Saga IV ~ The Dark Tournament (Ankoku Bojutsukai)
Chapter I ~ Entrance and Kuwabara vs. Rinku
A.N. - To save time, space, sugar, and my hands, I'm just going to make passing mentions of the actual battles that happened in the show. Also, there will be a TON of guest-fighters/speakers. The teams will have eight each, and two substitutes. I'm going to have Koto, Kyo, and Yuki doing the play-by-play. Oh, and none of this was prepared…nothing prewritten at all… Right, on with the show!
"What do you want, Urameshi?" Ryoko groaned aloud, slipping farther down in her seat on a bench in the park. She had been trying to find some peace and quiet all day, and this place had been nearly deserted, so…
"We've been invited to the Dark Tournament, but we need three more contestants. Namely you. I was hoping you could talk some of your Shinsengumi into it," Yusuke answered, the punk tone still filling his lungs with hot air; either that or his head, anyways, was filled. Ryoko stretched limberly, the joints in her shoulders popped and creaked from sitting in the wooden bench for so long. She looked him up and down once.
"Reikai Tentei we may be, but the Shinsengumi runs their own show, as a group. So does Shizuma's pack. I'll do what I can, however, you may be getting more than you bargained for, asking for help from us." With a final smirk crossing her lips she turned and started walking away. "What day is it on?"
"We meet here," he laid a small piece of map down on the bench as he spoke. Ryoko turned to watch him walk away, before picking up the slip.
"Well, I've got a few people in mind for this one…"
"Ah, there you are. I knew I'd find you eventually." Ryoko's voice seemed to echo in the small chapel, the rows of satin seats doing nothing for the returning sound. Aoi kneeled before the alter, hands clasped. She stood slowly, turning to find Ryoko standing in the border of the doorway.
"Yes?"
"The Reikai Tentei have a mission. I want you to ask the other competitor, G, to come with us. If you don't mind, that is."
"Of course. But, if I may ask, why have you chosen me?"
"This is going to be a long, bumpy ride together, I want everyone clutching each other while holding their stomachs in to know each other. You know the park near my school? We can meet there."
"So, sweetie, what're you doin' in a place like this, eh?" A punk asked, leaning over as Aoi strode past, not even acknowledging him with a backwards glance. "Hey, girl!" Here eyes were already set on the man in the corner, gang-like, relaxed but ready, and…
"You are known as G, correct?"
"You could say that." His eyes lifted to hers before he answered. "What of it?"
"The Reikai Tentei require you assistance. Ms. Mitsurugi sent me."
"That makes sense. What for?"
"A tournament, of sorts. With people like we dealt with before."
"Ah. I see. More-"
"We wish for you to come at Yusuke Urameshi's invitation, as well, and Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara would be obliged, too."
"…I'm there. When?"
"Tonight, at the Shotokan park. Near the center, there's a clearing just off the path. That's where we'll meet." She turned to leave, just as his hand caught her arm.
"We're going to the same place. Wait a moment, and I'll come with you."
"You're here, good. I was wondering who Urameshi had chosen." Hiei noted coldly as G, Aoi, and Ryoko walked up, meeting his eyes.
"He's late." Kuwabara noted dryly, looking back the way they had come as Urameshi emerged.
"Not that late."
"Who's the mummy guy?" Kuwabara asked, leaning over to stare the small, warded person in the eyes.
"Our final competitor. We've got the eight, now. Let's go."
"I don't believe this will be a joy ride," Ryoko noted dryly; she looked up at the ship that pulled in as the many demons walked onboard, and they followed.
"No one said it would be," Yusuke noted, his tone empty of all save sarcasm.
"It matters not." Hiei shot the worrying humans a look. "The fittest survive. Kurama and I have proven ourselves to fit into that category."
"And the rest of us?" Ryoko asked, amusement tinting her voice.
"Will have to prove that you don't need to be babysitted." Yusuke, G, and Ryoko all smiled, Kuwabara looked affronted and started to speak and the seemingly emotionless Aoi placed an apple in his large mouth.
"MTHWHWGGR!"
"Right, whatever you say, kid."
"TTHRWWWWRRRGRRRRMMMWWTH!" Kuwabara called around the apple.
"Yeah, that made sense." Ryoko's eyes rolled.
"However…" Hiei trailed off as he drew his sword, then disappeared into a flash of red-black with Yusuke, showing more slashes than actual bodies.
"Wow, I can barely tell where they're moving!" Kuwabara groaned in exasperation as he watched them unblinkingly. Ryoko shook her head.
"If you're having trouble now, we may have trouble later." Ryoko looked down at the fight calmly until Yusuke caught Hiei's sword.
"I see your social skills are improving, Hiei."
"And you seem to have practiced a little." He stood straight a moment, before disappearing, creating a blur involving Ryoko this time.
