Hakkai fans (as opposed to, say, […x]Hakkai[x…] fans ;)), rejoice! This fic is unadulterated Saiyuki/Hakkai fluff! It's based wholly on the anime, since I have had no experience with the manga. I hope you enjoy it, and please do R and R! I would greatly appreciate it! ^_^
Lady L. Artemisan--Gomen gomen, I know I hurt Hakkai-sama! Fear not, for vengeance is on the Saiyuki side! And thanx for all your kind words and reviewing! o_^

Till Hakuryuu/Jeep turns black and Sanzo's blonde hair goes white…Gensoumaden Saiyuki is not mine in any way. I only own a Saiyuki fanbook that is falling apart, 4 Saiyuki comics, the 2002/3 reprinted versions (I don't have the Hakkai-fluffy issue 4! *cry*) but since I do own Meiryuu and Han, I will now unleash the Meiryuu fluff and proceed to slaughter that old goat. Grrrrrr!

Smile of The Father
by UltraM2000

PART SIX
BARING FANGS IN A SMILE
Saitei No Haishin

"H…Han-jitchan?" Meiryu asked faintly.

"Sneaky old bastard," snarled Sanzo.

Han grinned, throwing the knife down to the ground. It had a familiar look to Hakkai.

Why shouldn't it? It was his. At least, it had belonged to Cho Gonou.

And so…goodbye, Gonou…

"M…maa, maa," Hakkai said weakly, hand over the wound staining his green Chinese jacket deep red. "I must have let down my guard," he managed to add before collapsing on his side.

Old Han removed the steel cuff on his wrist. His long, fine white hair grew longer still, and his features sharpened and shrivelled. "Fools, all of you, especially you, Cho Gonou," the old earth demon snarled softly. "You could have had power, but you chose to side with these weak humans. It matters not to me now—too long have I waited to taste this young one's flesh. I have not fed off a strong spirit in a while. Maybe I should eat you as dessert," Han purred, licking his lips.

Meiryu could not stand this any longer. Tears threatening to spill over, she ran to Hakkai's side, grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him for all she was worth.

"Hakkai­-niichan! Hakkai­-niichan! Hold on! Please, HOLD ON, oniichan!" she wept.

Delirious with the pain, Hakkai opened his eyes to vision tinted by blood. He could almost swear that it was Kanan before him, crying…

"Kanan, love, don't cry," he gasped weakly. "I don't want to see you cry again."

"Kanan? I'm not Kanan, I'm Meiryu-chan. Stay with me," pleaded the voice he thought was his late lover's.

"I…I can't. Our daughter, Meiryu, she…she still lives. That demon's seed did not take root within you. She looks just like the two of us…She is something to live for…"

"Hakkai's rambling like an idiot," muttered Sanzo softly.

Meiryu was finally able to put two and two together, the truth rushing upon her like a ferocious wave, threatening to drown her. He had known her name. Hakkai-oniichan…and Cho Gonou…one and the same. The person she had so longed to meet for the past six years was now dying in front of her.

"O…otousan? Otousan, not you too! OTOUSAAAAAAN!!!" she screamed over and over, calling Hakkai's name like a mantra that would tie him still to her. It worked, somewhat; he snapped out of his delirium.

"Gomen yo, Meiryu," he whispered, smiling slightly. "You look just like your okaasan..." he choked out, falling into unconsciousness.

"Otousan!!! No, don't go to sleep! Wake up!"

"Onore...If you're a demon," began Sanzo, his eyes narrowing, "then how did you know of Kanan? Is Meiryu really her child?"

"Well then, Sanzo-sama, let me tell you a story," snorted Han.

--------------------

Three years ago, an underling of the Hyakugan Maou called Han Kan returned from a scouting mission to find the clan hold in shambles and every single man dead. He appeared to be the only survivor of the massacre, having been in the right place...at the wrong time.

But no, he wasn't the only survivor. In one of the cells nearby, he saw a young woman, one he recognised as the Hyakugan Maou's newest toy. She was pale as a sheet and cold as ice, but she was, somehow, miraculously, still breathing. She had tried to kill herself by a slash to the jugular.

The minion had a brainwave. Hefting the girl's bloody carcass, Han Kan grabbed a burning torch and touched it to every single demon body in the building. They caught fire with amazing ease. The corpses would be fuel enough to burn the whole castle down to ash. He would leave no evidence--someone might want to claim this precious little jewel.

