[Generic Disclaimer: Saiyuki and all the affiliated characters are copyright to Kazuya Minekura. No profit has or will be made off of this fiction.]

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~Wicked Play~

Summary:

(Goku/Sanzo) A familiar man from Sanzo's past shows up at the Chang'an temple.

Warnings:
PG-13; slight AU, language, mild yaoi, violence, angst

===

It was because everything bad happened when it rained.

Goku wasn't stupid; he had noticed since the first time it had happened that Sanzo would tend to slip into a bad mood when it rained. He wasn't always cranky, only at times, and usually only when it was raining particularly hard and there was thunder outside. Granted, that could make a lot of adults cross, but it seemed to affect Sanzo ten-fold.

In short, the rain could make Sanzo more emotional than usual. That affected Goku in more ways than one. Pestering Sanzo could get him a reaction anywhere from a thorough beating via paper fan to a rough kiss that quickly led to quite unholy events. Obviously, Goku quite preferred the latter, especially since those rainy days would make Sanzo rougher than usual.

Today was one of those gray days, the kind where dull clouds blotted the sun and sky and all there was to do outside was splash around in mud puddles. Goku had done that long enough to entertain himself, though he'd gotten quite the yelling at when he'd tracked mud back inside. Still, it was better than being bored like he was right now.

He was toweling off his hair. Sanzo had made him take a bath after the mud-tracking escapade, despite Goku's loud protests that the water would be cold. Goku was quick to put on clothes before he caught cold, but his hair was still long and damp. On its own, that would annoy Sanzo, but on a rainy day it would aggravate him to the point of violence. And while Goku was bored, he was not that bored.

However, he was still in danger of going insane if he didn't do something. He finally managed to get his hair dry enough so it shouldn't give Sanzo immediate reason to hit him and promptly scrambled over to the man's desk. Sanzo was focusing on some criminal records; Goku glanced and didn't recognize the name. He stood there silently, bouncing on the balls of his feet impatiently. Sometimes Sanzo could force himself to be so immersed in his work he wouldn't notice Goku doing something annoying for quite some time. For once Goku hoped that wasn't the case.

It didn't seem to be. There was a noticeable twitch in Sanzo's eyebrow. Goku watched him intently, still bouncing, waiting for the right moment. He had to time this perfectly or else it would fail completely and he'd be bored again.

Just when Sanzo looked ready to snap Goku tackled him, throwing his arms around the man's shoulders. "I'm bored," he announced, his voice firm before he nipped the edge of the priest's ear. "Fix it."

Sanzo growled a bit, trying to push the boy away. He wasn't in the best position to do it; Goku had slipped around behind his back to make shaking him off harder. "Get the hell off me, you brat," he snapped. "I'm working."

"Then don't work," Goku complained, his voice slipping into a whine. He had to work quickly; if he talked too much and didn't move enough Sanzo would get irritated and refuse to do a thing, no matter how much Goku groped him afterward. He brushed his lips over Sanzo's ear, nibbling more with his teeth as he tried to coax his lover into relaxing and just having fun. "C'mon, you know you don't wanna work..."

"I don't want to play with a brat, either," Sanzo grumbled, but he'd stopped trying to push Goku back and was starting to turn toward him. Goku tried not to look smug or triumphant as he increased his affections, moving down to Sanzo's neck. All the while he let his hand drop down the front of Sanzo's robes, fingers ghosting over the flat pieces of brittle wood before encountering cloth. Sanzo's reaction was much more pleasing this time and Goku allowed himself to fall into the first kiss, losing all sense of thought for the next couple of minutes.

Frustratingly enough there was a gentle but audible knock on the door just when Goku had succeeded in getting Sanzo down to just his jeans and his shirt only half on. The boy groaned audibly, tightening his grip on Sanzo and muttering between breaths, "Ignore it... c'mon, Sanzooo..."

Sanzo scoffed a bit, returning his eyes to the boy. Goku returned to his work eagerly, abandoning Sanzo's shirt in favor of removing his jeans but there was another knock that roused a low growl of frustration. Jerk, go away already, he thought in annoyance, trying to keep Sanzo distracted. It worked all but five seconds, until a voice spoke up.

"Are you in there, Kouryuu?"

The name didn't sound familiar to Goku but it made Sanzo stiffen immediately. Goku frowned, uneasy at the haunted look in Sanzo's eyes as the man shoved at him. Goku reluctantly fell back, watching Sanzo move his clothes back into place, not even bothering to grab his robes as he strode to the door.

... What's going on? Goku wondered, feeling tense for reasons he couldn't understand.

Sanzo slid the door open. Goku couldn't see much from this angle; he concentrated on zipping up his pants again with a frustrated sigh before going to see who this rude intruder was. Sanzo seemed rooted in his spot. Goku blinked, looking between the soaking wet stranger and his keeper, puzzled. The stranger was wearing clothes quite similar to Sanzo's priestly attire and even had the chakra that signified his importance. The most noticeable differences between them were the height and expressions.

The stranger smiled, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "You look so surprised, Kouryuu, though I did expect that. You certainly have grown in eight years."

That last comment seemed to snap Sanzo back to his normal self. Violet eyes narrowed dangerously, and when he spoke his voice was thick and rough. "I don't find this sort of prank amusing."

