Chapter 16: Crumbling Walls
Sakyo proposed an outrageous bet. He calmly walked up to Juri, took her microphone, and announced his plan. Team Urameshi was ahead with three victories to one. If Yusuke were to lose his fight, the entire Dark Tournament would come down to a fight between two non-fighter alternates brought in at the last minute. The audience, he claimed, deserved a fight that was a true spectacle. The clash between the two most powerful fighters of either team. The ultimate match between the most loved and the most hated fighters in the entire tournament roster. So, he wanted this ultimate fight to be the deciding one.
"I propose that, in the event their team leader loses this fight, the team's alternate offers his life as the stakes for this bet."
Sakyo, a man with a deep scar over his right eye and an expensive suit, the wealthy owner of Team Toguro, offered his own life with the calmness of a man placing down a plastic chip in a poker game. A curious murmur rippled through the audience. A human's disregard for his own self-preservation made Miwa, a full-blooded demon, feel uncomfortable. Even without the scar, his eyes were not normal.
"If Urameshi wins," Sakyo continued, "then his team can go home as the champions of this year's Dark Tournament. If Toguro wins, both teams will be tied, but Team Urameshi will also forfeit their right to a tie-breaker battle, making Team Toguro the Dark Tournament champions."
The curious murmurs of the audience turned into ear-splitting cheers.
"Kill those humans and demon traitors!"
"Show them the price for entering a demon's tournament!"
"Spill their blood!"
Toguro remained expressionless, and so did Yusuke.
"What is he, crazy?!" Kuwabara exclaimed, rolling up his jacket sleeves in anger. "Why would we accept this stupid bet? There's no advantage for us at all!"
Koenma stepped forward. "I'll take your bet," he said calmly, ignoring Kuwabara's outburst. "I'll stake my life on Yusuke winning this fight."
Yusuke turned around, surprised. "...Koenma, what are you doing? What about your stupid jetpack?"
"I got you into this mess," he answered. "It's only fair that danger comes to me too. Besides, I don't like that look in Sakyo's eyes….He's too dangerous."
Sakyo smiled.
"No way!" Kuwabara yelled. "Sakyo's just doing this so he doesn't have to fight! We don't get squat outta this deal!"
"True, we do not gain anything," Kurama cut in, "But, in the end, we do not really lose anything either."
"We could lose our chance for a tie-breaker!"
Miwa sighed. "If Yusuke loses, the result is the same whether we take the bet or not," she said darkly. "None of us are in great shape to fight right now."
Kuwabara grimaced. He clenched his fists in frustration, but she wasn't wrong. Using the Trial Sword used up a lot of Kuwabara's own energy too.
"Besides, even if we don't get an 'official' tie-breaker, it doesn't mean I'm going to stop fighting." Hiei smirked, folding his arms smugly across his chest, "He'll have to kill me if he wants me to stop."
Miwa smiled and flicked her eyes towards Hiei, silently saying that she agreed with him. Other than Yusuke, they were all weak, tired, and essentially powerless. Even in a tie-breaker finale, if Yusuke falls, Toguro would pick them apart one by one. Like Miwa said, the result was the same. Either Yusuke won, or they were all going to die trying to stop Toguro from killing them.
There really was no other way they were going home.
"Your confidence in me is really inspiring, Kuwabara," Yusuke said. He laid a comforting hand on the taller boy's shoulder and grinned. "I told you I would win this, didn't I?"
"...You'd better win this, Urameshi, or I'll climb in that ring and beat him myself."
"Please, like I'd let someone else get the credit for this."
There was a brief moment of silence between the contenders as the Tournament Committee deliberated over Sakyo's request. Any sort of change like this needed to be approved by the committee, but Miwa had a feeling there would be no real opposition. Sakyo was the owner of Team Toguro, the tournament favorite, and a wealthy tournament sponsor. It would make sense that anything he proposed would easily be accepted. And, to no one's surprise, the Tournament Committee approved the proposal, placing everyone's lives on the battle between Yusuke and Toguro - just as everyone expected it to be.
And yet, despite the new proposal, the battle was yet to begin. From the rubble of the white arena, Elder Toguro appeared like a horror movie villain who just won't stay dead. His pale, unharmed body pulled itself out of the rock, completely recovered from Kuwabara's final attack. This man was a monster, recovering so quickly from what would instantly kill anyone without his...unique talent. Elder Toguro was ready to fight again, prepared to take on any form his brother would need to defeat Yusuke Urameshi. But...the younger brother had other plans. With one sharp kick, Toguro launched his immortal elder brother into the sky. Elder Toguro's body flew out of sight, misshapen and distorted by his brother's betrayal. Toguro had other plans. He had been waiting for this all along. A true battle with Yusuke, putting each of their strengths to the ultimate test. He didn't need a weapon, only his brute strength. So, he removed his elder brother. Out of sight, out of mind, and no longer a nuisance in the conclusive final battle.
Juri, reunited with her microphone, raised her arm. "Final match: Toguro versus Yusuke Urameshi! Begin!"
Without even doing anything, Toguro was already a tall and muscular man. His black hair stood up straight, and his eyes were always hidden by dark, pointed sunglasses. His deep voice reverberated in his throat every time he spoke. He removed his long coat, revealing his natural body stature. An intimidating man, even if you had never heard his fearsome reputation. Yusuke, on the other hand, was shorter, thinner, and had a boyish charm that did not make him seem very intimidating at first glance, but the look in his eyes as he stood against his long-time rival would halt even the strongest man, and anyone with an ounce of Spiritual Awareness could sense the great power within. Team Urameshi watched with the weight of intense anticipation on their minds, putting their hopes in the Spirit Detective who brought them all together. Miwa clenched her fists and prayed.
You can do this, Yusuke...You've come so far already...
