Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Return to Darkness ❯ Opening Ceremonies ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1: The Opening Ceremonies

Hiei stood, tapping his foot impatiently, at the rendezvous point for the boat ride to Hanging Neck Island, home of the Dark Tournament. He was dressed in a simple outfit of black pants, a black shirt, and his usual boots and hairdo.
Kurama sat on a log next to Kuwabara. He looked about the same as when they had last seen each other. He was dressed the same way he had been during the last Dark Tournament.
"Calm down, Hiei. I'm sure Yusuke will arrive in time." Kurama spoke with the same calm tone and honey-smooth voice.
"Yeah, I mean, he made it last year, didn't he shorty?" Kuwabara still had the same gravely voice and obnoxious laugh.
Hiei merely grunted. "Fool. He barely made it in time last time. We nearly had to forfeit. Stupid human."
"Uh, hey! Watch who you're takin' to, Hiei! I've gotten a lot stronger since we were last here!"
Hiei said nothing. He was too busy looking over at the other teams of demons. They were a wide assortment of strange beings. Hiei was particularly drawn to one group of ten fighters sitting around a fire. Hiei believed he knew one of the fighters, but assumed he was mistaken. That person had died years ago, hadn't he?
Hiei was removed from his thoughts by a loud, "Hey, guys!"
The Fire Demon looked up to see the Spirit Detective Yusuke Urameshi racing down the hill.
"Hey, Urameshi!" Kuwabara had risen and was moving towards Yusuke.
"Hello, Yusuke. I can see you've gotten a bit stronger," Kurama said, motioning to the taller, buffer Yusuke.
"Yeah, well. These things happen." Yusuke laughed in his usual fashion. He was dressed casually, in blue jeans (ripped, of course), a white T-Shirt, with a black jacket thrown over his shoulder.
"So, Urameshi, where's this mysterious `fifth fighter' KoEnma told us about?"
"Oh, that guy. She's coming."
"Did you say `she', Yusuke?" Kurama, too, had risen.
"Yeah, I said she. What about it?" Yusuke gave Kurama a funny look.
Hiei grunted. "Hm. I figured KoEnma would send some other Spirit Detective, or some imprisoned Demon trying to be freed on good behavior. Not some girl."
"Hiei, we should trust KoEnma. He knows what he's doing," Kurama said.
"Hm."
"Hey, there she is!" Yusuke pointed up the hill he had just come down."
The other three looked at where Yusuke was pointing to see a lean young woman racing down the hill at incredible speed. Within three minutes she had raced down the 40ft slope and wasn't even breathing hard.
"Hello. I'm Tsunami Yakosuya. I'm a Reikai Mechanic. I make equipment for Spirit Detectives. Who're you three?" The girl, about 5'5", was very serious, it appeared. She seemed like a personality reverse of Botan.
"I'm the mighty warrior Kazuma Kuwabara! You can call me Kuwabara, since everyone else does."
"The name's Hiei. Don't bug me, and I won't kill you."
"And I am Kurama."
"Ku. . .Ku. . .Kurama!? Kura-chan, it's me, Himiko!" The girl looked longingly at Kurama.
"Hi. . .Himiko!? I thought you died!" Kurama grasped Tsunami's hands.
"I thought you were killed by a hunter!"
"I was, so I traveled to the Ningenkai and inhabited this human body."
"I, too, have become a human."
"Ugh, cut back on the lovey-duvvy stuff. Jeez!" Yusuke made a gagging noise.
Hiei ignored them. He was again transfixed upon the ten fighters. If these two nearly survived death, couldn't he have?
Just then, one of the fighters tapped the one Hiei was looking at on the shoulder. The first fighter pointed at the Spirit Detective's group, and the second one nodded. The second fighter got up and walked over towards Yusuke and team. The fighter took long strides, his black cloak billowing around him. He brushed aside his spiky brown bangs as he walked ahead.
"Excuse me," said the fighter. "Are you. . .Yusuke Urameshi, the Spirit Detective that has slain so many powerful demons?"
Yusuke looked over to the fighter, who towered over him. The black clad warrior stood about 6'1" or 6'2", whereas Yusuke was about 5'10". "Uh, yeah. I'm Yusuke."
The fighter nodded. He then turned to Hiei. "Then you must be the infamous traitor Hiei."
Hiei's eyes widened. That voice, so cool, yet so smooth and sincere, with that hint of a British accent. Only one warrior in the world had a voice like that. "Tao?"
"It is you, Hiei! You old dog, how are you!?" The fighter's blank expression turned into a warm smile. "All of you, join us by the fire while we wait."
Yusuke's team, and the warrior, Tao, moved over to the nine fighters.
"Team," Tao said, he voice smooth, yet hard, like polished obsidian. "This is Hiei, Yusuke Urameshi, Kurama, and Kazuma Kuwabara. The fighters who had slain Toguro Ototo, Sensui, Suzaku and the Saint Beasts, and others."
The nine warriors murmured.
"For those of you who do not know me, I am Tao-Zhou, the Shadow Stalker prince, lord of darkness, and master of Ancient Energy."
"I thought you were an ex-prince, Tao-baby!" said one of the fighters, a tall, muscular human-like being dressed entirely in black. As he spoke, Yusuke notice that he had fangs.
"Shut up, you stupid Vampire! You'll have to excuse Jake here. He's a complete moron!" In a flash of moonlight, Tao had a sword to Jake's throat.
Jake swallowed hard. "Sorry, Tao. My bad."
Another fighter snickered silently.
"Shut it, Zi!" Jake snarled.
The girl looked at him with rage blazing in her eyes. She flipped him off.
"Stupid half-breed!"
"Don't forget, Jake." Tao pushed the sword closer to Jake. "You're a half-breed too."
A short, scraggly haired Demon hobbled past, one leg wooden the other real, yelling, "the Fairy to Hangin' Neck Island is now leavin'! Get on board if you're headed to the Tournament!"
Tao slid his sword back into the concealed sheathe. "You're life has been spared, Jake. Don't piss me off again, alright?"
"Uh, okay, Tao. Heh, heh."
The rest of the group laughed as they walked by, until Kuwabara shivered uncontrollably.
"What is it, oaf?" Hiei asked.
"It. . .it can't be."
"What can't be?"
"Look over there." Kuwabara pointed into the crowd.
"What are you. . ." Yusuke trailed off as he saw them. Toguro Ototo and Toguro Ani. Walking next to some 9ft tall demon. "No! Toguro!? But we killed him! He can't be walking around like that!"
"Well, it appears he is, Yusuke. And we'll probably have to face him once more." Kurama had taken on a grave look, unlike his warm smile just moments ago. Things were going to get ugly, and they all knew it.


