Chapter 50
The next morning on their way to the dugout, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and The Masked Fighter stopped in their tracks once they were approached by Koenma, not recognizing him in his teen form.
"Looks like we have a fan," said Yusuke.
"I'd say I'm a little more than that, Yusuke," Koenma remarked.
"Wait a minute, Jr on the forehead and a squealy voice," Yusuke observed. "You're Koenma's older brother!"
"As far as I'm aware of, Koenma doesn't have any older brothers, only two younger sisters," Koenma corrected. "And I should know, I'm him...as a cool teenager!"
"Yeah, the pacifier for raving?" Yusuke remarked. "And are you sure that Etsu and Kiyoko are related to you? Because they're awesome...and hot."
"Can it, boy!" Koenma snapped. "And for your information, my sisters are related to me!"
"Chill, Koenma, I was joking," said Yusuke. "But, I did mean what I said about them being awesome and hot."
Koenma sighed in annoyance and addressed Kuwabara.
"Yo, Kuwabara, thanks for helping out Yusuke and the girls all the time," said Koenma. "It's nice."
"Hey, no problem," said Kuwabara.
"Give me a break!" Yusuke exclaimed. "All you do is give us someone else to rescue!"
"That's not true!" Kuwabara protested.
"Boys, please," said Koenma.
"So, sucker mouth, what are you doing here?" Yusuke demanded.
"Well, one: I'm your Spirit Detective Boss, two: I'm the owner of your team, and three: I have a way to help," Koenma replied. "Yusuke Urameshi, your egg is about to hatch."
"Excuse me?" asked Yusuke.
"Your golden egg, you moron!" Koenma snapped. "The egg of your Spirit Beast I gave you during your life ordeal, remember?!"
"I have no clue," said Yusuke.
"Brief recap, I gave you an egg that would hatch a Spirit Beast that would probably bite off your head! But, wisely, you decided to forgo your chance of reviving by hatching the beast prematurely thus saving Keiko from a fire. This sacrifice was the true answer to the ordeal and boom you're back to life, but the egg stayed with me so it never really hatched. Only its Spirit Energy released," Koenma explained, pausing for a moment. "Ever since you became a Spirit Detective, the egg unbeknownst to you have been feeding on your soul's merits, and after nearly a year it will hatch."
"Hey, that's pretty slick taking care of my egg like that," said Yusuke. "You could've scrambled it and I would've never known."
"How insightful," Koenma remarked. "But it's not hatched yet."
Before Koenma could say anything more, Yusuke spoke up of what he noticed.
"You know, Koenma, I've just noticed something and it's been bothering me," said Yusuke.
"What is it?" asked Koenma.
"Well, I sort of notice that your sisters resemble you a little, but looks a little bit like someone else, too," Yusuke replied. "I admit that I don't know much about family genetic stuff, but I do know that siblings share certain traits. Like why they have highlights and you don't. I mean, it's not everyday that hot chicks have natural highlights. Not to mention that they're braver than you."
"Well, I can't exactly explain the highlights except to confirm that they're indeed natural and the black hair they get from dad," said Koenma. "Also, I'd like to say that Kiyoko has dad's blue eyes, but her eyes are more of a crystal blue than a darker blue and Etsu's eyes are an amber-brown opposed to my light brown eyes."
"Amber-brown?" asked Yusuke. "I always thought they were golden brown."
"Amber-brown is the proper description for Etsu's eye color," Koenma explained. "Golden brown, honey brown, etc. are the same color."
"Oh, okay," said Yusuke.
"Where Etsu gets her eye color is also a mystery, but it could be from dad's relatives or from our mom's," said Koenma. "As for me, I get my hair and eye color from our mother."
"How come you've never said anything about your mom before?" asked Yusuke. "Etsu and Kiyoko never mentioned her, either. Why's that?"
"Because, I don't remember her much since she left when I was still in diapers," Koenma explained.
"What the hell are you talking about, Koenma, you're still in diapers," Yusuke remarked.
"Very funny, Yusuke," Koenma said dryly. "Anyway, my sisters never mentioned her because they never knew her."
