Disclaimer: Not mine, making no money, purely having some fun with these characters!

Green & Gold

Chapter 6 – Atonement

The fog was lifting rapidly as Gojyo came whistling back to the camp site. "Damn, it just wasn't fair that that kid, Goku had gotten laid in the middle of nowhere," he thought as he went to the cook pot and scooped some of the stew into a bowl. The aroma made his mouth water and he briefly thought that Hakkai was a good friend to have around because could make a meal out of just about anything. His eyes scanned the silent campsite to find Sanzo dozing lightly on his blankets and Hakkai still sitting just as he left him, staring vacantly into the fire. Sighing lightly, the long legged kappa walked over and dropped on the ground beside Hakkai. "You know, if I'm going to play camp counselor, I should at least get paid by you bums."

Hakkai looked at him strangely. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh nothing, first Goku needs setting straight about a few matters and now you're sitting here all miserable for no apparent reason."

"Well, I am not sure that you would understand…"

"Come off it Hakkai, We've been friends for over three years and in that time I can count the number of times on one hand that you've popped off those limiters you wear…"

Gojyo paused meaningfully, "And that includes today."

"I didn't …. I mean, how did you know?"

"Just in case you haven't figured it out by now, let me clue you in on a little secret. You're powerful Hakkai, about on the same level as Goku when he's off his chain so to speak." Gojyo shrugged carelessly, "It was in the air and anyone could have sensed it."

"But I…"

"You don't have to explain to me… I'm sure you have your reasons for doing it. I'll bet it had something to do with that Yaone chick. Come on tell…. What's she like?" Gojyo grinned sharply.

Hakkai looked at him and snorted, "You might like to brag about your conquests, but I don't." He looked Gojyo directly in the eyes and added, "Besides, Miss Yaone is a lady and I would never kiss and tell about a lady."

"Umm… that explains why she came running out of the forest like something was about to eat her for supper."

Hakkai suddenly looked concerned, "Gojyo, how did she seem to you. Did she look hurt or scared?"

Gojyo chewed thoughtfully for a moment before he answered, "No, not really, just sort of messed up and maybe slightly shameful, you know like someone who's been doing something or someone they shouldn't have." He grinned knowingly for an instant. "I bet she pushed all the right buttons and then stopped when things got a little intense…"

Hakkai buried his face in his hands. "I never thought about the problems something like this could cause. I never meant to hurt Miss Yaone."

"Did I say she was hurt?"

"Well, no, but I could tell that she…"

"Hakkai, listen to the one whose goal is to die in bed with a hot chick at the age of 80. You spend too much time worrying about how to atone for your mistakes. Don't add this little incident to the list of things you are trying to make up for." Gojyo took another bite of the stew, pausing before asking, "Did Yaone blame you for what happened?

"No, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I acted like I did."

"So you got a little carried away, who hasn't. I think Yaone blames herself mostly for what ever happened between the two of you. She probably feels like she betrayed Kougaiji or some other crap like that. You like her, you go after her."

Hakkai looked at his friend in disbelief. "Is everything always so simple and straightforward with you?"

"Look, if Yaone wants you to make up for this little incident, I'm sure she will be the one to let you know." Gojyo smiled again at a sudden memory. "I remember this one chick that I pissed off royally probably about like you did with Yaone. Anyway, I figured she'd never speak to me again, but the next night, she sidled up to me at the bar and told me that I "owed" for the incident. Gojyo took another bite of his supper before continuing, "That chick had me spend an entire weekend in her bed and she had some creative ways for me to make it up to her."

Hakkai looked at him and smiled slightly. "I will remember that. Thanks."

Gojyo nodded, "I'm going to sleep… Goku will be back in a minute and Sanzo will have his holy ass up at daylight screeching for us to get out asses in gear."

Dokugakuji looked at Yaone as she tearfully completed her story. He sighed. "No wonder you came crashing out of the forest as though something bad was chasing you. Cho Hakkai is a powerful demon with the limiters keeping him in check. I don't want to think about what he would be like without them."

"His power was overwhelming to say the least. We might have a problem if he ever takes them off in combat." Yaone shivered at the memory.

Dokugakuji studied her intently for a few seconds. "But you liked it, didn't you? You liked being caught up in the heat and lust. He made you feel alive didn't he?" He looked at the furiously blushing face and at the lowered eyes. Yaone could not be entirely blamed for what had happened. Hakkai could not be entirely blamed either. They had equally been at fault. "Yaone, what are your feelings toward Lord Kougaiji? Do you still consider him your master? What would you do if it came down to a battle between Kou and Hakkai? Can you honestly say that Kou has your undivided loyalty?

Yaone slowly raised her eyes to meet his level gaze. "I promised to follow him to the ends of the earth. I will not go back on my vow." Her voice was firm as she answered.

He nodded, "See that you don't… because if you do or if I see any hesitation on your part I will kill you and answer to Kou later. Do you understand?"

"I know, I know," she cried desperately. "I love Lord Kougaiji, but I wish I knew what I was to him. Am I a servant, a friend, a slave? What am I, Dokugaku? What does he see me as?"

