Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki blah, blah, blah…
A.N. I can't thank you enough with the support you guys gave me *sniff*. I would've gone ballistic if the last chapter didn't reach 40+ reviews. ^^' Seriously, if it didn't reach that quota, this chapter would've taken me more than a few weeks or months to post… I'm trying to break a record you see. My largest review ever is 20+ in a one-shot fic. I never seem to reach that limit (for one chapter) ever again after that. *Jumps all around and pouts* I mean my friend has one story (6 chapters) and it's already reached 108 reviews!!! *Pouts even more* Okay, I got myself depressed again. I'm sorry for my ranting. NOW, ON TO THE FIC!!!
P.S. thanks to shourin for the title. I got the idea from shourin's review before. ^_^
And a little spoiler somewhere in the story, not much of a spoiler since it's just a little about Sanzo's childhood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*~*Gojyo ½*~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part Four – Ruby Ring Arrangement
"I think she was talking about me." The impassive voice declared. Kougaiji didn't have to turn around to know who said it. Just by the way it was said and by the tone of voice was enough to determine the speaker.
People all around began to stare at the three outsiders, one with golden hair while the two other with bloody crimson. They seem to have stopped what they are doing and watched the commotion. Gojyo was the only one who saw this.
"Sanzo!" Gojyo squeaked and a few seconds later, she realized that that wasn't exactly the best thing she could've said at that very moment. She blinked at the same piercing red eyes of the person who saved her that seemed to be probing hers at that moment.
But she hadn't had the chance to say anything as she heard whispers that seem to catch her attention. The things that were said shocked her. More so, it made her flush. "These damn people were betting—" she cut her sentence a little, trying to gulp, "—who I will accept for marriage?!" She murmured hotly under her breath. "Are these people crazy! Can't they see that there is a high probability that there will be a blood bath here!"
Kougaiji, who was still facing our redhead, raised a brow at her not really hearing what she mumbled. He continued to stare at her and was very oblivious to the fact that the people's money was already placed down on the table of those who were watching.
Then he broke the silence. "I think she left that part out in our… acquaintance," he said coolly. Staring at her ruby eyes, he saw shock and it also seem to show anxiety. The side of his mouth began to twitch up to a grin. He turned around casually to face the priest. "And since I was left out by that little piece of information, what may I ask is your relationship with this lady be?" He asked blankly yet he was talking as if speaking to an old associate.
"None of your concern demon." Was the answer.
"Is that so? You must be some kind of friend at least since you seem to know her quite well and she to you." Kougaiji stated while adding, "It's only fair since I've saved her life quite a number of times now."
"Hey, I told you I was doing fine without your help!" She exclaimed. But this statement was barely noticed.
"Hn." Sanzo used this to signify that he was listening. "I know her and she knows me. Its not much of an importance," he ended.
Kougaiji snorted. "I never thought that I would see the day that you would accept such a friendship with a sharp-tongued woman." Sanzo snorted while Gojyo's jaw dropped. "H-how dare you!" She blurted out.
"Humph. Friend?" He asked sarcastically while putting his gun down, seeing that the other had no intention whatsoever to fight. Did he just hear correctly a while ago? Did he hear Kougaiji say that he saved Gojyo's life? She was in trouble and he wasn't there? Sanzo snapped back to reality to answer his adversary. "She's more like a servant."
"Damn you, you monk!" Gojyo hissed yet it seemed that those two were in their own world.
"Is that a way to treat a lady?"
"No," he answered nonchalantly. "But with a sharp tongue? Yes."
"What am I, invisible?!" She was getting frustrated.
"You shouldn't really be so deadpan about this situation. I just might steal your lady friend."
"Steal?! What, pray tell, do you mean by steal!?" She suddenly wished for that shooting and fighting scene she imagined.
"You can just try. It's not like I have any use of her."
"Hey! Don't think I've saved your ass for the heck of it!" Gojyo said, infuriated. Okay, talk about a quiet man-to-man talk.
