: Calling :

Gensomaden Saiyuki

Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki. All rights go to Minekura Kazuya.

Rating: T

Warnings: Goku-centric, language

Notes: Remember: there will be absolutely no shounen ai in this story. This is strictly a genfic; any hinting you guys want to see, that's fine. But this is not going to be romance in any way whatsoever. This is to focus on Goku. That is my priority.

In addition, this story is completed in advance. It is five chapters plus a prologue in length. However, updates may be sporadic, so the completion of this story isn't set in stone.

That said, enjoy. Constructive criticism and feedback is appreciated.

Chapter One

Because the mountain had no definitive paths, the traveling hellions had little choice but to simply find their way to the top, and then descend again. It made perfect sense, and the logic was as sound as it was going to get. That didn't mean Sanzo had to like it.

The bumpy and precarious landscape made traveling by jeep too difficult in some areas. Several times they had been forced to stop so Hakuryuu could change back into his natural form and perch atop Hakkai's shoulder. Many paths grew too narrow; many more stopped altogether and disappeared into brush and undergrowth. Sanzo had lost count of the number of times his robes had torn due to his being forced to thrash through the damn foliage. Still, it had been his choice to go over the mountain, so he held his tongue.

Unfortunately, that was not reason enough to shut up his other teammates.

"So how many days does this make it?" Gojyo muttered from the back of the group. "Three? Of us kicking through this crap, I mean."

It was an alarmingly dangerous struggle for Sanzo to remind himself that, yes, he still did need the half-breed to live, and no, a bullet between his eyes would not help matters any. (Well, Gojyo would finally be quiet, but then he'd have to deal with two other irritable companions. And he was not about to test Hakkai's patience like that.)

"Please relax," he heard their driver say gently. "It should only be another week or two at this rate."

"Only, huh?"

As always, Goku had his own list of complaints to contribute. "When're we gonna stop?" he demanded. "I'm hungry. And my pants are wet."

"Piss in them or something?" Gojyo jeered, his tone portraying his irritability. Even teasing did not seem to be enough to alleviate their situation.

"Screw you!" Goku bristled at the question. "It's not my fault it rained all last night."

And that it had. Sanzo grimaced in remembrance, recalling how difficult it had been to find a dry place to rest. No caves had been nearby, even with all the rocks. At the time, they hadn't been close to one of the forests they had seen while approaching the mountain. A fire had been impossible to start. In the end, a cliff's edge had jutted out just enough to create a cramped space for sleeping. Unfortunately, by morning all of their supplies had been anywhere from damp to soaking wet.

Glancing back, Sanzo confirmed that at least none of his companions were better off than he. Had they been, his anger would have increased. As it was, he actually felt a bit better. If he had to suffer, at least he wasn't suffering alone. Though sometimes, he did wish he was alone so he wouldn't have to go through so much stupidity, but that was a factor he could not help.

"Goku does have a point," said Hakkai. "We should pause to eat when we can."

Sanzo opened his mouth to say that they could wait until nightfall, before remembering that morning had consisted of a no-eating affair. As he was not in the mood to put up with Goku's whining, he grudgingly muttered his agreement.

-

Finding firewood was far from his favorite job. Nevertheless, Goku also knew he would be able to find the best wood—he had a sharper sense of smell, making it easier tell the difference between damp and burnable wood even before he picked anything up. Relying on anybody else would only prolong his lunch.

So it was with his stomach growling that he trampled deeper into the forest. As an unspoken rule, nobody ever went beyond shouting distance when forced to gather natural supplies. Goku adhered to the rule most of the time.

This was not one of those times.

He had picked up the scent of dry wood deep in the woods. The smell was faint, but undeniably there. It was entirely possible it was a whole tree – definitely not suitable for firewood – but he'd never know unless he checked. Besides, if he didn't check but the others somehow found out, he'd be ridiculed no matter what decision he made about it.

Honestly, adults were just so annoying sometimes. Well, except for Hakkai. But then, Hakkai was excused because he was pretty much the only one who stood up for Goku when the others ganged up on him.

Not that Goku needed any help, of course. He was perfectly capable of holding his own. Still, it was nice to have an ally sometimes.

He was surprised when the damp undergrowth suddenly gave way into a dry portion of the forest. Blinking, Goku wiped his hand on his jeans before crouching down to touch the earth. He sniffed. It was definitely dry, especially in comparison to the area he had just come from.

Strange. He knew such a weird thing should have alarmed him, but the sight of burnable wood was relief enough to forget about the oddity. Even better, there was an abundance of the brittle sticks; almost as though someone had dumped them here just for him to find. Whoever it was, if they existed, Goku thanked them earnestly in his mind.

His arms full, he hurried back to show the others his prize.

