Of Her Nature II

Part three: Heading East?

Sanzo, Hakkai, Gojyo and Goku had been traveling west for a little over a day. Each passing mile seemed to take a bit of the weight from the memories of the recent past. Things were beginnio feo feel like normal.

Gojyo was slumped down in the backseat, his hair hanging over the side waving in the breeze. He was counting the clouds as they went by, he was bored…. damn bored. 3456, 3457, 3458.….

Goku was looking off to the side as the same rocks seemed to pass by the jeep.

Hakkai was scanning the horizon looking desperately for signs of life.

Sanzo was enjoying the rare moment of peace.

Gojyo felt some of his brain drip out of his ears ----damn, damn bored. He reached out a hand; poked Goku in the arm.

“What?” Goku asked without looking.

Gojyo poked him again.

“What!?” Goku asked louder turning his head toward Gojyo. Sanzo cringed.

Gojyo smiled and poked him again.

Goku poked Gojyo. “Keep your paws off me, ya water sprite!“

Gojyo poked Goku. “I’ll touch you if I want to, ya monkey.“

Goku poked Gojyo. “You are on my side, now stop it.“

Gojyo punched Goku. “You were breathing on me.“ The jeep swerved.

Goku punched Gojyo. “I was not!” The jeep swerved again.

Sanzo squeezed off a round, “Don’t make me come back there and settle this.”

Gojyo decided he enjoyed breathing more than entertainment and settled back down.

Hakkai noticed a small group running toward them; he slowed down.

“Priest Sanzo! Master Sanzo!” A man yelled out. “Bless us, please, sir.”

“If you stop, I will kill you.” Sanzo said through his teeth to Hakkai.

Hakkai looked at him out of the corner of his eye and looked at the group blocking the road. Hakkai sighed,” I’m sorry but I have no choice.” He stopped the vehicle. The group began to run up to Sanzo’s side of the jeep.

“This thing has four wheel drive. You could have gone off road.” Sanzo was definitely irritated.

Hakkai chuckled inside, at least he was no longer bored.

The men were dressed in armor and passively carried weaponry. They knelt at the side of the jeep. One man looked up at Sanzo, “Master Sanzo, please, sir, bless us.”

“Why?” Sanzo eyed them, they looked like a rag-tag group of weekend warriors.

“We are about to head in to battle, sir.” The others looked up at Sanzo, surprised that he wouldn’t know of the pending fight.

“Battle! Kick-ass! Where?” Goku stood up to see the men.

The man looked at Goku, “East. One town back. “ He looked at Sanzo, “Surely, you must have traveled through it. It is t a t a day east.”

The four men knew exactly which town. Sanzo closed his eyes, “My blessing ---if you would call it that --- would be for you to turn around and go back home.”

The man was shocked. “Sir, you’d expect us to sit back and do nothing against a demon invasion?”

Sanzo eyed the men. “Stand up.”

The group stood. Sanzo scanned their faces, “Show me your bellybuttons.”

The men looked at each other, they were beginning to doubt the validity of this Sanzo.

“Show me your god-damn belly buttons!” Sanzo glared at the group.

The men timidly lifted their shirts, they all had bellybuttons. They seriously doubted the validity of this Sanzo. Sanzo gritted his teeth, “Go home.”

The man looked at Sanzo, “I’m sorry sir, but in good conscience we cannot.”

They began walking east.

Hakkai placed his foot on the accelerator and the jeep began moving.

Gojyo looked back at the guys walking, “You don’t suppose she was telling the truth?”

Sanzo replied, ”No.”

Hakkai replied, “We don’t travel east.” The anger over being manipulated hung heavy in his voice.

Goku stood up and jumped out of the jeep. Hakkai stopped the jeep and gritted his teeth.

Sanzo yelled after him, ”Get back here monkey!”

Goku looked at them over his shoulder, “I’m not leaving her to defend a town by herself. I gave my word”

Hakkai spoke through his rising anger, “She is more than capable, if there is an attack at all.”

Gojyo stood up and hopped out of the jeep and ran up to Goku, “Not if they are calling for reinforcements from other towns. Those guys won’t be any help. Keeping going west if you want to. We’ll catch up with you.”

Sanzo tilted his head down, “This is so stupid.”

Hakkai looked forward toward the setting sun, “We *DON’T* travel east.”

