This is a gift for a buddy of mine.

I've been away a while, but I'm working on a novel, as well as balancing college and a part time job, so i'm pretty busy.

I started writing this a month ago, but got stuck on an ending, but I think I finally got it...maybe. I might change it. I'm still unsure.

So as usual no yu yu hakusho characters belong to me, and please enjoy your read.

The thwack of flesh against flash, a crack of bone, and the smell of salty blood flooded the senses of Yusuke Urameshi, and Kazuma Kuwabara. Back to back, the two defended themselves against several hulking forms; twisted and grotesque in the dull flickering light of a single bulb that hung crudely from the ceiling above them. It swung back and forth being jostled from the sounds of angry voices, and from the vibrations caused from fighting, and feet stomping on the ground. Cheers for blood and violence echoed from the throats of those not fighting, calling for harm and mayhem, if only so the onlookers could make a quick buck off the fight. And the hot bet right now was on the two young men, Yusuke and Kuwabara, whom fought back to back, bodies bruised and bloodied.

Where were these two friends, and who were they fighting?

The best, simplest, and most direct explanation is simple: The two were in a battle for their lives inside a cage match. Captured and thrown in dirty cells, chained and stripped of the ability to use their spiritual power, and then locked into cages with other demons who had been ill-fated enough to get caught as well, one would think both boys would be distressed. But that was not so...

The two were having the time of their lives.

But of course given the duo's nature it was just not plausible for them to be wandering around, and find themselves captured. They were too strong, and too proud to let themselves get snatched up, (in Kuwabara's case, too proud to let it happen again.) No...in honesty the two were doing a favor for Koenma.

Four days before the duo's capture Koenma had appeared in the home of Yusuke Urameshi, who was celebrating his 28th birthday, his friends surrounding him. He and the vast majority of his buddies hadn't aged a day, the only one to look any different was the hulking man who sat at Yusuke's left, Kazuma Kuwabara.

Kuwabara's hair was now cut short, his gelled 'poof' no longer crowning his head. He had finally grown into his body, and to any human, and many demons, he had become a force to be reckoned with. He now lived at the shrine Genkai had once called home, and had over 50 pupils who trained under him. His psychic abilities could not be matched, and to humans his strength was revered. But it didn't matter to Kuwabara, he still was not strong enough to beat Urameshi.

Yusuke, still looking like a punk fresh out of high school, smiled when he saw Koenma and lifted up his can of beer, "Koenma! Here to celebrate?"

Koenma smiled, and then frowned, "No...actually...I know that this is your party...your birthday...but I was hoping you could help me..."

The room sobered up, and Yusuke set down his can. He eyed the demi-god with his brown eyes, and eventually smiled and gave a brief nod signaling he was willing to listen to Koenma's request, whatever it may be. Koenma smiled, gratitude in his eyes, and he sat down at the end of the table, folded his hands, and began to explain his problem.

"I have a new team of spirit detecives, and one of them has been caught. It is a team of six, and a young man named Ryo was taken. The group was investigating an underground fighting ring for me. Wealthier demons, and humans abduct strong fighters, human and demon alike, and force them to battle in a ring until the last man standing. This is a similar situation that Sensui found himself in-"

Koenma silenced himself for a minute as Yusuke's eyes flashed dangerously and his mouth curved down in a snarl. Yusuke didn't like for old enemies to be brought up, and in this particular case neither did Kuwabara, Kurama, or Hiei. Yusuke shifted again muttering something under his breath, that caused Kuwabara to snort and chuckled. Yusuke continued to mutter oaths, and insults until Jin, still spry and playful as ever threw a can at Yusuke and in a drunken, chipper, slur reminded Yusuke that Koenma was talking.

Feeling that Yusuke was now ready to listen again, Koenma continued, "Ryo, and the others were trying to find how they managed to accomplish these abductions, and where it was being held, when Ryo himself was taken. Luckily for Ryo there was a tracking device planted on his watch, and for a time we had his location...but his teammates are in no condition to rescue him. And the transmitter has stopped...and we have no idea if they've moved Ryo to another location, or on how he is fairing. I was hoping I could enlist your help on saving him. We now know where this fighting ring is being held, and we also have a copy of the list of humans and demons they wish to capture, but as far as how they capture these fighters, or even where they keep their captives...I'm at a loss.

