DISCLIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY SAYUKI CHARACTERS OR SONGS I USE AS SCENE BREAKS! I DO NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THEM!
-8-For whom the gun tolls For whom the prey weeps Bow before a war Call it religion-8-
They were on the road by dawn fully stocked and ready for anything. Namine sat comfortably between Goyjo and Goku. There was a peaceful silence between them all. Goku was napping on Namines shoulder as she gazed out watching the forest. It was a bumpy ride for the most part. Goyjo had snaked an arm around her shoulders she didn't mind it much so long as he didn't try to grope her. Sanzo seemed to be sleeping in the passenger seat while Hakkai was focused on driving. Hakkai glanced at her in the rear view mirror and smiled at her. She smiled back as Goyjo sent Hakkai a glare and pulled her against him. She winced and pushed away from him a little to get some comfortable distance. Goyjo pouted down at her as Hakkai laughed.
"So, Namine what were those Yokai saying about a sutra?" Sanzo opened one eye and watched her threw the mirrors. She shifted uncomfortably and looked at her knees. On her shoulder Goku opened his eyes and watched her.
"They were after my sutra" she said gently.
"You have a sutra?" said Sanzo turning in his seat to look her in the face. She swallowed hard and nodded.
"It belonged to…. Well… I guess you could call her by step mom… or something…"
"Step mom?" Hakkai asked.
"Sort of… the village we left from was her home town"
"That's why everyone there knew you" said Goku with a yawn as he snuggled into her shoulder some more. She smiled she thought of Goku as a very affectionate house pet crossed with a child.
"Yeah… she took me in after my actual mother died. She raised me from the age of nine…" she didn't know why she was doing this… opening up to complete strangers, but it felt right. She took a deep breath and continued.
"My step mom, Akira, was killed by Yokai. They came to the village searching for the Sutra. They never found it and when I found her she was barley alive. She told me where it was and to take it and run… so I did… that's all I've been doing for six years." She let it hang.
"But at the bar you said two years ago they were singing a different tune" said Goku.
"I've had to hop around a lot. The further west I went the harder it was to hide from them so I had to double back a few times." She began toying with an earring. "The last time I was in that town it was two years ago. I was there for two days before they were attacked by Yokai again, and when I left they followed me."
"And everyone blamed the attack on you…" Goyjo finished.
"That's right"
"Who did the sutra belong to?" Sanzo asked earning deep glares from everyone but Namine.
"I'm not sure… I would assume it belonged to Akiras husband… she never mentioned his name." She said reluctantly. Movement in the forest caught her eye. She didn't say anything else she couldn't but they noticed how she'd tensed up and then tried to cover it up. Sanzo turned to rest his back against the seat again and scrawl at the sky.
-8- Some wounds never heal Some tears never will Dry for the unkind Cry for mankind-8-
They stopped at sundown to make camp and stretch their limbs.
"How far to the next town?" asked Sanzo
"There's actually a small inn not a too far from here" this from Namine before Hakkai could get the map out.
"There's no Inn on the map" said Hakkai curiously
"How old's your map?" Namine asked
"We just got it" Sanzo snapped
"Figures, they never scout to update the maps, Follow me" she said carelessly leading the way through the woods. They eyed each other before following her. In fifteen minutes time they had reached an Inn that sat at the foot of a lake.
"Wow… some digs" said Goyjo.
"I know the owners, their real sweet you know." She knocked on the door and they waited. A light came on and a curtain fluttered shortly after the door was thrown open.
"NAMINE!!" a little girl in a white night gown shot out of the doorway and into her arms. Namine caught her and drew her into a hug.
"How ya doen Tifa?" the little girl had long brown hair and smoky grey eyes.
"Ahhh Namine I knew the wind would blow you back to us eventually" said a woman emerging from the Inn. "And you brought company…" she giggled "I told you to get a man not three" Namine flushed scarlet and laughed nervously. The woman was petite, her hair was tied back in a bun, she wore a loosely fitting blue dress and a white apron. She looked very young to be the a mother. Her eyes were a pale blue and her hair a light brown. She smiled in welcome.
"Arena this is Sanzo, Goyjo, Hakkai and Goku. Boys this is Arena and her daughter Tifa."
"A pleasure" said Arena with a bow.
"Hi!" chirped Tifa from Namines arms the little girl had apparently ran down from her bed.
