"Alright, buddy, you both will have to came with me." Three oddly-dressed people were standing behind Hisaki and Yusuke.
"What side-show act let you three out?" Yusuke asked.
"Come on, Yusuke. You can't see through a simple disguise?" the middle guy asked, taking off his glasses.
"Koenma?" Yusuke asked.
"It's been a long time," Botan said.
"No see," George finished.
"Why're you three here?" Hisaki asked.
"We are as curious as anyone as to who is gonna be the new ruler of the Makai," Koenma said.
"Whatever just keep your disguises on or the Mazuku might discover what you are and take an early lunch," Yusuke said, threateningly. Botan and George clung to Koenma in fear.
"Please don't eat me!" Botan said.
"Mazuku scares George."
"Fear not, you two," Koenma said bravely. "Just stick by my side and all will be fine. … And we will all stick close to Yusuke!"
"Something's happening," Hokushin said, looking to the screen.
"And Shura concedes the fight," Koto announced. "This concludes the final bout of the preliminary rounds, moving Yomi a step higher up the ladder and into the main tournament. Congratulations to all who have made it through today."
"Ms. Hisaki, it's time now," a guard said coming up to her.
"Time for what?" Botan asked.
"Since somebody ditched me," Hisaki said, glaring at Yusuke who was laughing nervously. "I have to give a mini-speech thingy."
Koto walked out on the main stage. "Now if I could get everyone's attention please. Before we proceed, I promised I'd hand over the mic to Ms. Hisaki, one of the two organizers of this tournament, so she can say a few things to get tonight started right."
The crowd was mixed in booing and cheering, the former being louder.
"Hey!" Hisaki said into the mic, quieting the crowd. "First off congratulations to the winners of the preliminaries. Now I know all of you think you're bad-ass demons, but I want you to consider one thing, fighting to the death isn't the requirement. All of you would like to live to fight another day and I feel the same way. If you're dead, you can't fight. I'd hate for this to be the one day I see some of you in the ring. I'd rather have all of you return to fight another day.
"To be honest, I'm not sure I'll walk away the winner here. I think later, I'd be better suited for this tournament. Of course that is to say whoever wins here doesn't call this the final tournament. The point of my and my brother's proposition was to get everyone out here to fight every so often and decide who replaces the old ruler. I'm not clairvoyant or anything, but I think whoever wins today will find this to be fair. And with that being said, let's kick ass!"
Hisaki took on her first opponent with ease, knocking him out with a few kicks.
Heading back to the waiting area, Hisaki met up with Touya and Yusuke who were watching Jin take of Souketsu, one of Raizen's old friends.
"It doesn't seem as if Jin is holding it together out there," Touya said.
"Father's friends tend to do that to people," Hisaki said.
"Souketsu and Raizen, makes sense," Touya said. Jin and Souketsu took the fight to the sky. Souketsu got hit by Jin's tornado fist, but easily recovered. Despites Jin's whole-hearted attempt, Souketsu was still in another class and this fight was child's play to him. Souketsu came out victorious when Jin passed out, still in a fighting pose eyes open.
"I guess your idea is working," Touya said as Souketsu helped Jin out of the Okuninja tree platform.
"Goodeffort, Jin," Yusuke said.
Touya left to go fight Kujuu, another acquaintance of Raizen and Natsumi's twin brother. Touya seemed like he might win when he froze Kujuu's legs to the ground and sucked out part of his energy.
"Touya's fighting well," Kurama said, coming up on Yusuke's other side.
"Yeah, it's great to see he's improved," Yusuke said. "I was hoping he'd be up to the fight."
"Some of these fighters have it as their only goal to beat one of you, Yusuke, Hisaki," Kurama said. Hisaki failed to note the slight worry in his voice adding her name.
"It's nice of them to think so highly of us," Hisaki said. "But there are stronger fighters out there."
"We all know this," Kurama said. "It's your purity in battle that's the draw. Touya told me this today before his fight. Thanks, in no small part to you, Yusuke, he now has an actual philosophy to fighting. Of course, Hisaki, Hiei, Kuwabara, and I are also partially to thank as well."
