*Their landing was not the easiest either of them had ever experienced. Both landed face down in the dirt, and as they sat up, they began spitting out the dirt.
"That is the last time I take a partner with me, accidental or not." Sai muttered under her breath so Hiiro wouldn't be able to hear her.
"What was that? And were are we?" He asked, ignoring her shoddy mood.
"Doesn't matter. We can't go back." Hiiro's eyes shot open. What the hell did she mean, couldn't go back? Who was she? Well, regardless of who she was, this self- questioning was pointless and it would never accomplish anything. Yes, brute force was a much better option at this point in the game. Reaching behind him, he pulled his reliable weapon out and aimed directly for her heart.
"What do you mean, 'we can't go back?'" Slightly surprised, she hid her emotions well enough so he detected no change in her demeanor.
"I meant what I said. Until another porthole like that opens, we can't go anywhere; we're stuck here in this world."
"World?"
"A separate Earth; one where different decisions in history caused a different set of events to change their future. Your world is different from the one I originally came from, just as this one is going to be different from both mine and yours." She tried to explain. There was no point in hiding it any longer.
"You weren't born in my world?"
"No. I was born in a world without such technology, without public wars. My world, however, did consist of magic, something I have found rare in others as of yet."
"No such thing."
"Denial isn't just a river Yui. Grow up and accept the facts. Look at what you've just gone through, look at where you are now, and tell me magic doesn't exist."
"It doesn't exist."
"Very well. Have it your way. You're only along for the ride, just remember that."
"Hnn. I'm here to take care of you, J's orders."
"The old man is getting senile. He's forgotten I need no protection- in fact, those who come into contact with me are the ones who are in need of your care."
"I-" As Hiiro began to speak again; he was cut off by a loud yell of rage.
"Put it down! Put it down now!" The two fighters turned to watch as a large teenager in a school uniform chased a very short teenager in black down the street. In fact, they were headed straight for them…
"You want it Kuabara? Come and get it!" The short one called behind him. He had a nasty grin on his face. When he saw that two unusual looking people blocked his path, he simply stopped and allowed the larger redheaded teenager to catch up to him. Breathing heavily, the boy now named Kuabara stopped as well.
"Give it back Hie! It didn't do anything to you!"
"But you refused to fight me otherwise. I think it's a fair trade." Sai watched the interlude closely. The shorter boy in black was clutching a very tiny object delicately in his death grip. The larger boy looked as if he would have a heart attack if the other boy's cargo was injured in any way. Was this the reason she had been sent to this world? To help this boy regain what the other had stolen? Well, she wouldn't know until she tried.
"It is not fair when you blackmail your opponent into a battle. If he goes unwillingly, he will not put as much energy and heart into fighting you, and then you truly deprive yourself of the fight you wish."
The two boys looked at her as if she were a three-headed dog. Each sense a strange power emanating from her, neither could tell whether it was a positive or negative aura. They turned around as four others joined them, two teenage boys and two girls the same age. Nodding in greeting, now all six turned to stare at the new comers.
"Guys, there's something strange about her."
"Are you sure Kuabara? Or is this just you being over sensitive about you precious kitty cat?" One of the new ones laughed. The shorter teenager in black smirked.
"No, Kuabara is right, there's something not quite right about her." One of the girls stepped forward. Sai noted her strange ki as well. Her aqua hair and calm disposition reminded her of Michiru.
"What do you mean?" The other girl asked.
"She's not… right. Not evil per say, but she has a shrouded aura that creates a cloud of suspicion about her."
"Kurama, you know I don't like it when you get all philosophical!" Kuabara whined.
"Yes, well, I believe this girl just insulted me. Said I was blackmailing the big red oaf into a fight."
"You were." The Michiru look alike reprimanded.
"Even so. She shouldn't have spoken if she didn't have enough guts to fight me herself."
"What gives you the idea I don't? I simply felt the need to inform you you could potentially have a better fight if your partner was more willing." Hiiro had long since stepped back into the shadows and was watching. What did Sai think she was going to pull here? Well, If she got herself injured, he wasn't going to be the on to tend to her wounds.
"Well then. Perhaps you would be a more willing sparing partner than that blabbermouth fool."
"I resent that half pint!" Kuabara yelled in the background.
"Very well. If it is a fight that will satisfy you, then it is a fight you shall have. The stakes?"
"I win, and I take your life."
"No! Hie, that is far too high of a stake! You don't know anything about her!" the Michiru look alike yelled.
"No, his stakes are fine. Very well. If you win, you will have the pleasure of killing me. However. If I win, I wish for two small things. One, you return what you stole from your 'blabbermouth fool' of a friend, and second, I receive your names."
"Seem like fair stakes to me. Let's go!" Hie shoved what he was carrying into one of his friend's hands.
"Hold this until our fight is complete." Then they went at it.
"No!" Both of the girls cried. Neither liked the idea of this fight. But it was too late. Hie made a graceful punch directly into Sai's stomach. But when she wasn't fazed, he tried again. And again. And again. Finally, after he had tried an all out punch attack, Sai caught one of his hands and, using his own weight against him, flipped him. But Hie countered easily. Stepping up his speed, he began putting more effort into it, and Sai began her own attacks. For a moment she had a flashback of fighting Vegeta. Hie's short and compact build reminded her of the Saijin, and his fighting style was much the same in the desperation but surety with which each punch was thrown.
As the fight excelled, Hie found himself fighting at his maximum speed- and still the girl was able to keep up with him. She had taken many punches without flinching, but simply because she could stomach a punch didn't mean she wasn't going to tire eventually. He would just wear her down and then strike hard. That was one of the perks of being a demon; he didn't tire as quickly as humans. But he found himself wondering, if she had this much power, was she human?