I know all of you are retired, and that I've come at one of the worst times...but if I could get at least one of you to help me save this boy..I would...and Ryo's friends would appreciate it."

Yusuke belched loudly after Koenma's speech was done and sighed, "What a shit team you got Koenma...can't even defend themselves?" Yusuke propped his arm up and rest his head in it before asking, "My name on that fancy list of theirs?"

Koenma shook his head, "No...but Kuwabara's is."

Kuwabara laughed at Yusuke's disgruntled face, "Ha! They know a prime fighter when they see one!"

"Please Kuwabara!" Yusuke snorted with a roll of his eyes, "They only want ya because you're easy to fight!"

Kuwabara glared at Yusuke, but Kurama placed a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder to stop him from starting an argument.

Yusuke grinned, "Well it's an insult that I'm not on their 'fancy list of people to abduct,' so you can count me in!"

Kuwabara stuck a thumb on his chest, "Me too!"

Yusuke gave Kuwabara an exasperated and annoyed look, but Kuwabara smirked, "Pff! I am on their list! It's the least I could do!"

As the two began to argue, amusing Jin, Chuu, Toya, and other familiar faces, Kurama and Hiei looked at each other before sighing and rolling their eyes. If those two were going, they both figured they'd better 'babysit' the two rambunctious men as well and also volunteered their services. Koenma laughed with relief thanking them all, but wound up ignored because then Kuwabara threw a fist at Yusuke's face, and within seconds the two were grappling on the floor being cheered on by the onlookers. Koenma just shook his head and wondered how they were actually going to get these two idiots where they needed to be. Getting Yusuke and Kuwabara captured seemed like it would be the best answer, but how could that get done?

Getting captured had actually been the easy part...

Yusuke just hung around with Kuwabara at the shrine for the next few days, and even stayed over in case Kuwabara was attacked at night. Meanwhile rumors were dropped about Kuwabara letting his guard down and being naive to surprise attacks. The bait was set and indeed, demons showed up in the middle of the night, and both men fell prey to being captured. The demons used a dart that left them unconscious and took both men off in the night and to their secret fight club. When the two woke, they were in a dirty cell wearing blue jumpsuits, with these stone bracelets locked tight against their wrists and ankles. The items could not be removed and disallowed for them to use any attacks involving aura's, but did not decrease any of their strength.

A demon, dressed like a soldier told them through the bars they would be participating in a fight that would be until the last man standing. Killing was optional...but if you survived you would be expected to fight again in another match at a later date, and that would continue until they died. People would place bets upon each fighter, and when the two boys had lost their usefulness, they would be executed-whether or not it was in the ring or in their cell.

That same day the two found out this undercover rescue mission was for nothing, as Ryo had been apparently stomped to death just after a week of his capture. It was tough news to hear. Even though they did not know this kid, he was exactly that. Some punk kid recruited by Koenma, who risked his life to stop rogue demons and humans...and now he was gone. Snuffed out, and soon to be forgotten as if he was trash.

The two men found solace in the fact that their were transmitters under their skin that would lead Kurama, Hiei, and everyone else they had enlisted help from, would soon be here ready to return the "kindness" these demons had shown Ryo.

At the present, a fist collided with Yusuke's skull and the demon felt his cheekbone crack. He stumbled to the side, crashing into the fence made of barbed wire, his now bare chest and shoulder scratching painfully against it. Yusuke's jumper had been reduced to pants long ago. Yusuke pushed himself back from the cage wall, jumped in the air, and kicked the opponent with enough force to send the demon's left eye into his brain.

The massive hulk fell down, body hitting the mat with a loud "thwack," and the demon's body twitched violently before he stopped moving all together.

Yusuke smiled, "Oops."

His tactics were rather cruel, but he and Kuwabara had told their other opponents their plans of escape and were laughed at. Most of the captives were actually enjoying themselves. If you got enough wins in this hell hole you actually began to receive special treatment. Better food, beds, and, of course, women. They had given these people a chance but the demons and humans had made their choice, so Yusuke would show no mercy.

