Tottering friendship.
By vermillian.
Summary: The new long series of mine. Goku made a decision to choose his own way without being with Sanzo. The sign of broken relationship was slowly marked on their friendship. How could it be?
Notes: Thanks for all reviews and sorry for some grammatical error. –' For Rook-san, I might not follow all of your opinion, but I will try to do some of it. Thanks for your opinion. For the suggestion about 'yaoi', sorry but I won't do it in this series. It's not because I don't like it. I just have a plan for another couple in another series that I will finish in one day. –' BTW, please read and review.
Disclaimer: I do not own saiyuki. I own only its DVDs.
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Chapter One: - Where the story went on.
-Two years later, Chou An Temple-
"I already told them, Sanzo-sama," reported a monk.
Genjo Sanzo nodded. "Good. Is there anything else?" Whatever he thought and appeared in his eye, the lower rank monk seemed to miss it.
"No. Sanzo-sama," replied the monk. Then he sighed. "It is really good to have you being here. You help and give us many treasure advice."
"Sou ka," replied Sanzo. He really wanted this monk to leave him alone.
The monk didn't want to go. "It is true, Sanzo-sama. Since almost a year you have been being here, we all are very glad that you coming back."
At the point, Sanzo couldn't hold his patient in any longer. "If you don't have any thing else to ask me, just get back. I have a work to do." It was absolutely that this monk couldn't help but being scare for Sanzo's dead glare. He finally left the higher rank monk alone.
In Sanzo's office, when the owner of its was alone, he was deep in his thought. There is almost two years. One year for traveling and another year for being here. He thought. There is no matter how much I want to ignore it; it is still in my head. I cannot forget and get it out of my head, no matter how much I want to forget it. In a next three days, it will be two years. Two years after Goku had left us.
**********
-Some small village far away on the west-
There was a young guy who worked in a small farm. Sunlight was not so strong that day, but because of the hard work, that young guy was bathing in sweat. When he was about to move to the other side of farm according to do the next job, the Owner of the farm was calling him. "Goku, you can take a rest for a while. You have guests, the old groups."
"Oh, okay. Arigato," answered Son Goku.
"They have wait for you at your place," told Owner. "Oh, another thing. Before I forget it." He took some envelope from his pocket and handed it to Goku. "Here you are."
"My letter?" wondered Goku. But no one should know where I am, except…
Owner didn't notice some strange on Goku's face. "It just arrived in this afternoon." He shrugged his shoulder. "Don't let me keep you being here and let your friends waiting."
"Hai," replied Goku. He kept the letter in his pocket and started heading to his place. It was a cottage, where he lived while he was working for his new master. It was settle not far away from the main house of the Owner's family. However he still had a private enough to do anything he liked, or welcomed the guests and had a private talk with them.
"Long time no see, Kougaiji," greeted Goku.
"Goku," answered Kougaiji, "how are you?"
"Very well," replied Goku. "Where are the others?"
"In your kitchen. Ririn has hungered, so I asked Yaone to find something for her to eat, and Dokugaku thought he wanted something to drink. Therefore they left me here to tell you if you do not stop them soon enough, all of your stuffs will be gone," replied the red-haired guy.
Goku laughed. "I don't care either. Every time you come, all of my stuffs are always gone."
Kougaiji smiled. This event was causing him to think about what happened two years ago. If someone told him on that time that he would be a close friend with Goku, he might be laughing for that joke. It didn't matter even they didn't have to be an enemy in any longer after the battle at Houto Castle. He and Goku didn't suddenly be a close friend after the battle or after Goku had left his companions to his own way. It happened after that. After the several times of visiting, Kougaiji had an experience on talking with the young guy. Although they had many different things, they still had many congenial thought. As a result, they became a friend, and a best friend in finally. And that let Kougaiji to know a lot of thing, including the reason that made Goku changing a lot when compared before and after the situation in one night that Goku should overhear nothing. The night that made Sanzo-ikkou was not to be Sanzo-ikkou in any longer.
"…ji. KOUGAIJI!"
"Huh?"
