Never Eternal

by yumeneko

Disclaimer: As usual... Saiyuki is Kazuya Minekura-sensei's... I'm just using it for angsty stuff...

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Another rewritten chapter again. This time I added more Goku conversation.

Warnings: Huge amounts of angst. Sanzo + Hakkai semi-fluff in later episodes. Sanzo shall become OOC. Might drive you sick. Lots of blood and Squaresoft hinting.

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"Torn between past and future, but in the present, things have become worse..."

In the darkness of Pandemonium, Hades sat upon his throne overlooking the pool of souls.

"Hades-sama, I have brought the list of the newly dead. Azrael should be here by now..." A man who wore a blood red cloak.

"Macabre... I want you to go after Azrael and collect her souls. She's late..." Hades commanded the man.

"Hai... I shall do my best, Hades-sama..." The man named Macabre nodded.

Meanwhile, Sanzo continued to follow Kouryuu. He knew that when Kouryuu would enter the door of Komyo's room, the worst thing would happen. Sanzo thought worriedly as he spoke, "What must I do... I don't want to see Komyo die again! But I still have to be focused on my mission."

On the other hand, Azrael kept watch over the music box, "Soon... I believe Macabre would be here. Hades-sama knows I'm late for the necrology reporting."

As she kept guard, she saw something in the shadows.

"Is it a Terra?" Azrael's eyes darted around, but all she saw was Gojyo.

"Azrael... What are you doing?" Gojyo asked.

"I thought you were asleep..."

"I thought YOU were asleep!" He laughed.

"Ha! Us undertakers are never asleep..." She laughed. As she did, she heard the strange rustle in the darkness, "Who's there?"

Out of the darkness, a black panther pounced on Azrael and took the music box in its mouth.

"Azrael!" Gojyo gasped. Black blood spilled from where the panther scratched her. He looked around, the panther had disappeared.

"I see you have met the Terra..." A young man's voice sounded. Gojyo turned to see the red-cloaked Macabre.

"Macabre-kun..." Azrael whispered in joy.

"You should have came back sooner... Hades-sama needs those souls to be kept away from those Terra." Macabre shook his head as he healed Azrael's wound.

Azrael looked for the Terra, "Where is it?"

"It ran away with that music box you've been guarding."

"Macabre, we must track it down before the soul is destroyed!"

"Of course, Azra-chan, if those Terra crush those souls, they will never be reincarnated!"

Azrael took out a black scythe out of thin air, "Actually, that soul's part of the key to destroying Gyumao..."

"Then what are we waiting for! Let's go already!" Macabre brought out a blood red lance.

"Matteru! Sanzo's still in the place of memories... We must take him out of there or else, once that soul is crushed, he could be stuck in there forever..." Azrael started to chant an incantation. Macabre joined in, hoping that he could speed up the process.

In the place of memory, Sanzo watched as Kouryuu was talking with Komyo, when suddenly, he was pulled back to the real world by the same prism of light that transported him to the place of memory.

"Sanzo! Hakkai's soul was abducted!" Gojyo informed Sanzo, "We must find those Terra!"

Macabre put his hand on Sanzo's shoulder, "You'll be a good asset to this mission... Can you fight with ofuda?"

"I'm not as skilled as Rikudo, but I can try my best..." Sanzo looked at the stronger man with determination. Macabre handed him a black case.

"These are the ofuda of the former head necromancer who tried to destroy the Terra. These ofuda are as strong as sutras when used against the undead Terra, but they do well in recovering allies." Macabre explained.

"Ah… Haraheta… What's everyone doing here so late at night??" Goku entered the scene.

"BAKAZARU!" Sanzo swatted the boy with his harisen, "Don't you know there's a crisis going on?!? This is not the time to worry about your stomach!!"

"Saaaaanzo!!" Goku whined as he was swatted, "If you're facing such danger, why don't you let me join?!?"

"Okay then, bakazarou…" Gojyo shrugged his shoulders, "You'd be a good asset to this mission."

"Ore wa saru ja nai yo!!" Goku angrily ended the conversation.

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A/N: Is it me... Or is this starting to look like Squaresoft?

List of Squaresoft hints:

1. Place of memories (FF9's Memoria)

2. Pandemonium (Another FF9)

3. The Terra (Since it takes the form of a black panther, let's just say it's Chrono Cross)   

4. Ofuda's power of killing Undead and recovering allies (Erm... Cast Life on the Undead and watch them die!)

5. Portal thingy (CHRONO CROSS!!)

This is crazy...