"He's just the competitor-tester today, isn't he?" Yusuke asked of Kurama, leaning back on his heals.
"Quite. He appears to take control of the team when you do not."
"I suppose…"
"He is only assuring our win, nothing more." Aoi noted without emotion. They stopped suddenly, Ryoko's bakken at Hiei's throat and his katana at hers.
"You have seemed to train, as well."
"Of course, what do you take me for?" Ryoko asked coldly, withdrawing her blade and replacing it in her belt.
"Wait, where'd Hiei go?" Yusuke asked suddenly, looking around.
"There! There he is!" Ryoko called, pointing at a particularly pointy shadow.
"No, that one!"
"No, I'm sure he's here!"
"I just saw him there!"
"Yes! He just went that way!"
"I lost him…"
"Of course you would! There!"
"Hiei, when are you going to tell them where you are?" Kurama asked Hiei over his shoulder as he stood still in his shadow.
"When they're no longer so amusing."
"THERE!"
"No, dimwit! THERE!"
"I'm sure I saw the shrimp there!"
"The teams will be decided by a single battle, one combatant from each team against all the others in a free-for-all match." The gaudy captain called, waving the demons forward as the Urameshi team looked amongst itself.
Aoi shrugged from her place atop the railing, and G sighed deeply, wondering if they would force him to move, as the wind here was just perfect… Hiei looked down at the sweating Kuwabara from the railing and Kurama smiled slightly just as Ryoko jumped down from her spot, aiming towards the ring that had popped out of the ground.
"Well, I guess a man should take care of this!" Kuwabara called fiercely, walking forward just as a large crowd of tall demons passed, calling out passing remarks in their shrill voices. "Uh… They do look quite a bit larger when they're right next to you…" He looked up as a particularly knarled one lumbered past before he laughed nervously. "Well, that's good! And, since they're all calling for him, we should have the team captain do it! Hey, Urameshi! WAKE UP!" This was accompanied by random shaking of the poor boy, who was still sleeping against the railing.
"That won't work." Kuwabara's head shot up at Kurama's words. "Whatever training he went through has left him exhausted. Let him sleep, he probably needs it."
"Yes, let sleeping dogs lie," Ryoko noted as she stared off into the other end of the ship.
"Dogs?" Kuwabara asked skeptically.
"Yes. Doesn't he remind you of one, the way he's so loyal and protective to the girl of his? A black lab', to be sure."
"I see where you're going… Although, I doubt I would have come up with that," Kurama noted, amused.
"Yeah, labs don't have such a short temper, either."
"And the rest of us?" Hiei asked in his cold voice.
"You'd be a black cat, Kuwabara would be a golden retriever, and Kurama would be a fox, of course." Kurama winced and sweatdrop as Ryoko laughed and waved a finger. "Now, tell me that doesn't fit, Kurama!"
"It fits better than you know…" Hiei grumbled as Kurama rubbed the back of his head. The masked fighter strode forward, walking past everyone to the ring.
"It seems we have a volunteer." Kurama's knowing smile grew as the small competitor jumped up to the ring.
"Aren't you worried that he might lose?" Kuwabara asked in confusion. Hiei shook his head.
"If he loses, we'll just kill off the rest of the demons, and no one will care." Kuwabara's eye twitched at Hiei's revelation and Ryoko shrugged.
"Whatever. You know demons better then the rest of us, I suppose. Do as you please." Within a few moments and a flash of light, all the creatures had been knocked off, into the water, by what looked like the shotgun. Kuwabara stared.
"Whoa! Whoever this guy is, Yusuke taught him the Shotgun!" Kuwabara leaned over, his mouth hanging open as the fighter strode back to stand before them. "Hey! Why don't you take off that mask so we can congratulate you!" In answer, she pointed over his shoulder, where, upon turning, Kuwabara an the others found a score of unhappy, pumped-up demons, threats already flying. Ryoko jumped down from her place on the railing, as did Hiei, and G joined them, while Aoi continued to stare out to sea.
"If we kill you worthless humans and traitors now, we can get onto the island and no one will be the wiser!" A short, plump, pink demon called out.
"It seems they've stolen my idea. We'll make them pay very dearly for that." Ryoko shot the small demon a curious look as Kurama pulled a rose from his hair.
"Of course." And the four of them disappeared into the crowd, leaving Kuwabara behind.
"Hey, wait! Umph!" He fell forward as a demon latched onto his back. "Stupid team mates!" A minute later, the deck was covered in demon parts and blood, with only a small handful left.
"Aoi! Look out!" Kuwabara called uselessly as she failed to notice him, or failed to respond. A group of five turned on the still-sea-staring Aoi, who hardly seemed to notice as the first rushed at her, until she leaned over slightly, so that his leap took him over her head, while the next one jumped and aimed a kick at her, she leaned to one side, and he flew by and off the ship as well. The last two dived at her, but she jumped and landed on the railing again after they had passed. The final one ran towards her as well just when she stepped down from the side, and she sidestepped him, leaving him tangled in his own feet and to knock himself out on the metal bars, which he did soundly.
