UNDER THE WEATHER
Chapter Thirteen: Behold the Fit
By: Author 2
A/N: This is a look back onto the rest of the Sanzo party. For those that don't remember the specifics of the Sanzo-Ni battle in the origin al series, Ni's sutra pretty much has the power to erase your existence from your mind, and everybody else's mind, when used to attack. Also, while some people interpret the Koumyo-Ni game as being won when one apprentice killed the other, I personally think the game is won when both players from one side are dead, which would leave the score at one each. Also, Goku's Nyoi-Bo and Gojyo's Shakujo are weapons that rest in another dimension until called into reality by their owners, so that's why they don't 'store them' somewhere.
Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki. I own the OC's, except for Kintora, who belongs to NeonPink2011. Author 1 and Colorfulbubble12 are my editors.
Sanzo felt like shit. That in itself wasn't strange, since Sanzo always felt like shit. What was strange about this particularly shitty moment in Sanzo's generally shitty life was that the cause of his completely unnecessary suffering was crouching down next to him, healing him, of all things. He knew he was being healed by the asshat who almost erased his existence because he could feel the bastard's turbulent chi slamming his skin back together, in a much more invasive way than Hakkai's usual ministrations. Cracking his eyes open, Sanzo spit out the first thing that came to mind.
"Fuck off, shitdick," he growled. The mentioned shitdick just gave a gasp of laughter.
"That's very creative, Kouryu," Ni said, withdrawing his fingers from Sanzo's gut so that the wound could close completely. As soon as the contact was lost Sanzo's stomach began to ache, and he was reminded that he had almost drowned, and then almost died at the hands of some lowlife band of vengeful youkai, all the while barfing his guts out due to a sickness he was suddenly very sure that Ni had created.
Sanzo's thoughts were cut short as his robe was thrown at him by Ni. Scowling, Sanzo went to put it on, but paused when he noticed blood coating the back and sleeves of his robe- his arms and back weren't bleeding, and neither were Ni's.
Seeming to read his mind the other man said, "Your bitch was keeping warm." Sanzo concluded that he'd likely ended up falling off the cliff along with Chintose, who had given him into the care of Ni and probably been kidnapped or something. Sanzo glared but put on his robe and stood before responding.
"Why did you heal me? You want me dead," Sanzo asked, reaching for his gun as Ni stood. Ni laughed.
"I was actually just experimenting, with the women," Ni said, confirming Sanzo's suspicions of his involvement, "but now that that's failed, I think I'd like to try something else. But I'll need you healthy for that. So I'm going to figure out how to get rid of whatever I did to you, and then go from there." Ni stroked his plushie bunny and shot a calculating look at Sanzo.
"But you will die. And your friends will go with you, since they're too annoying to be kept alive," Ni said, gleefully scanning Sanzo from head to toe. Sanzo, unnerved as he was, didn't shoot. He didn't doubt the heretical Sanzo's words for a second- the man was crazy enough that he would think fixing them and then taking them out was a good idea. So it went without saying that all Sanzo had to do was kill him before he got killed himself, right after Ni was done getting him, Gojyo, Goku, and Hakkai back to normal. As terrible as it was, Sanzo and Ni needed each other alive for now.
Sanzo turned and began to make his way towards where he assumed there was a town, only to stop as Hakuryu flew straight into him and almost knocked him off balance. The little white dragon started excitedly flying in circles above Sanzo's head.
"What the hell do you want? Unless you're going to lead me to Hakkai or give me a ride, I don't give a damn about you," Sanzo grouched at it. As if he understood, Hakuryu nipped at Sanzo's hair and feebly attempted to drag him backwards. Sighing, Sanzo began following Hakuryu. Though he had stopped puking every time he moved, he his limbs kept twitching without his consent, and he knew it wouldn't be long before his next symptom manifested itself full force. It didn't help his fraying nerves that Ni was trudging along behind him as if they weren't enemies anymore, humming at his bunny off-key.
"What did you take Chintose for?" Sanzo eventually asked. It wasn't out of worry- he just wanted to know where his personal slave was, of course. Ni shrugged.
"Kintora seemed a bit attached to her. Something about Chintose being the perfect scapegoat, since she never stood up for herself anyways." Ni said conversationally, leering. "Why? Missing your pet?" he asked asan after thought. Sanzo clenched his fist and ignored Ni. He couldn't risk getting into a fight in the state he was in, so he focused on walking.
Soon enough, a Goku-shaped blob came barreling into Sanzo and tackled him to the ground.
"I thought you were dead, Sanzo! Don't disappear on me again! It scares me and makes me really hungry!" Goku whined as he was pushed off of Sanzo. Gojyo and Hakkai appeared next, both immediately noticing Ni and visibly tensing. When Goku saw who they were glaring at, he forgot all about being hungry.
"Sanzo, would you mind explaining-"
Hakkai was cut off by Gojyo, who yelled, "Why this creepy ass lunatic, who you fucking blinded, is walking around right as rain pretending to be buddies with you?" While Hakkai obviously disapproved of Gojyo interrupting him, he didn't disagree with anything Gojyo had said, and Sanzo himself didn't disagree either.
