The Trouble With H
Chapter Twelve: The Trouble With...Halloween, Part 2
A/N: Okay, let's see about keeping to an update schedule, yes? Everyone seems to love the costumes, tho they're not too keen on the cliffhanger...::sweatdrops:: Eheh. All your favourite horror movie cliches and RPG plots in one convienent package! Erm...sorry to the 39 fans, they got a bit jyped on this two-parter. But they get the next one, okay? Anyway...on with the show!
Special thankehs to Nightfall Rising, whose ficceh I'm reading (finally, I know!) while writing this. It makes for better articulation! ::grins:: Go check Nightfall out guys! And to Pai for her unique brand of 'support' ::coughs, dodges things thrown::
---
"Um, Sanzo...did you just hear that?"
"It's a stupid fake haunted house. Don't tell me you're getting scared from a few cheesy footsteps from upstairs..."
Goku frowned, walking a bit closer to the blond. "It's not that I'm scared, as much as...that sounded like Hakkai and Gojyo. Do you think they're okay?"
Sanzo chose his moment to be very precise and blunt. "They're alone in an empty house and Hakkai's wearing a dress. What do -you- think?"
"...Now I'm scared."
Sanzo growled. "You fight demons by the dozen everyday. And you're afraid of some two-bit festival attraction?"
Goku didn't answer for a moment, and the two walked through the house's hallway. The hall was lined with old-looking oil portraits and cobwebs. Finally the boy spoke again.
"Youkai are different."
"What?"
He looked up at his guardian in one of his rare serious moments. "Youkai are different from ghosts and stuff. Normal stuff doesn't scare me. It's the weird paranormal stuff that freaks me out."
"Where'd you learn a word like 'paranormal'?" Sanzo preoccupied himself with exaiming one of the paintings, glancing at the boy ever so slightly.
Goku looked at his guardian with pout. "What, I'm not allowed to know big words?"
"Oh great, don't tell me I've got -another- fighting couple on my hands here..."
"Since when do you start calling us a couple, bakasaru?" Sanzo crossed his arms and glared.
Goku looked confused. "That wasn't me."
"Why does everyone do that?" the black-haired man shook his head. He was again leaning on a doorframe with his arms folded.
Sanzo's gun was at his temple faster than anyone could speak. "Who're you?"
The man rolled his eyes. "Well, at least this is new."
"I asked you a question," the monk cocked the gun to make a point. The man looked unfazed.
"It's quite hard to take you seriously when you think you can kill me with that."
Goku, by this time, had called Noi-bou. He gripped it tightly, waiting for the okay to attack. "Are you part of the haunted house crew?"
He sighed. "I wish people would quit asking me that. No I'm not."
"What are you here for then?" Sanzo asked cooly.
This caused the man to smirk ever so slightly. "Ah, now -there's- a worthy question. Do you mean here with you, or here in general?"
"Both. But start with whichever you prefer."
The man left his place at the door, walking slowly toward them. Sanzo kept the gun aimed at him, lest he should try anything. He stopped right in front of the two, looking from one to the other with interest. "Well, I'm here with you because I figured you might need some help."
"Help with what?" Goku frowned, holding Noi-bou in front of himself and his guardian.
"Why ruin the surprise? Anyway, I left two of your friends upstairs, I believe. How rude of me. If you're through trying to threaten me, I really should see to them."
"What'd you do to Hakkai and Gojyo?!" Goku blurted out. Sanzo let out a sigh of frustration that made the boy wince.
"Me? I've done nothing. No harm, anyway. They've been quite helpful actually. Especially the young lady."
"Lady?" It took the pair a moment to realize he was talking about Hakkai's costume. "They'd better be okay!"
"Where did you leave them?" Sanzo asked, tone absent of emotion.
The man shrugged. "You'll see them soon enough. But for the present, I believe you have matters of your own to attend to," he pointed behind them to the closed hall door.
They turned as someone started pounding on it. When Sanzo whipped his head back to question the intruder once again, there was no one there.
"Son of a bitch," he muttered, focusing his attention back on the door. It shattered, splinters of wood flying across the hall. Through it stepped about a dozen angry-looking youkai. Or tried to at any rate. The door's remains didn't allow for them move more than single-file.
Sanzo and Goku watched them attempt an entry. "Um...Sanzo?"
