Disclaimer(s) - I don't own Saiyuki or ANY of the Saiyuki Characters nor am I affiliated and therefore I am not making any profit from this story whatsoever. Saiyuki and its characters belong solely to Kazuya Minekura and all other respective creators/owners. I am just a fan. A BIG fan. A HUGE fan. A... well, you get the idea. I don't own anything but the 4 girls' characters in the story.
***
Her face.
He didn't have the words to describe it... she was...
Beautiful.
The word rolled through his mind like soft thunder. He knew at that moment, that the image of her standing there, dappled in light from the afternoon sun peeking through the low hanging clouds, and her long blonde hair shifting and swaying with each breath of wind, would be forever burned into his memory. In that moment, he saw it all: the cat-like pointed eyes with their ridiculously long lashes that were like gold dusted ash. The fine arched brows of burnished gold. Her nose was perfect, as though chiselled by a master sculptor, and it matched her high cheekbones and pointed chin perfectly. He saw the small symbol tattooed at her right eye, between her lid and brow. And at her left...
A large pale scar scratched its way down her face, running from her eye brow to her cheekbone. It looked.... hollow. Sanzo frowned at that in thought - it looked like something had been... cut out. As thought her skin had been actively removed... Despite that, though, she was simply stunning. Beautiful. The word rolled through his mind again, then out onto his tongue, where he tasted it – like testing a new and unfamiliar food. It was different, yet not entirely unpleasant.
"Beautiful..." He murmured, the syllables slipping from his lips before he could close them tightly together, scowling at himself, and glad that the wind carried away the thoughtless word. Dammit! – This was new! And new things were complicated! He wouldn't allow things to get complicated! He would forget her and everything he saw – that was that! ... He knew he was lying to himself, but he was determined to try. Shaking his head, he heard the sounds of sobbing.
"Suki... no..." Tryst whispered, bloodied hands at her mouth as Bella lay her down before Daja's kneeling form. Goku stood nearby, fists clenching and unclenching in impotent fury at the sight of Suki's wound. He lifted his eyes to Daja, "You'll be able to fix her, won't you?" He asked, angry eyes laced with tears of anxiety. The monkey was torn between staying and caring for Suki, and chasing down the youkai who had escaped. He looked at his fists, as they bled through the force of his anger and worry. Those youkai deserved death for this.
Daja smiled up at Goku shakily, as Hakkai kneeled next to her, offering silent support. "I will do my best" the muse replied, wiping her teary eyes in her sleeve as she began to gather her energy. Daja took a deep, steadying breath and Hakkai linked his hand with hers. Casting him a last, thankful glance, she began to hum. The humming rose to a melody, which broke into her ethereal song, once more. As the song became louder, Gojyo went to stand behind the now crying Tryst, putting his arms around her in comfort. She turned in his hold, and grasped onto his chest, burying her head into it as she sobbed. His arms resettled over her, and he held her close, his cheek resting on her head as he gave her all the support he could.
Bella had backed away from Suki's still form, to lean against a nearby building. Her breathing was shallow, and her skin pale. Suddenly, she lost control of her legs, and fell to her knees with a dull thud. Gojyo glanced up sharply, but seeing Sanzo making his way to her, he turned his attention back to Tryst. Bella sat back on her heels, and stared at her hands. Hands now covered in Suki's blood.
"No one said this was going to be easy," a quiet voice stated from above her. Sanzo pulled out a cigarette and lit it as he listened to Daja's beautifully haunting song. "I warned you not to follow us. I told you to stay behind. Is this what you wanted? Or did you expect everything to be OK, like in those stories you listen to, about life in Shangrila?" He took a deep puff, looking at the sky to the West. "Life ain't a rose bed out here."
SMACK!
A solid fist connected with Sanzo's jaw, dropping him to the dusty ground. Goku shifted from one foot to the other, torn between helping Sanzo, and helping Suki. Gojyo looked up in shock, as Tryst turned in his arms, watery eyes wide in disbelief. Daja was still deep in her trance, but Hakkai lifted his dark gaze, and nodded in a satisfied way. The monk deserved that.
