Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Eternity ❯ Final Fight Part 1 ( Chapter 24 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: rain00205 
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.01.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 144 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.01.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 144 | Status: Completed
The air was still, and the feelings all around them intense. Yusuke. Toguro. The two of them stood in the ring, staring at each other. They waited for Juri to declare their match to begin. It was the most important one, the one that determined all of their fates. Toguro wins, they all die. Yusuke wins, they are free. San had to remind herself to breathe, the anticipation for them to begin causing her to hold her breath. She stood with her mate, who's arm was around her. She could feel him tense up as well, knowing that he was feeling about the same as her. The difference was, he was able to hide it better. Juri finally raised her arm, announcing that the final match would begin. Toguro removed his jacket. They waited for one of them to make a move.
"Well done Yusuke. At last the two of us fight again. Only this time, things are going to be different for you. I'm not throwing this fight for anyone," said Toguro.
"Good, cause now for me, it's personal," responded Yusuke.
"You don't think this is personal for me to? I'll start with 80 percent!" and Toguro began to glow, his muscles becoming bigger. San didn't find it impressive. Why would you want the inability to wipe your ass or wash your hair? She hated body builders. The ground around him crumbled, and Toguro looked as if he was holding a barrel, or he was really constipated. The aura from his energy was sent around the stadium, killing off the weak apparitions. She felt it then, dropping to her knees. She wasn't weak, so why was it affecting her so?
"Amazing. Toguro's demon energy is so strong that its literally melting the flesh off the weaker apparitions," stated Hiei.
"They're not the only ones. I can't take much more in my present state," said Kurama. She looked at her mate, noticing that he was shaking. Kuwabara stepped back as well, grunting.
"Not a problem," it seemed as if he was having trouble speaking as well, "I can handle it."
"Well actually Kuwabara, no you can't," said Koenma, standing in front of them. San understood, it was being human that made the demon energy so overwhelming, "Now all of you, stick behind me," Koenma commanded, and then erected a shield around them. San felt the pressure decrease and breathed a sigh of relief. Kurama put a hand on her shoulder, to see if she was alright. She looked up, into his green orbs. They were worried, so she nodded at him and stood again. His arm snaked around her shoulders again. He wanted her close, he wasn't sure why, but she needed to be near him.
Yusuke ran at Toguro with incredible speed. He punched the demon in the stomach and Toguro simply gave an uppercut to the chin, knocking Yusuke back. He used his legs to lunge himself towards Toguro again, but muscles just dodged and came up from behind. Yusuke moved in time and kicked Toguro in the head. It had no effect, so Toguro decided it would be best to throw another punch. The sheer wind of it tore up the ground in its path, and had missed Yusuke. The youki threw another punch in the opposite direction, earning the same results. Toguro then charged at Yusuke, getting ready for yet another punch.
"What? Are you crazy? There's no way in hell you can block a straight on punch!" Kuwabara yelled to his friend. Yusuke was just standing there, not making an attempt to move. Toguro was just about to land the punch and then stopped, inches from Urameshi's face. What?
"I see the way you look at me in judgement," said Toguro, retreating his fist, "But you have no idea what its like do you? To lose your beloved."
"Sounds like he should be talking to the us," San muttered under her breath. Kurama nodded, having heard her. Life goes on, the pain becomes manageable, thats what she assumed anyway. Their situation was a bit different than Toguro's.
"No. I don't, and I don't plan on it because I won't let that happen. I actually look forward to growing old with her," Yusuke replied to Toguro. He was clearly talking about Keiko.
"You say that now," said Toguro.
"Stop it. This is between you and me."
"Those fools! Why don't they stop dancing around each other and fight? One must never let emotions enter the ring. That was a mistake," Hiei spoke to himself San assumed. Yusuke and Toguro stood, staring at one another again.
"It's time. You have something to prove to me Urameshi. Show me that your master did not sacrifice her strength for you in vain," said Toguro.
"Right," said Yusuke, making a gun with his fingers, "I'll show you," he kept his hands low, not aiming yet. The air was still yet again. The tension could be cut by a simple breath. San was waiting, she had to be patient, she didn't want any fuck ups. She wanted her freedom, as did the rest of them.
"Oh, she didn't teach you any new tricks? I want to see everything that Genkai gave you."
"Hold on, Urameshi got something from Genkai before she died? Like a gift?" questioned Kuwabara.
"Yes. But not exactly the sort of gift you wrap in a bow Kuwabara. More like her gift, you know, what made Genkai special. She gave him the energy she had stored for decades," answered Koenma.
"How much power did she give him?"
"I don't know, but I'm guessing it all."
"The bulk of it. The rest went to me," San clarified. They all looked at her for a moment, but it was short lived, except for Kurama. San could tell he was thinking, it was just a slight difference in his eyes that was easy to miss.
"This should be fun," stated Hiei. San couldn't agree more.
Yusuke began to focus energy into his right index finger. He was preparing the spirit gun, filled with more power than he ever had.
