"Obligation and Duty"
Chapter 43
.oO{cough I'm depressed. Yay.}
Nishiki tries to get Author to come out from under blankets: Your 'fans' are waiting. fun fun
Author sighs Alright, whatever. goes back to the computer
The Urameshi team watched in apprehension as Hiei was engulfed by the flames. Koenma was even about ready to fly from the stadium with the jetpack he had strapped to his back. Dark columns of energy dropped from the sky and surrounded the island. Parts of the stadium broke off because of the electricity. Koto had to drag Juri from the ring-- the latter paralyzed by fear.
Red lightning hit Hiei and he released the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. Bui seemed to have a thought as the huge dragon came at him, and he flared his energy. Keeping the Dragon's mouth open by nothing more than his bare hands, Bui seemed to defy Hiei. Hiei only added more of his power to the attack. The Dragon was hitting people in the audience, burning them to death.
The Dragon broke through the ceiling and took Bui with it. It pinned him against one of the rock formations on the island and Hiei jumped to the ceiling to watch. All of a sudden, the dragon turned and swallowed Hiei. The Dragon circled in the air and Koto urged Juri to say who the winner was.
Just as she started to, though, an explosion from the Dark cloud knocked her down. The cloud came down quickly and revealed Hiei-- unscathed-- and his tattoo gone. He was surrounded by an eerie aura and Bui seemed to lose his cool.
"You see? This is the true power of the Black Dragon," Hiei said. "Many mistake it as a mere instrument to fly. It isn't. It's the aliment that nurtures the energy of its master in a explosive way."
Bui gathered his courage and attacked Hiei. Hiei stood there, unmoving, taking the hits as they came. Bui was brutally beating him, and at first Hiei didn't do anything. Then he grabbed Bui's fist and Bui's energy went down. Hiei hit him with a Dark Energy attack and sent Bui into the air. Hiei used the Dragon to get up to Bui and punched him into the middle of the audience. Hiei landed behind him and Juri started counting since both fighters were out of the battlefield.
Bui asked Hiei to kill him. Hiei snorted. "If you wanna die, do it yourself. I'm the kind of guy who hates being ordered around."
Hiei jumped back into the ring just in time and Juri ruled him the winner. The Urameshi Boys cheered for him as he left the ring.
"You're invincible! You can take the rest of them!" Kuwabara told him. Hiei only shook his head, "This strike still has some flaws. It's too heavy a burden, and both body and spirit need rest." He yawned. "I'm gonna take a nap and you better not bother me. I might be strong, but I can't help it. I trusted you and used my secret art. When I wake up, I don't wanna see that you lost, or I won't forgive you."
Right then, Hiei passed out. Kurama and Yusuke chuckled at the short yûkai and Kuwabara took out a pen, ready to draw mustaches on Hiei, but decided against it. They looked around the stadium; more than half was destroyed and the dude who did it was sleeping soundly. Koto said there would be a short intermission to repair the battlefield and suddenly George was singing on the microphone. Koenma called him a worthless creature.
"What about you?" Yusuke asked, referring to Koenma's earlier statement about being there only for the extra number. Older Toguro appeared beside Kuwabara and then left almost as quickly. Yusuke picked Hiei up and they walked to the resting room. Rei stayed where she was and watched as Toguro carried the new ring into the stadium. She must have watched for almost three hours before she went in search of the resting room. She found it without much difficulty and saw only Hiei and Kurama in the room.
Kurama looked up from the book he was reading. "Ah, I forgot!" he started to apologize.
"Shush. Why are you apologizing? It's not like I have to be with you guys all the time," Rei said, walking over to him. She curled up in his lap, and he went back to reading.
After a few pages he asked, "Craving affection or trying to heal me?"
Rei smirked against his chest. He obviously noticed her fingers behind his back playing in his red hair. "Choose one," she stretched slightly. "Why aren't you a fox anymore?"
He shifted to accomodate her. "You saw it. Suzuki's potion wore off."
"Oh yeah," Rei blinked. "Darn, and I wanted some foxiness."
