I will finish this story, damn it!! (pulling hair frustratedly) ; I don't know if anyone is still interested to read this.
A Curse of Taboo Child
Chapter 14: Cure and Poison
"Are you sure this won't hurt him?" Hakkai raised his emerald eyes; brimmed with worry, as he hovered beside Yaone. "How do you know this will work?"
Yaone looked up at Hakkai and she smiled softly. "This potion was brewed for a condition that no other demons have, Hakkai-san. The probability that the potion will not work is certainly there."
"And yet you still want to inject it to Gojyo?" Hakkai's tone grew protective and anger. If he had to choose between Gojyo with silver choker around his neck and Gojyo with no life at all, he would surely choose the former. Let Gojyo brooded over the limiter; he could not bear to lose Gojyo.
"Would you let Gojyo be like this then?" Yaone raised her elegant eyebrow, silently challenging the answer she knew very well Hakkai wanted to retort but could not with Gojyo's presence in the room. Both of them knew how much Gojyo wanted his condition to be reversed that he didn't care if his life would be forfeited.
"Do I even have the choice in answering that kind of question?" Hakkai muttered under his breath. He didn't like this at all even though he knew what he was asking Dokugakuji in the first place was impossible.
"Relax, Hakkai," Gojyo, who was leaning against the wall, spoke up softly finally. He heard all of the conversation. He understood the risk he was taking. But he would be damned if he had to wear Kenshin's gift any second longer. The loathing that he felt towards the choker, itching and burning at his neck, was something he couldn't live with for the rest of his life.
"If something goes wrong, I know I can always count on you to bring me back." Gojyo teased but Yaone could see the fear lurked in the blood-red eyes no matter how well he tried to hide it.
Hakkai snorted softly. He, then, walked toward the maddening redhead, who looked frighteningly calm with all this, and tugged him towards the bed. "You'd think I'm some kind of miracle maker or something. I can't keep on bringing people back to life all the time, contrary of popular belief."
Gojyo chuckled as he let himself being tugged and pulled by his lover. "Yeah, you would think. But you did live up the reputation, didn't you?"
As Hakkai watched Gojyo lied on the bed, fear clutched his heart like something bad was going to happen. "You're being entirely too calm with this." He couldn't take out the accusation laced in his words. He was worried and Gojyo looked as though he was to be given an aspirin! "I don't think you'd care much about anything else except the control device."
The laying half-breed frowned at Hakkai's remark and he immediately reached out to hold the healer's wrist. His face lost all the amusement as the red eyes darkened intensely. "Don't you think that I don't feel scare. I'm scared more than just my life that I so recklessly gambled. I'm scared for all the things that I might leave behind."
Hakkai swallowed hard at Gojyo's expression. This was one of the rare moments when Gojyo got so serious and so intense. Hakkai didn't know that Gojyo could be so captivating like this. "Gojyo, I…" Guilt slipped easily in Hakkai's heart.
"You know I care more than this damned device around my neck. I care a whole lot more than you'd think. But I can't let it go, Hakkai; not when it still around my neck to remind me every second of it. You'd understand that, wouldn't you?" Gojyo pressed on.
They never again uttered the word 'Kenshin' or anything that described the hellish experience that Gojyo went through, in public. They settled for the word 'it' and both of them understood the meaning of 'it'. The subject was never discussed but one would know it without being told if he had been staying with the other for that long.
Hakkai exhaled, unable to resist anymore of Gojyo's words and expression. He had lost long before the argument started. After all, it was his and Dokugakuji's idea in the first place. "Fine. But I'm going to stay with you until I'm sure the potion doesn't affect you in bad ways."
Gojyo smiled easily now that he had Hakkai's approval, reluctant or not. "I wouldn't want you far from me."
Yaone didn't bother to hide the smile as she heard the soft conversation between Hakkai and Gojyo. She couldn't see the attraction when she first encountered the party. But then, she was busy trying to sedate everyone in the restaurant and explode the building to actually see any emotional spark. And now, as she was hearing and watching it, it never failed to puzzle her to see the relationship between two very different people was working very well. They were bantering lightly as if others didn't exist in their own little world.
When Hakkai voiced out his worries about the potion, Yaone swallowed down the doubts that were gnawing her. She remembered the time when she and Zean brewed the potion. She had questioned certain doubts but back then, the blue-black-haired demon smoothly answered her every question.
