Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Saiyuki characters. They honorably belong to Minekura Sensei. Please don't sue me.
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Ayie: Uh oh! stumble head over heels. Someone wants to pay me for my fic? O_o. Yare….yare…I never expect that. Glad you enjoyed the fic Blackrose-san. I'm really happy to know that. ^___^. Minna, there's nothing more important and happier for me than knowing you guys enjoyed my fic. Arigatou bowed head, minna-san. Loved you! You know? You can help make the fic better by adding in your opinions and idea in your reviews.
Gojyo: Oi oi! You are not fair… you focused more on Sanzo, Goku and Aiko in your recent chapters. What about us?
Kazo: nodded I agree with the baka…
Ayie: -__-"…Gomen minna-san…I don't mean to put you aside.
Gojyo and Kazo: Humph!! Looked away
Hakkai: Yare….yare…desune
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Chapter 12 – The Bond
Hakkai bent down and picked something from the ground. He inspected the object he just picked up and sighed.
"What is it Hakkai?" Asked Kazo as he put one hand on Hakkai's shoulder. He peeked over the brunettes shoulder and tried to identify the object Hakkai's holding between his fingers.
"A bullet from Sanzo's shoureiju" Hakkai replied as he scanned the area around them. The were dozens of bullets scattered on the ground, just as the same size as the one he was holding right on his palm. "Looks like there's a fierce battle had occurred here before…probably yesterday" Hakkai made a wild guess, judging on the color of the bloodstain on the ground. The bloodstains had dried up, leaving numerous spots of cooper brown everywhere on earth. From its color, Hakkai was sure that the bloodstain belong to a human, Sanzo was on the top of the list of his mind.
"Sanzo was wounded" Hakkai concluded. His already distorted face became even worse.
Gojyo sighed. 'No doubt, from the number of bullets he had waste, he must have fought an army of youkai'. He glanced at Hakkai, who had rose up to his feet.
"Aiko was here" Kazo picked up a piece of cloth from the ground. The cloth was covered with dry bloodstains but he could still recognize it as the cloth his sister wore around her waist. "This was her waistband" Kazo held out the cloth to the elder bishounens.
"And there's a familiar smell of yuki" Hakkai exclaimed. 'Probably belong to Goku'. "Well at least we know they were together" he said calmly, trying to reassure everyone including himself.
"I just hope Aiko was not wounded" Kazo voiced out his concern upon his sister, the first time since the ambush. Hakkai and Gojyo looked at him with wonder and sympathy. 'So, the kid was worried after all'. "She couldn't heal herself with her power" Kazo explained as he lifted his face and smiled.
"Kazo…" Hakkai put on a hand on the boy's shoulder and looked at him with empathy. He tried to say something to cheer the boy up but no words emerged in his entangled mind.
Suddenly, Kazo slapped his head. "What am I saying?" he asked himself. "Aiko was a big girl now, she'll be responsible for herself" Kazo shook his head in disbelief. 'How can I doubted her ability? Aiko trusted me to believe in her'.
Hakkai smiled. The boy really knows how to reassure himself and perhaps the people around him too.
Gojyo smirked at the boy's word. That little boy was already a man before his age. Kazo did remind him of himself when he was young. 'Always acted like you are so brave and like there is no fear for anything'.
"Now, don't start crying" said Jien to the little boy behind him as he glanced around the foggy woods. They were absolutely lost in the middle of nowhere.
"Who's crying? I'm not crying!" He replied harshly. Yet he was right, no tears seemed to fall down on his cheeks, even a single drop.
Jien looked at him with concern and wretched looks. He looked at him as if he's saying 'Stop pretending, cry out loud, release your fear'. He just ignored the look and walked away. Jien tailed him with a pathetic smile.
Gojyo was once a boy who hid his true feelings underneath his genki self, and he still is. He never thought how that would disturb his brother's mind completely. But now, seeing the boy in front of him doing the same thing he did years ago, Gojyo seemed to feel a little bit disturbed. The boy was hiding the feeling of sorrow and the pain in his mind and body and that made Gojyo felt miserable. Now he understood how Jien must have felt years before.
