File 31: NOT an Ally of Justice
Urameshi left the cave, his alter ego in his arms, his hair down, with an exhausted but liberated expression. He went to his master who was still sitting against a tree. The sunlight was warmly and gently beaming down on them. He asked her to treat the little one. She stood up. He seemed to have made the reikogyoku his own. He had passed the test. He should be grateful to him. Genkai had barely taken Puu in her arms that her disciple fell, fast asleep. She told him to sleep well. His real battle would begin when he would wake up. She petted the beast's head who 'puued' weakly. He had stuck out well too. When Yusuke woke up, he should be better as well. The old woman lied them down together and left.
The fangirls were squealing and annoyingly noisily cheering for their Waka-sama and asking him to crush the Urameshi Team. Kuwa talked about filetting him and turning him into sashimi, which made the fangirls squeal even more and call him an arrogant human... which made Kuwa immaturely shot back at them... which made them even more childishly pull down the skin of their eyes and stuck their tongues at him. Shishi snorted lightly.
"I'll end this in a matter of moments. It's hard for me to look at your face for too long." He boasted with a condescending tone and dignified pose.
"What a sissy." Akari commented, earning herself a glare she ignored royally, looking away, her arms behing her head.
"Why you...! I'm gonna take your pretty boy of the century looks and hack them up!" Kazu snarled back, summoning his reiken and swinging it around menacingly. Juri announced the beginning of the fourth match Shishiwakamaru VS Kuwabara.
As long as Yukina-san is watching over me somewhere in the stadium, I will win!
However, Yukina-san – and the other girls – were not in this stadium but in the old one... that was of course completely empty. Just what was going on? Could they have made a mistake on the time? But no, that at least Botan clearly remembered. They were just 30 minutes late. Could the matches have been over in 30 minutes? It was then that they remembered Kurama saying something about the locations changing. Botan wanted to hurry up and go but Shizuru reminded her that none amongst them knew the location of the new arena... what a predicament...
Kuwabara charged head first. His opponent easily and gracefully dodged every single slash. The only things that were ever cut were air and his shadow. Then, as the human was getting angry at his 'scurrying around', the handsome youkai leapt, used his head as a foothold, jumped again, and landed behind him. There was more squealing, and the print of a sandal on Kuwa's hair. The boy simmered for a moment before exploding and charging, though things just continued as they were before... until Shishiwakamaru suddenly glared fiercely and dangerously. He avoided another swing, leapt backward and let go of his veil that coiled and completely covered Kuwabara. When it unfolded, the teen had disappeared. The veil returned to its owner. Juri blinked. The remaining Urameshi Team members glared. What was that? His reiki had completely vanished. The referee didn't know what to do. Should it be considered a ring-out? Was it okay to count?
"It's no use. As you can see I made him vanish completely. Not even I know where he went. You'll have to ask this thing what his destination is. Yami item: Shide no Hagoromo." The demon explained casually with a wicked and overweening smile. The Mantle of Death. So that was his item of darkness. "The other end of the world, or the Demon World or even another dimension... he probably hasn't gone anywhere agreeable though." He closed his eyes.
"Really? If you can't control anything then he might have returned to our hotel or his own house or even the old arena for all we know..." Akari coolly suggested. When facing this type of people she could not help but contradict and provoke them. She didn't mind people talking big... as long as they could back their words. If not that was just like asking her to kindly get them off their high horse cause they were too big for them. That comment earned her another snarl and threat she ignored again. Koto asked Juri to take a decision.
"Right. As a result of Contestant Kuwabara being missing, he is considered to have forfeited the match, and the victory goes to Shishiwakamaru!" The referee announced. And as a result of that, the squeals redoubled. Some groupies fawned, asking for their Waka-sama to look their way and when he deigned, some cried, some screamed, some fainted. The males were just happy merely having the Urameshi Team down by one more person and hoped next time he was going to cut them to bits. Shishi decided to grant the spectators' request.
