I personally don't like chapter, for me it feels like filler although it does have some character development, i don't know i guess i'm just not used to having so many characters, i like to focus on a few you know? Baby Ace is doing fine let's me sleep for most the night :3 he's also a very hungry baby, anyway, enough with my life here's the story!
Crowds upon crowds of demons line up to enter the Colosseum of the tournament. A big ogre like demon with red skin was raised in a platform, waiting for all the fighters to enter. Yusuke and Kuwabara was scanning the area, trying to find their group. A man with long black hair with multiple ears approached them with another demon with short hair and pink eyes stood next to him.
"Yusuke, nice to see you again."
"Yomi! Hey how're you doing? Nice to see you again, and your brat." Yusuke said.
"I see you're still unrefined Urameshi." The child said.
"Uh Urameshi?" Kuwabara said.
"Oh yea, this is Yomi, he used to be one of the three kings of demon world, and the small one is his kid Shura. Guys, this is Kuwabara, he didn't join the last tournament, but decided to give this one a go." Yusuke explained.
"It's nice to meet you Kuwabara." Yomi said bowing and his kid hn-ed.
"Yea, it's nice to meet you too." Kuwabara said sheepishly.
"So have you heard about what's been happening? With the Revolutionaries?" Yusuke said seriously and Yomi nodded.
"I've heard but my son and I have been wandering demon world for the most part. I've been keeping a good ear out and we were able to avoid many of their recruiters. I'm surprised that Mukuro was able to get away from them as well." Yomi remarked.
"Hiei made them go away one way or another, there's no way he'd let them near her." Yusuke smirked.
"Can't believe that shorty got a girlfriend, but I got my sweet Yukina waiting for me at home!" Kuwabara said.
"Kazuma?"
"I can already hear her-Yukina!" Kuwabara shouted.
"Botan?!" Yusuke shouted along with him. Two girls presented themselves. Botan was wearing her previous costume from the last tournament to disguise herself. The girl next to her was wearing a simple light blue kimono that went along with her blue green hair but her red eyes really stood out. Yomi said his goodbye to Yusuke and went on promising a duel with him later.
"Hello boys, how are you doing today?" Botan chuckled.
"What are you two doing here?" Yusuke asked.
"Who cares! Yukina my darling, I will win as long as you're with me." Kuwabara said holding her hands in his and Yukina laughed awkwardly. Botan knocked him over the head with her oar.
"Kuwabara you have no shame. And to answer your question, we came here to keep you know who updated on the tournament, He couldn't come unfortunately. He's getting ready an army in case worse comes to worse. He'll be here eventually though." Botan explained. "Make sure you tell the others, come on Yukina, let's find us some seats." They went away while Kuwabara complained about not spending time with his love.
"What are you spouting out you buffoon? Is it really impossible for you not to look like an idiot?" Hiei said with Shuichi by his side.
"What'd you say short stuff!? I thought you'd understand, you being with Mukuro and everything." Kuwabara smirked.
"I don't need to act like an idiot for her to know how I feel." Hiei said. Kuwabara growled at him.
"Now, now let's settle down. We aren't here to fight each other, we're here to fight the Generals." Shuichi said, trying to calm down Hiei and Kuwabara.
"Hey Kurama, where's Naota? I thought she'd be with you." Yusuke said. He noticed a change in Shuichi's eyes when he mentioned her but decided to ask about that later.
"She went to look for Yasu. She hasn't seen him in a year, it's understandable." Shuichi said, folding his arms in front of him.
"But won't that look suspicious?" Kuwabara asked. "I mean he's with the revolutionaries."
"They'll be fine, Yasu won't let anything happen to her. Besides, if anyone really did see them together, it might also mean that she might be on his side, more of an advantage for them." Shuichi reasoned. They heard taps on a microphone and they all looked towards the platform.
"Hello, as you know I am the previous winner of the Demon Tournament Enki. I welcome all the newcomers and also the second timers to the second Tournament. We have many fighters again this year and will be dividing into the same structure as last year's tournament. The boxes with the numbers are ready and are at the foot of the platform. All I ask is to have a fair battles with everyone and have fun everybody." Enki steps off the platform as everyone starts to line up to get their number. Yusuke felt somebody push into him as he started to get into his line.
"Hey!" He started until he met with a familiar pair of golden eyes. "Naota! We were wondering if you were coming or not." He chuckled, noticing her shorter hair up in a small ponytail.
"I was here for a while, I was just talking to Yasu. Could you blame me? I haven't seen him in a year, I missed his smug face." Naota said, getting behind him.
"So have you gotten stronger?" Yusuke asked.
"You'll have to see that for yourself. Have you seen any of the generals yet?" Naota asked.
"Not really, they haven't shown themselves yet, but once we start fighting, they're not gonna just sit back. This is good too. Time to see what they're made off." Yusuke said, a slight glimmer of excitement in his eyes.
