Hey, chapter 11 is out pretty quick huh? And it's pretty big too!
(Well, It looks big in notepad.)
I hope you like it, and I'm sorry if you reviewed and I didn't get back to you. Due to a Japan-wide virus, I had no internet for half a month.
Um. Um. Um. Hey, I should be finished this soon!! yay! (Can't wait to put 'finis' on this fic, so I can turn my attention to all my other unfinished ones...
Disclaimer: I was only 3 cents short on buying Saiyuki, so I don't own it. But still, If I did, I'd have to do something with it... and that would take up all my slack time.
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Broken Bonds
By: Von of Chaos
usabunny@start.com.au
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Hakkai was up and moving around when Gojyo reached the Inn. He looked up in mild supprise as the red-headed man stormed in, then his eyes widened as he caught sight of the blood-soaked Shaku Jou.
"Gojyo, what happened?!"
"I met up with Goku"
All colour drained from the green-eyed man's face. "You..you didn't.." He choked.
Gojyo sat down at a table and scrubbed his hands over his face. "I didn't mean to, didn't even expect to find him. Then.. I did, he attacked me and I reacted without thinking."
'Stupid.' He berated himself. 'You always act without thinking'
Hakkai was silent for a long moment.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
Gojyo just shook his head. "I can't believe that was Goku.."
"Believe it."
The two looked up at the grim voice. Sanzo leant against the doorframe, a cigarette lit and hanging from his lips.
"Did you see where he went?" The emotionless question was directed at Gojyo, though the violet eyes never left the bloodied weapon on the floor.
Gojyo shook his head. "But he was bleeding a lot. Should be no trouble to track him down."
Sanzo nodded. "We'll follow him then." He turned and walked back into his room. "He'll lead us to Gymano's castle." The door closed firmly on the heels of that last statement.
Hakkai's hands were balled into fists, frustration and anger evident in his stance.
Gojyo lit himself a smoke and put his feet up on the table. "I take it his royal highness is feeling better?" Hakkai gave a tight nod and started making tea. "I went over what the healer did, to hasten his recovery. For all the outside damage, he wasn't actually badly wounded. Not in a life-threatening way at any rate. I had thought.." Here, Hakkai's voice trailed off, as he glanced again at Gojyo's weapon. He took a breath and continued. "..I had thought perhaps Goku never intended to hurt Sanzo, that maybe he was being forced to act against his will. I had hoped.."
Gojyo turned his gaze to the floor as Hakkai's voice once again stilled.
He had hoped too.
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A shadow spread over Son Goku's still body. For a moment it merely observed the dying Earth Yokkai.
Nimbly, it leapt over the form, landing close to it's head. Remarkably, it's shadow remained over the boy, the position of the sun not seeming to matter overmuch.
A pale blue finger, topped with a long sharp claw reached down to his face. It pushed a sweaty lock of brown hair to one side. The being cocked it's head, deep in thought. It's gaze traveled down the body, to the dark splash of red soaking the clothes and earth.
"From the earth, to the earth." It mused. "But not just yet I think. No, that wouldn't be good."
Slim and strong arms wrapped around the limp body, hauling it up and over the being's shoulder.
The blue creature leapt to the sky and raced through the air without a second thought.
---------------------------------------------------
Lirin paced back and forth in the closed garden. Behind her, against the far wall, was her brother and Dokugaji. The two were lazily passing a bottle of something between the two of them, watching a boar roast slowly over an open fire.
Yaone was sitting by the still pond, reading. Occasionally she would turn her attention from painted words to glittering fish, content in her surroundings.
Servent Yokkai came in and out, bringing fruits and drinks, chairs and tables. They worked quickly and quietly, well used to their Prince's preffered dining habits.
Lirin couldn't take it anymore.
Letting out a small scream of frustration, she stormed out the single door, kitty bells jingling.
Three pairs of eyes returned to their previous entertainments.
"Hey Kou, looks like Lirin's got something going for Sanzo's pet."
A low growl was his only reply.
"I don't think it's like that." Yaone announced calmly, eyes not leaving the scroll in her hands.
"Then what is it like?" Kougaji asked sourly. As far as his Older-brother-over-protective mind was concerned, Son was an evil, conniving, son-of-a-
"I think Lirin is just attatched to him due to their closeness in ages. Both physically and mentally." The womman rolled the scroll up and fastened it closed with a tiny thread of silk.
"You are her brother, whom she loves" She stood and stretched, before turning to Kougaiji with a serious look. "But, begging your pardon Kougaiji-sama, you don't always have time for her, with your responsibilities. She understands that, but she wants someone to play with 24/7. Son Goku has provided that. It is only natural that she should share a sense of kinship with him."
Kougaji didn't reply, but he did look a little less homicidal. Doku pushed off the wall and made his way over to the table. Picking up a bowl of roasted hazel nuts, he began to skin them, one by one, with a claw. "Speaking of Son," He flicked a hazel nut into his mouth, chewed once and swallowed. "I haven't seen him around recently. Reckon he went back to *them*?"
Kougaji did look up at this. Even without a Dragon, Son was easily capable of making his way back to the castle. He should have arrived by now. The fact that he hadn't meant Lirin would probably...
"LIRIN!!" He roared, racing from the room.