"I don't have your answers so if you must know; then ask him. But be prepared. All he wants is to free his mother from that pillar. I doubt it if he has any desires other than for her freedom"

"What about you, what do you see me as?" Yaone looked desperate for answers.

Doukugaku smiled at her, "I see you as a damn good looking friend, but I wouldn't ever go there because I can tell you love Kou." He grinned sharply at her and added, "Besides, I usually occupy my spare time with a couple of the chamber maids."

"That is way more than I really needed to know." Yaone ground out at him. "I swear you sound no better than Gojyo." She tapped her toe on the floor as she lectured him further. "No wonder your younger brother is such a lecher. I am sure he learned it from you."

Dokugaku shrugged and spread his hands wide. "You know, there are certain benefits that go along with being Kou's right hand."

Yaone nodded. "I will think about what you said. Maybe I will ask Lord Kougaiji what am I to him or maybe I will just keep all of these secrets to myself for a while. Thank you for not saying anything."

He nodded and watched her silently walk off down the hallway. After she rounded the corner, he turned and spoke to the shadows. "You heard everything, I suppose?"

Kougaiji stepped from the shadows. "Yes, I heard. Do you think he hurt her any?"

"No, he might have gotten a little rough, but Cho Hakkai would never deliberately hurt Yaone." He looked at his master and added, "I didn't think anything about feeling the shift in power until Yaone ran into Gojyo. I don't think I have ever seen her so scared."

"Ummm…" Kougaiji replied noncommittally as he silently stared down the hall.

"Well, what are you going to do? Will you let Hakkai have her or will you claim her?"

Kou looked helplessly at his friend and subordinate, "Honestly, I never gave it much thought. I told the trader that I'd take her because she looked so pathetic that day. I didn't think much else about it. My priority has been freeing my mother and I never gave any thought to personal issues."

"You can't keep her dangling Kou. If you don't want her, tell her. To keep her by your side and not make her position clear would be cruel and that's not like you at all."

"… make her position clear. Now that has an interesting sound to it." He looked down the hall again. "She did sound remorseful about her behavior, so worried that she had betrayed me." He turned sharply on his heel and started in the direction she had gone.

Doukugaku looked at his master's retreating figure. Kou looked back over his shoulder, "If anyone asks, tell them you don't know where I am and keep Lirin out of this part of the castle. I think it's about time my subordinate learns just what position I'd like her in."

Doukugaku laughed out loud and turned away. Free time was so hard to some by these days… He knew just where to find the chamber maids at this hour.

A light flared in the darkness as Gojyo lit up another cigarette. He leaned back against a tree and inhaled deeply. He hated nights when he couldn't fall asleep. "Oy, kappa, give me a light."

Gojyo tossed his lighter to Sanzo, "Couldn't sleep either, oh exalted one?"

"Shove it," Sanzo growled at him. "Those two going to make it past this?" he asked nodding in the direction of Goku and Hakkai.

Gojyo looked at the sleeping figures. "Maybe, maybe not…"

"Great," Sanzo ground out tersely. "It's bad enough that the Sanbutsushin ordered me to take you bums along, but now I have to deal with their extra baggage as well."

Gojyo inhaled and blew smoke into the night air as he studied Sanzo, "You know, you wouldn't see a problem with this situation if you'd bother to get laid once in a while."

"Bite me," Sanzo replied. "The thought of anyone touching me is repulsive…" He took another drag off of his cigarette. "Besides, you're usually the one causing trouble with the women. I never thought those two would fall victim to thinking with their lower head."

Gojyo laughed softly. "Don't let it worry you any. Hakkai will probably wake up in the morning feeling so guilty over being unfaithful to Kannan's memory that it'll be a long time before he tries anything like that again."

"And Goku?"

"Well, that could be a problem." Gojyo looked at the monkey in question, sprawled out on his blankets, snoring softly. "Now that he's tasted sex, he's probably going to want to see that little gal again and again."

"Great, that's just what I needed to worry about; the possibility of Goku and Lirin spawning a brat together." Sanzo blew smoke into the air again, "Like I don't have enough shit to worry about already."

"Hey, don't worry about it right now. I'll make it a point to have another of those "older brother" talks with him soon." Gojyo smiled in the darkness, "That is unless you'd want to handle it?"

"No, I do not…"

"Then we'll deal with the situation if it becomes a problem. Goku's smarter than we all give him credit for and he's loyal to you. That will count for more than anything in the end."

Sanzo snorted again. "Take care of it. The main goal remains to stop the revival experiments and I cannot afford to lose any time dealing with this." He stalked off into the darkness, muttering about the uselessness of his companions.

Goyjo watched the retreating figure until it was swallowed up by the darkness. He thought briefly about letting Sanzo deal with Goku and Lirin, but then thought the better of it; after all when it came to dealing with women, he was the one with all the answers, or at least he liked to tell himself that.

End…

Sorry about the delay – real life intruded some years ago…. Thanks for following!

Lady Blackhat