-CHAPTER 6-

Confrontation

I'm too damn bloody weak, the thought grated through Sanzo's mind. I'm tired of having to rely on the youkai to get me out of trouble… why they hell can't I do it myself?

Because you're not a youkai yourself, the Being's insidious thought came back.

I'm going to kill you.

Just try.

Sanzo snapped awake. And lunged directly for the Being, who was standing beside the bed.

He misjudged, grogginess and fatigue weighing their heavy hands on him, but his right fist still connected with the aura…

And he was flung backwards. Shit!

Staggering to his feet, he charged again.

The Being side-stepped, as he overextended himself, and went crashing to the floor. Pain blasted through his nerves, as his broken arm took the brunt of the impact. For a few seconds, he was too dazed to move.

The next attempt to stand was offset by a foot connecting solidly with his ribs. He flew, crashing against the far wall, and collapsed. He didn't even try to get up again.

The Being stooped over him. "You didn't bring the sutras. I'm so disappointed in you."

"You hardly waited around long enough to get them, did you?" Sanzo sneered.

You are asking for it, the Being said directly into his mind.

Get. Lost.

You can't even make me. I am surprised, though. I never thought that a mere human would have so much fight in him.

"Oh? You're not human?"

There was a flicker of surprise, and annoyance. The Being backhanded him across the face. "Where are the sutras?"

He leaned back, tasting blood. "I don't know."

"Get up," the Being snarled. Unwillingly, he was forced to his feet. "You are going back to get them."

"You missed your chance," Sanzo replied wearily. "They'll suspect a trap, if I go back now."

There was the sound of alarms in the distance.

The Being looked up. "Interesting. It appears that your friends have been so good as to come looking for you. Shall we go and look for them?"

"Why bother?"

"Ah yes. You don't care about them. At least, that's what you'd like to portray." The Being leaned closer. "I've read your mind, you lying, conniving little creature."

Sanzo's eyes narrowed.

"My followers are betting on whether you'll break down or go crazy when I kill that ape. Most are in favor of the former."

He bit his tongue, but refused to answer.

The Being seemed to smile. "So sad, isn't it? Destroying bodies is easy, Sanzo. Destroying minds is the challenge. Destroying yours will be a pleasure."

"Why are you after me?" Sanzo demanded.

The Being laughed. Gentle laughter, scarcely the deranged cackling that one might have expected. "I have … hobbies, shall we say? The sutras were the original reason. But I find you interesting. So tough on the outside… it'll be interesting to watch that façade shatter. And believe me, it will."

"You're a bastard, you know that?"

A fist caught him across the mouth. His head slammed against the wall, and for a long, long moment, all he could see were flashing lights.

"You're a glutton for punishment."

The door slammed open. Sanzo caught a glimpse of red hair and red eyes. One of them winked at him. "Hey—"

The Being spun.

For a brief moment, his hold on Sanzo's mind slackened.

Sanzo saw the Being's aura intensify… unthinkingly he flung himself at it.

The ki-blast barreled straight into him.

Gojyo broke the door down.

Sanzo was standing against one wall, a slightly dazed expression on his face. Blood was leaking from one corner of his mouth, and a bruise was forming on one side of his face.

The Being was standing opposite.

The Being was spinning around… oh no. I'll never dodge this one in time—

Then Sanzo was in the way… Sanzo was taking the damn bolt meant for him…

Gojyo watched in horror as the priest crumpled to the floor. He half rolled over, and with a retch, vomited blood. All that in the blink of an eye.

"You spoilt it," the Being said, sounding remarkably peeved. He raised a foot, and brought it down on the fingers of Sanzo's right hand. Bone crunched. Sanzo almost screamed, then choked on blood. He tried to pull away.

The Being ground down harder. Bone shattered.

"DAMN YOU!" Disregarding Hakkai's warnings, Gojyo sent the shaku jou snapping out towards the Being.

The cresent blade hit the aura, and shattered into a million pieces.

This time, the ki-blast hit him full on, sending him crashing into the far wall. The world went black.

