Chapter Four
Study in Maintenance

The heat of the late morning sun all but cooked the sand making it like a hotplate beneath the foot. The long stretch of desert that stretched beyond the limits of the small town like an ocean was an unappealing image, particular when it was your intended destination. Aside from the rolling golden dunes there was nothing out there but the occasional arms of a dark green cactus curved towards the sky, or a weed that clung to the coolness of a rare boulder. The town's people, who had been blissfully unaware of the demonic visitors who had come in the night, strolled through the streets with oblivious normalcy though they cast the visitors the same suspicious looks they had the night before.

Sanzo and Hakkai sat in seemingly serene patience inside the jeep while Gojyo leaned against the tire, nursing the last of a burning cigarette.

"Damn it. We've been waiting here for two hours. How long does it take one woman to pack?"

"We're demanding a lot of her." Hakkai reasoned. "She runs this inn all on her own and there are guests currently in residence. She can't just leave everything unattended."

"Hunh." Gojyo muttered, watching the outside of The Glass Slipper. "Maybe she should have had them carried of into the night as well."

Hakkai's laugh was soft as always. "Gojyo. And here I thought you wouldn't be troubled by Goku's absence."

The half demon's annoyance was apparent in his answering scowl. "Don't get it twisted. I think some time without the brat is my idea of heaven. But that doesn't mean I want him to get dissected by some princess with a vendetta."

"The demon we killed was powerful." Hakkai reminisced with a grave frown. "If his daughter has as much strength then it might be a problem. Particularly with an entire demon clan behind her."

"He's just going to have to hold his own." Sanzo snapped shortly. "At least until we get there."

"I am dreadful sorry again, Mio. I know this is a lot to ask of you." Three pairs of eyes snapped towards the inn's door as the golden haired woman appeared in its frame.

Menary's gown had been traded for a wine ride riding habit with a ribboned corset and sleeves that ended just past her elbows in spray of white lace. Her golden curls were arranged beneath a red, wide brimmed hat with white plumes that brought her to a solid height of 5'3. Delicate slippers had been exchanged for white boots. A silver chain was strung around her waist and a purse hung upon the links, resting against one hip and she had a small valise set down next to her ankle. Her hands clasped those of a petite girl who looked sixteen at the oldest.

"Not at all!" The girl beamed brilliantly. "Cleaning the kitchens gets done so fast and I'm always bored afterwards. And I've seen you at it so many times taking care of the Slipper for a few days should be fine."

"You are smashing." Menary glowed, causing the girl to flush to the roots of her hair with pleasure. "Positively and utterly smashing."

There was a grating sound and the two women were forced to move aside as large, ginger haired man brought a pair of suitcases from inside the inn out into the heat of the sun.

"Where do you want these Menary?"

"Just leave them there." The blonde woman released the girl's hands to step down the three little steps onto the road. "You can bring the others out and stack them here as well."

"What the hell is this?" Gojyo had straightened and was staring at the baggage, appalled, as the brawny man disappeared through the doorframe again.

Menary regarded him as if he had suddenly started raving. "It is called luggage Master Gojyo. It is what you put personal items in when being transported from one place to another."

"And why the hell do you two bags of personal items to be transported." He asked in low, even tones.

"I do not." The man appeared again as she spoke, carrying two more bags and setting them with the first pair then disappeared inside again. "I have six."

"You're not bringing them." Sanzo said in a tone that was meant to end all argument. The Englishwoman was not to be deferred.

"I most certainly am or I shan't be going at all!"

Sanzo rose from the jeep then to level the full force of his amethyst glare on her. "You're going even if I have to make you do it at gunpoint."

"Miss Menary!" The girl, Mio, gasped in frightened shock.

Menary, as ever, was unimpressed. Her small hands went to her hips and she matched Sanzo's glare with her own. "You listen to me. It is a two day ride from here to Mah Laou. That makes four days to get there and back; five if we have to linger long at the Summer Palace. I'm sure you're not aware of the requirements that females have when it comes to personal hygiene, appearance, and basic requirements so I shall educate you. We get dirty in atrocious places and we hate it. Thus the requirements for little things like soaps or perfumes. We also have the small task of maintaining our hair, thus the requirement for hairbrushes and creams. There's also the matter of us disliking being forced to wear the same clothes each day and each night and there in lies the need for different pieces of apparel, particular undergarments. Now if you force me too, I will go into further detail about the myriad of undergarments and sanitary products that I require. It will be horribly vulgar and mortify me to the point of devastation but if you continue this stubborn position then it will become a mandatory discussion."

During her speech Hakkai and Gojyo had begun to look painfully uncomfortably, however Sanzo maintained his stony faces nonchalance. The only sound was that of the brawny man setting the last two of her bags in the sand before the monk made a sound of annoyance into the following silence.

"Damnit. Do we have enough room?"

"I'm sure I can see if Hakuryu can expand the trunk space enough to accommodate. Hakuryu?"

The jeep made a mewling sound and flashed its headlights. As Menary watched in curious fascination Hakkai and Sanzo climbed from the jeep. The entire vehicle started to glow and shrink, morphing back into the tiny silvered dragon it wall. Hakuryu beat his wings against the air for a moment and then his scales turned luminescent as he started to shift again. Be the completion of his change he seemed almost identical to the green jeep he'd been before, however the back had extended into an enclosed compartment.

"How spectacular." Menary praised, crossing the distance to lay a hand on Hakuryu's front hood, her smile brilliant. "You're a first class dragon Master Hakuryu." The jeep mewed again and the headlights almost seemed to turn a shade of pink.

"Oh, crap." Gojyo muttered, watching the exchange.

"Miss Menary…" The young girl started, frightfully. "are you sure these strangers—"

"Never fear, Mio." The woman turned around to offer her a reassuring smile. "These men are perfect gentlemen" as if she hadn't, only moments ago, berated them quite openly "and shall take quite good care of my person until I return. You just make sure Taian keeps an eye on you. If there's any trouble with any guests you fetch him immediately."

"I understand."

"Wonderful. Well then Master Sanzo, Master Gojyo, Hakkai. Shall we be off?"

She supervised the loading of her baggage into the trunk of the car, made them wait as she did a final inspection of the inn, before finally resigning herself to departure. She was settled in back with Gojyo, her valise slid beneath the seat and her striking eyes remained fixed on the shrinking sight of the Glass Slipper until it was no longer discernable from the other buildings of the town.