Chapter 11: Ties that Bind
The audience's boos echoed loudly through the stadium, so much that Miwa could feel their angry voices reverberating in her chest. But she paid more attention to the loud sounds of her heavy breathing. She could see small drops of sweat drip from her nose and plop on the ground, her arms felt heavy, and as the adrenaline of her fight slowly wore down, the weakness in her whole body made her wonder if she would pass out again. She focused on her breathing, the sounds of air rushing in and out of her mouth, drying it of all saliva and chilling her gums. The wound on her shoulder still throbbed painfully, and a warm, sticky patch on her clothes clung to her back like a leech. Despite her weakness, Miwa remained acutely aware of all these sensations.
I'm not going to pass out again…
Her feet felt heavy too, but Miwa stubbornly marched back to her teammates with her head held high. Her left hand clutched at her wound, and she could feel a mixture of both dry and sticky fresh blood. She jumped off the elevated arena platform and quickly glanced at the ground, hoping that she had put all the groundwater back to its proper place. She let go of her shoulder and wiped her bloody hand on her pant leg; her clothes were ruined anyway. Then, when she realized her teammates were watching her cautiously, she flashed them all a cheerful peace sign.
"Are you alright?" Kurama asked.
Miwa grinned. "I'll finish them all off if you want me to."
Kurama remained silent. He honestly wasn't sure if she was being serious.
"The dice will decide that, not you," Hiei said. But to everyone's surprise, he had somehow, without anyone noticing, acquired Miwa's pouch in his bandaged hand. He casually tossed it to her, and Miwa caught it by one of the severed straps. "You should at least stop the bleeding," he said curtly.
Miwa glanced over her right shoulder, but she could not see the arrow wound. It was too low, but Kuwabara took a curious look and inhaled sharply through his teeth. It must have looked pretty bad. Kurama took the pouch from her hand, pulled out her salve container, and twisted the cap without a word. Miwa pulled her hair out of his way, even though it wasn't that long, and smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, Hiei," she said.
He did not look at her.
On the other side of the ring, a visibly irate Shishiwakamaru quietly approached the center. The two dice lay on his outstretched hand, and he gently tossed them to Juri's feet. The yellow dice rolled across the ground with a quiet clatter that reminded Miwa of Seta's legs. At her side, Kuwabara anxiously clenched his teeth while he glared at the dice, as if begging it to not land on his name. Miwa took a deep breath as the cool salve made her shoulder wound sting ever so slightly. She didn't know why Kuwabara wouldn't want to go fight, but if she were to be completely honest with herself, she felt the exact same way.
Juri read the dice carefully and announced to the crowd, "Now fighting in the fourth match of the semifinals, from Team Urameshi: Kurama! And from Team Uraotogi: Uraurashima!"
Uraurashima was a very short man, maybe only coming up to Kurama's waist. His face had an interesting mix of the structure of a grown man and the pudginess of a young child. He dressed like a simple village fisherman, and his giant fishing rod leaned against his shoulder. Like Hitawara, he also carried something on his back, but it looked more like a blue backpack than a rice barrel. Miwa knew better than to judge by appearance, but not only did he not look very tough, she didn't sense much power from Uraurashima either.
"Let the next match begin! Start your fight!"
Both fighters jumped back at Juri's signal and brandished their weapons over their heads. Uraurashima swung his giant fishing line, Kurama swung his Rose Whip, and both weapons spun in large circles, slicing through the air and making whoosh noises echo through the stadium.
"Looks like this match is gonna be a duel of lashing weapons," Koto commented, "This one's gonna be all about skill."
Both fighters took to the offensive at the same time, but each attack by one was blocked by the other, and they swung their bodies and arms in all directions, but their feet remained firmly planted. The sound of sliced air became accompanied by bright sparks bursting at every place their weapons made contact with each other, and each contact rang out with an audible clack, like something hard striking metal. Before long, both fighters moved their feet, running all over the arena, but their arms kept swinging, and although they were moving, they could get no closer or no further from each other.
Kuwabara watched them with wide eyes in awe. "Woah, this is a fight."
Hiei huffed at him. "Kurama needs to stop fooling around and start fighting for real."
"What? He's whip-swinging like a maniac-"
"Have you learned anything?" Kuwabara had no retort, and Hiei continued. "It's Kurama's obnoxious habit. He never forms his own strategy until he fully understands his opponent's."
Miwa sighed. She hated to admit it, but Hiei did have a point. "...That's what got him in trouble with Gama, but at least his weapon is out this time."
This time, Hiei grinned. "So even you think he has flaws?"
Miwa rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. What else would I be covering for?"
The raging battle of lashing weapons continued as Uraurashima and Kurama traversed all around the ring. They did not say any words to each other, only letting slip meaningful glances as they tried to attack. Hiei was right. Kurama wasn't showing this fight his full potential yet. But even Uraurashima seemed to be holding back. Using a malleable fishing line as a whip was a risky choice since it does not have the same strength of a normal whip, but it would have more flexibility and control. Miwa had to assume Uraurashima was quite capable with it if that were his choice, but by the skill they were both displaying, it looked more like he and Kurama somehow found a happy middle between their whip abilities and were only testing each other, or else stalling for time. But Miwa couldn't help but feel curious about those glances they were sending each other. Neither of them said a word, but it was almost as if they were communicating.
