MONKEY IN A BOTTLE
By: Insomnia's Child
AN: Wow. I am stunned. After almost a year of abandonment, I finally updated. Sorry for the abnormally and dismally long wait, everyone. I never thought it'd be like this long, but oh well. School kept me busy. But now that it's vacation, I'm on a roll. grins
CHAPTER 5: Poison's Veil
Footsteps.
The sound of steady footsteps against the carpeted floor reached his ears, and he listened as it echoed off along the corridors. Briefly, he noted that whoever was responsible for those footsteps had a confident, almost regal, air about him (as he was sure that the intruder was a man).
At first he thought it was Sanzo, for he was the only one whom he thought would seek him out in his chambers this late at night, in order to chastise him for his behavior earlier at dinner (which consisted of much verbal arguments, the beginnings of another food fight and a great lot of other embarrassing things). However, he noticed that the person approaching him smelled nothing like his master; while Sanzo smelled of smoke and sandalwood, the stranger had with him the scent of ashes, soil, and most shocking of all – death.
And as the door to his room opened, revealing the figure of a tall, dark-haired man with a smile that seemed out of place, he knew immediately that he had been right. This man before him gave off a powerful, dangerous aura, tinted with a little bit of malice.
"Ah…How good to finally meet you in the flesh…Son Goku…"
The way he said his name…It sounded so wrong, as though he wasn't supposed to say it out loud, and it caused a tiny prickle of uneasiness to coil within his belly.
"Who…are you?"
Silence.
As though his voice had some sort of effect, he felt his surroundings change. The familiar white walls and warm bed morphed into the endless swirls of nothingness. He felt himself falling, and falling, and falling...his mouth formed as though to scream…his whole body being dragged by invisible strings.
Subsequently, he felt himself slowly land. The area was still and pitch black, revealing nothing of what had become of the man he saw earlier. Was he just a mere hallucination? He doubted it. But where was he? The only answer he received was the hollow sound his feet made as he moved about in the darkness.
He was so occupied in his thoughts that he gave a jolt when a familiar figure suddenly appeared out of thin air, lying on the ground. It was, undeniably, Sanzo. But what made him feel surprised, instead of relieved, was the axe that seemed to materialize before him. It glistened dangerously, and he was aware of his own shocked reflection staring back at him from the blade. Horrified, he watched as the blade moved slowly towards Sanzo, until finally the tip was already touching the back of his neck.
"San…Sanzo!" he screamed and made a move to rescue him, but it was too late. The axe fell to the ground with a heavy thud, stained with blood.
"NO!"
He sank to his knees, trembling. But before he had the time to register how that truly happened, the sight of Sanzo's mangled body faded, along with the axe, and once again, he found himself in the presence of the mysterious stranger with the most disturbing smile he had ever seen.
"Did you enjoy that little show, Son Goku?"
"Y…you…"
The man laughed. It was hauntingly eerie and disturbing, and he had the sudden urge to shudder.
"Who are you?"
Pausing, the stranger gave him a sinister smile, and for a moment, he noticed his eyes, those unwavering strange eyes. One was like his, gold like the rays of the sun, but the other was as blue as the raging storm at sea. But even that discovery could not compare with the thing that captured his attention - a sparkling dark bottle in his hands.
He gasped. It was his bottle, the one that Sanzo found just a few days ago. And he had a sudden appalling realization about exactly who this dark man is.
"I…am your new master."
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Son Goku woke up, panting. His face was covered with sweat, golden eyes wild and frantic. Unconsciously, he gripped his blanket harder and only then did he notice its crumpled state. He must have twisted and turned nonstop in his sleep to cause such damage. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but feel the fierce beating of his heart against his ribcage. Scared. He, who had battled against the tides of time and granted endless wishes with the power throbbing on his fingertips, was scared. But why?
It was just a nightmare, he tried to assure himself. Yet the morbid image of Sanzo's lifeless eyes, coupled with the foreign face of the man who had declared himself as his new master, never left his mind. It continued to haunt him, even as he tried to close his eyes, and scolded himself that Gojyo would make fun of him if he ever caught wind of him being scared shitless just because of one single dream.
But what if it wasn't just a dream? his inner self voiced out. What if Sanzo was actually in his room, with an axe on his neck?
Goku involuntarily shuddered, and once more he felt like having another panic attack. "No…" he whispered. "Sanzo is…Sanzo is…"
He trembled violently once again, just like the way he did in his nightmare, and shook his head over and over again, as though it would help him banish the thoughts from his mind. It proved unsuccessful though. In fact, it only seemed to trigger something inside him, something that suddenly sprang alive, giving him all the energy he needed. Thus, with a sudden act borne out of desperation and assurance, he blindly ran out of his room, his eyes adjusting to the dark hallway and unlit torches. Up the marble staircase, which felt cold to his bare feet, he went, never stopping lest his body give way, until he reached the top most floor – the royal chamber.
The young genie came to a halt when the familiar large gleaming doors leading to his master's private quarters reached his field of vision. Without thinking of the Prince's reaction and what would become of him once he disturbed his sleep, he pounded loudly on the doors. Panic such as he had never known before seeped through his veins, and it only increased tenfold when no answer came from inside the room. He felt like he was on fire, as if he was about to burst any time. What if he was poisoned? Stabbed to death? Kidnapped? Unable to call for help?
"Sanzo! Sanzo!" Goku screamed in a voice that was sure to wake up the rest of the palace occupants any moment. His hands felt sore from all the knocking; yet he was not ready to give up. Not when horrible images of Sanzo lying decapitated on the floor filled his vision… "Sanzo! Open up, please!"
Goku would have welcomed anything – Sanzo's sword hilt meeting his face once again, the loud yelling and scolding he would get – anything except the deafening silence that surrounded him. "Sanzo, it's me, Goku! Open the doors!" he shouted himself hoarse. But when he finally couldn't take it anymore, he destroyed open the doors with an inhuman, almost impossible strength that would have made Gojyo's, and perhaps Sanzo's, jaws drop in shock.
