Chapter 2: The Trap

Kougaiji looks up at his companions. He honestly did not know what he did to cause such an uproar. All he did was to announce his plan in retrieving the sutra. Besides that, he can't think of anything else. Kougaiji crosses his arms in front of himself and raises his brows. Any minute now and he might lose his cool. He appraises each of them slowly.

Yaone looks so pale, Kougaiji thought she might pass out at any minute. Dokugakuji on the other hand, had his mouth hanging wide open and is blushing like there's no tomorrow. Lilin meanwhile, is a whole new story. At the moment she's rolling on the ground shaking with mad laughter.

The few times she controlled her self from laughing was when she sputtered "Now that's a good one Oni-chan." Then she'd laugh again. Kougaiji shakes his head. He can't stand it anymore. Are they making fun of him? Or are they in some kind of inside joke, which they hadn't bothered including him in? He growls in frustration before speaking his mind.

"Lilin will you stop that!" He said while bringing Lilin up to her feet. Her younger sister stops laughing when she realizes that Kougaiji was not joking. Yaone and Dokugakuji recover themselves and turns to face the wall in shame.

Kougaiji shakes his head. Now they're guilty! He thought fiercely. What in the hell were they thinking about anyway?

"Hey, what's up with you guys? I'm here discussing my plan with you, okay? I'm not here to mess around." He looks up at his mother and sighs.

"I'm doing all of this for her. I want her out of that freaking curse. And I'm going to do whatever it takes to revive her." Yaone turns around and faces Kougaiji.

"Kougaiji-sama, there must be another way to get the Evil sutra. You don't need to do that…" She says earnestly, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. Kougaiji just sighs.

"Yaone, this is the best plan. If I could do just that, then we could have Goku do all the dirty works for us." He places his hands on Yaone's shoulder and squeezes it slightly.

"Trust me; I know what I'm doing."

"But Kou, surely you noticed that Goku is a guy." Dokugakuji pipes up. The prince slaps his forehead.

"Do I look stupid Doku? Of course I noticed that!" Dokugakuji backs up the wall helplessly.

"Oni-chan, how are you going to do that? You know that the saru is stuck up on Sanzo." Kougaiji looks at his sister in surprise. She shows a spark of brilliance every now and then. Of course, Sanzo will be a problem. How come he never thought of that? He brushes the thought away. There's nothing he can't overcome. Not that he has a choice over it anyway.

"We will strike later in the evening." He says as an after though.

"I thought we won't be using any force?" Lilin asks confused.

"We won't. It will be just a diversion."

"What do you need a diversion for?" Dokugakuji asks, apparently forgetting his humiliation and getting in the act as well. Kougaiji pauses and brings a hand up to his chin.

"I need some time alone to spend with Goku. So I could make my move on him." Kougaiji walks around and stops in front of Yaone.

"I need to ask you a favor."

"I'll do whatever you wish to, Kougaiji-sama." Yaone says while bowing slightly.

"I need you to set up a trap."

"A trap? Whatever for?" Yaone asks curious. Kougaiji smiles slightly and walks in Lilin's direction.

"As Lilin said, Goku is stuck up on Sanzo. I need to put up a wedge on their relationships, as well as with that of Hakkai and Gojyo."

"So what do you need a trap for?" Doku asks raising his voice.

"Patience. After all, I can't just waltz in and say 'hey Goku, spend some time alone with me?'"

"Yeah. You're right." Doku admits grudgingly.

"So I will fall in that trap with Goku. And Yaone, I expect that the trap can hold us in for a few days."

"You can count on me." Yaone nods at Kougaiji, and with a slight bow, she excuses herself. She wants to get started on the task as soon as possible.

"Lilin and Doku can I count on you to make a decent performance?" Dokugakuji nods while Lilin points her index finger up in the air looking indignant.

"Decent? I can do more than decent. I'm practically born an actress." Doku rolls his eyes.

"Whatever." Kougaiji just snorts at his sister's antics. Then with a nod, he continues to lay out his plan.

"So when me and Goku falls in the trap, I want you to act like you want to retrieve us as soon as possible, so you'd want to join forces with them for the meanwhile…"

"And then?"

"Whenever they're close to rescuing us, I want you to stall and make them act otherwise." Doku nods, his eyes lighting up with understanding.

"I see. So our main duty is to give you and Goku as much time as possible." Kougaiji nods.

"Exactly. If possible, I want you to stall long enough, that we come out of there without your help." Lilin jumps up and down in front of her brother.

"Don't worry about a damn thing Oni-chan! Me and Doku will handle the kappa, cook and the monk!!! Hehehe… Come to think of it, I haven't played with Sanzo for a long time now." Lilin says thoughtfully, and then smiles.

"It will be so much fun hanging around with baldie Sanzo again."

Kougaiji laughs inwardly. If anyone can divert Sanzo's attention away from Goku, it will be Lilin. He knows that Lilin acts so much like Goku that it irritates the damn monk. He can't think rationally if Lilin drives him to the brink of insanity.

