A Peculiar Shangri-la in England
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Summary: Through an accidental incantation of both Sharak and Sanzo's respective sutras, the Sanzo party gets transported into a world far different from their own. Enter a pompous, little boy with an eyepatch on his right eye, who seemed to take an interest with Sanzo's ability to expel demons to ashes, much to the chagrin of the boy's suspecting butler—who happened to be a demon himself.
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A/N: Thank you for the lovely feedback last chapter! :D It's 4:16am, and upon rereading Saiyuki, I came upon Chapter 15, where Sanzo can indeed read Sanskrit. Apparently, my hunch wasn't far off. -sighs in relief- If he can read it, it would make sense that he could also (somehow) speak an Indic language, right? Right? (I hope so.)
Also, the poem that Taruchie recited this chapter was on Chapter 8 on Journey to the West.
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"Young Master, Reverend Sanzo is now with his companions's care. It took Master Cho's words to get through Master Goku's agitated state to calm him down after seeing him dragging the reverend all the way from the streets. And as for Master Soma and Mr. Agni, they're now in the... prayer room, they have called, begging to Goddess Kali for forgiveness for making Reverend Sanzo faint in the middle of the streets," Sebastian reported to a passive Ciel sitting in the office.
Earlier had been quite a ruckus after seeing Soma and Agni bawling their eyes out over seeing the the reverend's companion struggling while dragging the pale and weakened man throughout the whole trek back home. Apparently, Goku had refused their help and had looked and sounded angry, and have been yelling in another language the whole time, Soma said.
"According to Mr. Agni, Master Goku took the breads from the reverend's hands and sniffed it, they thought that maybe Master Goku thought that they tried poisoning Reverend Sanzo. And then he ate them, and yelled something at them again," Sebastian frowned, a thoughtful index curled upon his lips.
"But is he all right? That Goku, I mean." Ciel's expression had the look of worry now, and Sebastian nodded, in hopes of alleviating his young master's fears even just a bit.
"Master Goku is all right. I checked Mr. Agni and Master Soma earlier for any wounds, but they said that after the reverend fainted, Master Goku didn't lay a finger on them. Instead, he leaned Reverend Sanzo's weight against the crate and... 'did a lot of gesturing', Master Soma said."
Ciel's eyebrow rose, his lips pursed in mild curiosity, "What gesture?"
"Well," Sebastian smiled, and the earl noticed that the butler tried to stifle his laughter. "According to Master Soma, Master Goku did this," Sebastian then gestured his thumbs and index fingers closely from his right eye towards the back of his head, and clamped his right palm over his eye. He held his palm downwards to his chin, and then he put one hand on his waist, and held one arm outwards, his hand tightly clawed as though he were holding something with a handle. "To the prince, it looked highly odd, until they heard Master Goku trying to pronounce a word, or should I say, a name. Mr. Agni said Master Goku repeatedly said 'Fantomhai.' He kept trying to describe you and say your name, Young Master."
Ciel nodded, and placed the documents he had been reading back on the desk, "So I see. Well, I think I should check up on them. I don't want any of our precious guests dying under my nose."
And they made their way to where the guests were, and found Hakkai closing the door to the reverend and Goku's room. Sebastian promptly apologized to Hakkai for causing them trouble, to which the healer bowed in return and apologized for letting the reverend wander around.
"Ah, but our resident prince, Master Soma, has caused Master Goku trouble. I'll see to it that Master Soma will relearn the meaning of giving people space," Sebastian finished with a smile that mirrored Hakkai's own.
"Ah, no. There's no need for that, Mr. Sebastian. Sanzo is doing well, he's just fatigued after everything. I will ask Sanzo what happened once he wakes up. Goku told me that Sanzo spoke to, ah, Prince Soma, in a foreign tongue, and so he didn't understand the exchange of their conversation." Hakkai scratched his head bashfully, smiling all the while, "Also, Goku is now completely calm. Just—please, speak softly inside. Sanzo is, well, he's a cranky person when he wakes up." He smiled, bowing upon seeing the butler agree. "I'll take my leave for now, and thank you for letting us stay in your home."
