Epilogue

"Goku!!! What's taking you so long? We're raring to go here!!!" Gojyo hollered at the top of his lungs. He, Sanzo and Hakkai were already at the jeep ready to depart. They already have been in Hestia's place for too long and Sanzo knew he was getting behind schedule. Well okay… There's really no schedule at all but… He's getting cranky.  And I mean really, really, over-the-top cranky. Want proof? The throbbing vein in his temple at the moment is just a small release of moodiness.

Gojyo told Hakkai that Sanzo wasn't irritated with the fact that they have been put off 'schedule'. The true reason it seems, in Gojyo's point of view anyways, is that because Sanzo was knocked out by Nataku and because he didn't learn any juicy information firsthand. Gojyo had a blast telling the bouzo what happened to Nataku, Hestia and Goku blow by blow… After the bouzo had nearly killed him.

Gojyo had insisted that Sanzo beg his pants off before he tells him the whole story. We all know Sanzo would rather die than beg silly to Gojyo. So instead of pleading and cajoling like crazy, he fired all his remaining bullets to Gojyo, which had conveniently missed his skin by mere millimeters.

"SARU… If you're not out here in three seconds we're going to leave!!!!" Sanzo yelled angrily as his vein pulsed double time. Hakkai laughed merrily beside him and gunned the engine. Although he wouldn't admit this aloud, Hakkai was glad that they were finally on the road again. Hestia's burial had been too heart wrenching to bear.

Nataku had been surprised when he found out that his mother had already passed away. To say that he was devastated was an understatement. He kept blaming himself that he wasn't there, wasn't around his mother when she died. Goku felt bad too since he was the cause why Nataku wasn't beside his mother at that time.

But after a lot of explanation from Hakkai, after a lot of shed tears and boggled brains, Nataku was finally convinced that his mother was happy with the way she died. Hakkai carefully explained that it was his mother's will for him to be happy. That she had held onto life because of her mission, to make Nataku happy. So when she achieved her goal she let go of life that she had embraced so tightly for his sake.

Although Nataku had been explained to thoroughly, he still insisted to keep vigil at his mother's grave for a whole day. He said he's got a lot to tell her and that he knew she will be able to hear everything he says because she promised that she will always be with him. They complied with his request and left him be.   

They heard banging sounds from below them, followed by a loud, "OUCH!!!" The three men sweat dropped as they heard Goku scramble from below them and after a few minutes saw the top of his head at the door leading to the underground town.

"Are you sure we have to leave town now?" Goku asked Sanzo.

"Yes, now!!" The bouzo barked angrily at the saru.

"But… But…!"

"Get your butt in the jeep now or else!!"

"But …" Sanzo let his harisen fly, and it flew… right into Goku's head.

"Itai!! That hurt's Sanzo!!!" Now Sanzo was really mad. Another vein popped in his temple and his face was purple with rage.

"Are you going in or not?" He asked Goku in a super deadly voice.

"Uhhh…."

"Hakkai, let's go. Leave that damn Saru…" Sanzo grumbled to the fair mannered man as he crossed his arms in front of him. Hakkai gunned the engine once again and took one last pleading look at Goku.

"You better hop in now. Sanzo's serious." He said as he smiled happily.

Goku pouted adorably. If this was any other time Sanzo would have complied with Goku's request but as he was still sulking himself, he didn't budge. When Goku saw that the bouzo's decision will stand, he grudgingly hopped in the jeep.

"About time. What were you doing there anyway?" Gojyo asked the saru as the jeep started moving.

"Che." Goku replied bitingly at the kappa as he lowered his head to cradle it in his hands. The reason why Goku was sulking was because his surprise for Nataku was ruined. The 'thing' he's been preparing the whole morning was a picnic basket. Now that he got all his memories back he remembered that part of the promise was the picnic in paradise.

The saru thought he could manage the preparations all by himself but he learned the hard way. Now he berates himself on why he didn't think of asking Hakkai for help. For sure Hakkai would have helped him, because he understands. And besides with Hakkai in charge the food would be good too.

"Oi! What's wrong with you saru?" Gojyo asked Goku at his apparent lack of reaction. He had just pinched the saru's butt and he received nothing. Usually, a mischief such as wouldn't go unpunished. Gojyo scratched his head. He really couldn't understand why Goku is sulking. They are after all picking Nataku up. Oh yeah, he forgot to mention it but they had invited Nataku to join them in their journey. Nataku had been flabbergasted about the news. It was really the best thing that they could have done for the kid. They all had thought that it would be awhile before Nataku smiled again.

