Best of Both Worlds

Chapter Five
Sanzo awoke with a start two nights later at the sound of rain hitting the glass. “Dammit…” he said and sat up in his bed. They’d been lucky enough to an an inn with enough vacant rooms that each of them could have their own and Sanzo was glad. Hakkai and Gojyo were all but at each other’s throat after their little smooch three days ago. Hakkai was definitely showing his jealous side and Gojyo was being a total ass about the whole thing. It was annoying the shit out of him to the point where he’d begun to wonder how Gojyo would get along with Hakkai in bed and he decided swiftly against it. Gojyo would hate it. Hakkai would be too submissive for Gojyo’s tastes. Goku was as dumb and blind as ever and had no idea what was going on. Stupid monkey…
It wasn’t supposed to rain that night but they were due for some rain on their trip. It was the first time in a long time Sanzo was spending a rainy night alone. In a way, he missed Hakkai’s company. He’d always felt like he could open up to Hakkai more than the other two because Hakkai seemed to understand. The only thing that pissed Sanzo off about being with Hakkai is that getting rid of the jeep-dragon was a hassle. Sanzo never wanted to strip down in front of that dragon.
Sanzo sighed heavily and turned his gaze out the window. The steady drumming of the drops against the glass brought back memories…memories that Gojyo brought back. She was more like Gojyo than Hakkai in most ways…Her kisses and her touch, anyway but she wasn’t as…aggressive. She was like Hakkai in the respect that she never once initiated a tender moment. But, again, like Gojyo in the fact that she would get quite annoyed if he wanted to sleep. At least she didn’t make a habit of twisting sensitive flesh like Gojyo… He lay back down and closed his eyes.
Maybe that’s why he’d been drawn to Hakkai and Gojyo. Both of them reminded him of her. With that thought fresh in his mind, he drifted off to sleep again.

He awoke to Goku’s infernal snoring…how the hell did Goku get into his room? He sat up and looked down at the floor. There he was…sprawled out all over the floor like he owned the place. Damn monkey. Sanzo kicked him and Goku sat up. “What the hell are you doing in my room, monkey? Didn’t you get one of your own?”
“Yeah.” Goku replied yawning. “But Gojyo came in and told me to quit my snoring or he’d stick me in here with you. I don’t remember but I guess I just kept on snoring.” He stood and dusted himself off. “So what’s for breakfast?”

Breakfast was where it finally started. Saand and Goku took seats opposite each other at a square table, leaving Hakkai and Gojyo to sit across from each other. Gods help them…it was a buffet and Goku was in heaven, hardly at the table at all. The three of them sat in complete silence.
“Rained last night.” Gojyo noted watching Sanzo’s expression.
“Unpredictable weather.” Hakkai glared at Gojyo.
“Seems that way.” Sanzo replied.
“You actually slept through the rain?” Goku asked sitting down for a third plateful. “Sanzo never sleeps through the rain.”
“No. I didn’t” Gojyo and Hakkai stared at each other each one thinking it was the other who’d kept Sanzo company last night. He was never alone when it rained. Everyone knew that. Sanzo hated to be alone when it rained.
When Goku got up again they started in on each other. “Quit staring, Hakkai.” Gojyo demanded.
“What’s your problem?” Hakkai asked, snapping out of his usual good mood.
“My problem?” Gojyo jumped to his feet. “My problem is 5’ 11’’, 150 pounds, 22 years old and wears way too much green.”
“Maybe if you’d stick to your own kind, half-breed, you wouldn’te a e a problem with me. I never made an effort to concern myself in such a way with you.”
“Oh please.” Sanzo said dropping his set of chopsticks. “Sit down, you two.”
They ignored him. “Half-breed?” Gojyo shouted. “You want me to call you a murderer? As long as we’re dishing out names here.”
“I’m sure Sanzo would prefer the monkey’s company over yours.” Hakkai spat.
“I think you’ve confused him with yourself, Hakkai.” Goku sat back down at the table and his presence went unnoticed. “And I’d bet you’d even submit to him.”
“Please, this from a water sprite who’d submit to a dog!”
“That’s it!” Sanzo jumped to his feet and pointed his gun at Hakkai and then at Gojyo. “Shut your mouths or I’m going to pump both your asses full of bullets and I swear you won’t like it.”
Gojyo and Hakkai reluctantly returned to their seats. “Hey Sanzo…” Goku started. “What’s all the fighting over?”
“Never mind, monkey.” Sanzo replied and sat back in thought as the others finished their meals.
This isn’t right, even for these idiots. I’ve never known Hakkai to even think about using the term ‘half-breed’. It isn’t like him and Gojyo…Gojyo has a temper but something is off. It was almost as if all the demonic aura was getting to them but then…why wasn’t Goku affected? Maybe he was…maybe that’s what was making him snore so damn loud.

