Onna: And yet again, disclaimers apply! Bluejay, stop hugging Sanzo!

Bluj: NO!

Onna: How did I end up with her for a best friend?

Sanzo: *raises gun again*

Onna: NO!! NOT THE KITCHEN TILES!

BANG!

Onna: T_T

*****

"I smell something!" Lirin's high pitched voice cried beside Yaone, her flame-colored hair bobbing up and down as she sniffed at the air. "Pork buns! Lots of them!"

"Lirin-sama," Yaone reprimanded her, waving away the sand flying from Lirin's constant movement. "Onegai, don't-"

"But I'm hungry!" The young youkai whined as she turned large pleading eyes to her brother. "Oniichan? Please?"

"Hmph." Kougaiji shifted his weight to his left foot. "I don't see a reason why we should stop in that sorry excuse of a town."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pleeeaaase?"

Yaone sighed and tuned out of the conversation, already hearing the same pattern any number of times. Her gaze wandered to Dokugakuji and the two demons he was conversing with, both loyal spies assigned to search out their enemy. He nodded at the two as soon as they finished their report before he headed in their direction. The almost smug smile on his face told Yaone he had news, good news, for the demon prince.

"Pleeeeeaaaaassse?" Lirin continued pleading.

"I said no, Lirin." Kougaiji said curtly, firmly turning his back on her.

"Mou!" the demon princess pursed her lips for another bout of protests before her bright green eyes noticed Dokugakuji's approach.

"Kou," the demon prince didn't flinch from the nickname his retainer gave him. "There's been a rumor going around."

"A rumor?"

"Aa," Dokugakuji's smile turned into a grin. "It's been said that the Sanzo-ikkou are currently staying in that village over there." He pointed at the area where the scent of pork buns came from.

Kougaiji remained silent for a long moment, violet eyes calculating, before turning to them. "Looks like we'll be stopping in that town after all. Get ready, all of you."

"Hai, Kougaiji-sama," Yaone bowed.

Lirin gave out a loud cheer as she jumped high in the air. "Suke! Not only do I get to eat, I get to kick Baldie Sanzo's butt!"

"Lirin-sama..."

"Sumimasen," Yaone bowed to the woman. "But I have heard that Sanzo Houshi-sama is here."

The latter gave her a bright smile as she inspected her merchandise of porcelain pots and cups. "I wish I could tell you dear, but I haven't seen him since he gave his last sermon twenty five years ago."

"Sou ka..."

"Gomen ne. Try asking that food stall over there. If I remember what the gossip around here says, Sanzo Houshi-sama has a young companion who loves to eat. If he is here..."

"...they would have bought some food for their journey," Yaone finished for her. "I will do that. Arigatou."

The woman inclined her head and turned back to her wares. Yaone went in the direction of the said food stall, ignoring the loud cries of other shop owners trying to sell their produce and the press of the crowd against her sides. She struggled to pass the sea of bodies, and finally reached the stall.

"Good morning!" a young lad chirped at her, presenting his items with a flourish. "How may I help you?"

She smiled amicably at him. "Some pork buns would be nice, and I'd like some dumplings as well."

"Not a problem. I'll have that ready in a few minutes," he opened a brown paper bag and began to fill it with the items she requested.

"Ano, I heard that Sanzo-sama is in town," she glanced at the other food items he had displayed.

The stall owner nodded. "He was here about an hour ago, with that boy bouncing around him. I think the kid was begging for some food until he finally relented and bought some pork buns from me."

"Do you happen to know where they are staying?" Yaone tried to hide the hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Sorry, Miss, but I wouldn't know. He bought the food and left without even waiting for change."

"I see," she murmured and accepted the offered bag of goods. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome," she heard him say as she headed back in the direction she came from.

Once again she was swamped in the crowd, struggling to get past them to go to their appointed meeting area. Sanzo was in town and so was Goku, of that she was sure. She wondered briefly if Gojyo was with them. Knowing them, the tall half-breed would be out spending time with a girl. Which would leave...

Cho Hakkai. The dark-haired, green-eyed healer of the group.

Yaone found herself blushing as the image of the kind-hearted young man came to her mind. She shook her head and banished the thought just as quickly as it came. Cho Hakkai was her enemy and she shouldn't fall for their enemies.

Even if those same enemies saved her life - twice, even.

Yaone mentally clamped down on those thoughts and continued to weave her way in between people. A few more turns and she was suddenly near the water fountain at the heart of the town. With a relieved sigh, she sat on its ledge as she waited for her companions to return.

She didn't have to wait long. Kougaiji and Lirin soon returned without any information on the Sanzo-ikkou. Dokugakuji reported that he had spoken to a shop owner that Gojyo had been there purchasing cigarettes while Hakkai was sorting through the liquor.

Yaone flushed at the mention of his name, but quickly composed herself before saying, "I have spoken to a stall owner who had sold food to Sanzo and Goku."

"They didn't tell you where he stays?" Kougaiji asked in a controlled tone.

"Iie," Yaone shook her head. "They left that stall before the owner could find out."

Dokugakuji was silent for a while, lost in his thoughts. "It's strange not a lot of folks know he's here. Usually the town leaders would be preparing for a large celebration and asking for a sermon from Sanzo."

"Probably they kept to their rooms, not wishing to show themselves in public," Yaone added, handing Lirin the bag of food she had purchased.

"Maybe they're too cowardly to come out!" the young princess suggested as she eagerly dug into the bag. "Pork buns!"

Dokugakuji's brow furrowed as he spoke, ignoring Lirin. "If so, then that places us at a disadvantage. We'd have to look for them."

"Agreed," Kougaiji replied. "And that is what we will do. Even with these limiters I can sense Goku's slightly."

"It's faint though. I'm not sure if we can find them with such a faint aura from the limiter," Dokugakuji mused.

"Then maybe we ought to-"

"That's out of the question." Kougaiji curtly cut off his sister. "The limiters stay on until we're away from this town."

Yaone closed her eyes and tried to feel for Goku or Hakkai's limiters, sensing that Dokugakuji was right. It was very faint.

Then, abruptly, it was gone.

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, trying hard to find it. For a while she thought she could almost feel it, before it disappeared again.

"Kougaiji-sama," she murmured in a soft voice. "Something's not right..."

Lirin nodded her head, munching on her pork bun. "I can't sense it either, Oniichan."

The demon prince gritted his teeth. "Something's messing with us... and I don't think I like this."

Yaone wasn't sure she liked their situation as well. It was usually easy for them to feel the limiters on Goku and Hakkai. It was frightening, sensing it so faintly and then losing it so suddenly as though someone had flung a blanket to snuff out a candle flame.

Her hands closed over the hem of her blouse, trembling just the slightest bit. What have they fallen into?

*****

Onna: *inspects the charred remains of her kitchen* Why the hell did you have to use Makai Tenjo anyway?!

Sanzo: Hn. She was too annoying.

Hakkai: Maa maa, Onna-san.

Onna: TEME!!!!!!!

Bluj: If anyone noticed, me and Onna are doing this on a turn-based system. I take the odd parts involving the Sanzo-ikkou and the kin while she takes the even parts involving the Kougaiji-tachi.

The whole story came from a silly idea of mine that I just tried to make as serious and to-the-cannon as possible. The pairing thing was Onna's idea and I figured I needed some help in this fic.

As for the reviews, I'm glad to see some readers are familiar with my works. :) I'm really, really flattered.

Onna: How could you just stand there and explain when we don't have a kitchen anymore?!

Bluj: *sticks thumb to nose and waggles fingers* Nyaaahh!