Checkmate

Chapter Six: The Bishop

The next few weeks were pretty silent. No notes showed up. I could tell that Sanzo was beginning to tense up, moving about with a stiff aura, eyes constantly open. I think he was expecting an attack. This copy-cat was using the same tactic that I used. It didn't work as well the second time around. Still, it succeeded in stressing Sanzo out as the man looked over his shoulder around every other bend.

However, it wasn't enough to screw with them, and I think Joseph began to realize that. I began to lazily watch, wondering if Sanzo would figure out who his copy-cat stalker was. So far, it appeared that he didn't know. However I was starting to notice a change in Sanzo ever since he'd been attacked. I wonder if he remembered. I hoped to whatever corrupt goddess was watching that he did.

I haven't seen you in many a year and I know that you remember. But besides that, no one else does. Every time they're reincarnated, they forget. I'm so tired of remembering life after life, knowing so many faces on the street and not having them remember me. I miss when we were all together. I miss when Sanzo and his little cohort were traveling west. I miss waiting for them to come, forever locked in our little game of chess. Life was so much more interesting then. Now, there was nothing in this world but darkness. With each lifetime I pass I watch the world grow darker, the land decaying. And I see it in us as well. I watch as we all grow weaker, our life slowly bleeding away. Sanzo is not who he once was, neither is Goku or Hakkai, Gojyo, you or I. We're all dead.

Dead. Dead. Dead. Dying in a world that consumes our corpses and dulls our souls until there's nothing but grey.

Dead.

Dead, dead. All dead.

Nothing but dead. 'Cause we're dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.

That's why I hope Sanzo remembers. I hope he will continue to remember. I want to look into those deep violet eyes and see the recognition there. I want him to shine like the sun, like he did when he was Konzen and then Sanzo. That was when he shone. I want him to shine like he did all those years ago, because that was what would make it interesting. I swear, if he doesn't remember, I think I'm going to die from boredom.

It's no fun playing with dead things.

Dead. Dead. Hee, hee.

Anyway, as usual things continued on. I watched as time passed, and another year rolled by. 1931 did not bring America any solace from the Depression. People were beginning to become afraid. Companies were shutting down. People were starving. Even Gojyo's liquor business was slowing. Things were becoming difficult, and it was time that they all made a decision.

"We're gonna die here," Gojyo announced one evening after dinner. "America, God bless it, is dying. This Depression is gonna kill it. If we're going somewhere, then we're going now."

After a long discussion, it was decided that they would leave America, taking their chance and riding on an ocean liner across the ocean. "The lovely Empress of Japan is docking in New York in about four weeks. I say we go there to meet it. It's going across th' ocean to Liverpool. We can finally run from this Depression and go ta Europe, like we wanted."

"We can't afford four tickets on the Empress," Hakkai said, shaking her head.

"Hey, if I'm going across th' Atlantic, I'm going in style," he gave Hakkai a cheeky grin and a wink. "You leave getting' on board to lil' ol' me."

Once it was decided that they were leaving, Sanzo seemed to relax. I'll bet that he thought he was going to be safe if he was heading across the ocean. However, I think Joseph freaked when he found out. He knew he had to do something, and quick. That's when, two weeks before they were going to head for New York, Joseph struck.

He waited until late in the evening before he moved to attack. He crawled in a window left open earlier that evening, making his way into the darkened house. The heavy weight in his hand weighed down on his heart as he silently crept down the hallways, turning towards Sanzo and Goku's room.

If you ask me, he wasn't nearly as quiet as he could have been. And if Sanzo and Goku were who they used to be, they would have heard the sound of breathing and the almost non-existent footsteps crossing the floor. There was no moon that night as Joseph made his way into the room, stopping at the bedside. His blue eyes were almost alight in the dim lighting, glowing as he focused down on the pair in bed. Goku was curled up around Sanzo's chest, dead to the world. As usual, Sanzo slept soundly, one hand pillowed beneath his head.

