Everyone gathered for dinner.
Outside, the sun was starting just starting to go down, casting long shadows across the road. Inside, most of the food was done and the table was set; dusting her hands off on her apron, Miya took in the room one last time, wondering if there was anything else she needed to do.
"Hey, Miya, how do I know when it's done?"
Miya glanced over her shoulder and smiled. Goku was stirring a pot, looking rather confused as he considered the contents.
"It'll be bubbling," she replied lightly. Goku frowned.
"It's got this… shit on top…" he told her doubtfully and Miya grinned.
"That means that all the soup is boiling away."
"Damn." Goku turned off the stove hastily. "Did I ruin it?"
Miya turned back to the stove, leaning around Goku to get a better look. Goku backed away, still looking doubtful and Miya stirred the broth quickly and shook her head.
"Not at all," she assured him. "It'll just taste a little stronger, that's all. Some people actually like it better that way."
"When did you learn to cook?" Goku asked curiously. Miya deftly ladled the soup into a bowl, as she replied, "Oh, when I was little girl." She smiled abruptly at the memories. "My mother was a terrible cook, actually. I figured I couldn't possibly be any worse and there was a chance that I'd be better, so…"
"What about your father?" Goku questioned.
"I never knew him." She set the bowl on the table, looking around the kitchen quickly. "He died or left either before I was born or when I was really little… Mother never talked about him, so I really don't know. I don't remember him at all. Where did I put the bread?"
"Here." Goku handed it to her, watching her thoughtfully. "So it was just you and your mom?"
"And my little sister," Miya replied quietly, crossing the room to take another couple of plates off the counter and bring them over to the table.
"Hey, I didn't mean…" Goku sounded a little uncomfortable. "I mean, if you don't want to talk about it… I'm sorry."
Miya smiled as she turned back to him, giving him her full attention.
"The truth is, I haven't really thought about my family in a long time…" she said, then grinned. "You're dying of curiosity, aren't you?"
"No…" Goku looked away and blushed.
Miya laughed softly and shook her head, crossing the room again to take the last few plates of food out of the oven, where she was keeping them warm.
"Put these on the table," she instructed gently, handing them to Goku. "Koto's actually my half – sister. She's… oh, let's see…" She paused, a bottle of sake and four cups in her hands as she counted in her head. "She's four years younger than I am, so that would make her eighteen now."
"She's a demon too, right?" Goku broke in, looking up, and Miya shook her head. "Half – demon, actually. My mother was the full demon." Goku looked puzzled and Miya tilted her head to one side, watching him. "My father was a demon, hers was a human." She placed the cups at each of the places and uncorked the bottle before turning to check the counter one last time, making sure she hadn't forgotten any of the food. "He actually stayed around a little longer than my father did. Even before the demons turned, though, human – demon relationships were taboo and after awhile…" She shrugged. "It was safer for all of us if he left, so he did." She shook her head, banishing the memories and grinned at Goku. "That's it! We're done. Thanks for the help, by the way, it went a lot faster with two more hands."
"No problem." Goku returned her grin. "You let me taste everything…"
Miya laughed again. "Go get the others before this all gets cold."
"You got it!" Goku headed for the back door where Sanzo and Hakkai had disappeared earlier.
Alone, Miya sighed, still smiling, and drifted over to the stove, gathering the dirty dishes and dumping them in the sink.
Goku reminds me a lot of Koto, actually, she reflected. Back before she got so bitter, anyway. I wonder where she is now…
"Look at this, another feast. A guy could get spoiled, living with you."
Miya grinned at the voice, not turning around.
"What makes you think I'd do all this for a man I was living with?" she retorted lightly.
"You would and you know it." She heard the answering grin in Gojyo's voice as she turned around, about to reach for the stack of dirty pots behind her. Gojyo, however, had come up behind her and already had them in his hands; he leaned over her deliberately to put them in the sink and she relaxed backwards against the counter, looking up at him.
"Actually, I wouldn't know it," she shot back, enjoying herself thoroughly. "I've lived alone ever since I left my mother's house."