"Well, we don't have to worry about Sanzo or Goku's wounds to get any worse if Aiko was with them" Hakkai ruffled Kazo's hair as he made the conclusion. Aiko would have treated their wounds finely with her healing power. There was no need to worry about the men, but what if Aiko was the one who got injured? That's definitely a problem. Neither Sanzo nor Goku had the ability to heal and they were bad at nursing either. Alas, Kazo was right, Aiko couldn't heal herself if she was injured. A sudden fear surfaced in him. "We should hurry up" he said it beyond his conscious.
Kazo looked up to Hakkai. He took Nimmiku off his shoulder and stared upon that little dragon's face.
"Kyu!!" Nimmiku cooed, ready to carry out her master's order.
"Nimmiku, I need you to fly away and observed the area for any river" Kazo patted the dragon's head as the latter nuzzled playfully at his face.
"Baka kiddo!" Gojyo's fist landed on Kazo's head. "River? Why are you interested in searching for a river when we were busy looking for your sister?"
"Ittai!" Kazo clutched his head. He punched the man back on his tummy, sending Gojyo to bent down and clung to his abdomen. He groaned underneath his breath.
"Ma…ma…let's kiss and make up, we're on a mission to find missing comrades here" Hakkai tried to evoke peace among the two red haired.
"He's the one who started it!" Kazo blamed it on Gojyo as he pointed his forefinger to the mentioned man.
"Nani?!" Gojyo protested. "You are the one being so dumb ordering the dragon to find for a river!" He was not satisfied. Adult or not, he's not going to give up.
Kazo stuck out his tongue to Gojyo. "The reason I did that is because Aiko always told me that if I got lost, headed for the river" he explained as he rubbed his aching head. "She would go and search for me along the river"
Hakkai and Gojyo startled. 'Okay, they never think of that before'
"Nimmiku, go now!" ordered Kazo as he pushed the she-dragon into the air.
"Kyu!!" Nimmiku flapped her wings and flew away as soon as she was summoned. She's heading to the south.
Harkuryu looked up to sky, sending his mate away with a soft coo. Hakkai patted his pet's head. "She'll be fine, we'll follow her" Hakkai reassured his little dragon. Hearing his master's word, Harkuryu flew onto the ground and transformed himself into his mechanical form.
"Looks like Harkuryu was not fond of letting his girlfriend to wander alone" said Gojyo as he hopped in the car. Kazo climbed up to the backseat.
"Kyu…." Harkuryu cooed softly.
Hakkai entered the jeep and turned on the ignition switch. "Well then, we should speed up ne Harkuryu?" Hakkai patted the steering wheel.
"Kyu..kyu" Harkuryu cooed and sped away, all by himself.
"Uh okay! Harkuryu really hates the idea of letting Nimmiku wanders alone to find the river" Kazo mumbled as he was sent backward by the sudden speed of the jeep. He had stumbled down on the floor and landed on his butt. "Ittai…." He groaned softly.
Hakkai smiled. He understood how Harkuryu would feel and he was sure he felt the same way too, right now.
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"Are you sure about this?" Sanzo asked grimly as he gazed at the girl stood by the river. Aiko had suggested for them to get to the nearest river in order to find their missing teammates.
"Harahetta yo Sanzo…." Goku had started whining for food. He tugged at Sanzo's oversized sleeve, hoping that he would be feed by doing that.
"TWHACK!!" in a matter of a moment, the harisen hit Goku right on the head.
"Ittai….!!" Goku yelped with agony. He enveloped his head in his arms. "Demo…Sanzo.." He would never give up whining for food when his stomach had began to grumble out loud.
"Urusai!!!" Sanzo roared with a vein popped out on his forehead.
"Harahetta!!!!" Goku roared even louder, his eyes narrowed until it looked like a blade thrusting into Sanzo's eyes. His eyes sent out an electrical wave that penetrated straight into the amethyst eyes of his guardian.