Bella stood with her head down, above the fallen priest, her fists clenched. Sanzo was rubbing his jaw as he pulled himself into a sitting position. He did not meet Bella's glare.
"You think it's that easy, don't you?" She was almost silent in her whisper, so deep was her fury at that moment. She felt the wind pick up, swirling the dust around the downed monk. "You think you can force us – force ME – to feel guilty, just by telling us what YOU think is right? Something that we have already realised for ourselves?" Her voice rose, and that strange, echoing quality came back into it – the sound of deep thunder, crashing inside a cavern. She towered over him, her five-foot-six frame seeming enormous in the wake of her anger
"So what if we knew who you were? We were going to DIE ANYWAY! Did you even think about what we lost? About what we had to give up, and accept, with no choices? We had the only choice there ever is, placed in front of us – life or death. And we chose to LIVE!" Bella was not even out of breath; her rage was running so deep at Sanzo's words that the strength in her voice was coming straight from her power.
"Who are you to make us feel guilty for that? Huh? Who do you think you are? No – WHO are you? Do you even know anymore? Because there is no way you could stand there crowing about being right, while my sister is over there dying, and still see yourself in the mirror tomorrow!"
"Sister?" Hakkai murmured, looking from Bella to Suki, his eyes wide. "Sister?" Goku echoed, confused. Bella was breathing hard now, fingernails digging into her palms - her anger spent, at the pitiful sight of the bow headed monk at her feet.
Suddenly, her left hand flew to her temple, her eyes clenching shut in pain, as with a small cry, she collapsed to the dusty ground. "Bella!" Hakkai cried, but stayed were he was, his heart skipping a beat at the rare sight forming in front of him.
The wind had died, and in its place, a strange, heavy silence had fallen over the street. No birds chirped. No dogs barked. Even the elusive solitary wolf had ceased its howling. It was almost as though even nature itself was holding its breath in the face of something so rare, as though to make a sound would scare it away, never to return. Without saying a word, Sanzo knelt beside the girls' fallen form, and gently lifted her into his arms, bridal style. He head fell forward in his hold, her arms folded neatly on her chest as he adjusted her in his grasp.
Holding the muse close, Sanzo turned, and just a silently, headed back to the inn at a steady, even pace. Goku, Gojyo and Tryst stood in shock, eyes wide and mouths letting in the flies at the oddest event yet. Hakkai just smiled slightly, turning back to support Daja, who was about half way through.
***
Kougaiji had watched the attack on the group from his vantage point in the sky, riding the thermals on his dragon. Lirin was nearby, her dragon playfully dipping and weaving in the air, much to the amusement of it rider. Kou cracked a wry grin as Lirin's tinkling laugh reached his ears. Heaving a deep sigh, he slowly removed the small black cloth surrounding the red stone at his neck, and leaned out further, so the image of the ground 200 feet below, was clearly visible to the watcher at the other end of the connection.
Moments passed, and, as the battle wound to an abrupt finish, Kougaiji quickly put the crystal away, his attention immediately caught by the small glowing figure at the edge of the fighting. The prince had noted two hostages, the four men of the Sanzo Ikkou, and two female fighters, whom he had assumed were locals defending their town. Now, however, the fighting had ceased abruptly, and one of the hostages had begun to sparkle like lightning.
Kou raised his brows, his eagle vision allowing him to see the battle clearly. It was that girl again – he realised with a jolt. His eyebrows flew to his hairline, and he fought to keep his seat, such was his shock. Could it be... she was... travelling with the Sanzo Ikkou? He snorted – impossible. The Sanzo party was too smart and too arrogant to have women tagging along – they were too much of a liability of the heart. Kou chose to ignore his own female companions at this thought.