Kougaiji took a step towards the half-breed and was stopped by another click. "But of course," he said while repositioning his gun. "I didn't say that I was going to make it easy for you."
Kougaiji seem to pause for a moment whilst everybody was watching intently at the exciting scene before each one of them. Nothing but the wind blowing and the sound of heavy breathing was heard in the midst of all the tribulation.
The blonde-haired monk didn't move nor did he shudder or quiver with his gun at hand as he pointed it straight at the demon's head. But the demon didn't show fear, he only looked straight to his goal. He took a slow step forward. Nothing. He took another step forward and another.
Sanzo didn't like Kougaiji's intentions. It made him squint his eyes and commanded his finger to pull the trigger. There was a gunshot that echoed in the market. Some people hiding under tables; some went inside their house while the rest was much in awe to move.
"If you think that frightened me," Kougaiji declared calmly, "then you are surely mistaken." The bullet didn't hit him. Sanzo changed the angle of his gun somewhat to warn Kougaiji of his own motives.
He took his last step towards Gojyo, who was now just a few inches away from his warmth. Looking straight at her eyes, he said in a self-assured voice, "We shall meet again." Kougaiji passed her and was at the moment facing away from her.
Gojyo turned to see his back as Sanzo just watched with squinted and stern eyes at the demon. "But be assured that I will know who you are next time we meet," with that last statement said, he opted to leave. In a blur, he was gone leaving baffled faces and the questioning stare of Gojyo. "Meet again?" the redhead murmured.
She heard another click; it was Sanzo putting away his gun she guessed. She just stared off at the spaced where Kougaiji once was standing on. "Okay, what the heck is going on?" There was no absolutely way that they—liked her, right?
"Are you going to stare off to your new boyfriend until sundown?" This made her scowl. Turning to face the monk, she readied her retort. "You can be such an a—" She was cut short by the impatient and somewhat irritated voice of Sanzo. "Are you coming or do you still want to get into trouble?"
"Ch." Was her answer as she walked briskly ahead of the corrupt monk with arms crossed athwart her chest. She passed unfamiliar huts and vendors, oblivious to the fact that some were cheering and some were crying over their lost money. Not looking back, she slowed her steps so that the monk will catch up. Once she heard stopping feet beside her, she resumed walking in a normal pace not wanting to look at her companion.
"Have you seen them?" Sanzo asked. Gojyo blinked a little looking down at the floor and shook her head. Sanzo must have lost Goku and Hakkai in the afternoon rush as well. Avoiding the stares, smiles and sad sighs of people who were watching, they walked in silence, at least in the next few minutes that they were moving.
"So, I'm sensing that you lost them too?" She asked, clearly trying to make a conversation. It's not like she wanted to, of course. It's just that she's not that used to being quiet. She admitted that she loved to talk, and that was proved because her relationship with Hakkai blossomed from acquaintances to best friends.
"Hn." Was the stoic answer.
"Stupid afternoon rush, huh?" She complained a little. After all, it was that very event that got her in trouble with gangsters, got rescued by the enemy and now was stuck with the last man on earth that she would choose to have a conversation with.
"Hn."
"Lost even the monkey?"
"Hn."
"Have no idea where they are?"
"Hn."
She sighed, she was clearly getting nowhere but at least she was talking. Maybe she should try another approach.
"You haven't bought cigarettes?" She asked. This was more of an observation than a question. Sanzo wasn't smoking or anything like he normal does.
"Hn." Sanzo was clearly trying to avoid any kind of conversation. Strange though, don't you think? If he didn't want to talk, he'll just say it right? He's a straightforward person so why just elude the question? He thought for a while and couldn't come up with an answer but it didn't matter anyway, as the half-breed interrupted his thoughts.
"Ever thought of having a decent conversation with anyone, at all?" Gojyo asked, finally exasperated.