Doku shared a startled glance with Yaone. "Get the feeling we missed something?" Yaone nodded, running past him and out the doorway. Doku tossed back a glass of iced tea and followed.
--------------------------------------------
Muted light flickered against his closed eyelids. Goku sought to speak, but only a jagged gasp escaped his mouth.
"Ohh, he's awake, he's awake!"
"Will you please be quiet? You're going to give him a headache!"
"Don't tell me to be quiet, this is my house, I'll do what I want!"
"Grandpa..."
A gleefull cackle preceeded a sudden smashing noise.
"Grandpa!! Oh, you're such a nusiance!! Go outside and chase the goats or something."
The chortling stopped abruptly.
"Your Grandma used to tell me that.." The voice wavered, as if holding back tears.
A sigh of one pushed to their limits and beyond came to Goku's ears. "Grandpa, *please*"
"Oh alright, alright.." Footsteps left the room, beads rattling.
A cool cloth touched Goku's face. His mouth moved again, trying to form words.
"Shhh, you're fine. You're safe. Grandpa is a little scary, but he's harmless, really."
From outside, came sudden frantic bleating, accompanied by; "Don't run! Don't run! I come in peace!!! Take me to your vegetable patch!!! No? Can I have your wife then?!! Nyeheeheeheeheehee..."
".......as long as you're not a goat."
Goku strained to open his eyes, and was rewarded with a fuzzy image of....
..a completely naked girl leaning over him.
"Gyah!" Goku leapt up and out of the bed in one panicked move.
The girl took a couple of paces back, staring at him in puzzelment, but not fear.
More awake now, Goku noticed that her entire body was somehow tinted a soft red. She had long yokkai-like claws and pointed ears. Her eyes were a pupil-less black. Her puzzeled smile revealed a sharp set of canines, but otherwise her teeth were normal.
Her hair was long and black, flowing loosely over her decidedly unclothed body.
Goku turned his face away, cheeks burning with more than illness.
"Are you alright?" The girl asked politely. Goku mumbled something too fast for her to catch.
"I beg your pardon?" She stepped closer, causing Goku to back away, eyes still averted.
"I said..I said..youforgottoputyourclotheson.." The girl blinked at him for a second, no doubt processing what he had just said.
"GRANDPA!!!" The girl yelled angrily. Gleefull laughter sounded from outside in response.
"I am very sorry." The girl apologised. "Grandpa told me you were an elemental Yokkai, like us, and I just assumed you would prefer a lack of clothing like us." She scowled and raised her voice slightly. "As he knew I would assume, and DIDN'T BOTHER TO CORRECT ME!"
She sighed, seeing that mere words weren't going to calm the boy down. "Would you like me to put something on?" She asked kindly. Goku nodded, unable to speak. "And would you like some clothes as well?"
It took Goku one horrified second to figure out what she meant by *that*.
Ripping the blanket off the bed, he hurridly wrapped it around himself, blushing just as red as the girl was coloured.
"I really am very sorry." She apologised once more, before pushing aside a stone-bead curtain and exiting the room. Goku sat down on the bed, heart pounding wildly.
Looking around, he could see that the walls were carved from stone but decorated with brightly coloured ornaments and hangings. Plants overflowed from pots suspended from the ceiling.
In the far corner of the room, a small pool glowed a soft blue. The roof reflected the ripples of light. Embedded in the wall above the pool, were tiny stones, rubys or garnets. They were close together, depicting an image of roaring flame.
The girl came back in, now clothed in a light silk dress that went to mid thigh. It was sheer and practically see-though, but it was clothing. She held out a pair of worn black-leather pants. "These were all I could find, that would fit you." She said apologetically. "Grandpa hasn't worn clothes for centuries, so all his things have long mouldered away.
Goku took the pants from her and stood holding them. Seeing his dillema, she turned around to give him privacy to change. While he was wriggling into the old clothes, she continued talking. "I should have realised you would be accoustomed to the habits of humans, being with them for so long. But," She turned around to scrutinise him. "You don't look as old as you should be."
At his supprised (and still slightly red) face, she nodded. "Grandpa and I both sensed you, the moment you were born. As elemental Yokkai are so rare, we wanted to find you and raise you to keep you safe. But a heavenly trader got there before us. While you were at your youngest and most defenceless age, he slapped a limiter on you, thus taking you off Grandpa's and my respective senses."
She could see the boy struggling to understand.
"Come outside and have a bite to eat, it will be less confusing if your stomach isn't yowling for attention." She laughed as Goku's face lit up. "And as an Earth Yokkai, you just might have an appetite to rival my own!"
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The dragon landed with a bump, stirring clouds of sand. Lirin lept from it's back, looking around. Some kind of desert animal paused in front of her, trying to decide if she was something to be eaten or mated with or both.
"Move it or die, buddy." Lirin snarled, kicking at it as she walked by.
She came upon the patch of darkness that had caught her eye from above. An area of sand, stained a dark red. In the middle, there was an imprint - as if weight had been there not too long ago.
"Goku-chan.."
"LIRIN!"
Lirin whirled at her brother's voice. Striding towards her, was a very angry-looking prince, followed closely by Yaone and Dokugaji.
