Chapter Eighteen: Loss
--
The Tachi members stood back in surprise, some even gasped.
"Oh that was soo AWSOME." Koto excitedly stated from afar.
Juri stood there a moment confused. "Uh...well it looks as if his power didn't overcome the dragon demon. I guess the battle is over when I end the ten count unless Hiei miraculously gets up from that paralysis attack." With that she began to count.
Lea bent over and picked him up. "I'm not finished with you yet."
"Leave him alone!" Katsumi yelled. "He's hurt enough already. You don't need to do anymore damage."
"Fine then. Catch." Lea threw Hiei at Katsumi sending them both flying into a wall.
"Hey that's not fair." Yusuke declared.
Ura shrugged his shoulders. "Yes well of course it's not. Lea darling don't get too happy now. I want all the team to be at their best." He mocked. "But then again she was in the way of the fighting. She should watch her mouth."
"She didn't say anything wrong." Tara said.
--
Pain went through their entire body before the numbness came.
"H..Hiei?" Katsumi breathed. He mummbled to let her know that he was there and alive. "Good." She whispered before the darkness took over again.
--
"...8...9...10." Juri ended. "And that everyone is the end of Battle one; Hiei verses Lea with Lea winning. There is a lunch break which is one hour and some free time before we must come back for Battle two. This puts us at around three o'clock. Meaning we have four hours of recoupe time. Though must of us don't need to recoupe." Giggling she jumped off the stage to the back for a break.
"Wow. I can't believe Hiei actually lost." Kuwabara established.
The group ran to the pile of stone where Hiei and Katsumi laid. "We need to get them to the room. There I'm sure we can figure something out." Rin took Katsumi in his arms and carried her back while Kuwabara carried Hiei carefully on his back.
--
"Botan." Tara didn't hesitate getting what was needed. "Botan I need you to find me some lilies."
Botan stood from her chair, cofussion written all over her face. "Lilies?"
"Yes, for Hiei and Katsumi." Tara walked up stairs to the small emergency room. "Go to the valley Botan." She called behind her. "I'll need some of the resources at the valley."
Botan blinked. "Uh ok. Which valley?"
Tara stopped for a minute to think. "The Woodland Valley. Tell the sprites there that Tara needs healing resources. They'll know what to get."
Wasting no time Botan was on her oar fly north to the Woodland Valley.
--
"What are the lilies for?" Kurama spoke softly.
"To cure spinal injuries. I'll crush their pedals in a nice paste. After I'll sprinkle on their pollen and add water. Then the injuried can drink it. Sounds nasty I know, but it works wonders." She was crushing the pedals as she spoke.
"What's that smell?" Yusuke inquired.
"Its from these herbs I'm crushing and burning." Rin explained. "The smell is inhaled to heal thinking problems or just to heal a demons inside."
"Hello?" A voice from downstairs called. Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara left the room to see who it was. Talking began quickly, but quietly. Tara and Rin joined them several moments later.
"Lord Koenma, what a surprise. Glad you could make it." Tara greeted solemnly.
"I'm sorry to hear that Hiei lost."
"Yes well with some rest he'll be fine."
"There is something else...?" He questioned.
Tara and Rin sat with the rest of them. "Well yes. We have a problem."
Tara looked down. "It seems that while Hiei is healing fine Katsumi is falling deeper and deeper in the dark. I'm not sure if she'll be able to make her fight in a half an hour."
"Meaning..?" Kuwabara pryd.
"Meaning that we can either have a sub fighter or forfeit the match to them. Giving them a two-zero lead."
Everyone was quiet until Tara stood up. "We should begin heading down. I'm sure Ura is waiting with a smug smile."
Rin grabbed her arm. "Wait! Don't you see you're going to quickly into this. Two of our fighters are down. One will be going up next. I think I speak for all when I ask like others on what we are to do?"
Tara looked at him then the group. "I-I'm not sure."
Noise from the second floor caused them to look up to see what was making it.