Never No Answer
Never No Answer
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his own body. It felt like he had fallen asleep in a bathtub of scalding hot
water. His skin was tight as if it had shrunk while he slept. All his muscles
were heavy and tired; unresponsive when he demanded them to move. Sanzo could
barely keep his eyes open, blearily staring at the ceiling and left to wonder
what in the world had happened.
roof, simple white walls bare except for a few cheap and tattered painted wall
scrolls with bold, black calligraphy writings that Sanzo doubted any of those
idiot common folk would even be able read. He could tell that it was some kind
of hotel room by the sparse personal things decorating the room. In fact, it
reminded him of the same inn they had stayed at…the last night Sanzo could
clearly remember.
glancing around to see a large, circular wood table in the center of the room
with four old chairs surrounding it. An old, stained pine dresser was in the
corner with a small mirror hanging on the wall over it. In the far corner of
the room was a small refrigerator. That had better be full of alcohol, or he
was going to stay in this bed and rot to death.
hallway in a small alcove opposite the wall of the bed directly to his right.
Another open doorway that was facing the foot of the bed that led in to what
must be a private bathroom. Inwardly, Sanzo was pleased that there was the
prospect of a bath tub or shower where he could finally take his own damn sweet
time in scrubbing the dirt from the road off. He hated the shared common
bathrooms, always choosing to go late in the evening and early mornings when it
was unlikely for anyone else to be there. He didn’t want to deal with
harassment from fat, ugly naked older men far too horny for their age while he
was trying to enjoy a shower. He didn’t need to hear their idiot comments whhe whe was trying to close his eyes and relax, the closest he ever got to
meditation these days.
how the hell he had even gotten here. His memory was one big, pathetic black
hole as to whatever had laid him out in bed. Sanzo felt uniquely bone-tried and
drained, like he usually did if Hakkai had been at work. Something must have happened;
something that had caused such injury that Hakkai had needed to heal him? What
could have happened to force the brunette to try and save his life with that
power of his? He didn’t like it.
knowing, throwing his head back on the pillon irn irritation. This left him
vulnerable. He could only wonder at how long he had been out. Sanzo
detested when Hakkai would cheerfully announce that he had been asleep for over
two dar sor some other ridiculous number like that. It galled Sanzo to no ends
that he had taken ‘days’ to recover sometimes. If he had been a stronger
person, he wouldn’t be getting fucking mauled half the time. Sanzo seemed to
attract stray bullets and knives and claws…and teeth, sometimes; mainly on the
bad days.
train of thought. His skull ached like it was going to become one of those
goddamn migraines that he suffered from constantly. His brow was already
tightening up as he became more irritated at being no closer to remembering
what had happened to put him in a bed. It only tensed him up further when he
couldn’t even move out of bed.
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intolerably around his pillow and Sanzo cursed this as well. It was another
weakness, something that afflicted him because he was so cowardly and weak. For
things he had done in the past, he paid for now with every little bit of pain.
Sanzo almost relished it at times; feeling like it was a penance to be paid. He
could get some satisfaction out of seeing his blood, to make up for the one
that had already given his life to protect him. The stupid Buddhist monk had
given his life to protect Sanzo, not as a High Priest, but as person with weak
emotions. Komyou had gotten himself killed because he had allowed himself to
Sanzo so many yeas ago.
looked down at his body to assess the injuries he had woken up with today.
His left arm was sprawled out on the mattress on to the the covers, the rest of
him hidden underneath the sheets. He considered himself lucky because he didn’t
think he could lift the sheets up right now to look at the rest of his body. He
was too damn tired and weak to even try. It was rather fucking pathetic and
there was very little he could do to change it.
wrappings, almost exactly how Gojyo wore bandages on his own arm everyday.
Sanzo’s mouth tightened distastefully at the thought of the womanizing and loud
half-breed. Gojyo’s only redeeming trait was the times Sanzo could grudgingly
bum a cigarette off the bastard when he ran out and was desperate for a smoke,
with Goku yelling in his ear and Hakkai laughing it all off like usual.
unwanted traveling ‘companions’ and back to his own injuries. He would need to
know exactly what had happened so he could pay back the favor with a hell of a
lot of interest. Nobody was allowed to beat him without suffering his
wrath. Sanzo had never been beaten twice by the same person, be it human or
youkai… Even a group of youkai. Sanzo was disgusted that it had even happened
once.
folded gauze bandage taped down over his shoulder. He felt like his neck was
also wrapped up as well. An experimental lick of his lips discovered a large
patch of medical tape on the outside corner of his mouth. Damn interesting. He’d
very much like to know what had put him out like this, and if it was still
alive. Because if whoever it was that did this to him was still living, Sanzo
would very much like to make that not the case.
small personal belongings, the biggest concerns begin the sutra, and his gun.
The robes were gone and Sanzo felt the fabric of an unfamiliar shirt and long
cotton pants on him. Someone had chosen to give him a new pair of pajamas.
Fucking wonderful. Sanzo’s head pounded in frustration that someone had
taken it upon himself to strip him down to the skin and tuck him in a bed.
was unconscious was not a pleasing image. If it had been someone other
than Goku, Sanzo would have the person’s head. Only Goku’s loyalty was
infallible and Sanzo was sure that the dumbass ape hadn’t a clue that he
should even appreciate a naked person. Goku didn’t have any inkling
toward sex yet, no matter how old he really was. Sanzo knew that Hakkai was
always so nice and respectful, but there was a dangerous, violent streak
that ran though the man. Sanzo wouldn’t want to risk it with Hakkai’s dark
streak. Gojyo was a sick pervert and would probably try something even if Sanzo
were unconscious during it or not. The half-demon had fewer morals than Sanzo,
at least when it came to sex.
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softness of the bed insisted that he stop thinking about such things and lie
still. Sanzo didn’t want to move for another few years and despised the
weakness at the same time. He was a monk, after all. Worldly pleasures shouldn’t
interest him. Beyond cigarettes and the feeling of the Smith and Wesson in his
hand, Sanzo didn’t find much to enjoy in life. He shouldn’t be relaxing in a
bed right now. He should be out finishing this damn mission…
to hold his head up any longer. He felt like falling back asleep and not giving
a damn when someone groaned next to him. Sanzo had enough time to take one
sharp breath before Gojyo rolled over and flapped his arm over Sanzo’s chest.
lying sound asleep, like Sanzo was nothing more than another cheap, loveless
fuck that he could use as a pillow afterwards. Sanzo nearly gagged with
revulsion before finding the strength to start up from the bed and throw the
arm off with as much force as he could manage right now, like the touch was
poisonous. It was, in a way.
chanted in his head as he struggled up in the bed. He looked around wildly for
his gun; searching for the places Hakkai would have put it. The Smith and
Wesson must be in the dresser so it would be hidden from sight. They all knew
better than to try and hide his gun from him while he was sleeping whatever it
was off. Hakkai had tried it once and the fury that followed was one not to be
roused again.
the world spun and tilted sickeningly. He would not stay in a bed with Gojyo
for one moment longer. What the hell had brought that man into his
bed?! Did the bastard think he was welcome there? Sanzo growled at the
lack of answers coming forward from his blank memory, his flesh crawling with
the remembered touch of the half-breed.
foot over the mattress and got it on the ground. Damn it all to the deepest,
darkest rotting hell he knew of. Gojyo was groaning and finally starting to
rouse from his sleep eveoughough Sanzo had thrown him off seconds ago and was now
leaving the bed as quickly as possible.
frantically as he took a step forward. First, he’d shoot Gojyo in the thigh or
shoulder, somewhere bloody and painful but not life threatening, and then get
some answers. Depending on if Gojyo’s explanations were pleasing, he might
allow the kappa to live. Might? He would kill the bastard for
daring to sleep in the same bed
step, landing in a hard sprawl that nearly knocked the wind out of him. Sanzo
bit his lip as his chin hit painfully against the floor, drawing blood. The
loud smack of a body hitting the hardwood floor was finally enough to rouse
Gojyo. Sanzo just knew thatyo wyo would see fit to finally awaken when
he was sprawled out on the floor like this.
him this weak? Blood was lea out out like a faucet from his cut lip and
starting to drip on the wooden floor. An unfamiliar and painful ache was
centered in the area between his hips and his back. His whole lower body felt
bruised and sore on the inside. Sanzo must have taken some heavy kidney punches
or the like. It hurt like a bitch, even more then the fresh wound on his lip.
floor?” Gojyo drawled as he raised his head up from the bed in mild curiosity.
He still lookedepy epy and bedraggled, his hair falling down over his
shoulders, wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers. Gojyo wasn’t fully awake
yet as he examined Sanzo’s bent head and the shaking back turned to him.
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you bastard?” Sanzo cursed, blood splattering as he yelled at Gojyo. Did he
think Sanzo liked being on the floor, struggling around like a wounded
animal? The half-breed was amazingly stupid at times, always falling
victim to his softhearted emotions. Gojyo was a pathetic, romantic asshole that
had chosen to fall asleep in his bed for some unfathomable reason.
Gojyo cursed, rolling out of the bed as he noticed Sanzo had blood covering his
lower lip and chin. Gojyo was thankfully wearing a pair of plain white boxers
and his familiar white tank-top. If he had been naked, Sanzo wouldn’t have
spoken for how much time Gojyo had left to live. Being decently dressed had
earned him a few more seconds.
piece of shit,” Sanzo returned. Gojyo knelt down next to Sanzo on the floor,
reaching out to grab at his jaw and examine him like a pet. Sanzo slapped Gojyo’s
hand away and gingerly pressed his own fingers on the cut, noticing that his right
arm also had wrappings around the wrist to his elbow. This just kept getting
better and better. Sanzo could feel more bandages underneath the loose,
borrowed pajamas. He could save those for examination later.
Priest Sanzo,” Gojyo drawled, making the title sound like a slur. Sanzo
wanted his gun to put a bullet straight through the half-breed’s head. He didn’t
have to listen to the redhead’s bullshit. Sanzo didn’t want to even see
Gojyo right now. Why the hell was he in my bed?
crisply, choosing to ignore Gojyo’s comments for now. Gojyo blinked at the tone
of voice, but didn’t even move, like he couldn’t understand the words.