The blond let out a noise that one could swear was a whine, had it come from anyone other than the stoic Sanzo. "This is gonna be one of those nights."
"This isn't getting us anywhere!" one of them yelled.
"I coulda told you -that-, loser!" Goku taunted, sticking his tongue out at the slowly advancing enemy.
The lead youaki let out an angry growl, before charging at the two. Goku made quick work of him with Noi-bou.
"This is very irratating..." Sanzo put a hand to his temple, already aware of the coming headache.
"Sorry to bore you," another of the youkai spat. Instead of charging at them however, this one decided to take a more tactical approach. He ran to the wall, ripping down one of the portaits. Behind it, there was a switch, which the youaki flipped. Immediately the chandelier above the pair fell, crashing to the floor.
---
"OW!!!"
"Jeez, man...you've gotta learn how to walk in that thing." Gojyo looked over the edge of the stairs wincing, "You okay?"
At the bottom of the stairs, Hakkai lay in a heap of youkai, skirt and book. While exploring the rest of the house, the pair had come across the library. Hakkai had randomly picked up one of the books, reading as he walked. This caused him to almost miss the stairs, catching himself just in time to once again trip over his hem and fall down them anyway. He groaned, sitting up and putting a hand to his head. "I can't believe you made me wear this thing..."
The redhead met him at the bottom, walking casually down the steps. "And -I- can't believe you just fell down the stairs tripping on a skirt." Hakkai glared at him, which he replied with a grin. He helped Hakkai to his feet, holding him by the shoulders and looking him over. "I think you'll live."
"You might not have the same luxury," Hakkai retorted without any real threat.
A hand rested on his shoulder. "Are you alright, Lady?"
The pair jumped, finding the mysterious black-haired man at their side.
"Shit!" Gojyo coughed, "You've got to stop doing that! What are you doing back here?"
"I've come to warn you about your friends."
Hakkai looked worriedly at him. "What's happened?"
"This isn't a festival attraction as you've been led to believe. It was a trap by someone who wanted the monk."
"Oh no!"
"Hey, how'd you know he was a monk?" Gojyo raised an eyebrow.
"There's no time for that. If you want to help them, you should hurry." He began to push Gojyo down the hall. Hakkai started after him, but he tripped on the skirt once again and fell.
He sighed. "I swear, I don't know how anyone can put up with this..."
Standing up once again, he looked at where the man had been moving Gojyo. The hall was empty. Lifting up the skirt a bit for clearance, he ran down it. He skidded to a halt at the door, which was closed. He tugged at the handle with no success.
"This does not look good."
---
"Hey, quit pushing! Wait for Hakkai!" Gojyo protested against the form forcing him down the hall.
"No time! I shall find the lady after the battle!" Once he pushed Gojyo through the door, he disappeared once again.
"Dammit! Where's Hakkai?!" the redhead pounded on the door, only to find it locked.
He heard noises further down the hall, like a battle. So he hadn't been lying about that. He stood there for a moment, debating his choices. Then he ran down the hall, hoping Hakkai could take care of himself for awhile.
Near the end of the hall, he ran into several youkai standing in front of a fallen chandelier. Coming closer, he realized that Sanzo and Goku were there as well, sprawled on the floor on either side of the glass.
Goku pushed himself to his feet just in time to swing Noi-bou into the nearest advancing youkai. He went after another, but a chain swung in, wrapping around the youaki and taking care of it.
"Gojyo!" Goku gasped, looking at the redhead in shock.
"Aw jeez. Don't tell me Sanzo's gone and got himself killed again..."
"I'm not dead you ass," the blond muttered, leaning up on his elbows.
"Damn..." Gojyo smirked, "Must be the cat ears."
A bullet whizzed past him, striking the youkai behind him.
"Where's Hakkai?" Goku tripped another youkai before stabbing him with the staff end.
"I don't know," Gojyo swung the shakujou. "We got seperated by that guy running around here."
Sanzo fired a few more rounds, taking out the last of them. "You've got ten minutes to find him or we leave him."
---
"Gojyo? Where are you? Goku? Sanzo?" Hakkai shook the doorknob, trying to get it to open. Suddenly ware of a presence behind him, he turned, ready to fire a ki blast if needed.
The man stood a bit away from him, watching him calmly. "The battle's over."
