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Never No Answer	By : animegher Category: Gensomaden Saiyuki > General Views: 8695 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gensomaden Saiyuki, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Disclaimer:
Saiyuki and the characters used in the following belong to Kazuya Minekura.
Except for those very few I made up on my own, so very not original though! : P

�Goku, you�re going to ruin your lunch,� Hakkai
admonished lightly from his right as Goku continued to crack shells on the
table and toss the nut inside into his mouth one at a time. Hakkai should know
by now that nothing could ruin his appetite short of all-out warfare with a
whole bunch of the nastiest youkai around� and that would only make him
hungrier after it was all over. Goku was already starving and it had barely been over an hour since breakfast ended,
mainly because Sanzo had stormed out of the inn angrier than Goku had ever seen
him before.

Goku regretted not finishing his plate now, but even he
hadn�t been able to eat after Sanzo had left in such a foul mood. But, at this
rate he was going to die from hunger before Sanzo came back. There was only a
bowl of nuts to last him until lunch, which was looking smaller and smaller by
the minute as the pile of shells grew next to him on the table. Now Hakkai was
scolding him about good manners when Goku had actually been trying to chew with
his mouth closed! He wished Gojyo would bring Sanzo back soon so Hakkai could
worry about the monk instead of him. Beyond that, Hakkai was still there to
scold him about overeating and good manners when Sanzo would only demand that he
just act decent.

Besides, everyone else in that was sitting at other
tables or the bar was trying to stare at them without being obvious. There were
even a few villagers standing at the door and in the corners just to get a look
at two members of the famous Sanzo party without trying to look obvious. Goku
was pretty sure this inn wouldn�t be getting as many customers if they weren�t
here, used to the same from every other place they ended up staying at. If the
obvious gawking wasn�t enough, Goku�s ears caught all sorts of hushed
conversations and rumors about them now that Hakkai was quiet again. It was
more irritating than actually fighting youkai out in the open, which was at
least straight-foreword enough. Goku hated it when he heard people talk about
him or Sanzo when they didn�t even know them. He glanced over to Hakkai, who
was only smiling serenely like he couldn�t even understand the words flying
around.

Goku didn�t see how it could get much worse.

�That
little bitch just keeps asking for it,� Gojyo growled out before he actually
hit the empty chair across from Goku. The look on his face was enough to tell
that whatever had gone on between Sanzo and him wasn�t pleasant in the
slightest. Goku leaned forward expectantly, the peanuts forgotten as Gojyo
scowled and slammed done arm down on the top of the table in order to glare at
everyone and anything that was moving.

�What happened this time?� Hakkai asked in a patient
voice, still able to smile and wait for the explanation. Goku leaned forward, hoping
Gojyo would tell them that Sanzo had thrown him in the mud or the like. He
grinned as Gojyo only frowned further and threw his hand up in the air to catch
the attention of Miss Mei as she finished serving a table several seats away.
If Goku hadn�t been looking at him, he might have missed Hakkai�s slight frown
shook his head as Gojyo yelled out an order for a bottle of hard liquor, making
Goku only want to hear it even more. Sanzo had probably ripped into Gojyo good for some reason and Goku couldn�t
wait to hear why.

�He fucking fainted
and when it started raining that shitty monk finally woke up and demanded I
carry his skinny ass inside,� Gojyo snapped out as drummed his fingers on the
table in irritation. Goku snorted with a small grin, making Gojyo�s head whip
around to glare at him. Goku quickly shoved a new peanut in his mouth and
starting cracking more to cover up his blunder. Gojyo must have pissed Sanzo
off to all high heaven if he�d forced the kappa to carry him.

Or Sanzo was just hurt that bad.

That thought was enough for the nuts to turn to ash in
his mouth and the opened shells to fall to the table. Hakkai and Gojyo�s voices
became distant and garbled things as he starred down without really seeing
anything. Sanzo had probably had another fainting spell, just like Hakkai had
been worried about. Another one-
because the priest�s head had been hit so many times. Goku had already seen it
before, as if Sanzo simply turned off and fell down in the middle of everything
into anything into a lifeless heap. Genjo Sanzo wasn�t known for falling asleep
on floors. A High Priest wasn�t usually bedridden because he had been so
thoroughly beaten either. Sanzo didn�t
let this sort of thing happen to him, not without taking a good dozen youkai or
so down with him as well. Now he was fainting in the mud outside and was
helpless enough to make Gojyo help
him. Sanzo didn�t even tolerate Gojyo, and now he had to have help from the
smug redhead just to walk.

All because Goku hadn�t been there to protect Sanzo. He
had been having fun during the fighting instead of paying attention to the most
important person in his life. He didn�t even need the Gods to tell him to
follow Sanzo to the West, because Goku would have gladly gone anyway. He�d
follow Sanzo anywhere and be happy, because Sanzo was� Sanzo. The blonde just
felt good, like the sun that Goku had never gotten to enjoy before trapped in
that cave. Sanzo had saved him. Goku had decided to protect Sanzo, and he was
failing spectacularly. Sanzo had been the one to show him the world, and Goku
returned the favor by letting him get beaten up. If he kept on getting in the
way and forgetting to guard Sanzo during a fight, what good would he be?

�And he wasn�t thankful at all, mind you,� Gojyo added
with a sharp sniff as he turned back to them, throwing one arm over the back of
his chair. Hakkai shook his head with a real smile on his face this time, no
doubt having an easy time imagining what Sanzo had yelled at the kappa. Goku
only frowned deeper, knowing it was because Sanzo hadn�t wanted anyone else to
see him when he was weak, sick, or recovering. Goku had learned that much from
being around the monk for several years. In all that time together, Goku hadn�t
seen Sanzo fail to bounce back quickly from any sort of wounds unlike now. Just
what had those youkai done to him?

