Saiyuki Reload Gunlock Fan Fiction ❯ Heaven above Heaven above Heaven ❯ Plans are set to motion ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine (except Mei) and all I get from this is good mood.

Warnings: Not about story but my grammar skills.

 

Chapter III: Plans are set to motion.

 

They ate breakfast under confused silence. Sanzo was the one who eventually spoke up.

“You are under orders, Mei,” he said and looked Mei firmly. “I can understand why you would like to have some time all alone. That doesn't mean you can now. As long as things stand you never go alone shopping or anywhere, you always room with someone and always carry your gun.” Mei blinked.

“I always do,” she stated. Sanzo shook his head.

“From now on you will be sleeping with it,” he said. Mei sighed. She loved all her companions from the bottom of her heart but that didn't mean she didn't feel herself cornered sometimes. She needed her personal space but what was the alternative? She had no idea what that strange god was capable of and she never expected to make it without at least some discomfort on her part.

“And this applies to you too, Goku,” Sanzo continued harshly. Goku just nodded and continued munching happily. He didn't beg for a personal space. Gojyo then came to think of something and frowned.

“You are on the list too, oh holy one,” he said teasingly. “He wants what you is yours remember.” Sanzo snapped with an almost audible sound.

“Of course I know that, feather brain! Why you think I'm this moody?”

“Just asking,” Gojyo muttered under his breath. He didn't so much pity the priest but himself. This situation might very well get him killed.

“What makes me wonder is why gods would make us go through obstacle like this,” Hakkai mused. “Taking away one member and Sanzo's most powerful item is hardly what I would call supportive behaviour. Still this has to be important for them.” The all looked at Sanzo for answer. Sanzo smiled darkly. Its logic was so plainly seen they had to be blind to not see.

“He is renegade. What else?” That caused a startled silence. The whole thought was simply too shocking to be considered.

“How can that be?” Hakkai asked not really wanting to hear the answer. “He is a god.” Sanzo hissed angrily at that.

“Haven't you listened a word I have been trying to tell you? Being god means nothing on an ethical level. They can be just as bad bastards as humans.”

“And he was wearing chains,” Mei mused.

“What I would like to know is if they up there are going to send forces to catch that rouge?” Gojyo asked but he already had a nasty feeling about it. Hakuryuu made the most disdainful sound Hakkai had ever heard him made. He frowned at that and pondered Mei's words about his faithful companion.

“I fear that we are the forces, Gojyo,” Hakkai told him. Gojyo sighed.

“Just asking.”

“What I wanna know is what that nutcase wants from me!” Goku exclaimed and looked around worried expression on his face like Homura could jump out of bushes at any minute.

“Maybe he wants a pet?” Gojyo proposed. Goku's expression darkened and Sanzo's fists twitched dangerously so Hakkai hurried to add:

“So no one knows. Maybe he will tell if we ask, maybe not.”

“Does someone still want to know something?” Sanzo asked like daring someone to press the matter further.

“I do,” Mei said determinably. “How on earth can I have been god's lover? If it's me,” she added but it was just an afterthought. Things like that just didn't happen.

“Well, there is tales about it,” Hakkai said like reading her thoughts. “I recall one I read when I was living in the orphanage. It told about a human man who fell in love with a celestial maid. His feelings were returned and they met each other in secret. However their affair was found out and they were forced apart. God's kind and humans could never love. Their love still moved the gods so they bent rules a bit and once in every century a huge flock of magpies will form a bridge so they can meet each other.” The only thought that came to Mei's mind was: why magpies?

“So have you met that guy on a bridge made of birds?” Gojyo asked humorously. Mei grinned.

“We are not birds of a feather,” she said. Hakkai chuckled and Goku looked confused. Sanzo cursed all gods he knew and even some he didn't for not keeping their own on shorter leash and for forcing him to lead that bunch of immature idiots. Himself he cursed for feeling bit too accustomed around them. He wouldn't let Muichimotsu bind him, that would have been the triumph of hypocrisy but still intimacy wasn't for him. Wanting things only hurt in the end.

