Chapter 2
The trees suddenly opened up and they found themselves at the top of a large hill. Before them, under the waning sunset light, was a vast expanse of land, stripped bare of trees and nearly covered with tents and quickly erected, crude huts all the way down into the valley and up the other side. Campfires dotted the landscape like stars, filling the entire area with an eerie, flickering glow.
Goku came running up to them. "Have you ever seen so many people camping in one place before? It's like one giant party!"
"Or army," Gojyo added.
"It certainly doesn't look like any battalion I recognize," said Hakkai. "It's too chaotic to be military."
"And it isn't demon," Sanzo said, "but I'm getting a strange feeling. Gojyo, take Goku and find out what's going on.
"Why should we have to go, you lazy monk?"
"You want to hold the reins?" The horse pawed the ground nervously, tossing her head against Sanzo's hold.
"Fine. Come on, chimp. Maybe if you do some tricks for the crowd they'll toss us some money or food or something."
"Shut up, you stupid…" he paused and his eyes lit up in hope. "Food? Really?" They headed for the nearest campfire.
Goku turned to Hakkai. "How's Hakuryuu?"
Hakkai stroked the shaking dragon, unable to coax him out from under the sash. "He's still very frightened. I don't understand why."
"Hey! That's my horse." A young man ran up the hill towards them. By his richly made garments, they could tell he wasn't from around here. "I've been looking everywhere. Where did you find her?""
"She was back on the main road," Hakkai answered.
"She doesn't seem to like this place," Sanzo remarked, handing over the reins. The horse didn't want to leave the monk's side. Her owner took a hand-make mask from his belt and fitted it over the horse's face. She was instantly calmer, with slight tremors running across her flanks like waves.
"None of the animals do," the newcomer admitted. "Don't know why. It's been that way since I got here. We all just cover their eyes. Without sight they're calmer and easier to handle. Otherwise they could hurt themselves."
"Hakkai."
"I'm on it." Hakkai took a handkerchief from his pocket. "Sorry old friend. But it's for your own good." Gently, he wrapped the handkerchief around the dragon's head, careful to keep the eyes covered while leaving room for him to open his mouth. Hakuryuu allowed himself to be extracted from Hakkai's clothing and nestled comfortably in his friend's arms.
"Sanzo! You won't believe what's going on!" Goku called, running back to the small group.
"Seems everyone's camped out here because of some chick," Gojyo said with a laugh.
"Don't you dare speak so vulgar about the most beautiful creature under the heavens!" the rich man scolded.
Hakkai's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A beautiful woman? That's why you're all here?"
"That's right," the man confirmed. "Once news spread of her captivating beauty, our numbers grew. Most have been here for months...some of us for years...waiting patiently for a mere glimpse of her."
"You've been camping here for that long just to look at a pretty face?" Sanzo sneered, turning his back on the group as he lost interest.
"Yeah, why waste your time?" Gojyo added. "I mean, come on! There are gorgeous girls all over the world."
"Not like the fair Lady Kaguya! She's perfect in every way. I gladly gave up my dull, simple life just to be near where she rests her beautiful head."
"What could be more boring than sitting around with a bunch of other guys hoping to catch sight of a woman? I just don't get it," Gojyo said.
The rich man sighed happily. "You would if you saw her. Actually, you're in luck. In a few hours Lady Kaguya will be making an appearance. When the full moon is directly overhead, she comes to the lake and graces us with a song. It's one of the few opportunities to see her face. The rest of the time, she stays hidden away in her house."
"So everyone turns out to hear her song and see her beauty?" Goku asked, scratching his head in confusion. "How many stay here the rest of the time?"
"So far, everyone who has seen her."
"But what about the rest of their lives?" Hakkai asked. "Family? Jobs?"
"Those things are meaningless compared to being near Lady Kaguya. I would gladly give everything I own just to be noticed by her. We've all tried to gain her favor, but she's refused to even speak to anyone, so far. The one she finally chooses for her husband will be the luckiest man since the beginning of time!"
"So you're all hoping to picked? How much longer can you be expected to wait?" Hakkai asked.
"Her father has announced she is to marry within the year. But I wouldn't mind waiting an entire lifetime for her."
"So who's her father? Some rich landowner or royalty of some kind?" Gojyo asked.
