Fic- The Roll of the Dice
Sep. 25th, 2008 10:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessTitle – The Roll of the Dice
Author –![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cornerofmadness
Disclaimer – not mine. All rights belong to Kazuya Minekura et al, no profit made, just a little fun
Fandom – Saiyuki
Rating – M for violence.
Pairing – technically none, maybe Hakkai/Gojyo if you squint hard
Timeline – after Reload #8, just a few weeks. Definitely spoilers for Reload #8,
Warnings – graphic violence
Word count 4,681
Author’s Notes – written for the minus wave challenge, prompt ‘game.’ However, it occurred to me very belatedly that Minus Wave is a shippy archive. Wasn’t sure if they had a gen section. Figured send it in. All they could say is no, which they did (totally my fault, not theirs). I’m in a decidedly unshippy mood and this story couldn’t be tweaked to fit. So while I’m sad about losing out a chance atsharpeslass’s really cool game set, I’m NOT sad about this story. I really like how it turned out and I wouldn’t have had it without the prompt so it still works out for me. In the end, I write the stories that make me happy for no gain anyhow. Thanks to evil_little_dog for the beta.
XXX
Goku carried some fruit back across town, Jeep riding on his shoulder. He felt no need to rush. Things weren’t right and getting back to their very plain hotel wouldn’t make it any better. Every so often, he’d cast a glance over his shoulder at a stray noise, hoping that somehow Sanzo would be back. How could he ignore Goku’s calls to him? Ever since Goku had talked stuff out in the youkai village, he had been hyperaware of just how broken his family was now. Damn it, he just wanted Sanzo to come home. It was wrong, bad, all that kinda stuff, ever since Sanzo had left. Not just emotionally but for all the other reasons, too.
Hakkai felt the other reasons the most; mainly their money woes. He was the best able to find a job in this city. Goku and Gojyo were too useless some times, especially himself, a much as Goku hated that. Gojyo did find some work tending bar under a direct threat from Hakkai; Flirt and die. Gojyo also took a small portion of the money and gambled it into more. Even Hakkai decided, with his weirdo good luck, that he needed to do the same. They had enough to survive if they were careful, which was why Hakkai was in charge of the money.
Goku felt worthless. He couldn’t find work. Everyone thought he was too young and it wasn’t like the youkai village where everyone had to pitch in. This place was big and jobs scarce, so mostly he killed time wandering around with Jeep. At least the little kids liked Jeep, never having seen a dragon before. Some kids even gave him goodies like the fruit he was carting home to share, if he’d let them pet Jeep. Goku didn’t like to take things from the kids but some insisted on paying their own way. Goku was learning what that was like.
Gojyo would tease him about not eating the fruit and Goku planned to make much of his generosity, mostly so they couldn’t guess the truth. He didn’t feel like eating much any more. Everything seemed dark and it was hard just getting through the day but he had promised himself he would be stronger and Goku meant to be just that.
Still, not all the darkness was from Sanzo’s absence. In playing with the kids, Goku had learned they were scared. Lately, rumors of whole families disappearing were going around. Some said it was youkai. Others said it wasn’t real. Goku knew their fear was real and he wished he could do something about it. Goku didn’t like seeing kids scared. Hakkai told him that he was proud of Goku’s concern. At least, Goku had that little boost.
He dug in his pocket and found a caramel. He bit off most of it then offered the remainder to Jeep. The little dragon’s jaw worked feverishly, making smacking sounds. “Yeah, it’s good stuff,” Goku said, knowing Hakkai wouldn’t like him giving Jeep candy. The kids had given him a bunch and he barely had a taste for it. “Wish we’d get moving soon. Bet you want to run, too.” Goku knew it made sense to stay put until they had money to buy enough supplies to make it all the way to the next town with enough for them to set up there for a while and do it all over again. That didn’t mean he wasn’t getting antsy to get to India.
Goku opened the door to their room. “Hey guys, I got apples.” The words died in Goku’s throat. Something was very wrong. A tea cup rested on the floor, tea splashed all over. A metallic tang tickled his nose. It only took Goku a moment to spot the blood. His fists clenched. Too much, this was too much. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, accept any more bad stuff. Goku dropped the apples on the table, calling his friends names even though he knew there would be no answer. A cold prickle ran along his neck. What could have happened? Where were his friends? “What the shit?”
Goku whipped around, wondering if there were drips of blood he could follow, like in those books Hakkai liked to read. Jeep trilled loudly and nipped his ear. Goku stared at the dragon, seeing his tail pointing straight out, calling his attention to a chess piece, with a piece of paper tied around it, perched on the pillow of one of the two beds. Hoping it was a note from Hakkai giving some simple explanation, knowing it wasn’t, Goku picked it up, taking the note off to read it.
His hand convulsed on the paper. “Damn it, this is…” Goku took a deep breath, knowing in one fell stroke that the rumors weren’t just rumors. They were real. People had been disappearing. No, taken. “Someone’s got ‘em, Jeep.” The dragon made an unhappy noise. How could anyone get them? Goku eyed the fallen tea cup; drugs, that had to be it. They had been drugged before. Maybe that’s what the blood was about. Hakkai had such a tolerance. Maybe someone had to hurt him more. The thought made his jaw clench so hard, his head ached.
Too many things had been taken from him. Goku knew if he stopped, even for a moment to think about it, he’d feel the terrible cold of being alone washing over him. He couldn’t let that freak him out. He had been alone before and done just fine, like that time fighting Kougaiji when he was all weird and stuff. He’d have beaten him, even if the others hadn’t shown. He was strong enough for this. He had to believe that.
“We’re getting them back, Jeep.” Goku flattened out the paper. “We gotta see what this fuck face means by ‘Kiddo, find me in town if you want your family back’.”
Goku knew it wouldn’t be as easy as that. Find what? Was ‘me’ a person or another game piece? Someone was playing games with him. His family? That had to mean someone had been watching them. Did they think Hakkai was his older brother? Goku could almost see that with the way Hakkai treated him, Gojyo, too. Hell, even he thought of them as the best big brothers a guy could get. He could see how this jerk would make that mistake. Still, the memory of that rumor about families disappearing wouldn’t leave him alone. If he screwed this up, chances were his friends would die.
