Chapter 20

History

A/N: Meh. Strongly considering a revision.

"You would think that with all the power we have up here, we could at least have some control over events down there."

"My lady?"

Konzeon chuckled a bit and put her head in her hand, "Who would have thought that there would be another character to their story? Someone who would save them?"

"My lady, are you talking about that woman?"

"Yes Jiroshin. I cant help but wonder how different their fate would have been if my Konzen had never met her."

Jiroshin frowned a bit and approached the woman; "They have spent their time in heaven. There is no need for any of the four to return."

"Hm." The goddess looked over her shoulder at the young child sitting in his small throne, his gold eyes empty and unfeeling, "I wonder what you think of this Nataku."

Nataku, being unable to answer, said nothing. Konzeon frowned, "There is nothing we can do but wait."

Nai sat up in bed and watched the light coming in from her window. She wanted to be worried, she wanted to be afraid. But she felt nothing. She couldn't scream, or cry, or even shout and throw things. She wanted to curse to the heavens… she wanted to know why it had to be her.

The woman sighed and moved to the window. "I guess I go no farther west then what I can see from this window."

She didn't get an answer; the others were sleeping. They needed whatever rest they could get before midnight. Nai wanted to sleep too. She had tried.

Her hazel eyes looked up to the heavens, "I guess it's wrong to push death on someone else. I wish someone would come and tell me my feelings were wrong."

The heavens seemed to ignore her but she needed to speak, "Is it bad to wish that I…" She closed her eyes and imagined what life would be like without them… she wouldn't have a life. She'd be dead anyway.

"Nai."

She turned to Hakkai, "I take it its time to go."

"Yes."

She grabbed her shotgun from where is was propped on the wall, "Alright, let's do it."

Hakkai touched her arm when she got close, "You're going to be fine."

She chuckled and rolled her eyes, pointing to the heavens, "You never know. I might be in good hands."

"I wouldn't go on a trip with you fools if it killed me."

Nai lightly punched the monk's arm as they descended the temple stairs to the town, "Yes you would. What do you think we're doing now?"

Goku jumped down the last few stairs, "Going on a trip!"

Hakkai waived his hand, "Now now, it's just a simple picnic."

Gojyo chuckled, "C'mon Sanzo. You know we're better as a packaged deal."

"Shut up."

Nai walked backwards in front of the blonde and smiled, "You mean to say that even if someone made you go somewhere with us you wouldn't?"

"I'd kill whoever thought they had the authority to tell me what to do."

Goku pouted, "Don't you like us Sanzo?"

"No."

Nai laughed, "That's code for you'd die without us." She put her hand on her forehead dramatically and Gojyo joined in.

"We are the sole savior's of his dark soul."

"We alone know your fate."

"And without all this cool you'd never get laid man."

Hakkai shushed the two as they high fived and laughed uncontrollably and Sanzo tried to aim his gun around the healer. "How about we try to savor the moment. The future is too much of a hassle to think about."

Nai walked arm and arm with Gojyo, "One day soon today will be history."

"But, how can today be history if today is today?" Goku whined and rubbed his stomach, "This is so confusing! Is it picnic time yet?"

"You are so simple you stupid monkey."

"Don't call me a monkey!"

"Well isn't this extremely melodramatic." Gojyo looked up into the sky as it started to rain.

"Tch. Sure picked a fine time…" Sanzo growled as the water put out his cigarette.

Nai chuckled, "Makes you feel like you're in a movie doesn't it?"

By the time Kougaiji and company joined them in their string but powerful line, it was pouring. It was hard for any of them to even hear their own thoughts. The demon prince took a step forward and clenched his fists, "Here they come."

The force itself was small, but still big enough to be too much for a group of five. Even with Kougaiji and his friends making it nine, it was still going to be a challenge. Nai pushed back some of her wet hair so she could see well.

"Sanzo."

The blonde looked at her and she gave him a confident nod, "I'll be fine."

"I already know that."

She smirked, "Sure you do."

Hakkai sighed as he tucked away his monocle, "I take it we don't let them advance any further."

Kougaiji nodded, "There orders are to be rid of us and retrieve the scripture. They wont be allowed to return to the castle unless they succeed."

Nai cocked her shotgun, "Then we make sure to get rid of every single one." She was never really afraid of dying.

Her eyes scanned the commotion and found Sanzo. She could have ignored him when he entered the bar that day. She could have charged him for that glass of water. She could have never met Goku, Gojyo, or Hakkai… she could have just killed herself then.

"Girly!"

"I got it!"

She didn't want them to leave without her, but in the end she figured it was all the same. The more she mulled it over, the more it clicked. If she had never been here nothing would change. So if she left the story would continue, unbothered, untouched, and unchanged.

What was one less character to a story that was one character over what it really needed?

"Nai!" she didn't move fast enough.

Kougaiji shouted, "The scripture!"

Sanzo was attacked as his attention turned to the woman. Nai was laying with her face up to the sky. The ground was mucky and she could feel the mud smearing onto her white shirt. But the rain in her face felt good.

"Dammit! Don't you dare die! Hakkai heel her wound!"

She couldn't tell who was holding her so haphazardly, so tight. She guessed Sanzo.

"Nai?"

Goku's scared voice came from somewhere she couldn't place. She opened her mouth to say something back, but of course nothing came out. The warmth of Hakkai's chi was spreading, but maybe it was something else…

"Girly come on! Stop it!" Gojyo's usually calm voice was panicked.

Hakkai sat back on his ankles and let his hands fall to his sides. He stared blankly at the body in Sanzo's arms, watched the monks hands fist the dirty white shirt, "It…it didn't work."

Gojyo got down on his knees and grabbed a limp, feminine, hand, "No. C'mon girly…"

Goku's hoarse cries wafted over the older men as he laid his head on her stomach and Sanzo looked out into the dissipating fight; Kougaiji and his friends giving the last of their strength to getting back the scripture.

"We're done here."

The four piled into the jeep with the body of their fifth and pulled off without looking back.