Ok this is just a one-piece fic, no chapters to wait for or anything. (What came over me??)
I took some liberties with the memories, 'cause I don't know what actually happened!!
Please review!
Disclaimer: Damn, Im tired enough that i should own Saiyuki, but the fact is I don't. Supprised? Me too.
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Fractured Memories
By: Von of Chaos
usabunny@start.com.au
----------------------------
Goku grinned, as he pushed back a particularily large branch. Letting it swing back behind him, his grin widened as he heared Gojyo curse.
"Hey! Bakasaru! Watch what your fucking doing!"
"Sorry!" Goku called back insincerely, eyes already looking for another likely branch.
The forest they were traveling through was thick with them, growing close together and ladened with moisture. They had had to walk instead of using Jeep, a fact that was made all the more irritable by the hundreds of tiny blood-sucking inscets that inhabited the area.
Sanzo was stalking along in the lead, eyes narrowed, dissatisfaction emenating from him. Hakkai walked just after, consulting a worn and tired map of the surrounding area. It was old, the man they had bought it from claimed it was the only one in existance. It was also extremely difficult to read, as the ratio seemed to change depending on the artist's mood at the time. He sighed in frustration. It was all they had to go on. They'd just have to go on ahead and hoped it worked out.
He smiled slightly, as he heared Goku and Gojyo behind him. It was apparent to Hakkai at least, that Goku was doing it on purpose, however Gojyo seemed to have yet to catch on.
"SHIT!! Do that again and Ill fucking kill you!"
"Sorry!"
Ahead of them, Sanzo looked up, then came to a Halt. His three companions came to stand beside him, seeing the same thing that caused him to stop.
"A Cave." Goku paled slightly, as he uttered the words. Memory tore at him, and he shifted his gaze in an effort to banish them.
Hakkai consulted the poor excuse for a map.
"If this thing is correct, the cave runs underground untill It emerges on the other side of the forest." He looked at Sanzo. "It might be faster traveling. That is, if there are no cave-ins."
"Do we have to?" Goku stood slightly back and apart from the rest of them, golden eyes darting nervously to the omnious entrance of the cave.
"What, are you afraid Bakasaru? The big bad cave's gonna swallow you up?" Goku didn't reply, turning a beseeching gaze to the blond.
Sanzo's eyes narrowed calculatingly.
"We go through. We don't have the time to force our way through a forest with no landmarks." The last sentance he directed at Goku. He expected the boy to complain, to plead, but he remained silent. Goku would follow Sanzo anywhere, even into his worst nightmare.
"Lets go then."
------------------------------------
Half an hour later, and they were well into the cave. Goku walked as close as possible to his friends, as if to reassure himself that they would not dissapear. It was getting on Gojyo's nerves. As Goku bumped into him for the 50th fucking time, he rounded on the boy.
"Oi! Stop walking so fucking close Bakasaru!" Goku swallowed, glancing around the dark cave, lit only by Hakkai's lantern. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again, gaze dropping to the stone floor beneath his feet. Gojyo rolled his eyes and turned to follow the priest.
Goku trembled slightly, the walls seeming to move closer, the ever-darkening blackness to wrap around him, keeping him there forever.
He raced after the light Hakkai held, heedless of the slippery ground.
After what seemed an age of walking, Hakkai suggested a stop for lunch. They were in a large cavern, their path following the huge limestone boulders piled haphazerdly accross one another. Far down below was a bluegreen pool of slow-moving water. High above them, tiny scratchy noises alerted them to a family of bats on the roof.
Gojyo leant against a protuding rock and fished around the bag they had brought for some food. He kept a wary eye on the monkey, watching for the boy to grab his lunch. Goku didn't even seem to be paying attention. He had stopped when they stopped, sat when they sat, and now stared hauntedly into the dark.
He frowned. Now that he thought about it, their walk had been oddly silent, none of the hyper kid's usual prattle.
"Hey look at this." Hakkai called, scratching at some mudslime on the wall below a dark opening into the rock. Engraved in the stone, who knew how long ago, were some old characters.
"Saru Suberi" Gojyo laughed. "Hey Bakasaru, this was made for you!"
"Eh? Nani?" Goku seemed to come out of whatever dark trance he was in, focusing on the markings. "Slide for Monkey? So what?"
"Go take a look." Goku peered hesitantly into the dark opening. It's entire inside was coated with the sludge that the cave collected. It would be difficult going, even for one such as he. A human would have no chance. Perhaps that was why it was marked such. But who could have marked it? Unexpectedly, Gojyo gave the boy a push, sending him into the opening abruptly. Goku panicked, hands and feet scrabbling for a hold.
'No. Not the darkness. Not again.'
Small rocks were dislodged by his weight, falling soundlessly into the depths. Goku tilted his head slightly. He could have sworn he heared them hit something, something that wasn't rock or water.
No matter, first priority was to get out of there, into the relitive saftey of his compainions, back to the priest who had rescued him, who wouldn't let him be trapped again.
Emerging muddy and exaughsted from adreniline rush, Goku scrambled to his feet, glaring at Gojyo. "Don't ever do that again Ero-kappa!"
Gojyo's indolent reply was lost on him, as another sound echoed faintly to his ears. Scrabbling? Movement?
Breathing?
