A/N: First things first…. I just wanna say THANK YOU for the readers and reviewers who all like this story for all it is Sniff, sniff, sniff. You guyz are the ones who kept me writing amidst the tensions and traumas of the first week of my damn college life. Not to mention the humiliation of being put in a special course for english! (Come the hell on! I know I'm not that good in my eeengrish grammar but was it my fault I intended to answer the entrance exam questions wrong?!? Waaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!! Cries). Okay nuff of my stuff. Really sorry if it took me so long to update.
Lirin-Chan: Arigatou gozaimasu for the extremely nice review and for sticking with this story!
Koinu-Chan: What can I say but thank you for everything! Specially for reading my fic! J
Zelgadis55: Honestly, your review lifted my spirit and cheered me up big time!! Thanks a lot!!!
Kay: Another inspiring review! Arigatou!!!!
I just needed to get over my first-day-of-college-trauma away from my damn consciousness. Honestly guyz, you're my angels in disguise here in fanfiction.net!!!! I wish this fic is to your taste. On with it.
The silver light is now fading away. All their eyes are watching it intently, hearts pounding and minds swirling. When the light finally disappeared, they waited for the next thing to happen…
"Uh, is it just me or there is really nothing going on?" Gojyo asked after some time.
No one answered the redhead's question but they are all thinking the same thing. The tapestry is not moving, no pictures are seen but only the threads. They looked harder and longer but still nothing happened.
"What the fuck is happening?! Why can't we see a single damn thing in there?!?!?!" Sanzo blurted out and pounded on the table.
"Ummei, is something wrong?" Hakkai asked with a temper different from Sanzo.
"I don't know." The goddess sighed in defeat.
"What!?!?!? What now?"
"We must move quick or else we won't be able to bring him back. The wound I caused him paralyzes the youkai but is fatal to Goku as well. We're up against not only that youkai but also with time. If it runs out, I don't even want to think what's going to happen next." Was the only answer the girl gave. And her words are all wrapped in a hopeless air.
"Seiten Taisen?" Goku asked the figure in front of him.
"But what…why…how?" the other didn't answer but gave him a look he couldn't understand.
"What is it now Goku? Ah, Seiten Taisen. Nice to see you here. I bet you're excited to get rid of this rubbish child as well. We will get rid of this child, wipe away his innocence and with our powers we can take over Tenkai." the youkai sneered behind Goku.
"N-nani?" the heretic asked as Seiten Taisen faded in the darkness
"But first, I will personally take care of your stupid friends." The youkai added.
A scene unfolded in front of him. The blood-covered bodies of his friends are scattered around the forest. Homura, Hakkai, Gojyo, and Ummei are all dead, bathing in their own blood. Only Sanzo is alive, but with terrible injuries. He is staring in front of him, a look close to a glare but with questions. Goku's blood froze when he saw the creature in front of the monk. Seiten Tasien, hands red with blood, and a look of bloodlust in the eyes. He charged and added a wound to Sanzo's battered body. The monk swayed and fell but he managed to stand. Again Seiten Tasien attacked but when he is a few feet from Sanzo, he changed to the form of the youkai. With a smirk, the youkai drove a clawed hand through Sanzo's stomach. Blood stained the ground once more as Sanzo fell lifeless. Goku ran to him but fell. He can't hear Sanzo's dying words, he reached for him but he can't. A moment later, the amber eyes closed, darkness followed.
"You can't! I won't let you!" Goku shouted with tears.
"For now I can't, but later, I will."
Goku is lying inside a cave with closed eyes. A hand on his wound while the other lays outstretched and seems to be reaching for something. He is mumbling in his sleep. It's a name of the person he cares most, his hand moved and tried to reach for something, tears flowed from his closed eyes. Again he muttered the name and fell into his wretched world of nightmare.
"I suggest everyone to stay here for the night. I'm going to think of a plan on how to get Goku back. All of you please take some rest 'coz if we're going to do a rescue, everyone must be on their feet." Ummei said as she stood up from her chair.
"No buts!" she added sensing the argument Sanzo is about to raise.
Everyone is inside their respective rooms minding their own business. Not one of them is feeling sleepy or tired they are all worried about one thing. And that problem has chocolate-brown hair and innocent golden eyes. It is near dawn when Ummei's subordinates entered her room bearing some grave news.
"Niji, Yume, how nice for you guys to drop by at this time in the morning." The girl commented sarcastically seeing her two subordinates.
"Ummei, Tenkai orders you to stay away from trouble and keep yourself busy with your work." The heretic girl Yume said with a glare.
"I'm just helping some friends. Besides, I'm still doing my work here. Can you please remind them I just cut off the life of a mortal upon their order?! When can I do things for myself?" She sighed.
"Ummei please, they know how you can change one's life. If you continue this, they might do some harsh actions against you. Remember, you're prohibited to meddle with a mortal's business." Added the taboo child Niji.
"Okay, okay. If that's what they want then I'm going to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. But first, I need to see an old friend."
"Okay, so any progress?" Sanzo asked as they again gathered around.
"None at the present. Goku's cloth is not responding to me. It's not weaving anything for the past hours."
"Why is that?" Asked Hakkai looking at the look on the monk's face.
"Yes. But remember the time I told you guys about the youkai? His cloth stopped itself from weaving but the youkai isn't dead. He was just under the monk's power at that time so we can say that…" but Sanzo continued her sentence
"He is now crumbling under that damn youkai's powers?!?"
"Yes. The youkai could be taking over now but only to the extent of Goku's consciousness. I'm sure Goku's fighting him back and he's doing a good job but up to when he could last, it's up to him." Sanzo clenched his fist.
"Is there anything we can do about that?" He said, eyes hidden under his golden locks.
"Even I can't do a thing. We can only see what's happening to him when the threads are again starting to weave themselves, but for now, we have no chance of locating him."
"But there is the map!" Gojyo chimed.
"Yes. But it won't work unless the tapestry is again functioning. Until then, we can't move. I'm sorry but that's all I can say for now."
"Wait, wait, I think there is something going on." Hakkai said looking at the cloth.
Indeed there is something going on for the cloth once again glowed silver and in the process, the threads started to move on their own weaving in a fast way. When the light finally faded, they all looked at it with utmost attention. At last, the answer to their questions is here…
Goku slowly opened his eyes and struggled to get up. The wound stopped bleeding and he's feeling thankful for it. He felt his stomach calling for food and he decided to go out. The afternoon sun greeted him as he went out of the cave. There are lots of fruits on the forest floor and he gathered some to bring back inside the cave. After eating, he went to a nearby stream where he quenched his thirst and cleaned his wound using a ripped off part of his shirt. After washing his face, he heard something move in the thicket behind him.
"Dare da?" He shouted but no answer came. Again the leaves rustled.
"Nyoibu!" He prepared to attack anytime sensing danger around him.
A tiger leapt from the bushes and lunged at him. Using his stick and a great amount of effort, he managed to avoid the tiger's first attack but his wound is getting in his way. On the second attack, he was thrown to the ground and the tiger slowly walks to its prey. When he felt his strength ebb away, his eyelids closed. The tiger went closer, sniffing the boy, making sure its not a threat now. When about to devour it, Goku's eyes shot open revealing not the usual innocent citrine eyes, but a fierce blood red. Despite his injury, Goku sprang to his feet and with the help of the claws that grew from his fingers, he killed the said tiger and devoured it then and there.
Ummei looked away from the tapestry upon seeing that horrid sight. Gojyo's eyes widened in shock while Sanzo, Homura and Hakkai are watching it both astounded and terrified. The light appeared again and the picture faded. When everyone finally got over the shock, Ummei folded the cloth and placed it on her lap.
"What the hell was that?!?! Are you sure it's not one of Goku's dreams or something?"
"No Gojyo. It's real. What we just saw really happened to Goku. It seems the spell I out on him is finally weakening. Goku's weak and the youkai must've felt the bloodlust in him that's why he did that." Umei shook her head.
