Chapter 7
Gojyo's POV
Out of curiosity and for other certain uses and references, we followed Sanzo. And I really have to give the buozo a credit after all the things I've witnessed him do. For one, he really did go through all the 'I'll swim 'cross the ocean and go over the hills for you' crap. Literally. I mean cross the sweltering hot dessert and waddle on a freezing river? Geez.
It was such a shame though, that Hakuryu hadn't been put to good use. Hakkai had presumed that Sanzo will have a bigger chance noticing that someone was following him if we had used a vehicle. I grudgingly agreed. So with much complaining and half hearted threats of quitting, we followed Sanzo and did pretty much what he did. I was broken out of my reverie when Hakkai gasped beside me none too softly.
"Oh! Look out!" Hakkai said under his breath as he clawed at his cheeks in worry, barely suppressing himself from running out again. I had warned him earlier about getting all loud and jumpy. If the buozo finds out that we had disobeyed his 'request', we'll all be dead meat before we can say 'we're sorry'.
So anyway, the first time Sanzo almost fell Hakkai had jumped from the thick brush of plants and ran towards the castle intent on catching the buozo should he fall. I pulled him out of view just in time. Thankfully, the buozo didn't hear Hakkai's yelling as he was preoccupied in getting himself upright again.
I turn just in time to see Sanzo slip from his position and was now dangling with one hand clamped firmly on the ledge. I smile encouragingly at Hakkai.
"Don't worry; he's got a firm grip." Hakkai nodded absently, although his concern was evident in his face. I stop the urge to sigh. Hakkai is obviously in the mother hen mode. It would take him awhile to switch back to normal mode.
After a few moments of struggle, Sanzo finally made himself comfortable on the side of the castle.
"See? I told you." Hakkai turned to me, a not so amused expression on his face.
"I really think we should help him."
"No. He can handle it himself. 'Sides we aren't allowed to be here in the first place." Hakkai sighed as he turned back to watching Sanzo again.
"You're right. But I thought we are here to examine his actions?" He asked me surly.
"Well yeah… But do you really think that sharing a window to snoop on with Sanzo is a good idea?" I asked him sarcastically.
"But, but… What should we do? We're just wasting time here!" Hakkai said exasperatedly. I sigh again for the umpteenth time. Well duh! I've told him about a hundred times already that we should find a suitable place for viewing the inside and the outside of the castle! But what did he say?! 'Sanzo might fall! We should watch him!'
And so we stayed here, wasting precious moments when we could have known what caused the golden haired monk to laugh his ass off and what could have caused him to loose his footing.
Instead of answering Hakkai's question, I strode towards the direction of the castle, careful to pick the path that will successfully obscure us from Sanzo's eagle eyes. Not that he had much use of those anyways. I mean on us. His eyes are pretty much trained to somewhere on the inside of the dungeon. I hear a pitter patter of footsteps from behind followed by a hiss.
"Why'd you left so suddenly?" Hakkai asked as he dropped beside me in a few quick strides. Tired of the worry-wart mother hen, I kept my mouth shut and continued on trudging to the hole in the wall of the castle I so conveniently spotted while Hakkai kept going on and on about the welfare of some worldly buozo.
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"Oh my…"
"What? What happened?!"
"Uh-oh…"
"Hey!! What's going on?!!"
"Ooops… So don't want to be him…"
"Why?! What's happening?!"
"Ahahahahaha!!!" I laughed my heart out as I saw something so terribly funny and so terribly disturbing at the same time. How can green bubbles come from his mouth?! So, so, so funny!!! Hahahaha…
I could have dropped to my knees and rolled on the ground uproariously from the onslaught of my laughter when something hit the back of my skull… HARD!!
"Itai!!" I said as I nursed my battered head and the laugh died down on my throat replaced by pathetic whimpering. I looked up to see Hakkai looking down on me with an annoyed gleam in his green eyes.
"Why'd you do that for?" I asked him, feeling hurt.
"Isn't it obvious?!" Hakkai asked me, his voice rising an octave. Hmmm… He's probably irritated at me. I wonder why though… I asked myself as I continued rubbing that sore spot in my head.
"What?" I asked Hakkai when he still hadn't said a word and just continued to glare at me like I was the worst koi in the whole universe. The monocled one just shook his head in exasperation and rolled his eyes. Without another glance at me he strode towards my snooping area and proceeded to peer inside.
My pride in shreds and my head throbbing in pain I trudged up next to him and pouted.
"That was low, Hakkai." Hakkai cast me a brief glare before peering in again.
"Hn. What you did earlier was low too." He said in a low voice that made me think that I really had made him upset with something.
"What? What did I do?"
"If you can't figure that out then, you'll…" Hakkai stopped in mid sentence as he sputtered.
"What?" The sputter turned out into full blown laughter and before I know it, the always collected and fair mannered man had rolled to ground clutching at his stomach and was laughing madly.