"Oh, no. She's the beloved daughter of a simple woodcutter. An old man who is nearing the end of his life and would like to see his only child happily married and well provided for before he dies."
"A man that old with a beautiful, young daughter? Way to go, gramps!" Gojyo joked, giving a thumb's up sign.
"It's no laughing matter!" the man snapped. "It's said the gods themselves bestowed Lady Kaguya to the world."
Sanzo's head snapped up, suddenly interested in the conversation. "Gods?"
"That's right. They blessed the woodcutter's remaining years with a perfect, devoted child."
"What are you thinking, Sanzo?" Hakkai asked, quietly.
"I think this is all very suspicious," Sanzo admitted.
"Well, it's getting late," the man said. "The least I could do for returning my horse is offer you some food. It's not much of a reward, but it doesn't look like you four have any provisions with you."
"You wouldn't happen to have any extra shelter, would you?" Hakkai asked, hopefully. "We were hoping to make it to the next town, but…"
"There are a couple empty tents I know of from men who have gone out hunting and never returned. I'll point them out to you on the way. By the way, my name is Kensaku."
They followed Kensaku and his horse through the crowded hillside toward the lake. There was a general buzz of excitement emanating from the anxious men they passed. Goku flitted from campfire to campfire, asking what everyone was cooking, while the rest studied their surroundings, searching for danger.
"Something doesn't seem right to me," Gojyo announced. "I mean all these guys in one place with nothing to do...a girl involved...you'd think there'd be a lot of fighting. But everyone here seems...happy."
"Well, we're all here for the same purpose. Why would we fight?" Kensaku asked with a shrug.
"You mean there's no hostility among the men at all?" Hakkai asked. "No jealousy, stealing, disagreements, drunken arguments...general displays of strength and power?"
"Lady Kaguya wouldn't approve of it, so we don't do it," he answered simply. "And there's no alcohol here, so no one is tempted to do anything that might make Lady Kaguya upset."
At the mention of no alcohol, Gojyo turned around to head back toward the main road. Sanzo grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him back.
"You're not going anywhere," Sanzo threatened.
"But...but there's no alcohol," Gojyo whined, following sadly behind Sanzo rather than have his hair yanked out by the roots.
"Here's my tent," Kensaku announced, handing the horse's reins to an elderly man standing in front of the largest tent any of them had ever seen. It was the size of a cottage yet made out of giant tapestries depicting scenes of battles as well as landscapes and celebrations. The images were extremely lifelike and the needlework impressive on such a massive scale.
"You're not from around here are you?" Gojyo asked as they entered the tent's main room. Large, silk pillows of all colors littered the floor surrounding a low table circling a fire in the center of the room. A boy dressed in simple clothes was tending the fire and stirring the contents of the pot hanging above it.
"No, I'm not, " he confirmed, gesturing for the others to make themselves comfortable on the pillows. "I'm actually from the West. I was travelling East to find new places to trade when I came across the story of the woodcutter and his beautiful daughter. I stopped just hoping to sell goods, and ended up staying."
"From the West headed East. And here we're from the East headed West," Hakkai said, draping the calmer Hakuryuu around his neck where he settled down to nap.
"Heading West? Aren't you worried about the demons? They're much worse the farther you go West, you know."
"That's kinda the point," Goku said, making himself comfortable at the table around the fire. He sniffed deeply of the aroma from the pot. "Mmm. This smells really good. Did you make this?" he asked the other boy, who just smiled politely.
The servant boy was kept busy filling and refilling plates of bread and bowls of stew until the pot was finally empty. The final bowl being set in front of the rich man who left it untouched.
"Are you going to eat that last bowl mister?" Goku asked.
"No, I'm not," he answered. Before Goku could reach for it, the man nodded to the servant who took the bowl to the corner of the room and began devouring its contents. "The last bowl I always give to Gen," he explained. "For all his hard work."
"If you really appreciated his work," Sanzo said, "you would allow him more than a single bowl of stew."
"Now Sanzo, let's not be ungrateful for the hospitality," Hakkai said. He turned to the man and bowed. "Thank you for sharing your meal." He then turned to the boy and bowed even lower. "The meal was delicious, Gen. Thank you very much."
"Very subtle, Hakkai," Gojyo whispered, grinning at the Kensaku's indignation.
"It is my specialty," he whispered back, winking his good eye.