Valley of Blood

by D-chan

eventual Sanzo x Goku :: AU, likely OOCness, language, mild violence :: Under strange circumstances he took in an even stranger boy. The language barrier should have driven him away, but... [in progress]

1. The Possessed Child

:: Valley of Blood ::

Gensomaden Saiyuki

Disclaimer: I don't own Gensomaden Saiyuki, which rightfully belongs to Minekura Kazuya.

Rating: PG

Pairings: eventual Sanzo/Goku

Warnings: AU, likely OOCness, language, mild violence

Thanks to: Chrysan for helping me with Sanzo's... er... occupation. Again. ^^; This guy certainly does seem intent on giving me trouble, doesn't he?

Notes: The first chapter for my first Saiyuki epic. Yay! ^_^;

The idea came to me through a random drawing I did. It was just a collage picture of the four Saiyuki boys, but it was oddly inspiring and I hoped to think of a story to go with the image. Now I sort of have-sort of. ^^; I also thought, "Hey, I can submit this under the AU category in Avmina's contest." So this is also going to be an entry to her contest-if I can finish it by the deadline. Hopefully I can.

I also have a ton of one-shots I want to work on aside from this, so… er… please be patient. Updates will be few and far between. ^^; I hope this ends up being a successful fic.

So far the only pairing I know I'm going to establish is Sanzo/Goku, but I'm also hoping to take a try and Gojyo/Hakkai. I'm not positive, though, so… just keep an eye open for surprises. ^^;

I'm done rambling. Constructive criticism and feedback are - as always - appreciated. ^_^

Chapter One: The Possessed Child

The surroundings were so beautiful that any artist would have stopped in his tracks just to gaze around in admiration. After all, who could resist the alluring blend of reds, oranges, and yellows as the sun slowly set in the east? The road was unpaved and rocky, a strip of brown weaving through the lush grass. Dandelions that had been in bloom only minutes before were slowly closing as they seemed to realize that nightfall was soon to come. The entire land was bathed in a sea of pastels, rich and vibrant and bright in colour. Even the far mountains held a certain kind of beauty. Barren as they really were, their colours seemed to thrive in the setting sun, proudly showing off the rich, earthy hues that easily blended in with everything else. A few birds flitted around here and there, most getting ready to settle for a peaceful night's sleep in their nests.

It was truly a magnificent sight, the very picture of Mother Nature's pride and joy... and there wasn't a single person around that could appreciate it.

That wasn't to say the land was unoccupied. One man was there, a man and his horse. The horse was a strong brown-and-white Appaloosa. This particular breed of horse was very convenient for his current job; it was fast, gentle, and had remarkable endurance. It could run all day and night if needed, making it perhaps the perfect steed. Maybe the horse was appreciating the natural beauty around it; it would look around and snort its appraisal every once in a while before being gently kicked back into moving.

It was the rider that didn't seem to have an eye for art. His gaze was level, focused only on the road ahead, his eyes narrow and hard. Often he would reach up to push windswept hair from his eyes. Despite the strip of white cloth used to tie back his hair, his bangs were too short to be pulled back, but still so long that they fell in his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair again.

Judging from the dimming light, he knew night was going to fall a long time before he reached the next town. That was fine. He wasn't that tired. His horse had endurance, and it had rested well the night before. It could last another few hours-- and if not, then he had underestimated its strength. He didn't like to think he'd misjudge something.

Pressing his heels into the horse's sides, he switched his grip on the reigns. The nearest town was only a little ways away, and if they moved all night they could make it there by morning. Then he and the horse could rest, and then he could continue his search.

Perhaps it was because of growing fatigue, or perhaps it was simply the sounds of animals in the nearby forest. Whatever it was, he could have sworn he heard a constant murmur in the back of his head, a faint pleading sound that begged for his help and attention. It seemed to grow louder as the night went on.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. The man gave it no more thought until he reached the village.

Tevhesta was a small but busy town. It was the sort of place where word got around quickly, where one person knew their neighbor as well as themselves, where secrets of the village were just that-- secrets of the village. They didn't get many newcomers. There was only one inn because of the lack of visitors, and that was hardly prosperous, and even then it only barely managed to stay on its foundations because of visiting families that couldn't stay with their relatives. Most of those families were daughters and sons or brothers and sisters coming back to visit their home.

