I do not own Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden, Saiyuki Relode, Saiyuki Ibun or any of its many fabulously sexy charachters.
"Thinking"
"Talking"
A Twilight Farewell
The rain poured down like a torrent as Sanzo lay on the ground with Rikudo's staff sticking out of his stomach. Meika cradles his head in her lap and cries for him to open his eyes as her tears blend with the rain. Rikudo looks on blankly as Goku screams out Sanzo's name willing him to hear it and wake up.
But no such thing happens.
"SANZO!"
"Don't move him Goku!"
"SANZO!"
"Kouryuu… I did this with my own hands." This wasn't Rikudo thinking this, feeling this pain in his heart. No it was Shuei, the part of him thought to be long dead. He let out a horrific scream as the staff sticking out of Sanzo falls to the ground. As if a switch was flipped his screaming stopped and Rikudo turned his head smiling viciously. "Serves you right. That's what you get for betraying your own kind to take the side of demons you weak pathetic priest."
Gojyo and Hakkai carried Sanzo under the awning of the hotel to get him out of the rain and told Meika to stay with him.
Goku stayed where Sanzo had been struck down. His eyes were wide as he fell to his knees finding it harder and harder to breath as the seconds ticked by. Everything seemed to run in slow motion to him as Hakkai and Gojyo asked him what was wrong but he couldn't respond, he probably couldn't hear them over the sound of his beating heart. The one thing that he could hear was the sound of Meika's crying as she held Sanzo's head close to her chest, trying to send her powers into his body but feeling too weak to do it. Goku caught glimpses of a man who looked just like Sanzo except his hair was longer but he knows it's not the priest. If it isn't Sanzo… then who is it?
The boy screamed in agony as his Diadem cracked and fell to the ground and another guttural scream mixed with his own.
"His power limiter…" Hakkai stared in shock.
Gojyo stared right along with him. "It fell off."
Meika looked to the boy that she had come to love as her child feeling helpless. "Goku…"
Goku's ears and nails and hair all grew as his screams continue. Gojyo screamed out for Goku but Hakkai could feel Goku's demonic powers rising and told Gojyo to stay back. "Goku. Is that…?" Gojyo didn't know how to form the words to ask if this was really Goku.
"Yes, it is." Hakkai answered. "Without the limiter he has reverted back to his original form. The creature conceived in a giant stone where the earthly aura's gather. The Great Sage… Goku."
Rikudo laughs as Goku's transformation completes. "At last your true form is revealed. Looks like you're the demons after all." Goku stood there until the mad demon slayer was finished before suddenly disappearing. The next thing anyone knew Goku had Rikudo face down on the ground with a crater around his head and rocks flying everywhere. Rikudo had managed to turn himself around with Goku on top of him. He held Goku's wrists hoping that the pain would make him get up but as his flesh smoked all Goku did was smirk at his pathetic attempt. Rikudo kicked Goku making him fly through the air and land gently on his feet and quickly run at him. He thought talisman would work but the demon ran through them unaffected. "He's strong enough to resist talisman."
He didn't stand a chance when Goku sucker punched him to the ground.
Now Goku was on top of him punching the daylights out of him. "Sanzo once told me that Goku could get a pretty insane, but I had no idea." Gojyo thought as he stared at the brutality of the monkey that was no longer there.
"You can be impressed later." Hakkai told him as he tried to close Sanzo's wound. "We've still got a chance to save Sanzo. I think the spear missed his vital organs. We've got to get him out of the rain, inside I may be able to stop the bleeding."
"Missed his vital organs? So there's still a part of him… that's… still…"
"I'll find some way to take care of Sanzo. Right now you've got to stop Goku."
Gojyo watched Goku roar in victory after beating Rikudo to a pulp. "Thanks for giving me the easy job."
"Gojyo you have to." Meika says looking up at him. "Goku is unstable like this and if he's left in his true form it could completely take him over and the real Goku will be lost to us forever. And we know what kind of mayhem he can cook up like this."
They were disrupted by Goku's yelling as he ran up to Rikudo and bit a piece out of his shoulder. The rosary around Rikudo's neck started to glow a fiery red color, blinding Goku and the others. It started to emit a shrill bell noise causing Goku to hold his ears and wail in pain before Rikudo pulled out a talisman and disappeared.
It seemed that from nowhere they could hear Rikudo's voice and a shadow form appeared behind Goku. He didn't turn around knowing that there was no one there but stood still listening. "I'm not running. I will return and when you do, all you demons better be ready to feast on my talisman."
Gojyo walked up to Goku calling his name. "Hey. You alright?"
