Chapter 6: Zeru Vs Hiei

Koto called out for the next fighters to come forward and Zeru was the first to enter the ring, surprising Kurama and Kuwabara. Apparently the team leader usually fought last since they were the strongest. Kagome didn't think that was an actual tournament rule since the foxy referee didn't send him back. She looked over at Hiei as he explained that the stoic vampire-wannabe was very mad and taking matters into his own hands. The red eyed demon seemed to almost be smiling at the idea of fighting the team leader who had irritated him last night. The miko didn't know what had been so bothersome to him when it was she who had to clean up the coffee mess from the broken cup. But she didn't have time to think about it as she soon found Hiei wrapping his scarf around her own neck. Crimson lit up her cheeks at the silent gesture and she watched in an almost daze as the flame-haired demon went to go face Zeru in the ring.

Once Koto officially started the fight, Hiei called his opponent out on his sloppiness with the cup--one side had been melted instead of looking like it had been cut with a knife. The blonde shot back his own insult in regards to Hiei's jagan eye, calling it a fake. Kagome stuck her tongue out at Zeru, knowing that even he wasn't born with it, the eye was still real and still powerful. She quickly put up a shield around their team as the pale man began to show off his flames, trying to intimidate his opponent. Many spectators died and Koto had to scramble out of the ring for a moment to avoid having her tail singed. Kagome rushed over to make sure she was okay.

"Yeah, sure... happens all the time. That's half the fun~" She winked at the raven-haired human before jumping back on stage to do her job. The priestess sighed and went back to her team just in time to see Hiei dodging flames left, right, and center. He hadn't been hit yet but that didn't stop her from burying her nose into the scarf Hiei put on her and breathing in his scent to try to calm her worry. Firewood and some sort of spice filled her lungs as she watched the demons do battle, neither one drawing a weapon (unless Zeru's flames counted).

But all that calm came to an end when the vampire freak manipulated his flames to come to his body, turning red and very very hot to the touch. Hiei just...stood there while his opponent ran forward and thrust his hand into the forbidden child's gut like a hot knife through butter--even butter had more resistance! Kagome's eyes instantly shed tears as she screamed out Hiei's name. It didn't help as the punctured demon was quickly engulfed in flames and tossed into the air, only to recieve a beam of concentrated heat. Kagome heard him cry out in pain and she buried her face into his scarf, not wanting to see his cinders. She heard Koto praise Zeru's brutality and her powers fluctuated for a second ad she tried to quell her grief. They just met... she thought they had time to actually become kind of like friends... Hiei always talked so tough! He couldn't die now, not like this!

Kagome finally gathered the courage to look as anger filled her sorrowful heart. "No, not to that loser! Hiei, it's not over yet! Please!!"

Her teammates (minus Yusuke) looked at her and Kuwabara softly whispered her name as if to console a woman on the brink of insanity.

Koto was complimenting Zeru's moves as he started to leave the ring, not even bothering with the 10-count. But the sky turned red and everyone in the stadium hears Hiei's voice. "Yes... so talented I'm reluctant to make the kill..." Zeru froze in shock.

The cinders rose up in flames, displaying a smoldering Hiei with a cocky smirk and a hand-sized hole in his shirt, showing off his abs... his uninjured abs. The pale blonde turned around to see exactly what his ears had told him. Hiei activated his jagan eye and began to summon the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. Some people seemed to know a thing or two about the Darkness Technique. Those who didn't were getting the info from those who did.

Kagome heard none of it. It felt like her soul was being ripped from her-- no, not her soul...her purity. As a way to save itself, her powers seemed to dive into the deepest corner of her soul to avoid gaining the attention of the dragon that the jagan helped summon and Hiei sacrificed an arm for. Koto ran off the stage to take cover. The miko watched as his shirt ripped completely off his body as the darkness seemed to alter reality. Zeru, for such a stoic jackass, was practically begging for a mercy that he would not recieve. She was pretty sure she knew he knew he had no chance. Fear radiated off of him as the dragon burst forth and barreled into Zeru's frozen form, into the furthest wall, leaving only a charred outline. The boom vibrated through everything in the stadium and Kagome had to close her eyes and cover her ears.

Carefully opening them when only silence remained, she came face-to-snout with the dragon of the darkness flame. A squeak rose past her lips as she watched the beast watch her as if waiting for something. She blinked at it and it tilted its head before moving closer. She didn't dare to move as it slowly flicked its tongue out and tasted the flesh just under her earlobe, burning her. She yelped and put a hand over the injury, tears pricking her eyes as the beast disappeared like a candle flame in the wind.

Hiei, with a charred right hand, told Koto not to bother counting and she was inclined to agree. The second he was declared the winner, he vanished, reappearing in front of the injured Kagome. Koto called out for a quick break before following his lead to go check on her idol.

He took her hand and moved it without a word. A blistering pattern was imprinted on her neck and just by looking at it, the demon knew it would scar. Koto hissed at the injury and asked her if it hurt as much as it looked.

"More... my bag..." Kagome moved away from them and opened her giant yellow bag that she filled with everything she used to take to the feudal era plus her clothes. She began to dig for her first aid kit and gave everyone quite the show. Her skirt rose up to show the slightest hint of her panties and most of the audience tried to grab a peek. Even Koto tilted her head with a slight blush. However, Hiei and Kurama moved fo form a physical barrier between the miko and the peepers, both flushed from the indecent view they had gotten. A single non-verbal exchange was made between them and they agreed--Kagome needed to wear something else. ANYTHING ELSE!

Kagome finally found her first aid kit and a handheld mirror so she could see where she was putting the ointment and bandaging. "Why did the dragon do that...?" she mumbled to herself.

"The dragon likes you..." Her ocean eyes met his crimson.

"That was liking me?!" she asked in incredulity.

"You need to put on something else...something that covers you up. Now."

Kagome sighed and nodded, going to check out what was in her bag again and slightly flashing everyone again though the two demons kept guard. "I'm not changing clothes but I can put this over it..." She pulled out a kimono of fine white silk, red hexagonal flowers on the left shoulder and a yellow and blue obi.

"Why do you have a royal kimono from the House of the Western Lord?" Kurama's inquiry sounded more than just curious, his eyes flashing gold for a moment. Hiei also seemed on edge.

She slipped it on and tied it over her school uniform. The colors clashed but with so many comments on her clothes, she was honestly getting sick of it. "It was a gift from another guy who didn't appreciate my uniform. He said I was teaching a little girl who followed him around to dress indecently. I believe his words were 'The next time we meet, this Sesshomaru expects you to be dressed as befits your station'..."

The next questions were to be left unasked as Koto had to begin the next fight. Two of the three remaining Rokuyukai team members chose to bail, leaving Rinku to finish the match. The two cowards left, only to be dragged back (dead) by a very drunk man with a purple mohawk and a glass bottle that Kagome could smell from the other side of the ring. She felt sorry for any demons with sensitive noses--Inuyasha couldn't handle rubbing alcohol without passing out. That stuff would have would have put him into a coma for a week or three.

Poor Koto had to talk to him upclose and it was decided that he could fight as the replacement with Rinku. He seemed all for it, jumping to his feet to announce his willingness to fight before he slumped down on his butt in a drunken haze.

Kagome watched for a second before looking at Hiei's arm with a wince. It looked so much worse than her little burn and the ointment wouldn't help. "...later, if you guys let me heal you, I'll answer your questions... but who's gonna take on...that guy...?"