Ch 4: Forgotten Words of Friendly Hate
Kagome pulled up to the Arena. She got off her motorcycle, and waited for Inuyasha. He arrived, and she said nothing as they walked into the Arena. She turned a sharp right, towards Sesshoumaru's office.
"Why are you so quiet? You've barely said two words to me since yesterday,"
"I just am, you got a problem with that?" she snapped back.
Inuyasha began to grow upset. "Yeah, I do! I'm worried about you."
"Then don't be. I've been taking care of myself long before you came around. Anyway, we're here."
Kagome ran up the stair, and they entered the office. Sesshoumaru looked up from is papers, and widened his eyes. "Inuyasha? Well, I never thought I'd see the day. It's been what? 550 years?" Sesshoumaru looked at his brother, and chuckled. "No need to be so defensive, I've given up fighting," he glanced at the back room, "I have far too much to lose." Rin walked out, almost as if on cue. "This is my wife, Rin. Rin, this is my half-brother, Inuyasha."
Rin bowed. "Rin, could you make us some tea?" Sesshoumaru asked as he put on a pair of glasses. Rin nodded, and walked into the back room. "I've also two daughters, Uriko and Akira. I don't want anything to happen to them, that's why I don't fight anymore."
"You never had a son?" Inuyasha asked
"No.……… I did not. Anyway, Kagome already told me that you want to fight in the arena. I'll offer you the same deal I give everybody else. A flat out salary based on your rank, plus twenty percent of all bets placed on you, if you win. "
"I'm not in it for the money. What are the rules here?" Inuyasha asked.
"Fights are all to the KO, or your opponent submits. No killing in regular bouts. Elimination fights go until the eliminated is dead."
"Eliminator…"
"Its Emperor Naraku's version of the death penalty. Those convicted of high crimes against the Emperor are sent to the arena to be "Eliminated.' Obscene, maybe, but that is how things are done."
"Whatever. When's my first fight?"
"Today, your bout is just before the Main Event. You can go down to the waiting area, the announcer will call you out."
"Alright."
Kagome silently lead Inuyasha down into the waiting area. Shina and Sezaku were waiting.
Shina ran over to Kagome. "You sure about this? I mean it's only been a few weeks!"
"I'm sure. I can't take too much time off. I have things to take care of."
"Alright," Shina replied. Just then, a man's voice came over the Arena speakers.
"Now presenting our next bout! Our first contestant is no stranger to these bloodstained sands, as he's no stranger to the ladies! Presenting Groover!"
Inuyasha peered out and saw a man dressed all in black, with a woman on his arm. He removed his jacket and hat, gave them to her, and she walked back. "And his opponent. A newcomer to the area, but he's also the brother of the legendary Sesshoumaru. Presenting, Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha began to walk out, and Kagome began to follow, but hesitated and stayed behind. He walked out, and stared down his foe. He took an aggressive stance, and prepared to fight. The announcer came back on.
"Ready? FIGHT!"
Inuyasha jumped into the air, barely dodging a black energy whip held by his foe. He growled as he landed, and lunged at his foe. Groover sidestepped, sending his whip searing into Inuyasha's back. For a moment, he felt as if his nerves had been dipped in acid. He screamed and collapsed to the ground. Groover strutted over, but Inuyasha didn't see him. He only saw Kagome. Her face was full of concern. He wouldn't let her down. He couldn't.
He leapt to his feet, to Groover surprise. Groover leapt back, and swung his whip. It caught Inuyasha around his arm, but he made no sound, to his foe's dismay. He struggled as Groover tugged desperately at the whip. Inuyasha grinned. "You want it, eh? I'll give it to ya!" He pulled hard, sending Groover flying towards him. He reared back and gave Groover a vicious shot to the face, laying him out on the ground. He looked at the crowd, which was on its feet.
"INUYASHA! INUYASHA!" they chanted as he walked back.
"Looks like the crowd loves you," Shina said.
"Whatever. We ready to go" he asked.
"Nope," Sezaku replied. "Its time for the main event." The man came over the loudspeaker again.
"Ladies and gentleman, presenting our main event for today! First, he's big, he's mean, and he's a wrecking machine! Here's Batsu!"
The crowd booed emphatically.
"And re-introducing the woman who has set the Arena on fire with her passion and beauty! Here to claim her spot in the Elite, making her return, KAGOME!"
