Karasu turned and saw someone that he never would have guessed he would see outside of the tournament, Kurama. The read headed fox demon looked slightly surprised to see anyone out this late, but the emotion was soon gone from his face. Karasu was unsure of what to do, he doubted that Kurama knew who he was or what team he was on. What do you say to someone that you might be told to kill?
2
Karasu instinctively regained back his energy, he had taught to never give a hint to his full power until he was ready to finish the fight.
"You can't be one of the spectators, your way to strong for that, the question is what team you are apart of," stated Kurama, seeming to be thinking aloud.
"How can you be sure I'm part of any team, perhaps I'm here as a body guard to one of the many rich men here?" replied Karasu tactfully avoiding the question posed to him.
The fox demon didn't reply, he seemed to be apprising the situation. Ever the careful planner, he would not be caught in a trap, planning for everything instead of just one thing. Karasu could surmise this from just looking at Kurama's eyes, the amazing control over the emotions hidden behind a forest of dark green.
"I watched your team fight today, your fight seemed hardly much of a challenge for you," started Karasu, wondering if Kurama would reply or not.
"I suppose it would seem that way from a high class demon's point of view," said Kurama carefully, he was still unsure of who he was speaking with.
"The last fight, the one that gave your team the victory, I have never seen the stadium become so quiet. It must have been some thing from your perspective," continued Karasu, though he was unsure why he felt compelled to talk to this demon, a demon that would probably try to kill him if he only knew what team he was apart of.
"Yes, it was something, I have only seen Yusuke fight that seriously one other time," Kurama moved away from the forest, but still keeping distance from Karasu.
"Do you fight again tomorrow?" asked Karasu, though he already knew what the answer would be.
"No, we will fight again the day after. Though we will not know our next opponents are until that morning," Kurama seemed slightly annoyed by this fact. A pause, "However, Team Toguro fights tomorrow."
"That, I did know," replied Karasu, already knowing what Kurama's next question would be.
Kurama glanced at Karasu, "I assume you're hoping for their victory, am I correct?"
"Hope is useless, there aren't many teams that could stand up to the Toguro brothers if they were to fight by themselves, so I know who will the fight tomorrow. The Toguros will stand victorious and go straight to the semi-finals, though I pray everyday that they will loose in this tournament and forfeit their lives," said Karasu staring out into the sea.
"You must be one of the few demons here that dislike the Toguros." replied Kurama, sounding unbelieving but lowering his defenses slightly.
"You'd be surprised, there are many teams here only for the chance to kill the Toguros. Pity most are after the younger Toguro's head, when it the elder that is the parasite that need to be exterminated," muttered Karasu darkly.
"Either them or Yusuke," added Kurama quietly.
Karasu didn't respond, it was true that there were also many demons on the island that wanted Yusuke dead, but most of them were not participating in the Tournament. Yusuke was no threat to the higher classes, comparatively with the Toguro brothers. They had a knack for defeating strong fighters, then either killing them or forcing them to work to their goals.
"From the way you speak, you seem to know a lot about the tournament. Now, you can't really believe that you will convince me that you are not part of a tournament team," mused Kurama.
"And if I was part of a tournament team, what would you do?" asked Karasu.
Kurama gave Karasu a strange look, "Do you think I would attack you if I knew you were part of the tournament?"
"I'm sure your carefully calculating what you will do depending on which team I am apart of, and I don't doubt that attack is a back-up plan of yours," answered Karasu, "but I will admit that I am part of a tournament team, one I am sure you have heard of before."
"So your previous statement of wanting them dead was a lie," said Kurama taking a step back.
"Au contraire, that was the truth, I do wish them dead. I am not part of this 'team' by choice. Truth be told, I have no interest in fighting anyone on your team at present," explained Karasu.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Karasu chuckled, "Not really, but I am telling the truth, Kurama.
Kurama's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained emotionless, " So you know who I am."
"It's hard to not know your name when the entire stadium was cheering for your death during your fight today. Your team is not liked here, yet everyone knows who you are. It's an ironic type of fame, isn't it?" mused Karasu.
"Not like your team's fame, you're the favorite of the tournament. Reigning champions from the last one," replied Kurama, trying to figure out this unknown demon from Team Toguro, yet wanted the Toguro brothers to die.
"Last nine, actually, there's a tournament every five years. Though, I have not attended any tournaments prior to this one. The fans of team Toguro don't know me and they will not know me until the semi-finals, then they will only cheer for my victory because of the team that I am apart of," stated Karasu.
