*Welcome to my brand new story based on another of my favorite shows! ^_^ I've been a Saiyuki fan since High School when my best friend let me borrow the first couple volumes of the manga. Ever since then, I'd been hooked! That was about… oh…eight or so years ago O.O It's been a long time. I've always wanted to write a fan story to really get across how deeply I care about Minekura's flagship series. Now I'm finally prepared with characters, plot, and conclusion! I just hope I've put together something enjoyable.

*Some warnings: This story mainly follows the manga storyline up to the end of volume nine of Saiyuki Reload. Thus, no Homura. However, as you'll guess from this chapter, I did take some ideas from that season of the anime and adapted them into this story. Also, this means that there may not be any Sharak Sanzo until I can get some more reference for her character, since I have only been able to read up to chapter 7.5 of Blast online, as that's all that's available in English. Yes… I am a very sad panda -_-

*Other than that, any characters that do not belong to me belong to the wonderful and amazing Minekura-Sama! ^_^ I would not dare steal anything from her. Some OOCness is possible, as, though I have been watching and reading these characters for years, this is a fan story. OOCness is bound to happen, don't flame me if it does. Now please enjoy! This story gets fairly complex and dramatic! As anyone whose read my last story knows I do XD*

Chapter One: Beauty on Horseback

It had barely been two weeks since their confrontation with Ukoku Sanzo and only a couple days since they crossed the border into India proper. Sanzo's legs and arms, which had been broken during the fight, had not healed properly and were causing him a lot of pain. Something as simple as standing made the blond haired man grit his teeth.

If they could get to a village with a proper doctor, perhaps Sanzo's injuries would improve. But just getting to such a village was proving more than difficult. It seemed as if every day, they came across at least one group of demons searching for them, vying for the Maten Scripture.

Today had been no different. Genjo Sanzo grimaced as he fired at a demon running at him full pelt, screaming madly. He stayed by Hakuryu, the little dragon remaining in his jeep form, leaning against the metal edge of the vehicle to keep himself upright.

Hakkai, Goku, and Gojyo had spread out, keeping close enough to fend off their own groups, but not so far that they couldn't get to the monk if need be. This annoyed Sanzo but he wasn't about to stray from the only thing keeping him upright for the sake of his pride.

"Dammit!" Goku cried out from somewhere to his left, hearing the sharp thump of a demon's weapon hitting the boy's nyoi-bo, sending the brunette flying backwards. "What the hell is up with these guys?!"

"Yeah!" Gojyo agreed. "It's like there's some kind of demon convention going on around here!"

"Oh my," Hakkai said with pleasant dismay. "Then I'm afraid we're ruining their activities, aren't we?"

"Who cares!?" Gojyo yelled. "This is a pain in the ass! Wait a…"

The antennas on Gojyo's head twitched, straightening suddenly.

A motion Hakkai didn't miss. "What's the matter Gojyo?"

"Something's… coming…"

Sanzo scoffed, "So those stupid things on your head are good for something."

"Shaddup!" Gojyo yelled at the monk.

"What is it then Gojyo? More demons?" Hakkai ignored the impending argument.

"No. Not that kind of disturbance." Gojyo said then turned to look behind them, westward, sounding more gleeful then before. "From that way!"

The rest of them blinked and the fighting slowly came to a stop. The demon's had overheard the conversation and were just as interested, turning to look in the same direction. There was the sudden whinny of a horse and the sound of hooves over the dry ground. Those who had resolved to not pay attention, instead trying to get their comrades back on task, were drawn to the hill now.

A form seemed to explode from behind the hill on the back of a dark bay colored jinzhou stallion. It was a woman with long wavy black hair that reached far past her hips, tied back in a tight pony tail that hung from the back of her head, a stark white band tied around her head, keeping her flowing bangs out of her eyes she rode. Dark blue jeans hugged her legs and hips, tapering down to hug the ankles of a pair of riding boots, a tight sleeveless black shirt covered her torso, drawing eyes to every curve. There was a holster of sorts slung over her back housing a shotgun, another on her right thigh holding a handgun, and a final one strapped to her saddle, hiding whatever was inside. She held the reins tight in one hand as her steed launched from the hill top. Standing in the stirrups, it only took a moment for her to look over the scene before reaching an obvious conclusion.

The four men watched in plain awe as she reached over her shoulder with her right arm, pulling the shotgun from its holster. There was a brief moment where Sanzo felt his heart stop, believing that she was aiming at him. Then she fired and a high caliber slug zoomed over his head to explode the head of a demon who'd been sneaking up behind him. He looked in time to see the headless corpse fall to the ground, then back to see the woman smile at him and settle back in her saddle in time for her horse to land.