Not that it really matd. Gd. Goku had already come up with
a great idea. If he killed those youkai for Sanzo, he could save the priest
some bullets and exercise, which were two of his biggest complaints. That would
make up for letting them all get away the first night when they had just been
trying to save the poor monk. It was if the youkai had expected them to come
looking for Sanzo, but he doubted that they would think one of them would go
for revenge so soon. Sanzo was still recovering and it would be stupid to leave
him alone even for a minute since youkai had a tendency to break through his
bedroom window when they thought they could get Genjo Sanzo alone.

�Hey, why don�t Gojyo and me go back and kill some of
those youkai? In case some came back?� Goku asked excitedly as Hakkai�s face
darkened more and more in distaste. It was like looking at an angry father, the
brunette wearing the same expression he used to firmly say �no� to buying any
more food. Gojyo chuckled and grinned in approval, for once agreeing with Goku.
He probably wanted to kill some demons for Sanzo�s sake too, even if the
half-breed acted like he hated the man. Sanzo and Gojyo weren�t very different,
both of them covering up any sort of affection with anger and gruss. ss.

�I�m up for it. The ape�s got a good idea for once,� Gojyo
seconded it as Miss Mei placed a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass on the
table in front of him. He nodded his thanks to her, completely ignoring Hakkai�s
open frown.

�That righteous sack of shit. Where does it say I have to
take this?� Gojyo demanded with a pointed finger close to Hakkai�s nose. Then,
he swallowed his first drink in several fast gulps before filling it up again
as he grumbled about murdering someone. Goku didn�t have to think very much to
know who it was. He didn�t understand how Gojyo could hate Sanzo so much when
they all clearly owed their lives tenfold to the man.

�Come on, Hakkai,� Goku whined, seeing that even Gojyo�s
agreement wasn�t going to be enough. �It won�t even take a hou-�

�Absolutely not!� Hakkai snapped out, slamming one hand
down on the table. His expression turned dark, though to everyone else around
them wouldn�t even notice the tight and fake smile frozen on Hakkai�s face as
he tried to stay calm. Gojyo shrugged, not about to press the point. Goku
wasn�t so inclined, knowing very damn well that it was his fault that some
youkai were running around in those woods laughing about the pain and suffering
they had caused to Sanzo.

�Why not?!� Goku yelled, not about to care about the
scene he caused as the tables closest to theirs started to turn around to pay
more attention to them. Goku didn�t care if these villagers and travelers saw
members of the Sanzo party arguing, too angry at himself and Hakkai to stop.
Why didn�t Hakkai understand that he had to
do this so Sanzo wouldn�t finally decide that he was useless after all and get
rid of him?

�Do you want to leave Sanzo alone upstairs?� Hakkai
started, his mouth open to say more. Hakkai would only tell Goku what else he
had done wrong. Goku didn�t need to hear that, not when he already knew very
well that he had screwed up royally and this time Sanzo was paying for it.

�That�s why you�d stay here!� Goku cut him off, not
believing that Hakkai couldn�t agree to that.

�Sanzo probably wants to do it himself,� Hakkai
countered, glancing around the room at the curious eyes turned toward them. One
couldn�t very well announce a massacre on youkai in the middle of the common
room, even if most of these villagers would probably cheer for them. Gojyo
nodded at that point as he uncapped the bottle and poured himself a generous
first drink.

�Sanzo can�t even walk
a straight line! He�ll faint before then! They broke almost all of his ribs.
You don�t want us to go after them?! What the fuck is wrong with you?� Goku practically screamed it before he
realized the words that came out of his mouth. Hakkai�s eyes were hidden behind
the light flashing across the monocle with a polite twist of his head, ending
any further conversation as effectively as one of Sanzo�s bullets. Gojyo was
frozen in the act of setting the empty glass back on the table, looking as if
Goku had gut-punched him with his words. Other people, complete strangers, were
pausing in the middle of eating or talking to stare at Goku�s outburst. The
scrape of a fork on a plate was suddenly very loud as the room fell into a
hush.

Goku clamped his lips shut, suddenly aware that he had
just announced High Priest Genjo Sanzo�s current weak state to the whole room.
As if he hadn�t already done enough wrong. Goku was ashamed, but no matter how bad he felt, it wouldn�t make up for
Sanzo being bedridden upstairs. He had to get revenge for Sanzo, now, since the priest was only gettiworsworse and worse. Maybe the knowledge that the youkai were dead would give Sanzo
the peace of mind for an easy and healthy recovery. He didn�t want Hakkai to
hto hto heal Sanzo again, knowing how muc too took out of the brunette and how
much Sanzo hated it being needed for his person in the first place.

Hakkai was probably going to say more to him, but Goku
couldn�t sit there a moment longer, not while Gojyo and half of the common room
stared intently at him. There wasn�t an explanation needed for his outburst,
because it had all been the honest truth. That almost hurt more than the
embarrassment of yelling it out loud. He jumped up from the table, making the
legs of the chair scrape against the ground. Gojyo choked out something and
Hakkai might have yelled at him, but Goku was already dodging around the other
seated patrons and the few that were standing obstacles in his way. He couldn�t
be there in the same building enjoying a snack when Sanzo had fainted again.
Again!

