InsaneJournal

Current mood:

perverted

Constrained Desire, Ch 7.
Title: Stronger
Fandom: Saiyuki
Pairings: some 85 (Hakkai x Gojyo) but the series is leading up to, and mainly centering on 38 (Sanzo x Hakkai).
Summary: Sanzo watches over Hakkai until he wakes up, then the group is attacked by Chin Yiso. Goku reappears, but is left behind with Gojyo when Hakkai and Sanzo decide to lure the attacker away from those already injured. Hakkai nearly strangles Sanzo, defeats Chin Yiso, and... everything turns out alright?
Rating: PG-13ish
Notes: So, even though this is mostly from the cannon story, I wanted to offer perspective on this event, particularly from Sanzo and Hakkai's points of view. I especially wanted to put forth my own version of whether Hakkai actually believed that he'd killed Sanzo or not.

All comments and critiques are welcomed and cherished. <3

Sanzo sat and smoked a cigarette as he watched Gojyo's back disappear into the fog. He pulled a newspaper out of their sack of supplies and leaned back against the rocky wall of the cave. He opened up the newspaper and started to read, but once again found himself casually skimming over the print without absorbing any meaning. In truth, he wasn't sure if he could relax. Not with Hakkai going out of his mind and the saru gone missing. All that left him with was the perverted kappa, the most aggravating of all three. He looked down at the unconscious young man covered in sheets, wondering what could possibly be going through that twisted mind of his. Is this what you wanted Hakkai? You wanted to be punished for your sins... when will you decide that this torment is enough?

Smoke drifted toward the sky as he exhaled, worried about the possible outcome of this battle. Minutes passed by, maybe even hours, while he was sitting there thinking and worrying, unable to do anything. Will you be strong enough? After carrying around this guilt for so long, will you finally be able to face it... even while those memories are fresh within your mind? It wasn't that Sanzo doubted that Hakkai had the strength. Considering the amount of willpower necessary for this, he already had more than enough. However, simply because he was capable of dealing with this didn't necessarily mean that he would actually do so. Are you ready for this, Hakkai? A foolish question if he'd ever thought of one. Who could possibly be prepared for something like this?

It wasn't that he expected a lot of Hakkai. In fact, he didn't expect much at all, not nearly as much as Hakkai freely gave of himself. Sanzo honestly didn't look down on him either. To some extent, it was because he really did care that the brunet's self-effacing style bothered him so much. Then there was also the fact that listening to someone talk trash about themselves was annoying as hell to begin with. As much as he hated being in this situation, he had no other choice but then to trust Hakkai to pull through it. He had briefly considered taking matters into his own hands numerous times. However, leaving Hakkai in his current state would be disastrous at best. He had to confront Chin Yiso, whether he was ready for it or not.

Sanzo heard a soft rustling sound as Hakkai lifted one hand into the air, staring at it with that startled gaze that told Sanzo that he could see it stained in blood. “You're awake.” he said, pleased with the fact in spite of Hakkai's guilt-ridden attitude. “There's no point if you faint after treating someone else.”

“This place...” Hakkai said, after looking around. Sanzo explained that they'd only been there half a day, the fog was thick so they couldn't travel, and Gojyo was alive and well. “Why don't you worry about yourself before others?” he asked. “Any clue on that abnormal fortune teller?”

“No.” Hakkai replied. “But he knows about my past, and... he abhors me.”

“Guess the gossip about survivors from Hyakugan Mao's tribe existing wasn't false after all.”

“I thought...” Hakkai paused, remembering all those deaths so many years ago. “I had killed every single one.”

“You've too naïve.” Sanzo accused.

“Should a priest say that kind of line?” Gojyo asked, walking into the cave.

“Gojyo!” Hakkai cried, relieved beyond measure to see him alive and well.

“It's no use with this thick fog.” Gojyo continued. “I've tried searching around here.”

