I don't own YYH


Chapter 16

Yusuke felt pain jolt through his entire being as Shadow punched him on his cheek. He felt himself slam through the barrier and slide through the bleachers. Each second caused him great pain.

When he finally stopped he was outside the stadium, water pouring onto him making him aware, in his very pained mind, that he had broken through the fountain outside the entrance of the stadium.

He couldn't move any part of his body; even the simplest motions such as breathing caused him horrendous amounts of pain. His mind became a blur quickly and he found he could not think strait and his vision became clouded in darkness as he slipped into unconsciousness.

The last thing he heard was the merciless laughter of Van-Gareth.

vvvv

"How did he get here without us knowing?!" Kurama cried in utter surprise and fear.

Botan shook her head, "We don't know. Van-Gareth has learned many new tricks in the short time that he and Era have been awake. It was hard enough for Koenma to even find him and as it is we stumbled upon him in this form by accident."

"I think the real question is how could he have gotten here without Era knowing?" Hiei said, bringing up a valid point.

"It might have been because Era's been exhausted," Touya said.

"I doubt it," Kurama said in response after a moments thought. "Era's been on her toes more than usual. She's normally care free, but as of the last two days she seems to have been watching her back, but has been doing a very effective job of making us think otherwise."

"But Yusuke said she was afraid that he was come here. Not that he was here already!" Kuwabara yelled.

Touya sighed, "If Kurama is right it could be that she did not know how to explain it, or that she didn't want to have us worry."

"If not both," Shishiwakamaru said.

Botan turned, "Let's go find Yusuke, I'm worried about him." Most of the group followed, but Touya, Jin and Rinku stayed.

Thus far everything was relatively calm in the stadium, but that was due to fact that Van-Gareth had yet to reveal his true self and he had not moved in the slightest from the spot where he had attacked Yusuke. Era was still standing in the door way to the arena with a look of rage on her face.

There was a gaping hole in the arena where Yusuke had flown through. Some of the audience had been killed by the in devour, but no one seemed to care.

The announcer coughed, "Well, it would seem that a bit of the audience unintentionally got involved in the fight. That must have been some awesome attack, for that barrier has been unbreakable for decades. But in other news the winner, by literal knockout, is Shadow."

Cheering erupted through half of the arena at the announcement; the other half either booed or did nothing.

Era stalked over to her nemesis and stopped but a few strides away from him. The human looking form of the shadow beast smirked before changing into a form Era knew all too well, but was not his own. The form now before her was none other than that of her long deceased adopted brother, Daren.

Era's fists clenched in rage at her sides and her jaw tightened stiffly. She could handle many things with little problem, but impersonating someone she had cared for greatly was not something she would tolerated.

"Um," the startled announcer began, "This fight is over you two and Era, you aren't scheduled to fight Shadow today. Will the two of you please leave the arena."

Neither of the ancient beings paid the announcer any heed. Instead they glared at each other, hate easily depicted as invisible daggers flew.

vvvv

Botan and the others were outside by this time and where looking for the young Spirit Detective. "Where's-" Botan stopped in her tracks before screaming in fright and surprise. She had spotted Yusuke and she did not like what she saw.

When they were all at his side Kuwabara shook his head as color began to fade from his face, "He looks real bad you guys."

"You think," Hiei said bitterly as he kneeled down.

Kurama followed the fire demons lead, "Such injuries. It's amazing he's even alive."

"Will he be alright?" Botan asked.

"'course he will sheila," Chu reassured her, "Yusuke's got a thick skull and a tough spirit to boot."

"He needs healing immediately," Kurama told her.

Botan nodded, "I can definitely do that."

"At least all the water drained out of the fountain," Suzuka murmured to himself as he looked up and saw the marble mermaid no longer spit water out of her mouth as there was none left in the fountain for the jets to take up to it. Instead a small trickle of water streamed out the corner of her mouth.

"It seems like such a beautiful creature is dying with how the remainder of the water trickles out," Shishiwakamaru said as he saw what his friend was looking at.

Suzuka nodded, worry sketched clearly on his face as his thoughts began to wander.

vvvv

"Era, Shadow, if you don't leave the arena now you both will be disqualified," the announcer told them, a mixture of tension and sternness in his voice.

Van-Garth looked to the announcer from the corners of his eyes, causing him to duck out of view and shiver uncontrollably. The ancient demon turned his gaze back to Era, only to find her gone. He turned and looked for her and found her as her first connected with his face. The force and surprise of the blow caused him to shift back to his rightful form.

Knowing she only had a few short moments she ran towards the hole in which Yusuke had created. Touya, Jin and Rinku, knowing where she was headed, made quickly for the exit.

Van-Gareth pulled himself out of the barrier in which he had been imbedded in by Era's attack and growled. He had let his guard down and thus had been made to pay the consequences, but the attack had been weak compared to what he knew she was capable of. A sadistic smirk came across his face as he realized all to well why the attack had not been stronger; she had not wanted to kill anyone in the stands.

