Chapter IV

Yu Yu gang.........

"Wow Makai looks different from the last time we were here," Kuwabara said in astonishment. The portal they took dropped them off in a meadow. The grass came up to their knees, the color was a strange mix of blue green. The trees that surround the meadow were bare of leaves which was kinda strange cause it felt cool as spring. The sun was hidden behind a layer of clouds that looked like it was threatening to rain soon. And it was quiet.

"This is strange," Kurama said quietly to himself. Hiei looked at the fox from the corner of his eye, he had heard what Kurama said although it seemed the other two didn't hear.

"So where do we begin?" Yusuke asked.

"What?!" Kuwabara fell anime style then got up. "I thought Botan told you where!!" The carrot head youth yelled in the other's ear.

Yusuke shrugged, "Well all she said was that 'Go off into Makai, we think the source might be there.' then she left."

"But isn't that kinda obvious?" Kuwabara questioned.

"I suggest we start at the temple," Kurama suggested. Yusuke and Kuwabara turned to face the red head demon.

"What temple??" They asked together.

Hiei rolled his eyes, "The temple the gems were kept in, bakas."

"Hey who are you callin' a baka, baka?!" Again, Yusuke and Kuwabara spoke together.

Meanwhile. . . . .

"Ahhh get away! Get away!"

"I swear Kizu can you please stop figgeting so that I can get them off?!" Unluckily for the two, the portal Kizu chose happened to lead them straight into Spider Mountain. A mountain, like it's name, consisted of spiders. Kizu was covered head to toe with teeny little black spiders. The girl stood stiff like a board. "There that's the last one," Nika informed. Kizu let out a sigh of relief. "Why'd you choose this portal anyways?" Nika asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It was the fastest one that I can find for the time being, besides it was supposed to let us off at the foot of Spider Mountain not in it!"

"Right, c'mon." Nika started to walk towards an opening which she can only guess was the exit.

"Wait!" Kizu ran up to catch up with her friend. "So where are we going to go first?' She asked. Nika turned around abruptly.

"What'diya mean 'Where are we going to go first?' I THOUGHT YOU KNEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Nika's voice echoed then realizing what she had done she panicked. "Oh no! I yelled!"

"So?"

"So? So?! SO?! Don't you remember baka?! The last time we went to this place you yelled and nearly got us killled!!"

Kizu looked thoughtful for a minute then exclaimed cheerfully when she finally remembered. "Oh yeah! Now I remember! The spider queen heard me and she chased us all around the mountain. Y'know she's kinda mean. I mean we didn't do anything and---" Nika covered the younger teen's mouth earning an annoyed look from the girl.

"Shhh be quiet. I thought I heard something." They both froze when a female's voice greeted them from behind, icily:

"Ah I see you've come back."

They both turned slowly towards the voice. Standing about five feet away from them was a GIANT black spider, nearly reaching the ceiling. Kizu gave a nervous laugh, her hand behind her head, "Hi! It's been a long time huh?" While the spider queen was busy, Nika reached into her pocket, her fingers grasp around the handle of her hand gun. She pulled it out quickly and pointed it at the queen. "Well sorry we can't stay we hafta go! But we'll visit again!" The queeen turned her attention towards Nika.

"Put that wweapon of yours down child."

"Do you seriously think I'm that stupid?" Nika asked the queen sarcastically. Kizu stepped a bit closer to her friend since she was weaponless and was totally afraid of spiders. "Okay when I count to three I'll shoot and you run," Nika whispered silently to the other.

"You can't!" Kizu xclaimed in a loud whisper.

"Why not?!" Nika asked back in the same tone and continued before Kizu could give her a reason why. "Do you remember last time? She wanted us to come to dinner and you just had to agree and we almost ended up eaten, alive!" Oblivious to the two now bickering teens the spider queen over heard everything.

"Because if she dies, there won't be any more of Spider Mountain and like almst one third of the forest's population eat spiders!"

"But they're demons Kizu," Nika reasoned.

"I'm demon too," Kizu said sounding hurt. It was what they used called thought speak, which was like telepath except that you can control who's in the conversation and who's not. Right now only Nika heard Kizu's thought speak since the spider queen happened to be a telepath, using telepathy in Makai was dangerous since there were alot of other telepathic demons all around them. Nika paused but lowered her gun, and glared at the spider queen who had reamined silent through out the whole thing.

"Don't think I'm doing this cause you told me so," Nika growled, "If you try and eat us like last time I won't hesitate and kill you right here and now."

"You have my word," the spider queen said, "My name's Luana."

"Spider's have names?!" Kizu asked once again in thought speak.

"I guess so," Nika answered. She looked at the spider--uh Luana still with out much trust. "My name's . . . Sapphire and this is my friend . . . Starre."

"I am hurt much by this. I gave you my real name now I need yours."

Kizu being her curious self asked Luana, "How diya know?" Nika covered her friend's mouth again and again earned another annoyed look.

Nika laughed nervously, "You were kidding, right Starre?" Nika fixed her friend with a glare. "We can't use our real names here! How many times do I have to TELL YOU?!"

Kizu tore the girl's hand away from her mouth. "But she told us her real name so we have to tell her's ours too. That's the right thing to do, isn't it." Then. "Oops I said that out loud didn't I?"

Nika gave an exasperated sigh, "Was your head screwed on too tight? Anyways, Luana, Queen Luana I apologize for lieing but we cannot tell you our real names," Nika glared at Kizu while she said this then returned her attention to the queen, "because we can't trust anyone. I hope this doesn't offend you in anyway."

"I see. You are spies sent from Koenma-baka right?"

"H-how'd you know?" Nika stared in shock at the queen.

"In a situation like this that baby sure as to send someone here already. If you truely are from the Spirit World then I shall help you in anyway I can."

"See Nika she isn't mean."

"YOU STUPID IDIOT YOU JUST SAID MY NAME OUT LOUD!!!!!!!!!"

Back to our favorite spirit detectives. . . . . .

"Man we've been walkin' for hours," Kuwabara complained.

"It's only been 24 minutes," Hiei informed then added, "baka."

"Why you little runt!!" Kurama stepped between the two to prevent Kuwabara from beating up the little runt.

"This is no time to be fighting each other, you'll have plenty of time for that later now we need to find the temple." The continued walking in silence again.

"Hey Urameshi how come you're so quiet?" Kuwabara aked, trying to start a conversation.

Yusuke answered without turning around, "The reason why we all are quiet." Again they continued on in silence after Kuwabara's failed attempt to start a conversation. On each of their minds were about the people in Nigenkai, well except Hiei, he was thinking about Yukina. But there was another problem they all overlooked ; why haven't any demons attacked them so far?

They walked through the forest that seemed to have suffered the same fate as the meadow ; leafless trees. Grass was scarce, and it was as if they were being watched somehow. But again they overlooked that matter. The dirt path that they were on wound throughout the used-to-be forest, no signs of life anywhere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finished........nothin' much on this chapter, the action or mystery or whatever starts on maybe chapter 4 or 5 or 6, I don't know yet.