That was why he stuck out. If his unfamiliar face didn't draw attention, then his attire certainly did. Boots made from the hide of dragon, pants mended well and made of black leather, a clinging black top that did nothing to hide a lean but strong physique, long black gloves, and to top it all off, a cape clipped to broad shoulder guards with silver clasps. He even carried a sword on his belt, something very uncommon and strange to the townspeople. He was a startling contrast to the plainly dressed villagers and was obviously a Very Important Person on a Very Important Mission.

It was so early in the morning that he was too tired and cranky to deal with other people. He had his trustworthy steed locked in the stables and paused only to ask how much it would cost and where the nearest inn was. He was kindly directed to the only one. His thanks was brief but sincere. He paid the morning stable boy and left.

He knew he was drawing stares from the townspeople. He knew they were fascinated, in awe of, and afraid of him. Honestly, he didn't care, so long as they didn't try to speak to him. Socializing wasn't one of his strong points, though he did have an uncanny knack for working information out of people. His methods could range from subtle to violent depending on his mood and on the situation.

The inn was soon in sight. Not once did he pause in his swift strides, concerned only with getting inside, lying down, and having a decent rest before work later on. After all, he wasn't asking for anything more than he believed he deserved. That was why his irritation was quickly fueled at the sudden commotion.

People were shouting excitedly, their cries incomprehensible due to the sheer mass amount of them. The man scowled, biting back a low growl of irritation. He tried to ignore the shouting, but when even the innkeeper ran out so see what was going on he didn't think he'd have a choice in the matter. Besides, there was the slight chance that he would already find what he was looking for.

That was a hopeful prospect. The chance was slim, yes, but even slim chances were worth taking. He changed his direction toward the town square where the villagers were gathering. He began to pick out bits and pieces of what they were saying as he walked.

"... I saw! They finally captured it!"

"After so long..."

"The poor guy..."

"... the priests couldn't purge it..."

When he finally got to see what they were talking about, he was filled with a deep sense of disgust-- partially because of what the villagers had done, and partially because of the appearance of the... the thing they had captured.

He honestly wasn't sure what else to call it. Five men were struggling beneath the weight of an iron cage, and inside that iron cage was an animal. Or at least, that was his first impression. The men dropped the cage to the ground with a deafening clang! He cringed unintentionally and pushed ahead of the crowd, not caring that he was being rude. He ignored the enraged outbursts.

Something was howling and scrabbling around inside of the cage. Dirty, bloodied hands clawed at the bars, shaking them furiously and kicking at the other end of its prison. One of the men carrying the cage got scratched by the furious hands before he could move away in time. His cry only seemed to make the villagers' excitement swell. The being within the cage snarled furiously, screaming wordless furies at the humans that dared imprison him.

"It's wild and!"

"Not even the sorcerers could tame it!"

"Did you see what it just did to Alidre?"

"Kill it!"

The last cry brought a sudden silence, then a roar of cries. "Yes, kill it! There's no other choice! Kill it!"

The man was prepared to turn and walk away since the crowd seemed to have reached their decision, but something made him hesitate. The voice that had been silenced so quickly the night before was awake again.

            didn't do it

He glanced sharply at the being within the cage, watching it thrash around and scream and holler. It couldn't be that this inhuman thing was calling out to him. Besides, he was far from psychic; he wasn't capable of hearing silent calls. He was just a knight out to retrieve a wanted man. He didn't have the time to waste picking up unwanted baggage.

            please believe me i didn't do it it wasn't me i don't understand

He could hear the sound of swords being drawn. They were about to kill this thing anyway, so why bother staying? He turned and took a couple of steps before the voice suddenly exploded into panic.

            what are they doing what's going on where are you

                        don't go find me findmefindmeWHEREAREYOUWHEREWHEREWHERE

Normally he wasn't one to react without thinking, but this seemed to be a special case. Something within him snapped. He whirled around, shoving aside the nearest person. Now the cries were a mixture of excitement over their to-be kill and anger at his rudeness. He barely heard them over the pounding in his ears and the screaming in his head, screaming that was terrified and so very different from the enraged screams of the thing in the cage.

And yet he knew, without a doubt, that thing was the one calling out to him.

It was annoying.