"Fire!" Kuwabara yelled impatiently. Yusuke raised his arms, taking aim. The anticipation, it was ridiculous. Anytime now. But Yusuke just got rid of the gun and then ran at Toguro, feeding him punches to the stomach. Toguro finally retaliated but missed. They jumped around each other a bit, missing all hits, but the energy from Toguro's creating medium sized to huge explosions. He finally let one go that sent Yusuke and Juri flying, destroying the ring completely. San followed Yusuke's movement, as he was still floating upside down. He took aim and then...
"Spirit gun!" Yusuke fired. The power was huge.
"Bullseye!" yelled Kuwabara.
"That's direct hit," said Koenma. Hiei just gasped as San and Kurama looked on with wonder. Toguro screamed, but as to whether or not he was in pain was unclear. He was blown out of the stadium and then some. San could not be sure how far he had gone, but she was truly impressed, so impressed she had to say...
"What an amazing thing," as everything around them was silent.
"Hey lady! Get up and snap out of it! You've got a job to do. There's a fighter out of the ring and you better start counting like your always doing for me," said Kuwabara, pointing in the direction that Toguro was blasted away. Idiot.
"Take a moment to look where Yusuke's standing," said Hiei. Kuwabara looked back, and then he looked at Yusuke.
"Hey, how the heck do you get back in the ring?"
"In this final battle, there will be no boundaries," said Kurama.
"The only rule is kill or be killed," added Hiei. San nodded. Yusuke started walking, to see the damage she assumed. "Yusuke is much stronger now than I ever imagined a human could be."
"And yet, Toguro didn't even bother to block his attack."
"If Toguro can escape a blast like that unscathed, there's no telling what else he could be capable of."
"He's challenging Yusuke, trying to gauge his strength and determine if he'll have to go to full power or not," said San.
"Look, will you guys stop being such 'glass is half empty' kind of people for two seconds? Accept it, there's absolutely no way in hell that guys ever coming back in anything other than an ashtray," said Kuwabara. San took a couple of steps forward, fully aware of Kurama's gaze on her. She watched Yusuke. He knew something, and San could feel that this wasn't over just yet. She could still feel him, and then they saw him approaching, only missing his sun glasses.
"Is that all you got for me? I expected more from Genkai," he said, once he entered the stadium again.
Kuwabara was sputtering, and then he fell to the ground, "He's invincible! That's the only explanation for it."
"That's not good," stated Koenma. Togruo then began to power up, sending a wave of energy towards Yusuke. It wasn't anything too powerful for him.
"I was foolish to depend on you to rise on this occasion. I wanted to test you to see if you were really strong enough to compete with me. Obviously my standing here means that you failed, so there's no need to go to full power. I'll finish this as I am," said Toguro. San narrowed her eyes at the two of them, "My total power would be wasted on you."
"He's not at his full power? I wasn't aware than anyone could get any fuller than that..." said Kuwabara in disbelief.
"Do you think there's any hope left for him," Kurama asked Hiei and San.
"Not really," Hiei answered. San was silent.
Yusuke smirked, wiping the blood from his cheek, "Guess play period is over. Oh well, it was fun."
"What?" asked Toguro, along with other silent questions San was sure. Yusuke then lifted his arm and removed his wrist band. San smiled. She should have known. There was a light emitting from his wrist, wrapping around like a bracelet. He took off the other one, and then his wrists and ankles were glowing, slightly connected. "I should have expected. Spirit cuffs from Genkai."
"I've gotta say, that's a pretty sissy fashion statement. Even for Urameshi man," said Kuwabara.
"Why would he fight Toguro using such a handicap? I hardly understand..." trailed Kurama.
"Easy. It is because he's a cocky fool," said Hiei.
"Yes, he must've inherited it from Genkai, that spirit cuffs that is," said Koenma.
"Uh, will someone please tell me what the heck is going on?" asked Kuwabara.
"Those are spirit cuffs Kuwabara. They lock the bulk of your energy inside. The longer you wear them, the stronger your power becomes, and once they are gone, it is up to the user to control that power. It's something that Genkai uses for training. I also have some, but the difference between mine and his is the duration of time. I've been wearing spirit cuffs for seven years, while he has for only a few days," San explained.
"Seven years?"
"That's right..."
"So if you were to remove them, you would have limitless power at your disposal?" asked Kurama. She nodded at him, looking down at her wrists.
"That's enlightening. If Yusuke dies, you might want to think about that," said Hiei.
"Trust me, I already have," San replied.
The two opponents stood, staring at each other. Yusuke spoke the safety word, "Advitis!" The cuffs broke, and Yusuke's energy flared up. San was about to question why she did not have a safety word, but the power of the human in front of her made it drop out of her mind. The reiki was so strong, glowing brightly and it flew around the stadium in the form of a phoenix. It then landed, surging back into Yusuke.
"Just feel that! His energy's out of control, there's no way Urameshi can lose now!" declared Kuwabara.
Kurama couldn't help but agree, but if San was wearing those cuffs for seven years, and Yusuke's power was this strong, he was trying to imagine what she would be like. She was very powerful now with them on, taking them off could destroy everything within a sixty mile radius easily. He was staring at her in alarm. The only way to know what would happen was if she were to remove them one day and yet, he was actually scared of what would happen if she did.