Toguro extended his hands. The fight was about to begin.
"I'll start with eighty percent!"
His Spirit Energy skyrocketed, crumbling the ring beneath his feet and generating a force that pushed Yusuke back. His muscles bulged, doubling his size in mere moments. His biceps alone were the size of Yusuke's head, his shoulders ballooned out like he was hiding the shoulder pads of a football player under his skin, and a ring of scrunched up flesh circled around his neck. Each and every hard muscle stretched out his skin, and suddenly all punches seemed pointless. The body of a demon to obtain absolute power. That was his wish fifty years ago. The strength of his energy alone was enough to send chills down Miwa's spine..
Miwa held her breath. This energy…
Painful, agonized screams and a burning hiss echoed from the audience stands. The rotten smell of melted flesh, blood, and bone permeated the air. Patches of red smoke rose from the seats as the screams grew louder and more fearful. Miwa felt her skin begin to burn, and her chest tightened, as if she couldn't breathe. Her hands shook violently as her consciousness was just barely maintained by an immense heat in her chest. My core… The pain and fatigue travelled down to her legs, and before anyone could stop her, before she could even stop herself, Miwa collapsed to the ground.
"Hey! Is she okay!?"
"Miwa!"
The waves of fatigue was worse than before, but Miwa refused to give in. She focused on those voices. Kuwabara...Kurama. She focused on the presence of her teammates around her. Hiei...Koenma...Yusuke. No. She would not give in. She had to see this through. She had to see Yusuke fight with her own eyes. Miwa ignored the pain in her burning skin, the tightness in her chest, the weakness of her energy, she ignored everything holding her back because none of it was important. Miwa lifted her body with her one good arm and sat up, trembling the entire way. She didn't expect help. Everyone was struggling with this horrifying threat.
"Amazing," Hiei said, "Toguro's demon energy is so strong that it's literally melting the flesh off of the weaker apparitions."
Miwa clenched her teeth. "And this is only eighty percent…"
"Even so..." Kurama held his hand tightly to his chest as he trembled weakly on his feet. "We won't last long in our current state."
Kuwabara actually stumbled back from the force of Toguro's incoming energy. "Not...a...problem...I can take it!"
But then, Koenma stepped forward. "Well actually, no, you can't, Kuwabara. Now all of you, stick behind me."
Koenma extended his arms out to his side, and he formed a crackling barrier around them. Immediately, Miwa felt relief from the burning skin, the tightness in her chest, and her waves of fatigue receded. Thankfully, Koenma had the power to protect them from the deadly energy, even if he wasn't much of a fighter himself. Miwa stood back on her feet, but an unfamiliar discomfort in her chest kept her from expressing her thanks. The burning skin and tight chest...those were reactions she could expect from the strength of Toguro's demon energy. But the heat in her core? If she had any energy left, surely it would have fluctuated like crazy...
Just like when Rikiji first-
Miwa felt Kurama's careful, inquisitive eyes on her, and she stopped all trains of thought. It was not the time for that. Whatever just happened, figuring it out would have to wait. Her attention was meant for something else. Despite the screams; despite the audience members melting into nothing, Yusuke did not seem afraid. He wasn't even angry. He was just...calm. Collected. Ready to fight as if the last several painful minutes did not happen at all. It was unlike him, and possibly a cause for concern if Yusuke had become numb, but Miwa didn't think that at all. Her faith in him did not waver one bit. She was anxious and worried, but all she wanted to do was support him.
"...There's something about you that just inspires confidence in people," she had told him.
Believe in him. Just like always.
{00}
It wasn't enough.
They exchanged punches. They exchanged words. The ring was destroyed. Spirit Gun blasts were fired. Spirit Gun blasts were dodged. Toguro's glasses were destroyed, revealing his thin piercing eyes for the first time. Yusuke removed sets of Spirit Cuffs that had been holding back his power for an unknown length of time. His power exploded beyond levels any of them could have imagined. It took the shape of a giant bird that enveloped the entire audience in its light. Yusuke attacked Toguro with a barrage of punches that actually deflated his enhanced body. For a moment, it almost looked as if Yusuke actually stood a chance. The insane strength of the human boy caught his whole team by surprise.
But it wasn't enough. Not when Toguro revealed his one hundred percent strength.
Just like before, the energy of his initial power up melted nearly half the remaining audience. Beams of violet energy swept through the stands, incinerating anyone unfortunate enough to be unprotected in its path. Whether the attack was intentional or a loss of control was unknown, and the power radiating from Toguro's deflated body was nothing short of pure insanity, but it was nothing compared to his next transformation. No longer was it just his muscles that changed. His entire body turned a hideous shade of grey. Every muscle that expanded killed any thought that the body was once human. The shoulder muscles stretched themselves out to a defined point, much more like shoulder pads than muscle and bone, and a strange tube of skin formed on both sides of his neck. His flesh no longer looked like skin, but precisely sculpted globs of clay, sculpted and meshed together to create a horrible monstrosity. All it took was a flick of his thumb to send Yusuke flying. The Spirit Gun that cut a deep line through the forest and sky was ripped apart with just a scream and a quick flex of his muscles. He said Yusuke wasn't afraid enough to grow as a fighter, but maybe none of them were. All Toguro wanted was a fight worthy of his full strength, and despite all the beatings thus far, Yusuke wasn't able to deliver. If it wasn't for Toguro's desire, then Yusuke would already be dead.
The tubes on his collar stretched open, and then came the sound of air being sucked inside. Again, screams from the audience echoed through the air, but Miwa noticed how much quieter it seemed with so many members already dead. White, ghostly specters floated from the stands, and Miwa felt a shock through her entire body when she realized what they were. The very souls of the audience were being sucked into Toguro's body, or as he chose to put it, they were being fed. The maintenance of his full power made him hungry for souls, demon and human alike, and those who could not protect themselves could do nothing but wait until their soul was stripped from their body.
