Pt 6
"I'm seeing, but I'm not believing." Kirai glanced back over her shoulder.
"What?" Hikari eyed her up and down.
"What exactly are you wearing?" She looked down at her gi. "Don't tell me you're actually gonna fight!"
"There's nothing wrong with that."
"So the rumors are true. You challenged a fighter to a match. You're going through with it?"
"Yes. I just feel like it was the natural thing to do, you know?"
"He's a trained fighter Kirai. You can't remember whether or not you were ever a fighter and even if you were, there's nothing to say that you're anywhere near as strong as he is."
"But I'll never know until I try." He nodded thoughtfully.
"You feel it don't you? The thing people call the fighter's spirit. They say it runs through the veins of every fighter; it can never be extinguished." He rested his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "Just what are you trying to prove? You realize that nobody's going to think any less of you if you forfeit this right now, ne?"
"I know but I just can't do it. I challenged him and I wouldn't feel right backing out now."
"Please be careful!"
"Don't tell me you're worrying about me." She laughed.
"Yes." The simple word seemed to rush through her. He wasn't joking.
"Don't worry about me Hikari. I'll be fine, really." He remained unconvinced. She smiled and bounced out. It was strange, as if just the prospect of being in a fight lit up her entire week. This was a weird young woman, no doubt. She intrigued him, and he wanted to find out everything there was to know about her.
"You there, send word to the ranks. Tell the man fighting Kirai that if he kills her I'll personally rip him apart and there's nothing guaranteeing his safety if she gets hurt.
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"Hey, you think you could teach me?"
"You're serious?" She nodded. The young fighter eyed her critically. "I'm not sure. Have you ever fought before?"
"I don't really know. I think so. I've got some wicked sword scars that I would have gotten in battle."
"I don't know…it's not all that easy. And seeing as though you're…"
Miya crossed her arms and glared. "Seeing as I'm what?" He looked properly embarrassed.
"Well…you're a…woman."
"And just what's that supposed to mean!"
"Men fight, women stitch, that's just the way it is."
"Say's who?"
"It's unwritten. Everybody knows that!" Miya raised one eyebrow. He fidgeted nervously under her glare. She smiled secretly, enjoying the way he was uncomfortable.
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She couldn't tell Hikari, not yet. She didn't want him to get his hopes up. But it happened yesterday. Twice yesterday that name popped up, both times while she was talking to that fighter. Miya crossed her arms and glared…Miya raised one eyebrow…Miya, was that her real name? If so then where did the name Kirai come from? Was her memory finally coming back?
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A/n: bet you didn't notice the substitution in the last chapter!
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She squinted to adjust her eyes to the brilliant light as she stepped out into the courtyard. There he waited, as nervous as ever.
"Hikari threatened to kill him if he hurt you." Somebody whispered behind her. There Boton stood, arms crossed, not looking at her. "You two seem to be quite close."
"Don't worry, I'm not trying to get between you."
"That's your only problem?"
"What else should I be worried about? I've done nothing to you. I still don't see why you hate me so much."
"So you've just moved on from Hiei?" Kirai's eyes widened and she spun to face the former Shinigami.
"What did you say!" Slowly Boton's eyes rose to meet hers. "That name…where did you get that name? And why do I feel like I've heard it before?"
"You really don't remember him, do you?"
"Who is he?"
"Hey Kirai! Are we going to see some butt-kicking over here or what!" A teasing voice called to her from the arena.
"Keep your shirt on! I'm coming!" With one last glance at Boton, she hurried off.
Boton watched her retreat incredulously. Either she was in serious trouble or she was a damn good actor.
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Kirai fell into position. Adrenaline raced through her veins but she refused to let it cloud her thinking. Funnel it, let it make you faster, make you stronger.
Across the arena he stood in readiness.
Fire…he's a fire yokai. He needs light.
At the sound of the gong he sprung forward, his arm carelessly extended a split second too early. She didn't block it, merely stepped to the right and grabbed his arm. With a flick of her wrist she threw him off balance long enough to aim a punch of her own.
He shifted his center, throwing his body weight to one side and slid out of the way. Momentarily distracted, her grip barely lessened but it was enough. His hand slid out of hers as he jumped back, only to find himself face down on the floor. A quick glance back showed a short vine wrapped around his ankle.
"Damn!" He burned it and rolled aside, barely missing Kirai's kick.
They regarded each other, knowing full well that the other was trying to determine their strength. The young man's eyes left hers for a minute to glance at the vine. Finally he grinned.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're a whole lot better than you let on?"
"I don't think I'll ever truly forget how to fight."
"Even so, you're in over your head. Now that I know that you're a fairly exposed fighter I'm not gonna go easy on you anymore."
"Be my guest."
He rushed at her and feinted left, attacking from the right. She ducked, missing the major blow but was not so lucky with the lesser hits that followed it directly. Kirai pivoted and landed her elbow in his rib cage. A punch hit her squarely in the shoulder-blade, throwing her forward. She caught herself just before she hit the floor and pushed herself up with one hand while swirling, kicking both his feet out from under him. She was on her feet before he could react and she landed one knee in his back and the other in the side of his head, sending him hurtling across the arena.
He flipped, and wasted no time between landing on his feet and shooting forward.
Flames surrounded her, springing out of nowhere. She smiled. She had been waiting for him to show his power.