"Nee-chan, Nee-chan!" Kougaiji blinked as Lirin launched herself at him, capturing him in a tight hug. "Nee-chan, Goku-chan's hurt!! Lookie lookie!" Kou's face darkened. Before he could say a word however, a gun shot broke the sound barrier. Doku was allready slamming both the Prince and his sister to the side, leaving nothing but air in the bullet's path.
Kougaiji hit the sand and rolled, bringing both himself and his sister to their feet in one smooth movement. The four stood in ready stances, glaring at the three emerging from the woods.
Sanzo, Hakkai and Gojyo walked towards them, each with a grim look upon their face. Energy rippled the air around Hakkai, and Gojyo's stained blade was out and ready. At the sight of it, Lirin's eyes flickered to to the blood on the sand.
"YOU did it!" She blurted in supprise. Gojyo followed her gaze and visibly paled when he saw the amount of blood he had spilled. "Where is he?" He asked in a low voice. "I'd like to know the same." Lirin snapped.
"What do you mean?" Hakkai asked tightly, repressing his anger and frustration. "He was with you before." Lirin rolled her eyes. "Yeah, *before* that half-breed. But he was the one to attack him last, so he should know where Goku is shouldn't he?!"
"He ran off." Gojyo said quietly. Lirin snorted, still on the offensive. "Great, now he's injured and lost somewhere. Great job." Sanzo leveled a glare at her. "He is on your side." He pointed out acidly. "Why shouldn't we want to kill a traitor?"
Yaone stepped forwards, ignoring the gun that now pointed at her.
"There is something you should know." She said calmly, looking not at Sanzo, but Hakkai. "I found Son Goku poisoned by his own hand. As I owed your group a debt for saving Lirin, I took him back with me and administered an antidote. However, when he woke, he had little or no recolection of what had happened."
"A little extra something in the antidote?" Gojyo said suspiciously. Yaone shook her head and continued her narration. "If he retained any memories at all, they were not good ones. The Empress preyed upon these, coinvincing him that it you would kill him, given the opportunity."
She hesitated, glancing at her prince then his sister. "Lirin and Goku became friends, and their attack upon your group was a spontanious idea of Lirin's. More a youthfull prank than a serious attack." Sanzo's eyes narrowed. Yaone kept her gaze on Hakkai, hoping he would see reason and prevent the monk doing anything rash. "I understand you want to find him, but he may not want to find you."
Hakkai looked away, guilt and shame tugging at him. She was right. What right had they to find Goku and demand his friendship again. And if he didn't even remember them....
"What makes you think we came here looking for the ape?" Sanzo's cold voice cut through his musings. Hakkai glanced at him, about to speak, but Lirin beat him to it. With an enraged scream, she launched herself at the Monk. "You Bastard!!" She yelled angrily, landing a decent punch before Doku managed to pull her off. Gojyo held Sanzo's gun arm back and prayed like hell that the Monk wouldn't shoot him for it.
Hakkai also grabbed Sanzo's other side, earning himself a string of inventive suggestions of how he could go amuse himself for the remainder of the day. Doku held a still-struggling Lirin firmly, and Kou massaged his forehead as Lirin's and Sanzo's bitching beat through his skull.
"ENOUGH!!" He roared.
"Frankly, I don't give a damn about Son either way. If he finds his way back to us, fine. If he doesn't, I don't care." Yaone clapped a hand over Lirin's mouth, to forestall loud and expletive protests.
"But we're leaving, and *you*" he pointed at the restrained Sanzo, "can go where you like, as long as it's not with us." With that, he turned and strode away. Doku hauled Lirin over his shoulder and followed. Yaone bowed apologetically and got astride her own dragon.
Silence fell, as the dragons rose into the air and flew swiftly away. Hakkai and Gojyo realised they still had a death grip on a suspiciously quiet Genjo Sanzo. As in 'the calm before armageddon' kind of quiet.
"Um...Sanzo.?" As the two released the monk and stepped away, half-heartedly attempting to smooth the wrinkled robes, Sanzo's violet eyes turned towards them.
Without a word, the monk turned and began to retrace their steps. Hakkai and Gojyo exchanged a glance. Gojyo's questioning, and Hakkai's a 'don't ask, just hope he's out of bullets'.
Sanzo's thoughts remained his own, but a hint of what he was feeling was betrayed by the slightest upward lift of his mouth.
Hakkai and Gojyo, too immersed in planning their wills, failed to notice the slip.
-----------------------------------------
The table was long and carved from solid stone. Upon it were an amazing variaty of dishes, and so many roast animals that, had the table been made of wood, he'd have bet it would've collapsed. At one corner, sat an old man, with light blue skin and pupil-less dark blue eyes. His face bore no beard, but his head abounded with long, wispy, silk-like hair. It was currently tied back into about seven ponytails all over his head, creating a very interesting look.
The old man studied Goku as intently as Goku studied him. As the boy sat down, he reached out and traced a claw across Goku's muscled torso. Goku froze, and the old man cackled at his expression. The girl from earlier walked out carrying a bowl of grapes, which she set down next to Goku with a scowl for the old man. "Leave him alone now Grandpa." She scolded.
Obediently, the wizened old man turned to his dinner, casting sly glances at the boy instead.
The girl sat down next to goku and passed him a plate. "Help yourself." She invited, and Goku happily complied. The two ate in silence for all of twenty minutes, before the edge was taken off their hunger.
