Sai Orlianna:  Hey hi!  Sorry it's been so long since I updated, but here's the next 

                       chapter.  Thanks to Sannike for the review. I will definitely try to work

                       on those things, but I am not the greatest at grammar so, yeah, ;; 

                       Please tell me what you think of this next chapter.  Oh! And to those who

                       have  yet to figure it out, this is a non yoai fic. It's just my idea of these

                       guys can live happily, even if it could never happen. Another author told 

                       me that fanfics are for people who want to change things even if they

                       couldn't happen in the context of the real plot.  So I took it to heart.

                       Please R&R.

Disclaimer:  I do not own Saiyuki, I just play with the characters.

Fate Plays Her Hand

Ch. 7

 The Cruelty of a Game

"KANZEON BOSATSU!!!!" 

The Merciful Goddess was once again sitting by her small pond, observing the lesser world below as the sound of her name broke her from her revelry.  Turning, she looked up to see a messenger run up and kneel before her.

"Kanzeon Bosatsu, it is done.  The demon lord has been defeated once again.  Sanzo and his companions have done it." He said in a rushed but joyous voice.

"Yes, I know; wonderful battle.  They did as well as I expected." Smiling to herself, she turned back to her pool, letting her fingers skim the surface.  "How are things coming with our little fugitive?"

The messenger tensed, afraid to deliver the next part of his message.  "No sign of him as of yet; the retrieval squads are still looking."

"Hmm…interesting." Her voice took on an amused tone as she lifted her fingers from the pool, lightly shaking the excess water from them.  "You may go."  The messenger stood and saluted before he walked off, relieved that his message had not called for a punishment.  If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought she was enjoying this new crisis.  Shaking the thought from his mind, he returned to his original duties.

Unbeknownst to the tired messenger, his assumptions were quite accurate.  The Merciful Goddess draped herself across her chair and laughed.  Oh Fate was her favorite playmate.  She always made things entertaining.  "I guess there will be no time to celebrate, my friends.  The game is not over yet." 

"JIROUSHIN!!!"

Jiroushin, hearing his mistress call, quickly entered and kneeled before her.  "You summoned me, Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama?"

"Yes.  I need you to deliver a message for me."  

Sanzo stormed across the grounds of the monastery.  He had only just returned from his seemingly endless journey West and what happens once he returns?  He gets summoned by the Three Heads.  Pausing outside the door of the vast chamber where the three lesser gods awaited him, he took a few deep, calming breaths.  Maybe all they wanted was a briefing on the events of the journey.  Tying his rising temper down inside of him, he stepped into their chamber. 

Waiting for him, floating on the other side of the vast, dark room, the Three Heads greeted him.  "Genjo Sanzo, it is good to see you safely returned."

Sanzo kneeled in the middle of the cold floor.  "Thank you."  Raising his head, he locked eyes with the lesser gods and asked the question that had been plaguing his mind since he had been summoned.  "Forgive me, but why have you summoned me so soon after just returned from the last job you gave me?" 

"Ah yes."  The middle head of the three began reluctantly. "We have just received a new order.  You and your companions will need to set out immediately."

Sanzo shot up and stared disbelievingly at the three.  Had he heard correctly?  Dreading the answer he knew was coming.  "What do you mean?"

"NANI!!! WHAT DO YOU MEAN ANOTHER JOURNEY?!?! WE JUST GOT BACK!" Goku exclaimed as a fuming Sanzo broke the news.

"Yes.  It seems that heaven keeps having problems that we have to clean up." Sanzo said, lighting a cigarette to try and ease his annoyance.

"So, now we have to go find Goyjo and Hakkai, again, and go off to find some fugitive?" Goku asked.

"Yup.  Seems the gods are having trouble finding this guy.  He has been missing for quite a while.  They have some retrieval squads looking for him, but…I don't know."  Sanzo replied with a tired sigh.

"Then why do they need us?" Goku complained as he plopped onto the floor.

"I don't know."  Sanzo replied, rubbing his tired eyes.  "Get some sleep.  You'll need to go find those two in the morning."  Sanzo added as he put out his cigarette and lay down on his bed.

"Ok."  Goku said, rolling onto his stomach and resting his head on his arms, his mind trying to comprehend the new turn of events. 'Why do they need us?  Can't they take care of their own problems? Hmm…I'm hungry…'  

"Goku?" came Sanzo's tired voice.

"Yeah?" he said, sitting up.

