Chapter Seven: Encounter
A/N: Hello minna-san. Sorry about this being shorter than the last one. I'm not sure if the next one will be the same. This one is Hakkai instead of Gojyo. This is to tell all the Gojyo fans that he will come next.
I am also very angry now due to the fact that my review file has been destroyed by some stupid glitch! I'm very sad for losing all your reviews. Please send more for me to start a new one. I'm REALLY sorry! Stupid glitch!
Disclaimer: I am holding up a sign saying 'I don't own Saiyuki' with an arrow pointing to Minekura Kazuya. Next to the arrow are the words 'I do'. You can all see a bump on my head and Minekura Kazuya with a harisen in hand. T-T
By: Yamamoto Kou
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It had been about a week since Sanzo was freed. He was now adapting to new stuff. One of those things happens to be: Be faster if you want to hit someone with your harisen. Haku and Nataku are some of the fastest living, moving targets and by now, not only helping him to speed up, but also pissing him off. Now if they could just stand still... The saru was easier. The more he thought about it, the more he was eager to get out of here and get the saru a hundred times worst for no reason at all. The 'things' that had been attacking them gave them more exercise. It was, by now, one of the most important things to do if you happen to be in the Red Realm. Stay alive or die. Simple rule.
Haku: This is getting too easy. *shoots a couple down*
Sanzo: *shoots one while being jealous of Haku for being better at shooting than he was*
Nataku: *got the last one* That's taken care of.
Sanzo: Its so frustrating to walk.
Haku: It's not my fault Hakuruyu isn't here.
Sanzo: You can make him here.
Haku: I'm not so good with teleportation and stuff. It's not my fault.
Nataku: That's the fifth time you said that today. ^ ^
Haku: It's a habit. Even if it is my fault, I still say that.
Sanzo: -_-+ Ikuzo! *turned and headed forward*
Suddenly, Gyumao appeared. The real one.
Sanzo: I've been meaning to ask you, *aims gun* how are you still alive?
Gyumao: *muttered the word 'simpleton' under it's breath* Don't think I can be rid off easily. When Nataku killed me for the first time, I was not prepared. But when you came, I was ready. I am no ordinary youkai. My blood has powerful properties and it created this place. Out of blood, sorrow, pain, hatred and most of all, revenge. This is why this place exists. It's for the sake for my revenge.
Nataku: *gets into a stance* Why don't we finish this now?
Gyumao: I want to have the pleasure to play. Besides, I would like to get rid of all of you at once.
Sanzo: So you're saying that the others are alive?
Gyumao: Barely. Toying with you makes revenge sweeter.
Haku: *suddenly talks* It's not just that.
Gyumao: So, this stranger knows something.
Haku: If we destroy you, this place goes. If we don't get the others back to their senses, they will go with it. That way, you won't have the fun to see them squirm.
Gyumao: How do you know? *squints at him*
Haku: It's a part of me. I know what you know. *looks up at him as he is very big now* And knowing what you know is too easy. *smiles*
Gyumao: *not showing the fact that he is starting to fear Haku* Humph. Now I see more reason to hate you. Don't talk so big when the battle hasn't even stated yet. What makes you so sure you will live long enough to encounter me?
Haku: Everything.
Gyumao: *getting scared but not showing it* K'so! Take this!
The ground around them shook and the sand suddenly flew around as if there was something exploding underneath them and they are all in a line. Gyumao disappeared. A hideous monster came out.
It looks like a giant Egyptian spider thing. Its reddish brown with a sandy look to it. It's got two eyes that are like a flies and the only difference is that it's red. It's got green veins that creep around its abdomen and pulsing with a deadly glow. On the head of the spider is a purple jewel. On the jewel is some sort of symbol that looks like a scarab drawn on the walls of pyramids as hieroglyphics. It's jaws open and close with the precision of a machine. And sounds like one too. It also makes another sound. It didn't make screeching sounds like the worms. It was the sound of hollow, raspy death. The hairs that covered its body were like something brown daggers sticking out of a pit. Only worse. It moves. When it walked, (or crawled, or just plainly moved) it was a walking nightmare ready to sting.
All three of them assumed fighting stances. They're reflections were very disturbing when seen as the reflections of those eyes.
