A/N: Whew, this was a toughie to get finished! Had to shuffle quite a few ideas around before I got something I was happy with, so I hope you like the result!
hakkai-san, Metajoker, Alowl: here's your update!
Wind Wanderer: Nasty villagers will be in the next chapter!
UltraM2000: Yep. I'm an angst queen! I try to keep the "voices" of the characters different with Gojyo having a "slangier" vocabulary than Gonou or Sanzo.
MoMo-kun: Well, as I deprive Gojyo of any girls to flirt with in this fic, he's had to stretch a bit. He's still our lovable ero-kappa though!
Kath: Yeah, the last chapter was very dialog intensive, but I just wasn't up to writing a descriptive version of Gojyo's past as a whore/slave. It was very tough just getting him to speak about it.
lizalou42: My mane? Well, see I have these two cats that like to stop directly under my feet when I'm walking... ::grin!::
Krimson: Thnk you, ::blush:: that's very kind of you to say so!
Blades of Ice: Hope this chapter answers your question!
Chiefraz: Bingo! Of course the big controversy is what was the kicker card in Bill's hand when he was shot?
Disclaimer: After rendering the quartet unconscious and stripping them, I have regretfully discovered that they all have trademark barcodes on their rumps. And it's not my brand either. So, while I can send Kazuya Minekura money to keep the boys in my house, I can not make any money off them in return. So dear readers, this is a freebee.
_____________________________________________
Cho Gonou knelt before Kanan's grave, gently placing a spray of flowers next to the headstone. "I'm sorry to be leaving you, however, it seems I am not quite done yet. Gojyo still needs help, he cannot walk out of here alone." The redhead was leaning on a walking stick a little ways off, giving Gonou the room for a private goodbye. He brushed his fingers lightly over the surface of her marker, the water-worn smoothness cool under his hand. "I promise I will return to you. Rest easy my sister, I love you."
As Gonou rose to his feet, he slipped the small pack that contained everything that Gojyo and he had left onto his shoulders. Gojyo moved up, his steps slow, and stopped closer to Gonou than politeness dictated. *He still hasn't compensated for his loss of depth perception. I have to remember that, and watch out for things he won't see on the blind side.* "I'm ready, Gojyo."
"Great. So where are we going anyway?"
"To get a map. If we're going to get out of here, we need to know where we are."
Gojyo gave him an odd look. "A map? Where the hell do you think you'll find a..." His voice trailed off a moment. "Maoh. We're going to Hyakugan Maoh's fortress, aren't we?"
"Unless you know of a bookseller nearby, it's the only option."
A soft laugh, followed by a cough. "No, I don't see a bookstore."
Gonou let Gojyo set the pace, he couldn't manage more than fifteen minutes without having to rest. They wouldn't reach the fort before nightfall, but Gonou was in no hurry. The slow, ambling trek allowed him time, time to think. There was a terrible gaping wound deep inside him, a festering hole where Kanan had once stood. Three paths stretched before him, and he stood on the crossroads. The first was the easiest, follow Kanan into death, ending everything. *But, you'd be hurting Gojyo.* Second, walk back into his village, and let them judge him. *So, you'd hand your death over to them instead?* Finally, he could simply walk away, move on until he found a place where no one had heard of him and start again. *And leave your crimes unpunished?* He already knew what Gojyo would recommend, but this was his decision.
The half moon provided enough light that Gonou was able to traverse the last part of the trek with ease. Gojyo's night vision was nearly as keen, and he gave a low whistle as they finally reached the hidden clearing of the late Centipede Clan's home. "How in the hell did you take this place down all by yourself?"
"It's strange, but I just knew how. They didn't have much in the way of military tactics on my school curriculum, but the moment I closed in on the place, information just flowed. I knew how to get the sentries, where to move to take advantage of the layout, I had even figured out how to compensate for the fact that demons are stronger and faster than humans. Everything they tried, I already had the counter ready."
"So, you're a closet military genius."
"It seems so." *Naturally.* Nothing more than a quiet murmur now, that part of him he had used several weeks ago, sliding back into his subconscious.
Nearly three weeks of decomposition had created a fetid atmosphere that caused both men to gag. Gonou found a closet near the front gate that held rain cloaks for the sentries, and they used the thick material to cover their faces as they began to search.
"I remember seeing something like a wall map on the second floor."
Their shoes quickly became tacky with old blood, and Gonou began shivering as they passed the first female corpse. She had been flung against the wall, her throat slit in an eerily similar fashion to Kanan's death wound. He had done this. Twenty feet on was a child. His hands. Body after body. He remembered the screams. A voice cutting through it.
"Gonou? Gonou? C'mon, over here, stay with me!"
