Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.
Chapter 1
A green jeep drove down a mountain road, weaving in and out of the shadows cast by trees as the driver drove around large rocks and branches littering the ill-kept path. Hakkai sighed softly as the two passengers in the backseat got into yet another fight. He noticed Sanzo twitch, guessing the monk was less than ten seconds away from pulling out his gun and threatening their lives. He smiled as he swerved a bit sharper than was necessary around another limb, the resounding thumps and grunts telling him that he had successfully knocked the bickering duo off their feet. He accelerated a little bit, making sure they felt every bump they went over.
"Get off me, you stupid kappa!"
"Stop squirming! It's hard enough to get your balance on this rocky road as it is! Ow! Stop elbowing me!"
"Get your knee out of my ribs and I will!"
The demon watched their progress in his rear view mirror, noting Gojyo had managed to separate himself from Goku. He swerved sharply again, his smile widening just the tiniest bit as the pair rolled to the other side of the jeep, becoming more entangled than before.
Sanzo glanced at him before closing his eyes and pulling out a cigarette. He realized what Hakkai was doing when he started swerving to avoid objects that weren't there.
It wasn't long before the other occupants of the vehicle started complaining. "Hakkai, would you stop that?!" Gojyo asked exasperatedly from the jumbled pile of limbs in the back. "It's bad enough having to sit next to the monkey without having him on top of me!"
"I'm sorry, Gojyo," the brunette replied, still smiling. "But, we can't afford to let Hakuryuu get a flat. It's not like we can just change it out," he explained, amusement shining in his eyes as he continued watching his friends in the mirror.
Not really being able to argue with that, the kappa went back to pulling and pushing to untangle himself from his shorter companion. He had just gained his freedom again when the tall brunette slammed on the brakes, sending him and Goku both into the back of the front seats. "Hakkai!" he yelled, sure that the demon was doing this simply to annoy him.
"I'm sorry, but the road's blocked," the driver stated serenely.
The redhead looked up, blinking at the pile of rocks blocking their path, as well as a couple of felled trees and various other bits of flora.
"A rockslide," the monk stated. "Pretty recent one, too. Couple days old, I'd say."
Hakkai nodded in agreement. "So, what do you want to do? We could hike over it and keep going, or we could make camp here tonight and continue on in the morning. It is getting late," the green-eyed man said.
"Sanzo, can we camp here? I'm starving!" Goku added, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.
The priest closed his eyes in annoyance. "Fine. We'll find somewhere to camp around here."
"Woo-hoo!" the saru yelled, jumping out of the car. He ran off into the bushes, looking for a good place to make camp.
The other three just watched him go. "I swear, there is no end to his energy," Gojyo said. He shrugged, hopping out of the jeep and pulling a cigarette out of his pocket as he followed the monkey. "Goku, wait up!"
The remaining pair followed more slowly, Hakkai unloading the packs from Hakuryuu so the little dragon could change back. They brought up the rear, listening to their shortest companion crashing through the undergrowth.
"Hey, guys! Check it out, I found a river!" Goku yelled back to them. He stared into the water for a few seconds, his smile widening. "And there's fish, too!"
"Everything with you has to be linked with food, doesn't it?" the redhead asked.
"Not everything," the short boy said defensively. "Besides, I can't help it! You try being hungry all the time and see what you think about!"
"Now, now, you two," Hakkai interceded, raising his hands as he neared the pair. "You've fought all day in the jeep. Don't you think it's time to give it a rest?"
"He started it!" they cried simultaneously, each pointing an accusing finger at the other.
The demon sighed, resisting the urge to put his palm to his forehead. "Goku, would you be good enough to go and gather some firewood so I can cook dinner?" he asked, forestalling the impending argument.
As expected, the monkey perked up at the thought of a meal, any current issues with the water sprite forgotten. "No problem!" he said, running off and quickly disappearing into the bushes. He sniffed the air as he went, trying to pick up the scent of dead branches nearby. He found a few limbs here and there, picking them up and continuing on. He had traveled a good distance from the campsite when a faint aroma drifted past his nose. He paused, sniffing the air again to make sure. I can smell fruit! he thought excitedly, heading off in a different direction.
It wasn't long before the saru had located the apple tree. He inhaled deeply through his nose, his mouth beginning to water at the smell of ripe produce. Dropping his small bundle of firewood on the ground, he scrambled up into the lower branches, eagerly picking one of the delectable-looking fruit. He bit into it, closing his eyes as the sweet taste spread across his tongue. He made short work of it, tossing the core to the ground as he picked another one. I'm so hungry-- the guys won't mind if I'm a few minutes late, he thought, dropping another core to the ground and grabbing two more of the fruit. And I'll bring some of these back with me to make up for it! How long has it been since we had apples? I'm sure they won't mind.
