The Work of the Fates
by amaterasu
Disclaimer: Saiyuki doesn't belong to me, however I wish it did. Not Sexy Sanzo, Drop-Dead-Gorgeous-Hakkai, You're-such-a-hunk Gojyo and ever-genki Goku. They all belong to Minekura-sama. Thank you for them!
"Oi Hakkai, this is very much like the situation with Rikkudo. You think Goku's going to go berserk again?"
Goyjo's voice was lowered as to keep from Goku's hearing. Hakkai just shrugged.
Two sets of serious eyes looked on at the sight in front of them. A still body clothed in voluminous robes and black spandex was cradled in a brown-haired young man's arms. The former two looked on with fear, sympathy and dread all mixed up. The poison going inside Sanzo's body was fast moving and they need to counter it immediately.
"What shall we do Hakkai?" came Goku's voice
Damn.
---
*Somewhere beyond the human realm...
"Damn it all! Sanzo, you prick! Why do you keep doing this!?" Ai , one of the Fates moaned as the three of them stumbled upon the usual dilemma.
"What is it?" complained Yukan who stopped his weaving wheel. Silent Kibo raised his deep emerald eyes to Ai.
Ai stuck out a part of the thread, which is colored purple. "Look at this." he said, exasperated. "How many times have we mended this one huh?"
Yukan threw up his hands and rose. "Can't we just cut that already? It's too ragged and worn to keep on spinning." Ai nodded in agreement.
Amber and blood red eyes swung to rest upon the middle sibling Kibo, who remained silent. "Well?" Yukan asked, arms akimbo.
"No." came the soft reply.
"What do you mean no?!" Ai demanded as he threw the thread at Kibo. "I can't keep mending this thing. It's hopeless Kibo, we shoul jus-"
An intense flare of Kibo's eyes shut Ai up. "He still has a reason to be alive. No matter how many times that thread will come close to breaking, it won't until it's Sanzo's time to go. You both know that as well as I do."
Ai and Yukan sighed. "Oh man, you know we're just jesting. Come on Yukan, let's fix this thing." They rose and left the middle sibling inside the spacious room.
Kibo took hold of the receiver and slowly punched in a number. When the other line spoke, he uttered a few words and replaced the receiver. He sat back and relaxed. *
---
"We have a Hiryu back there that would take all of you to the next town." Kougaiji said as he slowly lifted a hand to his neck. "I'll give it to you, but, you've got to defeat me first, Son Goku."
"Hakkai, will you please find a way to stop me after we fight?" Goku slowly pulled off his headband and a bright light blinded them all.
---
* In the Fates:
"That's who you sent for help?" Yukan asked sarcastically as he, Ai and Kibo looked on their viewing mirror.
Ai glared at his youngest sibling. "Shut up, there was no one else available. It's still early for Homura to show up. Besides if I call him, Time is going to screw me. You know he doesn't want his plans thwarted."
Yukan smirked. "Whatever." Kibo smiled softly.*
---
Meanwhile, Sanzo was floating on another realm.
"Where the hell am I?" he wonders irritably. "Stupid monkey and others." He stood up and wandered aimlessly. In his frustration, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The place was like a traditional garden, complete with a koi pond and lush green plants. Purple eyes took in the affected calmness and serenity of the place and saw what was really there. Loneliness so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"Oh my Kami... what is this?" An irritated voice spoke and shook Sanzo out of his silence. A young man, maybe no more than 15 were walking towards him. The young man wore traditional robes and kimono complete with his dark hair in a bun.
"Oi, who are you?" Sanzo asked. The boy raised his eyes to meet Sanzo's and the monk was taken aback to see familiar intense gold eyes.
The boy was similarly surprised. "What are you doing here, Konzen Douji?" he asked, perplexed.
"Huh? Are you talking to me kid?"
"Course I am, you see anyone else around here?" came the sarcastic reply.
Sanzo frowned. Was this kid joking with him? He heard him as clear as day. He called Sanzo Konzen Douji, whoever the hell he was.
"How come you're here?" the boy pressed, fiddling with the sword by his waist. "Do you have Goku with you?"
Violet eyes narrowed at the mention of the monkey's name. "Why do you know Goku? And what do you want with him?"
The boy took a step back. "Hey I was just asking. Geez man, I haven't seen Goku for like, what, 500 years?. You're cranky as usual Konzen."
Sanzo's ever-suspicious nature kicked in "Stop calling me that."
The boy's golden eyes widened at the vehemence of the monk's tone. "All right. If you say so. So what should I call you?"
Sanzo considered not answering for a moment. But if he wanted his questions answered, he got to give the child a reply. "They call me Genjo Sanzo."
Gold eyes softened into a smile so dearly familiar to him. "Sanzo. You're a monk. Just as I thought. So what the hell are you doing here? Of all places?"
"Where is 'here' anyway? What's this place? And who are you?"
Sanzo watched as the boy's face reflected confusion, sadness then acceptance. He pulled out his sword from his waist and sat on a nearby boulder. "I am Nataku. We have not met formally 500 years ago, but I know of you as Konzen Douji. Goku did talk a lot about you."
Golden brows knotted in confusion "500 years ago? What the hell is this? Why do you keep mentioning that monkey's name?"
Nataku waved a hand, dismissing the question. "So why are you here? This is a place for those who'd lost hope. For those who want to dream no more. Are you like that?"
The cryptic explanation, along with the question threw Sanzo off-track. "No. I'm not like that. I don't believe in dreams."
A sad expression came over Nataku's face once more. "I see. So what keeps you going? In spite of all the sufferings you encounter."
In his mind's eye, Sanzo saw Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo sitting in the green jeep. He thought about the entire journey that started months ago. "What keeps me going is myself. And my will to survive. No man nor dream motivates me. I live just for myself, in the way I am." He stated softly, looking far away.
Nataku smiled softly, glad that the old Konzen Goku told him about was still there. He rose and faced Sanzo. "The you shouldn't be here. You should go back there and continue to live."
The golden-eyed boy waved his hand once, then twice and the scenery around Sanzo slowly dissolved and disappeared. He shot a confused look at the softly smiling boy. But he found that he could not speak. And before his world turned black, he thought he heard Nataku say, "Continue to be his sun, Konzen."
---
* "So basically you're telling me Kougaiji was just a diversion?" Ai asked Kibo, his blood-red eyes narrowed in confusion.
Kibo nodded and smiled softly "I wanted him to talk with Nataku. That's all. "
Yukan dropped his body on he couch and sighed. "At least we got through today. I'm telling you, the next time that monk does that, I'm definitely cutting his thread!" *
---
He woke up with a start. His purple gaze opened just in time to see an out-of-control monkey charge towards the fallen Hakkai and Gojyo. Without a second thought, he fired his gun. The seiten-taisei dodged and turned towards him.
"You give me much trouble monkey. Why don't you try me?"
~owari~
04/17/03
Authoress Notes:
Nyhahahahahaha!!! Another crazy idea from yours truly, brought to you through Insane Urges Co. Where sanity is a luxury and losing it is the best medicine! Please be reminded that time spent reading this junk WILL NOT be refunded!