"We have to be careful. We don't know what their leader looks like. He's not gonna sit out this tournament with all of us in it." Naota reasoned.
"Yea." Yusuke said, finally getting his number. After the lotto, the board with their respective number and platform came up. They all gathered together and shared their numbers.
"Looks like we got lucky, none of us got paired up." Kuwabara said.
"With all the fighters this year, it would have been very unlikely that we would have been in the same platform." Shuichi said.
"Did anyone one of us get the generals?" Naota asked.
"Nope, lucky us." Yusuke deadpanned.
"Well now, if it isn't the detectives in the flesh." Inugami said, approaching the group. Everyone tensed up. "Woah, woah, settle down people. I'm not here to fight. I need to see what I'm gonna go up against you know?" He smirked, an elongated fang peering out.
"Checking out the competition already?" Yusuke said.
"You can say that, but I didn't think that I'd be fighting a beauty." Inugami said, floating in front of Naota's face.
"What?!" Naota said a slight blush appearing on her face.
"You heard me, say why don't you and I go and have a little fun before the fighting starts?" Inugami winked suggestively.
"I'm not that kind of girl." Naota said, looking away.
"Aww, don't be like that." Inugami said, about to wrap his arm around her before Shuichi caught his hand. Shuichi glared at him hard, a slight gold appearing in his eyes. Inugami smirked and his eyes narrowed. "Didn't think you had a boyfriend."
"Boyfriend or not, you need to get out of here." Naota said.
"Fine." Inugami said, taking his hand back. "I'll see you on the battlefield beauty." Inugami smirked as he left. As he came closer to his group, he stopped and looked at his wrist, the imprint of Shuichi's hand still there. 'Anymore and he would've cut off my blood, interesting.'
"Man that guy was such a creep." Kuwabara said. "You ok Naota?" She turned to him and he found that her face was actually deep red. "Woah, you didn't get a fever did you?" Kuwabara asked.
"N-no, it's not, I don't have a fever." Naota said before hearing a deep laugh. Yasu approached their group.
"Look who decided to join us." Yusuke said.
"Actually I've been watching you for a long time now." Yasu said, a laugh playing in his eyes.
"You mean, you saw-" Naota started.
"How Inugami flirted with you? Of course." Yasu said, laughing. Naota grew a deeper red while Yusuke and Kuwabara shared confused looks. "If you two are wondering, I believe that's the first time she's been seriously hit on."
"What?" Kuwabara and Yusuke said. Naota tried hiding her face and trying to glare at Yasu, which failed. Yusuke and Kuwabara started to tease her as she tried to hit them unsuccessfully. Shuichi watched with steel cold eyes.
"Kurama, keep your anger in check." Hiei said. "Save it for the fights." Shuichi nodded.
00000
"Well here we are in the second Demon Tournament! I'm your cute host Koto! Now let's see how are fighters are doing shall we?" A fox girl said. Yusuke watched the fights drinking some water. His fight already ended and he's going into the semi finals. Kuwabara and Naota are both still fighting, while Hiei left. Shuichi is standing next to him, a cold aura around him.
"Ah, nothing like some fresh water. So Kurama, what's with you?" Yusuke said.
"What do you mean Yusuke?" Shuichi said, focusing on Naota's fight.
"Well why do you look like you're gonna kill someone?" Yusuke asked. "Every time you look at Naota you get this sad look in your eye. Then you get angry, and then your eyes just look empty."
"I never knew you to be observant." Shuichi said.
"Well isn't this a surprise! The humans are holding their own, let's go to Naota's fight shall we?" Koto said. The screens all focus on her fight. "Look at her go! Taking down 5, no 6 demons at once! What's this stance?" Koto said as Naota's whole right arm starts glowing with spirit energy. She kicks her feet and starts spinning and then releases her energy, making a tornado, infused with her energy, taking out groups of demons. "Wow! That's an amazing attack! She took out half of the group already!"
"Woah, nice attack." Yusuke commented.
"It took her a while to control her energy like that." Shuichi said.
"So are you gonna tell me what happened between you and her?" Yusuke said. Shuichi remained quiet. "Did she dump you?"
"No. No she didn't." Shuichi said.
"Then?" Yusuke said. Shuichi sighed and rubbed his temples.
"I rejected her." Shuichi finally said.
"Wha-!"
"It looks like the two humans are going into the second preliminaries! Give them a round of applause! Now let's keep going with the other fights!"
"So you finally did it huh?" Yusuke said. "Well, I guess that's your choice, but can you stop looking like you'll die inside? It was your choice, do you regret it?" Shuichi clenched his fist and Yusuke was surprised at how cold his eyes looked.
