Sorry for the long wait for this chapter! It's been ready for a while but I had major internet troubles so I couldn't post it! Fingers crossed I'll have more luck posting the next one! Enjoy!

Chapter Four

Sanzo felt something wet and heavy hit his cheek causing him to stir in his slumber. When another drop hit him, he finally peeled his eyes open and glanced up. The sky had grown dark with thick black clouds and the onset of night. He shifted himself away from the wall and stretched his stiff muscle before running a hand over his face. More drops hit him and a deep rumble sounded from far away. Sighing he pulled himself to his feet cursing his stupidity at falling asleep outside. He glimpsed a cigarette stub lying beside him, a trail of ash running from it.

"As if I don't lose enough cigarettes to that thieving pervert," he muttered pulling out his pack and lighting up another.

Drops of rain began to fall heavier. Sanzo swore and walked around the building to stand beneath the jutting roof by the door. Thunder rumbled again, louder as it edged nearer to them.

"God damn rain," mumbled Sanzo inhaling nicotine deep into his lungs.

Lightning streaked through the air and lit up the night. Sanzo frowned and began to hurriedly finish his cigarette, not wanting to be caught out in a storm. He wondered if there were policies at the theatre banning them from sleeping as well as smoking inside.

Dropping the cigarette stub on the floor, Sanzo turned to go inside. Lightning flashed brightly again.

Sanzo froze. He had caught the sight of something out of the corner of his eye. Turning back around, Sanzo squinted into the darkness, straining to make out the shape that had grabbed his attention. Lightning flashed again followed closely by a rumble of thunder. As the sky momentarily brightened, Sanzo caught sight of the shape again. It looked like a person but he couldn't be sure. He reached into his robes and pulled out his gun.

"Who the hell are you?" he shouted out into the night.

Lightning flashed and Sanzo jerked back hitting into the door as a man was illuminated less then five feet away from him. He quickly brought up his gun pulling back the hammer.

"You might want to answer me before I blow your god damn brains out," he called out.

Nothing but the heavy sound of rain and a rumble of thunder answered him. He could make out the trees directly in front of him but no matter how hard he looked the figure that was standing before him only moments ago had disappeared. Nothing human could move that fast.

"Fucking youkai," he growled under his breath and he took a step forward intending to start hunting for it.

The rain grew torrential soaking Sanzo through his robes in seconds. Thunder boomed loudly and forked lightning streaked through the air. He looked around quickly but the figure was still missing. He took another step forward and lightning flashed again. A face was lit up mere inches away from his.

"Kouryuu."

Thunder almost drowned out the whisper and the face vanished as soon as the lightning faded. Sanzo pull the trigger on his banishing gun but instead of the reassuring gunshot all he heard was the click of an empty chamber. He pulled the trigger again and again, each pull swiftly followed by a click.

Sanzo threw the gun to the ground and roared in anger. Lightning flashed again illuminating the face in front of his once more.

"Kouryuu!" it cried out, louder this time.

Sanzo threw a punch at it only to strike thin air as the face vanished once more.

"Show yourself you basterd!" he called out to the night.

"Kouryuu!" the voiced screamed out.

The sound tore shivers down Sanzo's spine and his heart sped up as fear began to trickle into him.

"Kouryuu!"

The figure grabbed the front of the priests robes and pulled him closer, It's mouth was open in a soundless scream as streaks of lightning rained down one after another.

"Master?" Sanzo whispered, the words falling from his mouth before he had a chance to think.

The vision of his master disappeared again and Sanzo backed away until his spine hit the door. He snaked a hand back and turned the doorknob only to find it was locked. Twisting around Sanzo tugged and pushed against the door desperately trying to open it but to no avail.

Lightning flashed once more and Sanzo quickly looked over his shoulder. His master stood in the mud near the trees, mouth hanging open and blood trickling down his face. The sight quickly faded but as thunder boomed over head the lighting appeared once more showing his master Koumyou closer this time.