"Damn…" Sanzo heard Gojyo whistle.

"Is that what you felt coming?" Hakkai asked.

"Of course!" Gojyo sounded proud. "I'm never wrong when it comes to hotties."

"Would you dumbasses pay attention!?" Sanzo yelled, the demons no longer paying attention to the woman, having remembered what they came for.

The situation was quickly getting out of hand. The distraction had only made it possible for a small gathering of demons to make it behind Sanzo, trapping him.

"Shit!" Goku's voice came from somewhere.

"Sanzo!" Hakkai and Gojyo yelled.

The woman, still on the back of her horse barreled over the group of demons, knocking them to all sides like bowling pins. Her horse wasn't a hundred percent pleased with the action, shuffling side to side where it stood. The woman on its back made comforting shushing sounds to it, even as she holstered her larger weapon and pulled her handgun, a much higher caliber then Sanzo's own.

"You alright?" Her voice took him by surprise considering her look and her aim; gentle on his ears but with an underlying tone he could not place.

"Depends on whose side you're on." Sanzo said with his usual harshness coupled with pain and annoyance.

The woman blinked and only smiled, "Figured that would have been obvious."

She turned away, starting to unload into the demons she had knocked over, who were starting to get back on their feet. Sanzo watched her, gripping one of his throbbing arms.

Her eyes, he thought. Her right eye is golden. Who is this woman?

The battle became much easier with the strange woman joining them. Gojyo took out the last few demons, who were trying to escape, in one quick swipe. With all the demons dead, the four turned their attention back to the woman. She was still by the jeep with Sanzo, astride her horse, leaning forward slightly in order to pet and scratch the animal's neck and mane.

Sanzo lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, watching the woman out of the corner of his eye as the others approached.

"That was amazing!" Goku said enthusiastically.

"It sure was," Gojyo walked up to stand next to the horse; he had that tone in his voice, the one Goku always described as creepy. "You're pretty amazing, not to mention beautiful. May I ask you your name?"

"Ah!" The woman seemed uncomfortable, looking away, glancing at Sanzo quickly then noticing that he was watching her and looking away. "I don't…"

"Please!?" Goku wanted to know too.

"Uh… Xiaozhi Ma," her voice was nearly a whisper, but everyone heard her.

Sanzo's head jerked up. His eyes met with Hakkai's, which held a stunned confusion in them.

"Xiaozhi," Gojyo was oblivious and kept up his suave demeanor. "Very beautiful, fits you well."

Xiaozhi smiled awkwardly, "Uh… thanks?"

"No, the pleasure is mine. You're a sight for sore eyes. I was thinking, if you would like t…"

The gunshot from Sanzo made them all jump, the bullet flying right between Gojyo's antennas. Gojyo's cool, suave attitude that he had adapted to impress Xiaozhi quickly disappeared. The surprise didn't much please Xiaozhi's steed either, once again pacing uncomfortably back and forth.

"What the hell was that all about, ya stupid monk?!" He yelled at the blond. "Can't you see I'm busy?!"

"What you do on your time is none of my business," Sanzo retorted. "But now is clearly not the time!"

"What was that?! Now is the perfect time! It's been over two weeks! And I'm not gonna…"

Hakkai took a moment while the two were arguing to approach Xiaozhi, "I apologize for my companions. It's been a long time since we've been in polite company and I'm afraid that they forget themselves."

She merely laughed, "No, it's alright. Believe it or not, it's not the first time I've been it that sort of situation."

"Fighting demons or being hit on by perverts?" Sanzo asked calmly as Gojyo continued to fume.

"Both, I'm afraid," She laughed loudly. "These times just call for one having to know how to defend herself… against demons and perverts."

"Thus the arsenal?" Gojyo asked.

"That's right, I even have a blade in here," She said, patting her saddle holster, "just in case the bastards manage to get in really close."

"Not that they've been able to from I saw," Sanzo sounded slightly impressed.

"Have a few times, believe it or not," Xiaozhi shrugged. "But the occurrences are decreasing if you know what I mean."

Sanzo only nodded. She was formidable, he could admit to that, and her marksmanship may even out match his own. He may even slightly admit to himself that she was attractive, not that he would say that out loud, but her attractiveness was unsettling in a way, almost inhuman.

