Saiyuki Reload Fan Fiction ❯ The Sutra ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Sutra - Chapter 2

“Itadakimasu (Let's eat)!!!” boomed the lively Goku, happily stuffing his mouth. “Umai (delicious)! Gojyo, you better start eating or else I'll take your share!”

“Shut up, baka saru! And stop gobbling down everything. It's not as if the food will disappear… Hey! Give me my bun, you greedy bastard!”

“Serves you right for being slow, kappa!”

”Don't be too cocky, garbage can!”

Hakkai slowly sipped his tea, and ate his food quietly. It was good to see Goku and Gojyo still energetic after the past few dull days. Turning, he saw Sanzo had not touched anything save his cigarettes and a can of beer.

Not a good sign.

“Ano… Sanzo…” Hakkai said very softly and gently.

“What?” The blond man snapped.

“Sumimasen (Excuse me),” Knowing full well he was treading on extremely thin ice, he asked politely. “Is something bothering you?”

“No! I didn't sleep well, that's all.”

“What?” Gojyo overheard. “Haven't slept well?” He bent over. “Maybe having a bed isn't good enough for this corrupt monk. Perhaps I should…”

“Do you want to die?” Sanzo threatened, pointing his gun at him.

“Not today,” Gojyo nervously laughed. “And certainty not by you, Sanzo-sama.”

“Pardon me for intruding,” a waitress interrupted, glancing at Sanzo. “Are you really Sanzo? The Genjo Sanzo, the 31st Toa Genjo Sanzo and heir to one of the five Heaven & Earth Sutras?”

“Yes, he is,” grinned Gojyo. “Let me warn you first, he's not as holy as you think he is.”

“You seemed to know quite a bit about the Sanzos,” Hakkai cut in.

“Yes, my grandmother told me about it in her stories. There are always five Sanzos to protect the five Sutras of Heaven and Earth, the key elements in maintaining the balance of the order of life. Without them, there would be chaos and destruction,” She pressed her finger onto her cheek like she was recalling something. “Come to think of it, my grandmother often said there were rumours about a Sanzo who settled here years ago.”

“A Sanzo?” Goku questioned.

“That's right. This village used to have a shrine at the outer rims. Now it's rundown place. My grandmother said a Sanzo had come here, settled down at the shrine and stayed there till he died. Days after his funeral, some monks from Changan temple came here in search of his Sutras. Nonetheless, the Sanzo's Sutras was never found and the monks went back home. My grandmother still believes the Sutras are still hidden in the shrine till this day.”

“Probably, they did find it and took it back with them,” Gojyo muttered. His red eyes wavered at the waitress's curvy body. “Say, you look very pretty. Are you free to go out with me later?”

Wham! A huge white fan struck right smacked on his head.

“Stop talking rubbish and get going!” Sanzo icily muttered and walked off. Goku tailed behind him. Hakkai gave a quiet smile. The waitress giggled. Gojyo shrugged his shoulders and reluctantly followed.

“Why in the world do I have to follow this selfish monk?” Gojyo complained, after walking for some time. “Really! Can't I have a decent private time?”

“It can't be helped,” Hakkai optimistically replied. “As a Sanzo, he must investigate if the rumours of a Sutra in this village is really true.”

“Humph! Like the last time, we heard the same rumour at the desert and what did we find? A crazy scorpion demoness who thinks she's an immortal after eating the flesh of a Sanzo!”

“Nevertheless, we should investigate. After all, Gyokumen Koshu needs all five of them in the revival of Gyumao. The least we could do is to get it before she does.”

“Gyokumen Koshu? Gyumao's little mistress?” Gojyo lit a cigarette. “That means we get to see Kougaji again. That moron is still following her orders. If I were him, I would lock her up in some place where she cannot get out.”

“Well…” Hakkai softly laughed.

With that, the four kept silent, their thoughts concentrated on the sights and sounds of the outer rims and what could be ahead of them. The barely discernible path snaked its way down the huge trees that overlapped each other. Beams of light penetrated through the thick leaves, allowing the four to pick their way carefully over the fallen logs and dense undergrowth. As the sun moved steadily in the high noon, the bushes began to decrease and the ground soft, carpeted by leaves and twigs. At last, Sanzo came to stop.