He was pushed into an empty room, no bodies littering the floor, and a window to the outside. Fresh air hit his face, and Gonou breathed it in huge, grateful gulps. "I didn't think it would be this hard. I came back here once before, right after I found you, to get supplies, but I didn't look at them. I didn't see."
"And now that you have seen?" Gojyo's voice was thin with strain, a bleak expression on his face in the sharp moonlight.
"I didn't spare any of them. Not one."
"If it makes you feel any better, if there were any survivors, they would have come after you. You took down a Clan, Gonou, and demons will fight to the death for their clans. Last one standing wins."
"And the other clans, what will they do?" He heard Gojyo exhale in a gusty sigh, and lean tiredly on the wall.
"Probably wonder what the hell Maoh did to piss off Heaven and the Toushin Taishi. He's one of the beings used to scare little demons with. 'Be good or the War God will get you.' Scares big demons too. That it was someone like you who pulled this off, they won't think of that."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because no one wants to believe those old stories. They only end when Heaven itself intervenes to stop the monster that is created. As I don't see any War Gods knocking on the door and you aren't currently chewing on my liver, the stories are probably a little inaccurate."
"A monster." Easy to believe that, surrounded by his handiwork.
"Cho, you killed to rescue someone you loved. You fought back when others wouldn't. You defended me when every one else would have walked away. I've met monsters before, and believe me, if you believe nothing else. You are not a monster."
"Then, what am I, Gojyo?"
"My friend." Pushing off the wall, Gojyo headed for the door, staggering slightly from exhaustion. "C'mon, let's find this map of yours and get the hell out of this madhouse before I fall down."
*****
Goku lay on the top of the enclosed cabin on the barge's stern and idly drummed his heels against the steel. He was bored. So very, very bored. Two whole days on this floating box with nothing at all to do. Four more days before they even reached their destination. Why had the cook gotten so mad when Goku had told him that the fish wasn't done right? You'd think he'd have been grateful to have cooking tips. Now Goku wasn't allowed in the kitchen at all!
He twisted around onto his stomach and crawled to the edge. Sanzo was sitting just underneath him, reading the same paper from yesterday. Sanzo wouldn't even give back his staff, even after Goku had apologized for very accidentally knocking a hole in the side of the boat. He let out a long sigh, and opened his mouth to speak.
"You're hungry, I'm not giving you the staff back until we land, and why don't you go fish instead of bothering me when I'm busy."
How did Sanzo do that? Goku leaned out a little farther, trying to see if Sanzo had the comics page open. With a sigh, Sanzo folded the paper, and craned his head back to meet Goku's gaze. Even through the slim reading glasses, Sanzo's scowl was impressive. "What, Goku?"
"I don't want to fish, Sanzo! Fishing is boring! C'mon, let's spar!"
"I am not getting sweaty on a floating box with no bathing facilities." He turned away, and reopened the paper. A further whine from Goku resulted in Sanzo starting to reach for his fan, so he scuttled back away from the edge.
Bored. Bored, bored, bored, hungry. He could smell the cook over boiling the rice and burning the fish again. Nasty little man, Goku wanted to thump him a good one. Sanzo had stopped him last time, but if Sanzo was busy with the paper... maybe. A small grin crossed his face, and Goku began to slide off the side of the cabin, landing quietly on the deck. A whiff of cigarette smoke curled past, Sanzo's brand. Goku's glance flicked around, looking to see if any of the deck hands were paying attention to him. No one was nearby, now all he had to do was slip through the side door... death?
Goku whirled around, his nose twitching that the sudden smell of decay. A dead body, human, where was it? His keen eyes swept the water, tracking back to the shoreline, a lump, no, two lumps, and birds gathered around them. "Sanzo!"
It took almost half an hour to secure the barge and row a skiff out to the shoreline, as the sailors hadn't wanted to investigate. Something about bad luck, but Sanzo had used that "look" of his, and hinted that displeasing him might bring worse luck, so things went smoothly after all. Goku didn't even have to hit any of them. Sanzo and Goku picked their way towards the remains, with the sailors keeping a "respectful" distance. Goku scattered the birds, and watched as Sanzo investigated.
"Hn, they've been dead awhile, weeks it looks like. Been in the water a long time, probably dumped here right after they died." One of the sailors retched as Sanzo calmly turned over the body, revealing gaping rents in the torso, half-eaten entrails dragging through the openings. He fingered the remnants of the man's vest, studying the damage. "Definitely a demon. Talons ripped right through here. Skull was crushed too, probably a heavy punch."
Goku followed as Sanzo began to examine the second man. "Why do you think they were killed, Sanzo? And by who?"
