Saiyuki - This Can't Be Happening!

"Thank you." Sakina beamed. "Polluted water is the most harmful to me. It makes me weak and I can't do anything with it unless I'm well enough to purify it. Even then, sometimes it's too much and I can't do anything about it. Which...is awful really." She shook her head as she went back to the vegetables.

"I think she has." Raja hummed. "Though I don't remember what triggered it. I know that there was an instance where Alozza very nearly did lose herself when she was parted from Goku. I couldn't calm her down. The gods had to do that themselves. I was locked away I'm sure."

"Oh my god this is awesome!" Goku shouted as they landed, one of the trees catching them safely so that they wouldn't land on anything harmful. He could see the arces of trees surrounding the place. Having the ability to do this, the demons wouldn't stand a chance at a surprise attack or anything! Also, it was a nice way to view the scene. "How often can you do that? How much power does it take up? Let's do it again!"

"So I've been told many times." Gojyou was a little excited that there was a hot woman that was pressed up against his body. She wasn't doing anything sexual, but he was definitely trying not be too obvious that this was amazing.

"I see, that makes sense. Thankfully these lands are fairly clean. I don't remember coming across any pollution on our way to India, so there shouldn't be any on our way home," Hakkai nodded, "Unless something happened, then I'll be really surprised."

"If Goku's feelings reached her when Konzen died, then that would've set her off. A new one was no doubt placed on her before she was sent down with you," Sanzo shrugged and turned away from the trees, going to sit down on a large rock near the firepit. As he observed the others around him, he grumbled a little, "I think tomorrow we'll let Mouna stay out all day, and the day after ill be Sakina's. Is that alright with you? Hakkai said it'll be a few days to the next in, but it could be longer. Who knows what'll happen. We've come too far not expecting a calm ride."

"I can do it lots! It doesn't drain me at all. I'm what Tenpou called a 'plant elemental'. I can also talk to animals!" Alozza put her lips together and made another whistle, this time it wasn't a straight sound but the pitch went up and down. Soon several birds flew from around the trees and came to land on them. She giggled and reached up to pet one, "Animals have kept me company all this time."

Mouna looked up at him through her blond lashes, "By 'many times' do you mean to tell me you've been with lots of women? I can see why," she traced her finger over his shirt, "You're so strong and handsome. The ladies must flock to you." That idea hit her low and she lowered her gaze before he could see how it hurt. Well, at least she'd probably be in her lamp most of the time if that was the case, anyway, so what did she care? She was just a stranger to him.

"Don't worry about it," Sakina quickly told Hakkai. "Things can become polluted without human's help. Minor pollution won't hurt me in the slightest and will be easy to purify should I need to. It's the stronger impurities I may need help with. It may even require a wish, but don't worry about it like I said. I can hide in the lamp if I need to recover."

"I don't mind," Raja shuddered as she thought about being stuck in a cramped lamp. However, it wouldn't be fair to continue to hog the freedom that she was certain her friends wanted too. "Okay I lied, I mind a lot." She said. "But I understand why I need to be in there. I don't like it, but I won't complain about it. It could be worse." She sighed as she walked over to where he was sitting down and followed suit. "Considering that you have three treasures that people have been seeking for centuries, I'd no longer expect a calm ride." She told him. "I told you this once before; Mouna attracts bandits and I have a "family" if you will that'll appreciate me back. Unless that ol' man is still around and kicking. He might tell his family I'm better off as an offering to a Sanzo priest. Who knows."

"I used to be friends with animals too. Not many were on top of the mountain that I was imprisioned on." Goku said as he outstretched a finger to a bird. He waited patiently as it came by and nipped his finger tips. "There was a canary that I was friends with and I talked to it alot about my lonliness. After a bad snow storm or was it a rain storm...the canary died from the cold since it couldn't come into my cage. I was devastated. I tried reaching out to it and hold it, but I couldn't."

"I do have a lot of girls that I chase after and they chase after me." Gojyou agreed, watching her reaction. If she thought that he didn't see her hurt, she was wrong. "However, it's the dirty priest fault. He's so stone cold he won't help unless we forcibly drag him into it. Hakkai has a a softer heart so if a maiden needs help doing something, he'll be more or less likely to be on my side."

Hakkai nodded and once the meat was done being chopped he checked the pot and saw it was boiling. He took it over and dumped it in, then did the same with the vegetables. "Hopefully it won't come to that. I only have three wishes, and I want to be careful with them instead of throwing them out on a whim."

Sanzo looked at her, "Oji-san? What family?" This was a new development and he wanted to know more.

"I understand. Lots of animal friends of mine have also died. It never gets easier even after five hundred years..." Alozza sighed and she made a long whistle, the birds flying away and the branches moved to pull them down, "Ready for another slingshot?" she asked, still holding his hand from the first time they did it. She knew what those painful memories were like and didn't want Goku to think of them right now.

"Sanzo? I see he smokes like you do but why is he a dirty priest?" that comment confused her and she pulled away to look over at the blond who was walking to Raja, "Hakkai does seem like a very nice person," she agreed absently, "We've been standing in the same spot since you summoned me for a while. Do you want to go sit somewhere or go for a walk?"

"Because he sure as hell doesn't act holy. Eats meat, drinks beer, I mean even his own people don't like him all that much. It's because of his status that he's cut a lotta slack. Also, he thinks nothing about those who are in trouble until last minute. I mean, he was going to let us fight a battle that should have been his in the pouring rain until Goku got threatened to be hurt." Gojyou explained. "Monks don't do that kinda thing, but he does. Oh and he left us high and dry once and made us find work in order for us to be able to eat. Damn guy ran off to find another priest that's just as shady."

Sakina hummed, "If you were to wish, what would you wish for? Don't worry. I won't count anything you say as a wish." She promised. "Just don't say "I wish" and I won't take it as an order. Mouna is very good at turning wishes upside down, according to Alozza."

"Well...I don't consider this to be stealing, but a man found me and had presented to me to his wife. I guess someone had stolen me and sold me on the market. He told me that I was rumored to be a "lucky charm" so to speak. They treated me very nicely. The wife would rub on my lamp and make sure that I was okay. I guess they didn't know that I was a genie and believed me to be a lucky spirit or a God's vessal. When I told them I could grant wishes, they were very, very strict about keeping the wishes until a dire need arose. I was passed down for a few generations....and then Alozza stole me back. Then it became a new tradition of stealing me back from Alozza and having me stolen. I guess they considered it a test of manliness or love." She giggled.

"Sure!" Goku grinned at how she held his hand. He really enjoyed having her as a friend and he was kind of glad that she wasn't worried about protecting her mother and her friends in the lamps anymore. They could do that themselves. It was one less burden to worry about.

Mouna giggled, "You guys have had an interesting journey it sounds like. I'd love to hear more about your adventures!" She grinned and reached down, taking his hand, "Let's go for a walk while Hakkai is working on making food."

