: Perfect World :
Gensomaden Saiyuki
Disclaimer: I don't own Gensomaden Saiyuki, which rightfully belongs to Minekura Kazuya.
Rating: T
Pairings: Homura/Goku, hinted Gojyo/Hakkai and Yaone+Kougaiji
Warnings: AU-ish, angst, violence, language, mild shounen ai
Notes: I like how everyone is making guesses toward the ending. Thank you for that, actually. It's fun seeing readers contemplate the plot.
Constructive criticism and feedback is appreciated.
Chapter Thirty-One
If there had been blood, the guilt probably would have been unbearable. As it was, all Gojyo had to do was impale the ghost of his mother. Her body spasmed horribly, too realistically, and for a moment he thought he would be sick.
But no crimson trickled down the shakujyo; no coppery scent wafted out to sting his senses and weaken him. She merely emitted a strangled noise, and then was gone. Just like that, as if she had never existed in the first place.
Relieved, Gojyo dropped his weapon.
"Gojyo..."
The slightly hoarse voice reminded him that they had onlookers. Quickly, he dismissed the shakujyo back to where it belonged, giving him the room to support Hakkai. The brunette's left shoulder was torn badly, and blood that was both his own and not splattered across his clothes. The blind man gratefully accepted Gojyo's help.
"You overwork yourself again?" the redhead asked, a touch of exasperation only somewhat covering the concern in his voice.
Hakkai chuckled weakly. "It's a bad habit of mine, I suppose."
"You think?" From the corner of his eye, Gojyo noted that Jien -- no, Dokugakuji; he couldn't think of that man as his brother anymore -- looked somewhat uncomfortable.
Hakkai didn't seem to notice, and that alarmed Gojyo. If he couldn't sense what others were feeling, even just a faint change in someone's chi, then he must have depleted a lot of his energy. That couldn't bode well for later on.
"Listening to you was bad for my heart," his companion murmured.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a real heartbreaker," Gojyo said, shifting his hand on the man's side.
"If we're done here," a new voice broke in, rough and commanding, "then I suggest we get a move on."
Return of his Royal Highness, Prince Pain-in-the-Ass, Gojyo couldn't help thinking. He knew better than to say it aloud, of course; he had no doubts that his brother would choose the demon prince over his own diluted flesh and blood. Plus, if there was one thing he knew about women, it was that pushing the wrong buttons could set them off. Yaone may have seemed sweet-tempered, but Gojyo wasn't about to risk his head -- or other important parts of his anatomy -- just to insult her leader.
So, with that in mind, he merely kept his hold on Hakkai as they followed the group upstairs. And until the brunette mentioned it, Gojyo didn't realize anything was wrong.
"Maybe what I'm sensing is off," the man murmured, just loud enough for Gojyo to hear. "But aren't we missing someone?"
Gojyo blinked. Well, isn't that obvious? He knew then that Hakkai must have been exhausted. "Sanzo," he reminded him.
Hakkai shook his head. "No... not us."
Then Gojyo understood. Kougaiji's group had always consisted of four, just as Homura's had. And now they only had three-- just as their own coterie did.
So the kid is missing, he thought. Knowing that, it was suddenly very clear that the demon prince's face was pinched too tight, that Yaone's stride was too brisk for her seemingly timid nature, that his own brother even seemed unsettled.
Gojyo wondered if he should say something to break the uncomfortable silence. He might have, had they not reached the stairs, and had Kougaiji not pushed the doors open at that instant. The sight of a familiar brown-haired boy being thrown backward into a nearby wall immediately erased the redhead's previous thoughts, and then he only had the time to wonder what the hell was going on.
------
He had no idea how the situation had come to this, but Genjo Sanzo was, for once, utterly confused. His perplexity was such that he couldn't summon up any other reaction, even when the boy narrowly missed him when the war god threw him back.
Rock crumbled as Goku hit the wall behind him, and Sanzo almost flinched. Almost. Instead, he turned to look at the brunette; surely he was unconscious. The boy crumpled to the floor with a sickening thud.
To his amazement, Goku stirred. He pushed himself up, righteous fury flaring in his golden eyes. The expression was demonic, and stirred a vague image in the back of the priest's mind. Sanzo couldn't quite place his finger on it, and now he knew it was going to bother him until he could see it.
Wordlessly, the boy gave a loud cry, lunging forward again. The movement was fast enough to stir Sanzo's hair, as well as his loose robes. He stared blankly as the fight continued. Goku would strike, Homura would dodge; Goku press himself to the floor, Homura would anticipate and attack. The war god was getting the most hits in, Sanzo noticed... and yet, the match somehow seemed even.
