Series: Saiyuki and Monkey
Author: Zelgadis55
Rating: PG13 or T for mild language and violence
Disclaimer: No, I don't own anyone from either Saiyuki or Monkey. Can't I PLEASE at least own Kougaiji? Pretty please? (sighs despondently) I can at least wish... can't I? I only own the story idea and King Slaard, Slintha and her brother, nameless as he is.
Summary: Monkey and Saiyuki are based on the same legend. What happens when the Sanzo-ikkou meet a group somehow so familiar and yet so different? Not shounen ai. Please Read & Review :)
Warnings: None really. This is not a yaoi story though there are hints scattered here and there because Gojyo and Hakkai really should be a couple. I mean hell, the hints are littered throughout the official manga, even if Gojyo is a skirt chaser!
Distorted Mirror
Pt 8
Hakkai stopped channelling his chi into Sanzo. The monk was as healed as he would be able to manage and there was no further point in uselessly pouring his energy into the man. They would just have to hope that Sanzo would wake up soon. Hakkai looked up and gave the now awake Yaone a brief smile as true to his word, he went to help Lirin.
Gojyo looked at Hakkai disapprovingly, "You're hurt and tired too." He said softly as he placed his hand on the healer's shoulder.
Hakkai glanced up with a grateful smile, "I'll be fine." He said convincingly, even if he didn't feel it.
By now, it was only Sanzo, Lirin, Dokugakuji and Sandy that who still unconscious and Tripitaka was hovering worriedly over Sandy. "Why will he not wake?"
"That's easy," Pigsy said, actually having the answer for once, "he's a fish spirit. Water and electricity don't mix.
"Oh… Do you…"
"Moonface will be fine, master."
Tripitaka smiled his thanks to Pigsy and then suddenly cried out a warning as he saw Monkey's Magic Wishing Staff flying directly towards Hakkai at a height angled to take off the healer's head.
"HAKKAI!" Gojyo yelled. The healer looked up even as the hanyou flying tackled him, knocking him to the ground without caring whom they hit on the way down. The two felt the staff pass by as it missed them by only a few short centimetres before hearing the dull, heavy thud as it landed a few scant meters behind them, sinking heavily into the ground.
"Thank you." Hakkai breathed to Gojyo as they lay there.
There was a momentary pause before Gojyo replied, "Any time."
"Ano," Hakkai began hesitantly a few seconds later, " Could you please get off of me now?"
"Uh, yeah! Sorry 'bout that." Gojyo grinned before rolling off his friend.
Hakkai breathed deeply for a couple of seconds before he sat back up and returned to healing Lirin.
Tripitaka sighed in relief that Hakkai was all right and then went back to anxiously watching Seiten Taisei and Monkey battle it out. Suddenly, he gasped as Monkey was slammed into the ground, sinking several centimetres. "Monkey!" he cried. "Pigsy, go help your brother!"
Pigsy's eyes grew wide. "Me?" he asked backing up in fear, "Against thatthing?"
Tripitaka looked at the pig spirit plaintively.
"Well, you know how much I would love to go help Monkey," he muttered, hanging his head shamefully, "but you know Monkey, he wouldn't thank me for helping and besides, I wouldn't get there in time to make any difference."
In the distance, Seiten Taisei drew his hand up above Monkey's prone body, claws extended straight out, for a killing blow. "Pigsy!" Tripitaka cried desperately, even as a large fireball suddenly slammed into Seiten Taisei, knocking him back a few steps. Tripitaka gave a sigh of relief, "Get Monkey and bring him back here." Tripitaka commanded.
Pigsy left, looking miserably at the priest from the corner of his eye even as he ran towards inevitable doom. "Why is it always me who is left with these things?" he moaned to himself. "Monkey, Sandy, the master and even sometimes Yuu-Loong, they all gang up on poor Pigsy."
The blade of shakujou flew out, chain trailing behind and began to wrap itself around Seiten Taisei, only to at the last moment, wrap itself around nothing as the youkai disappeared from within its grasp. Gojyo swore then he cursed again as he felt himself picked up from behind and hurled directly at Kougaiji. The fiery prince tried to get out of the way in time but he was still clipped by the hanyou and they both went down in a tangle of limbs.
Gojyo grumbled sarcastically to Kougaiji, "Whose bright idea was it anyway for us to tag team him?"
