It didn't take them long to decide that the best place to start looking for their killer was in town. Miya suggested that someone should take a look at the body, making sure that a demon really was the one that killed him; Sanzo wanted to talk to the townspeople and see what he could find out.
They arrived in the village to find the streets quiet and subdued. People turned away as they passed, watching them with hostile eyes, and mothers pulled their children into the house, waiting in the shadows for them to leave. One storekeeper slammed the door as they walked by, turning the sign to say "Closed."
They split up when they reached the center of the town; Sanzo and Goku went to find out whatever they could, leaving Hakkai, Gojyo and Miya to go see the body. They would meet back at Miya's house with whatever information they could gather.
---
Goku was bored.
The sun was high in the sky when he and Sanzo got back to Miya's house, only to find that the other three hadn't returned yet. For awhile, he had followed Sanzo around the house; that had lasted for about fifteen minutes before Sanzo explained to Goku that if Goku wanted to live to eat dinner, he had better let Sanzo have some time alone. Goku had long since learned when that was an idle threat and when it wasn't, and this time it wasn't, so he had wandered outside and flopped down on the grass in the sun.
What the hell is with Sanzo, anyway? he wondered a little resentfully. Ever since we got here, he's been in such crappy mood. Yeah, we got delayed, but at least Miya's nice and the food is good.
Well, there was no figuring out Sanzo some days. Goku sighed and wondered when the others would get back. Even fighting with Gojyo was more interesting than just lying around waiting for something to happen…
As if in response to his thoughts, a shimmer in the distance resolved into the familiar shape of the jeep. Goku jumped to his feet, grinning.
"All right!" he called as they came closer. "It's about time you got here!"
Hakuryu came to a stop near the house. Hakkai, as usual was in the driver's seat; Miya sat in the passenger seat next to him, a thoughtful look on her face. Gojyo was leaning between them from the back.
"Hey, Goku," Hakkai greeted him with a smile as he climbed out. "You guys find out anything?"
"The townspeople are jerks." Goku shrugged. "What about you guys?"
"Well, it was definitely a demon that killed Taro…" Hakkai answered. Gojyo had gotten out of the jeep as well and leaned against it, lighting a cigarette.
"Yeah, chewed him up pretty badly," he added thoughtfully.
"That's it!" Miya cried abruptly, startling them all. They spun to look at her as she swung herself over the car door and dropped to the ground. "That's what's been bothering me, that's what I couldn't figure out before!"
"Looks like insight struck one of us, anyway," Hakkai said with a grin, but Miya didn't hear him, clearly lost in her own thoughts.
"I knew there was something strange about the body, and that's why I couldn't figure out what it was," she went on. "That's what it was. Taro was mauled pretty badly, but he was in one piece. If it was one of the flesh – eating demons, there would have been chunks missing."
"Nice," Gojyo commented dryly, grinning and Hakkai shook his head, looking rather amused as he considered her.
"You do this a lot, don't you?" he teased her and Miya shot them both an exasperated look.
"Will you two shut up for a moment and listen to me?" she demanded impatiently, though she was smiling. "Around here, we get the angry demons and the hungry ones. The hungry ones will eat the body after they kill it. The angry ones will come into town and kill people, but they usually kill as many people as possible, not just one, and they usually don't leave a mess. Taro didn't look like either of those things."
She stopped and took a deep breath, looking at them all expectantly.
Goku shook his head. "I don't get it, what the hell are you talking about?"
Gojyo was looking at Miya with an expression of dawning comprehension. The laughter had faded from Hakkai as well as he said slowly, "Miya, are you saying that…"
Miya's eyes flickered to both demons quickly, then to Goku.
"Goku, you'd better get Sanzo," she said quietly.
---
They gathered to talk in the living room.
This was, Goku saw, clearly going to be a serious conversation; Sanzo and Gojyo settled down with a beer in their hands, while Hakkai and Miya shared a bottle of sake. They had barely found places around the low table in the center of the room before Sanzo demanded, "What did you find out?"
"Taro was killed by a demon," Hakkai replied quietly, all seriousness now. "No human could have done that kind of damage. Miya thinks that he was killed specifically to put the blame on us."
Sanzo's eyes flickered to Miya, sitting on the floor with her legs curled to one side, her expression calm and quiet.
"Are you sure?" he snapped.
"Not without catching the culprit, no," she shot back. "But, given the situation… as sure as I can be."
"OK, so the next questions is… why?" Gojyo asked, surveying the group with his usual, casual expression from his place standing by the window.
"Miya?" Hakkai turned his attention back toward her.
"I don't…" Miya shook her head, frowning a little. "I can't think of a reason. Yes, they've always been suspicious, but they've never been this bad, not since I've been here, anyway. They don't like strangers and they don't allow demons to live here, but other than that… they may not be friendly, but they wouldn't kill someone, especially not a human and one of their own villagers."
"Well, someone did," Sanzo pointed out flatly. "And unless you can be a little more helpful, we're going to have to pay for it."
Miya sighed, but Gojyo looked up thoughtfully.
"Could it be Kougaji?" he asked.
"This isn't really his style," Sanzo answered. "Unless whoever is controlling Kougaji has someone else after us as well."
"We've seen stranger," Hakkai replied dryly, then looked over at Miya as if struck by a sudden thought. "Miya, you regularly hunt demons around here. If this was a normal situation for you, what would your next move be?"
She considered him for a moment, then smiled slowly.
"Well, if it was a normal demon, than chances are, he'd be back tonight," she responded. "Depending on what I thought he was going after, I'd make sure I was where he was most likely going to be and get him then."
"And if someone is trying to frame us, than chances are, the bastard'll kill again tonight to make things worse for us," Gojyo finished, grinning, his eyes on Miya and she nodded at him, still smiling.
"All right then." Sanzo stood up. "We'll go after him tonight." He considered the group and added, "and until then, I'm going to need a little bit of time away from all of you."
Goku rolled his eyes as Sanzo left the room.
"And until then, I'm going to need a little bit of time away from all of you," he mimicked. "What the hell is wrong with him?"
"Sanzo has seemed just a little bit off since this whole thing began," Hakkai admitted with a rueful grin. "I don't know what it is, though. Maybe it's just the delay."
"Come on, Sanzo's always an asshole, he's just being worse than usual," Gojyo retorted and Hakkai chuckled.
"I'm not sure if I'd go that far," he protested and Goku grinned.
"Aw, it doesn't matter, he'll get over it," he replied dismissivly and Miya laughed softly and rose to her feet.
"Well, I'll leave you to figuring out Sanzo," she said lightly, "and I'll go make dinner."
"Really?" Goku sprang to his feet eagerly and Miya glanced at him and laughed again.
"You want to help?" she offered cheerfully. "I could use a hand chopping vegetables…"
"Lady, if you are cooking, I'll do whatever you want," Goku told her with heartfelt sincerity.
"Ah, so that's the secret to getting your good behavior," Hakkai teased and Gojyo grinned, wandering across the room to lean on the doorway casually, an arm blocking Miya's retreat.
"You know, Miya, if you're looking for a willing slave, you really ought to dump the monkey and go for someone a little more experienced," he told her. Miya paused in the doorway and tilted her head to one side as she looked up at him, eyes sparkling wickedly.
"I sincerely doubt that you have any experience in slicing vegetables," she replied, offering him the sweetest smile Goku had ever seen. "But if you want to want to be of some use to me…"
"Yeah?" Gojyo was clearly enjoying himself thoroughly.
"The four of you are going to be staying another night. You could get the bedroom ready," she finished serenely and Gojyo chuckled, leaning just a little closer to her.
"Love to," he replied. "Where do you want the other three to sleep?"
"All right then!" Hakkai stood up abruptly, laughing. "This would be my cue to find somewhere else to be."
Gojyo glanced over at Hakkai at his sudden motion; Miya took the opportunity to duck under his arm, still laughing softly to herself as she headed into the kitchen. Gojyo glanced back at where Miya disappeared, still smiling himself as Hakkai came up next to him, following his gaze.
"You never pass up an opportunity, do you?" he commented, sounding amused.
"With a girl like her?" Gojyo countered cheerfully and Goku grinned.
"Oh, come on, she's not stupid enough to go for someone like you," he retorted mischievously heading down the hall after her, but he wasn't quite fast enough to escape Gojyo's reach.
"Like you would know anything about it, you little fag."
"Don't start blaming me for your problems…"