Prologue thoughts
A task, that was what I was given. I knew my past but my future had yet to be determined, surely she sent me as an addition for the entertainment. However I could not pass at the chance to feel the happiness that came with his innocence, even if I had to deal with the others...
That's how I ended up at the temple... that's how the journey began...
Chapter One - West
"Lady Rayla, Monk Sanzo has asked for your presence." says one of the monks that work at the temple.
The women known as Rayla turns around, her long mid back length black hair swinging as she turned. Her violet eyes held suspicion, it was very rare Sanzo ever informed her of anything other than they were going somewhere. It has been 5 years since she has now been at his and Goku's side, helping on missions. Ray was dressed in skin tight black halter that held a cut out diamond shape on her chest. Black Japanese Shrine Maiden pants were draped loosely around her curvy hips and a purple sash around her waist that held her two katana's. she tied her long hair into a braid before heading down the hall to Sanzo's room. The monks spend most of their time avoiding her since she was not supposed to be there how ever no one really argued with Sanzo so she was permitted to stay by his side.
She opened the door but Sanzo didn't look up, it hardly surprised her. "Come here." though she already stood infront of him with with an annoyed look on her face. "The three aspects have another mission and I need you and the monkey child to come with me. Now normally I would have no qualms leaving you to rot," her glare deepened which was ignored, "But I was told that I needed to go with us... sadly."
"What's the mission?" She asked bluntly knowing she would be informed of little, The secrets didn't bother her since she had her own to hide. She would still follow him despite her annoyance.
"We need to meet up with Hakkai and Gojyo and go to India." was his only answer, the bored look never leaving his face.
She raised a perfect eyebrow, "That's it?"
"Yes." She frowns. "Now go tell Goku."
"Have you ever heard of please?"
"Do you want me to kill you?"
Rayla smirks, "I'm not interested in your fore-play."
"JUST GO!" Sanzo yelled as she calmly leaves door slamming behind her as Sanzo lights a smoke. "This is going to be hell..."
When Rayla found Goku, He was just up in a tree with the other monks surrounding the bottom telling him to get down and not to eat the peaches that were meant as offerings for the Merciful Goddess. She couldn't help but smile at his innocence and large appetite, the boy made her smile everyday making her life that much brighter. Though it was clear Sanzo would be angry and use his "old man fan" as she refereed to it as.
"Goku. Get down from there before Sanzo beats you with 'the old man fan'."
"But Ray-Ray, I'm so hungry!" he yelled at her.
She sighed, "We have work to do..."
He merely stuck his tongue out at her, she sighed again. Rayla had difficulty getting mad at that boy, He was different but something she felt was kind and caring from him. In some ways she was a like mother but never actually took up that post. Feeling a presence behind her she turned to find the blond Priest standing behind her with his usual blank stare. "What's he doing now." he says in his usually exhausted tone.
"Your companion feels entitled to partake in some of the local produce." says one monk. Another with a mustache ads his bit, "These are an offering to the Merciful Goddess. Get him down now!"
"A peach is a peach is a peach, get over it." Goku called down
Sanzo started explaining to the first monk saying that Goku wasn't a companion that it was just guilt by association. "Get down Goku. Dinner's over. Let's go."
The two begin to walk away from the crowd knowing Goku would follow, "Where are we going." Goku jumps down to follow Sanzo and Rayla "Are you taking me to a real restaurant? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?" He inquires jumping up and down from all sides of the two.
*sigh*
"SHUT UP!" Sanzo yells hitting Goku with his paper fan as expected, Rayla shakes her head before pulling Goku to her other side from harm of the cranky monk.
Goku holds his head in pain, "What the hell was that for?" he complained.
Sanzo glares sending chills down Goku's spine "Just shut up and get changed or I'll do it again. And if you don't do it, I'm leaving you behind."
"How could one as holy as Sanzo," a monk behind the trio started. "Ever consort himself with such an unruly child?"
Sanzo? Holy? These guys don't know him...
"Add in the disrespect of allowing a women in this holy temple." another shakes his head
"What I allow and don't allow and pick up and throw out is none of your business." Sanzo states with his death glare in full play making the other monks pale.
"Pick up?" Goku asked. "What do you mean, like a disease?"
"Just SHUT UP and GET READY!" Sanzo yells at him making Goku quickly hurry away to do as told, "Why can't you teach him anything?" he then demands of her.
Rayla smirks walking past him, "I think he's perfect the way he is" she stop a few feet away looked of her shoulder, "Besides I love the irritation he brings you."
