?'s POV
We're running as fast as we can, but somehow it doesn't seem to be enough. Something trips us and my parents and I collapse to the ground. The shock frightens me and I take a while to recover, but as I lift myself off the ground I see my parents, crying out and screaming in fear. My eyes tear up as I watch them, helpless and frozen in fear.
"Mommy! Daddy! NO!"
Chapter 12: Spirited Away Mountain
Tori's POV
Today is . . . No, I'm not going to repeat myself every episode. It's the same old song and dance; same shit, different day; et cetera, etcetera. The only thing different about this is that there's no opening introduction this time. See? It went straight to the beginning of today's . . . beginning. [K: Tori, stop breaking the fourth wall.] Alright, alright. Anyway, back to the story, it's another usual good day with our usual group of demons to fight off and usually win. Yep, it's another boring day with no adventure or excitement.
"Jeez, day in and day out; these guys never give up," Gojyo comments, summing up my thoughts.
"Indeed," Hakkai agrees.
"There's no way these guys can get a different hobby, can they? I'm getting bored with this same routine every day," I complain.
"Apparently we have no choice, seeing how we're wanted criminals," Sanzo answers me, reloading his gun and then becoming trigger-happy once again.
"Hurray for us . . . "
Tsuki takes down another demon, then I'm able to relax a little seeing as how there are no more demons coming after me. Glancing around, I see that everyone else is killing off their last few demons. Wait, there's Sanzo, Gojyo, and Hakkai . . . Where's Goku? I look around again, then finally spot the beloved monkey farther away from us and fighting a single demon. Goku has his nyoi-bou up and defending himself as the demon pushes him back—that's when I notice the cliff Goku is slowly backing up towards.
"Shit, Goku, watch your footing!" I call out to him, but he doesn't seem to hear me. Another demon appears out of nowhere and runs over to help his friend take Goku down. I cuss to myself and chase after them. Goku manages to push the demon off of him, but that's when the other demon jumps and tackles into Goku, sending the both of them over the edge.
"Goku!"
My mind quickly processes the situation: Goku is falling over a cliff and I'm still a distance away. There are two options for this situation: dive after Goku, or find something he can grab onto. I have no time to search for anything like that and I'm tempted to do with the first option and risk killing us both, then I remember I have Tsuki in my hand. I could return it to the ribbon state, but I can't risk letting it rip or Tsuki will be damaged forever; this leaves me with only one option. I flip Tsuki around and hold the blade tightly in my palm as I call out for Goku again and semi-dive off the edge, reaching Tsuki's handle down just in time for Goku to grab it. The blade slits my skin easily with Goku's weight and I cry out in pain, but I only tighten my grip on the blade, trying not to acknowledge the amount of blood beginning to pour from my fist.
"T-Tori! Your hand!"
"Don't worry about it and just hold on, Goku!"
I wish I could say the same for myself. Thanks to the blade, the blood is making my grasp begin to slip. I tighten my grip more and bite my lip hard to ignore the pain shooting up and down my arm.
"Pathetic fool! You're going to die with him!" the demon next to me announces with a large and happy grin. He kicks me hard in my side and over the edge, but I quickly grasp the ledge with my free hand and cry out again as Tsuki cuts up my hand more. He scowls at the failed attempt to kill me and before he can try another, a bullet through his head stops him and the demon collapses right there in front of me. Breathing a sigh of relief, I listen as Gojyo, Hakkai, and my most likely worried-as-hell twin hurry over to us. I feel my grip on both hands beginning to slip more and I call out for my brother; he calls out for me and I tighten my grip on the cliff. Just a few more seconds, just a few more sec—
It breaks. Goku and I scream as we begin falling, the piece of the cliff still clenched in my hand. I look up and Sanzo appears in my vision; Gojyo and Hakkai hold him back from diving off the cliff after me, then soon their images disappear as Goku and I fall beneath the fog.
"Tori!"
I turn my head and Goku is at my side, his nyoi-bou in hand. He shoves it in my hand, replacing the rubble, and we both hold on tightly as he calls for the nyoi-bou to grow. The other end extends quickly downward, and in a couple seconds we feel it stab into the ground. Slowly the nyoi-bou shrinks and our feet hit the ground, then our bodies give out and we let ourselves fall on our butts, both of us panting from the sudden shock and rush of the fall.
"Holy shit . . . Quick thinking, Goku . . . "
"Y-Yeah . . . Ah! Tori, your hand!"