Sanzo: *very annoyed by it and shot it a few times*
Spider: *its metal like claws caught the bullets, crushed them, and ate it like it was nachos*
Nataku: *dashed by and tried to slash one of its legs off*
Spider: *doesn't feel a thing and to make things worst, the leg wasn't cut off*
Nataku: K'so! *makes a big fireball and throws it at the spider*
Spider: *caught it in its jaws and the fireball gets smaller and smaller while the purple jewel glowed brighter*
Nataku: *getting annoyed and turns to Haku* What are you waiting for?
Haku: It's weakness. *monitors the spider instead of fighting it*
Sanzo: Ch. *continues to shoot other areas*
Nataku: Typical you. *tries a slash at its large abdomen*
Spider: *no injuries, no pains so it continues to advance towards them and this time, it shoots out sticky silver poison that resembles something like web (the catch, web is suppose to come out of its abdomen)*
Nataku: *didn't expect this and got some damage for it* Ouch! *looks at the wound to see something like what highly concentrated radioactive stuff can do to you* Teme! *lunges at the spider*
Sanzo: *dodged most of the web but his leg got some of it* K'ruski! *shoots at the spider thing some more*
Haku: *just plainly studied the spiders move*
Nataku: Oi, Haku. A little help here.^-^ NOW! XO (this is the facial expression of Nataku yelling.)
Haku: Yare, yare.
Nataku: What do you mean 'yare, yare'?
Haku: Do you want the meaning from the dictionary, or in more advance talk? ^ ^
Nataku: -_-; That's not what I meant. *continues to try to trash the spider*
Sanzo: *shot one of the spiders veins*
Spider: *veins flash dangerously and flashes out a claw at Sanzo*
Sanzo: *managed to dodge it and shot some more*
Nataku: *looked at the jewel and got an idea*
Haku: *saw the glint in Nataku's eyes* That's not a good idea.
Nataku: How do you know? *going for the jewel anyway*
Haku: Don't say I didn't warn you.
Sanzo: *saw Nataku lunging for the jewel and helps by shooting the jewel*
Haku: *saw that Nataku manages to stand on the spider with no problems* Souka! *the strategy came to him*
Sanzo/Nataku: *kept attacking the jewel until it cracks*
Nataku: All right! One last blow! *plunging the sword down onto the jewel*
Haku: Yame-
Nataku: *the sword broke the jewel*
Haku: -te. *sweat drops and backs away from the spider* Don't say I didn't warn you.
Nataku: What's wrong? *jumps off the stiff spider* It's done for isn't it?
Sanzo: *backs away from the spider too* Baka!
Nataku: Nani? *turns around and steps a few paces back to get a better look*
It turns out that the spider's eyes were backing in to the socket a bit. Sand shifted off the spider to reveal a black body. The spider grew bigger. Soon, another part grew between the head and the abdomen. The spider raised its middle part and seemed to stand. It's eight legs on its abdomen. The veins become red and pulsed. The veins also worked their way up to the broken jewel. Now a new purple one was in place with the same scarab mark on it. The jaws seem to become bigger and look more like the bull ant's jaws. It even grew antennas. Then a scorpion like tail grew. It now has a scorpion like claws too.
Nataku: *backing away slowly* Eh heh...
Haku: Now it metamorphosed. Breaking the jewel just gives it better weapons and more juice.
Sanzo: -_-+++ BAKAKAMI! *takes out harisen and swings it*
Nataku: *dodged* T-T (This is an expression) But you shot it too!
Sanzo: URUSEI! *tries to hit Nataku again*
Nataku: *dodged the harisen* :p (This is Nataku sticking his tongue at Sanzo.) What do we do now?
Haku: If you just stopped and listen, I could've told you. ^ ^ But now it's gonna be a bit harder.
Nataku: What is it then?
Haku: This! *runs straight for the scorpion/spider/ant*
Sanzo: *follows*
Nataku: Matte! *follows*
Haku was lucky he was fast. Because now the scorpion/spider/ant is now shooting some laser thing from its tail and its claws move fast too. Anyone too slow would've gotten fried or snipped to ribbons.
Both Sanzo and Nataku think that he's going to jump onto the scorpion/spider/ant and so they did so. But to their astonishment, he went UNDER the scorpion/spider/ant and is now facing the extremely dangerous footwork.
Sanzo/Nataku: *looked at each other* WHAT ARE YOU COPYING ME FOR!? COPY HIM!
By now the scorpion/spider/ant had realised that there were two nasty, pesky, parasites on its back. It is now using its tail to get them off.
