Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Fateful Encounters ❯ A Priest, a Boy, a Puppy, and Lessons Learned ( Chapter 21 )

Title: Fateful Encounters [part 21/?]

Author: Enigma

Series: Saiyuki

Written: June - December, 2002

Rating: R

Pairings: (Gojyo + Hakkai)

Category: Shonen ai/yaoi, Angst, Romance, Action/Adventure, Blood, Language. AU-OOC.

Archive: fanfiction.net & mediaminer.org [author: "E-sama the Llama"]

Warnings: shonen ai/yaoi, angst, romance, action/adventure, anime-based bloodshed, crude language matching the characterization of the series, original characters to support the main characters from the anime and not detract from them, medical and other squick, additional warnings and pairings possible as fic comes into being over time. AU-OOC.

Spoilers: Since this is based on episodes 15 & 16 of the anime, there are definite spoilers for them, but there are also minor spoilers for other aspects of the series which I will try to keep to a minimum so readers both new and old can enjoy this tale.

Disclaimer: "Saiyuki" is the property of Kazuya Minekura, et al. All original characters featured herein (including but not limited to: Zan, Long, Kiko, etc.) are © Enigma, 2002, and are not to be used without permission. This unauthorized work of unpaid fanfiction is intended for entertainment only; kindly do not sue me.

Notes: What might have actually happened after Gojyo found and rescued a severely injured Gonou (a.k.a. Hakkai) three years prior to their journey to the west? How will these revelations change not only their own lives but also Sanzo and Goku's as well?

*****

Several days passed quietly for the two men whose souls shared an eternal connection as they took their time to see to it that the former teacher didn't push himself too far too fast while continuing to recover from nearly fatal injuries. The scene quite some distance away between another pair of somewhat similarly connected spirits, however, couldn't have been more different.

"Welcome home, Sanzo!!" An astoundingly dirty boy cheerfully greeted his guardian who looked none too thrilled to return to his home just to encounter angry monks who immediately bitched at him instead of offering the same courtesy that the child had. Holding up a small, equally muddy dog for his friend to see, Goku added excitedly, "Sanzo, look! I found a puppy!" [1]

"Yip!!" The golden-furred animal greeted the violet-eyed man in a friendly fashion, wagging its bushy tail enthusiastically.

As a vein popped out on a forehead that was marked by a vibrant red chakra, Sanzo produced a paper fan from a deep sleeve-pocket and laid into the boy's head with a series of hits that looked and sounded worse than they really were. The annoyed man commenced to tell the teen quite loudly that he was dirty and should bathe as well as needing to "get that filthy mutt out of my damned quarters this damned minute!"

Dropping the puppy who thought this was all a wonderfully fun game and started to race around the room barking happily, Goku threw his arms over his head trying to protect himself and exclaimed, "I'm sorry, Sanzo! I'll go take a bath!" The strikes with the fan didn't seem to immediately lessen, so he repeated more loudly, "I'm *sorry*!! Please stop, Sanzo!"

As one might expect, the violet-eyed man merely growled various epithets while basically proving to the youth that he truly cared about him in his own inimitable way.

After all, the monks standing nearby and gossiping shamelessly like old women hadn't given the boy so much as a bowl of rice to stave off hunger and had certainly done nothing to see to it that he was clean and properly cared for. Sanzo, on the other hand, was disturbed not by the presence of the dog he already knew that they couldn't keep but by the look of need in amber eyes which despite his oft-repeated arguments to the contrary, he truly did take seriously. What, precisely, Goku needed at that moment was a complex matter and included everything from simple human contact to hot food to caring attention and more, things the golden-robed man was best suited to provide.

The low murmur of his full title from one of the monks echoed in Sanzo's ears and it was all he could do when he turned back to face them to not repeat it as a threat since "Genjo Sanzo Hoshi" did *not* suffer fools lightly. Instead he snarled, "Shut the fuck up!" As the men blanched in horror, he added for good measure, "Get the hell out of my sight, you sanctimonious bastards!" Immediately turning away from them once more, the furious blond angrily shoved the paper fan back into its hiding place then scowled at the puppy who had carefully crept up on him and was sniffing a sandal-clad foot curious if he was friend or foe.