"No." Shuichi said before leaving. Yusuke finished his water and threw it in a nearby garbage can. He started to walk around the grounds before looking out towards demon world. He's wondering on how he can help Shuichi when he felt someone stand next to him. He looked beside him. A man with long silver hair in a pony tail and golden eyes looked lazily toward the screen.
'When did he get here?' Yusuke thought. He was wearing a black military uniform with a turtle neck and a small sword at his side. He looked over to Yusuke and he found his eyes changing from blue to golden again.
"You must be Yusuke Urameshi." The stranger said.
"Yea? What about it?" Yusuke said. He smiled kindly at him and bowed deeply at him, surprising Yusuke.
"My name is Kiyoshi, it's very nice to make your acquaintance. Hopefully we won't meet in the battlefield." He said and walked away with his arms at his back. Yusuke scoffed.
'Freak.' Yusuke thought. As Kiyoshi walked away he was approached by Tanya to look up at the board. The semi finals will begin in two days.
"Tanya, make sure everyone makes it to the third round. You know who to pair up with who. I will be counting on you." Kiyoshi said.
"Yes leader." Tanya said before going to do her orders. He stares at his gloved hands and he clenches then with a smile on his face.
'Soon, it will be over soon.'
00000
Naota looked at the board for the next fights. The prelims came and went. Everyone passed, with a few bruises and cuts on her side but at least everyone is ready for the next battles. She was surprised though, she would never thought that they would meet the generals in the official first round. Hiei verses Tanya would land when she would fight Satoru and also Shuichi's fight would be at the same time. Kuwabara would fight Yuu first and then Yusuke would fight Inugami.
Naota looked at the name of Shuichi's opponent. Kiyoshi, someone she didn't know. 'We have to be careful on who we fight, this Kiyoshi could be part of the Revolutionaries.'
"Looking at who you might be up against Sheila?" A voice said behind her. Naota smiled big before hugging at Chu, who she hasn't seen in a couple of months.
"Chu! How have you been? I've been worried about you ever since you just disappeared." Naota said.
"Sorry about that, had a couple of things to take care of down here." Chu said.
"Like what?" Naota asked.
"Trying to find my group. I can't find them anywhere though, I've been hearing rumors about how they won't allow some demons to fight, I think they pulled all of them out of the tournament, even my girl. I've been trying to get in touch with them ever since I left you, but its hard." Chu said.
"How about I ask Yasu where they are? He is part of the revolutionaries after all." Naota said.
"Doesn't matter beauty." Inugami said appearing near them.
"You!" Naota exclaimed. "Wait, what do you mean it doesn't matter?"
"Those who had talent were separated from the regular troops." Inugami said. "This tournament is just a diversion. Most of our troops are fighting yes but they are only here to take care of the ones who aren't rallied with us. Once we win the demon tournament all hell will break lose. Once that happens we'll need those with power to keep all of you in line."
"And so why the hell did you tell us this?" Naota asked.
"Well as you see, we're already going to be fighting against all of you in the upcoming rounds. Trust me beauty, we'll be the ones on the winning side. It's really best for you to just surrender if you know what's good for you." Inugami said.
"You're just a dumb bloke. Urameshi and them aren't gonna lose to you guys. You're just blowing hot air up your ass thinking you can beat them so easily." Chu retorted. Inugami just scoffed.
"Think what you will. By the way your girl says hi, she's one juicy piece you know. I might actually love to sink my teeth into her." Inugami said. Chu's demeanor changed along with his energy spiking. Inugami's energy also spiked before Naota went and kicked him where it hurts. Inugami gave out a little squeak before collapsing on the floor.
"Huh, works with all guys even demons huh? Let's go Chu, he's just trying to get under our skin. You'll get to see Natsume soon, I promise." Naota said, dragging Chu away before he does something he would regret. After they left Inugami looked at the board before Kiyoshi came up behind him.
"How goes the energy harvest leader?" Inugami said, not looking back. Kiyoshi laughed. It annoyed Inugami from the way it sounded like chimes.
"I was afraid you would tell them the true reason why we withheld our strongest fighters. Still that little white lie might make them distressed enough that they might lose." Kiyoshi said.
"'Might lose?' Leader do you doubt my strength?" Inugami said glaring at him. Kiyoshi stared straight into him, unflinching. Inugami always found himself stripped down to his core, as if those eyes penetrate his soul. He looked away.
"Whether you lose or win, it does not matter. Remember that you all are replaceable." Kiyoshi said. "But if you do lose, remember that I will grant your wish. Urameshi isn't one to grant wishes such as yours." Inugami clenched his fist and sighed clenching his chest, a look of pain crossing his face.
'Win or lose huh?'
Kuwabara vs Yuu in the first round! The strategist vs the reckless! Who will win? What is this wish Inugami is thinking about? What is this energy harvest that they mentioned? Who is this strange Kiyoshi? Find out all of this and more on the next chapter of Someone I can love!