Chapter 6. Witch Trap.
Hotaru and Kurama had woken up early that morning and decided to go train for a while before going to the fighting arena, it was their turn to fight that day.
"Are you alright Hotaru-koi?" Kurama asked after awhile. "I've noticed you strange."
"Yes…No." Hotaru sat on a branch with a defeated sight.
"What's happening?" Kurama sat next to her.
"Maybe I should have told you before. Since some time ago, to be more specific since that oni delivered the invitation for this Tournament, I've having some strange dreams, visions."
"What kind of visions?"
"Of the past. Of one lifetime ago."
"You mean…"
"I mean I've been remembering my past life. Thus far I know I was born as the daughter of the Youkai-King Hoshaku, we met during a trip I made to another city when I unexpectedly decided to help you get away from those who pursued you, and you in return took me for a walk, to have fun. We became wonderful friends, and then when my father tried to force me to marry someone I didn't love I escaped with you. I got to live with you for a very long time, I still lack most of the details of that time, and…I really don't know what happened afterwards."
"You didn't know all this before?"
"No. Koenma never told me, nor anyone in Reikai for the matter. They just told me I was a reincarnated youkai, with power over the insects, and very few details."
"You remember about the name…"
"I remember my name was Shinrin Kontyuu, and that you gave me the name of Hotaru shortly after we met."
Kurama nodded, even if he didn't have his full memories either he did remember most of what involucrated his beloved.
"If you wish I could call you Kontyuu." Kurama offered.
"Why should you?" she asked in return. "You never called me by that name. You seemed to believe Hotaru fitted me more, and I have to say I agree. Besides, I recently remembered that around five centuries ago I said I was Shinrin Kontyuu no more, just Hotaru, and to that statement I hold. I'm Hotaru, now and forever."
Kurama couldn't help but smile as he slowly embraced her and kissed her tenderly. They prolonged the kiss until they had to part just so they could breathe again.
They were about to kiss again when they felt a presence approaching. It was Hiei, he was holding his right arm, and from the expression in his face it was obvious he was in pain. Ever so slowly he got on his knees, moaning through clenched teeth.
"Are you alright Hiei?" Kurama asked from his space next to Hotaru.
"What are you talking about?" Hiei asked as he immediately got back on his feet.
"You must understand it's not easy to win a fight with only one arm and so much pain in between." Kurama said with a knowing face as he jumped to the ground.
"I could heal you if you would just let me." Hotaru offered as he jumped next to Kurama.
"Are you trying to get unconscious again before you even fight?" Hiei asked.
"No." Hotaru shook her head. "I'm just trying to help you."
"I need no one's help." Hiei snapped.
"You shouldn't be like that with Hotaru, she's just trying to be nice." Kurama stepped in.
"Hn. Nonsense." Hiei replied. "Don't you remember what that man of the dark glasses said?: 'You can't escape, you and I are enemies, it's just a matter of living or dying.'"
Hotaru was about to reply when their conversation was unexpectedly interrupted.
"What might those youkais be wanting?" Kurama asked to his companions.
"I have a bad feeling…" Hotaru murmured.
"Hn. They want to stop us from getting to the fight." Hiei seemed to understand.
The two feline demons approached the trio.
Kurama and Hiei brought out their weapons and easily killed one of the youkai. Hotaru didn't even move from her spot, still under the shade of the tree.
"Oh, what happened?" the second youkai asked.
"Uh…and that's when I can only use one arm." Hiei said as a matter of fact.
"He was too weak, not a good rival for us." Kurama said casually.
"Hn. And you wanna die too?" Hiei turned to the second enemy.
"I don't wanna die." The demon said taking out a strange control. "I don't fear you."
As he pushed some button a robot appeared.
"This is Gatuzabel." The youkai explained. "Doesn't know pain nor death, fears nothing. It's Dr. Ichigaki's best machine. Now, destroy them Gatuzabel!"
The robot sprung some tentacles and used them to attack Hiei and Kurama, who dodged the attacks.
In some point Hiei tried to cut the tentacle with his sword, it had no effect.
"Ha, ha, ha." The youkai laughed. "The armor is covered with a special liquid and you can't break it. I told you it was invincible, you won't be able to defeat it."