Yusuke took a moment to look for Kuwabara, risking himself just to make sure the lumbering ox of a man hadn't gotten himself into trouble.

Kuwabara took a "kinder" approach to fighting the other prisoners.

In his years of personal training, he'd learned how to jab the right pressure points to leave his fellow inmates paralyzed and unconscious for the rest of the match, and had managed to get about six people on the ground with just that. But the group wised up and now attacked him in pairs making it harder for him to apply this technique, leaving him no choice but to apply more brutal tactics. Still, Kuwabara was doing his best not to kill anyone, unable to bring himself to kill these fighters. They were not innocent in the least, but they weren't fully guilty either. If Kuwabara was to take the life of anyone it would be the man that ran this whole ring.

A demon called Fujimoto.

Fujimoto walked around outside the caged arena with a fancy suit, and blazing red eyes, smiling at everyone as if they were his pets. He chatted with the onlookers, asking the group if they were enjoying themselves, all the while carrying around a glass of red wine. It was more like he was hosting a party, or was some fancy patron at a winery.

Yusuke had declared Fujimoto a "Fag" the moment he laid eyes on him, and in retaliation Fujimoto offered a steak dinner and two female concubines to anyone that put an end to Yusuke's life. But now Fujimoto didn't look so happy with Yusuke and Kuwabara obviously overpowering their opponents with blatant ease. Cocky as ever, Yusuke waved at Fujimoto before punching a man that was rushing him. The man fell to the ground and did not get back up. Yusuke glanced at the man he'd punched, lifter up his first and blew on it before smirking smugly at Fujimoto through the cage.

Fujimoto approached an announcer who was rattling off the deaths and names of the people falling to the ground, calling for people to collect their bets and make new ones. The demon bent down, whispered something in the announcer's ear and smiled back at Yusuke as he straighted himself up.

The announcer's voice filled the air not a minute later, "LADIES AND GENTS PLACE YOUR BETS NOW! ARE GENEROUS HOST, MR. FUJIMOTO IS GOING TO PUT A HANDICAP ON OUR TWO NEW FIGHTERS!"

The fighting stopped and both former spirit detectives looked over at Fujimoto who held up a remote that both knew to control the bracelets that prevented them from using their full abilities. Fujimoto pressed a small button in the corner and Yusuke felt his right arm grow stiff. He looked down and tried to move it but to no avail. He looked over at Kuwabara to see if he was having the same problem, but Kuwabara's problem involved his left leg. The copper haired man went down on one knee, unable to get his leg to move.

"Well this is a fine fucking mess you got us into! And why the fuck am I going down with you? I'm not the one who called that fag a fag!," Kuwabara seethed unaware that he was contradicting himself. Fujimoto glared at Kuwabara through the wire and sipped his wine before saying, "Three woman for anyone who kills the fat one."

Kuwabara looked appalled at Fujimoto's comment while Yusuke laughed and pointed at his best friend, "Ha you're the fat one!"

A large demon grabbed Kuwabara from behind and bit down on Kuwabara's ear making the human cry out in shock. Kuwabara growled in annoyance and slammed his head back breaking the front teeth in the demon's mouth. He flung the man into another opponent cursing as he felt blood drip down from his ear and smear on his face. Two others had set themselves in front of Kuwabara. He glared ahead and raised both his fists and swinging them like a sledgehammer into someone's side, the demon's body breaking beneath the blow. The demon collapsed shrieking about a broken spine and Kuwabara glared back at Yusuke, "You get us into the dumbest shit!"

"I get us into shit? You're the one they had on their list, stupid!" Yusuke snapped back, holding onto a man with his working hand. He slammed his face into the man's nose and brow until the head was just about mush. He had an easier time of moving about, and really didn't find the loss of one arm too much of a hindrance. After he dropped the man whose head now looked non-existent, he moved to place himself at Kuwabara's side so as to offer the man protection, though he would have denied it if Kuwabara had pointed out what Yusuke was doing.