Yusuke could tell from Koenma's annoyed expression that it was a touchy subject so he decided to lay off, letting Koenma continue to the former subject.
"As I was about to say, you'll have to depend on the skills Genkai has taught you for now," Koenma continued. "Hopefully, the Spirit Wave technique will be enough in this fight."
"Right, Spirit Wave, never actually perfected that one," Yusuke confessed. "We were busy."
Koenma became shocked as Yusuke, Kuwabara, and the Masked Fighter continued on their way.
"Thanks for the info, though, Koenma," said Yusuke. "That egg thing sounds pretty cool."
"Yes, well, good luck," said Koenma.
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The sisters were rushing to get their boots on after getting dressed in their fighting clothes as they had slept in. They were feeling slightly better than they had the day before, but were still feeling under the weather. However, they didn't give it any thought as they were more concerned about getting to the stadium before the fights could start. They were about out the door until Etsu remembered that she had forgotten to put her necklace and bracelet on.
"I'll be right back," said Etsu.
"Okay, hurry up," said Kiyoko.
After Etsu quickly retrieved her necklace and bracelet and put them on, she and Kiyoko left the suite, hurried out of the hotel, and broke into a run towards the stadium. While running, Kiyoko had taken her hair clip out of her pocket and put in her hair and halted to a stop when Etsu ran to a nearby bush and vomited. Concerned, Kiyoko rushed over to Etsu, knelt next to her, and placed a comforting hand on her back.
"Are you alright, Etsu?" asked Kiyoko.
"Yeah," Etsu replied. "I'm fine."
Etsu quickly straightened up so she wouldn't worry Kiyoko and they continued on their way.
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Hiei was walking by himself with his left hand gripped on his wounded right arm when he grunted in pain and knelt on the ground while looking at his hand until he heard Kurama's voice.
"Is this wise, Hiei?" asked Kurama.
Hiei looked up to see Kurama standing on a tree branch in a near by tree and stood back up as he replied with a question.
"What do you mean?" asked Hiei.
"It won't be easy to keep winning without the use of your dominate hand," Kurama stated. "Perhaps you should withdraw."
Hiei was about to respond until he and Kurama noticed the sisters coming their way, Kurama jumping down from the tree. The sisters stopped running as they had approached Hiei and Kurama while forcing themselves to seem that they were fine as they didn't want them to know that they still felt under the weather, but they noticed anyway.
"It appears that you two are still unwell," said Kurama.
"We'll, we're feeling a little better," said Kiyoko.
"Yeah," said Etsu.
"Hn, but that doesn't mean you're fully recovered." said Hiei.
"Same goes for you," Etsu retorted. "How are you going to keep fighting with your hand like that?"
"Don't worry about me," said Hiei. "I can still fight."
Etsu nodded to let Hiei know that she supported his decision as she knew that he had no other choice but to fight. Kurama checked Kiyoko to see if she had a fever as he was concerned, but he was relieved when he found that she didn't have a one.
"How are you feeling?" asked Kurama.
"Better than yesterday," Kiyoko replied. "Just a little sluggish."
"I'm glad you're feeling better," said Kurama.
Hiei was curious of how Etsu felt as she looked paler than Kiyoko and looked as if she would pass out at any moment which concerned him. Kiyoko and Kurama also noticed and were concerned as well.
"I'm fine," said Etsu. "We should worry about the Toguros."
"Speaking of the Toguros or rather one Toguro in particular," started Hiei. "I'm sure as hell not going to let him take you as a trophy."
Kurama was surprised that Hiei already figured it out without taking irrational action, but also knew that he didn't always act irrational. He decided it was time to reveal to the sisters that he also knew and they sighed in relief that they didn't have to hide it anymore.
"Hiei and I will make sure that nothing happens to you two," Kurama declared.
"And that's one of reasons why we don't have a choice, Kurama," Hiei stated. "Toguro said it himself that we don't."
The sisters, Hiei, and Kurama suddenly sensed two fighters coming their way and turned to look to see who it was as Hiei continued.