“This is hardly a laughing matter,” he snapped. Mei sighed.

“True enough,” she said.

 

What Nii Jienyi wanted? He wanted everything. He wanted to be able to gain anything he might want, get his every wish fulfilled and above all have fun. So when he had decided to take Sutras from Koumyou he had sent assassins after him. Anything more conventional would have been boring. He hadn't quite got what he wanted since the Maten Sutra was now Genjyo Sanzo's possession but it didn't really matter. Now Sanzo even had two Sutras again after claiming the one the scorpion woman had stolen. The treat Koumyou had left him was positively intriguing and his companions were too. He loved to look how they would get up after every fight no matter how they were wounded. He wanted to ask how does it feel to still have to get up and he knew the answer was: positively horrible.

“Having toys is so nice. Wouldn't you agree, bunny?” he talked. Doctor Hwan loathed him and Kougaiji actually feared him - after getting once brainwashed who could really blame him? Still he wouldn't touch him. It was so obvious he was from a royal youkai family. When he wanted something it didn't matter what happened to the other world or him. In that order. He was more like his father he would ever know. Jienyi looked around to make sure no one was near even though he would have sensed intruders. Then he opened a door to a closet. He going to the closet maybe wouldn't have been so alarming since he was considered more or less insane anyway but not getting out might have caught unwanted attention. There was a hidden door and stairs behind it.

People shared the world with youkais and the believed firmly in gods but sometimes they forgot there was other beings to believe in too. Akumas who habituated the underworld and Yamarajas whose was the far shore. They had power too and secrets to be exposed. He had found some of those. From blood of a Yamaraja one could make oh so wonderfully nasty things. Shikigamis that were powerful like hell but not too obedient. Jienyi looked his tanks full of black, thick shadows that entwined and separated and changed shape. These things were just dying to submerge with living people, youkais or humans. Of course they would have threatened him too without a body turned to a stone and soul sealed away. She had been a princess knight of great akuma clan and were rumoured to be sealed away because she had fell in love with a god. Her soul had been one of fire and metal so the shockwave of her awakening would banish things made of Yamaraja's chi. Earth and wood would be no contest for his beauty. Jienyi caressed woman's sides and kissed her abdomen.

“You will wreak havoc in all Heaven too,” he promised. It was just logical to assume the proud princess would be pissed.

Nii Jienyi wasn't the least bit insane contrary to popular opinion. His actions seemed to be completely unpredictable and make no sense but it was all just a cover. When he was considered a nutcase no one asked for other motives than that. His sense of humour had got rather twisted but everyone had their little faults, didn't they? All seemingly random steps in his dance of power led him closer to taking over Houtou castle, youkai kind and even Heaven. Still he was one arrogant shit and didn't know all so much he thought he knew. Getting up and keeping going didn't feel horrible. The only option was not to and that for they smiled afterwards. The other thing was, he had no idea who had been the god the princess knight had loved.

 

Mei had of course told them the whole tale of herself and Laoghaire soon after Chin Yisou -incident. She hadn't understood even half of what had happened and she had wanted to know.

“Oh god, I fully agree with you about perverts and insects,” she had said to Sanzo and took some more water to her mouth and then she had spitted it away to banish the taste of Yisou's blood from her tongue.

“Who that nutcase was anyway?” she had asked and looked Hakkai curiously. I had been a quick decision, but not an easy one. Hakkai cared what Mei thought of him. That had also been the reason why he had told the whole tale. Mei's opinion of him had to be based on true knowledge. Still he had feared expression of disgust and harsh words, maybe even leaving the group. Instead Mei had cried for him. It had been surprise to Hakkai.

“Of course I'm crying,” Mei had downright sobbed. “That sucked so much!” Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku had always understood him but no one had ever shed tears from him. Hakkai had just known then that he would stop at nothing to protect Mei. Because a person who had so much empathy to offer was definitely worth it. Goku had then told about himself too. He too wanted someone to cry for him. From his point of view he had even got better reaction than Hakkai because Mei hadn't been only sad but also enraged.

