e. 1-1- 07
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Wind Master Jin of the Northern Breeze
Chapter Four
"How disappointing," Hiei droned, bored eyes falling upon the ice demon, "I thought we would get to see a good fight. You'll hardly be a challenge."
"You might not talk so big when you see my power." The side of the creature's lips tugged upward in a mischievous smirk. He laughed heavily within his throat and shook his long, aqua bangs from his turquoise eyes. An equal proportion of hair framed each side of his face and what was left of his mane had been slicked back. It wasn't out of the ordinary for ice demons to have blue-green eyes or hair. Touya was similar, after all. However, Touya did not have massive wings of ice sprouting from his back.
His narrow eyes were positively chilling, accented by a thin scar on his left cheek. Hiei was curious as to the story behind the souvenir. Demons did not scar easily but he'd seen at least three in these chambers who carried obvious ones.
"My name is Rex," the ice demon uncrossed his arms and let them fall to his sides, "Who wants to die first?"
"There they go again, introducing themselves. Should we play along?" Yusuke turned his head in Jin's direction, arching his eyebrows.
"Aye, I think we should." Jin nodded.
"Alright," Yusuke stepped forward, rolling up a sleeve and pointing at Rex, "I'm the spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi! Better brace your sorry ass because I'm going to take it for a carnival ride!" Jin, though finding Yusuke's words a bit on the odd side, pulled himself beside the teen and joined the fun.
"Watch out for tornadoes because I'm a shinobi o' the Wind. The name's Jin!"
"We'll be your opponents for today Rexy!" Yusuke crossed his arms over his chest in a fashion that had Hiei mentally smacking his forehead.
"Both of you will be fighting me at the same time then?" Rex, intrigued, questioned quickly.
"Yeah, you got that right. I don't usually like sharing my playtime, but I'll make an exception today. You see, my good friend Jin here is a powerful guy, not to mention I am as well, so why not rub salt in the wound?" Yusuke smirked.
Hiei dryly intoned, "Oh look, he's bragging."
"Can it, Hiei." It was a simplistic and finalizing response. Yusuke clearly did not want to be distracted.
"Welcome to my domain," Rex bowed politely, "I hope you find the atmosphere quite nice, because it's what will make this fight fall in my favor. None of you shall pass."
"Oh look, he's bragging too." Hiei rolled his eyes away, ignoring the glare Yusuke shot him.
"Beat us all you say?" Jin blinked a few times, "Better open your eyes quick then, last I remember it was your team that was takin' the bigger beatin'." Jin tightened his stance in response to Yusuke beside him, who had begun to gather spirit energy.
"Let's show him, Jin." Yusuke had already fallen into a defensive stance.
"Agreed then, let's 'ave some fun, Urameshi."
Rex barked out a laugh and extended his wings of ice. A freezing draft swept forth, blanketing the room. The cold air currents whirled, coating the majority of the floor in a sheet of ice.
"Let's see how you fair on ice. I'm a bit curious you see, and would enjoy a laugh." Rex walked across the ice with natural elegance. Yusuke didn't hesitate and boldly stepped onto the slick surface.
"A bit o' a challenge now, thas' what I like!" Jin cheered up, "But not challengin' enough for the Wind!" As though it were second nature, the exuberant demon pushed a gust beneath his feet, lifting his body into the air so he hovered safely above the ground. Jin staged the first attack, pulling back an arm and opening his hand.
"Pay attention now Urameshi, this is one o' my newest!" Jin gave a fang-filled grin as he sped toward Rex, pulling wind into his palm. His arm arched back, muscles straining as he turned the air into a powerful, centered blast.
"Jet Stream!" Jin called out the name of the attack in a cheery nature as he thrust his arm forward. White winds blasted from his palm, force matching the ferocity of snarling wolves.
Rex smoothly dodged, gliding across the ice in one swift move. The attack never ceased and spent its energy as it crashed into a wall and demolished the stone of half the side structure. Wind was thrown back, pushing Yusuke backwards across the thin sheet of ice beneath him. Appearing to skate across the floor, Rex held out his hands and shot forth shards of ice. It was similar to Touya's 'Shards of Winter' and Jin had practiced so much with the short ice demon, he had learned to overcome the attack.