Uraurashima tripped, and Kurama took the opportunity to strike. He lashed his whip forward, but suddenly, Uraurashima disappeared. Kurama's whip strunk only the ground, and Uraurashima appeared behind him. He lashed his fishing line at a speed unlike anything they had seen before, and Kurama was trapped in an entanglement of thin, strong, fishing wire. Uraurashima tugged at his fishing rod, the line cut through Kurama's clothes, and tiny drops of blood flew through the air as that thin line cut through his skin. The sounds of sliced air stopped, the sparks were gone, and the clanging metal sound disappeared, all replaced by Kurama's pained scream.
"Kurama!"
His body crashed to the ground. The Rose Whip fell uselessly to the side and transformed back into a normal rose. Kurama slowly pushed himself back up, but Uraurashima trampled that rose with his foot. He rambled on about a "goodie two-shoes act" or "the way you lived your life" that Miwa didn't understand, but somehow, some way, he claimed to take advantage of Kurama's one weakness: his kindness. Kurama didn't answer him. He only glared angrily back, as if he were feeling betrayed. Uraurashima lashed his fishing line forward, and without his weapon to counter it, Kurama was forced to run away. Each strike bit at Kurama's ankles, but none of them made a direct hit. Then, just as he reached the edge of the ring, Kurama stopped. Yellow energy sparked at his feet, and slowly, thin lines appeared in the air, sparkling with Uraurashima's Spirit Energy. The sparkling lines formed odd shapes around the ring, but they created a wall, trapping everyone inside. He made a forcefield. A net.
Uraurashima laughed at his deception. "Hook, line, and sinker. And you're the stupid fish."
Miwa resisted the urge to reach out and touch Uraurashima's net. Unlike other demons, like Jin, Kurama did not have the ability to fly, and the tournament rules stated that Kurama could not be outside of the ring longer than ten seconds. Fishermen nets are designed to keep prey from escaping, but why would Uraurashima need to trap Kurama if he couldn't run away? Uraurashima removed his backpack, and he pulled out a large, maroon box wrapped with string.
"Let me introduce you to the Idunn Box!" He quickly removed the decorative strings. "Anybody other than the possessor who breathes its air will quickly return to their younger age. Back to those awkward adolescent years. The terrible twos! Or even infancy!"
A terrible feeling of dread welled up in Miwa's stomach. That's what the net is for…
Uraurashima ripped open the box, and a lavender smoke expelled from inside, quickly filling the inside of the fishing net. The ominous cloud stopped at the sparkling barrier, keeping all the smoke from spreading too thin, and making sure that it all stayed in one place with no escape. Kurama quickly faded from everyone's sight, and Uraurashima taunted him that he could not hold his breath forever. Anxious seconds turned to anxious minutes passing by painfully slowly. With her sight blocked, Miwa focused all she had on what she could hear: Uraurashima's confident laugh, wobbly and unsteady steps, Kurama coughing as that purple cloud filled his lungs, and faint, weakening moans. But the worst was what she could sense: Kurama's Spirit Energy rapidly growing weaker...and weaker…
Kurama…
...until it was gone.
Miwa stood absolutely still, forgetting to even breathe. How could this be? Even in infancy, she should still be able to sense something. Just how far can that stupid box reverse age? Hundreds of ridiculous scenarios ran through Miwa's head, trying to understand why she sensed nothing, but it didn't make sense. Even Uraurashima, who also sensed the missing energy, sounded confused. It's a mystical box that made people younger...but...what if it wasn't age that reversed? What if it was time?
Kurama…
The purple cloud turned white, and a white light began to flash at the audience from within the smoke.
"Do you feel that too?" Kuwabara asked.
A power quickly began to grow within that thick, white cloud. It took over the power of the smoke, filling it instead with its own ominous strength. Energy crackled like black lightning both inside and out of the ring. The energy mixed with the white smoke and shifted against the wind's natural flow, coming alive as if it were fire, and as that energy continued to grow, it became more and more familiar. Once again, Miwa forgot to breathe and stood absolutely still. She did not understand how sensing this energy made her feel, like something she had wanted for so long, but did not know how to react once it was finally in her hands.
"Youko has returned, they cry."
It was Kurama's voice, but it wasn't the one she had grown accustomed to. It was deeper, more menacing, like a predator about to go on the hunt, and it lacked all of the kindness that Uraurashima tried to exploit. Miwa took in a deep breath and tried to calm down her confused feelings. The recognition. The nostalgia.
This.
This was it.
That power. That voice. This was what she had started searching for fifteen years ago.
"Youko Kurama…" Even the name felt nostalgic on her lips.
Miwa finally understood what she felt. It was the feeling of reunion, the feeling of a search finally being over, and she remembered that three years ago, she did not feel this way when she found a human redhead named Shuichi Minamino.
The black energy sparked again, and Kuwabara took a step back. "It's like a thunderstorm in there! Where's all of that weird energy I'm feeling coming from?!"
Hiei stepped forward. "It's all Kurama, down to the last drop."
The energy struck outwards and crashed into the stadium walls, making the whole structure shake.
"But...it's different somehow, and a heck of alot more powerful."
"Seems that fool he's been fighting has turned him back into his demon form, before he was tainted by you humans."
Hiei had a strange, excited grin on his face, as if Kurama returning to his demon form was what he had wanted all along.
"Demon form…" Kuwabara repeated slowly, and then he turned to Miwa, realizing that all he knew about his three other teammates was that they were once demon criminals.