"Are you really so arrogant Urameshi that you actually thought you could beat me while wearing those spirit cuffs?" asked Toguro.
"Well... yeah, sorta. In truth I may have been a bit cocky," replied Yusuke.
"You wasted enough of my time by underestimating me!" said Toguro. He raised one of his huge arms, pointing at Yusuke, "Fortunately this will be the last time you make that mistake!"
Yusuke charged at Toguro and then disappeared. His agility had improved a hundred fold, and San was impressed.
"Now I see..." said Kurama.
"Where did he go?" asked Kuwabara.
"What an amazing thing..."
Hiei growled, "If you say that again, I will not hesitate to cut out your tongue."
Yusuke appeared in front of Toguro, rapidly punching him as he landed on the ground. He finished his assault with a powerful uppercut to the face. Toguro went flying backwards.
"He's knocked down!" shouted Koenma.
"He's got to be feeling that one!" yelled Kuwabara. The three demons stood with shock on all of their faces. Yusuke didn't stop there, he ran at Toguro again and screamed as he landed another punch while Toguro was on the ground, a hole with a wide range forming. Kurama gasped as everyone else looked on. Yusuke began attacking again.
"This is a very different fight. I... I've never seen Yusuke fight to intensely before," said Kurama. San wanted to move to him again, wanted to feel him, but she couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away.
"You said it, he's like a machine!" agreed Kuwabara. Yusuke's punches stopped abruptly after that, much to everyone's surprise.
"Huh?" San was confused.
"But why?" asked Kurama.
"Don't stop now!" yelled Hiei. What happened? Toguro then rose from his spot and walked out of the hole. He was back to normal size. What the hell?
"I am afraid that a ferocious wolf is laying in wait underneath that placid sheep's façade," said Kurama. San turned to look at him curiously. He caught her gaze and then walked up to her. He put an arm around her and pulled her close, "It's just an expression," he murmured in her ear, after he kissed the side of her head. She turned to watch the fighters again, her head leaning against his heart. It was elevated.
"I know, it's written on his face," said Hiei in response to Kurama's comment.
"At last Yusuke. You've done as I've asked," said Toguro. There was a strange aura around him, he was powering up again. "I've waited a long time for this moment. Now destiny has rewarded my patience," and Toguro's muscles once again began to grow. It was certainly a sight to behold, but holy hell was this intense. The earth began to shake beneath them, and his power was overwhelming. It exploded like a thunderclap, everyone in shock. His energy shot out everywhere, killing off all the apparitions it touched.
"It's hard to tell if Toguro's lost control of his power, or if he's attacking the crowd on purpose," said Kurama. Toguro blocked out the sun with his power, making their surroundings very dark indeed.
"What? Hey, who turned out the lights?" asked Kuwabara.
"Fuck..." San trailed.
"Be careful Yusuke," said Kurama.
"This is it," said Hiei.
"Not looking forward to this..." said Koenma.
"I can't even see myself think!" declared Kuwabara. Idiot. The sun was finally visible again, lighting the stadium. Toguro's demon energy changed him incredibly. He was tall, he was huge, and his skin had changed to a dull grey colour. The finished product was something that made her cringe. She stood in awe of his power, of his appearance. She felt Kurama's hold on her tighten, he was stunned as well. "Urameshi! This is your chance! Finish him off while you can before he reaches full power!" Yusuke just stood there though, as if he was frozen. The last of the preparations were made. Toguro's shoulders stuck out, his neck was simply apart of his head and shoulders, and something stuck out on each side. "Are we certain he doesn't get stronger? You know, I was kicking myself pretty hard before about not feeling this guys power. But now I know that if I had felt it, my head would have exploded all over the damn place."
"Well, you win some and you lose some. I guess that's what makes it gambling," San heard Koenma speak, "It's too bad really, that Yusuke didn't have more time with Genkai before she gave him all of her powers. Just a few more years..."
Toguro stepped forward slowly. He brought his hand up, looking as if he was crushing something. His thumb shot something and it struck Yusuke right in the forehead, sending him back quickly across the ground and crashing into some rubble. San gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. The power! Yusuke stood, blood trickling from his forehead.
"Did you like that one? Unlike your spirit gun, I have an infinite supply," said Toguro. He shot more rapidly, Yusuke blocking them all. There was a cloud of smoke where Yusuke once stood and Toguro then ceased. Yusuke shot up from the smoke and tried to assault Toguro. The demon blocked it with just his thumb. He then retaliated, breaking Yusuke's arm, and sending him back again. San cringed at the sound the arm made. Yusuke was screaming in pain, holding the bruised arm. "I have more power in my thumb than you have in your entire body."
"We'll see. I've got a strong finger myself," said Yusuke, powering his spirit gun.
"Now hit me with everything that you have. You have no idea which shot will be your last."
Yusuke powered, aimed, and shot. The blast went straight at Toguro, and he simply used his chest to thrust it away. He laughed, standing there completely unaffected by it. San gasped again, shaking slightly.
