~High Voltage~
. . .

Chapter Three: The Hunt...The Game
. . .


Yusuke stared at the demon compass, completely bewildered. It had been going nuts a few seconds ago, and now all of a sudden the arrow was pointing north-east as if nothing had happened.

"I don't get it," he said to nobody in particular. "Is it working or not?"

"What are you mumbling about, Urameshi?" Kuwabara wondered.

"This stupid demon compass doesn't work," Yusuke replied. He was about to toss it away when he heard something--a voice, in his head:

'I wouldn't say that,' it said.

"What? ...You know, maybe it's just my imagination but I could have sworn I just heard something." He shook his head as the others gave him strange looks.

'How about it? You up to a little game, Yusuke?'

"How do you know my name?" Yusuke yelled, looking around frantically for the source of the voice. The others stopped and turned to watch him.

'You're not going to find me that way.'

"Ah! I heard it too!" Kuwabara cried out. He looked at Kurama and Hiei. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Yes," Kurama answered.

'I'll make it easier for you. ...Use your little toy...if you're sure you really want to find what you're looking for, that is.'

"Boy, that's kinda creepy," Kuwabara remarked.

"Oh, I bet we're supposed to be scared, huh?" Yusuke yelled again, though he really had no idea to whom he was yelling at, or where for that matter. "Well, we're coming for you!" He waited a few minutes, but there was no reply.

"Well, now we know that the Shadow is telepathic," Botan observed. "But we may want to be extra careful. The Shadow knows we're coming for him, and he's going to be waiting for us. We'll most likely be walking right into a trap."

"Ah, he's not so scary!" Kuwabara said. "He sounds like a sissy! I bet he's just trying to scare us off 'cause he knows we're a lot stronger than him!"

"I don't think so," Kurama disagreed. "While that is a possibility, I don't believe we should underestimate this 'Shadow' character. Botan has a good point; from what we've heard about him, he could very well be leading us into a trap."

"Well, what does it matter?" Yusuke shrugged. "He's just making our job that much easier. He'll lead us to him, so now all we have to do is get him to come with us."

"You think that's going to be easy?" Hiei eyed him. "What makes you believe that this 'Shadow' character is going to come quietly?"

"He will if he knows what's good for him," Kuwabara answered. "Nobody wants to mess with Kazuma Kuwabara, 'cause they know they'll get beat up!"

"Would you care to test that theory?"

"Shut up, Shrimp, or I'll hit you so hard it--it'll hurt so bad, it'll hurt...really bad!"

"Man, Kuwabara, is that the best you could come up with?" Yusuke stared at Kuwabara, holding back a laugh. "That's really pathetic."

"I have to concur, it is rather sad," Kurama agreed.

"What do you guys know anyway?" Kuwabara mumbled.

"All right boys, shouldn't we be looking for the Shadow?" Botan interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah," Kuwabara shifted the bag in his arms. "It'd be a heck of a lot easier to carry this thing if it had straps..."

They continued the long walk through the forest, following the direction of the demon compass Yusuke was carrying, knowing that they would be walking into a trap but realizing that they had no other choice.

. . .

The Shadow laughed silently as it leaped from tree limb to tree limb, leading the Spirit Detective and his friends deeper and deeper into the forest, having some fun with them. The Shadow never liked killing its victims immediately. Actually the honest truth was, the Shadow didn't enjoy killing at all. Being responsibe for the end of one's life was not something that most were proud of, and on top of that killing was often rather messy. But there was no other choice--when somebody was tracking down the Shadow, there was nothing else to be done but kill.

But this Spirit Detective, Yusuke Urameshi, he was different. The Shadow had heard many things about him, and had also watched him fight in the Dark Tournament. He posessed an incredible power--nothing like the Shadow, but he would make a worthy opponent nonetheless. The Shadow had decided not to kill Yusuke Urameshi from the shadows right away, like it usually did with any other imbecile who was fool enough to come searching for it. Instead, the Shadow was going to fight the Spirit Detective; to see just how tough this kid really was, to satisfy a curiousity, and to answer the one nagging question: "Can he beat me?"

The Shadow was pretty certain it already knew the answer to this question, but still...it had never fought anyone quite like this kid. He was very unique. The Shadow could understand why every demon in Spirit World wanted a piece of him.

The Shadow landed on a tree limb and paused, making sure that Yusuke Urameshi and his friends were still following. They were, and now they were approximately three miles away. Now to find the perfect spot to do battle...

. . .

"We've been walking around for hours," Yusuke announced. "I bet this guy is just having fun with us all because he knows where we are and we have no idea where he is. This is so stupid!"

"Now don't get angry, Yusuke," Botan said, still with a cheerful attitude. "I'm sure we can't be too far from the Shadow now."

"She's right," Kurama said. "We're getting closer. The Shadow is leading us into the deepest part of the forest; probably to a spot suitable for a fight to take place."

'I see you're a smart one, Kurama.'

They all stopped as they heard the Shadow's voice inside their heads again. Yusuke clenched his fists.

"You know, you're really starting to tick me off! When I find you, I'll--" He stopped, suddenly remembering that they weren't supposed to kill the Shadow.

'Wexa,' the Shadow responded. 'You don't need to worry about "finding" me. I already told you I would lead you to where I am.'

"Why are you doing this?"

'Why? I could avoid you, if you prefer.'

"There's no use avoiding us!" Kuwabara yelled. "We're gonna get you no matter how far you run, you little punk!"

'Do you really believe that?' They heard the Shadow laugh quietly; a laugh of contempt and scorn with just the hint of malice. 'You must be that half-wit, Kuwabara.'

"Hey! I am not!" Kuwabara protested.

"You still haven't answered my question," Yusuke said. "If you know we're after you, then why are you leading us to you?"

'I haven't had a suitable opponent in years. Besides, I could use a bit of...entertainment.'

"Fine! But if we beat you, then you're coming with us!" Yusuke yelled back. He waited a few seconds for an answer. "Do we have deal?"

After a minute it spoke again. 'I don't make deals. And if you're going to stand around all day and waste my time talking, then don't bother coming. If you want me, then come and get me. But be prepared to die. I don't leave any survivors.'

"Just who do you think you are? You don't scare me!" Kuwabara retorted when he was sure the Shadow wasn't listening anymore.

Yusuke eyed him. "Is that why your legs are shaking, Kuwabara?"

Kuwabara looked down at his wobbling knees. "Shut up, Urameshi, I'm just cold!"

"It's sixty degrees out here."

'Enough.' They were surprised to hear the Shadow's voice again. 'Do you see that log about one hundred feet ahead? Just beyond that is where I'll be waiting for you. Quit wasting time.'

"I see it," Yusuke said. "Let's go." They began to run towards the spot that the Shadow had told them about, Yusuke leading the way and Botan bringing up the rear, all of them mentally preparing for the upcoming fight in one way or another. They jumped over the log and found themselves in a small clearing surrounded by trees, the only light coming from above where it peeked in through the leaves.

"We're here!" Yusuke yelled. "Now show yourself!"

. . .

Next chapter: Meet The Shadow