-

Even if the relief was only temporary, Gojyo was grateful for it. With the fire going and the food already in the process of being consumed, he had the leisure to remove his sodden boots and dry his feet near the welcoming flames. They were quite fortunate Goku had found so much wood—enough to cook food and still have some left over. Nobody seemed to have any qualms about using the abundant supply to warm themselves.

Of course, that didn't necessarily mean their lunch was peaceful. It was at first, really; a fact that surprised him, considering he had snatched a healthy portion of Goku's chicken without the boy noticing. That disturbed him, even if neither of his other companions found it odd. More than likely, they were just enjoying the silence.

Gojyo liked silence too; when it was called for, anyway. But this quality of quiescence was almost creepy.

He reached out to knock Goku upside the head, but paused at the expression on the boy's face. Golden eyes were glazed over, almost with a dreamy look. He appeared to be staring at a point in the distance, his jaw too slack to be considered normal. A glance downward told Gojyo more—that the apple in Goku's hand was only partially eaten, his arm hung limp, and is wrist lolled loosely off the limb. The fruit seemed to be barely held on to, as though Goku could drop it any second.

Mildly unnerved, Gojyo glanced toward the other two. Sanzo didn't appear to find anything strange, as he was busy trying to make his lighter work. And if Hakkai noticed, it did not concern him. He merely proceeded to finish his meal, obliging Hakuryuu's hungry whimpers.

Finally, Gojyo followed Goku's gaze to the nearby river. The current raged, beating against various large rocks in its path. White rapids swept against the banks in their frantic hurry, as though something precious and life changing waited around the bend.

"Oi, Goku." When he received no answer, Gojyo frowned and settled for the blunt approach—by giving the boy a sharp smack upside the head. His fingers connected with metal in a briefly stinging contact, but the strike accomplished what he'd wanted.

"Ow!" Goku yelped, jerking to the side in his surprise. His half-eaten apple fell to the dirt with an audible thump. The brunette looked down, and then back up with an animalistic growl. "What was what for?" Then, glancing down again, he suddenly realized something else was wrong. "Gojyo, gimme back my chicken!"

Holding his hands up with false innocence, Gojyo said, "Don't have it."

"Yes you do, you lying kappa!"

Gojyo smirked, grateful for a familiar routine. "It's hard to have something when I've already eaten it."

Goku blinked as the meaning slowly dawned on him. Then he exploded from his seat, tackling the half-breed head on. "Damn it!"

A scuffle broke out, for once going uninterrupted by Sanzo and his threats. Hakkai, of course, was prone to humor them more often than not. For once this turned out to be unfortunate; both Gojyo and Goku muddied their near-dry clothes. Since the boy appeared to be acting normal again, Gojyo didn't give his earlier strangeness a second thought.

The fight ended when they grew bored, which was fairly quickly. With lunch finished, it was decided they would pack up and immediately resume their trip.

It wasn't until he kicked dirt into the fire that Gojyo felt something was amiss. The feeling was the same as earlier, even amplified a little. Instinctively, he looked for Goku. The dry sticks lay in a heap just a yard away from where Gojyo stood. It had been Goku's job to transfer those to the jeep, in case they were unable to find more later on. Sanzo and Hakkai were taking care of their own bags, and soon Gojyo and Goku were to follow.

Then, remembering the object of Goku's earlier fascination, Gojyo turned his head to the river. There stood the brunette, his back to the others. Seeing his face was impossible from this angle, but Gojyo could imagine it—dazed, lax, and serene. Unnatural; not like Goku at all.

Without warning, the boy broke into a run, hurtling straight for the raging river.

-

Sparkling, clear, and clean. The river was so beautiful, so innocently tempting. Just seconds ago Goku had felt cold, but now the air seemed pleasantly warm. Taking a swim sounded like a good idea. And with a perfectly calm river right nearby, why should he refuse?

Gojyo broke his trance by hitting him, which inevitably resulted in a brief fight. Even so, that took energy, and Goku's throat was dry with thirst. A drink and a swim before they left, he decided. There was nothing wrong with that. Even a short dip would be just refreshing enough.

He dimly heard Hakkai giving him instructions, but hardly paid attention. He was aware enough to gather the brittle sticks beside the fire, but the river kept drawing his attention. It looked so inviting...

Slowly, he set down what was in his arms. The pull of the water was insistent but not demanding; gentle, hypnotizing, like a siren-call. He knew what that was; Goku was an avid listener of stories.

Just a little swim. Just a quick dunk under the blessedly cool water, and that was all. Nobody would get mad at him for that; not with how warm it was outside. The sun was gleaming so invitingly on the water; he was half tempted to ask the others to join him. He banished the notion dreamily. No, that would not be wise. They would only stop him, and that wasn't fair at all. He had to have fun, too.

The sky was so clear above him, he dimly noted. Clear and bright, smiling at him in a friendly manner. It was a gregarious day. He shouldn't waste another second.

