YYH Chapter 41(40)
Aiko P.o.V:
The crowd was louder now if that was even possible. Chu's speed was something to be marveled. The Sui Kan technique. I had heard of it before, on the cheesy kung-fu films Yusuke, Takeshi and I watched. Yet, they never showed stumbling like Chu's. The way he moved was not a clumsy move but a calculated motion. It was hard to keep up with his energy signature. Even that swirled around him drunkenly, twisting and writhing to and fro.
Clenching and unclenching my fists, my fingers curling in anticipation from the outcome of this fight. My energy swirled around in my chest, having retreated as it felt Yusuke awaken. My one intentional bond, the first pack bond. Lightning raced across the rapidly darkening sky as my excitement heightened. An unfortunate drawback of my power. Even more unfortunate, sometimes my power turned me into a living conduit. A lightning bolt straight to the body, to some would be a death sentence, to me it was a painful power boost. By painful, as if my flesh was trying warp around the muscles and my bones began to melt at the same time. No, a lightning bolt in this form was an expresso shot of pure adrenaline and pain. It was preferred to be in my other furrier form when it happened. Grimacing, I attempted to soothe the energy that was curled around my core. No lightning rod effect today please. Playing it safe, I stepped away from Hiei and Kurama, monitoring the frequency of lightning strikes. I could not shake the enthusiasm coursing through me though. The battle, the cacophony of roaring demons, the impending storm, it made my teeth tingle. I was envious of Yusuke I found myself admitting. Thunder resounded, nearly drowning out the yelling in the stadium, reverberating through the ground accentuating the build up from the battle, like a war drum.
"This is so exciting! I've never heard such an uproar for such an early fight. I can't hear myself; I could say horrible things, and no one would know it." Koto's voice over the loudspeaker, barely came through over the crowd's yelling. The two fighters in the ring stood as still as possible, tension ringing int the air as they stared at each other, the light from my lightning flashing across their features. Minutes went by and the crowd's hollers dulled down, possibly confused on why there was no bloodshed yet.
"Ever so slowly the crowd is calming down and it seems the same could be said for Chu. Why his previous glazed over eyes could almost be called sober."
"Suddenly, I feel this Chu won't be so easy." Botan whispered to us.
"Yeah, I hear ya." Kuwabara responded finally seeing the threat for what it was.
"Y'know, I heard lots about you. Course, I think you're a scared little kid who gets lucky." Chu taunted Yusuke who growled back in agitation, clenching his fist as his body seemed to grow tense at the insult. Nothing worked Yusuke up like being called a kid. "Now now… try to loosen up." Chu continued undeterred by Yusuke's rage.
"Let the fight begin!" Koto's cry of excitement was like a gunshot as the crowd hung onto her every word. Immediately the drunk haze of energy around Chu sprang to life like a living miasma. A soft gasp left my lips, my thumb going to my mouth as I nibbled it to staunch the shudder that wracked my body.
"At last he shows himself; I've never felt spirit energy of this kind." Kurama's stance had changed as he spoke, his shoulder blocking me slightly as he stepped in front of me a bit. The move made my gut flip, my primitive side letting a purr at the fox using his body to shield me. The sentient not thinking with its damn hormones sucked its teeth. Placing my hand on his shoulder and squeezing briefly, I stepped closer to the ring.
"Whoever said chivalry is dead must have never met my wonderful team." I drawled sarcastically, unable to help myself. It was hard to pretend that the action did not make butterflies fly in my stomach, but they could crash in burn before I let a forced bond dictate allowing him to keep treating my me like a damsel in distress. I'm even ignoring the voice that said I loved it. See. Now listening to it at all.
"Watch carefully, I want to know what you think of my stumbling little feet." Chu was already on the move, seeming to stumble into an odd swaying step. What I was seeing was hard to explain, as if his he was moving so fast but slowly. A if his movements were an oxymoron. His whole stance was contradictory, so agile but so sloppy. Yusuke focused, his aggressive posture now showing some hesitation.
