Hakkai handed Anrui a cup of water, which she accepted with a smile. She leaned
back against Sanzo and sipped in a contented manner. Gojyo frowned slightly.
"I hate to contradict such a beauty, but you don't seem blind." he commented.
She gave him a mysterious smile while Sanzo snorted.
"Thank you." she said.
She didn't seem like she was going to offer any other explanation than that and Gojyo
found himself wanting to scowl at the answer.
"What can you tell us about these renegade monks?" Hakkai said, sensing that he should
be steering away from this conversation.
"Nothing much. I wasn't there when it happened and the other monks were too scared to
remember what they looked like." Anrui said. "I don't think it matters that much though."
Sanzo snorted. It never mattered.
"Let's go." he said.
They had wasted enough time. Gojyo did frown slightly this time. He wanted to know
more and that bastard monk was starting to piss him off again. However, the others
obediently got up to follow him out. He slowly got up, just to annoy Sanzo, and leisurely
followed the others out the door. The jeep was ready and the others were already sitting
in it. Gojyo hopped in and settled as close to Anrui as he could, considering that Goku
was sitting next to her. He tried to subtly flirt with her as they drove but she and Goku
were wrapped up in a conversation about Sanzo, much to Sanzo and Gojyo's annoyance. Sanzo
had whipped out the fan once only to have Anrui remove it from his hands. Gojyo had
listened to the chatter sullenly while Sanzo scowled fiercely at the road as they drove.
They reached the temple without mishap and stopped at the nearby inn where the monks were
currently living. Anrui and Sanzo stepped out of the jeep and had taken maybe six steps
towards the house when the escaped monks all but threw themselves at their feet. Gojyo
and Hakkai glanced at each other. They knew that Sanzo was import, being a Sanzo, but it
seemed that Anrui was pretty high up in status as well. Gojyo, Hakkai, and Goku finally
climbed out of the jeep, as it seemed that the excitement was over. They headed over to
the fawning monks and Sanzo and Anrui. One of the monks grabbed Gojyo's hand.
"Thank you for helping us." he said.
Gojyo nodded and resisted the urge to jerk his hand away. Hakkai and Goku were being
similarly treated so he had to go along with the treatment. What made his day was the
highly pissed expression on Sanzo's face that meant he'd start shooting if they didn't
let him go soon.
"Please fill us in on the situation." Hakkai requested.
"They just want a Sanzo. They won't say why. They've already killed two monks and they
say they'll kill another one today if we don't get a Sanzo to them by nightfall." one of
the monks said.
"Well, that gives us plenty of time to negotiate then." Hakkai said.
"Oh, thank you for coming, Master Sanzo." another monk said, practically slobbering
over Sanzo's hand.
"Not a problem." Sanzo said, extracting his hand and gritting his teeth in what was a
polite smile, for him.
"We'll walk from here." Anrui decided. "Please stay inside the inn until we come back."
"Yes, yes. As you command." the first monk said.
They bowed frantically at Anrui and Sanzo and scurried back in the inn while trying to
look like they weren't scurrying. Gojyo couldn't help but curl his lip at their behaviour
but he managed to hide it at the last moment by turning away. When all the monks were in,
Anrui took a hold of Sanzo's arm.
"This way." she said.
The two of them started off into the woods. The others followed quickly. Gojyo managed
to walk on Anrui's other side, with Hakkai beside him, while Goku walked on the other
side of Sanzo.
"So, Anrui, are you seeing anyone?" Gojyo asked.
Sanzo snarled at the comment and probably would've hit Gojyo had Anrui not still kept
the fan. Anrui gave a smile and a bit of a chuckle at that and she squeezed Sanzo's arm.
"It's okay, Master Sanzo." she said teasingly. "No, I'm not seeing anyone."
Gojyo grinned.
"Well then, may I interest you in dinner after this is all over?" he asked.
Sanzo was really pissed this time and he actually pulled Anrui away from Gojyo. Anrui
chuckled again and pushed Sanzo.
"Now, now, Kouryuu, behave." she scolded.
She gave Gojyo an inscrutable look.
"You may want to ask me after this is over." she suggested.
Gojyo blinked at her tone and then shrugged. He could wait. He didn't like, however,
the way Sanzo seemed to be smirking suddenly without actually smirking. Anrui stopped
them a ways from the monastery.
"Hakkai, you and Master Sanzo stall them from the front while Gojyo, Goku and I sneak
in from the side entrance." she informed.
Hakkai was surprised.
"Why aren't you going with Sanzo?" he asked.
"It's better if they don't know I'm here." she replied. "And you look more harmless
than Gojyo or Goku does. At least, in the monks' opinion."
"Let's go." Sanzo said gruffly.
Surprised that Sanzo would follow orders so easily; Gojyo stared at Sanzo in disbelief.