"I've chosen evil, and in twenty minutes, everyone will be gone." Toguro's smile was frightening. He looked excited. "Aren't you going to do something to stop me, Urameshi? Or will your friends have to watch as you let these people die?"
The audience, demons they be, were not just going to let themselves get killed. En masse, the remaining demons formed a literal stampede, clamoring in every direction for an escape from Toguro's deadly vacuum. However, Sakyo had no intention of letting the audience miss out on such an anticipated fight, not after he laid his life on the line for a grand finale. He used a small remote to raise barrier walls around the entire stadium. Tall, metal plates shot from the ground, looming over the demons with its impossible height as their last chance to escape was blocked. Those who could fight turned instead to Toguro, hoping to kill or be killed if there was no way to escape. Unfortunately, Toguro's thumb bullets easily decimated the crowd. Death swept through the audience in mere minutes. The stands were only sprinkled with living members across the seats. The demons who so proudly cheered for Toguro lost their lives with just a flick of his finger. Their only choice was to hope Yusuke, the boy they had hated all this time, could somehow find the strength to win on his own. But he couldn't. Even when Keiko's life was put in danger, even when Yusuke was angry, it still wasn't enough.
"You'll never let this old woman have some peace and quiet, will you, Yusuke?
Not until Genkai appeared. Not until she suggested the only way to bring out Yusuke's true power to the surface.
"The only thing you have to do is kill one of his friends, and make sure he's watching."
Collective shocked gasps plagued Team Urameshi, but there was also a collective understanding. Miwa had seen first hand how powerful Yusuke became just from watching Kurama get beaten up by Bakken, but there was more than that. Keiko being chased by the humans controlled by the Makai Insects, watching Kuwabara get hurt from Byakko, or Hiei threatening that Keiko could turn into a demon. With every threat to people important to him, Yusuke had gotten angry, but he had also gotten more powerful. His desire to protect the people he cared about may be one of his greatest sources of strength. Just how far would that go if he were to fail?
It would hurt. Miwa knew that firsthand as well.
Yusuke knew too, and he was the most panicked. "Genkai, what the hell's the matter with you?!"
Genkai ignored him. "Yusuke has a six foot wall of crap between him and his actual emotions, and that's where his power resides. To break through that wall, you have to do something drastic, like killing someone he really cares for."
Yusuke was angry. He called Genkai a hypocrite. He chose to commit to his friends all the way, dammit, so how could killing one of them as motivation be okay? But Genkai did not back down. Toguro would kill the entire stadium if that's what it took. If the loss of one friend over the life of every single person remaining would do what he alone could not, then it's a sacrifice that Yusuke had to make. ...It was worth it.
"Sorry, Yusuke, but this is the world you stuck yourself in and it's not pretty. When you're not strong enough to lead, you lose the privilege of getting what you want."
Maybe that's what Yusuke wanted all along; to get what he wants. It's not an uncommon wish, but it was something he very rarely had granted for him. His strength in fighting got him far with humans, but once he stepped into the world of demons, the dynamic changed. He kept coming across extremely powerful demons. Some, he managed to defeat against all odds. More powerful people used to excite him, but...this was the price of this world. If he wasn't strong enough, he could not get what he wanted. That may be one of the few concrete laws of the demon's world, but this was the first time it slapped Yusuke so hard in the face.
Toguro dismissed Genkai with another flick of his thumb, and he claimed to have already had that idea. But since he was willing to do anything to fight Yusuke at full strength… His thin, piercing eyes scanned each member of Team Urameshi. Koenma. Kuwabara. Hiei. Kurama. Miwa. Each member stared back at him, just daring him to try it. But Miwa could feel it deep in her soul. No matter how defiant any of them were, they wouldn't stand a chance against Toguro. Not even to save Yusuke from never-ending despair...
"How about you, Kuwabara?"
Miwa narrowed her eyes. Unfortunately...this was the obvious choice for Toguro. Threatening Keiko was too risky. Sure, Yusuke would get angry, and it might even work, but losing his most beloved person may rob him of his reason to live completely. If she were gone, what would be the point of living? What would be the point of fighting? ...No. The best choice was Kuwabara. The member of Team Urameshi that Yusuke was most protective of. His partner. The one who Yusuke knew the longest. The one he joked and laughed with. The one he fought alongside with. The most inexperienced of the team, who needed to be looked after every now and then so he wouldn't make a complete idiot of himself. The one who could actually fight back, but still fail.
...The one who would gladly accept his own death for the greater good, even if it was just to pick up Yusuke's own slack.
This was kill or be killed. Sacrifices were inevitable. This was the demon way. Miwa knew that, but her time in the human world must have dulled her senses to it. It just seemed...so cruel.
"Stop it, Toguro!"
Yusuke angrily...desperately fought back to protect his friend. His scream was the most raw, emotional sound that Miwa had ever heard from him. But each desperate punch didn't even slow down Toguro's walk. It only brought Yusuke more pain...more beatings. Kuwabara watched them all, clenching his own teeth in anger and frustration. Yusuke always fought hard to protect other people. What was going through Kuwabara's mind was obvious. Kuwabara was a man, and he always stepped up when people needed him the most.
Kurama leaned over and whispered to Hiei, "If he makes it over here, the four of us must fight him together."
"With what secret weapon? You've barely been able to stand up since your flirting with death."
Miwa straightened her back. "Well, we still have our fists," she said, almost cheerfully.
Hiei glared at her. "You only have one."
"Then, I'll use my legs...or my teeth." She grinned, and Hiei rolled his eyes.
"Hiei, your Darkness Flame technique hasn't left much of you either." Kurama smiled as well. "We could run, if you want," he said, with his tone taking a playful intonation unfitting of their situation.