"Got a room for us?" Namine asked hopefully. Arena smiled and stepped aside to let them all in.
"You can sleep with me Namine!" Namine laughed to humor Tifa before setting her down. Arena smiled at them. The boys completely taken by surprise could only watch as the girl danced circles around Namine.
"For you I have three"
"And how much is that going to cost us?" asked Sanzo returning back to normal. Arena smiled.
"Only 50,000 yen. That includes access to the bath house and the hot springs."
"Wow for three rooms!?" asked Goku
"What's the catch?" asked Sanzo. Arena smiled politely and said nothing.
"Let's not push out luck" said Hakkai laying a hand on Sanzos arm. "Thank you for your hospitality" he said to Arena with a smile.
"If you'll follow me I'll show you to your rooms." She turned to Namine. "You'll want to use the hot springs before you go to bed I assume" Namine grinned.
"Old habits die hard"
"Me Too, me too!" cried Tifa
"Oh no you don't, your going to bed" said Namine before Arena could say anything.
"Awwww" Tifa stuck out her lip in a pout.
"It's too late for little girls to be up and about." Namine picked her up and turned to Arena.
"Still the third door to the left?" Arena nodded. And they watched her walk away with the already dozing Tifa in tow.
"How well do you know her?" asked Sanzo lighting a cigarette. Arena eyed it disapprovingly.
"I probably know just as much about her as you do, which is close to nothing"
"There's another 50,000 for you if you tell us what you do know"
"Sanzo!" Goku hissed.
"The money isn't necessary." She snapped insulted. "She appeared on my door step one night about two years ago bloody and dieing. Tifa was five then she was the one who found her. She was unconscious for three days and when she came to she thanked me deeply. She stayed with us for a month. She did chores in exchange for her stay and helped attract customers. Whenever I asked about where she was from or who her parents were she just smiled at me and politely changed the subject" Arena looked past them to something that wasn't there. "Then one morning Tifa came running into my room crying. Namine was gone. She snuck out in the middle of the night she left a letter and a necklace she said she'd be back for." Arena sighed "I hope she's not back for it now… well the rooms are this way" she said dismissing the subject and leading the way. Behind her back the boys exchanged confused looks and began to wonder who Namine really was.
"The bath house is out back and the hot springs are on the other side of the lake. Well here we are." She opened three doors and smiled. "I had hoped that the girl had found a suitable boyfriend by now…" she turned back to them and smiled leaving words unspoken as she walked back down the stairs.
"I'm confused" mumbled Goku
"So there's more to Namine than meets the eye" said Hakkai. Sanzo said nothing but moved into one of the rooms and collapsed on the bed closing his eyes.
"I'll share with the monkey" said Goyjo. They left the bedroom between them empty for Namine.
-8-Even the dead cry - Their only comfort Kill your friend, I don't care Orchid kids, blinded stare-8-
They didn't trust her but they didn't distrust her either. They barley knew anything about her other than she was half Yokai and an exceptionally good fighter. She has a Sutra the village she grew up in was attacked and when she left she lived in this inn for about a month then disappeared. They began to settle in for the night relieved that the beds were comfortable and warm.
"A mystery woman" Said Hakkai knowing Sanzo wasn't sleeping.
"More like a phantom" said Sanzo sitting up. He'd slipped arms out of the rob he wore and sighed.
"What are we doing with her Hakkai?"
"Traveling" he said with a serene smile. Sanzo chuckled.
"Smart ass" They both shared a few snickers before there was a quiet tap on the door. Hakkai got up and opened the door, he peered out at nothing. Feeling a tug on his pants he looked down and was surprised to see Tifa.
"Hey there" he said smiling "shouldn't you be asleep?" she frowned up at him and squeezed through his legs forcing her way into the room. Hakkai closed the door and watched her curiously as Sanzo eyed her warily. She sat on Hakkais bed and looked right into Sanzos eyes.
"Are you an angel?" Sanzos mouth dropped open slightly as Hakkais eyes widened. Neither one answered her. She frowned and turned to Hakkai.
"Is he an angel or not?" Hakkai chuckled softly and went down on one knee in front of Tifa.
"Why do you ask?"
"Namine said she saw an angel and that he was watching over her"
"Why do you think Sanzos an angel?"
"Because he looks like one" she pouted and turned back to him. "And you are watching over her… all of you are right?"
