Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Saiyuki Outside ❯ Chapter 26: The Memory Lingers ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter 26: The Memory Lingers

Bright light appeared from every direction. Sanzo sleepily rubbed his eyes, and sat up straight. Shyirin has left before the sun rose. Sanzo sleepily crawled down from the cliff and went over to see the others.

Spying at the fort, 2000 feet away, Shyirin was overlooking The Castle in the Land of the Shadows from her binoculars. Shyirin put away her binoculars and quickly reloaded her guns.

"It's a do or die mission and someone's gotta do it. No one expected I'd be here this fast. Didn't think that the fort was just over the canyons. Oh well, better stop talking and start climbing this canyon to the ground below. Otherwise, I might freeze by the time it reaches nightfall."

Shyirin began leaping from one spot to another that leads to the end of the canyon and straight into the Land of Shadows.

Zeltorfe quickly strode into the Master's room. He quickly bowed to the ground and waited for the Master to speak.

"Zeltorfe, one of your best men is already dead. What do you have to say to that?"

"What?! Dead? Unbelievable… Leonaste and I trained side by side and he was the best of them all. How could he have been defeated?"

The Master laughed sarcastically.

"And you expect me to know?! Zeltorfe, my dear fellow lad, it is I who should be asking you of this failure."

Zeltorfe clenched his fist tightly as he heard The Master telling him this all. His heart burned with fury and anger. The Master raised his hand and pointed at Zeltorfe.

"Never fear, Zeltorfe. There are 5 of them still, right? You still have time to take care of them. I assume that you will take care of that for me."

"Yes, Master."

Zeltorfe stood up and headed for the exit. As he was walking, he bumped into a pretty luscious blonde with strange green eyes cloaked in green leaflets that covered her and another red-head girl dressed in a scaly armor with fiery red dragon eyes.

"Back so soon, Zeltorfe?"

"You wouldn't be surprised, Venus."

"I assure you that my missions are never a failure. I suggest that long black hair of yours is getting in the way of your eyesight. You should trim it already. From far, you look like a flat-chest girl."

"Mind you, but I like it this way. Unlike the foul smell of your dead dragon scales, you're the worst thing since death. It's no wonder all of the guys you sleep with die the next day."

Venus bared her canine fangs and her face began changing slowly. The green woman held Venus from attacking with her bare hands.

"Venus, stop now, not in front of the Master. If you continue this behavior before the Master, I will slay you to back where you belong."

Venus stopped and her face turned back normal. She brushed herself as Zeltorfe gazed angrily at her.

"Very well, for the Fair Lady General Kikka, I will show no disrespect now, Venus. But next time, it won't be."

"It won't be for me as well, Zeltorfe."

Zeltorfe pulled his fringe back and walked away from the scene. Venus and Kikka walked to meet their beloved Master. The both of them bowed at the Master's feet and kissed his feet.

"Master, we're back."

"Yes; Kikka, Venus. I expect better results from both of you."

"Yes, Master. We brainwashed Queen Ayame and left her lying in the sacred lands of The Dragoon's Edge with one of my loyal dragoons. She is lost and can't remember who she is."

"That's good to hear."

"And we captured something more interesting along the way. Bring her in!"

The guards dragged the body in and kicked it to the feet of Master Akiyoshi. The body groaned and shook its long brunette hair.

"We captured this funny little thing while it was climbing the mountain. We found it while we were flying down to you. It gave a tough fight. This creature has guns, my lord."

"I'm no creature for crying out loud."

"Said her name was Shyirin."

Shyirin got up slowly as her feet and summoned back her guns to her hands. She aimed at them and gritted her teeth. Venus looked in her hands and the guns were gone from her hands.

"Did I tell you that my guns appear when I want them to?"

Shyirin smirked as she aimed for the Master that was sitting in the dark.

"Now, Master, tell me what you know about the Jewel of Terralus."

"Good question, Princess of Terralus. The Jewel is not with me, but with Zeltorfe and his merry-men."

"Wh--? What do you mean, Princess of Terralus?"

"I know who you are, ever since you were born. Shyirin, the sole Princess and heir of Terralus that was sent to the Real World to live a life of a normal mortal and experience pain and hardship so that she may be able to live normally when she returns back to Terralus at the age of 20."

"…"

Shyirin pointed the guns at Kikka and Venus. She clicked her tongue.

"Ask them to get out of here."

"Very well, everyone leave!"