"Don't be simple. I'll take Toguro alone if I must."
Miwa scoffed. "Like we would let you do that."
Four of them together. Maybe they wouldn't win, but at least they would try. If Yusuke lost, they were all going to die anyway. But...Kuwabara wouldn't allow it. He stepped forward, bravely, boldly, and ready to face Toguro one on one. He wasn't scared. Kuwabara, the one whose legs shook before fighting Byakko, the White Tiger, prepared to face his own death with the most confident smile Miwa had ever seen on his face. Koenma, the Prince of all Spirit World, risked his own life to help Yusuke. Why shouldn't Kuwabara do the same, if it helped Yusuke win?
"A mulberry is a tree, Kuwabara is a man. And I'll prove it." He brandished his Spirit Sword, ready to charge in full speed. "We all have to die when our time comes, but if we do our duty, we don't got regrets, so taste a little piece of my sword, Toguro!"
"Kuwabara, no!
Yusuke's desperate scream didn't stop Kuwabara. He was a man on a mission. True to his word, he charged in at full speed, sword in hand, yelling his last battle cry, and all Team Urameshi...all Yusuke could do was stand there like a dimwit and watch. Despite his enormous size, Toguro was fast, too fast for Kuwabara to even get in one good swing. All Toguro had to do was stab his fingers directly into Kuwabara's chest. Miwa could hear every tear of flesh and muscle, the squishing organs pressing against one another as their space was invaded, and the splash of Kuwabara's bright, red blood. Toguro removed his fingers with barely any effort, and the splash just grew louder as blood splattered down his front all the way to the ground. Kuwabara's white coat became stained with his life's blood, the price he had to pay to do his duty as a man.
And he smiled.
"Okay, Urameshi." His voice was weak, even though he was so bright and lively just moments before. He vomited even more blood to the ground, and his hand held in whatever remaining blood he had left. "It's all you. I did what I could...now beat him for...all of us. Make my death count, okay?"
"...Make my death count, okay?"
Before Miwa realized it, she was running. All her pain, her fatigue, whatever ailed her before, they didn't matter. She ran, and her bandaged arm bumped against her chest with every step. Miwa wasn't the only one. Kurama, Hiei, and Koenma were running at her side to their fallen teammate. Toguro disappeared from site, leaving behind the boy he sacrificed just for a good fight. Kurama made it to Kuwabara's side first, and he lifted Kuwabara's fallen, still body. He pleaded that Kuwabara stay with them, but with one look at the younger boy's face, Kurama also slumped down in sadness.
Kuwabara...
Miwa looked over at Yusuke. His eyes were wide, but they held none of the life they always did. Shock. Disbelief. Pain. Despair. That was all that remained. Yusuke failed. He failed to protect his friends because he couldn't get over his six foot wall of crap. Powerless. Useless. Pathetic. A dimwit, just like Genkai always said. Miwa had never seen Yusuke look so defeated...so broken. All this time, he fought to protect his friends. Toguro threatened their very lives if they did not participate in this tournament. They, as a team, all fought so hard to get to this point. They got stronger, reaching new heights none of them ever thought possible. But none of that was enough. Not against him. All this time, Yusuke fought to escape this tournament with his friends, but now...now he had to leave Kuwabara behind. His emotions were spilling over, not just in his face, but in the energy he held deep within. The six foot walls of crap were crumbling down. The sight of her friend's devastation made a strange emotion ripple through Miwa's chest.
This...is the face of someone who watched a life be sacrificed for his own sake…
...It was awful.
"Hold on, your pulse is still strong."
Kurama's quiet voice caught Miwa's attention. Miwa cautiously knelt at Kurama's side and peered into Kuwabara's face, carefully this time. The blood was so red, and the smell of iron stung her nose, but...the rise and fall of his chest was small and weak, but undeniably there.
"You're alive…" she whispered.
"Yeah, Toguro missed my vitals," Kuwabara grunted quietly. "But still act like you're sad. Urameshi could use a little shock treatment…"
How was he still alive? Did Kuwabara actually dodge? Did Toguro, a trained killer, simply miss? ...Did he miss on purpose? There were so many questions running through her mind, but she had no way of answering them. Kurama set Kuwabara down, allowing him to rest and recover in secret while Yusuke's fight continued. Still, Miwa wanted to smile. She wanted to tell Yusuke that Kuwabara survived, to save him from the lowest despair, to rid him of that awful look of devastation on his face...but she couldn't. Kuwabara was right. All Yusuke needed was the right push. In her mind, Miwa apologized to him with all her heart, but she couldn't say a word. Behind her, a great power was growing.
"You took my teacher...and now I let you take my friend. What the hell do you want from me?"
Yusuke's Spirit Energy took on a different light. The bright blue that often surrounded his body turned into a yellow glow. Energy pulsed through the ground at his feet, kicking up dust with every wave, and from there his familiar blue light engulfed the entire stadium. The wind changed. No longer the wind of nature, but the wind of Yusuke's own strength, the true power hidden within him all along.
"Don't you think I wanted to use my power to win this thing and go home? Of course." The sadness in his eyes...the walls were crumbling down. " ...I just didn't know how to reach it. And I have to live with that."
I'm sorry, Yusuke...But, we believe in you.
The light of Yusuke's energy engulfed everyone in the audience, but as time went on, Miwa could sense more than just his energy in that light. There was a warmth and comfort that came with the wind it brought along. It felt...like Yusuke. They were all protected by this light, every single person in the stadium, alleviating any of the residual pain from the aura of Toguro's full demon strength. But, there was a certain sadness mixed in as well, hiding beneath the protective, warm, comforting light. Yusuke's sadness. Miwa could feel it, just as clearly as if it were her own. A sadness so deep, not even tears would fall. Toguro, at his full power, punched Yusuke one more time, sending his body directly into a wall. But, Yusuke did not block, scream, flinch, or show any sign of pain. This pain did not hurt him at all. Their power was equal. Toguro finally got what he wanted, and this time, it just might be enough.