"Well, they've been dead long enough it could have been Maoh's clan, and he's the sort of fellow that doesn't like trespassers. Dumping the body in running water erases psychic traces as well as physical ones, so there isn't anything to go on." Sanzo turned over the second corpse. "Interesting."
"What?" Try as he might, Goku couldn't see anything that was out of the ordinary. Well, except for the fact that they were looking at a dead guy. He sure hoped the cook hadn't ruined lunch, it looked like the sailors weren't so hungry anymore, which meant more food for him.
Sanzo pointed at a heavy, ornate silver bracelet on the man's wrist. "He wasn't looted. Whoever killed him just threw him in the water and left. Judging by where the bodies ended up, probably from a feeder stream somewhere in the woods there." Sanzo started to get up, then stared hard at the bracelet. "Well, now isn't that very interesting." He reached down and tugged briefly at it.
Goku stared at what Sanzo was holding. "Um, Sanzo, that's just a couple of hairs." Sometimes Goku could just not figure out what Sanzo saw in this stuff.
"Yes, Goku. Just a couple of hairs." they twined around Sanzo's finger, gleaming against his pale skin. "Just a few red hairs. Let's go"
*****
A day's sleep in a real bed, and hot water in a private bath had gone a long way to making Gojyo feel civilized again after the five day trek from Hyakugan Maoh's castle. Especially since it had been drizzling for two straight days. The little town was on the other side of the Centipede Clan's territory from where Gojyo had been chased, which meant that there was a good chance that no one here knew about him being in the area. Amazing how you never realized how dirty you were until you lathered up properly. The small room they had rented had only one bed, and Gonou had simply pushed him at it after Gojyo exited the shower.
"Get some sleep. I'll see what this town has to offer in the way of supplies and transportation."
Gojyo didn't resist the command, sinking gratefully into the mattress. "Be careful. Stay covered up."
"In this rain? No one will find it odd. Anything I should look for?"
"Booze, cigarettes and a hot babe would be perfect," Gojyo yawned.
Gonou gave a small laugh and shook his head. Gojyo was asleep before Gonou left the room, and didn't move until he returned. A slight touch to his arm was enough to rouse him, the sky outside the window now dark with night. An assortment of take-out boxes were arranged at the small table, and a steaming carafe carried a delectable scent.
"Oh gods, you got coffee." Gojyo paused long enough to slide on his jeans, absently noting they were clean (and a whole lot looser), before snatching up a cup. "You found a laundry. I don't suppose you found any smokes?"
"Nicotine isn't good for you. You haven't had any for what, almost a month now? Why not quit?"
"Says the man who was offering me opium."
Gonou pointed his finger directly at Gojyo as he sat down. "You know very well that opium has legitimate medical uses as a pain reliever. All nicotine is good for is clogging your lungs."
"Nag, nag." Gojyo fumbled with the chopsticks in his right hand, finally managing to spear a piece of chicken. "Anything interesting out there?"
"Not really. This place is pretty small. They don't know that the Centipede Clan is gone yet. A barge was pulling in as I headed back, looks like a merchant vessel. We might be able to get passage on it."
"Hmm, those are usually expensive, but sailors like to gamble. We might be able to win enough off them to barter our way on. I've done that before."
The rest of the meal passed in silence, as both men polished off the first solid meal either of them had eaten in weeks. Using his right arm was still painful, but the wound had scabbed up finally, and so long as he didn't make any big moves with his shoulder Gojyo could ignore the twinges.
"Why don't you sack out for a while? If I know sailors it'll be a few hours before they're drunk enough to be good marks. We'll cut you loose on them in any card games, and I'll handle it if they're throwing dice, OK?"
Gonou threw a look towards the rumpled bed. "If you're sure?" There was a slight wistful note in his voice.
Refreshing his cup, Gojyo nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty awake now. Knock yourself out."
Gojyo had never had the opportunity to observe Gonou in sleep before, and found himself intrigued. The brunette had all but disappeared under the thin blanket, curled on his side. *Hmm. Coulda sworn he was a cover hog. Keep thinking he ought to be messier than he is too.* Gojyo studied the relaxed face, worry lines eased out in slumber. *Awake, he's so serious and mature, but like this, he can't be much older than me.*
Gojyo had just finished refilling his mug when a firm knock came from the outer door. Gonou's head jerked up at the sound, and he started to swing off the bed. "Stay there, I got this." Gojyo set the cup down and opened the door, shivering a bit at the cold rain that splattered him. "Yeah?"
A blonde man wearing some of the most expensive (and soaked) silk robes Gojyo had ever seen stood just outside the swing of the door. "Pardon me for disturbing you so late, but I'm on the hunt for a diabolical murderer named Cho Gonou." Gonou went still behind him, and Gojyo felt a frission of shock run through his own frame. How the hell had this guy, this monk, known what door to knock on?