“I don't know what I did to deserve to get locked up there but I wish I would know so I could apologise coz it had to be something really horrible.” he had said. It had taken Mei a minute to be even able to talk.

“That was horrible! That was inhuman and cruel and they didn't even let you know what had happened! Anyone who would do something like that deserves to get locked up themselves!” she had screamed.

“Anyone else wants to take part of group therapy?” Gojyo had asked then. He understood why his companions relished so with Mei's tears. He wanted them himself but adding his own tale them would have been mondo cold so he decided to wait till he would be alone with Mei somewhere. Sanzo had just grunted and Gojyo had known that was the case with him too, not that he would admit it. We can't afford that comfort ourselves. It would make us weak so cry for us. For you it's not weakness to show your pain. Maybe that's the reason you are so whole.

“I might,” Mei had said. Her friends had just told her something very intimate to her. It was just fair to share her own history too. And she really feared that if she wouldn't tell now some sick, twisted mind game -loving assassin would appear of nowhere and mess with her mind too. If it could go wrong it would that much she was sure of.

“Well, Laoghaire was my only real friend. I got bullied a lot when I was little because other children thought I was creepy. I didn't have very good control over my gift when I was little so I noticed lot of things I probably shouldn't and many adults were wary of me too. They didn't like that they could never be sure that I didn't know what they were thinking. I'm not exactly a mind reader but they didn't know the difference. Eventually it got so bad I had to change a school. I remember my father had a talk with me. He said that being so weak was embarrassing and I should make more effort to not embarrass him more. I was fifteen years old then and Lao was seventeen. She maybe wouldn't have even noticed someone so much younger if she had had any friends but she had got issues too. You see, her hair was like a limb to her. She could use it like hands and she was powerful too. I once saw her tearing steel like it had been cardboard. There were lots of lowlifes, youkai and humans, who were wooing for her to join their gangs and they rarely took no as an answer. So she had to beat up great many nasty people which gained her rather nasty reputation. She liked to carry me around a lot. She called me Teddy and she said it was because she used to have a teddy bear which fur was same colour as my hair. It was so. Very. Frustrating!

“Then the Minus Wave appeared and youkais started to lose their minds. Lao's mind was pretty strong so she could keep a grip of herself and we went to a monastery to ask some help. They gave her a power limiter. It would bend her to appear like a human so the maddening force wouldn't touch her. The problem was that people didn't understand it. I guess I can't blame them for being scared but Lao had to flee to save her life. She resided an abandoned cottage outside the town and we were about to run away together and move into some town where people wouldn't know she was an youkai. I sneaked out every night to bring her food but our servants noticed and told my father about it. My father had once been actually a nice person but I can barely remember that time. He started to slowly change and after my mother died he began to change more. He wasn't town manager yet, he was just campaigning for getting that position. Everyone promised to do something about the youkai threat but no one had any real merits. At first my father thought I had a secret lover and followed me to the cottage. He knew about limiters and he also recognised Laoghaire. Like I said Lao had a nasty reputation from beginning with and now she was labelled an youkai threat all herself.” Mei had fallen into silence and they all knew where the tale was going. Hakkai had felt almost physically sick. He knew what it was like to lose someone dear and also how bitterly revenge could sting.

“So he led a party against Lao and since she had the limiter on she couldn't win. Those bastards left the body there and when I that night went out to bring her food…” Mei had had difficult time to talk. She had still felt that crushing pressure on her chest, knowing it had been her carelessness that killed Lao. And the cruelty of her father. What kind of person would kill their parent?

“My kind of it would seem. I tried anyway,” she had said. “I just knew it was him. I asked and he said Lao had never been good influence for me. So it was my fault? He kept a rifle on a mantelpiece and I happened to look at it and then I just snapped. The next thing I knew he fell and for a second I really thought I had killed him. Didn't quite succeed but he'll never walk again. I hit his spine.” Her eyes had stayed dry. Hakkai had felt bad looking her. She had no tears for herself but she had shed them so freely for them. Goku had been the one to show most emotion but even he hadn't had tears to give. Not that Mei had seemed to care or even notice but still it wasn't fair exchange.