Because Goku's blows were almost as powerful, the man suddenly realized. When he did manage to hit Homura, it was hard enough to send the man staggering. Plus, it was the boy who had the smaller stature, and thus could move around without being as easy of a target. Homura didn't have that advantage.
Not to mention, Goku had been provoked into fighting in the first place. While normally such a thing would make a warrior sloppier, somehow the boy managed to retain just enough awareness to keep his aim precise, his swings powerful, and keep the ability to dodge without being blind sighted by fury. He was... remarkable.
Sanzo was unsettled to admit that even to himself. Still, he had to admit that sort of strength would be useful, and it was pure physical strength that they sometimes lacked...
Unexpectedly, the boy's fist slammed into the side of Homura's jaw. Time seemed to freeze in that instant, and they were locked, each staring at each other; Goku shaken and furious, Homura mildly surprised and strangely cold... but even then, Sanzo caught the strangest glimmer in both gazes, one of sheer animalistic delight. Despite the circumstances, even after the boy's betrayal, they were enjoying the fight.
How stupid, Sanzo thought. The strongest beings in the world were also the most idiotic.
Just as he finished thinking that, time fell back into place. The clock spun forward again, and Homura was thrown backward. He stumbled, but didn't completely fall, though his gaze was directed downward. When he raised his face again, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Goku seemed stunned. His former mentor wiped the red off with his thumb, inspected it as though to assure himself it was really his own blood, and then lowered his hand.
"Zenon. Shien." His commanding voice was as strong as ever, not hindered by the damage Goku had done to his jaw. Sanzo thought that if the kid had hit him that hard, his face would have been shattered; at the very least, extremely sore. Yet this arrogant god didn't seem to feel any pain.
At Homura's otherwise wordless orders, two men stepped out from the sidelines. "I hear ya," the tallest of the three said, hoisting his machine gun off his shoulder. "He's strong enough."
Goku stared at the men, his frame shaking. From his position, Sanzo could see the clenched fists, the tense line of his jaw, the thin white line of his lips... this wasn't easy on the kid.
He hated feeling like he should care.
Tension rippled through the air for a few moments. It built friction, as though it were static electricity, until Sanzo could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise. An epiphany dawned on him in the same instant, and with sudden, vicious clarity, he knew the outcome of not only this fight, but the entire war. He knew Goku was going to lose, that he would play a vital tool in whatever the gods had been working for, that they were all going to die.
At least, that was the outcome... if he didn't do something about it.
Despite this strange realization -- or perhaps it was more of a prediction -- Sanzo didn't budge. He watched the battle, but grew increasingly less impassive. His heart was beginning to race, his nerves teetering on the edge of an invisible ravine.
Just yards in front of him, Goku had leapt into the air to avoid an onslaught of bullets. In the same move, he swung his staff out, emitting a loud cry as he descended on another opponent. Anticipating the move, Homura dropped his sword. The weapon clattered to the ground, and the man wasted no time moving; he grasped the chains short of the shackles, pulling them impossibly taut. Goku's staff connected with it, and a loud clang reverberated in the air. Then, almost imperceptibly, the god loosened the chain just enough to throw the boy off balance.
Goku hit the ground hard, landing on his shoulder. A sickening pop reached Sanzo's ears, followed by a startling shout. Only when golden eyes swept up to meet his, wide with more surprise than pain, and only when the fight paused long enough for all gazes to turn on him, did he realize that he had been the one to cry out.
Shit.
Even worse, a strange look crossed Homura's face. The man was smirking, his lips curved in a smug expression, but there was something off. Something that reminded Sanzo of himself; a strange sadness. It pissed him off; he didn't want anything about the bastard to remind him of himself.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Goku quickly scrambled back to his feet. He used only one hand to grasp his weapon, the other arm hanging limply and oddly at his side. "Stop paying attention to him!" the boy yelled, swinging his weapon furiously at his former mentor's head.
Homura deftly fell back, retaining his balance with the practiced ease of a feline. He crouched, grasping his sword, but not in a way he had before. Rather than hold it straight, the man gripped it with his knuckles facing the ceiling, elbow bent. Sanzo realized what he was doing and instant too late, though faster than Goku seemed to.
Homura slammed the hilt of his weapon into the boy's gut, the blow hard enough to send Goku staggering again. The brunette's chest heaved as he exhaled painfully, and then thick ropes of light twined around his waist, squeezing. Shien was behind the boy, pulling his whips firmly, a look of utter concentration on his otherwise blank face.
Goku writhed, dropping his weapon to pull at the whips. Agony contorted his features, and Sanzo guessed it was likely made even worse when the boy realized he could only use one arm, and that one arm wasn't enough. He was at a serious disadvantage; even more so when Zenon hefted his machine gun at the boy.