Sebastian relayed Hakkai's message to Ciel, and the earl silently nodded in return. "The young master says it is no worry—anything for the guests," Sebastian said. Hakkai beamed and bowed once more, and left to retire to the room that he shared with Master Sha next door.
"Shall we enter, Young Master?"
"No need. Maybe just a peek. I don't want to disturb them."
And so they opened the door just the slightest, and saw the reverend propped up with the duvet in his black turtleneck peeking through the edges, and void of his fingerless gloves. Sitting on the bed beside the reverend was a solemn Goku, who kept brushing away the stray strands of blond from the man's face.
"Sebastian, you told me that Mr. Cho can heal people using his energy. Why can't you do that?" Ciel muttered as he looked at how Goku silently fawned over the unconscious man, often ghosting his thumb on the man's cheeks. "Also, do you think he's just waiting for him to die so he can consume the reverend?"
At this, Sebastian let out a low rumble of a laugh, and glanced at the innocently curious earl, "Rest assured, Young Master, Master Goku, along with his other friends, will never consume Reverend Sanzo. They are loyal to him, shall we say—free and not bound from any contract, but they chose to be with him. It is quite rare, and this is the first time I have seen their kind. They are for a fact, quite different than me. Also, I'm guessing Master Lau's words about Master Goku's devotion to the reverend might not be far off."
Ciel hummed in thought, and nodded vaguely, "So there are humane demons. I see."
"Also, I believe I have told you before, have I not? Master Goku is covered in the reverend's scent."
"Because they're always together, right?"
"Well," Sebastian paused, and glanced at Goku, who was still occupied with Sanzo, "yes and no. It's a scent that is quite unique during nocturnal times."
Ciel blinked, and realization dawned a few seconds later, "Nocturnal, you say? You mean they're—"
The butler nodded, a faint trace of amusement gracing his features. "Yes, and I suggest you lower your voice, Young Master, even if they wouldn't understand what we're saying. I see no reason why you would be shocked, though—seeing as you and I are—"
"Shh, don't say it...!" Ciel gritted out, sparing the silent brunet on the bed a glance. "I just can't believe that a high priest is—" He paused, and noticed the man on the bed stirring slightly, and mumbled something. Ciel observed the brunet reaching out for a glass of water on the nightstand and heaving the reverend's head upwards to give him water. Goku gave a small smile to the furrow-browed priest as he cradled Sanzo on his lap for leverage, and slowly poured the water to Sanzo's mouth. Goku mumbled something, and Ciel glanced at Sebastian.
"'You pushed yourself again too much—but I'll take care of you. Sanzo, do you want another glass? No? Okay,' is what he said," Sebastian finished, claret eyes still trained on the two on the bed. Goku laid Sanzo's head back on the pillow and patted his lips with the washcloth near the glass, and noted the faint flush of color returning to the blond's cheeks.
Goku looked up from the bed, and grinned straight at the butler's eyes peeking through the small crack of the door. "He'll be okay," he said a bit louder, and he hopped off the bed, and gave Sanzo one last look, and went over to the stunned earl and butler, muttering a cheerful greeting. "Hi!" He closed the door behind him, and grinned, "Sanzo'll be okay, Hakkai said. His arm's doing fine, too. This morning, it was his full arm with bandages, now it's just his forearm. Said it's just fatigue from all the stuff with the different dimensions and all. By the way, that curry bread I ate earlier, was it you who taught them, or was it the other way around? Because I tasted the same thing with the food you made this morning." Gold eyes met scarlet ones, and Sebastian smiled upon Goku's observation.
"Quite an amazing palette you have, Master Goku," the butler bowed. "It is as you say, I have taught Mr. Agni how to make that particular curry bread. And they make and give them out to the people on the streets."
A quiet "oh" left Goku's lips. "It was delicious, it was why I had a hard time believing that they were trying to poison him. Thanks."
The butler smiled in return, "I am grateful that my recipe pleases you, Master Goku."
Goku grinned, and looked at Ciel, "Hey, Ciel! Thanks for the help!"
Sebastian translated Goku's words to Ciel, to which the earl shrugged and gave a nonchalant, "Tell him it is the Phantomhive hospitality, after all. Besides, I want to know more about them." Sebastian relayed the message, and Goku blinked.
