Ch.20–The chapter with many titles: Rando vs. Pigeon, Naraku vs. Shita, The Gatekeeper
"What kind of demon are you?" Naraku asks as Shita attacks the barrier around him. "I have never come across your kind before. You should join me."
"No." Shita continues to attack him.
"Shita look out!" Kagome yells as Shita is blinded by red light.
(W/ the team)
"Are we there yet?" Yusuke asks as he and Kuwabara catch up to the 4 demons in the group.
"Took you long enough." Hiei scolds.
"You think you coulda done better shorty!?" Kuwabara yells at Hiei.
"I know I could've. You humans take too long."
"You little –"
"Enough!" Youko yells, starting to get angry. "This is ridiculous! The two of you separate! NOW!"
"Shita's in trouble! Speed up!" Daihoushi orders as him and Rai speed up even more. The others do so as well. As demons seem to be appearing more frequently the demons in the group quickly take care of them.
(In the high room)
Shita's vision clears to see Kagome on the floor, 2 spirit needles going through her shoulder, fresh blood dripping down them. Realization hits her as she finds that the light she saw before was meant to blind her so as to gibe her attacker the chance to shoot her in the neck with the 2 spirit needles, killing her instantly. "Kagome…" Shita's demonic eye glows red and she attacks the demon across the room. But Naraku throws a barrier around the demon and Shita is shoved back. "I will kill you…" She growls.
"It's your fault." The red-haired demon steps into the light. "You were careless and did not put your guard up."
"Now, now. Be nice." Naraku puts up a hand. An orb-like barrier forms around Shita, picking her up off the floor and slowly filling with water. "As a hell demon you must have ties to fire, so I'm sure you'll love a bath."
"Shita!" Kagome shoots an arrow at Naraku. "Let her go!"
Naraku deflects it with his other hand. "You have other things to worry about my dear."
Rando comes up behind her, wrapping a new chain around her arms and pulling her back. "Hello there, little miko." He whispers in her ear. A dagger is immediately at his throat.
"I suggest you release her at once." A slightly deep voice states from somewhere behind Rando.
"Who the fuck are you!?" Rando growls. "If you don't back off right now I'll –" SPLAT! The sound echoes as the room becomes silent. An odd smell reaches Rando's nose as something starts to settle on hid head. "What the?" He reaches a hand up to touch his hair and it comes back covered in white stuff. "There better not be a bird in here…" He growls, his eyes turning slightly red.
"If that's all you can do then you're stupid." The dagger disappears, along with Kagome. "Thanks for giving my friend back; it was nice of you to be distracted."
Something flutters up by the ceiling, catching Rando's attention. "A PIGEON! I JUST GOT CRAPPED ON BY A DAMN PIGEON!" He becomes enraged. "I'LL KILL THAT DAMN BIRD FOR CRAPPING ON ME!" He shoots a spirit gun attack at the small bird. It just sits on the ceiling and waits. "I GOT HIM NOW! DAMN PIGEON!" At the last minute the pigeon looks at Rando's oncoming attack and moves over about a foot. The attack misses, shooting a huge gaping hole in the ceiling.
"You idiot!" Naraku snaps at him. "You're going to bring the ceiling down! Control your temper!"
"I JUST GOT CRAPPED ON BY A PIGEON!"
"And you're about to get your ass kicked. Again." Yusuke breaks down the door, stepping forward into the room.
"Hey Yurameshi! Isn't that the guy you crushed in Genki's tournament? The one that couldn't even figure out how to use one of his own attacks?!" Kuwabara points at the demon without a shirt.
"Yeah! That's Rando!" Yusuke exclaims. "I thought I got you locked up for good!"
"Didn't expect to see me huh?" Rando smirks. "I was too much for them to handle and I busted out."
"He's lying!" Kuwabara exclaims. "He has to be! He was a pushover last time! He couldn't even handle his own attack and shrunk himself!"
"I assure you, that won't happen again. But why don't we take this into a different room, shall we?" Rando looks at Naraku who hits a button on the wall, the flooring by the door opens before the humans have a chance to move, the demons take a step backwards to avoid the trapdoor. Rando laughs and saunters out of the room. "I'll take care of them."