"What?" When Hakkai didn't answer... Obviously he can't, Duh… I peered inside and within moments had joined Hakkai down the ground, laughing my guts out. When the laughter subsided, I caught Hakkai's eye.
"Sanzo's a genius!!!" We exclaimed both at the same time and erupted in to fresh peals of laughter.
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Goku's POV
Oh my god! I can't believe that Homura could be such a riot!! I said to myself as I watch the current fighting god fight down the impulse to turn me, Shien and Zenon into a blistering pile of ashes. If only looks could kill the three of us would be long gone. I swear the three of us have such luck to be still alive and kicking.
But hey!! How can you blame us?! I mean if you could just hear that ear-blasting fart and the look on his face when he vaulted ten feet and landed ungraciously on his behind, you'd be laughing your arse too!!! And look, Shien – THE Shien who had never broken into a smile since I saw him was laughing like his life depended on it. Can you believe it?!
All in all, it was great!! I mean the experience, wow!! And the entertainment - mind blowing !! And I really don't know if prisoners such as myself should be glad that they are caught… But I am!! If Homura hadn't acted like a stupid prick and kidnapped me to get back on 'Konzen' I wouldn't be here, happier than I've ever been. If only I could clutch my stomach and roll on the ground too. I said my mood blackening as I stared envyingly as Shien and Zenon who was free to do so.
"Will you stop laughing?!" Homura said angrily as he straightened himself and glared daggers at his companions.
"Sorry, Homura…" Shien said as he wiped the remnants of the happy tears from his eyes and tried vainly to control himself. Zenon stood up awhile later, already composed.
"So, entertaining us is done? Damn and I was looking forward for more too!!" He slyly asked Homura. The fighting god glowered, the look in his eyes made the teasing Zenon stop.
"Are you done yet?!" Homura asked the two flunkies on his side.
"Yeah. But I had to admit that has got to be the best time in like… A few thousand years!!" Zenon cheekily grinned at Homura who in turn narrowed his eyes.
"I believe there is some task outside waiting for your attendance." Homura all but growled in a very low and threatening voice. Unfortunately, the cheeky god hadn't caught on fast.
"What?! But all the fun's here…" Zenon stopped as he noticed the murderous glare in the fighting god's eyes. Not too mention that he was glowing around the edges too, meaning if Zenon didn't comply fast, Homura would definitely throw all his planning to the wind and kill his companion on the spot.
"Like I said, ready to go!" Zenon added hastily as Homura turned to face me again. I forced myself to pout.
"What? Fun's over? And here I thought you're being a good host."
"Shut up, saru!" Homura snapped. Ooh… Someone's mighty mad… I said to myself as I watch Homura try to calm himself down but failed miserably. And I thought that Homura had patience as long as forever.
"You've made me really mad, Son Goku. Now tell me, how did you rig up the shackles?" I made a face at him.
"Hello!! You brought me here unconscious and you tied me immediately to this wall here. What the hell made you think that I'm the one who rigged this up?" Homura thought for awhile and conceded. Thank the heavens!!!
"While you're at it, check the perimeter of the area and find out how the chains been rigged." Homura commanded Shien and Zenon of whom he spotted leaving the dungeon quietly. The two looked at each other and then shrugged.
"Hey just don't do the fun stuff without us!!" Zenon ducked as a chair, that Homura conveniently spotted somewhere, came whizzing by his head.
"Like I said enjoy!!" Zenon said as the two finally disappeared through the door. I felt panic rising through me. First to set me off was the look in Homura's eye – I saw in them anger and something I can't identify and Zenon's comment… Surely what does 'Enjoy' mean?
"So, what shall we do now?" Homura said as he sat down on the chair that appeared magically out of nowhere, and a table that held on top of it a pitcher of water and two tall empty glasses. He poured himself a drink and drank all of it one gulp.
I eyed the pitcher of water hungrily. When had I last eaten? My stomach growled to alert that it probably had been aeons ago. I could probably eat a whole feast at this rate but under current circumstance, I would and will settle for a glass of water.
"Want some, Son Goku?" I nod my head eagerly.
"You know all come with a price right?" I nod again. I think hunger warped my brain because I didn't think on what the consequences may bring. All I know is that the pitcher of water is tantalizing, and it's calling me. Homura grinned and poured me a glass. He came over me and placed the glass under my nose.
"Do you want it?"
"Yes!!"
"Well… Here you have… OUCH!! What the fuck?!" Homura's hand jerked and the glass of water came flying out.
"Homura!!" I whined as I watched the glass broke into a million shards on the hard cement floor. I lifted my eyes to find the most impossibly huge spider into Homura's bicep. I could tell it was of an un-normal size since it took all the space in Homura's upper arm. I think Homura blanked out because he froze into his spot and was looking at the spider with glassy eyes with his jaw hanging open. I think the spider might have been mocking him coz the humongous thing just stared defiantly back.