"Nowt a chance!" Jin pulled his arms up so fast his limbs were a blur. He pushed out a large amount of wind, sending it up from the bottom of the floor. A head-on wind attack would not have great affects due to the aerodynamic points on the shards. The wind brushing up from the floor set the shards off course and soon had them crashing to the floor uselessly.
Jin was busy handling the shards, and Rex captured an opportunity to move gracefully across the ice until he stood behind the shorter demon. A deep throated chuckle emitted itself from the ice demon while his fist was pulled back with great power. Quickly turning to face his attacker, Jin had seen the tactic coming and his fist came with the rest of him. Having the advantage of greater speed, Jin's fist landed first, making contact with Rex's nose. The snapping of bone was evident due to the audible crunch as it sent the fighter smashing to the floor.
"That's so gross!" Kuwabara squirmed, seeing the blood run down the ice demon's face when he finally decided to rise.
"A bit more power then I had expected, but no matter." Rex said, flicking the now frozen liquid from his face. Before Jin had the chance to open his mouth Rex snapped an arm out, grabbed him by the shoulder and powerfully hurtled him across the room.
"Wah!" Jin yelped before he realized what was happening. He flew, bewildered and out of control as he headed towards Yusuke who was currently attempted to find an easier way across the slick floor. Yusuke looked up, blinked a few times before reaching his arms out and catching Jin. His hands grasped the Wind Master's biceps on each arm, but the tremendous force at which Jin had been flung pushed the Spirit Detective back as well. Both slid off the ice, past Hiei and Kuwabara, and crashed into the wall at one end of the room. As the dust faded, Jin and Yusuke's eyes spun.
"Who needs to go to Hollywood, I'm seein' plenty o' stars right 'ere." Yusuke's voice emerged unsteady and wavering as he mimicked Jin again. He shook his head and snapped away from the spinning room.
"What a shame." Hiei said with a sardonic air about him.
"You alright, Jin?" Yusuke looked down at the dizzy Youkai slumped in his lap.
"Be up in a minute." Jin mumbled weakly as his eyes continued to play catch up.
"Psh," Yusuke sat up, "Just great. Hey ditzy, wake up already." He slapped the red head on the cheek a few times. Quickly shaking his head, the Wind Master drew himself to his feet.
As Jin began to march back over to Rex, there was a break in his proceedings, "Hold on a minute, I just 'ad a thought!"
"Like I said before; careful, they're dangerous." Yusuke rose, brushing himself off.
"Eh, but Urameshi," Jin walked to detective's side, whispering, "A strategy!"
Swayed by his own curiosity, Yusuke fell into an easy smile, "I'm listening."
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"Are you two quite finished? We would like to see your new and creative way of dancing." Hiei's impatience went unnoticed by the scheming pair.
"Got it Urameshi?" Jin asked, easing into a comfortable position with his arms crossed.
"Yeah," Yusuke rolled his right shoulder, "Ready to go when you are."
"Thas' what I was a wantin' to 'ear!" Jin twirled, rising into the air.
"Show off." Yusuke muttered, rubbing his wrists.
"Ah, well then," Jin smiled and continued in a more soft and sweet voice, "Better be gettin' started, nowt goin' to be much left after this fight I can tell." He began his attack, spinning his right arm until he created a mini tornado around his forearm. A proud and laughing grin spread across Jin's face as his eyes bowed up with delight.
"Nice to see that technique not being used on me for a change," Yusuke smiled, raising his right arm, and backing it with his left, "Time to fly, Jin."
"Gladly!" Jin laughed and soared across the room, heading toward the surprisingly patient Rex.
"Tornado," Jin's voice echoed as the wind swirled around his arm, "Fist!" He thrust his arm forth, but purposely avoided hitting the ice demon and sent a wall crumbling to the floor instead.
"Too bad..." Rex cleared the attack, several yards away, but he paid no mind to Yusuke. As he backed up, and came to a stop on the ice, Yusuke fired his Spirit Gun, giving Rex no time to recover, or think.
