Disclaimer: I do not own the series of Saiyuki, but I do own Sanzo on the weekends! Hee hee… Okay, so I don't, really. Darn…

Water monkey

The sun rose up over the small temple in the west, where our heroes chose to stay for the previous night. Actually, they had been forced to. The monks had insisted that Sanzo be there for the night, to honor their temple. At first, he did not like having to be there, but the fact that the monks prepared a feast and hospitality… and they let him smoke as much as he wanted convinced him to stay. He woke up late the next morning and felt calmer than usual; that is, until he had a soaked monkey hanging on his arm, babbling nonsense. Sanzo stopped and hit Goku over the head. The boy fell down to the floor and held his head.

"Now, stop taking so fast and tell me why the hell you are soaking wet."

"It's all Gojyo's fault, Sanzo! We were sitting over by the lake and then Gojyo pushed me in! Hakkai had to rescue me!"

Sanzo raised an eyebrow.

"And what exactly do you want ME to do about it?"

"Teach me how to swim!"

"… No."

And Sanzo started to walk away. Goku glared and ran after him. Sanzo had to stop, as there was a wet monkey, yet again, holding onto him, but this time, he was holding his ankle.

"Leave. Me. Alone. Bakasaru!"

"No! Not until you teach me how to swim! C'mon Sanzo!"

Sanzo didn't like the idea, but still, an hour later, the group of four was gathered at the small lake. Hakkai was currently shaking his head at Gojyo, who had received a blow from Sanzo's harisen for pushing Goku into the water. Said monkey was standing closest to the water in only his shorts.

"Now, Goku, you listen to Sanzo very careful now, okay?"

"Okay."

"Oaky, monkey, this is what you do first. Move your arms around in big circles."

"Like this?"

Goku moved his arms around and the Gojyo snickered. Goku stopped and started to argue with him.

"What the hell are you laughing at, water sprite?"

"You! You look like an idiot! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Sanzo hit Gojyo again. Then Goku.

"Goku, did I tell you to stop? Keep going! And Gojyo, f you don't stop distracting him, I'll make you do it, also."

"Yeah, yeah… I get it…"

Gojyo turned and snickered to himself. Goku kept doing the same thing for about twenty minutes, and then he stopped and rubbed his arms.

"Ow…"

"Why did you stop?"

"Sanzo, have a heart! My arms are very tired right now! I need a break, man!"

"No breaks. You asked me to teach you how to swim, and so I'm teaching you. Keep going."

"How can you say that? I'm tired, Sanzo!"

"Fine, we'll start the next one. Get in the water."

Goku looked at the water and got chills. He turned back to Sanzo while pouting.

"What?"

"Sanzo, it's scary… shouldn't I learn how to swim before I try it? It looks cold, too."

"Idiot… if you want to learn to swim in water, you have to get IN the water, now do it!"

"Sanzo is being just a bit crueler than usual today, ne, Gojyo?"

"Yeah…"

Goku sat on the edge of the lake and then looked up to Sanzo. Said priest knelt by him and held his hand as he slipped in. it was, indeed, cold, but he put up with it. Sanzo led his hands up to the edge and then made him hold on.

"As long as you hold onto the edge, you wont float away and drown."

"Oh, what a wonderful pep talk, Sanzo…"

"Now, kick your feet up and down."

Goku looked back as he softly started to kick his feet in the water. He noticed, too, that the more and the harder he kicked, his body floated.

"Hey! This is awesome!"

And the boy was kicking away. After another fifteen minutes, however, he had stopped kicking again. Sanzo, who was standing at the edge, shot him a glare.

"Did I tell you to stop?"

"I'm… tired… of kicking… Sanzo…! And I'm… hungry!"

"Swimming is hard work. If you can't put up with the lessons, you shouldn't be swimming at all."

"Fine then! Maybe I wont take lessons from a slave driver from you! I'll have Hakkai teach me, instead!"

"Whatever."

Sanzo stood up and started walking away. Goku yelled at his back and waved his arms around.

"Fine! I'll learn how to swim, eventually, and then I'll sow you!"

"Uh, Goku?"

When Goku's tantrum stopped, he noticed that he was being pulled away from the edge. He tried to move his arms like Sanzo had showed him, but he was only getting farther away and deeper.

"H-help me! Sanzo, Hakkai, Gojyo!"

"Hold on, Goku! I'll get you a floatation device!"

Hakkai yelled and started to look for one. Gojyo was sitting at the very edge of the lake reaching out-trying to help Goku get out. Suddenly, Gojyo received a kick and he fell into the water where Goku was- only, face down. Hakkai looked at Sanzo, who had kicked Gojyo in. The monk wore an irritated expression.

"Get on the Kappa Express and shut up! Damn chimp… headache…"

Goku held onto Gojyo and started paddling back.

"Um… thanks, Sanzo…"

"Don't thank me, just get out of the water. …You're not meant to swim."

To be continued…

Aww! Sanzo is so mean! Wait to see what will happen in the next chapter!