The girl pushed her plate away and began pouring drinks.
"I guess I should start with the basics." She said, proffering a goblet of sweet-smelling liquid to her Grandpa. The old man took it, but set it aside, more interested in the conversation at hand.
"My name is Akyla, and I am a Fire Yokkai. Grandpa is a Water Yokkai, who has refused to give me his name since the day I met him."
Goku looked up from his roast duck. "Then he isn't your..?" Akyla smiled. "No. All elemental yokkai are born from their elements, not one another. Unlike humans and regular yokkai, I don't think we are even capable of reproducing. You have to understand, Elemental yokkai are incredibly rare. We don't know if we are created entirely by chance, or some spirit of the great elements, but we do know that we have a longer lifespan than any other mortal creature." She paused for a moment, then added "Longer than any half-mortals too."
Taking a bunch of grapes, the girl began to Idly remove their stems as she thought. "I've called him Grandpa all my life. I had a Grandma once, an Air Yokkai. But the Celestials were wary of her and her power, afraid that she would threaten them. One day she flew too close to Heaven, and they killed her. This was a very very long time ago, back before I got my colouring."
She pointed at her own skin, then tapped Goku's arm. "As you age, your body colours itself to your element. That's why I have skin of fire and eyes of Coal." She gestured to Grandpa. "His skin is the blue of shallow water, while his eyes are the blue of deep." Goku looked down at himself. "You mean I'm going to turn black?" Akyla shrugged. "Maybe not. After all, your tanned colour wasn't recieved by the sun. It's too even over your whole body." Goku blushed uncomfortably. "Your eyes are gold, a precious metal of the earth. But you are still very young, you have a long time before any changes will be made. I can not predict what they will be. You could well turn gold-skinned, brown-eyed and silver-haired. I just don't know."
Goku took a sip from his goblet, digesting everything the girl had said. Akyla turned her attention back to her stomach, which left the old man for converstaion.
The old man didn't seem to have the appetite of his 'Granddaughter' or Goku, content to merely nibble on baked salmon. His dark blue eyes stayed locked on Goku. Abrupty, her leaned over to Goku again. Bending next to Goku's ear, he whispered; "So, whattya think of Akyla huh? Damn good looking isn't she? How would you like to get marri-URRGHK!!" Akyla pulled the old man back by his ear and pushed him into his seat again.
"Pay no attention to him, Granpa is allways trying to marry me off." She sighed. "But this is the best so far!" Grandpa said excitedly. "How many chances are you going to get, to be with an Elemental Yokkai?? He's a little young, but that just means he'll have more stamina!"
"GRANDPA!!" The girl exclaimed, highly embarresed. "You can't just talk about our guest like that!!"
"I'm looking out for your well-being! What's so wrong about wanting to see my favourite Granddaughter married off to a good man before I die?"
"Nothing, but you don't want to marry me off to a good man, *any* will do for you. You'd try to marry me to one of your goats if you could!"
The old man grinned. "Now there's an idea..."
"GRANDPA!! Behave yourself this instant!!"
Goku coughed slightly. As their eyes turned to him, he stood. "I'm a little tired... Thankyou for dinner and fixing me up. Do you mind if I go to bed?" Akyla opened her mouth, but her grandfather beat her to it.
"Only if you take my Granddaughter with you." He said firmly, then cackled at the panicked look that swept Goku's face.
"Grandpa!" Akyla hissed in anger and raging embarresment. "Sue, go ahead." She assured Goku, then turned back to her Grandpa, an angry sentance on her lips.
As Goku walked hurridly back into the house, he heared the old man's loud sentiments.
"Look at that body. Akyla, If I was female I'd be all over him!"
"Grandpa that's enough, what are you trying to do? Scare him away?"
"It's not my fault he has such a fine ass, look-at-it in those pants, are you looking Akyla?"
There was a sound closely ressembling a heavy bowl making contact with a skull, followed by.. "Oh look now there's two of them! Two! Imagine how long you can go with two of the-YEEEOOOOWWW!!!!"
"GRANDPA YOU PERVERSE OLD MAN, I'VE HAD IT!! GET BACK HERE!!"
Explosions roared through the air outside, pillars of flame throwing back the shadows around the house.
Goku escaped into the relitive safety of the cool building and made his way to his room. Sinking onto his bed and listening Idly to the yells outside ("Ha ha! Ya missed me!" "STOP PUTTING MY FIRE OUT!!" "Yeah, ok. NOOOOT!!! Nyahahahahaaa...") Goku touched a hand to his newly-healed stomach. He didn't know how he got here, but one thing was for certain.
He had to get back to Sanzo.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Before you ask.. I guess... yes. It must be something in my genetic make-up makes me enjoy starring old people in my fics. (Or maybe all Granddad's hypnosis attempts actually did something...)
All I need now is for the perverted old lady to make an appearence!
(Just jokes)
I hope all the Elemental yokkai stuff was understandable, I'm following on someone's Idea that Goku was born of the earth intentionally, not by chance. And it stands to reason, that if some earth spirit wanted to have a son, why not the other great spirits?
-Von (Really upset that ff.n removed the author alerts and review alerts from us poor people. Eventually all that will be left is reading. Posting will probably be restricted to the paying peple. *sighs* )
(Well, It looks big in notepad.)
