Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.
Chapter 2
Sanzo listened to a thump closely followed by a curse. He put his cigarette to his mouth, exhaling the smoke as Gojyo appeared from the foliage. He had some leaves and twigs stuck in his hair, as well as several scratches covering his arms and face.
"Stupid flashlight," he muttered, tossing the item to the ground.
The priest resisted the urge to smirk. "You look like you were wandering around in the dark," he remarked, keeping his voice neutral.
"I was! The batteries died, leaving me without any light, trying to find my way back!" The half-demon paused in his tirade, noting he and Sanzo were alone. "Hakkai and Goku haven't come back yet?"
"No."
An uneasy silence settled over them. The fire crackled and popped as Sanzo added another log to the flames. He flicked the butt of his cigarette into the blaze, leaning back against the tree and folding his arms. At length, he looked up, meeting Gojyo's gaze. "We'll wait here. If Hakkai and Goku aren't back by morning, we'll continue searching then," he said.
The redhead hesitated. "You don't think that..."
"No. If Hakkai was attacked, he'd get off at least one good blast of chi, which would be like a beacon on a night as dark as this," he explained, looking around. "He's probably still looking for that baka saru."
The half-demon shook his head. "But, this isn't like Goku at all. He missed dinner, for one thing," he pointed out. "I didn't think anything short of death could make him miss a meal."
"He's not dead," Sanzo stated, as if it was a well-known fact and the kappa was stupid for thinking otherwise.
Gojyo looked at the blonde, surprised by his tone. "What makes you so sure?" he asked.
"Trust me. Goku wouldn't die so easily." He pushed himself to his feet, brushing the dirt off the back of his robes. "It's late. You take the first watch. Don't bother waking me to relieve you-- I'll get up when I feel like it."
The redhead mumbled under his breath as the priest moved over to their packs, keeping his voice too low for Sanzo to overhear. He didn't really want the perpetually annoyed gunman to put a hole in his head. He watched as the monk made himself comfortable against another tree a little further from the fire, a blanket pulled up to his shoulders. Although seemingly relaxed and defenseless, Gojyo knew the blonde would be sleeping with his gun in his hand tonight. Sighing, he leaned back against the log behind him, preparing to wait out the long night.
. . .
Gojyo started to become aware as something soft continually brushed against his cheek. Feeling like he had just fallen asleep, he moved his head to the other side, sighing as he started slipping back down into oblivion. A cool breeze swept across his face, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings. The interloper was back, gently nudging his cheek again. Mentally cursing, and refusing to open his eyes, he swatted the intruder away and pulled his blanket up over his head. Satisfied he wouldn't be disturbed again, he let himself start drifting back to his dreams. All thoughts of sleep fled as he felt a hard object land on his head.
He sat up, clutching his head as he cursed out loud. Glaring, he turned to face his attacker, ready to give one of his companions a piece of his mind. He blinked as he met a red gaze, the dragon gazing back at him innocently.
"Kyuu!" the dragon cried, apparently happy the half-demon had finally gotten up. "Kyuu!"
Gojyo stared at the small creature. His eyes landed on the flashlight on the ground next to the white animal, his gaze narrowing as comprehension dawned on him. "You dropped that flashlight on my head?! What'd you do that for?!" he demanded, swiping at the dragon. Hakuryuu quickly rose into the air, flying out of the redhead's immediate reach. "Get back here, ya little rodent!"
"Quit complaining and get up. We're leaving," Sanzo said.
The water sprite turned around, locating the priest several feet away. He had cleaned up the campsite and was ready to leave, apparently just waiting for the half-demon to wake up.
Gojyo was not amused. "I stay awake for half the night and then only get to sleep for five minutes before we head out?!" he asked, outraged.
The monk snorted. "You've slept for several hours," he replied, gesturing towards the lightening sky on the horizon. "Besides, we've got a lead."
"What?"
Sanzo nodded towards the flashlight on the ground next to the redhead. "That's Hakkai's flashlight. Hakuryuu brought it back a few minutes ago, which means he can lead us to where he found it. Now, let's go."
They left the campsite, following the dragon as he led them through the bushes. They had been walking for about twenty minutes when the flying creature swooped down, landing on a pile of discarded sticks. "Kyuu! Kyuu!"
Sanzo looked around. "So, this is where Hakkai disappeared," the priest stated, studying the area. He noticed the large pile of apple cores littering the ground, a half-eaten apple resting nearby. His gaze flickered to the sticks the white dragon was perched on. And, I would guess that Goku was here, as well, he thought. Kneeling down, he examined the dirt carefully. He could just barely make out the faint outline of where the saru had sat at the base of the tree. His eyes wandered to the discarded fruit, narrowing slightly as he noticed a white film on the fruit's skin. Glancing up, the monk confirmed that all of the fruit in the entire tree had been coated with the same unknown substance. He cursed softly, imagining how much of the drug Goku had unknowingly ingested while trying to satisfy his hunger.