Wiping off the dust and bits of ceramics that fell from his clothes, and looking at the shattered pieces of what was once a very intimidating, strong door that separated the Prince from the rest of the people in the castle, Goku looked around the vast, dark room and found the familiar figure of a sleeping man lying on a king-sized bed draped in velvet blankets, looking very still. If it weren't for the soft rising and falling of his chest, the genie would have thought that he was already dead.
Goku managed to emit a sigh of relief at the fact that his master was not in any way harmed. Although inwardly, he couldn't help but curse his stupidity for jumping to conclusions and going hysterical about one single nightmare that seemed anything but possible. After all, there was no way in the seven deserts of Tougenkyo that Sanzo could have misplaced the bottle that once housed Goku, right? Surely, calm composed (well, when he wasn't with people he hate anyway) Sanzo would place it in a safe place, away from prying eyes, right?
But he couldn't help but acquire a nagging suspicion that Sanzo could've thrown it in the inky depths of the Nile River, for all he cared. He also wouldn't put it past Sanzo to accidentally break it during one of his bad mood days (mainly, everyday). So in order to make sure, and since he had already caused enough trouble to last him a lifetime of punishments, and he could still hear the cold voice in his dreams saying triumphantly "I am your master", the boy cautiously tiptoed towards Prince Sanzo's chest of drawers, making as little noise as possible so as not to wake him. He was going to find his magical bottle and calm his racing nerves even if it cost him severe deprivation of food.
This is not trespassing, Goku tried to convinced himself as he opened one of the drawers containing some books that Sanzo had yet to return to Hakkai's immensely big library. He was merely worried for his and Sanzo's safety, so it was only normal. Besides, his master would understand him perfectly well, wouldn't he? He found out the answer soon enough as he was jolted out of his thoughts when he felt the edge of a blade resting on the base of his neck.
"What do you think you're doing in my chambers at this time of the night, intruder?" a soft, deadly voice whispered behind him.
Goku, out of reflex, jumped out of the way, just as he heard the swishing sound of the sword slice the thin air where he had stood only a few seconds ago. He shuddered to think of what might've happened had he not dodged and once again, he scolded himself for not being able to sense movements inside the room. Instead, he focused on staring at the person who spoke. His eyes widened.
"Sanzo?" the genie murmured, his voice echoing off the walls as he pondered on how Sanzo could've sensed him inside the room, despite the fact that he had been careful not to wake him up. And then it also dawned on him that Sanzo must have not recognized him for who he was, owing to the fact that the darkness was making him blind and unlike him, Sanzo simply did not have a genie's magical ability to be able to see through the dark. "Sanzo, it's me. Goku."
A pause.
And then…
"Monkey boy?" came Sanzo's unmistakable voice. At first Goku thought it sounded as though he was surprised, but upon closer inspection and due to many hours of being beside the Prince, he recognized it as the familiar voice promising painful death. And at once he knew that coming here must've been such a bad idea.
"Y-yes, it's me, Sanzo," Goku replied in a voice that made me hard to believe that this was the same person who was shouting Sanzo's name to the heavens at the top of his lungs mere minutes ago.
For a while, Sanzo did not answer. Therefore, Goku had to settle for fiddling with his thumbs, shutting his eyes close, and dreading what would come once the silence was over. He was so sure that what he would get was…
"You STUPID monkey!"
"Ouch! Sanzo, that really hurt! Stop it!" Goku exclaimed as he ran to the other side of the room and narrowly missed being hit on the head by Sanzo's sword. He did his best to avoid Sanzo's gaze, but it was hard, seeing as the blonde prince was possibly seething with anger, he could feel it coming in waves even from his vantage hiding point. And, sure enough, when he looked at him, he saw his pale hands balled into fists and his stony, violet eyes burning with anger.
Goku gulped. "I'm sorry, Sanzo! Okay? Just…just stop hit-" He stopped midway when he felt one of the pillows hit him in the face instead, taking him by surprise and knocking him off his feet.
"Sorry? Sorry doesn't even cover it! You come here barging into my room in the middle of the bloody night, tricking me into thinking you're some fucking assassin or burglar or intruder, making me almost kill you (a very narrow miss! You could've been sliced in two within seconds, if you haven't dodged), searching through my personal belongings, which I would like to remind you, is a heavy crime that could cause you a lifetime sentence in jail (not that I care), and all you have to say for yourself is sorry?" Prince Sanzo bellowed.
At that moment, Goku had been willing to face an entire army and go to war rather than face the Sanzo that stood before him right now. He tried to open his mouth to defend himself, or maybe utter another apology that he knew would fall on deaf ears, but his throat suddenly seemed to go as dry as the Sahara desert and it felt as if a stone had been lodged inside it, making it impossible for him to speak.
"And I would like to know," a very livid Sanzo said as he stared down at the genie with a face that clearly said 'Disappear', "how the camel did you manage to get inside my room when I thought I had locked it?"
If possible, Goku would have melted at the intensity of Sanzo's glare. "I…erm…the doors…" Was all he was capable of saying, and thus, he motioned to the damaged doors.
The prince looked like a live, breathing dragon about to spout flames and offered no reassurance about Goku's fate, not that he expected him to. "What the hell have you done?" he bawled.
"Uhh…sorry?" Goku squeaked, scratching his head and trying to inch away from him.
"I'm going to skin you alive!" Prince Sanzo hissed menacingly, his hands clenching and unclenching the hilt of his beloved sword, looking like he'd love to do nothing else in the world other than use it to torture Goku. "It'll take at least a day to repair the damage! That idiotic redhead would most probably bug me about how I'm being careless and irresponsible enough to let you enter this room without noticing… Hakkai'll overreact and go paranoid again, perhaps he'll give me another pointless suggestion about better security measures… And of course, once news reached that old hag, she's going to have a field day. That damned Queen! Probably thinking the whole thing's amusing again…."
By now, Goku was quite aware that Sanzo was more likely talking to himself. That, in itself, should have been enough to draw the golden-eyed boy's curiosity, yet he couldn't help but wonder how and why Sanzo was even thinking things like that. As far as he knew, Sanzo was not exactly the type of person he'd think who would remember and imagine exactly how his, er, companions (for Goku had never heard him address Gojyo and Hakkai as "friends") should behave given any situation.
