Sakura: Aha! Stupid flamers can shove it as I update! Muahaha! NO FLAMES!
Kurama: Don't worry Sakura, you don't write like a platypus!
Sakura: And who says that anyways? You write like a platypus? XD
Hiei: Chapter nine already?
Sakura: Yep! Sorry for not updating like, uber fast. :P
Hiei: Well, if them stupid pop-ups didn't keep popping the f-
Sakura: HIEI! LANGUAGE! Don't make me get a censor for you!
Hiei: (meeps)
Kurama: Anyhoo, Sakura doesn't own YYH, but owns numerous DVDS of YYH:)
Sakura: Yeah, I do. And a Hiei plushie! BTW, This computer is soooo messed up so an update might take a while... ;(
Kurama: That's ok! We all forgive because you're writing the next couple chapters in a notebook!
Sakura: Rightly so! AND SCHOOL ENDS ON TUESDAY! ROCKIN!
Kurama: Stop using that saying! You stole it from Kryss!
Sakura: I know, but it sounds so coooool! ;
Hiei: On with the chapter.
Chapter Nine
"Argh! Is he ever going to wake up?" Sakura dropped her backpack in the corner of Kuwabara's bedroom as she hastened in, just having come from her school to pick up any books she might need for the next couple of days, or weeks even, school having been cancelled due to 'recent events'...
"You can't rush his healing right now Sakura, your own healing abilities exhausted for the time being, so it's best to let him reclaim his energy naturally." Kurama smiled at his sister.
Sakura walked over, leaning over the chair her brother was in and draping her arms over his shoulders, "But it's so boring! Besides, you haven't come to school with me to pick up your stuff yet! All those creepy fan girls keep following me around! I think they're there everyday… waiting for you…"
Sakura got a scared look on her face and she looked over to where Yusuke lay, sleeping soundly on Kuwabara's bed.
Kuwabara himself walked in minutes later with a bag of chips, "Woah! Where'd you come from!"
"Where do you think? Go on, take a guess! I could have been anywhere! Out dealing drugs, getting high, an after school program, drinking, trying to get sober, school- go on! Take your pick!" Sakura lay out all the possibilities she could think of and Kurama gave her a disapproving stare for most of her available answers.
Kurama stood up, grabbing Sakura's hands and turning around to face her, "Arms?"
"Dandy!" Sakura smiled, she knew what he meant.
"Scars?"
"Nopers."
"Do they still hurt?"
"Not…really…" Sakura sweat dropped, "I didn't expect a sort of Spanish Inquisition!"
Kurama laughed and let go of her hands, going over to find a wall to lean against.
"So, anyways…" Kuwabara interrupted, "Where's the little demon? Hiei?"
"Oh, just hanging around. Vine swinging, napping, cheese rolling…" Sakura answered and smirk on her face.
'So much for starting up an intelligent conversation.' Kuwabara thought to himself, mentally giving himself permission to gorge into his chips.
A moan sounded from the bed and Sakura looked over at it expectantly.
"Ow… what the- where am I!" Yusuke sat up, kicking a leg out from beneath the covers and scratching his head.
"Hey! Sleeping Beauty awakes! It's cool, you're in my room." Kuwabara answered with a grin.
"You've been out for three days." Kurama informed the boy,
"And school's in total turmoil man! All classes are cancelled! I let your Ma know you're ok, though." Kuwabara added his own information.
"Yeesh, three whole days. I've never felt so beaten to death." Yusuke announced, rubbing his neck, "WHOA! Keiko and Botan! Are they--" the boy shouted.
"Hey! Get this!" Kuwabara interrupted, "Iwamoto's being grilled by the police! He claims he doesn't remember a thing! And Mr. Take's recovering from a blow to the head-"
"Got it, but what about- !" Yusuke tried once more.
"Did I mention that Iwamoto's being grilled by the police?"
"Yes Kuwabara…"
"Right! And the best part is…-"
"WHAT ABOUT KEIKO AND BOTAN?" Yusuke shouted, finally reaching the edge of his patience-limit, "Wait. What are you trying to hide?"
Kuwabara got a pained look on his face and Kurama turned his head. Sakura followed suit and quickly wiped at her eyes with a soft sniff.
"Hey… HEY! Don't pull this kind of crap! What happened!" Yusuke took hold of Kuwabara's shirt in anger.
Kuwabara's door opened once more as Sakura turned around to smile at Yusuke. Keiko and Botan walked into the room, Botan with a large grin.
"Boy! Someone woke up grouchy! Hi Yusuke!" Botan's apparel was that of the every day human's, though her hair didn't quite match the subtle look she was going for.
"…Huh?" Yusuke looked confused, but relieved.
"Hee hee! We really had you goin' there!" Kuwabara laughed and prodded Yusuke.
"He thinks he's funny Yusuke," Kurama hid a smile behind his hand.
Sakura pranced over to Kurama, taking down the hand and revealing the smile, "What about you Kurama?" She smirked.
"Like you're one to talk, Sakura." Kurama retorted with a grin.
