Rie: "Ah... Hi... This's Rie, in care you forgot. Um... I'm here to deliver the 9th chapter..." (waving shyly) "Hi, Guys..."

Goku: "Huh? What're you doing here?!" (shocked)

Rie: "I'm here for the 9th chapter, of course..."

Gojyo: "You still remember to update after so long? Huh, that's a surprise."

Rie: "C'mon, don't be so cold. I mean... Well, yeah it has been quite a long time since I last updated. But, well... I still care about you guys, okay? Forgive me for the long wait."

Sanzo: "Whatever." (walks away)

Rie: "He sure is cold... And the reader, I'm very sorry for the long wait after all this time. The 9th chapter might be a little short, but I give you this to prove to you that I haven't given up on this story yet. It amaze me that people still read this and give me reviews even after such a long time... And my special thanks to gohagosa100 for your encouragement, this's the 9th chapter I promised. I'm very sorry if this's below your expectation, I'll do better with the next chapter."

Hakkai: "Well, it's nice to have you back."

Rie: "So... You aren't mad at me?" (Smiling shyly)

Hakkai: "..." (Smiling gently) "Of course I'm mad."

Rie: "GAH!"

Goku: "Anyway, Saiyuki belongs to Minekura Kazuya!"

Tenpou, Kenren, Konzen: "Enjoy the story."

The town was full of people no matter where you'd go; even walking from one side to another felt like a lot of trouble. It was almost impossible to move without squeezed the sweat out. As if it wasn't enough, the sky didn't even have a single strain of cloud and the sun had so much presentation to show. It would be perfect if the beach was near. Unfortunately, no matter where those living beings placed their stares, no ocean was nearby.

In the middle of the crowd, a group of 10 people were currently having their way to find something to start their exploration. They did think about something when coming in but the heat forced them to push the plan aside for a moment. The desert was hot but somehow the town felt even hotter they almost burned to ash when spending too much time out of the shadows.

"God, if only I use sun block before coming here..." Gojyo grumbled, waving his hand like a fan to get a slight fresh breeze on his face.

"What for? You're dark already, putting it would give you no use," Goku hissed, the hot atmosphere starting to reach his brain and turn it into barbeque party. "Man~... Water, I need water... Nah, forget it. Orange juice sounds nice too; some ice would be just great. Or maybe ice cream could give me some help this time..."

"I can't believe you! We're literally roasted alive here and you're thinking about food!"

"Hey, at least I'm using my brain for distraction, not just grumbling like an old man!" the young lad ignored Gojyo's sarcasm and sneered at him. The said man had enough with the monkey's attitude and started their usual fight faster than usual. They really had to cool down fast before Sanzo spent the very last drip of his patience, since the cooler in his head evaporated so fast he couldn't give a guess when it would run out.

"Well... It's surely hot out here," Tenpou sighed, sweeping the salty water away before it entered his eyes. His long hair almost drove him insane, he would be grateful if it got chopped down so short like Kenren in this current situation.

"Ahem... If you think that way, what will you think we have in mind?" Kougaji growled, luring the other members in the group to pay attention.

The clothes Kougaji's group wear looked so comfortable; judging by the material and the form. But that was if the season jumped straight to winter or at least fall. No matter how they saw it, it looked much more like a mantle than just a normal coat. It must be sultry behind all those fabric, not to mention how it blocked every movement their body triggered. Gojyo enjoyed every moment of torture for Dokugakuji like he never had a chance to see it before in his whole life.

Blame the great God for giving them no ability to hide their Youkai form. Kougaji and his friend's could do nothing but putting those annoying and somehow, they had to admit it, cool looking costume Sanzou-ikkou prepared for them. If only they take a little break and turn their focus into the positive side, they would realize that the sunlight could get no straight access to their skin. Too bad they couldn't care less about it. Watching them walking so hard became a great entertainment for others, but also a weird attraction for people who were looking. So many eyes landed at the 10 of them as they were proceeding with their little journey to settle for rest.

Sanzo already spent the sixth stick of cigarette since the moment they entered the giant town gate. Since Hakuryuu couldn't break through the human wall around them, all of them had to most likely work their feet. Sanzo didn't like walking so far to get into something unobvious, moreover when they actually got another choice to take. It was simple, just shoot every obstacle on the way and keep the car moving. Or they could always smash everyone who stood on their path and acted like nothing happened.

Yup, Sanzo was sadist if nobody could leer over his mood.

"If you can't handle it, then scram. Nobody asks for you to come with us," Sanzo spitted harshly, gritting his teeth so hard they started to crackle. "I've had enough trouble in my pocket I don't need you to give me more."

"Give me the Manten Sutra and I'll go away forever," Kougaji replied flatly, already tired enough to put up a good mouth fight with the monk. Sanzo just frowned even darker his eyebrows almost knitted as one. "Plus, Goku still has one good fight in my promise list."