The cowardly monks gibbered in fear and backed away in a rush, thinking they would be well advised to stay at the far end of the temple until further notice.

As the bald men hurried off in a rustle of silk, a small voice asked hesitantly, "Ne, Sanzo?" Goku's eyes were huge in his child-like, dirty yet endearing face as he clutched his stomach and pleaded, "After I get cleaned up, can I have something to eat? Please, Sanzo, I am *so* hungry!" The low growl from where he held himself reinforced his words as he gazed hopefully at the twenty year old.

Droopy amethyst eyes twitched slightly as Sanzo yanked off the headpiece that denoted his rank as a high priest as well as protector of one of the holy sutras plus his ceremonial scarf before setting them aside for an urgent mission he would attend to soon.

With a sigh of long-suffering, the annoyed man remarked, "I can *hear* that you're hungry, bakasaru! Of course, I'll see to it that you get something to eat, but first get some of the stench washed off of you! I can't stand smelling it another moment!" Noticing that the playful puppy had rocked back on its haunches and was gazing up at him expectantly, tiny pink tongue lolling from its mouth as it panted, he added with a snarl, "And take this mutt with you! If we're to find it a good home, we'll need it to be presentable!"

Innocent eyes a rare color somewhere between gold and amber blinked at Sanzo in confusion and even as he obediently scooped the small animal into his arms, Goku asked, "Why can't I keep it, Sanzo?"

"Whoever heard of a *monkey* keeping a *dog* for a pet?" The blond growled as he pulled out his cigarettes, quickly shoving one between his lips and lighting it since a sudden need for the calming effects of nicotine had gripped him.

Goku's lower lip trembled slightly but before he could complain, his guardian explained with a sigh, "Besides, you know how the prissy assholes around here are, Goku. The minute they thought they could get away with it, that damned mutt would end up out there in the woods with the hungry bears or something." The image of one such dangerous beast that he himself had faced down when still a young teen came to mind, yet he said nothing of it since he'd already made his point.

"Oh! That's right, I didn't think of that, Sanzo," the umber-haired boy admitted and nodded causing his long ponytail to twitch behind him. With a sigh of acceptance, Goku offered, "I'll make sure he gets really clean, Sanzo."

"Good, see that you do," the violet-eyed man grumbled and pulled a long, hard drag on his Marlboro. When he noticed a stack of documents sitting on a table in the corner of the room that required his signature, Sanzo silently cursed his overly helpful new assistant for putting them there since he really wasn't in the mood for administrative distractions with a manhunt looming on the horizon. [2]

Ignoring everything around himself for a moment, the blond reflected on the fact that he was tired of caring for not only the mysterious youkai he'd saved from a mountaintop jail but also the gray-eyed youth who had been assigned to him as an aide. What the priest who had brought him the bespectacled teen thought he was doing by entrusting him of all people with a somewhat unstable boy was beyond Sanzo, the last thing he needed was another set of needy eyes peering at him all the time.

"We'll be back in a little bit, Sanzo," Goku promised as he carried his furry companion to the temple baths. Cradling the golden-furred puppy close, he hugged it warmly while saying apologetically, "Sorry, boy, looks like I won't be giving you a name after all. But I guess that's a good thing. Sanzo probably wouldn't have liked it if I called you 'chibi-Sanzo' anyway even if your hair really *is* the same color as his."

The dog gazed up at him with big brown eyes and yipped quietly before licking the tip of the boy's nose as if to say that was all right. It wagged its tail as they passed numerous monks all of whom shied away from them, fearing the wrath of the sutra-bearer enough not to say a word about how much the muddy pair stank.

*****

Barely an hour later, the half-dressed, golden-eyed teen had a towel around his neck and a newly clean puppy at his side as he returned to Sanzo's quarters where they encountered something the boy hadn't expected.

Despite the fact that the man seemed to be wearing the exact same thing as before, Goku recognized immediately that Sanzo had changed clothes and was in the process of checking over his gun as if preparing to leave again. Drying his long, earth-colored hair with the towel, he asked nervously, "Sanzo? Are you going somewhere?" He hoped the answer was "no" since he always felt lonely when the person who had freed him was away for more than a day or so, but he knew that his friend reported to the highest of powers and if the Sanbutusin commanded him to go he would.