"Hell…" Hiei cursed. "Then I'll kill you first."
And that's exactly what he tried, but the tentacle stroke him, and Hiei fell on his bad arm, and lost hold of his sword. He had to roll aside to dodge another attack but before long the tentacle got him again and was trapped against a tree.
"Hiei!" Kurama cried out.
"How funny." The youkai seemed satisfied. "You're mere animals compared to that metal-robot."
"Shut up!" Hiei yelled as he began concentrating energy in his good arm, he was about to use the Dark Dragon again.
"Hiei, don't do it!" Kurama cried out.
Kurama ran as fast as he could, with the second tentacle in hot pursue, 'til he finally managed and the tentacle after him hit the one holding Hiei, freeing him instantly.
Hiei managed to get away.
And right then both tentacles stroke Kurama.
"Kurama!" Hiei yelled.
"Yes, Kill him! Kill him!" the youkai insisted.
But nothing seemed to happen.
"What's going on Gatuzabel? Why don't you move?" the youkai asked.
And it was then that he noticed Hotaru, standing right next to the robot.
"What the he…" the youkai began.
And it just got worse when he noticed the dozens of insects around Hotaru, insects that seemed to be coming from the very same robot.
"Please forgive the lateness." Hotaru said calmly. "But it took me some work to convince these insects to obey me. I'm more accustomed on dealing with those from Ningenkai."
"It took you long enough." Hiei said half-annoyed.
"But everything went out just fine." Kurama said calmly, emerging from the now immobile tentacles.
"But, how?" The youkai just couldn't believe it.
"You must know already that nothing and no one are invincible." Hotaru said calmly. "And feeling fear and pain gives you prudence that might even save your life one day. The absence of these gave a great defect to your robot. I used my insects to provoke it a short-circuit, and it never noticed. Now it's nothing but a piece of junk."
"Hm." Hiei seemed satisfied at this.
"And what do you chose?" Kurama asked with a dead-serious tone. "You give up or die?"
.---.
"I almost hoped he would choose dying." Hotaru was saying. "At least it would have given me the opportunity to practice a bit. The other one you killed him before I even had the chance to bring out my blades."
"That useless, it wouldn't have served you not even to warm up." Kurama said.
A movement and the feline was dropped to the ground, near the fighting platform. Next came the useless robot and above it Hiei, Kurama and Hotaru (who for some strange reason had her gabardine above her shoulder instead of on).
"Those are Hiei, Kurama and Hotaru." Yuske said at seeing them.
The audience was mute in a mix of shock and surprise.
"Hiei, Kurama and Hotaru have made act of presence." Koto said through the microphone.
"I found out everything thanks to the trash I just threw." Hiei announced, he signaled to the members of the other team. "Those three were students of a famous Martial Arts sensei, and they offered their body for an experiment so they could heal their sensei. They had no idea they would be used as killing machines. They were tricked and brainwashed to turn them into automat assassins."
"Now I understand." Kuwabara nodded.
"And what's even worse." Hotaru added with a venom tone. "Their sensei's sickness was a trap by itself, provoked by Dr. Ichigaki himself."
Ichigaki laughed.
Yuske and Kuwabara were definitely furious now.
"I'm going to kill that Ichigaki." Kuwabara murmured between clenched teeth.
"Damned." Yuske hissed. "It was all a trap so you could use them as an experiment."
"And what will you do about it?" Ichigaki dared them. "You should only care about defeating the opponent and be done with it. You need not to worry for our team. Just fight."
"But they're not fighting by their own will, you're controlling them and that's not right." Kuwabara complained.
"For the moment being they're only killing machines." Ichigaki said laughing. "There's no reason to be altered. For your own good you must kill them; that's if you can, of course."
"What?!" Yuske just couldn't believe it.
"They're only part of my greatest desire." Ichigaki said calmly. "They're just one more step, a bunch of data."
"You wretched!" Kuwabara spat.
"Damn you!" Yuske cursed, he was really furious now.
"That Ichigaki is nothing but a damned bastard, but we must admit he knows how to provoke Yuske and Kuwabara so they lose control." Hotaru commented.
"You're gonna pay!" Kuwabara yelled.