"It's complicated" sighed Sanzo he rubbed the back of his neck he was horrible with kids. "Isn't your mom gunna wor-"
"Tifa!" Namine burst in without bothering to knock. "What are you doing?" Sanzo and Hakkai flushed and looked away from Namine. She wore an extremely thin white robe that clung to her and hid nothing. She was still dripping wet from her trip to the hot springs.
"Namine you lied about the Angel" Tifa pouted. Namine smiled.
"No I didn't, now why don't you say goodnight" Tifa pouted some more but mumbled goodnight before taking Namines hand. She smiled at Sanzo and Hakkai and closed the door behind her.
"What was…. Interesting" said Hakkai
"No kidding…" a few minutes later there was another tap Sanzo opened it this time and saw Namine.
"Can I come in?" He shifted slightly but not nearly enough for her to move past without brushing him. She wore the same robe and nothing more. "I'm sorry about Tifa they don't get much business" she began. "Her people skills are poor… she's only seven after all." She smiled as Sanzo lit a cigarette.
"So… you saw an angel?" Hakkai asked. She flushed and looked away.
"Just a bed time story… I feel a little foolish though… I kinda made her think I was traveling with one." She sighed. "Kids need to dream…" she shook her head spraying them with droplets of water from her hair. "Sorry, so which room is mine?"
"It's-"
"Two doors down" Sanzo finished; Hakkai raised an eyebrow as Namine nodded.
"Goodnight then" she said leaving.
"Sanzo?" Sanzo wore a wicked grin it was extremely uncharacteristic of him but why not, she burst into their room unannounced. Sanzo took a drag from his cigarette and waited for the show to start.
Namine picked up the bag she'd left at the foot of the stairs and walking two doors down form Sanzos room. She opened the door and dropped her bag. She flushed and shut her eyes tight.
"SORRY!" she squeaked and slammed the door shut. She rested her back on the door and breathed deep. The door opened at her back and she fell into Goyjos arms. She gasped and covered her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry!" Sanzo and Hakkai opened the door and peered over. Goyjo wore a robe made out of the same material as Namines only it was black. He was currently holding her against his bare chest. The robe had parted and was loosely tied at the waist. He grinned at Sanzo and Hakkai.
"She caught me going to the bath house" he said with a smirk. "Honey if you wanted a peak all you had to do was ask" Goyjo was on the floor before he could blink.
"PERVERT AS IF!"
"Namine you're bleeding!" said Goku springing up from the bed. He had been asleep before Namines squeal had woken him.
"Huh?" she looked at the sleeves of the robe and sure enough blood had started coloring it. "Damn…" Goku grabbed her wrist and yanked up the sleeve. The gash was from wrist to just above her elbow. She winced at Gokus grip and was quickly swept up by Goyjo and in the bedroom with all four of the boys.
"When'd you get this?"
"Are there any bandages in this bag?"
"I got some over here!"
"Goyjo, you oaf you made it open up"
"ME! Hey watch it monkey!"
"GUYS!" she stopped all movement. "Its fine" she breathed. "It just bleeds from time to time. Nothing serious." She smiled "thanks for the concern"
"You still need to bandage it" said Hakkai examining it. "It's healed poorly; I'm surprised it's not infected."
"I got a million more like it there aren't nearly enough bandages." No sooner had she spoken then were her sleeves being tarred off.
"HEY!! The robe isn't ours remember!!" they could only stare. She had scars, halfway healed wounds and fresh wounds all over her arms. She rubbed her arms and felt naked she'd grown accustomed to wearing long sleeves. "Listen… I appreciate the concern but-"
"No big deal my ass!" Goyjo cried digging into his own bag for bandages.
"Listen I don't need to be wrapped up like a mummy it keeps me from moving as fast as I need to."
"And these wounds keep you from causing as much damage as you can" this from Sanzo. "You're a good fighter with all these wounds, you could be even better without all of them"
"Do you know how long these will take to heal?"
"So what you just keep the old ones and let them heal on their own while creating new ones?"
"I don't have the time to let the old ones heal" she said exasperated.
"You do now"
"Not if they come back" she said under her breath. They stared at her "I don't want to stay here long enough for that to happen." They all thought of the little girl and her mother.
"At least let us bandage it all up" she raised an eyebrow at Goyjo as did everyone else. She didn't have to tell them about her legs or back so why not. She nodded and held out her arm to Hakkai who began to clean and bandage. By the end of it she was just as she predicted, wrapped up from wrist to shoulder.
