Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Seiten and Maten, Two Worlds Collide! ❯ The First World: Maten ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Tear Alchemist 
The life of one is spared, and the journey continues...but will the addition cause conflict?
Anime/Manga: Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.17.2006 | Updated On: 07.19.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 279 | Status: Work In Progress
The life of one is spared, and the journey continues...but will the addition cause conflict?
Anime/Manga: Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Psychological / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.17.2006 | Updated On: 07.19.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 279 | Status: Work In Progress
The belly of Houtou castle was in an uproar, they were all busy trying to prepare the rooms that the great demon Gyumaoh would need upon his resurrection, but she passed them all by, few demons raised their hands in greeting and she responded with a like nod. The assassin had business with the Lady of the Resistance, Gyokumen Koshu. The demon entered the sealed room with little difficulty after all, she was the one Koshu had sent to retrieve the Maten Scripture and no one had expected her to succeed, much less return. Once inside, she hopped up to one of the higher platforms where the Lady sat studying over the other scripture she had already obtained.
“My lady.” She said quietly. Slowly Koshu turned and rose.
“I trust you have brought what I‘ve asked for.” Beneath the red hair that covered her face the demon smiled.
“No, m’lady, I haven’t.” A stinging slap sounded across her face and the demon fell to the floor a red welt already forming on her cheek.
“You idiot! Why did you even return to this place if you did not have the Maten Scripture!?” She rose from the lowly position that Koshu had knocked her to, and the demon cracked her neck and hands with long, smooth, and deliberate motions.
“Koshu, I’m not like Lord Kougaiji…I won’t wait for your mercy and kindness to give me back what you have already stolen!” With a cry, the assassin raced along the platform at the sorceress and as her claws neared her neck, Gyokumen Koshu only had time to scream once.
“KOUGAIJI!” The assassin didn’t have time to pull back, she was right on target, but suddenly a red flash appeared before her. Kougaiji grabbed the girl’s hand that she had extended and hurled her into a wall without a word. She hit with a thud and he smirked. Kougaiji’s triumph was short lived.
“Damn it…” She groaned standing. The assassin took her stance and rubbed her shoulder where she had landed.
“Don’t push me further.” Kougaiji threatened as Gyokumen Koshu called for her personal guards, retreating back into one of the many corners of the room that she could find next to her beloved.
“I have no quarrel with you Gyumaoh’s son, I only want the She-Fox.” Kougaiji didn’t move, he only set his gaze and stance for anything that his rogue subordinate would try.
“Very well.” She sadly acknowledged his countenance and summoned her Dai-Katana. The blade was swung onto her back as a preparatory stance as Kougaiji slid on foot in front of his other.
“I won’t stop this fight until either that damn woman or I lie dead and the floor is painted red with our blood.”
“I know that, I wouldn’t have expected other from one of your caliber. I’m only sorry to lose you.”
“As I am sorry to lose you Lord Kougaiji.” A sudden flick of his left eyelid gave the assassin the opening she needed to begin her attack.
“I’m not giving you a chance to summon this time!” She ran full force with her sword held at an angle perpendicular to her body.
“I’ve waited long enough!” She had him, Kougaiji was left with no option but to either take the blow or run, and because of his pride he would not run. The assassin was within feet of the young demon, when another interloper blocked her blow with his own sword.
“Move Dokugakuji!” She cried pressing her former teacher and friend.
“I won’t.” Came the reply. Kougaiji thanked his bodyguard and then leapt over the both of them and came down to wrap his lithe arms around the girl’s neck. The choker hold began to take effect quickly and the girl went to one knee.
“Do you yield?” She coughed, feeling the blood rush to her face and her windpipe start to close. She shook her head no, and the grip went tighter. Again she was asked to surrender and again she motioned no. Kougaiji now lay almost on top of her, his grip ever tightening. The girl’s vision was blurry and she could barely make out any object in the room that wasn’t fuzzy or hazy, but then she looked over and saw the blue robed figure that she knew would be Koshu. Something snapped, and with a cry the assassin heaved up her own weight as well as Kougaiji’s until she stood standing.
Koshu watched the Herculean effort with large eyes. She scooted back around Gyumaoh’s remains and whimpered in terror. Never had she seen such ferocity in one demon’s eyes before, the usual leaf green was now a hard and sharp emerald, and they were coming for her. Kougaiji called for assistance from the assassin’s back and Dokugakuji ran to his aid. He landed a blow to the area just below her ribs and the demon faltered, but never stopped in her advances towards the She-Fox.
“You will die!” She growled as she flicked her claws into an attack position.
