A/N: This chapter is probably closest to the arc itself. Let's just say, tournaments/battle rounds seem to be playing a big part in the arc. That's where the similarity ends. n.n
-Points proudly at the chapter- Look! It's (relatively) shorter!! :D As will the next chapter be. The last two chapters (there, I just spilled how many chapters this thing will have) may be long. By my standards, yes. So beware. Chapter Six: 3:00 PM; Against Ancestors
As soon as they stepped into the Birthplace, they were met by an unearthly wall of blue-white energy.
All four gasped involuntarily as they felt the electricity crackle over them. Ban cursed and shoved it away angrily with his magic, eyes narrowing. "Ginji!"
Almost immediately, the electricity subsided, and the light cleared to reveal the rest of their companions, in the middle of the starry landscape, safe and sound. Ginji was leaning on Shido and Natsumi, and he looked up and gave a bright, weary grin. "Ban-chan!" He didn't have the energy to turn tare and hug any of them, at the moment…
Ban had to refrain himself from bashing him in the head. "You idiot, what were you doing?! You nearly got yourself killed!" Himiko winced, and nudged him sharply to restrain him.
Ginji looked extremely guilty. "Eto…Aesclepius went wild, and you see…"
I am going to kill you.
You can't. I'm a spirit. But Ban caught the sheepish, apologetic note in the snake's hiss, and he let it drop. "I know about that," he said, instead. "But what was with that wall of electricity? You're draining yourself!"
Ginji rubbed the back of his head. "The ghosts were still attacking, a while ago."
"Lay off, Midou," Shido said, irritated.
HEVN was looking them over; they were a sorry sight. Kazuki beaten up, pretty badly, Juubei a little less, Ban and Himiko with slight wounds, but looking like drowned rats. "Ban-kun, Himiko-san, what happened to you? Why are you all wet?"
Himiko shrugged, and smiled tiredly at the intermediary. "It was raining, where we were."
The blonde asked no more.
Five minutes was all it took for them to settle down. Emishi and Paul were standing guard, in the non-existent circle…Neither Aesclepius nor Ban had put up a barrier yet. HEVN was with them, as was Shido. Natsumi was watching over Juubei and Kazuki, who were dozing lightly, healing from their injuries. Ban was standing over Ginji and Himiko, who were seated…watching, waiting.
Ginji grinned at Himiko. "You're all right, Himiko-chan?"
She nodded soberly. "For the moment." She scowled up at Ban, standing over them. "Ban, sit down. I don't know how much magic you've used up…"
"I'm fine," he said, his voice lacking the usual bite. Himiko rolled her eyes, and grabbed his arm, pulling him down. "Hey! Himiko!"
Ginji shook his head. "I think you should listen to her, Ban-chan," he said. "You are tired."
Ban hmphed and shoved his glasses up his nose. Since neither Natsumi nor Paul had packed gel in the supplies, his hair was still hanging over his face, shielding his expression. "Just to make you happy," he grumbled. He suddenly glanced sharply at Himiko. "What's wrong?"
She was biting her lip, looking worriedly over her shoulder. "I'm just wondering…the third hour ended. Why hasn't the portal to the next trial appeared?"
Ban scowled. "They're probably revising your next trial," he said in a low, angry voice. "Making it harder. Remember, they really don't want you to pass." He recalled what she had asked him, an hour or so back…Kill me if I fail… His scowl deepened, and his chest constricted painfully.
Ginji sensed the change in his mood, and looked inquiringly at him. Ban shook his head. Later.
Himiko let out a sigh, hands clenched in her lap. "I just want this over with already," she muttered. Her voice was shaking, a little.
Ban said nothing, but he shifted a little closer, his arm brushing lightly against hers, in what she supposed was meant to be comfort. Himiko looked at him out of the corner of her eye. His face was focused downwards, and his expression was hidden.
She was startled when Ginji grasped her hand firmly, and she looked up to see his bright, warm smile.