Hakkai's hand went up to finger the cuffs on his ear, and then he shook his head and pulled out a stirring utensil, working on the soup. He threw in some seasonings as he did to flavor the water that the ingredients would soak up, "I'm not...quite comfortable telling you the wishes I have in mind and I don't want to be impulsive. I want to give them some serious thought and I want to get to know you better before revealing such an...intimate detail of myself." He looked at her and his ever-present smile was sad, "I hope you don't mind."

Sanzo rolled his eyes, "Hn...a silly tradition it seems, but if they haven't abused you and speak so highly of you, then I don't think there's much harm in it. I'll just tell them you belong to me if they turn up."

Sakina blinked and shook her head from side to side as she came to his side and watched him work at the pot. "I don't mind at all. I'm sorry, that was a bit impudent of me to ask that sort of thing." She smiled a little. "You seem to know what you're doing, do you like cooking or know your way around the kitchen so to speak?"

Raja laughed. "You'd like the old man." She assured. "He'll get a kick out of you guys for certain if you are to cross paths. Speaking of liking people..." She turned to look over at Hakkai who was in deep conversation with Sakina, and then towards where Mouna and Gojyou had left on their walk. "Do you enjoy hanging around with them? It's an interesting mix of personalities if you ask me."

"Man, there's so many adventures. I don't even know which ones stick out of my mind." Gojyou snorted. "I remember that we got ourselves into a drinking contest with a couple of barmen. Damn, lemme tell you, Hakkai has the ability to drink sake like it's water. They had even the hardest liquor brought out and it didn't effect him one bit. Damn. Even I was drunk by the end of the night and Sanzo wasn't doing much better. Goku was conked out.

Hakkai looked up when he sensed Gojyo's presence and voice getting farther away, and smiled to himself before going back to stirring. An old conversation popped into his head and he chuckled, "Jack of all trades and master of none. I do enjoy cooking a lot, but there are few things I haven't figured out how to sew. I'm the Healer of the group, the cook, the driver, the one who sews our clothes back together, just...the general caretaker. I'm also very good at cards." He added absently and brought the broth to his lips, blew on it to cool it off, and then tasted it. He reached for a few other seasonings and added a little more of this, or a little of that.

"You callin' me an old man?" Sanzo scoffed and brought out a fresh cigarette, "Tch...Hakkai is good at what he does. He keeps us from killing each other. Mostly. He's quiet and doesn't bother me." He fished out his lighter finally and lit up, then put it away. He took a drag off of it before he glanced towards the forest, "That damn kappa is most troublesome besides the baka saru. If he's not around though, tensions run high. One time he ran off on his own and we had to backtrack even after reaching the next town. He and Goku wear each other down. What does a wound up animal do without something to take it's energy out on? It goes crazy."

"Sakina and Hakkai would end up getting alcohol poisoning before they ever got drunk, it sounds like," Mouna cracked up, holding her sides. She looked up at Gojyo with a wicked smirk, "I wonder which one of us would crack first if we had a drinking contest."

"Next village, you and me." Gojyou grinned slyly as he looked at Mouna. He enjoyed the sound of a challenge. "We'll drink until one of us passes out. We'll need to figure out a wager for the winner. Are you any good at gambling?"

"So does that make you the mother of the group?" Sakina grinned mischievously as she watched Hakkai's reaction. "I love gardening. I used to have a beautiful garden that I took care of. I remember that. I don't recall if I was good at cooking, but I knew how to sew. I was very good at that. Raja tried to learn from me, but...well....her talents don't exactly lay in that direction. Which is a funny kind of weird."

"Oh no. Not you. I think you're feisty like the old man though." Raja's eyes twinkled. "You're right though. Goku has a lot of energy and he can get bored fairly quickly. Alozza has the same problem. You have to have high energy and stamina if you want to take care of one of them. Both of them together though? Poor Gojyou is going to have his hands full if he's the designated "animal trainer"."

"Not particularly. I tend to come up with stupid wagers. I don't do very well at cards, either, or any other type of gambling other than drinking," Mouna pursed her lips and shook her head, "We'll have a few days to think about it. We don't have to decide right now. I hope the next down has a good bar. What do you prefer? Beer or sake? I like sake, myself. Spiced sake during the winter is my favorite. I like a chilled fruity type sake, too, during the summer." She looked around, "Speaking of seasons...just what month /is/ it, anyway? I have no idea how long I've been in the lamp since the last time I came out." She heard the water running freely ahead and was glad they had finally reached their destination.

Hakkai laughed, "Hai, hai. I've been called the mother hen before. I'm also Goku's teacher. Not everyone's talents lay in what's expected of them. My own sister didn't know how to cook." He froze and he sensed Sanzo also tense up, honing on on their conversation. It...had just slipped out. He hadn't intended to bring her up at all. Looking back at the pot, he brought a vegetable piece to his lips to taste. It was soft, so their food was nearly done. "This tastes like it just needs a few more minutes," he said, attempting to change the subject.

Sanzo grunted and let out a long flow of smoke before answering Raja, "I'm not worried about them anymore. They'll wear each other down and Gojyo can get a break. I'm sure they'll still argue and fight but that's normal Goku and Gojyo behavior." She thought he was feisty, huh? Whatever floated her boat.

Talk to her about her gardens or about her favorite stories. Tenpou urged through Hakkai's mind, sensing the need for a subject change and knowing to well that Sakina's idea of a subject change wouldn't be a good one.

Which turned out to be true when she looked at the soup sheepishly. "Sounds good. Should I grab Mouna and Gojyou and let them know it's almost ready as well as Goku and Alozza?"

Ask her if she still plays her music. Konzen gently tried to help out Sanzo. Knowing his former self, that was a bit of a stretch for him to ask. But the conversation was going to get stale if they continued talking about the children. Not that he didn't love Goku, but his former self needed to know Raja a bit more. Get used to her.

"True." Raja grinned as she leaned back, letting the wind push her upwards to keep her balanced on the log that they were sitting on. "Since Mouna is out next I think that they'll be able to focus on each other instead of having me distract them." She giggled.

"It's Spring and it's in May." Gojyou responded. "The Cherry Blossms are in season so it's been a pink petal fiesta if you go traveling down a lane with many of them in rows." He shrugged. "I'm a fan of beer, but sake can be good too. I'm not particular about the flavors. I have had spiced. I'm not sure about the fruity kind."

Hakkai's eyes widened at hearing Tenpou's voice. Well, that was an interesting turn of events. "No, stay. Let them be," he told her quickly, standing and started taking the pot off of the fire. It was still boiling pretty good, so it would finish cooking itself as it cooled, and it would also slowly start to thicken up. He reached for her hand and coaxed her to sit down with him. "You mentioned you enjoy gardening. I used to, back in the day, but I didn't try to start a new one at Gojyo's home. Perhaps when we all get home, I will do that." He tapped his chin, "Oh! I didn't think about this before, but if you girls are going to stay with us, then we will have to buy a new home. Gojyo has all that gold now, so he can easily afford one, but I wonder...what it'd be like to build one myself." He looked at his hands, imagining for a moment working on the wood and fitting together logs to construct a house. It would take a very long time, and lots of resources.

