Gone Astray – chapter 8
It's about time I skip the lengthy title-author blah-blahs, and go straight to the chapter intro. This chapter is supposed to be the climax, but I'm still having doubts, and I really don't know if I can end the fic in the next chapter. Maybe I'll extend it to two more chapters. So if I do, pray for me that I can finish it in the least time possible. Thanks for sticking with me up to here!
While Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo are recuperating, Homura and company are about to go to them and get Sanzo's scroll. This time Goku's along with the gods, and he's determined to obtain the scroll himself to prove his worth to the toushin.
The two parties are to clash once again. Does a terrible fight lie just in front of them? And what kind of battle? Is it a battle for life, for pride, for the sake of someone or of oneself, for worth, or for fun? Only time will be able to tell.
Hop inside the jeep and let's go with them on their journey.
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VIII. SorryIt was almost dark when Homura and his companions stopped to rest and camped in the forest at the foot of a rocky mountain. Goku got small twigs and leaves that were scattered about; when he acquired enough, Homura used them to create a bonfire to provide their group light for the night. Zenon got some food and Shien cooked them.
As the food was cooking, Goku looked very hungry. He stared at the food very greedily. "Wahh…haraheta… Food! Cook faster, will you?" he suddenly exclaimed at the food.
Zenon smirked at the kid. "Now Goku, do you really think the food will obey you? As if it would understand…"
Goku pouted at him. "But I AM VERY HUNGRY! I want to eat!" Seeing Goku's expression made the eye-patched god laugh out loud. "You're so—HAHA—so—HAHA—damn cute! HAHAHA!" Goku sweatdropped. "Eh, whatever."
The kid leaned his back on the tree behind him and put his hands around his nape. He looked at the sky, now darkened with the absence of light, lacking brilliance from the stars and the moon because of clouds covering them. "No stars tonight, huh?" Turning to Homura, he said, "Ne, it's nice to see you powerful gods camping out at night."
"Well," commented Homura, "gods as we are in heaven, here on earth, we are not invincible. Life here is harder and more troublesome. We need to survive here. That's why if we need to camp, then camp we do."
Zenon added, "Besides, Goku, it would be so, so boring if we get everything with just a snap of a finger. Where's the thrill in that? And activities like this 'camping' are once-in-a-lifetime, limited-to-earth-only experiences. We should try it out for a while! To think of it, that is a reason why we left Heaven."
"To erase all boringness?" asked Goku.
"Kind of. And maybe to feel what's it like to be mortal," continued Zenon, "And of course, to create a new world for us."
"What kind of world is that?" again asked Goku, who by now seemed interested on the 'world' his new companions were planning on creating.
"Um, well…" Zenon scratched his head. "Homura, why don't you explain it to the kid?"
Homura smiled, and facing Goku, he answered, "A world where no one but the most worthy of beings exist. A place where we can be contented of everything we have. Where there is no discrimination and ranks. Where heretics like us have a place, and no one will see us for what we are. I admit that the world I plan to build is somewhat selfish, but that world is our ideal place."
Goku thought for a moment, then said, "But, isn't that world kind of boring, too?"
Homura was quite astonished when he heard Goku's remark, so he followed up, "Oh, is it? Well, it's up to you to make it livelier. You'll help us build that world, after all."
"I can do that?"
"If you lend us your powers, then you absolutely can."
And, for the first time in two weeks, Homura was able to see Goku's true smile.
"WOW! Then I'll make it the best world of all!" said Goku happily. "Now, what else should I add there…"
"Before that," Shien butted in, "we should eat first. The food is ready."
"AT LAST! Eating time!" Goku shouted when he heard that they were about to eat. Seconds later he was eating—or more like attacking—his share of food.
So much on that particular night in Homura's group.
—0—
The night in the village clinic was what one could not describe as lively. Even though rants, jokes, teases and all had been thrown back and forth, from a person to another, the words themselves were at most empty, and those who spoke them lack the right feeling when saying such. With the loss of a companion who was always active, lively, awfully naïve yet very sensitive at times, they were rendered numb, their feelings quite paralyzed.
And, for quite a moment, silence filled the area where they were; as if all of them were mute, unable to find words to say. During those moments, they just stared at each other.
But what could a man possibly get by staring at another man? Absolutely nothing. Well, except irritation, and a bit of craziness.
"Damn!" Gojyo at last said, standing up and walking toward a window, "I can't just stare at other guys' faces for this long a time!"
Hakkai sighed. "We can't do anything in particular. With this kind of atmosphere, we should be playing mahjong by now, but…as you know, we lack a player."
Gojyo looked at Hakkai. "Mahjong, huh…" He then noticed Hakuryuu lying on the floor near his feet. He sat down in front of the dragon and eyed it for a moment. "Oi, Hakuryuu."