Han Kang took the lady home and damn well forced life back into her. When she awakened after 5 days, Han Kang the demon had already obtained limiters and turned into the kind and genial Old Han. Foolish girl, she thought Old Han no harm and told him about herself. Han found out her name was Kanan, and that she had tried to kill herself rather than bring up a child that was not of her own flesh and blood and her lover's. She told him all about the nice young man that she knew whose name was Cho Gonou. Oftentimes she cried for her foolishness at leaving him alone.

It didn't take long before Kanan and Han realised she was pregnant. The minion's plan was falling into place. When Hyakugan Maou rose again, and Han fervently believed he would, he would be able to present his master with a gift of triumph. Maybe even his heir, since the prince appeared to have been killed in the struggle also. The day never came, and Han grew both weary and furious. One rainy day in March Kanan went into labour and gave birth to a little girl. To her joy, and Han's dismay, the child had brown hair and green eyes, not the crimson features of a demon hybrid.

"Such a beautiful child. Oh, Gonou...I shouldn't have doubted that our love was stronger than that," she murmured. "She's beautiful. Little one, I shall call you Meiryu..."

At the limit of his endurance, Han picked up the knife he had found with Kanan and reopened her throat with it in one flash of scarlet. Still bubbling with rage, he burnt the body to ash and flung it to the winds. After that, he set about raising the child of his enemy—the child with brown hair like the woman he wasted his efforts on, green eyes that he grew to hate as the eyes of his enemy. He had not given up all hope. While she lived, he had a bargaining card to avenge his lord and prince. When he found the prince had died for good, Han hated Meiryu even more. Still, he managed to hide it, swallowed several slices of humble pie and waited. Waited. Until today.

Yes, Meiryu is your child, Cho Gonou; your own flesh and blood. But it seems, that once again, you cannot protect her. I have avenged my master and fulfilled my obligation, but you have failed. You. Have. Failed.

Mou ichido...sukuenakatta...

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Goku was trying to keep his temper in check and coming close to failing. Would that cursed Isou and his like never die? As he looked at Hakkai, bleeding heavily onto the ground, and Meiryu trying to make him regain consciousness, his heart began to thump fast...

Something had to be done; count on Son Goku to do it.

_Sanzo, please don't be mad...I only want to help._

"Gojyo."

"Huh??"

"Hakkai's down, so...I'm counting on you."

Gojyo didn't even see what was coming until he heard something clink against his shakujou. Goku's kinko was now hanging off the crescent blade.

Son Goku was screaming in pain as his demonic persona took over. Claws sprouted. Fangs sprouted. Hair snapped loose. Pupils narrowed into feral slits.

"Goku!" yelled Gojyo.

"You IDIOT!" shouted Sanzo. At whom the invective was directed, it was hard to say.

Seiten Taisei Son Goku--the Great Sage Equal To Heaven--had been unleashed.

"What the heeeeeeellll..." Han began in a hiss.

An eerie smile—the smile of a killer—was on Seiten Taisei's face. His pupils were black slits on a bright golden background, a far cry from the wide, mellow, caramel-gold eyes of his less feral side. Deep within the wild blood, however, the simpler, more peaceful Son Goku's will knew it had no parents to speak of, for it was a product of earth and stone. For the child who knew it, however, he would help keep it safe.

_He is not your sun. But he is the man who first began to love you and your life...and he is my friend..._

"Nyyrrrraaaaaaarr!" Goku shrieked, and turned all hell loose upon Han. Han growled and leapt away from the shot, just in time as Goku's claws caught empty air. Time and time again the 518-year-old demon slashed and struck, growling and shrieking like one possessed.

_Now I am going to HURT you._

Goku leapt and sank a fine flying kick onto Han's ribs. The old demon was sent spinning through the air, and his opponent crouched, leapt into the air and tackled him at the peak of his arc. Han's breath flew from his lungs with a squeaky wheeze as the two crashed into the ground and Goku's claws traced deep furrows over Han Kang's face and neck. Blood began to well from his wounds and spattered both of them.