"You can do it, Himiko-chan," the other man said, his voice holding all the happiness and comfort and Ginji that made people love him so much. "You're a strong girl. Ban-chan knows this, doesn't he?" Ban made a small sound of affirmation from beside her. Ginji continued. "And we're here, we're helping you. Don't worry, okay? We'll make sure you pass."
"I did promise Yamato, after all," Ban said softly, so that only she could hear.
She had to smile, at this. She squeezed Ginji's hand in return, glad to have such friends. "Arigato," she said softly. I won't fail any of you.
Just then, Ban's arm jerked. Both he and Himiko looked sharply at it, sensing the warning from Aesclepius. It's coming.
Ban stood. "The shield…"
He was startled to feel Himiko's hand touch his arm. "Ban."
He looked at her. "What?"
She hesitated, then shook her head. "Whose magic will you use, yours or Aesclepius's?"
He sighed. "Himiko, I'm fine…"
Her tone sharpened. "You're human, Ban, heir to the Witch Queen or not. You'll run out of energy, soon. I don't want you to strain yourself."
"Since when did you become my keeper?" he spat.
Before she could retort, a cold wind gusted to the Birthplace, ghosts began to gather… and a tall, black-swathed figure stepped through the portal. "Lady Poison, it does no good to delay."
Ginji started up, and let out a nervous crackle. His eyes widened in abject fear. "A-akabane-san?"
The others were equally startled…Ban hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. I forgot about him.
Akabane tilted his hat, releasing a soft chuckle. "It seems, Midou-kun, you forgot to tell them about me."
"What…why are you…" Ginji began.
The man looked at him, amused. "I'm the judge, Ginji-kun."
Ginji's eyes widened. "Whaaaa…"
"Why him?" Shido muttered, and Emishi nodded in agreement, hands tightening around his whip.
Akabane turned to Himiko. "Lady Poison, you will come now, will you not?"
She turned to look at Ban. "You won't use yourself up?"
He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, his eyes giving her a silent promise before he turned her towards the portal. "Go." Aesclepius slid out of his arm, encircling the group once more, shielding them from the creatures about to attack. "I'll be fine."
Himiko bit her lip, and averted her eyes. She stepped forward, and Ginji went with her at Ban's nod. His face was set, and determined.
"Good luck, Himiko-san," Natsumi called after her worriedly.
A cold chill rushed through them all as Akabane released another chuckle. "Lady Poison," he said placidly. "You might need plenty, this time."
They stepped into a place that looked like some sort of ancient arena. A shallow pit was dug into the earth, around twenty feet in diameter. Spells and runes shimmered around the rim of the pit, and tier after tier of stone seats surrounded it, making the whole place look like the Rome's Coliseum.
Himiko groaned. "I don't like the look of this."
Ginji was still eyeing the homicidal judge suspiciously. "Akabane-san, what's going to…"
Himiko suddenly gasped. Slowly, as if a veil were being pulled back, people began to appear in the seats. They just were suddenly there, somehow hidden from her sight a minute ago…
In the highest seats, directly across Himiko, Ginji, and Akabane, sat Amaya and Shinya. Barely contained rage simmered beneath their blank countenances; they still hated the fact that she'd gotten this far. If she squinted, Himiko could see behind them, the faint outline of Ban's grandmother. She got the impression the Witch Queen was there to make sure Amaya and Shinya wouldn't cheat.
Ginji saw her, too. "That's Ban-chan's obaasan?"
Himiko nodded. "Hai."
Ginji scratched his head. "She looked different when I saw her. Older…"
"Do you think the Witch Queen cannot change her shape, Ginji-kun?" Akabane asked, seemingly amused. He stepped forward. "That is her true form." Finally, he raised his head. "Lady Amaya and Lady Shinya," he called out, voice sliding over the words like silk. "They are ready to receive your instructions."
The ladies nodded coldly at him, and he walked to a separated seat, at the opposite end of the arena.
"Kudo Himiko, step forward."
Himiko did, and Ginji stayed beside her, until they stood just below the seats and could look straight into the witches' faces. Amaya stood.
"Do you know who we are?" She extended her arms, the gesture encompassing the audience, the near thousand of them in their carved seats and long, white robes.
