We ran for what seemed to be hours, but finally Mai-ne stopped in front of
two towering sliding metal doors. I looked up and up and up, feeling
dwarfed by the huge gates.
"Is this it?" I asked nervously; if there were two things I hated- besides Karasu of course, and he was definitely a thing-they were feeling short, and not knowing what I was getting into.
Mai-ne nodded, "I'm pretty sure. I can smell them both from somewhere in that vicinity," she replied, nodding her head toward the two doors, "From what I can tell, that's a battle stadium, like they had at the Ankoku Bujutsukai, only it's a private sort of thing. I couldn't figure out a way to get in before I came to get you, but you're a better thief than I am, so I thought you could try."
I shrugged and looked over the doors expertly. I felt under the door and on the sides, checking for obvious locks. Obviously, there weren't any. This was going to be tougher than I thought. Biting my lip, I set to work.
*** *** ***
The final bolt clicked into place and the doors swung open, a few minutes later. I stood up quickly and peered into the room, thanking all the gods I had ever heard of that the doors opened silently. Behind me, I could almost hear Mai-ne straining to see, since the room was dark. We crept in and knelt in the entrance to watch the battle that was now in full swing.
Thankfully, Kurama was holding on well enough, but I could see he was tiring. As for Karasu, it seemed that he was almost uninjured and able to continue for as long as it took to kill my friend. And this, it seemed, wouldn't take as long as I'd hoped, for just then, a particularly nasty bomb of Karasu's hit home and Kurama staggered, and I felt more than heard the cry of pain he suppressed. I winced and sent out a swift prayer to any and every god who might be listening that he survive. I would have rushed into the battle stadium but two things stopped me. One, honor, and knowing that it was against the rules and Karasu would win if I ran in; and two, Mai-ne, who told me with a glance that it would be a very bad idea to go out there.
So I sat there for what seemed like forever as they battled, torn between going to help Kurama and waiting to see things unfold. Some of each combatants attacks hit where they were supposed to, and I bit my lip to keep from cheering. The battle was completely silent, adding to the already escalating strain and tension and I felt so tense, just waiting for something to happen.
Another bomb hit Kurama and he fell, bleeding badly. I bit my lip, knowing that he had to get up. He just had to! Because I knew, if he fell and didn't get up, it would all be over. Karasu was lucky, I guess, because if Kurama were to win, he wouldn't kill him. But if Karasu won, I could see by the look on his face that Kurama would not live very long. Kurama seemed to know it too, for he got up again determinedly and attacked again. In this, he reminded me a little of Yusuke, they shared that same determination, but Kurama thought quite a bit more than the leader of the Reikai Tantei. Which was lucky for him, since Karasu thought a lot more than many demons I knew.
After what seemed like forever, Kurama stood with a painful, agonizing slowness that made my heart ache. I willed him to fight again, willed him to win, and, maybe he heard me, maybe he didn't, but, with a fleeting smile, he raised his head and managed to dodge the next bomb Karasu sent.
Kneeling on the sidelines, hidden with Mai-ne, I watched the two almost evenly matched youkai battle.
"Mai-ne, I feel so helpless! Isn't there anything we can do?" I asked her in a furious whisper.
But she shook her head, "Sorry Fa-Nari, it's an official battle, we aren't allowed to interfere. Whoever wins, wins." But I could tell it took a toll on her too.
The battle continued and for a while, it seemed that Karasu would win. But finally, something snapped in Kurama, and I could never figure out what it was. Regardless, he sent out the Shokuyou butsu ((A/N: for more info on this one, go to: and find more about Kurama)), one of his most powerful attacks, that blasted Karasu across the room. To my immense relief, Karasu didn't move, although I knew he wasn't dead-that would have to wait for another day-and Kurama seemed to detect Mai-ne and I for the first time. Turning to us, I noticed that there seemed to be a glow in his eyes, a ruthless light that surprised me, and yet reminded me of someone.and a time many years ago when that someone (who, curse it, I couldn't remember!) had stood up for me.but then the glow faded and Kurama's eyes returned to normal.
"Fa-Nari, Mai-ne! How did you get here?" Kurama asked us, moving closer, "But wait, before you answer, maybe we should get out of here."