Sanzo stopped for a while and seemed that he was in deep thought. Gojyo stopped as well. She looked at the monk's face full of contemplation, like he was in his own world. It appeared as though minutes had passed but none of them moved. She began to regret what she said. Maybe the monk had his reason that he wasn't ready to tell.
Sanzo was thinking about his life when he was just a child. Of course he didn't like conversations. There was only one person he did have conversations with and that was the former Sanzo. His mind wandered to his master and how the former Sanzo would talk in puzzles that made him think.
"Hn." He said all of a sudden, breaking the silence. He didn't respond to Gojyo's question yet it was better than nothing. Gojyo stared at the monk. He was totally impossible. It was totally impossible to make him open up and sometimes she thought that it was only Goku who was able to break his mask and make him be human, an annoyed human but human nevertheless. "Impossible…" She shook her head.
"Humph." Sanzo diverted his eyes to the half-breed. "And what are you staring at?"
"Nothing, nothing at all." Gojyo said innocently. "Why don't we just quit this chitchat and find the others?"
"If I remember correctly, half-breed, you're the one who wanted to make a conversation with me."
The redhead snarled at the monk and was ready to retort her usual angry reply but a voice made her stop. Whirling around, she searched for the voice that called her name. At least, she thought she heard a voice that she was sure she heard before.
"Onee-chan!"
Her eyes searched to the possible owner and she only could come up with one person who called her by that name. Her eyes met with the target. "Shan! Over here!" Shan was really a lifesaver for Gojyo. At least she didn't have to spend the whole afternoon with the aloof monk. She waved her hands for the little girl to see.
The young girl ran passed the crowds still watching every move that they make with some, of course, already losing interest got back to their work. She jumped up to redhead woman and hugged her. "How are you?" She asked, smiling. Not waiting for a reply, she turned to Sanzo and beamed wider. "You found your friend!"
Gojyo shifted so that she could look at the stoic monk once more. She bended beside Shan and whispered, "Hah! With him as a friend, who needs your own executioner?"
Sanzo, being him, heard the remark. "Ch. Stupid half-breed."
Gojyo snapped her head towards him and stuck out her tongue. Shan, who was watching the whole affair, giggled. For her, they looked like a couple but she just kept this opinion to herself.
Gojyo grinned when the little girl giggled because it was like having a Goku around, a sensible version of him, of course. She looked at Sanzo then back to Shan. Something kept bugging her at the back of her mind but she can't point out what it was. Something that has to do with getting to know and Hakkai's idea of being friendly…
It was awkward for a few minutes of her silence while the little girl looked at her with worry and Sanzo glancing at her, feeling uneasy with her stillness.
Of course! Thank Kami that Hakkai was her best friend and just the thought of him made her realize what she had to do.
"Shan, my friend over there," she said with a smile while making sure that she said the word 'friend' in a sarcastic manner and appeared as though she made a good job of it since she heard a snort from the monk, "is named Sanzo."
"Sanzo," Gojyo stated, making Sanzo turn his eyes to her and raise a brow. She put on a sweet smile for a moment as Sanzo turn his head away sharply while saying, "Ch." He was almost sure that the smile on Gojyo's face looked… cute. "I must be getting their stupidity…"
"Ahem." She cleared her throat to get his attention. The monk didn't turn his head.
"Sanzo!" Finally, he glanced towards her and saw that she had an annoyed face probably because he turned away rudely. With arms folded, he turned her fully and waited for her to say what she wanted to.
Pleased that she got him to face her, she smiled again and said while pointing to the little girl that was still beside her, "This is Shan."
"Nice to meet you!" Shan exclaimed excitedly while going towards the monk. Getting a hold of Sanzo's hand, she shook it slightly. "Now that we're all friends, I want you guys to meet my brother!"
Taking a hold of Gojyo's hand with her left and Sanzo's with her right, they sped passed the busy market place again. Gojyo looked around and realized that some of the shops that had gone by appeared to be familiar.