 

Homura walked restlessly from one room to another and all his new subjects would step aside. He felt bad for giving such a heart killing gift. Better be free on earth than slave in Heaven but all those mortals had seen was fear of death. Now they were mortals no more. Those poor, grateful idiots would most likely hate him afterwards but then again if he would succeed it wouldn't matter. They would still live on earth. No gods there. Besides he had a personal heartache too. Heartache named Dee Mei.

“Why don't you just go and bring her here?” Zenon asked. Some people just had to make things difficult for themselves and Homura was one of them. He had been crushed when he had lost Rinrei and now when he had got her back he was crushed. His liege didn't make any sense.

“The problem is I haven't got her back,” Homura said and Zenon jerked surprised. Homura shouldn't have been able to read his thoughts but suddenly one was having one's doubts. Not that the idea was unpleasant or anything. He kept no secrets from Homura. But that was beside the point, the point was that…

“The point is, Rinrei's new incarnation does not remember Homura and all she knows I that we attacked them and tried to kill her friends, took Sutras and coax Son Goku to leave with us. There is no way she would be too pleased with Homura now and getting kidnapped would only serve to make the mess complete,” Shien told him. It still amazed him how simpleminded Zenon could be at times.

“You too, Shien;” Zenon accused.

“Uh, excuse me?” Shien asked.

“Never mind that.” Zenon said. He couldn't read thoughts either, he just knew his comrade. “And if the girl doesn't know maybe telling her would be an idea?” Keeping things simple was the best way.

Shien wasn't all that optimistic. Human heart was a complex thing and if Dee Mei viewed Homura as an enemy he would have a long hard way in front of him to prove he didn't have any evil intentions. Of course the fact he indeed had would make it nearly impossible. Still they had to do something. Shien had betrayed Nataku. He had deeply cared for the boy but when they had told him not to fight he had let Nataku bleed. In the end he hadn't even told Nataku he cared and Nataku had fallen into comatose believing he had no one. Any other way would have got him punished of course but Konzen and his companions hadn't cared. They had gone all the way for their heretic friend and paid the highest price. Shien truly admired them for it and now he had to fight them to make sure he wouldn't repeat the same mistake. Homura was right, Heaven was truly cruel.

“I don't see what else we could do but tell,” he said hesitantly.

Homura nodded and smiled melancholically.

“I know. I also know that it will take time. My Rinrei is not frivolous and changing loyalties is never a simple thing. She can stick with her decisions. But I will win her over.” He had to. He had a whole world to give to his beloved. It wouldn't be in vain. A fleeting thought (What would she think if she knew?) crossed his mind but he banished it. She would become to know and she would get the finest gift possible. It was beginning to dawn to Homura that he could some day be happy. Not just content for reaching his goal but really truly happy. The sensation was so overpowering it left him scared. He had forgot ages ago how to hope. Maybe it was time to learn it again. If he would offer to take her Konzen party with them to their new world she wouldn't have any reason to resist right? He was deceiving himself, yes she would but maybe things would work out.

“We'll search for her and tell her,” he said and it was decided.

“To the west!” Zenon exclaimed and Shien sighed.

 

Kougaiji touched the torch holder nearest the edge and a secret door opened quietly. That thrice damned and hopefully soon to be dead mad scientist could think all he wanted that he knew all castle's secrets. Houtou castle had been Kougaiji's home from the day he had borne and he knew things even that cheap concubine didn't.

“Come now and make no sound,” he whispered. “Yaone, you close the door.” This time he had took the girls in too. There was no way he would leave them at the not so tender mercy of Gyoukumen any more. He would protect them no matter what. Yaone looked at him lovingly. It was so frustrating she couldn't really help her lord. Whatever she was told to do it always seemed to fail somehow. She could sympathise with Dee Mei's complex. Actually she was jealous. At least she had saved the day when those plant-demons had attacked them all. She had got Gojyo's lighter without getting napped and how those monsters had feared the little flame. Enough to let their captives escape which had been a bad move. Then she could burn them freely.