Suddenly, his dragon dipped sharply, and a loud groaning sounded deep in it's throat. Kou patted the creatures' neck, calming it, and looked over to Lirin to check her composure. The little demon girl had not even noticed the change in the wind density. The animal's had noted it first – the sudden heaviness of the air, the thickening of clouds about them, the static electricity in the atmosphere. The demon Prince sucked in a breath – where had this storm come from? He looked up the clouds above him, and was shocked to see how quickly they had gathered, allowing the sun to stream through the town below, yet blocking the light for the rest of the land. What was going on? These clouds were hanging low, dark and angry – this was a thunderstorm to be sure – but where had it come from? Could it be...?
"Onii-saaaaan! Lirin wants to land – this storm is scary!" Shaken from his thoughts by his sisters' cries, Kougaiji nodded curtly, before directing their dragons to land in the town below, on a rooftop about three streets from where the Sanzo Ikkou was situated. They quickly dismounted, Lirin immediately berating her elder brother to allow her to go down and fight 'baldy-chan'. Kougaiji replied with the standard 'no', and ordered her to watch the dragons while he surveyed the fighting. Stomping her foot and pouting, Lirin disobeyed his orders, and decided to watch with him, her excitement at seeing her sometimes 'rivals' almost giving them both away.
Kou shoved a meat bun in her mouth to keep her quiet, and continued his surveillance. He was awed by the turn of events, and even more keenly aware of how the blonde woman was able to fight so neatly, and so viciously – like a purely unstoppable force of nature. His opinion of her, and suspicions about who she was, were finally confirmed on the appearance of her weapons. His eyes widened, and his mouth jaw was slack as he finally saw her face as she had carried the smaller girls' body to her friend. She was beautiful. And she was definitely not human.
Did the Sanzo Ikkou realise who they were dealing with? Were they even aware of what those weapons, and that tattoo on her eye indicated? Obviously not – he thought, as he saw how Sanzo spoke to the woman - her reaction making him grin in amusement. Watching the monk carry her off, and hearing the strange, ethereal song fill the street, the demon prince knew that there was more to these women than first met the eye. But either way, he had to do something about it – soon.
A plan began to form in his mind, as he gave orders to Lirin (who was entranced by the ethereal music) to stay by the dragon, and set off in the same direction as Sanzo. He would do something about these women soon, but first, he had to go see her...
***
Sanzo entered his room on the third floor, cursing his desire to sleep so far away from the rest of the group. Laying Bella carefully on his bed, Sanzo strode to the small, attached bathroom, collecting a bowl and a cold compress, before returning to the room to sit lightly on the edge of the bed. He looked down at her still face, his gaze unreadable. Lifting the compress, the squeezed the water out of the cloth, and with gentle fingers, began slowly brushing back her fringe.
He had barely touched her, when her hand suddenly flashed up, swatting his away. He scowled at her – then realised she was still completely unconscious. A reflex, then. He chuckled in his mind, "we're more alike than I first thought."
He eventually swept her hair back, dodging two more 'reflex' actions, until he stared once again upon her face. Gods, she was even more beautiful that he had previously remembered. Her skin was creamy white, and glowing softly from her enormous inner power. Her eyelids were stained fuscia pink, in the same manner as the other muses. The dark tattoo on her eye merely accentuated her beauty, giving it a dark, almost dangerous quality. And she was dangerous – he wouldn't ever forget how intense she was back there. So dangerous, so… mysterious…
He shook his head, remembering his plan to forget her, and gently placed the compress on her now exposed forehead, his fingertips unintentionally brushing over her skin. He felt heat shoot up his arms like lightning, and instantly drew them away, eyeing her warily. He leaned back, watching her face for signs of awakening due to the cloth on her forehead. Seeing none, he walked to the table, stripping off his top layer, as he took a seat - newspaper in hand, reading glasses on his nose.
It was another hour before Bella woke, and the sun was beginning to sink into the distant horizon. Her eyelids cracked open as she focused on the window.