Hakkai wondered what Anrui's exact position was if it would be better the monks didn't
know she was there. Then he remembered that she said she was a Seer. Perhaps she saw
something that would make this work. He hoped so. He didn't know what her capabilities
were and didn't want Gojyo and Goku to take the fall for any mistakes she made.
"We'll double back on the main path. Give us ten minutes before going in." Hakkai
cautioned.
The five of them split up. Hakkai and Sanzo headed back where they had come from while
Anrui, Gojyo, and Goku went to scan the territory. Hakkai glanced at Sanzo as they
walked.
"Is Anrui someone important?" he asked.
Sanzo gave a shrug.
"No." he said nonchalantly.
"Then why is it better that they don't see her?" Hakkai inquired.
Sanzo glanced at Hakkai oddly and then shrugged again.
"Probably so they don't panic and kill the hostages."
Hakkai paused briefly in his stride but recovered quickly. What did that mean? And what
was that look all about? However, Sanzo didn't look like he was going to provide any
answers so Hakkai just caught up and they continued along in silence. They reached a
point where the main path would be concealed from the monks' eyes and began walking back
towards the monastery. Sanzo donned his gold headpiece. As they neared the main entrance,
they were ordered to halt. A young monk peered at them from a window in the door. His
eyes widened at the sight of Sanzo. He shakily asked them to stand there and he ran off
to summon their leader. Hakkai and Sanzo glanced at each other briefly. These monks
weren't very good at this. Finally a tall, handsome young monk appeared. He eyed Sanzo
carefully.
"Are you really a Sanzo?" he demanded.
Sanzo scowled but subsided before Hakkai had to intervene.
"Why don't you come here and find out?" he growled instead.
The monk stiffened at that and then his eyes narrowed.
"You're Genjo Sanzo." he realised.
Hakkai was going to confirm that but he noted how the monk didn't seem to like the
idea. Sanzo, however, couldn't care less about the monk's reaction and glanced off to the
woods in boredom. The monk smiled suddenly and it made Hakkai uneasy.
"Come on in and we'll release the hostages." the monk said.
Sanzo snorted.
"Release half of them first." Hakkai said.
The monk glared at Hakkai and then glanced at Sanzo. He licked his lips in a sudden
nervous gesture and seemed to be weighing his options.
"Just a second." the monk said.
He disappeared from view. Hakkai glanced at Sanzo, who had lit up a cigarette. He
wondered if he should say something to Sanzo but then decided against it. Sanzo would
probably just pin him with an irritated glare and go back to his cigarette.
That's it for now. The next part is coming soon...I hope.
back against Sanzo and sipped in a contented manner. Gojyo frowned slightly.
"I hate to contradict such a beauty, but you don't seem blind." he commented.
She gave him a mysterious smile while Sanzo snorted.
"Thank you." she said.
She didn't seem like she was going to offer any other explanation than that and Gojyo
found himself wanting to scowl at the answer.
"What can you tell us about these renegade monks?" Hakkai said, sensing that he should
be steering away from this conversation.
"Nothing much. I wasn't there when it happened and the other monks were too scared to
remember what they looked like." Anrui said. "I don't think it matters that much though."
Sanzo snorted. It never mattered.
"Let's go." he said.
They had wasted enough time. Gojyo did frown slightly this time. He wanted to know
more and that bastard monk was starting to piss him off again. However, the others
obediently got up to follow him out. He slowly got up, just to annoy Sanzo, and leisurely
followed the others out the door. The jeep was ready and the others were already sitting
in it. Gojyo hopped in and settled as close to Anrui as he could, considering that Goku
was sitting next to her. He tried to subtly flirt with her as they drove but she and Goku
were wrapped up in a conversation about Sanzo, much to Sanzo and Gojyo's annoyance. Sanzo
had whipped out the fan once only to have Anrui remove it from his hands. Gojyo had
listened to the chatter sullenly while Sanzo scowled fiercely at the road as they drove.
They reached the temple without mishap and stopped at the nearby inn where the monks were
currently living. Anrui and Sanzo stepped out of the jeep and had taken maybe six steps
towards the house when the escaped monks all but threw themselves at their feet. Gojyo
and Hakkai glanced at each other. They knew that Sanzo was import, being a Sanzo, but it
seemed that Anrui was pretty high up in status as well. Gojyo, Hakkai, and Goku finally
climbed out of the jeep, as it seemed that the excitement was over. They headed over to
the fawning monks and Sanzo and Anrui. One of the monks grabbed Gojyo's hand.
"Thank you for helping us." he said.
Gojyo nodded and resisted the urge to jerk his hand away. Hakkai and Goku were being
similarly treated so he had to go along with the treatment. What made his day was the
highly pissed expression on Sanzo's face that meant he'd start shooting if they didn't
let him go soon.
"Please fill us in on the situation." Hakkai requested.
"They just want a Sanzo. They won't say why. They've already killed two monks and they
say they'll kill another one today if we don't get a Sanzo to them by nightfall." one of
the monks said.
