Eyyyy! Welcome back! You know, every time I go look at the stories traffic, I get a huge boost in ego. Seeing more and more people clicking on the latest installment makes me incredibly happy. I love knowing people are enjoying this enough to keep up with the updates. There's no better feeling for an author than seeing that they are reaching people and giving them something they enjoy.
I think the majority of us do this for fun, but there's also that little spark of joy when we see more visitors. So thanks to each and every one of you who has kept up with this so far. I hope you are enjoying my passion project as much as I am!
On with the "sho!"
Feeling like a loser, feeling like a bum,
sitting on the outside observing the fun.
Don't get on my bad side, I can work a gun.
Hop into the back seat baby, I'll show you some fun.
These people are weird in here,
and they're giving me the fear.
Just because you know my name
doesn't mean you know my game.
I look myself in the face and whisper,
"I'm in the wrong place."
Is there more to lose than gain
if I go on my own again?
On my own again.
-The Outsider- Marina Diamandis
Ever Get the Feeling...
As one, the three of us ascended the stairs, stopping once the old jar was finally before us.
Just as before, it was nothing special, just painted ceramic a hundred or so years old. It, like everything else, had a latent aura, no doubt a result of prolonged exposure to Genkai. She was mere paces away, and though I could not feel her power exactly, something in my gut was telling me not to cross her.
I chanced a glance, meeting her mildly curious gaze with a blank look. Her eyes narrowed marginally, but I did not look away until I felt a shove against my arm.
"Well, ladies first," Yusuke said with a cheeky smirk. "You know, odds are one of us is going home after this. Wanna bet on who it's gonna be?"
I scoffed, rolling my eyes and plucking the first piece of paper my fingers came across.
"Somehow I think the odds are slightly in our favor." He gave me a questioning look, but I dismissed the unasked question with a subtle shake of my head. He seemed to accept that, reaching forward and taking his own lot. Kazuma appeared disgruntled, but took a slip anyways. It was too late to tell him, especially right in earshot of Genkai. I would just have to protect him to the best of my ability.
We turned, heading down the stairs, and I did not return the gaze that burned holes into my back all the way back to the ground. We stood in a small circle, each of our attention drawn to the lot in out hand.
"Hey, so what do you mean by, 'the odds are in our favor'?" Yusuke asked now that we were in relative privacy, and I shrugged.
"It's simple, really. We cannot afford to botch this assignment. If one or both of us has been unlucky in our draw, we'll have to dispatch another contestant and steal the required lots." He raised a skeptical brow, eyes narrowing to slits as he leaned forward.
"When you say dispatch…" he didn't need to finish his query.
"Knocking them out will do," I assured him, and he nodded in approval. The line was over half depleted, those who had already drawn waiting around, some even praying. I spotted the old man a little ways away, his green obi bunched around his knees as he sat on the short stone wall below the compound. He, like many others, seemed to be praying. It wouldn't be long now before we found out who had gotten the lucky draw.
"What the hell are you talking about!?"
Ah, right. Kazuma. I turned to him with a stern frown, my arms crossed over my chest to add just that smallest bit of height. He gulped, blanching slightly. I debated with myself for a moment before finally deciding on the simplest explanation.
The truth.
"Yusuke and I are here on an assignment. It is our job to ensure that one person in particular does not become the student of Genkai. Should that happen, there will be catastrophic consequences resulting in mass genocide and the like." The look on his face was between vomiting and fainting, and I am unsure which was preferable. He blinked, disoriented, and I felt Yusuke nudge my arm.
"Way to go dumbass, you broke him. Maybe go with something not so big next time." I rolled my eyes, and Kazuma seemed to recover moments later.
"On… on an assignment from who?" my brother asked, and I shook my head.
"That's not im-"
"So you remember how I died and came back to life?" Yusuke interrupted me, and I was too surprised to be annoyed. Botan and Koenma had been unhappy enough that he had divulged everything to me upon our first meeting. I could only imagine what they would think after he would tell Kazuma also. I suppose that this was inevitable, given the circumstances. In the end, it didn't matter what Spirit World would think. As Yusuke so aptly said long ago, they weren't here to do their own work, so they had no say in how we did our job.
Just then, a vein twitched somewhere on the back of my neck. I could feel eyes on us, invading directly after the words left my partners mouth. I turned discreetly as though to rub my shoulder, but could see no one who was not looking at their lot, or at the old jar as they waited for their turn.
"Uh, yeah?" Kazuma nodded slowly, responding to Yusuke's question.
"Keep your voice down, Yusuke," I cautioned in a low murmur. "We are being observed."
"Huh?" He glanced down at me alarmed, then made no secret of looking around, his head swinging ever which way like a rabid dog. I almost rolled my eyes, but instead placed a hand on his arm to draw his attention back to me. "Where are they? I don't see them."
"Neither do I, but I can feel them. Explain, but quietly." At this point, it didn't matter if Koenma would be unhappy. I would not have my brother living in ignorance while a threat loomed. Yusuke nodded and continued, but at a much more preferable volume.
"Okay, well thing is, I only came back because the Spirit World didn't have a place for me, and they thought I deserved another chance. Now that I'm back, I gotta do some work for them because… I dunno. Because." He nodded with finality, and Kazuma blinked incredulously at the two of us. "We're here to stop a monster disguised as a person."