As for Kuwabara, his destination had been much closer to Akari's guess as indeed he fell from the sky and crashed onto the old ring used in the first rounds of the tournament, greatly surprising the girls. However, the boy only saw Yukina-san – at first – and then at long last her entourage to boot... thus angering his beloved sister and Botan more than safety commanded. He ran to them and kept posing and talking in a silly way... his expression changed though when Shizu menacingly asked him whether he had lost again. When he mentionned his bit of carelessness, she punched him really hard. She asked when he had gotten so strong that he could get careless and gave him a good beating for having made her lose face. As an apology, he would lead them to the new dome.
Shishi rolled the dice. Uraotogi Team: free choice – Urameshi Team: Akari. Shishiwakaru was going to fight again. He was happy. He had wanted to have a go at her since the beginning. If he defeated her, the granddaughter of Master Genkai, the human elemental, famous through the makai, his reputation would spread through all three worlds. The girl hopped on the ring, not looking the slightest bit motivated.
"And if you fail, you'll become one among my many other victims and I'll have forgotten your name by the end of the day." She replied matter-of-factly. The groupies flared and demanded her quick and gruesome death but Katsuyama could only hear some sort of buzzing. She picked her ear in boredom. Fury flashed an instant through her opponent's handsome features but he soon recovered his cool.
"You don't give me enough credit. If you keep that attitude and don't get serious, you'll die within five minutes."
"If that's what you think, why don't you try and make me serious?" She half smiled sweetly half smirked. Indeed, with his big talk, her motivation had gone up by one point. After all, she loved putting people back in their place.
"Fine then, I'll make you." He drew his sword and pointed it at her. Juri announced the fifth match, Shishiwakamaru VS Akari. He lunged, she dodged. And it became like a reversed repetition of the previous match, just at a much higher level. After all, Shishi was a much faster and better swordsman than Kazuma. And she utilized similar tactics to anger him, like using his knees, head, back as stepping stones, closing her eyes, dancing around until she decided to kick it up a notch.
"You don't give me enough credit. If you keep that attitude and don't get serious, you'll die within five minutes." Akari purred a taunt to his ear from right behind him, her left arm around his shoulders and her right hand gripping his sword arm. Suddenly she shifted her stance, gripped his neck and rammed him into the ground, disappeared, and reappeared a little further away, waiting for him to stand up. When he did, his face had completely changed. It was so distorted by rage and bloodlust it was almost unrecognizable.
"It seems like your notoriety wasn't overdone. Alright, then I will kill you at my full power!" He unsheathed again and pulled on the guard of his sword, revealing something similar to red veins or roots linking the sides. He pulled further and a red ghostly face like the scream movie mask appeared in the middle of the veins. The weapon had doubled in length. Item of Darkness: Makokumeizan ken... literally translated as Demonic Killing-wail cutting Sword. It was one creepy and disgusting sword. But it seemed like it wasn't just that... "As long as the bearer's life is in danger, this katana will summon shinigamis!" Indeed Kurama called for caution then. This sword was emitting a youki even more ominous than Shishiwakamaru's himself.
Kuwabara was leading the girls in the forest. They would soon arrive at their destination. Botan was worried the guys would have lost by then. Kazu carelessly reassured here. It was alright, wasn't it? That Hiei bastard was all worked up and Akari could kill without lifting a finger.
"By Hiei-san, you mean that closed-mouthed gentleman with the keen gaze, right?" Yukina asked concernedly.
"He's an unsociable thug who does nothing but give people evil looks!" The boy shot back. "Listen, you mussn't get anywhere near that guy. If you do all your hair will get pulled out." He turned to face her and tried to make himself scarier. Botan chewed him out for being so outrageous. He had been really rude. He justified himself (without the slightest hint of remorse) that it had all been the truth. She tried to tell him that there were things he could say and others he could not. Even if he was like this, Hiei was still Yukina-chan's...- She froze in fear as she remembered that Hiei's warning... "Tell Yukina that she is my sister, if you wish to die..." And he had been serious too! Dead serious! She had almost said something she shouldn't and died! And still in her frozen state, she marched on like a robot, meditating on her near (very costly) mistake. The others sweatdropped and wondered what was wrong with her. Had she been scrounging table scraps off the floor? It was then Shizuru and Keiko noticed Yusuke against a tree. They hurried to him. Keiko was relieved. He was injured all over, he was still alive. He was just sleeping. Even though he couldn't hear, Kuwa taunted him. Here they thought he had disappeared and he was just sleeping like a log! Then he too remarked at last that Yusuke was covered in blood. His sister deduced he must have gone through quite an ordeal. Puu was there as well. Keiko took the animal while the guy helped Urameshi up. And they walked to the stadium. What the hell was going on with the matches?
