Konnichiwa! This chapter picks up right where the last one left off, hope you all like. Credit to NoxKindxOfxLife for role playing with me and being Sanzo and Gojyo during that time. I know I said I would never do this again but I relented anyway.
Ryo: Thanks to the wonderful people who review my chapters...which hasn't been happening lately. -cries-
Sanzo: -groans- Please do it so she'll shut up about it.
Ryo: Insensitive jerk! It's about you! Or do I need to stop writing about you all together?
Sanzo: Meh...-turns page in paper-
Ryo: OO I HATE YOU GENJYO!
Sanzo: But I love you...somehow...in a sick and twisted way...
Ryo: Oh Sanzo! -glomps-
Sanzo: Please just review more...damn she's heavy for a skinny chick...-falls-
Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki and never will. I also do not own Mingmei who is an original character made by NxKxOfxL. The only thing I own is Mayumi…for now.
It began to rain, raindrops splashed against the window. It was turning into quite the thunderstorm outside as lightning flashed across the sky. A few seconds later a clap of thunder was heard. There was a crash from the room next door. It seemed like there was some struggling going on.
"What the hell is going on over there?" Gojyo asked. A few seconds later there was frantic pounding on their door.
Hakkai blinked in confusion and walked over to the door opening it. Goku had heard the same noise and peeked out his room. All he could see was someone's shadow in the hall knocking on Hakkai's door.
As Hakkai opened the door, a woman fell against him. The woman was wearing a white tank top and a pair of black underwear. She had long wavy blonde hair and aqua green eyes. The woman's skin was paper white. Her lip was busted open, her nose was bleeding. There were bruises on the inside of her thighs. She slid to her knees as one of her thin pale hands grasped the demon's shirt.
"P-please...help m-me…" she stuttered. Her voice held great fear. The woman looked up to Hakkai with those big aqua green eyes, which held tears that streamed down her face. Hakkai looked down at her in surprise and then helped her into the room's bathroom.
"I'll help you, don't worry" he said softly to her.
He sat her down on the closed toilet seat and began to take out medicinal supplies. She was very beautiful behind all the blood and bruises, who could've done something like this to her? He began to take warm water and clean her up carefully looking into her eyes the whole time to assure her she'd be okay.
Gojyo stood at the door, leaning against the doorframe. The woman brought a shaky hand to Hakkai's, pushing the medicine away.
"H-he's still in the room."
She was trying to stop herself from crying, but found no luck in doing so. Around her wrist was the mark of a hand, obviously someone had held onto her wrist tightly.
"I-I knocked him out..."she told them.
Gojyo left the room heading into the room next to theirs. Inside of the room it looked like a horror scene. There was a blood smeared on the wall, the bed sheets were thrown all over the place. The window was open and then curtains were blowing with the force of the wind. There was a broken lamp that must have been the cause of the crash. On the ground lay a man knocked out. His pants were unbuckled and unzipped. Gojyo picked up the man and carried him downstairs where he was taken into custody.
Hakkai looked at her with a sadness in his eyes. She was raped...or she was going to be. The poor thing. He brought a hand to her cheek and stroked it.
"Don't worry about him, we'll make sure he gets what he deserves" he said to her.
Then his eyes darkened with images of what happened to him and a tear fell down his cheek unknowingly. "
Miss, did he...did he do it or did you knock him out before he could?" he asked. She probably knew what he had meant by it.
The woman didn't answer. Instead her head lowered as she stared over the forming bruises on her legs. "It happened so fast..." She brought her hands to her face. She quieted her sobbing, but her shoulders heaved with the tears.
Hakkai sighed brought a hand to her own. "Hey now, please don't cry. I think you're actually quite beautiful and whatever he did was wrong and foul. He'll get what he deserves, you'll never be touched again. Now give me a good look in the eyes okay? I've been through a lot myself but in the end I can find some reason to smile" he said.
