Away on Dragon's Wings

Collaborated work by: Skycat and "Me"

Part One

They never thought. They never even considered the consequences of their words. I mean, why would they? Why would they even consider that the calm, amiable Hakkai would take offense at their off-handed comments. No, they didn't think, and because of this, it would be the beginnings of the downfall of their little quartet.

Chapter One

Before the sun peeked over the horizon to greet the faintly blushing sky, before the night insects ceased their nocturnal symphony, before even the cock crowed to announce the beginnings of a new day, a column of dust echoed the passage of something moving at good speed across the dry, desert plain. The cause of the disturbance was a green jeep that sped across the terrain at a simple 40 miles an hour. Inside the jeep were four men. One of which yawned expansively.

"Tell me again why we have to be up at this insane hour?" he said in a voice full of annoyed suffering.

"Yeah! I didn't even get to eat breakfast!" voiced the youngest of the group from his seat next to the red-head. His piping voice made Gojyo twitch. It was far too early to deal with Goku's complaints. Deciding to voice his vaulted opinion, he said, "Shut up, monkey. It's way too early for breakfast." The last was announced with a glare to the back of the blonde head riding shot-gun. The term fitted perfectly to the man's personality, Gojyo thought, due to the man's tendency to wield his small gun at even his closest friends. Of course, that thought would allow him the privilege to see the business end of the monk's banishing gun yet again if he heard Gojyo call them his friends.

"We haven't seen hide nor hair of a demon in nearly a fortnight, don't you find that a bit odd?" asked their driver without taking his eyes off the road.

Gojyo leaned back in his seat, cradling the back of his head in his hands. "If they come, they come, Hakkai. Why worry?"

The brunette chuckled. "Yes, however, I believe it would be wiser to reach a town as soon as possible. Besides," his eyes rose to meet Gojyo's in the rearview mirror, "We're nearly out of supplies."

"What?! I thought you said we had enough to last us another week!"

"Ah ha! Well, actually, I said that if we rationed our food wisely, we might have enough for a week."

As if pulled by a magnate, Gojyo's eyes turned to fall on the golden-eyed boy next to him. His eyebrow twitched at the innocent expression of the boy's face. In one swift movement, he held Goku up by the neck and began throttling him. "You stupid monkey! You ate all of our food again, didn't you?! DIDN'T YOU!?"

Goku yelped and immediately began struggling. "I was hungry you stupid, perverted, water-sprite! Let me go!" Deft with months of long practice, Goku slipped out of Gojyo's hold and yanked on his dark-red hair.

"Yeouch! Don't touch my hair, you midget monkey!"

"Then don't call me a monkey!"

"You ARE a monkey, so deal!"

"NO I'M NOT!"

BANG! The shot echoed in the sudden silence. The heretofore silent monk lowered his arm. "Now shut up!" he growled without even turning around. The silence remained for about five minutes before Goku sighed. "Oi! Sanzo?"

"You're hungry," Sanzo finished for him.

"Wow! How did you know?" Goku asked, wide-eyed.

"It's because that's all you ever say, stupid monkey," Gojyo smirked.

"Don't call me stupid!"

"I only call them as I see them, stupid monkey."

Before Goku could reply, Hakkai's voice cut in smoothly. "Now, now. We don't know how much longer we have until a town, so let's try not to let Sanzo waste all of his bullets."

Gojyo looked up from his half-nelson hold on Goku. "Geez, Hakkai, you can be so cold," Gojyo commented, dropping Goku like a disease.

Hakkai laughed softly. "How about you take a nap? It is terribly early and I'm sure you and Goku could do for some more sleep."

"Yeah, good idea." Gojyo shifted in the back seat, trying to get more comfortable. "Shove over, monkey. Give a guy some room to snooze."

"But Hakkai, I'm still hungry!" Goku protested, moving over slightly to give Gojyo about an inch of leg space.

"There are some meat buns under your seat, Goku." Goku cheered. "Try to make them last, though. We haven't got much else to eat."

"Too late," Gojyo said dryly, having just seen Goku swallow them whole. Hakkai bit back a sigh. Oh well, you could only control them so much.

About ten minutes later, Goku's soft snoring echoed the more accommodating nasal orchestra coming from Gojyo. Sanzo shook his head. "How you get them to listen to you is something I still don't understand," he said in his usual annoyed-at-the-world voice.

Hakkai shrugged, "Really, it's up to them whether they take my advice or not."

"Yes, but they usually do."

"I guess I give good advice then, no?"

Sanzo snorted. Even the snores of Goku was restful and a welcome change to the cacophony of noise that usually occupied the back of the jeep. He intended to enjoy the peace for as long as it lasted.

Hakkai sighed silently, careful not disturb the tranquility of the moment for Sanzo's sake. Perhaps the rare break from the endless monotony of the fights in back would help Sanzo's perpetual bad mood? Perhaps he was wishing in vain? Most likely, Hakkai thought with a smirk. Besides, despite the affect it seemed to have on Sanzo, Hakkai was glad that the two fought as they did. Goku seemed to take Gojyo back to a time when maturity was not even a consideration. They fought like brothers, each battling for the attention of one of the adults. Which one was questionable, Sanzo mostly likely, since the man was Goku's whole reason to live and Gojyo… Well, Gojyo was Gojyo. Yet, when left to themselves, the pair seemed to get along like a house on fire.