"I consider myself a good judge of human kind. Having formerly been one, I can say there's something missing in your eyes," said Toguro, grabbing Yusuke by his shirt and lifting him into the air, "And that something is fear. It used to be one of your strengths. Without fear you'll never grow stronger as a fighter. I know I've told you that before," Toguro was menacing. He swung his fist making contact with Yusuke's abdomen. He went flying across the arena and into the stands. He hit the wall, hard. San just stood, stunned. "Your not doing your job, Yusuke Urameshi," said Toguo, "This is the first time I've fought at 100 percent. Clearly there must be a reason. The way you're fighting now I could easily finish you with one punch of my powered up arm. But that's not what I waited all this time for. You have more power that you still have not realized, and this body will bring it out. The techniques Genkai mastered over her years combined with the unnatural talent you were born with, thats everything needed for an ultimate power. For years I've waited for those ingredients to show themselves and now they have. So I must put my strength against yours and know the answer it will give."
"I can't stand this guy, he's trying to beat more power out of Urameshi just so he can have a good time!" said Kuwabara. San didn't think that at all.
"It's the nature of the demon body they gave him, the instinct to tell him to fight," said Koenma.
"Don't sell me short, it's more than that. I may have the instincts to act aggressively, but it's my own choices to follow them thru that define what I am," said Toguro.
"No," San stated simply. The others around her stared at her, "He's lost Genkai, someone he loved dearly. He became unstoppable, and that's what he wishes to see. Yusuke has the power to beat him, and Toguro wants to be stopped, he wants to be beaten, but he can't go down without reaching his full power. He needs to know that Yusuke can defeat him at his full strength, both of them trying with everything they've got."
"How do you know that?" asked Kuwabara.
"Because it's obvious in the way he does things. He lead Yusuke here, he's even helping him reach his full potential as they fight, teaching in a way. I've trained with Genkai and Yusuke enough to know how her power reacts, and the way he is with his emotions."
"What does that mean?"
"It means Kuwabara, that we should hope Yusuke can access this power before something drastic happens," said Kurama.
...
She sits atop the tree of her den. She stares into the moonlight, eyes glazing over in thought. She thinks of her past, of the life she left behind. She thinks of Akatsuki, Yuriko, Yayoi, and Ryo. Four people that were greatly important to her, but are now left behind like the rest of her life. She weeps silently, the seal of the wolf clan clutched in her hand as it hangs off of her neck. This was all she had, and that kitsune tries to take it from her. She smiles thinking about him, knowing that he has plans to return soon. It has been quite a few decades since she last saw him, and she misses him. He is her only friend, and her only enemy. She uses her acrobatic skills to get down from the tree, and enters her den. She walks to her chambers and smiles.
"I was wondering where you'd gone," he speaks to her from her bed, rising to his feet. She walks up to him as she stares into his golden eyes.
"I knew you'd be here soon," she replies. He holds her gaze, having missed her himself.
"I came to retrieve my prize."
"Surely you don't mean my seal, because we both know that you are going to leave here without it."
"Perhaps ookami, but perhaps not. Maybe this time..." he brings his face closer to hers, her beauty captivating him, "...I'll be the one to leave you breathless," he says in a voice barely above a whisper. She is put in a trance by his voice, and the look in his eyes, the look of longing. The seal is far from his mind, he wants just one kiss from this exquisite creature that stands before him. His fingers graze her cheek, and she feels electric from his touch. Her eyes droop, the spell taking effect. She feels his breath on her lips, and the ghost of his coming towards her. The spell is broken by a crash that takes place at her front door. They turn towards it, as he stands in front of her protectively. Nothing but silence greets them. He turns back to her and stares into her tawny eyes. He reaches a hand out towards her, and feels her cheek once more. He then turns to leave.
"Stop," she speaks in a commanding voice. He obeys and turns to face her. She walks up to him, and holds out her hand.
"Yes?" he questions, his eyes full of mischief.
"Give it back."
"Impressive."
"Foolish kitsune, you should know better than to think any lower of me."
He smirks, giving her back the seal. He then reaches a hand to grab her breast before he dashes off. She is left stunned, but with a small smile.
...
"Moriko!" a voice calls out to her.
"Ryo, it's been a while," she replies to her friend.
"Moriko, treachery is going on inside of your realm."
"What is it?"
"Natsuko is placing Akatsuki's death on you."
"No!"
"Yes, she is repeating what she has seen to the council, and it doesn't sound good."
"That bitch..."
"Moriko please, let me take you away from here, away from all of this."
"I cannot Ryo. You live in a world of shadow, one that preys upon victims to sustain life. I belong to the light, I cannot live in the world of darkness."
"You're a demon Moriko, you already belong to the world of darkness."
"I do not wish to lurk in the shadows, feeding upon blood. I am already a wolf, I cannot become a vampire as well, my destiny does not reside there."
"Moriko..."
"I'm sorry Ryo. How long has it been since you last fed?"
"A week."
