A Twist Of Fate Part Three: An Ocean Away
''What the hell are you talking about?'' Sanzo asked. Staggering from the surprise, he scowled and tried to hide is confusion with his usual scowl. ''I don't have parents. I never met them. I never considered them. Now you're telling me I'm related to you?'' he laughed sarcastically. ''Don't make me laugh.''
''How could I have known about your story?'' Toki asked scowling himself, looking at Sanzo. ''Don't you want to know what happened?'' he asked.
Sanzo turned away again. ''I don't care. I don't care about what happened to them.'' He felt himself getting angrier by the minute because of some reason he didn't know. ''Get out of my sight or I'll kill you.'' He said, his voice was rough - Toki could almost feel it shaking. He didn't move. He kept standing there. His expression still stern, he continued to speak.
''Her name was An-Mei.'' He said. ''She lived a little furthur from Changan before.''
''I said I don't care. And if you keep ---'' Sanzo said again, his voice hoarse and angrier.
''Listen to me. And I'll leave you alone.'' Toki interrupted him. ''Just listen to what I have to say and then you can do whatever the hell you want, I won't care.''
Sanzo kept quiet. He didn't say a word. He kept his back turned. It was officially a 'go' signal for Toki.
''She lived with her husband - her first husband Li-Wei back then. They had a child once, with his mother's hair and his father's eyes. she told me, they named him Satori. That's your real name.'' He paused as Sanzo did not say a word again. ''Even though she was married.'' he stopped again. ''She kept telling me that she loved Li-Wei very much. But even at then - another man was after her.''
Sanzo looked up, he was quiet.
''She kept refusing him and turning him away. Saying that she was happy where she was. The man's name was Jiang. He wouldn't give up, so he decided if he couldn't have okasama, no one else can.''
Sanzo's eyes widened slightly, but again. He kept listening - he didn't notice it - but it did seem like a part of him wanted to hear it.
''So, he went after okasama and Li-Wei. Li-Wei tried his best to protect you and her. But he told her to run for it.''
***
Flashback. years ago.
An-Mei fought the tears in her eyes back as she clutched the crying baby in her arms, not wanting or letting herself let go. As she ran away from the house, she heard a sharp and yet familiar cry of pain. She shut her eyes tightly as she kept running. She knew that he had gotten to kill Li-Wei. She wanted to break down and fall on her kness, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream until her mouth was a perfect 'o'. But she knew she couldn't do that. She had to save her child, her baby Satori. It was the only thing that mattered now.
Ii ka, An-Mei! Run now! Take Satori with you! Escape!
A sob escaped her lips as she could hear the water running. All she had to do was take a left and she and the child were on their way to the next town. They could ask for help there. They'd be safe there. This child couldn't die. She could hear the river not far ahead, she decided she couldn't stop now. She had to keep running.
She stopped for a moment as she could hear a maniacal, angry voice calling for her. She could practically hear the sound of his voice closer and closer. She kept running afterwards. She stopped as she saw the river. She looked to her left, it would be too easy to follow them through the forest. She might get caught and he might kill the baby. She started to cry, tears falling from her eyes, the baby crying himself. She didn't know what to do now. She looked at the baby who was crying - reaching his little hand out to her. He was so tiny, so young, so innocent. She had to save him even if it cost her, her own life. She looked around and then ahead. Gasping again as she heard the voice of Jiang not far from behind. She had to think quick. She had to lead Jiang out after her and forget the baby.
She looked up as she saw an old cradle by the side, it was covered in weeds and it was dirty. But there was no time now. Tears kept falling from her eyes as she pulled the weeds off, the baby by her side, crying louder than before. She dusted off some of the mud on it. She carefully carried her child and placed him inside. She knew he wasn't far from behind.
''Satori. I'm so sorry, you'll never get to meet your mother or father. I never wanted this. I don't want this.'' she felt the tears fall from her eyes again. ''I love you. And I always will. You must live now. You can't die here. you have to live.'' she started to push the cradle off to the water, and cried a soft, heartbreaking cry as she watched it drift away from her, the cries of the child slowly softening and stopping. He was asleep now.
''Be strong, Satori. Stronger than I'll ever be. You'll always be with me.'' she wiped her tears and started to run off, sobbing softly, not wanting to see the cradle, her child drift off farther from her arms.
