

“Mark my words. I won't. I don't want to incur her wrath for breaking the code of boxing chivalry that she's no doubt ingrained in you.” Sabrina replied as she brought her gloves around and brought them down on Rin's gloves in a firm pound as well. They both now turned and walked back to their corners.

“You're taller than her Sabrina, you think you can land shots to her ribs and stomach without landing to her breasts?” Kelsey asked her as she put the mouthpiece into Sabrina's mouth.

“I'll have to stoop a little, but I don't think she'll manage to do any damage to my face when I do.” Sabrina replied, now pounding her boxing gloves together.

Kohaku was who was putting Rin's mouthpiece into her open mouth.

“You're shorter than her. I recommend going after her ribs and stomach initially, just like you saw Mi-sun do to Eri-san.” he said, then continued. “You use this first round to just gauge her like InuKimi-sama said. Figure out her range and find out how easily you can get in close on her.” Rin nodded at him, not taking her eyes off Sabrina while pounding her boxing gloves together too.

“Right. I'm shorter, so I need to be doing my work on the inside, and turn her height into a disadvantage.” she said, more to herself as Kohaku stepped out of the ring now while Kelsey left the ring on Sabrina's side.

DING! The bell sounded to begin round one of the fight.

“BOX!” The ref barked out, motioning Sabrina and Rin to come out at each other.

Oooooo. Here's the start of the fight!! *is excited* Whoo-Hoo! X3

*runs around*

Aww, poor Eri-chan lost....but hopefully, but Rin and Sabrina-chan use the things they learned from Mi-sun in the fight!! X3

update when you can. ^^