Music...Sanzo wondered what had brought that up, but recalled back in the hotel the day before that Alozza said she was the Goddess of Wind and Music. An image of her playing her flute popped in his head and he looked at her, "Do you still play your flute?"

"I tasted a bunch of different sake one year since they have different flavors available at different times of the year," Mouna explained. They finally stopped along the water's edge and Mouna knelt down, reaching her hand out and let the water run along her fingers, "Perhaps I should suggest to Hakkai he bring Sakina here before bed. She'd enjoy it." She smiled softly and stood back up, turning to face him.

'Huuu, doesn't she look pretty there in the setting sunlight?' Kenren cooed in Gojyo's head, 'Her hair is all sorts of colors. Pay her some compliments, I bet she looks cute with a blush. I'm just throwin' out ideas, don't mind me.'

She snapped her fingers to transform the table into chairs so that her and Hakkai wouldn't have to sit on the ground. "That would be nice, to have a garden. I wonder if it'll be possible to have a small itty bitty pond next to it, that way it'll be easy to gather water to take care of it." Sakina could imagine what the garden would look like, with the flowers blooming into gorgeous colors and how it'll look with rocks lined up against it and the grass being short instead of long so that the flowers would have some contrast. She felt her cheeks heat at the very idea of it and shook her head from side to side. "Sorry, I'm talking as if your home is to be mine." She laughed sheepishly. "Just an idea of a garden is enough to get me excited it seems. It'll be nice to have someone to enjoy it with though. Gardens I always believed to be areas of peaceful respite. A small heaven on earth for those that can't get away. I like the temple's rock gardens sometimes, but...flowers are more my thing. The progression of seeing things grow is so much more satisfying in my mind."

"Huh? My flute?" Raja looked over at Sanzo in surprise. "I'm shocked you knew my instrument. Usually people think that I'm a lute player. I mean, I play all sorts of instruments, but the flute's always been my first love." She smiled sheepishly. "However, I don't get much of a chance to play as often as I'd like. Maybe if there's a festival going on or something, I'll play." She grinned. "Unless you have a request that I gotta fulfill?" She teased.

Her hair was catching all sorts of colors from the sunset, the yellow in her hair reflecting them beautifully. "You know, you do look like a goddess in this kind of light." Gojyou said, shutting Kenren up in his head since he knew all to well that he should be paying her compliments anyway. "Almost ethereal. Angelic."

"Why wouldn't my home be yours?" Hakkai asked with a gentle smile, reaching out and stroking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "Your ideas for a garden sound wonderful. We'd of course need to plant vegetables and fruits so we can have food right at our fingertips. Perhaps I could set up a greenhouse, so we have food all year round."

"I don't know why I thought of flute. It might have been from memory," Sanzo shrugged, "There's been lots of spring festivals. It wouldn't surprise me if there is one in the next ton, too."

Mouna's eyes widened and her face turned very red, glowing in the fading sunlight, "I was in a fight one time during sunset and people called me a demon from hell. Funny, since I'm fire." She shrugged, leaning against a nearby tree. She hadn't gotten compliments like that in a long time it felt like. She didn't quite know how to react.

"Um..." Sakina's cheeks tinted, but understood what he meant. "That's a good idea about the foods. Maybe we should do a couple of trees that can bear fruit too. Not too many otherwise we'd start up a farm." She mused as she thought about it. "But that depends on how much land we have too and what we want to do with it. If we have a lot of land, then a few trees can't hurt, but if we don't then we'll have to maximize what we can and cannot do. A green house sounds lovely. It'll be easy to take care of as well."

"I used to play the flute a lot." Raja agreed with a smile. "It was the best instrument that I could think of using to express what I was feeling at a particular time of day. Of course, I was also kind of annoying with it when I was younger." She shook her head fondly. "But I think people did appreciate a good victory song when it was able. Speaking of festivals, I haven't been to one for a very long time. Have they changed much? They used to be kind of tedious and only used if there was someone important around who was having a birthday. Not a whole lotta fun."

"Then they have no idea what they were seeing," Gojyou purred and gently brought his hand up to her cheek, pushing away some of her hair. They were leaning in close, and his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest from excitement and nerves. She was igniting in him a fire he hadn't felt in so long-

But that fire came to a screeching halt when he felt cold water splash against his skin like he was suddenly pushed into a bath. He stood there, stunned for  a good half of a minute before he rounded onto to the two who had suddenly appeared. Both of them looking elated. "What the hell Monkey!"

Mouna also rubbed her arms and shivered, "Not fair, Alozza!"

"Oooh. Did we ruin a precious moment?" Alozza made a kissy face and did smooching sounds.

"You damn well did!" Mouna shook her fist at her.

Alozza and Goku laughed as they scrambled out of the water, but they didn't manage to escape.

~

"I'm glad you agree!" Hakkai grinned but suddenly looked up as there were screams. There weren't any enemies so it must be Gojyo and Mouna beating on Goku and Alozza. He laughed, "I guess the two little ones stumbled on something."

"It was only a matter of time, Hakkai, and you know it," Sanzo rolled his eyes, "Is the food almost done?"

"Hai," he stood up and retrieved bowls from the bag of cooking supplies. "Oh, Sakina you'll have to summon some, we only have four."

While Hakkai was doing that, Sanzo let out a puff of smoke, "Festivals have changed. There is a lot more of them now for holidays and season changes," he answered Raja.

"I can't wait to see what kinds of festivals there are then." She beamed. "It'll be nice to actually experience them instead of missing out."

"No problem." Sakina summoned only 2 bowls and walked over to give Raja hers. "Here."

"Arigato." Raja grinned. "What about the heathens?"

"If they don't show up when it's time to eat, then they'll have to summon their own bowls. At least Mouna will, then it's up to her or you if you want to be merciful or not." Sakina hummed as she went back over to where Hakkai was.

Raja was kind of happy to see her friend so at peace by his side. Even if it was just to watch a pot of water boil, it seemed to her that they were happy in that small spot. Hopefully Mouna won't tip over the jeep or make everyone sexually frustrated come tomorrow.
()

Sakina had decided to sleep with Mouna while Raja and Alozza cuddled together in another tent. Hakkai was very quiet as he unzipped the tent and he smiled at what he saw. Mouna was curled up under a mound of blankets like a mummy, sleeping soundly. She wasn't snoring, but there was loud purring like she was some large cat. How cute. Shaking his head he slipped inside and touched Sakina's hip, shaking her gently. She reacted immediately. "So you /are/ a light sleeper. I thought so."