On the heels of that thought came the yokkai, bursting from the opening, twisted with insainity and filth. Trapped in the cave when the evil wave came, all he knew now was that there was food, fresh living food. Better than bats, yes, better than snakes too!
He tackled Goku, his momentum carrying the both of them to the edge of the rocks and over.
"GOKU!" Hakkai and Gojyo yelled simultaniously.
Sanzo was already on his feet, rushing to the edge, gun cocked and ready to fire.
The Yokkai tore flesh from three bites on the way down, before Sanzo's gun found it's mark and the repulsive being ceased to exist.
But it's death could not stop Goku's plummet into the Icy river.
His body hit the shallow water with a splash. The bone-scraping cold barely had time to penetrate Goku's mind before an underwater rock slammed brutally into the back of his head.
Conciousness fled, the stirred murky water now stained a dark red.
'The darkness is back'
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Ten-yr-old Son Goku hopped along down the hallway, aiming for every second square on the tiled floor. His play was cut short, as a large, smelly gaurd steped abruptly in front of him. Goku sat back onto the ground in supprise, blinking up at the sudden intrusion.
"Hey you. Follow me."
"Huh? Nande?"
The big man shot out a hand and gripped the chain bound around Goku's neck. He pulled it up, uncaring of any discomfort or pain he inflicted on the boy. Goku was dragged to his feet, to have an ugly, stubble-ridden, flab-wobbling face loom into his.
"Do what I say *yokkai*, or it'll be the worst for you."
"I'm not a Yo-"
"SHUT UP!" The man backhanded the boy, keeping a grip on the short chain. Blood dripped down the child's chin, frightened eyes rising to stare at the man.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Goku sighed in relief. Konzen. Konzen would send this man packing.
"Orders sir, I am to dispose of the Yokkai, sir."
Goku could almost feel the Ice dripping from Konzen's next words.
"Who gave such an order?"
The Gaurd paled. "Er..My commanding Officer sir."
"Well then, I override it. The 'yokkai' is my property. You will leave him be. Understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Good."
Without another word, the blond turned and walked into an ajoining room, closing the door firmly behind him.
Goku grinned up at his captor then blew a wet rasberry.
And gasped as the heavenly gaurd planted a fist into his stomach.
Goku sank to his knees, both arms wrapped around his belly. His face was jerked up, and the gaurd smirked at him, before releasing the chain and kicking the child savagely.
He walked off, leaving the boy lying on his side, gasping for air.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Gojyo rammed the blade of his shaku jou in a small crack between stones. Loosing the chain, he abseiled down the edge, towads Goku. Hakkai kept a grip on the chain, in case it gave way.
Gojyo reached the water and stepped gingerly into it's icy flow.
He reached the boy and his worry intensified. Goku's face was tinged with blue from the cold, his breathing pained and short, the cold constricting his lungs.
He hauled the limp body up and over his shoulder, striding back to the chain.
Getting up proved to be more difficult than going down. His added weight was testing the chains strength. He only had one arm to try and pull himself up with, and Hakkai and Sanzo weren't exactly Sumou wrestlers themselves.
After a painfull, jolting, heart-pounding time, he reached the rocks again. He passed Goku to Hakkai, then hauled himself up and over the edge. He lay on his back a moment, panting.
"Is Goku alright?" He gasped out. Hakkai didn't answer right away. His face a mask of concentration, he held Goku's limp body in one hand, and used the other to heal the damage to the boys' skull. After a bit, he sighed and relaxed slightly. His eyes were shadowed, tiredness leaking from him.
"I've healed the worst of it. I don't have enough energy to fix up those bites though, so I'll clean and bandage them." Hakkai worked as he spoke, ripping strips from Goku's short cloak. and dousing them in the alcohol Gojyo had brought. Hakuryu flitted nervously over their heads, crooning softly.
Goku moaned and shivered violently. "That's another thing. He's literally freezing to death. If we had any spare clothes I'd change him into those, but we dont. Its too cold in here to strip him and lay them out to dry, and there's nothing to build a fire with." Hakkai tied the bandage onto the nasty-looking bite on Goku's arm. "So we're just going to have to press on and hope we get to the end of the cave soon. If the map is right, we should only have another couple of hours left."
Gojyo walked over, to kneel by Goku's side. Red eyes full of concern. "Why doesn't he wake up?" "The shock probably. And the cold. He should wake up a bit once we start moving."
He finished bandaging the last bite wound, and leaned over the boy. "Goku? Goku, can you hear me? We're going to have to keep moving. Can you stand?" Glassy golden eyes slitted open, empty of understanding or recognition. They closed again, the body shuddering it's way though a deeper breath.
Gojyo put an arm around Goku's shoulders, resting the boy's weight against him as he stood. Goku's legs moved sluggishly, attempting to stand. He could walk, but if Gojyo left him to his own devices he would collapse.
Sanzo stood as well, turning without a word and walking off. Hakkai followed, lantern pushing back the shadows.
Gojyo followed, cold body dragging next to him.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Kenren knocked on the door again.
"Oi! Get up allready!" He called loudly. He was sure he had the right room.
Shrugging, he pushed the door open.
The room was cold and dank. There were no windows and no lamps. Kenren wrinkled his nose in distaste. Closets were bigger than this.
"Ken-niichan? 'sat you?" Kenren looked down at the sole occupant of the room. Goku lay on his back, on a thin blanket and straw mat, blinking sleepily up at him. He realised his form was blocking the hall light, preventing the kid from seeing his face.