"Kyu?" the dragon said, its head moving up, eyes meeting Gojyo's.
And they stared at each other; Gojyo looking interested, Hakuryuu a bit confused.
Gojyo then said it. "…Do you know how to play mahjong?"
"Kyu?" again asked the dragon, head tilting sideways, showing confusion, a big question mark lying above its head.
"B-but Gojyo," said Hakkai, his lips forming a smile but eyebrows narrowing downwards, "Hakuryuu won't even be able to handle the pieces, as he doesn't have hands."
"Ah, that's right. Gomen, Hakuryuu."
Sanzo couldn't take it any longer. "Will you two just shut up and keep your stupidity to yourselves? You may infect others if you continue on doing mindless things!"
"OI! Don't you talk like that!" shouted Gojyo, "As if you're not that stupid like us!"
"Hey, count me out," said Hakkai.
"And you admitted you're stupid, stupid," added Sanzo.
Gojyo looked like he was about to explode in anger, but he refrained himself from doing anything. He looked out the window and saw the heavy clouds. "Looks like it's going to rain soon."
Stillness conquered the place once more. With this kind of mood, nothing interesting would ever occur.
Sanzo loved silence, but not this kind. This silence kind of told him that something was amiss, something that he could not easily perceive. And he hated things like that.
"…It's too boring."
Hakkai noticed Sanzo looking downcast. "You miss Goku, don't you? It shows."
"Aa," Sanzo replied. What was the point in denying, anyway? Just like Hakkai said, it showed. Not only in him, though, but also in everyone in that room.
And at that time, no one voiced out his thoughts, but if they did, all of them would be very surprised.
Come on, Goku. Where the heck are you, anyway?
—0—
It was already past eleven in the evening; the sky was pitch black. Fortunately the heavy clouds seemed to dissipate, making any chance of raining lesser. Night in the forest looked very dim, unpleasant, and dangerous, especially in a night with no stars and moon. The absence of the heavenly bodies took the joy and romance away.
The fire did a nice job in maintaining a good mood between the gods and Goku, though. What light the stars of far away could not provide, the fire gave them gladly. What warmth they needed to endure the cold forest night, they got from it. And around it they talked and planned about the world they would build. But eventually they had to put it out so as not to attract others to them, and then they slept.
Not one particular god, anyway.
Homura lied on his blanket and looked at the sky, as if he was looking for something. And the clouds appeared to understand him, for they soon parted, revealing part of the moon. The toushin then focused his gaze on the moon.
The moon was an entity that looked as if it was giving off its true light, but in reality was just borrowing the light from a more powerful source, the sun. It would never be able to produce its own light, yet when the sun disappeared into the horizon and the world was filled with darkness, the moon was there, showing the earth what little radiance it was able to take. Small, but convincing enough for the people to still cling to life.
The moon reminded Homura of himself.
No matter how hard he tried, he knew he could never be the sun that Konzen Douji or Genjou Sanzo was for Goku. He was only capable of 'borrowing some of the light'. He could be protective of, kind and giving to Goku, and at most be on par with how Sanzo might have treated him, but never could he be better. Never could he bring back the energy Goku lost when Sanzo treated the boy as trash. The moon would never be able to provide the earth a lasting light and heat. Only the sun was capable of doing that.
Homura then shifted his gaze to the sleeping Goku. The boy looked very peaceful in his sleep. Seeing Goku this way, he could not help himself but feel happy. Why, he could not tell. Or maybe he truly cared for him. He thought of how he was determined to make Goku stronger for the world he needed to create, even if he should hurt him like he did before. But now that Goku was at his side, he felt he should do anything to keep him near, and not hurt him anymore. Goku had suffered a great deal before, and as he was innocent, it wasn't befitting for him to experience so much pain again.
But then, whom was he joking? Whatever he did now for the boy, in the end, he would still end up just using him for the destiny he laid out for himself. Comrades they were now, but they would turn out as enemies finally.
In the end, he would still be causing great pain to Goku. And for that…
"I'm sorry…"
—0—
Three days after, Homura and the others were almost near the village. It would just take them an hour at the least to get there. As they were getting nearer, Goku felt his heart throb faster. He could not help but feel anxious. What must he do? Was he yet unprepared to face Sanzo and the others? Then he should be as soon as possible.
They were still inside the forest when their path was blocked by around six hundred demons.
"Demons?" said Zenon, "Why do they keep on appearing every time we need to do something important?"
The demons surrounded them, different weapons at hand, and then one spoke. "Stop right there! You're the gods who attacked Gyokumen Koushu's palace!"