"Why do you keep calling that guy a fag? Just cuz he is a fag doesn't mean ya should just call the guy out on it! You're just getting him more pissed, Goddam-WHOA!" Kuwabara's complaint was cut short as a demon grabbed Kuwabara's immobile leg and yanked him backwards. Kuwabara's chin cracked down on the ground and he winced as he bit his tongue drawing blood. Turning on his back he used his other leg to bash the monster in the face about four times before flinging himself forward and cracking his head hard against the demon's. Kuwabara felt his nose break, but the demon was the one who collapsed backwards, eyes rolled in the back of his head. Kuwabara struggled back up and glared at Yusuke, "And now my nose is broken!"

"Well that's your fault," Yusuke snickered, not noticing a fist headed for his gut. A demon that resembled a reptile rammed their fist into Yusuke's side, and Yusuke narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth as he felt his two smaller ribs break. Growling like and animal he retaliated by turning sharply and bit the demon in the face. Yusuke's teeth now sharper and more deadly since his years of living as a demon in the demon realm made Yusuke's bite like an animal, and like an animal he wasn't letting go. The demon howled with misery and blindly struck Yusuke, but the blows did no damage. Yusuke jerked his head ripping out a chunk of the demon's cheek, blood splashing on his face. Yusuke lashed his good arm out and wrapped it around his opponet's neck and squeezed his arm around the demon's throat crushing the creature's windpipe before giving a quick jerk and snapping the beast's neck.

"Left Urameshi," Kuwabara called blandly as he broke someone's arm.

Yusuke ducked avoiding an attack to his left, and sent his elbow through someone's skull. He then grabbed the twitching body and chunked it at a man was diving for Kuwabara.

Fujimoto watched his two newest cage fighters as they protected each other and smiled, a realization suddenly dawning on him. He folded his arms and watched at the two decimated their opponents and when both men were the only two standing, Fujimoto clapped slowly smiling at the two. The crowd which had gone into a wild frenzy grew quiet knowing that it was unlike their host to cheer for these two humans as he had been showing such dislike for them early on.

"Bravo...now...fight each other," Fujimoto ordered, gesturing for the two to do just as he said. He clicked another button on his remote and both men found themselves able to rise. Yusuke stretched out his arm and Kuwabara bent his knee, both glad to have their appendages back to 100% again.

Yusuke grinned at Kuwabara, "This ought to be fun. I haven't kicked your head in about the last two weeks."

Kuwabara laughed, "Oh just you wait Urameshi, I'm sending ya back to that scummy cell in pieces!"

Before the two could charge at one another Fujimoto announced, "Who ever loses will be executed."

That stopped the both of them in their tracks. They turned to look at Fujimoto critically. Fujimoto gave them a smile, his eyes narrowed and meeting Yusuke's angry eyes full on. Yusuke relaxed his stance, as did Kuwabara and both men looked at each other. After a moment Yusuke turned and looked at Fujimoto. "Don't feel like listening to you tell me what to do anymore, so fuck your face!" And with that declaration of independence, flipped the man off.

The crowd booed, and began throwing drinks and food down towards the arena – the items uselessly falling back on the floor, unable to penetrate the barbed wire cage. Fujimoto look unperturbed at the booing and restlessness of the crowd, he held up the remote and both men were brought to their knees.

Kuwabara gasped and tried to move his limbs, cussing as he realized they were completely useless.

Fujimoto smiled, opened a door with a key, and walked inside the cage, the crowd haven gone deathly quiet. He approached both men, and Yusuke rocked himself towards the man in an attempt to bite him. Fujimoto side-stepped the attack with a chuckle.

"Dammit!" Yusuke shouted grimacing as his cheek smacked on the ground.

"Now who's the idiot Urameshi?" Kuwabara snorted, when out of nowhere Fujimoto stuck Kuwabara with a hard blow. It sent Kuwabara off balance, but to Kuwabara's credit he did not collapse. He grit his teeth and turned to glare at Fujimoto.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?" Yusuke burst trying to squirm and get a better look at what Fujimoto was doing.

Fujimoto turned and smiled back to Yusuke, "I'm punishing you."