Gojyo took one step outside, and shut the door firmly behind him. Using his extra inches of height, he looked down his nose at the stranger. "Sorry, don't know him." Adrenaline was charging through his body, pushing away the aches and snapping him into full alertness. The monk gave an irritated toss of his head, and a crimson chakra, a holy mark, was revealed sitting between unearthly violet eyes.
*Because no one wants to believe those old stories. They only end when Heaven itself intervenes to stop the monster that is created.*
*****
The inn here was pathetically small, and oddly built with each room opening to the outside. The only positive feature Sanzo noted was that each room had a private bath, however small it was. He was fed up with Goku's constant nagging, and asked for two rooms. The monkey could sleep alone tonight. Twisting the tattered guest book around Sanzo began to sign his name, then froze. The entry directly above his, where had he seen that writing before? The names were unfamiliar, Sheng and Zhao, but names meant nothing.
The locket was in his hand, without him thinking of it, and he cracked it open, allowing the curl of paper to fall out. Sanzo placed it next to the entry, and felt a slow smile of triumph curl across his lips as he comapred writing styles. Perfect match. Two minutes later, Goku was concealed on the rooftop in case this went badly, and Sanzo was confronting a man with long red hair in the exact shade as the strands found on the dead body.
So, this was the obstacle he had seen between himself and Gonou. A battered and bandaged half-breed wearing only a pair of faded, low-slung jeans was planted firmly in front of the door. Amethyst eyes locked with a lone ruby orb, and Sanzo gave his voice a little twist as he pushed with his mind, "Step out of my way."
"And what if I say no?" Resistance to the intoned command, the mind parting and flowing around his thrust. This one was no pushover, to be taken down with a hypnotic trick. For a heartbeat, Sanzo considered the odds. The half-breed was undoubtedly stronger and faster than himself, but he was injured, and Sanzo had not spent four years sparring with Goku without picking up a few tricks. A step, a quick feint, and Sanzo's knee was thrust hard into the redhead's stomach, doubling him over quite satisfactorily. Before Sanzo could step past though, a long leg swept hard into the back of his knees, sending him tumbling across the muddy surface.
Sanzo fingered a scrape where his cheek had impacted the ground hard, and came away with spots of blood. "Oh, you'll pay for that."
Breathing shallowly, the half-breed was already back on his feet, a wicked grin gracing the scarred face. "What denomination did you say you were, Buddha?"
"The one that doesn't forbid my kicking your ass." Sanzo couldn't afford to expend much more energy against this opponent, not with Cho Gonou somewhere inside. With a flick of his wrist his gun dropped neatly into the palm of his hand, and Sanzo's arm shot up as he pulled the trigger in one smooth motion.
"Damn you," the redhead hissed, having barely thrown himself out of the bullet's path.
Sanzo followed his motion with the revolver. "Now stand down pretty-boy, or those luscious locks of yours really will be the color of blood."
"GOJYO!" The door flew open, and a young , green eyed man stood in the frame, a frantic tone in his voice. Instantly the priest shifted his aim squarely on the more dangerous target's chest.
"So, you're Cho Gonou." Sanzo didn't have time for anything else, as Gojyo sprang from his crouch, slamming straight into him. They went sprawling, the gun knocked loose from his grip, and Sanzo heard a sharp gasp as his attacker's right shoulder ground against the street for a moment. Then he was pinned, face down as the taller redhead threw his weight against Sanzo's back, and gripped his head.
"I always did prefer being on top." Gojyo smirked. The half-breed turned to the startled Gonou, "He's after you! Get out of here now!" Sanzo snarled as Gonou took a hesitant step away from the embattled pair. "I said go!" Another step away.
"Goku!"
The smaller demon sprang from his hiding place, sliding between Gonou and escape. "I just have to beat this guy, right Sanzo?" His small face was alive with eagerness over the impending battle. The staff whirred through the heavy air as Goku came into a ready stance, and Gonou moved to match him.
With Goku keeping the target busy, Sanzo refocused on Gojyo. "Get off me, you son of a bitch!" He could see blood seeping from the right shoulder, and the redhead's breaths were coming in short, sharp pants, but he had taken Sanzo out of the fight.
"Oh, get bent Blondie. I'm not going to let you take him, even if you did bring a friend."
Fine then. If Sanzo couldn't defeat him physically, and the half-breed's mind rebuffed his own natural abilities, then he'd boil the bastard. His right arm struck out, giving him the leverage to twist his body under Gojyo's. He reached deep within, and touched the blazing forge of power that was his to command. "MAKAYI TENJYO!"