"Really." Gojyo considered her, staying just close enough to be suggestive without actually making her uncomfortable. "That's a waste."
"Umm, I hate to interrupt," Hakkai's voice came from the door, sounding amused, but Sanzo had come up behind Gojyo and Miya saw the fan in his hands and slid sideways, getting out of the way just in time. The fan came down hard on Gojyo's head and Miya watched for a second, amused.
"God, what was that for, you asshole?" Gojyo escaped a few steps and glared at the priest.
"I can't leave you alone for two seconds without you going after anything in a skirt…"
"Oh, come on, it's gonna get cold!" Goku snapped impatiently, fluttering around Sanzo irritably.
"Maybe we'd better start without those three."
Miya glanced over her shoulder at Hakkai, who had come up behind her and nodded.
"They can join us when they're ready," she replied amiably. He gestured for her to take her seat, and she settled down at the foot of the table, waiting until Hakkai sat down in the chair to her left before pouring out the sake for them both.
"And what are we drinking to tonight?" she asked lightly. Hakkai glanced at the other three, still fighting on the opposite end of the kitchen.
"To travelling companions?" he suggested cheerfully.
There was knowing in his eyes. She paused, unable to help her sudden, questioning glance. He gave her one of his warm smiles, but it was the look in his eyes that assured her that he knew exactly what he was saying. She hesitated a second longer, touched in spite of herself, then returned the smile, feeling oddly shy.
"To traveling companions," she echoed quietly.
"Hey, you two aren't starting without us!" Gojyo had abruptly appeared at the side of the table, looking at them with cheerful suspicion.
"Well, you three were having so much fun over there, we didn't want to disturb you," Hakkai replied, smiling. Gojyo dropped down into the chair across from Miya and poured himself a liberal glass of sake, then reached for a plate.
"With Goku around, getting a head start isn't a bad idea," he admitted.
"Hey, at least I helped make it, while you just sat around on your lazy ass," Goku retorted, reaching for whatever food was nearest to him without looking.
"You're just jealous because you know I'll do more to earn my keep tonight than you ever will." Gojyo offered Goku a wicked grin.
"I'm going to assume that you mean when we going demon – hunting, my friend," Hakkai said, laughing.
"Hmm, forgot about that." Gojyo shot a mischievous look at Miya.
Sanzo had his head in his hand. Miya smiled slightly and reached for the bottle of sake, pouring out a cup, and gently placed it in front of him.
He looked up, and she saw that he was startled; for a second, he stared at her as if he hadn't really looked at her before, and Miya smiled.
"Eat," she advised quietly. "It's going to be a busy night."
---
They lingered over dinner as the sun set outside.
Miya didn't say much as they ate. There wasn't much need; the others chatted around her, teasing each other and bickering, throwing out ideas and plans for later that night, speculating on the killer and on his reasons. Miya listened, dropping in a thought of her own every now and again, and – after she had finished her third cup of sake – surprising herself by gently chiming in on the good – natured banter.
But mostly she watched them, as the kitchen was flooded with brilliant light and shadows grew darker just outside the back door that she had left open, enjoying the restlessness the cool air stirred in her demon – dark blood. She watched how they talked to each other, how they talked to her, the expressions on their faces as they discussed the threat they were facing, the looks in their eyes as they insulted each other and fought over the food.
And she watched as the light grew more intense, grew so bright that she could not look at it directly, and she watched what happened to them as it fell over the table, and they began to burn with the colors of the sunset. Golden – yellow for Goku, a pure and sparkling light that had no darkness to mar it. Forest green for Hakkai, as incredibly steady as an ancient pine, and the white of Hakuryu, sleeping next to him on the table, crowned it like snow. Crimson red for Gojyo, dancing and shifting with the restlessness of sunlight across water. For Sanzo, the deepest shade of midnight blue that reflected the sky just after the light had fled… or perhaps just before the light returned.
Once, she had lifted her water glass and paused, startled by what she had seen reflected in it. Deep within the crystal water and the shimmering light, the picture was completed and she stared at it, stunned, for a moment, then set the glass down, shaking just slightly.