Goku worked through the stunned crowd gathered in front
of the door and was flying out of it without a second thought. He stepped out
barefooted into slippery mud, the rain that Sanzo and Gojyo had been stuck in
coming down hard enough to melt away the patches of dirty snow on the sides of
the road. He almost lost his balance in the slush, shocked by the cold air and
sudden drenching wetness, but he wasn�t about to let that stop him. He had
already made up his mind to leave, and he wasn�t going to come back until he
had something to show for it. Goku took off in the direction they had come in
from bring Sanzo back last time, avoiding the people that got in his way as
they tried to rush for cover from the sudden rainstorm.

* * *

Sharp, energetic
scrapes across a soft surface, the scratchy fibers echoing in his ears.

�Hold him still.�1'> Hakkai didn�t even have time to come to a full and
complete stop before Sanzo jumped out from his seat and landed on the snow in
the borrowed house slippers with the ease of a cat. Jeep finally stopped a few
feet ahead of Sanzo by the side of the snow-covered mansion, tires leaving two
sunken lines behind. Hakkai was undoing his seatbelt while Sanzo was already
headed for the main door, Gojyo growling in irritation in the back seat before jumping
out after the eerily silent blonde.

�You shitty monk! Wait up for one fucking second,� Gojyo
roared at Sanzo�s back as the thinner man ignored him. He reached behind his
back to pull the sutra out from his pants with one hand, the Maten Scripture falling
around the wet shoulders and looking more than a little out of place on a
priest dressed in too-large pajamas. The gun was drawn as well as Sanzo stepped
onto the wrap-around porch without even looking around like Hakkai had expected
him to. He would thought Sanzo would want to study what he couldn�t remember in
case it might jog his memory. Or, perhaps Sanzo hadn�t been lying when he had
angrily remarked that he did indeed know exactly what had happened. He was
handling it all very well then, considering.

Hakkai jumped out of Jeep and there was a bright light as
Hakuryuu squealed nervously, shifting back his usual dragon form. The wings
were rapidly flapping in concern, obviously able to tell Sanzo�s deadly intent
right now. Hakkai pointed up to the sky, sending him away before the little
dragon could get in trouble with any youkai they might come across in this
mansion, or if Sanzo finally got angry enough to shot the poor dragon. The
little white body shot up to the sky, hiding away as Hakkai followed after
Gojyo.

Sanzo kicked open the front door which was already
slightly ajar. Hakkai frowned, not sure if that meant Goku had beat them here
or if the youkai were simply too lazy to close the door. Gojyo tisked at the stench
of blood as Hakkai caugp top to them at the entrance, just in time to see
Sanzo�s expression spasm into pure fury as if he hadn�t already been angered
enough. The feeling of death was even stronger
this time, afflicting Hakkai�s senses to no end. He didn�t even want to imagine
what Sanzo might be going through.

�Damn it! Damn it,� Sanzo strangled out at the mess
greeting them, clearly not pleased at all. Youkai were rolling around on the
floor in various levels of a sound beating, lumps and damaged walls proof
enough that Goku had indeed been here before them. There were even small piles
of ash on the polished wood. Goku had been pretty upset to wreck this much
damage on so many demons at once. Some were still moaning pathetically on the
floor, spared the mercy of a quick death.

�Damn it!� Sanzo snarled out loud enough to make one
youkai perk its head up from underneath another dead body of a larger demon.
Sanzo�s arm shot out and without even looking, a bullet landed right between
the youkai�s eyes. Gojyo coughed at that as he brought out the shaku-jyo,
sensing that he might be needing it for either youkai or a bloodthirsty monk.
Hakkai acedaced, well aware that Sanzo was already quite close to snapping, but
with his injuries shouldn�t even be wandering around. He found himself hoping
that Sanzo might fall victim to one of those fainting spells soon, just so they
would be able to handle him. An unconscious High Priest was a whole lot easier
to take care of than one about ready to erupt.

�Hey!� Gojyo snapped out as Sanzo took off through the
corpses littering the common room to the hallway with an uncharacteristic burst
of speed. He pointed at the back of the blonde, looking to Hakkai as if hoping
someone else would recognize that Sanzo was ready to lose it. He nodded and
they both followed after the man. Hakkai hoped that Sanzo wouldn�t get into too
much trouble with the split-second head start he got.

There was an incoherent roar, definitely Goku�s e,
e,
but something was different. Sanzo slammed against the doorway of the last room
with the Smith and Wesson trained on the room with both hands wrapped around
the handle. Gojyo ran through the open door and swung the shaku-jyo around once
before suddenly dropping it with a look of utter horror. Hakkai slowed down
before Sanzo as the violet eyes stared on with unnerving calmness at what was
making Gojyo choke and turn his face from.

Hakkai didn�t want to look, but he knew. He knew very
well what was going on in there. It was Goku, but not the one that usually
stuffed his face and slept through even the worst of situations. Hakkai could
tell by another feral growl, the sound of tearing flesh, the powerful essence
flowing out from the room. Sanzo�s slippered feet moved across the room with a
silent grace as Hakkai threw an arm up against the wall, bracing himself as he
finally looked in on the scene.

Goku was straddled across the stomach of a youkai that
was surprisingly human-like for the degenerated bunch that had been strewn
across the floor. His hair was long, his ears pointed, huge claws covered with
blood as they tore across the chest of the captured demon. It was still able to
scream, howling as Goku laughed maniacally, clearly tortured the demon. Goku
wasn�t reasonable right now, wouldn�t be able to recognize Sanzo or the fact
that he had a gun to his face. He was Son Goku now, taking joy in butchering
the youkai before it bled to death.

Sanzo took one step away from the door, his eyes glancing
back at Gojyo. The man was senseless before a crumpled blanket, his eyes
fixated away from Goku. The monk took one step in before seeing what had
shocked Gojyo more than Goku in full demon form. One knee gave out, and
suddenly the priest�s hands were visibly shaking around the gun as he fell
heavily to the floor. Hakkai froze in the middle of going to pull Goku off the
demon, glancing back at the hunched over figure on the ground. Sanzo�s control,
never a solid thing to begin with, clearly was broken as one hand snaked up to
his other shoulder as if to hold himself together. Sanzo didn�t ever take that
kind of posture, not once as the
blonde head bowed in front of a huge canvas.

Hakkai finally looked away from Goku as well, thankful
that the smaller demon was currently entertained so he could have a minute of
complete and utter shock. There might as well of been two Sanzos in the room,
one fully clothed with a Smith and Wesson pressed between two bruised eyes, the
other frozen in paint. Hakkai felt his fingers go numb, too stunned at the
representation to even think coherently. He had gotten enough confirmation from
secretly bandaging Sanzo up, knowing that the damage bet the the thin man�s
legs would be kept as personal as possible. It hadn�t done much to hide the
fact from Gojyo, and after seeing this painting, it was clear that Goku knew as
well from the way blood was flying up from his hands. The youkai underneath him
choked, blood flying up in the air as it coughed out in agony.

The painting
might be more than Hakkai was ready to handle as well. There were no clear youkai
in it, nothing actually touching Sanzo, but it was clear that the artist had
simply removed all the perpetrators from the scene in order to capture him
completely. The detail went into the very finest shadows and lines, making
Hakkai wonder just how long the youkai had had Sanzo. Hakkai blanched at seeing
the man he respected, followed because of that admiration, tied to a bed by
both wrists obviously in the middle of being� raped. His back was bowed; one
set of toes curled in bloodstained sheets that looked to real to be one leg was up at an unnaturally level, clearly being
held by one of the invisible youkai thad dod done this to Sanzo in reale.
e.
It had all been painted from real life.

�Get the fuck
off him, you goddamn ape!� Sanzo roared out in the middle of Gojyo and Hakkai�s
shocked silence. His eyes were no longer closed as the Smith and Wesson trained
on the demon that was also their
friend. There was no sense in those golden, slitted eyes that turned around to
lazily regard the new prey. It was all Hakkai could do not to throw a blast of
chi at Goku out of self-defense for all the pure bloodlust in that gaze. Goku
shifted up to the balls of his feet; that simple movement packed with enough
power for Gojyo to snatch up his weapon from the floor again instinctively.

Apparently, that slight movement was also enough for
Sanzo to get a bullet through the eardrum of the youkai pinned underneath him.
Goku snarled, jerking back to his victim in shock as it died instantly from a
single shot. Hakkai wasn�t sure if it was out of mercy orauseause Sanzo had
wanted to kill the youkai after seeing that picture. Even if Sanzo did or
didn�t remember what had happened, knowing that there was this accurate
depiction of it all would be more than any normal person could take. Goku had
broken his youkai limiter because of it. Sanzo had just shot a youkai. Hakkai
hoped that it could be solved with that, but now there was no victim to hold
Goku�s attention.

Goku moved, one moment hunched over the dead youkai, then
in the next simply wasn�t there anymore. Hakkai felt the air move in the room
with the force of Goku�s speed, could sense a horrible killing aura, but
couldn�t even catch him with the bare eye as Sanzo suddenly jumped up from the
floor. He got his arm up in enough time to block a roundhouse kick with all
intent to knock his head off, but Sanzo was blown away to the side like nothing
more than a bug because of it. The gun fell to the ground with a loud clatter
as the blonde sailed through the air from the impossibly strong kick, in no
shape to defend himself right now.

Hakkai yelled out a warning far too late, his mouth way
behind the events actually happening. He tried to move forward to put himself
between Goku and Sanzo as the thinner man crumpled to the ground against the
wall with no signs of life, but Goku was already moving toward Sanzo again far
too quickly for Hakkai to catch up.

There was the metal whistling of the shaku-jyo�s chain
looping around Goku�s wrist just in time to jerk him away from slicing open
Sanzo�s slumped head in his rage. Gojyo grinned and nodded to Hakkai in a
silent signal to get Sanzo safe. They didn�t stand a chance of fighting Goku,
not if Sanzo was unconscious on the floor. Then, Gojyo had a single chance to
frown before Goku snapped his arm back and sent the taller man flying off his
feet toward him. The chain fell to the floor as it lost its usual grace and
Hakkai actually managed to get to Sanzo�s side before Gojyo was flying across
the room in the other direction. There was an explosion of rotten wood from the
taller man�s weight and dust flew up, covering the fact if Gojyo was dead or
simply unconscious. Either way, Hakkai didn�t see a single movement from the
man hidden behind the mess.

�You goddamn ape,� Sanzo growled in irritation, dragging
one knee underneath his body to support himself when Hakkai had been sure that
the priest was unconscious. There was no way he could even dream of being able to stand with all those injuries and after
taking a full blow from Goku in his true demon form. He put a hand on Sanzo�s
shoulder to hold the man down, but one bare hand shot up and gripped it with
bruising strength despite the raw scars on the knuckles. Lavender eyes snapped
up to glare at him companion when they should have been closed, then Sanzo
shoved him off with a violent jerk of his shoulder.

