Disclaimer: Darn that elusive Saiyuki, I'll catch it one day then it will be MINE wahahahahah
Introducing:
Saiyuki- The Demons Within
Chapter Seven: Wrath, Pride, and Unity
Gojyo's eyes flickered open as he found himself gasping for breath. His neck was throbbing with a dull pain in time with his heartbeat. He looked up to see Sanzo glaring down at him then his eyes wandered to the side to see Sanzo on one knee glaring down at him. He was confused for a moment for the last thing he was aware of had been the popping of his flesh as that strange demon pulled out his tongue and put a hot coal on it. Once more, he turned his gaze to Sanzo.
"Why am I half naked and in the floor with you? Not that I'm complaining."
Sanzo's brow twitched with irritation. He stood up abruptly and walked to the thrown chair, "Ch." The monk picked it up and returned it to his place by Gokuu's bedside. He then leaned over and readjusted Gokuu who had been shoved around by their fighting and was now almost falling off the bed.
Gojyo got to his feet and looked around getting his bearings, "Where are we and since when did we get loose?"
"Go to sleep!" Sanzo's voice came sharply as he pointed to the pallet, "Touch me and die. Touch the monkey and die. Make one annoying sound and your ass is grass."
"Damn…" Gojyo mumbled to himself as he went to sit on the pallet. No mistaking it, that monk was defiantly the real Sanzo. Gojyo was not really sure what was going on but there was no talking to Sanzo when he was in a mood like this. He had learned that lesson well a long time back. Pulling up a blanket, Gojyo closed his eyes.
Sanzo woke after a few hours of sleep. He was far from fully rested but it was time to go. The feeling of unease in his stomach was growing steadily and he was quite certain that if he waited around in one area too long that Azreth would send something to 'help' him along. He sighed annoyed; besides, prolonging this stupid fiasco would just mean a greater headache for him in the long run. They still had yet to find Hakkai. Sanzo stood and brushed his clothes straight. His back was stiff from sitting in the chair too long. Walking over to Gojyo, Sanzo kicked him in the head as a wake-up call. The demi-god sat up with a complaining mumble of curses.
Gojyo got up feeling refreshed. Since he had woken up yesterday, he felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off him. The sleep had done him well. Gojyo stretched then stood. Surveying the room once more, he moved over to the bed and looked down at Gokuu. He poked the youkai in the forehead once and received no response. Gojyo frowned, "What's wrong with the monkey?"
"Sickness brought upon by fighting possession." Sanzo's expression turned into a sneer, "He's doing far better than you did." He glared for good measure.
Gojyo checked Gokuu's forehead noting that he was only slightly feverish, "So what are they trying to possess him with?"
"The Seven Sins." Sanzo waved his hand, "Pick him up, we're going."
After much grumbling from Gojyo, several threats from Sanzo, and a lot of arguing, they were back on their way into the labyrinth interior. The journey was rather quiet. Gojyo found that all his attempts to converse after Sanzo explained to him the state of things now were shot down with a snapped comment form the monk. Gojyo's face was twitching with irritation. It was not his fault that he did not remember anything after being tortured into unconsciousness. It was defiantly not his fault that Gokuu was sick; but who got all the blame for it? He did. Gojyo ground his teeth as he walked. He was worried too, damn it. Sanzo did not have to be such an uptight prick in a situation like this. Hakkai was his best friend and Gokuu was just like an annoying little brother. Of course, he gave a damn about them. Sanzo on the other hand… Gojyo sighed then a slight smile touched his lips.
"So, earlier I was possessed by the demon Lust." Gojyo looked to be thinking. His grin broadened, "And I hit…on…you? Bleah, that demon had no taste. Who would want a dried up old monk anyway?"
"Urasei." Sanzo ground irately, "I think you were possessing the demon."
Gojyo gave a mock shiver, "It gives me the chills just to think that I hit on a perverted worldly monk."
"Urasei!" Sanzo snapped.
"Hey why don't you carry the monkey? The damn thing is getting heavy." Gojyo shifted Gokuu's weight to his left side, "All that food must be catching up with him."
"Deal with it." Sanzo walked on, "It's your job to carry things, roach."
"Are you still mad that I hit on you?" Gojyo grinned, "I bet you enjoyed that."