She, too, was burning in the sun. For her, the deepest shade of violet, the color of a jewel held up to the light. Miya smiled as she watched her companions, savoring their very presence, haunted by her vision of light.
---
It was completely dark outside when they finally got to desert.
For a while after they finished, no one made any move to get up. Silence had settled over them; even Goku was quiet, happily finishing the food on the plates around him. The others had long moved on to their drinks, just sitting together in comfortable companionship.
It was Sanzo who broke the silence.
"We should get moving," he commented idly. Miya glanced up, momentarily startled to find the kitchen so dark.
"Probably," Hakkai replied, just as lazily, but he only reached out to pet the sleeping Hakuryu affectionately.
"I'd rather beat you all at a game or two of poker," Gojyo remarked with a relaxed grin, then sighed and stretched. "But if we have to go demon – hunting, we'd better get started."
Miya sighed, her own lethargy scattering at Gojyo's movement and stirred. Goku looked up and grinned.
"Demon – hunting sounds like fun to me, what're waiting for?" he demanded, getting to his feet. "Let's go!"
"We shouldn't waste anymore time," Sanzo agreed, getting up as well. Miya inclined her head and stood up also as Hakkai came around the table to join them. "Time to get to work."
Outside, in the pleasantly cool darkness, Sanzo glanced over his shoulder at the group that waited just behind him.
"Where would the demon attack next?" he asked shortly. Miya waited until the others looked at her expectantly, then replied quietly, "The inn, I would think. If they want to frame us, it would make sense that the next victim would be in the only place where we were last night."
Sanzo nodded curtly.
"Hakkai, Gojyo, Miya, you three go there and wait. Make sure that no one sees you. Goku and I will be back toward the main road. If the demon flees, make sure he goes that way."
"Got it." Gojyo adjusted his grip on the crescent – bladed staff he held in his hands. Hakkai nodded and Miya reached back to touch the familiar weight of the steel rod at her waist as she followed them into the darkness.
There were, as usual, only the few lamps in the windows to light the streets, and most of those were behind curtains, leaving everything dim and shadowy. The three companions paused in opening of one of the dark alleys that connected to the square, looking around them warily as they took in the situation.
"I can't see a thing," Hakkai murmured softly.
"I'm going to get a little closer to the inn," Miya breathed, considering the doorway. "Someone might want to go around to the other end of the square, the killer might leave the body outside for the patrons to find when they head home tonight."
"I'll go." Gojyo turned to leave and Miya made a little gesture for him to wait.
"You two can sense demons, too, right?" she asked and smiled when they nodded. "Good."
Hakkai melted backwards into the darkness of the alley. Miya darted out quickly, far enough from the buildings that overlooked the square to make sure that she wouldn't be seen if someone happened to glance out the window and saw, across the street from her, Gojyo doing the same thing as he ran for the space between two other buildings…
A scream ripped through the night, shattering the silence.
Miya spun, her weapon in her hand and her hair swirling around her, startled and confused even as a sinking feeling deep in her stomach told her exactly what was going on. Gojyo was already running toward where the scream had come from, but all around them, curtains were being flung back and doors were opening, and she dived for the nearest shadow, freezing in panic as a woman stepped out in front of her.
"Demons!" someone shouted and Miya waited, not even daring to breathe. The woman ran a few steps forward into the street and Miya took a deep breath and darted behind her soundlessly. She flung herself around the corner into the alley, then paused to lean against the building for a second to give a sigh of relief and let her pounding heart stop beating.
Someone grabbed her from behind and clapped a hand over her mouth before she could scream.
"Come on!" Hakkai snapped in her ear and she nodded, almost weak with relief and let him drag her by the wrist down the alley, away from the square. A whisper of movement behind her caught her attention, however, and she yanked her arm sharply, pointing as he glanced back at her. He nodded and released her and she leapt upwards, following the shape that ran across the low rooftops.
