Flower Petals: Heya everybody! I know, it's been awhile......The thing is, I'm only allowed to go on the net twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays and it's only for a half hour at a time which isn't much time to do anything really....So my updates will be further and further apart.
But anygohoobles, here's the next chapter!
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENCE!!! The fight between Karasu and Kurama actually begins in the second half of this chapter, so expect violence. I don't like violence and don't really write it very often, but for purposes of this story, it had to be included. So if you don't like, please don't read!
And my thank you's go out to......
SilverDragon, IronClaws: Oh my tartarsauce, you've never seen Yu Yu Hakusho but yet, you've read the first two chapters of this story?! Thank you SO much!!!!! You must be kinda lost though.....^-^; Well, if you ever have any questions, feel free to send me an email! And thank you SO much for reading and reviewing!
Peace Writer: Yup, I accept flames. ^^ Don't get me wrong though, it they're nasty beyond the point of injustice, then sure! I'd delete them, but actually, I've never really gotten a flame...Eeek! *hurriedly knocks on wood* Thank you for your support on all my stories! ^^
Mamono: Koenma is soooo cool! I kinda like him better in his teenager form though....Well, the binkie could go for sure! But otherwise then that, he's a pretty cool character. Who's your favorite character from Yu Yu Hakusho? Thanks millions upon millions!!!
DisturbedVixen: Ug, alright, now I am SO confused....See, at first I thought it was "dry ice would be a nice touch," too. (If you can even remember what I'm talking about...It's been awhile!) But then I thought, that doesn't make any sense! So I could have sworn it was "dry eyes" because maybe the smoke would make everyone's eyes dry and he was being sarcastic? Or maybe it is "dry ice".....I'm soooo confused!!!! Well, thank you for reviewing! And for pointing out those things too!
Cocacola43: I'm glad you like my story alot. *sniff* It means a lot to me!!!!! Thank you for reviewin'! ^_^
Mina: Yup! If you keep reading, you'll finally get to see (well read actually) what happens...It seems like most people haven't seen any episodes of Yu Yu Hakusho past the beginning of the finals. Isn't that weird? I guess it would be the same for me if I hadn't gone broke 'cause I spent all my money buying every single DVD of Yu Yu Hakusho that ever existed......THANK YOU!!!!!!!
ALRIGHTY, LISTEN UP! SINCE IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME, I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE "PREVIOUSLY" SO HERE IT GOES:
Genkai, Yusuke's mentor and close friend, has died leaving the spirit detective depressed, and alone to face the horrible Toguro. Suzuka, a member of the recently beaten team Uraotogi, has helped by offering Kurama and Kuwabara two useful, but very unstable weapons. Requiring a fifth member to be able to compete, Sakyo steps up for Team Toguro, and Koenma volunteers his services for Team Urameshi. Now that the two contenders of the first round of the finals have been decided, the match is ready to begin!
Disclaimer: Awrighty, I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or actually, anything in this chapter! Wow, it felt SOOOOO good to say that. It's been such a very long time...*tears up* I needa say it again....I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho! I don't own it, I don't own it, I don't own it at all!
Flower Petals
First Blood
The Beast Within
Over the tumultuous cacophony of sound, a pure tone rose loud and declared. "Ladies and Gentlemen, with no further ado, the match begins!" An arm ascended, fingers all curled but one. "And on my right, fighting for Team Toguro, Karasu!" The single finger now bore a different target. "And on my left, fighting for Team Urameshi, Kurama!"
Secluded in her own private nook, Koto leaned forward and announced into the microphone occupying the desk before her, "Folks, I guess you could say this has been one heck of a roller coaster and finally-finally-we can get to the most awesome loopidy-loop part of the ride!"
She paused and tensed her cat-like ears to ascertain the new subject of the immense audience's great enthusiasm. "From the sound of things, everyone in the stadium is a fan of the tall, dark, gruesome Karasu."
"What did you say!" snapped a passionate voice. Keiko had risen to her feet in the stands, pretty face burdened by an irksome frown. "You couldn't pay me to root for that vampire-wannabe weirdo!"
"I don't know," Shizuru shrugged, "he does have some beautiful hair."
George had taken the place beside Botan and was shouting over all else, "Don't forget your stretches, Koenma, sir!" Satisfied, he sat, wary of the nasty appearanced bat he now kept for his Lord. "This was supposed to be Koenma's," he explained. "But I'll just use it to scare people."
Brandishing the weapon, he cupped a hand over his mouth and shouted, "Ku-ra-ma, Ku-ra-ma!"
"Yeah, go Kurama!" Keiko cheered.
"Knock him dead, Kurama!"
