Blind Devotion

Chapter Thirteen

Goku awoke with a pounding headache, a sore abdomen, and no memory of what had happened to him. As he began to come back to himself, images and events returned to him, and he bolted upright so fast his vision blackened at the edges. He held his head and hissed. Damn, he must've cracked his head on something when he fell, because damn if he didn't have the world's worst migraine.

Closing his eyes, he replayed the scene of himself and Sanzo in the back alley, covered with snow. His entire body still felt chilled from having to run about with no shoes and in his bedclothes to boot. Why did Sanzo punch him? Placing a tentative hand over his stomach, he winced at the memory. They were talking—or rather, Goku was lecturing Sanzo—and then out of no where it seemed, Sanzo punched him. Correction, knocked him out. Goku's eyes began to narrow in thought. Why would Sanzo need to knock him out?

As he took in his surroundings, he was surprised to find himself seated on a bed. The bed was unfamiliar to him; it was covered in silk sheets and warm and inviting comforters. The kind someone bought if they never planned on getting out of bed. The bed was huge, easily big enough to fit four of him and then some. His eyes trailed over towards the rest of the room. A table was set up nor far away, with a glass of water, a bottle of Aspirin, and his clothes, cleaned and folded. Looking down, Goku flushed when he realized someone had changed him into a pair of cotton pajama pants and a simple white t-shirt.

The room itself looked elegant, as though time had left it behind for several centuries. There was a bookcase filled to the brim and a desk with neatly organized papers and pens. It looked as though the room was set up perfectly, just for him. Goku narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Where the hell was he?

Slowly, he rose to his feet, crossing the room and grabbing the Aspirin. If he could think straight then maybe he could figure out just what happened. Taking two pills, he turned back to his surroundings, just as the door opened. Goku tensed, watching as the man stepped into the room before closing the door behind him.

Emerald eyes glinted as a smile lit his youthful features. The man couldn't be any older then thirty, yet looked to only be a bit taller then Goku. The man crossed the room with long strides that radiated power. "Ah, you're up," he said brightly. "Good. I assume you're hungry. I'm afraid I can't let you leave the room, but I can send some things up for you."

"Where am I?" Goku said curtly, taking a step back for every one the man took forwards. "What's going on? Don't come near me!" he added with a note of desperation, stepping backwards until his back met the wall. He couldn't explain what it was about the man, but he scared Goku. Some primal instinct deep inside told him to run, but he had no where to run to.

The man smiled, stepping up in front of Goku and cutting off all means of escape. The aura of confidence the man radiated was overpowering, and Goku felt as though it was suffocating him. "My name is Xing," the man said softly, causing Goku's breath to hitch, "And you, my dear, little Goku." He allowed his sentence to hang as he dragged a languid finger down Goku's cheek. The brunet stiffened, before he managed to smack his hand away, growling defiantly. Xing smiled, as though he found the behavior cute. "You, Goku, are my new ARIYA."

"What?" Goku cried out, feeling as though the room suddenly became too hot. His throat was closing up and he needed water. He needed air, he needed out.

Xing simply leered at him, smiling as he placed his hand beside Goku's head, leaning in close. Goku's breath caught as his tongue felt heavy in his mouth. The dulled green eyes gazed sightlessly back at him, and Goku was stunned to learn that Xing was blind. He couldn't voice his realization aloud though, as Xing continued. "Yes, you're my next vessel, Goku. I've spent so many years slaving away, making you perfect, allowing you to live so I could capture and use you when the time was right…"

"You're lying!" Goku screamed, finally finding use of his vocal cords. "I've never even known about you guys until Sanzo came along! My parents were—"

"Pawns," Xing hissed, leaning close to Goku's ear. "Those human rebels paid for interfering. It was perfect," his words felt like liquid venom inside Goku's mind, and the boy shuddered. "You should have heard your mother scream and scream as I modified her fetus to suit my needs…"

The image of his poor, deceased mother screaming on a table while Xing watched sightlessly came to mind. It was so real Goku swore he was there, within the room watching the events take place. He could see his mother screaming and sobbing, pleading for the pain to stop. Her hair was pasted to her forehead with sweat, and the tears dripping from her eyes mingled with the blood on the table. In horror Goku realized Xing was putting the images into his head. It was the real events, replayed on the back of his retinas.