“Searching... for what?” Hakkai asked, and then he noticed that Goku was gone. Gojyo complained to Sanzo for not telling him sooner, and then they went ahead and let Hakkai know that the monkey had gone missing. When he heard how long Goku had been gone, Hakkai was sick with worry. “I'll...” he said, lifting the blankets and planning to go find Goku.

“I told you to stay here!” Gojyo said, shoving Hakkai's head down into his own lap. “That bastard's objective is you!”

“Are you telling me... to keep watching someone get hurt because of me?!” Hakkai demanded.

“There's a phrase called muichi motsu.” Sanzo interrupted. “It's one of the teachings in Zen Buddhism. "If you meet Buddha, kill him. If you meet the patriarchs, kill them. Free of all, bound by nothing, you live your life simply as it is." That's the only thing my predecessor taught me.” It was also the one thing he believed in, more than anything else. It helped him focus on what was important, and he was hoping that it would do the same for Hakkai. “That's why I continue to kill. I'll kill anyone who blocks my path. That goes the same no matter who's enemy it is.” He looked straight into Hakkai's eyes, to make sure he was listening. “If you understand, cool your head and get your health back first. We don't need anyone that'll slow us down.”

Hakkai realized that once again he was only thinking of himself. “He's exactly- RIGHT!”

Sanzo and Gojyo had walked out of the cave. They talked for a moment about what they were going to do, and then they saw a figure coming toward them through the fog. It appeared to be Goku, and Gojyo and Hakkai went out to greet him, but Sanzo saw through the act and shot the thing in the head. The body fell to the ground lifelessly, and then crumbled to reveal a mah-jhong tile. “Come on out Chin Yiso!” Gojyo called. “Sanzo-sama's in a really bad mood right now!”

“That was so cool. I had underestimated you guys!” the creepy old man said, appearing out of the fog. “Salutations.” He casually sat down on a rock in front of them and added: “I thought it was a well-made doll too! How did you find out it wasn't him?”

“You need to study more.” Gojyo said.

“Goku's very first cry is, I'M HUNGRY.” Sanzo said.

“My, how complicated!” Chin Yiso replied.

Sanzo pulled out his gun and fired on the bastard. “Where's Goku? I won't miss this time!”

“Let's see. What do you think happened to him?” Chin Yiso teased. “He could be wandering aimlessly in this fog, OR... he might have been a bear's prey already.” Sanzo fired several more shots at the old man, who dodged them all and laughed insidiously. “You're such a short-tempered person! Maybe you're lacking in calcium.” Suddenly a swarm of centipedes appeared and started crawled up the legs of the three travelers.

“Shit! Where are they gushing out from...?!” Sanzo yelled. None of them were able to move.

“Hyakugan Mao was a centipede demon.” Chin Yiso explained. “The centipede captures bugs with the poison they have in their teeth. You must hurry up, if you get bitten by that many, it might be fatal!” The creepy old man walked up to Hakkai and asked: “Do you still lack hatred...” He placed his hand under Hakkai's chin and lifted his face to look into his eyes. “...for the centipede bastard who had disgraced and impregnated your woman? Take a good look, at his son's face!”

Hakkai was so angry that he somehow broke free of the centipedes covering his arm and threw a punch at the old man's face. Chin Yiso dodged it easily and then elbowed him in the chest, doubling him over in pain. Then the creepy fortune teller pounced on him, pinning him to the ground.

“HAKKAI!” Gojyo cried, worried for his life while helplessly immobilized by the centipedes. Hakkai glanced up at his attacker, with an expression full of murderous hate.

“That's it! You're starting to have that expression on your face!” Chin Yiso said, recognizing in that look the man who killed his whole clan so many years ago. “I don't know if it's an atonement for taking those innocent lives but, I've never despised your noble hypocrisy. Still... your foolishness and murderous intent solely... fulfills my heart!”