The stranger tilted his head slightly, long damp hair clinging to his high cheekbones. "Prank, Kouryuu? This is no joke."

"Get out," Sanzo ordered, his eyes hardening. "Before I decide to put a bullet between your eyes."

The man didn't once frown; instead his expression softened. "As you wish then. Perhaps I shall come back at a better time." He turned and walked away then, and with his retreating back Goku caught a glimpse of a long braid. Something made him shiver, something that had nothing to do with the cold draft in the hallway.

Sanzo slammed the door shut.

Goku made a face, backing up as Sanzo moved to the bed. "Who was that? And why was he calling you Kouryuu?"

"Don't ask stupid questions," Sanzo snapped, sitting down and running a hand through his hair. He looked shaken, a sight that almost frightened Goku.

The boy took a deep breath to calm his own rattled nerves before he put his hands on his hips, saying boldly, "Well, I didn't like him. He had a weird smell."

"Don't say stupid things, either," Sanzo said coldly, lying back on the bed and closing his eyes. His fingers appeared tense as he tugged on his short bangs. Goku's sensitive ears caught a soft curse.

He chewed on his lower lip a moment before shrugging and sitting down next to Sanzo. "Hey... can we--"

"Don't touch me," Sanzo muttered, not opening his eyes. "And don't talk to me. I'm not in the mood." He didn't have to add the word anymore, but Goku still got the message. He gave a frustrated sigh, leaning back against the bedpost. Damn it, and I really wasn't done yet, he thought in mild annoyance, cursing the strange man's appearance.

He glanced back outside, watching the rain splatter against the window. It didn't look like it would let up anytime soon... and that man must have only recently arrived from his drenched appearance. It was typical of Sanzo not to offer to dry him off, though his reaction to the stranger had been very atypical...

Wonder what has him so freaked out, he mused, trying to take his mind off the still-lingering sexual tension. Maybe it was the name? I wonder who Kouryuu is... did Sanzo have another name before? Goku frowned, again. Well, whoever that guy was, I hope he goes away. I really didn't like his smell... and I know I've smelled it before, but I can't remember where.

And then, his last thought rueful and slightly bitter, he thought, Man, what a sucky way to end a day...

[~:.:~]

Sanzo's futile hope was that if he went to sleep he could regard last night as a bad dream. It worked for a little while; his dreams were amazingly undisturbed, and by the time he woke up the events seemed too fluid and messy to make sense of.

The room was empty except for him; it seemed Goku had finally gotten the hint and had retired to his own room. The boy only slept across the hall, in a tiny room that was barely even as decent as a monk-in-training's room. Goku hardly ever went there other than to sleep or occasionally hide when he did something wrong, so it really didn't seem to matter what sort of room he had. He probably wouldn't have noticed if it was as tiny as a closet or big as the temple grounds.

Sanzo was washed and dressed in under fifteen minutes. He didn't bother checking on Goku; the boy would be fine and would most likely wake up in another hour or so. Until then Sanzo fully intended to appreciate that quiet hour, and to do that he'd need a nice dose of caffeine to keep him on his toes around the boy later.

At this temple, that caffeine was provided best through green tea. He headed for the kitchens as he usually did in the morning. His breakfast would be brought to his room later (which he would only eat just enough of then let Goku do with the remains as he wished) but he preferred not to have to wait for his tea that long. Besides, he was quite apt doing it on his own. It wasn't hard; as a student in the Kinzan temple he'd had to learn minimal culinary skills.

It didn't startle him to see water already heating; sometimes the cooks were up before him and this was normal. Nor did it surprise him to see two cups already out; it wouldn't have been the first time someone had anticipated his arrival and set things up already.

It gave him a shock worse than an icy shower to see his master standing there, smiling as though he had been expecting him to come any moment.

Last night hadn't been a dream.

"Up early as always, I see," Koumyou said pleasantly, his expression not once faltering. He may have said more, but Sanzo had already drawn and aimed his gun.

"I told you last night," he said coldly, eyes narrowing. "I don't appreciate cruel jokes."

"Nor do I," Koumyou said, his voice softening just a notch. It made Sanzo's spine stiffen; he recognized that slight change in voice. His master would always take it on when he had something important to share.

He didn't lower his gun, fighting to keep his voice steely cold. "You've got five minutes to give me a reasonable explanation."

Koumyou didn't move except to nod solemnly. When he opened his mouth to speak there was no preamble, simply the tale he wished to tell.

Years ago, when demonic attacks had been more frequent and violent, it was a requirement for monks-in-training to learn a particular spell. This spell would put them into a trance akin to death; once dead, most demons would be satisfied, take what they want, and leave. It was a quick spell, made to say in a hurry.

It was a spell Koumyou had apparently recalled seconds before his death. He had seen the demons barge in, had muttered under his breath... but had to cut it short when he saw his pupil being targeted. For that he sacrificed himself; he hadn't expected them to target his student. He had only done the spell so he could come back to Kouryuu -- then just newly appointed Genjo Sanzo -- until his true time to die would come.

And, obviously, that hadn't happened.

The chant was supposed to weave a little white magic, just a spell so that the once the spell affects he would be asleep and appear dead for eight days. But in his haste, Koumyou had been unable to complete the spell and it took eight years. Once he'd awoken and found his pupil missing from the temple, he feared the worst and set out to find him. He couldn't leave a child so broken like that.