Sanzo thumbed down the safety and had a finger on the
trigger as he stood up before Hakkai, aiming at Goku without any hesitation.
Hakkai reached out to grab Sanzo�s other hand, hoping to stop this before
things could turn out any worse. Sanzo easily walked past the groping fingers,
striding forward prideful as Goku twisted at the waist to glare at the priest
balefully. Inhuman golden orbs swallowed him in a blood lust, simple and unrestrained
desire to kill hitting Hakkai hard enough to take his breath away even though
it was Sanzo that Goku was focusing on. How couldn�t he when the blonde was
making such a nice target of himself: white in the dark and rank room with the
dull glint of light on the Smith and Wesson in front of him?

�Goku!� Hakkai yelled out, jumping forward at the same
time as the smaller demon did, but so much slower that he might have been standing
still. Sanzo managed to get one shot off, but Goku�s hand gripped the wrist�s
outstretched arm and twisted it hard enough to make the gun drop to the floor.
Hakkai couldn�t even tell where the shot went to, just knew that he had to get
Goku away from Sanzo before the kid accidentally killed the most important
person in his life in his blind rage. Sanzo was in no shape to hold off Goku
right now, not in his full demon form, not after being bedridden only a few
nights ago, not after seeing that painting.

Sanzo let out a low moan before there was the audible
snap of the bones in his wrist breaking in Goku�s grasp. Then, a litany of
curses that Hakkai had never even heard before from Sanzo, strong enough to
make him blink and blush in embarrassment despite the situation. Goku grinned
wide enough to show off a set of large and pointed fangs like a cat enjoying
playing with a mouse before it ate it. Sanzo threw a punch with his free hand
and Goku tossed the blonde aside like a doll by his newly broken wrist. Sanzo�s
body ripped through the grotesquely large canvas, leaving only the edge of the canvas
hanging from one side of the wood frame and the other half with Sanzo�s
agonized face still safe. There was the crash of furniture breaking and dust
billowed up, making Hakkai very much doubt that Sanzo would be able to recover
this time.

Goku laughed and licked his lips, so focused on Sanzo
that he turned his back to Hakkai and started walking to where the monk had
landed. Hakkai took the chance and rushed, striking out at the back of Goku�s
head where it should have been a blind spot� And only barely brushed the unusually long hair as the shorter boy dropped
down to the ground as if Goku had only been waiting for him to get closer.
Hakkai crossed his arms up into a defensive position and tried jumping back,
catching and already blown back with the barest graze of Goku�s kick. He lost
his footing and choked; the damage still enough to hurt through the guard.
Hakkai hit the floor hard but was already scrambling up, far too many feet away
from Sanzo as Goku approached the partially destroyed painting. Hakkai wasn�t
going to make it in time.

There was the creaking of wood being moved and Hakkai
looked back to see if Gojyo was getting up. The redhead was still slumped in
the small hole his impact had a made in the wall, not even twitching. It�s not possible� But Hakkai�s thoughts
were proven wrong as he looked back to see Sanzo starting to pick himself up
none-too steadily from the mess he�d fallen in. Sanzo lurched to life with
ripped clothes and blood on his face from a scratch on his temple, making
Hakkai hurt physically just to watch and
try to imagine what pain the priest must be going through with that on top of
old injuries just to stand upright.

Goku hesitated at that, a little bit wary now despite the
bloodlust filling the room, even able to fear Sanzo however slightly it was
just because the monk had managed to move after taking the brunt of his attack.
Sanzo looked fit to kill from the rage in his eyes as he glared through the
hole in the canvas with his dominant hanging uselessly at his side. He stepped
around it without taking his sight off Goku, who had gone suddenly still and
serious despite the dilated golden eyes and stench of youkai madness. Sanzo
raised up his good hand, blinking back once�

And
promptly started screaming at the canvas, at his own face that was painted in
enough realism to look like a horrendous reflection now. Sanzo didn�t crying
out in a raw insanity, tearing at his own hair with the unbroken hand. Hakkai
tried moving faster at that, not really sure how he would manage it but
determined to grab Sanzo and get him the hell away from this. But he was still
too late. He couldn�t get there in time before Goku took off toward the shocked
and shaky monk, ready to disembowel Sanzo just because he had shown the
slightest of weak spots. They couldn�t handle him right now; not Hakkai by
himself with the other two next to useless against Son Goku right now.

Hakkai could do nothing but watch as Goku threw one hand at
Sanzo�s stomach, nails extended cruelly to take out all life from the blonde. He
couldn�t fire off any sort of blast without endangering Sanzo now, all of his
chi attacks nullified because of their effectiveness. Sanzo didn�t even know
what danger he was in, hunched over and gasping weakly before the half-destroyed
painting. Goku laughed in victory and suddenly stopped short as the chain of
the shaku-jyo wrapped around his wrist, except this time Goku went flying back
before he even had a chance to pierce Sanzo�s skin. Gojyo grinned and coughed
at the other end of the weapon, clearly at the edge of his limits but not ready
to give up. Not when Sanzo was within seconds of being killed by Goku. Hakkai wouldn�t let Goku hurt
Sanzo any more either, ready to fight despite the hopelessness. Even Sanzo
could barely hold his own against Goku completely gone in his rage.