“I will see to it myself!” Just as the assassin’s hands were raised to strike, Gyokumen Koshu was hauled out of the way and the figure of a male demon replaced her likeness. Kougaiji looked at the youth and saw he had dark hair and deadly clear eyes.
“You…” Was all that the assassin whispered as she fell to the ground. The newcomer looked back to Koshu.
“Get rid of that bitch, Kougaiji…” She breathed, regaining some of her courage now that the threat was gone. She left then with her attendants and the young male, in a huff, claiming she had some important business to see to elsewhere.
“Do you want me to do it, Kou? You shouldn‘t have to soil your hands with this.” Dokugakuji asked quietly as his friend knelt beside the girl.
“Hey, are you listening? Kou!?”
“Quiet.” He said sharply. He then gazed at the assassin and turned his ear to her mouth as she quietly spoke.
“Why is it that you want this woman to stay alive?”
“I have a personal stake, if she lives she can restore something more precious than my life.”
“Funny.” The girl chuckled between coughing fits.
“That’s why I want her dead.” She then collapsed into a dark bliss.
“So what are you gonna do?” Kougaiji turned to his life long companion and grinned devilishly.
“If this girl lives, she’ll be a valuable ally to overthrow Gyokumen Koshu.”
“But the She-Fox said to get rid of her, if you don’t then your mother--”
“She said to get rid of her, yes, but not to kill her. I know the perfect four people to drop her off on.”
“You can’t mean--”
“She was kinda hot…..for a demon.”
“Gojyo, what are you mumbling about now?” Goku said glancing over at the Kappa with his usual bored expression. He sat up from where he had been leaning against the side of the jeep bed and grinned as he pointed.
“You weren’t thinking about that assassin were you?” He teased, Gojyo started, and then moved to whack his fist across the back of Goku’s head.
“Don’t be stupid, Monkey!”
“You were! You were!” Goku cried as he dodged.
“You pervy Kappa! You just wanted a one night stand didn’t you!?” The chimp only laughed as Gojyo hauled himself across the bed to “prove” his point.
“Quiet, both of you!” Sanzo screamed as the fight moved closer and closer to the front of the vehicle. He was just about to fire off two rounds to emphasize the urgency to retain his sanity that he was quickly losing, when Hakkai suddenly slammed his foot onto the brake; sending the two combatants in the back flying forward into the front seat, crowding the group between the dash and the steering wheel.
“What happened Hakkai?” Sanzo grumbled shoving Gojyo and Goku back to their rightful places.
“See for yourself.” He pointed and they all looked out over the road that they were finding through the sands to find a figure standing in their way. It seemed to be holding something. Goku squinted and covered his eyes with a hand to look into the distance.
“Hey, that looks like Kougaiji….” The group stepped out and made their way slowly forward. The closer they got the more the figure seemed to get closer to them. Finally, the figure stopped a few yards away. It was still slightly indistinguishable for the heat from the sand distorted their view, and the group wanted no fight that day so they halted in their steps as well.
“Genjou Sanzo,” The figure said, it seemed that Goku’s first instinct had been right, the Gyumaoh prince stepped forward once more and dropped whatever he was holding.
“Your assassin has come back to you, though not as she left…” Sanzo started as he turned with a snigger to leave.
“What are you babbling about?” Before Kougaiji could finish, the bundle he had dropped rose to their knees.
“ …You’re…not getting….off …that easily…Kougaiji!” She choked out. The telltale blazing red hair told the group that this was the same girl that they had dealt with before.
“I’m not letting you or that Damn She-Fox stand in my way. Now stand and fight! I said this ended when either she or I were dead and the case remains open for the both of us!” Kougaiji shook his head in frustration.
“I’m not killing you, and none of my soldiers will either, so you had best take your chances with those men behind you.” Standing on shaky legs, the girl bared her fangs and cracked her hands. Sanzo could see that her wounds were extensive, and deep. It was amazing she was standing at all if Kougaiji had given her the same treatment they had received in the past. Upon a second look, however, the Monk noticed her eyes were shallow and dark.
“She’s only running off adrenaline then. She can’t feel the wounds that will probably kill her.”
“You would do best to stay down.“ Kougaiji threatened.
“Don’t underestimate me, I’ll take your head back to Koshu and stick it on a stake next to hers!” With a leap, the demon charged at Kougaiji, her fist extended and ready to continue the battle that the Sanzo party wagered had been going on for quite some time. Kougaiji stepped back and began to disappear as she neared.
“No, damn it!!” She cried as she realized what he was trying to do. With a resigned sob, the demon fell onto her back as she tried to slice the air where Kougaiji had just been. The world around her began to spin and grow dark and she could feel her breaths coming in ragged pants.
