Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Never No Answer ❯ Start talkin' trash and I'll come with my Smith and Wesson ( Chapter 6 )

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 mattered. 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 gruffness.

"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 getting worse 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 have to heal Sanzo again, knowing how much it 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."

Bright blue eyes, almost feline in their shocking attentiveness, as if the gaze could devour him.

"Right there."

A pang of humiliation and violation so tangible it burned in his chest, making coherent thought impossible.

Glass chimed as it was hit, water slashing around before an instrument was tapped out.

"Again."

The familiar miniscule brush strokes began again as a shadowy figure leaned in closer to a huge canvas.

He felt his body was sprawled across the bed in the most uncomfortable way with his legs still hanging over the edge, not even under the covers. The softness of the sheets under his face was almost enough to lure him back into sleep, instead of awake with his battered limbs. It all hurt, raw and sore after remembering that he couldn't do much more than lay there to nurse his aching head. Sanzo opened his eyes slowly, thoughts hanging like spider webs in his skull. He didn't feel quite as good as he thought he would after finally getting a little piece to the puzzle, especially since it involved being completely degraded and beaten into a pulp by a bunch of faceless youkai. They hadn't even been under direct orders from Kougaiji or the usual semi-decent enemy. Sanzo could barely fucking stand the thought of it, but was too goddamn sore to much more than look up from the bed sheets to study the area around him.

The movement was enough to make him aware of how damn cold the room was, suddenly feeling his own cold wet hair and soaked clothes started to wet the blankets underneath him. Sanzo shook his head, trying to clear the feeling of cotton being stuffed inside his head instead of a brain. It hurt to remember falling down in the middle of the field like that, before Gojyo of all. He clenched his hands in order to keep his whole body from trembling as he recalled how Gojyo had touched his hair softly. Komyou had done it once, just enough to soothe away a bit of the pain that was always present in his life. How long had it been since he'd allowed anyone to touch him, beyond Goku- who had never really learned what personal space was?

Forget that sick bastard. He still wasn't sure what had happened after those youkai had beaten him senseless, but his face had brought him the same luck before. Sanzo was pretty certain that he needed to go out and wreck some revenge right now, regardless of how the rest of that half-dream, half-memory had ended. It still left a foul taste in his mouth. Sanzo didn't pray, knowing better than the pay homage to some Gods that had never watched over him before, but he strongly hoped that it had nothing to do with the ache in his bowels that had been present ever since he first woke. The thought made Sanzo wince and laugh wretchedly at the same time. He had to go kill those youkai before they had a chance to brag about anything, whatever the fuck it may be.

At least no one else was in the room with him. Goku and Hakkai were absent from their usual place at the side of his bed whenever he wound up unconscious like this, making him wonder just the fuck they might have wandered off to now. He paused in the middle of sitting up, having to lock one arm underneath himself to prop his body up, a familiar bout of dizziness and nausea slamming down on him. Sanzo bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, helpless to do anything else but wait for it to pass. Those damn youkai had hit his head far too much, which was good enough of a solid reason to shoot every last one of them in the head.

The back of his throat burned with bile, but Sanzo swallowed and forced himself to move out of his sickened stupor once it faded into a tolerable amount of pain, two feet landing on the cold floor; two knees that were too fucking weak to support him. He almost fell out of the bed trying to stand, so Sanzo ground his teeth in a silent fury and waited a bit longer to summon up the energy to get them to work properly. Even the mundane had suddenly become a struggle, but the longer he stayed in bed like some shitty dying old man, the longer the youkai responsible were living. Sanzo doubted that those three idiots had managed to slaughter enough of them on their little rescue mission to qualify as a revenge. He wanted to do it by his own hand, except now he had to go all the way back to the youkai's stronghold- and was a slight fucking bit foggy about how long it would take, where the fuck it was, and how many were left.

It didn't much matter, because his mind was already made up. Hakkai would drive him, because there was no fucking way Sanzo was going to walk any distance when they had that damn dragon to use as a car. He took a deep breath and wiggled his toes, feeling a little more strength in his legs now after allowing himself to catch his breath. It was enough to surge up and make a staggering, weaving line to the dresser against the wall. Sanzo appreciated that he was alone for once, since there was no one there to watch his pathetic attempt at walking right now. It would get better after he killed a few youkai. Maybe Gojyo would be downstairs.

Sanzo grabbed the handle of the top drawer and pulled too hard in an attempt to balance himself. Wood creaked and the drawer almost fell out of the dresser, put thankfully got a corner jammed. Sanzo blinked down at his Smith and Wesson polished and repaired to look like new next to the sutra and a fresh box of bullets. His hand twitched over the gun, but instead he pulled out the Maten Scripture. Sanzo hesitated in putting it on his shoulders, grimacing at the drenched and dirty pajamas. Hakkai had been able to get the gun fixed but still couldn't find him new clothes?

