Title: Finding the Sun
Author: AznSage
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
Pairings: Goku+Konzen/Konzen+Goku
Rating: PG
Note: Goku Pov. Not much notes for this time.
There was blood. Blood everywhere. It pooled around me, seeping into my bare feet. I looked around desperately, frantically for its source. Only to find the source being my own hands. My eyes were wild and wide, uncomprehending of the situation. What had happened? What sin had I committed? Who's blood was on my hands?
The room was too dark for me to make out anything, but the chills that were crawling down my spine told me to be on guard. The only sensation I had was the feel of the blood on me and the smell of fresh carcasses. My mind thought of how gruesome the scene must be and blanched at the thought of having to actually see it.
Then I saw him, standing there, right across from me, his pupils dilated and a frown across his face. Complete seriousness had overtaken his usually more childish personality and his head was tilted downwards in sadness. His head suddenly jerked up and he looked at me squarely in the eye, his mouth moving and saying words that I could not hear. But the atmosphere around him had told me there was definitely something wrong. His robes were still the pristine white they had been the first time I saw him, the sleeves billowing ever so slowly and covering his hands. I followed to where his gaze layed and gasped at the sight before me.
Konzen. It was Konzen's blood. Nataku then said more soundless words and then the world around me was even clearer. Kenren and Tenpou were dead as well, their bodies close by. And around me laid the bodies of hundreds of faceless soldiers. But in the sea of death, Konzen's body stood out the most. I couldn't understand it at all. What had happened? My eyes turned to Nataku again, searching for an answer. He opened his mouth to speak again.
But this time, I could hear what he said. "You killed him." I could feel the shock and horror bubbling within me from those three words. My mind began to race, my heart pounding faster than ever. I couldn't understand it at all. Why would I ever kill Konzen? He's the most important thing to me ever. Seeing my sun lying there like that began to grab at my insides and wrench the heartache that I knew would rise.
Then I screamed. A primal, uncontrollable scream that boiled up from my stomach, making it's way into my mouth. The world shook and I lost myself in the dream.
"Goku! Goku!" Someone shook me hard and I could see that it was Konzen. I sighed. It was alright. Everything was alright. It was just a dream.
"I'm awake Konzen! You can stop shaking me!" I rubbed my eyes sleepily and pouted at him. "Why're you shaking me anyway?"
"Idiot! You were screaming like a banshee! I should be the one asking the questions here!"
I thought for a moment and remembered what I had seen. Yes, it's no surprise that I was screaming. What was a surprise was that Konzen was showing actual concern for me. But I knew he wouldn't just take any normal explanation and I wasn't about to just tell him what had actually happened, so a little bit of lying would be needed here. At least so that we can get a good night's sleep. "Uh...I was being chased by a giant nikuman. It had big fangs and feet and was ganging up with the other food to eat me." I nodded cutely at him to try and make it more believable. Though he'd probably just hit me for being an idiot again.
But instead, he sighed. "No more wine for you before bed." Getting up to go back to his bed, he shook his head in misery. "As a matter of fact, no more wine for you at all. And here I thought it was something serious..." He flipped the covers back over him and turned his back against me. "Go back to sleep."
I nodded but then realized that he could not see me in the dark so I said a quick "hai hai" before I turned to go back to sleep. But when I closed my eyes, I saw the blood again, felt the blood again, smelled the blood again. I saw him waiting there for me with the bodies of those I held dear too. I couldn't hold back the gasp in my throat, which no doubt gained the attention of my keeper again.
"Goku...shut up and go to sleep. I've got a lotta work to do tomorrow."
"Uh...yeah Konzen sure. Just having a little relapse of the dream." I tried to go back to sleep again, but this time when I closed my eyes, I saw his lips move soundlessly. Until I heard those words. 'You killed him.' Another gasp escaped from my lips before I could hold it in. Konzen will definitely be mad about this and I braced myself for the fury that was sure to come from him.
