Disclaimer + A/N: I don't own anyone Yu Yu Hakusho or the words and music for "It's my Life". This chapter has a weird bit, where there's a challenge by song. The format is weird, but if you can imagine the fight moves happening at the same time as the lyrics after them, then it should be an easier read. I know it's shorter, but it took me much longer to write. Enjoy.
Updated A/N 2012: When I revisited and I read the updated terms of service, I realized some of my chapters were not in compliance with the rules. This chapter contained the lyrics for It's My Life by Bon Jovi, which are not in public domain. Those lyrics have been removed, but the rest of the story has been preserved.
Dragons in Time
Part 6: Final Showdown
Aniya squared her shoulders and began to walk down the dark hallway, followed by Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei and Yusuke, all wondering what the final showdown would be. They emerged into a large chamber, that seemed to echo their footsteps.
"Come out Katomi." The lights flicked on and the group blinked in the bright lighting. They were in the middle of a huge arena, but unlike the sand covered pits that Aniya was used to fighting in, this one was covered in red carpeting. Katomi revealed herself fully for the first time.
Her dark brown hair swirled theatrically around her, even though there was no wind. "My dear Aniya. So good to see you again." She looked at the group, "What friends you have! Where do you find them? In the Arena perhaps?"
Aniya sweat dropped. 'This woman is really full of herself isn't she? What does she hope to accomplish with these stupid words.' "Katomi, quit with the small talk crap, we all know that you stole my stone and I'm going to get it back. Conditions?"
"Conditions are that you can have the stone, if you can defeat me."
Aniya was weary. "Defeat you in what?"
"Battle." Katomi smiled, but it turned to a frown when she saw Aniya laughing. "What is so funny? I don't find it funny! I challenge you and you don't take it seriously. You wouldn't laugh if one of them challenged you!"
"No, but that's because they could probably kick my ass right now."
"And I couldn't?"
"That's right."
Katomi pouted like a small child. "Alright, how about this, I challenge you to an épreuve par chansons!" She smiled, since she knew that she would win. "Do you accept? I will give you fifteen minutes to prepare." She disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The group crowded around Aniya. "What's an 'ay-prever par shanson'?" Aniya sighed. "Épreuve par chansons? It's French and it basically translates to 'trial by song.' If Katomi suggested this, then she must have found a way to use the stone's energy because she would never have challenged me to this. She must think her song power is stronger than my dance."
Kuwabara was confused once again, "So, what exactly is a trial by song?"
Aniya sighed again. "Two people, both magic users have a combat, without using spirit energy. You can use regular weapons and fighting moves and magic. I've never been challenged to fight by song. I've fought by drama before. It's fighting, but Sailor Moon style. You have to pose and shout out what attacks your using in order for them to work. Dance fighting is like regular fighting, but you have to use moves that go along with a song.
"Song trials consist of two fighters using two songs. The person who can put out more energy into a song, or fight best along with their song wins because their magic will dominate the other persons. So I need to find a song that I think that will overpower Katomi's. Any suggestions?"
All four boys looked at each other. None of them really listened to music. Aniya smiled, "It's okay if you don't. I understand that you wouldn't normally have a lot of time for music anyway." She set to thinking. "I need a song that I think can overpower her…what song will she choose?" She muttered to herself, and unwrapped her armband. 'I'll need all the help I can get if she's using the stone.'
Katomi returned. "Are you ready Aniya?"
Aniya nodded. "Rules, bitch?"
"Anything goes. I start my song goes, and then you may join in whenever you feel like it." She grinned. "Of course, the person's who song ends or the last person standing wins the stone. Happy?" Aniya crossed her arms, but she gave a small nod. "You might want to tell your friends there to move because they don't want to be affected by the songs, do they?"
Aniya turned and looked at the group, "You guys can move if you feel that you would be unsafe. I also need to ask that you don't interfere, no matter what happens. Wait until the songs are over before you try to take the stone if I fail." 'Like that'll happen.' Aniya gave them a signal that told them to go find seats in the stadium. Then Aniya turned around and faced Katomi. "You may begin, but what song are you doing?"
Katomi smiled, "Your favorite."
Aniya gasped, 'How am I supposed to win if she uses it? Not only that, but that means that she'll take all the moves I would normally make. Damn…'
Katomi raised her arms to begin powering for her first attack and the music began…
Katomi released her first attack, which was a huge blast of light, meant to wipe out everything in sight…
Aniya managed to dodge it, but she thought, 'Damn, Katomi's gotten stronger! It must be that stupid stone!' She didn't have much time to think about it because Katomi released another flash of light…
As the blasts were slow and powerful, it was easy for Aniya to dodge, but she couldn't ignore how much power Katomi was harnessing. 'She must be using a song to manipulate the stone or something.' She looked back at Katomi…
Katomi began to focus between her two hands and an orb of light began to grow…
Katomi held up the orb of glowing electricity…
Releasing the orb, Katomi smiled, there could be no way that Aniya could dodge this one…
Aniya watched as the orb moved toward her, 'I can dodge it….I can dodge it…just wait…' She didn't want to move in case it was a tracking attack or something…
The group looked at each other, "Why isn't she dodging it?"
