Chapter 21 "The Final Match"

Kagome's aching muscles were doing much better the next day as she walked back toward her teams room dressed and ready for the next match. She had waited to wear the demon slayer's uniform, (As she liked to put it.) that Kagura and Kanna also kept safe over the past 500 years, until the final matches. Apparently Sango had made it for her in her spare time while she was pregnant because no one would let her go out and train during that time much to her frustration. Kagome stifled a giggle as she thought about it, if she knew better...Sango probably snuck out or at least tried too every once in awhile. She wasn't one to sit around and do nothing. The uniform was similar to Sango's of course, the only difference being that the armor was a lavender, and the long sash that held it all together was white. Although it took awhile to figure out how to put on, she understood why Sango loved hers so much, it may not have looked comfortable, but it was.

Along with the long period of time that it took to put on the uniform, she and Kanna talked most of the morning before Kagura literally kicked her out so she wouldn't miss the match, then the two raced off to the stadium where their VIP seats were waiting. She blew her longer bangs out of her face as she stopped in front of the room, she wished she had time to fix her hair a bit but knowing Kagura, she probably tied it off with chains. Kagura seemed to think that she looked better when her hair was pulled back into a low traditional ponytail, much like Kikyo's. Because 1) She should show her face more often, and 2) She look more "mature". Kagome scoffed, she was anything but mature at this point in life. Opening the door she raised a brow at the still sleeping girls. Besides Genkai who was sipping tea on the couch.

"Hey, where are the boys?"

"They decided to greet their opponents before they fight them."

"Ah, so we got that one group they fought last time then? They came to me before the last matches began and told me." Genkai nodded.

"While you were sleeping yesterday, they picked who would be fighting who as well." Kagome poured herself a cup of tea and sat down across from Genkai crossing her legs.

"Well that's rude." She pouted "So who am I fighting?"

"Jin"

"Jin...Jin...bright red hair? Can fly?" She asked

"That would be him."

"This is going to be difficult...whose idea was it to make me fight him?" She whined childishly.

"Yukina" Kagome's mouth dropped open and closed a couple of times.

"Little innocent Yukina? I find that hard to believe."

"Its true." Kagome pouted and looked over toward the said koorime who was sleeping in one of the beds and set down her cup before racing over and pouncing on it making the sleeping koorime bounce. Yukina squeaked sitting up looking around wildly. (A/N: Like...can't you just picture this? Kawaii! Moving on.. . )

"Yukina! How could you...and here I thought you were my friend!" Kagome whined clinging to the koorime sniffling.

"Eh...?" Yukina blinked owlishly looking at Genkai for an explanation.

"I told her you volunteered her to fight Jin." Genkai shook her head. Yukina sweatdropped lightly smiling down at Kagome.

"But I did it because I know you can win Kagome." Kagome pouted looking quite pitiful.

"So, what happened to you last night?" Genkai turned slightly quirking a brow at her. Kagome blushed pulling away from the koorime and rubbing the back of her head looking down at her lap. Botan suddenly appeared behind her pulling off her little cat face.

"Me-ow, I think I know why someone ran off last night." Kagome literally jumped a foot in the air as Yukina stifled a small giggle.

"Botan! Don't do that, I don't need a heart attack before the matches even begin."

"Tsk tsk, no changing the subject Kagome! We're all interested in hearing about your little love dispute." Botan chirped.

"Yeah, don't leave us hanging. We're just dying too know about your feelings for our favorite redhead." Shizuru said lighting a smoke as she sat down on one of the couches. Kagome sweatdropped backing up a little from the somewhat threatening stares of the girls excluding Genkai and Yukina.

"I don't know what your talki-ACK!" Kagome had just turned around and saw that her only escape was being blocked by none other then her cousin's girlfriend herself, arms crossed and looking even more threatening then the rest.

"We're not going to let you leave the room until we find out whats going on, even if it means missing the matches." Keiko leaned forward a bit towering over poor Kagome who silently wished for something to happen...something that would distract the girls from-

"KAGOME!" Kagura slammed open the door. "I thought I kicked you out so you could get your ass to the match!" She stalked past everyone grabbing Kagome by the ear and draggng her out. "If I hadn't had to come back for the medical kit, I wouldn't have sensed you. And your lucky I did cause their matches are starting ANY MINUTE!" She stopped at the door and hit Kagome over the back of the head swiftly.