Yusuke made a puzzled face, but Fujimoto ignored it and grabbed Kuwabara by his short hair. Seeing that one hand wouldn't be enough of a firm grip, Fujimoto repositioned his hands and grabbed Kuwabara's hair with both hands, and with a heave threw Kuwabara over Yusuke and against the barbed wire. Kuwabara gasped with the pain of the spiked wire scratching at his skin. Kuwabara's already damaged ear received another blow as the wire snagged the injured appendage shredding it a little further. He fell to the mat hard his ear a mangled mess and Kuwabara hissing with pain.

"STOP IT!" Yusuke shouted as he watched Kuwabara who was now on his stomach trying to roll onto his back.

Fujimoto rolled his shoulders and smiled down at Yusuke. He pressed his foot to Yusuke's fingers, and pressed down until Yusuke's fingers broke. Yusuke snarled with pain, and glared up at the man his anger and energy rising. Fujimoto grinned, "No I don't think I will stop," He said as he began to walk towards Kuwabara who still struggled to move. "You're much too good a fighter to waste, but you do need to be punished...so I think I'll extract my pound of flesh from your friend here," Fujimoto said removing his suit jacket. He removed gloves from the back of his pants, and called out, "Someone fetch my kit."

Kuwabara managed to roll on his back and met Yusuke's eye. They exchanged worried glances, and both looked at one another taking in their comrade's injuries. But in that flash of grief, stress, and worry, Yusuke smiled ruefully at Kuwabara. "Everything is gonna be okay," Yusuke said, his words coming out slurred because of the way his cheek was pressed into the arena's mat. The fear hidden in Kuwabara's eyes slipped away and Kuwabara smiled looking relieved. He nodded a brief nod of gratitude before Kuwabara snorted and rolled his eyes at Yusuke and snapped, "I'm not some woman Urameshi! I don't need to be consoled!"

"You're acting like a woman..." Yusuke muttered, "Looking at me with those big worried eyes! Fuckin' pussy!"

"YOU LOOK LIKE A WOMAN!" Kuwabara snapped back, face flushed with anger at the insult.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Yusuke snapped glaring at his best friend, his face too purpling with rage.

"You heard me! YOU. LOOK. LIKE. A. W-O-M-A-N! A WOMAN!" Kuwabara shouted back.

In the mean time, an actual woman, brought Fujimoto a cloth bag and Fujimoto unrolled it on the mat. Both men stopped arguing as they did their best to look at the tools in the kit. It looked to them like several shiny piece of metal, from their angle they couldn't exactly see the tools in the bag. Fijimoto didn't leave them long in their curiosity as he pulled out a scalpel and turned it over in his hand, before shifting through some other medical instruments.

"Do you boys know anything about anatomy?" Fujimoto asked, and grabbed Kuwabara's face bringing the blade tip just centimeters from Kuwabara's eye. Kuwabara did not move knowing if he did he'd have the blade deep in his eyes.

"Don't you do this! I'm the one who thinks you're a fag so don't touch him! It's me Goddammit!" Yusuke snarled rocking his body so he could inch his way forward. This wasn't fun or funny anymore. This fight that made Yusuke's body tingle and his adrenaline run was now making his blood cold, and his heart shrivel. The appeal of this cage match had lost its charm now that he and his friend were both unable to move. Yusuke continued to squirm forward actually managing to make it a bit closer to where Fujimoto had perched himself.

Fujimoto looked at Yuske in annoyance, and then back to a the announcer, "Come here and sit on this man...oh don't worry he's harmless!" Fujimoto beckoned and waved for someone to come hold Yusuke down. A large demon lumbered inside the arena, and sat down with little care on Yusuke's back. Yusuke gasped as the breath was knocked out of him from the heavy weight dropping with out warning on his back. Fujimoto smiled his approval and brought the scalpel to Kuwabara's cheek and sliced it quickly, blood spilling fast.

'Where the fuck are you guys?' Yusuke thought bitterly wishing Kurama and Hiei would show up with the others right now.

Kuwabara didn't wince from the slice. In fact he raised a brow and asked, "Was that supposed to hurt?" And with surprising force he sat up and smashed his skull into Fujimoto's face. Kuwabara fell roughly back to the ground after delivering the surprise blow, his neck was now bleeding a little as the scalpel had just nicked his exposed skin. Fujimoto had been taken by surprise, and held his face eyes bulging with pain and anger. He placed a hand to his face, his nose gushing blood.

