Student of the Teacher

Summary: The Sanzo group has been traveling for only a short while, but suddenly they come upon a figure from Hakkai's past—a young girl of about twenty, who apparently knows more about Cho Gonou then most. Who is she? Why is she here? And….why is Hakkai acting so strangely all of a sudden? Time is shortly after Yaone.

Pairings: whatever. you tell me what you want; i'll try to use them. it all depends, though, on if its gunna work with the story….

&

Notes: Hope you review and enjoy, peoples! From now on, its spoilers all the way, since I'm using the books partway through the chapter. Oh, and there shall be no chapter numbers—just titles. So don't panic. It's all under control. ….I think.

&

((authoress talking))

"character talking"

'character thinking'

flashback scene

"chanting"

writing

singing

"telepathy"

Rain

That night, Hakkai explained what they were going to do on their little adventure to Yaiba, who listened in wonder ((basically, he explained the first book and the majority of the second up until where they were. he didn't go into their past; just what had happened from the beginning of the first book until then.)). After about two hours, Hakkai retired to his room, leaving Yaiba in her own (which she had already rented before re-meeting her old teacher).

"….damn, Raido, can't you hide yourself any better?" she asked the darkness, standing up from her bed shortly after Hakkai had left and closed the door behind him. A man jumped down from the ceiling and out of the darkness, landing in a crouch and barely flinching upon impact.

He appeared about thirty, with soft wrinkles starting to form around his coal-black eyes and purple hair that was cut close to his head. He was wearing a plain black cloak pulled tight on his body that completely covered him from his neck and shoulders all the way down to his black military boots. The only visible part of him below his neck, as a matter of fact, was one hand (as the other had a black glove), which had long claws painted black much like Yaiba's.

The man (Raido) smirked as he straitened, brushing some invisible dust/dirt off of his cloak (1). "Was I really that obvious," he asked with an amused look on his face as he walked forward. Yaiba rolled her eyes as she stood up.

"Yes, you were," she said, sighing deeply as Raido paused right in front of her. "Your name is perfect for you, you know?"

"Aw, don't be like that, Yaiba-chan." He said 'Yaiba-chan' sarcastically and in a slightly higher-pitched voice, obviously trying (and failing) to mimic Hakkai's. Yaiba growled under her breath, glaring at Raido.

"Shut up, bastard."

Raido pretended to be hurt. "Now Yaiba, is that any way to talk to the person who—"

He was cut off by a sharp knock at the door. After exchanging a quick look with Yaiba, Raido jumped out the open window, a soft thump-like sound shortly after. Yaiba turned on a light and sat down, pulling a notebook out from under her pillow and opening it to a random page.

"Come in," she said, trying (and succeeding in) to make it look like she was deeply engrossed in it. The door opened and shut, and Yaiba glanced up to see Goku standing there, wearing only his pants and golden headband. She blushed slightly ('He's pretty buff….' she couldn't help but think), but Goku didn't appear to notice.

"H-hi, Goku," Yaiba stammered, closing her notepook and putting it off to the side. She noticed the look on his face and her attempted smile fell. "Is everything okay?"

"Yaiba," Goku said, perfectly serious, "wha' d'ya think a Hakkai?"

Yaiba gave him a confused look.

"I don't get what you mean," she admitted to him. Goku walked over and sat down next to her, staring at his hands.

"I mean, ya knew 'im back when he was Cho Gonou, righ'?" he asked, not waiting for an answer before continuing. "Well, now he's Cho Hakkai, an' I wanna know wha' ya think of 'im."

Yaiba paused for a moment before staring at her hands (which were clasped together) as well, smiling slightly. "I think….Cho Hakkai is a nice man with a smile that makes everyone feel better. Even if he uses it too much."

Goku smiled, looking up from his hands; Yaiba did the same.

"Yaiba, I think we're gunna get 'long jus' fine," Goku predicted. Yaiba nodded, and then Goku's stomach grumbled. As Goku blushed deeply, Yaiba laughed.

"Do you want to go get some food, Goku?" she asked, smiling warmly. Goku nodded, still blushing. And they left to go down to the kitchen.