"Well I don't know about any philosophy, that stuff is Greek to me," Yusuke said.
"You're nothing if not typical, bro," Hisaki said, patting his shoulder.
In the end Touya, like Jin, lost to Raizen's friend and Kujuu, like Souketsu helped Touya.
"That was a close one," Yusuke said.
"You forget Touya seems satisfied," Kurama said. "That's what important here."
"It's my pleasure to announce that all fights of the first round are completed now," Koto said. "Would all advancing fighters report to their designated waiting rooms."
"Well I'll catch you later, sis, Kurama," Yusuke said running off. Yusuke shot her a look before disappearing.
"I should be going as well," Kurama said.
"Wait," she called. He stopped walking and looked back. "You better not lose."
"You either," he said. "Mukuro is in your bracket."
"Don't worry about me, you know how I am," Hisaki said.
"Of course," Kurama replied. With that they parted ways.
The next day Hisaki woke up to find that Kurama was fighting Shigure. She met up with Yusuke and her demon friends from the Dark Tournament.
"I fear the outcome of this fight," Hisaki said.
"Another acquaintance of yours?" Yusuke asked.
"Somewhat," Hisaki replied. "He's an acquaintance of Hiei's when he and I were together. He's the one who implanted the Jagan in Hiei."
As soon as Koto said begin, Kurama summoned his Rose whip and lashed at Shigure who used his circular sword to block and then countered by throwing his ring-shaped sword, destroying the entire battle arena. Kurama proceeded into the woods, but Shigure threw the sword after him. Trying to stop the ring, Kurama wrapped his Rose whip around the sword only to have it cut up. Kurama then used his Petals and Thorns technique, but Shigure, using his sword, whipped up a whirlwind and knocked them away before plowing into the ground where Kurama was.
Hisaki's hand involuntarily twitched, catching Yusuke's eye. He put and arm around her shoulders in a brotherly manner.
"Hey come on, it'll take a lot more to take Kurama out," Yusuke said.
"That's not what makes me anxious," Hisaki said. A demonic energy swirled in with the dust cloud around Shigure. Youko had taken over. The fighting picked up again. Youko was easily avoiding getting hit by Shigure. Out of nowhere, Youko stopped and reverted back into Kurama. Shigure through his weapon at Kurama against, grazing his arm. Hisaki turned and walked away from the screen.
"Hey, where're ya off to?" Jin asked.
"I need some air," she said. Walking outside of the screaming crowds out of the arena, Hisaki took a deep breath, being able to concentrated on Kurama's fight better. She knew what was going to happen.
"I see it really is a reunion of bandits," Hisaki said, chuckling.
"Your senses are impeccable as always," Yomi said, walking out of the shadows.
"Trying to make a joke?" Hisaki asked. She and Yomi walked towards the Okuninja tree where Kurama was fighting.
"Innovative as always, Kurama," Yomi mused.
"Well he did plant these trees a long time ago," Hisaki said. "Guess you can't plan too far in advance."
Kurama had manipulated the tree they were fighting on. Hisaki and Yomi felt Shigure's energy fade.
"We should go get him now," Yomi said.
"That's what I always said to Youko about you," Hisaki said smirking. "How the tables have turned."
Yomi carried Kurama out of the tree and helped him onto the ground.
"Y-Yomi, H-Hisaki," Kurama said. Hisaki took over for being Kurama's crutch as Yomi stepped away.
"Kurama, have you forever deserted yourself as Youko?" Yomi asked.
"Oh no, I never leave anything behind, I never have," Kurama said. Yomi walked away as a large group of people ran towards them.
"Hisaki, it's time," Hiei said as Jin took Kurama out of Hisaki's arms.
"Right," she said battle grin already set on her face.
"You're fighting each other?" Yusuke asked.
"No, their fights are simultaneous," Touya said. "Hiei is fighting Mukuro and Hisaki is fighting Natsumi."
