Once Upon A Broken Heart 8 ***Saiyuki*** /Sha Gojyo Love Story/

"Are you alright,Gojyo?" asked Hakkai a bit concerned. His friend has been quiet all day.

"Yeah. Just tired."

"Well, if you'd use the night for sleeping, you wouldn't be so god-damned tired." Sanzo growled in a low voice glancing at the back. The red-head really seemed like he needed a good nights sleep. Sotona in the meantime was as perky, fresh and cheerful as ever as she puffed her cigarette smiling widely.

"I swear, Berry-san, I don't know where you get all that energy from." laughed Hakkai.
Sotona only blushed a bit while Gojyo had a smirk plastered on his face.

"If you try to keep me up all night again, I'll shoot both of you." Sanzo spat lighting his own cigarette.

Gojyo knew that Hakkai must've clearly heard red-heads and Sotona's moans and their bed rocking back and forth since only a wooden wall separated them. The monkey boy would keep on sleeping even if they started screaming. However, Gojyo wasn't sure how much the priest heard.

Then, Hakkai slammed the breaks so suddenly they almost fell out of the Jeep.

"What's the big idea,Hakkai?"

"We've got a problem,Gojyo." Hakkai laughed sheepishly pointing at the enormous bolder that just landed in front of them.

"How did THAT get here?" asked Sotona surprised looking at the guys who seemed annoyed, each one to a different degree.

"Not the pest again..." Sanzo growled.

"'Pest'?" inquired Sotona.

"Lirin-san. Kougaiji's little sister." Hakkai explained briefly.

"Now I got you! Hand over the script, Sanzo!"

Berry turned her gaze to a little orange-haired youkai girl standing on the bolder pointing at Sanzo.

"Take care of her, Goku." ordered Sanzo.

"Why me?!? Let the perverted Kappa take care of her!"

"Shut up stupid monkey! Hakkai?!?"

"Sorry, Gojyo."

"Guys... what's the big deal about fighting her?" Sotona asked making everyone turn their attention to her.

Just then, Lirin irritated by the lack of attention jumped down throwing a punch at Sanzo. Sotona automaticly jumped up sliding her fan out of the leather pocket and opened it stopping Lirin's fist at the flat metal surface. Both girls landed on the ground, Sotona standing in between the youkai and the four men in the Jeep.

"Nice one." smirked the little demon taking up a fighting stance "Who are you?"

"Sotona Berry. Nice to meet you." Sotona smiled hiding her fan "Quite a powerful blow I must admit." she continued also preparing for a fist-fight.

"You think you can take me on, human?"

"Let's have a go and see."

Lirin plunged forward to Sotona throwing a sock at the other girl. Berry blocked the other girls' hand and landed her fist in Lirin's solar plexus hard enough to knock her out. Berry caught the girls' limp body and laid her carefully on the ground.

"Don't worry, she's just unconscious." Berry said to Hakkai seeing him rushing over with the other three following. "What's wrong?"

"If she's here, her brother will be here in a moment."

'Kougaiji, the youkai prince, huh? But Hakkai's right.' Sotona thought placing her hands on the fans at her thighs.

In a matter of seconds Berry noticed something shiny with the corner of her eye and blocked a sword coming right at her with her fans. Towering over her kneeling form was a muscular dark-haired youkai carrying and angry expression on his face.

"What did you do to her?!?" a demon with crimson hair coming her way asked furious.

"I just knocked her out." Sotona said leaping away from the youkais putting her fans into a spin. She could feel muscles and joints in her arms aching from the swordsman's blow earlier.

Berry was strong and reckless but she also knew fighting such a man hand to hand would be foolishness.

'I'm not really into short-haired guys but this one's pretty hot-, No! Now is not the time for this! Gojyo! Think: "Gojyo"!' Berry mentally kicked herself . She watched as a dark haired busty woman run up to Lirin and examined her.

"She is fine, Kougaiji-sama. She is just unconscious." the woman stated to the youkai prince.

"I have no intention in hurting such nice and cute little children." Sotona said smiling warmly standing still while the blades spinning at each side of her caused the strands of her hair to wave slightly around her face.

"You've hurt Lirin." Kougaiji said taking a step towards Sotona.

"She wanted to fight so I decided for the safest solution." Sotona explained her face becoming serious.

Berry's eyes travelled back and forth to Kougaiji and the second man. If she was to fight both of them she had a pretty good chance of winning with her weapon being designed for long range fights. Sotona was fully aware that she could only fight the youkai prince with as much handicap as she could come up with. Gossips about strong individuals were spreading fast in bars and she would rather over- than underestimate her opponent. She was also sure that rumours about princes' swordsman reached her ears once or twice.

"Berry-san..."

"It's OK, Hakkai." Sotona said eyeing the two opponents "I'll handle this."

"Oh?" the larger man smirked "You think you can win with me and Kou?" he continued approaching her.

"I won't know unless I try,right?" Berry smirked back.