Katomi prepared another attack as Aniya flips out of the way in time…
Aniya rolled out of a missed flip and sees the next one coming…
She managed to carwheel out of the way in time, as the blast hit the wall behind her, destroying the doorway…
Aniya got tired because she couldn't formulate an attack against Katomi because of the rules of magic, she crouched…
Katomi powered up her hands for a fast electrical attack…
Trying to think, Aniya closed her eyes, 'How can I fight someone who's fighting with their forte and a stone with magical powers? This is impossible!'
She saw that Katomi was nearly finished powering up, so she did the only that she could think of—set up a shield and hoped it would hold…
Then the electrical energy hit the shield full blast, pushing Aniya back as she tried to force the shield to stay up…
Her shield fell as there was a pause in the attacks…
Well, for about two seconds at least. She saw more electricity coming her way and she flips like an Olympic gymnast, just to get out of the way.
Katomi begins to laugh and she thinks, 'Yes, my beauty, today we will finish this business that we started six years ago.' Looking at the stone, she laughs again and begins to power up for the ultimate attack that she could think of…
Aniya watched as Katomi began to power up. Then she caught sight of the Astoria stone around Katomi's neck. Aniya's blood began to boil and she clenched her teeth. 'Okay, screw the rules, I'm not taking this shit anymore! If she can play dirty, so can I!'
Standing up, she begins to emit a glow of her own…
She rose in the air and blasted her way to Katomi…
Katomi's eyes widened and she stopped laughing as she saw Aniya flying toward her. Powering up another electrical fast attack she thought, 'No! The music is on my side! She can't win, not on my own turf!' She fired the attacks…
Aniya saw them coming and blocked them by punching them aside….
She soared closer to Katomi, who attempted to put up a shield…
Aniya took out her sword and hit the shield, breaking it. Then she prepared herself
The dracon kicked Katomi in the head with a karate kick and then kicked her in the chest, causing the stone to fly up into the air…
Katomi looked at the stone flipping in the air and realized that she cannot fight back. Stripped of her powers, she tried to scramble back, away from Aniya…
Aniya advanced, forming a fist with her power hand, preparing to blast the hell out of Katomi…
Lifting her hand, she releases her attack, which forces her to somersault out of the blast…
Aniya landed in a crouch and raised a hand…
The stone flew through air…
…and landed in her outstretched hand.
The blast faded away and the dust settled, revealing an exhausted Aniya, clenching the stone in her fist. Standing, she walked over to the charred remains of Katomi. "You got what you deserved. You should have listened to the books; they really meant it when they said that the stone would kill you."
Turning, she saw Yusuke and Kuwabara running out into the arena. "Wow! That was so cool! How did you do that?" "Can you teach me to do that?"
She smiled and tried to bear them out, "I trained, and no baka, I will not teach you." Turning to Kurama who had just arrived, she smiled. "That went well didn't it?" Suddenly her smile faded and her eyes fluttered. "Damn…I've overexerted my energy…again…I really…should…start to train…with those…more often…" She wavered on her feet and Kurama supported her on his arm. "You guys…get out of the…castle…it will collapse under…Katomi's stupid concealment…spell…" Just as those words left her mouth, the castle began to shake. "You cannot run…there isn't time…"
"What do we do then?" Yusuke asked.
"Kurama, you and Hiei can…teleport…" Turning to the humans she added, "I can…give you temporary teleporting powers…because I have…the stone…now…stand still baka…" She muttered under her breath and suddenly Yusuke and Kuwabara disappeared in flashes of light. Aniya raised a hand and sent them away.
"Where did you send them?" Kurama asked.
Aniya answered. "Back to Koenma's place. You two…go…I'll fly back…"
Kurama shook his head. "You are in no condition to fly back to spirit world." He picked her up in his arms and teleported out.
Hiei, now alone in the collapsing castle thought to himself, 'Why is it when we have a mission either Kurama or I have to carry some weakling back?'
He heard a faint memory of a voice say, "I heard that."
Looking around he decided that it must have been some trick of a ghost or something. He teleported out.
"Hn."
A/N: Let me know how I'm doing. I have also decided not to write a sequel to Dragons in Time, but I am writing a different story. I'll post the first chapter soon.