The Maten Scripture exploded.
hakkai-san, Metajoker, Alowl: here's your update!
Wind Wanderer: Nasty villagers will be in the next chapter!
UltraM2000: Yep. I'm an angst queen! I try to keep the "voices" of the characters different with Gojyo having a "slangier" vocabulary than Gonou or Sanzo.
MoMo-kun: Well, as I deprive Gojyo of any girls to flirt with in this fic, he's had to stretch a bit. He's still our lovable ero-kappa though!
Kath: Yeah, the last chapter was very dialog intensive, but I just wasn't up to writing a descriptive version of Gojyo's past as a whore/slave. It was very tough just getting him to speak about it.
lizalou42: My mane? Well, see I have these two cats that like to stop directly under my feet when I'm walking... ::grin!::
Krimson: Thnk you, ::blush:: that's very kind of you to say so!
Blades of Ice: Hope this chapter answers your question!
Chiefraz: Bingo! Of course the big controversy is what was the kicker card in Bill's hand when he was shot?
Disclaimer: After rendering the quartet unconscious and stripping them, I have regretfully discovered that they all have trademark barcodes on their rumps. And it's not my brand either. So, while I can send Kazuya Minekura money to keep the boys in my house, I can not make any money off them in return. So dear readers, this is a freebee.
_____________________________________________
Cho Gonou knelt before Kanan's grave, gently placing a spray of flowers next to the headstone. "I'm sorry to be leaving you, however, it seems I am not quite done yet. Gojyo still needs help, he cannot walk out of here alone." The redhead was leaning on a walking stick a little ways off, giving Gonou the room for a private goodbye. He brushed his fingers lightly over the surface of her marker, the water-worn smoothness cool under his hand. "I promise I will return to you. Rest easy my sister, I love you."
As Gonou rose to his feet, he slipped the small pack that contained everything that Gojyo and he had left onto his shoulders. Gojyo moved up, his steps slow, and stopped closer to Gonou than politeness dictated. *He still hasn't compensated for his loss of depth perception. I have to remember that, and watch out for things he won't see on the blind side.* "I'm ready, Gojyo."
"Great. So where are we going anyway?"
"To get a map. If we're going to get out of here, we need to know where we are."
Gojyo gave him an odd look. "A map? Where the hell do you think you'll find a..." His voice trailed off a moment. "Maoh. We're going to Hyakugan Maoh's fortress, aren't we?"
"Unless you know of a bookseller nearby, it's the only option."
A soft laugh, followed by a cough. "No, I don't see a bookstore."
Gonou let Gojyo set the pace, he couldn't manage more than fifteen minutes without having to rest. They wouldn't reach the fort before nightfall, but Gonou was in no hurry. The slow, ambling trek allowed him time, time to think. There was a terrible gaping wound deep inside him, a festering hole where Kanan had once stood. Three paths stretched before him, and he stood on the crossroads. The first was the easiest, follow Kanan into death, ending everything. *But, you'd be hurting Gojyo.* Second, walk back into his village, and let them judge him. *So, you'd hand your death over to them instead?* Finally, he could simply walk away, move on until he found a place where no one had heard of him and start again. *And leave your crimes unpunished?* He already knew what Gojyo would recommend, but this was his decision.
The half moon provided enough light that Gonou was able to traverse the last part of the trek with ease. Gojyo's night vision was nearly as keen, and he gave a low whistle as they finally reached the hidden clearing of the late Centipede Clan's home. "How in the hell did you take this place down all by yourself?"
"It's strange, but I just knew how. They didn't have much in the way of military tactics on my school curriculum, but the moment I closed in on the place, information just flowed. I knew how to get the sentries, where to move to take advantage of the layout, I had even figured out how to compensate for the fact that demons are stronger and faster than humans. Everything they tried, I already had the counter ready."
"So, you're a closet military genius."
"It seems so." *Naturally.* Nothing more than a quiet murmur now, that part of him he had used several weeks ago, sliding back into his subconscious.
Nearly three weeks of decomposition had created a fetid atmosphere that caused both men to gag. Gonou found a closet near the front gate that held rain cloaks for the sentries, and they used the thick material to cover their faces as they began to search.
"I remember seeing something like a wall map on the second floor."
Their shoes quickly became tacky with old blood, and Gonou began shivering as they passed the first female corpse. She had been flung against the wall, her throat slit in an eerily similar fashion to Kanan's death wound. He had done this. Twenty feet on was a child. His hands. Body after body. He remembered the screams. A voice cutting through it.
"Gonou? Gonou? C'mon, over here, stay with me!"