"It wasn't until after you had left that the other monks realized what I had done," Koumyou said gently. "I am sincerely sorry for deceiving you like that, but there really was no time to explain, Kouryuu."

Sanzo's eyes narrowed. "It's a likely story," he said quietly. "And your appearance hasn't altered one bit. But I don't buy it. This spell--"

"Can be found in your very own scriptures, should you care to look that thoroughly," Koumyou cut in, somehow managing to do it without seeming rude. It was a skill his master had in his life, one that had quietly impressed Sanzo.

But still...

Sanzo lowered the gun despite his better reasoning. Inside his mind was screaming that it wasn't possible; his master was dead. He'd seen him fall and die right before his very eyes. He'd seen that faint, regrettable smile on Koumyou's lips, a smile that had been frozen on his face after death.

Even with all his reasoning there was doubt gnawing at him. The story was fairly tight, from what he'd heard. And when he really thought about it, Sanzo believed he could almost remember someone mentioning that spell somewhere-- but who had mentioned it and where he'd heard it, he just couldn't remember.

If this really was his master and he shot him, Sanzo knew he'd regret it for the rest of his life.

He scowled. "I still don't buy it, but--"

"Kill him!"

The new voice was so startling that Sanzo nearly lost his hold on the Smith & Wesson. He turned sharply, seeing Goku in the doorway. The boy was glaring at Koumyou, his golden eyes fierce and hard in a way Sanzo had never seen before.

Koumyou's mildly amused voice cut through Sanzo's thoughts cleanly-- far too cleanly. "Is this a student of yours, Kouryuu? He isn't wearing the normal attire."

"He's not a student," Sanzo said, his voice flat.

Goku ignored their banter, growling at Koumyou. "You. I don't know what you're tryin' to do to Sanzo, but I won't let you! Sanzo, kill him before he gets to you first!"

Now wait just a damn minute... Sanzo's expression hardened; his voice was harsh as he spoke. "What the hell are you saying, you idiot monkey?"

"I don't like his smell," Goku insisted, not once tearing his eyes from Koumyou. Koumyou said nothing during their exchange, simply tilted his head with interest as Goku's glare intensified. "It's not normal, Sanzo. He smells dead!"

Dead... Goku had never given him reason to doubt the boy's senses, and that only sent chills down Sanzo's spine. He looked back to his master, the earlier doubt chewing at him more intensely. If he rose from the dead, was dead in every way but appearance, then maybe...

There couldn't be any real harm letting him stay long enough for Sanzo to figure this all out. If he was an imposter Sanzo would kill him the instant he slipped up. If he was real... if he was the real one...

Well, he wasn't entirely sure what he would do.

He found himself speaking the moment his mind was made up. "You're welcome to stay."

"Sanzo!"

He ignored Goku. "You know where my room is. There's one beside it you can take."

Koumyou nodded, and right then the teapot whistled loudly. He calmly turned to take the hot water off, putting a bag of green tea into each cup he'd set out before pouring the water. He left one but took the other, smiling warmly at his pupil-- former pupil, Sanzo reminded himself. "I would like to talk to you later, Kouryuu. You have grown so much and it would be a pleasure to catch up on the eight years I regrettably missed."

Sanzo tried to ignore the twinge of longing. He wanted to do just that, but he couldn't be sure of this man, not yet. "I'll consider it."

"I hope that you do." And with that Koumyou did nothing more than nod politely to his former student, giving him a light pat on the shoulder as he left. Sanzo didn't look at him after that, shifting his eyes as he tried to divert his thoughts. He heard Goku make a slight indignant sound but paid it no mind, dismissing it as simple frustration that Sanzo had let this strange man off so easily.

"Sanzo, I don't like him," was Goku's blunt declaration once Koumyou was gone.

Not wanting tea anymore but knowing he'd need the caffeine's boost of energy, Sanzo poured his own cup before turning warily to his charge. "I don't, either," he admitted quietly, eyes narrowed in the direction Koumyou went. Now he remembered where he'd heard about that spell. Shuuei had told him about it in passing conversation once. It had been a light, vague reference, which explained why he couldn't recall it right away.

"So why didn't you get rid of him?" Goku didn't wait for an answer as he moved into the room, pressing onward with conviction that privately surprised Sanzo. "It's not just that I don't like his smell, Sanzo-- it's too strong. He smells dead but..." The boy floundered in his explanation, trying to grasp the right words. Sanzo rolled his eyes to the ceiling, his patience quickly fraying as it only seemed to do with Goku. "But... like he's using it to cover something else up."

Sanzo frowned at the boy's explanation. He knew Goku well enough that the boy's senses were rarely wrong. He had an excellent sense of smell and sight; if he said someone was sneaking up behind Sanzo when it was pitch black Sanzo believed him. It did intensify his belief that this Koumyou was a fake, but not enough to lessen the doubt.

"Look," he finally said, relieved to find his tone slipping back to his normal cold hardness. "Just don't do anything to him until I'm sure his story has a flaw. It's bound to have one; he didn't say much to give anything away."

Goku didn't look too happy with this, but he nodded reluctantly. Sanzo wasn't worried; in a couple minutes Goku would completely forget about Koumyou until he encountered him again.

Sure enough, that was exactly what happened.

"Hey, think anyone'd mind if I took a bit extra before breakfa-- OW! Sanzo that hurt!"

[~:.:~]

It wasn't until he was walking the quiet hallways alone later that day did Goku remember why he'd been so angry. It had been bad enough that the almost faux stench of death seemed to cling to this Koumyou person, even worse that there was a lingering scent beneath it that Goku couldn't quite place, but then that man had done the most infuriating thing imaginable. It had been after his asking for Sanzo (or Kouryuu, as this man kept calling him) to take time off so they could "catch up" on the eight years he'd supposedly missed from Sanzo's life. Goku had been wary enough due to the smell, but right when Sanzo turned his head and Koumyou walked past him, he'd looked at Goku deliberately.

And the bastard had smirked at him.

Right away Goku knew it would do no good to tell Sanzo. The smirk had been brief, but to Goku it had opened up sinister windows that he was positive would convince Sanzo this man was evil. He had been outside the door long enough to get a vague idea of who Koumyou was, that he had been a sort of father figure or mentor -- perhaps both -- to Sanzo. Up until Sanzo had diverted his eyes Koumyou had given off a warm, gentle appearance.

That smirk had changed everything. Goku was convinced he wasn't whoever Sanzo thought he might be... but how could he prove it? All the man had done was smirk; he hadn't hit or threatened him. Sanzo didn't seem to find anything in his character off... and Goku didn't know how Koumyou was supposed to act.

But he still knew that man was evil.

He didn't get the chance to explain his worries to anyone until the next day when Sanzo irritably sent him off to deliver a message to Hakkai. He shortly told Goku it would keep him out of the way and make him useful at the same time. Sanzo had no troubles sending him off like this. Normally Goku would protest because he was not a monk-in-training, but this time he only protested half-heartedly before obeying. He needed Hakkai's advice. Badly.

Goku all but ran to the house. He hoped Gojyo would be out; the last thing he needed was the water sprite's smart-ass commentary.

To his relief Gojyo was gone, at least for the moment. Hakkai calmly explained that he was out earning money-- which, of course, meant he was at the bar drinking and gambling. Again. It was good for Goku at least, who spilled the whole story out to Hakkai. The man listened attentively, saying nothing as he drank his tea. Goku didn't even touch his hot cocoa until he'd finished, and even then he only remembered because Hakkai had nodded to the now-cool cup. Goku took a long drink, hastily awaiting Hakkai's advice.

The man was quiet for a few long moments, his expression entirely serious. "I can't say for certain unless I could see it myself. However, if Gojyo or I went and he did turn out to be fake, that might only make things worse."

Goku winced, wishing Hakkai would say something more optimistic than that. As though reading his thoughts, Hakkai softened his expression with a smile. "I think, Goku, that in this case it would just be best to trust your senses."

"Not my instincts?" he asked curiously, remembering how Sanzo would occasionally and tersely tell him to trust his instincts. That was usually when Goku insisted on accompanying him on one of the slightly more dangerous missions.

"No, your senses," Hakkai said softly. "Don't let this man come in contact with you, and don't eat or drink anything he offers. You never know what kind of tricks one can play by altering someone's mind simply by feeding them something strange. No, just trust your senses, especially of smell-- you told me he smelled dead, but that it was more like he was trying to cover something else up, right?" Goku nodded. "Trust that. It's probably true. If any food you eat tastes different than it normally does, don't eat it. Spit it out; get rid of it. If his appearance changes even minimally, remember it. If he does somehow touch you, remember if he feels human or not."

Goku was quiet as he listened; desperately hoping he could remember all of the man's instructions. Hakkai only had a couple things left, and those were just that Goku should do what Sanzo says and that if this Koumyou person did anything suspicious, feel free to disobey Sanzo.

Goku felt a bit dizzy by the time their talk was done, but he thanked Hakkai for his help just as Gojyo came back, starting a round of arguments that didn't end for what seemed like hours. It wasn't until Hakkai pointed out that it was going to be dinnertime soon that Goku reluctantly ended his fight with Gojyo and left, once again thanking Hakkai.

He ran all the way back to the temple. Goku couldn't remember a time he'd been more anxious; though Hakkai had made his instincts seem irrelevant in this case, the boy couldn't ignore the gnawing sensation in his stomach. It told him, with quiet certainty that did nothing to ease the anxiety, that if Sanzo wasn't in trouble now he would be soon.

Goku couldn't stand the idea. It made his chest ache to think he might lose Sanzo at all. In fact, it almost felt like he'd lost Sanzo before, in a way... but no, he thought, shaking his head. That was ridiculous. He'd never lost Sanzo before...

He was still trying to sort out his thoughts when he burst into the monk's room, panting from the long run as he shut the door, mumbling a barely audible, "I'm back..."

Normally he would get berated, or even just a simple thwack with the paper fan. The fan usually spoke more volumes than any of Sanzo's words did. However, today he was only greeted with a mild, "You're late." The subdued note in Sanzo's voice made Goku look up sharply. The man was at his desk, sorting through papers without appearing to see them. His expression looked distant.

Goku didn't like that.

"Gojyo was being a jerk," he said, watching Sanzo carefully for his reaction. He expected a snort, a glare, even a slight roll of the eyes, but got nothing. Sanzo didn't even blink.

Definitely not like him, he decided, growing unnerved. "Hey, Sanzo... did you talk to that Koumyou guy?"

Sanzo looked up sharply at the man's name, narrowing his eyes in a shadow of his old skeptical expression. Even that seemed subdued, and it chilled Goku to the bone to see it. "Yes. Why?"

"What about his story?" the boy persisted. "Is it still solid?"

"Mmhm." Sanzo looked down again, but his eyes still didn't seem to absorb what he was reading. "Maybe tomorrow I'll find something."

"Liar," Goku said quietly, in a low tone that Sanzo probably didn't even hear. Without so much as a word, Goku left. For the first time he could remember, the sound of a door shutting seemed so ominous.

[~:.:~]

It was the same excuse every day; every day Goku grew more and more disgusted and worried. He would approach the man, demanding if Koumyou's story had faltered even just a bit, and Sanzo would always shake his head, murmur something negative and either occupy himself or wander off. And always, always, Koumyou would be nearby.

Four days after his talk with Hakkai Goku finally had the proof he needed, but by then it was far too late.

It had started out bad from the start. Goku had been running through the halls trying to find his keeper; he finally ran across him outside talking to Koumyou. Koumyou had glanced up, smiled and said something to Sanzo. Sanzo had glanced over his shoulder, nodded once and left. Narrowing his eyes, Goku had moved forward to see what was going on.

Koumyou had been polite enough at first, which had only served to grate on Goku's nerves. It was all he could do to bite his tongue and be civilized enough right back.

It was once Sanzo was well out of earshot that things grew disastrous.

"Might I ask a favor of you, Goku?" Koumyou had asked pleasantly.

Goku had forced a smile; he couldn't remember ever forcing a smile before then. "What?"

"Stay away from my pupil. You're making him quite... distressed."

Goku's eyes had narrowed; it became ten times harder to keep his tone polite. "No. He's my sun. I can't just 'stay away from him,' and if you're really his teacher you won't make me."

Something about Koumyou's smile had sent chills down his spine. His expression didn't really change, but the corners of his mouth curled in a way that made Goku feel like he was the prey of some dark, vicious predator. Koumyou's smile made him think of talons ready to rip open a small rodent for dinner. "I am simply concerned for Kouryuu. You are clearly making him agitated; I am merely requesting you stop."

That had done it. "You don't fool me!" Goku's fists had clenched. "You don't fool me one bit, you poser! You don't smell like a human, and you don't smell as dead as you used to! You smell like a demon!"

It hadn't been until he'd said it that Goku made the actual connection. The lingering scene beneath the Death had vaguely reminded him of Hakkai, of Gojyo, of himself. This man was a demon, not the teacher Sanzo so revered.

As soon as the words had left Goku's mouth, a surprisingly strong, sharp-knuckled fist connected with his eye. He fell back with a sharp cry, landing on the ground with a thud. Goku glared up at him even as his eye throbbed in pain; he yelled, "I know you're a fake! You don't fool me, and I won't let you fool Sanzo!" Koumyou had smirked, only agitating the boy further as he'd scrambled to his feet, darting off in the direction Sanzo had disappeared to earlier. He found him back in his study.

"Sanzo! Sanzo!" The blonde blinked, looking up as Goku grasped a handful of his sleeve, tugging and forcing him to look down. "Sanzo, that guy's a fake! A fake!"

"... What?"

The emptiness of Sanzo's tone had made him shiver, but he kept an insistent hold on the man's robes. "That isn't your master! Sanzo, he hit me! Look!" Goku pointed to his eye, which was throbbing painfully now. He knew it would swell and bruise.

The blank look in Sanzo's eyes flickered briefly; for a moment the familiar spark of skepticism and coldness had returned. Goku had tightened his grip on him, hoping he'd snap out of this daze...

A hand came to rest on Sanzo's shoulder, making them both start. Neither had heard Koumyou approaching. "It isn't nice to lie," Koumyou said quietly, looking at Sanzo apologetically. "Please allow me to explain. He had accused me of trying to hurt you, and wouldn't listen to me try to explain anything to him. He ran off, and I warned him to be careful, but he didn't listen and he tripped. It's very unfortunate that rock was on the ground; I am surprised he wasn't injured any worse."

The skepticism had died, leaving Sanzo's expression slightly dazed as he nodded in understanding.

Goku had stared in disbelief for a moment, then exploded. "You lying bastard! You're messing with Sanzo's head again-- because you keep touching him," he realized aloud. "You do something weird to his head every time you touch him! Stop it!"

"Goku, go put ice on that eye," Sanzo said, his voice soft and so unlike him Goku wanted to scream. "My master was by no means weak, but he would never strike a child that hard-- he wouldn't strike at all."

Goku's fists had clenched, his teeth gritting painfully. He'd squeezed his eyes shut, trembling with frustration, before he yelled, "Damn you, Sanzo! You're acting so weak! I hate it! I hate you!" With that he'd delivered a sharp kick to the man's shins, turning and running before either Koumyou or Sanzo could say a thing.

Now he was in the one place no one would ever think to look for him: his room. Goku curled into himself, still shaking, his eye still hurting. Already he regretted some of the things he'd said, but he knew he was right. He knew Koumyou was a fake. Sanzo just wouldn't believe him, and if Sanzo wouldn't believe him who in this place would?

His door opened without a single knock. It made Goku start, and for a brief moment he thought it was Sanzo. Occasionally Sanzo would come to him, dragging him out of his tiny room and back to his, hardly waiting for the door to shut behind them before he'd have the boy pinned to the bed.

But at the sight of Koumyou his blood ran cold.

The man was smiling kindly. "Isn't it hard to see without any lights on? You do realize how late it is, don't you?"

Goku narrowed his eyes. "Don't fake things around me. You can see just as well as I can."

Koumyou chuckled, shutting the door behind him. The instant the last of the light disappeared his smile was icy. "You poor, poor thing," he said, mock-sympathy dripping from his lips. "You have all this evidence against me, and yet all I need is a measly, half-baked story for Genjo Sanzo to fall at my feet."

Shooting to his feet, Goku snarled. "You leave Sanzo alone!"

"Can't; I need those scriptures. They will make my master most happy." Koumyou giggled, the sound making Goku cringe in revulsion. "Now relax; I'm not here to hurt you... only to confirm your suspicion. You do want to know how I'm making him so eager to follow me, right?" When Goku did nothing but glare, he simply smiled again. "Very well. Yes, it is the touch. Slowly, but surely, I am altering his memories with each touch. It is most effective."

"Get out of my room!" Without waiting for a reply Goku shifted in his seated position, giving the man his best kick from the floor. Koumyou didn't even bother to block; he crashed through the fragile sliding door, clutching his stomach as though in pain. Sure enough, the sound attracted attention-- Sanzo's attention.

-Sanzo came out of his room, his gaze falling on his master. He took one look at Goku, eyes narrowed and filled with the one thing Goku had never, ever seen directed at him: hatred.

Without so much of a word, Sanzo helped his fallen master up, supporting the 'wounded' man as he headed off. Goku sat there, stricken by the look though he knew full well it hadn't entirely been Sanzo that had stared with such anger.

With a sharp cry of frustration, Goku slammed his fist into the floor. Floorboards splintered, loud as a gunshot. His knuckles scraped, but he didn't care. Now he was only filled with determination.

He had to snap Sanzo out of it. No matter what it took, he had to do it.

[~:.:~]

Sanzo couldn't remember much of what had happened in the past few days. Every thing seemed hazy from the moment Koumyou had first touched his shoulder. If he'd been any more aware of the situation that might have alarmed him, but as it was the only thing on his mind was Koumyou. His master was alive. He was healthy. He was here.

Until he'd returned Sanzo hadn't been fully aware of how badly he'd needed his master.

Sometimes Koumyou would do things that seemed a bit odd, but Sanzo didn't pay it too much mind. His master was back; his mentor, father figure, the one he'd considered the only world he needed. It didn't matter that he was neglecting things he would normally pay attention to; he'd never bothered to make himself out to be a good priest anyway. And as far as taking care of Goku went... well, the boy was old enough to do what he wanted. He didn't need looking after, and Sanzo had never considered himself a babysitter.

Evening rolled by fairly. Dinner had been another quiet, comfortable affair with Koumyou, and Goku was nowhere to be seen, which had become common in the past couple of days. Most everyone was retiring to their rooms after a day's work and praying, but Sanzo found himself drawn outside-- where he saw Koumyou standing there as though he had been waiting for him.

Koumyou smiled gently. "Care to take an evening stroll, Kouryuu?"

"... Yeah." Sanzo fell into step with the man, hardly taking in their surroundings as they walked. There was no talking for a few minutes, just comfortable, companionable silence.

Koumyou broke it. "You have told me that the night I was supposedly killed, demons took off with my scripture."

"That's right," Sanzo agreed, glancing sideways at the man. "Why do you ask?"

Koumyou met his gaze, his smile warm. "Nothing, simply that... I received a summons, and there is a small thing I must do. In order to do so, I need a scripture."

Normally it was only Sanzo who was summoned by the Sanbustushin -- whom he assumed had been the ones to call his master out -- but for some reason it didn't strike him as odd-- nor did the vague fact than Koumyou had never left the Kinzan temple for any reason. "That's a problem."

"Indeed. Might I have yours, Kouryuu?"

That should have set off alarms in Sanzo's head, but the moment Koumyou placed a hand on his shoulder his doubts dissipated. He blinked, feeling dazed for a moment. "Have...?"

"Oh, not to keep," Koumyou assured him gently. "It will only take a couple days, and then you will have the Maten scripture back. Have I ever broken a promise, Kouryuu?"

Sanzo stared at him a long moment. Something was nagging at him, something that said this felt horribly wrong, but it was tiny and easy to brush off. It was probably just his subconscious acting selfish, and that wasn't fair at all. His master only wanted it for a short while... and really, who better to entrust it to? Slowly, Sanzo nodded and reached up to take the scriptures off his shoulder.

He rolled up the scriptures, handing it to Koumyou. "When do you leave?"

Koumyou chuckled, taking the scriptures with one hand and patting Sanzo's face with the other. The hand lingered, almost caressing him, before the smile widened in an almost sinister look. "Right now."

"You bastard!"

Sanzo found himself knocked back, the image of infuriated golden eyes burned into his mind just before he hit the ground. The connection sent a violent jolt through him, right up to his temples. For a moment Sanzo was blinded, and a short, strangled cry escaped him. When he was conscious of himself again, he was sitting up, watching the most bizarre sight of Goku snarling as he struggled to pin Koumyou to the ground. The scriptures lay off to the side.

Realization hit him just as Koumyou used inhuman strength to send Goku flying back.

"My master was by no means weak, but he would never strike a child that hard-- he wouldn't strike at all."

Shit.

The throw didn't seem to faze Goku; he scrambled back to his feet, looking absolutely murderous. Not once did he look back to even see if Sanzo was okay; he simply growled and charged Koumyou. It was almost surreal to see the figures of a child and a man about three times his age fighting, the movements so fluid and almost graceful. Sanzo knew Goku was very fast and strong, especially for a heretic whose powers were being limited...

And seeing Koumyou punch said child into the ground was all he needed to shake off whatever spell the fake had used. Sanzo's eyes narrowed; it was one thing to for scum to set foot in this temple. It was another for them to attempt to kill the boy only Sanzo had the right to decide when he was going to die.

It was an entirely different story when that scum made a fool out of him by using his deceased master as a cover-up.

Sanzo was loading his gun without a second thought, firing without any warning whatsoever. The shots missed; the fight between Goku and the fake Koumyou paused for a moment. Goku stood a couple yards away, breathing heavily. Despite his glare, there was a faint smirk on his face, showing that he was thoroughly enjoying the fight. Sanzo's gaze flickered to the fake Koumyou, who was looking at him, his gentle face made ugly with a sneer.

"So you threw off the magic," he said. "Not too bad for a human. No matter. I still have the scriptures."

Sanzo narrowed his eyes, cocking the gun. "I don't recall giving them to you."

"Say what you will, Priest Sanzo. All I have to do is kill off you and your lover brat, which will prove to be very easy." The fake smirked as Sanzo started to squeeze the trigger. "Can you really shoot the image of your own master?"

Sanzo forced himself to focus on the sneer. "You're a really lousy imitation, you know that?"

"Funny. You didn't seem to think so, not even when your pet had so much proof against you."

"I'm no one's pet," Goku snapped, drawing the fake's attention back to him and cutting off Sanzo's retort. "I don't belong to anyone and Sanzo doesn't own me." The golden eyes narrowed dangerously, giving Sanzo a sharp reminder of the boy's demonic side. "But I'll never forgive you for doing that to Sanzo!" With that he charged forward, attacking with a loud cry of rage. To Sanzo's human eye half of the battle was simply a blur, but he could see a few things as he tried to find a moment where he could cut in and kill the fake. There was a brief pause when the fake Koumyou stumbled from a solid blow to the face, and another when a knee connected with Goku's stomach.

If you're going to kill him then kill him already, Sanzo thought in agitation. He didn't want to step into the fight, even if he was looking for an opening to attack. It was Goku's battle at the moment-- and, in a way, had been his battle from the start. But if the fake proved to be too strong even for him...

The fake delivered a firm blow to the boy's head. Goku cried out, hitting the ground so hard the firmly-packed dirt cracked beneath him. Blood was trickling down the side of his head, from his nose. The wind seemed to be knocked out of him, and the fake was standing over the boy looking quite triumphant.

"You're a real nuisance," the fake said loudly, his hand hovering over the boy. "I think you ought to learn some humility."

Sanzo narrowed his eyes, prepared for the demon to punch the boy again. He aimed the gun, ready to fire should Goku not get back up, but the next instant ruined his sight as a blinding light suddenly flared from the fake's palm. Sanzo cringed, covering his eyes with one arm.

Not even a second later Goku's pained scream ripped through the otherwise still night air.

Sanzo forced himself to look up, squinting against the light. It was starting to dim, thankfully, and once his eyes had adjusted to the sudden darkness again he could make out a very faint glint of silver.

Goku was shuddering, spasms of pain shaking his body. He made soft noises of frustration, his hands coming up to grasp what looked like a hilt. Sanzo's eyes narrowed, realizing that the fake had just impaled the boy. With a soft growl, he slipped his sandals off.

"Ah-ah, I wouldn't try that," the fake Koumyou said softly, grinning. "You can pull up all you want, but you'll only make it worse."

"Shut... up," Goku grit out, tugging despite the fake's words. Even from his distance Sanzo could see the boy's eyes widen suddenly; Goku didn't scream again, but he did make a strangled noise as blood trickled from the side of his mouth. "... You..."

"I warned you," the fake said, his tone slipping higher as he grew gleeful. "That sword is a gift from my master. Once it goes into the ground, it roots itself like a tree. Isn't it amazing? If you pull it out you'll make a bigger hole, and there isn't enough room to burn the metal off. It looks like you're rather stuck, you disgusting brat."

Sanzo continued to listen, moving as quietly as he could. The lack of sandals made his steps even softer, his socks muffling his steps to almost nothing. He didn't look at Goku; he couldn't afford to be distracted like that. Just need one clean shot.

The fake froze suddenly, whirling, but Sanzo caught the movement and raises his gun in the same instant, pressing it to his forehead. "Bastard," was all Sanzo said before squeezing the trigger.

He missed.

The fake Koumyou had moved at the last instant, snickering as it ducked below Sanzo. "So maybe you can shoot your dead master. What about this?" Koumyou's features shifted, the skin squirming and bubbling into smoother, tanner flesh. There was a sickening sound of bones grinding as the body shrank. Within moments there was a mirror image of Goku there, smiling cheerfully, eyes wide and innocent as they had been the day Sanzo had found him. "Would you ever shoot me, Sanzo?" He even had the voice, the tone, the speech pattern down. When Sanzo snarled and fired again, the fake giggled and dodged, shifting again. "Or maybe this?"

Much to Sanzo's horror, he found himself staring straight into the eyes of himself-- of Kouryuu. Kouryuu stared sullenly back at him, and then slowly lifted his hands to show bloodstains. Tears were trickling down his face, and somehow Sanzo simply knew that the blood was Koumyou's. This was the image of himself on the night of Koumyou's death.

And despite his horror, it pissed him off more than anything else. It was a visual proof of how weak he was, of how helpless and pathetic he had been and still was, especially after all of that.

It took absolutely no effort to blast out the brains of the laughing child before him. The Kouryuu copy didn't even have time to change expression; the sullen face was twisted with uncharacteristic, bloodthirsty glee, and now it was stained with blood and fluids. The face shriveled, wrinkling into the skull as though becoming instantly mummified. Sanzo snarled, giving the hard body a good kick and sending it further into the darkness.

Finally, now that it was over, he could turn his attention to where it was now most needed. Sanzo looked down at Goku; the boy's eyes were clenched shut, his teeth gritted in pain as he seethed softly.

"... Hey." Goku cracked open an eye at the sound of Sanzo's voice, his look almost a glare with the way his eyebrows were drawn down in pain. "Let go of the hilt, monkey." Goku made a small strangled noise of protest, but did as he was told, his fingers digging into the ground hard enough to dig up even the rocky earth. Sanzo aimed his gun at the boy, narrowing an eye. "You better not blame me if I miss, monkey."

Goku hissed softly, clenching his eyes shut. "I... blame you... for all of this... anyway..."

Sanzo stared at him for a moment then scoffed, taking aim. For a few minutes all he could hear was Goku's ragged breathing, the faint hitches and whimpers when that simple breathing caused him pain. He fired.

The hilt snapped off the blade.

Sanzo closed his eyes briefly then moved to kneel beside the boy. Goku was trembling still, seething softly. The monk took a moment to pull the tear of fabric away from the blade, getting a better look at the damage. He had to tear the shirt open further before he could assess it properly. "Listen to me, monkey."

"Not a monkey..."

Sanzo ignored the feeble protest. "The blade is close to your heart, and the only way to get it out of you is to pull you up. Move even slightly the wrong way, and you're dead. Understand me?"

The boy managed to crack an eye open just enough to give Sanzo a weak glare. "Not... that stupid... I hear ya..." He closed his eyes again, his expression peaceful for a split second. Then he pulled his hand beneath him, pushing himself up with a cry of pain. Blood spurted from the wound, staining the shirt even more. Sanzo quickly reached out to steady him, eyes narrowed as he did his best to keep Goku from slipping.

The boy cringed; Sanzo noticed the sweat dampening his pale face even in the dark. He tightened his grip, finally moving his arms beneath Goku to lift him up completely. The blade slipped out the other side, now covered with blood. Goku finally allowed himself to go limp, panting from the effort... and, when Sanzo moved to set the boy down, he was even crying.

The only other time he'd seem Goku cry had been just before Sanzo had turned the boy back from his demonic form. To see even the small tears slipping out now was admittedly unsettling.

Not one to cry for long, Goku grit his teeth and soon the tears stopped. He glanced up at the man still holding him. "You... really... owe me one," he managed to gasp out.

"Hmph." Sanzo shifted the boy in his arms, ignoring Goku's whimper of pain as he started back toward the temple. "Whatever..."

He heard the boy give a weak laugh, and then from the sudden dead weight Sanzo knew Goku was unconscious.

Stupid...

[~:.:~]

He barely saw the pointed staff coming. It was just a glint of metal in the rain, and then Goku was falling from some sort of impact. He hit the ground hard, sending water flying. The puddles out here were too big, and that was why his footing had been pathetic earlier.

"Ow," he muttered, rubbing his head and wincing as he sat up. "Ow ow ow! He hit me in the head..." His hand slipped from its position as he realized there was a weight on his leg that wasn't normal. Then he noticed the blood splattered on his other hand.

Then he looked down, his mind refusing to process the entire image at once. There was Rikudo's staff, angled oddly in the air, its owner no longer grasping it. Then there was the blood not even the heavy pour of rain was washing away. Finally, there was the mess of blonde hair. Sanzo's head rested on his leg, bent back almost as though he were sleeping... but his features twisted in a grimace of pain.

"S... Sanzo...?"

The man suddenly lurched forward, which had to hurt with the staff lodged in his body. Sanzo made a guttural sound of pain, fairly ripping the metal out of his body. Goku watched, stricken as the man shuddered, and then coughed horribly. Blood spilled from his lips, and the sight of it broke the eerie silence.

"Sanzo!"

[~:.:~]

[~owari~]

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