By: Insomnia's Child
AN: Minna-san! I have only one thing to say: I am truly sorry for the error in the previous chapter. For those of you who failed to see this (I already edited the last chapter so there won't be any trace of that), I am referring to the…(wince) "niece" part that should've been "nephew". (Do I have the right to place the blame on Kanzeon, since she's the one who keep calling Sanzo "niece"? Hahaha. Just kidding. : D ) Really now, I didn't know what possessed me to make such a huge mistake! Normally, the worst thing that happened to me was a few typos and grammar mistakes, but not something like that. Blame it on the lack of cheesecake, on the guilty part of me (yes, I do have one) that constantly nags me to update, and well, simply moi. xD Here are the answers to the reviews:
Doublelynn: Yes, Goku does have a knack for calling Gojyo names. Yeah, poor him. On the other hand, I'm going to make Goku suffer in this chappie. (evil cackle) Just kidding. :P And I'm glad I was able to influence someone to use weird swear words like that. Lol. (grins)
Wolflover: Thanks. And yes, as I explained a while ago, that was a huge mistake on my part. Sorry! (bangs head on the table) No, I definitely cannot imagine Sanzo as a girl! o0
KotoJuri: Thanks and I'm glad you like the creepy Nii as a snake charmer.
Vivid Mirage: Holy camel! A review! Haha. Just fooling around…Anyway, thanks:P
LazyEgotist: Yeah, I realized I was very wrong. Thanks for being one of the people who pointed that out. (grins)
Azamiko: Haha. Sorry, I can't relate. I'm not a fan of yaoi. Some of my friends have long given up on influencing me. But don't worry; I'm not biased when it comes to matters like that. (smiles)
Mad Maggie: Erm, the explanation is above. Sorry for the nth time. Hope that doesn't discourage you to read this fic…
CHAPTER 4: Market MayhemA scowling prince. A flirtatious redhead. A smiling brunette. A scared looking kid. A dragon. There couldn't have been a stranger group than this one. Everywhere, people looked at them as they passed by, either in curiosity, in awe, or in fear. Who wouldn't? Others thought that the way they walk as if they owned the place (Actually, in Sanzo's case, that's partly true) and with faces spelling that they couldn't care less about the people surrounding them, was boastful manner.
But more than that, if you would look closely, you may notice that something is wrong in the picture. Any guesses? If your answer is the scared looking kid, or something close enough, then yes, by any means, you are correct. (That also means that you have been reading this story almost religiously, which shows my efforts are not put to waste) For indeed, if your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, you should be able to see Goku the Genie, looking every bit as uncomfortable and with an expression of utter horror on his face. Now, most of you would've rolled your eyes at the obviousness of the situation, pointing out that anyone riding beside that ferocious looking blonde was expected to tremble under his glares.
Ahhh, if it only was the case. But anyone who knew the genie Goku would also know that he did not fear anyone, especially the mentioned blonde, Sanzo. But camels, however, are an exception. Yes, the same energetic boy who had managed to drive the entire palace household crazy with his silly antics and troublemaking ways, was afraid of camels, possibly the most harmless creatures on Earth aside from giraffes. The thought was both preposterous yet hilarious. Apparently, it was the first time Goku had the opportunity to ride a camel and I'm sure that that day was one that the four boys would never forget.
It was past noon when Sanzo had finally convinced the others to go with him to meet the famous thieves at the marketplace. That is, after the long monkey versus cockroach fight was over. It was a good thing Hakkai was there to stop Gojyo from murdering Goku or else Sanzo would really turn into an old wrinkled man as Gojyo always say. It also added to the redhead's obvious displeasure that he spent hours trying to get rid of the ink on his face, only to result with a face as red as a cherry.
"Gojyo's blushing! Gojyo's blushing!" Goku sang under his breath, grinning wickedly.
Gojyo replied by proposing World War II. And then the cycle began again. Goku was shouting, Gojyo was punching, Hakkai was pleading and Sanzo, well, he just yelled in a God-like voice, "Stop!" with matching death looks, and everything went back to normal.
Then, he motioned for them to go.
Of course, Gojyo had objected and even Hakkai told him it wasn't safe. But frankly, Sanzo didn't care. The way Queen Kanzeon smiled at him whenever he was scolding Goku was sickening. Besides, the palace walls were once again starting to suffocate him and he definitely needed to get out for fresh air. But of course, one thing he didn't consider was the fact that Son Goku was coming with them. Alas, I would predict that in the next few hours, Sanzo would come to a realization that listening to Gojyo for once would not hurt.
The genie's eyes popped open once he saw today's mode of transportation. A camel. He knew there was nothing entirely wrong with it, except for the fact that it made him undergo several reactions and he had to endure the sickening feeling at the pit of his stomach. He wasn't even hungry this time. "Erm…Sanzo?" he asked tentatively.
"I'm not sharing my camel with you," was the Prince's crisp reply.
"Its not that…" Goku said. The last thing on his mind was being in close contact with the blonde, seeing that his head had already suffered from all the bruises inflicted by Sanzo.
"What then?"
