Back again, after far too long. I spend so much time on stuff for my Shinigami's Cup that I don't get around to posting for my other stories. Anyway, this chapter is for Jaffa-Cake-Queen, who sent me the following question.
Question: Why does Hakkai use chi?
"Well, now that you've decided to live, I guess I'd better teach you how to fight," Gojyo said, looking across the table at his new roommate.
"That would be greatly appreciated, Gojyo," Hakkai laughed. "Though I…"
"Let's try you out with a staff first," Gojyo said, interrupting him. "I've got a few sticks out the back that'll do."
x
"Try and land a hit on me," Gojyo called, throwing a long straight stick to Hakkai. He twirled his own stick and held it slanted across his body.
"Very well," Hakkai answered. He held out his hands to catch the staff, but it bounced off his outstretched fingers and hit his foot instead. Letting out a hiss of pain, Hakkai retrieved it, then tried to copy how Gojyo was holding his.
"Come on! I've got a date next week," Gojyo called teasingly.
"Here I come!" Hakkai warned, and ran for him, stick angled to strike. As he brought it down, the other end became entangled with his legs, and he went down in a sprawling heap.
"Never seen someone do that before," Gojyo said, sweat-dropping. "Maybe you'd be better with a sword."
x
"Okay, so you're not better with a sword," Gojyo sighed. "How the hell did you manage to cut the hand you were holding the damn thing with?"
"I really don't know," Hakkai laughed, wrapping a bandage around his bleeding hand. "Perhaps I'm simply not suited for a weapon. After all, I do…"
"Bullshit. We just haven't found the right one," Gojyo reassured him. "Have you ever tried a bow?"
x
"To fire a bow, you hold it like this," Gojyo explained, demonstrating. "You fit the arrow in here and pull back the string, then aim and release. Got it?"
"It certainly seems simple enough," Hakkai said with a nod.
Gojyo passed him the bow and Hakkai tried to copy the pose Gojyo had just been in. "Not bad," Gojyo said. "Just turn that back foot a bit. No, the other way. Now pull back the string…"
As Hakkai pulled back the string, he sneezed, and the arrow flew from the bow. It glanced off a tree, hit the roof of the house and came flying back to land quivering in the bow itself. Gojyo stared at it in amazement for a few moments, then burst out laughing.
"Man… I never knew… someone could be… so dangerous… to themselves…" he choked out, wiping his streaming eyes.
Suddenly, Gojyo found himself face down on the ground. He blinked in surprise and tried to get up, only to find he was being held in an unbreakable hold. He twisted his head to see Hakkai smiling down at him, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
"I believe I've played along with this for long enough," he said pleasantly. "As I kept trying to tell you, Gojyo, I have quite a thorough grounding in martial arts." The amusement faded from his eyes and was replaced by bleakness. "In truth, I find weapons to be more of a burden than anything else."
"Fine, I get it," Gojyo grumbled, eager to distract him. "Now let me up!"
His smile back in place, Hakkai let him scramble to his feet and waited while he dusted his pants off. "Of course, having said that, I'd rather not face an armed man with just my fists and feet."
"Well, it looks like you're out of luck then," Gojyo said, a slow grin coming across his face. "'Cause you suck with weapons."
Hakkai laughed. "True."
"Unless you can learn some of that magic shit the pissy monk uses, you're pretty much screwed," Gojyo drawled. "Come on, let's get back inside. I'm dying for a beer."
As Gojyo sauntered back towards the house, Hakkai frowned thoughtfully. "Actually, Gojyo, that's not a bad idea…"
This is planned to lead into another chapter at a later date, though I have no idea when. I'm going to try to make it more serious, as everything I write seems to turn out funny whether I want it to or not.
Oh, by the way, did I remember to mention that I have no right to use anything Saiyuki-related yet do so anyway?