"Sorry." Sakina said as she rubbed her eyes a little. "Is something the matter?" She kept her voice quiet so that she wouldn't disturb any of her friends.

"Iie, nothing's wrong. Just come with me," Hakkai gently touched her cheek, finding the sleepiness of her eyes rather adorable. He pulled away and crawled back out of the tent. He waited for her to join him and held his hand out to steady her, "I promise, it'll be worth it."

"I don't mind." Sakina smiled as she thankfully took his hand to help her up and keep her standing. When she was able to walk, they headed off. She stretched and let out a sigh. The area was starting to get a little light out. Some color was starting to break through from the complete black of night. The peacefulness hovered between the ending of a cricket's song, to the start of a bird's. "It's been a while since I was woken up so early like this. It's so tranquil."

"I don't know what woke me, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep anymore. So what better way than to spend this early morning with someone else who would enjoy it?" Hakkai smiled down at her, his hand still gripping hers, "It's not much further." Of course, when the sound of rushing water reached their ears, it was quite obvious where he was taking her. They broke through the trees and he beamed as she gasped softly. The river was like gold and orange paint had been spilled into it, and there was just the barest misty fog along the trees on the other side. The river was piratically sparkling in the sunlight as the sun got higher in the sky with every passing moment.

"Oh this is gorgeous." Sakina gasped as she stared at the scenery. It looked like something that came right out of a painter's imagination. She wished that had that art skill, she knew how to paint, but she always thought her attempts were dreadful. However, a painting couldn't replicate the feeling of warmth and peacefulness of company. "This is wonderful. Thank you so much for waking me up, this is definitely a sight I wouldn't want to lose."

"You are more than welcome, Sakina," Hakkai nodded, slipping his arm around her and drawing her closer, "You are a Water Goddess, after all. Pure waters give you strength, don't they? I wanted to give you something to dream about while you're in your lamp today. Tomorrow you'll get to spend time with us, and the day after we'll reach the next town."

Sakina's eyes watered and she bowed her head, completely overcome with gratitude. "Domo arigatogozaimatshita." She said quietly. "This is a dream I'll bask in. Forgive me if this is...sudden or prompt, but...will you converse with me? Talk about anything." She added. "I just...feel like even though this is serene and beautiful, a conversation will brighten it just a little further." She was a little nervous. While she was very open with her friends, she was very awkward around other people. Tenpou called her a rabbit or a bunny for it. Social animals when they knew each other, but boy did they know how to hide if something new came along.

Funny. Why did she think of that of all things right now? It didn't matter, she still was waiting for a reply.

"I'd like to hear what you think about your friends," Hakkai admitted gently, his thumb absently stroking against her bare side in a soothing manner, "I heard Raja ask that to Sanzo, and his response made we wonder what your opinions were." She was just so lovely in the morning light, the sun peeking over the trees now and alighting her hair and the ornaments in it. The sheer blackness of it made it shimmer and sparkle like the water they stood before. Ah, how poetic. If only he had a pen and paper.

She leaned into his side and then gently tugged them down so that they could sit. She doubted it'd be a long conversation, but to be submerse in such a beautiful scenery standing might be better sitting. "Mouna is like the sun in my eyes. Depending on how close she is to the earth is very much like the ebb and flow to her temper. Get her hot, and she's the summer heat back with a vengeance. Get her angry and depressed enough, she'll distant herself so that you'll only feel the chilled winter's breath coating all over you. The sun far away. Close to feel the illusion of the heat, but far away so that you know you can't get it back until she decides to come. She's also very much like fire. She'll spark at anything. While she should wear a caution sign most of the time, she's a very mellow and warm person. It's her openness to sex and sexuality that puts people off."

"Is that so? She's certainly not putting off Gojyo, that's for sure. I'm not too sure if it's a good or bad thing yet," Hakkai grinned, "I wonder if we would've seen them at dinner last night if Goku and Alo hadn't interrupted them. Probably not. It's fun to speculate," Shaking his head he moved his hand to stroke along her back and keep her warm, "What about Raja?"

Oh that felt nice. She straightened her spine a little so he had more to go down instead of an easy curve and hummed pleasantly to let him know that his touch was more than welcomed. "Raja?" She asked before thinking about what it was that she wanted to say. "She sacrifices a lot more than she'll ever admit. Much like a mother with a child. She'll toss away all of her dignity and grace if it means she can put a smile on a child's face or even Alozza. She's fun when she needs to be, she's wise when the wisdom is called for, she's angry when the rules are broken, and she never regrets a thing or motion she's ever done." She smiled a little. "She's so strong...and she hides so much pain. Not...in a harmful way. She vents to us when she needs to, but...she'll never tell you in a million years what pain it's causing her to be in that lamp. Mouna and I...we don't like the lamp, but it's not hurting us. Water and fire have the ability to be contained."

She sighed gently, "I admire her strength sometimes. Even Mouna wonders how she's able to keep upbeat when everything looks so dreadful. A part of her charm I suppose."

"I don't think Sanzo is looking forward to dismissing Raja today. She's been free since he let her out of the lamp to begin with," Hakkai admitted softly, "What of Alozza? Five hundred years chasing after you girls? I wonder...what damage was done. It must've hurt her severely, mentally and emotionally, to be so alone."

"I think that's partly why Raja won't say anything about her pain and about her suffering. She knows about Alozza." Sakina's eyes watered again. "Alozza was so tormented about what happened to us, what happened to her mother. Alozza rarely ever called her "Raja" it was always "ka-san" or "mother". If you told me she spent a good half a century crying and wailing, calling out to anyone that could possibly hear her before she thought of trying to rub the lamps...I would believe you. I'd even bet you that she cried, and cried out for us much longer than that." She shook her head. "Alozza did so much for us. We know it's so taxing on her and so...so hard. Which is why I'm happy. I'm happy that Mouna beat her up yesterday even if I did scold them for being indecent in front of the small ones. I'm happy that Alozza has Goku back, to bring back that smile of hers, to have a lot of fun in her life. I'm so, so happy that Raja was chosen first to hang outside the lamp. Pain be damned, Alozza needed her mother. Needed her fun and her laughter. The knowledge that she's truly and so, so desperately loved. I keep telling her back when we were in the cavern that I was so proud of her, that we all were. I know Raja constantly told her that. Mouna...well...I think she said it in her own fashion. But, we're so grateful to her." She nearly choked. "I don't know where we'd be without her."

"Sakina..." Hakkai rocked her softly, "I'm sure Goku would've done the same thing for us. Thankfully, even though he was alone with no concept of time, in every situation where our memories have tormented us - in a fog, drugged, a demon once who would sing and suppress bad memories to give us peace - Goku never once fell while we were going insane. He even would be the one to bring us out of it. He is such a happy person, purehearted, and he has such faith in Sanzo it's unbreakable."