Aiko sweat dropped. 'Goku must be terribly hungry that he has the guts to yell back at Sanzo like that'. She waited nervously for the harisen or shoureiju to appear in her sight.
"Ch!" Sanzo fell calm at sudden. He looked away from the fiery golden eyes of the boy's and grunted. He took out his cigarette pack and lit a cigarette. He blew out puff of smoke after he inhaled it deep into his lungs.
"Sanzooo…harahetta…harahetta…harahetta" Goku kept on chanting and there's no sign that he's going to stop. He tugged at the monk's robe and gave him a puppy eyes look.
Sanzo searched for something from his robe and took out a meat bun. He stuffed the meat bun into Goku's wide opened mouth and ceased the chant instantly. Goku stared at him with astonishment and started to gobble the meat bun vigorously.
Aiko stumbled head over heels. 'How does this man keeps all the things inside his robe?'
"And you were saying?" Sanzo looked down to Aiko.
Aiko chuckled anxiously. "Nanda? Oh! The river" Aiko finally regained her consciousness. "I told Kazo that if he ever got lost, looked for the river and I'll search for him alongside the riverbank" she explained as she rose up to her feet.
"Sou ka…" Sanzo threw the cigarette butt away. "Then, let's wait" he sunk to the ground and sat cross-legged with his arms folded in front of his chest. He took out his newspaper and put on his reading glasses and started reading.
Aiko smiled. She sighed softly and kneeled by the riverbank. She placed the baby beside her and bent down. Aiko cupped the water using her hands and splashed the water all over her face. She took a deep breath and sighed with relief. She cupped for some more and drank from her hands.
Suddenly, Aiko heard a loud whoosh passed by her ears, and she felt her body being jerked slightly to the front by the wind that was caused from the swift movement of a figure lurching into the water. Aiko halted at her current position, astounded she was.
The figure lurched into the water, stripping himself off from his shirt as he ran into the river. He jumped frantically into the water and caused a big splash of water to soar over the riverbank. Aiko was soaked wet by the splash. She stood dumbfounded.
"Goku!!!!" Aiko yelled with rage as she glared at the chirping boy in the river. Goku was singing happily as he swam inside the water, surpassing the water current with a new style of backstroke. He bobbed up and down cheerfully, and never did he pay any attention to the girl by the riverside.
Aiko sweat dropped. She slapped her head and shook it with disbelief. Lastly, she just allowed a thin smile to appear on her rosy lips. She could never win over Goku. She might be if the boy turned out to be Kazo but Goku? She just couldn't.
Aiko took Dai out of the baby basket and undressed the baby. "You need a bath" Aiko said, making funny faces to the baby.
"Ch!" Sanzo grunted as he glanced at Aiko and Dai from the corner of his eyes.
Aiko hummed as she bathed Dai by splashing a small amount of water onto the little guy's chubby body. She finished her task after a few minutes and searched for the babies' clothing. "Eeh…where did I put it?" Aiko's getting a little bit uneasy as she couldn't find the clothing in her backpack, and the baby in her arms had already started to cry. Dai got restless by Aiko's movement.
"Sanzo, please hold the baby for me?" Aiko looked at Sanzo with a pleading look. Her sapphire blue eyes seemed to glitter magnificently. She blinked continuously and her lips trembled as if she was about to cry.
"K'so!" Sanzo grabbed the baby away. He couldn't stand the look she gave him, so pathetic and stupid.
"Yosh!" Aiko giggled in glee as she went back to search for Dai's clothing. She wouldn't want to risk of having Sanzo whacking Dai's head if she tried to slow the things down.
"Hayaku…omae baka!" Sanzo muttered as he held the giggling baby in front of his face. The baby reached out his chubby hands to Sanzo's face and flailed it frantically in front of him. He babbled something and blew up bubbles from his mouth. Obviously, Dai was trying to take Sanzo's glasses off his face. 'What was so adorable about this creature?'