"Fuck," Sanzo growled out before rolling up the sutra and shoving it into his back pocket, deciding that it would be more satisfying after all to shoot all those youkai instead of granting the quick mercy of the Maten Scripture's spell. So, in something akin to reverence, Sanzo picked his Smith and Wesson up by the worn and familiar handle and slowly pressed the barrel against his forehead, cool metal so comfortable, closer to his heart than any person could be… If there was a heart left in his empty chest.

The weight of the gun was enough to calm him down, making the sickness and disorientation clear up in a single moment. There was only one sure thing in this shitty life, and that was death. All the more so if you were a youkai. Sanzo smirked at the thought, the first time he had actually felt pleased in a long ass time. He couldn't wait to kill the demons responsible and it almost hurt to put the gun down on the top of the dresser long enough to pull out the bow of bullets. He'd get revenge for whatever shame the youkai had laid on him and gain back the face he was losing for falling down all the fucking time.

It was between playing with the idea of shooting to maim and then beating a youkai to death or just one bullet to the head that Sanzo got a chill up his spine. He glanced around the room again, all his senses going off in a tangible alarm. Where the fuck was Goku? That ape wasn't here, his absence suddenly a big fucking problem. That fucking idiot had better not be trying to get revenge for him, because Sanzo wanted it all to his own damn self. If Gojyo and Hakkai had gone along with him, it would be only worse. What if one of those youkai opened its mouth about Sanzo getting saved from being beaten to death was because of his pretty face? Or worse, about the things that had happened after that Sanzo couldn't remember, once they were done beating him as a group.

He didn't ever worry, not without a damn good reason, but Sanzo felt like something was wrong. It had to do with that damn monkey. Sanzo frowned, snatching up the bullets with one hand and fumbling open the box with a thumb. He started loading the chambers with a hand that wasn't as steady as it was mechanical, his muscles remembering the movements as Sanzo's thoughts raced around. If those three idiots had left him here alone to go get vengeance while he was out cold, they would learn very quickly just how bad Sanzo could make their lives. He hadn't even be trying yet, but the thought of them killing off the youkai that should rightfully be his prey made Sanzo practically shake with rage. It was humiliating and insulting to no ends and Sanzo wouldn't have the least bit of it. He snapped the loaded cylinder back into place and shoved the gun into the back of his pants, hidden underneath the shirt. He dumped out the rest of the box on the dresser and started filling every possible pocket with bullets.
He planned to get quite a few of them for this, before Goku, Gojyo, or Hakkai could even think of doing it for him.

Goku had just better not be doing anything stupid, but Sanzo wasn't getting that feeling right now. With a grimace, Sanzo stalked out the door of the room and started yelling for that worthless ape.

* * *

Goku ran through the slight brush and dirty brown snow that had hardened on the side of the hard dirt, positive that that nasty, abandoned mansion was in this direction. He wiggled through the branches and small trees as they tore at his clothes without care before he broke out into the taller trees and lumpy, snow-covered open ground underneath them. It was nothing now to take off running in the white fluffy stuff. And to think he used to be afraid of it the first time he had ever seen snow. Back then, Sanzo had shown him that it was alright to walk on and none-so-gently yelled at him until Goku finally put a foot on the snow-covered ground. Sanzo had led Goku out from being stuck inside the monastery for the entire winter because he had been afraid of a little bit of bad weather. It wasn't so much unlike how Sanzo had shown him the way out of that cave he'd been imprisoned in for years.

He owed everything to Sanzo. Goku wasn't about to let some youkai get away with hurting the monk so badly. He'd be sure to make those monsters pay well for making Sanzo fall unconscious like a torch dunked in water, off and on in the world due to several egg-shaped lumps on the back of his head. At least, that was what Hakkai had told Goku, but he hadn't really understood everything that was wrong with the priest when Hakkai had explained it all. It was just bad, really bad. That's why all the branches hitting his face and bare arms didn't hurt, or the cold snow underneath his bare feet. Goku had been in bad weather before, and heat was far worse. He just concentrated on running.

The forest was still too quiet to not be noted as eerie though, no matter how focused Goku was right now. The place stank and yet it didn't smell like anything at all with the snow a frozen cap over the ground. He couldn't even smell the pine trees surrounding him, as if everything in this place was dead. Well, if it was a youkai and it wasn't deceased already, Goku would make sure it would happen very, very soon. He'd be back before Sanzo woke up and even had a chance to wonder where Goku had gone off to. Even if he was doing this for Sanzo's sake, he didn't want to get yelled at for it.

It was hard to keep his sense of direction in this place, but Goku just kept going forward without change course because he knew if he didn't stay in a straight line, he'd end up getting lost. Besides, running full blast with bare feet was much smoother than Hakkai's driving had been when Goku and Gojyo had been trying to hold onto Jeep for dear life and keep Sanzo in at the same time. It was much easier to do alone, and Goku was glad that the other guys weren't there to distract him from this mission, much more serious and important than anything else at the minute. It was easy to start running far faster than Hakkai could ever manage in his Jeep, covering the distance in a breeze when it had felt like forever when they were driving. The uneven ground and many trees weren't hard to dodge around the fresh white snow, everything clean and unbroken before Goku had come along.