"Promise? When did I say that?" Goku stole an ear over the conversation, peering over the older men for an answer.

"...Forget it; I don't have any spirit left to explain that..."

One long hour passed so fast since they arrived and they found nothing to proceed forward. To make it worse, they didn't even know what to start to make anything better. Goku still had no clue about what was going on between them and Kougaji didn't make it easier by kept reminding about the battle. If he really wanted it fast he could always state one good memory about him and Goku, it would pull the scene of it out from Goku's locked case and maybe... just maybe, he would remember it.

Well, it would be different if fighting with Goku were the only thing lasted in Kougaji's head, aside from Manten Sutra. If that was true, then the statement of he being no use for any of them proofed right.

After walking down the hard road in town, the group managed to land their feet in front of an inn. The outer view seemed good enough for them but wasn't exactly out of their financial reach. They couldn't purchase anything expensive like usual (probably) since there were a couple new members joined. It would another story if Kougaji's group cared to take their own bill, but the rest of them didn't think so. Did those youkai even had money behind those clothes? Would Kougaji willing to sell his earring or bracelet or whatever he wear? No way.

So, no more talking. They opened the glass door and went straight to the receptionist. The lobby was full and crowded, almost as messy as the situation outside. Sanzo reached out for his golden card and opened his mouth to speak when the lady behind the desk cut him sweetly.

"I'm sorry, there's no more room available at this moment," she bent her lips upward. Sanzo almost dropped his card and stared at the lady who didn't even care to ask him to leave. He should have got the idea already. And he did.

Same thing happened when the found the next inn. So did the next one and the other one they almost ruined due to exhaustion and stress. How could it be possible for every inn to be full with costumers none of them get a chance to find just a single bed left?

At last… one inn left to be explored. But the group just couldn't lift their spirit high enough to have much hope. It was their 10th inn they would be lucky to find even an empty storeroom. And even if they found it, Gojyo and Kenren were brave enough to bet their head Sanzo wouldn't even lay an interest on the offer. Then again, talk about storeroom… this inn didn't look so different from one. If they just couldn't get what they want in this very last place… sleeping outside for another night.

"You're lucky. We've just two rooms available right now, double bed in each room. Would you like to take it?" the old man told them.

"Just two?" they replied. Okay, they were 10 of them; thank God Kougaji asked Linrin to go back home first; and only two rooms left. And there were, what, two beds per room? Who were they kidding? There was no way all of them could fit in. Sanzo narrowed his eyes, vein throbbing on top of his head. This day couldn't get any bitchier than this…

"Um…" Yaone hesitantly called, something about her tone made the other felt like waiting for a typhoon to sweep them. This wouldn't be good.

Hakkai tapped his palm with his knuckle as a bulb brightened over his head. "That's right!" But it seemed he was the only one who understood. "Everyone, Yaone is the only female in our group so it should be inappropriate to have her sleeping in the same room with us."

Gojyo's eyes now were ready to pop out of its socket. "You. Don't. Mean…"

The green clothed guy only nodded, stealing the Golden Card out of Sanzo's possession and gave it to the old man for the key. He got two iron keys and, sadly but also predictably, dropped one on Yaone's hand. "She gets her own room for the night," Hakkai explained shortly with a smile.

"You've got to be kidding!" Kenren shouted unconsciously. "There are, what, 9 of us males here and we have to share one room together! Man, are you crazy or what? Have you lost your mind?!" Well, he got a point in that one. "Just shove those uninvited guys with her, they were buddies so it should be fine!"

"Kenren, we can't do that. Not in my watch, that's it. No matter what happen, we can't have woman and man sleeping in the same room-… except for a reason we all should understand," Tenpou coughed to clear his throat. "C'mon, it wouldn't be that bad, right? I mean… we can play card all night along, tell each other stories, or maybe… something like that. That sounds fun."

"That sounds gay," Gojyo huffed. He then glared at his brother and snapped at him. "This is all your fault! You and your half-asses friend!"

"What did you say, brat?!" Dokugakuji barked back, clearly unable to accept the treatment Gojyo gave him. It wasn't his fault the other room was occupied.

"SHUT UP!" Sanzo's mouth shouted at the same time and rhythm as his gun. The whole group fell into deep silence and stared at him in horror. It wasn't like they had never seen him in this state, but the people around them were different. Their eyes went wide like a basketball, watching Sanzo like a chocked hawk. It wasn't pretty, if you ask for exact description. "You kept bitching since long ago and now my patience is running low! Now shut your cakehole before I add another one on your forehead!"

