Tournament: The Best of the Best! FINALS!!
A/N: Welcome to the Tournament Finals! My deepest thanks to all who have stuck around this long! Your patience is about to be rewarded! This is the LAST chapter of this series! In the ring today will be Ulquiorra and Karasu, but I'm going to keep the commentary going on the sidelines and in the crowd. All in favor of beginning the match? Good! Get ready to rumble! Let's go!
(in the ring)
Announcer: And the arena has finally been repaired! (glares at Karasu) Thank you for your patience! Karasu and Ulquiorra, please enter the ring!
(wild cheers erupt from the audience as Ulquiorra and Karasu step into the arena) Karasu has not put his mask back on yet
Announcer: The finals match will be fought in much the same way as the previous matches, except for that this will be to the death, not just knocking out your enemy. You may use any tools you wish to use, as long as they are with you at this time. As finals matches tend to get rather violent, my announcer's stand and the audience have been equipped with powerful shields. Unfortunately for those of you watching from the sidelines, you are not shielded. You'll have to make do with what you find. In other rules, there is no ring-out and any attacks directed intentionally at the sidelines will earn an immediate healing for your enemy. Other than that, fight as you please! Begin!
Karasu: I thought that moron would never shut up. So basically, it's just you and me, Ulquiorra. Heh heh… In my opinion, you're almost as good as Kurama… (on the sidelines, Kurama glares at Karasu)
Ulquiorra: enough. We came to fight, not to talk. I'll finish this quickly… (powers up a cero)
Karasu: heh. Don't be so hasty, Ulquiorra. I'm not going to kill you right away. (casually creates a bomb field around himself and Ulquiorra) You shoot that off, you blow up the whole field, and yourself with it.
Ulquiorra: I doubt it. (narrows the beam of his cero and shoots it through a gap in the bombs)
Karasu: ! well, that would have been nasty if it hit me… (barely dodges the cero) Well, you can't say I didn't warn you… (sets off the bombs around Ulquiorra)
Ulquiorra: !! (disappears into the smoke as the bombs around him explode violently)
Karasu: That was quick. And here I thought he'd 'have more fight in him.'
(on the sidelines)
Kurama: Why does he insist on quoting me…?
(in the ring)
Announcer: Well, folks, I think the match is over already! Karasu trapped Ulquiorra in a violently explosive ring, and I still can't see through the smoke in the arena to see if Ulquiorra's still there or not.
Karasu: save yourself the trouble. He's already dead… (sees something moving through the smoke) Hm? Maybe I spoke to soon.
Ulquiorra: Yes, you did. (Stands up in the middle of the smoke; he can't be seen clearly because of said smoke, but he is visible enough for the other people to see him dusting off his sleeves)
Karasu: So, you're more resilient than I thought.
(on the sidelines)
Sesshomaru: I smell blood.
Grimmjow: What do you mean, Sesshomaru? Can you tell whose blood?
Sesshomaru: ……I believe it is Ulquiorra-san's.
Grimmjow: What the --? Ulquiorra never gets injured!
Sesshomaru: It seems he can. It is his blood I smell.
(in the ring)
(the smoke clears more. The arena is visible enough for the fight to resume)
Karasu: Alright, that was enough of a breather. I really must kill you before the audience grows bored. If that happens, who knows what they'll throw at us.
Ulquiorra: ………this demon is more twisted than Szayel.
Karasu: Are you going to attack me? …obviously not. That means I'll have to attack you again, heh heh heh… how should I end this…? Another shockwave or perhaps my 'muddy bomb'? So many choices!
Ulquiorra: (from behind Karasu) Why do you speak to my afterimage? (stabs hand through Karasu's back as the afterimage fades)
Karasu: k-hack! (coughs up blood) n-not bad…
Ulquiorra: ……arrogant demon…
Karasu: I'm not finished… not yet… Look down, Ulquiorra. (steps unsteadily forward to get Ulquiorra's hand out of his back with a disgusting squelching sound)
Ulquiorra: Wh—(doesn't have time to finish statement as the bomb on his chest blows up, sending him flying again)
(on the sidelines)
Kurama: No way he will be getting up after that… Karasu's just too strong…
Hiei: I didn't know you were such a pessimist, daisy boy.
Kurama: (ticked off) If I were in a worse mood… (lets the threat hang for a bit)
Grimmjow: Hey, Karasu! No fair killin' off my prey! I'm gonna bash your -- skull in to make up for that!
Sesshoumaru: I doubt you'd get anywhere near him before you'd die as well.
Grimmjow: Why you--!
(in the ring)
Karasu: heh heh heh… Announcer, I believe I've won this match.
Announcer: uh… er… ok… As Ulquiorra is unable to continue, Karasu—
Ulquiorra: …not…another word, ningen. …I'm not… dead yet. (Ulquiorra staggers to his feet. There is a gaping wound in the center of his chest, with blood gushing out)
Karasu: you're still standing? Impossible!
(on the sidelines)
Aoshi: a gaping chest wound, and he's still able to move?
Kurama: Ulquiorra is far tougher than I'd thought. Karasu's running low on power, and Ulquiorra's still got a lot of aura left! Still, those injuries… hm…
Inuyasha: Huh, Karasu's got a real fight coming now!
Grimmjow: --, that pale freak's a lot tougher than I'd thought!
Aoshi: You've fought him multiple times, how did you not know?