Sakina let out a soft laugh, a few tears fell but she quickly wiped them away. "That sounds like Goku." She smiled warmly. "He'll always follow him till the ends of the earth if that's where it'll take him." She shook her head again as he continued to rock her. "Probably a good thing that Mouna's not here to see me cry. She's so afraid when I get like this." She laughed. "Probably because she's a fire elemental. Weak to water and apparently women's tears." She hoped her small joke lightened the mood somewhat.

"Haha, so that means she's less likely to cry? That is good for Gojyou, because he panics as well when women cry. It's really funny sometimes the way he reacts. Of course the reason why he gets worried isn't funny, but that's not my place to tell," he shook his head, "Let's just say that...the same reason he hates crying women is the same reason for the scars on his cheek."

Sakina looked away for a moment, silently reflecting on what she was being told. The sun was higher in the sky, and the colors were starting to fade into a simple memory. But the way the lake smelled and how the birds were singing loudly, now taking over the cricket's song completely, was still amazing to look at and listen to. "I understand." She said softly. "That was made by a woman. I won't press for details." She gently told Hakkai as she wiped away the last of the tears. She was so thankful it wasn't an out burst or something like that. "Just like it's not your place to say, it's certainly not my place to snoop. Instead, I'll just...hope. Hope that whatever scar is on his heart can be healed and that he can find happiness, whatever and whenever that may be. I'm sure your friend won't appreciate the prayer, so we'll keep this between you and me." She winked at Hakkai. "I suppose our time here is coming to a close. You'll have to dismiss me soon." She sighed.

"Not right away, I'm making eggs for breakfast," Hakkai grinned at her but he did stand. He took both her hands and helped her to her feet. She lost her balance and he ended up wrapping his arms around her waist, "Clumsy, Sakina? You seem like a graceful person to me. Or are you still sleepy?"

"Just a little tired. But I'll be in my lamp and recovered soon enough." Sakina grinned at him. "Sounds delightful. I'll help cook again." She beamed at him as they started their pathway back to the camp.

~*~

Hakkai glanced at the rear view mirror and smiled tenderly at the scene that laid before him. After a wrestling session that got Sanzo shooting at them for the first time in days, their companions had finally settled down. Only today, instead of the girls sitting beside each other, Alozza was curled up under Goku's lax arm and the monkey was snoring away. Gojyo had his head resting against Mouna's chest, the blond woman's head was pitched slightly to the side, with nothing to hold it up but her shoulder. She had stopped stroking through Gojyo's long red hair maybe five minutes ago, but he saw her hands twitch every so often to start doing it again.

"My, my, Sanzo, it seems our friends have all fallen asleep. Don't you think this would be the perfect time to do the same?" he glanced at the monk who was looking through the side mirror at Goku, an amused smirk on his face.

"Hn...good idea, Hakkai. I hope your woman is a lot more calm than Raja and Mouna. I'll seriously snap if I get my seat knocked into one more time," Sanzo warned.

"My woman, hmm? I can go with that," Hakkai grinned widely, "You know, Sanzo, with Raja so up-beat, if she's the care-free mother then doesn't that make you the disciplined father?"

"Shut up, or I'll shoot you, too," Sanzo grunted.

"You just proved my point," Hakkai just kept smiling even as Sanzo sent him a glare. It was quiet after a long while and Hakkai thought Sanzo had finally gone to sleep when he heard him mumble his name. "Hm? What is it, Sanzo?"

"It put a bad taste in my mouth...putting her back in the lamp," Sanzo murmured, looking at the rose gold treasure in his lap.

Another bout of silence, and then Hakkai whispered, "That's how I feel every time, too."

~*~

"Summon the girls, summon the girls!" Alozza demanded the boys as they crossed the threshold of the town, "We can walk the rest of the way!"

Sanzo snorted, "Stop the car, Hakkai," he said even as Gojyo was jumping over the edge of the car so he could rub Mouna's lamp.

"As you wish," Hakkai joked and pulled Hakuryuu into a stop. They got out and grabbed their things, the little dragon transforming.

"Doesn't look like anything's going on." Goku commented, as he looked around at the village. There was nothing exciting, no one was rushing around going to and fro so it must be a quiet time here. "We should find a good place to eat though, I'm starving."

"Always with the food with you still." Raja giggled as she reached over and ruffled Goku's hair fondly as she too looked around at the village. "Doesn't feel like there's any hostility here. I think we're going to have a peaceful night once again."

Mouna and Sakina were both summoned from their lamps and Mouna stumbled a little from the eagerness she'd been tossed from the lamp and shook her head to clear her senses before turning to look at Gojyo, "Be a little gentler next time," she laughed softly and reached up, patting his cheek. Looking around she noticed they were in the village now, "Aw, I was hoping there was going to be a festival here. The good alcohol is usually brought out during parties."

"Well, let's find that hotel and we can find out what's going on. It might have to do with the weather," Hakkai reasoned, having been unaware the two had planned to have a drinking contest until that moment.

Raja rolled her eyes. "So we'll have a drunk kappa and a drunk genie to deal with tonight. Do I get permission to lock them out if they come home late?!" She asked with a bright smile on her face.

Sakina snickered as she stretched from her sleep. "You'll make them catch their death. There's a storm coming from the west that should hit us sometime tonight." She smiled. "Sorry Raja. I know that bursts your bubble a little."

Goku couldn't help it, he started laughing at the very idea that Raja was going to lock them out of the inn if they found one. "It'd be funny to see how they'd manage to get inside if you did lock them out."

"Oi!" Gojyou rounded on to the two of them. "Come off it! Locking us out of the hotel? Did you forget that I have Mouna on my side?"

"Please, no, if you're drunk and we got locked out you'd make a stupid wish. I'd rather just break in a window and risk getting shot at by the monk," Mouna groaned.

"Priest," Hakkai corrected.

"Whatever."

"If you lock Mouna out she'll pass out from being cold rather than drinking too much!" Alozza pointed at Raja, "So you can't!" After that scary time during winter when Mouna got stolen, she didn't want to go through that situation again.

"Mouna be respectful." Sakina admonished. "There's no harm in giving the right title correctly on some occasion. Jeez, do I have to remind you to be nice to people who are higher than you all the time? You'll die like that, you know." The lecture slipped easily across her tongue as if she had given it a thousand times before. She didn't think too much of it as she let her hands fall from her hips. "Honestly."

"He shot at me the other day! I don't think it matters what I call him! I'll get the same result either way!" Mouna waved her arms

"Cold?" Gojyou looked over at Mouna. "That's a pretty big weakness, but it makes sense. Even building a fire in a frigid area is usually pointless if it's too cold. Will you still be up to the challenge on taking me in a contest or should we wait till next village where there might be good alcohol?"

Sakina shook her head from left to right, knowing to well that this was a loosing battle. "It's not like you didn't deserve it." Raja helpfully pointed out. "It's not like he waves his gun around like a lunatic and shoots people randomly you know."

