Snakes in a Maze
L.A.: Hello everyone!
Amu: We're back!
L.A.: Because it's Halloween tomorrow and I love you all! I have an extra long chapter for you!
Amu: It's a miracle.
L.A.: We hope you enjoy!
UpperClassK9: Thanks for the review! Yeah, Tori should know better but then again, she's not perfect.
rheaclairet: Thanks for the review! Don't worry about it. I can relate to the stupid life problems.
dragongirl-8507: thanks for the reviews! I'm glad my story is humorous!
Out-Of-Control-Authoress: Thanks for the review! Aw, I'm mean? (sad face) Maybe this chapter will make you think differently?
Spidey meets Wizard-Theif: Thanks for the review you two! Aw, that would be something Haku would think. The show's reviews? I'm confused…
Lokelani87: Thanks for the review! My story's cool! (feels proud) Sweet!
Hisa-Me Kurai: Thanks for the review! Aw, thanks. I'm really glad my story is in perspective. It means I'm getting better in my writing.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I only own Haku, Sira, Tori, Alexis and Carl
Sira frowned as she gazed around the party. No matter where she looked, she couldn't see Tori. "Haku," Sira muttered to the little wolf pup in her arms. "Something's up."
Haku cocked his head inquisitively.
"Hey Sira," Yusuke said as Kurama, Kuwabara, and he walked towards her. "Have you seen Tori?"
She shook her head. "No, I was about to ask you guys the same question."
All three men suddenly looked off in the distance. Their faces were serious.
Sira raised an eyebrow. "Uh, are you guys auditioning for Baywatch or something?"
"I sense something," Kurama said.
"Yeah," Yusuke frowned, "I sense it too."
"You sense…dead people?" Sira asked with frustration. She was starting to get annoyed with being left out of the loop.
"There was a rise in spiritual energy on that hill," Kuwabara said as he pointed to a hill in the distance.
"Tori's in trouble," Sira said as she immediately headed towards the hill.
"Where are you going?" Yusuke asked, his frown deepening.
She rolled her eyes. "Obviously, I'm going to help you guys find Tori."
Kurama shook her head. "That would be highly inadvisable. The strength of this spiritual energy could prove dangerous and you would only be in the way."
"Yeah, Sira," Kuwabara said, "Don't force us to make you stay here."
Sira glared at them. "Why don't you make me?" Haku growled as smoke began to bellow from his mouth.
Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged glances.
"Fine you can come," Yusuke said, "Just stay close."
"And keep that mutt away from me," Kuwabara muttered. "He might try and barbecue me."
"Good boy," Sira said as she rubbed Haku's head affectionately.
Tori heaved a sigh as she continued to run. She had been following Sira through the twisted maze for over ten minutes. The girl was acting rather odd, Tori noticed, and her strange giggling was starting to get on her nerves.
They finally entered an open area within the maze and stopped. Sira stood before her, hands on hips. A huge grin was plastered on her face.
As Tori caught her breath, she glared at her. "Was that really necessary? Plus, why are you so happy?" She paused as she noticed a certain black pup was missing. "And where's Haku?"
Sira cocked her head, still wearing her smile. There something strange about Sira's eyes. They seemed cold, cruel…not human.
Tori took a hesitant step back. "You're not Sira." She yelped as the archway behind her was closed off by hedges.
"Very persssseptive, human," Sira said. Her voice was a mixture of hers and of a male's snake-like voice. "I wasss wondering when you would figure it out."
"Who are you," Tori said as she started to back into the hedge.
"I am the one who is known assss Viper," the stranger said, still talking in the mixture of voices.
Tori put her back against the hedge. "What do you want?"
The stranger shrugged. "To capture you, of coursssse but I'm afraid our fun will have to wait until your friend arrivessss." The stranger's eyes became snake like with golden flecks as it began to laugh.
A strange hissing sound came from behind her ear. Whirling around, she saw a pair of golden eyes staring back at her from within the hedge. Her scream was silence before it left her mouth as the creature lunged at her.