“My lord,” she whispered to the ear of Kougaiji very quietly so even Dokugakuji wouldn't hear. “Am I any use for you at all?” Kougaiji looked bit shocked.

“Don't even think otherwise. You are a great friend.” Yaone felt a bit better but still. A friend only?

“Not even itty-bitty voice,” Lirin hushed Dokugakuji and smiled happily. She liked it better when they were in cahoots with Sanzo party. The droopy eyed priest was the second best right after her big brother. He had nice hair and it was funny when he screamed and shot people who annoyed him. Except Lirin. Lirin knew she annoyed him but he never tried to shoot her even when they were fighting. That had to mean he liked Lirin too. Lirin really hoped that some day they would stop real fighting-fighting and become permanently friends. Then those powerful people Sanzo was friends with would help them to kick her mean mother and those scientists out and revive Kougaiji's mother and they could all live happily ever after. Lirin was a firm believer of happy endings. Dokugakuji looked girl's shining smile. He had a faint idea what his lord's little sister was thinking about. Good luck with your crush, he thought. The priest will not be happy. Not that he disagreed with girl's wish. After every fight, after every time Gojyo's friends were once again wounded he feared his brother would hate him later. He had never seen rage towards himself but if someone got killed… He was killing his brother by inches and he hated himself a bit for it but that was the fate for you.

 

Hakuryuu was frustrated. He had been often lately. He had agreed with the Merciful Goddess to help Sanzo party partly because of Tenpou Gensui or rather Cho Hakkai. The other part of it was his own lust for revenge and justice. Tenpou and his friends had done the right thing and paid for it. He could even sympathise with Homura even if he was a threat now. All that put aside it was still maddening to see his friends in peril and not to be able truly help. He would have given a year of his life of a more useful form. He had to hide his aura from gods but knowing that didn't ease his tension either.

The matter of aura made him feel royally uneasy. Homura hadn't seen through it so how could a human woman even if only dimly? Eventually he had settled with the reasonable guess that Kanzeon had twisted things a bit. That her obsession with amusement and banishing boredom would probably sent them all too early grave when se would overdo it with wrong people. Still he didn't whine even in his mind. Penance wasn't supposed to be easy. He hadn't followed his friends when the darkest day had dawned. He had simply abandoned them so he would serve them now no matter what. And somewhere up great Kanzeon Bosatsu was smirking. Hakuryuu's penance wasn't punishment. He had hated himself five hundred years and after all that time he really deserved a break. He wanted punishment, he got atonement. Consumer ombudsman might have got something to say about not delivering what had been agreed on but luckily se didn't know any.

Often mercy would be misunderstood because se wore a different face for every person.

 

“I got a really bad feeling,” Mei said out of blue and raised her hands to her temples and tried to concentrate.

“What kind of bad,” Sanzo asked and sighed inwardly. He had known it would not be a peaceful day but just sometimes he would have preferred being wrong.

“Is somebody going to attack us?” Goku screamed and looked around grinning happily. He liked getting stronger mostly because of Sanzo and because fighting would also relieve Sanzo's stress it would be killing two birds with one stone. Sadly there was nobody to be seen. The good thing was there was no Homura either. Goku just realised that was one option. The rest of them had realised it already.

“No Homura or other attackers. It's not that kind of bad,” Mei said hesitantly, trying to understand what kind of feeling it was. “It's not like it would happen immediately, it's just that… it's like many people would be planning something but those plans are going to… backfire. Maybe.”

“That's a good thing, isn't it?” Hakkai asked and risked a glance to Mei. It wasn't like he would likely get into a crash alone on a straight road, especially when their vehicle was a sentient being.

“Well, not quite. It won't be good for us either.” Mei looked thoroughly confused but not afraid. She was undeniably worried but little could scare them these days.