"Where are they? Why did you lock the door?" he was starting to panic. Something about this man made him uneasy.
"I need to talk to you. Forgive me, but I must ask for your help, Lady."
"But I'm not--"
He didn't let him finish. "I wouldn't ask you for anything, but I've waited far too long..."
Hakkai backed up until he hit the door. No good could come from this conversation. "I'm afraid I can't help. I need to find my friends and get out of here."
"But you can't!" he blurted out, and disappeared.
"Uh oh," the brunette didn't move. Whether he was a ghost or youkai or whatever, he could transport himself at will. Which meant he could just as well reappear right in front of him or even behind the door.
It turned out to be the former. The man flashed back into view mere inches in front of Hakkai's face, shocking him dispite his readiness of this conclusion. He backed up, slamming into the door and whipped his hands in front of him, partly for denfense and partly to attack.
Before he could summon the familiar green light, however, the black-haired man grabbed his wrists painfully and held his arms above his head. Even with youkai strength, he couldn't force out of the man's grasp.
"I just need you to listen to me," the man hissed, close to Hakkai's face.
"Let me go!" the brunette snapped, struggling against him.
The man held his arms tight. "It's almost too late. I need to do this now or I'll have to wait another decade! I've already spent far too long in this hell to be this close to freedom and waste the chance!"
"What are--?!"
The man was getting hysterical. "Just listen!" he said severly, stunning Hakkai into silence. "I was murdered. That guy you and your friend saw before, that was him. Every decade we repeat the incident."
Hakkai found it hard to speak for a moment. "But...But why do you need me?"
"The reason I was in the house in the first place. I was waiting for someone. Waiting for my Nurei. He murdered her and then came for me. So now I'm cursed to wait until I meet her. We're both cursed."
"I'm not--"
He interrupted him once again. "I know you're not her. But maybe it'll work. You look so much like her..." his voice lost its harshness for a brief moment, becoming almost a longing wistful tone, "If you can just help me. Pretend to be her just long enough, maybe the curse will end."
Hakkai's instictual reaction was to refuse. Refuse and run. But the more he looked at the man in front of him, the more he felt inclined to help. He was trapped reliving tragic memories, and on some level, Hakkai knew the feeling.
He sighed. "What do I have to do?"
---
"Dammit!" Gojyo ran down the hall he'd been pushed through before. "Where the hell is he?"
Goku ran after him, trying to keep up with the kappa's urgent pace. "Where's the last place you saw him?"
"In the hall right after this door! Then the black-haired guy pushed me down to you guys."
"And you didn't go back why?" Sanzo asked cooly behind them both.
"Yeah, we could've taken care of it ourselves," Goku nodded.
"From under a chandelier?" the redhead asked absently, skidding to a halt in front of the door. He yanked on the handle, but it was still locked. Then he took to pounding on it. "HAKKAI!"
"Let's break it down!" Goku suggested, moving to Gojyo's side.
"Eight minutes," Sanzo muttered, but moved to help nonetheless.
---
Hakkai exhaled a calming breath. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's do this before it's too late, I suppose."
The man smiled gratefully. "All you have to do is pretend to be Nurei. Pretend you know me and have been waiting here for me. Then hopefully, I'll be free."
Hakkai nodded, biting his lower lip. Acting had always been a stong point of his...
The man wrapped his arms around him. "Thank you Nurei."
He almost questioned the name, but figured he had already started to try and believe he was Nurei. Slowly, he returned the embrace, hoping he was acting Nurei-like. "Everything's okay."
Then he was pinned against the wall beside the door once again, and the ghost was kissing him. That wasn't part of the deal. He started to push him away, with no avail. Panic rose afresh, and he struggled more furiously. The ghost held him tighter, refusing to part.
Suddenly the door burst open, breaking in the middle. Both youkai and ghost turned to see Gojyo push through the hole. "Hakkai!"
"Um...right here," the brunette replied, smiling weakly.
"Jeez, I leave you alone for ten minutes and you've already got some ghost hangin' off ya. I didn't think you were the type." He hopped a bit, freeing his leg that had become trapped in the splintered wood.
"Well, you must be rubbing off on me."
The ghost cleared his throat. "You're killing the moment here."
Gojyo glared at him, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh sure, by all means, continue molesting my Hakkai. I'm sure he's got no problem with it either."