"Now that the humans are gone I have a surprise for you two." Naraku turns his attention to Youko and Hiei. "I brought some friends of yours that are just dying to see you." A black cage comes down from the ceiling and traps the 2 demons. "Have a nice reunion." Naraku smirks. The cage drops through the floor. Before the floor closes the pigeon leaves the broken ceiling and chases after the trapped demons. The ceiling crumbles and falls. Naraku puts up a barrier to shield himself from the debris making sure to keep Shita stuck in the water filled bubble. "Now there's only two of you left." He narrowly misses a purified arrow aimed at his head. "Now Kagome, it's not nice to be hostile to a mate." He is suddenly slammed into the wall with a giant wooden hammer.
"She is not your mate." Daihoushi growls.
(Elsewhere)
Yusuke and Kuwabara continue to fall for several minutes until they land roughly on solid dirt and rock flooring. "Where are we?" Kuwabara asks.
"Like the hell I know Kuwabara! I can't see a damn thing! There's no lighting!" Yusuke snaps.
"Welcome to the beginning of the end." A voice resonates in the room.
"The end of what!?!" Yusuke shouts.
"Yeah! Who do you think you are!?!" Kuwabara tries to act tough.
"I am your executioner, and this is the end of your life." The lights flick on to reveal a stadium, Rando standing in the center.
(Somewhere else)
The cage, that Youko and Hiei are being held in, crashes onto a hard earthen floor. The cage falls apart and the pieces scatter around them. The pigeon lands gently on Youko's shoulder. "You came to help Rai? I thought you didn't approve of me."
-"I don't. But my sister seems to like you quite a bit. And if you die here she'll be upset. But keep in mind, if you hurt her, I will not hesitate to kill you."-
"We're not alone." Hiei states as he places his hand on the hilt of his katana. 13 demons appear out of thin air. "Hn. We killed all of these before."
"It appears that Naraku can resurrect whoever he wants, including himself. I don't like the idea of him being upstairs with her. Let's kill them as quickly as possible."
"Don't have to tell me twice. I've been waiting for a good fight." Hiei takes the bandana off his head, revealing his jagon eye.
"I guess its time to have some serious fun." Rai states as he shifts to his human form, standing next to Youko. "Bring on the competition!"
(In the high room)
Naraku grabs Daihoushi's head and slams him into the floor. "She would be if you'd just let me have her."
"I would never let a foul creature like you hold her against her will." Dai punches him in the head. "She has already chosen elsewhere." He throws Naraku across the room. "And you will leave her alone." As if on cue, a purified arrow gets Naraku as he starts to stand, piercing him though the shoulder and pinning him to the wall. He screams out in pain as his insides are shocked with purification charge within the arrow. His eyes widen slightly as he spits up blood.
"That's no very nice Kagome." Naraku growls. "You shall be punishes for defying me." He throws a barrier around her and runs through it.
"Oh no you don't!" Daihoushi attacks the barrier. "Get back here and die like you're supposed to!" He hears a gurgled scream and realized the bubble Shita is still trapped in is now completely filled with water. "Shita!" Dai turns and attacks the bubble to release Shita before she drowns.
Kagome looks around inside the small barrier, searching for Naraku. "Looking for me, mate?" A voice whispers seductively in her ear while an arm wraps around her waist and pulls her back. "There is no need to look anymore." Naraku hold her against him, using his other hand to pull her head back. He licks her neck, sending a shiver down her spine and causing her eyes to widen slightly. "I am right here." He goes to bite her but she is able to swallow a bit of her fear and pull away from him before he is able to do so. "Oh come now." He smiles and tries to pull her back over.
Kagome puts up her hands and fends him off. "No."
"C'mon Kagome…" He tries to tempt her.
She pushes him back again as he steps too close. "Absolutely not. No."
"There's nothing wrong with love bites."
"I don't love you."
"You don't have to. Just let me love you."
"No."
"C'mon…" He finally catches her and brings his mouth close to her ear. "You could like me with time. I can show you things you've only heard of, take you places you've only dreamed of. I can give you the world."
"No." She shoves him off and creates a bow and arrow out of blue purification. "I don't want it." She shoots the arrow at him. He moves to dodge but is held back by his own barrier. The arrow lands in his other shoulder. "I want you to stay dead after I kill you this time."
