Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Saiyuki characters. They honorably belong to Minekura Sensei. Please don't sue me.
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Ayie: Arghh!!! I'm going crazy for sure… no make it totally pissed off, furious, mad, annoyed… what so ever!!! cursing continuously
Sanzo: Oi! What happened? clamped Ayie's mouth from uttering more and more foul language
Ayie: struggled to let go I was typing for my chap 18 and suddenly the computer revert it to read-only and suddenly… it…it… Sanzo: getting impatient it what?!
Ayie: It disappeared!!! wailed out loud I've already finished a quarter of it and now I have to retype it all over again… wargh!!! banged head to the wall
Sanzo: K'so! ran to ayie and stopped her from banging her head to the wall Hakkai! I need your help here… Hakkai: Ma…ma…ayie, don't hurt yourself… you can always make it all over again…
Sanzo: took ayie in his arms and hushed her softly Naa…Ayie, we'll work it out together… Ayie: wept sadly sob…sob…
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Chapter 18 – The Guilt
The man stared at the being curled up in a large energy barrier in the middle of the chamber. He grinned. 'Such a tiny being… such a mess… what power does it possessed?'. Xiang was amused at the fact that the harmless little being could trigger such chaos between good and evil. Baron wanted the baby for revenge and Sanzo-ikkou sworn to protect him with their life.
He shook his head, laughing at the irony of life occurred before his own eyes. The baby slept peacefully in the chamber while out there somewhere, a group of fighters fought and endangered their own life just to get him out of there. Xiang walked around the energy barrier and halted at the spot where he could see the baby's face.
At a blink of a second, the baby disappeared and was replaced by an image of something so familiar to him but yet so painful. The image of four figures curled up in tanks filled with green fluids, flinching and stirring at the pain. Among the figures, his eyes fixed on a girl of dark hair so long that it reached her waistline. Her image danced before his eyes. Her face was so calm that even the pain didn't give any effect. She's so beautiful and charming, even with her eyes closed. His heart beats fast. She looked like as if she's sleeping and dreaming away peacefully. She absorbed the pain by drinking away the elixir of life around her.
Involuntarily, he reached out a hand and tried to touch her.
"Leya…" soft moan escaped from between his two lips. A foot was put before the other and he was about to take a step further when a figure appeared at the door.
"Xiang-sama" a voice from his back jerked him away from his hallucination. The image of the girl vaporized in the thin air and was again replaced by the energy barrier with the baby floating inside it. 'Who is that girl?' he shook his head and turned around to the door. A general stood by the door and bowed his head slightly to him.
Xiang stepped away from the energy barrier and made his way to his throne. The general trailed his steps. Xiang sunk to his throne and anchored his head on one arm. "Tell me!" he ordered as the general advanced into his sight.
The general kneeled in front of the throne and bowed his head. "Xiang-sama, our soldier in the wood reported that Sanzo-ikkou is on their way here" he reported.
Xiang smirked. 'Finally…'
"We're waiting for you orders to carry out the counter attack" the general looked up to him, waiting for his respond.
"We'll wait!" he gave out his order, much to the general's disapproval. But the latter man didn't give any effort to object the order. He bowed his head and retreated from the chamber. An order is an order.
Xiang tilted his head to one side. 'Come on… I'm waiting for you Genjo Sanzo' He closed his eyes and smiled.
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"What do you got here?" she snatched the piece of paper in Leya's hand and sunk herself on the bed, next to her sister. Leya, quite astounded with the impact that hit her by sudden reacted spontaneously by slapping the girl who caused it at her back. She fell down to the floor and flinched at her aching back. "Ne… O-nee-chan, this is not training session… you don't have to give out your best effort to hit me" she rose up and settled herself next to the dark haired girl.
"That served you right!" Leya chuckled. She snatched away the paper, which was taken from her a moment ago. Reika reached out one arm to retrieve it but her sister was quick. She pouted and turned her back to Leya. Her arms crossed before her chest and her face gave away a bitter look.
Leya shook her head and smiled. She wrapped her arms around her sister and kissed her at the cheek. "I'm in love" she announced with a merry tone.