He was pushed into an empty room, no bodies littering the floor, and a window to the outside. Fresh air hit his face, and Gonou breathed it in huge, grateful gulps. "I didn't think it would be this hard. I came back here once before, right after I found you, to get supplies, but I didn't look at them. I didn't see."
"And now that you have seen?" Gojyo's voice was thin with strain, a bleak expression on his face in the sharp moonlight.
"I didn't spare any of them. Not one."
"If it makes you feel any better, if there were any survivors, they would have come after you. You took down a Clan, Gonou, and demons will fight to the death for their clans. Last one standing wins."
"And the other clans, what will they do?" He heard Gojyo exhale in a gusty sigh, and lean tiredly on the wall.
"Probably wonder what the hell Maoh did to piss off Heaven and the Toushin Taishi. He's one of the beings used to scare little demons with. 'Be good or the War God will get you.' Scares big demons too. That it was someone like you who pulled this off, they won't think of that."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because no one wants to believe those old stories. They only end when Heaven itself intervenes to stop the monster that is created. As I don't see any War Gods knocking on the door and you aren't currently chewing on my liver, the stories are probably a little inaccurate."
"A monster." Easy to believe that, surrounded by his handiwork.
"Cho, you killed to rescue someone you loved. You fought back when others wouldn't. You defended me when every one else would have walked away. I've met monsters before, and believe me, if you believe nothing else. You are not a monster."
"Then, what am I, Gojyo?"
"My friend." Pushing off the wall, Gojyo headed for the door, staggering slightly from exhaustion. "C'mon, let's find this map of yours and get the hell out of this madhouse before I fall down."
*****
Goku lay on the top of the enclosed cabin on the barge's stern and idly drummed his heels against the steel. He was bored. So very, very bored. Two whole days on this floating box with nothing at all to do. Four more days before they even reached their destination. Why had the cook gotten so mad when Goku had told him that the fish wasn't done right? You'd think he'd have been grateful to have cooking tips. Now Goku wasn't allowed in the kitchen at all!
He twisted around onto his stomach and crawled to the edge. Sanzo was sitting just underneath him, reading the same paper from yesterday. Sanzo wouldn't even give back his staff, even after Goku had apologized for very accidentally knocking a hole in the side of the boat. He let out a long sigh, and opened his mouth to speak.
"You're hungry, I'm not giving you the staff back until we land, and why don't you go fish instead of bothering me when I'm busy."
How did Sanzo do that? Goku leaned out a little farther, trying to see if Sanzo had the comics page open. With a sigh, Sanzo folded the paper, and craned his head back to meet Goku's gaze. Even through the slim reading glasses, Sanzo's scowl was impressive. "What, Goku?"
"I don't want to fish, Sanzo! Fishing is boring! C'mon, let's spar!"
"I am not getting sweaty on a floating box with no bathing facilities." He turned away, and reopened the paper. A further whine from Goku resulted in Sanzo starting to reach for his fan, so he scuttled back away from the edge.
Bored. Bored, bored, bored, hungry. He could smell the cook over boiling the rice and burning the fish again. Nasty little man, Goku wanted to thump him a good one. Sanzo had stopped him last time, but if Sanzo was busy with the paper... maybe. A small grin crossed his face, and Goku began to slide off the side of the cabin, landing quietly on the deck. A whiff of cigarette smoke curled past, Sanzo's brand. Goku's glance flicked around, looking to see if any of the deck hands were paying attention to him. No one was nearby, now all he had to do was slip through the side door... death?
Goku whirled around, his nose twitching that the sudden smell of decay. A dead body, human, where was it? His keen eyes swept the water, tracking back to the shoreline, a lump, no, two lumps, and birds gathered around them. "Sanzo!"
It took almost half an hour to secure the barge and row a skiff out to the shoreline, as the sailors hadn't wanted to investigate. Something about bad luck, but Sanzo had used that "look" of his, and hinted that displeasing him might bring worse luck, so things went smoothly after all. Goku didn't even have to hit any of them. Sanzo and Goku picked their way towards the remains, with the sailors keeping a "respectful" distance. Goku scattered the birds, and watched as Sanzo investigated.
"Hn, they've been dead awhile, weeks it looks like. Been in the water a long time, probably dumped here right after they died." One of the sailors retched as Sanzo calmly turned over the body, revealing gaping rents in the torso, half-eaten entrails dragging through the openings. He fingered the remnants of the man's vest, studying the damage. "Definitely a demon. Talons ripped right through here. Skull was crushed too, probably a heavy punch."
Goku followed as Sanzo began to examine the second man. "Why do you think they were killed, Sanzo? And by who?"