"I'll explain later. Let's get to a town. The people should be awake by the time we get there." Sanzo huffed. Gojyo looked like he was about to punch either Sanzo or Ni in the face, but Hakkai placed a blistered hand on his shoulder and shook his head.
"Sanzo usually knows what he's doing," Hakkai whispered. Gojyo shoved his hands in his pockets.
"Hakuryu, please transform," Hakkai said. Hakuryu obeyed, and the five men piled into Jeep, Ni making himself comfortable between Goku and Gojyo in the back. Hakkai solemnly pressed his foot to the gas pedal and began to drive them into the next town.
Gojyo seemed dazed for a minute, and then he grabbed Ni's collar and almost hauled him out of his seat.
"Where in the hell is Chintose, you bloody bastard?" Gojyo asked. Hakkai's eyes widened, Goku jumped in his seat, and Sanzo impassively stared at the road. Ni smiled.
"She's perfectly safe," he said. Gojyo punched him in the face, sending him crashing into Goku. Faster than was humanly possible, Ni shot out his leg and kicked Gojyo out of the car, not hesitating to grab Goku's incoming fist and flipping him out as well. Hakuryu screeched to a halt, and Hakkai turned to blast a ball of chi into Ni's face just as Sanzo went to shoot him. Ni simply caught Hakkai's ball of chi and launched himself out of the car before Sanzo's bullet could hit him. As soon as he hit the ground, Ni poured his own chi into Hakkai's and sent it at Sanzo in a blazing beam of light. Hakkai dived in front of him and pulled up a shield just in time. After the attack dissipated he fell to his knees and let the shield fall. Sanzo stepped in front of him. Gojyo's shakujo sliced through the air towards Ni, who reached out to grab it, and it exploded into shrapnel and flew back towards the other four as soon as it touched his hand. Goku, who had been behind Ni, didn't get hit by any wayward pieces of metal and managed to land hit that sent Ni flying a dozen or so feet. Hakkai, Gojyo, and Sanzo weren't so lucky, and they now had large gashes scored across their bodies.
Gojyo was limply staring at his shakujo like it was the saddest thing he had ever seen. Sanzo's body had finally succumbed to the strange sickness and his gun hand had jerked of its own accord, sending his gun into the forest, and was now seizing up and refusing to move. Hakkai's chi was unresponsive, so he was trying to stand without aggravating his blisters. Goku and Ni faced each other, Goku radiating pure hatred and Ni calmly tapping his plushie bunny's button nose.
As Goku was about to extend his Nyoi-Bo, Sanzo yelled out, "Stop! Dammit, we need the fucker alive! He has to be the one to get rid of this- whatever this is! Goku, calm down before you lose it. That's exactly what he wants and we can't deal with that right now."
Goku snapped out of his rage and raised a hand to his diadem, hanging his head when he felt it buzz under his fingertips. He let go of his Nyoi-Bo and slowly made his way over to Hakkai and Sanzo. Gojyo did the same. There was complete silence as everybody once again climbed into Jeep. Ni was positively glowing from the fight, and made a show of taking as much space in the back as he could. The drive into town was uneventful, and no words were exchanged when they entered the only inn and were told that Ni had already paid for six rooms. The five found their way to the inn's restaurant and took a table in the corner, tension thick in the air.
"Your pet awaits," Ni said to Sanzo mockingly, standing and walking towards the stairs. Sanzo lit a cigarette, glared, and got up to follow him. Gojyo copied him. Hakkai and Goku stayed at the table, glowering at the food.
Once upstairs, Ni stopped in front of a door. The sound of giggling and whimpering could be heard through it. Ni opened the door, pulled out Sanzo's gun, which Sanzo had no idea how he'd gotten, and fired a shot, then continued into the room to the sound of breaking glass. Sanzo followed him in, cursing, but Gojyo lagged behind.
Sanzo stopped when he caught sight of Chintose sitting on the edge of the bed, head in hands, robe down to reveal a shredded back. What stopped Sanzo wasn't the sight of Chintose's back, though. It was the sight of Chintose's breasts.
Ni said something that Sanzo didn't hear over the sound of his own thoughts. Chintose had lied to him. He- she had gained all of their trust, and betrayed it. Sanzo couldn't believe he'd been such an idiot. Chintose never took baths with the rest of them, and always seemed to be in a world of her own in the bathhouse. Then, there was Gojyo's disgustingly accurate nickname. Girly-monk. It should have been obvious.
Ni's greeting Chintose with the barrel of Sanzo's gun is what snapped Sanzo out of his own mind. He watched as she slowly lifted her head, traitorous eyes immediately finding his. He could see overwhelming regret, and pain, but he didn't care. He had put his trust into somebody, and that person had betrayed him. So Sanzo didn't look away. Neither did Chintose. She stared into his eyes and saw herself losing everything.