She doesn't even flinch as he fired a warning shot past her, "That women is going to be the death of me" Sanzo grumbled to himself, before following her to were they would meet with Goku.
The sun was already setting by the time they left, the sky filled with a light pink and orange. Sanzo was leading with Goku behind him and Rayla at the back.
"So are you gonna tell us where were going? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?"
Sanzo quickly turned and hit him with the 'old man fan', "SHUT UP!"
"No wonder he never learns." Rayla grumbled, "You don't need to hit him so much."
"One more sound and I'm going to kill you both."
She sighed, "Just tell him and he will shut up."
Sanzo paused with a sigh, Goku continued to bounce and Rayla waited, "We're going to look for Hakkai and Gojyo. We find them and go."
"Go where?" Goku asks
Sanzo never answered him only looking at the setting sun, in the end they camped for the night. Rayla made sure to feed Goku till he was full making the boy fall into a blissful sleep. The next morning was quick get up and go, so by noon Goku was already complaining about his hunger.
"Come on Sanzo how long until we get there?" the monkey boy whined from the rock he was sitting on. "Ray-Ray, Sanzo won't listen to me, Sanzo? Sanzo! SAAANNZZO..."
Sanzo turned, fan out, with fury in his eyes. "And we're sick of it!" Rayla sighed as Sanzo went a little crazy with hitting Goku. "We'll never get there if you keep taking breaks every five minutes!"
"Gah! Why are you being such a hard ass! Ray!"
She shakes her head grabbed go by the back of his shirt and setting him down behind her standing between them, "Goku stop making the grouch, more annoyed. Sanzo, stop pushing him so hard."
Sanzo just glared at the two of them. "Yeah your a Monk," Goku butted in, "How about a little compassion."
Sanzo rubbed the back of his head, "Look kid we all know that it's impossible for you to starve to death."
"You don't know that for sure."
"Yes we do."
"Well instead of turning this into a death march, Sanzo could have had Hakkai come and pick us up in the jeep."
"Shut up and get up." was his response, "I have to confirm something." Goku asked about what it was. "Yesterday I was summoned to the Temple of the Setting Sun in Chang Ang." He explained to them that a great demon named Gyumaoh was being resurrected by demon and human technology from another time and magic and that the demons were being thrown off by it. Sanzo was told that he needed to travel to India with the people he shared a past with, Goku, Gojyo, Hakkai, and now Rayla to put a stop to the Resurrection and the demons' madness.
How Rayla hated so much work...Goku sat on the ground with a contemplative look on his face, "So we book it this India place, where ever that is," he throws up a thumbs up sign along with a little child like face. "Find out whose messing with magic, make sure this Gyumaoh guy stays dead, you look good for the three heads and the demons go back to being our buddies right? Let's do it."
Ray allowed a smile at his foolishness, "Hardly that simple Goku."
"Rayla is sadly right."
An irk mark appeared on her head, "Sadly?"
Goku just waved them off. "You guys worry to much, relax."
Sanzo sighed.
"Sounds like a done deal to me. What do you need Hakkai and Gojyo for?"
"Because Monkey Boy-" Sanzo's reply was cut short by the sound of movement in the trees and they were all put on alert. Three demons jumped out from a tree close by causing Goku yell out and summon his Nyoi-bo. He quickly took out the first demon.
Rayla stood close to Goku as a second demon chose her as an opponent. He lunged at her as she slowly turned her head towards the incoming demon with a deep glare. Before the demon could touch her, She swung her arm upwards and diagonal, killing the demon instantly. It's comrades hadn't even seen her move, "Pathetic." She spat bored without a real challenge.
Sanzo lazily fought the last demon, it slashed at him and the droopy eyed Priest jumped away from it every time. Tired of the chase, he appeared behind the demon. "Watch your back." and karate chopped the big eared demon to the floor. "Freeze."
When the demon turned to Sanzo he was met with a gun in his face. "HA!" he grinned as he looked down the barrel of the little gun infront of him. "Do you really believe that a punny little pistol will have any effect on a demon such as me?"
"Actually no, I don't." the priest cut him off. "But this isn't a punny little pistol. It's a banishing gun." He cocked the gnu which put the fear into the demon on the ground. Though he pleaded the demon was blasted and destroyed. "You know they never listen."
"They never do." Ray said standing beside Goku as he jumps down, "So these are friends of Gyumaoh?" he asks
"Took off their limiters and turned to the other side." Sanzo commented.
