Guardian
Poison
Gojyo stood in front of a huge, wooden building, the sign hanging outside read 'Hunter's Tavern.' The place had at least four floors and looked like it was holding up well. He straightened his shoulders and pushed open the door.
Eyes suddenly turned towards him, watching him move to the bar. So many drunken humans stared at him, at his features. He could hear them mumbling things about his eyes and hair. He heard the words 'half-breed' and 'taboo' mentioned a few times, but he didn't turn to acknowledge them.
"Hiroshi! Man, long time no see! Where ya been?" cheered the bartender, a wide grin spread out on his fattened face. Gojyo stopped and looked around, hoping to find this 'Hiroshi' guy. He turned back to the bartender and pointed to himself. The man nodded and waved him over.
"Sorry man, but you got the wrong guy," said Gojyo.
"Oh, my apologies. It's these damn dimmed lights, can't see a frickin' thing," said the bartender.
"I was hoping you could help me out with something though," said Gojyo, leaning his arm against the bar and looking around the building.
"With what?"
"The White Mononoke," said Gojyo and the bartender turned to stare. The people behind them suddenly hushed and listened their way. He didn't have to turn to know that their eyes and ears were on his conversation.
"You wanna know about the White Mononoke? Why?" asked the bartender.
"Just curious," said Gojyo.
"Yeah, really. We'll, what do you want to know?" asked the bartender, picking up a glass and cleaning it off.
"Who is she?" asked Gojyo. The bartender let out a thick laugh.
"Who is she? That's easy. Her name is Aislin: an inu-hanyou," said the bartender.
"An inu-hanyou? She doesn't look like a hanyou," said Gojyo.
"That's only to the untrainned eye. I don't know the whole depth of the taboo ways, but she's a hanyou," said the bartender. He reached under the counter and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper. He unravelled it and laid it in front of Gojyo.
WANTED
Aislin Akiyama
aka
The White Mononoke
85,000,000,000,000
- Inu-hanyou, white hair, tan skin, black marking (shoulders, cheeks, and forehead)
- White wolf, black markings(shoulders, thighs, back, cheeks), black cresent moon on forehead
WARNING: ARMED AND DANGEROUS! APPROACH WITH CAUTION!
Two pictures were on the poster, one of Aislin in a humanoid form, the other of her true form. The picture of her true form was obsucred and blurry, hard to tell which detail was which. All he could make out was the white fangs bared at the person who took the picture.
"Can I get a copy of this?" asked Gojyo. The bartender nodded and pulled out another poster, handing it to Gojyo.
"Just one thing," said the bartender, stopping Gojyo as he was halfway across the room, "Why does a half-demon want to catch another half-demon? That's like going against one's kind, ain't it?" asked the bartender.
"I never said that I was going after it," said Gojyo as he pushed open the door and went out into the streets. The door closed behind Gojyo and the bartender shook his head.
A man sitting at one of the tables stood up and headed towards the door, his hand resting on the hilt of one of his swords at his hip.
"Hey Renzu, where ya going?" asked the bartender.
"... Hunting," replied Renzu, pushing open the door and dissappearing into the sunlight.
:00:00:00:00:
"Hey Gojyo, where were you?" asked Hakkai, looking up from the card game he was playing with Goku and Sanzo. Sanzo played his hand: three queens and two kings, followed by Goku's hand of one king, three jacks, and a ten. "Sorry guys," said Hakkai, " A royal flush... in spades."
"Darn it Hakkai! Stop doing that!" said Goku. He turned his gaze to the paper that Gojyo held in his hand, "Hey Gojyo, what's that?
"Take a look," said Gojyo, unrolling the the poster. Sanzo and Hakkai stood up and walked over, looking over Goku's shoulders at the poster.
"Hey! It's the girl from last night," said Goku, pointing to her picture.
"No duh, ape-shit," said Gojyo.
"Hey! Don't call me that, pervy kappa!" shouted Goku, tugging on Gojyo's hair.
"Fine...crappy monkey," smirked Gojyo, grabbing Goku's cheek and pulling.
"Hey! Kappa no baka!" barked Goku.
"SHUT-UP! The boh of you!" shouted Sanzo, a tick forming above his left eye.
Hakkai shook his head and looked at the clock on the wall. It was 1:51 in the afternoon.
"We should head out now," said Hakkai. Everyone nodded and began to clean-up and gather their things. In about 15 minutes, everyone was packed and heading out the door. After paying for the rooms, the group walked down to the edge of town.
"So, the forest surrounds the whole town?" asked Goku.
"That's right, we can't take Jeep through though. This forest is more like a jungle, too many roots and rocks," said Hakkai, scratching under Hakuryu's chin, " Sorry boy."
They stopped at the edge fo the forest, looking into the shadows of the tall trees. Ferns grew along the ground and a small creek flowed through the underbrush.
"Why are you going into the forest?" aske avoice behind them. They turned to face a young man, just a little bit older than Goku.
He was a tiger with geen eyes and black hair. A lean build, but with much strength to back him. He wore a black shirt with a silver embroidded dragon and a pair of loose khakis. Black cuffs were on his wrist and pair of heavy, black boots were on his feet. His tiger-like tail swished behind him, flicking with a bit of impatience.
"Not that it is any of your concern, but we are headed West," said Sanzo, his eyes piercing the tiger with a glare. The tiger demon nodded.