"There… everyone satisfied?" she asked. Turning her hands over "No more bleeding" Sanzo had disappeared sometime between wrapping up her right elbow and shoulder And Goku had passed out. Namine sighed and pushed herself up. "I'm going to bed now… I'll see you guys in a few hours" she closed the door behind her and left them in silence.
"This whole thing could have been avoided if we had just left her a note on her door saying it was her room." Said Hakkai, Goyjo smiled.
"Yeah but praise the lord we didn't I could see everything threw that little robe." Hakkai scoffed and walked to the door.
"If you really want her to fall for you I don't suggest you keep your lecherous ways." He shut the door behind him and left Goyjo to his thoughts.
-8-Need to understand No need to forgive No truth no sense left to be followed-8-
Goyjo sat in silence after Hakkai had closed the door and contemplated. No one was taking him seriously about Namine Except maybe Hakkai. Sure he had a history with women, but something inside him screamed that she was the one. He sighed maybe he was going crazy like they all thought he was. He rose and glanced at Goku. She seemed to like him the best then again she did like kids.
'kids...'he thought warily and all too vividly he saw her in his arms smiling as three toddlers ran around. He shook his head clear of the image. Jeez what was wrong with him. He was thinking of a family with her! She had scars to rival his own all the fights she must have been in to get those scars and not once had they managed to mark her face. That took some skill. And hadn't he seen first hand just how much skill she had. He opened the door and walked out closing it behind him. He stopped in front of her door.
'GET A GRIP!!'he smacked himself in the forehead and walked down the stairs to the bath house. either he was falling in love or he had to get laid. He opened the door to the bath house and started the water flowing cold. He discarded the robe and stepped under the spray. The cold jolted his senses and brought him back to his right mind. He grinned he just needed to get laid. But of coarse you never shit where you eat. Goku had gotten attached to her and it had just been a day. Hell he'd gotten attached to her. Hakkai probably found it refreshing to have another mind to talk to and Sanzo was any-ones guess. He moved the water to hot and was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't notice the door open. Arms came around him and he felt breasts being pressed to his back.
"Mind if i join you?" He froze and pushed his hair out of his eyes it wasn't Namine... it was Arena... he tried to turn but she held him tighter trailing a hand down his stomach to his navel.
"Whoa!" Goyjo caught her wrist before it could go farther. "You have a kid!"
"So..." her voice was soft as a purr. "It's been so long sense i've held a man..." she pressed her body more to his and felt him shiver. A ghost of a smile graced her lips as he released her hand. She set it on his hip and dig her nails into soft flesh teasing. He nearly moaned, and his eyes unfocused for a second. He shoved away from her and picked up his robe throwing it on.
"You know lady, i wouldn't have pegged you for a freak" he tied the belt securely at his waist and turned to her. Her hair covered her breasts funny how it hadn't seemed that long tied back. Her face was downcast with one hand behind her back and the other covering what she could.
"you're loyal to her then?" she raised her eyes to look at him. "To Namine?" Goyjo raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not with Namine..."
"courting her then?"
"No..." She smiled like a cat eyeing a mouse and started forward. "then why?" when she reached him she trailed a hand across his chest. of coarse she had to look up to meet his eyes. Warning bells went off in his head as he took her wrist.
"Listen lady..." he began. "You're probably more frustrated then i am.. but-" He heard it before he saw it. His eyes were so focused on her face he wasn't paying attention to the hand she held at her back. He jumped back but was caught on the side. The knife cut threw the robe and bit into his flesh. He slipped on the wet tile and fell back. He gripped his side it wasn't deep at all just a shallow wound. She stood over him her eyes blank and empty. He didn't want to hurt a woman but he had to get the knife away from her. He whipped his feet around her ankles and knocked her off balance. She didn't fall like he thought she would. He thought she would throw her arms up to get balance instead she used to fall and plunged the knife into his shoulder. His body jerked and he felt a moment of pain before she pulled it out. She rolled off him in one quick motion and grabbed him by his hair. His vision blurred and went white with pain. He felt a tug on his head before it hit something solid and the world faded to black.
-8-"Facing this unbearable fear like meeting an old friend" "Time to die, poor mates, You made me what I am!"-8-
'Men!'she thought as she locked the door behind her. She sat in darkness for a moment before turning on the light and willing herself to relax. She turned her bandaged arms over. Hakkais hands were gentle and Goyjos were oddly soft.