Loading the special ammunition he might need if he encountered any renegade youkai or other troublemakers en route, the droopy eyed man grumbled with annoyance, "Sort of. I got this pain in the ass order to go look for someone." Closing the chamber and then double-checking that the safety was properly engaged before he stowed the Smith & Wesson in a sleeve-pocket, he added with the barest hint of anticipation, "I'll be gone for awhile."

During the time that Goku had been bathing himself as well as the puppy who was currently leaning tiredly against his legs clearly in need of a nap, Sanzo's unwanted, bespectacled assistant had arrived to express his pleasure that his "Master" was back. The priest didn't much care for the title and he cared even less for the excessive adoration in the slender youth's tones as he waxed poetic on how gratifying it was to serve so exalted a personage as himself. As one might suspect, after sending the irritating boy off on some trivial errand, the antisocial blond had felt the need to not be a surrogate parent for at least a little while strengthening within him.

Unaware that his guardian felt this way, the small teen gazed at him eagerly and as he tied his hair back into its usual tail, Goku said enthusiastically, "Take me with you!"

Turning away so he could avoid seeing the disappointment in amber-gold eyes, Sanzo growled, "Nothing doing. Why should I take an animal along with me?"

Stung by harsh words that he usually ignored quite easily, Goku gazed at the sleepy puppy lounging against his ankles, comparing his own moderately independent self to the utterly dependent dog and whined, "Who are you calling an animal?"

Casting an acidic gaze over a robe-clad shoulder, the priest inquired snidely, "Don't you have any self-awareness at all?" With a snort, he remarked with only partially feigned sarcasm, "You're not well if you don't know who you are, ape!"

"But I don't wanna be left in a place like this!" The fifteen year old stated vehemently even as he put on a high-collared shirt that matched his hair tie. The very idea of being surrounded by uncaring holy men was one thing, to be separated from his friend after Sanzo had returned only recently was quite another and, all in all, he truly didn't want to remain behind this time.

Still wishing for a small vacation from his duties as the strange youth's protector as well as being the one responsible for raising Goku in a world that didn't understand him, Sanzo almost retorted that he didn't give a damn and there would be no further discussion of the matter. However, before the bitter words could drop from his lips, he recalled the monks' cruel gossip which he had overheard along with the neglectful treatment the fifteen year old had suffered recently and he changed his mind entirely.

Snatching up both crown and scarf before slipping them on with practiced ease, Sanzo cast a violet gaze at the boy who had bent down to pet the weary dog and then said in a less negative tone, "Well? What's wrong, Goku?" Huge, shining eyes the color of raw gold peered at him hopefully and as he walked out the door he commanded, "Let's get going!"

Astounded as well as terribly relieved, the boy quickly picked up the yawning puppy who immediately fell fast asleep in his arms even though he was busy shouting, "Wait up, Sanzo!"

The unusual threesome strode away from Sanzo's quarters never once taking note of hurt gray eyes as a freckle-faced teen watched them leaving him behind yet again. As the high priest's assistant wondered why his beloved master included the noisy, troublesome boy while excluding his own quiet, obedient self, the object of his obsession left the temple unawares of the embers of disaster beginning to smolder behind him.

The short walk from the temple to the surrounding town was accomplished in relative silence as Sanzo slowly savored a Marlboro and Goku began to try to think of how to deal with the furry weight pressed against his chest. Desiring guidance, the teen asked, "Ne, Sanzo? How do we go about finding this puppy a good home?" He brushed loose umber bangs off of his omnipresent diadem and commented, "You mentioned it earlier, but I don't know how to do that."

Regretting the tenderhearted words he'd uttered without thinking earlier, certain that the atypical expression had undermined his uncaring façade, Sanzo shrugged and answered, "How the hell should I know? Isn't there a dog pound around here or something? We can just ditch the mutt there and someone else can hassle with finding it an owner."

Totally unaware that his companion was attempting as usual to put up a smoke screen to save face unnecessarily, Goku looked puzzled for a moment then asked, "But what if there isn't one, Sanzo? I mean, I found it wandering all alone on the street and no one seemed to care about it." As a dark thought occurred to him, he asked in a small, worried voice, "Ne, Sanzo? What happens to dogs that no one wants anyway?"