That hadn�t changed at all. Goku snarled, obviously not
pleased that someone who should have been smart enough to stay down was now
actually challenging him head on. He simply twisted his arm and the shaku-jyo
fell to the floor as if had never hit him at all. Thankfully, Gojyo made
himself a new target for Goku and successfully lured him away from Sanzo.
Hakkai finished making the trip to Sanzo�s side as Goku went at Gojyo so fast
he disappeared from sight.

Hakkai couldn�t even understand why Sanzo was still
standing, his eyes locked onto his own painted face in such open horror that it
was amazing he wasn�t falling apart into tiny little pieces. Hakkai grabbed at
Sanzo�s good elbow in an attempt to pull the man�s hand away from his hair and
to get him on out of here, but he was roughly shaken off before he could even
try. Sanzo jumped away with an agility that belied his injuries apparent from
the bleeding tears in the borrowed pajamas, his fingers on the scripture that
was still miraculous around his shoulders. He couldn�t be thinking of using it
on Goku?

Still, it might be necessary as Goku was suddenly behind
Gojyo�s back and slammed a fist into the back of his neck. Gojyo dropped like a
stone, not providing Hakkai with time to get Sanzo out of there like he had
planned. Hakkai lunged forward, throwing himself between Sanzo and Goku before
either of them did something they both would regret. Goku didn�t even hesitate,
just moved around him like a bird of prey and toward Sanzo.

Hakkai turned, yelling out a warning when he knew Sanzo
wouldn�t be able do the whole mantra before Goku reached him. He lashed out at
Sanzo�s chest, claws making four red lines in their wake. Sanzo choked before
arching back, blood flying out worse than if it had been one of Hakkai�s worst
nightmares. Goku laughed at Sanzo�s wavering attempt to remain standing, blood
staining his face and arms up to his elbows.

Hakkai threw himself at Goku before he could wind back for
another attack. Sanzo certainly wouldn�t survive another blow, even if there
was a chance of him living through the first. He expected to take Goku off his
feet, knowing the boy�s weight still hadn�t changed despite taking off the
demon limiter. The power had indeed changed though, Hakkai�s arms wrapping
around Goku�s waist at the same time before Goku slammed his clasped fists down
into the small of his back.

He hit the floor with his vision spinning, Sanzo�s blood
dripping off Goku�s claws as he smirked down at Hakkai. He couldn�t moved, his
whole body stunned. It felt like his spine had been broken. His fingernails
splintered on the floor, but Hakkai couldn�t move as Goku went back to Sanzo as
the blonde slumped down to his knees. Hakkai could barely lift his head, Goku
impossibly tall from this angle as he raised back his claws.

�You dumb� ass� ape,� Sanzo coughed out, his eyes
narrowing at Goku before he gagged, blood flying out from his mouth to drip
down his chin. Goku had cut much deeper than Hakkai had thought at first if
Sanzo was bleeding internally� How could Sanzo even be able to talk right now?
He still looked arrogant and haughty despite the obvious death looking him
right in the face. Sanzo wasn�t one to show fear, not even able to cower in
front of being killed by his own friend.

Goku smirked, his claws coming together to make a fine
point. Hakkai screamed, unable to do anything else with his paralyzed body as
Son Goku�s own hand slammed through Sanzo�s chest. Goku laughed manically, not
even bothering to pull back as he enjoyed the moment. Hakkai would have never
guessed that Goku would be able to be this cruel, not like this. It was too
awful to even be real. Goku made a noise halfway between laughter and a snarl,
twisting his hand to make Sanzo jerk and spasm helplessly around the limb
buried into his body.

�That�s enough, you piece of shit,� came a distinctively
deep voice as bare feet with metal rings around the ankles appeared in front of
Hakkai�s nose. He looked up in disbelief at the backside of Kanzeon Bosatsu, the lazy and flippant Goddess that usually
only watched. He would have never expected her to come down from the Heavens to
help them. Goku�s head snapped around as Sanzo fell back from his bloody hand,
hitting the floor hard. Hakkai choked, unable to move, unable to see if Sanzo
was dead yet. How could he not be?

Goku swung around to strike out at
the abnormally tall woman, but she only lifted up a muscular arm and slammed a
palm into the middle of Goku�s forehead. He snarled and tried to swipe at
Kanzeon Bosatsu�s middle, but it was like watching a young child being held
back by a bully. His range was much too short to reach the Goddess, and no
matter how much his snarled or kicked out at her, Kanzeon Bosatsu wasn�t intimidated
in the least.

�I was right in the middle of winning
against that damn Jiroushin, you little pest,�
Kanzeon Bosatsu growled out, light suddenly blossoming out from her hand. All
the hairs on Hakkai�s body went upright at the release of so much spiritual
injury and Goku went sailing back as if he�d been caught in the middle of an
explosion. He hit the wall hard, not as Son Goku but the familiar and
simpleminded boy he traveled with. A new demon limiter crown was back in place
around Goku�s head as he slumped down, unconscious after Kanzeon Bosatsu sealed
his power.

�You punks can�t do a damn thing
right,� she growled out, settling down on her heels next to Sanzo�s bleeding
body. Hakkai couldn�t even speak, wondering if Sanzo was dead yet or not. The
Goddess didn�t looked pleased as she put hands on the priest�s body, her
bracelets chiming together serenely in the middle of the sickening wreck of
be
bedroom. Again, there was a light though much softer and� warmer than the last. Hakkai could only gape as the puddle of blood
spreading out from Sanzo�s back stopped suddenly. Kanzeon Bosatsu sniffed at
her work and picked the unconscious High Priest up from the floor by the back
of his neck as if Sanzo was a kitten. Hakkai twitched at that, starting to regain
a bit of control over his body again. How could the Goddess of Mercy be
throwing a dying man around like that? Or was it because Sanzo was already
dead?