Sanzo: Ch. *dodges a laser* It's skin is laser proof now.
Nataku: *dodges another one* Don't you think I've noticed?
Haku": Yosh! *shot it's under belly and ran*
Sanzo/Nataku: *busy dodging lasers while arguing with each other until the laser stops and the whole thing trembles* Uh oh. *jumps off and runs to Haku's side*
The entire scorpion/spider/ant exploded and icky liquid gushed out of the now empty exoskeleton and seeing the guts in that thing wasn't the smartest idea in the world.
Sanzo: *felt like puking but face stayed straight even though its turning green*
Nataku: *turned around and puked*
Haku: *lucky enough to have his back facing the thing*
And after a few minutes, they left and were now on their way to find the next member.
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It had been ten days since the first encounter of Gyumao and the sickly scorpion/spider/ant. After that it was the usual worms (I will now call those things worms to keep track of all the made-up creatures). But they did have a second encounter only two days ago. Only with the scorpion/spider/ant though. Today they spotted a building in the very far distance.
Nataku: There's something over there. *points to a small speck in the distance*
Haku: It could be another place where one of the others is kept.
Sanzo: Ikuzo! *headed for that destination*
Haku: *follows and knows that they've found Hakkai after remembering Kanan saying that Hakkai was nearer*
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The speck in the distance happens to be the 100-eyed demons castle. Hakkai was now in front of one of the empty cells that are stained with blood.
Hakkai: *having flashbacks of Kanan* Ka...nan...
Hakkai, like Sanzo, was also tortured by Gyumao and had wounds of his own. But he's just sitting against the wall, staring at an empty cell, with a face that shows a lot of hatred, revenge, agony and close signs of death. Not to mention forgetting to blink.
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Sanzo, Nataku and Haku had just reached a distance where they can tell it was the 100-eyed demons castle.
Sanzo: So were going to save Hakkai now.
Haku: Looks like it.
Nataku: What's that? *points to a couple of whirlpools (if you can call them whirlpools on land) that are surrounding the place*
After a few minutes, a fin can be seen for a flicker of a second.
Nataku: Is that a shark?
Haku: We've got to get closer if we want to find out.
And so they got closer. They looked closely at it and something jumped out and tried to snap them.
Nataku/Haku/Sanzo: ?
Nataku: Did you guys... see what I saw?
Sanzo: *nodded*
Haku: A plant shark?
The plant shark turns out to be a thing that's the shape of a shark. The catch is, it looks more like a plant cut out to be a shark. (I'm running low on ideas okay?)
The sharks got thorns for teeth, sharp leaves for fins, Its eyes were bulging out, and that's all they can catch.
Nataku: *jumps over the whirlpools to the other side* Come on! Gyumao must be stupider than I thought*
Sanzo/Haku: *got over*
Haku: I'm not so sure about that. *takes one glance at the whirlpools before following the others inside*
Outside, the whirlpools are starting to spin more rapidly.
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Inside, all three of them are walking through corridors, stairs, rooms and doors until they came to the cells. They saw Hakkai up against the wall in blood.
Sanzo: We'd better get him out of here. *took one of Hakkai's arms*
Nataku: *took the other and dragged him out*
When they were all up the stairs, the whole place rumbled.
Nataku: Huh?
Haku: We'd better run.
And so they ran as fast as they could out of the castle while Haku explained.
Haku: I saw the whirlpools expand when you two got inside. They must be trying to swallow us while we're in here.
When they got out, they saw that it was true. The whirlpools did expand. Only with a bonus. The place is sinking into the sand and hundreds of those sharks are swarming the area and they're getting close enough to snap at their heels.
Nataku: The whirlpools are too big for us to jump across now. Especially with Hakkai here.
Haku: *carried Hakkai across the whirlpools by jumping on the sharks*
Sanzo/Nataku: *followed Haku's lead*
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Gyumao: Curse it! *could almost slap his head*
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And so that night when Sanzo and Nataku were asleep, Haku woke up to hear a soft, soothing voice singing. Haku turned to see Kanan bringing Hakkai to his senses. He had healed Hakkai's wounds so that he would feel better in the morning. He also gave Hakkai back his old memory so that he won't be much surprised to see Nataku. By the sound of Kanan's singing, he went to sleep himself.