"Too long" she whispered as tears threatened her eyes. "Far too long" she removed her robe and stared at herself in the mirror. Her legs, chest and back were bruised and scarred. She sighed and replaced the robe with a nightgown.
'Back to start with four extra lives to take care of'she sat on the bed and closed her eyes. It was hard enough keeping herself alive. But she made it this far without dieing she'd make it back in one piece, to prove to herself at least that it could be done and she had the strength to do it. Out of habit she put one gun under her pillow and the other on floor under the nightstand. She sat in bed reading an old book trying to find sleep when a knock on her door had her checking the nightstand. The clock read 2 she couldn't believe it was so late already. More knocking she rose and opened the door.
"Arena…" she didn't see it coming the knife she held in her hand and the look in her eye. She drove the knife into her shoulder and pushed it down to her chest. Arenas eyes were dead as dolls her face empty of emotion not even a smile of satisfaction graced her lips. Namine fell to the floor with a loud thud clutching her chest and pulling herself toward the nightstand.
"I'm sorry Namine…" she said it as if it was a fact and took a step toward her raising the knife again.
"I'm sorry too Arena," she chocked as she felt the cool metal of a gun in the palm of her hand. "I'm so sorry…" she pulled out the revolver and fired one shot into Arenas knee. She screamed in pain and went down.
-8- "In this world of a million religions everyone prays the same way" "Your praying is in vain it'll all be over soon" "Father help me, save me a place by your side!" "There is no god our creed is but for ourselves"-8-
Goku, and Sanzo were in a dead sleep when a gunshot rang threw the entire Inn. Hakkai jumped up from his bed having been reading, and pulled on some cloths before running out with Sanzo to find Goku in the hall.
"What the hell was that!?" cried Sanzo bursting into Namines room. Hakkai and Goku followed suit and stopped in their tracks. Arenas knee was nearly blown off completely and Namines arm had nearly been severed off.
"Something's wrong with her!" Namine cried tears streaming down her face.
"I've seen the light Namine!" Arena cried "I've seen the angels…" Sanzo and Hakkai exchanged puzzled looks and shifted away from each other to flank her. Goku taking the hint approached cautiously seeing as how Arena still held a knife.
"What are you talking about Arena?"
"You're a demon… born in blood…"
"You knew I was half when you took me in two years ago"
"Oh lord, forgive me I have sinned too…"
"Goku on my mark…" Sanzo whispered.
"Arena… please, think of Tifa"
"The sin… and the sinner must bath in blood in order to be forgiven…" she choked.
"Oh god… Arena what have you done?" Sanzo eyed the disturbed woman sitting on the floor bleeding to death and held up a hand in wait.
"It's wasn't her blood that needed to be shed… but yours and his…"
"Goyjo!" Goku fled the room.
"Arena… I'm not human like you are" Namine stood to make her point. And removed her hand from her chest, the blood flow had already eased and the muscles were repairing themselves. "Drop the knife… we need to fix your leg" Arena chuckled.
"It wouldn't need fixing if you hadn't shot me" she teased. "It doesn't matter anyway…" she sighed raising the knife again.
"Arena…" Namine threw a panicked look at Hakkai who Signaled Sanzo.
"It's all for nothing"
"Mommy?" all movement stopped. Sanzo had nearly thrown himself on Arena along with Hakkai to get the knife out of her hand.
"Namine?" Tifa stared wide eyed at the blood.
"Tifa…" there was no way for Namine to get to her without passing Arena.
"I'm sorry!" Arena chocked "forgive me" she fell to the floor sobbing as Tifa stared. Hakkai eased the knife out of her hand. As Namine moved around her slowly.
"Tifa sweetie…" Namine reached for her. "Let's go into the other room ok?"
"NO!! NAMINE, DON'T TOUCH HER!" Goku cried. Namine jumped she was out of the doorway enough to see Goku hauling Goyjo up the stairs.
"Is he alright?!" she nearly ran to them.
"DON'T MOVE!!" He screamed back to her.
"Tifa…" the sob came from Arena and had Namine looking down at the little girl in front of her.
"You failed me…" she said simply. Namines eyes went wide as she reached out.
"Don't touch her Namine!" Sanzo grabbed her wrist.
