Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Hanyou ❯ Chapter 17 Let the Games Begin ( Chapter 17 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/n- yep, decided to give you guys another chappy since I failed to update this story for so long.

This one doesn't own a thing besides parts of the plot.

Chapter 17- Let the Games Begin

Kurama gave himself about 30 minutes of leisure to rest in the comfort of his newly claimed mate. Her pinewood scent had a tent of roses in it that he knew was his doing, and he smirked as much.

//Mother'll have a field day.// Yoko commented out of the blue. Both had been enjoying the complete silence of the night so far until the fox spoke up randomly.

`Yes, but what do we address her as? If we call her a mate we'll have to reveal our demon heritage to mother. Plus, isn't mating a higher degree of human marriage?' Kurama suddenly realized he'd walked into a problem with out realizing it!

Well, there's a first time for everything.

//keep it on a low key for now. With everything going on with her wedding, I don't want to scare her with our little secret for a while. We'll tell her when she settles down, but for now we'll address Desota as our lover of a fiancée. That way, it wont matter if she finds out that we're having sex with our mate.// Yoko suggested.

`That almost seems too simple to carry out.' Kurama doubted.

//Do you have a better idea?// Yoko scoffed at the thought that a plan coming from him was considered `too simple'. The nerve!

`I was just saying,' Kurama defended when he felt the fox make a warning headache start to form in Kurama's temples. Not another migraine!

`But back to the situation at hand; the others are probably starting to worry,' Kurama changed subject quickly to avoid the impending doom of a migraine.

//They know we wont let anything attack us.// Yoko brushed off.

`Us, yes. But what if THEY are attacked and need our help?' Kurama reasoned, `plus, by now they're probably getting some ideas about us alone with her … …'

He gazed down at her sleeping form as she shifted more securely to his warmth as if he were her teddy bear or something. Her long black hair was tangled with leaves and small twigs from the willow. Her demonic traits were still absent since it was still moon lit outside. Her chest moved against his as she breathed shallowly in her slumber with her head resting in the crock of his neck. A hand draped over his stomach while her other one was pinned between them and a leg was bent over his as she hugged herself to him. He smiled as his arm around her waste tightened and his other hand started to stroke her hair.

`Lord knows she'll be devastated if they found out she let me do this now.' Kurama let that out as an after thought to cross his mind.

Yoko nodded in agreement //Yes, all too aware of that.// He smirked //Just imagine how many shades of red she'll turn if she were asked just what we did to her and if she played back.// now replaying the image of what just happened shortly before, Yoko chuckled //And she most certainly DID play back.//

`We're not waking her up for `round 2', Yoko' Kurama put an end to Yokos plotting thoughts.

//And why the hell not?// Yoko didn't let the fact that he was disappointed hide at all.

`She's been through enough today, so the least we could do is let her have her rest. Just like we should get her back to the group so she's not plagued with constant teasing tomorrow about having an `all nighter' with us.' Kurama once again brought up his reasoning.

Yoko grudgingly nodded //I suppose that's a good enough reason.// Yoko caved.

Sighing in relief, Kurama gently untangled himself from her warm embrace. She was so out of it that she limply let him escape her- not missing a breath in her slumber.

`You sure she's not dead?' mused Kurama.

//Heavy sleeper? No, wait- she's definitely not that. Not with how she awakes to anything that sounds alarming to her.// Yoko thought on it a while longer while Kurama got dressed and turned to her to do the same. Finally he shrugged //Must be really exhausted, eh Kurama boy// Yoko teased.

Kurama had the decency to blush at the brash jibe while he scoped his mate into his arms and started to walk out of his willow barrier.

`Honestly, I wouldn't be the least surprised if that were the case.' He admitted with a sly smile.

//Ah, you are learning very well, young Kit// Yoko chuckled as Kurama made his way back to camp.

08909809098709879087098709870987098709870987098709870987098707870 987

Desota awoke the next morning when a drop of morning dew fell from an over head tree branch and tickled her ear. The red and black appendage twitched and she slowly opened her aqua blue eyes once more to wince as bright sunlight flashed in her eyes painfully. Her stomach suddenly churned lightly in protest as she tensed up her muscles in reflex of waking up. She groaned and rolled over to escape the offensive light and uncomfortable squirm of her stomach only to find that she couldn't. A strong arm draped around her tightly stopped her from moving away or moving at all as it held her to what she had dubbed her warm pillow behind her. It only took a second for her to remember that it was just Kurama.

`Just Kurama' she thought dreamily.

He was anything but that. Her heart told her he was that and so much more. She literally was alone in this world. Nothing was attached to her as a family except Ryu and Kyo until recently. Kurama had given her a family again. He'd shown her what love is like and how it felt to be loved. To be wanted.

It was more than a hanyou could ask for, but she got it anyway. She'd never leave him as for as long as she lived. He was her mate; her other half.

Her tail flicked its tip at the happy thought and she felt him rouse form his slumber. He hugged her to himself tighter in a loving embrace and kissed the top of her head.

“Good morning.” She greeted.

“Afternoon” came a new voice. Was that Genkai's voice?