"Nani?!" she turned around and set herself free from Leya's arms. "A girl so stubborn and so naughty like you has finally falls in love?" Reika slapped her head in disbelief. "Pinch me… I must be dreaming" her remark caused her another slap at the head from Leya. She staggered a bit and regained her balance a moment later.
"Yare…yare… three more times like that I'm sure to have amnesia" she shook away the image of little stars twinkling around her head. Reika turned around and looked at her sister. "Who's that unlucky guy who was destined to be your husband and my brother-in-law?" teasing was her expertise, no doubt. She dodged another slap that came down to her head. She avoided the slap from reaching her head but failed to avoid it from reaching her butt. She yelped.
Leya giggled. But then her face turned soothe and her lips uttered a name "It's Liamm" was the name escaped from her rosy lips.
Reika's eyes widened at hearing the name. She gaped at her sister with mouth wide opened. "Aww… man! Of hundreds men in this world, you end up falling in love with that man?" she protested. She shook her head. "Having you as a sister was already a torture… and now having Liamm as a brother-in-law would be a total disaster!" Reika exclaimed.
Leya's hung her head low. "You don't like him?" her voice trembled.
Reika smiled. She flung an arm around Leya's shoulder and pulled her sister close to her. "Are you kidding? He's the most perfect man I can ever think of for you" she reassured as she chuckled, amused at Leya's respond to her silly remark.
"Honto ni?" Leya lifted her face and rolled her eyes upon Reika's face. A smile returned to her face.
"Hai hai!" Reika sighed. "Even though I really don't like the idea of having a big bully as my brother-in-law" she waited for another respond.
"You rascal!" Leya pinched her cheek at hearing that remark. But then, Leya flung both of her arms around Reika's neck and hugged her tightly. She landed a kiss on Reika's forehead. "I love you" she whispered to her ear.
Reika tightened her embrace as if she didn't want to let go.
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"Aiko" the voice snapped her away from her past. Aiko turned around and lost her balance as she bumped onto someone. She almost stumbled to the ground if Hakkai hadn't grabbed her by the arm and pulled her upright. "Daijoubu desuka ne Aiko?" the emerald-eyed man asked with concern.
"Daijoubu da yo" Aiko reassured. She presented him a smile, a pretending smile. Bad news for her, Hakkai didn't buy her answer. He stared down to her face and waited for her to explain the thing that bothered her mind. It was not typical of Aiko to be off alert. Aiko sighed. She must tell him the truth. "Hakkai… Xiang is my brother-in-law" she confessed, much to Hakkai's shock.
Aiko retreated her eyes from Hakkai's emeralds and turned to gaze at Sanzo, Gojyo, Goku and Kazo, who stood looking at the road that split into three junctions. She looked back to Hakkai. That man was still speechless. "I don't know if the human in Xiang still exist or is it the other way around… but monster or not, I don't think I can kill him" Aiko gave out a sincere confession.
Aiko looked down to her feet. She nudged the sand beneath her feet with the edge of one shoe. "I mean… I owed my life to Leya-nee-chan, don't you think I'm responsible to take him back into his human form?" she glanced up. Still no respond from the man with the monocle. Aiko sighed.
"Suman ne Hakkai… for making you worried" she took a step away from the emerald-eyed man but the latter grabbed her arm by sudden and pulled her close to him. Aiko fell upon the man's torso. Her eyes rolled upon Hakkai's face. She looked for the motive of his act in the man's face. "Hakkai?" Aiko felt like she was in someone else's arms, not the Hakkai she knew. Hakkai was different from his usual self. The typical Hakkai's smile was no more on his face.
"Aiko…" Hakkai sunk his face into Aiko's hair as he hugged her tightly. "Don't torture yourself for something you are not destined to do… bringing Xiang back into his human form was not your job" he whispered to her ear. "I know it's hard to let go but Leya's death was not your fault" Hakkai fully understood of what's going on in Aiko's mind.
Hakkai released Aiko from his embrace and looked at her straight in the eyes. The girl was totally shaken up by his act. "You said it yourself… the only way to bring him back to himself is to pluck out the chip from his head but we are well aware that by doing it, he'll die" Hakkai reminded the girl of her own words.