X X X
Goku stopped to catch his breath. Why couldn’t it have been him who got taken? Hakkai could have figured this out, no problem. Obviously he was meant to find whatever it was so why was the kidnapper making it so hard? Goku had half expected the shithead to be just waiting for him outside or something but there was no one waving a flag saying ‘hey, it’s me you’re looking for.’
“Gotta think this through,” Goku muttered. Where would someone see them enough in the last few days to think they might be brothers? The hotel but he had checked that first before he had started running all over town. The market, a couple of cheap restaurants, the tea house. The market was closest so Goku started jogging that direction, things tumbling over in his mind. Something that happened yesterday took on new meaning.
“He’s so cool.” Hong stroked Jeep’s neck. “Where’d you get him?”
“He’s a friend, well, Hakkai’s friend first.” Goku smiled at the little girl. She had been the smallest in the pack of kids who had wanted to see Jeep so he had made sure she got her fair chance once the bigger kids had their turn.
“I wish I had a dragon,” Hong said.
“Young lady, you get inside right now!” An older woman poked her head out of the upstairs window that overlooked the square. “You don’t talk to strangers!”
“But Goku isn’t a stranger,” the girl protested.
“Get inside.” The woman disappeared from the window.
Hong pouted. “I’d better do it.”
“I know. I’ve heard about the rumors about the missing families,” Goku assured her.
“I hear they’re nothing but ghosts now.” Her eyes went wide. “Nothing left behind but weird game pieces somewhere in the house. Why would a ghost need to play games?”
“No clue, sweetie. You’d better go in before your mom gets mad.”
“Game pieces,” Goku muttered. He had already assumed that the person who had taken the others had his friends but this was proof. It wasn’t just some weirdo youkai after the sutra.
Goku looked all round the market but no one had seen his friends. He didn’t spot any game pieces so he headed to the tea house. “Jeep, what am I gonna do if I don’t find the next clue? I can’t lose ‘em.”
Jeep nudged Goku’s cheek reassuringly. Goku shoved his fears aside and found the tea house Hakkai had liked. No one had seen them there, either. Dejected, Goku started out then he saw it. Sitting under a window was a chess set, the exact same pieces as the one left in his room. Looking for the clue, he scattered the pieces, ignoring the outraged protest of the tea house girl. Under the board, he found a piece of paper. “This is it, Jeep. The address…knew they hadda want to be found.” Goku stared at the address. He didn’t know it but it would be easy enough to find someone who did and then, he was going to go apeshit all over some idiot who had no idea what he was dealing with.
X X X
The address, being at the very edge of town with nothing around, it couldn’t possibly bode well. This was a place no one would hear anyone screaming, the perfect sort of home for making families vanish. Goku peered up at the towering spires of the three story structure. It made him feel small. There was this sort of house back home. Gojyo had convinced him it was haunted just weeks after Goku and Sanzo had met him and Hakkai. Goku still half expected to see ghost in the window. Why should that scare him? He fought demons and stuff. Ghosts were nothing, right?
Goku knew this would be the point where Hakkai would tell them a plan and Goku had used that example. He had his own plan; go in and kick ass. He wondered only for a moment if this could be someone holding them hostage for the sutra but figured if anyone knew enough to mistake them for family, they’d damn well know Sanzo wasn’t around. No, this had to be about the missing families, which had started before they got to town. If he found some dumb youkai who liked little kid yakitori he was going to really kill them good.
“You can suck someone’s eyes out if you need to, right, Jeep? They might need it,” Goku said grimly.
The dragon chirupped and Goku took that as a positive sign. He had no intention of just knocking on the front door. Now that he thought about it, the letter didn’t specify how to get in but he figured he ought to make it the least expected way. He wanted to take them by surprise. The scary house had an equally frightening-looking, gnarled tree right next to it, perfect for dropping onto the eaves and sneaking into a window.
At least Goku knew he was good at climbing trees. He went up it like the monkey they were always calling him. Pausing, thinking he heard something, Goku watched the house for signs of life. Someone grabbed his shoulder. Startled, Goku leapt right onto the eaves more noisily than he intended. Glancing back, he saw it had just been a wind-moved branch and not some skeletal zombie hand, damn his overactive imagination.
“Donkey balls, I’m jumping at shadows,” he murmured to Jeep who hovered above him. Goku scrambled to the nearest window. He’d have to move fast in case anyone heard him. Hoping the window wasn’t nailed shut or something else that would need him to break the glass, Goku heaved it up. It slammed open, rattling in the frame.
Ignoring Jeep as the dragon settled on his shoulder, Goku crept into the house. Beyond the door to the bedroom he was standing in, he could see light bleeding in. Moving as quietly as he could in boots, Goku made it to the landing. The whole floor below the open railing glowed as if on fire.
“I know you’re up there, boy-o,” a woman’s voice called. He hadn’t been expecting that. “Come join the party. We’re going to have so much fun.”
“Shit.” So much for the element of surprise. Goku looked down over the edge. Below him, hundreds of candles blazed. A large oval table dominated the room and at one end sat a woman between Gojyo and Hakkai. Their captor had taken no chances, all but mummifying them in ropes. Wide strips of cloth encircled their jaws, no doubt holding in a gag. Hakkai’s face was gory, a long gash stretched over his forehead.
Goku gripped the railing, bunching his muscles to heave himself over but noticed Hakkai’s eyes widening. Goku thought for a moment, then realized Hakkai didn’t want him giving away he wasn’t just some kid. If the rumors were true and this person had been making families disappear, she needed to think he was normal. He ran down the stairs, not summoning nyoi-bo, at least not yet. The woman was too close to his friends. What if she was armed?
Dashing toward the table, Goku pulled up short when the woman put a huge knife on the table and held up a finger to him. Jeep’s wings rustled next to Goku’s ear as the dragon kuu’ed softly. He took a good look at the woman. Iron-hued hair had been pulled into a twist, not a strand out of place, but her dress was all tattered in contrast. It was an old mourning dress that looked like she had been wearing it forever. Her blue eyes held nothing that resembled sanity in them. His gut twisted like laundry in a windstorm, that salty taste he usually got when his stomach was sick tickled the back of his throat as Goku realized he was dealing with a total whack-job. At least she was human.