Kurama looked down at her, "You almost had it once."
Rei thought back and remembered the shower they had taken together and cleared her throat, but couldn't stop the embarrassed smile off her lips. Kurama lightly kissed her forehead and said, "No more questions. I'd like to finish this chapter."
Rei agreed and started to nod off when she heard Hiei stir. "Huh? Wha? What's happened?" he asked, still disoriented.
Kurama told him about Toguro moving the new ring and said Hiei'd been out for six hours, meaning Rei had been asleep for three. Right then they heard Juri announce the match back on and they headed out the door. Rei went back up to her seat as the two talked to Kuwabara and Yusuke. After a few minutes, Kuwabara stepped on to the field to face Older Toguro. He had his Experimental Sword in his hand and he used it first. It made a shield around him at the same time it used his energy to make a sword.
Kuwabara rushed at Older Toguro and cut him straight down the center of his head and chest. Older Toguro just stood there, uncaring and unmoving, though the concrete under him started to crack. Juri almost said Kuwabara was the winner when Older Toguro's hand came out from the ground behind Kuwabara and went through his back. Kuwabara dropped his sword and fell to the ground. Older Toguro mocked Kuwabara and said something about Genkai being dead. Kuwabara was very surprised and Older Toguro confirmed, "Genkai is dead. Murdered."
Older Toguro stretched his shape-shifting fingers and cut Kuwabara's chest. He said he only had to take out Kuwabara's heart, but he didn't. Instead, he used his hands as puppets to tell the story of Genkai. At first, the puppet looked like Younger Genkai and Older Toguro said, "I'm gonna tell you this old story about two youngsters: the girl was called Genkai and her beauty was unrivaled, and the boy's name was Toguro, my younger brother. They were partners in the Martial Arts. Time passed and she grew old and ugly."
With that the puppet turned into old Genkai. His younger 'brother' told him to shut up, but the Older wouldn't listen. "The boy, on the other hand, borrowed the evil powers to keep his youth. The woman, poor old creature, became jealous and challenged him to a fight. But things didn't go as she planned and she was the one who died!"
Older Toguro used his other hand to spear the puppet, and made his hand bleed. Yusuke yelled to the Older Toguro to say that Genkai wasn't moved by jealousy. Toguro didn't look very happy with his brother, either. Kuwabara was furious and Older Toguro tried to grab his heart as Kuwabara fired up his Spirit Sword.
"I won't forgive you!" Kuwabara yelled, his Spirit Energy flying out of him like a thousand darts. They severed Older Toguro's arms and legs, and everyone figured Kuwabara won. But Older Toguro reformed himself and said that the only way for him to die was to be hit in the heart or brain. Older Toguro made his fingers into spears again and shoved them through Kuwabara, raising him into the air and smashing him against the ground. He pinned him to the ground as Juri started counting.
"You won't hear the end of the count," Older Toguro promised. "Because I'm going to cut off your head first."
His arm turned into a long, sharp blade. When Juri got to 9, Older Toguro swung the blade down. Kuwabara quickly used his Spirit Sword to reach the Experimental sword and cut Older Toguro into seven pieces. Juri started to count again, but Kuwabara's urging. But Older Toguro was already reforming. Kuwabara used the Experimental sword and made his sword circular in shape.
"It's impossible to find your vitals when you keep shape-shifting. But with this, I don't have to find them," Kuwabara said and smashed Older Toguro with the sword. Juri checked the remains of Older Toguro and declared Kuwabara the winner. Kuwabara stepped down from the ring and headed over to Yusuke, just as Yusuke congratulated him. Kuwabara punched him and asked, "Why didn't you tell me about Genkai? How come I didn't know? Why does everyone keep things from me?!"
Kurama and Hiei said they found out on their own. "Genkai died right before my eyes, Kuwabara," Yusuke said quietly. "I asked Koenma to take her place. It was hard, but we must go on fighting. It feels like a lie. It's like as if she might show up at any moment, and she'd never come back if I said... if I said that she died and accepted her death. I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Kuwabara."