Hakkai was so angry, he lost contact with reality. At some point the fortune teller was whisked off of his body, and he climbed up on his knees. He didn't really remember what happened, because his mind was not here in the forest, but back in the castle of Hyakugan Mao three years ago. He was walking through the halls, killing all the demons, hacking their bodies to pieces and extinguishing their lives. Blood was splattered everywhere: on his face, their twisted corpses, the floor, the walls, his hands were covered in it. The rain was ringing in his ears, so loud that the sound of it drowned out all reason. Then he saw her sitting in that cell, she grabbed the knife from his belt, and used it to take her own life.

“Hey! Are you alright, Hakkai?” Sanzo asked.

“Hakkai?” Hakkai asked, he didn't even know his own name. He had been so lost in the memories of his past that for a moment, he really couldn't remember.

“Hey!! Get a hold of yourself!” Gojyo said, walking over to grab his shoulders and look into his eyes. “YOU'RE CHO HAKKAI!!”

Ah... Hakkai thought, finally remembering. “I'm ok!” he said, even though he really wasn't. “Sorry.”

“WATCH OUT!” Sanzo called. All of a sudden Chin Yiso was behind Gojyo, cradling the top of the half-demon's head in his claws. They only had a moment to stare up in horror before Hakuryu flew in and clawed at the old man's face. He was forced to let go of the kappa as he jumped back in an effort to evade the little dragon's attack.

“Are you guys alright?” Goku asked. They looked up and he was perched in a tree above them. “My bad! Did I keep you guys waiting?!” Gojyo kicked him in the head, and he said something about having a broken leg and being hungry. Sanzo whacked him with the paper fan.

Chin Yiso interrupted them to say: “Oh my, it came off beautifully!” while picking his detached arm up from the ground. “Guess it's better then losing a leg or something else!”

“Doesn't this guy have any sense of pain?” Gojyo asked.

“Sanzo! Something's definitely wrong with that guy!” Goku claimed. “He doesn't have any living smell.”

“What do you mean by that?” Sanzo asked.

That's right... Hakkai thought. I remember... I killed that man. Three years ago he could dimly recall, he met a man there with that face. He couldn't remember why he had been so angry at him to begin with, but he could remember the way that he had sliced through his chest, ripping it wide open. Without a doubt, that time... I killed him!

“Now!” Chin Yiso interrupted. “Let's stop your chit-chat right about now! You know, I thought about it so much too. How can I make Cho Gonou thrilled!” Hakkai looked up to glare in the old man's face. “It was something quite simple. I knew it was most effective... to torture his friends!”

“WOW! You're the worst!” Goku said.

“That's the best compliment I can get.” Chin Yiso said, he drew out half a dozen small throwing blades and aimed them for Gojyo and Goku. “The red-haired brother and the golden-eyed boy, I've already played with, next-” He threw a few at Sanzo, who skillfully caught them between his fingers and then let them drop to the ground. “He's really going to lose a lot of his friends.”

“BRING IT ON!” Sanzo said, wanting nothing more than to kill the dirty bastard. He couldn't stand the way Chin Yiso had used Goku and Gojyo tog et to Hakkai, and he'd be damned if he was going to let himself be used as a pawn in this twisted little game.

I remember now... Hakkai thought, as more of his memory came back. ...that voice... those eyes... this man is- He could remember hearing the sound of that icy, contemptuous voice taunting him as he sat by the cell. So, that woman died. You must be happy. You didn't have to see the face of a monster's child. You LOVED her, didn't you? I heard from a person that you were this woman's little brother. Your first woman was your sister... does it feel good DOING IT between brother and sister? Cho Gonou looked up at the demon, with a gaze black as death.

“Hey! You low-life bastard!” Goku interrupted. “If you do anything to Sanzo, I won't let you off easily!”

“Oh my, your household pet has a strong dedication- however,” he threw a few more knives, this time slicing into Goku's leg, “he barks too much.” Goku screamed in pain and fell to a sitting position on the ground. “I can't believe you can say those kind of threatening words when you're barely able to stand up.”

“So you seriously fractured your bone?” Sanzo asked.

“DIDN'T I TELL YOU THAT FROM THE BEGINNING?!” Goku yelled.

