Legends

RG Veda/ Saiyuki Crossover

Chapter One: The Meaning of Freedom

It had started as another quiet day on the mountain. Two young prisoners huddled together in their stone cage, reveling in the fact that, even though one of them was mute, neither of them was alone.

"Hey, you the one who's been calling me?" a youthful, albeit rough-sounding, voice asked, breaking the silence and causing both prisoners to jump and look up.

"Huh? I haven't been calling anyone…..Who are you?" one of the prisoners asked, as he exchanged confused glances with his mute companion, then looked back at the golden-haired teen that stood just outside. The teen just gave them both an irritated look in return.

"You're lying. Now, cut the act. It's annoying." The teen muttered, then added, "After all, you're both going to be staying with me for a while." With that said, the teen reached out, expecting both of the prisoners to do the same. At first, the two children in the stone cage hesitated; would their chains prevent them from touching their first human contact in so many years? Then the one that had spoken swallowed his fear and reached for the teen's hand, his chains breaking as he did so.

"I'm…..free…..Hey, Ashura! C'mon!" the freed prisoner said, turning around and encouraging his silent companion to do the same thing. Hesitantly, the silent prisoner nodded, and slowly reached out, finding, to her obvious wonder, that her chains cracked and fell away as well.

"So, your friend's name is 'Ashura'? What name do you go by?" the teen asked, when he'd noticed that the female prisoner had not said a single word, and had correctly assumed that she was mute.

"Son Goku…..sir." the male prisoner replied. The teen nodded, thoughtfully, then started walking.

"Come on, then, Goku, Ashura. We've got some ground to cover before dark." The teen murmured, as he started leading them away from the stone cage.

"Yes sir….but….what name do you go by?" Goku asked, in turn.

"Genjyo Sanzo." The teen said, then added, "Are you going to waste time by standing there and asking me questions all day?"

"No sir!" Goku yelped, as he grabbed Ashura's hand and they both started running after him; putting as much distance between themselves and their stony prison as they could….Little did they realize that they had taken their first steps into what would be a rather confusing destiny. For them, and for their rescuer, Genjyo Sanzo.

…………………………..

"Ne, Sanzo. Are we there yet? I'm so hungry I can't walk another step!" Goku whined, as Ashura nodded fervently in agreement. Ashura then flinched when Goku got smacked on the head by their irritable 'guardian' Genjyo Sanzo.

"If you don't shut up, I'll kill you!" Sanzo growled, then added, with much chagrin, "Not that you'd stay dead, even if I did."

"Yeah, that's 'cause I'm rechargeable." Goku stated, as Ashura silently sighed and rolled her eyes. Even though she and Goku had been living with Sanzo for several years now, she had yet to break part of the ancient enchantment on her; the part that kept her from speaking.

"If only I could talk!" Ashura thought, smiling and laughing quietly when another argument erupted between Sanzo and Goku. For the past five days, they had been on the road from Chang-An, sent out by the Three Aspects for some kind of mission. And that mission involved their friends Gojyo and Hakkai….for some unknown reason.

"Why are we in such a hurry to meet Hakkai and Gojyo anyway?" Goku asked, voicing the question Ashura had wanted to ask, herself.

"There's something I need to make sure of…Something that has to do with someone trying to revive Gyumaoh, the Ox King, in the west. Someone is trying to revive him by using yujutsu and science…..a forbidden practice." Sanzo responded.

"Why is it 'forbidden', Sanzo?" Goku again asked, as he sat down on a boulder just beside the path and looked up at him.

"It is forbidden since no one knows what would happen if the two were mixed." Sanzo murmured, as his thoughts turned to his meeting with the Three Aspects, and his own doubts about the mission ahead. He looked down when Ashura tugged on his sleeve and smiled up at him; her silent reassurance seeming to ease some of his concerns about the impending journey. Even though he was going to be travelling with four youkai, there was a certainty that they wouldn't fall to the 'Minus Wave' that was ravaging the minds of the other youkai in the land.

"So…we just need to go there and ask them to stop the experiment, right? Piece of cake!" Goku said, as Sanzo slapped a hand to his face in exasperation, and as Ashura gave him something akin to a 'moron look' in response to his idealism.

"He's hopeless." Ashura inwardly sighed, listening when Goku again asked Sanzo why they needed to check in with Hakkai and Gojyo, and when Sanzo started to answer him, then stopped abruptly when he sensed something. Seconds later, they found themselves in the midst of a fight. Youkai mad from the minus wave leaped out of the trees and attacked them, leaving Goku and Ashura very little time to summon their weapons.