She moves her hair from her neck, "Feed Ryo, I do not wish you to die of starvation." Her friend sinks his fangs into her flesh, feeding off of her blood. He does not take much, just enough to live until his next feeding. He stares into her tawny eyes, and she can see the sorrow he lives with. Her fate is not with this man, it is with one who holds golden eyes, and she must find him to know more of her journey. He knows this, but still tries to alter her life to his will. She watches him go, and then goes to find her advisor, Yayoi.
Converting /tmp/phpUaDbjO to /dev/stdout
"Well done Yusuke. At last the two of us fight again. Only this time, things are going to be different for you. I'm not throwing this fight for anyone," said Toguro.
"Good, cause now for me, it's personal," responded Yusuke.
"You don't think this is personal for me to? I'll start with 80 percent!" and Toguro began to glow, his muscles becoming bigger. San didn't find it impressive. Why would you want the inability to wipe your ass or wash your hair? She hated body builders. The ground around him crumbled, and Toguro looked as if he was holding a barrel, or he was really constipated. The aura from his energy was sent around the stadium, killing off the weak apparitions. She felt it then, dropping to her knees. She wasn't weak, so why was it affecting her so?
"Amazing. Toguro's demon energy is so strong that its literally melting the flesh off the weaker apparitions," stated Hiei.
"They're not the only ones. I can't take much more in my present state," said Kurama. She looked at her mate, noticing that he was shaking. Kuwabara stepped back as well, grunting.
"Not a problem," it seemed as if he was having trouble speaking as well, "I can handle it."
"Well actually Kuwabara, no you can't," said Koenma, standing in front of them. San understood, it was being human that made the demon energy so overwhelming, "Now all of you, stick behind me," Koenma commanded, and then erected a shield around them. San felt the pressure decrease and breathed a sigh of relief. Kurama put a hand on her shoulder, to see if she was alright. She looked up, into his green orbs. They were worried, so she nodded at him and stood again. His arm snaked around her shoulders again. He wanted her close, he wasn't sure why, but she needed to be near him.
Yusuke ran at Toguro with incredible speed. He punched the demon in the stomach and Toguro simply gave an uppercut to the chin, knocking Yusuke back. He used his legs to lunge himself towards Toguro again, but muscles just dodged and came up from behind. Yusuke moved in time and kicked Toguro in the head. It had no effect, so Toguro decided it would be best to throw another punch. The sheer wind of it tore up the ground in its path, and had missed Yusuke. The youki threw another punch in the opposite direction, earning the same results. Toguro then charged at Yusuke, getting ready for yet another punch.
"What? Are you crazy? There's no way in hell you can block a straight on punch!" Kuwabara yelled to his friend. Yusuke was just standing there, not making an attempt to move. Toguro was just about to land the punch and then stopped, inches from Urameshi's face. What?
"I see the way you look at me in judgement," said Toguro, retreating his fist, "But you have no idea what its like do you? To lose your beloved."
"Sounds like he should be talking to the us," San muttered under her breath. Kurama nodded, having heard her. Life goes on, the pain becomes manageable, thats what she assumed anyway. Their situation was a bit different than Toguro's.
"No. I don't, and I don't plan on it because I won't let that happen. I actually look forward to growing old with her," Yusuke replied to Toguro. He was clearly talking about Keiko.
"You say that now," said Toguro.
"Stop it. This is between you and me."
"Those fools! Why don't they stop dancing around each other and fight? One must never let emotions enter the ring. That was a mistake," Hiei spoke to himself San assumed. Yusuke and Toguro stood, staring at one another again.
"It's time. You have something to prove to me Urameshi. Show me that your master did not sacrifice her strength for you in vain," said Toguro.
"Right," said Yusuke, making a gun with his fingers, "I'll show you," he kept his hands low, not aiming yet. The air was still yet again. The tension could be cut by a simple breath. San was waiting, she had to be patient, she didn't want any fuck ups. She wanted her freedom, as did the rest of them.
"Oh, she didn't teach you any new tricks? I want to see everything that Genkai gave you."
"Hold on, Urameshi got something from Genkai before she died? Like a gift?" questioned Kuwabara.
"Yes. But not exactly the sort of gift you wrap in a bow Kuwabara. More like her gift, you know, what made Genkai special. She gave him the energy she had stored for decades," answered Koenma.
"How much power did she give him?"
"I don't know, but I'm guessing it all."
"The bulk of it. The rest went to me," San clarified. They all looked at her for a moment, but it was short lived, except for Kurama. San could tell he was thinking, it was just a slight difference in his eyes that was easy to miss.
"This should be fun," stated Hiei. San couldn't agree more.
Yusuke began to focus energy into his right index finger. He was preparing the spirit gun, filled with more power than he ever had.
"Fire!" Kuwabara yelled impatiently. Yusuke raised his arms, taking aim. The anticipation, it was ridiculous. Anytime now. But Yusuke just got rid of the gun and then ran at Toguro, feeding him punches to the stomach. Toguro finally retaliated but missed. They jumped around each other a bit, missing all hits, but the energy from Toguro's creating medium sized to huge explosions. He finally let one go that sent Yusuke and Juri flying, destroying the ring completely. San followed Yusuke's movement, as he was still floating upside down. He took aim and then...