"Then leave already!" he matched the glare, before it turned into a confused look. "Wait, 'he'?" he looked at Hakkai, whose only response was to give him a sheepish smile.
"You mean you thought Hakkai was a girl?" Goku blurted out, pushing his was finally through the door. He laughed.
"It doesn't help matters that Hakkai's wearing a dress," Sanzo put in his opinion, following the boy into the room.
The ghost, who had still had a grip on Hakkai's shoulders, now let him go, sinking back until he sat on the floor. "A guy?! There's no -way- that's gonna work!"
Hakkai's face turned a bit red. "Well, I can pretty much say it wasn't working before either."
"So what now?" Gojyo crossed his arms.
"This is a stupid ending," Sanzo muttered, "even for us."
The ghost sighed, looking down. "I suppose another decade isn't so long..."
Hakkai remembered something. "Oh! I've got a book you can read. It'll probably only take off a week or two, but it's something," he pulled out the book he'd taken out of the library and handed it to him.
He looked at him, and then smiled, taking the book. "Thank you."
---
"Saaaaaanzo," Goku whined, "I'm hungry! Let's get some more festival food!"
"You already had food."
"Yeah, but that was -before- the youkai fight!"
Gojyo and Hakkai ignored them, walking off to the side. Hakkai kept glancing back at the house. Gojyo slung his arm around the brunette's shoulders.
"Don't start that again. You did all you could."
He sighed. "I know."
The kappa grinned. "So, let's talk about this whole 'ghost boyfriend' thing of yours!"
Hakkai turned to face him, a sort of mock-menacing smile on his face. "I'm more interested in this whole 'my Hakkai' thing of -your's-."
The grin grew wider. "Did I say that?"
"You did."
"Hmm..." Gojyo leaned in looking Hakkai in the eyes, "Well then, don't forget it!" He tipped his friend over, kissing him.
"A-HEM!"
"Ew gross!"
The four continued on as normal, unaware that they were being watched from the window. The black-haired ghost laughed, enjoying the show. Once they were out of sight, he turned his eyes to the book Hakkai had given him. Flipping it open, he started to read the first page.
Then a note fell to the ground, from in between the pages of the book. He picked it up, opening it. The writing was familiar...it was...Nurei's.
He smiled in the flash of light.
---
Yeeeeeah. That's it for the special Halloween episode(s)! Please review, if only to express your sympathy for the brave pack of peanut butter crackers that are consumed with every chappeh. ::sniff::
Oh, if anyone's confused, the ghost went to the other side after reading Nurei's note. Funny, I named the chick but not the ghost...Hmm.
Ranma Higurashi: Heheh...ghostehscool.
Shades of Hades: Exactly! We share the same dub favourites! Yeah, A Saiyuki/Fake would beh great, but I'm not sure I could do it. Maybeh a colab with someone or something?
NIghtfall Rising: Yeah, I always liked that line. Sorry it's taking meh so long to read your ficceh! I'm doing it piece by piece at work. But it's great!
Zelgadis55: Abarat is a book by Clive Barker. When I read his work, I always get really weird ideas. ::grins:: I hope this is an okay ending... and Hotel California gets updated next!
KarotsaMused: Coherant reviews aren't really as fun in the long run. And I didn't even notice the costume thing with Goku! ::laughs:: Originally he was gonna beh a meatbun! I have a sketch for that idea...
viciouscallistro: Everytime I draw a cosplay thing with the ikkou, Hakkai always winds up in a dress. So Halloween was the perfect oppurtunity to do it! I loved the idea of Sanzo in his normal outfit with cat ears. ::giggles::
kiki-chan: I've read the first one. Is there more out?
Silver Raven 014: Yes, yes it is. Most of my h's come from all my lovely readers!
KawaiiLilMarron: ::sticks tongue out:: That's what One Up's for. I dunno why I can't do some good romance lately... I think I need some good ficcehs to put meh back up to it, yes?
Me-Nuriko: Yes he is, cuz I thought that would look funnier. But no one tells him that. ::snickers::
Wasabii: Yeah, and draw shounen-ai scenes on the back of test papers until your teacher complains about it...::whistles innocently:: Yay I'm loved forever! Thankehs for the kind words on HC too. It's my love child.
Well, until next time guys!