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" Sanzo yelled, as Goku jumped up and bolted out the door.  The travel worn monk lay on his back, closing his violet eyes.  'This is annoying.'

"Ha! Two pair! Sevens across the board! Luck seems to be on my side tonight, Sha Goyjo!"  Goyjo smirked at the cocky gambler sitting across from him.  Having played this guy for most of the night, he had cleaned him out.  Now, in a last ditch effort, he was betting the last of his cash on four sevens. 'What an idiot.'

"Well, let me see.  That beats one, two, three Queens…" Goyjo replied as he turned over each card in turn.  The look on his opponents face twisted in an insane grin at the thought of salvaging the last of his cash and pride.  "…but not four."  The poor man's face fell as Goyjo turned over his last card, revealing the fourth of his favorite ladies.  A squeal of delight came from the three girls standing behind him as he, once again, cleaned out his opponent.  "What can I say; I am loved by all ladies, Luck being one of them."  Goyjo drawled as the disgruntled loser left the table.

Goyjo watched him leave as he collected his money and counted it.  He had made out well tonight.  The three girls around him were fawning all over him as they always did, hoping that they would win his favor for the night.  Goyjo, enjoying the attention, surveyed the room.  "Well, ladies, it looks like no one else wants to challenge me tonight.  I guess that means I must take my leave."  This got him several complaints and some begging for him to stay. 

He stood, readying to take his leave, despite the protests of the young beauties around him, when his eyes fell on a cloaked figure moving toward his table.  Goyjo watched as the bold person sat down across from him and placed a few bills on the table.  Knowing a challenge when he sees one, Goyjo sat back down and smirked.  "Cheer up, ladies; it looks like I'll be staying around a bit longer.  This fool here wants to give me his money too."

Shuffling the cards, Goyjo looked up as he heard a slight laugh escape the now grinning lips of his new prey.  "I don't play with cowards who hide their face." He said. The smile not faltering on the lips of his challenger, Goyjo watched as the he pulled back his hood to reveal a head covered by a brown hat and eyes hidden behind a pair of dark glasses.  Goyjo rolled his eyes at the audacity of this person.  Covering their head with a cloak only to hide the eyes and hair with a hat and sunglasses.  This guy was definitely weird.  Shaking the thought from his mind, Goyjo dealt the cards.  His eye fell again to the completely confident look on his opponents face.  The expression annoyed him for some reason, but he didn't know why.  All he knew was that he needed to take this guy down.

Several hours later, Goyjo stormed out of the bar.  That shady bastard had somehow cleaned him completely out of his winnings from not only that night, but what he had left from the night before.  Lady Luck had betrayed him.  Each hand, Goyjo was shut down and each hand, no matter what, that infuriating grin was plastered all over that guy's face.  That stupid, cocky grin on those thin, pale lips.  That expression had pissed him off so much that he didn't even accept any of the invites the three girls had given him to stay the night with them.  He huffed as he made his way home.  'That bastard!  Damn it!  How could he have wiped me out like that?  No one has ever done that to me!   Who was that guy anyway?'  Finally arriving at his house, he plopped down on his bed, not bothering with the lights or his shoes.  He rolled over and closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would quell his anger about the game.  'That smirking bastard!  He's going to get it, if…NO…when I find him again. And when I do, I'm going to shove that darn smirk right back in his face!' As he drifted off into the land of dreams, one tiny thought flew through his mind, where had he seen that smirk before anyway?

Goyjo awoke with a start as the sound of banging disrupted his very pleasant dreams.  "What the hell?"

"OIY!!! HENTAI-KAPPA!!! YOU IN THERE?" Goyjo grimaced as the all too familiar voice of Goku came streaming through the door.  "I don't think he's here, Hakkai."

"He should be, I already checked at the bar and they said he got slaughtered last night and left in a huff."  Hakkai cheerful voice came through next.

"Really? Goyjo got slaughtered? Baka!" Goku laughed.

"HEY! SHUT UP!!!" Goyjo said as he flung open the door and smacked Goku up side the head. 

"Hey! That hurt!"  Goku complained. Hakkai stepped between the two before a fight could ensue.

"Good morning, Goyjo.  Glad to see you recovered from your beating last night."  Hakkai greeted with his trademark grin.

Goyjo cocked an eye brow at his almost rude friend and laughed. "Yeah, whatever, Hakkai.  Now, why did you come here and wake me up at this ungodly hour."

