Standard Disclaimers apply...

Author's notes:

Sorry for the late update!!!!!!!!! Told you I am busy with y studies...and Rook can you tell me how to access to the Yaone-lirin webring...I can't post my messages...THANKS A LOT!!!!!

I hope the readers can take some to leave your comments. It is greatly appreciated..
Yaone emerged from the mouth of the tent soon after, only to face a VERY embarrassing scene. All four of them had taken off their clothes and were having a splashing good time in the lake!!!!!!!!

"Ano, will you guys take long??" Yaone asked.

"Why?? Are you in a hurry?" Sanzo shot back.

"Actually yes I am..."

"Well we had to stay here because of you....so wait a while more for us, ok?" Goyjo reasoned.

" The next town is very nearby, right? Then I think I will go first, I am really running late now so...Thank you for your care," Yaone quickly muttered the last part under her breath and left the scene.

"Cho...cho matte Yaone-san..." Hakkai managed to shout and started to head for his clothes.

"You will never be able to catch her in time at the rate you are changing" Goyjo lazily commented on Hakkai's fumbling with his clothes.

"But you can use the jeep to help you, right?" Goku chirped in.

"NO! If so, we will go now. Goku, Goyjo bring down the tent...NOW!!!" Sanzo commanded.

To be having a foul-mood monk early in the morning is not what Goku and Goyjo would want and thus they hurriedly got the job done and on their way to town.
A bustling town awaited them. Where they entered from seems to be the market place of the town. They decided to walk from there onwards.

"Wow, look at all the food!!!!! Sanzo can I have this and that and that?? No, no, WHY DON'T YOU BUY ALL THEM FOR ME??!!" Goku chanted and was rewarded Sanzo's paper fan.

"We need to find a place to stay first and then food, right Hakkai," Sanzo glanced at Hakkai noticing he had been looking solemn since this morning.

"Ha.hai Sanzo" Hakkai smiled in acknowledgement. But that was not his priority now..where are you Yaone-san?? I know its my fault and I have this feeling you not okay right now..

In a forest far from town....

"Ano Tori-san, are you sure the town's this way? Hakkai and the others said the town was very near just now..and we have walked for almost half a day now...my legs are failing me..." Yaone wailed, but relieve as well. 'I think I'm lucky to have found him again, if not I would lost my way. But why is it that I like I am being force to follow him, this magic bounding me to him..' Yaone thought.

"We are reaching the place already....it's only a short distance from here..come on now" Tori interrupted her thoughts.

Soon, they arrived at a clearing. Most the parts were charred for don't know what reasons and no grass grew there. But what shocked Yaone the most was the large palace in front of her that had an eerie aura emitting from it.

"Are sure this is the town, Tori-chan?" Yaone asked, unsure if so.

"Yes, yes..follow me." Tori encouraged.

As soon as the heavy gates shut behind her, laughter cackled through the whole palace. Grey mist whirled in front of her. It was so thick that she had to cough. Slowly a figure emerged out of the clouds of smoke.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Yaone-san." The man was wearing a simple suit, overhung with a dark blue cloak.

"W..wh.who are you?" then it dawned on Yaone that she was trapped in there with that strange man.

"Don't you recognize me? Why, it's Tori of course." And he wore a heart- melting smile on his face. The problem was that it did not melt Yaone's heart, her heart failed her! And she fainted...

Back to our heroes.....

Goyjo and Hakkai wearily entered the inn.

"So did you managed to find her?" Goku asked concerned that Yaone-san is gone just like that.

"No, even though we split up and asked nearly all the townspeople, no had seen a 38-24-36 purple haired lady around here," Goyjo blurted out, receiving a glare from Hakkai.

"Okay, okay I did not include the statistic part. Happy now?" Goyjo corrected himself.

"Anyway how do you know that is her statistics?" Sanzo wondered out aloud.

"Being with women is my forte. If I can even guess hers correctly, don't call me Goyjo," he boasted proudly.

"Fine, it's a deal. If you're wrong, I name you baka, you can't smoke and hang out with women for a month. But if you're right..." Sanzo thought for a moment.

"Then you can't use the paper fan on me, cannot smoke and have to pay for all my expenses for one month, deal?" Goyjo finished for him.

"Okay, it's settled then. Hakkai and Goku are our witnesses, right?"

"What is going on??!! Ano Hakkai, what are statistics?" Goku was confused at the previous conversation.

"Never mind that Goku. Why don't you go up and sleep first, it's very late already," Hakkai advised him.

"Okay then, oyasumi nasai everyone!!!" Goku genkily went up to his room and rest.

"What is it that you have to say that you wanted Goku to leave?" Gojyo noticing the frowns on Hakkai's forehead.

"Oh nothing, just thought he was already very tired and should rest now," at this Hakkai smiled wearily. "Ceh..."

"Actually." Hakkai resumed, attracting the attention of his comrades again, "while I was asking around just now, I heard a rumour of a sorcerer living not far from here. He loves to kidnap women, especially innocent-looking ones, for unknown reasons. He usually preys on lonely girls and they never usually return after that. Also, his magic is mostly related to shape- shifting,"

"No wonder there were soooo few girls on the street just now.." Goyjo commented resting his folded hands at the back of his head.

"That's not what he meant you idiot," Sanzo took out his paper fan and wacked Goyjo's head.

"Yeah, yeah..so you think this sorcerer took Yaone, is it?" Goyjo asked, seeking reassurance from Hakkai.

"It's a big possibility. She's not here and she fits every description that the sorcerer preys on" Hakkai muttered, not wanting to believe it's true.

"Then where does this sorcerer stays?" Sanzo questioned.

"15 miles north-east from this town" Hakkai replied.

"Then we shall pay a little visit to this sorcerer tomorrow, right?" Goyjo asked to conclude the session. The other 2 nodded in agreement.