"But Master-"

"No worries, my dearest Kikka. I'll be fine."

Kikka gritted her teeth and walked away with Venus and the rest. Kikka shut the door and waited outside for the Master and Shyirin to finish their conversation.

Inside the room, The Master sat as Shyirin swung the guns to her side. The Master gestured softly to Shyirin.

"You know Cho Hakkai, right?"

"What if I don't?"

"Tell me… if you want him to live."

"Don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't lie… otherwise; they have to pay for it."

"Do I look like I will tell you?"

The Master grabbed Shyirin closer to him and put his right hand on Shyirin's head. Shyirin became enchanted into the spell. Shyirin saw her eyesight grew dim and her head began to spin. She fell unconscious on the Master's lap as the Master ended his spell.

"Kikka! Venus!"

"Bind her. She might prove useful to us."

"Yes, Master."

Kikka began casting a spell. Vines began crawling and bind Shyirin up tightly. The Master touched Shyirin's face softly while she was still asleep.

"Take her away to the tower top and leave her there. I don't want her harmed at all. I want her to be in perfect condition for our `guests' to see."

"Yes, Master."

Kikka and Venus dragged Shyirin away to the tower top. The Master smelled his fingers that touched Shyirin.

"Now, Cho Gono, I have something you really must want to help your dear friend. I wonder, what's going to happen next?"

"Sanzo! Look! We're almost at the end of the canyon road!"

"What are you excited about?! You stupid monkey!"

"I'm no stupid monkey, you horny Lolita-loving perverted demon with two cockroach antennae!"

Hakkai laughed at Goku and Gojyo's petty fight. Sanzo kept silent the whole journey. He looked far ahead. He kept imagining Shyirin.

"Don't worry Sanzo! I'll be alright!"

"Promise me you'll come back for me, Sanzo…"

"Maybe the one reason I fell in love with you was that sorrowful face of yours and that deep sad violet eyes that kept staring back at me when I look into it."

"Sanzo, I love you… don't leave me. Don't leave me alone again. I've waited so long."

"You'll never lose me… See? I'm still standing right in front of you. There's nothing to fear about."

"Please rest now. I'll be here. Don't worry. I'll be here with you for the whole night."

"You don't need to… your eyes tell me everything. They're the most honest things I've ever seen. Your hand movements, your loving gestures… they tell me everything. You only wanted to be loved but you can't feel them because you hid yourself too long down the cold side. Goku helped you pull through but it was not enough. I wonder if I'm enough to change you."

"Sanzo, I wanna follow you wherever you go."

"This is the only joy I find when I'm with you and the most comfort when I need you. Thank you."

"You're the best, Sanzo. That's why I love you."

"You're cute when you smile. I like you better like this."

"Don't worry about me, Sanzo. Just as long as I'm by your side, I feel happy enough."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, Sanzo. As long as you don't leave me, I will stay strong…"

"Sanzo…please don't leave me again. I don't wanna be alone."

"That's enough for me to hear. As long as you don't leave my side, I'll be happy enough to wait for you, forever."

"See? It doesn't beat fast anymore. I feel much calmer now with you, knowing that you are by my side right now. I want this feeling to last forever."

"You don't have to say anything at all, Sanzo. Your eyes tell me everything."

"No matter how much you've changed or your feelings decreased for me; I will always love you until the end of my life. No matter what happens."

"We will go to the Final Distance together, that you promised me and that I will do the same."

"Sanzo…"

"Sanzo…"

"SANZO!!!"

Shyirin woke up with a sudden shock. She couldn't feel her hands. She felt something rough binding her hands.

`They must've tied me up…'

She felt her head hurt badly and she felt dizzy. Her eyes became blurry for a minute and then, returned back to a clearer vision.

`I had that horrible dream again… that stupid tower is gone already… why am I still thinking of it?'

"Awake already?"

Shyirin turned to see the voice. Her face turned surprised as she saw the face of the voice.

"Are you… who I think it is? Master Akiyoshi?"

The young man with long silver hair grinned, blinking his bright green eyes flamboyantly. His demon ears were easily spotted and there was a silver dragon earring hung on his ear. The boy gazed at Shyirin.

"Correct. Let me introduce myself properly. I am Akiyoshi, the lord of this castle. And here you are, like a fly attracted to a trap."

"What do you mean? You were just lucky enough to catch me in time… I was careless back there."

