Chapter 15 Finale

The Rematch

It has now been four years since the incident at Justice High School. Yusuke, now 18 years old, is no long a spirit detective and, after completing one last mission in the Demon World, has finally returned home to the Human World. He happily rejoices at the beach with his friends, Keiko, Kuwabara, Kurama, Botan, Shizuru (Kuwabara's sister), and Yukina (Kuwabara's love interest) as they celebrate his return.

But there's something lingering at the back of Yusuke's mind.

"Even though I'm enjoying this little reunion, I'm not completely satisfied yet," he said. "It feels like something is…missing."

"Huh?" said Kuwabara. "What do you mean? You're not talking about Hiei, are you?"

"A guy that can't stand to be around humans? Let alone celebrate with them? Come on, Kuwabara. I don't need a party pooper."

"Oh right. Well, it's not like I wanted him around anyway. I was just hoping you didn't start missing the guy. Like a demon thing or something."

"But Yusuke, you're finally back home with us," said Keiko. "You couldn't be anymore satisfied than that, right?"

"Don't worry, Keiko," said Yusuke. "I can't stand being away from home, especially from you. But I made a promise to somebody a long time ago and I've never been able to fulfill that promise. Now that I'm back, it's time for me to finally do that. I just hope that he's ready."

"Alright, just who is this 'he' you're talking about, Urameshi?" asked Kuwabara.

"Ah, you know, somebody who we met before," said Yusuke.

"Somebody who we met?" asked Kuwabara. "Oh, come on, Urameshi! You could at least be more clear!" He then turns to Kurama and asks, "Do you have any ideas, Kurama?"

"I'm sorry, Kuwabara," said Kurama. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can decipher what he's saying."

Yusuke then turns around to Botan, asking "Hey, Botan has Koenma found the next spirit detective yet?"

Botan looks to think for a second. "Umm…no," said Botan. "I remember him being busy with other kind of paperwork. I don't think he's found your successor at this point."

"Good," said Yusuke. "I'd like to put in a request."

"Yusuke, you know you're not in a position to put in a request," said Botan.

"Trust me, Botan. This'll make his job much easier. Then he can thank me later."

"Oh...fine," said Botan. "Let's hear it, Yusuke. This should at least be important."

Upon hearing this request, Koenma's eyes widened. He was very surprised that Yusuke suggested this.

"That's very unexpected!" said Koenma. "Even when he's not the spirit detective, Yusuke cares very much about his world."

"Well, that's what makes him a good spirit detective, wouldn't you agree?" said Botan. "Whenever there was a threat to the world, he did everything he could to stop it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. And now, he trusts this person to do the same thing." Koenma began to think a little bit deeper. "Coming to think of it, this guy does have a strong sense of justice. Not too strong like Sensui's. But he's also somewhat of a hot-head just like Yusuke. Sounds like a nice candidate. Yusuke, you better be right about this."

A few days later.

Days later, Batsu, now 21 years old, stands next to a street corner. No longer the schoolboy he once was, Batsu's blue schoolboy uniform is replaced with a grown leather jacket, blue jeans, and brown shoes. Despite fighting alongside Yusuke during the Justice High incident, he hasn't heard from his new friend and rival in the four years since. In the meantime, Batsu has been through numerous battles of his own and had nearly forgotten about Yusuke. But certain things have come up in those four years that brought Yusuke back to his attention. What are those things?

At that point, someone walks up behind him.

"Batsu," said Yusuke. "Long time no see."

Batsu is a little surprised, as not only was not expecting to meet anybody but was also not expecting to hear this voice. Nevertheless, he smiles because it was a voice from somebody he was hoping to see at some point.

"Yusuke!" said Batsu he turns around. "Well, it's about time you showed up. I was starting to wonder if you had moved on."

"Yeah, well, I have but it's never nice to break a promise, you know?"

"A 'promise'? I don't remember you making any promises."

"Is that so? Maybe I'll refresh your memory at a more secluded area. I don't want any normal people butting into our business."

In a forest, Yusuke and Batsu continue their conversation where the former reveals his promise and the reason why he's shown up.

"WHAT?" said Batsu. "You mean you really came all the way over here for a rematch?"

"Hey, why not?" said Yusuke. "You agreed to it. Besides, you and I both know that we never really finished that fight and that's just never been my style. You knew it too. After all, you ran and got buffed right after that fight."