The ride in the jeep that day was terribly awkward. Neither Gojyo nor Hakkai made any attempt at conversation and, as usual, Sanzo simply reclined in his seat and spent the day smoking and telling Goku to shut up. It still seemed odd to Sanzo that Hakkai and Gojyo would have a fight such as the one earlier. Especially Hakkai…he was always to calm and gentle natured. And he had almost forgotten that he was the only human in the group.
Sanzo took the cigarette from his mouth and tossed out onto the rocky ground. There were small puddles of water still left from the rain and Sanzo was glad they were finally out of that desert area. It wasn’t quite as hot now but still warm enough that he had to put up with the terrible stench of sweat and spilled beer that so often radiated from the back of the jeep. Gojyo sweated like a pig most of the time, though after a day under the blistering sun Sanzo knew he didn’t smell like roses either. “What’s the next town, Hakkai?”
“I believe it was actually a nice sized city.” Hakkai replied, glad to break the silence. “But the name’s escaped me for the moment. We should be able to find some out of the ordinary…nicer lodgings for the night there.”
“Good.” Sanzo said. “I’m sick of cheap inns.”
“Big city…” Goku said and leaned forward between the two front seats. “That means food…”
“Sit down, monkey.” Gojyo said and pulled Goku back to his seat. “You’re blocking my view again.”
“What’s to look at but sandy rocks?” Goku crossed his arms and surveyed the area. “Hey Sanzo…” he said suddenly.
“What?”
“Haven’t we been out here before?”
“Why would we have come all the way out here, Goku?”
“It was like…four and half years ago or something. I remember this stupid canyon. I would kill for a can of paint about now. I’d like to liven the place up a bit. All this tan and brown is making me sick.” He paused and leaned forward again. “I think the floating heads sent you out here to deliver a letter or something…I remember this place, though. Really.”
“Shut up, Goku.” Sanzo said quietly, knowing that Goku was right. He hadn’t realized just how close they were to that town where he’d met her. How odd that their journey should bring them past such a place but then why not? They’d all been forced to confront different parts of their painful pasts dozens of times.

Hakkai’s memory turned to be correct. The ‘town’ was acly aly a medium sized city that was one of the few they’d seen so far from all other civilization. From the looks of things, the area surrounding the city was actually somewhat fertile farmland, an odd thing to see in such a place. Sanzo noticed several apple trees as they rode into town. They wandered through town on foot in search of the nicest place in town. Sanzo wasn’t going to settle for anything less as long as he had the chance. They found a nice place at the far edge of town with enough vacancies to treat each of them to their own room. Sanzo booked four conjoined suites.
“Sanzo, can we get something to eat?” Goku pleaded.
Hakkai expected Sanzo to sigh and hand over the golden card to one of them to take Goku food shopping. Instead, he handed Goku several neatly folded bills. “Wow. Real money.” Goku commented. “Where’d you get it?”
“Never mind. Get your food, Goku and see if you can find me a pack of my cigarettes too.”
“Sure.” Goku said and hurried off.

The first thing Sanzo was going to do was treat himself to a bath. It had been a long time since he’d been able to relax alone in a few liters of CLEAN water. Besides, he needed the time to think. He lowered himself slowly into the water after placing a near empty carton of cigarettes and a lighter at his side and his Maten Scripture in clear view. He’d learned to keep it safe at all times. Whenever it wasn’t draped over his robes it needed to be where he could see it. Too many people were after it now.
Yes, a lot had changed since the beginning. He’d done a lot of things he never thought he’d do and missed out on opportunities he would have previously jumped at. He sighed and opened the ‘complementary’ box of soap. “Damn.” He said as the scent reached his nose. “I’m going to smell like a fucking flower.” For the moment, though, he didn’t care. There was so much dust, dirt and sweat on his body from the day’s ride… Oh well. Clean was clean and he didn’t care how he got there. When he was done with the soap he simply tossed it over his shoulder, not caring where it landed and leaned back, folding his arms behind his head. All right…A little Sanzo time. He thought, glad to be alone. He sighed and closed his eyes, thinking of what Goku had said in the jeep earlier. Yes, I’ve been here before. He thought. And stayed too long. So help me, if that monkey ever wants another apple I’m going to buy one and shove it up his ass. He had to find someone to blame consciously, though he felt somewhere that he should have been able to save her… Or at least bury a body. He would have felt much better if he’d had that closure but no one had ever found the body.
He dipped his head under the water and came back up, his mind emptied of the previous thought. He reached for yet another one of the hotel’s ‘luxuries’…a small bottle of scented shampoo. Scented or not…it was there and he needed something to wash all the sand out.
He heard the door to his room open and close as he finished rinsing out his hair. “Shit.” He said, annoyed at the sound of Goku’s entrance.
“Sanzo…” Goku started as he came in. He tossed the carton of cigarettes to Sanzo who raised one hand to catch it. “There’s your cigarettes. Do you want your change?”
Sanzo opened one eye, surprised. “There’s change? That surprises me. Just put it there.” Sanzo motioned to the nearly empty carton beside him. Goku walked over and dropped a few coins on the cardboard box and stood over Sanzo for a moment, obviously in thought.
Sanzo simply went back to his original position, reclining lazily. It had never bothered him to be naked in front of Goku though initially he couldn’t have pictured himself in such a position in front of Hakkai or Gojyo. Goku just still seemed like a little kid and Sanzo pictured himself as more of a father figure to Goku than anyone else, though he was never very nice to the stupid chimp. “You want something?” Sanzo asked him.
“Have we been here before, Sanzo?”
“Yes, baka. Right about the time you gave in the jeep…about four and a half years ago to deliver a letter. What of it?”
“Do you think that lady with the apple cart is still here?” Sanzo opened his eyes and dropped his arms down to his side. “I remember her.”
“So do I, Goku.” Sanzo’s voice was somehow different and his face changed. It was as if he were about tminiminisce on something he didn’t want to think about. Goku took that as his cue to leave. In the rare instances that Goku had heard him talk about his past, he always got smacked if he asked a question and he couldn’t help it. He was just curious.
“Whatever.” Goku said with a shrug and walked off. “Later.”
Sanzo reached for the carton of Cigarettes that Goku had brought him and stared at it with a frown. “Dammit! Baka saru…” He tossed the carton away as he had the soap. “ wer were you thinking? I wouldn’t smoke those if they were the last cigarettes in the world! Damn stupid monkey…” he grumbled as he got out of the water. “Why do I always have to do these things myself?”