He still heard no animals, and to make it even worse, Goku couldn't smell a single youkai for miles. He wasn't close to that abandoned mansion, but he had been hoping for scouts or guards along the way to warm-up on… and to keep him from getting bored. It felt like running in place in this forest with the same old trees and plain snow, but Goku knew he was headed the right way. His instinct could never be confused, much too basic and powerful for most spells to even touch. Even if this forest was haunted like Hakkai had said, Goku wasn't about to let some ghosts stop him from extracting vengeance for the most important living person in the world: Genjo Sanzo. Hakkai and Gojyo were back there with him now, so they had better keep the unconscious monk safe until Goku could come back with a deserving youkai's head or something like that to show proof of what he had done, all by himself.

Goku liked to run, at least more than anyone else in the party; especially Sanzo who made such a big deal about it just to hide the fact he'd start coughing helplessly after the first few steps because of all the cigarettes. Goku had been with Sanzo long enough to know that his lungs weren't that good unless it was for yelling at someone, but since the priest was so determined to hide that weakness from Hakkai and Gojyo that Goku had just shut up about it as well. He still liked to run ahead of the rest of them when the three were going too slow, but after a while even he started to get out of breath. Goku was starting to sweat on his arms although they were exposed to the cold air, and hoped that the place would get closer sooner.

His prayers seemed to be answered when Goku finally got a whiff of fresh blood and smoke coming from straight ahead, along with the stench of youkai starting to come on strong. Goku had finally reached the general area, but he even slow down to sneak up in case there were any wandering youkai around. They would be the unlucky ones if any youkai ran into him. Goku didn't intend to spare anyone's life today as he rushed toward the mansion, just as nervous as the first time he had seen, but now it was out of anticipation for delivering a lot of pain. Goku supposed this must be what Sanzo felt like all the time.

Goku dropped down to his stomach and peered out underneath the bushes that surrounded the falling-down old mansion. There were no signs of any other youkai and all Goku could smell was old blood and a faint chemical smell that made his nose twitch. It was probably rotten wine, but that didn't assure Goku that no one had been around this place in a while. The forest had been so quiet that he didn't believe the silence his ears were assuring him of. Maybe he'd gone deaf. Someone could still be in there, if he was lucky enough. He just couldn't tell from the windows, which all had curtains or any shutters that hadn't fallen off already were closed.

Goku scuttled forward through the clean wet snow and underneath the bushes cautiously before darting up to the side of the house. He pressed his body against the wall and held his breath for a moment, waiting to hear the sounds of his approach being noticed. There was still not a single sign of life, but it was too early to assume that the place was abandoned. He stepped up onto the wood porch and slid his feet along the surface to hide his footsteps as he steadily approached the door surprised when it swung in easily when he pushed it open. It still wasn't enough to make him think twice before slinking inside. No one greeted him as Goku stepped through the doorway and looked around the main room for a second time, overwhelmed at the growing stench of youkai living here so long. It wasn't enough to cover up the smell of old blood and bad wine. There was also sweat and a musky fume underneath it all that Goku didn't like in the least. It just didn't seem right, drenched in pain and sorrow. He had a feeling for things like this, thought not nearly as good as Sanzo or Hakkai was.

The worst was that Goku could still smell Sanzo, blood and sweat so strongly that he had to grit his teeth and try not to cry. He had to find those reasonable for what had happened to Sanzo. Someone had to pay for trying to break Sanzo apart. Goku wouldn't have to feel so bad if he knew that he had killed every last one of them. He didn't know where else to go but down the hallway toward to room Gojyo and Hakkai had found Sanzo in. He just had a feeling about it and crept down the dusty and bloody wood floor slowly, praying that there would be just one youkai left in this abandoned mansion. Just one would make it worth the whole trip, and Gou would bring its head back just to show Sanzo what he had done, so he wouldn't have to fall unconscious anymore. Youkai didn't deserve any better than that, even if he was one of the oldest demons. Funny how five hundred years didn't give him the experience to deal with this horrible mess that Sanzo had fallen into.

Thankfully, the first youkai came lunging at Goku from the darkened corner to the side of the door, so huge and screaming so loud Goku couldn't believe he hadn't noticed the hairy freak. The nyoi-bo was in his hand before he even had to think about it and took the much taller demon right on the side of its head. There was a satisfying crack that followed as the youkai flew against the wall and crumpled down to the floor, his skull broken. Goku made a short, pleased snort that would have done shame to Sanzo's, accidentally covering up the sound of a sword being drawn. He heard it whooshing through the air at his back and Goku easily jumped to the side and turned around to face a room rapidly filling with more youkai.