"Ungodly hour? It's 2 o'clock in the afternoon." Goku replied, looking up at the sun.

"Why are you here?"  Goyjo asked again, ignoring Goku's outburst.

"Sanzo wants to see us.  He says it's important.  So that's why we are here and that's why we must go…uh…now."  Hakkai answered.

"Oh great.  We get the pleasure of seeing the holy monk again so soon."  Goyjo said, as he went inside to grab his coat. "Ok, let's go."

Sanzo sat by the window of his bare room in the monastery.  The sun had decided to show its face just to spite him for the day was at a complete contrast with his mood.  He was not looking forward to another journey.  Surprisingly, even to him, he was looking forward to some peace and quiet, at least for a time.  The affairs of the gods were no business of his yet he seemed to keep getting pulled into them.  It was annoying him.  Leaning back in his chair, he watched as Hakkai pulled up in his jeep.  Turning from the window, he waited the minute it took to get from the entrance to his room.  Not bothering to knock, Goku strolled in with Goyjo and Hakkai in tow.

"Ok, monk. What is this all about?"  Goyjo said as he plopped down on one of the few wooden chairs in the small room.

"Nice to see you too, Goyjo."  Sanzo said in his monotone voice as the Goku settled himself on the floor.  "Hakkai, close the door."  Doing as told, he slowly shut the door and leaned against the wall next to it.  Sanzo took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before he began.  "Yesterday, I was summoned to the Three Heads for a meeting.  It seems the gods can't do a thing for themselves…"

"Well, we all know that!  Cut the crap Sanzo.  Get to the point." Goyjo cut in agitatedly.

"Fine.  We have been assigned another job.  We are to hunt down a renegade god who has fled to earth and is hiding somewhere around here.  The gods have been looking for him for quite awhile but they obviously can't find him.  So, now the job falls on us.  They want us to find him before the retrieval squads do."  Sanzo sat back, letting the news sink in.  Silence ensued, but it did not last long.

"WHAT?! Who do they think we are?  Some kind of special force they can call on whenever they need us to do their bidding?" Goyjo cried in disbelief.

"It seems that way, doesn't it.  But, once again, we can't refuse this.  It comes from high up.  Same place as the last one." Sanzo replied.

"You mean it's from that same old hag who sent us to the West?" Sanzo only nodded as Goyjo threw his hangs in the air in defeat. "Great.  Just great.  I really wanted another journey JUST as we got back." 

"Calm down Goyjo.  If we find this guy fast, we can catch him, turn him in and be done with it."  Goku reasoned.

"Hmm…good plan, saru, except for one thing.  WE DON'T KNOW WHO THIS GUY IS OR WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE OR WHERE TO START!!!" Goyjo blurted, now fuming in his seat.

"Who exactly are we looking for, Sanzo?"  Hakkai asked, breaking from his silent brooding.

Sanzo reached down and picked up an official looking document from his desk.  "His name is Nataku, the war god.  Apparently, he had been in a coma like state for the last 500 years.  It seems, as we were still traveling to the West, he disappeared.  The gods have searched the entirety of Heaven and now believe him to be hidden somewhere on earth."

Hakkai nodded slightly taking in this information, a sad smile gracing his lips.  "Ironic isn't it?"

"What is, Hakkai?"  Goku asked.

"We were sent to stop the same demon he destroyed 500 years ago and now we ourselves are sent to find him."  Hakkai stated more to himself than the others.

"So, when do we leave?"  Goyjo questioned as he stood.

"Tomorrow." Sanzo said "For now, do what you wish.  Just be here first thing in the morning, ready to leave."

"Sure thing." Standing, Goyjo walked toward to door. "Come on Hakkai, let's get out of here.  The atmosphere in this place is killing me."  Hakkai quietly followed out the door into the cool afternoon breeze.  As they reached the jeep, Goyjo turned to him.  "What do you think of all this?"

"I don't know.  It seems to me that this is going to be more than just a mere man hunt."  Hakkai replied as he started up the engine.

"I wouldn't doubt it.  Whenever we do something, there is always some hidden catch behind it." Goyjo smirked as they pulled onto the road and headed back to town.  "This is going to be interesting to say the least."