"You guys are totally serious, huh?" My brother asked in a very un-question-like tone.
"As a heart attack," Yusuke responded, and I nodded. The eyes on me became more intense, and I grit my teeth.
"We were not supposed to tell others about our work," I said with a slightly scolding tone, and Yusuke looked away with a shrug. "However, it would be unavoidable at this point, considering the situation you blundered into. I would eventually have told you under better circumstances." If only to have help covering for my disappearances and late nights.
To my surprise, my brother nodded, the disturbed look on his face growing less severe.
"Well, if you say so. I'm not so sure I feel good about my little sister doing crazy stuff like this." I hummed, the corner of my mouth twitching in a genuine way.
"It will be quite alright. This isn't our first assignment against a dangerous enemy," I said, meaning to reassure him. However, it only seemed to worry him more.
"How long has this been going on?" he asked with a frown, and I attempted to explain, counting back the days and weeks in my head, but our conversation was cut short by a very old woman speaking with surprising volume over the murmuring courtyard. The eyes vanished.
"You did that fairly well," she spoke, her tone demanding attention. Everyone looked up, ourselves included. "I'm impressed." She certainly did not sound it.
"Let's all open our lots now. If the paper inside it is red, then congratulations. You have passed the first of today's screenings." Her dry voice did little to quell the rising tension, now renewed in the face of potential failure. If anything, the apathetic tone seemed only to instill anxiety in the surrounding people.
I watched Yusuke and Kazuma as they both slowly tore open the top of their lots. Each pulling out a slip of red paper. Their expressions were mixed.
"Well lucky me, I won," Kazuma grumbled, and Yusuke gave me a shark-like grin.
"Would ya look at that, mine's the right one!" He then glanced over at my brother frowning in surprise. "Hey, you won too?"
"I didn't mean to," Kazuma whined, and I looked down at my own lot with a small frown. If that was the case, I wanted mine to be white. A simple trade would ensure that Kazuma was out of harms way. With that in mind, I quickly ripped off the top, only to pull from inside the small white envelope-
An equally scarlet slip of paper. Yusuke blinked, and my brow furrowed.
"Hey, whaddaya know. What are the odds we all three get red?" he asked, looking around. Results were mixed, and where the lot could not be seen, the faces of those holding them gave away the results easily enough. What I did notice was that, at least in our immediate vicinity, less than half of the contestants held red paper.
"Slim," I replied. The intrusive gaze returned briefly, but with no less intensity. I could feel their unhappiness at my winning before they looked away.
"Those who won, please follow me," Genkai called. "Those who lost, please get lost." She turned in an obvious dismissal to those who had been unlucky. All was quiet for a moment, and I was surprised that such a large congregation of fighters wouldn't be more vocal. I fully expected a fight to break out among the winners and losers.
"Hold on!"
My expectations were met as two hulking figures descended on the old woman, all but blocking her from view. It was only those two, however, and I found that strange.
"We are two of the strongest-" I didn't bother listening to their drivel, casting my senses about in the fog to discern the two fighter's threat level. It was nominal at best, despite their claims to strength.
"- see how big we are? You must give us a fair chance," one of them demanded
"The only difference with larger fighters is that they're louder when they whine," the old woman replied coldly, not at all impressed by their mountainous forms. "Can't you blockheads understand? I'm trying to save you from embarrassment!"
"I'm warning you," one growled, taking a threatening step forward, and I shifted my position so I could have a clearer view of the old woman, who stood with her arms crossed languidly behind her back.
I watched with interest as the two men squared up in response to her pointed jab, neither of them appearing to back down. If my gut was correct, she was not one to be trifled with. If it wasn't, then our job here would be simple, as her death at the hands of these men would prevent her technique being passed on to Rando.
Or to myself…
"This probably goes way beyond your comprehension boys, but please try to pay attention," she drawled, and I tensed. If I perceived my chances of obtaining her technique were in danger, I would step in. These men were nothing to me.
"If you're really ready for my training, why didn't your paper turn red?" I paused, tilting my head. Why didn't the paper turn red. My thoughts were racing with the implications. All the paper was white, but the red papers indicated something special about the one who held it. It wasn't a lottery, but a real screening.
She'd eliminated over half the competitors with a literal red flag, though it was repurposed.
"I think she's asking for proof!" I didn't consider trying to defend the geriatric woman, simply watching now as the two behemoths bore down on her, their melon-sized fists careening towards her wrinkled face.
Then, I felt her power, a sturdy wave of pure warmth and obstinacy.
In a single scream riddled with energy, she cast the two men back, their bodies carried impossibly far through the air until they collided with the two large, wooden doors through which we had all entered. The ancient wood cracked, but held steady, even as the mountain men slid off and crashed unceremoniously to the ground. Their prone forms did not move an inch. I watched, wide-eyed, as the old woman turned her back with a sly smile.
"Wh-what was that?" Kazuma stuttered, echoing the sentiments of the others surrounding us. If any of them had any grievances with the particularly smug-looking Genkai, they now knew better than to approach her with anger. I met Yusuke's wide, doe-brown eyes, and I imagined my face looked equally as gobsmacked.