“WOW! His leg's bent in a weird direction!” Gojyo said.

“Sanzo.” Hakkai whispered. “Let's divide up into two groups.”

“Hmpf. I see...” Sanzo replied. Gojyo's probably not in his full condition after last night's incident... Goku's in that state... “If that's the case...” he turned and fired at Chin Yiso, but the old man vanished from the spot before the bullet could hit him.

“Shooting randomly?” he asked. “What a temporizing measure.”

“You shouldn't be the one saying that!” Hakkai said, sending the beam of his chi cannon crashing into the old man's body.

“AFTER HIM HAKKAI!” Sanzo yelled, starting to run.

“Gojyo, we're leaving you to take care of Goku!” Hakkai warned.

“Huh? HEY!!” Gojyo said, turning to look as they ran off. “Those bastards left us behind on purpose, didn't they?!”

“SERIOUSLY?!” Goku said. “THOSE FUCKING BASTARDS!”

Sanzo and Hakkai ran into the forest, making as much distance between themselves and their ailing party members as possible, before Chin Yiso caught up to them. “I see, you've lead me away from those two, HEHE- I guess that will be alright.” the old man chuckled, turning towards Sanzo before adding: “That naivety of yours is going to cost you your life!”

“Stop daydreaming!” Sanzo yelled angrily, thoroughly fed up with the old man's annoying sense of humor. Aside from which, no one was going to call him naïve and get away with it. “You're trying to kill me, right? Don't you dare miss!” They kept running, dodging the old man's attacks. After they'd gone even deeper into the forest the attacks finally subsided for awhile. “We lost him.”

“This isn't good.” Hakkai said. “I hope nothing happens to Goku and Gojyo.”

“No. He's probably around here near us.” Sanzo said, as they both stopped to lean a tree. “That guy's goal right now, is to kill me in front of you.”

“You're right.” Hakkai agreed, realizing that he'd been stuck in his own little world again and failed to properly analyze the situation. Sanzo lit a cigarette. “You've increased your amount these days.”

“It's because there's been too many things irritating me.” Sanzo replied, unwilling to openly admit that the situation bothered him.

“Oh, are you being sarcastic?” Hakkai asked, not sensing much annoyance in Sanzo's voice in spite of the gruff nature of the comment.

“Thank God some people understand figurative language!” Sanzo said.

“Sanzo...” Hakkai said. He couldn't help but feel that once again, he was nothing more than a burden.

“What is it?” he asked, annoyed by the sorrowful tone of Hakkai's voice. “If you say something foolish, I'm going to kill you!”

“Oh! I guess I won't say it then.” Hakkai replied, knowing it would make him angry.

“Are you asking for a fight? You bastard!” Sanzo yelled.

“Am I... allowed to be here?”

“That was a REALLY stupid one, don't ever ask that again.” Sanzo scolded. It bothered him to hear such things, especially at a time like this. Everything that they had, including their lives, was depending on Hakkai right now, and he still had doubts about himself. Sanzo didn't know if anything he said or did would make things any better. But he knew that he had to say something. “You won't ever betray me, right?” The way he said it, it really wasn't a question. It was the only way he could think of to let Hakkai know that he believed in him without directly saying so.

“You're... such a sly person...” Hakkai replied evasively. He was touched, and yet burdened at the same time. If you say it like that... there's no way I would be able to betray you. He didn't answer the question and Sanzo didn't give any reply, so an eerie silence stretched out between them. Nothing disturbed the soundless forest, not even the sounds of birds in the trees or small animals scurrying across the ground.

“It's too quiet!” Sanzo warned.

“Yes, it's unnatural.” Hakkai agreed, looking worried.

“He's here!” Sanzo said, looking around. Where is he-? They heard a soft rustling in the tree tops, and then dozens of the old man's little throwing blades pierced the ground at their feet.

“Are you satisfied?” The cold voice asked with a laugh. “It's going to be your last talk together.” Then, just to show that he'd been listening, he added: “It seems like you all know everything about Cho Gonou's past.”