***
''Jiang caught up to her, but she fought back. She had killed him, and she moved onto the next town. She never came back to her old house, to that river. Everything was too painful for her to see again.'' Toki shook his head. ''A year later, she married again. To my father, Sei-kung. He helped her get through it, though she never recovered from it. They had me and when I grew up, I remember her telling me about you. She always did.''
***
''Okasama.'' An eight-year old boy asked as he peered in. He saw his mother sitting before the fire, looking at a small hand-made doll of a cat. It was orange but slowly turning gray as it looked like it was kept for years. An- Mei stared at it intently. She didn't seem to notice that he was there. He watched and gasped softly as a tear fell from her eyes.
''Okasama.'' Toki called again, this time entering.
An-Mei looked up and laughed softly, wiping the tear away. ''Toki. What is it?'' she asked gently. ''Is your father back yet?''
''No. But I have finished cooking.'' Toki said smiling. ''I thought you were too tired from cleaning this morning, so I did it myself.''
''Sweet of you, my dear.'' An-Mei answered. She gestured for him to sit beside her, as he did she put one arm around him and kept him close. She looked at the doll-cat again. Toki blinked, his blue eyes glanced at his mother.
''What's that?'' he asked, looking at it.
''It's an old doll that belonged to Satori. my first child.'' she said softly. There was a painful note in how she said that. She had looked sad and tired all of the sudden.
''You had a kid - before me?'' Toki paused. ''What happened to him.''
''I don't know.''
''Eh?''
An-Mei told him the whole story, afterwards. Toki sat there in awe and yet confused at the same time.
''I wanted to find him. I wanted to find your brother so badly, afterwards. But I knew I could never reach him again.''
''Why didn't you tell me I had another brother?''
''I tried to put it behind me. Your father's been so kind to me. So patient and always listening and understanding when I talked about Satori.'' She smiled gently. ''I have never given up hope. I know he's out there.''
''Do you think I'll get to meet him, okasama?''
''I don't know. I hope you do. I felt empty - after I sent him off. Knowing I was never going to see him grow up, I wasn't the one to teach him anything. The goddess of mercy must be kind to let me live.''
Toki watched his mother as she looked down and more tears came from her eyes.
''I wish that I could see him. Know what he looks like or what he sounds like.'' She laughed softly and shook her head. ''I'm sorry, Toki. I shouldn't be talking about this in front of you.''
''I don't mind. I like it actually, I want to meet him.''
''If you do. If you do meet him, If you do see him, tell him something for me.''
''Eh?''
'' Tell him I'm sorry I never did.''
As she cried. Toki only embraced her, not saying a word. He didn't resent her for loving the child before her. He couldn't resent her. He only embraced her tightly, letting her cries echo through his mind, through out the whole room.
***
Sanzo looked at Toki now. He was still quiet, but he was starting to believe that this was real. ''What happened to her? Why aren't you with her?''
''She's dead.''
Sanzo remained quiet, looking at him as if gesturing for him to keep talking.
''She died when I was seventeen. A group of fox demons came to the town and started destroying and killing every living thing in sight. They were demon bandits, I think. And they came into the house trying to steal everything we owned. Otousama and I tried to fight back. But when otousama was killed, okasama helped me escape.''
***
They had gotten to the end of town, a fox demon was on their trail. An-Mei knew how fast those demons were. She wasted no time in leading him through the shortest way to get to the end of town.
''It'll be easier for your to escape.'' She said as they stopped running. She gave him a brown pouch. ''This would be enough money for you to travel for three weeks or four. After wards, you'll have to be on your own.''
''Okasama! You can't stay here! You'll die, those things will kill you!''
''It's no good for me now!'' she looked at him. ''You have to keep moving. Toki, listen to me. Find your brother.''
''My brother? But he could be ---''
''He's alive, Toki. I don't think that he's dead. You have to go look for him. He's the only one who can help you now. Run away from this place.'' She paused as she heard the tree fox demons after them laughing. ''Keep running and don't turn back until you reach the next town. ''
Toki looked up as he saw a fox demon lunging for them, he took out the black dagger with silver embroidery he had with him, cutting through the demon. He cried out as he vanished, he looked up as another demon came for them. Toki yelled out angrily again as he cut through it's neck.