"Alright you red papers, please follow me." She turned, her pace slow and measured. Like a trickle turning into a full blown leak, the crowd began to follow, breaking off in small groups until winning contestants flowed towards the stairs. The dam had broken, apprehension replaced by wonder and no small amount of desire. However, even as the sea of bodies surged forward, Yusuke stood rooted to the spot, and I with him.
Though I was eager to get under way.
"So that's what the Spirit Wave does," he murmured, and I frowned slightly at the look of interest in his eyes. "I guess I can see why monsters would like to get their hands on it."
He lifted his arm, pulling back the sleeve to look at the demon compass. To any observer, he appeared to be checking the time as he turned the small dial to activate the device. I glanced around covertly before leaning in to see what reaction the watch had.
CRACK! SNAP!
I jerked back as Yusuke winced, moving his arm away as the watch, first spinning and beeping rapidly to indicate its search, suddenly began to crackle and pop. With a flash of electric energy, it exploded, smoke billowing from the shattered glass over the face. The plume of smoke disappeared almost instantly, swept away by the rush of moving bodies around us.
All at once, the gaze of the Watcher returned. This time, I didn't ignore it or even attempt to be covert. I craned my neck around with a pasted on furious glare. I just caught the gaze of the old man from the line before he looked away far too quickly. Somehow, the slightly friendly association had turned sour, right after he mentioned my eyes. Perhaps I should invest in contacts.
"So much for trusty," Yusuke muttered with a disturbed look on his face, bringing my focus back to the situation at hand- the now completely useless Demon Compass. Kazuma, who had been watching intently and had let out a yelp at the unexpected explosion, leaned close once more, looking warily at the compass.
"Looks like you bought a crappy… whatever that thing is." Yusuke frowned and shoved his sleeve down in one agitated motion.
"It's a Demon Compass," he grunted, turning a dark look towards me. "And I think it just told us what we already knew. Rando is here."
Kazuma looked to me.
"Rando? That's the monster's name?" I nodded, twitching slightly when I felt the smallest tap at the back of my head, a niggle of a warning. Send Kazuma home, it seemed to implore me. It was too dangerous for him here. He needed to go home, now.
"Zu-" I began, but I was abruptly cut off.
"Well, I guess if I can't talk to this lady the regular way, I'll just have to join this stupid contest. Besides, no way am I leaving you here to fight this thing alone," My brother added, beginning to follow the flow of the now sparse crowd. Yusuke grumbled something about my not being alone, and I was left with a few choices. Cause a scene, or wait for the crowd to disperse. Though doing the latter could result in my being late and disqualified. But I could not let him enter, not when the incessant tapping was sending me a message, one of the clearest I'd had in a long time.
If Kazuma stays, he dies.
It wasn't a premonition, we didn't have those. However, the warnings had always proven to have some truth to them. With the demon so close, it was no wonder the alarms were going off. Even if he wasn't going to die, he was in significant danger.
Incapacitating him and leaving his body somewhere was out of the question. He would only be left more vulnerable, and there was a chance we may be disqualified. All that was left to do was keep a close watch, and make sure he never encountered Rando.
Blinking red digits read out a glaring 160. Yusuke grinned pridefully at his score, the look dropping to favor one of almost-indifference the moment he turned around.
It was considerably higher than any of those that had flashed on the screen before, even higher than Kazuma's score of 129. Not, of course, that 129 was insignificant, especially compared to the majority of double digit scores. I was proud of my brother to say the least. His spirit strength was substantial despite having no training in the area. Many shouts of disbelief sounded from the gathered crowd.
Most had already gone, but waited around to presumably observe the potential competition. Yusuke's score may have made him a few enemies, which was acceptable. Their focus would be on him rather than Kazuma. And myself, if the constant staring from the old man was anything to go by. I ignored him as best as I could, but it was more difficult being the center of attention.
"Well, I guess it works fine," Yusuke muttered with faux surprise, fixing my brother with the most devilish smirk. Their teasing over with, as Kazuma had nothing to add to that except a heated glare, I snatched the glove from his hand and strapped it to my own.
The filthy, sweaty, smelly, probably bacteria-ridden glove, infested with who knows what sort of tiny insects and germs. Surely there were hand-wipes or something.
"We'll see," I returned with a manufactured smirk of my own, forcing myself to forget the way the glove was already sticking to my hand with sweat that was not my own.
"Hey, the little girl is going next," someone voiced.
"Heh, this should be interesting."
I stood canted to the side slightly, lining up with my target. I lunged forward without a moment's hesitation, throwing all of my weight into the strike and twisting my hips for added momentum as I went. My fist collided with a satisfying thud, and the red disk slammed back onto the backboard. My narrowed eyes focused on the screen as my body regained balance, willing the numbers to exceed those that had been there previously.
155 flashed, blinking down at me almost mockingly.
I grit my teeth and a low growl escaped me. Five points. It was a pitifully small margin, but no less infuriating. Six more and I would have been satisfied, and it briefly crossed my mind to try again. I carefully schooled my features as an arm crashed down over my shoulders in a friendly, jostling embrace. I was pulled away before I could properly settle the score.
