Standard disclaimers…aw you know the drill.

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Sanzo knew something was wrong the minute the end of his robe jostled against his neck as he climbed off the dinghy; knew how it felt unnaturally hot in his robes, the dull aching in his joints, but most especially the pinpricks where the damning shimmering thing had touched flesh. A trail of wetness that could be blood or water ran down to join the rest of his soggy undershirt. Damn youkai.

He heard Goku's frantic cry, felt the boy run up to him as he leaned his back against the nearest tree he could find.

"Sanzo!" Frantic golden eyes met his gaze, fear and concern vying for attention. The boy was even standing with his arms to his sides, ready to support the monk if he fell over.

"Sanzo?"

"Urusai…bakasaru." He rolled his eyes at the boy's concern. He didn't need the saru going frantic over him, wet as they all were. He didn't need Goku going over-protective. He didn't need anyone to protect him.

Sanzo rested his head back on the tree, his eyelids feeling heavier than normal. The stinging pain at his neck seemed to spread down to his lungs, flashing needles every time he breathed.

He blinked his eyes open when he felt a hand on his forehead. Green eyes frowned at him as the hand lowered. "You're running a fever."

"Tch." Sanzo curled his lips in disgust. "Obviously."

He moved to push himself off the tree, felt Hakkai's restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Matte," the human-turned-youkai grinned as green light suddenly reflected off his monocle. Comforting warmth glided across Sanzo's shoulder to his neck, where the stinging eased. But it wasn't enough for the spreading needles that now attacked his back.

The healing light faded along with its warmth. Sanzo still felt too hot.

"The bouzu's getting too old to recover from a little swim?" Gojyo's annoying voice came to him first before the kappa leaned an elbow onto Hakkai's shoulder to peer down at him.

Sanzo wanted nothing more than to send a bullet between those irritating red eyes. "Do you really want to die early, damn cockroach?"

"Maa maa," Hakkai gently pushed down the barrel of Sanzo's gun. "This isn't the time for that. We need to get to the next town fast."

"Tch. It's damned impossible to reach the town before the day is out." The monk pushed himself off the tree, managing to take a couple of steps before the world spun crazily around him.

"Sanzo!" Strong arms were suddenly supporting him, an anchor to his tunnelling vision. Goku.

Twigs cracked somewhere to his right. Dark brown hair tied back, worn dark blue dress covering darkened skin, a dirtied white apron in front. Sanzo moved away from Goku and aimed his gun at the woman, forcing the dizziness back. "Who are you?"

"Chen Ming." The woman said simply. "I take it you got past the lake dragon."

No lengthened ears protruded from her hair, and her hands didn't sport sharpened nails. Still…

"What's it to you?" he asked guardedly.

"Nothing." Her face refrained from showing emotion. "Just that humans who manage to pass the lake dragon end up dying from poison."

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A/N: Took me longer to finish this part. Darn final exams and final presentations. Here's to hoping I'll survive my hell weeks. Oh, and if you find any mistakes care to tell me? Thanks.