Obviously Sanzo needed something to sop all the blood up with. With a snarl at
the bastard’s inability to understand the simplest of orders, Sanzo cupped his
chin to keep the blood from dribbling further down his chin and tried to stand.
world went backward. It felt the the floor had suddenly been yanked out from
under him as he collapsed for the second time that morning. He was lost,
helplessly falling backwards with nothing to catch himself with.
getting one arm under him before Sanzo knocked his brains out on the floor. It
would have been an embarrassing way to die, but Sanzo would have preferred it
to the humiliation of looking up into those inhuman red eyes. He hated the way
Gojyo looked at him, managing to seem predatory because of the color. He felt
like he was being examined and measured up, which was something he despised
with a passion.
him, not letting Sanzo sit up on his own power. Sanzo gave the youkai till the
count of three. If he didn’t release him, Sanzo was finding the gun and screw
it if he wasn’t able to walk. He’d crawl if need be. Gojyo finally sat
back up but took his own damn time in releasing the hold enough to allow Sanzo
to sit on the floor.
a while, at least until Sanzo recovered enough. He was dizzy from the worsening
migraine as his skull tightened painfully around the grey matter inside. Why
couldn’t Gojyo just leave him alone right now to curl up in the bed until he
died from this excruciating pain?
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he could kill Gojyo with a look alone as he gave the man an enraged glare.
Gojyo smirked next to him and brushed his long red hair around one ear, waiting
until he heard Sanzo use the old ‘magic word.’ Sanzo ground his teeth for a
moment, too infuriated to even speak in the face of Gojyo’s obvious disregard
for his anger.
to freeze the man to death just by being in the same room right now. Sanzo
would die before begging like that. It was beneath him, so abhorrent
that his skin crawled at the idea. He was High Priest Genjo Sanzo and he would
bend knee to no one... Ever.
Gojyo’s fault, for being so damn selfish when Sanzo was obviously stuck on the
floor. Sanzo still would not say ‘please.’ He would take death before that, so
all Sanzo could do was sit up on the floor a little straighter, ignoring the
twisting of his stomach and the clenching of his throat that threatened to
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drawled, standing up beside him. Sanzo swallowed, trying to keep from being
sick on the floor like a child. He was almost jealous of Gojyo’s uninjured
state. Sanzo hated the feeling of nausea, rarely eating so he could avoid
having anything to throw up later when the migraines got really bad.
scratched up in whatever fight Sanzo had gotten himself involved in. Gojyo’s
shaku-jou allowed very few to come in range of actually injuring him. Usually
Sanzo’s gun worked to the same advantage, but it seemed he had somehow managed
to be overwhelmed. He couldn’t remember if he had used the sutra or not. It was
impossible for him to imagine being beaten by the usual youkai they ran across.
He tisked, not wanting to remember if it was going to be some stupid story like
he had tripped and been knocked out by his own fool step. That was the only
thing Sanzo could think of happening to him, because the demons simply just didn’t
beat him up every other day.
wanting to be alone to nurse his lip and to be rid of Gojyo’s irritating voice.
The bastard’s voice seemed to be louder than usual with his voice echoing
between Sanzo’s ears and slamming against the inner walls of his skull. It hurt
to listen to the bastard’s low voice right now. The thought of Goku coming in
and being loud and worried as usual made Sanzo’s nausea worsen.
to guess what meal the boy would stuff himself with. He just didn’t want to
hear the boy eat, slurping and chewing with his mouth open, loud and obnoxious.
Sanzo wouldn’t be able to deal with the ape without gagging him right now. All
he wanted was peace and quiet to recover from this awful headache.
Sanzo had made. He glanced over to see who had made the mistake of coming in.
If it was some hotel employee, he wouldn’t have been able to handle the
humiliation of being sprawled out on the floor and holding a hand to his broken
lip. The person that walked in the door was going to catch hell for seeing him
like this.
an astonished, polite voice. The man was standing in the doorway with Jeep
fluttering behind his head, the reptilian set of red eyes staring in. It was
like a having a smaller match of Gojyo’s eyes. Hakkai slammed the door shut and
Sanzo winced at the painful crash, wishing that he had never woken up. Why
couldn’t he have stayed unconscious for a while longer?
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the place, Sanzo,” Hakkai said with a more than the usual amount of concern in
his voice. Sanzo glanced up sharply at the thin man that had already walked to
the bathroom door. Jeep was following in lazily waves behind the man, chirping
in those painfully high-pitched squeaks. Sanzo wanted his gun so he could shoot
a bullet through that dragon’s head and silence it forever. They could buy
a normal car. Screw the gas bills. As long as Sanzo wouldn’t have to hear it
croon and whine ever again.
getting out of bed,” Gojyo informed Hakkai, like it was any of his concern to
know why Sanzo was bleeding like a stuck pig this early in the morning. Or
perhaps it was afternoon? Sanzo didn’t know, but the pounding in his
head made him want to go back to bed and sleep the rest of his miserable life
away.
Sanzo snapped, informing the animal of his place. He was fed up with Gojyo’s
constant questioning and sentimental opinions that got them into trouble more
often than not. Sanzo rarely felt any satisfaction out of helping people out
like Gojyo and Goku, but Hakkai seemed to find in every good deed. It only
delayed their mission more, taking another precious traveling day. Sanzo didn’t
want to die of old age before finishing this. He refused to die on this stupid
quest.
not about to let Sanzo have the upper hand for a single moment. Sanzo reached
blindly for the gun he didn’t have with his bloody fingers. The desire to
commit murder only burned stronger when Gojyo just laughed at the reaction.
Gojyo wasn’t frightened of him anymore with the threat of death having worn off
a long time ago.
next warning and after that it would be the last shred of his priestly
patience. He couldn’t stand the way the half-youkai seemed to laugh at him all
the time. Genjo Sanzo was not a man to be mocked lightly. It looked like he was
going to have to finally back up his threats. If Sanzo really had his gun right
now, he wouldn’t have made it an empty promise any longer.
Don’t pick arguments right now, Gojyo,” Hakkai admonished like the
schoolteacher he had once been, the cordial smile never leaving his face the
whole time. Hakkai came back carrying a towel without even being asked to fetch
it, just like a good servant should. Why hadn’t Gojyo caught onto this system
of order as well as Goku and Hakkai had? Jeep was following its master out of
the bathroom, squeaking merrily.
snatched it angrily out of his hand. Sanzo pressed it gingerly against his lip,
wishing that he hadn’t fallen out of bed like some cripple, wishing that he
wasn’t on the floor like a weak child. Gojyo stayed on the bed, grinning that
insolent smile at the sight of the leader of this ragtag group slumped on the
floor of a hotel.
heads, not ready to take perch anywhere yet. It was distracting to have
something that reminded him of a scavenger bird above his head. The dragon was
making the headache worse for Sanzo, making his neck tighten unbearably as he
held the towel against his bleeding lip.
fall out of bed?” Hakkai asked. Sanzo smirked at the man’s berating of Gojyo.
The son of a bitch deserved it for daring to sleep in his bed. Hakkai knew that
Sanzo wouldn’t sprawl on the floor without good reason, and the only other
living creature in the room had been Gojyo at the time.
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Hakkai’s words, looking down to Sanzo on the floor guiltily before glancing
away. Sanzo suddenly didn’t like being below their heads. He was used to being
shorter by a small amount, but at least when he was standing it wasn’t quite as
noticeable. If he trusted his legs to hold him, Sanzo would have chosen to
stand right now.
Something was going on between the two with the way they shared guilty,
concerned looks. They were pitying him, for what damn reason Sanzo didn’t
have a clue. It was disgusting. He hated these emotions that his whole party
seemed to fall victim to. Why couldn’t at least a single one of them forget his
feelings for a moment and actually be of some use to him?
returned, looking angry that Hakkai would accuse him of doing something to
Sanzo. Hakkai only chuckled knowingly, probably coming up with his own
deduction of what had happened and held out his arm for Jeep. Jeep squeaked
after its master, finally sick of flying above their arguing heads. The dragon
settled on the smiling man’s elbow, fawning and crooning.
from his seat on the floor. As usual, that goddamn smiling poker expression was
looking right back as Sanzo glared up at him. Except it was cracking at the
corners; Hakkai looking a bit strained and too cheerful. Something
serious must have happened. Hakkai wouldn’t look this worried otherwise.
take its toll on the brunette. Worry lines and large, blue bruises under his
eyes were all very distinct.
the hell happened?” Sanzo demanded, wanting to know why they looked at him with
pity. He despised those eyes. He didn’t want to be worried over.
Sanzo was ready to forget the stinking gun and just believe he had the strength
to choke Gojyo successfully. That would be enough to serve as a lesson to
Hakkai about looking down on him. Then, he could crawl back into the bed and
sleep without them watching him.
worried and soft tone, his smile slipping a bit he looked down at Sanzo with
concern. Even Jeep was silent and watching him in such a way that Sanzo knew it
wasn’t a simple-minded, flying snake. It was just as much another person to
stare at him. They both looked at him with unblinking eyes, knowledge about
what had happened burning behind them.
shared with the scar-faced man. Sanzo gritted his teeth, wondering why the hell
they were staying silent. What had happened that would make them hold their
usually flapping mouths? Sanzo had never known Gojyo to hold his tongue. Why
were they being hesitant to answer him?
saw fit to crawl between my bed sheets, you piece of shit,” Sanzo lied, turning
on Gojyo. He didn’t want to admit to not knowing in front of them. It seemed
like it would be admitting to a terrible weakness. What did they know to be so
goddamn worried, and why didn’t he remember it?
healed what I could back…there,” Hakkai said with a pause and an angry
look. Where the fuck is ‘there?’ Sanzo silently screamed, raking his
memory for the answer. Nothing. It was like looking at a large, blank wall. No
unveiling of the mystery like a curtain being pulled back as he remembered. Why
wasn’t Hakkai saying any names, any descriptions beyond ‘there?!’