“That’s close enough, boy-o.”
“I’m Goku,” he replied, turning his gaze to his friends while he tried to puzzle out the strange musty smell teasing his nose. Gojyo’s red eyes were dull and he seemed to be having trouble focusing. Yeah, definitely drugs. Hakkai’s eyes were clear but pained. The gash in his head didn’t look deep but it had sure bled a lot. Rusty flakes fluttered off Hakkai’s pale skin every time he moved. Goku figured he was right about that, too. The drugs had only probably made Hakkai weak so this nutjob must have bashed him in the head good. “Let them go.”
She laughed and Goku decided she wasn’t quite as old as he had thought. Her hands looked strong. She had to be pretty tough to have gotten both of his friends here. “It’s not as easy as that.”
“Like hell.” Goku knew she was no match for him. He started to go for her.
She had the knife up and the tip jabbed into Gojyo’s neck so fast, Goku nearly stumbled in his surprise. The kappa grunted behind his gag as blood trickled down his neck. “Be a good boy and sit down,” she said, sounding so sweet it was hard to believe she was stabbing his friend. “You might get around this table quick but not fast enough to keep him from getting his throat cut.”
Goku weighed his options, making no move to sit. With the knife already poking into Gojyo, crazy woman might have a point. “I said, let them go and…uh, nothing bad happens to you.” That sounded reasonable, right?
“I said sit your ass down,” she snarled, yanking the knife free only to rebury the tip in Hakkai’s ribs. His eyes shut as his jaw tightened behind the colorful scarf-gag. “Or maybe I need to cut your brother’s heart out.”
Goku sat, glaring at her. If he told this loon that Hakkai wasn’t his brother, she might just kill him. That connection meant something to her. Goku could hear it in her voice. “Who are you and what do you want?” He wondered if he could summon up nyoi-bo fast enough to take her out before at least one of his friends got cut fatally. No, he’d better talk to her, see if he could relax her and get her away from his friends. If he could do that, taking her out would be no sweat. There was time to keep her from going all crazy, or at least he hoped so.
She pulled the knife back out of Hakkai, a wide smile crossing her face, but she didn’t put the weapon back on this table now that she decided it wasn’t needed. “I’m Sangeeta,” she replied as pleasantly as if they were sitting down to tea. At this point it wouldn’t surprise him. “All I want is my family back. Everyone leaves me. First my husband and then my son, isn’t that right, Shymal.” She gestured toward the shadows.
Goku followed her hand’s movement and finally located the source of the strange odor. A mummified, well dressed corpse sat in a nook. The side of his head seemed pretty dented. Goku wrinkled his nose. If this mad woman could keep her own kid’s corpse just sitting around, hell knew what she’d do to his friends. “But we’re not your family. I just want to take them home.”
“And you will but first you have to play a game,” Sangeeta replied, earnestly.
“Huh?”
“Game night is what I miss the most sometimes. Oh, we used to play such games.” Her eyes seemed to look back through time then suddenly hardened. “You beat me, you get to go home. Lose, and you’re all staying with me.”
Somehow Goku didn’t think she meant ‘stay and live with her.’ “Okay, how about high card wins?”
Sangeeta’s brow beetled. “I don’t play games of pure chance. I like games that require you to think, to use strategy.”
Behind his gag, Gojyo made a groaning noise. Goku slotted his eyes. “What was that, Gojyo? I can do this, you know! I’m smart!” Goku didn’t care what Gojyo and Sanzo always said. He wasn’t a complete idiot and he was good with games.
Sangeeta’s big smile returned. “Ah, brotherly love. Then you’ll play?”
“Will you keep stabbing my friends if I don’t?”
A serene look veiled her face. “Of course.”
“I’m playing,” Goku said. Or at least until you’re distracted and I club the shit out of you. He hated hitting women but if they deserved it, why not? “How about mahjong?”
“Oh, this is the one place where chance rules.” Shoving the blade back into Hakkai, she leaned forward just enough to grab something from under the table. She tossed Goku a velvet bag. “Pick a tile. We’ll play whatever’s on the tile.”
He didn’t want to do this. The scent of Hakkai and Gojyo’s blood was in his nose. Jeep had a death grip on his shoulder. The dragon seemed to sense that if he flew at this loon, their friends might die. Come on, poker, Goku rooted in the sack. Now would be the time for mahjong. He read the tile he selected then made a face. “Backgammon.” He barely knew the game. It wasn’t one of his friends’ favorites but from the way her face lit up, Sangeeta loved it.
“Shymal will give it to you.” She gestured to the corpse.
“No offense, lady, but he won’t be giving anyone anything.”
“Just do it.” She twisted the knife a little, making Hakkai groan.
“Shit, lady, stop that. I’m going.” Goku got up, heading for the dead dude.
“No swearing or I’ll kill one of your brothers.”
“Okay, okay.” Any lingering doubt that this woman wasn’t totally nut-cakes just left Goku. No swearing? Totally insane. He went over to her dead son and spotted a big stack of games behind his chair. Goku sidled around the smelly thing and found the backgammon set. He put the game on the table and started setting up without being told since she still had the knife a hairsbreadth away from a kill shot.
“You can roll first,” Sangeeta said.
Goku did, getting the lowest possible score. Jeep kuu’ed, his wings wilting. Goku didn’t need this sort of pressure. Sangeeta started play. It didn’t take long for Goku to realize that she was really good at strategizing which checkers to move to which of the rolled dice. It was all he could do to hold his own. He opted for distracting her. “How did you get my friends here?”
“None of your business.” She barely looked up from the game, the tip of her knife currently resting against Gojyo’s neck.
“You drugged them, didn’t you?”
Those crazed eyes came up to meet his. “If you knew, why did you ask?”
“Just curious. I want to know why. I mean, couldn’t you just adopt a kid or get married again if you really wanted a family that bad. Why steal them?” Goku grinned as he made a lucky roll. He saw her face flood with anger as he skated past one well strategized play she had made.
“I hate lucky rolls,” Sangeeta grumbled. “And you know nothing. A boy like you could never understand my loss.”