He also wasn't one to raise his voice or resort to violent actions so quickly. He was short-tempered, but nearly so much as he was right now. Perhaps it was a mixture of the annoying villagers and the screams that weren't his own, echoing inside his head like the screams of a dying person locked in the depths of a torture dungeon...

A violent shudder overtook him, only managing to anger him further. He delivered a good solid kick to the cage at the same time he bellowed:

"Shut the hell up!"

The silence that followed was barely even that; there was still some shouting behind him, but in front of him the animalistic shrieks had ceased completely. That silence was roaring, and it took the idiotic villagers too long to realize it.

He glared down at the being in the cage. It had stopped its frantic movements and was staring up at him in surprise. Its appearance was that of a boy, a boy that looked very cramped and uncomfortable in that cage once his movements had stopped. Long, disheveled brown hair hung in dirty strands around him, reaching as far down as his waist and falling into his eyes. His eyes were the most startling thing about him; a bright, demonic shade of gold that gleamed richly in the morning sunlight.

The screaming voice within his head had stopped. There was a soft whisper:

            you're here

before it slowly faded. It didn't die completely, but it had been temporarily silenced. He was admittedly curious as to what was going on, but none of his confusion showed through his cold stare. The boy didn't seem put off at all. He clung to the bars, staring up at him through the gleaming iron in something akin to awe, as though he were seeing a human being for the first time.

Who was this child?

The shouts had quieted and now there was a sea of murmurs. He was momentarily jolted back to reality, but the imaginary ropes tugging him snapped with ease simply by a twitch from the boy. All it had been was a slight movement from his hand. Without tearing his eyes away, the boy slowly raised his hand, fingers outstretched toward the man before him. Without thinking he was reaching back, forgetting that the boy was dirty and bloody, forgetting about the townspeople around them...

Which proved to be a mistake.

"Be careful!"

"What are you doing?!"

"Don't touch him!"

The last exclamation was followed by a sharp howl of pain. The boy fell back, clutching his arm to his chest. Fresh blood spurted from a new cut.

His reactions were instinctive, done without giving the consequences a single thought. It was the second time that had happened, and already he was vaguely unnerved by it. It wasn't like him to be so impulsive. He grasped the sword at his side, swinging it out with an airy swoosh and stopping just before it sliced the villager's head off. Women screamed. A trickle of blood ran down the metallic blade. His glare was cold.

"Tell me," he said softly, his dark voice cutting through the noise easily. "What this animal did that he deserves to be killed."

The villager was pale and stuttering. "H-he killed... so m-many p-people... he's w-wild, can't you see?!"

He glanced sideways at the child in the cage. Gone were the eerie animal screams and thrashings, instead leaving him looking like a dirty, abused little boy with unnaturally bright eyes. It was the golden eyes that made him so intimidating-- supposedly. He honestly couldn't see what was so frightening about them. Right then they simply looked angry and hurt.

Scoffing, he sheathed his sword. "I see nothing dangerous about him. Release him."

Anger exploded. "Who are you, a foreigner, to tell us--"

The emphases were irritating. He scowled, narrowing his eyes in a way he knew sent chills down most people's spines. People were pathetic that way; pushovers.

"Release him or I'll do it for you."

No one said anything; no one made a move to do as requested. Rolling his eyes, he turned back to the boy in the cage. This time it was he that reached out first, his voice unnaturally soft as he spoke.

"You might as well come with me, unless you'd rather die here so pathetically."

It should have seemed odd that the boy didn't hesitate. Even though he had just been attacked for attempting to do what he was doing now, even with the gash on his arm wide open and bleeding, he stuck his arm between the bars and reached out to clasp the man's hand. The grip was slick because of blood, but both somehow managed to keep a firm grasp on the other.

When he pulled open the cage door, he met no resistance. Perhaps the lock had been rattled badly enough to break while the boy had struggled, or perhaps it hadn't even been locked properly in the first place. There was even the slightest possibility of a higher being having a hand in it. Unfortunately for them, he didn't believe in devine creatures or powers.

Even when he tried to let go, the boy didn't. He gripped his hand firmly, following him desperately. It was annoying, but he figured he could allow the boy to follow until they were in a safe region, away from the baffled and angry townspeople. Then he would turn the boy away and this moment would be forgotten forever.

He should have realized it wouldn't be that easy.