Goku bit his lip. "I don't want to ride on a hunchback. Handicapped animals shouldn't be subjected to pain," he said, his sad golden eyes fixed on the ground. Then beaming proudly, he added, "Hakkai taught me that." He also forgot to mention the fact that the camel was bringing forth odd reactions from him. Like when he tried to go near it, his body didn't want to comply and he could feel himself freezing up.
Gojyo laughed like a madman. "Hunchback?" he sputtered.
"Handicapped?" Sanzo exclaimed. He didn't know whether to glare or look weirdly at Goku. Truly, the monkey had proved his theory. Genies were dumb.
"Me?" Hakkai said.
Goku frowned as he peered at the other's faces. "What? Did I say something wrong?" he asked innocently, which only brought more laughter from Gojyo's part.
"Ah, you see, Goku…" Hakkai started, devising the best way to break it to the genie without confusing him and bringing forth a dozen and so questions at him. "Camels are…made like that, with lumps. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they're handicapped. And the term isn't exactly…well…hunchbacks."
"But why would someone make them like that? That's injustice! Weren't you telling me a while ago that animals shouldn't be tortured? Why is it that they're like that then?" Goku asked, looking at Hakkai as a student looked at his teacher.
Hakkai did his best really, and even attempted to explain to Goku the way a camel's body function and all kinds of things, but sadly, the concept was lost to the golden-eyed boy. He shouldn't really be blamed, since it wasn't his fault he has short attention span and time-to-time his thoughts would drift to other things long enough not to get what Hakkai meant. Finally, he said, "I don't get it."
"We noticed," Sanzo said dryly.
"Look, can we just forget all about that and go now? The girls are waiting for me," Gojyo said.
Goku, however, was looking at the camel as if one move would cause it to bite him. "Do we really have to ride that?" he said in a whisper.
"Why, I didn't know you're such a coward, stupid monkey," Gojyo teased, savoring the few seconds wherein anger flashed on Goku's face. "Stupid coward monkey! Stupid coward monkey!"
Goku's face flushed. "I'm NOT a coward, and a monkey! I'm not afraid of camels either!" he exclaimed, although it was clearly written on his face that he was, indeed, afraid of the animal.
"Who're you fooling? If you're not a liar, then prove it! Ride that camel," Gojyo said, smirking as Goku's features contorted into an expression of horror.
"I-I…I can't!" Goku wailed.
"Why ever not?"
Goku stared at the ground, hoping it would swallow him whole. It was better than admitting to Gojyo that he wasn't too comfortable with camels. "I'm…. I'm allergic to camels," he finished lamely.
"And who's believing you, Mr. Pinocchio?" Gojyo said with a grin.
Goku just pouted and looked persuasively at Sanzo and Hakkai, who were standing a good foot from them, so as not to suffer from their loud wailings. "Can't we ride Hakuryuu instead?" he begged.
"I'm afraid not, Goku. Think of what the people would say once they see us riding a magic carpet to the marketplace. The last thing we need right now, especially when meeting with Li-I mean, someone, would be to draw attention to ourselves," Hakkai explained as he stroked his pet dragon, which was resting on his shoulder.
"But…"
"Get on the camel, you genie," Sanzo ordered.
"No!"
And thus began for the conquest for the best method to make Goku ride a camel. Somehow, despite Hakkai's lengthy explanation, his mind still firmly believed that camels are slaves and by riding on it, he was only adding more pain to the creature. All in all, it had taken all of Sanzo's threats and Hakkai's coaxing coupled with Gojyo's laughter to make him agree. Sanzo almost killed him in the process.
"Eeeeeek!" Goku had screamed once his body came in contact with the camel. He felt the animal's lump at the exact same moment he decided that riding camels was definitely not comfortable. It also didn't help that Sanzo was staring at him as if to say that one more shout and he would be history. Goku would have had no problem obeying him, except for the teeny tiny fact that the camel started to move. Now.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
At that moment, all people, Sanzo in particular, wished they hadn't got ears. It would have been such a comical sight, Goku looking every bit as harassed while riding a camel; except for the fact that they were afraid their eardrums would crack. ("It's understandable to be scared to a fast horse, but not a slow, turtle-like camel," Gojyo had whispered to Hakkai) It was one thing to have someone screaming as if he was burning in a stake, but it was even worse when said person was only several inches away from you. Regardless of that matter, what happened only proved that the genie's companions were indeed blessed by the gods, because by any means, they survived the trip, all the while enduring a certain monkey's wails. Which brings us back to the topic of the famous four walking the sidewalks of the Tougenkyo market…
"Sanzo! Sanzo! Sanzo! Buy me this! And this! Oh, and that one too!"
Goku was having the time of his life, seeing twice as many foods than in the kitchens. His face brightened. In all his many years of existence, he had never seen such a lively crowd. Everything was new for him, the scents, the people wandering about, and the place. And it excited him. He could feel the adrenaline rushing to him like waters from a waterfall.
"Someone's enjoying himself," Gojyo said, grinning sadistically as he stood beside a grumpy Sanzo who was trying to shake off Goku's attempts to lure him at a nearby fruits stall.