Desota stiffened shocked. Since when was someone with them under the willow?? Did they see anything last night/??

Wait …. This wasn't the willow! This was the camp!

She looked over to see that they were laying a little apart from where everyone else had gathered around a small cook fire that was cooking something that looked like rabbits. The one who corrected her was Kaitou, who still looked over at them.

“When did I,” she started.

“After you practically collapsed in exhaustion last night. So I brought you back here and fell asleep as well.” Kurama explained with a rather teasing tone.

“You could have woke me up!” she retorted indignantly.

“I doubt it, you were out cold.” He said with a sigh and leaned down closer to her form behind her and whispered to her and her only, “guess I was just too good for ya huh?”

She blushed madly at what he insinuated and furrowed her brows in frustration. She knew he was toying with her and daring her to yell in response. It would mean that the others would catch on and she'd be embarrassed. So she firmly jabbed her elbow back into his ribs with an evil smirk when she heard the desired `Oomph' come from her mate.

“Behave will you!” she hissed.

//To a certain degree we shall, mate, but there's only so much your mate can do// Yoko purred to her.

“And you be quiet!” she hissed in return. Yoko chuckled as she tried to hide what was going on from their companions.

“Kai Kyo?” Yet Kyo seemed to notice.

The smaller form of the zhorse approached them from his previous spot at Kyoshiro's side and climbed in his mistress's lap as she sat up. With a light sniff, he snorted in surprise.

“KIA SHINO SHAMA!?” he squealed in a disbelieving way as he looked back and forth between them.

“You're lucky he can't speak human tongue.” Kurama mused as he watched Desota try to keep the zealous heavenly animal form bouncing around in excitement, “I think he knows.”

“Don't tell me you're not the least bit concerned if they find out so soon; and right before such a huge battle too!” she hissed at him.

“Honestly, no. I'm choosing not to say anything for your benefit.” He admitted.

“Then why do you insist on your pestering me!?” she growled lowly.

Yoko was hard pressed not to just pin her down and growl at her in retaliation, then prove to her just who was dominant of the two by-

`Not again, Yoko.' Kurama stopped the inevitable fantasy that was sure to come with that thought in mind.

Yoko decided to answer her and ignore him //All for the sake of watching you react in your own little way I love.//

“How comforting.” She said sarcastically.

“Pppprrrroooowww,” Kyo purred with a tease when he caught on to their internal conversation.

“Don't you go and encourage him!” Desota commanded the little animal.

“Lunch is ready!” Yanna called from where he was manning the food over the fire.

Desota's stomach suddenly clenched and she had to hold a hand up to her mouth as she hiccupped. For some reason, food didn't sound so good right now.

She left a confused fox avatar and a knowing chibbi zhorse as she scrambled away from her mate and emptied whatever was still in her stomach behind some bushes near by.

Kurama blinked confused why she suddenly regurgitated.

`I wasn't aware that we over worked her THAT much last night.'

//Once again I'm not surprised if that's the case.// Yoko smirked.

Yanna however looked a little crestfallen when she had reacted so violently to his announcement of the breakfast he cooked, “Oh come on! It can't be that bad,”

Botan took one look at the `Rabbit sausages' and grimaced when she saw the `fish bacon' and had to fight down the urge not to follow the Kitsune hanyou's antics, “I think she has the right idea”

09809098709870987239048572098472398472809283745029837405298742587

Yusuke sat up with a groan and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He'd gotten little to no sleep last night since a certain pair wasn't very quiet last night. Not at all. Sure he was a pervert and had seen a few porno type things, but when it took away needed sleep time, that's when it got ridiculous.

Yumi and Hiei had left him alone that night to wander off in the woods to find `a better sleeping tree'.

“Better sleeping tree my ass! Hiei just wanted another piece of that ass before we save the world … … again.” He grumbled in thought aloud as he yawned with a stretch of his back.

“Now that was just a terrible thing to say,” Yumi scolded as she walked out of the foliage, followed by her mate. Neither even looked like they had had a good lay last night, but those noises were too prominent to just be Yusuke's imagination.

Why would his ears play tricks on him of two people with similar voices to those two moan each others names all night? You had to be really fucked up to let your ears do that to you about your friends.

“Whatever,” Yusuke stood up and popped his neck and back, “What time is it anyways? It's too bright to be morning.”

Yumi looked up at the canopy of trees to get her bearings of the suns position, “judging by the sun, I'd say about mid-after noon at the earliest.” She predicted.

“Already?! Damn! You guys really were going at it last night if we didn't wake up until now!” Yusuke once again bluntly spouted out before thinking it through and paid for it.

Hiei gutted him with a powerful blow before he even knew the little demon had moved. Yusuke went flying into a tree behind him with the force and quickly recovered with vengeance.

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?” He shouted so loud that the roosting birds near by flapped away startled.

“It wasn't our fault that you decided to wait it out and didn't move out of hearing distance. What are you, some type of little boy? You should know what mates DO.”

“Trust me, I know full and well what they DO and WHO they Do.” Yusuke smirked.

Yumi massaged her temples irritated, “I can't believe we're having this conversation.” She grounded out.

“He started it!” they both pointed an accusatory finger at one another.

“WOULD YOU TWO LITTLE BOYS SHUT THE HELL UP!!” she roared.

Even Hiei gave her distance as he and Yusuke backed up and away from the strong aura her spirit lashed out in her anger. Which quickly as it came, left and returned calm, yet it flowed jaggedly around her person to let them know her frustration could easily evolve again. Apparently some of Hiei's traits had yet to wear off of her personality.

“If it's so late, we need to find everyone else quickly and head up to the Cave or whatever it's called that Sensui's hiding out at. It's not our lives at stake, Its Kuwabara's currently. So we don't have the pleasure to take time for childish quarreling!” she snapped at them.

Neither of the two men chose to speak out against her. They both had at least some preservation instincts in them to know it was currently unwise to ruffle up the wolf any more than she already was.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Yumi expanded her natural tacking senses that were perfected to a `T' given her race of demon blood. Her sense of smell caught what the wind had to offer and she smiled.

“I've got the scent.” She confirmed as she turned toward her right, “they're moving now; toward that cave with the strong aura surrounding it.”

“We'll head'em off there then.” Yusuke decided and started to walk briskly in the general direction.

“Yusuke, the aura comes from this way,” Hiei deadpanned as he followed his mate closely behind. Yusuke had originally set off in the exact opposite direction.

“Honestly, Yusuke,” Yumi giggled at his mistake, “How can you miss this kind of aura's direction?!”

“Oh shut the fuck up,” he mumbled as he grudgingly followed the duo.

12340981098720983741098273410928374109283741092834712098374102987 431029837410298734

After a light confrontation from Kurama and the rest about her health that morning, Desota and the others arrived at the small clearing with the Demonic cave in sight. She chalked it up to not having a good enough dinner or lunch the day before and no one called her on it since it was true in that respect, but Yoko had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to it. However this was hardly the time or place to discuss a mere hunch.

“So this is where the end of the world is supposed to take place?” Yanna asked as the group came to the clearing of the mountains' side slope where a large mouthed cave was embedded. A sign on the outside of it read “DANGER” in red letters and it was fenced off from the normal path people would take up the mountain.

“This is it.” Desota nodded, “How could I forget this prison I was kept in for at least 5 or 6 years.”

“Dessy ….” Botan whispered sympathetically, but Desota shook her head.

“No need to worry Botan. It wasn't anything they wanted of me, besides Ryukunai's release. The memories still feel alien to me. So I don't feel much personal ties to just the thought of what happened here. It's like a bad surreal dream more than anything. Only I know this one was real.”

“Enough reminiscent of the past. Its not like there's much we can do about it now.” Genkai put a stop to anymore prying on Desota's part, and for that, the hanyou felt grateful, “what we need to do is get that Dimwit here.”

“OI!! YOU GUYS ALREADY HERE? DAMN AND I THOUGHT WE WOULD BEAT YA HERE TOO!” Yusuke's voice shouted from a little ways off diagonal of the clearing they were in.

“Yusuke?” Botan blinked.

“Well, speak of the devil.” Kaitou chuckled as Yusuke came into view.

He was running to get over to them while Yumi flew above him on her angelic like smoky black wings she got when she used air bending to fly.

“And Yumi too,” Desota mused as the excited wolf demoness circled above them before diving down for a landing.

Kyo's ears perked up from Desota's shoulders where he lay up against the back of her neck with her low ponytail draped over him. His expressive orange eyes glimmered in absolute joy when he saw his favorite spiky hairdo approaching as well. Leaping down from his mistress, Kyo transformed and galloped after Hiei.

“HIGE!!” he called out. This to him was the word for “Hiei”. Just like “Redy-red” was “Kurama”; Yuyu was Yusuke, BonBon was Botan, Yummy was Yumi and so on and so forth. Desota especially liked the name Kyo had for Kuwabara: KuKu. Some how it just seemed to fit the big clown.

Currently, “Hige” was cursing what ever god was responsible for creating such a vile, stupid animal as the 900 pound `dog' nearly knocked him over. The zhorse was apparently happy to see him since it kept nuzzling his hair the way it always did since Kyo liked the way it felt on his nose and licked his cheek lovingly.

Hiei pointedly glared at the offensive animal as he wiped off his cheek of slobber, “You insolent little bastard.” He cursed.

Kyo just smiled in his own way and chirped with a happy attitude, “Kyo, KYO!” and proceeded to follow the fire apparition back to the group where Yumi and Yusuke were already making their greetings.

Kurama couldn't help but smile at his friends' expense, “Getting a little attached, hm?” he teased, “and you said you know nothing about cute things such as puppies.”

“This THING is hardly a puppy!” Hiei growled annoyed that the animal had insisted on staying at his side yet still and played `nosy' with his hair.

“Could have fooled me” Kurama chuckled at the death glare Hiei sent him. He knew it was just for show. Wouldn't Hiei be surprised and pissed to know that the fox had caught him letting the smaller version of that `thing' curl up in his lap while both of them slept. Oh he was sure that he'd be maimed if Hiei ever got wind he was spied on.

0897098709870987098709870987098709870987098709870987

“The tunnel is too large for our whole force to attack it all at once. So we'll have to take it on in teams. Since we only have so many fighters however, we'll need to go into only 2 teams. The 1st one will go on inside and attack directly. If they should fail, at least we have a back up plan to ensure that this world has some kind of defense.” Genkai said to the pack of teens surrounding her.

“Then the strongest of us should go on in and attack from the inside. It will double our chances of winning this.” Kaitou said.

“Fine then, Hiei, Kurama and I are in.” Yusuke said the obvious.

“Desota and I should go as well. With Desota there, Ryu will be more inclined to side with us. And I'll be able to contact you through what telekinesis I've learned. It should be enough to get the point out to you with out using a device to tip the enemy off.” Yumi suggested.

“I…. I'll go too.” Kyoshi offered. He looked around shyly when everyone looked at him, “After all, Desota wasn't here for the newer installments of the caves layout. I'll guide you through it.”

“It's settled then.” Yusuke turned to the mouth of the cave, “we're going in.”

12341234123401987102938741029834710298347102987412098374120983741 029387401928374

Ryu felt his body pulse and he felt weaker and weaker by the minute. His vision was getting to be blurry and he knew what it was soon as he felt his skin crawl.

He was shedding.

His new handicaps disabled him from sensing Gourmet chaining him up with large chains until he tried to move and was constricted from doing so. With a loud hiss, the humanoid dragon snarled, “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE FUCKING DOING?!”

“Calm yourself, it is merely a stripping device for when your shedding actually commences.” Sensui replied as if it were so simple as that.

Then it clicked. Ryu caught on to what Sensui had intended all along.

“You set me up,” he almost whispered. His eyes narrowed and although the gift of sight was for now not given to him, Ryu's paled and glazed over orange eyes flared in hatred, “You wanted me vulnerable so you could tie me down and use my hide as a new armor! In doing so, you wanted to tie off me- your loose end of your plan and hit two birds with one stone! Kill me and get a nice shiny new protective suit!”

“How very perceptive of you, my little Kunai.” Sensui purred, “I just hate it when someone spoils the ending. What's worse is how your little precious hanyou will feel to be attacking the hide of her beloved friend who was once even part of her own spirit.”

“Don't you fucking touch her! You did too much of that when she was here before! I won't be so tolerant as I was before, even with death at my door, I have my ways of taking you with me! One way or another, Sensui!” Ryu snarled as Gourmet stuffed a gag in his mouth to shut him up.

“Finally.” Gourmet sighed.

Sensui smirked at the struggling dragon, “I look forward to seeing you attempt it, Kunai.”

`This is getting darker and darker for me' Kuwabara shuddered as he saw how Gourmet beat Ryu to submitting. The Dragon seemed like he didn't care, and it wasn't just any punch-kick-jab-and done beating. Gourmet was giving his all to sock Ryu in the gut, chest, shoulders, or cheek- where ever it happened to land really.

`Hurry up Urameshi!'

0987098709820847520983470987098709870987098709870987098709870

Yusuke and the others had barely passed the mouth of the cave when Kyo suddenly stopped walking at Desota's side and stood tall as he alertly glanced around the shadows. He was quickly being left behind.

“We don't have time to play games, Kyo, Come on!” Desota called to him.

He looked back to her and looked like he was about to follow when something caught his eye that was ahead of them. He let out a snarl of distaste and bust into the orange and blue flames as he transformed into his larger form.

“Kyo, what's wrong?” Desota stopped to look back at him. The rest of the group also stopped to see what was wrong as well.

“Bad odor?” Yumi guessed, “There is a portal to the demon world being opened. He might not like the toxic fumes coming in from it.”

“I don't think that's the case.” Kurama said as he glared at the darker shadows ahead of them. They seemed out of place every once in a while.

Hiei drew his sword, “We've got company.” He said. Then he disappeared, only to reappear as if he had just slain something, by the look of his stance. He stood up quickly and turned, “Damn!” he hissed as his sword cut through nothing. His eyes widened as they picked up the slight form of a creature that misplaced the scenery a little, but was otherwise invisible. He then was sent flying backward as he felt the said creature ram something like its tail into him to knock him away. It let out a Dinosaur like roar.

Desota froze when she recognized glowing orange eyes.

“they're Ryu's guardians for when he sheds!” she told them as she cupped her hands around the Kryptonite gem on her necklace and it morphed into a long spear like weapon with a jagged thunderbolt like blade at the end. She held it defensively in front of her, “their bodies can't be fully seen by anyone other than Kyo or Ryu himself, but they should be where anything looks slightly displaced and you'll see their glowing eyes!”

“What the-,” Yusuke was rammed into form the side and knocked into the cave wall.

“Gotcha now!” Yumi bended the little wind available in the cave to sharply pierce through the dragon before it could move away.

With an agonized scream, the beast was cut in half in the stomach and its invisibility was gone. It now had the same look as one of the prehistoric raptors from Jurassic Park except that this dinosaur was larger and had deep orange and red scales with silvery white fluff of a mane running down from its forehead to the shoulders.

“That's what we're fighting?” Kyoshi gulped. He didn't see nor notice glowing orange eyes behind him as another Dragon dino stalked him.

No one saw it until it opened its mouth. Apparently their teeth were not invisible since everyone was startled to see a fine set of razor sharp teeth opening wide to chomp down on Seaman.

“Kyoshi!” Kurama called.

Kyoshi ducked just in time when Kyo hurtled over the hunched over boy and did a mid air twist to kick the Dragon with a bone jarring smash of his diamond like hooves of his hind legs with an impudent snarl as if to say “BACK OFF LIZARD SALAD!” (Don't ask its just Kyo's logic. Loll)

The Dragon dino's skull and neck were split and it died of paralyses. So yet another body became visible.

“They must be conscious to hold up that spell of theirs.” Kurama said as he dodged a well aimed snap of powerful jaws that aimed for his shoulder.

“So they have to be aware of their surroundings to hold up the spell?” Yumi hypothesized as she backed up to be back to back with Hiei for good measures.

“Right! So all we have to do is get them Unaware of where they are and they'll drop the spell, and we can kill'em!” Yusuke chimed in as he guess punched where he felt like he saw one of the creatures. He was surprised to learn that the hide of the creatures was hard as stone and nearly made his knuckles bleed had he put much more power behind his punch.

Desota spun her spear around above her to get the dragons to back off. She then turned to Kyo.

“For once in you life, use that god damned white magic will you and help us out here!” she barked at him.

“Haoi Kyo shoma!” Kyo agreed with a quirky smile. His horn once again appeared on his forehead, but this time it was pitch black in color. It sent a pulsing wave of some type of magic before the other 3 dragons became visible. As if someone switched their off switch, the dragons stopped and stared at the equine.

They seemed to recognize him and one by one, they bowed their head in respect.

Yusuke pointed his Spirit Gun at them, but Desota stopped him.

“Wait … … they stopped attacking us, and they're bowing to Kyo.” Desota said thoughtfully.

“You're point? Doesn't that mean we should kill them while they're standing still?!” Yusuke missed the point.

“They recognize him.” Kurama interpreted.

“As what?” Kyoshi asked amazed.

“As part of Ryu. They will not harm their creator or anything important to him. Ryu must have sensed us through them and is allowing us passage.” Yumi said.

“Who they hell is fucking pulling the strings around here?! This is too fucking crazy!” Yusuke growled and glared at the dragons untrustingly.

“Just slowly walk on and they won't harm you.” Desota ussured everyone to keep walking. As they passed the dragons, they beast evaporated into nothing one by one as if their purpose had been fulfilled.

“Are they gone or is this a trick?” Yusuke said suspiciously.

“Don't look a gift horse in the mouth and keep walking.” Yumi chastised.

Kyo's horn disappeared and he started walking after the group with a slight look of disdain on his usually happy-go-lucky face. Those dragons stopped like that because the sensed Ryu telling them to stop or because they recognized Kyo since he was still part of Ryu. What ever the reason, it still made the zhorse remember his life long friend and somewhat counterpart.

“Nanda” he sighed when he fell into step at Desota's side.

Desota rested a calming hand on his neck as they walked and looked up at him, “We're almost there, boy. Ryu's not far off now. We'll get him to come to his senses and come back to us.” She reassured.

It lifted up his spirits a little to hear that from her, but the zhorse still felt uneasy about it. Like something was happening they forgot about. Something about Ryu. But what?

98768987698766774747474747474747474747474747474747474747474747474 74r

Kyoshi stopped suddenly and stared slightly disturbed at two large metal gates that blocked their path with a large “G” in the middle of them.

Yusuke got ready, “what? It's not more of those Dino things, is it? Why'd we stop?”

“Those weren't here before … …” Kyoshi said quietly. He was still wracking his brain to find out a solution to explain those gates.

He didn't have to wait long for the answer.

Everyone was slightly startled to hear a very popular video game theme song chiming, “Welcome to Goblin City! To enter, you must have at least 9 players!” it chimed.

“Wait a sec,” Yusuke scratched his head in thought, “where have I heard that?”

“Probably some where called `Goblin City'?” Yumi deadpanned the obvious.

Hiei snorted and started for the gates.

“Wait a second! It said we must have at least 9 players! You can't get in otherwise.” Kyoshi said.

“Then I'll make a way in.” Hiei said nonchalantly.

“Don't Hiei,” Kurama warned, “If you were to blow these gates up, the cave would cave in and we'd lose time to get to the tunnel.”

“We'll just have to back track and get Genkai, Yanna, and Kaitou in here.” Desota sighed.

“We don't have t o go any where. I'll call for them.” Yumi suggested otherwise.

“We do not need any howling in this cave.” Yusuke said with a straight face.

How he did that like that, me no know.

“Just because I'm a wolf demoness doesn't mean that I go howling around to call people! Did you forget that at the beginning I said I could use telekinesis to aid us if we ever needed back up you Dimwit?” she almost had the urge to growl out in frustration as a comical vein throbbed on her temple.

“Then call them already!” Yusuke ordered.

“Already said and done.” Yumi gave him a `duh' look, “with Genkai pushing them, it'll be in about-,”

“We came soon as we heard!” Kaitou huffed as he, Yanna, and Genkai approached (that was fast…).

“Well about now I say.” Yumi finished her cut off sentence.

The theme music that was starting to grate their nerves started up again, “Congratulations, you and your team of heroes may enter the Goblin King's domain!”

The doors slowly started to open and revealed …. ….

A large gaming screen, 2 video game platforms, a slot machine looking thing, and a small `goblin' in a role-playing looking cape of the Goblin King with a staff to match. He sat down in a royal thrown like chair.

“Welcome to my domain. As you know, this is the game of Goblin City. You won't be able to leave or move forward until you defeat me. No matter how long it takes. And to do that, you gotta get 5 wins over me.” The `King' cackled in a boyish voice.

“Game Master” Desota whispered. The memory of the sweet little boy that Sensui himself had recruited came to mind soon as she heard his voice.

“So that's the Game Master? He sounds just like a kid!” Yusuke gawked.

“It's him, alright.” Kyoshi nodded.

Kyo moaned sadly. He used to mess around with the Kid when Sensui was off somewhere and let him wander around a bit. He didn't like the fact that they'd have to fight him.

“We don't have time for you're childish games, kid” Yumi tried to reason, “Don't you know that there's a demon portal opening as we speak?!”

“That's why I'm here. I'll hold you off for a bit so Mr. Sensui can finish that tunnel of his. Like I said, you don't really have a say-so in the matter since this is my domain and you must beat me to pass.” The King said off handedly as if he were talking about the weather.

Desota's fist clenched. She knew the boy didn't know the full extent of what's going on, and Sensui was using that. To him it was just a game, but what pissed her off even more is the thought that he was dragging a mere naïve little child into the end of the world. She could handle a lot of things, but she highly opposed the thought of using Children to do dirty work like this.

`That bastard,' snarled inwardly.

Hiei drew his sword with a smirk, “so all we have to do is defeat you? So be it,”

“Hiei! You're not going to slay a kid!” Yumi scolded.

“Who said anything about him?” Hiei growled, “He can't make us play if his little game is destroyed.”

With out a second thought, Hiei leapt up and slashed a deep gash in the screen and smirked at the appeasing electrical boom it made.

However, when he turned around to admire his handy work, the screen was unharmed!

“Like I said,” the Goblin King laughed, “there's only one way to go and that's to play. So if you don't mind, I'd like the beatings to start. Please pick your first player by the time the game is decided.”

A small goblin appeared and pulled the slot machine lever. It spun around then one by one stopped.

“The game is `Horse-Racing' level 8” the game announced.

Another goblin appeared. He was very bulky and wore Jockey-like clothing of yellow and green poke-a-dots.

“I am the worlds finest Jockey! There's no hope to defeat me!” the game illusion boasted.

“He certainly talks a lot.” Yumi snorted, “Alright, who's a good horseman?”

Desota didn't give them an option, “as of late, I've been getting too much crap and not enough release. I'll start us off. If I can handle Kyo's speed bear back, then what ever this game cooks up is a piece of cake.” She approached the game platform and took hold of the controls.

//well … I thought she had a wonderful release last night.// Yoko commented out of the blue.

Kurama had to fight not to get a nose bleed at the implied meaning.

“The game is `Horse Racing' make it to the finish line first in one piece and win. Use anything necessary to do it. Good luck” the game set the rules.

Kurama started, “In one piece?!”

Soon as it said that, the world around Desota shifted. She was no longer holding on to the game controls on the platform. She was straddling a tall black horse. She wore blue and black jockey attire with a black diamond as her symbol. The horse was wedged in a starting gate along with 10 other horses. The goblin she was supposed to beat was out of the gate with a head start on a dapple grey horse that looked almost demonic.

“Ha ha! Sayonara!!” it called back to her.

The bell sounded and all the horses were released. Her own horse seemed to like the back for now.

“Come on! Get going you oaf!” she growled at it.

From the outside, the rest of the group could watch her progress on the screen as if it were a real horse race …. But no track.

“Where's the track?” Kaitou asked confused.

“The race is a cross country race with monsters and traps that will take you out of the race if you don't know what you're doing. And if they don't get you, the other Jockeys can use special attacks to knock you off your horse, which will disqualify you and you only have one life.” Game Master explained, “Even at random choice, this particular game is seldom chosen just because of that.”

“AND YOU DIDN'T TELL HER THAT!?” Yusuke roared.

“It's much funnier to watch them figure it out themselves. Don't worry, she can here you a little.” The boy shrugged.

Back in the game, Desota was shocked to see an atomic bomb set off on the side of the path they were going through in the Jungle like area. It knocked out 2 of the rides. They fell off their horses and soon as they hit the ground they disappeared.

“Well that answers the disqualification rules.” She gulped.

Her horse had started picking up speed and she was second in leading the pack. There were only two horses from her to the goblin she had to beat to win.

The Jungle like area was quickly changing and soon she found herself galloping across a volcanic plain with geysers shooting up steaming spouts.

An arrow whizzed pass her head and she ducked, “Now what!”

She looked over her shoulder to see a goblin behind her with bow an' arrow pointed at her.

“Just great! We can knock each other off too!?” she made her horse do a slight zigzag in his gallop and while it did cut back on speed, it made it harder to shoot effectively at her, “try and shoot me now you jerk wad!” she cackled. Hey, if she had to play, she'd enjoy it.

When she turned around, she realized that something was blocking the track. A large cobra like dragon spouted fire to cut her off from the path. She and the other horses slid to a stop. The targeted goblin was galloping off to a snow-like plain of the game.

“You should know that I know too many people who control fire to be fazed with a lit match your threatening me with!” she yelled and sent an electrical bolt to part the fire, then kicked the horse to follow through. It closed up before any others could follow.

“That's the way Dessy!” Yusuke cheered, “Now it's just you and that goblin thing!”

“This is the most crucial part then,” Kurama said with a little bit of a nervous sweat coming over him.

“How can it? She's home free now with only one opponent.” Seaman said.

“True, but the game gave her a handicap of a slower horse and a head start for the goblin.” Genkai finished explaining where Kurama left off, “she'll have to eliminate the competition to win.”

“Are you serious!?” Desota winced when she heard that from somewhere she couldn't see right now. But she knew it was Genkai and the others by the sounds of their voices, “I can't even get a lock on him!”

Yumi looked over in the upper right hand of the screen to see the progressive map that showed where the players were in the race, “You only have 2 more plains to go after this snow one! A sea plain and a mountain plain! The finish line is at the top of the mountain! You have to get him out of there by the time you reach the mountains!”

“Working on it!” Desota gritted her teeth. If she could just close the wounding gap between her and the goblin she could at least fight him!

A shinny icon shimmered on the track up ahead. It had “Speed-boost” on it.

“That looks promising! Desota edged her horse to gallop in line with the boost. It was suspended over a large ice block meant to be a jump. The horse took a powerful leap and she caught it.

Suddenly, the horse bursted at a furious speed that reminded her of Kyos even! She nearly fell off in surprise, but she held her own and was thanking what ever was listening to her when her horse was finally in stride with that monster of a dapple grey!

For goodness sake! It even had fangs! FANGS on a horse!!

“Back! Vermin!” the goblin sent a quick blast of energy she wasn't expecting and was dis-seated from her mount.

“DESOTA!” Yumi cried out.

“I'll admit she had some clever moments but in the end it's almost impossible to fight and control the horses at the same time. That's another reason why it's so hard to beat.” Game Master admitted.

“This is far from over!” Desota said. When she fell off, she grabbed the girth of the horses' saddle to keep on and not fall to the ground. She vaulted herself with ease and sent a blast of electricity through her foot at the goblin to back him off as she once again was seated in the saddle.

The goblin sneered at her and let go of his horses' reins to start wailing attacks at her. His horse didn't even miss a pace as it kept galloping with out its riders' controlling hand.

Desota's horse on the other hand didn't have such a talent. She couldn't stop leading him otherwise he'd veer off path. She had no choice but to give the goblin the head spot when they reached a narrow passage way of Ice Burgs that led to a plain of solid water.

The ice water licked at Desota as her horse plowed through it. She noticed that you had to stay at a certain speed on this plain to be able to stay on the water's surface, otherwise, you started to sink. The wide area allowed her to catch up to her opponent once more, though. So that was a bonus.

“You're really starting to get on my nerves!” she snarled and took the horse crop from the racing gear and whacked at the goblins demonic horse with it to try and spook the animal, “Take this!” she landed a blow across the animals glowing evil red eyes and the horse tossed its head in shock, “HA!”

Her small victory was short lived however, since the great beast opened its mouth to reveal not one dull tooth and snatched her crop out of her hands and broke it in half with a resounding `SNAP!'.

`Well there goes that idea'

Next, the demon horse took a nip at her horse's shoulder. It wasn't a hazardous wound, but it did bleed into the water below.

“Become SHARK BAIT! AH HAHAHAHAHAHA!” the goblin cackled.

“Shark what?!” Desota's tail frizzed.

There weren't many things that absolutely terrified Desota, being whom and what she is, but snakes and sharks have always haunted her dreams since before she could remember!

Hastily, she glanced around her. Knowing that the blood would attract what ever sharks the illusion goblin was talking about.

“What does he mean `shark bait'?” Yumi sweat dropped.

“Currently their plain of the race is the Sea plain. Therefore, the monsters to watch out here are harder to avoid since they can attack anywhere at any time, and sharks happen to live in the sea. So,” Kaitou explained.

“When Desota and my mother were talking about what they fear the most, I remember Desota say she was afraid of sharks and snakes. So mother tried to break that fear by taking her to the aquarium….” Kurama sweat dropped at the memory.

“So what'd she do?” Yanna asked curiously when Kurama trailed off.

“She almost had a nervous break down when we went through the `Shark Tunnel' and she ended up very sickly for the next couple of days and also plagued with nightmares. No one got much sleep around that time.” Kurama deadpanned.