She glanced at him with no discernable emotion on her face. "Fifteen years ago, Kurama was thought to be killed by a hunter, but he escaped to the human world by merging his spirit with an unborn human child," she explained. "I tracked him here twelve years later, and Hiei found us shortly after that." She smiled gently at Kuwabara, but he could see it was a smile with no emotion behind it whatsoever. "The rest, I think you've heard from Yusuke."
They fell silent, listening carefully for things they could not see. Uraurashima's pathetic cries as he begs for his life. The crackling sound of a growing plant. The dripping, acidic saliva of what Miwa knew to be Kurama's Death Tree. The smacking lips of that demonic tree's salivated mouth.
...Kurama's lower, menacing voice.
He was trying to learn more about the Idunn Box. If this reversing effect wasn't permanent, then Youko Kurama wanted the secret to returning back to his truest form from his human captivity. But before Uraurashima could spill those secrets, he stopped when his voice became garbled with the sound of splashing liquid, like blood had suddenly filled his throat. The sparkling net began to fade, and the smoke slowly disappeared. The dark silhouettes slowly took more shape, and instead of Uraurashima, a red illusion creature lay dead on the ground with a sword through his chest. Kurama's hair and clothes tussled in the wind as the smoke receded and vanished, revealing his true self to the world. Tall, long silver hair, sharp golden eyes, and the ears and tail of a fox. Youko Kurama is alive.
"Woah, Kurama really is a fox thing!" Kuwabara shouted. "Gee, and to think I let him near my kitten."
"He's as he should be," Hiei said quietly, and then he turned to Miwa, smiling excitedly again. "How does it feel, Miwa? Seeing the man you swore your life to after fifteen years..."
A white light surrounded Youko Kurama's body, and when it faded, the redhead body she had known for the past three years emerged. But even though that was the form she had become accustomed to, it still felt strange to see Shuichi Minamino again…like he was a stranger. Because in that short moment she saw Youko Kurama, the past fifteen years suddenly felt like it never happened, as if someone ripped out that lonely chunk of time from her memory, and the last time she saw this form was just yesterday. That was the man Miwa swore her oath to, the man she vowed to serve until the day she died. "How does it feel?" Hiei had asked.
And Miwa did not answer.
{00}
The remaining matches of their semifinal round ranged from fantastic to flamboyant. Shishiwakamaru made quick work of Kuwabara by sending him through a different dimension with his Cape of No Return, but the Masked Fighter, who they all learned was actually the Psychic Genkai, quickly defeated the fame-obsessed fighter and his second mystical item: the Banshee Shriek. Kuwabara returned just in time from the inappropriately named cape's attack to fight Onji, the last remaining member of Team Uraotogi and the supplier of their mysterious items. However, as the supplier and creator of those items, Onji knew how to send Kuwabara through a different dimension without any props, giving Team Uraotogi their second win. But the dice called upon Genkai as the next fighter, and she exposed Onji's true identity: a ridiculous clown who went by the name of the Beautiful Suzuki. He truly embodied the phrase "all bark and no bite." His attacks were colorful, extravagant, and visually pleasing to look at, but that was all Suzuki had. His strength was abysmal at best, and Genkai only had to use her fists to ruin his beautiful face and defeat him, giving Team Urameshi the sixth and final win that they needed to qualify for the finals.
The only match left before the finals was Team Toguro vs Gorenja Team, and everyone was expecting the Toguros to advance. Before she left to take care of her own business, Genkai instructed Kurama, Miwa, and Hiei to watch that fight and learn the fighting style of their members. However, Kurama was the only one who showed up to watch. They both already knew that Hiei would not listen and disappear, but when Kurama invited Miwa to join him, she politely declined and walked away, asking that he tell her what he learned later on.
She has been acting strangely…
Ever since the end of the match with Team Uraotogi, Miwa avoided eye contact and did not speak to him unless it was necessary. Her eyes had this odd, faraway look to them, as if she were contemplating something deep and meaningful. But her strangest behavior was not even going to see the last semifinal match. Miwa took her role as information gatherer very seriously, but she willingly passed on the chance to see the members of Team Toguro in action. Miwa said that Rikiji once approached her directly in the forest, but there was no way that brief encounter was enough to ascertain Rikiji's skills, especially since she didn't even attack. He didn't think she was afraid of seeing what Team Toguro could do; she would have used that information to alleviate any fears. His only explanation was that seeing him transform into Youko Kurama must have done something to her, and she was trying to work through whatever that something was.
Kurama watched anxiously at the arena below, where only four members: Karasu, Bui, Rikiji, and the Elder Toguro were the only representatives of their team. The younger brother was nowhere to be seen, and their sixth member was unknown to all. Team Gorenja had all six members ready to fight, and they refused to be intimidated by the Elder's confidence in his victory. They hoped that their six to four member advantage would lead them to victory.
Rikiji gracefully jumped into the ring, and each of her steps toward the center were so gentle and soft that she appeared to float, like a ghost. Opposite her, Kokurenja stepped forward with very firm steps, but somehow he moved without making any sound. Kokurenja was of average size and build, for a demon, wearing dark clothing that matched his team and a belt with a large "B" written in black on the buckle. His brown hair was slicked-back, kept out of his face, and he wore a pair of tinted goggles. He carried a machine gun in his hands, and a small pistol was strapped to his right ankle.
Our first match: Rikiji vs Kokurenja!" Juri spun around and signaled the fighters with a bright smile. "Fight!"
