-Chapter 2-

A Once a Month Curse

"Sanzo…I'm hungry…" Complained Goku. His stomach was growling so loudly, annoying the hell out of Gojyo and Sanzo. "Can we get something to eat?" His voice was cracking every few seconds when he spoke, because he was hungry.

"Maybe later…" said Sanzo.

"But-!"

"Will you shut up!"

Goku shut his mouth, staring at the floor as he starves to death.

It was near lunchtime now. Gojyo, Goku, and Sanzo were in the kitchen, an empty kitchen, with no food. The house was deserted, for what it looks like, it's been abandon for about a week or so. They found the house last night after they got the woman unconscious, surprisingly found clothes for them to change into so they won't get sick.

Goku was wearing a light yellow shirt with a peace sign on it, and a pair of ripped blue jeans. Gojyo was wearing a black sleeveless shirt, and a pair of blue shorts. Sanzo…he wasn't wearing a short, mumbling he doesn't need a shirt to keep himself warm. But he did change his pants, he was wearing a pair of white pants, tight around his bottom but he didn't care…yet. But he will get pissed off sooner or later, that's for sure.

As Sanzo was sitting at the table, he pulled out his cigarette and his lighter, letting the end of the cigarette lit at the end and threw it at Gojyo for him to use as well. Gojyo lit his cigarette and threw back at Sanzo, who put it in his pocket; Gojyo blew out a pile of smoke from his mouth, and leaned against the wall as he smoked. Although…Hakkai isn't there.

"Hey…when is Hakkai going to come out of that room?" Goku asked impatiently. Hakkai on the other hand, was in a different room, with the girl, he figured that it was best if she woke up seeing a non-perverted smoker, polite guy with her.

"Probably whenever she wakes up," Sanzo answered him.

Goku sighed once again…his stomach growling into the silence…

(In Hakkai's room)

Hakkai's chair was facing the bed, where the woman was sleeping in, using a warm, dry blanket to cover her uncovered body. He was a little bored in the room, she he got out of his chair and decided to grab a book from the shelf and started to read back on his chair. The book was called "Life In The Heavens". It was about four main characters, who have become friends throughout the story, later on causing trouble to everybody in the Heavens, including the Jade Emperor. The only person who was enjoying this so-called entertainment was the Merciful Goddess herself.

His reading was interrupted when he heard a knock on his door, hearing Gojyo opening the door and walking into the room. "Oi, we're going to get something to eat before Goku starts to eat his hand as food," said Gojyo.

Hakkai smiled. "Sure, go ahead."

Gojyo nodded, and his attention turned to the woman in the bed. "Should we pick up some food for her too?"

Hakkai's eyes darted over to her. "Probably, we wouldn't want to be rude to our guest, would we, Gojyo?"

"No, we won't. All right, I'm heading out; I think I'm starting to hear Goku's stomach all the way from the kitchen. Later." Gojyo closed the door behind, and left Hakkai to his book.

(In the next town about 20 min. away…)

Goku's eyes were wide opened as soon as he saw the food that was laid out, waiting to be sold and to be eaten. "FOOD!" Before Goku could even run off, Gojyo stopped him by pulling his ear.

"We're not here to fool around, we're here to buy food and then take it back to the house, got it?"

Goku started to grumble about Gojyo being an asshole. "Fine…" Goku signed and started to calm down. He found a place where they had most of Goku's favorite foods: beef, pork, meat buns, noodles, sauces, curry, rice…

Sanzo and Gojyo just stood there, watching Goku getting everything that he wanted. Sanzo started to curse at Goku quietly, saying how his tax is going to become high if he keeps this up. He paid for the food, and they left. Each of them carrying two paper bags. Goku smiled to himself, imaging the food he is going to have when they get back, humming a song about food in his head.

(Back at the house)

Hakkai just finished chapter three of the book when he heard the bed moving. He looked up from his book and saw that her eyes were slightly open. He smiled gently and put the book down on the floor. "It's nice to see you awake," was all he said to her.