“No…I can’t…damn it…my eyes…I can’t see….anything…anymore…” As her eyes began to close she saw four figures step into her line of sight.
“Forgive….me…” She whispered as the darkness overcame her.
Sanzo stared at the girl, unsure of his next action.
“Are you alright Sanzo?” Hakkai questioned as he noted the indecision on his face. Sanzo remained silent and then slipped his arms into his robes and crossed them as he always did when either pissed or deep in thought. At long last, he sighed and pulled his handgun out from his sleeve and aimed.
The black depths were overwhelming, the girl couldn’t see anything. She was faintly aware of things that brushed by her skin as she moved onward but other than that, nothing was tangible. She was disoriented and the motion almost made her retch, but the activity only ended in dry heaves, which only made her sickness worse. She floated on in weightlessness and slowly, began to become aware of a light in the distance. The light got brighter and brighter as she neared, and then it became a figure.
“You…what are you…doing here?” She extended her hands to the silhouette but found it moving away.
“Wait…no…please, don’t go!” Suddenly pain shot through her body in such an extent that her screams echoed through the surrounding darkness. Her eyes shot open and the girl found herself looking around a brightly lighted room with a fan that turned lazily on its axis and was so loosely attached to the ceiling that she hoped it would fall and end the pain.
“Is this another hell I have to go through? Or is it just a dream, conjured by some vengeful God that wishes to make me suffer?” Her whisper did not go unanswered.
“I suppose, it’s a little of both.” She turned her head to her right with great difficulty and found herself looking into the calm green eyes of Hakkai.
“You, you were one of those that traveled with the Monk.” He nodded.
“My name is Cho Hakkai, and you?”
“Why do you want to know? Aren’t you and your friends those who hunt Demons?” Hakkai cast his eyes out the window and looked across the white sands.
“Hunt? No. But when the need arises, we have had to kill.” The girl laughed, a cynical, harsh chuckle that set her into a coughing fit that racked her body.
“So if that is your purpose, then why am I not among the numbers left dead in your wake?” Shifting back to his watch, Hakkai smiled and tilted his head.
“I guess someone just wanted you to live.” The girl noted the gesture, although kind, was misleading, there was a deeper pain behind that grin than she had ever seen in the eyes of other people. She sat up holding her side as it flared with pain. She looked down and noticed for the first time that her wounds were bandaged.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of dressing the wounds you had received from Kougaiji.” The assassin shook her head and looked towards the weathered door.
“No, I thank you for it.” She paused and ran her hand over her choker that had been replaced.
“I take it we’re in a Human town?” Hakkai nodded.
“Thank you again for holding on to my limiter for me.” She slowly ran her finger across the Maten mark and sighed.
“ Mei.” A look of confusion ran across Hakkai’s face and she turned to meet his eyes with her own.
“My name is Mei.” She smiled and then felt a small weight press onto her crossed legs. She looked down and found a white dragon staring at her no bigger than the width of her shoulders.
“Hello little one,” Mei soothed as she scratched the whiskers beneath it’s jaw.
“It seems Hakuryu has taken a liking to you, I afraid however not everyone shares in his sentiment.” Mei chuckled under her breath and slid to the edge of the bed she lay on. Suddenly her eyes widened as if she had realized something.
“That’s it!” With a strained effort she rose to her feet and stumbled to the door. Hakkai rose from the chair he had been sitting in.
“Where are you going? If you aren’t careful your wounds are going to reopen!” She paid no heed to his warning but jerked the door open and headed down the corridor to her right and out the front door. Sanzo, Goku and Gojyo were crowded together as she made her way out.
“Monk!” She called as she stopped to lean against the doorframe. The group turned to look at her, and she caught angry stares from Goku and Gojyo.
“What?” Sanzo asked as he chewed on the end of his cigarette.
“You know very well what!” She cried clasping the frame as Mei almost fell from the door.
“Why did you not take your vengeance and end this life?!” Sanzo merely blew a trail of smoke from his nose and tapped the ash off the end.
“Because, your life belongs to the one who plead for it.”
“And who would that be?”
“Him.” Sanzo jerked his head back toward the door she stood in and she glanced behind her to find Hakkai standing in the passageway not two feet away.
“If anyone has a right to vengeance it would be him.” Angrily, Mei turned to Hakkai.
“Well?” She asked. He gazed at her with a quizzical expression.
“I don’t understand.”
“Just how sick are you people!? My whole life is in ruin, I failed at protecting the one thing I care most about, and now the Monk refuses his revenge! At least we demons know when to commit euthanasia!” Mei’s eyes began to fill with tears as she sobbed:
“Why won’t you just let me die?” Her answer came as a surprise.