"…And I knew I couldn't leave my precious vessel in their care… They would have killed you, if it could stop me, we couldn't have that…" Xing continued as Goku shook at the images before him. "…So I had to make sure that they could never hurt you. Killing them would be too easy…"

And there were his parents again, clutching their heads, screaming as though they were being torn apart from the inside out. He could almost taste their agony.

"… So they did the work for me…"

And there was the scene again in the kitchen. His father brutally killing his mother, and new images of his father falling in front of a train. It was so real Goku swore he could feel the blood splatter on his face. His eyes widened and he shook. He knew he was probably crying, and after a moment he realized he was screaming. Xing backed off as he sunk to his knees, clutching his head and screaming until he was sure his lungs would explode. When he finally ran out of breath, Goku knelt on the ground, clutching his head and sobbing uncontrollably.

Xing smiled softly, kneeling in front of the boy and placing a kind hand on his head. "See, Goku? This is why I need you. You're the only one who can hold the monster. I made you Goku…. You belong to me."

With a sudden scream of fury, Goku launched himself off the ground. He tackled Xing to the ground and nailed a brutal punch to his face. He delivered another, and another before Xing caught his wrist. His fingers dug into his flesh, causing Goku to wince. "Come now, Goku, you might want to save that strength."

"Sanzo is going to come for me," Goku growled, eyes flaming with pure, unguarded hatred. "And when he does we're going to crush you and everything you stand for."

Xing let a smile catch on his lips, as he leaned up, barely an inch away from Goku's mouth. "Such blind devotion, Goku; you'd best be careful. The sun might burn your eyes black if you stare at it too long."

"What?" Goku cried. His cry echoed back at him when he realized he was suddenly alone.

---

"Sanzo! Wait, Sanzo!"

The blond rolled his eyes as he turned back to the young man trying to catch up with him. Hazel hurried down the hall, fumbling with the books in his hands. The bullet hole in his hand that Sanzo had delivered had become difficult to work with, and the pain must've been immense. Hazel was lucky his hand didn't fall apart from the injury, but Sanzo had to remind himself that Drifters were much more resilient then humans. Like cockroaches, he thought with a snarl. Hazel finally stopped next to him, sighing as the pair continued down the long hallway.

The robes he'd shed forty years ago seemed heavy on his shoulders, Sanzo noted as he shifted uncomfortably. Or perhaps it was the guilt of what he had to do to get them that was weighting him down. The sight of innocent golden eyes peering up at him with pure trust, love and devotion were burned into his mind. Then the confusion as Sanzo delivered a sound punch to the boy's abdomen, knocking him out cold. The image of Goku, crumpled down in the snow in front of him would haunt him forever.

He subconsciously rubbed his arm where one of Hazel's dogs had gotten him, picking up his pace. Hazel frowned and muttered something irritably beneath his breath.

It was true that his arm had been torn open, but it wasn't physical flesh that the dogs attacked. Hazel's dogs, as well as the entire Drifter population, knew that even if the body died, the mind could still live on. That was why most attacks were always directed towards the mind instead of the body. But for a moment, Sanzo had forgotten that, and swore he could see the white bone peeking from his around the muscle and blood. It almost made him sick. It took him a moment to remind himself that it was all in his mind… just in time to see Goku fly into a blind rage.

He couldn't explain how Goku had seen his arm like Sanzo had, but knew something had to be done about the way Goku was ruthlessly beating Homura. As much as he would've loved to watch the beating continue, he couldn't leave Goku like that. For a moment, Sanzo had honestly been afraid of Goku's pure rage and bloodlust. Then, he remembered who he was and sprung to stop him.

His thoughts led him to wonder what Homura had been doing there in the first place. He could understand Homura's position; one false move and he would be executed. Homura had always been loyal to Xing, believing that his way was the right way, but in the last hundred years Homura always seemed to be second guessing himself. Sanzo had seen the changes in him, watched the way his indecision had begun to take hold of him. He wanted to follow Xing until the end, even if he knew what he was doing was wrong. Homura and Sanzo had never been friends, and in the past had never had any qualms about bringing him in.

