Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Why can't we be friends? ❯ Riddle me this? ( Chapter 7 )

Title: Why can't we be friends?

 

Chapter 7: riddle me this?

 

Author: agent rookie grl

 

Rating: R

 

Disclaimer: don't claim any rights to it (the anime I mean)

 

 

It has been nearly thirty minutes since the team stumbled upon the five-pronged fork in their path. Kurama was still standing in front of the question pondering about the answer and the connection to the stones as he rubbed his chin in thought. Kuwabara had tried using his sixth sense to weed out the solution but due to Aphrodite's godlike abilities it proved to be impossible.

“Dammit! This is taking up too much time! At this rate we'll be getting out of here when times up.” Yusuke grumbled pounding his fists on the wall where the riddle was carved. The whole room shook with Yusuke unvented frustration as small dents formed where his fists made contact.

“Did you think the gods would play fair?” Ocypete question making her voice known, Yusuke turned to her, as she was perched on the ground behind him “if they have any chance of making this a pain in the ass they'll be dammed not to do it.”

“Yea I figured that out when we met Artemis,” then it hit him. This time and last time Hiei was the one who came up with the bargains. If it were him Yusuke would have just challenged them to a fight and kicked their asses. “Hiei,” the said fire demon was sitting in a corner far from everyone else with his eyes closed. He opened one ruby orb to stare at Yusuke “just why the hell did you want to make a deal with Aphrodite anyway and Artemis? Is there something you've got planned and don't feel like telling us?”

“Hn,” was his universal answer closing his eyes once again. He made a promise to Athena not to reveal their partnership and he's not the kind of person to break promises.

“Hey I asked you a question, now answer!” Yusuke demanded advancing on the fire demon.

“I don't have to answer your ridiculous questions detective.” Hiei remarked blankly not even bothering to open his eyes. Yusuke was about ready to punch Hiei's face in, just to relieve some tension from the whole ordeal.

“Urameshi punching the crud out of the shrimp isn't gonna solve our problem which is picking the right path!” Kuwabara corrected stopping an impending fight.

“Why can't we just try em all?” Yusuke questioned with a shrug walking closer to the five passageways.

“Because if you choose the wrong one you'll probably be killed” Ocypete spoke up, getting an annoyed glare from Yusuke “but that's just an assumption.”

“Well fox boy any luck on that damn puzzle?” the designated leader of the team questioned the brainy fox demon. His chocolate eyes scanned over Kurama's face, he was so engrossed in the riddle itself that it was like he was in his own little world. His brows were knotted in concentration, as his hands would tremble every once in a while as to help break the stress on his mind. “Kurama,” he tried once more but with no luck.

Bop. A tiny rock collided with the back of Kurama's skull; Yusuke could see one of his emerald eyes become amber as it twitched,

“What!” he screamed very uncharacteristically at the harpy, who was perched on the ground behind him. Everyone was now looking right at the cool, calm and collected redhead as he lost his temper. “I am sorry, this riddle is very complex for me.”

“It's alright, we'll eventually figure it out” Yusuke gave him teammate a pat on the back “but it didn't help that you threw a rock at him.” He growled out the last sentence.

“You wanted to talk to him” she defended while picking dirt from her feathery wings. Hiei watched from his spot his hand reaching for the owl feather give to him by Athena as he watched Ocypete mess with her own.

“What the hell.” He muttered quietly closing his normal eyes and opening his jagan. “Athena, Athena. Answer me dammit!” He called from the depths of his mind; she said she would answer if he called.

“Child of the forbidden flame, why do you call me?” the war goddess responded. Hiei cringed in anger at the horrid nickname she had just used “forgive me for using such a crude name for you sword wielder. I was just checking on your background just before you called.”

“Why do you need to pry into my past? Do you not trust me?” He inquired giving a tiny smirk.

“It's not that, you have used my advice so I know our bond is clear. I only gain knowledge of your history as insurance. In fact I am doing it for all of you, I am sparing no one.” Athena righted properly.

“Insurance? Is there something you want to share?” The demon posed with a perk of his eyebrow.

“I believe you contacted me with your gifted eye for a reason? Or is it that you are lonesome for a friendly chat?” The Wisdom deity quipped with a bit of sultry in her voice.

“Hn, don't flatter yourself. We are…”

“Trapped in Aphrodite's labyrinth as you are searching for the goddess's golden girdle?” She interrupted and finished, upon hearing a low groan from the other side as she grinned, “I am the goddess of wisdom and yes I know of the riddle and it's answer you seek.”

“Don't be shy” he retorted inpatient for the response.

“Joking around are we? And I thought you were cold hearted,” she teased playfully “my ally in justice go through the path with the golden stone, unless of course you are interested in the story itself?”

“I'm in a rush.” Hiei informed about to break the link,

“Please don't hesitate to ask for assistance…Hiei.” Athena departed disconnecting the link, the fact she used his name gave Hiei a slight twinge in his mind, as they broke apart.

“Hn, just some of their wicked powers at work.” He concluded getting up heading into the golden stone path.

“Shorty what are you doing going in there?” Kuwabara called as his form became more difficult to see, “Hiei!”

“Guess Hiei got tired of waiting” Yusuke drew to a close, as he too followed his teammate.

