Broken Mirror (Hiei x OC)

Match Two: the Cause of an Intermission

The dead demon under a rose was the winner of the first match of the final round. It was hard to believe, but they replayed the video of Shuichi's fall in slow motion. A timer in the corner of the screen showed Shuichi's final attack hit at 10.28 seconds.

That was how Shuichi lost to a dead, psychotic demon.

Most of our people were upset. Rules were rules. At least this announcement was more official than what they had pulled when Yusuke fought Jin.

The stadium went silent.

"Oh, you all shut up for the shoulder monkey!" Kuwabara yelled in frustration.

Even though he was far away, I could hear what the strange man was saying.

"Because they know whenever I open my mouth, I have something of importance to say. Your observation is, as usual, shortsighted and quite incorrect."

"Hey, what's that s'posed to mean?" Kuwabara asked.

"Even if by cruel cosmic joke you survive your matches, you forget the champions are each granted a wish. Once our team wins and mine is awarded, I'll wish for the death of all your friends."

The noise of the crowd picked up.

I didn't like him, this shoulder monkey, the elder Toguro. He had haunted my dreams for far too long, and my premonitions weren't warning me about the Dark Tournament. There had been pain and suffering in this place, but nothing so soul shattering as what I had experienced in my dreams. The dead children, the crying children, the fire, the blood, the...the sin.

I truly believed Keiko,Yusuke, Kuwabara, and I were the closest things to children in this place, but it was not our cries I heard that haunted me in those dreams. Children, too young to know right from wrong, screaming and sobbing over their mothers' corpses. Those were unfortunately my lullabies, and with my powers mostly controlled, I hadn't heard them in a while. Not until I heard that wretched laugh again.

"Kill the humans! Spill their blood!" A demon in front of us yelled.

Shizuru punched him in the back of the head, "Shut it, green pea! Like your species is all that great!"

"Yeah, and I'm sick of your arrogant, obnoxious horns!" Botan yelled as she smacked the demon sitting in front of her.

"They're blocking our view!" Keiko yelled.

I wondered if they forgot. Sweet Yukina, who was sitting next to us, was a demon. Literally half of the fighters on Team Urameshi were demons. I wasn't afraid of the creatures around me, but I knew when to not make a scene. Our friends would not be able to protect us.

Their lives are your responsibility.

Shuichi looked up at me, smiling playfully through his pain.

I returned the smile, sticking my tongue out at him.

The elder Toguro jumped onto the arena, but the massive Bui soon joined him. Hiei took to the stage. This was the better match up with the remaining fighters.

"Measuring at four foot ten without his hair, Hiei! At nine feet, Bui!"

"Almost twice his height," I whistled.

"Poor Hiei," Keiko frowned.

I looked at Keiko, "What tournament have you been watching? Hiei's got this."

"You really think that shrimp can take him?" Shizuru was doubtful.

"You haven't seen what I've seen," I said quietly.

I had only looked into Hiei's future and this fight would be one that would make an impression.

Bui's large axe formed in his hand.