“Probably, for some self righteous reason, I want to see you succeed. That‘s why you can‘t die yet.” Mei looked at her proprietor with eyes wide in wonder. After a moment, she sighed and nodded her head.
“As you wish.” She said resigned.
“And since my life is no longer my own, I’ll follow the one who holds it as well as the one who holds the Scripture.” This earned her two groans from Goku and Gojyo. The backseat was going to be even more crowded from now on.
“Well Hakkai, if you and your pet are ready, I suggest we get going.” He nodded and Hakuryu transformed into their beloved jeep. The group piled in and Mei found a small corner to hunker down in feeling the stares of her companions burn into her shoulders and face.
The ride was less than comfortable, the rocks and dunes the jeep hit at regular intervals almost sent its riders flying off into the sand. If it wasn’t the ride, Goku and Gojyo seemed even more irritable then ever and their wrestling matches became more and more violent, of course the desert heat didn’t help at all. Mei felt that it was this, coupled with her presence, that made the tension so unbearable; and she hoped they would find camp soon. About moonrise, the group found a small corner of a forest that lay at the edge of the sea of sand and they were grateful for the shade and shelter. They all spread out around the fire that was made and made makeshift sleeping areas. Goku and Gojyo were still none to happy about having Mei around, so they spent the night with their weapons leaned against their arms and shoulders. After a light meal, they all retired and awaited the dawn.
In the blackest part of the night, Gojyo woke to find his weapon gone. He glanced around the camp and found everyone still asleep, but his sharp ears caught the sound of scraping metal a few yards away. Slowly he crept over to where he heard the sound and found Mei hunched over something in the slight moonlight.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He hissed when he saw his Shakujou lying in her lap. He stepped over to her and she turned to stare straight into his crimson eyes sternly as if reprimanding him.
“What kind of a half-blood are you? This staff is covered in rust and blood stains!” She stood and held up the crescent shaped end pointing to the dark stains covering the blade.
“ Even a pure-blood knows the value of a sharp weapon. Even though you summon it, the blade is still your responsibility to clean!” She turned back and began to furiously scrape the blade’s edge with her whetstone sharpening the edge and breaking apart the caked on blood spatters.
“What makes you so smart anyway bitch?” Gojyo sneered.
“And who says I don’t clean my staff!?” Mei tilted her head to look back at him.
“Are you serious? Anyone who has any sense could tell that this blade hasn’t been cleaned since you first began to use it!” She swiped the edge with a white cloth that she carried and then tested the end with her thumb, a small line of red trickled down her hand and dripped off the end of her wrist..
“Here,” She said flatly as she tossed him the weapon.
“Its sharp, well sharper, anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to clean my own.” She silently summoned the fearsome Dai-Katana and then laid her finger to the sharp edge of the dark blade, her eyes narrowed as she pressed her index and a thin line appeared on the surface.
“You’re dull.” She commented. Gojyo looked at her amazed.
“How can you tell, it looks sharp as ever?” Mei’s eyes slowly slid to gaze at him and his stupidity.
“I had to press my finger to draw the blood.” He whistled through his teeth and shoved a hand into his pocket.
“You can tell a weapon’s sharpness just by testing the edge with a finger?” Mei nodded.
“That’s not all I can tell either. Your staff, for instance, is off center by .13 cm, not enough to matter during battle since you’re used to it, but your friend’s bo there,” She motioned at Goku’s sleeping figure and then continued.
“Causes him to lean 1.23 cm to his right.”
“What difference does that make?” Mei stood again and turned to Gojyo.
“Stand there and lean 1.23 cm to your right, and I’ll show you.” She directed. He did as he was told and as he turned back to ask what was next, he found Mei racing at him, her sword extended. Gojyo moved to block her, but in the next instant, found her sword laying beside his neck.
“In battle, this would happen and he would die. Even if the enemy didn’t have a sword, one of Kougaiji’s archers or sorcerers could take him out from a good distance away.” Gojyo breathed audibly, his heart pounding from the sudden adrenaline rush.
“What was that for!?” He suddenly cried. Mei twisted back to face him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Why the hell did you just attack me?!” Mei chuckled.
“Honestly, you shouldn’t be worried, I warned you beforehand that I was going to show you what 1.23 cm meant in battle. I was merely proving my point.”
“Stupid bitch,” He threatened.
“If you try that again, I’ll kill you for sure, its demons like you that make me glad I’m a half-breed.” Mei smiled, her eyes smoldering with suppressed anger.
“Funny,” She said allowing her cynical and venomous natures take over.