Homura sighed. "And?"
"We're here to retrieve the Seiten Kyoumon from you! We don't care if you are gods, there are hundreds of us and only three—" He then looked at the god's group again, and saw not three, but four. According to the information he got, only three gods assaulted the palace, but here they were four. What was more was that the fourth one looked like someone he was also looking for. "Oh, so you're four now. That doesn't make any difference at all!"
"We don't have time to deal with you," said Shien, "We have a more important matter to do, so please get out of the way."
The youkai just laughed out very loud. "HAHAHAHA! So now you want to escape? What big chickens you are!"
Goku wasn't in the mood to fight others than Sanzo's group. But he also wasn't in the mood to be called names. Angrily, he told the youkai, "Don't you ever call us chickens! Repeat that and you're dead meat!"
"Hey kid, don't butt in! You are a more useless chicken! A huge dumbass traitor!"
"…What?" Goku's attention was caught by the youkai's words.
"I said you're a chicken and a traitor! You're youkai like us, right? And no wonder you looked familiar, you were that Sanzo's brat. First you betrayed us, and next you betrayed that monk. Makes you a double traitor. Haha! Maybe you were so dumb that you ran away, or they kicked you out of their group!"
Goku wanted to go ballistic then and there; what with all the humiliation he got from the demon. He clenched his fists tightly, his teeth gritted with madness. He was about to pounce the demon on the ground, but suddenly he heard gunshots. Seconds later, the demon who taunted him were filled with bullet holes and then dropped dead on the ground.
"Don't you talk to Goku like that," Zenon said, leaning his gun on his shoulder, "If he wants, he can beat the hell out of y'all!"
The boy's anger calmed down a bit; he was grateful for what Zenon did for him. "Zenon…"
The eye-patched god grinned. "We're comrades now, right?"
Finally, a demon shouted. "ATTACK!"
The horde of demons charged toward them; the four trapped inside a circle of youkai. Homura and the others fended off every demon that came near them.
"This is pretty tiresome," said Zenon, "They're all pathetic, but still, they're too many."
Shien agreed. "What they can't achieve by sheer force, they're going to by number. Quantity over quality, isn't it?"
Homura set some demons on fire, turning them into ash. "Well, I suggest we clear this up faster. This is really a waste of our time." They continued on attacking the youkai, but the more they killed, the more they seemed to increase in number. And their impatience was already adding to their fury.
The four of them were really annoyed by then. "What the hell? Have all the demons of the world ganged up on us just to get back the scroll?" shouted Zenon as he kept on shooting the demons. Every bullet that came out of his gun went into some youkai's body; bullet being wasted wasn't part of his plan. Especially with youkai this plenty.
Shien's whips lashed at every demon it was able to land on. Homura stopped using his flame technique and drew out his sword, and began slashing the enemies. "Goku!" he called. Goku looked at the toushin as he blocked a demon's attack. "If this goes on like this, we'll miss a very great opportunity to get the Maten Kyoumon."
"What do you want me to do?" asked Goku as he continued on fighting the demons that were charging at him.
"Go ahead and pursue Sanzo's group."
"What?" Goku was surprised. Homura wanted him to go ahead? "But what about you three?"
Homura smiled. "We'll take care of these pests. Don't worry, we'll catch up to you." He stabbed a demon lunging toward him. "Just keep them busy until we arrive. You don't have to get the scroll that quickly."
Goku looked at Homura, Shien, and Zenon. There were still a lot of demons around them, and although he knew the three could defeat them all, he also knew they might be somewhat tired then. But Homura wanted him to go. He wanted the boy to track Sanzo's group, now. He trusted Goku.
Then he should go.
The boy soon made his way out, killing any youkai obstructing him. "I promise I'll be holding the Maten Kyoumon in my hands when you arrive! So make it fast, okay?"
"Yeah, kid! You bet we will!" Zenon answered.
Shien nodded at Goku while still attacking the youkai. "Good luck to you."
Homura just smiled. And as Goku ran from the area, he also smiled back.
He was very happy that he was being trusted. It felt really good that someone believed in him. I won't disappoint you, guys!
One demon noticed that Goku was running away. "Hey! That kid's fleeing! Some of you follow him!"
A number of demons followed Goku. Homura noticed this, and he sent a flame dragon to the group. Only a few were hit, though, and the others were already advancing toward the direction to where the boy went.
Damn…
—0—
"Okay, your wound is by far healing very well," the doctor in the village, said to Sanzo, "I suppose I can already discharge you today. Just don't overwork yourself, and in two to three days' time you'll be completely healed."
Sanzo was glad to hear that, although it didn't show on his face. He put on his robe after the doctor finished examining his wound.