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It was still night and by then, everyone was asleep and Kanan went back to wherever ghosts go. The sky and the ground were not much different from the nights they slept, but Haku woke up to find something that is not going to give him a night like the rest. He sensed something. The smell wasn't that of blood, but soil. No, fresh red soil was the more precise description that he got from the smell. The catch is: How could anything here be fresh. It was not like Gyumao.
Haku got up and saw the others fast asleep. He then heard it. The silent hiss of a whisper. The breeze wasn't like the breeze that had always blown. It wasn't harsh, rough and dry, but held in it some moisture. And yet, there was death in it. But a different sort of death. He can practically taste it in his tongue.
He followed his sense of smell in the red, purple, light into a mist. It was then that he felt cold. Very cold. He wrapped his hands around him in an attempt to keep warm. He looked around and went deeper. It was dark there. It reminded him of the cave he was in. But he went on. It was because of a sudden urge to meet death. The death that has a different purpose in mind. It seemed to beckon to him. Moving his legs for him.
Haku stopped. It wasn't because he was scared, but because he knew this is where it will come. The darkness seemed to create a barrier that kept the outside world away. This is not death. This is true death's calling. The death. Gyumao would've cowered before it.
Then it hit him. There was evil in the air. The evil that appeared in Heaven long ago. Haku himself destroyed his physical form. But it's will lives on. It was not a mere shadow like what other failed minions of evil will be. But this is the essence and the very root of evil. It ruled this small piece of darkness, but it was enough.
The impostor of Li Touten lives on.
Eyes opened in the dark. The menacing eyes of its earthly form. The familiar rotten yoke coloured eyes. The only thing was, it was blood shot. It circled around Haku. Slowly and menacingly it circled him. Haku was tense but kept his eyes on it. This thing will never rest. Never. It suddenly lunged at him. Baring fangs that dripped with poison and claws so long and sharp.
The sound of metal against metal can be heard as Haku had Nyoibo out as a sword to defend himself against it. Haku saw that indeed there were only its eyes, fangs, and claws. The only thing besides that is the darkness that kept him intact. It sneered. It cursed Haku with its very eyes before slowly disappearing into the background of darkness. The darkness then shifted and disappeared. Haku had kept his eyes on that thing ever since the first parts of his physical form appeared until the whole thing disappeared. Those cursed eyes can leave an impression deeper than acid burning a hole through steel. It lingered in Haku's memory. He knew he had to be on the alert. The thing will not use others to torture and destroy its target. It wants its target, Haku, to feel the searing pain, helplessness, and death by using its own raw and surging power. Haku then went back to sleep with the others, but not without one last look at the red horizon. The lifeless and endless ground stretched before him. It was all reflected in Haku's golden eyes. If you can see beyond those reflections, you can see a strange glint in it.
Gyumao didn't now about this. Neither did God, Sanzo, Nataku, or anyone one or anything else. Only a blonde somewhere far, far away can see this. He is seeing it all with his eyes closed. It was something that only these three know.
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Hakkai: Sorry to trouble all of you to save me.
Nataku: Think nothing of it.
Hakkai: Ano, you told me about the changes of over a thousand years, but what happened to Hakuruyu?
Nataku: Hakuruyu was the Dragon King and now that's he's got his memory back, he's a bit more picky. *trying to imagine Hakuruyu and Jiroushin working together, which is by now, almost impossible and also imagine Kanzeon Bosatsu's overlarge head over a chibi body when she's angry*
Hakkai: Souka. Are you sure you can't get Hakuruyu here? ^ ^
Haku: Yes. But why are you so eager to get him here anyway?
Hakkai: I just miss him. ^ ^
Haku: Don't lie. I can read your mind. It says that you are getting *beeping* tired of walking.
Sanzo: So am I.
Nataku: I knew you use bad words!
Hakkai: Sou ka. ^ ^;
And they were journeying further West with Hakkai again. All that's left should be Gojyo.
AFN: I'm getting terrible writers block but I made myself think of something. This is what came out. Stupid huh? I kept saying that I will never get writers block. Unfortunately, it happens. If there are anymore lousy stories, it's due to writing with writers block. Please give me ideas. Onegai? *puppy dog eyes* And please send five reviews for me to continue.
TAAFN (The After After Fic Note): I CHALLENGE ALL AUTHORS TO WRITE A FIC ABOUT THE SANZO-IKKOU AS SUPER SPIES!!!!!!! (A small idea that popped up while watching Spy Kids for the first time after one year after it's release. I'm bored. Please don't flame or sue me!)