“You have a problem with that?” Sanzo asked. He already knew where this was going. In spite of what anyone else thought, Hakkai's past didn't bother him at all.

“He had compiled massacres without avail for his mis-formed love.” Chin Yiso accused.

“What's wrong with that?” Sanzo countered. Again, Hakkai was touched. It reminded him of the time that Sanzo had argued for him in front of the Sanbutsushin, only this time he wasn't confidently standing up to his superiors. He was calmly, and almost meekly, confronting a very real and dangerous threat. His words were sincere and the tone of his voice was edged with worry. Not for his own life, or his mission, the lives of the others, but for Hakkai.

“You have good friends, Cho Gonou.” the old man rambled happily. “It's really worth losing, isn't it?”

“I do not care what you say of me, however...” Hakkai said, glaring defiantly at the creepy fortune teller while holding up a hand between him and Sanzo. “I won't ever allow you to lay a single finger on these people.” Sanzo was taken by surprise by this sudden action. He hadn't expected Hakkai to step forward and protect him, and he couldn't help but feel concerned at the sound of anger in his voice. He lifted one hand up to rest gently on Hakkai's shoulder in comfort and support.

“So... as long as I don't have to touch, it's going to be okay?” Chin Yiso summarized.

“Wha...” Hakkai said, taken aback by the man's insidious tone.

“The actions up until now have only been a light appetizer- NOW... please show me, your expression of agonizingly suffocating because of over enjoyment.” The demon's stare penetrated Hakkai's mind, the cruel intent behind those eyes painfully clear as he chanted the words to some kind of spell.

This is... Hakkai thought, lifting his hands to his head in an effort to block it out. He knew now that Chin Yiso somehow intended to make him kill Sanzo. The overpowering memories of his many murders were invading his mind. Could it be...? “ARGH!” he cried.

“HAKKAI?!” Sanzo yelled, quickly becoming alarmed. “HEY! What the hell's...”

“YOU MUSTN'T COME-” Hakkai warned.

“What?”

Hakkai's body lept up on it's own, pouncing on Sanzo and pinning him to the ground with one hand. Then that hand shifted to tightly clasp his neck. “MY ARM...” he cried, as the other hand joined in the choke hold. IT'S... MOVING ON IT'S OWN... Sanzo was caught off-guard by the attack, too late his hands came up and gripped Hakkai's wrists in a futile effort to break his hold.

“Such a fragile creature, it's so easy to sneak into one's heart.” Chin Yiso said.

“NO...” Hakkai cried, fighting it with all his strength. It might've just been his imagination, but he almost felt like he was able to loosen his grasp just a little. Sanzo didn't gasp for air, he drew it in slowly while pretending he was still choking.

“Why? Murder should be something VERY easy for you. The number of murders that stained your hand, is only increasing by one more.” Chin Yiso said. “Had you ever given a thought about... the things I told you?”

“GAH!” Sanzo cried, as Hakkai's hands pressed down on his neck. The hold was so tight, he was starting to see stars.

“UGH...” Hakkai strained, trying to loosen his grip just enough so that Sanzo could still breathe. He had re-gained some control over his body, but given the current situation, he couldn't afford to be too gentle. He had to make his act look convincing.

“Since the time when you changed, I have been taking actions towards it.” the old man continued.

“You were dead that time! I killed you with my own hands!” Hakkai said, wishing that the monster were still dead. “Or maybe it was that I didn't know you weren't dead. But, you are no different than before.”

Chin Yiso held a mah-jhong tile in his hands and said: “This. Buried... all the injury that you've made in my body. Do you know why such a thing happened?”

This man... turned his whole body... his whole self... into a shikigami! Hakkai thought.

“It's in order to see you, Cho Gonou.” the creep said, answering his own question. “I used to be the type that didn't get attached to anything. It's the first time I've found interest in someone else.”