He glanced helplessly back at the fuming Sanzo, who had now taken to pacing the room, still muttering to himself. And he decided that the best thing for him to do was simply to remain quiet. Perhaps he might be lucky and Sanzo's temper would cool off a bit long enough for him to have a conversation with Goku without shouting. Or perhaps he could sneak off to the back to his room using the window, which he noticed, was now open, allowing the cold night air to drift inside the room.
Goku was so lost in his thoughts that for the second time that night, he found himself close to having a heart attack when he heard the Prince's voice address him.
"Well?"
Goku looked at him, confusion etched all over his face. He wasn't even aware that Sanzo had stopped muttering, and was now looking at him with something akin to expectant. He hoped against hope that the blonde had not said anything that he did not hear, for he was sure to be in trouble for what seemed like the umpteenth time. "Umm…well what?" he asked innocently, blinking at him.
Sanzo let out a sigh of irritation. "Well?" he said again, in the same tone of voice he used earlier. "I don't think you came here in the middle of the night just to say hello, did you? Unless of course you value your life…" He glanced at his sword for a second. "What do you want? And could you explain why you had been secretly ransacking my drawers and why I am currently standing and looking at the remaining pieces of my bedroom's doors?"
What with Sanzo being angry with him and all, Goku had almost forgotten why he was even there in the first place. But now that he remembered, he felt rather foolish, mixed with a faint surge of fear at the thought of his nightmare. He looked straight at those expectant violet eyes with mottled emotions and began to speak, "I…oh, it was terrible, Sanzo! You…I-I saw you being killed by tha–that axe…Blood spilling everywhere…And then…then…there was this guy...He was laughing, and he said…he said…he…." He closed his eyes, trying not to think about what that strange man had said. "He said he was my new master. And… and I was so afraid, Sanzo, so, so afraid! I thought you were in danger…And I couldn't help myself…I simply had to know if you were safe, and if someone hadn't got hold of my bottle and became my new master…I was so worried…So worried…"
By the time he had regained some semblance of control over himself and had the strength to meet Sanzo's gaze again, he was mildly relieved to see that he did not appear mad. In fact, he thought he must have imagined the soft look in his master's eyes, for when he blinked it was soon replaced by the normal cool, penetrating stare he often had. He hung his head. "I'm sorry Sanzo," he whispered so softly that he thought he had not been heard.
"No use blaming it over you now, monkey. I had long since expected something like this to happen sooner or later, anyway," Sanzo told him with another sigh as he reclined on one of the armchairs resting against the wall, positioned just where he could have a nice view of the city beyond. "Besides, I hardly think that I could've done anything to prevent you from having stupid nightmares. But just so we're clear," he looked at him fixedly in the eye, "I am someone who is very difficult to get rid of. You can ask that moronic playboy, God knows how many times he's tried to slay me in the past even though he knew it'd never work."
It was like the atmosphere he had been in the other day before, when he had confided to Sanzo that he was scared of being alone in his room, and Sanzo, if he had not been mistaken, had given him the smallest words of comfort to abate his fears. Of course, he hardly looked concerned, but there was just something in his voice just a few seconds ago…
Despite the situation, Goku couldn't wipe away the grin that appeared on his face. "If you say so…" he said, shrugging helplessly. He then proceeded to sit at the foot of Sanzo's huge bed and watch him unblinkingly.
Sanzo felt a twinge of annoyance when he saw this. When was the genie going to learn that he wished to be left alone at all times? "And just who gave you permission to sit on my bed so casually? Don't get chummy with me. You're starting to act more and more like that redhead, it's so sickening…" he muttered with a glare. "Leave me be. I don't care if you sleep or not, but just go back to your room."
"But Sanzooooo!" Goku protested at once. His eyes once more took that innocent, childish quality that no mercenary or cold-hearted man had ever managed to escape. Even with his young heart, he knew that remark was just another attempt of Sanzo to cover his momentary show of weakness a while ago. He was so sure, yet he did not know what made him say that. "That's so unfair!"
"Oh?" Sanzo lifted one delicate blond eyebrow, that one single word he uttered dripping with sarcasm. "Kindly share your interesting thoughts behind this…so called unfairness."
Goku pouted. "Umm…well…" he said awkwardly, clearly not expecting this answer from Sanzo. But then his face brightened as though he had just found the perfect answer. "You always let Hakkai in your room without complaining or shouting death threats!"
Sanzo sighed in exasperation. He lifted a hand to massage his temple, where he suspected a headache was brewing. "That can hardly explain anything," he said.
"But Sanzoooooooooo….."
"I said no."
"But-"
"No, for the last time, you stupid whiny monkey! Go back to your room now or I'll be forced to tell Gojyo tomorrow morning about you going all panicky on me and disturbing me in the middle of the night," Sanzo snapped, his control swiftly evaporating.
"Huh? But you'd never do that Sanzo," Goku told him in a voice that was confident without even him knowing so. "I don't understand why you'd say something like that, because, well…you hate it when Gojyo knows about you being disturbed or something. You hate it because it'll make Gojyo happy."
Sanzo blinked. He was surprised. How did this brat, who had been barely with him for a week, have been able to see through him so easily when the other occupants of the palace, who had been with him all his life, could not? True, there were still some people (namely Hakkai, Gojyo and the Queen) who knew his personality very well, but they did not learn it in such a short amount of time. And stupid being that Goku is, he probably wasn't even aware of how dangerous this ability could be. No doubt, many people –such as other royal families, nobles, palace servants, the ones behind those unsuccessful assassinations, and other people who would either like him dead or want to be on his good graces– would want to meet such a person who could easily read the Tougenkyo Prince like a wide open book.
Meanwhile, said person was looking at Sanzo. He, like him, was a little startled, for he had never seen Sanzo think so deeply or so…quiet. It caused him to wonder if he had said anything that might have contributed to this new behavior of his, which was, for Goku, very scary. "Sanzo?" he said tentatively.
The Prince jolted out of his reverie and glared at Goku. "If you haven't got anything else to say except 'I'm leaving', I'll kill you," he said icily.
He's back to normal again, Goku realized. With nothing left to do, for his restlessness had finally come to an end only to be replaced by weariness, he decided that it would be best if he did exactly as Sanzo told him. "Okay then," he said cheerfully. "Goodnight Sanzo!"