"They end up dead, I would assume," the priest answered without taking into account the terribly unhappy expression this would cause to appear on his companion's face. Noting Goku's deep frown and obvious distress regarding this eventuality, Sanzo allowed his true feelings to guide him for a moment and he dropped a hand onto the teen's shoulder for the briefest of seconds then drew it away as he commented flatly, "But that won't happen to this one. Being a goddamned 'Sanzo' ought to be good for something and if nothing else, I think I should have enough clout to see to it that pooch ends up somewhere halfway decent."

Surprise and appreciation dawned on the boy's face more wonderfully than a cloudless sunrise after the monsoon season, and Goku responded earnestly, "Thanks a lot, Sanzo! I don't want to think about this little guy ending up dead on a trash heap or something." Even though the dog was fast asleep, he ran a hand over its soft golden fur, petting it while wishing they lived in a regular house where they could have a pet and not be harassed by uncaring holy men who always thought they were better than he was.

Stifling the unexpected desire to say that he agreed, the robe-clad man focused on selecting something for lunch then gestured with his cigarette towards a nearby restaurant and stated, "I'm having ramen and gyoza." [3]

Knowing this was as close to an inquiry as to whether or not this selection suited him, Goku agreed happily, "That sounds good, Sanzo! The bowls at that place are *really* big and they put a lot of veggies in them that I actually like!" Noticing that the eatery had a counter with a row of stools beside it which offered open-air dining so the puppy wouldn't have to be left alone outside while they dined inside, he smiled brightly and added cheerfully, "Thank you, Sanzo!" [4]

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the boy's companion muttered his own version of "you're welcome" and then dropped casually onto one of the stools knowing full well the sight of the sutra on his shoulders always brought fast service whenever they chose to dine near the temple. With a relieved sigh since he disliked wearing them, Sanzo pulled off the scarf and crown he'd worn almost like a mystical ward against complaining monks in the temple, then tucked them both into a sleeve-pocket that apparently had unlimited storage space.

Continuing to smile, Goku carefully placed the drowsy dog on the ground next to the stool beside the one Sanzo was occupying. When the puppy yawned hugely and peered up inquiringly, the umber-haired youth crouched beside it, scratching it behind the ears as he explained, "Don't worry, boy, we're just getting some lunch. I'll save you some of mine, okay?"

Endearing brown eyes just blinked in response, then the dog began to whine softly, tugging on Goku's heartstrings and causing him to add, "After lunch we're going to find you a really nice home, too. Sanzo promised everything would be okay for you, so don't worry, all right?"

The puppy's begging gaze didn't falter as it whined more loudly trying to express its unhappiness about being on the cold, lonely ground after being nestled comfortably against the kind soul who had taken such good care of it.

Before the teen could say anything else to reassure the dog, Sanzo handed him a pair of large, warm meat buns filled with beef and instructed, "Here, saru, give one to that mutt down there so I don't have to listen to its noise." Unbeknownst to Goku, the restaurant's owner had brought them an assortment of appetizers as a show of gratitude that the highly regarded priest had chosen his establishment and had taken their order quickly, treating them like the VIPs that they were hence the sudden availability of the buns.

Two sets of surprised eyes gazed up at the man, then Goku smiled again and repeated gratefully, "Thank you, Sanzo!" He happily fed the puppy small bites of one bun and ate the second one himself unaware that someone other than the violet-eyed man was watching them.

Across the street from the noodle stand, a small, unhappy girl crouched waiting as patiently as she could for her mother who was attempting to find something to cheer her up. The child's best friend had moved away the week before and now the four year old was terribly lonely.

Coffee-dark eyes watched intently as the teen patted the puppy on the head encouragingly and told it to be good before he climbed onto a stool next to his friend so he could enjoy the generous meal that would be ready soon. When the golden-furred dog yipped in complaint since it didn't want to be ignored, the girl longed to reach out and comfort it herself.

"Hanako?" [5] The child's mother called as she stepped out of a toy store with her hands empty since she couldn't find anything wonderful enough to gladden the heart of her sorrowful daughter. "Why are you staring at the priest over there? Don't you know that's disrespectful?" Her chastisement was quite gentle since a child as young as Hanako was couldn't be expected to know such things.