&

'He still hasn't come back,' Sanzo thought to himself in the darkness of the room the Sanzo-Ikkou (minus their newest edition) had rented. At least two hours ago, just after Hakkai had apparently fallen asleep, Goku had quietly left the room and shut the door quietly behind him. Sanzo (who had been awake at the time) hadn't fallen asleep since, secretly worried about the little monkey (not that he would admit it, of course).

After a few more minutes, Sanzo got up (his robes were off from the waist up, revealing the outfit under it) and grabbed his gun, walking out into the hallway quietly and closing the door silently behind him. It only took a minute or so to find the monkey, however.

Inside of Yaiba's room, Goku and Yaiba were fast asleep. Goku had on only his pants (he didn't even have on socks), and was laying on the bed, snoring gently. Yaiba, on the other hand, was at the only desk in the room, a notebook open in front of her and a pen loosely gripped in the hand that was resting next to her head on the table.

Curiosity got the better of Sanzo, and he walked over to look at what Yaiba had written in the notebook. Below is what it said (2):

"What is love, exactly? Is it what you say when you want to have sex with someone? Or is it what you say when you really like a person? Isn't love just another word for lust? Or is lust another word for love?

I wonder: Is love really that big of a deal? Don't people just say that when they want something, or receive something that thought they wanted? When they only want to use them?

Everyone around me once said they love me. But how could they have loved me when they didn't know me? They never loved me. They loved only what they saw. The body they saw. They loved my high status, nothing more. If only wanting me for my body and power is love, then it would seem that everybody really did love me at one point or another.

What is the point in loving someone? In the end they only bring you pain. I've seen it myself. Love is just a sweet way to get hurt. Like poison. I can't help but ask: What's the point in loving someone if you just get hurt in the end?

If love means getting your heart ripped out and stepped on over and over until you die, then who needs it? Who wants it?

If love is just a way to get sex, then who wants it? Definitely not me. My body belongs to me, will always belong to me. They can tell me all the lies they want, but I can see right through them. I could always see right through them.

Everyone sprouts such shit about love I could laugh.

They're nothing but lies.

Everyone talks about how great love is….

But does anyone ever mention the pain?

Now, pray tell: Who needs that pain? Who needs love? Not me. It has never been me—never will be me.

This shall forever be true."

Sanzo was impressed, to say the least. But then he saw some new scribbling at the bottom—scribbling in a different handwriting. The monkey's handwriting.

"Love is not always about sex, or getting what you want. Love isn't always poison. I've felt poison and love—they are nothing alike. Love is when you feel a special bond between yourself and someone close, someone you would trust with your life. Someone who would always take care of you, has always taken care of you ever since you met them—even if they didn't know it at the time.

Not everything people say about love is a lie. Love can be expressed many ways—not just by a hug or a kiss or even sex. Love can be expressed in words, in actions, in the way people look at you. Even a simple glance in your direction can be a way to express love. Or maybe being hit over and over for doing something wrong—that, in some way, is love.

Pain may sometimes be associated with love, but love is not always associated with pain. There is pain, yes—both physical and mental pain. But it is worth it in the end. Isn't it?

I have felt love; love is something special, that can be experianced either many times or just once.

Love is something from the heart.

Find someone you love, and then you understand everything.

Just love, and everything can be solved."

Sanzo arched an eyebrow at this. Who knew the idiotic monkey could write something even remotely poetic-like? But there was more. This bit was continued in the original handwriting, although it was a little bit shakier then before.

"Maybe love isn't poison, but it sure feels like one. It….always felt like one. Ever since that day when I left my love….

And the peatals from the flowers of my heart wilted.

I'm not sure if they will ever recover."

&

The next day, Yaiba woke to find herself lying on a desk with her notebook in front of her. She lifted her head and looked at what had been written, then closed it and stood up, yawning and not at all fazed that she had slept in her clothes. She often did that while writing in her notebook, which was over four years old. She had gotten it from Gonou/Hakkai just before she left, to 'pour her heart into at her own will'.