As soon as Goku reminds me, I remember the pain that I forgot during the fall and finally I release my tight grasp on Tsuki's blade. Blood continues to pour from the many wounds and I notice my hand beginning to take on a pale color.
"Well, shit, I'm gonna lose my hand . . . "
"No you're not!"
Goku hurries to my side and rips off a strip of denim from his pants. He takes my hand carefully and begins to bandage it as best as he can. The denim soaks up most of the blood, but of course the wounds don't stop bleeding immediately, though with how tightly Goku wrapped my hand, I can assume it will be in at least an hour.
"There . . . Are you okay . . . ?" he asks me worriedly. I give the worried little monkey a smile and move my hand around.
"Perfectly okay. Thank you, Doctor Goku," I tell him. He returns with a small smile and we help each other up and off the ground. I take a moment to look at our surroundings and all I find is the demon that tackled Goku in the first place, but luckily he's dead. All around us is a weird fog, but through it I can make out a forest of trees in front of us and the wall of the cliff behind us.
"Damn, I can't see a thing," Goku complains, trying to look up through the fog. I look up as well, but my vision isn't any better than his.
"Neither can I . . . Damn this fog . . . "
"Should we try to climb back up? Err, no, you can't . . . "
"Let's try walking around. Maybe we can find a path or something to lead us back up to everyone."
"Alright, let's go!"
Sanzo's POV
"Goku! Tori!"
"Tori! Hey, Goku!"
No matter how many times they call out, neither of us hear any kind of reply. We've managed to scale down, but all there is are trees, fog, more goddamn trees and more goddamn fog. I can't even think straight right now because of this extreme discomfort I'm feeling.
"Odd, I could have sworn they fell around here," Hakkai comments, his head turning side to side as he observes the area. He frowns, then looks and Gojyo and I. "What should we do now?"
"Shouldn't we split up to find them?" Gojyo asks.
"The fog is thickening, so it would be for the best if we stick together," Hakkai answers.
"So what should we do, then?" Gojyo asks.
" . . . We go back to the village . . . " I say, and both of them look at me with shock on their faces. I scowl at them. "As much as I hate to say it, we're going back to the village. We won't be able to find them when the fog is this thick."
Gojyo and Hakkai observe the fog around us and realize I'm right, though I wish I wasn't. No matter what circumstance, I shouldn't wait for anything when Tori's in danger. Unfortunately, I can't do anything right now in this fog, and it would be foolish to run around blindly. I have no choice . . .
Tori's POV
RRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrr~
The growl was loud, and pretty frightening, but not dangerous. I look over to Goku and see his hands are cradling his precious and hungry stomach. We've been walking for what feels like an hour or two, but in realize it could be less or more. Either way, we've both hungry and lost.
"I'm sooo hungry . . . Tori, do you have any food . . . ?"
"I wish I did, Goku . . . I wish I did . . . "
Goku groans softly and mumbles something about dying of starvation. I sigh myself and continue moving forward, ignoring the small ache in my own stomach. We walk for many more hours—most likely just many more minutes—and soon I notice something peculiar up ahead.
"Hey, Goku, is that light?" I ask him. The boy picks up his head, then when he sees the light ahead of us he smiles brightly.
"It's the exit! Let's go, Tori! Let's go!"
"Wait, Goku, hold on a sec!"
Goku runs ahead toward the light and I take off after him immediately, calling after him as I run. It doesn't take long for Goku to reach the light and he seems to disappear as soon as he runs through—I follow him without hesitating. Then, I almost bump into the monkey and I skid to a stop before doing so.
"Goku? Something wrong?" I ask.
"We're right back where we started . . . " Goku groans softly and falls to his butt. The second he's out of the way, I notice the demon that fell before us and that the surroundings are the exact same; even the hole from the nyoi-bou is still obvious.
"Damn it, we're totally lost . . . " he mumbles softly.
"We'll find a way out of here somehow, don't worry. I'm sure everyone else is . . . Well, I wish I could say that, but considering how thick this fog is right now . . . " I trail off as Goku and I take notice of the fog suddenly engulfing us.
"So . . . did they go back to the village then . . . ?"