What is this? Rex attempted to spring out of the way, but the blast caught his wings, shattering them into thousands of shards. He tumbled, rolling across the ice and sliding into a wall.
"Yes, it worked!" Yusuke snapped his fingers.
"Of course it worked Urameshi, I thouwght of it!" Jin gloated. Rex stumbled to his feet, staggering around from his loss of balance.
"A butterfly in a net, ha!" Yusuke walked across the ice flawlessly, and grabbed the demon by the collar, pulling him up until their faces met.
"Hey there Rexy, got anything to say now?" Yusuke smirked. Rex growled, throwing the teen's hands off himself and instinctively dropping into a battle stance.
"Orb of Frost!" Rex shouted and held his hands out, forming an ice colored ball of spirit energy before him.
"Nowt this time!" Jin swiftly jumped into action, appearing before the ice fighter and giving him a power kick to the abdomen. Rex began to fall backwards from the force of the blow, his power cracking into nothing. Jin accepted the new opening. With a flash of light he appeared behind Rex, holding his palm out.
Jin smirked in an almost evil way, "A mere fly to be swatted." He growled and released a burst of wind, sending Rex into a wall near Hiei.
Drawing his sword from its sheath, Hiei moved to the hole in the wall, standing above the defeated demon.
"Too bad," Hiei humped. With accurate sword strokes, Hiei executed the terrified demon.
"Do you have to do that?" Kuwabara shuddered in disgust, holding his shoulders. Hiei ignored the buffoon.
"Getting slow, Jin." Yusuke teased, wiping the side of his face with a fist.
"Eh, I'm nowt gettin' slow Urameshi; you're just a gettin' too fast!" Jin scowled cutely at him.
"Yeah, I suppose you can't keep up with me, not training enough are you?" Yusuke teased, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling.
"I'm a trainin' fine!"
"Sure you are, slacker." Yusuke laughed as Jin decked him in the shoulder. Both looked at one another, Jin scowling, and Yusuke smiling and holding back laughs. Soon they both began to laugh and hit each other. Jin smacked Yusuke hard in the left shoulder, jerking his body back so fast, the detective slipped on the now wet floor from the melted ice, and landed flat on his back. Jin held his stomach as he laughed, tears leaking from the sides of his eyes.
"You idiot! My clothes are wet!" Yusuke complained, swiping one of the Wind Master's legs out from under him.
"Wah!" Jin fell and landed next to him, "Hey Urameshi! What you be doin' tha' for?" He sat up, looking at his soaked clothing.
"To get even... what else?" He grinned broadly and rose to his feet, careful not to slip. Jin pulled himself into the air with a gust, and floated while the air current increased steadily. His clothes dried quickly, the wind whipping them until dry.
"Well that's handy." Yusuke thought out loud.
"Your turn Urameshi!" Jin chirped.
"Excuse me?" Yusuke blinked at him in astonishment, "Does it look like I can do that?" Jin's eye twitched.
"Nay, you're nowt capable of it," A grin, "So I'll 'elp you!"
"Jin!" Yusuke shouted as he was lifted into the air. The Wind Master merely smiled happily.
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"Would you hurry up..." Hiei stood and waited, back facing the busy Wind Master. Kuwabara was still clueless as to what was going on, but he hid his ignorance for the time being.
"Keep your pants on Hiei!" Yusuke snapped.
"Aye, down't want to be a loosin' them, too. Would be indecent." Jin trotted back over to them.
"What took you?" Hiei asked the Wind Master bluntly.
"Well you down't want to be o' fightin' with a full bladder then, do you? Might 'ave an accident, wouldn't be good."
"Hm," Hiei sounded less then impressed and appeared to ignore him, "Hurry, before I loose anymore of my patience."
They continued to walk, finding the passage to be the longest by far. Their footsteps were accompanied by Kuwabara's complaining about how spooky, cold, and damp the place was, but they soon discovered two doors. The entrance was decked with metal chains and stretched from the floor to the ceiling, which was nearly fifteen feet in height, giving it a misty and positively mind-numbing appearance. Jin leaned back as he looked up and whistled at the sight.
