The outcome of the final match of the dark tournament had been a case of mixed emotions for Shizuru.
She has always been good at keeping her emotions in check, especially around other people, and she had been going quite well, up to the point where Yusuke's severed head fell to the ground at Toguro's feet.
Death.
Had she ever really stopped to consider that possibility? Seriously? Of course, she feared it, but had never let herself think of it as a probable outcome to this tournament.
Yet now it was to outcome.
And they were all destined for death.
Because Yusuke had let them down.
His body slumped to the ground, like some sick parody of defeat, and landed beside to head, which wore still the mild surprise of Toguro's hand slicing through his neck.
She felt Keiko break with grief.
She would never recover.
Only death would stop the pain.
And it was death Keiko would get.
Sakyou still wore the quietly confident smile he had worn for the entire length of the battle. Almost a mocking smile. No – it was mocking. Definitely.
Of course Toguro had won. How could she or anyone else have been stupid enough to think otherwise?
Because of hope.
Stupid hope.
The other four members of Team Urameshi stared at their friend with little registration. They were, like the girls in the stand, trying to convince themselves it was a mirage. An illusion.
A joke.
The tournament committee emerged sooner than expected, as though they already knew the final result, and were simply waiting for the battle to end from the sidelines.
"It can't be…"
The first spoken words since the defeat shattered any hope that still remained. Keiko's broken voice certified what Shizuru already thought.
There was no joke. This was real.
Yusuke was dead.
And they were going to die too.