But Toguro thought that made Yusuke the same as him.
"Think, Yusuke, what do you owe these people? Why do you let their weakness drag you down? Throw off the bags of guilt and you can become as powerful as me." Toguro raised his arms, as if exalting all the power he has gained. "Believe in nothing but your own strength, and it can never let you down."
Miwa narrowed her eyes. That was how he did it. Toguro threw away everything for power. Pain. Guilt. Fear. Emotions. All of it. Miwa was wrong the entire time. It wasn't the demon body the tournament committee gave him that robbed Toguro of his humanity. Toguro did it to himself...maybe even before he received that wretched demon body.
"Shut up, Toguro. I'm not like you. I won't just throw people away." Yusuke refused to be put on the same level as him.
"...Can't let go?"
His eyes softened. "I never would've gotten this far without those guys' help, and whenever I was getting my head rearranged, it was always because I cared about them that I could win."
Yusuke…
That was always his strength in fighting. Yusuke always pulled through impossible situations because he cared about other people. He didn't care if he picked up other people's slack. If he cared for them, it was worth fighting for. Toguro just laughed it all off. Yusuke was too soft, he claimed. Toguro achieved all his power by believing he didn't need anyone but himself. People with power, like the two of them, did not need to be held down by ties to other people. It would only limit their potential. Did Yusuke not see that?!
Yusuke shook his head.
"Guess I need to kill another one of your friends."
Toguro raised his hand again, ready to kill another one of Yusuke's friends to bring out even more power. To prove a point. Did Yusuke really need these friends to reach his full potential? Toguro's terrifying gaze loomed back to the remaining members of Team Urameshi. Miwa, Kurama, and Hiei all stood up, ready to fight as Koenma cowered behind them. However, Yusuke would never let Toguro prove it. He stopped Toguro's hand with barely any effort. With his thin, teenage arm, he easily held back the gigantic, brutish arm of Toguro's powered up body.
"I...somewhere inside I...I respected you, you know that?" Toguro's strength. Yusuke feared it, he feared it so much that he could not stop his shaking the first time he caught a real glimpse of it. That fear pushed him to train as hard as he did for this very moment. But at the same time, he respected it too. He wanted that power. He wanted the power to get what he wanted, with no one bossing him around. "Genkai told me over and over again how stupid I was. But I saw your strength, and how no one could boss you around, no matter what, and I wanted that."
"Then you should take my advice."
"Idiot. I'm not done. That's what I did want, and then Genkai told me the rest."
To keep his precious strength, Toguro rid himself of his own humanity. His body, his heart, all of it. He left behind the people he cared for, pursuing the strength needed to run from inevitable death. But, that is the one fight no one should run away from. Time spent alive is limited for everyone, humans and demons alike. Demons lived longer, but they had to face that fact just the same. Toguro, a human, prolonged the inevitable end of all living things because he was too afraid, and he sacrificed all the people who once cared about him.
"Since I started this whole tournament, I learned the value of what you gave away." Life, and the people in it. Those were the things that mattered most. "And I won't let it go, even if I have to give up my life!"
One punch from Yusuke was enough to send Toguro flying. His body skidded across the dirt, tumbling and rolling completely out of control. His face scraped against the ground, and it even stumbled over a large piece of debris, spiraling his body even further away. As the momentum slowed down, Toguro pulled himself up, and his entire head was bent to the side, as if his neck were snapped out of place, but Yusuke wasn't done yet. A giant Spirit Gun blast quickly followed, pushing his body back even further. The orb of Spirit Energy blasted through the stadium, leaving Toguro's body a crumpled heap on the floor, and broke a huge hole through the metal wall trapping the entire audience inside. For the first time, Toguro was on the ground.
"Get on your feet," Yusuke commanded. "I'm firing one last shot, with all I've got, and it's going to end this fight one way, or another."
The ultimatum. Do or die. Kill or be killed. This was the way of the world Yusuke stuck himself in. Yusuke asked Toguro to give it everything, so he did. He had not been truthful. He called it one hundred percent, but it was far less than that. Toguro's Spirit Energy increased again, and once more, his muscles bulged. His shoes ripped apart at his feet, the strange muscle tips in his shoulders doubled in size and length, and from the sides of his head sprouted layers of flesh and muscle. The tubes coming from his collar grew in height, reaching the top of his head. Full power. One hundred percent. Versus the full power of Yusuke's Spirit Gun.
"To fully become a master of a trade, you must commit your all to it and throw everything else away." Toguro's full philosophy. "If you don't have the guts to do that, you will never be more than a groundling." He laughed.
"Tch, damn, you're stupid. You didn't throw it away." Yusuke wasn't fooled. "You just ran away from it, like a frightened little child." He raised his hand, forming his signature gun. "I won't run, and I won't let go."
The wind picked up as the light gathered around his finger. Yusuke's last stand. The final attack to end this fight. The ultimatum. Do or die. No matter who remained standing when the dust cleared, this would definitely be the end. Both of them, they pushed their powers beyond their maximum. Beyond one hundred percent. Their very lives were at risk. They could both die just from this.
...Yusuke!
"SPIRIT GUN!"
He fired, and the blast sped through the air. Toguro ran at full speed, arms outstretched, and ready to catch the giant bullet with his bare hands. For a moment, he held it back with one hand, but it's enormous size forced him to hold it with both. The force of the blast ruptured his skin, and blood spurted out from completely random places. His muscles bulged further, spewing more blood from the open wounds, and the Spirit Gun just kept pushing him back.