"Well, they've been dead long enough it could have been Maoh's clan, and he's the sort of fellow that doesn't like trespassers. Dumping the body in running water erases psychic traces as well as physical ones, so there isn't anything to go on." Sanzo turned over the second corpse. "Interesting."
"What?" Try as he might, Goku couldn't see anything that was out of the ordinary. Well, except for the fact that they were looking at a dead guy. He sure hoped the cook hadn't ruined lunch, it looked like the sailors weren't so hungry anymore, which meant more food for him.
Sanzo pointed at a heavy, ornate silver bracelet on the man's wrist. "He wasn't looted. Whoever killed him just threw him in the water and left. Judging by where the bodies ended up, probably from a feeder stream somewhere in the woods there." Sanzo started to get up, then stared hard at the bracelet. "Well, now isn't that very interesting." He reached down and tugged briefly at it.
Goku stared at what Sanzo was holding. "Um, Sanzo, that's just a couple of hairs." Sometimes Goku could just not figure out what Sanzo saw in this stuff.
"Yes, Goku. Just a couple of hairs." they twined around Sanzo's finger, gleaming against his pale skin. "Just a few red hairs. Let's go"
*****
A day's sleep in a real bed, and hot water in a private bath had gone a long way to making Gojyo feel civilized again after the five day trek from Hyakugan Maoh's castle. Especially since it had been drizzling for two straight days. The little town was on the other side of the Centipede Clan's territory from where Gojyo had been chased, which meant that there was a good chance that no one here knew about him being in the area. Amazing how you never realized how dirty you were until you lathered up properly. The small room they had rented had only one bed, and Gonou had simply pushed him at it after Gojyo exited the shower.
"Get some sleep. I'll see what this town has to offer in the way of supplies and transportation."
Gojyo didn't resist the command, sinking gratefully into the mattress. "Be careful. Stay covered up."
"In this rain? No one will find it odd. Anything I should look for?"
"Booze, cigarettes and a hot babe would be perfect," Gojyo yawned.
Gonou gave a small laugh and shook his head. Gojyo was asleep before Gonou left the room, and didn't move until he returned. A slight touch to his arm was enough to rouse him, the sky outside the window now dark with night. An assortment of take-out boxes were arranged at the small table, and a steaming carafe carried a delectable scent.
"Oh gods, you got coffee." Gojyo paused long enough to slide on his jeans, absently noting they were clean (and a whole lot looser), before snatching up a cup. "You found a laundry. I don't suppose you found any smokes?"
"Nicotine isn't good for you. You haven't had any for what, almost a month now? Why not quit?"
"Says the man who was offering me opium."
Gonou pointed his finger directly at Gojyo as he sat down. "You know very well that opium has legitimate medical uses as a pain reliever. All nicotine is good for is clogging your lungs."
"Nag, nag." Gojyo fumbled with the chopsticks in his right hand, finally managing to spear a piece of chicken. "Anything interesting out there?"
"Not really. This place is pretty small. They don't know that the Centipede Clan is gone yet. A barge was pulling in as I headed back, looks like a merchant vessel. We might be able to get passage on it."
"Hmm, those are usually expensive, but sailors like to gamble. We might be able to win enough off them to barter our way on. I've done that before."
The rest of the meal passed in silence, as both men polished off the first solid meal either of them had eaten in weeks. Using his right arm was still painful, but the wound had scabbed up finally, and so long as he didn't make any big moves with his shoulder Gojyo could ignore the twinges.
"Why don't you sack out for a while? If I know sailors it'll be a few hours before they're drunk enough to be good marks. We'll cut you loose on them in any card games, and I'll handle it if they're throwing dice, OK?"
Gonou threw a look towards the rumpled bed. "If you're sure?" There was a slight wistful note in his voice.
Refreshing his cup, Gojyo nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty awake now. Knock yourself out."
Gojyo had never had the opportunity to observe Gonou in sleep before, and found himself intrigued. The brunette had all but disappeared under the thin blanket, curled on his side. *Hmm. Coulda sworn he was a cover hog. Keep thinking he ought to be messier than he is too.* Gojyo studied the relaxed face, worry lines eased out in slumber. *Awake, he's so serious and mature, but like this, he can't be much older than me.*
Gojyo had just finished refilling his mug when a firm knock came from the outer door. Gonou's head jerked up at the sound, and he started to swing off the bed. "Stay there, I got this." Gojyo set the cup down and opened the door, shivering a bit at the cold rain that splattered him. "Yeah?"
A blonde man wearing some of the most expensive (and soaked) silk robes Gojyo had ever seen stood just outside the swing of the door. "Pardon me for disturbing you so late, but I'm on the hunt for a diabolical murderer named Cho Gonou." Gonou went still behind him, and Gojyo felt a frission of shock run through his own frame. How the hell had this guy, this monk, known what door to knock on?