"You want to die?" Sanzo growled turning around quickly glare at the ready.
"No way, Sanzo-sama."
"Then be quiet!"
They walked in silence until they came to a three way split in the path. Sanzo muttered under his breath. This stupid place must be changing. There was no three way crossing when they had first come this way. It was new. Those demon bastards were probably laughing their asses off right now. He would make them pay next time he saw them that was certain. Sanzo stood in the middle trying to sense which way to go but he could not pick up any feeling either way. He glared in each direction as if it would help. He would just have to guess.
"…left…Sanzo…left…" Gokuu's voice spoke from over Gojyo's shoulder. There was a sigh then tensed muscles relaxed.
"Come on, stay with us gaki-saru." Gojyo slightly shook the sleeping youkai but received no further response, "Oi, bohzo. Saru says go left."
"Then we go left." Sanzo turned to the left. He felt a little relieved that Gokuu was showing signs of recovery.
The trip continued for a few more minuets in silence. Gojyo snickered to himself. He was still horribly amused about being possessed earlier, "You know, you're weird even for a priest." He chuckled, "I bet you'd be hell in bed."
"You wanna die, asshole!" Sanzo yelled thwacking Gojyo across the face with the fan.
"Calm down, bohzu. Geez, you're especially uptight today." Gojyo chuckled to himself, "You must be on monkey withdrawal."
Sanzo started to yell something back when a waved of chills raced his spine, "Something's coming." He readied himself for a fight. The feeling of malicious intent was strong.
Gojyo quickly set Gokuu down, leaning him against the wall. He closed his fists tightly. Finally, someone was in for an ass kicking. Gojyo could not wait. Sanzo narrowed his eyes, searching the semi-dark hall. Two figures started to emerge from the dark end of the hall. As they came closer, Sanzo recognized them, as the Homura and Zenon look alikes. The pair stopped only for a moment before rushing forward to attack. Gojyo jumped backwards as Zenon swung at him. The sheer force of the blow broke a hole in the labyrinth wall beside Gojyo. The demi-god frowned. They were serious this time.
Sanzo barely dodged Homura's fist as the impersonating demon drove him backwards. The man was too fast for Sanzo to try to battle. It was all that he could do to stay out of range. His back soon touched a wall. Where had this dead end come from? It would have been in his line of sight earlier and the two demons had come from this way. Shit, this was bad. Suddenly there was a bright flash and Homura was blown backwards down the hall. Sanzo turned to see Hakkai's smiling face coming from the way they had entered.
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting? You seemed very busy." Hakkai walked up to Sanzo, "Are you hurt?"
"Not yet." The monk spoke up, "The party is not over."
"Ah, it seems not. Looks like I'll have to tell your friends to come back later. We have some important things to discuss." Hakkai moved toward Gojyo.
"And to think that I was worried about you." Gojyo grunted out with a grin as he grappled with Zenon.
"Come now, Gojyo. I'm a responsible adult." Hakkai drew back and ki blasted Zenon away. Blood splattered from the injured man.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gojyo looked mock offended.
"Well, you don't take out the trash and you pick on people smaller than you." Hakkai smiled.
"Watch it, Hakkai. You got blood on the monkey." Gojyo pointed to Zenon's blood that had splattered a trail across Gokuu's face.
"Oh, very sorry." Hakkai knelt beside Gokuu and started to rub the blood off the little youkai's face when he got a sudden bad feeling.
Hakkai glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the Homura look alike rushing at him. One ki blast ended that threat but oddly enough, the wound sprayed blood everywhere though it seemed quite a feat. That blood, too, painted Gokuu's face. Hakkai frowned. He did not know what that was about but he was certain that something had happened that he just did not know about. He took the edge of his sleeve and began to wipe the blood away again. His eyes opened slightly startled to notice that some of the blood was absorbed by Gokuu's skin almost instantaneously.
"What was…"
"It must be some form of magic." Gojyo spoke up, "Bohzo says they're using the saru as a sins container. I'm still not really sure what's going on though."
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"Finally, we caught it. I was getting tired of chasing it around."
Gokuu clawed at the stonewalls of the box that contained him. It was dark; his breath was quick and panicked. His mind was in too much of a frenzy to think of any kind of plan. All he knew was that he wanted the light.