The crowd erupted as she walked out. Inuyasha tried to go out with her, but Shina held him back. "It would be bad for her image." She said. Inuyasha growled, but Shina stood firm
Kagome took her spot, and awaited the announcer. Once the fight was called, Kagome took to the air with a graceful spinning kick that sent her foe reeling. He stayed up, however, and responded with a flaming punch that Kagome easily dodged, and delivered a solid uppercut to his gut. She flowed with a second, then a back flip kick that caused the big man to stagger. She tried to follow up with a jump kick, but Batsu caught her leg and threw her to the ground.
"This guys a lot stronger than the one I fought." Inuyasha said.
"That's because she's a higher rank. You just started, so you're in 'E' rank, Kagome's in 'S'. In fact, she's only a few fights away form Elite."
Kagome kicked up, and ducked a slow punch by Batsu, and countered with a kick to the back of his head. He grunted, and staggered a bit. Kagome ran at him, but Batsu recovered and pressed Kagome high into the air. He roared as he showed off to the crowd, giving Kagome time to twist her body, grab his head, and drive his face into the ground. She rose quickly, and dropkicked him in the side. He grunted as he slowly rose to Kagome's constant attack. He knelt under the pressure, and Kagome's vambraces began to glow. She knelt just below him as the glow reached all over her body, and she delivered a flying uppercut to Batsu. He yelled as he fell to the ground, motionless.
The crowd erupted in cheers when Kagome raised her arm into the air. She looked around, and then locked eyes with Inuyasha. She froze for a moment, and Shina looked at her nervously. "No! Think about your image!" she mouthed, but Kagome jus ignored her. She motioned with her finger for Inuyasha, and he walked out. The crowd fell silent in wonder.
"I can just hear the hearts of all her male fans breaking………" Shina grumbled.
Kagome ran to Inuyasha, meeting him in the middle of the Arena floor.
"What about your image?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically.
"Just shut up and kiss me," Kagome replied. She jumped into his arms, and looked into his eyes for a brief moment, and they kissed. The crowd exploded into applause and whistles the likes of which the arena had never heard. Above the Arena, Rin looked out her window and smiled. Even Shina and Sezaku applauded.
……………………………………………To be continued!
Kagome pulled up to the Arena. She got off her motorcycle, and waited for Inuyasha. He arrived, and she said nothing as they walked into the Arena. She turned a sharp right, towards Sesshoumaru's office.
"Why are you so quiet? You've barely said two words to me since yesterday,"
"I just am, you got a problem with that?" she snapped back.
Inuyasha began to grow upset. "Yeah, I do! I'm worried about you."
"Then don't be. I've been taking care of myself long before you came around. Anyway, we're here."
Kagome ran up the stair, and they entered the office. Sesshoumaru looked up from is papers, and widened his eyes. "Inuyasha? Well, I never thought I'd see the day. It's been what? 550 years?" Sesshoumaru looked at his brother, and chuckled. "No need to be so defensive, I've given up fighting," he glanced at the back room, "I have far too much to lose." Rin walked out, almost as if on cue. "This is my wife, Rin. Rin, this is my half-brother, Inuyasha."
Rin bowed. "Rin, could you make us some tea?" Sesshoumaru asked as he put on a pair of glasses. Rin nodded, and walked into the back room. "I've also two daughters, Uriko and Akira. I don't want anything to happen to them, that's why I don't fight anymore."
"You never had a son?" Inuyasha asked
"No.……… I did not. Anyway, Kagome already told me that you want to fight in the arena. I'll offer you the same deal I give everybody else. A flat out salary based on your rank, plus twenty percent of all bets placed on you, if you win. "
"I'm not in it for the money. What are the rules here?" Inuyasha asked.
"Fights are all to the KO, or your opponent submits. No killing in regular bouts. Elimination fights go until the eliminated is dead."
"Eliminator…"
"Its Emperor Naraku's version of the death penalty. Those convicted of high crimes against the Emperor are sent to the arena to be "Eliminated.' Obscene, maybe, but that is how things are done."
"Whatever. When's my first fight?"
"Today, your bout is just before the Main Event. You can go down to the waiting area, the announcer will call you out."
"Alright."
Kagome silently lead Inuyasha down into the waiting area. Shina and Sezaku were waiting.
Shina ran over to Kagome. "You sure about this? I mean it's only been a few weeks!"