Yuske just screamed.
And then they both launched to attack… Dr. Ichigaki.
"For all the spirits, I didn't believe those two could be so foolish." Hotaru murmured.
Yuske and Kuwabara were thrown backwards by the three 'human' members of their opposing team.
Hiei and Kurama wanted to enter the platform, to fight, but they just couldn't do it, it was against the rules, as the combat had already begun. Hotaru said nothing, anyway the Masked Warrior had already taken her place as the substitute.
"You will only be able to see how my robots kill your little friends." Ichigaki made fun of the other three.
"Damn…" Kurama cursed under his breath.
Hiei was plain furious, his anger turning into the dark aura surrounding him.
"You play with the human feelings." Yuske said.
"I'll never forget the trash you are, you'll see." Kuwabara added.
Yuske and Kuwabara wanted again to attack Ichigaki, but the other three stopped them.
"Why are you protecting that rubbish?" Yuske asked.
"Come on, say something." Kuwabara insisted. "We don't want a fight this way!"
Hotaru couldn't be sure, but in that moment she had a strange feeling, something was changing.
"It's useless!" Ichigaki assured them. "The bomb that's controlling their blood is perfect. That bomb is the heart and brain that dominates them. If you take it away they will die, and only dead will you be able to stop them. The bomb is programmed for them to follow my orders and protect me from any attacker. If you wish to kill me, you'll first have to kill them, it's useless to try and convince them. They don't have a conscience of their own, they don't think by themselves, they're simply killing machines!" he laughed maniacally. "Go on, kill them if you can!"
"I can't, I can't kill them." Kuwabara shook his head in defeat.
The fight went on for what seemed forever, even when Yuske and Kuwabara limited themselves to defending from their opponents' attacks, after knowing the truth about them they just didn't dare hurt them.
And after a while, Kuwabara was violently thrown out from the platform.
"Oh, Kuwabara has fallen out of the platform, that punch was definite." Koto announced.
And as if confirming what had just been said Kuwabara went unconscious right then.
And this made Yuske even more furious.
"Tell me, do you have no heart at all?" Yuske yelled at the enemies.
But before he could say anything else he noticed something: running down those three's faces was something he had never expected to see: blood tears.
"Oh in the name of heaven…" Hotaru gasped.
"What?" Kurama asked, not understanding at all.
"They're crying, blood tears." Hotaru explained. "Deep inside their heart and soul still fight, they aren't completely controlled."
"What have we here?" Ichigaki seemed a bit curious. "Blood tears, this is really interesting. There's no way for them to disobey the orders. There's no doubt the human spirit is hard to annihilate, it's like a cockroach."
This comment seemed to infuriate Hotaru even more.
"Damned you, it's a cruelty that you can control someone." Yuske said. "It would be better to just finish you. You should be the one shedding blood tears."
With that the fight began all over again. Except this time was different, because now Yuske could see the power his enemies were using; and not just that, there was also the fact that his anger was amplifying Yuske's power greatly.
"It's surprising." Koto was still as cheerful as ever. "The fight has taken a turn. Urameshi is now in the offensive side of the encounter."
Hotaru saw how Kurama and Hiei approached Ichigaki, but Hotaru preferred to remain where she was, knowing that if she just got close enough to that evil man the desire to kill him would be just too great to endure.
"Ichigaki will never understand what makes the ningen really strong." Hotaru whispered to herself.
"You!" Ichigaki yelled. "Kill them without mercy!"
Yuske then managed to hit them.
"It's incredible." Botan was really amazed.
"Yuske's power grows." Hotaru commented. "It's enough to kill them, but not to save them."
"I'll ask for forgiveness in hell!" Yuske cried out right then as he prepared to fire his Reigun.
"Wait! Don't do it!" Hotaru cried out.
And right then the Masked Warrior jumped and stopped Yuske. She faced the three opponents on her own, clasped her hands together and began chanting a spell.
Hotaru slowly stepped closer to the platform, wanting to listen; and when she did, she went far beyond shock.
"Oh dear Kami…" Hotaru gasped. "It's the Reiko Hadoken, the Secret Attack of Shu."