A/N: Hello minna-san. Sorry about this being shorter than the last one. I'm not sure if the next one will be the same. This one is Hakkai instead of Gojyo. This is to tell all the Gojyo fans that he will come next.
I am also very angry now due to the fact that my review file has been destroyed by some stupid glitch! I'm very sad for losing all your reviews. Please send more for me to start a new one. I'm REALLY sorry! Stupid glitch!
Disclaimer: I am holding up a sign saying 'I don't own Saiyuki' with an arrow pointing to Minekura Kazuya. Next to the arrow are the words 'I do'. You can all see a bump on my head and Minekura Kazuya with a harisen in hand. T-T
By: Yamamoto Kou
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It had been about a week since Sanzo was freed. He was now adapting to new stuff. One of those things happens to be: Be faster if you want to hit someone with your harisen. Haku and Nataku are some of the fastest living, moving targets and by now, not only helping him to speed up, but also pissing him off. Now if they could just stand still... The saru was easier. The more he thought about it, the more he was eager to get out of here and get the saru a hundred times worst for no reason at all. The 'things' that had been attacking them gave them more exercise. It was, by now, one of the most important things to do if you happen to be in the Red Realm. Stay alive or die. Simple rule.
Haku: This is getting too easy. *shoots a couple down*
Sanzo: *shoots one while being jealous of Haku for being better at shooting than he was*
Nataku: *got the last one* That's taken care of.
Sanzo: Its so frustrating to walk.
Haku: It's not my fault Hakuruyu isn't here.
Sanzo: You can make him here.
Haku: I'm not so good with teleportation and stuff. It's not my fault.
Nataku: That's the fifth time you said that today. ^ ^
Haku: It's a habit. Even if it is my fault, I still say that.
Sanzo: -_-+ Ikuzo! *turned and headed forward*
Suddenly, Gyumao appeared. The real one.
Sanzo: I've been meaning to ask you, *aims gun* how are you still alive?
Gyumao: *muttered the word 'simpleton' under it's breath* Don't think I can be rid off easily. When Nataku killed me for the first time, I was not prepared. But when you came, I was ready. I am no ordinary youkai. My blood has powerful properties and it created this place. Out of blood, sorrow, pain, hatred and most of all, revenge. This is why this place exists. It's for the sake for my revenge.
Nataku: *gets into a stance* Why don't we finish this now?
Gyumao: I want to have the pleasure to play. Besides, I would like to get rid of all of you at once.
Sanzo: So you're saying that the others are alive?
Gyumao: Barely. Toying with you makes revenge sweeter.
Haku: *suddenly talks* It's not just that.
Gyumao: So, this stranger knows something.
Haku: If we destroy you, this place goes. If we don't get the others back to their senses, they will go with it. That way, you won't have the fun to see them squirm.
Gyumao: How do you know? *squints at him*
Haku: It's a part of me. I know what you know. *looks up at him as he is very big now* And knowing what you know is too easy. *smiles*
Gyumao: *not showing the fact that he is starting to fear Haku* Humph. Now I see more reason to hate you. Don't talk so big when the battle hasn't even stated yet. What makes you so sure you will live long enough to encounter me?
Haku: Everything.
Gyumao: *getting scared but not showing it* K'so! Take this!
The ground around them shook and the sand suddenly flew around as if there was something exploding underneath them and they are all in a line. Gyumao disappeared. A hideous monster came out.
It looks like a giant Egyptian spider thing. Its reddish brown with a sandy look to it. It's got two eyes that are like a flies and the only difference is that it's red. It's got green veins that creep around its abdomen and pulsing with a deadly glow. On the head of the spider is a purple jewel. On the jewel is some sort of symbol that looks like a scarab drawn on the walls of pyramids as hieroglyphics. It's jaws open and close with the precision of a machine. And sounds like one too. It also makes another sound. It didn't make screeching sounds like the worms. It was the sound of hollow, raspy death. The hairs that covered its body were like something brown daggers sticking out of a pit. Only worse. It moves. When it walked, (or crawled, or just plainly moved) it was a walking nightmare ready to sting.
All three of them assumed fighting stances. They're reflections were very disturbing when seen as the reflections of those eyes.