I understand you’re crazy as fuck , he thought, watching her hit one of his blots. It didn’t take long for her to take the sting out of his lucky roll, until he made another one. Now if he could only get lucky enough that she’d get that knife far enough away from his friends that he could take her out without hurting them.
X X X
“You…you won.” Sangeeta mumbled, shock filling her eyes. “All my strategy and you beat me with lucky rolls.”
Goku beamed. “That’s how the game goes. Now, let my friends go.”
“A lucky roll!” She swatted the board off the table and lunged for Goku.
It was just the opportunity Goku had been waiting for. With the knife aiming at him, she couldn’t hurt Gojyo or Hakkai. Jeep dive-bombed her head. Holding onto the chair, Goku swung his leg up, his boot catching Sangeeta square in the face. She dropped. Goku went to kick her again only to realize she was out cold. After all the fighting with youkai, Goku had forgotten how fragile humans could be.
“That was too easy,” he muttered and his friends groaned at him.
Goku untied their gags, dropped the wadding onto the floor then took the scarves Sangeeta had used and started to tie up her hands.
“Um, Goku, could you?” Hakkai’s voice rasped dryly.
“Gotta make sure she don’t get away,” Goku replied, intent on his task.
“Can’t believe my life was in the hands of a monkey doing strategy,” Gojyo gasped.
Goku picked up the wadding and shoved it back into Gojyo’s mouth. He very purposely untied Hakkai first, tied up Sangeeta even more then let Gojyo go.
“I feel like I’ve got the hangover from hell,” Gojyo groaned, sagging on the chair.
“I could do without the pins and needles feeling all over my body.” Hakkai rubbed his legs. “Restoring circulation hurts.”
“Can you guys walk?” Goku asked.
“After that.” Gojyo’s fingers strayed over the gash in his neck. “I can fucking dance if I have to.”
Jeep trilled then went to the door. Goku let him out then went back to support Gojyo and Hakkai as they walked out; a dicey proposition being so much shorter than them. Slow as they were, they still made it outside where Jeep waited, transformed. Goku dumped Gojyo in the back seat and propped Hakkai up in the front. Goku climbed behind the wheel. He had seen Hakkai do this a billion times. It couldn’t be that hard, right?
“Hakkai?” Gojyo asked wearily. “When did you teach short pants how to drive?”
“I haven’t.”
“What?”
Goku jammed the jeep into gear and Jeep squalled.
“Easy, Goku,” Hakkai cautioned.
Goku stepped on the pedal and, to his delight, Jeep started rolling along. “Hakkai, what part of the dragon is this?” He patted the shifter. “It sort of looks like his…”
“Goku!” Hakkai interrupted.
“Damn perverted monkey.”
“I could you leave you with Sangeeta, cockroach,” Goku called over his shoulder.
“Fuck that. Just drive and try not to kill us.”
X X X
Goku had amassed a small feast on the table and along the wall in their little suite. The townspeople were really happy about him catching Sangeeta and showed it with food. There might even be an official reward, too, but Goku knew enough to know that food was just as important for their travels. He got lots of staples but people had brought plenty of covered dishes as well, with his promise to leave the dishes with the innkeeper when they were empty. He had let Hakkai and Gojyo sleep it off all day but he figured they’d want to eat soon.
He had never really taken care of anyone before but it felt kinda good. Goku liked looking out for them. It gave him purpose, which he had been lacking in just a bit, ever since Sanzo was gone. He went over and shook Hakkai’s shoulder. “Hakkai, you feel like getting’ up? Soup’s on.”
“Soup?” Deep green eyes blinked at Goku. Hakkai looked damn tired but at least he had the strength earlier to heal himself and Gojyo.
“Turtle soup and there’s soup with beef balls and there’s some congee, too,” Goku replied.
“You cooked, monkey?” Gojyo asked dubiously stretching out on the bed.
“The townspeople did. Brought us lots of food as a thank you. Come on.” Goku went back to the table and poured water for everyone. Gojyo might whine about it but Goku didn’t think he needed any alcohol on top of everything.
Hakkai and Gojyo sat down. Hakkai leaned over the clay pot of turtle soup. “This smells delicious.”
Goku ladled it out for them. “While you were sleeping, the police talked to me.” Goku frowned at their ‘uh-oh’ looks. “They found all sorts of bodies in the basement. Guess Sangeeta was doing this for a long time. She did poison your tea, right? But how?”
“She ran the tea house,” Hakkai said wryly, spooning up a hunk of meat from his soup.
“Oh, guess that makes sense. Anyhow, everyone is super happy with us. I got them to give us lots of canned food for when we leave and then all this feast.” He pointed to the wall where he had lined up the dishes.
“Smart thinking,” Gojyo said, polishing off his beef ball soup and going for the congee.
“Jellyfish salad, seafood pancakes, meat buns, black bone chicken.” Goku sighed. “I almost ate that all up before I woke you up. That and the streaky pork sandwiches on tea powder bread.”
“We appreciate your restraint, Goku.” Hakkai smiled.
“And they want to throw us a big party. I thought maybe you wouldn’t want them to, Hakkai. They want to give us money and stuff so I said they didn’t have to really give us money or throw us a party but that just made them want to do it more.” Goku shrugged, getting up to get himself some spring rolls. “I decided not to argue cuz we really need the money.”
“Unfortunately, true.” Hakkai got up to investigate the offerings along the wall. “You did very good, Goku, not just in how you handled this.” He gestured to the food. “But the whole thing. Gojyo and I owe you.”
“Nah.” Goku felt a hint of a blush creeping up his cheeks.
“Sure we do, monkey.” Gojyo got up and went to see what he could grab from the offerings.
Goku shook his head. “Crazy was kinda right about one thing, we’re sort of family. You’d have done the same for me. Hell, you have already. We help each other. That’s why we’re here.”
Gojyo patted Goku’s shoulder. “Good point, Goku.” He grinned broadly. “But don’t think that means I’m gonna share those dumplings with you.”
“Bite me, Kappa. Those dumplings are mine. You were busy snoozin’ when I got ‘em,” Goku cried.
Goku was vaguely aware of Hakkai sitting back down, with a lion’s share of food and a put-upon sigh, as the dumpling war waged on. In the end, he let Gojyo have them but not with good grace. After all, that would be just weird for them. They might still be a little broken but at the moment, to Goku, things felt pretty okay with his family.