"I could say the same for you," Hakkai told him as he watched a couple of young girls in veils staring at his tanned friend with shy smiles and flushed cheeks. Sure, Gojyo was widely known for chasing women, but that doesn't necessarily mean that women don't chase after him too, although Sanzo would like to differ.
Gojyo grinned. "Can't help it if we're popular," he said as he winked at the girls' direction, almost making them faint with happiness.
Hakkai laughed. "Go. Better not to keep them waiting," he said. He did wish for his friend's happiness, but more than that, the peace that would occur if Gojyo stayed away from Goku and Sanzo. He was sure the crowd at the marketplace wouldn't appreciate another special performance from the three.
"Don't mind if I do," said a happy Gojyo. And in a blink of an eye, he was already gone, probably to go declaring self-made love quotes and practicing his kissing skills on those poor, unfortunate girls.
(AN: Poor Unfortunate Soul sang by Ursula from The Little Mermaid playing in the background. Lol. Just kidding. : P)
Hakkai's thoughts were interrupted by a frustrated shout that could only come from Sanzo. Glancing at him, he noticed immediately that their dear Prince was in another one of his bad moods. And although Hakkai didn't know exactly what caused this, he did know that it had something to do with Goku. "Is something wrong, Sanzo?" he asked.
"The brat is missing," Sanzo managed to say through gritted teeth. He had only turned his back on him for a fraction of a second because he just couldn't stand the way he was devouring the watermelon. It was disgusting, to say the least, especially once seen through the eyes of a person who was taught table manners. But then when he looked in his direction, he found the genie gone.
"Maybe he went to find Gojyo. Or have you looked hard enough?" Hakkai said, carefully choosing his words so as not to anger the Prince more.
"You dare suggest that that stupid monkey went to find Gojyo, of all people? Weren't you present when the two tried to kill each other this morning?" Prince Sanzo exclaimed. Just he wait, because once he sees Goku he would give him the worst beating of his life.
Hakkai laughed. "Yes, yes. I believe everyone saw it," he said.
Suddenly, Sanzo was struck by a brilliant idea. Maybe…just maybe… A tiny smile appeared on his face. "Tch. What trouble. Let's just let him be. If he wants to run away, then no one's stopping him. After all, I have no need for people like him," he said. That way, he would finally be free from that genie's clutches and no one would even blame him for it. Just the thought of having his old life back made him smile again.
But unfortunately for him, Hakkai had other plans. "Now, now, Sanzo. Don't be a selfish prince. We all like Goku's company, even though Gojyo would rather die than tell that out loud. And I don't think he would appreciate being left behind. He'll get ten times more hyper active and annoying to you if you do that," he said as politely as possible, but there was a certain edge to his tone that Sanzo didn't like.
Sanzo glared at Hakkai for all he was worth. He was this close to freedom from the Prince of all Annoying Genies and he didn't want anyone, much less the royal advisor, in his way. "I believe I know what's good enough for me. I don't need your advice on his matter," he said stonily.
"Ah, as you wish, Sanzo. I'm very sure Her Majesty would understand that you lost Goku because you didn't even bother to search for him," Hakkai said, smiling.
Sanzo clenched his fists. So it seemed Hakkai was now playing Follow the Leader, a game that no one, not even he could escape. And today, as luck would have it, Hakkai had the upper hand. Sanzo wasn't a fool to risk Hakkai telling this piece of information to his aunt. She was sure to torture him more often and he, an innocent prince, would never hear the end of it. He mentally cursed Goku for even being attached to Hakkai, for judging from the advisor's actions; he clearly cared for the genie now. "Do not, and I repeat, do not tell this to her. Ever," he growled.
"Of course," Hakkai said, clearly pleased that Sanzo had finally complied. Of course he really didn't plan on telling it to Queen Kanzeon, since he wasn't very good with swords, and by the time he learned how to handle one, Sanzo had long cut off his head. "Now shall we search for him?"
"Only because I want to slice him to pieces when I see him," was Sanzo's inaudible reply.
Hakkai smiled. It wasn't until now that he discovered the magical powers that one could have when bluffing.
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Sanzo had only been searching for any signs of the genie for only a few minutes, but he could already feel a headache brewing inside of him. He had already cursed Goku, Hakkai, Gojyo and all the other irritating people on his hate list, but by the time he had already finished mentioning every single one of them, he still hadn't seen him. He will have to deal with those thieves later, for they can wait. Right now, as each minute passed, Sanzo could feel his anger rising. He verily wanted to slice everyone he meet with his ruthless sword in order to relieve his anger. Too bad he was the future ruler of this kingdom….
"Damn Hakkai," he muttered under his breath. When Sanzo was forced to comply, Hakkai had immediately left him on his own, saying that he would first try to find Gojyo and persuade him to join for the search for Goku. But Sanzo highly doubted that the cockroach would be stupid enough to agree. But if he ever did, that only proves that he was a total idiot.
Just then, a flash of brown caught his eye. Squinting closely, Sanzo saw it was a boy, a brown haired boy, moving at a fast speed. Aha. He found him at last. With this knowledge, his anger only raised a few notches, and without wasting time, he ran and pushed through the crowd. He managed to catch up with him, and grabbed a hold of his shirt in order to keep him from getting away.
