Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ The Calling ❯ Chapter 6

 

"So...what are you gonna do once you're healed?" I asked and the stranger looked at me.

"There are some things that I must take care of," he replied as he drew another card. I looked at my hand and then at him, trying to figure out what he was holding. I mean, he's pretty damned good for an invalid. Not to sound mean or anything but hell, I make a living out of gambling and he's beaten me five times now. How does he do it?

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just trying to figure out how you keep beating me," I said and he apologetically lowered his head.

"I'm sorry. I've always had a knack for this," he said and I waved a hand.

"Don't worry about it. I guess you've got more luck then I have skill. Hold on. That's the door. I wonder who's coming by at this time of night. If it's a woman, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

"Huh? Oh. Of course."

I stood up and lit a cigarette and walked to the door. I opened it and stepped outside. Damn. What stood in front of me was a blonde with intriguing violet eyes. But, there was one problem. Those eyes belonged to none other than that high priest Sanzang or whatever. Yup. He brought his monkey along too. Great. What did I do to deserve this visit?

"Hey there Mr. Monk. I thought you and your playmate were long gone from here," I said and made a slight face at the double meaning of "playmate". I pray to all things sacred that the second meaning wasn't true. For a priest and a monkey to be....

"This isn't a pleasure call," he said as I leaned against the door of my house.

"Really? Let's see, what are you selling? Scriptures? Holy cookies?"

"What the hell is he talking about, Sanzo?" the kid asked and the priest looked at him.

"Quiet Goku. All right, we've heard that you have someone staying in your house," the priest said and I looked at him.

"Later maybe. My libido is running pretty high tonight," I said and the priest glared at me.

"You're starting to piss me off so you'd better answer my questions or else you'll regret it. Now, we have information that a man by the name of Cho Gonou, a man who has murdered an entire demon clan was seen around this area. We also know that you've taken in an injured man. All I want to know is if that man is Cho Gonou."

"And what will you do if it is?"

"Take him to be punished. Murder is a serious crime."

"Sorry. I don't know who you're talking about. There hasn't been anyone else around here for awhile."

"All right then. If you want death so much, I'll give it to you."
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Man this stinks. I don't know why but it does. Well, I'm pretty sure I know why. Before it was just me and him. Now we've got that stupid bug guy and we've got to do what those floating heads say. I miss the days when it was just me and Sanzo.

Yeah that monastery we were at was boring as hell but the food was good. It you were a rabbit. I mean, I didn't mind the food, but I wish we could have had meat once in awhile. I don't see how vegetarians survive. I guess that's why Sanzo would leave and take me to a place that served meat at least a couple times a month. Now what was the reason again? Why couldn't there be meat in the monastery? I know there's some reason why Buddhists aren't supposed to eat meat but I can't remember why.

Let's see...Buddhists can't eat meat because....it has something to do with flowers. Little pink flowers. What did Sanzo call them? Carnations. Meat has something to do with carnations which is why we're not supposed to eat any. Hey...that makes no sense at all. In any case, I like my meat. Especially when it's been cooked well. Not really well, though. I don't like when it's all black and hard. That kind of meat is just gross.

But that's not the most important reason why I miss the old days. I miss just being with him. Sure I get my time with him now but it's not like it once was. There was more to it in the past. I would say hotter but I don't know if that's right. I mean, sure I got hot when he did it, but I figured that was because of the fire or the blankets or something. Heat can't be a...feeling can it? I mean, my hands start to sweat when he does it, just like they sweat when I'm too close to the fire but....Hey why is Sanzo looking at me like that? I haven't done a damned thing wrong. Of course, that might be the problem.
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WHAT the hell is he doing?! I've got an assignment to do, damn it! If I had known he was going to be like this, I would have left him tied to that tree. I can't STAND when he stares at me.

"So you gonna preach some more or what, holy man?" the red-headed playboy asked and I looked at him. "Because if you're done, I'm gonna go back inside and think about this conversion thing."

