As ten-thirty approached Sanzo decided he'd been too lenient already. He strolled in and kicked Goyjo and Hakkai's beds and swatted Goku with his fan. "C'mon you lazy asses, we'll already be chasing daylight if we leave right now."
"Ow! Dammit Sanzo! That hurts! Goku sat up, rubbing his head. "Hey, Sanzo, I'm hungry."
"Yeah well you should have thought of that before you overslept. Sorry, monkey, no time for breakfast." Hakkai hadn't moved though usually the slightest movement roused him. "Hakkai!" Sanzo whispered loudly near his ear with the limiters, "Dream about your boyfriend on your own time."
Hakkai's eyes suddenly opened, and he edged away from Sanzo, his over sensitivity about his ear cuff showing. "Sorry…Guess I was at the good part." He stretched, yawning. "Just give me ten minutes to shower."
"You have five." Sanzo folded his arms and turned sharply away. "Here, Goku," he threw a large meat bun he had stashed away in his robe. Before he left the room, he added, "And you, water sprite, you should probably stroke that a little faster or you won't be ready in five either."
"Bite it, priest. Hey, no fair Hakkai! I had dibs on the shower!" Goyjo complained as he rolled out of bed.
"We can share," Hakkai said loud enough for Sanzo to hear. "I need my back washed, anyway."
Sanzo's back stiffened. "Four and counting." He said through clenched teeth as he went to make final preparations.
Goyjo looked slightly tempted, and then shook his head. "No way. I'll just air out in the jeep."
"Ah, gross," Goku muttered as he left to join Sanzo. And maybe score another meat bun.
Sanzo was already sitting in his place in the jeep, hand holding out another meat bun for Goku. This journey seemed endless, and even with constant companionship he was tiring of the loneliness. The other three had a camaraderie that he couldn't join, like a secret handshake they wouldn't teach him. Okay maybe that was because if they did he'd slap their hands away. But still, they didn't try that hard. "Fuck it, the last thing I need is something sacred I can't protect. I don't need to be part of that club." He muttered to the jeep who chirped back an argument. "Who asked you?"
"Thank you, Sanzo!" Goku took the meat bun and grinned up at him before crawling into the back and starting on the bun. "Hey Sanzo…you seem extra cranky today…I'm sorry I overslept…"
"Whatever." Sanzo grumbled. "It doesn't matter."
"Mmm…Okay. Do you have any more meat buns?" Goku asked hopefully as he leaned over Sanzo's shoulder.
"Goku what have I told you about eating in the jeep?" Hakkai gently reprimanded, pulling his shirt on as he bounded to the jeep, hair dripping from the shower, and Goyjo trailing after, trying to light a cigarette that kept getting splattered by Hakkai's hair.
"Can we just get going?" Sanzo ducked as he too got splattered as Hakkai got in the jeep. "It's the village of Tshunran next, isn't it? Good, I've heard demons aren't fond of it so we might even rest up a few days there if no one objects. There's also a temple a little off to the south where I'm going to attempt contact with the aspects."
"Right…And I heard there's a great tavern loaded with hot babes and cold liquor." Goyjo threw in. "So step on it, dragon."
"Good to see we've got all our priorities straight. Meat bun, anyone?" Sanzo seemed to have an endless supply hidden away.
Hakkai grabbed it out of Goku's hand. "Thanks, I'm famished."
Goku just stared, completely shocked. Hakkai stared straight ahead, careful to only subtly alter the direction of the jeep as they left boundaries of the town. He figured he'd put on enough of the raging dick act, and settled in, ready to just enjoy the ride, knowing they'd never make it to their destination before nightfall. Hopefully, his plan would work.
"God, you stink! Go sit over there!" Goku said, through a mouthful of the bread and broth Hakkai had just handed him. He glared at Goyjo who had decided to sit on the rock next to his.
"Where exactly, you frickin ape? On the cactus?" Goyjo snapped back.
"Well, you'll get your thrill for the night, you perv!"
"Stop it, both of you. Can't we just eat in peace?" Sanzo's mood had not improved throughout the afternoon. He'd hardly spoke to Hakkai and since that was usually what kept his mood light, well as light as it got, he was very irritable. He purposely made no mention of how good the food was nor did he make any wisecracks during the meal.
"Yeah, boys," Hakkai smiled his usual sweet smile. "Eat up. It'll be bedtime before we know it." For some sooner than others, he added silently. The bread they were all devouring had an herb in it that would make most youkai sleep like babies for a few hours. He wasn't sure if it would work on Sanzo but he had a back up plan. Not that he was entirely sure about that either.
Sanzo grumbled but took a second helping of both soup and bread. "Goku, leave some for the rest of us. That's, like, your second loaf and third bowl of soup." Even yelling at Goku wasn't fun today. Maybe he needed another cigarette. He pulled out his pack but remembering how he got it this morning, he stuffed it away. He raised an open hand. "Goku. Beer. Now."
"Kay, " Goku, stuffing the bread in his mouth, jumped up and went for the cooler.
"Get me one, too." Goyjo called after him.
"Get your own!" Goku replied, handing Sanzo his beer.
Grumbling, Goyjo stood to do just that. "Hey, goddammit, monkey! You gave the priest the last one!"
Sanzo quickly enjoyed swallowing down the last of his beer with no apology to Goyjo. "Break time's over, kids. I think we have company."
"Fuck," Hakkai muttered, setting his bowl aside. The herb would be kicking in soon. Now was not the time for a demon attack.
"Aw, man," Goyjo said standing and lighting a cigarette. "Guess we'll have to share dessert."
