Fireworks went off into the morning sky. At the center of the island, a large stadium was roaring with shouts and cheers from the spectators in the stands. In the middle of the stadium was a large circular ring, not unlike the one from the ship.

"Morning, everyone! You ready for some unholy mayhem?!" The announcer stood in the middle of the ring with a cordless microphone in one hand and her other hand reaching skyward. She had short brown hair that reached her shoulders, bright green eyes, and whiskers sprouting from her cheeks. Large sandy cat ears poked out from the top of her head and a bushy white-tipped tail swished behind her excitedly. She wore a sleeveless white top with a yellow collar and blue ascot. A thin red ribbon tied around her neck in a bowtie. Her pink shorts reached her mid-thighs and her legs were sheathed in black leggings and red boots. "Let's welcome our first teams of contenders! I declare the Dark Tournament officially underway!"

The shouts from the fans doubled in volume as they yelled and stomped their feet. Some yelled angrily while others were excited and eager.

"We want hitting, kicking, pokes in the eye!"

"We didn't do any of that for weeks so we could be here!"

"The rules bar those who do bad deeds! So let's see some!'

The Jolly Devil Six emerged from one side of the stadium. Rinku had his hands clasped behind his head with a huge smile. "Wow, Check out that crowd!"

Along with Rinku, Zeru walked calmly with his arms crossed, and three other demons followed behind. One of them was imp-like with blue skin and narrow eyes. He wore a green trench coat and black sweatpants with black boots. Another fighter was a dark, muscled man with a tight green shirt, army-green pants, and black boots. The final member of the team had long wavy brown hair with a goatee. His eyes were hidden by round purple sunglasses. He wore a baggy white sweatshirt and baggy pants with a string of large beads around his neck.

"It's the Jolly Devil Six—Scrappy stars of the slums!" The announcer introduced the team enthusiastically.

Sayomi adjusted her grip on Yusuke's right arm while Kuwabara shouldered his left. They walked out into the open along with Hiei, Kurama, and the Masked Fighter as the announcer introduced them to the mob of angry fans.

"The 'guests' have arrived!"

The shouts from the crowd grew louder and increasingly spiteful. Sayomi couldn't cover her ears and the yelling became somewhat overwhelming. She focused on her breathing as she made her way to the ring, ignoring the insults.

"Look! Urameshi's already fainted!"

"Hiei! Kurama! Human-lovin' bastards!"

"No way you're comin' out alive!"

"Traitors! Hope they chew you up and spit you out!"

"Friendly bunch…" Kuwabara grumbled as he walked. "Guess they have to vent on somebody."

Kurama sighed and said, "Calling us traitors? If they weren't such lowlifes, I'd take offense."

"So I shouldn't feel offended for being excluded from the insults?" Sayomi muttered to herself.

"Teams to the center, please!" The announcer waited while both teams made their way to her.

There was a tense moment of silence between the teams. Sayomi observed each of the other fighters, trying to rank them based on how strong they look. Zeru seems too relaxed. He's gotta be the strongest one here. So then, how does Rinku rank with the rest of the team? Meanwhile, the crowd was yelling ideas and insults.

"Pulp th' scum!"

"Rip 'em apart!"

"Pound 'em to jelly!"

Somehow, Yusuke continued to snore through all the ruckus on Sayomi's and Kuwabara's shoulders. Their opponents simply stared while Rinku muttered to himself, "Still asleep."

The announcer began to explain the rules. "The team captains will decide the mode of battle and what constitutes a win. If they're unable to agree, House Rules stipulate each member fight one-on-one. The team with the most victories takes the match."

Zeru smirked and stepped forward.

"The captain…?" Kuwabara clenched his teeth as he looked to his sleeping captain. "Yusuke's still out."

"Then it's your office, Kuwabara," Kurama said with an encouraging smile. Hiei seemed reluctant but he didn't object. Sayomi glared at their opponents and adjusted her grip on Yusuke's arm.

"Say what? Y'mean me?" Kuwabara pointed at himself, an embarrassed smile spreading across his face. He laughed and rubbed the back of his head, leaving Sayomi to support Yusuke by herself. "Shucks, I'm flattered! It means being Urameshi's second, but what the heck?!"

He became serious as he glared and stomped forward. "I'll show 'em leadership!"

"Shee…" Hiei glared at Kuwabara's arrogance.