Yes, she knew, knew full well although she hadn't wanted to. "The others of the Voodoo Children," she answered, and her voice came out faint, and small. Annoyed at herself, she straightened her back and glared at them, looking almost brave in spite of her bedraggled and wet appearance.
Ginji by her side said nothing, but she could sense a sudden prickling of the air; a wary warning of electricity. His brown eyes were determined, and she could feel him supporting her.
Amaya laughed. "Brave soul," she said softly, unpleasantly. "Your next trial is to fight us.
"You have passed, so far. Largely on your own. The strength of your will is remarkable, in itself." A cold smile curved Amaya's mouth upwards. "It will be useful when you are one of us."
Himiko kept her silence, but her hands were clenched into fists, knuckles whitening.
Shinya spoke now. "Your task is to win as many of the rounds as possible, by the end of this third hour," she rasped out. "The battle you absolutely have to win, though, is the last battle. If you win that, you will pass." The hag smirked. "It is, of course, the hardest."
"One more thing," Amaya said. Her eyes bore into Himiko, and she did not look away. "From now on, you may use your magic without risk of automatically failing the trial."
Ginji looked at Himiko as she stiffened. It was so strong he could see it: an aura of magic around her. Just there, unused…
"If I use my magic," Himiko spoke, almost belligerently. "Will I be open to the same dangers my brother was?"
That black monster, lying in wait behind the door…
The sorceresses' eyes gleamed strangely. "Ah. So you know."
"Of course, Himiko-chan," Shinya hissed softly. "You will be open. You are not much different from us, after all."
"Can I help her?" Ginji spoke now, loud and clear. Himiko glanced at him gratefully, before turning back to the witches.
They looked at each other, then behind them, at Ban's grandmother. And the lady stepped forward, her face cool, but with an air of sorrow around her. "It is Kudo Himiko's trial," she said. "Therefore, Amano Ginji may not help in every battle. I leave it up to the makers of the trial to answer his question."
The sorceress looked down at her and Ginji. Amaya let out a sigh of irritation. "Very well. But only twice. And only if she calls for it."
Ginji and Himiko looked at each other, troubled.
"And not during the last battle."
Uh oh.
"The judges for this trial will be Akabane Kuroudo and our Queen, herself," Amaya stood, gestured, and at the furthers end of the seated Children a white-robed female stood up. "She shall be your first opponent, Himiko."
Himiko shook her head at Ginji as he looked at her questioningly. "Not yet."
Ginji watched, body tense as Himiko faced her opponent.
Good luck, Himiko-chan.
Not yet. He hadn't liked it, and she knew he hadn't, but he also knew the necessity of saving your resources.
But he wasn't sure if he would be able to stop himself if she got into too much trouble…
It was there again, that urge to protect completely, to make life easier for his friends. One thing he had yet to learn was that sometimes, people needed to do things for themselves.
Sometimes.
Sunlight glinted off steel: the woman's weapons were two sais, and Ginji could see a faint aura of magic surrounding her. What kind of opponent would she be? He saw Himiko draw out her knives. They had to be enough against the larger weapons. They were magic, after all.
Somehow, Ginji knew that Himiko wouldn't use her own magic, unless she absolutely had to.
"Battle!" It was the Witch Queen's voice, with more authoritative snap in it than Ban's.
The woman leapt forward…Himiko dodged aside and struck. Sai clashed against knife with sparks of blue magic, and Ginji saw her grit her teeth, as the blow shook her body. The woman chopped downwards with the other sai, and Himiko blocked it with her other knife. They thrust each other away, circled slowly…lunge, thrust, dance away. A bolt of magic struck at Himiko. The girl barely leapt aside, dashed forward and retaliated with a slash of her knife. A portion of the white robe fluttered to the floor.
Deadly movements, too fast, for the girl had no chance to use her perfumes. Or not…Probably Ginji had not seen clearly, because suddenly Himiko was breathing fire at her opponent. The woman shielded herself, stumbling away, and Himiko somersaulted over her. Ginji saw the faint twinkle of a faceted vial before one of the woman's sais rusted, and broke.