Sanzo stood walking towards the approaching mob. "You really need to discuss timing with your boss. I mean it's not like I come in, brandishing my gun and proceed to wipe you out while you're eating dinner. Though I'm thinking of starting…" he leaned on his hand looking thoughtful. 'And you really should regroup, the four of us can take you out easy." He turned back looking directly at Goku. "That is if some of us would pause in the act of devouring everything in sight, get up off our asses and help."
"I'm coming!" Goku assured him, polishing off his soup. "Geez…I'm a growing boy, you know."
"Yeah, Is that today's excuse?" Goyjo asked, brandishing his scythe.
"They appear about forty strong, but I sense most of them don't possess a lot of youjitsu or intelligence." Sanzo said as he dropkicked the first demon that rushed him. 'Yeah, they're pretty stupid."
"Good," Hakkai leapt forward and began firing chi energy in a wide band. He had to take out as many as he could before the herbs started working.
Goku, who'd leapt into the thick of the demons, swinging Nyouibou, fell over with no warning.
Too late, Hakkai thought, as he jumped up, firing energy bolts at the youkai closing in on Goku.
"Goku?" Sanzo, gun blazing, tried to clear out as many as he could as he rushed to see what felled Goku. "Shit, now is not the time to take a nap. There's another bunch hanging back, get the fuck up!" One of the demons got bold enough to try to knock his gun out of his hand by biting his arm. "You've got to be kidding me." He shot three in his way while he tried to shake off the other one.
The crescent shaped blade, trailing its chain, whipped by hitting the demon on Sanzo's arm, and wiping out the good dozen between Sanzo and Goku. Goyjo landed next to Sanzo. His cigarette still in his mouth. "Check on the monkey. Quick though, these guys aren't slowing down,"
Sanzo knelt down his gun set next to him on the sand forgotten fearing the worst. He breathed easier. "He's out. But he's breathing." He grabbed up his gun and stood up. Maybe a little too fast, he was seeing double. Too risky to shoot with double vision, he might hit Goyjo or Hakkai. He rubbed his eyes and elbowed the one or was it two demons that had tried to knock him down. "Watch out, guys, I may just have to start shooting at anything that approaches. I can't really see to target accurately." He tried to sound maniacal. "So I'm just going to blow everything in my view away!"
"Shit," Goyjo said, just before he collapsed himself.
Not good. Hakkai flipped backwards, landing in a crouch next to Sanzo. "Don't shoot me, Sanzo. But I think I have a plan." He snaked an arm around Sanzo's waist, and put his palm against the small of Sanzo's back. A short blast of chi energy should stun him long enough for Hakkai to see if his hunch was right.
Sanzo went limp against Hakkai wondering who or what hit him. The Banishing Gun fell heavy and nearly crowned Goku as it fell so close to his head. Still conscious though weak from the herb's effects, Sanzo warned the only member from his party left standing, "Hakkai, I can't even remain upright. These demons they're putting us to sleep or something. Draining our energy at least."
"I know, Sanzo,' Hakkai lay Sanzo down to Goku and picked up the Banishing Gun, "I know you're here," Hakkai muttered as he looked around. "But where?"
Sanzo with one last attempt to stay conscious gabbed meekly at Cho's sash, "Use your chi to heal me, you moron, before it's…" His arm couldn't maintain any muscle control and swirling blackness swallowed him.
"I'm sorry, Sanzo," Hakkai said standing. "But it'll be better if you're not able to see what I have to do." Hakkai pocketed one of his limiters, and looked around, scanning for the evil Sanzo monk.
No sign of the evil Sanzo just a growing number of happy victorious demons and a fiery wind coming to circle around the slumbering party that could only mean one thing…
"Kougaaji." Hakkai whispered, hopefully, as he pointed the banishing gun, hand shaking, at the nearest demons.
Strolling in, bemused, came the great demon lord's son. "You guys are getting sloppy. I can't believe this sad excuse for a demon army—no, they aren't mine—managed to subdue three of the great Sanzo party." The fiery circles were keeping the demons at bay.
"It wasn't those losers, trust me," Hakkai said smiling. "But perhaps, we could get into the whole story another time?"
"Yeah, well you want to wake sleeping beauty there. I need to ask him a question. Trust me, those guys have all run home if they haven't been fried by now." Kougaaji put an impatient hand on his tightly clad hip his bracelets jangling as he moved.
Hakkai shrugged, "I'll try." But, he added silently, I don't know how long I have. He shook Sanzo, knowing it was no use. Not this soon. "Sanzo, we have company."
"It's odd Hakkai, but you seem less than concerned for your companions." The demon observed reaching in and sliding a sharp claw nail across Sanzo's face. 'Why is that, I wonder. He really is out. Well, guess I'm on my own. When he wakes up you might want to ask him if he knows anything about an evil Sanzo priest I'm looking for…either to recruit or remove."
"Sure," Hakkai nodded, replacing his ear cuff. "And Kougaaji…thank you."
"Uh huh. Look, I want to beat you four in a fair fight. And watch out for this guy, he's got two scriptures now, the Diatan which he stole and the Daitzian, which causes humans to go berserk, that one was entrusted to him years ago. Later, then." Kougaaji left much quieter than he entered.
"Fabulous." Hakkai muttered, sitting in the center of his sleeping friends, "Wonder if I can back out now…" He stroked Sanzo's head then Goyjo's and Goku's. "I'm so sorry, guys." Hakkai tucked the banishing gun in his waistband, and picked up Nyouibou and Goyjo's scythe, both lying on the ground next to their owners.
It took some fancy maneuvering, and he ended up tearing Sanzo's robes, but he freed the scripture, rolling it up.
I feel like such a sleaze, Hakkai thought as he walked away from his friends, calling out to Hakaryu.
"Monk!" Hakkai called out once he was what he considered a safe distance from the others. "Monk, I have what you asked for!"