Yaone watched the blue-colored liquid uncertainly. For the last two days, both she and Zean had labored unstopped to brew a remedy for Gojyo. When the potion was now completed, Yaone somehow wasn't sure. She stole a quick glance to Zean and saw the black-blue haired demon smiled in satisfaction at the potion. It wasn't that she didn't want to trust Zean, but after years not seeing the demon and realized the drastic changes in him, she couldn't help but to feel uneasy. For two days, she felt as if Zean was… she didn't how to explain it but Zean was kind of… scheming…
They clashed opinions and theories several times but Zean always seemed had answers or excuses for each ingredient he added. They appeared to be logical at the moment and she approved the addition. Now, after the potion was completed and Yaone had thought things over, she couldn't help but thinking that there should be a better ingredient or even a better way to brew the potion.
"Well, Yaone, I think we did it," Zean grinned that the purple-haired woman beside him.
"Do you think it'll work?" Yaone asked quietly, fervently wished the uneasiness that she felt would go away.
"We won't know unless we tested it, right?" Zean said lightly, using the same tone he had used whenever he and the violet-haired alchemist argued.
Biting her lips, Yaone looked at Zean. "It is alright if we used it on Gojyo right away? I mean shouldn't we tested in on something else to ensure it isn't fatal to living things? The ingredients are pretty strong."
Zean turned around and grabbed a cage, where a monkey occupied it. "Then, we tested it on an animal first. If the monkey didn't die on the spot or have any side effect, then I'll say the potion is safe enough."
Yaone wanted to protest, saying that they couldn't equalize a monkey's capability to adapt with the potion with Gojyo's. Not to mention, Gojyo's overall body had changed drastically. When she studied Gojyo's blood, she was amazed that the person, who created Gojyo as he was now, could come out something like this. Gyokumen Kyoshu would certainly love this demon.
But as much as she wanted to argue, she knew her point would be used against her. Gojyo was a half-breed with blood looked like full demon but not entirely the same. There weren't others like Gojyo and thus, they couldn't really find another guinea pig to replace the monkey. Like Zean said, if the monkey didn't die or have any side effect from the potion, then the potion was safe enough.
"Or do you wish us to test on another half-breed?" Zean said when he saw Yaone's hesitation. Really, Yaone wasn't dumb nor was she oblivious. When they argued, the violet-haired alchemist put up a really good argument that Zean often found himself trapped. Now, they were on the last step, Zean did not wish Yaone to change her mind and declared he couldn't be trusted at all.
"No!" Yaone protested abruptly. "Don't use them… they have suffered enough."
Zean resisted rolling his eyes. Yaone might be a very good alchemist but her compassion on living things restrained her from exploring more. No wonder she was happy enough to stay in Kougaiji's shadow and served the prince for the rest of her life. "So, you agree to use the monkey?"
Yaone hesitated. Then she nodded. "Yes, let's do it."
Zean wasn't even here today to see whether the potion that they brewed worked or not. He said he had other things to do and that he had spent too many time in helping Yaone. Not that she could argue. She did insist the brewing process started right away without considering perhaps her friend had other important things to do. Once again casting her doubts aside and prayed she hadn't made a mistake in trusting Zean, Yaone smiled. "Shall we start?" Yaone spoke up.
Both of the men looked at the purple-haired woman but only one could answer. "Yes, let's start it." Gojyo said.
"Should we let Sanzo and Goku in?" Hakkai asked Yaone, oblivious of her internal conflict. "They would probably want to be here."
"No, it's all right. The potion doesn't take effect for the first half an hour. They can come back later if they want." Yaone busied herself to prepare Gojyo for the remedy. "After all, the place that Kougaiji-sama chose is rather small. I don't want too many people in this closing room."
Hakkai let out an inaudible breath as he perched his hips against the bed. "Whatever you think best, Yaone-san." He then reached out to grasp Gojyo's hand; he didn't know whether he was giving or receiving an assurance when he felt Gojyo grasped back his hand.
"How's Gojyo doing?" Goku asked, feeling glad when he saw Hakkai and Yaone walked out of the room. They had been waiting for some time now, not that Goku cared the exact time. In truth, he was kind of feeling uneasy at the silent animosity between Sanzo and Dokugakuji. And he didn't know why. Dokugakuji was helping them. Why Sanzo was being so distrustful?
Hakkai smiled. "He's asleep. Right now the potion seems to bear no bad side-effects but we have yet to see the effective of it."