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with the snow and fog,” Hakkai explained with Jeep finally quiet and still on
his upper arm. Sanzo didn’t remember any of it, but he still stiffened at the
thought of snow. Snow was only frozen rain. Rain was always reminded him of that
night. Sanzo gritted his teeth and waited for the answer to his second
question. Gojyo was staying silent for once, looking somber as he remembered
with his oh-so-convenient and accessible memory. Sanzo wanted to kill him.
had to sleep with you to keep you warm. We couldn’t very well put you in front
of the common room ,” H,” Hakkai explained in a rush, noticing the homicidal
look on Sanzo’s face. It was true that he would have rather died before he let
a bunch of strangers watch his suffering, but having Gojyo in the same bed wasn’t
an acceptable option either.
as he pulled away the towel and checked if the bleeding had stopped yet. The
white terry was damp with red blood and a careful prodding with his tongue told
Sanzo that his lip was indeed still bleeding. What a great fucking way
to wake up today.
goddamn worked up about,” Gojyo defended rudely. Hakkai shot the half-demon a
look that almost matched the furious glare Sanzo gave Gojyo as well. Hakkai
looked like he expected an order to kill Gojyo from Sanzo and was more than
happy to carry it out. It might not be a bad idea at this time to take
advantage of Hakkai feeling protective and get him to beat the shit out of
Gojyo. That might amuse Sanzo enough to drive away this headache.
Gojyo trailed off suddenly, looking away from him. The prick blinked at his own
words as he realized everyone in the room was not at all pleased with him.
Then, Gojyo ducked his head with the utter audacity to look ashamed!
Like the half-breed had felt the faintest fucking flicker of remorse at all in
his entire life! What the hell was going on? Gojyo didn’t care about
Sanzo enough to feel like he needed to defend himself. It was like he thought
Sanzo needed to hear it.
the time that Sanzo couldn’t remember. He looked between the two people in the
room, studying their reactions with disgusted curiosity as he put the towel
bac his his bleeding lip. They both were being silent and wary of him, like
they had suddenly realized how very mortal and how easily Sanzo could expire
despite being more than able to take care of himself. Someone needed to pay
with for this beating, because that was all Sanzo could deduce it to be, so these
two wouldn’t look at him with those pitying eyes.
didn’t want to ask them what had happened. He would wait for the memory to
return naturally. Even if that took a hundred years. He would rather die
without the knowledge than beg answers from one of the idiots he had to travel
with.
sensitive when Sanzo had a brush with death. They always seemed to think it was
their fault or along the lines of that usual shit. Sanzo was responsible for
his own actions and the result of them, even if he had no fucking clue
as to what had happened.
act like a couple of depraved ‘protectors’ for him. The gun and sutra were more
than enough. Genjo Sanzo took care of himself and no one else. He didn’t want
them to get in the way of that with caring or feeling affection of some kind.
He had burned up those emotions long ago.
with a cough before smiling and spreading his arms wide. Hakkai’s usual grin
was back in place like it had never left. It was very suspicious. Sanzo didn’t
like the way he quickly regained his composure. It felt like the brunette was
dodging him somehow.
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dinner,” Hakkai explained to Gojyo, who in turn grunted and looked away from
that damnable, steady fucking smile; serene as a saint’s. Jeep chirped on its
master’s arm, knowing that they were talking about a meal of some kind. Gojyo
didn’t seem interested, but Sanzo could tell the half-breed was thinking with
his stomach. Sanzo would much rather starve to death alone in this room than
deal with the three of them eating right now.
what Hakkai was talking about. Damn, it wasn’t even the afternoon but night.
Sanzo detested rooms without windows, which was exactly the case right now. How
long had he been asleep? How long had Gojyo been lying next to him? The
headache was pounding harder with more questions that Sanzo didn’t know the
answers to.
to bring up some food?” Hakkai suggested like Sanzo wasn’t sprawled on
the floor with a bloody lip. Jeep was obviously hungry as it started to purr
loudly, flapping its wings in excitement. Sanzo wanted his gun so he could blow
every single living thing in this room’s head off.
with this mission if it had just been him and Goku. Sanzo didn’t give a shit if
they would have to fight a little bit harder or hitchhike. Sanzo was more than
used to flashing some looks for a ride. Goku predictably beat anyone who tried
to collect on the empty promises Sanzo had made. It was a simple, practical
plan that had worked hundreds of times already. He would prefer to use it again
than deal with such idiots as Hakkai and Gojyo now.
He worries about you, Sanzo,” Hakkai informed him like he wasn’t already aware
of the dumb ass ape’s misplaced affection for him. Goku would give his life for
Sanzo just because he rescued him from that cave years ago. Sanzo had only
finally got so irritated that he went and found the source of the nuisance. He
wasn’t going to sit around with the same innocent, so sad voice begging to be
rescued ringing in his ears all day long. Goku swore to follow him forever
after that. The first day Sanzo released Goku had been the first onset of
painful migraines and the last day of his peace and quiet.
thinks,” Sanzo hissed as he turned his head away. Hakkai’s smile didn’t drop a
single bit at Sanzo’s obvious disregard. He wanted them all out of his room as
soon as possible. Jeep fluttered as it clutched to Hakkai’s shoulder and tucked
its wings in to sit happily as the man walked out the door, taking the hint
that Sanzo wished to be left alone.
the room, left to wonder why the hell the man hadn’t left yet. Gojyo was
clearly not welcome in his room. Hadn’t he already made that clear? He
couldn’t understand why the bastard wasn’t leaving yet, but was so pathetically
grateful that Gojyo wasn’t say anything. Sanzo’s head hurt too much to hear
someone talk.
want to dignify Gojyo’s existence with an order for him to leave, which he knew
would be ignored anyway. The bastard was looking to make himself very
comfortable as Gojyo stretched his arms and yawned while Sanzo remained sitting
on the cold floor.
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struck by the desire to smoke rather than deal with this awful migraine. A
little bit of tobacco would help relieve some of the stress building up in his
temples right now. He didn’t care if Gojyo was in the room or not, as long as
he was silent. After a few breaths later he felt the headache already
starting to calm down to the rhythm of his heartbeat, a far less furious
aching.
person to witness Sanzo’s attempt to stand up. Sanzo wasn’t a man to waste
opportunities. He didn’t want to show more people than necessary a live
demonstration of how weak he was right now. Gojyo had already seen him fall
twice, so what would be one more? Sanzo would have preferred that it was none
at all but he threw the towel down and tried again regardless of the number in
the audience.
and tried to haul himself up. He managed a staggering rise that threatened to
be another hopeless attempt when the world spun out of his control. His
headache pounded, aching with every pump of blood throughout his veins. Sanzo
no longer wanted to litter Gojyo’s body with bullets, but instead wished to
turn one well-aimed shot to his own excruciatingly tight skull. Maybe a hole in
his head could help the migraine.
now?” Gojyo asked, looking disappointed in Sanzo for even thinking to
move now. Sanzo only flipped him off, unable to say anything truly biting right
now while he found his feet. He couldn’t spare the effort to yell at Gojyo
anyway. His head hurt too much to spare words as Sanzartearted to take a few
shuffling steps like an old man. He ignored the feeling of his knees
threatening to give out and the swirling nausea of standing up too quickly,
though it had taken Sanzo a long while to even stand upright. His next few
steps threatened to be the end of this little walking escapade.
you up,” Gojyo promised as Sanzo swayed but continued with determined steps
toward the table. After that little comment, Sanzo swore to make it to a chair
just to spite Gojyo. He had only been concerned with first getting off the
floor, but now it would be just because he would. Screw Gojyo. Genjo
Sanzo did not ‘fall on his ass’ like the half-demon was obviously looking
forward to.
kappa,” Sanzo snarled, deciding that he did have the energy to try and
curse Gojyo out of the room. Or maybe it was because he was feeling so lightheaded
right now. The only choice left to him was to yell. Sanzo certainly wouldn’t
stand a chance in a physical fightht nht now. Perhaps after a beer and a
cigarette Sanzo would try to beat the crap out of Gojyo.
leered, his voice heavy with insinuation. Sanzo was so shocked he looked back
over his shoulder to the half-breed, wondering what the hell could have
happened to give Gojyo that superior, sneering tone of voice. Sanzo couldn’t
even remember the conversation he had last night to give Gojyo even the
faintest reason to say such a disgusting, ridiculous thing.
near me,” Sanzo snapped back to Gojyo rudely. Why the fuck couldn’t he
remember such important details such as what had spilled out from his mouth
last night? What had he said to Gojyo? He must have gotten drunk or been so
badly beaten he didn’t even know what he had been saying.
smooth clean floor and threatened to send him stumbling. He caught himself with
one hand on the back of a chair. Sanzo took a moment to get his breath back,
breathing heavily as he used the chair as crutch. His own legs weren’t able to
hold him up anymore, shaking badly. Sanzo put his hand on the edge of the table
to hold himself upright as he pulled the chair out slowly.
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collapsing into the chair, Sanzo fell heavily into the wooden seat. The pain
that blossomed in his hipbones and pelvis was extraordinary, stars spinning in
front of Sanzo’s eyes as he leaned forward and tried not to gag. Oh, that had
hurt. His whole lower body felt like a bruise. Sanzo shifted uncomfortably,
trying to find a position that didn’t cause pain.
sit without feeling like he was going to throw up from the pain. He sighed at
the plain, threadbare, white tablecloth before him and noticing a few greasy
stains on it. What kind of an establishment had Hakkai found for a ‘good price’
this time? Sanzo was no longer quite sure that he wanted to take a bath in this
hotel, having not seen the state of the bathroom yet.
irritation of being in such a cheap hotel against his will, small spots of
white appearing in the corner of his eyes as it felt like someone drove burning
hot iron nails through his temples. The Gods had given him a credit card with
no limit. Sanzo had no reason to stay in shit holes all the time.
wanted Gojyo to leave him in peace. Sanzo didn’t care if it was either by the
half-breed leaving the room or a sudden death as long as something would
make Gojyo shut the fuck up. It was hard enough to find a place with few
distractions to allow him the time to take nap or even pray, if the fancy ever
took him again. Sanzo didn’t have an absence of faith in the Gods, having seen
a few of the physical incarnations several times, he just didn’t believe in
their good will. It seemed to have been rather lacking whenever it came to his
life.
questioned in what should have been left as an awkward silence like Sanzo would
even want to answer him. Instead of saying anything, Sanzo glared at the
irritating youkai who had managed to hit his main spot of worry right in the
heart. What did Gojyo know of his thoughts?
and pride in his ability to crawl into anyone’s bed sheets. Now he had even
managed to get between Sanzo’s as well. It was not an acceptable situation. He
would not allow anyone to have the upper hand when dealing with him, ever.
