Chapter 19: Flowers of Blood
Hayami's POV
After the fight was called, Kuwabara got up from the ring arguing.
"No, no, no, no, no, no! Hold it jerks!" Kuwabara said, clenching his fist. "That wasn't a fair move, let's go!"
'What a sore loser.' I thought as I stared at Kuwabara who was arguing because he lost to a child.
Rinku was sweating in fear as he kept healing himself. "What? You ran on batteries or something?" Rinku said, "Just please go away!"
"That was fairly innocent." Kurama said, "It's rare to see both fighters still standing."
"Hn. I assure you it won't happen with me." Hiei said as I nodded in agreement.
Kuwabara continued to argue with Rinku until he runs back to his team. I watched as Zeru and Hera looked a little if not, angry at the fact that Rinku was injured. A team member of Rokuyukai volunteers as he walked on the ring.
"Please, I'll handle this one." Kurama said as he got up the ring and started walking toward his opponent.
"Kurama." Hiei called him as he turned to look at him. "Considering our stakes, we can't afford to lose any chances. Don't leave the ring with him still alive." He spoke
"Naturally." Kurama replied, turning back to his opponent,
"I don't know if you wanna fight him, be careful Kurama." Yusuke mumbled in his sleep.
I stared at Yusuke sweat dropping at his side comments.
"We will deal with the rest of their team. You relax." Hiei said looking at Kuwabara.
I saw Kuwabara holding his arm in pain as I approached him and placed my hand and started to heal him.
"Hey, I'm not out of this yet, if Yusuke doesn't wake up, I'll take the last guy." Kuwabara said as I continued to heal his aching arms.
I swear I could feel Hiei's death glare on Kuwabara and me. Especially the sense of jealousy that I could feel in my mind coming from him and the stare he is giving.
'Hiei, there is nothing to be jealous about. I'm just healing him, that's all.'
'Just don't use too much of your energy. We'll need you at your full strength, Onna. And I am not jealous.'
'Sure you're not.' I thought sarcastically with a slight smirk on my face.
"We'll pray that that doesn't happen." Hiei said to Kuwabara with a hint of jealousy in his voice.
That was when I was sensing two people approaching us. I looked toward them to see Botan and my sister walking towards us.
"All right everyone, we're here." Botan said, "Now let us whip this team into shape."
"Wait, how did you two get here?" Kuwabara asked,
"Leave before you two hurt yourselves." Hiei said,
"Ranumi, it's better for you to stay near father for the time being." I said looking at my sister and then at Botan. "Same goes for you Botan, it's not safe to be near the ring."
"Well, that's a jolly thing to say to someone who's going to help you win." Botan said to Hiei as he scoffs and turned his attention back to the ring.
"Gah! You mean you two like the replacement fighter for Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked,
"No Kuwabara." Ranumi said, "My reason for coming here is because someone needs to heal your injuries and keep my dear sister from dying."
I stared at her dumbfounded and sweat dropped as I stood up and walked back to Hiei. "You still don't trust me being engaged in a fight, don't you Ranumi?" I asked,
"Of course, I have some trust in you. You just need some motivation." She said as I looked at her and felt Hiei's hand holding mine and putting it in his pocket.
"We're having a long talk about you and father coming to this stupid tournament." I said with a slight annoyance in my voice. "Not only do I have to worry about making it to the end of this, but I have to worry about my family being surrounded by the hundreds of demons who want our heads on their wall."
"She has a point." Hiei said, looking at Ranumi,
"Oh, we'll be just fine, and as for Kuwabara's question: no silly." Botan said removing her kimono to reveal her wearing an orange inner shirt, a yellow buttoned shirt, and some brown pants. "In addition to being a spirit detective assistant and pilot of river sticks, I'm also a licensed trainer." She said,
Kuwabara tilted his head in confusion.
"I'll be looking after you all along with Ranumi and make sure that you are in tip-top shape for fighting." Botan explained as Ranumi nodded,
"Here Kuwabara, let me heal the rest of your wounds." Ranumi said as she kneeled and started to heal him while Botan went to Yusuke and began slapping him in the face.