I hope you like it, and I'm sorry if you reviewed and I didn't get back to you. Due to a Japan-wide virus, I had no internet for half a month.
Um. Um. Um. Hey, I should be finished this soon!! yay! (Can't wait to put 'finis' on this fic, so I can turn my attention to all my other unfinished ones...
Disclaimer: I was only 3 cents short on buying Saiyuki, so I don't own it. But still, If I did, I'd have to do something with it... and that would take up all my slack time.
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Broken Bonds
By: Von of Chaos
usabunny@start.com.au
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Hakkai was up and moving around when Gojyo reached the Inn. He looked up in mild supprise as the red-headed man stormed in, then his eyes widened as he caught sight of the blood-soaked Shaku Jou.
"Gojyo, what happened?!"
"I met up with Goku"
All colour drained from the green-eyed man's face. "You..you didn't.." He choked.
Gojyo sat down at a table and scrubbed his hands over his face. "I didn't mean to, didn't even expect to find him. Then.. I did, he attacked me and I reacted without thinking."
'Stupid.' He berated himself. 'You always act without thinking'
Hakkai was silent for a long moment.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
Gojyo just shook his head. "I can't believe that was Goku.."
"Believe it."
The two looked up at the grim voice. Sanzo leant against the doorframe, a cigarette lit and hanging from his lips.
"Did you see where he went?" The emotionless question was directed at Gojyo, though the violet eyes never left the bloodied weapon on the floor.
Gojyo shook his head. "But he was bleeding a lot. Should be no trouble to track him down."
Sanzo nodded. "We'll follow him then." He turned and walked back into his room. "He'll lead us to Gymano's castle." The door closed firmly on the heels of that last statement.
Hakkai's hands were balled into fists, frustration and anger evident in his stance.
Gojyo lit himself a smoke and put his feet up on the table. "I take it his royal highness is feeling better?" Hakkai gave a tight nod and started making tea. "I went over what the healer did, to hasten his recovery. For all the outside damage, he wasn't actually badly wounded. Not in a life-threatening way at any rate. I had thought.." Here, Hakkai's voice trailed off, as he glanced again at Gojyo's weapon. He took a breath and continued. "..I had thought perhaps Goku never intended to hurt Sanzo, that maybe he was being forced to act against his will. I had hoped.."
Gojyo turned his gaze to the floor as Hakkai's voice once again stilled.
He had hoped too.
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A shadow spread over Son Goku's still body. For a moment it merely observed the dying Earth Yokkai.
Nimbly, it leapt over the form, landing close to it's head. Remarkably, it's shadow remained over the boy, the position of the sun not seeming to matter overmuch.
A pale blue finger, topped with a long sharp claw reached down to his face. It pushed a sweaty lock of brown hair to one side. The being cocked it's head, deep in thought. It's gaze traveled down the body, to the dark splash of red soaking the clothes and earth.
"From the earth, to the earth." It mused. "But not just yet I think. No, that wouldn't be good."
Slim and strong arms wrapped around the limp body, hauling it up and over the being's shoulder.
The blue creature leapt to the sky and raced through the air without a second thought.
---------------------------------------------------
Lirin paced back and forth in the closed garden. Behind her, against the far wall, was her brother and Dokugaji. The two were lazily passing a bottle of something between the two of them, watching a boar roast slowly over an open fire.
Yaone was sitting by the still pond, reading. Occasionally she would turn her attention from painted words to glittering fish, content in her surroundings.
Servent Yokkai came in and out, bringing fruits and drinks, chairs and tables. They worked quickly and quietly, well used to their Prince's preffered dining habits.
Lirin couldn't take it anymore.
Letting out a small scream of frustration, she stormed out the single door, kitty bells jingling.
Three pairs of eyes returned to their previous entertainments.
"Hey Kou, looks like Lirin's got something going for Sanzo's pet."
A low growl was his only reply.
"I don't think it's like that." Yaone announced calmly, eyes not leaving the scroll in her hands.
"Then what is it like?" Kougaji asked sourly. As far as his Older-brother-over-protective mind was concerned, Son was an evil, conniving, son-of-a-
"I think Lirin is just attatched to him due to their closeness in ages. Both physically and mentally." The womman rolled the scroll up and fastened it closed with a tiny thread of silk.
"You are her brother, whom she loves" She stood and stretched, before turning to Kougaiji with a serious look. "But, begging your pardon Kougaiji-sama, you don't always have time for her, with your responsibilities. She understands that, but she wants someone to play with 24/7. Son Goku has provided that. It is only natural that she should share a sense of kinship with him."
Kougaji didn't reply, but he did look a little less homicidal. Doku pushed off the wall and made his way over to the table. Picking up a bowl of roasted hazel nuts, he began to skin them, one by one, with a claw. "Speaking of Son," He flicked a hazel nut into his mouth, chewed once and swallowed. "I haven't seen him around recently. Reckon he went back to *them*?"
Kougaji did look up at this. Even without a Dragon, Son was easily capable of making his way back to the castle. He should have arrived by now. The fact that he hadn't meant Lirin would probably...
"LIRIN!!" He roared, racing from the room.
