The Fifth Toguro Fighter

Chapter Three

Announcer:

"The battle against Hiei and the mysterious Neverteiaou had begun. In a clash of fists and swords Hiei seemed to have the upper hand. But Neverteiaou had her own move to use against him. In final desperation Hiei summoned the Dragon of the Darkness Flame to stop her for good. Unfortunately she could also control the dragon and has had seriously injured the fire apparition. Now it is up to the rest of team Urameshi and the tournament comity to defeat this unknown fighter."

"The Soul Catcher"

Down on the ground, weary from the fight with Neverteiaou, the fire apparition Hiei desperately struggles to stand up on his feet again. Overwhelming pains shot through his body from various cuts and burns all over his skin from the battle. His friends on the sideline call out to him, encouraging him to hang on and live.

"Four…five….six…."

He listened to the announcer count off the time he was on the floor, fighting to stay both in the tournament; and alive. His vision began to blur and fade from blood loss, which made it hard to see where everything was.

"Seven …eight….nine…"

With the last of his strength he looked up to the audience. High up the upper section of the stadium he focused of the image of Yukina sitting there. He could see her mouthing the words "Stay strong Hiei. You can do it."

"I'm sorry sister. This is part of the reason why I never told you. If I die in a battle like this you'd only feel like you lost a friend, not a brother," "Ah." He fell back on the ground drained of all his strength and energy.

"Ten! The winner by ten counts out is Neverteiaou! "

Yusuke and Kurama ran into the ring, passing Neverteiaou, and rushed to Hiei's side. "Is he…?" Yusuke dared to ask as Kurama gently pressed his fingers on the neck. "He's alive, just exhausted from using the last of his spirit energy on that last attack." The kitsune answered as he tossed Hiei's left arm around his shoulder. Yusuke took the right and carefully they carried him back to the others.

Yukina shot up from her seat and rushed to the aisle.

Botan: "Where are you going Yukina?'

Yukina: "I have to help him. Hiei's in terrible pain."

Keiko: "Well wait for us to come with you. Shizuru, are joining us."

Shizuru: "Might as well, no point in staying around here? Besides ever since that Never girl showed up I've had a bad vib about being here. Oger?

Oger (George): "I'm coming too!"

The two boys Yusuke and Kurama handed Hiei to Kuwabara as they stepped down from the ring. "Is he going to be alright?" the red-headed teen asked examining the wounds inflicted on the uncounsus yoki.

Kurama: "He'll live, but it's going to take a lot of time and energy to heal him. We're going to need both Botan and Yukina to help him."

Just then Hiei started to wake. He opened his eyes to see the faces of his worried comrades. "Oh great, the first thing I see after a near death experience is that oaf of a human." (a.k.a Kuwabara)

In sudden joy everyone huddled around him, nearly dog piling him.

Yusuke: "You had us worried there Hiei."

Kurama: "Next time you want to take on a surprise fighter let us handle him first."

Hiei smiled only a little, "So, this is what's it's like to have friends." Then his focus changed to their current situation, "Wait a minuet what happens to us now?"

They all looked over at Juri and Neverteiaou on the stage.

Koenma: "It seems like our fate is up to the Comity now."

Yusuke: "Darn it."

Juri stood by Neverteiaou to explain how to make the announcements. "Well despite the sudden shift of the players and number of fights won how do you think we should handle the rest of this round?"

"Simple, we follow the rules of the semifinals and see who'll defeat all the other team's members." Neverteiaou said looking at the scoreboard and the number of wins on each side.

Juri: "But miss, I don't think the comity would like it if we just changed the rules just like that between rounds. They specifically said that in the final round…"

Neverteiaou: "The comity is dead."

Juri: (shocked) "What did you say? What do you mean the comity's dead?!"

Neverteiaou: "Just as I said; the comity is dead. They have been before the finals began. The only one left is Sakeo, and I doubt he'll mind. Besides, that last fight is just the spur I needed to get myself going again. In a way they still have an advantage. They still have all their fighters while there is just little old me left."

The lizard-like referee skipped on over to Sakeo at the edge of the ring, "You don't mind if we change the rules for this round right sir?"

He closed his eyes in mild interest, "You just have some fun Neverteiaou. It doesn't matter."

Juri: "Alright if the other team agrees will continue on with this new round of the tournament."

The crowds cheered even louder than before. Screaming threats to the boys and praises for the female fighter.

