I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho

Wee. I somehow found the time to type this up in time to update :D

I want to say thanks to RAW19 for reviewing :)


Chapter 14

"Has it been done?" A female voice from within the shadows of a dark forest asked.

"Everything has been set in motion milady," came the reply of a male known as Firan, also unseen at this time.

"Good," Came the female voice, "So the test begins."

vvvvv

Era awoke to someone gently shaking her. She groaned and pulled the covers over her head and rolled over. She heard a light laugh before she felt the edge of the bed go down as the person put their knee on it.

"Wake up medrie nelien," (wake up water maiden) the clear voice of Touya said. He shook her gently once more.

"Sleep," Era groaned from under the covers. She had been up well into the morning thinking and so she had only gotten around four hours of rest.

"The matches start in an hour," Touya told her, "You need to eat before then."

Era rolled onto her back before taking the covers off her head. Touya could not suppress a chuckle as he saw her hair sticking out at all ends. She was half awake and merely yawned tiredly in reply.

To prevent her from falling asleep once more he threw the covers completely off her. Era was wearing cloths that she had gotten in one of the stores in the city (she of course had the help of her friends since she did not know the money system of this world). The cloths were just meant to be slept in and consisted of a pair of sky blue shorts that went halfway to her knees and a white tank top. As she stretched the tank top came up slightly, revealing her stomach.

Color found its way to the ice masters cheek; He had never seen much skin on the water maiden due to her protectiveness of her body and desire to wear cloths that covered her. He took his knee of the bed and turned around. "Get moving Era," he said before walking out of her room.

Era yawned and hugged her pillow.

She fell back asleep.

vvvvv

"Era!" A voice yelled a half hour later.

Era, being startled from her slumber, fell off the bed with a 'thud.' She groaned, but stayed where she was, her pillow under her head still.

"Era," The voice said as it got closer. The person turned her over and when she looked up she saw the passive face of the ice master. "Now you only have a half hour. You need to get up."

The water maiden shook her head, "Sleep."

Touya sighed, "You can sleep after the matches are done. Now get up, I'll drag you there in your sleep wear if I have to."

With a good amount of help Era was on her feet. Touya put an arm under her shoulder to help keep her upright, "Think you can stand on your own?"

Era nodded slowly after she let out a yawn. The ice master slowly and hesitantly took his arm away. The water maiden yawned again, but stayed on her feet, "I'm up. I stay up."

"You were up before," Touya pointed out as he grabbed her cloths, which had been draped over a nearby chair.

"I not on my feet before," Era told him sleepily.

Touya sighed and shook his head. "Here," he handed Era her cloths, "Go get dressed and don't fall go back to sleep."

Era nodded, "I won't." She walked into her bathroom and got changed. When she came out she was in her normal cloths, hair brushed and she even looked a bit more awake since she had splashed cold water on her face.

Touya smiled slightly, "Common Era, lets get you something to eat."

With a nod she followed him out of the room and down to the dinning area. They were greeted by the others as they entered and sat down. "Fell asleep?" Hiei asked.

Era merely nodded. Yusuke chuckled and passed her a mug filled with a brow liquid, steam coming off of it, "Drink it, it'll wake you up some more."

Hesitantly she picked the mug up, "What is it?"

"Coffee," Yusuke responded.

"Coffee," Era repeated. She took a sip and made a face, "Icky!"

Chu chuckled, "Not one for bitter are you sheila."

Era put the mug down and slid it away. At that moment a waiter put a plate of food down in front of her. "Thank you," Era said with a smiled. The waiter nodded and walked away.

Kuwabara looked at his watch, "We've got twenty minutes guys."

Era shrugged, "Tis alright." She started eating quietly.

Rinku walked up to her and handed her another mug, "This stuff is better. It's hot chocolate."

Era took the mug carefully and looked at the substance in it before raising a brow, "Looks same."

Rinku laughed, "But it's much different."

After taking a sip a smiled came across the water maidens face, "Sweet."

Rinku nodded, "Yep."

"Thank you," Era said happily before taking another sip, being careful not to burn her mouth.

"Welcome," the child responded before taking his seat.

"Why'd you stay up so late?" Shishiwakamaru asked.

Era swallowed the forkful of food in her mouth, "Thinking."

"Of what though?" Suzuka asked.

"Lots of things," Era replied before putting another forkful of food in her mouth.

"That doesn't answer anything," Hiei told her.

Era sighed after she swallowed, "Fights, Van-Gareth and Eralasea's shrine."