"Most likely, Goku . . . Most likely . . . "
Not even 'most likely', they definitely went back to the village. I'm sure Sanzo's feeling just as unsettled as I am right now, but the smart idea is to head back and wait for the fog to clear out. However, as I take another look at our surroundings, it doesn't look like the fog is going to go away anytime soon, not to mention there's something strange about it . . . Goku doesn't seem to be sensing anything at all, so I'm wondering if there's something really there and he isn't noticing it, or this unsettling feeling from the separation of my twin is just making me think a bunch of nonsense . . . Then it happened.
"Is something the matter?"
Goku and I lift our heads; a girl around Goku's age or slightly younger is standing in front of us, a small basket in her delicate hands. The color of her eyes is a lighter purple than mine and Sanzo's, and her black hair is held up by a decorated comb, though still reaches down to her waist. As I look at her, I'm wondering if we're saved or in the beginning of trouble.
"Please, come with me."
With that simple sentence, she turns and walks away without a glance back to see if we follow. I look down at Goku and see he's looking up at me curiously. Giving a soft shrug, I decide to follow the mysterious girl and Goku hurries to follow at my side.
"Hey, who are you?" he asks her.
"My name is Shino, I live near here. Who are you?" she asks, leading us out of the forest for now and beginning to cross a short wooden bridge.
"My name's Goku, Son Goku." Goku answers happily, raising his hands and folding them behind his head. "And this is Tori-eyyyyyy!"
My head snaps in Goku's direction and I relax as I see the boy has only semi fallen off the bridge, a leg slipped over the edge while his other leg forced in a kneeling position.
"Watch your step, Goku," I tell him and help the clumsy boy up.
"Yeah . . . Ow . . . "
"Be careful," Shion tells him, but as she turns her head to us the comb in her hair slips out with the small gesture and plops into the gentle river beneath us. She gasps as if she's taken a knife to the heart and hurries to the edge of the protection-less bridge, but Goku moves quickly and holds out his arm to stop her.
"H-Hey, that's dangerous!" he tells her.
"It's very precious to me, I have to get it!"
"Hold on a second. I'll go get it for you." Shion looks at Goku, surprised at the offer, and Goku only smiles at her and says, "It's something precious to you, right?"
That said, Shion relaxes and stands next to me as Goku puts on a stripping show, removing his armor, shirt, and boots until he's left only in his pants. He smiles once more at Shion before diving into the river. Shion watches him worriedly, and I raise a hand to place on her shoulder and give a gentle, reassuring squeeze. The seconds tick by into minutes, but soon enough Goku's head breaks the surface. With a happy grin he holds up the comb that's comfortably nestled between his fingers. Shion smiles happily, and as soon as Goku gets out and gets dressed we continue on our way across the bridge and into the forest on the other side.
"That's really pretty," Goku compliments the comb.
"Thanks. My mom gave it to me," Shion simply explains and smiles at the monkey, then frowns and stops walking. "U-Um . . . "
"Hey, how much farther is it to your house?" Goku asks curiously, unaware of the sudden change in Shion's expression.
"It's just a little farther," she answers. I want to ask if there's anything wrong, but I keep quiet and only continue to observe. This entire time it feels like there's something funny going on, but I can't place my finger on anything. Well, no matter—I'll get my answer eventually, or perhaps sooner than I think. As I'm lost in my thoughts, I almost bump into Goku before I take notice that we've stopped in front of a cave-like structure that's a part of an unnaturally large tree. I'm not sure if it should be called a cave or not, but it doesn't seem as if it's going to end from where I'm standing.
"This is a cave, isn't it?" Goku asks curiously, peering inside to try to find the light on the other end.
"My house is further on the other side. Let's go."
Shion begins to walk inside and Goku follows, but I hesitate at the entrance. I don't know what it is, but there's something here. I feel like if I enter this cave, I'll never be able to get out, but that's ridiculous, isn't it? The cave is large enough to fit a bunch of Hakuryuus in his jeep form, so what would I be worried about? . . . Either way, no matter what my instincts say, I decide to follow Goku inside the darkness.
Sanzo's POV
"It's awfully quiet without the monkey here, isn't it? Boring without Tori, too . . . "
"Shut the hell up," I snap at the cockroach, keeping my eyes looking out the window. Reluctantly we've returned to the previous town and are sitting in the restaurant from yesterday. As each minute ticks by, I feel more and more irritated that this damn fog isn't letting up any time soon. One day. I'm giving it one day before I go out there, but I make a fist on the table as I acknowledge my better judgment telling me it will be pointless for three of us wandering out there like blind idiots; I have no choice but to wait and it's pissing me the hell off.
