Of Her Nature

Part Three : Knight in Cloth Armor

“Sanzo, are we going to be out here long? I’m hungry.”

“Don’t start now, we’ve only been out here two hours.” Sanzo grumbled back as he scanned the forest for movement. This was an old growth forest, the trees were tall and thick. The canopy ensured shade, but allowed in plenty of sunshine. Sanzo looked through the tree-line, he could no longer see the village, nor hear the sounds of the town. The underbrush was manageable.

“I’m beginning to think your girlfriend ditched us, Gojyo. I’ve seen no footprints and the only sounds are the ones that belong out here.” Sanzo looked over at Gojyo.

“She’s not my girlfriend. Go back if you want, but I’m going to find her. I’m not leaving anyone out here alone with a demon contingent on the way.”

“Do you honestly believe that story? You are so stu---”

Sanzo was interrupted by the distant sound of a soft thud and wood breaking. Everyone scanned the tree-line, nothing was falling on them. A woman screamed.

“Straight ahead!” exclaimed Hakkai as he pointed at a tree shaking and a limb falling.
They ran to the commotion, the ground was not flat. A hill had blocked their view of a small house, with a tiny kitchen garden beside it. They crested the hill in enough time to see a woman being held against a tree by her neck , a demon had her. There were two other demons with him.

“Hmmm, they sure to grow them pretty these days.” Said the demon leaning into her.

“Heheheh, they sure do, Otwana. She smells good too.” Said the smallest demon, who should have been one of the look outs, but was distracted by the action.

“Hey boss, wadda ya say I help you with that?” The second-supposed look out was distracted too.

Sanzo, Gojyo , Hakkai and Goku took off running, but they had a lot of ground to cover.

Otwana lifted her up several inches off the ground, keeping a firm grip on her neck. He drew his arm back and backhanded her. He threw her to the ground. She landed in a coughing slump. The smallest demon, Jukio, kicked her in the stomach. She slid back about a foot on the ground. The third demon, Honio, ran over to her and grabbed her hair.

Hakkai saw the single , long, thick braid in the demon’s hand. He had one thought, one memory *Kanan* . The memory stopped him cold.

Otwana squatted on the ground between her feet. She no longer had the strength to fight back. He grabbed at her shirt collar , tore open her shirt and began to unzip his pants. Jukio pulled a knife and began to cut her ankle length skirt from her waist. Honio was lost in the scene, eagerly anticipating his turn. Genrei opened her eyes and saw a blurry scene of one demon between her legs, one at her waist and one near her head. She felt her swollen lip and tasted her own blood. Not seeing anyone to help defend her honor she curled one wrist a drew a small dagger from her shirt sleeve. Using her last bit of strength , she pulled her arm to her chest and placed the blade to the left of her sternum.

“NOOOO!!!!” Cried Hakkai, as he threw his energy ball.

Honio managed to kick Genrei in the head before looking at the proclamation. Genrei’s world went black, pain and steel were her last two feelings.

Hakkai’s energy ball fell a few inches short of Honio’s feet. The demons took off in separate directions.

Hakkai moved with such speed he beat the other three to her side
Sanzo looked down at her ,closed his eyes and looked away.
Goku starred stunned.
Gojyo could only utter, “My god.”

Hakkai kneeled beside her and surveyed the damage. Her blade did not make it in. She had a busted lip, and a trickle of blood was on her chin. She had a black eye, and blood had dried just under her nose. Her cheek had a boot print. Her ribs, stomach and thighs had bruises. There seemed to be a ligature mark around her neck , wrists, and ankles that seemed to be one or two days old. She was still breathing and she still had a pulse. Hakkai carefully moved her shirt to offer her a modicum of dignity, He placed one arm under her knees, and put one hand between her shoulder blades. He felt dampness on his hand, *that doesn’t feel right*. He looked down the back of her shirt and saw the slashes. She’d been whipped, and the cuts were still oozing. He cradled her in his arms and cried.

Hakuryuu fluttered down, looked at her and looked him. With a whimper, he laid his head on Hakkai’s thigh.

Sanzo seeing that Hakkai was going to tend after her took out after Otwana. Gojyo ran after Honio and Goku followed Jukio’s path.

