To Anime-Freak713, my birthday will be on July 18. Thanks for the review and happy birthday too!
Oh yeah, and sorry for the late update. I had writer's block, test anxiety, school stress, and not to mention the end of Saiyuki Reload Gunlock. You can imagine just how traumatizing that is. On the other hand, Animax Philippines will air Saiyuki Reload again!
Anyway, this is the final part of the last chapter. Hope you guys enjoy this too, and thanks very much for all the support.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Saiyuki in the real world, but if this was an alternate universe I do. (I don't know why I have to keep repeating this; the truth is extremely painful.)
Chapter Seven: To the West Part II
Their thinking was cut short by the sound of footsteps running toward them. Sanzo glanced up, and was surprised to see Goku standing there, his hair a mess, looking very out of breath.
"What's the matter, saru?" Gojyo asked quietly, dreading the answer.
"It's Hakkai." Goku said urgently, gasping for air. "He's…"
"He's what?" Sanzo demanded. His amethyst eyes were boring into Goku's golden ones.
"He's gone," Goku said quietly. "He left."
There was a deafening silence for a few minutes. The wind blew stronger through the open window, catching the early morning dew as it went. Then Gojyo buried his face into his arms. Sanzo dropped his gaze, instead staring outside the window again. They have been expecting this. But it was, nevertheless, still hard to accept. With that wound he would have chosen to go on…
Goku scratched his head, looking puzzled. "What's the matter? Aren't we gonna find him?"
"You're so naïve, you know that?" Gojyo said quietly, his head lowered.
"I'm not naïve!" Goku said angrily. "Well, maybe I am," he added as an afterthought, "but not that naïve! And why are you reacting like that, anyway? It's not like he died!"
Gojyo's head shot up so fast that Goku nearly backed away in surprise, at the same time that Sanzo's eyes snapped back to face Goku.
"What do you mean he's not dead?"
Goku looked startled. "He isn't. I just said that he's gone. Not in his room."
Gojyo uttered a loud sigh of exasperation and angrily rounded on Goku. "YOU IDIOT! YOU HAD US WORRIED THERE!"
Sanzo was equally, if not more, angry. His hand reached under his infinite spandex space and out came the harisen. It did its job in a split second.
"BAKASARU! YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD US THAT IN A PLAINER WAY!"
"Itai yo! Well, I told the truth, didn't I?" Goku complained, rubbing his head. "So, are we gonna find him?"
Gojyo sighed again, his vein already throbbing. "What do you think?"
In a few minutes they were out, heading out into a new day, their hearts a bit lighter than last night's.
Meanwhile Hakkai sat down at the edge of a lake nearby. His wound had partially healed, and he stared at the drops of blood swirling against the clear blue waters. The wind swept past him, cooling his face as it went.
He had already been down there for an hour without speaking a word. He enjoyed the cool breeze and the sound of silence overwhelming him. The clouds looked familiar to him, and he could somehow make out the figure of a green jeep with four people on board, one at the wheel, turning towards his companions; another one beside him, busily trying to ignore the noise made by two other people at the back, who were obviously fighting. Hakkai chuckled. How very similar.
His train of thought was disturbed by a rustling in the leaves. He turned around.
Sanzo was standing there along with Gojyo and Goku. They were looking at him with a slightly relieved expression on their faces.
"Hakkai! We found you at last! You shouldn't be here you know, you're still injured!" Goku said all of this in under two seconds.
Hakkai smiled at them. "Sorry." He turned back toward the lake, staring at the ripples that were fast disappearing, his eyes transfixed.
For a moment there was silence, with each one of them not knowing what to do. Suddenly Sanzo walked over to where Hakkai was, sat down, and remained silent.
"San…zo?" Hakkai was surprised. It was unlike Sanzo to waste time like this. Very unlike him.
Gojyo slowly walked over and followed suit. Soon all four of them were staring at the lake, not speaking a word. The wind blew past them, and the clouds were racing against each other to reveal a beautiful blue sky.
For a few seconds there was silence.
"Sorry if I worried you. I was confused with my life, that's all."
The three of them were startled. It was Hakkai who had spoken. It was kind of unnerving to hear him speak his mind truthfully this time. The spell that Gojyo and Goku had wished for had already reached the time limit.
"I just wanted to see her again…" Hakkai continued quietly. He paused, watching the birds atop a tree beside them. "I'm sorry." He stared hard again at the lake, his eyes betraying no emotion.
Gojyo looked over at him, knowing that Hakkai didn't want to explain any further. "It's alright. Can't be helped anyway."
"Just forget about it," Goku said cheerfully.
"As I said, dying won't change anything," Sanzo added quietly. "Will you please remember that? I'm getting tired of having to repeat that everytime it rains."
Hakkai laughed. "Of course."
"Really?" Goku asked.