Sakina looked at Hakkai helplessly. "They're hopeless."

"They are, but they keep us entertained. You know, it's useful having you around in concerns of weather. That way we won't get caught out in the weather while driving anymore and can take cover beforehand," Hakkai grinned, then turned around, "Anyway, not to find that hotel."

"I'll have you to keep me warm, though," Mouna purred as she slinked her body and rubbed against his side, "Let's see what the hotel manager has to say about any festivals. They might've decided to wait until tomorrow. Heck, if they are, that means they'll already have the liquor ready at the bar."

~*~

So the assumptions had been right, and as soon as the weather cleared - as Sakina promised it would - the festival would commence in the morning. In happiness that the Sanzo party was here, the hotel owner assured Gojyo and Mouna that even if there wasn't a festival, there was no way the best alcohol wouldn't be brought out.

Now here they were. Sitting around a table at the bar, the two already had a pile of bottles of sake surrounding them. At first, the contest had gone well, hitting the bottles coming at a fast rate and it was the bartender keeping track because they were so focused on each other. While they sat there leaning towards each other, they were drinking much slower.

"You certainly can hold your ground," Gojyou chuckled as he took a long sip of his sake. "Getting tipsy yet, sweetheart?" He was pretty close to the edge of past tipsy onto his way of being drunk. His words were slurring and he was pretty certain that the outfit that Mouna was wearing looked ten times more hotter than it actually was.

"Hmm...I am glad you approve," Mouna purred, her own speech drawling, "I have been quite...enjoying myself. I know you have, too. Your eyes are...bright, instead of glazed. I /like it/!"

"Do you?" Gojyou knew that his eyes were one thing that people liked to point out sometimes. He took a sip of his sake, hoping not to drag down the mood. Already he felt his heart go into his stomach. "Think it's about time we tried to finish each other off. Otherwise, you'll be getting a hang over from hell."

Mouna furrowed her brows and she shook her head, "Oh, no, don't do that!" She wiggled her fingers at him and caused some blue sparkles to fly at him, "This is the perfect time to talk! Why are you different? I have.../never/ seen someone...like you."

"Huh?" Gojyou blinked at her for a moment before it registered slowly in his head what exactly she was talking about. "Oh yeah, you were trapped in that genie lamp for a long time, so you wouldn't know." He was pretty sure that the only people that managed to get into that area was either a strong youkai or a cunning human. "I'm...a half-blood. Both youkai and human. That's why my hair and eyes are the same color of red."

She blinked at him. Then her head bobbed. She raised her sake bottle to him, "To you, then! For being so resilient and surviving so long while being stuck between two worlds. You...are an amazing guy."

Gojyou tossed his head back and laughed. She had to be completely wasted by now. "I'm surprised you're not falling over." He chuckled as he shook his head from side to side. "You're a fun drunk. Sanzo gets easier to tick off when he's drunk and Hakkai's never. Goku just falls asleep."

"Yay! You called me fun! You're fun, too, Gojyo!" Mouna grinned, "Another round? You did say to go until one of us passes out. Oh no! We didn't come up with a punishment for the loser!"

"We didn't come up with anything for the winner either." Gojyou grinned. "Prideful boasting and painful humiliation sounds like a good way to go. What do you think should happen to the loser?"

"How about we come up with our own punishments? Okay, here's mine - If...I lose, then I'll give up my time outside the lamp to someone of your choosing," Mouna offered, "We'll make the win easy. If you win I have to kiss you, if I win you have to kiss me."

Gojyou frowned, but the rewards sound interesting. "Okay so if I lose...hmm." He leaned back thinking before a smile came on his face. "I have to do something for you. Whatever it is."

"Oh the trust you put in me is flattering," Mouna batted her eyelashes at him, then waved a hand, "Bartender! Another!"

The bartender gave them another bottle, marking down a tally on the sheet that he was holding on to and watched as they took turns pouring generous amounts of the alcohol. "So how much do you remember from your time up there?" Gojyou asked curiously as he took a drink.

"I...I remember...something like this," Mouna nodded with a tender smile, "It's how we - Kenren and I - met, I think. It's...it's all hazy...not sure if that's the liquor or the memory block," she giggled, sounding a little whacked and more than drunk.

/'I remember something like that, too. It's...weird how we remember the girls but we don't at the same time,'/ Kenren mused, /'I only really remember...how I kept thinking how sexy and adorable she was, like...you are right now,'/ he gave Gojyo a playful mental nudge, /'With her rosy cheeks and cute giggle, and that outfit...mm, though she was wearing bandages, an obi, and a hakima in my memories.'/

/'Shut up, Kenren this isn't your time.'/ Gojyou mentally thought about grabbing a pillow and stuffing it in his past life's face so that he would stop talking and go away. Damn, but she was cute and adorable in this light and her drunken personality was charming and fun. Unlike Sanzo's who was angry, and Goku who'd just sleep. Kenren had a point though. It was weird that they didn't remember them. Not clearly. They remembered each other, but not the opposite. Why was that? What was the point of that? To make sure that they lived in their prison for all eternity? It left a foul taste in his mouth and the sake was no longer delicious. However, he choked it down just so that he wouldn't lose, but didn't know whether or not he was going to get another cup.

Thankfully, Gojyo didn't need to. Mouna swayed and her eyes drooped, "Uh-oh..." she murmured, and she slipped forward onto the table, "Sheh rrrhoomm ish shpinnin'..." she said, but anyone who couldn't speak drunk wouldn't have known what she said.

"Okay princess, I think we get you back to the hotel." Gojyou laughed as he walked over to her and scooted her chair back. He caught her before she could fold completely and fall off the chair and carefully got her into a bridal style. "Thanks for the time barkeep. I better get this one in her room."

Mouna rubbed her face into his chest, made a deep sigh, his scent was deeper than cigarette smoke, musky like moss maybe. She fell instantly asleep, lulled by it before she could determine what it was.

The barkeeper chuckled as he cleaned a glass, "You did win the match, but she had one more than you, sir. Not sure if you consider that a draw."

"Who knows?" Gojyou shrugged. "Take care of yourself." He nodded as he walked out of the bar. She was nuzzling him like a little kitten. Maybe he should have called her a cat or a kitty instead of a princess. Ah, but who knew if that would have fired her up any. "Alright, let's dump you off." He told the sleepy Mouna as he headed away from the bar and up towards the stairs. He was kind of thankful that the girls had their own room this time around. He could hear the beginning of the rain starting to drip and he sighed. The rain always brought bad memories along with it. Not for him in particular...but for two others he knew.