Sanzo: *very annoyed by it and shot it a few times*
Spider: *its metal like claws caught the bullets, crushed them, and ate it like it was nachos*
Nataku: *dashed by and tried to slash one of its legs off*
Spider: *doesn't feel a thing and to make things worst, the leg wasn't cut off*
Nataku: K'so! *makes a big fireball and throws it at the spider*
Spider: *caught it in its jaws and the fireball gets smaller and smaller while the purple jewel glowed brighter*
Nataku: *getting annoyed and turns to Haku* What are you waiting for?
Haku: It's weakness. *monitors the spider instead of fighting it*
Sanzo: Ch. *continues to shoot other areas*
Nataku: Typical you. *tries a slash at its large abdomen*
Spider: *no injuries, no pains so it continues to advance towards them and this time, it shoots out sticky silver poison that resembles something like web (the catch, web is suppose to come out of its abdomen)*
Nataku: *didn't expect this and got some damage for it* Ouch! *looks at the wound to see something like what highly concentrated radioactive stuff can do to you* Teme! *lunges at the spider*
Sanzo: *dodged most of the web but his leg got some of it* K'ruski! *shoots at the spider thing some more*
Haku: *just plainly studied the spiders move*
Nataku: Oi, Haku. A little help here.^-^ NOW! XO (this is the facial expression of Nataku yelling.)
Haku: Yare, yare.
Nataku: What do you mean 'yare, yare'?
Haku: Do you want the meaning from the dictionary, or in more advance talk? ^ ^
Nataku: -_-; That's not what I meant. *continues to try to trash the spider*
Sanzo: *shot one of the spiders veins*
Spider: *veins flash dangerously and flashes out a claw at Sanzo*
Sanzo: *managed to dodge it and shot some more*
Nataku: *looked at the jewel and got an idea*
Haku: *saw the glint in Nataku's eyes* That's not a good idea.
Nataku: How do you know? *going for the jewel anyway*
Haku: Don't say I didn't warn you.
Sanzo: *saw Nataku lunging for the jewel and helps by shooting the jewel*
Haku: *saw that Nataku manages to stand on the spider with no problems* Souka! *the strategy came to him*
Sanzo/Nataku: *kept attacking the jewel until it cracks*
Nataku: All right! One last blow! *plunging the sword down onto the jewel*
Haku: Yame-
Nataku: *the sword broke the jewel*
Haku: -te. *sweat drops and backs away from the spider* Don't say I didn't warn you.
Nataku: What's wrong? *jumps off the stiff spider* It's done for isn't it?
Sanzo: *backs away from the spider too* Baka!
Nataku: Nani? *turns around and steps a few paces back to get a better look*
It turns out that the spider's eyes were backing in to the socket a bit. Sand shifted off the spider to reveal a black body. The spider grew bigger. Soon, another part grew between the head and the abdomen. The spider raised its middle part and seemed to stand. It's eight legs on its abdomen. The veins become red and pulsed. The veins also worked their way up to the broken jewel. Now a new purple one was in place with the same scarab mark on it. The jaws seem to become bigger and look more like the bull ant's jaws. It even grew antennas. Then a scorpion like tail grew. It now has a scorpion like claws too.
Nataku: *backing away slowly* Eh heh...
Haku: Now it metamorphosed. Breaking the jewel just gives it better weapons and more juice.
Sanzo: -_-+++ BAKAKAMI! *takes out harisen and swings it*
Nataku: *dodged* T-T (This is an expression) But you shot it too!
Sanzo: URUSEI! *tries to hit Nataku again*
Nataku: *dodged the harisen* :p (This is Nataku sticking his tongue at Sanzo.) What do we do now?
Haku: If you just stopped and listen, I could've told you. ^ ^ But now it's gonna be a bit harder.
Nataku: What is it then?
Haku: This! *runs straight for the scorpion/spider/ant*
Sanzo: *follows*
Nataku: Matte! *follows*
Haku was lucky he was fast. Because now the scorpion/spider/ant is now shooting some laser thing from its tail and its claws move fast too. Anyone too slow would've gotten fried or snipped to ribbons.
Both Sanzo and Nataku think that he's going to jump onto the scorpion/spider/ant and so they did so. But to their astonishment, he went UNDER the scorpion/spider/ant and is now facing the extremely dangerous footwork.
Sanzo/Nataku: *looked at each other* WHAT ARE YOU COPYING ME FOR!? COPY HIM!
By now the scorpion/spider/ant had realised that there were two nasty, pesky, parasites on its back. It is now using its tail to get them off.