"Ne, Oni-chan? Why are you laughing all to your self?" Lilin asks as she notices Kougaiji smiling to himself.

"Eh? It's nothing." Kougaiji answers her embarrassed. He hadn't noticed he was laughing out loud! Oh well…

"So it's a plan, then?" Kougaiji asks the two of them.

"Yes."

"Everything understood?"

"Yes."

"You're dismissed for now. We leave at precisely six o'clock tomoroow." Doku and Lilin leaves Kougaiji in the room. He sighs as he was left alone with his mother. Kougaiji says a little prayer and looks up at his mother and apologizes for the nth time.

"I'm sorry kasan, I guess I won't be seeing you in a while. But I promise, when I return you can answer back to me. I promise." Kougaiji pauses for a while before leaving the room.

Yaone runs through the woods as fast as she can. For her, exhausting herself is the best way to ease the pain she feels. She never could understand why Kougaiji-sama needs to do such shameless acts. Provided, it's all for the his mother's sake… But she just couldn't allow it. She doesn't want to. But she could never deny the prince anything.

She kicks a rock viciously out of the way and utters a strangled cry. Why the hell did Kougaiji-sama thought about this plan in the first place? What if he falls in love with Goku? What if this make believe plan becomes reality?

Where would that leave me? Yaone asks herself as she hastily dabs a tear that comes unbidden in her eyes. She stops her running and pulls herself together long enough to scout the area. This area would be a good place to lay the trap.

She suddenly smiles to herself maliciously. Well, Kougaiji-sama did not say that I have to ensure Goku's safety in the first place. Maybe I could give him an injury at the very least. Yaone pulls out some of her hand made bombs, her other tools and begins to work intensely. After about an hour of digging, implanting and surveying, she deems the trap perfect. She frowns as she eyes a certain spot in the trap.

I have to tell Kougaiji-sama that he should position Goku there. And I also have to remind him to avoid that area. She tells herself as she surveyed the scene once more. Yaone stands up and smoothes her dress before heading out. She smiles to herself. I wouldn't want to hurt Kougaiji-sama ne?

Goku headed back towards the inn. After the breather he got, he realized he'd been harsh to Hakkai. In the first place Hakkai just wanted to console him. And what did he do? He'd been rude to him and spoke of things that may have hurt Hakkai.

Goku shook his head and sighed. I really have to apologize to him or else I won't be able to sleep a wink tonight. He thought to himself as he took the stairs and headed towards Hakkai's room.

"Hakkai why the glum face?" Gojyo asked Hakkai. He looked concerned.

"It's nothing." He answered back unenthusiastically. Gojyo leaned forward and nuzzled Hakkai's neck.

"Now, tell me… What's bothering you? I know you so well, you can't lie to me." Hakkai untangled himself from Gojyo's grasp and faced his lover.

"Gojyo, I think Goku's troubled."

"What do you mean?"

"I talked to him earlier and he thinks he's just a bother to us." Gojyo laughed.

"What's funny? This isn't a laughing matter, you know? Goku had never thought of things like this before..." Gojyo stopped laughing and looked at Hakkai with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Hakkai, what do you mean? That Goku never used his head before? Come on." Hakkai narrowed his eyes at Gojyo.

"Now..."

"And besides, the saru is just upset because Sanzo-sama never did return his feelings. And I can see why... the saru's always noisy! He never knows when to stop!" SLAM.

"What the..? Did you hear that Gojyo?"

"Yeah. Slamming doors, what's the big deal?" Gojyo said losing patience. He had planned on having a romantic evening with Hakkai, not having a conversation with the saru as the main topic! Hakkai walked in the direction of the door and gasped.

"What?!" Gojyo asked startled.

"The door's ajar! Someone's been listening in... Goku!" Hakkai ran in the direction of Goku's room. It was locked! God! Had he heard everything? Gojyo followed him and was looking at Hakkai with a bemused expression.

"What's the matter?"

"What do you mean 'What's the matter?' Goku overheard us!"

"So?" Gojyo asked, unconcerned. Hakkai tapped his foot on the ground losing patience.

"You were saying some pretty horrible things about Goku! He's vulnerable right now!"

"Hakkai calm down! If it would appease you then I'd talk to him okay?" Hakkai took a few slow breaths and nodded.

"Okay."

"But not now. The saru needs some time alone to think. I'll talk to him after he cools down." Hakkai looked at Gojyo exasperatedly.

"You promise?"

"Do I look like lying? Of course I will!" With one last look at Goku's door, Hakkai let himself be led away by Gojyo.

So I was right! Goku thought to himself sadly. He huddled in the corner of his bed hugging himself. He heard Gojyo said so. Hakkai thinks ill of him, and he thought he never uses his brain! Of course, I use my brain, don't I? He shook his head. He gripped himself tighter when Gojyo's voice drifts in his brain again. I can see why that monk never returned his feelings… So what does it mean?