"Toguro's barely holding it back," Koenma said in disbelief.
"Yes," Kurama agreed, "it is unusual seeing him on the defensive."
Back and forward, they both struggled, holding themselves up for as long as they could. But, energy is a finite resource, and soon, everything Yusuke had was gone. The Spirit Gun slowed it's pace, the beam of light from his finger thinned, and the bright blue light dimmed to extinction. Yusuke, with absolutely nothing left, fell to his knees, leaving Toguro to deal with whatever was left. The ball of energy, twice Toguro's size, still pushed against his giant body. His arms stretched out around the orb, holding it back all the power he could muster. The tension in the air was heavy. Could he stop the Spirit Gun? Could the Spirit Gun overtake him? The uncertainty hung in the air, and Miwa felt as if she could no longer breathe. Who would win? This was their last stand. The fighter who rose from this standoff would be the victor.
Toguro let out one final scream of anguish, and he squeezed his open arms even tighter. The ball of energy crushed under his strength, and as his arms came together at his chest, Yusuke's Spirit Gun blast burst into nothingness. Popped like a balloon. Toguro, still on his feet, withstood the Spirit Gun, leaving his grotesque body bloodied and broken.
Yusuke collapsed, and everything stood still. ...Who was the winner?
"Get up!" Miwa screamed.
Toguro stepped forward, and said some quiet words...thanking Yusuke. Cracks formed on his body, creeping over his skin like a disease. His arms, shoulders, chest, stomach, legs...the crinkling lines formed everywhere. But, the look in his eyes was nothing but serenity.
"Thank you again, Yusuke Urameshi."
The ashen skin burst, revealing the torn, ruined, flesh-colored body within. The cracked skin littered the ground around him, and Toguro fell to the ground, still, quiet...dead.
Moments later, Yusuke rose to his feet. Hurt, weak, but very much alive.
"Yusuke!" Miwa gasped, finally able to breathe once more.
"He did it!" Koenma cheered.
Kurama smiled. "We are free."
"Hn." Hiei folded his arms, but his grin was undeniable.
He did it. Yusuke did it. Happiness. Joy. Pride. Feelings Miwa had not truly felt in their long days spent on this accursed island overflowed. Did she ever doubt him? Seeing Toguro at full power was truly frightening, and all hope had seemed lost, but in all her time knowing him, Yusuke had never once let Miwa down. That cocky kid, with that silly leaf hiding him from the rain, that cocky teenage kid walked into her life nearly a year ago, and he never failed her trust in him. She trusted him to help save Kurama from the Forlorn Hope, to go on ahead and defeat Suzaku, to stop Hiei from killing a human to rescue Yukina...to lead their team to victory in the most brutal, unfair tournament in the entire Living World. He overcame one impossible challenge after another, just like a hero.
Yusuke Urameshi...you've come so far...
"Winner of the tournament: Team Urameshi!"
[00]
The next day...there was nothing.
Five final battles. Exhausted energy. Countless wounds. Constant fear from the uncertainty of whether the opponent could be beaten. Horrifying screams of a melting audience. Precious friends under threat of death. ...The sight of their friend's fallen body. Escaping Sakyo's suicidal collapse of a stadium surrounded by cage-like walls. Getting away from the wreckage with barely enough time as the walls crumbled behind them and the rubble licked at their heels. A continuous war that didn't end its struggles even when it was won.
And the next day, there was nothing.
For seven long days, Team Urameshi risked life and limb to become the champions. Every single day was filled with tension, apprehension, and the risk hanging over all of their heads that they could die the next time they stepped in the ring. But...with the sun rising, giving birth to a new dawn, all of that was put behind them; all in the past. Fighting for their lives, worrying about whether their next opponent would be their last… It was all over. With Yusuke's victory, they were free. In two days time, they would be back on the boat, heading for home. Back to their everyday lives, which seemed like distant memories from years ago after all they had been through. It might be hard to adjust back to a mundane life; it always was after an adventure with Yusuke, but Kurama was looking forward to it. After everything that happened, a bit of calm normalcy was just what they needed to truly feel their freedom.
"There you go! Right as rain!"
Boton cheerfully patted Miwa's shoulder, beaming with pride in her handywork. Miwa held up her right arm to inspect the new bandages. Her arm was still wrapped in a wooden splint, but she no longer needed to have it resting in a sling around her neck. The pain subsided to more tolerable levels, and by the time Miwa returned home, her human father would be none the wiser about his daughter getting hurt while she was away. Miwa's demon body definitely had its advantages, but Boton's healing powers kicked her usual recovery time into overdrive. Her broken bones were reduced to nothing but a partial fracture, and all of her wounds from Rikiji's paper disappeared overnight. Not even Kurama's plants could have done that.
"Thanks a lot, Botan," Miwa said.
Kurama sat on the couch beside them. The afternoon sun shining through their hotel's living room had never felt so warm. "Just take it easy for a few days, and your energy should recover too," he said.
"Oh, you know me," Miwa chuckled. "I'll be the poster girl of 'taking it easy' for the rest of this week."
Boton raised an eyebrow at her. "I think it's because he knows you that he decided to remind you."
They laughed, but they carefully kept their voices low. Yusuke and Kuwabara were in the next room, using their time before the boat arrives to the fullest by sleeping the entire day away. As usual, Hiei had gone off on his own, in all likelihood recovering his own strength in private. The other girls were also resting, because even though they were not fighting, the emotional toll they felt as members of the audience was just as exhausting. Botan was kind enough to pop in and rewrap Miwa's arm with one last dose of her healing powers.
"Well, I shall take my leave here," Botan said, backing her way towards the door. "You both should rest up today."