The next morning, the four of them found themselves on an all too familiar road.  Crowded once again into the jeep, they were off.  Goyjo sat disgruntled in the backseat with Goku, his mood growing worse by the second.  He had spent the entirety of the previous night back at the tavern waiting.  He sat at the poker table all night, waiting and watching for the cloaked stranger to show himself.  But he didn't come.  The fact that Goyjo cleaned out almost everyone there that night made no difference to him.  He had wanted to play that smirking nuisance one more time to prove that he was the best.  But the coward didn't show.  Now he was off yet again on another 'assignment' and wouldn't have a chance to find the jerk and beat him until after he returned.  He narrowed his eyes in annoyance as he watched the town shrink into the distance.  Soon it would be hidden by the forest they soon would be entering.  They drove in silence for awhile watching the quite forest as they passed through.

"So, Sanzo, where are we supposed to start looking for this guy?" Hakkai asked the pensive man next to him. 

Sanzo leaned his head back and closed his eyes in thought. "That I don't know.  This guy has been eluding the gods, as I have told you.  I don't know how they expect us to…"

"Hey guys! Do you hear something?" Goku interrupted. 

"No.  Must be your imagination, baka saru." Goyjo shot.

"I'm serious; I thought I heard…There it is again!" Goku stood up and closed his eyes, trying to pinpoint the noise. "It sounds like a fight."

Hakkai strained his ears but all he could hear was the sound of the wind rushing by.  "I don't hear anything Goku.  Maybe if we get out of the…"  Hakkai was cut off as they came out of the forest right into the middle of…a battle.  Hakkai watched at what seemed like a group of ninjas battling it out with some unseen enemy. 

"Hakkai! Watch it!"  Hearing Goyjo's warning Hakkai pulled his eyes back to the road in time to hit the breaks before they ran into the boulder infront of them. 

"Looks like you were right this time, saru.  It is a fight.  Too bad they aren't after us.  I'm looking for an excuse to blow off some steam."  Goyjo said as he watched the fight ensuing.  Goku stood in the backseat and surveyed the ongoing battle.  The ninjas, or so he thought for they all were dressed in the same dark blue outfits with the same golden armor on different places of their bodies, were fighting what looked like two different people.  A figure soon broke through the converging ninjas, slashing with a deadly looking curved sword.  A few of the ninjas broke off from the main group and attacked.  The lone warrior easily fended them off, but once one was down, two more had replaced it.  Goku, spurned into action by an unknown source, jumped from the jeep and raced toward the outnumbered fighter.  

"Goku!" Hakkai called but was cut off as a blast of blue energy caught his attention. 

"Looks like there's no helping it." Goyjo said as he followed Goku's lead and ran into the thick of the fight.  Hakkai soon followed, throwing Sanzo an apologetic look before running after his red haired companion.  Sanzo reached for his gun and stepped out of the jeep.  "Troublesome."

"I've got you know.  There's no escape this time."  The ninja advanced on the lone warrior who only glared at him with cold golden eyes.  "It's time to go ba…" His sentence was cut off by jaw shattering right hook.  The gold eyed fighter turned to see Goku pull out his staff and take out three more. 

"Are you ok?"  Grabbing the fighters arm, Goku turned to face him.  Gold met gold as their eyes locked.  Goku's eyes fell on a face he had not seen in a long time.  "Nara?  What are you doing here?"  She smiled quickly up at him.  Looking her over, he noticed something strange.  Her hair seemed darker and was pulled back by a head ban that also covered her forehead.  But what struck him most was the fact that her eyes were now a deep gold.  'What the…' but his thoughts were cut short by a needle flying by his line of sight. Back to back now, he began to fight off the attackers with renewed vigilance.

On the other side of the field, Goyjo was cutting his way through his own group of ninjas, who now noticed the new arrivals.  Hakkai wasn't far behind him, shooting off blasts of green energy on those foolish enough to converge on him.  Turning his attention back to his opponents, he was barely able to dodge the figure flying past him.  Turning, he kicked its pursuer, knocking him into three more.  Goyjo turned to the now crouching figure next to him and his annoyance returned.  Kneeling beside him with a hand grasping their bleeding shoulder was the cocky poker player from the other night with the same confident smirk plastered on their face.  But this time the cloak was flung back and the hat that had hidden his features so well was missing, revealing a falling bun of long red hair.  At any other moment, Goyjo would have slapped himself, but now was not the time.  Slugging another attacker out of the way, he pulled an injured Roxanne over his shoulder and started to run.