Only, instead, he moved towards me and flung me into a sitting position. He looked at me unflinchingly in the eye for a few moments, moments in which I dared not breathe nor move. Finally, he let go of the arm he had grabbed and sighed.
"Listen..." He seemed to stop and think over what he really wanted to say. "I can tell you're lying about that whole food chasing you bullshit so whatever's bothering you must be really important if it made you lie. You don't need a front with me alright, Goku? At least not in closed quarters anyway." He picked me up with a sweeping motion and tossed me on his bed. "Go to sleep." He got in himself and wrapped the blankets comfortably around both of us. The shock on my face must have been apparent since he then looked at me oddly and sighed. "Look, if this isn't gonna make you feel better, I don't know what will. I'm not very good with brats, you know."
I smiled back at him and nodded again. This time he felt the movement of my head against his chest and clutched me tighter. "Now go to sleep." I wiggled a little into a more comfortable position and breathed in deeply. The scent of my sun soothed me and calmed me enough to ward away the dream. This would definitely make for interesting conversation with Homura in the morning. Quickly, I fell back into a dreamless sleep.
I awoke to sounds of laughter and casual conversation that morning. I could still smell Konzen next to me, I was still clinging onto him tightly, so there really was no way he could move unless I weakened my grip on his white shirt. I could hear him grumbling at every other comment made by the possessor of the voice from near the doorway, who my ears had identified as Ken nii-chan. In the midst of his talking, I could hear Ten-chan telling him that the time for teasing Konzen was over and that they had serious matters to talk about.
"But what about Konzen's pet? Isn't he a bit young to hear this?" I stiffened a bit and pretended to still be asleep. More important army stuff? Probably.
"He's asleep. Provided that Konzen doesn't move and you don't break down in racous laughter every fifteen seconds, he'll probably stay asleep for a while." Without looking, I could sense Ken nii-chan nodding at this.
"Sounds like a plan." A scrapping sound was heard against the floor, probably Ken nii-chan getting a chair for himself and Ten-chan. "So, what's there to talk about?"
"Nataku." Konzen's tone was chilling and unmoving. But something in that tone told me that he knew I was awake and listening.
"He's supposed to be back from defeating Gyuumaoh today, maybe tomorrow at latest." Ken nii-chan stated matter-of-factly. "News is that he's heavily injured already."
"No one else is injured, meaning that they once again allowed only him to do all the work. Before long, Li Touten is gonna have control over a good portion of the army. However, his control over them does not guarantee their loyalty to him. Keep in mind that most of these men have followed someone of more sound mind longer. And ousting their current commanding officer is not something that I see them doing very soon."
"I'm assuming that their commander is Goujun."
"That's correct, Konzen. Looks like Tenkai will have a revolution sooner or later. And we might just be stuck in the middle of it."
I felt Konzen tense against me. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Nataku is undoubtedly a puppet to Li Touten, the only way for him to gain power. His loyalty to his father has never faltered before and I don't see it faltering any time soon. If Nataku is too heavily injured from this battle and Tenkai needs another itan to become the Toushin Taishi, they will no doubt make Goku the new one." I wanted to gasp outloud, but kept to myself. Ten-chan would stop talking about this subject if he had known I was awake. "Li Touten will then probably find some way to restore a now rested and recovered Nataku back into that seat to be the one and only Toushin Taishi in Tenkai."
"But," Ken nii-chan butted in. "If he saw Goku as a threat now and doesn't have any plans of even letting Goku being considered for the position, he will probably create some reason behind why Goku should be eliminated now."
"And we all know that the one to do that will be Nataku." I couldn't hold myself in this time. My head shot up and looked straight at Konzen. My eyes were once again frantic, this time on the verge of tears.
"Konzen! You can't mean that!" Konzen didn't flinch at all, he only moved his head to the side, refusing to look at me. "Ten-chan! Ken nii-chan! You can't mean that, right?" The two looked at me sadly. We were all friends weren't we? Nataku wouldn't kill me would he? I jumped out of Konzen's embrace and ran out of the room in anger.