"Hey, that's right!" said Batsu. "I couldn't live with that conclusion either. So, I had to get stronger. If I didn't, how could I protect myself, my school, my family?"

Yusuke smiles as thinks to himself after hearing Batsu's words. "I knew I made the right call," he says to himself.

"And ever since then, I've made sure that I'm one hundred percent ready for all fights," said Batsu.

"Now that's what I like to hear," said Yusuke.

"Still, even though I find it funny that that was your reason for coming here, I shouldn't be surprised. Master Genkai told me you would come back."

"What?" Yusuke said with a surprised expression. "Genkai!? So…you met that old hag too?"

"Not only did I meet her. She also trained me, and…I have to say, when it comes to hardcore training, she gives my old man a run for his money."

"Yeah, that's Genkai for ya. Too bad I didn't get a chance to warn you about her. But wait, why did she train you anyway? Not that I'm jealous or anything but I thought one headache was enough for her. I didn't think she'd be looking for another young punk to babysit."

"Well, believe it or not Yusuke, it went something like this…"

Flashback

In Genkai's temple, Batsu endures Genkai's intense training, very similar to Yusuke before him. In this case, he's been doing push-ups on his knuckles for sixteen hours.

"Damn it, Master Genkai!" said Batsu. "I'll pass out before I can finish this training!"

"Quiet!" said Genkai. "You complain like this all the time and yet, you always manage to finish. Don't give me any of your crap! When Yusuke had to enter the Dark Tournament, he came back to me. Now you see why."

His fists soon begin to glow with a blue aura. This greatly improves his Guts Bullet attack.

Next, Batsu is climbing a mountain with heavy chains attached to his legs. This is the same kind of training Yusuke with through for the Dark Tournament. However, Batsu has shown to be far more persistent than Yusuke and seemingly better at it, which impresses Genkai. Like the others, she's noticed the similarities between the two youngsters. However, she also notices that Batsu has a more fiery attitude. This makes much more aggressive than Yusuke. He just needs to learn to control it a bit more.

"Master Genkai…I just don't understand," said Batsu during a break in their training sessions. "Why are you training me to fight Yusuke? This doesn't make any sense! Wasn't he your student?"

"Ah! I was going to explain this later," said Genkai. "Fine, kid. Listen up; I taught Yusuke everything I knew. Seeing that I'm an old woman, my best days are behind me. So, everything is passed on to my pupil. But Yusuke can also be such a slacker…and one thing I don't want is that dimwit slacking off and all my hard goes to waste. Soon, his days as spirit detective will be over and nothing will motivate him to use his skills anymore…unless he knows somebody out there that he still hasn't beaten yet. That's where you come in, Batsu."

"Huh? Me?"

"Yes, I heard all about your little after school scuffle with Yusuke. It was the talk of the town. For Yusuke, it was a fight he was supposed to win, and he didn't. Botan even told me that he couldn't get over it for a while and if I know him, he still hasn't. It's that feeling something that hasn't been settled yet. That's when I decided that if there's anyone who can keep Yusuke on his toes, it's you. This is why I want you to be at your best when he returns. Trust me, he'll come back," She then looks at Batsu and says, "So don't you screw this up, dimwit!"

"YIKES!" said a frightened Batsu.

"Now, recess is over. Time to get back to work."

"What? Are you insane? It's only just been a few minutes! Did you forget that already, grandma? Have you gone senile?"

"Like I said, recess is over, just like in school. And if you talk back to your teacher, you will receive punishment, just like in school!"

Batsu gasps. With his training already being so intense, he can only imagine Genkai can do to him.

"Great! Here go again!"

Present Day

"I must say, Master Genkai sure lives up to her reputation," said Batsu. "I see why you're so strong, Yusuke."

Yusuke is simply dumbfounded. He never expected his master to be involved in one of his most personal rivalries in his life.

"It seems like no matter where I go, that old hag just has to make things a little bit harder for me!" Yusuke said, slightly annoyed. "So, she mentioned the Dark Tournament? Well, I guess you know what kind of crazy life I live now."

"Demons? Evil spirits? So what?"

Yusuke is a little surprised. Normally, humans would be freaked out over hearing such things but here is one that doesn't seem bothered by it at all.

"Umm…hello? I mean, it's not like they're your everyday neighbors, you know? This world is not even their home."