"What the-" Yusuke attempted to follow Chu's pace as it continued to confuse him. There was no pattern, the movements as unpredictable as the man himself.
"That guy's fast." Kuwabara stated, inching closer to us so I could make him out in my peripheral. It was good he could keep up. It meant he had developed as a fighter while I was gone. Too bad it didn't teach him to not underestimate his opponent.
"Notice how his body flows." Kurama added, astounded by the stumbling warrior.
"Yes, and his speed only adds to the problem. Good luck trying to hit him." Hiei finished.
"It's amazing." I said nearly breathlessly, my eyes wide as I watched the man. He was dancing as if to a tune only he could hear. His speed, nearly untraceable.
"You- uh realize he's not on our team?" Kuwabara chided earning an irritated huff from me.
"Yes, I do Kuwabara, but you'd have to be blind to not be impressed by what we are seeing." How could you not? I would give my left paw to be in that ring against this opponent. Chu circled Yusuke, the teen spinning around trying to keep up, his face fixed in a scowl. His heart pitter pattered in his chest, his blood beginning to pump in his veins. His battle lust slowly building to a crescendo. Movement from Koto drew my attention, snapping me back to myself. I needed to be more careful of that, Yusuke's love for combat was addictive through our pack bond, often triggering my prey drive. Koto rubbed her eyes with her forearm, struggling to follow Chu's staggering just as we were.
"Wow, I guess the loon has talent after all. His moves are so fast and bizarre, I can't even tell where he is." She voiced what half the stadium was possibly feeling. Anyone with a brain knew we couldn't keep up with the demon. Sucking in a breath, I stiffened. Maybe, falling into that other side of my brain that was as interested in catching prey as battle wasn't too bad. Closing my eyes and clamping down on the core of energy in me, I slowly absorbed the thing that made me a little more dangerous than most of the stadium. Slowly I opened my eyes as sounds slurred, my eyes solely on the two in the ring. Colors began to mute aside from the auras of the two fighters in the ring. Yusuke had already begun to sweat, eagerness radiating off him even as a troubled expression flitted across his boyish face. Yet Chu didn't, a smirk flirting with his lips. He continued his circling; I had long given up looking for a pattern. No, Yusuke's best bet was to wait for Chu to attack. As if the thought brought the action into reality, Chu struck. He slowed down enough in Yusuke's blind spot, the boy turning in time to block a strike with his forearm, absorbing the momentum from the blow. I chuffed; the sound foreign to this current form. The blow was strong, taking Yusuke's strength and concentration to defend himself. Leaving himself open, Yusuke sprung back into action, knowing the sound of that chuff, his arm quickly sliding to his gut as he blocked… or tried to block one, two, three, four, FIVE?! Five blows to the gut. The blows launched Yusuke backwards, the boy clenching his stomach as Chu followed striking the boy in the back of the neck, sending him to the ground with a crash.
"Even from this killer view I couldn't track Chu's strange moves. But I suspect we missed some of Yusuke's fantastic agony." Koto said as smoothly as if she was telling the weather. What a bloodthirsty lady. "Let's double check with our slow play instant replay feature!" she beamed turning to the big screen. I didn't need to watch him get pummeled again, once was enough. I chuffed again at the boy who laid on the ground, eyes clenched shut as he grits his teeth, grimacing in pain.
"Yes! Chu actually gave 5 quick wallops before finishing with a to die for blow to the back of neck. Amazingly painful don't you think?"" her narrating working the crowd up in a frenzy as they watched the screen. Again, I let out another chuff, this one louder.
'I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!' Was the snotty response back bringing a grin to my face.
Kurama P.O.V:
That sound was unexpected to be coming from her at least. It sounded like the coughing sound male lions often emitted, a soft whisper of a roar. The timing was more than coincidental. Aiko was communicating with the detective. More so, Aiko was following Chu's movements, warning Yusuke before those blows hit. There was no other way to explain the two actions. It brought me back to the battle with Genbu. Aiko's ability to use her bestial senses to track an enemy in ways we couldn't.
