THE SHADOWS BEYOND
CHAPTER 15
Splinters
Several day passed without change or incident. Hakkai had discretely relayed Sanzo's words to the other two members of the group. The priest had taken to brooding, was off his food and constantly avoiding everyone.
When the fifth day came without signs of change, Goku decided to brooch the matter over dinner.
"Na... I don't think we can leave things hanging like this," he began. Sanzo shot him a dangerous look; the other two stopped eating.
"We're not known for giving up." He met Sanzo's glare without flinching. "No reason why we should start now. We've met difficult enemies before."
"Yeah. This Isir guy isn't all that difficult either. We didn't even get a chance to fight him the last time," Gojyo said, backing Goku up.
"Exactly," Goku picked up the pace. "It was me against him and his bodyguard. Next time, with all four of us--"
"--listen to yourselves," Sanzo scoffed quietly. "All four of us? And what happens when we see each other as copies of Isir? What happens if... let's not even talk about Hakkai... I put a bullet through each of you?"
"Conventional means will not work against Isir, certainly," Hakkai answered, as the other two fell back, momentarily at a loss for words. "We need more than conventional means... but we also need more than our individual strengths alone."
"We can't take him down alone. We can't take him down in a group. It's that simple," Sanzo replied flatly. "I'm not sitting around while you discuss nonsense." He pushed his chair back.
"Go, then," Hakkai told him. "And when this entire world falls into shadow, then run. But you'll never get away from the guilt."
"Don't presume you know everything," Sanzo said quietly. Then he was gone.
Gojyo was the first to break the silence. "Of all the pigheaded, stubborn--"
"Cursing him is of no avail," Hakkai interrupted the tirade. "But what he said holds merit. Isir's strength may be finite, but he uses his skills to devastating effect."
"Isn't there a way to tell an illusion apart from the real thing?" Goku said. "I mean, normally you can sense the youryoku emitted from a youkai..."
"Not in a fight, and not in time," Gojyo answered. "Tends to get a bit diffused, the youryoku, when we're moving around. Besides, it was never very specific in the first place."
"Won't an illusion look... well... funny?" Goku suggested.
"Apparently not," Hakkai shook his head. "And certainly, we have no idea what form the illusion will take."
"Then we sneak up on the bastard and pot him while he isn't looking," Gojyo said firmly. "He'll never know what hit him."
"Yeah!" Goku said, brightening up. "We could sneak in and pretend to be servants or something, and then get into his room and you could blast him, Hakkai!"
"And you could pretend to be a dancing girl," Gojyo told him.
"I'm being serious, dumb nut!" Goku yelled.
"I doubt that we'll be able to get close enough to Isir, by that way," Hakkai told them.
"Then we could sneak in by the sewers--"
"--you can go and sneak in by the sewers, ape. I'm not going anywhere near them."
"But aren't cockroaches supposed to love drains?" Goku stuck his tongue out at his companion. Gojyo rose from his chair in wrath. In short order, Hakkai was forced to pull them apart to minimize damage to the surroundings.
"It would be prudent not to discard any suggestions at this juncture," he said. "Anything, even the idea that sounds the most foolish, might work. But sleep on it for a night or so. We can discuss this in the morning."
"Not like Gojyo's gonna sleep," Goku said. "I can hear--"
"Goodnight, idiot monkey," Gojyo said, sauntering off.
"Hah! It's true!" Goku called at his retreating back. He glanced back. "Hakkai?"
Hakkai blinked at him, and smiled. "Yes?"
"Well... you looked as if something were wrong there."
"Just thinking. I'll be off to bed too. Don't stay up too late, Goku."
"Yes mother," Goku replied. "I'll be in bed by nine, mother. After I get a bite to eat." And he raced off towards the kitchens.
Hakkai waited a moment, until all was silent. With the festival over, they were the only guests in the inn. There was a clatter of pots from the direction of the kitchen, followed by a loud exchange between Goku and the cook. Then Goku's voice rose in thanks, and there was just the sound of pots and pans.
"I know you're there," Hakkai said.
"Crawling through the sewers," Sanzo's voice came to him out the darkness. "And that's supposed to be the brilliant plan you came up with?"
"And you can do better?"
"I wouldn't even bother."
"And why not? Lost your nerve? Lost your mind?" Hakkai's calm voice provided chilling counterpoint to the acidity of his words.