"Spirit gun!" Yusuke fired. The power was huge.
"Bullseye!" yelled Kuwabara.
"That's direct hit," said Koenma. Hiei just gasped as San and Kurama looked on with wonder. Toguro screamed, but as to whether or not he was in pain was unclear. He was blown out of the stadium and then some. San could not be sure how far he had gone, but she was truly impressed, so impressed she had to say...
"What an amazing thing," as everything around them was silent.
"Hey lady! Get up and snap out of it! You've got a job to do. There's a fighter out of the ring and you better start counting like your always doing for me," said Kuwabara, pointing in the direction that Toguro was blasted away. Idiot.
"Take a moment to look where Yusuke's standing," said Hiei. Kuwabara looked back, and then he looked at Yusuke.
"Hey, how the heck do you get back in the ring?"
"In this final battle, there will be no boundaries," said Kurama.
"The only rule is kill or be killed," added Hiei. San nodded. Yusuke started walking, to see the damage she assumed. "Yusuke is much stronger now than I ever imagined a human could be."
"And yet, Toguro didn't even bother to block his attack."
"If Toguro can escape a blast like that unscathed, there's no telling what else he could be capable of."
"He's challenging Yusuke, trying to gauge his strength and determine if he'll have to go to full power or not," said San.
"Look, will you guys stop being such 'glass is half empty' kind of people for two seconds? Accept it, there's absolutely no way in hell that guys ever coming back in anything other than an ashtray," said Kuwabara. San took a couple of steps forward, fully aware of Kurama's gaze on her. She watched Yusuke. He knew something, and San could feel that this wasn't over just yet. She could still feel him, and then they saw him approaching, only missing his sun glasses.
"Is that all you got for me? I expected more from Genkai," he said, once he entered the stadium again.
Kuwabara was sputtering, and then he fell to the ground, "He's invincible! That's the only explanation for it."
"That's not good," stated Koenma. Togruo then began to power up, sending a wave of energy towards Yusuke. It wasn't anything too powerful for him.
"I was foolish to depend on you to rise on this occasion. I wanted to test you to see if you were really strong enough to compete with me. Obviously my standing here means that you failed, so there's no need to go to full power. I'll finish this as I am," said Toguro. San narrowed her eyes at the two of them, "My total power would be wasted on you."
"He's not at his full power? I wasn't aware than anyone could get any fuller than that..." said Kuwabara in disbelief.
"Do you think there's any hope left for him," Kurama asked Hiei and San.
"Not really," Hiei answered. San was silent.
Yusuke smirked, wiping the blood from his cheek, "Guess play period is over. Oh well, it was fun."
"What?" asked Toguro, along with other silent questions San was sure. Yusuke then lifted his arm and removed his wrist band. San smiled. She should have known. There was a light emitting from his wrist, wrapping around like a bracelet. He took off the other one, and then his wrists and ankles were glowing, slightly connected. "I should have expected. Spirit cuffs from Genkai."
"I've gotta say, that's a pretty sissy fashion statement. Even for Urameshi man," said Kuwabara.
"Why would he fight Toguro using such a handicap? I hardly understand..." trailed Kurama.
"Easy. It is because he's a cocky fool," said Hiei.
"Yes, he must've inherited it from Genkai, that spirit cuffs that is," said Koenma.
"Uh, will someone please tell me what the heck is going on?" asked Kuwabara.
"Those are spirit cuffs Kuwabara. They lock the bulk of your energy inside. The longer you wear them, the stronger your power becomes, and once they are gone, it is up to the user to control that power. It's something that Genkai uses for training. I also have some, but the difference between mine and his is the duration of time. I've been wearing spirit cuffs for seven years, while he has for only a few days," San explained.
"Seven years?"
"That's right..."
"So if you were to remove them, you would have limitless power at your disposal?" asked Kurama. She nodded at him, looking down at her wrists.
"That's enlightening. If Yusuke dies, you might want to think about that," said Hiei.
"Trust me, I already have," San replied.
The two opponents stood, staring at each other. Yusuke spoke the safety word, "Advitis!" The cuffs broke, and Yusuke's energy flared up. San was about to question why she did not have a safety word, but the power of the human in front of her made it drop out of her mind. The reiki was so strong, glowing brightly and it flew around the stadium in the form of a phoenix. It then landed, surging back into Yusuke.
"Just feel that! His energy's out of control, there's no way Urameshi can lose now!" declared Kuwabara.
Kurama couldn't help but agree, but if San was wearing those cuffs for seven years, and Yusuke's power was this strong, he was trying to imagine what she would be like. She was very powerful now with them on, taking them off could destroy everything within a sixty mile radius easily. He was staring at her in alarm. The only way to know what would happen was if she were to remove them one day and yet, he was actually scared of what would happen if she did.
"Are you really so arrogant Urameshi that you actually thought you could beat me while wearing those spirit cuffs?" asked Toguro.
"Well... yeah, sorta. In truth I may have been a bit cocky," replied Yusuke.