Hakkai regained his composure. He wasn’t too late -- this time. He carefully picked her up and nudged her front door open in with his foot. Hakuryuu “helped” by sharing the weight of part of her skirt.

Her home was in complete disarray. Her table and chairs were turned on their sides. Her futon was frumpled up in a corner. There were dirty dishes piled up near the stove. One wall was cleaned of decorations. There was blood splatter on the ceiling and floor. He noticed there were ten metal rings screwed into the wall. They were in pairs of two. A total of four near the floor, two alone up a few feet and four more up higher. He realized that if someone were to be tied to a wall with their arms and legs extended that would be the formation needed. The two alone were spaced enough for her neck. *What horrors have you lived through?*

Setting her gently on the floor , he straightend out her futon. Flipped it so the blood stained side was down, and found some bedding. He made her bed and gently laid her in it. Hakuryuu curled up above her head. Hakkai kneeled beside her bed and used his chi to close her wounds. The soft green light seemed to fill the room. One by one he closed her gashes, cuts and scrapes.

He found a clean enough cloth and a clean enough bowl and took them outside to get some water. He carefully removed what was left of her clothing. He wiped the blood and dirt from her body. The water was a dark red when he finished.

He looked through her cabinets and found some bandages and some healing salve. He cautiously bandaged her , using just the right amount of tension to serve the medical need , but it didn’t add to her pain.

He looked in her nightstand and found some sleeping garments. He stood there with them in his hands, he looked at her. “I’m so very sorry to have to invade you like this. On many levels, I feel that this isn’t right. That I have no right to….. But your clothes were torn and dirty, they had to be removed. I know you wouldn’t want to lie there in only bandages while an unknown man was here. Please forgive me. “ With that he gently put the clothes on her.

Hakkai looked at her resting. She was a thin, but shapely woman. She was somewhere around 5’5” . Her hands were dainty and soft, but no stranger to hard work. Her face was diamond shaped, and even with the bandages and bruises, he could tell she was pretty. She wore her dark brown hair in a braid down her back and wisps kissed her face. She looked so very much like Kanan.

*I should check for a head wound.* He kneeled down next to her head, leaned over her and lifted one eyelid. A beautiful golden eye looked back at him, empty. He lifted the other eyelid. *Well, at least the pupils match.*

He checked her breathing and pulse one more time, assured she was stable but unconscious, he looked around the room. “These have to go.” He unscrewed the rings from the wall and threw them in the trash can. He saw the whip on the floor, the blood had dried. It was a long black leather whip, with a sharp metal point on the end. He felt ill. He threw that in the bin also. He grabbed the bowl from earlier, got new water and began to clean. *You shouldn’t have to see this when you wake, if you wake.*

He gathered up the trash and various pieces of demon rubbish and placed them all in a metal container outside.

He walked back in the house, exhausted. He curled up on the floor next to the futon. He placed his hand in hers and drifted off to sleep.

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Goku, Gojyo and Sanzo met up with each other in a clearing.

“Awww man I lost him.” Goku whined.

Gojyo and Sanzo looked at each other. Gojyo shook his head no, “Nothing, lost mine too.”

“This can’t be right, we all lost our targets? Has that ever happened before?” Sanzo looked at his two party members.

“Only when we wanted to.” Gojyo reached in his pocket for his cigarettes.

“See Sanzo, I told you I was getting rusty.” Goku sighed. “Now, I’m tired and hungry.”

“Hey Sanzo, you don’t suppose….” Gojyo looked off in the direction of the woman’s house.

“Maybe, let’s go.”

The trio took off towards the direction of the house. When they got there, there was no indication that the demons returned. Sanzo surveyed the grounds and Gojyo poked his head through the doorway.

“Well, I’ll be damned. We’re running all over the woods and he’s in here asleep!”
Gojyo started to walk into the house. Sanzo put a hand on his shoulder.

“Let him sleep Gojyo. His actions were probably more tiring than ours.”

“In her condition? I wouldn’t even …” Sanzo smacked him with the fan. “Hey, that thing is for monkeys!”

“Sanzo?” Goku inquired in a small voice. “Do you think she’ll be alright? Do you think they’ll come back?”

