Title: Zettai ni Shinai
Rating: General/ PG 13, depends on how the story goes.
Pairings: Konzen/Homura, Sanzo/Homura
Status: 3/?
Author: Hagane ^^\/
Disclaimer: Just 2 words: I wish.
This fic might not exactly fit into the flow of the original story- though I did try for it to remain as true to the original as possible. Minekura-san left many loopholes in her story and I'm just attempting to fill it up. This might not be the best…..but oh well. I kind of like this chapter. Hope it's to your liking as well. Enjoy.
//Konzen//
It's another boring day in Heaven. Someone said that people could actually die from boredom on earth. But because death doesn't even exist in this painfully boring place, I'm still here, alive. Unfortunately.
"What do you want kuso baba? If you're here to bother me, then I'm busy. If you're not here to bother me, I'm still busy. So get lost."
She chuckled as if I'd just cracked a joke. Obviously, this woman is dense as well as stupid. She doesn't get that I don't want her around and that I completely resent the fact that we're related. Oh, the pitfalls of a stupid one.
"You haven't thanked me for helping you out of a potentially sticky situation," she said, arms on her hips, standing right in front of my table.
"When have you ever helped?"
"Oh, say, that time when you went out for a stroll….." she smiled maliciously at me.
I rolled my eyes. "Oh. That. Don't praise yourself just because no one wants to."
She sighed dramatically. "I shouldn't have hoped too much."
"Well if that's all, I would really appreciate it if you get out of my sight."
"Konzen, Konzen, aren't we blood relations? Surely you won't chase me out?"
"It's precisely because of that that he wants you out I think," Tenpou said helpfully, entering my room. "Good afternoon Kanzeon Bosatsu," he bowed slightly.
"Tenpou Gensui," she smiled conspiratorially at him, "I think our Konzen's been cooped up inside for too long. Why don't you take him out for a stroll?"
"You know, that's a great idea!" Tenpou agreed amiably, but I wasn't fooled. They both knew something I didn't.
"It's nice out here today, ne Konzen?" he said conversationally.
I snorted. "What's the difference? Every day's the same in Heaven."
"True."
"What is it that you want?" I asked, unable to play along any longer.
Tenpou smiled guiltily. "Well, I thought you might like some company."
"Tenpou……" I said warningly.
"Mou….." he scratched the back of his head, "Well, everything's so tense now…..Nataku's gone to subdue Gyumao and all the troops are just waiting….."
"What's so tense about that?"
"Ano…..well, there are some slight disagreements among Heaven's highest order."
"And what does it concern you?"
"Kenren's upset that Nataku has to go fight Gyumao alone."
"And?" I didn't like where this was going.
"They've found his successor."
"Who? Gyumao's? Nataku's? Or Kenren's?"
"Nataku's of course," Tenpou smiled, while avoiding my eyes.
"A successor? For Nataku? What, they're expecting him to be defeated?" I asked incredulously.
"That's what Kenren said. He said that if they think he's going to be defeated then they shouldn't have sent him alone. 'What the bloody hell are troops for if they just stand there watching a one-man fight?' he said. Or in this case, a one-boy fight."
"Hnn."
"It's worrisome, don't you think?"
"And this concerns me……?" I asked, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
"Welllllll……I thought you might be interested in who the successor is," Tenpou laughed lightly.
"I'm positively dying of curiosity. Why don't you enlighten me?"
He winced slightly at the caustic remark. "Homura."
I froze in place. Selecting my words carefully, I asked, slowly, "Why him?"
Tenpou shrugged. "He's a heretic. He's exempted from Heaven's code of no killing."
"That's it?"
"Nataku is a heretic as well. That's why they're using him."
"That's disgusting."
Tenpou shrugged again. "That's Heaven."
I found it hard to believe. I know Tenpou would never willingly lie to me, and this was a grave matter. He had accused Heaven of being 'disgusting' though indirectly. If word got round to one of the higher gods……..
Then there was the matter of Nataku being sent to fight alone. It was preposterous. Heaven had a million troops ready for combat, and could definitely call up for more. What were they doing while the Fighting God battled? Just waiting and watching? It was disgusting, even to me.
And there was the matter of Nataku's successor. It was to be Homura, the imprisoned man. This issue was complex. First, why the hell did they choose a successor already? It was as if they'd expected something to befall Nataku. In which case, Kenren was right. Why send a boy alone to fight if they already knew something was bound to happen to him? It was a selfish gamble. A purely selfish gamble. An unnecessary risk. But apparently, a risk they were willing to take. Next, why Homura? Was it because he was a heretic? Was it just that? Did Heaven choose to keep him just for this purpose? It was cruel….. treating him like dirt and then giving him the post of the Fighting God. Thirdly, why did Heaven choose Heretics specifically for the task? It was as good as ostracizing them and sending them to their doom. Lastly, why the bloody hell did I care? None of the matters concern me. If Nataku is defeated, and Homura succeeds him, it won't affect me. If Heaven was cruel, it was none of my business. I am one of them. And if the troops are just standing there like the idiots they are…. What is it to me?
Nothing. I gain nothing, I lose nothing from all this.
Still, why does it bother me so much?
//Tenpou//
Kanzeon Bosatsu had mentioned something that had caught me by surprise. She came by to my office one day, out of the blue, and told me, after much meandering and weaving around, that the recent orders by the higher gods were probably going to affect Konzen. He still didn't know yet, and Kanzeon-sama had said that someone should break it to him, and since I was the closest thing to a friend he had, it was up to me to be that someone. It just puzzled me at first- why would Konzen be bothered by Nataku's demise? And she had answered my unspoken question. Just one word.
Homura.
Not that it made any sense immediately. Why would Konzen care about Homura? They had had no contact with each other whatsoever and Konzen never bothered about others. So, why him and why now?
//Homura//
There was an uproar of sorts. It had been a while since I had been summoned by God and had last seen him. In that length of time, I spent my days, just remembering his face. His very presence had lightened the place and I had hoped that he might visit me again. But I never saw him in my prison cell again.
I was free to wander around now. I'm not sure what sort of communion the higher orders had, but I was released from my prison and allowed to roam Heaven.
It took a lot of getting used to.
Up above, it was never-ending twilight. My eyes needed time to adjust to the sudden onslaught of sunshine and brightness and my body reacted quite violently at the startling outpouring of Vitamin D. I felt miserably pale in comparison to the other gods.
My sudden, unexpected freedom was also overwhelming. I could go wherever I wanted- except within the palace walls. The courtyard which I only set foot in several times before, I crossed more than thrice a day in my daily passage.
No one acknowledge my existence- they shied from me even, save for one. Her name was Rinrei and she was one of the lower gods from the palace. I chanced into her one day during one of my usual wanderings and we became acquaintances. Her sunny disposition and sweet personality enraptured me and I found myself smiling more than I ever had when she was around. She seemed to care when no one else did, but she wasn't enough to put him out of my thoughts.
The commotion above seemed to be getting worse. I heard desperate and excited shouts of men, and the sounds of many footsteps thundering across, the volume amplified by many layers of steel that encased my prison from the world above. Something had happened- I could smell it even in the damp air hundreds of feet below.
The trapdoor was crashed open and I heard several guards run down the stairs quickly, almost panicky. I sat up straight, my body rigid.
They burst as one and hurried through the narrow passageway- unlocking the door in the most frantic rush I'd ever seen, and removing my chains. I felt considerably lighter- with the heavy load off my body, and only the cuffs on my hand remaining.
I was guided up the stairs, with what I thought seemed like respect.
Well, I could be wrong.