Sanzo shot a glance at Hakkai from the corner of his eye. The corners of Hakkai's mouth were quirked upward slightly, but that gave no clue to the man's thoughts. Hell, the man could be thinking of the brutal murder of one or all of their traveling companions and that damned smile wouldn't waver. Actually, Sanzo believed that Hakkai created little elaborate deaths for them in his head when they annoyed him, just so he didn't get violent like Sanzo did. Sanzo tried it as well, it didn't help his mood because he knew he wouldn't be allowed to do it. Still, that silent smirk slightly unnerved Sanzo, although he'd never admit it aloud. It unnerved him because he never knew how close Hakkai was to his breaking point. Even with Chin Issu it was Gojyo that realized the demon's preoccupation. It must be a skill picked up from living together for so long.

Most likely, Hakkai was worrying. He tended to do that a lot, whether it was necessary or not. Their dwindling supplies were something to be concerned about. Not by Sanzo, of course. Also, Hakkai tended to try and look ahead, so he was most likely to be trying to figure out what their enemies were up to. Their last bunch of demons were just like all of the others. The assassins were relying on large numbers to try and cut them down. You'd think they'd learn after the 50th attempt.

"Oi? Sanzo?" Hakkai's voice slid into Sanzo's thoughts, effortlessly bringing him back to the jeep. He was going to ask what he thought the demons were up to, and damned if he knew. Hakkai could be so predictable sometimes.

Sanzo didn't respond, but Hakkai continued regardless. "Where do you think the phrase, 'get along like a house on fire' came from?"

Apparently this wasn't one of those times. Sanzo turned to stare blankly at Hakkai. "What?"

"You'd think that a house and a fire wouldn't get along very well, since the fire would burn the house. Perhaps the phrase meant to be read more that they move along like a house on fire, uncaring if anything got in the way. What do you think?"

"Hakkai?"

"Yes, Sanzo?"

"Shut up." Sometimes Hakkai could be just as annoying as the two in back.

Hakkai shrugged and turned his attention back to the road. Sanzo didn't seem to be in the mood for small talk. He supposed that the question was rather odd, but the look on Sanzo's face was priceless. Even Hakkai had to have his little fun every now and then. Besides, after driving hours on end, everyday, for several months, the mind tends to wander.

It was raining, it always rained. It didn't matter that he was sinking down into the deep, green ocean; it still rained. Hakkai could feel the rain pelt his face, he could feel it mix with his sweat. Hakkai raised his hand to wipe it from his eyes but his vision remained smeared. He began to claw at the water, searching from something to grab onto. Something that would stop him from sinking, hold at least from reaching the bottom. But he found nothing but a weird substance that felt as insubstantial as Jell-o. His breath began to hitch, fear seizing him, causing his actions to become frantic. He tried to swim, tried to flap his arms and legs as hard as possible, but still he fell. Hakkai squeezed his green eyes tight, repeating to himself, "It's just a dream, just a dream." He tried to imagine the room; its simple wooden structure, the firm mattress, the rottingtable and chairs, and the soft sound of Sanzo's breathing. Hakkai forced his eyes open to now stare at a wooden ceiling, no longer his inescapable prison. He breathed heavily and quickly tried to calm his racing mind.

He could hear the clamor next door, Gojyo and Goku were obviously both awake. Hakkai sighed and turned to look at the sleeping Sanzo, he smiled remembering earlier when Sanzo had said that Goku and Gojyo would have to share a room together. A soft chuckling escaped his lips, recalling the argument and anger than ensued. Hakkai turned onto his side, relaxed and ready to sleep again. And just as he closed his eyes a soft pitter patter of water could be heard dropping somewhere in the inn.

Had his dream been a premonition of the rain to come? He knew from the moment he heard the first drop of the celestial liquid that sleep would no longer be an option. He could never sleep when it rained. Still, he lay in the drowning silence, his eyes resolutely shut as rain pelted down in a thunderous roar around them.

They were lucky. They found the tiny town very late the day before. Actually, it was so late that when they checked into the inn it was that morning. Sanzo had announced that they wouldn't be traveling the next day, much to the relief of his companions. They all were getting edgy from remaining in each other's constant presence for days on end with no demons to take their frustrations out on. Sanzo showed the strain by steadily smoking his way through his stash of cigarettes and using his gun on the two in back more often then his fan. Gojyo and Goku were constantly at each other's throats and even Hakkai had had to restrain himself from asking Sanzo if he could borrow his fan to quiet to two. Not often, but that showed how the cramped quarters were getting to them all. So the unexpected relief from the sight of one another, or at least in the comfort of a solid wall between, was quite a luxury. Too bad the inn was so small they only had two rooms. Oh well, they'll get all the space they needed later on, when they would traditionally drift apart. Sanzo would disappear into his newspaper for hours on end, Gojyo would head off in search of a bar, and Hakkai would try to get some reading done, but most likely be taking Goku out shopping for supplies before Sanzo causes him concussion.

End of Chapter 1, Part 1.