Thanks to n/a, vicky (Im glad you enjoyed it!), and ………… for reviewing. Ill try and get to your fights as soon as possible…I might even start one over the break.
I just really needed to get this out of my system. It didn't start out being a Miroku Shuichi at all. I ended up rewriting the entire thing to have them fight and I spent forever trying to figure out who would realistically win. Neways, I hope you all enjoy the fruits of my labor and please review.
Miroku V Shuichi Minamino
He ran blindly, praying to Kami that the human boy wouldn't catch up with him. He held his staff in front of him, slashing it to and fro in front of his face to keep the branches from slapping him in the face.
Running for a few feet more he crashed through the trees and into a small clearing. He turned around, tying to use his senses to find the red heads aura.
Nothing. He groaned slightly. So his pursuer wasn't human after all…or at least that's the most plausible conclusion he could come to. How can someone other than a powerful demon hid there aura so well?
His eyes darted back and forth, desperately trying to find the location of his attacker but he could hear nothing.
Suddenly, a rustle of leaves was heard coming from his left. Spinning towards the noise he braced himself only to feel a sharp stinging sensation in his calf.
"What the…?" He turned ready to block another attack but he was sill alone; alone in the clearing with a wounded lef.
He cursed softly. 'How in the seven hells had that happened?' He wondered. 'I was sure I heard the noise from the opposite direction'.
He shook the thoughts away. He needed to be focused in order to survive this battle. 'This is just NOT my day'
There was another rustle in the bushes but he didn't fully turn towards it this time. He learned from his mistakes. He was surprised yet again as he felt a searing pain in his shoulder, and spun around just in time to see a green vine retract into the tree tops.
Not wasting any time, and ignoring the pain in his shoulder and leg, he reached into one of the various hidden pockets of his robes and chanted while throwing three sets of sutra at where he last saw the vine.
If his enemy was a demon, that would take care of him…or at least give the Monk enough time to escape while the demon struggled with the sutras.
He followed with his eyes as the tree tops shook slightly, first the top of one, then another, then another until it stopped at the top of the tallest tree surrounding the clearing.
If he had hit the demon, it didn't seem to slow him down any.
He kept his gaze on the tree, watching for any more movement that would indicate his foe had changed locations, and sprinted to the base of the tree, chanting under his breath all the while.
He slapped another sutra on the tree, using as much energy as possible in an attempt to seal the demon boy to the tree. The tree crackled angrily with his energy.'
He didn't stop though, he could feel the demon (it had to be a demon since it was effected by his sutra) struggling against his ward, and doing a rather good job too.
He chanted louder now, practically scream the spell that would hold off the boy long enough for him to get far away from here.
Finally, he felt the resistance stop, and looked up expecting to see the red haired boy fall to his death from above only to feel a sharp pain and fall into unconsciousness.
He awoke with a groan, "What happened" he mumbled to no one in particular.
HUH? He was sure he heard an echo. He tried to sit up but couldn't due to the weight on his chest.
Wait. Weight on his chest? He opened his eyes but saw only red.
What in the seven hells?
He felt the weight on his chest shift until it was completely off of him, allowing him to sit up and take a look at his surroundings.
Shaking his head to clear his aching head, the monk known as Miroku saw the red haired boy mirroring his actions.
In a flash he was on his feet sutra drawn. The red head paid him no heed. Just stood up slowly and turned to face the Monk, hands by his sides and a serious expression on his features.
"You will return the Artifacts." He said solemnly.
"And you will back away slowly, unless it is your wish to be bound for all of eternity." Miroku replied, the hand grasping his sutra tensing, as if poised to be thrown.
"You are surrounded." The red head saw the Monk flinch as he searched the area with his spiritual energy and realized that he was indeed surrounded by himself and the rest of the Spirit Detectives.
If the Monk was nervous in the least, it didn't show on his face. He remained calm. Even as he tucked the sutra in his hand back into the depths of his robes and started playing with the prayer beads surrounding his wrist.
"My sutras are not my only power." He stated coolly, as if he were warning them.
The tow opponents stood facing each other for several moments, each one waiting for the other to make the first move.
With a flick of his wrist, Shuichi Minamino summoned a shingle rose from the back of his neck and transformed it into a thick green whip just as Miroku untangled the prayer beads and released his ultimate technique.
"Rose Whip"
"WIND TUNNEL!!"
Out of no where the wind picked up and traveled wildly into the Monks right hand, sucking up everything that was in its path.
Thinking fast, Shuichi used his Rose Whip; whipping it into the ground and sending up an array of rocks and dirt.
While the air void pulled in the inanimate objects, the red haired boy merely jumped into a nearby tree behind the Monk and away from his right hand.
Rocks and other objects that had littered the forest floor entered the void in his hand. Wrapping the prayer beads hack around his hand, Miroku watched as stones that had been in the Kazanas path hovered for a moment before dropping back down to the earth.
