The night Gojyo disappeared

I could not sleep. Though we had buried Kingkaku's body, I felt rather unsettled. Kami-sama used an innocent child for his dirty work. I can only hope the kid and his twin are finally at peace. The room was dark. I just sat in the chair within the room I shared with the monkey, thinking what Sanzo had said earlier. "We are not guardians of justice," he had said, "If it doesn't involve our journey West, then it's none of our business."

Though the monkey er... somewhat agreed, I knew he was having a hard with bouzu's decision. A snore brought me back to the real world. I looked over to the bed the monkey, Goku, was sleeping in. As I smoked, I couldn't help but smile and relax. For what was said, I knew Goku was not completely as stupid as I often called him. In fact, he's not really stupid at all, he just doesn't think very much.

The moonlight caught his diadem. I shuddered. I thought about the times he had that diadem a.k.a. his limiter taken off. The monster, hidden underneath... a monster known as Seiten Taisei, the Great Sage. For all the horror his counter part betrayed, there was nothing frightening about Goku – especially when he's asleep.

As I watched Goku sleep, a thought came to my mind. It was not very long ago he met two brothers who were toyed by Kami-sama as well. I was worried. After fighting with Shien and Zenon, and watching Goku fight Homura, the War Prince. I felt I could not let that happen again. The kid nearly died in Homura's hands. The fact that Goku was one heck of an annoying brat, does not change the fact that I love him as a younger brother. I felt this love somewhere before, but for the life of me, I do not recall having a younger brother figure during my life with Mother and Jien. For some reason, I felt I had seen the innocence in Goku's eyes somewhere, as well.

The first time I felt that was shortly after we became friends when Hakkai came into our lives. Goku actually pulled my red hair because he thought it was on fire. Come to mention it, both blood and fire are hot against the body. When you stain your hands with either of them, the scar remains for the rest of your life. The difference is you see the blood in your hands, even if you washed it away, the burn from the fire cannot be washed away. The burned hand you can carry without guilt eating away your soul, you can imagine your hand the way it was before it burned, but it still remains burnt, as if it was a lesson in life. Though it is burnt, your soul is left unstained. A hand stained with blood, however, stains the soul as well.

Darn, I can't believe I actually thought of something philosophical!

All in all, Goku is an innocent person. He's still a kid. He could be Kami-sama's next target. I knew then I had to face Kami-sama. I could not let him kill another innocent kid. I put out my cigarette and went to the door. I was about to open it when I heard Goku moan in his sleep.

My instincts told me to go to him. I went over to his bed. The kid was screwing up his eyes. He looked like he was trying to keep something out or was having a nightmare. I sighed and ruffled his hair. I then whispered into his ear, "It's okay. Don't be afraid... Don't be afraid..." He calmed down eventually. That was when I made my leave, quietly.

I woke up under a tree. I thought about the night before. I smiled to myself. At least, I knew the kid would be alright. Hakkai and Sanzo were there for him. One of the many things I loved about that stupid ape is that he tries his best to be strong. I feel proud to have meat-gobbling chimp as a friend... and a little brother.