Author: Camry Maxwell
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Son Goku and Genjo Sanzo (main)
Disclaimers: Gensomaden Saiyuki characters and setting don't belong to me. ^_^
Journey To His Heart
Chapter Three: Tears of Happiness
Hakkai gave Gojyo a concerned glance as he watched Kanzeon Bosatsu place one hand on her hip, her gaze unwavering and free of any emotions. He licked his lips and whispered towards the redhead, "What is she doing?"
Gojyo snorted as he place his weapon in front of his body, his eyes never leaving Kanzeon's. "Don't know, but it certainly is the opposite of 'mercy', that's for sure."
Goku looked up at Sanzo, his eyes wide with confusion and apprehension. "Sanzo, isn't she the one who saved your life?"
Sanzo didn't know how to answer that. True, this woman-goddess saved his life when he battled Rikudo, and was actually the one who pushed him to save Goku, which led to him liking the saru in the first place. At first, her presence annoyed him like hell. She didn't act like a Goddess, and her attitude was infuriating, but he had come to respect her in an odd way. Not only because of his starting to like Goku, but for something else too... Something that bonded him to her in an unnatural way... Snapping out of his thoughts, he gave his companions a look and muttered, "Let's get rid of the monster first. Hakkai, get the hostage to safety. Gojyo, aim for its legs and arms. Goku, aim for his head. I'll finish it off."
Everyone nodded at the instructions. Then, Gojyo grinned and commented lazily, "Want to impress your sex slave here with your finishing move?"
Goku blushed and shouted indignantly, "I'm not his sex slave, you ero kappa!"
Sanzo aimed his handgun at Gojyo's forehead. "One more comment and your brains are coming out the back of your head."
"Hai, hai..." Gojyo chuckled to himself. Then, with a nod at Hakkai, they both disappeared and reappeared beside the monsters body. Hakkai threw attacks at the spiders back while Gojyo proceeded to slice off the arms and legs one by one, making the creature scream in agony. Despite the pain the two inflicted on the monster, its hold on the last, living hostage wouldn't budge.
Noticing this, Goku tried to make a lunge at the monster, but Sanzo's voice stopped him. "Matte."
Goku turned irritated eyes towards the monk. "Demo, Sanzo! She might die if we don't do anything!"
Ch. After she interrupted us a while ago, I'd rather that she shut up for eternity. Fixing his cool, amethyst eyes on Goku's, he said in a calm tone, "They have their duties, and we have ours. If we make unnecessary actions because of our emotions, we'll lose the battle."
Goku felt his anger heighten at that reply. He didn't get it. Sure, Sanzo acted like a jerk at times, throwing snide remarks at anyone he saw or just act rude, but he had a heart, right? He was human, so he'd have to have one. The monster was crushing the hostage's body so tight that the girl's screams for help became louder and hoarser. She was panicking because of the lack of oxygen. Forming his hands into fists, he turned to face Sanzo fully and demanded, "LOOK at her, Sanzo! She's suffering and screaming so hard! Why can't we help her? Why won't you let me go there?!"
Sanzo knew Goku all too well, and he knew that the saru's emotions were taking over his being reasonable. Trying not to sound too obnoxious, he tipped his head towards the master of the creature and bit out, "Because that's exactly what she's waiting for."
"Huh?" At that unexpected answer, Goku's anger momentarily deflated as he shifted his eyes towards the Goddess.
Sanzo nodded, his eyes trained on Kanzeon Bosatsu. "Sou. She's waiting for one of us to be alone so that while the others are busy dealing with her monster, she'd take care of the loner."
"How'd you know that?"
Sanzo looked down at Goku and replied, "Because her eyes are trained on both of us right now, not on Hakkai and Gojyo. She knew that you were going to try to save the girl, which means that she'll attack me while the three of you destroy the creature. When she's done with me, she'll shift her attention to one of you guys and do the same."
"Demo..." Goku's face was strained as he looked back at the hostage. He cringed at her piercing scream that seemed to travel deep into his bones, his eyes wary and unfocused. Finally, he couldn't take it; he charged forward as he screamed, "Gomen, Sanzo, but I can't let her die!"
"GOKU!" But it was too late. Without any time to react, Kanzeon Bosatsu vanished momentarily before appearing right in front of Sanzo. He cursed and shot her twice, but he knew it was futile. The shots didn't have any effect on her as she wrapped her long, clammy hands around his neck and lifted him off the ground. Sanzo kicked and twisted to escape, but Kanzeon didn't budge an inch. Grasping her wrists, Sanzo grounded out, "Kono yaro..."