As the demons got closer the trio stood closer together. "This doesn't look to good." Goku whispers worriedly.
"Merely Target practice for you Goku." Ray assures him earning a smile.
When everything looked pretty much helpless for the outnumbered group, chains came out of nowhere and most of demons were wiped out. Rayla stiffened knowing exactly who had come to their rescue...
"So things are bad all over." came a familiar voice to them. There on a cliff just above them were Hakkai, Gojyo and Hakuryuu. "Looks like Shangra-La is going to hell in a hand basket. But I'm betting you guys know how to get it back."
Goku smiled excitedly. "It's Gojyo and look Hakkai too!"
"Long time no see Goku." Hakkai greeted.
They jumped off the cliff and gracefully landed on the ground. "Nice to see you all, even you, you stupid monkey." Gojyo said eying Rayla as Goku stood a little more infront of her like a quiet shield.
"Listen water wimp why don't you watch your mouth and stop eying her! Huh?" Goku yelled as Gojyo just turned his head away as if he wasn't listening at all, well until he heard the water wimp thing.
Gojyo threw up a fist and yelled, "Hey! You wanna start something? Come on!"
"Ugh! Pee-eww your breath smells like ass."
Sanzo sighs with a hand over his face, while Ray gives a smirk at his suffering "How'd you find us?" Sanzo asks.
Hakkai stood infront of Sanzo with his back to them with his pet white dragon Hakryuu on his shoulder. "The demonic aura is strong. I followed it's scent here." He turned with a serious look on his face. "Unfortunately Gojyo and I have witnessed scenes like what you've just experienced." Gojyo walked up behind Hakkai with the same dire expression. "Goku, Gojyo and I are the only demons who seem in control."
Another demon came from behind Gojyo and Hakkai, running at them with twin swords in his hands yelling for them to die. Gojyo just smirked and threw his hand into the demons face watching him dissipate like the demons before him. Hakkai sent Hakryuu out of the way as he dealt with two other demons that ran up on him. He expertly jumped over them and formed a Chi ball in the air that he let go of once he hit the ground. The two demons that thought he would be so easy were blown into dust. "Man that was great." Goku complimented as he slid up behind Hakkai. "But what the hell was that?"
Hakkai shyly threw a hand behind his head. "Actually that was the first time I've used it. I wasn't sure if I could pull it off." Goku sweat drops with wide eyes.
"Typical" Ray comments as Gojyo slides up beside her ,"Still as good looking as ever ba-"
Rayla brought up her palm knocking him over on the ground before she stepped over him to stand beside Sanzo, "Don't call me babe."
Two demons that didn't attack stood behind Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku commenting on how Hakkai wears ear cuffs and Goku wears a band around his head, how their willingly limiting their powers. "You are demons. Are you not?"
Goku raspberries them. "And if we are?" Gojyo demands.
"You are our kind! Why do you fight against us?" One of the demons yell.
"Good question." Goku comments before they go on the attack.
Sanzo and Ray leave the rest of the fighting to them. Sanzo flash backed to when he was first assigned the other four as his companions. He couldn't understand why he needed Rayla even if she was human, plus the other three are demons? The only male Aspect told him that even though they are demons they are also human, it is why they can maintain their sense of self and why they don't give into the dark aura. One of the female Aspects had told him that he had lived long and he should know that all of the scars that Goku, Gojyo, Hakkai, and even Rayla and himself carried with them were the very things that connected them all together. Sanzo learned that this rag-tag little group had be brought together because of the Merciful Goddess.
Sanzo was brought back to the fight when a demon crawled towards Goku and took a hold of his leg. "Traitors!" he rasped as he fought for breath. "You would take the side of the powerless and arrogant humans, that is not where you belong. Do not betray your own kind!" He let go of Goku's leg and pointed at the three demons. "Join us and raise your voices with ours! LONG LIVE THE DEMON KINGDOM OF GYUMAOH!"
He was instantly killed when the three men brought their powers together. "Huh. What a load of crap. Taking sides with the humans." Gojyo scoffs.
"From the day I was born to the day I die," Goku says his voice full of determination. "The only side I'm on is mine."
Sanzo's voice held a firm command, "Goku."
"Huh?"
"Gojyo."
"Yeah?"
"Hakkai."
"Yes."
Sanzo looked at Rayla and she nodded, "We go there!" He points out the setting sun as they stand on a cliff. "To the west."
"Always so dramatic..." Rayla muttered earning another warning shot.