"What priest, Mommy?" The girl responded in confusion since she hadn't even noticed the robe-clad man due to being totally captivated by the small dog. Brushing a short, ebony braid over one shoulder before pointing a tiny finger across the street, she asked enthusiastically, "Do you see the puppy over there, Mommy? Do you think I could go over and pet it? That boy was petting it and it looked all soft and cuddly and nice and everything!"

"I don't think that's a very good idea, dear," the woman answered sadly and shook her head in negation.

As the mother and daughter talked, the puppy turned its head towards them and yipped again quickly enough that Goku could see the girl pointing at them. The umber-haired teen grinned brightly at them before saying, "Ne, Sanzo? Do you think *they* might want this puppy? That little girl over there looks interested."

Turning to gaze at the pair and seeing the woman immediately bowing deeply in apology for bothering them even though they hadn't even set foot near them, Sanzo frowned slightly then shrugged, "How should I know? I'm a priest, not a mind reader." Noting the hopeful gleam in Goku's eyes, he added as disinterestedly as possible, "Go talk to them if you want to, saru. At least that'll mean I can drink my beer in peace if you do." As if to prove his point, he lifted a freshly opened can of ice-cold Asahi to his lips and pretended to ignore the world even as he kept a watchful eye on his companion more than half hoping the unusual youth was right about this matter.

"Okay, Sanzo," Goku answered brightly, then called out, "Hey, little girl! Do you like puppies?" Without awaiting an answer, he jumped off the stool and motioned for the dog to follow as he crossed the street with his typical friendly expression on his face.

Peering up at the seemingly tall teenager, Hanako said with a happy smile, "Oh yes! I *love* puppies! And kitties, too, but Mommy says I'm too little to have one of my own." Like most young animals who hadn't learned to fear humans that they didn't know, the bushy-tailed dog ran across the street and came to a sliding stop in front of the mother and child.

"I'm so terribly sorry that my daughter has bothered you, young sir," the mother said, bowing low again and wishing there was a better way to apologize to this stranger with the oddly colored eyes who was obviously in the company of an exalted person from the nearby temple.

Goku gave her a funny look then shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "But she didn't bother me, ma'am." He watched as Hanako laughed gaily while the dog licked her face joyfully before yipping and playing with her eagerly, then he explained, "In fact, I was hoping to help this little guy find a good home today. He was just wandering around this morning, all lonely and stuff, but Sanzo says I can't keep him."

"S-s-sanzo?!" The woman stuttered nervously then asked in an awestruck voice, "That man over there is *the* Genjo Sanzo?! Oh my, I am even more sorry to have disturbed you now!" With some of the rumors that had spread among the townsfolk regarding the powerful sutra-bearer in mind, she resumed bowing deeply as her cheeks flushed and for a moment she had no idea how to handle the situation.

Glancing over at the blond who was currently examining the glowing end of a freshly lit cigarette as if it was the most interesting thing in the cosmos, Goku shrugged negligently and replied, "Yeah, that's him, all right, but it's no big deal. I bother him all the time and all he ever does is smack me with a paper fan. But since he hasn't gotten that out, I figure he doesn't even realize we're talking about him."

After sneezing several times, Sanzo began to think he would need to intervene in the situation across the street from the restaurant where he waited semi-patiently if only to gain resolution to the dog problem as well as to avoid the need of a handkerchief.

Luckily, though, before the man who wanted to avoid involvement for the sake of his carefully maintained reputation as a coldhearted bastard was forced to take action, Hanako interjected excitedly, "Mommy!! Look!!! The puppy knows a trick!"

All eyes turned towards the little golden-haired dog and it seemed to be performing a learned behavior as it chased a small stick she'd thrown for him but it was nothing more than playful instincts at work. Even as the animal trotted back with the bit of wood between his teeth, the girl added wistfully, "I wish *I* had a puppy like this one! Then I wouldn't be so sad Wei-Ling went away."

A hopeful smile crept onto the woman's face and she said to Goku, "Perhaps I should reconsider not allowing Hanako to have a pet after all. You did say that you wanted to find a home for the dog, did you not, young sir?"