"Well, 'ts okay. I hide no secrets! Well, kind of. Ah, right. I have no other ways to distract myself right now. Um, I usually hang around Sanzo until he could move around. Say, I could keep ya company for the meantime!"
And so Goku talked to the earl and the butler, with Lau popping in the middle of the conversation in the game room. He talked about how he had been with Sanzo for eight years, from his stay with the monk in Keiun temple, up to when they met Hakkai and Gojyo, and how they were tasked to go to Houtou Castle in the West to stop the Ox king's revival, up to their two-year journey where they finally got to Tibet and things happened with Sharak, the other Sanzo. He told them about the truth that all Sanzo priests should scatter around as far from each other as possible to prevent a trigger of events that would otherwise harm the world when activating their sutras—
"—and so we ended up here now. Heheh."
Ciel was silent throughout the whole tale as Sebastian translated everything that Goku said. Lau merely nodded, as if being transported into another different world were the norm, while Lan Mao merely toyed with her food. At one point, Soma and Agni appeared, fumbling and bawling and apologizing to a confused Goku. And when all was said and done, when the brunet had laughed it off and said that the curry bread was delicious, Sebastian then became the one who told Goku's tale to the prince and his butler.
Soma and Agni, in turn, stared at Goku, aghast. Soma was about to ask Goku something when the little, white dragon came gliding to Goku's shoulders, cheeping. Shortly behind him were the bumbling servant trio, babbling words of cooing and fawning over the dragon.
"We were trying to pet its feathers, sir! It was really soft like a cat's!" yelped Maylene.
"It singed my hair! Tee hee!" Finnian squealed.
"It burned the meat I was cooking!" Bard yelled.
Goku, all the while, patted Hakuryuu on the head, and talked to Lau about the English cuisine he had seen and eaten so far.
"Come to think of it, little child, what is that curious ornament on your head?" inquired Lau, his close-eyed gaze looking at a coronet around Goku's brow.
"Oh, this?" The golden-eyed boy tapped his coronet, "It's a—" He stopped, and remembered words from a certain, cynic blond from long ago, and he grinned. "It's a comforting object to me, ya see. It keeps my sanity in check."
Lau nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation, "I see. I know how that feels. I pretty much feel saner when I have Lan Mao around. Right, Lan Mao?" The silent woman blinked, and nodded in immediate response. "Say, your tale of your journey feels somehow familiar. Very familiar. Like something straight out of a Chinese novel. Ever heard of it?"
Goku leaned back on the plush chair and shook his head, "Nuh uh. I would have known if I read of such a thing. Sanzo and Hakkai taught me how to read, and I never read anything like that of our experience."
"Nonetheless, Master Goku," Sebastian interrupted with a polite smile, "now that Master Soma and Mr. Agni are here, what would you like to know?"
Goku gave a thoughtful hum as he scratched his cheek, pondering on what to say. "Well," he started, glancing at Hakuryuu before settling his eyes on the prince, "I'd like to know if it'll really take long to get from here to India. We're supposed to be in a rush, and Sanzo hates delays. This looks like it's going to be our longest delay as of yet."
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"Hey, Taruchie. Where are we, exactly?" Sharak looked around, and noted the aisles upon aisles of deities towering on the walls. In front of her, Taruchie walked a few steps ahead, her steps small yet quick compared to Sharak's long yet slow strides. Hassan paced behind Sharak, his eyes roving and alert for any suspicious activity. After the breach in the village, Hassan had developed an instinct that he shouldn't trust some people around him anymore—
"We're going to call upon the gods, young lady," Taruchie said softly, her voice ringing in the silent halls. "Not the Three Aspects, mind you. I heard from the other monks what the Maten's successor did to the water screen. I take it he's not pleased with their decision, so I will warn his group, again, not to fight Fate."
"What do you mean?" asked Sharak.
Taruchie swirled the prayer wheel in her hand, her voice going softer yet eerier—
"When an idea is born in a man's mind
It is known throughout Heaven and Earth.
If good and evil are not rewarded and punished
The world is bound to go to the bad.
"The holder of Maten and Seiten scriptures will do as what I will also do. I am sure of it," muttered Taruchie, her eyes settling on Sharak's confused expression. "He has a sort of telepathy with one of his companions, yes?"
