Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki nor do I make profit from them. I only own Kali

Lynx: The same message from previous chapter still stands. I have studied ASL for two years and a bit of their culture. If you have any information, let me know. Or corrections. No flames. I care less about those.

Chapter Two: Bruising Judgements.

"Whaa-? She's not here?" Goku pouted as they walked into the cafe. "Where does she hang out then I wonder…"

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "This is what you get for not making the best made plans." He glanced over at the door, the girl looked out of breath. A bruise was forming on her cheek. The bad feeling came back and he tapped Goku's shoulder before nodding at the door. The monkey spun around and immediately tackled her into a hug.

Kali hugged him back and smiled widely. Sanzo watched as they exchanged the simple greetings. They found a vacant table and sat down. When they were seated comfortably, Goku gestured to Sanzo and hesitantly made the sign for friend. Apparently the monkey was really going to need to practice a whole lot more to gain confidence in his signing skills. She waved shyly, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

There was one thing he hated about signing. It was the expressions. It had to fit the sign. He knew that he would have to drop his guard a bit, and he hated that. He hated being an open book. He hated it when he was a child and it didn't change after these twenty something years. "How are you?" He mouthed the words, and leaned forward slightly. His eyebrows raised up. He remembered that some times, if signing failed or if he was signing too fast, lipreading was the back up plan.

Her eyes were wide, probably surprised he knew how to sign. "I'm fine." She leaned forward, the same gesture and movement she made did the same sign. "How are you?"

Sanzo merely made a Y hand-shape and moved it back and forth between them, the sign for ME TOO or SAME. He wanted to tell her that she was a liar if she thought that he was going to believe her about being fine. The bruise on her cheek looked as if it was either from a punch or something else.

Kali seemed to understand his expression. She gestured to the bruise and he nodded. She licked her lips and she signed. "It happens."

He wouldn't doubt that. Humans could be just as bad as demons, if not worse. He knew that there were people who questioned themselves about protecting humanity, or going to the demon side because of it. It wasn't like anyone was better than the other however. They were equally bad.

Goku frowned. He tapped her on the shoulder, making her focus waver from Sanzo and back on to him. "How did you get that bruise?" He gestured to the mark on her face and did the signs for HAPPEN and HOW.

She pursed her lips and Sanzo tapped the table. He hated being the translator, but it was obvious that she needed one. "I'll be your voice."

Kali looked relived and started signing, her mouth moving with the story. While she signed and mouthed her story, Sanzo translated it. "Some of the villagers think that I'm weird. Some of them treat me okay. Others…not so much. I just managed to get on someone's bad side today and they took it out on me. It hurts to move my jaw, and I know I split my lip."

This time Goku didn't need Sanzo to translate. The monkey had also learned how to ask "why, what, when, and where." It was the basics. "Why?" He signed and said.

Kali shook her head. She brought her hand to her head and jerked it away from her. "She doesn't know." Sanzo said softly, but the priest already knew why. It was in a memory from a long time ago.

"Kouryu do you know why people are so against others who are different?" Kouymou asked as he watched two of the monks talk while the third was a few feet away. They laughed and judging from the glare of the third, they were talking about him. Quite rude. "It's not because they feel superior. It's because they are afraid."

Kali had been sweet enough to treat them to lunch. Sanzo knew that she probably had to work extra hard for the cash. Goku seemed to know that as well. He pestered her to try and keep the money, but she refused. They were her friends, and she wasn't about to let them pay for her. She had money, she was okay.

Friends. Sanzo didn't know why Kali decided to use that word when she only met them yesterday. Perhaps it was because she didn't know who else could sign. Well, whatever. If that's what she wanted to do, then who was he to stop her? Goku made her walk with them back to the hotel, begging her to teach him more signs. It flattered her, he saw it on the pink blush of her cheeks. She agreed and when he pointed to an object, she'd sign it to him.

This went on for some time, before Goku shook his head. "I can't keep up!"

Kali must have read his lips because she looked worried. She did a D hand shape and brought quickly towards her chest, making her index fingers bent. "She's worried if she's going too fast." Sanzo translated monotonously.

Goku shook his head quickly. "Just too many." He looked puzzled as he tried to think of the signs. She giggled and showed him the sign for MANY and also SIGN. He repeated it and she nodded her head, agreeing.

Sanzo tapped her shoulder. "Do you live nearby?" He asked as well as signed.

She pursed her lips and shook her head and signed, "I'm on the other side of the village."

If she was on the other side, why did she agree to the idiotic monkey's request? This confused him and it made him irritated for some reason. He shook his head and she seemed to worry. She reached out and was about to tap his arm but he jerked back. He was so unused to contact. He looked at her, and hesitantly signed, "I'm not used to that."

She frowned, and with her fist to her chest, she moved it in a circular direction. She signed, "I'm sorry." She probably understood that he was upset that she decided to go along with the request. If she was hurt once, who was to say that she wouldn't be hurt again? Instead of touching him this time, she waved her hand to grab his attention. "I'll be okay."

Sanzo didn't do anything to confirm nor deny what she said. Goku immediately grabbed her attention again and they began once more to point and learn the signs.