The priest had begun to reach for his robes, startled yet not at all perturbed to find himself so ready to jump to the boy's defense. The tips of his fingers had barely brushed cloth, when suddenly Goku changed his plan.
Despite the pain his lungs were likely in, the boy exhaled sharply, swinging his feet up as he did so. The tip of his boot caught on the orange-haired god's weapon, throwing him off target, but not disarming him. At the same time, the sudden weight straining Shien's whips slackened, and he too was thrown off balance. Goku tumbled back, but had the room he needed to wrench free of the constricting ropes.
The boy scrambled back to his feet, but at the wrong moment, and in the wrong direction. As he stood, his head went forward. He barely had the second he needed to lift his head before the butt of Zenon's gun crashed into his skull. Sanzo inwardly cringed; he could almost feel the boy's pain.
Goku went back down with a grunt. He landed on his bad shoulder, eliciting another scream, but when he stood he seemed able to move his injured arm better-- as though his fall had at least somewhat succeeded in pushing his dislocated shoulder back into place.
Sanzo's hand fell back to his side.
"Not bad," Homura said after a long pause. His voice clearly startled his opponent; even at the distance he was at, Sanzo could see Goku's eyes widen a fraction. "That is exactly the power I need... Son Goku."
Though it may have been imperceptible to some, Sanzo still clearly recognized the pain stabbing through the brunette's gaze. Agony that had not been there before, almost as though he had been the one betrayed... and only after the god had said his full name.
Interesting. Apparently there had been some change Sanzo had been unaware of beforehand. Not that he particularly cared, of course.
"Fine." The word came out in a gritty, almost unrecognizable tone. Hatred. That was something he had never really heard in Goku's voice before. Sanzo's eyes swiveled to the boy, taking in the invisible fury palpitating from Goku's lithe body. "I'll get you for sure, then!" With that the brunette charged forward, swinging his staff with a loud scream of rage.
Their weapons clashed with a resounding clang; metal against fire sword, both straining to push and make the other fall back. But even as Goku displayed his surprising strength, and even if Homura's minions hadn't been nearby to help overcome the boy's strength, Sanzo knew what the outcome would remain the same he had guessed before.
His passive role was beginning to bother him like an itch he couldn't reach. Something dramatic was happening here, something crucial. If he didn't step in, Goku would be taken and used for whatever purposes Homura had in mind. What Sanzo was worried about wasn't the boy's fate; it was the simple fact that if things continued on this vein, taking the brat west with them would become a problem. Maybe even impossible.
So why wasn't he lending a hand? Or a bullet, for that matter?
Goku was beginning to get the upper hand in the battle of strength, despite his stature. Still Sanzo wasn't convinced he could win.
And still, through the anger, there was that strange glimmer on the boy's eyes. He was still enjoying the combat. With all the hurt and anger and indifference thrown at him... well, anyone else would have responded in kind. But Goku did that and continued to want to fight.
The epiphany came just as the feud reached its height. The god with a shock of orange hair fired another round of bullets. Goku had to dodge to avoid it, but that set him off balance in his push-and-shove battle with Homura. Then the other deity's whips came seemingly out of nowhere, wrapping around Goku's ankle and jerking him to the floor. Goku's head slammed into the ground; the tiles cracked under him, and it took Sanzo a moment to realize it was because of the diadem encircling his head, not just his skull.
Then, as Homura abandoned his sword to end the fight with one blow to the face, Sanzo realized, Even if I had stepped in, the brat never would have forgiven me.
Silence hung over the makeshift battle arena. The only sound was harsh breathing, and that, everyone seemed curious to learn, came from Homura.
The ebon-haired god finally straightened himself, glancing over in Sanzo's direction. "Strange," the winded god said slowly, his words selected with the utmost care, "that despite having potentially six new allies, none of them came to his aid."
Startled, Sanzo looked over his shoulder. He had thought he'd heard the double doors opening earlier, but had been too preoccupied with the fight and his frustrating thoughts to give the sound much attention. Now he noticed his companions, both looking battered, Hakkai bleeding profusely on top of his other injuries. Gojyo didn't look much better off, and seemed to have sustained some head injuries. At least, that was what his frequently unfocused gaze told Sanzo.
Beside them was Kougaiji's team. Somehow, the priest wasn't surprised. The demon prince hardly gave him a second glance; he seemed to have eyes for Homura only, and a smoldering challenge was raging in them, even from the distance Sanzo stood at. Clearly, he had some unfinished business to attend to. If it was anything akin to Sanzo's, then the man could make a well-educated guess as to what it pertained to. Flanking either side of the rogue-appearing prince were two demons Sanzo remembered, though not as well as either Kougaiji or his annoying sister. One he vaguely recalled was Gojyo's brother, though now in blood only, and the other was the apothecary who seemed somewhat enamored with her lord.
