SailorStar9: And so, Chapter 9 goes up, this is revamped version of Chapter 10. Read and review.
Disclaimers: Yu Yu Hakusho, DNAngel and Sailor Moon aren't mine. I only own Wish.
Chapter 10: A Matter of Love and Death
In the ring…
"Alright people, let's not delay this inevitable slaughter-fest any longer! Please come center for the start!" Koto announced.
On the ring side…
"Think Yusuke." Kurama urged. "There must be some way we can prevent this disaster."
"I don't know." Yusuke admitted.
In the announcer's booth…
Butajiri snorted, "As soon as this half-dead kid tips over, I'm going to be a very wealthy man."
In the ring…
"Look at that glow in his eyes." Koto remarked. "Kuwabara's really for more!"
"It feels delightful, doesn't it?" she beamed at the wincing Kuwabara.
"You don't like it? She blinked when Kuwabara collapsed to the ground.
"This is going to be a short one." She sweatdropped.
"Yes, he's just a waste of time." Risho agreed.
"You are!" Kuwabara retorted, standing back up.
That was a pretty good comeback. He mused. Maybe the stalling and getting up stuff will get him on his toes.
"I'm happy to accept your surrender." Risho grinned. "Why don't you avoid embarrassment?"
"I don't get the spotlight very often." Kuwabara told him. "And I aren't going to mess this up!"
"Now boys." Koto interrupted. "Enough with the weaning banter. Let's get on with this fight that decides the round advancement to the semi-finals."
On the ring side…
"Come on!" Yusuke hollered. "Just hold on, Kuwabara! Maybe we could beat up that stupid committee or something!"
In the announcer's booth…
Butajiri scoffed, "Talk all you want, Yusuke. You're not going to screw with any of us anymore."
In the spectator's seats…
Sakyo got out of his seat, with Toguro following him.
In the ring…
"Match six, Urameshi Team, Kuwabara. Team Masho, Risho. Begin!" Koto declared.
"Wimps and you'll be first." Risho smirked.
"Why don't you shut your big trap, Risho?" Kuwabara retorted.
"Despite of injuries, Kuwabara is making the first charge!" Koto announced as Kuwabara dashed towards Risho.
"Spirit Sword!" Kuwabara formed his energy in his hand, only to have it dispel seconds later.
Risho leapt into the air to avoid Kuwabara's attack, appearing behind him and landing a kick on Kuwabara's back.
"And Risho comes in with a tremendous counterattack, adding injury to injury. The advantage here is obvious." Koto declared.
"Something's really wrong here." Kuwabara remarked. "I had energy, why can't I make my sword?"
Risho grinned before closing in on the fallen Kuwabara, using him as a punching bag.
Outside the stadium…
"What do mean we can't get in?" Botan demanded. "We got four tickets! Surely you're able to count!"
"Three girls go out and four come back in." the gatekeeper remarked. "Don't smell like good math to me."
"These are three regular tickets plus I have a floor pass as team trainer!" Botan argued.
"Please hurry!" Keiko begged. "That's our friend in there!"
"No re-admittance! Do take your dirty human and row and get out of my face!" the gatekeeper hollered. "The only humans who pass me are those with something to offer and I'm not beggin you girls as crime lord millionaires. However…"
"Say, why you're an apparition." He noted, taking a sniff at Yukina.
"And I need more tests to figure out you." He looked at Botan.
"In your dreams, tubby." Botan retorted.
"Alright, maybe we can work something out." The gatekeeper remarked, "You're no millionaire party."
"But little human girls like yourselves, got plenty of offer me, don't ya?" He sneered at Keiko.
Keiko screamed, slapping him away from her when the gatekeeper landed a hand on her shoulder.
Shizuru then planted a foot on his face, "Drop the fantasy. The only difference with us human girls is how hard we…"
"Kick." She finished her sentence, giving the gatekeeper a good kick on his back.
"It's always a blast when you travel with those two." Botan assured the newcomer.
"Is it okay?" Yukina asked.
"Oh sure. Trust her." Botan beamed as they entered the stadium, Keiko followed behind, nursing her injured wrist.
"Shizuru, we're going to run from security now!" Botan informed the older woman.
That said, the three girls ran into the stadium, Shizuru following closely behind.
"After them!" a security guard instructed, chasing the four girls.
"Halt! Right that!" another guard ordered.
"Why does everything we do here have to be so complicated?" Botan inquired as the group ran.
"I get to hit the criminal firs this time, okay?" The red lizard demon commented.
"Oh Koenma sir, where are you?" Botan wailed when they found themselves surrounded.
In the ring…
Risho was using Kuwabara as a punching bag.