It was a demon. She could feel it and she frowned, wondering why she hadn't sensed him before. He was heading away from the village toward the road and Miya narrowed her eyes and speeded up.
If he gets to the woods by the graveyard, we'll never find him, she thought desperately and hoped that one of the others had sensed him and was following.
A figure rose up in front of him, and the demon balked, skidding to a pause on the roof for a moment before looking around him desperately, and for the first time, Miya saw that he had a bundle over his shoulder. Miya caught her rod into her hands and focused her energy, willing it to extend into her kausinge» and aimed for his feet, intending only to bring him down. The figure raised his hands and Miya saw a short pistol glint silver in the moonlight, saw the demon throw a sneering look at her, then he dropped his bundle and flung himself down to the street below.
Miya ran forward, dimly aware that Sanzo too had dived after the demon, and for a heartbeat they both knelt at the edge of the roof, looking downwards.
Their opponent was gone. There were people in the square, milling restlessly and talking among themselves with panicked voices, but none of them looked upset enough to have seen a demon. Miya shook her head and rose to her feet, heading for the bundle he had left behind him.
She didn't need to get to close to know what it would be. There was blood on the roof around the pile of clothes and Miya felt her stomach tighten and steeled herself before reaching out to gently push the fabric aside, revealing the face.
It was a middle – aged woman, her eyes still wide with terror and Miya stood up and turned away in spite of herself, one hand over her mouth and closed her eyes tightly for a moment, trying to steady herself.
"You know her?"
Sanzo's voice was cool and detached. Miya nodded and took a quick breath.
"Yeah. Come on, we need to get out of here."
Sanzo nodded and the two ran, leaving the village behind them.
---
The living room of Miya's house was bright and comfortable; curled up in her favorite corner of the couch, Miya tucked her legs underneath her and reflected with a smile that her house hadn't ever felt quite so much as a home as it did that night.
The other three demons had been waiting by the door when Miya and Sanzo made it back. All of them had been on edge, all too aware of the danger they were in. It wasn't until they had gathered inside that each of them had started to settle down, and by tact agreement, no one said anything about what had happened that night until they were comfortably scattered around Miya's living room.
Or… perhaps more importantly… until we were all sure that a torch – bearing mob wasn't going to come bashing my door down and trying to lynch us, Miya reflected with a trace of irony. It had taken nearly a half – hour before she stopped looking around at the slightest noise outside, and she was pretty sure that she was not the only one.
Not that they really need to worry about it, she admitted. Not that I really should be worried about it either, for that matter. I mean, come on, it would take a lot more than this one village of humans to seriously challenge any one of us…
But there was a memory in her mind's eye, a memory that she couldn't shake no matter how hard she didn't look at it.
Another mob with angry eyes. Pain in her body that screamed against the fear that surged up in her, and the terrible, sweet knowledge that all she had to do was reach down and they would fall back before her in a spray of crimson, that they would look at her with the fear she knew they could see in her…
"Well, well, good hand." Gojyo's voice pushed the memory back and she looked over to where he, Sanzo and Goku were sitting around a table, each eyeing the pot of brightly colored chips in the center. Goku was watching the other two closely, having apparently already folded; Sanzo's hand was spread out on the table, and he was studying Gojyo with narrowed eyes.
"But…" Gojyo finished, sitting back in his chair with a self – satisfied grin, "not good enough."
"Damn it, that kind of luck isn't natural," Sanzo muttered. Gojyo had collected his chips and the cards and had a rather predatory grin as he asked, "Try again?" Sanzo nodded and Goku added, "Count me in."
Miya smiled to herself and shook her head, looking up as Hakkai came into the room, carrying a bottle and two glasses. He came over to sit on the couch across from her, handing her a cup with a smile.
"I was going to make tea, but it seemed to me like you might need something a little stronger," he explained cheerfully. Miya took a sip, savoring the burn across her tongue and smiled at him.
"You were right. Thank – you," she replied lightly. He settled back, looking thoughtful, then said slowly, "I hate to be the one to bring up an unpleasant topic, but… what the hell happened out there tonight?"
Gojyo, Sanzo and Goku looked up from the table, Goku and Sanzo turning a little so they could see better. Miya glanced down at the glass in her hands and answered quietly, before anyone else could.
"I screwed up, is what happened." She shook her head, not bothering to hide her irritation at herself. "I jumped to the conclusion that I knew what was going on, and I miscalculated because of it."
"What do you mean?" Sanzo demanded and Miya sighed, shifting so she could talk to them more easily.
"It didn't occur to me until I saw who it was that the demon killed tonight," she replied. "I'd just assumed that this was intended to convince the people of the town to try to kill you. I was wrong."
"You seemed pretty upset when you saw the body." Sanzo was watching her closely. "Was she a friend of yours?"
"Ironically, no," Miya answered ruefully. "She hated me. She's hated me since I came to this village and she has been very open about it, to me and to anyone else who would listen." She hesitated, then shook her head quickly. "Sorry, more accurate to say that she hated demons in general, and… I was simply the closest demon." She took another sip of her drink. "Come to think of it, and I should have before, I've had trouble with Taro on and off for the last few months as well, while I was working in the inn."
"This isn't about us at all, is it?" Hakkai asked thoughtfully and Miya shook her head.
"No. I don't think it ever was." She shrugged. "Though I could still be missing something. Thing is, if someone wanted to get you killed, they wouldn't have allowed Rikyu to say that you could leave… which is another thing that I really should have realized before now."
"Don't be too hard on yourself, usually it is us that brings the trouble," Gojyo advised casually. "For that matter, why would they wait for us to show up before they tried to frame you? With the attitude these bastards have toward demons, someone could have stirred up trouble long before we got here."
"Gojyo's right," Hakkai said thoughtfully. "I agree that it looks like Miya is probably the target, but this isn't as simple as someone just wanting her dead, we are involved in this too." He glanced over at the table. "What do you think, Sanzo?"
"I think it doesn't matter why it's happening now," Sanzo's words were clipped. "We'll take down the demon tomorrow, and then we'll leave, end of story."
He's hiding something. Miya tilted her head to one side, considering him. He knows something, something that he's not willing to tell us. Or is it that he's not ready? I wonder… could it be possible that he knows…?
She wouldn't finish that thought, not here and not with them around her. She shook her head quickly, remembering something else that had struck her as strange.
"All right, so here's another question for you. Four demons in this room and one priest and not one of us could sense our killer's presence." She flickered a glance around at them. "Why?"
Everyone looked momentarily thoughtful.
"He has a way to mask it," Goku suggested.
"No, because I felt him after we heard the scream," Sanzo replied absently. "Miya and I caught up with him on the roof but he managed to get away from us. Jumped down into the street, but no one seemed to see him…"
"If a demon's in human form, we can't sense him," Hakkai pointed out thoughtfully.
"Yeah, but this is a town of two hundred people, even human strangers are conspicuous," Miya protested slowly. "Even if he arrived here before you, I would have known that there was someone new around, and if he arrived later, than how did he know who to kill to cast blame on me… or you, for that matter?"
Sanzo made a sudden, sharp movement, and Miya heard the echo of her own words and abruptly understood.
"Damn." Gojyo frowned. "How long have you lived here, Miya?"
"Almost a year." Miya didn't realize she was shaking until she felt liquid splash out of her cup onto her hand.
"Which brings us back to the idea that this was planned out in great detail some time ago," Hakkai finished quietly, then shook his head sharply, looking frustrated. "Damn it! What does he know that we don't?"
"We're not getting anywhere with this." Sanzo snapped and stood up abruptly, startling all of them. "I'm going to bed."
For a moment after he left, everyone was silent, staring after him in surprise.
"What the hell is with him?!" Goku finally demanded angrily. "Ever since we got here, what is his problem…"
"Yeah." Gojyo's voice was casual underneath Goku's ranting, but Miya did not miss the look that shot between him and Hakkai across the room, or barest trace of irony in his voice as he finished, "What does he know that we don't?"