Kurama and Hiei were quite surprised, although if because of the attack the Masked Warrior had just done or because Hotaru seemed to know it well enough it would be difficult to guess.
Right then the chant ended, and all three opponents fell to the ground, limp.
"Incredible." Yuske seemed truly astonished. "She destroyed the spiritual power of the three with just one attack."
"What?!" Apparently Kuwabara was again conscious.
"Their lives too." Hiei added.
"That was a great attack." Kurama admitted.
Hotaru didn't react, the shock was just too great.
"It can't be." Ichigaki was suddenly in panic. "She killed them without hesitating, without blinking, she did it so easily."
"Oh I have no idea of what happened but they're defeated." Koto said. "I'm going to start the counting. 1, 2, 3…10! The victory is for the Urameshi Team."
"Shut up!" Yuske spat at her. "This is no victory."
"This fight means nothing if they die." Kuwabara added as he slowly propped on his elbows
"I don't want a victory this way." Yuske continued.
Right then Hotaru caught a significant look from Kurama, she nodded and walked to the side of the arena.
"Listen to me, I'll never forgive you what you did." Yuske said seriously and dangerously, approaching Ichigaki.
The 'Doctor' tried to step back, afraid, but Kurama and Hiei were standing there blocking any possible means of escape.
"You understood, didn't you?" Hiei asked.
"You committed a fatal mistake." Kurama added coldly. "You have no forgiveness."
"You understand what you're doing?" Ichigaki asked in return. "If you kill me their sensei will die too. Only I know where he is and how to do the antidote."
"Ha, are you sure?" Kurama asked, a playful smirk in the corner of his lips.
Right then Hotaru approached them slowly, she had one of the sensei's arm over her back, helping him walk.
"You damn…" the sensei began angrily.
"How did he get here?" Ichigaki asked.
"We asked your assistant." Hiei answered. "He confessed everything in seconds."
"Hiei has a way of being really convincing at times." Hotaru said with a smirk.
"We found him quite easily, and Hotaru had no problem at all to heal him." Hiei continued.
Ichigaki stepped back, he didn't like how things were turning out for him.
"Ichigaki." Kurama called coldly. "Do you want me to experiment in your body with an even more poisonous plant?"
"Or maybe he could test a new mix of venom from some of my insects." Hotaru suggested in the same tone.
"Are you ready to die? Bastard!" Yuske asked preparing an attack.
Ichigaki suddenly brought out something from his clothes…a syringe.
Kurama, Hiei, Hotaru and Yuske just looked at the doctor, and then at each other, puzzled.
"You are fools, you think you can kill me so easily." Ichigaki said as he injected himself. "I'll show you the true power of Dr. Ichigaki's master mind."
And right then something absolutely astonishing happened. Dr. Ichigaki began transforming… into a monster.
"How do you dare ruin my precious experiments?" Ichigaki yelled enraged. "I'll teach you the battle power."
With that Ichigaki attacked Yuske.
"What?" Koto asked. "Dr. Ichigaki is attacking in a rather unusual way."
There was another attack from Ichigaki, Kurama and Hiei had to jump out of the way, Hotaru did the same, pulling the sensei along with her.
Believing her vulnerable, Ichigaki tried attacking her again. In turn she raised her hands.
"Wax wall!" she summoned.
And thankfully the wall was strong enough to protect both her and the sensei, although the man was quite surprised at her technique.
"Hotaru!" Kurama called.
The three guys attacked Dr. Ichigaki, driving her attention away from Hotaru and her ward. Until after a while Yuske managed to defeat him with a definite Spirit Gun.
"Dr. Ichigaki has been defeated by Urameshi's power." Koto announced. "The spectators are in complete silence, no one can believe what just happened."
"But even defeating Ichigaki won't make them come back." The sensei said, there was an obvious pain in his voice. "Jen, Ryo, Kai. How could I ever apologize to you?" He was in the verge of tears.
"There's no reason to cry." Hotaru assured him.
Now Kurama turned to look at his girlfriend, confusion written in all his face.
"They're not dead." Hotaru and the Masked Warrior assured them in unison.
"What?" the sensei couldn't believe it.
"What do you mean?" Yuske was quite shocked.