"Spirit world to Yusuke! Wake up!" Botan said, "Come on now!"
"None of that will work. That boy's determined." Hiei said, "Hayami already tried putting water on his face and he still continues to sleep."
"Well, that's unfortunate." Ranumi said,
"Well, at least I'll get him out of the way." Botan said as she began to drag Yusuke by the legs and pull him away from the ring.
'Sure, go-ahead Botan. Bring him near to the hundreds of demons who want him dead.' Hayami thought looking towards the two as she turned her attention back to the ring, with Ranumi standing next to her after healing the idiot.
Third POV
"You know, that rose whip he's got must be ten feet long." Kuwabara said to the three demons beside him, "Where does he stash it? All the ways I could think of is that it sounds painful."
"Kurama simply carries a normal rose." Hiei said to him, "By manipulating it with his spirit energy, it transforms into a whip. Even weeds could turn into a deadly weapon for Kurama." He explained as they all turned their attention back into the ring.
"SECOND FIGHT, ROTO VS KURAMA, BEGIN!" Koto announced as the fight starts.
"I know you've been spending years in the human world." Roto said to Kurama who looked unamused at what he said, "We only do what we must, I only hope is that you didn't perhaps, get attached to one of them." He said smirking,
"This red hair boy, I don't think he's really human." Shizuru said in the audience with Ryuji and Keiko,
"Because he isn't, Shizuru. Kurama's a demon, well half in a way." Ryuji said,
"For example, being mournful of the dead." Roto said as he turned his hand into a sword,
"What is your point?" Kurama asked nonchalantly,
Roto charged at him, swinging his blade as Kurama swiftly dodges all his attempts,
"He's clearly no match for Kurama. What a joke of a round." Hiei said before looking at Kuwabara, "It's a pity you couldn't have taken him and let Kurama deal with the little child and his yo-yos."
"Hey watch it, shrimpy! I just got cheated is all." Kuwabara defended as the two water apparitions sighed,
"Kuwabara, have it crossed your mind why the ones in charge of this stupid tournament wanted us to fight in this place or have you forgotten what Hiei said last night." Hayami said as Kuwabara looked at her confused, "No matter how much we want something to deal with it, they'll still play their dirty tricks in order for us to lose or get killed in these coming fights. Might as well keep your guard up at all times, much more, expect the cheating that will probably take your confidence away."
Roto ran towards Kurama but only for him to end up behind him.
"Your skills aren't enough for this tournament." Kurama said raising his hand, "Say your last words."
Roto smirked evilly at him, "I have your human mother, Kurama. Or should I say Shuichi." He said, causing Kurama to gasp in shock and back away, with a cut on his left cheek as blood was dripping,
Everyone in the team's eyes widens in shock.
"What happened?" Kuwabara asked, "Hey, you said no match."
"Hayami, what do you think is wrong?" Ranumi asked in worry as she gripped the sleeves of her arm,
"If I were to make a guess, he's using one of Kurama's weaknesses." Hayami whispered to her,
"His mother." Ranumi said, now worried about the state of the fight.
Roto chuckled as he pulled out a controller from his pocket. "Allow me to introduce you to my little button. When I press it, the signal will go to my demon brother. He has been tracking your mother for some time now, see. And he has been anxiously waiting to bite her head off." He said smirky widely,
Kurama gritted his teeth in an attempt to control his anger. He stood up firmly, dropping his stance as he glared at the demon.
Roto chuckled darkly, "So you understand." He then ran up and punched him in the face multiple times until Kurama shoot a pebble at his face. "Oh honestly, did you really think throwing a pebble at me would help you in this situation."
Kurama stood straight again, still having his glare at the demon.
"You've been warned! With the press of this button your mother will face death in a very silent manner." Roto said having his thumb hovering over the red button he is holding as he smirked, "Now fold your arms behind your back and let me punch you as I please." He told to which Kurama obeyed, keeping his glare. "Oh, that's it, much better. I love the posture of force submission. Why train hard of you can hold onto one of these." He raised the device, showing it to the helpless fox.