It was hard not to laugh out loud with his good luck. It was perfect, plenty of youkai like they had suspected but hadn't seen once when they grabbed Sanzo only a few nights ago. Several came rushing at him while other held back, still not knowing just how big of problem Goku could be, no matter how short or young he looked. He was in a fighting mood today, and it happened to be these youkai's' unlucky day. He didn't even wait for the demons to approach but leapt forward to greet them, ready to make a big entrance. He wanted to kill as many of these bastards as he could, until every last youkai that had even looked at Sanzo wrong was dead.

Goku swung the nyoi-bo out off of his elbow and hit between the legs of the closest youkai, effectively sending the demon to the floor whimpering in pain while more pressed in. Goku kicked out, landing a boot against a new and much taller youkai's shin. The demon smirked at his obvious advantage of height, but Goku lost sight of the youkai's face as he twisted and reversed to use his other foot to slam it into the bearded chin. Goku easily landed on both feet before the stunned monster and had the staff arch around his body to hit the hairy back of the demon, more than likely breaking the spine as the youkai howled and its knees jerked but didn't give yet. Goku didn't care, because it didn't feel like enough yet, not after Gojyo had to carry Sanzo in from trying to smoke his usual several dozen cigarettes before noon.

He concentrated a little bit harder and let the nyoi-bo bounce off the youkai's back and brought it around to hit the giant square in the stomach. There wasn't even time for the youkai to yell before it simply fell apart into small pieces in a flash of bright light, burnt up until not a single bit of bone was left. That made every other demon in the room hesitate and draw back in uncertainty now that Goku had managed to get the youkai's tainted soul itself to explode. He twirled the nyoi-bo between his fingers easily, shamelessly taking advantage of their shock to slam the butt of the staff into the nose of the youkai behind the smoking leftovers of the exorcised soul. That demon evaporated into thin smoke as well, Goku killing just as easily as Sanzo could with the sutra or gun, the only difference was he just had to think about it.

Goku had time to take out a third before the remaining youkai recovered, starting to howl in earnest at the loss of their friends. The snarls and sounds of claws growing for a demon's fighting mode. Goku swung the nyoi-bo around with two hands to hit a smaller and more human-looking youkai in the head, and found it blocked by the demon throwing up his arms to protect his skull. He pulled back and shifted his grip around the staff, intending to go for another blow if it wasn't for something heavy hitting him on the back of his head. Goku stumbled forward as he eyesight went foggy with the sucker punch, swinging the nyoi-bo wildly around instinctively. He felt it connect with one, two different bodies and each time was intent to make it a certain kill.

Shaking his head free of the last bit of stunning damage, Goku opened his eyes to see the outline of a youkai fall apart into tiny pieces of ash. The room was packed full of youkai, leaving almost no room for Goku to recover before three demons pushed in at once from all sides. Goku would have thanked them out loud, but he slammed the nyoi-bo down to the floor to use it as a vaulting post instead, rotating as he kicked a youkai in the face. Goku twisted and slung out his other leg to get a second one in the chest, feeling satisfaction when ribs cracked. He landed and was already twirling the nyoi-bo back in front to hit off two other youkai.

The other demons started to lose their features, turning into blurry shapes that only looked like targets to Goku. He didn't have the time to think about moving around the room to his advantage when there were youkai coming in at every angle, just moved and tried to hit as hard as possible along the way. He wasn't sure if he was killing or just injuring, but his palms were starting to tingle from the hitting with staff so many times. Goku dodged under a sword and threw the butt of the staff into the wielder's chin. Goku leapt back and had claws score along his arm for his carelessness. He spun back from the second set of claws coming for his face and kept on scrabbling backwards until he found himself with his back to the fireplace and a whole common room full of youkai, a good amount of them motionless on the floor. That didn't mean there were still quite a few left, enough to make Goku almost regret coming alone.

Almost.

* * *

"Goku! Where the fuck are you, you dumb ass ape?" the familiar roar echoed through out the entire inn, enough to shake the silverware on every table. Immediately a hush went through the entire room, all patrons well acquainted with Genjo Sanzo's fury by now. Hakkai only smiled genially at the villagers and took another sip of water from his glass as Gojyo pounded down another shot before gasping from the burning alcohol hitting an empty stomach for what must be the twelfth this morning.

"Well, that means the bitch is up," Gojyo remarked smartly before it was followed by an undignified hiccup. Hakkai didn't even bother to correct him, knowing that Gojyo was too drunk to listen to him now. All he could do was hope that Goku came back from wherever he had chosen to pout this time, or that Gojyo would actually be civil with Sanzo for once. Hakkai didn't even have to fake the grin that graced his face from his own far-fetched and impossible wishes, finding the whole thing ironically humorous. Gojyo was hopelessly drunk, Goku was hopeless lost, and Sanzo was hopelessly insane. He had chosen the perfect traveling companions.