"Stop fighting us. It's annoying. You can't go anywhere now."
"I don't know. He makes a good back scratcher. I've been itchy lately."
"You haven't been here this whole damn time Pride; I don't want to hear it!"
"I can't believe that this is what gave you trouble. Rather pathetic looking to me."
"We leave you alone with it, see what it does. This one was clever, clever, clever but perhaps it fears the dark. My bets on this one that it tear you apart."
"Is that a threat Sloth?"
"Now, now Wrath calm down. He's right though. Without all of us working together he was a handful to be sure."
Gokuu was getting more scared as the voices talked, he didn't know what they were saying, but he could hear the whispering voices all around him in the dark. They were everywhere. He had to get out.
"Let me go! Sanzo! Sanzo, help me! SANZO!"
"Silly little creature. Of course, the priest will save you. After all, we weren't meant for you."
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Hakkai frowned as he laid a hand on Gokuu's head, "There's nothing physically wrong with him but I assume that the symptoms are from his system trying to reject the sins control. The fever you said he had seems to be gone now."
"Is that a good sign?" Gojyo gave Gokuu a pitying look.
"I don't know." Hakkai sighed, "We'll just have to take care of him until he wakes up."
"So, why are they using the monkey for this?" Gojyo looked quickly to the wall beside Hakkai. He could have sworn that he had just seen a shadow move across it. There was nothing there now. Instead, he looked to Sanzo, "Any ideas baldie?"
"How the hell should I know?" Sanzo's eyes narrowed in annoyance. He wished that he had another cigarette. He could use one right about now.
"I don't know." Gojyo's voice came sarcastically, "I thought since you were the one who knew what was going on to start with that you might have some kind of idea. You don't have to be such a tight ass about it. Why don't you go get laid that might fix some of that pent up frustration."
"Don't confuse me with yourself, you perverted bastard!"
"I wouldn't dream of it. I at least have a personality! It's a waste of space for you to even breathe the air!"
"Now, now. Don't argue in front of my patient." Hakkai held up his hands in a sign of peace but there was something dangerous in the man's eyes that told them that if they did not cool it that there would be trouble, "It's ridiculous to get upset over such a trifle conversation."
"Fine, fine."
"Ch."
Hakkai looked down as he saw a bit of movement to see Gokuu open his eyes. He blinked the green orbs almost mechanically, "Are you ok, Gokuu?"
The earth youkai stared blankly up at Hakkai as if seeing for the first time as his eyes dilated and focused. Then, he looked to Sanzo. The monk glared at the face as it stared up at him.
"Get out of that idiot."
A tiny smile crossed Gokuu's lips and he cocked his head lazily to the side as if he was listening but not understanding. Sanzo growled in irritation. Gokuu had obviously lost the battle. He watched the earth youkai staring up at him with wide almost awed eyes. It was making him angrier by the second. The only one who could look at him like that was that stupid monkey.
"So what now?" Gojyo waved a hand in front of Gokuu's eyes trying to gain the youkai's attention but it failed.
"How should I know." Sanzo shrugged and turned his gaze from the youkai. He could not take it anymore.
Gokuu sat up rather clumsily as though he had no idea of how his limbs moved. There he sat for a few minuets moving his joints as if there were the most interesting things in the world. The mechanical way of movement was starting to disturb Gojyo.
"Well, maybe we—o-oi!" Gojyo nearly jumped as he felt something graze his lower back. The demi-god looked over to see Hakkai smiling at him…with a hand resting on the small of his back. He was confused and quite a bit shocked, "Oi, Hakkai. This is kind of sudden isn't it? I know we're good friends and all but I didn't think that we were quite that good of friends." He chuckled nervously. Hakkai was not one known to play jokes so this was awkward.
"I love you Gojyo." Hakkai smiled.
"Er…" Gojyo looked worried as Hakkai moved closer to him, "Ah, Sanzo…"
"Not my problem." Sanzo was busy glaring at Gokuu again for the monkey had stood up and was now tottering about trying to walk. He could hear the voice in the back of his mind screaming for him, "You had that disease earlier."
"I love you too, Sanzo."