Everyone was silent until Sanzo spoke up. "Why are you doing this anyway, Dokugakuji?" He couldn't help the suspicious tone in the question. When enemy was helping them, be that the enemy was the brother of one of them, there must be something he wanted in return. And he didn't like that.
Dokugakuji really couldn't blame him. They had, after all, been trying to kill each other on the sight. "Are you implying that we want something from you in return?"
"Damn right." Sanzo growled. "I don't believe that you're doing this for Gojyo's sake."
"Sanzo." Hakkai frowned.
Sanzo glared back at the healer. "What makes you think that this shit that's happening to us isn't their doing? For all that we know Kenshin is one of their dogs!"
"Well, you should think that earlier, shouldn't you? Not after we injected the potion in Gojyo." Dokugakuji scowled. "If it makes you feel any better, yes, you're right. We're gaining something in return of helping you!"
It was Hakkai's eyes to turn wide and then narrowed in wariness. "What are you saying?"
Sanzo snorted. Even though it did make him feel better that he was right, he refused to show how curious he was at Dokugakuji's intention in helping his brother. "If you want the sutra in exchange of Gojyo's life, forget it! Even the damned kappa isn't worth such exchange."
"Sanzo!" Goku broke in, yet not so surprise at Sanzo harsh words. "You don't really mean that!"
Sanzo glared at Goku and gave the boy a stiff shrug. Both Hakkai and Goku knew it was Sanzo's way to apologize; if the cold monk ever said one, and they let the remark go. "Well? What's your intention, then?" Sanzo challenged.
Dokugakuji looked at Yaone beside him. The gentle healer was slightly nervous at the angry exchange between Sanzo and Dokugakuji that she bit her lips and returned his look uncertainly. "Tell him, Yaone." Dokugakuji nodded his head curtly.
"What…?" Yaone gave a startled look to her comrade and sighed softly at a hard look plastered on Dokugakuji's face. "Very well, then."
"Kougaiji-sama wants to end the massacre of taboo children. I believe Dokugakuji has told all about it." Yaone accepted Hakkai and Goku's nods. "Well, since the massacre started with rumors, Kougaiji-sama thinks that it would be only fitting that the massacre ends with rumors too."
"What does that have anything to do with healing Gojyo?" Goku asked, confused.
"The first rumor about how taboo children's blood can hold back the effects of Minus Wave doesn't really cause the demons to kill the children. Yes, there are killings here and there but not so horrific as now. Mostly because, taboo children are greatly despised by them that a single rumor without any concrete prove that it'll actually work doesn't drive the demons to go near them and kill the children."
"But it was until Gojyo's success transformation from half-blooded demon to full-blooded, did all the demons believe…convince that half-breed's blood really can protect them from Minus Wave's effects. At first, we are slightly… unsure how the news of Gojyo's transformation manage to leak outside the castle because it was only the night of Gojyo's appearance that morning when I heard the news from one of the demon's towns. It was then we realized that one, or perhaps more than one, of Gyokumen Kyoshu's lackeys could be responsible of spreading the news."
"Is it so important for the news of Gojyo's transformation to remain secret?" Hakkai asked.
Yaone shook her head. "No. We never intended to keep anything as secret. But it is a wonder when the event that happened not just few hours ago was already a public knowledge that very night. The success… the genius work of changing one's natural condition will bound to be public knowing sooner or later. We think that it was Dr Nii's assistant that spread the news and that is how the rumors start."
"So, what exactly the genius plan of Kougaiji?" Sanzo asked dryly. The suspicion had not left Sanzo's mind yet and Yaone's explanation had yet told them anything about what they want in return of Gojyo's cure.
"Kougaiji-sama told us to bring along two of the Dr. Nii's assistants, for he knew for certain if the cure work, the two assistants will undoubtedly spread around the news about the potions having antidote…"
"This means, their transformation to full-blooded demon can be easily reversed, creating a major weakness for the demons." Dokugakuji added curtly and Yaone nodded.
"It also means that the demons will be discouraged to kill anymore taboo children." Yaone continued hesitantly. "But if the cure somehow… fails and affects Gojyo in bad ways… and news spread, the demons will know how dangerous both the potion and the cure… they will be still discouraged to kill."
"Either way, whether Gojyo survives or not, you will win…" Hakkai murmured, angry at how Gojyo was being used.
"The win is not for our own benefit, Hakkai-san," Yaone argued, not wanting the healer to be angry at her beloved Kougaiji-sama. "We are trying to save the life of taboo children."
