Ah-ha, should be doing homework*sweatdrop* Kappa! Where is the soda!?
Kappa You already drank the can next to you-drink milk or something!
But milk doesn't have caffine...
Kappa -.- I don't care
Hidoi!

Incarcerated; Rain

Chapter 1
{Departing}

Hakkai frowned at their previous situation. Sanzo had forced him and Hakuryuu to keep driving, even when it was pitch black until finally Hakuryuu was too exhausted and too damaged by the the hidden rocks to go on. Straight the next day, after maybe four or five hours, the blond priest ordered them back on the road. Now they were in the hotel, Hakuryuu needed hours of rest, Goku and Gojyo were at the resturant, Sanzo..actually he didn't know what Sanzo was doing. It troubled him. Sanzo was never that persistent to get to a town. And strangely enough, there were no Youkai that attacked them, not even when they were most vunerable.

It was odd, and Hakkai didn't like it at all.

He remembered Sanzo saying he was going out, or at least mumbled it. He didn't even say where-and it was raining again. Sanzo hated the rain, why would he want to go out in it? The squeak of the door opening brought Hakkai to stop looking at the glistening window. Gojyo swung in, walking over to the healer with a burning cigarette balanced on his lip.

"Where'd 'Sanzo-sama' run off to?" the kappa questioned with a hint of sarcasm.

":I don't know. I'm really worried, Gojyo. It's raining and you know how Sanzo hates the rain. He went outside." Gojyo frowned and sat down next to the healer on the windowsill, "Don't worry. That monk finds a way to come back to his bitchy self somehow."

Hakkai shook his head, "I'm worried about Goku too."

"Saru?"

"Yes. Doesn't Goku seem a bit down? He has been since we found him," Hakkai folded his hands together, "I wish I knew what happened down there."

Letting the smoke slide away from his mouth, the kappa glanced outside, "It's pouring. Is that why you can't sleep even if Sanzo and Goku were as normal as they can be?"

"Probably, but I'm not concerned about myself right now, Gojyo. I should ask Goku if he's okay." Gojyo plucked the drug from his mouth, "Well, it'll have to wait. The bakasaru's asleep."

"I suppose," Hakkai's emerald eyes shifted over to the napping white dragon and found his smile again. He didn't even realize he had frowned.

"You worry too much, Hakkai."

"Nani?"

Gojyo's crimson eyes shifted back to Hakkai's shcoked emerald ones, "You take too much onto yourself. Relax, and let me take some of the burden too. You're not the only one who notices how the saru's being acting or the monk's unusually bitchy mood."

The healer smiled and looked away, "I can't help it Gojyo. Sumimasen."

"Don't apologize."



Goku shifted in bed. The contents in his stomach ached uncomfortably. It was rather irritating. All Goku wanted to do was sleep and forget Sanzo was gone. Yes, that was how he wouldn't notice the priest's absence. Just sleep. The youkai felt his knees curl close to his chest. It was scary being alone. He hated it. Where was Sanzo? Did Sanzo abanndon him? Gojyo and Hakkai were in the other room still right? They didn't leave without him...

right?

Goku whimpered softly like a puppy being hit. No no no, Sanzo just went out. He'll come back and you'll see him in the resturant in the morning. But it was still raining. Sanzo would never go out in the rain. Did he go outside but got killed? Was he dead in front of the hotel? The image of Sanzo's blood corpse lying in the rain made Goku leap to his feet in only a shirt and loose fitting pants. Fear overwhelmed him. No! Sanzo wouldn't let himself die! He wouldn't! Caught up in his thoughts, he let his bare feet carry him out of the dark room.


Gojyo and Hakkai's heads tilted up at the sound of running feet. The pace was familar, the weight laid upon the floor was too. Hakkai sat up and ran towards the door, peeking out in time just to see a brown haired blur stride past. Recognition clung onto the healer's skin, "Goku!"

Gojyo got up, smooshing his cigarette on the carpet with his foot before it burned, "Saru?! What?!"

Hakkai swung open the door all the way before racing off down the hallway, Gojyo grumbling but tagging after.

"Hakkai! What's going on?!"

"Goku! I saw Goku running! He looked panicked!"


When they exited the hotel they saw Goku on his knees.

"Goku!"

Goku looked up, and neither of them could tell if he was crying or if was just the rain. Goku stood up to his feet and turned around, facing them completely. His head was tilting down again, the shadow sweeping over his golden eyes. Hakkai walked forward, hands reaching out to the full youkai in front of him, only stopping when Goku swiped at his eyes. Finally, his pale hands touched the shorter boy's shoulders gently, the wound on the right already gone from Hakkai's healing.

"Hakkai..Sanzo..Sanzo-I can't find him-where is he, Hakkai? He didn't leave us did he?" The other's eyebrows creased slightly

"No, Goku. Of course not. Sanzo is just feeling a bit down lately. He'll be fine."

"Hakkai..Hakkai..am..am I worthless?" This made Gojyo step forward, an angry look on his face.

"Baka! Just because of one little incident doesn't make you worthless! Mr. Worldy monk's still alive and kickin'! Stop thinking so negatively or soon we'll be the ones wondering if you left!" Goku sniffled, shoulders shaking just slightly. He didn't respond to Gojyo which made the red haired half-youkai think over his words.

"Goku...let's go inside now.."

"Sanzo..."

"Sanzo will be fine," Gojyo answered for the other, this time more softly. Goku looked at the kappa before nodding and sniffling at the same time, "Okay."


But even then, everyone still wondered where Sanzo was.

He didn't come back the next day.

And the next day the sky was still crying.


TBC


*cackle*Where is Sanzo-sama indeedy! Kya ha! Still have homework though*blink* And this chapter was short because I ran out of plotting cells
Kappa Baka!