She outstretched her arms causing the wires attaching the fans to the gloves to shorten turning the spinning blades into little circular saws resembling air screws. When she clenched her fists a jangling sound was almost completely drowned out by the sound of fans ripping the air. Suddenly the little saws cut the air as the wires were released. Only blades were spinning while the wires stayed motionless as if someone invisible hands were stretching them. They also had a slightly greenish glow on as if someone oiled them with a green watery gooey.

"Gentlemen?" Berry encouraged her opponents while swaying her hips from one side to the other.

"You're serious then?" the tall man smirked preparing to attack her.

"I'm always serious when it comes to fighting." Berry answered giving both men a seductive smile. "However, I have to warn you: Watch out for my weapon... they are very... DANGEROUS!!!" she shouted the last word swinging one of her fans in their direction. The other fans' wire shortened as if it was a shield staying close to her body.

Both men experienced in fighting knew it was just a teaser but they still decided to oblige to the lady's' wish. However, they encountered an unexpected obstacle. Sotonas' long range weapon constantly kept them at a distance. With this both sword and fists were useless.

Another disturbing fact was that she constantly danced. There wasn't a split second when she would stay still. Kougaiji and the second man kept examining her movements looking for an opening but to no avail. The blades responded to the slightest snap of her wrist with deathly accuracy. Finally the large man spotted it. An opening. He dodged the saw diving underneath it and sprinted towards the girl. A glance at her narrowed furious eyes immediately told him he made a mistake.

"Bro! Watch out!"

At this, the muscled man barely dodged the wire coming directly at him by dropping to the ground. As he was falling on his back he saw few pieces of his short hair cut by the metal wire flying next to his face. It could be his neck. Berry pulled the fans back to each of her sides keeping her hips rocking.

Kougaiji was at once at his friends side checking if the other man was okay.

"'Bro'?" Sotona asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Gojyo is my little brother." the muscled man chuckled rubbing his neck and getting back to his feet "Dokugakuji, nice to meet ya."

"Oh..." Berry looked from Gojyo to his older brother with a confused look. She blinked few times and smiled sweetly "Sorry 'bout that. Good thing you dodged it. It would be a shame if my wire cut you."

"Well, I like my neck right where it is." Doku chuckled causing Berry to do the same.

"It's not just your neck,bro." Gojyo said loud enough for others to hear him "See the green gooey on the string?"

"Yeah..." Doku replied eyeing the wire.

"It's poison. Doesn't work fast but when it gets into your veins then in few hours you're dead."

"Dangerous thing you got there." the swordsman said to the girl.

"Warned you.~" Sotona chirped happily.

"Excuse me but I'm afraid we have some company." Hakkai interrupted.

Guys looked around while Sotona carefully observed them Her disability to sense youkai and shikigami was a great disadvantage.

"$hit... we're surrounded." Gojyo cursed, his shakujo appearing in his hand. "Berry, stand back with the ladies. We'll handle this,"

As much as Sotona disliked that she knew Gojyo was right. Her weapon might be amazing; however, in this situation she would not only had to focus on eliminating the enemy but also at not killing her allies. Sanzo Ikkou she could deal with but she still knew too little about Kougaiji and Doku and their movement patterns to risk hurting them. Sotona backed away to the woman and the girl as guys encircled them. By then Berry guessed that the enemy weren't Kougaijis' butchers.

"Something's wrong." Berry whispered to herself.

When the brawl broken out she noticed the enemies were dresses from head to toes in black linen clothes with their faces covered.

'They're good. Way better then the usual groups. And they're targeting Sanzo and Prince a lot more than others. What's going on?'

Meanwhile Sotona kept looking from one of her friend to another checking if any of them needed a hand. She knew they were good fighters but she couldn't help but worry about them.

Then Berry cut into half a man that was preparing to slash Gojyos' brother from the back. It was a natural impulse.

"Thanks." Doku shouted grinning at Sotona.

There it was again. That sickening feeling in Berrys' stomach. It was nowhere close to the pleasurable thrill when she was fighting. It was a feeling of responsibility. She hated it.

The enemy was highly skilled and in a large number but her friends managed to defeat them nonetheless. Berry carefully examined the situation. Goku was treated by Hakkai and Kougaiji by the young brunette whose name, Sotona learned, was Yaone. Gojyo had few bruises but he seemed fine. Sanzo got off without a scratch. Lirin was still unconscious. Dokugakuji on the other hand had a nasty looking wound on his left arm. Berry snatched her backpack from the Jeep and run up to Gojyos' brother and took out some bandages, lint and disinfectant.

"This will sting a bit." Sotona said after cleaning her hands with moistured tissues looking into Dokus' eyes. He nodded his head smiling at her. She poured the liquid onto the wound earning hisses from the man but he didn't move an inch.

"You could use a cotton ball, you know." he chuckled as she carefully bandaged his arm.

"Now,now. Big, strong and handsome men such as yourself shouldn't whine over little things like that." she smirked raising an eyebrow. She felt someone hoovering over her kneeling form. The characteristic scent of cigarettes immediately told her who it was.

"You're good at this,Berry." remarked Gojyo.