Aiko gulped. She did say that. She did think that Leya's death was her fault. Aiko looked up to Hakkai. The man's face soothed a bit. 'I guess this man do know how to get angry'
"I felt the same way like you do when Kannan died, I blamed myself for her death" Hakkai sighed. "Trust me, it won't do you any good, instead you'll feel like you wanted to die just to make yourself feel better" he cupped Aiko's face in his palm. No way he's going to lose this girl the way he loses Kannan.
Aiko tried not to look into Hakkai's eyes. What Hakkai said is the truth. She would be willing die if it what it takes to bring Xiang back to his human form.
"It's wrong, dying won't make you feel better… it will hurt more and more" Hakkai tried really hard to convince her. He's not going to stop until the girl says something in return. "The only way for you to forgive yourself was to live with it and try to accept the fact that your sister died protecting you… she died because she wanted to protect the one she loved and that one person is you" Hakkai's smile returned to his face.
"It's hard" Aiko finally said something, much to Hakkai's relief.
"I know it's hard… but you got to try, for your own sake, for the sake of the people who love you" Hakkai's voice has slowed down. "Won't you at least try for the one you loved and the one who loved you… like Kazo, Sanzo….or me?" he gulped down the last word. Aiko was taken aback at that thought. She had forgotten that she had greater responsibility of loving someone than bringing Xiang back to his human form.
"Let Reika died, don't bring her back and conquered Aiko that I loved" Hakkai finished his last word. He glanced down to Aiko's face. No respond from the latter. He sighed with disappointment. Hakkai was about to walk away when Aiko grabbed his wrist. Hakkai turned around and smiled. The girl's smile has returned and her sorrow seemed to fade away.
"Arigatou na Hakkai?" Aiko chirped. 'She has let go' "I don't want to promise you that I won't try bringing Xiang back from his monstrousness… because I'm not good at keeping promises" she said.
"Yare… yare…" Hakkai chuckled nervously. 'I guess taking care of this girl is a hard work'
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Yumi shook herself away from a nap she never wished to take. She took a painful breath and looked around. The air around her was still and stiffed. The dungeon was so dark and cold. Yumi moved her numb hands but the shackles bounding her wrist made any slight movement barely possible. Fatigue overtook her by sudden and she was about to doze off when an image of her son appeared in front of her eyes.
"Keiro…" Yumi hissed softly. She moved her body toward the image but she could not get herself free from the shackles. The image faded away slowly. 'It was just a dream'. But then her eyes widened as she saw Keiro sat beyond the steel bars upward and waved for her. Yumi blinked with tears. "Keiro!!!" Yumi yanked her body away from the muddy wall behind her but the binding shackles strengthened and pulled her back to the wall.
Yumi's face showed complete blankness. Her eyes gleamed no light but her longing for her son. She yanked herself away from the wall again and again until the edge of the shackles penetrated into her slender wrists, giving way to deep cuts that poured crimson liquid.
Her arms were soaked wet with blood and the wounds gave a stabbing pain. But her fear of losing her only child overtook her physical pain. The pain of losing her son was a pain she could never endure.
"Keiro…" Yumi wailed out loud when the image of her baby vanished in thin air. "Keiro…"she sobbed sadly, almost whispering. Yumi's heart sunk into her deepest sorrow. Her hope to see her baby alive died when the image disappeared. "Gomen ne Keiro…I've let you down"
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Goku scratched his head and looked back to Sanzo. "I don't smell any youki from any of these junctions" he exclaimed as he sniffed around. They were stuck in the middle of their journey to the mansion when they came to the spot where the road was split into three junctions. They had no idea of which junction to take in order to get to the mansion and Hakkai was busy talking to Aiko that he didn't have the time to pick on the road they should take. Usually, they just let Hakkai gambling on their decision.
"Why don't they put a signboard somewhere?" Goku pouted. Suddenly his tummy grumbled. Goku clutched his stomach and mumbled "Harahetta…" he sunk to his feet and sat cross-legged on the ground.
"WHACK!!"
