Prescience

(cross-over avec Furuba)

Here we go: The characters aren't mine, as you all know, either Saiyuki's ones or Furuba's ones…They shouldn't meet either…Be kind to the writer, please (and don't sue me…I beg you…)!

Thanks to Sanada for the beta-reading…Every remaining mistake is solely mine, since unfortunately, English still isn't my language…

###

They had found another bar after leaving the two fighting gods behind. They settled on the high stools. Hakkai stated this place looked like exactly the same as the other. Gojyo agreed. Silence grew longer. Heavy.

Gojyo would have fancied a light conversation. Unfortunately, his mind was full of the appointment with Homura waiting for them tomorrow. He asked the question almost in spite of himself.

« Which one do you fear the most? »

« Ha. One would say Homura… He is the leader, a toushin taichi. But Goku will deal with him, I think. »

« So, Zenon or Shien, which one do you take, tomorrow, Hakkai? »

His eyebrows frowned slightly above green eyes.

« So… Shien, I'd say. »

« I know why, » answered Gojyo smugly.

« Ho, really? » retorted a slightly incredulous Hakkai.

« You didn't like the fact he fought mercilessly against a woman, even if the woman in question is a spoiled brat and this Kougaiji prince's sister. You're such a gentleman! »

There was an alcoholic laugh from the kappa and a slight smile from the former human. They fell silent again for a while, sipping their drinks.

Gojyo remembered something suddenly…

« He called you Tenpou gensui, once. »

Hakkai smiled. The name sounded odd…A marshal?

« And you Kenren taishou, » he replied.

And Gojyo smiled too, because he liked hearing this name from Hakkai's mouth.

« Do you think we are fated? Maybe we failedat something, once. Maybe we failed, and we are going to live again until we're able to do what we are supposed to do, » the kappa asked.

Hakkai blinked. His friend was in a meditative state: that was quite unusual. Maybe tomorrow was bugging his former roommate more than he had thought.

« And then? » he prompted him to continue.

« And then, we die forever. »

« Nice prospect, » whispered Hakkai.

« Baka. » The word sounded like an endearment coming fromGojyo's mouth.

8« I mean, if we succeed we won't find each other ever again, then.. There will be no use for karma to reunite us again… » Hakkai explained. Hearing that, the kappa felt lost.

« And you think it's nice? » he asked, unsure.

« Gojyo, are you too drunk already to get irony? »

« Damn, I think I'm too drunk to understand you're telling me you'd miss me… »

« I would, I think. »

A solemn silence (or maybe alcoholic stupor?) welcomed the sentence.

« What would you change? If we were given the chance in another life, I mean… »

« Kannan. » The answer was so quick from his mouth, it almost hurt the kappa. « If I am linked with her too again, even if I lose her, I'd like her to be safe - happy - even far from me. You? »

« Acceptance, maybe? I don't know. »

Crossing your path again is enough. But he didn't dare say this sentence out loud.

He crossed his arm on the bar and put his chin on them, staring at his empty glass. He vaguely heard Hakkai asking somebody for more sake.

Why fight, after all?

Maybe we failed, and we are going to live again until we're able to do what we are supposed to do.

We lose. We die.

But we come back.

- And then?

- And then, we die forever.

We win. We part.

Forever.

- Nice prospect.

- Baka.

So why?

He hardly felt the closing of his eyes…

######################## dream #########################

They were fighting. Was it tomorrow already?

He heard the battle shouts, imprecations, menaces… The hissing sound of Shien's whips in the air, the detonations of Zenon's gun.

The three gods were here.

Sanzo, Goku and Hakkai too.

He should be fighting with them, he thought. But he felt as if he wasn't even there.

He didn't move from the machine-gun bullet's path. But the bullet never reached him, vaporized in Hakkai's ki. The green-eyed man was talking. Shaking him, looking angry…He couldn't hear.

The whirlwind of odd sensations, moving colors, roaring sounds and events went on.

Silence fell. Three bodies were lying on the ground. Three gods.

Ho, we won, he thought awkwardly.

He looked for the others.

Unease grew since he couldn't spot them.

He panicked.

Blackness fell on his eyes like a heavy cloth.

He felt blind.

He felt numb.

And suddenly, he was somewhere else…

…without a warning.

###

Where am I? My sight is all blurry…

It's so clear it's a dream it's almost funny.

« Shiguré. It's not like you letting me do all the drinking. »

I start.