Grimmjow: Cocky idiot's always held back, ningen. (begins muttering darkly, mostly insults directed at said "idiot")
(in the ring)
Karasu: heh, but you're barely able to stand, aren't you, arrancar? I'll finish you off with the next blast! May you know a minimum of pain… …I'll have to finish him off with the next strike! My energy has a limit, and it's getting very close, with all those bombs I've been making.
Ulquiorra: ……I've lost a lot of blood to this demon. (inhales deeply, calming himself, trying and succeeding to boost his powers to maximum un-released level)
Karasu: Hah! (charging power for shockwave)
Ulquiorra: I cannot let him release that! (leaps into air, sonido-ing to behind Karasu)
Karasu: wha--? Where'd he… (Ulquiorra delivers a powerful midair kick to Karasu's back) oof! (crashes halfway across the arena, his charge of power vanishing)
Announcer: And Ulquiorra has just delivered a devastating kick to Karasu from behind! Even injured, that guy's got a lot of power! This match can go either way now!
Karasu: (getting to his feet) still got some sting to your attacks, mm? No more play time. I will finish him, NOW! Failure is not an option! (charges multiple mini-shockwaves) Dodge this, arrancar!
Ulquiorra: Baka. More attacks don't mean more power. (glowing cero forms at the tip of his finger) If I aim there… (mental calculations…)
Announcer: (edging away) things are looking kinda messy now, folks! Even I'm feeling threatened by this incredible wave of power!
Karasu: Enough stalling, Ulquiorra. Let's end this! Die! (launches seven mini-shockwaves)
Ulquiorra: (dodges a shockwave) they're much faster… Cero! (fires cero at Karasu, dodging another blast) I can't dodge them all! (bombs and shockwave-blasts surround him)
Karasu: Ahahahaha! (launching more power blasts) huh? Wha--? (cero comes out of the smoke from bombs, heading right for him)
(Cero hits Karasu and the bombs and shockwaves explode. Arena is engulfed in smoke again.)
Announcer: Aaaagh! (got knocked off their stand at the edge of the arena) thunk Ow.
(in the crowd)
Toguro (elder): heeheehee…
Toguro (younger): Brother, that laugh is annoying me.
Bui: ………
Koenma: I don't think my barrier can hold… (trying to force more power into barrier)
Random fan: Aaaagh! The barrier is cracking! Run, run for your lives! Aaaaagh! (barrier begins to crack under pressure by shockwaves)
Botan: Ack! Koenma-sama, your barrier's breaking!
(sidelines)
(contestants are dodging for their lives)
Grimmjow: That idiot just doesn't know the meaning of subtlety…
Kenshin: (dodging a boulder that almost hit him) I thought you said he always held back!
Grimmjow: Not that idiot, idiot! The explosives guy! (avoids a shockwave)
Kenshin: Oro…
Sango (to Aoshi): What's Oro supposed to mean, anyway?
Aoshi: ………… (uses Kenshin as a shield)
Kenshin: (gets bonked) Oro!
(in the ring)
Announcer: (climbs back up into announcer's stand) Well, that was interesting, to say the least. Everyone still alive? I still can't see into the arena at the moment… oh, wait, the smoke's clearing… again…
(there are two forms visible in the mist. Neither one is moving)
Announcer: I think we may have another Inuyoukai style match on our hands, folks! (Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha glare/growl at Announcer) Uh, no offence meant, guys. Nice doggies… No chewing up the announcer… Wait, someone's moving!
Ulquiorra: ……… (standing up somewhat shakily, badly injured from blast) cough I hate smoke. (walks over to Karasu) You fought well, Karasu. Unfortunately for you, this match is to the death. (draws zanpakutoh and cuts off Karasu's head, then tosses it to the announcer)
Announcer: Eek! (almost falls off stand again) Ulquiorra, that wasn't exactly needed… As Karasu is obviously dead, Ulquiorra wins the match! Congratulations, Ulquiorra! You are the Best of the Best tournament winner! (crowd bursts into spontaneous applause)
(sidelines)
Grimmjow: Feh. Lucky --.
Sango: Grimmjow sounds like you, Inuyasha! (laughing)
Inuyasha: Shut up.
Kurama: …phew Ulquiorra's a lot stronger than I thought.
(in the crowd)
Aizen: ……interesting… (quietly) No more excuses, Ulquiorra. I know your full power now. No more hiding it on missions.
Toguro (younger): So Karasu didn't quite have it in him…
Botan: The fight's over! We're saved!
Koenma: (annoyed) I could have held the barrier, you know.
(in the ring)
Announcer: That's it for the tournament! Thank you for coming and supporting us! Ulquiorra, you may accept your prize!
Ulquiorra: ………(takes trophy from announcer's assistant)
(sidelines)
Grimmjow: What? That guy gets a trophy?! Not fair!
Sesshoumaru: you sound like a whining brat.
Grimmjow: That's it! I'm gonna kill you! (attacks Sesshoumaru)
Sesshoumaru: (calmly defeats Grimmjow with Tokijin) pathetic.
Inuyasha: Hey, you sound a lot like pale-and-creepy, Fluffy-sama.
Sango: Don't start that again, Inuyasha…
END
A/N: Phew, it's finally over! Well, it was a long road, but my tournament is over at last! Congratulations, Ulquiorra! I think it's time I put down my pen for a bit, but I'll be back! I'm plotting lots of fun for another Tournament! Until next time, then! Bye!