Corrosion!
The woman barely fended off Himiko's follow-up thrusts. She ducked, slid forward, slashed with her remaining sai, and Himiko screamed. Blood spattered the ground. Himiko landed on her feet, a meter away, but her face was drawn with pain, hand pressed over her bleeding thigh.
"Himiko-chan!" Ginji cried, fists sparking.
"Don't!" she called sharply.
Her opponent sped forward, sai raised to kill. Himiko lifted a vial and inhaled.
Suddenly, so suddenly it made Ginji start…the girl disappeared in a blur, and reappeared behind the woman, aiming a blow to the back of her head with the handle of her knife. Ginji breathed out a sigh of relief as the woman crumpled onto the ground.
Warily, Himiko approached her unconscious opponent…raised her knife…hesitated, unsure.
"Lady Poison?" Akabane enquired calmly, and her eyes turned to him.
"Jackal, do I have to kill her?"
You're asking him? was Ginji's ironic thought.
The doctor looked at the Queen beside him, who bowed her head in thought. Some form of communication must have passed between them, because Akabane turned back to the girl and shook his head slightly. "You have defeated her. There is no need to kill."
Himiko nodded, and re-sheathed both her knives.
"First battle, over. Himiko, would you like to step aside and heal, for a while?" The Witch Queen inquired. Ginji could see Amaya and Shinya from where he was standing. The two looked livid.
He also noticed, with some consternation, that the girl was doubled over in pain. Leaping into the pit, he ran to her and slipped her arm around his shoulders, supporting her. She looked at him, surprised, and smiled before turning to the Queen. "Yes, please."
She was given three minutes. Out of the corner of his eye, Ginji saw Amaya and Shinya turn to each other, deep in conversation. He didn't like the look of that.
He reverted his attention back to his companion. "Himiko-chan, did you take the antidote already?"
She stiffened a bit, before sighing. "Ban told you, didn't he?"
"Un." He looked earnestly at her as a neutral-looking spirit approached them. At the Witch Queen's nod, Himiko allowed it to treat her thigh wound. "Himiko-chan, you should be careful."
"I don't want to fail," she reminded him.
He shook his head. "It's useless if you die! I don't want you to!"
The girl took in a sharp breath: she remembered, not too long ago, the same words being uttered in a voice no less fervent than Ginji's was now.
As if reading her mind, Ginji went on. "Ban-chan doesn't want you to, either! Please, Himiko-chan, be careful when you use the Acceleration, don't use it too much, let me help you!"
"You can only help twice."
Ginji's eyes flashed frustration; his hands crackled. Himiko laid a hand over them, trying to calm him down. She gave a small, sad smile.
"Ginji, I would rather die than have the curse take effect." He shook his head, and she closed her eyes and bowed her own head. "You know the alternative. Would you rather I became that?"
The man, for once, could find nothing to say. "Himiko-chan…"
"I know Ban will be angry at me if I die," the girl continued, in a low voice. "If I fail, he'll be angry at himself…"
"Second battle," Akabane called smoothly. Her opponent was a rough-looking, spear-bearing male. She stood. Ginji did, too. "Do I…"
"Not yet," she said.
A foot nudged Ban's side. "Oi. Midou."
Snapping out of his daze, Ban glared at Shido. "What?"
The Beastmaster jerked a thumb at Aesclepius. Whose head was moderately far from Ban. "Message from him. Don't strain yourself, and stop brooding." He looked questioningly at the man seated, cross-legged, on the floor. "What are you doing, anyway?"
"I was hoping he wouldn't notice," Ban muttered, standing.
The ghosts seemed fewer, and they were oddly quiet. Kazuki and Juubei were on their feet and on guard: so were Paul and Emishi. Natsumi and HEVN were seated and resting. Aesclepius encircled them all.
"Midou? What were you…"
"Trying to sense for Himiko. Or Ginji," Ban cut in. His hands were shoved into his pocket, and he was staring at the galaxy of the Birthplace. He was smoking, finally…Paul had lent him a lighter.