Sanzo span around and began to search for his gun. He needed its heavy weight in his hand, wanted its reassurance even if it couldn't help him. Rain hit his face warm and heavy as he step from out of his shelter. As the night was lit up again, Sanzo kept his eyes to the ground, not wanting to see his master slide slowly through the mud to him. He could make out the end of his masters robes before the night quickly swallowed the figure again. He looked up again and hissed in surprise as the drops of rain began to feel hotter and heavier. The droplets trickled down his face leaving warm streaks. He reached his hands up and wiped the rain away. Lightning lit the night and Sanzo caught sight of his palms as he drew them away from his face. They were stained a deep red and as the crimson rain hit his hands it left staining streaks down his wrists.

Sanzo quickly wiped his hands down his robe trying to rid himself of the marks. He felt a movement before him and looked up. His master stood before him no longer appearing with each strike of lightning.

"Kouryuu," his master said, his voice strangled and the words gurgled out.

Lightning flashed and Sanzo watched as Koumyou was lit up. He was bathed in streaks of red, his eyes dead and pure white in his slack face.

Sanzo screamed out his master's name as bloody rain trickled into his eyes.

"Sanzo."

The voice was different this time and Sanzo jerked his head up and tore his eyes open expecting to see the remains of his master upon him. The rain still fell heavily but instead of his master, a man bathed in the shadow of the night stood before him.

"Awake finally. Good."

Sanzo tried to pull his hands to his face; he wanted to see if the blood had faded too. His wrists though were securely tied behind the tree he found himself bound against. The bark bit into his skin and as Sanzo cast his eyes downward, he realised his robe, scripture and leathers were gone. Instead he stood in just jeans, his feet naked. As soon as he noticed his lack of clothes, the cold penetrated him and try as he might he could not stop from shivers racking his body.

"Confused are we?"

"You basterd. Untie me." Sanzo growled slowly gathering his wits and composing himself.

The man laughed and shook is head. "Oh no! I'm not nearly done with you yet priest."

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Goku was jolted awake by a sneeze. He rubbed the tip of his nose with the back of his hand, brushing off flakes of rice as he did. His eyelashes had glued themselves together as the sweet sauce had dried hard. Frowning, he dipped his napkin into his glass of water and wiped his face clean. Rain started to patter against the tiled roof, the sound echoing throughout the room. Goku looked around noticing Sanzo still missing.

"Sanzo?" he called cautiously. Silence replied to him.

"That's not like Sanzo," he muttered puzzled. "He hates the rain and its dark now. He should have been back. And where the hell are the others?!"

Anger started to build up within him. He just knew that they had found him asleep in his food and left him there.

"Alright guys that's not funny!" Goku said to the empty room climbing to his feet. "I can't help it if I was tired!"

He paused, silently waiting for a reply or an obnoxious laugh from Gojyo. When no one spoke, Goku slumped back into his chair with a huff.

"I bet they've gone and got a room without me! Well that's just fine 'cause I'm still hungry!"

He grabbed a fork and began to shovel in the cold dry rice, his eyes never wavering from the room. He waited for Hakkai to feel guilty and come to apologise. He waited for Gojyo to turn up and make fun of him for falling asleep in food. He waited for Sanzo to tell him he was stupid before smacking him over the head with his harisen. He waited so long that he finished the rice.

Pushing the empty plate away, Goku wondered if he should go look. He remembered though quite clearly that Sanzo had told he wasn't to move.

"Sanzo would be furious if I left the table to go look for him," Goku mumbled to himself. "He's probably just getting drunk in the bar anyway."

He pulled another plate piled high with food towards him.

"What happens if he's in trouble though? He might need help!"

Goku's stomach lurched with nerves. He froze for a moment and weighed up his options, to go or to stay.

