The Storms That Bind Us

Chapter 13


The rain was chilling to the bone as the group walked through the heavy downpour. Hakkai thought he could hear distant screams dancing along the strong wind that whipped the raindrops around more turbulently. More innocent lives being cut down by the cruel youkai. The minus waved continued it's twisted destruction of the world, unrelenting and cold. The ones they managed to help just never seemed to be enough for Hakkai, but it pushed him to stop this nightmare as quickly as they possibly could. Even when the wave was stopped, there would be a lot of work to get the world back to any kind of peace.

Hakkai's senses picked up the aura just as Sanzo stopped walking and raised his hand for them to all stop. Through his rain obscured glasses, Hakkai caught movement from the rooftop of the building just ahead. A shot rang beside him and the body toppled and rolled off to land with a heavy splash in a puddle on the street below. The water turned red as the dead youkai bled from the chest wound the blessed bullet had left. Sanzo's gun was still raised as his eyes glanced over the other buildings ahead. No other movement could be seen through the sheet of rain that continued to fall, but the four men knew they were being watched.

"Sanzo party!"

"Here we go," muttered Gojyo, hand gripping his weapon tighter, knuckles white with tension and readiness.

"We heard you were huddled up here in this town!" the invisible presence yelled over the sound of the storm.

"Your voice is already pissing me off, show your ugly face!" Sanzo called out, gun cocked in a steady fist.

"Well, aren't you a rude bastard of a priest?" Scattered laughter followed from all around their position.

"And soon a dead one," a familiar voice said, yet some of the cockiness it had before had vanished along with his eyes. "You killed my sister you fuckers!"

"My heart bleeds." Sanzo pointed his gun in the general direction of the threatening voice.

"Just come out you cowards!" Goku yelled, hand shifting slight on the shaft of his nyoibou, his strong legs placed for a ready jump.

"So eager for death to take you?!"

"That really is a used up line, try another," Hakkai said, trying to focus on the nearest voice. The bastards were using the storm to their advantage to try throwing them off of hidden positions. He couldn't tell how many were surrounding them.

"Is this not a lovely day?" the original voice asked.

Hakkai watched Sanzo from the corner of his eye. The blond's hair was plastered down and sticking to the sides of his face, his expression was one of distaste. His mouth was curled down with a frown so deep that he actually felt pity for the youkai that were sure to get his fury for pulling him out into this shit storm.

"They're fucking dead," Sanzo muttered to the group, and fired a shot toward one of the laughing voices nearest them. The laugh turned into a screech of surprised pain, and the youkai stumbled from behind his brick hiding place grasping his bleeding forearm.

"You bastard, I'll kil.." His face exploded with another loud crack from Sanzo's gun, and his body dropped like a stone on the rain logged ground.

"Planning on taking us all out like that?"

"I can't see it being a problem, asshole," Sanzo answered gruffly, pointing his gun toward the voice. Sanzo's arm dropped with a soft grunt. Hakkai looked and almost didn't see the white dart sticking in his shoulder. It was so similar to what Chin used that his stomach coiled with the sight. He went to pull it from his lover's body, but Sanzo was already pulling the foreign object out with a seething curse. He yanked, then broke the dart in his hand, letting the pieces fall to his feet. "Now you've really pissed me off!"

"Have I?"

Another dart flew, but Sanzo batted it aside and fired toward where it left for flight. Youkai spilled out from hiding places to charge at the group, the standoff broken by wild yells and bared claws. Hakkai spun and kicked one aside that grabbed clumsily at his arm. He heard the others fighting behind him and gun blasts going off, screams following every shot. He didn't have time to see how his companions fared as two more angry youkai ran at him with no recourse.

He punched the first one in the throat, and watched blood spill from his surprised open mouth before he fell. The other managed a swipe of his claws and caught Hakkai's upper arm. Hakkai was too pumped with adrenaline and didn't even feel the sting as he grabbed his attackers offending hand to pull his arm straight out, his elbow coming down over it to bust the fragile bone with a crack. As the youkai staggered back screaming, he built a ball of energized chi and threw it against him, slamming the youkai hard against the building behind him, his body spasming in death like a rag doll.