“’Cause its half-bloods like you that make me glad I’m a demon!” She smiled and allowed her fangs to poke out the corner of her mouth as Gojyo moved to land a back handed slap to the side of her face. She easily dodged and flipped away out of his reach. Gojyo merely growled and turned back towards the fire that had burned low during the night.
“You pull that crap with either Sanzo, Hakkai, or the Monkey and you’ll regret it!” She stood there stoic as he then marched angrily back to the camp. Mei then turned sadly to her sword and continued to sharpen the blade.
“My lady.” She said quietly. Slowly Koshu turned and rose.
“I trust you have brought what I‘ve asked for.” Beneath the red hair that covered her face the demon smiled.
“No, m’lady, I haven’t.” A stinging slap sounded across her face and the demon fell to the floor a red welt already forming on her cheek.
“You idiot! Why did you even return to this place if you did not have the Maten Scripture!?” She rose from the lowly position that Koshu had knocked her to, and the demon cracked her neck and hands with long, smooth, and deliberate motions.
“Koshu, I’m not like Lord Kougaiji…I won’t wait for your mercy and kindness to give me back what you have already stolen!” With a cry, the assassin raced along the platform at the sorceress and as her claws neared her neck, Gyokumen Koshu only had time to scream once.
“KOUGAIJI!” The assassin didn’t have time to pull back, she was right on target, but suddenly a red flash appeared before her. Kougaiji grabbed the girl’s hand that she had extended and hurled her into a wall without a word. She hit with a thud and he smirked. Kougaiji’s triumph was short lived.
“Damn it…” She groaned standing. The assassin took her stance and rubbed her shoulder where she had landed.
“Don’t push me further.” Kougaiji threatened as Gyokumen Koshu called for her personal guards, retreating back into one of the many corners of the room that she could find next to her beloved.
“I have no quarrel with you Gyumaoh’s son, I only want the She-Fox.” Kougaiji didn’t move, he only set his gaze and stance for anything that his rogue subordinate would try.
“Very well.” She sadly acknowledged his countenance and summoned her Dai-Katana. The blade was swung onto her back as a preparatory stance as Kougaiji slid on foot in front of his other.
“I won’t stop this fight until either that damn woman or I lie dead and the floor is painted red with our blood.”
“I know that, I wouldn’t have expected other from one of your caliber. I’m only sorry to lose you.”
“As I am sorry to lose you Lord Kougaiji.” A sudden flick of his left eyelid gave the assassin the opening she needed to begin her attack.
“I’m not giving you a chance to summon this time!” She ran full force with her sword held at an angle perpendicular to her body.
“I’ve waited long enough!” She had him, Kougaiji was left with no option but to either take the blow or run, and because of his pride he would not run. The assassin was within feet of the young demon, when another interloper blocked her blow with his own sword.
“Move Dokugakuji!” She cried pressing her former teacher and friend.
“I won’t.” Came the reply. Kougaiji thanked his bodyguard and then leapt over the both of them and came down to wrap his lithe arms around the girl’s neck. The choker hold began to take effect quickly and the girl went to one knee.
“Do you yield?” She coughed, feeling the blood rush to her face and her windpipe start to close. She shook her head no, and the grip went tighter. Again she was asked to surrender and again she motioned no. Kougaiji now lay almost on top of her, his grip ever tightening. The girl’s vision was blurry and she could barely make out any object in the room that wasn’t fuzzy or hazy, but then she looked over and saw the blue robed figure that she knew would be Koshu. Something snapped, and with a cry the assassin heaved up her own weight as well as Kougaiji’s until she stood standing.
Koshu watched the Herculean effort with large eyes. She scooted back around Gyumaoh’s remains and whimpered in terror. Never had she seen such ferocity in one demon’s eyes before, the usual leaf green was now a hard and sharp emerald, and they were coming for her. Kougaiji called for assistance from the assassin’s back and Dokugakuji ran to his aid. He landed a blow to the area just below her ribs and the demon faltered, but never stopped in her advances towards the She-Fox.
“You will die!” She growled as she flicked her claws into an attack position.
“I will see to it myself!” Just as the assassin’s hands were raised to strike, Gyokumen Koshu was hauled out of the way and the figure of a male demon replaced her likeness. Kougaiji looked at the youth and saw he had dark hair and deadly clear eyes.
“You…” Was all that the assassin whispered as she fell to the ground. The newcomer looked back to Koshu.
“Get rid of that bitch, Kougaiji…” She breathed, regaining some of her courage now that the threat was gone. She left then with her attendants and the young male, in a huff, claiming she had some important business to see to elsewhere.
“Do you want me to do it, Kou? You shouldn‘t have to soil your hands with this.” Dokugakuji asked quietly as his friend knelt beside the girl.