Sharak shook her head, "None that I know of. Why do you ask?"
"I am thinking, you see," Taruchie looked away, the prayer wheel in her hand twirling back and forth, "if the same could also happen through a connection that can transcend time and dimension. I sensed it. He and one of the demons accompanying him can sense each other's thoughts through their voices in their heads."
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Soma and Agni relayed to Sebastian, who relayed it to Goku, about the time that they'd spend to get back to India, along with tales of the numerous gods and goddesses of India, of how they delivered blessing or destruction to anyone that they would judge. Among them were their beloved god Mahakala and his consort, goddess Kali, who both governed over time and space, both who were able to cross or dissolve the universe after a thousand cycles of 12,000 years—something that neither Ciel nor Goku could comprehend, merely nodding absentmindedly at the arduous explanations that the zealous Soma provided.
It had come to a point where Goku kept ruffling Hakuryuu's feathers as Soma explained, and Goku stopped all of a sudden, his mouth parting the slightest as he looked at the door, declaring to Sebastian that Sanzo had awakened, and that he should return. He stood up and jogged outside the room, with Hakuryuu following behind.
"What did he say?" Soma and Ciel asked Sebastian with a quizzical look.
"He says that Reverend Sanzo is awake now," Sebastian said with a thoughtful look, and noticed the room's occupants staring at him in confusion. He shrugged and smiled, "I suppose they have a—...very unique bond?"
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"I heard you in my head earlier, calling for me."
"I wasn't calling you, idiot."
"Yes, you were. I heard you loud and clear, calling my name. Don't worry, Sanzo. I'm here. I won't leave you again."
"Tch. I know that, stupid."
"Tee hee. Come now, don't look away. No. No cigarettes yet. Here, Sanzo, you should at least eat the soup before you smoke. Hakkai made this earlier, he borrowed Ciel's kitchen and even took some recipes from Sebastian and that Agni guy. You know, the one who gave us the bread? They're actually nice people, and don't worry, I didn't scare them at all. By the way, this is cream of chicken soup and it's good. Here. And yes, I know you're not a complete invalid, but your arm is useless right now."
"Ambidextrous, remember? ...hey, what's that for?"
"To help me feed you."
"...Idiot."
Peeking through the room that Sanzo and Goku occupied, Sebastian found Goku feeding the composed and resigned reverend sitting on the bed, the aforementioned bowl of soup inching close to a reluctant mouth. Upon looking closely, the butler noticed Goku smiling and pecking the reverend's cheek each time he placed the spoonful of soup near the blond's lips, and would then peck his lips every time the reverend had a spoonful in his mouth. Sebastian stifled a laugh as the stoic priest slowly crumbled under the demon's affectionate charm. He quietly closed the door and stood with his back upon it, and waited patiently.
"Ah, Sebastian," Goku appeared behind the door a few minutes later, with a huge smile on his face. "Sanzo finally finished his meal now. Also, he says you didn't have to spy on us so much."
Sebastian laughed and apologized to the grinning brunet, "Very well, then. Shall I come in and collect the empty tray?" Goku agreed, and Sebastian entered, to where he was met with as much of an evil glare an injured person could muster from a too large bed. "I apologize, Reverend. It just seemed that you were... occupied." The mirth-laden words seemed not to escape said reverend's sharp disposition, and Sebastian merely smiled upon hearing the reverend growl.
Goku returned to Sanzo's side, smiling. "Ah, Sanzo told me that he needs a place to meditate in a few hours. Do you have such a place?"
"Hey, don't speak for me as if I'm mute, idiot," snapped the priest, to which the brunet merely grinned. He turned to Sebastian with the same, annoyed face. "Sebastian, those men from India, is it true that they're your acquaintances?"
"Why, yes, Reverend. It is as you say. Young Master has become quite dear to Master Soma, and the young master, wanting him to be more mature in seeing the world, has made him a caretaker in one of my young master's townhouses. Ah, I assume you want to speak to them now? I shall fetch them if you like."
"No need," Sanzo grumbled, sparing Goku a glance. "I need to use a room for meditation, I suppose that won't be a bother to your master?"