He was grinning so widely, Gojyo was afraid that the kid might split his face in half. But anyway he accepted the invitation and told them that he needed to visit his mother's grave first.

All of it was Goku's idea of course. They didn't see anything wrong with it and besides the kid has nowhere to return to and Goku was pleading like crazy that even if they didn't want Nataku to come along they would have to eventually agree to see it the saru's way because he was so unrelenting.

They eventually made it to the graveyard with no hassles at all. Hakkai slowed the jeep into a crawl as he let his eyes roam around the area for Nataku's whereabouts. Gojyo and Goku were startled out of their skins when their part of the jeep shook. When they both looked up, Nataku was grinning at them.

"What took you so long? I'm ready to leave since morning!" Nataku exclaimed as he took a seat next to Goku.

"The saru here decided to slow things down with whatever." Gojyo replied as he offered a saucy grin at Nataku. Goku still has his head cradled between his hands and was murmuring something about injustice and something about being unfair and whatnot.

"What's wrong, Goku?" Nataku asks worriedly as Hakkai took off and set the jeep at a leisurely speed.

"Nothing." Nataku looked at Gojyo confused. The kappa just shrugged. It seems fitting that they left Goku alone. For the mean time.

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"Hakkai… Are you sure we aren't lost?" Gojyo asked for the nth time in an hour. He and saru number two, that's Nataku by the way… Gojyo had quickly realized that he and Goku were like twins in act and in words… He's goofy, he's easily irritated and is always hungry… And yeah, he's annoying as hell too. Well anyway, Gojyo and Nataku had already talked about everything. They had even bonded in that short period of a time, since Goku was still sulking in his corner of the jeep.

Hakkai, surprisingly didn't shift to mother hen mode at Goku's actions. Normally the soft-spoken man would have badgered saru number one silly until the poor guy spilled his problems. But the monocled one had been smiling all the while and had been whistling a happy tune and will once in awhile comment about how 'cheerful' today is.

"Nope. We're going the right way. I've checked the map already and I'm sure we're heading the right way." Hakkai said as he spared a glance at Goku who was still unmoving in his seat. The cook just sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you sure?!!! Look… This looks like the thickest forest we've been in… You're sure there is a way out of here?!!" Gojyo asked incredously.

"I told you, I know what I'm doing!" Hakkai said indignantly.

"But…"

"Kappa!!! Hakkai is going the right way, okay?" Sanzo interrupted momentarily as he lost his patience. Gojyo raised his eyebrows. Surely this two is in on something. He was about to say something when saru number two beat him to it.

"This place is familiar…" He said vaguely.

"Yeah? How so?" The kappa asked. Nataku scrunched his forehead, making a show of thinking hard. Just then the thick pack of trees was getting thinner… Nataku's eyes bulged in recognition. Gojyo raised his head to look only to find himself glimpsing the most beautiful place on the face of the earth.

It was peaceful and serene in the place. The grand Mahogany tree in the middle of the clearing provides a homey feel, the clear stream of water is sparkling under the sun, and there's the lush green grass adorned with flowers of every color imaginable.

"Wow." Was all Gojyo could breathe out.

"Now I now why they call this paradise." Hakkai whispered to himself as Sanzo suddenly lost all the tension in his posture. Becoming curious, Goku allowed himself to look up and gasped.

"I… How… why…?" Goku stammered as he looked at his companions wildly. Nataku was still in a still in a state of shock as he would have never imagined that he would be back in the place where he lost his mother, where he gained his best friend again, where he was given another chance at life so soon.

"You wouldn't want to break another promise so soon, ne Goku?" Hakkai said smiling happily as he magically produced a picnic basket out of nowhere. He hopped out of the jeep and was followed by Sanzo and Gojyo. They realized that the two will need some time alone to sort things out between them. Goku and Nataku were staring at each other.

"You remember?" Nataku asked vaguely.

"Of course. I want to make it up to you."

"You don't have to." He said as he lowered his eyes to look at his hands. Nataku was somewhat embarrassed about the situation.

"But I want to." Goku said as his eyes filled with tears and flicked his hand at Nataku's statement.

