Ankoku Bujutsukai
Chapter Five
Hokage versus Ishimaitsu :: Fuuko versus Soshi

Soshi sneered at Fuuko. "You really think you're going to defeat me?" She flipped her hair back and watched her opponent through the little slits her eyes had become.

"I don't think so," Fuuko shrugged coolly, "I know so." She tightened the Fuujin around her wrist and eyed her opponent. Soshi looked at her haughtily, keeping her hand son her hips. She had short, layered brown hair and the burgundy eyes of her brother. She wore a white tunic, with a short black skirt underneath. What is this, a fashion show? Fuuko glared.

Soshi gave her a look of pure hatred. "I'm going to kill you, you little bitch," she swore.

Korogi glanced at the two furious femmes, and immediately yelled into her microphone. "The next match! Soshi of Ishimaitsu and Fuuko of Hokage." She looked sharply at each of them, "Go!"

With a fierce cry, Soshi leapt forward in a blaze of fury. Fuuko narrowly dodged the attack and held the Fuujin out, "Claws of Wind!" Talons made of wind appeared at the base of the Fuujin, and flew towards Soshi.

Soshi saw this and leapt back, nearly escaping the deadly claws. However, one gust managed to streak past her right arm and almost immediately, blood spurted out. She cried out at the sudden pain, and clutched her arm. She crouched, her knees touching the ground and her head bowed.

"Hn," she commented, staring at the cut Fuuko had made. "You are skilled." She backflipped high into the air and stood straight again.

Fuuko frowned, "I really am starting to hate you!"

"The feeling is mutual, Fuuko dear," she shot back coolly.

Fuuko clenched her fists and yelled. "Don't you dare treat me like a child!"

"Then stop fighting like one!" Soshi retorted. She held her hands out and created a small whirlwind that sped towards Fuuko. The wind goddess immediately altered the wind currents so the whirlwind changed direction. Soshi's brow furrowed at she concentrated on creating another whirlwind.

Fuuko didn't notice the whirlwind that hit her from behind. She twirled around just as she was about to get swept up and leapt into the air, manipulating the wind currents so that she could float several feet above the air. Soshi frowned and, waving her hand casually, the whirlwinds dissipated.

"It seems as if your reflexes are quite admirable Fuuko," she drawled. "Let's see if your power is as commendable." She closed her eyes and murmured a few well-chosen words. All of a sudden, her body glowed brightly. Fuuko blinked. Was she pulling some kind of trick on her?

A dagger appeared in her hand, clear as crystal. It wasn't very long... the blade was only as long as her hand. But undoubtedly, it contained some mysterious power that Fuuko knew had to be released. It pulsed with a blue substance. Soshi gripped it in her hands and thin blue strings inside her arms spiraled into the hilt of the dagger. Perspiration appeared on her brow and she tried very hard not to show she was in pain.

Finally, it was over. Soshi breathed a sigh of relief. She had done it. The dagger glowed bright blue before it subsided slowly. The dagger's blade was of a translucent material, and it's hilt was covered in different colored jewels of different sizes.

The dagger glinted dangerously as Soshi smiled at Fuuko. "Two can play your game, Fuuko dear." She stepped to the side and immediately disappeared. Fuuko's eyes widened. "What the hell...?" she muttered.

A confused murmur ran through the arena as Fuuko stood alone in the middle of the battle area.

"It seems that the dagger that Soshi brought out gave her some strange invisibility power," Korogi barreled on, "I wonder what Fuuko thinks of that."

Fuuko felt the wind rushing around her, and suddenly she felt very vulnerable. She banished that thought immediately. I didn't come out here to be defeated by some over-confident bitch that thinks too highly of herself. Glaring into thin air, she yelled, "Come out and fight Soshi!"

A high-pitched laugh echoed around her. If you say so... the voice seemed to say.

Suddenly, she felt a searing pain on her left shoulder, and she felt the sharp intake of breath she took. The spectators mirrored her action and they all gasped. Recca, Domon and the others leapt forward in fury, Domon's face red with rage. Yanagi bit her lip as a tear escaped down her face. "Fuuko..." she whispered. Korogi gripped her microphone and yelled into it, "Fuuko Kirisawa was just stabbed in the shoulder by Soshi's dagger."

Tokiya regained consciousness just as she said those words. "What?!" He clambered up, ignoring the pangs of pain in his whole body. Leaning on Recca for support, he glanced at the scene. And what he saw made him enraged.

