Chapter 40(39)

Aiko P.O.V:

I wanted to hear the 'go to the locker' room announcement at the end of the battle so bad. However, just like Rinku's battle, there was no corpse to clean up, just charred remains. My gaze flickered over to the injured arm of my teammate. The one who had unintentionally used me as bait. The Pull of the Jagan eye a quiet thrum in the background.

I had never drank that antidote for the sword. We never thought I needed it. Was that a mistake? Movement caught my attention as the last two remaining team members took off towards the rings exit. They were giving up? I didn't blame them, Hiei's last attack would scare anyone who didn't realize the price he had paid, and the lower levels of his energy reserves he had remaining. Possibly they thought the three remaining teammates were bigger fish. Nope, cowards did what cowards did. I went to whisper something to Kurama before my body stiffened as I eyed the darkness of the exit. The grunts and cries of pain were not what I was expecting. Had they tripped in their mad dash away? Stepping forward and tilting my head, I sent my energy searching for them, only for it to discover two corpses and another individual. That math did not add up at all. The individual stood stock still as my energy tried to determine if this was a threat or something to dismiss. I eyed the silhouette stumbling forward, my eyes narrowing at the overpowering scent of alcohol. It was like I had set foot back into my parent's bar, though I knew we were too far away from home. I inhaled again no longer trying to hide the action sending another bolt that way, albeit stronger my curiosity getting the best of me. Whoever it was did not appreciate it.

"Interesting." The statement had no sooner left my mouth, did my eyes widen as I leapt backwards, one of the fleeing teammates now hurtling towards me from the tunnel, avoiding me by a long shot. I landed on all fours by Yusuke, a scowl on my face as I eyed our new opponent. There had been no flare up of energy, no aggression. No, it was as if they were swatting a fly with a fly swatter, the fly swatter being a whole corpse. The crowd had silenced itself as I dug my claws into the ground, feeling the soil give under my claws, ignoring the raw pain from them ripping out from under my fingernails.

The figure appeared into the light of the stadium, one hand gripping the second demon's body by the shirt and a bottle of alcohol in the other. His entire ensemble was as loud and wild as the look in his eyes. I knew drunks, no drunk had eyes that aware and focused on his surroundings. Whatever game he was playing I wasn't buying. His eyes ran over me, brows knitting together as he probably surmised, I was the one who was gauging him. I could not explain the pang of giddiness that rose in my chest, my muscles tensing and my energy running amok under my skin. I was agitated with Zeru, ready to go toe to toe with him. This guy, this guy for some reason was more dangerous than Zeru. Far more dangerous.

"Oh dear, a drunk madman's escaped to the ring." Botan stated, ignoring the fact that the drunk madman had killed two fleeing demons and tossed a corpse at me. I straightened up into a crouch no longer on all fours as I watched the man try to clamber into the ring, falling as he did. Balancing on the balls of my feet, I blindly wiped the blood from my fingers, eyeing the corpse. His neck was clearly broken, the look of shock frozen on his face from his final moments. He died quick, so quick he hadn't registered it. Goosebumps littered my flesh as I watched his clumsy grasping at the ring, the threat of him not dying down. Finally, he managed to make it up there only to fall on his ass and sit there, head lolling to the side a bit, as he gathered his bearings. Suddenly he stiffened, pointing at Koto as he focused on her.

"Ay, announcer shiela. You look pretty hot, can you come here a second?" he slurred earning a look of surprise from me as he waved at her. His Japanese was off, broken possibly due to the alcohol, but also foreign, as if his accent wasn't made for the language. What was a shiela anyway? Koto hesitate, incoherent sentences leaving her mouth as she stared at the drunk. He didn't seem to have the patience for that, slamming his fist onto the ground. "I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU!" he roared breaking whatever confusion had her rooted to the spot as she ran over to him. They seemed to talk amongst themselves, Koto pulling away from his stench as she pinched her nose shut. The poor thing.

"Rokuyukai can fight with Rinku and one alternate… if they find one." She spoke into the mic finally. What was she on about?

"You sure about that?" the drunk demon barked at her earning a glare from Koto, looking every bit insulted as she held a hand to her chest.

"I am a walking rulebook. My entire life is this tournament. Of course, I'm sure." Was the matter of fact response she gave. The drunk grit his teeth as he further tensed, and I worried that she was going to be hurt in a random rage. Instead he cheered loudly startling the poor announcer as he shot out. His mouth moved again, his gaze sharp as is moved over us. Once our eyes locked his brow cinched again and he stumbled till he sat on the ground once more. The entire thing was an act. He may be drunk, but he was regarding us with eyes that were reading us. As a fighter did an opponent. He was no doubt, their alternate. Koto slowly made her way to his, shuffling slightly, her guard up. She let out a cry of surprise as he reached out, large hand grabbing her shoulder and pulling her to him, rubbing his cheek against hers making me wince. I believed I'd rather rub my face against a cactus that the scraggly beard on his face. I listened to her grunts of confusion as the brute manhandled her some more before making his way to the center of the ring. He stumbled towards us and I placed my knuckles on the ground, my energy roaring in my veins, my stance becoming more primitive.