Joseph stood watching them with eyes red with tears, burning with rage. Silently, one by one they began to slip down his cheeks, falling silently onto the wooden floor. He watched them for several long minutes, the room dark without the glow of the moon to light it. Then, he silently picked up the gun that was hanging loosely in his grip and popped open the chamber. It had three shots. Tears began to silently drip down his face as he moved, aiming the barrel of the gun towards Sanzo's forehead. His glare was murderous.

"I hate you…" he breathed. "You made me fall in love with you, and then you leave…" his gaze darted momentarily towards Goku. "God doesn't f-forgive murderers…"

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, Sanzo's eyes snapped open. Joseph's breath caught, eyes wide. Sanzo mouthed something I couldn't quite catch before he pushed Joseph's arm up and away the same time Joseph pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the ceiling, causing a shower of dust to fall down on them. After the shot went off, Goku lunged form the bed, tackling Joseph to the floor. He let out a scream as his hand cracked against the wood, the gun flying from his grip.

Sanzo lunged off the bed, snatching the gun from the ground and aiming it at Joseph. That didn't stop the youth's thrashing. He managed to flip the pair over, pinning Goku to the ground. However that didn't stop Goku from clinging to him for dear life. Joseph wrapped his hands around Goku's neck and shoulders, smashing his head back against the wooden floor. Goku gasped, his grip loosening slightly as Joseph lunged off of him, bolting for the door. I can tell Sanzo was planning to shoot one of his legs, but Gojyo and Hakkai beat him. They appeared at the door, slightly concerned and disoriented. However when Joseph tried to run past them, Gojyo grabbed the fourteen-year-old, pinning his arms to his sides in a bear hug.

Joseph thrashed, letting out a scream of frustration. Sanzo kept the gun trained on them.

"What in Mother Mary's name is going on in here?" Hakkai barked, looking from Joseph to Goku and then Sanzo.

"I think I have some idea," Sanzo said, the gun still aimed at Joseph. "Just tie him up. Get some rope and a chair or something. I want the answers out of his annoying teenage mouth."

A few minutes later found Joseph tied securely to a chair, a gag in his mouth. The four of them stood around him, the gun left on the counter where the young man could not reach it. Gojyo stood with his arms crossed over his chest, looking quite angry with the world itself. He was pacing in front of the young man, venting for all the world to hear. Joseph merely looked towards the ground, his hair dipping over his head as he tried to hide his frightened tears.

"Come into mah home and try to bump off mah friends!" Gojyo ranted as he paced back and forth. "Who sent you? Moran? Some friend of one of the guys we killed, eh? I can't believe they've resorted to sendin' kids."

"Gojyo!" Sanzo barked from his spot a few feet away. "He isn't from a mob. And if you're going to interrogate him, then you might want to take the gag out of his mouth."

Gojyo blinked, and Hakkai rolled her eyes. She stepped up, untying the gag from Joseph's mouth. He didn't look up from the floor, still silently sobbing. I didn't blame the kid, frankly. I'm sure he thought he was going to die.

Sanzo moved away from his position on the wall, kneeling down in front of Joseph. "What are you doing here?"' he asked quietly, with patience that astounded me.

Joseph didn't look up, tears still silently rolling down the sides of his face. "I had to come find you," he said quietly. "I had to."

"Why?" Sanzo pressed.

Joseph still didn't look up, mumbling as though he was in a trance, "Because God doesn't forgive murderers."

Sanzo froze, staring at the young man that was tied to the chair. He said nothing as Joseph continued. "You killed Father Charles, and then Father Gregory died because of some gangsters I know were looking for you," he said quietly. "So I thought I could kill us all. Because… He doesn't… He won't forgive us."

"Us?" Goku echoed.

"I killed my parents," Joseph said quietly. "I killed them by mistake, and then I ran to the church. And then I met you, and you were pure. I thought you could save me, Sanzo. I thought…" he trailed off. "But then I realized that you were unclean too. You killed Father Charles. So I decided that we had to die. Let God sort it out." He turned his gaze up to look at Sanzo, stricken and pain-filled. "So kill me, Sanzo. Take the gun and shoot me. It's what I deserve."