"But how? I thought Goku's fighting him?" Sanzo asked.
"He was too weak to fight. The youkai could have let the tiger kill Goku and let him have full control but he didn't. Whether it was just his hunger or another purpose, we still don't know. We just have to be thankful that Goku is still alive."
"Why did you do that?" Goku asked the youkai
"What?"
"You made me eat that tiger! When will you leave me alone?!?!" Goku shouted with tears forming in his eyes.
"Ah that! You should be thanking me now coz I just saved your life. I did that because it's been a long time since I last ate something. When the scent of the tiger reached me, I realized I want to taste it. The raw meat and everything." The youkai laughed in his head and Goku pulled his knees closer to him and cried.
"Leave me alone. Onegai leave me alone!" he repeated again and again while crying.
As tears continued to flow from his citrine eyes, Goku suddenly felt something stir in him. He fell to the ground and thrashed wildly. His nails forming long and sharp claws while his limiter is falling off and his hair is getting longer. His eyes are constantly chaning from cat-like to the innocent orbs and back again. For a long time he struggled, with Seiten Taisen wanting to break loose. Until at last, Goku returned to normal and with a failed attempt to sit up, he collapsed to the ground.
Silence reigned while the group is occupied with their thoughts. None seem to notice the others sitting around and none senses the passing of time. Time, it's now against them, counting off the time until the youkai consumes Goku's whole being and their friend will be lost. None noticed the faint light coming from Sanzo's hand until it grew stronger as if calling everyone's attention.
"Sanzo, what's that?" Hakkai asked noticing the light.
"The map!" Sanzo answered spreading it out on the table.
There they saw a silver orb flashing a silver light somewhere in the far eastern woods. Ummei then explained that the orb is Goku and it shows them where he is right now. At that time, their spirits were lifted up by a few inches upon having a slid clue to the boy's whereabouts.
"Then what the hell are we waiting for? Let's get that damn youkai away from Goku and send him to hell where he belongs!" Gojyo blurted out.
"That's not that easy Gojyo." Ummei said gravely.
"What? Why?"
"You see, getting the youkai away from Goku is easier said than done. Even with the sutra, the chance of Goku to live is very little. The youkai could be killed and he can take Goku with him especially now that he is getting stronger." Again, their hopes crashed to the ground.
"What?! How is that?" Sanzoa asked shocked.
"Is there any other way?"
"There is Hakkai but it's a complicated one." She looked into the others and saw their determination to save the boy. She sighed and laid out her plan.
"Okay listen. Someone must go back to the monastery and look for the monk's staff. I'm sure it's the one that held the youkai when the monk still lives. When that is done, then off to the town where the monk challenged the youkai, there you have to call up the monk's spirit, tell him the present situation and ask for his help. Even in death, the curse he laid on the youkai is still powerful. And since he had subdued the youkai before, he can do it again. While the monk and the staff is being located, someone must go to where Goku is and watch him. Observe his behavior and be careful not to be seen if you don't want an early fight. The ones who called the monk will meet you there and when everything is ready, the monk will extricate the youkai from Goku, put him in the crytal jar, give it to me so that I can bring him to Tenkai to be judged." She narrated looking at each one of them.
"That's not just complicated, it's near impossible! How can we all up someone who' already dead?" Gojyo whined.
"You're not leaving here unaided you jerk!"
"So that also means we have to split up into two groups?" Sanzo asked
"Yes. Gojyo and Hakkai will find the staff and summon the monk while you tow will be the ones to watch Goku." Sanzo and Homura's mouth fell open at what the goddess said.
"What?!?! Who in Tenkai gave you the power to direct us?" Homura spat.
"I'm not doing it with him! He wants Goku for himself for goodness sake!" Sanzos shrieked.
"I know, I know, but come on, Hakkai and Gojyo can best work together. And all you guys have to do is watch Goku!" Ummei said trying hard not to laugh.
"Give us one good reason!"
"It just feels right." Ummei shrugged.
"What?!?!" the two shouted in unison.