The sensei immediately let go of Hotaru, with some effort climbed upon the platform and walked to the three men. And right as he did, the three woke up.
An emotive reunion followed.
Hotaru smiled at the sight.
"Would you mind explaining this to me?" Kurama asked stepping next to his girlfriend.
"No, not at all." Hotaru replied. "You see, that attack the Masked Warrior did was never supposed to kill them, but to free them. That's why I said Yuske had enough power to defeat them, but not to save them; except what he was really lacking wasn't exactly the power but the knowledge of such attacks like the one used by the Masked Warrior."
"You knew what her attack did?" Kurama asked.
"More or less." Hotaru replied. "While being in Reikai I had quite some time off, and the only thing entertaining enough for me would be the hundreds of books in the libraries. You could say I learned quite some things."
"It's good to know everything turned out fine in the end." Kurama said.
Hotaru just nodded.
"With a dramatic end the Urameshi Team passes to the next battle, but as a consequence Kuwabara is badly injured and we don't know if he'll be better by the time of the fight." Koto announced.
"I can use my power to heal him." Hotaru proposed. "Not fully, but at least that way he'll get better faster."
Kurama nodded.
With that the couple helped Kuwabara onto his feet and took keep out of the arena and to their changing rooms.
Once there Kurama helped Kuwabara lay down and took of his shirt so Hotaru would have better access to his most serious injuries; meanwhile he decided to go back out and let the others know where they were and what they were doing.
Hotaru was concentrating her power, an right before she used it a voice on the speakers distracted her:
"This is an announcement from the Managers, in this moment shall began the 3rd round of the finals of the Dark Tournament." A voice announced. "I repeat, in this moment shall began the 3rd round, the contending teams are the Urameshi Team against Machovsky Team."
"What?!" Hotaru was in absolute shock.
"They can't be serious." Kuwabara said straightening slowly.
"I'm afraid they are." Hotaru said. "Please forgive me Kuwabara, but I can't heal you right now. If I did it still wouldn't be enough for you to be in good state…"
"And you would be incapable of fighting." Kuwabara finished for her. "I understand."
"I'm really sorry."
"Don't worry for me. But I'll still ask you for one favor."
"Whatever you wish."
"Please help me back outside."
"But Kuwabara…"
"Nothing. You said that whatever I wished. And even when I know I'm in no state to fight, I'm still a part of this team."
Finally Hotaru complied and helped him back outside.
.---.
When Hotaru and Kuwabara returned outside the other enemy had just arrived. They were all completely covered in dark cloaks and with some strange symbols at the front.
"How odd…" Kuwabara murmured.
Hotaru nodded.
Slowly Hotaru let Kuwabara on the ground and walked next to the rest of the team.
"The team isn't at its best Yuske." Kurama was saying, he looked at the M.W. "Looks like we don't have many options."
Hotaru knew what he meant,
"Kurama, we have to finish them." Yuske insisted.
'He doesn't know Hiei's arm hasn't fully recovered, and after the healing she had to do Hotaru isn't completely ready either.' Kurama thought.
Right then one of the opponents uncloaked himself.
"It's Jin." Kurama seemed quite surprised. "The Wind Master."
"But then that means they are…" Hotaru didn't even dare finish her sentence.
"Do you know them?" Yuske asked.
Hotaru nodded.
"Yes." Kurama nodded. "They're famous youkais. It seems they entered this tournament as incognitos." He sighed. "In truth they are the shinobi from the spiritual world."
"Shinobi, you mean they're ninjas?" Yuske was shocked at this.
"They're the most feared Shura monsters." Hotaru answered.
Yuske and Jin jumped onto the platform and took a couple of minutes in deciding their style of fighting.
Hotaru sighed tiredly as she touched her forehead, she was a bit warm.
"Are you alright?" Kurama asked.
"Yes, only a bit tired." Hotaru replied. "I'll be fine soon enough."
Kurama nodded, although he wasn't too sure.
"It's been decided they will fight one to one." Koto announced to everyone finally.
Yuske went back down, he and the others were about to discuss who would be fighting first when suddenly there was an interruption:
"There will be a medical revision from the Tournament's Management before we begin the round." A voice said from the speaker. "This is a needed revision considering the Urameshi Team has fought without rest. Please wait for a moment."