"Hai! Hai!" Aiko turned her backpack upside down and scattered her belongings on the ground. Finally, she found it.
"Uwek!!" a sound of someone vomiting caught Aiko to become speechless. She turned around and found Dai's throwing up on Sanzo's robe. Sanzo on the other hand, had become terribly outraged. Aiko sweat dropped. The clothing she held in her hand slipped down to the ground.
Aiko darted toward Sanzo and immediately took the baby away from Sanzo. "Goku!" she called out for help. Goku, who stood jaw dropped at the latter scene, got out from the river at instance. Aiko held out the baby for him and he took him away without hesitation. He ran away to a farther distance, away from reachable distance of Sanzo's harisen and perhaps his bullets too. Aiko gulped as she gazed down upon the outraging monk. Sanzo's face had turned furiously red and numerous veins popped out on his face. His eyebrows twitched and his lips tremble with anger.
"Shi---ne!!!" Sanzo howled and took out his harisen. He dashed toward Goku and Dai and was stopped abruptly by Aiko, who's pushing his body toward the riverbank. Sanzo struggled to set himself free but he slipped when the ground beneath his feet started to rumble. He fell tremendously into the river, bringing Aiko together with him. They sat dumbfounded in the river and stared at each other, speechless.
"Sanzo? Aiko?" Goku was startled.
Aiko looked at Sanzo. "This is all your fault!" she yelled at him.
"Nani?!" Sanzo argued. He flinched as Aiko swung her hand on the surface of the water and sent the water splashing to his face. "You're the one who dragged me to the river" he protested.
"Well, now you're clean right?" Aiko's voice turned softer as she realized she was the one who coaxed Sanzo to the river, even though she was not aware of that.
Sanzo looked down to his robe. Yes, his robe was clean but now he was soaked wet. "Ch!" Sanzo grunted and rose up. He walked surpassed the water current and climbed onto the riverbank. Aiko on the other hand just dived into the river, sending her hair to float on the surface. After a moment or two, she emerged to the surface. She was all wet and soggy.
"Aiko?" Goku called out as the girl walked toward him and climbed to the riverside. Aiko smiled. She glanced toward Sanzo and pouted. "You are all wet" Goku complaint.
Aiko untie her braid and twisted her hair to dry up the water. "Never mind, I like it this way" she released her hair and let it fell limply on her shoulder. "I used to play in the river with my o-nii-chan when I was a little girl, the river was a part of me" she said as she glanced adoringly at the river.
Goku handed her a towel and she dried her drenched hair with it. "My o-nii-chan hated the river so much but I loved it" Aiko combed her damp hair with her fingers. "But he had to gave up his hatred for the river because I always made him went to the river with me" she chuckled as she shook her head.
"I feel sorry for your o-nii-chan, giving up his own dislike for someone like you" Sanzo teased Aiko.
"Na..ni?" Aiko asked with rage. Her eyes narrowed until it looked like a dark blade. She was about to dart toward Sanzo when she heard something from the bushes up ahead of them.
Goku summoned for his nyoibou and Sanzo took out his shoureijuu, ready for a surprise assault. Aiko took Dai away from Goku's firm grip and shielded him with her energy barrier. Then she stood abreast with Goku, forming a ki-beam through her palm.
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"Kyu!!!" Nimmiku appeared at sudden and darted toward Aiko. Aiko let her ki-beam vanished in a tiny puff as the little dragon crashed to her chest, sending her to jerk backward.
"Nimmiku!" Goku was atounded.
"Kyu!!!" suddenly Harkuryu's voice filled the air as a jeep floated in the air and landed in front of them. Sanzo, Goku and Aiko gawked at that sight, their hearts pumped fast and hard because the jeep almost landed on their heads.
"Yare…yare…" Hakkai sweat dropped as he gazed at his three companions who stood like a statue in front of the jeep. Their faces were white pale and they looked like as if there's no tomorrow for them.