Shido was amazed how many cigarettes he could smoke in a little over half an hour.
"You worry too much," the Beastmaster said. But it wasn't really an insult.
Ban said nothing.
The crackle of electricity covered her as she dashed forward and slashed outwards with both her knives. Her opponent was a shapeshifter, and unfortunately apt with his talents. The shifter screamed as Ginji hung onto an elongated arm and sent shocks through his body, and roared as he flung the man off. Luckily, or maybe not so luckly, Himiko was there to break his fall; they crashed to the ground and rolled away from each other as a spiked scorpion tail crashed down between them. Very apt with his talents, and very quick, the shapeshifter was.
Ginji grabbed the tail of the scorpion and practically fried it, and it shifted into…nothing.
A wind surrounded them, flapping and sharp. Realization broke over Himiko's face, and she whipped out her flame poison, letting it float on the wind.
"Himiko—! " Ginji let out a startled exclamation as the air around them burst into flames. He felt the girl grab his arm and pull him out of the burning circle…
That suddenly turned into a coughing, choking, defeated man.
Himiko released Ginji's arm. "We did it," she said, smiling tiredly.
"Battle to the Lady Poison," Akabane called.
So far, she had won a decent number of her battles. This one, apparently, had just evened out the score. She hadn't used Acceleration much, miraculously, but she was practically exhausted. She hadn't used her magic, either.
Yet.
She turned her attention to Ginji, who she was now helping to the sidelines. "Are you all right?"
He grinned at her and flashed a peace sign. "I'm ok." In the battle, he had taken many of the blows and magical hits meant for her, aside from straining himself considerably. Ginji was fighting, not Raitei, although he was finding it hard to keep the Emperor at bay. For her part, Himiko knew she most probably wouldn't have won this battle if Ginji hadn't helped.
"You rest." She made him sit, and let the medical spirit tend to him.
"Himiko-chan? What about you?"
"Later." She nodded at Akabane and the Witch Queen, stepping back into the arena.
It was the second time she'd called for Ginji, already, she only knew that much. Time flies by in a dizzying blur, when you're weary to the bone with fighting. Himiko felt numb, mechanical, and she didn't want to think. She'd barely won the last fight, but she had the uncomfortable impression she's lost more than she'd won…
They won this one, it seemed. Ginji grabbed her arm and led her off the field…she barely registered the fact that his skin was glowing, white-yellow-power, and his hand on her arm was sparking, and it didn't really hurt because he was probably controlling it...She vaguely wondered if he'd turned into Raitei. But if he had, then Ban would have shown up, wouldn't he? Because Ban didn't want him to turn into Raitei, and Ban had the habit of turning up when you need him most even if you're entirely worlds away…
The antidote to Acceleration was being pushed under her nose. Oh. Yes. Inhale…"Himiko-chan, breathe. Come on!"
Her magic was floating around her and in her, calling to her, telling her to use it. She pushed it away, and managed to remember that breathing was an action that didn't require much thought.
The last few battles had pushed her to her limit: her opponents had been poison users, too. The very first, it seemed. It was odd, fighting against your ancestors.
A challenge, but a doable one, for the Lady Poison.
"How much longer?" she asked wearily, eyes sliding open as strength returned, slowly, to her body. Fingers touched her head; it was the spirit, healing her.
Ginji shook his head. "I don't know, Himiko-chan." He corked the vial, handing it back to her. Worry danced through his eyes, showed clearly on his face. She saw it, too well.
"I've lost more than I won, haven't I?" she asked quietly.
Ginji's silence told her all she needed to know.
They watched as the Witch Queen stood. "Fifteen minutes left." Her eyes turned to the girl. "Lady Poison, I think it's time for your last battle."
Himiko winced, at the possible double meaning to those words. Sighing, she stood.
Ginji stood, too, and tried to stop her. "Himiko-chan, rest a while…"
"Theyr'e calling me," she said, face shadowed. "Ginji…"
He leaned closer, trying to catch her words.