The group did not say anything immediately for those were the things that played on their minds as well, but perhaps not as much as they did on hers. It ended up being Kurama that broke the silence that had befallen them, "You shouldn't worry so much. As you can tell it exhausts you. Take one thing at a time."

"I cannot," Era replied, "All come as one."

Touya gave her a pat on the shoulder, "You can tell us you know. We're all in this together."

Era nodded, "I know." She gave a faint smile as she felt Zeek shift next to her neck.

Yusuke growled at Kuwabara's watch, "Dang it! We have to get going, we only have ten minutes and it takes a good amount of that time to walk to the arena."

"Right," Era said before shoving another forkful of food into her mouth and pushing the plate away.

"Era, you've barely eaten anything," Touya said sternly.

"You should be eating before you fight," Jin told her.

With a sigh Era said, "No time." She got up and pushed in her chair.

"Era," Touya said sternly, "You can't fight on an empty stomach."

She nodded and grabbed a piece of toast before she followed Yusuke to the exit.

"Don' worry Touya," Jin told his comrade as he stood.

With a sigh Touya too got to his feet, "She's going to get herself hurt if she's not careful."

vvvvvv

Era sat on the ground of the arena where half of the contestants would wait. A yawn escaped her mouth as she rested her head on her knees. She wasn't going to fall asleep, but she was tired, just not as much as before.

Yusuke sat down next to Era, "Don't fall asleep now."

With a small nod she picked her head up, "I know."

The voice of the announcer came blaring into the air, "Welcome ladies and gentle demons to the second day of matches in the annual contest of strength here in Ensuren. The matches will begin momentarily, but before they can start we need to know the order in which the contestants will be fighting."

A momentary pause in his speech occurred as he shuffled papers about. "The first round is Kilik verse Era, then Zerra verse Talen, followed by Yusuke verse Shadow. The others will be announced as time progresses."

"You're first," Yusuke said calmly, "It's a good thing you got up then."

Era nodded, "Thanks to Touya."

Yusuke chuckled, "Ya, if he hadn't you'd probably still be sleeping."

"Ya," Era said with a tired laugh.

The Spirit Detective gave her a pat on the shoulder, "After your match you can go back to your room and sleep as much as you want. At least that's the good part, right?"

Era nodded and stood when she heard the announcer call for the first contestants, "I be back."

Yusuke gave her the thumbs up and, for the second time since the contest had begun, said, "Go get 'em."

With a laugh and nod Era replied with, "Righ'!"

She walked out into the arena to find Kilik waiting for her. She instantly recognized him as the fire demon she had met before the contest had even begun (when she had been looking at the carving on the boundary walls).

"Took you long enough," Kilik said with a hint of agitation.

"Sorry," Era said quietly.

Kilik smirked, "I'm surprised you even lasted the first round." He laughed boastfully, "But I shall beat you in this round."

"Both contestants are now present, so let's get this fight started. Begin!"

Kilik wasted no time in getting started. He thrust his hands out towards the water maiden and immediately flames flew from them in a spiral motion; red, orange and black swirling in it dangerously.

Era leapt to the side only to find that the attack followed her movement. With the little time she had she darted forward, the attack directly behind her.

"Kilik's attack is homing in on Era. If she doesn't think of something fast she'll be fried," the announcer yelled into his microphone.

Era did a back flip, using the wall to give her both the height and momentum she needed. As she was in the air the attack, having been too close to her to change rout, slammed into the wall with enough force to cause a very large crack to form on it.

"Amazing!" Cried the announcer, "With great agility, not to mention a good amount of skill, Era has evaded Kilik's attack!"

Kilik launched another attack, similar to the last, at Era once more. The water maiden stood up strait and turned to the attack. She extended her right arm and allowed the flaming attack to strike upon it.

Kilik smirked as he thought he was victorious. When he was able to see through the flames a disturbed look crossed his face.

"Even after that powerful attack hit her dead on Era is still standing," the announcer said in surprise, "She even looked unscathed!"

Rage burned in the fire demons eyes. He, as well as practically all the spectators, could not comprehend the ancient beings might and so were left at a gasp or in anger.

Kilik formed two fireballs in his hands and literally threw them into the ground at his feet. The fire penetrated the ground as if it was nothing and disappeared from sight.

Era did not seem fazed by this however and merely took a step back. Not a moment later did the balls of fire burst through the ground where she had once stood.

The attack flew into the sky, stopping at the top of the stadium. To Era's surprise they came back down, splitting into four long columns along the way. They traveled incredibly fast and were heading directly for her.

Era had no time to dodge.


Things are starting to get tight! How's Era going to get herself out of this mess?!