"Ow...What are you talking about Kagura? The matches don't start until 10:00.." Kagome rubbed her head glaring lightly. "I have plenty of time."

"Wrong! You don't think there are people in high places just itching to disqualify Team Urameshi?"

"You mean..."

"They just made an announcement that the matches will be starting at 9:30."

"But...that's in 3 minutes!" Kagome protested.

"Exactly! Now get going!" Kagome disappeared down the hall in a blink of an eye and you could hear protests of demons as they were pushed out of the way. Kagura shook her head before peering into the room in which the girls were blinking trying to register what had just happened. "If you don't want to miss the matches, I suggest you head down as well."

"Oh! Yes! Thank you so much Lady Kagura!" Botan jumped from Yukina's bed and rushed to get ready. Kagura shook her head before disappearing down the hall to get the medical kit in which was already in need for a certain hanyou and wolf demon.

Kagome POV

She ran down the halls of the stadium until she reached the door in which they were to enter and raced through toward her group in which were waiting toward the edge of the ring.

"Kagome! Took you long enough!" Yusuke crossed his arms in annoyance. "You trying to get us disqualified?" A moment later Yusuke was found tending to a injured head and ego while Kagome fumed.

"You could be a little nicer. I only just found out that they changed the time. Besides...who are YOU to talk Mr. I-got-sucked-into-a-portal-leaving-Kagome-to-fight-almost-a-whole-team-BY-HERSELF!" She hit him over the head again for good measure.

"It wasn't my fault!"

"You know what? I'm not talking to you." Kagome turned away from him. A vein appeared on his temple as he clenched his fists.

"I don't think those two are capable of staying in the same room without fighting." Hiei said annoyed

"Yes, it reminds me of a certain other two in the group as well." Kurama put in and small smile gracing his lips. Hiei glared at him before looking away flustered.

"Always have to have the last word, don't you?" Kurama's only response was a small chuckle. The five pre-occupied team members looked up as the announcement came for the matches to start. Yusuke's anger subsided as he spotted their opponents across the ring and grinned waving over.

"We ain't going easy on you guys!"

"You had better not, ye bloke!" Came the response, it was Chu. "We plan to beat y'all this time!"

"That's a right! We've a been training hard for this Urameshi!" Jin yelled over as well floating in his crossed legged position.

"We'll see!" Yusuke laughed

"Oh yeah! We forgot to tell Kagome about the matches!" Kuwabara said turning to said raven haired girl.

"Don't worry about it, Genkai told me that Yukina volunteered me for the match with Jin." She waved it off. "Though...I still can't believe little innocent Yukina would do such a thing." She pouted.

"It just shows that Yukina believes in you and your abilities." Kurama spoke up giving her a small amused smile. Kagome flushed a bit diverting her eyes ever so slightly.

"Um...yeah...but I'm not all that great...I can't even properly scan my surroundings.." She spoke the last part mostly to herself in a light scowl and before Kurama could ask what she meant, Juri jumped into the ring.

"Alright! Are we ready to start the last matches!" She yelled into her microphone. Shouts and yells from the audience answered her question and she immediately turned to the two teams. "Alright, now will the Team Urameshi and Team Shishi Wakamaru please decide on how the matches will be done?"

'Team Shishi Wakamaru?' Kagome thought confused. Apparently she wasn't the only one, cause Yusuke and Kuwabara looked just as confused.

"Touya had mentioned that they named their team after Shishi Wakamaru, because he wouldn't be here to participate in the Dark Tournament." Kurama spoke up. "Apparently he's been training somewhere un-known with someone whose just as mysterious."

"I was wondering where he was, I guess that explains it." Yusuke said before looking up at Touya as he spoke to Juri.

"We'd like to settle this in one match, five on five." He then turned to Yusuke. "If that's alright with Team Urameshi."

"We'll...that was unexpected." Kuwabara muttered, the others silently agreed.

"Team Urameshi?" Juri rose a brow. Yusuke looked at the others who didn't seem to protest before turning back to Juri.

"Alright! Five on five it is then!" The crowd went up in an uproar and the two teams jumped up into the ring, the final match of the Dark Tournament was soon to begin.

Meanwhile...

"And after all that time trying to figure out who would fight who." Botan said as she and the others sat down in their seats beside Koenma having just gotten there.

"It doesn't matter, they can still fight against anyone in favor." Genkai stated

"This was unexpected though, kinda rare that this would happen isn't it?" Shizuru asked lighting her usual cigarette.

