Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Why can't we be friends? ❯ emotion, lacking of it ( Chapter 6 )

Title: Why can't we be friends?

 

Chapter 6: Emotion, lacking of it

 

Author: agent rookie grl

 

Rating: R

 

Disclaimer: Sigh, I still don't own it…

 

 

As quickly as if they had blinked the five were already outside the dank gloomy rock cave,

“I'll keep the girl and centaur as collateral, hurry now you only have five hours.” The mistress of romance cooed her voice dancing as the wind billowed. In reality Aphrodite was standing over her reflecting pool watching the group from her temple.

Botan and Cherion have taken a comfortable spot on some silk pillows near the pool to get a nice view.

“They reveal their emotions,” Botan thought deeply her mauve eyes gazing down at the marble floor “does that mean if Kuwabara questions Yukina's brother that Hiei will be forced to confess?” All Cherion could do while she contemplated was chuckle, quite loudly. “Cherion do you think this is funny?”

“Quite, for you see Botan I have figured out my goddess's plans for us” he snickered brushing a few shaggy raven locks from his face. The goddess herself turned as he revealed his knowledge “please no offensive my deity but practically everyone knows of your love life.”

“So what exactly does she want with us?” Botan posed in a quieter tone then the centaur.

“Simple she is planning on using you and Kayko to become the new wives of Ares and Hephaestus and me well I am to be her new suitor” he informed nonchalantly.

“You are quite the wiseman centaur, figuring out my plans so soon.” She clapped giving him gratitude, Botan was not as happy as to finding out the plans.

“What I don't want to be some gods wife!” she gagged, “Yusuke and the others will beat you at your little game!”

“Well I thought as much,” the love maker sighed playing with a piece of her hair “but even if I lose I will have the victory of knowing I brought that brutish team closer together!” she raised her fist into the air with great declaration.

“But what does making me and Kayko wives have to do with anything?” Botan snapped throwing a pillow across the room.

“Aphrodite was betrothed to Hephaestus but their marriage went down hill after a while so she decided to go after some new meat,” Cherion explained

“Ares” Botan finished getting a nod from him

“Aphrodite is known for going down to the human realm to flirt with the mortal males and being a matchmaker to the gods, without their consent.” He plainly stated getting a pout from Aphrodite.

“So this is all because of some stupid affair?” Botan questioned shocked and quite angry, she crossed her arms trying to keep her temper in check.

“Humph,” the self appointed cupid Aphrodite turned her head away “you're an independent woman of course you wouldn't understand my plight. Having to be bounded with a man for the rest of your life, I couldn't take it anymore! And being stuck with those two for centuries, gag it's enough to drive a woman mad.”

She looked at Botan with huge sappy eyes “I watched you mortal women become sovereign, and I wished for that freedom. Why? Why is it that I must suffer the fate of having to be told how to live my life? Why can't I have the glory that you use everyday?”

“Just what we need, a goddess rebelling” Cherion sighed with a sweat drop going down his head. “Yusuke, please use you wits on this one, I'm afraid with her new outlook on life that Aphrodite will no give up so easily.” He thought worried glancing down at the clear waters of the reflection pool, the image of the five rippling softly.

“Great stuck with these fools all because of Aphrodite's dammed affair.” Ocypete distastefully noted staring down into the mouth of the mysterious cave “I think you can handle this” she smirked leaping into the air.

“Hold it!” Yusuke shouted, Ocypete's grin becoming wider. “Hey I don't give a damn if you leave just hand over that bow and arrows.” The harpy looked over her shoulder seeing that the godlike weapon was still strapped to her back, before she could make a cunning comeback Kuwabara came into the scene,

“Ocypete you can't just leave!” He pleaded jerking his head up towards the sky where she floated.

“Well I don't see a reason for me staying” she sniped glaring down at the group; then a thought struck her “if you really want me here that badly then prove it. Get down on your knees and say that harpies are by far the strongest, fastest, and most intelligent of all creatures in any world!” She demanded pointing a clawed hand towards the ground,

“What like hell I'm going to do that!” Yusuke bellowed but was stunned as he saw Kuwabara fall to his knees in defeat “Kuwabara don't concede to her.”