~*~

Sanzo had gotten a few hours of sleep, at least. At around eleven the first drop of rain hit the windows and snapped him out of the dreams he had. Now he was standing at the window and smoking a cigarette, Goku snoring away. It wasn't a bad storm. Not really. There was only a rumble and the flashes were minuscule. One of them did catch his attention, though, because...it was closer and it caught the light of Raja's lamp. She was asleep and in another room entirely, but...his hand reached out, fingering the intricate metal, "Raja..." he murmured. Would she hear him?

One moment she was sleeping soundly, dead to the world. The next she poofed into a different room, swaying dangerously from left to right as she stared in a daze. "Huh?" She yawned as she rubbed her eyes. Now that the blurriness was away and her mind was a little more awake, she realized that she was in Sanzo's room. He was standing at the window, the rain tapping at the window in a pitter-patter rhythm. The smell of gunpowder and tobacco should have been her first clue if were more awake. "Sanzo? Daijobu desu ka?" Are you okay?

"Keep your voice down," Sanzo murmured, "He may be snoring, but he does sleep lighter when it rains because he senses me," he nodded to Goku. Then he motioned to the bed he had vacated, "You may sit there, if you want. Might be a good idea before you fall over. I didn't mean to rise you from a deep sleep."

"Okay," she said, her voice quieting when she realized that Goku was asleep. She walked over to Sanzo's bed and sat down, rubbing her eyes again tiredly. "It's okay." She repeated in answer about being awoken from a deep sleep. "You get used to that kind of thing sometimes." She smiled warmly as she watched him. She sensed an air of melancholy surrounding him, but he didn't look any different. She glanced over at Goku again, thinking about how he said that he slept lighter since he could sense the rain and that Sanzo was awake. She didn't press for details, didn't ask what was going on. Instead she took another breath in and out. "The rain's nice," she commented, only to fill up some space of silence. "But I wish it was more of a sun shower than dark clouds. It always gives a sense of forbidding when it's like this."

"Sun showers don't happen much," Sanzo shrugged, staring out the window as the rain pitter-pattered on the glass, "Genjyo. Genjyo Sanzo is my full Sanzo name, if you want to call me that." He didn't want her to call him /that/ name, not yet...but being less formal than the others might be the change of pace he'd been looking for, "Raja, I want you to know that I'll never stop you from doing what you want to do. Now you're living with us more or less, we have a motto. We're not on anyone's side but our own."

"Genjyo." Raja repeated, trying the name out. It suited him, she thought. Though she did find it a little funny that even though he was a priest, he was the worldly type. Then again, what he said made sense too. He wasn't living under anyone's rules, the only side he was fighting for was his own. Therefore he was only living for himself, and probably going to die for himself as well if logic permitted. She looked over at the lamp by his bedside table. She was silent for a moment while longer, obviously mulling over what was said. "Probably a good thing. There's too many ideas that the world has a black and white mortality and we all know that's not how it works." She agreed after a moment. "Staying on our own side sounds a lot safer and more stable than say we were fighting on the side of good or the side of evil." She tapped her finger to her lips. "Even gods play games with mortals and make them think that it's "Divine Punishment" or "Divine Intervention" when they're just being a bunch of dicks."

"If I ever make a wish of you it will never be for my own benefit, by the way. I don't have need for wishes. I have everything I need or want and when we get back home, I'll be living in the Temple again and doing mundane things like sending Hakkai and Gojyo to deal with petty thieves and the local crime," Sanzo shrugged, "I wonder if you'll be able to still use your genie magic when you're freed and are restored to your Goddess Status."

Raja tilted her head as she listened to Sanzo. She kind of wondered why he was telling her this. It didn't make really any sense. She had a feeling he wouldn't make a wish from her for his own sake. Considering that he was high in power and status, there wasn't a need to have her around. "Well...no." She admitted softly. "We'd be much more powerful than our genie selves. This is just...a way to humiliate us I suppose. To be on bended knee and to serve those regardless of what we think. I mean, this isn't something I'd chose as everyday wear." She tugged at the middle of her bra before letting it go. "Though I'm sure we won't be able to make gold spring from air, we do have Sakina's luck so we can always throw her in the gambling ring if we have to."

"What's the oddest wish you've ever been asked to grant?" Sanzo's curiosity became apparent when she said that, and he glanced at her as he put out his cigarette, "You've been a family heirloom you told me, so there must have been some interesting wishes. Has anyone /tried/ to wish for money?"

"Yes." Raja nodded. "Money, wealth..." She paused as she thought about the weirdest or oddest thing that she had to grant. "Hmm. Some of the wishes I were asked were sexual in nature. I think one of them asked for their husband's dick to be an inch bigger than it was." She shuddered. "I think the most strange request I ever got was from Ojisan. If there's one thing I can't grant, it's immortality, but...Ojisan found a loophole around that."

"Oh really? How did he manage to do that?" Sanzo asked and lit up another cigarette, taking a deep breath and letting it out in the direction of the window as the rain started to come down a little harder. H was already wearing a frown, but it deepened a little.

"When he discovered that I was a genie and I could grant wishes, he as very thoughtful and particular about what he wanted. He only wished upon me twice....within a fifty year time span." She noticed the frown and she got up from the bed, certain she wasn't going to fall over, and got to his side by the window. She kept her distance, but the air was nice and the smell of tobacco was surprisingly comforting. "He asked for a long life along side his wife, and to die together with her. I believe he's nearing two hundred now, half way there or just a little bit further than that."

"A long life, so he could die at any time, just neither he nor you know when," he hummed, contemplating, "That makes sense. One hell of a loophole. That sexual wish, too..." he made a face with his brows furrowing, but didn't say anything more, shaking his head, "Do you have a preference for wish makers? Men or women?" He eyed her, "Are you /able/ to wear other clothes?"

"I can..." She said slowly. "But honestly that depends on the master. No it doesn't require a wish." She said hastily. "It's more or less a request. The things I had to wear when I was with the family was a miko's outfit considering their high regard for me." She hummed. "Preference? Not gender wise. Though age wise I really do prefer older. The younger seem to think that once they're told they have three wishes, it must be spent immediately. Most of the older generation, if smart, still have one or two wishes left. Which is why I can easily be called when my lamp is rubbed. When they spend all their wishes, I can no longer hear nor feel them so...I won't be able to appear to them no matter how hard they rub or call my name."

He nodded again, staying silent for a while. There was nothing but the sound of the rain on the window for several minutes. Then he shrugged, "You three ended up lucky. The Fates must be having fun with this."

"I wonder about that," Raja hummed as she looked over at the window, watching the rain drip down the panes and how hard it hit the ground. It could lure anyone to sleep as long as they weren't afraid of the thunder or the lighting. She eyed Sanzo from the corner of her eye, thinking that maybe there was something about the rain that frightened him or made him uncomfortable. He was trying really hard to fill up silence, when usually he was the one that was demanding for it. "Had it been anyone else but you three, Alozza would be going crazy looking for us and determining who she needed to look for first. Probably Sakina, then Mouna, and probably lastly me if she knew whose household I was in and whether or not I'm supposed to be there for a wedding or something. Yet, she decided to let you guys take us. Not only take us, but also come along too. It gives me too much hope and not a whole lot of faith."