Sanzo stood, eyes slightly widened with what he heard. "Hazel…" he mumbled beneath his breath. "That's right… I remember…"

Hazel. Hazel, Hazel, Hazel. I had forgotten about him. I couldn't believe I had been so stupid. Of course Joseph was Hazel. Now that Sanzo mentioned it, it all suddenly clicked in my head. His obsession with Sanzo, his distaste of Goku, and his constant need to follow me around. Hazel really hadn't changed much since the time where we were all together. I know you probably don't know Hazel in the least; however I still remember him vividly. I think it's fitting that he was still a child in body when he came back into our lives. Because really, when I knew him he might as well have been a child. Not that he was stupid, he was just ignorant. He had had much to learn in the life he lived, and I believe that he never learned everything he should have.

I'm glad I got to see him again, even if I have been too preoccupied to notice it was him.

Hazel turned his deep blue eyes to look at Sanzo, then everyone else in the room. After Sanzo's muttered comment, he didn't allow anyone to question his odd behavior. He stepped up behind the boy and untied him, stunning everyone else in the room.

Once Hazel was untied, he sat in the chair and rubbed his chafed wrists delicately, looking up at Sanzo with confusion and amazement. It was like the brat was falling in love all over again. "Get out of here," Sanzo said simply, nodding towards the door. "Go back home. I'm not going to kill someone who doesn't even know what's going on around him. There's more to life than following a bunch of measly rules. Maybe you'll learn that one day."

Sanzo threw the ropes onto the ground with a dull thud. Hazel's eyes darted to the other people in the room before he bolted, out the door before they had the chance to catch him again. He wasn't stupid; he knew he had to take his chance to get the hell out of there while he could.

"Sanzo…?" Hakkai called, concerned as Sanzo held his head, covering his face with his hand. "Are you alright?"

"No," Sanzo said after a moment, turning towards the bedroom. "Now I'm going back to bed. Leave me alone."

Sanzo stumbled back into his room, closing the door behind him. Gojyo, Goku and Hakkai stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what they should do. Finally Goku cracked them a smile, wished them good night and made his way back into their room. Sanzo was sitting against the window, a weird habit that he'd never been able to break. Goku came up behind him, wrapping his arms around his neck and resting his chin on Sanzo's shoulder. It was silent for a long time, their gazes locked in the reflection in the window. Goku moved daringly, pressing his check against Sanzo's exposed neck and nuzzling into his skin.

"It's stupid," Sanzo said quietly, his voice so light it was almost non-existent. Goku blinked in confusion, but he could tell that Sanzo wasn't talking to him. His eyes were distant as they looked out the darkened glass. "There's… so many memories. So many of them. You, me, Gojyo and Hakkai. And I finally decided that they don't matter."

Goku blinked, cocking his head. "Sanzo…?" was all he asked in confusion.

A smirk tugged on Sanzo's lips as he turned away from the window, yanking Goku into his lap. Goku emitted a startled squeak, his arms hooking around Sanzo's neck. "What matters Goku, is right now. Not the past, or the future, just the now," he told him quietly, his eyes alight with understanding.

Goku's brows knitted together. "Sanzo…" he mumbled quietly. "You sound really screwy, you know that?"

Sanzo scoffed, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss. Goku made a noise of contentment at the back of his throat when Sanzo slipped a tongue into his mouth. He tangled his fingers in Sanzo's golden hair, gripping it tightly as they deepened the kiss. When they broke apart, they were both slightly out of breath. Sanzo let a small smirk catch on his lips. "Too screwy for you…?" he breathed.

Goku shook his head, grabbing Sanzo's hand and threading their fingers together. He cracked a genuine smile that lit up his whole face. "No. Not at all," he breathed.

Slowly, he got off the other man, tugging him back over towards their bed. Sanzo slowly got up from his spot in the window, following Goku's lead. The pair curled back under the covers, even if there wasn't much sleep to be had that night.