Han eventually gathered enough of his composure to plant his foot in Goku's midriff and shove, sending the brown-haired demon tumbling across the ground. As Goku leapt back to defend himself, Han fully unsheathed his claws and aimed for Goku's chest. The blow was deflected with a quick swish of an arm, but bone still met flesh and Goku tumbled, his wrist cut wide open.

"Now, is that all," Han sneered.

Goku looked up, his expression contorted in quiet pain. It wasn't like Seiten Taisei Son Goku to whine or shout out. He turned his attention away from Han and towards his wounded arm. Quick as a flash, he bent his head to the slit vein and drank deep, if only to stop the flow with his lapping. His lips worked slowly but surely on the wound until the bleeding slowed to a small trickle.

_B...Baka da!_ thought Han. _Any normal person would be writhing in pain from that blow..._

That was the last thing he thought as Goku bounded towards him and seized upon his shoulder with his fangs. Han shrieked and tried to push him off, but Goku hung on till the very last minute and sharply snapped his head downwards, cutting six inches down and two inches deep into Han's arm.

_I am going to make you bleed._

Han screamed in agony as Goku tore his shoulder open. It would soon get worse. Goku wanted his blood badly. He struck once more, his rough tongue and sharp fangs grating down on the wound as he drank deep of it. It took some time before Han could push him away. Goku grinned nastily, a trickle of Han's blood sliding down one corner of his mouth.

_Are we having fun yet?_

Small beads of sweat were beginning to form on Han's forehead. He had expected his adversary to go down easily, not some raging young lad who showed no sign of tiring. No choice. He would have to use the ancient spells. From his torn and bloodstained robes he drew a talisman and began chanting.

"Sowataya onkiri, sowataya onkiri, makusan dannahari pancha indara"

"What in the effin--" began Sanzo.

"On kiri unkyaku un, noumaku sanmanda basara dansen damakara shadasowataya, untara ta kan MAN!"

"Goku-niichan!" exclaimed Meiryu, her hands stained with blood in her efforts to stop Hakkai's bleeding.

"JI-GO-KU!" roared Han, and slammed his fist and the talisman into the ground. An immense power flooded from the dry and yellowed paper, and shook the ground with the power of ten earthquakes. The earth trembled and cracked all around as rock and stone rose into the sky, creating a maze of jagged walls and impenetrable rock. Some of them spontaneously crumbled and began to rain down on them.

"What I wouldn't do for Hakkai's ki barrier now!" spat Gojyo. A small scream caught his ear just then, and he dashed towards it. He somehow managed to do a forward roll, grab Meiryuu by the collar with one hand and Hakkai by the collar with the other and leap away from the falling rocks. All without dropping his shakujou.

_Great, the one time I do something really cool and nobody's ever going to know!_ he thought irritatedly.

"Now catch me if you can, Son Goku!" Han's voice rang out challengingly as he laughed. He pointed at one stack of rocks after another and they broke into chunks ranging in size from fist-size to about the dimensions of Hakuryuu in his jeep form. Goku studied the situation quickly, then smiled and leapt.

Goku leapt, ducked, turned and slashed with feet, hands and fists. The breaking rocks hit him in the arms, legs, face, chest, drawing blood, but he didn't seem to care. Fighting was his survival. Fighting to the death was his job, and he took a sinful pleasure in carrying it out. Taking advantage of the earth under him, he leapt for a rapidly rising chunk of rock and soil and drove his fist into it. The force sent chunks of rubble slamming into every nearby object, including Han. Goku then leapt and pinned Han down, his claws digging into Han's paper-like skin.

_I am going to kill you._

The old demon choked and struggled, but could not escape the grip of the angriest demon within a 100-km radius. Particularly since Goku had driven his knees into Han's, locking them down.

_I will show you no mercy, bastard!_

"Herghh…H…have mercy…" he gasped. "Hak...Hakkai would have done the same..."

Goku paused momentarily. He cocked his head and then smiled, loosened his grip. Han choked, and tried to get away.

CRUNCH!

Goku spat out a bloody chunk of windpipe as Han twitched and died.

"He doesn't know our Hakkai," Gojyo remarked dryly.

"He doesn't know our Goku, either," Sanzo coldly added.

The power was getting out of control. Any minute now, Seiten Taisei would lose himself and become unstoppable. Still, somehow, the Goku trapped inside was struggling to maintain control. He had to get the diadem back, place it on his head, stop Seiten Taisei from slaughtering anybody else. Movements jerky and struggling, he tried to reach for the diadem.