Hakkai watched as Goyjo lifted someone up and started to run back toward the jeep with several enemies in pursuit.  He started toward them, but they were too far ahead.  Skidding to a halt, he began to collect his energy.  Before he could launch his attack, a blue energy ball flew past his ear, taking out the pursuers.  He turned in time to see a hooded figure run towards him.  The person reached out and grabbed his arm. "RUN!!" came Emma's desperate voice.  Hakkai didn't argue and was soon running back toward the jeep.

"SANZO!! GOKU!!! BACK TO THE JEEP!!" Hakkai yelled mid run. 

Sanzo, hearing Hakkai, turned from his game of target practice and started back toward the jeep.  He watched as Goku dashed back to the jeep, pulling behind him a dark haired figure with a curved blade; several ninjas giving chase.  It seemed the dark haired one was their main target.  Poising his gun once more, Sanzo started shooting, his aim never failing once. Sanzo reached the jeep as Goku and the stranger reached the jeep.

"Get in Saru, we have to go."  Sanzo ordered.

"Wait! We can't go yet!" Sanzo turned fast at the familiar voice. 'No….' Staring up at him was one of the last people he had expected to see.  Emma was sitting in the small space between the two front seats.  Sanzo moved his gaze to Goyjo in the back with a tired and bleeding Roxanne in his lap.  He turned back to Goku and finally saw the face of his companion.  He was not surprised to see Nara, but something was very different about her. Not having time to dwell on it he turned back to the battle, eyes scanning the area. He didn't need anyone to tell him who was left behind.  'That baka onna…what has she gotten herself into this time.'  His eyes finally caught sight of Sephira sprinting fast toward them with a few ninjas hot on her heels.

"GO!" She screamed, still several feet away.  Sanzo jumped into the jeep as Hakkai revved up the engine. 

"HURRY!" Came Nara's desperate cry.  Sephira ran hard toward the jeep.  Hakkai turned the jeep around, readying it to get out of there as soon as Sephira was in.  Reaching into her pocket, Sephira grabbed the last of her throwing needles.  With one final burst of energy, she jumped, throwing the last of her needles, taking down a few more before falling hard into the back of the jeep.

"DRIVE! DRIVE! DRIVE!!!" Emma screamed as Hakkai changed gears and floored it back into the forest.  Sephira sat up slowly, keeping an eye out for any who might follow them as they raced away.  After feeling certain that they had reached a safe distance, she sat back.  They had escaped.  They had survived once more.  She turned and looked at the faces she had been quite sure she would never see again.  Nara was next to Goku, both looking as if they had just had a strenuous work-out.  Roxanne sat leaning on Goyjo as he clumsily tried to bind the wound on her shoulder. She turned her gaze to where Emma was, squeezed between Hakkai and Genjo Sanzo.  The sight of him on the battle field had startled her but as she saw the others running toward the jeep, she knew what must be done.  A small blush crept over her cheeks as the memory of their last encounter came to the front of her mind.  Turning away, she tried her best to push the thought back, focusing on the problem at hand.

The group sat in silence as they made their way back through the forest.  Soon, Hakkai pulled off the road and guided them toward a small clearing in the woods.  Sephira laughed to herself as they stopped outside of a small cave.  'Oh the ever convenient cave.'  She stood and climbed out of the jeep, along with the others.  Emma took Roxanne to the side and, using some of her energy, began to heal her wound. 

Sephira watched as the others dispersed to various tasks.  Her head felt fuzzy as something warm ran along the skin of her toned stomach.  Looking down, she saw a dark spot growing on front of her cloak.  Pulling it back, she saw a red stain at the front of her shirt.  'Blood?'  Turning away, she lifted the front of her shirt and pulled out long needle from where it sat under her diaphragm.  Why hadn't she noticed it before?

"Ok, Sephira.  What's going on this time?" Sephira barely registered Sanzo's cold voice as her eyes became cloudy.  Turning slowly, she held up the blood covered needle to him.   Her breathing become ragged as an intense heat overtook her body.  She did her best to focus on him, grasping to hang on to reality. 

"Poi…son…"  Sanzo barely caught the all but whispered word before Sephira's body gave out from under her.  She collapsed forward as darkness took hold of her fevered mind.

End of ch. 7

Sai Orlianna:  Heehee…I did it again.   yeah, Sephira is out again.  I guess I

                       like making her get hurt. It's fun.  Now we are into the next - and

                       best - arc of this story.  Please R&R. I swear I will try and have the

                       next chapter up soon. Ja for now!