The meaning wasn't lost to Hakkai, nor to the other man who stood by him. They watched as Kenren stalked away, but before he was out of earshot, he heard, "A man's power is only as good as the freedom given to him by his superior."

But it wasn't Hakkai speaking.

The general balked and turned around quickly enough to glare daggers in Shien's direction before shrugging and rounding the corner.

"Oh my, now you've made him angrier." Hakkai commented as he held the door frame in order to regain his composure.

"No reason to pamper unjustified pride. I stand by that, marshal...Are you ill?"

"No. Just..."

"Angry."

"Perhaps."

"Too angry to see the parade?" Shien inquired, his voice level.

"No."

"Then let me accompany you."

"Please."

Chapter 6: Then you get desperate

The sound of breaking glass caught Goku's attention as he was walking through the hall on his way towards the kitchen. They had been pent up in the lodge all day and now the sun was setting behind the mountains. It was pretty and he stayed at the window looking outside for hours while Sanzo smoked and read the paper, grateful that he was being quiet for once. There was no better time when the sun was so alive. "Right before it dies out, saru? You make me sick." Well, a Sanzo comment was a Sanzo comment. At least he talked.

Gojyo spent most of the time flirting with the tavern waitress and drinking. Typical. But Hakkai...Hakkai didn't seem to want to talk to anybody. He apologized for not being able to cook for them. Too tired, Hakkai said. And that was that. Sanzo wouldn't allow anybody to pester the man about food. No question. No answer either. "Just leave him alone." the priest snapped earlier. "You're finally getting to him. It was inevitable." Goku didn't believe him though. Hakkai always had time for him. Hakkai never got mad with him. Hakkai had the patience of a saint.

Now Hakkai was acting like a ghost. It worried him tremendously. He crept to the room the healer and Sanzo shared- not even bothering to wonder why the monk refused to go in. And why he preferred Goku's company that day instead of Hakkai's. It just wasn't done. More likely that the stars would shift their positions and there would be a completely new sky to look up at. It just wasn't *natural.*

Goku found the door ajar and peeked in.

"I'm not human." he heard Hakkai mutter miserably. "I'm a goddam youkai!" His hands went to the cuffs at his ears and upon touching them, he drew his hand back as if he were burned.

"Um...Hakkai?"

At the sound of Goku's voice, the man in question whipped around like a thief caught red handed in the middle of a heist. "Goku!" His eyes widened. There was no concealing the broken mirror at his feet where a random ball of ki had hit. He was just looking at himself...and then it just...it just flew out of his hand, shattering everything.

Bad enough to think he was human. Condemnation to know that he was a youkai. Nataku killed people like him. A better man. Right. With a youkai in heaven, all was sure to go to hell. He was sure of it.

"You're hand's bleeding!"

"What? Oh." Tenpou looked absently down. The boy was right. It was stained red. When he looked up again, Goku was digging through Hakkai's luggage and after a moment produced a first aid kit. "Sit down." Tenpou dumbly obeyed and fell into a stiff armchair in the corner of the room.

Sitting at his feet, Goku got a basin filled with water and began to wash the superficial wound that stretched across Tenpou's palm.

"Thank you."

"No problem." the boy said. "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore. Who taught you to dress wounds?"

Goku looked up with concern. "You did Hakkai."

"Yes. So I did." Bad recovery. Note to self: learn how to act. "And what I good job on my part, eh?" he laughed listlessly, hoping the other wouldn't notice.

"Of course! You're the sensei around here when it comes to practical stuff." continued Goku as he pulled out a tube of ointment, read it, and after confirming it was the correct one, applied it to the now clean surface of skin. Sanzo was there for anything cynically philosophical.

A sad smile suddenly tugged at the corners of Tenpou's mouth. It made Goku uneasy because it was an expression Hakkai rarely wore...or maybe wore often but never showed anybody else. It fell on his face whenever it rained. Whenever he thought of that dead lady.

"Tell me, Goku." Tenpou started. "Who taught you how to read? It wasn't Sanzo, was it?"

A shake of the head.

"Really? But I thought there were no other teachers before Sanzo. Before me."

A shrug. "I just knew." It was simple childlike acceptance. Why do you breathe? I just do. What do you see? I opened my eyes. Why do you speak? When I open my mouth, sound comes out.