Goku didn't even wait for a reply, assuming he would receive none. With a final wave, he turned his back towards Sanzo, so he missed the look of complete fury on the Prince's face when he saw the genie leap out of his open window.
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It was morning, precisely three days after the eventful trip to the Prince of Thieves secret headquarters, and Goku was seen chasing birds on the palace garden. Miraculously, he did not look at all like someone who had a bad nightmare last night. His loud, insistent laughter could be heard even from such a great distance, so that the servants and guards who were passing by felt compelled to stop and observe him. Whispers and gossip followed him, even if he did not notice it. Yes, if there was one negative thing in the Tougenkyo castle that could be observed, it was gossip. Everywhere, people talked about each other – who was seen in the company of who, who was heard talking about this and that, who was responsible for such scandalous events. Even the royal family was no exception. As of now, however, they had only one target – Goku.
"Did you hear? Yuki, one of the personal servants of the Queen, had seen him exit from the private quarters of…who else but the Prince?" whispered a dark haired maid to her friends as her eyes traveled across Goku's energetic form.
"But that's to be expected, isn't it? I heard it was the Prince who found him in the dirty streets of Chang'An and adopted him. So of course he must be really close to him. And now he's always hanging around with the Prince and his circle of friends. He's even in friendly terms with the Queen! All that achieved in a couple of days. How envious!"
"Yes, but you must've heard wrong, Hana! However popular that brat might be with the royal family, they all loathe him. Why, just the other day I myself had seen the Prince shouting at him in the kitchens as if he was some sort of horrible beast. He was so furious that the boy had made a big mess in the kitchens. And did you know, he almost threw him out of the kingdom, but I'm willing to bet that his trustworthy friends had stopped him. It's not surprising, since they've taken an immense liking to him, especially our lord Hakkai. But I wouldn't put it past him, since he always strikes me as a very nice, forgiving soul anyway," informed another girl.
"Well," speculated her other friend, "I do not quite blame them for hating that little horror. No offense to His Highness the Prince, but I think he did such a horrendous mistake in allowing the child to live here. He's a stupid, worthless creature that always wrecks havoc everywhere he go!"
"I agree! Such vermin shouldn't be permitted to walk freely around here. He would be better off locked in his room or banished. Ever since he had been around, it had been becoming more difficult for us maids to do our jobs, with him dirtying the palace with his presence!"
"You know, if you're going to talk about somebody, you must do it in a place where he can hear it. It's called not being rude," said a recognizable, cool voice.
The women gasped. In front of them, with one arm placed around the shoulders of the dark haired woman, and the other raking through his crimson long hair, stood Gojyo. He was wearing a knowing smirk, and when he met the servants' eyes, he winked at them suggestively. But there was something about his aura that displayed "Danger".
"My…my lord Gojyo!" one of the women exclaimed, clearly surprised.
"Such a shame, really…You're all very beautiful women," Gojyo began as he twirled one of the women's lock of hair around his finger, "And I was about to invite one of you to my bedroom too. But alas," he sighed and shook his head slowly, "you have such sharp tongues…" The women all blushed and shifted uncomfortably. "Indeed, I fear of what might happen if His Highness finds out of such matters being easily talked about behind his back…I wonder if he would consider it treason against him?"
The women looked horror-struck and petrified, their jaws hanging open. "Treason? My…my…my lord! Oh no, we're extremely sorry! We deeply regret talking about such things…but we-we…we were not aware that they could offend His Highness! Please, we beg you, my lord, don't tell him about what you heard! We swear we won't do it again!" they stammered.
Gojyo did a very marvelous job of pretending to look unconvinced. "Well…I don't know…Prince Sanzo will find out eventually…And he'll have my head for this…" he was heard muttering, and to his immense satisfaction, the servants promised to grant him anything they could do for him if he would only keep this matter quiet.
He sighed. "Oh, very well, seeing as I have a soft spot for beauties like you," he said, flashing them a grin as they, too, sighed with immense relief. "But I do hope you'd be so kind as to fetch me some of the best wines you can find in the market. I don't want to bother you with such a task but…"
"Oh, but it's not a bother at all!"
"It's the least we can do for keeping this a secret, my lord!"
"Please do not feel troubled for this request!"
"Alright, if you're sure…" Gojyo watched them run away and only then when they were out of his sight did he laugh. Oh, the cleverness of him… But it was this sudden laugh that had reached Goku's sharp hearing, and Gojyo found him running over to him, waving cheerfully.
"Hi there, perverted scorpion! I didn't know you were already awake. What are you looking so happy about?" Goku greeted, looking inquiringly at Gojyo, who was still sporting a very proud, satisfied grin on his face.
"Nothing you'd find interesting, stupid monkey," Gojyo replied, ruffling the brunette's hair as a sort of greeting. He did not think it wise to mention about the gossip he had heard just a while ago. For one thing, he did not know what reaction he would see from Goku. There was a possibility that he might either ignore it like Sanzo or get upset and do God knows what to those women, and even though Gojyo was inclined to agree that they would deserve it, he knew that it would only make matters worse for the genie. And for another thing, he might be too stupid to understand.
Thankfully, Goku did not pursue the matter further. He had other things in his mind. "Where's Sanzo?" he immediately asked.
Gojyo shrugged. "Maybe he went off and killed himself…" he said hopefully.
Goku, who still hadn't forgotten about his nightmare last night, stared horrified at Gojyo. "Don't…don't say stuff like that!" he yelled, his voice shaking, taking Gojyo by surprise. He knew Gojyo meant it only as a joke, yet he couldn't help but feel upset.
"Fine, fine…I won't. Just calm down, you protective goose head," Gojyo told him. He had been expecting Goku to get a little angry and call him names, but not so angry as to have all the color on his face drained. "I don't know why you're so worried anyway…"
Goku felt he didn't have the heart to response to Gojyo's use of offensive nicknames. Instead he just stared at the redhead, who was staring right back, as if trying to get him to spill whatever he was hiding. Neither moved, and it was only when one of the servants came hurrying towards Gojyo and informed him that it was time for the Prince's training with him did they break eye contact.