He scoured the area, looking for any signs of the red head. The Monk knew that he was around here somewhere; he hadn't left nor seen Shuichi get pulled into the endless abyss inside his cursed appendage.
'If I wished to escape the Kazana where would I go…' he though, eyes darting back and forth in search of his opponent.
Behind me!
He spun around and used his staff to block just as Shuichi sent another slash from his Rose Whip.
His eyes widened as the one swift slice from his enemies' weapon rendered his own useless. He tossed the two pieces of his now broken staff to the floor and tensed for the next attack. Leaving his left hand poised above the prayer beads covering his right.
His feature and those of his opponents remained as calm as ever, as if they weren't facing each other in a battle for their lives.
"I will only ask you once more," Shuichi cautioned, "return the stolen artifacts and you shall be spared."
"Artifacts have been stolen!?" The Monk retorted smoothly, feigning shock, "That's is regretta—" A sharp pain coursed through his body.
He gasped and doubled over with the immense pain. "What…have you done…to me" he ground out.
"Death seed." Shuichi replied simply, "When you first arrived in the clearing and were distracted by my Rose Whip, I planted a death seed in you back."
In that case…WIND TUNNEL." He roared again.
He knew. He knew he was dying. If he were to die stealing some stupid artifacts then he would go down fighting.
Once again the winds picked up around the red haired boy but Shuichi was as calm as ever.
Drawing his Rose Whip once more, he sent a brutal slash at Mirokus right hand but Miroku was faster, closing the air void and jumping out of striking range.
The red head took a step towards the Monk, preparing to strike him once more..or at least he tried to.
His left leg was immobile. He looked down to find an ofuda stuck to his calf.
The Monk didn't falter. Taking advantage of Shuichi's distraction, he sprinted towards his foe with G-d like speed only to stop short from another wave of pain.
"Take one step closer and I shall end your life." It didn't even come out as a threat; more like a statement. As if the red head was just stating a fact of life as simple as if there are rain clouds in the sky, then it will rain.
If the Monk takes one step closer, I will kill him.
'Now what?' Miroku thought. He had a decision to make. Take the chance of attacking while his opponent was weakened and risk his life, or wait until his opponent decides to make the first move before trying anything.
He chose the later of the two.
The red head had a choice to make as well. He could either end the Monks life, or wait and see if he could find another way of ending this battle.
'Kill him.' Yoko coaxed from inside the Kuramas head.
'I cannot. He has done nothing wrong. Koenma had no specifications about whether the Monk would need to be slain or not. He is not a murder, just an unlucky thief.' Shuichi argued back, making sure to emphasize the fact that the man standing before them is a bandit just like Yoko.
'It matters not, just kill him and ask questions later.'
'I do not wish to kill him unless it is necessary'
'Coward'
It annoyed him to no end that Yoko had such an influence on his life. He truly did not wish to kill the young Monk. He had done nothing wrong, nothing wrong that would effect him personally anyway. The only reason that he was after him in the first place was because of the orders Koenma gave him.
He clenched and unclenched his fist in a Miroku like fashion, the wheels in his head turning rapidly, searching for an alternate solution.
He hated not wanting to kill the Monk that stood before him, he was embarrassed in thinking that the Yoko inside him would never hesitate like he was doing. He would not feel guilty.
"What if we were to strike a bargain," Miroku began smoothly, oblivious of the new battle raging inside Kuramas head, "I will remove the ofuda from your leg in exchange for you removing the death seed in my back."
"No"
Okay, Miroku had not planned on that. It was ironic really. He actually liked this guy. He was intelligent, maybe even more so then himself, and he was an excellent fighter. He was a lot like himself, neither of them wished to kill, yet they would not hesitate to do so if truly necessary.
The dark haired boy smiled at that, leaving his opponent rather confused, though no emotion graced his carefully composed face.
Miroku tried again, "If I cannot sway your decision of our bargain, then would you agree to fight for the artifacts?"
"There is no need to do so. If it was my wish to reposes the artifacts, all I must do is tap into my spirit energy and will the death seed inside you to bloom, taking your life in the process."
"You speak the truth, but I can always take you with me using the Wind Tuneel." The Monk relied, actually sounding almost cheerful. "If I am to die, I would be lonely if I were to do so alone." He added with a slight grin.
"Then I shall accept your challenge. How shall we proceed?"
"Your skill against mine." Miroku suggested.
"Agreed. I will not let the death seed grow and you shall not use your air void."
The Monk looked over the red haired boy 'This will be an interesting fight.'
It started off slow; the two men testing the others skill.
Shuichi held his rose whip, doeding ofudas as Miroku threw them, every once in a while slashing at the Monk, only to have his weapon met with a spiritual barrier.
Seeing that he was hindered by the sutra that was already on his leg, he decided to go on the defensive, letting the Monk tire himself out or drain his energy.
Unfortionatly, Miroku had already thought of that and was not going to lose so easily. He charged his ofudas with little of his energy, knowing it would be unlikely for them to hit their mark anyway.