Kougaiji levelled the fire demon slightly off to one side. Expecting it to come head-on, the Being dodged… straight into the demon's path. For a brief second, there was the same explosion, the flash of light…

For a moment, he dared to hope…

Then the demon vanished. Dispelled. Kougaiji choked down a surge of despair.

"His aura is thinner," Hakkai said from beside him. He reached inside, gathered his ki, and fired.

The Being flung up a ki-barrier just in time, but failed to see Goku's attack. Nyoibu connected… almost breached the aura…

Then the Being flung a blast at the earth youkai that sent him tumbling backwards.

"Honestly, I thought that you'd learn," the Being complained. "Don't fall unconscious again…" this last was directed to Sanzo.

"KEEP OFF HIM!" Goku leapt to the attack again, converting Nyoibu to flail form. The Being dodged with remarkable speed, then slammed a fist into Goku. The tendrils of his aura tore into Goku's flesh, sending blood flying in a fine red mist. Goku clattered to the ground, and didn't move again.

Kougaiji fired again, a fire-bolt that was deflected easily.

"And you're not even injured yet. How unfair. Did you let your companions do all fighting, Kougaiji? The same way you let your followers get killed without raising a finger?"

Kougaiji's eyes blazed with rage.

"Don't!" Hakkai cautioned. "He's trying to antagonize you into attacking him by hand!"

"I don't even need to do that," the Being sneered. Abruptly, the entire room was filled with flying levin bolts. Hakkai's hastily erected barrier went down almost immediately. Then there was no shield between them and the assault.

Bolts buried themselves into him. There was the stench of burning flesh, a maelstrom of pain that threatened to overwhelm his senses… which Kougaiji tried to push aside as he flung himself at the Being in one, last, desperate attack.

His claws fell short of their mark. Suddenly, there was just the floor rushing up to meet him. He clattered into a bloody heap beside Hakkai.

The Being smiled. "So weak." It nudged Sanzo with a foot. "Are you awake?"

Violet eyes snapped open, and fixed it with a stare.

I don't even want to think about what its done to my hand, Sanzo thought. Dear gods… He was slipping away. The darkness beckoned, calling him, dragging him down. So easy to drift away…

Not now. Not while the rest are here. Not while there's a chance…

What chance?

The pain was killing him. He should just let go and drift away.

No.. not this time. I'm not… he saw Goku go down. Stupid bakazaru… I never asked you to come after me! You shouldn't have…

I'm not worth it.

Kougaiji was attacking. Kougaiji? When did he get… I thought I saw… I can't remember.

What's that?

Perhaps it was the pain that enhanced his senses. Perhaps it was the effect of the Being's incessant questioning. Perhaps it was a combination of the two.

Suddenly, he could feel the presence of his sutras. The Maten-Kyomon. Hakkai was carrying it… how did Hakkai get hold of it?

He couldn't succumb to unconsciousness now, no matter how much it beckoned, no matter how much it damn bloody hurt. He had one chance. Just one chance…

Hakkai was down. Kougaiji… went down in a shower of blood.

And there was silence. A dead silence, punctuated only by the sound of his hoarse breathing.

And the bastard smiled. He didn't know how you could discern emotions through that aura, but you could somehow sense what it was feeling. And it was definitely amused.

I'm going to wipe that silly smile off your face. He closed his eyes, calling out to the Maten-Kyomon.

A foot crashed into his ribs. "Are you awake?"

Yes.

He flung the power of the sutras at the enemy.

Green and white snapped through the air. The world was filled with a pulsing blue light.

The sutras whipped through the aura, scattering it.

There was a hoarse scream from somewhere.

Power crackled, filling the room with the smell of ozone. Stray bolts flew, fizzling out as the aura flashed wildly.

So that's why it wanted the Maten-Kyomon so badly.

In a brilliant burst of light, all seven colors… the aura shattered.

"You…!"

Sanzo crawled to his feet. The light was clearing, and all that was left…

He nearly laughed.

Red hair, red eyes. A young, boyish face, staring at him in fury.

"You're not human. You're not even youkai. You bloody half-breed bastard."

"I'll kill you!" the half-breed snarled, and lunged for him.

"That's my line." Sanzo side-stepped the charge, and lashed out with one foot. And missed. Shit!