“Hear that?” he asked quietly, after listening for a moment.

“Hai (yes),” replied Hakkai, pointing to the right.

The other two nodded. It was a voice, a human voice. Loud and aggressive, it seemed to be coming towards them and getting louder by the seconds.

Suddenly, an old man, thin as a reed, burst out of the leafy screen. The four looked at him in surprise. Shrunken, the old man swung his arms all about, in his tattered and worn clothes. On his chin, a white long messy beard dangling down his chin. The old man blinked his eyes at the four, gave a dismissive gesture and walked aimlessly about, cursing. The four looked at each other rather speechlessly at this weird old geezer.

“Excuse me,” Goku spoke first.

“This is absurd, telling me to come here when it's nearly lunchtime!” The old man stormed, flinging his arms. “Who would be here at this hour?” Turning around, he saw Goku still standing there. “What are you standing there? Go home! This is my property! Get out!”

“Your property?” Goku stared at him, then at the surroundings. “Really? All is this is yours?” His stomach growled. “I'm hungry!” He stumped to ground. “I'm getting weak.”

The old man glared at Goku as if he were an idiot, “Are you deaf? Get out! You trespassers!”

“Hold on, you grumpy geezer!” Gojyo shouted. “I was dragged here to find a rundown place that was a shrine where a Sanzo used to live. Do you have any idea where it is or not?”

“You are worse than this monkey!” the old man snapped irritably. “I don't know and don't care who or what you are or want! For all my life, this is my land and I won't stand having strangers being here. Now get lost! Leave! Go Away!” Stamping his left foot vehemently, he waited for the four to leave but they didn't.

“This is the outer rim of the village, isn't it?” Goyjo pressed, growing to be annoyed with this unreasonable oldster. His red eyes glowed sinisterly.

The oldster stiffened. “So what if it is?”

“If it is, then you probably know a Sanzo that lived here.” He pointed at Genjo Sanzo. “You know, like this guy in this sort of priestly outfit, red charka on his forehead, carrying a Sutra. Since you claimed to be the owner of this place all your life, then you ought to know something!!”

Shaking his head, the oldster grew grim. “No. Never in my entire life!”

Even so, Hakkai noticed something in the old man's eyes. He took a step closer, “You know about the Sutra, don't you?”

“Me? What makes you think of such a stupid statement?”

“Because you are a Sanzo?” Goku spoke innocently.

The oldster blinked for a few seconds and threw back his head laughing. “Me? A Sanzo? Don't be ridiculous! What sort of a life would be without meat, cigarettes, liquor and women?” Rolling into the ground, with his hands across his stomach, he went on laughing. “Ha ha ha ha! That's funny! ” The four stared at the oldster laughing hysterically, each feeling very awkward.

“Well,” Gojyo amused. “That shows how disgraceful our Sanzo is.”

“I think he's crazy,” Goku softly commented.

“CRAZY?” The oldster immediately snapped back to his feet. “I'm crazy?” His bony face flushed with anger. “GET OUT! GO! LEAVE! I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOU COMING BACK HERE! YOU HEAR ME! GET OUT! GET OUT!”

“We didn't to be…” Hakkai tried to apologize.

“LEAVE! LEAVE! LEAVE!” The oldster jumped up and down like a brat. “Eh??” He suddenly paused, his hand upon his ear. “What is it you say?” He kept silent like he was listening to someone. “Who?” He glanced at the four. “Them?” He crossed his arms. “Why didn't you say so in the beginning?”

Turning around, the oldster barked at them. “Don't stand there like a bunch of rocks. Follow me!”

“Huh?” Goku looked bluntly at him.

“Morons! Aren't you here for the Sutras?” The oldster sighed. “Nowadays, the travelers are so dim-witted,” With his hands behind his back and hunching, he wobbled his way into forest.

“Just who in the world was he talking to?” Gojyo muttered. “Sanzo! What do we do?”

“Follow him,” Sanzo coolly replied

“What?” Gojyo protested. “That insane lunatic? One moment, he was shrieking at us to leave and now, he wants us to come him.”

“Nobody is asking you to listen to him.”

“Damn you, shady monk!”

Not far from them, behind some densely grown trees, a shadow detached itself from its hiding place and moved silently away.

To be continued…