Kougaiji ignored his question and said, "Get up, before he takes advantage."
"Like it's going to make any difference!" But Gojyo stood anyway, wincing in the process. The kappa then realised that Seiten Taisei was no longer in sight and started looking around desperately. The monster formerly known as Goku was directly behind them, staring at them with intense hatred in his eyes and a malicious smirk on his face. Gojyo stared back, momentarily unable to move.
Noticing how motionless the kappa was, Kougaiji also turned and it was at that point that Seiten Taisei started to cackle once more. The laughter prompted the temporary allies into action again, as they jumped back and apart in unison. Kougaiji wrapped fire around his body and threw fireball after fireball at the out of control youkai. None of his attacks seemed to faze Seiten Taisei as the walking force of nature took the flames head on. At this point the feral youkai was too far-gone to feel or even care about fear or pain as the fire encountered his flesh. Seiten Taisei was left with a few minor scorch marks but that was all as for the most part, the fireballs just bounced off of him.
"Dammit!" Gojyo swore, "I hate it when that bakazaru gets like this. Sanzo better come to our rescue soon or none of us, including him will be left when he wakes." He swung shakujou viciously but almost took out Kougaiji instead as Seiten Taisei jumped over the weapon and kicked it so that it aimed at the prince instead.
Gojyo then found himself flying through the air once more after a nasty punch from the feral youkai. He landed a couple of meters away from where Pigsy was helping Monkey to a standing position.
"Thanks pork-chop!" Monkey grunted, painfully bowing his head a couple of inches in mockery. He then summoned his cloud.
"What? You're going to fly off and leave us?" Pigsy asked "Take me with you!"
"Monkey is no coward!" Monkey growled in annoyance. "I'm not leaving but I do have a plan. Right now I can barely even move so I need my cloud to get around." Monkey explained as with help, he climbed onto his cloud into a sitting position.
"Do you need any help with whatever your plan is?" Gojyo offered.
Monkey gave a brief nod. "Where did my Wishing Staff land?"
Gojyo motioned the direction to Monkey even as he kept a wary eye on Seiten Taisei, who after having also thrown Kougaiji, was stalking the youkai prince like a starving wolf would a lamb. "It landed just behind Hakkai."
"Thanks!" Monkey said as his cloud rose at a mental command and flew off in the direction of his Magic Wishing Staff.
Kougaiji lay stunned for a couple of seconds before struggling back to his feet. He was breathing hard and he hurt, though he did his best to ignore all that. Seiten Taisei was close and playing games with him, which Kougaiji did not like. He created a continuous stream of fire, which he directed at Seiten Taisei, pouring on the attack. Kougaiji was getting tired and he knew that he couldn't keep this up for much longer. The worst part was, he wasn't the only one who knew how he felt, Seiten Taisei knew it also.
The feral youkai rushed past the oncoming attack and began pummelling the pyro prince. Kougaiji weakly tried to block the blows but he wasn't very successful. Not for the first time that day, he found himself in the air, flying backwards once more.
"KOU!" Dokugakuji called in concern as he ran to help the youkai prince.
"St… stay back!" Kougaiji ordered, desperate to keep his friends and family safe.
Dokugakuji ignored the command and stepped defensively in front of Kougaiji, sword held ready.
Again, Seiten Taisei cackled with insane laughter. He was enjoying this so much, so many new playthings. Every time one was almost broken, another would rush to take its place in a futile effort to save the first. In the long run, it wouldn't matter, he would happily break them all and then they would stay broken. Seiten Taisei sneered and pulled his hand back, claws straight out. This new weak toy, in his opinion, would not last beyond the first strike.
The feral youkai ran directly at his newest plaything, who adjusted his stance, ready for the attack. 'CLANG!' Suddenly, Seiten Taisei found himself on the ground. He held his clawed hands to his face as he wondered why it hurt so much. He then looked up and snarled in rage. There were several black bars blocking his way forward. He turned to go around them then turned again and yet again. He discovered that he was caged in and he was not very happy.
Kougaiji and Dokugakuji stood wide-eyed, wondering where the cage had come from. It was about two meters by two meters, the bars were black and the roof was gold. A grinning Monkey floated down near them, still floating on his cloud. Gojyo and Pigsy ran up also, not long behind.
"Where did that come from and will it hold him long?" Dokugakuji asked in surprise while Seiten Taisei tried futilely to break the bars, screaming and carrying on all the while.
