A/N: …I lied! I decided to make this fic four chapters long… I just can't fit it all into three!!! Sorry!!!! :bowbowbow: Either way, I hope you enjoy it!
Once again, this may be quite a bit less humorous in the beginning… a thousand pardons! I promise,I'll try to make it funnier!In the meantime, you'll have to deal with fluff! Bwaha!
Everyone, thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! (And death threats! Eep!) They really made me smile!
Also, any and all constructive criticism is appreciated!
Alright, official stuff, and then we're off!
Rating: PG-13 (for swearing, shounen-ai, violence and improper use of shoujo manga characters)
Setting: Pre-Gensoumaden Saiyuki
Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki in anyway, except for DVDs and manga I've bought… and scanlations… ohohoho… those wonderful scanlations…
I don't own Monopoly either… nor do I own Fushigi Yuugi…
Hakuryuu's First Christmas
Hakuryuu looked around the small clearing. Even though there was a huge snowstorm going on, for some reason this one part of the woods was perfectly devoid of any wind, and instead was covered with a moderate amount of the fine white powder. Laying down in the snow were nine… things. They were like nothing Hakuryuu had ever seen before! The creatures looked kind of like deer, only a lot bigger. And one of them had this huge red nose that illuminated the darkness. A gigantic sleigh also lay in the snow, hitched to these magnificent animals by a pair of ropes.
"Kyuu!" Hakuryuu chirped in amazement. The air itself seemed to vibrate with magic. That was the only way to describe the energy around him. The dragon smiled inwardly at the winter wonderland before him.
"You can go ahead and play with the reindeer if you'd like," the man in red smiled at the white dragon, "I've got some business to take care of in a nearby village. I'll be back for you once I'm done." with that, he set Hakuryuu down near the giant deer thingies and threw a sack over his shoulder. "Vixen, why don't you introduce Hakuryuu here to the other reindeer?"
How does he know my name? Hakuryuu craned his neck so he could face the man, "Kyuu?" He didn't expect the bearded man to understand the dragon chatter, but voiced his question anyway. If only Hakkai were around to translate. There was that twinge in his heart again…
"I know plenty about you." the man smiled again. He was always smiling, just like Hakkai.
…I believe I may have some sort of owner complex… the little dragon mused to himself. He made a mental note to visit some sort of psychiatrist after this whole ordeal was over. There was one in the nearby village by the name of Nii Jienyi that was supposed to be very good. Pulling out a mini dragon palm pilot, Hakuryuu wrote in this little note. He had some time on Thursday afternoon, and set the appointment up for then.
"I have to go now, little guy," the man walked to the edge of the clearing and disappeared in a flash of sparkles, leaving a very confused dragon behind with nine reindeer and a sleigh full of toys.
The reindeer, as the man called them, gathered around Hakuryuu. Their presence didn't feel the least bit ominous to the pint-sized dragon. They seemed to smile (especially the one with the big red nose!), inviting Hakuryuu to join them in their reindeer games, like Monopoly.
Hakuryuu was going to have fun!
Hakkai lifted himself from the snow drift, still cursing his recklessness mentally. Shaking the powder from his body, he looked around. "Gojyo?" he called out, realizing the hanyou was nowhere to be seen, he stumbled in the storm. His vision impaired by the blowing winds, the snow and ice blinding him. "Gojyo! Where are you?!" Hakkai waded through the snow frantically, calling out his friend's name. The thought of losing someone else in this horrible weather bore down on him like a thousand weights. "Gojyo!" the youkai reached out, desperate to feel Gojyo under his palm, hoping desperately to find him in the darkness. He stepped forward, and cursed himself again as he tripped over an object laying in the snow. Lifting himself to his knees, he looked behind him to examine what exactly caused him to trip.
The snow around the object was stained a deep red color. Hakkai looked at his hand, which also seemed tainted by the substance. He rubbed two fingers together, his heart turning into lead as he watched the snow melt and evaporate, leaving the residue of a slick, red liquid on his digits. Realization rammed into him, knocking the air out of his lungs as the thought of the red-headed hanyou flooded the entirety of his mind.
"GOJYO!" he staggered to the object laying in the snow, which he now identified as his friend. The kappa lay there, face down and still, save for ragged breathing. "Gojyo, speak to me!" Hakkai rolled him over so that they were face to face, before hoisting him into the crook of his arm, allowing the water sprite to rest his head against his shoulder.
