Title: Finding the Sun
Author: AznSage
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
Archived at:
Pairings: Goku+Konzen/Konzen+Goku
Rating: PG
Note: It's a Goku POV fic. Gaiden, but events screwed around with a lot to fit my plot ideas.
We entered the dining hall unannounced, only to find it packed with soldiers. Wine was flowing freely and the intoxicating scent of the most delectable dishes were in the air. Glancing around quickly, I spotted Ken nii-chan and Ten-chan by themselves at one of the elevated tables near the front of the hall.
"Look, Konzen! The two of them are here!" I pointed excitedly at them and proceeded to drag him towards them. "Ten-chan! Ken nii-chan!" Waving energetically at them, they smiled back and brought up two chairs for us.
"Didn't you two say that you had business to attend to?"
After taking a swig of his wine, Ken nii-chan answered, "This is the business. As usual, they just decided to stick the whole job to Nataku and his 'army' and we're not going to be dispatched tomorrow. The lackeys wanted to celebrate another boring, lazy day, so here we are." He took another drink and passed us the food. "You really gotta try some of this stuff, it's better than anything else on Earth."
I grabbed the proffered food and question and began to gobble it down as Konzen continued to question Tenpou.
"Well, if you aren't going to be doing anything, then what's even the point of having an army? You're all useless if Tentei keeps deciding to leave it up to Nataku."
Ten-chan glanced up at him from his wine. "See that guy over there?" He casually moved his eyes towards a very quiet, lone, pale-skinned man. No, not man, something else for he had pointed ears. His skin was scaly and his red eyes captivating. He watched the entire hall silently, noticing all that occurred, maybe even our current conversation. "That's Goujun, the Dragon King of the Western Sea, the head of Tenkai's Western Army. Something about how he's been lately tells me that there's something wrong with high command. He doesn't agree with them but he doesn't disobey orders either. This last mission for Nataku to defeat Gyuumaoh just seems like another way for Li Touten to boost his position. And I don't think that Goujun is going to be very happy with someone as corrupt as him taking on such power and influence."
Konzen glanced at the dragon in question, not moving to make it obvious. "Tenpou...are you sure it's a good idea to talk about this now?"
Kenren smirked. "But of course, Konzen. The safest place is right under their noses. Besides, all the ruckus around us makes it hard for someone to overhear us. Everyone's too busy getting drunk or being drunk. It won't get us caught."
I had a sneaking suspicion that they had forgotten I was here and just talked about the matter without my interruption. It was better this way anyway, they would not hold back anything that I would find useful in knowing.
"Wars are merely ways for one to carry out one's ideas and impose them. If Li Touten is planning to gather power to create a war in Tenkai, then we all know what is to come after that." Ten-chan pushed his glasses back up a little as he took any sip of wine. "And we would have no way of stopping it because of Nataku. Surely, he will be ordered to kill us."
I swallowed my gasp of surprise before it could escape. I did not need to draw attention to myself. Just keep eating that food Goku...
"But we're still going to oppose him anyway. Better to live our lives to the fullest and at least try than just sit on our asses all day waiting for death."
"Or..." Ten-chan looked like he was in deep thought. "No, never mind, we can't."
"What? What were you going to say, Tenpou?" Konzen looked up at him and dared him not to answer his question.
"Well...we could always fight back in our own way. With our own itan." He motioned at me momentarily. "But that would endanger Goku and we don't know how strong he is exactly. We can't risk it." He shook his head. "That's not an option. I'll think of something else."
"Worse comes to worse, we can just take him head-on. If we take down the leader, then we can get rid of the following." Ken nii-chan looked at me squarely in the eye, with me blinking back at him, pretending I had no idea what they were talking about. "Besides, the kid's kinda cute." He winked back at me and I didn't know how to respond. Of course, Ten-chan always knew how to act in these situations.
"Now now, Kenren. If you make a move on Goku, I don't think Konzen would be very happy about it. Besides, you're with me." His steady reply caused Konzen to blush wildly and Ken nii-chan to laugh loudly, drawing attention to our table as a whole.
"Urusai Tenpou!" He kicked the two of them under the table, mildly brushing by my leg.
Simultaneously, Ken nii-chan replied, "Bwahahaha! Tenpou! You always know the right things to say!" Seeing that eyes were upon us, Ken nii-chan stood up quickly, thus knocking back his chair, and raised his wine bottle high in the air. "To our dear Marshall, everyone, kenpai!"
The room began to swarm with yells and cheers as everyone, even Konzen, raised their wine. "Kenpai!"
Dinner passed by quickly and mostly without incident after that. The only thing that really was important that happened was that I had accidentally taken Ten-chan's cup instead of mine and ended up drinking a bit of wine. Being that I had never had it before and was not exactly used to the strong taste, I ended up guzzling down half a cup before the reality of what it was hit me and I spit it out. And being the lucky little monkey I am, it went right on my keeper.
The four of us had decided that it was probably best to leave then since the whole room was mostly drunk, Goujun was already gone, and we had drank all the wine. Besides, Konzen was complaining about how he had monkey breath on him along with the wine and needed to bathe.