"It's magic, Monkey Magic!" Monkey exclaimed proudly. "I transformed my Magic Wishing Staff, quite a useful weapon that, it's quite unbreakable. My staff can change shape if you know the magic but its still can't be broken."
Gojyo stared suspiciously at the cage, "Are you sure?"
"Kougaiji-sama!" Yaone called as she ran over and fussed over the fiery prince. She wasn't alone, Tripitaka was close behind and he immediately checked on Monkey.
"I'm alright." Kougaiji said firmly, trying to push the apothecary away without offending her. "What about my sister?"
"Lirin-sama is fine. Hakkai-san is almost finished healing her."
"Actually, I have finished. She may have taken the worst of the first attack but because she is so strong, Lirin will be fine." Hakkai said watching the screaming Seiten Taisei trying to snap the bars of his Magic Wishing Staff created prison. He turned worriedly to Gojyo, "What about you Gojyo? You are not looking so good at the moment."
Gojyo smirked, "And here I thought that I always looked good." At Hakkai's expression, he hurriedly continued, "Yeah. I'm hurt. I may even have a cracked rib or three but I got off lucky this time. Save your chi, okay? I don't need it."
Hakkai smiled softly, "Okay, I will for now but once we reach the inn again, that will be a different story."
At that point, Sanzo finally woke, twitching with a pained expression. "Urusai bakazaru!" he screamed from where he lay a good thirty meters away.
Seiten Taisei immediately fell silent, a confused look in his eyes and on his face. He looked in the direction that Sanzo's voice had come from but he couldn't see the source of it. He pushed one arm between the bars, stretching for that which he couldn't reach.
Hakkai and Gojyo stepped aside to allow Seiten Taisei to see Sanzo, at which point the monk sat up and glared! Seiten Taisei seemed to be taken aback, his arm dropped down and his eyes went wide. Then Sanzo fell back, too tired and sore to continue sitting up. Seiten Taisei made a momentary hissing sound before starting to yell and scream wildly in frustration once more.
Sanzo twitched again. "I thought I told you to shut up, idiot!" Somehow, Sanzo managed to launch himself to his feet and he practically flew over the distance between where he had laid and where Seiten Taisei was caged. So fast that no one caught where it came from, Sanzo drew out his harisen and 'THWACK!' he hit Seiten Taisei over the head.
The transformed saru fell silent again and stared at the blond monk in shock. The harisen hadn't hurt him in the slightest but the act itself, it confused him greatly. It and this, person, seemed very familiar but the strangest thing was that this unusually familiar blond had actually dared to hit him, him and with what? Folded up paper, that's what!
As Seiten Taisei stared, wide eyed, Sanzo reached out his hand and put it to the feral youkai's head. From Sanzo's hand to encircled around Seiten Taisei's head, there was a bright, warm, golden glow. Seiten Taisei suddenly realised what was happening and he snarled viciously at the monk. Sanzo ignored the snarling and the clawed hand that unexpectedly slashed at his upper body.
The new limiter was quickly completed and the claws disappeared mid-slash as Seiten Taisei reverted to Goku once more. "San…zo!" came the weak, almost strangled cry from the teenage boy upon sight of the blood-covered monk. Even as Goku called Sanzo's name, he was already collapsing, landing unconscious against the bars and sinking to the ground.
Sanzo felt a surge of relief even as he lost the strength to continue standing. He fell, sliding down the bars next to Goku. "Bakazaru!" he muttered tiredly as he closed his eyes. "Why does your voice have to carry so in my head? Itsumo, itsumo! You have your own head, even if it is empty. Keep out of mine!"
Hakkai and Gojyo exchanged looks, Hakkai smiling gently and the ero-gappa grinning with an outright snicker. Gojyo laughed all the harder when he noticed Sanzo twitching but then he turned to Monkey, swallowing his mirth. "You can remove the cage whenever you like, Goku's back to normal and he's not going to go berserk again any time soon."
Monkey acknowledged the kappa with a nod before transforming his Magic Wishing Staff back to its normal bo staff shape and then shrinking it to place it back in its usual storage place within his ear.
Monkey did all this while Sanzo was still leaning against the bars. The monk promptly fell, partly on Goku and partly on the ground, swearing. Instantly, having somehow found the strength, Sanzo was back on his feet, hitting Monkey with his harisen. "If you ever do anything like that to me again, I will kill you!" he yelled, voice full of fury.
