Genjo Sanzo leaned against a tree. He sighed and looked around. His companions, Son Goku, Sha Gojyo and Cho Hakkai were all fighting the youkai surrounding them. Sanzo killed about six and had gotten bored of it. He took out a pack of cigarettes and took one out. He searched for his lighter but couldn't find it.

"Gojyo," he called out the half-youkai. " Hand me your lighter. Mine's gone." Gojyo, who had just finished three demons in one go with his shaku- jou, whipped out his lighter from his back pocket and lit his own cigarette then tossed the lighter to Sanzo.

" Sanzo! Are you going to help us or what?" he said, and then punched a demon that dared to attack him from behind. Sanzo took a long drawl from his cigarette and then raised his gun. He shot the annoying youkai that was crying out in pain from Gojyo's hit. He watched as it cried out then faded away.

"You don't need it," he replied, watching Hakkai and Goku eliminate most of the demons. The rest ran away in fright. "Besides, I'm getting tired of this. I know what to expect every time. They come to get the sutra; they die trying to get the sutra. It's always the same story. It's like we're on schedule. I just need a break from it all!"

Just as he said the words, a light came from up above. Goku looked up excitedly. " Is it Homura? It's been a while since he came to us. I wanna fight him!" Hakkai laughed and looked up too. "I don't think so. Homura just appears from nowhere. He's not in Heaven anymore. He came down like this just once. Remember? This has to be a God from Heaven."

Then the four of them heard a laugh. A woman's laugh. Sanzo gave out an irritated sigh. It has to be her. What other god would come down to earth and then laugh at them?

Kanzeon Bosatsu stepped out from the blinding light. She smirked at them, and then turned to Sanzo. " A break, huh?" She said to the glaring Sanzo. " Do all of you want one too?" She asked, staring at the other three. And then, one by one, they all nodded their heads.

" We travel a lot and hardly get any food!!" Goku whined. Then he peered at Sanzo. "We can buy them, of course, but Sanzo refuses to buy a year's supply!! How can we." he stopped when Sanzo went to him, took out his paper fan and started hitting Goku with it. " Urusai!! You'll finish it all without any hesitation, baka saru!!" Goku yelped from beneath the fan and tried shielding his head with his arms.

Hakkai turned to Kanzeon Bosatsu and gave her an uneasy smile. " Yes, we would. I'm getting tired of driving around all the time. I would let the others drive but. well. Sanzo is a reckless driver. He'll go to fast and, um, hit things. Gojyo would be okay but we can't be stopping all the time to look at women. Goku doesn't have a license yet. Besides, Hakuryu is getting tired too. Aren't you?" he asked the dragon. Hakuryu gave an exhausted "Kyu!!"

Gojyo chuckled. " Plus there isn't much women on the road. They're either too young (remembering the encounter with the small girl that Goku misunderstood as his new-found-girlfriend) or too old." (He looked curiously at The Goddess of Mercy. She must have been reading his mind, because a vein was popping in her head)

Then Kanzeon Bosatsu laughed again. " So would you like a break from it all? All play and no work?"

Hakkai looked at the rest. He spoke for all of them. "Well, not like that. We would like a challenge, just in a world with no demons and a more easier job."

Kanzeon Bosatsu looked up to the sky. Then after a while, she looked back at the four of them. " All the gods agree," she said to them, her eyes twinkling mischievously, " You'll get transferred to a world with no demons. Plus it will confuse the evil witch of Gyumao's to find you're not in this world anymore. I'll see you soon!" Then with a pop, she was gone.

And then, Hakkai began disappearing before Sanzo's eyes. " Hakkai!" he yelled. Then Gojyo disappear, followed by Goku. "Gojyo! Goku!! Damn Goddess. don't tell me she wasn't joking." he muttered. Hakuryu perched on Sanzo's shoulder and began looking around for Hakkai. And before Sanzo knew it, the view before him faded.

Then another place formed around him. He could see Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku standing beside him. Hakuryu flew from his shoulder to Hakkai's. Hakkai absentmindedly stroked Hakuryu. Sanzo looked up to the sky. This definitely wasn't the same place. The place they were before was hotter. Then suddenly, an orange ball came from above and covered his view. He quickly took out his gun and shot the ball away. Then he heard a few surprised gasps. He looked around. It seemed like he was caged in a wire cage. He was on cement, with a long pole with a basket attached to it on either end. There were a few white markings on the ground. Sanzo frowned. This has to be a game or some sort, since it involved a ball. All the people in the cage were wearing shorts on shirts. All of them were surprised by the gunshot. Hakkai became the first to speak.