Yaiba turned and was slightly surprised to find Goku sprawled out across her bed, snoring slightly and only in his pants. She had thought he had left while she wrote in her notebook, but apparently she had been mistaken.

No matter. It didn't affect Yaiba any.

She grabbed a new outfit exactly like her old one (she had two spares, just in case) and went into the bathroom, gently closing the door behind her.

After Yaiba was done dressing and brushing her hair and such things, she walked out of the bathroom to find Goku sitting up in the bed and staring out the window next to him. He was bathed in sunlight, and he appeared to be deep in thought—which made him look a little like a God.

"Ah, am I interupting?" Hakkai asked as he walked in, spotting Goku staring out the window in only his pants and Yaiba standing in the doorway of the bathroom, absently drying her hair with a towl and apparently in a brand new outfit (except the sunglasses that she had slipped on, that is).

Goku looked up, obviously surprised that someone was in the room besides him. But he quickly smiled when he realized it was Hakkai.

"Nope! Yer not inner-uptin' nothin', Hakkai!" Goku said perkily, jumping off of the bed (literally) and walking past Hakkai and into the hallway. Hakkai gave a sideways glance to Yaiba, who shrugged.

"Its like the kid said," she observed, turning to go back into the bathroom. "'Yer not inner-uptin' nothin' '."

&

Later that day, everyone was sitting in the jeep….except Yaiba.

"Where the hell is she?" Sanzo asked angerily, not yet past his second cup of coffee (3).

On cue, Yaiba walked out with a backpack slung over her shoulder. When she spotted Sanzo's glare, however, she stopped short.

"Um, did I miss something?" she asked as all eyes turned to her. Goku grinned.

"No, Sanzo's jus' notta mornin' person," he said pointedly as Yaiba shrugged and walked up to the jeep.

"He's not an afternoon person either," Gojyo said with a smirk. "Or a night person. Or an any time of day person, really."

As Yaiba stiffled a laugh and sat down beside Goku, Sanzo pulled his fan out from nowhere (as he so often does) with a vein-pop visible on his forehead (4)(5).

"What did you say, kappa?" he asked warningly, hitting the fan in his hand. Gojyo, apparently, didn't get the hint.

"That you're a prick, asshole!" Gojyo shouted in defiance as he held up the middle finger. Sanzo started hitting him over the head as Hakkai started driving out of town, a small smile on his face.

"Well now, isn't this a nice day?" he asked absently as Sanzo and Gojyo yelled at each other with Goku laughing hystarically. Yaiba smiled as well, holding back a laugh.

"Yes," she observed, looking up absently at the clear blue sky. "Yes it is."

&

"Damn it!" Gojyo swore as Jeep/Hakuryu skidded to a stop not too far away from the last town (6). Youkai had suddenly dropped down in front of them, and it certainly wasn't to ask if the Sanzo-Ikkou wanted to go on a picnic.

"This is a bad start to a day," Sanzo growled, starting to pull out his gun. He stopped when a thin hand was put over his, however, and looked back to find Yaiba standing up and looking strait ahead with a smirk on her face.

"I've got these little guys, 'kay, boys?" she asked, not waiting for an answer before jumping out of the car and landing next to it. She raced forward, a swirl of smoke starting to form around her right hand (7).

"You guys hungry?" she asked the youkai with a twisted smile. "Then come and get me!"

One jumped at her, and two seconds later, Yaiba had a scyth in her hand with the blade bloodied from the be-headed youkai that had fallen in front of her. She charged, and within five minutes all of the youkai that had attacked the group were either dead or running away at top speed. Mostly the first one.

The rest of the Sanzo-Ikkou watched with dropped jaws, and when Yaiba sent away her scyth and turned, she gave them a slightly surprised look.

"Wh-well," stammered a slightly ((oh, a lot MORE then slightly, my friends…. hehehehe….)) shocked Hakkai.

Sanzo was staring at her with one of the most open expressions he had had in a long time, no words coming out as he opened and closed his mouth like a fish (8).

"Sh-shit," Gojyo stammered, a shocked smile on his face (9). "Remind me never to get her pissed."

"Wow!.!" Goku shouted, sparkles in his eyes as he watched Yaiba smile at his remark. "Tha' was AMAZIN'!.!.!.!"