"Are you daydreaming?" asked Goku. His eyes was lighting with laugh. "It's really rare to see!"
"Sorry. Just thinking about something in the past," admitted Kougaiji.
The light was gone from the pair of golden eyes. "About two years ago?"
Kougaiji nodded. "And how did we become friend."
"Long time, right?" murmured Goku. At the time, he didn't see his friend. His mind was recalling something in the past, the past that he wanted to forget.
Not before Kougaiji could say anything or Goku might deepen his thought, they were interrupted.
"Oi! Goku! Long time no see!" greeted Dokugakuji. His loudly voice woke both guys to be back to the real world.
"Hai," replied the golden-eyed guy.
"You should have more meat bun. I can't full with that amount of food!" complained Ririn.
Goku smiled a bit, and started laughing when he saw his best friend holding his temple and sighed deeply.
"Ririn-sama," cried Yaone.
When Dokugakuji could hold his laugh, he turned to his young master. "By the way, what did you talk when we are in Goku's kitchen, Kou? Both of you looked worried when we're out."
His master didn't give a reply. He turned to his friend for searching something that might show on Goku's face.
Goku didn't show anything. He shrugged his shoulder. "Well. We're taking about what happened two years ago." He said as nothing happen at the time before suddenly moved to the topic that the other would never expect. "Did you hear something about them?"
Dokugakuji understood what Goku meant for 'them' although he didn't expect the guy to ask him this question, especially not after two years or so was passed. "I don't know about Sanzo or Hakkai. Gojyo didn't talk about them. But I believe that they still live with a good health like my brother. If not, we should know something about it."
"I see," replied Goku. He might continue in silence if it's not because of Ririn, who wanted to reduce the tension that she always hated. At the time, her eyes contacted with something, which jut out of Goku's pocket. She pointed at it. "What is it?"
It made Goku to remember his letter. "Oh, it's a letter that just arrived in this afternoon." And he opened it…
**********
-Some town on the North-
"Hakkai. You can take a rest here and find something to eat," said Master.
"Arigato, Master," replied Cho Hakkai.
The green-eyed youkai was working here since he separated from Gojyo a year and eleven months ago. This place was a restaurant with rooms for travelers in second floor. He worked as an assistant of this half-restaurant half-inn. Because of it already passed the noon and there had less number of guests, so it was the time for him and the other to find something to eat. As normal, Hakkai brought his share and walked away for eating alone. And every time he ate, he couldn't help but was thinking of his long lost friend, Son Goku.
It's almost two years since that day. He thought. What would he be?
Before Hakkai could continue his thought to the boy he ever knew far away, there was someone interrupting him. "Why don't you eat, Hakkai? Are you alright?" asked Master.
"Er. Sorry, Master," replied Hakkai, "but I'm alright."
"If you say so," said Master. He sighed. "It's really being a hard work like I said almost a year ago, right?"
"Hai. But it's a good job," replied Hakkai.
The answer made Master laughing. "It's really good to have you being here. You help us a lot."
The green-eyed youkai just smiled as his trademark.
"But you would get more money if you play gamble. You are really good player, you know?" continued Master.
The smiling still was kept on younger guy's face. "Might be. But I'm more prefer this job, Master."
"How lucky I am to have the coworker like you," murmured Master. "Oh, before I forget it again, here you are." He handed Hakkai an envelope. "It was sent to you."
"For me?" wondered Hakkai. Then he opened it…
**********
-Another town on the South-
"Oh, my," complained a guy on another side of table, "loosing again?"
Sha Gojyo, the red-hair and red-eyed youkai, laughed. "Forget about trying to win over me. Lady Lucky is always by my side." No wonder, at his side was around with women.
"You are so cool, Gojyo," said the woman in black hair.
The woman in brown hair didn't want to be lost by her friend. "I never find any guys as good as you, Gojyo."
The opponent guy sighed. "Don't you know how to lost, Gojyo?"
The light in Gojyo's eyes slowly went down when he thought of something. "Absolutely I do. There are two guys, who are better than me."
"Oh, who are they? Never thought someone would be better than you would in a card game. Will you introduce them to us?" asked the woman in golden hair.