(W/ Yusuke and Kuwabara)
"Let's double team him!" Kuwabara yells. "He doesn't stand a chance against the best fighter from the Sarayashiki area of town!"
"Alright Kuwabara." Yusuke turns his attention to Rando. "Now it's time to kick your ass!"
(W/ the demons)
"I'll take 5 of them. I want those ones." Hiei points to a select few. "You two can divide the rest." He takes off, unsheathing his katana.
"I'll take 4 if you take 4." Raihoushi suggests.
"Alright. Any specific ones you want?" Youko asks.
"I want the pretty boy." Rai points to a samurai. "The bat dude, the one with the club and whoever that it." He gestures to one of the 3 demons hidden in the shadows.
"I get to fight someone new this time." One of the demons hidden in the shadows speaks up. "This is going to be fun." He steps out to show himself as the Elder Tagoro.
"Our directions were to fight in matches." Karasu steps out, followed a hybrid robot demon. "You have picked your opponents. Now we fight one on one battles."
"What if I just kill you all now?" Hiei moves to attack but is thrown back by a barrier.
"That's not part of the rules. You are outnumbered and in our castle. You will abide by our rules. Think of this as a sort of tournament. I hear the Dark Tournament is going to start again. We intend to make sure you never make it there."
(In the high room) (W/ Dai)
"C'mon Shita!" Daihoushi continues attacking his friend's prison. "I know the water saps your fire power but you're heir to the throne of Hell! You can't run out of fire power unless hell freezes over! And I don't think there's anyone stupid enough to try that! I know the water in there is freezing! I'm trying to break it but you have to help me! You can survive long enough if you heat the water!"
(W/ Kagome)
Naraku coughs up more blood as his insides receive another shock. "Kagome…" He pulls the arrow out, causing more blood to seep into his clothes and drip to the floor. "You know the more you fight back… the sweeter it will be to keep you."
"Why won't you just die!?" Kagome forms another arrow.
(W/ the demons)
"I'll go first since I have one more to fight." Hiei states as he jumps up, onto the platform that just came out of the floor. A slightly tall guy with short blonde hare steps up. "Zeru."
"Hiei. I will not be beaten by your dragon again." Zeru starts to power up.
Hiei attacks him with the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. Zeru dodges and goes to attack Hiei. "Hn."
"I've got you now! The one good attack you have is nothing if you can slip past it!!!"
"Hn." Hiei smirks, still connected to the dragon. "Think again Baka." The dragon turns and bites down on Zeru, crushing and burning him. "I win. Again." Hiei scuffs the small pile of cinders left on the raised floor before turning and jumping off.
(In the high room) (W/ Dai)
"C'mon Shita! If you can't beat a little water then you're pathetic!" Dai yells.
"Gr…rrr…rrr…" Shita's demonic eye glows and the water around her starts to bubble. Dai pulls out a dagger and attacks the bubble as Shita fries the water. There is a big POP and water floods the floor around them. Daihoushi walks over as Shita kneels on the floor coughing up water. "Congratulations!" He lightly slaps her on the back. "You've reached level 2! Minus 1 life."
"WHAT! Minus 1 life!!!" Shita grabs Dai by the collar and drags him down to the floor. "You give me those points back! I didn't die!"
"You would have if I hadn't stepped in to help. The payment for help in one set of life points."
"Damn you." She throws him.
Daihoushi just picks himself up and dusts himself off. "Well now we can go back to helping Kagome."
"Kagome!" Shita searches the room. "Where is she!?"
"Trapped in that barrier with Naraku." Dai points to the other side of the room which is cut off by a purplish-black barrier. "I've heard her inner screams. He's being a sadistic bastard and he's scaring her."
"I will not let him have her!" Shita growls. "I will shred him." The two demons begin their assault on the barrier.
(W/ the demons)
"One of you get up there already." Hiei glares at Youko and Raihoushi.
"Ladies first." Rai shoves Youko out onto the platform.
A human-looking demon steps up. "I can't wait to defeat you! Then I can eat your soul!"
"Shut up Gouki. I don't even know why Naraku bothered to bring you back."
"Oh yeah? W –" His eyes roll back in his head and he falls to the ground, vines with thorns coming up out of him.
"You were too busy talking to notice I grew a plant right underneath you, pathetic." Youko walks off.