In the center of the ring, Fuuko stood, paralyzed with shock, eyes wide open and glassy. Blood seeped freely from a wound on her left arm, and dripped onto the floor of the ring. Several feet behind her, Soshi grinned wickedly as her translucent dagger was stained red by Fuuko's own blood.

Tokiya glared fiercely at Soshi, feeling the urge to slice her up into tiny pieces. Dammit, is their whole family like that? He watched as Fuuko slowly lift her hand to the wound and touch the blood that poured from it. She lifted it to her eyes and saw her life's liquid on her hand, on her arm, dripping onto the floor... she felt rage coursing within her.

Her face suddenly contorted with anger, and she whirled to face Soshi, barely noticing the dagger being pulling out and floating into Soshi's hands. Soshi stood before her, looking triumphant. "Does it hurt, Fuuko?" She smiled malevolently. Fuuko forced her lips to smile, "Oh not at all." She stood upright, pressing her palm to the wound to keep the blood from flowing out. "Not a single bit," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Pity you wasted your time on summoning that pathetic dagger. You ought to be careful with what you do, Soshi. Conserve your energy, your time and your wits if ou have them."

"In fact, I think you should watch what you do," Fuuko continued, casually walking towards Soshi. "Because if, and when, I get mad, things are going to turn ugly." She tossed her hair backwards, "See what I'm saying?" Soshi's eyes narrowed, "Who the hell are you trying to fool?"

Fuuko shrugged. "I'm a master at disguising my emotions, Soshi dear. I can be depressed but look cheerful. I can be sad but look optimistic. And I can be absolutely pissed and look happy-go-lucky." She sighed. "But in your case, I think I'll make an exception."

She reared back her fist and punched Soshi in the face. Soshi flew across the ring and landed in a crumpled heap. She stood up dazed but still angry. "What the-?" She held a hand to her eye and it hurt severely. She glared menacingly at Fuuko, and leapt in the air, dagger in hand.

This time, Fuuko was ready. As Soshi hurled through the air, Fuuko jumped and narrowly avoided contact with the sharp blade. She kicked Soshi's chest sharply, and she saw Soshi's eyes widen and her breath backed up in her lungs and she ended up on the ground again. She rolled over several times before coming to a stop.

Soshi struggled to get up, but did not find the strength to do so. The dagger had been of her own energy, and she drained much of it. Tears rolled down her eyes as she found she lacked the strength to continue fighting. Iie... this can't happen... I'm strong! I'm going to win... I will not be beaten by a fighting tomboy... how embarrassing. I'm sure I would be admonished by Matiyo and told upon sternly by Shiryo.

I am a fool. I was over-confident, just like Matiyo had been, and now I am paying the price, just like he did. She sagged onto the floor and smiled wryly. At least I still have them. They would never desert me. She lay down on the floor as she listened to Korogi's countdown. She had given up.

Korogi swooped her hand over Soshi's body, "And ten! Ladies and gentlemen, the winner is Fuuko Kirisawa of Team Hokage!" She seized Fuuko's arm and held it up, but Fuuko pulled it away from her, hissing in pain. Korogi sweatdropped, "Oops, sorry Fuuko-san! I didn't realize it was that arm!"

Fuuko eyed Korogi darkly as she held her painful arm away from her. She walked over to Hokage where they all fussed over her. "Fuuko, you did great!" Recca exclaimed. "Fuuko! Daijobu ka?" Domon asked. "Fuuko, let me take a look at that," Yanagi told her, concerned.

"Thanks Recca. I'm all right Domon. Maybe later Yanagi," Fuuko answered them. Someone tapped her shoulder, and as she whipped around, she saw it was Mikagami. "Hey," he said. She smiled at him, "Hey yourself, niichan. How was I?"

"You were..." Tokiya searched for the right word, "Okay."

Fuuko glared at him, "Okay?"

Tokiya grinned at her and ruffled the top of her hair, "You were terrific. Though I was unconscious through half of it." He chuckled. "You better get to Yanagi before that," he pointed to her shoulder, "Gets any worse." Fuuko giggled, "Hai, niichan." She hugged him briefly, before cantering off to Yanagi.

Tokiya smiled wryly. "If I ever had a younger sister for real, I know she would be just like Fuuko..." He turned towards the ring and saw that another man stood there. He knew that was the remaining member of the Team Ishimaitsu. He was tall, strong and stoic. He had long brown hair, longer than Matiyo's, that almost covered his burgundy eyes. He was waiting for Recca to fight him.

Korogi held her microphone to her mouth and said, "The last match is between Recca of Hokage and Shiryo of Ishimaitsu!"