"Goku!" I could hear the boots of Ten-chan and Ken nii-chan after me. But suddenly they stopped. My mind supplied me with the voice of Konzen telling them to stop and that it was useless to chase after me.
Not before long, I reached the field where I had met Homura. I stopped and looked around, swiping my face quickly to get rid of the tears. Sure enough, Homura was there, still thinking and looking into a future that didn't exist.
"Homura..."
"Oh! Goku! It's you!" He smiled at me and his mismatched eyes twinkled. "What's wrong?"
"Can I ask you about...Nataku?" He smiled at me warmly and sat down on the soft grass, patting to the spot next to him, motioning for me to sit.
"What do you wanna know?"
"Is he really a killing puppet?"
Homura thought for a moment and then nodded. "Yes. But it's not really his fault that his father is forcing him to do that. Rumor has it that Nataku wasn't of natural birth, but rather he was created by Li Touten to be used as a piece in his game of conquest."
I kept as calm as I could. It would not do me well to scare Homura away. "But I met him the other day. He was really nice. We became friends."
"Nataku is still a child, you can't really blame him for doing things that children do. In a world full of corrupt adults, it's hard to find someone as young as you, much less as innocent as you are. What Nataku does after hours for his father is like another him. There's just so much within him that he keeps bottled up. You have that much potential too." He fingered the diadem on my head. "Your power is one that Tenkai fears. So they want to keep watch of it and restrain it in order to keep their form of order in play. You have only showed one of yourself to everyone, but we all know that there is more creeping in you. The same with Nataku."
I stared at him in amazement. "So what Konzen said about how Nataku might kill me is true?"
He thought about this for a moment. "Yes. But it's not his fault. He did not choose to live this life. And he doesn't go against his father's wishes. So in a way, it is his own fault as well. He had a choice, still does, but he chose not to follow down the other path. When the rebellion against Tenkai begins, you will no doubt be in the center of it."
I looked down at the flowers and grass. "That's what Ten-chan said too..."
"Ten-chan?"
I nodded, smiling. "I suppose you would know him as Tenpou Gensui. He said that I could call him Ten-chan."
"I don't suppose you call other people random nicknames too?"
"Well, there's also Ken nii-chan..."
"I'm assuming that's Kenren Taisho." I nodded at him. "I'm hoping you don't call me something weird like that."
"Ah, but Homura is Homura. Just like how Kannon is Kannon and Nataku is Nataku. You are all very dear to me but something about Konzen and Ten-chan and Ken nii-chan just makes them that much more important."
He smiled at me and nodded. "I understand."
We sat in a companiable silence for a few moments before I had more bothering me. "Ne, Homura..." He looked at me again in question. "Don't tell Konzen and them about this, but I had this really freaky dream yesterday..."
He looked at me in intrigue as I began to unravel the details of the dream. Then thinking for a few more moments, he came up with a reply. "There is a possibility that you saw your own future." I looked at him confused. How I could I see my own future? I wasn't clairvoyant. He shrugged at me. "It's possible. We are in Tenkai. Anything's possible."
"But that means that..." I looked up at him in horror, but was silenced before I could complete my sentence.
"All futures can be changed." His look then turned to a far-off gaze, memories flashing behind his mismatched eyes. "Ah...gomen Goku, but I have to go do something. Why don't you run to the kitchen or something and grab breakfast. I'm sure you're famished. And you shouldn't keep this kinda thing from Konzen. They worry about you and if you keep it in, you'll just dreaming about it every night and it'll make you go mad."
I shook my head at this. "No, I don't want to worry them. I will solve this one myself." He looked at me disapprovingly. "Just go do what you must."
He nodded at me and we both got up from our spots on the grass and waved a quick goodbye.
My trip to the kitchen occurred without incident. There was no one there so I ate a few buns and began to make my way back to Konzen. I had been gone for more than a good two hours, so he would probably be looking for me by now.