The half-breed attacked again. This time, Sanzo's foot caught him in the stomach. "You really aren't very good at hand to hand, are you?" Sanzo coughed.

"Speak for yourself." The enemy darted in.

There a crunch. Sanzo staggered, pain streaking through his ribs. Great… this is the … sixth? time they've taken abuse today… a blow caught him across the head, and a knee to the stomach.

He went down, the half-breed's fingers around his throat.

What is it with people trying to strangle me to death?

He kicked, catching the enemy in the groin. The death grip on his throat slackened, and he jerked away. I need a weapon! I can't fight with both my hands disabled!

Something caught his eye.

The half-breed lunged again. Blinded by a sudden flash of pain, he couldn't avoid the blow in time. The fist caught him on the casted side. He rolled away, trying to find purchase with his feet.

"EAT THIS!" a ki-blast slammed into him. He hit the wall, but the blast was too weak to kill. His fingers closed around metal.

"Come and get me, you bastard," Sanzo hissed with the last remnants of his strength.

The enemy stalked within range.

Ignoring the blinding pain, Sanzo grabbed the shaku jou in both hands and swung upwards.

The flat blade at the end went straight through the enemy's throat. He screamed, a gurgling, muted sound.

Suddenly, blood was gushing everywhere. It splashed across Sanzo as he dropped the blade. Dimly, he saw the half-breed collapse to his knees, his hands clutching at his ruined throat… Amazingly weak without the protection of his aura…

The enemy's lips moved, cursing soundlessly.

He fell, and didn't move again.

It was a long while before Sanzo could gather the strength to even open his eyes. The enemy was dead, a bloody heap at his feet. And his mind… was free. No insidious voices, no shattering bouts of pain… nothing. Just his own thoughts.

Get up, those thoughts told him. You can't stay here, unless you want to remain here forever…

It took him a small eternity to get to his feet again. Sanzo leaned against the doorframe and looked out. There were dead youkai all the way down the hallway. That was a huge number of dead youkai.

Something nudged his leg. He looked down. "Hakuryuu?"

Of course. He was behind Hakkai when the bolts started flying.

The dragon stepped out into the hall and shook out his wings. One was in tatters, but healing.

With a flash of light, Hakuryuu morphed into jeep form.

I have to thank enemies who make their hallways large enough to accommodate vehicles…

Getting his companions into the jeep, however, was a major operation in itself. Sanzo hooked his working arm around Hakkai's, trying to ignore the mess that was his right hand.

He succeeded in dragging Hakkai all the way to the jeep, then collapsed against its side, gasping. He simply didn't have the strength to do this. There was a soft koo from Hakuryuu.

"Just… give… me… a moment…"

It was a very long moment.

He came awake to a touch on his arm. Kougaiji stood over him, bleeding from a multitude of gashes. The youkai didn't bother with words, just hoisted Hakkai up and into the backseat of the jeep, and turned to get Gojyo. Sanzo leaned against the engine, watching the world fade in and out of his vision.

When Kougaiji returned with Goku, Sanzo muttered a quiet thank you.

Kougaiji's eyes widened in surprise. Then he bowed his head slightly, returning the gesture. "The feeling is mutual. I could not have defeated him without your group's help. But after this… we are still enemies. Remember that."

Sanzo's eyes narrowed. "As if I could forget it."

"Did you really want me to kill you?" Kougaiji asked bluntly.

Memory… flashes of memory – seeing Kougaiji standing the distance, seeking a way out, any way out, from the pain…

Sanzo didn't reply, just regarded him impassively.

"Changed your mind, I take it."

"Let's go."

They drove to the outskirts of the city, where Kougaiji's dragon was waiting. After dropping them off at their inn, Kougaiji turned and headed back west. His mind replayed the events, turning over the question of whether he should have just killed all of them after the encounter. Sanzo would have been too weak to oppose him. The rest were unconscious. At the very least, he could have taken the Maten-Kyomon.

But I want to defeat them fairly, he argued with himself.

Or is it merely because… I don't want to kill them?

Nonsense… we just happen to be allies of circumstance. That's all. In another time and another place… we will still be enemies.

Besides, I was in no shape to pick a fight, not even with an injured Sanzo.

Right.