With one hand, Shishiwakamaru rapidly spun his weapon above his head. Soon, blood-curdling, earsplitting shrieks could be heard. Almost everyone who could covered their ears. The spectators started fainting one after the other. The more time passed the more the victims increased.
"Those without the power to resist will have their lives plucked out of them just by listening to those voices, beckoning them to their deaths..." He boasted. "To me, it sounds like a chorus of hymns, how about you, Akari?"
"It sounds to me like you should go to the opera if you're not going to attack."
"Don't worry. Here goes!" He smiled insanely, fangs appearing in his mouth and horns on his head. He leapt, energy gathered in his blade. Juri ran away. Akari did not move and watched. "Baku Tou Doku Shoku Sou!" He swung. Katsuyama took the attack almost at point blank range. Dozens of skull-like, ghoulish spirits burst from the blade and scattered, devouring all the weaker youkais in their paths. The audience ran for their lives. 'Vomiting Explosive Skull Ramming Burial'... an explosion of youki turning into skulls which then buried anyone they touched. Some targeted Hiei and Kurama who destroyed them with a swat of their arms. Same for Toguro. Georges and Koenma freaked out in their VIP seats and fell back and cried, terrified, when a skull crashed against the glass in front of them.
"A demonic flute that whistles an incantation that releases evil, resonating and amplified by the shockwaves of an enchanted blade! Combine the two of them into one and you have the Makokumeizan ken!" Shishi presented his sword and swung it down. Juri raised her fearful head above the ring. "Acting as the intermediary, it consumes a good deal of my own youki... but I doubt any trace would remain of one who would take it head on." He scoffed at the large and deep crater in front of him, right where Akari should have been. The referee was scared that the human had been smashed to bits as she was nowhere to be seen.
""Anyone" you say... so you can actually tell some nice jokes... that only works on low to mid-level ones you know... But don't get depressed. I'm giving you another chance." She reassuringly patted his left shoulder while her pink head popped up from his right side, cutely tilted, with a sweet smile on her lips. Shock was etched onto the demon's features as he was still staring at the crater. That girl... was she really a monster? He fiercely glared down at her.
"Are you telling me that your speed up until now had just been to check me out?"
"Of course! And in fact, the reason I'm giving you another chance is because I want to test a technique against you." She went on with her same honeyed smile. She had just remembered it. But I have the feeling that something like that happened before not so long ago. Am I really that forgetful? She wondered. Waka-sama slashed and she dodged again. He had been unable to feel, hear or see her, but what about it?! That had to be a fluke! There was no way he could lose against a human girl!
"You impudent little rat... scurrying around... you've only escaped me once and you've gotten full of yourself..." The youkai swore, his usually handsome features once more distorted by anger, hate, and denial. He did not want to acknowledge her or the fear he was feeling very, very deep down, or that in his case, fear could a synonym to awe, that awe meant respect, that respect led to admiration, and that in admiration, there was appreciation. Well, not like he could afford to sit back and look inside himself now, blinded as he was. He had completely lost himself. "I'm going to hit you dead-on no matter what it takes!"
The audience was terrified that he was going to put another move like that one. They panicked and started fleeing. If they got caught up in that again they would die for sure! Their lives were more important than a slim chance to see that girl kick the bucket! Koto was really scared too and wanted to hide but no! She was a pro! She was going to hang in there and continue her play-by-play commentary! She called for Juri-san on the ring but the aqua-haired demon was nowhere to be seen. She had actually run away and hidden behind a wall. There was no way she'd actually risk her life over there. However, a few spectators had managed to pluck up all their courage and stayed, as fearfully trembling as they were... They were not cowards to run away like this and miss this chance!... Even if it took they had just to remain there to put a front that didn't fool anyone...
