Saiyuki- Battle Zone
Chapter 10
Das Omen
"Hisako!" cried out Hakkai as he stopped the jeep, reversing and driving after the Night Stalker with Hisako. Sanzo had brought out his gun, and was shooting bullets at the Night Stalker but Gojyo hit him one, knocking the gun out of his hands.
"Are you nuts? You'll hit Hisako!" exclaimed Gojyo and Sanzo growled at him as the gun hit the jeep, firing and hit Ruka in the arm. Ruka gasped in pain and fell to her knees in the jeep, holding the wound. Goku jumped to her and started tending to her wound. Sanzo cursed under his breath.
"Watch where you fire those bullets you bloody idiot!" cried out Hisako as the Night Stalker continued to fly off with her, with Esther not far behind.
"Dammit, of all the people to get captured, why'd it have to be Hisako!" asked Sanzo and Chrysanthemum pouted, bringing out her bow and arrows, pointing them at his head. He froze in horror, wondering what he'd done to upset her.
"And i suppose you'd prefer it if I'd been captured huh?" she asked him and Sanzo's eyes widened in shock realising he'd just dug his own grave.
"Uh, no... Sorry, can we discuss this later? Last time i checked Hisako was in danger, shouldn't we be arguing later?" stated Sanzo, trying desperately to change the subject. Chrysanthemum sighed in defeat, and then aimed her arrow at the Night Stalker. She got her bow steady for a few seconds, then shot just as an Enkidu jumped up into the air attempting to jump on the jeep and strike them. The bow hit the Enkidu and it yelped, falling to the side of the road.
"Can't you aim properly woman?" exclaimed Sanzo and Chrysanthemum glared at him.
"Can you guys please argue another time? Right now we have to focus on saving Hisako!" pleaded Hakkai and he hit the accelerator harder. The speed caught Chrysanthemum off guard and she lost her balance, falling on Ruka and Goku in the back.
"Hey! Get off me!" exclaimed Goku as he struggled underneath the sudden weight on him. Ruka was gritting her teeth in pain from the wound, and crawled out from under her, helping Goku out as they helped Chrysanthemum get her bearings again.
She stood and aimed again; firing and getting a Night Stalker that flew in front of the one carrying Hisako. Chrysanthemum growled in fury and frustration. Ruka and Goku looked at her in fright. This was the first time they'd seen Chrysanthemum so angry. Ruka was slightly scared and was now trying to hide behind Goku, who was looking at her like she was some doll that came to life with a butcher knife.
"Fuck! Why can't i bloody hit it!" exclaimed Chrysanthemum as she tried again, hitting another monster that flew in the road again, shielding the one carrying Hisako. Sanzo looked at her in shock, she never swore.
"Are you guys having a tea party down there or what?" cried out Hisako as she continued being carried by the Night Stalker.
"Hang on Hisako! Use your chi on its legs! The legs and eyes the most sensitive to a Night Stalker!" cried out Esther as she flew by it, dodging attacked from all angles. Hisako grinned at Esther, and then pulled out a packet of cigarettes. She pulled one out, pulling out a lighter, and then shoved the burning cigarette into the Night Stalker's leg. It screeched in pain, trying to put up with the pain.
"Hey! Those are my cigarettes! How the hell did you get your hands on those!" exclaimed Sanzo and Gojyo started laughing from his seat.
"Even i can't get to your cigarettes... how'd she manage that?" asked Goku as he looked depressed.
"I was a pickpocket back when i was on my own you know! Now, let me go you bloody Night Stalker!" exclaimed Hisako as she put the next cigarette in its other foot. The Night Stalker cried out in agony, dropping Hisako. A high pitched scream filled the air as Hisako fell towards some dense trees.
"Hisako!" exclaimed Chrysanthemum as Esther tried to catch Hisako, but got tackled away by some Enkidus that had jumped through the trees. Cracks and bangs could be heard through the trees as Hakkai pulled the jeep up to a tree with a girl hanging from it. Hisako was mumbling and sounding like a drunken girl.
"Shut up brother..." stated Hisako and Sanzo and Chrysanthemum looked at each other like she'd gone crazy.
"Did you remember to give her her medication today?" asked Sanzo and Chrysanthemum pouted at him, snatching his fan and slamming it on his head. Hakkai and Gojyo started laughing, and Ruka and Goku joined in. Sanzo was rubbing his head and Chrysanthemum was still pouting at him. Hakkai jumped out the jeep and unhooked Hisako from the tree, catching her and putting her back in the jeep as she recovered. As Hakkai jumped back in the driver's seat the gang heard Hisako have a conversation with herself.