Goku had gone up to the horse, tentatively, having not seen an animal of this size before. Its head and neck made it taller than Gojyo and it was a dark chocolate brown in color. Goku started to wonder if such an animal tasted good. The horse seemed to pick up on Goku's train of thought, using its strong neck to butt the boy in the chest, knocking him over. Goku let out a surprised yell as he fell backwards.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sanzo asked.

Goku sat up, pointing a finger at the horse, "I wasn't doing anything! He pushed me!"

"What? You're blaming the horse?" Gojyo snarked.

"GangLi," Xiaozhi said to her steed with a disapproving tone. "You know better than to misbehave."

The horse shook its head, kicking at the ground with one mighty hoof.

Xiaozhi sighed and looked down at Goku apologetically, "I'm sorry about him. I hope you didn't get hurt. He really is gentle most of the time."

"No, I'm fine! Not a scratch!" Goku grinned, standing quickly.

"I wouldn't apologize too fast," Gojyo said. "He was probably thinking about having your poor horse for dinner."

Goku rounded on Gojyo, "I was not!"

Xiaozhi laughed again, "Sorry, afraid he's got too much muscle to be worth eating, tough and stringy," GangLi shifted again. "Sorry, we'll switch the topic. So touchy! He doesn't like being referred to as food or glue."

"We'll keep that in mind," Gojyo laughed.

"I was wondering if you could maybe help us," Hakkai said. "We've been traveling for a while and Sanzo here is quite injured."

Xiaozhi looked over at the blond, "That's what I thought. You didn't look well when I arrived and you look like you've gotten worse since."

"Tch," Sanzo looked away, taking out another cigarette and lighting it.

"We haven't really been able to find a town with a doctor skilled enough to help his injuries heal properly," Hakkai continued. "You look like you know the area fairly well. Maybe you can point us towards someone who can help?"

Xiaozhi seemed to think for a few moments, watching Sanzo as he smoked, said priest determined not to return her gaze.

"Well," She finally started to say. "There is a town I have been staying at just a bit farther West of here. It's small: inn, bar, general store, the usual fair. They don't really have much in the way of a doctor, but they have a Buddhist temple that a Sanzo Priest has been staying at for the past week or so."

Sanzo let his attention be drawn back up to her, the others having a similar reaction.

"A Sanzo Priest? You're sure?" Hakkai asked.

"Robes, title, everything," Xiaozhi answered. "Though I've gotta warn you ahead of time, it's not your typical Sanzo priest."

"Neither is ours," Gojyo jerked his thumb at Sanzo, who glowered at him.

"Fair enough," She continued with a giggle. "From what I've seen, this sanzo has a talent for healing magic. Might be just what you're looking for."

"It's really the only option we have," Hakkai said then turned to Sanzo. "What do you think?"

"Tch… don't know why you're asking me," Sanzo said, stomping out his smoke. "We're heading in that direction anyway."

"I suppose we'll be seeing you there then," Hakkai said, turning back to Xiaozhi.

She smiled back, "Definitely."

Xiaozhi waved to them as she headed off ahead of them and they watched her go. Sanzo lit another cigarette and smoked it as she disappeared.

Hakkai walked up to stand next to him, talking softly so the other two didn't hear, "What do you think, Sanzo?"

"About what?" The monk replied coldly.

"Xiaozhi, she's very odd. She's not like the usual women we've met on our travels."

Sanzo took a brief pause to inhale and exhale a cloud of arid smoke, "She made a fair argument. Even women have to learn how to defend themselves with demons going wild. Whether they have the capability or the spirit to fight back is ultimately up to them."

"You almost sounded like a real monk," Hakkai laughed gently.

"I have my moments."

Hakkai's seriousness arose again, breaking the mood, "Her name bothers me the most though… Xiaozhi Ma. Both you and I know what that name means. Her eyes too, I've never seen anyone with a single golden eye before. The only other person we know with gold eyes is Goku and we know what he is…" Hakkai had looked over his shoulder to glance at Goku.

"I know," Sanzo interrupted. "It may be nothing. We have no reason to jump to conclusions."

"Sanzo…" Hakkai looked back.

"Drop it, Hakkai."

Hakkai did drop it, giving Sanzo a nod before going back to stop an argument that was starting to build tempo between their other companions. Sanzo turned away, bringing his hand up to his lips, holding his cigarette in his mouth as the wind picked up suddenly. He watched the horizon to the West, where the woman with the mismatched eyes disappeared to.

Xiaozhi Ma, He thought. 'Lady Priest.'