"Ha! See that, I told you," Yusuke crowed at Kazuma, whose shock was quickly giving way to irritation. "We're better!"
I rolled my eyes at the juvenile display, listening instead to the opinions of the crowd, some of whom were seemingly displeased with my score.
"There's no way! She's tiny!"
"The Machine must be broken. Yeah, that's it, the greasy punk broke it!"
"Hey girl, try another one or get lost!"
Adorable. Though I suppose that made my loss a little less bitter, knowing how much I outclassed the competition. I hummed, glancing over towards the karaoke machine and wondering what would be on there. Was it all to Genkai's taste (which at this point was up for speculation) or would it be more of a variety? Perhaps something in English, if I was feeling particularly-
"You idiots shut the hell up!" I turned a wide-eyed look to Yusuke, whose victorious grin had twisted into a fierce snarl. It was not, however, directed at my brother. Both of them were looking away from each other now and towards the crowd in some twisted sense of solidarity.
"I dare any one of you to come over here and see just how broken this stupid game is, if you don't mind her breaking your face too!" I blinked in astonishment. He was defending… my honor?
"That's right!" My head whipped around. Kazuma too? "If you cowards have something to say, you say it to our faces!"
"What are you, her entourage?" someone asked, and I tilted my head.
"What are you doing?" I asked them, just the slightest bit incredulous, and Yusuke frowned, glancing down to meet my gaze.
"You're not going to just let them get away with talking like that, are you?" he asked, and I raised a brow contemplatively before settling on an appropriate response.
"Their worthless opinions won't change facts. You shouldn't let something so pathetically meaningless get to you." I quirked my lips at the end to drive a slightly more humorous point across, and it seemed to work well-enough. His arm finally lifted from my shoulders and he shrugged, flailing his hands helplessly.
"Ha, yeah, you're right! We're gonna kick all their asses anyways!" His grin returned just as quickly as it had gone, and I allowed the quirk to become a real smile for a moment. Kazuma sniffed disdainfully, crossing his arms over his chest in an imposing way.
"Still, it's not polite to talk about a lady that way," he grumbled, but I took a step forward, ghosting his arm with the lightest of touches.
"Feel like losing at janken?" I asked, and he suddenly grinned at the challenge.
"Oh, you're on! Let's see you beat me at that, Urameshi!" Yusuke sneered, but the curl of his lip was almost playful, not quite so malicious.
"Lead the way, Feather-Punch!"
I followed the boys, the crowd parting to let us by as we tossed our three boxing gloves into waiting hands and headed towards the janken machine, which had gradually accrued a sizeable crowd just shy of the number gathered around the first game. The moment the game became free, Kazuma was the first to dart into the seat. His wild grin became focused as he stared the screen down intently.
"Just watch this Urameshi! See if you can keep up!"
The game began. Then it ended. He had gotten a perfect 15/15 in half a minute, fist banging heavily down onto each pad correctly without a single error, and only minimal hesitation. He rose with renewed vigor and fixed my partner with a vicious, toothy smile.
"Wow, he got the high score," someone exclaimed, and my brother puffed out his chest in pride
"Oh yeah! Top that, you punk!"
Yusuke waved him away, eyes flashing with mirth as he approached the machine.
"Yeah, yeah. Just you watch!" And watch we did, from the moment he sat down. His score, when all was said and done thirty seconds later, was a meager four. Kazuma doubled over in his laughter and I cocked a brow curiously.
"I suppose now I know how to beat you in a battle of wills," I commented dryly, and my friend glared furiously at me from his sulking position on the chair, then lunged and all but dragged me into the chair next.
"Lets see you do better then, smart-ass!" I scoffed, placing both hands at the ready position.
"Alright." Just after his irate growl, the game began. My fingertips pressed the pads in the order I sensed, and I made sure to make my movements languid and almost bored, just as my face was perfectly blank. I knew the old man was watching, despite having multiple pairs of eyes on me. I did not know what he was expecting, but I held nothing back.
Scissors, scissors, paper, rock, rock, paper, scissors, paper, paper, paper, scissors, paper, rock, paper, rock.
I pulled away as the blinking lights signaled my victory, and that Kazuma and I now shared the top spot. I turned to Yusuke, and barely withheld the smile at his fuming red face. Instead, I tilted my head, eyes innocently wide and questioning.
"Are you satisfied?" A growl escaped his lips and I dodged his hand aimed for the back of my head, slipping off the seat smoothly and moving to stand beside my brother.
"See that? Now we're better," Kazuma cheered madly, pulling a very unflattering face at Yusuke. "So what if you can hit a plate harder, we've got more brains!"
The sound of the punching game ringing in a new high score cut their bickering short, and I struggled to look out over the crowd to get a view of the contestant. I was unsuccessful, but I saw Yusuke's eyes darken somewhat.
"Check it out! He scored a 175! That's even more than those two kids!"
The crowd parted somewhat for a brief moment, and the only man I could see with a boxing glove was imposingly tall and muscular, with long dark green hair. His image was swallowed up again, and I hadn't seen his face. There was our first suspect, it seemed. Though, I doubt an experienced demon like Rando would want to draw attention to himself so early in the game. He would maintain a lower profile, just powerful enough to get in, but not so much that he stands out in any particular way.
