~*~*BANG*~*~

The youkai doubled over in pain and shrieked. The lights flicked on and exposed the two
assassins. Both had the typical ears and long nails of ordinary youkai, but a strange mark was
on each forehead. In a fit of strength Gojyo pushed the dead youkai off him and stood.
"I had a feeling something like this was going to happen."

The red head looked at the door and saw Sanzo standing there, gun still aimed where the dead
youkai had been. The monk quickly aimed it at the other one.
"Sanzo!" Gojyo grinned, "S'good ta see ya for once."
"Perverted kappa."
"Aww ... you always say that," the half breed swayed a little, "I'm gonna take a nap now.
Oyasumi."

The red haired man started to fall, but Sanzo caught him and cradled his head to his chest. The
gun was still pointed at the youkai.
"What do you want with him?" he demanded.
"Boku no heikai kare o ga hoshii."
"Nani tatoeba?"
"I can't tell you. That would be giving you an unfair advantage."
"You'll damn well tell me," the monk hissed, "Or I'll blow your head off."

The youkai sneered.
"Boku wa tsumaranai nai to onaji ryou no kare o de atta."
"Juupitaa! ... Oaku! ... EBORUSHION!!!"

Approximately 1000 volts or so of raw lightning in the shape of little leaves fried the youkai to
a crisp.
"Iie, omae wa nai. Omae wa baka na yo!" said the cheerful voice of Makoto.
"Is that a word?" Goku asked.
"It is now."

Sanzo and Hakkai checked over Gojyo. Upon assuring themselves that he was OK, the monk carried
him over to his bed. Makoto began cleaning up the room, while Hakkai took it upon himself to
fend off the curious people. Goku began pacing the room, but stopped when Sanzo whapped him with
the paper fan that he always carried. Hakkai finally lost patience with the people, shut the
door in their faces and locked it.
"Doushita no desu ka?" he asked.

The monk shrugged.
"Apparently he's wanted by some guy. *She* killed him before I could find out why."
"You weren't gonna find out why, anyway," Makoto sighed wearily.

She settled herself on the floor and watched Sanzo's gaze shift protectively to the half-breed.
Hakuryu the small white drangon settled himself on Gojyo's chest, making comforting, cooing
noises. Goku say near Makoto, the children of the group taking comfort in each other's presence.
Hakkai sat at the foot of Gojyo's bed while Sanzo stood at the head.
"So he's wanted by an obviously powerful youkai. Demo ... naze ka?" Goku asked, worridly.
"Power," Makoto spat before she could stop herself, "It's always about power. He pro'lly
has some power or something that, if used by the wrong person, could destroy the world, or
somethin' like that."
"You speak as if from experiance, Mako-chan," Hakkai teased.
"I know."

Sanzo showed no outward interest, but inwardly his interest was peaked. Underneath it all, he
really was a busybody.
"Power," the senshi muttered, "It's always about power."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The youkai paced nervously. He finally pulled his courage together and entered her chambers.
"Heikai-sama."
Hai?
"They failed."
Sou ka ...
"Awaiting your next orders, Heikai-sama."
Send another two tomorrow night. I will have him!
"Hai, Heikai-sama."
And once I have him, it'll be that much easier to get to her.
"Hai."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Sanzo party left the next day. Gojyo was half dragged, half carried out by Sanzo and placed
none too gently in the car. Goku and Makoto sat with him, making sure he didn't fall out and
was comfortable. Hakuryu, in jeep form, cooed and began to move in the direction of their next
destination.
"Stop hovering over me like an old grandmother. I'm not gonna fall out," Gojyo complained
half-heartedly.
"Aww ... but it's so much fun to watch you squrim," Makoto laughed.
"Fine then. Goku. Get me a beer."
"Nanda yo!? Get it yourself!"
"Is that any way to talk to your elder?"
"Elder nothin'! You act younger than me!"
"Baka-zaru!"
"Perverted kappa!"
"Who you callin' a perverted kappa, baka-zaru?!"
"Omae, perverted kappa!"

As they continued to argue, Sanzo's eyebrow began twitching. Hakkai grinned nervously and Makoto
inched away in preperation for the paper fan, or the gun ... preferably the fan.
Where *does* he keep that thing? she wondered, One of the great mysteries of life, I
guess.

She checked her watch.
"Urasei!!!" Sanzo finally shouted, brandishing the fan and turning around in his seat.

Makoto looked again.
"Hakkai?"
"Hmm ... four minutes?"
"Too high. Two and a half," she grinned, "Gettin' better, though."

Goku and Gojyo looked at her in confusion.
"Nani o shite imasu ka?" the boy asked.
"Hakkai tries to guess how many minutes it takes for Sanzo to tell you to shut up while
brandishing the infamous paper fan," the Senshi grinned.
"... Oooooh."

Sanzo twitched.
Do they really know me that well? he wondered, not letting his surprise show, I
thought that none of them really cared. Hn. Shows what I know, ne, Sanzo-sama?

~Owari, chapter 4~