"Oh, what a damper it is to be so popular!" Gojyo said, his hand on his hair, as he pulled off another melodramatic sigh. He did not see the young genie rolling his eyes behind his back. "But alas! I shall have to leave you now, foolish monkey, to journey to the pits of Hell and meet the evil beast with the cruel glare and ferocious snarls!"
Goku looked at him weirdly. "Stop talking nonsense, Gojyo! It makes you sound stupider than you really are," he commented. His eyes brightened. " But did you say you're going to meet Sanzo?"
The Prince's companion gave him a roguish grin and chose to ignore Goku's earlier comment, for he had once again thought of another brilliant plan that might truly make his day. "Why, yes. We, that is, the Prince and I, are going to train." At Goku's puzzled look, he added, "You know, with swords and stuff. It's part of Sanzo's duty as a prince to know these things." He paused for a moment to observe the genie's reaction.
"Really? Wow! I've never handled a sword before! I bet it's really fun! Can I come? Can I? Can I? Can I?" Goku practically bounced on his feet in excitement.
The grin on Gojyo's face remained. "I'm sure no one would object. But first, you will have to do me a little favor."
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"No."
Prince Sanzo sent an icy glare directed at the captain of the guards, his hands crossed over his chest. He watched in satisfaction as the captain's stance slowly lost its authoritative air with each passing minute.
Today, the Prince was not in a very good mood, owing to the fact that he had been roused from sleep by a particularly loud, alarming shriek from one of the palace maids, who was about to do her morning duty of bringing breakfast to the Prince, but instead found remaining bits and pieces of His Highness' bedroom doors scattered on the floor. Said maid then, thinking that a raid or another attempted assassination took place, rushed to the guard captain and proceeded to tell him exactly what happened, not even stopping to verify if her 'astute' observation was correct, or to even check on the Prince's condition. And the guard, assuming the worst, frantically went to the Prince's royal chambers with sword unsheathed, only to find a disgruntled blonde who was in no mood to relate the events that took place the night before.
"But, Your Highness, I am sure the Queen would want to be informed of this event and –"
"I said no. This has nothing to do with her, precisely because there are no attacks or assassinations that took place last night, and I don't think it is in my station to explain every single thing or mistake that happened in my life to you. Now, if you do not want to suffer the same fate as these doors, you will speak of this to no one and leave me to attend my training session in peace. Are we clear on that matter?"
The captain, afraid of Sanzo's temper and the effects it would do to his captaincy if he dared to disobey him, stammered, "V-very well, Prince Sanzo. I bid my leave." With that, he positively fled from the room as fast as his dignity may allow him, followed almost immediately by the servant girl who made a hasty bow before Sanzo.
The blonde prince sighed and massaged his temples. It was one thing to deal with a paranoid genie last night, and it was another to be faced with nosy, annoying palace people so early in the morning. He wondered if he'd be rendered insane even before he was crowned Sultan. But the clicking of heels that announced the arrival of the royal advisor Hakkai interrupted his thoughts.
"Today sure is sunny. Not a dark cloud is in the sky. It perfectly suits your tastes, does it not, Your Highness?" Hakkai said politely. He was, as usual, smiling that outlandish, cheerful smile that gave grand emphasis on the greenness of his eyes, and on this particular day, he was wearing silk robes the color of beige, with hints of forest green on the edges.
Sanzo barely spared him a glance. "Don't you 'Your Highness' me today, Hakkai," he told the advisor. "Only you would comment on such things like the weather," he scoffed, "As if I care about trivial things like that."
Hakkai was not discouraged by this great display of low morals. "That is true, of course. Ah, but I do believe that there are other things that you would care about. Like a certain enthusiastic genie I had met in the corridors a while ago," he said knowingly.
Sanzo's eyes flashed and he turned to face his companion. "You knew about last night, don't you?" he hissed.
"Yes," Hakkai replied without a moment's hesitation as he moved to stand beside the Prince to look at the breathtaking view from the window. "I was lying awake on my bed two floors below you when I heard Goku's shouts and the pounding of doors. And I guessed enough to know what happened next."
"And it never occurred to you that maybe you should have stopped him from bothering me, or destroying my doors? It might have saved me a lot of trouble," Sanzo spat angrily. He could not believe that he had endured interruptions last night all because the man standing and smiling next to him was too lazy or sadistic to do something about the situation.
"But you seemed to handle everything well enough. Perhaps there is something you have learned from Goku's stay here after all," Hakkai said, oblivious, or maybe pretending to be, to the Prince's mounting anger. Instead he continued to gaze at the window, lost in his thoughts.
Sanzo finally gave up. He knew Hakkai enough to know what he had been thinking about in the middle of the night, and what he would tell him lest he ask him about why he was being such a pain. He could almost hear the words "It was for your own good" coming from him so it was wise to just give it up. He gave a hearty chuckle so contradictory to what he was feeling. "Tch. How ironic. When it should have been that genie protecting me, his supposed master (not that I recognize myself as that), I was the one who ended up comforting him," he said softly to the silent room. "I don't think I like it."
"Most of the time, things people don't like end up being the things they truly need," Hakkai said sagely.
Sanzo snorted in a very un-Prince way and chose to ignore the underlying meaning of the man's words. He was never a man to believe in proverbs and sayings anyway. "And where did you get that? From some worn-out, dusty scroll rotting in the palace's library?" he said.
"No. I'm speaking from experience, I guess," Hakkai told him truthfully, and this time, the laughter that escaped from his lips was laced with bitterness and nostalgia.
Any signs of anger from the Prince were immediately quelled upon seeing his very own advisor behaving like this. Of course, he was no stranger to these moments, for Hakkai had them almost infrequently as he had his, which were quite scary, by the way. But knowing them did not make them any less enjoyable. For buried beneath the cheerful smiles and gentle comments, was a man of loneliness and bitterness. It was only thanks to the several years of solid friendship between the two of them that made Sanzo bite down any scathing remark he might have said and opted to let the silence stretch on.
Finally, Hakkai recovered himself and was instantly reminded that he was not alone in this room. He gave the Prince an embarrassed smile. "I apologize for that, Sanzo," he said, finally leaving the formalities behind him. "It was most insensitive for me to do that."
