Chapter 9: The Hermit

"Matsuri! Matsuri!" Goku cheered as Hakkai announced that they were going to go to the festival later that afternoon, "Na, Hakkai… Isn't the matsuri near Kouryuu's temple?"

"Hai." Hakkai smiled as he looked through his wardrobe for something good to wear, "We'll be watching the sakura with him…"

"Na, Hakkai… Are we going to see those people from that mansion?" Goku asked innocently.

After a short pause Hakkai responded, "I don't think so… I think they might be busy…"

 Meanwhile, at the temple, Kouryuu donned his clothes for the festival. There was nothing to do in the temple but attend to the religious and the little old ladies.

"They can take care of themselves tonight… I've got better things to do…" He muttered to himself as he made his way to the temple grounds. The wind played on the treetops, humming as the sakura petals floated through the air.

He will die… He will die…

"Nah! Must be my imagination!" Kouryuu shook his head in disbelief. The wind couldn't have been speaking to him… Must have been an illusion.

Later, Hakkai, Goku and Gojyo set up their picnic blanket near a thick grove of sakura trees. Gojyo got up and decided to go hunting for some girls to flirt with. Goku stretched and asked some money from Hakkai to buy food. Hakkai stayed in the picnic spot waiting for Kouryuu. Fortunately, within a few moments, Kouryuu saw Hakkai and walked towards where he was.

"So, how's this year's hanami?" Kouryuu asked the emerald-eyed brunette.

"It's fine. Do you wanna go around the park? I hear that there's a stall selling good candy." Hakkai beamed at the monk beside him.

"Sure…" Kouryuu responded in his usual tone, "Katte ni shiro…"

Meanwhile, near a masked fortuneteller's booth, Goku chewed on his treats. Looking over at the masked fortuneteller, he became curious and asked to have his fortune told.

The fortuneteller looked closely at his crystal ball and took a deep breath, "Someone close to you will fall into tragedy."

"You must be kidding, right?" Goku laughed.

"I do not lie. We never lie." The fortuneteller said, his mask concealing his feelings. Goku, noticing an ominous aura, ran away from the booth. The fortuneteller removed his mask… It was Nii.

Gojyo sat surrounded by many beautiful girls. He flirted endlessly with them, but something strange happened. Suddenly, the girls disappeared, the booths and the lights faded as well. He sat alone on the park bench.

"Oi! If you're some sort of beast, come over here and face me!!"

Pitiful… Pitiful… The wind seemed to whisper into Gojyo's ear.

"Who are you!?" he barked.

"What do you want?" A black kimono-clad figure appeared within a queer mist, "All I can say is the fate that befalls you." Her face was hidden under a snake-like mask.

"Tell me…" Gojyo asked as he kept his distance from the dangerous witch.

He will die… He will die… The wind howled.

"Oi! Is this a sign of some sort?!" He asked the witch harshly.

"It is… The carrier of the Silver Apocalypse must die…" The masked witch suddenly transformed into mist right before Gojyo's eyes. The illusion faded. The girls reappeared again together with the booths and the lights of the festival.

Kouryuu and Hakkai strolled around the park enjoying the festivities. Finally, they decided to go into the temple to pray. But as they took one step into the temple grounds, all the lights went out and the festival seemed to fade away. They looked around; neither of them could see each other.

"Hakkai!" Kouryuu looked around for his companion. He had disappeared from sight, but as he looked to the temple, he saw an older monk with light brown hair flying blue paper planes.

"Kouryuu… It's been so long since I've last seen you… My, how you've grown…" Komyo Sanzo smiled at his reincarnated pupil.

"K-komyo… S-sanzo…" Kouryuu's heart started to beat faster, "Shishou… Why are you here?"

The moonlight shone on Komyo Sanzo's face. The mark of the immortal was under his right eye.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Kouryuu…" Komyo started, "But… Hakkai must…"

At the same time, Hakkai looked for Kouryuu. His efforts were in vain… But as he looked at the temple, he saw Kouryuu walking towards him.

"Kouryuu!! I was worried!" Hakkai cried out.

"I am not him…" The one who took the form of Kouryuu murmured as he shape shifted to Gojyo, "Neither am I him…"

"Who are you?" Hakkai asked with a tense voice. As the shape shifter moved closer, he assumed the shape of a wolf, "Don't play games with me! Tell me who you are!" Hakkai angrily demanded. The wolf stalked Hakkai and began to transform once again. This time, he became Hiro.

"If you're thinking this is the real me… Think again…" Hiro smiled as he slowly changed to his real form. His long blue hair shortened and slowly became a deep brown. His pink eyes darkened and became the same shade as Hakkai's. His body began to mold slowly into Hakkai's build. Yet his clothes were not the same as Hakkai's.

"You are a demon hunter…" Hakkai's eyes narrowed.

"Good answer." The so-called Hiro smiled as the last part of the transformation ended. The mark of the immortal was clearly marked under his right eye, "Who am I?" He asked.

"Are you… me?" Hakkai asked the shape shifter.

"Chigau…" The shape shifter smirked.

"You aren't Cho Hiro, aren't you…?"

"Used to be… Now I'm not… What's my name?" The immortal smiled.

"Quietus…" Hakkai's eyes widened in remembrance. But suddenly, a horrible headache overcame him and he started to falter.

"Aa… Looks like remembering your past life gives you headaches…" Quietus sighed as he took his twin in his arms, "Not to worry… sooner or later you must…"

"Die." Both Komyo and Quietus said at the same time. The illusion shattered. Everything went back to normal, but suddenly Hakkai held his head in his hands and started to run away from Kouryuu.

"Hakkai!" Kouryuu began to chase after the brunette. There was something wrong about him that he couldn't figure out.