"Well, that gives us plenty of time to negotiate then." Hakkai said.
"Oh, thank you for coming, Master Sanzo." another monk said, practically slobbering
over Sanzo's hand.
"Not a problem." Sanzo said, extracting his hand and gritting his teeth in what was a
polite smile, for him.
"We'll walk from here." Anrui decided. "Please stay inside the inn until we come back."
"Yes, yes. As you command." the first monk said.
They bowed frantically at Anrui and Sanzo and scurried back in the inn while trying to
look like they weren't scurrying. Gojyo couldn't help but curl his lip at their behaviour
but he managed to hide it at the last moment by turning away. When all the monks were in,
Anrui took a hold of Sanzo's arm.
"This way." she said.
The two of them started off into the woods. The others followed quickly. Gojyo managed
to walk on Anrui's other side, with Hakkai beside him, while Goku walked on the other
side of Sanzo.
"So, Anrui, are you seeing anyone?" Gojyo asked.
Sanzo snarled at the comment and probably would've hit Gojyo had Anrui not still kept
the fan. Anrui gave a smile and a bit of a chuckle at that and she squeezed Sanzo's arm.
"It's okay, Master Sanzo." she said teasingly. "No, I'm not seeing anyone."
Gojyo grinned.
"Well then, may I interest you in dinner after this is all over?" he asked.
Sanzo was really pissed this time and he actually pulled Anrui away from Gojyo. Anrui
chuckled again and pushed Sanzo.
"Now, now, Kouryuu, behave." she scolded.
She gave Gojyo an inscrutable look.
"You may want to ask me after this is over." she suggested.
Gojyo blinked at her tone and then shrugged. He could wait. He didn't like, however,
the way Sanzo seemed to be smirking suddenly without actually smirking. Anrui stopped
them a ways from the monastery.
"Hakkai, you and Master Sanzo stall them from the front while Gojyo, Goku and I sneak
in from the side entrance." she informed.
Hakkai was surprised.
"Why aren't you going with Sanzo?" he asked.
"It's better if they don't know I'm here." she replied. "And you look more harmless
than Gojyo or Goku does. At least, in the monks' opinion."
"Let's go." Sanzo said gruffly.
Surprised that Sanzo would follow orders so easily; Gojyo stared at Sanzo in disbelief.
Hakkai wondered what Anrui's exact position was if it would be better the monks didn't
know she was there. Then he remembered that she said she was a Seer. Perhaps she saw
something that would make this work. He hoped so. He didn't know what her capabilities
were and didn't want Gojyo and Goku to take the fall for any mistakes she made.
"We'll double back on the main path. Give us ten minutes before going in." Hakkai
cautioned.
The five of them split up. Hakkai and Sanzo headed back where they had come from while
Anrui, Gojyo, and Goku went to scan the territory. Hakkai glanced at Sanzo as they
walked.
"Is Anrui someone important?" he asked.
Sanzo gave a shrug.
"No." he said nonchalantly.
"Then why is it better that they don't see her?" Hakkai inquired.
Sanzo glanced at Hakkai oddly and then shrugged again.
"Probably so they don't panic and kill the hostages."
Hakkai paused briefly in his stride but recovered quickly. What did that mean? And what
was that look all about? However, Sanzo didn't look like he was going to provide any
answers so Hakkai just caught up and they continued along in silence. They reached a
point where the main path would be concealed from the monks' eyes and began walking back
towards the monastery. Sanzo donned his gold headpiece. As they neared the main entrance,
they were ordered to halt. A young monk peered at them from a window in the door. His
eyes widened at the sight of Sanzo. He shakily asked them to stand there and he ran off
to summon their leader. Hakkai and Sanzo glanced at each other briefly. These monks
weren't very good at this. Finally a tall, handsome young monk appeared. He eyed Sanzo
carefully.
"Are you really a Sanzo?" he demanded.
Sanzo scowled but subsided before Hakkai had to intervene.
"Why don't you come here and find out?" he growled instead.
The monk stiffened at that and then his eyes narrowed.
"You're Genjo Sanzo." he realised.
Hakkai was going to confirm that but he noted how the monk didn't seem to like the
idea. Sanzo, however, couldn't care less about the monk's reaction and glanced off to the
woods in boredom. The monk smiled suddenly and it made Hakkai uneasy.
"Come on in and we'll release the hostages." the monk said.
Sanzo snorted.
"Release half of them first." Hakkai said.
The monk glared at Hakkai and then glanced at Sanzo. He licked his lips in a sudden
nervous gesture and seemed to be weighing his options.
"Just a second." the monk said.
He disappeared from view. Hakkai glanced at Sanzo, who had lit up a cigarette. He
wondered if he should say something to Sanzo but then decided against it. Sanzo would
probably just pin him with an irritated glare and go back to his cigarette.
That's it for now. The next part is coming soon...I hope.