He was seated there, his back pressed against the frame, head cocked to the side as he watched the sun disappear. A soft glow surrounded him, making his hair shine like spun gold, and his features, particularly his eyes, burn with an unearthly beauty. She stared at the angel in silence, as if making a noise would scare him away. As though sensing her attention, he turned his gaze to her, and she was felled. His eyes bored into hers with a terrifying intensity, and she had the sensation that she was looking at him like a deer caught in the headlights.
His voice rolled through the room, deep, husky, and much softer than usual. "Are you alright?" He asked, his eyes not leaving hers. He remained motionless. He wanted to burn this moment in time, so he would never forget it. The setting sun came through the open window, illuminating Bella's form. Her face glowed, as though absorbing the sun's rays into herself, and her eyes were wide and honest, something he hadn't seen on anyone (other than the saru) in a very long time. She opened her mouth to answer him, and he saw the glitter of her tongue.
Thoughts suddenly filled his mind, of how much he wanted to feel that tongue on his skin, trailing over his chest, and down his stomach… He shook his head, angry with himself
"I feel much better, thankyou." She replied softly, her voice also husky, and sweet. She moved, trying to pull herself into a sitting position, and failed, head falling back to the pillow with a soft whump. The second time she tried, he was there, his large hand on her back, gently helping her up. She blushed at his proximity – she didn't usually let any man get this close - then something cold and wet fell into her lap with a slap. This was soon followed by the feeling of her fringe falling back onto her face.
She gasped, and stared at him in shock, tears of anger and betrayal welling in her eyes. He looked back at her without the slightest iota of guilt. This just made her angrier. "Why? Why did you do that?" She indicated the compress in her lap "How come? I yelled at you! I HIT you!" She lost control for a moment, and a single tear escaped her iron will, sliding down her cheek, like a tiny, salty diamond. "I'm hideous." She said brokenly, turning her head away.
Strong, callused fingers grasped her chin, dragging her head around roughly. Fuscia eyes met violet in a moment of pure electrical heat. He looked angry, of all things, and he seemed… disappointed.
"Is that all you care about?" He growled, his anger causing the in her chin to tighten painfully. "I thought you were more than that, for fucks' sake. If that's-" he pointed to the scar on her face, "- the reason you're saying this, and why you hide your face, you don't DESERVE to be named the muse of strength - you're certainly not inspiring me" He spat in disgust, dropping his hand as he began to redress.
As he settled the scripture around his shoulders, he turned his head slightly, and muttered, "Besides, you're not hideous." Strong, slim hands gripped his arm, and spun him around. Sanzo looked down in disdain at the girl, her head was bowed, and her hands now gripping her shoulders. She was trembling slightly... in fear? Sorrow? He couldn't say...
"So... you don't think so, eh?" She whispered harshly, her voice dry and cold. Sanzo sneered at her, sick of this 'hard to get' bullshit – he wasn't TYRING to 'get' her. He was TRYING to forget her! His patience was on its final string as he heard a sharp tearing noise.
R...rrrriiip.....R...rrrrriiiiip....
Bella pulled off the remains of her long sleeves, dropping the black cloth on the floor, as she held out her arm and looked into Sanzo's horrified eyes. An angry, satisfied smirk made its way onto her features. "Not hideous? I'd like to see your definition of hideous, Genjyo Sanzo, if you don't think something like this could transform a person. Turn them into something vile. Turn me into something... I never wanted to be ... but which is the only way to protect my sister... I'd like to see you explain it..."
Long, pale red scars riddled Bella's arms from just above her elbows all the way to her wrists. Each scar was individually cut, like a centimetre long fingernail had dug in to rip out the flesh and skin, then come back and crossed over it, again and again.... and again. There was no single piece of unscarred skin on either of her arms, so many times had the gouges crossed over. Her muscles flexed uncontrollably, and Sanzo could see them close to the surface, due to the amount of missing tissue. He felt bile rise in his throat, and swallowed quickly to prevent his imminent gag reflex.
