Part Four: Zonaki's own choices…
How this came to be…
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Four hours earlier
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Everyone on the jeep was silent; there was no sound, no whisper, not even a cough or a sneeze. Gojyo laid his head back facing the clouds.
"Looks like it's going to rain" Gojyo was trying hard to make a conversation, because he was getting board by doing nothing.
He took out his cigarette and exhaled the tobacco smoke, making it surround the area.
Goku just looked up, seeing the sudden greyness in the clouds. "I hope we get to a town before it rains…"
Sanzo didn't answer, his eyes were closed. It didn't really matter he wouldn't react even if there was an avalanche coming down.
Zonaki just sighed feeling more and more depressed "I hope not…I hate the rain" Zonaki announced. Closing and reopening her eyes again looking down on the sand that they were swooshing through fast.
Hakkai just shook his head agreeing with Zonaki's statement "Yes it would be a shame if we got caught in this un-fortune able weather now would it?"
Everyone shook their heads, except Sanzo he was still having a nap.
"Hey, Hakkai how much longer till we get to the village anyway?" Gojyo looked forward; Hakkai looked back at the corner of his eye. "Just another four hours…"
Goku and Zonaki moaned, while Gojyo laid his head back again and stared at the dull covers of clouds that cover the bright blue sky that was there a couple of hours ago.
"Hey what do you think Kougaiji's doing now?" Goku and Gojyo looked at Zonaki, shocked; it was usually Goku that asks that question. Sanzo just woke up immediately.
Hakkai just looked at his viewing mirror, as the fierce wind blew against his face.
"Say again?" Sanzo ordered as he slowly scuffled round his robes, Zonaki sighed and repeated "What do you think Kougaiji's doing now?"
Sanzo revealed his fan turned over in his chair and smacked her with it. 'Thwack'. Zonaki rubbed her head trying to ease the pain "And what was that for?"
"You shouldn't be talking about the enemy, its bad luck?" Sanzo sat back in his seat and folded his arms together. "Fine" Zonaki moaned.
"Sanzo?" Sanzo inserted a cigarette into his mouth.
"What?" Sanzo got out his lighter and clicked it a number of times, until the flame came into view.
"What is it like when somebody dies?" Sanzo flinched; he dropped the lighter onto his hand and burned himself. Hakkai took the lighter and closed it. Well before it could cause more damage to Sanzo.
"Say what?" Sanzo turned round, he was caught off guard. Zonaki didn't look at him; she continued to look out at the sand that they passed. The wind was blowing threw her hair.
Zonaki closed her eyes "What's it like when somebody dies?"
Hakkai looked at his viewing mirror "What brought this up all of a sudden?" Hakkai looked clueless.
"Just wondering…" Sanzo just closed his eyes and replied "Fucking depressing…" Zonaki narrowed her eyes "That bad huh?"
"Is death really so scary?" Sanzo flinched again "Yes it is…" Zonaki looked forward innocently "How come?" Hakkai closed his eyes and smiled a bit, then opened his eyes "Well because, no one knows what's going to happen when their dead, they could be stuck in a never ending darkness forever…"
"What's it like anyway?" Zonaki blinked
"I wouldn't really know Zonaki cause I'm not dead yet" Hakkai looked back with a nervous smile.
Gojyo stared at Zonaki at the corner of his eye "What's with all these questions anyway?" Zonaki looked at Gojyo then turned her attention back at the sandy mountains.
"Out of curiosity" Gojyo sighed.
Zonaki leaned forward; she tapped Sanzo on the shoulder.
"What is it?"
Zonaki just gave him a cheerful smile "Hey Sanzo I've just predicted something…"
"Oh yeah? What is this prediction yeah made?"
Zonaki whispered making sure that the others won't hear "I predict that 'm going to die first"
Sanzo's eyes widened, thinking what could ever make her say that? Sanzo frowned "Stop talking idiotic thing's Zonaki"
Zonaki looked at him innocently "But it's true"
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Three hours later
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"You'll be happy to know that we're almost there" Hakkai announced as he turned his head back with a cheerful smile.
Zonaki frowned and leaned forward; she tapped on his shoulder and pointed forward "Don't be so cheerful, here come's the welcoming committee"
Hakkai looked forward; there was a countless number of youkai in front, Hakkai immediately stepped on the breaks, the jeep came to a skidding stop.
Zonaki stood up "Yes"
Goku jumped out of the jeep with joy, as he made solid footprints into the sand "About bloody time"
Gojyo slowly rose to his feet "We thought you guys were never going to come"
There were sounds of Goku's swirling Nyoboi, Gojyo's Shakujou and Zonaki's Kasthra Cyo as she banged it onto the sandy ground creating dust around her as she jumped onto the ground. Gojyo followed her as he let his crescent blade go loose slashing through some of their opponents in the process as their limp bodies fell to the ground.
Casting blood onto the sandy floor, as the sand stuck to them.
Zonaki frowned "Man Gojyo you really are an ass when it comes to disposing trash" Zonaki slashed out her flail as it collided into many of their opponents, making them spit out blood as they dropped to the ground, dead.
"So sue me we can't all be like you, yeah know" Gojyo hurled the chain back into his staff.
Zonaki caught the other end of her flail and raised the other that had the handle, ready to launch it back out again. "Yeah whatever. What do you think Goku?" Zonaki fired her flail out again.
Goku continued to spin his staff round and round hitting all the Youkai who runs at him. "Zonaki-Chan I don't really know? What about you Sanzo?"
Sanzo was busy firing his gun, while Hakkai was fighting hand to hand with his opponents. "Does it really matter? Let's just get this over with?"