Sanzo was sure to be in a foul mood this time for sure with one monkey missing and a youkai half-breed that was fired up to take the priest down a few notches verbally; Not that Sanzo would let that happen, ever … It was still a show worth watching, if nothing else for Gojyo's open-mouthed shock when the priest spat out a new curse that even sailors would find offensive. Even the few other patrons remaining in the common room looked toward the stairs in dreaded anticipation, already accustomed to a volatile man instead of a serene High Priest.

Sure enough, Sanzo stormed down with an expression on his face that was better fit for mass execution. He was even paler than usual and his hair was soaked down to his head. The borrowed shirt was half-open and soaked through, the barest hint of two pink shadows on his chest. Gojyo had obviously not bothered to change Sanzo out of his wet clothes. Sanzo looked too angry for that to even be brought up now, stomping over to their table without even noticing all the appreciative glances thrown his way despite the Smith and Wesson shoved down the front of his pants. Hakkai raised an eyebrow at the open leers on the other diners' faces. Or maybe the looks were because of it. He swallowed, deciding that he should try to head this off before any serious damage happened.

"Sanzo! Goku just left for a bit, so why don't you-"

"Bullshit," Sanzo cut Hakkai off ruthlessly, his violet eyes narrowed down into small slits that demanded the truth despite the shoulders that were hunched in pain. Hakkai couldn't find the words after that, every thought taken away by the pure shock of seeing the thin blonde stand all on his own despite taking so much abuse, even if he had done it time and time before. Gojyo only calmly poured another shot in their uncomfortable silence, looking quite pleased that for once it wasn't him that was in trouble.

"Goku ran away after you scared the piss outta him," Gojyo sneered as he toasted Sanzo, as if it were something to celebrate. Hakkai didn't catch the exact moment Sanzo moved, but suddenly the priest was their and took the shot himself as calmly as if it was his own. Gojyo blinked down at the missing drink before Sanzo threw the glass past the taller man's head. It shattered against the hard wood, drawing everyone's attention if it hadn't already been directed at them. A woman screamed in shock and covered her head even though she was nowhere near the mess, clearly expecting more violence. High Priest Genjo Sanzo seemed to have that sort of effect on people.

"We're going back," Sanzo hissed in a deadly cold voice as he made an unsteady line toward Hakkai, slamming one hand down on the table to make a point- or keep his balance. Hakkai calmly looked up into that bandaged, frustrated, and beautiful face, wondering just what kind of monster would actually go to the lengths of bruising Sanzo. As much as the priest wanted to wreck some good old-fashioned revenge and death on some deserving youkai, Hakkai also wanted his share.

"Back where?" Hakkai questioned, hoping to work on Sanzo's fried nerves and traumatized head injury. If he could get Sanzo to admit that he couldn't even remember the place they had come from, then he might even be able to get the temperamental blonde to sit down and think about it all calmly.

"There," Sanzo hissed with a deadly look in his slanted eyes that didn't allow for anymore games. Hakkai couldn't say anything at that, couldn't even keep a smile on his face at the threatening look on the blonde's face, promising death if his wish wasn't carried out. Hakkai didn't have a single doubt this time that Sanzo wouldn't hesitate to kill any one of them; so he started out the inn with Sanzo nearly on his heels, followed by Gojyo; who didn't look pleased at all with the matter.

"Do you even know where that is?" Gojyo asked in a smart voice as the three of them stood outside the front of the inn for their transportation to show up. Hakkai and Sanzo both sighed at the same time, though he was sure it was for different reasons.

"Don't interrupt conversations you can't comprehend, shit head," Sanzo spat out as Hakkai heard the whistle of Hakuryuu's greeting cry. He turned to the north and sure enough, out of the grey and stormy sky came the small white dragon; fat and content from hunting outside and running around freely without command for a few days. Hakkai knew that the dragon needed as much time alone as they did, as much of a person as an animal with cold blood could be. He returned to the back of Hakkai's chair at the most inappropriate time, reminding Sanzo that he had a dragon that conveniently enough turned into a car.

"I'm not taking you there," Hakkai stated coldly, not about to allow Sanzo to return to that place anytime soon. It just couldn't be healthy, and he much doubted that Goku had really gone there. The ape was probably hiding around the corner of the next street down feeling bad for himself, but never wandering far.

Hakkai heard the distinctive click of the safety being released and found himself face to face with the barrel of Sanzo's repaired Smith and Wesson, instantly regretting bringing it back from the shop and putting in the monk's room with the lame thought it might cheer the man up. It even shut up Gojyo for a moment, because no matter how drunk he was, he could tell when his life was being threatened. It didn't look like Sanzo was going to cut any dice this time by the deadly calm and almost lazy gaze cast down at Hakkai for still remaining sitting in his seat. This wasn't a monk that was going to be fainting anytime soon from the hard determination Hakkai could sense from Sanzo. There wouldn't be any reason to cross Sanzo now unless he was looking for death.