Far below, by the ring itself, Yusuke was shaking his head. "Dammit, if they start a riot in the stands, I'm not going to be the one who saves them." He turned to see if Kuwabara felt the same way, but his friend had run off towards Kurama, seeking to speak with him before the fox spirit reached the ring.
"Hey Kurama, wait!"
His firey haired comrade paused.
"Do you think you're going to use that medicine stuff Suzuka gave you?"
"Actually," Kurama admitted, "I took some about two minutes ago."
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
"Could you elaborate?" Kurama had questioned upon first receiving the bottle of crimson liquid.
Suzuka's eyes shifted from the item to hold Kurama's steady gaze. "The bottle, Kurama, contains the Fruit of the Previous Life, handpicked from the upper realms of the Spirit World. "
He hesitated on his limp away towards the looming trees, to cast a final glance at Kurama and Kuwabara who stood, surveying the midnight black hilt cautiously. "Allow me the pleasure of a few more words and I'll give you a warning: this fight was the first time those items were used. I still can't tell you how they work or what side effects they could have upon their user."
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
"I've run a few experiments," Kurama continued, "and found that it takes a considerable amount of time to absorb into my body and change me." His eyelids slowly sank.
Kuwabara's eyes widened. "I don't know if you should take that stuff multiple times, buddy. It could be bad."
"Hn," Kurama replied, opening his deep green eyes once more. "There's no way I would have showed up here without testing it first." In one effortless, elegant leap, he stood on the arena, his dull yellow tunic swaying in the resulting draft.
"So what's it do when you take it?"
"Suzuka was right in guessing it would transform me," Kurama answered. "However, there is a time limit, and I can only stay in that form for fifteen minutes."
Karasu waited on the other side of the battle field, face impassive.
"I'm not worried though," Kurama assured his friend, "fifteen minutes is more than enough."
The two combatants met in the middle of the arena, eyes locked, and imperious to the dissonance that surrounded them.
Juri spared them both a glance before raising her microphone. "If I can have everyone's attention, I'll explain the rules of the match."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sighing angrily to herself at the injustice of the whole situation, Keiko sat back down, balancing Puu in her lap as she turned her head to speak with Botan. But as she studied her friend's solemn features, her bitter frustration was subjugated by concern. "You don't look so hot. Are you feeling okay?"
"Oh!" Botan said, startled at the un-anticipated inquiry. "I'm feeling great! All I wanna do is smile!" Her lips slowly twisted into a large smile. "You know, there should be a law against feeling this good!"
"That's good to hear," Keiko commented, and she dropped her gaze to Puu. "I'm sad Genkai isn't feeling better though. I think Yusuke gets a lot of support from her."
Shizuru's acute eyes were concentrated on Botan's fragmenting facade. "She's right. Things have been off concerning Genkai ever since the start of the semi-finals."
"Well, she did say she was getting older," Botan insisted, her bogus smile fading away. "And everyone knows the elderly need their rest." She rose to her feet, stepping around George who's head was lowered, eyes screwed closed.
Keiko blinked back her surprise. "Hey, where are you going? The fight's starting!"
"Just need some fresh air," Botan chuckled and ascended the steps into the alley secluded beyond the dome.
"That girl." Keiko shook her head. "She's been acting like a basketcase for days. I hope she's okay."
Shizuru was not listening. Her eyes were on the battle field far below, but her thoughts were world's away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her tears at bay. Her conflicting emotions fought with each other for dominance, but in the end, none prevailed. Only the sense of a deep and heavy sorrow was prominent in her otherwise chaotic inundation of feelings.
The hall was empty. None walked its dismal length, or ventured inside for a mere moment. The only noise were the vociferous cries and outbursts originating from the arena. But not in the hall; it was completely silent in the hall.
Botan was facing the filthy grey wall; contaminated by age and innumerable years of filth, when a hand pat her once on the shoulder.
Not really caring whom it belonged to, she was nonetheless taken back to find Kuwabara's older sister. "Oh, hi Shizuru."
"You need to snap out of it," Shizuru advised, but not in her usual domineering tone. There was a certain softness in her light brown eyes. "She lived a long life and was overdue for some. . .rest. . .But she can't have fun if you keep tearing up about her."
Botan understood. "So you knew she was gone?"
Shizuru stepped to the side, flipping back a wave of her stringy, light tinted hair. "I could sense her spirit moving farther and farther away. Of course, I was sure of it when I spoke to her yesterday. She came by before you took her away.
"Genkai knew she was leaving when she talked to us in the woods. But she made a mole hill out of a mountain because didn't want us to worry" Abnormally soft brown eyes fell on vivid purple. "She wouldn't want us to worry now. She was ready to die."