Author –
cornerofmadnessDisclaimer – not mine. All rights belong to Kazuya Minekura et al, no profit made, just a little fun
Fandom – Saiyuki
Rating – M for violence.
Pairing – technically none, maybe Hakkai/Gojyo if you squint hard
Timeline – after Reload #8, just a few weeks. Definitely spoilers for Reload #8,
Warnings – graphic violence
Word count 4,681
Author’s Notes – written for the minus wave challenge, prompt ‘game.’ However, it occurred to me very belatedly that Minus Wave is a shippy archive. Wasn’t sure if they had a gen section. Figured send it in. All they could say is no, which they did (totally my fault, not theirs). I’m in a decidedly unshippy mood and this story couldn’t be tweaked to fit. So while I’m sad about losing out a chance at
sharpeslass’s really cool game set, I’m NOT sad about this story. I really like how it turned out and I wouldn’t have had it without the prompt so it still works out for me. In the end, I write the stories that make me happy for no gain anyhow. Thanks to evil_little_dog for the beta.XXX
Goku carried some fruit back across town, Jeep riding on his shoulder. He felt no need to rush. Things weren’t right and getting back to their very plain hotel wouldn’t make it any better. Every so often, he’d cast a glance over his shoulder at a stray noise, hoping that somehow Sanzo would be back. How could he ignore Goku’s calls to him? Ever since Goku had talked stuff out in the youkai village, he had been hyperaware of just how broken his family was now. Damn it, he just wanted Sanzo to come home. It was wrong, bad, all that kinda stuff, ever since Sanzo had left. Not just emotionally but for all the other reasons, too.
Hakkai felt the other reasons the most; mainly their money woes. He was the best able to find a job in this city. Goku and Gojyo were too useless some times, especially himself, a much as Goku hated that. Gojyo did find some work tending bar under a direct threat from Hakkai; Flirt and die. Gojyo also took a small portion of the money and gambled it into more. Even Hakkai decided, with his weirdo good luck, that he needed to do the same. They had enough to survive if they were careful, which was why Hakkai was in charge of the money.
Goku felt worthless. He couldn’t find work. Everyone thought he was too young and it wasn’t like the youkai village where everyone had to pitch in. This place was big and jobs scarce, so mostly he killed time wandering around with Jeep. At least the little kids liked Jeep, never having seen a dragon before. Some kids even gave him goodies like the fruit he was carting home to share, if he’d let them pet Jeep. Goku didn’t like to take things from the kids but some insisted on paying their own way. Goku was learning what that was like.
Gojyo would tease him about not eating the fruit and Goku planned to make much of his generosity, mostly so they couldn’t guess the truth. He didn’t feel like eating much any more. Everything seemed dark and it was hard just getting through the day but he had promised himself he would be stronger and Goku meant to be just that.
Still, not all the darkness was from Sanzo’s absence. In playing with the kids, Goku had learned they were scared. Lately, rumors of whole families disappearing were going around. Some said it was youkai. Others said it wasn’t real. Goku knew their fear was real and he wished he could do something about it. Goku didn’t like seeing kids scared. Hakkai told him that he was proud of Goku’s concern. At least, Goku had that little boost.
He dug in his pocket and found a caramel. He bit off most of it then offered the remainder to Jeep. The little dragon’s jaw worked feverishly, making smacking sounds. “Yeah, it’s good stuff,” Goku said, knowing Hakkai wouldn’t like him giving Jeep candy. The kids had given him a bunch and he barely had a taste for it. “Wish we’d get moving soon. Bet you want to run, too.” Goku knew it made sense to stay put until they had money to buy enough supplies to make it all the way to the next town with enough for them to set up there for a while and do it all over again. That didn’t mean he wasn’t getting antsy to get to India.
Goku opened the door to their room. “Hey guys, I got apples.” The words died in Goku’s throat. Something was very wrong. A tea cup rested on the floor, tea splashed all over. A metallic tang tickled his nose. It only took Goku a moment to spot the blood. His fists clenched. Too much, this was too much. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, accept any more bad stuff. Goku dropped the apples on the table, calling his friends names even though he knew there would be no answer. A cold prickle ran along his neck. What could have happened? Where were his friends? “What the shit?”
Goku whipped around, wondering if there were drips of blood he could follow, like in those books Hakkai liked to read. Jeep trilled loudly and nipped his ear. Goku stared at the dragon, seeing his tail pointing straight out, calling his attention to a chess piece, with a piece of paper tied around it, perched on the pillow of one of the two beds. Hoping it was a note from Hakkai giving some simple explanation, knowing it wasn’t, Goku picked it up, taking the note off to read it.
His hand convulsed on the paper. “Damn it, this is…” Goku took a deep breath, knowing in one fell stroke that the rumors weren’t just rumors. They were real. People had been disappearing. No, taken. “Someone’s got ‘em, Jeep.” The dragon made an unhappy noise. How could anyone get them? Goku eyed the fallen tea cup; drugs, that had to be it. They had been drugged before. Maybe that’s what the blood was about. Hakkai had such a tolerance. Maybe someone had to hurt him more. The thought made his jaw clench so hard, his head ached.
Too many things had been taken from him. Goku knew if he stopped, even for a moment to think about it, he’d feel the terrible cold of being alone washing over him. He couldn’t let that freak him out. He had been alone before and done just fine, like that time fighting Kougaiji when he was all weird and stuff. He’d have beaten him, even if the others hadn’t shown. He was strong enough for this. He had to believe that.
“We’re getting them back, Jeep.” Goku flattened out the paper. “We gotta see what this fuck face means by ‘Kiddo, find me in town if you want your family back’.”
Goku knew it wouldn’t be as easy as that. Find what? Was ‘me’ a person or another game piece? Someone was playing games with him. His family? That had to mean someone had been watching them. Did they think Hakkai was his older brother? Goku could almost see that with the way Hakkai treated him, Gojyo, too. Hell, even he thought of them as the best big brothers a guy could get. He could see how this jerk would make that mistake. Still, the memory of that rumor about families disappearing wouldn’t leave him alone. If he screwed this up, chances were his friends would die.
