"What youkai?" Realization dawned. "What the fuck! That's absolutely crazy!" He tried to leap up to his feet, only to land flat on his face.

"You're not going anywhere. Not in at least thirty minutes, and everything should be done by then." Zenon seemed annoyingly calm, as did the rest of the Western Army around them, as if they were standing witness to a funeral of sorts. The soldier pulled Kenren back up. "Now sit still unless you want Goujun and the others to see you crawling to get back on your ass."

Kenren scowled.

"That's a good general."

Chapter 11: Savage Indignation

The snowman's head blew up, leaving the decapitated body slouching against the fence. A second shot caused the midsection and legs to follow the same fate. Quick and efficient, not a drop of energy wasted.

"Whewwww." Gojyo whistled as he clapped Tenpou on the shoulder. "For a second try, that's pretty damn good. You a sharpshooter?"

"It's a pastime." replied Tenpou, watching as Goku scrambled to erect another snowman for him to obliterate. He looked at his hands, the glowing green seeping quietly back into his skin. "Thank you, Gojyo."

For the past hour, the two of them had been teaching Tenpou how to use Hakkai's powers, toppling many a poor snowblob.

"Now close your eyes." instructed the half-breed, taking off his own bandanna and tying it around Tenpou's head. "The monkey's gonna make a whole lot now. I'm not going to tell you how many." At this point, Gojyo lifted six fingers for Goku to see. The boy gave an enthusiastic nod, then went back to work. "When he's finished, I'm gonna take off the blindfold and as fast as you can, blow any snowman you see to hell, okay?"

Tenpou nodded. The sound of packing snow caused him to tilt his head. Yes...a little to the left...perhaps a bit behind...

"No cheating!" Gojyo shouted before clapping his hands over the other's ears.

"Is this really necessary?"