“I don’t know, we should stay here for the night.” Sanzo looked at the metal rubbish bin and began to burn it.

“Awww you would look at that, hard ass is getting a soft spot.” Gojyo chuckled using the firelight to scan the area.

“Shut up, I just don’t feel like walking back to the inn.” With that Sanzo sat down and lit a cigarette.

The fire burned itself down to embers. The trio went inside the house, made themselves as comfortable as the setting would allow and slept.

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Hakkai opened his eyes as the rays from the rising sun peeked in the windows. He looked around and saw his band of brothers. He looked at the woman, she was still resting. He felt her pulse and checked her breathing. She is getting stronger.

He sat crossed-legged looking at her as memories of Kanan danced through his mind.

“How is she doing?”

“Huh?…oh. She’s getting better.” Hakkai was so lost in thought he didn’t even hear Sanzo walk up behind him. “Did you find Areia? “

“No, and we lost the demons too.”

Hakkai looked at him, he couldn’t believe his ears. “Any signs of the contingent?”

“No, I’m beginning to think that was a story she made up to impress Gojyo.”

“Now, why would she need to do that?” Gojyo commented “She impressed me before she opened her mouth.” Gojyo smiled remembering her figure.

“I’m hungry.”, No one wondered who said that.

“Why don’t you go back to the inn. I can take care of things here.” Hakkai looked back at the woman. “She seems to be getting stronger and we scared the demons well enough that I don’t suspect they will return. Anyway, with what she’s been through having one stranger in the house will be a shock.”

Sanzo nodded and turned to leave.

“I’ll send Hakuryuu , if I need you.”

The three left for the inn.

Hakkai kneeled beside her and gathered up some of his chi. Her wounds looked much better and a lot of the bruising had already faded. *You must be a fast healer.*

Genrei felt a warm tingle on her body. She felt calm, she felt peace. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a strange man leaning over her. She scrambled, and cowered against the wall. She peeked one eye through the crook of her arm.

Hakkai and Hakuryuu smiled. “I see you are awake. Sorry, that must have been a start , with all you have been through.”

He looked so kind, so sweet, so gentle. Even the dragon looked cute and kind. She scanned the room, her home was clean. She was clean. Her eyes welled up , “Thank you kind stranger.” Her shoulders trembled as she began to weep. Hakkai scooted over to her, wrapped his arms around her and she cried on his shoulder.

He felt the tears soak through his clothing. It had been a very long time since he comforted a woman, but he remembered how. ”Now, now, we’ll have none of that.” He put one finger under her chin, and tilted her head up. “I can’t have you getting the bandages wet.”

His touch….was so soft. Where those the hands of a man? His skin was like warm silk, his hug was like a warm blanket, his voice carried the comfort of a kitten’s purr.
She blinked her tears away. He wiped the wet drops off her cheek. The touch gave her chills. She turned her face toward his hand. He cradled her face in his hand.

They sat there in silence for a bit. Hakkai thought about how comfortable this felt. How nice it was to have someone to care for, and how beautiful she was. He longed for love, he craved tenderness and affection. He had that once, would he ever have it again? Would he allow himself to love another?

Hakkai heard her stomach grumble, he chuckled. “You must be hungry, where are my manners? I’ll go fix us something.” Hakuryruu whined. “Yes, you too.”

Hakkai stood up and walked to the kitchen area. She looked down at her clean clothes and bandages. “Did you…?” Her voice trailed off looking down at herself.

Hakkai look at her from across the room, “Yes, I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect, but I had to do something.”

She kept her head down, “I understand. Did they… before you… ?”

“No, we got here in time.”

She was visibly relieved. She touched some of her bandages. “I think I can manage now, you don’t have to stay. I’ve already been such a burden.”

“It’s no problem. I don’t doubt you can manage. I would really like to enjoy more of your company, if that’s ok with you. “ Hakkai didn’t think she should be alone, but he really didn’t want to leave. He wanted to spend time with her. He finished making the meal and set the food on the table. “Sorry, it isn’t all that fancy.”

She limped over to the table , the food smelled and looked great. She was famished.

Hakkai saw her wince as she sat down. He helped tuck her chair in under her, put some food on a plate for Hakuryuu and sat down across from her. “You look really hungry, how long has it been since you’ve eaten?”