"Why not?" he tilted his head at her.

"Why not...?" Raja looked over at Sanzo in a bit of confusion.

"Why don't you have faith in us? Do you not trust us?" Sanzo arched a brow at her, drawing on his cigarette slowly.

She paused, looking down at the floor. The draft of cold air tickled her skin and brought goosebumps up and down her arms and body. She shuddered, but she didn't make any sign that she was freezing or cold. The rain still pounded...was it louder or was it just her mind dramatically increasing the sound? "It's not you." She admitted after a while. "It's Fate." Konzen echoed her words at the same time that she uttered them.

~*~

Hakkai was amused as he saw the blue smoke glitter in the hallway heading towards the room he and Gojyo shared. Was Mouna cold? He wondered if anything would happen. Probably not, Gojyo was unconscious and snoring away. Turning down another hallway he reached the door for the room that held all the women. Knocking first, he then used his ki to sense how many were in there. Only two, and Alozza was just as dead as Goku back in Sanzo's room.

Sakina had been hanging out by the window, watching the rain drip down the window pane, but not able to bring herself to open the window in fear that she would wake up Alozza and that Mouna was already bitching about being cold. She quickly and quietly went to the door after she heard it knock and opened it. "Hakkai?" She blinked before opening it a bit further so that they wouldn't be talking through a crack, but tried to keep it minimally closed so that the light wouldn't bother Alozza.

"Before you ask," Hakkai chuckled at her adorable expression; elegant brows lowered just a little, and the tiny little 'o' her mouth made as she was concerned, "Nothing is wrong, at least not in the sense you're thinking of. I just have a rather...noisy roommate. Gojyo snores."

Sakina pressed a couple of fingers to her lips to suppress her laughter, though her smile was wide. "Would you like company then?" She asked quietly. "I'm afraid that here's no good. Alozza can either sleep lightly or heavily depending on what's going on in the room."

"Where would you like to go, then?" he grinned at her, "To the lobby?"

"Sure." Sakina smiled warmly as she quietly slipped through the doorway and gently pulled the door closed. "I'm surprised your up so late though." She murmured. "Do you like the rain too?"

"Mm..." Hakkai didn't give a yay or a nay, and shrugged. They walked together quietly until they reached the lobby where they managed to find a seat near a window and he took the liberty of opening it up a crack, "To be honest...I would much rather enjoy a thunderstorm than a night like this where all it does is rain. So would Sanzo, I imagine."

"Bad memories that associate with the rain?" Sakina asked gently, hoping that it wasn't offending to ask. She quickly continued. "Raja disappeared so...I think she's helping Sanzo get his mind off of it at least."

"Oh that's good," he smiled and then let out a relieved breath, getting comfortable in the seat, "We both have bad memories, yes. Sanzo's master died during a rainstorm when he was seven. The details elude me but that's the gist of it."

"Oh." Sakina frowned and she sat down next to him, keeping her focus on him. That was...horrible and saddening. "I see..." She paused, rubbing her lips a little before she opened her mouth. "You don't have to tell me about yours." She said softly. "Though I must admit I'm curious to know, I know that it was probably just as sad as Sanzo's."

"Quite. I'll tell you when I'm ready, when we know each other more. The...basic idea was my sister was kidnapped and I...wasn't able to save her," Hakkai's forest green eyes were dark as he envisioned the memory and then shook his head to be rid of it, "That's why things got awkward a few days ago when I mentioned she couldn't cook either. It just slipped out. We overcame a lot of things on our way to India to cure the black mist that was possessing demons, but something like that will never go away."

"I understand." Sakina said softly. "I'm sorry that the rain brings back horrible memories for you and Sanzo. Rain's supposed to be cleansing and calming. A way to purify the winds and the earth all at once as well as the people that inhabit it." She shook her head from left to right. "But I do understand. Loss of someone close to you are scars you'll always carry...it's not something you can recover from. You just learn how to hide the gap."

"Or find someone or something to fill it, even just a little bit. Gojyo filled the hole just enough it aches but doesn't hurt. I know I did the same for him. After all, he is the one who did find me and saved my life." Hakkai smiled at Sakina tenderly, remembering how elated he felt when Sanzo called her his woman. "My sister wouldn't have wanted me to wallow and would be happy for me, I'm sure, so I don't worry about that sort of thing. We were very similar." He let out a soft laugh and rubbed the back of his neck, "I haven't talked about her like this in a long time. It's...refreshing. You help me with that - talking about things I normally wouldn't."

Sakina smiled warmly as she sunk into the couch's seat, relaxed and relieved that she wasn't bringing up anything horrible for him to remember. "That's the best way to remember someone." She grinned. "I'm sure that if I had a chance to meet her, I would become instant friends with her. She sounds like a wonderful and kind person. Has to be if she affected you so deeply."

"You remind me of her, in a sense," Hakkai hummed, "I say in a sense, because she was more naive. She was very happy, trusting, and loving. You are similar mostly in demeanor, I think. Soft spoken, willing to listen, not quiet but more...content. Does that make sense? She was raised in a nunnery, after all," he shrugged.

"It makes sense. A nunnery, that's interesting. Were you raised...in a church as well?" She questioned, tilting her head a little. For some odd reason, she thought about the library, filled with books and stacked up high with cigarette smoke gently raising upwards. Once more the image disappeared and her smile only faded just a bit. "I think that there was a time when I would have been called naive. Or at least, more naive than I am."

"Yes, I was. I didn't know I had a sister for a long time, actually, until I was old enough I didn't need to stay there anymore." Hakkai felt he was getting close to spilling the truth and didn't want to do that. He shook his head and listened to the wind whiz past the window, "Lots of things have changed since then." He looked at his hands, a small flash of lighting illuminating them and he saw blood briefly as his mind conjured the past, "I'm most definitely a sinner, and probably wouldn't be welcomed at the orphanage anymore anyway, or in any church."

Sakina frowned at the word. Sinner. It was a word that provided no forgiveness nor mercy. She couldn't believe that Hakkai would call himself that. But without knowing the entire story about what happened to him or Kannan, she couldn't say anything against it. The rain continued to pound at window with the help of the wind.

For some reason, his story brought back flashes of her own. The feeling of being ripped apart at the stomach and feeling so scared and understanding. The image of a man with hands, uniform, and face bloodied both from himself and his enemies. A smile, a careless comment, and all was well in the end. She was happy and content to reach out to him. A solider. A fighter.

Sakina sneezed suddenly, breaking the tense silence and she laughed. "Sorry, sorry." She said hastily. "I think Raja might've mentioned me or something." She giggled as she rubbed her nose. "Besides going home, what do you do for work?" She asked curiously, figuring out a way to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters.