:: Perfect World ::
Gensomaden Saiyuki
Disclaimer: I don't own Gensomaden Saiyuki, which rightfully belongs to Minekura Kazuya.
Rating: R
Pairings: hinted Gojyo/Hakkai
Warnings: AU-ish, angst, strong language, violence
Notes: Okay. As November is the month my beta will be busy with her Nanowrimo project, for the time being the story will be unbeta-ed. I apologize in advance for the mistakes; I do go through the chapters myself, but I know I still miss some things. In this case, constructive criticism is strongly encouraged.
As always, thanks for the reviews so far. Also, constructive criticism and feedback is still appreciated, and much love to those who constantly provide.
Chapter Nine
It was completely crazy and completely stupid; so thought Genjo Sanzo as he leaned against the tree. In attempt to ignore the rough bark trying to dig into his back he lit a cigarette, listening as his rapid heartbeat finally slowed. Air came easier to his lungs until finally he could breathe without making too much noise. That gave him better means to listen for any suspicious sounds.
There was a rustle on the other side of the tree. That wasn't alarming.
"Well, as Gojyo would say, nobody likes a persistent person."
Sanzo snorted around his cigarette, taking a deep drag. "Even when we're not near him you just have to remind me about him, don't you?"
A soft, forced chuckle rose from the other side of the tree. "Sorry." Though polite, Hakkai didn't sound entirely sincere. That only made Sanzo twitch as he blew smoke between tense lips.
Sanzo rolled his eyes upward, his voice heavy. "If you're worried he didn't follow us, it's highly unlikely he did otherwise." Gojyo was of no interest to their enemy now. He'd already struck Hakkai's emotions through Gojyo and he couldn't have much fun tormenting him much further. No, Sanzo was his target now. He was the last one left; was Hakkai's last chance to redeem himself in his own eyes. Their enemy knew this. He wanted to exploit this knowledge as much as possible.
Naturally, this made Chin Iisou the typical, run-of-the-mill, "Let's screw with their minds before killing them" villain. He hated typical people.
At least it made him predictable enough for Sanzo and Hakkai to know what to do without open discussion. The one thing that would ruin them now was revealing their strategy. The bastard could be hiding anywhere.
Hakkai's voice interrupted his quiet seething. "May I ask you something?"
Sanzo frowned, flicking the ashes from his cigarette. He wasn't in the mood for any sort of conversation, but Hakkai was the only person he knew who didn't grate on his nerves simply by breathing. He was the only one Sanzo made exceptions for. "If it's stupid, I'll kill you."
There was a hesitant pause. "Oh... I suppose I shouldn't ask, then," Hakkai said, sounding far too cheerful.
Sanzo turned his head toward the man, feeling a vein already becoming prominent in his forehead. "Are you asking for a fight?" he growled. While Hakkai didn't always annoy him, that didn't mean he never did. In some ways the man was more irksome than even Gojyo.
Another pause filled the air, this one less hesitant. It felt more like Hakkai was searching for the right words. Sanzo waited, only mildly impatient as he took another drag of his cigarette. If he hadn't been in such a tense mood he might have taken a good look at his surroundings, maybe even appreciated them. The forest wasn't too dense where they stood. There was a small clearing, the trees thin in comparison to the area they had left behind. Chin Iisou hadn't let up on the fog much, which only made it difficult for them to see if anyone was approaching from a distance.
A soft breeze stirred the leaves above his head. Sanzo closed his eyes. He had relaxed, though he hadn't let his guard down, so it didn't startle him too badly when Hakkai spoke again.
"Am I allowed to be here?"
He blinked, rolling his eyes as he flicked his cigarette. Loose ashes were shaken free from the move. "That," he said flatly, "was a stupid question. Don't ever ask me that again."
It was a stupid question, to the point he couldn't really understand why Hakkai, of all people, had asked it. Even so, he knew his reply wouldn't ease the man's conscience any... and for reasons he'd rather not have to admit to himself, he added in lower tones, "You'd never betray me... would you?"
He could sense Hakkai's surprise. The man sighed, chuckling again. It was shorter and quieter than his last one, but far more genuine.
At least he was loosening up a bit. Being tense wouldn't get them anywhere. Though, given the circumstances, Sanzo admittedly wouldn't have been too angry if Hakkai had been a little less composed than he was now. The man had been through so much at this point, more than Sanzo had been through if he understood correctly, and he was barely a year younger than him.
