Disclaimer: I do not own Gensomaiden Saiyuki.
Chapter four:
Several people walked round him annoyed by the fact that Goku had stopped in the middle of the pavement and was staring at all the tall buildings surrounding him.
He couldn't help his staring.
It was just all so amazing andweird at the same time.
Everything was so much bigger and yet he felt so much more restricted than in his illusion.
Looking down at the piece of paper clutched in his hands he checked the address with the street sign in front of him and continued his trek.
After the disturbing findings in his diary Goku did the one thing he always did when he didn't understand something: Find Sanzo.
He knew Sanzo didn't have all the answers and more often than not Sanzo usually denied him a satisfying response but somehow Goku could concentrate better with Sanzo around.
Maybe because he felt more at ease around him….
Anyway.
After finding Kougaiji's name in his diary Goku had read the whole thing, which for the record was rather long, and ended up with more questions than answers.
Most of it was boring information for instance how school was or that he was mad at his father for never being around.
The rest of it was stuff Nii had already told him only with his emotions to the situations thrown in.
The intensity of his feelings described in his diary of when he met Sanzo shook him.
He'd never before been able to express them but this really hit it right on.
The annoying voice of the cockroach chimed in at that moment from the back of his mind saying that this 'coincidence' probably had something to do with the fact that he wrote it!
However the most important and disturbing news had been in the last ten pages. The ones concerning Kougaiji.
He'd met and befriended Kougaiji a few weeks before the assassination attempt.
Kougaiji had been very like Goku, lonely and pushed into a direction he didn't want to take by his parents.
They'd become good friends. The similarities stopped there though.
Kougaiji was by no means even close to Goku's class. On the contrary Kougaiji was a highly paid assassin and after his current employee an enemy of Goku's activities had cunningly
(Cunningly means he had someone spy on Kougaiji)
found out about their friendship decided that Kougaiji was the best assassin for the job.
Using Goku's trust for his own advantage he'd lured the unsuspicious monkey into one of the city's parks very late at night.
He had earnestly tried to kill his friend but in the end didn't have the heart or the stomach to go through with this murder.
Close to hysterics Kougaiji had explained his motives to Goku. He had never wanted this life and after hearing about his newest assignment tried to quit but his stepmother had a very good hold on him. She'd blackmailed him as she had all the other times and as she would every time until Kougaiji would be of no use to her.
Every time Kougaiji showed resistance his stepmother, Gyukomen, threatened to kill his little sister Lilin who she had locked away in an, to Kougaiji at least, unknown hideout.
At this point Kougaiji had still refused knowing that she couldn't go through with her threat just yet. He told her how impossible it was to choose between being the murderer of your sister or the murderer of your best friend.
It was then she made him an offer impossible to refuse.
If he killed Goku then he and Lilin were free to go and live their lives in whatever way they saw fit.
Now comes the disturbing bit. According to his diary Goku had decided to help his friend in the only way he saw himself capable of doing so.
By killing himself and making it look like – to the media- an assassin had done it and to the stepmother that Kougaiji had done it.
The plan of how he was going to do this was not written down in the diary but Goku thought he could work that part out himself.
The disturbing part was how pleased Goku seemed in his writing about the idea of death.
So now our monkey needed advice. As far as he could remember Goku had always loved life.
Being looked up and denied a real life for 500 years probably had the same effect on everybody but why had he been so desperate before his illusion to die ?
What had become of Kougaiji ?
What was he suppose to do?
The sight of the church in front of him brought Goku out of his thoughts. He stopped a moment to stare at it. Goku had seen Catholic churches on their journey but only in passing.
Going inside he felt a little out of place. The holy and subdued atmosphere of the church made him uneasy. A youkai in a church – weren't there rules against that?
Oh yeah, how forgetful of him he was human now. Whoops.
"Sanzo's busy.", a voice from behind him said. Goku paled. He knew that voice and it hadn't been a pleasant encounter.
"I said Sanzo's busy that means you should leave."
Frowning Goku spun around.
"Then I'll wait until Sanzo is no longer busy, Dougan."
Dougan was dressed in a priest's attire and was looking at Goku disapprovingly.
" It could take hours.", Dougan said trying to get Goku out of his church.
"I have time.", Goku retorted. Christ, it wasn't like he was doing anyone any harm just by visiting.
"Shouldn't you be at school.", Dougan said arrogantly a superior smirk plastered on his face.
"Is that any of your business?", Goku shot back angrily.
This guy freaked him out. Always had. His obsession and dependence on Sanzo had always made Goku feel uneasy around him.
" He has a point though why aren't you at school?"
"Sanzo!", both exclaimed happily then frowned at each other.
" Are you two ever going to get on?", Sanzo sighed frustrated.
" He's the one with the problem not me!", both said simultaneously before staring at each other shocked for saying the same thing.
" Dougan don't you have something to do?"
Dougan stormed off muttering angrily about 'stupid monkeys'.
Goku watched him leave. He didn't like the fact that Dougan existed in this reality or that he was so close to Sanzo.
Guilt once again consumed him as he thought about his illusion and what had happened to Dougan in it. He really needed to sort his problem with jealousy out.
" Why does a church need two priests anyway?", Goku asked grumpily.
" He's not a real priest yet, just in training. He's not so bad once you give him a chance.", Sanzo said leaning against a bench. They were standing in the hallway leading to the altar with a certain distance between them.
Goku had never felt this far away from Sanzo before.
Maybe it had been a mistake coming here. Dougan had whirled up some unpleasant memories and now he was blaming himself for everything that had or in this case hadn't happened.
" You still haven't answered my question?"
Goku looked curiously up into Sanzo's slightly angry face.
"Why aren't you at school?"
Why the hell was that important? He had bigger problems than that weird place.
Nick and Nicky had driven him up the wall. The teachers had constantly asked him all the questions and when he didn't know the answers which was nearly always the whole classroom gasped in shock that soon turned into mocking sniggers.
" It was weird and stupid."
Really, their questions had been silly and were of no use in a real life situation. It had been just like in the monastery when the novices had made fun of him for not knowing Buddha's rules.
" So you left without trying properly."
Sanzo did not sound pleased. School had never been important before. Why make such a fuse about it now?
Goku didn't dare meet Sanzo's gaze. He knew that tone of voice far too well and had been grateful that it hadn't been directed at him all that often.
" Why are you here?"
Goku flinched.
What was going on? Where was the nice Sanzo from the hospital?
Where was the gun wielding Sanzo from his illusion?
He felt like this Sanzo was disappearing. Leaving him all alone and trapped in his mountain prison.
Breath quickening in panic Goku answered truthfully.
" Just wanted to see you and talk about…"
"About what? " Sanzo's voice was sharp and demanding.
What had he done to make him this cold?
He looked up to tell Sanzo about Kougaiji but his gaze met green liquid surrounding him and felt wires digging into his veins.
Struggling against his restrains he faintly heard a voice calling him.
Closing his eyes to concentrate through the pain Goku was suddenly staring at the church's ceiling.
Everything was slightly fuzzy and he felt someone holding him.
" Sanzo?", he asked weakly.
His vision finally clearing he was able to make out his keeper's face hovering above him. Sanzo looked a little pale and concern was clearly shinning in his eyes.
" Goku, just take it easy. I'll call the doctor and…"
Was his voice shaking?
" No, it's okay.", Goku quickly interrupted. He didn't want to see any doctor for a quite a long time, especially that creepy Nii.
" I'm alright. Honest." Using Sanzo as support he carefully stood up only half trusting his now wobbly legs.
Great, now he was being a wimp in front of Sanzo.
" What is all the shouting about?", Dougan asked heading towards them.
Goku groaned inwardly.
Now Dougan was going to see him all weakly, too.
" Where the hell were you? Didn't you hear me yell?", Sanzo said accusingly still keeping a hold on Goku.
" I'm here now. Whatever is the problem?", Dougan asked slightly taken aback by Sanzo's anger.
" Goku collapsed. Go fetch the phone!", Sanzo ordered gruffly.
" I'm alright now, Sanzo. Come on why cause all the trouble with the doctor?"
Nii wasn't exactly someone he wanted to deal with at the moment.
" I agree with the dumb animal."
Both pair of eyes stared at Dougan shocked.
" Well he has a point. He can't have been out for long since I came to see what you were yelling about almost immediately. I do believe you're overreacting Sanzo, sir."
Giving in to the other two's reasoning Sanzo let go of Goku and sent Dougan back to his work.
" Come to my office we can continue our talk there.", Sanzo said resembling the Sanzo from the hospital more now.
Standing on his two still wobbly legs Goku took a few steps before stumbling into Sanzo's arms. ( You think he's doing this on purposeg)
" Perhaps I need to sit down for a moment.", Goku said sheepishly.
Sanzo grunted his reply and then scooped Goku's legs up and carried him down the hallway accompanied by the monkey's embarrassed yelling.
" You're going to lie down for a few hours, stupid monkey, even if I have to knock you out myself."
As promised Goku was forced to lie down in Sanzo's bed and to his own amazement Goku actually slept soundly.
Well more soundly than he had since awakening from his coma.
The only things plaguing him were a slight headache and the general feeling of being drained when one is sick.
No nightmares!
Seeing that his patient was awake Sanzo got up from his watch post by the window cigarette of course dangling from his lips and placed a damp cloth on Goku's forehead.
Maybe Sanzo staying by his side at something to do with the absence of his nightmares.
Hmm. Nah!
Sitting on the edge of the bed he asked: " Better?"
" I'm fine, Sanzo."
The look on Sanzo's face said he didn't believe him.
" Is this what you wanted to talk about?", Sanzo asked softly referring to Goku's collapse hours before.
"No, I found something important out about the assassination attempt but I don't understand it.
You see there's this guy called Kougaiji and he's an assassin but also my friend.
His stepmother's blackmailing him by threatening to kill his sister but if he kills me then they're free and six months ago I said I'd help him so I jumped out of the building.
But I'm not dead so what happened to Kougaiji ?
I don't understand how me dying would really help.
Do you think I should look for Kougaiji?
That would be kind of weird and..", Goku had said all this entremely quickly in one breath and was rewarded by Sanzo clamping a hand over his mouth.
" Shut up, stupid monkey and slow down. I only got half of that."
Goku explained everything a little more slowly and now watched Sanzo silently mule it all over.
" You wanted to die?", Sanzo asked quietly.
" According to my diary, yes, but I don't understand that anymore. Okay my father's quite an ass but I had you and Gojyo and Hakkai."
'Even if Hakkai is acting a little weird.' , he added silently to himself.
Sanzo didn't respond to that.
Sitting up Goku grabbed Sanzo's wrist.
" Sanzo, I don't know what to do about it."
Sanzo stared at him for a long moment. " First off jumping off a building was the completely wrong thing to do. I thought you had more sense than that.", he sounded very upset at this point and Goku could actually understand why.
He wasn't very pleased with the 'little stunt' either.
"Why didn't you ask Gojyo for advice?"
" Gojyo ?", Goku asked confused.
" Policeman, blackmail- ring a bell." Goku flushed embarrassed.
He just couldn't remember stuff from this reality very well.
" Secondly it's all six months in the past so anything you could have done for this Kougaiji is too late and thirdly don't even think of running off looking for this guy.
Only an idiot would go looking for his own assassin."
Goku nodded solemnly.
He was afraid of this. He had come to the same conclusions himself but had needed reasurrence.
Now he was at square one again.
" I called Hakkai and told him what happened. He and Gojyo are on their way over to collect you.", Sanzo said, deliberately changing the subject to pull Goku out of his depressive thoughts.
" Did he sound mad?", Goku asked timidly.
Sanzo looked at him surprised. " No, he sounded worried. You two have an argument or something?"
Goku played with the sheet between his fingers.
" No, but I think I made him mad because I couldn't remember much of his lecture. I'm not very good at such stuff and before the coma I probably was so now Hakkai's mad at me."
A hand buried itself in his hair.
" Stupid monkey."
That was said far too softly!
At least in Goku's opinion of a normal behaving Sanzo.
" He's just worried about your education. If you tell him he's going too hard on you then I'm sure he'll understand."
Looking up Goku stared into the emotional violet eyes of his keeper. The hand in his hair slid down to his cheek.
"Sanzo, why were you so cross with me before?"
Sanzo's expression changed to a startled one before realization dawned on him.
" Sorry about that. I thought you were just looking for an excuse to skive off school. I'll take you more seriously next time."
Sanzo's face inched closer to him.
Goku felt himself automatically inch closer, too, heat building up inside of him.
Eyes slowly closing Goku felt excited and scared at the same time.
Was Sanzo actually going to kiss him?
Loud screams from downstairs broke the spell on them.
Quickly going to the door Sanzo half turned back to the already rushing after him Goku and commanded.
" Stay here! Whatever happens you stay!"
Disappointed Goku decided to obey. Sanzo rarely commanded him to stay out of stuff so it was safest (safest from Sanzo's fan) to obey.
Moments after Sanzo had left he heard fighting.
Then two men dressed entirely in black wearing masks advanced on him.
Not one to cower in a corner Goku threw several punches at them and had one of them out for the count when the second guy twisted his arm and injected something into him.
Goku couldn't move. The contents of the syringe having paralysed him.
Once the half conscious guy on the floor (Good work monkey) had regained his senses Goku was flung over a hard shoulder and carried out.
He growled dangerously. He was going to get them for this.
Whoever was trying to make a fool out of him Goku was going to give them a damn good thrashing!
On the way out Goku anxiously searched for Sanzo and spotted him fighting off four of the guys while Dougan cowered in the corner.
At least Sanzo wasn't hurt, yet. Goku called out to him and saw his keeper try to make his way through to Goku.
The helpless but by no means defeated monkey was roughly thrown into the back of a black van.
Man, what was these guy's problem with black!
" Welcome Son Goku!", a female voice in the shadows said.
The woman stepped into the light. She had long light green hair but was no one Goku recognized from his illusion.
However her aura screamed youkai.
" I've heard so much about you and was just dying to see you."
She broke out in hysteric laughter.
Just great yet another weird psycho on his case!
TBC
Right I tried really hard to get this chapter out quickly but it wasn't easy.
I hope it's not too dull.
The action gets going properly in the next chapter, which I haven't written yet,
(ducks from the readers throwing old shoes at author)
and it might take a while longer.
(ducks from the knives being thrown)
Sorry, but please do review this chapter!
Oh and weird lady is meant to be Gyukomen- Kougaiji's stepmom.(Hope I got the name right)
Guys, is Goku too girly in this?