I hold no claim to the characters from this kick-ass Anime. Only Aurora, Naora, Corell, Arryn, Orin, and Amira are mine.
Chapter Nine
Lethal Trap
"Gojyo!"
The redhead glanced up from his fight with his brother to see Amira flying at him. He instantly shoved Dokugakuji away before jumping backwards and catching the woman. He instantly took notice of the wounds on her and carefully set her down. "Are you all right?" He demanded.
"Yeah," Amira nodded, wiping the blood from her face. "This bitch is strong." She smirked and Corell landed beside Dokugakuji. "I'm impressed."
"Corell," Doku seemed very surprised. "What happened? You normally don't like wounding the enemy."
Corell glared at the man beside her before turning back to the other woman as she gave a laugh. "Oh, it was nothing really. I just ended up breaking one of her bracelets. She grew really pissed off at that."
"Oh," Doku gave a small laugh. "Now I understand. Those bracelets were from Lord Kougaiji."
"If that pissed her off like that, I can't wait to see what Auroura's going to do to you! That woman can piss anyone and everyone off."
"Auroura?" Corell sounded surprised as she turned her head, looking at Kougaiji for a second before returning back to the other three before her. "As in the Amejisuto Priestess?"
Amira lowered her weapons. "How do you know her?"
"Amejisuto Priestess?" Gojyo looked at the woman beside him. "What is that?"
"It's sort of like the Sanzo Priests, just the female version. There are many things different between the two sets of them, but that's something I can go more detail into later. What I want to know," She turned back to Corell. "Is how you know Auroura!"
Corell smiled. "She is the leader of the other group trying to stop us, is she not? Did you really think that we'd only attack you five?"
Amira gave a laugh. "Well, at least I know they're still okay. You idiots are nowhere near being able to hurt the four of them if you can't take on the five of us."
"You keep talking about your friends but we haven't caught up to them yet. I'm starting to get anxious."
"Don't worry, they'll be here soon." Amira assured the man beside him.
(And they will be soon, I promise!)
"Oh yeah, Amira, this is my brother; Jien, er-Dokugakuji now, I guess." Gojyo told her.
"You're Jien, are you?" Amira asked him. "You wouldn't happen to be the Jien that were acquainted with a woman named Arryn and her brother Orin Grouse, are you?"
Before the man could reply though-
"No matter who I'm fighting, this was for my mother!" Kougaiji's voice yelled and it brought everyone's attention to his and Goku's fight as his blow landed on the monkey-boy, making him fly backwards.
"Goku!" Hakkai sounded worried.
"That's one down." Yaone smiled.
"Holy Shit," Gojyo said as Amira sighed and Doku gave a laugh as Corell stayed silent. They didn't have to worry though. Goku soon got back up, smiling as he always did in a fight.
"So you can still land a punch!" He smirked. "Can you still take one?"
Amira shook her head and turned back to Corell but her eyes caught sight of Sanzo and Lirin. The two of them were squatting on the ground, eating meat buns as they watched the others.
"That wasn't half bad!" Lirin smiled.
"Here, take another one," Sanzo held another one out. "I've got plenty."
"Thanks!" The child grinned.
Amira slapped a hand on her face. "He really does know how to take care of animals, doesn't he?"
"Come," Corell brought Amira's attention back to her. "Let's continue shall we?"
"Not a problem." She smiled, gripping her Sais.
Corell didn't seem bothered by Goku landing another hit to Kougaiji's face as she and Amira continued on their own little battle. They ignored everyone and everything until that Shikigami decided to come back.
"What the hell?" Amira demanded as Goku and Kougaiji got hit and flew back. The Shikigami went to attack them again and Gojyo moved forward, blocking them immediately.
"Gojyo." Goku sighed.
"Move it, kid." The redhead told him. "I can't hold this for too much longer." His brother decided to move in and cut the arm in half. "Thanks. I guess I owe you one." He rubbed his wrist.
"Forget it," His brother replied. "So, is this a truce?"
"You mean this thing isn't yours?" Amira asked Corell.
The woman shook her head. "No, it's not. Someone else has decided to join our little game."
"Oh, what's the big deal?" Lirin demanded from Sanzo's shoulders. "I kicked this guy's ass with no problem."
"Listen." Amira could hear the anger in Sanzo's voice.
"Okay?"
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Uh, sitting." She replied like he was an idiot.
"Get off." He told her.
"Weenie."
"Oh boy are you gonna get it." Sanzo growled.
"Son of a-" Gojyo sat up, holding his head as his and his brother's attack didn't work too well on the enemy. "Well, that didn't work."
"Cutting off a few legs is useless. We destroy it all at once or not at all." Sanzo commented.
"Leave it to me," Kougaiji told him.
"You can't fight that thing alone." The Priest replied.
"Just watch and learn!"