"Brother!" Shan suddenly let go of both their hands and ran forward, leaving Sanzo and Gojyo side-by-side searching for the child's brother. Their eyes settled on the man that was carrying to little girl and was walking towards them. The man suddenly stopped at his tracks and looked directly at Gojyo, not even acknowledging the monk's presence.
Gojyo let out a gasp. This was not her day…
The man suddenly smiled. "Hello, my beauty."
Gojyo shifted uncomfortably beside Sanzo. Seeing her reaction, the monk stepped forwards a little in front of the ruby-eyed woman.
Looking over the monk's shoulder, Gojyo blinked. She was thankful that someone stood between her and that lovesick fool but… Sanzo?
"Who are you?" The priest asked in a not so politely manner.
From Shan's view, she thought that the two looked cute like that. Gold and Red was seen flashing under the sun, just like a ruby ring. (A.N. Thank you, Shourin!) She beamed wider as she felt her brother shifting her lower to the ground.
The man let the little girl down on the ground and bowed slightly. He smiled before he replied.
"My name is Tetsuyo."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To be continued…
Author's Notes:
Devera: Okay, I won't make my chapters shorter! Hakkai get jealous? Yeah! Yet kinda hard to do since he's not the jealous type. It's Gojyo who usually get jealous… hehehehe…
Sky Rat: Yeah, Gojyo lost his muscles when he turned into a girl. Why? Because Kanzeon Bosatsu wanted to make her… slim and pretty! You know, like Ranma. When he's a guy he has muscles and when he turns into a girl the muscles disappear, at least I think so. ^^'
Ashura Akuma: Which one indeed! We will soon find out since I'm trying to make this about 10 chapters only, if its okay with you guys. Anyway, I'll try and do better in the next chapter. This chapter looked boring to me.
LN Tora: No biggie at least you reviewed now! ^__________________________^ Kougaiji? Of course he's involved! Though not that much. Maybe just infatuation with our redhead? You guys decide.
MoMo-kun: Not the face off that you expected, huh? ^^' Sorry! I couldn't since there were people and they don't fight when there are people around. My bad.
Guardian of Jupiter: Hakkai's not there yet but fortunately, he's going to be in the next chappy! Yay! I have big plans for them… hehehe…
JuniperMoon: Thank you so much for liking and supporting this story! ^__^ THANK YOU!
Ms. C: So you like Kou/Gojyo?
Miyahara Yuuki: Hehehe… Well, he's not the only one that I'll add to that mixture of complication! *grins*
na-chan: I won't dare shorten my chapters so don't worry! I'm also trying to update the best I could but there is schoolwork so I'm kind of stuck in between. I'm still thinking who she'll end up with and yea, I'm going to turn him back to a guy. But real question is: When? ^_^
Genj0-Sanz0: Thanks for supporting this story! I can't believe how many liked this story considering that I was flamed before. ^^'
fye chan: Don't put Kou/Gojyo? Maybe. Just kidding, okay I won't. Nobody seemed to vote for that pairing anyway. ^_^
shourin: Don't worry about the long reviews! The longer the merrier! ^___^ Anyway, I'm sorry for this chapter, I think it was a bit dull. I'll try and pep it up in the next chapter! Hakkai's going to be there!!! *evil grin* And, I kept on saying this since a while ago but, I want to thank you because you gave me this idea before in your review! I hope you didn't mind me using it! ^_^ But if you do mind, I'll change it, okay?
sLL: Thanks! Plots are usually my strong point and grammar my weak point, I'm glad to hear that I'm improving.
I want to mention that if I accidentally refer Gojyo as 'he' and 'him' again, tell me so I can revise the chapter right away. I want you guys to also tell me if I made a wrong syntax/grammar somewhere and if the character is too OOC. I don't have a beta-reader and so I can't really make sure about my own grammar and spelling. -_-'
And about this chapter, it seemed BORING to me. I'm really sorry about that! I'll try and do better in the next chappy! R&R!!!!!!!!!!