Disclaimer: Well I do have Sanzo bound and gagged in my closet, but I don't own him or any of the other characters, they belong to Kazuya Minekura.

Authoress' Notes: Hello everyone. Thank nimblnymph, great author that she is, who has issued a challenge an here is my answer. The story takes place toward the end of volume 2 of the RELOAD manga and features SPOILERS up until and past that point. Now I feel a little introduction is in order. This takes up right from a spot in the manga and if you have read it, this prologue chapter follows the same storyline. Now if you haven't read it yet drop me a line and I will explain to you what is going on. However I feel the prologue does a pretty good job of that. This is a SanzoxYaone fic and from the first chapter on will be all my imagination. You have been duly warned, so without further ado, I present to you...

Entwined

Prologue

Heaven, a calm and peaceful landscape of only the most beautiful flowers, greenest grass, and brilliant sunshine. Utterly beautiful and ...utterly boring.

A pond of crystal clear water sat blanketed by lily pads, but it beauty masks it's true purpose, a window to the lower world. The lives of men, women, and children are played out for every higher being to watch, however only one immortal actually watches the lower world, the only one who would find the lives of mortal beings any entertainment. She stands by another figure, this one a child with dull, lifeless eyes who sits immobile on a throne overlooking the body of water.

"Things have certainly turned out to be interesting, haven't they Nataku? Though you have to admit those four were never boring." Kanzeon leaned down and threw an arm around the comatose former War Prince.

"Who knows maybe they'll be able to finish what you could not?" Her voice turned sad and almost curious. "Maybe they'll even be able to rescue you?"

The Merciful Goddess plucked a stray petal from the boys hair and threw it into the pond.


"Doku, are you sure Lord Kougaiji came this way?" Yaone asked.

"I'm sure. The Sanzo party was spotted on a boat crossing the river. Kou shouldn't be too far behind." Doku said, worry showing through his strong features.

"I hope you're right Doku, for Lord Kougaiji's sake as well as theirs." Yaone matched her stride to her friend's.

The past days had been spent tracking their Prince. Whatever had warped his mind Yaone had no doubt that it could be reversed, that the Prince would come to his senses. However in the mean time it was her duty to prevent him from doing something that he would regret. She owed Kougaiji that at least.

"YOU PRETENTIOUS DICK! YOU JUST HAD TO SHOW OFF!"

"What in the world?" Yaone asked to no one in particular as the scream of obsenities echoed through the forest.

Doku sighed, "If I'm not badly mistaken, that was my worthless little brother's foul mouth."

"YOU'RE TOO DAM CLOSE KAPPA! MOVE YOUR ASS!"

"And that sounds like... Sanzo..." Yaone paused to listen "It's coming from the river, This way." She took the lead following the sound of the flowing water and still flowing obscenities. They reached a cliff overlooking the river, both peered over into the water. Doku started to giggle.

"It looks like we were right, it is Sanzo and his party." Yaone said, trying to hold in a chuckle of her own. The site of the blonde monk and the red head clinging to an old tree trunk together as the water flowed by, and that they obviously were engaged in a kicking match under the water's surface, was almost too much.

"Hello there. Long time, no see." Hakkai said, adjusting his death grip on the boulder keeping him from being pulled downstream.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Doku asked when he was sure he wouldn't bust out laughing.

"His Holiness here decided to show off and knock us off course and then demons go and capsize our boat." Gojyo said as he tried to kick the monk underneath the water.

"Eat shit and die kappa. It's not my fault we were attacked!" Sanzo snarled as his knee came this close to connecting to a very..uhh.. sensitive spot under the water's surface.

"Hey asshole, watch the jewels!" Gojyo screeched in a falsetto voice.

Yaone blatantly ignored the two toddlers bickering and turned her attention to Hakkai."This may seem a bit abrupt but have you seen Lord Kougaiji?"

"No we haven't." Hakkai answered. His voice was still pleasant but a little strained.

"Does his royal ass need saving again?" Sanzo said ceasing the kicking match for the moment and sending Gojyo a glare promising death when he could get to his gun.

"Well, it seems they aren't going to be any help Yaone. Lets go." Doku said.

"Hey, you bastard! A little help here." Gojyo screamed.

"Didn't I ever teach you to ask nicely?" Doku sighed as he turned exasperated eyes to Yaone. "What do you think?"

"Like you said, Lord Kougaiji is more that likely to follow them. Besides not all of them are without manners." the apothecary said as she glimpsed Hakkai struggling to hang on to the boulder that had become his lifeline.


Goku pulled himself and Kon out of the water. It was sheer luck that he was able to get nyoi-bo into a soft enough piece of rock to stick but strong enough to stop their forward momentum. The boy was shivering and Goku wondered if it was from the cold temperatures of the water or anticipation of getting to see his family again.