She looked at him and bld a d a few times. She put her hand to her chin and knitted her brow, “Since before the demons got here.” She took a bite of food. The beef seemed to melt in her mouth, and the water tasted cool and sweet.

“How long had they been here?” He could see the chopsticks tremble in her hand. *Maybe, I shouldn’t have asked that.*

“Ummm, how long was I out?”

“Only one night.”

“They got here three , no , four days ago.”

“My name’s Hakkai, what’s yours?”

“I’m Genrei, I’m very glad to meet you, Hakkai”.

“I’m glad to have met you too. Your wounds looked pretty serious, do you want me to go into town and get a doctor, or a healer?”

“No!” She regained her composure, “No doctors, please.”

She looked at him over the now empty plates of food, “You know they aren’t all bad,” she said.

“Who doctors?”

“No, demons. They aren’t all bad…not all of them.”

Hakkai looked at her golden eyes and smiled at her, “No, some are very nice.”

She looked at his ear cuffs, “Yes, some are.” She looked back at his eyes, his beautiful green eyes. She could get lost in those eyes.

Hakkai cleaned the table as she checked her wounds. “Are you a healer? Many of these bandages can come off.”

He looked at her, she moved with such grace….”Sometimes I am, but you must heal quickly. You were really beat up.”

“I’ve always healed well, when I am treated well.”

She sat down on the futon and Hakkai sat down neo heo her. “Hakkai, if I might be so bold as to ask and if you don’t mind….”

“Hmm, what is it?”

“Would you mind checking my back?”

“Oh yes, of course.”

She crossed her arms in front of her and pulled her shirt off. Hakkai looked at the contrast between the strips of white bandages and her light tan skin. It seemed vulgar to have such beautiful soft skin wrapped in rough cotton bandages….but not nearly as vulgar as what happened to her.

She held her arms over her head as he unwrapped the bandages. “You seem to be fine, there’s barely a trace of any wound.” He unwrapped the last bandage, and he looked at her back.

He could see the sides of her breasts, as much as he didn’t want to look….he did want to. Before she was a wounded person needing help, the fact that she was a woman at times didn’t matter and at times it did. Now, seeing her smooth flesh before him, the fact that she was a woman was very important. He felt an urge that he hadn’t felt for a long time. He wanted to hold her, to touch her, to kiss her to…..

He gingerly reached a hand out to touch where one wound was, her skin was so soft and smooth that his fingers seemed to glide across it. He saw the chill bumps raise on her skin.

He wanted so badly to take his shirt off and feel his skin against hers, he wanted that closeness. The longer he looked at her and felt her skin under his finger tips, the more that want turned into a need.

She dropped her arms, and turned to face him. He looked at her golden eyes and delicate facial features, he touched her face. She leaned in to him, glanced at his lips and then back up to his eyes. He leaned into her. Their lips touched.

His skin felt like rose petals on hers. She brought a hand up and touched the side of his face, he ran his fingers through her hair. It was so smooth and straight, it glided through his fingers like water. Her mind swirled. He felt himself get lost in the kiss, he swam in a sea of pleasure, joy , tenderness and guilt.

He backed away from her and turned his head away. *What am I doing?*

She looked at him, tilted her head, “There’s woman isn’t there?”

Without looking at her, he quietly said, “Was.”

“Oh, I see.” She touched chi chin and turn his head toward him. “Was? Or still is?”

“Both I guess.”

“Was and is. Is--- as in the burden that I see in those stunning green eyes.”

“Y His His eyes began to water.

She pulled him toward her, he laid his head on her bare chest. How he wanted this kind of contact. How he missed it.

“If the situation were reversed, what would you want for her?”

A tear ran down his cheek, he hadn’t thought of it that way. Kanan’s happiness was all he ever wanted. Everything he did , everything he tried to do--- all for her happiness.

Genrei tightened her hold on him. She thought, *What am I doing? This isn’t right.*

“I’d want her to be happy.”

“No matter what?” She inquired.

“No matter what. I’m sorry, it’s just that you remind me of her so much. Your hair, your nature, even your face….you look like her. All these old memories and feelings just rushed back to me.”