He stood up and put the medicine on the counter. "And miss, we should get this stuff on you fast, anyone with that kind of damage would need it" he said. He hadn't even asked for her name yet, that was unlike him.
She looked up, wiping her eyes.
"T-thank you..." she managed to stammer as the sobs came to a stop.
"...for helping me."
He seemed to assure her that she would not be touched again, her mind thought otherwise. It was hard to tell someone they'd be safe when something like that just happened too them. She wanted to believe him, really she did. Mingmei traveled by herself, which added to the fear. Her belongings were still in the room, and she needed to try to get some sleep, but the thought of having to go back into that room made her feel sick.
"I-I think...I think I'm going to throw up..."
He quickly got her off the seat and opened the toilet before she could be sick all over the floor. His thoughts were all concentrated on how to make her safe, no woman deserved what she had gotten. Once she was through, he wiped her mouth with a warm towel and patted her back.
"You can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the floor. I assume all your belongings are in the other room so I'll have my friend get them" he said to her. "Gojyo!" he called. Hopefully the kappa was back or on his way by now. Gojyo stopped in the doorway to the bathroom.
The woman rose to her feet, moving an arm over her stomach and held her other arm just above the elbow. Her head lowered to the floor. "You've been very nice to me and I'm grateful that you happened to be in the room next to mine. But I believe if I took your bed I'd be imposing on you" she said and took a deep breath. "I'll be... fine..." she hoped.
Hakkai took her in his arms gently and stroked her hair. "You wouldn't, besides, I wouldn't want you to be alone at a time like this" he said. Then he looked to the redhead and pointed.
"I need you to get her things from the next room and please try not to let the monks know about this. You know how they are" he said slowly walking her out the bathroom. He stopped in front of his bed and smiled down at her.
"You'll be comfortable, I promise" he reassured her.
She could feel the tears rising up in her throat, choking her. She swallowed hard, and blinked back the upcoming sobs. Gojyo nodded at Hakkai's request and went back into the room next door. He gathered a small bag and anything that looked like it'd belong to her. He came back and placed the bag in a chair that sat in the corner.
"See? Now please miss, get some rest" he said picking her up in his arms and lying her down under the covers. He looked over at Gojyo and smiled, he could help out when it was actually needed. "And you don't owe us anything, it's our duty to help you" he said to her.
She stared up at Hakkai, her green orbs slowly growing watery once again. She wondered if the tears would ever stop, or if it'd stop once all the tears were dry. Gojyo helped Hakkai make a small bed on the floor. She quickly fell asleep, the adrenaline and the tears had made her so tired.
Hakkai sat on his makeshift bed and looked up at Gojyo. "I think that we should take her with us if she has no place to go" he suggested. Sanzo would kill him but if this woman really felt like she was in that much danger afterwards and had no where else to go she might as well be with people who actually gave a damn. Gojyo thought it over for a second.
"There isn't enough room in jeep. It's all ready crowded the way it is...even if Sanzo agrees for her to come with us there is no place for her to sit."
Hakkai sighed and looked down. "I guess so...bad idea then huh?" he asked with a chuckle. Hopefully she would be alright then.
Lucky for them that night was Kiora's last with the group…
Goku still sat on Kiora's bed looking down at her, he really was in love with her. That was strange, had he ever been in love like that? Maybe he thought he was but this time he was for sure about it. He would tell her how he felt. He smiled and stroked her smooth cheek as she slept, she looked so peaceful there.
The next morning came quicker than expected. Sanzo was all ready up and dressed. He was ready to go since he had allowed a free day they were a bit behind schedule…which happened to them a lot actually. Kiora woke too, seeing Goku laying at the foot of her bed. She was thinking over her motives for staying with the group.
Soon she gently shook Goku to wake him. Once he was awake she began to speak. "Goku, I can't keep traveling. Since I have broken the curse I no long need to travel with the five of you." She smiled sweetly at him. "So I am saying my goodbyes."