"I'm hardly done with you," I said as I raised my gun. "Now tell me the truth or I'll be forced to use some divine influence."

"What exactly do you stand for? Man, you've got one hell of an oxymoron. A priest that kills."

I fired the gun and he moved slightly. I held my weapon steady, ignoring the anger that was building up inside me.

"I'm not going to let you stand in my way. I was told to bring Gonou back to the shrine. Whether or not you die in the process, will be your decision."

"Stop!"

The door swung open and Gonou stepped out. I narrowed my eyes at the criminal. Why was he so important? Of course, it's not my place to question the will of the gods.

"Would you get back in there?!" Gojyo demanded then looked at me and stood up. "All right. So you wanna have him. We'll you're gonna have to go through me."

"All right then. Goku, take care of Gonou."
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Huh? Man, and here I was thinking about a plate of meat buns. All right, I'll go after the guy, although he doesn't seem all that evil to me. Hey...he's not supposed to do that. The big guy knocked Sanzo's gun out of his hand and the other guy picked it up and pointed it at me. Damn. I don't think he's foolin' around, either.

"S-Sanzo..." I said, trying not to show the fear I felt. The criminal....Gonow...wait that's not right....Anyways, he held the gun at my chest with shaky arms and a weird look in his eyes.

"Don't make me use this," he said haltingly. "I just have one thing to take care of and then I'll gladly give up."

"Damn it!" Sanzo said as the guy ran off. Gonot? No, that's not right either. What IS his name?

"Hey Sanzo..." I said and he glanced at me. "What are we gonna do now?"

"Let me tell you somethin'," the redhead said and Sanzo looked at him. "That guy is very determined. He said he's gonna do what he's gotta do. He'll do it and then, he'll probably die."

"Well I can't allow him to die because of his own stupidity," Sanzo said and glanced at me.

"Come on Goku. We're going."

"Where?" I asked.

"We're going after Gonou."

"Then I'm going to. He said that my hair was his penitence. I'm not gonna let him forget that," the cockroach said and I stared at him. Why anyone would want to look like a bug is beyond me. Sanzo tapped his fan against his palm and I looked at him. Guess I'd better get to following. I really don't want him to use that thing on me. My head still hurts from the last time he used it.
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Man, I don't know what he was thinking about, but his stupidity really cost us this time. My weapon is gone and now I've got to go after a man I'm supposed to bring back alive. Plus, I've got that perverted redhead following me and I'm starting to get a migraine. This sucks.

"Sanzo...that guy is still following us," Goku whispered and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Like I can do anything about it. He wants to come, then let him. I've got no control over what he does. If he gets killed, it'll be his own fault. My only concern is to carry out the mission that I was given," I said.

"All right...Sanzo....."

"What?"

"I smell blood."

"What the hell is he? A dog?" Gojyo asked and I glanced at him.

"Keep up if you can. Be careful Goku," I said as Goku ran along ahead. He can be way too much for me to handle at times but there are other times that I'm eternally grateful for him.

".....I'll remove my right eye and then my left. Then my ear..." Gonou was saying to the surviving member of the Crow Clan, the demon family that had once lived in the area we now stood in.

"STOP!!!" Goku cried as he ran out of the brush. "I was just thinkin' to myself how pretty your eyes were and now you've ruined them!"

He's never told me my eyes are pretty. What's up with that? I stepped forward and my foot pushed against something cold and metallic. Damn. That hurts. Especially when one is wearing sandals. I bent over and picked up my gun that Gonou had dropped. I put another bullet in and glanced at Gojyo who stood watching me.

"Another chapter in hypocrisy right, holy man?" he asked and I lowered my eyes.

"It is written that when you meet Buddha, kill Buddha There is such a thing as the law of karma. Life isn't about what's given to you. It's about what you make of it. Now, it is not my place to pass judgment over Gonou. My duty is to merely bring him to the temple. It is there that his fate will be decided. However, I will not let him die before his judgment."