"Thank you, Goku," Yaiba said, laughing slightly as she got back into the car. "Now, shall we continue?"

And without further prodding, Hakkai sped off.

&

One day later….

"Aaaah, it looks like rain," Hakkai noticed as the group was driving in the car. "I hope we make it to an inn in time."

"I like the rain," Yaiba said absently, smiling up at the dark clouds.

"A thousand yen says we soak," Sanzo said lazily, leaning back and apparently ignoring Yaiba's odd comment.

"I'm with you," Gojyo agreed.

"Me, too," Goku piped up, raising a hand.

"It's not a bet if you all agree," Yaiba said, sweatdropping with Hakkai. Then she noticed Goku was acting really weird. "Um, what's wrong, Goku?"

"Not food again," Sanzo grumbled, crossing his arm.

"Mm," Goku grunted. "No, not that." He sniffed the air. "It's just….I smell somthin' weird."

A question mark appeared above Yaiba's head, but before she could question on it, Sanzo cut in.

"Come to think of it…." he said, his eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced out the side of the jeep.

"!? Wait," Hakkai suddenly said, eyes wide, "what's that?"

Yaiba paled. "Oh…." she started before Gojyo cut her off.

"….SHIT," Gojyo swore, blinking at the sight of dead, charm-covered youkai before them. "WHAT THE HELL IS ALL THIS?.!"

&

"Just as we thought…." Hakkai noted once they had gotten into the inn (after being thoughly soaked). "The rain was one step ahead of us."

Jeep/Hakuryu (who Yaiba had been surprised to find out was really a dragon before getting over the shock) sneezed loudly, and Yaiba walked over and patted him on the head sympathetically.

"Heeey!" Goku shouted gleefully, looking out the window and jumping up and down. "Lightning, Lightning! Coooool!.!!"

"That one's close," Gojyo said with a smirk, standing just behind Goku and watching the bright light show.

"Ha," Yaiba chuckled. "They're just like five-year-olds."

"Come here, Goku," Hakkai said with a small smile. Goku walked over and sat on the table.

"Nnngh," he groaned as Hakkai put a towl on his head.

"You'll catch a cold if you don't dry off," he said. Yaiba smiled as she walked over to Sanzo.

"He's like a mother," she noted quietly, watching as Goku sat there in submission. Sanzo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah," he said with a sigh. "Whatever."

Someone knocked at the door.

"Come in," Yaiba called. A young woman walked in.

"I brought you some tea," she said with a smile.

"Oh," Hakkai said, taking the towl off of Goku's head. "Thank you."

"Its too bad the rain caught you. And I'd guess that it'll be sticking around for a while."

"Blah," Gojyo said with a grimace. "That bites."

"Hey," Sanzo suddenly said, grabbing the girl's attention. "Do you know anything about the youkai corpses nearby?"

"Oh!" she said with a smile. "That sounds like the work of Rikudo!"

"'Rikudo'?" Hakkai and Yaiba asked at the same time.

"Whozzat?" Goku asked, confused.

The girl almost sparkled as she continued. "You've probably never heard of him, since you come from the East," she pointed out. "He's a priest around here that they've been calling 'Savior'." Yaiba arched an eyebrow, but the girl didn't notice. "He's supposedly roaming the countryside, exterminationg youkai, but few people have actually seen him. They say he's a great man with charms all over his body….and that the spells he casts can destroy any youkai."

You could practically see the man it portrayed, balding with beads around his neck and floating on the clouds. Yaiba laughed silently at the pictures, not at all affected by the story like the others were.

"Charms, were they?" Hakkai asked, perfectly serious. "Come to think of it, the dead youkai we saw….were covered with charms."

Sanzo was thinking, but was surprised to here them voiced outloud.

"Those charms looked familiar," Yaiba mused softly, glancing at Sanzo out of the corner of her eye (and realizing that they were both in the same thinking position). "It couldn't be…."

Sanzo was about to ask her a question, but then he heard Gojyo talking.

"So, do you live here?" the redhead asked the girl who had come in before. He was smirking widely. "Which room's yours?"