Goku looked at her with tear filled eyes and hugged her waist. "But you can't go! Please don't leave Kiora! I...I..." he stammered. He was too nervous to say it. He didn't want her to leave like everything had left him in those five hundred years.
Her smile faded seeing the tears fill his eyes. He looked so sad and it made her feel guilty, just like she had felt when her father murdered her brother. "But there is no need to travel anymore. Gomen...please forgive me. I'm just taking up space."
Goku hugged her tighter and looked up into her dark eyes.
"I love you Kiora!" he yelled and buried his face into her chest like a child.
He wanted to cry, she meant a lot to him. No matter what she was to him, he would always think of her as a love he couldn't have.
Kiora wrapped her arms around Goku, resting her cheek on the top of his head. "And I love you...but Goku..." she stopped trying to find words. "I can't continue to travel with you. It is just...not meant to be." She looked to her wrist, seeing her necklace safely wrapped around it. She took it off and pulled Goku away from her and placed the necklace around his neck. He blinked and then looked back up at her.
"But you need this Kiora...it's your protection and your mom gave it to you" he said. He wanted it but it seemed to mean so much to her. He felt bad just making her give it up like that. He sighed and leaned up to kiss her cheek. "I won't forget you Kiora" he said holding back tears.
Kiora smiled at Goku. "I don't think I need it anymore. My mother would have wanted you to have it. I want you to have it. Keep it safe." Kiora ran a hand through his brown hair, ruffling it. "And I won't forget you. Whenever you finish your journey feel free to come to the town where we first met. I'll wait there for you if you decide to see me again."
She lifted the necklace into the palm of her hand. "Don't feel bad, Goku. I will always know where you are. And if you ever need help, call upon the necklace with all your heart, my mother and I will protect you."
Goku smiled up at her and watched her get her things. She was leaving...and he was still sad. But she was alive and that was all he needed. He would see her again after they stopped Gyokoumen and he wouldn't ever stop loving her.
Kiora sighed heavily turning back to Goku. "This is goodbye... for now." She smiled and moved a hand under his chin. She lifted up his head and kissed him on the cheek then turned and opened the door.
Goku stood there with his head down, he didn't want to look up. But...
"Wait!" he said.
She stopped and turned around to look at him. He went up to her and kissed her full on the mouth for a few seconds and pulled away. "I wanted you to be my first kiss" he said blushing. He was content a little bit now.
Kiora stood there shocked for a moment, not quite sure if he actually kissed her or if she was having a hallucination. She smiled at Goku once again, this time with a glowing beautiful smile.
"I will keep that." She was talking about keeping the kiss. She then left the room and the inn, beginning her journey back to the town she had called her home for over two hundred years.
Hakkai awoke and got dressed quickly. He looked over the woman they had saved last night and smiled. She actually looked at peace in her sleep, not scared anymore.
Mingmei slowly opened her eyes. She was facing the window. Her thighs ached and she was sore from what had happened to her the night before. The pain suddenly brought her to remember that she had been raped. She had forgotten where she was and suddenly sat up in the bed and frantically looked around the room.
Hakkai looked over at her and smiled. "Good morning miss, I hope you're feeling better" he said. He noted the fear in her eyes and wanted to hug her but he couldn't, that would be inappropriate. "I'd hate to say it but we have to leave today" he said.
Mingmei's head lowered then moved to look out the window. There was a bird flying across the morning sky and planted itself on a branch.
"I see" she eventually said. A small forced smile came over her lips. "Then I will thank you now for your hospitality. I really am glad you were in the room next to mine."
Hakkai nodded and walked over to the bed. "May I have your name miss?" he asked. He hadn't bothered to ask because of what was going on last night.
Mingmei turned to look at Hakkai. Her smile faded and she bowed her head. "My name is Mingmei. Mingmei Ototou."