"You stupid, stupid monkey!" Sanzo bellowed in a voice that was sure to reach the heavens. "What the hell do you think you're doing, running away like that? Do you know how much trouble you've caused me? I'm going to dump you on a boiling pot and feed you to Gojyo!" He then used Goku as a punching bag, mercilessly beating him with his sword, not even caring if he broke Goku's bones in the process. All he knew was that he was mad, so mad that all he could see was red.
Only then when Goku exclaimed "Ouch!" did he realize his grave mistake. He immediately realized that that voice couldn't belong to the same genie he had been hunting. He blinked several times, and to his horror, he realized that in his anger, he had grabbed the wrong boy. What stood in front of him was another boy, with wide eyes fixed on Sanzo, trembling and looking the entire world like a scared, trapped mouse. Surrounding them were a crowd of people who had seen him hurt the boy, some muttering words such as "Child abuse", "Madman" and "Should we call the authorities?"
"P…please sir…I don't know what you're talking about!" the boy stammered, trying his best not to cry.
Sanzo felt like kicking himself in the shins. It was a good thing Gojyo wasn't there to witness this, or else he would've died with laughter, teasing him to no end about being blind. He quickly released his grip on the boy. With the last ounce of his dignity, he walked off, not even bothering to apologize, for his pride would never allow him that.
And now, Sanzo continued his search, this time ten times madder than before.
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On the other side of the planet, the object of Sanzo's anger was strolling the streets, absorbing everything he laid eyes on. For the first time in his life, he felt free. It was unlike anything he had experienced. All this excitement, it was teasing him, telling him that there was much more things to explore. Goku welcomed and relished the feeling. He was glad that for even a moment, his thoughts weren't centered on his five hundred years of imprisonment.
Goku sniffed the air. He was sure he had smelled corn being cooked a while ago, but now that he went were his nose had led him, he couldn't find the source. But despite his hunger, he didn't dwell on it much longer. After all, he did manage to spot a stall selling bananas, now one of his favorite fruits, thanks to Hakkai, the one who introduced it to him yesterday.
Grinning in delight, he exclaimed, "Sanzo! Can you buy me bananas? I'll grant you a wish if you feed me!" He was about to grasp his keeper's hand only to realize that there was no hand to begin with. Blinking, he stared at the empty spot where he thought Sanzo was.
"Sanzo?" he called out. Where could he have gone? As far as he could remember, he was just beside him a minute ago. Searching the sea of people with his keen eyes, he couldn't find a single trace of the blonde prince. His heart started to beat faster and all he could think about was that Sanzo had disappeared. All hints of excitement vanished in an instant. The place he was in was not familiar and without Sanzo, he didn't know what to do.
"SANZO!" Goku yelled, this time with more urgency. When he finally accepted the fact that the Prince was not going to answer, he tried to retrace his footsteps. But he couldn't tell the difference between the original stall where he and Sanzo bought a watermelon, for there were a dozen or so similar stalls.
"Sanzo! Hakkai! Gojyo!"
His body felt limp. He was lost. And hungry. Sanzo would scold him to hell and back once he caught sight of him. That is, if they ever met again. Goku felt another strange feeling growing inside of him. He tried to be optimistic by thinking that maybe they were already searching for him, but he couldn't help but think back to those times wherein Sanzo always yell about getting rid of him.
"Sanzo…" he whispered again.
But he snapped out of his daze when he felt a person collide with him, causing them to fall on the hard ground. "Ouch!" he muttered as the stranger's head pressed on his hand.
When he tried to get up, his gaze however, did not waver to the stranger. Instead, he found a banana, the very thing he was craving for, lying innocently on the ground, unpeeled. Not being able to resist the temptation and the constant pleas of his stomach, Goku grabbed it happily, all thoughts about his companions flying out of the window. "Delicious!" he said as he took a bite.
However, he was surprised when someone punched him in the face. "What the heck…" Goku mumbled as he stared wide-eyed at the girl who dared attack him. It was the stranger whom he had bumped into. She was the same height as her, with reddish orange hair that hung in curls.
"That's my banana, you thief!" she screeched as her eyes glinted madly upon the sight of her half-eaten fruit. She tried to wrestle it from him, but was surprised at Goku's strength.
"Let go!" the girl exclaimed.
But we all know that Goku was never one to give up on food. Especially food that happened to appear out of nowhere. "I found it!" he told her as he increased the grip on the fruit. "Go find your own food!"
"That's mine! I stole, I mean, bought it a while ago!" the stranger whined. "Give it back, jerk!"
"No! Besides, do you still want to eat a banana which has someone's saliva on it?" Goku asked, hoping against hope that she would just give up. He didn't think he could hold on much longer, since the girl was now pinching his right arm. And it hurt.
"Lirin!"
Lucky for them both, a guy, presumably a friend or relative of the girl named Lirin, came walking towards them. Now, Goku should've been concentrating on his banana, but he couldn't help but look up at the owner of the voice. His eyes widened. It wasn't because of the person's perfect tanned skin, his slanted violet eyes, his dark red hair, the muscles showing on his arms, or the clothes that he wore that startled him, but rather the impact of the powerful aura that seemed to surround him. Goku had no second thoughts about this man being far from ordinary.