"Sure, leave Yusuke for me to handle. Not like he's bigger than me or anything." Sayomi grumbled under her breath.

Kuwabara and Zeru met at the center of the ring in front of the announcer. They glared at each other, Zeru with his arms crossed and Kuwabara with his hands in his pockets.

"Not that it matters, but I'm for one-on-one. It prolongs the fun." Zeru spoke coolly and just loud enough to be heard.

"Sounds good to me!" Kuwabara pumped a fist eagerly. "It's a real man's way to fight!"

"It's been decided – five one-on-one battles!" The announcer informed the crowd enthusiastically.

Kuwabara made his way back to help Sayomi with carrying Yusuke to their side of the ring. He grinned and asked, "Wazzat cool or wot?"

Sayomi sighed from the relief of carrying Yusuke's dead weight on her own. "It certainly suited you."

They had made it half way across the ring with the others when a large wave of flames surrounded them. Zeru was watching them calmly, his eyes smoldering.

"Cripes! His aura's hot as an oven!" Kuwabara made sure to keep Yusuke away from the fire. "It's obvious he's trying to provoke Yusuke!"

Sayomi glared at Zeru, shielding Yusuke from harm. So his skill is fire, huh? I guess this is what Hiei meant…

Zeru retracted his aura, the wind an instant relief from the intense heat. Kuwabara growled and took Yusuke by the front of his shirt. "Rise and shine, Urameshi!"

Sayomi rolled her eyes and joined her team on their side of the field. Of course he's not affected. Stubborn boy…

"First contenders on the field!" The announcer called for the fighters.

"Check ya later, guys!" Rinku hopped up to the ring and strolled forward with his hands clasped behind his head.

"I'll take this one!" Kuwabara volunteered with a smug grin and crossed arms. He had left Yusuke sitting up against the ring.

"Kuwabara's up! Bleah!"

"Kill him!"

Sayomi glared at the crowd then looked at Rinku. He seemed disappointed with his opponent. Not that I blame him. He's not the best fighter on the team, but he's not that bad.

You obviously haven't fought him. I'm certain even you could beat him. Hiei's tone was unimpressed and he seemed to have low expectations when it came to the human.

Only reason he won't even spar with me is because I'm a girl. I'm actually curious about a friendly match with him. While Kuwabara was only human, Sayomi had grown to respect his perseverance. If he can fight every day with Yusuke, that must mean something, right?

Perhaps in the streets of Human World, but this is the Dark Tournament. No competitor here will leave him alive. Hiei watched the other team suspiciously, as if expecting something.

The announcer held up her finger as she explained the rules of the round. "In one-on-one, the rules are – anything goes! A count of 10 will determine out-of-bounds and knockdowns. Begin!"

Rinku clasped his hands behind his back and bounced on the balls of his feet. "Well, here goes."

Kuwabara smiled smugly and beckoned Rinku with his hand. "Okay, shrimp, bring it!"

"You got it!" Rinku sprang and proceeded to run, jump, and flip all around Kuwabara. He was so fast, he left multiple after-images to confuse his foe. Kuwabara tried to follow as he shook his head from one image to another.

"Rinku displays amazing agility! I, Koto, your commentator, can barely follow him!" Koto watched with shock as she tried to follow the kid's movements.

"That'll do! He can't see me…" Rinku's grin faltered to shock when Kuwabara appeared right in front of him with a fist already pulled back. He landed a solid blow to the top of Rinku's head, knocking his hat off and sending him several feet away.

The Jolly Devil Six looked troubled when they saw the human's adaptability. The rest of the crowd was stunned to murmurs and whispered disbelief.

"Didya see that?"

"Unreal!"

Kuwabara prepared for another punch as he charged Rinku. "The gloves are off, kid!"

"Urf!" Rinku flipped himself over and sprang off on his hand. "Gah!"

Kuwabara kicked him off balance before he could get too far.

"Why you—" Rinku growled and charged Kuwabara who delivered an easy uppercut to the kid's chin.

"Bah! Never seen anything so pathetic!"

"Who sent that wimpy runt anyway?!"

The crowd was becoming angrier with every hit Rinku took. They couldn't stand that the human was able to get hits in so easily. Sayomi found herself smiling at the crowd's reaction, but she couldn't shake a feeling she was getting. Why does this look so easy…?

