"Jump." I muttered to Kuwabara as they charged. As we both did so, one sent an attack at Kuwabara, and the other at me. I barely dodged. Their energy was filtered, or something like that, so it should've been harder to see, but I could. Easy. Kuwabara got thrown to the other side of the ring, managing to stay in only by digging his Spirit Sword into the ring floor. Bad move... "KUWABARA!" I glared at the three fighters. Damn them... I felt the throbbing sensation between my fingers this time. What the hell...? Whatever.
I clenched my fists. Those things on their backs, if they controlled them... Kuso... They would kill that baka... If only... Of course! Genkai's Spirit Wave! I glanced at my sensei. She returned my look. She knew. But, she was holding back, for some reason or another. And not to mention the slightly startled look in her eyes when she realized I had paid attention to some of her lectures after all. I was almost literally knocked out of my thoughts by the guy with the black hair's Invisible Slash, but I managed to dodge it, again. Kuwabara was falling for their attacks, the youngest guy's Angel Blades had only one attack that was real, and the rest were for distractions. Then the others moved in with the "invisible attacks". It was brilliant, and effective. But why was Genkai holding back...?
I glanced up when I heard a shout of pain. Kuwabara. He went flying out of the ring. The throbbing intensified as I winced. He landed with a sickening crunch on the grass. I clenched my fists. How could they...? They had no control over their bodies, that's how. I answered my own question. And the baka knew that they were being controlled, for he mentioned having the same dream and he wasn't always a complete idiot. He had tried to reason with them, was my guess, for I was not paying attention to that, and got his plea shoved right back into his face. That... Idiot...
I glanced up as the sun was temporarily blocked and suddenly a robot of some kind crash-landed on the grass beside the ring. And Hiei and Kurama landed on it. "Took you guys long enough." I remarked.
"We were occupied." Hiei replied lightly.
"I'm sure you were." I looked back at the fighters. They were looking at me as well, but they weren't moving. "Did you by any chance know anything about this so called 'doctor'?" I asked Kurama.
"Yes." He basically confirmed my suspicions.
I paused before speaking as I watched the other three humans. I felt sick. "It must be hell in there." Their eyes wavered. I smiled sadly. "Watching yourself do things you cannot control." I nearly hissed from the pain of the throbbing. What the hell is wrong with me? "I would say this is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you, but I don't like to lie." I lunged at them, holding them off as Genkai started to concentrate her energy for the Spirit Wave technique. I instinctively summoned aura into my hands when one of them came at my side to block them. I glanced behind me and leapt behind Genkai towards the edge of the ring when I heard the chanting.
"Mei In Metsu Jyu Retsai Ko Ki Ki Kyou Chou Chim Com Mei Ei Kyaku!" As Genkai finished, and the kanji symbols vanished, the tornado of energy appeared from her hands, spiraling upwards.
Ichigaki shouted at his fighters. "Don't be fooled! I've gauged this fighter's strength! She doesn't have the power for an attack that big! It's just for intimidation! Kill her!" The fighters, under Ichigaki's influence, charged. Genkai glanced at them, and brought her arms down in an arc, making a kind of shield, holding the three humans in place as she shouted "Kou!" another kanji symbol flashed. "Jyou!" The shield pulsed. She quickly did some piercing. As she withdrew her hand from the final warrior, she uttered one final word. "Sai!" Their expressions softened as the Verruca, as I learned then were called from Kurama, were torn from their backs.
Kurama gasped. "What happened?"
"Something she had to do, nothing more." I stood and faced Ichigaki as Koto finished the ten count. "I think it's time to settle our agreement."
He backed away, visibly nervous. "What if I told you the Master Mitamura was still alive? And I'm the only one who knows where he is?" Kurama moved to the side, revealing the said martial artist. "Impossible!"
"Your assistant was in the mood to talk. We had to walk only three miles to find him." Hiei smirked.
"Only I can-! "
"Save your breath. Once I saw the symptoms, I was able to concoct an antidote." Kurama cut him off.
He looked around wildly, looking for escape. "Don't embarrass yourself." Hiei advised. The doctor just laughed and pulled out a syringe. Injecting whatever it was into his blood stream, I just shook my head.
"Do you really think genetic manipulation will save you?" I asked scornfully.
Ichigaki laughed. His arm suddenly stretched, as if it was warm putty. One arm forced Hiei into the ring; he crossed it with the other, slicing open my arm. "Yusuke!" Kurama shouted, and barely dodged Ichigaki's other arm. I fell back, blood pouring from my arm. Hiei moved in front of me, katana in his left hand. "Hiei, wait. I've got dibs on this jerk."
He glanced at Yusuke and smiled slightly. She wouldn't be the woman he loved if she didn't insist on finishing this fight. "Just don't get killed." She laughed at that.
"Fine, then. Defy all logic!" He moved out of the way as Ichigaki brought his arms down.
I grabbed them and used my Spirit Energy to cancel his own out. Lifting him into the air, I delivered three swift kicks to the chest, he flew back.
"That was for the three innocent lives you stole!" I gave him a punch in the face. "And that's for screwing with their master!"
"Nicely put." Kurama remarked, helping the still-weak man to stand up.
"And this is for my friend who felt sorry for them and got his ass kicked into the ground!" I punched him on the other side of his face.
"Thanks for the shout-out Urameshi." Kuwabara muttered.
"And the last one's for me." I brought my fist back. "JUST FOR PISSING ME OFF!" I delivered one final punch, right in the chin; he went flying into the stands. "Think about what you've done in hell." I muttered, wiping my hand on my jeans.