"Hear that bohzo! It's your problem too!" Gojyo yelled only to turn his attention back to Hakkai who was now draped suggestively on one arm, "I've never said this before Hakkai, but I think I need some personal space right about now."
"Personal space? And here I thought that you were wanting to get a little closer with me. All those little things you did trying to get my attention and I noticed I just never spoke up." Hakkai's grin sharpened, "Don't worry Gojyo. I'll make it up to you."
"As fun as that sounds, " Gojyo caught the hand that was attempting to trial down his chest, "You're not really Hakkai and well, you're kind of creepy."
"Oh, but I am Hakkai. This is his body." Hakkai lay a hand along Gojyo's face, "I have seen your soul Gojyo. I know your dark secrets."
"I don't think you know me as well as you say." Gojyo caught the hand on his face and pulled it away.
Sanzo was occupied with watching Gokuu who now seemed to have the hang of walking and was now circling him and muttering to himself with little incoherent noises. It was really disturbing, as he seemed to be arguing with himself. Sanzo frowned.
"I said get out of that idiot and you can take the other one with you too."
At 'the other one' Gokuu stopped and stared at him as if he said something profound. He blinked slowly again and appeared to be waiting for an answer to a question never asked.
"Are you deaf?" Sanzo stared back with as much anger as he could, "I want you to vacate that body now. All of you."
Apparently not getting the answer he expected, Gokuu slowly turned around observing the room only to zero in on Hakkai. The first true facial expression since being fully possessed crossed his face, anger.
The next instant was the start of a cataclysmic explosion of action. Sanzo blinked and Gokuu was gone from his last position. Gojyo who was trying to hold Hakkai away from him suddenly found himself shoved forcibly to the side and struck the wall. Hakkai laughed as he sidestepped the angry youkai causing Gokuu to stumble and fall.
Hakkai laughed again, "What's wrong Wrath? Trying to control him all on your own?"
Gojyo got to his feet with a hand behind his head rubbing the struck area, "What the hell is going on?"
Hakkai dodged again the clumsy attack, "Don't get in a fit. I just wanted to play a little."
Gokuu snarled something that almost seemed like actual words but was more of a series of different pitched sounds. He then lunged at Hakkai again but this time the raven-haired man caught him by the neck and started squeezing.
"Don't think you can get your way like that Envy. I'm going to play with them until I'm done and then I'll join your little gathering. It takes six of you to keep him in check and I know you don't have enough concentration to control him well. But I have all the concentration I need for this body and I am not done playing." Hakkai hissed and squeezed harder as Gokuu struggled.
"Stop it!" Gojyo did not know quite what was going on but he knew that one of them could get hurt. He looked to Sanzo who was quietly observing, "Do something bohzo."
"Leave them be. There's nothing we can do right now." Sanzo crossed his arms, "We'll have to wait."
"You unfeeling bastard!" Gojyo became indignant, "What if—"
"Urasei, it's already coming to an end." Gojyo looked back to the fight.
Gokuu despite being strangled was grinning in a most insane way. Slowly he reached up and took hold of each of Hakkai's wrists, and pushed ever so slightly dislodging the man's hold. Hakkai looked panicked for a second. He had evidentially not expected that at all. Hakkai struggled.
"No! No! I'm not finished playing with them!" Hakkai tried to back away but he was caught in an iron grip, "Damn you Gluttony! Don't even think about it."
"You're in trouble, Lust." The crazy grin finally spoke real words.
"Don't be rash, just a few more minuets."
In a flash of motion, Gokuu released one of Hakkai's wrists and slashed the same one open with his claws. The wrist was caught again even before Hakkai registered what had happened. Blood ran down the wound and onto Gokuu's flesh. The crimson life disappeared into the skin and Hakkai fell limp. Gokuu released him to the ground and stared down at the unconscious man almost annoyed. His gaze turned to Sanzo with all of the darkness lying behind his eyes staring at him in almost reverence.
"Tag Genjo Sanzo, you're it."
End Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight: The Dark Prince Emerges
In which Sanzo turns evil, Gokuu gets split into his two respective personalities, Hakkai's past life mixes with this one in a glorious rain of blood, Gojyo runs damage control, and Kougaiji walks into the most awkward fight he has ever seen.