"You wasted enough of my time by underestimating me!" said Toguro. He raised one of his huge arms, pointing at Yusuke, "Fortunately this will be the last time you make that mistake!"
Yusuke charged at Toguro and then disappeared. His agility had improved a hundred fold, and San was impressed.
"Now I see..." said Kurama.
"Where did he go?" asked Kuwabara.
"What an amazing thing..."
Hiei growled, "If you say that again, I will not hesitate to cut out your tongue."
Yusuke appeared in front of Toguro, rapidly punching him as he landed on the ground. He finished his assault with a powerful uppercut to the face. Toguro went flying backwards.
"He's knocked down!" shouted Koenma.
"He's got to be feeling that one!" yelled Kuwabara. The three demons stood with shock on all of their faces. Yusuke didn't stop there, he ran at Toguro again and screamed as he landed another punch while Toguro was on the ground, a hole with a wide range forming. Kurama gasped as everyone else looked on. Yusuke began attacking again.
"This is a very different fight. I... I've never seen Yusuke fight to intensely before," said Kurama. San wanted to move to him again, wanted to feel him, but she couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away.
"You said it, he's like a machine!" agreed Kuwabara. Yusuke's punches stopped abruptly after that, much to everyone's surprise.
"Huh?" San was confused.
"But why?" asked Kurama.
"Don't stop now!" yelled Hiei. What happened? Toguro then rose from his spot and walked out of the hole. He was back to normal size. What the hell?
"I am afraid that a ferocious wolf is laying in wait underneath that placid sheep's façade," said Kurama. San turned to look at him curiously. He caught her gaze and then walked up to her. He put an arm around her and pulled her close, "It's just an expression," he murmured in her ear, after he kissed the side of her head. She turned to watch the fighters again, her head leaning against his heart. It was elevated.
"I know, it's written on his face," said Hiei in response to Kurama's comment.
"At last Yusuke. You've done as I've asked," said Toguro. There was a strange aura around him, he was powering up again. "I've waited a long time for this moment. Now destiny has rewarded my patience," and Toguro's muscles once again began to grow. It was certainly a sight to behold, but holy hell was this intense. The earth began to shake beneath them, and his power was overwhelming. It exploded like a thunderclap, everyone in shock. His energy shot out everywhere, killing off all the apparitions it touched.
"It's hard to tell if Toguro's lost control of his power, or if he's attacking the crowd on purpose," said Kurama. Toguro blocked out the sun with his power, making their surroundings very dark indeed.
"What? Hey, who turned out the lights?" asked Kuwabara.
"Fuck..." San trailed.
"Be careful Yusuke," said Kurama.
"This is it," said Hiei.
"Not looking forward to this..." said Koenma.
"I can't even see myself think!" declared Kuwabara. Idiot. The sun was finally visible again, lighting the stadium. Toguro's demon energy changed him incredibly. He was tall, he was huge, and his skin had changed to a dull grey colour. The finished product was something that made her cringe. She stood in awe of his power, of his appearance. She felt Kurama's hold on her tighten, he was stunned as well. "Urameshi! This is your chance! Finish him off while you can before he reaches full power!" Yusuke just stood there though, as if he was frozen. The last of the preparations were made. Toguro's shoulders stuck out, his neck was simply apart of his head and shoulders, and something stuck out on each side. "Are we certain he doesn't get stronger? You know, I was kicking myself pretty hard before about not feeling this guys power. But now I know that if I had felt it, my head would have exploded all over the damn place."
"Well, you win some and you lose some. I guess that's what makes it gambling," San heard Koenma speak, "It's too bad really, that Yusuke didn't have more time with Genkai before she gave him all of her powers. Just a few more years..."
Toguro stepped forward slowly. He brought his hand up, looking as if he was crushing something. His thumb shot something and it struck Yusuke right in the forehead, sending him back quickly across the ground and crashing into some rubble. San gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. The power! Yusuke stood, blood trickling from his forehead.
"Did you like that one? Unlike your spirit gun, I have an infinite supply," said Toguro. He shot more rapidly, Yusuke blocking them all. There was a cloud of smoke where Yusuke once stood and Toguro then ceased. Yusuke shot up from the smoke and tried to assault Toguro. The demon blocked it with just his thumb. He then retaliated, breaking Yusuke's arm, and sending him back again. San cringed at the sound the arm made. Yusuke was screaming in pain, holding the bruised arm. "I have more power in my thumb than you have in your entire body."
"We'll see. I've got a strong finger myself," said Yusuke, powering his spirit gun.
"Now hit me with everything that you have. You have no idea which shot will be your last."
Yusuke powered, aimed, and shot. The blast went straight at Toguro, and he simply used his chest to thrust it away. He laughed, standing there completely unaffected by it. San gasped again, shaking slightly.