"Brother!" Lirin happily exclaimed as she jumped and greeted him with an enthusiastic wave of her hand.
The stranger looked sternly at the girl. "Haven't I told you before not to go picking fights with peasants in streets?" he reprimanded.
"Hey!" Goku protested. He was so tired of people calling him names such as "stupid monkey". All he wanted was to be acknowledged as the genie Goku. Was it so hard to ask? "For your information, I'm not a peasant!"
"Oh really? Then what are you?"
Goku grinned. "I'm-" But before he could even finished his sentence, someone interrupted him.
"A stupid monkey. That's what he is."
Turning to his right, Goku looked in relief at the approaching figure of Gojyo, Hakkai and Sanzo, all who seemed like they had the worst day of their lives. Sanzo, above all, was looking more stressed than usual and Goku hoped it wasn't because of him. He didn't even bother to argue with Gojyo for calling him a monkey once again, for he was far too busy feeling happy that they didn't abandon him at all.
"Guys!"
To Goku's astonishment, it wasn't only him who shouted that word. Lirin was now waving frantically at them as she bounced on her toes, gesturing them to come quickly.
"You…you know them?" Goku said in disbelief. Sure, he would've accepted the fact that Gojyo and Hakkai knew the girl, since they were at some level considered the friendly type, but he had never thought Sanzo, the anti-social, "Don't touch me" Sanzo, would socialize with market people.
"Well, duh!" Lirin said, rolling her eyes. She still hasn't forgiven him for stealing her banana. "How come you know them?"
Goku shrugged. "I live with them," he answered.
Lirin's eyes bulged. Her jaw dropped to the floor. "Hey, baldy Sanzo! This can't be the new companion we heard you have, right?" she said, pointing to Goku as Sanzo and the others neared them.
But Sanzo never replied. Instead, he walked up to Goku and smashed his fist on his head several times until he was satisfied, ignoring Goku's exclamation of pain. This time, he did make sure that it was the real genie. "Why did you go disappearing like that? Don't you know that you drove us NUTS?" he yelled at the top of his voice.
"Sanzo!" Goku whined. He was far too beaten up to move properly. "I'm sorry! And that really hurt, you know…"
"Serves you right," Sanzo muttered.
"Yeah! I'm going to kill you, you stupid monkey! If it weren't for you and your disappearing acts, then maybe I would've had at least a nice time with all those young girls!" Gojyo said, scowling.
"It's not my fault you're a pervert!"
"And it's not my fault you're under the care of the corrupt prince!"
"Shut up! Don't you dare bring me into your stupid argument!" Sanzo yelled. He promptly gave them a loud "Thwack" on the head coupled with a few curses that Hakkai had to cover Goku's innocent ears in order for him not to hear it.
"Good afternoon to you too, Sanzo."
Sanzo met the violet eyes of Kougaiji. Fiery demeanor? Check. Intimidating attitude? Check. Prince of thieves? Check. Lirin's elder brother? Check. Yes, there is no wonder, this is definitely THE Kougaiji I was talking about a few days back. The one who had almost driven Gyoukumen Koushu to the brink of insanity and the one person that the local authorities have never managed to capture. So it was really quite ironic that he was the very person the Prince of Tougenkyo was meeting.
"Kougaiji," Sanzo simply said, inclining his head in his own version of a greeting. It startled him that Kougaiji and Lirin didn't even bother disguising themselves when going out to such a public place such as the marketplace, where their names were always the topic of discussions by vendors. In fact, he was even more surprised that no one was chasing after them right now. But he guessed that the Prince of Thieves has his own reasons.
"Where's the rest of your merry little group?" Gojyo asked lazily.
"Back at the hideout," was Kougaiji's terse reply.
"I believe you have something you wish to discuss with us?" Hakkai said as he eyed him.
"Yes. And it concerns your new companion," Kougaiji replied. His gaze rested on Goku, who was having another fight with Lirin. But when he spoke, the two stopped arguing and looked at him, Goku curiously and Lirin proudly.
"You," Kougaiji said.
"Me?" Goku asked, blinking innocently.
"Yes, you. What is your name?" Kougaiji asked.
"Goku," Goku happily supplied.
Kougaiji surveyed Goku as if he was looking for something that was hard to find. It made the genie uncomfortable and he began shifting in his gaze, growing more and more nervous. Finally, Kougaiji looked back up at Sanzo. "He's a fine genie," he stated.
Sanzo narrowed his eyes. So the bastard knew… It wasn't the first time the man had surprised him, which was probably one of the reasons why Sanzo had managed to tolerate him for years. One could be so bold as to say the Prince respected him, but that would be going too far. "How did you know?" he wanted to know.
Kougaiji allowed a fraction of a smile to grace his face. "Haven't you learned anything from associating with us, Prince?" he said.
"Damn. You guys are so annoying," Gojyo mumbled, scowling. "If you even know how many women I had managed to attract so far, I'm going to start to think that you guys are from another planet."
