Hi there everyone! Your friendly neighborhood Dragongirl here dropping in with another update. I just want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed the last two chapters. I am really glade that so many like this story. So thank you again. Hands all reviewers a marshmallow.

An: I tried to get Hakkai's flashbacks as close as I could get them. I have to rent the DVDs so... I do remember these parts so if there a little off I apologize. These mean the beginning and ending of the flashbacks. ---- This means scene change.

Disclaimer: Nope still don't own it, I can wish though right? I do own Takara though and would appreciate you asking before you use her. Kay?

Chapter 3: Heroes and a New Traveling Companion

Takara sighed as she rested her head on her arms. The rest of the group stood looking stunned by what she had just said. She'd known that they'd have this reaction. She sighed again as she closed her eyes and hid her head in her folded arms.

Hakkai still stood leaning against the tree, his eyes closed as he tried to comprehend what Takara had just said. Slowly he opened his eyes before walking quietly into the surrounding forest. Hakuryu flying closely behind him.

Goku blinked out of his stupor as he noticed Hakkai walk into the forest. "Hey, Hakkai? Where yah going?" Goku called as he took a step to follow him, but stopped when he felt Gojyo's hand on his shoulder. "No, let him go." He said quietly as he watched his friend's retreating form.

Hakkai sighed as he stopped in a small clearing. Hakuryu let out a small mewl as he landed on his master's shoulder. "I never thought something like this would happen. Huh Hakuryu?" he asked quietly as absently scratched under the dragon's chin. He sighed as he gazed off in to the forest.

"Kanan? I'm home!" came Gonou's enthusiastic voice as he opened the door to their small house, a large smile on his face. It quickly turned to a look of shock and disbelief as he looked at his ransacked home. "Kanan?!" he yelled.

"The Hyakugan Moah. They came to the village, demanding the women or they'd destroy the village. We had no choice." The village elder explained putting his head down. As the rest of the village men did the same.

The silhouette of a man stabbing a demon is seen as lighting flashes. The scene becomes real, showing a bloodied Gonou standing over the bloodied corpse of a demon. The room is littered with them as he slowly makes his way down to the dungeon.

"Kanan?" he called peering into each cell. "Gonou?" She called from the cell closest to the end. "Kanan, thank goodness you're alright!" he said relieved as he hugged her through the bars. "Come on lets go home." He said as he began to pull back. He was surprised when she didn't respond. "Kanan?" he asked still standing with his hands on the bars. "I can't." she whispered, tears falling from her eyes. His eye grew wide as he watched her unsheathe his dagger and hold it in front of herself as she backed away. "I can't go back, that monster's child grows inside of me." She said as more tears fell. Gonou's eye grew wide with understanding. "No, Kanan. Let's just go home, I'll protect you." He said in desperation. "I'm sorry, good bye Gonou." She whispered as she plunged the dagger into her chest. "Kanan!" he screamed as her blood pooled out around her body.

Hakkai blinked as he heard Hakuryu mewl worriedly. "Hmm, oh sorry Hakuryu. You know me always living in the past." He said giving a sad smile as he looked up at the tree canopy. "I'm not sure what I should do." He said looking back where they'd come from. "I guess we could try to get along with her, don't you think so Hakuryu?" he asked chuckling when the little dragon let out a small growl. He chuckled as he patted the dragon. "Coming from you that's the closet thing to yes as I'm going to get." He said as he and Hakuryu started back to where they had left the others.

"I said no!" came an irritated yell from Sanzo. Who was standing with his arms folded a pissed look on his face. "Please?" Goku whined. "She is not coming with us, dammit!" he growled. As he pointed at Takara who crossed her arms and gave her brother a pouty face. "Come on Bro, it's not like I'm asking for much." She said smirking at his anger cross that had appeared. "I said no." he snapped. "Come on Sanzo! She's a woman for Christ's sake!" Gojyo yelled pointing to Takara's chest, who gave him a Go to Hell look.

"Actually it may not be too bad of an idea to have a woman come along with us." Hakkai stated walking out of the woods. "Where have you been?" Sanzo asked irritably. "Just thinking." He said smiling a little. "Please?" Takara asked snapping them back to the current argument. "I said no, so shut up or die." Sanzo stated quietly as he cocked his gun. "May I interject something?" Goku asked making them all look at him in shock at his dialect. "The idea of four men traveling alone, kind of sends the wrong impression if you know what I mean. Taking her along would most likely be a good thing." He stated matter of factly.

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Sanzo is seen sitting in the front seat of the jeep, arms crossed, and a pissed off look on his face. "Do you even know what half of what you said means?" he asked growled looking a Goku in the review mirror. "I'm hungry!" Goku whined leaning his head back. Sanzo sighed irritably as an anger cross appeared. "Well at least we know he's not suffering from a concussion or anything majo..." Hakkai was cut off by a high pitched scream. "It's nothing to scream about he's always hungry." Sanzo snapped as Takara who'd been setting next to Gojyo suddenly leapt to her feet. "It's not that! This bastard just grouped me!" she yelled pointing accusingly at Gojyo who just smirked. "Awe, come on yah can't tell me that yah didn't enjoy it." He said as he made a grab for her. Takara growled irritably as she pulled out her fan and whacked away his hands before proceeding to beat the crap out of the purvey water sprite.