Time seemed to fly by, for me at least. Sooner than ever the four of them were packed up in their car, heading for New York. It took them two whole days to drive to the large city, and by the time they got there, they had one night that they spent in the car. Gojyo said that they would need to save as much money as they could for when they got to England. The American dollar was probably worth next to nothing due to the depression.

The morning they were bound to set sail they headed towards the docks. It was there that they caught their first sight of the Empress of Japan. It was a huge boat, beautiful and crisp white. It only had three stocks which were all painted yellow. The boat was gigantic to their eyes, and people were buzzing everywhere aboard the ship. It was eleven o'clock in the morning and the ship was to set sail at noon. People were everywhere, saying goodbye to their relatives or loading on the boat. It was a sight to see.

Gojyo held down his fedora as a wind blew through the area, crisp and biting. The four of them stood there for a moment, staring at the marvel of a boat. Gojyo let out a long whistle. "Ritzy," he said simply.

"And how," Goku piped in.

Another round of stunned silence passed over them. I don't think any of them had ever seen a boat that big in person before. It was stunning, if you ask me.

Gojyo suddenly broke out into a grin, leaning next to Hakkai. "Looks pretty good for a boat made by Canadians, eh Hakkai?" Gojyo snickered at the apparent joke while Hakkai merely rolled her eyes.

"How are we going to get on this thing?" Sanzo asked, holding his coat closed as another cool breeze swept over them.

Gojyo grinned, giving the blond a wink. "Follow me," he said, making his way through the crowd. The other three glanced at each other before making their way through the swarms of people. Once they got to the boarding dock, a man stood in their way. He was holding a clipboard, probably there to check the tickets.

"Name?" he asked in a bored tone when Gojyo and co approached.

"Oh, we aren't passengers," Gojyo said simply, glancing back to the group assembled behind him. "But mah brother is, we forgot to wish him well."

The man glanced over the four of them before he nodded, stepping aside. "We're shipping off in an hour, so make sure you're off by then," he said, allowing them up the ramp.

"Thanks!" Gojyo called as they all made their way up the ramp and onto the boat. It was swarmed with people, most of which passengers but some who were saying their final farewells to family members.

"That was your plan?" Goku exclaimed when they got on board. "That was too easy!"

Gojyo grinned.

Ah, I miss the '20s. It was so easy to rip people off.

The four of them mingled on board for an hour before the whistle went off. Those who weren't passengers stepped off the ship before they pulled the ramps away. "Come this way, you guys," Gojyo said, pulling them onto the deck of the ocean liner as it was pulling away from the dock. The four of them stood, watching New York as they began to sail away from it.

"Jeepers Creepers, this is so nifty," Goku said, leaning on the railing and watching as they slowly made their way out into the Atlantic Ocean.

"It'll take us a week to arrive in England," Hakkai said, catching their attention. "Now we just have to lay low for a while, and we should be fine."

"May I see your tickets?" a voice suddenly barked from behind her. Hakkai turned to find a crew member in a stark blue uniform looking down on them as though he didn't trust them at all. Hakkai bit her tongue, not realizing that a crew member had been standing so close. The four of them froze, about to bolt when a young man came up behind the crew-member. He tapped on the man's shoulder, and when he turned, and attractive young man was revealed.

He could've been in his early thirties, with a crisp, expensive-looking suit and a wide-brimmed grey fedora. Black, untamable hair just brushed his shoulders while his handsome face caught my attention. Two perfect green eyes turned to look at the crew-member, while the woman on his arm looked slightly bored. She was a petite little thing with long sandy-blonde hair and a cute little dress. She wore enough jewelry to pay for a starving family for a year. She was also doused in a fox fur stole. She wasn't that pretty, but anyone could tell that she was rich.

"I'm afraid that group of miscreants is with me," the young man said with a smile that pulled on his lips. Green eyes twinkled with wicked amusement as the crew-member stumbled out words.

"O-Of course Mr. Carter! My apologies for disturbing you. Have a lovely trip!" The man ran off so quickly it was as though someone set him on fire.