Sanzo would have told him in a heartbeat that he did not care whether Hakkai burst to tears in front of him or not, but he seriously doubted the green-eyed man would appreciate that. So instead, he gracefully rose from the comfortable chair he had been sitting on, and said in an indifferent, casual voice that could have fooled Hakkai, "No matter. I could not possibly be bothered with your apologies. Right now, you will have to accompany me to my training with that insufferable redhead."
Hakkai tried his best to conceal his smile. If he were to base this reaction to the past reactions made by the blonde, he was safe to say that all was well and forgiven. "Of course," he said politely as he followed Sanzo outside the door and down the long marble staircase and dark, narrow corridors that led to the royal training room. Several guards, servants, and messengers that they passed on their way bowed lowly and greeted them deferentially, and they received nods and replies from him and the Prince.
After several moments of conversing with one of the royal officials who gave a parting message from the Sultan himself that his presence would be needed at the antechamber later that day, Hakkai and Sanzo reached the training room, only to find the familiar face of Gojyo standing at the very center of the room, lazily fending off sword attacks from an equally frustrated Goku, who seemed to be taking Gojyo's lack of interest as a personal insult. It was only after his second try, wherein he was sent flying to the direction of the entrance doors by a powerful thrust from his opponent, did they notice who had arrived.
"Sanzo! Hakkai!" Goku shouted gleefully. He abandoned his sword and rushed to meet his master and friend, and upon closer look, both noticed that the youth's face was marred with sweat and a few fading bruises, no doubt from his mock duel with the redhead. "You're finally here! I've been waiting for you for ages! Where's Hakuryuu, Hakkai? I've been wanting to ride him ever since this morning, but I couldn't find him, and you were already gone from your bedroom so I couldn't ask."
"Ugh! Would you shut up for just a minute, monkey? Your endless babble is making my head hurt," Sanzo grumbled as he lifted a hand to massage his forehead. He hadn't even made it to the center of the room but Goku's magical skills on talking were already taking its toll on him.
Goku pouted and was not deterred, so he moved and badgered Hakkai instead, who calmly told him, "Hakuryuu, I believe, was not feeling well this morning, so I sent him to the palace doctor on the West Wing." The West Wing, as known by the palace occupants, was the small area of the castle where sick people, and even pets, were treated.
"What for?" Gojyo interrupted, as he too, lazily made his way over to the three of them. "You can mend anyone in this country, as long as it moves and breathes, Hakkai."
"You mean, Hakkai is also a doctor?" Goku asked in amazement.
"Why yes, but I'm afraid it's nothing to be proud of," Hakkai said, modest as ever. "A few years ago…" a pause, "…I failed to finish my apprenticeship as a doctor due to certain circumstances, so I am considered a danger to those who have trust in my abilities to heal them."
Gojyo groaned. "Stop being so humble, Hakkai. It's making me throw up," he said sincerely and did a perfect imitation of a man in obvious pain, releasing his recent breakfast to the floor.
"And you, stupid leech, should learn the exact opposite," Sanzo remarked, smirking at Gojyo's enraged look.
"Why, you!" Gojyo exclaimed, along with a series of curses especially addressed for Sanzo that would have made even the toughest of sailors blush. He grabbed the hilt of his sword, picked up Goku's forgotten one on the floor, and offered it to Sanzo. "A duel, then, instead of this useless talks about doctors and modesties." He watched Sanzo take it from his outstretched hands.
"A chance for me to beat you again? Surely, I wouldn't pass that up?" Prince Sanzo drawled, oblivious to Goku's yells of anticipation. He gave Gojyo a passing glance, as though measuring him up. The others may not realize it, but he thought he imagined a hint of smugness and triumph in the dark skinned man's tone.
He and Gojyo stood facing each other, their battle stances displaying alertness and cautiousness. Sanzo's long, pale hands were tightly wrapped around his sword hilt, and his eyes caught sight of Gojyo twirling his own as if holding a baton, no doubt to show off. To Sanzo's great contempt, however, it seemed to be working, as evident by the wondrous look on Goku's face.
They circled each other like a pack of hungry, deadly wolves, trying to find an opening. After what seemed like hours, Sanzo found one when Gojyo moved his sword to his left side, and thus, the fight began. They thrust, parried, and blocked. Sword to sword. Man to man. Violet to red. By the time of their third round, Sanzo was perspiring terribly, his cheeks flushed, and knuckles white from gripping his sword too hard; while Gojyo was leaning forward with the balls on his feet, panting as though he had been chased by bandits. Neither was weak enough to admit defeat.
Meanwhile, Hakkai, from his vantage point in the corner, watched the battle with impassive eyes. He had often been the only audience to witness the continuous fights between those two, and he prided himself in knowing their styles and techniques. Sanzo, he noted, was cool yet unpredictable. His movements were fluid, precise and deadly, depending on his mood, and there was a certain graceful quality in it that made it so hypnotizing. Gojyo, on the other hand, was a man of force. It was his strength, as well as his weakness. He fought ruthlessly and rashly, making him quite different from the ideal soldiers found in fairy tales. But today though, Hakkai observed, there was something different with the way Gojyo fought. His face was more concentrated, more relaxed, and each thrust from Sanzo he blocked perfectly. Hakkai frowned thoughtfully, a suspicion lurking in his mind. Perhaps…
He diverted his attention to Goku, who had now taken to opening his mouth in astonishment and constantly cheering his master on. "Who do you think would win?" he asked him.
Goku blinked, and turned his face away from the fight. "They both fight so well! Don't tell the perverted scorpion, though," he added hastily. His features were scrunched up, as though what he was about to say next was against his will. "Sanzo, especially, is very good. But I think Gojyo's going to win though."
Hakkai was surprised. But at the same time, Goku's words explained a lot of unclear questions he never had the answer for. "Is that so? Perhaps you are unaware that Sanzo had never lost a match to him before," he told him.
Goku slapped his forehead with his hand and groaned in frustration. "Ugh! That means this would be the water monster's first victory? Great! He'll never quit boasting about it!" he complained, as though he was truly sure of Gojyo's abilities to win.
"I see…" Hakkai muttered and returned his concentration to the match.