"I suppose those guys had a difficult time trying to figure out who would fight Yusuke and decided this would be better for all of them." Genkai said once more looking down at the opposing team.

"We'll, there is one good thing out of all this. And its that we don't have to worry about anyone getting seriously injured." Keiko pointed out, Yukina nodded in agreement.

"Not necessarily. There will be injuries no doubt. Fortunately, we just don't have to worry about anyone getting killed." Koenma said "I can't afford to bring anyone back to life."

VIP Seats...

"Well, this certainly turned out to be an interesting turn of events. If I'm correct...Team Shishi Wakamaru is fairly good friends with Yusuke Urameshi." Inutaisho voiced

"Thank Kami, once this tournament is over...I'm going to chew Kagome out for all this. Making me worry like this...who does she think she is!" Inuyasha clenched his fist.

"Stop being such an insufferable idiot. Kag's not the same weak girl she used to be when Naraku and Kikyo were still alive." Kagura said as she entered the room slamming the door behind her. "If you hadn't noticed like the rest of us have, she's stronger from her training with Midoriko."

"I can't help it! She was so vulnerable back then that I got used to protecting her. Its not like it'll just wear off in time." He grumbled looking down at the ring where Juri was busy explaining the rules of the five on five match.

"Yes, five hundred years surely isn't enough." Sesshoumaru said in a monotone voice.

"Stop being such a smartass, Sesshoumaru! I CAN kill you with my sword."

"I'd like to see you try half breed."

"Must you anger your brother, Sesshoumaru?"

"Yeah, he's already annoying as it is." Kouga piped up from his seat beside Ayame, who in turn, hit Kouga upside the head with a scowl.

On the other side of the room, Kanna sat silently fingering a folded up piece of paper gently ignoring all those around her. She had opened the paper so many times the night before and that morning, that she was sure the creases in the paper would soon wear out and rip apart. Opening it once more she stared down at the words that were written there from the person whom she had sent the flowers and her own note too.

We'll talk after the Tournament. Dreamscape.

Hiei

She knew what a dreamscape was, she was the one who properly taught Kagome how to do it on her own being the best candidate since she was a void demon and perfected many arts of the void demon race. She also knew that, despite the short and not very detailed note, it wasn't bad news. If it had been bad news...Hiei wouldn't have sent back anything in reply. Kanna looked through the window down at the ring where the person whose name was written on the note stood preparing to fight. For the first time in a long time, she smiled. Hiei seemed to feel her eyes on him and turned to look up at her before quickly looking away with a scowl and if she could see right, a red stain across his cheeks. Kagoem who stood a little ways behind him blinked owlishly at his behavior before looking up at Kanna and realizing what was going on. Kanna watched amused as Kagome silently teased Hiei, and in return earned a lump on the head (thanks to the hilt of Hiei's sword) and the confusion of the rest of the team and the opposing team.

Normal POV

"Darn it Hiei...did you have to hit so hard?" Kagome pouted nursing her injured head. "I was only teasing...Aiiieek!" She stared wide eyed with a sweatdrop at the sword held at her neck.

"Care to press the matter further, onna?" He glared

"Heh-heh-heh...eh...no...not at all. I was just pointing out how adorab-AIIIIE!" Kagome ducked as the sword slashed through air where her head once was. "SORRY! Sorry! I promise not to talk about it! I promise already!" Hiei glared at her again before promptly putting his sword away and turning away from her.

"You okay Kag?" Yusuke sweatdropped at the scene, as did many others. (Except Kurama, who knows.)

"He actually would've killed me.." She held her head tightly poking at a few of her own hairs that now lay innocently on the ground.

"Alright then...now that that interesting display is done. Let's start the final match!" Koto yelled.

"Let the Final Match BEGIN!" Juri yelled then quickly scampered off the ring.

"Alright! Now this is what I call a match!" Yusuke yelled turning from his cousin.

The two teams stood silently for a moment as if studying their opponents before Hiei made the first move speeding forward, unsheathing his sword, and making for a direct attack on his original opponent, Touya. Touya, in turn, moved forward ice surrounding his right arm forming itself into a sword of his own and barely managed to block Hiei's attack in time.