"If…if anything happens to me…tell Ban I'm sorry." She looked up before he could protest. "And…well, this will sound stupid, but take care of him." She smiled slightly. "Like you always have."
The only thing missing was a dramatic wind, blowing through the arena.
Unfortunately, it was humid and still. The light was beginning to take on the shadowed richness of sunset: it was near six o'clock, after all.
The stillness of the air was unfortunate in two ways: it was damn uncomfortable, and it was going to be difficult to get her opponent downwind.
"Your next opponent, Himiko." This was Shinya. "Is not strictly an ancestor."
Himiko glanced suspiciously up at them. "What do you…"
It was Ginji's startled cry that alerted her, and she turned to see a figure striding from the other end of the arena. A figure with dark slacks and a white, bedraggled dress shirt, and damp brown hair hanging into glaring blue eyes.
She saw the Witch Queen stir, a little, maybe in some surprise, but she was too shocked to register anything else. A nameless fear rose within her. "Ban, how…"
He struck.
Aesclepius reared, and everyone looked up in alarm.
Ban stood quickly, too, but not in reaction to the snake. "What the—"
"Ban-kun?" HEVN asked.
The man frowned. "Ginji's panicking," he said, and his voice was puzzled. "Something…about me. But I'm right here, and I'm in no trouble—Aesclepius?"
The snake peered down at him with golden-wide eyes. "Something is wrong."
She couldn't help it, it was instinctive. As soon as Ban attacked her, she inhaled Acceleration twice and dashed away…and at the same time, she flung up a shield of magic.
It crackled through her, powerful and consuming; it had nearly betrayed her by being so overwhelming that she barely had the presence of mind to escape Ban's powerful blows. Fighting it away (keeping the monster at bay…), she managed to keep her mind, managed to escape his attacks.
But he was so fast, she barely had time to pull out her perfumes…
He evaded her blast of flame and was behind her, she turned, slashed at him, leapt away, heard the ripping of cloth and saw a portion of his shirt flutter to the ground.
There was a disturbance in the sidelines; she barely registered the fact that Ginji was arguing with the Witch Queen, trying to stop the fighting of his friends.
Ban—!
She didn't want to fight him, not to the death…
As magic helped her fight, helped her live through the many sips of Acceleration, shielded her as she attacked and he attacked, she remembered what he had said, the first time he'd fought her after so many years…
If I had been serious, you'd have been bitten at least five times already.
He was serious now. She saw he was right. Only the strange energy she had now protected her, that and what little skill she'd gained since then.
But I don't want to fight him…
Taking a chance, she pulled out a vial, sped close to him, received a painful blow to the arm (was that the crack of bone?) before shoving the vial under his nose.
His movements slowed; good old puppet perfume. He glared at her, panting, bleeding in some places (she was surprised; she'd managed that?), and she stayed a safe distance away, magic still surrounding her, not shielding, just there. She was panting, too. Pain was spiking through her arm; maybe it was a small fracture.
"Ban, what are you…"
To her surprise he ripped forward and at her again, and she barely evaded his grasp. Her lavender overshirt tore off, and a portion of the dark purple shirt underneath ripped, too. Thankfully, not a revealingly.
But that's when she noticed, that he wasn't using magic, even if he was perfectly capable of it.
And with her magical sight…she could not see Aesclepius. At all. In fact, she could sense something very strange, something that reminded her of Clayman's masks, made to deceive, made to make you believe what you were seeing was somebody else…
It clicked. "You're not Ban," she hissed out, and suddenly power surged through her, now that she knew she wasn't fighting a friend.
"Ban-chan! Himiko-chan! STOP!" Ginji felt panic and power in him, and he tried to keep down the storm inside him, and break into the arena at the same time.
But the Witch Queen was keeping him away, gripping his arm tight with a grasp more powerful, or as powerful, as Ban's, and she was looking at the girl and at the man as they fought, dust and magic rising and obscuring them. "Ginji, you cannot. It's her battle."
Ginji turned brown-gold eyes on her, static slicking back his hair into electric spikes. "That's your grandson out there!"