"Looks like someone made Sanzo angry" Hakkai smiled, cascading his opponents onto the sandy floor one at a time. Zonaki pointed over to Gojyo "Don't look at me Gojyo started it" a youkai launched itself at her; Zonaki just kicked the youkai and continued pointing.
Zonaki looked over to a man, he looked human, he didn't look like a youkai, he was very tall with blond hair, a piece of his hair was covering one of his eyes, his eyes were dark orange, he was wearing a strange type of clothing, he was wearing a black leather jacket, black trousers, black gloves, everything he was wearing was black. He looked handsome and cute.
'Who is he?' Zonaki blinked twice as she blushed a bit.
The man came rushing over to her with his fist out ready to connect. 'Not on our side anyway' Zonaki blocked the punch with her flail. The man gripped her flail, Zonaki gasped. The man swung the flail making Zonaki let go and tossed it away.
"Shit" The man punched, Zonaki jumped away, but it seems he wasn't going to give up so easily. He came charging towards her; even though Zonaki can read his body language and movements she can barely get out of harm if he keeps this up.
He thrusts Zonaki blocked, then he dropped himself down and tripped her up, making Zonaki fall on to the sandy ground, feeling the sand on her face wasn't pleasant. Zonaki coughed, looked up.
The man drew out knives and fired them onto the ground, Zonaki rolled out of the way, trying to avoid getting sliced to ribbons.
"Wow that was a close call" Zonaki breathed heavily, she felt rain drops on her face. Zonaki looked up and saw the dark grey clouds hovering over her.
'Wow, it's really coming down'
"Hey, don't ignore your opponents when your fighting" Zonaki looked forward the man was coming at her, he jumped.
Zonaki trusts her legs up, caught him. The man fired a knife piercing through the side of her neck, leaving blood on her. Zonaki groans and flung him over her head.
Zonaki touched the side of her neck, she hissed as she felt the pain. Zonaki removed her bandanna and wrapped it around her neck, making sure she doesn't suffocate to death.
"Bloody bastard" Zonaki cursed, as she stood up slowly, she wobbled a bit. She breathed heavily as she tried her best to stand up.
"Had enough" she turned towards the man, "You wish" Zonaki fell back down onto the floor and sighed.
Sanzo continued to fire the last of them, as he started to reload his bullets again.
Goku sighed as he scratched his head "That's the last of them"
"Not really" Goku looked over to Hakkai, as he shifted his head. Signaling that there's still one left.
Gojyo looked over at the man that Zonaki was having a problem with at the moment, he stared confused. "He looks human to me?"
"Would he be human if he wasn't trying to kill Zonaki?" Gojyo shook his head, Hakkai sighed.
"J…just one question?" Zonaki was having a problem to breath, the man stood there waiting for the question. Zonaki glared her eyes up "Who are you? And who do you work for?"
The man smiled and pulled out a shimmering thread "My name is Kita Lucio…I'm a personal assassin to Lady Gokymean (Well I think that's how you spell it?) And one of Gyumaoh (I think that's how you spell it anyway) top men…"
Zonaki looked at him 'Is this guy for real?'
"I usually work under cover of darkness…" Lucio continued. Zonaki frowned then sighed looking up at him "Go on…"
"And I'm here to get the sutra off you Genjyo Sanzo" Lucio announced as he pointed at her, Zonaki jumped, eyes widened as she pointed to herself.
"Yes you Sanzo"
"Nah-uh you made a mistake, Genjyo Sanzo is over THERE!" Zonaki pointed over to Sanzo angrily.
Lucio turned and looked over to Sanzo; everyone was looking at him. As the wind blew violently everywhere, making the sand fly all over the place.
Lucio turned over to Sanzo, he shrugged "Doesn't really matter who's Sanzo and who's not, as long as we get the sutra then nothing matters" Lucio clicked his fingers.
All the youkai that they disposed off stood up again.
"No way…how can all the opponents we killed stand up again?" Zonaki slowly stood up.
It was getting cold, very cold.
Sanzo pointed his pistol and fired at the youkai that were pushing themselves up off the floor, limped back down. But they just get up again, Sanzo fired continually. 'Dammit'
"Looks like the journey west ends now" Lucio raised one hand up, a red glow surrounded his hand.
Zonaki looked, to see what he was aiming for. She turned her head, Sanzo was busy firing his gun so he couldn't notice what Lucio had planned for him.
"SANZO!" Zonaki got up and ran to Sanzo, Lucio fired. The red light turned into a laser and came shooting towards him, Sanzo turned. The laser went through his arm, Sanzo groaned as he held onto it. It was very painful, like a bullet.
Zonaki gasped. Lucio's hand turned red once more "Lucky, but lets see how?" Zonaki started to run again, Lucio fired.
"SAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNZZZZZZOOOOOO!" Sanzo turned, he saw Zonaki coming towards him.
Zonaki pushed him out of the way; Sanzo collapsed unto the floor, onto the cold, wet sand. Zonaki felt something going through her body like an arrow as she collapsed backwards unto the floor. Sanzo gasped as he pulled himself up, feeling the cold hard rain beating against his face.
Zonaki opened her eyes weakly, she laughed a bit "Told yeah I'd go first, see Sanzo, see?" Sanzo came a little bit closer, Zonaki looked very weak "Tch well I'll see you later huh? Huh Sanzo?" Zonaki closed her eyes. She felt her life drifting away, somewhere that was completely dark, a place that she won't feel pain anymore. Then darkness…
The End, To be Continued
Sanzo's Guardian Angel: Sorry I made this a bit long, too long, Sorry if it is…I can drift off sometimes