I nodded, "Just what I was going to say." Grabbing his hand and holding tight, I ran out of the battle room, Mai-ne following behind us.
"Is this it?" I asked nervously; if there were two things I hated- besides Karasu of course, and he was definitely a thing-they were feeling short, and not knowing what I was getting into.
Mai-ne nodded, "I'm pretty sure. I can smell them both from somewhere in that vicinity," she replied, nodding her head toward the two doors, "From what I can tell, that's a battle stadium, like they had at the Ankoku Bujutsukai, only it's a private sort of thing. I couldn't figure out a way to get in before I came to get you, but you're a better thief than I am, so I thought you could try."
I shrugged and looked over the doors expertly. I felt under the door and on the sides, checking for obvious locks. Obviously, there weren't any. This was going to be tougher than I thought. Biting my lip, I set to work.
*** *** ***
The final bolt clicked into place and the doors swung open, a few minutes later. I stood up quickly and peered into the room, thanking all the gods I had ever heard of that the doors opened silently. Behind me, I could almost hear Mai-ne straining to see, since the room was dark. We crept in and knelt in the entrance to watch the battle that was now in full swing.
Thankfully, Kurama was holding on well enough, but I could see he was tiring. As for Karasu, it seemed that he was almost uninjured and able to continue for as long as it took to kill my friend. And this, it seemed, wouldn't take as long as I'd hoped, for just then, a particularly nasty bomb of Karasu's hit home and Kurama staggered, and I felt more than heard the cry of pain he suppressed. I winced and sent out a swift prayer to any and every god who might be listening that he survive. I would have rushed into the battle stadium but two things stopped me. One, honor, and knowing that it was against the rules and Karasu would win if I ran in; and two, Mai-ne, who told me with a glance that it would be a very bad idea to go out there.
So I sat there for what seemed like forever as they battled, torn between going to help Kurama and waiting to see things unfold. Some of each combatants attacks hit where they were supposed to, and I bit my lip to keep from cheering. The battle was completely silent, adding to the already escalating strain and tension and I felt so tense, just waiting for something to happen.
Another bomb hit Kurama and he fell, bleeding badly. I bit my lip, knowing that he had to get up. He just had to! Because I knew, if he fell and didn't get up, it would all be over. Karasu was lucky, I guess, because if Kurama were to win, he wouldn't kill him. But if Karasu won, I could see by the look on his face that Kurama would not live very long. Kurama seemed to know it too, for he got up again determinedly and attacked again. In this, he reminded me a little of Yusuke, they shared that same determination, but Kurama thought quite a bit more than the leader of the Reikai Tantei. Which was lucky for him, since Karasu thought a lot more than many demons I knew.
After what seemed like forever, Kurama stood with a painful, agonizing slowness that made my heart ache. I willed him to fight again, willed him to win, and, maybe he heard me, maybe he didn't, but, with a fleeting smile, he raised his head and managed to dodge the next bomb Karasu sent.
Kneeling on the sidelines, hidden with Mai-ne, I watched the two almost evenly matched youkai battle.
"Mai-ne, I feel so helpless! Isn't there anything we can do?" I asked her in a furious whisper.
But she shook her head, "Sorry Fa-Nari, it's an official battle, we aren't allowed to interfere. Whoever wins, wins." But I could tell it took a toll on her too.
The battle continued and for a while, it seemed that Karasu would win. But finally, something snapped in Kurama, and I could never figure out what it was. Regardless, he sent out the Shokuyou butsu ((A/N: for more info on this one, go to: and find more about Kurama)), one of his most powerful attacks, that blasted Karasu across the room. To my immense relief, Karasu didn't move, although I knew he wasn't dead-that would have to wait for another day-and Kurama seemed to detect Mai-ne and I for the first time. Turning to us, I noticed that there seemed to be a glow in his eyes, a ruthless light that surprised me, and yet reminded me of someone.and a time many years ago when that someone (who, curse it, I couldn't remember!) had stood up for me.but then the glow faded and Kurama's eyes returned to normal.
"Fa-Nari, Mai-ne! How did you get here?" Kurama asked us, moving closer, "But wait, before you answer, maybe we should get out of here."
I nodded, "Just what I was going to say." Grabbing his hand and holding tight, I ran out of the battle room, Mai-ne following behind us.