She looked at him, and he calmed down a little at the sorrow in her eyes. "I know."
Acceleration. Hit. Flame. Corrode. Attack. Magic…
Himiko's eyes flashed rage. You're not Ban.
Don't try to fool me.
He tried to punch a hole through her heart: she ducked under his arm, plunged a knife into him. He evaded it but it gouged his shoulder, and he leapt away, ripping the knife out of her hand.
It was funny how he didn't make a sound.
She directed a stream of fire at him, singeing his shirt, burning his arm. He rolled on the ground, and put it out, dashed forward and aimed for her neck.
She evaded him.
And for the first time, he blasted her with magic, and she met it with her own, and with savage relief she saw that she was right, because this creature's magic was not Ban's blue-purple, but a hellish red-black.
Don't try to fool me. She slammed his magic away, and drew her knife. She aimed her own power at it, letting it grow, letting it change…
"Why is Ban-chan fighting her?!"
The Witch Queen was finding it hard to keep the young man in place, and she could feel the power of the Raitei rising steadily within hi. "Ginji, be quiet!"
"No!" Thunder rumbled, far away, lightning flashed. Amaya and Shinya jerked in their seats, and stared in his direction.
The Witch Queen gripped him hard, glared at him with eyes as blue as Ban's. Her long white hair was floating, in the static, but she was unhurt. "Ginji. Any wrong move you do could mean death for Himiko. And Ban." She tilted her head in the direction of the two sorceresses, who were the makers of the trial, the holders of fate.
Akabane was silent, and his hat was pulled low over his head. He was watching, but he was tense.
And suddenly, he spoke. "That's not Midou-kun."
Both heads turned to him, in sudden, startled confusion. "What?" Thunder rumbled again.
"If the two of you would clear your minds a while, and look, you'd see what I see." There was a pause, then a sudden, nearly surprised, "She won."
They turned back to the arena. And saw Himiko, with a long sword, that was thrust into Ban's back and through his heart.
Himiko turned tired eyes on the three of them, and the look on her face stopped the cry on Ginji's lips. "This is not Ban," she said clearly, wearily.
With her free hand, she put a hand on the shoulder of the corpse before her, and made a long, tearing motion sideways. There was a searing rip, and a crack, and the magic dissolved, leaving the white-robed form of…whoever it was, skewered on the end of her sword.
At the same time, Ginji thought he heard Ban's voice in his mind. "Oi! What's wrong with you?" He stiffened, and then let a relieved smile break over his lips. "She's…right."
The Queen beside him shook her head. "Why didn't I…" Then her eyes narrowed, and Ginji thought he saw a sheen of magic leave her. She turned and glared at Amaya and Shinya.
Himiko lowered her sword, and let the body slide off the tip. She turned to face Amaya and Shinya. "I won."
Ginji saw, with some discomfort, that the two sorceresses seemed unruffled. "Yes, you did."
She had won the last battle: according to their outlines, she had won the trial. Why aren't they…
Akabane stood abruptly, and grasped Ginji's arm. "Let's go, Ginji-kun."
Himiko spun and stared at him, startled, and Ginji looked at him warily. "I'll just get Himiko-chan."
"No."
"What?!" Electricity shot through him again, but Akabane remained unaffected.
"She may not come."
"Akabane-san!"
"Jackal!" Himiko was running to them, and the Witch Queen was reaching out an arm…
The arena disappeared in the swirl of a portal.
Ban swore. "Ginji!"
Everyone looked at him. "Ban?"
"Aesclepius, pull them out, before he tears up the fabric of the Birthplace!"
There was an explosive crackle of magic, and lightning shot out of the portal. Ginji was angry, very angry, and Akabane barely warded off his blows.
"Ginji!" Ban saw, with a sudden jolt of fear, that Himiko was not with them. "Oi! What happened? Where's…"
"She passed!" Ginji roared at Akabane, and everyone else flinched back at his electric anger. "Why did you leave her?!"
Ban's eyes narrowed. "What?"