"If we don't make it through this tournament, he will kill us all and take Etsu and Kiyoko as his trophies," said Hiei. "Fighting is our only way out."
The two members of the Dr. Ichigaki team, M4 and M5, stood in the sisters', Hiei's, and Kurama's path, both having their arms crossed while forcing themselves not to be terrified being in the presence of the sisters. It had taken M4 and M5 a minute or two to summon up the courage to finally approach the group after seeing the sisters with Hiei and Kurama.
"Seems the Dr.'s team has gotten lost," said Kurama.
"Yes, what a horrible coincidence for us all," Hiei remarked.
The sisters sized up M4 and M5 to discover that they didn't need to use their Spirit Energy to cut them down as Hiei and Kurama realized the same. When M4 charged at the group, Hiei and Kurama decided that the sisters weren't well enough to handle the situation as they got their weapons ready, told them to stay back, and went to slay M4 before they could protest. M4's body parts scattered on the ground a moment later.
"What the hell?!" M5 exclaimed.
Hiei and Kurama stood back up and looked back at the cut up M4.
"Hn, and that was using my left arm, Kurama," said Hiei.
"I'm sorry, I used my right," Kurama apologized. "Next time I'll use my left to be fair."
Before Hiei and Kurama could face M5, the sisters marched towards them as they were irritated.
"We appreciate your concern, but we're able to manage," said Kiyoko.
"Yeah, just because we're not feeling well, it doesn't mean we're not able to fight," Etsu agreed.
Hiei and Kurama told the sisters that they understood their irritation, but were just looking out for their best interests. The sisters' irritation faded as they nodded. The group focused their attention on M5 a moment later, Hiei pointing his sword at him.
"Would you like to try us next?" asked Hiei.
Despite feeling terrified being in the sisters' presence, M5 laughed in response as he had something up his sleeve that would prevent him from being killed by the group. Of course, seeing that the sisters were under the weather made him feel less terrified, but he knew that they along with Hiei and Kurama could still kill him and didn't want to take any chances.
"Thanks, but I'd rather not," M5 replied. "Death gives me the shivers."
M5 suddenly held up a remote control and pushed the button that activated a giant robot. The group faced their attention at the robot walking out from being hidden amongst the trees. The robot stopped moving once it was next to M5.
"Gatasubal is what we like to call him. One of the Dr.'s early projects," said M5, his arms crossed. "Part demon, mostly machine, no feelings, no pain, and no fear. Go, Gatasubal, destroy those four low lives!"
Gatasubal walks forward a few steps and shot his clawed hands out at the group and they dodged the robot's extending arms. Kurama stopped near a tree but started to flee again as the robot's hand missed him and hit the tree. Hiei fled from the other robot hand until he decided to hit the arm with his sword but ended up having to flee again as the sword did no damage.
'Not a scratch,' thought Hiei.
Since Gatasubal only had two hands and the sisters weren't being chased at the moment, they wasted no time helping by trying to break the robot themselves. They powered up to the full extent of their Spirit Power and started to double team kick one of its legs together with all their might to try to topple it over, but it didn't work. They decided to summon one of their rarely used attacks used only for emergencies, jumping back a few feet before using it.
"Crystal Explosion!" the sisters yelled.
The sisters shot out crystallized orbs from their hands, hitting the robot. The orbs exploded upon impact with a sawing sound, but as the smoke cleared, no damage was done to the robot and the sisters stared in shock as it was one of their most devastating attacks when M5's laughing had gotten their attention.
"Gatasubal's whole body is covered with a special formula of hybridized metal. Combining the hardest steel with actual living cells," M5 bragged. "No substance or powerful attacks in the world can break it!"
No matter how much M5 bragged about Gatasubal, the sisters refused to give up and decided that it would be possible to break the robot's eye. But before they could act, Hiei's declaration to kill M5 had gotten their attention.
"Maybe I can't kill the beast," started Hiei, "but at least I can still kill you!"
Hiei lunged down towards M5 until Gatasubal's hand knocks him unbalanced in mid-air and started to fall to the ground. When he landed on his wounded hand, he grunted in pain, let go of his sword as he rolled over, and held on to it while on his knees and groaning.