Miwa stood up and followed Botan to the door, properly seeing their Grim Reaper friend out with one final expression of thanks. Miwa closed the door, but then she pressed her ear to the wood, listening for the noises outside. Kurama watched her curiously. Once she confirmed...whatever she was listening for, her hand gripped the doorknob once more.
"Not even ten seconds after Botan leaves…"
Miwa turned around, grinning impishly. "A leisurely stroll along the beach qualifies as 'taking it easy,' doesn't it?"
Kurama sighed. "Lying in bed would do just as well."
Miwa responded with a dramatic sigh of her own. "All I've done since getting back here was lie down. I need to stretch my legs!"
"Well, at least let me go with you…" Kurama stood up and made to go to the door, but Miwa approached him quickly and pushed him back down to the couch with one arm.
"I'm fine!" she insisted, still smiling. "You were blasted by bombs several times yesterday, and your body isn't like mine, so I think you need more rest than me."
Kurama stared up at her. Sure, his wounds from fighting Karasu still hurt, but they were both still so low on energy. Toguro's stunt with taking the souls of a majority of the audience members ultimately helped Team Urameshi gain the favor of those who survived, but if any particularly hostile apparition found Miwa out there, alone and weak… Kurama stopped his train of thought. All of this just confirmed suspicions he had been having since the semifinals ended: Consciously or not, Miwa was pulling herself away from him.
Miwa never told him that Rikiji messed with her seal the second time they met. She hid the fact that she received another item from Suzuki to expand the capacity of her water pouch. He had absolutely no idea that Miwa never intended to use the Fruit of the Previous Life against Rikiji. When she woke up from unconsciousness to watch Hiei fight, she did not take his hand to help her stand up. She walked to the locker room on her own during the intermission after Hiei destroyed the ring. She even refused his help when they escaped the collapsing stadium, insisting that he helped Yusuke instead. Kurama had watched carefully as Miwa ran alone. Her balance was off, and her broken arm swung back and forward as she tried to keep it from bumping against her chest. He had even seen her staring thoughtfully at Hiei when he sped ahead to save Yukina from falling debris.
If he were to be honest with himself, Miwa refusing help was not an unusual occurrence. She had her own sense of pride, and while she wasn't below asking for help, she sometimes tried to hide her weakness to keep him from worrying over her. But...even though he was worried for her, her refusal this time somehow felt different. Keeping secrets, insisting that she was fine when her energy was clearly low… She was pulling away.
"Alright, but please be careful out there."
"I'll be fine," she repeated, and she returned to the door. "Maybe I'll check on Hiei while I'm out there."
Kurama smiled faintly. "If you can find him."
Miwa pouted. "It's like you don't even know me," she said, and she quickly left the hotel room before any other words could be said.
Kurama sighed again and leaned into the couch. The soft cushion comfortably cradled his body, and if he were to relax, he would probably fall asleep right there. He should relax. After everything that happened the previous day, a good rest would put all of the nightmares behind him, and he could go home to his human mother with a genuine smile. But, he couldn't just relax. Even with the tournament complete, there was so much on his mind. Was he glad that Miwa was trying to do more things on her own? Was he glad that, despite all precedents suggesting otherwise, Miwa woke up from unconsciousness just because she wanted to watch Hiei and Yusuke fight? The simple answer was, yes. He was glad. Miwa finding other people to hold dear to her heart was something he wanted for a long time. She had such a wide range of emotions; it would be a waste if all of it was focused just on him. But, something about these events just didn't settle right with him. There was something else, hidden beneath the rubble of the crumbling walls Miwa put between herself and other people..
Like...the consistent, unstable fluctuations of Miwa's core ever since her battle with Rikiji ended.
[00]
With each wave that covered the shore, Miwa's bare feet sank deeper into the wet sand. She could smell the salt in the ocean breeze, and the wind had long since messed up her hair. The clear, blue water sparkled in the afternoon sun, and the waves kicked up faint clouds of ocean mist that felt cool against Miwa's cheeks. This was what she needed. Resting in a comfy hotel bed was all well and good, but for Miwa, there was nothing more relaxing than the sight and sound of a large, flowing body of water. She didn't know for sure if it was a genetic or personal preference, but by living in an urbanized neighborhood, Miwa rarely saw bodies of water this large. She suppressed a very strong urge to just dive into the ocean; Botan just redid those bandages, after all.
"Both of you, wallowing in your own guilty conscience..."
Miwa sighed, but her breath was overtaken by the sound of the waves. Rikiji's voice had been ringing in Miwa's mind for quite some time. They both said a lot of things to each other from their first meeting to Rikiji's death, but that one phrase from their final fight stuck with Miwa the most. Slave versus slave. Fear versus chains. During their fight, Miwa had made a big deal about how she had no regrets for the choices she made, even if she were bound by chains. If anyone asked Miwa about it now, she would still give the same answer: No regrets. From the very beginning, all of her choices were made of her own free will. No one forced Miwa to find Youko Kurama after her family was killed, nor did anyone force her to follow him to the Living World. But, Rikiji saw it differently. She saw it as if Miwa was just tip-toeing around her true feelings, convincing herself that there was no guilt because everything was her choice. Miwa fought really hard to prove that she wasn't wrong. But...she couldn't honestly say she proved Rikiji wrong either. Maybe Miwa did prove that there were no regrets, but the constant feeling of uncertainty at Rikiji's words was evidence of guilt as well.
So...did Rikiji actually win their fight?
Miwa kicked up her foot, throwing wet sand and water into the air. They fell back into the ocean in loud plops, and Miwa kicked her foot again, just to hear that sound once more. She sighed again. How could she, the victor, feel as if she were defeated?
"I never thought you would make the ocean your next opponent."
