Three Demons and a Baby!
"Oi, Goku?"
"Yeah?" The golden eyed demon voiced as he slumped in the passenger side of Hakuryuu while staring up at the cloudy sky.
"Is it just me or has it gotten a little too quiet in this forest?" Goyjo spoke from the driver's seat, cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth while his red eyes gazed around the tree lining.
Your right, in fact…too quiet…
Amethyst eyes gazed around also, the noise of squeaking his toy gun had gone. Not even birds were chirping and there was no wind rustling the leaves on the trees either.
"Is twenty minutes up yet, I'm getting hungry."
"Monkey, you're always hungry and no twenty minutes isn't up."
"How the hell do you know water sprite? And besides what if there are demons in there huh? Hakkai can't handle them all on his own…can he?"
We don't know his full potential saru, so don't look down on him…
"Well from my knowledge Hakkai is the legendary demon slayer. You know having killed a thousand demons and all or has your puny brain forgotten that monkey and anyway its not li-" Loud screams from the cave interrupted Goyjo's words as three pairs of eyes turned to the entrance to see four demons running out.
"Oh shit!" Goku yelled while bringing out his nyoibou as he jumped out of the jeep.
"Goku stand back!" Came a loud voice from within the darkness of the cave and Goku stopped in his tracks and just in time to dodge Hakkai's Qi Gong attack that disintegrated the four demons in one hit.
"Oh man that was close." Goku muttered to himself as he stood up and dusted himself off. All eyes focused on the running figure of Hakkai heading for Goku.
"What? Hakkai?" Goku voiced confusedly as the taller demon stood in front of him and placed up a barrier.
"Get into the jeep Goku."
"But…"
"NOW!" Goku's eyes widened at the urgency in Hakkai's voice and ran for Hakuryuu who was also being protected by Hakkai's barrier. Whatever attack Hakkai had seen stopped and he lowered the barrier only to run and then leap into Hakuryuu right beside the owlishly looking toddler.
"Lets get out of her Goyjo…and fast!" Goyjo never questioned and instead hit the gas, making Hakuryuu screech slightly before they burned rubber down the dirt track to get as far away from the cave as possible.
"Faster Goyjo!" Hakkai spoke while he had turned his back on the temporary driver to look back at the crumbling mountain.
"Hakkai, what the hell did you do?" Looking in the rear view mirror he watched his best friend turn an awkward smile at him, before placing his hand behind his head.
"Nothing…much…"
"Wow check out the size of that!" Goku yelled while standing up in the fast moving jeep with his finger pointed back at the dissipated cave which now held a large demon.
What the hell is that?
"Hakkai!" Goyjo growled while swiftly turning the vehicle to the right nearly making Goku fall out of it.
"Um, I didn't realise it was sleeping when I interrupted its minions." Hakkai spoke while letting off a nervous laugh. His emerald eyes glanced down at narrowed amethyst looking up at him.
"Ah, gomen Sanzo I seem to have brought some trouble with us."
Che!
"Goyjo, don't head for the village we need to take care of this demon, so slow down."
"Say what?" Goyjo yelled in disbelief at Hakkai's words.
"It'll be alright, so as long as my Qi Gong is with us, we shall be protected from its attacks."
How long for Hakkai? You can't keep that up forever…
"For how long Hakkai?" Goyjo questioned as though reading Sanzo's mind.
"Until I tire I guess, but that doesn't matter, now slow down I have a plan."
"I want in! I want in!" Goku yelled excitedly as he was ready to kick some demon ass.
"I'll lure it towards us, it knows who I am, but not the three…oh I mean two of you. Sorry Sanzo but nowadays you'll have to watch and stay with Hakuryuu." Emerald looked down at the scowling toddler and smiled lightly.
"And?" Goku voiced snapping Hakkai out of his thoughts.
"Oh right, I'll lure him while you sneak an attack at its back Goku. Goyjo you stay with Hakuryuu and Sanzo."
"Why the hell do I have to babysit the monk?" Goyjo asked pissed.
"Because I know that if the demon gets passed me you'll be able to take care of it with Goku's help. Hakuryuu please slow down." His pet made his usual 'kyuu' sound and did as his master asked him.
"Who says it'll get passed you Hakkai? Your Qi Gong barriers will keep us safe right?" There was silence and Goyjo placed on the brakes to turn around and look back at Hakkai. He did not like that small half smile which actually looked like a pained smile across Hakkai's lips.
"We don't have much time, so lets get this plan into action." Hakkai jumped out of the jeep at that and ran off down the road to head for the demon to intercept its course.
"Goyjo, something not right…"
"Why do you say that monkey?"
"Hakkai…he's hurt. I can smell his blood." Red and amethyst narrowed at Goku's words and then watched the monkey boy leap out of the vehicle to head after Hakkai.
* Half an hour has passed *
Goyjo played with his lighter as he leaned against Hakuryuu waiting for his other two companions to come back. They hadn't and he was getting restless. Even Sanzo was squirming in the back, more so for being uncomfortable then anything, but Sanzo on the inside was growing impatient as well.
"The hell with this I know they could use my help!" Goyjo yelled, but his ranting was interrupted by something else…or more importantly someone else.
"Well, well if it isn't the Sanzo party. Wait…"
"Hey where is the droopy eyed monk?" Goyjo's eyes widened as he turned to face…
"Kougaiji!" Even amethyst widened at Goyjo's words.
Shit!
"Oi you, woman, Yaone or whatever watch him for me, I've got a fight to go to." Goyjo quickly picked up the squirming Sanzo and dumped him into a surprised Yaone's arms.
"Now wait just a min-" They were left in a cloud of dust as Goyjo took off in Hakuryuu to get there faster.
"Oi Kou, should we follow him?"
"Yaone stay here with Lirin, we'll be right back." And Kougaiji and Dokugakuji disappeared to teleport wherever Goyjo was heading.
"But I wanna fight!" Lirin yelled into the forest in annoyance at being left behind again.
"Lirin-sama, please stay with me." Yaone watched as Lirin pouted and slumped to the ground with her arms folded.
"What I'm curious about, is who you are?" Yaone voiced to herself, as she lifted Sanzo away from her to hold him up in the air and facing her so she could get a better look at him. She stared into large amethyst eyes.
"I won't hurt you, but you just seem so familiar that's all. I wonder what you are doing with Hakkai-san and the others."
Stop staring at me wench!
"Hey you wanna play?" Amethyst turned to look at the smiling face of Lirin.
Stay away from me!
Instead Yaone gave Sanzo over to Lirin who began throwing him up in he air and catching him and not to forget twirling him around as well.
Goyjo you bastard!
* Elsewhere *
"Hakkai let me try again!" Goku yelled and Hakkai let down his barrier shield to allow Goku to attack the badly damaged demon. He was weakening, but this was still taking longer then Hakkai had hoped. He was getting tired and knew that his barriers and his attacks would not hold out for much longer.
"HAKKAI!" Emerald swiftly turned in the direction of the speeding jeep to watch Goyjo jump out of it and then let rip an attack with his jakujou. The demon roared in pain and thrashed around as Goyjo landed on his feet right next to Hakkai.
"Goyjo what are you doing? Where is Sanzo?"
"Don't worry he's safe. We got worried so I came to see what was taking so long."
"Goyjo…"
"Oi monkey go for its eyes!" Goyjo yelled before running in to deliver another attack not listening to whatever Hakkai was going to say next.
"Need some help?" Emerald darted to the two demons that had appeared out of nowhere. Before he could voice anything he felt and saw from the corner of his eye an attack being made to the two new demons and with quick feet he was in front of them and protecting them with his barrier.
"You didn't have to do that." Kougaiji yelled at him, but watched as Hakkai fell to the ground completely exhausted. He was breathing heavily, sweat trickling down the side of his brow and his neck while blood stained his clothing both from the demon and his own injuries.
"Tell those two idiots to get back, I will deal with this monster. I always pay my debts." If Hakkai had the energy he would have smiled up at Kougaiji but it was getting harder to breathe and his eyes were fluttering as though wanting to close.
"Goku, Goyjo, get out of the way!" Hakkai yelled before hunching over at the pain in his abdomen.
"HAKKAI!" His two demon companions yelled simultaneously and dodged an attack from Dokugakuji while Kougaiji was summoning a beast from the underworld to defeat this monster for him. It was probably the only way unless Goku or Hakkai took off their limiters, but that was not a good idea.
Goku made it to Hakkai first and caught his friend from falling face flat into the dirt road. Goyjo was standing there looking down at his best friend, eyes wide at the state he was in and cursed as the stubborn man didn't tell them of his previous wounds.
"Hakuryuu transform!" Goyjo yelled and Hakuryuu did exactly that. The two demons piled Hakkai into the jeep and speed down the dirt road to head for where Goyjo left Sanzo with Yaone.
* Back to Yaone and Lirin *
"Lirin-sama, I think he's had enough of playing." Yaone spoke as she noticed the sickening colour of Sanzo's face. He looked like he was ready to be sick at all the throwing Lirin had given him. It wasn't long before their attention turned to a dust cloud not to far in the distance and then noticed the familiar jeep with two demons and the third slumped in the back.
"KAI!" Wide eyes turned to gaze down into amethyst eyes but they were focused on the jeep and pointing at it too.
"Kai? Do you mean Hakkai-san little one?" Yaone voiced but watched the jeep screech to a halt right in front of her.
"Yaone, Hakkai's hurt, you gotta help him!" Goku yelled while taking Sanzo from her awkwardly. He squirmed in his arms as he looked down at Hakkai's bloody form.
Hakkai…
Yaone burst into action as she assessed Hakkai's wounds and did all she could with what she had on her at this moment. She didn't have the skills like he did and couldn't heal him properly with her chi and Hakkai couldn't heal himself because his techniques did not work like that.
"Alright, I've done all I can, but the wound on his chest is quite deep and needs urgent attention. Down this road is a village, about twenty minutes away, so you better hurry or he might not make it with all this blood loss." Goyjo nodded his head and sped down the dirt road. Talk about being blunt. She was like Hakkai…too nice and friendly to be a bad person. That got him thinking as to whether Kougaiji and his band of followers was really their enemy. He shook his head at that having no time to deal with that and high tailed it into the quiet village.
"Goyjo stop, look there!" Goku yelled as he noticed an herbal sign on one of the shops.
"Lets go Goku." The two demons pulled the unconscious Hakkai out of the car and knocked loudly on the closed door. A young woman opened the door and screamed for the herbalists to come quickly. Two men came rushing out from a back room and quickly waved in Goyjo and Goku.
Goku left after they had settled Hakkai onto a table and went outside to make sure Sanzo was okay. He had come out to quickly rush for the jeep and catch Sanzo from falling to the ground headfirst as he had been trying to get out.
"Oh man Sanzo this sucks!" Goku voiced before heading into the shop once more now with Hakuryuu perched on his shoulder.
"I'll ask that you wait in the main room." One man voiced to Goyjo while he lightly pushed him out of the room and to where Goku was sitting.
"Goyjo what's happening?"
Is he going to live?
"Too early yet, but we are waiting right here." Goku nodded his head and sat back down, while Sanzo sat on the floor with Hakuryuu lying next to him. Baby instincts were cautious of the little dragon but as he stroked one of Hakuryuu's wings and heard him 'kyuu' lightly, a new friendship was born.
"He's gunna be okay, right Goyjo?" Goku spoke softly as he watched the half demon pace the floor while resisting the urge to light a cigarette.
"We don't know how long he has been loosing blood Goku, probably since the beginning in the cave I would imagine. He never tells us if he's hurting because he thinks he'll be a bother to us. That's just the way Hakkai is…and it seriously is starting to piss me off."
"You do think he'll be okay though right? I mean we can't go on without him being here ya know."
"What makes you say that monkey?" Golden eyes flickered down to notice that amethyst was staring at him as though wanting an answer to that statement as well.
"Cause its Hakkai, we've known him for ages and…and this stupid mission would suck without him." Goyjo placed on a small smile and then moved to where Goku was sitting and ruffled the boy's hair before sitting down beside him.
"Yeah it would suck, cause Sanzo needs someone to get long with…and you know…I'm sure he'll be fine. Hakkai's a fighter when it comes to being injured."
Hakkai, please be okay…
"Mm…" Goku murmured while leaning back against the lounge he was sitting on.
* Hours later *
A door opened and a herbalist moved into the main area to find the two men sleeping as they leaned against each other while the toddler with the bright amethyst eyes was gazing at him.
"Kai…see Kai…" His chubby arms were raised, wanting to be picked up and carried to the wounded man.
"Well I'm not sure if I should wake up the other two, but perhaps your company will take the man's fever away.
He has a fever as well? Hakkai you idiot…
"Young man, you have your first visitor." The herbalist spoke lightly to the heavily breathing Hakkai.
"Kai?" Sanzo mumbled and watched as tired eyes lifted up and stared into his own large dewy ones.
"San-chan, your okay… Yokatta…"
I'm glad your safe Hakkai…
"I know he wants to hug you young man, but he cannot get too close. A child's immune system is quite fragile and I don't think you'd want him to catch your fever. It should only last for the rest of the night and then you should be fine…well besides needing a lot of rest for your wounds to heal that is."
"Thank you so much." Hakkai rasped out before giving Sanzo a tired wave as he was carried out of the room.
"Kai…? San-chan…stay with Kai?" Sanzo voiced while staring up at the herbalist.
"He needs his rest, but tomorrow you can see him." The herbalist noticed the two men were waking up and told them the news and watched the both of them smile and sigh with the utmost relief.
"Your friend will need to rest here for the time being. He is sleeping right now and cannot be disturbed. There is an inn just across the road, so please, rest up and come see him tomorrow."
"Thanks so much!" Goku replied happily before he, Goyjo and Sanzo left the shop. They headed across the street and into the inn to get a room.
*
That night, while the two demons slept soundly, snoring while they did so, Sanzo was wide-awake. He'd deny it if anyone asked if he was worried because in truth he was, but the other reason as to why he wasn't sleeping was for the fact it was currently raining outside…and he didn't have his silent companion to keep him company on this very night.
Hakkai…
* Herbalist Shop *
Hakkai remained sleeping through the rain having been sedated, but every now and then, when the herbalists took turns to check up on him and change the dressings on his bandaged wounds a simple name would occasionally escape his lips…
Sanzo…
And then, his fever broke…
* * * *
To be continued…
* * * *