Attitude Doesn't Always Equal Age
Chap.4
Meanwhile, Goku had stopped Sanzo at a meat bun cat to buy some. He insisted so loud, that whispers of child abuse were going around until Sanzo finally bought them. Finally on the road again, Goku happily snacked on his meat buns, and they stopped in a small forest clearing.
"Listen, monkey, we're supposed to be finding this Shiyuko guy who regressed Hakkai's mind, not stuffing our faces with meat buns!" Sanzo yelled at the boy, who whimpered when the fan came hurtling down on his head. Then, a chuckled rang out among the singing birds, and a bush rustled.
"Who's there?" Goku called. Then, the same demon they'd seen before, Shiyuko, stepped out, hands behind his back, and a calm expression on his face.
"It's just me, Shiyuko. And I have a proposition for you gents." He smiled.
"For us? What do you mean?" Sanzo arched a brow.
"It might not look like it at this particular moment in time, but I'm in great need of your assistance." Shiyuko began.
"Oh are you? Hands where we can see them." Sanzo ordered. Shiyuko brought out his hands; both were empty. "Now what problem do you have that you think that we can help with?"
"But Sanzo, you said we aren't heroes! Why do you wanna help him?" Goku whined.
"Because, monkey," Sanzo hissed. "This idiot is the only one who can turn Hakkai back into his normal self."
"Will you hear me out?" Shiyuko asked, seeming quite a different person from when they'd met him last. Sanzo reluctantly agreed.
A little bit later, they were seated in the soft, warm grass. The birds were singing and flowers decorated the clearing, but Shiyuko's face remained serious and solemn.
"As you know, I'm Shiyuko, and I happen to be a powerful youkai." Shiyuko began. "When I was little, my mother had a vision that when I was older, I would realize how much power I wielded and that I, being the evil-hating guy I am, (Don't laugh, Goku!) kill those youkai who had done wrong. My mother, while a good mother, wasn't exactly as pure as I was led to believe."
"What does this have to do with your needing our help?" Goku asked.
"I was getting to that. My mother was afraid of my maturing and gaining such power, but seeing how I was little at the time, she waved it off. But on my sixteenth birthday, I realized that I was actually quite powerful. Then, my mother's fear came back, and she figured she had to do something." Shiyuko sighed sadly. "So she regressed my mind back to a child's state, where I could not realize my full potential. But her spell only lasted a year, and every time my birthday came, I regain my proper age's mind, maturity, and realization of power, as well as the memories of what's been happening. In order to keep me from…well, using my full power against her, my mother always tried to regress my mind as soon as she could. This year, I managed to escape her, and I searched almost feverishly for someone who was strong enough to help me out. That's when I heard of you four."
"So…you mean you think we're really strong!" Goku grinned. Shiyuko cocked his head to the side.
"Of course. Why would bother to seek you out like this if I didn't think you were quite strong?" He wondered.
"What was the point of regressing Hakkai's mind to a child's?" Sanzo asked the youkai.
"Inquisitive one, aren't you?" Shiyuko grinned.
"Why, Shiyuko?"
"Well…one might call it a little extra motivation."
"Motivation?"
"Mm-hmm. Either you help me, or your precious Hakkai will have the mind of a child indefinitely. It's your choice."
"Hm…you know, you're actually quite clever."
"I try."