Yusuke turned to the ring and Kuwabara called after him, "Urameshi... win."
Yusuke smiled and stepped into the ring to face Toguro. But before they could start the match, Sakyo asked for the mic. "I want to place a bet. Naturally I'm betting on Toguro's victory. And the object of this bet is my life," he said, making everyone gasp. "The winner of this fight will actually achieve two victories then, summing the five rounds prescribed by the Tournament rules. The combat between Toguro and Urameshi is of great value and importance. I'm the Toguro Team's sponsor but I have no powers to entertain the public. The bet is sealed if the Tournament Management Committee and the other team's sponsor agree."
Koenma agreed and bet his life as well. He murmured something to Yusuke about getting him into this mess as the voice over the speakers said the Committee would have a ten-minute intermission to talk it over. The public groaned at the newest set-back and Toguro and Sakyo walked out of the ring. A few minutes later, the Committee agreed with Sakyo's proposal and Toguro and Yusuke stood back in the ring. Juri began to say "Start the match", but before she could, wild laughter drifted through the stadium.
Older Toguro emerged from one of the broken spots on the ring. "Urameshi, you can't defeat my brother. Even Genkai lost to him, remember? She became younger during their battle and fought bravely, but she lost anyway. And she was a thousand times stronger than you are. The young Genkai's beauty was unmatched. How many times did I think of having her for myself? But what would be the point in it, if she would grow old and die anyway? Urameshi, you witnessed her death, but don't worry. Soon you'll be with her."
Both Yusuke and Toguro grit their teeth. Kuwabara was ready to finish Older Toguro once and for all, but Kurama stopped him. Yusuke smirked a little as Older Toguro continued, "My brother can use me as his weapon. So what's it gonna be? Sword? Spear? Together we're invincible!"
"Out. You're in my way," Toguro said with a kick that sent his brother flying.
"I won't forgive you! We both sold our souls to become stronger, together!" Older Toguro yelled. Toguro punched him, butchering his body. "I might have sold my soul, but don't remember having sold my character," he said as he looked at the blood on his fist.
Chapter 43
.oO{cough I'm depressed. Yay.}
Nishiki tries to get Author to come out from under blankets: Your 'fans' are waiting. fun fun
Author sighs Alright, whatever. goes back to the computer
The Urameshi team watched in apprehension as Hiei was engulfed by the flames. Koenma was even about ready to fly from the stadium with the jetpack he had strapped to his back. Dark columns of energy dropped from the sky and surrounded the island. Parts of the stadium broke off because of the electricity. Koto had to drag Juri from the ring-- the latter paralyzed by fear.
Red lightning hit Hiei and he released the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. Bui seemed to have a thought as the huge dragon came at him, and he flared his energy. Keeping the Dragon's mouth open by nothing more than his bare hands, Bui seemed to defy Hiei. Hiei only added more of his power to the attack. The Dragon was hitting people in the audience, burning them to death.
The Dragon broke through the ceiling and took Bui with it. It pinned him against one of the rock formations on the island and Hiei jumped to the ceiling to watch. All of a sudden, the dragon turned and swallowed Hiei. The Dragon circled in the air and Koto urged Juri to say who the winner was.
Just as she started to, though, an explosion from the Dark cloud knocked her down. The cloud came down quickly and revealed Hiei-- unscathed-- and his tattoo gone. He was surrounded by an eerie aura and Bui seemed to lose his cool.
"You see? This is the true power of the Black Dragon," Hiei said. "Many mistake it as a mere instrument to fly. It isn't. It's the aliment that nurtures the energy of its master in a explosive way."
Bui gathered his courage and attacked Hiei. Hiei stood there, unmoving, taking the hits as they came. Bui was brutally beating him, and at first Hiei didn't do anything. Then he grabbed Bui's fist and Bui's energy went down. Hiei hit him with a Dark Energy attack and sent Bui into the air. Hiei used the Dragon to get up to Bui and punched him into the middle of the audience. Hiei landed behind him and Juri started counting since both fighters were out of the battlefield.