She turned her head to look at him, sighed and took her arm out from underneath the blanket and clutched it onto her chest and slowly sat up, facing Hakkai. She had shoulder-length brown hair with gorgeous hazel eyes.

"How long have I…been here?" The woman asked him.

"Through the whole night, it's the afternoon now. How are you feeling?"

"I feel like shit…" Hakkai smiled with amusement. It usually means that she is fine, since she is cursing and all, reminds him of Sanzo when he was in a bad shape once. "What happened last night?"

Hakkai snapped back to reality. "Oh, you attacked us last night, and correct me if I'm wrong here, I'm pretty sure you were a youkai."

The woman's eyes flashed open with shock; she turned her head away, her heart beating fast now. 'Shit…that means I have some explaining to do…damn the moon.'

She turned her face straightforward, calming down a bit. Silence filling the room, making them nervous. As the silence continued, Hakkai noticed that the woman was clutching hard onto the blanket against her chest, wandering what was wrong. That's right! She must be cold.

He got up from his seat and she looked at him. "I'll get some clothes for you to wear, be right back." She nodded slowly at him and he left the room quietly. After he closed the door, he started to think he felt a strange power from her. What…or who is she exactly? She doesn't even need a power limiter to keep her from transforming into a youkai, but then again, he can smell the flesh of human on her. He shook his head, brushing his thoughts to the back of his mind and started to walk down the hall, seeing his friends back from town, putting the bags on the table.

"Oi, Hakkai! We got food, there's enough for all of us, including her!" Goku said with a content smile.

"Shh…you don't want her to hear you," he said in a low voice.

Sanzo and Gojyo stared at him. "So she's awake, huh?" Gojyo asked him.

"It appears so, I was just getting her some clothes for her to wear, be back in a few minutes. Please excuse me." He left the kitchen and headed to a room, a room filled with piled clothes on the floor because they wanted to find the ones that actually fit them. He started to look in the dresser, trying to find some pants her size and a shirt long enough for her. But…there was no pants her size…so he found a long black shirt, walked out of the room and headed back to her room. He opened the door to her room, seeing she was still on the bed as he left her. "Well…I couldn't find some pants but I found a shirt that could be long enough for you." He put it on the bed and turned around so she can put it on.

"Thanks," she said to him. Hakkai heard her getting up from the bed, picking up the shirt and putting it over her head. Waiting for the right moment to introduce himself.

"Oh yeah, how rude of me. My name is Cho Hakkai, who are you?"

"My name is Michelle, eighteen years old and pretty short for it too."

'Come to think of it…she does seem around Goku's age…' "How tall are you anyway?"

"I'm about 5'2'', anything else you would like to know about me?"

'Damn, Goku is at least two inches taller then her…' "Um...It's fine, of course, you would have to explain to us about last night, it's all what we all wanted to know."

"Us?" She repeated him. Hakkai turned around, seeing the black shirt went all the way down a few inches above her knees.

"Yes, us. A blonde houshi who mutters curses all the time, Genjyo Sanzo; a child-like guy named Son Goku; and a perverted crimson hair and eyes, Sha Gojyo."

She became silent, and then she spoke. "Genjyo Sanzo…" It sounded like she was saying it as if she heard it before or that she was trying to remember him from somewhere. She nodded her head and walked to the door, opening it. "Shall we go?"

Hakkai nodded and closed the door behind him and followed Michelle down the hall, to the kitchen. He went on ahead of her to lead her to the kitchen, as he heard the voices of the kitchen stopped, the men at the table stared at Michelle and Hakkai. Hakkai cleared his throat. "Everyone, this is Michelle." She greeted them with a bow. "Please, have a seat."

She nodded and took a seat next to Goku and Gojyo, Hakkai sat next to Sanzo. Michelle was starting to feel the pressure of them staring at her, it made her heart pound hard. In a room with four men, with nothing on except for a long shirt that reaches above her knees.

Goku on the other hand, was studying her: her shoulder length brown hair and her hazel eyes sparkled in the sunlight. That made Goku thought of some food. "So, are you hungry?" He asked her, breaking the silence.