Sanzo saw the situation immediately and decided not to risk any more. "Gojyo! Get back!" he yelled, clasping his hands together in prayer. Closing his eyes, he began to chant the Maten Kyoumon that he wore around his shoulders. Strips of sutra began to rise around him and an unseen wind lifted the blonde fringe straight off his forehead, revealing the crimson chakra of a high Sanzo priest.

"On-ma-ni-hatsu-mei-un...Purification of Evil! MAKAI TENJOU!!!"

Sanzo pointed forward, and strips of sutra shot forth and imprisoned Seiten Taisei Son Goku in folds of holy incantations. The demon screamed for freedom, but Son Goku seized his chance. For a single instant, the narrow, feral eyes of the youth became calm and innocent again.

"The kinko, you fool, Gojyo, replace the kinko!" roared Sanzo.

"Huh? Oh! Right!" Gojyo ripped Goku's kinko off his shakujou and slammed it back on the boy's forehead. One last scream erupted from Goku's throat, and then the youkai ears retracted, the claws faded away, and the demon resumed its form as the happy-go-lucky-youth with a bottomless pit for a stomach.

Who promptly fell forwards on the ground, shaking his head blearily. Thank goodness he hadn't fallen into a dead sleep like the last couple of times.

"Thanks...Sanzo..." he panted.

"Bakazaru, I always have to save you," came the reply.

"Tch..." began Gojyo, but his reverie was interrupted by the sound of racking sobs.

"Otousan! Please don't die! Please, please don't die…!"

_Hakkai! Meiryu! Kuso…That guy's taken wounds as serious and lived. But if we don't stop the bleeding now…!_ thought Gojyo grimly. "Sanzo!"

Sanzo didn't bat an eyelash. "Goku. House. Bandages. Now." Goku was up and running in a flash, and scoured the area for bandages. He found only a few, but managed to salvage clean rags, and one of Old Han's singlets, which he tore apart to vent his rage.

Goku ran out and shoved the 'bandages' into Gojyo's hands. "You took your time about it," muttered the latter, but nodded silent thanks and continued to bind the wound. Something was definitely different about him…

"Eh, Gojyo…your wrist bandages!"

"What about 'em, slowpoke?"

The layers of cloth that were usually wrapped around Gojyo's lower arms were now tied tight around Hakkai's wounded chest, stained with blood.

"Er…nothing."

"Thought so, saru."

"I'M NOT A SARU DAMNIT!"

Sanzo pointedly ignored the two squabbling men and knelt down by Hakkai's head. He appeared to be thinking of something from the past.

"Oi, you hear me, Cho Hakkai?" he said out loud. "I said to you once I don't need a burden on my shoulders. Now hear this. If you die, I have a duty to take your body back to your hometown and give you a burial. I don't know where the hell you come from and I'm not dragging a stinking corpse around until I find out, so if you don't wish to be a burden, live."

_It is all we ask and expect from the likes of you._

Meiryu looked at Sanzo, trying to reach out in his stumbling, blunt way, and proceeded to cry into HIS shoulder. Sanzo grumbled quietly under his breath but didn't push the girl away. He even put one hand on her back.

"Quit your crying, Meiryu. He'll be all right."

"Promise? You'll save him?"

"Monks make no promises, and you have to save yourself. But based on past scenarios, he should be all right." Incongruously, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "These nuts don't die, no matter how much you wish them to."

Meiryu managed a weak, teary smile. "Thanks, Sanzo-niichan," she sniffed, looking up at him with large green eyes.

"Bah!" spat Sanzo, turning away.

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Japanese notes

Baka da = Nuts, this is impossible
Gomen = sorry
Kinko = Gold diadem
Makai Tenjou = 'purification of evil'. more commonly translated as 'Purify Evil'. (Ma = evil, Kai = forbidden, Ten = Heaven, Jou = Purity)
Maten Kyoumon = Hell's Plane Sutra
Mou ichido sukuenakatta = once again, (you) could not save (her)
On-ma-ni-hatsu-mei-un = 'Om mani padme hum'.
Onore = archaic and rather rough form of 'you'.
Seiten Taisei = 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven'