Saiyuki Reload Fan Fiction ❯ The Sutra ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The Sutra - Chapter 3

Under the welcoming shades of the thick trees, Kougaji, Yaone and Lilin rested, nibbling over some root vegetables. Then, a muscular demon, slightly taller than Kougaji with blue tattoos on his forehead, named Dokugakaji, showed up. Letting himself into the shades, he spoke in a deep voice.

“Sanzo and the others have found an old man who knows where the Sutra is hidden. He is bringing them to the location as we speak.”

"Goodey!” Lilin leaped up, green eyes brightened. “Let's go get them!”

“No, we wait.”

“What!” the little demoness objected, with hands on her hips, pouting. “Why? Niisan (older brother)!”

“Yes,” a sly voice agreed. “Why not, Niisan?”

Kougaji nonchalantly lifted his eyes at a lanky demon, crystal blue locks of hair tied behind his dark navy jacket, loosely opened, revealing the upper part of his well-developed chest. The demon had pasty green eyes silting on his sharp pointy face. A brace of wicked-looking knives was strapped around his waist. He grin was like a rebel's. Behind him was a group of his followers, rowdy and intimating.

“Tamizu.”

“Yo! Kougaji-niisan,” Tamizu jauntily waved, his arm sapphire jaded bangles jingled.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Tamizu sneered. “I heard that Gyokumen Koshu has given you an errand.”

“So? It has nothing to do with you.”

“Yes, it does.” His pasty green eyes shimmered. “You see, after you left, I made a bargain with Gyokumen Koshu. If I bring back the Sutra before you do, then, I'll be the crown prince instead of you.”

“Oh.” Kougaji arched his brow. “The vixen has sent more of her bootlickers…”

“Not bootlicker, a prince who has more a promising future than you!” Tamizu retorted. “Unlike you, I don't hesitate when opportunity comes. Unlike you, I don't whine like a baby about his stone-cast mother…”

“Say that again and I'll cut your head off,” Dokugakaji warned, gripping his sword. Purple haired Yaone stood beside him, holding her spear. She too was disturbed by the insults.

“Mo ii (Don't bother), Dokugakaji, Yaone.” Kougaji held up his hand, swallowing the last morsel of his vegetable root. Rubbing his hands against the sides of his jeans, he stood up. “That's no point in fighting with Gyokumen Koshu's sex slave. Nevertheless,” Raising his voice louder to overpower Tamizu's further retorts, he continued. “I'm willing to be in this childish bet of yours. So go ahead and fight Sanzo's party. No invitation is needed.”

“Fine,” Tamizu held his chin high. “Slander me all you want because you'll be begging for mercy once I obtain the Sutra, including Sanzo's!” Rising his hands, a whirlpool of water erupted from the ground, engulfing the group. Within the twinkling of an eye, they disappeared.

“Showoff runt!” groused Dokugakaji. “Kougaji! You should have let me deal with him.”

“Sou yo! (I agreed)” chipped in Lilin, her orange hair swinging with her body motion. “He's going to get the Sutras before us! Lilin wants to win him!”

“Even if we get there before Sanzo's party, we might not be able to get the Sutras since it would probably be protected by the late Sanzo's dharma powers. We might be blown to pieces before we get to touch it.”

“So, your plan is to let Sanzo get the Sutra first,” Yaone continued. “Once the dharma shield is gone, we will take it from them.”

“What if Tamizu gets it before we do?” Lilin rebut.

“That's another matter to consider,” Dokugakaji crossed his arms. “Tamizu and a few others have been forming their own supporters. Within time, they might get enough to overthrow you and the vixen wouldn't give a damn about it so as long she has the Sutras.”

“I'm aware of that,” Kougaji's golden earrings gleamed in the sunlight. “However, Tamizu and his goofballs have absolutely no idea how to fight against Sanzo's party.” His lips curled. “In fact, I'm more interested to see Sanzo's party beating the hell out of him.”

“Are we there yet?” groaned Goku for the thousand time as his stomach rumbled for food. “I'm hungry. So hungry…” The pace of his steps went slower. “And weak…”

“Here then.” The oldster pulled out a vegetable root and tossed it to him. “Chew on this if you don't mind it a bit dirty.”

“Oh! Thank you!” Goku gratefully gobbled it down. “You are a life-saver!”

“There's something fishy about this creep,” Gojyo whispered to Hakkai. “First, he was horribly impudent and now he's incredibly nice!”

“Maybe, the one he's talking to told him to,” Hakkai answered, observing the oldster swinging his arms about like windmills and chatting to the trees. “It does seem odd though. How did he know we are coming for the Sutras?”

“That geezer could have his senses straightened out when he saw Sanzo.”

“Humph!” Sanzo scratched his cheek. “The sooner we get the Sutras, the better. My headache is worsening so much that I could shoot him right now!”

“Here we are,” sang the oldster, dancing about. “Here we are!”

“About time.” Gojyo lit another cigarette. “I'm running out of these babies. Huh?”

The four studied the shrine from ground to the rooftop. From what all of them expected normally for a shrine were a large oriental designed building with a courtyard, stone pathways, superstitious stone statues, a couple of fruit trees and all other necessities. Yet, standing not more than an inch was a shabby wooden box with a pointed top no higher than thirty centimeters and wider than twenty centimeters. Inside the box contained a wooden figure of an idol. Surrounding the petite shrine were the incense and some small handfuls of offerings.

“Here we are,” sang the oldster again, dancing about. “Here we are!”

“That's the shrine?” Gojyo was in total disbelief. “This insignificant box?”

“Well,” Hakkai slowly choosing his words. “Maybe, years back, this might be considered as one.”

“Rats! We have all the way here for nothing,” He hollered. “Hey old geezer! Is this one of your nonsense? This isn't the shrine.”

“Of course it is, you red simpleton!” The oldster hollered back, his beard flying wildly.

“What was that?” Gojyo menacingly towered over the oldster. “Give us the right directions before I…”

“Stay away from me!” The oldster shrieked, his thin arms pointing like weapons. “I did what I was told. The Sutra is here, I tell you! Find it yourself!” Skipping away into the bushes, he vanished without a trace.

“Gojyo!” Goku slightly glared. “Do you have to be so mean? Now, you have frightened him away.”

“For all we know, that moron could be conning us! Baka saru!”

“I'm not! You leachy kappa!”

“What do you think, Sanzo?” Hakkai deciding to leave the two in their bickering.

“How the hell should I know?” Sanzo examined the shirne as he surveyed the vegetative areas. Right now, his headache was affecting his thoughts and he badly needed a painkiller. He wouldn't mind shooting the two idiots behind him immediately if that could relieve him temporarily. At that moment, he heard a low hissing, the same hissing as last night. Likewise, he couldn't sense any presence of an intruder and the hissing was ringing inside his head.

Come to me… Genjo Sanzo… For I am here…

Sanzo stood up, trying his best to detect the source of that confounded hissing. Hakkai was looking at him very curiously, also trying to figure out what Sanzo was thinking. Ignoring everyone, Sanzo's eyes narrowed at the direction of something round and flat a few meters behind the shrine. Taking a step forward, he heard the hissing again.

Yes… closer…. Genjo Sanzo…

“Sanzo?” Goku abruptly ended his argument with Gojyo. He could see something unknown was bothering Sanzo and he didn't like it whenever Sanzo was one of his secretive mood. Running quickly, he caught up with Sanzo and gripped his arm.

“Sanzo?”

“Hush!” Sanzo fiercely shook his arm off. “Be quiet! You're distracting me!”

Yes… closer…. Genjo Sanzo…

Over here… over here….

Walking closer, Sanzo bent down and touched the stony round flat object. The others followed behind him, waiting rather impatiently for him to say something.

Open….

“Oyo, Goku!”

“Hai? (yes)”

“Remove this thing.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just do it, saru!”

Obediently, Goku pushed the stone object away, revealing a long deep hallow hole tunneling deep into the fathom darkness. Gojyo took a stone from the ground and dropped it into the hole. It took quite a while they could a soft thud.

“It's pretty deep.”

“So what? Goku, get me some vines or something. I'm going in alone.”

“Alone? But Sanzo…”

“If the Sutra is really down there, it will be protected by the late Sanzo's dharma powers that could blow any demon to pieces. You guys will be more useful if you stay here.”

“Whatever you say, Sanzo-sama.” Gojyo obliged. “Hakkai & I will be playing Black Jack while waiting.”

“I suppose so,” Hakkai politely smiled. “It would take a while.”

“Then, what do I do?” Goku asked

“Go and find yourself something to eat!” Sanzo snapped, typing the vines around his waist. “After I reached the ground of this idiotic tunnel.”

Without further delay, Sanzo slowly and cautiously made his way down the dankly tunnel. Once safely on solid ground, Sanzo held out his gun as he walked into another tunnel, following the hissing sound that constantly echoing in his head.

Down…

Turn right….

Turn left….

Further down…

Go on… Genjo Sanzo…

A little more…

Sanzo proceeded on till he found himself in a stone walled chamber, oddly lit by flameless lamps. Dust carpeted the floor so finely that it rose into clouds as Sanzo's feet pressed heavily against it. It was cool here, without the heat of the afternoon sun. He went on, feeling a growing presence of dharma power floating around him. The chamber was not as empty as he thought. Before him was a dais, on the dais an altar. Stepping closer, he saw something resting on the altar. A rolled up scroll shrouded in the shadows. He came closer, feeling strangely excited.

No mistake, the scroll was one of the five Sutras of Heaven and Earth.

Climbing up the steps of the dais, the hissing surfaced, encouraging him to be quicker. Sanzo did so and soon, he was hovering over it. The Sutra, like his, was a long white parchment bordered in green. Sanzo felt a deep sense of satisfaction of being the first to gain the long lost-forgotten Sutra. He pressed his hands over it.

Genjo Sanzo…

The hissing was soft and seductive within his mind. His fingers froze at the frail thread that held the rolled Sutra. The only thing that kept it closed.

Open it…

Sanzo scanned the area rapidly, extremely infuriated at the hissing voice. He could determine whether it was a man, woman, demon or god. Where was hissing coming from? Who was creating that blasted persisting hissing in his head? Furthermore, why it so persisting? His fingers gripped tightly on the Sutra till they turned white. With steady hands, he pulled at the thread and then paused, excepting the hissing sound. There wasn't.

As if their own free will, Sanzo's hands carefully untied the Sutra and unrolled it. Words began to whisper from the ancient script and language much older than he anticipated. Softly and seductive, the words reached out, bounding him so tightly that he could not move. Rather spontaneously, Sanzo stretched his hand and touched the Sutra. Barely touching the surface, an incredible force raced through his arm and into his body, filling her strength and power beyond his mortal control. His mind was in pitch darkness. He gasped in shock, too stunned to release his hand. Then, images began to form themselves clearly before him, his pulse becoming steady, his heartbeat slowing down.

He felt his hands empty and looked around. Nothing had changed. Everything was exactly the way it was save his Sutra, which was glowing faint golden light.

Well done… Genjo Sanzo

Looking at his Sutra, Sanzo pondered over his encounter. What was it? That energy? That power? The power he felt through his body… It was amazing, incredible… Such power hidden away from the other monks… Why? Why didn't the late Sanzo pass his Sutra to the monks in Changan Temple? What were his reasons? Did he foresee that he would be coming here? Or was it because there's something about this Sutra that he didn't want to reveal?

Rubbing his head, Sanzo felt a sharp pain racing in his temples. All this experience was giving him a horrible headache. As he left, Sanzo thought he heard a soft chuckle.

“Hey, He's back!” Gojyo placed his cards down. “Full house.”

“A lot faster than we expected,” Hakkai agreed. “Royal Flush”

“Damn you.”

"Ne, Sanzo,” Goku ran over to him, his mouth stuffed with fruits. “Did you find it?”

“Yeah,” Sanzo gruffly responded.

“Really? Where? Where? Argh!!” Rubbing his head, “Why did you hit me for?”

“For jumping around me like some crazy idiot!” Sanzo rubbed his head.

“Sanzo, are you feeling alright?” Hakkai asked, concerned. “You have been having headaches since this morning.”

“I'm fine. I'm fine,” Brushing him aside. “Just need a painkiller.”

“In this case,” Hakkai pat his pet white dragon, Hakuryu. “Hakuryu, could you please?”

The petite dragon stretched out his ivory wings and changed into a green jeep. All four of them settled themselves comfortably. Hakkai stepped onto the accelerator and off they went.

“Sanzo?”

“What?” Sanzo glared at him. “Can't you see I'm resting?”

“Where's the Sutra?”

“On my shoulders, you blind monkey!”

“No!” Goku irritated. “The other one!”

“Huh? That? It simply combined itself with my Sutra. End of story.”

“But Sanzo…”

“SHUT UP!” Sanzo fiercely pointed his gun at him. “One more word and I'll blow your stomach to bits!”

To be continued….