Part Six: Battle Over Death

We fell farther and farther towards the land. Crackling lighting made Kuwabara jump. While my leaf-glider kept our descent at a controlled speed, Sensui continued falling.

"Look at that cocky punk just freefalling without a care in the world," Kuwabara said furiously. "But I bet he wishes he had something to catch him too now!"

Abruptly, Sensui stopped falling. A yellow glow surrounded the ex-detective's body and he smiled condescendingly at Kuwabara. "What did he do?" Kuwabara gasped.

"You begin to see what my sacred energy is really capable of," Sensui called out. "I don't have a bag of tricks or a packet of seeds and I don't need them. I can fly without any wings attached; without even the help of my maker. That's why they call me Black Angel. If we lived in less cynical times the gift I'm preparing for the world might have been labeled for what it really is—a miracle." Once again, he talks too much, I thought.

"You think you can scare us with that holy crap!" Kuwabara yelled back.

I felt a smirk creep onto my lips. "Does he really believe we'd turn around after all we've been through?"

"Who cares," Hiei snarled, in typical Hiei-fashion, "what he is, as long as he's dead." A lance of energy danced up and down his tattooed arm.

Sensui's mouth twitched into a smile. "I admire your electric enthusiasm but I don't want to hurt these beautiful woods." He held up a hand and gestured at the forest below. "Mind if we finish this fight over there?" He looked over at a huge barren plateau.

"Oh, I see." Hiei studied the landmark. "The Plateau of the Beheaded—a fitting battleground indeed. Come to think of it, it's giving me some ideas." I adjusted my 'wings' so we were angled to land on the ground. Kuwabara let go of the vines and dropped to the dusty ground.

"I've got some of my own," he said, on the way down. Hiei followed him and I loosed the plant's grip on me so I could reach the plateau. Sensui gracefully floated down.

While Kuwabara was still getting to his feet, Hiei and I were already moving to opposite sides. It was a classic strategy—block your opponent in so there was nowhere to run.

"This is not something I usually do: fighting opponents who I know have no chance of beating me," Sensui informed us as we circled him. "But I'm making exceptions for you, to offer you some peace that you at least tried to avenge your friend's death before your own." He powered up, his sacred energy shoving Hiei and I away from him. We skidded back while Kuwabara held his ground.

"Oh come on, is that supposed to impress us?" he bellowed. Sensui's energy flung the boy far, far away and he did a few backwards summersaults. Hiei's face tightened with anxiety as Sensui's energy began to solidify.

"Sacred Energy Armor," Sensui said.

I grimaced. The madman was surrounded by a golden armor. This would complicate things.

Kuwabara growled. "Am I the only one not doing a costume change?"

"The great thing about this armor is that it not only strengthens my defenses, it boosts my offense as well." Sensui was all business now. "You can't stand up to me."

I chuckled coldly. Hiei was powering up again, his right arm clenched and the tattoo danced up off the skin. Kuwabara looked up in shock. "The dragon… another one?"

Hiei had never managed the darkness technique twice in the same day. This may be the first time Hiei has ever been willing to die for anyone but himself, I thought. The dragon screamed in readiness and then turned on Hiei, who absorbed it effortlessly.

When the smoke had faded, Hiei had disappeared. Kuwabara looked around, then realized that he fire demon was already aiming punches at Sensui's skull.

Sensui easily blocked and with a kick sent Hiei spinning away. Before Sensui could strike Hiei while he was down, I quickly went into attack mode and charged.

"You just keep adding more debts to your tab!" Kuwabara snarled.

I summoned a thorn vine. It grew around my arm and created a long, sharp point. Yelling a battle cry, I struck. Kuwabara brought his newly improved spirit sword up again. Sensui dodged Kuwabara easily, then summoned a twister to deflect me.