Hakkai heard Sanzo curse and he turned to see he was stuck with more darts. A youkai was about to jump him him from behind, but Hakkai sent another blast at it and knocked him back from his intended target. Sanzo gave him a slight nod of thanks then fired more rounds in the opposite direction to take down two more. He saw that Goku and Gojyo were holding their own as he ducked another attack with ease.

"Kill them, dammit! How hard can it be to kill them?!" Hakkai saw the youkai, his missing eyes covered with flimsy bandages. Hakkai could scarcely remember his name. Evon? He was so confused at the time when he'd finally heard the name that it was like a long ago memory. What did matter was the bastard had brought more enemies to hunt them down, and killed innocent towns people in the process.

"Blind rat actually found his way out of the sewer," Gojyo said, the blood of fallen enemies watered down across his soaked shirt.

"Yeah, almost seems too pathetic to even punch," Goku said, jumping over bodies to land next to Gojyo.

"Fuck you! My eyes may be gone, but I can smell your self righteous bullshit!" Hakuryu squawked sharply from a rooftop and the youkai threw his arm over his head in reflex, yelping like a scared child. The few scattered youkai that were left got shot down with a ringing sound of bullets.

"Should I put you out of your misery now, you piece of shit?" Sanzo asked, cocking the gun and taking steady aim as lightening lit up the carnage around them. Darts pelted all around, and the four scattered to avoid them. Sanzo growled and yanked another from his leg as he took cover in a alleyway. Hakkai watched him from his position, then peeked out to try getting a look at the dart thrower. He had yet to show himself in all the mayhem. Evon had stumbled back into hiding as well.

"Stop hiding!" Hakkai heard Goku yell from another place not far from Sanzo. He kept watching, eyes working to see if he could pinpoint anything. The harsh wind blew the rain sideways against his side and he shivered, then felt the slight twinge of pain from the scratch he'd received. He blinked away the rain in his eyes with frustration. Hakuryu flew above and swerved to avoid a single dart, landing back behind Hakkai to take cover with his master. He dare not send his little companion out to hunt the youkai for fear of him getting filled with the deadly projectiles.

Hakkai looked toward Sanzo's position and saw him knelt down looking out as he was. The rain had let up just enough that he could see the irritation in his handsome features. His purple eyes were narrowed, and his lips a thin, tight line. He saw a flash of red and looked to see Gojyo running from his spot to another that was closer toward where their enemy lie. He got a few darts shot at him for his trouble, and one embedded into his right thigh. Hakkai grimaced and watched Gojyo yank it out and heard the annoyed curse that came with it.

"Fuckin asshole!" Gojyo shouted, sweeping long, wet hair out of his eyes.

They couldn't do this forever. There had to be some way of bringing them out of hiding, but they had no time for plans or consideration. Only the sound of the storm could be heard now, the shouting falling eerily silent. Thunder rumbled around them, the strength of it making the ground tremble. The fury of it was the same as that night he'd killed so many. He looked at a fallen dart that was on the ground next to Gojyo's feet, and was again reminded of Chin Yisou. This was not the time to have harsh memories forced upon him. He was getting a lot of that lately, and it unnerved him.

"No!" The frantic yell came from across the street and Hakkai's eyes widened when he saw Goku pulling the thrashing Evon by the back of his shirt. He frantically clawed and fought to get free, but Goku held firm, dragging him along like he were merely a small child. Hakkai looked back to Sanzo and saw him smirking with satisfaction.

"That is a pity, Evon," the hidden enemy finally spoke again.

"Help me!" Evon shouted to his companion. Darts took flight and Goku pulled his prisoner around to take the damage. The attack was quick and deadly accurate as the darts pierced Evon's tender throat. Hakkai watched his mouth work, and heard the faint gurgling sounds as blood poured from his lips. Goku held the limp body like a shield for a moment more before he let it drop and rolled to hunker behind a fruit stand.

"Well, he had his use for a while anyway," the youkai chuckled over the rain.

"Use? What the hell does that mean?!" Gojyo yelled over another roll of thunder.