''Come with me, okasama! Don't stay here!''
''There are more of them coming after us. They won't let anyone leave this place.'' She looked at him. ''Run, Toki! Do what I ask you to! You have to live! You can't die!''
He paused as saw more of them approaching, he got the dagger ready. His eyes widen as he heard a scream, he quickly glanced at his mother who had four stab wounds on her. She was slowly falling to the ground as another one of them grabbed her by the hand. Making sure she was still alive. Toki watched in horror, his eyes wide and his hand shaking.
''Okasama!''
An-Mei looked at him, smiling painfully and weakly. ''Be strong, Toki. Stronger than I ever was.''
A blade went right through her neck, blood spilling down the ground. She was still alive as she weakly pushed the blade off her neck. As she fell to the ground, her eyes were slowly closing. Her hand was still shaking, as it stopped. Toki ran to her and held her in his arms. Bitter tears falling from his eyes, he didn't make a sound. He was quiet, He looked as something fell from her pocket, picking it up. He saw the doll-cat, stained a little with her blood. Looking down, he put it in his pocket and set the body down gently. As he looked up, clutching the dagger. The demons were still grinning at him, holding their weapons.
''Ready to join your mother?''
He kept quiet, clutching the dagger. He slowly looked up, his eyes glaring at them, a cold and angry stare made them back away a little as he clutched the dagger even tighter.
''I'll kill every single one of you bastards. '' he whispered hoarsely.
All of them started to attack. Toki looked up, held the dagger tightly and yelled out as he ran to attack them, his voice echoing through the town.
***
''I killed them and got away. When I travelled, I stumbled into a temple that was a little closer to the capital. Chuo Sanzo took me in and taught me everything I needed to know. He was a kind man who made a lot of sense, fortunately for me. I stayed there until I was about twenty-two, my age now. '' he paused and looked at his older brother. ''Until the same thing happened. The same fox youkai who attacked the town back then came to that temple, looking for you.'' He said. ''They had wanted the maten kyoumon. But since you weren't there. They settled for the Heart Sutra instead.''
He paused and looked up.
''I've been trying to track them down since then. And I was looking for you. Before my master was killed, he gave me the sutra and told me escape because I couldn't die then. A few months later, I came across the temple in Changan. I asked them, and they told me that Kouryu, who was now Genjo Sanzo left a few months ago.'' Sanzo looked at him, they were quiet for a few moments.
''They told me about your mission from Kanzeon Bosatsu herself. So, I want to know now. Can you take me with you?''
''I thought you said you'd leave me alone?'' Sanzo asked turning away again.
''I want to find that group of fox demons that killed my master. our mother. I'm not going to rest until I find them. I want to kill them myself for what they did.'' Toki cut him off again. His voice stern, angry and determined. ''So, can I go with you or not?''
Sanzo paused, looking ahead for a moment and taking a deep breath. He remembered himself. It did look like they have something in common. The demons who killed his master and took the good sutra from them. As for Toki who saw their mother die before his eyes and see another person he cared for die before his eyes again. He thought for a moment.
Toki was still standing before him. Waiting for his answer. He was used to being alone, He liked it. He always thought things were better that way. But as he looked at his brother, there was a feeling inside of him, some sort of painful feeling he couldn't get rid off. Was it that he wanted to stay with his brother? It couldn't be, his brother was an unimaginable, brutal bastard. But even at that.
''Forget it.'' Toki finally whispered as he turned away. ''You're right. I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems. You've got your own fish to fry.'' He started to walk off. ''Good night. Sorry for the waste of time.''
Sanzo turned away. Toki felt a sharp jolt of pain go through his spine. He shook his head, he'd expected this. He expected that Sanzo would not care even a bit. He sighed and looked ahead. ''Okasama told me to find you.'' He said. ''I don't know why. But I really wanted to. I know that even though I found you, it wouldn't make a difference. Okasama and Otousama would still be dead. And things would still be the way they are but even at that.'' He looked up. ''I wanted to know the truth.'' He started to walk off. ''But even if you don't care. I can live with that. If you don't want me with you, I can live with that, too. But anyway. Sanzo. Satori, Onisan. whichever, I was happy to meet you. Even for just one time.''