Four blades of pure energy shot out at me, slicing through my skin. My legs and chest were cut, but it was nothing fatal. I heard Kuwabara scream my name. Sensui silenced him with a swift kick to the jaw. As the boy went tumbling away, Hiei was back again.

"Now you are really starting to piss me off," the fire demon screamed, moving too fast for even Sensui to keep up with. Wielding a blade of black fire, he struck. Although it caught Sensui between the neck and shoulder, it couldn't penetrate his armor. Hiei's eyes widened, as did Sensui's smirk.

Another kick, this one directed at Hiei's abdomen, sent the fire demon flying—something cracked and Hiei grunted in pain. He hit the ground, scrapping out a long trench as he did so. He attempted to stand, but could only manage to roll over. Agony was written all over his face.

Feeling even more enraged at seeing another friend injured, I exhaled sharply. Kuwabara looked up in despair. "Sensui really is invincible now."

Hiei lifted himself a little and stared at the ex-detective. Sensui seemed quite pleased. "Nothing's worse than being strong but not strong enough. It only prolongs the inevitable conclusion. But be sure—this will be your inevitable conclusion no matter now long it takes us to reach it."

Sensui was right. We all knew that there was no chance of us winning now. But a single thought was left in our brains that overpowered fear—that sight of Yusuke, lying on the floor with a bloody hole in his chest. We wouldn't give up, if only for his sake. I couldn't give up. Even if I was to die it would be a small price to atone for the sins I had committed.

"So, anyone got an idea?" Kuwabara directed the question at me.

"I'm sorry you feel so much dedication to your misguided cause. It pains me, for your hearts are noble." His mocking voice rang in my ears and I vowed that if I killed him, I would rip out his vocal cords first. "I used to be a pawn, like all of you. It's not too late to save yourselves."

"You know, I gave up worrying about dying a long time ago, Sensui. And I care even less about the pain it's going to take to involve getting there," Kuwabara struggled to his feet, "as long as I take your hide along with me when I go, so you better be ready to meet your doom!" With that last threat he summoned his spirit sword again.

To cover him, Hiei was gone in flash and I started to ready myself for another attack. With my trademark rose whip I pulled my arm back for another strike. Hiei had another fire sword in hand. Our attacks were perfectly coordinated—we all struck at the same moment. Surely Sensui couldn't block three at one time.

Dodging Kuwabara's sword, Sensui used one long leg and a fist to counterattack. Kuwabara didn't even have time to inhale.

I was next. Moving faster than the eye could see, my whip flew downwards. However, Sensui caught it easily and pulled. With it still attached to my arm, I couldn't fight back. Using my own momentum against me, all Sensui had to do was raise his foot. The kick caught me directly in the stomach. I saw crimson flecks fly from my mouth just before I hit the ground.

Hiei roared, his sword already aimed at Sensui's head. Sensui then pulled on the whip again, wrapping it around Hiei's weapon. "Dammit," the fire demon said furiously. With another swift attack, Sensui had Hiei crashing into the hard ground.

The next few minutes were only a blur of battles, counter attacks and ruthless punches. I felt a few ribs break and I'm sure Hiei had some internal bleeding. I had no idea how Kuwabara could keep going on—he had sustained uncountable injuries. Finally I met the ground and couldn't get up. My cheek pressed into the dirt. I closed my eyes for a moment, concentrating on regaining some of my energy. It sounded like Hiei was panting heavily and couldn't move. I heard Kuwabara hit the ground, too. It was over.

"I apologize if I caused you any harm." Sensui's smooth voice overrode my thoughts of despair.

A rustle of clothing told me Hiei had shifted positions. "Kill us if you're going to, just spare us the sound of your voice." Took the words right out of my mouth, Hiei, I thought with a tiny flash of humor.

"Your physical strength is greater than ours at the moment, that's all." I didn't have the strength to sit up and proudly deliver my words like Hiei did. I could only lift my head slightly so as not to inhale any more dirt. "Unfortunately, that's the only thing that matters here in Demon World."