"Oi, Homura? It's just a bug." Goku rolled his eyes as he continued to eye the remaining water on the pitcher. He chanced a look at Homura who was still staring wide eyed at the spider.
"Earth to Homura!! It's just a big – I mean a really, very big – spider!! Wake up!!" I yelled as loud as I could to the still stunned Homura. I think my yelling had an effect since he started to move his mouth - up and down, up and down his jaws goes then suddenly all the loud incomprehensible yelling.
"GAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Homura jumped around trying to shake the thing of his arm but the little bugger has such a tight grip, it just wouldn't let go.
I looked at the scene before me in shock. I couldn't believe it!! Hello, he would?! The revered fighting god is brought down by a spider!! You'd think that he wont have any fears – well, yeah everyone has fears but come on!! Fighting god losing to a teensy, weeny spider?!! It's just unbelievable.
"SHIEN!! ZENON!! Get here this instant!!! A spider is ravaging my arm!! Get it OFFFF!!!!!!" He yelled as he continued to whirl around in utter desperation to fling the spider, but as I said – tight grip. Fully comprehending the scene now I started to laugh and of course, what good would it be if you do not mock your enemy keeping you prison?!
"Gosh, Homura!! When we fight again, remind me to learn of an attack including spiders!!!"
"Shut up!! Shien, Ze- *blublublublub*" I stared at Homura who's now frothing green bubbles at the mouth!! What an entertainment!!!
"Wahahahahahaha… Homura you really did go to great lengths to entertain me don't you?! Hahahaha… " I swear I'm going to die of laughter here!! I said to myself. My eyes widened for a bit as a wild conclusion came in my head.
What if Homura's goal is to kill me by laughing?! What if this is all part of his plan?!! I don't want to die yet… But hey, given the credit it's such a blissful way to die. Homura must've thought long and hard of this. Believing my synopsis, I breathed hard and deep and tried to control my laughter. If that's really what they wanted to do I won't give them the satisfaction of claiming victory. I will survive this madness! I will!
Homura's eyes widened to its last possible extent when he realized that he was frothing at the mouth. And he still hadn't rid of the spider which was giving him a major heart attack. And by the way he is convulsing right now he might be really having it.
He dropped to the ground and rolled around trying to squash the poor little bug. But in doing so he entangled himself in his chains making him look like a human pretzel. When he realized his position he started frothing more at the mouth and has completely forgotten about the spider, who I think might have fused with him since it's still in its original position on Homura's arm.
Shien and Zenon finally arrived and at seeing them Homura frothed more and more bubbles causing the two to freeze their actions. Not really wanting to be at the wrath of their buddy and fighting god, they squashed the laughter bubbling out of them to untangle Homura and to go remove the spider.
And by golly, Shien had to use hypnosis on the spider to get it off!! I think the bug might've glued itself on Homura's arm or it might have fallen in love with Homura that it wouldn't let go, but yeah, hypnosis did the trick on the little bugger.
"Get *blublublublub* Goku out of my *blublublublub* sight!!"
"But Homura, what about your plans?" Shien asked completely dumbfounded by Homura's request. I flinched. Don't ruin this for me Shien. I really don't want to be kept prisoner here forever with an obviously unbalanced god!!
"I don't *blublub* give a damn!!! *blublub* Get him out!!!" Homura all but shrieked out as he turned on his heels and went out of the dungeon trailing green bubbles as he went. Shien, Zenon and I winced at the slamming of Homura's door. We chuckled to each other as the two of them unclasped the chains bounding me one with the cold wall.
"Was he always like that?!" I asked them as I rubbed gently at my wrists. I don't know what I'm doing but after sharing this memorable experience with the two of them, it just seemed right that we talk about it.
"No. He's uptight at heart." Zenon said as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He really must be thinking or maybe even reflecting on what has happened today. Obviously, this is the first time that Homura had acted that way. From what I gathered, Homura has had a repressed childhood and he really didn't have much happiness in his life.
"Go now, Son Goku. Before Homura changes his mind." Shien said abruptly breaking the befallen silence. I nodded to them and smiled gratefully. The two nodded and promptly vanished. I gathered up my wits first before going on away. This really had been a weird but overall happy experience. I'd better tell Sanzo of this… Maybe he'll have some ideas on why Homura had acted that way.
"But Wow. I hope to see another episode of that soon!!" I said to myself aloud as I worked my way out of the dungeon and into Sanzo's waiting arms.
I frowned to myself as I thought of that. Yeah, it would be nice if indeed Sanzo is worried and would be welcoming me with open arms. For sure, he would strike me with the harisen once I get back. I said to myself glumly as I reached the outside of the castle.
t.b.c
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