My eyes turn and see…Hakkai?

No. It's not him.

Who is this man who looks like my friend, but is looking at me through a stranger's eyes, here?

Here, it's a bar. Again, sniggers my mind.

He is just beside me on a stool. But I don't need to turn aside to watch his face. I can see his reflection in the mirror trailing on the wall behind the counter.

He is tall like Hakkai; slender like Hakkai; dark-haired like Hakkai.

Even if I can't really make out his hair color in the gloom. Though, the strands hiding half of the face are the wrong side, I realize. But there's still something fishy with one green eye. And the monocle has disappeared (I wouldn't miss it, though).

He is definitively Not Hakkai. Worst. Who is Shiguré?

I don't dare looking at my « own » face in the mirror.

So I look at him. Again. The man who isn't Hakkai. Me, the man who isn't Gojyo.

Because the only possible answer is: he has been Hakkai, and Shiguré has been Gojyo.

Scary.

What the hell am I doing here, damnit!

He talks, suddenly.

« I met somebody, today. Honda Tohru. And I saw Kanna. »

Kannan? What the…?

« At least I have saved her. She is alive. She looks happy. »

Slowly, part of Shiguré's memories mingles with mine, and I understand what he is talking about. It would almost make me wince. Hakkai has lost her again, in a very painful way. At least she is still alive this Kanna, but…

« Is it enough? » I ask. Is it enough to know she is safe, if you can't have her?

« You're strangely serious tonight, Shiguré. »

You're right « Ha-san ». Yes. I remember his name, now. Even being Gojyo. Ha-to-ri. I remember his name, and he is right, I think I'm terribly serious tonight, indeed. And you, you never change, Hakkai. Never giving a straight answer, are you?

A (cute) waitress pops up from nowhere (It's a dream, after all, baka… my mind reminds me), trips over an invisible something and nearly falls on us; I wouldn't have a move to prevent that. In fact, I would have rather tried to catch her… I avoid collision only because « Ha-san » half-dragged me in time out of me stool with a quick move of the wrist.

« Baka inu! Do you want to transform in front of everybody? » he hisses.

Baka « inu »? That's new. And Hakkai never would call me that. And… « transform » ? What is he speaking about?

« I thought you would have enough sense to prevent this kind of accident… » he says, somewhat pissed off, I guess.

He is easier to read than Hakkai. He is not really letting anything show but he is less trying to hide. But who can tell, with this man. Anyway, there's nobody except us, in this bar. The waitress here a second ago is missing, like magic. No other customers. The place is so empty it reminds me of another one and I almost expect these gods, Zenon and Shien, coming back from the dead to have a drink…

« You know you're the closest to me, » he resumes suddenly.

« I really like Ayamé. But, today, he would have been angry at Kanna, angry at fate. He would have acted as if he understood when I'd told him I'm already entirely happy I met her and was with her even for a while. But he wouldn't have… »

In other circumstances, hearing him talking about her (Kanna or Kannan, somehow, it makes no difference to me) would have hurt. But I'm so surprised as I see him reaching for a cigarette's packet while speaking I'm not really listening any more. And I forget to wonder who the hell is this Ayamé…Feeling the familiar weight in one of my pockets, I light a ciggie too, throwing my match which misses its aim.

« …You're quite different. You're going to make a fool of yourself, act as if you don't want to know or don't understand. But you completely know what I mean. »

Hatori leans slightly in to take the tiny wood stick between his fingers, to discard it properly in the ashtray. Some things never change.

« So, I'm still here for you, » I say to myself.

Gojyo talking to himself, listen everybody! I think…I think I'm glad I'm by your side again, Hakkai or whoever you are. It's comforting. I don't ask much from karma, right? Glad you had what you wanted, too. Your love: she is safe. But most of all, I'm glad I'm the one beside you on this damn stool, tonight.

He, « Ha-san », thinks Shiguré is talking to him. So he answers.

« I already know that. »

And he buys me another drink.

I think I hear music, somebody's voice singing…

Hoooo, in a dream, in a dream

Is it dream or shadows…?

It's funny; it's pretty much my state of mind, right now… I was wondering that…

Darkness wraps me slowly.

We lose. We die.

But we come back.

###############################end of dream################################

« Wake up. »

Somebody's hand lands upon my shoulder. Squeezing slightly.