The red-haired youkai didn't suddenly replied. His face was keeping in dark. "Nope." He got up from the table, and turned to Master of the bar. "Take it in my list. Ja ne."
Without waiting for any answer, he went off the bar to his place.
"What did he be?" muttered the woman in brown hair. "He didn't want us to comment about his hair and eyes, and this time is his friends?"
"Well," replied the woman in the black hair.
Card game? Gojyo thought. I'm absolutely not the best one. He just couldn't do anything but thinking of the past. It was almost two years since our group was broken. Almost two years that I never saw them. Ch'. Bakasaru. This was started from what you did.
His thought was stopped when he arrived his place. He opened the door. Before he was going in, his eyes accidentally met some envelope on the floor.
Letter?
He picked it up only to see that there was no the sender on it.
"What the hell is it?" murmured Gojyo.
Then he opened it and was looking for more detail…
**********
-Chou An Temple-
"Genjo Sanzo has arrived," announced a servant.
"Sorry for interrupting you," said man head of Sanbutsushin. "But the new order was arrived."
"Hai," replied Sanzo.
"We want you to go to a town at the middle of this land," said woman head of Sanbutsushin. She told the name of its.
"The order will be waited for you there and including the people, who will help you completing this task," told the 'unidentified' of Sanbutsushin.
"You can start from now on," said the man head of Sanbutsushin, "the appointment is on three days from today."
"As your wish," replied Sanzo.
**********
-Town on the North-
"Master, can I resign?" asked Hakkai.
"Huh?" Master couldn't stand for a minute, but he finally understood. "That letter?"
"Hai," replied Hakkai. "I don't actually know what it meant. But I feel that I have to go."
Master didn't suddenly replied. He was looking in his coworker's for a while. When he realized that there was no way to change this guy's mind, he just sighed. "I think you won't change your mind."
"Sorry, I…"
But Hakkai was interrupted by the waving hand of Master. "No, it's not your false. But if you change your mind or want some work to do after that, you can come back here anytime."
"Arigato, Master," replied Hakkai.
"By the way, when will you go?" asked Master.
Hakkai's eyes were back to the detail in letter for a few seconds. "The appointment is on three days after today. I think I will start traveling today."
"Okay," said Master. It seemed he could suddenly remember of something. "Oh, wait a minute."
Not for long, he went in his office and brought something with him. He handed it to Hakkai. "This is your wage."
The younger received it, and was wondering. "But it's more than I should have."
The elder just smiled. "Think of it as a gift for a long good work. Moreover, you need it for long travel." Before Hakkai could protest, Master continued. "It's not polite to refuse what the older want."
"Arigato, Master," appreciated Hakkai.
"You should pack your belonging and start your journey by now unless you will be late," said Master.
"Hai," replied Hakkai.
He had a few people to say goodbye. So it took him only thirty minutes before he came back to his place. Hakuryu, his white dragon, came to greet him.
"I have a place to go. Will you go with me, Hakuryu?" asked Hakkai.
No doubt, Hakuryu agreed to go with his master. There was nothing much for Hakkai to bring with, but Hakuryu and some belonging. At that time his eyes accidentally met something. It was his suits, which he ever used in 'Sanzo-ikkou'. Without any reason, he looked at it for a while before decided to pick it up.
"I think I will bring it with me. What do you think, Hakuryu?"
"Kyu," agreed Hakuryu.
Hakkai smiled with his trademark. "Let's go, Hakuryu."
**********
-Another town on the South-
"I must be crazy for going to some rural country because of that stupid, no sender letter," complained Gojyo. He did it all the way he went to buy some stuff for traveling. Of course, he also did it all the way he was back home.
Some woman called him from behind. "Gojyo, where will you go?"
"Some rural country on the north of this town," replied red-haired man.
"Really? When will you come back?"
"Dunno," replied Gojyo before he cut it short. "I have no time for talking. The appointment is on three days after today. Ja ne." He waved his hand and headed back to his home.