"My turn!" Raihoushi jumps into the ring. "I challenge thee to a duel!"
"I accept." A giant bat demons steps up. "I will kill you and eat you for supper. Try not to die too easily; I want your blood to be sweet."
"Bring it on bitch!" Rai turns into a giant bat and the two demons take to the air. Screeches echo off the walls as the bats attack each other. After a few minutes Rai hooks onto the Bat's wings and flings him straight down into the floor.
The Bat gets up angrily. "I will not be defeated so easily! I am the Bat Master!" He lets out a screech, attracting a flock of normal bats. They swarm together, forming an angry mob and attack Raihoushi.
-"Why are you attacking me?"- Raihoushi secretly talks to the bats.
You are the enemy! They scream back.
-"Am I? I look just like you."-
Your scent is foreign to us.
-"But I have not bothered you. He is the one who woke you. He's the one telling you to fight. And for what reason? Some of you could die by getting involved. This is not your fight. You have nothing to gain from this. Why do you want to defend someone who will throw you into battle to die for no reason?"-
He said that he will reward us for killing you.
-"Oh really? And what did he offer as a reward? What can he do for you that you are not already capable of yourselves? What can he give you that you will be content with?"-
He did not say.
-"I ask that you stop attacking me. I have done nothing against you."-
What will you give us if we leave you alone?
-"I will get rid of the Bat Master; you will never be called out of your peaceful sleep by him ever again."-
We accept. The bats cease their attack on Raihoushi and mob the Bat Master, biting and clawing at him as they fly off into the darkness.
"What the?" The Bat Master watches them leave. "Get back here you cowards!"
"They are not cowards. You are for having them fight your battle for you. I've let you stand for too long. Now I will kill you."
"With what!?"
"With this!!!" Raihoushi pulls a rubber chicken out of nowhere and starts beating the Bat Master with it. Then he pulls out a sledge hammer and smashes the Bat Master into the floor, flattening him and killing him instantly. Rai casually walks off the platform. Only silence follows him.
"Hn. My turn." Hiei states after a few minutes of silence, jumping into the ring.
A small demon hops onto the platform on the other side, bearing sharp claws, a hooded cape and a mask covering most of his face. "As it is my job, I will kill you."
"Hn." Hiei brandishes his katana. "I don't think so Inmaki." The two demons take off, attacking each other with increasing speed. Nothing is visible except shimmering blurs with the sound of clashing metal. The battle continues for several tension-filled minutes. Everything stops, the demons freeze. "Hn." Hiei turns and walks away.
"Don't you –" Inmaki starts to yell but buts off. He falls to the floor cut to ribbons.
"Your turn fox." Hiei states as he jumps off the platform.
A small, ugly, pointy-eared demon enters the small arena as Youko waits. "Why did Naraku revive you, Dr. Ichigaki?"
"I guess he figured my success with the human drones was worth something." He smiles evilly as he turns into a huge pointy-eared, ugly, dark-colored demon. "I'm going to kill you and use you as my new test subject!"
"You will not kill me."
"I will then use your mate for a second test subject!"
"You will not!" Youko is immediately over in front of him and kicks him in the face. "She is not my mate yet, but I will make sure you never see her!"
"You may try!"
"I already have." Youko smirks and walks off.
"You are stupid!" Ichigaki screams.
"Am I?" Youko continues to walk off. Within seconds the demon sprouts into a thorn-filled bush. "You're the one who's stupid. That's why you're already dead." Youko jumps off the platform. "Your turn Raihoushi."
"I am the mighty Gokumonki! You cannot defeat me!" A tall, muscular demon steps onto the battle field wielding a giant club with spikes.
"We'll see in the end who is walking and who is dead." Rai steps into the ring. "Mouse attack!" He turns into a tiny mouse and starts running around everywhere rapidly.
"Get back here!" Gokumonki chases after him trying to crush him with the club. "Stop running away and fight me!" Rai hones in on him and bites his foot. "AAA! You stupid rodent!" The demon's attacks become faster and more often. "I will crush you!" After several minutes the floor is covered in holes. "Where are you, you damn rat!?!" Without warning Raihoushi comes up underneath him, spinning up with a punch to the area under his chin. The demon's head snaps back and he falls backwards onto the ground with a loud CRACK.
"I was a mouse you idiot." Rai walks off.