Kokurenja opened by swiftly running in circles around Rikiji. Each step he took left no sound, no trace of his existence, as if he too were a ghost gliding across the ground. He held up his gun, aiming it right at the center of his circle, and fired. Rikiji watched him carefully and dodged each bullet with impressive speed. Not even her shrine clothing, which was very loose and trailed after her, was punctured by any bullet.
"Wow!" Koto squealed, "We've seen Kokurenja's sniper skills take down his opponents before, but Rikiji is the first to dodge his assault! This is what the semifinal round is all about, folks!"
Kokurenja slowed down, but he kept his gun at the ready. "You're fast, but only because you can see where my attacks are coming from."
Rikiji just passively stared at him.
Kokurenja frowned, and decided not to speak further. With his gun still armed, his Spirit Energy also began to increase. True to his name, his energy enveloped his body in a black light, and slowly, Kokurenja began to disappear, guns and all. He grinned confidently just before his body became completely transparent, and his energy signal disappeared when the black light faded. A resounding bang echoed through the stadium, and a little debris from the ceiling came sprinkling down. Everything about Kokurenja, his body, his guns, and even his muzzle flash, were invisible, and he let off a warning shot to let everyone know he was still there.
"Not this again!" Juri said nervously, "His body disappeared while he was in the ring, but that shot makes it sound like he's still here…uhm…"
"He is still in the ring," Rikiji said calmly. She turned to Juri and assured her with a calming smile and velvety voice. "I will show you."
Rikiji raised her arms, letting her long sleeves dangle to their full length. They swayed gently with the momentum, then stilled. Small sheets of white paper suddenly came billowing out from her sleeves, soaring out in a large group like a giant flock of white birds. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of sheets rushed out and swirled around the arena until they formed a tornado, with Rikiji at the center. The sound of all the crinkling paper roared through the stadium, and Juri's surprised scream could barely be heard. Rikiji lowered her arms and carefully looked around her paper storm. There. To her right. Sheets of paper were crumbling into a little ball as they crashed into something invisible. Rikiji stretched out her hand again, and the paper storm suddenly converged on Kokurenja's exposed location, and Kurama realized the crinkling roar had disappeared. The paper didn't flex or bend as they shot through the air; they had hardened into razor-sharp blades.
"Aaaaaaaaagggghhhhhhhhhh!"
Kokurenja's scream was the first indication that the attack was successful. Soon, his body reappeared, covered in numerous paper cuts. His clothes were torn, chunks of hair was missing, and his goggles hung precariously from his left ear as the right temple was missing. Now exposed, Kokurenja did the only thing he could: he forced himself to bear the pain and aimed his gun at Rikiji once more. He fired one shot, and Rikiji dodged it effortlessly. Kokurenja growled and yanked a small, red magazine from his pocket and switched out his ammo. But while he was distracted by that, several pieces of paper curled themselves into a ball and wiggled their way into the barrel of Kokurenja's gun. He aimed his weapon and pulled the trigger, but then, with the paper blocking the bullet's escape, the gun exploded in his hands, enveloping Kokurenja's whole front with flame and pushing him outside the ring.
Juri cautiously wandered over and peered over the ring's edge as the paper storm retreated back into Rikiji's sleeves. Kokurenja's body lay there, still and unclear of whether he was alive or dead. His clothes still had small sections burning, his goggles had fallen off in the blast, his eyebrows were gone and there was a faint smell of burnt hair and flesh. Blood from his paper cuts had dribbled all over his body, but as far as Juri could tell, he wasn't breathing.
"Kokurenja seems to have been killed by his own gun backfiring on him," she said, unaware of Rikiji's paper trick. "The winner by death is Team Toguro's Rikiji!"
Kurama watched carefully as Rikiji gracefully left the ring, not even acknowledging the excited audience.
Her powers are similar to Miwa's, but she commands a much larger amount of paper…
The next match was Karasu versus Midorenja.
Midorenja, a small, green, ogre-looking demon, concentrated his energy into a small ball in his hands. A small ball that smelled horribly and dripped a liquid that burned the stone arena. Karasu seemed unaffected by the smell, and he dodged Midorenja's attack with an unnervingly fluid sidestep. The ball crashed into the wall behind him, exploding upon impact and its acidic contents vaporized audience members caught in the blast. Midorenja prepared another attack, but Karasu fearlessly walked forward. Then, as Midorenja launched his second attack, Karasu dodged just as easily as before. He jumped so high that he seemed to take flight, especially as his coat tails billowed behind him like the wings of a giant black bird. As his flight descended, his pale, thin hand gently brushed over Midorenja's shoulder, as lightly as a feather. Seconds later, Midorenja's shoulder exploded from the inside, cauterizing the wound immediately with its heat and leaving behind nothing but an ugly stump. Karasu swiftly brushed past Midorenja again, and his other arm blew off in mere moments.
"Now what part should I dispose of next?" Karasu asked. He raised his hand, pale, thin, and immensely dangerous. "Shoulder? Leg? Or maybe the head?
"Please! I give up!"
As Midorenja ran away for his life, wobbly and unbalanced as it may have been, Karasu did not even let him escape, and with one more brief touch, Midorenja's remaining body exploded in a gruesome burst of skin and guts. Kurama felt a small chill run down his spine. That speed...that frightening ability where one failed dodge could cost your life…
"The fight is over! The winner by death is Karasu!"
And the audience roared with approval.
He sends his energy directly into his opponent's body, and ignites it from inside…
The next fight: Bui vs Kirenja.