The incident with Gojyo had been rattling as well. Sanzo had been asleep but he'd woken up without explanation, a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. Sudden shouts had alerted him and by the time he had arrived on the scene Gojyo was already on the ground, convulsing and seething with pain.
------
Even if Gojyo hadn't been writhing and clenching his teeth, it would have been obvious something was wrong. Veins that should have been covered by a smooth layer of skin were now prominent in his arms. More bulges crept up his neck as he winced horribly, clutching at his chest as he snarled through his teeth.
"Feels like... something... crawling in my veins," Gojyo grit out.
Sanzo narrowed his eyes. A high-pitched laugh made him turn; from the corner of his eye he saw Hakkai do the same.
"There's nothing you can do!" The demonically gleeful voice was coming a few feet away, from a doll half sprawled against the trunk of a tree. "The seed is next to his heart! He's going to die!"
Sanzo heard Gojyo cursing. Temporarily ignoring his companion's situation he said in a low voice, "You bastard. What do you want?"
It gave a shrill laugh, its blocky mouth moving jerkily to match the motion. "Fun, fun, fun! It's so much fun! Let's play more, Cho Gonou! Let's--!"
He'd had enough. The damn thing wasn't going to do anything but babble, and on top of that its voice was just plain annoying. Sanzo promptly shot it. The wooden head all but exploded from the force, fragments flying in all different directions.
"Chin Iisou, I assume," Sanzo said quietly, glancing sideways at Hakkai. They had run across the strange man only a few days before. He had proven to know certain things about Hakkai, things he shouldn't have been able to guess just by looking... especially not his old name. Who else could the culprit be?
Hakkai looked a bit lost; he hadn't been able to see his opponent, though it was fairly likely Gojyo had told him about the doll before he'd been attacked. "I..." He floundered a moment, and it was then Gojyo suddenly let out a terrible scream.
There was a ripping sound that made Sanzo cringe. When he turned the picture was far from pretty.
Something akin to a thin green vine had erupted from one of Gojyo's veins. Blood was spurting out quickly, eager to escape the body it was trapped in. Almost immediately after the first another vine broke the skin, accompanied with another scream.
"Gojyo!" Hakkai was moving quickly despite his lack of vision, stumbling over root curving out of the earth. Sanzo could only guess that he could sense a life inside Gojyo that didn't belong and could easily associate the screams with pain.
He had to act fast. "Hold down his arms," Sanzo ordered, checking to make sure his gun was properly loaded before he turned around. Hakkai was obeying but was instantly alarmed at the soft click of the gun.
"Sanzo--"
"Shut up and hold him still," he said impatiently. Even that short exchange cost them because another vein tore free of the restraining body. Gojyo's shrieks were nearing an inhuman pitch. "Damn it, just do it!"
If the situation had been any less urgent he would have earned a dark reply from Hakkai. As it was the man simply tightened his grip on Gojyo's arms. It seemed to be a struggle because Gojyo wouldn't hold still.
"You'll have to heal him as soon as you hear me shoot," Sanzo said, tightening his finger on the trigger. The resulting gunshot seemed louder than usual. The air had suddenly gone completely silent as Gojyo went momentarily still, sucking in breath for another scream, the vines pausing in their crawling for a split second.
Gojyo's body jerked in response to the bullet, a strangled gasp emitting from his throat. He choked on his own blood. His arms went limp.
Hakkai reacted immediately, quickly moving his hands over Gojyo's torso. Multiple occasions had risen where he'd had to heal someone or another and practice helped him locate the areas that needed the most attention.
The bleeding stopped. Gojyo was silent, and even in a critical scene like that Sanzo couldn't help thinking that it was about time that happened.
When he was finished Hakkai was completely silent. Sanzo looked up toward the trees, searching for something, anything suspicious. He could find nothing. Even so he found himself speaking aloud. "Isn't this what you wanted, you bastard?" he growled.
If Chin Iisou heard, he didn't answer.
A sudden thud startled him. Sanzo looked down in time to see Hakkai's body go completely lax. He'd collapsed, likely from the sheer amount of stress from Chin Iisou and having to heal Gojyo. Luckily for Gojyo he'd backed up once he had finished healing him, otherwise he would have fallen directly on the man. Sanzo doubted Gojyo would be any less annoying if he woke up and discovered a rib or two broken.