"Hn." Hiei steps up. On the other side of the ring, a slightly tall demon with blue skin and clothes bearing a dragon design steps into the ring. "Seiryu."
"Hiei." The demon gets into a fighting stance. "We shall see who has the better attack now! Ice Dragon!" Seiryu uses an ice attack.
"Fist of the Mortal Flame!" Hiei uses a fire attack, rushing forward into it, unsheathing his katana. Smoke fills the air as the two attacks clash. After it clears Seiryu is standing in the middle of the ring, Hiei standing 3 feet behind him facing the opposite direction. "Hn." Hiei slides his katana back into its sheath. Seiryu topples over into pieces of rotting demon flesh. "You lost. Again." Hiei jumps off the platform. "Have fun, fox."
"Sure Hiei." Youko steps into the small battle arena. "Who is my opponent?" He asks as no one has stepped out on the opposite side of the arena.
"I am." An ugly, human-looking demon with medium-length black hair and a smirk on his face walks out.
"Risho."
"Kurama." Rocks around the arena start to move towards the demon. "Let's see if you can even scratch my indestructible rock armor!" the rocks rush around him and solidify into a suit of armor.
Youko pulls a rose out of his hair. "We shall see if you can last longer then my last opponent."
(W/ Kagome)
"I can't die. Haven't you learned that?" Naraku uses his demon speed to pin Kagome to the wall, making her lose her bow and arrow. "It would be so much easier if you would just let me have you." He nuzzles her ear.
Kagome's eyes widen slightly out of fear and then fill with agitation. "Never." She crushes his foot.
"Ow!" He yelps shifting his hurt foot away from her. She uses this opportunity to wrench a hand free from his grip and slaps him hard across the face, putting some of her miko energy into her hand. Naraku screams out as a shock rushes through him and burns through his face.
(W/ the demons)
Risho goes after Youko using various rock attacks. Youko parries them with his rose whip. "You are no match for my rock armor!" Risho laughs. "Your parries barely leave a scratch!"
"That's because I'm not even trying." Youko puts a bit of his spirit energy into his rose whip. "Rose Whiplash." Youko slashes his whip several times in rapid succession, slowly ripping apart Risho's rock armor. "Stay dead this time; you're better off that way." Youko slashes Risho to pieces.
"My turn! My turn!" Raihoushi gets excited as Youko steps off the arena platform. "I get to fight the pretty boy!"
"He's all yours, knock yourself out." Youko moves to stand next to Hiei.
"Thanks!" Rai smiles and jumps up into the battlefield. "Step right up! C'mon now! It's play time!"
"You are a fool. I, Shishiwakamaru, will kill you for being so jaded about my good looks."
"I'm not jealous of you." Rai shakes a finger at the samurai demon. "I'll have you know that there are quite a few girls at home that go crazy over this adorable face. And between you and me, I'm a real guy."
"You're an idiot. I'm more of a man then you can ever be. I will prove it by killing you."
"Oh please. You're more gay then I am!" Rai is surrounded by blue smoke. When it clears, standing in his place is an exact copy of Shishiwakamaru in a school girl's uniform. "Hey there! I'm Shishi!" His light girl voice echoes clear off the underground walls.
(In the high room)
"That bastard." Daihoushi states out of nowhere. "I didn't say he could borrow that!"
"What?" Shita looks at him strangely. After a minute or so she sighs, shaking her head. "Raihoushi?"
"Well you already know that we're a special set of twins." Daihoushi states, still attacking Naraku's barrier. "He switched one of our powers."
"Which one did he take?"
"He took my ability to morph and gave me his freeze barrier in return. But I never gave him permission to do that! He never asked!"
"He must have needed it." Shita muses. "Grr… That's it! I've had enough of this pain in the ass barrier!" Shita backs up two feet, both eyes glowing red. "Call it."
"Nakushita."
Shita's horns glow red and the normal side of her face becomes covered in scales. "RRAAA!" She yells as she rams straight into the barrier.
Inside the barrier Naraku grips Kagome by her shoulders, effectively pinning her to the wall. "That burns!" He yells as purification continues to eat away at his face. "Enough of this!" He backhands her, leaving a bruise on her face. "You WILL come with me." He grabs her by the neck and rams her into the wall, holding her suspended above the floor. "You WILL come with me and you WILL become my mate whether you like it or not. You will learn if you don't."