"Welcome! Oh, weren't you gentlemen here yesterday, too?" the bartender asks us and sets down our drinks.
"Yes, but we had to come back because of the horrible fog," Hakkai answers him.
"Well, that must have been difficult. Hey, weren't there two more of you?"
"Well . . . "
"Did you lose them in the fog?"
"Well, yes. Do you know anything about it?"
"They could have been spirited away."
This sentence draws my attention immediately away from the window and I focus my eyes on the bartender.
"Spirited away?" Hakkai questions.
"It's been said that people get spirited away in that fog," the bartender's wife chirps in from behind the bar, "Every year, there are a number of people who disappear. It's so unsettling."
. . .
Tori's POV
After walking through the cave, I wasn't sure if I felt relieved or disappointed that we made it out alive. I really was expecting something epic to happen, like "RAWR! SURPRISE! I'M GONNA EAT YOU!" or something like that, but nothing; absolutely nothing happened when we stepped out, travelled down the road, and entered Shion's home. Now I'm really questioning myself here: is there something going on, or do I want to believe that there's something going on? Is it the fog, or my separation from Sanzo? Either way, both are annoying as hell right now . . .
"Wow! You mean, we can eat all of this?" Goku asks happily, eying each and every delicious treat set down on the table.
"Please," Shion says with a smile. With the permission, Goku jumps the table and begins to devour everything in sight. Silently I begin to eat the food and wonder if I'm surprised or not that the food isn't poisoned. Why am I so damned desperate that there's something wrong? But once again, is it my separation from Sanzo that's bugging the hell out of me? Is it all coincidental, or too coincidental? As I've said before, annoying as hell . . .
"Come now, Shion, be sure you eat," Shion's mother tells her daughter from across the table. "You have a weak body, so you can't be picky about what you eat."
"I'm fine," Shion says softly and begins to eat.
"You don't have to force her to eat things she doesn't like, right?" Shion's father asks the mother. "I still can't eat cloud ear mushrooms. It's not really the taste, but how they look."
"Well . . . "
"You're eating great food like this every day, and you have things you don't like?" Goku asks almost as if the mere thought is blasphemy.
"Well, don't you have anything you don't like?" Shion asks the hungry monkey curiously.
"You're asking the wrong person the wrong thing, my friend," I speak up and ruffle Goku's hair against his will, "There isn't a crumb of food in the world that little Goku won't eat."
"Hey! T-Tori, cut it out!" the baby monkey complains, yet laughs. I grin at the boy and eventually stop messing up his hair to continue eating. Smiling like a goofy idiot, Goku looks at Shion's mother and asks, "Hey, Lady! Can I eat this, too?"
This simple scene catches my attention. Obviously the question is directed at Shion's mother, but the woman is continuing to talk to her husband as if Goku isn't in the room. Goku calls for her again, but the two continue talking about foods they like and don't like as if in a world of their own. Seeing this, Shion takes quick action.
"Hey, let me get it for you," she says and reaches for Goku's requested plate to set it down in front of him. "Anyway, what were you both doing alone in the mountains?"
"Well, we weren't alone exactly. We were separated from our friends," Goku answers.
"Friends?"
"Yeah, they're probably really mad, too . . . Especially Sanzo! He always gets so pissy whenever you two aren't together!" Goku complains in my direction.
"I do too, you know," I tell Goku with a chuckle. "The only difference is that he isn't afraid to show his angry emotion. I, on the other hand, keep it all in my head."
"Yeah, but Sanzo's really, really, REALLY scarier than usual if you're away from each other!"
"That's because Sanzo loves me so, so much, silly Goku."
"U-Umm . . . Excuse me . . . " Shion speaks up and Goku and I focus our attention on her. "I . . . I saw the people you got separated from earlier."
"Huh? Really? Where?" Goku asks excitedly.
"I don't think they could've gone very far yet. Let's hurry."
After dinner, or lunch, or dunch, or linner, the three of us left the small home and Goku and I followed Shion as she led us down the road. Sadly though, after just mere five or ten minutes, Goku gets bored.
"Where are we going? I don't see anything," he says.
"Don't worry. We're almost there," she responds.
"Oh . . . Hey, Shion, why do you live in a place like this when the city's just over there?" he asks.
"I have a weak body, so it's better for me to live somewhere quiet. And, this place isn't all that bad either," she answers. We continue to walk for several more minutes, then in the distance I can see the bright lights of a festival in town. Before we know it—I think I'm using this term literally—the three of us are entering the happy town with happy lights and happy music and happy people. Goku looks around in awe.