"Ok I know," he said finally coming to an agreement within himself. "I'll finish this plate and if none of the others have turned up by then I'll go. Sanzo can't be mad at me if I got worried 'cause it was late."

Pleased with his plan Goku began to tuck in. He was barely two mouthfuls through when he heard a quiet chirp. He abruptly stopped chewing and looked up, straining his ears to hear the noise again. When the silence didn't let up he began another mouthful, his eyes glancing around the room. He had just swallowed a piece of meat when the chirp happened again.

"Ok guys stop playing around! This isn't funny!" Goku shouted out.

Another chirp answered him.

"Fine you keep playing your stupid game Gojyo, I'm going to finish my meal!"

Watching for Gojyo to make an appearance, he heaped a fork full of food and greedily shovelled it into his mouth.

A flash of yellow caught his attention from the corner of his eye and another chirp echoed throughout the room. He frowned and piled another mouthful between his lips.

Something caught on the back of his throat and Goku threw his fork down to clatter against the plate. Grabbing his mouth, he began to cough harshly until finally he managed to hack up the sharp objected that had lodged in the back of his throat. He spat it out into his palm and looked down to find out what it was. In his hand lay a small pile of sand mushed together with spittle. White glinted out from beneath it and he pulled free a tiny bone. The chirp sounded again as Goku glanced further down to stare at his plate. What had been a meal before was now nothing but a pile of sand. He could make out more of the same white bones and he quickly but gently swept aside the dirt to reveal the skeleton beneath.

The chirp reverberated loudly as Goku stared wide eyed at the remains of a little bird lying buried on his plate. A small yellow feather floated down from nowhere and settled itself on the skeleton. The chirp began again repeating this time, over and over. More small yellow feathers floated down to land on the dirt covered plates that littered his table.

Goku let out a strangled wail and pushed back on his chair. The back legs caught on the rug behind sending him toppling backwards where his head connected loudly with the floor.

"Wakey wakey little Goku."

"Goku pried his eyes open and stared at the ceiling above him. The chirping had stopped and the feathers no longer fell. A face appeared over his.

"I think you're ready for the real game now don't you?"

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Gojyo stirred, his mind fuzzy from sleep. He felt so comfy the last thing he wanted to do was get up. Sighing he nuzzled himself deeper into the warm pillow his head rested on.

Fingers began to slowly stroke their way through his hair. "Did you have a nice sleep Gojyo?"

The kappa opened his eyes immediately squinting at the bright over head lights. "Huh?"

"You're so cute when you're dreaming."

Gojyo suddenly realised what he had taken for his warm pillow was actually a ladies lap. He began to quickly sit up when a hand placed itself on his shoulder and pushed him gently back down.

"You don't need to get up. I like the way you feel comfortable enough to just sleep. You must have been exhausted though with all your travelling and your poor leg."

As soon as the woman mentioned his leg, a sharp pain jolted throughout it causing Gojyo to jump with shock and hiss loudly through gritted teeth.

The woman shushed him and stroked his forehead. "You see. You're not in the best of conditions are you?"

Gojyo felt weak and his leg was throbbing badly. "No, I thought I was alright but I guess not."

Despite his pains, Gojyo couldn't help but think how he was messing this up badly. Here he was lying in the lap of a beautiful woman and hopefully if the others hadn't scarpered at the first sounds of his dulcet snoring he had two more fawning over him somewhere too, and instead of dragging his lazy ass to a room so he could pound them into the mattress, he was aching like a ninety year old and moaning.

"Maybe a massage would relax those weary limbs of yours," the woman said while slipping out from under him.

Gojyo turned his head finally seeing who had been beneath him. A self-satisfied smile spread across his face as the raven haired beauty, who had earlier enjoyed the taste of his body, loomed above him. He tried to shift himself over to allow her room to move but soon froze as pain shot through his body. He squeezed his eyes closed and allowed a small cry to escape from between his lips.

"Gojyo? Gojyo darling are you alright?"