"It seems like Lady Amaya and Lady Shinya failed to tell you," Akabane said, in relative calm, but there was an undercurrent of anger in his voice, too. "There is one trial Lady Poison must pass alone."
Ban and Ginji cursed him, simultaneously. He looked coldly at them, and they fell silent when they saw that his usual smile was not on his face. Ban reached Ginji's side, and the other stopped crackling, a little.
"Do not think," Akabane said softly. "That I do not care about what happens to the Lady Poison. She has been a close acquaintance of mine, and an apt partner in business."
Apparently, Akabane had some semblance of feelings, after all.
"Then do something…" Emishi began.
"He can't," Ban cut in sharply, coldly. "He's the judge."
Ginji's head was bowed, his shoulder shaking with suppressed rage. He was still glowing unearthly blue-white.
Akabane tilted his hat. "If all goes well, Miss Himiko will be back at the ninth hour." His purple eyes slid over them, and they saw something like…a warning. "After that, it will be the final, and the most crucial trial."
Ban nodded, once. Akabane turned, and vanished back into the portal.
Himiko turned and glared angrily up at the sorceresses. "Traitors."
"Technically, no," the Witch Queen said bitterly. "Their agreement with Ban was that you may have companions in your trials. It was not a requirement, only an option."
"It is time for your next trial, Kudo Himiko," Amaya said smoothly. A doorway opened, just below the area they were sitting in: it was the same doorway she'd gone through, in her first trial, the ancient one marked by countless generations, countless races. Amaya and Shinya were beside it, suddenly, holding the door open for her. "Come."
Himiko gripped the hilts of her knives tightly, and grit her teeth, before walking forward.
I won't fail.
I promise.
To Be Continued…
Author's Notes: -insert shameless advertising here- Hey people! Please stay tuned for "Pretty With a Shockwave", a Fruits Basket fanfic co-written with Riyuji.Raicho n.n It'll be out...soon. Maybe next week. For those waiting for the sequel to Where Do Babies Come From...sorry! It's not clicking right now, but yes, we're still writing it. Let's say, we're on hiatus. Yes, it is possible to be on hiatus even if the fic isn't posted yet. n.n
Limelie: limelie…how could it have taken you two nights? You read it the night I posted it, and I got your review the morning after… 0.o Thanks for reviewing. n.n Will do (re: Nekomi)
Akabeko: Akabeko-san! :D nyahaha. Thanks for reviewing!
obssdGB: Bakit ho, obvious ba? :D oh well! Tenkyu for reviewing!
marbles: XD Guess I couldn't help it. XD Yes, that part when he appeared was the giveaway. :D
undeniablyevil: I lab books. Books are my PRENDS. :D pero, secret natin to ha…nag-research ako sa Encarta. :D hahaha. Oo, tatapusin ko. Siyempre… :)
Naga: Naga…you're the writer of that really really nice story Riyuji and I were reading. Are you continuing it? Was the guy REALLY abducted by aliens? :) Hope this was a quick enough update. Bai bai!
Elle30: Hehe, I was trying to make Akabane not-so-obvious, yet obvious since…the beginning of the fic. Sorta. :D Like I said to marbles, yes, couldn't help but put in a BxH moment. n.n Ooooh well… :D I enjoyed writing that, anyway.
NekoRanmaHP-AnimeKaizen: From now on…I shall call you NEKOMI! XD haloo! I call everyone pare, mostly. So don't mind that. Hey, the spelling of Riyuji's name…don't get it wrong. n.n Talaga, sa banda Concha Cruz ka? –grins-
Watery: Hope this is "soon"… :D I enjoyed it, too. Thanks for reviewing!
Tsuka-kun: Hope you found the links good. n.n Thanks for the cookie!
Snow-baby: I have more Ban x Himiko. :D hehehe. Yap, proud to be Pinoy. :D
Zorana: I updated. :D Thanks for reviewing.
Mayumi-san: Really? How long did you take? –big, questioning eyes- Hehehe. I liked writing that part, na rin. This chapter's shorter. Weeheehee.
I...made a Ban/Himiko wallpaper. Yes, I was bored.