I had little time for speculation as the three of us made our way to the karaoke machine (the boys still bantering under their breaths) and began to look over the list of songs. Each selection would play for about a minute to make sure everyone in attendance had a chance to have their Spirit Growth measured. I was correct in my assumption that there was a variety, and pleased to note a few songs in English scattered here and there.
Kazuma would doubtlessly choose the one Megallica song listed. I couldn't hazard a guess as to what Yusuke might choose. Our interactions had not involved listening to music of our choice, so his tastes were a mystery to me. Not that it mattered terribly, of course.
Kazuma confidently swaggered onstage the moment his song (Megallica, of course) began to play. It skipped the nearly two-minute instrumental opening, and after four bars, Kazuma began to belt out the lyrics in harsh and broken English.
"Say your prayers little one
Don't forget, my son
To include everyone
Tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
'Till the sandman he comes
Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight."
I winced slightly, his grating and out-of-key voice only slightly uncomfortable. I'd heard it filtering into the hallway from the shower every now and then. Though, at those times, he did not have a microphone. For his troubles, he earned a score of 57 on his growth potential. It was not as high as I would have liked, but he was certainly above many who had already sang and been subsequently sent home.
He descended from the stage, grinning ear to ear despite the offensive nature of his previous activity. He chuckled, standing aside to let Yusuke pass to the stage.
"Alright, let's see what you got," my brother challenged, and Yusuke let out a bark of laughter, stalking up to the small box to input his song of choice. No words were exchanged as he snatched the mic from the stand, causing a distorted ringing to permeate the room. Still, I had to temper my look of surprise when the first four bars of a popular, loud, American song suddenly blasted out of the tiny box. I wondered if the screeching guitar might not short out the machine.
The song was… not exactly what I expected. Then again, I didn't have very solid expectations. What was most shocking was that he wasn't terrible. Each note, no matter how high, he hit with near-perfect precision, even lending the slight rasp of his former smokers lungs to make himself sound older.
"Welcome to the jungle
We've got fun 'n' games
We got everything you want
Honey, we know the names
We are the people that can find
Whatever you may need
If you got the money, honey
We got your disease
In the jungle
Welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your
Knees, knees
I wanna watch you bleed."
His stage presence was confident and energetic, and he seemed unafraid to move appropriately to the words that came out with a clarity I would expect from one of our English teachers.
He was certainly not this proficient in class, I can be sure of that. If Yukimura's failed attempts to tutor him were any indication, he was still as the primary school level in his studies. Yet, he still managed to come up with the most ridiculous and extravagant swears in English that I had ever heard from a non-native speaker, indicating that he was much more capable than he let on. Could it be, I wondered, that all the English he knew he had learned simply by listening to music?
Was he hearing the music, or was it part of him? Despite the notes not being exactly on cue, the slight syncopation only seemed to add more to the piece, personalizing it to Yusuke in a way that simply following the mathematics could not. Every jerk of his shoulders and toss of his head spoke of a close relation with the song, the gleam in his eyes nothing short of intense pleasure. I didn't care for the song itself, but his performance ended far too soon for my liking, and any further chance to analyze his cleverly hidden passion was gone.
His voice earned him a score of 86 out of the possible one-hundred, one of the highest so far. He gave a loud hoot as he jumped from the stage, the smile on his face growing as he approached me. Fists planted on his hips, he leaned to one side and looked down with a winning grin.
"So, what do you think? Not too bad, huh?" I could do little more than offer a surprised scoff.
"I imagine you have a future in the music industry, should our current occupation fall short." My opinion was met with a confused expression.
"Whaddaya mean? I was talking about my score, 86 is pretty good, right?" I gave him a nod and a small smile, and he chuckled. "Yeah, you don't have to say it. I'm awesome."
I rolled my eyes and started for the karaoke machine, pressing the skip button until I came to something that sounded familiar. It was one of Shizuru's favorites, blasting at full volume all during her teen years, and so it was one of the few I actually knew the words to. Four bars played as I took the microphone, relaxing my shoulders and letting my eyes fall shut to focus, as well as to resist looking out to see if I could catch the old man looking.
"Aozameta tsuki ga higashi kara noboru wa
oka no shame ni wa kosumosu ga yurete'ru.
me wo tojite anata no ude no naka
ki wo tsukete kowaresou na kokoro.
Garasu no ringo-tachi.
Ai sareru tabi ni okubyou ni naru no yo
anata wo nakuseba karappo na sekai ne.
yasashisa wa egao no ura ni aru
nanimokamo sukitootte yuku wa.
Garasu no ringo-tachi."
My enunciation was flawless, and the melody poured from my voice box without the slightest hitch. Every note was crisp and clear, exactly on point and mathematically correct. I didn't bother with dancing or any frivolous movement, it wasn't required for the test.
The track faded out and I glanced over at the scoreboard. I barely suppressed a growl as the 82 displayed seemed to taunt me. It was not that it was too low overall. Just that Yusuke had yet again bested me, this time by a margin of four. At the very least I had him beat when it came to his Spirit Awareness. That being said, with such small distinctions between us and considering my sensory superiority, how in the world did he manage to have the larger percentage of wins in our sparring sessions? I had only managed a handful of victories to his near dozen. It didn't make logical sense. The math just didn't add up, and that was mildly infuriating.