By this time, it was hard to determine the winner. Sanzo was now using one of his advantages in maximum– his speed. He swung his sword to the right, hitting Gojyo's shoulder. His opponent gritted his teeth to keep himself from screaming from the pain, and retaliated by blocking another sword attack halfway to his midriff, and then quickly directing his blade to Sanzo's pale neck while the blonde paused for a second. That second soon proved to be his downfall. Both figures stopped, and silence ensued for a minute, wherein Sanzo looked directly into Gojyo's triumphant scarlet-like eyes.
"I win." Gojyo slowly withdrew his sword. His look was that of one whose birthday had come much earlier than expected, and such a look would surely be hard to get rid of.
Sanzo narrowed his eyes. He felt as though his knees had gone weak, but still, he forced himself to stand up. He could not believe it. After many years, Gojyo had finally beaten him. It was unforgivable. Unnerving. He, the Prince of Tougenkyo who had been training daily in the early hours of the morning and evening without fail, had lost to… a water sprite. A very strong, formidable opponent, but a water sprite nonetheless. Did this mean that he was getting weaker? Did this mean that allowing Goku residence in the palace was a fatal mistake? Or could it be that Gojyo had somehow managed to memorize all his techniques, thus, enabling him an easy victory?
"Speechless, my Prince?" Gojyo said, grinning widely like a Cheshire Cat. He wiped the sweat trickling down his face with the back of his hand, laughing at the mild expression on Hakkai's face.
But whatever victorious speech Gojyo had planned on saying, it was interrupted, much to Sanzo's pleasure. The doors of the training room opened, and a servant came in, bowing so low it seemed as though her forehead was so close to touching the marble floor. A barely audible "Your Highness" was heard, and it wasn't until Sanzo irritably told her to rise did she meet their eyes. All of them, except Gojyo who was turning red with fury (what a long and marvelous speech he had made!), looked curiously at the girl who was trembling very badly, from her fingers up to her toes. A mask of complete terror was etched on her coffee-colored face.
"What is it?" Sanzo snapped.
Whatever the reason for the poor girl's frightened state, Sanzo's harsh tone did nothing to quell it. Her lips moved, as though to speak, but no words came out of it. She flinched as Sanzo spoke to her again.
"Well? Are we supposed to wait all day for you to tell us whatever it is you are tasked to say?"
Hakkai gave the Prince something that resembled a reprimanding stare. "What His Highness means is," he told the servant in his gentlest tone, "please do not be afraid to speak to us."
The maid, despite Sanzo's earlier orders, bowed again. "For…forgive me, Your Highness," she stammered, her eyes wide and fearful, thoughts about beheading and jail sentences racing through her mind. "I…I…I was sent to…to…inform you that something…something happened in the kitchens earlier…"
Sanzo raised one blonde eyebrow. "Oh? And what, pray tell, is it? Another food fight?" he said disinterestedly.
The maid trembled again. "N-no, Prince Sanzo…" she managed to say. "It was one of the servants assigned to the kitchen, Your Highness…She…she collapsed in the middle of preparing the soup for lunch, you see…We called the doctor, and…and he said that you must be notified and should proceed to the West Wing immediately. He said…that it required your attention…"
Prince Sanzo, for his part, did not ask any questions, nor did he allow the others to do so. He nodded formally, all traces of defeat and exhaustion gone. As a Prince, he had learned early on in life that there are certain times wherein action was needed, and questions and explanations were saved for later. No doubt, he was confident that he would be able to find them from the palace doctor.
"Very well."
With that, he stoically sheathed his sword and proceeded to exit through the large mahogany doors that led to the corridors outside. The other members of his party, including Gojyo, did the same and followed him. Their steps as they moved against the polished marble floor were quick and hurried. Time to time, Goku the genie would start asking questions, none of which Sanzo answered.
At last, they reached the West Wing. I am sure, from bits of information that had been stated earlier, that you could vividly imagine what this small part of the castle looks like. It was purely white, starting from the ceiling, down to the walls and the floors, giving the place a distinct air of cleanliness. In the air wafted the scent of hundreds of herbs – basil, mint, cumin, cloves- and even blood, though it was thankfully not so strong as to suffocate and disturb them. Some doors, which were left open, revealed several neatly, arranged beds covered in clean white sheets. Some of them housed soldiers, either from this kingdom or from others, who were injured due to a past war or truffle. Other people's conditions were not so serious, such as children who are suffering from a fever, cold or a nasty cut due to carelessness. And tending to them are several people, no more than ten, all of whom are apprentices of the doctor.
Goku wrinkled his nose in distaste and figured that he liked this part of the palace least.
'This way, Goku," Sanzo snapped as he saw the young boy attempting to open another door.
They reached one of the last doors, and Sanzo need not knocked, for at that precise moment, an old man, with a white, grayish beard that reached past his neck, opened the door. He was dressed in a humble attire of gray robes frayed in the edges, giving him a rather wrinkled, weather-beaten appearance. His eyes, which were, as the rest of his attire, a dull shade of gray, glowed considerably with respect once he caught sight of the Prince's regal, confident frame.
"Ah, Prince Sanzo," the old man murmured as he bowed. Later on, Hakkai, the intellectual that he is, would comment to the others how much "like a strong, resilient bamboo from the wilderness bowing before the heavy force of Mother Nature" he is. He welcomed the group to enter the room, which they found out was littered with countless dusty scrolls, books, tools, and not to mention, all kinds of medicinal herbs. Aside from a few moth-eaten chairs beside the study, and a small bed where a pale girl was wrapped in blankets, they could not find any other decoration that would make the room fit for human habitation.
"Doctor," Sanzo addressed the man. "You have something you wish to inform me?"
"Indeed," the doctor said gravely, nodding his head. For a fraction of a second, his eyes flickered towards the resting young girl on the bed. "I believe one of the servants already told you about the certain…ah…incident earlier in the kitchens?"
"Yes," Sanzo said slowly, and a look of dawning comprehension crossed his features.
