Chapter 5: Regret Of The Past

The little green jeep was bobbing merrily along a road with its daily dose of insults by the occupants.

"Sanzo, I`m getting hungry! Lets stop!" "Yeah, stop and let you eat shrubs, stupid monkey" " But I hate vegetation! I want meat!" "URUSAI!" "Ah Genjo, you`re going to have high blood pressure if you continue like this!". The 'group discussion' usually ends with a "BANG!" Sound of a shot from a gun.

When the jeep finally comes into view....

Goku was slumped over the jeep`s side, groaning. Gojou meanwhile was trying to smoke a cigarette while swatting away Yuuki who was trying to 'plait' his long hair. Sanzo was reading his newspaper, and Hakkai humming away. Suddenly...

A burst of light appeared. It grew brighter and brighter. "What`s that light!" "No way, not those gods again!" Yuuki meanwhile, looked on with a solemn look. She knew what that meant. He has come, she whispered to herself.

The light slowly dispersed, showing three figures behind it. Homura`s smirking face came into view.

" Eh, coming for our daily exercise aren`t you? We missed you guys," Gojou said. "Koitsu wa! I`ll surely beat you up this time, Homura!" Goku shouted. " "Che." was all Sanzo said.

" I`ve only come to take back what belongs to me. I have no other reason today for seeing you guys," Homura said. "Aah, we can`t exercise today, " smirked Zeon.

"What a waste. I was thinking my muscles would finally get to work," yawned Gojou. "Well, take what you want and go," Sanzo said returning to his newspaper. "Don`t worry, I will."

"Aah, where are you going Yuuki?" Hakkai turned to the slowly disappearing figure on tiptoes. "Aack! Che, Hakkai!" Yuuki complained. "Oops, did I do something wrong?" he asked. "You`re hopeless."

"Ai, please. Come back," Homura suddenly said, looking at her. Yuuki, feigning innocence turned to him. "Do I know you Mister-who-appeared-out-of-the-light?" she asked. Zeon appeared behind her, and knocked her on the head. "Of course you do Yuuki-sama! Now lets go!" Yuuki balled her fists, but told herself, slowly, slowly, you`ll get rid of them. Don`t rush. "I`m sorry Misters, you`ve got the wrong person. We`ve delayed enough. Bye bye now, see you then!" She made a dash towards the jeep.

Homura appeared in front of her, and grabbed her wrists. "Stop it, Ai! I just want to know something. Lets get back first," he commanded. "Who are you to command me?" she said bitterly. "Let me alone!" She pushed him off and tried to disentangle his hands. But that made him pull her towards him, and he kissed her.

Sanzo-tachi, stood by the side, staring openmouthed. Zeon, seeing his chance, teased them " Betcha didn't know Yuuki`s Homura`s girlfriend, didcha?" "Temee! Are you serious?" Gojou asked. "I don`t joke unnecessarily."

Hakkai looked at Sanzo, who was grinding his teeth hard. "Is this true?" Hakkai asked Shien. Shien nodded. Sanzo suddenly said, "I`ve had enough of this. Lets go." And climbed into the jeep.

" Genjo! Stop it Homura ! Genjo, its not what you think" She tried pushing Homura away and ran after Sanzo.

" Step on it, Hakkai." And Hakkai, with a worried sigh and backward glance, stepped on the gas and they speeded on. Goku shouted, " Yuuki! Come back as fast as you can!" "Yeah Yuuki, or we won`t forgive you!" Gojou added.

Yuuki fainted, too shocked at Sanzo`s behaviour. Homura caught her just before she touched the ground. "Ai...." he whispered, holding her hand.

Back in the demon palace, which Homura took over, Yuuki turned. She was coming to. When she opened her eyes, she saw Homura. She closed her eyes again, and turned over to the other side. "Stop it Ai." He turned her to him again.

"What do you want?" she said, not looking at him. "I...I-....I`m....." Homura stuttered, before giving up and walking to a window by the side. "I`ve gotta go, " she proclaimed jumping out of bed. "Wait!" Homura caught Yuuki by the arm. "I`m..I`m SORRY, Ai! I ..shouldn`t have done that..." he looked at her earnestly. "It`s not so easy as to say just...sorry." she said.

********************************FLASHBACK**************************

Ai sat by Bousatsu (Goddess of Mercy)'s lotus pond, happily humming. She took out a lotus, and hugged it to her face. "What a nice day, Bousatsu-sama. I believe these are the happiest times of my life." "Aah, and how boring. But soon, we`ll see the drama," said Bousatsu. "What do you mean?" asked Ai irritably.