I made my way back over to the two, both of whom fixed me with wide smiles.
"Great job, Ru-Ru! I didn't even know you knew any songs!" Kazuma exclaimed, and I shrugged. I must have missed something about my demeanor, because Yusuke immediately leaned into my personal space with a curious frown.
"What's with the face?" He blinked, then grinned slyly. "You're just sick of me being better than you, huh! But come on, 82's not that bad." I narrowed my eyes, but said nothing further, prompting him to continue on his own tangent.
"And hey, the singing was pretty good too. I didn't know you had it in ya! The song was okay, not really my kind of thing." I hummed, glancing up as the next person took to the stage. We moved away to await our results, but it was clear the three of us had passed, both boys making the cut for two out of the three requirements. I was pleased to note that I had passed all three, which was an achievement in itself. A tally of scores had been kept on an electronic scoreboard, and I was among only five who had passed all three.
"It's not exactly to my taste either," I said to Yusuke, taking up my bag from the side of the room where I had left it. "I only know the lyrics from my sisters inability to shut her bedroom door."
He seemed surprised, then tilted his head in question as I rummaged through the contents of my backpack. "Whatcha got there?" I didn't respond, a knowing smirk firmly in place on my lips. Both his and my brothers eyes lit up when I produced two chocolate snack bars, both of which were snatched greedily from my hand by the likely ravenous boys. I hadn't eaten since breakfast, and it was unknown to me if either of them had even had that much. They both put away two as I sedatedly snacked on my first, then both went back for thirds. I didn't protest.
"So you like Guns 'n' Roses?" Yusuke asked around a full mouth, and I shook my head, swallowing before replying, like a civilized person.
"I don't have much of an opinion on music of any genre. It doesn't interest me." At my honest reply, he frowned, and Kazuma shrugged.
"Yeah, that's pretty normal for her. She doesn't like music and stuff, thinks it's a waste of time." He sent me a mock glare, but I could see it was in jest. "Weirdo." He bit the granola bar in half as if to make his point. I shrugged.
"So you didn't mean it when you said I was good?" Yusuke accused, visibly unhappy as he lowered his unfinished third snack to his lap. I blinked, tilting my head.
"What I said was that you could have a future as a musician, and I meant it," I told him, but he crossed his arms. That was a movement with many variations.
Crossing his arms and raising his chin was a challenge. Sticking his face out or leaning forward indicated anger that would escalate to violence. But hunched shoulders, chin tucked, hands curled into tight fists under the crooks of his elbows… he was hurt. For some reason or another, he was emotionally damaged.
"Yeah, and Kuwabara said you think it's a waste of time, which you didn't deny, by the way," he pointed out, and the hurt was audible in his voice. "So basically, you think I'd be good at doing something stupid." I blinked.
Where on Earth had that come from!? I was genuinely baffled by his leaps in ill logic, and I struggled to find where the miscommunication had begun. I had given an honest compliment, yet he had taken it as an insult to his capabilities.
"I… you misunderstand, Yusuke," I said, and I hoped my honest confusion would make him stop and listen. He glared, but said nothing else. "I don't enjoy music in any form, but that is not to say that I actively dislike it or think the pursuit of musical proficiency is a useless hobby. I simply don't find music to be something worthwhile for me to partake in."
His glare had softened somewhat, and the beginnings of guilt crept onto his features. I pressed on, hoping to mend the gap permanently.
"It wasn't the song, but rather your performance I liked. I enjoyed watching you, regardless of the song choice. Objectively, you have decent vocal talent as well as stage presence. If you decide to pursue it, I think you could excel in a musical career. I would certainly attend your concerts." I finished with a nod, watching his reactions as they played across his face like scenes in a story. Every twitch was telling, nothing hidden on the smooth, open plains of his cheeks.
As I began to speak, a note of surprise fluttered his eyelids and parted his lips, remaining for a moment as a flicker of pleasure lifted the corners of his mouth. Then pride took over when I complimented his voice, curling his smile a bit more so that it lifted his cheeks and crinkled the edges of his eyes. Finally, it all fell away as his eyes grew wide and an embarrassed flush dusted his entire face bright pink, all the way to his ears.
It was an intriguing array of emotions, and indicated that I had been successful.
He coughed slightly, looking away. Kazuma only stared at me in open astonishment.
"But-but what about me? How did I do?" My brother asked, and I gave him a deadpan look.
"I think you should put more effort into your studies," I told him bluntly. He levelled me with a glare, which I received without complaint. If there was one thing to be sure of, it was that Kazuma should never be on the receiving end of a microphone ever again.
"Whatever," he grumbled, and his stance perfectly mimicked Yusuke's from earlier, arms crossed, shoulder hunched, chin tucked. However, this was a common position for him, and I had found that when he did so in such an exaggerated way, he was only sulking for the sake of it. He would snap out of that pose the moment the topic was changed.
"Alright now, you all did fairly well. I hope you had fun." Genkai's gravelly voice interrupted my inner monologue. Kazuma instantly straightened (my transgression was completely forgotten, which prompted a real smile from me), eyes wide and attentive, and fixed on the old woman as she stood in her crane car.