"Kuwabara can be surprising," Kurama commented. "I've sparred with him, and I can tell you he loves to fight."

"Great, but what's with all the samurai posturing?" Hiei glared at the fool for taking so long. "He should've finished this with his aura sword by now."

"I think he's underestimating his opponent because of his appearance." Sayomi watched with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "The brat snuck up on us so easily last night that this can't be the extent of his skills. If he won't fight against women, then I can imagine his feelings about children."

Kuwabara landed a powerful punch to Rinku's stomach, stealing his breath. Rinku curled in on his injury, trying to recover.

"He's got him!" Kurama cheered eagerly. "This is it!"

Kuwabara dashed forward with a raised fist. "I ain't into torture, so I'll make it quick! You're goin' down for the count, kid!"

Just before his punch landed, Rinku sprinted from view. Kuwabara gasped as his mind tried to process the turn of events.

"Heh… Hope you enjoyed the moment…" Rinku had appeared right behind Kuwabara, looking as healthy as the beginning of the match.

Kuwabara turned as quickly as he could and made impact with Rinku's kick. The combined force from opposing directions was strong enough to knock Kuwabara from his feet. Sayomi cringed when she heard the crack in Kuwabara's neck. Kurama gasped in shock at the swift attack.

"1!" Koto started to count.

"…'Cause the moment's over! Ha ha ha!" Rinku laughed with his hands behind his head.

"2!"

"I coulda popped him right off, but where's the fun in that?" Rinku lowered his arms and called out to Koto. "Don't bother counting. He's dead. I snapped his neck."

Sayomi clenched her fists under her folded arms. There's no way Kuwabara would go down that easily. Don't let him win. Get up, Kuwabara…

"Super awesome, li'l dude!"

"Might fine, that!"

Rinku grinned and waved both arms to the crowd, enjoying the praise. He froze when he heard a voice behind him.

"So you say… you broke my neck?" Kuwabara slowly made his way back to his feet, popping his neck back into place. He was bleeding from his left temple, the blood spilling over his eye. "Then I'll have to return the favor… in spades!"

"He beat the count! The battle will resume!" Koto announced to the stands.

Rinku slipped his hands into his pockets and smirked over his shoulder at Kuwabara.

"Tough sonuvagun—still standing after that kick!"

"Finish it, runt! Kill him!"

Sayomi smirked and relaxed her fists. She let out a small sigh of relief and shook her head. "I knew he was too stubborn to stay down."

Koto took in the energy of the crowd, using it to pump up her own excitement. "Rinku uses psychological tactics to catch the other off-guard, and Kuwabara takes it in stride! It's only the first match of the tournament, but the tension is already palpable!"

Kuwabara smirked, ignoring the blood in his eye. "Gotta say, he outwitted me, but that kick to my head didn't do me in… so he ain't much to worry about."

"Now I get why you were invited as 'guests.' You withstood my direct attack, so I'll bring out my…" Rinku smiled and reached for his pouch. He rummaged around for the contents and presented a yo-yo with a star in the center. "…Demonic tricks.

"Devil Yo-Yos!" He held up both hands with a yo-yo between each of his fingers, four in each hand.

"Serious playtime, eh?" Kuwabara held up his hands and summoned both of his aura swords, holding them up in a cross guard. "Batter up, pal!"

Rinku sprang to the air and released a handful of yo-yos straight for Kuwabara. "Shot!"

"Hmph! Simple!" Kuwabara braced himself and prepared to swing. "I'll just split 'em…"

He hesitated when he saw the yo-yos maneuver this way and that. He couldn't predict their movements and he was struck with all four toys. One hit him in the cheek while the other three hit him in his torso. The blows were strong enough to knock him down again.

"What a stylish move!" Koto complimented the technique. "Rinku's yo-yos faked out Kuwabara's butt good!"

Rinku landed and began to casually play with his yo-yos, letting them eat into the stadium floor. "Hey, moron, didya think I was just gonna play around? My aura goes right from my fingers to the yo-yos, each of which I control individually. Like so!" He spread out both hands, letting each yo-yo travel in a different direction like snakes.

"Oh boy…!" Kuwabara got back to his feet and hesitated at the sight of the kid's abilities.

Rinku retracted his yo-yos and prepared to release them again. "Your dull ol' aura swords won't even cut the strings!" He released a handful of yo-yos down towards the ground while the other handful launched up in the air.

