Chapter 2: "Kurama vs. Neko; If There Be Thorns"

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     Kurama walked towards the ring with his head held high. Yuusuke,
Hiei, Koenma, and Kuwabara's eyes were burning into his back, all
waiting intently for Kurama to show the opposing team what the
Urameshi team was made of. {After this team}, Kurama thought to
himself as he walked his way to the ring. {We shall be able to fight
Toguro once again.} As he walked up to the ring, he froze at the sight
of his opponent: Neko. It wasn't fear that was holding him back, nor
was it because Neko looked frightening or scary... It was because Neko
was a girl!

     Angry protests from youkai echoed throughout the stadium. "A
woman??", "Women are useless!", "Kurama, finish her off!", "Start
already!!" 

     Kurama silently cursed his fate, but bravely walked to the center
of the ring to confront Neko. Neko gave him a warm smile, which Kurama
interpreted as "Hello, pleased to meet you." Kurama bowed slightly in
return, but uneasiness still swept all over his body. He didn't fight
with girls!

     "Excuse me," Kurama stated politely to Neko. "But I don't fight
with girls."

     Neko gave Kurama a disapproving look. "What?!" She scolded. "Just
because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I can't fight!"

     Kurama blinked, then stared at the over-confident girl in front
of him. Didn't she know that she was dealing with a youkai? However,
Kurama knew that she was no ordinary human being. Looks were
definitely deceiving. Neko didn't look at all like a fighter. Her
smile, a mixture of sunshine and roses, was glued to her face like
some portrait of perfection. Kurama had to admit that he found her
quite cute and attractive.

     "You know the rules," the cat-announcer said. "BEGIN!!!"

     Complaints and protests about Neko being a girl continued among
the youkai audience. Neko ignored them, and proceeded to look Kurama
in the eye, her genuine smile still pasted across her child-like face. 

     "Don't be shy." She coaxed. "Come at me!"

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      Koumari was getting annoyed with all the youkai underestimating
women. Restraining the urge to scream her head off, she managed a
somewhat controlled "Hey!" Her voice boomed all across the stadium,
and the youkai were silenced. "I'm a girl too, you know!" Koumari
added, placing her hands on her hips. "If you wanna fight me, come
down from there!"

      Tori*, who happened to be walking down the corridor, walks up to
Koumari, and blurts out, "But Jinko (Neko) is more of a woman than
you'll ever be." 

 Koumari knocked Tori unconscious after that line.

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       "What are they doing??" Yuusuke said, exasperated. It sounded
like a half question, half exclamation. "Are they gossiping about
something or what??"

       "I get the feeling Kurama doesn't want to fight her." Kuwabara
replied, crossing his arms.

       Hiei said nothing, but kept his eyes on Kurama and Neko. 

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        "Very well," Neko finally said. "I shall be the first to
attack!" With the speed and cunning of a cat,  she lunged at Kurama!

        Kurama inhaled sharply at the sudden move. Her speed was not
human! Kurama tried to focus, but Neko was moving so fast that all
Kurama could see was a blurr of her dark hair, zig-zagging in
whichever direction.

        {I can't use my rose whip,} Kurama thought, still trying to
follow Neko's every move. {If I do, that would tear her to bits!}

        To Kurama's surprise, Neko stopped flitting about. Instead,
she leaped into the air, and was about ready to attack Kurama! 

        "Get ready!" Neko yelled to Kurama, as she positioned her
arms. "CAT THORN ATTACK!!"   

        "Wha--?!" Kurama exclaimed, but didn't move from his spot. His
face grew serious, as if thinking of a desperate plan. He wasn't; not
really.
  
        Thorns the size of icycles were headed towards him. Sharp, and
yes, deadly. He wondered how such things as these could come from a
gentle-looking girl; a girl who smelled like roses, and had the smile
of sunshine. {Act now, wonder later.} Kurama thought, beads of sweat
running down his temple. Only about several microseconds to go before
the thorns...

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        "I can't look!" Botan cried in a small voice, covering her
eyes with her palms. The four girls, along with Puu, watched in awe,
amazement, and fear, as the first match of the Other World semi-finals
had finally begun.

        "How will he be able to dodge it?" Yukina asked, worriedly.
Keiko bit her lower lip, tears forming in her eyes again. She hugged
Puu tighter making Puu utter a complaint. 

        "Don't worry," Shizuru replied calmly. Botan, Keiko, and
Yukina turned to face her. She lit another cigarette. "Remember that
he's no ordinary person." They nodded, Then turned their heads back to
the direction of the fight.

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        Sentoru, Kuma, and Koumari watched in anti- cipation as Neko
made the attack. At the far end of the stadium, Ookami sat, seeming
disinterested in the fight taking place. 

        "Poor guy," Kuma observed. "He won't be able to escape that."
His muscles tensed at the excitement. He was restless for his own
fight. He was a born rebel, and to fight was so natural to him. It
flowed through his veins like destiny.

        "Is Uma* really here?" Koumari clarified, clouds forming in
her gypsy-like eyes of glassy green, a frown trespassing on her lovely
features. "After we defeat this team, we fight him?" 

        Sentoru nodded without facing her. His attention was fixed on
the arena, where Neko and Kurama fought. {The `Cat Thorn Attack'...}
Sentoru thought to himself. {Neko uses her ability to control plants.
In this case, she uses a hundred or more rose thorns to attack the
enemy. I wonder what special skill her opponent posses-
ses...?}

        Kurama didn't move. The people wondered, "Is he scared?", "Is
he in shock?" Neko's Cat Thorn Attack was getting closer, and closer...

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        "KURAMA!!!" Yuusuke's voice pierced the still air. The youkai
audience made no sound, made no comment. 
Kuwabara's mouth gaped open with disbelief. Hiei kept his face
expressionless, and so did Koenma. 

        Neko's eyes widened. In shock? The people couldn't tell. With
the grace of a cat, she made a remarkable landing. However, she
stilled at the sight before her: Kurama. In the background, several
gasps were heard from the audience, including Cheval and Yuusuke.

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*Uma - find out later on...:)

Coming up next... Chapter 3: "Cat and Dog"
 
        



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