“Hey, are you listening? Kou!?”
“Quiet.” He said sharply. He then gazed at the assassin and turned his ear to her mouth as she quietly spoke.
“Why is it that you want this woman to stay alive?”
“I have a personal stake, if she lives she can restore something more precious than my life.”
“Funny.” The girl chuckled between coughing fits.
“That’s why I want her dead.” She then collapsed into a dark bliss.
“So what are you gonna do?” Kougaiji turned to his life long companion and grinned devilishly.
“If this girl lives, she’ll be a valuable ally to overthrow Gyokumen Koshu.”
“But the She-Fox said to get rid of her, if you don’t then your mother--”
“She said to get rid of her, yes, but not to kill her. I know the perfect four people to drop her off on.”
“You can’t mean--”
~ ~ ~
“Damn, it’s a real shame that chick had to be one of Kougaiji’s assassins.” Gojyo muttered as the four men made their way out of the deciduous area they had been in and towards the setting sun through the desert.“She was kinda hot…..for a demon.”
“Gojyo, what are you mumbling about now?” Goku said glancing over at the Kappa with his usual bored expression. He sat up from where he had been leaning against the side of the jeep bed and grinned as he pointed.
“You weren’t thinking about that assassin were you?” He teased, Gojyo started, and then moved to whack his fist across the back of Goku’s head.
“Don’t be stupid, Monkey!”
“You were! You were!” Goku cried as he dodged.
“You pervy Kappa! You just wanted a one night stand didn’t you!?” The chimp only laughed as Gojyo hauled himself across the bed to “prove” his point.
“Quiet, both of you!” Sanzo screamed as the fight moved closer and closer to the front of the vehicle. He was just about to fire off two rounds to emphasize the urgency to retain his sanity that he was quickly losing, when Hakkai suddenly slammed his foot onto the brake; sending the two combatants in the back flying forward into the front seat, crowding the group between the dash and the steering wheel.
“What happened Hakkai?” Sanzo grumbled shoving Gojyo and Goku back to their rightful places.
“See for yourself.” He pointed and they all looked out over the road that they were finding through the sands to find a figure standing in their way. It seemed to be holding something. Goku squinted and covered his eyes with a hand to look into the distance.
“Hey, that looks like Kougaiji….” The group stepped out and made their way slowly forward. The closer they got the more the figure seemed to get closer to them. Finally, the figure stopped a few yards away. It was still slightly indistinguishable for the heat from the sand distorted their view, and the group wanted no fight that day so they halted in their steps as well.
“Genjou Sanzo,” The figure said, it seemed that Goku’s first instinct had been right, the Gyumaoh prince stepped forward once more and dropped whatever he was holding.
“Your assassin has come back to you, though not as she left…” Sanzo started as he turned with a snigger to leave.
“What are you babbling about?” Before Kougaiji could finish, the bundle he had dropped rose to their knees.
“ …You’re…not getting….off …that easily…Kougaiji!” She choked out. The telltale blazing red hair told the group that this was the same girl that they had dealt with before.
“I’m not letting you or that Damn She-Fox stand in my way. Now stand and fight! I said this ended when either she or I were dead and the case remains open for the both of us!” Kougaiji shook his head in frustration.
“I’m not killing you, and none of my soldiers will either, so you had best take your chances with those men behind you.” Standing on shaky legs, the girl bared her fangs and cracked her hands. Sanzo could see that her wounds were extensive, and deep. It was amazing she was standing at all if Kougaiji had given her the same treatment they had received in the past. Upon a second look, however, the Monk noticed her eyes were shallow and dark.
“She’s only running off adrenaline then. She can’t feel the wounds that will probably kill her.”
“You would do best to stay down.“ Kougaiji threatened.
“Don’t underestimate me, I’ll take your head back to Koshu and stick it on a stake next to hers!” With a leap, the demon charged at Kougaiji, her fist extended and ready to continue the battle that the Sanzo party wagered had been going on for quite some time. Kougaiji stepped back and began to disappear as she neared.
“No, damn it!!” She cried as she realized what he was trying to do. With a resigned sob, the demon fell onto her back as she tried to slice the air where Kougaiji had just been. The world around her began to spin and grow dark and she could feel her breaths coming in ragged pants.
“No…I can’t…damn it…my eyes…I can’t see….anything…anymore…” As her eyes began to close she saw four figures step into her line of sight.
“Forgive….me…” She whispered as the darkness overcame her.
Sanzo stared at the girl, unsure of his next action.
“Are you alright Sanzo?” Hakkai questioned as he noted the indecision on his face. Sanzo remained silent and then slipped his arms into his robes and crossed them as he always did when either pissed or deep in thought. At long last, he sighed and pulled his handgun out from his sleeve and aimed.