"Oh my," the girl said, blushing deeply. "That's rather inappropriate."

"Nah," Gojyo objected, lust written across his face. "It's raining outside, so let's get wet, too." (Pickup Line of Pride)

Sanzo appeared behind him, his Fan of Doom open and held menacingly above Gojyo's head. "Oy," the 'priest' said, vain popping. "Sexual harassment kappa."

"OW! Hey, my conquests are none of your business!"

"Didn't I just tell you after that Kougaiji incident that you're not to go off on your own?.!"

"The tea is getting cold," Hakkai said with a smile as Yaiba blinked at the scene before her.

"Where does he keep that fan?" Yaiba wondered out loud. Her question went unanswered.

"Yea, Kougaiji! I can't wait 'till he comes back!" Goku cheered, smiling widely and ignoring the scene behind him.

"Are you two friends all of a sudden?" Gojyo asked with a sweatdrop, bumps all over his head.

"I wanna meet him, Hakkai-kun!" Yaiba said with just as much enthusiasm as Goku, clapping her hands together. "He sounds challenging!"

"You never even met the guy!" Gojyo shouted, throwing his hands out.

"Anyway," Hakkai cut in, cradling Hakuryu in his arms, "guess we're staying here until the rain lets up. Jeep doesn't have a top."

"Fine," Sanzo said irritably as he stared out the window. "Its not like we have a choice."

As Sanzo thought about his past, Yaiba stared at him intently from her spot in the chair, blinking like an owl—slowly and not very often.

'He's….he's exactly the same,' she thought to herself. 'The hair….the face….the voice….the insane fan usage….' Longingness was in her eyes as she continued to watch him staring out at the rain. 'Its almost like he IS….'

"Yaiba?" Hakkai asked softly, yanking the brunette (who he just realized still had her sunglasses on) out of her thoughts. She realized Gojyo and Goku had gone to bed, and even Sanzo's eyes were drooping.

Yaiba turned to him, blushing slightly. "Yes, Hakkai-kun?" she asked, her shoulders slightly hunched. He smiled gently and sat down next to her.

"Are you okay, Yaiba-chan? You seem a little bit quiet."

"Well, I need some rest. I haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks."

Hakkai chuckled and handed her a cup of tea. "Haha….well, its good to know your lack of sleep isn't due to us."

Yaiba smiled gently and stared down into her cup. "Yes. But the rain still unseatles me, Hakkai-kun. It's like….it's like somethings trying to get at me." She laughed quietly, looking up at Hakkai's concered face. "It's cleansing during the day, but once it gets dark, the rain just sucks."

"Why don't you get some sleep, Yaiba-chan," Hakkai said softly. Yaiba stood up and put her still-full cup down next to her before smiling at Hakkai.

"Goodnight," she said. "Gonou-sensei."

And before Hakkai could respond (with the shock that was written on his face), she walked into the adjointed room, ready to write in the notebook that came from Cho Gonou oh-so-long ago.

&

(10)(11)

"We'll say Goodbye, Lost Heaven.

How we long for Heaven.

We're letting go of somethin' we never had;

Time goes so fast, Heaven is lost!

Time goes so fast, Heaven is lost!

Time goes so fast, Heaven.

We'll say Goodbye, Lost Heaven!.!

We'll say Goodbye, Lost Heaven!

We'll say Goodbye, Lost Heaven.

We'll say Goodbye, Lost Heaven….

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

We'll say Goodbye, Lost Heaven! (Yeah, yeah yeah!)

How we longed for Heaven! (Yeah, yeah yeah!)

We're letting go of somethin' we never had;

Time goes so fast, Heaven is lost!

Time goes so fast, Heaven is lost!

Time goes so fast, Heaven…."

Hakkai listened intently to the soft voice on the other side of the door, thinking on the words. It was like their lives, to say the truth. They'd never had Heaven (most of them never even tried to go there), and now they lost it for good. Heh, it was almost as if she had wrote the song for them.

The voice died out, and after a few moments, Sanzo shot up in bed.

