Begin From The End |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Chapter 3: Change of Course

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A/N: This chapter's a little late isn't it? Well, all I can say is this chapter is gonna be short. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Saiyuki belongs to M.K. (You know who it is.)

By: Yamamoto Kou

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It's been a week and two days since Soujiro had been down in Togenkyo.

Hakkai: I think you should check on Soujiro, Nataku.

Nataku: I am going to check on him after I finish drilling the new recruits Hakkai.

Hakkai: *sigh* Sorry to bother you but I'm a little worried about him. If his family finds out, I really don't know if I'll survive.

Nataku: I'm more worried about Tentenni finding out. He'll probably skin me alive for that.

Hakkai: I think it's better head back to the Library now.

Nataku: You're right. I'd better head back before they start to notice. I'll see you tomorrow Hakkai. *left*

As Hakkai walked past a dark alleyway, he was pulled into it.

Gojyo: Shh. *clamped hand over Hakkai's mouth to stop his from gasping out loud*

Hakkai: *whisper* Gojyo?

Gojyo: *whisper* Listen, I know what you did to that kid.

Hakkai: How-

Gojyo: I've been listening into enough of your little talks to realise where he is. Do you know what the consequences are?!

Hakkai: Since when were you worried about rules Gojyo?

Gojyo: It's not about the rules! The corrupted monk is making me keep an eye out for him!

Hakkai: ......How long have you been spying on us?

Gojyo: *cheeky grin* Long enough.

Hakkai: Do they know that we-

Gojyo: No. You wouldn't believe all the lies I told him!

Hakkai: It's amazing how your brain can come up with stories that even Sanzo can believe. And do you get anything out of this?

Gojyo: No, I don't. He just points his gun at me and says "Do it if you don't want to die." That's why I'm not telling him anything. This is payback.

Hakkai: Looks like we're both in the same boat. If Sanzo finds out, I don't think I want to be there.

Gojyo: Oh yes you will. And can I ask you a favour?

Hakkai: What is it?

Gojyo: Let me in on this. I want some of the fun too.

Hakkai: Then we'll see what Nataku has to say first. Tomorrow.

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Soujiro: YES!!!

Goku: You won this time.

Sanba: Soujiro 4. Goku 5.

Soujiro: Damn it!

Goku: At least I'm still ahead of you.

Sanba: A tie isn't SO bad if you ask me Soujiro.

Goku: That's only because you broke your tie with Soujiro three days ago baka-shishio!

Sanba: Who are you calling baka you baka-deshi!?

Soujiro: Oi! C'mon Sanba-sama! I wanna another match now.

Sanba: We already had ours earlier this morning.

Soujiro: Onegai...

Sanba: Iie.

Goku: I'm heading back now. Haraetta (I'm hungry). *heads back*

Soujiro: ...you get the food by magic don't you?

Sanba: How else are you going to feed someone like Goku?

Soujiro: Point taken.

Sanba: Coming?

Soujiro: Nah. I'm going a little further to train. Our last match seemed to have had some devastating effects on the place...

Several layers of ground jutted up and crisscrossed over one another. Trenches that are several metres wide and fifteen leagues deep. Holes that are eight feet deep. Ground that looks safe but will crumble underneath you. Definitely NOT a good place to practice unless you've been levitating several inches off the ground ever since you started your afterlife.

Soujiro and Sanba soon parted but even with their backs turned to one another, and even when they were nowhere near each other, thoughts about the other flowed like water from a broken dam.

Sanba: [Does he have a part to play in this? Why?]

Soujiro: [There's something...hanging in the air. Tension? Or is it just...]

Goku sneaked a glance back at them and that was all he could do to not frown.

Goku: ...

Before Soujiro knew it, his legs had carried him quite a distance from Sanba's house. He looked up from his pool of thoughts to realise that he had really ended up in the middle of nowhere.

Soujiro: It's almost four o' clock.

Those were words that spilled out of his lips, words he wasn't aware of. Words that poured forward from the tip of the tongue absent-mindedly as his mind is distracted by various thoughts and plans that he had contemplated, rejected, then contemplated on again.

When his feet did stop, he finally snapped out of his trance like state. And then he felt a presence behind him as well.

Nataku: As Hakkai would say, 'It's very peaceful today'.

Soujiro: *turned around* Nataku-sama.

Nataku: So, how are you after all this time? Anything interesting?

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In the hidden depths of the forgotten mountains, among the crumbling ruins underground, something stirred.

The Emperor had woken ahead of time. Ahead of what he had planned. This was early. Far too early. But some distant...something invaded his senses for the briefest moment, yet it disturbed and derailed the Emperor's entire plan. A plan that would've been completed if only he had awoken after a few more years...

Emperor: ...

This 'Emperor' isn't as imposing as Gyumao at first sight. In fact, he isn't even as big. In appearance, he was just a scrawny kid just coming of age. His skin was a healthy tint of brown. His hair is an incredibly messy mass of black. His eyes were emerald with a slight, very slight, tint of red in it. Ancient black rags that had once served as clothes hung in tatters from his body as he carefully crawled out of the hole that had concealed him for so long.

Where he stayed for so long.

He tried to remember what had provoked him but he shook his head in frustration when the only reason he could think of is absolutely absurd. He has to choose which one to do first for the time being.

The first option he has is to find those two and work on a new plan. Or he could go and confront the 'others' first...

Guess which one he chose.

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AFN: Okay so I'm leaving you guys here on a cliffhanger. You can also pick which one should the 'Emperor' do first. If there isn't any response than you will just have to wait and see...... and thanks for reading so far! ^ ^ AND updates will be slower cause party time's over...