X X X
Goku stopped to catch his breath. Why couldn’t it have been him who got taken? Hakkai could have figured this out, no problem. Obviously he was meant to find whatever it was so why was the kidnapper making it so hard? Goku had half expected the shithead to be just waiting for him outside or something but there was no one waving a flag saying ‘hey, it’s me you’re looking for.’
“Gotta think this through,” Goku muttered. Where would someone see them enough in the last few days to think they might be brothers? The hotel but he had checked that first before he had started running all over town. The market, a couple of cheap restaurants, the tea house. The market was closest so Goku started jogging that direction, things tumbling over in his mind. Something that happened yesterday took on new meaning.
“He’s so cool.” Hong stroked Jeep’s neck. “Where’d you get him?”
“He’s a friend, well, Hakkai’s friend first.” Goku smiled at the little girl. She had been the smallest in the pack of kids who had wanted to see Jeep so he had made sure she got her fair chance once the bigger kids had their turn.
“I wish I had a dragon,” Hong said.
“Young lady, you get inside right now!” An older woman poked her head out of the upstairs window that overlooked the square. “You don’t talk to strangers!”
“But Goku isn’t a stranger,” the girl protested.
“Get inside.” The woman disappeared from the window.
Hong pouted. “I’d better do it.”
“I know. I’ve heard about the rumors about the missing families,” Goku assured her.
“I hear they’re nothing but ghosts now.” Her eyes went wide. “Nothing left behind but weird game pieces somewhere in the house. Why would a ghost need to play games?”
“No clue, sweetie. You’d better go in before your mom gets mad.”
“Game pieces,” Goku muttered. He had already assumed that the person who had taken the others had his friends but this was proof. It wasn’t just some weirdo youkai after the sutra.
Goku looked all round the market but no one had seen his friends. He didn’t spot any game pieces so he headed to the tea house. “Jeep, what am I gonna do if I don’t find the next clue? I can’t lose ‘em.”
Jeep nudged Goku’s cheek reassuringly. Goku shoved his fears aside and found the tea house Hakkai had liked. No one had seen them there, either. Dejected, Goku started out then he saw it. Sitting under a window was a chess set, the exact same pieces as the one left in his room. Looking for the clue, he scattered the pieces, ignoring the outraged protest of the tea house girl. Under the board, he found a piece of paper. “This is it, Jeep. The address…knew they hadda want to be found.” Goku stared at the address. He didn’t know it but it would be easy enough to find someone who did and then, he was going to go apeshit all over some idiot who had no idea what he was dealing with.
X X X
The address, being at the very edge of town with nothing around, it couldn’t possibly bode well. This was a place no one would hear anyone screaming, the perfect sort of home for making families vanish. Goku peered up at the towering spires of the three story structure. It made him feel small. There was this sort of house back home. Gojyo had convinced him it was haunted just weeks after Goku and Sanzo had met him and Hakkai. Goku still half expected to see ghost in the window. Why should that scare him? He fought demons and stuff. Ghosts were nothing, right?
Goku knew this would be the point where Hakkai would tell them a plan and Goku had used that example. He had his own plan; go in and kick ass. He wondered only for a moment if this could be someone holding them hostage for the sutra but figured if anyone knew enough to mistake them for family, they’d damn well know Sanzo wasn’t around. No, this had to be about the missing families, which had started before they got to town. If he found some dumb youkai who liked little kid yakitori he was going to really kill them good.
“You can suck someone’s eyes out if you need to, right, Jeep? They might need it,” Goku said grimly.
The dragon chirupped and Goku took that as a positive sign. He had no intention of just knocking on the front door. Now that he thought about it, the letter didn’t specify how to get in but he figured he ought to make it the least expected way. He wanted to take them by surprise. The scary house had an equally frightening-looking, gnarled tree right next to it, perfect for dropping onto the eaves and sneaking into a window.
At least Goku knew he was good at climbing trees. He went up it like the monkey they were always calling him. Pausing, thinking he heard something, Goku watched the house for signs of life. Someone grabbed his shoulder. Startled, Goku leapt right onto the eaves more noisily than he intended. Glancing back, he saw it had just been a wind-moved branch and not some skeletal zombie hand, damn his overactive imagination.
“Donkey balls, I’m jumping at shadows,” he murmured to Jeep who hovered above him. Goku scrambled to the nearest window. He’d have to move fast in case anyone heard him. Hoping the window wasn’t nailed shut or something else that would need him to break the glass, Goku heaved it up. It slammed open, rattling in the frame.
Ignoring Jeep as the dragon settled on his shoulder, Goku crept into the house. Beyond the door to the bedroom he was standing in, he could see light bleeding in. Moving as quietly as he could in boots, Goku made it to the landing. The whole floor below the open railing glowed as if on fire.
“I know you’re up there, boy-o,” a woman’s voice called. He hadn’t been expecting that. “Come join the party. We’re going to have so much fun.”
“Shit.” So much for the element of surprise. Goku looked down over the edge. Below him, hundreds of candles blazed. A large oval table dominated the room and at one end sat a woman between Gojyo and Hakkai. Their captor had taken no chances, all but mummifying them in ropes. Wide strips of cloth encircled their jaws, no doubt holding in a gag. Hakkai’s face was gory, a long gash stretched over his forehead.
Goku gripped the railing, bunching his muscles to heave himself over but noticed Hakkai’s eyes widening. Goku thought for a moment, then realized Hakkai didn’t want him giving away he wasn’t just some kid. If the rumors were true and this person had been making families disappear, she needed to think he was normal. He ran down the stairs, not summoning nyoi-bo, at least not yet. The woman was too close to his friends. What if she was armed?
Dashing toward the table, Goku pulled up short when the woman put a huge knife on the table and held up a finger to him. Jeep’s wings rustled next to Goku’s ear as the dragon kuu’ed softly. He took a good look at the woman. Iron-hued hair had been pulled into a twist, not a strand out of place, but her dress was all tattered in contrast. It was an old mourning dress that looked like she had been wearing it forever. Her blue eyes held nothing that resembled sanity in them. His gut twisted like laundry in a windstorm, that salty taste he usually got when his stomach was sick tickled the back of his throat as Goku realized he was dealing with a total whack-job. At least she was human.
“That’s close enough, boy-o.”
