Aiko P.O.V:
"Ah, did anyone else feel that? Chu Must be five times stronger than that brat I went up against! Oh we are in some trouble." Kuwabara exclaimed, eyebrows shooting to the stop of his head, finally realizing the opponent Yusuke was up against. I merely scoffed, my thumb to my lips again as I grazed my teeth along the skin. Chu's once clear eyes went from focused to glassy again as he burped and stumbled, falling onto his butt. He closed his eyes, nose scrunched as he inhaled deeply, gathering himself before waving towards Koto.
"Hey Foxy, can you lend me a hand?" he called he waggled his finger. What was he up to now? The whole fight had become unpredictable. As the announcer hesitantly made her way to him holding her mic out to him, he snatched it from her beaming as he spoke into it. "RIGHT! I STILL NEED ANOTHER ONE!" He bellowed into the mic into the mic, his cheeks rosy once more.
"Let me translate again." Koto replied taking back the mic, obviously hearing the murmurs of confusion in the crowd. "As with all Suiken Fighting Masters. Chu gets more effective the more he drinks. I believe he's asking us to be more patient while he acquires the rest of his clumsiness." She squeaked out as Chu grabbed her and rubbed her head roughly, earning laughter from her. I don't know how she was able to understand him past his accented Japanese and slurring. It was a talent for sure.
"EXACTLY!" he shouted grinning like the drunk oaf he was presenting himself as. Throughout it all, Yusuke remained under the rubble. I glowered at the pile of stone, the impact made from Yusuke scattering the stone wall, injuring the patrons in vicinity of it. He better get up. He's slept enough.
"What do you think the chances are of us getting together, lady?" Chu asked patting the smaller Youkai's shoulder garnering my attention.
"Slim to none." Was her quick response.
"HEY LOVEBIRDS! HE'S OUT OF THE RING!" A demon shouted at Koto, snapping her back into her announcer role.
"Oh, wake up jerk! I was checking on Chu to make sure he was fit to fight. Now moving on, ONE!" she began, enunciating every count with a hand raise.
"I hope Urameshi doesn't get stuck out the ring like I did." Kuwabara said, reminding me of how irritated I was with him
"Then one of you would fight Chu in a tie breaker." Botan added, my stomach flipping at the prospect of joining combat.
"Yeah, I was thinking about that. That's why I hope he gets himself up." Kuwabara muttered looking at the remainder of our group. Gritting my teeth I looked back at the rubble where Yusuke was, his reikai was still there. He wasn't dead, so what was taking so long.
"FIVE!" Came the count, 5 more counts and Yusuke would lose.
"Come on now, Kid. I thought you wanted to see some challenging techniques." Chu taunted, his clumsiness once again disappearing.
"SEVEN!" Kurama sucked in a breath, fist clenched.
"I haven't done nothin' bonzer yet." Chu muttered, staring at the debris, his voice almost cooing to Yusuke. It almost sounded like; he was a little disappointed at the show Yusuke put on.
"EIGHT! NINE!" She never made it to ten as Yusuke shot from the ruins of the stadium wall, flipping, and landing on his feet in the ring. Chu wheezed as he saw the detective, the latter rolling his shoulders and testing his movement.
"That was close! I could have been killed if I didn't guard myself!" Yusuke explained, excitement in his voice as he took in Chu with renewed enthusiasm. I let out a breathy chuckle, running my hands through my hair at the dumb luck of the idiot. By the skin of his ass.
"I get it, the old see it coming and block with the shoulder trick. What a champ, right?" Kuwabara said boorishly, wrapping his arm around Kurama's shoulder. His cheerfulness was contagious, and Kurama beamed at him.
"One dumb mistake and I'm pushing daisies, right?" Yusuke asked, his battle
"Yeah, pretty much, kid. I was thinkin' the blue eyed shiela on your team was about to jump in the ring and scratch me eyes out." Chu answered, arms crossed casting a short glance my way.