"It's a wig…" Namine mumbled as she raised her other hand and clasped on the top of Arenas hair. With a soft tug she pulled it off. Tifa smiled up at Namine as purple locks fell to frame her face. "You're a full Yokai…" the wig fell from her hand and fell softly to the floor. Tifa smiled it wasn't quite human it wasn't so sweet anymore.
"She found me… took me in as her own… a naive woman really" Arena sobbed behind her. In the back of her mind Namine knew Arena would die of blood loss soon if they didn't bandage her up properly, but now she was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"She loves you"
"Only because her husband left her without a child" she snapped. There was nothing left of the child in her eyes now. Sanzo felt her flex and realized he was still hanging onto her gun hand. He released her slowly as Namine shifted into him. It looked like she was scared and reaching for his help but he felt her hand slip into the pocket of her nightgown where her gun lay. She gripped the gun tight in her hand and held eye contact. "I'm older then any of you can imagine… she really is a naive woman she thought just because I appeared to be a babe I was harmless…"
"But she fell to your power in a matter of days… your young still so your power takes time to take full effect… it hadn't worked on me cuz I was half yokai… it wont work on them at all." Namine gripped the gun harder now. "I know who you are now… I remember your parents…" Namine let it hang before she smirked. "I killed them." Tifas face twisted into something ugly. "Almost a year ago I didn't make the connection… a whole town had been taken over the next town over as a matter of fact… two Yokai claimed to know me. She had your hair… and you have your father's eyes" Namine mocked.
"Namine I don't think this is a smart thing" Sanzo mumbled.
"Just help Arena… I can handle this pup…"
"PUP!" Tifa screamed.
"You were wondering why your parents hadn't contacted you in nearly a year Effie?" The girls face went red with fury. "They didn't manage to kill me… what makes you think you can now?"
"Namine…. If your gunna kill her get it over with" this from Sanzo who was watching the child warily while keeping an eye on Arena as Hakkai bandaged her leg.
"Namine… there are other people at this inn" said Goku quietly from the hall. "I took a look at the registration book. All of these rooms are occupied… and no ones ever checked out…" Namine raised her gun and shot into the wall.
"SHIT!" Tifa was laughing as she up on the stairs and doors began to open. "FUCK ME!" Namine grabbed her harness off the bed and slipped it on as Goku dragged Goyjo into the room.
"Told you, you were talking too much" Sanzo pulled out his own revolver as she secured the harness.
"Well how was I supposed to know? All this shit caught me off guard!"
"To think it was your idea to stay in this inn" mumbled Hakkai
"Trust me I'm more trouble than I'm worth" Namine spat viciously almost as if she was quoting someone. "Don't leave them alone!" she said as Hakkai and Goku got ready to leave. "one of you has to stay trust me she's still under the kids hold I know Goyjos not dead yet I can see him breathing from here but if you leave them alone she will try to finish him off"
"Behind you!" she ducked as a bat swung over her head and hit the threshold. She came back up and punched the man in the jaw flooring him. She shoved him out the door and secured it at her back. Sanzo and Goku looked at Hakkai who was kneeling by Goyjo and nodded. They raced out behind her leaving Hakkai with the wounded and slightly insane.
-8-"Not a hero unless you die Our species eat the wounded ones" "Drunk with the blood of your victims I do feel your pity-wanting pain, Lust for fame, a deadly game" "Run away with your impeccable kin!"-8-
"Awww my head!" Goyjo moaned.
"Goyjo" Hakkai dropped to one knee to examine him.
"What happened?" Goyjo asked
"You got cut up" Hakkai supplied.
"Yeah… last thing I remember… SHE TRIED TO SEDUCE ME!" he cried jumping up and pointing at Arena who sat sobbing in a corner.
"Goyjo calm down your injured."
"I've been hurt worse… she stabbed me then knocked me on my head!"
"And you should be dead!" she screamed. "She'll never forgive me..." Hakkai frowned as Goyjo began to wipe the dried up blood away from his chest to see the damage.
"Arena… earlier you said you saw angels…"
"Yes!! They had my Tifas eyes… and her beautiful purple hair…"
"Angels?" Goyjo asked.
"Earlier tonight Tifa came to our room and asked Sanzo if he was an angel. We didn't give her an answer… and Namine took her way and came back to tell us she had just told her a bedtime story and just made it seem as if she was traveling with angels."