"…Hey, 'kai." Gojyo smiled weakly, "Looks like I messed up again… che…" he slowly blinked his sunset eyes, the lids feeling heavy. Sighing, he closed them fully, nestling his face deeper into Hakkai's shoulder.
"Oh no you don't!" Hakkai nearly yelled into Gojyo's ear, "I swear Gojyo, if you even think about dying…" he let his voice hang, unable to think of a reasonable threat at a time like this.
Gojyo just remained silent, his serrated breathing the only hint that he was still alive.
I have to do something! Hakkai mentally chastised himself, ripping through his mind, trying to find some way to help. …I don't know what to do… He clenched his eyes shut, hopelessness hovering over him, when… I've got it! he remembered a book that he read recently about a technique called qigong. If he remembered correctly, if you concentrated the energy flowing through your body, it could be possible to make it solid, which in turn would make it very versatile. This chi could be used to attack, defend…
…and heal! Hakkai's leaden heart lightened at the revelation. But… I've never tried qigong before… he glanced again at Gojyo, his decision obvious as he watched the kappa's face taut with pain.
I have to try! He held Gojyo closer to him and extended a palm, allowing it to remain a couple of inches over the wound in his side. Please… work! he willed all of the strength in his thrashed body to travel to Gojyo, hoping to heal the terrible injury. His hand glowed a bright green as an orb of pure energy of the same hue covered the kappa's side, mending torn flesh and slowing the bleeding to a stop. Breathing a sigh of relief, Hakkai felt the horrendous weight lifted from his shoulders, replaced by the comfortable lightness of Gojyo's head, which began to stir.
"Ugh… I feel like shit…" the red headed half demon placed a hand to his forehead, his swearing a sign of revitalization.
"G-Gojyo…" Hakkai's throat dried up, a million words that could be spoken lost, then found in a single movement as he threw himself onto the kappa, hugging him tightly, "Gojyo!"
"…Hakkai…" realizing how much pain he must've caused his demonic friend, Gojyo wrapped his arms around his back.
"Gojyo," Hakkai whispered into the hanyou's ear, "don't ever, ever worry me like that again."
"Sorry 'bout that," Gojyo smirked as he sat up, resting his head against Hakkai's as he burrowed it into his chest. He placed a hand on the back of the brunette's skull, gently rubbing his fingers back and forth through his hair.
"Gojyo…"
"Hakkai…"
"Gojyo…"
"Hakkai…"
"Miaka!" a male voice yelled in the woods, disrupting the mood.
"Tamahome!" a high pitched female voice responded, her grating voice startling birds.
"WHAT?!" Gojyo and Hakkai chorused, whipping their heads around, looking for the owners of the voices who destroyed their moment.
"Oh, Miaka!" a young man, his hair a dark blue, ran to a young woman whose brown hair was tied up into two buns.
"Oh, Tamahome!" the young woman, assumingly Miaka, screeched at the top of her lungs. Windows everywhere shattered and dogs howled. Elsewhere in the woods, Ito, Hakuryuu and the reindeer covered their sensitive ears, which were very close to bursting.
"What the hell are you two doing here?!" Gojyo bellowed, outraged at having his moment with Hakkai ruined by these idiots.
"…I believe you are in the wrong anime…" Hakkai was frustrated as well, but he hid it better, "We would appreciate it if you left…"
"But… how are we supposed to leave?" Miaka shrieked again. Whales off the coast of Shangri-la complained to each other, wondering what in the seven hells was making that horrible sound.
"Miaka, darling! My little sugar booger!" Tamahome held Miaka's hands, "You must conserve that beautiful voice!"
"Yes dear!" Miaka 'whispered', although her voice still did a number on Gojyo's ears.
"THAT'S IT!!!" Gojyo and Hakkai really couldn't take this anymore as they ran up to the couple and proceeded to dropkick them back into Fushigi Yuugi…land.
"WAAAAI!" the annoying duo both screamed as they were launched into the air, and vanished.
"…That… was horrible…" Hakkai whimpered, "… I think I may have seen my life flash before my eyes…"
"Same here… Now, where were we?" Gojyo looked over at Hakkai, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Hakkai smiled an authentic smile, "We were looking for Hakuryuu." There was a hint in his voice, as if he knew what Gojyo was thinking. (And who doesn't know…?)