"I was already searching you out, like most youkai have since you started your journey west." His voice came from another spot, but he still remained hidden from sight. "Was just luck I found that poor, pathetic thing wandering the woods a few miles from this town. He told me his whole story about you, Cho Hakkai, or should I say Cho Gono? That IS your real name. You can't change what you did by just changing your name, asshole." Hakkai's back stiffened as the youkai went on, his voice calm and hard at the same time.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Sanzo shouted. Hakkai looked over and saw his lover gripping his gun, teeth clenching with renewed anger.

"Oh, I suppose I shouldn't keep it to myself any longer. I am one of the youkai that was lucky enough to be away from the castle the night my clan was killed. My name does not matter." His voice had moved to another spot again, and Hakkai fought to pinpoint it. "Not all of us where home, murderer. Does that disappoint you?" Hakkai's hands curled into fists, and he fought the sick feeling twisting his gut. "Answer me!"

"Fuck you!" Gojyo yelled instead and sent his blade in the direction of the taunting voice. It came back after missing it's target, and he cursed with aggravation.

"I'm sure you recognize the darts, Gono. Chin taught me how to use them."

Hakkai could not speak as he sat huddled under the cold, pouring rain. How long would this nightmare follow and hunt him down? How many more of the clan still lived that he did not know existed? The weight of this new discovery left him feeling numb and helpless. He shivered with cold as well as growing dread. He looked toward the other three that were huddled as he was, and felt guilty all over again. Every time some phantom from the past came calling, his friends suffered along with him.

"Come out and play," he taunted, throwing more darts near Gojyo's hiding place. Gojyo muttered another curse and looked toward Hakkai to see how he was holding up. Sanzo was doing the same and Hakkai looked at them both grimly in return. Sanzo shook his head at him when he saw his forlorn expression. No, Sanzo would not let him wallow in this. He felt an even deeper love for the man that he'd shared his body and soul with. "Aw, come on gentlemen, no one brave enough to come out?"

"Look who's talking!" Hakkai mustered a shout. "You seem to be the only cowardly one, hiding like a scared little boy, throwing his darts like a tantrum!"

"Oh, you finally speak, Gono. That's good." Darts rained down around him and he gasped, rolling and spotting the attacker on the roof above where he'd been crouched down. Sanzo was shooting before he had a chance to even build a chi attack, and the bastard disappeared again. Hakkai rolled up to his feet ran toward Sanzo as his lover covered him. He splashed through puddled and skidded down beside him, panting harsh and wiping his rain blurred glasses. He looked to see Hakuryu had flown off to hide as well.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch," Sanzo muttered, then looked at him. "Did you get hit?"

"No, I'm okay."

"I hate this hiding in the shadows shit," Sanzo said low, eyes darting around. Gojyo's yell of pain got their attention and they looked out to see the enemy youkai standing over him. Darts were embedded into both his knee caps as he lay in muddied rain water, his face twisted with pain and anger. Sanzo took another shot and the youkai leaped and was out of sight again. Hakkai went to move to go to his aid, but Sanzo stilled him with a firm grip on his arm. "No."

"Sanzo, he's hurt."

"He's trying to get you in the open."

"We can't just sit here.." Goku let out a shout, but another yell joined his. Hakkai looked to see the youkai stagger then run, his nose bloodied, the flow going down over his lips and chin.

"Don't sneak up on me again, asshole!" Goku shouted running after him, but stopped when he vanished again. He ducked behind a bench when more darts came at him, missing him by inches.

"Me thinks the monkey is mad," Gojyo said and yanked the last dart from his right knee with a pained groan.

"We already are in the open. We might as well be with the way we're pinned down," Hakkai insisted softly when it went quiet again. "He's able to warp the area around him from what I can see to hide himself."

"Well, the bastard isn't invincible. Goku just proved that," Sanzo whispered back, then sighed soft. "Go ahead, but be careful. I'll cover you." Hakkai smiled soft then took a look around before he ran to kneel next to Gojyo.

"Kai.."

"Quiet." He ripped the knees of his jeans to get a better look and saw the small holes still seeping blood. The rain washed it as it came, and he wished he had a better environment to work in.

"It's not that bad. Just a few holes, no biggie," Gojyo said.

"Think you can walk?"