Hakkai looked at her then smiled. "Don't be sad, it's a beautiful name. Mine is Cho Hakkai and this man here is Sha Gojyo" he said pointing to the already dressed sprite.
Gojyo opened the door looking out to see if anyone was waiting in the hall. Good there was still time so he didn't have to hurry. Mingmei looked back up.
"Hakkai..." she said more to herself, testing out the name.
"Thank you Hakkai...and thank you Gojyo." She said to the kappa who was returning to sit on his bed. Hakkai nodded and gathered his things to put in jeep. He was all ready to go and Sanzo was probably eager to leave himself.
Mingmei didn't want to get out from under the covers yet. She was a bit ashamed at her current state and really didn't want to look at the bruises that were probably more visible now that they had time to develop.
Hakkai picked up her bag and sat it on the chair near her.
"If you want, we'll let you change" he said walking out the room and giving Gojyo a glare. That made the kappa follow him, he wouldn't want to make the woman more uncomfortable than she already was. He had some morals.
Mingmei took that time to pull out a pair of jeans from her bag. She pulled back the covers seeing big hand-shaped bruises on her thighs. She sighed deeply and gingerly pulled her jeans on. She took a jacket from the back and put it on, zipping it over her white tank top.
As Hakkai and Gojyo were walking out, he noticed Goku looking out the window sadly.
"What is it?" he asked.
Goku didn't answer him, only looked at the shadow of the woman he had fallen in love with. Mayumi walked out her own room with her bags slung over her shoulders. "Kiora is gone" she said to him.
Gojyo moved to the window beside Goku, seeing a small figure of what was Kiora. She sure did move fast. Sanzo crossed his arms over his chest. "Is everyone ready?" Hakkai froze. What the hell was he going to say about Mingmei?
Goku nodded and walked off with a small smile on his face. Mayumi looked over to Hakkai with that blank look in her eyes and then scowled. "You saved a woman?" she asked. He glared at her and then smiled at Sanzo.
"Well...you see that thing about that was…she really needed help and all...and since there's room in jeep now..." he explained trying to get her to come with them. He felt bad leaving her here and he wouldn't forgive himself if he did. Mayumi sighed and put her hands in her sleeves.
"Give the woman a break Sanzo, I read everything Hakkai knows about her, it isn't all happy either" she said.
Sanzo waved a hand, being particularly in a good mood today. "Whatever."
He closed the door to Mayumi and his room and headed down the stairs to tell the innkeeper they were checking out. Gojyo stared as Sanzo left the hallway.
"That was... easier than expected..." he said.
Mingmei zipped up her bag after she ran a brush through her wavy hair. She grabbed a ponytail and placed her hair up in a bun, leaving a bit of her bangs to fall in her face.
Hakkai knocked on the door and spoke through it. "Mingmei? We've agreed that you can come with us" he said. He was sure she love to hear this news, she wouldn't have to be alone.
Mayumi smiled slightly at Gojyo and patted his back. "I think Sanzo is happy when he gets happy" she said and walked downstairs with Hakuryuu following her. The little dragon had grown to like her a lot these past few months.
Mingmei looked at the door, hearing him tell her such wonderful news. She walked slowly towards the door, limping slightly as she walked. God, she was in so much pain. She had her bag over her shoulder as she opened the door. Her head lowered she bowed to him.
"Thank you..." she felt like she couldn't say this enough to Hakkai.
Hakkai smiled and saw her shaky legs. "It's no problem...and if you want I can carry you" he suggested. If she fell it would be painful as hell on her. And that would be going against his word to protect her now wouldn't it?
She shook her head. "No. I'm fine, really" she assured him. They all eventually made it downstairs and got into Hakuryuu who was now transformed into jeep.
Goku was now sitting in the middle next to Gojyo. Sanzo was all ready in his regular spot and Mayumi was in hers. They were ready to go.