Mr. Carter indeed. Even if he tried to kill me once or twice, it was nice seeing Homura again. Figured that he would be a rich son of a bitch.

Homura's eyes were green though, which I found interesting. I supposed the blue and gold had melded together between lifetimes. He shot a stunning smile over towards our group of miscreants, causing Sanzo to growl low under his throat. I wonder if he recognized Homura.

"If you would like to repay me for saving you, then why don't you come to a party that I'm throwing? It's in ballroom eight tomorrow night. If you're not there, then I'll see to it that you're thrown off the boat." Homura smiled charmingly, giving Goku a wink before turning with Rinrei and making his way back into the ocean liner. For a moment, the four of them stood, confused.

"He's screwy," Gojyo said at last.

Goku couldn't stop the grin from pulling at his lips. "More than screwy. Like, super screwy!"

The boys laughed as Gojyo threw an arm around his neck. "The kid and I are goin' to check out the ship. See yah!" Gojyo called before they disappeared below deck.

Hakkai looked as though she was about to say something and instead let out a sigh. She turned to look at Sanzo, who was lounging back against the railing. "Sanzo?" she asked. "What do you think we should do?"

Sanzo smirked slightly, turning to look at her. "This ship is all inclusive, right? I say we find something to eat."

Hakkai smiled. "Yes, let's," she said, as they turned from the deck and made their way below.

The four of them spent the night sleeping far below deck, hiding in certain places throughout the ship so no one would know they were technically stow-aways. Goku and Gojyo seemed to love everything that the ocean liner had to offer. There were tennis courts and lounge areas and even a pool. The pair of them ran around the ship like children, making sure to try everything out. Hakkai and Sanzo seemed more laid back about the situation, but both seemed to be enjoying their week in luxury. Even if they did technically steal it.

The next night they went to ballroom eight. All it took was Homura's name and they were invited inside. The four of them weren't exactly dressed fashionably for the party, and some of the crew-members told them they would have to dress much better than that. Hakkai was allowed to borrow a silk dress that hugged her curves, and her long brown hair had been styled by another woman into a hot look. It left her with almost a foot less hair, but Hakkai had said that she was quite fond of the look.

Gojyo, Goku and Sanzo were all allowed to borrow suits for the evening. The three of them looked dashing, if I say so myself. The crew-member said that their clothes were simply being held for collateral, and would be returned when the borrowed clothes were returned. None of them really minded.

The ballroom was full of people dressed in rich suits and fancy dresses. A jazz band was playing loudly, and drinks were being served by men dressed in rather amusing little outfits. The entire party looked rather expensive. The four of them stood around awkwardly for several moments, unsure of what to do before Gojyo finally grabbed Hakkai's hand and brought her out onto the dance floor. Within minutes they were swinging and hopping to the jazz music.

"There you are!" Homura proclaimed as he came up behind them. Sanzo and Goku turned, slightly surprised. He was dressed in a rather expensive looking suit, sans the fedora and a cigar hanging in his fingers. "I'm sorry, I didn't properly introduce myself the other day. My name is Alphonse Carter. But you can call me Al."

That was a seriously stupid name. And this from the guy who got stuck with 'Gregory.'

"This is Sanzo, and I'm Goku," Goku said quickly, glancing back over at the dance floor where Gojyo and Hakkai seemed to be having fun. "And our friends are Gojyo and Hakkai."

Homura smiled, but didn't seem interested in Gojyo and Hakkai. "Can I get you gentlemen a drink? Scotch perhaps?"

Sanzo's brow rose. "Whiskey?"

"Consider it done," Homura said, calling over one of the server boys and ordering them drinks. He turned to look at Goku expectantly.

"Uh, water… I guess," Goku said anxiously, as though he wasn't sure what he should order.

"And a glass of champagne for the lad," Homura ordered. The server looked between them both, and decided to go with the more powerful man's order. He ducked off, heading to fulfill the orders. Goku just wrinkled his nose at him. Homura smiled, his eyes alight with mirth. "Come now, Goku, it's time this silly prohibition ended. Enjoy it; it may do you some good."