"I'd… rather… die…" Kagome tries to push him back as it is starting to get hard to breathe with him gripping her neck.
"I WILL have you!" There is suddenly a big surge of power from outside the barrier. Something hits the barrier, with enough force to cause it to shatter.
"No." Naraku is ripped back and thrown into the TV screens on the other side of the room. "I will not allow you to have her. And since you find it so difficult to stay dead…" Shita gives an evil smile. "You're coming to hell with me." Her whole body glows red and a pair of wings made of flaming bones unfold as well as a tail. A pitchfork made of bone with chains hanging off of it appears in Shita's hand. "Hold onto Kagome and make sure you have a good grip on the wall." Shita orders Daihoushi. "If you two get sucked down it will take at least a few days to find you."
"I'm on it." Dai wraps a hand around Kagome's waist and punches a small hole in the wall with his free hand to make sure they're nit going to go anywhere.
"Open the gates!" Shita calls, banging her pitchfork on the ground. A pair of double doors, black with flaming skulls, spikes, chains and bone handles appear in front of her.
Who dares to call upon me?
"I do, gatekeeper."
No one summons me.
"I can. Now open those gates."
Who are you to give me orders?
"I am the Hell Demoness; I am the Master of the Underworld, the Daughter of the Devil, Nakushita. Now come out gatekeeper."
"C'mon!" A human-looking guy appears, dressed in black goth pants with many chains, long black trench coat with spikes, spike collar, wrist cuffs and combat boots. He has spiky black hair and blades attached to his boots and arms. "I've told you a thousand times! My name is Mombo!"
"I have a job for you, gatekeeper."
He sighs. "What can I do for you my Queen?" He kneels before her.
"Take care of that." Shita points to a bloody Naraku.
"Is there anything specific you would like me to tend to?"
"No… just be sure to take real good care of this one, he has angered me."
"Oh really?" He looks over at Naraku. "You and I are gonna have a real good time." The demon smirks, outing a hand towards Naraku. "Come; let me show you your new home." The gate doors swing open; sucking air in from the room. Several chains come whipping out and lash at Naraku, capturing him. They wrap around him and slowly drag him towards the vortex-like pull coming from the gate doors. He attempts to fight back, but every time he does, a new chain attaches itself to him, dragging him back further. "Let's go you wus! I've got better things to do with my time then waste it with a coward like you!" The gatekeeper jumps into the air and kicks Naraku in the face, throwing him into the abyss and closing the doors behind him. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"No. You may leave."
"Very well. You know where to find me if you have need of me again, my Queen." He bows and disappears, along with the gate doors.
Shita goes back to her normal demon-looking self. "… Guess I forgot to leave a piece for Youko. You'll have to tell him I'm sorry Kags."
"I'm sure he'll understand Shita." Kagome walks over to Shita and hugs her.
Shita hugs Kagome in turn. "He will never bother you again."
The lights go out. "He won't. But I'd like to take her somewhere." A voice states somewhere from inside the room. Several waves of electricity zap through the room; all three of them are knocked out. Shita and Daihoushi wake a few minutes late to find Kagome missing.
"Damn it!" Shita punches the wall, it crumbles under the force. "I forgot Suzaku wasn't completely dead!"
"Well they can't be that far yet. Try to contact her." Dai suggests.
-/-Kagome-/-
No response.
-/-KAGOME!-/-
-Shita!-
-/-Where are you?-/-
-Don't worry about me.-
-/-Tell me where you are right now.-/-
-I'm not quite sure. But don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I can handle this on my own.-
-/-Are you sure you don't want help?-/-
-I'll be fine Shita, I promise.-
-/-Alright. But you better come back alive and in one piece or I'll revive you and smack you.-/-
-Understood.-
-/-Good.-/-
-But you and Dai need to go help Yusuke and Kuwabara. And you might want to check on the other guys downstairs. We've been taking too long to finish this mission.-
-/-You focus on getting back here. We'll take care of everyone else.-/- "Let's go Dai. We have another boss to kill."
"Which one?"
"The one left in the castle."
"Rando."
"Yup. Ready?"
"Of course. Then we can find Rai." The two demons take off out of the room, running down hallways with increasing speed.