Goku turned on him so quick that Gojyo hardly had time to dodge the punch sent his way. "Get back Gojyo!" Hakkai yelled out. "In this state, he'll strike at anything that moves."
"Now he tells me." Gojyo groans as he dodges another blow from the demon monkey. At the next strike Gojyo grabbed Goku's hand which only pissed him off more as he growled at the red head. "Shit he's not playin' around." Gojyo got angry and stupidly jammed his forearm into Goku's mouth yelling, "Chew on this you freak!" If it hadn't been such a serious situation then Meika would have chastised him for calling her poor baby monkey a freak but she had no time for antics and had to tend to herself and Sanzo, who still hadn't woken up.
Goku bit down harder on the arm in his mouth. "It was just a figure of speech." Gojyo said in pain before punching Goku in the head trying to get him off. "Let go of my arm!"
"Hold him still." Meika looked up at hearing a female voice coming from the sky and gasped when she saw a beam of light falling directly on the two dueling demons. An orb of light floated erratically down towards them before it haloed out and wrapped around Goku's head, who stood almost paralyzed. When the light faded the group saw that his diadem had been replaced and Goku fainted in Gojyo's arms.
Gojyo carried the sleeping boy over to the rest of the group. Behind him came a woman with long black hair in a ponytail and wearing a white dress and a smile. There was also a man behind her wearing a sort of ancient soilder's uniform."You guys are pathetic."
They all stared in shock at the woman. "Wh-who the hell are you?" Hakkai asked being the only one able to snap out of his shock. But the woman just continued smiling and winked at them.
…
They all were back inside the inn. In her weakened state Meika had fallen asleep again to fight off the nausea and was laid out next to Sanzo who was hitched up with his back against a wall. Gojyo still held Goku. The unknown woman stared at them all making Hakkai and Gojyo, the only two of the five man group awake, very agrivated. "Hmph. Your journey has hardly begun and your little gang is in utter chaos."
This only proved to make Gojyo angry. "Hey, where do you get off lady?"
"You!" The man that came along with the strange woman. "Show some respect! You are speaking to the embodiment of benevolence, her highness the Merciful Goddess, one of only five Bodhisattvas who rule the havens." The woman, now known as the Merciful Goddess smiled proudly at her titles.
The two men step back in shock. "She's the Merciful Goddess?"
"You must be responsible for placing on Goku's power limiter."
"Yes that would be me. And that little runt doesn't require any regular coronet either,I might add. Only the gods have the ability to form a limiter out of material that can restrict Goku's powers. Take my advice and keep a close eye on this one." She turned to Sanzo with that same smile on her face. "Now him, he's still a problem I'm afraid. He's taken quite a thrashing."
"He's lost a lot of blood. There isn't much… that I can do for him."
"Maybe not you, but she could." The Goddess points to Meika, who lay sleeping on the ground, and sweat dropped as the girl snored. "If she wasn't… like that. But I got it. Nothing is impossible for me."
She started to do a little dance and song about how she was a powerful goddess and could do whatever she wanted. "Ok. Are Goddess always this sure of themselves?" Hakkai asked the unnamed man.
"Oh boy, just try working for one."
Once her song and jig were done the Merciful Goddess turned her attention on, "You! With the long purple hair and lots of spare blood, get over here! Come on move your ass!"
It seemed that this woman was on a mission to piss Gojyo off. He turned quickly and angrily yelled, "Look here honey! I don't care if you are a Goddess! I don't recall making any vows that say that I have to—"
Gojyo's little speech was cut off by the Goddess's lips and before he knew it she had pulled away licking her lips. "Hmm? Well that will do. All though I have tasted better."
"What's the big idea yo—" Gojyo's could be rant was cut short as he suddenly fell to the ground.
Hakkai called out for him to see if he was ok but the Goddess butted in before the redhead on the floor could answer. "You might want to take it easy. I just sucked out a few prime pints of –AB."
"Don't you need my permission to do that?"
For some reason the Goddess thought she would be getting somewhere if she was to pull Sanzo's hair to make his sit up only to make him groan in pain. "You aren't going to like this Konzen Douji or should I call you Genjyo Sanzo now? Whoever you are if you want to live through the night, you're just going to have to live with it." The Goddess placed her lips on his and transferred the pilfered blood to him. Just as quickly as she did Sanzo raised his left hand and almost smacked her away if she hadn't of moved back in time. When his hand fell it landed palm down on Meika's head, whom was still sleeping close to him.
"Sanzo?" Hakkai questioned. "You're awake!" but alas Sanzo was still sleeping.