"Fine, then. Perhaps it might jog your memory, Sanzo. Let's go outside," he suggested as coolly as the snow outside with a graceful smile written all over his face. It wouldn't do to argue with Sanzo in front of all these people when the blonde was so intent on bloodshed. Hakkai stood up slowly as Hakuryuu took to his shoulder naturally, cautiously not making a noise. The only thing living in the room that would dare to make a noise was Gojyo as he noisily poured himself another glass.

"I'm not fucking going anywhere until I finish-"

One bullet took the bottle out, glass shattering in Gojyo's hand as it passed through and made a small, smoking black hole in the wall behind him. The alcohol splashed to the floor and was followed by Miss Mei's delayed scream… Which set off everyone in the place to start yelling and running away in fear of their lives from a Buddhist monk. Sanzo always did have a tendency to fire off shots at the worst possible time. Chairs overturned and silverware fell to the floor in explosive cracks as the common room emptied out into the street or up the stairs to escape Sanzo's shooting range.

"Now," Sanzo hissed in a voice colder than the snow outside.

It was simple as that to get Gojyo out of the chair and toward the door with Hakkai not far behind, making sure to keep a hand pressing Hakuryuu's back down against his shoulder in case the dragon decided to start flying around. That would be a very big mistake now in the mood Sanzo was in, likely to get the poor thing shot before they could even get outside so Hakuryuu could transform. Hakkai just prayed that Hakuryuu wouldn't make a noise right now that could set Sanzo off.

They walked past the innkeeper crouched behind the counter, a grown man shivering in fear, jerking away like a frightened animal as Sanzo threw out his arms to conceitedly adjust the sleeves of the too-big pajamas on his thin frame. Hakkai and Gojyo shuffled out the door without any words, knowing that Sanzo still hadn't put his gun away. The monk could be ruthless to inhuman degrees and wear a small smirk that made Hakkai wonder if he really enjoyed the violence. They didn't say anything though, everyone else too frightened to speak up as Gojyo and Hakkai were shuffled out the door at gun point to take Sanzo back toward that forsaken mansion.

* * *

Goku panted hard as he wiped his face with the back of his hand, sweating and panting hard. He was dizzy from exertion, so hungry that he could barely stand up after killing that many youkai. He could barely find a space wide enough to spread out his legs and tuck his head between his knees to try and gain back his breath with so many corpses on the floor. Goku hoped that none of the bodies were simply youkai smart enough to play dead, because he really wanted each and every single one of these bastards to be d-e-a-d. That way Sanzo wouldn't keep on fainting and falling down anymore.

He picked his way around the demons' carcasses with a little more care than anyone would have ever admitted him having, but Goku wasn't quite ready to start anther fight. He already felt much too excited, almost greedy at the thought of more victims waiting around the corner. Goku went to the hallway he had already gone down once before, except this time Sanzo wasn't waiting at the end. Goku could still catch the whiff of Sanzo on the walls, blood and sweat that was almost rank with terror. Sanzo never usually smelled liked that, except when it was raining; but even then the blonde would barely so much as bat an eye to show it.

A youkai had that fairly well to hide himself in an open doorway made the mistake of screaming out an attack before lunging out into the hallway. Goku had the nyoi-bo shooting up and slamming into the demon's throat without a second thought, leaving it to die slowly of a crushed windpipe. Its last, wheezing gasps followed Goku as he continued to stalk down the hall. He had a feeling that he would find the youkai responsible for it all back in the bedroom they had found Sanzo in. The last time he had been in there, the window was broken from the leader youkai escaping.

This time Goku wouldn't allow him to be so lucky. He didn't have Sanzo on the verge of death this time. He had all intention to kill. He got to the end of the hallway without meeting another youkai and pushed the last door open slowly. The large and rotting bedroom was empty and cold with the broken window letting snow in to gather on the dirty floor. The place reeked from the lingering scent of pain and old sex, caking the walls thick enough to be at least a few months old and with quite a few victims. Goku could catch the whiff of pleasure that was stale in the room so full of old agony, recognizing it easily enough from being with Gojyo for so long… but he had never really expected it to be distinctively Sanzo's. The priest usually just smelled like cigarettes and irritation, but in this place…

Goku swallowed, sure that whatever had happened, Sanzo hadn't really enjoyed it. That much was obvious from Sanzo's even worsening attitude, if such had ever been possible. It had something to do with what had happened here, so Goku kept looking around the room at the dirty bed with stained sheets, a broken chair in the corner and other furniture that had been destroyed. There were small tubes of paint littering the dust-covered wood floor, footprints and large sweeps in the filth that showed there had been a serious struggle. Goku was sure it had been Sanzo. Spilt paint had been smeared across the floor or was dried into the wood forever in large puddles and drops. Goku didn't like it at all, brushing his fingers across the surface experimentally. The red paint didn't look right, but Goku couldn't really figure out why. The whole room seemed strange, especially a large object to the side of the bed that was carefully made to look like trash along with more pieces of chair legs and table-ends. Goku went toward it and kicked some of the junk out of the way, tilting his head at the thing.