"Excuse me!" he called out friendly. " My friends and I are foreigners here. Can you tell us what are you doing? "

The boys stepped forward. Sanzo looked at them closely. They were young, about nine or so. Maybe that's why they weren't afraid of the gunshot much. " Hello!!" the youngest one replied. " You are in Kanagawa, Japan." Hakkai nodded as if he knew it all along. Sanzo was surprised how normal Hakkai seemed in this world, even with his different clothes.

" We're playing a game of 'Basketball'," the young one continued. Goku and Gojyo nodded expertly. " I see, I see!!" Gojyo exclaimed. "So how does 'Basketball' go?"

The kid looked at the ball. It now had a hole through it, made by Sanzo's gun. He shrugged. " We can't use that anymore, so I take another one." He walked to the edge of the cage, as Sanzo calls it, and took a bag. He then took out another identical ball out. " All you have to do is get this ball through that hoop." He pointed to the baskets at either end. "Once the ball goes through it, you earn two points for your team. That is. " He walked towards a line shaped as a 'D' surrounding the basket. " If you shoot from here, you get three points."

Sanzo stared at him. That was it? That was the game? Anyone could do that. " That's it?" he asked the boy. The boy nodded.

"But the other teams' players will be blocking you. It's hard, and you cannot move with the ball just like that. You have to dribble the ball to the basket." The boy then explained every technique and rule there was. He seemed to know a lot.

"How do you know all this?" Goku asked the boy in amazement. The boy smiled proudly.

"My brother's on the Shohoku High team. He's very good. He teaches me everything." Hakkai smiled at him. "Ahh. I see. Shohoku High, huh? Will you teach us how to play? By the way, what's you're name?"

The boy looked up to Hakkai. Then he gave a huge smile. "Okay, Oniichan! My name is Mikaru. Mikaru Mitsui."

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Kougaji walked towards his step-mom's room. He had only been there a few times. The rest of the times he was summoned to Gyumao's revival place. He could hear Gyokumen Koushu screaming. Something bad must've happened. Kougaji thought. He opened the door and looked inside.

Gyokumen Koushu had curlers in her hair and was wearing a violet silk robe. She had just thrown a comb to the other side of the room. Dr. Huang was there, trying to calm the Queen, who was screaming like mad, down. So was Ni Jieni, who had an amused smile on his face. He had his laptop on his lap and the annoying bunny in his arm.

" WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ARE NOT HERE?" Gyokumen Koushu screamed. She picked up her hand mirror and aimed for the door. Kougaji moved left just as the mirror was released. She didn't even acknowledge his arrival. The mirror fell to the ground and shattered. Ni Jieni gave a chuckle.

"You'll get seven years of bad luck, your Highness. I think it already started," Ni Jieni said. Gyokumen Koushu gave him a death glare. " Where are they?" She asked him. More like yelled.

Ni Jieni typed something on his laptop. " Hmm.. Somewhere in the future. in Japan. I can easily transfer our people there with the new hi- tech machine." He looked particularly at Kougaji. Kougaji stared back. This bunny-guy is so happy-go-lucky, and Kougaji admired him for that. But he was just so annoying he wished Lirin's mom would just fire him. But he knew that would not happen soon, since NI Jieni was very good with computers and was faithful. To Gyokumen Koushu, at least.

"Fine. That's settled." She looked at Kougaji for the first time since he entered the room. " Kougaji. Go gather your best men. They will be going to this place." Kougaji frowned. He hated sending his men when he knew they would all be sacrificed without Sanzo Ikkou getting more than a single drop of sweat on their heads.

" I'm afraid that can't be done, Gyokumen-sama." Dr. Huang said carefully, trying not to get the Queen worked up again. " This is a place which is youkai-free, so unfortunately you're men will make too much of a scene. " Gyokumen Koushu fumed.

" I DON'T CARE!! I NEED THAT SUTRA! I NEED MY HUSBAND BACK!!" She screamed. Then she turned back to Kougaji. " Kougaji!" she called. Kougaji took a step forward, afraid for what was coming. " Pick about 100 of your best and strongest men. Send them to this place. Make sure they get the sutra, and DO NOT LET THEM COME BACK WITHOUT IT!" She warned. Kougaji glared at her. He hated it when she sends his men even though she knew there was no way they could get the damn sutra. He hated it even more when she gets so obsessed, she would even kill innocent lives.