Sanzo felt like his footsteps were echoing away from him. Further and further he got. He turned back around, seeing Toki, his younger half- brother walking away. He scowled, why did it feel so strange? A person that he had met just now, he felt so connected to him. It felt painful seeing him walk away. He tried to shrug it off. But the further Toki got away from him, The more his chest tightened and he felt like he couldn't breath. Both of them losing people they care for, him - Komyo Sanzo, Toki - An-Mei and his master, Chuo Sanzo.
''Matte.'' Sanzo called.
Toki stopped and looked up. ''Nanda?'' he asked.
''Do you really want to come with us? My companions are noisy idiots.''
''I don't care about them.'' Toki answered him sharply. ''I just want to come to find the demons who killed okasama, otousama and my master.''
Sanzo paused again, before he turned back and looked ahead.
''Ii da ro. You can come with us, but the moment you cause trouble. I'll kill you.''
''Don't worry about me causing trouble. Keep a closer eye on your companions, they make too much noise and their idiots. Idiots should keep their mouths shut.'' Toki said calmly.
Sanzo smirked slightly, he was starting to see the family resemblance. But as soon as he did, he scowled again and shrugged it off.
Toki started to open the door to his room.
''Ora yo.'' He called as he turned back to Sanzo, throwing something at his direction. Sanzo looked back and caught it with his hand. He saw a small doll-cat, cleaned and back to it's real colors. The bright orange and yellow colors caught his attention before he looked up.
''That used to be yours.'' Toki said. ''Keep it with you. Just for old time's sake, I guess.''
Sanzo scowled and looked back ahead. ''Aa. Yasumi da.''
Toki paused before entering his room. ''Domo, onisan.'' he said softly, but enough for Sanzo to hear before entering his room and closing the door.
Sanzo glanced back at the closed door and looked at the doll-cat. He touched the face lightly, it still looked okay though it was a little tattered. He put it gently in his pocket, he didn't know why he was so careful with it. When he usually wouldn't care. He looked back up at the sky. Seeing so many stars tonight, the sky was a beautiful blanket of midnight blue. And he didn't know why, but today. It seemed even lovelier.
With that, he turned away and started for his room
~TSUZUKU~
''What the hell are you talking about?'' Sanzo asked. Staggering from the surprise, he scowled and tried to hide is confusion with his usual scowl. ''I don't have parents. I never met them. I never considered them. Now you're telling me I'm related to you?'' he laughed sarcastically. ''Don't make me laugh.''
''How could I have known about your story?'' Toki asked scowling himself, looking at Sanzo. ''Don't you want to know what happened?'' he asked.
Sanzo turned away again. ''I don't care. I don't care about what happened to them.'' He felt himself getting angrier by the minute because of some reason he didn't know. ''Get out of my sight or I'll kill you.'' He said, his voice was rough - Toki could almost feel it shaking. He didn't move. He kept standing there. His expression still stern, he continued to speak.
''Her name was An-Mei.'' He said. ''She lived a little furthur from Changan before.''
''I said I don't care. And if you keep ---'' Sanzo said again, his voice hoarse and angrier.
''Listen to me. And I'll leave you alone.'' Toki interrupted him. ''Just listen to what I have to say and then you can do whatever the hell you want, I won't care.''
Sanzo kept quiet. He didn't say a word. He kept his back turned. It was officially a 'go' signal for Toki.
''She lived with her husband - her first husband Li-Wei back then. They had a child once, with his mother's hair and his father's eyes. she told me, they named him Satori. That's your real name.'' He paused as Sanzo did not say a word again. ''Even though she was married.'' he stopped again. ''She kept telling me that she loved Li-Wei very much. But even at then - another man was after her.''
Sanzo looked up, he was quiet.
''She kept refusing him and turning him away. Saying that she was happy where she was. The man's name was Jiang. He wouldn't give up, so he decided if he couldn't have okasama, no one else can.''
Sanzo's eyes widened slightly, but again. He kept listening - he didn't notice it - but it did seem like a part of him wanted to hear it.
''So, he went after okasama and Li-Wei. Li-Wei tried his best to protect you and her. But he told her to run for it.''
***
Flashback. years ago.