Knowing he could be stopped if he didn't act soon, Goku decided. He exploded in a sudden run, forgetting about his clothes, forgetting about the heavy boots that could drag him under if he went too deep, even forgetting that just seconds ago, the day had been cold and dreary.

Dimly, he heard a shout. But the water was so close, close enough for him to just leap and land in the water. It wasn't just a pull now; it was a need, as though he would shrivel up and waste away, dying a dry death if he didn't hurry, hurry, hurry and get in—

A hard weight crashed into his side, forcing him off balance. Goku hit the ground with a strangled cry of disbelief and agony. Something deep within his soul lurched, wrenching in desperation. He screamed again, though this time without understanding why. It just suddenly burned, feeling a sensation that had filled him moments ago to just not be there...

A sharp-knuckled fist crashed into his face. Goku's head jerked; he gasped and clenched his eyes shut, waiting for the pain that would tear his entire body apart. He could already hear the roaring in his ears, the snarl of water pounding furiously against rocks and earth.

Perplexed by the realization, Goku finally opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was Gojyo leaning over him, his chest rising and falling too quickly to be normal, eyes narrowed in almost frightened skepticism.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" the man demanded.

Goku could only stare stupidly. "Huh?"

Wordless, obviously frustrated, Gojyo gestured out violently to Goku's left. The brunette pushed himself up to see better, cringing at the pain in his ribs – Damn it, Gojyo, – before he followed the movement. What he saw utterly baffled him, and it took him a good few moments of staring to assure himself that what he saw was real.

"Are you trying to kill yourself or what?" Gojyo hissed.

Shaking his head, Goku was at a loss for words. He wanted to explain, to point out that the day had just been warm, that he had been thirsty, that the river had been so calm just seconds ago... but without saying anything, he knew Gojyo would think he was crazy. He'd smack him on the head, call him an idiot, tell him to stop messing around and get back to work. Gojyo wouldn't believe him. Hell, Goku doubted even Hakkai would be inclined to humor him so much.

At last, he mumbled, "Sorry."

From the corner of his eye, he saw the half-breed shake his head; out of exasperation, annoyance, or anger, Goku did not know. At the same time, he noticed Hakkai approaching.

"Are you two all right?" the man asked, his eyebrows stitched in concern. "What on earth are you doing?"

Goku opened his mouth, struggling to think of an excuse. When he couldn't, he closed it, shrugging helplessly. That only made Hakkai's frown deepen, but it was alleviated at what Gojyo said next.

"Just pickin' on the monkey," the man said airily, getting back to his feet. "Legs can stiffen up after all that walking. You think you or His Holiness would bother helping us work out?"

Relieved, though now even more confused, Goku just nodded emphatically in agreement. He smiled in what he hoped was a lighthearted manner. He didn't want Hakkai to ask questions—especially not when he didn't know the answers himself.

Still dubious but seeming agreeable just the same, Hakkai shook his head with a wry smile. "I suppose you're right. But Goku, are you...?"

Nodding as Hakkai began to let the question trail off, the boy stood. Thanks to Gojyo crashing into him, his side hurt, but it was nothing worse than what other opponents had ever done to him. "I'm fine," he insisted, shooting a glare at Gojyo. "He's just a stupid cockroach."

Rolling his eyes, the redhead dusted his mud-streaked pants. "Whatever, monkey. Better hurry before Sanzo decides to beat on you."

Remembering the sticks he had left behind – that were now, likely, getting wet – Goku's eyes widened as he scrambled off to finish what he had started. Something tugged at his insides again, trying to steer him back, but he shook it off and ignored it. Whatever had happened had not been natural. And despite his first impression of the mountain, Goku had to admit that he was beginning to get a little scared.

Just a little, of course.

-

Politely, Hakkai waited until their younger companion was out of earshot. Once he was, he turned back to Gojyo. Their hastily concocted story didn't fit what had happened at all; especially considering Hakkai had looked up in time to see Goku running. He had noticed the panic flashing across Gojyo's face before he had tackled the boy to the ground.

He would press, but only a little. "What really happened, Gojyo?"

The man blinked, staring at Hakkai with his best poker face. "Happened?" he repeated coolly. "We were rough-housing. That's all."

It was a blatant lie, and they both knew it. Still, Hakkai knew better than to pry too much—and besides, he trusted Gojyo's judgment in these matters. If he and Goku were really all right, then they were.

Probably.

"If you say so." Hakkai was doubtful of whether or not he should inquire further. But as lax as he seemed, even Gojyo had his limits.

The other man didn't reply right away, his eyes fixated in the direction Goku had gone. Hakkai trailed his gaze, watching their current object of interest. The boy seemed to be fine; he was even arguing with Sanzo over something or another. It was as though nothing had happened. It would be so easy to shrug the incident off, but from experience, Hakkai knew that was far from a wise thing to do.

"Yeah," Gojyo finally said, his voice unnaturally quiet. "I do."