Author's Note: Sorry it took a while to update; we had our extremely difficult exams (especially Biology), a load of semestral break homework plus our computer decided it was high time to get a couple of Trojan horses and spyware. So we had to say sayonara to our files, including my draft for this fic.
Thanks to all those who reviewed, and to Rook, I appreciate your comments. It's just that this was my original plan for the flow of the story, and I guess some readers won't like the ending but that's just the way I want the story to go. Hope you guys like it anyway; thanks very much for all the reviews!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gensomaden Saiyuki. Minekura-sensei does.
CHAPTER FIVE: SUNRISE
Darkness…
Hakkai felt, all around him, something that quite resembled familiarity and at the same time, hostility and an odd twinge of fear.
The sensation was overwhelming. He couldn't find the words to describe the eeriness of his surroundings. The pitch-black air that seemed to darken his lungs was now threatening to consume his entire being.
Alone…
He struggled against the bonds of his own fate, wanting to break through and see the bright rays of the dawn. A cold rush of wind blew past him, and he felt himself being dragged down deeper and deeper in the dark. He tried to shout for help, but his voice faltered quickly even before it came out fully.
He was falling faster now, the freezing gust of air proving his assumption true. He clawed vainly at the rushing wind, trying to reach some kind of invisible support. But no support held him, no arm reached out for him, until finally he surrendered, closing his eyes and waiting for the worst.
Somewhere, in this deep abyss, someone will find me…
He gazed into the darkness lying all around him. Nothing. There was nothing in there, he thought to himself. Yet he felt a strong impulse to plunge in there and find something important to him. Something he couldn't afford to lose.
Or someone…
As his eyes quickly scanned the area again, hoping to find whatever he felt was missing, he thought he saw a flash of light streak past his area.
His heart jumped. Suddenly he felt an urge to follow it, whatever it was. He ran towards it, his footsteps echoing silently in the dark, as the streak of light kept bobbing in and out of sight.
Just as he began to catch up, it disappeared. The odd feeling of pressure closing at him from all sides seemed to lessen slightly, and from a distance he heard a loud rumbling of thunder and the fierce bite of the cold air. Drops of rain began to fall down on him, slow at first, but in time growing faster until the sound drummed in his ears. He looked up in surprise. The darkness had given way to what was unmistakably a gray sky dotted with thick, gray clouds. A flash of lightning streaked from across it, illuminating his surroundings and alerting him of the present conditions.
He looked around him. The pitch-black abyss was gone. Trees, their green leaves pelted with rain, swayed majestically to the onslaught of the wind. Cracks of thunder echoed from all around. And shrouded in the falling rain was a figure standing on the brink of a cliff.
A flash of lightning illuminated the spot for a moment, and he caught a faint but distinct shade of green in the darkness.
A tingling sensation went down his entire body as he saw the figure teeter on the edge. A rush of adrenaline urged him to run forward and stop him, but it was no use. He had barely reached him when the figure finally disappeared from sight.
He stopped dead in his tracks. Tears began to cloud the bloodred eyes that never once shed a tear, as he remembered the friend that entrusted him with everything he had only to be betrayed.
He stood there for quite some time, shaking uncontrollably in the rain. He couldn't endure the guilt that had begun to swallow him up from inside. The wind continued to rage past him, with a force so fierce it seemed like it was on fire. His crimson eyes had a blank stare to it, not leaving the spot where he used to stand.
Confusion masked the amount of pain he felt. He couldn't understand why he did it, or why he had not seen it coming. Questions, all of them unanswered, continued to drag him down. The heavy burden of explaining to Sanzo and Goku why he was gone and how burned him all up. He could just imagine the look on the saru's face, always gentle, always smiling; irritating, yes, but still, it was enough to make his day. What would he say when he found out that Hakkai was gone? How would he react if he understood that he was the reason? He tried to shake it out of his head, but voices were hard to keep from echoing in your mind; making you feel guilty, twisting your conscience, and keeping you on the very brink of insanity…
He fell down to the ground and closed his eyes, willing himself to forget, even momentarily, the events of the day.
Light…
He tried to reach out for it, but it was just too far away…the whiteness blinded him, but he could not afford to lose it.
Light…
It was inching closer and closer now. Something white began to hurtle right towards him, coming right at him with full force—
"OW!"
"Wake up, kappa, Hakkai's been calling you for half an hour!" someone called out, bouncing on one of the armchairs.
"What the—Goku?" Gojyo blinked. He wrenched the white pillow from his face and looked around. He was in his hotel room, messy and dirty as he had left it.
"Yume..." (1)
He sighed deeply, trying not to break down from the intense relief that was sweeping his entire body.He briskly brushed away the cold sweat that was enveloping his face.
"What?" Goku asked cheerfully, bouncing higher on the chairin his tuxedo. "Can't—hear—you!"
"Nothing," Gojyo said hastily, throwing the twisted bedsheets off him. He could see that he had been mangling the poor thing in his sleep. "Where's Hakkai? What happened?"
"What—are—you—talking—about?" Goku asked, out of breath from jumping, but continuing all the same. "He's—ah, I'm tired—downstairs, with—Yaone—and—they're—just—waiting—for—you!"
"What?" Gojyo asked hurriedly. "Why?"
"The wedding, you ero kappa!" Goku said, finally climbing down the chair and attempting to loosen his tie. "It's today!"
Right, the wedding, Gojyo thought. This time I won't make mistakes...I don't want to lose my friend, even if it means losing her...
"What's taking you guys so long?" Hakkai peered in from the door, already dressed for the occasion. "Gojyo, how come you're not yet ready? It starts in fifteen minutes!"
"Oh right," Gojyo said quickly, hurrying to the bathroom to change. "I'll be there in three or less!"
"Yeah right," Goku snorted.
"What did you say, bakasaru?" Gojyo retorted, turning sharply to face Goku.
"Nothing, ero kappa!"
"Take that back!"
"Not until you do!"
"Why should I? It's true, right Hakkai?"
"Uh…minna-san, we really should get going—"
"Ow! Don't step on me, you little—"
"I wouldn't if you did—"
"Shut up or I'll shut you both up permanently."
Sanzo was at the doorway, his harisen out, glaring menacingly at the two. He was already dressed in his silk robes, a different color this time, just for the occasion. He shot a look at Hakkai. "They want you down the hall."
"Oh, right," Hakkai said. He made a move to go when he stopped and turned to his companions.
"Uh...minna?"
The three looked at him in the middle of their fight, staring at him puzzlingly.
"I just want to thank you all for being with me up to this time." he said sheepishly, not glancing up at any of them.
"Of course, Hakkai!" Goku said cheerfully, clapping him on the back. "Count on us!"
Sanzo hesitated for a moment, and turning his back on Goku and Gojyo, faced Hakkai and mumbled something incoherent that Hakkai took for a compliment of some sort.
Gojyo smiled. "Good for you," he said, trying to hide the sadness that was showing in his eyes. Hakkai smiled at him.
"Thanks." He turned around and sped down the hallway, turning a corner and vanishing from sight.
Gojyo watched him go, a smile plastered on his face; a smile that failed to reach up to his eyes.
How could I betray you now?
Note: yume- dream (1)
Author's Note: Well that's it! Sorry if it was OOC to a point; honestly, I kind of ran out of ideas and I'm still having writer's block. I do believe it wasn't my best work but please forgive me for that, I'll do better next time around!
Thanks to all who supported me even when I was drained for ideas. Special thanks to sageofloki for providing me a couple of thoughts to finish the story at last.
Hope to see you guys next time! Ja ne!
In Nomine Domini Nostri Jesu Christi
In the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Rivals by midori hakkai.