"Wow," Sira muttered as Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and she looked up at the maze that lay before them. "You guys sure love your mazes."
Haku barked in agreement.
"Yeah," Yusuke muttered, "Except there's been nothing here for ages."
The hedges parted to the left of them as green light spilled out.
"Uh, do you get the feeling we're expected?" Sira asked.
"It would seem that way," Kurama said. As Yusuke and Kuwabara entered the maze, Kurama leaned toward Sira and whispered. "It would be wise if you stay here."
Sira sighed. "Yeah but I've never been wise, have I?" She shook her head as she readjusted her hold on Haku. "I'll be fine. I've got you guys and Haku watching my back." She ignored Kurama's disapproving stare as she entered the maze.
After following the maze for ten minutes, Kuwabara and Yusuke were starting to get annoyed.
"I'm about ready to blast my way through this maze," Yusuke said as his pointer finger began to glow.
"I'm with Urameshi," Kuwabara said as his spirit sword materialized in his hands.
"That wouldn't be a good idea," Kurama pointed behind him, "It seems this maze has a life of its own."
Looking back, Sira saw plants grow up and block the archway they had just passed. "Great, I feel like we're in Anastasia. All we need is a puppy leading the way."
Haku's ears perked as he jumped out of her arms. As soon as he hit the ground, he was running, yipping as he followed the maze.
"I didn't mean that literally," Sira called as she raced after him. They rounded the corner and stopped dead in their tracks. "Holy Shit."
Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama came up behind her. Their eyes widened. "Holy shit," Yusuke muttered.
Tori was laying on a bed of flowers. She looked as if she was fast asleep. However, this image was ruined by the fifteen or so snakes slithering over her body.
Kuwabara made a step forward but Sira stopped him.
"They're just snakes," Kuwabara said.
"They aren't just any snakes," Sira said, her face pale. "Those are some of the deadliest snakes in the world." Sira squinted at the snakes. "I see a couple black mambas, a king cobra, a taipan, a couple of coral snakes, a couple bloomslangs and a death adder." She glanced at the others.
"Are you sure," Yusuke asked.
Sira nodded. "I work at a zoo so I know my animals." She sighed. "One bite from one of those and Tori's as good as dead."
"You do know your sssnakesss human," A snake-like voice said as a figure materialized from the shadows. The figure had the body of a human and the head of a cobra. His hood was erect as his golden eyes glowed from his brown scales. He bowed. "I am the one known assss Viper. I wasss the one who captured your dear friend Tori." He pointed a clawed hand toward Sira. "You will ssssoon be joining her."
"Yeah," Yusuke said with a smirk. "Well freak, you're going to have to deal with us first."
Viper grinned exposing his fangs. "Then let the gamesss begin."
All three men attacked Viper while Sira and Haku watched from the sidelines. She really wanted to get to Tori but with all those dangerous snakes so near Tori's neck, she didn't want to chance it.
The snakes seemed to become agitated with the commotion and began to scatter. A couple of black mambas turned towards her, their beady eyes staring unblinking as they slithered towards her.
"Nice snakes," Sira said as she backed up against the hedge. "You don't want to bite me."
As a black mamba lunged for her, Haku jumped in front and ate the entire snake whole. He burped fire, barbecuing the remaining mambas.
"Whoa," Sira said as Haku wagged his tail and barked happily.
Kuwabara, who had been thrown by Viper into a hedge nearby, looked at Haku and said. "Geez, that mutt will eat anything."
"Yeah," Sira smirked as she scooped Haku into her arms. "He kind of reminds me of Yusuke and you."
"Hey!"
Most of the snakes were either attacking the others or slithering away into the bushes. This was the perfect time to get to Tori. However, she stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed Tori wasn't alone.
The king cobra sat on her chest with its head raised as it watched the scene before it. Its hood wasn't erect but it seemed to be thinking and calculating its surroundings.