"Care to place a bet on how much this baby cost?" Yusuke asked, also looking up.
"I'm no good at the guessin' stuff." Jin admitted.
"Just like you're no good at-" Yusuke was cut off as Jin glomped him over the back of the head.
"I down't want to 'ear it Urameshi!" Jin snapped.
"Now was it just me, or did that sound, a little odd?" Hiei asked.
"I don't want to think about that." Kuwabara shuddered.
"What exactly is he not good at Yusuke?" Hiei smirked with a challenging aura around him. Yusuke and Jin both sweat-dropped.
"Oh forget it!" Jin swatted the air as he thrashed an arm about, stomping over to the great doors and lifting an arm. He brought forth a soft wind, and increased the current slowly. As the wind picked up, the doors began to creak, Yusuke and the others trying to hold their ground from the force blowing back at them. The wind sent out a sudden burst of power, forcing the heavy metal doors forward.
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"It would appear that Jin has improved his strength a bit." Koenma sighed.
"Yes, but he still has a ways to go before he can catch Yusuke." Kurama watched on, the doors slowly giving in to the powerful gusts.
"Of course he has a ways to go! Yusuke defeated him in the Dark Tournament, and the boy is more then five times stronger then he was then!" Koenma plopped back down in his chair.
"Koenma sir," George the blue ogre walked in with some papers, "Your father has a message for you."
"Well don't just stand there, spit it out!" Koenma demanded harshly.
"He says if you fail to complete the mission successfully, and the human world is wiped out, you will be held fully responsible." George blinked, waiting for it to sink in.
"What!?! What does he mean I'll be fully responsible!?! This wasn't my idea, it never was!"
"My, that's one way to put the weight on another's back." Kurama commented softly.
"Say something Kurama?" Koenma pried.
"Nothing, you must have misheard." The fox sweat-dropped.
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"Whew!" Jin wiped his brow, "Thas' a 'eavy door!"
"Good job Jin." Yusuke said, walking past the Wind Master and slapping him on the back. Jin smiled, proud of himself.
"And what exactly would you be referring to Yusuke?" Hiei asked, stepping through after him. Jin's eyelids suddenly dropped half way and his shoulders slouched... too good to last.
Jin headed in, Kuwabara following, still not getting the joke. Yusuke and Hiei, however, were all too aware of the clear view of Jin's backside they had experienced upon the door opening.
"Is it just me, or does this room feel... empty!?!" Yusuke became frustrated as his fists clenched.
"Perhaps our all powerful demon has already been destroyed." Hiei said, not feeling any spirit power either.
"Why can't we sense anyone!?! There should be someone here!" Yusuke punched a wall, cracking it. Jin looked about the room, a slight tingling causing his ears to twitch. He appeared confused at first, but soon recognized the power. He dashed forward as he felt it increase and approach them.
"It 'as no spirit energy, just Wind!" Jin shouted, holding his arms out and calling forth a strong gust. A wave crashed against Jin's, thunder echoing through the chamber as the two colossal powers collided and fought for dominance.
"Eh, no..." Jin struggled as his body was forced backwards, his feet sliding along the stone floor and creating friction to send small electric currents over his feet. The opposing wind ceased, and Jin release his control over the air so fast he nearly fell forward. He caught himself, but dropped to one knee and panted.
"Thas' quite a bit o' power behind tha' gust!" He took a deep breath, rising to his feet with his knees bent due to exhaustion.
"Uh, what just happened?" Kuwabara asked, looking about the room curiously.
"Heh," Jin panted, "I 'aven't felt a wind power this strong in many o' years."
"You haven't felt a wind power this strong, Jin." A tender and smooth voice ran through the air. As a figure stepped forth from the shadows of a hallway, footsteps could not be heard. Wind entered the room with the demon, following the creature's every move like a loyal puppy. Their eyes scanned up the form, a long, dark green, and thick cape was wrapped around the demon's body. As they examined the face, they realized it was a woman. Her hair was dark brown, a bit defiant in its unruliness over the right side of her face. Her left eye was an intense shadowy brown, and her right was a light and faded dull brown. Her lips were a fine line, emotionless and calm.