"It seems Hiei has made the first move! And he chose Touya as his target! And might I add that this is certainly an interesting pairing. I guess it will be fire against ice!" Koto announced

That seemed to get the rest of the fighters moving as well, Kagome made the second move by unstrapping her Hiraikotsu and with a simple swing sending it flying at her opponents. Specifically, the opponent she was also chose to fight. Jin, looked over in surprise, sensing the weapon disturbing his wind and panicked dodging the flying weapon quickly.

"Oi! You don't be throwing a weapon like that at sum'one who ain't prepared!" He yelled down at her wiping his brow. Kagome gave a small grin, and Jin seemed to realize something. He looked back and yelled out in surprise once more successfully dodging the returning Hiraikotsu. Kagome caught it easily and grinned up at him.

"I know you wished to have a re-match with Yusuke, but your just gonna have to fight me in his stead." She said. Jin blinked a bit his ears giving a small wiggle before grinning.

"Fight Urameshi's cousin! That's a sum' thing I can do!"

"Now it seems that Kagome and Jin have also paired up to fight in this Final Match, but I wonder if Kagome's giant boomerang will have any affect against Jin and his wind?" said Koto

Chu was third to move heading for his target, Yusuke. However, a thorned whip snapped in front of him bringing his attention to it's user, Kurama.

"I'm sorry, but it looks as though you'll be fighting me." Kurama stated. Chu laughed in a carefree way, his usual drunken laugh.

"Looks like the bloke will just have to wait until I defeat you then."

"We'll see."

Yusuke and Kuwabara being the only ones left along with Suzaka and Rinku. All four of them stood in the defensive waiting for someone to attack or start. What they didn't expect was Hiraikotsu to come flying straight at them. Hiraikotsu flew at Suzaka and Rinku and barely missed their stunned forms while Kagome flew into Kuwabara with a yelp.

"Kagome, what the hell are you doing? Your supposed to be fighting Jin!" Yusuke helped her up off Kuwabara.

"Did you suddenly forget that he was a wind user, idiot?" Kagome then smiled sheepishly at Kuwabara who rubbed his head standing. "I'm so sorry Kuwabara."

"Uh yeah...its fine." He blinked a bit confused. Kagome ran off past Rinku and Suzaka who didn't say a word before grabbing her Hiraikotsu and heading back to her battle with Jin. Before they could process what was going on, a shower of snow and ice fell over them followed by fire. The four fighters, who at the moment weren't fighting, stood drenched and twitching.

"WILL YOU PEOPLE KEEP YOUR FIGHTS TO YOURSELF ALREADY!" Yusuke yelled over at the three other matches. "Eh..." He sweatdropped as did the other three.

"Thanks a lot Yusuke..." Suzaka voiced before the four of them screamed. The tornado heading in their direction sucked up the four and threw them all into opposite sides of the stadium. Jin and Kagome sweatdropped from their area of the ring.

"Oi! Sorry there fella's!"

Kagome came from behind Hiraikotsu and pulled it from the ground. "This is a bit more difficult then I anticipated. But fun all the same."

"That's what a real match is!"

"Right." She nodded. "And I think its about time we got a bit more serious."

"What do you mean get a bit more serious! Tornado's aren't SERIOUS!" Yusuke blew up as he climbed back into the ring. "We haven't even started fighting over here yet and you've already got stuff flying in our direction!"

"Then stop acting like a pathetic child and START FIGHTING!" Kagome yelled

"Why I outta..." He rolled up his sleeves.

"YUSUKE! KAGOME! If you two don't stop fighting each other, I'll come down there myself!" The two relatives turned and sweatdropped at Keiko who was standing beside Koto microphone in hand. Kagome waved over innocently as Yusuke twitched.

"Yusuke, you are so whipped." Kagome looked back at him out of the corner of her eye before turning back to Jin who blinked owlishly.

"Look whose talking! She threatened you too! Just wait until this tournament is over Kagome!" He yelled after her.

"Urameshi! Help!" Kuwabara yelled as he blocked the attack of many yoyo's and swirling rainbow energy. Yusuke grunted and ran over growling in annoyance. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind for a final match..."

The drunken fighter and plant manipulator had both somehow ignored the other fights as they continued on , Whip against Energy. Chu despite the fact that he had a limit to his energy balls in the previous tournament now seemed to have an unlimited amount, although Kurama seemed to think he had some sort of trick up his sleeve, something that he'd figure out sooner or later. Unlike the others while fighting, these two were almost silent the whole time studying their opponent. Something Chu wasn't known to do.