"Oh… right." Gojyo wiped the disappointment from his face. He would corner Hakkai later, right now they had a job to do.
Laughing, Hakkai gave his friend's shoulder a light squeeze, before changing his tone to one of seriousness, "Are you sure you're okay enough to walk?"
Gojyo grinned and gave the brunette a thumbs up, "I'm just fine. It's gonna take a lot more than that to do me in."
Hakkai returned the grin and began to march forward, Gojyo not far behind him.
With their hope renewed, they continued on, shouting Hakuryuu's name.
They didn't notice a pair of red eyes watching them from the shadows.
Dammit.
Sanzo trudged along, Goku still in his arms. The saru hadn't made any major movements, mainly just soft sounds, accompanied by the occasional nestling of his head against the Sanzo's shoulder, or the tightening of his grasp on the monk's robe. However, there were no movements that implied his waking up anytime soon. Still, Sanzo held him close to his body, hoping not only for a quick revival from the monkey, but for any sign of the miniature dragon they were searching for.
"ITO!" a rumbling voice rang throughout the woodland, causing the hairs on the back of Sanzo's neck to stand on end.
What the hell was that? his entire body tensed up, ready for an attack. Shit… I still have Goku… Sanzo couldn't just leave the earth spirit sitting in the snow.
The bushes beside him rustled violently. Seems like I have no choice. Sanzo quickly lowered Goku to the ground, pulling out his gun from Who-Knows-Where in an instant, ready to fire at whoever, or whatever came out of that bush.
A human man, dark hair and gray eyes, stumbled out. A tad surprised, Sanzo fired a warning shot from the Smith and Wesson, just grazing the man's ear.
"Holy shit!" the man exclaimed, the vulgar language emphasized by the pitch of his voice, which went from a deep tenor to an almost girlish squeal.
"Who the hell are you?" Sanzo wasted no time on introductions, and cut straight to the chase.
"I should say the same!" the man's slate eyes narrowed, his knife drawn.
"I'm going to be the one to send you to your grave if you don't explain to me who you are in ten seconds." Sanzo responded, not missing a beat.
"You send me to my grave?" the man guffawed, "I'd like ta see ya try!"
"I won't have to try." Sanzo retorted, allowing himself the slightest ghost of a smirk. How could this guy be so cocky while face to face with something as powerful as a banishing gun?
Lost in his thoughts, Sanzo almost missed the next move that the overconfident man made. The dark-haired human leaped forward, lashing out with his knife. Sanzo dodged easily to the side, realizing a split second later that he wasn't the true target.
Goku!
Indeed, after passing the monk, the man had thrown himself to Goku's side, holding the dagger to the sleeping boy's throat, his gray eyes gleaming at Sanzo's reaction.
"You bastard." Sanzo growled through grit teeth.
"Hehehe, I've been called worse," the man pressed the blade closer to Goku's throat, "now, why don't you drop that toy of yers?"
"Over my dead body." Sanzo's stubbornness shone through.
"That can be arranged," the man almost purred the overly cliché line, "but not after I have my fun with him." In emphasis, the man gently ran the blade horizontally against the saru's throat, not hard enough to draw blood, but just enough to make his point.
"Just try it." Sanzo's eyes narrowed dangerously as he took aim, he had no intention on firing (not yet at least), and instead was hoping the man had some phantom of intelligence and would let Goku go.
"I won't have to try." the man mocked. Apparently, Sanzo gave him a little more credit than he deserved.
During this incident, Goku stirred, the absence of his sun disturbing his slumber. Yawning, he stretched out his arms, or tried to. His elbow rammed into something soft, and was accompanied by a yelp of surprise and pain. Still half asleep, the monkey didn't notice any of this, and instead stood up, the knife that was once at his throat at its keeper's side as he held his groin. "'Morning, Sanzo." the monkey tottered over to the priest, his eyes half lidded. "What's for breakfast?"
Sanzo just stood there. Of all things to happen, this sure as hell was lucky, and luck usually never lasted. Making sure Goku was safe behind him (although still half asleep), Sanzo cocked his gun at the top of the man's head. The target was hard to see because of the snow, but definitely not hard to hear. The stupid human was nearly in tears because of the accidental blow Goku dealt him.
