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Chapter 6
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It hurt without you. I felt so empty inside, as if I was on the verge of death. Or maybe I was already dead, and my body kept trudging onwards when all I wanted it to do was fall down and rest.
There was no time or space to do anything other than think of you. I would sit alone for hours and smoke, running through the past. They were worried about me. I didn't care at all. I wished they'd leave me alone to reminisce.
Thinking back, I realize how much they helped me. Without them, I probably would have stopped going on, stopped walking, just lain down and died. Me, give up? It seems unbelievable, but it's true.
That's when I decided to block off all my emotions. It was safer to do so. What had happened was in the past, and I could not let it ruin my life. All I had to do was forget, and then I'd be all right.
"Hakkai," I said, knowing the man was awake. "We'll leave within the hour."
"Okay. Let me make some breakfast. Can you go wake Gojyo?"
I headed over to the kappa and sneered down at him. I poked his back with a foot 'til he stirred. "Get up."
"I'm up." He did not roll over to look at me. He was not as angry as he had been a few weeks ago, but he still held a small grudge against me, and his attitude with me was always serious. It suited me perfectly. Hakkai was more the type to enjoy jokes, anyway.
Gojyo stood up and walked over to the healer, talking to Hakkai as the man made breakfast. They had become much closer these past few weeks, each trying to fill the other's emptiness.
"Sanzo?" Hakkai's hesitant voice brought me out of my train of thought. "I don't think we have time for breakfast."
"What do you mean?" I glanced at him in irritation.
Gojyo raised an eyebrow. "Can't you feel it? Demons are coming this way."
I almost started in surprise, but managed to control myself. Now that he mentioned it, I could sense a large number of demons coming our way. It irked me, though, that I hadn't noticed before. Was I really so weak? When had I become so careless?
"Come on, Sanzo." Hakkai placed a hand on my shoulder and I shied away from his touch. I did not want anyone to touch me, ever. Whether it was because my skin was too holy, or too dirty, I didn't know.
I followed Hakkai in to a densely vegetated area of the forest. I scowled when I saw them crouch down.
"Why are we hiding like cowards?" I growled.
Gojyo responded without turning around, "Because without Goku, we're not strong enough to beat these many demons, Sanzo-sama."
It was the first aggressive note I had received from him in a long time. I smirked in amusement and pulled out my pistol, making sure it was fully loaded.
There - I picked up the sound of tires crunching on gravel. Tires? When was the last time we'd fought demons with cars?
Oh yes. The first time we met Homura. Truckloads of demons had come, only to be wiped out of existence. We hadn't seen that god in a while, and I wondered what he was up to. After all, it was Goku he was interested in. I tried to guess how he'd react if he knew I'd gotten to Goku first. A smug grin stretched across my face. Beaten by a mere mortal, eh Homura?
Four trucks came in to view. Gojyo uttered a low curse and Hakkai looked my way, asking what we should do.
"They're not after us," I said quietly. "We will wait 'til they pass, and then continue on our way."
"But they could be going to raid a village!"
"I never knew you were so quick to judge your kind." Gojyo looked away. It was so easy to hurt him, when you knew where to hit.
"I suggest we weaken their forces," Hakkai stated.
"Fine," I conceded. "We will ambush the last two trucks. Perhaps the other two will find their way to Goku, so he can do his share of work as well."
Gojyo glared at me, and even Hakkai was irritated, but they said nothing and let my comment pass. Just as well; I didn't want to waste bullets or breath on either of them.
The first two trucks rolled by, and I rapidly fired a shot at the front tire of the third one. The driver stopped the truck, blocking the way for the one behind it.
"Skaa!" the driver called.
I suppressed a curse when the first two trucks stopped, and a yellow-eyed demon stepped out of one of them.
"What's wrong now, idiots?" he growled as he stalked over.
"One of our tires popped."
Skaa whipped out a sword. "You know how much I hate delay, don't you?"
"Yes, I do! I mean I'm sorry… Please-"
Before the driver's head had stopped rolling on the ground, Skaa was giving orders. "We're going to continue. You two trucks stay behind and fix this problem. You better catch up before nightfall, or you'll hear it from Prince Kougaiji."
The demon bared his teeth as he placed his sword back in its sheath. He sauntered over to his truck and got in. Gojyo grinned as the first two trucks drove off, as planned.
I sneered. Kougaiji's followers were always idiots. He'd have been better off without them. I wondered what the demon prince was up to, and when we'd see him next. He came by regularly like clockwork, and another of his visits would soon be due.
"Now," I told the others.
Gojyo and Hakkai surged forward, and I followed lazily behind. They threw themselves in to battle, and before the demons knew what hit them, one truckload had already been wiped out.
It was always during a fight that their demon sides came out. As much as Gojyo and Hakkai claimed to be human, they had demon instincts. A good demon craved a fight like you craved food. That's why I always let them take care of most of our obstacles; they needed it to relieve their stress, to be free from self-imposed limitations, for a short while, at least.
Fighting thrilled demons, made adrenaline pump through their bodies. If they went for long enough without that rush, they would go crazy. That was why Hakkai let himself loose now and then by taking off his limiter. He enjoyed every single minute of it while fighting, and when he put on his limiter, he'd be filled with shame. Stupid, really.
Gojyo, on the other hand, tried to find alternative ways to gain the same rush. That was why he was so obsessed with women, with beer, with gambling….
I was lucky not to have that problem. During the whole fight, I had only to reload my gun once. I let Gojyo and Hakkai deal with the rest.
To Be Continued...