"I know how many women you have, Mr. Red Eyes. I've just seen you kiss a maid last night at the servants' quarters," Lirin declared proudly, failing to see the warning signals from Gojyo to shut her mouth. But it was too late.
"Why Gojyo," Hakkai said, feigning shock. "I didn't know you even do those things with maids."
Gojyo glared at him. "Hey! She was pretty, you know!" he carped.
Sanzo snorted. "Just don't get too near us, you pervert. We don't want your disease affecting us."
"You…!"
Luckily, Kougaiji cleared his throat and brought their attention back to him. "I would have loved to watch your little play, but I don't have all day. Now, if you would allow us, Sanzo, I wish to speak with the genie alone at camp. You can come too," he said.
Sanzo didn't need telling twice that there was definitely something going on. What was Kougaiji up to this time? And why did it involve Goku? It didn't particularly sound good but he trusted Kougaiji enough to know he wouldn't do anything stupid. "I don't care. Ask him. I'm not his fucking keeper, you know," he said, annoyed.
"Well?" Kougaiji said, looking expectantly at Goku, who had absolutely no clue on what to do or say.
Goku searched Sanzo's face for any signs of anger, but all he saw was annoyance. If Sanzo didn't care…and this Kougaiji guy knows him…and he doesn't sound like such a bad guy…. He thought. "Okay," he said, nodding his head. Then he turned to Hakkai and the others. "You're going with us, right?"
Hakkai smiled reassuringly. "If you wish," he simply said.
Lirin, whose anger for Goku had dissipated once she realized he was the genie under Sanzo's care, beamed at Goku. "That's great. I can't wait to show you our hideout. It's really cool! And you get to meet the other people too! They've been dying to meet you," she said enthusiastically.
"What people?" Goku asked curiously.
"Thieves."
Goku's eyes widened considerably at this revelation.
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The first thing that Gojyo had in mind when he arrived at the tavern was to find a pretty lady, preferably one who looked a lot like the girl he was flirting with at the marketplace, order good old wine and simply relax, something that had become rare these days even for such a carefree person like him. Well, if it weren't for the most annoying creature on earth, he thought bitterly at he glanced at Goku at the corner of his eye. He was still rambling on and on about Lirin and the others being thieves and kept muttering things such as "I can't believe it!" over and over again, so much that Sanzo had to threaten him twice before his voice was reduced to a whisper. No, it wasn't because Goku disapproved of stealing and was a little bit like Hakkai, the only person who still has regard for the law sometimes, but because he thought their jobs were pretty cool. Gojyo grinned. Monkeys were great thieves. Maybe he should talk Kougaiji and his gang into adopting him.
"Gojyo."
A tap of his shoulder brought the redhead's attention to the man in front of him. His short dark hair contrasted with his white clothes and turban. A sword could also be seen decorating his hip. And when he looked at Gojyo, his dead eyes somehow softened. This, people, is Sha Gojyo's elder brother. He's real name is Sha Jien, but when he started working as Kougaiji's personal bodyguard and part thief several years ago, a couple of years after Gojyo was finally declared Sanzo's right hand man; his name changed to Dokugakuji. I'm sure that the first question that came to mind is why is it that these two look nothing like each other. Well, that's partly because they were only half-brothers, but one should not dismiss that thought easily, because despite this fact, the two remain as bonded as ever, especially because Dokugakuji was largely involved in Gojyo's past, and he alone knew the secrets behind Gojyo's scars and constant hatred for his hair and eye color.
"Doku," Gojyo greeted, flashing him a grin. "I haven't see you in a while. Been running errands for your prince again, eh?"
Dokugakuji sat on the empty stool opposite Gojyo and smirked. "Not really. More like exploring the world," he said coolly as he surveyed the crowd of laughing men and women, some of which were already drunk.
Gojyo snorted and ran his hands through his hair. "You lucky guy," he muttered.
"So…" His brother started. Gojyo, having known his brother all his life, knew there was something going on in that brain of his. His next words proved him correct. "Where's the guy everyone here's been talking about lately? Is it true that he's a bit…special?"
Rolling his eyes, Gojyo pointed at a table a little far from them, where two very loud animals, I mean, people were talking, or rather, shouting at each other animatedly. Lirin was sharing her job experiences to an awed Goku who seemed to hang on to her every word. Let us all pity the people quietly suffering near the energetic duo, which include Yaone who was trying her best to beat the always lucky Hakkai when it comes to cards, and an almost exploding Sanzo who was having a staring match with Kougaiji.
"That's stupid monkey's special, alright. He's the only one who had managed to drive all three of us, including Sanzo, to the brink of insanity. You won't believe what he did to my face this morning! And god…have you seen him eat? He's worse than a pig! Damn. For the first time in my whole life, I envy you guys. At least Lirin can be tolerable. Well, sometimes…" Gojyo ranted.
Dokugakuji's smirk deepened. "It seems like you and the genie have truly bonded," he told him, a smile pasted on his face.