"You bitch!" Fujimoto snarled before pressing another button on the remote. Kuwabara's whole body stiffened suddenly and his eyes darted back and forth. Kuwabara could now no longer move any part of his body. Kuwabara made several loud sounds, screams locked inside his lips that could not move. Yusuke struggled against the man on his back, "What are you doing to Kuwabara?" Yusuke demanded, the demon on top of him smacking Yusuke in the back of the head to keep him still.

Fujimoto straightened himself and glared down at Kuwabara taking several breaths. He pressed another button, and Kuwabara's scream broke through his mouth. Kuwabara gasped, "Oh thank God...thought I'd die if I couldn't ever speak aga-" Kuwabara's joke was cut short as Fujimoto firmly took a hold of Kuwabara's mutilated ear. He seemed to be contemplating on whether or not he should slice it off. Yusuke felt his heart pound in his chest as he waited helplessly for Fujimoto to make a decision. Fujimoto seemed to change his mind and flipped Kuwabara roughly over on his back before smiling at Yusuke, "I forgot I was going to give you an anatomy lesson...would you like to see your friend's kidney?"

Yusuke didn't say anything, his eyes widening and nostrils flaring, it felt like he was going to lose it.

Fujimoto smiled, and pulled a syringe from the unrolled bag and jabbed the needle in Kuwabara's back, intending to cause as much pain as he could. Kuwabara gasped in anguish as the needle pressed into the small of Kuwabara's back, the small syringe lighting his nerves on fire.

Fujimoto began to explain what he was doing, as he gave Kuwabara the shot, "This is a very powerful demon medicine, it'll slow Kuwabara's bleeding but," Fujimoto met Yusuke's gaze with a vicious smile, "I assure you, he will bleed." Fujimoto turned back to what he was doing, and took a marker and began drawing a dotted line around the small of Kuwabara's back, "And it'll keep Kuwabara awake, as well as fully aware...it should slow his likelihood of going into shock, or having a seizure, and even prolong his life...at least until I decide to end it."

Fujimoto grabbed the scalpel and cut into Kuwabara's skin once more, Kuwabara grunting with pain. Obviously he was trying to be quiet so as not to further distress his best friend. Kuwabara was grateful for the fact that his back was to Yusuke because he didn't want his friend to see his face-not when he was in this much pain.

"You see here, I am making a deep incision...yes like this...and this. Now that the skin is cut away i'll go ahead and pin these loose flaps to his body," Fujimoto had indeed cut away a layer of skin revealing Kuwabara's back muscles, and pulled out four tiny medical scissors which he used to pin Kuwabara's skin to his back and out of the way. "And now Yusuke I cut away at the muscle," And as Fujimoto spoke the words he carved into the layer of tissue in Kuwabara's back until Yusuke could clearly see an organ.

"Now isn't that nice?" Fujimoto said with a satisfied smile, "We have a nice healthy kidney...Doesn't look like you drink much Kuwabara, how healthy of you." He prodded the kidney with his bare dirty hands, and Kuwabara couldn't hold back his scream. He had been quiet through the cutting but now he could no longer keep the agony in. Sweat had begun to drip from his pores, and now the salt dripped into his wound adding to the pain. Mix in the salty sweat with the prodding grubby fingers and Kuwabara had his own personal hell...a familiar hell he'd felt in his chest a long time ago when he was barely 15.

"STOP IT RIGHT NOW FUJIMOTO!" Yusuke's scream echoed over Kuwabara's own anguished cry mixing with his friend's voice.

The demon ignored Yusuke and rolled Kuwabara onto his back, and now Yusuke could see the tears streaming down Kuwabara's face. Kuwabara's eyes darted to look at Yusuke, and Kuwabara blinked as if to clear his vision, and offered a smile. Fujimoto took that as an opportunity to slash Kuwabara's other cheek, Kuwabara wincing as the cut just added to his pain. Yusuke's anger was boiling over and he ground his teeth so hard his jaw began to hurt. Frustration, anger, and hate brought tears to his eyes, and Yusuke was beginning to feel as if he could burst these power-draining bracelets off his body.