"Nngh," Sanzo groaned, waking up from a nightmare he had so often before. 'Dammit, how long has it been since I had that dream?' he wondered, closing his eyes as he gasped for breath.

"Are you okay?" a voice suddenly asked. Sanzo looked up to find Hakkai standing there with a glass of water in his hands.

"Hakkai?"

"A nightmare, I suppose."

"I guess," Sanzo said, taking the glass. "Thanks."

"No problem. You know," Hakkai said with a small smile, "I hate them too. Rainy nights, I mean."

'Maybe it is thanks to the rain,' Sanzo mused. "….yeah."

Suddenly, a scream sounded from the kitchen.

"—!! Now what?" Sanzo asked, shocked and surprised.

"Let's find out!" Hakkai suggested as Gojyo got up with a groan. They quickly got dressed and walked out, no one realizing that Yaiba was oddly absent from the group.

"No!" the woman who had served them before screamed in the hallway as she ran towards their room. "S-save me!"

"What is it?.!" Gojyo asked as they opened the door. The woman ran into his arms.

"Th-there's a YOUKAI in the kitchen," she sobbed in his arms.

Quickly, everyone rushed to the kitchen, and Gojyo opened the door to find a long-haired youkai eating the guts from a human who he had just killed. Hakkai was appauled as Gojyo gritted his teeth together and grinded down on the end of his cigarette.

"Damn it…." he said menacingly. "Don't eat your shit….IN THE GODDAMNED KITCHEN!.!!" he kneed the youkai in the face, but then Hakkai's voice shouted out from behind him.

"Gojyo, behind you!" the green-eyed man shouted as another youkai tried to hit Gojyo from behind. Goku came in just then and hit the youkai with an ear-splitting battle cry ((a scary battle cry….its like 'ORAAAGH!' ….or something.)).

"You woke up pretty fast, Goku," Gojyo said with a smirk.

"I can when I want to," Goku said indiligently despite the smile on his face. "Besides, if these guys're gunna mess up th' kitch—"

He was cut off when charms suddenly flew at the youkai they were fighting and attached themselves to the poor creatures ((hey, I'm sympathetic! sue me, why don't cha?.! erm, not really…. mob of lawyers pout and walk away slowly phew! that was close….TOO close….)). Suddenly, they began to burn as a person began to chant in a deep voice.

"Wha….WHAT THE HELL?.!" Gojyo asked in shock, staring at the things with wide eyes as Goku stood behind behind him, grossed out ((?)).

"Untara Takanman…." the voice chanted as rings on his staff tinkled against each other.

'I know that voice!' Sanzo thought, looking as a figure appeared ((ZAA!)).

"….I am Rikiudo," the man said. He had long, tattered robes with bloodstains on them that were most proabably from youkai, a straw hat, and sutras covered his body. He was the picture of a Buhudist monk (minus the charms), and he even held a staff in his hand.

'The beads.'

"I will destroy….EVERY LAST YOUKAI IN THIS WORLD."

'That face. There's no doubt in my mind….' Sanzo thought, shocked beyond belief.

"THIS GUY IS….wait, Rikudo?.!" Gojyo asked, surprised and a little bit creeped out.

'That's Shuei, all right.'

&

Meanwhile….

A scream ran through the inn, and Yaiba shot up in bed (which she had just gotten into minutes before). She quickly got up (wearing nothing but her tube top, comfy shorts, her wrap-thing on her arm, and calf-socks) and was about to go help, but then a figure appeared in the window she had just turned her back to.

"Heh, going to go help looking like that, Yaiba-chibi-san?" Raido asked with a smirk as he came out of the darkness beside her window (12). Yaiba shot around with a growl at him.

"I'm NOT a chibi, Raido!" she shouted at him. "You are such an ah—"

Raido waggled a finger as Yaiba suddenly found she couldn't speak and clutched her throat.

"Now, now, now," he said with a smirk, "that's no way for a young lady to talk! Am I right? Say you're sorry. Go on—I'll let you."

With no other choice, Yaiba fell to her knees (since she apparently couldn't breath either) and choaked out, "S-s-sorr-ee."