"And you would know how?" Yusuke crossed his arms and 'hmphed', not sure he liked this woman.
"The first Wind Master I presume?" Hiei would have raised an eyebrow, but it wouldn't be like him at this point. Instead, Yusuke raised an eyebrow.
"Indeed," She looked over to Hiei, "And you, young Youkai, you're of the fire element. Hiei, the best master of the Dark Dragon I have seen in ages, and an expert swordsman. It's an honor to finally meet you in person."
"And you are what?" Hiei narrowed one eye, almost as if in disgust. He didn't like it when others knew so much about him.
"Rico... first Wind Master - as I confirmed. I am the creator of the long line of Wind users and manipulators. I am first and supreme in power. There has yet to be a Master of the Wind to surpass me."
"Well," Hiei scoffed, "You must not be as great as we had thought; you can't even free yourself from your cage." Her eyes narrowed slowly, but her eyebrows gave the same, relaxed expression.
"Maybe I do not wish to leave; perhaps I have the power to break free, yet merely would like to stay." Rico stood before them. She was tall, having to be about six foot at the least. The fire demon knew what she was nudging at. She wanted him to look at the situation from a different angle.
"I like you." Hiei said, stepping forward, "It's unusual for me to take to someone so quickly. I'll fight you."
"Hm, I feel honored once again, Hiei, but I'm afraid my fight doesn't lie with you." Rico's eyes scanned over to Jin, "I had no idea I would meet the newest Wind Master when I set up my plan, this makes my work even better." Her voice was soft, smooth and composed to the point it could melt a person. It wasn't like Kuyai's at all.
"I can see why you're the best o' the lot," Jin stood tall, "Tha' strength of wind isn't easy to use and nowt be a pantin' and a puffin' afterward."
"The last Wind Master to face me was weak, so very weak he was crushed with that attack, you see. He fell like a helpless child under my power. I'm sorry to say I overestimated him." She tilted her head to the side and observed Yusuke for some time.
"What are you staring at?" Yusuke yelled, "I hate it when people stare at me like I'm some kind of freak!"
"I was merely thinking," Rico looked from Jin to Yusuke, "You two look remarkably alike in certain aspects." Jin and Yusuke looked at each other.
"Are you kidding me?" Kuwabara asked, "They may act alike, but they don't look a thing like the other!"
"The eyebrows, look, his feather all around," She was referring to Jin, "And his," She looked to Yusuke, "Feather at the end. Then their eyes, they both have the same look in their eyes. That proud and happy expression, even when they're angry, they're pleased and glad to be engaged in battle."
"You know," Hiei looked at the two, "She has a point."
"Shut up!" Yusuke ordered, "Alright Miss 'I'm so powerful I don't have a thing to worry about', let's fight and find out whose stronger!"
"Alright Mister 'I have a stick in a place you don't want to know'... I'll fight, but not you." Rico replied. Jin burst out laughing.
"Thas' so true Urameshi!" Jin held his stomach, Yusuke groaned in annoyance.
"This should be entertaining." Hiei crossed his arms, a smug smile on his face.
"And just why won't you fight me?" Yusuke snarled.
"I am going to fight the Wind Master." She replied simply.
"Oh I get it! The first Wind Master going against the newest, is that how it's going to be?" Yusuke clenched a fist.
"You wish to fight so badly?" Rico tipped her head to the side once more.
"Sure as hell I do!" His legs automatically spread apart, lowering his body into one of his defensive stances.
"Alright, I agree," Rico turned her body toward him, "I was hoping to see how my techniques were passed down, but what's a few minutes to me?"
"Talk big only when you've won." He glared.
"I won't play Yusuke." Those brown eyes narrowed once more, a soft tone to them. A gentle breeze flowed through the room, brushing her cape along the floor and pulling it into the air, causing it to ripple and wave. They stood in silence, staring into one another's eyes and waiting for the first move. I'm not interested in you... spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi...
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