Her breathing paused as the heaviness of the situation sank in to her. *Oh, shit! I had no idea. This is so wrong. What am I doing to him? Damn Damn Damn, I’ve taken this too far.* And yet, his touch felt so good. He had a longing, he had a need, and he had the burden of a memory.

The longer they sat there in each other’s arms the stronger Hakkai’s urges became. He tried to rationalize the situation, he tried to justify meeting his needs. He knew what he was feeling now wasn’t love; his feelings now were much more primal. He was experiencing a primal urge, a burning desire and it was growing. *What I had with Kanan is what it is, and it will always be that --- a once in a lifetime love. No matter how long I live, no matter what I do, no matter how many women I am with….nothing ….nothing will compare to the love I have for Kanan. Nothing can replace my love for her, nothing will surpass my love for her….nothing.* Hakkai forced himself back into the present, he could hear Genrei’s heartbeat. He could feel her body heat. He could smell her natural sweetly intoxicating scent. *If I…would it be an insult to Kanan? Would it be an insult to Genrei?* Hakkai was torn between his natural urges and the memory of love. He slid down her chest and laid his head and Genrei’s lap. He whispered , trying to choke back the tears, “It isn’t right, it isn’t fair.” He didn’t mean for that to be out loud.

Genrei could tell there was an inner turmoil going on, a wall had formed that she could not penetrate. “What isn’t right? What isn’t fair?”

“Why do I feel so guilty about being here with you?” Why was he opening up to her? Why he he sharing these feelings with her? She just felt so comfortable, so inviting, so open, so familiar.

She ran her fingers through his hair, “Are you worried that anything you feel now or in the future might tarnish what you had with her? Are you worried that what you had with her might tarnish what you might experience in the future? That one woman might be hurt or insulted because of the other?”

He nailed it. She voiced what was going on his head. He cried in her lap, he tucked his legs up, and crossed his arms around himself. He wanted to fade away into a world of sorrow and guilt.

She looked down at him ---seeing him in a fetal position, his head in her lap. She heard his sobs. She wanted so badly to ease some of that pain. To take some of that burden, if only for a little while, and allow him a short sweet repose. She whispered, “Hakkai, sweet troubled Hakkai, your fears are unfounded. “

Her words hit him hard, his breathing paused, he blinked hiss a s a few times. He rotated his head to look up at and saw her face between her breasts. “Go on.”

“What was , was. Nothing can change that. What will be , will be. Nothing can change that. One’s future does not change one’s past. “

He laid there , stunned by her words. *One’s future does not change one’s past.* He said it over and over again in his head.

He rolled off her lap, on to his hands and knees. He removed monomonocle, turned toward her and without a word kissed her. His head spun, he felt a weakness in his body. He felt a tingling sensation between his eyes that traveled down his body. She lifted her arms and embraced him. Their tongues danced in their mouths, and their chi swirled around them and straight up in the air.

Their heads parted, he looked into her golden eyes and he said in a firm calm voice, “I want you.”

She looked in to his piercing eyes and saw a glimpse of peace, “I’m here” . She moved her hands to the waist band of his shirt and lifted it off him. She saw the scar on his stomach. Even with the scar he looked pristine. His chest was bare and toned. His skin smooth.

He wrapped his arms around her and she held him tightly. The sensation of their skin touching was almost too much for him to bear. It had been years since he was able to be with a woman. see seemed to fit him so well, their bodies merged like they were made to connect. He tucked his thumbs into her pajama bottoms, and she unbuttoned his pants. She scooted back as he pulled off her pants, and he stood up to removed the rest of his clothes.

He was standing there naked, she was sitting on the futon with her knees bent also naked. He could now see how truly beautiful she was in her own right. Her supple shoulders, the curve of her neck looked smooth and sleek. Her lines and curves were so clean that his eyes just naturally scanned her. Her breasts were full and round, but moderately sized. They fit her frame perfectly. Her waist was slender and her hips full. Her thighs were shapely and had just a hint of a shadow giving away her muscle tone. Everything was in perfect proportion, everything was beautiful and inviting.