"Are your friends going to be ok?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, they'll prolly be fine." Goku answered. " Hey do you think I can wait at your place for them?"

"Yup, my mom and sister will be happy to see me after so long. I'm sure they'd welcome you seeing as you brought me home." Kon answered enthusiastically. "This way onii-chan."

"...Umm ok..." the boy took the lead as Goku followed. He was a little shocked at getting called big brother, but after a little thinking he decided he liked the feeling of someone looking up to him that way.

After a few moments of walking they came upon a small village that had obviously been raided. Windows had been broken, doors pulled off the hinges and laying in the middle of the street, broken glass littered the ground.

"...No..." the boy whispered as he took off down a side street.

"Kon!" Goku followed right in the boy's heels. Kon threw open a door to a small house. Not too big, not too small. It happened to be one of the few houses that still had a door however all the windows were broken and inside the furniture was turned over and everything else ransacked.

"MOM, RIN!" Kon's frantic screams echoed eerily through the empty house. "Where are you? I'm back, it's me Kon."

"Kon." Goku called the boys name softly hoping to calm him down, though he knew it wouldn't help much.

"Oni-chan, I can't find them. They're gone...What if they're dead? ...What if demons killed them?..."

"Chill out!" Goku grabbed the boy, Kon was starting to go into hysterics and Goku knew he had to somehow calm the boy down. "Listen, the town is a mess and I'm betting it was cuz' of demons. But there are no bodies so they're prolly not dead."

"Do you really think so?" a glimmer of hope shined in the boys eyes.

"Yup, so lets go find 'em and show 'em you're ok. Your mom and sister are prolly still pretty worried." Goku gave the boy a reassuring smile and placed his hand on the boys head, it was the same gesture Sanzo usually used to calm him down, and Goku was hoping it would work on Kon.


The fire was warm and they were soaked to the bone and freezing. Their shirts, and in Sanzo's case robes and leather were hanging over the fire to dry.

Sanzo almost had to bite his tongue to keep from shivering. The river demons did a good job of capsizing their boat and sending them into the murky depths and Goku managed to separate himself from the group. And to top it all off, his cigarettes were soggy and useless. Sanzo hated rivers now Gojyo and Hakkai knew why.

"Shit I'm freezing." Gojyo muttered.

"Thank you so much for rescuing us." Hakkai said with that ever pleasant smile on his face.

"The almighty Sanzo party as a capsized trio. You guys suck." Dokugakuji said still holding in a snicker.

"Kiss my ass." Gojyo said in between his sniffles. He felt a cold coming on, goddam it he hated being sick.

"You seemed to be an awfully big hurry earlier, did something happen to Kougaiji?" Hakkai asked.

"Not really, we just got separated that's all." Yaone said. The memories of how Kougaiji was before he left ran through her head. She lied, something she usually didn't like to do. She could feela gaze scrutinizing every move she made. Yaone turned to meetSanzo's violet starehead on and for a moment their eyes locked onto one another. He knew she was lying, she really was a horrible liar but she would not let that monk intimidate her into telling the truth.

'Well he's still after Sanzo's scripture right? He'll find us eventually." Gojyo had grabbed the scripture in question and evidently that was important enough for Sanzo to turn his glare onto the red head.

"Hands off the merchandise kappa." Sanzo said.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm drying it for you your Holiness."

"Guys if you do see Kou, drop the scripture and run." Doku said.

"Yeah right, like we're gonna make it that easy for you."Gojyo answered.

"He doesn't mean it like that." Yaone snapped, shecould tell the last few days had taken their toll on her. The sheer emotion in her voice surprised even her. It didn't sound like her at all, it sounded like a woman on the verge of hysterics.

"Not like...that." She whispered just loud enough to be heard. Reigning in all the exhaustion and frustration that had made its way to the surface. She didn't like losing her composure especially in front of the enemy.

"Then how do you mean it?" Sanzo's emotionlessvoice washed over her and brought her gaze back to his. Again those violet eyes bore into her as if he could tell every emotion that she was feeling, every thought going through her mind.

"Wait, where's Goku?" Doku asked with apprehension in his voice.

"Oh our group is separated as well." Hakkai said.

Yaone turned to Dokugakuji. "This is bad Doku."

"If the two of them were to meet up and fight one-on-one..." Dokugakuji wondered out loud. He remembered all too well the day Goku rampaged and beat the hell out of everyone, himself included. If Goku and Kougaiji were to meet and fight it would be the same thing all over again, only this time the roles would be reversed. Kougaiji would be the killing machine. This was the exact situation that they were trying to avoid.

"Incase you forgot, we're enemies. If they fight, they fight. Besides the monkey can take care of himself." Gojyo said casually pushing his damp hair away from his face..