Sanzo: Ch. *dodges a laser* It's skin is laser proof now.
Nataku: *dodges another one* Don't you think I've noticed?
Haku": Yosh! *shot it's under belly and ran*
Sanzo/Nataku: *busy dodging lasers while arguing with each other until the laser stops and the whole thing trembles* Uh oh. *jumps off and runs to Haku's side*
The entire scorpion/spider/ant exploded and icky liquid gushed out of the now empty exoskeleton and seeing the guts in that thing wasn't the smartest idea in the world.
Sanzo: *felt like puking but face stayed straight even though its turning green*
Nataku: *turned around and puked*
Haku: *lucky enough to have his back facing the thing*
And after a few minutes, they left and were now on their way to find the next member.
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It had been ten days since the first encounter of Gyumao and the sickly scorpion/spider/ant. After that it was the usual worms (I will now call those things worms to keep track of all the made-up creatures). But they did have a second encounter only two days ago. Only with the scorpion/spider/ant though. Today they spotted a building in the very far distance.
Nataku: There's something over there. *points to a small speck in the distance*
Haku: It could be another place where one of the others is kept.
Sanzo: Ikuzo! *headed for that destination*
Haku: *follows and knows that they've found Hakkai after remembering Kanan saying that Hakkai was nearer*
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The speck in the distance happens to be the 100-eyed demons castle. Hakkai was now in front of one of the empty cells that are stained with blood.
Hakkai: *having flashbacks of Kanan* Ka...nan...
Hakkai, like Sanzo, was also tortured by Gyumao and had wounds of his own. But he's just sitting against the wall, staring at an empty cell, with a face that shows a lot of hatred, revenge, agony and close signs of death. Not to mention forgetting to blink.
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Sanzo, Nataku and Haku had just reached a distance where they can tell it was the 100-eyed demons castle.
Sanzo: So were going to save Hakkai now.
Haku: Looks like it.
Nataku: What's that? *points to a couple of whirlpools (if you can call them whirlpools on land) that are surrounding the place*
After a few minutes, a fin can be seen for a flicker of a second.
Nataku: Is that a shark?
Haku: We've got to get closer if we want to find out.
And so they got closer. They looked closely at it and something jumped out and tried to snap them.
Nataku/Haku/Sanzo: ?
Nataku: Did you guys... see what I saw?
Sanzo: *nodded*
Haku: A plant shark?
The plant shark turns out to be a thing that's the shape of a shark. The catch is, it looks more like a plant cut out to be a shark. (I'm running low on ideas okay?)
The sharks got thorns for teeth, sharp leaves for fins, Its eyes were bulging out, and that's all they can catch.
Nataku: *jumps over the whirlpools to the other side* Come on! Gyumao must be stupider than I thought*
Sanzo/Haku: *got over*
Haku: I'm not so sure about that. *takes one glance at the whirlpools before following the others inside*
Outside, the whirlpools are starting to spin more rapidly.
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Inside, all three of them are walking through corridors, stairs, rooms and doors until they came to the cells. They saw Hakkai up against the wall in blood.
Sanzo: We'd better get him out of here. *took one of Hakkai's arms*
Nataku: *took the other and dragged him out*
When they were all up the stairs, the whole place rumbled.
Nataku: Huh?
Haku: We'd better run.
And so they ran as fast as they could out of the castle while Haku explained.
Haku: I saw the whirlpools expand when you two got inside. They must be trying to swallow us while we're in here.
When they got out, they saw that it was true. The whirlpools did expand. Only with a bonus. The place is sinking into the sand and hundreds of those sharks are swarming the area and they're getting close enough to snap at their heels.
Nataku: The whirlpools are too big for us to jump across now. Especially with Hakkai here.
Haku: *carried Hakkai across the whirlpools by jumping on the sharks*
Sanzo/Nataku: *followed Haku's lead*
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Gyumao: Curse it! *could almost slap his head*
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And so that night when Sanzo and Nataku were asleep, Haku woke up to hear a soft, soothing voice singing. Haku turned to see Kanan bringing Hakkai to his senses. He had healed Hakkai's wounds so that he would feel better in the morning. He also gave Hakkai back his old memory so that he won't be much surprised to see Nataku. By the sound of Kanan's singing, he went to sleep himself.