Sanzo was in control and he was sick of people trying to argue that.
right back, not wanting to give Gojyo anything that would say he was right in
his assumptions. Sanzo didn’t even know what it was he should be pretending to
be upset about, but he would act as if he knew. Sanzo didn’t want to admit to
any of them, especially Gojyo, that he didn’t recall what had happened.
like. Someone had beaten him so thoroughly that he had been laid out in a bed,
and yet he couldn’t remember who did it, or how, or why.
unanswered as Sanzo looked back down at the top of the table. He was
weak if he didn’t know what had happened.
stared at Sanzo. At that hesitation and then his strange silence, Sanzo turned
around in the chair to glare at the asshole on the bed with renewed
determination. Gojyo stared right back at him with such intensity that Sanzo
wondered what the hell could be so fascinating about his face right now. Gojyo
traveled with him everyday. It wasn’t like his face had changed so much. Gojyo
had no reason to leer at him.
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narrowing as Sanzo remained silent. Why should he exchange words with a mongrel
like Gojyo? He didn’t think that Gojyo had earned any words from him, being an
all around disappointment when it came to serious conversation or anything else
that ‘friends’ would do. Sanzo did not need to have companions. He needed
people that would follow orders.
yell excitedly before the boy threw open the door loudly. It slammed against
the wall, making Sanzo wince again as Hakkai had made him do so before. Really,
was it too much to ask for a little privacy and time to one’s own goddamn self
just once in a while? Whatever Gojyo was going to say was quickly forgotten as
Goku was immediately across the room and practically standing
concern, looking him over worriedly from head to toe.
careful. Are you feeling all right?” Goku asked in rapid-fire succession,
dazing Sanzo with the sudden amount of energy next to him. Those big, round, golden
eyes bore into Sanzo’s own like a dog awaiting praise from its master. Goku was
hovering like a concerned mother at Sanzo’s elbow, waiting to hear any word
that dropped out of Sanzo’s mouth.
could someone say they felt fine and dandy when he didn’t even remember what
had happened? What was so special about this particular time that made them all
act so different? The question nagged him and Sanzo was unable to turn his
thoughts from anything else other than what the hell had gone on however
long of time that he couldn’t remember.
careful around him? He looked over at the polite man in question, who only
smiled as he entered from the doorway. The man had some kind of motive for
telling Goku specifically to be cautious around him. Was it because Hakkai knew
Sanzo would be pissy and didn’t want Goku to catch the worst of it, or was
Hakkai concerned that Goku roughhousing might seriously hurt him?
<
in a few minutes,” Hakkai explained as he followed on Goku’s heels, much more
reserved than the boy. Jeep flew in past Hakkai to settle on the bed Sanzo so
gracelessly abandoned only moments ago with Gojyo glaring down at his new bed
partner. A reptile served Gojyo right, the half-breed already so close to a
snake.
walk back to the bed even though it had taken so much just to get to the table.
He would never dare so in front of Goku or Hakkai. All Sanzo wanted to do was
curl up and sleep for the rest of his miserable life until this headache was
gone.
Hakkai assured to Goku’s wide, pathetically- grateful face. Hakkai was very
efficient in finding meals for them after having to constantly scout out
restaurants that would serve enough to feed Goku and Gojyo. Hakkai had become
an expert on getting a large amount of simple, cheap food that would do.
Sanzo was used to better and he said so, annoyed that he was always forced to
eat a new, shitty cuisine at the same table as animals.
easily distracted from being worried over Sanzo by food. It didn’t matter to
Goku if the meal was made from dirt, as long as it had been cooked. The dumb
ass ape would eat anything set in front of him, no matter who fed it to him or
what it looked like. Sanzo didn’t want to hear Goku eat right now with all of
his clanging plates and yelling for a fourth serving. Sanzo’s head was
splitting in half and the three other men in the room seemed determined to make
it worse.
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He didn’t care how concerned Goku had been about him while he lay helpless in a
bed. Right now, Sanzo wanted to drink away this cursed headache and then
hopefully find his gun so he could shoot Gojyo and Hakkai. Goku would be
allowed to live, since the boy did come in useful at times as he went to
the mini-fridge without complaint.
have around when the idiot was fast with setting a cold can of beer in front of
Sanzo on the table. Goku took a seat next to him, staring at him in obvious joy
that Sanzo was already awake and irritated with them all. Ridiculous how the
ape found something to admire in him, no matter how rotten and black Sanzo
considered his own soul to be.
not need Goku worrying, Gojyo leering and Hakkai doing nothing wrong, which
only pissed Sanzo off more. He hated how they all were staring at him, studying
him as he opened the can of beer in silence. What was so damn interesting about
a monk with the shit beaten out of him?
would prefer not to be stared at like he was some kind of street
entertainment. He knew about the looks women and men threw his way,
looking at him like he was something for sale and undressing him with lusty
eyes. He hoped that one day he would finally get a scar across the face and
ruin this beauty that everyone gaped at. Sanzo wasn’t some whore for show. He
despised all of the looks sent in his direction for being such a beautiful
priest with the vision of a God. It was damn irritating.
a leper than deal with it. Sanzo just wanted to get done with this
pain-in-the-ass of a mission. He had never wanted to go on this journey
from day one, much less surrounded by three idiots that fell into every single one
of the traps set for them along the way. He was tired of having to lead those
dumbasses out of messes of their own making. Sanzo wasn’t known for being a
kind person, and yet he found himself rescuing those three more often then not.
They couldn’t make it without him, and he did need them to finish the mission,
no matter what he wanted.
excitedly as Sanzo stared down at the top of the beer. Sanzo blinked, realizing
he had been drifting off with his own thoughts. How weak. Sanzo nodded
to Goku tiredly, more because he wanted the ape to shut up than because he
thought Goku might deserve being answered. Goku smiled immediately and
said nothing more which immediately made Sanzo’s headache start to fade.
>
numb as his headache became less insistent. It gave him no relief; only meaning
it would hurt more later when the headache came back in full strength. It was
something to dread as Sanzo reached out and picked up the can of beer. The beer
was refreshingly cool to his skin, the metal moist around his palm. Sanzo
wanted to rest it against the hard throbbing of his head but instead tookdeepdeep drink from the foaming can. If he got ripping drunk, he could drive off
this headache.
of Hakkai from the bed as he pointed at Sanzo’s heavy guzzling of the can.
Sanzo didn’t mind the bastard’s comments, choosing instead to put the can down
when he was finished and scratch at the back of his neck distractedly. Sanzo
really couldn’t summon up the energy to give a damn about that insult, so he
could ignore it. That was sharper than any biting words Sanzo could think of.
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back. Now, just what hhell was that supposed to mean? How could
Hakkai even dare to sum him up in one sentence? It irritated him to no ends,
and even worse was when Gojyo just nodded. Just exactly what went on between
those two?
demanded, wondering where the hell a newspaper would be. Usually ai bai brought
in one for him whenever he was laid out for a few days. Would Sanzo have to
start writing up a list in the morning if he wanted anything done around here?
These fools were all incredible lazy asses, except for Jeep who didn’t really
even count, as the white dragon chirped from the bed. Annoying little lizard.
human-looking exception of the lot of them, already off and humming as he went
to the top of the dresser in search of cigarettes. Sanzo didn’t think he could
make the walk to the other side of the room anyway, realizing that he had been
slanting in the seat unconsciously. He shook himself, reaching out and taking
another sip of the beer while Goku retrieved a pack and a lighter.
Sanzo?” Gojyo questioned as Sanzo grabbed the pack and was already tapping the
tobacco down before he hissed at the jolting pain in his wrists. Sanzo gave up
on packing the cigarettes as Goku set the large, silver lighter down on the
table. It was a new one. His other lighter must have been lost
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that blank hole in the time Sanzo couldn’t remember. It displeased Sanzo to no
ends. He had liked that lighter too, thinking he might even take the time to
refill the fluid instead of tossing it and buying a new one like all the
others.
wondering why there was even a doubt. Obviously, they would continue west once
he healed enough to sit in the jeep again. Right now, his bottom just felt
numb, tiny pricks of pain stabbing through him whenever Sanzo so much as wiggle
his toes. He would probably fall out the side of the jeep in his current state.
He wouldn’t be able to take the jerking, hard road that was usually was either
dried up wagon wheel tracks or unexplored mountainous terrain. Some might
consider such large expanses of untouched nature breathtaking. Sanzo considered
it a damn inconvenience when there was no road.
vaguely again, waiting for him to answer. Sanzo glanced up from putting the
cigarette to his mouth, curious why Gojyo was insisting on knowing his state of
mind. Why were Gojyo and Hakkai dancing around the subject, not saying anything
specific like names or places? Sanzo couldn’t deal with these word games right
now. He lit up before answering such a ludicrous question.
addressed as he blew out a large cloud of smoke. Gojyo’s immediately angry face
was enough to show that Sanzo had hit a mark. Gojyo hated it when his questions
were disregarded, as Sanzo tended to do most of the time. The half-breed rarely
ever asked a question worth dignifying with an answer.
Sanzo took the cigarette out of his mouth and reached down with his other hand
to drink the beer. Hakkai coughed politely and looked at Sanzo with one good
eye, his expression unreadable. Sanzo watched his smoke drift out over the
table with Goku’s large golden eyes watching every move. It was unnerving, to
have such a rapt audience all the time.
<
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Gojyo asked rudely as Hakkai gasped and winced at the question, like it was the
worst thing Gojyo could have asked in the history of the world. What was Hakkai
getting so agitated about? Sanzo looked out of the corner of his eye to see
Goku tuck his chin against his chest. He couldn’t even see the boy’s eyes under
the fall of his bangs. Goku wasn’t even saying a word. Things must have been
bad to silence the loud, irritating ape.
them so? They all were acting like Sanzo was a bomb, ticking away in the
silence as they waited for an answer. How were they expecting him to react?