"Kuwabara continues to be pummeled by Team Masho's seedy leader." Koto announced. "Hey Kuwabara, tell me how it feels. Makes you want shout in joy, doesn't it? I know I am an announcer but I can't help a bit sidetracking."
Meanwhile, Risho was giving Kuwabara a punching of his lifetime.
On the ring side…
"Don't just let that creep wail on you, show some friggin' balls!" Yusuke shouted.
"We both know he's proven enough, it's a miracle he's even standing. " Kurama remarked.
Damnit, Nemesis. What's taking you? Athena wondered in worry.
By the medical tent…
Ruka gave a horrified scream when she saw Hiei's aura radiate around him.
"His body is exploding with energy. Why in the hell did I take this job? They're going to kill me!" the redhead demoness realized.
"You're going to make a move at the first sigh of Kuwabara's fall, don't you?" the Masked Fighter asked.
"If you have any noble plans to stop me, I suggest you write your will. I'm not leaving without war." Hiei told her.
"Let's just see what happens first." The Masked Fighter told him.
In the ring…
"As if I can't use my 'Spirit Sword' anymore." Kuwabara noted.
"The naïveté of youth." Risho chuckled as he rushed towards Kuwabara. "I thought you would have figured it by now."
"Do you really think a normal human could have sustained the injuries you have?" he added, continuing to punch Kuwabara. "Your body's been using your Spirit Energy to keep your alive! And now you have nothing left!"
"I'm going to take the count now, so everyone, make sure you tell me now if I'm doing it wrong, okay?" Koto requested after Risho kicked Kuwabara onto the ground.
In the announcer's booth…
"Ten more seconds and the whole story changes." Butajiri smirked.
"Butajiri." Sakyo called.
"The wonder couple." Butajiri noted as Sakyo and Toguro appeared. "Just the two people I want to see. Welcome to my top-of the-world ingoted celebration. Thanks to my work, our mutual enemy is screwed and I'm about to be filthy rich."
"You were wrong about Tarukane." Sakyo informed him. "Yusuke wasn't responsible for his death. You understand, that little eyesore would have been interfered with my plans and my dear friend Toguro knows that doesn't happen. Only had to flick his wrist to have that head pop right off. Sorry to inform you so late."
At that, Toguro flicked his middle finger, causing Butajiri's head to split, killing him instantly.
"I tell you Toguro. You're so creative at those deaths." Sakyo remarked. "Now we just have to hope Yusuke's team can survive this mess."
"If not, then he wasn't worthy of fighting me in the first place." Toguro added.
In the ring…
Right before Koto hit ten, Kuwabara got up to his feet.
"Kuwabara's doubles up again!" she added. "I think he's setting some kind of record for sheer willpower."
Risho snorted, landing a kick onto Kuwabara's face.
"I have no more time to nurse your heroics." He sneered. "I've got a prize to take."
"A real man earns what he wants." Kuwabara told him.
"Fine Kuwabara." Risho remarked, jumping out of the ring. "You'll see I'm quite capable of that."
"Risho's willfully stepped out of the ring." Koto declared. "What could he be planning?"
In the spectator's booth…
"I don't like the way he holds that finger." Koenma remarked.
Outside the ring…
"Each Shinobi is a Master of some skilled art." Risho commented. "Won't you wondering what mine would be?"
"Not really!" Kuwabara gaped as rocks circled Risho.
"What is that?" Yusuke asked, the ground almost shook him off his feet.
"It's an earthquake!" Kurama realized.
"World Crashing?" Athena noted in amusement.
"I don't think he intended to rip off Uranus' attack." Kurama remarked.
In the ring…
"Watch out for falling debris." Koto advised. "Risho's covered in dirt and rock from outside the ring and he's wrapping them around his body."
"What is this?" Kuwabara inquired as Risho surrounded himself with four streams of earth.
"I'm the Master of Earth." Risho remarked. "And it makes for excellent armor of clay."
"In addition to protection, this armor turns my whole body into a weapon." He added, jumping back in to the ring. "Let me show you how."
"Meteor…" he unleashed his attack as he crashed heavily into Kuwabara.
On the ring side…
"No!" Yusuke cried out as Kuwabara was thrown backwards.
In the ring…
"I've seen falling balls crashing with styrofoam with less force than Kuwabara just showed the ring., thanks to that crunch from Risho's 'Meteor' attack." Koto announced. "However, Risho's down too, hitting the ring like, well, like a meteor. But Risho looks to be unharmed and back on his feet. And Kuwabara is definitely not. Is this the end of this team?"
Meanwhile…
The four cornered girls were watching in horror as Kuwabara struggled up after the seventh count.
"Wow people, Kuwabara's climbing to his feet. We still got a fight on our hands!" Koto remarked.