" You know they won't be able to do it! Different world or not!" He yelled at the woman, which was probably a huge mistake. He could see Dr. Huang giving him a stare and Ni Jieni grinning mischievously. Gyokumen Koushu glared at him. Before she could yell anything to him, Ni Jieni cut in their conversation.

"I believe, Highness, that the prince only wants to protect his men. But perhaps it would be better if Kougaji-sama goes instead. I mean, he has more experience with them and is more powerful." He then turned to his bunny. "Don't you agree?" Then he made the bunny nod.

Kougaji wished he could tear off the bunny's irritating head, burn it, and flush the ashes down the toilet. But before he got a chance, a smile crept on Gyokumen Koushu's face.

" Hmm. that is probably better. Kougaji, get ready. You're going." She then sat down at her dressing table and began to take the curlers out. Kougaji started to protest, but stopped. He knew it was probably the best way. One person dying is better. Suddenly the door flew open wider and Lirin, Dokugakuji and Yaonne fell into the room. Gyokumen Koushu jumped up.

" Lirin-sama, I told you not to lean too much on the door," Yaonne said to Lirin. Lirin ignored her. She jumped up and stood beside Kougaji. Then she looked at her mother.

" Are you planning to send oniichan somewhere? I want to go!! You can't let him go alone," She told her mother. Kougaji expected Gyokumen Koushu to refuse, but she sat back down and shrugged.

" Very well," she told Lirin. " You may go. But only if Yaonne goes too. And Dokukugaji? That's not your name? Well you can't expect me to memorize everyone's name in this castle (Kougaji did expect her too, since he did, but again he kept quiet). Dokugakuji, you go along and watch Kougaji's back. That will be all. Ni, Dr. Huang, get them ready. And please give them youkai devices. I don't want them to be put in a museum. I expect you to leave by the end of the day." Then she got up and went into the bathroom. Ni Jieni smiled and then closed his laptop.

" We mustn't disappoint her. Shall we?"

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"NANI? THE SUTRA IS NOT HERE?" Homura yelled out. He was usually patient, but this really surprised him. Shien nodded patiently, as if expecting this to happen.

"It's in another world," Shien said. " A world without any youkai." Homura looked at him. " Do you know where?" he asked Shien. Shien nodded. " It's a place that gods scarcely visit, but I roughly know where it is."

Zenon chuckled. "What are you waiting for? Show us the way." He said, positioning his gun behind his back. Shien nodded.

" Very well." Then he looked at Homura. " Homura, if anyone asks, say 'contact lens'." Homura frowned at him. "Nani?" he asked. But Shien already vanished. Zenon shrugged, then he too disappeared. Homura sighed.

" Baka," he muttered, then closed his eyes and tracked Shien down.

| |

Kanzeon Bosatsu looked down and smiled. This is getting more interesting. What would you say if you saw this happening, Nataku? I bet you would probably laugh. Then she looked at him, his golden eyes empty and his body stiff. "It's too bad you're missing this. Or are you?" She said softly, and then looked down again.

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Hakkai tossed the ball. It went in without hitting the rim. Then Gojyo did the same. Then Goku. Then Sanzo. Mikaru seemed very excited.

" Sugoi!! You're all very good. Maybe you should join Shohoku. They aren't doing too well, oniichan says. Onnichan just started playing again. He had a break from basketball for about two years. Then when he joined the team, he cut his hair." Mikaru looked at Gojyo. " You remind me of him. I think if you're planning to play, you should cut your hair or it will get in the way. It's getting late. I have to go. See you again soon!!" He picked up his ball and bag, waved, then let himself out of the court.

" So there's a way out of this cage. Good." Sanzo then made his way out of the court, followed by Gojyo, Goku and Hakkai. Goku whined. " Sanzo, I'm hungry!" Sanzo hit his head with his fan.

" First things first. This must be the challenge the old woman was talking about. Ikuzo!" Hakkai looked at Sanzo.

" Where are we going, Sanzo?" He asked, with Hakuryu Flying behind him. Sanzo looked at him as if the answer was obvious.

" Where else? To Register at Shohoku school. So what are you waiting for? Do you want to die??"