A/N: I have made a lot of changes to the story. The title, plot, etc..have all been modified. Here is the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki...

Chapter Two

The men had gathered at the dining room to discuss with the innkeeper on the weather and their stay. Goku and Gojyo had retired early, sleeping in the room next to the one where the woman lies. Hakkai took the liberty to ask for the owner's time and beside him is Sanzo, who only joined him to get something else to drink.

Folding his hands gently on the wooden surface like it was a routine to go through before beginning a conversation, Hakkai asked politely, "Excuse me, could you tell us how long will this storm last?"

"Let's see…it's already been two days…so you might want to wait for a few more days…" he replied, pouring the two and himself some wine.

Concern filled his jade eyes at the reply, but it will give them some time to let the woman heal. Oh wait, she wasn't all that injured as there was the absence of blood dripping from her wounds. Still, she does need to recuperate. "I see…so you won't mind us staying until it's over?" he asked, accepting the glass of wine..

"Of course! Stay as long as you want. It's been a while since we had new faces around here." The old man's face was slightly flushed when he replied enthusiastically, and downed his drink. "After all, we are in the mountains and travelers hardly come here. Only seldom…"

Sanzo just swirled the red contents in his glass, as he listened on to their conversation. He had only joined the brunette as he was only interested in the wine being offered to them. How annoying, not only were they trapped with a complete stranger but their mission has just been delayed thanks to the storm outside. Doesn't the temple realize how much they go through just to carry out the tasks they give them? Yeah, sure most of them it's the three he orders to do them while he stays in the temple, but still…

Silently, he drank the wine, allowing the liquor to ease him until it was half-full and lazily turned his head to the two. He listened quietly as the innkeeper continued on about hardly having any new guests. Of course people barely come here because this is a mountain, a very treacherous one. And there is the fact that snowstorms happens here quite often. It can be confusing to others as to why people would even bother living in a place like this. But it's natural to just stay where one would feel most comfortable with, especially if they have already adapted to their surroundings.

"Here! Have some more!" Poised to refill their glasses, he gave the two a toothy grin.

"Don't mind if I do." Hakkai held out his glass.

Sanzo just watched as his glass was refilled as well and drank it without thanking the old man. Hakkai sighed at this but let it pass like always. Not much can be done anyway when it comes to the monk's behavior.

"Hey…there is something that has been bothering me…" The innkeeper said, as he corked open what seemed to be the fifth wine bottle. His face was red, but he was still somewhat sober.

His fingers loosely wrapped around the stem of his glass, the brunette looked up at his drinking companion. "Yes?"

"It's about that girl…" Setting the bottle down, the old man looked at Hakkai. His eyes were serious despite his slightly flushed cheeks.

At this, Sanzo shifted his gaze away from the side and focused it on the old man.

Hakkai's eyebrows arched in confusion, tilting his head a bit to the side. He was just about to take a sip of the blood-red wine when the topic of the stranger was brought up, and so lowered his glass. "Then may I hear what has been bothering you Mr…"

The man waved a hand at him. "Jirou is fine, you can call me that. " He replied, running a hand through his salt-and-pepper colored hair and focused his eyes on the jade orbs. "You said that you lot were on your way here and found her right? And saw that she was injured…" Jirou said aloud.

"That's right." Hakkai nodded... A small smile formed on his lips as he politely asked, "Is there something we should know?"

Before answering the question, Jirou downed his drink, letting out a sigh as he firmly placed the glass down on the wooden surface. "There is." He said simply, and reached over for the wine bottle. "Kind of suspicious actually…she's injured but there are hardly any bandits in this area…not with this kind of weather going on…" While replenishing his glass, his gray eyes flickered over to his guests.

These words told the monk that this man named, Jirou is a sharp one in spite of his age and being almost drunk. It had been bothering him a bit as to how she could have gotten those wounds and they did not look fresh at all. There wasn't a single bloodstain on her. Well, that was what it looked to him as he just kept his distance away from her.

"Also, it's quite a journey from here to the bottom of the mountain, so I wonder how she ended up outside the town…"

So, they weren't the only ones who had been pondering on this. Hakkai knew from the start that Sanzo was thinking about it as well. How could he have not noticed? It would only be like him to try and analyze this situation. To try and solve this mysterious puzzle, lest he decides that it was not of his concern.

"You're saying that it should have been impossible for her to end up there?" Hakkai inquired. He finally drank his share of the wine, quenching his slightly parched throat.

Jirou's lips were tugged into a small smile even though this was not really something to smile at. "Exactly, so doesn't seem strange and too convenient for you four to discover her in such a critical state?"

"But if you're thinking that she's a demon, she's not as I don't feel any demonic aura from her and there doesn't seem to be any limiter on her. " he said, abandoning his glass for the moment, entwining the fingers of both of his hand together, positioned in front of his chin.

From the very beginning, when he first touched her, he had sensed no evil vibes from her.

She doesn't even look like one… thought Sanzo. Even though there was no limiter, it was still possible for a demon to walk around without one. There was nothing weird about her physical appearance (not counting her injuries). Ears were not pointy, no clawed hands and no strange markings on her. All in all, she was just an ordinary human.

"That's good, but anyway demons are living in harmony with us humans in some areas…" he replied softly. Bringing his glass to his lips, he added, "But you don't have to worry, all of you can still stay here, as long as none of you cause any trouble."

"Thank you, you're too kind." Hakkai smiled sincerely at Jirou then turned to Sanzo. "Isn't that great Sanzo? He asked a bit too cheerfully.

"Hmph…whatever…" grumbled the priest and looked off to the side.

At his comment, the old man raised a glass to Hakkai, grinning from ear to ear, still intoxicated with the alcohol. "No problem! I'm just doing my job…"

With that he emptied his glass, loving the way the liquor tasted. Face getting redder and redder by the minute; he just helped himself to more of the wine. Then started to go on about the arrangements of the five them staying here for a few days until the storm has calmed down enough for them to continue their little quest and something about menus…

Hakkai just chuckled lightly at the man's drunken behavior and watched as he started attacking the rest of the bottles on the floor. Do they have a room full of these? At this rate, they weren't going to get any sleep until Jirou has had his fill of alcohol, but might as well delight himself with his kindness of free wine.

After several bottles…

"Hey, you're a monk aren't you? Aren't there rules against drinking in the temple?" Jirou asked bluntly, his words slurred.

To their surprise, it was this man who had emptied most of the bottles and not them. Just a while ago, Hakkai had to restrain Jirou from drinking two bottles at the same time! And it seems that the innkeeper's goal is to get Hakkai drank, but only disappointed himself when he did not succeed and so moved on to the priest. Slurring his words, he repeated his question while waving his glass carelessly.

"What?" growled Sanzo. Unlike Hakkai, he did not allow the innkeeper to continuously refill his glass each time it was almost empty. At one point, he almost made a threat to use his gun but Hakkai came to the rescue and offered his glass to be refilled instead.

"You heard me!" Jirou said angrily. He paused for a moment as he narrowed his eyes at the monk. "You're a priest! And yet here you are, drinking wine!"

Firmly lowering his glass, he glared at Jirou. "So what if I am?" he demanded in an agitated tone.

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"Gojyo?"

He stared at the ceiling with his golden-hued eyes as he listened to the sounds of the howling wind outside, slightly muffled by the frosted windows and thick walls. The softness and warmth of the bed wasn't helping, or the delicious homemade food they were given earlier.

When the half-demon didn't reply, he sat up, and turned his head to the figure on the bed next to his.

"Gojyo? Are you awake?" Slipping from underneath the covers, he cautiously approached the water kappa. Hovering above him, he started to poke his head. "Gojyo?"

This man had been deliberately ignoring the boy's voice, tried to tune him out and go to sleep. His body was sore, and his stomach full, so he needed to get some sleep and he had been hoping that he would sleep until noon or something. But no, this kid just had to interrupt his attempt to go and sink into the dream world. And start jabbing his head with his dirty little finger!

"Go away!" he snapped, sharply swinging his arm back to get Goku to go away, but was disappointed when he only felt the cold air, meaning that he had missed. Whatever, as long as it meant that the little bastard was going to leave him alone, he wasn't going to get out of this comfy bed. Annoyed, he buried his head on the pillow, pulling the blanket closer to him.

Due to reflexes, Goku was able to dodge the arm but that didn't stop him from trying to get him to talk. He can't sleep and he was going to make sure that his water kappa was going to suffer with him. A pout on his face, he jumped up and landed on Gojyo, straddling him and began to pull his hair.

"I can't sleep! Gojyo! Gojyo!" he cried then started to pull his hair and cheeks.

"Oof!" A very pained expression crossed Gojyo's face when the monkey pounced at him. "Shoot! This boy is heavy!"

Oh great and he has the nerve to touch his hair AND face! Snarling, he twisted his body and jabbed Goku in the stomach with his elbow, making him topple off the bed.

"What in the blazes do you want!" he growled. Gojyo sat up, shaking a clenched fist at him. Although it was unusual for Goku to be awake at this hour, especially since he had just pigged himself out not too long ago.

He had allowed himself to fall onto the ground, but he was a bit surprised at his roommate's attack. Goku smiled sheepishly at his roommate. At least he wasn't the only one awake anymore.

Before answering him, Goku plopped himself back on to his bed. "Ne, Gojyo, when do you think this storm will stop?" Goku asked as he took a pillow and hugged it.

"From the looks of it, I don't think it will last long…" Gojyo muttered and started to rummage for a cigarette. After finding the small white box, he lolled his head towards the boy. "Why? You still afraid of the snow?"

Goku pouted, a hint of red formed on his cheeks as that old memory came back to him. From the way Gojyo had said it, he sounded like he was mocking him. "No! It's just that at this rate we won't be able to get to the shrine!" he quickly replied and hugged the pillow tighter.

"Oh? This is a first, your mind set on this annoying task," teased Gojyo.

"And what's wrong with that?" Goku asked hotly, a vein slightly bulging out.

"Just saying…" murmured Gojyo and looked off to the side.

He took the cig into his fingers and exhaled the white smoke only to receive a disgusted look from the boy. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Goku. "What's wrong?"

"Don't you ever get tired of smoking?" Goku pointed at the cancer stick he was holding. He just doesn't get it. Gojyo and Sanzo smoke every single day and yet they never seem to get tired of filling their lungs with the chemicals in those white sticks. He tried it once, and he has to say, it tastes awful. After that, he had to eat and drink twice the amount (which is quite a lot) until the tobacco taste finally faded away.

This just amused Gojyo, but he didn't show it. "Shouldn't you be used to it already? Having been with Sanzo and all…" his voice trailed off as he put the cigarette out by grounding it on the ashtray.

Shaking his head vigorously, he replied, "Never!"

He's really still a kid… Gojyo thought quietly to himself as he lowered himself onto the mattress. With one knee bent, he rested his head on his arms. Thanks to the monkey boy, he couldn't sleep anymore. Speaking of which, he was curious on why the boy was still awake. "Hey, are you sure you can't get some sleep?" He inclined his head and saw that Goku was still staring at him.

Goku nodded. "I'm not sure why, but I just can't…" He turned to face the window, his arms wrapped loosely around the pillow. "Ah…the snow…" he said finally, and pointed at the window

"Huh?" Gojyo raised his head a bit and followed the direction his finger was pointing at. His mouth formed into a 'o' when he saw that the storm had stopped. Snowflakes were now fluttering to the ground. The howling wind had died out and the sky was beginning to clear up. "Looks like we'll be on our merry way first thing in the morning."

A few seconds passed before it dawned on Goku that they still have another task to do. "What about that stranger? What are we going to do with her?" inquired Goku. He glanced over his shoulder. "Are we just going to leave her here?"

Gojyo just stared at him, his mind churning on this question. It's not like they have to bring her with them or anything. Besides, she has her own life. "Yeah we can do that. Let someone else take care of her…" he finally said. "Alright, I'm going to sleep…night squirt…" Gojyo mumbled as he turned over to his side and pulled the blanket over him.

This time the teenager didn't say anything and just watched as Gojyo tried to go back to sleep. Still not that sleepy, he went back to staring at the gentle rain of snow outside. It wasn't that chilly anymore and stars were starting to peek out from behind the clouds that were parting from the sky. This serene view was starting to make him feel relaxed, and a bit drowsy.

Left with not much to do, he allowed himself to fall back on to the bed. As he stared at the wooden ceiling, he wonders if it was really the right thing to do to just leave her. It would be nice to hear her thank them for saving her. Then again, he and the others wanted to get off this mountain and head back to the temple. Shrugging to himself, he decided to wait until morning for the final decision. He rolled over and let himself slowly drift away into a peaceful slumber.

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"She's gone…"

Both men stood in the doorway, shocked at the sight before them. After having several drinks with the old man, they decided to turn in for the night, despite the Jirous's pleas for them to stay up longer. Luckily for them, his wife came to the rescue, granting the freedom to go to their room. It was amusing though, when he begged his wife to let him be but she wouldn't let him have his way and so dragged him away.

Except, the lady they had picked from outside, wasn't here anymore. There was no sigh of a struggle, the windows were still closed, and it doesn't seem like anybody from outside had come in. So where did she go?

Hakkai slowly walked to the bed where she had been sleeping on. It had been fixed, so it looked as though nobody had used it. Not entirely sure on what was going on, he glanced back at the monk. "Sanzo…do you think…?"

The priest just remained there in the doorway. He had also been surprised to see that she had just vanished, but didn't dare to show it. His eyes shifted over to Hakkai when he spoke, knowing right away what was on his mind. Sanzo wasn't concerned at all that she had left without a word. Heck, he was glad that she did for that means both of them will be able to sleep on a bed, plus no unwanted expenses.

"Most likely she decided to leave. Anyway, it's a good thing she did as I wasn't planning on letting her stay for long from the very beginning." Sanzo replied haughtily, stepping into the room. He sat down on the chair that was still positioned beside the window.