The black depths were overwhelming, the girl couldn’t see anything. She was faintly aware of things that brushed by her skin as she moved onward but other than that, nothing was tangible. She was disoriented and the motion almost made her retch, but the activity only ended in dry heaves, which only made her sickness worse. She floated on in weightlessness and slowly, began to become aware of a light in the distance. The light got brighter and brighter as she neared, and then it became a figure.
“You…what are you…doing here?” She extended her hands to the silhouette but found it moving away.
“Wait…no…please, don’t go!” Suddenly pain shot through her body in such an extent that her screams echoed through the surrounding darkness. Her eyes shot open and the girl found herself looking around a brightly lighted room with a fan that turned lazily on its axis and was so loosely attached to the ceiling that she hoped it would fall and end the pain.
“Is this another hell I have to go through? Or is it just a dream, conjured by some vengeful God that wishes to make me suffer?” Her whisper did not go unanswered.
“I suppose, it’s a little of both.” She turned her head to her right with great difficulty and found herself looking into the calm green eyes of Hakkai.
“You, you were one of those that traveled with the Monk.” He nodded.
“My name is Cho Hakkai, and you?”
“Why do you want to know? Aren’t you and your friends those who hunt Demons?” Hakkai cast his eyes out the window and looked across the white sands.
“Hunt? No. But when the need arises, we have had to kill.” The girl laughed, a cynical, harsh chuckle that set her into a coughing fit that racked her body.
“So if that is your purpose, then why am I not among the numbers left dead in your wake?” Shifting back to his watch, Hakkai smiled and tilted his head.
“I guess someone just wanted you to live.” The girl noted the gesture, although kind, was misleading, there was a deeper pain behind that grin than she had ever seen in the eyes of other people. She sat up holding her side as it flared with pain. She looked down and noticed for the first time that her wounds were bandaged.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of dressing the wounds you had received from Kougaiji.” The assassin shook her head and looked towards the weathered door.
“No, I thank you for it.” She paused and ran her hand over her choker that had been replaced.
“I take it we’re in a Human town?” Hakkai nodded.
“Thank you again for holding on to my limiter for me.” She slowly ran her finger across the Maten mark and sighed.
“ Mei.” A look of confusion ran across Hakkai’s face and she turned to meet his eyes with her own.
“My name is Mei.” She smiled and then felt a small weight press onto her crossed legs. She looked down and found a white dragon staring at her no bigger than the width of her shoulders.
“Hello little one,” Mei soothed as she scratched the whiskers beneath it’s jaw.
“It seems Hakuryu has taken a liking to you, I afraid however not everyone shares in his sentiment.” Mei chuckled under her breath and slid to the edge of the bed she lay on. Suddenly her eyes widened as if she had realized something.
“That’s it!” With a strained effort she rose to her feet and stumbled to the door. Hakkai rose from the chair he had been sitting in.
“Where are you going? If you aren’t careful your wounds are going to reopen!” She paid no heed to his warning but jerked the door open and headed down the corridor to her right and out the front door. Sanzo, Goku and Gojyo were crowded together as she made her way out.
“Monk!” She called as she stopped to lean against the doorframe. The group turned to look at her, and she caught angry stares from Goku and Gojyo.
“What?” Sanzo asked as he chewed on the end of his cigarette.
“You know very well what!” She cried clasping the frame as Mei almost fell from the door.
“Why did you not take your vengeance and end this life?!” Sanzo merely blew a trail of smoke from his nose and tapped the ash off the end.
“Because, your life belongs to the one who plead for it.”
“And who would that be?”
“Him.” Sanzo jerked his head back toward the door she stood in and she glanced behind her to find Hakkai standing in the passageway not two feet away.
“If anyone has a right to vengeance it would be him.” Angrily, Mei turned to Hakkai.
“Well?” She asked. He gazed at her with a quizzical expression.
“I don’t understand.”
“Just how sick are you people!? My whole life is in ruin, I failed at protecting the one thing I care most about, and now the Monk refuses his revenge! At least we demons know when to commit euthanasia!” Mei’s eyes began to fill with tears as she sobbed:
“Why won’t you just let me die?” Her answer came as a surprise.
“Probably, for some self righteous reason, I want to see you succeed. That‘s why you can‘t die yet.” Mei looked at her proprietor with eyes wide in wonder. After a moment, she sighed and nodded her head.
“As you wish.” She said resigned.
“And since my life is no longer my own, I’ll follow the one who holds it as well as the one who holds the Scripture.” This earned her two groans from Goku and Gojyo. The backseat was going to be even more crowded from now on.
