The Strength of Crimson

Chapter 5

####

Goku stared out the window, watching the townspeople walk past on the road underneath him. "Sanzo?"

"What, monkey?" Sanzo snapped in response, looking up from his newspaper, but Goku could hear the hidden kindness in the harsh tone of the blond priest.

"Do you think Gojyo and Hakkai are okay? I mean. . . they've been in prison all night and almost all day."

"They're fine." Sanzo flicked his lighter, touching the white flame to the end of the cigarette poking from his lips. "Don't forget, this is Gojyo and Hakkai you're worried about."

"Oh. Yeah. Hey, Sanzo?"

"What?"

"I'm hungry!" The fan descended on Goku's head with a sharp thwack. "Hey!"

"Shut up, idiot."

Goku frowned, turning his attention back to the window. He frowned when he saw the cloud of dust in the distance, outside of the town. "Um. . . Sanzo? There's somethin' coming."

Sanzo's robes rustled as he shuffled to the window, shoving his reading glasses up onto the top of his head, trapping his bangs away from his face. He squinted slightly at the cloud of dust, then sighed. "We're going to have company."

"Youkai?"

"Yes." Sanzo sighed again, pulling his robes off, folding them on the bed. He tugged the black sleeves off his arms, leaving him in just the tight black shirt that he wore under his robes. He rolled the scripture and stuffed it in his pocket along with ammo, then brushed his bangs so they covered his chakra. "Let's go, Goku."

"Why'd you take your robes off?"

"I want to see how the townspeople will respond to this threat, without the youkai knowing there is a Sanzo priest here."

"Oh."

"Hurry up."

"All right!" Goku chased Sanzo out of the inn, heading down to the main marketplace, where it appeared the town leader was already in a discussion with a youkai.

"If you give us what we ask, we will leave you alone." The youkai hissed.

"I already told you, we don't have that money!"

"Well, what do you have?"

The leader of the town paused, then smirked. "Two members of the Sanzo party."

"Just two?"

"Two in custody, I should have said. The other two are running around our town somewhere. However, if you take these two, the other two should appear."

"That sounds. . . like it could be fun." The youkai sneered.

"Go get the prisoners!"

Goku frowned as several townspeople disappeared, only to return with Hakkai and Gojyo, still bound. "Sanzo!"

"Shut up and watch."

Goku studied his friends' faces. Gojyo was relaxed, watching the sky as he walked, his usual cigarette hanging from his lips, a thin trail of smoke fading into the blue sky. Hakkai on the other hand, was staring straight ahead, his green eyes shaded.

"Here they are."

"The Hanyou, Sha Gojyo and the sinner Cho Hakkai, who killed a thousand youkai." The youkai growled. "We will take them."

"Sanzo! We gotta go after them!"

"No."

"Why not?" Goku looked up at the blond priest, who stared back down at him.

"Because if we follow them, we will most likely die. Or. . . at least I will."

"What? Why?"

"Didn't you see Hakkai's eyes? He's pissed. I wouldn't be surprised if he snaps as soon as they're out of the town."

"Oh. Okay." Goku nodded, paying attention to the goings on.

The town leader smiled, handing the chain to the youkai, who jerked on it. "I'm sure that the other two will be making an appearance sometime soon."

"Of course." The town leader watched the youkai lead the two men out of town, then he heaved a sigh of relief that was drawn back in as a sharp breath of surprise as the cold, hard barrel of a gun found a place between his shoulder blades. "What?"

"You wanted the remaining two members of the Sanzo party? Well, here we are." Sanzo growled in the man's ear.

"Sa. . . Sanzo!" The man cried, turning slowly, arms raised.

"Yes." Sanzo frowned. "I'm not following what you think. I'm not going after those two. They're adults and can take care of themselves."

The leader of the town laughed. "These are youkai of incredible power. Your friends are not coming back alive!"

"Let's just see about that."

###

A/N: So it goes. ^_^

Thanks to Phantom Gypsy and mimi for the reviews!

*bow* I am very grateful.