The corners of Hakkai's lips were lifted at this reply, and silently chuckled at the last sentence. Classic Sanzo, was all he has to say about the monk. His shoulder then relaxed, but the weary expression remained on his face. "Even so, I am worried about the fact that she could be out in the cold…"

"Not our fault." Sanzo quickly added.

Hakkai lifted his head just in time to see Sanzo light up a cig. True, they had done their part, so there was nothing else to be done. Leaving it at that, he smiled genially at Sanzo. "It's been a long day, so I'm turning in. Good night, Sanzo."

A grunt was Sanzo's reply as he slipped into bed. It didn't take long until he had already fallen asleep. Before letting the drowsiness take over he quietly thought, I do hope the storm will have ceased by tomorrow…For they still had to continue their little quest in retrieving an artifact from the shrine that lies somewhere here in the mountain.

As though his wish has been heard, the blizzard gradually weakened. Sanzo had been doing some thinking noticed this. Now this is odd… Just a few hours ago they were told that this gale won't stop until after a few days. This made him suspicious, but then again, nature itself is a mystery. Tossing these thoughts aside, he put the cigarette out and stood up. Sanzo took one last look at the scenery outside, just in time to spot some movement among the trees.

Reflexes kicking in, he automatically reached for his gun but then paused.

A squirrel?

Just when he thought that it was an enemy, the small, furry creature emerged from within the leaves. Shaking his head lightly, he scowled at himself for overreacting like that.

From behind the clouds, the soft glow of the moon came out. As the moonlight shone on the area, he looked up as the clouds began to drift away. How ominous, for it was a full moon. He doesn't really bother checking the calendar, so it must be a coincidence. Realization set in that he was thinking too much for one night. Eyebrows furrowed, he finally turned to the vacant bed.

Maybe it's exhaustion that was getting to him.

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"So they're the ones who picked her up…" A cloaked demon hissed, as he watched the monk retire for the night. It was him who had made the unnecessary movement earlier but the lucky stars decided to help him and a squirrel took his place. Perfect timing was all he could say at the moment. The demon froze as he heard the other demon approached him with their 'prize' in his hands.

"Although I'm surprised that they didn't notice anything yet…" he said softly. A breeze came, and made his hood fall off to reveal his face. His tousled dark hair stopping just below his shoulders, and his crystal-blue eyes focused on the Inn the group was staying at. A ring on his middle finger gleamed in the moonlight, it was his demonic power limiter. So at the moment, he looked like an ordinary human while his companion is too stubborn to wear his.

He then tore his eyes away from the building and turned to his assistant. "Any second longer and you would have been caught." His voice was steady but the hint of annoyance was easily detected. Lowering his gaze onto the girl in his arms, he tried to imagine what would have happened if those men had barged in at the wrong time.

The demon looked up sharply. "It's not my fault that I have a fascination for weapons!" spat out the demon. Agitated, he licked his dry lips as he restlessly flexed his clawed fingers. While those men were out, he had snuck in to get the girl. Unfortunately, as he was about to go out through the window, the banishing gun caught his eyes and was about to examine it until he heard footsteps. Their plans would have come to a downfall if it weren't for his boss who just appeared out of nowhere and literally hauled them out of the place.

Right now they were surveying the small town from a nearby cliff. Eager to get moving, the demon shifted uneasily. "Anyway…what are we to do now? Master Rien?"

Before replying to his question, the blonde man shifted her a bit so that he could get a good look at her face. Moments passed as he observed her before he raised head. "It seems like she's not going to wake up until next week or the doctor awakens her." Rien said coolly, and paused for a while.

"Next week?" the demon repeated in disbelief. "Are you sure? Isn't she…?" his voice trailed off, a clawed digit pointed at her.

He glanced sideways at the demon. It didn't take long before it occurred to him what he was thinking. Lips tugged into a smirk, he said, " No, she's only a prototype."

"Prototype?" No wonder her scent was rather…strange… He had thought she was a real living human being. With that raven black hair and everything, one would never think of her being a 'puppet' from a mere glance.

Rien nodded wordlessly before looking at the Inn once again. "It is surprising that they haven't realized what she was…" he mused. Three of them were demons, so they should have sensed that she wasn't a human. This 'thing' in his arms is just a doll.

Ignoring his comment, the demon went straight to business. "So we're going back to the lab?"

"Yes, let's go now." Rien agreed then turned away from the village. Like the lap dog he really is, the demon sauntered after him, casting nasty glares at their surroundings for no particular reason. Now that their mission for was finished, all that was left to do is wait for the next one. As they walked down the snowy path, he couldn't help but notice what a lovely night it was at the moment. Too bad most demons fail to realize the true beauty of nature…

"Oh and I think we need to change the color of her hair."

"I agree."

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