"I was insane to start on the mission in the first place."
"And he finally admits that he was wrong."
"And he finally shows his true colors and starts acting like the bastard he is."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Sanzo, this is..." Hakkai gestured helplessly. "We're trying to help you. Why make life difficult?"
"I don't need your help." The response was immediate, whispered, frigid in its absolute conviction.
"You do, now."
There was no reply. Hakkai glanced into the shadows, but there was no sign of the priest.
***
This is how you see the world; through a shattered looking glass, each sliver a silver ray of light, reflecting the broken images back at you.
This is how you see yourself; through a shattered looking glass, each shard a fragment of yourself and many times a repeat, but never the whole picture.
This is how you see others; through a shattered looking glass, each shave a little bit of truth, so little as to be a lie.
Sanzo regarded the fragments of glass lying scattered across the floor.
This is what you see now, mortality traced in the fine veins of your hand, severed now, so the only color is red on white, coating even your broken reflection in a mist of crimson.
He swore.
This is what you hear, the frantic knocking on your door, the cries of 'Are you okay, did something fall are you hurt' from outside the room, from outside your heart, from those who would call themselves your friends and do anything but act like it.
"Something fell. Now get back to sleep and stop pounding on my damn door!"
This is what you do, shatter the mirror to send the images to the void.
This is what you do, shatter the moment and send them back to whence they came.
This is what you do...
Something changed.
Sanzo spun, scrambling for the gun that wasn't there, wincing as he flexed his damaged fingers.
"Did you do that?"
"Who the hell--" he turned back, and found Isir standing by the door, a smile on his face.
"I'm not sure I like this version of you, Genjo Sanzo. I preferred the man who killed my father."
"I can do the same to you, since you want it so badly."
"Tough words, priest. From a fragile man." He toed the glass. "But you can't back them up, can you?"
Sanzo raised an eyebrow.
"So here you are, breaking mirrors to shy away from the truth." He stepped forward. Sanzo watched him intently, but did not say a word.
"So you need some motivation, hm? What should it be?" Isir tapped his chin in false contemplation. "Blowing up the town, perhaps? Would that be enough to make you come looking for me? Or is one town insufficient? I can sacrifice a few more to the great Genjo Sanzo-sama." He gave a mocking bow. "He who would rather run than fight to a more noble end. The world will remember your name, priest. And they will not remember it fondly."
"Perhaps I'll just end it here," Sanzo said conversationally, and lunged forward. His shoes crunched on broken glass as Isir stood stock still, smiling.
Sanzo's fists hit thin air.
"Well done," Isir applauded politely from the other end of the room. Sanzo turned, regarding him narrowed eyes.
"Now who's the coward? Can't even come in person to deliver a message to a fragile human," Sanzo spat.
"Oh, that hurt."
"Didn't they ever teach you not to toy with your enemies?" Sanzo asked.
"But it makes it ever so much more fun," Isir protested. "You pull the trigger too quickly, Sanzo. No wonder you never get any satistfaction out of the kill."
"I would get a lot of satistfaction out of pulling the trigger on you."
"I'm sure you would. But if you don't enter the tiger's lair, you'll never catch the tiger."
"Sure I can, if the tiger's foolish enough to come to me." Sanzo grabbed a large shard of glass and flung it towards Isir's grinning face. It passed straight through the apparition.
"Shall we fix a date? Two days hence, at my castle. I'll even leave the doors open and tell the guards to wave you through," Isir cocked his head. "Remember, it's just the fate of the world at stake."
"Bastard," Sanzo ground out, as the illusion vanished. "Damn bastard."
Blood trickled from the wounds on his hand, falling onto the shattered glass littered over the floor.
***
"What happened to your hand?" was the first thing Goku said, when Sanzo arrived at the table.
"An accident," Sanzo growled at him.
"A fight with Isir?" Gojyo needled. "The mighty Sanzo-sama had a domestic quarrel with his--"
"Shut your mouth before more garbage spews from it," Sanzo replied softly. His tone was deadly.
"Yeah--" Gojyo started, then fell silent as Sanzo shot him a piercing glare.
"Make no mistake, kappa. I prefer you dead." There was no hint of humor in his voice.
"That was uncalled for," Hakkai snapped, and all three looked at him in surprise. "Sanzo, I don't know what's gotten into you. But--"
"--But nothing. I am not answerable to you," Sanzo levelled at him.
