CHAPTER 1:

"Kougaiji! Kougaiji!" Gyokumen Koushu screamed at the top of her lungs. She had been calling her 'stepson' for more than a minute now. Anyone could see that the old hag is fast losing her patience. At the moment, Gyokumen Koushu is drumming her fingers on the arm rest of her throne, looking dangerously ill. Even her daughter Lilin won't be able to attempt talking to her on that condition.

The queen opens her mouth again but snaps them shut as she sees Kougaiji entering the room. The old hag appraises Kougaiji from head to toe. He looks a little bruised - probably acquired from his previous fight. But he looks dignified as always.

Gyokumen Koushu sneers at the sight. Kougaiji had always been proud, but he always yields to her as she holds an ace. She holds back a giggle at the irony of it. Kougaiji could always kill or displease her, but if he does he won't be able to revive his mother. Pathetic.

For the past few months, she had strict orders that Kougaiji bring her the Evil Sutra. She needs it for reviving her husband, Gyumao. But time and time again, Kougaiji fails her. And now she is at her wits end. She wants it now.

As Kougaiji saunters closer to her, she notices the frown and the defensive stance. From her experience beforehand, she knew that this posture could only mean one thing – failure. She snarls as her 'stepson' came to a stop before her.

"I see you haven't been able to get the sutra - again." Kougaiji flinches at her harsh tone.

"I will be able to get it next time." Kougaiji answers curtly.

"When would next time be?" The hag raised her voice clearly losing patience. She raises her hand and claws at the empty air in frustration.

"Now hear me boy! I'm losing my patience and I want that Evil Sutra now." She looks at him hatefully.

"You do want your mother revived don't you?" She asks maliciously. Kougaiji cowers.

"Of course I do. I promise I won't come back until I retrieved Sanzo's sutra." He answers in a suddenly small voice. Without waiting for his 'step mom' to counter back, he turns away from her and starts to walk out the chamber.

"Now remember boy, one more failure and I won't be able to promise that I could hold my temper on your poor old mother." Kougaiji looks back and stares at Gyokumen Koushu with wide unbelieving eyes. The hag just smiles at him sweetly.

"Be sure to have the Evil Sutra with you the next time we meet - or else I won't be able to promise you your mother's revival." She waves at him mockingly. She sees Kougaiji's shoulders tense up before completely disappearing from her sight. The hag gives out a gleeful smile.

"Have a safe trip 'son'!"

"I can't believe you let her threaten you!" Dokugakuji remarks resentfully as he keeps his tone light. Kougaiji seems to be in a very foul mood and he really doesn't want to irk the prince anymore so.

"I don't have any other choice, Doku." The prince answers crossly at his companion. Doku apparently gets the picture and shuts up. They walk in complete silence until they reached the room his mother was cursed in. Kougaiji looks up at his mother and lets out a long sigh.

"Gomen, Kasaan. I've let you down again." He says ruefully. Dokugakuji reaches out to him and squeezes his shoulder in a show of sympathy.

He knows how Kougaiji had suffered. He knew how the prince had never wanted to be a part of reviving Gyumao, he knew how he hated sacrificing youkai lives just to retrieve that sutra, and worse of it all, he knows Kougaiji hated himself for letting someone rule his life and for letting someone compromise his pride.

So the least he could do was to stay beside the prince and swore eternal loyalty to him. He would never leave the prince's side. Thankfully, Dokugakuji thought, that the prince had other loyal friends besides him. Heaven knows how the prince really needs them.

Right on time, he thought as Yaone along with Lilin entered the room. Without any spoken agreement, all four of them knew that they had the same bond as that of the Sanzo-ikkou.

"Oni-chan! Why the glum face?" Lilin asks her brother, confused.

"It's nothing." He answers shortly.

"But oni-chan…" Yaone silences Lilin as she catches the prince's mood. Besides Doku, Yaone's the only one who could tell how the prince feels and how he thinks. Kougaiji gives Yaone a small, grateful smile. The prince turns to face them all, and sighs deeply.

"Gyokumen Koushu asks for the retrieval of the Evil Sutra as soon as possible." He says as he looks at them in the face one by one.

"We... I have to return here with it. I have one more attempt in doing so. Otherwise..." Kougaiji looks up at her mother.

"My mother will not be revived no matter what." He shakes his head and looks at the lot of them ruefully.

"Kougaiji-sama, we will help you retrieve it. I'm sure if we fought seriously with them..." She looks at Dokugakuji and Lilin for confirmation. The two nods in agreement. Lilin piped up.

"Oni-chan, don't worry! I sure this time we will be successful!"

"Yeah! I think so too." Dokugakuji adds forcefully. Kougaiji just shakes his head and folds his arms in front of him. "

"I'm sure we could square off with Sanzo, Hakkai and Gojyo..." He tells them thoughtfully.

"But Goku is not to be taken lightly." Dokugakuji nods as he remembers the last time they fought with the Sanzo-ikkou. The saru had transformed and it result - just gruesome.

He almost killed the prince at that time, and since then, he had been steadily gaining strength. He could definitely put Yaone, Lilin and Dokugakuji to sleep without the need to transform. Kougaiji on the other hand, will last for about fifteen minutes, tops.