"His spirit power is a lot less than Zeru's but for some reason I got a creepy feeling. Watch out you guys." Kuwabara warned.

"What could you be worried about, he's the alternate fighter and secondly he's a lush." Botan interjected. Scoffing, I rolled my shoulders, my hands going to my thighs as I readied myself to stand up. I didn't get how she was so clueless yet held the position as our trainer.

"Let's go you sogs, I wanna get a good brawl in b'fore my fun wears off. In that case they all better fight me at once." The drunk taunted, throwing his head back as he laughed obnoxiously. I eyed him now that he was closer, his look as wild and outlandish as him. He was well built, a towering giant of a man. His wild electric blue punk like mohawk tapered off into two ponytails in the back, the ends wrapped in red ribbon. A thin green striped tattoo ran across the bridge of his nose, marking his face from eye to eye. Come to think of it, his entire facial structure was extremely male, foreign, his nose nearly hawk-like, blue eyes a bit rounder than ours. The unkempt goatee and mustache added to his wild look, fur lined leather vest and boots, olive green skintight pants with a red sash belt, that I didn't think he needed gave him a loud and untamed look to him. I had never seen an outfit like his.

"So, who's going to take him? Hasn't been very long since all three of us fought our matches. Guess we should draw straws or something." Kuwabara thought out loud, irritating me. I was standing right here. Crouching.

"HURRY UP!" the once laughing wild man yelled, now wound back up. How impatient.

"Chu seems extremely impatient." Koto spoke to the crowd, earning 'Chu's' ire.

"What d'you say?" he asked, unamused by the poor girl who was simply doing her job.

"I only say it as I see…" she managed out, ears laying flat on her head as she looked up at him.

"Don't go on confusing me with big words, just get me a fighter!" he commanded, pointing at us. Koto agreed and hurried over to us, her heels clicking on the arena floor.

"Urameshi team, pick your combatant." She sounded exasperated with us, which was quite understandable. Hell, I was exasperated by our rag tag group.

"Well we still have that masked fighter guy. Come on man, it's your turn." Kuwabara barked, sending my eye twitching. Just bypass me why don't you.

"Geez, what the hell is that smell…" a drowsy voice from a certain sleeping detective caught my attention, stealing me away from the both Kuwabara and Koto.

"Good, you're awake. Handle this before I light him up. Literally." I quipped turning to him. His brown eyes lit up as he eyed Chu and I saw the same feeling I had initially flicker across his face, the corner of his mouth jerking up in a very Yusuke smirk.

"I'm guessing you aren't talking about the drunken giant in the ring." He teased lightly punching my shoulder, earning a quiet growl. He made a sound that was dangerously close to a laugh. I was beginning to miss him sleeping.

"Move before I light YOU up." I ordered, even as I watched his leg muscles bunch as he leaned forward in a crouch. He kicked off the ground as Kuwabara turned to us, his face contorting from one of anger to confusion as he looked around for Yusuke, who had already made his way to the ring.

Yusuke fell into the ring, landing in a crouch and coming to stand tall, hand resting on his waist. Clearly demanding attention, the damn show off.

"Well that's unexpected…" Kuwabara mumbled, as Botan stared in quiet shock.

"Indeed." She trailed off, as Yusuke picked his ear already taunting this new opponent. Making my way forward, standing between both Hiei and Kurama as I crossed my arms, shifting my weight to my right foot.

"Aiko." Kurama acknowledged me with a soft utterance of my name, his brows creased, eyes firm on Yusuke. I grunted my reply, grinning as I saw the boy raise his arm and wave.

"HEY ALL YOU STUPID DEMONS! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SLEEP THROUGH YOUR CLEVER TRASH TALK LONG ENOUGH AND I'M READY TO KICK SOME ASSES!" He bellowed, the giant screen zooming in on his cocky face. I let out a short laugh as he stretched and a worried Botan rested her forearms on the ring as she spoke to him. He smirked at her as he twisted side to side, probably stiff from the way he slept. He brushed her worries aside cracking his knuckles as he waved her off, dismissing Chu as light exercise.

"Oye Yusuke!" I shouted causing him to pause and stare at me confused. "If you lose, I'll kick your sorry ass around too." Yusuke grinned wildly at that, throwing me the finger as he walked to Chu. There was a hidden message in there. That I honestly thought this Chu man, may actually be a challenge to him, that made this fight more fun to him.