“Urameshi you may not see it but we're really lacking options here. So far out of two days we've gotten one god power out of twelve and from the looks of it our home isn't going to last much longer if this keeps up” He whispered giving his leader a determined gaze, “we need all of the allies we can get and if I have to fall to my knees to get one then I'm gonna do it.” The spirit detective teenager sighed brushing a hand through his slicked back hair, even though Kuwabara is a true idiot at times; he can be a genius. Yusuke closed his eyes going down to his knees, Kurama following suit; all that left was Hiei.

“Hn, I find it truly pathetic that you have to inflate your ego by forcing others to bark out words of self worth” He stated crossing his arms “I refuse to become apart of my team's weakness.”

“Fine then I'll take Artemis's powers and leave.” Ocypete snarled about to depart,

“Hiei I know you may find it weak to give into Ocypete's demands but Kuwabara is right, now is not that time to judge our allies.” Kurama spoke from his spot on the dirt clamed ground “the fact that she stayed with us for so long I think is enough proof that she will not harm us in any way. In fact she reminds me of you when we first became a team.”

The fact Kurama compared Hiei to the bird was enough to make him vomit but the fox demon was the wisest, even if it did strike a blow in his pride Hiei went down to his knees a sight that caught the ginger feathered beast's interest.

In unison they all declared what Ocypete wanted to hear,

“Harpies are by far the strongest, fastest, and most intelligent creatures in any world.” The harpy clapped delightedly with her talons a snickering giggle escaping her lips.

“Now that wasn't so hard,” she fluttered down to the boys a look of cockiness on her face “there is one more thing I need to do before we get started,” she grabbed Kurama's head with her left talon and Hiei's with her right. BAM! The two unsuspecting demons clutched their heads in agony as they were whacked together roughly. “Don't you ever, ever send your damn psychotic foliage after me again!” She yelled at Kurama standing menacingly before him.

Sweat drops went down Kuwabara and Yusuke's heads. Ocypete was really brave if she had the guts to do that,

“Uh why'd you hurt Hiei?” Yusuke asked afraid of what the answer might be.

“I just don't like him, and I think it's time he learns who the real leader is” she glowered in the fire demon's direction evading a deadly swing from his sword as she hovered over to the cave's mouth. “As long as I'm stuck with you idiots I'm in charge which means you don't do jack squat without me telling you to.” Ocypete barked flying solo into the emptiness of the cave. The four just stood outside the cave, not knowing what to think; was letting her stay a good idea?

“I can't believe I actually said she wouldn't hurt us,” Kurama winced rubbing his head as they ventured in.

“I could have told you that was a stupid sentence.” Hiei replied, “I know before this is over she will die.”

“Your gonna have to take a number Hiei.” Yusuke growled wanting to get a piece of her as much as anyone else;

“Move your asses or else!” She screamed from deeper inside the cave, they began to sprint to catch up to the fast harpy.

Aphrodite's eye twitched as she witnessed the horrid scene-taking place before her.

“I can't…I can't believe that just happened” She breathed falling back into her throne, “what the hell is wrong with them!” her scream caused her faithful nymph to come scurrying back.

“My lady what troubles you?” the faithful servant questioned worried, Aphrodite had a hand over her face pointing the other at the reflecting pool. “Your plan of purity in hearts is taking a slight bump?”

“Slight doesn't cover it,” she sighed deeply sitting back up “why, it has been fifteen minutes and still no shared loves, fears, or deep secrets?”

“Well didn't you say they have to ask a question about it for your spell to work?” Botan chided from her spot in the throne room “so couldn't they just avoid talking about it?” Realization dawned on the love goddess,

“I knew I shouldn't have placed in a loop hole” she pondered, “oh well it wouldn't be fair to change the rules so early in the game.”

“Well that's very noble” Botan nodded agreeing with the romance sorceress's way of thinking.

“Yes we need to wait until later to mess with them” she quipped getting small bits of laughter from her servant. Botan fell over, her respect for the Greek goddess gone “but giving them a good shove in the right direction couldn't hurt right?”

“No my goddess, from what I can see they need compassion for another and you my deity are the best immortal for it. Your sense of love and feelings from the heart should give you complete control if one is not faithful with themselves or others.” The nymph agreed shyly.

“Of course!” the goddess beamed giving her servant a hug “I knew I could count on you for words of advice!”

Silence, only the low hum of Kuwabara's spirit sword once again used, as a beacon was the only noise heard in the damp rock structured labyrinth of a cave. Obviously everyone still knew of the love goddess spell placed on their heads and they do not want to gush out anything they want kept in the dark.

“Ocypete,” Kurama chided breaking the unrelenting stillness of the group “tell me is there anything we should know about Aphrodite that could prove useful?”

“Depends on what you call useful” she sighed; a god's life can be a hefty one.

“I'd like to know why she kidnapped Kayko and Botan” Yusuke pointed out his chocolate eyes meeting her golden.

“Aw the love of a mortal's soul is the Achilles' heel of one's suit.” Ocypete taunted only getting a blank stare from Yusuke,

“Um what the hell did you just say?” he asked giving her a strange look; Ocypete sighed a cloud

“I don't think that caring for your friends and loved ones is weak” Kurama argued, being the only one who understood the harpy's strange insult.

“Yes I know what happens to one who insults your dear mommy.” The Greek beast rolled her golden eyes getting a low growl from the fox demon, “But why would a fox demon have a human mother anyway?”

Aphrodite was about to make her way to help influence her spell to work when her nymph stopped her,

“My lord look at your reflecting pool!” she called pointing at the clear waters, within it was Ocypete posing the question upon Kurama. “Now they began to speak, hopefully it shall turn out how you plan it.”

“Hopefully” the love deity eyed her servant with her crystal blue eyes.

“I mean it shall work!” the nymph quickly corrected not wanting to feel her lord's wrath.

“I was once a successful thief, a king of thieves you would say” Kurama explained as they walked “I used my skills in picking locks to steal the treasures within, but one day my carelessness brought upon my downfall. Unable to recuperate I took shelter inside the womb of a human woman, before the infant could create a soul for it's own. After ten years I planned to make my escape and return to the demon world but I came to love my human mother and could not leave.

Being a demon thief I lacked compassion and my mother gave me that which I had not and in return I will stay by her side.” He finished getting a very rude yawn from the woman.

“Well you managed to kill five minutes of time,” she remarked getting sour looks from the group. “What did you all want me to care about his sap, the idiot made a mistake and ended up paying the price but then found love and became a momma's boy end of story.” She sniped flying ahead of them Smack! The harpy flew right into a wall; she cursed holding her tender head as her team rejoined her.

The cave trembled roughly as booming laughter shook it, debris and rubble fell from the ceiling as the wall slowly descended.

“You dare enter the maze of the Minotaur! This labyrinth shall be your graves!” the beast's voice boomed causing more rubble to fall on the group's heads.

“Great, she never mentioned a Minotaur” Kuwabara whined as they entered into the stone network

“From what I've heard Minotaurs live in labyrinths such as this.” Hiei retorted as the stonewall closed behind them with a dull thud,

“Thanks for the reminder genius” Ocypete sarcastically answered Hiei getting a dark glare from the fire demon. “Eyes aren't everything little man.”

“You two can have your fight later” Yusuke sighed pushing the two apart, “right now we have less than five hours to get that girdle and get back to the temple. Good thing this bastards here, now I can release some tension” he chuckled cracking his knuckles.

“These walls look to be around fifty feet tall, but I can clearly see that it can be easily flown over” Kurama noted the word `flown' as he gazed over to the harpy. She crossed her feathered ridden arms turning a feigned grunt at them,

“I am no pack mule nor a horse. I refuse to be ridden as one.” She plainly stated offended by the suggestion.

“Now is not the time” Kurama argued, even his calm demeanor eroding due to the urgency of the bet.

“Well then why don't we ride on your back, you flea bitten fox!” the harpy shrieked poking a clawed talon on his chest. The Minotaur's deep mirth echoed through the maze as he witnessed the set's dilemma,

“I don't know which is more amusing to watch, the constant bickering between your collection or the fact that due to my lovely goddess's magical powers you are unable to just fly over the labyrinth!”

“Well their goes that plan” Kuwabara sighed, “come on let's just try to find a way out!” he shouted running off to the left. The rest stared off in the direction the carrot top went due to the fact that there was another path in front of them and to the right, how can Kuwabara be sure he isn't going the wrong way?

“Yes hurry, hurry and prolong your doom!” The Minotaur cackled as they ran, taking many twists and turns. All by the lead of Kuwabara, besides it's not like they really have an extra choice. It truly seemed like they had ran for days, as Kuwabara finally stopped only to catch his breath.

“Kuwabara…” Yusuke spoke between breaths “are you sure… your going the right…way?” Kuwabara looked back at the panting team, giving them his trademark cheesy smile and a thumb up.

“Hey when have I steered ya wrong Urameshi?” he beamed looking back to the five different paths they could take now.

“Was that a trick question?” Yusuke replied awing at the different passageways, “so which one?”

“Uh….actually Urameshi I really don't know.” He chuckled rubbing the back of his head, bam! “Ow, hey Urameshi!” he screamed rubbing the tender bump on his head left by his leader.

“Yusuke take a look at the top of each trail” Kurama pointed out, each one had a different colored stone at the top. The one at the far left had a sapphire stone, next was a ruby stone, in the center was a golden stone, after that there was a path with a silver stone, and the last one at the far right had a emerald stone.

“Yea each have a shiny rock, so what.” The teen inquired back with a laid back attitude.

“Perhaps those stones are a key into leading us on the right passage” The fox demon informed.

“maybe this weird riddle the pipsqueak found is a clue” Ocypete gestured over to where Hiei was standing near the right wall staring at a narrative carved in the stony surface. Hiei gave the harpy who he keeps mentally promising himself he would kill and skin a quick glare before answering for himself.

“You could probably figure it out quicker than I can Kurama” Hiei sniped crossing his arms over his chest. The fact he couldn't do it himself irked him. The emerald eyed redhead scanned over the riddle, as he did he read it aloud for Yusuke and Kuwabara.

“the king had power, but wished for more

so he was given a stroke but the ending was quite gore

he lost so much but at least he died rich

given the hospitality reversing it was a cinch”

Kurama took a step back musing over the strange riddle. What could it mean and how is it connected to the five stones over the five paths?

“So?” Kuwabara inched wanted to know if the smartest one of the group figured it out.

“I'm sorry but I don't know how it connects to the stones.” Kurama sadly apologized feeling a little ashamed that he couldn't be more helpful. “If only I knew more about Greek mythology.”

“Hey” Yusuke quipped turning to face a character straight from the myths “you know anything about this?”

“Humph, like I would know anything like that.” She snapped flicking a strand of hair from her face

“But you're a thing from the actual myths how the hell can you not know about this?” Yusuke yelled outraged, she was becoming quite useless.

“What do I look like a god?” Ocypete bit back pushing Yusuke to the ground, “you are expecting every answer to be handed to you!”

“shut up!” Yusuke screamed throwing a punch at her, “you have no damn right to lecture me!”

“Oh yes attack me, I'm sure your powers will prove useful. Just like when you nearly drowned due to the sirens.” The harpy mocked leaping into the air hovering above Yusuke's head “face it you are now useless all of you are pathetic. You cannot even comprehend how deep you are in right now.”

“I've faced worse, Kayko's wrath.” Yusuke joked with a cocky smirk

“Hmm joking are we? Is that how you evade the truth by masking it with dull humor. Yusuke this is bigger than you could ever hope to be, this is something centuries in the making. Not even you could stop it.”

“So are you saying that the whole freaking world being destroyed is fate?” He yelled tightening his fists.

“It was bound to happen someday, you just arrived at the wrong place at the wrong time, child.” Ocypete sneered, suddenly Yusuke appeared in front of her. He slammed a fist to her face plowing her into the ground, her skull making a dent in the gray stone floor.

“Don't call me a child, you think you know me but you don't.” Yusuke choked raising his head as Ocypete struggled back to her feet. “So don't freaking tell me what's good for me or that I should give up! The world is depending on me and so are my friends.” He gained a new determination to see this mission through, even if it kills him.

“Oh my hero.” Botan sobbed as she gazed into the reflecting pool, “It seems Yusuke has finally seen the importance of his case.”

“Before he didn't?” Aphrodite posed looking over to the grim reaper.

“Oh well he wasn't as serious but now he has a new outlook. Too bad none of them know how to get out of that dreadful maze.” Botan sighed looking over to Cherion. “Do you know the answer?”

“Of course I do, this is a story long passed. It did happen centuries ago, I think perhaps when I was just a baby….”

“Shush!” the sex mistress silenced with her index finger over her lips “I don't want Botan knowing yet.”

“Your really enjoying this aren't you?” Botan asked fairly disgusted as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Entertainment like this doesn't come by easily and I love how the harpy keeps their blood pumping. So many emotions are pooling around I just can't help but smile.” She grinned keeping her eyes glued to her reflecting pool, “but they still have only four hours and fifteen minutes till the game is over.” She added clapping her hands in enjoyment.