Bui asked Hiei to kill him. Hiei snorted. "If you wanna die, do it yourself. I'm the kind of guy who hates being ordered around."
Hiei jumped back into the ring just in time and Juri ruled him the winner. The Urameshi Boys cheered for him as he left the ring.
"You're invincible! You can take the rest of them!" Kuwabara told him. Hiei only shook his head, "This strike still has some flaws. It's too heavy a burden, and both body and spirit need rest." He yawned. "I'm gonna take a nap and you better not bother me. I might be strong, but I can't help it. I trusted you and used my secret art. When I wake up, I don't wanna see that you lost, or I won't forgive you."
Right then, Hiei passed out. Kurama and Yusuke chuckled at the short yûkai and Kuwabara took out a pen, ready to draw mustaches on Hiei, but decided against it. They looked around the stadium; more than half was destroyed and the dude who did it was sleeping soundly. Koto said there would be a short intermission to repair the battlefield and suddenly George was singing on the microphone. Koenma called him a worthless creature.
"What about you?" Yusuke asked, referring to Koenma's earlier statement about being there only for the extra number. Older Toguro appeared beside Kuwabara and then left almost as quickly. Yusuke picked Hiei up and they walked to the resting room. Rei stayed where she was and watched as Toguro carried the new ring into the stadium. She must have watched for almost three hours before she went in search of the resting room. She found it without much difficulty and saw only Hiei and Kurama in the room.
Kurama looked up from the book he was reading. "Ah, I forgot!" he started to apologize.
"Shush. Why are you apologizing? It's not like I have to be with you guys all the time," Rei said, walking over to him. She curled up in his lap, and he went back to reading.
After a few pages he asked, "Craving affection or trying to heal me?"
Rei smirked against his chest. He obviously noticed her fingers behind his back playing in his red hair. "Choose one," she stretched slightly. "Why aren't you a fox anymore?"
He shifted to accomodate her. "You saw it. Suzuki's potion wore off."
"Oh yeah," Rei blinked. "Darn, and I wanted some foxiness."
Kurama looked down at her, "You almost had it once."
Rei thought back and remembered the shower they had taken together and cleared her throat, but couldn't stop the embarrassed smile off her lips. Kurama lightly kissed her forehead and said, "No more questions. I'd like to finish this chapter."
Rei agreed and started to nod off when she heard Hiei stir. "Huh? Wha? What's happened?" he asked, still disoriented.
Kurama told him about Toguro moving the new ring and said Hiei'd been out for six hours, meaning Rei had been asleep for three. Right then they heard Juri announce the match back on and they headed out the door. Rei went back up to her seat as the two talked to Kuwabara and Yusuke. After a few minutes, Kuwabara stepped on to the field to face Older Toguro. He had his Experimental Sword in his hand and he used it first. It made a shield around him at the same time it used his energy to make a sword.
Kuwabara rushed at Older Toguro and cut him straight down the center of his head and chest. Older Toguro just stood there, uncaring and unmoving, though the concrete under him started to crack. Juri almost said Kuwabara was the winner when Older Toguro's hand came out from the ground behind Kuwabara and went through his back. Kuwabara dropped his sword and fell to the ground. Older Toguro mocked Kuwabara and said something about Genkai being dead. Kuwabara was very surprised and Older Toguro confirmed, "Genkai is dead. Murdered."
Older Toguro stretched his shape-shifting fingers and cut Kuwabara's chest. He said he only had to take out Kuwabara's heart, but he didn't. Instead, he used his hands as puppets to tell the story of Genkai. At first, the puppet looked like Younger Genkai and Older Toguro said, "I'm gonna tell you this old story about two youngsters: the girl was called Genkai and her beauty was unrivaled, and the boy's name was Toguro, my younger brother. They were partners in the Martial Arts. Time passed and she grew old and ugly."
With that the puppet turned into old Genkai. His younger 'brother' told him to shut up, but the Older wouldn't listen. "The boy, on the other hand, borrowed the evil powers to keep his youth. The woman, poor old creature, became jealous and challenged him to a fight. But things didn't go as she planned and she was the one who died!"