"Wow . . . This place is great!" he says with a smile and turns his eyes to the girl in front of us. "Is this where you saw our friends?"
"There," Shion answers and points ahead. Through the crowds Goku and I eventually pick out our obvious friends. With a bright smile Goku calls for Sanzo and runs to them; I hurry after him, hoping for the unsettling feeling to finally go away.
"We've been looking all over for you!" Goku tells them, happy to finally be reunited with the rest of the group.
"Where the hell were you two?" Sanzo asks and Goku immediately cowers from the harisen, but it doesn't make it's cameo appearance—my unsettling feeling doesn't vanish. "Don't worry us so much."
"It's too weird when you're not here," Gojyo comments.
"Wh-What the hell? You're creeping me out!" Goku complains.
"Goku, aren't you hungry? Here, we brought you some meat buns," Hakkai says and holds out a small brown bag of food to Goku, easily distracting the monkey's mind.
"Woo hoo! Thanks! Oh yeah, this is Shion. She brought us here," Goku says and smiles back at the girl.
"This marketplace is amazing," Hakkai says randomly. Goku and I look at him in confusion. "It has plenty of things you like, Goku."
"It's been a while since we've been to such a cheerful market," Gojyo comments.
"If there's something you want, you better get it now," Sanzo says, then he, Gojyo, and Hakkai turn and walk away. I've had enough of this weirdness.
"Sanzo, what the hell?" I ask him. He stops walking and looks back at me strangely.
"Something wrong?"
"I don't know, is there? Where's my loving Sanzo? Weren't you worried at all?"
Sanzo stands there for a few seconds, then he walks over to me and pulls me to him in a tight hug. I return the hug with my arms around his neck, but something seems different about this hug . . . You know how you can tell that someone is kissing other people if they kiss differently? I almost want to say that Sanzo's been hugging other people, but I HIGHLY doubt with every inch of my being . . . My twin pulls away from the hug slightly, keeping an arm around my waist while lifting his other hand to my chin—suddenly I notice our faces are a bit too close for comfort . . . "Of course I was worried," he says softly, then the space between our faces close. My eyes widen to the size of saucer plates with the feel of MY TWIN BROTHERS'S LIPS ON MY OWN! In seconds—no, milliseconds—I push Sanzo away and cover my mouth with my hands.
"WHAT THE HELL?" I scream in my hands, and from the corner of my wide eyes I can see Goku's expression is wide-eyed saucer eyes and jaw-dropped to the ground.
"What the hell was that for?" Sanzo asks me casually and I want to scream again.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK? HOLY FUCKING HELL, SANZO!" I scream in my hands for a while until it's out of my system, then finally I can think again and move my hands back to my sides. "Oh dear gods, I'm scarred for life . . . Oh shit, my damn twin brother kissed me . . . Holy shit . . . "
"T- . . . T-Tori . . . ?"
I look over at Goku, but the poor thing looks even more scarred for life than I am.
"Th-They're . . . Th-They're not the . . . r-real ones . . . a-are they . . . ?"
"No . . . No, they're definitely not, Goku . . . Definitely not . . . "
Suddenly the three of them disappeared, then the rest of the crowds, then the buildings and decorations until everything that was the town is completely gone, leaving only a scarred me, a scarred Goku, and Shion. So far there is only one good thing to all this: it's definitely not me and there is DEFINITELY something wrong right now.
"What . . . the hell is going on here?" I ask aloud, then Goku's eyes and mine land on Shion, who's looking away in shame.
*gunshot* Saiyuki Reload - Love for a Water Sprite
Being scarred for life doesn't seem to be enough. After everything has disappeared, the trees surrounding us from afar begin to grow and grow and grow, soon enough forming a large dome over the three of us. I watch in shock as the trees suddenly form into skin, then I realize that we walked through the bellybutton or whatever of a large forest demon, and now we're inside it's tummy, I think.
"W-What the hell is going on?" Goku exclaims. A deep, booming voice answers Goku's question, echoing off the "walls" around us. "Who are you?"
Thick roots quickly emerge from the ground behind Shion, forming into a giant head of a demonic creature. I . . . have no idea how to describe it. It's big, it's brown, it's a head . . . Shithead.
"What fools. If you didn't figure it out, you could have died in that pleasant dream," Shithead comments.