But lately his behavior had been strange. Maybe it had something to do with Goku? He almost laughed aloud at the prospect.

"I must say Sanzo, you look dashing in those robes again," Hazel remarked, tearing Sanzo from his thoughts. The blue-eyed man seemed to be having trouble with the books, and Sanzo could tell just by looking at him that the wound had reopened again. Hell, just by looking at him, Sanzo knew that Hazel's pathetic little attempt at small talk was just a way of sucking up. He also knew Hazel was in love with him, and had been for the last two centuries. "It's good to have you back," the young man continued.

"Shut the hell up," Sanzo snapped irritably, turning towards the room he was supposed to be in. Damnit, this place was too big, he was already late.

Sanzo turned towards the door as Hazel hurried up next to him. "I always knew you'd come back to us," Hazel said, words sweetly coated by his southern accent. There was devilish intent behind those eyes, and Sanzo narrowed his own.

"Don't come to my chambers tonight," Sanzo said curtly. He watched the shock flicker across Hazel's face, followed by the realization of what had happened. "I'm not going to sleep with you."

With that, Sanzo opened the door, closing it audibly behind him as he quickly headed across the office floor. The glass floors clanked loudly beneath his boots as Sanzo stopped in front of a large mahogany desk, where Xing was seated calmly. Homura stood next to him, long jacket replaced with robes as the reason for leaving the building had been settled. He was happy to see several cuts and bruises on his face from where he fought Kougaiji. Sanzo prayed there were more. His mismatched eyes sought out Sanzo as he entered. Though masked, Sanzo could easily see through his disguise to the worry, shock, fear and anger. Worry for Goku, shock for Sanzo, fear for himself, and anger at Xing for the events that had unfolded before them. As Sanzo turned his eyes back forwards, he found Xing completely blank. He could not read past the expressions on his face. It always unnerved Sanzo that he couldn't see Xing, like he could everyone else.

It's his eyes, Sanzo told himself as he quietly regarded the man in front of him. They devour my eyesight. Nobody can attack him. It's what makes him so… Indestructible.

"Bonjour, Monsieur. Sanzo, capitaine du Premier Battalion, au rapport." Sanzo bowed, and when he came up, he spotted Homura's disgusted glare. It was easy to see that Homura was appalled at the thought that after forty years of betrayal Sanzo could come back and secure his place as Second in command, right under Xing. Sanzo shot him a cocky smirk and Homura scowled. Then again Xing had always favored Sanzo, not matter what he did. That was obvious, even without his eyesight.

"Well, Sanzo," Xing said happily in plain English. "It's good to hear you saying that again. It's been too long."

"Indeed it has, sir," Sanzo replied.

Xing circled the desk, heading towards them. Despite his sightlessness, Xing could maneuver or fight expertly. One would never guess just by looking at him that the man was blind. "Well, Homura, you'll be happy to learn that Sanzo has found our next ARIYA, and brought him into our care. This makes it easier on all of us. Call back your troops, and have them prepare for the ceremony."

"Yes sir," Homura replied, attempting to keep his eyes from straying to Sanzo beside him. Something was very, very wrong.

Xing began to pace, as though the meeting held no real interest for him, though his tone suggested that he was happy that everything was finally falling into place. "This is excellent news, gentlemen. We only have until the next full moon before our race dies."

"What?" Homura exclaimed. Next to him, Sanzo flinched.

Xing turned back to them, green eyes suddenly hardened into a look of pure seriousness. "Yes," he said, crossing to the other side of the room. Someone might say that Xing's pacing was out of anxiety, though Sanzo knew him better then that. "That means we have less then a week. But we do not need to fear. On the night of the full moon, we shall release Seiten Taisei, and our race will be saved long before the sun rises."

Sanzo and Homura stayed silent a moment, dwelling over the name of the beast that was well known but seldom said. Sanzo furrowed his brow as he continued to watch the man who he'd come to hate. Xing turned to both of them, his face lighting up into a smile as he headed towards Sanzo. "But we have everything, so no need to fear. Except," Xing drawled as he held his hand out, long fingers uncurling to reveal a devilish palm. His eyes glinted as Sanzo glared in return. "I need that scripture, Sanzo."