Kirenja towered over Bui in height, and he brandished a giant sword, perhaps as long as he was tall. The curved blade looked sharp and heavy, but Kirenja had no problem wielding it with ease. He proudly boasted about his sword, but Bui only answered with silence. He raised his right hand above his head, releasing his Spirit Energy until an even larger battle axe materialized from thin air. Just from catching it, Bui's body sank into the arena floor, crushing it under the weapon's weight, and the blade alone was so huge, Bui could even use it as a full body shield.
"Alright, fighters. You may begin!"
An impressive display of weight and size, making Kirenja's sword almost laughable. Bui rested a majority of the axe's weight over his shoulder, but he did not even hunch forward. Bui was strong, that was for certain, but a blade that size would take a long time to swing, and Kirenja was counting on it as he inched his way forward, preparing to strike from as close as possible. Even the audience could see that Bui was allowing Kirenja to get too close. Kirenja pulled his arm back, preparing to thrust his sword forward, but before he could even try, Bui easily swung that gigantic axe, as if it weighed less than nothing.
The giant blade impacted Kirenja's upper body so quickly, his lower half had no chance to follow. The blade sliced through skin, muscle, organs, and bone, and all of Kirenja's innards scattered across the arena like the prize candy of a pinata. Kirenja's whole upper half became a messy splatter on the ground, while his intact legs fell over lifelessly. As Juri called the fight as Bui's victory, the armored man turned around and walked away with the axe still in tow, and each step he took crushed the arena floor, proving that the weight of his terrifying weapon was still there.
"I don't understand," Akarenja exclaimed, "If these fighters are all so strong, why are they obeying that little man?"
The Elder Toguro, a small, frail-looking man dwarfed by his brother and teammates, just laughed. "It's simple, underling. Because even the strongest man knows when to be afraid."
Kurama felt another chill run down his spine.
Then, Elder Toguro proposed something crazy: to take on the remaining three members of Team Gorenja alone, and his loss would result in Team Toguro forfeiting the match. Team Gorenja, angry and fearful, accepted those conditions, relying on their teamwork to overpower such a little man. The audience seemed confused, believing that he was helpless without his brother, but surely, from what he had seen at Tarukane's mansion, Kurama had no doubts that the Elder Toguro was just as frightening as his younger brother.
The remaining members Team Gorenja opened with an intriguing show of teamwork and speed. Each member leapt around the ring, leaving behind numerous convincing after-images of themselves. One body looked just as real and solid as the next, and it appeared that twenty fighters in total had appeared to fight against the one, smaller, Toguro brother. They called it the Gorenja Battalion, Koto announced that it was nearly impossible to defend against, but the Elder Toguro didn't even take his hands out of his pant pockets. Then, Team Gorenja produced balls of energy in their hands, preparing to strike, and finally, Elder Toguro removed his hands from his pockets and stretched them out wide.
From there, everything happened so quickly.
Something sprouted from Elder Toguro's body in all directions, wiggling and stretching out to the very edge of the ring, covering any and all possible places to hide. Those things punctured and dissolved the many after-images, until only the three main bodies remained, stabbed clean through and suspended in mid-air by what was, in actuality, an extension of Elder Toguro's skin.
"Unfortunately for you, I'm well equipped for fighting the large groups."
His elastic skin withdrew, and all three members crashed to the ground. Momorenja, who was pierced right between her eyes, was dead, and Akarenja and Aorenja struggled to push themselves up. Elder Toguro was impressed with their endurance and offered to spare one of their lives. Just one. Akarenja said that Elder Toguro had no choice but to kill them both, or else they would just get stronger and defeat him one day, but Aorenja took a much more pathetic approach and begged to be spared. But Elder Toguro, who did not like grovelers, stabbed Aorenja's face by extending all five fingers of his right hand.
He put his hands back in his pockets and looked down proudly at Akarenja. "My teammates there said the same thing as you when they challenged us and were beaten down." He turned to look back fondly at Rikiji, Karasu, and Bui, but Kurama could not read the expression they gave him. "Their desire to kill us keeps them motivated to get stronger."
Kurama frowned. So, they follow the Toguro Brothers not by loyalty, but by fear...
For a brief moment, Kurama could have sworn Rikiji glared up at him. But when he focused on her face, she was watching the arena as calmly as ever.
Elder Toguro said something about how his younger brother liked people like Akarenja, who would have been fueled by the same hatred and murderous intent to get stronger, making him a perfect addition to their team. However, Elder Toguro hated keeping his promises, so instead of sparing Akarenja's life, he stretched one finger and pierced Akarenja through the forehead, ending his life with the simplest of gestures.
They are all stronger, faster, and more powerful than I, Kurama thought anxiously. I cannot beat them, not while I am still part human…part Shuichi Minamino...
Kurama could no longer hear the audience's cheers for Team Toguro as the scoreboard reflected their victory. He could only hear Elder Toguro's shrill, frightening laugh.
Perhaps Hiei and Miwa were wise to not come see this…
{00}
Meanwhile, as Kurama observed the power of Team Toguro, Hiei went off on his own to train for the finals. He found a large cliff on the island's coast and prepared a large bonfire. The orange flames roared with life, dancing at a height much taller than Hiei and radiating heat that made his skin sting. Watch their fight? Kurama seeing them would be more than enough. Hiei had more important ways to spend his time. Ways that would hopefully keep himself from getting killed.
The fire sparked and crackled before him. Hiei unbandaged his right arm, exposing the healing flesh to air and heat. As he reached out his arm, his instincts screamed at him. This is dangerous. This is not something he should do. It will only hurt him. But Hiei forced himself to push away his instinctive urge to flee. This was the only way. He needed to master the Dragon, or he would die.