�Just what the fuck sort of messes
do you like to get into?� Kanzeon Bosatsu snapped at the blonde head as she
roughly pulled off the bloody and torn shirt and grabbed the sutra with her
other hand. The Goddess dropped the clothing to the ground along with Sanzo,
who grunted but didn�t open his eyes. Hakkai couldn�t even believe the
half-naked form; clean, unbroken skin, Sanzo�s chest perfectly healed as if
he�d never even been hurt in the first place. All signs of the previous beating
from the youkai were gone, along with what should have been a near-disemboweled
torso after what Goku had done.

�You�re all such lucky bastards that
I�ve been wanting to get rid of this place for a few couple of decades now,�
Kanzeon Bosatsu grunted as she stretch out Sanzo�s Manten Scripture between her
hands. She didn�t even have to chant a mantra to bring out the powers of the
scroll, but one low syllable was enough to make the paper glow and flutter
between her fingers. Hakkai had to close his eyes before he was blinded by the
light of the sutra being released. There was an explosion that deafened his
ears as well as his spirit, strong enough to make his heart feel like it had
been stripped of a layer of old skin. He felt so refreshed that his skin
trembled, wondering at the sudden sensation of peacefulness that lapped over
him. It truly was Mercy, a blessed numbness that washed over every painful
memory. He couldn�t even think about the past that had hurt him so badly,
suddenly free.

He wondered if any of the others
felt the same, unconscious as they were.

�He never was special enough to
name, but a sick fuck anyways,� she growled out as she shook the long black
hair gathered up in a ponytail. �Too many victims that hung on to this place.
He kept them bound to the earth for too long,� the Goddess murmured, suddenly
serious as her voice dropped to an even deadlier bass than usual. Hakkai
realized that she meant the vague sense of death that lingered over this
forest, emanating from this abandoned mansion. He hadn�t been too sure of it;
not nearly as sensitive as Sanzo was to it. Hakkai couldn�t imagine what the
priest must have been feeling then, if the youkai had managed to hold back the
souls of all the innocents he had killed. Sanzo would have been feeling all of
their deaths, each individual pain and agony on top of his own.

�Was I
kidding myself when I thought you three worthless asses would be enough to
protect him?� she demanded relentless of Hakkai, swinging around to stare down
haughtily at him while he lay helpless on the floor. It obviously wasn�t a good
thing to have a major deity disappointed in you. She dropped the sutra to the
floor by Sanzo�s head before glancing down and realizing sad dad dropped the
monk face-first. Kanzeon kicked Sanzo over so that he was on his back, not even
moving despite his body being fully recovered now.

Hakkai bit
his lip, trying to shake off Goku�s hit and get off the floor but unable to.
Kanzeon Bosatsu put a hand on her hip, glaring hard at Hakkai as he struggled
to remain conscious. He couldn�t let anyone beat up on Sanzo, not even if it
was the Goddess of Mercy who had just jerked the monk from the verge of death.
Kanzeon Bosatsu barked out a warning, not really words so much as a grunt that
told Hakkai to clearly �stay down.�
Hakkai glared at her, fit to make Sanzo proud at all the anger and despise he
put into that look before her expression suddenly changed to one of humor. The
Goddess reached behind her back, making Hakkai wish his body could move enough
just to cringe at the thought of what she might do next.

Taking off
the ornate gold belt at her waist wasn�t what Hakkai had been expecting in the
least. Kanzeon Bosatsu sneered like any pervert as the sheen length of fabric
draped around her body unraveled to the floor, revealing the large breasts that
had barely been covered in the first place and an astoundingly huge penis. That
was enough to shock Hakkai up to his knees and get the rest of the damage from
Goku�s attack off. He tried to say something, failed to come up with words, and
could only stare as the� man? Woman?... draped the length of clothing over
Sanzo�s bare upper body.

�What� the
hell?� groaned a voice from behind. Hakkai twisted his head around to see Gojyo
standing up on two shaky knees, rubbing the back of his neck and looking more
than worse for wear. The now-naked Kanzeon Bosatsu ignored him, turning away
from them both to stalk closer to the tattered remains of the youkai�s
painting. There was silence as their mutual attention was brought back to the
obvious and stark proof of what had been done to Sanzo. Hakkai was silent;
words unable to cover it all. He was actually grateful that Sanzo was unconscious now, even more than the fact
that he was alive only by the grace of superior forces.

A
Hermaphrodite as a Goddess. Nothing was making any sense anymore.

�Trash,�
she� the Goddes- that was wrong too.
Kanzeon Bosatsu growled out at the remaining pieces of canvas strewn across the
floor and waving from the wood frame of the canvas. Gojyo staggered over to
Hakkai as he kneeled on the floor, obviously confused to if they should be
trying to run away from the Goddess or not right now. Hakkai wasn�t even sure
himself.

�Why� Why
the fuck are you showing up now?!�
Gojyo suddenly roared out, his hands clenching into fists. Kanzeon turned on
him with eyes wide at the audacity, but Gojyo didn�t even back down from her
gaze to grab a peek at the exposed and well-endowed chest or the much more
important genitalia.

�If you
actually went through all the damn trouble
of coming down from your fucking palace, why didn�t you come before they did this?� Gojyo screamed,
furious and not about to curb any emotion even though he was in front of a
naked God. Kanzeon Bosatsu�s glare narrowed even further, and she stalked the
short distance up to Gojyo and buried a hand in his shirt to yank the tall man
up off his feet so that she could look him in the eye evenly.