"I have a lot of experience." Sotona chuckled.

"Cute, knows how to fight and can take care of wounds. You're a real angel,Berry-san." Doku said grinning at her.

"Please,'Berry' is fine." she smiled as Gojyo crouched behind her and put his arm around her.

"Sorry,bro. This angel is mine."

"Oh?" Doku looked at both of them a little surprised.

Gojyo pulled out a cigarette out of his pocket and when he was about to light it Sotona spoke.

"Don't or move."

"Huh?" the red haired Kappa looked at her questioningly.

"You'll singe my hair. So either don't light the cig or move away." she said fasting the clip on the bandages and making sure it won't slide off.

"I'll be careful." Gojyo said holding her against his chest and lighting his fag.

"If you'll excuse me, Doku-san." Berry smiled sweetly elbowing Gojyo hard in the abs. She turned to the man who fell on his arse coughing with her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I said: 'Don't or move',didn't I?"

"The girl got spunk." Doku laughed getting up. He held out his uninjured hand to Sotona.

"Thank you~" she chirped accepting his help and looking down at Gojyo who was still on the ground.

"You don't intend to stay that all day, do you Gojyo? Sanzo is going to be mad because of the delay."

"Who cares about the baldy?"

Just as the red head finished the sentence there was a bang and a bullet barely missed Gojyos' face.

"Hey!!! You almost shot me!!!" Gojyo yelled getting to his feet.

In order to stop the brawl Berry stood on her toes and gently took few strands of Gojyos' hair in her hand and kissed them. To Dokus' surprise, his brother immediately calmed down and looked softly at the girl, who in order to keep her balance placed her free hand on Gojyos' chest. Sotona smiled sweetly and went to place her backpack back in the Jeep. She flung the bag over her shoulder and hopped back to the others like a six-year-old.

"Oi,Gojyo..." Doku asked his brother quietly enough so that no one would hear them.

"What?" the red head replied lighting a cigarette and keeping his eyes on Sotona who was putting her things back into the Jeep and discussed something with Hakkai cheerfully.

"I'd never imagine you'd change your preferences. I mean... I thought you had some strict rules when choosing... partners."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Her boobs aren't that big but trust an expert, she's good~" Gojyo grinned nudging his older brothers' side with his elbow.

"That's not what I meant..."

"Huh? Then what?"

"Well... I though you only dated women ABOVE eighteen. But sixteen year old?"

Gojyo looked dumb folded at the other man, then at Sotona and then back at his brother. Suddenly he burst out laughing. Berry seeing this ran up to the two brothers looking as cute as a little happy puppy.

"What's so funny?" Sotona tilted her head.

"Dunno... he started laughing when I... commented on you being sixteen."

Berrys' face twitched a bit at this remark.

"Doku-san."

"'Doku' is fine." he paraphrased her.

"Doku... I'm not sixteen."

"No?"

"No."

"Don't tell me you're fifteen! Bro,that's illegal!"

"I'm twenty-one,Doku."

"Excuse me?"

"I AM 21!!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs earning odd looks from the others.

"You... you gotta be kidding me..." Doku stammered staring at Sotona with his mouth a mite open.

Sotona stomp her foot angrily and went back to the others,the two men following behind.

"Those were Gyokumen Koushous' new henchmen." Kougaiji said looking at his little sister who was regaining consciousness. "Are you okay Lirin?"

"Yeah, oni-san... What happened?"

"Kougaiji-san..."Berry ignored Lirin speaking with a concerned look on her face"...they attacked their own prince? Is it possible they didn't know who you are?"

"No. I'm sure they knew who we are."

"They assaulted their superior?" Sotona asked surprised.

"They might have had two targets: you AND us." Doku said in a stern voice.

"She's up to something." Kougaiji whispered looking at his sister and then at the brunette "Yaone, we're not going back to Houtou Castle for now. It's too risky."

"The nearest town on the West is in two days trip by a car...right Hakkai?" receiving a nod from the man Sotona continued "However, if you don't have power limiters it would be a problem."

"We have them with us,just in case. I guess we'll have to do that Kou?"

"Yeah,you are right Doku."

Sotona looked into the sky clearly thinking about something and then smiled cutely.

"Then how about we camp together? It'll be safer to stay in a larger group."

"NO." Sanzo and Kougaiji said in union.

Berry looked quizzically at the two leaders.

"We're enemies." Kougaiji said glancing at Sanzo.

"Yaone-chan," Berry spoke to the other woman causing the brunette to blush at the sudden familiarity but nodded to acknowledge the girl she was listening "Why are some men so thick-headed they completely forget about logical reasoning?" as Sotona finished the sentence a bullet flew right before her face so close she could feel the air being ripped.

"Shut up,idiot." Sanzo growled earning a grin from Berry.

She climbed into the Jeep and turned to Sanzo Ikkou.

"Well? We're going or not? I thought you're in a hurry."

They said their goodbyes and the five of them drove off. As they were leaving Lirins' words:" I want to fight you again, Berry-nee-san!" were still heard for some time.