Her crane car, attached to a series of mechanics that ran along the ceiling of an arcade room in an ancient wooden temple. The incredulity had not yet worn off.
"The objective was to pass at least two out of the three tests. Your names and scores are logged in, so if you don't see yourself up here, beat it," the woman snapped, and the scoreboard changed. The usernames and pseudonyms all the winners had used (as per our initial instructions) were displayed beside the scores. The three of us, naturally, were there, capping off the number at 21 contestants remaining. Twenty-one out of several hundred, and only on the second screening. This was certainly an effective process.
The majority of the room left grumbling, heads hanging in defeat as they trudged through the mist of failure. Those that remained glanced around, eyes critical as they assessed each opponent. Out of those, I noticed the green-haired man whose score on the punching machine had bested Yusuke, the bald man who had scored a perfect one hundred on the karaoke machine, and the watchful elder who had been keeping an eye on our group the entire time we had been here.
There were several dangerous people there, that much I could feel. This would prove to be exciting.
"Now that the weak have been eliminated, the tests will be far more severe." She frowned, critical eyes raking over each and every one of us one at a time. "You twenty-one have proven yourselves to have some skills. I can only hope they will serve you well in the trials to come."
Death. Darkness. Anger. Malice. Treachery. Fear. Blood. Death, death, death.
The forest was alive, its gaping maw held back by a fence of little more than decorated ribbons. Yet those ribbons radiated the same power as the temple gate on the stairs. They shone with the effort of keeping the evil within locked safely inside. Still, that didn't stop the forest from putting off its own warnings to all who looked upon it.
Gnarled, dark trees stretched out, clawing at the light like bling beggars, hoping its cries will lure in that which it can devour. Even the grass ceased to be green when it reached the treeline, which was thick as a brick wall. Mist cloaked the ground like a satin robe, soft and unassuming, but thick and impenetrable with eyes alone. I could sense much beyond the border of twisting trunks, many hungry eyes and gaping jaws that snapped silently.
"Hey… my insides feel all funny," one man groaned, taking a step away from the dark forest. His face was blanched and his legs knocked together. He was not alone in his terror. Several of the contestants now looked at the woods fearfully, their pallor amusingly grim.
"Master, the forest seems to have its own life force," someone near the front of the group inferred, and I couldn't help but agree.
"Yes, to say the least," Genkai responded with a malicious smirk. "It is known as the Dark Forest, and it's as old as the human race. It has become a sanctuary for the oldest and most primitive demons." I blinked in surprise, considering the practical uses for the forest. A training center, surely, but also a point of study. Oldest and most primitive demons could provide a plethora of information regarding demon evolution and basic anatomy.
"On the other side of the forest is a giant tree alone on a hill. Make it there, and you pass the test. You have two hours." It was straightforward with a simple objective. The path, however, was less than simple. I was looking forward to the challenge.
The first to leave was a dark haired young man, followed by two others who each provided their own hurried and petrified excuses. They ran, back to the compound, as though the forest might suddenly sprout legs and go chasing after them. Why would it though, when it still had eighteen perfectly viable meal options? As they fled, Genkai laughed cruelly.
"Yes, run along," she mocked with an evil smirk. "I don't blame you. Anyone with the slightest Spirit Awareness can feel this forest will tear you into pieces if you let it."
"There is some truth to what this woman says," a deep voice intoned, and I glanced back to see it was the large man with the green hair, speaking to another contestant. "Only those who have gone through the training should cross into these woods. It is no place for children, for instance."
I rolled my eyes as he met my gaze, and was content to leave it at that. But Yusuke?
"Speak for yourself! I'm not about to get scared off by a little walk through Grandma's forest!" I turned, wide eyed and incredulous, to look at my stupid friend. He either ignored me or truly had no spirit awareness whatsoever, and his score on the Janken game was purely luck.
"Watch your mouth, you dumb little brat!" Genkai barked angrily, but he had turned around to face the man instead, taking a few bold steps toward the hulking figure.
"You're just trying to scare me off with some big fancy words, but it's not gonna work! I'm not gonna back down so easy! Say, you're totally human, right?" I whipped around and took a step towards him to intercept his mouth before he completely blew our cover, but I was beaten to it by my brother.
"If you're gonna do this run, then so am I," Kazuma declared, tugging on Yusuke's shoulder to force him to turn around.
"Stop getting so excited, it's embarrassing," my partner replied dryly. "Besides, Taru's not getting scared off either, are ya?" As doe-brown eyes found me with a smirk, I offered a breathy scoff and tightened the straps of my bag.
"Of course not."
Genkai smirked.
"Well then, it seems all who remain here will go through with the task. On my command now." Yusuke and Kazuma returned to me, one on either side of me as we waited, our bodies high strung and breath baited. The tension was palpable, crashing against the ill effect of the forest in a static dance.
"Best of luck, hope you don't die… GO!"