Goku sniffed at the cloth draping over the large squarish shape and couldn't figure out what could possibly be underneath it. Without another thought, he ripped the sheet off in a rush, the sound of cloth rasping against his ears as the thing underneath was revealed. Goku didn't even know what to do for a moment with the sheet still clenched in his hand, forgotten in horror until it dropped to the ground with a soft explosion that echoed in Goku's ears.

It was Sanzo. A painting, just like those nice old ones in the monastery back home where Sanzo had lived, but this time it was done with a funny smelling paint, thicker than the ink the monks used. It was a lot more realistic too, as if Sanzo was still in the room but captured on the canvas. Gojyo always told him that if you got your portrait painted, it could steal your soul. This was enough to make Goku believe in it, recognizing Sanzo beyond a single doubt even though it was nothing more than thick, creamy paint that was still glistening wet. The priest was the only focus of the picture on blood-stained sheets, his whole body twisted in agony when the blonde usually didn't even complain about an arrow hitting him in the side.

Goku dropped to his knees in front of it, scared to death at the realistic scene in front of him. It was obviously done in this room with the same wall, bed, and smashed dresser in the background. There were youkai painted in as well, lurking in the background among the dark shadows to enjoy the show. Sanzo was the only light thing in the picture, his pale body completely bare except for the ropes that had been painted around his wrists to secure the priest's arms to the bed, blood glistening down from his arms and legs and everything! Goku hadn't ever seen Sanzo like this, his profile tossed back in pain and teeth shining in a frozen scream. Lips that were bruised, just like Gojyo's when he had had a particularly hard night with some of the women that he picked up. The artist had even put in the detail of Sanzo's tongue curling up in an agonized cry that Goku could half-hear even now in the room. The normally sheet-white cheeks were flushed red and it was obvious why from the half-formed erection trying to hide between Sanzo's legs.

It hurt to even look at, but Goku couldn't turn his gaze away from the fearsome work, evidence of what had happened that Hakkai and Gojyo wouldn't tell him about. He had to remember this: what had happened to Sanzo down to every last glistening brush stroke, so he could be sure to pay it back a hundred times over. Sanzo's back was arched up in agony with the sheets twisted underneath him on the bed he had been painted on. Even though there were no youkai put in close to Sanzo, his legs were open with muscles bulging in resistance, cuts and claw marks still bleeding freely down Sanzo's sides and legs. Goku couldn't help but glance at the painted image of Sanzo's groin, ashamed for looking and enraged that someone had even preserved Sanzo like this forever with his mangled genitalia was painted in gross realistic detail, even down to the bloody rends making a mess of Sanzo's inner thighs.

Goku found his knees smashed against his eyes burning with tears. They dripped down to hit the dried paint and blood smeared across the floor; Goku not even sure when he had actually looked away from the painting. He couldn't stop sobbing, choking around tears and snot that ran out of his nose and to his lips. There were no youkai here to take revenge on, nothing to beat the shit out of. He couldn't imagine any human that would have been able to paint something like… like that. It was Sanzo, with his usually smart and calm purple eyes clenched shut so tightly in pain that Goku thought the furrow between his brows might explode. The red chakra on Sanzo's forehead stood out more than anything else, brilliant red amongst the shining oil paint as if to mock Sanzo's title as High Priest, as a Buddhist, as a human being.

Tears overwhelmed his vision and poured down his face to blur the picture, but Goku scrubbed at the wetness with the back of his hand and tried taking one deep breath to gain peace like Hakkai had told him to do before. It didn't work. Goku wanted to kill something, wanted to kill himself for letting it happen. He couldn't even get a proper revenge for Sanzo! All he could do was cry before the horrible picture, too frightened to look again even though it was burned into the back of his eyes and into his brain. How was he ever going to forget that, thinking of the time it must have taken to paint? Goku gritted his teeth, desperately trying to not think about it. He couldn't stand the thought of someone using Sanzo like a live model for however long it must have taken to paint that picture, even if it was for only instant. Goku would find the artist and break every single goddamn finger before he killed the bastard.

"So, you like my masterpiece?" asked a smooth voice from behind Goku, making him swirl around to face the doorway. A youkai was leaning there, unlike the usual crazy ones they found because he reeked of insanity. It was hard not to paw at his nose, but Goku glared hard at the asshole, hard enough to make Sanzo proud as he studied every aspect of this demon. Black hair that curled around his face and neck and ice-cold blue eyes that made Goku doubt there was a single bit of sanity left in the youkai. Even the pompous and proud grin revealed a full set of teeth, sharpened to the exact measure of the harsh bite marks that had lined Sanzo's body from neck to toe. It wore an open shirt and loose pair of jeans as if imitating humans, lazy and languid with every movement as the demon walked closer to Goku. Close enough for him to smell Sanzo on the youkai. Long black hair and sharp blue eyes, reeking of paint and chemicals and… Sanzo. The bastard hadn't even bothered to wash since he'd mauled Sanzo.
"What did you do to him? What did you do to Sanzo?!" Goku barely managed to keep himself from yelling at the youkai standing in front of him so calmly. The creature was fucking proud of the way he had completely degraded Sanzo on that large canvas at Goku's back. He couldn't even stand looking at it for a moment more; unable to see past the tunneling vision that this new youkai had become the center of.