"Mysterious. Kurama has become completely obedient to his opponent!" Koto said looking back and forth between the two demons.
"What's wrong Kurama?! Let him have it!" Kuwabara said,
"Quiet." Hiei said
"You want to try? I can see it in your pretty eyes." Roto chuckled as he walked forward, "I know what you're thinking: 'What if I quickly cut that left arm of his? But what if his severed fingers press the button?'."
"This idiot just doesn't know when to stop talking, does he?" Hayami said as she watched Roto keep warning Kurama repeatedly. "It's obvious that he's too overconfident and he thinks that he's won the fight. What a joke."
Hiei 'Hn' in agreement. Ranumi looked at her sister in confusion at what she said as she looked back, getting worried about Kurama.
Roto began to punch him over and over and Kurama just stood in his place as he endured the blow of the punches.
"He's using him like a punching bag!" Kuwabara said,
Ranumi tightened her grip on her sister to contain her tears but failed as her tears fell on the floor, turning into colorful gemstones. She never liked seeing her ones get hurt but seeing the demon she admires pains her to see him getting beat up.
'Kurama do something.' Ranumi thought in worry.
Roto stopped punching Kurama, getting visibly intimidated by the emotionless glare that Kurama was giving him as he turned his hand back into a sword again.
"I hate that look." Roto said, raising the blade near the fox's cheek, "Despite all I've done, you still hold that look like you're still superior to me." He made another cut, making an x on his cheek, "Stop. That. Look!" He yelled slicing his cheek as blood came flowing down the open wound.
"KURAMA!" Ranumi yelled just name as she was about to go up the ring and kill Roto herself, but Hayami was quick you noticed, and held her sister in place, despite the look of shock among their teammates.
"It doesn't matter anyway." Roto said, "At least I have the power now." He then raises his foot in front of him. "I would like you to lick the scum off my boot. I just can't seem to keep it clean."
'This is stupid.' Both Hayami and Hiei thought as they watch, knowing Kurama secretly has the upper hand.
"And right after you wiped the whole thing clean." He licked his blade. "I will decapitate you and spare your mother's life. And since you care about her Shuichi it's really your only choice." He said smirking widely as he looked at Ranumi pervertedly. "Of course, your little mate will be handed over to me if you refuse."
"I will not." Kurama said,
"What?" Roto asked in surprise,
"Got ahead and press it now if you wish." Kurama said patting the dirt off his clothes,
"And then your true character emerges." Roto said making his blade disappear. "You're nothing special. Not a high class. You're just a selfish demon like the rest of us here." He pointed around Kurama, "Look at me like I'm dirt, but in the end, it's a lie. You think of only yourself!" He laughed despite the nervous sweat he was having,
"Push it!" Kurama insisted to him as Roto raised the button and was about to press it, but his body froze in place.
"Can't move." He said as Kurama snatches the device from his hand,
"Fighting in one's threat is a very risky gamble." Kurama said, having Ranumi relieved to see that he was all right, "What if I really didn't care? Or perhaps I could turn you immobile."
"ITS HARD TO TELL WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, BUT IT'S CLEAR! KURAMA HAS COMPLETE CONTROL!" Koto announced,
"I've sewed the seed of the death plant in your body." Kurama said explaining his plan, "And it had plenty of time to take root. I feed it with my energy. I have but to will it, for it to instantly bloom. I'm afraid there won't be anything left of your evil life after that and threatening the girl that I have come to love was a big mistake on your part." He said walking away,
"Wait Kurama! You don't have to do this. I wouldn't have never actually pushed the button, I swear it!" Roto said, "I'm just a low class, I didn't know any better." Kurama stopped and turned his head to glare from the side, "Come on, you believe in mercy, do you?" He asked,
"No." Was all Kurama said as the seed planted in Roto spread out of him, killing him as flowers bloomed from his demon.
Kurama walked back to the team, "What irony. Such beauty, sprung from such an ugly soil." He said, earning the team their first point, making the scores all tied up.