The legendary harisen smacked Goku right on the head. Goku yelped in pain as he looked at Sanzo. "Ittaii… nande yo?" he mumbled and rubbed the aching spot. Gojyo appeared from behind Sanzo.
"Ba-ka!" the hanyou slapped Goku hard on the head, causing the latter to fell head over heels on the ground. "You think they would welcome their enemies with a signboard saying the 'Mansion is this way' and celebrate our arrival with wine, song and confetti?" Gojyo yelled to the itan's face.
"Eh! They would?" Goku asked naively.
"Ch!" Gojyo slapped his head in disbelief. Goku would never get a hang of irony. "Snapped away from your stupid thought you food-brain saru!!" Gojyo shook Goku's shoulder madly.
"Ororo…" Goku's eyes spun madly. "Ittai…" he clasped his spinning head when Gojyo finally stopped shacking his body.
Gojyo rose up to his feet and looked forward. Now he's the one wishing that their enemies would put a signboard somewhere. Gojyo spun around and looked at Hakkai, who was just arriving with Aiko, hand in hand. "Yo loverboy! This is not the time to hug and kiss… we sure got a big problem here" Gojyo said with a sneer.
"Yare…yare… suman ne minna-san" Hakkai let go off Aiko's hand and went to get his comrades. He stared at the three roads. His instinct told him to take the last junction but then his mind urged him to take the first one. Hakkai scratched his head.
"Yada yada… don't tell me you had finally lose your ability to decide?" Gojyo put his elbow on Hakkai's shoulder. Hakkai grinned with guilt. Goku was right, there was no sign of any youki and that made matter worst.
"Ch!" Sanzo grunted as he lit a cigarette and put it in between his lips. "Hayaku… we don't have all day" he muttered coldly.
"Hai hai!" Hakkai nodded edgily and turned to gaze at the road. His mind couldn't make things up. Suddenly a soft pat landed on his shoulder. Hakkai glanced over his shoulder and found Aiko smiling at him. She raised a brow and pointed her chin to the roads. Hakkai smiled. "We'll take the last one" he decided and retreated to the jeep. The rest of the ikkou hopped in the jeep as Hakkai switched on the ignition and stirred the gear. He stepped on the accelerator and the jeep zoomed into the last junction.
Gojyo crossed his arms behind his head and leaned against the jeep. "Hai hai! What luck to have someone encouraging and supporting you" Gojyo was being sarcastic again and at a blink of the eye a fist landed on his head. "Oi! Watch it!" he spun and sent Aiko a piercing glare.
Aiko stuck out her tongue at the kappa. "You deserved it!" she said.
Goku and Kazo laughed heartily. 'Adults do act weird sometimes'
"Ch!" Sanzo's hand itched. He reached out for his harisen and presented each of the passengers at the backseat a good whack on their heads. He moved so fast that it took only a few seconds to finish his task.
"Ittaii…" the victims of his harisen moaned softly and clung to their heads. Sanzo grumbled something beneath his breath and settled back to his seat. He sent Hakkai a deadly glare as the latter smiled in a funny way at him.
"Yare…yare desune" Hakkai sighed and chuckled happily. Deep inside he was not happy at all. A lot of innocent life is at risk in this one battle and that includes his loved one. Hakkai glanced in the rear-view mirror, to the image of laughing Aiko. He had to keep his eyes on that girl. She was still uncertain of her own ability and her will to kill Xiang. Hakkai knew well that uncertainty would lead to disaster and Hakkai didn't want that to happen. Not to the one he loved and cared for, his love and his companions.
Sanzo glanced at Hakkai from the corner of his eyes. Hakkai's smile finally ceased and that man's brows connected. Sanzo grunted. He knew well what the dark haired man was thinking and he didn't like it either. How he wished he didn't have anyone to protect.
But now they were too late to turn back. Whatever waiting for them at the end of their road, they would have to face it together whether they like it or not.
"Don't worry, we'll be just fine… Sanzo-nii-chan" the girl behind him drew her face down next to his face and whispered to his ear. She then backed away, giggling hilariously at his reaction when he heard the last word uttered.