"You're not here to kill Aislin or the Forest Spirit?" he asked, his green eyes stopping on Gojyo.
"No, we're not interested in the inu-hanyou," said Hakkai. The tiger nodded again.
"Fine, but I warn you. There are demons in there that are beyond your comprehension. Should you fight one and become injured, seek the Forest Spirit, Kishin. Aislin will lead you to him," said the tiger, turning to leave.
"One question," said Hakkai, the tiger stopped, "Why are you not affected by the Minus Wave?"
"The only demons that are not affected are hanyou, under developed youkai, or very powerful youkai. I am no hanyou and I am not a child," said the tiger, "I am a mononoke." He dissappeared in the breeze, leaving a trail of black feathers in his wake.
"What's that got to do with anything? Him being a mononoke, I mean," asked Goku.
"I guess mononoke can overcome the Minus Wave," said Gojyo. The group turned back around and walked into the forest, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.
:00:00:00:00:
"Man, we've been here for hours! Where are we?" shouted Goku.
"I'm not quite sure, but we should still be heading west," said Hakkai, "What do you thingk Sanzo?"
"Hell if I know," said Sanzo.
"That's not very reassuring," said Hakkai.
"I'm hungry," whined Goku, clutching his stomach.
Hakuryu lifted his head and let out a tiny hiss. He flapped his wings and hissed into the forest, striking his claws into the empty air.
"What's the matter Haku?" asked Hakkai, taking the dragon into his hands and petting its head, but it didn't stop hissing. Goku was looking about the forest, a low growl rising in his throat.
"Guys... something's coming," said Goku.
The group quieted and the forest was silent around them. The birds had stopped chirpping and everything was still. The only sounds were of their heartbeats and the heavy breathing to the north.
The pounding feet of an approaching beast echoed in their ears. The low rumbling from the beast's chest washed over the silence. The rustle of fur and leaves as the creature crept closer.
Sanzo pulled out his gun and shot a bullet into the shadown to the north. A shrill cry echoed through the forest, followed by a loud roar.
The pounding feet grew louder as they got closer, quicker and quicker. Trees wer toren down as the beast charged them, still hidden by the shadows.
Then, in a flash, a mighty tail swept out of the shadows and sent Goku flying into a near by tree.
"What the hell!" shouted Gojyo as the beast stepped out of the forest.
It was huge, almost as big as the trees themselves. Yellow fur covered its body and it had a white under belly. Huge fangs preturded from its mouth, one large one coming out of its jawbone. A large horn was on its forehead with two little ones above its fiery crimson eyes. Large yellow ears with tufts of blue and green fur twitched, listening to the heartbeats of the group. Its back was lined with green spots all the way to the tuft of fur at the tip of its tail. Huge blue and red claws extended from its gigantic paws.
It openned its mouth and let out another shrill roar, rearing up on its hind legs before crashing down on the ground.
Gojyo, Sanzo, and Hakkai jumped out of the way from being crushed. Its fangs snapped at Sanzo, trying to tear the priest apart.
"Noi-byo!" shouted Goku as his pole connected with the beast's side. The creature roared and swung its paw around again, hitting Goku.
Gojyo's chained sycthe sliced the beast across the hind quarters, a trail of liquid red ran down its leg. Its red eyes locked with Gojyo's and its tail swung around an hit him, hitting him in the stomach.
Sanzo pulled out the Seiten sutra and began to chant, the paper scroll floating around him. Goku and Gojyo attacked the creature from both sides, trying to distract it from Sanzo. It growled at the two and charged Sanzo, its mouth wide and dripping acid drool.
Goku and Gojyo kept attack it, but it just batted them away, its target: Sanzo. It raised its claws and knocked Sanzo away, slashing him across the chest.
"Sanzo!" shouted Goku as he ran towards the injured priest. The beast only roared and swatted Goku away. Hakkai ran over to Sanzo and erected a shield as the beast's paw tried to crush them.
'How are we gonna beat this thing!' thought Gojyo, sitting up from where the demon had thrown him.
Hakkai used his power to keep the shield strong under the demon's constant attacks, sweat running down his face. He looked over at Sanzo and saw that the wounds were ozing a green liquid. It began to bubble and fester, eating away at his flesh.
"Hurry, you guys! We have to get to the Forest Spirit! Sanzo's been poisoned!" shouted Hakkai as the beast continued to pound at the shield.
"How?" shouted Gojyo, the blade cutting at the demon again and blood gushed out of the wound.
The creature turned its eyes to Gojyo and Goku and roared. It stood on its rear legs and was about to charge when a howl echoed through the forest. Its ears twitch and it roared again, a loud snarl following it.
The pounding of more paws against the earth echoed in the forest. The howl continued, growing louder with every beat against the earth.
"Great! Just what we need! Something else that will kill us!" shouted Gojyo.
The howl grew louder and louder. Gojyo and Goku ducked as the forest let out a feral roar and another creature lept out of the trees.
End Chapter
Author's Note
Mononoke: a vengeful or angry spirit/ghost
Hanyou: Half demon, half human
Youkai: A demon, usually a calm spirit
Inu: Dog
I hope that's okay. I also hope that those frickin' dollar signs show up. Anyways, hope you like.
I do not own Saiyuki, nor do I own any characters related to the manga/anime/legend. I do own Aislin, Hiroshi, Kishin, or any other character that came from my imagination. This disclaimer will be added at the end of every chapter.