"I'm sure. I can't take too much time off. I have things to take care of."
"Alright," Shina replied. Just then, a man's voice came over the Arena speakers.
"Now presenting our next bout! Our first contestant is no stranger to these bloodstained sands, as he's no stranger to the ladies! Presenting Groover!"
Inuyasha peered out and saw a man dressed all in black, with a woman on his arm. He removed his jacket and hat, gave them to her, and she walked back. "And his opponent. A newcomer to the area, but he's also the brother of the legendary Sesshoumaru. Presenting, Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha began to walk out, and Kagome began to follow, but hesitated and stayed behind. He walked out, and stared down his foe. He took an aggressive stance, and prepared to fight. The announcer came back on.
"Ready? FIGHT!"
Inuyasha jumped into the air, barely dodging a black energy whip held by his foe. He growled as he landed, and lunged at his foe. Groover sidestepped, sending his whip searing into Inuyasha's back. For a moment, he felt as if his nerves had been dipped in acid. He screamed and collapsed to the ground. Groover strutted over, but Inuyasha didn't see him. He only saw Kagome. Her face was full of concern. He wouldn't let her down. He couldn't.
He leapt to his feet, to Groover surprise. Groover leapt back, and swung his whip. It caught Inuyasha around his arm, but he made no sound, to his foe's dismay. He struggled as Groover tugged desperately at the whip. Inuyasha grinned. "You want it, eh? I'll give it to ya!" He pulled hard, sending Groover flying towards him. He reared back and gave Groover a vicious shot to the face, laying him out on the ground. He looked at the crowd, which was on its feet.
"INUYASHA! INUYASHA!" they chanted as he walked back.
"Looks like the crowd loves you," Shina said.
"Whatever. We ready to go" he asked.
"Nope," Sezaku replied. "Its time for the main event." The man came over the loudspeaker again.
"Ladies and gentleman, presenting our main event for today! First, he's big, he's mean, and he's a wrecking machine! Here's Batsu!"
The crowd booed emphatically.
"And re-introducing the woman who has set the Arena on fire with her passion and beauty! Here to claim her spot in the Elite, making her return, KAGOME!"
The crowd erupted as she walked out. Inuyasha tried to go out with her, but Shina held him back. "It would be bad for her image." She said. Inuyasha growled, but Shina stood firm
Kagome took her spot, and awaited the announcer. Once the fight was called, Kagome took to the air with a graceful spinning kick that sent her foe reeling. He stayed up, however, and responded with a flaming punch that Kagome easily dodged, and delivered a solid uppercut to his gut. She flowed with a second, then a back flip kick that caused the big man to stagger. She tried to follow up with a jump kick, but Batsu caught her leg and threw her to the ground.
"This guys a lot stronger than the one I fought." Inuyasha said.
"That's because she's a higher rank. You just started, so you're in 'E' rank, Kagome's in 'S'. In fact, she's only a few fights away form Elite."
Kagome kicked up, and ducked a slow punch by Batsu, and countered with a kick to the back of his head. He grunted, and staggered a bit. Kagome ran at him, but Batsu recovered and pressed Kagome high into the air. He roared as he showed off to the crowd, giving Kagome time to twist her body, grab his head, and drive his face into the ground. She rose quickly, and dropkicked him in the side. He grunted as he slowly rose to Kagome's constant attack. He knelt under the pressure, and Kagome's vambraces began to glow. She knelt just below him as the glow reached all over her body, and she delivered a flying uppercut to Batsu. He yelled as he fell to the ground, motionless.
The crowd erupted in cheers when Kagome raised her arm into the air. She looked around, and then locked eyes with Inuyasha. She froze for a moment, and Shina looked at her nervously. "No! Think about your image!" she mouthed, but Kagome jus ignored her. She motioned with her finger for Inuyasha, and he walked out. The crowd fell silent in wonder.
"I can just hear the hearts of all her male fans breaking………" Shina grumbled.
Kagome ran to Inuyasha, meeting him in the middle of the Arena floor.
"What about your image?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically.
"Just shut up and kiss me," Kagome replied. She jumped into his arms, and looked into his eyes for a brief moment, and they kissed. The crowd exploded into applause and whistles the likes of which the arena had never heard. Above the Arena, Rin looked out her window and smiled. Even Shina and Sezaku applauded.
……………………………………………To be continued!