Kurama was physically getting exhausted from having to regenerate so many Rose Whip's after previous ones were destroyed by Chu's balls of energy. It was only time before Chu decided to use the same trick he had used with Yusuke that made him move with such grace. But to Kurama... also one to move with gracefulness, it would be a tough match.

The two fighters fighting against their opposite's of elements were both also physically getting worn out. Sweat dripped from their faces they stood across from each other, ignoring the rainbow of energy that passed through them from the other side of the ring. Suzaka's 'Rainbow Cyclone' no doubt.

"This match is almost over." Hiei stated

"No matter who wins this match between us, the victor will still be a mystery until only one team stands." Touya said

"Hn." Hiei gave a small smirk. "Let's end this."

"Very well."

Touya and Hiei both powered up, snow and ice of blue colliding with the red hot flames. Fire easily had an advantage over ice but it would still be a close match.

"Over to the south of the ring, Hiei and Touya both have suddenly powered up, it seems to me that this is about to finish off the first of the fighters. What will happen!" Koto yelled "Will Hiei use the Dragon of Darkness for the first time in this tournament!"

Said person snorted in disagreement. "If I used that, I'd end up killing everyone in this stadium." Many people paled at his statement while some who couldn't hear him wondered what was going on. Hiei held up his palm where fire started to burn. "The Mortal Flame is all I'll need."

"Hm..." Touya slid back into a more defensive position holding up his sword of ice and also preparing to use his "Shards of Winter". In his free hand. Both fighters disappeared and everything seemed to slow down as they ran toward each other. In almost a blink of an eye their final attack was finished as they each landed in the previous spot their opponent had been. An explosion of fire and ice surrounded the ring covering the other fighters and distracting them from their own fights. Jin rose up above the dust holding the chain of the sickle Kagome had been using to replace the Hiraikotsu they had flew somewhere into the audience no doubt killing a bunch in the process. Kagome herself was hanging from said chain still holding on tightly to her weapon.

"Touya did a round with 'at attack, can't be having him killin' off my opponent now." Jin looked down at Kagome who gave a Yusuke like grin.

"Glad to know that. Yusuke would bring me back to life and kill me himself if I died." Jin laughed his ears giving a wiggle.

"That's Urameshi for ya'!"

The two looked back down into the ring where dust covered it still. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Chu, Suzaka, and Rinku all were ducked behind what was left of the ring. Kurama stood on the edge of the wall by the audience a thoughtful expression on his face. As the dust cleared it showed a destroyed ring and two fighters at the edge of conciousness. Both covered with burns and cuts.

"Even after that deadly attack, both fighters seem to be standing. But it doesn't look like either of them are in any condition to be fighting now." Koto said

"She's right, I know my limit when I've reached it." Touya said heavily as he panted lightly. And surprsingly, Hiei nodded in agreement giving his last "Hn." before both fell forward unconsious.

"Both fighters are down with only four members to fight on each team. Its still a mystery of which team will walk away the champions." Koto said as Kagome dropped down beside Hiei checking his injuries before pulling him up and moving him over to the side of the wall outlining the stadium and leaning him against it. Jin did the same with Touya. The three other members made there way back to their opponents.

"Touya sure knows how to make a scene. I think it's about time I used this." Chu pulled out a container of alcohal. And if Kurama's sense of smell was correct, it was the same stuff he used in the previous tournament.

"It seems our fight will be coming to an end soon enough as well then." He spoke

"Aye. Then I'm going after the bloke."

"Thats to say, if you defeat me." Kurama said holding his rose whip up.

Kagome and Jin also made way to finish their battle; Jin now stood on the floor and both were fighting in simple martial arts. Jin, of course, had to use the wind to his advantage at some points though...frustrating the exhausted miko out quite a bit.

"Serpent Yo-Yo attack!" Yusuke grounded his teeth tightly, blocking the deadly toys of Rinku's with his forearm. With his other free arm, he grabbed hold of the possessed strings of the Yo-Yo's and pulled Rinku off balance trying to ignore the shocking pain that shot through his arm from the spiritually energized strings.

"Hopefully I can finish this off quickly, HA!" Yusuke flew forward and punched Rinku in the gut sending him flying back onto the dirt floor of the stadium.

"Aw...man. I can't be beaten this quickly..." Rinku winced and sent another wave of energy through his Yo-Yo's possessing them to wrap around his opponent's ankles and successfully pulling the shocked Yusuke down to the floor in a tangled mess.