Hakkai pointed to the spot next to Goku and she got in slowly. Goku smiled at her warmly and put his hands behind his head. Hakkai got in the driver's seat and started the ignition. He was going to miss this place a little, it was relaxed here. He drove away, leaving the town behind them and back to the days of sleeping a few hours and getting up early as hell.
Mingmei gave Goku the best smile she could give at the moment. She would of loved to converse with him, but she was still tired and in enough pain to keep her rather quiet. She turned to look out the window, resting her elbow on the frame of the window and rested her chin in her palm.
She couldn't shake the haunting images of what had happened to her. It keep replaying in her mind like a broken record. Over and over again. Her eyes lowered to watch the ground speed past. Really Mingmei didn't know much about herself. She could only remember a couple months ago when she was found passed out in an alleyway.
When she came to, she was in a hospital. The only thing she could remember was her name. She too asked the question why? Why her? Did that man know her? Did he mean something to her? Or was she simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? She would probably never know until the day she died.
Sanzo was watching the road ahead, leaning back in his seat. Gojyo was smoking a cigarette, like usual.
Hakkai kept his eyes on the road and his mind on Mingmei. Where had she come from? And why had that bastard raped her so brutally? There were questions with no answers to them but she might eventually tell them.
Mayumi was in her seat with her back resting on the cushion, she was tired, She couldn't sleep very well through thunderstorms, they brought back too many memories for her.
Goku would have talked to Mingmei but she looked a little lost in thought at the moment. Gojyo smoked the cigarette quickly, flicking the butt out of the car. He looked over at Gojyo and stared. He had been awfully quiet, he must've seen something terrible.
"What's wrong?" he asked. He could be concerned about Gojyo from time to time.
Gojyo looked down at Goku. "Nothing is wrong. Just thinking." Really he was just thinking, but coming from him it sounded strange. Did the cockroach really think? Sanzo was becoming uncomfortable from the silence. Usually Goku and Gojyo were fighting by now.
Hakkai was a bit surprised, they usually would be yelling and one of the monks would get annoyed. That was the routine...but maybe because of Mingmei they didn't want to speak, wanting to let her enjoy the silence.
Goku blinked and laughed. "You actually think?" he asked.
Mayumi sighed and rubbed her temples, the peace couldn't last long.
Gojyo glared down at Goku. "Of course I think. I'm not a mindless chimp who only thinks with his stomach!"
Mingmei turned to look at the two who were beginning to argue. Finally something that would postpone those haunting images for now. She was a bit relieved that someone had been talking.
Goku growled and pointed at him. "At least I'm not a womanizing kappa that got hit by a girl!" he yelled back.
Hakkai and Mayumi sweatdropped in unison. The silence was broken but now those two were at it again.
Gojyo seemed to raise out of his seat as did Goku. "At least I can keep a woman!" he yelled back at Goku.
Sanzo was for once in a good mood and they were slowly ruining it. His brow actually began to furl in irritation. If this continued, he was going to shoot one of them.
Goku growled and started pulling at those two hairs on his head. "Don't you bring Kiora into this! At least I don't get turned on by hearing Mayumi moan!" he yelled.
Hakkai gasped and looked over. She had that evil aura around her and turned around slowly, it looked like something out of the exorcist.
"What was that?" she said dangerously soft. Her gun was held in her hand and loaded to shoot at any moment. Goku sweatdropped and sat down.
"Um...well...we kind of heard you and Sanzo yesterday...but it was an accident!" he lied.
She growled and stared at Gojyo. "You find that a turn on? How about I kill you here? Would that do it for you kappa?" she said with that same tone. Even Hakkai was scared of her at the moment.
Gojyo put his hands up. "Goku was just as turned on as I was!" he said in his defense.
Sanzo's good mood was now officially ruined. He too held an evil aura. "I thought I felt someone eavesdropping...you good for nothing sons of bitches!"
Sanzo's voice had started soft and was now at a yell. He wasn't going to give Gojyo a choice if he wanted to be killed or not. Sanzo also stood pointing his gun to Gojyo's head. His eye was twitching and it was very noticeable.