Kuwabara was silent.

"I am merciful. I want to relieve you of your misery." Sensui stopped in mid-phrase and turned. "What is that? A great demon energy… it's coming from the other side…" His voice turned harder. "It can't be!"

Hiei followed Sensui's glance. With quaking arms, I did the same. Had one of the S class demons of this world come to finish us off? We couldn't fight and would be easy prey for even the weakest of demons right now. I sighed. This would end, one way or another. A great ball of light rose from the horizon. I could sense it now—the energy emitting from it was huge. I felt a strange emotion rise in my chest. Hope. It was hope, although I didn't know why.

It was a huge bird, larger than I had seen since my last days in Demon World. On top of it was… Koenma! I blinked twice to make sure my keen eyes hadn't failed me. It was the prince. He had a particularly gleeful expression on his face. Another form sat astride the bird. It was… it was… it couldn't be… but it was…

Yusuke.

"Sorry I'm late, guys! Traffic was a bitch. But I'm back and I'm ready to finish this!"

His hair was disheveled, his shirt gone, his jeans ripped, his face dirty, but I had never been so glad to see anything in my life. And then it hit me—the demon energy wasn't coming from the bird… it was coming from that human… but how?

The bird landed and he jumped off. Kuwabara gasped.

"Is… that him?" I had never seen Hiei's eyes wider and I could feel Youko muttering something about wishing I had brought a camera with me.

I blinked again. "Oh no…" Was it Yusuke? I couldn't tell.

He had begun to approach us. "Some friends you are! Ditching a guy while he's down and then hogging the bad guy all for yourselves." Yusuke, or he who had Yusuke's face, was less than three feet from us. "I gotta admit I'm disappointed in you jerks. But did you honestly think I'd just lay there and let you fight my battles for me? Gimme a break."

Oh, yes. It was Yusuke all right.

"URAMESHI!" Kuwabara stuttered. "B-but you were definitely dead, I swear! Your heart stopped beating! I double checked!"

The detective gave a little shrug. "Ah, I can't explain that. In fact my ticker's still not ticking I guess I should be worried, huh."

To this day I honestly don't know what came over me. I just gave this small chuckle. Then Hiei snickered and I followed with another laugh. He tried not to cackle, so it came out as a stifled snort. Then out of nowhere Hiei and I were in hysterics, laughing like idiots. Seeing the two serious demons breaking down into mirth was too much for Kuwabara, who was shocked. Yusuke joined in with his own chortle.

"You'll get used to that," I said, controlling myself. "You see, demon hearts don't beat in the conventional human sense."

"Demon!" Kuwabara gasped.

"Yes, demon." Koenma had made his approach, his cloak swirling dramatically in the wind.

"I keep hoping I'll wake up soon," Kuwabara replied lamely.

"It's no dream." Koenma was serious. "Yusuke has had dormant blood inside him—Mazaku blood, which explains a few things I say."

Yusuke pointed a finger. "Funny story. One of my ancestors was this Mazuku guy," he said as I winced at the mispronunciation, "so when I died I was able to come back, but like him."

Kuwabara threw up an arm. "Argh, so you are a demon!"

I would have given anything to take a picture of Sensui's dumbfounded face at that moment. "Transmigration," he said. "The atavism of the Mazaku"

"That's correct."

Sensui's lips pulled into a painful smile/grimace and I felt deep satisfaction rise in me. Finally, the odds were tipping our favor.

Hiei smiled a small but genuine smile. "I had no idea you were one of us, Yusuke. How does it feel to be so superior?"

"Honestly, I don't feel all that different. I mean I haven't sprouted horns or extra eyes yet." His gaze focused. "But I do have this burning desire to tear this guy to pieces."

TBC...

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Hello, all! Another chapter finished! I hope you liked it—there was a lot more fighting in here than in previous chapters. I think it turned out okay, though. See ya next time! Reviews are always appreciated!