Disclaimer: Whoo hoo I own the seven deadly sins because I AM SATAN! Wahahah. Oh and while I'm at it I own Saiyuki too cause I AM SATAN and I am evil cause I steal things that don't belong to me like… Saiyuki! Whahahah whahaha hwahahahahahha cough I mean er…don't own none of this 'cause Satan can't write as cool as me so nope I'm not Satan. XD
Another dullish thing please stand by and I promise it'll get better.
Introducing:
Saiyuki- The Demons Within
Chapter One –Part Two: The Task and Some Unwanted Guests
"Sanzo?" Gokuu interrupted the two arguing then held up a piece of chicken from his lunch with his chopsticks, "Want some?" He smiled widely, eyes shining brightly.
"Go ahead. I promise it's the best you've ever tasted." Gojyo held back a snicker. Sanzo shot him an annoyed look then looked back at the insistence of the smiling face. He took the chopsticks and ate the chicken. It did indeed taste remarkable.
"Excuse me, but may I try some, chibi?" Hakkai moved up to Gokuu.
"Hai!" Gokuu held out the box toward Hakkai.
"Hakkai took the chopsticks from Sanzo and picked up a piece of the chicken. He ate it then smiled, "This is delicious, who made it? Surely, it can't be your cooking Gojyo."
"Kanzeon Bosattsu." Gojyo burst out laughing.
Gokuu choked on mid-bite, spit it out, and began coughing, "Ah! You tricked me you dirty kappa!"
"That old bag made this?" Sanzo raised an eyebrow.
"Ahhhhh! Last time I ate the food that Kanzeon made I was sick forever!" Gokuu wailed while attempting to spit out anything left in his mouth. In the middle of his tirade, his ear twitched nervously.
"Are you saying that I can't cook?" A mocking female voice came as Kanzeon formed into view.
"K-Kanzeon!" Gokuu stepped back.
"I am." Sanzo crossed his arms, "What business do you have?"
"Not much. I just want you to retrieve an object." Kanzeon smiled.
"There's always something." Gojyo grumbled with a sigh.
"We are not your personal errand runners." Sanzo glared.
"It's not from me. This request is from Nataku-sama." Kanzeon looked at Gokuu and Gojyo, "At least two of you are obligated to complete this task."
"What is it?" Hakkai asked.
"You'll know it when you see it." Kanzeon grinned, "Just go southeast for a while." She disappeared with a pleased smirk.
"West, east, southeast, why don't they just make up their minds already?" Gojyo waved his hand annoyed.
"Na, Sanzo?" Gokuu looked up at Sanzo with anxious eyes. The monk looked irate, "You are coming with us right?"
"No." Sanzo replied flatly. Gokuu looked sad for a moment then Sanzo put a hand on his head, "You are coming with me. I don't follow." Gokuu's face brightened.
"So how about it Hakkai?" Gojyo grinned.
"Ah, Hakuryuu and I were thinking about going that way as well." Hakkai smiled.
"Yea!" Gokuu jumped up excitedly.
They stayed a few moments more at camp. Sanzo sat cross-legged drinking a cup of tea that Hakkai had brewed for him. Gojyo was checking the map for their awkward trip to find a good town to visit—one that had as many girls, pubs, and smokes that it could. Hakkai calmly took a sip of his tea contented to be together with his friends again. He looked to his left to notice Gokuu, who was stretched out on his stomach nearly hidden in the tall grass. The earth youkai was watching him with a curious almost worried expression, then he would glance at Sanzo with the same look. He appeared to be thinking quite hard over something. Hakkai never got a chance to ask Gokuu what he was pondering over as Gojyo set the map down in the middle of the group. He pointed to a town dot.
"This is the one! Booze and chicks galore!"
Hakkai just laughed lightly at his friends antics. With a bit of persuasion and a promise of cigarettes, Trimal became their next destination. Packing up, they started off. It was only a few days travel to reach the town. Three tops and then they would be there. They stopped for the night and slept piled up in the jeep as they had many a night. The night covered them over like a blanket but the dark wind blew through carrying a message to the one it served.
'Genjo Sanzo is coming….master…..soon…..sooooon…..'
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"Sanzo."
Chill wind blew through his fair hair as Hakuryuu drove on. They had made great time and if they were lucky, they would reach Trimal by nightfall. He did not hear the voice as it called again. He was lost, thinking, remembering. Blood, claws, a flash of sharp teeth and black hair. He frowned. Why could he not get the image out of his head?
"Sanzo!"
"Oi, Bozho! Your pet saru won't shut up." The sound of Gojyo's voice broke Sanzo's train of thought.