“Well Hakkai, if you and your pet are ready, I suggest we get going.” He nodded and Hakuryu transformed into their beloved jeep. The group piled in and Mei found a small corner to hunker down in feeling the stares of her companions burn into her shoulders and face.
The ride was less than comfortable, the rocks and dunes the jeep hit at regular intervals almost sent its riders flying off into the sand. If it wasn’t the ride, Goku and Gojyo seemed even more irritable then ever and their wrestling matches became more and more violent, of course the desert heat didn’t help at all. Mei felt that it was this, coupled with her presence, that made the tension so unbearable; and she hoped they would find camp soon. About moonrise, the group found a small corner of a forest that lay at the edge of the sea of sand and they were grateful for the shade and shelter. They all spread out around the fire that was made and made makeshift sleeping areas. Goku and Gojyo were still none to happy about having Mei around, so they spent the night with their weapons leaned against their arms and shoulders. After a light meal, they all retired and awaited the dawn.
In the blackest part of the night, Gojyo woke to find his weapon gone. He glanced around the camp and found everyone still asleep, but his sharp ears caught the sound of scraping metal a few yards away. Slowly he crept over to where he heard the sound and found Mei hunched over something in the slight moonlight.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He hissed when he saw his Shakujou lying in her lap. He stepped over to her and she turned to stare straight into his crimson eyes sternly as if reprimanding him.
“What kind of a half-blood are you? This staff is covered in rust and blood stains!” She stood and held up the crescent shaped end pointing to the dark stains covering the blade.
“ Even a pure-blood knows the value of a sharp weapon. Even though you summon it, the blade is still your responsibility to clean!” She turned back and began to furiously scrape the blade’s edge with her whetstone sharpening the edge and breaking apart the caked on blood spatters.
“What makes you so smart anyway bitch?” Gojyo sneered.
“And who says I don’t clean my staff!?” Mei tilted her head to look back at him.
“Are you serious? Anyone who has any sense could tell that this blade hasn’t been cleaned since you first began to use it!” She swiped the edge with a white cloth that she carried and then tested the end with her thumb, a small line of red trickled down her hand and dripped off the end of her wrist..
“Here,” She said flatly as she tossed him the weapon.
“Its sharp, well sharper, anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to clean my own.” She silently summoned the fearsome Dai-Katana and then laid her finger to the sharp edge of the dark blade, her eyes narrowed as she pressed her index and a thin line appeared on the surface.
“You’re dull.” She commented. Gojyo looked at her amazed.
“How can you tell, it looks sharp as ever?” Mei’s eyes slowly slid to gaze at him and his stupidity.
“I had to press my finger to draw the blood.” He whistled through his teeth and shoved a hand into his pocket.
“You can tell a weapon’s sharpness just by testing the edge with a finger?” Mei nodded.
“That’s not all I can tell either. Your staff, for instance, is off center by .13 cm, not enough to matter during battle since you’re used to it, but your friend’s bo there,” She motioned at Goku’s sleeping figure and then continued.
“Causes him to lean 1.23 cm to his right.”
“What difference does that make?” Mei stood again and turned to Gojyo.
“Stand there and lean 1.23 cm to your right, and I’ll show you.” She directed. He did as he was told and as he turned back to ask what was next, he found Mei racing at him, her sword extended. Gojyo moved to block her, but in the next instant, found her sword laying beside his neck.
“In battle, this would happen and he would die. Even if the enemy didn’t have a sword, one of Kougaiji’s archers or sorcerers could take him out from a good distance away.” Gojyo breathed audibly, his heart pounding from the sudden adrenaline rush.
“What was that for!?” He suddenly cried. Mei twisted back to face him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Why the hell did you just attack me?!” Mei chuckled.
“Honestly, you shouldn’t be worried, I warned you beforehand that I was going to show you what 1.23 cm meant in battle. I was merely proving my point.”
“Stupid bitch,” He threatened.
“If you try that again, I’ll kill you for sure, its demons like you that make me glad I’m a half-breed.” Mei smiled, her eyes smoldering with suppressed anger.
“Funny,” She said allowing her cynical and venomous natures take over.
“’Cause its half-bloods like you that make me glad I’m a demon!” She smiled and allowed her fangs to poke out the corner of her mouth as Gojyo moved to land a back handed slap to the side of her face. She easily dodged and flipped away out of his reach. Gojyo merely growled and turned back towards the fire that had burned low during the night.
“You pull that crap with either Sanzo, Hakkai, or the Monkey and you’ll regret it!” She stood there stoic as he then marched angrily back to the camp. Mei then turned sadly to her sword and continued to sharpen the blade.