The pain slowly ebbed away and Gojyo gently nodded wary of any movement. Maybe the bruises were finally starting to show after the car crash he thought puzzled at the pains sudden appearance.

"Relax, let me sooth those pains away," the raven head said and she slid on top of him settling herself down onto his groin.

Gojyo tensed as she moved above him fearing the pain would return any moment but the feeling of their most intimate parts brushing together through the thin barrier of their clothes left him tingling with the first wisps of pleasure. He closed his eyes briefly and arched his back, pressing himself against her. When he looked once more upon her, she was smiling seductively, her eyes full of unspoken promises.

She reached her hands down and stroked beneath his clothes and over his chest. Pain spiked within him again but as he opened his mouth to cry out, she captured it in a deep penetrating kiss. She only pulled away once his body stilled beneath her.

Her hips began to circle, stroking herself against him and her hands worked their way up his stomach caressing his skin. Those gentlest touches soon had him writhing beneath her again but not in pleasure induced motions.

Gojyo looked up at her while panting deep breaths. "I can't believe I'm going to say this but I really don't think I'm up to this. You're great really and look… well wow and any other day I'd be falling over myself to get with you but I need to see my friend. I'm really hurting here; there must be something he missed when he healed me. I'm sorry really.

The woman frowned. "You're sorry?"

Gojyo nodded nervously.

"You're sorry!" she repeated raising her voice slightly.

"Look don't get upset. Maybe after I'm healed we could hook up or something. They say first impressions are everything right! I don't want to give you a crap one cause I'm mind blowing when I'm a hundred percent."

The woman closed her eyes and curled her lips in a snarl. "Why do you always do this to me?"

Her nails dug into Gojyo's flesh making him hiss.

"You want me to love you and when I try my hardest you do this to me?!"

Gojyo frowned. "What? Lady we've never met before."

"Don't speak to me!" the woman screamed slapping him hard across the face. "You disgust me!"

She raised her hand again to strike and Gojyo tried desperately to lift his arms to protect himself. His limbs felt like lead and pain tore through his every muscle making him thrash about in agony. Her hand flew across his cheek reddening the skin. A sadistic smile stretched across her face and her hand came down again and again.

Gojyo screwed his eyes shut and turned his face away. He screamed at her to stop and calm down through gritted teeth while cursing himself for getting into this position. He should have known any woman who was willing to put out as easily as this must be some sort of psycho.

The blows stopped abruptly and Gojyo sneaked a look upwards. The woman sat breathless above him. She met his eyes and rage flew across her features.

"You filthy half breed! You filthy disgusting half breed! How did I ever let you live!"

Gojyo's eyes widened in horror as the woman flickered in between images of two women before settling back into the image of the raven haired one.

"What the hell are you?!"

"I said don't talk to me!" she screeched.

Her body flickered and distorted like she was receiving a bad reception.

"Blood you remind me of blood. You remind me of death and despair but above all blood. But you're not bleeding. You need to be bleeding!"

The woman began to shriek and she grasped Gojyo's head firmly between her hands.

Her imaged flickered again and Gojyo finally made out what was being shown to him. His stomach turned and he began to gasp for breath as panic overwhelmed him. The woman leaned forward until her nose touched his. She dug her long sharp nails deep into his flesh and Gojyo screamed in pain. His eyes stayed opened wide though unable to tear himself away from the sight of the crazed woman before him.

"Mother please." he whispered.

"You need to bleed." she replied calmly back and then slowly began to tear deep furrows down his face.

Gojyo closed his eyes this time and screamed over and over until his throat was hoarse. He could feel his blood warm and wet trickle down his cheeks until it settled in his hair, lost in the colour.

"This isn't real," he repeatedly pleaded in desperate whispers, wishing his mother away more then the pain.

A voice cut through his agony. "You're right this isn't real. Well not exactly."

The weight on his body suddenly disappeared along with the debilitating pain refusing to let him move. He jerked opened his eyes and grasped at his face expecting to find it in ragged ruins. Relief flooded through him as he found his skin still smooth and perfect.

A man walked into his line of sight and smiled gently.

"You know you really shouldn't be so vain Gojyo."

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Hakkai squeezed his eyes shut as he realised he had been watching the performance so intensely he had forgotten to blink. He didn't keep them closed for long, not wanting to miss a second of the dance, and as soon as the dryness eased a little he began his perpetual stare again.

"Beautiful isn't it."

The voice didn't make him jump even though it was completely unexpected. Instead he just found a warm pleasure build inside at the idea of someone appreciating the dancers' magnificence as much as him.

The man behind him slid forward until his elbows rested either side of Hakkai, settling on the back of the seat. He gently whispered in his ear.

"It fills you with overwhelming emotion to watch the movement, the grace those people have. It's almost indescribable."

"Yes," Hakkai sighed breathlessly.

Hakkai watched as the woman dancing before him was gradually overcome by the twists of the male dancer and she gracefully slid into the lead males arms.

"It's almost like they are conveying our own thoughts and feelings through movement. It's like they have a story and they must tell it."

Hakkai frowned puzzled for the first time by the mans words but he didn't let it distract him.

The woman began to writhe on the floor, contorting herself into grotesque shapes while the man above her slid in strong yet sure motions, his movements a contrast to his partners.

"What do you think they're doing now?"

Hakkai shook his head. "I don't know and yet it just seems so familiar."

"What do you think Kanan would say about it?"

Hakkai quickly began to turn in his seat, warnings and curiosity finally rushing through him. He was stopped by a firm grip on his head and fiercely pushed back into place.

"Well Gonou?"

"How do you know that name?" asked Hakkai, panic stretching his voice.

"Oh I know so much about you Gonou but now isn't the time for reminiscing. It would be rude to interrupt the show."

Hakkai's eyes flicked back to the stage where the woman lay on the floor, her back curved sharply upwards, a silent scream pouring from between her lips. The man grasped her hips firmly and knelt between her legs before rolling his body in waves. He finally threw his head back as the woman slumped to the ground.

A tear left a wet trail down Hakkai's cheek. "Kanan."

"Magnificent. Incredible. I thought for a moment I would stop breathing from the sheer beauty of it."

Hakkai snarled and pulled vainly against the man's grip. His joints felt locked into his seated position and though he strained as much as he could, he couldn't break free. Hakkai shouted out in frustration.

"Shush Gonou. Enjoy the show. I know the story so well but it's still one of my favourites."

"Who are you?" asked Hakkai struggling to keep the anger out of his voice.

"Gonou I'm hurt. Am I really that unimportant that you would forget me? No matter, watch the show and I'm sure your question will soon be answered."

Hakkai reluctantly focused his attention on the stage. The dance had moved on and the woman was nowhere to be seen. Instead a young male dancer was centre stage. He was surrounded by the other males in the cast and was performing a unique series of twists, thrust and turns, each move causing another dancer to slide to the floor. At one point he leapt high into the air and three males caught him before he could land. They turned and he was momentarily hidden from sight before their backs bowed and they fell to their knees. The young dancer rolled upwards from his crouch and took a few seemingly random steps before running off stage left.

"That bit always gives me shivers, don't you find Gonou?"

Hakkai ignored him and continued to watch as the woman appeared huddled in a cage stage left and the man ran on from the right.

The two knelt and joined hands through the barrier and began to dance. The movement was soft and gentle; some motions were so slight that it made one wonder if they had ever happened at all. The dance showed the couples bond as they each mirrored the other, growing closer together until they were pressing themselves against the bars. The moment they touched, the woman threw herself backwards as if torn away by some unknown force. She turned her face away from the man, her movements becoming disjointed and jerky. For a few seconds she would glance at her partner and her body would soften once more before turning away and letting the motion overwhelm her.

Hakkai watched and silently pleaded with the performers not to do what he knew was coming next. He couldn't stop staring as the woman finally clutched her stomach and twisted to fall on the ground.

Everything went still. A small choked sound echoed from Hakkai's throat. The man behind him was panting heavily, his shoulders rising and falling with the effort.

"Yes!" he hissed quietly between clenched teeth.

The lone male dancer burst into movement, his motions jagged and violent. He flew back and forth across the stage, deciding on one direction before turning to another.

The cage slid out of sight to be replaced with more male dancers each of which quickly fell beneath the young man until finally at last, there was but one left.

"Chin Yisou," whispered Hakkai.

"Yes Gonou," Chin said his voice coloured with pride.

The two dancers glided together, their moves more gentle and subtle but somehow more intense then any of the previous dances. Their bodies never seemed to move more then an inch away from each other, both seemed to know instinctively what the other would do.

The change shocked Hakkai as the dancers pulled apart and began to move in the precise opposite way to his partner. The rhythm of the motion began to steadily build faster and the dance grew more intense though it seemed hardly possibly it could have. Before long the two were a blur of movement.

Hakkai felt as if his heart was stuttering in his chest, nervous anticipation for the end he knew was coming. When the dance froze, Hakkai's heart froze with it. The dancers stood still for a moment staring silently at one another and then just as suddenly as it had stopped, the two crashed together and fell bonelessly to the floor.

"Do you remember it Gonou? Do you remember what you did that night? The pain you caused?"

"You caused your own pain," Hakkai growled in reply.

The young male dancer began to rise to his feet steadily. Other dancers came creeping onto the stage, their costumes blending into the black background. In their hands they held a long rope of green which the preceded to wrap around the man.

"Vines," said Hakkai realising its representation.

When the last of the rope was draped over him, the young man bent and scooped a long scrap of scarlet cloth from the floor. He ran it over every part of his body, savouring the touch before entwining it around the rope.

"Those vines that cover your true form Gonou are tattooed in blood. Our blood. We died and now you've become that which you hate the most."

"I've long since cleansed myself of that hatred. If you want trouble Chin Yisou you would do better to find it elsewhere."

"Do you really believe that Gonou? Do you really think that you are now this Hakkai? This torment is burned into your very soul."

"Not anymore."

"Really," the man responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

He moved his hands upward and covered Hakkai's eyes.

"Then you won't mind watching it again will you."

Chin Yisou quickly pulled away and Hakkai found himself looking at Kanan writhing at his feet.

"Kanan!"

A man appeared on top of her, his claws tearing at her flesh as he thrust into her fragile body.

Hakkai watched wide eyed powerless to move.

"Stop." he desperately pleaded.

Chin Yisou began to laugh and his enjoyment mingled with the screams of Kanan.

"Look closer Gonou,"

He pushed Hakkai's head down until it was level with that of the youkai's.

The demon turned his head and smiled a crazed smile.

"Look what you've become Cho Hakkai!" Chin Yisou screamed in sickening pleasure.

Hakkai watched in terror as his own youkai form tore into his lover. Her body became stained with a deep red and her screams became a constant hoarse noise.

"Remember who you are now Gonou and let this image forever be burned into your mind."

Chin Yisou pressed his nail against Hakkai's eyes, piercing the soft flesh. Hakkai was screaming long before the physical pain consumed him though.

"Open your eyes," came the soft spoken command.

Hakkai swiftly shook his head. "I can't, I can't look anymore.

"Can you still hear the screams?"

Hakkai frowned, puzzled by the words. He soon realised the only screams he could hear now were the ones echoing in his mind. His eyes felt strangely whole again and Hakkai opened them to find them undamaged except for what he had inflicted himself. The nightmares had disappeared and instead he found himself slumped back in the theatre chair looking at the stranger before him.

The man smiled. "See now that wasn't so hard was it."