The next morning, I changed into a pair of blue loose martial arts pants. Pulling on a white tank top, I put on my green wristbands over my Spirit Cuffs and slipped on my fighting shoes. I loosely tied on my hitokiri utility belt. Tying my hair back after I quickly brushed it, I got up before the sun rose and left. Sitting on the top of one of the cliffs in the center of the island, I watched the sun rise. Hiei sat beside me. His right arm completely bandaged. I glanced at it; I couldn't sense any aura coming from it. That was its purpose, apparently. "So, what are our chances, do you think?" I asked, watching the blood-red sun.

"Couldn't say."

"That's reassuring. So, how's the arm? I take its better, but…"

"It'll suffice."

I nodded and leaned back. "Scared?"

"No. You?"

"Not really."

"You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I stood and helped him up. "Let's go." Meeting up with Kuwabara and Kurama at the lobby, we walked back to the stadium. "I got a replacement." I glanced at the sky.

"Who?"

"You'll see. We'll meet him at the gate." We came to the gate. Kuwabara looked nervous, Hiei looked as he always did, and Kurama looked slightly unnerved. I looked up as Koenma came. "For once, you're on time."

"Quiet, Yusuke. I don't have to be here."

"And as soon as the going gets tough, you'll be out of here." He shrugged.

"True." Kuwabara fell to the floor. We entered the stadium to the sound of a tidal wave of boos. Not too surprising. The others and I came to the edge of the ring. Toguro's team entered to the sound of cheering. I glared at Toguro; he just looked at me, then behind me, at my team. He smirked. I flipped him off.

The guy with the long hair, Karasu, stepped forward, as did Kurama. "This one's mine."

I nodded and smiled. "Kick his ass." Kuwabara leaned toward him. They talked for a second, and Kurama went to the ring. I distinctly heard the word "potion" and "transformation". Did Kurama find something that made him turn into Yoko Kurama? One could only hope.

"Begin!"

Kurama looked at Karasu. "I advise you not to underestimate me." He didn't reply. Kurama brought out a handful of rose petals. They flew into the air. Karasu walked towards him. A petal sliced his cheek. They suddenly started exploding. Kurama had to hold him off until the metamorphosis, for Karasu was faster and stronger currently.

I watched Kurama. There was another aura there, stronger. His true form's maybe? "KURAMA!" I shouted as a stick of dynamite landed by him. I saw and felt the aura and gasped. It was pure Kurama, all of it. As it cleared, I saw a kitsune. He had long silver hair, tail, and white garments. "Yoko Kurama." I whispered.

Hiei glanced at her. "You know of the King of Thieves?"

"Genkai told me some." I replied. "As did Kangae. This will be interesting." I watched the fox dodge all the little green bombs, but he was completely surrounded.

"I thought you'd know better than to corner an animal like a fox, Karasu. We have a tendency to show our teeth." He summoned the plant. I froze as the Oujigi plant grew from Kurama's energy. I glanced at the plant and saw the sensors on its surface. So it sensed movement and attacked, a bit like a Venus flytrap. Interesting. This could decide the match. Karasu ran, but dodged one too late, the plant enveloped him. As Yoko walked back towards his team, he glanced back, he wasn't done yet. I clenched my fists, if this dragged on too long, Shuichi would fight, and he couldn't keep up with Karasu. Suddenly Karasu, whose mask had been destroyed, inhaled deeply, his hair turning blond.

"He's… internalizing his power."

"What does that mean?" Kuwabara glanced at me.

"It means he's one big bomb, you oaf. And if my assumptions are correct, he's about to detonate." Hiei clarified.

"Thanks for the warning." I muttered, "Get behind me, Kuwabara." I made a shield as Karasu did as Hiei had predicted. When the smoke cleared, it revealed Kurama, Yoko was gone. "Damn." I whispered. He'd better think of a plan, and quickly. He attempted to make his whip, but the rose shattered, he was out of energy, or almost. He rushed Karasu, attacking.

"He's got a plan." Hiei remarked quietly.

