Scene 10: The Law of Doll

He had failed.

Genjo Sanzo had failed himself, his team… and Rinze.

Once the priest had leapt out of the window and landed in the middle of the street he quickly scanned the area and saw… nothing. The youkai, and Rinze, was gone. He didn't know how they had vanished… but there was nothing there left to show they had even been there in the first place.

A soft glint of silver caught his eye in the street and he carefully made his way toward it, and then knelt down once there. He reached out, still holding his gun ready in his strong hand, aimed at the sky currently, and touched it with two fingers. It was warm; he picked it up carefully in his fingers and looked it over carefully. The shape of a crescent moon with a link on the tope that was snapped open.

"This was one of the charms on Rinze's chain…" he mumbled softly, rising to his feet again.

"Sanzo what are you doing out there?" Hakkai's head poked out from one of the upper story windows, staring down at the monk randomly standing in the middle of the street.

"Hakkai wake everyone up!" He snapped back, glaring up at the window. "We're moving out, NOW!"

Rinze wanted to be able to scream, she wasn't that far from Sanzo! They were up on the roof of the inn! Sanzo look up! Unfortunately, they didn't stay there. The youkai grabbed hold of her once more and tossed her over his shoulder roughly, snickering like a wicked little child who had just stolen his younger sister's favorite doll…

"Rinze-chan it's dangerous!" The voice was behind her as she packed her rucksack to leave the area. That voice… it always came to chide her on her beliefs in that almost annoyingly pleasant and well-tempered tone. That sound… always sounding like he knew better.

Rinze flipped around, staring at the owner of the voice with a tired gaze. His fierce blue eyes and snow white hair were the only distinct things she could see right now. "I'm tired of this… I need to get away." She said softly.

"But Rinze, you'll just be putting yourself in danger…!"

"I can handle myself; it's what I was trained for." Rinze interrupted gently, giving a little sigh.

"I don't think you're ready for this Rinze! You're too fragile…" the man said, taking hold of her shoulders. "You're still just a doll for these wicked powers of yours!"

"…I'm leaving…I can take this anymore…" she replied carefully, not wanting to anger him. "Running and hiding from the church, it's horrible for my psyche. These powers of mine will never be 'purified,' they are part of me and they aren't evil!"
"You could be manipulated because of these powers! Don't leave, Rinze! We can seal them away and you can live a normal life! With me..!" he shot back, still holding her shoulders tightly.

"I'm sorry…" Rinze broke away from him, picking up her rucksack from next to the black flat topped hat lying on the bed. "I need to leave, now."

"Rinze don't do this!"

She rushed out of the room before she could hear anymore, her large skirt vanishing around the doorframe last.

"Rinze…" the soft voice carried out after her from the room.

"…I'm sorry…Hazel…"

Rinze jerked out of her flashback as she was roughly thrown onto the ground and she gave a startled yelp. That only earned insane laughter from the youkai, and a subtle soreness running along her lower back. "W-what do you want…?"

"Ha-ha!" The kidnapper cackled again, rubbing his hands together. "You, my little snow bird, will be a great help to the youkai kingdom! Your powers could enslave countless humans and destroy the dirty half-breeds that walk amongst them!"

Gojyo…? Rinze closed her eyes halfway; she had recognized him as a child of the taboo as soon as she saw him. He may be a bit of a perverted mongrel but his heart was in the right place when it came to matters of importance. Sanzo… he may have been a withdrawn high priest but… he was human. She couldn't… her gods and goddesses wouldn't allow her to!
"My powers don't work that way!" she yelled at him, "I can't just make the powers appear they come from somewhere! I acquire them through the good graces of those above me! I don't command them!"

"Well maybe it's high time you learn how to, girl!" her captor snapped back, shoving her against the wall. "And watch your tone with me… you are now my toy, my play thing that must do whatever I say!"

Rinze swallowed slowly, pressing against the wall. Would she ever be anything other than just a vessel for power and destruction? She looked to the side, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

A doll's purpose in life is to bring happiness to others and do as the owner wants to cause such happiness, they cannot go against this purpose for they do not have the will nor the ability to do so.