"I'll give you to the count of three to tell me who you are and what the hell you're doing here." Sanzo's patience was waning and he just itched to fire his weapon. Yup, this is one trigger happy priest we're dealing with here.
"…MynameisKyoandIamahumanmalethathangsoutwithabunchofdemonbanditsmybloodtypeisABpositiveandmyfavoritecolorisblue!!!" Kyo shouted out in one breath, scared to no end by the monk and his gun.
Sanzo's eyebrow twitched as he fired another shot, this time near the man's feet, "Speak slower, or I will kill you." he growled through clenched teeth, taking aim right between Kyo's eyes. Behind him, Goku yawned and rested his head against the monk's back, "And don't you fall asleep you damn monkey!" The soft weight on his back immediately disappeared at this threat. Nobody, but nobody, messes with Sanzo when he's pissed… and lives.
Kyo spoke much slower, "My-name-is-Kyo-and-I-am-a-human-male-that-hangs-out-with-a-bunch-of-demon-bandits-"
"Bandits?" Sanzo suddenly remembered the reason why he and Goku had set out in the first place, "How many of you are there?!" he demanded.
"S-Six or seven! I swear, there aren't any more!" Kyo began to shiver- and it wasn't from the cold.
Sanzo snorted, both out of annoyance and contempt, his head bowed slightly in thought, "So… you're not the ones…" his head snapped up as realization hit him once again, "What were you doing out here in the middle of a storm?" he cocked his gun again.
"I should ask the same of you. Both you and that stu-" Kyo began, arrogance tainting the sound of his voice.
BANG!
"EEP! Iwaschasingthislittleflyin'li-"
BANG! "Talk slower, dammit!" Sanzo roared, his eyebrow twitching a hundred and fifty miles a minute
"I-was-chasing-this-little-flying-lizard-"
"What did this little flying lizard look like?" this morsel of information was too important for Sanzo to pass up.
"Exactly as I said-" Kyo sounded annoyed, and pushed attitude into his remark.
BANG! "I don't need any of your smart-ass comments!" Sanzo's patience was at its limit.
"He was approximately 3 feet-"
BANG! "Not THAT specific!" although his patience was wearing thin, Sanzo couldn't help but have fun finding reasons to shoot at the man. Maybe he just needed to get rid of his frustration…
"He was a silver white color and he had red eyes and was really tiny! Don't hurt me!!!" Kyo cringed, covering his face with his arms.
Sanzo lifted his arm to shoot again, just for kicks, when there was a tug at his sleeve.
"…Sanzo… let's go… I think we should find Hakuryuu now…" Goku spoke softly, his voice a bit hoarse after just waking up. It was unusual for him to speak like this, even after just awakening.
"…What's wrong?" Sanzo inquired, lowering his arm, much to Kyo's relief.
"…I dunno… I… I just have this bad feelin'…" Goku kept his head lowered in genuine concern and stayed silent. Not even his stomach rumbled… holy crap.
Sanzo placed a hand into the brunette's tousled hair, "Fine. We'll leave now." leaving his palm in Goku's locks, he aimed the gun once more, "Where did the dragon go?"
"Last I saw, that thing was headed that way." Kyo pointed north of their location.
"Alright." Sanzo gave Kyo a final death glare, "Do yourself a favor and go home to your mother." Sticking a much needed cigarette into his mouth, he began to leave. Goku walked beside him, renewed with energy, although that feeling still nagged at him.
Kyo sighed in relief. Counting his blessings, he placed a hand to his forehead, succumbing to the stress the most recent ordeal brought him.
BANG!
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" Kyo cried out, nearly in tears.
"Just felt like shooting." With that, both priest and saru disappeared in the woods.
The winds were still merciless, and the snow was still harsh...
...but at least now they had a lead.
(A/N): …Ahehehe… wow… that was one craptacular chapter! Anyhoos, next is definitely the last! (Promises, promises! XD; I missed my deadline anyway!)
I'm sorry if you don't understand the Fushigi Yuugi reference in here! Gomen! ::bows::
I hope you guys are enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it!
Happy New Year everyone! (XD; I'm even late in saying that!)
Until next time! (Kwaah... a couple of weeks perhaps…)
Ja!
SheepiChan