I nodded in agreement. "It's obvious in the way he moves." I added as I barely caught him plant the Death Seed in Karasu's chest. I raised an eyebrow. No, the seed was only a catalyst for his plan. "He's going to summon." I gritted my teeth. "And it'll kill him." Suddenly the air was filled with bombs in the ring. Kurama froze. The bombs struck.

"GAAAH!" The kitsune shouted in pain.

"That SADISTIC BASTARD..." I glared up at the ring. Kurama sank to his hands and knees, blood pouring from his wounds. His eyes turned violet. He screamed out as the plant flew towards Karasu, burying itself in his chest, right on top of the small cut, and draining him of blood. And therefore effectively killing him. I ran into the ring and helped him up after the ten count.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stand up…" He had been barely one second too late.

"Don't worry about it, you killed him, and we won't have to worry about Binky-Boy having to fight him." He nodded as the Committee declared Karasu the winner. "Damn them, though." I whispered, carrying the exhausted Kurama from the ring. It was amazing he was still alive, really. The only reason he had survived was because, thanks to that potion, he absorbed some of Yoko's Spirit Energy. Shortening the obvious effects considerably.

"AW, are we LATE!" Rinku asked, running ahead.

"If we aren't, it's no thanks at all to the drunken biggie who gave our tickets away for a couple ah pints!" Jin glared at Chu.

"Would you shut it? We are here aren't we? No, I have to check!" Chu laughed.

"Yes, we are. Though it was kind of that usher to let us in." Touya smirked.

"Yeah, I didn't have to break his other leg!" Chu grinned.

"You were just lucky he was fat." Rinku winced as Chu's hand rested on his head for a second, then Chu walked down the stairs.

"Come on, let's find some seats." They walked down the aisle among the murmuring demons. "Ah, there are some." They sat where the demons had scooted over from. They watched Kurama's fight.

"Ooh.. That must've hurt." Rinku winced, just imagining the pain. Touya nodded.

The next guy, the one covered in armor stepped forward. "I was going to fight the leader, but what he did to Genkai, I'll let you have your vengeance." Hiei stated as he walked towards the ring.

"Thanks." I glanced at Toguro, my eyes cold.

"Yusuke." Hiei must've sensed this.

I snapped out of it. "Yeah?"

"Know what I'll wish for when we win this?" I smirked. Knowing Hiei, it would be bloody, gruesome, and creative. "I'm going to wish for the bloody and grotesque death of all the members of the committee."

I snickered. "Good, that'll save me the trouble."

Hiei smiled and entered the ring. He removed his cloak and stepped forward. Bui summoned his axe out of thin air. Hiei easily dodged. "Come on, I may be a small target, but this is sad." He grabbed his axe with the Living Flame surrounding his hand and broke it. Bui tossed it aside and summoned a new one. He threw blocks from the ring at Hiei again. "You are consistent, at least. Foolishly, if you think that axe will have more impact than the last. Because this is to your disadvantage and to my boredom."

"Sorry that you're bored. I'll remove my armor." He began to remove it. "And be grateful, this is the highest compliment I give." It fell to the ground.

Touya glanced at Yusuke, she was bandaging Kurama. "She'll be fighting Toguro."

Chu looked at him. "Do you think she'll win?"

"I doubt it. He's never unleashed his full power in this or any tournament."

"What you guys aren't getting is that Yusuke is a good deal stronger than when she fought us." Chu yawned.

"A good deal has to be quite a lot if she hopes to stand a chance, Chu." Touya sighed. "I don't want to sound so pessimistic, but I have to be realistic, her chances of winning are slim."

"Yeah, but that's what they were when she beat us. And you lost to a guy who lost to a dead guy. How pathetic is that?" Jin retorted. Rinku snickered.

Hitokiri: assassin

Votes:

Hiei: 9

Jin: 4

Kurama: 1

Hiei and Kurama: 9

Jeez... For practically the whole time Hiei and Hiei/Kurama have been neck and neck! Well... Whatever. At least people are voting, and I thank you for that.