But Gojyo wasn't listening. His eyes were fixed on the figures of Goku and the others, who had ceased what they were doing. Even Lirin was looking serious for once. All attention was on Kougaiji, who seemed to be saying something. Then Gojyo saw Kougaiji stand up and leave with a reluctant yet curious genie.
"So…do you have any idea of what that was all about? What does your leader wants with Goku?" Gojyo couldn't help but ask. He knew his brother knew something. Surely, he wasn't to expect that Kougaiji would be inviting Goku to join their little stealing club? Though that would produce benefits. Sanzo would be thorough pleased, no doubt, so perhaps Gojyo could get away with his insults without meeting the infamous sword hilt face to face.
Dokugakuji grinned. "You're still as impatient as ever. Why don't you just ask your friend about it later? Besides, I'm not sure I should speak of top secret information to you," he told his brother, whose eyes had gone a bit glassy with thinking of all the good insults that he could hurl at Sanzo when "the day" comes.
"Prince of the camels…Blonde hunchback…" Gojyo muttered, lost in his own world.
Dokugakuji gave him an odd look as he observed Gojyo. 'Damn. The blonde prince was right. He really have mental issues.'
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Goku followed Kougaiji obediently down a dark, secret passageway that only the most trusted thieves knew about; occasionally stopping by to observe the displays and paintings hanging on the walls. For a group of people who rely on such a dirty job to feed their stomachs, they sure were wealthy.
He didn't really know why the Prince of Thieves wanted to have a talk alone with him. Something told him (and it probably was the look on Sanzo's face) that people like him don't usually go to marketplaces without risking their lives. So why was he, the most important person on this side of the city aside from Sanzo, so interested in him? Goku could only wonder.
He sneaked a look at Kougaiji, whose stoic face was as unreadable as ever, especially now that the torches attached to the wall provided most of the light, as there were no windows to begin with. His footsteps were light and soundless and Goku felt the need to wince every time his feet made loud, thumping noises.
Finally, they stopped in front of a set of doors and Kougaiji told Goku, "Come in" and went inside the largest one without so much as a glance back. Once again, Goku was astounded at the room he was in. It wasn't flashy like the hallways, and definitely not as grand as the palace rooms, but there was something in its simplicity that stood out.
"Sit down," Kougaiji said formally as he motioned to the stiff wooden chairs beside the bedside table.
Goku gladly obliged. He squirmed uncomfortably in his seat and felt like a prey being watched by a predator. "You…wanted to talk about something?" he asked, unsure of how to begin. It wasn't because he didn't like being alone with Kougaiji, but because he was so eager to get back to the inn to satiate his appetite.
Kougaiji nodded and Goku took that as a good sign. "Yes," he replied curtly and gazed unwaveringly into Goku's golden eyes. "You are a genie, are you not?"
To simply put it, Goku was both surprised and confused. Not many people can distinguish a genie immediately, unless of course the genie himself told him that vital piece of information, and Goku, under Sanzo's direct orders, never told anyone that he was a genie. But maybe Gojyo or Hakkai let it slip this afternoon….
"Do not worry. It was my resources that told me of your true identity," Kougaiji said, as if sensing his troubles.
Goku sighed with relief. "That's good," he breathed.
"As a genie, I believe you grant wishes?" Kougaiji said and there was something with his words that further confused Goku.
"Yeeees…But only if you give me food!" Goku chirped with a grin.
Kougaiji's attention turned elsewhere. "Do you see that painting over there?" The way he said it sounded like he was…hesitant?
But Goku paid no heed to that. He stared at the portrait of a smiling woman that was decorating the bedroom wall. She was very elegant, with defined features. Her hair was long and decorated her face beautifully. But what seemed to brighten the whole painting was her smile, pure and speaking of all the words that were best left unsaid. But Goku felt that there was still something missing in the picture, something that he hadn't figured out.
"She's beautiful," he whispered as he gawked at the painting as if hypnotized.
"She's…my mother," Kougaiji managed to say. His words were laced with a mixture of bitterness, longing and pride, although it was hard to determine which is which, since he was not by any means an open person.
The genie was shocked. His mother? Now that he think of it, the woman does resembles Kougaiji a bit. Why didn't he notice before? But what was even more earth shattering was the fact that Kougaiji shared this information to him. What was he thinking, exactly? "Where is she?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Dead."
For a while, there was a deafening silence that threatened to break the room apart. Nobody moved or spoke. It was as if someone grabbed the remote control and switched everything off, so what would be left are several statues, frozen, with not a thing to say.
"I want you to revive her."
Goku blinked. And blinked. And blinked. Did Kougaiji just tell him what he thought he said? Or was this one of the effects of too much staring at the ground? From what he could gather about the Prince of thieves, he was not one to beg. Well, he wasn't exactly begging him, since his tone still spoke of authority, but to ask him a favor… "Re-revive?" he stammered.
"Yes. In return, I will give you as many food as you want," Kougaiji told him.