Juri then cupped her microphone and whispered to Neverteiaou, "But I doubt they'll agree to fight with you now. How will you convince them?"

Neverteiaou: "Believe me, they'll fight."

With not a delay she reached into a pocket of her suit and pulled out a small, black bag. She placed a teaspoon of grounded up gemstones from the bag into her palm and gave it a gentile blow.

Neverteiaou: "Luos fo ym detaefed eof, evael ruoy citehtap ybod dna nioj em otni ruoy tsetaerg eramthgin." (Note: put a mirror against every word and you'll see what she's saying.)

As she said the words the powdery fragments began to swirl around like a miniature tornado.

Yusuke looked to the ring when he suddenly sensed a strange shift in the energy around them, "Just what the heck is she doing now? Hasn't this competition been strange enough?" all of a sudden Kurama and Koenma started to panic over the wounded fighter.

Yusuke: "What up with you two?"

Koenma: "Yusuke, you'd better take a look at this."

Yusuke: "At what?"

Kurama: "Hiei."

Confused the Spirit Detective gazed at the yoki on the ground, his upper body supported by both the redheads. His heart nearly stopped when saw the lifeless expression on his friend's face. His skin was pale white and the eyes were empty of any feeling. He was breathing rapidly as if someone had scared him half to death. "What's happening to him?!"

Kurama: "I don't know. I honestly don't know!"

Hiei's head then leaned back as a steamy stream slowly floated out of his mouth and hovered above the group like an eerie cloud. He soon fell limp in their arms.

Kuwabara: "Alright what in the world is that?!"

Koenma: "Hiei's….soul!"

The ball of a spirit drifted toward the arena, and toward Neverteiaou.

Yusuke watched horrified as the soul of one of his best friends floated to his enemy. Seeing the witch's sparkly powder surround the soul to form a rectangular silver crystal, with the spirit imprisoned inside. "Neverteiaou! What have you done to him?!"

The raven-haired warrior gazed at the new formed crystal hovering above her hand and the image of the owner appearing inside. "Nothing really. I just removed the very soul from his body and placed it in here." The after image of Hiei pounded on the glass side of the prison. "If you want him back you'll have to beat me. But if you loose you'll join the same fate."

The Spirit Detective clinched his fists in burning rage. "What am I supposed to do? I can't endanger the others. But I can't leave Hiei like this." Yusuke quickly turned to Kurama for guidance, "Do you know of that kind of power Kurama?" desperately.

Kurama: "Yes, now that I reconize it. It's an old incantation that imprisons the victim's soul inside a crystal gem. The image of the soul's form appears inside and supposedly is aware of what's going on around him."

Yusuke: "Well that's good."

Kurama: "No it isn't. The slightest touch to the gem could cause serious damage to the captured spirit inside. Worst of all is that if the soul is gone from the body for more then a day; the transfer back will be impossible. Once the soul is gone for that long the user can gain the energy still trapped inside."

He released his grip and turned to the rest of the gang, "Well what do you say? I'm not saying we should abandon him, but I don't want to put you guys in any more danger. So, should we risk own lives and our souls to beat this chick?"

Everyone was a little hesitant about answering. They have already seen her fight and witnessing a soul being sucked from a friend is scary enough as it was. Kuwabara broke the silence with his usual shouting, "How can you even ASK something like that? Of course we're going to save him. He sure enough saved our butts plenty of times. I don't care if she can control that dark dragon better, or can eat people's souls…."

Kurama: "Actually it's more like absorbing."

Kuwabara: "Whatever. Anyway we're right behind you a hundred and ten percent. Right guys?"

Koenma stepped forward to the others, "You can count me in. As ruler of spirit world it's my duty to be sure that every soul is free from demons, apparitions, and monsters. I'm not letting that creature be the acceptation."

Yusuke then turned back to Kurama, "And you?"

The red-haired fox demon gazed at Neverteiaou in the ring with fire burning in his eyes. His fists clinched tight, and one hand ready to grab for his rose whip.

Yusuke: "Kurama?"

Kurama: "I'm fighting next."

Kurama:

"Kurama this time. It's my turn to battle against this Neverteiaou and save Hiei's soul. The techques of this fighter will change dramatically and will use some of my own attacks against me. Yoko might be my only chance. And Kuwabara finally reviels to us who she really is. Next time, on Yu Yu Hakusho."

Who is she? How would Kuwabara know her? Could give them an advantage? Read and Review!