When he arrived his place, he packed all of his belonging. Before he finished it, he looked at a pack at the corner of his room. He hesitated for a while and decided to bring it along with him. "Old suit? Better than leaving here."
At the time he was about to close the door, he took a look at the mystic letter. "I swear if it waste my time, I will kick anybody ass that sent this letter to me." He closed the door and started his new journey…
**********
-Village on the west-
"What did it say?" asked Kougaiji.
Goku didn't suddenly reply. His face was still hidden in dark. "This letter asked… No. Actually it ORDERED me to go to a town at the middle of this land." He told the name of its and remained silence.
Finally Ririn couldn't stand the silence and was about to ask when Yaone stopped her. The elder shook her head and carefully asked Goku herself. "And you knew who the sender was, right?"
"Absolutely I do," replied Goku shortly. He sighed. "I thought… No, I hope she forgot about me and won't pay any attention on me anymore."
"Guest you're wrong," murmured Dokugakuji.
"Hey! What are you talking about? Who is 'she'?" asked Ririn. She still didn't get it.
Goku glanced at her for a few seconds before started walking to the main house. "You can ask your brother."
"Where will you go?" asked Kougaiji.
Goku shouted without turning back. "I have to resign!"
When the guy was out of sight, Ririn turned to her brother. "Onii-chan. What about my action? Is it okay?"
"It's good," replied Kougaiji. He glanced at his followers. "And I start to wonder what his reaction will be when he realize it."
"It's 'her' false, Kou. Not yours," soothed Dokugakuji.
As a result, the young prince sighed and murmured. "We will see."
-Main house-
"You want to resign?" asked Owner.
Goku nodded. "I'm sorry for asking it so suddenly but I don't know how long of this journey will take. So I think it will be better if I do resign."
Owner stared at Goku for a while before accepted it. "I think I can't change your mind."
"Er…"
"No, you don't have to say sorry. It's totally not your false," said Owner. But when he thought of his litter daughter, he had to sigh. "Don't worry about me. I just thought about my daughter. What will she do if I let you, 'her young cool smart guy', going on your way?"
Goku couldn't help but smiled when he was thinking of thirteen-year-old girl, daughter of his master. It seemed she really like him. She's always with him almost all the time. "It might because she wants a brother to be with her."
As a result, it caused a wide smile, which finally became a laugh, on his master's face. How could I believe it? Is this young guy really don't know how charming he has? "Sorry. But it's not only my daughter would be angry, it also includes the other girls in my farm, you know?"
"Huh? But why?"
It made Owner had to try to stop smiling as fast as possible. "Oh, if you don't know, it'll be alright." He didn't give Goku a chance to say anything when he continued it. "Before I forget, here you are." He handed an envelope to his worker. "It's your wage and some bonus for traveling."
"But…"
"Just receive it. I want to give you. It's a year, right? Since you're here. You're helping us a lot, so this will not more than you should have. Actually it's not enough."
"Arigato, master," appreciated Goku.
Owner smiled. "After your traveling is ended and you have no where to go, please come back here. We will glad to meet you again."
"Hai," replied Goku. When he finished talking with the Owner, he was back to his cottage without saying goodbye with Owner's brother. It was due to his master's suggestion, 'if you go to see her, my daughter will try every way she can to stop your traveling.' As a result, he went back to his cottage and started packing his belonging.
"Will you go now?" asked Kougaiji.
Goku nodded. "The appointment is on three day after this day. I have to start as fast as possible. I will take a day to find Koryu (the dragon that Kougaiji gave him), and he will use the rest of the time to take me there."
"I see," replied Kougaiji.
"See you later!"
When Goku was out of sight, Dokugakuji turned to his young master. "So it's a time for us to go."
Kougaiji sighed. "Okay. We will see later for his reaction. Let's go!"
Then they disappeared.
**********
-Tenkai-
"They started the journey again," smirked Kanzeon Bosatsu. "There will be a lot of fun this time."
"Kanzeon Bosatsu," murmured Jiroshin. *major sweat dropped*
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Finish! Sorry for this long chapter. I tried to reduce it but I can't. What do you think about this chapter? Please read and review.