"Ah! You stupid red roach, you wanna start something, eh?" Gokuu demanded.
"Bring it, baka-saru!" Gojyo caught Gokuu about the neck and scrubbed his knuckles over the squirming youkai's head as he protested and flailed.
Hakkai let out a gasp and in that same instant, Hakuryuu came to a sudden screeching halt reverting back to dragon form. He kyuued and flapped nervously around their heads. Recovering his senses, Gokuu looked up to see four figures standing in the road before them as the dust settled. Horrifying recognition crossed his face as a cold feeling coursed his veins. His face lost all ignorance it owned.
"Homura…." He took a step protectively toward Sanzo.
Hakkai glared, barely holding in his rage and anger. The memories flooded back to him about what had happened during the man's last attempt at revenge. How much his friends had been hurt and threatened.
"Chin Issou." Hakkai frowned. Anger coated his words.
A red haired man with an eye patch covering his right eye turned to face Gojyo.(1) Gojyo's face became serious.
"Zenon." Gojyo brandished his shaku with a flourish, "Bring it, if you think you can."
Sanzo eyed the last figure cautiously. He was a tall man with long ebony hair that cascaded down to his waist like dark water. The man turned eyes as gold as Gokuu's on Sanzo. The liquid gold slowly narrowed as a pleased grin crossed the ivory skinned man's face. The look was as if he had found something amusing to him.
"Who are you?" Sanzo raised his gun.
"All in due time, Genjo Sanzo Hoshi-sama." The man smiled then waved his wrist, "Homura, Issou, Zenon, go play with your old friends."
Sanzo remained where he was as the others fought around him. His gaze was locked with the stranger's. The others would be alright, at least they had better be. They knew better than to die so easily. The eyes that stared back at his were frighteningly devoid of the spark of life which burned brightly in normal eyes. These were the eyes of the dead. Sanzo cocked the hammer of the Smith and Wesson.
"So impatient. Very well, I'll play with you if that's what you want." The man waved a long fingered hand at Sanzo.
Sanzo gasped for air briefly then tried to step back only to find his movements frozen. The world around him plunged into darkness. Sanzo struggled to no avail. He could not move or see at all. The harder he fought, the harder it became to breathe. His mind began to cloud over and fade into the warm darkness that welcomed him with open arms and a promise of eternal peace.
Gokuu swung at Homura who jumped back parrying with his flame sword. Pressing the attack, Gokuu pushed forward with all of his strength turning the fight into a shoving match. Leading with his right shoulder, the earth youkai pooled all of his energy into a sudden burst and lunged forward. Homura was forced to step back under the assault only to take a hit to the chin sending him flying across the battlefield. Taking advantage of the momentary victory, Gokuu let his gaze slide quickly across the other fights, checking on the others. His eyes widened to see Sanzo standing still with a vacant look in his eyes as the strange smelling man was about to throw a ki blast at him.
"Sanzo!" Gokuu shouted trying to snap the monk out of his trance. He got no reaction at all. That is when Gokuu heard the man chanting and realized that it was not a ki blast but a spell. The earth youkai left his battle completely and ran toward Sanzo, "Sanzo! Sanzo!"
Hakkai looked up immediately upon hearing Gokuu's distressed shouting. He gasped at the scene. Why was Sanzo not moving? His mind whirled with worry and panic but before he could make a move to help, a sharp blade nicked across his shoulder reminding him that he was previously engaged. Hakkai threw up a shield to block several more blades that were thrown at him. He threw a ki blast at his laughing dodging opponent. He cast one last glance in Sanzo's direction. Gokuu was close; he would make it in time. Hakkai turned back to his fight with extra vigor.
"Move your ass bohzo!" Gojyo found his own attention drawn to the unmoving monk.
His eyes darted back just in time for him to jump out of the way of a rain of bullets. Gojyo dodged to the side as he sent his shaku flying out again. He cursed at Zenon who moved skillfully out of the way and brought his gun to bear. Darting though the shower of bullets and taking several grazing cuts in the process, Gojyo raced up and slammed his fist into Zenon's face throwing the man to one side. Zenon, however, recovered far faster than he should have been able to and lunged at Gojyo with a knife. Blood splattered everywhere.
"Gojyo!" Hakkai shouted blocking another attack from Chin Issou as he saw the man fall. They were losing. There was no way that these could be the same people they fought before. Something was very wrong,
"Sanzo!"