"But when will we move?" Hakkai asked ignoring the glaring contest Sanzo and Homura is having.
"First thing tomorrow morning." Ummei answered seriously.
Morning greeted the Sanzo-ikkou, and Homura the next day. Everyone is prepared for the journey in order to save Goku, including Homura and Sanzo who finally agreed to work together just for this cause. When Ummei and her two subordinates finally came out to meet them, they saw her holding some objects in her hands.
"All set?" she asked.
"Uh huh. What are those?"
"This will help you in your quest." She smiled.
She laid the things on the table and the others gathered around. There is a strange-looking bell, and a parchment.
"Okay, these are for you two." She said talking to Hakkai and Gojyo.
"This bell calls every spirit in a certain place. Once it's sounded, only the dead will hear it and come to you. Look for the monk and tell him everything." Ummei explained.
"What's with the parchment?"
"That will be a copy of the map Sanzo and Homura holds. There you will know where Goku is and where Sanzo and Homura is as well."
"But it's blank." Gojyo pointed out.
Ummei smiled and took the other map from Homura. Placing it on top of the parchment, she began to do her thing.
"Simple parchment spring to life
Tell the others where their companions are
Bring back the ones who were away
Let them not to fall astray."
After this, Ummei returned the map to Homura while she gave the other one to Hakkai.
"Hey, it's now a map!" Gojyo exclaimed like a child.
"Yes. So be careful with that Kai." She winked.
"Now for the two of you…."
"You will not use the normal way of a kami whe it comes to transportation Homura-san." Homura winced.
"Why?"
"The youkai will sense it. Do you want your cover to blow up that easuly? So whether you guys like it or not, I'll be lending you my steeds. They're fast and can cut the travelling time in half. But you two have to stay together." She reminded.
"As if we have a choice." Sanzo muttered
"You're not coming with us?" Hakkai asked. Ummei shook her head.
"She's prohibited, she has to stay here and we're here to guard her if ever she plans to do something crazy." Yume explained earning her a glare from the goddess.
"Your steeds and Hakuryuu are outside. So if you're ready to go, then let's move." Niji said.
After some minutes more, the three saw the others disappear in the horizon. Ummei sighed and walked back into the tower once again, her subordinates following closely behind her.
"Niji, bring me the fates of Hakkai and Gojyo. Yume, that of Sanzo and Homura. Meet me at the weaving room." She said as she disappeared in a dust cloud.
Ummei sits on a golden throne with four looms in front of her. Another one is set beside her with a tapestry on it. It's Goku's fate. Niji and Yume entered the room carrying the tapestries of the others. Ummei directed them to place it on the looms inf ront of her. Yume sensing the goddess will be helping them in their journey protested.
"I thought you're going to do your job!"
"I am doing my job Yume. As the goddess of fate, it's my task to monitor the ones that catches my eye and the ones that need help. I may extend help in a surprising and unexpected way. That's my job description. And now, the fates of the four caught my attention and if I help them, it's in the way I'm supposed to help others too. I'm not breaking any laws." She smirked
"That's what you get for hanging around Kanzeon Bosatsu all this time." Niji sighed as she placed the last cloth on the loom.
"And now, let us begin."
With a wave of her hand, the tapestries moved and glowed silver. Pictures were seen above the looms depicting the fates of the four. Sanzo and Homura are riding swiftly to the woods while Gojyo and Hakkai are coming back to the monastery. Looking to the tapestry beside her, she sees Goku, eating some fruits in the cave, sadness clearly printed on his face. The chase against time has begun. As the youkai slowly consumes Goku's strength, the others are looking for a way to save him. Whether the plan will go on smoothly or something horrible block their path, no one knows for now.
A/N: At veeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrryyyyyyy long last!!!!! Greatly sorry if it took me ages before I was able to post this. I'm not allowed to use my comouter during school days except for important projects so I typed this in secret. I know this chappy is lame compared to the last chappies but I'm doing my best for all of you. Love ya all guyz!!! Please tell me what you think of this.