Doku shared a startled glance with Yaone. "Get the feeling we missed something?" Yaone nodded, running past him and out the doorway. Doku tossed back a glass of iced tea and followed.
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Muted light flickered against his closed eyelids. Goku sought to speak, but only a jagged gasp escaped his mouth.
"Ohh, he's awake, he's awake!"
"Will you please be quiet? You're going to give him a headache!"
"Don't tell me to be quiet, this is my house, I'll do what I want!"
"Grandpa..."
A gleefull cackle preceeded a sudden smashing noise.
"Grandpa!! Oh, you're such a nusiance!! Go outside and chase the goats or something."
The chortling stopped abruptly.
"Your Grandma used to tell me that.." The voice wavered, as if holding back tears.
A sigh of one pushed to their limits and beyond came to Goku's ears. "Grandpa, *please*"
"Oh alright, alright.." Footsteps left the room, beads rattling.
A cool cloth touched Goku's face. His mouth moved again, trying to form words.
"Shhh, you're fine. You're safe. Grandpa is a little scary, but he's harmless, really."
From outside, came sudden frantic bleating, accompanied by; "Don't run! Don't run! I come in peace!!! Take me to your vegetable patch!!! No? Can I have your wife then?!! Nyeheeheeheeheehee..."
".......as long as you're not a goat."
Goku strained to open his eyes, and was rewarded with a fuzzy image of....
..a completely naked girl leaning over him.
"Gyah!" Goku leapt up and out of the bed in one panicked move.
The girl took a couple of paces back, staring at him in puzzelment, but not fear.
More awake now, Goku noticed that her entire body was somehow tinted a soft red. She had long yokkai-like claws and pointed ears. Her eyes were a pupil-less black. Her puzzeled smile revealed a sharp set of canines, but otherwise her teeth were normal.
Her hair was long and black, flowing loosely over her decidedly unclothed body.
Goku turned his face away, cheeks burning with more than illness.
"Are you alright?" The girl asked politely. Goku mumbled something too fast for her to catch.
"I beg your pardon?" She stepped closer, causing Goku to back away, eyes still averted.
"I said..I said..youforgottoputyourclotheson.." The girl blinked at him for a second, no doubt processing what he had just said.
"GRANDPA!!!" The girl yelled angrily. Gleefull laughter sounded from outside in response.
"I am very sorry." The girl apologised. "Grandpa told me you were an elemental Yokkai, like us, and I just assumed you would prefer a lack of clothing like us." She scowled and raised her voice slightly. "As he knew I would assume, and DIDN'T BOTHER TO CORRECT ME!"
She sighed, seeing that mere words weren't going to calm the boy down. "Would you like me to put something on?" She asked kindly. Goku nodded, unable to speak. "And would you like some clothes as well?"
It took Goku one horrified second to figure out what she meant by *that*.
Ripping the blanket off the bed, he hurridly wrapped it around himself, blushing just as red as the girl was coloured.
"I really am very sorry." She apologised once more, before pushing aside a stone-bead curtain and exiting the room. Goku sat down on the bed, heart pounding wildly.
Looking around, he could see that the walls were carved from stone but decorated with brightly coloured ornaments and hangings. Plants overflowed from pots suspended from the ceiling.
In the far corner of the room, a small pool glowed a soft blue. The roof reflected the ripples of light. Embedded in the wall above the pool, were tiny stones, rubys or garnets. They were close together, depicting an image of roaring flame.
The girl came back in, now clothed in a light silk dress that went to mid thigh. It was sheer and practically see-though, but it was clothing. She held out a pair of worn black-leather pants. "These were all I could find, that would fit you." She said apologetically. "Grandpa hasn't worn clothes for centuries, so all his things have long mouldered away.
Goku took the pants from her and stood holding them. Seeing his dillema, she turned around to give him privacy to change. While he was wriggling into the old clothes, she continued talking. "I should have realised you would be accoustomed to the habits of humans, being with them for so long. But," She turned around to scrutinise him. "You don't look as old as you should be."
At his supprised (and still slightly red) face, she nodded. "Grandpa and I both sensed you, the moment you were born. As elemental Yokkai are so rare, we wanted to find you and raise you to keep you safe. But a heavenly trader got there before us. While you were at your youngest and most defenceless age, he slapped a limiter on you, thus taking you off Grandpa's and my respective senses."
She could see the boy struggling to understand.
"Come outside and have a bite to eat, it will be less confusing if your stomach isn't yowling for attention." She laughed as Goku's face lit up. "And as an Earth Yokkai, you just might have an appetite to rival my own!"
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The dragon landed with a bump, stirring clouds of sand. Lirin lept from it's back, looking around. Some kind of desert animal paused in front of her, trying to decide if she was something to be eaten or mated with or both.
"Move it or die, buddy." Lirin snarled, kicking at it as she walked by.
She came upon the patch of darkness that had caught her eye from above. An area of sand, stained a dark red. In the middle, there was an imprint - as if weight had been there not too long ago.
"Goku-chan.."
"LIRIN!"
Lirin whirled at her brother's voice. Striding towards her, was a very angry-looking prince, followed closely by Yaone and Dokugaji.
"Nee-chan, Nee-chan!" Kougaiji blinked as Lirin launched herself at him, capturing him in a tight hug. "Nee-chan, Goku-chan's hurt!! Lookie lookie!" Kou's face darkened. Before he could say a word however, a gun shot broke the sound barrier. Doku was allready slamming both the Prince and his sister to the side, leaving nothing but air in the bullet's path.
Kougaiji hit the sand and rolled, bringing both himself and his sister to their feet in one smooth movement. The four stood in ready stances, glaring at the three emerging from the woods.
Sanzo, Hakkai and Gojyo walked towards them, each with a grim look upon their face. Energy rippled the air around Hakkai, and Gojyo's stained blade was out and ready. At the sight of it, Lirin's eyes flickered to to the blood on the sand.
"YOU did it!" She blurted in supprise. Gojyo followed her gaze and visibly paled when he saw the amount of blood he had spilled. "Where is he?" He asked in a low voice. "I'd like to know the same." Lirin snapped.
"What do you mean?" Hakkai asked tightly, repressing his anger and frustration. "He was with you before." Lirin rolled her eyes. "Yeah, *before* that half-breed. But he was the one to attack him last, so he should know where Goku is shouldn't he?!"
"He ran off." Gojyo said quietly. Lirin snorted, still on the offensive. "Great, now he's injured and lost somewhere. Great job." Sanzo leveled a glare at her. "He is on your side." He pointed out acidly. "Why shouldn't we want to kill a traitor?"
Yaone stepped forwards, ignoring the gun that now pointed at her.
"There is something you should know." She said calmly, looking not at Sanzo, but Hakkai. "I found Son Goku poisoned by his own hand. As I owed your group a debt for saving Lirin, I took him back with me and administered an antidote. However, when he woke, he had little or no recolection of what had happened."
"A little extra something in the antidote?" Gojyo said suspiciously. Yaone shook her head and continued her narration. "If he retained any memories at all, they were not good ones. The Empress preyed upon these, coinvincing him that it you would kill him, given the opportunity."
She hesitated, glancing at her prince then his sister. "Lirin and Goku became friends, and their attack upon your group was a spontanious idea of Lirin's. More a youthfull prank than a serious attack." Sanzo's eyes narrowed. Yaone kept her gaze on Hakkai, hoping he would see reason and prevent the monk doing anything rash. "I understand you want to find him, but he may not want to find you."
Hakkai looked away, guilt and shame tugging at him. She was right. What right had they to find Goku and demand his friendship again. And if he didn't even remember them....
"What makes you think we came here looking for the ape?" Sanzo's cold voice cut through his musings. Hakkai glanced at him, about to speak, but Lirin beat him to it. With an enraged scream, she launched herself at the Monk. "You Bastard!!" She yelled angrily, landing a decent punch before Doku managed to pull her off. Gojyo held Sanzo's gun arm back and prayed like hell that the Monk wouldn't shoot him for it.
Hakkai also grabbed Sanzo's other side, earning himself a string of inventive suggestions of how he could go amuse himself for the remainder of the day. Doku held a still-struggling Lirin firmly, and Kou massaged his forehead as Lirin's and Sanzo's bitching beat through his skull.
"ENOUGH!!" He roared.
"Frankly, I don't give a damn about Son either way. If he finds his way back to us, fine. If he doesn't, I don't care." Yaone clapped a hand over Lirin's mouth, to forestall loud and expletive protests.
"But we're leaving, and *you*" he pointed at the restrained Sanzo, "can go where you like, as long as it's not with us." With that, he turned and strode away. Doku hauled Lirin over his shoulder and followed. Yaone bowed apologetically and got astride her own dragon.
Silence fell, as the dragons rose into the air and flew swiftly away. Hakkai and Gojyo realised they still had a death grip on a suspiciously quiet Genjo Sanzo. As in 'the calm before armageddon' kind of quiet.
"Um...Sanzo.?" As the two released the monk and stepped away, half-heartedly attempting to smooth the wrinkled robes, Sanzo's violet eyes turned towards them.
Without a word, the monk turned and began to retrace their steps. Hakkai and Gojyo exchanged a glance. Gojyo's questioning, and Hakkai's a 'don't ask, just hope he's out of bullets'.
Sanzo's thoughts remained his own, but a hint of what he was feeling was betrayed by the slightest upward lift of his mouth.
Hakkai and Gojyo, too immersed in planning their wills, failed to notice the slip.
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The table was long and carved from solid stone. Upon it were an amazing variaty of dishes, and so many roast animals that, had the table been made of wood, he'd have bet it would've collapsed. At one corner, sat an old man, with light blue skin and pupil-less dark blue eyes. His face bore no beard, but his head abounded with long, wispy, silk-like hair. It was currently tied back into about seven ponytails all over his head, creating a very interesting look.
The old man studied Goku as intently as Goku studied him. As the boy sat down, he reached out and traced a claw across Goku's muscled torso. Goku froze, and the old man cackled at his expression. The girl from earlier walked out carrying a bowl of grapes, which she set down next to Goku with a scowl for the old man. "Leave him alone now Grandpa." She scolded.
Obediently, the wizened old man turned to his dinner, casting sly glances at the boy instead.
The girl sat down next to goku and passed him a plate. "Help yourself." She invited, and Goku happily complied. The two ate in silence for all of twenty minutes, before the edge was taken off their hunger.
The girl pushed her plate away and began pouring drinks.
"I guess I should start with the basics." She said, proffering a goblet of sweet-smelling liquid to her Grandpa. The old man took it, but set it aside, more interested in the conversation at hand.
"My name is Akyla, and I am a Fire Yokkai. Grandpa is a Water Yokkai, who has refused to give me his name since the day I met him."
Goku looked up from his roast duck. "Then he isn't your..?" Akyla smiled. "No. All elemental yokkai are born from their elements, not one another. Unlike humans and regular yokkai, I don't think we are even capable of reproducing. You have to understand, Elemental yokkai are incredibly rare. We don't know if we are created entirely by chance, or some spirit of the great elements, but we do know that we have a longer lifespan than any other mortal creature." She paused for a moment, then added "Longer than any half-mortals too."
Taking a bunch of grapes, the girl began to Idly remove their stems as she thought. "I've called him Grandpa all my life. I had a Grandma once, an Air Yokkai. But the Celestials were wary of her and her power, afraid that she would threaten them. One day she flew too close to Heaven, and they killed her. This was a very very long time ago, back before I got my colouring."
She pointed at her own skin, then tapped Goku's arm. "As you age, your body colours itself to your element. That's why I have skin of fire and eyes of Coal." She gestured to Grandpa. "His skin is the blue of shallow water, while his eyes are the blue of deep." Goku looked down at himself. "You mean I'm going to turn black?" Akyla shrugged. "Maybe not. After all, your tanned colour wasn't recieved by the sun. It's too even over your whole body." Goku blushed uncomfortably. "Your eyes are gold, a precious metal of the earth. But you are still very young, you have a long time before any changes will be made. I can not predict what they will be. You could well turn gold-skinned, brown-eyed and silver-haired. I just don't know."
Goku took a sip from his goblet, digesting everything the girl had said. Akyla turned her attention back to her stomach, which left the old man for converstaion.
The old man didn't seem to have the appetite of his 'Granddaughter' or Goku, content to merely nibble on baked salmon. His dark blue eyes stayed locked on Goku. Abrupty, her leaned over to Goku again. Bending next to Goku's ear, he whispered; "So, whattya think of Akyla huh? Damn good looking isn't she? How would you like to get marri-URRGHK!!" Akyla pulled the old man back by his ear and pushed him into his seat again.
"Pay no attention to him, Granpa is allways trying to marry me off." She sighed. "But this is the best so far!" Grandpa said excitedly. "How many chances are you going to get, to be with an Elemental Yokkai?? He's a little young, but that just means he'll have more stamina!"
"GRANDPA!!" The girl exclaimed, highly embarresed. "You can't just talk about our guest like that!!"
"I'm looking out for your well-being! What's so wrong about wanting to see my favourite Granddaughter married off to a good man before I die?"
"Nothing, but you don't want to marry me off to a good man, *any* will do for you. You'd try to marry me to one of your goats if you could!"
The old man grinned. "Now there's an idea..."
"GRANDPA!! Behave yourself this instant!!"
Goku coughed slightly. As their eyes turned to him, he stood. "I'm a little tired... Thankyou for dinner and fixing me up. Do you mind if I go to bed?" Akyla opened her mouth, but her grandfather beat her to it.
"Only if you take my Granddaughter with you." He said firmly, then cackled at the panicked look that swept Goku's face.
"Grandpa!" Akyla hissed in anger and raging embarresment. "Sue, go ahead." She assured Goku, then turned back to her Grandpa, an angry sentance on her lips.
As Goku walked hurridly back into the house, he heared the old man's loud sentiments.
"Look at that body. Akyla, If I was female I'd be all over him!"
"Grandpa that's enough, what are you trying to do? Scare him away?"
"It's not my fault he has such a fine ass, look-at-it in those pants, are you looking Akyla?"
There was a sound closely ressembling a heavy bowl making contact with a skull, followed by.. "Oh look now there's two of them! Two! Imagine how long you can go with two of the-YEEEOOOOWWW!!!!"
"GRANDPA YOU PERVERSE OLD MAN, I'VE HAD IT!! GET BACK HERE!!"
Explosions roared through the air outside, pillars of flame throwing back the shadows around the house.
Goku escaped into the relitive safety of the cool building and made his way to his room. Sinking onto his bed and listening Idly to the yells outside ("Ha ha! Ya missed me!" "STOP PUTTING MY FIRE OUT!!" "Yeah, ok. NOOOOT!!! Nyahahahahaaa...") Goku touched a hand to his newly-healed stomach. He didn't know how he got here, but one thing was for certain.
He had to get back to Sanzo.
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Before you ask.. I guess... yes. It must be something in my genetic make-up makes me enjoy starring old people in my fics. (Or maybe all Granddad's hypnosis attempts actually did something...)
All I need now is for the perverted old lady to make an appearence!
(Just jokes)
I hope all the Elemental yokkai stuff was understandable, I'm following on someone's Idea that Goku was born of the earth intentionally, not by chance. And it stands to reason, that if some earth spirit wanted to have a son, why not the other great spirits?
-Von (Really upset that ff.n removed the author alerts and review alerts from us poor people. Eventually all that will be left is reading. Posting will probably be restricted to the paying peple. *sighs* )