Sanzo wasn’t sure if he should pretend to be angry or not. Gojyo stared at him
balefully; those eyes watching him to tto think about what was happening. Why
couldn’t he remember?!
down mechanically. He wasn’t sure what they were even talking about, but he
didn’t want to sound like Genjo Sanzo had just rolled over and taken the blows.
Someone had beaten him good and spat on him at the end… He thought.
There was no real evidence to him being beaten or not. He could have fallen off
the side of a mountain for all Sanzo knew.
details, he could be more specific in how he would take the proper course of
revenge. No living creature had managed to look down on him and live long
afterward. Once Sanzo had his gun, he would make them all regret acting like
this toward him, but for now Sanzo could brew until he knew whom he had to
kill. Killing one of these three might relieve some stress, but also take away
someone who knew what had happened.
looking down at the useless fists he made in his lap. The boy was shaking with
barely contained anger, his eyes staring down at the table as he remembered
what had happened. Sanzo doubted that if he had done something so
idiotic as to fall off a mountain that Goku would be acting this incensed.
shrugging to show he didn’t care what any of them chose to do as long as their
duty to follow him was filled out. He wanted to get back to taking a bath
everyday and not having to fight off hordes of slavering youkai every five
minutes. Screw swearing off worldly pleasures. It sucked royally to be out in
these backwater towns all the time.
get revenge, the less work Sanzo would have to do in the end. He didn’t
particularly care how the punishment was carried out unless someone had really
insulted him. If it were a gang of roving youkai, Sanzo would let that faceless
horde get wiped out without a care. If it had only been one though, that
might require his personal attention, just to make sure everyone was taught a
lesson.
Hakkai started, breaking in as Goku said not another word. What the fuck?
Sanzo thought furiously, his hair on the back of his neck rising at the thought
of Hakkai having the pretense to offer his shoulder. What right did
Hakkai have to ask him that, as if he was suddenly weak and falling apart? What
did they know? Why were all of them acting like he was made of glass?
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some bastard like you?” Sanzo snapped, feeling dizzy and furious. Gojyo only
stared on curiously from the bed as Sanzo glared murder at Hakkai. What had happened
to make them think he was so vulnerable right now? He would kill the
next person to dare present a ‘caring ear.’
bitterly, the smile on his face faltering slightly as Sanzo glared up into the
gambler’s face. Hakkai looked a little angry with Sanzo being such a prick, but
he didn’t care. He wanted to get them all to back the hell off, livid that they
were all trying to mother him. Sanzo especially hated Hakkai’s perfect mask
that hid his emotions. Sanzo couldn’t read the man\'s expression to find out
what the hell was going on, left to only guess at what Hakkai might be
thinking.
group of fucking idiots like you,” Sanzo informed Hakkai and the rest of them.
He finished off the beer in the next swallow and took another drag from the
cigarette as they were all silent, properly berated. Wasn’t this a perfectly
nasty little development? He would throttle the next person stupid enough to
ask him if he was all right.
finally understanding that stupid comments lead to getting hit with a fan.
Gojyo shrugged at Sanzo’s complete lack of manners and closed his eyes like he
was going to try to go back to bed. How long had Gojyo ignored Sanzo’s usual
distance and slept next to him like a lover? It drove Sanzo to homicidal
thoughts. He didn’t want to deal with them right now.
opened, ruining whatever silence and respect Sanzo had finally managed to
cultivate again. Sanzo was ready to murder the person who stepped in after he
had put the three back in their places. Just when he had checked them to
confirm just who was in charge, a stranger thought it was a good idea to not even
knock on the door.
girl giggled, obviously already infatuated with the pretty face that had
ordered food only minutes ago. Hakkai’s politeness tended to be read as
flirting for these common village girls. There was one in every village, some
girl that got besotted with their looks or reputations.
in each arm, only slightly shorter then Gojyo and looking twice as
strong. Sanzo couldn’t believe there was a woman this tall, even taller than
himself Sanzo realized with a grit of his teeth. She had large breasts held in
by a white, one-piece dress that hugged her form tightly. But her voice was
cute and young, bizarrely out of place on such a tall woman. <
graciously as he rushed over to hold the door for her. She smiled, batting her
big, blue eyes like an old hand at love. Goku didn’t look over to see if he
could help her, even though he was usually very nice when food was involved.
Goku was more concerned with staying close to Sanzo right now, watching him
with a protective, silent gaze as Sanzo blew smoke rings irritably.
said with calculated shyness. The act was so transparent Sanzo thought he might
vomit. She looked up at Sanzo and smiled at his being awake, about to open her
mouth to same sme stupid goddamn worship about having the Genjo Sanzo in
her place of employment. The kind of simpering manner she was using to
flirt with them disgusted him.
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table, a large clump falling to the polish wood. She stared at him, the
welcoming speech effectively muted as she stared in stunned astonishment at his
open rudeness. Gojyo laughed as he got up from the bed in only his boxers,
grinning at her open mouth as she gaped at the bare muscles of his chest and
stomach.
well be ill at the obvious flirting Gojyo was engaging in. The two of them
seemed to think they were actually being subtle as Gojyo sat down next to Goku.
Mei shook her beet-red face at Gojyo’s unabashed showing-off of his body. It
was the usual sort of depraved act the youkai bastard did every day when a
female was stupid enough to wander close enough.
try to mind it a bit?” Hakkai asked, lying for his attitude while he placed the
tray down on the table. Like Sanzo was so absentminded as to let ash fall on
the table without it being on goddamn purpose! Hakkai smiled and
took one tray from the frozen girl while Sanzo glowered at Hakkai for covering
up for him.
wanted this idiot child to get a fuckinue tue that she meant absolutely nothing
in his eyes. He hated this kind of village, this kind of hotel and more than
likely this kind of food Hakkai had ordered. Sanzo would die before eating
something made by Mei. He reverently hoped she hadn’t cooked it herself or some
idiotic love struck gesture of such.
brunette helped place food on the table. Sanzo realized he was feeling a bit
hungry, hoping that there would be something plain enough to stomach. Sanzo
hated the taste of over spiced foods or delicacies. Plain rice and vegetables
would be good enough.
platters of food down on the table, smiling and giggling as Gojyo said some
ridiculous comment about her beauty that Sanzo couldn’t catch through the
disgust he felt. Gojyo really would go for anything on two legs, even this tall,
hulking ‘woman.’ Sanzo pinched the bridge of his nose with the cigarette
burning down to the last good part before the filter. He hated this.
rice in front of Sanzo, dropping it noisily on the table. Sanzo blinked down at
the bowl in surprise, realizing it was actually just plain, white rice. Small,
black dots were drifting across his vision, painfully familiar. He let go of
his nose, giving up on trying to relieve the ng ong of his skull.
harsh migraine, the pain so sharp that he could only enjoy it. If he didn’t
find pleasure in it, Sanzo would have gone mad with the pain by now. His skull
felt like screws were being slowly tightened into it. He was starting to have a
hard time just remaining steady on the chair despite the fierce order he gave
his body to remain tall and straight. Genjo Sanzo did not fall out of chairs.
He took the last bit of tobacco left in the cigarette in one heavy suck before
snubbing it out on the table and leaving the filter hissing in the wood.
Sanzo,” Goku cried, hefting one up in front of his face. Sanzo looked down at
the sizzling, light golden wrapping that was still glistening from being
cooked. Steam drifted up from it and the smell of meat was sickeningly strong
in Sanzo’s nose. He flinched back from the greasy thing and found himself going
further back then he thought he would, the chair no longer behind him.
muscles going limp and even as each joint painfully seizing up in tight balls.
Sanzo felt himself falling back slowly… Goku’s wide eyes as his face was
glimpsed for a moment in ect ect clarity. Sanzo had enough time to blin
in
surprise at the chair being swept out from under him before he hit the cool wood
floor. Mei screamed distantly from the other side of the table.
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as Sanzo stared at the floor in front of him. One arm was trapped underneath
his side, digging into his sore chest and ribs. The other hand was on the
ground in front of him, every finger spread out and relaxed despite the burning
ice that was between his knuckles. He just stared at this new angle of the
floor, the chair legs and Gojyo’s bare legs visible under the table.
as Sanzo stared at Goku’s boots taking two steps until they were right in front
of his face. He couldn’t lift his head to look at Goku, still too pissed that
his chair was standing, unaffected by Sanzo’s own heavy fall. He thought that
for sure the chair had been knocked down with him, or snatched out from under
him. That was the only way to explain such a lack of coordination.
the very chair that had caused the whole thing could have at least fallen with
him. It couldn’t possibly be because of one beer. It didn’t go his head like
that, migraine or not. Oh…the migraine. His poor, aching brain was throbbing so
much tSanzSanzo almost welcomed the oblivion of passing out cold. At least that
way he could escape the humiliation of falling off his chair.
his name enough times would rouse him. Sanzo wanted to reach up and strangle
the idiot, but he just didn’t have the strength. Instead, his let the
excruciating pressure building behind his eye sockets overwhelm him, dragging
him into unconsciousness.
Arial\'>
Arial\'>
gray that Sanzo couldn’t see twenty feet in any direction. The sky was dark
even through the fog, likely ready to snow at anytime. A storm was starting to
brew, ready to drop on their heads. Everything was covered in a heavy,
beading wetness mist that got Sanzo’s face wet even though he was sitting in
the front seat with the windshield in front. Moisture shimmered on the thick,
green pine trees and white snow, making everything look like it had been frozen.
clean with a white and untouched cover of snow was on the ground. There wasn’t
even a trace of snow melting off the trees or any dirty spots on the ground
from animals or falling branches. There was an odd feeling about these
supernaturally-clean woods, the silence so weighty he could taste it.
snowy mountain pass. Sanzo hated it with a furious passion. Snow was almost as
bad as rain, except everything was so eerily quiet. At least snow didn’t
sounde rae rain, but instead the fog was swallowing every noise they made.