"'Pleasant dream', my ASS! You made my TWIN BROTHER damn near make-out with me! Ahh, god, the mental images! Son of a whore!"
" . . . Anyway, this is the inside of my stomach. You're going to become my food in here. Shion is my slave. Her job is to lure people just like you, who get lost in the forest, into me," Shithead explains.
"You rotten bastard!" Goku exclaims as him and I pull out our weapons. "Shion! We're gonna kick his ass for you!"
"I wonder if this girl would really be happy about that," Shithead says nonchalantly.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" I ask.
"You understand this, right?" Shithead asks, his dirty eyes looking down at Shion. "That the only way you and your family can stay together is inside here."
"Please, stop . . . Please, stop!" Shion cries out, falling to her knees and covering her ears to block out the words.
"Shion!" Goku calls out and we run to the girl. "Shion, you can't stay here! Come on!"
Goku tries to help Shion stand, but then roots stab out of the ground and wrap around Goku's body, hoisting him quickly into the air. Shion and I call out for him, but in everyone else's minds beyond the fourth wall, all they can think of is this: I've seen enough hentai to know where this is going . . . Luckily Goku shan't lose his precious virginity today. Quickly I run for the roots and begin to slash Goku free, but my own group of roots surprise me from behind and slam me down into the ground.
"Tori!" Goku calls to me and uses his nyoi-bou to free himself of his trap, then as he lands on the ground he helps me take care of destroying my roots.
"Thanks, Goku." I tell him, getting back up on my feet. Shithead laughs sadistically more roots come at us from all around. We try to fight them off, but eventually they get their wrap and wrap around us tightly, forcing Goku and I back-to-back as we're picked up high in the air.
"It's no use! No matter how hard you try, you can't escape!" Shithead laughs at us. I cuss loudly as Goku and I try to break free, but it's no use, especially in our position.
"Shion, run! Run away! Shion!" Goku calls out to the girl, who's still crouched on the ground with her hands over her ears.
"Please, stop. I can't. I can't! I . . . I can't run away from this place. I can't run away from this place!"
"That's right, Shion. You can't run away from this place. So let's just leave it at that. If you stay here, you can be happy, can't you? You can be with your beloved parents, forever and ever."
"Why? Why does she have to stay here? Why, Shion?" Goku exclaims.
"My mom and dad . . . are already dead and aren't here anymore," Shion answers softly. Goku and I pause our struggle and look at the girl in shock as she continues, "A while back, we got lost in this forest, and were captured by the Crag Monster." Shithead laughs cruelly, "Do you get it now? I already told you, this girl can't leave. Because then she wouldn't be able to live with the fake parents that I created for her."
"Dammit! Grow, nyoi-bou!" Goku aims his weapon at Shithead's head as it extends and his aim is direct, but as the roots crumble to the ground, the laughter booms around us again.
"You still don't get it, do you? This is merely an illusion I have created, so in other words; I'm not even here. I already told you, you're within my body!"
"So you're telling us you send out this poor little girl to fetch random people so you can happily enjoy them inside you . . . You are the sluttiest demon in the world," I can't help but comment. The skin around us seems to turn red and I'm not sure if it's from embarrassment, anger, humiliation, or all of the above. Either way, I'm satisfied.
"I'm going to begin the digestion process with you!" he yells at me, then suddenly I'm detached from Goku and being pulled towards a pool of bubbling stomach acids.
"Oh, shit, Goku, help!"
"Tori, hang on! Grow, nyoi-bou!"
The weapon extends out towards me and manages to hit the roots just right to where I'm released and on the ground again. I'm about to celebrate, but more roots distract me and I busy myself by fighting them off with Tsuki.
"Shion, don't worry! We're gonna beat this bitch, okay?" I call out to her, but she doesn't seem to be listening to anyone right now.
"Are you sure you can do it? I'm warning you that if you kill me, her parents will disappear. That was her final wish!" Shithead laughs cruelly and Shion run away from him and closer to us.
"I . . . I-I already knew! I already knew this was all a lie! But . . . !"
"Shion! Don't hide from the truth! I know it'll be tough for you without them, but you need to get over it and move on! I can't forgive this guy! We're going to beat him, no matter what!" Goku exclaims and uses his nyoi-bou to free himself, then he hurries to me and helps fight off the roots. Unfortunately a couple of 'em catch us by surprise and while we're off-guard the roots wrap around our ankles and slam us into the ground.