"Hiei!" Etsu exclaimed.
Hiei was about to tell Etsu to worry about herself as he started to get up until she ran towards him and pushed him out of the way of the incoming robot hand. Before Hiei could react, he saw Etsu getting caught by Gatasubal's hand and pinned to a tree trunk.
"Etsu!" Hiei exclaimed.
Kiyoko and Kurama also yelled out Etsu's name, but Etsu couldn't hear any of them as her ears were ringing from the impact and still feeling under the weather didn't help much, either. She felt disoriented and was on the verge of passing out as her head throbbed. Hiei and Kiyoko came to her as Kurama was too busy running from the robot's hand. They tried to get her talking, but she couldn't respond as being tightly pinned to the tree limited her breathing. M5 suddenly got their attention as he laughed.
"See the genius of the Dr.'s work?" asked M5. "It has no feelings or thoughts to distracted. It only thinks of the kill."
Hiei and Kiyoko glared at M5 as he continued.
"It was unexpected that you and Etsu were going to be here with Hiei and Kurama, Kiyoko, but the Dr. will be happy to know that you'll be killed with them as a bonus," said M5. "With you two being ill making it easier to do and Etsu being the first one to die as she's unable to break free from Gatasubal's hold."
"You're dead!" Hiei exclaimed.
Hiei started to form an orb of energy in his left hand.
"Hiei, don't!" Kurama exclaimed.
"Kurama's right, we need to destroy the robot first," Kiyoko agreed. "Stay with Etsu while I help Kurama."
Kurama glared at the robot's hand coming at him and started to run around a mass of trees as Kiyoko jumped down from the other pinning Etsu. Kiyoko knew that she wouldn't be able to make a dent in the robot's body, but did have a hunch that she would be able to break the eye since it appeared to be made of glass. She didn't, however, believe it would be easy as she also knew it could be covered in that special kind of metal. She powered up with all the Spirit Energy she had, jumped up to the eye of the robot, and kicked it to discover that it didn't break as she landed back onto the ground.
"Shit," Kiyoko complained.
Kiyoko looked over to the others and saw that Kurama had jumped over the robot hand trapping Etsu. It had caused the other robotic hand chasing after Kurama to collide with other, freeing Etsu. Hiei had wrapped his left arm around a nearly passed out Etsu, landed on the ground, and laid her against the tree. Kiyoko was relieved until she saw that both of the robot hands were now after Kurama and summoned a yellow energy around her right leg. Kurama noticed a short circuit on the side of one of the robot's hand before it crashed down on him. At the same time, Kiyoko was able to break the robot's eye and ripping out the wires before landing back onto the ground. She suddenly saw all of the dust everywhere in Kurama's direction.
"Kurama!" Kiyoko exclaimed, her heart sinking.
"Excellent, Gatasubal!" M5 praised. "Now kill the other three, too!"
Gatasubal didn't respond. M5 was about to ask the robot what was wrong with it until he finally noticed its broken eye.
"What the-" started M5.
"You were wrong on two counts," Kurama interrupted.
The sisters and Hiei were relieved to see that Kurama was alright as he was kneeling in front of the robot's broken hand with his Rose Whip coiled inside of it while glaring at M5. Etsu was recovered enough to get up and convinced Hiei and Kiyoko that she was fine, M5 getting their attention as he questioned Kurama.
"I'm wrong?! What do you mean?!" M5 exclaimed. "What just happened?!"
The sisters and Hiei walked over to Kurama as he stood up and explained things to M5.
"Even the hardest substance can be broken when crashed into itself," Kurama explained.
"As well as metal mixed in with glass when given enough force," Kiyoko added. "It may be difficult, but it can be done."
"Yes," Kurama agreed. "And the ability to feel pain is not a weakness, it's a strength. Pain tells a creature its vulnerabilities, and not you expose them to attack."
M5 started to step back in fear.
"Your robot is dead," said Kurama. "and so, I'm afraid, are you."