His attacks were relentless. Between the physical hits and the bursts of flame, Kirai had little time to do anything but defend. He was jubilant, confident he was going to win.
From outside the ring, his friends cheered him on as blow after blow seemed to hit their mark and drive her back.
"I win."
"Think again!" He was puzzled and his face betrayed him. He didn't see his mistake until it was too late.
Several of his bursts of flames hit piles of dried leaves. All around the pair echoed the sudden crack when all the piles ignited at once.
He glanced over in shock. Why would she give me fuel for my flames? The answer came to him almost immediately. The piles of dried leaves suddenly transformed into fresh and green foliage. A lush carpet of grass spread, joining all the piles. And still he was puzzled…until the smoke started pouring out of the smoldering ground.
He coughed as the Carbon monoxide surrounded him. He couldn't see. He could barely breathe. He couldn't hear over the crackling of the fires around him.
He stumbled forward in his blindness, halted suddenly by a fist to the stomach.
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When finally the smoke cleared, there was no doubt to who was the winner, since Kirai's foot was firmly planted in his middle.
Kirai smiled as she helped him to his feet.
"I don't believe we've formally been introduced."
He laughed.
"I'm a show-off fighter and you're the girl who just kicked my arse. What other introduction do we need?" His friends ran to the ring.
"Hey! Shinji! What the hell happened man? You let a girl beat you!" Shinji snorted.
"I'd like to see one of you come up here and have a go at it. Any volunteers?" There was no answer, and the young man who made the 'girl' joke looked properly ashamed, most likely because he didn't want to fight her.
"Tell me one thing though. How exactly did you pull that off?" Kirai looked kind of embarrassed.
"Fresh grass has too much water stored in it to burn properly right away. I just waited until he lit one of my pile of leaves and then I added just enough water to get the right amount smoke. I held my breath while he choked."
"Whoa! How'd you figure that one?"
"I dunno. It's like breathing. It's natural; I don't know where I learned it."
They plagued her with questions about everything they could think of. She chatted quite easily with them. Soon even Boton came up to give grudging congratulations, purposefully not mentioning Hiei since, for the moment, all memory of him seemed to have once again vanished from the young fox.
None of them could have noticed the stern figure watching them from the tower turret. None of them could have noticed the swish of fabric as he disappeared.
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Kirai paused; something was wrong. She didn't feel anything strange per say. On the contrary, it was what she didn't feel that alerted her. It was as if the air itself bent around it, not wanting to admit its existence. The emptiness of a perfectly shielded mind wafted around her. She reached for the door. She had to get out. Someone…something was in her room.
Her hand barely brushed the doorknob before she was jerked back roughly.
"Damn you, such a deceptive little subeta, aren't you?" Someone whispered gruffly in her ear. She tried to jerk away but he held on tightly. When finally he did release her it was so sudden that she nearly lost her balance. Shikijou sneered. "You're such a marvelous fighter Kirai, or should I call you Miya. Oh don't bother saying anything," he overruled her, seeing the look on her face, "for all your strength you are very careless with your mind." He planted himself blocking the door.
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An evil smile flitted across the man's face as he moved until he stood blocking the door.
"Come Kirai, you only have to get past me." Rage built up in him as he forced himself to his feet and flew at the man.
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Kirai debated the odds she would have if she tried to rush past him but he had crossed the room in a second, grabbing her by the neck. She struggled but couldn't get free. His power…never had she felt such power. A memory in the back of her mind triggered and in response she spit on him.
"Karasu!" He dropped her and his foot landed on the side of her head.
"How pathetic, to find one so strong and so weak at the same time. At your level you should be putting up more of a fight, unless, of course, you've forgotten."
"What the hell do you want with me?"
"You, dear Kirai, are quite different. You have the delicacy of the human women I enjoy yet your intriguing ki amazes me. I view you as a challenge. You're a slave. Despite my brother's ridiculous ideas, I think you were trying to escape from a lord. I can see it in your eyes. Another lord came quite close to breaking you but apparently didn't succeed. I plan to succeed where he failed. I'll have you in my harem or you'll die in the process."
"Chikan…pervert!" The second blow was not as hard but just as painful.
He dragged her up by the shoulders and pinned her against the wall with his body, pressing his hardness against her thigh in the process. His hot breath scalded her shoulder.
"I want to see the full extent of your powers Kirai. Pack what you need from tonight. Tomorrow we leave to train. I have to see it for myself." He pressed harder. "Soon I'll have you begging for this like a good little gaishou."
"I'll cut them off and force you to eat them." He chuckled.
"I told you, you're a challenge." He licked his lips. "I love challenges." One course hand put pressure on the throbbing side of her neck and he captured her mouth with his when she cried out in pain. A split second later a telepathic blast sent him flying backward, crashing through the heavy wooden door. The sadistic smile that would haunt her dreams returned once he pushed himself off the floor. "The more you fight, the harder I'll work. We leave in the morning."
"And if don't want to leave with you?" He shrugged.
"I plan to have a really serious training session. Whether it's with you or with your considerably weaker friend Shinji it doesn't matter to me."
"You wouldn't!"
"Maybe, but are you willing to find out. How many of them would I need to kill before you got the point?" She glared silently. "Be ready at sun up…unless of course you'd rather me come in to wake you."
"I'll be ready." He chuckled.
"No, I honestly don't think you'll ever be Kirai."