"Shut up brother! I didn't ask for your opinion... if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything... i get it! Now shut up please..." Hisako mumbled to herself, and the gang looked at each other weirdly.
"Did she hit her head or something?" asked Gojyo, and Chrysanthemum rubbed the back of her head, wondering the same thing. Esther then fell from the sky and hit the ground by the jeep. Everyone gasped and Gojyo rushed to the side of the jeep.
"Esther! Are you okay?" asked Gojyo and Esther struggled to stand. When she stood, she was in her half human half raven form. It was still rather scary looking, but not as scary as her full form. Enkidus and Night Stalkers flew into the small open area, knocking the jeep over tossing everyone out.
"Ow! What the hell?" exclaimed Gojyo as they sat up and started to try and get their bearings. Esther growled as more feathers grew, turning her back to her true form. She let out a horrible screech, then flew at a Night Stalker that flew dashed towards Ruka. Ruka gasped and turned to Goku who protected her in his arms.
"Well, fancy seeing you guys again?" asked a female voice and everyone looked in the shadows to see Tameka walk in riding Atticus again. Chrysanthemum was getting sick of that girl.
"You're the one that stole part of Chrysanthemum's soul, didn't you? Give it back!" exclaimed Goku as he let go of Ruka and balled his hand into a fist which he held at Tameka in a threatening way. Tameka cackled wildly.
"Why, whatever are you talking about Son Goku?" she asked and Goku growled in fury. Sanzo held his gun at her and Atticus growled deeply at him. Chrysanthemum aimed her arrows at Tameka, but then froze in sudden pain, dropping her weapons and holding her neck coughing. Everyone looked at her with a worried expression.
"What the hell did you do to her?" yelled Hisako as she got a ball of chi ready to throw at Tameka. Tameka looked at her slyly, then a suddenly bolt shot out from the trees behind her. Hisako didn't have time to move, but if she stayed there she'd be hit by whatever it was. Hisako gasped and the gang called out her name as a black blur zoomed through, knocking her out of the way and standing in front.
Gojyo gasped and called out her name as Esther now stood in front of the attack, the shot hitting her and piercing through her flesh. She gasped in pain as her knees gave out. Gojyo growled in fury. He then let his weapon fly about, along with Hisako's chi, to kill all the Night Stalkers in the air.
Goku's weapon was out and he was jumping about knocking Enkidus about, breaking their necks. Sanzo was shooting Enkidus that came near, and Ruka was throwing her blades about despite her being unable to move an arm. Chrysanthemum had lifted Esther, trying to get her to stay with them for as long as possible.
Tameka and Atticus had disappeared, so as they finished off killing the last few Gojyo rushed to Esther and Chrysanthemum, picking her up instead. Esther was barely hanging on for dear life. She opened her eyes weakly and smiled at him.
"You were crazy! Why'd you do that?" exclaimed Gojyo as tears began to form in his eyes. Hisako and Ruka were already crying and hugging Chrysanthemum who was the first to have tears falling down her cheeks.
"I thought, why have two people die, when the person who's already dying could protect the other, so only one ends up dying. I thought it was pretty good logic" answered Esther as a small trickle of blood came out from the side of her mouth. Her breathing was ragged and the shot looked like it'd hit her heart.
"What're you talking about Esther?" asked Gojyo as the tears began falling. Goku was sobbing and Hakkai was trying to comfort him. Sanzo just stood there trying to look the same as usual, to try and show she wasn't close to his heart, but in fact, she was. And it was taking everything the monk had not to cry himself.
"My expiration date, it was coming around really soon anyway. What was it? About 2 hours away?" asked Esther as she squirmed in sudden pain, wheezing a little. Gojyo gasped, holding her head slightly so her neck was straight.
"Try not to talk too much" suggested Gojyo as his hands became stained in blood. The light was starting to come over the hills as the sun began to rise. Esther wheezed a little, trying to turn her head to look at the sun. Chrysanthemum noticed this, and tapped Gojyo's shoulder.
"I think Esther would like to properly see the sun rise one last time" she suggested and Gojyo looked down at Esther who nodded weakly. Gojyo nodded, lifting her into his arms, and then walked out the trees to the hill to see the sun rise properly. Everyone stood a few metres behind, still crying, except Sanzo. Esther could see the sun rise and then looked at Gojyo gratefully. Tears continued streaming down his face as more of Esther's blood ended up on him. She was having lots of trouble breathing now.