"By sacrificing another life of their kind?" Sanzo raised one of his eyebrows sardonically. Then he looked at Dokugakuji. "Who happens to be the younger brother of yours?"
Dokugakuji had the grace to flush but refused to take the bait. "One cannot have everything he desires."
Sanzo snorted at what he thought as a hypocritical remark and again Dokugakuji refused to take the bait.
"Where are the assistants?" Goku asked suddenly, trying to change conversation's topic. He didn't like the sudden rise of animosity between two groups. Not when Gojyo was still in the room, recovering. "Shouldn't they be watching Gojyo or something, so they can spread the news?"
Dokugakuji was tense and Sanzo was wary. They didn't answer Goku's question. Hakkai rubbed his forehead in weary acceptance and Yaone was relieved to see the healer didn't hold anymore anger toward Kougaiji. "They are in the other room. If they want to watch, they'll come. We only have to make sure the news spread." Yaone said.
"Oh," Goku answered. He then continued thoughtfully. "You must be very good, Yaone-san, since you can make that cure. Hakkai told me that the cure is one of the kinds."
Yaone blushed at Goku sudden compliment. "No, I'm not one who should be receiving the compliment. I did get some help from my old friend, actually."
At that, Hakkai stopped rubbing his forehead and looked at Yaone. "An old friend?"
"Yes," Yaone replied almost eagerly. Anything to cease the cold feeling around them. "He used to study with me under the same teacher and I'm telling you this; he is so talented and creative. I'm glad to have him to help me brewing the cure."
"He sounds so…capable," Hakkai said softly. Now that he knew a stranger was involved in making the cure, he felt so uneasy. An unknown demon helped the Sanzo's group? Somehow, Hakkai had a feeling that the probability the cure was actually a poison was higher. And he hoped he was wrong.
"Yes, he is." Yaone didn't know whether she was convincing Hakkai or herself. "Zean was a gifted apprentice. My teacher said so."
The name struck Hakkai like a lightning. It roared through his hearing and coldness clamped his heart. He felt his heart had stopped beating and suddenly he couldn't breathe. With eyes wide opened, Hakkai choked. "Wh…who… did you just say?" Please, please tell me that I heard wrong… please
All four pair of eyes focused warily to Hakkai's pale face. "Hakkai?" Goku asked.
"What is your friend's name again, Yaone?" Hakkai persisted again. The frantic tone was not gone unnoticed by all of them.
Yaone had a bad feeling that what she feared all these times was coming true. It seemed that Hakkai had known something about Zean that she had tried to discover but failed. And that something was really, really bad. "…It's Zean…"
"NO!" Hakkai spun around and started to run to Gojyo's room. Panic filled his mind in seconds that all that he could think of was to somehow force whatever vile concoction Yaone injected into Gojyo out. They had not given Gojyo cure; they had given him more poison to worsen his already deteriorating condition!
Sanzo cursed fluently. He didn't know what the hell was happening or who the hell Zean was, but he'd be damned if Hakkai just said no and refused to elaborate. He fastened his steps to outrun the panicky healer before the brunette reached Gojyo's room. The cursing monk reached his hand and grasped Hakkai's wrist non-too-gently, forcing the healer to turn around to face him. "What the hell happen?" Sanzo ordered harshly. He fucking hated it when he was left uninformed or when he felt he had no control whatsoever in this situation.
"I've got to get to Gojyo!" Hakkai's eyes were like blazing green fire, obviously displeased when Sanzo stopped him. But he didn't struggle. All his cold masks were dropped and Sanzo could see Hakkai's burning emotions. Strange when he saw the healer's face filled with total anger and frustration. Again he was reluctantly awed at the power Gojyo hold over Hakkai.
"Not until I am fully fucking informed!" Sanzo tightened the grip. He hated it when his authority was being challenged. Usually it was only Gojyo and his pervert ways that broke the so-called authority but now Hakkai was doing it too!
"Zean is the one who make Gojyo like that!" Hakkai spat the words like venom, uncaring if the whole world could see his burning anger. The demon inside him was howling and roaring, demanding it to be released. "He brewed the potion, injected into Gojyo and gave him the limiter!"
The response from the other four were apparent as Yaone gasped, Dokugakuji and Goku shouted 'what!' and Sanzo's eyes widened slightly as his grip on Hakkai's wrist loosened slightly. "I thought it was Kenshin." The amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously, this time at Dokugakuji and Yaone.