"Tusen candre faria tressen preto quentren heno gi tusen anedash na," (your care for these petty creatures will be your undoing) he said to himself as he followed the ancient water maiden slowly.

vvvv

Era ran to Yusuke, who was still being healed by Botan. "We go now!" she said in a raised and hurried voice.

"But-" Botan began, but stopped off as she heard screams from within the arena; the screams were both of the dying and the frightened.

"He's not happy!" Rinku cried as he Jin and Touya came up to them; they had not stayed long enough to see the sadistic smirk cross the ancient beings face.

Zeek squeaked and jumped off Touya's shoulder, using his little wings to fly over to his mistress. Era put out her hands and allowing Zeek to land on them, "We go. Come."

"Right," half the group responded at once.

Yusuke was carefully put over Kuwabara's shoulder. Even though all the dire wounds on the detective had been healed they did not want to cause anymore pain or blood to be spewed than was absolutely necessary. With that done they ran for the exit.

There were guards at the gate telling them to halt, but Chu and Suzuka shoved them fiercely out of the way. There was no time to waste as they knew Van-Gareth would be on their heels soon enough.

There was a clear stretch of land that they were currently running though, but beyond that was a dense forest. Era could feel Van-Gareth's power and was slightly surprised that he was holding most of it back instead of unleashing it full blown like he would have not too long ago.

If the group had suspected to hear his running 'feet' behind them they would be in for a big surprise. There was the sound of powerful wings pushing through the air.

Era looked over her shoulder only to yelp in surprise. Just behind them was an angry, adult sized, black dragon. She felt Zeek squirm closer to the back of her neck as if he were afraid.

"We can't out run a dragon!" Shishiwakamaru cried.

The dragon opened its large mouth and breathed out its noxious gas. Era stopped and formed a shield around the entire group to protect them from the assault and, just as she planned, the gas poured all around the shield, but did not penetrate it.

As Van-Gareth, still in the beastly form, came down upon them Era took the energy from her barrier, formed it into a ball between her separated hands and, with the extending of her arms, launched it at the dragon. Everyone, but Era, gasped in surprised as the ball of blue energy was evaded by the demon dragon.

Era stood calmly, no sign of fear etched onto her fair face, as she looked up at Van-Gareth's fast approaching open jaws. She looked right down the dragon's throat and felt the hot and sticky breath that was exerted from it.

"Era!" the group cried in horror was the jaws closed in the last few feet.

The sharp toothed jaws of the beast clamped shut tightly, but not upon any part of Era's being which stood a mere three inches away in the same position she had been standing in the entire time.

Van-Gareth, still within his false form, arched his long neck to see behind him, confusion clearly seen his beastly eyes. The group gasped and Van-Gareth growled loudly as they saw what had happened.

The attack which had missed Van-Gareth hovered not far above where it had passed him, long tentacle like arms protruding from multiple points on it. Those very 'arms' flowed like water and were wrapped tightly around Van-Gareth beastly tail.

The dragon turned and glared down at Era, who gave a smile and wave. At that exact moment he was pulled back and harshly thrown. He had no time to try and counter it and the force behind the pull would not permit much movement anyway.

"Whoa," Kuwabara gasped.

"That was- different," Suzuka said in disbelief.

Era turned to them, "He be back soon."

They nodded and Kurama said, "Let's get moving then."

"Era, you had that all planned out didn't you?" Hiei asked as they began to run once more.

The water maiden giggled and shook her head, "I just learn."

"What?!" Half the group yelled.

"You risked the world on a trick you've never tried!?" Botan cried.

Era smiled, "No worried, I be careful."

"Careful?" Hiei asked in disbelief. "Then why'd you pull that trick?"

"I see it work," Era said calmly.

"We all saw it work," Shishiwakamaru told her.

Era sighed, "Before. I see it work when it fly."

"What?" Botan asked.

"She saw it working as she let it loose," Touya explained, "That's why she wasn't worried."

Botan thought a moment, "It's similar to the attack you used back at the ice village wasn't it?"

"Like it," Era replied, "Not all, but like."

Jin laughed, "'at's why she's so confident. It's was jus' a wee bit different."

"I'm just surprised it got him off our tracks, even it is for just a short time," Suzuka said.

Era giggled softly, "He no understand me, so he mess up. Again."

Chu laughed outright, "That's what he gets for underestimating you sheila."

"Ya," Era said with a smile. Just as quickly as the expression came, however, it turned into a frown. There was an odd taste in her mouth. She stopped in her tracks and put her finger into her mouth, when she pilled it out it was covered in blood. Her blood.

"Era?" Touya asked with concern as he stopped at her side.

"Blood?" Era questioned. She was not sure how, or why, it was there but after a quick moment she realized that the blood in her mouth and the dull pain in her chest were of no coincidence.

She's been poisoned.


O.o Era's been poisoned?! This does not bode well. Will she be able to recover?!

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