Sanzo looked at Goku and Gojyo walking, “They’re really going. “ He hated to admit it, but he couldn’t have Goku unprotected. He couldn’t have Goku watched over by Gojyo around a woman with such unique gifts. “He’s my ward. We head east today.”

Hakkai didn’t move, “We don’t head east, Sanzo. “

Sanzo looked down at Hakkai’s hands, his grip was so tight his knuckles were turning white. Sanzo couldn’t begin to comprehend the anger and resentment Hakkai felt toward Jorja, but he knew what he had to do. He had to care for his ward. Sanzo put a hand on one of Hakkai’s hands, “Today, we head east.” He looked at Hakkai as he calmly spoke.

Hakkai sighed, “Ok, but we are camping somewhere tonight.”

Sanzo could tell by the sound of his voice, that wasn’t a request. “Agreed, it is getting late.”

Hakkai did a three-point turn and they headed east.

“Alright! You’re coming!” Goku exclaimed as he jumped in the jeep.

“You just couldn’t trust him with me could you? Can‘t risk him finding out what the rope is for, eh?” Gojyo looked at Sanzo as he jumped into the jeep. Sanzo hit him with the fan.

“What is the rope for?” Goku asked.

“Shut up, Goku!” Sanzo yelled as he smacked him with the fan.

Goku rubbed his head, “I was just askin…..” his voice trailed off.

They traveled until dark, and set up camp. Hakkai was obviously brooding. After they ate, Hakkai stood up, “I need a walk.” He spoke flatly and walked out of the firelight.

Gojyo stood up looking in the direction that Hakkai walked off.

Sanzo spoke up, “Let him go.”

Gojyo looked at Sanzo and then back into the darkness, “Not this time.”

Sanzo looked over at Goku sleeping. He looked up at the clear night sky, straightend out his bedding and, with his back to the fire, closed his eyes.

Gojyo saw Hakkai in the moonlight. He was standing near a cliff staring out at the landscape. His hands were clenched in fists at his side. “Talk to me, man.”

“Leave me alone, Gojyo.”

“Not this time.”

Gojyo walked up behind him and looked at the landscape over Hakkai’s shoulder, “Nope, I’m gonna stand here until you feel better, talk to me or push me off.”

“Leave me alone” Hakkai said forcefully.

“Nope, not gonna do it.”

Hakkai whirled around and punched Gojyo in the arm and then in the other arm. Gojyo just stood there watching his friend. Hakkai brought up both fists and pounded them on Gojyo’s chest. His hits getting softer has his sobs got louder. Eventually, he just stood there his head down and his arms loose at his side sobbing. Gojyo put his arms around his friend and held him as he cried. Gojyo stared off east, shook his head subtly and patted Hakkai’s back. “C’mon let’s sit down.”

They sat down with their legs dangling off the cliff. “Talk to me, man.”

Hakkai stared off into the distance; with a jagged breath he said, “She used me. She manipulated me, she used Kanan.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! I’m sure. She disguised herself to look like her, she set up an attack to…. she …..she…knew what she was doing.”

“Think about it Hakkai, how would she have known about Kanan? “

Hakkai looked at Gojyo, “Oh, come on, no way it was a coincidence.”

“With her talents, in any disguise she would have ….umm, the end result would have been the same. Looking like Kanan probably delayed her plans. If she really wanted to hurt us, she would have looked like my mother, Kanan and Sanzo’s Master. “

“I still don’t buy it.” Hakkai’s voice softened.

“Do you think she bankrolled those demons to die? I mean, we do have a reputation.”

“I don’t know. Others have bankrolled demons to come after us”

“Yeah, Homura and Kougaiji.”

“Kougaiji could have bankrolled them.”

“Does Kougaiji know about Kanan?”

Hakkai was silent. “One of them could have found out.”

Gojyo decided to try a different approach, “Think about your time with her.”

“I’d rather not.”

“Seriously, think about your time with her. Was there nothing redeemable? “

Hakkai remembered her asking him to leave, and he refused. Hakkai remembered her words and felt the silver heart in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the engraving, ’One’s future does not change one’s past.’

Gojyo looked down at the heart. “Would she have given that to you if she wanted to hurt you? If she didn’t want you to mend?”

Hakkai contemplated wingwing the heart off the side of the cliff. He sighed and put it back in his pocket. He shook his head, “You.”