"Itai! Tai! Tai! Tai!" Monkey chittered as his cloud backed up a couple of meters. "You didn't have to hit me, you demented, violent priest!" Monkey retorted, anger filling his voice.
"Children, children!" Hakkai laughed, "Please don't fight amongst yourselves." The comment was met with glares from both. He smothered his laugh after that but was unable to cover his amused smile. "Hakuryu, will you please transform now so that we may head back to town?"
"Kyuu!" The little dragon agreed, transforming even as he replied.
"Thank you!" Hakkai said appreciatively.
Monkey looked over to where Kougaiji was gently lifting his sister into his arms, "Is that it? We're not going to finish this fight?"
Hakkai shook his head. "I think we're finished for today. We all need some time to recover after this."
Kougaiji agreed as he shifted the girl into a more comfortable position within his arms. His version of goodbye was, "Next time we will finish this!"
Yaone, Dokugakuji, Hakkai and Gojyo all said their goodbyes and then Kougaiji and his team walked away, only to, a few minutes later be seen flying away on their flying dragons.
Hakkai picked Goku up and placed him in the back of the Jeep before getting Pigsy to help him with the still unconscious Sandy. Sanzo and Gojyo both climbed into the Jeep as well before Hakkai climbed in himself, behind the wheel as always.
Yuu-Loong transformed back into a horse for Tripitaka. The priest turned to Monkey, "Would you like to ride back to town? You have been hurt quite badly."
Monkey grinned cheekily back at the priest, "You ride, master. Since I am still on my cloud, I'll just use that."
"What about me?" Pigsy whined, "I got hurt too."
"Only due to your own idiocy!" Monkey snorted, "You walk! Someone has to lead the horse, Yuu-Loong is too stupid to lead himself and he would probably get lost otherwise."
Yuu-Loong whinnied indignantly even as Pigsy cried out, "It's not fair! Even the breathing lump of fish paste gets to ride.
Tripitaka sighed, "If you really want to ride Pigsy, then you can." Tripitaka climbed off of Yuu-Loong's back for the pig spirit.
Pigsy went to climb onto the horse's back but Yuu-Loong kept moving away and even tried to bite him when Pigsy persisted in his attempt.
"Just walk, you lazy swine!" Monkey said impatiently, "Yuu-Loong isn't going to let you get on him and I don't blame him. Who would want someone as heavy as you on their back!"
Hakkai chuckled, interrupting the retort that Pigsy was about to give. "We'll meet you back at the tavern we were in earlier and I will check over your injuries there." Without waiting for any further replies, more due to Sanzo's obvious impatience than anything else, Hakkai stepped on the accelerator and left for the town.
To be continued
A/N: Well, I am actually about halfway through the story itself, though I haven't worked out how many chapters this will be or anything like that. I take it as I rewrite it.
Itsumo – always
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I really do enjoy receiving your reviews
Diva Urd: Yeah, another one down, though not for long. No one keeps Monkey down for long, he just keeps returning like a bad smell :-P As for Sanzo, I hope you are happy that he woke again… but… You seriously wanna see him mauled and crippled? Sorry not quite on the cards but he certainly wont be having much fun in upcoming chapters XD
yoyo(): I agree, Seiten Taisei Goku is pretty cool, I hope there was enough of him in this chapter for you :-) Well, anyway, this is unprecedented for me, actually posting after only a week! Then again, I was mostly done with this chapter when I typed up the last one.
Koinu-chan: Thanks! I was really worried about my fights scenes at first so I am happy to see that you and other people like them :-)
Koryu-Sanzo: Thanks for the pocky! But… you don't have to chain yourself to your computer… I promise to update until I finish this, or something unfortunate that I have no control over happens… like... my computer exploding... or something
Me-Nuriko: Yes the monsters fled, but don't worry, when they return, they will cause a heap more trouble than they did at this point :-) The way I see things is that Seiten Taisei would be stronger than Monkey because Monkey has learnt to hold back somewhat, heck if he goes to far, Tripitaka soon puts him in his place…That and the fact that he has a conscience, something which Seiten Taisei doesn't seem to have :-) The monsters help Tripitaka and the others back? Well… I will leave THAT to later chapters