"Will probably hurt a little, but yeah." He shifted around a bit while Hakkai had a closer look, keeping his eyes open for another attack. "I hate those fucking darts."

"You and me both." He built a soft glow of chi in his hands over one knee, concentrating. His whole body felt numb from the cold and wind, but he managed to be still as he healed Gojyo. He kept expecting another attack, but it didn't come. He went to work on his other damaged knee and began to wonder if the youkai had cut and run after Goku had gotten the better of him, but he knew different.

"You alright, kappa?" Goku yelled over.

"Yeah, monkey, no problem." The holes closed up leaving only slight red marks behind. He was still watching the rooftops, just as Sanzo was. "Kai, where the hell did the bastard go?" he whispered.

"I don't know, but he still has to be here. I can feel him." Gojyo nodded, watching above. More darts pierced the wet ground beside them, and they scrabbled away. Hakkai heard Sanzo firing a few feet away from them. Goku was already running in the same direction. "Goku, careful!"

"Enough of this game!" Sanzo shouted over the storm, reloading his gun with practiced ease. "I'm wet, cold and really pissed off!"

"Not a good combo," Gojyo said, huddled next to Hakkai.

"Then let me ease your suffering!" Darts flew like deadly arrows, too many for Sanzo to avoid them all. Hakkai yelled when he saw Sanzo stagger and drop his gun. He grabbed at his wrist and yanked the dart that had plunged through his flesh. Goku was already jumping and scaling up the building after the youkai with an angry cry. It happened all too fast and the youkai appeared behind Sanzo and yanked him, pinning his arms and placing three deadly darts to the tender flesh of his throat.

"Get off him, bastard!" Hakkai looked up as Goku yelled down from the building the youkai had been moments before, then quickly back to his trapped lover. Sanzo was still and calm, his mouth in a deep, irritated frown.

"How's it feel to know I could just kill you right here?"

"You are pathetic," Sanzo said in answer, eyes cold and hard with loathing.

The youkai pushed the darts harder against his fragile throat. It hurt Hakkai to see it, how close Sanzo was to death, but his lover was taking it with a menacing sneer and a narrowing of his eyes. Goku was caught atop the building, just as he and Gojyo were stuck in place. There was no way to attack the youkai with fear of him just piercing Sanzo's throat. Hakkai stood and stepped forward slowly, pushing away Gojyo's hand when he tried to hold him back.

"You want me right?"

"For starters, but I think I'll be taking the monk's scripture too."

"It always comes to that with you filth," Sanzo said through clenched teeth.

"Don't piss around with me," he said in warning, pushing the darts more to prove his point.

Hakkai looked to Sanzo's eyes. They communicated in their own way, like two souls that knew everything about each other. Sanzo couldn't die here like this by someone as weak as this youkai. In the end, the bastard was no different than any other that hunted them down relentlessly. No, they both refused to be hurt again by losses.

The soft glow of chi was already building in his fists when the silent mantra Sanzo had been chanting threw back the cock sure youkai, the darts barely leaving a scratch over Sanzo's skin. He yelled in shocked surprise as he fell back, unable to distort himself away to avoid the blast of chi that hit him full on, the power of it knocking him across the ground. Hakkai watched him, his mouth a silent scream of pain, and the wheezing breath that left his chest.

Goku jumped down as Gojyo walked over to join them, the four of them watching the helpless youkai roll and claw at the rain saturated ground to try crawling away. Hakuryu landed on Hakkai's shoulder as he watched Sanzo pick up his fallen gun. They followed the youkai, catching up easily as he struggled for freedom. Goku simply kicked him over with his boot to stop his weak attempts. Gojyo sneered and jammed the blunt end of his weapon into the youkai's stomach. His pain finally came out in a loud scream as he was pinned and helpless.

"You..bas..tards. You.." He looked at Hakkai with pure hate in his eyes. He was reminded of Chin once again.

"Die." Sanzo shot and his face exploded, cutting off anything else he may have said.

"Hm, we never did get the assholes name," Gojyo said, yanking his weapon free from the corpse. Sanzo just grunted and turned from the body. As they left the carnage behind, Hakkai found that he did not care to know. It simply did not matter. And the rain continued to fall.