"That's a good girl!" Raido said with a smile as Yaiba gasped in air greedily. "Now, don't forget our little deal! I did my part—now its your turn."

Yaiba glared up at him, still panting. "What do you want?" she asked, holding back the disgust in her voice. Raido leaned against the wall, smirking again.

"Oh, lots of things—money, power, a place of high athority, WOMAN. Basically, nothing you can get me." His smirk was replaced by a look of superiorty. "Except one. Eternal youth."

"How the hell am I supposed to get that?.!"

"Simple," Raido said with a shrug as if it were the most natural thing in the world to ask for. "The priest. He may not know it, but he is the exact thing we need. Didn't you notice he still looks eighteen despite the fact that he's pushing twenty-four?"

"Wow," Yaiba said dryly as she got up. "Six years. Who gives a rat's ass?"

"Oh, well, if you don't believe me, why not look at him another five years from now? He'll look almost the same, even as the others age. He won't get it at first (not many who are given the gift do), but eventually he'll realize that he needs to leave town for a few years, come back later, pretend he's his own son. And grandson. And great-granson. At least, if no one gets to him first."

"What in the HELL are you talking about?.!"

Raido's cocky smirk returned. "He never knew his real family, you know," he said airily, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye (13). "And do you know why that is?"

He leaned in close, and as he explained it, Yaiba got shivers that ran down her spine. She was disgusted to realize that they weren't shivers of horror—they were shivers of delight.

"I killed them. And then….I ate them."

&

(1): Raido means 'Following Blindly', thus the joke. Haha, LAUGH, PEEPS!.! NOW!.!.!! Good peoples. Here's some pie.

(2): I have to give credit for the original from the first part (and ONLY the first part) to ???, the writer of 'Sanzo's a GIRL?.!'. That's a good story, by the way. Tsuki's funny. You'll see if you read it.

(3): I figure it takes at least three to get him on the road, and five to tollarate Goku and Gojyo the whole day. But that's just a guess—he might need ten! ((lol.))

(4): I think his fan comes from a pocket in his sleeve, but don't quote me on that. Okay, quote me, but I'm not quite sure it's 100 per cent true; some people say that, some people say its more like Goku and Gojyo's weapons, but I don't know.

(5): A vein-pop is one of those vein-thingies tha appear in anime peoples' foreheads when they get ticked off or somethin'. Ya know? Like when Gojyo and Goku tick Sanzo off. So yeah.

(6): He's normally called Hakuryu in the dragon form and Jeep in the jeep form (obviously), so I just go by that.

(7): The way Goku's and Gojyo's weapons come; they suddenly appear in a swirl of smoke, and then the two use them.

(8): Don't you guys realize his vocabulary is almost limited to different forms of 'Stupid kappa! Stupid monkey!' and that's pretty much it? and he only has too expressions—serious and angery. Well, most of the time. You'll see….hehehehe….

(9): The look from the part at the end of chapter 9 (Charismatic) after the drinking contest where he's cowering with Goku after Sanzo says, 'SILENCE. I've a a hangover for two days. You don't want to cross me.' ((heheh, i love that part….))

(10): Lost Heaven is a song borrowed from the Fullmetal Alchemst: Conquerer of Shamballa sound track. I changed it enough so that it isn't copy writing, but that's close enough to give them credit. ((not that i wasn't going to even if i just called the song 'lost heaven' and the rest was original; my creative-song juices just aren't flowing at the moment, but they eventually will!))

(11): 'Time goes so fast, Heaven is lost' and 'We'll say Goodbye, Lost Heaven' all get softer, and I used the puncuation to show when; I think you can figure the rest out. Oh, and the 'Yeah, yeah yeah' part brings it back up to full force, so yeah. if you didn't get that….well, I almost didn't either, so tell me in your review and I'll elaborate.

(12): Chibi means that someone's small or a runt (so he's saying Yaiba-runt-san), and… ?-san is used in this case in the 'superior to inferior' form (meaning 'i'm so much better then you, I'll say –san and not even flinch').

(13): In case anyone forgot, Sanzo was thrown into a river when he was a child and then saved by his teacher—Master Koumyou Sanzo.