"Alright. I suppose she'll be of some use." Hiei's cold tone reached Aoi and she looked up curiously as Ryoko made a swipe at the small demon. Yusuke snored loudly, drawing everyone's attention.
"Must have been one heck of a training thing, to sleep through all that…" Kuwabara muttered in astonishment.
"Why would it have to be a good one? You almost slept through this whole thing on your feet, without working at all."
"Like I care what you say, SHRIMP!"
"Obviously, you do, or you wouldn't get angry."
"Shut up!"
"So, we're staying here?" Ryoko asked as she looked upwards at the tall hotel. Even as tall as she was, which had helped, in part, with her boy troubles, she could only see the top by leaning back quite a ways.
"Why not? We are the 'special guests', you know." Kurama smiled, showing off commercial-level-white teeth. "Might as well get the royal treatment before they kill us off."
"Are we going in, or just talking about it?" G asked impatiently as Kuwabara trundled forward, Yusuke over one shoulder, still asleep.
Inside, the golden room was filled with richly-dressed men and women, drinking champagne and wine, who stared at the troupe as they passed.
"Ah, coffee~!" Ryoko cried happily upon entering their small room, and upon finding the table with a cup of steaming coffee for each of them. Kuwabara threw Yusuke down on the couch and sat by one of the set places, taking his up quickly.
"I'm surprised none of you are worried over poisoning," Ryoko admitted curiously. Kuwabara spit his coffee out and Kurama smiled.
"It would be a waste to invite us here only to poison us." Kuwabara shook his head firmly.
"Never mind. I still don't trust them. I've got aluminum!" Hiei sweat dropped at his comrade's stupidity, before looking over at Aoi, who was sipping her coffee gratefully. Although still curious as to the extent of her skills, his voiced question was cut off by Kurama.
"Are we missing a cup?" They looked around. Kuwabara's was on the table, and everyone else had their in their hand, except G, who was setting it down on the chair's arm. Yusuke's cup was no where to be seen. There was a slurp sound behind them.
All save Aoi jumped up, glaring at a small boy seated on the wall table behind G and Ryoko.
"When did he get in?" Kurama's voice seemed to echo for a single moment until Kuwabara spoke up.
"He must have snuck in here before we did and-"
"Titter, titter. I came in here after you did. Isn't that what good boys are supposed to do?" The boy put the empty cup down on the table and turned it on its side, before balancing on the handle with two fingers. "I heard you were the guests. You guys are so lucky. Oh, and I'm Rinku. I'm a part of the team you'll be fighting tomorrow. I wish I were a guest. You don't have to go to the opening ceremonies or all the meetings about the rules. You just show up and fight! I guess you don't have to learn about the prizes and the final round when you'll be dead soon." The ensuing moment of silence was filled with the gentle sip of coffee from the seemingly oblivious Aoi.
"I heard the guest were supposed to be special so I got all excited, but you guys don't look special at all. Maybe I can beat you no-hands."
"Don't you think you're talking too much?" The low, surly voice came from the doorway. All except Aoi turned to find a blond, tall man leaning on the frame. His eyes looked dry from all the bloodshed they had seen.
"Hi, Zeru. I was just saying howdi-do to our enemies," Rinku called proudly.
"Enjoy your last night in the living, for tomorrow will see you strongly resembling your coffee cup," Zeru noted in a highly bored tone.
"What?" Kuwabara cried before they all turned to his just-fallen cup, which seemed to have been sliced in two.
"Impending others just because you are frustrated is not very admirable." Aoi carefully placed her cup down. "Destroying a simple cup proves nothing more than your lack of self-restraint, and your anger towards this tournament. Taking this out upon us will only blind you further." She took another sip in the silence before setting it down finally and standing. "You will lose. Fighting us as such will only make it worse. In other words, should you not curb your vicious ego, you shall squander into death." She pointed out over his shoulder. "The door is that way." He sneered, after the initial moment of shock, and left.
"I'm surprised you didn't say anything back, Zeru."
"I hadn't even noticed her until she stood. And the boy sleeping on the couch…"
"Oh, he's probably just an idiot."
"I truly couldn't tell if it was just that, or whether he knew we wouldn't attack."
"Ha! Like the lady said. Worrying about it won't due."
"That's not what she said."
"Oh? And what lady were you listening to?" Rinku asked as he turned around. "Of course that's what she said."
"Nothing like what I heard."
"Whatever. You're just going deaf, Zeru, in your old age."
"That is beyond the point." Zeru looked away from his comrade as he spoke.
"Are you so sure?"