"Street fighters like me have seen a lot of crazy stuff. This is nothing new. Although…I can't say I'm comfortable with one of your friends being a fox," Batsu says with a cringed face.

"Oh, you mean Kurama? Don't worry. He's not going to bite. He can control himself just fine."

They both laugh like old friends. The conversation strengthens the bond between the two even more.

"Man, I hate laughing before a fight," said Yusuke. "It's just bad luck, you know?"

"Yeah, I think we've talked long enough," said Batsu, still the hot-headed fighter he always was. "I say we can finally start now!"

"On point. Oh, and just so we don't leave any doubts, make sure you don't hold anything back."

"Alright! Let's go!"

The wind begins to blow as both fighters spirit energies start to flare up.

Batsu suddenly lets out his trademark battle scream. Yusuke smirks.

Then both fighters start running at each other at full speed, landing a punch on each other's face at the same time. This is followed by an exchange of punches that are either blocked or dodged.

Eventually, Batsu gains the upper hand, with a flurry of punches, followed by an uppercut that knocks Yusuke down. He still as aggressive as ever. Impressed, yet still determined as usual, Yusuke gets back up and responds with a powerful two hit combo of his own, knocking Batsu down.

Batsu returns to his feet and the two go at it again, blocking and dodging each other's attacks. Eventually, Yusuke uses his super speed to fake out Batsu before landing his next punch. However, Batsu times this punch precisely and blocks it. He then counters with an elbow that sends Yusuke flying back, landing on his feet.

Yusuke then begins to run around the forest at super speed, something Batsu didn't expect. His movement is so fast, he's almost untraceable by human eyes. This works as Yusuke is able to land a combination of bodyshots, which knocks Batsu down. However, Batsu immediately gets back up and responds with a powerful uppercut, knocking Yusuke down. But similarity, Yusuke immediately gets back up too.

The two smile. It's clear that they're enjoying this fight.

Now they increase their energies and go at it again. The fight is still even, only now their attacks are stronger and faster.

Yusuke is somewhat surprised at how Batsu is able anticipate all his moves so far. But then he reminds himself that he was trained by Genkai. This is almost like he's fighting himself. At the same time, Batsu begins to realize how much Genkai's training was truly necessary. He knew he wouldn't stood a chance had it not been for her.

This fight has garnered the attention of Koenma, Botan, and the blue ogre Jorge, all who are watching it on Koenma's screen in his palace in Spirit World.

"Grr! Is Yusuke out of his mind?" said Koenma. "He asked me to make Batsu the spirit detective and now he wants to go beat his head in? I don't get it! How does this make any ounce of sense! I need to Batsu to be at his best if he's going to be spirit detective."

"Maybe it could just be an initiation fight," said Jorge. "Yusuke could be testing Batsu to see if he's ready for the job."

"They're clearly beating the mess out of each other. This is clearly not a test."

"While I can admit it seems a bit petty, I'm certain it has to do with their first fight," said Botan. "Yusuke apparently has been wanting this for years."

"Well, I don't know about you but I must say…I'm REALLY enjoying this fight!" said Jorge. "Why not just sit back and enjoy? Go, Yusuke!"

"Batsu is the new spirit detective!" said Koenma. "Get'em, Batsu!"

"Oh…I don't know who to cheer for," said Botan.

The fight intensifies, as both fighters are now starting to draw some blood. As they continue, many things are going in their minds.

For Batsu, he is using more of his attacks but must remind himself to control his aggressiveness and only use it when its necessary. This is what Genkai trained to do. He thinks back to his training with Genkai and how she's actually counting on him to win in his fight against Yusuke. In the years prior, he's been involved in many, countless fights. Some in the streets against thugs, others in tournaments by terrorist organizations against many fighters from all over the world. Therefore, he was always prepared whenever a fight occurred and with Yusuke, this was no different. But he never forgot the purpose of his fights with Yusuke; no matter what, always make sure to win. Never hold back. Even if Yusuke holds back, Batsu shouldn't. This is what Genkai wants him to do. This is why Batsu going all out for the win.

At this point, Keiko and Kuwabara appear, witnessing the ongoing fight between the two. Although Yusuke had already told them he was going to meet Batsu beforehand, he never told them why. Now after finally finding him thanks to Kuwabara's spirit awareness, they can now see why for themselves.