Goku said nothing as the orders were brought to them. Goku tasted at the champagne, and wrinkled his nose, but decidedly began to drink it. Sanzo threw his whiskey to the back of his throat, enjoying the bitter burn as it made its way down. As Goku's attention was caught by Gojyo and Hakkai on the dance floor, Sanzo turned to look at Homura.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked, his eyes steeled over.

"But of course," Homura said politely, catching Sanzo's intention as they moved towards the bar. Sanzo needed a new glass of whiskey anyway.

"Why did you help us yesterday?" Sanzo asked him as they waited for the bartender to pour him another drink. "It's not like we can give you anything."

Homura nursed the scotch in his hands, staring out across the room. "Sanzo…" he said slowly. "Have you ever heard of kismet?"

"What?"

"Kismet. Destiny, fate, or the divine. You know, that kind of thing," Homura said quietly, taking another swig of his scotch. He seemed distracted partly by whatever was going on in his head. "Do you believe in it?"

"I believe in myself," Sanzo replied stubbornly.

A smile began to creep upon Homura's lips as he blinked out of his daze. He turned to look at Sanzo, focusing on his face with a strange look in his eyes. "How very like you," he said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" Sanzo shot back.

Homura shook his head. "Pardon me; it just seems like something that would suit you. You come off as a very stubborn man, Sanzo, and for some reason it sounds right to hear you say something like that." Sanzo said nothing as Homura threw the rest of his drink to the back of his throat, placing the empty glass down on the counter. "However, Sanzo, for those of us who are not strong enough to walk our own path, we must believe in something. And for me, it is fate that I believe in, and I believe it was fate that led me to you. I don't know what I expect in return from you, or if I expect anything at all. I just pray that one day karma will reply my debt." He shot Sanzo a smile, turning from the bar. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have something I need to attend to."

Sanzo watched wordlessly as Homura turned back into a crowd of people, taking Rinrei's hand in his own and leading her onto the dance floor. A slow, easy song began to play as Homura took Rinrei into his arms and began to twirl her on the floor like a delicate doll.

"You are strong, Homura," Sanzo said under his breath, taking sips of his drink as he watched the pair twist and twirl on the floor. "You just can't see it…"

His gaze shifted over towards Gojyo and Hakkai, who were both wrapped in each other's arms and swaying to the sounds of the music. Then his gaze shifted to where Goku was standing at the side with his glass of champagne, simply watching. Sanzo sighed, placing down his drink and making his way over to the boy. Wordlessly, he put a hand on Goku's shoulder, causing brown eyes to flicker to him. Sanzo took the champagne glass and gave it to one of the servers before taking Goku's hand and leading him out onto the dance floor. Goku looked up at him, slightly confused.

"Sanzo…?" he breathed.

"Shut up, this is the only one you're getting," Sanzo said briskly as he turned the other man before pulling him back into his arms.

"Sanzo, people are staring."

"So?"

"What if we get in trouble?"

"Homura will put a stop to it."

"How do you know Homura won't have a problem with it?"

"Just trust me."

Goku let a small smile creep onto his lips as he let his head dip onto Sanzo's shoulder. "Okay," he whispered. "I trust you, Sanzo."

The pair moved silently to the beat of the music, turning and twisting and swaying. They fell into their own rhythm, and I swear I'll never get tired of seeing those two together. They always did have something that no one else did. As I watched them there on the dance floor, I could feel something swelling in my chest. You have to see it one of these days, and I'm sure that you will.

I'll never get tired of fucking with them, but I'll never get tired of seeing this, either.

My little Kouryuu's all grown up. I feel like a proud Daddy.

The party continued late into the evening, and the four of them stayed quite late. When everything began to shut down, Gojyo, Hakkai, Goku and Sanzo slipped off, heading towards some corner of the ship where they could spend the night. Gojyo was slightly intoxicated, leaning heavily on Hakkai as they made their way along the deck. They were planning to go below, however were cut off before they could get that far.

The night air was brisk and the scent of salt was strong. As they made their way along the deck, they were stopped by a young man in dark clothing.