Mitamura looked down sadly. "It doesn't matter. Taking Dr. Ichigaki's life away is not going to bring them back. Yen." He looked at the youngest boy. "Ryo." The man with the long black hair. "Kai." He looked at the last boy with the scar across his forehead. "It's all my fault. How can I forgive myself?" He began to cry.
"Hey, save your tears. They're still alive." I jerked my thumb over my shoulder towards the three boys, who were starting to sit up. I watched the three converse, smiles on their face.
"I guess it worked. It had been twenty years since I've used that technique." Genkai smiled behind her mask.
"I never thought I'd see you." Mitamura walked to his three students, they quickly turned and looked at the ground. "Wait! Why do you turn?"
"We've committed horrible sins, master." Kai whispered. "I can't even remember all the people that I've-"
"The lessons you taught us didn't mean anything. We're a disgrace to your dojo." Ryo closed his eyes.
"Please, just leave us Master." Yen choked. "We can't bear to look at you now!"
"Damn it! Why couldn't she have just killed us!" Kai clenched his fists.
"Shut up." I looked at Kai, my eyes hard. "How can you just say that? Life is a blessing. Whether you think you deserve it or not. Take that advice from someone who has already died once."
Genkai stepped forward. "Yusuke's right. Your guilt is misplaced. The technique I used is called the Spirit Wave. It is one of the five great attacks by trial, and is powered by your own Spirit Energy. If your souls are corrupt, then the wickedness will take your life. But if you are pure of heart, that purity consumes you, destroying any outside impediments. It was your soul that soul that destroyed the Verruca and freed you, not me. That proves you have nothing to hide."
"Yen, Ryo, Kai, she says what I have known all along. If there was anything you could have done to prevent those kills, you would have." They shook slightly, tears still streaming down their faces at their Master's words. "Your bodies were taken over, but who you really are, your souls, are still clean. I see you in the same way now as I always have, as my three most noble students. Let us put this behind us!"
They trembled, then turned around and rushed to their sensei. "Master! We missed you!" Kai clutched his hand.
"Master, is it true? Are you really going to be okay again?" Yen asked, looking at him anxiously.
"Yes, I think so." They all hugged.
I grinned and glanced at Genkai. "That was some attack."
"Yes, you've done us well, Fighter." Kurama agreed.
"And so, in a dramatic explosion of emotion fit to make any demon wretch, the Urameshi Team is set to advance!" Koto announced. Yippee. I couldn't help but think sarcastically.
Remembering him, I ran over to Kuwabara. "How is he?" I asked Botan, who had come to look after him.
"It's nothing life threatening, but he's clearly going to need time to recover."
"Time, huh?" I glanced at him, contemplating this fact.
"YUSUKE!" I turned to face Kai, who was running towards me. "Maybe I can be of some help. I'd like to repay you if it's possible. We're the ones who hurt Kuwabara! Let me fight in his place. I'll join as your substitute!"
I looked at him, slightly surprised, and smiled. "Well, thanks for the offer. But this idiot would have a fit if I gave his spot away. You understand?" I nodded towards Kuwabara. Kai stepped forward, about to protest. But I continued before he could. "Plus we're only allowed one substitute. And that's only after one of our guys is dead."
"Urameshi, I'm not dead yet!" Kuwabara hissed through clenched teeth.
"Well, folks, it's official! Come on-" Botan and Kurama lifted Kuwabara to his feet. "Let's get Lazarus off the grass."
"You're a good man, but we got to go this alone." I smiled.
"I understand." His expression fell slightly, he was clearly disappointed. I glanced behind him.
"Take care of your master. I'd say he's the one that needs you most now." I nodded towards his master and fellow students leaving the stadium. He looked behind him, to see Yen and Ryo helping their master to the exit. I grinned. "Right?"
He nodded and smiled. "Of course, well, good luck. Maybe we'll see you again someday!" He waved slightly as he turned and ran after his "family".
I looked up at the demons chanting "Kill Urameshi!" and hissed. "Oh, shove it where it hurts!"
The bell signaling the committee having something rang. "May I have your attention please. The third round of the Dark Tournament will commence immediately."
"WHAT! Give me a break!" I shouted, running towards to my teammates.
"Further more; the Tournament Committee has unanimously decided to begin the round in accordance to the match diagram, starting from the left. Team Urameshi and Team Masho, please report to the ring."
"What? Again?" Hiei asked. I seriously considered attacking Koto, but it wouldn't change anything.
"I suspected they'd pull this. Two of our members are hurt, and after the Spirit Wave technique, I will be of little help as well." Genkai sighed.
"How can you let them do that!" I shouted at Koto.
"I'm sorry, miss, but if you have a complaint, you'll have to take it up with the committee, I'm sure there is a perfectly good reason for this decision!" She replied, nervously, watching my hands.
I considered this for a moment then grinned. "All right then, if a double-header's the call, I might as well enjoy. I've got plenty of anger left over from the troll doctor, anyway."
And a few minutes later... "Team Masho! This is your last call! Enter or be disqualified!" Koto shouted out. A brisk wind blew across the opposing side, turning into a tornado. When it disappeared, there were five robed fighters.
"Why do I get the feeling... This won't be an easy one...? I whispered.
Kuso: shit
Baka: idiot
Sensei: teacher
Votes:
Hiei: 5
Kurama: 1
Hiei and Kurama: 3