"Shurato! Help me protect Sanzo-sama and fight alongside Goku!" Ashura thought, her mental command causing her crystal sword to glow brightly. With the speed and strength of a non-human, Ashura made short work of the youkai that came her way; effortlessly cutting a swath of death through those foolish enough to get close to her and her shining blade. Yet, despite all of their efforts, Sanzo, Ashura and Goku soon found themselves surrounded.

"N-no way….Are they all…!" Goku gasped, as he stood back to back with Sanzo, and as Ashura stood close to Sanzo's left hand side.

"Youkai that crossed over to Gyumaoh……damn." Sanzo growled, cursing himself for letting his guard down.

"T-there's too many of them! Even my Shurato can't handle all of these youkai at once!" Ashura thought, as the empty-eyed youkai slowly closed in on them. Then, like a bolt from the blue, something flashed through the youkai nearest to them; slicing through them as neatly as a hot knife through butter……only much messier.

"So, I finally get to see it firsthand. Now I know what's happening to this world…and why we have to be the ones who have to take care of it." A familiar voice mutters, causing the trio to look up.

"Gojyo and Hakkai! Talk about perfect timing!" Ashura thought, about as happy to see the pair as Goku was.

"Well, if it isn't my 'favorite' hot-blooded monk, his stupid monkey sidekick, and his silent kitten." Gojyo greeted, with a smirk.

"Long time, no see." Hakkai added, with his usual pleasant smile.

"Don't call me stupid you pervy kappa!" Goku shouted, furiously.

"Then how about midget monkey? Or chibi chimp!" Gojyo retorted, giving Goku the finger while he was at it. Ashura only sighed and sweat-dropped; why did she have to be the only female in the group?

"I share your sentiments exactly, Ashura-neko-chan." Hakkai murmured, then added, "Now, now, you two. Save your energies for fighting youkai."

"How did you know where we were?" Sanzo asked, finally managing to find a moment quiet enough to speak to at least Hakkai.

"It wasn't too hard. Whatever's corrupted the youkai creates an aura that's easy for me to track. At any rate…..it seems like now the only youkai in Shangri-La who are still themselves are Gojyo, Goku, Ashura and myself." Hakkai said, grimly. Sanzo nodded in understanding; he'd thought as much.

"We're the only sane youkai left? Scary." Ashura mentally murmured, as a shudder traveled down her spine. All of them returned their attention to the fight when some more youkai charged at them. Sanzo watched as they all handled their opponents with seeming ease; remembering what the Three Aspects had told him before he'd departed from Chang-An.

"Sanzo, it is time you trusted in the Eyes of your Heart. Go and join with the others and observe with those eyes. See what it is you need the most now, and what you should believe in. " One of the Three Aspects had said, those words stirring something within him to the surface.

"Oh yeah! No contest!" Gojyo crowed, as he and Goku exchanged high fives, and as Hakkai and Ashura celebrated their victory in their own way.

"What should I believe in?" Sanzo wondered, as he watched them from where he'd stood since the beginning of the altercation.

"W-wait….we are siblings." One youkai muttered, after he'd grabbed Gojyo's leg to get his attention (and that of Hakkai, Ashura, and Goku, as well).

"How could you betray your own kind to fight alongside those arrogant humans?" the youkai continued, then added, "You have all chosen the wrong side. Join with your brothers and chant along with us…..LONG LIVE THE YOUKAI NATION!" The youkai's insane laughter was cut short when all four of them either stepped on his head (like Ashura and Hakkai did) or bashed him on the head with weapons (more or less what Gojyo and Goku did soon after).

"He just didn't know when to shut up." Gojyo stated, getting a nod of agreement (for once) from Ashura.

"We're on the humans' side, are we? Ha! Since the day I was born, till the day I die, the only side I'm on is my own!" Goku said, proudly.

"Damn straight." Gojyo agreed. As they prepared to leave that area, Sanzo's thoughts again returned to what the Three Aspects had told him.

"Trust in the eyes of my heart, huh? That, in and of itself, is going to be a challenge." Sanzo mused, then called out to each member of the group.

"Goku, Ashura, Gojyo, Hakkai….Let's go." Sanzo murmured.

"All right. Where to?" Hakkai responded.

"To the west." Sanzo said, as he pointed out the direction they were to go in.

"The west…..where that 'Gyumaoh' demon is….and where the people who want to resurrect him are, as well." Ashura thought, as feelings of trepidation and anticipation moved quickly through her as the next thought entered her mind; would they all make it through the coming battles alive?

Author's Note!

I know this is kind of an odd crossover, but it is just something that has been circling almost endlessly in my mind since I started reading both Saiyuki and RG Veda. Hope this was all right!

Gemini14