"This is it, hm?" Ryoko asked curiously as she dragged Yusuke into the bright lights of the stadium. Hiei and Kurama nodded as they shot a look around, the masked fighter (MF) walked straight in the direction of their waiting place, Kuwabara gawked, unheeding of the others, and Aoi ignored them all as she walked straight, while G surveyed the ring.
"The long-awaited Dark Tournament will begin, as the beginning matches have already been decided. First, our special guest, the Urameshi team, versus the team of Zeru! First contestants, please make your way to the ring!" Rinku smiled from the sidelines and jumped into the concrete ring.
"Immediately, Rinku has already issued a first-fight challenge!"
"Yes, even in the Dark Tournament, this is rather brash." Yuki sat down next to Kyo in the stands, microphones already in place. Koto smiled.
"Now with the arrival of the last two announcers, we can begin the match! I, Koto will be doing the play-by-play from the most dangerous position in the catastrophe-ridden stadium, the ring itself! Yuki and Kyo Sohma have gratefully taken on the job of play-by-play from the seats, giving you an overview of the warriors from a less… stressful position. And the first match is Rinku versus…!"
"Kuwabara, the alleged hot head of the Urameshi team, has taken on the first component," Kyo's hyped voice echoed around the waiting stadium. "Rinku, who, at close to three feet high, has been known to-"
"Opponent. Not component."
"… Who cares, Yuki?!? Ahem. Already, Rinku has gone on the offensive with what appears to be a set of yo-yo's… Who came up with an attack like that?!?"
"Like what? The yo-yo's, or Kuwabara's sword?"
"The-!… Never mind, Yuki. Kuwabara is attempting fruitlessly to defend himself with a sword that-"
"Is doing a fine job of cutting everything else!" Koto cried in outrage as he scarred the ring near her.
"Watch out!… Right, Kuwabara is still taking his defense up by swiping, and currently missing, his opponent."
"Now it appears Rinku might not have to use any other attacks beyond the Serpent Yo-Yo, which is currently overwhelming his competitor!"
"… Serpent Yo-Yo?"
"I heard him say it, Cat, why didn't you?"
"What sort of a stupid name is-"
"Kuwabara is receiving mass amounts of injuries from Rinku's toys, and it appears he may not last on his feet much longer!" Koto's voice cut through the cousins' and they turned back to the ring.
"Kuwabara does seem to be on a loosing streak-"
"-as Rinku ruthlessly ties him up and begins to throw him around the ring!" Kyo stood up, pounding the railing. "Completely ignoring the pain of his opponent, Rink has broken the ground of the ring with the force of Kuwabara's fall!" Yuki stared at his cousin.
"You like this sort of thing?"
"Rinku most certainly appears to be winning, hands-down!" Koto's voice broke through again as Rinku ran Kuwabara's body into the ground. "Yet Kuwabara refuses to stay down!"
"I'm going to get you! You'll be screaming mommy!"
"Uh! You're like fighting a brick! How many times do I have to throw you around?" He smirked suddenly.
"It appears that Rinku has devised a finale for this match of round one!" Kyo's voice echoed around the stadium Kuwabara was steadily getting a better view of.
"Rinku seems to be preparing to drop Kuwabara from great heights in order to end it all in one blow." Yuki said emotionless, earning a stare from Kyo. "And the suspense ends." Kyo's head whipped around.
"Now, for the final moment! Can Kuwabara pull off a saving stunt in the last moment of his life?!"
"Obviously. He used his sword as leverage to change his momentum, and to turn in the direction of Rinku for another hit."
"Alright, look, Rat. If you're going to steal all the good lines, either make use of 'em, or leave them to ME!"
"With an aerobatic use of his weaving sword, he and Rinku have both made direct-"
"HITS! Ha! Eat THAT!"
"…"
"What, Rat?"
"… Koto has started -"
"-the count! Alright, already! Quit with the prolonged sentences and tell me what the deal is!"
"… Rinku has gotten back in the ring!"
"FACE ME!"
"Well, this may not be good…" Kurama noted slowly. Aoi nodded solemn agreement.
"Yeah, the announcers are in the middle of a row…" G noted in all of his glory. Everyone stared.
"Kuwabara seems to be on his feet…"
"…" Kyo was plainly unconscious in the stands behind Yuki.
"Oh, that's not good! But you have time to get in the ring, Kuwabara!" Koto cried.
"Kuwabara has-"
"TAKEN UP THE FIGHT WITH HIS TEAM MATE!" Kyo cried as he pounced on Yuki. Yuki, however, continued while being used as a semi-punching bag.
"The counts are coming down, just as Rinku ties Kuwabara down completely! This match is over! The round stands in Rinku's favor, 1-0. Kyo. I ask that you remove your hands from my neck before I begin to dislocate them."
"FREAKIN' RAT!"