"He's in pain." Yukina gasped.
"I'm imploring you as one heart-beating creature to another, our friend is dying out there. Please let us in!" Botan pleaded.
"No chance." The red lizard guard replied. ""You're all under arrest for illegal entry and for the assault of a extremely honorable employee."
"You mean that perv?" Botan exclaimed.
"You're has to." The blue lizard remarked. "I say we take them down for some demon styling interrogation. "
"Shove it!" Botan retorted, pushing the blue demon down and running off, the other three girls following her footsteps.
"Risho jumped into the air for another attack!" Koto's voice echoed through the hallway.
The girls stopped when Toguro blocked their path and Yukina stood stunned as she recalled her kidnapping.
"It's Toguro!" the blue lizard guard remarked. "Hey, stop them!"
"Run along." Toguro told them.
Yukina nodded and took off with Botan and Keiko.
"Sir, what did you that for?" the red lizard asked.
The other two guards entered with Shizuru in tow just as Sakyo descended from the staircase.
"Return to your stations." Sakyo told the guards. "She's with me."
"Of course sir." One of the guards holding Shizuru replied and released her.
"We didn't know." One of the guards added, bowing slightly before returning to their positions.
"So, we meet again." Sakyo noted.
"Bette call the papers huh?" Shizuru deathpanned.
Sakyo merely smiled, offering her a light for her cigarette.
In the ring…
"That second 'Meteor' attack was even stronger than the first." Koto remarked. "Kuwabara's whole body is doing the wiggle dance and yet he still tries to get up!"
"Why?" Risho demanded. "Why don't you quit?"
"You dummy." Kuwabara chuckled. "Guess you haven't checked the score for this round lately!"
Risho gasped at the implication.
"We have 4 wins and you have 2 and if I win my guys get to live! Urameshi and Kurama gave it everything they had, and I still have a way to bring it home for 'em!" Kuwabara added.
In the medical tent…
"He's going to kill himself." Hiei realized.
In the spectator's booth…
"See you Kuwabara. You were always my favorite." Koenma remarked.
"I don't follow what this option is, sir." George commented. "I mean I don't even see how's he's still standing."
"The boy is using the same strategy Yusuke did in the previous case." Koenma answered. "You know what I mean; when he defeated the last of those Saint Beasts, Suzaku. Yusuke was drained of his Spirit Energy, so he tapped in to his Life Energy, a move that would have killed him if Kuwabara hadn't donated some of his own life to save him."
"But everyone still has to fight this time. Who's going to save Kuwabara?" George asked.
"That's right, Blue Ogre." Koenma replied. "I'm afraid this will be a sacrifice of a more permanent kind."
In the ring…
"I know what you're doing." Risho remarked. "Using your Life Energy will only delay this. you're still going to die."
"No joke, moron." Kuwabara retorted. "That's the whole point of this fight. As long as I take you with me!"
"What?" Risho growled.
"If this fight ends in a draw, my team wins and the rest of my guys get to live." Kuwabara remarked.
Hiei. He passed a mental message to the half-fire demon. You little punk. You always said mean stuff to me but I know underneath all that junk, you're a good guy.
Kurama. He added, passing another mental message to the fox demon. You taught me a lot of the things you said. There's nobody more caring than you.
Mummy Fighter Person. He continued his mental message. You saved those guys from Dr. Ichigaki and that means a lot. You didn't say much but somehow I really feel like I know you.
And Urameshi. He passed his last message. Well…
"Just take care of the rest of this, okay?" he turned to Yusuke.
"Don't you do this!" Yusuke hollered.
"Let's not get too upset, Urameshi." Kuwabara remarked. "I want to keep my finish nice and manly."
"You ready, Risho?" he turned to the Master of Earth.
"It looks like this intense battle's about to end in the most exciting of ways!" Koto declared as Risho leapt into the air.
"Sorry boy, but dying is not in my plan!" Risho shouted, as he came down with another 'Meteor' attack.
"And this time, Kuwabara's charging his way as well." Koto commentated as Kuwabara dashed forward.
"Say hello to extinction!" Risho snorted as he continued his descend.
"That's fine by me!" Kuwabara hollered.
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke cried out.
Wait a second, Yukina? Kuwabara blinked Risho clashed into him head-on. Why am I thinking of her now? Must be my life flashing before me. Sorry my love, I wanted to protect you always.
"Kazuma!" Yukina cried out from the stands.
That's weird. Kuwabara snapped out of his thoughts. I just thought I…
"Hey wait, she's here!" he gaped.
"What on earth are you blabbering about?" Risho demanded.
"I'm not blabbering! She's my girlfriend!" Kuwabara hollered, knocking Risho away.