The command came sharp and quick, but it seemed we were running before the word ever left her lips. I cleared the fence just as Yusuke did, passing me to head up the pack. I looked straight ahead as I ran, but I couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through me as I crossed over into the forest. The oppressive darkness and feeling of death only intensified, until it was a clean vacuum of malice, through which I could clearly sense seventeen other energies. A smirk twisted the corner of my mouth. It would be so easy to dispatch of the competition here and now, and face Rando here. However, there was no guarantee Genkai would accept me as a student if that happened. it could easily be considered cheating.
Speaking of the old woman, I felt another overwhelmingly powerful presence bearing down on us, and looked over my shoulder briefly to see her running… hopping, really, through the small herd of runners. She sped to the front, her face neutral, as though this cost her no effort.
"I'll be waiting for you at the tree," she called out, her voice carrying for miles it seemed. "If you're smart, you'll use your Spirit Awareness to find the quickest way. Goodbye!"
With that, she all but disappeared as she propelled herself down the unbeaten path. I could only look on in awe at the sheer power, speed comparable to Hiei's, if not infinitely greater. I needed her power. More than that, I wanted it. The dilemma remained. Do I continue and hope the worst of the competition will be devoured by the forest, or do I take them out now, while they aren't expecting it. With Kazuma nearby, my options were limited. I glanced to my right...
And came to a dead stop.
He wasn't there.
"Taru, come on!" Yusuke's voice pierced through the brief panic that had set in, and my searching gaze found him slowing to a walk several paces ahead of me, just barely visible as a neon blur in the heavy mist.
"Where is my brother?" I asked, casting my senses about as I jogged to catch up to the boy. A few had dispersed, running in different directions the moment the old woman was gone. Kazuma must have been among those, and my attention being on Genkai, I completely missed him breaking off. Why hadn't he stuck with Yusuke or myself, knowing what he did about the competition? Did he forget already?
"He split off, the dumbass," Yusuke replied, jerking his thumb in a direction opposite his own. "Everyone knows the quickest way is a straight line."
I looked there, somewhat relieved to find the path did not feel nearly as stiflingly dark as the rest. Perhaps his awareness would guide him through safely, but if he encountered Rando...
My heart beat just a touch faster. If the demon had entertained the same idea as I had to eliminate those who were out of her sight, Kazuma might easily be among those at the top of the hit list. Decently strong, highly spiritually aware and extremely irritating, there was no way my brother wouldn't piss off the first person he would meet in here.
"We need to go after him," I spoke up quickly. "He shouldn't be out here alone."
"But he's going the long way," Yusuke complained, and I turned to give him a look.
"He's going the smart way, did you not listen to Genkai? There are dangers here, obstacles. The objective is to avoid said obstacles and not waste time dealing with them." I pointed to the clearest feeling path. "Kazuma's senses are almost as acute as my own. If he went that way, that means it's the safest route."
Yusuke crossed his arms, jutting out his chin in an unmistakable challenge.
"What's the point if you waste time trying to find a way around them? Can't we just beat 'em all up like we always do?" I shook my head, turning back and extending my hands pleadingly.
"That isn't the point of the test! Your plan won't get you through on time, if you even make it to the other side at all." The moment the words came out, I regretted them. His face split into a grin that all but screamed the words 'challenge accepted.'
"Wanna bet?" My mouth dropped open as he pivoted on his toes and disappeared into the thick treeline. The thick fog seemed to swallow his energy whole, leaving me completely alone at the starting point.
"Yusuke!" We need to stick together! I took a step in his direction, then stopped, looking back at the path I had originally insisted we take. Kazuma was that way.
But Yusuke was in the complete opposite direction.
... Both these idiots left me with the worst possible choices. Where my brother would likely escape completely unscathed, he was still at risk from attackers. My partner would be able to handle himself in a fight, but would he even make it out on time? Such were the options laid before me. Yusuke or Kazuma.
...
...
"Kuso!"
Hey! So, as some of you probably noticed, some things are different. If you, like myself, have the uncanny ability to remember the things you hear from TV and movies word for word, you'll definitely recognize the discrepancies. I explain it simply with this: Yusuke has been actively training with Hotaru by this point for a time span of at least two weeks by now. While he has been strengthening her constitution, she was working with him on his spirit awareness. And they've both been using their energy more, so there's more points for Yusuke's increase in strength and potential. As for the dialogue change when they were opening their lots, Yusuke no longer resents going on the mission because he's trying to prove himself better than Hotaru. This time around, he's actually happy to have drawn correctly, because she challenged him and he wants to win.
Maybe Yusuke might seem more motivated than he should be, but at this point, it should be clear that both the characters motivate each other, albeit in different ways. Plus, he's having fun with a (somewhat?) like-minded individual. I know I tend to get more energized when I'm around someone whose interests align with mine. Just look at my comments history on Youtube.
Songs utilized in here were Metallica-Enter Sandman (1991), Guns N' Roses-Welcome to the Jungle (1987), and Matsuda Seiko-Glass no Ringo (1983). Matsuda-San is The Eternal Idol of Japan, starting her musical career in 1980 and continuing to go on as one of the most popular musicians to date. Her music has debuted in various anime and TV dramas/romances, and I highly recommend her music to anyone interested in J-Pop. I generally prefer the older music myself.
Hope you're all having a lovely Wednesday, and I'll see you next week! Meow for now!