But Goku knew his scent.
"It is! Hey Ken-niichan!!" Goku leapt to his feet in enthusiastic welcome. The happy grin on his face quickly gave way to a pain-filled gimance.
Kenren was allready outside the door. "Hurry up, his supreme pain-in-the-arse-ness has summoned us. C'mon c'mon."
Goku walked carefully out, left arm wrapped around his chest. Kenren's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed the boy by the shoulder, pulling him back towards him.
"Hey kid..what happened here?" He said, touching Goku's split lip gently. Goku shrugged.
"Just some stupid guy. It doesn't hurt much."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Kenren shrugged, then straightened. "Well, lets go."
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Gojyo shifted Goku's dead weight. They had been walking for about fourty minutes, and Goku had grown steadily colder and less responsive, despite Gojyo's near body-warmth. Hakkai had attempted to keep Goku talking, but nothing seemed to prevent unconciousness snatching their youngest fighter from them.
He was mumbling incoherently, so quietly he doubted any but he heared.
The only thing he managed to get clearly were three names. Konzen, Kenren and Tenpou. Goku seemed to be holding conversation with these phantom people, something understandable considering the boy's fevered state. But it sent shivers down Gojyo's spine never the less. The names seemed familiar, and yet at the same time he knew he had never heared them before.
Konzen.
Kenren.
Tenpou.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Tenpou!"
Tenpou turned at the voice and smiled, genuinely happy to see the boy.
"Goku. How are you?" "Great!"
The hyper boy attatched himself to the General's side, chatting happily. Tenpou's attention was distracted by the arrival of his friend and lutienant Kenren. The man' face was grim, his gaze flicking to the kid.
"Goku, where's Konzen?" Goku sighed. "He didn't wanna come, he said the festival was stupid and boring and that if I didn't get out of his office he'd have me removed." The bright look appeared on his face again, as though by magic. "Want me to go get him?" Kenren laughed, imagining the small boy dragging the aristocrat kicking and screaming to the celebration. Goku seemed to take this as a yes, as he instantly slipped away into the crowd.
Tenpou turned to Kenren the instant Goku was out of hearing.
"What is it?" Kenren frowned, memory flaring.
"Someone's taken to beating the kid."
"What? Who? Konzen?" Tenpou's eyes narrowed, face transformed. Gone was the kind peacefullness, returned was the fierce anger that made him General.
Kenren shook his head in a quick negitive. "I don't think so. Not his style." Tenpou turned his gaze to the fireworks overhead.
Whoever had hurt a child, especially Goku, wouldn't live to regret it.
He'd be sure of that.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Hakkai, how much longer?"
Hakkai glanced down at the unreliable map and then ahead.
"I think we took a wrong turning. It looks like this is the tunnel that circles back. We'll have to re-trace our steps and try again." Frustration was evident in his voice, and Sanzo, mercifully silent, merely settled for glaring at him.
He was worried too. Gojyo realised it with a ripple of shock. That cool, not always calm, and collected Sanzo could feel anything other than anger was the first shock, and that he could care, about Goku no less, was another.
He glanced down at the head of brown hair. It was hanging forward, the body long ago had given up any pretence of walking. He wasn't even trembling anymore, he simply hadn't the strength.
Gojyo gritted his teeth and moved on.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Konzen, come on, you're missing all the fun!" Goku yelled, barging into the room with a fine disregard for the locked door. He stopped short at the sight that greeted him. Konzen was surounded by soldiers, all with their weapons drawn.
"Konzen? What's going on?"
Konzen ignored him, attention focused on the soldier in front of him. "I'm not going anywhere." The soldier scowled. "Yes, sir, you are. I am under orders to bring you willing or not. Now you will either be escorted or I will have my men assist you." Konzen glared, distaste and disdain for the man evident. "Under whose orders." "I am not permitted to say. Now, this way, sir."
Goku slippped past the gaurds and stood infront of Konzen defiantly, ams crossed over his chest. "If Konzen says he doesn't wanna go, then he ISN'T." He yelled angrily. The gaurd glared at him. "It's the yokkai. I have orders to dispose of him." He turned slightly to his men. "Kill him, but bring the other alive."
And the blood began to spill.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"There, this must be right!" Hakkai called encouragingly. The air of the cave had grown steadily warmer, although the exit had yet to be found. Hope renewed, Gojyo switched Goku to his other side, instead of getting too cold, like Gojyo had feared, the boy now seemed to be getting too hot. A fever was starting, they boy's dreams becomming more and more disturbing.
He was thrashing weakly in his grip, not enough to make holding him difficult, but it was still annoying. Bleary eyes opened and shut of their own will, he didn't seem to even be awake when they opened. His clothes were still heavy with water, his shoes still squealching with every forced step. But the heat his body was giving off rapidly added it's own layer of sweat. It glistened on his face, ran trickles down the back of his neck, to his blood-crusted clothes.
Sanzo set a rapid pace, sandles crunching the loose stones underfoot. The look on his face seemed to indicate the cave had better end pretty damn soon, or else.
When they got out of this hell hole, when Goku was back to perfect health, when the monks unstable temper had calmed down..
He'd enjoy ribbing them about it.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
The soldiers surged forwards, 16 strong against one lone boy.
Three were dead before they saw him move.