Fujimoto picked up Kuwabara's arm and exposed the wrist, "You know if I cut this tendon right here, he'll never be able to make a fist again...hell holding a pencil would be just as hard..." Fujimoto placed the blade to Kuwabara's wrist and was surprised by a weak plea from Kuwabara.

"D...don't..." Kuwabara whispered...he looked surprised himself. As if the words had escaped before he could have thought them.

Yusuke felt a twinge of pain. The last time Yusuke remembered Kuwabara asking someone not to hurt him, the last time he heard Kuwabara beg was when Rando was breaking Kuwabara's arm.

Fujimoto smiled at Kuwabara, shadows falling over his face and making him look more demonic, "I'll give you the choice...you or Yusuke...what will it be Kuwabara?"

Yusuke felt his throat close and he looked at Kuwabara, he knew what Kuwabara's choice would be.

Kuwabara's tears dried and his eyes seemed to grow distant. He looked at Yusuke one more time, a cold calculating stare Yusuke didn't recognize. Kuwabara's mouth set in a grim line and Kuwabara let his eyes turn away from his best friend. "Do it...cut me," Kuwabara whispered. Fujimoto grinned slow and Kuwabara's made an odd animalistic like sound, "Do it I said! Cut me!" By now blood was pooling under Kuwabara, moving slow and staining the ground a deep maroon color. Fujimoto smiled wider, and glanced back at Yusuke with a mocking look. With a quick flick of his wrist he'd ended Kuwabara's fighting career, and severed the tendon is Kuwabara's right wrist. As Fujimoto proceeded to move on to Kuwabara's other wrist, Kuwabara stared ahead unblinking...he didn't even flinch as he Fujimoto cut his other wrist.

"And now...the tendon of your ankles...you won't be walking anytime soon," Fujimoto drolled on moving to grab Kuwabara's leg.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Yusuke burst, eyes glowing as a burst of energy erupted off his body and sent the demon on his back not only into the barbed wire wall but through it. Yusuke's shackles shattered, and the crowd which had been enjoying the show cried out in horror and tried to scatter for the exits. Fujimoto didn't have time to move as Yusuke wrapped his hands around his throat. Yusuke's fangs were bared and his eyes flashed, his hair seeming to have a will of his own as it hung around him.

"...Urameshi..." Came a weak plea just behind Yusuke.

Yusuke twitched at the sound and slammed Fujimoto into the ground so hard the man was too stunned to get back up.

Yusuke turned to look at Kuwabara, and tore the bracelets from his hands and feet.

"...Thanks..." Kuwabara muttered weakly, his wrists glowing as Kuwabara began to try and use his aura to regenerate the two wounds to his arms. Kuwabara was exceptionally good at healing injuries now, as Genkai had always said, Kuwabara's aura could be used to heal.

"...Your back," Yusuke whispered still heavy with rage.

Kuwabara shook his head knowing Yusuke was asking about healing it, "My wrists...come first. If I can't fight...I don't want to live...I'll...worry about...my back...wh-when I get to that..." Kuwabara whispered face pale and sickly. He spoke slow and calm, blood loss and the energy he was using to recover making it hard for Kuwabara to communicate properly. Yusuke nodded understanding his friend's yearning to have his wrists healed before his back. Yusuke couldn't imagine not being able to fight, and in Kuwabara's position, Yusuke would be doing the same thing. Kuwabara looked at Yusuke and before he closed his eyes whispered, "Go."

That word was a signal, and Yusuke was gone. He grabbed Fujimoto, who now was trying to crawl away, hoping to be forgotten long enough to escape the what was coming for him. The man gave a shriek as he was grabbed, but this just encouraged Yusuke. He placed his foot on the man's left ankle and pulled his right leg up. Slowly Yusuke began to bring the leg up, the sound of the man's bones creaking from the strain of being forced in an unfamiliar position.

"PL-PLEASE! S-STOP! I...I...I BEG YOU!" Fujimoto plead, face pale and body shaking with fear.

Yusuke paused and looked Fujimoto in the eye, "Let me give you an anatomy lesson Fujimoto..."