At last, they were about to leave town. He couldn't wait for that to happen. He had been cooped up in this place for God-knows-how-long (actually, it was just more than two weeks), but he couldn't stay in one place for that long.
Now it was time to find Goku, and try to convince him back. And, more than everything else, try to tell him that he was sorry.
—0—
Goku kept on running, hoping to see the town that Homura was talking about before. Speaking of Homura, how are they, anyway? They're fine, possibly.
A while later, the town was already in sight. At last! muttered Goku, Sanzo and the others probably are still in there. I should hurry—
A spear almost stabbed him in the back had he not sensed it. He then looked behind him, and saw a group of youkai following him.
They followed me? Then let them come. Besides, they won't defeat me. He continued to run toward the village. The…village? W-wait… It then occurred to him that he was nearing the village. If he let them follow him up to there, then the villagers might get involved and hurt. His job was just getting the scroll from Sanzo. He couldn't let the people be drawn in this mess. So he decided to stop and fight the demons while still inside the forest.The demons also stopped, seeing Goku do so. "Finally, you're going to face us. You won't go away easily, or better yet, alive!"
Goku just smirked. "Then try! But let me tell you something: if there's someone who won't be going out of this forest alive, it would be all of you!"
—0—
Sanzo, Gojyo and Hakkai were standing outside the village clinic, the doctor at the doorway. The three were about to leave town then.
"Thanks for your help, doc," told Hakkai, "Well then, I think we should be going now."
The doctor sighed. "You're ready to go, you've paid and all, but why so much hurry? Don't you want to stay here and rest a bit more?"
It was Hakkai's turn to sigh. "Well, as much as we want that, we can't, because we need to find someone."
"I see," the doctor uttered, "He's the one you've been talking about before, right? He seems very important."
Gojyo almost laughed when he heard that. "Important? He's so noisy and awfully stupid. He's more annoying than important. But then," a faint smile visible in his lips, "maybe those qualities make him important… What the hell am I saying? Maybe his stupidity's already growing on me…" He scratched his head while saying that.
Hakuryuu flew to the doctor and rested on his hands. "Kyu!"
"I'll miss you, too," the doctor replied, "And of course, your unique ability to turn into a vehicle! You were a great help these past weeks!" After that, the dragon went back to Hakkai and rested on his shoulder.
"Oi," said Sanzo, "we should get going."
"Very well. Goodbye, and good luck in finding whoever it is you need to find." The doctor told them. Sanzo and the others began to walk away, Hakuryuu about to transform into a jeep, until a villager came running to the clinic.
"Doc!" he shouted, "Youkai have been spotted just on the way to the forest in front of the village! The chief asks you to be readyin case an attack occurs!"
Sanzo's group stopped, hearing what the man said.
"Really? Youkai, huh? Okay, I'll prepare some medicines if we come to need it."
"Hai." The villager was about to leave, but he remembered something. "There are really a number of demons outside, but our patroller saw a boy fending them off, as if he doesn't want to let the youkai be able to get here."
The Sanzo-tachi were surprised by what they heard. "A boy?" Hakkai asked the man, "Does this boy use a staff in fighting, or does he wear a golden headband?"
The villager thought for a minute, then answered, "I remember the patroller say something about a golden thing shining on his forehead..."
After listening to the man, Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo were now sure of what they were thinking.
No doubt about it, it was Goku!
Hakuryuu then reverted into jeep mode and the three boarded inside. The jeep then sped off towards the forest entrance.
"Hey! Be careful, guys!" the doctor shouted as the jeep went away.
--0--
Shit! There are still some left! thought Goku as he continued on fending off the demons, How long is this gonna take? I still have to get to Sanzo...
Suddenly, a demon jumped on him, pinning him on the ground. He tried hard to throw the demon of of him, but to no avail.
"Hehe, that was careless of you," said the demon, grinning, "Now die!"
Goku closed his eyes, waiting for the strike. The demon was about to bury his nails in Goku, but then the boy heard a gunshot from behind him. He slowly opened his eyes,and saw the youkai beside him, dead.
That was close, he thought, good thing Zenon got here in time. He stood up and turned to the direction from where the bullet came from. "Good timing, Zenon--"
Yet when he saw who it was who helped him, he was very much surprised.
Golden eyes were fixed on violet ones.
"Sa-Sanzo?"
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YES! After three months, I have finally come back! Sorry if I took that loooong. My mind also went on a vacation this summer. I'm really very sorry.
Anyway, next chapter, it's gonna be talk, talk, and more talk! And maybe a fight or two. 'Cause next time, Sanzo will finally admit his mistakes! Will Goku be easily swayed with the monk's words? Or will the boy kill him then and there?
Next Chapter: Human!