"What's the kid gotta do with anything?"
"The 'kid' is the ring leader of this whole thing… she's yokai and Namines gone to kill her like she killed her parents."
"And what the kid wants revenge?"
"No she just learned Namine killed her parents"
"So then what's Namine got to do with it?"
"Well to begin with she led us here so we can't be sure now whether or not she's an ally or an enemy…"
"But she just went to kill the kid"
"As far as we know but how many other times have we been tricked?"
-8- "- Good wombs hath borne bad sons..." Cursing, God, why? Falling for every lie. Survivors guilt In us forevermore-8-
When they opened the door the hallway was littered with bodies.
"Did she kill them?" asked Goku.
"No" said Sanzo checking the pulse of the man who had tried to knock her head off. "Just unconscious." They followed the trail of bodies up the stairs and heard laughter. Sanzo drew his gun and crept up the stairs cautiously. Namine had been brought down to her knees by three men and a woman and currently had her own dagger held to her throat.
"Pitiful…."
"Shit I can't get a clear shot…" Sanzo mumbled.
"NAMINE!" Goku raced up the stairs ignoring Sanzos protest.
"GOKU!" Sanzo raced up after him and frowned. Namine used the distraction well to her advantage she floored the woman and had the man in a sleep hold before he reached them.
"What are you waiting for? SHOOT HER!" Namine cried.
"He's human…" she giggled.
"Dammit!" Namine hissed. The man began to slump forward in her arms but she was already searching for her gun.
"SANZO!" Sanzo aimed the gun at Namine who released the man she was holding and slid across the floor grabbing her gun.
"What are you doing?!" Goku cried as Goyjo and Hakkai raced up the stairs. A loud bang shook the walls. Namine rolled over blood soaking the floor and Sanzo lowered his gun. Effie giggled and clapped.
"SANZO! WHAT'D YOU DO!" Goyjo screamed and shoved past Hakkai to get to Namine. Another shot went off and had everyone freezing. Effie dropped to the floor and Sanzo swayed. There were groans from the people on the ground as Namine pushed herself up to sit on the floor. Namine turned around shook her gun at Sanzo.
"If you know they have mind powers… you NEVER look into their eyes." She mumbled. Hakkai and Goyjo laughed lightly while Goku and Sanzo watched her in confusion.
"But… he shot you…"
"No, you think he shot me. I fired my gun at the exact same time he did and blocked the bullet."
"WHAT?!" they all cried. Namine glanced at the floor and picked up something small.
"Right here see…" they came all at once and crowded around her sure enough in the palm of her hand sat two bullets fused together.
"You're that good a shot?" Sanzo growled.
"When you've been doing nothing but fighting for six years straight you learn or you die" she said flatly.
"If you keep loosing blood you'll die" said Goyjo kneeling beside her. "Where are you bleeding now?" Namine flushed.
"More old wounds" she shrugged.
"How many more can you have?" Namine shook her head and stood on shaky legs. She ignored all their attempts to help her walk and moved back down the stairs to the room where Arena should be back to normal. In the hall people rubbed their heads and groaned then came to full alert as she passed them by. She was after all covered in blood and wearing a harness that contained two revolvers and daggers. She opened the door and gagged. Goyjo being the closest one to her caught her when her legs gave out from under her. He eased her to the floor and watched as she pressed her fingers to her lips and shut her eyes to the gore that lay waste in the room. Arena had killed herself. They'd left her alone for a few moments and in that time span she'd undone the bandaged that Hakkai had carefully wrapped, and stabbed herself enough times to have internal organs leaking out of her body. She stared blankly at Namine her mouth slightly open and bleeding.
"Christ…" Sanzo breathed as he bowed his head in respect and mumbled a prayer. Goyjo eased her away from the entrance and leaned against the wall to hold her in his lap. Her body shook but she never made a sound.
-8- 15 candles Redeemers of this world Dwell in hypocrisy: "How were we supposed to know?"-8-
Please review
Sorry this chapter took so long between school and working full time I'm having a hard time writing but it's summer now so chapters should be uploaded a little faster. If your also reading some of my other fics I'm sorry about insecure memories the chapter is extremely long I'm trying to wrap it all up still debating wither or not to make it into a saga… yeah I will lol. Love you all thanx for reading!
SCENE CHANGES BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Kinslayer By Nightwish from the Wishmaster Album.