"Yoicks! They're slicin' up the ground as they go!" At the last second, Kuwabara jumped out of the way. However, the yo-yos changed direction to follow him and get him from his back and his stomach.

"Rinku's powers work best through weapons. He may be small, but his yo-yos kick butt." Zeru spoke proudly of the young lad.

"They go wherever he wills!" Kurama observed, impressed with the boy's skills.

"Which makes it a bad day for Kuwabara!" Sayomi gritted her teeth, getting anxious for the match to end soon.

While Kuwabara rested on the stadium floor, the yo-yos began to wrap around his ankles and wrists. Kuwabara clenched his teeth when they tightened and began to lift him from the ground. "What?!"

"Those yo-yos have lifted Kuwabara's body into the air!" Koto announced to the viewers.

"Round the World!" Rinku yelled excitedly.

"Whoa!" Kuwabara yelled as he was swung by the strings and slammed into the ground, chin first.

"Blood! We want blood!"

"Whip 'im 'round again!"

Rinku obliged the fan requests and swung Kuwabara into the stadium again and again. Sayomi couldn't help cringing each time she heard his body slam into the ground. I'm gonna have to take care of him once this is over.

"Can't say much for your coaching, Kurama. Your student's been laid out flat." Hiei commented, unimpressed.

"I admit, we haven't seen much yet." Kurama watched calmly, as if waiting for something.

Sayomi quirked an eyebrow at Kurama's statement and returned her attention to the ring. "I hope whatever he has is enough to get him out of this one."

"Agh… Dratted…" Kuwabara was suspended with his limbs spread open just above the floor. "Punk! I'll kill you…!"

Rinku sighed and said, "You're a tough one to finish off. And this is just the first day. Better wrap this up."

He began to channel more aura into his yo-yo strings, lifting Kuwabara higher and higher until he could barely be heard. Even then, he continued to elevate. "Lemme down!'

"Sure will…" Rinku called up and grinned. "…After a few more feet. How's the view?"

"Kuwabara's flying high but it's a long way down!" Koto spoke into her mic, eager to see the events unfold.

"Lemme down!" Kuwabara yelled.

"Drop him! Kill him!"

"Yer dead now, human!"

Rinku lifted him a couple more feet and held him steady for a moment. "That should do it. You'll go splat—like an egg!" Then, without warning, Rinku retracted all eight of his yo-yos.

"Raah!" Kuwabara screamed as he fell straight down.

"He's falling! This is the end!" Koto sounded on the edge of her seat as she watched.

Sayomi gasped and forced herself to stay put. Come on, Kuwabara!

"Not yet, it ain't!" Kuwabara growled spitefully. He extended his hand to the ground and shouted, "Sword, grow!"

An aura sword shot out from his hand and pierced the stadium. Using the sword to absorb his fall, Kuwabara leaned back and bent the weapon. Then he launched himself straight at Rinku with a determined glare.

"He plunged his sword into the ground to break his fall and – fling him forward!" Koto couldn't believe the spontaneous save.

"Yes!" Sayomi cheered and pumped her fist.

Rinku smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Sweet move, guy. You're darn clever in a pinch. But now, your trajectory is sending you straight at me!" Rinku released all of his yo-yos straight at Kuwabara's air-born body. "And that just begs for a salvo of yo-yos right to your face!"

"You forgot! I've got a second sword!" Kuwabara extended a hand and shot out another aura sword.

"So what? A straight sword's easy to dodge—" Rinku lost his composure when he noticed Kuwabara's plan.

Kuwabara's aura sword was weaving through Rinku's yo-yo strings, following them straight to the source. Meanwhile, Rinku's yo-yo's stayed on course and closed in on Kuwabara.

Sayomi felt her mouth hang open in shock by the unexpected move. Is this what Kurama was waiting for? But then why the hell did he wait so long to use it?!

"Rinku! Quick, jump back!" Zeru shouted out to his teammate, but neither fighter could avoid the inevitable blows.

Right as the yo-yos struck Kuwabara down in the face and shoulders, his aura sword stabbed straight through Rinku's stomach.

"Uh… Oh…" Rinku gasped in disbelief.

"G-gotcha…!" Kuwabara grunted with finality.

"Damn…" Sayomi couldn't believe her eyes.

The stadium was stunned to silence until Koto made the announcement. "They knocked each other out cold – and out of bounds!"