"You two are rather persistent," Shithead's voice mocks us from everywhere and nowhere. "Here, I'll let you in on a little secret. Shion here, who you both are so desperately trying to save, has been dead for quite a while." Our eyes widen as Goku and I focus our attention to Shion, who's looking away from us in shame.
"He's right. When my mom and dad died, I . . . while I was wandering in the forest, I fell off a cliff, and . . . !"
The roots shrink away from us, then Goku and I stand and face the girl. Her eyes are away from us, but somehow I can tell that she's feeling regret, feeling ashamed, sad, lonely, and all other emotions linked to this unfortunate truth.
"Shion . . . "
"Thank you. Thank you both for fighting for me sake. But it's okay now. I . . . was so happy . . . "
"If you defeat me, Shion will also disappear! Just give it up!"
Larger and thicker roots appear out of the ground, these ones much sharper and deadlier than the other inferior roots we've destroyed the entire time. Points aimed, the roots thrust quickly in our direction, but then we're saved as Shion takes our hands and jumps away. I feel like Peter Pan as the three of us fly together towards a much larger trunk that seems to be standing around like it's no one's business.
"Right there! That pillar is his weak spot!" Shion tells Goku and I.
"N-No, don't! You're going to betray me? You won't be able to see your parents anymore! You're going to disappear, too! You're okay with that?"
"I don't want this false happiness anymore!"
"Damn you!"
The other roots move quickly and wrap themselves around Shion, stealing her away from us and forcing Goku and I to stop flying. "Shion!" he calls out to her, then she exclaims, "Hurry, Goku!" Goku nods to her and make eye-contact with me. Knowing what to do, I hold onto his nyoi-bou as he calls for it to grow—quickly we head towards the giant pillar, out-flying the roots behind us. The demon cries out for us to stop, but his pleas are ignored. Nearing impact, I let go of the nyoi-bou as it reverts to regular size, then Goku and I stab our weapons deep into the pillar, which sets off an explosion and blows us back and to the ground. Goku lands on his stomach next to me and I land on my back with a grunt, barely hanging on to consciousness while Goku is immediately out. I can see the "skin" collapsing around us, and a transparent figure of Shion approaching us. Slowly my own eyes close and I slip into the darkness.
" . . . ri . . . Tor . . . up . . . Tori, wake up."
The sound of my name slowly brings me back to the real world, and a very bright world at that. I groan softly with the harsh white light, but then my vision soon focuses to the mirrored image in front of me. Sanzo is kneeling at my side—the unsettling feeling disappears and I knew for a fact that this is my Sanzo.
"Mornin' . . . " I say softly and rub my eyes. Sanzo sighs softly at my casualness and pulls me into a gentle hug; a hug that I know for a fact is the same hug as it always is; a hug that I can return without fear.
"Hey, you doin' okay?" Gojyo's voice asks, and I see him squatting on the other side of me.
"That depends . . . D'you do anything to me while I was out . . . ?"
"Anything and everything, baby. You know me," he comments with a mischievous grin, then as soon as he feels Sanzo's murderous aura he backs away and to Goku, who's currently being tending to by Hakkai.
"Goku. Goku, please wake up," he says, and as if by magic the gold eyes open as Goku becomes conscious again. Hakkai smiles in relief, "Thank goodness you're both alright."
"What . . . What am I doing here?" Goku asks slowly, trying to regain his memories.
"That's what we'd like to know. What the hell happened?" Gojyo asks as the baby monkey sits up.
"I don't know . . . "
"Do you remember, Tori?" Sanzo asks me as he moves to give me space. I think for a while, then shake my head slowly.
"No . . . Not really . . . At least not right now . . . "
"Hey, Goku, why are you holding onto that like it's so damn important?" Gojyo asks, and that's when Goku and I take notice of the decorated comb in his hand.
"A comb? It's definitely a girl's," Hakkai observes.
"A girl's? Why the hell do you have a thing like— . . . Hey, are you . . . crying?" Gojyo asks as if the fact is blasphemy. I look at Goku and easily see the tears running down his cheeks.
"I don't know . . . I don't know why, but, I can't stop crying . . . " he answers softly and tries to wipe the tears away with his sleeve, but they only pause for a brief second before continuing to fall again. "The tears just keep coming . . . I don't know why, but . . . I'm . . . I'm really, really sad!"