"You pervert! I hope you die and go to Hell!" she yelled as she bent over to hit him in the head again. Her eyes grew wide as the sound of material ripping was heard. "Oh shit, look what you made me do!" she cried as she turned to see the large rip running from her hips to the middle of her skirt. "It's a nice look." Gojyo commented as he came out of unconsciousness. "Shut the Hell up, this is all your fault." She yelled in his face. She blinked when she heard Goku snort in laughter. "Hey, you're wearing pink underwear." He said between laughs as he pointed at the top of her underwear that was showing through the rip. "Hey let me see!" Gojyo called trying to look.

"That does it! Sanzo get your ass back here, I'm getting shot-gun." She yelled as she proceeded to climb between the seats. A gun shot made her stop. "Sit down or die." Sanzo growled lowering his gun. Takara still standing shook her head. "No I will not sit back here with these two dick-heads." She yelled pointing at Goku and Gojyo who both laughed. "Please sit down, before you get hurt." Hakkai said quietly, he was finding it rather hard to drive with all the commotion. "Shut up!" she yelled before turning back to her brother.

Sanzo is now seen sitting a very pissed look on his face as Goku snores/drools on his shoulder. He growls as he gives the back of his sister's head a death glare, before looking forward again. He rolls his eyes as he notices the learchrous smile plastered on Gojyo's sleeping face.

Up front sat Takara a triumphant smile on her face. She smiled as she glanced over her shoulder to see him asleep with Goku leaning against his shoulder. She chuckled as she turned back. Her smile faded as she looked out of the corner of her eye at Hakkai, who showed no emotion as he drove. She sighed as she closed her eyes. (I've wanted to meet him for so long, but now that I have he hates me.) She thought depressed. Suddenly her face light up as an idea came to her.

Hakkai blinked when Takara suddenly dove under her seat and began to rummage trough her pack. He sighed as he looked forward again. He nearly jumped out of his skin when found something white being thrust into the corner of his face. Blinking he looked to find the a four-mentioned item to be a stick of peppermint candy held by Takara who had her own candy hanging out of her mouth. She gave him a small smile as he took the candy.

"Thank you." He said as he put the candy in his mouth. "Your welcome." She said quietly. A few seconds passed in silence. "Hakkai?" she asked quietly. "Yes?" he answered still looking forward. "It's just that I want to say that I'm sorry about earlier, I know that it must be difficult for you to even look at me, let alone accept me." She said looking out at the passing sand. "It's just that I know that you aren't proud of what you did, but I just want you to know that to my mother and me you were our savior, our hero. And to be honest you still are. So even if you can't accept me please accept my apologies, and my gratitude." She said quietly looking down at her hands. Before looking up at him and giving him a hopeful smile.

Hakkai blinked surprised by what she had just said. But for some reason he couldn't help but smile. "You are right, I'm not proud of what I did, though I am glad to know that I helped someone." He said smiling at her. "And of course I accept, but not just your apologies, and gratitude, but you as well." He said smiling at her happy expression. "I've never had a fan before, or at least not one as cute as you." He said giving her a large smile that made her blush and hide her face.

Sanzo smirked as he watched the scene taking place in the front seat. Goku suddenly let out a loud snore as he rubbed against his shoulder. Sanzo gritted his teeth as an anger cross appeared. "Mmm... meat buns..." Goku muttered in his sleep. Sanzo growled as he placed both hands on Goku's shoulders and pushed him off. Of course as he did this the jeep went over a bump, which caused Goku to fall out of the jeep.

Thud...Bump...Bump...

"What was that?" Hakkai asked from the driver's seat. "Monkey." Sanzo answered smirking. "A monkey? In the dessert?" Takara asked confused. "It was a bald monkey." Sanzo answered irritated. "Hey, where's Goku?" Takara asked turning and looking in the back. "The monkey." Sanzo replied leaning his head back. "Oh dear." Muttered Hakkai as he turned the jeep around to go retrieve the "Monkey."

All right well that's it for Chp. 3 hope you enjoy and leave lots of nice reviews.

Preview to next episode: Hey! Goku here. You really don't want to miss the next episode of Saiyuki. Well it seems that everyone's getting along now. But what happens when Takara goes "shopping" and the only one who's awake to go with her is Hakkai. How will he ever survive the shopping trip from hell? And not to mention we come across another town being pleaged by demons, will we finally get to see Takara's powers in action? Find out next time on Saiyuki: A Shopping Diesaster and Takara's Incredible Dancing Flames.

Well until next time. Happy Trails.

DragonGirl4