Gojyo put a hand to his face. "Do you really have to burst out like that?" He asked him.

"It's not my fault I'm so damn hungry!"

"Oh, so it's only about you? You don't care if our guest is hungry?"

"I do care, that's why I asked her."

"Shut the hell up or go to hell," Sanzo told them as he readied his gun.

"Sanzo, I'm sure we don't need the violence now, how about we save that for later?" Hakkai said calmly. Sanzo muttered a curse and put the gun away. Hakkai smiled, and he turned his attention to Michelle. "So, can you tell us about last night?"

Everyone became silent, they heard Michelle took a deep breath, and let it out.

"Eleven years ago, on the night of the full moon, it was then that…a curse came upon me. Once a month, on a night of a full moon, if I stare into the full moon or the moonlight shines in my eyes, I start to transform into a youkai. Right now, I'm on my own journey to search the person who placed this curse upon me, and kill this person, to stop the curse," said Michelle, afraid of seeing or even hearing their reaction.

After a few moments of silence, Gojyo finally spoke. "So, you're a full human, not a youkai?" He questioned her.

"Yes, I have no youkai blood in me, it's a curse in which I received ever since I was seven years old."

"So…how do you turn back to human again?" Goku asked with curiosity.

"Sun…or something that resembles the sun, a form of light."

"Like Sanzo's hair?" Goku asked as soon as he grabbed some of Sanzo's hair.

"Dammit, monkey!" Sanzo took out his paper fan and slapped Goku's face, knocking him down on the floor.

"Well…not exactly…headlights for example, or a lantern," said Michelle.

Hakkai smiled. "Hakuryu, you were doing some good thinking last night."

Michelle looked at Hakkai with a confused look. "Who?"

"Kyuun!"

Michelle gasped as she jumped out of her seat, seeing a white small dragon flying in the air. Hakuryu flew to Hakkai, who now held him in his arms, petting his small head gently. Michelle calmed down and sat back in her seat. Hakkai laughed softly.

"Don't worry, Hakuryu is harmless, when he wants to be."

"I see…" Michelle stood up. "Well, I should be getting ready to leave." She started to walk to the hallway. As Sanzo was smoking his cigarette, he quickly glanced at Michelle, seeing her hair flow in the air as she walks, catching a sight of a particular earring, a silver one.

'A high priestess…' Sanzo thought to himself.

"Michelle, wait!" Goku called to her. Michelle stopped and slightly turned her body to face Goku, with a smile on her face. "Would you like to have lunch with us?"

Gojyo sat up straight. "Since when did you become such a gentlemen?"

Goku turned to him. "I'm not trying to be a gentlemen, just being nice, plus I'm HUNGRY!"

"Why, you little-!"

Gojyo stopped getting up as soon as he heard Michelle's giggle. When her giggling ceased, she smiled…but for some reason, it wasn't much of a real smile.

"Thank you, but I do have to go.

"But you only have a shirt on. Why don't you let us buy some clothes for you at least? We'll have lunch first and then buy you some clothes." Hakkai suggested to her.

"I guess that'll do…let me use the bathroom first to wash my face."

She started down the hall.

The others became silent. Goku turned to the table and sat in his seat, his face looking down at the table, with a little blush on his face. "She's really pretty…" He said quietly.

"You're damn right!" Gojyo put his feet on the table and started to lean back with his chair, his hands on the back of his head, with a smirk on his face. "She's cute as a youkai, but when she's human, she's hot!" He put a hand to his mouth, taking the cigarette out to blow out the smoke.

Hakkai giggled. "Cute or not, she's a high priestess."

"Huh?" Said Goku and Gojyo."

"That's right. She's a high-ranking priestess, same thing as Sanzo."

They both looked at him, making Sanzo a little pissed and saying, "WHAT!"

They both shook their heads and managed to say 'nothing.'

"Anyway, you can tell she's a priestess with the silver earrings, it resembles a high-ranking priestess, plus she has a red shakra on her forehead. But for a priestess…she is short…Shorter then you, Goku," Hakkai explained. He then came to his sense and put on his serious face. "Anyway, I do wonder why she's out here. She's only eighteen, and a high-ranking priestess too, but she should be staying at her temple."

"So…if she's a miko, how come she doesn't have a robe or a scripture?" Gojyo asked Hakkai.

Sanzo put his cigarette down and blew out some smoke. "Because the Buddha doesn't' trust women in scriptures." He explained, Gojyo became silent. "It's only been 50 years since they have allowed women in temples, and letting them train, study, become holy. They let the women become mikos, but they don't' allow them to handle scriptures, because they believe that women will never be strong enough to handle the power of the scriptures, or they just plainly believe they don't have power."

"But Michelle has power," Hakkai nodded.

"Power?" Goku seemed confused.

"You two didn't feel it? She has strong holy powers; it's actually a little scary. I never sensed that kind of power before," Hakkai said, feeling a little petrified. "Although, I must say, Michelle is the first miko I have ever seen."

"She's the second one I have seen…" said Sanzo.

"You've met one before? When?"

"Long story, will rather not talk about it."

Hakkai stared at Sanzo, curiously.

"But…aren't there more mikos in Shangra La?" Gojyo asked them.

Hakkai looked at Gojyo. "Not really. A lot of young girls go to the temple to try and become a miko. Most girls leave home at the age of ten, and don't go back until they're 15, or younger. But they go on their own free will. Only one or two mikos are selected every three of four years, sometimes longer."

"Wow…seems like the women just want to become strong, huh?" Goku commented.

"That, or to prove to their family of what they're capable of. Michelle is one of the lucky ones who became a high-ranking priestess." Hakkai nodded slowly and then slowly standing up from his seat. "I'm going to go check on her." He turned his back to them and started to walk down the hallway. In the halls it showed a little darkness and some light into it. It's strange on how walls can listen. Listening carefully, he only heard the gentle breeze through he open window, gently blowing on the curtain. But something was missing, what could it be?

Hakkai noticed what it is and quickly ran down the hall, to the room where she woke up. When he slammed the door open, huffing and puffing, she was gone…

'She must've went out the window…' He sighed, walking back to the other to tell them that their guest ran away.

(Later on)

Later on, when their clothes were dry, and have them on, they were ready to go. The Sanzo party started to leave the abandon house the way they left wanted it to. Hakuryu couldn't turn himself into a jeep because of the crowded forest. So they're going to walk until they get on a road or find themselves out of the forest.

Only one person will be complaining about this…

"Do we have to walk? I don't feel like walking…and I'm hungry…" Goku complained.

"Already? But you just ate," said Gojyo.

"I know but I can't help it."

"You'll never change…"

Hakkai smiled as they walk, but his smile turned to a frown. Sanzo noticed his expression but ignored it and kept walking. Sanzo doesn't really understand why Hakkai was feeling so guilty just because Michelle ran out the window. Sanzo doesn't really care, just glad that he doesn't have to waste any more time on her.

"Once we are out of this mess, we'll be continuing on to India. Got it?" Sanzo questioned them all.

They all nodded to him, but Goku was pissed. "But I'm so bored! I didn't get much action yesterday because of Michelle being a human!" He complained.

"Deal with it, monkey. Because I'm not going to entertain you, that's Gojyo's job."

"What! Who said anything about that!" Gojyo shouted.

"Hey, be quiet. I thought I sensed something," Hakkai said as a whisper.

They all stopped bickering, now paying attention to the surroundings. Since Sanzo was human, he couldn't really sense things well but he knows better than the other three, but at least their sense are better. He can at least sense youkai auras.

"Do you guys sense anything?" Sanzo asked them.

"I sense a couple of youkais, but they're probably not worth it. What about you guys?" Hakkai confronted.

"Not sure…" said Goku.

"Same here," said Gojyo.

"Well, there's more then five, I'll say at least twenty or thirty of them," said Sanzo.

"So that means…"

"We're completely surrounded," Hakkai said with a calm face.

"I hate being popular," said Sano as he started to load up his gun while Goku and Gojyo summoned their weapons. As things were quiet, the Sanzo party was still listening, until that moment came… "Now…"

They all jumped apart, going into different directions; Hakkai started to summon his Chi and aimed it in the bushes, making the youkais behind it jump out of hiding.

"Go! Attack them!" Said one of the youkais.

Sanzo stood in position and started shooting at the youkais, one by one, aiming at their heads. Tiny splatters of blood dropped to the ground as he shoots them. Along with Goku who pierced his Nyoi-Bou into the chest of a youkai, and Gojyo using his crescent staff to cut off their necks.

"Hey, maybe after this we can get something to eat?" Goku said as he jumped up and kicked a youkai in the head.

"Well it only depends on what we're going to have tonight," said Hakkai, doing a karate-chop on the back of a youkai's neck.

Gojyo released the chain of his staff and started to swirl it around. "It doesn't matter to me. Actually, I would like to have meat tonight."

"Everything is meat when it comes to you…" Sanzo drew his gun and shot at Gojyo, but dodged in time and the bullet pierced through a youkai's heart.

"Hey! Watch it next time, baldy!"

Sanzo rubbed his nose angrily against his. "What did you say, you cock roach?"

Hakkai stopped fighting and quickly tried to break them up. "Now, now guys. We can't fight right now, we have to entertain our guests first, right Goku?" He thought as he smiled towards him.

Goku banged a youkai's head with the tip of his Nyoi-Bou and turned around with a confused look. "What did you say?"

Hakkai sighed gently. "Never mind."

"Whatever." Gojyo quickly grabbed a cigarette and lit it as he fought the youkais. Sanzo did the same, but with his cigarette, he took it and burned it on the eye of his enemy youkai, the youkai put his hands to his face quickly and started to scream. That's when Sanzo shot him also.

Hakkai started to summon his Chi again, and the Chi obliterated the last remaining youkais. Tiny puddles of blood were on the ground, already stained in the earth, carcasses laid on the ground as they stood.

"Well that's the last of them," Gojyo smiled.

"Idiot…" Sanzo loaded his gun and aimed at the bushes. "There's still two left…"

"What?"

All of a sudden, something hit Sanzo's wrist and he dropped his gun, he started to went for it but something grabbed his neck and both of his arms. The arm around his neck was tightening, he could barely breath. The youkai behind him was breathing heavy next to his ear, he couldn't stand the stench that the youkai was carrying around him, it smelled like onions.

That's when another youkai came out, his claws were long, and he aimed his claws at Sanzo's stomach, at one of his organs.

"Heh heh, looks like your Sanzo is in trouble. All you have to do is put your weapons down and we won't hurt him. And for you, one eye guy, walk away now," the youkai commanded them. They all knew why Hakkai had to leave, because of his Chi. They didn't move for a second, so the youkai decided to become a little rough by putting the tip of his nail to Sanzo's skin and started to dig in it. Hakkai had a horror look on his face and started to walk away, and Goku and Gojyo put their weapons on the ground. And he spoke again. "Our reinforcements will come here soon, to exterminate all of you. If you try to fight back, Sanzo will get it."

Goku and Gojyo clenched their teeth. They knew whether or not if they fight back, Sanzo is going to die anyway and take the Matan Scripture with them. They should've realized it was their plan from the start.

"Hey, boss, what should we do until our men arrive?" Asked the youkai, who was holding Sanzo as prisoner.

"We wait, of course." He started to laugh.

Sanzo couldn't stand this. He wanted to move his legs, but they must've put a binding spell on them. He couldn't even speak, the only thing he could do was breathe and think. He closed his eyes tight, trying to think of a solution. And that's when it hit him, he felt some kind of energy close by. A complete different one…it's human…

"Boss, do you sense that?"

"Yeah, someone's here." He turned to Goku and Gojyo. "I thought there was only the four of you guys."

"There is. I don't know who the hell is here now. Do you think we're that stupid to risk someone like that?" Gojyo replied to him.

All of a sudden, Gojyo felt a slight breeze passed by him quickly. Goku felt it too, and they both looked around to see what it was, that's when one of the youkai screamed. He let go of Sanzo, and saw an arrow between his eyes. Sanzo couldn't believe what he was seeing, he didn't see anything like this. The arrow in the youkai started to release a pink light, and the youkai burst in flames and it turned to ash.

"What the hell was that! You guys are going to get it!" The youkai summoned his claws up to attack Sanzo, and another arrow came and pinned his neck. The youkai coughed out blood and tried to lift his hand up to take the arrow out of his neck, but when he touched it, the arrow deflected his hand and he also burst into flames, and there was nothing left of him except for ash.

'He was purified…?' Sanzo thought to himself. He slowly got up and grabbed his gun and put it away. He then reached for the arrow; he picked it up and examined it. 'I can feel holy power in this arrow…'

"Sanzo!" Goku started to run towards him as he stood up straight. "Are you alright? What was that?"

Sanzo showed him the arrow. "Someone shot a purifying arrow."

"What does that do?" Gojyo asked.

"It purifies youkais. It can basically one too, like it just did there. But…it seemed like the shooter was angry, because they burst into flames. If the shooter, didn't feel anything, the youkai would've just disappeared." Sanzo explained to them.

"So who shot the arrow?" Goku asked him.

"I have an idea on who is it was." They turned and saw Hakkai walking back to them. "Only a miko can do that."

"You mean…"

"Yup…I did it…"

They all got confused and searched the area and saw nothing. They heard rustling in the trees and saw something hanging from it. Michelle was hanging from the tree branch, using her legs to hang on to it.

"Clearly, men can't do anything by themselves. They always need a woman's hand," she closed her eyes and shook her head disappointedly.

"Why are you hanging upside down?" Goku asked.

"Because I am. I would rather not stand on the ground, thank you very much."

Gojyo smirked and walked behind Michelle. She was using one hand to hold her bow, and the other hand to hold the shirt up to cover her front. "You know…you have a nice little tiny ass."

Michelle gasped and jumped down from the tree, and smacked him hard in the cheek.

Hakkai and Goku's eyes widen, that was the first time he got slapped by a woman…Sanzo wasn't surprised. He's been asking for one ever since he met him.

"Damn posers…" Michelle grumbled.

"Um…" Hakkai walked up to her slowly, staying a close distance from her. "I'm sorry about what Gojyo did. Don't mind him. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I saved Sanzo's life so why are you asking me that?"

"Heh, good question."

"You guys better go before the reinforcements come. There's a town close by here-!"

"We know, we went there to have lunch, remember?"

Michelle glared at him, and managed to say a "Humph!" and turned her head away from his.

"Why don't you accompany us into town? You do need some new clothes, and we can pay them for you."

"No we're not." Sanzo demanded.

"I have my miko clothes somewhere in town, I can just go there myself. I accidentally left them there and went on to another town, they were held up to dry, I need to go back there to find it." Said Michelle.

"That's fine, we'll accompany you."

"No we're not." Sanzo said again.

"That's not necessary. I can go there myself."

"But what if somebody attacks you! We can't just leave you in a town with just that shirt on, right Hakkai?" Goku said anxiously.

"Right, so we shall accompany you," he said with a smile.

"No we're not." Sanzo said angrily again.

"Great, then it's settled. Lets get going!" Goku cheered on and started to march their way out of the forest.

Sanzo was left behind. He put his hand to his forehead and sighed angrily. No one just never listens to him…

From the writer:

Hey, guys! It's Rozanna. I'm sorry that it took me so long to write this chapter. But since I got great reviews, they encouraged me to continue on writing. Thanks for the people who commented on my first chapter of this story This is Chapter 2. Hopefully I won't have trouble writing Chapter 3 . The story may be boring in the beginning, but trust me, it'll get pretty interesting if you keep on reading. Thank you for reading

-Rozanna