Older Toguro used his other hand to spear the puppet, and made his hand bleed. Yusuke yelled to the Older Toguro to say that Genkai wasn't moved by jealousy. Toguro didn't look very happy with his brother, either. Kuwabara was furious and Older Toguro tried to grab his heart as Kuwabara fired up his Spirit Sword.
"I won't forgive you!" Kuwabara yelled, his Spirit Energy flying out of him like a thousand darts. They severed Older Toguro's arms and legs, and everyone figured Kuwabara won. But Older Toguro reformed himself and said that the only way for him to die was to be hit in the heart or brain. Older Toguro made his fingers into spears again and shoved them through Kuwabara, raising him into the air and smashing him against the ground. He pinned him to the ground as Juri started counting.
"You won't hear the end of the count," Older Toguro promised. "Because I'm going to cut off your head first."
His arm turned into a long, sharp blade. When Juri got to 9, Older Toguro swung the blade down. Kuwabara quickly used his Spirit Sword to reach the Experimental sword and cut Older Toguro into seven pieces. Juri started to count again, but Kuwabara's urging. But Older Toguro was already reforming. Kuwabara used the Experimental sword and made his sword circular in shape.
"It's impossible to find your vitals when you keep shape-shifting. But with this, I don't have to find them," Kuwabara said and smashed Older Toguro with the sword. Juri checked the remains of Older Toguro and declared Kuwabara the winner. Kuwabara stepped down from the ring and headed over to Yusuke, just as Yusuke congratulated him. Kuwabara punched him and asked, "Why didn't you tell me about Genkai? How come I didn't know? Why does everyone keep things from me?!"
Kurama and Hiei said they found out on their own. "Genkai died right before my eyes, Kuwabara," Yusuke said quietly. "I asked Koenma to take her place. It was hard, but we must go on fighting. It feels like a lie. It's like as if she might show up at any moment, and she'd never come back if I said... if I said that she died and accepted her death. I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Kuwabara."
Yusuke turned to the ring and Kuwabara called after him, "Urameshi... win."
Yusuke smiled and stepped into the ring to face Toguro. But before they could start the match, Sakyo asked for the mic. "I want to place a bet. Naturally I'm betting on Toguro's victory. And the object of this bet is my life," he said, making everyone gasp. "The winner of this fight will actually achieve two victories then, summing the five rounds prescribed by the Tournament rules. The combat between Toguro and Urameshi is of great value and importance. I'm the Toguro Team's sponsor but I have no powers to entertain the public. The bet is sealed if the Tournament Management Committee and the other team's sponsor agree."
Koenma agreed and bet his life as well. He murmured something to Yusuke about getting him into this mess as the voice over the speakers said the Committee would have a ten-minute intermission to talk it over. The public groaned at the newest set-back and Toguro and Sakyo walked out of the ring. A few minutes later, the Committee agreed with Sakyo's proposal and Toguro and Yusuke stood back in the ring. Juri began to say "Start the match", but before she could, wild laughter drifted through the stadium.
Older Toguro emerged from one of the broken spots on the ring. "Urameshi, you can't defeat my brother. Even Genkai lost to him, remember? She became younger during their battle and fought bravely, but she lost anyway. And she was a thousand times stronger than you are. The young Genkai's beauty was unmatched. How many times did I think of having her for myself? But what would be the point in it, if she would grow old and die anyway? Urameshi, you witnessed her death, but don't worry. Soon you'll be with her."
Both Yusuke and Toguro grit their teeth. Kuwabara was ready to finish Older Toguro once and for all, but Kurama stopped him. Yusuke smirked a little as Older Toguro continued, "My brother can use me as his weapon. So what's it gonna be? Sword? Spear? Together we're invincible!"
"Out. You're in my way," Toguro said with a kick that sent his brother flying.
"I won't forgive you! We both sold our souls to become stronger, together!" Older Toguro yelled. Toguro punched him, butchering his body. "I might have sold my soul, but don't remember having sold my character," he said as he looked at the blood on his fist.
