Disclaimer: Yet another inspiration from the wonderful students at my school, AHF. Sune-Ku is copyrighted under my name. She is based off of a nasty little freshman, who made my life a living hell for no less than three weeks. M. Sendrowski is the biggest (stand by for censor) BLEEEEP, BLEE-BEEEEEEP, and all around the biggest BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEP that I've ever met. Our own girl-version of Kuwabara (times twenty) is not even worth mentioning because she is too much of an imbecile as it is. (Warning Mild to Moderate Kuwabara-Bashing!)

Vocabulary:

Youkai Demon

Haikibutsu Garbage

-ss or ss- hissing

Youko Fox youkai

Ningen human

Makai Demon-world

Chapter 14:

Master of the "widow-maker":

Saturday night:

"So, what do we know about this youkai?" asked Josh.

"Not enough." said Hiei sullenly.

Tension hung in the air around the spirit detectives, like a solemn grey mist. Tilly's apparent anxiety was contagious. Kuwabara, without warning, shouted, "SPIRIT… duh-uh…oh, yeah…SWORD!" He leapt forward and brought his energy saber down and through a shadowed figure ahead near the path.

"HYAH…uh…TAKE THAT!"

"Uh… Kuwabara? That's a TREE!" Yusuke said, looking weirded-out. Kuwabara ignored him and continued to attempt to beat the "attacker"/tree senseless.

"Ooookay…"said Tilly. When the attacker had been chopped into tongue depressors, they continued into the mountains.

Eventually, they reached the steep face of a cliff. Above them, the moon in a red-orange creasant waxed, coldly forbidding their approach. Behind the cliff's edge, they saw slender shapes, like shadows, barely illuminated by a fire. Rea threw a dense cloak of darkness around them and they crept closer. Soon they heard voices,

"No, ss-Sune-Ku, the… were… ss-side… camp." Said a voice, faintly.

"I ss-stand… with… I… we… wait. It's-ss… move." Said "Sune-Ku" with a hiss.

"I can't make out what they're saying! Even with my Youko ears!" Whispered Rea, "We're too far away."

"All I hear is hissing." Yusuke whispered back.

" As though someone was pouring cold water onto hot snakes." Commented Kurama quietly.

"UGH! SNAKES? WHERE! WHERE?" Yelled Kuwabara.

"Shut up!" Everyone whispered.

Unfortunately, but naturally, the outer guard heard the commotion. In a moment, the whole encampment was on top of them; they were bound and shoved into a kneeling position. The leader of the band approached, but remained hidden within the shadows.

"Hold them, Brothers-ss! Don't give them a chance to free themselves-ss." She turned to her second-in-command, "Haistus-ss!"

A snake youkai stepped forward and responded,

"My Liege, I hear and obey."

"Let it be forever known that Sune-Ku, empress-ss of the ss-Southern ss-Seas, ss-stewardess-ss of the Eas-ss-tern Jungles-ss has-ss, (as prisoners, awaiting trial and execution) Kowenma's Spirit Detectives!" Although still blocked from the detectives' sight by the darkness, at her proclamation, there were raucous cries, yells, and hissings.

"Uh-oh." Said Kuwabara. Everyone else glared at him. Lorea began cursing the snakes in German, English, Japanese, and Quenya; true to nature.

The leader laughed mockingly and said,

"Brothers-ss! Let us-ss make an example of them." Josh struggled against his captors' grasp and shouted,

"Take me on if you dare, Haikibutsu!"

Sune-Ku strode towards him, walking finally into the flickering light of the torches and the fire. Standing before him now, she seemed goddess-like and terrifying.

"Ningen-filth!" She slapped him hard across the face but, he wouldn't cry out.

However… someone else did.

"NO! JOSH! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM! I'LL KILL YOU! STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" Shouted Tilly, lunging against the snake-warriors to get at Sune-Ku, "I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR IT BY THE SEVEN KINGDOMS OF MAKAI!"

"You? Kill ME?" Sune-Ku laughed derisively, " An interesting idea… Release her! And… give her…an Honor-Bound Dagger."

Haistus gasped and the crowd fell silent, save for mutterings of: "honor-bound, honor-bound,"

Haistus grew angry,

"SILENCE!" he hissed, "My lady, An Honor-Bound Dagger Battle? With this pathetic…Ningen-raised… THING?"

Sune-Ku ignored his qualms,

"Bring my dagger, Viduus- the widow-maker." She ordered.

"My Lady." He replied and bolted. A serpent-like dagger was un-sheathed, used to cut Tilliana's ropes, and was cast into the ground in front of her.

"TILLY! DON'T DO IT!" Cried Josh and Lorea simultaneously. "I'LL FIGHT HER!" Rea shouted to Tilliana, desperate.

Tilliana turned, stood up, and smiled with a strange look in her blue eyes.

She held the Dagger.

Mwah-ha-ha-Ha-ha! Three more chapters 'til the end!