Nothing moved in these woods except the jeep Sanzo was riding in with the usual
bunch of idiots.
the unbroken snow that followed dangerously close along a river still flowing
strong next to them despite the frozen overhang of ice on the banks. Sanzo
loathed rivers, like the one that he had first been found floating in,
intimidated by the fact it could take him back so easily. Pity he hadn’t
drowned when he was some squalling baby, because that would have saved him some
of the pain and irritation now of having this forsaken, hopeless mission. Sanzo
wouldn’t get into anything deeper than a bathtub willingly; much less take a
swim in the rushing water. It was nerve-racking just to drive so close.
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air and glared at the windshield wipers going back and forth in front of him.
Sanzo was already regretting insisting they leave this morning from the lazy
little town they had found to spend last night in. Hakkai and Gojyo had wanted
to stay and wait out the oncoming storm while Sanzo demanded they try to find
the next town before it came down. Goku just agreed with him, so they all had
learned to not listen to Goku’s opinions.
constant trudging through the elements. He hated this kind of weather. Anything
damp was not pleasing. He hated the people he had to travel with. It was
miserable, tedious, and he felt like vomiting whenever he thought too long on
just how much longer he had until this mission was completed.
loud, breaking the hypnotic silence in the jeep’s wake. There was a second’s
pause so quiet that Sanzo felt like they had entered a tomb. He stared moodily
forward; waiting for the next outburst he knew was coming.
seat next to Sanzo, wrapped in a heavy, white, winter jacket. Hakkai obviously
wasn’t picking up on the same unease that Sanzo sensed as he settled
into his own heavy coat, wishing that he had thicker pants on under the robes.
They flapped annoyingly against his legs, waving the cold on him despite the
heavy jeans.
Gojyo’s cheating,” Goku whined from the backseat. Gojyo snickered at the
accusation, making Sanzo glance back to see the half-breed sitting there
confidently with his eyes closed and his head turned the opposite way of Goku.
Gojyo had a boot braced on the middle divider between the seats and his heavy
leather jacket unzipped in the front without a care in the world. The usuaandaandanna held the long, red hair back, but the two untamable strands in front
were hanging down with the fog and wetness in the air.
snapped back, knowing that the half-breed had no reason to cheat at a child’s
game. Gojyo probably played with his eyes closed the entire time, not that it
was anything special with how predictable Goku was at this game. The ape always
picked scissors.
even bother to turn around and investigate. Sanzo cared little if his words
hurt Goku because he was only speaking the simple truth. Goku knew better than
to expect a monk to lie just so they all could assuage their carnal emotions. Sanzo
didn’t give a damn about the moral of this group as long as the job got done
soon.
defending me?” Gojyo swooned mockingly. Sanzo didn’t even have to look back to
have the Smith and Wesson immediately trained between Gojyo’s eyebrows. Goku
snickered at the youkai bastard under Sanzo’s aim; obviously pleased Sanzo was
taking his side for once.
well in the face of Sanzo’s threat. He turned his head to look down the barrel
of tun aun and the sight on the end just once before firing. The bullet passed
so close that it grazed the top of Gojyo’s ear and several strands of hair
fluttered down. There was a moment’s pause where the sound of a gunshot didn’t
even echo in this frozen winter forest.
monk?” Gojyo screamed before there was an inhuman howl behind them in the
impenetrable fog. Hakkai grinned as he slammed on the brakes calmly and cranked
the jeep to a left so they could avoid a large tree that had fallen across the
road. It was a trap if he had ever seen one, meant to keep them from passing.
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were being followed in this fog and Hakkai’s lack of observance for allowing
them to be blocked in like this. If any of them had a single bit of common
sense, they would have known there was a considerable amount of numbers trying
to surround them in the fog. He had noticed the smelly bastards the first time
they had tried to flank them.
of his gun and checked the ammunition. He pried out two used shells with his
fingernails like he had all the time in the world, one empty from what, Sanzo
dn’tdn’t remember. It didn’t matter anyway. He tossed them to the side before
unzipping the front of his jacket. Sanzo would want it open if there was some
fighting to be done so he would be able to move. He reached into the robes on
the inside, his flesh flinching away from his cold hands as he dug out new
bullets with numb fingertips. The arm warmers did little to save his fingers
from the cold.
Gojyo snapped as he stood up in the backseat of the jeep. Gojyo put his hands
down and held them out as the shaku-jou materialized. The two curved blades on
each end didn’t shine like they usually did in this heavy fog, the steel
already wet with the mist. Gojyo jumped out from the backseat, smoothly hefting
the long metal weapon up for a ready position as he searched the woods over the
heavy collar of his jacket, waiting for the attack to come from the silent grey
fog.
Sanzo sent back, loading two new bullets and snapping the cylinder back into
place before aiming into the fog. He could see no movement in the mysterious
forest around them, no footsteps in the snow under the trees. Only dead silence
gave Sanzo any clue to how many were in the forest. Where could the youkai
attack be coming from?
onto the snow-covered road easily with his staff forming into solid reality
between his hand sha shadow detaching from the fog was all Sanzo glimpsed
before a slavering, filthy youkai came howling at them. Goku immediately spun
and slammed his staff into the throat of that one particular early arrival.
Snow flew up as the body hit the ground before the fog echoed with what sounded
likedreddreds of youkai screaming at once. Sanzo looked around the forest
between the trees, youkai coming at them, and up at the sky once just in case
to check where he was being attacked from. No youkai were coming close enough
to use the sutra yet. He’d like to keep that a surprise for as long as
possible, just for these idiotic youkai that had thought to get in his way
Arial\'> “Now
then, I suppose we should say ‘hello,” Hakkai proposed like they were meeting
new friends and not being attacked by unknown youkai. He dismissed Jeep from
its vehicle form and the dragon chirped happily as Hakkai sent it up into the
forest. The little, flying snake would be in danger if it stayed in the
possible line of fire. Fighting tended to get very widespread and chaotic with
the four of them.
into the fog, irritated that they were being attacked so loudly and slowly.
Most of the youkai were hanging back, waiting for their brothers to finish off
the job. In fact, Sanzo looked up to see five youkai come rushing out the
forest, all looking exactly alike with the same: long ears and wild hair. Some
were wearing heavy, winter armor, some only the barest amount of clothes to be
decent. Those ones were more hairy and animal than the other less completely
gone youkai. At least a few retained a bit of intelligence, enough to
realize that they had landed in hot water if the demons were presumptuous
enough to attack Genjo Sanzo.
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hands out, gracefully gather together chi from the very air. A small, glowing
sphere grew out of nothing and shone between his palms dangerously, packed
without enough spiritual power to make Sanzo’s hackles go on end. Hakkai smiled
despite the tremendous amount of destructive powe wae was barely holding in
check, and Sanzo had enough sense jump back several steps back and shoot
straight through the center of a youkai’s skull with large claws out and
arching toward Hakkai’s back. The body jerked in midair and fell like a stone
on to the ground covered with its own blood and splattered grey matter.
gathered ball of chi out at the original five demon that were still coming at Sanzo,
unaware of what was coming straight at them at the same time. The shimmering
ball gained speed and size as it flew at the group of youkai rushing them, then
there was an explosion accompanied with a large display of light as demons
howled in pain before being blown apart. Small pieces of charred flesh and
small flecks of bone dusted out from the black, scorched snow, held up oddly
with the heavy moisture in the air. A pine tree behind the band of youkai was
splattered red around the trunk, nature’s innocence forever stained.
back to fighting in their own private way. The brunette had only paid back the
favor of Sanzo keeping him from getting killed by a good, old-fashioned youkai
pat on the back. More youkai were coming
at him again, howling and so numerous Sanzo wondered if there was a small army
hidden in the woods before them. He could spot dozens more youkai waiting in
reserve behind the trees and fog.
about to be left behind as he swung out with one half-moon blade. The chain cut
through the air, curving and slicing across the chests and stomachs of several
youkai that got too close. The demons fell back in large sprays of blood and
organs falling out from the new openings in their bodies. The chain retracted
to the end of the shaku-jou and Gojyo slapped the metal length into his palm,
very pleased with himself. It was almost too easy and effortless for him than
Sanzo couldn’t bear to watch.
boot into a youkai’s chin in front of the grinning man. The demon went down and
Goku ground his foot into the youkai’s face before stabbing the rounded end of
the nyoi-bo into the weak spot where the ribs started to separate. Hakkai only
chuckled at being interrupted and shrugged, stepping ever so slightly to the
left to avoid another youkai trying to chop him in two with a sword.
the body sizzled and exploded, destroyed by the raw power of Goku’s attack.
There wasn’t anything really special about his staff beyond the ability for
Goku to extend it great lengths as he demonstrated, lengthening it so he could
catch a youkai flying through the air on the collarbone. The true deadly force
came from Goku’s fighting spirit, the raw power he barely had a fraction of
control over.
to exert that much physical labor in the snow aog. og. He aimed and three shots
rang out true, one into the heart of the closest youkai that was now in front
of Hakkai and trying to take anr swr swing with the sword. The bullet hit
square in the middle of the back of that filthy youkead.ead.
Sanzo’s left and blew a hole through its throat. The last went into the mouth
of another one of these smelly demons trying to take him from behind. Sanzo
sniffed at the carnage as all three went down around him before spitting to the
side in disgust. It was what they deserved for trying to take him run around
like the usual helpless human victim.
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you work harder then,” Hakkai offered benignly as he reached out to grab a new
youkai’s neck and tear out the throat with his bare hand. Hakkai’s smile didn’t
falter a bit as the youkai fell back with a watery gurgle Even Sanzo had to
cringe at that messy murder. Gun shot wounds weren’t all that bloody at first.
ripped off the youkai on the snow and gracefully took the wrist of another
youkai that lunged at him. He used the brute’s own momentum to get a hand on
the shoulder plate of the captured arm. Hakkai broke the youkai’s joint as if
they were dancing, fluid in everything he did.
another shot of his own, the last round sent into the eye of one of the
bare-chested youkai. Sanzo hated those dirty beasts the most, ignoring it as
the body fell down to reveal half a dozen more coming at him. Hakkai snapped
the youkai’s neck for his second move and dropped the still body into the snow
heavily, running forward to take on more youkai face to face.
him for the only time he would ever pray. He chanted the words known in hisart art as the sutra began to stir and lift on his shoulders, waving with the
hidden spiritual power. Sanzo let the written scripture take in his life and
soul, sending every bit of his will into the mystical paper on his shoulder. He
may not believe in the religion that had given him the sutra, but Sanzo could
use it with a skill few of its other masters in the past had demonstrated.
his hand to direct the sutra. It split into hundreds of long separate scrolls
leaping out to wrap around youkai that dared attack a high priest. The sutra
only needed to touch before it burned away every part of darkness in the soul.
