Part 14: No White Flag

Sanzo

I put the last bullet in my gun and slip it into the holster. Hakkai was spotted just South of here. God only knows what they did to him, but I know that he is still in there. This time, I'm not going to fail him. This time he's coming back with me.

Goku is waiting for me downstairs. Gojyo would have come if we'd told him, but he isn't up for a fight right now. Of course, that hardheaded kappa would have fought anyway. He never was good at letting his body heal. We decided it was safer if we left him out of the loop just this once. Lirin would probably thank us for it. We're not going in alone, though. Kougaiji is going to bring some help. He seems to believe that Nii is partly his own fault, and I'm not going too fight with him on that one.

By the time I come down to meet Goku the demon is already here. He looks at me with the same cool regard that I look at him with. We may not be enemies anymore, but it doesn't mean we're friends. Goku, on the other hand, seems to have buried the hatchet. He gives Kougaiji his signature stupid, friendly grin. "What took ya so long?"
"I got a little caught up in something," he apologizes.

"Humpf, where's the help you were supposed to bring?" I ask.

"He'll be here soon."

Goku frowns. "Um, he? Just one?"

The demon actually had the audacity to laugh. "Just one."

"Well, I'm not waiting any more," I tell them and start walking toward the edge of town. I don't take five steps before a blade whizzes past my cheek on the end of a chain. "GOD DAMN IT!"

Turning with my gun drawn, I see a tall thin man with long red hair standing on a roof top. Could it be? "I owned you that one, monk." The figure jumps down and I get a better look at him.

"So the second generation of the line of losers decides to show up."

"Listen, pretty boy, at least my dad and I go for chicks!"

My face goes completely blank. He had no idea Gojyo and Hakkai had a past. Behind me, Goku and Kougaiji can barely hold back their laughter. I say nothing as I lead the way to him.

Hakkai, I'm coming. I know that you feel me in you. You are the only thing that has ever really mattered to me.

As we reach the end of the town, the demonic aura is stifling. An army of them stand before us with Nii, "Kanan" and Hakkai in the very center. Obviously Nii doesn't remember all of the times we took out youkai armies, but I've always doubted his intelligence. "Want your lover?" He calls. "I'm afraid you'll have to fight for him."

They come at us with the same fervor they used to. Goku is in his glory. He easily jumps into the air and soars back down into a crowd of them sending warriors flying. Jien's blade zings through the air with the same steady control that his father's did. Not wasting any time, Kougaiji and I run to the gap that they clear for us. "See?" Nii whispers in Hakkai's ear. "I told you they'd come for her."

"Bullshit, Nii! You know why we've really come." I can't hold back my rage.

Hakkai's shoulder heave with each heavy breath. The turmoil is building within him. "Hakkai," I plead. "Don't let him control you! You know who you really are!"

For a brief moment, he looks at me and I think that he's back, then all hell breaks loose. "KANAN!" he cries as he charges at us.

Kougaiji barely stands a chance. He's always been fast, but Hakkai is just too quick for him to even graze. Dropping low, he narrowly escapes being slashed by Hakkai's claws. I draw my gun shakily and aim. The bullet grazes his chest just enough to draw blood and turn his attention to me. I don't even try to avoid him, just turn enough to let him fall past me.

"Sanzo!" I hear Goku calling me but I ignore him.

Before, he wasn't actually trying to hurt me. This time is serious. I can see the blood in his eyes. He'd kill me this time, but I still can't hurt him. One hit to my jaw, and I fall to the ground.

"Noooo!" A ball of white cloth and golden brown hair slams into Hakkai's side. Mayu.

"Mayu, get out of the way!" Goku screams.

Hakkai stands shakily, and touches the blood at his lip. He stares at her for a moment. He doesn't move for a long time. What is that look in his eyes? He doesn't know her, but he doesn't want to hurt her. "Hakkai, listen to me. This is Mayu, our God daughter. You remember Goku and Houmei….she's their daughter. You remember don't you?"

"Our?" he asks with a husky voice. He's confused, but for the moment he's lost his will to fight. "Sanzo?"

"Yes, it's me, Hakkai."

"Why do you want to hurt Kanan?" Hurt shows in his expression.

"She's not Kanan!"