Anger pumped through Son Goku's veins, anger that they'd try to kill him and anger that they'd take Konzen away from him. A man reached for him, pike sweeping up. A fist pushed his nose through his face, leaving blood gushing where it had been. His pike snatched from dying hands, then swept accross in a feint that drove back the rest. Goku hurled the pike at another man, not bothering to look. Choked screams attested to his impeccable aim. One man blanched, stepped back. But the others came on. Goku danced backwards out of their swords reach, then darted in to spill one's guts to the floor. Grabbing a dagger, he killed four more before something hard and heavy knocked him to the floor.
Gasping to regain his breath, he turned slightly. A large familiar man held a spiked club in a two-handed grip. Goku felt a warm wetness trickle down his back. The man grinned at him, yellowed teeth showing.
Goku scrambled backwads, the man advancing on him.
"Take the wounded and go. I'll take care of this." He barked to the remaining soldiers, their captain having been one of the first to die.
The men dragged off the bodies, only one still alive, barely. The blood left on the floor stank, and Goku knew if he didn't do something, his would join it.
The gaurd reached hand and yanked the boy to his feet, club following the second the boy got his balance. Pain exploded in Goku's chest, he collapsed to his hands and knees, coughing bright crimson.
The gaurd kicked him in distaste, smirking as the boy cried out and collapsed.
His gaze turned to Konzen.
"You're next."
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"There! I can see the opening!" Hakkai huried ahead, followed closely by Sanzo. Gojyo moved after them, no less relieved, but weighed down by the now energetically struggling form. He had sent his shaku jou away, so to have both hands free to restrain the boy. One hand holding his arms back, the other wrapped around his chest. It was an uncomfotrable position, but the most effective.
Goku hissed and swore, something he'd never heared comming from his lips before. It shocked him more than he'd thought. It was like seeing a two-yr-old princess bitching with the tounge of Genjo Sanzo in a bad mood.
"Not much longer Goku, almost there." He murmered, partly to the staggering form, partly to himself.
Almost there.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Konzen backed away from the man. He hated feeling weak, but he knew he couldn't defend himself against such a man. What he had done to Goku had momentarily frozen him, before stirring such a rage as he didn't know he was capable of possesing.
He saw the boy try to stand, watched him collapse before he made it to his knees. Saw the pain and dispair in those open golden eyes.
For him. In that moment of realisation, that the child truely cared about him, he saw his own heart as clearly.
A smile for the child, his first ever real smile.
Then the weapon came crashing down, crushing his skull and spraying blood everywhere.
Those golden eyes widened impossibly, a soul screaming in rage and dispair, torn and shattered.
No sound came from his mouth.
The imperial gaurd raced into the room, seeing the boy, the blood, the body.
"The Yokkai attacked us, and an entire body of gaurds! He's insane! He even turned on his keeper, I tried to stop him, I knew I couldnt kill him, I-"
The words filtered dimly through the boys mind.
Konzen.
Konzen no.
Please.
No.
Rough hands grasped him, hauled him to his feet, pressed a sword against his throat. He didn't care. Konzen. They had to help Konzen.
"..Have witnesses?" "Of course, the survivours of the gaurd will all testify he killed them, even.."
Konzen.
The blood. It was everywhere. Konzen's blood. He was gone. Dead.
Empty eyes shifted to find the attacker. The soldier read the hate and promise of death with no more than an involountary shudder.
"Better lock him up right down below, when news of this gets out, he's as good as dead."
"We dont kill people for punishment."
"He killed all those people, and you're just going to let him off?!"
"No, he'll be locked away. Forever. There is no forgiveness for this crime."
".....Good."
Rough hands carried him away, lifted him up as his legs failed beneath him. He didnt care. Konzen. He took him away. He killed him. He would die.
Some day.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Come on Goku, wake up."
"Bakasaru, you've been lying around for days."
"....."
Goku's ears woke before the rest of him did. He heared the words, but could attribute no meaning to them. Where was he?
Konzen?
As suddenly as a summer breeze, the vivid memory was lifted and borne away, locked back into the dark recesses of his memory. Reality re-inserted itself, images of blood and bone scattering.
Goku breathed in air scented with flowers, not a dead body's excretion and opened eyes that had beheld no horror worse than over-cooked food.
Hakkai, Gojyo and Sanzo were leaning over him. He blinked up at them and their worried expressions, wondering what the nagging feeling was, something he had to say, to warn, to remember.
"I'm soooooooooooo hungry!" He wailed, all thoughts scattering as his stomach asserted itself. Hakkai laughed, relief in Gojyo's eyes.
Sanzo looked at him, expression unchanging. Then, for a moment, he smiled.
For an instant, time fractured. Konzen smiled down at him, Tenpou kneeling next to Kenren, then..
It was gone without trace, and Son Goku beamed back at his reason for living.
"So can I have steak??"
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Oh my God. I just sat down at 8am to write this from scratch, then looked up a 1:30pm when Id finished it.
I hope you like it, cause I put sooo much time and effort into it!
Ack! My fingers are seizing up! Everything's spinning!
BTW, the sign 'Saru Suberi' was inspired by an actual sign in one of the caves I went into yesterday. There was a large dark hole in the wall, very slippery, that had been named 'Slide for Monkey', or in Romanji 'Saru Suberi'.
Please review, and make me feel like it was worth writing this?
Thanks everyone!
-Von.
I took some liberties with the memories, 'cause I don't know what actually happened!!
Please review!
Disclaimer: Damn, Im tired enough that i should own Saiyuki, but the fact is I don't. Supprised? Me too.
----------------------------
Fractured Memories
By: Von of Chaos
usabunny@start.com.au
----------------------------
Goku grinned, as he pushed back a particularily large branch. Letting it swing back behind him, his grin widened as he heared Gojyo curse.
"Hey! Bakasaru! Watch what your fucking doing!"
"Sorry!" Goku called back insincerely, eyes already looking for another likely branch.
The forest they were traveling through was thick with them, growing close together and ladened with moisture. They had had to walk instead of using Jeep, a fact that was made all the more irritable by the hundreds of tiny blood-sucking inscets that inhabited the area.
Sanzo was stalking along in the lead, eyes narrowed, dissatisfaction emenating from him. Hakkai walked just after, consulting a worn and tired map of the surrounding area. It was old, the man they had bought it from claimed it was the only one in existance. It was also extremely difficult to read, as the ratio seemed to change depending on the artist's mood at the time. He sighed in frustration. It was all they had to go on. They'd just have to go on ahead and hoped it worked out.
He smiled slightly, as he heared Goku and Gojyo behind him. It was apparent to Hakkai at least, that Goku was doing it on purpose, however Gojyo seemed to have yet to catch on.
"SHIT!! Do that again and Ill fucking kill you!"
"Sorry!"
Ahead of them, Sanzo looked up, then came to a Halt. His three companions came to stand beside him, seeing the same thing that caused him to stop.
"A Cave." Goku paled slightly, as he uttered the words. Memory tore at him, and he shifted his gaze in an effort to banish them.
Hakkai consulted the poor excuse for a map.
"If this thing is correct, the cave runs underground untill It emerges on the other side of the forest." He looked at Sanzo. "It might be faster traveling. That is, if there are no cave-ins."
"Do we have to?" Goku stood slightly back and apart from the rest of them, golden eyes darting nervously to the omnious entrance of the cave.
"What, are you afraid Bakasaru? The big bad cave's gonna swallow you up?" Goku didn't reply, turning a beseeching gaze to the blond.
Sanzo's eyes narrowed calculatingly.
"We go through. We don't have the time to force our way through a forest with no landmarks." The last sentance he directed at Goku. He expected the boy to complain, to plead, but he remained silent. Goku would follow Sanzo anywhere, even into his worst nightmare.
"Lets go then."
------------------------------------
Half an hour later, and they were well into the cave. Goku walked as close as possible to his friends, as if to reassure himself that they would not dissapear. It was getting on Gojyo's nerves. As Goku bumped into him for the 50th fucking time, he rounded on the boy.
"Oi! Stop walking so fucking close Bakasaru!" Goku swallowed, glancing around the dark cave, lit only by Hakkai's lantern. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again, gaze dropping to the stone floor beneath his feet. Gojyo rolled his eyes and turned to follow the priest.
Goku trembled slightly, the walls seeming to move closer, the ever-darkening blackness to wrap around him, keeping him there forever.
He raced after the light Hakkai held, heedless of the slippery ground.
After what seemed an age of walking, Hakkai suggested a stop for lunch. They were in a large cavern, their path following the huge limestone boulders piled haphazerdly accross one another. Far down below was a bluegreen pool of slow-moving water. High above them, tiny scratchy noises alerted them to a family of bats on the roof.
Gojyo leant against a protuding rock and fished around the bag they had brought for some food. He kept a wary eye on the monkey, watching for the boy to grab his lunch. Goku didn't even seem to be paying attention. He had stopped when they stopped, sat when they sat, and now stared hauntedly into the dark.
He frowned. Now that he thought about it, their walk had been oddly silent, none of the hyper kid's usual prattle.
"Hey look at this." Hakkai called, scratching at some mudslime on the wall below a dark opening into the rock. Engraved in the stone, who knew how long ago, were some old characters.
"Saru Suberi" Gojyo laughed. "Hey Bakasaru, this was made for you!"
"Eh? Nani?" Goku seemed to come out of whatever dark trance he was in, focusing on the markings. "Slide for Monkey? So what?"
"Go take a look." Goku peered hesitantly into the dark opening. It's entire inside was coated with the sludge that the cave collected. It would be difficult going, even for one such as he. A human would have no chance. Perhaps that was why it was marked such. But who could have marked it? Unexpectedly, Gojyo gave the boy a push, sending him into the opening abruptly. Goku panicked, hands and feet scrabbling for a hold.
'No. Not the darkness. Not again.'
Small rocks were dislodged by his weight, falling soundlessly into the depths. Goku tilted his head slightly. He could have sworn he heared them hit something, something that wasn't rock or water.
No matter, first priority was to get out of there, into the relitive saftey of his compainions, back to the priest who had rescued him, who wouldn't let him be trapped again.
Emerging muddy and exaughsted from adreniline rush, Goku scrambled to his feet, glaring at Gojyo. "Don't ever do that again Ero-kappa!"
Gojyo's indolent reply was lost on him, as another sound echoed faintly to his ears. Scrabbling? Movement?
Breathing?
On the heels of that thought came the yokkai, bursting from the opening, twisted with insainity and filth. Trapped in the cave when the evil wave came, all he knew now was that there was food, fresh living food. Better than bats, yes, better than snakes too!