"No, actually, I predicted your coming as I knew Kanzeon Bosatsu might send one of her cronies to come here. Of all the 40 others, you were slightly much better than the rest of them."

Shyirin's eyes widen with shock. She looked hard at the boy with disbelief.

"What happened to the other 40?"

"I killed them."

Shyirin began feeling cold sweat down her spine. It was no wonder Kanzeon Bosatsu decided to use her instead. Akiyoshi grinned slyly and gazed at Shyirin hard.

"You want to kill me now, right?"

"Why feel nervous? I don't want you to die right now. I want my `guests' to come and I want to taunt him by using you."

"... Please don't hurt Sanzo."

"WHAT?!"

"Please! I beg of you… Please don't hurt Sanzo or any one of them. Take me as a sacrifice instead!"

"Why should I?"

"Because if you harm anyone of them, I will make sure that I slay myself before they arrive."

"No… not that. Why do you want them to live so badly and die for them?"

"Because I care for them…"

Shyirin knocked her head against the floor as a gesture of bowing. Akiyoshi staggered back at Shyirin's reaction. Shyirin got up slowly again with a little bit of tears in her eyes and begged again.

"Please… spare them… take me, do whatever you want with me, just leave them alone!"

"Why do you give yourself so much? What have they done for you? Have they not backstabbed you? Have they not hurt you before? What is the use of these friends when they hurt you all the time?"

Shyirin winked at Akiyoshi with much more hope in her eyes.

"Trust, forgiveness and faith is what friendship is mainly about. I believe in them and I know Sanzo will save me, whether with or without help from any of his friend. Believe me; you wouldn't like it when Sanzo's really angry."

"Why do you speak of this Sanzo a lot?"

"Because Sanzo is the man I have given my full trust towards to. And I know he will save me, no matter what. Sanzo has those soulful eyes that I am attracted towards to. He is really nice and caring deep-down once you get to know him better. Sanzo doesn't show much most of the time but you can feel it deep within you."

Akiyoshi thought deep and hard.

"Besides, you have nice eyes as well. If you open yourself more, I'm sure more will come to like you as a friend."

Shyirin smiled at Akiyoshi with a warmer effect. Her brown eyes were radiant and her expression was much more natural than any of the smiles Akiyoshi has ever seen in his whole life.

Akiyoshi snapped his fingers and the binds that held Shyirin released her. Shyirin felt her hands and made sure that they were all right. Akiyoshi sat down beside Shyirin and hid his face.

"Tell me more about this Sanzo that you seem to admire a lot."

Shyirin looked surprised and nodded her head. Akiyoshi listened to her tone as she spoke about Sanzo.

`Her tone… was so warm and friendly. I could see that her eyes were much more radiant when she spoke of him. She looked excited when she talked about him. Is this what momma told me about? Is this what they call love? Momma said that love is when two individuals have deeper feelings for each other and their bond is so deep, it is unbreakable. Does Shyirin feel love for this Sanzo she speaks of?'

Akiyoshi bent his body forward and stared into a great distance. Shyirin stopped and looked at Akiyoshi.

"I hope I did not bore you. It's just that whenever I think or speak about Sanzo, I always feel him beside me, even as I speak."

"Will… I change… like that Sanzo of yours?"

Shyirin smiled and rubbed Akiyoshi's hair. He looked surprised.

`No one has ever rubbed me like that before.'

"You can… but you will never be Sanzo…"

"Why not?"

"Because Sanzo is one in a million and so are you. Just be yourself and you will be fine in any day of your life."

Akiyoshi felt his heart throb. He stood up violently and walked away.

"I must go now. I have something important to do that can't just wait."

"Well, come back if you need to talk to me. You're nice to talk to, anyway."

Akiyoshi quickly rushed out of the room and slammed it behind it. He breathed heavily as he leaned on the door. He clenched his heart tightly and exhaled slowly. He felt sweat trickle down his face and his heart throb faster.

`What is this am I feeling? Don't tell me… that I like that girl as well? No… it's not that... I must get away from here for now. I will make a decision when the time is right.'

Sanzo sneezed hard. Hakkai stopped the car and looked at Sanzo.

"What's the matter, Sanzo?"

"I don't know I felt a draft."

"Maybe someone must've been talking about you."

"Our Master Sanzo is not that superstitious."

"But, what if it is? Hey Sanzo, maybe it was Shyirin talking about you?"

Sanzo smirked at Goku's remark. He chuckled softly and held onto Shyirin's ring tightly.

`Maybe…'