Instead, he watched the red head duck and dodge until he found a pattern in his movements.
He counted in his head while still throwing the sutras 'Now left, next right, now he should duck, than right, left, right, duck,…NOW' he though just as he put the remainder of his energy in three binding sutras and with a flick of his wrist, sent them towards where he knew his challenger would be.
There was a sudden burning sensation in Shuichis arm, chest and side and the boy couldn't figure out why.
Shuichi Minamino looked down slowly to find the Monk had actually hit him. Now he had three more sutras, one on his chest, side and left arm to match the one on his leg.
Fighting now would be difficult.
The Monk stood there. Waiting for his opponent to make the next move; the red head had been more than lenient when they were previously fighting. He would give the boy enough time to regroup and think of something.
Shuichi started down his opponent. He knew the Monk would not strike him unless he made the first move. He was an honorable opponent.
'I am glad I chose not to end his life.'
Either way, they were just about equal. The Monk had drain just about the last of his spiritual powers with his last attack, and he only had one arm remaining to fight with.
He flicked his whip with a smart crack to signify he was ready and spinning his weapon over his head he attacked.
"Rose Whip Thorn Wheel"
Flashes of light emerged from the whip and flew at anything in there paths. Miroku ducked and dodged in vein from the seemingly innocent blurs of light and grunted softly when he felt the fabric of his robes tear from the flashes that grazed his skin.
There were too many of them. He used his arms as a barrier to block the flashes that would hit his vital organs and made a mad dash to the nearest tree, pressing his back and sneaking a peek once successfully behind it.
The red head boy wasn't moving, he didn't even attempt to move. He was stuck and that was that. Now only to get close enough to…
He looked around wildly for the source of the mysterious smoke that appeared from nowhere.
He checked his opponent's location, or at least tried to. He couldn't see anything with the smoke screen.
'He's trying to get me to get within his striking range' Miroku thought, staying behind the tree.
Shuichi on the other hand, was closer than he expected. Slowly but surely, he was struggling against the sutras and making his way towards the Monks position.
He was almost there. He could sense the Monks nervousness. He was staying put though, thinking he was safe from his foe, fore he could not move.
'A fatal mistake' the red haired boy thought.
He went around the tree so that he was standing next to the Monk. Shuichi could barely make out his features but it was him, he was sure of it.
'This is the end' he thought just as he lowered his weapon on his opponents flesh only to have it meet a weak barrier.
The Monk had sensed him right at the last second, looking up just in time to put up a rather weak barrier.
He expanded the barrier, hoping to fry his opponent only to feel a source of immense power from behind him.
He spun around, looking a young boy in the eye. He had dark hair, slicked back with a few strands falling out of place.
"Yo" the boy said in greeting, holding his right index finger out so that it resembled some sort of gun.
There was a small glowing sphere at the tip of his finger, the entire thing made of of pure energy.Miroku was going to die.
"No Yusuke" A firm voice said from behind him.
The red haired demon boy was actually defending him.
"There is no need," Shuichi continued, "he has no energy left and he is out numbered. He will return the artifacts peacefully."
"But of course" the Monk agreed. "No need to fight a lost battle." He added smiling.
Reaching into his robes, he slowly handed back the stolen artifacts from spirit world. Bidding the two boys farewell, he stood slowly, and limped away.
"So, whyd ya save em?" Yusuke asked, lazily slipping his hands behind his head.
"I have no idea of what you are talking about Yusuke" Kurama relied, scratching his head in confusion.
"Yea, sure buddy."
In truth, Shuichi had no idea why he spared the Monk. It was to be a battle to the death, and yet the Monk had been spared. I guess it was because they never found out who the true victor was.
The Monk may have been drained of all power, but Shuichis body was rendered useless by the ofudas.
It would have been curious to see who the true victor had been.
Mirokus thoughts mirrored Shuichis exactly. He too had enjoyed the battle to the bitter end. In truth, the artifacts had not been worth it.
There is always something else to peddle for cash. It was truly unfortunate that he had stumbled upon the ruler of Spirit Worlds castle and had "borrowed" some seemingly useless mirror, sword and ball.
He had met his match in the red head boy. They could have been allies, maybe even friends under different circumstances.
'I doubt I would have been able to kill him either way' the two boys thought, not at the same time, but almost.
Okay, just to let you know. I really dont know who would have won. You have to admit, they are a lot alike. I didnt wanna piss anyone off by killing either one (or both) so I just ended it in an anitclimactic draw.
I also made sure that it was SHUICHI vs. Miroku cause i was Miroku to be fighting his human form, not his demon form. Im gonna have the great lord Fluffy go against the great bandit Yoko. Im working relle hard on that one so please bear with me...(I think i just used the wrong bear/bare...w/e).
Im gonna be working on two at the same time so that if Sesshy V. Yoko doesnt work out right away, you guys wont have to wait for like a month for me to finish.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!!!!!!