Smiling weakly, yielding to the barely comforting truth, Botan dropped her head.
Kuwabara's sister smiled softly in return, grateful her words had provided a temporary comfort in that unforgiving, merciless world of misery and pain.
Tears descended rapidly down Botan's face, plummeting to the hard ground in their own bath of wet glory. "But why that way?" she demanded. "She was sad and scared and in so much pain." The sprite closed her eyes tightly. "I will never forgive him for what he did to her!"
"Don't worry," Shizuru reassured, "our boys will take care of Toguro once and for all." Slipping an arm around her friend's shoulder, she steered her away from the gloomy corridor and towards the light ensuing from the stadium beyond. "And even if they didn't, you can bet I would take on every one of those lousy punks."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kurama studied his opponent; calculating. Formulating. Mere feet away, stood Karasu, face shadowed by an eerie, dark look.
"Both players take opening pose," Juri instructed, "and begin!"
Stepping off to the side, Kurama rose his right hand to his chest, palms downward, and ready to witness his enemy's strategy.
But Karasu simply stood watching. His eyes narrowed. "You're either extremely brave, or extremely foolish," he purred silkily.
Kurama tensed.
"It's rare for anyone who has seen my capabilities to go through with fighting me," Karasu continued in a tone as soft as silk. "I'm curious as to why you'd subject yourself to this." He tilted his head, eyes portraying a sinful and corrupt inquiry.
Kurama was all too aware what the question was. "Don't flatter yourself, Karasu," he said tightly. "I'm here to win. And by the way, I advise you not to underestimate me."
Silent, Karasu lifted his right arm cross his front. A greenish energy emerged around his hand, cloaking it in its vibrant color.
Not even sparing a moment's hesitation, Kurama disclosed his new technique; flattening his right hand to reveal in his palm, dozens of contrasting pink rose petals. Rising into the air, they dispersed themselves around him, fluttering and twirling in their delicate and elegant dance.
"Oh wow!" Koto remarked. "Kurama is surrounded by a whirlwind of rose petals. Karasu must stink."
There is no doubt that while I'm in my human form, Karasu will dominate this match with his power and speed, Kurama pondered, crimson hair swaying in the graceful action of the petals around him. But when I transform into Yoko Kurama, I may have the strength needed to beat him.
Karasu's sinister gaze never once strayed from Kurama.
For now, it is imperative that I take my time and be as careful as possible. I must avoid being touched by him until my transformation has taken place.
One arm pointed high at the heavens; fingers outstretched, his other by his side, aimed at the ground like a dove with only one capable wing, Kurama announced, "Petals and Thorns!"
Karasu lowered his hand and began walking tantalizingly slowly towards the fox spirit, eyes glowing maliciously.
"Karasu obviously doesn't feel cause for concern as he walks directly into that massive cloud of rose petals!" Koto remarked, watching the slow and certain movements of Karasu, intently.
A solitary petal strayed from the flowing elegance of its group, and sliced through the air with exact precision, grazing Karasu's right cheek. A thin crimson line appeared shortly after, spawning tiny beads of blood. One droplet traveled down the side of his face.
Karasu halted, eyes straying to the fresh wound. "It's incredible: each of the petals as sharp as a razor blade. How utterly charming."
The bright red color vanished from his pale face leaving no trace at all that the petal had struck its mark.
He continued striding purposefully forward. "I must say, they are absolutely beautiful. However, they're also weak and lacking in substance. Traits they must have inherited from you," he purred, deridingly
He's no fool, Kurama admitted to himself. But why won't he protect himself? A few more steps and the petals will engulf him and cut him to shreds.
A sinister flare in his eyes, Karasu extended his arms, fingers contorting to hideous angles. The transient petals nearest suddenly burst into flames.
"Huh!" exclaimed Yusuke, eyes reflecting the small but immensely bright explosions.
"What the heck?" Kuwabara said in awe. "Those things just spontaneously combusted!"
The detective lowered his head, features tight. "Be careful, Kurama," he whispered.
Swirls of black smoke sporadically penetrated by flashes of red explosions veiled most of Karasu. But his keen gaze , saturated with malice and an evil pleasure ever prevailed.
Stunned, Kurama could only stare wide-eyed at his opponent, mortal fear leading the direct path to absolute panic. He doesn't even have to touch the petals to destroy them. He was right.
Karasu chuckled darkly. "Well, well, well. Perhaps it was I who was underestimated by you. My hands are not the sole source of my power," he explained. "They're merely vessels. Poor Kurama, it seems like you've entirely misunderstood me."
Kurama turned away, all too familiar with the demon's nefarious mind games. Block him out.