“I’m Goku,” he replied, turning his gaze to his friends while he tried to puzzle out the strange musty smell teasing his nose. Gojyo’s red eyes were dull and he seemed to be having trouble focusing. Yeah, definitely drugs. Hakkai’s eyes were clear but pained. The gash in his head didn’t look deep but it had sure bled a lot. Rusty flakes fluttered off Hakkai’s pale skin every time he moved. Goku figured he was right about that, too. The drugs had only probably made Hakkai weak so this nutjob must have bashed him in the head good. “Let them go.”
She laughed and Goku decided she wasn’t quite as old as he had thought. Her hands looked strong. She had to be pretty tough to have gotten both of his friends here. “It’s not as easy as that.”
“Like hell.” Goku knew she was no match for him. He started to go for her.
She had the knife up and the tip jabbed into Gojyo’s neck so fast, Goku nearly stumbled in his surprise. The kappa grunted behind his gag as blood trickled down his neck. “Be a good boy and sit down,” she said, sounding so sweet it was hard to believe she was stabbing his friend. “You might get around this table quick but not fast enough to keep him from getting his throat cut.”
Goku weighed his options, making no move to sit. With the knife already poking into Gojyo, crazy woman might have a point. “I said, let them go and…uh, nothing bad happens to you.” That sounded reasonable, right?
“I said sit your ass down,” she snarled, yanking the knife free only to rebury the tip in Hakkai’s ribs. His eyes shut as his jaw tightened behind the colorful scarf-gag. “Or maybe I need to cut your brother’s heart out.”
Goku sat, glaring at her. If he told this loon that Hakkai wasn’t his brother, she might just kill him. That connection meant something to her. Goku could hear it in her voice. “Who are you and what do you want?” He wondered if he could summon up nyoi-bo fast enough to take her out before at least one of his friends got cut fatally. No, he’d better talk to her, see if he could relax her and get her away from his friends. If he could do that, taking her out would be no sweat. There was time to keep her from going all crazy, or at least he hoped so.
She pulled the knife back out of Hakkai, a wide smile crossing her face, but she didn’t put the weapon back on this table now that she decided it wasn’t needed. “I’m Sangeeta,” she replied as pleasantly as if they were sitting down to tea. At this point it wouldn’t surprise him. “All I want is my family back. Everyone leaves me. First my husband and then my son, isn’t that right, Shymal.” She gestured toward the shadows.
Goku followed her hand’s movement and finally located the source of the strange odor. A mummified, well dressed corpse sat in a nook. The side of his head seemed pretty dented. Goku wrinkled his nose. If this mad woman could keep her own kid’s corpse just sitting around, hell knew what she’d do to his friends. “But we’re not your family. I just want to take them home.”
“And you will but first you have to play a game,” Sangeeta replied, earnestly.
“Huh?”
“Game night is what I miss the most sometimes. Oh, we used to play such games.” Her eyes seemed to look back through time then suddenly hardened. “You beat me, you get to go home. Lose, and you’re all staying with me.”
Somehow Goku didn’t think she meant ‘stay and live with her.’ “Okay, how about high card wins?”
Sangeeta’s brow beetled. “I don’t play games of pure chance. I like games that require you to think, to use strategy.”
Behind his gag, Gojyo made a groaning noise. Goku slotted his eyes. “What was that, Gojyo? I can do this, you know! I’m smart!” Goku didn’t care what Gojyo and Sanzo always said. He wasn’t a complete idiot and he was good with games.
Sangeeta’s big smile returned. “Ah, brotherly love. Then you’ll play?”
“Will you keep stabbing my friends if I don’t?”
A serene look veiled her face. “Of course.”
“I’m playing,” Goku said. Or at least until you’re distracted and I club the shit out of you. He hated hitting women but if they deserved it, why not? “How about mahjong?”
“Oh, this is the one place where chance rules.” Shoving the blade back into Hakkai, she leaned forward just enough to grab something from under the table. She tossed Goku a velvet bag. “Pick a tile. We’ll play whatever’s on the tile.”
He didn’t want to do this. The scent of Hakkai and Gojyo’s blood was in his nose. Jeep had a death grip on his shoulder. The dragon seemed to sense that if he flew at this loon, their friends might die. Come on, poker, Goku rooted in the sack. Now would be the time for mahjong. He read the tile he selected then made a face. “Backgammon.” He barely knew the game. It wasn’t one of his friends’ favorites but from the way her face lit up, Sangeeta loved it.
“Shymal will give it to you.” She gestured to the corpse.
“No offense, lady, but he won’t be giving anyone anything.”
“Just do it.” She twisted the knife a little, making Hakkai groan.
“Shit, lady, stop that. I’m going.” Goku got up, heading for the dead dude.
“No swearing or I’ll kill one of your brothers.”
“Okay, okay.” Any lingering doubt that this woman wasn’t totally nut-cakes just left Goku. No swearing? Totally insane. He went over to her dead son and spotted a big stack of games behind his chair. Goku sidled around the smelly thing and found the backgammon set. He put the game on the table and started setting up without being told since she still had the knife a hairsbreadth away from a kill shot.
“You can roll first,” Sangeeta said.
Goku did, getting the lowest possible score. Jeep kuu’ed, his wings wilting. Goku didn’t need this sort of pressure. Sangeeta started play. It didn’t take long for Goku to realize that she was really good at strategizing which checkers to move to which of the rolled dice. It was all he could do to hold his own. He opted for distracting her. “How did you get my friends here?”
“None of your business.” She barely looked up from the game, the tip of her knife currently resting against Gojyo’s neck.
“You drugged them, didn’t you?”
Those crazed eyes came up to meet his. “If you knew, why did you ask?”
“Just curious. I want to know why. I mean, couldn’t you just adopt a kid or get married again if you really wanted a family that bad. Why steal them?” Goku grinned as he made a lucky roll. He saw her face flood with anger as he skated past one well strategized play she had made.
“I hate lucky rolls,” Sangeeta grumbled. “And you know nothing. A boy like you could never understand my loss.”
I understand you’re crazy as fuck , he thought, watching her hit one of his blots. It didn’t take long for her to take the sting out of his lucky roll, until he made another one. Now if he could only get lucky enough that she’d get that knife far enough away from his friends that he could take her out without hurting them.