Kuwabara and the girls arrived to see a number of youkais before the stadium and many running out of it, obviously very frightened. And when the demons would stop and catch their breath, they would immediately denounce Shishiwakamaru's outrageous dragging of the spectators into things. With that even Akari would probably not escape unscathed! And so, many decided to go home, fearing for their lives if they decided to keep watching. Extremely curious, Kazuma shoved Yusuke into Botan's arms while he went to take a look. He dashed inside. Even his sister could not stop him, though she planned to give him a hundred lashes later for leaving them like this.
On the ring, Shishi and Akari were still facing each other. Then the man held his strange sword at arm length and what looked like souls left the red face's mouth and twirled around it. It started wailing again, much more eerily than before, like the anguished voices of the dead.
"The power of the Makokumeizan ken goes beyond the Baku Tou Doku Shoku Sou technique!" Suddenly, he planted his blade in the ground. "Onko Shobakuheki!" litteraly translated as Binding Shield Wall of Resentful Shouting. Low level waves seemed to erupt from the sword, pass them, and shot like a reversed waterfall. The demon took his weapon back and let out a smug evil chuckle. "Now you won't be able to keep your distance." His malicious laugh boomed in the cage. Kurama remarked it was as if the voices of the dead had taken form and envelopped the two of them. "Now what will you do, Akari?!" His expression became completely insane again. Akari smirked. Limiting the opponent's movements, trapping them, and laughing, brutally and ruthlessly attacking without any restraint or care... that wasn't a 'strategy' she disliked. No, actually, she rather liked it. She was even beginning to genuinely enjoy this situation. Her heart started beating faster. A fight really had to be like this... otherwise it wasn't any fun at all!
"The moment of contentment is almost here." Shishiwakamaru voiced her thoughts. However, the second part wasn't anything like her. "The moment when I dispatch the fool who embraces worthless illusions of what Justice is."
"You're awfully particular about right and wrong, aren't you? Do you hate it that much?"
"Of course! Violence is the purely destructive action allowed only by evil! I do not want it to be dishonored by would-be pacifists like you!"
"I completely agree. We're of the same mind, aren't we? Then why don't you stop the useless chatter and come already?"
"What?! Are you mocking me?! I'll slice you clean in half!" He shouted, twirling his katana and leaping. He swung down at the human who caught the blade between her hands. And to his shock and Toguro's delight, Shishiwakamaru's youki began flowing into her through her hands, and her eyes began glowing.
"Reiko Kyohan Shou!" Akari deflected the sword, absorbed the remaining youki sent it right back at him. Spirit light Reflecting Blast. The explosion of power that issued was so powerful that it burst the cage and projected the youkai to the other end of the ring, shocking the audience... and making a few people smile. Shishiwakamaru clenched his fists and glared at her from his fallen position.
"It's been a long time since I last used that technique. I can't recall how many times it saved my life back then. Anyway, sorry for stealing from you but I'd like to conserve my own reiki for the finals."
"You mean you used your own body as a resonating board, taking in my youki as a shockwave... and... turned it back on me?"
"That's right." Akari stood there, poised. "I'm sure you know it already but you cannot win. So what will you do? Will you surrender?"
"You too can tell some good jokes..." The demon laughed derisively and slowly struggled to stand up, helping himself with his weapon. "It will take more than just that... for me to be defeated!" He swung his sword again and held it at arm length.
"What great spirit." Katsuyama sincerely appreciated. With a trembling body that shouldn't even allow him to stand, he still had decided to fight. "B-bakuto Dokushoku-sou!" Even talking was difficult, considering the blow he had received to his chest. Once more, the ghoul-like souls gushed from the strange face. Akari erected a barrier that completely absorbed the spirits.
"Impossible!"
"She's taking her opponent's youki and converting it into her own reiki. As usual, she's one troublesome woman..." Hiei commented with mixed feelings. Upsetting, annoying, dangerous, difficult, wild, hard to reach... yet it was those very repelling traits that attracted him so much. You either hated her or loved her but you could never be indifferent to her. Because she was such an intense person, the reactions and feelings she evoked had to be intense too...
"Yeah, there's no way for Shishiwakamaru to win now." Kurama prefered to concentrate on the match and ignore for now the dread he had felt after witnessing his friend's expression... that small smile, and that soft and tender light in his red eyes, tiny, but definitely present... it couldn't be... it shouldn't be... but...