Sanzo took a moment to clutch the sutra still in the folds of his robes. He'd never thought this day would come. He hesitated, gnawing on the inside of his lip. The second he handed over the scroll would be the official end of everything. So many people had died to keep this from happening, and now their sacrifices had been in vain. Homura seemed to sense his hesitation, and was intrigued by Sanzo's rare show of vulnerability. Sanzo mentally snarled at him as he turned his attention back to Xing. The man's hand was still out, expectantly, waiting. He was enjoying Sanzo's inward struggle; the blond just knew it.

But this was the final test, Sanzo told himself. It was Xing's way of finding out if he was truly loyal.

Slowly, Sanzo held out the sutra, and released it into Xing's hand before he could change his mind.

Xing smiled devilishly, backing away from the pair. Sanzo watched with a critical eye as Xing placed the scroll in his desk, and closed the drawer, not even bothering to lock it, as though he knew Sanzo wouldn't dare to try and steal it back. "Dismissed, gentlemen," Xing said with a wave of his hand, before turning to more important documents on his desk.

Homura and Sanzo both bowed evenly, before turning and heading towards the door. They both calmly headed out into the hall, and as soon as the door was closed, Sanzo found himself roughly shoved up against the wall, with mismatched eyes seething up at him. Sanzo spied Homura's leather gloves tightened around the collar of his robes, and idly wondered if Homura would attempt to use the Shock Touch against him again.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Homura growled in a tone that said he wouldn't hesitate to rip Sanzo apart if he answered incorrectly.

Sanzo merely smirked cockily. "Whatever do you mean?" he asked, enjoying the annoyance it added to Homura's expression.

"You know damn well what I mean!" Homura half-yelled, his grip on Sanzo's robe tightening. "You tricked Goku! You led that poor boy on so you can drag him back here! He should have been hidden! You should have protected him! You abandoned forty years of rebellion and dragged Goku down with you!"

Sanzo gripped Homura's wrists; a snarl making its way onto his features. "Don't talk like you know anything," the blond warned.

"And don't talk like you know anything!" Homura snapped back. "That boy trusted you Sanzo, and you betrayed him. What the hell are you going to do when he learns what you did, if he hasn't already?"

Sanzo's eyes darkened and his grip on Homura's wrists had become painful. "He'll just have to learn that the only person he can trust is himself."

"You've changed, Sanzo. I don't know what it is, but you've changed." Homura dropped the blond, shoving him back into the wall for good measure. "You don't deserve him."

Without another word, Homura turned and stalked down the hallway. Sanzo stayed still a moment longer, leaning back against the wall as he watched the dark-haired Drifter's retreating back. Sanzo clenched his fist, before running one hand over his tired eyes. "I know…"

A/N: Yay! The long awaited chapter is finally up. I'm sorry this took so long, but real life kicked me and my beta in the shins for a while there. But here it is, and I hope you all enjoyed!

So, I have an announcement, for anyone who loves/likes/kinda stands/tolerates Blind Devotion. I finished writing the story and me and my beta read it over and she looked at me and said one thing, "You need to write a sequel." So, I racked my brain with what I could do with it, trying to figure out how to seal up all the little holes that I left. Now, this summer my mother, my brother and I went to Europe. I had the opportunity to go to France. Now we all know a little mister Sanzo is from France, (At least in this story) don't we? Now, as I was sitting on bus tours, we went to the Effie Tower. As I looked at this thing, a plot bunny came at me with a two-by-four and I nearly fell off the bus.

So Blind Devotion will have a sequel! However, don't think of it as a sequel, because the way it's turning out, it's really not. Think of it as the second half of the story, and Windy would put it all together if she didn't love the way she ended Blind Devotion.

So yes, BD's sequel will be called Blind Obsession. Did I perk any interests? I hope so. Anyway, you don't have to worry about that for a few more chapters yet, but I thought I'd give everyone a heads up.

My little Blind Devotion is growing so big! (sobs) Anyway, translations…

Translations: (as they appear)

"Good afternoon, sir. Sanzo, captain of the First Battalion, reporting in."

C&C appreciated.