"While both Kagome and Jin seem to be exhausted in the southern area of the stadium, the fight between the Yusuke and Rinku doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon." Koto turned toward the fight processing toward the northern section of the stadium. "We seems we have Suzaka at the advantage in the northern section however and Kuwabara looks just about ready to collapse!"

"I can still fight!" Kuwabara yelled straightening himself out as much as he could in his exhausted condition. Kuwabara let out a battle yell as he charged at the blonde fighter, his spirit sword stretched out in front of himself.

"Spirit Sword, Get Long!" The famous spirit weapon stretched in length weaving through the rubble of the destroyed ring intent on reaching the target: Suzaka. Fate seemed to be against him however, Suzaka jumped up stretching his hands in front of each other as they started too glow a bright vibrant color.

"Rainbow Cyclone!"

The spirit weapon passed right by underneath the blonde fighter while the colorful attack clashed with the opponent. Kuwabara let out a yell and was thrown back into the stadium wall a trail of dust in his path. Once cleared, Juri ran over to him after a brief moment of nothing. Ten seconds was passed and Kuwabara was out of the match, along side Hiei and Touya putting Team Shishi Wakamaru in the lead.

"That one was a tough one, he has improved quite a bit though." Suzaka looked over at his unconscious previous opponent. "Better wait out and see if..." he trailed off as his eyes widened ever so slightly looking over toward Kurama and Chu's battle.

"Would you look at that? I don't think I've ever seen Kurama come out with something like this!"

However... Kurama was just as flabbergasted as he stared at the strange red rash that seemed to appear on all over Chu's body. Chu stumbbled around a bit before promptly falling over swirly eyed and dazed. Juri inspected him before rushing over to Kurama.

"I think everyone wishes to know what technique you used to defeat Chu."

"If I'm guessing correctly...I believe Chu's allergic to roses...and since many of my techniques include the ever infamous rose. It's only natural that Chu would succumb to it at some point..." Kurama answered a bit flustered. A silence fell upon the stadium before many people literally fell over in surprise.

"Either way, Chu IS knocked out and this makes this a 3 on 3 match! It's once again a tie!" Koto said as she recovered. Suzaka moved Chu out of the way before replacing his spot in front of Kurama.

"It seems now that we'll be fighting."

"So it does."

Kagome wiped the sweat from her brow as she looked her opponent in the eye. Jin swept forward and once more they were drawn into another round of martial arts.

"I can...ugh...understand why Yusuke had such a hard time before." She managed to speak out between blows.

"That was before lass', now Urameshi is a wee bit stronger, and so am I!" Jin grinned in excitement despite his slight exhaustion.

"I'm glad I got to fight in this tournament. It might be a pain, but its exciting all the same."

"Urameshi's the one who changed the Dark Tournament ways."

Kagome pulled back and closed her eyes briefly, a small grin gracing her lips as her arms fell to her sides in submission.

"Yusuke's changed. Before the tournament, the last time I had seen him was when we were both small. He was snotty back then. But I think making so many new friends, including you all has really helped him live up to his expectations and...he seems so much happier now..."

"Urameshi isn't ta only ones that changed. He's the reason we're who we are now."

"I think...it runs in the family." She smiled one last time before falling forward unconscious. Jin rushed forward catching her over his arm.

"Woah there, ya' could have found yerself a better place to land there. Don't be wantin' ya to be fallin' on any of those sharp rocks there." He said despite the fact she was unconscious. He set her down against the wall next to Hiei who had finally come around and was watching the fights unemotionally.

"Kagome seems to have finally givin' in to her exhaustion and collapsed. Team Shishi Wakamaru is once again in the lead! Oh! Wait...! Rinku seems to also be down for the count. I take it back! It's still a tie!"

"Woo wee! Yer cousin there really gave me a hard time, that she did Urameshi!" Jin floated down to Yusuke's level wincing a bit at his wounds.

"You'd be worse if she was pissed off." Yusuke grinned "I should know." Jin gave another carefree laugh before landing.

"Kurama vs. Suzaka, and Yusuke vs. Jin. This tournament could end in any way! With only two members on each team left, it just too hard to predict what will happen!"

Yusuke grinned and wiped his sweat covered brow before launching himself at Jin, whom blocked and pushed Yusuke back flying up high enough to get out of the way of the next attack.