"Sanzo, look at this," Gojyo said, getting his attention. The blonde moved over to the redhead, seeing the faint outline on the ground where someone had lain earlier. The half-demon reached forward, picking up three darts from the ground. He held them carefully, turning them over in his hand. "Poisoned darts," he stated, his voice hardening. "They have Hakkai."
"And Goku, as well," the priest added, gesturing to the pile of discarded sticks and the mound of apple cores. "It seems he found this tree and decided to get a snack before dinner. Unfortunately, these have all been coated with some type of drug. And the monkey made sure he got more than his fair share of it."
Gojyo dropped the darts to the ground, staring at the dirt. "You don't think that they're..." he started, unwilling to finish his thought.
Sanzo shook his head. "If they were killed, the bodies would have been left behind. No, I think our enemy has something much worse in store for them," he stated.
The redhead looked around, spotting several sets of footprints leaving the tree in a different direction. "It looks like they headed off in that direction," he said, crushing the darts under the heel of his boot.
"Let's go."
The pair followed the tracks, Gojyo leading the way. The half-demon kept his eyes glued to the trail, not wanting to lose it. After several minutes of walking, he allowed his mind to wander, thinking over what they had just discovered. So, Hakkai and Goku have both been captured. Goku was drugged by whatever was on that fruit. But, Hakkai... He was worried that something had happened to the monkey when we set out to look for him in the first place. I think Sanzo was right in that Hakkai didn't get a chance to use any of his Qui gong attacks. How could they have snuck up on him? Surely, if he was listening intently for Goku, he would have heard a demon trying to sneak up on him? How did they catch him unaware? He shook his head, eyes still scanning the ground to keep sight of the trail. Or, did they? Maybe he found them, but they were holding the monkey hostage and he was unable to do anything? That can't be right, either. Hakkai would have been able to come up with something, despite whatever leverage they had.
The tracks are turning a little to the right.
Gojyo adjusted his course, still trying to figure out exactly how his friend had been captured. He was jolted out of his thoughts as Sanzo grabbed the back of his shirt, jerking him back. "What was that for?!" he demanded angrily, rounding on the priest.
"Why don't you try watching where you're going instead of fantasizing about girls, or whatever else might be running through that pea-sized brain of yours?!" the blonde retorted.
"What are you talking about?! I was watching where I was going!"
The monk picked up a stick, tossing it in front of Gojyo. It hit the ground, sharp steel jaws snapping shut and breaking the limb in two. "Then why don't you use your brain for once and keep an eye out for traps," Sanzo said, moving in front of the gaping redhead and continuing on. "I don't have time for you to get injured."
The water sprite muttered something unflattering under his breath as he followed the gunman. Although appearing to resent the aid given him, he was actually surprised he had missed the trap completely. It doesn't really matter how Hakkai was captured, he reasoned, paying a little extra attention to where he was stepping. I mean, we already know how he was brought down and there didn't seem to be any signs of a struggle. And Sanzo was right-- whatever they were poisoned with probably isn't fatal. I mean, what are they going to do with two dead bodies? Except maybe create shikigami... His thought trailed off as he imagined having to fight his friends' reanimated corpses. He shuddered, wondering if the shikigami would be able to use the same skills as the real people.
The minutes stretched on, no unnecessary words being exchanged between the two companions. Sanzo paused every now and again, studying the ground or the bushes before heading off again. He apparently had no trouble following the faint trail.
Sanzo will probably spot any more traps. I guess don't have to worry about looking for them.
Gojyo almost stopped walking, surprised by the thought that popped into his head. I should sit back and let Sanzo handle everything, should I? Since when have I become so pathetic as to just sit back and let him take care of anything? As it is, he's never going to let me live down missing that other trap. I can't believe I didn't see it!
Still, he didn't need to be so grumpy about it-- I mean, it's not like he's never made a mistake like that before. He can be such a prick.
The half-demon shook his head. Nah, Sanzo's just worried about the monkey. I don't know why he just doesn't admit it. But, I wonder what's happening to them right now? he wondered, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. Are they being tortured? I mean, we are considered traitors. Or, are their captors trying to get information from them? If so, what? Sanzo's weakness? He snorted mentally, his feet following the priest as his mind wandered. Not likely. Were they taken as hostages, then? But, if that was the case, then why haven't we heard from anyone? There've been no demands for the sutra, and no demons at all. What are they playing at? What are th-- He lost his train of thought as a white blur tackled him, pinning him to the ground. He blinked, looking up into Sanzo's annoyed violet orbs. "Get off me, you stupid monk!" he demanded, shoving the man out of his personal space.