" Good times never last." "What kind of Goddess of Mercy are you! Always predicting bad times!" Ai shot back. She huffed up and walked out.

" Ai." Homura stood by the entrance. "Homura!" With a delighted cry, she rushed to hug him, nearly knocking him off his feet. "You came on time, I want to show you something! Come on!" She pulled him before he could say another word.

"Look! Isn`t this pretty, Homura?" Ai stared dreamily into her mirror, which showed a human man and a woman who were very happy with their newborn, and children running around them. " I love it so much, when I see everyone around me happy. Being able to fulfill peoples` dreams is my destiny. I`ve already created so many families down there, and they`re all so happy. I wish I could be like them." She looked at Homura hopefully. "I wish they wouldn`t be so happy," he said, staring into space.

" Why not?" Ai looked questioningly. Homura snapped out of his staring 'fit' and suddenly said, "Lets go enjoy ourselves for now, Ai. Come on!" He pulled her and they ran off laughing.

Back at the Heavenly Palace, Ai kneeled down in front of the Imperial Throne.

" Kami-sama, I`m here. Why did you find me for?" She looked up.

" Don`t be sad when you hear this, my dear. Homura Taishi has set off with his troops. The day of Punishment for the unruly humans have come. Unfortunately I couldn`t stop him." Kami-sama bowed his head down.

" But.... he couldn`t! Daddy, he couldn`t! No way, that`s not like him! I just showed him !" Ai cried.

" Now, now, my little Goddess of Love, you know its destined to be like that. You`re just not experienced. Didn`t Kanzeon teach you anything? The Goddess of Love builds up everything, and once it has reached the max, the God of War will destroy it. The cycle repeats itself, my dear. Don`t get disheartened. You did a great job." Kami-sama explained.

"No... no way.... He wouldn`t do a thing like that, he wouldn`t ! Daddy I tell you, he WOULDN`T!" With that, Ai ran off and outside the palace, flew down to her beloved Earth.

"Now Kami-sama, you know you should have told her the whole truth." Kanzeon appeared behind.

" If I did, she would hate me and not that unclean person. I want the God of War to be merciless, and she`s not helping me. Besides how can that unclean god come near my beloved daughter, " Kami-sama sneered.

Ai flew down, desperate to stop the war that was happening. Even now. The fields her humans had so lovingly tended to were all in flames. The houses they had built were burned to ashes. And still as she saw, they were fighting with each other, just like in the Pandora`s Box story, but even worse, they were killing each other! She stared in horror. Then among the mists of rage and smoke, she spotted Homura. Her beloved Homura, her sweet tempered Homura, who was now smirking and looked as if he was enjoying the whole spectacle. Enjoying!

Ai, so enraged, she let out her inside energy. The air around her burst with her immense energy. Men who were fighting, stopped momentarily, staring. Ai, in her complete celestial form, floated to Homura, who was staring at her in shock.

" How dare you destroy my lands! How dare you!" Ai said in a soft melodious voice. Homura started, "Listen I..." but trailed off remembering what he had been told. "Do your job, and don`t tell Ai or I`ll pair her with another God who`s far more worthy of her" Kami-sama warned. "I can`t let another god touch her" Homura thought bitterly.

" Ai.... The world looks nice as it is now, isn`t it?" he sneered though deep in his heart he was cracking. He let out a burst of ki at the humans which caused an instant explosion. " Playing with this clay men are so amusing."

Ai balled up her fists angrily. "NOOOOOOO!! I`LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!!" All around her the ground cracked, the air became hard to breathe, lightning struck everything down. For when the Goddess of Love is deprived of positive energy and filled with negative energy, she will become the Goddess of Destruction. Earth was facing its day of Doom, as Kami-sama had prophesied.

*******************END FLASHBACK***********************************

Yuuki grasped her head with her hands. "I can`t stand it, I can`t stand it!" Homura, afraid that her negative energy would take over her, quickly came over and hugged her. "I`m really sorry Yuuki, what I did was wrong....." Yuuki pushed him away, her eyes glittering. "No its still not yet time. I can`t see you now, or I`ll lose control of myself. Goodbye." With that, she turned and disappeared.

Homura looked at her disappearing form, sighing. "Don`t worry Homura-sama, she`ll come back to you." Shien said. "Yeah, she`ll know that Konzen`s...." Shien nudged Zeon hard. "Oops..I...ah..I mean..." Zeon stammered.

" How can I hope for her forgiveness when I can`t even forgive myself?"