Rayne sighed and blew cigarette smoke out of the bedroom window. Below her, she could hear the sounds of her sister's rage and red-headed man's placating tones. After a few moments, they both lapsed into silence.
She could feel the grim atmosphere that had settled over the inn. Taking a last drag on the cigarette, she ground it into the ashtray and sighed. Her life hadn't exactly been the model for perfection, but she had gotten by. If he had just stayed away…..
(You're a horrible liar. Him coming here isn't the problem. It's you. You can't even convince yourself to get out of the bed in the morning. He was your whole existence, your reason for being. The only thing you're afraid of is not being able to turn your back on him when he walks out the door again. You tried to close the door on him once, but he stuck his damn foot in the way, didn't he? You can't forget him, and it's going to kill you if you try. If you keep your mouth shut, it's going to be your fault he leaves this time.)
(God damn voice in my head.)
(I heard that.)
(SHUT UP, YOU!)
Tired of arguing with herself, she turned from the window, about to tell her younger sister and the young brunette man that had come with Sanzo to get some sleep.
"Jana, you--."
She stopped as something caught her eye. Turning back to the window, she could make out a bright glare emanating from the next hill. It seemed as though the earth was giving birth to a new sun. The wind carried a few ashes and the smell of burning wood through the window. It took Rayne a few moments to register what exactly she was seeing. Behind her, Jana gasped in horror.
"Onii-chan! Is that..."
"The temple."
Enoki looked up as she and Gojyo walked back inside. Sniffing slightly, she turned to him with a peculiar look on her face. "Do you smell something burning?"
He sniffed as well and nodded slightly. "Smells like somebody built a bonfire." He shrugged and put his arm around her shoulder. "Let's get you inside before you become a cute-sicle."
She laughed and began walking again. However, they had to slam on brakes in order to prevent being bowled over by Goku and, strangely enough, Hakkai: who came running around the side of the building. Behind them was Miss Ina, who carried a worried expression.
"Hakkai, what's the rush?" Gojyo raised an eyebrow at the monkey, who was jumping up and down, apparently too worked up to speak.
The bespectacled man regarded his friend seriously. "Miss Ina and I were out in the garden when we noticed a harsh glow on the horizon. Before we could return inside, Goku met us outside very upset. He said there's a building on fire."
Goku nodded. "Yeah, what Hakkai said. I was up on the roof and saw it. It's this huge place on the next hill. It's really blazing!"
Ina stepped forward and placed her hand on Hakkai's shoulder, a look of abject horror on her face. "If that's true, then it's the temple that's on fire!"
Jana came blazing out the back door, clearly upset. She stopped just short of the group, crying.
"Ina, the temple's on fire! We have to go help them!"
Goku put his hands on the girl's shoulders, trying to calm her. In the meantime, they were joined by Sanzo.
"What the hell is going on around here?" He took a drag off his cigarette.
Ina stepped forward and bowed respectfully, although frantically. "The temple appears to be on fire. We need to get up there and help out the monks. Some of them are our friends."
He nodded somberly. "Fine. Go inside and wait for us to come back."
"No chance."
The blonde turned to find that Rayne had made her way her outside in the melee. Dressed in a pair of shorts and a short tunic, she carried a number of small knives strapped to one thigh and wielded a large daggers in each hand. She glared at the priest.
"You're not going, woman."
She stepped around him. "I don't have time for this. If you girls want to stay here and play the damsels in distress, go ahead. But I'm going up there." She dashed past Sanzo and took off through the forest.
The rest of group stared at the priest, waiting for a signal. After muttering under his breath (something about "Damn woman") he took off after her. The rest of them followed suit.
(Damn, how can she run that fast?)
"Ha, you can't catch me, Kouryou! Slow-poke!"
"Slow down, Rayne! You're going too far!"
"Wah, Wah, Kou can't keep up!"
Sanzo struggled to keep up with the woman in front of him. Despite the new layer of snow on the ground, she was running unbelievably fast. At some points it seemed like her feet barely touched the ground at all.
Behind him, he could hear the rest of the group having as much of a problem keeping up with him. Well, at least he wasn't the only one having a problem. Putting on the gas, he tried to close the distance between him and Rayne.
Suddenly, he came over a rise to find she had stopped rather abruptly. He skidded to a stopped beside her (in a very unpriestly manner, mind you). He threw pride to the wind and doubled over, trying to catch his breath and prevent the pain in his side. The others came charging through the underbrush moments later.
"If you would slow down, woman………" Sanzo coughed and stood back up. Before them was the side gate of the temple. While the wall and gate itself remained intact, the harsh glow originated from inside the complex. The sounds of a struggle and fire crackling cut through the night air.
"Now, we've got to…" Sanzo was cut off as Rayne took off again, this time towards the gate. He followed her, hoping to stop her before she charged inside and got herself killed.
"Sanzo, the gate!"
Hakkai's voice rang out behind him, causing him to change his object of attention. Still chasing Rayne, he peered at the huge gate, trying to figure out what Hakkai had meant. What was so damned special about---?
"Oh shit."
Wedged between the top of the gate and the wall was a small weight. Following the rope that was tied to the weight with his eyes, his noticed it lead back to a number of pins which were currently attached to explosives. If someone were to open the gate the weight would fall, causing---
Rayne had reached the gate. In slow motion it seemed, she reached for the handle. Unable to stop her, Sanzo watched as she pulled the gate open. For a moment, nothing happened. He took the opportunity.
"GET DOWN!"
Lunging forward, he collided with the young woman and wrapped his arms around her waist. Behind him, he felt the heat of the explosion before the incredible force of it blew them backwards. The deafening boom sounded like a roar in his ears. They hit the ground rolling amid debris and burning cinders. He felt a splinter slice his cheek as it whizzed past.
For a moment, everything was white. He gradually became of the weight on top of him, which he took to be Rayne. Behind him, he could hear his companions coughing and struggling to free themselves from the rubble. Hakkai called out to everyone in concern, and thankfully everyone answered, albeit painfully.
Sanzo sat up and brushed the rubble off of his chest. It took a moment to register that the weight on his chest was debris, not the young woman he was trying to save. Becoming somewhat distraught over the fact, he began looking around for her.
"Rayne?! Woman, where the hell are--?"
A small figure was kneeled in front of him, seemingly praying to the devastation in front of them. The praying scene, however, was marred by the tears coursing down her dirt-smeared cheeks and the look of grief-stricken shock on her face. Raising her face to the sky, she uttered a heartbreaking shriek.
"EKICHI!"
BH: I LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!! throws confetti
I'd like to apologize to everyone for neglecting this story so long (over two years, by my watch). I went through some things for a while that prevented to continue doing the things that I love, which is writing for your enjoyment. But I'm back, and hopefully here to stay. I can't promise that it will be on a regularly basis, but I do promise that I will get the Shuichi sisters and the Sanzo party to the end of this journey I put them on. As always, R&R!