“Urameshi! You heard what Ocypete said! What if you get killed?” the carrot top shouted as his schoolmate too became nothing more than a shadow.

“Well he hasn't died yet, unless you want to try another way?” the harpy asked elbowing him as she and Kurama rushed after the two. Kuwabara sighed slumping over,

“Man this place is full of hypocrites.” He groaned chasing after them “hey wait up!”

“Quite interesting that they were able to find the right path so soon.” The servant nymph awed watching the reflecting pool by her goddess's side.

“Thirty minutes, a new record.” Aphrodite smiled, “nymph make sure to write that down for future reference.”

“At once my lady!” the nymph bowed heading off

“Well there is going to be no future for you!” Botan argued, “and what was the point of that riddle anyway?”

“It tells of King Midas who received the power to turn whatever he touched into gold by Dionysus, the god of wine, drama and life itself, when it proved inconvenient he was kind enough to take it away. Only due to the hospitality the king showed when he disguised himself as an old mortal man.” Cherion explained clearly to the grim reaper.

“Oh well this god sounds a lot nicer than the rest I've seen.” Botan replied crossing her arms.

“Why have a riddle about another god in your maze my goddess?” the centaur questioned with a look of confidence.

“Quiet! I want to hear and see the rest of this tale. I don't want to miss any rich powerful emotions!” the quieted the two rubbing her hands together with a cocky smirk on her face.

“Why the sudden rush of buoyancy?” Cherion posed, “did you perhaps change the way the game will be played to suit your fancy?”

“Maybe,” she giggled as her nymph returned with a scroll and ink “servant are you writing down the record time?”

“Yes my lady,” the nymph nodded scribbling down the information onto the scroll. Once again the Minotaur's laughter echoed throughout the maze,

“Impressive that you didn't die trying your luck against the path. Though I do think it's do to dumb luck!” He mocked from his spot deep within the stone maze.

“Just wait bull bastard! When I get to you, your gonna wish you were never born!” Yusuke threatened as they took the various twists and turns in order to reach their goal.

“Empty threats! For you see fate was never on your side! My goddess will prove to be a temptress!” The Minotaur insulted his voice causing more rubble to fall from above. Soon as he made the threat they arrived in a huge stone room, where the only way out was across from them behind two white marble double doors.

“The room itself seems bigger than the maze,” Kurama noted looking around as a giant boulder crashing to the earth blocked their exit. Boom! “It appears that we have another obstacle to face.”

“As long as it's not another riddle” Kuwabara complained clutching his fists,

“Yes we all know that your feeble mind can't take so much punishment.” Hiei sniped getting a fist waved in his face by Kuwabara.

“Ah, long time no see mates” A drunken Australian accent greeted from above, a form crashed into the room as a wine bottle rolled over to Yusuke's feet. “How ya doin' Urameshi,” the old friend waved wobbling on his feet.

“Chu?” Yusuke shouted in disbelieve that his old tournament rival was there. “Uh what are you doing here?”

“Well ya see I just meet a very fine Sheila,” he stumbled falling backwards on his ass giving a drunken laugh before continuing “and ya see she had some friends. I can tell ya this they were real lookers!” He laughed loudly and obnoxiously again, “smelled nice too, so before I knew it they brough't me to this mate…and he's got a load of booze!”

He stood up staggering before regaining his balance “so we made a deal, I mean the prom'ise of liquor sealed the deal but seeing ya Urameshi well that's what I call a bonus!”

“This idiot reeks of alcohol,” Ocypete gagged from her spot hovering above the four “I can smell it from here.”

“Well aren't you an interesting one, Sheila” Chu remarked heading his way over to them. “Those are some bright feathers ya got” he reached up to touch one of the harpy's wings but received a smack in the face from the harpy instead.

“Hands off booze hound” she shirked flexing her talons mincingly. Chu gave a laugh rubbing his left cheek where Ocypete hit.

“Quite a right hook ya got, so Urameshi why bring along extra tail? Is your woman Kayko not enough for ya?” He joked causing Yusuke to flush a light pink.

“Hey knock it off!” Yusuke kidded around punching the demon ally in the arm, “Ocypete is just apart of team is all.”

“Really?” Chu interrogated getting into Yusuke's face, his breath making the raven-haired teen gag as he backed away nodding.

“Chu you spoke before that you made a deal, is that why you are here?” Kurama inquired breaking up the friendly conversation. Getting answer from the intoxicated demon would prove to be a handful.

“Yea, give me a minute' ta remember” he rubbed his chin in deep thought for a few minutes “yea now I got it, the deal. I was supposed to do something with tha intruders; I suppose that's ya five. Just now what was it that bloat wanted me to ask?”

“Is this your plan having Chu question them while he's drunk?” Botan questioned outraged, “are you insane?”

“Actually having that smashed Australian sounding demon wasn't my plan, as a matter of fact my plan was having different paths for them to go through and for each one they must answer a question from the heart.” The sex goddess explained confused, “someone must have tampered with my labyrinth.” A bright smile crossed her full ruby lips.

“Why are you so happy?” Botan posed a bit peeved at the process this game was going in.

“Servant nymph awake that Kayko girl and bring her to the throne room!” Aphrodite ordered, “She must see this spectacle!”

“At once!” the nymph bowed bounding up and heading towards the quarters where Kayko was imprisoned.