He tackled Goku, his momentum carrying the both of them to the edge of the rocks and over.
"GOKU!" Hakkai and Gojyo yelled simultaniously.
Sanzo was already on his feet, rushing to the edge, gun cocked and ready to fire.
The Yokkai tore flesh from three bites on the way down, before Sanzo's gun found it's mark and the repulsive being ceased to exist.
But it's death could not stop Goku's plummet into the Icy river.
His body hit the shallow water with a splash. The bone-scraping cold barely had time to penetrate Goku's mind before an underwater rock slammed brutally into the back of his head.
Conciousness fled, the stirred murky water now stained a dark red.
'The darkness is back'
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Ten-yr-old Son Goku hopped along down the hallway, aiming for every second square on the tiled floor. His play was cut short, as a large, smelly gaurd steped abruptly in front of him. Goku sat back onto the ground in supprise, blinking up at the sudden intrusion.
"Hey you. Follow me."
"Huh? Nande?"
The big man shot out a hand and gripped the chain bound around Goku's neck. He pulled it up, uncaring of any discomfort or pain he inflicted on the boy. Goku was dragged to his feet, to have an ugly, stubble-ridden, flab-wobbling face loom into his.
"Do what I say *yokkai*, or it'll be the worst for you."
"I'm not a Yo-"
"SHUT UP!" The man backhanded the boy, keeping a grip on the short chain. Blood dripped down the child's chin, frightened eyes rising to stare at the man.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Goku sighed in relief. Konzen. Konzen would send this man packing.
"Orders sir, I am to dispose of the Yokkai, sir."
Goku could almost feel the Ice dripping from Konzen's next words.
"Who gave such an order?"
The Gaurd paled. "Er..My commanding Officer sir."
"Well then, I override it. The 'yokkai' is my property. You will leave him be. Understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Good."
Without another word, the blond turned and walked into an ajoining room, closing the door firmly behind him.
Goku grinned up at his captor then blew a wet rasberry.
And gasped as the heavenly gaurd planted a fist into his stomach.
Goku sank to his knees, both arms wrapped around his belly. His face was jerked up, and the gaurd smirked at him, before releasing the chain and kicking the child savagely.
He walked off, leaving the boy lying on his side, gasping for air.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Gojyo rammed the blade of his shaku jou in a small crack between stones. Loosing the chain, he abseiled down the edge, towads Goku. Hakkai kept a grip on the chain, in case it gave way.
Gojyo reached the water and stepped gingerly into it's icy flow.
He reached the boy and his worry intensified. Goku's face was tinged with blue from the cold, his breathing pained and short, the cold constricting his lungs.
He hauled the limp body up and over his shoulder, striding back to the chain.
Getting up proved to be more difficult than going down. His added weight was testing the chains strength. He only had one arm to try and pull himself up with, and Hakkai and Sanzo weren't exactly Sumou wrestlers themselves.
After a painfull, jolting, heart-pounding time, he reached the rocks again. He passed Goku to Hakkai, then hauled himself up and over the edge. He lay on his back a moment, panting.
"Is Goku alright?" He gasped out. Hakkai didn't answer right away. His face a mask of concentration, he held Goku's limp body in one hand, and used the other to heal the damage to the boys' skull. After a bit, he sighed and relaxed slightly. His eyes were shadowed, tiredness leaking from him.
"I've healed the worst of it. I don't have enough energy to fix up those bites though, so I'll clean and bandage them." Hakkai worked as he spoke, ripping strips from Goku's short cloak. and dousing them in the alcohol Gojyo had brought. Hakuryu flitted nervously over their heads, crooning softly.
Goku moaned and shivered violently. "That's another thing. He's literally freezing to death. If we had any spare clothes I'd change him into those, but we dont. Its too cold in here to strip him and lay them out to dry, and there's nothing to build a fire with." Hakkai tied the bandage onto the nasty-looking bite on Goku's arm. "So we're just going to have to press on and hope we get to the end of the cave soon. If the map is right, we should only have another couple of hours left."
Gojyo walked over, to kneel by Goku's side. Red eyes full of concern. "Why doesn't he wake up?" "The shock probably. And the cold. He should wake up a bit once we start moving."
He finished bandaging the last bite wound, and leaned over the boy. "Goku? Goku, can you hear me? We're going to have to keep moving. Can you stand?" Glassy golden eyes slitted open, empty of understanding or recognition. They closed again, the body shuddering it's way though a deeper breath.
Gojyo put an arm around Goku's shoulders, resting the boy's weight against him as he stood. Goku's legs moved sluggishly, attempting to stand. He could walk, but if Gojyo left him to his own devices he would collapse.
Sanzo stood as well, turning without a word and walking off. Hakkai followed, lantern pushing back the shadows.
Gojyo followed, cold body dragging next to him.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Kenren knocked on the door again.
"Oi! Get up allready!" He called loudly. He was sure he had the right room.
Shrugging, he pushed the door open.
The room was cold and dank. There were no windows and no lamps. Kenren wrinkled his nose in distaste. Closets were bigger than this.
"Ken-niichan? 'sat you?" Kenren looked down at the sole occupant of the room. Goku lay on his back, on a thin blanket and straw mat, blinking sleepily up at him. He realised his form was blocking the hall light, preventing the kid from seeing his face.