"I know." Nataku said in kind as he allowed himself to look Goku in the eye. He saw nothing but sincerity and love and acceptance. When they couldn't hold back their surging emotions anymore, they hugged each fiercely and didn't let go for a long time. When they finally recovered they brushed each other's cheek. With a smile on their faces and with mutual understanding they hopped of the jeep to join the others.

The three men had gathered under the shade of the tree. Hakkai had already taken care of the food. He had a cloth spread out and everything was in order. Sanzo was lounging with his back against the tree with his eyes closed. Gojyo meanwhile was doing all the destructive things. As his lover kept fixing things he kept getting them out of order, making the latter rearrange everything again. When the kappa got tired he went ahead and grabbed a plate to help himself.

"Ahhh…. Gojyo's eating all the food!!" Goku wailed as he sat down next to the kappa and tried to make a grab at Gojyo's plate.

"Ah, ah, ah!! It isn't my fault you two sarus decided to act dramatically back in the jeep!!!" Gojyo smirked as the two in question blushed.

"Stop teasing Gojyo." Hakkai admonished as he beckoned Nataku to get some food.

"Hehehe… Yeah, stop teasing Gojyo!!!" Goku taunted Gojyo as he helped himself to everything he could see.

"Ne Sanzo… I thought you were running out of schedule?" Goku inquired as he remembered Sanzo's attitude earlier that morning. He had been complaining that things were getting slow.

"Hn. I know that this is what you want." The buozo replied shortly. He patted the ground beside him, motioning Goku to sit down beside him. The saru all but glomped on the spot.

"Ooooh…The buozo really does love the saru!!!" Gojyo and Nataku said shrilly, acting like swooning girls and falling against each other. They shortly fell into a fit of giggles.

"Kid, I think you and me will get along just fine. And just between the two of us… You're a tad smarter than the saru!" Gojyo said confidentially to Nataku as he wiped tears of joy.

"I heard that!!" Goku said as he flicked a piece of grass in Gojyo's direction. Gojyo raised his hand to fling something back when Hakkai glared at him dangerously. He put down the grass gently and looked up at Hakkai innocently. The monocled one shook his head and turned his attention to Nataku who looked highly amused at the exchange.

"Nataku, would you like more shrimp dumplings?" Hakkai asked Nataku.

"Sure."

"Aww… Goku lookie here… Hakkai found a new baby… Better watch out!! Nataku's gonna have more food than you!!" Gojyo teased.

"Is it true Hakkai?" Goku asked as he pouted sadly at Hakkai.

"Of course not…" He said smiling.

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The picnic was going on smoothly. They had eaten everything Hakkai packed. Everything was delicious and all was fulfilled. They welcomed Nataku officially as they made a toast. Hakkai, Sanzo and Gojyo had the sake but Goku and Nataku were only allowed to drink orange juice. 

They were basking under the sun and was relaxing for a few minutes more when Nataku suddenly spoke up.

"Uh… I'd really like to thank you all for letting me come with you on your journey…"

"No need to thank us kid." Gojyo said as he ruffled his hair.

"He's right, you're really welcome here with us." Hakkai said as he smiled warmly at saru number two.

"Hn." Sanzo said. But it was clear that he wanted Nataku on the team too. It's just that he's preoccupied with a certain saru sitting on his lap.

"Yeah!! Don't worry about it." Goku's eyes glazed for awhile then snapped out of it just as quickly.

"And didn't I tell you that they would like you?" He asked Nataku.

"Huh?"

"I told you. Ken-ni-chan, Ten-chan and Konzen will like you. I told you so."

Nataku remembered now. Part of Goku's promise was to bring the three here to share a picnic with them. And Goku had said that they'll like him. And they did. They truly did.

"Yeah." He looked at them and smiled. They smiled in return. Yup, they liked him and he liked them too. He really felt welcome here and he felt like this is where he truly belongs. Maybe the path laid out before him wouldn't be such a bad one.

He had a feeling that although the ride would definitely be bumpy and hard, it would be full of surprises and happiness. Happiness that could only be found in friends and the love they give.

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A/N: Yey!! I finally finished it!! Although I think that this is too sappy… Oh well… I think it's befitting… :)

Thanks for all those who patiently waited for the epilogue and those who have been reading my fic… Thanks you guys!!