The last two matches were like this through-out the round, being exhausted from previous matches, besides Kurama who knew better then to use up most of his energy. And Yusuke who only used a very little portion of his spirit energy against Rinku. And since Team Urameshi had this advantage, it didn't take long for Kurama to easily finish off Suzaka who was at the edge of collapsing anyway, and Yusuke to make the final blow on the Wind Master who soon enough fell to the ground.

"Team Urameshi wins the Dark Tournament for the second time!" Koto and Juri both moved to where the team leader was and held his arms up declaring the victory. Some of the demons protested, but a majority having gotten used to this kind of fighting were oddly enough cheering.

"We had better be careful, all this could easily make Yusuke's ego much larger then it already is." Kagome commented with a chuckle opening her eyes and straightening her sitting position against the wall.

"Hn."

A few days passed and everyone, including Team Shishi Wakamaru, and Inutaisho and the others stood at the entrance to the hotel packed and ready to leave.

"I never got my chance to have a re-match with you Yusuke, so you had better not get 'yerself killed by anyone else." Chu looked down at the Spirit Detective.

"Can't make any promises with Keiko and Kag around." Yusuke grinned. "Seems like the women are the ones who run the men's lives no a days. That's something I wish wouldn't of changed over time." Keiko promptly hit him upside the head.

"Maybe if you'd act more mature, we wouldn't have to boss you around so much Yusuke."

"And your the woman I'm supposed to marry?" He rose a brow at the now blushing girl. It was silent before Yusuke started snickering again and earned himself a large and loud smack. Laughter sounded around the groups. "I don't know who hits harder, her or Kag..."

"You won't be having to worry about me Yusuke." Kagome turned away from the Inuyasha and Shippo to her cousin. "You probably won't see me until school starts up in a couple of months."

"Why? Are you going somewhere Kagome?" Keiko beat Yusuke to the punch.

"I'll go home for a couple of days then probably end up spending the rest of my summer with Inuyasha and the others."

"Not even a visit?" Yusuke asked

"Yes, its a long time before school begins again. You should at least come and visit, this time without the demon fighting involved." Kurama spoke up finally having turned from his conversation with Genkai, and Koenma. Kagome flinched a bit and it tensed a bit around the Inuyasha group.

"Sorry, but there are things I need to do. But don't worry, those two months will be gone in a flash. I'm sure of it." She flashed them a smile, most didn't buy it though.

"Kagome...Kanna and I will pick you up at your shrine in a few days to bring you too the castle." Kagura stated.

"Alright, so I assume your all taking your leave then?"

"Yes, no doubt the castle calls to us. And the people left in charge as well." Inutaisho said with a small nod. "We look forward to your arrival in a few days Kagome."

"I'm not letting you off easy when we get to the castle Kag." Inuyasha knocked her on her forward once with a grin before following after. Kagome waved after them before turning back to the other groups.

"We should be heading back to Demon World as well." Touya stated. Another round of goodbye's were sounded and soon the Urameshi team were making their way onto the last ship out. Kagome rushed to Kurama's side glancing around them.

"So Hiei is with Kanna then?"

"You noticed it as well." He commented in amusement leaning against the railing with his arms cross loosely over his chest.

"I saw it coming. I'm glad Hiei found someone though, I honestly didn't know if he ever would." She also leaned against the railing watching with a small smile as Kuwabara tied his best to impress Yukina. "I think they make a cute couple."

"Does it matter if a couple is cute or not?" He rose a brow in her direction.

"No! Of course not, I was just observing."

"That would explain the little incident before the final match." He chuckled. "Your never going to let Hiei live that down, are you?"

"Blackmail plus Hiei, equals RARE. Its only natural that I tease him and Kanna about it every now and then."

"Hey, you two lovebirds! Don't be doing anything I wouldn't do when no one is looking!" Yusuke laughed turning back to the blushing two. Before Kurama had a chance to make a statement, Kagome had already given chase to Yusuke making the others boarded on the ship laugh at Yusuke's expense. Kagome stopped and laughed as well after he successfully ran into Kuwabara sending the two into a tangled mess upon the floor. She turned back to Kurama, flashing him a smile and waving at him.

"Come join the fun, Kurama!"

Kurama smiled as well and pushed himself away from the railing and walked towards his group of friends and the one he had fallen for.

'It doesn't matter how long I have to wait for you to come back Kagome...my feelings won't ever change.'

THE END

Sorry, a sequel will not be made. SORRRRRRRY.