Sorry, this was meant to be posted on Saturday but other stuff happened. I
have to say a massive thank for the reviews you keep giving me, I really
don't deserve them, but I'm so happy that you do.
The next chapter and we're nearly coming into the final stretch.
Disclaimers and what not
******************************************************************
As soon as Hakkai had leapt onto the platform, the townspeople started to flock towards it, trying to keep their sacrifice exactly that – a sacrifice. Sanzo had been forgotten in melee of people who were wrapped up in their own hysteria and he was being shoved around. He drew his gun, firing a warning shot into the air that had people stepping back from him and giving him space to move and to think.
"Saru! Get here now!" he yelled at the top of his voice, not bothering to see how Hakkai was doing, the shouting crowds and screams of "fire" were telling him enough. Besides, the youkai had proven on many occasions that he could take care of himself.
The boy ran up to him holding what looked to be their bags, which Sanzo had completely forgotten about in the melee. A screeching Hakuryu followed him. The dragon looked virtually unharmed but the hissy fit it was causing made Sanzo wonder just what they had done to it.
"They put it in a cage." Explained the boy breathlessly, dumping the bags at Sanzo's feet. That explained the dragon's irritation and the fact it was flying around rather than perched on Goku's shoulder "Where's Hakkai?"
"He's getting the kappa!" Sanze barked, shoving at the closing in crowds, more people seemed to be turning up now. "Goku, grab those damn cuffs and for gods sake don't lose them or we'll be screwed!" He was elbowed in the side and stumbled he elbowed them back, snapping. "Don't touch me!"
The crowds ignored him and sought to get a better view; clamouring to see if their captive was still there and what was going on. Sanzo swore loudly over the screams and shouts, and turned back to Goku who had swept up the cuffs into a clenched fist. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a huge burst of light blinded him suddenly.
"What was that?" he yelled.
"It was Hakkai!" Cried Goku summoning nyoi-bou. Sanzo shielded his eyes and looked up to platform to where Hakkai was using his ki energy to create a barrier around him and Gojyo against the flames so he could pull Gojyo free.
The crowds around the platform were crying out in fear and anger at the youkai who was stealing their prisoner. Some of them were even getting makeshift weaponry, ready to attack Hakkai when he climbed down. Sanzo realised that they were going to have to get moving fairly quickly if they wanted to get out of here all together and all alive. He would just have to trust that Hakkai would have enough control over his youkai form to bring Gojyo to them.
"Dragon! Get here and change!" he yelled at Hakuryu who was still screeching and circling the flames, furious at its inability to help.
At the call, the white creature flew back to Sanzo and changed instantly into its jeep form, revving the engine furiously. Sanzo climbed into the drivers seat and grabbed Goku by the shirt.
"Get up here and be ready to move, I'm not staying here one second more than I have to!"
"But Sanzo!" shouted Goku hauling himself into the backseat. "Hakkai and Gojyo!"
"As soon as they get their asses back here we're leaving!" snapped Sanzo. "I'm leaving with all of you bastards!"
Goku stood up in the backseat casting an eye into the crowds.
"Sanzo! It's them! Get ready to leave."
Sanzo turned and squinted. He saw Hakkai walking towards them, holding an unconscious Gojyo in his arms, his youkai form looking horrific against the spreading flames. The people around them were running amok, giving up on their captive and now trying to prevent the fire from destroying their town. Unwittingly the chaos that Hakkai had created was making it easier for them to escape. Jeep fired to life, ready to move.
"Hakkai, get here now!" yelled Sanzo angrily.
Hakkai strode up to Jeep and clutched at Gojyo, his eyes darkened and cat-like. Goku reached over to take him into the jeep. Hakkai gritted his teeth and let Goku take Gojyo off him with some difficulty. He was sweating profusely, almost panting with the effort of staying sane. Goku reached into his pocket for the ear cuffs.
"Hakkai?" he asked carefully.
Hakkai ignored him and gripped the side of the Jeep, fighting the bloodlust that tore at his mind. The dark vine tattoo seemed to stand out starkly against his blanched white skin and he struggled to fight the overwhelming urge to destroy the people before him. Before, the concern for and the instinct to save Gojyo had overridden his madness, but now it felt like trying to fight against quicksand. He gripped the side of the Jeep gasping in pain as he bit through his lip and let out another howl, this time in terror of the insanity gripping his mind.
"Ssan – Sssanzo." He hissed, reaching out towards the drivers seat. Sanzo narrowed his eyes and held himself steady, even when Hakkai grabbed his robes and looked to throw him.
Goku held out nyoi-bou in readiness, hardly believing what he was seeing.
Sanzo held up a hand to ward off the anguished boy.
"Leave it. Just see to Gojyo." He said roughly and stared into Hakkai's eyes. The pupils had become blank slits and Hakkai's whole body was trembling and sweating as he gripped Sanzo's robe savagely. His claws sank through the silk of Sanzo's robes and scratched the skin beneath, drawing three thin lines of blood. Sanzo honestly thought Hakkai was going to throw him from the jeep at first but instead he yanked Sanzo close until the priest was millimetres away from his face. Sanzo could see the burns already marking Hakkai's body: the bloodstained white shirt was in rags and barely clinging to him. Sanzo could see the bandages from Hakkai's stab- wound starting to seep blood.
"Help me. My cuffs. I can't ... control myself ... Help." Hakkai hissed in a low gravely voice, so far away from his normal gentle tenor. He clung to Sanzo's robes like a drowning man and Sanzo wanted to punch his lights out for even daring to touch him. However, he had enough sense to know that Hakkai could easily kill him right now and there was still a rational part of Hakkai somewhere in there. He had taken those cuffs off before and put them back on just as easily. Sanzo kept staring into Hakkai's blank youkai eyes using the same test of wills he had used on the bear back at the monastery when he was younger and reached out his hand to a distraught Goku.
"Let. Go. Of. Me. You. Psycho." He hissed at Hakkai with unwavering intensity. Hakkai blinked in confusion and slackened his grip, regaining a modicum of control over himself. "Give me the cuffs, Goku." He snapped.
Goku passed them over and Sanzo reached out with them ready to clip them onto Hakkai's ear.
"No ... get away from me." Hakkai snapped suddenly jerking away, losing what little control he had had over himself. He dragged Sanzo out of Jeep with him in a blind fury. The irrational, animalistic determination to remain full youkai commanded that he should kill anyone who tried to restrain him as Hakkai followed it blindly, too exhausted to fight against it any longer. He flung the monk forwards determined to slam him down onto the floor. Sanzo landed deftly on one foot and pivoted around on it with the grace of a dancer. He grabbed Hakkai's arm and spun him too, intending to lay him out by the momentum alone.
The human-turned-youkai was far stronger than him and dug his heels in lashing out with a clawed hand. Sanzo knew he'd do this and used Hakkai's resistance and gravity against him, using his weight to fling Hakkai over him whilst he skidded along the floor and leapt back up to his feet. Clawed fingers slipped harmlessly over silken robes and Sanzo reached down for his gun. Enraged, Hakkai spun and grabbed Sanzo by the robes again, hurling him against a wall and held him there and letting a pointed tongue slide slowly across his cracked lips. As Sanzo's head hit stone, the Smith and Wesson dropped form his hand and landed on the floor. Sanzo cursed and then gagged as Hakkai gripped him by the throat. He hissed and lashed out furiously, still clutching the three ear clips in a curled fist. Hakkai's hands gripped even tighter, intending to squeeze the life out of him.
Suddenly there was a shout of 'Sanzo!' behind him and Hakkai was hauled backwards and flung away by Goku as Sanzo dropped to the floor panting. The boy was furious at this slight on his guardian and all the more determined to bring his crazed companion down to the floor. Hakkai glared and gave a growl of annoyance lashing out at Goku. The boy nimbly vaulted into the air with nyoi-bou and slid part of the way down using his body weight to kick Hakkai in the back with his booted feet. The youkai fell to the floor and rolled onto his side. Goku then leapt on him before Hakkai had the chance to move. Hakkai gave a furious cry, acting with the ferocity of a cornered animal and bucked against the weight. However, Goku fought against him and managed to pinion Hakkai to the floor putting his weight on each limb.
"Stop struggling Hakkai." Yelled Goku angrily struggling to fight against Hakkai's furious thrashing.
"Hold his head still so I can get the cuffs on." Snapped Sanzo.
Goku manoeuvred nyoi-bou around and used it to keep Hakkai's head to one side, keeping him still. Hakkai yelled in frustration and twisted his body against the restraints, but Goku held firm. Hakkai bared his pronounced canines and snapped furiously, which didn't stop Sanzo reaching down and clipping the three silver clips onto his left ear.
Hakkai shuddered and his body seemed to spasm. He gave a low moan and lay still, closing his eyes and breathing heavily. His ears shrank and the vine tattoo delicately unwound from his body as if untying him. Goku clambered off him and Hakkai relaxed, gasping great long breaths. Sanzo thought he'd gone to sleep at first but then he jerked upright, his eyes snapping open.
"Oh gods!" he swore suddenly. Thankfully his green eyes were focused and steady. "What did I do?!" He turned to a silently furious Sanzo and a distressed-looking Goku. "I am so sorry."
"Enough with your damn apologies and heal that stupid kappa." Snapped Sanzo.
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A/N: I did promise a happy ending and I will adhere to it goddamn it! Once again a massive thank you to everyone how has reviewed me, and big apologies about the spelling mistakes. The music recommendation this time is surprisingly Initial D's Night of Fire; okay I don't like the anime or the Manga but with this song I can get up to 55 words a minute.
Disclaimers and what not
******************************************************************
As soon as Hakkai had leapt onto the platform, the townspeople started to flock towards it, trying to keep their sacrifice exactly that – a sacrifice. Sanzo had been forgotten in melee of people who were wrapped up in their own hysteria and he was being shoved around. He drew his gun, firing a warning shot into the air that had people stepping back from him and giving him space to move and to think.
"Saru! Get here now!" he yelled at the top of his voice, not bothering to see how Hakkai was doing, the shouting crowds and screams of "fire" were telling him enough. Besides, the youkai had proven on many occasions that he could take care of himself.
The boy ran up to him holding what looked to be their bags, which Sanzo had completely forgotten about in the melee. A screeching Hakuryu followed him. The dragon looked virtually unharmed but the hissy fit it was causing made Sanzo wonder just what they had done to it.
"They put it in a cage." Explained the boy breathlessly, dumping the bags at Sanzo's feet. That explained the dragon's irritation and the fact it was flying around rather than perched on Goku's shoulder "Where's Hakkai?"
"He's getting the kappa!" Sanze barked, shoving at the closing in crowds, more people seemed to be turning up now. "Goku, grab those damn cuffs and for gods sake don't lose them or we'll be screwed!" He was elbowed in the side and stumbled he elbowed them back, snapping. "Don't touch me!"
The crowds ignored him and sought to get a better view; clamouring to see if their captive was still there and what was going on. Sanzo swore loudly over the screams and shouts, and turned back to Goku who had swept up the cuffs into a clenched fist. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a huge burst of light blinded him suddenly.
"What was that?" he yelled.
"It was Hakkai!" Cried Goku summoning nyoi-bou. Sanzo shielded his eyes and looked up to platform to where Hakkai was using his ki energy to create a barrier around him and Gojyo against the flames so he could pull Gojyo free.
The crowds around the platform were crying out in fear and anger at the youkai who was stealing their prisoner. Some of them were even getting makeshift weaponry, ready to attack Hakkai when he climbed down. Sanzo realised that they were going to have to get moving fairly quickly if they wanted to get out of here all together and all alive. He would just have to trust that Hakkai would have enough control over his youkai form to bring Gojyo to them.
"Dragon! Get here and change!" he yelled at Hakuryu who was still screeching and circling the flames, furious at its inability to help.
At the call, the white creature flew back to Sanzo and changed instantly into its jeep form, revving the engine furiously. Sanzo climbed into the drivers seat and grabbed Goku by the shirt.
"Get up here and be ready to move, I'm not staying here one second more than I have to!"
"But Sanzo!" shouted Goku hauling himself into the backseat. "Hakkai and Gojyo!"
"As soon as they get their asses back here we're leaving!" snapped Sanzo. "I'm leaving with all of you bastards!"
Goku stood up in the backseat casting an eye into the crowds.
"Sanzo! It's them! Get ready to leave."
Sanzo turned and squinted. He saw Hakkai walking towards them, holding an unconscious Gojyo in his arms, his youkai form looking horrific against the spreading flames. The people around them were running amok, giving up on their captive and now trying to prevent the fire from destroying their town. Unwittingly the chaos that Hakkai had created was making it easier for them to escape. Jeep fired to life, ready to move.
"Hakkai, get here now!" yelled Sanzo angrily.
Hakkai strode up to Jeep and clutched at Gojyo, his eyes darkened and cat-like. Goku reached over to take him into the jeep. Hakkai gritted his teeth and let Goku take Gojyo off him with some difficulty. He was sweating profusely, almost panting with the effort of staying sane. Goku reached into his pocket for the ear cuffs.
"Hakkai?" he asked carefully.
Hakkai ignored him and gripped the side of the Jeep, fighting the bloodlust that tore at his mind. The dark vine tattoo seemed to stand out starkly against his blanched white skin and he struggled to fight the overwhelming urge to destroy the people before him. Before, the concern for and the instinct to save Gojyo had overridden his madness, but now it felt like trying to fight against quicksand. He gripped the side of the Jeep gasping in pain as he bit through his lip and let out another howl, this time in terror of the insanity gripping his mind.
"Ssan – Sssanzo." He hissed, reaching out towards the drivers seat. Sanzo narrowed his eyes and held himself steady, even when Hakkai grabbed his robes and looked to throw him.
Goku held out nyoi-bou in readiness, hardly believing what he was seeing.
Sanzo held up a hand to ward off the anguished boy.
"Leave it. Just see to Gojyo." He said roughly and stared into Hakkai's eyes. The pupils had become blank slits and Hakkai's whole body was trembling and sweating as he gripped Sanzo's robe savagely. His claws sank through the silk of Sanzo's robes and scratched the skin beneath, drawing three thin lines of blood. Sanzo honestly thought Hakkai was going to throw him from the jeep at first but instead he yanked Sanzo close until the priest was millimetres away from his face. Sanzo could see the burns already marking Hakkai's body: the bloodstained white shirt was in rags and barely clinging to him. Sanzo could see the bandages from Hakkai's stab- wound starting to seep blood.
"Help me. My cuffs. I can't ... control myself ... Help." Hakkai hissed in a low gravely voice, so far away from his normal gentle tenor. He clung to Sanzo's robes like a drowning man and Sanzo wanted to punch his lights out for even daring to touch him. However, he had enough sense to know that Hakkai could easily kill him right now and there was still a rational part of Hakkai somewhere in there. He had taken those cuffs off before and put them back on just as easily. Sanzo kept staring into Hakkai's blank youkai eyes using the same test of wills he had used on the bear back at the monastery when he was younger and reached out his hand to a distraught Goku.
"Let. Go. Of. Me. You. Psycho." He hissed at Hakkai with unwavering intensity. Hakkai blinked in confusion and slackened his grip, regaining a modicum of control over himself. "Give me the cuffs, Goku." He snapped.
Goku passed them over and Sanzo reached out with them ready to clip them onto Hakkai's ear.
"No ... get away from me." Hakkai snapped suddenly jerking away, losing what little control he had had over himself. He dragged Sanzo out of Jeep with him in a blind fury. The irrational, animalistic determination to remain full youkai commanded that he should kill anyone who tried to restrain him as Hakkai followed it blindly, too exhausted to fight against it any longer. He flung the monk forwards determined to slam him down onto the floor. Sanzo landed deftly on one foot and pivoted around on it with the grace of a dancer. He grabbed Hakkai's arm and spun him too, intending to lay him out by the momentum alone.
The human-turned-youkai was far stronger than him and dug his heels in lashing out with a clawed hand. Sanzo knew he'd do this and used Hakkai's resistance and gravity against him, using his weight to fling Hakkai over him whilst he skidded along the floor and leapt back up to his feet. Clawed fingers slipped harmlessly over silken robes and Sanzo reached down for his gun. Enraged, Hakkai spun and grabbed Sanzo by the robes again, hurling him against a wall and held him there and letting a pointed tongue slide slowly across his cracked lips. As Sanzo's head hit stone, the Smith and Wesson dropped form his hand and landed on the floor. Sanzo cursed and then gagged as Hakkai gripped him by the throat. He hissed and lashed out furiously, still clutching the three ear clips in a curled fist. Hakkai's hands gripped even tighter, intending to squeeze the life out of him.
Suddenly there was a shout of 'Sanzo!' behind him and Hakkai was hauled backwards and flung away by Goku as Sanzo dropped to the floor panting. The boy was furious at this slight on his guardian and all the more determined to bring his crazed companion down to the floor. Hakkai glared and gave a growl of annoyance lashing out at Goku. The boy nimbly vaulted into the air with nyoi-bou and slid part of the way down using his body weight to kick Hakkai in the back with his booted feet. The youkai fell to the floor and rolled onto his side. Goku then leapt on him before Hakkai had the chance to move. Hakkai gave a furious cry, acting with the ferocity of a cornered animal and bucked against the weight. However, Goku fought against him and managed to pinion Hakkai to the floor putting his weight on each limb.
"Stop struggling Hakkai." Yelled Goku angrily struggling to fight against Hakkai's furious thrashing.
"Hold his head still so I can get the cuffs on." Snapped Sanzo.
Goku manoeuvred nyoi-bou around and used it to keep Hakkai's head to one side, keeping him still. Hakkai yelled in frustration and twisted his body against the restraints, but Goku held firm. Hakkai bared his pronounced canines and snapped furiously, which didn't stop Sanzo reaching down and clipping the three silver clips onto his left ear.
Hakkai shuddered and his body seemed to spasm. He gave a low moan and lay still, closing his eyes and breathing heavily. His ears shrank and the vine tattoo delicately unwound from his body as if untying him. Goku clambered off him and Hakkai relaxed, gasping great long breaths. Sanzo thought he'd gone to sleep at first but then he jerked upright, his eyes snapping open.
"Oh gods!" he swore suddenly. Thankfully his green eyes were focused and steady. "What did I do?!" He turned to a silently furious Sanzo and a distressed-looking Goku. "I am so sorry."
"Enough with your damn apologies and heal that stupid kappa." Snapped Sanzo.
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A/N: I did promise a happy ending and I will adhere to it goddamn it! Once again a massive thank you to everyone how has reviewed me, and big apologies about the spelling mistakes. The music recommendation this time is surprisingly Initial D's Night of Fire; okay I don't like the anime or the Manga but with this song I can get up to 55 words a minute.