But Goku knew his scent.
"It is! Hey Ken-niichan!!" Goku leapt to his feet in enthusiastic welcome. The happy grin on his face quickly gave way to a pain-filled gimance.
Kenren was allready outside the door. "Hurry up, his supreme pain-in-the-arse-ness has summoned us. C'mon c'mon."
Goku walked carefully out, left arm wrapped around his chest. Kenren's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed the boy by the shoulder, pulling him back towards him.
"Hey kid..what happened here?" He said, touching Goku's split lip gently. Goku shrugged.
"Just some stupid guy. It doesn't hurt much."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Kenren shrugged, then straightened. "Well, lets go."
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Gojyo shifted Goku's dead weight. They had been walking for about fourty minutes, and Goku had grown steadily colder and less responsive, despite Gojyo's near body-warmth. Hakkai had attempted to keep Goku talking, but nothing seemed to prevent unconciousness snatching their youngest fighter from them.
He was mumbling incoherently, so quietly he doubted any but he heared.
The only thing he managed to get clearly were three names. Konzen, Kenren and Tenpou. Goku seemed to be holding conversation with these phantom people, something understandable considering the boy's fevered state. But it sent shivers down Gojyo's spine never the less. The names seemed familiar, and yet at the same time he knew he had never heared them before.
Konzen.
Kenren.
Tenpou.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Tenpou!"
Tenpou turned at the voice and smiled, genuinely happy to see the boy.
"Goku. How are you?" "Great!"
The hyper boy attatched himself to the General's side, chatting happily. Tenpou's attention was distracted by the arrival of his friend and lutienant Kenren. The man' face was grim, his gaze flicking to the kid.
"Goku, where's Konzen?" Goku sighed. "He didn't wanna come, he said the festival was stupid and boring and that if I didn't get out of his office he'd have me removed." The bright look appeared on his face again, as though by magic. "Want me to go get him?" Kenren laughed, imagining the small boy dragging the aristocrat kicking and screaming to the celebration. Goku seemed to take this as a yes, as he instantly slipped away into the crowd.
Tenpou turned to Kenren the instant Goku was out of hearing.
"What is it?" Kenren frowned, memory flaring.
"Someone's taken to beating the kid."
"What? Who? Konzen?" Tenpou's eyes narrowed, face transformed. Gone was the kind peacefullness, returned was the fierce anger that made him General.
Kenren shook his head in a quick negitive. "I don't think so. Not his style." Tenpou turned his gaze to the fireworks overhead.
Whoever had hurt a child, especially Goku, wouldn't live to regret it.
He'd be sure of that.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Hakkai, how much longer?"
Hakkai glanced down at the unreliable map and then ahead.
"I think we took a wrong turning. It looks like this is the tunnel that circles back. We'll have to re-trace our steps and try again." Frustration was evident in his voice, and Sanzo, mercifully silent, merely settled for glaring at him.
He was worried too. Gojyo realised it with a ripple of shock. That cool, not always calm, and collected Sanzo could feel anything other than anger was the first shock, and that he could care, about Goku no less, was another.
He glanced down at the head of brown hair. It was hanging forward, the body long ago had given up any pretence of walking. He wasn't even trembling anymore, he simply hadn't the strength.
Gojyo gritted his teeth and moved on.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Konzen, come on, you're missing all the fun!" Goku yelled, barging into the room with a fine disregard for the locked door. He stopped short at the sight that greeted him. Konzen was surounded by soldiers, all with their weapons drawn.
"Konzen? What's going on?"
Konzen ignored him, attention focused on the soldier in front of him. "I'm not going anywhere." The soldier scowled. "Yes, sir, you are. I am under orders to bring you willing or not. Now you will either be escorted or I will have my men assist you." Konzen glared, distaste and disdain for the man evident. "Under whose orders." "I am not permitted to say. Now, this way, sir."
Goku slippped past the gaurds and stood infront of Konzen defiantly, ams crossed over his chest. "If Konzen says he doesn't wanna go, then he ISN'T." He yelled angrily. The gaurd glared at him. "It's the yokkai. I have orders to dispose of him." He turned slightly to his men. "Kill him, but bring the other alive."
And the blood began to spill.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"There, this must be right!" Hakkai called encouragingly. The air of the cave had grown steadily warmer, although the exit had yet to be found. Hope renewed, Gojyo switched Goku to his other side, instead of getting too cold, like Gojyo had feared, the boy now seemed to be getting too hot. A fever was starting, they boy's dreams becomming more and more disturbing.
He was thrashing weakly in his grip, not enough to make holding him difficult, but it was still annoying. Bleary eyes opened and shut of their own will, he didn't seem to even be awake when they opened. His clothes were still heavy with water, his shoes still squealching with every forced step. But the heat his body was giving off rapidly added it's own layer of sweat. It glistened on his face, ran trickles down the back of his neck, to his blood-crusted clothes.
Sanzo set a rapid pace, sandles crunching the loose stones underfoot. The look on his face seemed to indicate the cave had better end pretty damn soon, or else.
When they got out of this hell hole, when Goku was back to perfect health, when the monks unstable temper had calmed down..
He'd enjoy ribbing them about it.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
The soldiers surged forwards, 16 strong against one lone boy.
Three were dead before they saw him move.
