A.N.: I LIVE! No seriously, this has been a rough year for me. Thankfully I find writing to be very relaxing, and I've recently had a little time to write. I've also got a project going for a friend, and I'll post more when I've got more for her.

Kuroda was taller than me, with dark hair and large glasses. I was a little flattered when he took them off and put them in a pocket, until he caught me staring.

"I don't want to get blood on them."

Arrogant ass. I was getting mad at his attitude and the way he looked down at me. Just because I was in middle school didn't mean that I wouldn't let him have it. His aura shone clearly through the darkness, brilliant blue and white like a cold fire. I figured that as an assassin, he's killed several people, and probably wouldn't hesitate to kill me too if he got the chance.

I wasn't going to give him that chance.

Genkai yelled "Begin!" and Kuroda pulled something out of his pocket with its own red aura. Judging by the shape alone it was a blade of some sort, but why would it have an aura? Only the living had auras. Right?

I was distracted by the blade, and I didn't notice right away that it was coming for me, along with Kuroda. For a human he was fast, and silent. I couldn't hear him at all as he ran. At the last moment I ducked under the blade. It passed through my hair, leaving an icy cold trail across my scalp.

"The fuck!"

He laughed at me. Actually laughed at me. "My blade has a mind of its own, and it wants your blood boy! Your death will feed my blade and make us stronger!"

I mentally awarded him three out of five stars on the crazy scale, and a five out of five on the stupid scale. You're only supposed to brag when facing cowards, not real opponents who want to put you down.

Another swing from him and another dodge from me. I waited until he made his third attempt with the blade before catching his arm in a hold and kicked him in the ribs as hard as I could. Twice. He broke free and staggered back, both hands pressed protectively over the spot I kicked.

"What?" he spat blood out, gaping at me where I stood. He could see me too in the dark. Made sense.

"What's wrong?" I smirked at him. "Are you only used to kids who don't fight back?"

He scowled and threw the blade at me. I jumped aside to let it fly by and it stuck itself in a pillar.

"Much better," I grinned at him. Fist fights were more my style.

I expected his charge at me, welcomed it even. This was the way I was used to fighting, the way I was used to winning. When he got within my reach I pummeled him hard, aiming to put him down and in the hospital. The first few hits he took head on with only a grunt on impact. It was an insult, one I've used before and knew how to spot, so I hit harder, like I was trying to put Kuwabara down. I got a good one on his temple which dropped him to one knee. His aura flickered and dimmed a little.

He tried to get back up but I didn't let him. I knew that if he got back up I'd have a harder time putting him back on the ground. My fists kept moving, picking up an easy rhythm. Kuroda's nose broke and splattered blood everywhere. His aura dimmed more. I figured one more hit and he'd be down for a while.

Something was wrong. My fists didn't listen. They kept punching Kuroda in the face, dimming his aura more and more. I tried to stop moving, to lock my muscles, to walk away, anything, but I couldn't. I was stuck in place, punching this guy over and over, forced to watch as his aura faded away and his body slumped to the floor. Even when he was out of reach my hands swung uselessly at the air for a few seconds, until something in me snapped, and I was in control again.

Fear coiled around my heart like a snake. What just happened? Why wasn't I in control of my own body?

Kuroda didn't have a face anymore, not really. I couldn't look at him without the bile rising in my throat in time with the self loathing in my mind.

I killed a human. Rando was bad enough, and I don't know if I'll ever really get over that, but Kuroda was human. An assassin, but still human.

I staggered back to Genkai and her tiny circle of light. Kuwabara was looking at me strangely, as was Botan. I didn't care. I left the room and puked in the grass outside the door.

Everyone followed me out, and I might have been embarrassed if I wasn't so freaked out about what happened back there. Thankfully I hadn't eaten a large breakfast today, but even when my stomach was empty I still heaved.

"What the hell's your problem, Urameshi!"

"Isn't it obvious?" I coughed out. More bile was spat into the grass as my stomach finally settled.

"First you kill that Rando guy, then Kuroda, then you steal his knife? You've changed man, and I don't know you anymore!"