“I didn't know you could do foretelling,” Hakkai said. He tried to remember had he ever even heard of a psychic medium with that particular skill. He didn't remember but then again that skill wouldn't have been known if someone hadn't had it. He was bit jealous of Mei for that particular trait even if he didn't have use for it anymore because Mei had it. All those days and months he had used with what-ifs and might-haves. Maybe he was dwelling in hypocrisy but how he could have known? Well, Mei would have.

“Well, it's more like intuition. This has happened once before. Then I knew that I would leave someday and never come back. And I did.” Mei tried to grab feeling but it slipped from her hands like a wet soap so she sighed and started to wait. She would have to wait maybe even months but she was patient.

What she didn't notice was her companions' reaction to her words. I would leave someday and never come back. Gojyo felt ill at lungs. It just would not be!

“I'll never let anyone kill you!” he exclaimed.

“Hey! I was about to say that,” Goku cried and punched Gojyo. Mei blinked and looked them.

“Well, too bad you are so slow,” Gojyo teased. “Speed is vital when protecting someone.”

“I can move faster then you! I fight better too!” It looked like it would end up one of those felling into a pond -fights if there only was a pond, even if everyone would swear that there had been none jus a minute ago so Mei grabbed Goku and pulled him back to her laps.

“You can all protect me so don't make me protect you from yourselves. Stop that, you make driving difficult for Hakuryuu.” Still she had got no idea…

“Don't put yourself up with a task you can't complete,” Sanzo said somewhat annoyed. “It's beyond human limits to protect those brainless youkais from themselves. Let's just hope they don't get themselves killed in the process.” He didn't forbid them or called them idiots for what they intended. From Sanzo it was promise too and it didn't go unnoticed by Gojyo.

“Aw, even mighty priest feels need to protect our little girl from big bad world?” he asked grinning like an idiot.

“The kappa must die!” Sanzo said and clicked gun's safety off.

“Hey!” Mei shouted and attempted to protect Gojyo which caused him to fell over Goku. And she still had no idea what inspired the conversation.

“Look, I always knew you would protect me so no need to make a number of it okay? I'm trying not to be too much trouble anyway.” There was a bitter tinge in her voice. She had been taken hostage twice and that was two times too much.

Hakkai knew she was thinking of that and those other times they had had to protect her. She had no reason for inferiority complex because she was doing more than ever expected from her.

“You are brave but you shouldn't keep things like that bottled up inside. Taking care of each others is no liability but responsibility.” When in fights they shouted warnings for each other. Not because they wouldn't have trusted each others but because they trusted. They were all good but no one was invincible and if someone would see a hit coming and not warn he would be the one to blame. No one could be vigil and in control twenty four hours in a day and seven days in a week even if Sanzo would try to prove otherwise.

“Yes, I agree but bottling up what?” Mei asked. Most of time she knew exactly where she stood with her companions and even their more common enemies - which meant Kougaiji party - were usually common enough to predict their moves. However she still couldn't read thoughts. Then Mei got a nagging feeling of having forgotten something important. Something about reading thoughts.

“About seeing yourself getting killed! You are still of use for me so don't get any ideas of dying soon.” Sanzo snapped at her. He didn't like giving spontaneity public displays of affection but the only one who understood enough to never beg for one was Hakkai. Mei opened her mouth, closed it and then it dawned to her.

“I didn't see myself getting killed: I just knew that I wouldn't come back. Why would I want anyway? I think I would like it in Chang An… Who knows I might even find someone to marry,” she mused and looked at her companions. Getting married was somehow strangely connected to reading thoughts in her mind but she still couldn't remember. Then she banished those thoughts and gave them a wide smile.

“You thought I would try and keep a secret like that? No way. I know you don't like secrets.” Public displays of affection were not a problem to Mei. She hugged Goku because he had looked for a second like he had been about to cry and then she reached mischievously smiling out and grabbed Sanzo into a hug which pulled him back against the seat. That saved him from three arrows coming from left just the nick of time.

Hakkai shielded them with chi barrier and half dozen of arrows hit it immediately. Goku already jumped out of jeep when Hakkai shouted:

“Hakuryuu!” The next thing Gojyo knew there was no jeep below them but Hakkai' voice had been enough warning and he fell to his legs. No rest for them it would seem.