"C'mon Sanzo... let's be reasonable."
"Reasonable? I'm way past any reasoning."
Mingmei found this little party to be quite interesting. Gojyo grabbed a pack of cigarettes and held one out to Sanzo. Sanzo shot the pack out of his hand, the pack being left behind on the ground as they sped.
Mayumi stood up and held her gun to Goku. "You little brat...I kill you then shoot Gojyo's dead corpse!" she yelled. He cowered in fear, he wasn't going to reason with her.
Hakkai looked over at them and chuckled nervously. "Come on, if you kill them what will we do about fighting? We'll be down two fighters" he said.
Goku growled and pointed. "He was listening too!" he yelled. Mayumi stared at him and sighed. "I refuse to waste my bullets on any of you" she said and sat back down. Oh, they would pay later. Dearly.
Sanzo began to speak through clenched teeth. "I could expect something like this from you Gojyo...maybe a bit from you Goku...but Hakkai..."
The only thing stopping him was the thought of who was going to die first. Mingmei quickly jumped to all of their defenses, even though she didn't know any of them. "Please, what they did may of been wrong, but the past is the past and there is no way to go back and changed what they did. All you can do is forgive them and move on." Sanzo glared, but eventually turned back around to watch the road ahead of him.
Hakkai was in shame, he shouldn't have listened. Goku was really in shame, Mayumi and Sanzo thought ill of him. Thankfully Mingmei was their savor from being killed.
"Thanks" he said to her. She nodded to the thanks and turned back to look out the window. Again she was being plagued by such images. God how she hated it. Mingmei had always been cursed with thinking.
Also with such a vivid memory, that was when she remembered something and didn't have amnesia. Sometimes she wished she could be simple minded, and the saying was true. Ignorance is bliss.
Mayumi rubbed her temples, how wrong was it to be caught having sex? Even more so that they were both monks? Buddha wouldn't ever forgive them hopefully.
Gojyo wasn't so caught up on it. Sex was a natural thing and was actually quite healthy. He would of lit up a cigarette but Sanzo had shot his only pack out of the car. Sanzo was still pissed. Great, it would of been all fine if Goku hadn't of said anything.
Goku looked over at Gojyo and sighed. He hadn't meant to say anything but he had something against him still. He wondered what was Mingmei thinking about so intensely? She kind of reminded him of Hakkai a little bit, you never knew what went on in his mind.
Mayumi looked back at the two and scowled. "Ask if you want to watch next time" she said and turned around putting her arms across her chest. Goku blushed a deep crimson while Hakkai snickered.
Sanzo looked at Mayumi. "Ask if they want to watch? Hell we'll just tape it for them." He brought a hand to his temple and then grabbed a cigarette and lit it up. He was going to punish all three of them.
Goku looked at Sanzo and had a shiver up his spine. The monk was planning something evil, he just knew it. Hakkai felt the same thing and looked over at the psychic. She had her eyes closed but he could tell she was thinking. How he hated it when those two thought alike.
Soon it was getting dark. Mingmei raised a hand slightly in the air feeling a splash against her palm. Then the rain really began to pour. A flash of lightning went across the sky followed by a loud clap of thunder. It seemed the storm was following them.
Sanzo looked to Hakkai. "Pull over. We'll set up camp." Once Hakkai had pulled over and Hakuryuu transformed they pulled up a couple tarps to shelter them from the rain.
Hakkai put a jacket over Mingmei to keep her warm. She was so pale, she looked almost sick. But she was healthy despite her cuts and bruises. Goku sat staring out at the rain, he wanted to keep driving. He hated the rain.
Mingmei held the jacket to herself, also staring out to the rain. It looked so gray and dismal. Was the rain going to follow her and also haunt her like the images? She sighed, lowering her head. She did this a lot. Maybe for the reason you can't see what's passing by when your eyes are lowered.