Miwa turned around. Hiei stood beside her discarded shoes in the sand, and his hands were casually resting in his pockets. Miwa mentally chuckled. She had joked earlier that she would find Hiei, but the roles were reversed this time. It was unusual for Hiei to seek out people like this, and his hard stare revealed no clues to his intentions.
"We just have a friendly rivalry going way back. She thinks she controls more water than I do." Hiei rolled his eyes, and Miwa grinned. "What's up, Hiei?"
"...Your seal."
Miwa instinctively took a step back, further into the water. "What about it?"
Hiei frowned and crossed his arms. "Your near-suicide attempt didn't drain you enough to hide it. Energy from your core has been spiking sporadically since yesterday."
Miwa pressed her hand against her chest. She knew she couldn't hide it for long. The pain was faint, and it leaves as quickly as it comes, but there was a foreign, unstable heat in her chest that flared with random spikes. The pain didn't cripple her, nor did it waste what energy she had left. On the contrary, Miwa felt surprisingly strong for someone that depleted most of her Life Energy just one day before. Perhaps that mysterious strength was why she could walk just after losing consciousness. But, the painful heat was so reminiscent of the first time Rikiji's shikigami stuck itself to Miwa's back...
"...It's probably just a side effect from using that potion so much," she said.
He narrowed his eyes at her. "This side effect could kill you."
Miwa sighed; it wasn't as if she could do anything about it at this point. She walked over to Hiei, retrieved her shoes, and shook her feet dry before putting them back on. "I'll be fine," she said.
A silence fell between them as Hiei's cold stare kept Miwa frozen in place. The sound of waves crashing against the shore was the only noise around, and the wind carried small droplets of ocean mist over to them. But unlike before, Miwa did not feel relaxed. Hiei was right. Something was happening to her seal. Fuura was very clear that messing with it would be very dangerous, but Miwa repeatedly used the Fruit of the Previous Life to undo and redo its effect. If that was the reason for the heat in her chest...then Miwa would just have to deal with it.
Hiei turned his back, breaking the silent stalemate between them. "Whatever. It's not my problem." He started walking away, as if to put the whole issue behind him. It really wasn't his problem to deal with, but Miwa noticed he didn't use his speed to disappear immediately.
Miwa smiled. "...Hey, Hiei," she called. He stopped, but he did not turn around. "Thanks for stopping me yesterday."
"...Hn, I didn't do it for you, and I didn't do it because you asked." This time, Hiei did turn back, but his cold stare remained unchanged. "I was just keeping someone from getting us all killed."
Miwa laughed, shaking her head at her own reckless actions. "Yes, yes, you think I'm just ridiculous."
"You are," he said, bluntly as ever. "You're still making excuses, even to that shikigami woman."
Excuses… Hiei had said that before, in the bamboo forest where they trained for the tournament. He said Miwa lived too strictly by her own rules; that she was just making excuses. At the time, Miwa did not know what he meant. But now, after fighting Rikiji…
"...Maybe you're right," she muttered.
The ocean receded, the sounds of the waves quieted, and the wind stopped blowing the salty air, no longer fluttering through Miwa's hair or and the hem of Hiei's cloak. The afternoon sun shined warm light onto their skin, but Hiei's cold stare kept them both locked into place, as if time had stopped in their silence. Although no words were spoken, the meaning and intention behind their words were clear. Miwa finally understood what Hiei had meant that day in the bamboo forest. He was aware of what was going on with her, even then. Hiei could see much more than he let on, with or without his Jagan Eye. Behind them, the waves once again crashed against the shore, and the wind whistled through the salty air, as if the sounds restarted their frozen time.
Hiei broke their eye contact to gaze back at the forest. "...Just don't let yourself get killed by a side effect," he said curtly.
He continued walking away this time, and Miwa didn't stop him. As he approached the line where the sand met the grass, his whole image disappeared in a shimmer of black, and Hiei was gone. Alone, Miwa laughed to herself, and her voice was carried along with the wind. She turned back to the ocean and listened once more to the sounds of waves hitting the sand. That was the first time Hiei told her not to get herself killed. Miwa held up her bandaged arm, and she remembered how weak she felt when the fight with Rikiji was over. She really did come close to dying, didn't she? For a long time, Miwa told herself over and over that she didn't mind sacrificing herself it meant someone she cared about could live on. It's a price she was more than willing to pay.
But, then she remembered that look on Yusuke's face when he thought Kuwabara had died. That mortified, devastated look of absolute suffering, filled with the pain of watching a precious person's life be sacrificed just to pick up his slack. It was an awful look, and Miwa felt chills from the mere memory.
The waves hit the shore, spreading a faint, salty mist into the air.
...Would she ever make someone have that look?
The heat in her chest continued to burn.
{00}
Days later, their wounds healed, and all of their energies properly recovered. There were still a few bandages left here and there, but the worst of it was all over, and considering everything that happened in the past ten days on Hanging Neck Island, Team Urameshi was doing very well. The victors. The champions. The ferry approached from the blue horizon to take them way from this island. Away from the arena. Away from the forests. Away from the beaches. Away from the birthplace of new memories and growth. The boat would take them home to their everyday lives. They did it. The Dark Tournament was over. The closer the boat came, the more real that reality became. Alive, well, and victorious, they were all going home.
Including Genkai.
Notes: Finally! The Dark Tournament is over! Of course, a new adventure will soon begin, and Miwa has some lingering troubles to deal with. The struggles never end, but it seems that she's learned a lot in a short time. I'm excited to start Chapter Black since it's one of my favorite arcs in the series. The next chapter will have a bunch of scenes I've been eager to write for a long time.
If anyone is interested, I realized I forgot to explain the naming sense for Fuura, the old woman that put the shikigami seal on Miwa's back. The "fuu" just means "seal," and the "ra" could refer to either a cloth or something spreading out. Although, I have a strange feeling that's not her real name.