“All right, let's let it loose,” he smirked and summoned his shakujoku. The relief for Mei's intuition or whatever made him feel bit giddy and added to adrenalin it made him feel great. Even bit merciful. He might leave those assassin-wannabes alive. Not that it would change the outcome since his friends would finish what was left after him. So he might kill them all the same.

“Does anyone feel any youki?” Hakkai asked. “And why no one has attacked yet. It's not like youkais these days to show this much hesitation.”

“They are not youkais,” Sanzo said and tried to kill the forest edge with a single glare. It had been closer than he would have liked. Not that there would have been anything new but getting killed by random mortal lowlifes before completing his mission or getting his revenge would have been dead embarrassing.

“Human bandits?” Goku asked and frowned. He didn't like fighting humans. They rarely put up any decent resistance let alone challenge. A certain priest excluded of course. No matter how hard he tried he never managed to dodge Sanzo's paper fan. Also Sanzo could even win him when he was Seiten Taisei and that was not something to overlook. He couldn't help but admire Kougaiji for repeatedly going against Sanzo when even one time could send lesser men running for their lives. Sanzo was special in everyway of course but that was beside the point. It would still be one dull fight.

“What should we do,” he heard a men's voice asking up in trees. Goku knew neither Sanzo nor Mei could hear them, maybe even Gojyo couldn't.

“They are talking about us,” he told them. “They don't know what to do.”

“That fucking car changed into a dragon an' those guys are protected. It's some kinda magic thing,” another voice added. They all seemed to be worried.

“And that's a freakin big blade,” said a third one worriedly.

“It seems we will be allowed to continue our journey freely,” Hakkai told them lightly. Those men could also go in peace. Personally he would have wanted to turn them on to local authorities but Sanzo was rather adamant when saying they weren't a militia on the road. In a way it was a good thing, Hakkai knew. If they would stop to right the wrongs they met they wouldn't be done in five years. And Guymaoh's reviving wouldn't wait.

“So we go peacefully away?” Gojyo asked. That was when the screaming started.

Only a deaf person wouldn't have heard that. When they watched the forest edge men started to fall from trees. Hakkai and Sanzo could recognise the familiar muffled youki and Goku recognised the scent. It made his claws itch.

“That's Jiang!” he shouted and summoned nyoibo with one graceful turn of hand and started to run toward trees. Jiang was much better opponent than some bunch of humans but what for she attacked them when they were there too? Jiang was a nutcase but she seemed to like fighting too. Then again she had lost her brother and other self just yesterday. Maybe she was even more nuts now? Made sense.

“We are too late!” Mei panted and it was obvious to everyone else as well. The screaming stopped before even Goku could reach them and youki moved away. The scene was nauseating. They had seen very much but that made Mei look for support and even Gojyo was gasping. There were corpses of seven men. They had been stabbed and clawed and shredded into tiny pieces but that wasn't the gross part. Jiang had carved into men's faces a text: No touching what is mine! There was little heart and smile in the face of one man. Most of them didn't have lips anymore.

“I think I'm sick,” Mei whispered and run out of forest. She heard Goku running after her and he caught her soon enough. Hakkai was about to go too but Sanzo caught his wrist and shook his head.

“Let Goku do that,” he said. “If you'll comfort her she'll later have that angst speech how you should not have bothered for her weakness. Goku she lets near.” Hakkai still wanted to go but it was obvious he would cause Mei further difficulties so he just nodded.

“Why is it that she always talks to Goku?” Gojyo asked. He wasn't usually jealous and a mere thought of being jealous of girl he would never sleep with was ridiculous but goddammit if he wasn't jealous just then.

“Because Goku couldn't be bothered for being relied on even if she intentionally tried. Instead he would be greatly bothered if Mei wouldn't talk. She can recognise that,” Sanzo answered. “And stop being idiot.” Gojyo didn't know how to express his frustration so he ended up doing nothing. One more woman he couldn't soothe and comfort. The whole scene because of red. Hakkai touched his arm.