Goku bit his lip. The idea sounds very tempting. After all, where would you find a person who would willingly give you food that could feed an entire continent in return for a thing that he could easily do with a snap of his fingers? Who would think that being a genie means being faced with consequences that could lead to your death? If he didn't obey Kougaiji, he would kill him, or close enough. But if he did obey, he was sure that Sanzo would never forgive him. And that was the last thing he ever wanted to happen. "Umm…" he said, scratching his head and trying to think of the right answer to preserve his life. "I…"
Kougaiji gave him a look that clearly stated that he only had a minute to decide on his final answer.
"I don't think I can do it," Goku finally admitted. There. He said it.
Kougaiji glared angrily at Goku. "What do you mean you couldn't do it? Do you need more food?" he said silently.
Goku looked anywhere but Kougaiji's eyes. "I…it's against the rules. I can't bring people back from the dead, even if someone, my master or not, wishes for it. That's because my magic is only limited to people who are still living. To go beyond my limitations would be to sentence myself to a fate worse than death," he said. He also forgot to mention the fact that Hakkai taught him that doing stuff like necromancy is like cheating death. And since Goku had self-declared Hakkai as his teacher, he was inclined to believe what he told him.
Goku was pretty sure that he would get strangled for saying this, or that Kougaiji would at least be thoroughly depressed and angry, but he wasn't prepared for what he saw. The red haired man was not in any way mad. In fact, he looked the way he was before he asked him to resurrect his mother. And if his eyes weren't deceiving him, he also acted as if he had already expected this answer from him, another thing that brought Kougaiji to Goku's Top Ten Mysterious People list.
"I see," Kougaiji finally spoke. He gracefully stood up and Goku soon followed. "We have nothing else to talk about. Let's go back and rejoin the others. Forget about what I had just said and not a word of this to anyone. If I find you discussing this matter with anyone, even that dragon pet of yours, I know where to find you."
Goku had the feeling that, try as he might, he would never forget about this very weird conversation he had with a certain thief.
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"State your purpose."
"I have brought good news for our lord. Please let me in."
This is the Kobah Tower, the tallest tower in all of Tougenkyo, lying on the south most heart of the Kingdom. But do not be mistaken, for this is no tourist attraction. It would take one from Chang'An at most three days in order to reach the place and the only route available would be to pass by the dirtiest streets known to mankind, where only robbers, poor diseased people, and the mentally unstable could be seen infesting the place, not to mention, the most disgusting of all creatures, namely; all kinds of cockroaches, rats and other insects and pests. For this alone, only the bravest of souls dared to come here.
A trembling young man entered the main chambers. It wasn't like any other reception rooms. The area was pitch black, with only the flickering light of a dying candle to lighten the place. Dark curtains the color of midnight black covered the windows and the smell of ashes and death hung in the air. But the sight that would never be forgotten was that of a man, positioned on a red cushion, with cruel eyes that could haunt you in your dreams. From his body you might easily judge him as weak, but do not make the same mistake as many others, for he was known to be ruthless and as sharp as a newly forged sword. He had a cunning mind that of a fox that had served its use in several intense situations, and he was a man who had never feared death.
"What information from the North do you have for me?"
His voice alone was creepy and the scared man felt as if spiders were crawling on his spine. "I have…heard rumors regarding a…certain magical creature in town," he mumbled, fear evident in his voice. He made sure to be careful not to do anything to anger his master, for he was a witness to the man's instrument of torture.
"You think that rumors are worth my attention?"
"That…that's not what I meant my lord…For-forgive me!"
"Just go on."
"Th-thank you, my lord," the man gave a bow and continued, "They said…they said there's a genie that is currently under the care of the royal family, and that his Highness the Prince himself showed special…interest in him."
"A…genie, you say?"
The poor man was pleased to hear the interested tone in his master's voice. "Yes, my lord. This genie is said to be able to grant anyone's wishes and is extremely powerful."
"A friend of the Prince, eh? And very powerful? That would be something new…And do have any proof for this?"
"Yes, of course my lord. In fact, I myself saw him yesterday at the marketplace. And he was with the company of the royal trio no less."
The man's master stroked his chin. "Interesting…" he murmured as he dismissed the man. Then, gazing at the star filled sky, one thought crossed his mind as his lips quirked into a smile.
'I will have that genie.'
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Chapter 5 (title not yet decided):
So someone wants to steal Goku eh? We'll find out more about him (But I think you already know who it is, right:P) Meanwhile, Sanzo and the others feel as if they were being watched. What is up with that? And who is another of those insane people that they would meet?
(Tentative summary)
AN: Gomen nasai, guys, for the very, very, very late update! Geometry is sucking all my brain cells (it didn't help that I failed the long test) and all the other activities in school made me so busy I had no time to type this story. And to add to my misery, last week, when my mind was fixed on updating, my computer bugged down, and although it was fixed two days after, the damage was done. All my beloved files, including the latest chapter for this fic, were erased. So yeah, saying that I was suffering through these tough weeks are an understatement. I hope the lengthy explanation made you guys remove me from your hate list…:D You may also have realized that this is the longest chapter so far, but that was only because it took so long for me to update, and well, new ideas are formed through time, right? And I was just wondering, because a (lazy…lol) friend of mine pointed it out a while ago about the inconvenience of my very loooong chapters, so what do you think? Should I stick with this length, or should I make it shorter?