Almost immediately he noticed that the very sister he had just been thinking about was absent. This was new and unusual. And, if Sanzo cared about their affairs, he would have wondered if something unpleasant had occurred to cause her absence.
All this he had taken in within mere seconds. Sanzo turned back to the god, his voice unconcerned as he said, "He's your brat."
"He was," the god agreed. Strangely, a tired note sounded through his admission. Then it was gone as he spoke again. "Either way, I truly am surprised."
"Seems like you've been getting a lot of those recently," Sanzo said acidly.
"Indeed." An almost grim smile flitted across the man's expression. "But I did not expect you, Konzen, to simply watch."
The way he said it made the priest wonder if he knew about Goku's frequent visits. Was he jealous? Somehow that didn't quite fit. Realizing where his train of thought was leading to, Sanzo squashed it down in disgust.
"I could care less what happens to that idiot."
Homura cocked his head to the side. He still hadn't left his position, standing at Goku's feet. "Is that so?"
Sanzo scowled, then relented. "I just need him for a stupid mission I'm on. I didn't even want to bring him."
Strangely, the god's lips twitched. He seemed to find the statement funny, but not quite in a laughable way. Odd. "That truly is a pity." He pivoted, just a bare few degrees, but enough to make Sanzo's shoulders tense. "Perhaps you should have rescued him, first."
First?
"I only did so because I, in all my imperfections, was impatient," the god continued. He made no advancements, but Sanzo knew he was fast. He could run at the monk whenever he wanted, probably slash him open within a second and Sanzo would barely feel the pain before his gruesome death. "Of course, no imperfection ever goes unpunished. Perhaps, in retrieving him, keeping him was my punishment."
What the hell was he babbling about? Sanzo's eyes narrowed; at this point, Homura's talk had become unwanted introspection into his psyche. On top of that, confusing. Sanzo had no idea what he meant about punishment-- aside from the fact that Goku was annoying, and that could be victimization for anyone.
"You act as though we care." This time, the comment had not come from Sanzo, but from Kougaiji. The blonde's eyes flickered sideways as the demon stepped into view, his upper lip lifted in the beginnings of a snarl. "Gods are all the same. You have to make elaborate speeches just to avoid fighting, don't you?"
Sanzo had never thought he would want to applaud the demon prince. He thankfully refrained, as it was inappropriate and a stupid reaction besides, even in sarcasm.
Homura's expression changed again. He regarded Kougaiji coolly, then turned and knelt. He lifted Goku's limp body with a clatter of chains, slinging te boy over his shoulder. "You two will get what you want when I am through. Zenon. Shien." His voice sharpened at that point. "Do make sure they remain patient."
Shit, thought Sanzo. Even if it was just two gods, it was still two of their insane powers against mere demons and a human. No matter how you stacked the odds, it didn't look good on his side.
Strangely, in the critical situation, his thoughts wandered back in time toward the inane things. In his mind's eye he could see what had happened just before Goku had been thrown against the wall. He could also feel it; the heat of battle commencing, the friction in the air as weapons were thrown as most arguing couples would toss words.
The crack of whips flying through the air. The rattle as a machine gun spat out bullets at an impossible rate. The walls being damaged as a sole body was thrown against them, sustaining cracks that would probably become irreparable at the rate they were forming. Bullets also tearing at the walls.
Peculiarity, as he, the only bystander, suddenly saw eye-to-eye with the war god himself. An unreadable glint in the bi-colored eyes, and then the contact was broken. The fight drawing closer and closer, and he with nowhere to run even if he had the desire to.
Then, a brief flash of fear, as a blow was aimed for him.
Erased in a moment, as calm overtook him. The intrusive, unfamiliar thought of, I won't die, because he's here to prevent that.
Utter silence, as Goku barely blocked the deadly hit.
"What are you, crazy? Stop bein' careless!"
That was all the brunette had had time to say before he was sucked back into the battle. And again, the brief eye contact with blue and gold, only this time it had sent an icy chill down his back. Now, reflecting on it, Sanzo wondered if what he had seen had been hatred, jealousy, or a twisted form of both.
"Sure thing, Boss," Zenon said in response to Homura's order. A confident, toothy smirk spread across his face. His silent partner said nothing as he made his way closer; his apparent form of consent.
Behind the priest, Gojyo and Hakkai moved closer. "So what's the plan?" he heard Gojyo ask with a tinge of bitter resignation.
Normally, Sanzo would simply say that they would fight. Under any other circumstances, they would have battled these gods to the death, determined to go out all at once, if they had to die at all.
This time, with cold rigidity that mildly startled him, and greatly took his companions aback, Sanzo said, "You fight. I'm going after the monkey."