"...said he saw you and Kenren dead next to each other and then Konzen next to him dead too. And then Nataku..." The familiar voice drifted into my ears. Homura.
"You! You said you wouldn't tell Konzen and them!"
Homura looked at me calmly with concern. He had been talking to Ten-chan, who had changed from his lab coat to a more appropriate army attire like that of Ken nii-chan. "Goku, I can't let them worry about you with no way of knowing what's wrong. They're practically your family. If there's any one who can understand, it should be them."
"I can't believe you betrayed me like that!"
"Goku! You don't understand!" The two began to chase after me. I could feel all common sense leave from me. I knew why he had done that, but I still couldn't contain the raw emotion that I felt. Nearing the gates of Tenkai, I saw a large, covered cart and hid in it. Surely, they wouldn't find me here. Their steps drew near and I could hear Ten-chan telling someone what happened and then a worried "Shit!" Ah, it must've have been Ken nii-chan.
However, they could look for me, a soldier had called to them. Apparently, they had a mission that needed their immediate attention and they were setting out now. Ten-chan and Ken nii-chan replied affirmatively and began to set off for it, not being to cease their duties to look for me. Finding Homura quickly, they told him that they would be back relatively quickly and that he should continue looking for me and get Konzen to help.
I sighed in relief. That would probably buy me more time. I began to climb out from under the covering, but felt the cart move.
"Soldiers at attention!" I could hear Ten-chan's barking of commands. "Our mission is simple. Contain one giant beast. Nataku Taishi is a bit busy today taking care of Gyuumaoh so you all will actually need to work. We'll use the old way, like we used to before you all became dependent on the Toushin Taishi." I peeked out a bit and saw Ten-chan and Ken nii-chan begin to walk out of the gates of Tenkai, prepared to go on their mission which would no doubt be on Earth. He looked so different, so much more confident and dominant now than he had before. His hair was tied back in a tail and he had the coldest facade plastered on himself. Was this similar to what Homura was talking about? About having another side to oneself?
I felt the world shift a little and that dizzying feeling I felt when first traveling to Tenkai was there again. Around me, the soldiers had arrived on Earth and began to get ready. They had their work laid out for them by Ten-chan and they were not going to let him down. Sure enough, there was a giant beast, quite an ugly one at that too, and it was rampaging in the village nearby. I slunk back deeper into the cart to see what was there. The holes in the tarp covering me was just enough for me to make out the shape and purpose of each object in the cart. There were whole loads of guns, ammunition, and tranquilizer guns. The army would need these later, meaning I would be discovered quite quickly.
Surely enough, a soldier flipped the tarp over quickly and saw me, gasping in shock. "General, we have a stowaway!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ken nii-chan. He would surely yell at me. "Goku! Thank the gods you're alright! We thought you ran off somewhere dangero...aw crap." He groaned at this and ordered the soldier who had discovered me to carry supplies over to the others and then tell Ten-chan to get here because there was an emergency.
I looked down at my feet and waited with Ken nii-chan for Ten-chan. He was still busy ordering the soldiers around, but he still kept one eye on me. Eventually, Ten-chan did come and he looked as shocked as ever.
"Goku! How'd you get here?"
"He hid in the supply cart. Must've come down with us. And we can't him back up now. Gotta get rid of that giant three-headed lizard first."
Ten-chan nodded. "Then you stay here. Don't move. This is the safest place. We still have a job to do, so we'll have to leave him here. There are still some of the men around, and they'll need to keep the cart safe anyway." He motioned to Ken nii-chan to follow him to contain the beast.
The soldiers occassionally came to the cart for getting more ammo. It seemed that the beast was more of a handle than they had anticipated. But even lizards have brains and not before long, it realized that the men had weapons in the cart and I could hear the yelling of curses course through the air. The creature had broken the kekkai and was headed straight for me and the cart. I was still hidden under the tarp, but it's looming shadow had warned me. However, one of my chains got stuck on the tarp and I could not move out of the way.
"Shit!" Ken nii-chan had rushed back in time. There was only so time left before the jaws of the creature would fall on me.