Mayumi sat cross legged and next to Sanzo smoking one of her cigarettes. "How do you put up with this?" she asked.
"I don't" he said simply.
Sanzo was still angry with the three of them for eavesdropping. Soon, Sanzo stood and retreated to the other tent. There was enough room for three people and he couldn't be under a tent with three of his companions at the moment.
Goku sighed and laid down underneath a small blanket he had been given. He didn't want to talk to anyone, just sleep and dream of being with Kiora. His dreams could take him away.
Gojyo also followed him. He felt that it'd be best to stay away from Goku. Since Kiora left he seemed to be in a crappy mood. He didn't blame him. She was probably his first love. Mingmei yawned quietly. The rain had a way of making people tired.
Mayumi moved to the other tent, this one was more depressing than usual and she was actually in an okay mood again. Them hearing her and Sanzo pissed her off but she didn't feel like doing anything to get back at them. She took out one of her new romance novels and started to read and eat a bag of strawberries she saved.
Mingmei laid down on a mat. She just wanted some medicine to make her body numb. She couldn't stand the pain. She felt weak. Why couldn't she stop him before he raped her?
Hakkai looked over at Mingmei and tapped her arm lightly. "Excuse me, I think I should cleanse your wounds and apply medication. You seem really weak" he said. He didn't want her to get infected. Mingmei nodded sitting up. She was lucky that her nose wasn't broken. As soon as she had felt the punch he gave her and felt the blood flowing from her nose, she was sure it was broken.
Hakkai checked her over like a doctor would and used some medicine although it stung her slightly. Mingmei flinched as he applied the medicine. Once he was finished she looked back down. She wrapped a thin hand around her bun, pulling the ponytail holder out of her hair letting her blond hair fall down. She let out a sigh.
"It's all my fault." She said softly, to herself and to not disturb Goku.
Hakkai put away the supplies and got under the covers on his rice mat. He was tired from driving all day and they had an early start tomorrow.
Mingmei too laid down, listening to the rain as it bounced off of the tent. She couldn't stop thinking about things making it almost impossible to get any sleep. Soon enough her mind slowed enough that she could close her eyes and go into the only place she felt safe.
Gojyo rolled out a mat and laid down with a blanket over him. He turned away from the monks and closed his eyes. He was hoping Sanzo wasn't going to do anything to him while he slept.
Once Gojyo was asleep Sanzo stared at him. "I'm going to chop his precious hair off..." Sanzo said leaning towards Gojyo. Mayumi stared at him and popped a strawberry in her mouth.
"He might look better, here" she said absentmindedly handing him some scissors. She wanted to see this but she wasn't going to be caught doing anything.
Sanzo grinned sheepishly, grabbing a handful of his red hair and chopping it off. He placed a ribbon around the hair and placed it next to Gojyo's face so he'd see it when he woke up. Sanzo handed the scissors back to Mayumi the grin gone from his face and his usual stoic self coming back.
Mayumi made a weird chuckle and put away the scissors.
"I didn't know my Genjyo Sanzo had a juvenile way of thinking" she commented and started eating again.
Sanzo looked to Mayumi. "Only when it is needed."
He laid down on his rice mat and pulled his blanket over his body. He wanted to get some rest so that he could see the look on Gojyo's face in the morning when he noticed a big chunk of his hair missing.
Mayumi finished her chapter and closed the novel looking at Sanzo. He looked content in his sleep, but there was more to him than that. She turned off the flashlight she was using and slipped under the covers, she was ready to hit the pillow behind her.
Gojyo rolled onto his back in his sleep. The bunch of hair was still there, it seemed Sanzo had placed the hair by his face but far enough away that it would stay in place. That was unfortunate for the kappa who loved his precious blood red hair.
Well, that concludes this chapter. As always, I expect a few good reviews before posting the next one. But since I'm so nice, I've limited it to 1-2 reviews per chapter.
