Chapter 1: Don't Look Back
Hakkai woke up with a start. He looked around at the camp and found the sleeping forms of Sanzo and Goku beside of him in their own sleeping bags. Goku was in the middle, with a teddy bear, which the three men pitched in to buy for his birthday not to long ago, in his arms. Every now and then the boy would break into a spasm of coughs.
We're getting overprotective of him, the green eyed man thought to himself, at least we're letting him be himself. What boy Goku's age would be sleeping with a teddy bear?
Now that Hakkai thought about it, there was a lot of probabilities. Goku just happen to be the only kid he actually spent day and night raising as did the other two.
At least there was no frightening images in the dream this night... but it had been a month since this dream arouse. Hakkai did not like it. It was about Kanan again. He sighed as he ran a hand through his jet black hair. He then the stoking of the fire, the healer looked up and saw his best friend near the fire.
"Gojyo..." he started.
"I've only been up for ten minutes," the red head murmured, looking up to the healer. "You can't sleep?" he then asked. "Guess not," Hakkai sighed, "Dream's haunting me again."
"Funny," said Gojyo, "I was having a nightmare too, before the bouzu woke me that is." Hakkai laughed quietly. They sat for about five minutes before Hakkai looked over to Goku. For some reason, watching the small sleeping form of their youngest companion brought an unknown peace to his heart. Despite his age and his skills, Hakkai thought at times that Goku was the baby of the family they had unconsciously formed. Or rather the boy had unconsciously formed.
An hour passed, and Gojyo did not make a single move towards the monkey to wake him.
"You're not waking him?" Hakkai asked, curious. "Kid's been coughing all week," said Gojyo, "Might be give-a-way to the youkai."
"That teddy bear we got him made an improvement on things," Hakkai replied, to which Gojyo nodded.
As if on cue, Goku huffed a sigh and shifted in his sleep. He then broke into another spasms of coughs. He was now facing Sanzo, arms still around the teddy. Gojyo just chuckled. Sanzo had grunted that giving the 'stupid monkey' a teddy bear would only spoil the boy more. And a spoilt child was the last thing they all need.
Hakkai, being the mother that he is, had never really liked the way they called the boy 'stupid'. True there are times the boy has a stomach for a brain, but who could blame him for that? He was stuck in a cave for five hundred years without food or water.
The main problem was: not one of them a parental experience. Being stuck in a cage was not just a nightmare, it had truly happened. Hakkai began to think of the few more things he knew about the boy. Giving Goku one small toy was not enough to spoil him, he was sure... In fact, Goku was delighted. It was no secret that there were no toys for him to play with at the temple, even if he had art tools and paper to amuse himself with. Hakkai teased Sanzo if he had given the boy a toy all those years ago, he probably would not have to deal with the constant complaints of the monks about Goku's mischief making to which Sanzo muttered darkly under his breath.
Hakkai watched his youngest friend sleep. Sleeping as if he was without care in the world. But the healer was unaware that the boy was nowhere near dreamland. Goku was currently in the land of nightmares.
Something was chasing him. Goku did not know who, so he ran. At times he tried to fight the unseen enemy, but it always seemed to overshadow him. Several times he tried to call for his staff, but it did not work.
Not only that, there were voices. Murmurs... As if someone was reciting the sutra that Sanzo had done at times; but voice was different, as were the words behind the voice. Goku felt as if he was called. He felt himself floating, as if there was no ground for him to stand on. Everything was dark, with thin rays of red light. The sunlight seemed to have never existed. Then the scene within Homura's Pagoda appeared before him, just before they left Hakkai.
"Don't look back," was what Hakkai had said. Upon defeating the War Prince, Goku felt so tired he went to bed that night without any supper.
"Don't look back," was what another man had said.
Goku had just realised the resemblance between Hakkai and that other man, and was pulled away before he could say anything. He had the same fear when they left Hakkai behind to fight a whole army. He remembered Hakkai's weakened body with cuts and bruises. The idea of seeing Hakkai in his youkai form...
"Goku..." a voice called, "Goku... time to get up." The shadows faded. Sun rays filled the gap and reddened the view which Goku knew was his eyelids. With a heavy hand, Goku rubbed his sandy eyes awake. He looked up to find Hakkai gently shaking his shoulder, "Ohayo, Hakkai," he greeted, slowly sitting up. He coughed softly then.
From the look on Hakkai's face, Gojyo could tell that Goku was still fighting the cold.
They were not driving long before Goku fell asleep. Seeing the monkey at an uncomfortable position, Gojyo shifted so the boy could lean on him with comfort. Goku woke as the red head rested his head on his shoulder. "Gojyo?" Goku murmured.
"Just go back to sleep, you dumbass ape," Gojyo muttered, putting an arm around the boy.
"Gokiburi," Goku muttered back. Though it was an insult, Hakkai knew that Goku was actually saying 'thank you'. Sanzo looked at Gojyo caring for Goku from the rear view mirror and sighed irritably. This week lasting cold was unusual where Goku was concerned. Sanzo remembered a legend his master had told him, not too long before his death...
"Kouryu," Koumyo Sanzo called, getting the boy's attention from his afternoon work, "stop your work for a while and come meet a friend of mine." Kouryu stopped sweeping the leaves and walked over to his master. He was glad it was not Ukoku Sanzo, otherwise his master would have told him that... whatever-he-is had come to visit again. This man was different from Ukoku Sanzo though.
As he approached, Kouryu found that this Sanzo had a kind face and looked quite young. He had brown hair and green eyes. "This is my friend," Koumyo had said, "Kogu Sanzo."
"So this is Kouryu," a pleasant voice said. Kouryu felt at ease for a change. He looked at the sutra that hung upon Kogu Sanzo's shoulders.
"So it can seal anything?" he had asked. Kugo just smiled and said, "I will tell you when you are ready." The memory ended there – for now.
"Keep an eye on him," his amethyst eyes told them. Gojyo snorted but stayed in his position until the reached the next town several hours later.
Assumptions were dangerous, Killer knew... Assumptions were useful as well...
He was not known as Killer for nothing. Black lips twisted into a smile as he watched the Sanzo-ikkou. "Bring me the man with the Gaten Sutra," Gyokumen had ordered.
Her ladyship will have to be patient…. Though the time is near, the Gaten sutra has yet to reveal itself.
And Killer knew why, and how… what disorder of a thousand demons can bring with the golden eyed boy.
Author's note: Thank you for your patients and sorry it took so long, still haven't got the story line straight. hope you like.