"Kuwabara has just unbelievably hurled Risho outside the ring!" Koto commentated. "What a comeback! Where has this sudden surge of power come from?"
"There's only one person who calls me by my first name!" Kuwabara beamed.
"We've been very worried Kazuma, are you okay?" Yukina asked as Kuwabara rushed towards the ring side.
"Yeah!" Kuwabara laughed, posing.
"I am never gonna understand that bastard." Yusuke sweatdropped.
"Love conquers all?" Athena remarked amusedly.
Kurama chuckled at her comment.
In the ring…
"Well, it appears a lady friend of Kuwabara's come to witness the brutalities. They seem to be engaged in small talk right now." Koto commented.
"This is ridiculous!" Risho hollered as he climbed out from the rubble he crashed into.
"I felt better right when I saw you, my love." Kuwabara beamed, unaware that Risho was charging towards him. "Don't I look muscularly?"
"Armor of Clay!" Risho called out, tunneling into the ground.
"Look out people, Risho's struck in an even larger coat of armor on top of the first one." Koto declared.
"Hey, my Spirit Energy is coming back." Kuwabara remarked as he charged up. "I think we all know what this means."
"Try my 'Meteor' attack this time." Risho hollered as he came down towards Kuwabara/
"Spirit Sword!" Kuwabara summoned his weapon.
"What the…" Risho gaped in disbelief.
"Eat my energy!" Kuwabara shouted, slashing Risho with his energy blade.
"They're both out of the ring!" Koto announced. "So, I'll start the count!"
Kuwabara's energy sword pierced through Risho's armor, shattering it.
"You're just a no good cheater, Risho!" Kuwabara told the defeated Master of Earth. "So get out of my way!"
At that, he sent Risho flying into the spectators' seats with his Spirit Sword, baseball style.
The split second before Koto hit the tenth count, Kuwabara has clambered back to the ring.
"Kuwabara is the winner! And with five wins in the round, the Urameshi Team advances!" Koto declared.
"But… I really…" Risho coughed out. "Like the zone…" and passed out.
Outside the medical tent…
At the same time, Ruka's force-field was dispelled and the demoness sunk to her knees in exhaustion.
"She's really here." Hiei was stunned.
On the spectators' stands…
"We're okay!" Keiko beamed.
"Not too bad!" Yusuke smiled, slapping Kuwabara on his back.
"Don't sneak up on me when I'm breathin' hard, okay!" Kuwabara retorted, startled.
"I think I'm going to take a little nap now." he muttered before collapsing onto the ground.
On the sidelines…
"So, what's the final word? Will they be enough to keep you entertained?" Sakyo asked.
"Not yet." Toguro replied. "Let's see what Yusuke learns next."
After the fight…
"Yeah!" Kuwabara noted. "I showed Risho who's the man, didn't I? I am the actual anchor of this team, you know?"
"You did fight very bravely out there." Yukina replied. "I hope my healing powers are taking effect. Honestly, you're healing faster than my new skills should allow."
"That is the power of love, baby." Kuwabara told her.
"I guess you're right." Yukina smiled innocently.
She agrees! Kuwabara was overjoyed. She's finally admitting her love for me.
I wonder if Kazuma says these funny things to everyone. Yukina mused. Big clown.
Meanwhile…
"All I'm saying is you could have at least drop by our room or something." Yusuke remarked. "It's not like we're on a stupid field trip with chaperons."
"Maybe I didn't want to interrupt. You seem to have plenty of fun with those demons." Keiko replied.
"What?" Yusuke blinked. "Since when does Keiko want me to do what I feel like?"
"Since when did Yusuke care what Keiko has to say?" Keiko hollered back.
"Hey, why don't you just try not getting prissy with me?" Yusuke inquired.
"Why can't you have the guts to tell me about these things so that I don't have to drag it out of Botan?" Keiko retaliated.
"Party popper." Yusuke remarked.
"Crybaby." Keiko returned.
"We're live at the tournament's most exciting match yet." Botan commentated, hiding in the bushes.
Turning around, Yusuke added, "Look, we both been doing some growing up since we last saw each other. You, for instance."
Keiko gaped when Yusuke poked her backside, "Is it just these pants or did you really get a nice ass?"
"Yusuke, you jerk!" she fumed, slapping him across the face. "Haven't grown up that much!"
Bad move by Yusuke. Botan wondered, peeking in.
"Don't worry about me." Yusuke remarked. "I'm okay. Altogether, I'll say it was worth it."
"Oh, shut up." Keiko retorted.
"You know Yusuke." She added, turning back. "I was impressed with that move you pulled. Bang!'"
Yusuke gave her a thumbs-up.
SailorStar9: Woot, this chapter is done! Read and review!