"Some times, I swear, there isn't a single brain cell in that entire head of yours! What were you thinking?!" the blonde complained, pushed himself to his feet.
"What was I thinking?! You were the one who jumped on me, cleric! Don't try to--" the redhead broke off mid-word, staring at the sharpened sticks imbedded in a tree next to where he had been standing when the gunman had tackled him.
Sanzo followed his gaze. "And to think, that could have been you," he remarked, his tone indicating he was regretting his decision to change what had almost become Gojyo's fate. "Do you listen to nothing I say? I told you to step over the rope!" he scolded, pointing at a length of twine now lying flaccidly on the ground.
The half-demon's eyes stared at the cord almost uncomprehendingly. "I didn't hear anything..." he whispered, talking more to himself than to the irate priest.
The monk narrowed his eyes at his companion's admission. "You didn't hear anything?" he repeated. As inept as the stupid kappa usually is, he shouldn't have fallen for either of those traps. I could see the bear trap from behind him and he should have been able to spot the line himself-- or at least listened when I warned him of it. Is there something else affecting him...? He let the thought trail off, studying the water sprite carefully.
The crimson-eyed man shook his head, a crooked grin stretched across his features when he looked up and met the violet gaze. "I guess I'm just letting myself get distracted by thinking about what might've happened to Goku and Hakkai. So sue me if I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment," he said, shrugging, his tone light and careless.
Sanzo snorted. "If you're that incompetent, don't expect me to stop when you get yourself killed in one of these novice traps."
"Oh, Sanzo, I didn't know you cared!" the redhead replied, the sarcasm in his voice hard to miss.
"Whatever. Do what you want." He turned away, pulling out a cigarette as he continued walking. If he wants to ignore the problem, then I'm not going to push it. Hakkai's the nursemaid around here, not me, he thought, drawing the smoke into his lungs.
Gojyo fell into step behind the priest, his troubled expression hidden behind a mane of red hair. What's wrong with me? Not only did I miss the trap, I didn't even hear Sanzo say anything! What's going on here? Whatever it is, I can't allow myself to be distracted by anything else, he thought, focusing all his attention on where he was stepping.
They continued on for several more minutes before the monk came to a stop, the half-demon almost bumping into him from behind. "I know you're out there, demon!" the priest yelled, his eyes scanning the forest surrounding him. "Show yourself!"
The was a pause, a gentle breeze ruffling the leaves in the trees as the pair waited, their bodies tense in anticipation of a fight. The words were almost too soft to hear, carried on the wind from an undistinguishable direction.
"How did you know?"
The blonde rolled his eyes, a slight frown marring his forehead. "Let's just say that I'm used to identifying voices in my head that aren't my own," he replied, ignoring the confused look from his companion. "Come out and face us!"
There was a movement on the forest floor and Sanzo's gun was in his hand and pointing at the long rope before he realized what it was. He threw his arms up to shield his face, turning away as the cord was pulled taut and a hidden mine exploded on the ground several feet in front of them. The force of the explosion knocked him off his feet and he curled into a ball, trying to protect himself from the falling debris. He carefully lifted his head after most of the rubble had settled, his gun ready to banish any enemies foolish enough to try attacking while he was down. There was no sign of any demons.
Gojyo slowly sat up, looking around. "What, no ambush? I think I'm insulted," he said, pushing himself to his feet. He winced, rubbing his side where he had landed on a root when he fell. "What's going on here, anyway?"
The gunman rose to his feet as well, still warily scanning his surroundings. "That demon was a telepath," he explained, brushing the dirt from his robes.
"A tele-what?" the redhead asked.
"Telepath. Meaning, she has the ability to plant 'suggestions' into someone's mind," he elaborated. "She must be stupid to think I'm going to listen to someone telling me to step onto a bomb," he muttered, giving his companion a sidelong glance. So, that demon must have been distracting Gojyo enough to make him set off those traps, and when that didn't work, she went after me. Well, at least we know that they are expecting us, which means Goku and Hakkai will most likely still be alive to be used as bargaining chips when we get there, if nothing else. He replaced his gun within the folds of his robe once more, concealed for the time being but ready to be used at a moment's notice. He carefully moved past the site of the explosion, the kappa following silently behind him as they continued pursuing the tracks that would hopefully lead to their missing companions.
. . .
A demon ran through the brush, hastily pushing branches aside as she rushed past. She had long black hair with dark brown eyes. Her pale cheeks were flushed from her mad dash through the forest and her breath came in short gasps as she tried to put as much distance between herself and what was left of the Sanzo party as possible. She almost fell as her foot caught on the hem of her dark dress, but she managed to catch herself, regaining her balance and hiking up her skirt before continuing on. After several minutes, she allowed herself to rest against a tree, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. She only paused for a few seconds however, pushing off the tree and continuing on, this time at a much slower rate. Looking around, she got her bearings and corrected her course, setting off at a brisk pace in a different direction. She had been walking for about ten minutes when she found a large rock that looked like it had fallen down from a bit higher up on the mountain. Pausing briefly to make sure no one had followed her, she walked into the stone, easily passing through the illusion that covered the entrance. She continued down the dark corridors, her footsteps slowing as she neared her destination. She stopped in front of a gray steel door, taking a deep breath before pushing it open and stepping inside.