Kanzeon threw back her head and laughed. "Yes...call me all the names that you want, Sanzo..." She squeezed harder and grinned as Sanzo's face formed an expression similar to agony. "I need to hear your sex slave say something. If he doesn't, then you die. It's as simple as that."
Nani? Sanzo glared at her as his oxygen supply was cut short.
Kanzeon looked behind her and smirked that evil smirk of hers. "And it looks like your sex slave didn't take your order seriously, too. He should have known that you have met me TWICE, which is enough for you to know my technique."
Sanzo tried to retort, but he lost his ability to speak a few seconds ago, what with her nails biting into his flesh, his blood running down from the wounds. His face was paling as oxygen stopped circulating his body. Sanzo felt his eyes glaze. But despite that, he managed to retain his glare that was concentrated solely on her and her smile.
Kanzeon looked up at Sanzo and murmured, "This is suppose to be done, Sanzo...I have to do it to save you and Goku from the pain and agony you're going to endure from this point on."
Save...me and Goku?... But Sanzo really didn't care much about receiving an answer. His vision was beginning to become blurry as his arms and legs stopped functioning altogether. His grasp fell from her lips as he remained limp in her arms, one feeling coursing through his body: Humiliation.
He was humiliated with the fact that a woman, though God, but a woman nonetheless, will be ending his life. He was humiliated with the fact that he was so weak that he couldn't even fight her off. He was humiliated that his weapons were useless at this point and that he was nothing more than an ant waiting to be crushed... He was humiliated that he couldn't tell Goku how he felt before his life ended. He felt totally and completely humiliated... Pushing past his blurry vision, he managed to make out the form of Goku on the side, the hostage in his hands. He closed his eyes again and waited for death to claim him. Goku...
"Eh?" Goku looked up suddenly, as if someone had called him softly but loud enough. His eyes went to the area where he left Sanzo, and he felt his entire system shut down at the sight of Sanzo hanging limp and dead-like in Kanzeon Bosatsu's hands. He stood up quickly and ran towards them. "SANZO!!!!!"
"Nani?" Gojyo turned his attention away from the monster and felt a sense of foreboding when he noticed Sanzo's pale form.
Hakkai aimed another shot at the monster and shouted at Goku, "Goku! Gojyo and I'll finish the monster! Save Sanzo!"
"LET SANZO GO!!!!!" Goku screamed loudly as he jumped in the air and aimed his yoibon at the Goddess. "HANASHITE!!!!!"
Kanzeon Bosatsu grinned, and in a flash, the aim of Goku towards her head was stopped.
Goku gasped, wondering how she managed to stop his attack, but at the sight of her hand wrapped loosely around his staff, he knew that her power was equal to that of Homura's...or greater.
Kanzeon narrowed her eyes and muttered, "Too weak."
"NANDATO?!" Goku aimed a kick at her, but her hand shot out of nowhere and made contact with his stomach, making his body fly up because of the force, then fall hard against the ground. Coughing against the pain, he lifted his gaze up to stare at the Goddess. He knew that he was too weak to defeat her. She was too strong for him, and she didn't look like she was making an effort. One hand was still wrapped around Sanzo the entire time she-
Goku stopped short. Sanzo His eyes looked at the monk and he felt terror attack his heart. The blonde...wasn't moving. His body was limp, his lips were pale, his eyes were closed... He looked DEAD. Goku's hands started shaking so bad that he dropped his yoibon and fell to his knees. He vaguely heard Gojyo screaming at him, but his eyes were trained at Sanzo. In a quiet voice, he looked up pleadingly at Kanzeon Bosatsu and whispered, "Onegai... Let Sanzo go."
Kanzeon smiled down at Goku. "Why?"
Goku shook his head, tears burning his eyes. He looked up at her and pleaded again. "Please...let him go. Please..."
Kanzeon loosened her grip on Sanzo's neck and said, "If you give me a good reason, I might let him go."
Goku formed his hands into fists. A good reason?! He stared at Sanzo's form and felt a tear slide down his face when he saw Sanzo's head roll to one side. He reached out, but Kanzeon tightened her hold again, making Goku scream desperately. "NO!"
Kanzeon paid no attention to his pleas or tears. "Give me a reason."
Goku gave up trying to look for a good reason and blurted out, "Because I love him."
Kanzeon grinned malevolently. "What was that, Son Goku?"
"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!" Goku shouted, not caring that Gojyo and Hakkai heard him, not caring that most of the village people heard, not caring about anything anymore. He covered his face with his hands and babbled, "Because I love him so much...Because if you kill him, I'll die too. Because if you take him away, I'll lose the very reason for living. All because I love him..."
Sanzo was brought out of his hazy state for a few seconds, and his heart soared at the words Goku screamed for everyone to hear. Knowing now that he could die happy, he closed his eyes and went back to the dark as he thought, Baka saru...I love you too...
Time stood still for 2 minutes. No one moved, no one made a sound, no one did anything. The monster stopped moving entirely, Goku's sobs could still be heard, and everyone had their eyes glued on Kanzeon Bosatsu. Her eyes never left Goku's form as her hold on Sanzo's neck stayed the same.
Finally, she sighed, looked at Sanzo's face, and said, "Remember his words, Sanzo. You'll need it the most when you reach your destination." With that, she released Sanzo and disappeared, her monster fading at the same time. Sanzo's still form hit the ground hard, his body resembling a crumpled heap.
Goku immediately jumped up from his position and ran towards Sanzo, tears running down his face as he grabbed Sanzo's limp body and hugged it to his own, his sobs muffled as he buried his face in Sanzo's shoulder. "Gomen! Gomenasai, Sanzo. If I only listened...If I only listened..."
Gojyo and Hakkai knelt down beside the duo. Carefully, Gojyo reached out towards Goku, but his hand was stopped by Hakkai. Gojyo sat back as Hakkai moved his hand carefully between Sanzo's neck and held his breath. When he felt a pulse, his eyes jumped and he opened his mouth to tell Goku that Sanzo was still alive, but the words died in his mouth.
Goku was still crying on Sanzo's shoulder when he felt a warm hand on his head, stroking him comfortingly. Thinking that it was Gojyo or Hakkai, he lifted his gaze towards the two to tell them to leave him alone for a while, but when he saw that their hands were still with them, his eyes widened. What?... Cautiously, he lifted his head off Sanzo's shoulder, and blinked when amethyst orbs made contact with his golden eyes. He stilled, not knowing if this was all just a dream or reality.
Sanzo tipped his head tiredly to one side, looked up at Goku's stunned expression, and offered a small smile. "Hey."
Goku felt all the barriers he had place around himself shatter at that one word, and abandoning everything, he threw himself into Sanzo's arms and kissed the blonde monk sweetly, tears falling from his eyes. When Sanzo responded softly, he felt his heart leap and cried even more, thanking everything and everyone around him for such a glorious miracle. He drew back from the kiss, stared at Sanzo's eyes, and kissed the smooth temple. He wrapped his arms around Sanzo and hugged the blonde to him tightly, whispering over and over again, "I love you, I love you, I love you..."
Sanzo smiled as he buried his nose in Goku's hair and whispered back, "I love you too...saru."
Everyone was applauding now, their cheers so loud that Sanzo felt his eardrums would break, but at the sight of Goku, his Goku, crying happily in his arms, he felt that breaking his eardrums was worth it. He looked up at the sky, debated whether he should thanks that shitty Goddess for doing this, but when Goku gave him another sweet kiss, he closed his eyes and kissed the saru back.
This moment was too precious to waste.
* * * * * *
Kanzeon Bosatsu watched the entire thing with a smile on her face. She knew that she was in trouble now, what with interrupting and changing what was meant to be, but she didn't want him and Goku to suffer again...Not like they had suffered 500 years ago.
With that, she turned around, glanced back at Sanzo, and murmured, "Remember what I told you, Sanzo..." And with that, she disappeared into nothing.
TBC
Camry: Wai! Yatta! They're FINALLY together! Nyahahaha! And the next chpater will have a sweet moment for them (with NO distractions). ^_^ Kya...Don't worry Ruishi, I won't make the next chapter so cheesy... just VERY cheesy. ^_^ Hehe! Anyway, Happy New Year! Thanks to all those who reviewed! It inspires me to hear your reactions, thus, making me work faster *hint hint*. Please REVIEW this chapter and hope you enjoy the coming of 2003! ^_^ Ja ne!