Gods, this is so stupid, he thought in disgust. Now it was up to him to take care of things until Gojyo woke up and Hakkai was mentally stable enough to do anything.
The fog was dense and sticky. It made Sanzo uncomfortable.
As if things couldn't get any worse. Knowing that Hakkai was safe enough until he awoke, as Chin Iisou wouldn't have much fun killing the man while he was unconscious, Sanzo left to find water.
------
It was far too silent, and Hakkai seemed to have noticed it as well. "A bit quiet, don't you think?" he said lightly.
"Indeed," Sanzo replied. He dropped what was left of his third cigarette, putting it out with his foot. It wasn't too likely a fire could start in such a damp area but the action was more out of habit than worry about friendly fire.
A faint rustle above was their only clue. Neither man needed to warn the other as they both leapt away from the tree. Just then sharp scalpels rained down from the sky.
"He was above," Hakkai said, tilting his head to better locate the direction.
Sanzo looked up, cursing his thoughtlessness. Of course he was above, damn it!
Chin Iisou smirked down at him; swinging his feet from the branch he was perched on-- the branch of the very same tree they had been back-to-back against. Sanzo had checked up there once but the demon seemed to have taken that position when he wasn't looking.
"Satisfied?" Chin Iisou sneered. "It will be your last conversation, after all."
If only Gojyo were around to amputate his other arm, thought Sanzo scathingly. Aloud, he simply said, "About as satisfied as we can be."
Chin Iisou chuckled, his eyes flickering to Hakkai briefly before coming back to Sanzo. "My, my. From the little chit-chat you two shared, it seems to know everything about Cho Gonou's past."
"And?"
Chin Iisou shrugged, leaping down. He landed smoothly, just beyond the scalpels he had thrown. "It doesn't bother you that this man committed a heinous crime? He ended thousands of lives just to rescue a doomed lover."
"And?" Sanzo repeated, annoyed. "What's wrong with that?"
Sneering, Chin Iisou finally turned his attention back to his prey. "My, Cho Gonou," he drawled. "What good friends you have." He smirked. "Good enough to lose, wouldn't you say?"
------
The whole day had just been one mess of fucked up.
Gojyo had to stop to rest. He sat down on the damp earth, grimacing in discomfort. He had no right to complain at the moment, so he didn't. He'd lost enough blood to make him dizzy each time he stood. That reminded him uncomfortably of his first and last encounter with Kanzeon Bosatsu.
Crazy woman, he thought, rubbing the back of his neck crossly. As much as he tried, however, he couldn't focus on anything but what was really worrying him at the moment: Hakkai's mental state.
It really pissed him off to see that Chin Iisou guy needling Hakkai about his past. It was his past. Whatever had happened was done and over with and nothing was going to change. People who didn't realize that were just stupid. Dwelling over past mistakes wouldn't get you anywhere.
Cursing someone else for making your life one huge mistake, now that was something Gojyo could understand. More than understand; he could identify with it completely. He didn't hate his stepmother at all, or his brother. Truthfully, the only person he wanted to put the blame on was his father... even if that wasn't really the right thing to do.
Whatever problem this Chin Iisou guy had with Hakkai's past mistakes, he should have known better than to pick a fight with them. If something happened to Hakkai because of him Gojyo would have no regrets killing the bastard.
Honestly, he had no problems killing him right now. He simply felt that Hakkai was the one who really deserved to end Chin Iisou's life.
Grunting, Gojyo used the tree for support. He got back to his feet, wincing and rubbing his chest. A bothersome itching sensation still lingered where the seed had been. Adding to that annoyance, his veins still prickled uncomfortably, particularly where the vines had erupted from his skin.
Cutting off Chin Iisou's arm would have made him feel a bit better if he hadn't acted as though he hadn't felt it. There was something seriously wrong with that guy. He clearly wasn't human, but he didn't seem quite demonic either. He wasn't even something in between. He was just... missing something. Gojyo grew frustrated when he couldn't put his finger on it.
"This sucks," he grumbled, wishing he had his lighter. He really could have gone for a cigarette right then, but Sanzo had taken it while he was unconscious. Some monk...
It was Hakkai's sudden scream that made him remember what he was doing. Heedless of his head swimming and cursing colorfully, Gojyo picked up his pace.
------
It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Hakkai struggled to regain control of his hands but couldn't. He could hear Chin Iisou whispering in the back of his head, a creepy, compelling voice that made him do things he didn't want to do. He panicked.
It wasn't supposed to happen like this! Hakkai grit his teeth, for once glad he had lost his sight. He was sure he would have seen anger in Sanzo's eyes, anger at his weakness, anger that he wasn't more in control.
Anger that they had both overestimated him.
He could feel Sanzo's pulse quickening beneath the crushing force of his fingers. Hakkai cried out, feeling his fingers at last twitch in response to his self-control, but then it was lost again.
"My, isn't this wonderful," he heard Chin Iisou say with malicious glee. "And knowing you, Cho Gonou, I'm sure you viewed him as your last hope to redeem yourself. How tragic." Amidst his words the sound of Sanzo choking reached Hakkai's ears.
I can't let him die! He couldn't. Hakkai had made too many mistakes involving death; letting this happen would only condemn him further.
That and his pride refused to accept the likely fate of becoming Chin Iisou's puppet.
"Hakkai! What the hell are you doing?!"
He recognized the voice. He wanted to say something to Gojyo, to explain that the plan had gone awry, but he couldn't even control his own tongue anymore. To his horror he wasn't even clenching his teeth, his body lax and comfortable with what he was doing.
Please don't let me do this! His wish was desperate, fighting to work its way out of his throat, but he was failing. Don't let me do this!
Abruptly the hold on him vanished.
Hakkai felt the restraints in his mind break, the mental effect making him gasp as though surfacing deep water. Immediately he released Sanzo, scrambling off his twitching body. The man was gasping, air forced raggedly into his lungs.
His neck felt wet and warm. Hakkai touched it, drawing his fingers back to his face. He saw nothing but darkness, but his nose was filled with the familiar coppery stench of blood. Oddly enough, it was more like dead blood...
"Bastard," he heard Gojyo snarl. "What the hell are you made of?"
Just in front of him Sanzo was coughing. It sounded slightly closer; the man's chi felt steadier. Hakkai almost collapsed with the sheer relief of realizing he hadn't succeeded in killing him.
No, that Chin Iisou hadn't succeeded.
Though his body protested Hakkai got to his feet. He turned toward Chin Iisou's voice, hoping his face felt as calm as he wanted it to. "Well, now that I understand that trick I can't let you do it again," he said, taking a step toward him. He cupped his hand, feeling skin-tingling warmth that sightlessly told his body he was gathering energy into his palm.
There was a long silence then the soft, dangerous sound of Chin Iisou chuckling. "Cho Gonou," he said. "I thought I explained to you before... those techniques won't work against me. Or need I remind you I am essentially immortal, a shikigami?"
Oh, he needed no reminding. Hakkai's lips curved into a faint smile. "There are other ways," he said simply. He struck then, his fingers hitting strong flesh. It resisted momentarily then sank beneath the force of his blow. His hand went completely through the man. Hakkai felt his fingers brush against something hard and blocky; he closed them around it.
"Ah, so it was here that I struck that night," he said softly, clenching the mahjong piece in his hand.
Chin Iisou made a strangled gasp, not unlike the sound of Sanzo choking only minutes earlier.
"I hope I'm right in assuming this is your life source," he said quietly, finally tearing his hand back out. The mahjong piece slipped in his blood-slick fingers. He managed to keep a firm hold on it, clenching it tightly. He couldn't let Chin Iisou put it back in his body.
From the way he was gasping, it didn't sound like he was going to try to anytime soon.
"Pity," he heard the man choke out. "I was so sure... you'd let me have... a bit more fun..."
Hakkai simply shook his head, having nothing to say to that. He clenched the piece tighter. It startled him to hear a crack. It was less startling to hear Chin Iisou falling, though he only seemed to be on his knees as one of his bony hands clutched Hakkai's shirt.
"I... loathe you... Cho Hakkai," the hateful demon spat.
"Good," Hakkai heard himself murmur. "I loathe you as well."
Then the bony grasp was gone, and with it went a piece of his haunting past. Hakkai shook his head, glad to be relieved of that burden.
He must have appeared shaky because Gojyo was at his side, slinging his arm around his torso to support him. "Hey," the man said in a quiet, low voice. "Let's get you cleaned up and rested, okay?" Sanzo's lack of reply to Gojyo's suggestion hinted that he agreed.
Hakkai smiled faintly. "Yes," he agreed, allowing Gojyo to lead him away. "Let's."