"Goku," the teen corrected while proudly poking himself in the chest with his thumb. "My name is Son Goku, and yeah, I was hoping he might go somewhere that he could have fun and be loved. It sure seems like they're having fun together. I think it would be cool if she took care of him. Would you like that, Hanako?"

Sitting on the ground with a lap filled by wriggling, lapping puppy who hardly let her breathe, the four year old gazed up at her mother with eyes as large and as pleading as the dog's had been earlier and she entreated, "Please, Mommy? Can I *please* take this puppy home with me? I'll feed it and walk it and take care of it every day! Please?!"

Before the woman could answer, Goku leaned down to scratch the puppy affectionately under the chin and was rewarded with a quick, wet swipe of the dog's tongue. Giving it a bittersweet smile, he asked, "But will you *love* him every day, Hanako? Unless he's going to get plenty of love," he glanced at Sanzo who had shouted his name to let him know his lunch had been served, then he waved at the blond and added, "*and* food, of course, I can't let you have him."

"Oh, yes!!" The girl cheerfully promised, hugging the dog so tightly around the neck that it whimpered a little before wriggling free. As the dog went over to sniffle at Hanako's mother's feet trying to decide whether she was friendly or not, the raven-haired child added solemnly, "I promise to make sure he gets oodles and oodles of love! Plus food and water and, well, whatever puppies need. Okay? Does that mean I can keep him, mister? Please?"

Not bothering to introduce himself twice, Goku nodded and smiled brightly as he agreed, "Sure, as long as your mom says it's okay. Is it?" He turned his face towards the woman and was surprised to see tears in her sloe eyes. Worried, he straightened and asked, "Lady? Is something wrong?"

Rubbing the unexpected moisture from her eyes as she shook her head, the woman answered, "No, nothing is wrong, Goku. It's just that I had prayed that I might find a way to put the smile back on Hanako's face and obviously Genjo Sanzo himself was sent here to answer my prayer. I am terribly grateful to the gods for such wonderful help."

Bemused since his violet-eyed guardian didn't appear to have anything to do with the circumstances which had brought them together, Goku didn't comment on that, but said instead, "Well, as long as the puppy and Hanako are both happy, I think everything will be great." The quick glance he threw at Sanzo was fast enough to note the priest was keeping a fairly watchful eye on them while pretending not to, and the teen laughed to himself before explaining, "But I need to go eat my lunch now, so have fun, okay, Hanako?"

Beaming brightly at him from where she sat on the ground, the girl replied, "I will, mister! Thanks for my puppy!" Belatedly catching her mother's subtle instructions to stand and thank the boy properly, she scrambled to her feet before bowing formally and saying the ritualized words she had been taught to say in such situations, "I am deeply grateful to you for this fine gift."

"You're welcome, Hanako," Goku answered then gave the child's mother a smile, too, and walked away wondering if he'd ever see the child or the dog again. In the back of his mind he also was curious what she might name it, but for now, his stomach was growling *very* loudly and he wanted to attack his steaming bowl of ramen. Rejoining his friend, he asked excitedly, "Guess what, Sanzo? They wanted to adopt the puppy! Isn't that great?"

"Oh really? I never would've guessed," the blond replied with false sarcasm. He dipped a gyoza in some sauce before asking as disinterestedly as possible, "Did they feel like good people to you, Goku?" The strange being's inherent ability to read the fundamental nature of others amazed even the worldly monk and he assumed the answer was affirmative or the dog would be at his feet now whining and needing to be fed from their hands.

Digging into the huge bowl of perfectly spiced broth and scooping up a huge amount of noodles with his chopsticks, Goku smiled slightly and said, "Oh, yeah, they did. The kid's best friend moved away and she was super-lonely. Now she can have the puppy keep her company, so I think it'll work out just fine." Reaching past his friend for a pot sticker for himself, he remarked sadly, "But it would've been nice to have a pet, though. Do you think someday I can have a pet, too, Sanzo?"