Except I felt a strange dizzying again. That same dizzying feeling I had before. I had been teleported away from the now broken cart, with some of the supplies falling out from under the creature's teeth and raining upong the soldiers. The scent that now held me close was familiar. The touch was familiar. And I looked up and expected myself to be dreaming but it was true.
"Konzen?" He didn't spare me a look, but just stood there. "Konzen what are you doing here?"
"I didn't know you started to tell that bastard Homura more about yourself than to you did to me." I sensed some hurt in those words, but brushed it aside.
Ten-chan and Ken nii-chan rushed up to us to greet us. Apparently, they had the creature under the kekkai now and all was under control. "Konzen! Goku! Thank the gods that you're here!" Ten-chan ran towards us and held me in a strong hug. "I thought the beast was going to eat you!"
"I'm alright. You really should just worry about--"
"Gensui!" The creature had broken out of the kekkai again and was lunging for us. Ten-chan already had me in his hands, so the four of us began to jump away. Only, the creature followed Konzen and began to chase him.
"Konzen!" I broke free of Ten-chan's hold and ran towards him faster than both of them. The soldiers around me stared in amazation at my abilities and there were shouts of "Goku! Go back to Tenpou!" from Konzen, but I paid no heed. The creature had opened it jaws and let out a shriek of victory in it's imminent catching of its new meal. With as much force as I could muster, I pushed Konzen to the side and fell to the ground in front of the creature.
"GOKU!"
I prepared myself for the fate that was to come, but nothing happened. Murmurs began in the crowd around me. Peeking an eye open, the scene in front of me shocked me as well.
The beast had stopped dead in its track and was staring back at me. It lowered it's head and sniffed me a few before getting up and turning around and walking away slowly. Ten-chan and Ken nii-chan ran up to me to see if there were any injuries at all and stopped fussing when they were satisfied. Konzen, however, walked up to me slowly and looked at the three of us with his standard glare.
"What the *hell* just happened?"
"I suppose it's because Goku is the actually made from the aura of the Earth that when the creature identified him as his brethren, he backed off. There's no point in fighting his own."
"Oh geez, this is gonna be one hell of an explanation to Tentei in our report. If we lie, then there's probably going to someone who rats us out. If we tell the truth, we'll bring Goku into this and we'll only speed up the revolution."
"But then again, that could be a good thing." Ten-chan mentioned casually. "If we start this now, Nataku might not be able to kill Goku because he is recovering from his battle with Gyuumaoh and Li Touten will be ripe for the overthrowing. Whoever is able to control this revolution can make it turn out the way he wants it to. We can rid Tenkai of scum like him."
Ken nii-chan rubbed his head in frustration, obviously not taking this very well. He knew that Ten-chan had a mind on war, but they were still both trying to protect me. However, some interests just didn't cross well. He motioned to the soldiers with a quick wave of his hand. "Come on men, it's back to Tenkai for us." His order immediately got all of them to fall in line and within the next moment, we were already at the gates of Tenkai, marching back into the city.
What we hadn't expected was the crowd around us. Ten-chan looked a bit confused and asked one of the spectators on the side. "What's going on?"
"The reports say that Nataku-sama is coming back right now! He should be back any second now!"
"There's Nataku-sama! Nataku-sama!" The noise of the mob, all going towards him to greet him. One man reached out to help Nataku, but was pushed away quickly. I glanced at Nataku quickly and could gauge from that one look that it was obvious he was in great pain.
"Keep your hands off me!" He glared at the man as he backed away startled.
"Nataku!" I broke away from our little group and ran towards him. "Nataku! Are you alright?"
"You, you're the one I met before..." But before I could even tell him my name, he collapsed right into me.
"Nataku!" A few soldiers came to carry him off to his room, Ken nii-chan ran up to me to hold me back from following. "Nataku!"
"Goku! Calm down! We have to appear in front of Tentei to give our report. Nataku'll be alright, he's got people to take care of him. This happens all the time."