Yaone let out a scream at that moment as she ran from the shikigami's arm and Amira moved fast. She tossed one of her Sais out, pleased that it wrapped around the creature, and gave it a yank as hard as she could. The arm was immediately pulled away from the other woman and hit one of the buildings instead.
"Your strength is great," Corell commented, closing her eyes. "Not very many humans have it. Either you're one of the few or you're one of us, but I don't see a power limiter on you anywhere."
"Please," Amira smirked. "I don't need a power limiter."
"Ah, so you're a half-breed?" She asked, staring at her.
"What of it?" Amira demanded, scowling at her.
"Nothing," Corell smirked. "Why do you hide it?" She asked. "Why should you care what the others think about you?" Amira looked surprised for a moment before her hands traveled to the scar on her neck. It looked like a line but beneath her shirt it was much more than that. "I see," Corell shook her head. "Just because of what happened in your past doesn't mean that you should fear what you are. Look at your companion. He doesn't hide it. Neither should you."
"Why do you care?" Amira growled.
Corell turned away from her. "I don't."
Amira growled. ~bitch~ She thought to herself. ~She's just like Auroura!~
"Goku," Kougaiji turned to the boy beside him. "Can you keep that thing from moving?"
"Huh?"
"I can do a summoning with time. I don't know how else to kill it. I only need a few seconds. Keep it still and it'll be dead in a hit. Got that? Just don't get in the way."
"Sure." Goku smiled. "Just don't miss, 'kay?"
"Shaddup and go!" He growled.
"Pardon me but," Sanzo began. "Don't these guys know that they're supposed to be our enemies?"
"So what do you call that think on your shoulders, huh?" Gojyo replied.
"Shut up and die." The Priest told him.
"Hey, I wanna help too." Lirin whined.
"You can start by getting off of me." Sanzo growled.
"Actually this one looks different." Amira announced as she and Corell moved towards them to watch.
"So what?" Lirin told her.
"Will you get off?" Sanzo demanded. He was really starting to get angry now.
"Lirin," Corell's voice called to the young girl. "Get off of him now."
"Okay!" Lirin grinned, jumping off of Sanzo before running over the other woman.
"It's time to give your brother a shot at it," Gojyo told the young girl and she sighed, crossing her arms behind her head.
"Fine."
Amira watched as Kougaiji mumbled under his breath. A dark, red fire was beginning to swirl around him as he continued. She had to admit she was impressed. The power from the Youkai's magic was strong.
"Well, well, how are we all enjoying my little celebration?" Everyone but Goku and Kougaiji turned at the voice. Amira raised her eyebrows at the man standing on top of the building behind them. It was that Fortune Teller from before but this time he was a Youkai. He must have been wearing a power limiter and something told Amira that he was the one responsible for the Shikigami. "Oh my, your friend is certainly quite energetic," Shin Yisou commented of Goku. "Cho Gonou."
"Cho Gonou?" Amira looked at Gojyo and Sanzo as Hakkai pulled a horrified face. "Who the hell is that?"
"That was Hakkai's name four years ago before…" Gojyo shook his head. "We'll tell you later." She nodded, agreeing that now was not the time to invade a subject like this.
"Enjoy it while you can," Yisou continued. "Bumbling travelers. For you are all fated to die. Say, Cho Gonou, it seems that the more we have the more precious things we have to lose."
"Stop talking and come down here you idiot! If you wanna try and kill us, do it yourself instead of playing with dolls!" Amira growled at him. All the man did was laugh at her as a reply before he disappeared. "Great, another chicken to run. I hate these guys."
Their attention all returned to the battle as Kougaiji's attack hit the Shikigami. Gojyo instantly placed himself in front of Amira, making sure she wouldn't get hit by anything that went flying towards them as Corell did the same to Lirin.
When the attack faded away the entire city was destroyed now and dust was floating everywhere. Amira swallowed, gratefully that none of them had been hit by that attack and she turned her head, instantly finding Kougaiji and his companions all standing before the five of them.
"Is he dead?" Goku asked, coughing.
"Looks like it," Gojyo replied.
"So now what?" Amira asked them.
"That's it for the day." Kougaiji told her. "There was too much interference. But I am sorry," Amira looked at him in confusion. "I started to doubt the path that I had chosen. It's rude to challenge someone when you're not sure what you believe. But that's over. My goal is too important to be measured in terms of good and evil. Next time I'll risk everything and you'll be on the floor." He smirked at Goku. "I'll win for myself."
"Hey…you said you'd pay me back double. You still owe me!" Goku grinned.
"Put it on my tab," He told him. "You know I'm good for it."
"Sanzo, I have to go now," Lirin grinned. "But we'll play together real soon again, okay?"
"Why don't you go play with someone your own age?" The Priest replied.
"I wanna present next time." Gojyo told his brother.
"So long as you buy me a drink." Doku smiled.