Snorting softly and shaking his head, Sanzo replied honestly, "I doubt it, saru. As long as we live in that damned temple, about the most exciting thing you could keep as a pet would be a cricket." Thoughtfully chewing a bite of gyoza, he added, "There's just no freedom in that place with all those moronic monks going around bitching at the two of us as it is."

"Yeah, you're right," the boy responded, crestfallen for a moment. Then, with a shrug and a conscious decision not to worry over it, Goku set about the task of going through not one but three oversized bowls of noodles chock-full of fresh seafood, numerous seasonal vegetables plus several other side dishes after the gyoza vanished.

In one of those ironic twists that fate seemed to enjoy playing on them, though, the issue of whether or not there was a pet in their future would be decided by someone else entirely prior to a journey three years in the future. An encounter of a prodigious yet unclear nature would bring a small, magical creature into the company of two men who would be their traveling companions and over time, the white dragon would come to find Goku's shoulder as welcome a perch as Hakkai's would be.

Granted, Hakuryu was more friend and companion--as well as their primary form of transportation, of course--than he was a pet, but that didn't really matter. What mattered was that given time, the four souls that Kanzeon bosatsu had decreed would travel together would come to fulfill the same set of promises Goku had just required of Hanako for the garnet-eyed creature. They would love, feed, and otherwise care for the gentle entity and in return, the dragon would be there when they needed it most going so far as to perform a most astounding rescue when its master was helpless to save himself.

For now, however, the boy and his guardian would rely on foot power and after finishing the marvelously satisfying lunch, they would begin to search the many nearby villages and small towns searching for the mass murderer Cho Gonou. The Sanbutusin had given Sanzo only the vaguest of hints as to where to look, yet it would be easier than one might suspect since Goku's endless appetite would put them exactly where they needed to be to hear gossip about "an injured, green-eyed man with a pretty face".

The confrontation that was to follow would be short, violent, and painful in more ways than one, but since it had been foreordained there wasn't anything anyone could do to prevent it. The real issue would be how Gojyo and Gonou each would cope with the aftermath of encountering the surly priest and the rambunctious teen, something that would lead to the death and rebirth of one and a dramatic change in the other.

*****

To be continued.

Author's Notes:

[1] Just a quick reminder: I am using the anime as a *base* for this story and some of the original dialogue as well as the sequence of events have been adjusted to make things flow more smoothly here hopefully without changing any of their intended meaning. This approach will apply even more so in the next few chapters which will deal with many scenes which are included in the series. The one thing that I *am* taking severe liberties with is Goku's puppy since it is shown in the "greeting scene" and then it vanishes entirely without so much as a word to indicate its fate. Since I prefer to close plot-holes rather than open them, I decided to give it a destiny and possibly a role in the future of these characters.

[2] To avoid rewriting the spoiler warning, I won't explain who the comments about Sanzo's new assistant refer to, but if you can identify this character who is indeed one of Minekura-sensei's creations and not one of mine, give yourself a gold star. Or a tasty oriental almond cookie, if you prefer!

[3] Since this tale is set in a world based on China, I've decided to try to include more of that country's marvelous cuisine here. Gyoza are meat- and vegetable-filled dumplings also called "pot stickers" which are usually served warm with a dipping sauce made by combining soy sauce and other ingredients. Ramen are noodles served in broth that virtually every financially challenged college student in America becomes acquainted with at some point, so I doubt that I need to explain them other than to mention that restaurants usually serve them in large bowls with meat, poultry, seafood, and/or vegetables added.

[4] One of the things about Goku's dialogue that has driven me crazy in this fic is the desire to include his infamous and adorable exclamation of, "Sankyuu, Sanzo!" However since this is neither standard English nor even bastardized Japanese *and* this isn't a humor fic, I couldn't bring myself to do so yet you, dear reader, are more than welcome to hear it in your head whenever he proclaims, "Thank you, Sanzo!" in a happy voice.

[5] In case anyone would like to know, the names of the two children mentioned in this chapter were selected by my darling daughters. "Hanako" was selected from the credits of "Iron Chef" by Lauren who said it reminded her of her best friend "Hannah". On the other hand, "Wei-Ling" is the actual name of a friend of Amanda's whose family emigrated to the US from China and who, sadly, was assigned to a different high school than she was but we see her occasionally at her family's enjoyable Chinese restaurant.