An-Mei fought the tears in her eyes back as she clutched the crying baby in her arms, not wanting or letting herself let go. As she ran away from the house, she heard a sharp and yet familiar cry of pain. She shut her eyes tightly as she kept running. She knew that he had gotten to kill Li-Wei. She wanted to break down and fall on her kness, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream until her mouth was a perfect 'o'. But she knew she couldn't do that. She had to save her child, her baby Satori. It was the only thing that mattered now.
Ii ka, An-Mei! Run now! Take Satori with you! Escape!
A sob escaped her lips as she could hear the water running. All she had to do was take a left and she and the child were on their way to the next town. They could ask for help there. They'd be safe there. This child couldn't die. She could hear the river not far ahead, she decided she couldn't stop now. She had to keep running.
She stopped for a moment as she could hear a maniacal, angry voice calling for her. She could practically hear the sound of his voice closer and closer. She kept running afterwards. She stopped as she saw the river. She looked to her left, it would be too easy to follow them through the forest. She might get caught and he might kill the baby. She started to cry, tears falling from her eyes, the baby crying himself. She didn't know what to do now. She looked at the baby who was crying - reaching his little hand out to her. He was so tiny, so young, so innocent. She had to save him even if it cost her, her own life. She looked around and then ahead. Gasping again as she heard the voice of Jiang not far from behind. She had to think quick. She had to lead Jiang out after her and forget the baby.
She looked up as she saw an old cradle by the side, it was covered in weeds and it was dirty. But there was no time now. Tears kept falling from her eyes as she pulled the weeds off, the baby by her side, crying louder than before. She dusted off some of the mud on it. She carefully carried her child and placed him inside. She knew he wasn't far from behind.
''Satori. I'm so sorry, you'll never get to meet your mother or father. I never wanted this. I don't want this.'' she felt the tears fall from her eyes again. ''I love you. And I always will. You must live now. You can't die here. you have to live.'' she started to push the cradle off to the water, and cried a soft, heartbreaking cry as she watched it drift away from her, the cries of the child slowly softening and stopping. He was asleep now.
''Be strong, Satori. Stronger than I'll ever be. You'll always be with me.'' she wiped her tears and started to run off, sobbing softly, not wanting to see the cradle, her child drift off farther from her arms.
***
''Jiang caught up to her, but she fought back. She had killed him, and she moved onto the next town. She never came back to her old house, to that river. Everything was too painful for her to see again.'' Toki shook his head. ''A year later, she married again. To my father, Sei-kung. He helped her get through it, though she never recovered from it. They had me and when I grew up, I remember her telling me about you. She always did.''
***
''Okasama.'' An eight-year old boy asked as he peered in. He saw his mother sitting before the fire, looking at a small hand-made doll of a cat. It was orange but slowly turning gray as it looked like it was kept for years. An- Mei stared at it intently. She didn't seem to notice that he was there. He watched and gasped softly as a tear fell from her eyes.
''Okasama.'' Toki called again, this time entering.
An-Mei looked up and laughed softly, wiping the tear away. ''Toki. What is it?'' she asked gently. ''Is your father back yet?''
''No. But I have finished cooking.'' Toki said smiling. ''I thought you were too tired from cleaning this morning, so I did it myself.''
''Sweet of you, my dear.'' An-Mei answered. She gestured for him to sit beside her, as he did she put one arm around him and kept him close. She looked at the doll-cat again. Toki blinked, his blue eyes glanced at his mother.
''What's that?'' he asked, looking at it.
''It's an old doll that belonged to Satori. my first child.'' she said softly. There was a painful note in how she said that. She had looked sad and tired all of the sudden.
''You had a kid - before me?'' Toki paused. ''What happened to him.''
''I don't know.''
''Eh?''
An-Mei told him the whole story, afterwards. Toki sat there in awe and yet confused at the same time.
''I wanted to find him. I wanted to find your brother so badly, afterwards. But I knew I could never reach him again.''
''Why didn't you tell me I had another brother?''
''I tried to put it behind me. Your father's been so kind to me. So patient and always listening and understanding when I talked about Satori.'' She smiled gently. ''I have never given up hope. I know he's out there.''
''Do you think I'll get to meet him, okasama?''
''I don't know. I hope you do. I felt empty - after I sent him off. Knowing I was never going to see him grow up, I wasn't the one to teach him anything. The goddess of mercy must be kind to let me live.''