"All the time?! How can you let that happen?!" I was furious. Beyond furious. Everyone was unscathed yet Nataku was allowed to be used up to the point where he could die.
"Goku! Just calm down!" He restrained me again and pulled me up to where Konzen was, allowing my sun to hold me in a tight embrace and try to settle me down.
"We have other matters to attend to before you can go see Nataku. But I promise you, you can do whatever you want after we get this little bit of bureaucracy straightened out."
I pouted cutely at Konzen, but nodded anyway. He let go of me again and began to lead me towards the celestial throne of the great Tentei. Ken nii-chan and Ten-chan followed us and a soldier from Nataku's army followed us. We eventually reached the doors of the throne room, huge and majestic, looming over me. The columns around it were carved with a dragon and phoenix, designed to represent the power of Tenkai.
"Your highness, we have come back to report a successful containment of the creature in the absence of the Toushin Taishi Nataku." I stood silently and still next to Konzen while Ten-chan explained what had occurred.
Finally, Tentei spoke. "Another itan?" He seemed to think this over. "And what of Nataku?"
The man from Nataku's army stepped up and spoke in a soft voice. "He is recovering in his quarters from heavy wounds. However, we don't know how long he will need to heal..."
"Nonesense! My son will be back on duty by tomorrow, no tonight!" Li Touten stepped up and pushed the man aside. "Your highness, don't listen to Shien, he is but a mere marshal in Nataku's army. He does not know of anything relating to medicine."
"But your highness--!"
"My son will be fine! There is no need to even see this Goku child! Tenkai does not need two unclean beings!"
"Hey hey hey, watch who're you calling unclean!" Ken nii-chan lunged at him, picking him up by the collar and lifting him to the wall.
"Who else?" Li Touten looked at him smugly and spat right in his face. Had it not been for the fact that Konzen was holding me back, I would've ran up and taught him a lesson. Ken nii-chan was obviously not amused and shoved Li Touten into the wall even harder.
"How can you do this kinda thing to you own son!?"
But before he could supply an answer, the doors to the throne room were thrown open, Nataku standing there, grasping at his wounds.
"Ah what perfect timing!" Li Touten pushed Ken nii-chan's grip off him and he fell back onto his own two feet.
"Nataku! What are you doing here?" I was overjoyed to see him again, but I really had not expected this extent of damage to his own body. It really hurt to see him like this.
"I..." He staggered a few more steps forward. All eyes were upon him. "I came to ask you your name." He looked at me sincerely, the pain clear in that gaze.
"Bullshit! Nataku!" At Li Touten's voice, Nataku looked up like a dog ready to take his master's orders. "Kill him."
-TBC-
Extra long chapter this time since I haven't written much in a while. *sweatdrop* Time to advance the story to the level! Thank you all for the reviews ^_^
UltraM2000
Yup, it's only been 2 days. See, I've been having this mindset that Tenkai actually doesn't require that much time to move their administration about, so this will be a very quick moving fic, but it'll seem to take forever *sweatdrop* And the fic will probably be shounen-ai at most (blink and you miss it!). It depends how sappy I'm feeling ^^;;
Yami no Tenshi
Thank you for reviewing all the chapters ^^ Yes, "incidents" happen a lot to these four. And I couldn't help to not make Tenpou and Kenren an item ^^;;
nan
Sorry this took so long ^^;;
gallatica
*dodges anger* I'm a bit shy on the writing of limey and lemony stuff mainly because I'm not really an expert on the subject and I would prefer to learn everything about before writing it. ^^;; And Kenpai is said when you toast someone, like the American "Cheers"
bleit
Yes, Konzen was walking in a towel *grins* And unfortunately, work already took over my life @_@ But I will still try to finish this fic before September!
Astralkitten
Heheh...that gives me an idea for a one-shot fic...*scribbles it down* I probably won't write it for a while though, I have a schedule to keep with this fic and the other 39 fic I'm working on *sweatdrop*
Until next time then ^_^