« Wake up, Gojyo. »

Hoooo, in a dream, in a dream

Is it dream or shadows… sings a man on a stage in the back of the deserted room, bent over the micro, cradling tenderly his saxo like a living animal while not playing it…

« Ha-san? » I ask groggily.

But it is Hakkai's slightly frowning face which is looming over me.

« You fell asleep. We should go back to the inn; we have an early start, tomorrow. »

He doesn't look even tipsy. Figures.

« Tomorrow? »

As for me, I'm…

Oops, can't even stand on my legs. I need to cling to Hakkai as if he was a life line.

…Yhea, as I said I'm completly wasted…

« Yes. Tomorrow. Well, today…Homura. Ring a bell? »

« I thought we were done with him… »

Damn, I sound like I'm whining.

« Not yet. »

And he, Hakkai, sounds slightly amused. But I'm sure it's not easy with me half sprawled on him as he helps me walk out of the place.

###

The cold night breeze on my face was poor relief on our way back.

« It's a nice change, » I told him as he brought me to my bed eventually.

He muttered something I didn't catch. A cover fell on my shoulders, and long fingers brushed some damp strands off my face. And then… he was gone. As if the darkness in here had swallowed him. I just faintly heard his breath on the other side of the room. I kept on listening…

###

I didn't get much sleep that night, though. I don't think Hakkai did either.

I realized one thing.

It hit me.

We lose. We die.

But we come back.

And…if it's not only a dream… If I'm really meant to find him again, and maybe the others as well… It means we're going to lose. Tomorrow against Homura or some day after tomorrow.

###

« Wake up, » his voice calls again softly. The dim light in our room tells me this is a little before daybreak. Night is leaving but the sun is lazier than us. It doesn't have Gods to meet in less than an hour.

It's strange. We both don't talk much this morning save Hakkai's formal greeting as I opened my eyes. No hangover to alter my perceptions, fortunately. I'm utterly conscious of all of our moves as we get ready.

But Hakkai speaks eventually, about to walk past the door. He just turns his head slightly towards me and states quietly:

« If you die today, I kill you. »

It doesn't matter in fact,

If I cross your path again…

« The same to you, » I hear myself answer automatically.

…But it doesn't mean I'm going to make things easy for Homura and his crew, right?

Of course not. I feel myself grinning.

« Fine, » he says, as if an important matter had just been settled.

I will follow him downstairs a few minutes later, after a cigarette. Since he is not here any more, I don't have to care about the ashes I let fall anywhere. Looking at the little consuming tube, I think it could be my last one.

Naaaaa! For once I succeeded in stealing the monk's lighter without him noticing (well, yet), it would be a shame not having time to empty it! Let's go and break some gods!

###

The three of them are sitting across a table for an early breakfast before leaving towards the hill. The saru is joyously helping himself with the huge amount of food displayed in front of him.

« You'd be told the end of world is coming in a few minutes you'd go on stuffing your stomach, nee? Baka saru! » I tell, by grabbing a chair to join them.

« It's going to be a good fight: I need strength, » he states simply, sparkles of joy in his eyes, before resuming his gluttony… It's a good omen… He looks fine. One whole night alone with the pricky monk wouldn't have this effect on me. The only thing odd is the absence of battle for food, today.

Scratch it… Fucking dragon…

« Looking for your horoscope? » I can't help but tease the blondie everlastingly hidden behind his paper (It reminds me I never saw him buy a new one even once… Does it mean he never finished this one since the beginning of the journey? Does he really read it or is it a diverted way to simply ignore us?)… I'm so good at it, now; I can see the vein popping on the namagusa bouzu's forehead through the large sheets of his paper. In other circumstances, a bullet would have blown up my black coffee mug already. It's the usual way the guy says good morning, after all… Interesting, Mister worldly monk is sparing his bullets, today… Let's play…

I was about to open my mouth again when I heard a strange sound coming from the side of the table where Goku is sitting… I crossed Hakkai's inquiring gaze. His teacup remained frozen in mid-air, and like him, I glanced at the saru. I nearly choked and spat my last sip back in the cup…

« What's that? » suddenly asks the monk, raising his head from his paper. He has heard too.

« I think… He is... purring… » Hakkai replies after a while, slightly surprised, nodding towards Goku…

Figures, the gaki had just discovered the whipped cream for his pancakes…

« Baka… neko! », shrieked the monk.

So, Goku got his first bump of the day from the almighty harisen, eventually.

Hakkai smiled. I laughed.

And then, we left to battle gods.

###Owari###