Hello friends!
Here the next chapter – the next one will be the last in this story, although I am not averse to writing some companion pieces and maybe even a sequel.
05.04.2005: Answers to reviewers removed. See chapter 3 for reason.
DISCLAIMER: Saiyuki belongs to Minekura Kazuya, and I owe her eternal thanks for creating those interesting (and absolutely GORGEOUS) characters.
CHAPTER 17
When Jiroushin found the Goddess of Mercy, to tell her that the crisis session of Tentei's court was already in session, he found her sitting in her regular chair, staring into nothingness, a blissful smile on her face.
"Kanzeon Bosatsu, we have to leave right now... Tentei is waiting for a report from you! Kanzeon Bosatsu...?"
No reaction whatsoever, just this dreamy smile... Jiroushin concentrated, trying to find out what she was looking at – and blushed a brilliant shade of red.
"Kanzeon Bosatsu, how can you look at this... rather private moment between those two men!"
Now, finally, her eyes focused and turned to her subordinate. The smile, however, did not leave her face.
"Jiroushin, old boy, don't you just love happy endings? Those two are just sharing theirs... and my, are they enthusiastic about it!"
His blush darkened. "I still don't see how you can watch them while they are... well, doing what they are doing. It is rather inappropriate."
That got the Goddess to laugh. "Don't be so stiff, Jiroushin – you need a ladyfriend, you know? Anyway, I gather this is not why you came. What did you want to tell me?"
Her subordinate drew in a deep breath, trying to banish the pictures he had just seen from his mind, along with his embarrassment.
"The crisis court session has begun half an hour ago. You are expected to deliver your report on whether a replacement for Genjo Sanzo has been found to Tentei – the old man is getting rather impatient right now. We should leave."
Kanzeon sighed. "I guess it can't be avoided – and I had so much fun watching..."
"Kanzeon Bosatsu!"
The Goddess smirked. "Yes, I am coming. Let us go and deliver our so-called 'report' to the old baboon. He won't like it much, though..."
She got up and followed Jiroushin to the throne room where Tentei, Lord of Heaven, was already waiting.
When the Goddess of Mercy and her subordinate entered the large hall, whispering started.
'...guts, to be that late when Tentei expects you...'
'It's not like she hasn't always been a misfit...'
'Wonder whether she has actually worked on that report Tentei asked from her...'
Kanzeon Bosatsu chose to ignore the comments. She would never drop her own agenda to please Tentei's lapdogs, and both she and the High Lord knew it – and that was all there was to it.
She took her place in the stand prepared for speakers, right before the throne, and amiably began to address the gathered crowd of Gods.
"Ladies and Gentlemen... as you all know, a specially assigned task force has been sent out these last couple of weeks to find a replacement for the former sutra-bearer Genjo Sanzo, as said mortal has turned into a youkai and was thus unacceptable to bear the holy scripture anymore.
"The search has been extensive, all of Tougenkyo has been scoured to find a suitable person to become the next Sanzo."
Everything around her was quiet now, everybody listening with rapt attention. Kanzeon had to suppress a grin – they wouldn't like to hear what would follow...
"... However, I am sad to inform you that no suitable replacement with the necessary characteristics could be found."
It was as if she had dropped a grenade in the middle of the room; there was a moment of shocked silence – and then, everybody began to talk at once. Angry voices tried to best each other by pure volume, and more than a few expletives directed towards her person could be heard.
Tentei was not a patient man. He let the ruckus continue for another minute, then his deep, sonorous voice boomed, "SILENCE!"
The room fell silent at once.
After a few moments of quiet, Tentei addressed the Goddess directly.
"I find it rather hard to believe that there is no person in all of Tougenkyo that can replace this... this misfit that held the sutra up to now, Kanzeon Bosatsu."
She met his gaze without hesitation, without flinching.
"And yet it is so, my lord. In fact, the criteria for finding a new Sanzo were quite harsh. We were searching for a man that has been taught in the holy ways, yet is not averse to fighting to save his life, and posesses some skills in the art of self-defense. A man with reliable and equally skilled comrades to accompany him, a man who actually has a chance to complete the mission we sent him on. I am afraid that only man that fits that description is the one we took the sutra away from."
A vein started to throb in Tentei's temple, and Kanzeon almost had to laugh – the errant monk and the Godking were so alike in their reactions that it was uncanny.
"And what do you propose we do now, oh Goddess of Mercy?"
The last words dripped with sarcasm.
She gave him a friendly smile, one that, she knew, would only infuriate him more.
"Why, I think we should get over our problems with him being a youkai now and return the sutra to him, of course!"
"INCONCEIVABLE!", the bearded man on the throne thundered, and the whispering among the spectators started again. Kanzeon had to shout to make herself be heard over the crowd.
"Allow me one question, my lord..."
Tentei lifted his hand and the other Gods quieted again. Rubbing his temples, he finally replied, "Ask, Kanzeon Bosatsu. I don't know what you could possibly want to know, but I am curious."
The Goddess cleared her throat, stared right at her superior, and asked with a stone-like expression, "Would it be possible for a youkai to activate the sutra's holy power if he knew how to go about it?"
"Impossible! The script would be defiled...", the man seethed.
Kanzeon turned her smile back on.
"I am sorry, my lord, but that isn't what I asked. Is it possible for the former Genjo Sanzo to do his duties while being youkai, is it possible for him to use the sutra?"
Tentei sighed.
"Yes, Kanzeon Bosatsu, it is possible."
The Goddess' eyebrows rose in mock surprise.
"Then why did we take the sutra away from him anyway? It's not like he ever was pious, or even behaved like a monk in general. Could it be that my lord is prejudiced against youkai?"
She could hear his teeth grinding against each other, but continued without paying attention to his growing irritation.
"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, my lord, but I do not see how we can put off this urgent mission even for a day, just because the one person who is likely to succeed has changed in any way. To not return the sutra to the former Sanzo, under these circumstances, is nothing but folly."
At once, cries of outrage penetrated the silence.
"How can she call Tentei a fool!"
"Outrageous!"
"QUIET!", the Godking interrupted the bickering once more. Then, he turned his gaze back to Kanzeon, who stared back defiantly. The eye contact was upheld for minutes on end, the silence was palpable, until the Ruler of Heaven finally spoke again.
"As much as I dislike the idea of a servant of Heaven who is a youkai, I have to admit that you are right. I hereby decree... that Genjo Sanzo receive his rank and assignment back, until after the mission."
Kanzeon shook her head. "I am afraid that is not enough, my lord. If we want to maintain peace in Tougenkyo after Gyuumaoh is gone, we have to open the temples to any youkai who have the desire to serve the buddhist faith, stop the discrimination between the races. Otherwise, we will never achieve true unity between the two peoples, and someone just might try something like the Gyuumaoh Revival Experiment again. Genjo Sanzo could be a shining example for the fact that Heaven accepts everybody, as long as they are willing to serve it. I demand for the rank and the sutra to be returned indefinitely, in the name of true unity in the middle kingdom."
Tentei's sigh was one of a person who knew that he had been defeated.
"I am not very fond of youkai, I'll admit to that... but you are right. I said once that no one shall be turned away if he wishes to serve, and I cannot make exceptions based on personal dislike. It shall be as you say. This meeting is adjourned."
At once, the Goddess turned around and left the hall, a smile of satisfation on her face. Finally, Tentei had admitted to his own bigotry – that could only be a good thing in the long run. But now, she would wait for an appropriate moment to break the news to the reinstated Sanzo...
Hehe, Kanzeon rules! Hope you like! Please leave a review!