Hakkai paused, staring quietly out towards the lake. The peace that bound him was so addicting. Kanan was right. Life is still worth living. The wind blew past all of them, messing up their hair as it came. The sun shone blindingly above them as the morning started to demonstrate its presence.
Hakkai turned back to Goku, a genuine smile forming on his face.
"I mean it."
They sat there for quite some time, admiring the early morning and the beauty of the lake, before Sanzo gave up and went back in.
A couple of days after Hakkai's quick recovery and they were back on the road. The sun was burning hot above them and all around was trees and rocky terrain. As usual, Goku and Gojyo were already bickering in the back.
"Are we there yet, Hakkai?" Goku moaned. "I'm so hungry!"
"Urusai, bakasaru!" Gojyo shouted. "We just ate!"
"But that was five minutes ago! I'm still hungry!"
"Shut up or I'll kill you both," Sanzo declared, death-glaring them. Hakkai chuckled.
"Calm down, we're nearly there." He turned back to his driving and suddenly braked, causing Goku and Gojyo to nearly tumble out of the jeep.
"OW! Move over, kappa!" Goku complained, kicking Gojyo out of the way.
"Hakkai, would you please warn us before you do a stunt, okay?" Gojyo whined, rubbing his head.
"Sumimasen, it was an emergency." Hakkai said, smiling apologetically. He turned back on the road. "Oh dear…"
"It's them again," Sanzo sighed, looking straight ahead.
Goku and Gojyo turned around to look. There was smoke in the clearing, and when it had gone they could see the silhouettes of four figures.
The Kougaiji-tachi was back, Lirin in tow. Beside her was Dokugakuji, sword in hand, and next to him, clutching a small bomb, was Yaone.
"Hey, nice effects, Yaone-san! New model?" Gojyo asked, pointing to the bomb in Yaone's hands.
Yaone smiled at them. "Hai."
Kougaiji stepped forward and glared at Sanzo. "We've come for the Sutra, Sanzo."
"We know," Goku said impatiently, cutting himself in between Kougaiji and Sanzo. "Can we just get this over with? I'm hungry!"
They split up into groups. Gojyo vs. Dokugakuji, Sanzo vs. Lirin, Goku vs. Kougaiji and Hakkai vs. Yaone. Sanzo muttered, "What a bother," and tossed some meatbuns to Lirin, who ate it up at once without saying a word. Then he sat down in the jeep and waited for the fight to end.
Goku was already having a great time, dodging Kougaiji's attacks and landing some of his own. Gojyo looked like he was having fun, chatting with Dokugakuji while avoiding his sword. He swerved to the right, just in time before he nearly got hit. "Nice one, Dokugakuji!"
"Don't underestimate me," was the quick reply.
Yaone, with spear in hand, looked over at Hakkai, who was busily watching the others fight. A slight "Ehem!" caught Hakkai's attention, and he quickly turned back to Yaone.
"Sumimasen, Yaone-san, I—" Hakkai gasped. He slowly closed his eyes and blinked.
No way.
He opened his eyes and closed them shut again.
Kanan?
Hakkai was surprised. When he had turned around to face Yaone, he was shocked to see Kanan staring right at him. Kanan, not Yaone…
Suddenly Hakkai remembered Kanan's words when they were back at the fields…
"I'll always be there for you, Hakkai. Just remember that."
"I will. I promise."
Hakkai slowly moved away from her, longing deeply etched in his green-eyed gaze. He was about to turn away when she called.
"Hakkai?"
He turned to face her. She was smiling.
"I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"I've been reincarnated. Earlier than you expect."
"Will I be seeing you, then?" Hakkai asked, a renewed hope springing up inside him.
Kanan smiled at him. "You already have."
Suddenly Hakkai was brought back to the present by the sound of bombs exploding right beside him. He quickly dodged it and turned to face who threw it.
"Finally you're awake. I had to use three bombs to wake you up."
It was Yaone. She was smiling at him. Almost the same smile that Kanan used to wear.
"Sumimasen, Yaone-san…" Hakkai apologized. He couldn't think of anything else to say.
"It's okay, but let's fight seriously this time," Yaone said, still smiling. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."
Hakkai looked out to the west. The sun had already started to set. For a while he stood there, gazing out at the sun, his green eyes twinkling from under his monocle. Finally he turned back to face Yaone. He smiled at her. "Shall we start?"
Finally, I've done it! Thanks so much for reading up to this part. I hope the ending didn't really disappoint, but I decided not to kill Hakkai off, I just couldn't bring myself to do it! I didn't really want a tragic ending to this story coz I wanted it to be a light drama fic. And that stuff about Yaone really being the reincarnated version of Kanan was something that suddenly came to mind. I might come back and add another chapter to this story, set a few days after the ending here. Hope it was a nice ending anyway.
Thank you to all who reviewed or read this story. I really appreciate it.
INDNJC
In Nomine Domini Nostri Jesu Christi
In the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Mind Readers by midori hakkai. Year 2005.
END