Goku sat upright. The only thing that I can think of is that... I'm a bother. I always get in their way. I'm hyper, I don't listen and I'm noisy! They don't want that. But does it mean that they want me away? Goku tried hard to suppress his tears but failed. He always aimed to please. Maybe I'm overdoing it a bit. He thought as he looked out the window. What was that? Someone was creeping in Sanzo's room! He thought wildly. Without thinking he ran in Sanzo's room to warn the monk.

Kougaiji crept towards Sanzo's room. After a while of scouting out, Doku found out the rooms of each respectively. Attacking Sanzo's room will be the best bet of luring all four of them out. Kougaiji slithered inside the open window of Sanzo. Everything was pitch black.

Good, I think he's asleep! Kougaiji thought to himself. Before he could even move towards the bed, something touched the back of his head. CLICK.

"Get the hell out of my room." With a quick reflex, Kougaiji brought his hands up and knocked Sanzo's gun out of the way. Lights flickered as Goku entered breathless.

"Kougaiji! What are you doing here?" The saru asked.

"I'm here to pay my debts to you, Son Goku."

With that Kougaiji summoned a beast and launched its attacks on Sanzo. Each and every hit was evaded by Goku who protected Sanzo. All the commotions attracted Hakkai and Gojyo to come out and check in on the monk.

They stood agape at the entrance of the door as they watched Goku called forth his staff and attacked Kougaiji.

"What the.." Hakkai asked but was suddenly distracted when bombs exploded at his feet.

"Yaone-san?" Hakkai stared at the youkai, as Yaone and Lilin and Doku entered the room as well. Everything was getting chaotic inside the small room, so the lot of them went outside to continue their fight.

"Kougaiji, have you been practicing?" Goku asked glowing. It's been so long, since he exercised! And fighting with such a good and strong fighter at that! Kougaiji snickered.

"Of course. How can I possibly pay for my debts to you then?" He launched into the air and landed at Goku's back kicking him hard in the shin. Goku retaliated by punching him hard in the gut. If this keeps going on, I'll get knocked out! Kougaiji thought. He ran towards the direction of the trap knowing quite well that he should launch their plan into action now.

"Yaone-san, why are you back again?" Hakkai asked Yaone as he evaded a kick from the later.

"We need the evil sutra." She answered while evading a ki from Hakkai.

"That again huh?" He launched another ki, and this caught Yaone square in the stomach.

Doku called his sword and attacked Gojyo. Gojyo just bared his teeth at his brother as he called forth his crescent shaped weapon.

"I won't go easy on you this time Doku! You just interrupted a long romatic evening." Gojyo said grumpily as he wrapped the weapon's chain on Doku's body.

"Oh, you know us. We have terrific timing." Doku said as he released himself from the weapon's grasp and launched an attack on Gojyo.

"Baldie Sanzo! Care to play with me?" Lilin asked Sanzo. Sanzo just looked at Lilin like she was mad and then proceeded to light his cigarette.

"I don't play with immature little kids." He said shortly while puffing smoke in Lilin's face. Lilin pouted.

"Awww.. That's bad! And I'm not a kid!!!"

"Says who?" Sanzo asked getting bored.

"Says me!!!" Lilin readied herself in a fighting stance but then dropped on her butt as she received a meat bun from Sanzo.

"Thank you, baldie!!!" She said glomping happily. Gojyo chuckled at the background.

"Sanzo-sama's so good with pets." BANG.

"Oi! Watch where you're aiming monk! You almost shot me!" Gojyo complained while in a headlock with Doku. Sanzo snickered.

"I aimed just right."

'"What?!!!"

From the distance in the forest they heard a resounding bang and they could see numerous trees falling to the ground. Sanzo's cigarette fell from his mouth as he realized it was in the direction of Kougaiji and Goku's fight. Lilin left her buns and stood up beside Sanzo.

"Oni-chan!!!" Hakkai and Yaone's fight stopped as they stared at the flaming wreck.

"Kougaiji-sama!"

"Goku!"

Doku and Gojyo meanwhile had already left and were searching the perimeter of the wreck.

"What happened?" Sanzo asks Doku and Gojyo when he arrived at the scene.

"It seems to me someone laid a trap in there." Doku said while wiping his brow which was dirty from the soot.

"Have you seen Oni-chan?" Lilin asks tearfully.

"Is he okay?"

"They're probably okay. From the looks of it, they probably dropped in on an underground cave. But from the wreck here they won't be able to come out up."

"What?! Then we have to clear a way for them." Hakkai suggests.

"We can't. Everything was blown up and it completely blocked the entrance. We can't move them either. It's too hot to touch much less move them." Doku said gravely.

"All we can do is wait until tomorrow and see what we can do for them." Added Gojyo who looks back at the wreck.

tbc