So we all were going to retreat to our respective rooms, with me being a bit intoxicated from the strong wine and wobbling to the bathing hall near our room with Konzen close behind. My vision was blurry and occassionally I would bump into a wall that had magically materialized there. Eventually, Konzen picked me up and decided to carry me to the bath hall instead to speed up the process. Something about idiotic monkeys not being able to hold in their alcohol.
It was warm in his embrace and I just felt so safe in his arms. Snuggling into him, I inhaled his scent deeply. Never mind the stench of wine that he had on him, I had a good sense of smell and could easily distinguish one from another. He said something to me and I replied with a small grunt. Whatever he said couldn't be that important right? Right.
I could feel myself being set down on the floor. We were probably in the bath hall, that's what he probably told me. A few sounds of shuffling and then some splashing of water sounded near me, but I paid them no heed. He said something else to me then, but again, I only grunted. The wine was definitely a bad influence on my system.
Obviously, this annoyed Konzen because the next moment, I felt a whole bucket of cold water splash on my face. Sputtering and annoyed, I shot up to yell back at him. "Konzen! Why'd you--" I stopped mid sentence at the sight that graced me and turned my head, blushing madly. "Um...Konzen...er...are you sure it's alright for me to see you naked?"
"Saru, it's only a bath and since you spit all over me I have to bath. And you do too since you smell like shit. So undress and get in the damn water!" He turned back around and I looked back up, finding myself staring at a very nice view. Oh dear gods...I think Ken nii-chan's lecherousness is already rubbing off on me.
I stripped quickly and dove into the water, making quick work of washing myself. Konzen volunteered himself to help me wash my hair, massaging it gently with his skilled fingers. However, when in the middle of doing so, the doors to the hall flung open and in stepped two familiar figures.
"Hey, Konzen, we figured that we'd--" Ken nii-chan blinked at the sight. "Oh...uh...didn't know you guys were busy...er...want me and Tenpou to get back to you later?"
Konzen snarled at him. "It's not what you think."
Ken nii-chan laughed back at him. "Sure Konzen Douji. And Kannon is my mother." He waved smugly at me. "Have fun chibi saru, if Konzen hurts you tell me and Tenpou and we can kick his ass." He turned to leave but swung back again as an afterthought. "We'll look for you guys tomorrow instead, when we're not barging in on things." He laughed again good-naturedly and close the door behind him.
Beside me, Konzen fumed. Frankly, I was confused. What was Ken nii-chan talking about? Bathing being fun? He's so strange sometimes.
We quickly finished and toweled off, Konzen seething and muttering curses about how he hoped Ken nii-chan would be struck by lightning. Since his clothes had been dirty and we had not stopped at our room beforehand to grab some fresh ones, Konzen had to walk back to his room in only his towel. I walked slowly behind him, noticing all the people who stopped to stare at Konzen's alabaster skin, his dripping golden hair, and the beautiful curviture of his body. I felt this emotion that was truly beyond me and began to glare at everyone we passed. Which was very much so unlike me. I'm supposed to be happy and energetic all the time right?
Once we had arrived, Konzen entered our room first, but before I could he slammed the door right in front of my face, giving me a nice little broken nose.
"Oi! Konzen! What gives?!" I pounded at the door frantically.
"I have to change, you are *not* coming in here yet!" I jiggled the door knob to try to open it, but to no avail, so I just stood against the door and pouted angrily. Stupid Konzen and his paranoid behavior.
The door opened not long after and I rushed into the room and pounced into the room, launching myself on him. Shouting and rolling around the floor ensued after this, both of us trying to knock some sense into the other. Of course I won, being the strong, hyperactive being that I am. Unfortunately, I found myself in a very odd position, straddling Konzen with my hands pinning him down. We just stared at each other for a very long time, neither one of us moving at all. I felt him begin to sit up, moving his upper body slowly towards me. Myself? I felt like I was falling into him, my arms and body melting and no longer functioning properly.
However, footsteps outside our room made us realize that we were still part of this world, both of us jumping up in surprise from the previous trance-like state we were in. Mentally, I cursed my luck. The door in our room had not been closed and that would give a view of us in a very compromising position, something I was sure Konzen didn't want anyone knowing about.
"Uh...gomen ne, Konzen, I didn't mean to...uh..." I turned my head away from him, refusing to meet his gaze and blushed madly.
"Yeah, whatever. Go to bed." We went to our respective places and he turned the lights off in the room. Pretty soon, his even breathing could be heard from where I lie and I felt myself being to fall into the world of dreams.
-TBC-
Well, school's over now, but I still have lots of other work to do, so updates will probably not be as quick as I had hoped (nuts -.-) Thanks to chris, bleit, gallactica, UltraM2000, Ami, kitsune-oni, nan, Astralkitten, and Kairi-chan for the reviews ^_^ If I'm lucky, I can get another part out before I have to do volunteering work. 8 chapters and Goku's only been in Tenkai for 2 days...er...that means that stuff in the story's timeline is happening extremely quickly. Oops...-.-;;