Bella slowly lowered her arms, protectively holding them, her angry satisfaction, replaced by self consciousness, and remorse for showing him her secret. Hot tears filled her eyes once more, yet she refused to let them fall, having already lost control more than once today. She slowly backed away from him, one step at a time, her body poised for rejection. Her head bowed back down, and she wanted nothing more than to be able to get over this fear she held of herself, of her body. She backed to the wall beside the window, her eyes studying the cracks in the floorboards intensely, as she waited for the soft padding of his feet to exit the room.
Sanzo took a step forward, then another. His mind blank, his tongue numb... for her to have survived such injuries... let alone, how she must have received them. Taking that final step that brought him to stand before her, he gripped her shoulders and shoved her roughly against the wall, her back making a sharp crack against the wood. Bella gritted her teeth against the pain, and up glared at him in surprise.
"Don't you EVER go soft on me like that again, you hear?" Sanzo yelled into her face. Her anger boiled at his rebuke – she wasn't soft! She had just shared a deep secret, something even HE had been shocked by, and now he dared to accuse her of being emotional?
"Yeah, well, don't YOU ever go soft on ME like that, you big dumb monk!" She yelled back, unable to be angry and original at the same time. Goddamit! First he was an asshole, then he was a doctor, then he was frozen in shock, and now he was back to being an asshole! She glared up at him, her anger quickly turning into fear as he smirked.
"I won't" Sanzo replied calmly. She bared her teeth at him, like an animal that would bite in fear, rather than an enraged muse. He grinned at this, and finally gave up on all his plans, all his noble ideas of nonchalance, as he swooped down and captured her lips in a fiery connection of mist meeting lightning.
Bella gasped, her breath expelling out her nostrils in a rush, as she felt his soft lips crush against hers in a passionate attack of absolute dominance. Her usually calm and logical mind flew out the window and landed with the impact of a freight train, as she melted into him, seeking more, begging for something she had not wanted in all her twenty one years. He bit her lip sharply, thrusting his tongue in as she opened it in shock. Somewhere in the vague recesses of her consciousness, she wondered where a monk would have learnt such a dirty trick.
He was pushing against her tongue, his hot, sweet breath mingling with hers, as he massaged her lips with his, his teeth grating against her own as he finally released his need upon the person who had earned it. And she had earned it – every fleck of defiance, every act of strength, every proving moment of heat, passion and indestructibility had made him want her – want the one thing he thought he would never find – someone he wouldn't have to protect. Someone he wouldn't have to worry over, to sacrifice for... to be afraid of feeling for...
She wanted him. He wanted to taste every inch of his skin, as he explored every inch of hers. The heat he was creating between her legs was unbearable, and she was sure her skin was rippling across her bones in time with each hard thrust of is tongue. She hesitantly touched his invading tongue with hers....
Suddenly, he pulled back, gasping, still holding her shoulders. "I can't..." He whispered, "I can't take that risk... not again... no matter how strong you are... I can't risk losing someone... it's...." He stopped, staring straight into Bella's crystal eyes, his gaze penetrating through her shield. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He said stiffly, and stepped back, releasing her swiftly.
Walking quickly to the door, he stepped into the hallway, hoping to forget what had just happened with his natural arrogance, yet already knowing he would fail. He was almost out the door when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking back, he wanted nothing more than to avoid the hurt he saw in her eyes. He roughly pulled his sleeve out of her light grasp, as he concentrated on turning his heart back into stone. He was being harsh, he knew – but better that she realise that now, than try to continue with any of that... frivolousness. He was a Sanzo Priest, for Kami's sake – there was the same likelihood of them being together, as there was of pigs flying. He turned his head, nose in the air, and strode off into the corridor. Before the door closed, a crisp, clear voice rang out, causing him to stop, eyes shadowed in pain:
"You're lying."
***
End Chapter 17...