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It was still night and by then, everyone was asleep and Kanan went back to wherever ghosts go. The sky and the ground were not much different from the nights they slept, but Haku woke up to find something that is not going to give him a night like the rest. He sensed something. The smell wasn't that of blood, but soil. No, fresh red soil was the more precise description that he got from the smell. The catch is: How could anything here be fresh. It was not like Gyumao.
Haku got up and saw the others fast asleep. He then heard it. The silent hiss of a whisper. The breeze wasn't like the breeze that had always blown. It wasn't harsh, rough and dry, but held in it some moisture. And yet, there was death in it. But a different sort of death. He can practically taste it in his tongue.
He followed his sense of smell in the red, purple, light into a mist. It was then that he felt cold. Very cold. He wrapped his hands around him in an attempt to keep warm. He looked around and went deeper. It was dark there. It reminded him of the cave he was in. But he went on. It was because of a sudden urge to meet death. The death that has a different purpose in mind. It seemed to beckon to him. Moving his legs for him.
Haku stopped. It wasn't because he was scared, but because he knew this is where it will come. The darkness seemed to create a barrier that kept the outside world away. This is not death. This is true death's calling. The death. Gyumao would've cowered before it.
Then it hit him. There was evil in the air. The evil that appeared in Heaven long ago. Haku himself destroyed his physical form. But it's will lives on. It was not a mere shadow like what other failed minions of evil will be. But this is the essence and the very root of evil. It ruled this small piece of darkness, but it was enough.
The impostor of Li Touten lives on.
Eyes opened in the dark. The menacing eyes of its earthly form. The familiar rotten yoke coloured eyes. The only thing was, it was blood shot. It circled around Haku. Slowly and menacingly it circled him. Haku was tense but kept his eyes on it. This thing will never rest. Never. It suddenly lunged at him. Baring fangs that dripped with poison and claws so long and sharp.
The sound of metal against metal can be heard as Haku had Nyoibo out as a sword to defend himself against it. Haku saw that indeed there were only its eyes, fangs, and claws. The only thing besides that is the darkness that kept him intact. It sneered. It cursed Haku with its very eyes before slowly disappearing into the background of darkness. The darkness then shifted and disappeared. Haku had kept his eyes on that thing ever since the first parts of his physical form appeared until the whole thing disappeared. Those cursed eyes can leave an impression deeper than acid burning a hole through steel. It lingered in Haku's memory. He knew he had to be on the alert. The thing will not use others to torture and destroy its target. It wants its target, Haku, to feel the searing pain, helplessness, and death by using its own raw and surging power. Haku then went back to sleep with the others, but not without one last look at the red horizon. The lifeless and endless ground stretched before him. It was all reflected in Haku's golden eyes. If you can see beyond those reflections, you can see a strange glint in it.
Gyumao didn't now about this. Neither did God, Sanzo, Nataku, or anyone one or anything else. Only a blonde somewhere far, far away can see this. He is seeing it all with his eyes closed. It was something that only these three know.
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Hakkai: Sorry to trouble all of you to save me.
Nataku: Think nothing of it.
Hakkai: Ano, you told me about the changes of over a thousand years, but what happened to Hakuruyu?
Nataku: Hakuruyu was the Dragon King and now that's he's got his memory back, he's a bit more picky. *trying to imagine Hakuruyu and Jiroushin working together, which is by now, almost impossible and also imagine Kanzeon Bosatsu's overlarge head over a chibi body when she's angry*
Hakkai: Souka. Are you sure you can't get Hakuruyu here? ^ ^
Haku: Yes. But why are you so eager to get him here anyway?
Hakkai: I just miss him. ^ ^
Haku: Don't lie. I can read your mind. It says that you are getting *beeping* tired of walking.
Sanzo: So am I.
Nataku: I knew you use bad words!
Hakkai: Sou ka. ^ ^;
And they were journeying further West with Hakkai again. All that's left should be Gojyo.
AFN: I'm getting terrible writers block but I made myself think of something. This is what came out. Stupid huh? I kept saying that I will never get writers block. Unfortunately, it happens. If there are anymore lousy stories, it's due to writing with writers block. Please give me ideas. Onegai? *puppy dog eyes* And please send five reviews for me to continue.
TAAFN (The After After Fic Note): I CHALLENGE ALL AUTHORS TO WRITE A FIC ABOUT THE SANZO-IKKOU AS SUPER SPIES!!!!!!! (A small idea that popped up while watching Spy Kids for the first time after one year after it's release. I'm bored. Please don't flame or sue me!)