"Oh God!" Aiko and Goku crashed down to the ground, straight and hard like a statue. They were knocked senseless by a narrow escape from the death call. Kazo leaped out from the jeep and darted toward his sister and Goku. He helped them to stand on their feet and waited for them to regain their balance.
"Oro…oro.." Aiko's head spun madly. She staggered a bit and regain her balance soon after.
"Daijoubu ka Aiko?" Kazo asked as he held the girl's shoulder.
"Daijoubu da" Aiko answered calmly as she presented her brother a sweet smile.
Hakkai and Gojyo got out from the jeep and hurried to their comrades.
"You're late" Sanzo grunted.
"Gomen" Hakkai was so relief to see Sanzo was indeed all right. But the monk was wet and soggy, and they were strange bruises and bumps on his face. 'It's impossible that the bruises and bumps were caused by youkai's assault, Sanzo used a gun to finish his opponent…no way they could attack him from a close distance'
"What are you looking at?" Sanzo asked coldly. He realized what Hakkai was thinking and he was not fond of it.
"Nande monai" Hakkai replied as he chuckled edgily.
"Daijoubu desu ka saru?" Gojyo looked down at Goku.
"Don't call me saru…kono ero kappa!" he lurched forward and tugged at the red haired hair.
"You sure you're okay?" Kazo asked again.
"Hai!" Aiko replied with wonders.
"Yukata!" Kazo chirped and at sudden he kicked Aiko's leg, causing his sister to yell in agony.
"Nande sun dai yo?" Aiko asked as she rubbed her aching leg.
"That's for making me worried like hell" Kazo shrugged as he sunk his face to his sister's waist. Aiko startled. Sanzo, Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku looked at the pair. Hakkai smiled. 'Finally, he showed his concern upon his sister'.
Aiko gave a ghostly smile as she raised a hand and patted Kazo's head. But then, she poked the boy's head hard.
"Ittai….nande yo?" Kazo cried as he rubbed his head.
"That's for kicking me and uttering a foul language" Aiko gave out the reasons.
Gojyo laughed out loud, followed by Goku. Hakkai just smiled his typical Hakkai smile and Sanzo? He grunted heavily.
Suddenly a strong smell of yuki hovered the area, putting the ikkou in alert. In a matter of a second, a large army of youkai surrounded the place. The army consisted almost the same number of youkais they had fought counted together. The ikkou gathered in the middle, ready for a counter attack.
"Yada…yada…they won't let us rest for a moment don't they?" Gojyo grunted as he summoned his shaku jou. He stood back to back to Hakkai.
"Hai!" Hakkai smiled as he formed a ki-ball down at his palm. "But this is a great opportunity for us to have an exercise"
"Hakkai, you are getting meaner each day" Sanzo mumbled as he backed away a few steps, looking for a right distance to aim his shot.
Goku and Kazo stood abreast. "Harahetta yo…" they moaned. "They will pay for not letting me eat my breakfast first" Goku muttered. "Hai!" Kazo agreed.
"Aiko, you looked sexy with your hair like that" Gojyo complimented as he spotted the sight of Aiko's hair, long and straight.
"I'll kill you after I finished the youkai" Aiko tied up her hair. No way she's going to fight with the ero kappa looking at her with his hentai look.
Aiko placed Dai in her backpack and shielded him with her ki-beam. She wore the backpack to her back and stood in a fighting mode. "Let's have some fun!" she chirped as she released a ki-ball toward the youkai army.
"Yoshi!!" Her companions yelled back at her and they darted toward their opponent.
To be continue…..
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Ayie: Now you're satisfied Gojyo?
Gojyo: Huh!
Ayie: Argh!! Anoter fighting scene is coming….I'm dead. stumbled on the ground
Hakkai: You'll be fine ayie-san…just trust in yourself. We trust in you…
Sanzo: Well, I don't trust you…you might make me wounded again..
Hakkai: ma…ma…Sanzo, don't be too harsh on her.