X X X
“You…you won.” Sangeeta mumbled, shock filling her eyes. “All my strategy and you beat me with lucky rolls.”
Goku beamed. “That’s how the game goes. Now, let my friends go.”
“A lucky roll!” She swatted the board off the table and lunged for Goku.
It was just the opportunity Goku had been waiting for. With the knife aiming at him, she couldn’t hurt Gojyo or Hakkai. Jeep dive-bombed her head. Holding onto the chair, Goku swung his leg up, his boot catching Sangeeta square in the face. She dropped. Goku went to kick her again only to realize she was out cold. After all the fighting with youkai, Goku had forgotten how fragile humans could be.
“That was too easy,” he muttered and his friends groaned at him.
Goku untied their gags, dropped the wadding onto the floor then took the scarves Sangeeta had used and started to tie up her hands.
“Um, Goku, could you?” Hakkai’s voice rasped dryly.
“Gotta make sure she don’t get away,” Goku replied, intent on his task.
“Can’t believe my life was in the hands of a monkey doing strategy,” Gojyo gasped.
Goku picked up the wadding and shoved it back into Gojyo’s mouth. He very purposely untied Hakkai first, tied up Sangeeta even more then let Gojyo go.
“I feel like I’ve got the hangover from hell,” Gojyo groaned, sagging on the chair.
“I could do without the pins and needles feeling all over my body.” Hakkai rubbed his legs. “Restoring circulation hurts.”
“Can you guys walk?” Goku asked.
“After that.” Gojyo’s fingers strayed over the gash in his neck. “I can fucking dance if I have to.”
Jeep trilled then went to the door. Goku let him out then went back to support Gojyo and Hakkai as they walked out; a dicey proposition being so much shorter than them. Slow as they were, they still made it outside where Jeep waited, transformed. Goku dumped Gojyo in the back seat and propped Hakkai up in the front. Goku climbed behind the wheel. He had seen Hakkai do this a billion times. It couldn’t be that hard, right?
“Hakkai?” Gojyo asked wearily. “When did you teach short pants how to drive?”
“I haven’t.”
“What?”
Goku jammed the jeep into gear and Jeep squalled.
“Easy, Goku,” Hakkai cautioned.
Goku stepped on the pedal and, to his delight, Jeep started rolling along. “Hakkai, what part of the dragon is this?” He patted the shifter. “It sort of looks like his…”
“Goku!” Hakkai interrupted.
“Damn perverted monkey.”
“I could you leave you with Sangeeta, cockroach,” Goku called over his shoulder.
“Fuck that. Just drive and try not to kill us.”
X X X
Goku had amassed a small feast on the table and along the wall in their little suite. The townspeople were really happy about him catching Sangeeta and showed it with food. There might even be an official reward, too, but Goku knew enough to know that food was just as important for their travels. He got lots of staples but people had brought plenty of covered dishes as well, with his promise to leave the dishes with the innkeeper when they were empty. He had let Hakkai and Gojyo sleep it off all day but he figured they’d want to eat soon.
He had never really taken care of anyone before but it felt kinda good. Goku liked looking out for them. It gave him purpose, which he had been lacking in just a bit, ever since Sanzo was gone. He went over and shook Hakkai’s shoulder. “Hakkai, you feel like getting’ up? Soup’s on.”
“Soup?” Deep green eyes blinked at Goku. Hakkai looked damn tired but at least he had the strength earlier to heal himself and Gojyo.
“Turtle soup and there’s soup with beef balls and there’s some congee, too,” Goku replied.
“You cooked, monkey?” Gojyo asked dubiously stretching out on the bed.
“The townspeople did. Brought us lots of food as a thank you. Come on.” Goku went back to the table and poured water for everyone. Gojyo might whine about it but Goku didn’t think he needed any alcohol on top of everything.
Hakkai and Gojyo sat down. Hakkai leaned over the clay pot of turtle soup. “This smells delicious.”
Goku ladled it out for them. “While you were sleeping, the police talked to me.” Goku frowned at their ‘uh-oh’ looks. “They found all sorts of bodies in the basement. Guess Sangeeta was doing this for a long time. She did poison your tea, right? But how?”
“She ran the tea house,” Hakkai said wryly, spooning up a hunk of meat from his soup.
“Oh, guess that makes sense. Anyhow, everyone is super happy with us. I got them to give us lots of canned food for when we leave and then all this feast.” He pointed to the wall where he had lined up the dishes.
“Smart thinking,” Gojyo said, polishing off his beef ball soup and going for the congee.
“Jellyfish salad, seafood pancakes, meat buns, black bone chicken.” Goku sighed. “I almost ate that all up before I woke you up. That and the streaky pork sandwiches on tea powder bread.”
“We appreciate your restraint, Goku.” Hakkai smiled.
“And they want to throw us a big party. I thought maybe you wouldn’t want them to, Hakkai. They want to give us money and stuff so I said they didn’t have to really give us money or throw us a party but that just made them want to do it more.” Goku shrugged, getting up to get himself some spring rolls. “I decided not to argue cuz we really need the money.”
“Unfortunately, true.” Hakkai got up to investigate the offerings along the wall. “You did very good, Goku, not just in how you handled this.” He gestured to the food. “But the whole thing. Gojyo and I owe you.”
“Nah.” Goku felt a hint of a blush creeping up his cheeks.
“Sure we do, monkey.” Gojyo got up and went to see what he could grab from the offerings.
Goku shook his head. “Crazy was kinda right about one thing, we’re sort of family. You’d have done the same for me. Hell, you have already. We help each other. That’s why we’re here.”
Gojyo patted Goku’s shoulder. “Good point, Goku.” He grinned broadly. “But don’t think that means I’m gonna share those dumplings with you.”
“Bite me, Kappa. Those dumplings are mine. You were busy snoozin’ when I got ‘em,” Goku cried.
Goku was vaguely aware of Hakkai sitting back down, with a lion’s share of food and a put-upon sigh, as the dumpling war waged on. In the end, he let Gojyo have them but not with good grace. After all, that would be just weird for them. They might still be a little broken but at the moment, to Goku, things felt pretty okay with his family.
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