"You weren't able to see my power so you felt secure," Karasu continued, gesticulating his arms. "But it's everywhere. Even in the air you breath. You can't escape it; it's all around you. Inside of you." His arms fell limp to his sides. "Why don't you make things easier and submit?"
A malicious smile appeared on his face, and he launched into the air, nearly too quickly to be seen.
Kurama immediately tensed, senses heightened and continually warning him of the imminent possibility of an attack from any angle. Hastily glancing to the left, he had barely enough time to react and dodge a fatal blow to the head.
"What an attack!" Koto exclaimed, over the ever increasing excitement of the crowd. "It's just the way I like it; confidence with a hint of malice."
His fingernails like miniature daggers, Karasu continued his brutal assault, tearing at the air; hungry for the red headed boy's flesh.
Finding a mere second's delay in-between the next attack, Kurama took the opportunity to leap out of the way and position himself for his own attack.
Karasu was bearing towards him at a frighteningly swift pace, the black tendrils from his revealing jacket, flowing out behind him.
"Rose Whip!" Kurama shouted in the air above. He conjured his trademark vine and lashed it out at his opponent.
Karasu, as if seeking to grab the very weapon, stretched out an arm. Just moments before it would reach him, the central part of the vine burst into flames.
Frozen with an incomprehensible fear, Kurama dropped to the floor of the arena, still gripping the remnants of the broken vine.
"You know you can't stop me, but you continue to try all the same. That's what's so appealing about you." Karasu lowered his head so his face was cloaked in shadow, manic eyes gleaming sinisterly.
"It's a shame things couldn't have been different for us." Taking one step forward, he broke into a run. "But it doesn't really matter. Even things that seem ideal always turn sour." Kurama dodged another swipe to the head. "I'm just speeding the process!"
Red eyes gleamed with an evil malignance. "I've found there's no greater rush than taking the life of someone you care for." The crimson haired demon dropped back to the ground and with remarkable agility, spun out of the way of another assault. "The intimacy that murderers and victims share is unparalleled! Watching their spirits separate from their bodies!"
Spinning to the right and lowering his head, only to whip to the left once more, Kurama continued the deadly dance. His attacks are becoming more and more brutal. If I don't transform soon, I'll be destroyed.
Then suddenly, the graceful movements of both contenders ceased. A complacent smile settled over Karasu's eyes as he gradually vanished from the space in front of Kurama.
Alarmed, Kurama whipped his head around, cold terror surging through his veins as he found he was encompassed by an enormous ominous shadow. His keen intellect informed him of the aerial assault from above just in time; he sprang backwards, right hand shooting out to the floor to maintain his balance, just as Karasu's claws sank into the battle field's surface.
It was then the upper front of Kurama's left arm exploded crimson. He fell to one knee, stunned; his arm searing in pain.
An evil chuckle sliced through the air. "Like I said, it's not necessary for me to touch you. It's just one of the perks."
"You okay?" Yusuke asked Kuwabara, who was gritting his teeth, clenched fists shaking.
"Dammit!" Kuwabara cried. "What's the deal? Why doesn't he change? If that clown gave him bad juice, I'll make him regret the day he was ever born!"
Yusuke blinked back his puzzlement. "Listen to yourself."
Beside him, Hiei was giving Kuwabara a nasty, critical look.
Grey smoke puffed from the end of the cigarette extending from the scarred man's lips. "This is so boring. If I was in the VIP room, I could at least get a drink."
"Karasu does like to hear himself talk," Toguro admitted in his deep, slow tone. "But things are about to get interesting."
Karasu raised his arms once again, preparing for another strike, laughing gleefully to himself.
Forcing himself to his feet, Kurama ran the other way, gripping his wounded arm.
A small distance away, Karasu landed, watching the fox demon with the confidence of an omnipotent predator.
Blood shot out into the still air, contaminating its purity.
Kurama cried out in pain, peering down to find a massive tear in his right pant leg. He stared at it, almost unbelievingly.
Still watching with malevolent amusement, Karasu's eyes bore a wicked smile.
They both knew who had the upper hand.
The first blood had been spilt. . .
~
Flower Petals: Well whaddya know! It was a short chapter! That's practically unheard of for me. It was only five pages! And most of the first page was just my ramblings! Wow, that IS incredible....*runs off to mark it on the calendar*
Sorry again for the late update. This chapter probably wasn't even worth waiting for, but I'm grateful for those who'll read it! Sorry if there were any spelling mistakes! And I hope it wasn't too confusing with the different tenses, I tried my best to separate them.......
But anygohoobles, it would make me SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy if some of you would review! Please?
Well I'm off to scrutinize my DVD some more!
Ja ne!