Once they reached the inn he shook the boy off. "All right," he said coldly. "They won't hurt you here. Get lost." The boy stared at him as though he didn't understand. Growling beneath his breath, he made a few gestures that obviously meant go away no matter what language the person spoke. "Go. Now."

Still the boy stared. Shaking his head in disgust, he turned to go inside. He made it halfway across the threshold before a tug stopped him. He yanked his cape from the golden eyed child's grasp. "What do you want?" he demanded, his patience quickly slipping away again. This day was not starting out too well...

"Namae ka?"

He frowned, now more confused than irritated-- though he was still quite a bit annoyed. "What?"

The boy also frowned, but he looked more thoughtful. He opened his mouth, closed it, glanced down at his feet, then looked up again with a wide grin. He pointed to himself. "Ore wa... Son Goku. Goku." Then tilted his head, pointing at the man. "Omae?"

He couldn't understand the words, but it was easy to tell that the boy was introducing himself and wanted to know his name. "Goku?" he repeated. The boy nodded happily.

He didn't care. He really didn't. But Goku was looking up at him so curiously; he seemed desperate to find out who his saviour was. He rolled his eyes before glaring down at the boy. "If I tell you, will you get the hell out of my sight?" All he received was a blank stare, so he gave in. He made a quick gesture to himself. "Genjo Sanzo."

"San... zo?"

"That's right."

Goku beamed happily and eagerly leapt forward, grasping two handfuls of Sanzo's cape even though he had just been shaken off a few moments ago. "Tomatte yo!"

Once again Sanzo had no idea what the boy was saying, but this time he got a severe attack of cold chills. Somehow he didn't think he'd be getting rid of the clingy brat anytime soon.

Securing a room for the night wasn't easy. Even if he hadn't had the boy bouncing around him in all different directions, Sanzo was dead certain he would have had a difficult time trying to convince the innkeeper to let him stay. It ended up with him muttering various promises to take full responsibility for whatever destruction the supposed demon child caused.

He had been able to find out a little bit about the boy, though. When he demanded to know why the innkeeper was being so hostile, he got a more thorough explanation than he had asked for. But cut down in size, it was simply that the villagers believed that a demon had possessed the boy and had forced him to kill several townspeople the other day. However, no priest or sorcerer had been able to purge the demon from the child, and the boy had ended up escaping. Just that morning he had been captured and brought back so they could decide what to do with them. Obviously they had been planning murder from the beginning, seeing how so many men had been armed with swords.

"Wait," Sanzo said, frowning. "What do you mean, he killed a lot of people?"

The innkeeper sighed. "It was a horrible thing. A group of townspeople were killed at the local tavern a couple days ago. It was awful, I tell you. Their bodies were beaten beyond belief, bloody, torn up... not just the men, but some women, too. There were no children involved, since it was at the tavern, so that was fortunate enough."

"And that kid did it?"

The innkeeper hesitated. "Well... only two people escaped the incident alive before the killer ran off, but one of 'em said that the boy did it. He gave a very accurate description; fit the kid perfectly. Said he was looking for his parents and just... exploded."

"Exploded?"

"Into a rage. Started attacking and killing people. Left behind a huge mess and a lot of unhappy families."

The whole story gave Sanzo a headache, as did the arguing over booking a vacant room. After nearly an hour he finally got what he wanted and went upstairs, intent on sleeping.

Of course, Goku decided to follow him. Sanzo briefly wondered how long it was going to take to shed the brat. Hopefully not long. He had a mission to complete and this boy would just be a hindrance.

"Na, Sanzo... doko desu ka?"

And why did the little pest keep talking to him in a foreign language? Couldn't he see that Sanzo had no idea what he was saying?

It made little sense to pay attention to a question he didn't understand. Sanzo ignored the boy. He didn't stop walking until he had reached his room-- and when Goku scrambled inside after him, he couldn't help but explode. He whirled on the boy, ready to knock some sense into him. "Why--are--you--following--me?" he snarled, ready to deliver a sound punch to the brat's head.

Goku flinched at his rough tone but didn't move. He made a frantic gesture with his hand that Sanzo couldn't even hope to translate. When Goku realized this, he tried speaking at the same time-- which only made Sanzo even more confused and irritated.