Shishiwakamaru lunged and slashed. Akari turned the barrier into a ball of energy she threw at her adversary. The wave shattered the sword and swept him away to the far end of the ring again.
"W-who are you, the devil?" He slightly raised his head with great difficulty. She sighed, crouched down at his side and flicked his forehead.
"Mooooron. You're the one who went and assumed I was an ally of Justice on your own. I am Katsuyama Akari. I do whatever I want. I beat those I dislike and I help those I like. That's all there is to it. That's why, if it's you, I will always welcome you for a rematch – if you grow stronger of course - and I'm even willing to heal you afterwards. That was unexpectedly fun. Thank you." The young girl smiled sincerely.
"Well said... alright, then promise me one thing."
"What is it?" She asked, serious again. The demon, with much effort, raised himself higher.
"The day when I win against you, you must accept me." He looked straight at her, with gleaming eyes. Even though she was so close, she was such a distant being.
"Ok, I promise." She smiled slightly, having completely misundertood the sort of acceptation he wished for. Well, not that she believed even for a second that he could beat her anyway. But if that could serve as an incentive for him to grow stronger then whatever was fine. And unaware of that, he smiled back before losing consciousness. She stood up and stepped back.
The audience was incredulous. Even Shishiwakamaru who had done so much damage among them had so easily been defeated.
"You saw that, right?" Toguro asked his teammates. "It is useless to try and defeat people of that family in a battle of spectrally-powered techniques. What can defeat them is the power than transcends technique!" He clenched his fist in front of him.
"Okay, ladies and gentlemen! Is everyone alright?!" Juri popped up suddenly in the middle of the ring. "And so..." She took Akari's wrist and raised her arm. "It is Contestant Akari's victory!" She announced, much to the crowd's discontent. "In the semi-finals of the Dark Tournament, the Urameshi Team versus the Uraotogi Team, the Uraotogi Team has only one person remaining!" As Akari returned to her teammates, the referee dramatically motionned towards the old man on the other side. He jumped onto the ring and walked forward. The spectators were rather skeptical. The last member was an old geezer?! Was it really alright like this?! Well, there was no longer any need to roll the dice on his side but he suggested keeping at it for the Urameshi Team. At this, members of the audience jeered. No matter who he was up against, he was the one who was finished! He merely laughed and rolled the dice. Kuwabara's name came up again. Juri wanted it to be rolled again since he had passed on but she was suddenly interrupted and startled.
"Wait a sec nee-chan!" It was Contestant Kuwabara who had taken Koto's mike and was pointing angrily at her, his foot on the commentator's desk. "Who the heck are you saying has passed on?! Kuwabara Kazuma is back in action!" He posed like a hero, enjoying the attention. Akari's, Hiei's, and Kurama's faces were clearly expressing the same thought in their own ways: that moron... doing such idiotic things again... why has he come back? "I am indeed alive so I should be able to go any number of times, right? I shall be the one... that wraps this all up!" He cried confidently in a high pitched voice that took away all his statement's credibility. Onji was just reassured as he wouldn't have to show any new move against him.
And outside, Shizuru had recognized her stupid brother's voice. That idiot... he had said he was just going to see how things were... she angrily dashed inside. Botan was going to follow when she stopped and turned back and dragged clueless Yukina away with her while grinning ear to ear. Keiko angrily asked what she should do here (alone with a sleeping Yusuke). The reaper returned, teased her, made a cat-like face and escaped again with Yukina and Shizuru, telling her good luck and to enjoy themselves while they handled the cheering. Again, Keiko was angry but not really so. She soon lost her balance because of Urameshi's weight. She managed to make him sit down while she sat next to him on her shins. She swore lightly before glancing at her childhood friend's face. Her expression changed. He had gotten taller... up until a little while ago, they had been just about the same height... he moved again in his sleep and fell against her. She was flustered but not unhappy. Just for now, she would allow him... and he was sleeping so peacefully... peace...
In the stadium, Kuwabara was now facing Onji on the ring. They took their fighting stances.
"Semi-finals, match number 6, Kuwabara versus Onji, begin!"