Toki watched his mother as she looked down and more tears came from her eyes.
''I wish that I could see him. Know what he looks like or what he sounds like.'' She laughed softly and shook her head. ''I'm sorry, Toki. I shouldn't be talking about this in front of you.''
''I don't mind. I like it actually, I want to meet him.''
''If you do. If you do meet him, If you do see him, tell him something for me.''
''Eh?''
'' Tell him I'm sorry I never did.''
As she cried. Toki only embraced her, not saying a word. He didn't resent her for loving the child before her. He couldn't resent her. He only embraced her tightly, letting her cries echo through his mind, through out the whole room.
***
Sanzo looked at Toki now. He was still quiet, but he was starting to believe that this was real. ''What happened to her? Why aren't you with her?''
''She's dead.''
Sanzo remained quiet, looking at him as if gesturing for him to keep talking.
''She died when I was seventeen. A group of fox demons came to the town and started destroying and killing every living thing in sight. They were demon bandits, I think. And they came into the house trying to steal everything we owned. Otousama and I tried to fight back. But when otousama was killed, okasama helped me escape.''
***
They had gotten to the end of town, a fox demon was on their trail. An-Mei knew how fast those demons were. She wasted no time in leading him through the shortest way to get to the end of town.
''It'll be easier for your to escape.'' She said as they stopped running. She gave him a brown pouch. ''This would be enough money for you to travel for three weeks or four. After wards, you'll have to be on your own.''
''Okasama! You can't stay here! You'll die, those things will kill you!''
''It's no good for me now!'' she looked at him. ''You have to keep moving. Toki, listen to me. Find your brother.''
''My brother? But he could be ---''
''He's alive, Toki. I don't think that he's dead. You have to go look for him. He's the only one who can help you now. Run away from this place.'' She paused as she heard the tree fox demons after them laughing. ''Keep running and don't turn back until you reach the next town. ''
Toki looked up as he saw a fox demon lunging for them, he took out the black dagger with silver embroidery he had with him, cutting through the demon. He cried out as he vanished, he looked up as another demon came for them. Toki yelled out angrily again as he cut through it's neck.
''Come with me, okasama! Don't stay here!''
''There are more of them coming after us. They won't let anyone leave this place.'' She looked at him. ''Run, Toki! Do what I ask you to! You have to live! You can't die!''
He paused as saw more of them approaching, he got the dagger ready. His eyes widen as he heard a scream, he quickly glanced at his mother who had four stab wounds on her. She was slowly falling to the ground as another one of them grabbed her by the hand. Making sure she was still alive. Toki watched in horror, his eyes wide and his hand shaking.
''Okasama!''
An-Mei looked at him, smiling painfully and weakly. ''Be strong, Toki. Stronger than I ever was.''
A blade went right through her neck, blood spilling down the ground. She was still alive as she weakly pushed the blade off her neck. As she fell to the ground, her eyes were slowly closing. Her hand was still shaking, as it stopped. Toki ran to her and held her in his arms. Bitter tears falling from his eyes, he didn't make a sound. He was quiet, He looked as something fell from her pocket, picking it up. He saw the doll-cat, stained a little with her blood. Looking down, he put it in his pocket and set the body down gently. As he looked up, clutching the dagger. The demons were still grinning at him, holding their weapons.
''Ready to join your mother?''
He kept quiet, clutching the dagger. He slowly looked up, his eyes glaring at them, a cold and angry stare made them back away a little as he clutched the dagger even tighter.
''I'll kill every single one of you bastards. '' he whispered hoarsely.
All of them started to attack. Toki looked up, held the dagger tightly and yelled out as he ran to attack them, his voice echoing through the town.
***
''I killed them and got away. When I travelled, I stumbled into a temple that was a little closer to the capital. Chuo Sanzo took me in and taught me everything I needed to know. He was a kind man who made a lot of sense, fortunately for me. I stayed there until I was about twenty-two, my age now. '' he paused and looked at his older brother. ''Until the same thing happened. The same fox youkai who attacked the town back then came to that temple, looking for you.'' He said. ''They had wanted the maten kyoumon. But since you weren't there. They settled for the Heart Sutra instead.''
He paused and looked up.