. . .
Gojyo unceremoniously dumped a pile of sticks next to Hakkai. "I thought this was the monkey's job," he complained, taking a seat on the other side of the fire.
"I can't start dinner without a fire and Goku's not back yet. If you'd rather not eat..."
The redhead didn't reply, opting to light a cigarette instead. "What do you think is taking him so long, anyway? Do you think he got into some trouble?"
"Goku can take care of himself," Sanzo said, not bothering to look up. He was sitting against a tree a few feet away, his arms folded across his chest with his eyes closed. "He probably just got distracted by some interesting new scent or a small animal that wanted to play. He'll come back when he smells dinner cooking."
The half-demon chuckled. "He probably found a group of monkeys to play with," he said, picturing his short companion swinging through the trees with some chimpanzees. "You know, bonding with his own kind."
Hakkai laughed as well, setting a large pot in the fire. "That sounds about right," he agreed.
The atmosphere was a little less jovial after the sun went down. The emerald-eyed man ladled some of the soup into separate bowls, passing one to each of his companions. Goku was still nowhere to be seen. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Gojyo spoke up.
"You don't suppose something happened to him, do you?" he asked. "I mean, he is kinda late."
"I don't know," the demon replied, the firelight reflected in his eyes as he stared into the flames. "It's not like Goku to miss a meal, especially when he was complaining about being hungry earlier."
"Maybe he just got lost?" the kappa suggested.
"I'm not so sure." The tall brunette looked down at his empty bowl, setting it aside. "In any case, I think we should go look for him. Sanzo would you mind staying here and waiting in case he comes back before us?"
The priest grunted noncommittally.
Gojyo rolled his eyes, pushing himself to his feet. He moved over to the brunette, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "Come on, Hakkai. Let's go find ourselves a monkey."
Armed with flashlights, they headed off in the general direction Goku had left in, deciding that it would be better if they split up. Hakkai had been searching for quite a while before fortune smiled upon him and he spotted a familiar footprint in the soft dirt.
"Gojyo, I found something!" he yelled, listening for an answering call. Silence was all he got. He must be too far away to hear me, he thought, turning his attention back to the imprint on the ground. I guess I've wandered pretty far from camp. But, if I can follow this, it should lead me to Goku.
The demon painstakingly followed the trail, carefully studying the plants for any trace of the boy's passing. The going was slow and he lost the trail three times before it abruptly turned. Hm? Goku seemed to be wandering around almost aimlessly before, but now it seems as if he has a definite destination in mind. Did he spot some demons, perhaps? he wondered, traversing the path as quickly as he dared. But, Goku can take care of himself. Why would he have not returned to camp? What happened out here?
He followed the trail for several more minutes, pausing as an odd sound caught his attention. Shining his light up ahead, it landed on a tree, the slumbering form of his missing companion lying at its base. He was snoring softly. Hakkai allowed himself to smile, noting the apples in the tree, the mound of apple cores littering the ground and the half-eaten fruit loosely clutched in the boy's hand. It seemed Goku had eaten his fill and decided to take a short nap before returning to the group.
The green-eyed man shook his head as he moved closer to the sleeping boy. "You just couldn't wait for dinner, could you? I hope it was worth it, because I have a feeling you're going to get it from Sanzo and Gojyo both when we get back," he said, leaning down to pick the child up. He froze as he felt three pricks in his neck. He was back on his feet in an instant, one hand pulling the poisoned darts from his skin as he searched for their source.
"Show yourself!" he yelled, eyes scanning the flora surrounding him. He swung the flashlight around, hoping to temporarily blind his attacker with its light while possibly getting a glimpse of his hiding place. A tingling sensation spread out across his forehead, the vision in his left eye beginning to blur. That's not good, he thought, widening his stance to help maintain his balance. His limbs seemed to be gradually growing heavier as a thick fog seemed to wrap itself around his mind, clouding his thought process. He desperately fought against the drugs spreading throughout his system, the seconds seeming to stretch into hours as he struggled to remain on his feet. He knew he had lost when his knee buckled and sent him to the ground, the flashlight falling from his unresponsive fingers. Its beam of light shone on the golden-eyed boy, his chest rising and falling as he slept. Hakkai's dull gaze focused briefly on the child. I'm sorry...Goku... he thought. His eyes slid shut against his will as the sedative took effect and the darkness claimed him.
. . .
To Be Continued
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