Gojyo looked at him and knitted his brow, “Me?”

“You. Only you can do this to me.” “Do “Do what?”

“Make me feel better.” Hakkai looked at Gojyo and smiled. “You might be right, but I’m still not happy with the situation.”

“I don’t expect that.” Gojyo said looking back at the landscape.

“Ya know, in a way, I feel sorry for her. “

“, me, me too,”

They sat there in silence for a bit. Hakkai softly chuckled.

Gojyo looked at him, “What?”

“Remember telling me about the safe word?”

“Yeah,” Gojyo smiled and nodded his head.

“Do people really do that?”

“Yeah, they do.”

“And Sanzo?”

“Yeah, he’s a little freak. It makes sense in a way.”

“How?”

“Well, he doesn’t like to be touched. The best way to make sure you don’t get touched is to secure the hands. It’s also a power trip for him. Some kind of challenge or something…. And he calls me a perv. HE’s the freak “

“Ummm, Gojyo?”

“Yeah?”

“How do you know so much about Sanzo’s sexual behavior?” Hakkai looked at Gojyo and grinned mischievously.

Gojyo’s eyes narrowed in a playful manner, “I told you before. You were the one and only time I took a guy to bed. And, I rush to add, the only thing I was putting in anywhere was your innards.”

Hakkai laughed softly, “It’s just you seem to know a lot about it. “

Gojyo’s eyes widened. “Of course I do, I’m a legend. Remember?” Gojyo puffed his chest out in mock pride.

“No, I mean you seem to know a lot about Sanzo,” he paused, ”in that way.”

o sto stood up and put his hands on his hips. “If you are implying something, just come right out and say it!”

Hakkai stood up, “Shh. You’ll wake the others.” Hakkai chuckled.

“No, no. No-no! We are settling this right now. I can’t have rumors. “

Hakkai walked back toward camp, raised a hand as to brush the issue aside, “ Hey your fact finding missions are none of my business.” Hakkai was nearly laughing now.

Sanzo heard Hakkai’s laugh and finally allowed himself to go to sleep.

Gojyo’s jaw dropped, “Fact finding missions! Fact finding missions! What have you heard, entrails-boy?!”

Hakkai shrugged his shoulders, “Nothing, nothing.” Hakkai spoke in a tauntioiceoice.

Gojyo ran up to him, “We talk man…we TALK.”

Hakkai smiled at him and with sarcasm dripping from his voice, “Sure, ok, no problem”

“Really, we talk.” Gojyo pointed a finger to emphasize his point.

“I believe you. “ Hakkai playfully grinned at him. He loved taunting him. “I’m going to sleep now. See you in the morning.”

Hakkai smoothed out his bedding and laid down on his side. Hakuryuu was already curled up by the fire. Hakuryuu noticed Hakkai lying down and moved to curl up in the bend of his knee.

Gojyo sat down on his bedding and looked at his three sleeping companions. He wasn’t sure if Hakkai believed him or not. Bewildered, he eventually fell asleep.

They woke up the next morning and over cof Goj Gojyo looked at Sanzo, “Sanzo, tell him we aren’t lovers.”

Sanzo nearly choked on his coffee, his eyebrows knitted and he shook his head quickly, “W-w-what?”

Hakkai laughed. Goku looked confused.

“Tell Hakkai that you and I aren’t lovers. “

Sanzo smirked, “You two are the ones that go out for long *talks* in the dark.”

It was then that everyone noticed Sanzo’s mood had lightened a bit since his time with Jorja. He was getting close to jovial.

Goku piped up, “What’s wrong with talks?”

They just looked at him. “Why don’t you guys ever tell me anything?” Goku pouted. “You’re supposed to be responsible for my social maturity.” Goku tried his best to look indignant.

Gojyo laughed, “Do you even know what that means, stupid monkey?”

Goku stood up, “Don’t call me stupid. Or I might be so stupid as to ask Jorja if there is a red-haired d ond on the way you pervert!”

Gojyo froze, “Don’t even JOKE about it.” He pointed a threatening finger at Goku.

The realization of Goku’s joke hit Sanzo, Hakkai and Gojyo. They all thought of Goku as a toddler. The three of them shuddered.

Hakkai spoke up, “Ok! Change of subject officially declared, NOW.”

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Next Part Four: Damascus Defense !