Distracted by the talking, Hakkai's hands began to tighten. “Stop please...” He wasn't sure if he even had any control anymore. His hands squeezed at the mad man's every command. Was he doing this, or was his enemy? Although his muscles didn't use all of their strength, it was more than enough to choke off Sanzo's air supply. He gasped in vain.

“I want to see your face twist in madness.” Chin Yiso continued.

“No...”

“I want to hear you agonized voice.”

“NO...!!”

“I want to take everything away and break you!”

His hands tightened down around Sanzo's neck, squeezing so hard that blood flew out of his mouth. “GAHA!!” Sanzo cried, the world around him was going black. Hakkai looked down and the entire neck was compressed. He couldn't feel Sanzo breathing anymore. He finally let go of his hold and Sanzo's hands dropped lifelessly to the side.

“Sa...n...zo...?” He called brokenly. After all his efforts to control himself, could Sanzo really be...? “...ugh...” Looking down at that motionless blood-stained face, he really did appear to be dead. “UWAAAAAAAA!!” Hakkai cried out in unbearable pain, while covering the sides of his head with his hands. Somewhere in the darkness Sanzo heard a voice, it started quietly and then grew louder until it was ringing in his ears. He recognized the sound of that scream as Hakkai, and then his lungs slowly started drawing in air again.

Chin Yiso was distracted by the sounds of hurried footsteps on the grass. “Oh, seems like your companions have come.” He put his hand on Hakkai's back, but the man failed to rise at his command. Hakkai was so wracked with grief, he couldn't budge. He had failed Sanzo. In spite of his best efforts, he had misjudged his own grip. Now he felt as though even his will was not his own. “You don't have any power to move yourself? Here, let me help you.” Chin Yiso said, taking Hakkai by the hand and pulling him to his feet. Hakkai felt, quiet literally, like a puppet. “Now, let's lose everything.”

Gojyo and Goku came running in on the scene, calling for both of them and then yelling at the sight of Sanzo's strangled body. “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!” Gojyo demanded.

“I... I killed him.” Hakkai shakily replied.

“Eh...?” Goku said, he was kneeling over Sanzo, looking up in disbelief. Hakkai's leg jumped and gave Goku a kick, sending him flying into the air.

I'm sorry, Hakkai thought, but for what I'm about to do, I need you out of the way.

“HAKKAI?!” Gojyo protested. He clearly didn't believe it either.

“It's no use.” Chin Yiso said. “You can say he's the same as my doll. See?” Chi started gathering in Hakkai's hand.

“STOP IT, HAKKAI!!” Gojyo yelled.

At the last second Hakkai turned around, sending the beam straight into Chin Yiso's body. “WHA...!! You were... sane after all...?!” The moment he was done talking he felt the cold steel muzzle of a gun pressed up against the back of his head.

“The one that's not sane is you.” Sanzo said, pulling the trigger.

“SANZO!!” Gojyo yelled. “Damn it!! So it was just an act after all!! Pisses me off.”

“I thought it would be like that.” Goku said.

“Shut up!” Sanzo demanded, embarrassed by their comments.

“Ahaha, sorry for causing so much trouble.” Hakkai apologized, feeling very relieved himself.

“I guess I've been tricked by Cho Gonou's spontaneous acting.” Chin Yiso said, seeming perfectly fine in spite of the bullet hole in his forehead.

“He didn't put much force into his fingers.” Sanzo said. After all he was certain that if Hakkai really had wanted to choke him to death, he could've done so much sooner. He confidently met the fortune teller's gaze and added: “But before that- if he was going to choke me to death, he would probably die by biting his tongue.”

Hakkai was amazed that Sanzo could say something like that, even after the hair-raising experience they'd just been through. He felt like the last one worthy of such confidence. “But really, that was one good act, Sanzo.” He said, laughing nervously and clapping at the performance. You scared the living daylights out of me! “I thought I'd done it for real, ahaha.”

“I'm really going to kill you someday.” Sanzo threatened. That fuckin' hurt, you bastard!