Hiei thrust his right arm into the fire, and immediately the heat swallowed it, burning the already mutilated skin and forcing Hiei to scream as his only method to cope with the agonizing pain. He ignored his desire to pull back his arm and released his Spirit Energy. Black flames miked with the orange and spouted columns of both colors in all directions. They struck the cliff, the ground, and the ocean with tremendous force, shaking very the cliff on which Hiei stood.
Ocean waves generated by Hiei's power splashed against the bottom of the cliff, spraying Miwa with a faint salty mist. Even from her hidden spot below Hiei, she could feel the heat of his fire, and the mist that left tiny drops on her face evaporated in seconds. Miwa kept her Spirit Energy concealed to hide herself from Hiei, but she knew him finding her was only a matter of time.
The semifinals should be over by now…
Hiei had told her many times in the past week that he did not want her help, but still, it pained her to hear him scream in such agony. She didn't want to walk away from this. She wanted to be there for support if nothing else, but if she were found, he would disappear and resume this training elsewhere. Miwa walked carefully along the coastal edge of the cliff, back towards the stadium. The waves licked at her feet, soaking her shoes, but she didn't care. The only way she could help anyone was with information, so she needed to hear what Kurama had learned.
"Miwa, shall we go watch the next match?"
"I'm sorry, I...have somewhere to be…"
Such an obvious lie.
If Kurama was oblivious to how awkwardly she acted around him, her lame deflection would have given it away in spades. But Miwa just...didn't know how to face Kurama right then. It was strange how only seeing a glimpse of Youko Kurama in his true form made Shuichi Minamino feel like such a stranger, and this realization made her feel ashamed. By his abilities, knowledge, and even general demeanor, Miwa should know better than anyone that the redhead is surely Kurama. He was gentler now, and more sympathetic to human lives from his fifteen year captivity, and Miwa kept asking herself if she longed for the old days more than she thought.
But Kurama…
"Miwa."
Just as Miwa quietly leapt back up the cliff, supposedly behind Hiei and out of his sight, Hiei's stern voice halted her in her tracks, and Miwa released the breath she had been holding by laughing.
"You got me," she said, holding her hands up in feigned surrender. Miwa turned around and returned to the forest. "Sorry to bother your training," she added casually.
"...That form is how he should be," Hiei said, repeating what he had said by the ring.
This time, Miwa did not stop walking. "Yeah...yeah, it is."
Hiei didn't follow up on her half-hearted response and remained silent as she entered the forest until Miwa could no longer sense his presence. The sound of crashing waves was gone, the heat of the fire was replaced by a rather humid day, and Hiei's painful screams were just a quiet noise in the distance. Surrounded by hundreds of trees and no beaten path, Miwa had to rely on her sense of direction to find her way. The semifinals were surely over. Would Kurama still be at the stadium? Miwa closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to sense any trace of Kurama's energy. She couldn't quite pinpoint its location, but she knew he was somewhere near the hotel. Miwa continued walking, adjusting her course as needed.
I can't be feeling awkward anymore. We don't need that during the finals...
Miwa continued making her way through the forest, feeling a bit more courageous, but then, a familiar presence up ahead sapped all of her uplifted mood in one gulp. Why here? Why now? Did they know she wouldn't be at their semifinal match? Miwa took a deep breath and walked forward. This wasn't the first time Miwa felt this presence, and just like before, it did not feel like it was there to threaten her. The blatant show of Spirit Energy could only be an invitation for Miwa to come speak. A small clearing in the forest eventually appeared, and at its center waited a tall, beautiful woman with dark red hair and her back turned.
"Rikiji."
"How brave of you, coming alone." The shrine maiden slowly turned around, smiling gently and watched Miwa carefully with her icy blue eyes. "Where is your friend?"
"...You need to be more specific."
"The one who transformed so beautifully in your team's last match."
Miwa froze, like her own blood had turned to ice, but she did her best to keep calm. "Why do you want to know?"
"No reason, really." Rikiji folded her arms, but her calm smile suddenly turned into a fierce sneer. "It is just strange to see a slave so far from her master."
"...What?"
Then, Miwa remembered what happened when she and Rikiji first met. What she had said when Rikiji first mentioned Miwa's name.
"Written as 'the looping snake,' is it not? ...I was thinking that it was similar to someone else I have heard of before…"
"Miwa, the Water Apparition," Rikiji said, taking small steps forward, "Right hand to the infamous thief, Youko Kurama." She stopped and unfolded her arms, raising a long, pale finger right at Miwa's chest. "The one who swore her life to servitude."
Miwa could feel her hands trembling, but there was nothing she could do to stop them. Rikiji's entire countenance changed. Her gentle smile looked more like she was baring teeth. Her ice blue eyes, already intimidating on their own, burned with a strong sense of disgust and revulsion. Instead of the graceful shrine maiden, she looked like an angry, vengeful ghost.
"You even go so far as to weaken yourself just to follow someone thought to be dead," Rikiji continued, each syllable dripping with spite. "Willingly bound by chains you can't even see…"
A small slip of paper flew out of Rikiji's long sleeve. Miwa watched it carefully as it curved around her body and aimed for her back. Miwa immediately spun around and threw some water at it from her spare pouch. But her stream did not halt the slip of paper for even a moment, and it curved around her body at an even faster pace, slipping under her pouch and pasted itself to her back before she could stop it. Miwa threw off her pouch and clawed at the paper as best she could, but it wouldn't come off.