"What the hell are they planning?" Yuske asked, annoyed.
No one answered to him, but Hotaru looked around suspiciously, she had a strange feeling, one that wasn't good.
Right then a nurse emerged from a tent that had suddenly appeared in the grounds surrounding the fighting platform. Just the sight of her made Hotaru step back, although as to why, she did not know.
The mysterious nurse stepped right some steps before them and raised her hand before each of their faces slowly: Yuske, then Hiei, Kurama, Hotaru and finally the Masked Warrior. After a while she stepped a bit back and pointed to some of them:
"You (Hiei), you (Hotaru) and you (Masked Warrior) have to come with me to a revision." The nurse announced.
"What a loss of time." Hiei said really annoyed. "Why don't you revise that guy that's on the ground right behind me?"
But the nurse ignored him completely.
Finally the three of them followed her, although Hotaru didn't seem completely sure she wanted to.
"I have to do some revisions to the competitors, it's nothing out of the routine." The nurse explained casually as she led the three of them back to the medical tent. "Worry not, it shall not take long."
They finally entered the tent.
The nurse sat at a simple chair while Hiei, Hotaru and the Masked Warrior stood right before her, none of them seemed to like that much being there, it was obvious they preferred to just go back to the arena and be done with the fights.
"Ok, let's begin the revision." The nurse said turning to Hiei. "Are any of you wounded?"
"I think the answer to that question will be perfectly obvious if you just looked at us closely enough." Hiei replied sarcastically.
"Are you sure you're alright?" the nurse continued.
"If we weren't we wouldn't be standing here right now, would we?" The Masked Warrior kept her cool, and even then anyone could see she was pissed off. "And anyway, it's our problem not yours."
"Do have a headache?" the nurse continued.
"I do." Hotaru answered. "But a headache never stopped anyone from fighting when there's the need to do so."
"Do you have stomachache?" was the next question.
"Are you making fun of us?" Hiei asked angrily.
"Cool down, it seems you're really tense." The nurse said while taking notes. "I think it'll be necessary for you to rest for a moment."
"Fool, you go take care of your own problems, and leave me with my own." Hiei murmured as he turned her back to her.
It was obvious he was about to leave the tent, and Hotaru couldn't have been more in agreement with him.
But right then there was a strange flash of light.
"What?" Hiei began, suddenly confused.
"This is…" The Masked Warrior began as she too turned around.
"A trap." Hotaru finished as she could feel the dark power surrounding the three of them all of a sudden.
Immediately Hiei and the Masked Warrior sprinted off, trying to get outside of the medical tent, but it was practically impossible to just get to the limits of it, some kind of strange barrier prevented them from doing so.
Hotaru didn't even move from where she was standing, there was something in that barrier she seemed to be afraid of.
"Hey, what's that?" Yuske asked, not liking a single bit what's happening.
"An energy field." Kurama replied.
Ever so slowly the kitsune-youkai approached the trap, trying to find a way of helping his beloved, but not finding any.
"An energy field?" Yuske asked as he ran to the tent, trying to reach his friends. "You wench, let them free. What do you think you're doing?"
Yuske went to the tent, but as soon as he approached it the same energy that concealed the other three inside pushed him away, not without giving him first a serious electric shock that would certainly make him think twice before trying the same thing again.
"I'm Ruka, the Energy-Field Sorceress." The pseudo-nurse announced.
"Ruka, the sorceres?" Yuske asked.
"She's a witch!" Hotaru yelled at them, and suddenly she got electrocuted, "Ah!"
"Hotaru!" Kurama cried out.
"Why does it affect her so?" Yuske asked confused. "She isn't even touching the energy."
"I'm a miko." Hotaru explained, she seemed to be getting very weak all of a sudden. "My power is completely…opposite to hers." She gasped. "And right now…she is way stronger than…me…" and right then she fainted.
"Hotaru!!" Kurama yelled stressed out.
I know I maybe took too long with the Ichigaki-thing, but I wanted to take the time to project several things related to Hotaru, her powers, her personality.
As you could see, Kurama now knows Hotaru is remembering her past life, and we're beginning to see the effect that knowledge will have in their relationship.