Onna: Disclaimers apply da yo!!! Sanzo, stop being so trigger-happy!!!

Sanzo: Hn. *places gun back in holster*

Bluj: Sanzo-sama! *glomps*

Onna: GAAAAAAAAAH! *ducks along with Hakkai and Yaone*

BANG!!!!!!!

*****

"We won't be staying here for long," Sanzo declared as soon as they reached their rooms. They were just settling down after an hour or two of scouting the town and having lunch when he decided to break the news. "We leave in the morning."

"Hei?" Gojyo sat up from lounging on the other bed. "That fast? What's the rush, bou-zew?"

"Something's wrong about this town and I don't like it. End of discussion."

They all blinked at him like they had no idea of what he meant by 'something wrong.' Sanzo could already feel the vein at his temple start to throb. Idiots, all of them were, in his opinion.

"Well, then I'd better go and shop for more supplies," Hakkai cheerfully announced when a round with the harisen had finally managed to stop any further complaints, mostly from Goku and Gojyo. At least Sanzo can count on him being sensible. And that says much about the other two.

"Tch. I'll be going on my way too." The half-breed muttered as he got up. "I've barely enough time to pick up a girl now. Paranoid bouzu, always getting too suspicious on things that don't exist…"

"I don't think you even know the word." Goku commented before Sanzo could bring out his gun.

Gojyo's eye twitched at the intended insult. "Well, do you?"

"Yeah! It's like…Sanzo."

"…Close enough. But not so."

"But isn't Sanzo pa-ra-noydu?" Sanzo could definitely feel his irritation swell.

"Depends on how you see paranoid, Goku." Hakkai offered.

"Oh…okay."

"What the hell are you guys trying to imply?" Sanzo practically snarled, his finger threateningly close to the trigger on his gun.

"I'm going, I'm going," Hakkai said in mock-surrender. "Care to join me, Goku?"

"Hai!" The boy bounded to the human-turned-youkai like a friendly puppy upon meeting a stranger. "Na, can we get more nikuman after? Sanzo didn't buy enough from that store we found this morning."

"That's because you ate everything in less than a minute, kono bakasaru!"

"Iku zo, Goku," with Hakkai firmly tugging on the boy's cape, the two of them left. Sanzo then glared at the other occupant in the room who gave a snort and left as well.

"Hn." The monk snorted and started to light up.

Finally he had some peace and quiet to himself. Which wasn't much considering the voices were still murmuring in his head but it was an improvement. And he could always ignore the voices, which were thankfully much subdued as the day wore on. He was tempted to see if it would disappear entirely when night came but he didn't want to chance it. So he smoked, and read, and waited for the day to end.

He was on his second stick when energetic footsteps stopped by the door.

"Tadaima!" Goku's loud voice was preceded by the boy bursting in.

Sanzo glanced at the burnt remains in the ashtray. There was only one cig butt.

He turned suspicious eyes to the boy looking at him curiously. "You're early. Where's Hakkai?"

"Ah! He met someone on the street. He said he wanted to talk to him alone and told me to come back to the inn. He'll have the grocery done afterwards."

"Hn." Sanzo had his gun out and aimed at the boy within a second. "And just who would Hakkai know in this backwater town?"

"S-Sanzo!" the boy gasped at the sight of the muzzle facing him, his form wavering briefly. An illusion.

"I asked you a question." The gun's chamber rotated with a warning click. "Who would Hakkai know in this town?"

"I-I don't know him! But Hakkai does. He called Hakkai by name!"

"Tch."

"Sanzo?"

"You're not-"

Having trouble, Ping Wei?

"Nani!" Sanzo whirled at the voice, gun ready to shoot. But there was no one-

The sound of running footsteps was all the warning he had before pain exploded in his head.

Ping Wei let his concentration relax and dropped the broken liquor bottle he had been holding. The strong scent of the spilled alcohol now permeated the air, overlapping the fresh smell of blood.

You didn't have to hit him. Facheung scolded him in his mind-voice.

Gomen, Ping Wei sent back. But he was going to shoot me! You know he was!

You could have stopped him. I would have helped you.

Ping Wei felt shame color his thoughts. Gomen nasai. I didn't think-

Never mind. At least we have him now. Take him to Xing Yi. Even if he can't speed up the healing, it might prove useful for us to pass any defense he might have.

Hai, Ping Wei complied, bending down to shoulder the unconscious monk.

*****

A/N:

Bluj: Apparently, I have a tendency to confuse readers *scratches head sheepishly*. Oh, and I'm not the one with the fast updates. She is *points to Onna*.

Onna: What are you pointing at me for? *is confused*

Bluj: Speedy!

Onna: NYAAAAAAAAH!!! (My turn to do that! ^^)