Gojyo took one step outside, and shut the door firmly behind him. Using his extra inches of height, he looked down his nose at the stranger. "Sorry, don't know him." Adrenaline was charging through his body, pushing away the aches and snapping him into full alertness. The monk gave an irritated toss of his head, and a crimson chakra, a holy mark, was revealed sitting between unearthly violet eyes.
*Because no one wants to believe those old stories. They only end when Heaven itself intervenes to stop the monster that is created.*
*****
The inn here was pathetically small, and oddly built with each room opening to the outside. The only positive feature Sanzo noted was that each room had a private bath, however small it was. He was fed up with Goku's constant nagging, and asked for two rooms. The monkey could sleep alone tonight. Twisting the tattered guest book around Sanzo began to sign his name, then froze. The entry directly above his, where had he seen that writing before? The names were unfamiliar, Sheng and Zhao, but names meant nothing.
The locket was in his hand, without him thinking of it, and he cracked it open, allowing the curl of paper to fall out. Sanzo placed it next to the entry, and felt a slow smile of triumph curl across his lips as he comapred writing styles. Perfect match. Two minutes later, Goku was concealed on the rooftop in case this went badly, and Sanzo was confronting a man with long red hair in the exact shade as the strands found on the dead body.
So, this was the obstacle he had seen between himself and Gonou. A battered and bandaged half-breed wearing only a pair of faded, low-slung jeans was planted firmly in front of the door. Amethyst eyes locked with a lone ruby orb, and Sanzo gave his voice a little twist as he pushed with his mind, "Step out of my way."
"And what if I say no?" Resistance to the intoned command, the mind parting and flowing around his thrust. This one was no pushover, to be taken down with a hypnotic trick. For a heartbeat, Sanzo considered the odds. The half-breed was undoubtedly stronger and faster than himself, but he was injured, and Sanzo had not spent four years sparring with Goku without picking up a few tricks. A step, a quick feint, and Sanzo's knee was thrust hard into the redhead's stomach, doubling him over quite satisfactorily. Before Sanzo could step past though, a long leg swept hard into the back of his knees, sending him tumbling across the muddy surface.
Sanzo fingered a scrape where his cheek had impacted the ground hard, and came away with spots of blood. "Oh, you'll pay for that."
Breathing shallowly, the half-breed was already back on his feet, a wicked grin gracing the scarred face. "What denomination did you say you were, Buddha?"
"The one that doesn't forbid my kicking your ass." Sanzo couldn't afford to expend much more energy against this opponent, not with Cho Gonou somewhere inside. With a flick of his wrist his gun dropped neatly into the palm of his hand, and Sanzo's arm shot up as he pulled the trigger in one smooth motion.
"Damn you," the redhead hissed, having barely thrown himself out of the bullet's path.
Sanzo followed his motion with the revolver. "Now stand down pretty-boy, or those luscious locks of yours really will be the color of blood."
"GOJYO!" The door flew open, and a young , green eyed man stood in the frame, a frantic tone in his voice. Instantly the priest shifted his aim squarely on the more dangerous target's chest.
"So, you're Cho Gonou." Sanzo didn't have time for anything else, as Gojyo sprang from his crouch, slamming straight into him. They went sprawling, the gun knocked loose from his grip, and Sanzo heard a sharp gasp as his attacker's right shoulder ground against the street for a moment. Then he was pinned, face down as the taller redhead threw his weight against Sanzo's back, and gripped his head.
"I always did prefer being on top." Gojyo smirked. The half-breed turned to the startled Gonou, "He's after you! Get out of here now!" Sanzo snarled as Gonou took a hesitant step away from the embattled pair. "I said go!" Another step away.
"Goku!"
The smaller demon sprang from his hiding place, sliding between Gonou and escape. "I just have to beat this guy, right Sanzo?" His small face was alive with eagerness over the impending battle. The staff whirred through the heavy air as Goku came into a ready stance, and Gonou moved to match him.
With Goku keeping the target busy, Sanzo refocused on Gojyo. "Get off me, you son of a bitch!" He could see blood seeping from the right shoulder, and the redhead's breaths were coming in short, sharp pants, but he had taken Sanzo out of the fight.
"Oh, get bent Blondie. I'm not going to let you take him, even if you did bring a friend."
Fine then. If Sanzo couldn't defeat him physically, and the half-breed's mind rebuffed his own natural abilities, then he'd boil the bastard. His right arm struck out, giving him the leverage to twist his body under Gojyo's. He reached deep within, and touched the blazing forge of power that was his to command. "MAKAYI TENJYO!"
The Maten Scripture exploded.