For youkai, the darkness was their entire body pumping with their foul demon
blood.
pas tas the sutra devoured them, shattering their bodies into a thousands
pieces as it burned away the soul as well. There would be no reincarnation for
those youkai and Sanzo didn’t give a damn if karma caught up to him or not.
Those things needed to be gotten rid of, one way or another. If he had
to kill them himself and break every vow he made as a priest, so be it.
back to its small and familiar form around his shoulders once again. He sighed
as the rush of power settled back to normal before he looked for Goku. The ape
was cheerfully throwing himself through a foray of attackers, punching and
kicking like it was all a wondl gal game as he broke bones.
Goku. None of these youkai were any real matches for his strength anyway. It
was nothing more than wave ics,ics, trying to overwhelm them by numbers alone. Sanzo
wasn’t sure how many he had killed but he wasn’t about to start taking count
now. The commanding force was foolish to try and direct this sort of cheap
attack on him.
ty
grayness, something cold and firm to believe in. Six empty shells fell to the
snow softly, sticking upright in the ice. Sanzo didn’t mind the youkai that ran
at his back with a heavy club in its hand, loading new bullets without concern.
Goku took care of it in short order, punching the youkai in the sternum and jaw
before anyone even realized he had moved.
slipped new bullets smoothly into the chambers one by one, unhurried despite
the fighting chaos around him right now. He trusted those three idiots to
protect his back for a few seconds at least… or at the most… Sanzo flicked his
wrist and cylinder locked back into place, reloaded and ready to be emptied in
order.
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two youkai came at him from either side. He just stepped back and allowed
Hakkai to take aim. The two demons were consumed by a large, bright white ball,
their bodies nothing more than shadowy outlines before breaking apart with the
force of the explosion. He turned away from the roaring of the explosion to
look at Hakkai with displeasure. The man should have taken care of the
youkai before Sanzo even needed to think about dodging.
like that,” Hakkai admonished with a gentlemanly grin. He turned away from
Sanzo to move out of the way of a clumsily wielded broadsword. Hakkai dodged
the first swing and hit the youkai’s wrist with the edge of his palm, forcing
the numb fingers to drop the sword.
his fist into the chin of the youkai with such strength he sent the demon
flying back through the air. It landed in the snow with a wet, crunching noise
that surely meant there were broken bones. The demon had blood coming from his
mouth and a dazed look in his eye that Sanzo quickly took care of with one
bullet.
fucking back?” Sanzo yelled at them all so he could be heard over the screaming
still ripping through the fog and trees. It was impossible to tell how many
youkai were waiting to attack them, but Sanzo felt this was more than the usual
band of youkai blocking their path. It was just too many for that.
youkai would never fight together and attack under explicit orders for it to be
so well orchestrated as to come in waves. Youkai weren’t smart enough to
strategize like that without having some kind of higher-level youkai. He wanted
to finish this as soon as possible, Sanzo quickly sick of picking off these
small fries.
group of youkai that had begun to encircle him, hitting some demons physically
here, and then using a gathering of his chi to ode ode some unlucky youkai
there. All the while, that cold smile was still on his face, like eone one of
them was a lost, dear friend. Except, one didn’t go about mass-murdering his
friends as Hakkai was doing now.
can send you to hell
ordered silently, not about to yell useless threats if the leader of this
idiotic attack wasn’t in the trees. The uneasiness he felt was increasing with
the screaming of the youkai. They were starting to disturb something here. The
forest was quiet for a reason. Sanzo was right to think that this place
deserved the respect given to the dead. The youkai were rousing old bloodstains
here.
a lot, so you should work out a lot,” Goku arguedh hih his simple logic,
twirling his staff in wide circles to slam into a youkai’s skull. The blow sent
the demon flat on its face into the snow, the back of its head visibly dented. Goku
kept spinning the nyoi-bo to hit a different youkai with a staff of its own on
its temple, throat, stomach and then groin so rapidly that it seemed like one
continuous movement.
youkai who was trying to rush him with a large pike in hand. The head snapped
back with the momentum of the bullet but continued falling forward. Sanzo
dodged the corpse to let it fall in the snow without any more thought. He had already
forgotten the murder and was shooting another large and bearded youkai in the
temple as its head was turned to look at Goku.
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called out his opinion across the battlefield as he spun the shaku-jou above his
head. The chain went out to cut around
the small group that had tried to close in on him, sailing around bizarrely in
the air before the chain went taunt and snapped the blade back to the staff in inn instant. Everything was still for a horrible moment, the angered cries cut
short.
torsos, arms and legs exploded apart. Gojyo only grinned in the center of it as
blood splattered out around him and stained the pristine snow. He looked up at
Sanzo with a smirk on his face, well aware that he had shown off yet again.
to the half-breed that stood in a relatively clean circle of white snow in the
center of all the carnage. Sanzo wasn’t pleased at all that Gojyo had managed
to kill shit, since there were more than
enough coming to fill those empty places, waiting patiently in the fog as they
screamed to disorientate them. Sanzo refused to allow it to work. The others
seemed to ignore it was well, finding contentment in fighting.
miserable youkai coming from? There seemed to be no end to the demons appearing
out of the thick grey to replace fallen ones. Just how many were still waiting
in the woods, biding their time until Sanzo was too worn out to fight? It
seemed like they might possibly have enough to truly overwhelm them.
be concerned about his fighting party’s abilities. Each of them had an
efficiency to survive that almost bordered on immortal. It was nothing more
than honing a few combat skills and getting lots of ticetice. There certainly
was enough hands-on experience to gain with youkai trying to stop them at every
major road stop along the way.
held his arm up straight to press the muzzle against silver youkai hair.
Inhuman green eyes flashed up at him, all sanity gone from the face that was
trying to rush past his guard. Sanzo pressed the tip of the Smith and Wesson
against its forehead, the safety pulled back as he looked calmly in the youkai’s
wild eyes. All that was left was animalistic desires with demonic intent.
skull and into the snow behind before the head snapped back lamely a moment
later. Sanzo fired at the two youkai coming from behind that one, not caring
about the body falling to the snow with muscles still twitching in death
spasms. The new pair went down with their bodies flinching back and crumpling
like the cheap aluminum of empty beer cans Sanzo used for target practice.
youkai than before were coming at him. Three, hulking, male youkai were the
most immediate threat with thick fur on their chests instead of any sensible
winter clothing. Sanzo felt like he was looking upon a particularly ugly
species of a rather hairy ape. A female youkai was coming up from slightly
behind as well, howling with rage as she came at him barehanded.
the sutra before something slammed into base of his skull. Sanzo fell
face-first into the snow, unable to put his hands out in time to catch himself.
He dropped his gun as his whole body gave out and refused to respond. Darkness
tinged the corner of his vision and Sanzo could only pant in the cold wet snow
starting to soak his front side.
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now! Sanzo forced himself to roll over and kick the youkai standing over him in
the balls. He wasn’t going to fall down like a woman after getting punched in
the back of the head. It hurt like a bitch but Sanad aad already paid back the
pain tenfold as the youkai crumpled, howling weakly and clutching at its groin
as it rolled around the snow in pain.
fingers numb and heavy as he scrabbled in the snow to find the hilt of his gun.
His lips were too cold to make any of the words to command the sutra and his
teeth were chattering helplessly. One of the original trio that had closed in
on him grabbed the front of Sanzo’s coat and hauled him up to his feet, huge
sharp teeth grinning in triumph.
the block he had locked in with a youkai’s sword as he noticing the blonde was
in serious trouble. The dumb ass ape jumped away from the youkai he was
fighting and rushed across the snow and still bodies to get to Sanzo without a
glance back. Youkai watched in confusion as Goku passed them by, holding up
their weapons and blinking as the boy didn’t engage a single one of them.
and come to his rescue, like the stupid, predictable idiot he was. He wasn’t
about to need that protection. Sanzo grabbed the elbow holding onto his coat and
punched with his other hand. The
crossover connected with the side of the youkai’s jaw and Sanzo was dropped to
the snow again.
lasting damage. He just stayed on all fours and looked around widely fis
is
gun, his hands ghosting over the snow for the feel of the cool handle. Where
the hell was his gun? Sanzo couldn’t see Gojyo and Hakkai from his spot
by the river’s edge. He had to find his gun.
slamming the nyoi-bo into the demon’s face. Blood flew up and Goku rushed under
it to go for the second youkai and the female one coming to the male’s help. Sanzo
needed to find his gun and take care of his own hide, because being ‘saved’ was
not an optionArial\'>.
chance to look around just in time to see the one he had kicked in the groin
come at him again. Sanzo was picked up around the waist and lifted from the
ground in one sickening, lucid moment. All he could see was the bloodstained
snow underneath him, large, white holes stirred up from fighting. Then,
everything went shockingly dark and cold and… wet.
himself underwater, his nose filled with the river as he was plunged into the
freezing current. The youkai still had a grip around his waist and was holding
him down under the surface of the water as they were tossed downstream,
probably trying to drown him. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t swim and the water
was colder then Sanzo could ever have imagined, freezing him in a single
instant.
elbowed the youkai holding him in the gut, harditalic\'>, over and over again until the arm around his waist released.
Immediately Sanzo was lost in the dark current of the river, unable to tell
which way was up as the current carried him away from the youkai. The water was
so damn cold he couldn’t even move anymore to try and struggle to the surface.
He was choking on the river, not knowing how to swim or breathe underwater and
unable to fight aga the the freezing cold temperature of the river.