�You think
you four are the only ones I�m watching over? I�m the Goddess of Mercy, you
fucking idiot. I take my eyes off you dumbasses for one moment, and you nearly
let him die! This was your duty, and
you failed,� Kanzeon Bosatsu hissed out, shaking Gojyo like a disobedient child
before letting him back on his feet. The look on Gojyo�s face was one of utter
shock, the unspoken truth hitting hard now that Kanzeon Bosatsu had finally
announced it out loud. Hakkai shuddered at the enormity of the knowledge and
guilt that he hadn�t been protecting Sanzo back when they were first at that
riverbank. Hakkai knew damn well that Sanzo could barely swim on his own and
should have been between the monk and the water, not dancing around with the
other youkai. It was his won fault for naively assuming Sanzo could take care
of himself when they had been so badly outnumbered.

�If you�ve
got enough energy to yell at me, then you should actually be of some use to him
when he wakes up and use this,�
Kanzeon Bosatsu snapped out as her hand suddenly slammed between Gojyo�s legs
and jerked, enough pressure applied to make Gojyo go red in the face as he
moved away to clutch at his groin. She smiled as Gojyo scrambled backwards defensively
to get some distance between the Goddess and his genitalia. Hakkai
instinctively jumped to his feet and was by Sanzo despite the dizziness that
almost threatened to take his consciousness. Even if it was Kanzeon Bosatsu,
there was no telling what she might do to Sanzo. She� He, Hakkai was harshly reminded as he looked down at the deity�s
groin one more time just to make sure it hadn�t been a hallucination, had
already kissed Sanzo once before, though it had been during a previous time
when she had saved Sanzo�s life. The priest had been resurrected enough times
to make a cat jealous.

�What the
hell is that supposed to mean?� Gojyo
yelped out in obvious embarrassment, trying to pull his hands away from his
hurting delicates but failing miserably as the redhead had to hunch back over
himself with the pain.

�You should
know damn well by now you�re only good for only thing, and he hasn�t ever had a
good time in his whole shitty life. At least this one,� Kanzeon Bosatsu grumbled out, making Hakkai raise his
eyebrows at that sentence. What exactly did the Goddess want Gojyo to do?
Hakkai grimaced at the obvious unsaid act of making love to Sanzo, thinking
that not even this bizarrely-gendered spiritual being would be insisting on two
people having sex. especially not two that so obviously hated each other
despite being forced into the same mission.

�I-� Gojyo
started out, red in the face with anger now, but the Goddess had disappeared
into thin air. Hakkai and Gojyo looked at each other uncomfortably before
glancing away mutually, more than ready to leave the other to his own thoughts.
Hakkai certainly didn�t think he�d be able to have a conversation and fake a
smile right now, not at the same time.

�Why don�t
you get Goku, please?� Hakkai asked civilly, his hands shaking. He didn�t want
Gojyo to carry Sanzo now, didn�t want everything to become even more
complicated. Just what had Kanzeon Bosatsu done by demanding that Gojyo stick �it� to Sanzo when he had just been
brought back from the dead? Despite being healed on the outside, the injuries
were still fresh in Sanzo�s mind. Hakkai wondered how much of the fainting
spells had been because of the nasty concussion or because Sanzo had been
simply unable to cope with what had happened. Only time would be able to tell,
and Hakkai wanted nothing more than for them to get out of this mansion. It
still reeked of death, though only of youkai now.

�Just a
second,� Gojyo muttered a little bit shakily, almost looking relieved that
Hakkai had wanted to take care of Sanzo. The taller man went over to Goku who
was still slumped in a peaceful sleep on the other side of the room. Hakkai
looked back down at Sanzo, regretting everything that had happened, wanting
nothing more than for Sanzo to wake up so that he could apologize to the man
for failing him. Kanzeon Bosatsu had been right, utterly and absolutely correct
the whole time. Hakkai shook his head, reaching down to gather up to long wrap
s/he had left behind; and finding himself stunned to the core when he found Sanzo
clothed in his familiar robe with the black turtleneck and gloves peeking out
from the edges. Even the sutra was perfectly placed on his shoulders; making
Hakkai wonder just when the hell had this transformation taken place. He
supposed he shouldn�t be surprised, since they were dealing with a Goddess
here.

There was a
click to the side and Hakkai looked over to see Gojyo setting fire to the
remains of the canvas with his lighter. Hakkai said nothing as the oil slowly
lit and started to blacken before the fire began to eat away at the painting.
It wasn�t nearly fast enough as smoke started to drift up, destroying the
evidence of what had been done.

They both
watched in silence, neither moving as they watched it burn and begin to turn to
ash.

AUTHOR�S SINCERIST APOLOGIES!

It�s no excuse, but if anything will make you want to not
write, it�s

1)      Getting
in trouble with your landlady for the Halloween party (we had 200+ going in and
out, and only 142 signed the guest book. How rude!)

2)      Visiting
your family for the holidays *shudders*

3)      Officially
having no beta-reader now for this.

So, I tried to re-read, but five buck says there are tons of
errors. If it really irritates you- point it out! PUUUUUHLEEASE. Only a few
select have done so (thank you, you elite reviewers-yas knows who yas are), and
it embarrasses me to think of all the grammar errors I missed. But, in order to
update faster- which I will do so now more often than in 2004, PROMISE, New
Year�s resolution, what-aver.
- 5
- 6
- 7
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