Goku gawked as he realized that people had been staring at them. And of course, he wasn't the only one to realize just how many eyes had been locked at them. Hakkai pushed his head up and down like a yoyo to apologize for the commotion, but it was unlikely for Sanzo's emotion to go up to the acceptable limit anytime soon. Well, it wasn't like there was something they could do to make a difference in their current situation. For some of them, like Hakkai and Tenpou, accepting their fate was the best thing available in the list. But for the rest of the members, like Sanzo obviously, giving up to their pitiful state was… well, impossible.

But hey, what could they do?

Since standing around outside in this kind of condition would be awkward, Hakkai decided it was the best time for them to just go to their room and sort things up. Especially about how they would sleep tonight with such a small space that had been provided… With not-so-little efforts, Hakkai and Tenpou managed to shove the males into their room while Yaone walked anxiously into their own room.

And so, after the door had been closed, the real discussion began.

"Objection!" Gojyo raised his head up above, so ridiculously high everyone could see it clearly. Hakkai sighed, signaling Hakuryuu who had been hanging on his shoulder all this time to sit on the bed. The men had been sitting in every occupiedable space in the room. Sanzo and Konzen sat on the bed with Goku separated them in the middle, while the other half-heartedly sat on the floor.

"We haven't even say anything, Gojyo," Hakkai tapped his feet.

"But this's ridiculous! We can't all sleep here through the night, that's impossible!" the red-haired youkai replied quickly. "I say we kick them out of here as fast as we could!" he pointed at his brother and Kougaji.

"What?! Is that the way you treat your own brother, Gojyo?!" Dokugakuji glared at Gojyo in disbelief.

"While you're at it, kick this guy out of here as well," Sanzo implied, pointing heartlessly at Konzen.

"Why don't you get the hell out of here yourself, huh, Bouzu?" Konzen smirked but his eyes were brimming with undying flame of anger. Goku felt his body shriveled one size smaller with the intense heat around him, thanks to Sanzo and Konzen. "Or, we can settle this once and for all. Goku come with us and we'll ditch you guys real fast."

"Keep dreaming."

"Well, have a nice nightmare, then."

"Enough!" Kougaji slammed his hand down on the floor, gritting his teeth furiously after felling a little left out in this conversation. "I don't care who kick whose ass out of this place! Just give me the sutra! God, I have enough of this!"

"Wow… Everyone sure is well spirited, no?" Tenpou chuckled awkwardly. "You've been quite for a while, Kenren. That's unusual-…" Tenpou turned around only to see the one he was talking too missing. "Kenren?"

"Hey girls, how're you doing?" the general whistled seductively, waving his hand to the girls below by the wide-opened window.

And that was it. Gojyo stole Sanzo's paper fan and smacked Kenren's head upside down with it. Usually he would be doing what his ancestor did just now, but in this kind of situation it was only natural to act seriously. But what pissed him the most was the fact that Kenren got a chance to talk to such a good looking girls down there while he had to talk and squeeze his sweat out in this small and cramped room.

"Ow, that hurts…!" Kenren protested, rubbing his throbbing head.

"Get real, man! If we can't settle this now, we'll have to sleep like pigs in a swine tonight!" Gojyo shouted. The whole participant in the room agreed with him for this once, this one needed to be settled as fast as they could. Their well-being was at stake here.

"Well, then let's juts forget about sleeping tonight," the easy-going statement for Kenren raised nothing but another question. The rest of the team lifted their eyebrows, demanding for further explanation. Because if there really wasn't any reason for his advice just now, Kenren would surely get a beating soon. "Well, I heard from the girls that there'll be a festival tonight. That's why the whole hotels are packed up with tourists. Why don't we just go there? We can't all sleep here anyway, so let's just have fun there."

"You just want to pick up some girls-…" Konzen frowned deeply. What an excuse…

"Really? A festival?" Goku's interested perked up by the information. "That sounds fun! I wanna go!"

"Well, it can't be help. Lets go there and have fun, Goku," the blond God replied immediately. Sanzo's mood turned even sourer than before with a sudden change in his ancestor's tone. Talk about a licker's way to get attention.

"So, how about it?" Hakkai smiled, waiting for Sanzo to answer. That idiot… He already knew the respond Sanzo would give, what was he waiting for then. Of course they would go to the festival tonight, no question about it. Well… It was better than spending their night like pigs in a swine, wasn't it?

"Ck… What a pain…" Sanzo sighed heavily. Please God, let everything went smoothly, even thought it was most unlikely for them to have it smooth.

Rie: "That's all for now... I'm sorry for any error I made, I'm still learning even after so long..."

Konzen: "Please give your review, we'll be very grateful for any opinion you can give us. It'll help this lousy writer a lot to improve." (pointing at Rie)

Rie: "That's harsh, Konzen..."

Konzen: "Sadly, you deserve it."

Rie: "I'm sorry-..."

Tenpou & Kenren: "See you in the next chapter!" (smiling)

Rie: "Guys, forgive me!"