"I consider myself a good judge of human kind. Having formerly been one, I can say there's something missing in your eyes," said Toguro, grabbing Yusuke by his shirt and lifting him into the air, "And that something is fear. It used to be one of your strengths. Without fear you'll never grow stronger as a fighter. I know I've told you that before," Toguro was menacing. He swung his fist making contact with Yusuke's abdomen. He went flying across the arena and into the stands. He hit the wall, hard. San just stood, stunned. "Your not doing your job, Yusuke Urameshi," said Toguo, "This is the first time I've fought at 100 percent. Clearly there must be a reason. The way you're fighting now I could easily finish you with one punch of my powered up arm. But that's not what I waited all this time for. You have more power that you still have not realized, and this body will bring it out. The techniques Genkai mastered over her years combined with the unnatural talent you were born with, thats everything needed for an ultimate power. For years I've waited for those ingredients to show themselves and now they have. So I must put my strength against yours and know the answer it will give."
"I can't stand this guy, he's trying to beat more power out of Urameshi just so he can have a good time!" said Kuwabara. San didn't think that at all.
"It's the nature of the demon body they gave him, the instinct to tell him to fight," said Koenma.
"Don't sell me short, it's more than that. I may have the instincts to act aggressively, but it's my own choices to follow them thru that define what I am," said Toguro.
"No," San stated simply. The others around her stared at her, "He's lost Genkai, someone he loved dearly. He became unstoppable, and that's what he wishes to see. Yusuke has the power to beat him, and Toguro wants to be stopped, he wants to be beaten, but he can't go down without reaching his full power. He needs to know that Yusuke can defeat him at his full strength, both of them trying with everything they've got."
"How do you know that?" asked Kuwabara.
"Because it's obvious in the way he does things. He lead Yusuke here, he's even helping him reach his full potential as they fight, teaching in a way. I've trained with Genkai and Yusuke enough to know how her power reacts, and the way he is with his emotions."
"What does that mean?"
"It means Kuwabara, that we should hope Yusuke can access this power before something drastic happens," said Kurama.
...
She sits atop the tree of her den. She stares into the moonlight, eyes glazing over in thought. She thinks of her past, of the life she left behind. She thinks of Akatsuki, Yuriko, Yayoi, and Ryo. Four people that were greatly important to her, but are now left behind like the rest of her life. She weeps silently, the seal of the wolf clan clutched in her hand as it hangs off of her neck. This was all she had, and that kitsune tries to take it from her. She smiles thinking about him, knowing that he has plans to return soon. It has been quite a few decades since she last saw him, and she misses him. He is her only friend, and her only enemy. She uses her acrobatic skills to get down from the tree, and enters her den. She walks to her chambers and smiles.
"I was wondering where you'd gone," he speaks to her from her bed, rising to his feet. She walks up to him as she stares into his golden eyes.
"I knew you'd be here soon," she replies. He holds her gaze, having missed her himself.
"I came to retrieve my prize."
"Surely you don't mean my seal, because we both know that you are going to leave here without it."
"Perhaps ookami, but perhaps not. Maybe this time..." he brings his face closer to hers, her beauty captivating him, "...I'll be the one to leave you breathless," he says in a voice barely above a whisper. She is put in a trance by his voice, and the look in his eyes, the look of longing. The seal is far from his mind, he wants just one kiss from this exquisite creature that stands before him. His fingers graze her cheek, and she feels electric from his touch. Her eyes droop, the spell taking effect. She feels his breath on her lips, and the ghost of his coming towards her. The spell is broken by a crash that takes place at her front door. They turn towards it, as he stands in front of her protectively. Nothing but silence greets them. He turns back to her and stares into her tawny eyes. He reaches a hand out towards her, and feels her cheek once more. He then turns to leave.
"Stop," she speaks in a commanding voice. He obeys and turns to face her. She walks up to him, and holds out her hand.
"Yes?" he questions, his eyes full of mischief.
"Give it back."
"Impressive."
"Foolish kitsune, you should know better than to think any lower of me."
He smirks, giving her back the seal. He then reaches a hand to grab her breast before he dashes off. She is left stunned, but with a small smile.
...
"Moriko!" a voice calls out to her.
"Ryo, it's been a while," she replies to her friend.
"Moriko, treachery is going on inside of your realm."
"What is it?"
"Natsuko is placing Akatsuki's death on you."
"No!"
"Yes, she is repeating what she has seen to the council, and it doesn't sound good."
"That bitch..."
"Moriko please, let me take you away from here, away from all of this."
"I cannot Ryo. You live in a world of shadow, one that preys upon victims to sustain life. I belong to the light, I cannot live in the world of darkness."
"You're a demon Moriko, you already belong to the world of darkness."
"I do not wish to lurk in the shadows, feeding upon blood. I am already a wolf, I cannot become a vampire as well, my destiny does not reside there."
"Moriko..."
"I'm sorry Ryo. How long has it been since you last fed?"
"A week."
She moves her hair from her neck, "Feed Ryo, I do not wish you to die of starvation." Her friend sinks his fangs into her flesh, feeding off of her blood. He does not take much, just enough to live until his next feeding. He stares into her tawny eyes, and she can see the sorrow he lives with. Her fate is not with this man, it is with one who holds golden eyes, and she must find him to know more of her journey. He knows this, but still tries to alter her life to his will. She watches him go, and then goes to find her advisor, Yayoi.
Converting /tmp/phpUaDbjO to /dev/stdout