"For crying out loud…" Sanzo muttered under his breath. "Hazel! I told you to go home!"

The young man in front of them looked dazed. I'll admit that Hazel was ignorant and slightly fucked in the head when I knew him, but this was going too far. His hair was in tangles and his clothes were streaked with dirt. His eyes were red from where he had clearly been crying. I could tell that the death of his parents had shattered Hazel. He'd managed to mostly keep himself together when he was at the church; however when he had learned that Sanzo had killed Father Thomas and fled the church, I think whatever had cracked in him shattered. Sanzo was the only person that had really mattered in Hazel's life, his foundation. When it was gone he was as good as finished. The fact that Sanzo and Goku were together probably didn't help much either.

Hazel was broken. There was no other way to describe it.

Hazel turned his listless eyes up towards Sanzo, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Sanzo…" he breathed, looking half-insane as he let his arms dangle at his sides. There was a gun in his grip. "Sanzo… I'm glad I found you… You can finally kill me."

"Hazel…" Sanzo breathed, realizing what I already knew.

Hazel held the gun out as an offering. "Go on, Sanzo, please. I want you to."

Sanzo shook his head. "Hazel, I'm not—"

Sanzo was cut off by a gunshot. Hazel shot the ground in front of them, causing a curse to escape from Gojyo's lips. "This is not up for discussion, Sanzo," Hazel said darkly, aiming the gun up at Sanzo's head. "Either you shoot me or I shoot you."

Sanzo held his hands up, eyes darting to the other three faces around him. He let out a soft sigh. "Okay then," he said quietly, before he held out his hand. "Just give me the gun."

Hazel smiled. It was one of the creepiest expressions that I think I'll ever see on his face. He took several steps forward, handing Sanzo the gun before stepping back. He was ready to die. There was simply no other way to put it. Goku looked up at Sanzo wordlessly as he took the gun. However in a single moment he threw it over the balcony, lost to the water below.

Hazel's eyes widened as he watched the weapon disappear over the edge. "No!" he screeched, running to the railing as though he could save it.

"I'm not going to kill you, Hazel," Sanzo repeated, causing the boy's eyes to flicker back towards them.

Hazel began to shake, fisting his hands in his hair and yanking viciously. "Why! I never asked you for anything before! I just wanted to die by your hand! Why! Why!" Clearly, Hazel didn't want an answer to his questions as he continued to yank at his hair. Sanzo stayed silent.

Hazel backed up until his back met the railing, and he suddenly stopped. His eyes widened and I could see the idea clicking into place. Before anyone could stop him, he grabbed the railing and hoisted himself over the edge.

"Hazel!" Sanzo yelled, running towards the edge of the boat as Hazel threw himself over. Sanzo's entire body tensed as he watched Hazel's body hit the water with a splash, instantly vanishing into the dark, inky waters. Sanzo grabbed the railing, about to throw himself overboard before Goku, Hakkai and Gojyo grabbed him, yanking him backwards.

"Sanzo!" Gojyo cried as they pulled him away from the edge of the boat, "Don't be an idiot!"

Sanzo opened his mouth to say something when Hakkai smacked him smartly across the face. Sanzo paused in his movements, and Gojyo and Goku eased him down onto the deck. "Jumping after him would be suicide, Sanzo," Hakkai told him sternly, her eyes darkened with rage. "That's a couple hundred feet drop to the water. Hazel's as good as dead."

Goku said nothing as he wrapped his arms around Sanzo's mid-section and pulled the man into a tight embrace. Sanzo didn't protest, and instead held the smaller boy close.

I honestly felt bad for Hazel. The boy was seriously fucked in this life. I just hoped that his next life would be better. He would be able to start off with a clean slate, everything wiped away so he could begin his life anew. They all got that chance, except for you and me. We're doomed to remember, always. And you know, I think I'm okay with that.