"Quite a beating…" Botan cringed away, her voice trembling with worry.
"Yeah, he's not even fighting back." Kuwabara followed, clearly not paying attention to Aiko and Urameshi's exchanges. No, I wouldn't exactly say that. If anything, Aiko and Yusuke were watching Chu together, picking up on his combat flow. No, they were watching him as two different fighters, Yusuke hands on and Aiko as a spectator, catching things he couldn't. I opened my mouth to ask the question that was forming a cold dread in my chest, closing it as quickly as it showed up. Had she formed a mate bond with the boy? The question left a bitter taste in my mouth as jealousy raised its head. She would have had to have a reason if she did, I reasoned with myself, scolding this immature bout of thought. I was not a schoolboy or wet behind the ears kit. Finally collecting myself I watched them both, Aiko completely fixated on the ring. As I should be.
"Had enough have ya?" Chu asked hovering over Yusuke, his face smug as he mocked the boy.
"Of course not!" Yusuke snapped shooting up and sending pebbles flying off his body. The movement startled Chu who reeled back, his face twisted in surprise. Good the boy wasn't harmed, blocking the worse of the damage. "This game has just begun!" Yusuke barked ending his sentence with a swing as he began to throw punches at Chu, advancing on the demon who dodged the blows. Still interested in the possible bond, I became engrossed on Aiko who hadn't made a sound yet, though she bounced on her toes as she watched Yusuke. Before she had left, she often lost herself to the thrill of the hunt, a fear of both Takeshi and mine. If she lost control, she could get us disqualified, the thought instantly making me feel guilty. I was still looking at her in a reckless mindset, which was unfair to Genkai and Aiko. "Would. You. Stop. Jiggling!" Yusuke commanded as he emphasized each word with a jab. His moves as uncoordinated as Chu's. Another chuff and Yusuke blocked another attack. It went on, a chuff then a block, though Yusuke missed one movement, blocking too late and coming under blows from Chu. Aiko's chuffing stopped and she let out a chitter, soft nearly bird like. Yusuke stumbled back farther, regrouping as he spit blood wiping his mouth. He muttered something under his breath, clearly irritated, before charging back at his opponent with renewed vigor. I watched hand in my pocket; squeezing the handle of the switch I got from my fight, as Yusuke recklessly swung.
"Try using your feet or your elbows maybe, yeah he wouldn't expect that!" Kuwabara yelled out to Yusuke, blocking out Aiko's calls, said fu dog casting a murderous look the boy's way though he had yet to notice.
"KUWABARA! DO ME A FAVOR AND SHUT THE HELL UP!" Yusuke shouts back his last swing connecting roughly with Chu's cheek sending him to the ground.
"Alright!" Kuwabara cheered. Perhaps angering Yusuke was helpful. It was a good thought till I heard the chuff from Aiko. The sound coming in too late as Chu closed the space his back to Yusuke. Using his momentum, Chu swung his leg with the speed and power he had showed in this match time and time again. This blow sent Urameshi flying out the ring, his body tearing the ground apart as he collided into the wall burying our team leader under rubble.
"My such a delicious attack! I wish we had time to watch every blow on the instant replay screen. Suffice to say Yusuke Urameshi has been buried in a pile of rubble." Aiko finally loses her temper at this moment turning on both Botan and Kuwabara.
"Both of you…." Aiko spoke, her voice echoed as she spoke, a sound like a distant storm was brewing in her chest. "You are going to shut your mouths and let Yusuke do what he does best. Pulling a win out of his pompous ass. Next one of you to distract him…" she trails off, her eyes beginning to glow as she raised a clawed hand, her power crackling wildly along it. The threat was clear and they both gulped nodding as our fu dog turned abruptly. She had a point; Yusuke was extremely lucky or extremely skilled- but I did not dismiss Aiko's aggressive and assertive behavior. No, I may even be very fond of this new Aiko, something I did not expect leaving a sense of wonder of how she had changed.