"It was a close call. I thought we were goners!" Botan began with a crazy smile, trying to ignore Yusuke murdering Kuwabara behind him, "Then they knocked me in the head! When I came to, all the infected people were sprawled out- and I knew you'd triumphed!"
"Well," Yusuke said with a smile, "glad you're ok. It's a relief!"
Sakura smiled, 'Everyone here is just like one big family! Guess I'd better go then, I wouldn't belong anyways.'
She stood up and walked out of the room, not bothering to say goodbye.
(line break!)---------------------------
Sakura sighed, how had she ended up in this predicament?
"We can run completely amok!"
"We win, we get whatever we want!"
"I'll dine on a thousand humans!"
"Don't get too excited, you have to beat us first- and that ain't gonna happen."
"Say… I smell human!"
"A pre-tourney snack, perhaps?"
"Stupid, greedy demons." Sakura muttered to herself, looking around at all the gruesome demons surrounding her, and the three boys hovering closely to her.
"This isn't starting well, Urameshi's late." Kuwabara crossed his arms, a brown backpack upon his back and his usual blue uniform as his outfit, "And we never rounded up a fifth teammate."
"Never mind all that," Hiei spoke coldly, his outfit unusually colorful although still dark, made up of a navy blue tunic and his usual black pants, "Are you ready?"
"Me? You betcha! Sakura and Kurama helped shape me up!" Kuwabara flexed a muscle as the twins sweat-dropped.
Sakura scratched her head, thinking back on how she had been begging to go to the Dark Tournament…
FLASHBACK! (W00T)+
"The Dark Tournament?" Sakura looked dubiously at her brother a moment, "You gotta be shittin' me. You guys were invited to the Dark Tournament!"
Kurama looked disapprovingly at her choice of language a moment, then nodded.
"And you're saying that some guy that Yusuke supposedly killed is going to be there too! This just keeps getting better and better." Sakura added sarcastically.
Kurama nodded once more, "Me and Hiei both got special invitations which included being attacked by demons,"
"Well, obviously you're going to let me go, considering I'm friend and family to the team and-"
"No."
"Wha- what- why- wha?" Sakura looked dumbfounded.
"No. Once more, no. It's too dangerous,"
"Kurama, you said that about the four saint beasts and they turned out to be nothing! I even got to fight there! Besides, it's not like I'd be on you team…. Or could I!" Sakura grinned in hope.
"Sakura, don't even joke about that."
"Kurama, I don't see why she could come-" Kuwabara jumped in on the conversation.
Sakura and Kurama stared at him a minute, not remembering how he got there. Sakura turned her head to Hiei, trying to remember when he had gotten there as well.
"I've already said that it was way too dangerous!" Kurama retorted.
"Kurama!" Sakura whined, "I can totally hold my own! I've been through hell nearly my entire life and you've left me out of so many things- I just want to go and cheer for you guys to win!"
"We're not going for fun. If we don't go, we die. And you and mother die." Kurama informed his little sister.
"C'mon, Kurama! Weren't you watching when she kicked those creepy scarecrow things asses back in Demon City?" Kuwabara intervened.
"Kuwabara, why do you want Sakura to go so badly?" Kurama asked suspiciously.
"I dunno, we would probably need a cheerleader or something considering the crowd will probably be against us. Keep our spirits up or something." Kuwabara shrugged.
"Hiei! Why aren't you helping me out here!" Sakura and Kurama spoke at the same time, turning to the startled fire demon.
"Well, uh…" Hiei stuttered, trying to think who's side he should take, "It, uh… would be dangerous for Sakura to go-"
"See! I told you!" Kurama inserted.
"- around by herself, but if we watched her I'm sure she'd be fine. Not to mention her skill with the twin blades is second to none."
Sakura smirked at her brother.
"Fine. But only if you promise not to wander off by yourself and stick with the group! And don't piss off any demons while you're there, please?" Kurama begged of her, sighing and putting a hand to his head at the same time.
"YES!" Sakura jumped up from her seat and ran towards her room.
She paused, and quickly turned back to Kurama, running and jumping on him, attacking him with hugs and kisses.
"Thanks so much! Love ya!" She quickly skipped back to the kitchen for a celebration Popsicle.
"Why is she so excited about going to a tournament all about killing other people?" Kuwabara's oddly phrased question voiced everyone's own thoughts.
"I think it's more of that she finally being allowed to come with us all, rather than being left behind again," Hiei commented, rather harshly.
"She's been allowed to come on missions!" Kurama protested.
"Woah, we've only had one all together and that was the four saint beasts." Kuwabara added.
"Well… that's true… but what about when… but…" Kurama put a finger to his lips in thought.
End Flashback +
"All aboard!"
Sakura turned her attention back towards the pier where a large boat was docked. A stout man who was shorter than herself, shockingly, stood, scars decorating his face and a peg leg on his right foot.
"Hold it- one guest isn't here!" Kuwabara stepped forwards quickly.