“It's all right. Blood is not the only red thing in the world. If you would ask of Mei what it reminds her of she would say roses or love or something like that.” He whispered but he knew Sanzo heard most likely anyway.

“Of course but that's not the point,” Gojyo said. Hakkai understood. Sometimes he wished he wouldn't but he knew what the point was and he felt helpless.

“Are you okay?” Goku asked. Mei paused to examine her feelings.

“I'm fine,” she said. “It's just that normally they don't put that much effort into making it hurt.” Killing was one thing, killing painfully another. Sometimes it scared Mei how easy killing was these days. She killed and she knew killing was wrong but she killed all the same. Most of time she didn't even feel guilt, only relief for still being alive. She did it to save the world and protect her friends and even herself. She still was surprised at times for the fact she wanted to live so much it burned like a forest fire. In Shang Tuan it hadn't mattered that much. Maybe it was a valid excuse, maybe not but it wouldn't change anything. She chuckled a bit bitterly.

“The forest is beautiful and thick and dark/ but I still have responsibilities/ and way to go before falling asleep,” she recited. Goku stared her.

“What was that?” he asked.

“Just a poem I heard once,” Mei said nonchalantly. Now Goku was really worried. Hakkai might have recited poems and even that would have been out of character. From Mei it was a sign of crisis. He had to do something so he hugged Mei.

“It's all right. The next time that nutcase appears I'll kill him,” he promised. Mei wasn't quite sure she wanted to hear that. Then again Goku simply didn't seem to understand but he was still a good person. Probably it was okay.

“Don't be sad,” Goku asked. Mei withdrew from Goku embrace so he could see her face.

“Who said I'm sad?” she asked. “I'm downright angry!”

 

Jiang had run deep into the forest and her smile hold a melancholy she herself didn't understand. She had a feeling it had got something to do with those unnecessary things that had been removed. Still she could understand hunger and now she was hungry for something more abstract than food. It had taken whole night to recognise the feeling and whole day to come up with a plan but now she was very proud of it. She would make sure the Sanzo party would live until they would meet that man called Homura again. Then they would fight and only one would live. Then she would attack the weakened winner - most likely Homura - and kill him too. The only obstacle was the blonde human who had stopped fighting yesterday but if she would die everything would turn out to be alright. Below these more or less coherent thoughts was lurking something forbidden. Who had been the one who had made her so vulnerable? When she would sleep she knew she would never see dreams again like she was dead already. She was lacking now, only made of Yin.

It had been her great master Nii Jienyi who had decided so and she couldn't be angry with him so she banished those things from her mind. She would kill Mei and Homura would kill the green-eyed youkai that had done half of killing and then she would kill Homura. It was perfect plan. What could possibly go wrong there?

 

In Heaven a man was given a permission to create killing puppets from Yamaraja blood because their current Toushin Taishi had gone rouge. They were safe no more.

 

Princess knight Qi was dreaming of her lover but also of her friend. Friend who had known her by a different name. Things were proceeding.

 

Sanzo party had found a little in a little town which name they didn't know because Gojyo had spilled beer over the map and it would have been very awkward to ask from a stranger: “Excuse me, do you know where we are?” Sanzo had decided to room with Goku and Mei since any of them couldn't be alone and they were admittedly better company than the hot-blooded water idiot. Mei was already brushing her tooth when it dawned to her.

“Uh… oh!” She raised her hands to her mouth. Sanzo didn't bother to look at her.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Homura,” Mei said weakly. Sanzo's gun appeared seemingly out of nowhere and Goku summoned his staff and looked wildly around.

“Where? Where?” he asked half scared half exited.

“Not here, I… I just realised… Heck!” Mei stuttered. Sanzo gave her irritated look. He didn't like to be scared for no reason. He kept his own reaction under control all times and didn't like them being manipulated at all. Still he wouldn't lash out on Mei. The girl was obviously scared.

“What?” he asked. That much for being subtle.

“I could hear Homura's thoughts,” she whispered. Sanzo and Goku were both very silent and they could hear almost concrete warning cry in heir ears.