And for some reason, Goku's panicking made his desire to knock the boy senseless diminish. Sighing heavily, Sanzo walked past Goku and to the bed. He sat down and kicked off his boots, quickly unclasping his shoulder guards and then removing his sword from his belt. Just a quick nap, he reasoned, and then he would work.

That is, he would if he could get the stupid boy to get lost. Sanzo highly doubted he'd have much luck interrogating such a tightly-stitched town with the supposedly demon-possessed boy lurking around.

Goku was tugging on his arm. "Sanzo... nemuru ka?"

Sanzo opened his mouth to tell the boy to shut up, hoping that the force behind the words would give the boy a hint, when he realized that he had completely overlooked Goku's condition earlier. He had noticed the boy was a mess, of course, but he'd forgotten all about cleaning him up. If the cuts were left open like that he might get an infection.

And I just don't want a dead person on my conscience, he told himself. Muttering curses beneath his breath, Sanzo shoved his boots back on and grasped the boy by his long hair, tugging him toward the door. "Come on, brat," he said, momentarily forgetting that he was talking to himself. "You're getting a bath."

It was easier said than done.

Sanzo noticed belatedly that Goku tracked dirt everywhere he walked. He growled before quickly deciding that he'd just have the pest clean up after himself later. Both trekked to the front desk, where Sanzo paused to ask where he could give the animal child a bath. The innkeeper was wary, but probably couldn't stand the sight or smell of Goku any longer than Sanzo could because he pointed them in the right direction with no arguments whatsoever. Sanzo nearly had to drag the boy to an outdoor bathhouse. It was nearly noon, so hardly anyone was there. That was fortunate.

When Goku saw the water, he frowned. "Mizu ka?"

Sanzo scowled back. "It's a bath."

Goku didn't seem to comprehend. He glanced from the large pool of water in the middle of the room, back to Sanzo, back to the water, and back to Sanzo. "Nani?"

The question in his voice was unmistakable, even if the word was. Rolling his eyes, Sanzo grasped the boy's hair and abruptly proceeded to undress him. Goku gave a startled yelp before he put up a fight, yelling what most likely were insults in his language. After a lot of shouting and cursing, Sanzo finally managed to strip the boy down completely. Still keeping a firm grip on his hair, Sanzo dragged Goku to the side of the bath and shoved him into the water.

Goku fell in with a shriek and a splash. He resurfaced in moments, gasping and shivering. "Ts-tsumetai!" he stuttered. Sanzo guessed that meant he was cold.

"Yeah," he agreed dully. "Freezing, I'll bet." He strode forward and placed his hand on Goku's head, shoving him beneath the surface again. When the air bubbles started to disappear, he let the boy up again. Goku choked and spluttered but didn't scream this time. Perhaps he was getting used to the rough treatment.

Strange child.

Still coughing, the boy managed a half-hearted glare in his direction. "Hidoi da yo!"

"Hmph." Sanzo took a few steps back; there was nothing half-hearted in his glare. "Shut up and wash up."

"Nani?" Goku was finally sounding frustrated. He swiped at the water, sending liquid spraying over the side of the bath. "Mou, omae wa wakaranai da yo!"

Unfortunately for Sanzo, he had been directly in line of the splash. He felt a vein pulse in his forehead and for the first time found himself wishing he had some sort of object he could use to knock some sense into the boy. Without thinking, he strode over to where the bathing supplies were kept, grabbed a car of soap, and tossed it at Goku.

"You stupid--!"

His insult was cut off at a clapping sound. Rather than hit the boy on the head, Goku had caught it within an inch of his face. He didn't even look surprised, simply curious as to why Sanzo had thrown it at him.

That disturbed Sanzo. That brat... his reflexes are commendable. His eyes narrowed. Perhaps this boy would be worth observing for the time being. He still planned to dump the kid off somewhere else, but until then...

He shook his head. "Wash up," he repeated before stalking out to find a couple of dry towels.

Goku seemed to have put two and two together, because when Sanzo returned -- still damp and with clothes sticking to him, much to his annoyance -- he was furiously scrubbing the soap over his arms. He would flinch each time his hand touched the gash on his arm. Eventually the scab rubbed off and the boy started bleeding again. Sanzo actually had to clamp his wrist to get him to stop. "Knock that off, you idiot," he said crossly.