Veins popped out on his forehead and his eyebrows arched down. Sanzo reached for his harisen back in his oversized sleeve and brought in out in the open. But before he could even turned around to give the girl a nice whack on the head, she flung her arms around his neck and landed a kiss on his cheek. He spun his head the other way around spontaneously.
"A kiss to cease your fear" Aiko said merrily as she pinched Sanzo's nose between her fingers.
Sanzo felt his blood from his body rushed to his face and his body fell numb at instant. The harisen slipped away from his hand and landed on the seat. He hung his mouth opened and stared at Aiko with disbelief.
Gojyo, Goku and Kazo gawked at the scene and almost fell off the jeep. Hakkai chuckled in glee. 'Finally Aiko had found a way to stop Sanzo's madness'
"Ch!" Sanzo turned his face away and stared at his lap. No words escaped from his mouth. Even the atmosphere around him started to tense if not for Hakkai and Aiko's smiles. A tiny curl appeared at the edge of the monk's lips. Locks of golden strands fell upon his face and made it impossible for the rest to see his rare smile.
"I wish I can do that when Sanzo wants to whack my head" Gojyo muttered down at his throat. And it was not his luck today because the monk suddenly turned around and pointed the mouth of the shoureijuu to his temple. Gojyo gulped.
"Do you want to die badly ero kappa?" Sanzo's glare pierced into his eyes. Gojyo raised both arms in the air as a sign of surrender and grinned nervously. At this time he could only count on one man to save his life.
"Ma…ma…Sanzo, you better not waste your bullet" finally the man spoke up, much to Gojyo's relief. "We're already here" Hakkai continued as he stepped on the brake. The jeep screeched and halted right in front of a huge gate that separate them from the mansion. The monk retreated his shoureijuu and studied the mansion up ahead. Gojyo gaped at the size of the mansion, extremely huge and well built. He whistled.
"Man… this Baron really is one hell of a rich youkai" Gojyo rolled his eyes as he glanced around. Beyond the gate was a road that wound its way throughout an estate that covered the land as far as eyes could see. The road ended at the mansion right in the middle of the estate.
"Yare… yare… I guess this is it" Hakkai stepped on the accelerator with a full force, sending a loud vroom to fill the serene atmosphere. The engine roared out loud and Harkuryu gave out an energetic coo. Hakkai stirred the gear and stepped on the gas pedal. "Hold on minna-san… here we go!!!" The jeep moved forward at full speed and rammed the gate with a loud impact. The gate was spread opened and the jeep sled smoothly with the same speed toward the mansion. The passengers on board waited in anxiety as the jeep made its way through the estate.
The battle is minutes ahead and each of them was ready for it. No sounds emerged except for their heartbeats that were made from their heart pounding to their chest. The only different sound appeared soon after as Goku and Kazo's stomach gave way to a loud grumble.
"Harahetta…." They mumbled softly.
The elders of the ikkou sweat dropped.
To be continue…..
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Ayie: Wargh…!! GS-chan, you really made my heart melt… what a trouble you went through just to review my fic wiped the tears trickling down her face… just really don't need to retype it you know…? Wah! You made me cried…hu…hu… by the way thanks for the profiterole…cut the profiterole in halves and gave one half to Goku Here's for you Goku…
Goku: Yay! Sankyu na Ayie-nee-chan… gobbled up the profiterole and finished it an seconds Do you have more? Ayie: sweat dropped No… you have to ask GS-chan for it… by the way GS-chan, to return your favor I'll put more scenes on Hakkai and Aiko in my next chaps…^__~
Ayie: Yare… yare… I finally finished this chapter. Thanks for all my reviewers… Kuroi-san, it's great to hear from you again, it's been a long time and I almost miss you ne… he…he… and thanks for Prozact addict for offering to be my beta reader… I've already sent you a mail…Arigatou!!! ^o^.
Sanzo: Oi oi! When are you going to start on the next chap… you really have not much time left you know?
Ayie: Yare…yare… I guess I don't. I only got like… what…? 14 days keep my fic updated regularly… I have to finish this fic in that 14 days or else my readers have to wait for one whole week for a new chap… that's scary…well… I'll try to finish this fic at instant… it's not good to make them waiting…