"So what do we do?" Dokugakuji asks irritably as he suddenly felt frustrated with the situation. Clearly, they won't be able to get the sutra by force. They need to have a strategy of some kind. Kougaiji unfolds his arms and starts to exit the room.

"Go to rest. I'm going to think of something. I promise." He exclaims with fervor as he takes one last look at his mother.

"I promise, kasaan, when I come back you're as good as alive."

"I'm hungry!!!" Goku complains from the back of the jeep. He clambers his way directly behind Sanzo and clutches at the seat.

"Sanzo, I'm hungry!!!" He whines. WHACK.

"Ouch! What did you that for?!" Goku whines even louder as he nurses his head.

"You're loud! Now shut up." Sanzo answers as veins popped out of his temple. Goku pouts and places himself behind Hakkai.

"Hakkai! When will we get to the next town?" Hakkai looks back at him and smiled.

"Another five hours perhaps." Goku's stomach growls in protest.

"Five Hours! That's torture!!"

"Baka saru. You're too loud! You're not the only one who is hungry you know?" Gojyo complains from his seat as he eyes Goku.

"What did you say? And don't call me saru!" Goku said as he prepares himself to strangle Gojyo to death. He stops when he hears gunshots. Sanzo is standing on the passenger's seat, his gun pointing directly at Goku.

"Urusai! One more noise and I promise I will kill you." He says venomously. Goku cowers and plops down at his own seat. He seems very sorry and for that, Sanzo reluctantly replaces his gun and sits down.

The rest of the trip has been fairly silent. Goku still looks subdued after being scolded by Sanzo. Come to think of it, Goku hadn't uttered a single word since and he hasn't moved from his position. He looks vulnerable.

Hakkai looks at Goku concerned. He hadn't seen his companion this lonely and reflective and it worries him. He puts on his smile and turns to face Goku.

"Goku, we're almost there! Just a few more minutes." Goku stirs a little and looks at Hakkai.

"Oh." Is all Hakkai could get from the usually hyperactive saru. He starts to worry a little bit more.

"So what do you want for dinner? I'm sure Sanzo's going to let you eat a lot since you've been very good today."

"When did I say that?" Sanzo interrupts as he raises his brows at Hakkai. Hakkai just sweat drops. As he notices from his rear view mirror that Goku just shrank back more.

After their dinner, Hakkai pulls Goku aside to talk to him. Something was clearly bothering the youth, as he ate little during dinner and he wasn't his usual cheery self either.

He didn't even flinch at Gojyo's insults. He just sat there, poking at his food, eyes staring at nowhere in particular. He seems plain lost.

"Goku, what's the matter?" Hakkai asked Goku seriously.

"Nothing." Goku answers with a small sigh. Hakkai frowns.

"If its nothing, then why are you so subdued at dinner?" Goku just looks at him with wide, innocent eyes - the one he always uses when he doesn't want to answer a particular question.

"Come on, tell me. I may be able to help you out." Goku sighs and looks away.

"Am I being a bother to you?" He asks sadly.

Hakkai stares at Goku in shock. When did that idea enter his mind? Clearly Goku had been thinking deep stuff lately.

"What makes you think about that?" Hakkai asked gently.

"I don't know. Sanzo's always mad at me and he almost shot me this morning. Gojyo had been harsher in his insults. Even you seem a little bit different." Goku said while looking at Hakkai imploringly.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're not as patient as you always were." Hakkai laughs gently.

"Goku, people change. But it doesn't mean that they are different from what they were. They just improve themselves." He explains simply put as possible. Goku scrunches up his face, thinking deeply. He suddenly stands up and looks down at Hakkai ruefully.

"You're wrong. If you improved yourselves then why are you slowly drifting away from me? I like you the way you were before. We were much happier then." With that Goku turns away and walks outside to catch some fresh air.

Hakkai is left speechless as he watches Goku disappear from his sight.

Kougaiji wakes up with fierce determination. He has already devised the plan, and it seems fool-proof. No. The plan is brilliant. He assures himself as he finishes dressing up.

Although he had his doubts about it, it's clear that this is the only thing that will work. Clearly, force isn't the answer as the Sanzo-ikkou is stronger than they are.

Kougaiji walks in the direction of his mother's room. For him it was the same old routine. Wake up, dress up, visit mother, do errands for the old hag and whatever. As he nears the room, he sees that his companions had already beaten him to it.

"Ohayo, Kougaiji- sama."

"Ohayo, oni-chan." Yaone and Lilin greet him. Dokugakuji gives him a nod. He allows himself a small smile at the sight of them.

"Ohayo, minna-san."

"My, we are in a good mood today aren't we?" Dokugakuji teases the prince as Lilin glomps her brother.

"Ne, Oni-chan, have you thought about the plan?" Kougaiji nods.

"Indeed."

"Really, Kougaiji-sama? What is it then?" Yaone asks excited. The prince just smiles and looks up at his mother.

"Kasaan, I think I will be able to put you out of your misery soon." Lilin pouts when his brother dismisses Yaone's question for the meantime.

"Oni-chan, come on, tell us your plan!!! I swear I'll die of excitement!!!" Kougaiji looks at his sister and obliged.

"I'll make Goku fall in love with me." He answers plainly.

"WHAT?!"

t.b.c