"Next time I'll be sure to break all your jewelry," Amira grinned. "And see how bad you are then."
"Go ahead a try," Corell gave her own, first smirk of the day. "I'll be waiting to see if you can."
"Do see to those wounds," Hakkai grinned.
"I will," Yaone smiled. "And all of you take care."
"Did you hear that?" Goku gave a laugh. "She said ta take care."
"Kougaiji and his little pack are totally not what I had been expecting." Amira commented after they had disappeared.
"What a group to have as enemies." Gojyo sighed, lighting a cigarette.
"I'd say they're only someone else's pawns." Sanzo said. "As far as I'm concerned our enemy is someone else. I have a feeling that they're only working for the fools trying to resurrect Gyumaoh and bring chaos to the world. That is our true enemy."
"At any rate, I say we leave this town. "Amira sighed.
"What's left of it, anyway." Gojyo agreed.
The four of them began to walk away, not noticing Hakkai wasn't following them until he began to groan.
"What's wrong, Hakkai?" Amira demanded as they all turned back to him.
"It's nothing." He stuttered. He had fallen to his knees and sweat was beginning to fall down his face as he breathed hard before he suddenly just passed out.
Guys, at the end of some of the Manga you can find funny little moments that happens between the group. We just finished the third Manga with this episode and the little slide here is a moment that one of my characters are in it, so I decided to put it in for you guys because it was cute! If I run into any more, I'll give it to you guys! :)
Kouryuu had been sweeping some leaves off of the grounds when he had heard laughter to his left. He turned his head to see his Master, Koumyou Sanzo, and his younger sister, Sakura, standing there as the elder man smoked his pipe. Sakura was supposed to be helping him sweep the leaves but it seemed that she had gotten sidetracked. They had been talking about something as the young boy walked over to them.
Sakura was about the age of 9 with short, light brown hair and silver eyes. She was dressed in a set of robes like Kouryuu was wearing with a pair of shorts under them since she liked to climb trees.
Her brother, Koumyou, was in his forties with matching hair, just long, pulled into a braid that fell down his back with long bangs. He was in the white Sanzo robes with gloves and a scripture around his shoulders.
"Maybe you should smoke where people can't see you," Kouryuu told him.
Koumyou smiled. "But the fall sky is so pretty."
"It is," the young girl agreed with her brother. She was only a few years older than Kouryuu so the two of them were close. That and both them were teased by the others in the temple; Kouryuu for how he was found and Sakura for being the only female there.
"That's not what I meant." The boy sighed.
"I promise not to let Koumi burn anything." Sakura referred to her brother by his nickname she had given him.
"Bah, I don't care if you burn everything." Kouryuu replied. "It'll save me the trouble of sweeping," He glanced at Sakura. "Which you were supposed to be helping me with."
"Don't be such a pain, Kouryuu." Sakura stuck her tongue out at him. "Besides, I'm not doing anything for those losers in the temple. Koumi didn't tell me to do it so I'm not going to!" Her brother gave her a look and she gave a small giggle.
"'Kouryuu the river rat', isn't it?" Koumyou referred to the nickname that the boy had been given. He lowered his head. "What an unromantic name. I won't try to tell you to make friends with those 'Priests'."
"I'm not worried about that," Kouryuu replied. "I'm used to it. And my name…I don't really hate it."
"That's because there's nothing wrong with your name. the others are just jerks because you're better than them."
The young boy gave her a smile and Koumyou smiled himself at his sister. She was such a sweetheart when it came to Kouryuu; she hated everyone else outside of him, Koumyou, and Shuei.
"I wonder about you, Master," Kouryuu continued. "Buddhism emphasizes mercy and non-killing. You picked up a parentless child like me…and keep me by your side. Your sister I can understand, but me?"
Koumyou looked at him in silence for a moment before looking away with a smile, his long brown hair shifting with the wind. "Well…I heard your voice."
"Huh?"
"You called to me. I guess it was my mission. You were persistent, you know. I was rather annoyed," He looked at the boy again. "So I simply took you with me. That and my sister needed someone her age."
"Hey!" Sakura blushed. "Don't blame it on me, Koumi!"
"I don't understand a thing you just said." Kouryuu sighed.
Koumyou smiled and moved from the tree. "Maybe you'll hear it someday, too. A voice, I mean."
"If someone did that to me," Kouryuu began. "I'd find him no matter what. And then I'd tell him to shut it and pop him in the head."
"Liar," The young girl grinned. "When you hear him you'll take him in just like Koumi did! And when you do, I'll be there to remind you of this moment and laugh at you!"
Koumyou smiled at the two children as he continued to smoke his pipe. The two of them were so special to him, and he didn't plan on letting either of them leave him anytime soon.
Okay, you guys were kinda introduced to Auroura/Sakura. We have one more chapter before the other group is actually involved with the story, I promise. Just one more!
I hope you guys like it. Review! :)