"No, Kenshin didn't know anything about brewing potion." Hakkai tried to calm his heavy breathings, forcing the panic to go down and allowing the cold mask to reappear. But the effort was failing miserably. He wanted to go to Gojyo now! "Gojyo told me that Zean was the brain behind all these schemes. I don't want to know what exactly he put in the supposedly cure."
Sanzo was angry. At Kougaiji's group for cheating them, at Hakkai for trusting Dokugakuji at the first place and at himself for letting Hakkai trust them! He was so damned angry that when he spun around to face both Dokugakuji and Yaone, he was drawing his gun and pointed at them. "And do you fucking know about this?" His tone was silky, slightly shaking with uncontained wrath.
"Yaone?" Dokugakuji asked his comrade so softly. The violet-haired woman shook her head helplessly and that seemed to satisfy him. "We don't. Yaone needed help and I'm not so pleased at the involvement but that left me with no choice. I have to save Gojyo." Dokugakuji gritted his teeth, unable to believe the mess they were in.
They obviously didn't know about Zean's involvement with Kenshin. Sanzo knew that but that didn't mean he was less angry than before.
"Save Gojyo?!!" Sanzo snapped as he lowered the gun, much to Goku's relief. "You'll likely see the damned kappa dead now!" Idiots were all around him and he was grateful that Goku decided to keep quiet now.
"I was there when Zean tested the potion to monkey!" Yaone said, fidgeting with her fingers as guilt nearly choked her. "The specimen appeared to be unaffected by the potion. The potion should be harmless!"
"But Gojyo isn't monkey, is he?!" Goku interjected. He was angry too, now that Gojyo was probably going to get hurt again. He did promise the kappa that he would make sure Kenshin couldn't hurt him again. "How can you make a comparison like that?"
Yaone looked down when Goku asked her the same question she asked herself earlier. She couldn't answer the question. This wasn't going the way it should be.
"Look, can we just go inside!" Hakkai growled loudly and without waiting, he turned around. But as his hand curled around the doorknob, all of them heard a bloodcurdling scream from inside.
The scream was filled with pain and it told them one thing. The cure was indeed a poison.
"GOJYO!!"
"Where the hell did you go, Zean?" Kenshin asked when he finally saw the glimpse of his dark-haired friend walked into the hall. "You've been missing for two damn days."
Zean looked Kenshin. The bandages have been removed and without them to remind the stronger demon about his failure to make Hakkai and Gojyo killed each other, Kenshin regained his arrogance. And that make the raven-haired demon more and more attractive.
The alchemist just shrugged. If Kenshin knew what he was been doing for the past two days, he would kill him for sure. What he didn't know was he had probably discouraged demons to buy the potion by brewing theso-called curefor Gojyo.
"Nothing. I met an old friend, actually."
Kenshin raised a dark eyebrow. "Old friend?"
"She used to study with me." Zean's answer was simple and uninformative.
Kenshin let it go. Not that he was interested what the alchemist did with his time. As long as the potions are ready for selling and he received his money, he was satisfied. Then, he had some unfinished business to settle. Something related to a certain redheaded half-breed.
Zean walked into his laboratory. Closing the door behind him, he looked up at the clock. A sinister smirk appeared. It should be now. If the potion was as he wanted it to be, Gojyo should be screaming in pain right now. He wished he was there to witness the filthy half-breed suffered in his potion but he was not stupid to be there when either of the groups realized it was his doing.
The potion he brewed was especially for the half-breed; after days studying Gojyo's blood, he knew exactly what to do to make the redhead suffered long enough. But if only Yaone wasn't there to scrutinize his every movement and question each ingredient he added, perhaps he could do better. All he knew that the potion he brewed with Yaone was meant to ensure Gojyo's agony would be long enough until the damned half-breed begged for death. And death he shall receive.
But other than that, Zean could be sure of its other side-effects. He hadn't much time to study the potion and with Yaone frowning beside him, he certainly couldn't do much without rousing any suspicion from the violet-haired alchemist.
Then, maybe Kenshin would stop his fucking pursuit and his fucking infatuation! He would find another half-breed that was fat, ugly and dumb to be his mouse lab.
"Oh well…" Zean shrugged and started to continue his work as if for last two days nothing had happened.
As long as Gojyo was dead by the end of this day, any side-effects that he was unable to study would be useless anyway…