Goku blinked, tilting his head as though trying to comprehend the man's words. Scowling, Sanzo shoved him into a sitting position near the shallow end of the bath. "I can't believe you can't even take care of yourself," he muttered, making sure to rise the soap out of the boy's cut before he brought the arm up and dried it off. He tightened his grip. "Don't move," he ordered, hoping against hope that Goku would understand.

As he left to find some dry cloth, he realized how caring he was acting. It was an uncomfortable idea and made him want to get rid of Goku that much quicker. How could he keep forgetting what a hindrance this was? He hadn't even slept for the past thirty-two hours!

Damn. How annoying, he thought, searching his belongings for bandages. He knew basic first aid at least, and all he planned to do was wrap the cut. Hopefully Goku would have some common sense to leave it on until it was healed.

The again, what do I care? Shit, let the stupid monkey get an infection and die for all I care.

Funny. That nickname had been unintended but sounded suitable. Monkey... the boy had too much energy for his own good. Stupid? There was no doubt he was an idiot, especially after he kept speaking in that unheard of language.

It suddenly struck Sanzo as odd that Goku had been associated with the villagers before the murder incident, yet he didn't speak the same language.

Another thought came to him. If Goku could only speak another language, then why was it Sanzo could understand the voice in his head? Was it possible that the one calling to him hadn't been Goku? But then why would it have said you're here and then fallen silent at just the right time? It didn't make any sense... unless there was a hidden entity involved.

Whatever the reasons, Sanzo was too tired and irritable to think about it right then. He made his way back to the bathhouse with the bandages in hand.

Much to his surprise, Goku looked as though he hadn't moved at all. His arm was hovering in mid-air, his gaze on the doorway where Sanzo had just reappeared. Once he saw the man come in he smiled broadly, looking relieved.

"Yahari! Kaeru da yo!"

Though he had no hopes of translating that, Sanzo still felt uncomfortable. Goku's expression betrayed thoughts that didn't need to be translated, thoughts that clearly said the boy hadn't been expecting him to return.

Sanzo said nothing in response. He walked over to the boy and grasped his arm. The limb trembled slightly because Goku had been holding it up for so long, but relaxed in his grasp. Sanzo quickly and tightly wrapped the cloth around the arm. Even though the cut was only a couple of inches long, Sanzo wrapped it from the elbow to Goku's wrist. Once he was sure it would hold, he handed the soap back to Goku, stepped back, and watched.

Goku offered a lopsided, boyish smile. "Arigotou, Sanzo!"

Perhaps that meant thank you... or perhaps it was some random babbling. Either way, Sanzo just shrugged. Humming an unfamiliar tune, Goku quickly proceeded to wash the rest of himself, taking his sweet time and enjoying the bath until Sanzo was sure the water was cold.

He was tired and getting more irritable by the minute. If that brat didn't hurry up...

Why the hell was he waiting? If anything, he should have stolen the opportunity to get away from Goku. Disgusted with himself, Sanzo whirled around and left, ignoring Goku's puzzled calls. It didn't matter. He couldn't understand the kid anyway.

He was relieved to walk into his room and find it empty. Somehow he had half expected for Goku to somehow get there ahead of him. It was a ridiculous thought, but...

Now he was going to get some well-deserved rest. Too many thoughts spun in his head, making him dizzy and confused and unable to sort them out. Kicking off his boots, Sanzo collapsed onto the bed. It didn't even take a full minute for him to drift off, despite the sunlight beaming through the window. He turned away from it, closed his eyes, and was asleep in seconds.

            where are you...?

*

Namae ka? – What's your name?

Ore wa… Son Goku. Goku. Omae? – I am… Son Goku. Goku. And you?

Tomatte yo! – I'll stay with you forever!

Na, Sanzo... doko desu ka? – Hey, Sanzo… where are we going?

Sanzo... nemuru ka? – Sanzo… are you going to sleep?

Mizu ka? – Water?

Nani? – What?

Ts-tsumetai! – C-cold!

Hidoi da yo! – You're mean!

Mou, omae wa wakaranai da yo! – Geez, I don't understand you!

Yahari! Kaeru da yo! – I knew it! I knew you'd return!

Arigotou, Sanzo! – Thank you, Sanzo!

Those should be more accurate than the ones in the first version. Thanks Mina-sensei and UltraM2000. ^^