"Well…it would be very difficult to tell you this, Your Highness…and I…"
"Oh, just get to the heart of the matter!" Gojyo exclaimed impatiently and rather harshly. It was not as though he hated the man. Oh, no, it was not that. Although of course, he could never deny that he harbored a grudge towards him due to the physical and mental torture he was always subjected to whenever he was forced to spend the night in the West Wing due to bruises and wounds caused by several man-to-man brawls.
The doctor sighed. "What happened…It is most unexpected…" he muttered in a harassed tone. "You see, this servant," he looked again in the direction of the girl, "confessed to me after I had fed her the necessary herbs, that she collapsed only, and I mean only, a minute after she had consumed the meal that was supposed to…to…to be sent to you for breakfast, Prince Sanzo."
Sanzo swore at the same time Hakkai gasped, his green eyes widening. "You aren't thinking…no, it can't be…"
The doctor nodded for confirmation.
Goku looked at the doctor and Hakkai. In truth, he knew nothing about the situation, except that the servant collapsed, but apparently, both of them discovered something. Something terrible. "What? What is it? I don't understand," he said.
Sanzo barely spared him a glance. "Don't you see?" he said softly. "The girl collapsed…because she was poisoned."
"So?"
"And that food," Sanzo continued, his whole countenance rigid, "was supposed to be for me."
"So?"
"What do you mean 'so'?" Gojyo replied angrily. The fire blazing in his eyes was the only indication of his barely concealed anger, not at Goku, but at the whole problem. "That means that someone tried to poison Sanzo."
"What?"
"And now the monkey finally gets it."
Goku's eyes were so large that ten planets would fit comfortably in it, and he did nothing to hide his obvious surprise as his mouth practically hit the floor. He felt as if he were drowning in an endless sea of despair and confusion. "H…how…But….Why?" he sputtered.
"How should we know?" Gojyo asked irritably.
"But if the servant was indeed poisoned, what of her condition?" Sanzo asked.
The doctor sighed. "Luckily, the other servants brought her here on time, so I was able to give her an antidote to counter the poison. All she needs now is a couple of days to rest, and she would then be fit again for work. But had she been brought at a much later time...I shudder to think of what might happen to the poor girl...It was a different type of poison indeed..."
Sanzo, meanwhile, noticed the odd look on Hakkai's face. That meant that he was usually thinking something. And from his experience, whatever Hakkai's suspicions might be is almost always proven to be correct. "Hakkai, what is it?"
"That servant girl…" Hakkai started, not knowing how best to tell his thoughts. "I know her not by name, but by face. Gojyo, isn't she the one you and the other maids always tease about having a large appetite?"
Gojyo frowned and scratched his chin. "Now that you think of it…" he said thoughtfully. "I do remember her, and gods, she's famous for having an appetite that could probably give Goku a run for his money. Yes, yes…I'm more than sure of it. Why, just the other day she and that curvaceous looking cook had a fight over food… But I told them suavely, 'Food? You're fighting about two meals that are right in front of me?' And then they blushed and made those squealing noises so feminine, and then I said - "
Sanzo looked at his companion in absolute disgust, as though he had never quite met someone as bold as him. "Enough of those foolish stories about your escapades in the kitchen. In case you haven't noticed, we are in the middle of a serious discussion," he said icily while Goku chanted "Perverted scorpion" over and over until he had to bury his fist on his head in order to stop the noise.
"Touchy," Gojyo said, smirking.
"Who knows of this incident?" Sanzo asked the doctor instead.
"No one yet, Your Highness," the doctor answered promptly, all signs of nervousness gone. "Forgive me, but I have yet to inform the Sultan, for he is busy conferring with some dignitaries in his private chambers. Her Majesty, Queen Kanzeon, on the other hand, had accompanied Lady Gyoukumen Koushu on a lovely walk and had not yet arrived since their departure this morning. I had only felt that it is my duty to tell this to you first."
"I see," Sanzo replied curtly, quite pleased. "If that is the case, then you would not mind to keep it just between the five of us?"
"You mean…you mean, not tell the Queen? And the Sultan?" the doctor squeaked.
"Exactly. I do not wish to trouble them," Sanzo lied. "Isn't it so, Hakkai?"
Hakkai nodded and smiled patently. "Oh, yes, I very much agree with his Highness. What a wise decision," he said smoothly.
And thus, the doctor finally consented. For who was he to argue and disagree with the famous royal advisor Hakkai, the wisest of them all?
"So then, Prince Sanzo, what do you wish to do about this matter? How should we prevent it?"
"Nothing," the Prince stated, to the astonishment of the doctor. "It seems to me that whoever was responsible for this…trick, knew that the servant would most likely eat my meal. He or she deliberately and purposely did this in the knowledge that I would survive."
"But why?" It was Goku again.
"I do not know. However, I have this to say. Let them go. Let them return to their master and tell them that their mission succeeded. Let them attack; let them plan my death, and yours too. But should they do so, I promise you this: they would suffer from the wrath of the sword that belongs to I, Prince Sanzo of the Tougenkyo Kingdom."
"That's the weirdest thing you've said all day, Sanzo!" Goku told him bluntly, looking quite disturbed.
"Way to ruin the moment, you idiot!" Gojyo exclaimed as he smacked the genie on the forehead.
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"So…our first mission has now come to an end."
"Indeed, our work here is done."
"What a character that Prince of Tougenkyo is though…"
"Oh, yes, I'm sure if he were here, he would have found him highly entertaining."
"But why, though?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why did he make us do it? Poison the Prince's meal, knowing that the servant we assigned to it would eat it anyway?"
Snort. "Knowing him and his morals, he wanted to give their party an advanced warning. He wanted it fair. So that when he would strike, they would be ready."
"He also wanted it to be amusing."
"Yes."
"…"
" So, is this the part where we ride off into the night with our capes billowing behind us and our horses as fast as the swish of a knife, just like those war gods and villains in the stories?"
"No, of course not, you fool. After all, we've but camels and the hot midday sun ahead of us, right?"
Groan. "Ah, right."
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AN: And there you have it. The end of the chapter. I apologize for the characters' OOCness. My writing skills have dropped from a mere 1 to 0. And yeah, I know, that last bit wasn't supposed to be all dialogues and no descriptions in the end, but erm…Patto-chan convinced me it will just have to do. Don't forget to review!