He had long sleek muscles. Muscles that were kept tone by natural movements, not by lifting heavy items. Each breath caused cascading ripples down his torso. His movement was sure and graceful. She had never seen anyone with such a high level of body awareness. Her eyes went to his shoulders, so toned, so tight and yet relaxed. His chest was broad and strong, his stomach toned, his hips straight.

He kneeled down and put his head even with hers. Putting his weight on his folded legs, he put his hands under her breasts anid hid his hands on to her back. He held her tight and cradled her. He nibbled at her ear kissed down her neck.

She was overwhelmed by his passion. Every touch was intended, every motion designed for her pleasure. As he kissed her neck , she smelled his hair. His scent was like a highly addictive drug, it filled her senses and made her feel weak. She couldn’t seem to get enough of it.

Never taking his lips off her, he gently nudged her on to her back. He squared his hips between her thighs, and put his arms beside her chest. He guided his lips to her collar bone and kissed her throat. He moved his kisses under her chin and back to her lips. He felt her chi surround him. She felt his chi surround her.

She could no longer feel the futon on her back. Her entire world now consisted of Hakkai.

The world faded from existence around him. The futon was gone, the house was gone…nothing existed but her.

He moved his head between her breasts, he put his hands on her and felt the heaviness of her mounds.

His touch felt like rose petals brushing against her skin, his kisses felt like butterfly wings and his tongue felt like velvet on her nipples. She felt his passion through his breath on her damp skin. She felt herself growing wet.

She curved one hand around the back of his head, feeling the soft clean hair. She glided her other hand from his ear to his shoulder. She could feel his muscles quiver under her touch.

Her touch seemed to erase years or tension and worry from his muscles. He felt his manhood harden.

She guided his head toward hers. She looked in his eyes, and saw a deep seated longing, a long held passion that wanted so desperately to be unleashed. She kissed the corners of his mouth, and brushed her lips against his eyelids. She nibbled on his ears, and ran her tongue down his neck.

The sensation made his shoulders drop and his head tilted back. She curved both armsarms around him and placed her hands on his shoulder blades. She kissed his stomach and felt it trem She She moved her head to his firm member and touched the tip of her tongue to the head of his dick. She heard him gasp. She felt his hand tighten on her shoulders. She ran her tongue in circles around the head of his penis and down the long shaft. With her check against his abdomen, she curved her tongue around the underside of the base of his dick. She slid her tongue back and curled it around the top. Gliding her tongue back to the head of his member, she enclosed her lips around him. She heard a soft moan escape his lips. She darted her tongue across the underside of him and altered the tilt of her head.

Hakkai closed his eyes lost in the sensation.

She teased the tight skin between the head and shaft of his penis with the tip of her tongue and in one smooth movement, took him entirely in her mouth. She buried her nose in his stomach, slowly caressing him with her tongue. She felt him fill the farthest reaches of her throat. She backed off a bit to get a breath of air and her senses were immediately overcome with his scent. It filled her lungs and made her feel physically lighter. She lower her head onto him again, and swirled her tongue some more.

Hakkai reached his hands down to her biceps and gently nudged her back up face to face with him. He cradled her head in both is hands, rubbing his thumn hen her checks.

He looked into her eyes, he saw a ing ing in her eyes that reached out to him and touched him in his soul.

He moved his head toward her and their lips touched. Hakkai shifted his hips and penetrated her. She felt so warm and wet.

He moved his arms around her body, one hand caressing the back of her neck the other between her shoulder blades. She had one hand on one of his shoulder blades and the othn hin his ass.

His back moved in a cascading wave with each thrust, his hips seemed to moved in a small vertical circle. On each inward movement he brushed against her g-spot. His pelvic bone massaged her clitoris. She shifted her hips matching his thrusts.

He slid his lips off her lips and placed his cheek on her cheek. She heard him softly panting close to her ear. He heard her softly moaning near his ear.

She slipped her top hand down to his ass and curved her fingers. She gently raked her nails up his back.

He arched his back and let out a moan.

She moved her hands back down, he moaned again.

She flattened her hands and spread her fingers as she moved them back to his shoulder blades. She moved her head to his shoulder and placed her lips where his neck met his shoulders. She could feel his muscles flexing as he moved.

