dont own YYH

Wolf of the Frozen Flame: No, Hiei is as he always is. I suppose you could say he was "testing" Darkfire. Hiei does love her, he's just confused about these strange feelings. Get it? Hope this helped at least a little.


Chapt. 45

The Finals Begin

"Won't you just die already!?!" Yusuke screamed at the snake hanyou. Yusuke had shot many holes in this dreaded creature,yet still it chased him. Its golden eyes glowed with hatred and its fangs dripped acid. "Rei Gan!" he shouts, sending a blue orb of energy into the demon. It blew its head clean off.

"Winner: Yusuke Urameshi!"

As Yusuke starts to walk back to us, the snake head quivers. A few more steps and the head is flying towards Yusuke, its fangs ready to kill.

"Yusuke, look out!" I shout, pointing behind him.

He turns and fires another shot, obliterating the head.

"Had it all under control," he says proudly when he struts up to us.

"Is that why yer knees are shakin'?" Kuwabara grins, pointing to Yusuke's chattering knees.

Kurama steps up for his match and is back in a matter of minutes; it was an easy win for the fox against the small cat hanyou. Kuwabara walks forward to face his opponent, a cat as well, but a full demon cat. With a few quick maneuvers, he is back in record time. As for Hiei, it didn't even seem as though he had left. One moment he was there, the next moment…he was still there; a defeated demon lay unconscious on the floor, a symbol of his fight.

"Darkfire versus Tsubasa!"

My hand was still in pain and I couldn't see out of my left eye very well. The moment my foot touched the stone arena, my energy level went down to match Mamoru's. I summoned the naganata and prepared for his attack. Tsubasa had chosen dual katanas for his weapons. His footing was sure and his speed was top, he never faltered under me. With each swipe I took, he countered with two of his own; it was a great deal of work to not get cut. Mamoru's attacks came to me as though they were my own. I knew everything I needed to fight as though I were him. When Tsubasa got too close, I sent waves of leaves, which turned to blades the moment released, at him. Finally, he backed off to the other side of the arena.

"Enough child's play. I will send you from this ring in one gust!" Tsubasa cries over the wind, which was picking up considerably.

I say nothing and stick the blade of my weapon between two stone slabs. I grip the handle tight with my left hand and throw my right arm around it, hooking with my elbow. The wind dog sent a huge gust of wind at me, causing my feet to leave the ground and my body to be tossed about like a flag. I tighten my grip, not daring to let go. When I had jammed the blade into the ground, I sent with it a seed. This seed grew into large vines, traveling underground to Tsubasa. There it waited for me to give it some energy; it would use that energy to spring up and entangle to dog, stopping the wind. When I felt myself slipping, I sent small waves of energy through the ground and into the vines. The windsuddenly stops and I fall to the stone floor of the arena. I look up to see Tsubasa struggling in my vines. Pulling the naganata from the ground, I race at Tsubasa. Turning the blade away from him, I slash across his middle and send him flying into the crowd.

"Darkfire wins!"

I hop from the ring and wait for any last announcements from the ref.

"The final match will begin shortly."

Yusuke and Kuwabara begin to whine at how they just finished fighting. As for me, I walk into the dark hall. It felt like home, strange as that is. The darkness soothed me. I sat against the stone wall and rested. Someone began to come down the hall. I look out the corner of my eye, but see nothing for they were on my left.

I emit a low growl.

"It's only me,"a soft voice says. The smell of roses flutters about my nose. Kurama. I stand up and face him. "Can you not see me?"

"My right sees what my left cannot."

"Hiei's doing, I remember now. He said you dropped this," Kurama informs me, holding a necklace out. It was a chocker with a silver chain; the pendant was that of a howling fox-type creature: the main "coat" was of rubies and the chest, where it would've been white on a fox, was of a black stone I did not know the name to. Kurama placed it carefully around my neck.

"He said I dropped it? I didn't know I had it," I confess as he steps back in front of me.

"Yes, well, I figured as much when I didn't remember you looking for it. I think you've truly changed Hiei."

"Iie, I just helped get it out. When he'll acknowledge that fact to the rest of the world, I don't have a clue."

"And he may never."

I nod in sad agreement.

"Team Urameshi please report to the stadium or face disqualification!" the ref announces.

"Suppose that's us," I grin, pulling Kurama's arm over my shoulders. "Let's get goin' before Hiei murders us."

"Yes, let's," he smiles, walking on my right and pulling me closer in a brotherly way as we walk. "Think we can win?"

"I have no doubts!" We step into the stadium and are greeted by cheers.

Good luck.

Domo, Osadyro-chan. I look over at my friend and wink at her. She just smirks the way she does and bows her head ever so slightly.

"Team captains to me, please!" the ref calls, raising her hand in the air. Yusuke and a woman in a ninja-type outfit walk to the demon girl. The ninja did not look at Yusuke, but instead looked at me. Her eyes sparkle with amusement. Even as they talked, her eyes stared at me. A strange longing and fear struck my heart. Who was this woman?

"Ok, it will be tournament style! If you win, you stay and fight until you lose. First up: Hiei and Kuruto!"

I blinked and Kuruto was dead. One down, four to go…two down, three to go…three and two…four and one. The final battle, if Hiei wins…we'll be having a huge celebration in his honor. I'm sure he'd just love that.

Anyway, Hiei and the ninja face each other. The fight began and Hiei swipes furiously, but accurately. But to no avail. She dodged and countered and dived and jumped. Hiei was covered in bruises and blood while the ninja held none. With each shuriken that sliced Hiei's skin, I felt new pain. Within five minutes, Hiei was laying on the ground beside me.

She points to me.

"I want to fight you next," she hisses. Her aura flares up in black flames. Her scent finally came to me. A panther demon; she smelt like Tanashi.

"Fine, I'll kill you," I growl, jumping onto the ring.

"You don't remember me, do you?" she purrs, circling me.

"Iie. Enlighten me." I keep my face forward, sensing where she walked.

"Remember blood, screams, arrows…your mother and father and lover…remember them?"

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

"You!" I snarl, maintaining my position.

"Hai, it is I, the assassin that did away with those you loved. You may call me Ansatsusha. Don't fret; you'll see them again soon…very, very soon." She lunges at me from behind, hoping to catch me off guard. I jump up and look down to find her. But she wasn't there.

"Peek-a-boo!" she hisses, slashing my back forcefully enough to send me back into the ground below. I try to pull myself from my crater, but find myself being forced down by a foot resting on my back. I was already weak from Hiei's injuries, and now I had ones of my own. I couldn't win, not like this.

'Let me help you,' a voice deep within me howled. It was the wolf.

'I can't, you might kill those I care for.'

'No, I shall only kill those you wish me to. Let me help you.'

'I can't take that risk!'

'But you can risk letting Yukina die? Letting your family and lover down, never to rest in peace? Please, let me help you!'

I couldn't breathe. She pushed on my back harder, causing a rock to puncture my stomach. Things began to haze. Was I to trust the wolf? Or would I let myself die here?