"What are you trying to do?!" Miwa asked, but she was afraid she already knew the answer.
"Confirmation."
The paper began to glow with Rikiji's energy, and at the same time, a small ball of heat welled up in Miwa's core. The heat grew more and more intense, more unstable, and it felt like it was wiggling and throbbing painfully inside her body. Miwa helplessly clutched at her chest and sank to her knees. All of the heat inside her chest throbbed like it had a life of its own, and if she were to do anything to potentially agitate it, it felt so unstable that it could explode. Miwa breathed heavily as she tried of think of a way out of this, but that damn slip of paper just wouldn't relent, and a faint voice from her memory whispered; the quiet, stern, voice of an old woman.
"This is a permanent measure...If you mess with it, you could die…"
"So what if I weakened myself!" Miwa burst out, "Why do you care?!"
The painful throbbing in her chest subsided, and the heat receded into nothing. The slip of paper peeled itself off of Miwa's back and innocently floated through the air, back into Rikiji's sleeve. Miwa forced herself to stand as she caught her breath. Other than her shortness of breath and the sweat rolling down her temple, she felt completely normal. Whatever that paper did to her was gone. Rikiji's disgusted demeanor was also gone, replaced by that beautiful, graceful shrine maiden with piercing eyes.
"Alike, but so different, you and I," Rikiji said with her deep, melodic voice. Then, for just a moment, her tone went right back down to that of disgust and revulsion. "I will not be beaten by someone who willingly made herself a slave..."
Rikiji turned around and swiftly disappeared into the trees. Once again, Miwa was left alone in the forest, with only the occasional breeze as her company. The rustling leaves echoed between the tree trunks, further exemplifying just how alone Miwa felt. No one was around anymore. No one was there to see what transpired. Rikiji left so quickly, everything that happened almost felt like a crazy dream.
Rikiji knows...
Even if Rikiji only had vague suspicions when they first met in the woods, there was no proof. Kurama and Miwa sharing the same names as infamous thieves could have been a coincidence, but Rikiji knew. Seeing Kurama transform must have confirmed everything for her. She knew everything, even the nature of Miwa's weakened human disguise. That paper...that power...Miwa knew exactly what it was.
….Willingly, huh?
Then, in the far-off distance, Spirit Power of incredible strength began to grow. The energy climbed higher and higher, without end. Slight tremors in the ground rumbled under Miwa's feet. Flocks of birds escaped from the trees with fearful cries. Near that frightening power, a smaller, significantly weaker energy signature began to rise, but in comparison to that frightening power, which could only be Toguro, that weaker signal was drowned out, near unidentifiable. The only thing Miwa knew for sure was that it was a familiar energy.
Someone is in danger…
"It is just strange to see a slave so far from her master…"
Before she even realized what she was doing, Miwa sprinted through the forest, back towards the hotel, in the general direction of Toguro's terrifying might. Trees, branches, leaves, and twigs rushed past Miwa in a blur of green and brown colors. Branches caught against her arms and legs, leaving bright red lines, but she didn't care. All thoughts of meeting Rikiji were pushed aside. All thoughts of feeling awkward were pushed aside. Who cares if he didn't look the way he did before? Who cares if he didn't act the way he did before? There was only one person in the world Miwa swore her life to, and the only thing that mattered was finding him before that monster found him first.
I don't care what form you're in...as long as you are alive...
But then, that other weaker presence suddenly disappeared, snuffed out like a lit candle in a strong wind.
{00}
Miwa locked onto Kurama's energy as she got closer. He was alone, hiding in the forest a good distance from their hotel, and far from the location of Toguro's terrible power surge. She made no effort to hide her own energy. She wanted Kurama to know it was her approaching, and not some awful threat. The passing branches continued their scratchy assault on her arms and legs, but Miwa still kept running. Finally, she burst through the foliage into a small clearing, and Kurama sat patiently on a rock, waiting for her. But when he saw how frazzled she was, he immediately stood up.
"Are you alright?" he asked, raising his arms to catch her if she fell. "You shouldn't be running around so much…"
It was only then that Miwa remembered her still recovering Life Energy. No wonder the sprint had tired her out. Her breathing was ragged and heavy, just like when she finished her last fight. In her haste to find Kurama, she didn't even notice any dizzy spells along the way. Either it was the adrenaline rush, or her strength as actually beginning to return.
"I'm fine," she said, ignoring how stupid it sounded when she was so out of breath. "I just needed to find you."
"...You sensed Toguro?"
"Who wouldn't sense that monster…"
Kurama ushered her to the rock he had been sitting on and made her rest. The clearing actually had a nice breeze blowing through it, cooling Miwa's sweaty face and calming her breathing. As the excitement faded away, Miwa realized that the fussy redhead at her side no longer looked like a stranger. She was just so happy to see him alive, she would have taken him in any form. Maybe she was just overthinking her feelings of nostalgia. She confirmed it herself three years ago. This redhead was the only one who would scold her so much about her recklessness. The only one who would smile at her upon their twelve year reunion. The only one who knew her better than she knew herself. This was the person she found after twelve years of searching. There was no doubt that this boy in front of her was Kurama. This was the form he was in now. That was the only thing that should matter to her.
"I'm sorry I skipped out on Team Toguro's match. I needed to clear my head about some things," she said, smiling slightly. "Did you learn anything?"
