Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki, unless the creator wants to give me a really nice present this year? Nope I didn't think so… (Sob, sob, sniffle…) Oh well I do own Takara though and would appreciate you asking before you use her, Kay?
Christmas Special: Spirit of the Season
"Discover the Christmas spirit in unexpected places. Open your heart to the perfect Christmas."
We find our five hellions driving into a small town. Piles of snow line the road and many of the rooftops are covered as are many of the red and green decorations that decorate the houses and shops.
The jeep stops as our heroes get out or rather clamber out. "I like the fact that we now have a top to the jeep, but getting out of the back is killing me." Gojyo complained squeezing out from behind the passenger seat. "If you don't stop complaining the jeep's not the only thing that is going to kill you." Sanzo grumbled rubbing his ear with his pinky.
"Oh wow, look!" Goku exclaimed pointing to the decorations. "Yes, they certainly are festive." Hakkai commented as Hakaruyu transformed and landed on his shoulder. "Come on we don't have all day." Sanzo grumbled as he began to walk forward. Takara looked at Hakkai before rolling her eyes before following her brother.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outside the hotel.
Gojyo, Goku, Sanzo, and Takara all stood outside waiting for Hakkai to return with the room keys. "Hey Sanzo? Can I borrow some money?" Goku asked giving the monk puppy eyes. Sanzo growled as he looked at the monkey. "No… you're not going to spend all our money." Sanzo stated crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "Fine Scrooge!" Goku yelled pouting.
Takara stood giving Goku an odd look. "What is this time?" Came Hakkai's voice as he excited the hotel. "Not much. Kouryuu's just being his normal cheap self." Takara said smirking at Sanzo's irritated glare. "Yeah he won't give me any money!" Goku muttered crossing his arms.
"Alright here and please don't buy anything alive this year." Hakkai said pulling out his wallet and handing Goku the money. "Ok, remember no following or peaking." Goku called running down the crowded street. Gojyo watched as he ran down the street. "I'm saying this much he buys me another fish that tries to bite my finger off this year, and I swear we're gonna have a monkey barbeque." Gojyo grumbled as an image of Gojyo yelling with a large live red fish attached to his finger while Hakkai and Goku tried to pull it off flashed before his eyes.
Hakkai merely chuckled at the memory while Sanzo rolled his eyes and tried to ignore the idiot's conversation. Takara blinked confused as she furrowed her brows. "I don't mean to sound stupid, but what are you guys talking about?" She asked looking up at Hakkai who gave her an odd look in return.
"Come on don't tell us you honestly don't know what time of the year it is." Gojyo said waving his hand obviously thinking she was joking. Takara gave him a look like "Do I look like I know what you're talking about?" Gojyo's eyes grew wide. "You really don't know." He muttered in shock.
Hakkai sighed giving Takara a small smile. "Don't mind him. It's Christmas Eve." He explained hoping that this would clear things up. "Oh, is that all?" Takara asked shrugging making Hakkai and Gojyo anime faint and Sanzo roll his eyes at their stupidity. "What? I've never kept up with holidays." Takara said looking up at the decorations. "So you're telling us that you've never celebrated Christmas before?" Gojyo asked still in shock. "Nope, Mother and I never had the money or the time to celebrate." She said simply walking past her companions. "I think I'm gonna go look around. So I'll meet you guys back here later." Takara called walking down the crowded street.
"Wow that was surprising." Gojyo commented once she was out of earshot. "Yeah, but given the circumstances it is understandable." Hakkai said quietly looking where Takara had gone. "I guess." Gojyo said looking for a cigarette. Sanzo sighed as he walked over to the two. "Look if you want to do something about it, then does it. But it's not my idea." Sanzo stated looking at Gojyo and Hakkai. Gojyo smirked "Well what do you know the monk does have a heart." he shut up when he found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. "I said it wasn't my idea." Sanzo threatened. Hakkai smiled as he watched the two. "What exactly do you have in mind?" He asked as Sanzo stored his gun. "Well first we have to find the chimp." He said heading into the market.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Takara sighed as she walked down the crowded street. She had to admit as she watched the couples and children going in and out of the stores in their holiday shopping did make her feel a bit unusual. She'd always wanted to know what it felt like to celebrate Christmas with a family to feel the joy of being with loved ones during this time of the year. But seeing as how her mother was gone and Kouryuu was obviously not going to participate. Her dream would not come true.
She blinked when something ran into her leg. Takara smiled when she looked down and found herself looking into a big pair of turquoise eyes. "Hi there," She said kneeling down to the little girl's height. The girl gulped as she backed up a step. "What?" Takara asked as the little girl pointed to her feet. Takara looked and smiled when she noticed the stuffed reindeer laying at her feet. "Oh, here yah go." She said scooping up the toy and handing it to the little girl who smiled as she grabbed the doll and hugged takara's legs. "Miki?" Came the call of a woman's voice. The little girl smiled as she waved to Takara before running to her mother. "Bye." Takara said quietly waving to the girl.
"Takara!" Came a familiar voice from behind her. She turned and smiled as Goku ran up to her. "Hey, Goku what's up?" She asked as he gave her a lopsided smile. "Not much, Sanzo's being an ass, and won't pay for a snack. That's why I wanted to find you." Trying not to sound too conspicuous. "Oh what else is new? Alright let's get that snack." Takara said smiling as Goku let out a sigh of relief. "Come on let's go!" He said grabbing her arm and dragging her down The street. "Wow, what's the rush?" She asked still being led down the street. "I'm really hungry." Goku answered giving her a reassuring smile over his shoulder.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several hours later.