The rest of the ride on the ocean liner was pretty uneventful. Goku, Sanzo, Gojyo and Hakkai mostly stuck together, and enjoyed life on the boat as much as they could. I was glad. They looked like they were having a lot of fun. I would never wish death on any of them, since after a while those four had come to feel like my children. But like all good parents I wanted my children to be smart. So every life I test them, to make sure they haven't forgotten what it's like to live in an age where demons and humans co-existed.

Magic was dying from the world. I had to make sure that none of them begin to think they could have an easy life. They would all belong to me, no matter where they were or what kind of life they were living.

I have to screw it up, just a little bit.

"Hey! Goku, Sanzo! Get a wiggle on!"

Goku blinked his eyes open. He was sleeping against Sanzo down far below the decks of the ship. He opened his eyes to find Gojyo in their face, grinning. "Wake up, you guys, you have to see this."

Goku and Sanzo slowly began to wake up, stretching out their sore muscles and looking up at Gojyo, who was fully dressed and had his fedora in place. "What's going on?" Goku asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"We're home, now come! To the deck!" Gojyo proclaimed, making his way towards the stairs, not bothering to wait for Sanzo or Goku.

The pair slowly untangled themselves, getting to their feet and following Gojyo up through the many levels on the ship. It took a while, before they finally reached the deck, where the sun was already shinning and a light breeze blew through their hair. They made their way to the railing where Hakkai and Gojyo were standing. Gojyo was grinning as he motioned out in front of them. "Look boys," he said, unable to suppress his joy. "We're home."

Spread out before them were Liverpool's docks. They could see the land, looking as though it was jutting out of the ocean itself. Gojyo grinned, ripping off his hat and waving it with a scream of joy. "Whoopee!" he cried, as he and Hakkai exploded in a fit of laughter. Goku couldn't help himself as he began to chuckle, until he was outright laughing with the other two.

Gojyo placed his fedora back on his head and linked arms with Goku as they danced around in little circles. Hakkai laughed at their childishness, and even Sanzo couldn't stop the smile that caught on his lips. Gojyo finally released Goku, throwing an arm around Sanzo's neck as he grinned. Sanzo didn't seem to mind entirely.

"Guys and gals, we made it. It was tryin' on us all, but we did it," he raised his hand as though he had a glass to make a toast with. "From here on out, it's smooth sailing."

"Here, here!" Goku cried, grinning from ear to ear.

"Where should we go first, o wondrous adventurer?" Hakkai asked as Gojyo took a step forwards, dipping his fedora down just a bit.

He took Hakkai into his arms and dipped her, grinning uncontrollably. "Wherever your little heart desires, doll," he said, capturing her lips in a kiss.

Goku slid in next to Sanzo, smiling up at the man. "So that's England, huh?" he asked, looking out over the land in front of them. "What do you think Sanzo?"

Sanzo shrugged his shoulders, glancing back over at Gojyo and Hakkai, who had calmed down and joined them at the side. He smirked, just slightly, as he turned to look back over at the docks. "Looks pretty dull if you ask me," he said.

Gojyo grinned mischievously. "Then we'll just have ta stir up some trouble," he decided.

Sanzo turned, leaning back against railing as he looked up towards the sky. It was a perfect blue, with a stray cloud hovering here and there. "Sounds pretty copacetic to me," he said simply, turning his head to look at the other three.

Goku simply grinned.

I had to leave them pretty much there. I knew it was time that I stopped screwing around and reincarnate my ass already. I knew that there wasn't anything left to see. The '30s were a dangerous time to be heading overseas, and I already knew what was coming. The trumpets of war were silent, for now, but I knew soon they would start howling. In Germany, an army was building, and although they wouldn't strike for another two years, I knew that something horrible was starting.

I don't know what happened to the four of them in that lifetime, and I know I never will. I don't know if they made it through the war, or if they died horribly. I don't know if they joined the army—and I hope to god they didn't. Something about Gojyo in a fighter plane makes me hope the Germans did the right thing and got the hell out of his way. Whatever happened to them, I know they could never truly die. I knew I'd see them again.

Checkmate.

Sincerely yours,

Father Gregory.

Nii Jianyi.

Ukoku Sanzo.