'Semi-finals?' This seemed to surprise Kurama, "You are not fighting tomorrow with the rest of your team?"
Karasu shook his head, "No, only the younger Toguro is fighting tomorrow, no doubt to provoke your team leader into fighting with all seriousness so your team will reach the finals."
"Can he actually fight alone, is that even allowed in the tournament rules?" asked Kurama sounding slightly surprised that such a thing would be allowed.
"If the other team excepts those terms it will be, the finals are the only time you need to have five fighters, unless a substitute has been used and another member of your team has been killed," answered Karasu with a slight shrug.
They both fell into silence for a while as the sun started to rise, shooting orange and pink into the night sky. The entire time they were talking they were being watched by one member from each of their teams, but neither had noticed. They didn't even notice as they fell silent drifting into their own thoughts.
Karasu watched the sun rise for a moment or two, then disappeared from Kurama's side. The spirit fox did not notice his companion's disappearance, nor did he notice the disappearance of Karasu's team mate. He just remained standing and staring at the rising sun thinking about what he had learned about team Toguro.
Yusuke walked out of the forest, "There you are, Kurama, I've been looking for you for a while. You came out here? Is there something wrong?" The young spirit detective had actually been standing in the forest for a while not daring to make his presence known while the unnamed member of team Toguro was still there, though he didn't notice the other member of team Toguro standing near him.
Kurama was slightly startled by the spirit detective's sudden appearance. It was then that he noticed that Karasu was gone, though he wasn't sure if Karasu had left before or after Yusuke had shown up.
"What are you doing out here?" asked Yusuke acting casual.
"I could ask you the same question," replied Kurama looking at his friend, he now knew that Yusuke had listen to his conversation, "Do you usually follow people?"
"No, but you left shortly after we came back to the hotel room. I thought something was wrong, I mean, you just disappeared. I was worried," said Yusuke sounding slightly annoyed that Kurama would snap at him like that.
"I came out here to think, but there is nothing wrong," stated Kurama his voice softening a bit, he knew that Yusuke had the best of intentions by following him. Still he would find out how much Yusuke knew about team Toguro now, so he remained silent and waited for Yusuke to talk.
Yusuke couldn't stand it anymore, he didn't want Kurama to do anything stupid. The fox was stubborn and might do something unnecessary for the safety of his friends, "Kurama, you don't really believe what that guy said do you? I mean, he's part of team Toguro how could he want his team mates dead?"
Kurama didn't reply, he turned his attention back to the rising sun. He wasn't sure what to believe, the raven haired demon could have been telling the truth, but then again Kurama didn't even know his name.
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"What part of your brain told you that, that was a good idea?" hissed Bui as he followed Karasu back to the hotel.
Karasu didn't respond, Bui had no ground to stand on to demand answers from him. Not only was it not any of his business, Bui wasn't even supposed to be on the island yet, he was still supposed to be in training until the day before the semi-finals.
"Karasu!"
Karasu stopped and turned to look at Bui, "The same part that decided I could escape from the Toguros." He glared at the armored fighter, his eyes flashing red. Bui had too much respect for the man that controlled his life.
"And how far did that little venture get you, Karasu. How many times did he 'take' you?" snapped Bui.
Karasu's eyes widened, as memories went through his head.
"Every time you try to escape from your cage, my little bird. You will be shown who is your master…"
"Stop…stop it! GET OFF OF ME!"
"Scream all you like, no one can hear you…and there is no one here to save you. You are mine, and you will always belong to me."
Karasu closed his eyes trying to block the memories, "No…please, not again," his voice was barely above a whisper.
Bui immediately regretted what he had just said, "Karasu!" He hoped that his voice would bring Karasu back to the present and stop him from remembering what had been done to him by the hands and body of the elder Toguro.
The memories stopped and Karasu fell to his knees, his breathing was shallow. His memories were like torture and he wished he could just forget everything that had been done to him. Tears fell onto the pavement as Bui reached out touch Karasu on the shoulder.
Karasu jerked away from his friend's touch, "Don't touch me…"
"Karasu, I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said that. I just don't want you to get hurt again, if he found out who you were just talking to, you know what would happen to you. Never mind that you are expected to fight in this tournament, we both know how ruthless he can be," stated Bui.
"Your forgiven," muttered Karasu standing. His hair covered his face, but Bui could see how much paler he had become. "But he won't find out if no one tells him."
"You know I won't tell, I'll see my grave first," replied Bui.
Karasu pushed his hair out of his face, "Thank you."