Takara and Goku entered the hotel both laughing as they walked. "Goku?" Takara asked as they ascended the stairs. "Yeah?" Goku asked nervously as the arrived at the suite. "Why have you been acting so jumpy all afternoon? You'd think I'd sat your tail on fire." She said jokingly as she pulled out her key. "Heheh…Set my tail on fire, that's a good one." Goku said nervously rubbing the back of his head. "See what I mean. Is there anything going on that I don't know about?" She asked giving Goku a teasing smile as she unlocked the door, not noticing that Goku's eyes had gone wide at what she had said.
Takara blinked when she opened the door to find the lights out in the main area of the suite. "What the heck?" She asked as she reached over and flipped on the light. Jumping when three men yelled and the sight of lit up tree surrounded by multicolored presents. "Merry Christmas!!" Gojyo, Goku, and Hakkai yelled smiling at Takara. "What did you guys do?" She asked in amazement looking around the room. Which had been decorated in festive green and red, the main focus of the room was the marvelously decorated Christmas tree in the center, and not to mention the table arranged with all kinds of different foods.
"Well you did say you've never had a Christmas before, so we decided to change that." Hakkai said smiling as he walked over and placed a Santa cap on her head similar to the one that he, Gojyo, and Goku where wearing. (Sanzo who was setting in a chair next to the tree had on a pair of light up reindeer antlers.) "Oh, and by the way it Wasn't Sanzo's Idea." He whispered in her ear causing her to look at her brother and smile/try not to laugh at his antlers.
"Come on Takara come and open my present!" Goku yelled grabbing her arm and dragging her over to the couch. "Calm down yah monkey. Give the woman time to breathe." Gojyo said smiling as he walked over next to the tree. "Here, Takara." Goku said thrusting an oddly wrapped package onto her lap. "But, you guys…I cant I don't have anything for you…" Takara began looking around at her friends. "We didn't do this to get anything; we did it because we wanted to." Sanzo snapped from his seat. Takara and the others looked at him in shock from his out burst.
Takara smiled a little as she felt tears in her eyes. "Takara?" Goku asked nudging the gift in her lap. Takara blinked away her tears as she smiled at Goku. Slowly she unwrapped the gold paper; she smiled when she found a small plush monkey. "Oh Goku, thank you. I love him." She said leaning over and pecking him on the cheek.
"Hey, if your going to due that to everyone who got you something open mine next!" Gojyo exclaimed grabbing his gift from under the tree. Hakkai smiled despite the dirty look he was flashing Gojyo. Takara smiled as she took the gift which was wrapped in red metallic paper. "I'm kind of afraid." She muttered as she unwrapped the gift. She took a deep breath when the paper fell away to reveal a beautiful lavender back pack with green trim.
"Thank you, it's perfect." She said as she leaned over and hugged him. "What no kiss?" Gojyo asked pretending to be offended. Takara smiled as she pulled back and gave a quick peak on the cheek. "Here." Sanzo said gruffly tossing a small purple box to Takara.
She gave him a small smile before opening the gift which was a small lighter engraved with a light purple T. "Oh, Kouryuu…" She began. "Yeah, I know. You don't smoke." He said rolling his eyes and making the antlers bob up and down. "Well Yes, but it's something from your heart. Whether I smoke or not I still love and will always treasure it." She said smiling and holding it close to her chest. Sanzo snorted before turning his head away.
"Um…Takara? Would you mind helping me carry out the snacks?" Hakkai asked motioning her to follow. Takara gave him an odd look before following him into the small kitchen. She blinked when she walked in and found him smiling at her a neatly wrapped green box in his out stretched hand. "Here, I thought this fit you." He said as she took the box and smiled as she unwrapped it.
She gasped as she took the lid off the small jewelry box to reveal a small silver bracelet with a fire opal on the clasp. "Oh my Gosh, Hakkai." She said as she stared at the bracelet. "Do you like it?" He asked smiling at her while he fixed the snacks. He blinked when he felt something wrap around him. He smiled when he looked down and found Takara hugging him. "I'll take that as a yes." He said as she pulled away and he turned to hide the blush on his cheeks.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Takara and Hakkai blinked when they excited the kitchen and found Gojyo laughing at them. "What?" Takara asked as Gojyo pointed up above the door. Both Hakkai and Takara looked up at the small sprig of mistletoe hanging above the door. "You know what that is, so you know what to do." Gojyo said fully enjoying himself. Both Hakkai and Takara blushed as they looked at each other. Takara could see in his eyes that Hakkai was majorly uncomfortable with the idea. As if on queue Goku walked bye. Takara making use of the situation gently pushed Hakkai back into the kitchen grabbed Goku's hand and pulled him under the mistletoe and pecked him on the cheek.
"There we go." She said happily smiling over her shoulder at Hakkai who gave her a grateful look. Goku stood stunned by what had just happened. "Oh Yes, the stupid monkey just had to ruin it." Gojyo grumbled walking over to Goku and thumping him in the head. "Hey what did I do?" Goku cried holding his head. "You were born!" Gojyo yelled as he and Goku began to scuffle.
---Bam! ---Bam! ---Bam! ---
"Shut up or your all going to wish you weren't born!" Sanzo yelled anger cross on the side of his head his gun raised. Hakkai sighed as he and takara stood in the door way. Takara rolled her eyes as she watched the three. She blinked when she felt something press against her cheek. She turned to find Hakkai pulling his head back. He smiled as he pointed up at the mistletoe. "It is tradition." He said simply chuckling at the blush on her cheeks.
Well that's the end of the chapter. I hope you all enjoy my gift to you. I have one last thing to say to everyone:
"Be merry, be joyous, and above all, be yourself during this beautiful season of twinkling lights. Festive music and surprising generosity."
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. And a happy New Years.
Until Next Time. Happy Trails.
DragonGirl4