“So you weren't influenced by my spell?” Chin Yiso asked Hakkai.

“Do you remember? You said that to get into the space of someone's heart is an easy thing to do.” As afraid as he had been of the intentions of that spell, Hakkai would never allow himself to harm anyone that he cared about. “Unfortunately, my heart isn't big enough to make a space... so... it's like, "don't take us so lightly, you fuckin' bastard".”

“Did Hakkai just curse?” Gojyo asked, his mouth agape in shock.

“Yeah, so?” Sanzo said. It's only because he's pissed.

Hakkai never swears... Gojyo thought. “That's fuckin' hot.”

“Pervert.”

“How was that hot?” Goku asked. “I thought it sounded pretty cold.”

“Stupid monkey!” Sanzo yelled, hitting him over the head with the paper fan.

Hakkai took a few steps toward Chin Yiso and said: “I'm going to ask you to die again.”

“I don't really care about that...” he said. Ranting on about how he didn't think Hakkai's chi attacks would be enough to kill him. He went on to suggest that he take his power limiters off.

Standing there listening, Hakkai couldn't help but think how very sick and tired he was of hearing the manipulative ice-like tone of that voice. He ran up and grabbed the demon's last remaining arm, leaving him open to attack. “There's no need to take off the oppression device.” he said. “Chi attacks can be used another way. Three years ago... the place I cut open was right here, wasn't it?” He asked, shoving his fist through the animated corpse to grasp the tile.

“Cho... Go...nou...?” Chin Yiso gasped.

“You're wrong.” He said, crushing the tile and then saying something he'd been wanting to say ever since the creep had first shown up. “I am Cho Hakkai!” He whipped his arm to the side, ripping through the fortune teller's dying body.

“Seriously, I've lost my hope on you.” He said, collapsing onto Hakkai's chest.

“Thank you very much.” Hakkai replied.

“I thought you were going to allow me to have more fun.” Chin Yiso continued, his form decaying even as he spoke.

“Unfortunately, I got bored of the self-inflicting style.” Hakkai explained. “No matter how much this hand may be bathed in red, blood can be washed away. That's how we're going to live on.”

“Ku ku... so it comes to that. I really abhor you from the bottom of my heart, Cho Hakkai.” the fortune teller said, falling apart. “A person like you who only has a taste for living. Obstinate hypocrite.”

“What a coincidence, I also abhor you as well.” Hakkai replied, picking up the last piece of his crumbling hand and throwing it off of his shoulder. “I am not a being... who doesn't have a past or future, like you.”

Sanzo stood nearby, watching with a pleased expression on his face. To see Hakkai stand up to this man with such confidence and charisma was something even he hadn't expected. It was an amazing transformation, to see him go from someone who was once crippled by his own self doubt, to the man standing in front of him, telling Chin Yiso to get lost. This is the side of Hakkai that he wanted to see, and he couldn't help but feel proud of his friend for putting his old fears to rest in such a resolute manner. He had known all along that Hakkai would never betray him, but would never have imagined that he would end up showing such courage and strength.

After staring at Hakkai for several minutes, Gojyo turned and noticed the suspicious smile on Sanzo's face. “Hey... exactly what were you two doing alone out here in the woods, anyway?”

Sanzo pulled out his gun and fired a few shots to the side of the perverted kappa's head. “Say that again!” he demanded, pushing the gun into Gojyo's face.

The sound of it made Hakkai jump. After seeing Sanzo fire into Gojyo's chest earlier, he really didn't want to be reminded of that. “Sanzo... if you would please refrain from shooting at Gojyo for awhile, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Tch... the bastard was asking for it.” Sanzo replied.

“What did he do this time?”

“He said something perverted about the two of us being alone in the woods.”

“Oh, is that the case?” Hakkai asked. “Feel free to shoot at him then.”

“Wha- Hakkai! That's fuckin' cold!” Gojyo protested.

“See, I told you!” Goku said.

“Shut up, baka saru!” Sanzo yelled, whacking him over the head with his paper fan again.