They moved in unison, every movement perfectly counterbalance by another.
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Time stood still.
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The entire world was gone, all that existed was the passion between them. Their bodies no longer mattered, this was pure energy, pure passion, pure emotion.


His green chi and her golden chi twisted around them, carrying them to higher plane of existence. Their energies twisted and twirled over them.

She felt her orgasm build.

He felt his orgasm build.

Her feet clenched, her thighs quivered, her stomach tightened , her breath quickened, her hands curled and her head went back. She felt her vaginal muscles clench down around him. Three waves of orgasm washed over her. Her chi exploded around them.

His stomach tightened, his feet clenched, his arms flexed, his face clenched, and his head went back. His chi exploded around them.

Encased in a ball of chi so bright it lit up the room, their bodies spasmed into each other.

As the chi faded and dispersed, world awareness came back .

They floated back down to the futon, and without moving, without a word, they slept in each others arms.


Hakkai was the first to wake up the next morning. He felt so good lying naked next to her. He felt the closeness he desired. His spent passion was a brief escape. She looked stunning in the golden sunlight. He touched her face. Still asleep, she turned her head toward his hand. He scanned her body , there seemed to be no indication that she was ever beaten. But, something seemed amiss, he scanned her again and noticed what his roller-coaster ride of emotions yesterday prevented him form noticing. She had no bellybutton, and her aura was the same odd mix of Aiera’s.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw him looking at her. She saw the puzzled look on his face. “You’re wondering about the belly button aren’t you?”

Hakkai not being the type to mention anyone’s faults, didn’t know what to say. “Umm, no just admiring your beauty in the sunlight.”

“It is ok Hakkai, I’m fully aware that I don’t have a belly button. It’s something one doesn’t notice right away, but when you do notice it….it stands out. “

“Well, now that you mention it, but it isn’t a big deal, really.”

“I grew up on a farm. I had an accident as a child with a mechanical rice picker.”

“A mechanical rice picker?” A myriad of scenes ran through Hakkai’s mind. Varieties of farm equipment raced in his head, he couldn’t recall having ever seen a mechanical rice picker.

“Yes, a mechanical rice picker, they fixed me best they could. But, alas ,my belly button was gone forever.” She chuckled. “I’d really rather not talk about it if that is ok with you.”

“Yes, of course.”

They got dressed and ate breakfast together. There was a knock at the door.

Hakkai got up and answered the door. Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku were outside.

Hakkai motioned for them to enter.

“Allow me the honor of introductions, Sanzo this is Genrei. “

Sanzo looked at her, she bowed her head.

“Gojyo this is Genrei.”

She quickly bowed her head.

“And finally, Gnerei this is Goku.”

“Wow!” Goku exclaimed, “You sure do look at a lot better than the last time we saw you. Hakkai what did you do to her….she looks great!”

Genrei turned her head to hide her blush, but Gojyo caught it. Instantly a mischievous grim formed on his face, he whipped his head over to look at Hakkai . Hakkai was looking a little comfortable with the question himself. Gojyo’s eyes darted back and forth between them. He giggled to himself.

Sanzo looked at Genrei, “Those demons that were here, do you know if there are any others?”

Genrei --keeping her eyes downcast and obscured by her bangs ---, “Yes, there is of of other demons in and around town. I don’t know if they are all connected or if is just a coincidence.”

Sanzo looked at Hakkai, “If you are all done here, we should assess the situation.”

Gojyo spoke up, “Yeah, Aiera wasn’t back at the inn last night.”

Goku looked at Gojyo, “You probably scared her off for good.”

“I’ll show you scared off, come here you little monkey.” They raced out the door.

Sanzo sighed and walked out after them, “I’m not running all over this damn forest after you.”

Hakkai walked over to Genrei and held both her hands, “I don’t know when---”

She put a finger to his lips, “Shhhh”. She moved her finger and kissed him. As they kissed flashes of the night ran through Hakkai’s mind. She slipped something in his pocket.

He stepped back, looked at her , smiled and walked out the door.

She watched them through the window as they walked. Gojyo and Goku seemed to be playing tag. Sanzo and Hakkai were talking. Hakuryuu turned and looked back at the house. He looked at her looking at them for a moment, and turned back around.