atters which ncerned rapagg youkai were, arbitrarily, his proble "now listen, i've structed the people to put out their fires and hide out the valley west of here takg ial belonggs they should be all cleared out about o hours or so the toill then be deserted and the youkai will ost likely go for the slower caravan ovg southwards which left around the ti you started ditatg they cannot get there without passg first through the town i thk we can handle the, don't you thk?"

but sanzo was by grdg his teeth "fuck you"

"no you should start to be nicer to i ay not be hakkai, but that doesn't an i' worth any less" tenpou chided as he went over and put a patronizg hand over sanzo's head, pettg hi as if he were so student of his "you know that three aspects debit card you have?" he sped sanzo gred "when i go back, i can cut the sanzo's aount with jt a siple order and you and your predecessors will have a good five hundred years to learn how to earn your wages right wouldn't you like that?"

tenpou's hand tightened at the hair that brhed agast sanzo's neck as if pullg an iagary ponytail

"or" the arshal ntued, pretendg to ponder

"or" said sanzo through a clenched jaw, his trigger fger itchg like ad

"or, aybe i won't i uld also have a ith the three aspects about guaranteeg vacations to the n your le of work after all, you need your resthuans are soso frail"

it was enough provocation to send a bullet buzzg past his ear and to the air before he had ti to thk any send thoughts, tenpou was grabbed by his lr a brutal hold

"listen you"

a bloodcurdlg screech filled the air, cuttg off the onk's ipendg threat

"so now they knoe're here it's all ite nvenient really i' dog y job, and you're gettg your friend back there won't be any ore need for you to ditate yourself over to his side isn't that fair? " tenpou nted, oblivio to how close to death he was at that ont he paed "isn't it what you want, genjo sanzo?"

sanzo released hi, his eyes streith srnful disbelief as if he'd jt been vioted tenpou uld have burst out ughg "you"

they were so alike so the sa they were both allergic to the f-word

"why t both of you ake friendship so plicated?" tenpou teased "anyway, jt e back before noon goku's startg to iss you and we should prepare ourselves for the attack it'll be around dk, if y knowledge of that type of youkai is rrect"

"who put you charge?" said sanzo sulkily, grabbg the cigarette pack fro tenpou and lightg hiself up another one he breathed deeply, rexed a little, only to have the cigarette pcked fro his lips as the other an leaned down close and whispered his ear, words both silky and terrifyg, givg hi enough proof that tenpou gensui was truly a fatal nace

"i a -always- charge reber that"

and with those words, tenpou walked past the stricken priest, his eyes gloith satisfaction as he ntepted his newly acired cigarette

and with those words, sanzo started to pity the arshal's celestial eneies

at the rner of the wood, out of sight, but not out of earshot, stood gojyo digestg the nversation as the fat sll of cigarette soke- not sanzo's brand at all - drifted towards hi

tenpou felt especially soft right now- ltg his ars like ld fffy soap scented feather down

wait a send

kenren's eyes flew open and he found hiself a passionate ebrace with an extrely dispassionate pillow buryg his face frtration, he ubled to the ory, "daiiiitttt tenpou" the ory didn't respond "who're you runng off to?"

"no one particur" replied hakkai cheerily as the general shot up bed "here and there, but ostly to the bathroo to bathe and such" which had proven to be ite difficult given the jury, but he wasn't about to wake this an jt so that he would help hi bathenot that kenren would have ded one bit

he felt likebathg? it jt wasn't done "who-"

"a i and what have i done with your tenpou, right?" hakkai waved a nonchant hand disissg the idea as if it were siply prepostero that tenpou was not tenpou "don't bother taishou"

"yes sir, not botherg sir"

fro his desk, hakkai silently stood up with the ease of soone who had been awake for ite so ti, kenren noted, then resettled hiself at the other an's side, careful not to jolt his own shoulder

"but full unifor?" kenren pursued, sotg over to ake roo

"h" hakkai agreed "for here and there"

"ah"