Chapter 6
                "Hiei and Ookami; The Start of a Difficult Battle"
                              
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        Yuusuke peered at the shiny weapon in Koumari's grip. A
dagger! It was small for a dagger, but it's edge was sharp, and very
dangerous. Koumari was strong for a woman, Kuwabara observed. With an
impatient and exasperated growl, Kuwabara summoned up his strength,
and pushed Koumari's dagger away with his reiken. With a gasp, Koumari
watched in horror as her dagger went flying through the air, and
landed upright a dozen feet away from her. Kuwabara gave her a smug
grin, and placed the tip of his reiken right in front of her face.
Kuwabara's reiken inched closer. Yuusuke didn't believe that Kuwabara
would hurt Koumari. She's a woman! He wouldn't... would he?

        Koumari gasped at the sudden turning of tables. This wasn't
supposed to happen! She looked fiercely at Kuwabara, who was holding
that blasted weapon inches from her face. "You wouldn't dare..." She
hissed at him.

        Kuwabara didn't reply, but he stopped inching the spirit sword
closer to her face. He continued to look down at her with scorn, but
Koumari knew his temper was vanishing. Koumari couldn't stand being in
that situation. Her restless nature couldn't be kept in suspense. She
had to make a move!

        With a blink of an eye, Koumari kicked Kuwabara in the shins,
causing him to yowl out in pain. "Kono--!!" Kuwabara jumped around the
ring, clutching his knee.

        Koumari moved out of his sword's reach. With Kuwabara yelping
because of his pained knee, Koumari seized the opportunity by sliding
down, and sweeping him off his feet... literally! Kuwabara landed on
the arena floor with a thud.

        Yukina gasped. "Kazuma-san..!"

        Botan's stomach tightened into a knot. "What kind of woman is
she?"

        Koumari ran to where her dagger stood. She was about to pick
it up when she heard the loud voice of Kuwabara. "Get longer, reiken!"

        Koumari turned. The spirit sword was longer now; getting
longer, even. ... And it was heading towards her! This time she knew
the big lug wasn't kidding around. He intended to win. Koumari didn't
have time to leap out of the way. Even if she did, the sword would've
followed her. Koumari didn't have a choice. She didn't want to use
that attack, but that was the only way.

        Just as the reiken was about to hit her, Koumari lifted her
bat-like cape, and blocked. Like a mirror, the reiken was reflected
back to Kuwabara! "WING OF TURMOIL!!!" Koumari yelled.

        Kuwabara didn't know how to react. "Na--..?!" Came his shocked
reply. The last thing he saw and felt was his reiken piercing his
chest. Darkness engulfed him after that.

        "KUWABARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Yuusuke cried. He ran to Kuwabara,
who was lying down on the soft grass just outside the ring. Up on the
bleachers, Keiko, Shizuru, Botan, Puu, and Yukina had turned their
heads away to avoid the scene. Yukina's tears rushed to her eyes, and
had fallen with a `clatter` on the ground.

        "This is what you call a drastic turn of events, ladies and
gentlemen," The cat-announcer said. "Just a few moments ago, Kuwabara
and Koumari were biting each others' heads off; then they were having
some kind of sword fight; Koumari, with a dagger, and Kuwabara, with
his spirit sword. Kuwabara was able to throw Koumari's dagger away
from her hand, so Koumari was held captive by Kuwabara's sword.
However, Koumari was able to grab the opportunity, and kicked Kuwabara
in the shins, and even did a sweep-kick on him. Kuwabara was down for
a few seconds, but he managed to get up, and attacked Koumari with his
reiken again. His reiken had changed in length, and was able to reach
Koumari from a distance. Koumari blocked with her batwing-like cape,
and like a mirror, the reiken of Kuwabara was reflected back at him!"
The announcer looked down at Kuwabara, who was being fussed over by
Yuusuke, Kurama, and Koenma. "He is now injured, and out of the ring!
I'll start the countdown now! One... Two..."

        Koumari rushed to the Urameshi team's side. "I'm sorry... I
didn't mean..."

        Yuusuke glared at her. "Kono AMA!!! Look what you've done to
him!"

        "I said I'm sorry..." Koumari felt disgusted with herself. She
always thought the Wing of Tourmoil was a cheap attack. But she
couldn't think of any other way to save herself from Kuwabara's reiken.

        "... Ten!" The emcee announced. "The winner is Koumari!"

        The Bat warrior didn't feel the slightest bit victorious. She
bowed her head, and returned to her post. Cheval tried to comfort her,
but Tori and Kuma only made her feel worse.

        "Hey, the old bat won!" Kuma said it teasingly, but Koumari
was in no mood for petty jokes. Koumari slapped him. Slapped him hard,
that Kuma almost lost his balance. Tori was surprised that for such a
big guy, Kuma could have also been defeated by woman if given the
chance.

        "That's not funny!" Koumari spat out. "I never wanted to use
that stupid attack! I wanted to use my own attacks, not use his attack
against him!" She turned her face away from them. She was crying.

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        Kurama finished tending to Kuwabara's wound. "There. All done.
He didn't suffer much, Yuusuke." He looked at Yuusuke, who was glaring
at the opposing team. Kurama put his hand on Yuusuke's shoulder.
"Koumari never intended to hurt Kuwabara-kun, Yuusuke. She still has a
good heart."

        "Keh, guess so. But they're still gonna have to deal with me!"
Yuusuke cracked his knuckles. Kurama made a face of disapproval, but
let the issue slide.

        Hiei stepped forward. "Hn. Obviously Kuwabara didn't have much
to show." He said sarcastically, and walked towards the ring.

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        Ookami stepped forward, and glanced at Koumari, annoyed. "Each
of us has our own way or technique of fighting, but obviously, you
were all talk, less action." Then the serious warrior walked towards
the ring, ready to face Hiei at last.

        Koumari glared daggers at Ookami. "Oh yeah?? Let's see how
you'll do here!" And she stuck her tongue out.

        Ookami ignored her, and stepped onto the ring, where Hiei
stood. Their eyes mocked at each other. Challenging. Their faces were
expressionless, like masks hiding their true emotions.

        Ookami, who had two swords, put down one, and smirked wryly at
Hiei.

        Hiei closed his eyes, an arrogant smile forming on his lips.
"Hn. Even if you have a hundred swords, I could beat you just as
easily."

        Ookami's smirk faded. "Be realistic. Does it look like I have
a hundred hands? Are you blind?" Hiei almost lost his temper, but held
it back. That asshole!

        "HAJIME!!" The announcer called, motioning for the two
contenders to begin. Hiei took off his dark cloak, throwing it to the
side, his Jagan glowing furiously. His sword gleamed dangerously in
the bright spotlight. Ookami's eyes turned to slits. The time had come
for battle. This was going to be difficult...

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Coming up next... Chapter 7: "Hiei vs. Ookami; Dangerous Blood"





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