And with a wrench Yusuke pulled Fujimoto's leg off and tossed it out of the cage at the shrieking onlookers who still had not yet fled.

Three demons decided they wanted to take on Yusuke.

Bad decision on their behalf.

Yusuke hunched low and swung his fist into the first demon's gut. Right now his best friend was laying on the ground doing his best to recover. Yusuke wasn't about to let these guys pass...and he was still pissed the fuck off over what he had been made to witness. The demon coughed and choked at the force of the punch, but Yusuke held the demon fast by the back of his head and continued to pummel him in the gut. Ribs snapped, and the demon even threw up but Yusuke didn't stop until Yusuke found blood on his fist. He dropped the body and looked at the other two demons who shook with fear.

"Whose next?" Yusuke asked eyes still glowing.

Both demons charged and one manged to punch Yusuke in the face. He felt knuckles slide over his lips and grind painfully into his gums and teeth. Yusuke brought his leg up and kicked the demon in the throat crushing the monster's Adam's apple, killing the demon in a matter of seconds. Yusuke then grabbed the remaining demon and threw him to the ground. He climbed on top of the struggling soon-to-be-victim and began to pummel him in the face.

Left, then the right, and then back again...Yusuke beat the demon long until after the demon stopped moving. He stopped when a hand grabbed his shoulder and Hiei's voice rang sharp, "Yusuke!"

Panting Yusuke turned to look back at Hiei who looked alarmed at the state Yusuke was in. Backup had finally arrived and Kurama was kneeling by Kuwabara. Yusuke rose to his feet and came over to stand behind Kurama and look down at Kuwabara. Kurama had Kuwabara rolled on his side and was applying something to Kuwabara's wound in his back, as well as beginning to remove the surgical scissors that had been lodged deep into Kuwabara's back.

"How's his wrists?" Yusuke asked trying to ignore the gaping hole in Kuwabara's back.

Kurama didn't stop in his work but replied with, "What are you talking about? There's no wound on his wrists just this gaping hole in his back!"

Kuwabara cracked open an eye and smirked at Yusuke. Yusuke let his shoulders sag with relief, Kuwabara had managed to regenerate the tendons and heal himself. Kuwabara would be able to fight again...once his back was healed up fully of course.

"God you fucking pussy...a little back injury and you're down for the count?" Yusuke snorted waving his hand at Kuwabara like he was useless.

"Well ex-excuse me for having m-m-my kidney fondled! I'd like to s-see you get back up a-and fight ya punk!" Kuwabara retorted stuttering only when Kurama prodded the painful injury a little too hard.

Yusuke grinned and looked around at the group as they rounded up the remaining nuisances to this underground ring. They had failed in rescuing the young man Ryo, and Yusuke let his smile slip as he decided to tell Ryo's teammates face-to-face about their loss. They were still injured, and deserved to know the truth. But looking back down at Kuwabara, and then to Fujimoto who he'd decimated, he felt a peace come over him. They, at least, had made it.

Looking back at Kuwabara Yusuke grinned, "We should do this again some time old man!"

Kuwabara growled and grumbled, "Not old...y-you just look like a...a kid an' I'm...all mature...lookin'!"

"You're already getting grey hair!" Yusuke prodded squatting next to Kurama and helping the red head apply more pressure to Kuwabara's back. Kuwabara hissed, "O-Okay...I admit it...this sucks...want a ho-hospital please..."

Kurama shushed Kuwabara, and gripped Kuwabara's arm reassuringly, "Just hold on...Just hold on. You'll be alright soon."

Yusuke reached over and ran a hand over Kuwabara's short hair, a small gesture of concern. Kuwabara nodded and closed his eyes painfully. Hiei sighed finally joining the group and holding Kuwabara's head in his lap, as Kurama hurriedly worked on trying to patch Kuwabara up so they could at least move Kuwabara to a better location where he could get some more help. There was a moment of silence as Kurama's fingers grew more and more stained from his work. Finally, Yusuke said, "But seriously...under different conditions I would love to do this whole cage fighting bit again...we could totally try and do this again guys...what do ya think?"

Three resounding frustrated sighs was Yusuke's answer.

End.