"The fuck are you talking about? I didn't steal his knife!" Kuwabara usually made more sense than this. It wasn't his style to lie or make stuff up.

"Then what do you call that?" he pointed to the grass next to my shoes. Kuroda's blade was there, red aura and all.

I jumped away from it. That was freaky! "I didn't bring it out here! I left that thing stuck in the support pillar back in there, I swear!"

Kuwabara opened his mouth to say something, but Genkai beat him to it. "I did not see Urameshi carry it out," she stepped closer to the blade, but did not touch it. "This dagger is cursed. I could feel it the moment Kuroda set foot on my property. I will dispose of it once my successor is chosen."

"If it's cursed, shouldn't we get rid of it now?" Kuwabara was red in the face, either from panic or being proven wrong.

The hag rolled her eyes. "We've wasted enough time just to get to this point. Quit whining and follow me."

We did. I refused to touch the knife and left it in the grass. Kuwabara refused to look at me. At least Botan thought I was innocent. She kept trying to heal my injuries without anyone else noticing, but Genkai would turn her head to glare at her whenever Botan healed more than a scrape.

The trees came to an abrupt halt, revealing a giant swamp to us. The feel of this place made the hairs on my neck stand up and made my spirit energy roll. Next to me Kuwabara was white as a ghost. The ninja was taking deep breaths, like he was relaxing. The China dude was expressionless. That worried me the most.

"What is this place?" Kuwabara whispered.

Genkai smirked. "Ancient battles were fought here. There is no more spiritual a spot on this mountain. Here is where your powers may reach full flower."

The ninja agreed with her (it totally sounded like he was sucking up), while Kuwabara just shivered. "A lot of people died here."

"Yes," Genkai nodded. "Thousands. Their spirits still roam the swamp," she smiled wider when he shivered at her words.

Evil old hag.

Kuwabara was up first, him versus the China dude. They squared off, both of them sinking into the soft ground from weight alone. When Genkai shouted "Begin!", Kuwabara pulled out the bit of wood that helped him create his aura sword. I was amazed he still had any energy to use.

The China dude, or Chinpo as the hag referred to him, was still calm. He stood in a loose, easy stance, with his hands at his sides. "Does it bother you?" he asked.

"Does what bother me?"

"The ghosts. Do they bother you?"

Kuwabara's already pale face went white. He started swinging his sword wildly, fighting someone I couldn't see. Chinpo didn't move, his face didn't change. His orange aura was flexing wildly. Tendrils were reaching out to lick along Kuwabara's aura.

"Get away!" he was screaming at something, still swinging his sword like a mad man. What was wrong with him?

"Kuwabara!"

"Urameshi!" he didn't look at me. "Get them off of me!"

I couldn't see anything, only him. "There's nothing there!"

He screamed and stumbled, falling to one knee. "There's too many of them!"

"Dammit Kuwabara! There's nothing there! It's all in your head!"

"I can see them, I can hear them, and I can smell them!"

What? "You idiot! Ghosts don't have a smell!"

He wasn't listening to me. I could tell by the way he was cussing out the ghosts only he could see. I tried a different tack.

"Those ghosts are being controlled by the China dude! Hit him and they'll go away!" Chinpo's eyes went wide. I'm guessing all his abilities were psychic, and his fighting skills were zilch. "Get Chinpo!"

With a roar Kuwabara leapt into the air and took off running for Chinpo. To a lesser man, Kuwabara must have looked and sounded like a train heading right for him. Chinpo fell back, his feet caught in the mud of the swamp. His arms were raised in a feeble defense.

At the last second Kuwabara's sword went out and his fist broke both of Chinpo's arms in one blow. His next swing broke Chinpo's nose; he fainted.

Kuwabara calmed down. He still glanced around to look for enemies, but attacked nothing. "They're gone." His breathing was still heavy, but no longer panicked.

"Winner: Kuwabara!" Even though Genkai wasn't smiling, she still seemed satisfied. "Next up: Urameshi vs. Kazemaru! Get to it, boys!"