Secretly, Sira had always admired the king cobra. It was one of the few snakes who didn't attack randomly. All of its moves were carefully thought out.
With a hiss, it turned its attention towards her. She could see wisdom in the creature's eyes as it studied her.
Haku made an attempt to walk towards it, but she held him back. They were just out of its striking range. She knew this because the snake could only strike within the distance it could raise its body. Therefore, the snake didn't think she was a serious threat yet. She wanted it to stay that way.
"Come on Cobra," Sira murmured. "Please get off my friend."
The cobra hissed again as it looked at the fight happening between the guys and Viper. It looked down at Tori and for a split second, Sira was afraid it was going to bite her. It seemed to change its mind though and slithered off into the hedge.
Sira let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she quickly ran towards her friend. She was about to shake her when Viper let out a yell.
Glancing at the others, she saw Viper clutching his right arm in obvious pain. "Thisss isssn't over," he hissed. Before their eyes, he transformed into a blue snake. "I'll be back." He slithered off into the hedges. As soon as he was gone, the maze disappeared.
At that moment, Tori woke up. She immediately closed her eyes as she winced. "Wha…happen…" she asked groggily.
"You were kidnapped," Sira said as she helped her friend to her feet. "You scared me when you had all those snakes slithering over your body."
Tori's eyes snapped open. "Snakes?"
"Yeah," Sira nodded. "Some of the deadliest in the world."
Tori paled as her voice went up an octave. "Deadly?"
Sira grinned. "That had to be so cool."
"Tori," Kurama said as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay? You look like you are about to pass out."
She immediately turned a brilliant shade of magenta. "I'm fine, really."
Sira was completely oblivious since she was off in her own little world. "Especially that king cobra. It was so cool. One day I'm going to have a king cobra. I'll name him Slytherin after the Hogwart's house and he will help me take over the worl…" She paused as she saw Tori's reaction. "I mean Disney world." She then proceeded to laugh maniacally.
"You know," Yusuke muttered, "sometimes I wonder if she's insane."
"I sometimes wonder if she was dropped on her head repeatedly when she was a baby," Tori said, "but that is one of life's questions will never know."
Sira glared at her. "Hey, that's not funny."
The group started as a lump was dropped in front of them. Hiei landed beside it and said. "I found this idiot tangled in some vines."
Carl quickly scrambled to his knees as he clamped onto Tori's waist and wailed. "I'm so sorry! I failed you! I'm the worst bodyguard ever!"
"Um," Tori said as she awkwardly patted Carl on the back. "It's okay?"
"I should have been there," Carl continued sobbing, "I could have done something to help."
"Like what," Yusuke whispered. "Accidentally fall on Viper?"
Sira casually stepped on his foot.
Yusuke winced as she glared at him.
"If you want to fire me, I would understand," Carl said, looking more like a puppy than an ogre.
Tori sighed. "Look it's your first job. You're bound to mess up, so why don't you stay on."
Carl looked up excitedly. "Really?" He pounced to his feet as he shook her hand. "Thank you thank you thank you! You won't regret it." He began to walk away. "You'll see I'll be the greatest body guard ev…Ah!" Carl tripped and fell into a nearby bush.
Kurama leaned toward Sira. "Was that a good idea?"
Tori shook her head. "No, but he looked pathetic so I had to give in."
"There you are!" Botan said as she walked up to them. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"
Sira sighed. "You wouldn't believe the night we've been having."
"Well, it's not over yet," Botan said. "Koenma wants to see you."
Tori frowned. "When?"
"Actually," Botan said as a portal appeared in front of them, "Right now."
L.A.: Yeah, if you couldn't tell. I really like snakes.
Amu: Especially king cobras.
L.A.: Yeah, I was the one who when there was a snake instead of running away screaming I was the one saying aw how cute and protecting it from getting its head chopped off.
Amu: Anywho you know what to do. READ and REVIEW! And…
L.A. and Amu: HAPPY EARLY HALLOWEEN!!!