"Yes. I-I can see that. It was just an unconscious reaction. My, such strong reflexes though. I can already see he's getting his strength back." Hakkai thanks her as she opens the doors to leave. She stands between the doors with the sun of a new day shinning down on her, her shadow casting a swan with its wings outstretched. "If you want to thank me, give me your body in return. That's all the payment I need. This wasn't about charity. The fact is you're on a very important mission right now and honestly it wouldn't be any fun if you died today." She and her servant stept out of the hotel and into the sunlight "Ta-ta." And the disappear like a mirage.
…
Goku sat in a chair next to Sanzo's bed while Sanzo lay sleeping with his back to the young boy. It seems he had been sitting there for hours before Hakkai steeped in to check on him. "Waiting by the bed won't make him wake any sooner." Goku made no response, he didn't even move. "Won't you at least eat something?"
"Nah. I'm fine." Goku says solemnly.
"You really don't remember what happened to you when your power limiter fell off do you?"
Goku flinches at the memories of what happened before his limiter actually fell off. "I remember the blood gushing from Sanzo's stomach, the sound of Meika crying, then the world turning white and all sorts of ideas started swirling through my head. Come to think of it… I wonder who that was. He looked like Sanzo but…" Goku sighs. "I can't remember why I was imprisoned for so long. I had to have done something truly terrible though. I mean why would they lock me away in Mount Gogyou with nothing to do but watch the sky for years and years in some crappy prison cell, until a golden light finally reached out and saved me. He was the ray of sun I've been longing for. Sanzo's always been my savior, even though I could do nothing to save him."
By now Hakkai had taken a chair and sat next to Goku listening to his tale. "Well, I think the one thing you can do for him is to be sure you never let him down. Don't you remember what Sanzo told us? He said that we would never die." Sanzo was awake, and had been since Goku's story. "We should take care not to do anything reckless so that we can see this mission through to the end."
Goku listened to Hakkai's words in awe. "You're right, yeah. Be strong." The sun beamed through the window making their shadows stretch. "I won't fail you Sanzo. I promise."
"Sanzo's unconscious, Gojyo's anemic, and you're in a funk. Meika's feeling better so I suppose that's an upside. The only thing left for me to do is cook." Hakkai says knowing that now that Goku is feeling better the 'cooking' part would make him feel even better.
"Hey, that's a great idea! I'll go get the kitchen ready." And like that Goku was cheered up and out of the room.
"What do you know?" Hakkai says watching the door that Goku left through. "Only you and Meika could make Goku that depressed Sanzo. Do me a favor and don't reopen the wound we tried so hard to close. I'd really hate for you and I to be left with the same scars." As Hakkai walked out the door he almost ran into Meika who was trying to come in with a tray of teas. "Hello Meika."
"Hi Hakkai. Just dropping off a tea for Sanzo." He nods and let her pass before going to the kitchen to find Goku. Seeing that there were no nightstands or tables in the room to place his tea on, she just set the tray on the chairs next to his bed. She sighs and sits on the edge of Sanzo's bed. She didn't say anything for a few seconds just stared at the back of his head. "You know I thought… I thought you had died right in front of me last night. I felt kind of helpless, ya know? I don't like feeling like that, especially when it comes to you."
She chuckled a little and wrapped a strand of his hair around her finger. "You probably don't remember that time that you almost fell off a cliff trying to fight off those guys that tried to kill us. I kicked their asses and caught your hand just in time. You called me stupid for trying to help you but I couldn't sit back and watch you die… I still can't." Meika knew that Sanzo was awake even though his eyes were closed when she leaned over to whisper in his ear. "You may not be listening but… I can't go through this without you Sanzo so don't make me cry for you again." She placed a kiss on his cheek and grabbed her tea off the tray and walking to the door. "Oh, and if you ever make Goku that upset again I'm kicking your ass, injured or not." And she was gone.
When she was gone Sanzo was left with his memories of last night, taking the his for Goku, the pain of the staff sticking out of his body, Meika's face as she leaned over his body crying for him to wake up.
He flipped to his back bringing his hand to his face. "This is crazy."
…
It was about afternoon when Sanzo finally got out of bed, loading his gun by the door. His wound twinges with pain when he made the wrong move. "Damnit." He groans pressing gently on his injury.
A knock from the other side of the door made him stop for a second. "Hey droopy-eyes." Gojyo sat on the floor on the other side of the door with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. "I don't suppose you're going after Rikudo are ya? Well if you are just plan on going through the window in there. They told me to keep an eye on you, but who am I to get in your way?"
"Man. I can't get away with anything when you guys are around, huh?"
"With an attitude like that, maybe I should come in there and stop ya." Sanzo clicked the safety off his gun and pointed it to where he suspected Gojyo to be. "Ah, relax. I'm just kidding around. So those prayer beads around Rikudo's neck, would those be yours?"
"So what if they are?"
