Saiyuki: Blooming Reassurance
~Chapter Nine~

"Dr. Ni. Shouldn't it be time for the poison to take full effect."
"Yes. She should be a full demon by now."
"She'll get that Scripture now."
"Not even her power limiter can stop it."

They laughed. Lirin stood outside the room. She heard what they said. (I need to tell Kougaiji. They'll be in trouble.) She ran out of the castle to go find her half-brother.

******

"Lord Kougaiji! There they are." Yaone said.
"Good. Let's go."
"Wait!" Dokugakuji said.
"What?" Hyakka asked.
"Look." He said, pointing at the jeep. They saw Amerie lying across the back. "I know she's not our concern anymore, but she looks dead."
"What did they do to her?!" Kougaiji exclaimed, jumping from the cliff they were standing on. Hyakka, Yaone, and Dokugakuji followed him. (Amerie, what did they do to you?)

******

"Oh shit." Goku sighed.
"Yeah. Well, we haven't had any exercise today." Gojyo said.

Hakkai stopped the jeep and everyone got out. They left Amerie lying across the back. Hakkai stood in front of her, to shield her from Kougaiji and the others. Kougaiji and his gang stopped in front of Sanzo and his gang. Kougaiji nodded to Hyakka to check on Amerie. Hyakka nodded back and walked towards Hakkai.

"What did you do to her?" Kougaiji growled.
"What you do mean? We did nothing." Hakkai said, looking at Hyakka.
Hyakka stepped closer towards Amerie's body. "Don't worry, Hakkai. I won't hurt her."

Hakkai was a bit hesitant at first, but he saw that the person walking towards him would not hurt him or Amerie. He stepped aside and allowed her to stand by Amerie. Hyakka picked up her arm and looked at her hand. She saw that Amerie's finger nails had grew into sharp claws. Kougaiji saw this. He ran over and stood beside Hyakka. She opened one of Amerie's eyelids. Her eyes had changed colors. Instead of the brown that Hakkai loved, they were now a piercing blood red.

"What the hell?!" Kougaiji exclaimed.
"I don't know. She still has her power limiter on. How is she able to turn into her demon form?"
"KOUGAIJI!" Someone yelled from behind.
Kougaiji turned around and saw Lirin running towards them. "Lirin, what are you doing here?"
"Ni gave Amerie some type of poison to turn her into her demon form forever. Nothing can stop it."
"What? But Amerie has been gone for months. How?"
"Kougaiji... I know. Before Amerie left to get the Scripture, she said that Koushu needed to speak with her. That had to be it." Hyakka said.
"Amerie would never let Koushu do that to her though." Yaone replied.
"Not unless she was forced to." Kougaiji said. "Damnit. Amerie never did anything wrong. Why her? Something's not right."

No one said anything. They didn't know what to say. Amerie has been poisoned. She can't transform back. Hakkai looked at Amerie. She did look dead. He wanted to reach out and take her into his arms, but he knew that he couldn't. Then, without any warning, Amerie sat up. Everyone gasped in shock. She looked at her hands and then to everyone around her. (Why am I in my demon form?) She screamed. She looked at Hakkai then Sanzo.

"Kill me." She said.
"No. I won't." Sanzo said.
"I don't care who. Please someone kill me." She requested. Her voice sounded scared and frightened.
"Amerie, it's Kougaiji. Snap out of it. Control yourself."
"Kougaiji, I can't. Why am I like this?"
"Ni." Kougaji answered.

That one word was enough for Amerie to snap. She hopped to the ground and stood there in front of Hakkai. A deadly evil look replaced the beautiful look that Hakkai was so used to seeing. The voices of everyone around him telling him to move faded. Everything around Amerie and Hakkai disappeared. It was just the two of them.

"Amerie." He said, stepping towards her.
"Stay there. I don't know what I'm going to do."
"You wouldn't hurt me. I know you wouldn't. Please. Amerie. I love you." He said, walking towards her.
"How can you love me now? I'm a demon."
"You have been a demon for two years now. You were a demon when we met. You know that. Amerie, there has to be a cure. We'll go search for it."
"Hakkai... Whatever happens, know that I truly do love you." She said, falling to the ground.
"Amerie!" Hakkai yelled, running towards her. "Amerie!"

Everything that was around them, reappeared. Hakkai sat on the ground holding Amerie. He knew that she was alive. He could feel the very small movements of her chest.

"Hakkai, what did you do?" Goku asked.
"I did nothing." He whispered.
"You have a mental hold on her, Hakkai." Hyakka said. "As long as you are near her, her threat is diminished. She would not hurt the man she loves."
"Hyakka, Yaone, Dokugakuji, Lirin, I'm going back to the castle. I will be back."

Kougaiji ran away, heading towards the castle. Hakkai couldn't move. He didn't want to. He only sat there holding Amerie. He didn't ever think that he would see her demon form. (Whatever happens, know that I truly love you...) Amerie's words echoed in his ears.

"Hakkai?" Gojyo said, standing beside Hakkai.
"Hm?"
"We need to get going."
"I know."
"I'll drive. That way you can watch her."
"Thanks, Gojyo." Hakkai said, standing up and picking Amerie up. Hakkai and Gojyo walked back to the jeep. Gojyo sat in the driver's seat, Sanzo sat in the passenger's seat, Hakkai sat behind Gojyo holding Amerie in his lap, Goku sat beside Hakkai, and Kori sat behind Sanzo. Everyone was silent as they traveled.

******

Kougaiji stepped into the room that Koushu sat in. Dr. Ni was in the room as well. They could easily tell that Kougaiji was furious. Knowing what they did to Amerie pissed him off.

"Back so soon?" Koushu said, with a smirk "Koushu! Why the hell did you so that to Amerie? She never did anything wrong." Kougaiji growled.
"She was a nuisance. Always thinking that she was human."
"She was human, up until two years ago! What gave you the right to do that?!"
"Yes. She was human, but now she's a demon. She'll always be a demon now." Ni said, with a laugh.
"She doesn't want to live like that. She just wants to live a normal life. What's so wrong with that?"
"Kougaiji. You better watch what you say. Remember, I hold your precious mothers life in my hands."
"Just give me the antidote." Kougaiji said, looking at Ni.
"Get me the Scripture and you'll get the antidote." Koushu said.
"Give me the antidote now or you won't get the Scripture."
"You're serious."
"Very!" Kougaiji hissed.
"Fine! Ni, give him the antidote."
"Alright." Ni said, throwing a vile at Kougaiji. "You have two hours to get that into her body. You don't, she'll die as a demon."

Kougaiji ran out of the castle to find Sanzo and the others. He had two hours to save Amerie. (Hang on, Amerie. I'm coming to help you. I'm not going to let you die. You deserve to be happy with Hakkai.)