"Hey, but--" Goku started.
"Shut up," Hakkai hissed. Gojyo looked surprised at that; Goku sank back into his chair, looking shocked.
"Sanzo," Hakkai began. "We aren't bound to follow you. We are your companions, not your guards. And even if you push us away, you still need us. Strength is one thing, stubbornness is another--"
"--and I never asked you to follow me. If you wish to go, go. The mission is over, understood?"
"When did your spine slip, Genjo Sanzo?" Hakkai's voice was rising.
"Hey, hey, guys, look--" Gojyo's words sailed by both men.
"--cool down, willya?" Goku said, sounding just a little hysterical. "Someone's going to get hurt..."
"My spine?" Sanzo scoffed. "Your head, Cho Hakkai. It is not courage to undertake the impossible. It is pure, unrequited stupidity."
"Then let it be stupidity. But when the world depends on foolish stupidity, then I would rather be stupid than a coward!"
"Then be the brave fool and go and retrieve the damn sutra!" Sanzo snarled. "And you can go ahead and save the world while you're at it, since you seem so confident of doing just that!"
"Fine." There was a scrap as Hakkai shoved his chair back. "I will do just that. And don't bother following." He slammed his mug down on the table and stormed out of the room.
There was a brief, shocked silence.
"By all the Gods, Sanzo, I think you just managed to make Hakkai blow his top," Gojyo said in awe.
"He was already simmering," Sanzo noted. "It was just a cheap excuse to kick up a fuss and make a fool of himself."
"Well, yeah, but you didn't have to provoke him--"
"--and you don't start," Sanzo told him evenly.
"Well, when you just drove one of your most levelheaded companions out--"
"--he is not my companion."
"Yeah? After all the times he saved your fucking life? That's not worth anything to you, is it? Should've just let you die." Gojyo snapped.
"I've had enough of you idiots!"
"I've had enough of your piss-poor attitude!"
There were simultaneous slams as both men surged to their feet without waiting to push the chair back.
"Sanzo... Gojyo..." Goku glanced worriedly at both of them. "What's gotten into all of you?"
"None of your business, ape!" Gojyo scowled at him. "You wouldn't understand it even if we were to cook it and serve it on a platter!"
Goku's clenched fist hit the tabletop. "What--is--it... with you and insults this morning?" He glared at Gojyo, anger showing in the slight flush on his face. "Sure. I don't understand. I don't understand a lot of things. And if it involves being nasty and walking out on your friends, then I refuse to understand it!"
Sanzo snorted quietly in derision, then walked off without a word.
"Sanzo..." Goku glanced at his companion, then leapt up, scowling. "Damnit, Sanzo!"
"Leave him. If the asshole wants to be an ass on his own, that's fine by me," Gojyo said in a tone of forced nonchalance.
Goku turned the scowl on him. "If you want to go on pretending that everything's fine, then have it your way."
"But everything is fine," Gojyo said bitterly. "We've just wasted all that time trooping out here just to get permanently stalled because Sanzo has a stick up his ass. And now he's just walked out on us. Even Hakkai's walked out on us. So it's fine. It's just fine."
"Did you try?" Goku demanded.
"Try what?"
"Try talking to him. This isn't Sanzo. This isn't the Sanzo we know. That Sanzo would never give up. You'd have to kill him to make him give up."
"Oh really."
"And this isn't the Gojyo I know. Nor is this the Hakkai I know," Goku said. "And I don't know where they've gone or why they've gone, but I'm going to find them."
There was a sparkle in his eye as he said that, a core of determination that had been missing from their group since they'd encountered Isir.
"...And I'm going to get them back," Goku vowed quietly. And with that, he vanished in the direction that Sanzo had taken.
In the empty room, Gojyo fished out a cigarette and lit it. The remains of breakfast lay on the table, looking forlorn.
This isn't the Gojyo I know.
"Eh," Gojyo sighed, exhaling in a cloud of smoke. "Stupid monkey." And he followed Goku out the door.
"You need four people to play mahjong..."
***
TBC
***
A/N : Well, well, well. Shadows just took another (unexpected) plot twist around the bend. It looks set to be a loooong fic, ladies and gentlemen...
(Apologies for the long hiatus. I had to find out which way the plot was going... and I thought I had it. Until I wrote the second part of this chapter. *shrugs* Oh well...)
sf -- April 19 2003; 11:46pm