"I thought so. They lit up as if they were some force field trying to protect him. That necklace is probably what's keeping the last piece of Shuei alive. Once the talisman becomes powerful enough there won't be any Shuei left to save. Well, not that I care what happens to you but the other three tend to get a little sentimental about things, ya know? You're a popular guy Sanzo."
Sanzo scoffs as he turns to go to the window. "Yep, everybody loves me."
"See ya around pal."
…
The sun was maybe an hour from setting when Rikudo went running through the forest. The prayer beads around his neck were glowing brightly as if sensing something and he followed it. When he got to where the beads were being drawn he found Sanzo sitting with his head down, eyes closed and hands in prayer. He had called out to the beads and Rikudo had fallen for his trap. Rikudo was shocked to see that Sanzo was still alive at first before his face gave a wicked grin. "Kouryuu! Well I'll be. You managed to survive. Did you crawl back so I could finish the job?"
"No. I came to kill you with my own two hands."
"I thought as much." Sanzo jumped up with his gun aimed at his onetime friend. "Try and kill me if you can Kouryuu." Sanzo shot at him three times but he disappeared only to reappear behind the priest. "Now you will know some of the suffering I have had to endure, cause you fled the temple like a coward! Revenge!" He tried to hit Sanzo but the blond pistol whipped him and he vanished again.
Sanzo shot into the trees before bringing his gun to his side. "My mistake for thinking you could take care of yourself. What makes you think you'll do any better defending yourself against me? I'm not a demon."
Rikudo laughed behind a tree holding his shoulder where Sanzo had shot him. "I figured it out. I know what the talisman hungers for. Your soul Kouryuu, your soul!" The talisman pulsated under Rikudo's skin making Sanzo hold his stomach in pain. "Your aim is off too. That wound I gave you must be aching."
"When you struck it wasn't Goku I was trying to protect. It was another wound that has yet to heal."
"I'd really hate for you and I to be left with the same scars."
"But the other three tend to get a little sentimental about things, ya know?
"Yeah. Be strong."
"Don't make me cry for you again."
"Willing to die for no one." Sanzo thought. "Living for no one but myself. Vowing to never care for someone so much that I couldn't bare to lose them. This is my mantra."
Sanzo's eyes widen as he hears Rikudo chanting. His gun fell out of his hand to the forest floor and he was unable to move as he fell to the ground too. "That chant. It's a spell that works on humans as well as. I'm paralyzed!"
"My, my this is too precious." Rikudo sat over Sanzo with his hands around his throat ready to take his life. "I get to kill you as easy as tearing the wings off a bird. Feel your life slipping away? This is what it's been like since you left. I've waited so long for you to share my nightmare."
"No thanks Shuei. Maybe I left the Kinzan Temple but as for the talisman you carry… you let it control you cause your weak. You're weak!"
Sanzo choked as Rikudo placed pressure on his throat. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I wish your sorry soul had never existed." Rikudo let go of Sanzo and made him able to get away. Rikudo struggled as the veins all over his body became more prominent and found it hard to breath. He screamed in pain as the blood red rosary around his neck started to crack and then shatter. Sanzo realized that the spell of the talisman was too strong for Shuei and what was left of his childhood friend would be consumed in just a matter of moments. "Kouryuu…" Rikudo called as he lay on the ground. He got to his knees and grabbed Sanzo's hand that held his gun and pointed it at his own head. Even in his shock Sanzo knew that Shuei had put in a little fight to push the talismans power back one last time. His hand dropped and Sanzo pulled the trigger.
And Shuei smiled in the end.
…
Sanzo walked out of the woods hearing the words of his master how freedom was about having a home to go to when he found his motley traveling crew waiting in the jeep at the mouth of the trees.
"Anybody looking for a ride?" Gojyo asked.
"Goku held out his hand with a smile. "It'll only cost you ten thousand yen!"
Hakkai and Meika smiled at him too. He let out a short laugh and got in the jeep. "You wouldn't happen to be heading west?" he said throwing his gun to Goku who wasn't expecting it. "I'm crashing. Anyone wakes me up I'll cut their nuts off."
"Guess I don't count." Meika shrugs.
"Haha. Go to sleep.
"And so our little band of misfits continues their journey to the west. These guys would rather bite their own tongues off than to dance for someone else's team. Some people don't change in 500 years no matter how many times they die, no matter how many times they're reborn."
Next Saiyuki:
Goku: He's got a vague way of saying things, and the looks of a snake that's about to strike, and he really pisses me off! He better not mess with me. Who is this fortune teller named Chin-Yisou? Who knows but I hope he's dangerous. Next time on Saiyuki, the death seer. Let's rumble!