Anger pumped through Son Goku's veins, anger that they'd try to kill him and anger that they'd take Konzen away from him. A man reached for him, pike sweeping up. A fist pushed his nose through his face, leaving blood gushing where it had been. His pike snatched from dying hands, then swept accross in a feint that drove back the rest. Goku hurled the pike at another man, not bothering to look. Choked screams attested to his impeccable aim. One man blanched, stepped back. But the others came on. Goku danced backwards out of their swords reach, then darted in to spill one's guts to the floor. Grabbing a dagger, he killed four more before something hard and heavy knocked him to the floor.
Gasping to regain his breath, he turned slightly. A large familiar man held a spiked club in a two-handed grip. Goku felt a warm wetness trickle down his back. The man grinned at him, yellowed teeth showing.
Goku scrambled backwads, the man advancing on him.
"Take the wounded and go. I'll take care of this." He barked to the remaining soldiers, their captain having been one of the first to die.
The men dragged off the bodies, only one still alive, barely. The blood left on the floor stank, and Goku knew if he didn't do something, his would join it.
The gaurd reached hand and yanked the boy to his feet, club following the second the boy got his balance. Pain exploded in Goku's chest, he collapsed to his hands and knees, coughing bright crimson.
The gaurd kicked him in distaste, smirking as the boy cried out and collapsed.
His gaze turned to Konzen.
"You're next."
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"There! I can see the opening!" Hakkai huried ahead, followed closely by Sanzo. Gojyo moved after them, no less relieved, but weighed down by the now energetically struggling form. He had sent his shaku jou away, so to have both hands free to restrain the boy. One hand holding his arms back, the other wrapped around his chest. It was an uncomfotrable position, but the most effective.
Goku hissed and swore, something he'd never heared comming from his lips before. It shocked him more than he'd thought. It was like seeing a two-yr-old princess bitching with the tounge of Genjo Sanzo in a bad mood.
"Not much longer Goku, almost there." He murmered, partly to the staggering form, partly to himself.
Almost there.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
Konzen backed away from the man. He hated feeling weak, but he knew he couldn't defend himself against such a man. What he had done to Goku had momentarily frozen him, before stirring such a rage as he didn't know he was capable of possesing.
He saw the boy try to stand, watched him collapse before he made it to his knees. Saw the pain and dispair in those open golden eyes.
For him. In that moment of realisation, that the child truely cared about him, he saw his own heart as clearly.
A smile for the child, his first ever real smile.
Then the weapon came crashing down, crushing his skull and spraying blood everywhere.
Those golden eyes widened impossibly, a soul screaming in rage and dispair, torn and shattered.
No sound came from his mouth.
The imperial gaurd raced into the room, seeing the boy, the blood, the body.
"The Yokkai attacked us, and an entire body of gaurds! He's insane! He even turned on his keeper, I tried to stop him, I knew I couldnt kill him, I-"
The words filtered dimly through the boys mind.
Konzen.
Konzen no.
Please.
No.
Rough hands grasped him, hauled him to his feet, pressed a sword against his throat. He didn't care. Konzen. They had to help Konzen.
"..Have witnesses?" "Of course, the survivours of the gaurd will all testify he killed them, even.."
Konzen.
The blood. It was everywhere. Konzen's blood. He was gone. Dead.
Empty eyes shifted to find the attacker. The soldier read the hate and promise of death with no more than an involountary shudder.
"Better lock him up right down below, when news of this gets out, he's as good as dead."
"We dont kill people for punishment."
"He killed all those people, and you're just going to let him off?!"
"No, he'll be locked away. Forever. There is no forgiveness for this crime."
".....Good."
Rough hands carried him away, lifted him up as his legs failed beneath him. He didnt care. Konzen. He took him away. He killed him. He would die.
Some day.
==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==**==
"Come on Goku, wake up."
"Bakasaru, you've been lying around for days."
"....."
Goku's ears woke before the rest of him did. He heared the words, but could attribute no meaning to them. Where was he?
Konzen?
As suddenly as a summer breeze, the vivid memory was lifted and borne away, locked back into the dark recesses of his memory. Reality re-inserted itself, images of blood and bone scattering.
Goku breathed in air scented with flowers, not a dead body's excretion and opened eyes that had beheld no horror worse than over-cooked food.
Hakkai, Gojyo and Sanzo were leaning over him. He blinked up at them and their worried expressions, wondering what the nagging feeling was, something he had to say, to warn, to remember.
"I'm soooooooooooo hungry!" He wailed, all thoughts scattering as his stomach asserted itself. Hakkai laughed, relief in Gojyo's eyes.
Sanzo looked at him, expression unchanging. Then, for a moment, he smiled.
For an instant, time fractured. Konzen smiled down at him, Tenpou kneeling next to Kenren, then..
It was gone without trace, and Son Goku beamed back at his reason for living.
"So can I have steak??"
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Oh my God. I just sat down at 8am to write this from scratch, then looked up a 1:30pm when Id finished it.
I hope you like it, cause I put sooo much time and effort into it!
Ack! My fingers are seizing up! Everything's spinning!
BTW, the sign 'Saru Suberi' was inspired by an actual sign in one of the caves I went into yesterday. There was a large dark hole in the wall, very slippery, that had been named 'Slide for Monkey', or in Romanji 'Saru Suberi'.
Please review, and make me feel like it was worth writing this?
Thanks everyone!
-Von.