Sebastian regarded the reverend with a hum, and noted that although the priest had a temper, he seemed to follow individuals that have a higher authority than he. That alone made Sebastian nod to himself, pleased at seeing such a supposed lofty priest displaying humility and showing manners to his young master. Heaven forbid that Sebastian would lament the loss of an entertaining individual such as Reverend Sanzo if he were to kill him if he tried to badmouth Ciel. That wouldn't end up well.
The butler smiled and bowed, "I have just the room for such an activity, Reverend Sanzo. If you please, follow me."
And so Sanzo dressed in his robes and draped the sutra on his shoulders—without Goku's help this time—and they followed him. On their way there, Sebastian overheard the two of them talking to themselves about summoning a goddess of mercy, of sorts, to which the reverend had replied that it would be a pain to call on her. Goku muttered something to Sanzo's ear, and the reverend grunted something in reply, words that escaped Sebastian's hearing. And the golden-eyed demon said nothing more.
They were led to a room where a few idols sat on small platforms and pillars, and Sanzo requested for Sebastian to not to disturb them should anyone enter the room. The butler agreed, and the reverend immediately sat upright and crosslegged on a cushion in front of a goddess. Beside him, Goku did the same.
Sanzo tipped his head forward just the slightest, and he placed his palms together, his fingertips mere centimeters under his chin, and his eyes casted downwards, violet orbs sliding half-open, and he began muttering in an undertone.
Goku observed the reverend until he began chanting softly, and he did the same posture, except his right hand was tucked under the left, both palms facing upwards, with his thumbs sticking out, touching gently. Unlike Sanzo, however, Goku muttered no words, and had his eyes completely closed.
Sebastian observed them closely, and snorted, wondering about humans looking quite pitiful in serving their gods—
—when the sutra on the reverend's shoulders fluttered, and it hovered, until it lengthened to great lengths—
Sebastian winced and took a step back when he felt a sharp prickle against his foot. His eyes glowed red for the briefest of moments, only for them to return in its normal, wine-red hue, when he saw the sutra encircling the monk and the little demon.
The door slammed open, and in came Gojyo and Hakkai, wide-eyed and fearful.
"Sanzo, Goku! We sensed a great surge of ki and—eh?"
Hakkai couldn't finish his sentence as the sound of the sutra flapping loudly around the two sitting on the cushions startled them, and Master Sha's jaw slackened as the reverend and the demon became surrounded by a startling golden aura.
Reverend Sanzo's chanting in undertone reverberated in the room, and Soma and Agni entered the room, breathless.
"I sensed the aura of the great Tripitaka!" yelled Soma, and Sebastian scolded the prince not to take a step further to where the monk sat, when one part of the sutra reached out to him and whipped his whole body back, where Agni quickly caught him.
"Hey, Sebastian! What happened!" Gojyo demanded with bared teeth. "You better not be planning to kill us—"
"Rest assured, Master Sha, I plan to do no such thing. It was Reverend Sanzo who requested to use Master Soma's prayer room. He said he needed it to meditate, as it were. And he wanted Master Goku to be with him."
"Why Goku?" Hakkai asked, urging Hakuryuu to calm down on his shoulder.
"I have not the slightest idea. I thought perhaps you know something? This aura of theirs doesn't seem to permit anyone to be within their range."
Hakkai fell silent, and glanced warily at their sitting companions. "Perhaps, I have a theory, but—"
"Just spit it, Hakkai! What if we get transported to the fucking next galaxy or something! And it'll be their fault!" Gojyo spluttered in a harsh mutter of panic, and Hakkai took a deep breath.
"Goku had been with Sanzo for eight years, and I think somewhere along that time, he had taught Goku how to meditate. And seeing as I have... heard from the Goddess of Mercy, that Goku had been in Heaven once. You were there when we heard it, right?" Gojyo nodded, and seemed to be at a loss of what to say. Hakkai continued, "So maybe, just maybe, Sanzo could somehow tap into Goku's real nature as a being from heaven? Seeing as Sanzo inherits both the Heaven and Earth sutras, it would make sense and—"
Just then, the demons in the room fell silent as Sanzo finally stopped chanting, but the golden aura and the sutra that surrounded him and Goku remained, and from all around the walls, a voice echoed, one that was familiar to both Hakkai and Gojyo.