Sanzo closed his eyes, trying to not cry, and walked up to Gojyo, holding Gojyo's shoulder and then looking at Esther. He still wore his usual stern expression. He then changed it to a sudden smile.
"Esther, you were okay in my books, that's something to be proud of. And can i ask a favour? Watch those three girls there for whenever we can't?" stated Sanzo and Esther smiled, nodding as a few tears came down her face. That was about the first time Sanzo had willingly talked to her in a friendly way, compared to how he always talked to Chrysanthemum or the girls.
Esther then turned to look at Esther, mouthing the words 'i love you' before her eyes rocked back to show white and her eyes closed. Her chest stopped moving up and down, and her body now was limp. Gojyo and Sanzo gasped slightly, not expecting her to go so soon, and then Gojyo lost it. He fell to his knees, cradling her body and crying loudly. Everyone at the back was still sobbing, and a tear actually escaped down his face.
The morning was filled with crying and loud screams of frustration as the gang mourned over the loss of a friend they'd gained not long ago. She'd become like part of the family, and everyone had grown to love her. It took a while for Gojyo to get over the fact that he was kissing someone that turned into a giant feathery beast, but he loved her.
So the jeep ended up driving down the path to the next village as a small tombstone was left behind, a small mound of sand in front of it. On the tombstone had Esther's name written on it, and the date she died. In front of the grave rested a large bouquet of flowers. No one in the jeep spoke a word, and then Sanzo pulled out his paper fan, waving it just in front of Chrysanthemum's face to get her attention.
"Now, before anything like that happens again, i got one thing to say to you. Now stealing my fan without my permission! And certainly no hitting me with my own fan!" stated Sanzo, making Chrysanthemum and everyone in the jeep laugh a little. Goku was comforting Gojyo at the back of the jeep, offering him every piece of food he had with him, and got him a beer every now and then. Ruka and Hisako had resorted to playing pat-a-cake because they were that bored. Hakkai chuckled slightly as the jeep gradually went back to normal.
Chrysanthemum pouted slightly at the fan that was still in her face, so she brought out her weapons, aiming at his head.
"Speaking of which, you still haven't given me a proper answer to before!" exclaimed Chrysanthemum as Sanzo froze, looking pretty scared and felt sweat roll down his cheek again. How did he keep ending up in these situations?
"My lady, Esther has passed on, two hours before her expiration date. She considered it more useful to die doing something rather than die of that" explained Tameka as she and Atticus bowed before Maura. Maura was smiling on the chair.
"Now i don't have to worry about Esther anymore, what should we plan for them next?" she asked her and Tameka grinned at Atticus who grinned back. Lirin had heard the whole thing and rushed to her Big Brother's room to find him when she ran into Dr Nii.
"Ah, I've been looking for you Princess. Your mother would like to talk to you" he stated and Lirin sighed in defeat, following him to Gyokumen Koushou's room. She was sitting in her chair, having her hair brushed by a demon slave. She gasped to see Kougaiji was already there. They looked like they were having a conversation.
"I heard you wanted to talk to me mother?" asked Lirin in the nicest voice she could manage. She knew her mother didn't love her, and neither did she. That's why Lirin worked with her Big Brother so hopefully his mother would be the one she never had.
"Ah, Lirin. I was just talking with Kougaiji here about the Sanzo Party. Apparently the gang went to the size of 8, but then 1 was killed off. Now why couldn't you have done such a thing? They couldn't have been that hard to fight" stated Lady Koushou as she smiled gently, but to Kougaiji and Lirin it was piercing glare.
"You don't know how hard exactly they are to fight! Why don't you try it next time?" offered Kougaiji and Koushou cackled insanely.
"Why would i ever consider doing that? Why break a nail? When i can just have Maura take care of it for me. Honestly Kougaiji, you should be ashamed. She's a human, and yet she's doing better than you ever could!" stated Koushou and Kougaiji's hands clenched into fists. Kougaiji turned around; putting his hand on Lirin's back, leading them away from the room and out of her sight.
When they got to Kougaiji's room where Yaone and Dokugakuji were waiting, Kougaiji punched the wall violently. This caused everyone to gasp in surprise, and the prince growled under his breath. That woman was getting on his nerves! He would get his own back; he swore it on his father's remains!