Kurama looked solemnly to the ground. His fingers clenched together tightly, shaking with either their own strength or fear. "This won't be an easy fight to win...for any of us."
Miwa wasn't quite sure how to describe Kurama's expression. If Team Toguro was so powerful, she could understand fear or anxiety, but Kurama seemed more...frustrated, or even helpless. He was rarely so open about such feelings, even to her, but as he slowly described the things he saw that team do, the more Miwa began to understand. Rikiji's command over paper; Karasu's deadly touch, Bui's impossible strength...Elder Toguro's shrill, chilling laugh.
Miwa brought her knees up onto the rock and hugged them close to her chest. She hated to bring this up, but it wasn't something she should avoid. Not if their lives were on the line. "...You're thinking that you can't beat them, aren't you?"
"...Not as I am now."
They both fell into a solemn silence. Based on what Kurama told her, Miwa had already confirmed the nature of Rikiji's abilities, but that knowledge would do her no good if Rikiji was as powerful as she seemed. Miwa's "weakened" human disguise was so limited in strength and range that victory seemed so far out of reach.
"I met Rikiji today."
Kurama's eyes widened, grim frustration taken over by shock. "Did she attack you?"
"No, more like formally challenge." Miwa smiled again, but it didn't do much to improve either of their moods. "She knows who we are, and I don't think she likes me."
Miwa opened her mouth to detail the whole encounter, but something stopped her. The more she thought about Rikiji's abilities, the more she felt that maybe, just maybe, she shouldn't reveal it yet. It would only make Kurama worry even more. Instead, she summarized it by saying, "You said they follow Toguro out of fear, right? She thinks I've made myself a slave like her by willingly swearing my life to you."
"A slave…" Kurama repeated, looking back to the ground.
"You know that I don't think of it that way," Miwa assured, leaning forward so she could see his face. "But that's how she sees it."
"...Can you beat her?"
"I will not be beaten by someone who willingly made herself a slave..."
Miwa readjusted the strap of her pouch. "As I am now, it wouldn't be easy."
Kurama grimaced. "If I could just figure out the secret to that transformation…"
Miwa sat up and leapt to her feet. She had an idea. "Well, if you're safe, then I better head to the stadium," she said, turning her back and walking towards the forest.
"What for?"
Miwa looked back and grinned. "It's about time I did my job."
Then, without another word, Miwa disappeared into the trees. As he watched her leave, Kurama noticed that Miwa was no longer stumbling around. Her body was covered in scratches from her mad dash to find him, and her shoulder was still patched up, but they did not seem to bother her. She looked much happier, healthier, and much more...herself than she did when they parted. It made him feel relieved, but at the same time, her behavior made him feel nervous. He believed something about his transformation to Youko Kurama was the reason she did not watch the last semifinal round with him, but something was off about her meeting Rikiji again. Kurama didn't know what it could be, but he had a strong feeling that Miwa hid something from him. He did not tell her, but shortly before he sensed Toguro's increase in power, he had also sensed Miwa's power fluctuate in a very peculiar way. It had felt dangerous, panicked, unstable, and there was something else mixed in with that madness, a foreign power that reminded him of something they talked about back when they first reunited. And Miwa...she did not bring it up at all. Nor did she seem at all curious about Rikiji's power.
As he put the pieces together in his mind, a sudden realization gave him a very bad feeling.
Miwa...what are you doing?
{00}
Tucked away in the hallways of the stadium was a small, quiet room the demon audience had no desire or need to see. Small, white, and lined with fully occupied beds was the tournament's infirmary, resting place for the injured, weakened, and dismembered fighters. Demons wrapped in bandages, lamenting their loss, healing from battle wounds, or just barely clinging to life, were tended to by nurses in the typical white uniforms and red cross hats. Their pained whimpers and frustrated monologues mixed with the quiet voices of the nurses, but one man in particular sat up in his bed. He too was wrapped in bandages, and his body still shook with pain from his wounds, but he did not blabber on about losing or whine over his injuries. He just sat there, contemplating his next move.
The door to the infirmary slammed open, silencing all the patients and nurses. A girl, not dressed in the nurse's uniform, strolled inside with as much confidence as someone who belonged there. One nurse approached their guest, asking her to leave and let the patients rest, it wasn't visiting hours yet, but the girl brushed the nurse aside without a word. Maybe the guest did belong there; her arms were covered in scratches, and as the man was well aware, she had taken some considerable damage in her last fight. The girl stopped right at the foot of the man's bed, and they locked eyes in a serious staredown. The nurses beside them watched fearfully, wondering if a fight between previous opponents was about to occur.
Suzuki broke their eye contact and chuckled quietly to himself. "And just when I was wondering how I would find you guys…" He threw off the bed covers and stood on his wobbly feet. A nurse leaned forward to help, but he swatted her hand away. "Now what could Team Urameshi want with me?" he asked, smiling at the girl as if he already knew the answer.
Miwa returned his look with a knowing smile of her own.
Notes: I had wanted to finish this chapter in time for the one-year anniversary of this story being published, but at the time, it just wasn't good enough. I kinda enjoy how Miwa always seems to run to Hiei when she has doubts about herself or her motivations, even if she ultimately does nothing to help with whatever he is doing. A lot of her story so closely tied to Kurama that sometimes I forget Hiei is the one she actually has feelings for, even if she doesn't really know what to do with them. Even though Hiei rejects her help all the time, I don't think he particularly dislikes her or what she tries to do. He probably admires her dedication and resourcefulness, if nothing else. Up next is the Dark Tournament finals!