"She'd eat your heart out, trust me on that. But, you know this whole life-or-death thing. I'm starting to like it." Yusuke stated, licking the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was underselling it too, I felt the roar of adrenaline beginning to kick off in his system, his excitement sending short bursts of anticipation through me. Those signals fueling the storm around us, lightning flashing more frequently. The savagery between the two of them was so thick in the air, as they both laughed at their own inside joke. "Let me guess, you too?" Yusuke asked, kin recognizing kin.
"Never any pleasure in playing if it ain't for keeps." Chu spoke, sounding oddly sober.
"That's good drunkie. We finally found something in common." Yusuke teased rolling his shoulder again though I felt his reikai shifting. Is he going to end this with his signature Spirit Gun? No, Yusuke wasn't calculating or sly like that. He was the bull in the China shop.
"You can fight at anytime!" Koto finally broke the conversation, not one for wordplay and more for action. It was a combat tournament, so I can understand the impatience of it all. My brows shot up as Yusuke finally aimed his finger at Chu, the blue light from his reikai increasing in intensity as he charged it. Chu finally looked taken aback, unaware of the stance Yusuke was taking. Is he really going to end it like this? Had I been wrong? My questions only halted when the boy swung his aim just to the right at the arena ceiling. The ceiling exploded on impact, more falling rubble falling onto the crowd below. Talk about bringing the show to the viewers. I chuckled at my own joke before realizing what just happened.
"Hey! Why the heck did he go and waste his bullet?!" Kuwabara shouted.
"Good question – I'll assume it wasn't a matter of bad aim." Botan added.
"Yusuke is showing Chu what he's up against." I responded, still chewing the edge of my thumb. They both looked at me incredulously.
"Why is he doing that? The element of surprise isn't a thing anymore?" Botan asked me.
"He's leveling out the playing field. He wants to even the playing field out in the battle."
"Just like Chu, Yusuke has introduced his move before using it on his enemy. But this is the Dark Tournament, not the Happy Game! Where are the dirty cheats? The blackmail threats?! The backstabs?" Koto cried out. Her theatrics drew a chuckle from me.
"Damn it Urameshi! I'm the one who's got the Honor Code! You copier!" Kuwabara screamed at Yusuke, irritation etched into his features. Good to see his energy is back.
"Everyone's shoutin' at ya now, but you wanted a fair fight!" Chu shouted boisterously, ending with a bellowing laugh. He stopped abruptly as his face paled, and he stumbled quickly gripping his mouth and doubling over. I couldn't quite make out what he was saying, something along the lines of his drink coming back to greet him. The man was a walking mess. He recovered wiping the drool from his mouth with his forearm.
"Right, it's about time. You got your secret technique…Okay… So turns out I got mine. Watch me carefully. It's complicated." Chu said, eyes losing their cloudiness again as he reached out behind him and pulled out a- flask? Yusuke's face must've matched mine as Chu explained. This is the strongest alchy ever made. It's called Ogre Killer."
"Oh yeah people that's some strong stuff…Take a sip of that and you'll wake up in jail the next morning, in the arms of a hairy demon you really don't want to know." Koto vouched for him. I covered my nose as he popped the cork and watched in horror as he began to chug it. That stench could clear my sinuses for the next century, and he Is drinking it like water. "And he's definitely taking more than a sip!" Koto announced, eyes just as wide. I rubbed the tears from my eyes as Chu discarded the now empty flask. His poor liver must be fighting for its life. I watched as he exhaled and began to shudder, his energy beginning to build. Goosebumps sprouted along my arm as it flared around him, expanding over the stadium. His aura was warbly, feeling like when you first get blackout drunk, the second before you tunnel vision, but not quite there yet.
"Something very strange is happening. The entire stadium is being eclipsed by Chu's aura." Koto announced looking around as the stadium grew quiet.
"What's happening to him?" Botan whispered, grabbing my arm as she steadied herself.
"Don't know it just feels weird." Kuwabara answered. Chu's energy continued to grow, in nauseating wave after wave. Just what was Yusuke up against?