An oak desk stood off to the side of the door, a high-backed padded chair sitting behind it. The wooden surface was covered with jars containing various herbs and liquids, a glass hourglass with intricately carved dragons holding it in place and several thick books. One of the tomes was open, displaying the arcane symbols and diagrams decorating its pages. Two of the walls were lined with shelves holding many more vials and books, as well as a number of glass pendants and various sizes of bowls and utensils. The far wall was lined with three separate cells, thick steel bars assuring the prisoners did not escape. The middle cell door was open, and she could see an older youkai bending down over a prone form lying on the bed within. She watched quietly, waiting for the other woman to acknowledge her presence.
The demon had short hair, once dark brown but now faded with time. Her wrinkled hand reached out, tracing a symbol over the unconscious man's forehead while she chanted softly, sprinkling crushed leaves over his body. A kanji flared to life on his forehead in response to her spell before seeming to be absorbed into the skin. His entire body jerked, tensing as it began to glow, the light pulsing softly. The woman continued chanting, her voice growing louder as she wove symbols in the air with her hands. The light responded, shining brightly as it pulsed more quickly. She brought her spell to a close, clapping her hands together as she spoke the last word. The light shone strongly, unwavering for several seconds before it began to fade, the man's body relaxing as it disappeared. Satisfied with her work, the older woman came out of the cell, closing the door behind her. Her eyes landed on the young woman standing across the room. "Ah, Kita," she greeted, moving over to one of the shelves and placing a bowl of crushed herbs onto it. "I see you're finally back. All went well, I trust?" she asked, picking up a star-shaped pendant and admiring it. It seemed to shine with an inner light of its own.
Kita visibly tensed, clenching her jaw as she replied. "No, it did not."
The aged demon narrowed her dark brown eyes, shifting the accusing gaze to her subordinate. "Oh? You were unable to capture or kill the other two?" she asked, disdain coloring her tone as she moved over to the desk.
"They were more resilient that I thought," the ebony-haired youkai stated.
"A half-breed and a human," the gray-haired woman said, running her hand along the edge of the desk. "Even with your limited powers, you should have been able to gain control of their minds easily. Did you kill neither of them?"
Kita clenched her fists at her sides as the older demon sat at the desk. "No."
"I suppose you really are worthless, daughter," she stated, setting the pendant she had been turning over in her hand on the polished wooden surface. "The Lady Koshu wants that group out of the way. Their demon companions, the only real threat, were already taken care of. And yet, you still could not accomplish this simple task that I set before you."
"The monk's mind was too strong--"
"The monk?" the older woman repeated, her dark eyes boring into her offspring's. "You couldn't even control the human? You truly are pathetic, if a mere human was able to resist," she stated scornfully. Her mind went over what she had heard of the Sanzo party as she debated a new course of action. I find it hard to believe that this group of miscreants are as powerful as I've heard. The two demons were almost ridiculously easy to capture. Surely the human and half-breed can't be that difficult to take down. She let her gaze wander to the two cells holding her prisoners. "I suppose that I shall just have to do this myself, as always," she continued, closing the book as she rose from the desk. "Stay here," she instructed, walking past the younger woman. She paused in the doorway, turning back to her daughter. "Will you be able to look after two soulless bodies by yourself?" she asked scathingly.
The black-haired woman closed her eyes, visibly trying to control her temper. "Yes, mother." The door shut, the older demon's footsteps fading as she walked down the corridor. Kita ground her teeth together, seething as her mother's words ran through her mind over and over again. She stood there for several minutes trying to calm herself before giving up and lashing out, viciously sweeping her arm across the desk. The vials and hourglass shattered as they hit the floor, the books landing on top of them. She glared at the mess she had created, the sand in the hourglass forming a dusty cloud over the broken pile. Turning on her heel, she left the room, slamming the door before storming down the hallway.
The 'dust' did not settle, instead forming a ball of light as more tendrils floated up from the shattered remains of the pendant. The sphere floated towards the middle cell, gliding through the bars. It tried to enter the body, only to be thrown back by a barrier. The soul quivered as if in pain before slipping through the wall separating the cells. Another body was laid out on a bed and the spirit again tried to enter the shell. This time, nothing prevented the soul from merging with the body. It was several seconds before the person began to stir, eyelids fluttering briefly before the eyes opened.
. . .
To Be Continued
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