Gokuu flew between the stranger and his keeper as the incantation was released. He held nyoibo out at a tilt deflecting the blast of energy at the middle. The earth youkai strained against the spell as it continued to pound into the nyoibo. He growled pushing harder as the spell started to shove him back. He had to protect Sanzo. His feet struggled to hold purchase with the ground but soon started digging trenches in the soil. Without any warning, the spell burst forth with an even greater force pushing through Gokuu's defenses. The energy slammed into his chest armor sending him flying backwards. As the magic found it's way to his skin it seemed to disappear. Sanzo's unmoving body stopped Gokuu's backwards flight only a bit, sending them both to the ground. Gokuu hit the earth with so much force that he was rolled several feet away. The youkai's mind was only with him for a few seconds as his flight came to an end.
"S-San…zo…"
Sanzo's senses came flooding back to him and he felt as if a great weight had been lifted. He sat up from the ground, body aching. He put a hand to his head while attempting to regain his orientation. Hearing a sound, Sanzo looked to the side to see the nyoibo rolling up to him. Blinking as his mind regained it's full capacity of thought, Sanzo glanced about for the stranger. He saw Gokuu lying sprawled across the ground not that far from him like a broken child's doll. The youkai was not conscious.
"Gokuu?" Sanzo received no reply. He had not expected one.
The monk stood up angry for having been caught off guard by the spell. Finding his adversary, Sanzo started toward him with a more cautious approach. Gun recovered, he aimed once again. Out of the corner of his eye, however, Sanzo saw Homura stalking over to the unconscious earth youkai. Quickly, Sanzo turned to the side, still keeping the stranger in sight and fired at Homura. There was a rippling in the air as the bullet dissolved against an invisible barrier. Sanzo cursed remembering that bullets did not affect the demi-god. Casting a death glare at the stranger, Sanzo moved forward and grabbed the nyoibo off the ground. He moved between Gokuu and Homura.
"You reap what you sow, saru."
Hearing a sharp cry of pain, Sanzo's eyes briefly flickered to see Gojyo fall to the ground grasping his stomach as blood more scarlet than his hair flowed forth from the open wound. The red life littered the ground from his attempt to continue the fight but in the end even a demi-god can bleed and die. Sanzo returned his gaze to Homura who had just now entered into his combat range. He could only take care of one thing at a time.
Sanzo held the staff awkwardly but not unskilled. He moved first swinging the nyoibo hard at Homura's side. The demi-god blocked with his sword and with a shove of godly strength, threw Sanzo away with a shove. He continued on as if oblivious to Sanzo's attempted attack. Sanzo was sent rolling across the ground. Even more angered, he recovered his feet quickly only to stop. Homura was holding the earth youkai by the throat and raised him into the air. Gokuu made a strangled sound from semi-consciousness. Hearing a loud thump, Sanzo turned to see Hakkai crumple to the ground from a strike to the back of the neck from Chin Issou. The undead youkai crossed his arms rather pleased. Sanzo frowned…this really…sucked.
"You lose so easily Genjo." The stranger said with a smile.
Sanzo glared at the use of his first name, "Tell me who you are and what you want."
"Very well then. I am called Azreth."
"The demon king of Hell." Sanzo's expression was grim.
"Ah, but you are as clever as they say Genjo." Azreth grinned, "You suffer a miserable defeat today. However, you may still walk away from this encounter if you offer me something in return for you and your brave little companions' safety. It would be such a shame to lose all of them wouldn't it."
"Is that all?" Sanzo raised an eyebrow, "Offer something?"
"Yes." Azreth's voice came slyly. His mouth snaked across his face in the image of a genuine smile.
"Then take this and go." Sanzo tossed the demon an empty bullet casing, "You said 'something', now go."
"I like you Genjo." Azreth caught the bullet casing with a smirk, "Most people would have given me their soul or perhaps one of their companions but you are much more clever than that. Goodbye for now, Genjo."
"Urasei. Leave." Sanzo leveled the gun at him.
"Indeed, indeed. Come my sins, leave them be." Azreth called.
Without a word spoken, Gokuu was dropped, Hakkai stepped across, and Gojyo left to his pain as the entities turned and left their prey, returning to their master. As they passed, Sanzo could feel a wave of evil energy emitting off of them. These creatures were using illusions of enemies of the past to hide their true identities. They disappeared into thin air.
End Chapter One Part Two
(1) Written before I learned of Kami-sama or this would have been him but I'd have to change the story too much to fix it at this point. Sorry Gojyo….maybe Kami-sama can visit you later heh heh heh
Next chapter:
In which Hakkai speaks of the Seven Deadly sins, Gojyo makes perverted comments, Sanzo translates Latin, Gokuu has a serious conversation with Sanzo, and the terrible effect of the magic is brought to light as Gokuu tears someone limb from limb bathing in their blood…..well maybe not bathing.