Everyone else cringed besides Hiei and Genkai.

“Then this should prove interesting.” Hiei smirked.

Suddenly, a dark shape swam under Desota's horse. Desota's ears perked up and her eyes widened in fright, “Didn't the shark in `Jaws' do that just before consuming a small row boat or something? Wait …… AAAAHHHHh! NO! NONONONOONONONONONONONONONONONOOOOOOOOOOO!!! PLEASE DON'T TELL ME I'M ABOUT TO BECOME SHARK BAIT!” she started to freak out and in retaliation, her horse started to move awkwardly since her balance was off slightly.

“FOCUS DESOTA!! IT'S JUST A GAME! THERE'S NO REAL SHARKS!” Kurama tried to pep talk her.

Suddenly, a huge shark headed sea monster reared its head out of the water behind her and snapped its jaws as it started to give chase to her.

Desota's eyes became saucers and nearly popped out of their sockets at the sight. Her heart was beating faster and faster as her adrenaline for survival started to kick in, “Easy for you to say!!” she hissed at Kurama's comment, then screamed her to the top of her lungs.

“AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! I'MGONNADIE, I'MGONNADIE, I'MGONNADIE!!!!!” a shadow came over her head and she looked up to see that the jaws of the beast had started to close over her before they were going to snap, “I'MSODEAD!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”

In her rush to find a way out of it, Desota's power responded to her fear. A surge of electricity shot out from her body and consumed the monster, frying it until it was no more than a crisp. The charred body slowly sunk under the water again and was brutally ripped apart by others of its own kind, distracting them from Desota and her still galloping horse. It had acted like nothing had just tried to eat it. Another thing that reminded her that this horse wasn't real.

“Well that's one way to get the job done.” Yusuke twitched in disbelief.

“I don't even think she knew what she did. Her adrenaline was too high.” Yumi deadpanned.

“Such faith you have!” Desota barked at them.

The spray of water became a trump of hooves hitting dirt road as the sea plain dissolved into a Mountain plain. Once again, Desota had caught up with the goblin.

“You damn cockroach!” it snarled at her, “You can't hope to defeat me!!”

“AFTER WHAT YOU JUST PUT ME THROUGH, YOU FUCKING JERK, YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY YOU'RE STILL IN THIS RACE! CAUSE I'LL KNOCK YOU OUT SO BAD YOU'LL VISIT HELL AND COME BACK WITH A POST CARD!!” She spazed out in frustration.

“Ok, now she's just venting.” Yumi twitched.

Desota used one hand to stir the horse while her other one cupped her Kryptonite jewel and it morphed into an electrical static-ing whip. With a snap she almost knocked the goblin off balance when both horses shied away from it, “Usually I'm a pretty good sport, but THIS is an exception!”

“She has a whip in that jewel too? Damn how many weapons does she have?!” Yusuke gawked as the neon green static glowing whip hailed attack after attack to through off the goblin.

“The Kryptonite jewel only has 4 weapons it morphs into, but what makes it so formidable is that it fuses with the element power one holds whether it has yet to show it's self and lays dormant with in the being or they've mastered it. If its there, the jewel fuses with it. In Desota's case, its electricity.” Kurama explained.

“Sensui let her go to retrieve it from the demon realm just before she escaped from us and when she came back, Ryu was in control. He practiced with it on missions Sensui would send s on to assassinate people believed to be unnecessary and could be a threat. There's a whip, twin kitana, zanbatou, and a spear-like weapon in the jewel that he used.”

“Sounds like a nice little gem to have” Yanna said in awe.

“Not just anyone can wield it to the jewels true power though. Only Ryukunai was able to bring out the jewels ability to enhance ones spiritual energy with out killing himself. Not even Desota probably can do that.” Genkai commented.

The goblin raised its hands to bock the whip as it came down over head and got gutted with a hidden dagger Desota suddenly threw at him soon as the opening was available, “You have lost” Desota said coldly as the goblin stared at her in disbelief as he fell from his horse and disappeared.

“All other players have been eliminated!! Winner- Desota Ishtar!” the game announced just as the illusion around Desota flashed white and suddenly she was back at the game plat form. She sagged down a bit when her legs suddenly found themselves supporting her again and they throbbed slightly from over use last night and just now.

She made her way back to the others limping a little.

“You get hurt while in the race, Dessy?” Yumi asked.

“No, I'm not hurt, I am just a little sore from over use.” She said vaguely.

Kurama smirked, “roll around too much last night?” he teased.

“You would know” she shot back.

//Really now mate, if I had known that you were out of practice I would have went a bit easier on you last night// Yoko yanked her chain so to speak with a laugh when she glared at them.

“That was some really nice moves for a girl. I have to say I am impressed.” Game Master seemed to applaud.

Desota didn't know how to respond to that compliment so she just blinked for a moment, then tossed her pony tail back to her back with a snort. “Not all girls like to gossip and play with makeup all day.” She said indignantly.

“We'll see what happens next. So I wouldn't get too cocky just yet with one win” the Game Master said as the goblin once more pulled down the lever of the slot machine.