After arriving on Hanging Neck Island, Yusuke ran off the boat. He stretched himself in every way humanly possible, after being stuck on the cramped boat for 3 hours. This time he didn't have to fight to make it onto the island, which was both good and bad.
"Yeah! It's good to be free to move and stretch and live!"
"We were only on the boat for 3 hours, Detective. Are all humans this quick to stiffen up?" Hiei spoke with a contemptuous tone.
"Listen, Hiei. I'm not used to sitting still for that long. Even classes are only two hours long each (okay, clarifying. I've changed the time-line to being about five years after the first Dark Tournament. Yes, Yusuke got into college. Don't ask me how. My guess is Keiko helped him out a lot.). Yeesh!"
"Hm. I still think you're a whiner," Hiei said.
"Yeah, well, um, you're still short!" Yusuke yelled, trying to think of an effective comeback.
"Brilliant comeback, Spirit Detective. I am amazed by your wit."
"Shut up, Hiei!" Yusuke had advanced upon the shorter demon with fist raised, ready to hit Hiei.
"Yusuke! Kuwabara! Hiei! Kurama! Get over here!" The four turned towards the voice, as did Himiko. They turned to see four girls, one waving at them.
The one waving had long blue hair, violet (correct me if I'm wrong) eyed girl in a pink shirt, brown pants, and a brown jacket. It was undeniably Botan, the fairy girl and Yusuke's assistant.
Standing on her right was another blue haired girl in a blue kimono. It was Hiei's sister, and Kuwabara's love interest, Yukina.
Standing to Botan's left was a tall, brown haired girl smoking a cigarette. It was most likely Kuwabara's sister, Shizuru.
And, next to Yukina, was Keiko. She still wore her hair down to her shoulders, and she wore a similar outfit to what she had last time she was at the last Dark Tournament.
The five ran over to the four girls.
"Hello, Kazuma," Yukina said, with the same almost shy tone as before.
Kuwabara blushed and grabbed Yukina's hands. "Hello, Yukina. I see you're as beautiful as ever." He smiled dumbly.
"Hm," Hiei grunted.
"Hello Yusuke! How are things?" Botan asked, as bubbly and cheerful as ever.
"Life's been pretty calm, ever since you stopped dropping in with missions for me. However, I've been training as hard as ever, and I'm ready to defeat this super Demon."
"That's super Yusuke. Um, who's that young lady by Kurama?" Botan asked.
"Oh, her?" Yusuke asked pointing to Himiko. "That's Tsunami Yakosuya, or Himiko. Either works."
"Himiko. . .why does that sound so familiar." Botan shrugged. "Oh well! I guess I'll see you five later. Enjoy the bloodshed!" The four girls walked off.
Kuwabara cracked his knuckles. "Looks like I'll have to win so that I can uphold the honor of my sister and gain the love of sweet Yukina.
"Come on, lover boy. Let's find our rooms," Yusuke said, walking towards the fighter's quarters.
"Hey! Wait up Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled, running after the other four.


Hey, it's Yusuke speaking! Okay, so it's the first fight of this years Dark Tournament, and it's a dozy, let me tell you that. So, it's Team Zhou, the team led by Hiei's old pal Tao-Zhou, up against a team of Fire Demons called team Honoo! It's bound to heat up, as Dark Fire meats Makai Flames in a blazing battle that could wipe out the entire arena before I even get to fight! Check out how the battle goes next time on Yu Yu Hakusho!