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the water collided against Sanzo’s back with enough force to knock the air out
of him. Or, in this case, the water Sanzo had pathetically swallowed in his
struggling. He scrabbled with wet hands and found an edge to cling to before
the river could tear him off the rock.
worth, not giving a damn how much his fingers felt like they couldn’t
grip a damn thing in the icy water. He cut his palms open on the slick rock and
didn’t feel a thing, only concentrating on hauling himself to the surface. His
head finally b fre free of the river to a take deep, soggy breath of air.
to drown him, making Sanzo fumble his bloody grip. He was freezing to death, he
was going to drown and that same cursed youkai came hurtling down the
river to grab Sanzo around the neck like he was a drowned cat. He couldn’t
fight at first, too confused by the sensation of being in so much water to
feel anything more than the cold.
off as the heavy robes dragged him down in the water. Sanzo tried to knee the
youkai in the stomach through the wet and clinging robes, not giving a damn if
the demon was the only thing keeping him from drowning. Sanzo refused to be
saved by something he should have killed four bullets ago.
with his blood freezing in his veins. Sanzo couldn’t even form the words to
chant the sutra underwater, if it had been able to work in the river in the
first place. His gun was back at the cursed riverbank and his muscles were
useless now.
in his robes and fighting against the current at the same time, ignoring how
Sanzo tried struggling away weakly. Somehow the youkai managed to haul both of
them out of the water and onto an unfamiliar snowy bank, clawing at the snow
for a grip to haul them up from the river.
and all he could do was cough weakly and shiver helplessly on the icy ground.
His clothes were plastered to his body; soaking wet and freezing cold fabric
soaking up all of his precious body heat. The snow was incredibly warm compared
to the river and Sanzo could only miserably vomit up dirty river water from his
lungs.
Sanzo, shaking off his wet coat like a dog coming up from playing. Water
splattered Sanzo all over, shockingly cold and ruining what little of him had
managed to dry so far. He squinted, finally taking the time to take notice the
beast that had saved him from the river. Sanzo would be damn well sure
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barely covered the ankles. Bizarrely enough, the youkai had a pair of new
shoes. It had probably stolen them from some poor, wretched human mugged along
the way. The youkai was one of the larger and furrier ones, just as Sanzo’s
luck would turn out. It was covered in a thick, black fur that didn’t seem to
really have any starting point. A thick head of hair melted into a heavy beard
that went to the heavy chest fur covering the shoulders and back.
a voice that just might possibly be intelligent. Sanzo still didn’t want to
answer such a stupid question, choosing to concentrate on wrapping his arms
around himself to preserve what little body heat he had. Big, yellow, slitted
eyes blinked at him as the youkai scratched the fur loose of dirt and ice from
the river, more concerned with keeping itself warm than the human catch it had
hauled up like a prize fish.
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that either Sanzo was too stubborn to answer his questions or the frail human
in front of it was unable to speak with the cold. The demon reached down and
grabbed Sanzo around his upper arm with bruising force and unceremoniously
hauled up him up to his feet. He sagged and punched the sternum in front of his
face, not about to be some hapless victim.
he dropped back into the snow and lay there in shock. Sanzo tasted blood in his
mouth as he licked at it irritably. This youkai would pay, as soon as he
could shake off the stunning strength of that blow and gain his feet. The
youkai lifted Sanzo up again by the back of the robe like he was a sodden cat,
shaking him for a good warning.
over again instead of thinking of trying to fight free. He was nauseous as the
snow spun under his feet; the woods here eerily clean like when they had first
entered the forest. His vision swam wildly, Sanzo noticing wavering marks of old,
old blood. The trees were soaked with a misery so deep Sanzo wondered why he
hadn’t noticed it before.
being killed here, horribly and without rites of passage. Souls were
crying here, in limbo from their agony at death. They were begging him,
wordless pleads that Sanzo couldn’t even begin to understand. He tried to
struggle with the youkai, tried to get away so he could run out from this
cursed forest.
the back of his hand like he was a hysterical woman, except this strike nearly
knocked Sanzo’s head off his neck. He could only glare at the youkai, unable to
spare the breath to give this unforgivably violent and soon to be dead demon
any harsh words. Sanzo was too cold to yell back anyway. He saw stars but
blinked as the spiritual wailing receded a bit after the blow.
faded off into the spiritual realm, drawn into sensing things he would much
rather ignore. All those souls were harmless, shifting afterimages of a person’s
emotions frozen at the pain of death. They would find no peace, but neither had
the will to look for it either. He didn’t need to think about insignificant
things. There was nothing he could do for spirits so long dead.
snow when both Sanzo’s legs went out underneath him immediately after standing.
He couldn’t even kick out at the youkai’s knees with his whole body numb as
snow melted on his drenched clothes. He was so cold. Wasn’t this youkai
freezing stupstupid ass off?
going to be able to walk on his own and stopped. Sanzo sagged down on the
clean, white snow as the youkai gave him a break to tremble with the sickness
of being so goddamn cold. At least he still had the sutra on his
shoulders. If he had lost that in the river, Sanzo would have insisted they go
back and find it.
chance to recover. The youkai must be afraid of Sanzo dying like the frail
human being he was. Just how weak did he look to this youkai? Granted
that he was a damn pathetic sight right now with his hair soaking wet and his
fingernails turning blue, Genjo Sanzo should still be able to strike fear into
the heart of any demon, half-drowned or not.
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able to stand on his own, the youkai reached down and grabbed him by the arm
again. The youkai hauled Sanzo over its shoulder like he was an unwieldy piece
of meat. One big, fat hand wrapped around both wrists while the other went
behind the back of his knees to keep him taunt over the youkai’s shoulder, bent
around the youkai’s neck.
youkai spat out grudgingly. Sanzo couldn’t even phantom why he was being
saved with the ground wavering under them. He couldn’t even struggle against
the hold, just so goddamn thankful that the youkai had a small bit of body heat
coming from his shoulders. He didn’t care where the demon carried him. Whatever
it was would be better than trying to fare by himself in the snow after a dip
in an icy river.
what the youkai meant by his ‘face.’ Sanzo only panted as the demon’s large
shoulder blades dug into his ribs. His robes were wet sodden things on the
youkai’s back and Sanzo took pleasure in the fact he was getting the demon wet.
that would get the youkai back for making them fall in the river in the first
place, until he could actually shoot the demon. Sanzo could bid his time for
now as the youkai carried the mto wto whatever place it had in its small little
mind. Hopefully it was somewhere warm
youkai was going to deliver him to the leader that he had sensed earlier. Maybe
there would be a sane, intelligent enough youkai that Sanzo could actually
reason with. Sanzo would usually much rather prefer to find a weapon to work
with or just screw it all and go barehanded, but he didn’t think he could fight
right now. His muscles were too cold to respond properly. Sanzo was going to
lose his fingers for sure.
the wind started to blow against the youkai’s back. Or perhaps there was no
wind at all. Sanzo couldn’t even figure out where the ground was as every
outline in the world faded into the same grey of snow and fog. It was too cold,
a bitter chill that Sanzo had never known before. He couldn’t feel his feet or
hands anymore, the limbs nothing more then stiff numb things at the end of arms
and legs.
steps, Sanzo felt the presence of the dead souls becoming stronger. It felt
like a vise around his skull right now, tightening into each temple. All he
heard were the astral wailings and hopeless moaning of leftover feelings. These
ghouls weren’t entire souls or even shades, Sanzo reminded himself
sharply. There was no reason to be effected by them.
be able to chant and keep them at bay. These dead presences were coming closer
now that he had gone deeper into the forest and become separated from those
three. At least Hakkai might have been able to help Sanzo fight off wandering
spirits.
aura, ‘feeling,” or whatever it was they sensed. All of the things out
in the forest knew Sanzo was a religious person. They sensed it like he was the
sun coming out from behind the clouds, water in the desert, food after
starving. They knew that Sanzo was the only thing that could release them from
their unchanging hell.
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ago. Sanzo had no reason to feel any pity for them. They were too fucking stupid
to realize the priest was freezing to death. He would die before he could get
around to saying a proper death prayer. Sanzo didn’t need their annoying cries
in his head to add to his problems. He would pray for them in his own damn
time, if at all.
I knock you out,” the youkai warned him suddenly as it glanced around the woods
suspiciously. The youkai was likely sensing the gathering apparitions that were
starting to follow slowly in their path. Even a demon as brainless as this one
would have to feel the spirits that were seeking out Sanzo.
too cold to speak since all he could do was tremble on the youkai’s shoulders.
It was cold, so very cold. Sanzo wanted this youkai to put him down and let him
curl up pathetically in front of a warm fire. He wished to kill this youkai. He
would never look at snow again. They were only traveling through deserts from
this day on.
indistinct, shapeless figures following in the youkai’s footprints. They were
moving slowly like they were being pushed by the wind Sanzo had felt earlier.
He guessed there must already be a dozen of the things, but with the ghosts
drifting and melting into each other Sanzo couldn’t be sure of their numbers.
heavy footprints the youkai had made in the snow behind them. The drifting grey
shade moved across the ice like the waves of an ocean were moving it. The base
of this incarnation of dead resentment was sweeping the footprints of the
youkai with its insubstantial body. More trailed after the first few to clean
up what the first one had missed tturnturn the snow to its clean and untouched
state.
sense now why the woods had been so unnaturally clean. These wandering souls
had enough matter to brush snow off the limbs of trees, erase footprints and
other mars on the snow like it had never been. This was why the woods hadh
ah
a strong malignant feeling the entire time.
ghosts were just feelings from the moment of death, with no personality
or soul or anything to give it intelligence. It didn’t have enough
spiritual energy to have a solid body like the ones that were able to move
things or haunt certain places they had been attached to during life.
hounding them and hiding the footprints? It was too much to handle with Sanzo’s
blood freezing in his veins. He was starting to shake instead of tremble, the
muscles trying one last attempt to work up some sort of warmth but failing
miserably. Sanzo felt his eyes drifting close and vaguely knew he shouldn’t
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Arial\'>AUTHOR’S NOTES: ‘Chi’ versus ‘ki?” There was an argument about this, but
we never really came to a decision. ‘Chi’ sounds cooler, so there.
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lazy at heart and don’t want to type that much. And hey, quoting Clockwork
Orange ‘A little bit o the ultra-violence.’ But, thanks for reading this! Any
errors? Please report any shitty writing you come across, so I won’t do it
again!
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