"But I don't get it," said Keiko. "They're not enemies anymore, so why are they fighting again?"

"Umm…I don't know," said Kuwabara. "Maybe this is Urameshi's way of passing the torch or something?"

"'Passing the torch'?

"Well, Urameshi did pick this guy to be the next spirit detective after him. So maybe he's just letting him feel better about himself?"

"There has to be something more than that. Yusuke seems…happy in this fight."

"Wow, Keiko, you're right. They're going all out they're trying to kill each other and yet…they're both smiling like they're having a party. Kind of creepy, you know?"

For Yusuke, he doesn't believe any of them understand. It's not just that he wants a rematch. It's the thrill of the fight itself, a fight that he's been secretly wanting for years. He knows he didn't really win in his fight against Batsu. But could he have won? Can he still win? Unlike his fight with Sensui, here was one he can see all the way to the end. Now that they're fighting, he must know for himself. He had intended to beat Batsu then, and that's what he's going to do now. He has to do it. It's that feeling of knowing that somebody else out there that he has to beat. He can't just move on from this. This is his goal. Maybe this is how Kuwabara felt about him. And maybe this is what Genkai was talking about.

At this point, both shoot their respective blasts; Yusuke shoots his Spirit Gun and Batsu shoots his Guts Bullet. The clashing of the blasts causes a huge explosion, reminiscing of their first fight years ago.

The spectators at Koenma's palace, as well as Keiko and Kuwabara are in awe at what they see. They're completely shocked at how even they seem to be.

The usage of these two powerful attacks drains a significant amount of energy from both fighters and yet they both still find it amusing how they're able to still keep up with each other.

"Man, if I didn't know any better, I'd think Genkai was teaching you how to kick my ass," said Yusuke.

"In a fight, that's all that matters to me anyway," said Batsu.

"Well, a shootout is not exactly my style, so how about good ol' fashion slugout until one of us is out?"

"Alright! My fists are always ready for some action! Let's go!"

Indeed, the two trade blows in a back-and-forth slugout. No dodging, blocking, or any regards for defense. Just straight up brawl. Also, since they used a lot of their energies already, they're not punching at fast speed either. All they can rely on is their strength now.

"GO, BATSU!" cheered Koenma.

"GO, YUSUKE!" cheered Jorge.

"I…don't know if I can keep watching this!" says a hysteric Botan.

Keiko and Kuwabara, still watching nearby, look with intense eyes.

"Wow! Just look at them go," said Kuwabara. "Guess they just got tired of screwing around and just went for the kill." He then looks at Keiko and notices her expression. Normally, it's difficult for her to watch Yusuke in such brutal fights like this. But now, she is surprisingly calm. "Umm…Keiko, are you okay?"

"Yes, I am," says Keiko as she nods. She looks as if she's trying to understand something. "It's just that…it's almost like they're…in a trans."

As Batsu and Yusuke continue to trade blows, things go through their minds again.

For Batsu, he remembers that it was Yusuke that motivated him to get stronger after their first fight. The same thing will happen again after this one. Therefore, he couldn't have asked for a better rival.

For Yusuke, he feels that this is Genkai's final and ultimate test for him. He and Batsu were so similar to each other. Now that Genkai has trained both of them, it's like he's fighting himself. He almost doesn't want this fight to end but knows that it has to.

After taking so many hard punches, both fighters are barely able to stand. Bruised, bleeding, and breathing heavily, the two know that their fight is almost over, as do the spectators.

"Well Batsu, it looks like we're both still conscious," said Yusuke.

"Of course!" said Batsu. "The fight is not over yet!"

"Right so…let's put everything we have into one last punch and see who's conscious after that," Yusuke begin power his fist with his spirit energy.

"ALRIGHT!" said Batsu. "A punch to end it all! Come on!" Batsu begins to form a red, fiery aura around his own fist.

With a bone-crushing scream from both, Yusuke and Batsu, with their power-induced fists, land one last punch on each to the body. A few seconds later, both fall to the ground, motionless.

The spectators are frozen in suspense.

"YUSUKE!" yells Keiko as she's about to run but gets stopped by Kuwabara.

"Wait, Keiko!" said Kuwabara.

"So, is it really a draw?" said Koenma.

Suddenly, one of the two fighters raises a fist in the air.

Whose fist was it?