Hakkai's green gaze settled on the two demons. Their down cast eyes and strange behavior belied that something was wrong."What happened to Kougaiji? More importantly, what happened to you two?" He asked.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the five of them. They might not have reallybeen friends but the two groups had never felt uncomfortable around each other so this was something new for them all.

Yaone's eyes met Hakkai's and suddenly she couldn't hold it in anymore. She had lost so much, she didn't know what she would do if she lost Kougaiji and Lirin. If Kougaiji were to find Goku before she found the prince, all hell was gonna break loose. If they went to find Goku and they ran into Kougaiji on the way then what would really be the harm in letting them know what to expect?

"We..."

"I think that is quite enough." A demon emerged form the trees dressed in a floor length black leather coat connected by chains across his bare chest, and leather pants. " Do you really intend to betray us?"


"Hurry ni-chan. The hill is right over there. The whole village came here last year during a bad storm." Kon was excited and even Goku was having a hard time keeping up with the exuberant boy.

"Cool, is there a hiding place around here?" Goku asked.

"Yeah there is a cave right over here." Kon took off to a small cave opening. "Is anyone here? Mom. Rin. Its me Kon."

A small light shined from deep within the cave. "Kon, Is that really you?"

"Uncle!" Kon ran towards that light faster than Goku thought he had ever seen someone run before. Goku watched the scene with a big shit-eating smile on his face. He was happy that Kon and his family were back together and everyone seemed to be ok. Things rarely ever turned out for the best when demons attack a small village like Kon's and Goku had seen way too many towns reduced to ashes and dead bodies laying out in the street.

"Mom this is Goku. He saved me and brought me back." The boy introduced Goku even though he was still wrapped tightly in his mother's embrace.

The older woman turned a warm, friendly smile on Goku. "Thank you so much."

Goku made a gesture with his hand dismissing the woman's thanks. "Ahh...it was nothing rea..."

"He well look at what I found guys. The whole entire town looks to be down there." A group of demons appeared at the entrance to the cave. The leader quickly rushed the tunnel rushed the entrance however Goku met him there and pushed out to the cave.

"Everyone, Get back now!" Goku yelled as he blocked an over head attack. "Kon take everyone back as far into the cave as you can."

"Right Ni-chan." He nodded his head and quickly led everyone to the very back of the cave.

Their were a lot of them this time and Goku knew he couldn't keep all those deomons at bay and protect the villagers. So he smirked a smirk Gojyo would be proud of and he used his nyoi-bo to cause a mini rock slide and seal the entrance to the cave.

"Hey that brat blocked the entrance." A nameless demon called from the horde.

"You're gonna regret messin' with us kid."

"Alright assholes, you wanna kill me? Go ahead and try. But you're not laying one finger on those people."


"I guess you're not as loyal to your Prince as you claim. Huh Dokugakuji, Yaone."

"What are you doing here Zakura?" Dokugaiji demanded.

"My the three of them seem to know each other." Hakkai observed.

"I don't recognize Mr. Dramaqueen but if the three of you are gonna have a lovers tiff can you do it somewhere else?" Gojyo added his valuable two cents.

"You're right. This is no time to be squabbling with them when you're the reason I'm here in the first place. Forgive me for ignoring you." The demon known as Zakura turned to the hapless trio and locked eyes. "But its time to kill you now."

"NO everyone don't look into his eyes!" Yaone warned but just a little too late as the scenery started to change before them. The soft grass under their feet turned into the hard crunch of bones and the sky turned dark.

"What the fuck?" Gojyo asked as he kicked a skull onto another pile of bones.

Hakkai looked around and then turned to his friend. "My sentiments exactly Gojyo."

Sanzo's index finger fell into place naturally around the trigger of his gun."Fuck, you know these cliched demon attacks are really starting to grate on my nerves."

"Cliche!" Zakura screamed enraged at the insult.

"Yeah you think that a bunch of bones are gonna scare us? And what about that last comment 'it's time to kill you now'." Gojyo said using his best helium inspired voice. "Have some imagination man."

The demons mouth curled into an amused sneer. "Oh I'll show you imagination."


"Whew, that was kinda close." Goku wiped his brow as he leaned on nyoi-bo for support and to catch his breath. The swarm of demons didn't stop and finally he had to collapse part of a cliff that had been used as a stage for the skirmish to get rid of everyone in one fell swoop. He was tired and his poor stomach was growling.

"Man I am so hungry." His stomach answered him with a renewed attack of the grumblies.

What he missed was the tall imposing shadow of a certain demon prince.

To be comtinued...

A/N: Yes I do know this chapter is as boring to everyone as Heaven was to Konzen, but I felt I needed to explain what happened in volume 2 for everyone who has only seen the anime. To tell you the truth this chapter was the hardest for me to write because I basically had to follow a script and I feel like such a hack for doing it. However it needed to be done to move the plot into motion. I already have chapter 1 almost done and that is all my own, people. (My muse was soo happy she could actually write!)