"Yeah? Rules say you're late, you're a refuser! We'll send assassins to deal with 'em!" the pirate-like captain spoke.
Sakura snickered behind her hands, 'refuser' wasn't a word.
"No need for that. Sorry to hold up the party!"
Nearly everyone turned to see Yusuke, infamous spirit detective and known by nearly all demon-kind. Although his hair was messy and rather than the usual green jump-suit, he had a red coat over a white shirt and jeans, not to mention a tired look in his eyes.
"Where you been Urameshi!" Kuwabara jumped forward, "You look pretty shaky, and I hate to think why!"
Yusuke had started to walk towards his team, "I'm stiff and sore all over!"
Hiei looked curiously at Yusuke and started in on him, "Yusuke."
Hiei drew his sword and sliced at Yusuke, he dodged as Hiei attacked him.
Sakura watched in amusement, following every move and listening as Kuwabara complained about only just being able to see the movements.
Suddenly, in a quick ending, Yusuke caught Hiei's blade, "I don't know how you did it, but your skills are almost adequate."
"Almost adequate? I couldn't move like that in a million years!" Kuwabara grimaced.
Sakura chuckled as Kurama spoke, "Don't sweat it. You did follow their moves, which shows you've improved."
"I suppose short-stuff here's our fifth member?" Hiei turned his head towards the person standing near Yusuke.
"Someone shorter than Hiei! If I sneezed I'd blow him clear to Mars!" Kuwabara leaned forward, demonstrating just how short the fifth fighter was.
His face was covered in bandages so that only they eyes showed, and his tunic was red with a stripe going from one corner to the next covering white sleeves and baggy white pants.
"Let's just say for a fifth we could do worse," Yusuke grinned.
"It fills the count, Yusuke and I can take up any slack." Hiei smirked at the disapproving Kuwabara.
"Whatever you guys, let's just get on the boat before they sail away without us!" Sakura tugged on Kurama's arm and led the other's onto the large boat, falling into a long line of other demons heading to the tournament.
"Up anchor! Two hours till Hanging Neck island!" The captain announced to his passengers.
"What? Two hours? What are we gonna-" Sakura started but was soon interrupted.
"Your attention please. This is no pleasure cruise! We'll conduct tournament preliminaries on this ship starting right now!" The captains scratchy voice echoed on the ship.
Sakura took a step back as the ship split in half, opening in the center to reveal a large, circular arena protruding from inside the boat.
"Sixteen teams will compete in the Dark Tournament! Fifteen are already waiting on Hanging Neck Island! One team from this ship will take the sixteenth slot!" the captain shouted into the megaphone, "Each team will pick it's strongest member, and these will vie for participation in the tournament."
"In a battle royal? In those it ain't always the strongest who come out on top! Hey, Urameshi! Here's your chance to show off your new stuff-" Kuwabara spoke to himself then to Yusuke.
Sakura turned as the others suddenly gasped and as she saw what it was they were shocked about she laughed outright. There sat Yusuke, asleep against the side of the boat.
"How can you sleep? You're the team captain! C'mon, wake up!" Kuwabara grabbed and began to shake the sleeping captain.
Kurama looked at Sakura before replying, "This can happen after extreme training, he's fallen into a deep sleep to restore his training aura."
Sakura nodded, "It happens to me all the time, whenever I come back from Genkai's,"
"WHAT! Then who's going up there!" Kuwabara shouted.
The masked fighter stepped forward and began to walk towards the arena.
"Guess that's settled. He's going," Hiei watched the masked fighter walk mysteriously away, "at least we'll get to see what he can do."
"Yeah, but what if he loses! I don't think losing teams just go home!" Kuwabara retorted.
"Probably right. We might have to kill everyone aboard… so they'll be no one left to complain." Hiei replied.
The masked fighter jumped up on the platform as the demons crawled up the stairs, the demons stepping off to one side and the masked fighter standing alone and across from them.
"Heh heh, the puny one's first!"
"Pile on the shrimp!"
"They're gangin' up on him! I knew it! No room to run- he'll be smashed flat!" Kuwabara shouted in dismay.
Sakura: Rockin! Sorry if it was short... I'm tryin', really I am! But I need to go clean my room!
Kurama: It's a train-wreck!
Sakura: Yeah, but I haven't had a lot of time to clean it- plus I need to make my teachers presents because they're the greatest. :)
Hiei: What is up with that TERRIBLE ending? You write like a DUCK!
Sakura: HA! I KNOW! By the way, a special, special, UBER-SUPER-DUPER-ROCKIN thanks to my Reviewer. As in only one. Come on Forest! I know you haven't gotten my letter but that's no reason to ignore me:P
Time and Fate: OMG! How was it? We almost saw Monty Python's Spamalot when we went to NY:P Thanks for the review and you better tell me how it was:)
Sakura: SEE YOU NEXT TIME!
All: BYE!
Kryss: AHHH! YOU'RE USING MY SAYING! stabs Sakura with the fork of lootingness
Sakura: ;;
FIN CHAPTER NINE!