''I've been trying to track them down since then. And I was looking for you. Before my master was killed, he gave me the sutra and told me escape because I couldn't die then. A few months later, I came across the temple in Changan. I asked them, and they told me that Kouryu, who was now Genjo Sanzo left a few months ago.'' Sanzo looked at him, they were quiet for a few moments.
''They told me about your mission from Kanzeon Bosatsu herself. So, I want to know now. Can you take me with you?''
''I thought you said you'd leave me alone?'' Sanzo asked turning away again.
''I want to find that group of fox demons that killed my master. our mother. I'm not going to rest until I find them. I want to kill them myself for what they did.'' Toki cut him off again. His voice stern, angry and determined. ''So, can I go with you or not?''
Sanzo paused, looking ahead for a moment and taking a deep breath. He remembered himself. It did look like they have something in common. The demons who killed his master and took the good sutra from them. As for Toki who saw their mother die before his eyes and see another person he cared for die before his eyes again. He thought for a moment.
Toki was still standing before him. Waiting for his answer. He was used to being alone, He liked it. He always thought things were better that way. But as he looked at his brother, there was a feeling inside of him, some sort of painful feeling he couldn't get rid off. Was it that he wanted to stay with his brother? It couldn't be, his brother was an unimaginable, brutal bastard. But even at that.
''Forget it.'' Toki finally whispered as he turned away. ''You're right. I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems. You've got your own fish to fry.'' He started to walk off. ''Good night. Sorry for the waste of time.''
Sanzo turned away. Toki felt a sharp jolt of pain go through his spine. He shook his head, he'd expected this. He expected that Sanzo would not care even a bit. He sighed and looked ahead. ''Okasama told me to find you.'' He said. ''I don't know why. But I really wanted to. I know that even though I found you, it wouldn't make a difference. Okasama and Otousama would still be dead. And things would still be the way they are but even at that.'' He looked up. ''I wanted to know the truth.'' He started to walk off. ''But even if you don't care. I can live with that. If you don't want me with you, I can live with that, too. But anyway. Sanzo. Satori, Onisan. whichever, I was happy to meet you. Even for just one time.''
Sanzo felt like his footsteps were echoing away from him. Further and further he got. He turned back around, seeing Toki, his younger half- brother walking away. He scowled, why did it feel so strange? A person that he had met just now, he felt so connected to him. It felt painful seeing him walk away. He tried to shrug it off. But the further Toki got away from him, The more his chest tightened and he felt like he couldn't breath. Both of them losing people they care for, him - Komyo Sanzo, Toki - An-Mei and his master, Chuo Sanzo.
''Matte.'' Sanzo called.
Toki stopped and looked up. ''Nanda?'' he asked.
''Do you really want to come with us? My companions are noisy idiots.''
''I don't care about them.'' Toki answered him sharply. ''I just want to come to find the demons who killed okasama, otousama and my master.''
Sanzo paused again, before he turned back and looked ahead.
''Ii da ro. You can come with us, but the moment you cause trouble. I'll kill you.''
''Don't worry about me causing trouble. Keep a closer eye on your companions, they make too much noise and their idiots. Idiots should keep their mouths shut.'' Toki said calmly.
Sanzo smirked slightly, he was starting to see the family resemblance. But as soon as he did, he scowled again and shrugged it off.
Toki started to open the door to his room.
''Ora yo.'' He called as he turned back to Sanzo, throwing something at his direction. Sanzo looked back and caught it with his hand. He saw a small doll-cat, cleaned and back to it's real colors. The bright orange and yellow colors caught his attention before he looked up.
''That used to be yours.'' Toki said. ''Keep it with you. Just for old time's sake, I guess.''
Sanzo scowled and looked back ahead. ''Aa. Yasumi da.''
Toki paused before entering his room. ''Domo, onisan.'' he said softly, but enough for Sanzo to hear before entering his room and closing the door.
Sanzo glanced back at the closed door and looked at the doll-cat. He touched the face lightly, it still looked okay though it was a little tattered. He put it gently in his pocket, he didn't know why he was so careful with it. When he usually wouldn't care. He looked back up at the sky. Seeing so many stars tonight, the sky was a beautiful blanket of midnight blue. And he didn't know why, but today. It seemed even lovelier.
With that, he turned away and started for his room
~TSUZUKU~