Recover
"Goku!" Hakkai yelled. Sanzo, Gojyo, Shien and Zenon turned in time to see Homura give Goku a very painful kick.
Just as Goku fell to the ground, Homura called for his cronies, "Shien, Zenon, let's go." Zenon was about to protest when Shien held up his hand. A silent agreement passed between them. "Wait, kami," called Sanzo, "wasn't your goal my sutra?"
"I have accomplished my goal," Homura replied. "Rubbish," added Gojyo, "You could have come and get it since you cheated." "If I got your sutra now, it would would be meaningless for me to come and visit you," Homura smirked, "Tell Son Goku to get stronger." Silence hung in the air with the War Prince's words. "Until then," Homura continued, "Farewell." He then vanished, as did his cronies.
The three men stared at the spot where Homura vanished. Hakkai then eyed where Goku had landed and gasped.
Goku was not standing.
"Goku," he called, "Are you alright?" When he received no answer, Sanzo called. The boy still did not respond. Hakkai rushed to Goku's side and gently flipped him over. Goku's eyes were closed.
Without warning, Goku coughed. It alarmed Hakkai to no end that it sounded as if the boy was choking. It was then he saw blood trickling from Goku's mouth that Hakkai understood. He sat Goku up and patted the boy on his back, holding a tissue to his mouth. Every cough racked Goku's limp form. He then vomited a bloody watery puddle, part of it on Hakkai. Hakkai grimaced at the vomit. They had to get Goku to a hospital, or a clinic at the very least.
Upon hearing Goku's vomiting, Gojyo rushed to Hakkai's side. He then put his arms under the boy's shoulders and under his knees, lifting him gently. Goku moaned with pain at the movement. Gojyo felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to Sanzo's amethyst eyes, with a light of worry rather than his usual icy glare. "Get Hakuryu to transform and be ready to drive, I'll carry him," he said, "Hakkai, you sit at the back with me."
Both Hakkai and Gojyo moved without hesitation. Almost whenever Goku is concerned, Sanzo would stop at nothing. Gojyo drove carefully, and as fast as he could to the nearest clinic. As soon as they arrived, Gojyo jumped out of Hakuryu and rushed in to ask for an emergency check up. Goku was hacking up blood as they brought him to the emergency room. Hakkai replaced his dirtied clothing and sat in the waiting room with Sanzo and Gojyo. The nurse had kindly allowed Hakuryu to come in the clinic for the night. The doctor came out from the room after five tensing minutes. Hakkai stood up abruptly and asked, "What's his condition doctor?" The doctor gave Hakkai the opened file. While the healer read it, the doctor explained the situation. "We'll need to open him up," said the doctor finally, "One of his broken rib bones has punctured his lung." He hesitated for a moment, "If we leave it like that or use chi, it'll get infected."
Hakkai looked over to Sanzo and Gojyo. They nodded telling the doctor that he has their approval to operate on Goku. "Just don't remove his diadem," Sanzo growled, "Consequences would be painful if you do." The doctor nodded and went back into the room. They moved Goku minutes later to the operation room. Where Sanzo, Hakkai, Gojyo and Hakuryu waited outside. Hakuryu chirped worriedly. "Don't worry, Hakuryu," Hakkai said softly, "I'm sure the doctor knows what he's doing." Despite of being assured by his master, Hakuryu could hear the hint of worry in Hakkai's voice, but he nodded in understanding. They waited patiently that long night. It was around dawn when the doctor came out of the operation room.
"He'll survive," the doctor said, "As long as he doesn't over exert himself in the next few weeks he should be just fine. He possibly won't be awake until tonight or tomorrow. If you want, we can discharge him today, there's an inn next door where you can bring him. We have an inner section connected to them in case there is not enough space in the clinic for patients. They have gas masks as well he's going to need it for the next few days."
"Thank you for your trouble," said Hakkai as Sanzo and Gojyo left to book into the hotel grumbling something about if they had known and a about a certain stupid monkey. Hakkai chuckled, "Don't mind them, they're actually quite relieved that our small friend is going to recover." "Now that you mentioned it, there's something I have to tell you. I had no wish to tell you last night because I did not want you three to be anymore worried than you were?"
"Goku was hovering over death?" guessed Hakkai. The doctor nodded. "That injury he received could have punctured his heart as well. I did not want to tell you because I knew the boy had a bigger a chance than most people who received that type of injury..."
Meanwhile Gojyo and Sanzo were talking about the misadventure the night before. "We'd better not let that War Prince near him," Gojyo growled. "It's unpreventable," said Sanzo, "Somehow, Homura wants something from Goku. Goku's his opponent and him alone." "How can you say that?" asked Gojyo, "This is Goku we're talking about here!" In answer, Sanzo looked straight at the hanyou with his piercing amethyst eyes.
"Are you really that thick?" said Sanzo, "Homura's a kami, even if we hid Goku for a hundred years, that psycho would still find him." Silence greeted him as Gojyo took his time to digest what Sanzo had said.
Hakkai nodded. Nurses then came out of the operating room pushing Goku who was equipped with a gas mask. "Thank you, Dr..."
"Black Jack..."
"Right," said Hakkai, "Thank you, Dr Black Jack."
Jiruoshin sneezed at the price that Dr Black Jack asked. What annoyed Sanzo was that Dr Black Jack did not mention it earlier. The three men spent the day resting and regain their energy which they had not recharged the night before. That night Sanzo stared out the window of the inn. He would not admit it, but he was worried about Goku. Gojyo leaned on the wall beside him where Hakkai sat dozing beside the bed Goku occupied. Hakuryu was on Hakkai's bed dozing as well, alert for any movement. A groan came from the bed. Then a gasp of pain. Goku had woken up. Hakkai woke from his doze and moved to check on the boy.
"Easy..." Hakkai soothed, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder,"Just breathe."
"My... my chest is hurting," Goku gasped through the gas mask. "I'm not surprised," Hakkai replied, "That's quite a kick you took from Homura. The doctor had to operate on you so your lung wouldn't be infected."
"How long was I out?" asked Goku. "For over a day," said Hakkai. "I...I remember..." Goku gasped, "I... lost..." "Yeah," added Gojyo, "Big time, you stupid monkey." Hakkai threw Gojyo a looked that told him to keep quiet, "I... wasn't... the... one... cheating..." Goku gasped, "Ow!" "That's why I told you to take it easy," Hakkai sighed. "S...Sorry..." Goku murmured. Hakkai shook his head, as if thinking about how reckless the boy was.
"Next time... I...'ll... beat him for sure..." Goku gasped. "If so, you'd better heal quickly," said Sanzo, "We won't get to the West any faster if we got a broken monkey in our hands." Goku nodded. He closed his eyes then and succumbed to the hypnotic spell of silent breathing. After watching Goku sleep for a few minutes, Sanzo strode over to his bed and lay down to sleep. Gojyo clenched his fists as he watched Goku breathe for a moment longer before heading to bed. We'll help you get stronger, kid, he thought to himself, I swear it.
Hakkai sat watching Goku for a bit longer before going to bed himself. He did not have the heart to tell the other two how close they were to losing Goku the day before. And he was not planning to either. He hoped that Goku would not be hurt like that again. He knew a saying that went, "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger..." a Frenchman, he believed, Nietschez had said. If that kick had not killed Goku, doubtless he was stronger than before. Hakkai smiled tightly at this as he fell asleep.