Sanzorella
Chapter 9
Since the unexpected encounter at the waterfall in Sai-An forest, Sanzorella found herself beginning to question her life. She knew she was right in wanting to live her own way but it felt as if the current path she was choosing now was like the never-ending darkness of night that was without a hint of light. I thought I was strong. I thought I really was. But now I'm not sure. Am I only strong due to the pain? That's not what I want. I want to be strong on my own free will.
Sanzorella had spent the next two mornings and nights walking around the huge mansion, hoping to find some answers. But what she found was emptiness. Total emptiness.
There was not even an atom of warmth…warmth that could only come from another human. Lady Gojyo may be mean and conniving, but her presence added another dimension to the house. She was alive, at least, not cold and quiet like the other materials in the house.
Goku…The name suddenly came to her mind. Sanzorella remembered the disappointment on the fairy godmother's usually cheery face. A total stranger yet one who tried very hard to reach her, to break down the invisible barrier she had put around herself. Sanzorella closed her eyes. Her head throbbed as she had not been sleeping well these few days. Instead of going up to the main bedroom, Sanzorella made her way to her dark room where she felt more at ease than anywhere else in the mansion.
The woman looking back at Sanzorella from the hallway mirror was familiar. The face was covered with soot and dirt and her clothes were ragged. Sanzorella looked away and walked towards the entrance. This was the first time she felt alive and strong. She was finally strong not because of her pain but because she willed it so. Her pain….Well, given time, it would go away someday. After all, a certain fairy godmother had told her so.
"You finally come to your senses."
"It's still none of your business," Sanzorella answered coolly.
Ai Goku appeared, blocking her path. "So…"
Sanzorella raised an eyebrow. "So what?"
A cheeky grin appeared. "So since you are going out, can you get me some nice mushrooms and berries from the forest?"
*THWACK* It was a paper fan.
"Itte!" Goku yelped. She looked at the paper fan in Sanzorella's hand. "Are…what are you doing with a harisen?"
"Someone told me I go well with a harisen in my hands. Makes sense, since I can used it on a certain bakasaru."
"Saru? Where, where?" Goku began looking around.
A throbbing vein appeared. "Urusai!"
Goku frowned, not understanding. Sanzorella rolled her eyes and resumed walking. "Matte! You can't go out in that!"
Sanzorella hung her head as she crossed her arms. "I've been waiting for you to come up with a better idea."
Goku grinned. "No problem…Niyoyi staff, let's go!"
The air was certainly fresh and cooling. Prince Hakkai took a couple more deep breaths. He closed his eyes and took one last look at the waterfall. He had to go back now. King Kougaiji and Queen Yaone would be worried and he did not want that. He had grieved them enough.
He turned and strolled towards his waiting brown stallion. He nuzzled the beautiful beast and was getting ready to mount when a movement caught his eyes. Twisting around, he saw a young woman with blond hair tie back in a ponytail and dressed in a yellow, long dress. She was reaching for a few mushrooms on the ground and placing them in a basket.
"Sanzorella-san…"Prince Hakkai breathed.
Without looking in the prince's direction, Sanzorella answered calmly, "Goku wanted some mushrooms and berries."
Prince Hakkai looked on with disbelief. Surely she could not have come out to the woods in such beautiful garments just to pick some mushrooms and berries. He approached the crouching girl tentatively until he was standing right beside her. A few minutes passed in silence before Sanzorella finally stood up. She looked straight at the bewildered prince.
"Sanzorella-san…"
Then without warning, Sanzorella leaned closer and pressed her lips to the young prince's. Green eyes widened in surprise but before he could react, Sanzorella pulled back and fixed a stare on the bewildered prince. She then walked past him towards the horse.
Prince Hakkai stood frozen to the ground. Did he just imagine the event that passed a few moments ago? "Sanzorella-san…."
Glancing over her shoulders, Sanzorella said in her trademark icy tone, "Are you going to stay here all day or are you going to bring me back to the palace? Goku is already waiting there for her mushrooms and berries."
Prince Hakkai closed his eyes. He felt his heart blossoming with hope. His lips curled into a full smile, the first in the past month. He sauntered over the waiting Sanzorella. "Arigato…" he whispered in her ears.
"Chh…" Sanzorella muttered. But unknown to the prince, she smiled…the first genuine smile ever.
~ END ~
Author's notes:
I was writing on an angst fic actually when this idea came to my mind. It seemed corny but I just had to write it down. It's so difficult to give a classic polite beauty like Cinderella a Sanzo attitude makeover. I hope I pulled it off, though. And to Gojyo's fans, I'm sorry to have given him such a bad part; the evil stepmother. But he/she wasn't that evil. Heheh….
Goku…hmm, well, is still the same. Food-loving but he can be smart too. Hakkai was not much of a prob, which was why he was suitable for the part of prince.
Haha…I tried to incorporate every Saiyuki character but sadly, I had to leave out some. Sigh…
Ok….thanks for reading…..God bless u guys!