"Sanzo? Sanzo," the youkai muttered to himself, looking off to the side as he tried to recall the name. Goku couldn't help taking a step forward in all intent to tear the bastard limb from limb, not about to deal with this sort of nonsense. How could he even pretend to not know?! The youkai looked up at his movement, muscles becoming taunt and a strong fighting aura filled the air, enough to make Goku's nostrils flare.
"Oh, Genjo Sanzo. You've already looked at it, from your expression," the youkai smiled, obviously proud of the horrible act he had done. Not even a rabid animal would have hurt Sanzo so badly, and this youkai had the audacity put it forever in acrylic. Goku couldn't even speak back, just started shaking in restrained anger. It was his duty to hear it all.

"Can't you see? I preserved him; a perfect masterpiece!" the youkai ranted out in a deep and educated tone that would have put Hakkai to shame. Goku didn't care right now, unable to see past the red that was starting to tinge everything. Goku didn't turn around to look at the painting, wishing that it would burst into flames in the next second. The youkai smirked at Goku's face as it licked its lips suggestively or in pride. Goku was starting to lose all sense of what it might be. He was just angry, almost numb with it.

"That Genjo Sanzo was beautiful enough to make me feel satisfied. Shouldn't you be happy now? I don't feel the need to kill anymore," the nameless youkai grinned and shrugged as if he was announcing good news.
"What… do you mean?" Goku choked out, only inches away from tearing out the fucker's throat without a second thought. He had done something unspeakable to Sanzo, and had taken the time and even watched it long enough to paint something that realistic. Goku felt like throwing up. He felt like killing the youkai in front of him. His head spun, bloodlust competing with that single thread of sanity.
He had to get revenge for Sanzo.
"You haven't sensed them yet? He wasn't the first one I painted like this, you know," the youkai drawled, flicking out his hand passively with fingertips stained black from inks and harsh chemicals. Goku's eyes narrowed as he made two fists, digging his nails into his palms. Pain could calm him if he couldn't kill right now.
"The only way I can paint is if it's suffering. The ultimate expression, the unattainable in any of those pieces of junk they call art…" the youkai trailed off, raising his palms up to the sky as if in palpation, unable to understand the world. Goku couldn't understand how anyone, even a demon completely gone in his madness, could still have enough intelligence to torture someone like that. Someone like Sanzo. He understood now, realizing that the bad, uncomfortable feeling of death that covered this forest was because of this youkai right here.
He had heard that a picture could capture the person's soul, but all the hairs on his body went up on end. He knew without a single doubt that this youkai was using his paintings to capture the very spirit of former victims. They had all died; Goku was sure of it. His breath became harder as he tried to imagine what it must be like for Sanzo, who was much more sensitive to these sorts of things and still alive as well. Goku wondered if Sanzo was the first, but he didn't doubt it. Sanzo would never lose to a youkai like this, not like this.
"I've had hundreds; maybe even thousands killed the same way, but nothing like your Genjo Sanzo. He was special," the youkai's voice turned passionate, husky enough to make Goku snarl a warning out. Those unerring clear blue eyes flicked over, judging him and dismissing in the next second. The bastard was more interested in looking at his 'masterpiece.'
"They're now my slaves, keeping this forest perfect. You know what the secret is?" the youkai hissed lowly as his started to walk closer to Goku. He stood his ground in front of this insane artist, not about to flinch when he was about to hear the final bit of this marked youkai's tale. Goku was going to kill him soon enough. He held back from summoning the nyoi-bo right then and there by a hair's width when the youkai passed him to stand much closer to his painting, his lips held over the flat representation of Sanzo's own as if it was real. It looked close enough to be.
"I use their blood for it," the youkai laughed, pressing his hand on the painting-Sanzo's bloody genitalia in obvious ecstasy. Goku didn't even call the nyoi-bo forth, just went forward and threw the black-haired bastard across the room, far away from that sick joke of a piece of art. He wanted to tear it apart, but he wanted to do the same to the youkai much, much, much more.
His next heartbeat felt like it split the world apart.
The crumbling shambles of the demon limiter crown sprinkled down in front of his face.
A thin, elegant man with long blonde hair. Excruciatingly beautiful, worthy of him trying to protect.
A taller and rougher looking short redhead in black leather with a tattoo in the middle of his forehead.
Another with a cigarette and glasses in a white laboratory suit.
The familiar bars in front of him, caging him from the sun.
Sanzo.
He started screaming.

* * *

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 caught up 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 grimaced, 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 voice, 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 between 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 that had done this to Sanzo in real life. 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 or because 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 the 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, turning 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 she had 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.