The tears continue to fall from those sad gold eyes. I move towards the poor baby and pull him into a gentle hug. Goku may not remember, but I do, but only briefly. I remember a girl named Shion. I remember her precious comb that Goku now holds in his hand. I remember Shion being held prisoner, but now she is set free. I also remember . . . my hand being cut. As I'm hugging Goku, I finally notice that my hand is no longer bandaged and it's completely healed—only one man could perform something like this.
"Hakkai . . . did you heal my hand?" I ask and look up at the brunette.
"Of course," Hakkai replies and gives me his usual smile. I happily return it.
"You're such a sweetheart, Hak-chan. Thank you very much."
"Ah, you're very welcome, Tori."
"Sanzo-oniisama, Sensei is flirting with Tori-chan."
"I don't care, let's go already."
"Eh? What makes him so special?"
"I said let's go already!"
"Ow! You don't have to hit me! I'm going already, I'm going!"
~ PREVIEW
Hakkai: Hakuryuu and Natsumi have disappeared. What are we going to do about this? Seeing how someone is always needlessly shooting of his banishing gun, spilling cigarette ashes on them, and always pushing them to their limit! Hakuryuu, Natsumi, could it be that you both ran away? Oh, poor things . . . Next time on Saiyuki Reload - Love for a Water Sprite, "Just a Tiny Little Story." Where could you have gone? Please come back, Hakuryuu! Natsumi!
Ura Sai
Everyone: Ura Sai.
~ GO WEST 3
"Hello! This week we have a question from pen name Kiritanpo-san from Tokyo. Why doesn't the Sanzo Party go to India by boat? So, how about it?"
For a third change of plans, the Sanzo-ikkou have decided to try boating to India. Having no motorboats, the group is split in two. In one boat are the twins, who have been "paired" with Gojyo whilst Hakkai and Goku and paired together in another boat. Sanzo-sama is currently relaxed in one end of the boat, a leg crossed over the other and arms behind his head whilst a cancer stick dangles from his lips. Tori is only sitting next to her twin, watching the fish swimming about under the clear water. Gojyo, however, is doing all the work by sitting across from the twins and rowing, counting in rhythm to himself to make sure he doesn't miss a beat.
"One, two . . . One, two . . . "
"Hey, now that I think of it, isn't India located in a mountainous region with no signs of oceans or rivers?" Tori asks suddenly, turning her head to her twin. Sanzo is in thought for a moment or two before he replies, "Yeah, you're right."
"One, tw— . . . Huh?"
The news makes Gojyo drop the oars into the water, leaving their boat to drift for a while before slowing to a stop—all of his hard work turns out to be for nothing. Just then, Hakkai and Goku paddle up alongside the boat in a cute paddleboat made in the shape of a swan; these two are clearly having more fun than the poor kappa in the other boat.
"Yahoo!"
"'Yahoo', my ass!"
Ura Sai
Sanzo and Tori: U
Hakkai: ra
Gojyo: Sai!
Goku: Hey, what about me?
~ Haircut
The road to India is a long one, with many harsh challenges to overcome. One challenge in particular is the challenge of staying groomed. As Tori and Goku search for their red and green friends, they find Gojyo sitting in a chair with a book, his hair wet and a cover over his body and tried around his neck as Hakkai stands behind him with scissors.
"Gojyo, you're getting a haircut?" Goku asks curiously.
"Yeah . . . I said I didn't need it, but . . . "
"It's very important to be well groomed. I'm just evening out the tips," Hakkai explains with a smile and begins to snip at the crimson hair. Goku turns a chair around and sits in it backwards while Tori leans back against the wall and watches the scene curiously. Hakkai continues, "Well, since we're living such an extemporaneous lifestyle, one's hair is bound to get a little damaged."
"That's true . . . Hey, Hakkai, could you do me next?" Tori asks and immediately regrets her words as soon as she sees the perverted water sprite smirk. "My hair, Gojyo, my hair! Damn pervert . . . "
"Of course," Hakkai answers with a soft chuckle, beginning to circle around Gojyo, hiding him from view.
"Could you cut my hair too, Hakkai?" Goku asks with a smile.
"Sure, please wait just one moment."
Hakkai continues snipping the crimson locks to his suitable length, then as he comes full circle and Gojyo is in view once more, Goku falls out of his chair and Tori quickly covers her mouth to hold in the laughter, for the majority of their kappa friend's hair is missing and has been turned into a bowl cut.