The fight lasted for several more minutes. Then Hie decided to break the unmentioned code between the fighters. Drawing his sword to protests from his comrades, he moved to finish Sai off illegally using a weapon. But he was most unpleasantly surprised to find that his sword was countered with a large broad sword wielded by the girl. Half turn; quarter crescent slash, jab, and their hilts locked. Throwing the swords aside, Hie lost his temper for the last time. Unveiling his third eye, he tried in vain to catch Sai.
"Enough games." She growled at him. Bringing her wrists together, she built up a very small amount of energy- she didn't want to kill him, just put him in his place. As he shot his last amount of energy at her, her own shot of energy engulfed his easily. All of Hie's comrades and Hiiro watched as Sai's blast absorbed Hie's energy and spat it right back at him, knocking him off his feet and hard into the wall behind him.
"Nice." Hiiro grunted from behind her. She could feel the cool metal of his gun poised at her neck. "What are you- Sai?"
"I'm something else all together." She shuddered in her own self- revulsion. "Now put that away gun boy, before you scare the rest of these people."
"Hnn." He grunted. But he did put the gun away. What else could he do? After seeing her in action, he was sure that he would lose in a fight against her. Where had she learned that light attack? Further more, where had the other guy learned the same sort of attack? He felt as if he were missing out on a huge portion of something, but he didn't know what.
"You defeated me. Not many can say that. You are worthy of my respect." Hie bowed his head slightly.
"Well, that's nice to know. But I believe we had terms set. Give the big red head his… whatever it was… and give me your names."
"Yeah! Give me back-"
"Here's your stupid kitty cat!" Hie grabbed the cat and half tossed it, half handed it to Kuabara.
"A cat?" Hiiro whispered to himself. Sai shrugged, apparently having heard him.
"Who knows?" She answered back.
"Well." The woman who looked so much like Michiru spoke up. "Since Hie promised to provide you with names as part of the deal, let me introduce us all. I'm Photon, and these are our friends. The tall red head with the cat is Kuabara, the other red head is our friend Kurama, the one with the black hair closest to Kuabara is Yuske, and this Yuske's girlfriend, Keiko. Oh, and the one sulking in the back, your sparring partner, that's Hie."
"Photon! She's not my girlfriend!" The one name Yuske went red in the face and began spouting denials.
"Yuske!" Keiko cried.
"Oh..." He groaned. "Keiko, please don't cry! You know I can't stand it when you're mad at me! Come on, it was just a joke, honestly!"
"You do mean it! You've said it enough times! Oh, I don't even know why I put up with you for so long!"
"You put with him because you lo…"
"Photon!" Yuske yelled, breaking off her sentence before it got too far.
"Well, it's true! I mean, she's not your weakest point for no reason!"
"As interesting as this is, I want to know who she is!" Hie broke in.
"Yes. I wish to know as well." Kurama said. "You have great strength for one so strange. Are you a demon?"
"Demon? No. I am called Sai."
"And your boyfriend? What is his name?" Photon asked. Sai and Hiiro went bright pink.
"He is nothing of the sort. It is an accident that he is here in the first place. However. His name is Hiiro Yui."
"Charmed. So then you two are just as bad and Yuske and Keiko. Why is it that everyone seems to care to deny their feelings?"
"She and I have no relationship." Hiiro cut in bluntly. Retracting his gun, he shoved it into the closest holster and glared darkly at the entire group.
"And neither do Keiko and I." Yuske added, trying to duplicate Hiiro's nasty eyes. He almost succeeded. Photon stepped back slowly as the two angry men glowered. Sai reached out and easily grabbed Hiiro's arm, yanking him back behind her.
"Where did Hie learn the ki blasts he used? Or his speed? Five of you have more than human abilities." The group looked uncomfortable.
"We have special talents is all." Photon waved her off. As she spoke, a beep came from her pocket. She sighed. This was not going well. But she could not ignore a summon from Kuwenma, so she took out her pocket communicator and opened it up.
"Hello Photon." A high, raspy voice rang out. The group gathered around to see what was going on.
"And hello Yuske. I'm afraid I have another job for you all."
"Another one? We just finished the last one a week ago!" Yuske whined.
"Yuske Yuremeshi! You were given the task of spirit detector, so stop whining, grow up, and pay attention!" The voice paused and breathed in heavily, catching breath. "Now then. The demon Hikaru has escaped this world, so your job is to find him and take him down."
"Another demon? Sounds like fun." Kuabara joked.
"Yes. Another. Still, we will be prepared." Kurama nodded in agreement.
"Well. I'll let you get to it, and be careful!" Kuwenma finished. As Photon put away her communicator, Yuske began to question her.
"Who is this guy anyway Photon?"
"Hikaru is the spirit world's foremost leading expert in spirit energy attacks. He had been on the side of good up until three years ago, when a demon beat him. After that, he became obsessed with figuring out how to defeat the enemy. He eventually did defeat the demon, but liked the fighting so much he decided to just… stay evil. Anyway, he has some of the strongest spirit attacks ever created. We'll need to be very careful around him Yuske."
"No sweat. I'll have him beat in a few minutes once we find him."
"Who said you would be the one to fight him? I think I want to try him on for size, see how well he can do against my spirit sword!" Kuabara announced.
"I will be taking on this demon." Hie broke through Kuabara's ranting.
"You just lost to a strange girl! And you think your ready to take this demon on? I don't think so. I'm taking this demon one on one, end of discussion!" Yuske yelled.
"Stop arguing!" Keiko shouted over the noise. "Why don't you all find this thing, this demon, together, and then decide who's going to fight it?" She suggested.
"Keiko has a good idea." Photon said. "I think you should follow her idea."
"Fine." Yuske sighed. This was it, now or never.
"Mind if I join you?" Sai stepped up to bat. *