Hakkai smiled.

It rained and he smiled.

It hailed and he smiled.

The ground moved with hordes of feral youkai and... he smiled.

The Ikkou had been travelling west for five years now, their lives becoming intertwined with fate as their destinies grew ever more potent. It was on such a life changing day, that Goku saw a rare and beautiful thing...

"Aww, c'mon Sanzo – I'm so HUUUNGRY!!! I'm dyin' over here!"

"Shuttup baka! We're almost there - so quit you're whining and move your ass."

Yup. Not much had changed in five years. Life went on, whether it was green, red, gold or violet... life went on. They had passed the border into India over a year ago, and were now less than a week away from Hontou Castle. As such – they were travelling in deep cover –Sanzo, having traded his priests robes for regular clothes, Gojyo, having cut his hair and tied it back in a concealing bandana, Goku painting his diadem brown, so it melded with his hair, and Hakkai... who... well... acted normal.

They were camping when it happened – the small chirping noises that signified Hakuryuu's return from his late night wanderings. Hakkai smiled as his small friend waddled up to him, rather than flew. A small frown creased his brow.

"Gojyo... is it just me, or is Hakuryuu... getting fat?"

The redhead swung his head around lazily, taking a long, slow observation of the small immortal. "Hmm... well – he has been disappearing every night now for months – perhaps he's off getting extra food?"

Hakkai nodded, the concern still visible on his face as he gently studied his pet. Hakuryuu SEEMED ok. His eyes were bright, his few feathers were glossy, his scales were smooth – if anything he seemed in the peak of health. Hakkai sighed, and lay down on his bedroll, opening the side the let the small dragon in by his side.

"Yeah – I suppose you're right, I mean... he seems fine..."

"Good – then get to sleep. We got a long walk ahead of us tomorrow, now that we're travelling incognito and no jeep."

The moon was low in the sky when Hakkai felt the small movement near his chest.

Instantly alert, he snapped a hand towards the sky and called on a small amount of Chi to light the immediate area. Eyes searching, he came across a strange sight. Hakuryuu was on his chest, and he was... crying.

Hakkai was instantly awake, his monacle on as he shouted for assistance. Blankets flew as Gojyo and Sanzo woke, weapons at the ready. Goku, of course, was imitating the dead, his sleep so deep, he looked like a snoring stone. Hakkai gestured frantically to the monk and the kappa to join him, his eyes on the small white form curled and trembling on his chest.

"What is it?" Sanzo asked quickly, his voice harsh from interrupted sleep and general grumpiness. Gojyo was rubbing his eyes frantically, his half naked body tensed and ready to take on unnamed enemies. Hakkai placed his spare hand gently over the small, trembling form on his chest, his face tight with concern. Looking up at the irate monk, his voice was strangled with distress,

"It's Hakuryuu... he's... he's..." Hakkai's eyes widened as he watched the small dragon shudder in contraction,

"...He's a she."

Goku yawned monstrously, his nose twitching as it searched for the elusive smell of breakfast. Finding none, his eyes opened even more slowly than usual, facing the blue sky of late morning. Late morning?

Suddenly panicking, Goku sat up, searching frantically for his companions. They couldn't have left him, could they? He let out a gust of air in relief as he saw the three of them huddled around Hakkai. Maybe he had cooked breakfast... and they were eating without him!

Furious, the monkey stormed over to where they were speaking in hushed tones, their bodies curled in protectively. Curiosity replaced anger as Goku quietly poked his head over Gojyo's shoulder, trying and failing to see what all the attention was on.

"What's going on guys? Where's breakfast? I'm staaaaarving!" He whined, hoping to get some kind of reaction.

"Urasai, bakasaru!" Gojyo hissed, whipping his head around to shoot a scorching glare at the monkey. Goku took a step back, confusion and annoyance plastered on his face. "What'd you say, you stupid cockroach?" He hissed back, despite his desire to yell. Sanzo merely ignored them, too absorbed in the current situation.

"Goku, come and see this – and please be quiet... everyone's still asleep." Hakkai's gentle voice flowed across the air, causing the younger man to calm down and finally look at what Hakkai was holding so carefully.

Hakuryuu was there on the sleeping roll curled into a tight ball, his tail snaked around three tiny infant dragons – each one a perfect replica of their parent. Goku's mouth gaped open in shock at the sight of the baby dragons, his eyes bugging to five times their normal size, and a choked squeal escaping from his throat.

"H...Hakuryuu's... a... a... mommy?" He whispered in disbelief. Gojyo snorted, Sanzo rolled his eyes, but it was Hakkai's reaction on that bright, sunny morning that Goku would never forget. The way his eyes sparkled in true happiness, the way his skin seemed to glow, and finally, the moment he had been waiting for since he had met the quiet, mysterious slayer.

Hakkai looked up into the young mans eyes, and for the first time since his new life had begun, he smiled – beautifully, genuinely and openly.

Hakkai finally smiled.

FIN