Disclaimer- I do not own Saiyuki. Wish I did, but I don't.
This isn't the best story I've ever written, so please bear with me and any and all constructive criticism is welcome.
The Sleepwalker
The forest would have seemed like any other forest. It was dark green for the most part, with the occasional brown of a tree trunk showing through. The floor was matted dirt, from the hundreds of feet and tires that had crossed through since the forest's birth. Birds chirped merrily, and Goku replied to animal howls with enthusiasm. It appeared to be just like any of the other forests they had ever driven through.
Until Sanzo collapsed in the passenger seat.
Leave it to Sanzo to pass out while not wearing a seatbelt. The blonde tilted dangerously over the side of the jeep, and Hakkai, desperate to keep his companion from falling out, swerved the car hard. Centrifugal force yanked Sanzo back into the seat, and slumped him over the driver. Hakkai braked, and breathed out heavily.
"Goku, Gojyo, are you all right?" he turned.
Goku looked giddy, "Let's do that again!"
Next to the monkey was Gojyo, pale in color and gripping the side of the jeep tightly, "I don't feel so hot…" His eyes half-lidded, and his head dropped forward. He quickly caught himself, and jerked his head up, "So… tired…"
"Keep him awake, Goku," Hakkai ordered, suspecting foul play. The boy was thrilled with his charge, and proceeded to jump on Gojyo's lap, yelling at the redhead. Hakkai hefted Sanzo into the passenger seat, buckling him in securely. Hakkai tried to sense anything that seemed suspicious as he continued to drive. He couldn't feel anything. Either there was nothing here, or they were too far away from the source to notice it yet.
Yet Sanzo wasn't one to pass out randomly. There had to be a reason.
"Hakkai, are we there yet?" Goku yawned.
Hakkai jerked from his thoughts, and shot a quick glance at the map. He came as close as he ever had to cursing, and pulled the car to a stop. The forest stretched for miles in any direction. They wouldn't be out anytime soon.
"Why'd ya stop?" Goku leaned forward.
"We have to sleep here tonight, Goku," Hakkai unlatched himself from the car and climbed out. Goku jumped from the back, and looked around.
"Here? I don't see any restaurants!"
"Sorry, Goku, we can't make it to a town tonight. Hakyru is tired. And so is Gojyo."
"But I'm hungry!"
Hakkai smiled, "I know. Sometimes we have to sacrifice." He ruffled the younger one's hair playfully, "Go get Gojyo and help him lie down." Goku jumped away, pestering the water sprite until he was nearly delirious with madness and sleep.
After Gojyo had been stretched out on the ground, Hakkai knelt beside him, "How do you feel?"
"Like I'm gonna hurl," the redhead grumbled, "What the hell's going on here?"
"I'm not sure," Hakkai lowered his voice, "Whatever it is, I don't like it. Try not to fall asleep." He stood, motioning Goku to take over. Within seconds, the monkey's cheerful voice rang in the clearing, loud enough to keep even the most soporific of drunks awake.
Hakkai walked back to the jeep, hurrying to get Sanzo out before his dragon transformed. The monk was not as heavy as he appeared, and Hakkai easily hefted him onto a sleeping mat. The blonde wouldn't respond to anything Hakkai tried, which was nothing short of shooting the pale head. Hakyru even nipped one of Sanzo's fingers, drawing blood. And still he had not awoken.
"Hakkai!" Goku trotted over, hands folded over his chest, "the pervert water sprite says that only a cigarette will keep him awake!" Hakkai shook his head, smiling. He drew a pack from Sanzo's pocket and handed it to Goku. The brunette skipped back to his station, yelling all the while.
He watched to make sure Gojyo didn't try and maim Goku in some way, then knelt beside Sanzo. The blonde's stillness was disturbing. He never lay this quiet. Even in sleep he tossed, haunted by nightmares from his childhood. Yet now, he was so silent Hakkai had to lean close to his chest to hear him breathe.
Perhaps he was just exhausted. They had fought a couple of hard battles the day before. And then Sanzo had been up that night, unable to sleep for some reason. Maybe exhaustion had finally claimed him. But then… Why was Gojyo also complaining of feeling faint? The link between the two was obviously that they were both part human. Hakkai and Goku were fully youkai. Any spell placed for humans would not effect them at all.
It was a warm night, and there was no need for a fire. If a wild animal came during the night, they would deal with it then. A fire was pointless in keeping them at bay.
Hakkai rolled out his mat next to Sanzo's, in case something happened to his condition during the night. Goku was already asleep next to Gojyo, snoring to wake the dead. The redhead had managed to stay awake longer than his watcher, but had fallen into slumber also. Hakkai worried about waking him in the morning. But they would deal with that problem when it came. For now, Hakkai felt he should get some sleep. They may need their strength tomorrow.