- Leading the path to the West -

 

Introduction Part 1

It was a time of chaos, when Heaven and Earth were as one, and Humans and Demons, the Youkai, lived together in peace. The Foundations of civilisation and religion were raised and reinforced in this land of TogenKyo… The Paradise known as Shangri-La.

At Chang-an, the palace were the three oracles dwelled, a priest, Genjo Sanzo, was called.
"Welcome, priest of the Northern Lands, Genjo Sanzo."
"We called you to discuss the recent events taking place in Shangri-La"
"Our peace is threatened. The Youkai have lost themselves to their pure nature. The humans are living in constant fear of death."
"Something is happening in the West. Youkai magic and science are being combined"

"The forbidden practice which its results are always fogged and dangerous" added the priest, who until now, was silent, listening carefully to what the oracles said.
"Indeed you are right Priest Sanzo"
"This practice has created a minus wave of energy which is spreading through all the lands"
"And probably it is the cause of why the Youkai have rebelled and are attacking humans."
"You Genjo Sanzo must go to the West and see who is behind this forbidden practice."
"We already know that who is it, is planning the revival of the great Youkai, Gyumhao, banished and sealed in his castle by the crown prince Nataku".
"So we appoint you, Genjo Sanzo, travel to the west, to India. Stop the resurrection of Gyumhao and bring the Youkai back to their sanity."
"Restore the Peace to Shangri-La."
"Son Goku, Cho Hakkai and Sha Gojyo will be your companions on this journey as they were with you in the past."

"I'll do as you wish" and with that settled, priest Sanzo bowed and left Chang-an.
"We have fate in you Priest Genjo Sanzo," whispered one of the Oracles, the three aspects of Buddha, as the blonde haughty priest turned his back to the building and began descending the steps.
"You and your three Youkai friends are our only hope to restore back the harmony in Shangri-La."
"It's ironic, but the scars from their past will be the thread binding them together. The bond of friendship impossible to break." The oracles all agreed and vanished in thin air as mysteriously as they had appeared.

"Sanzo what took you so long? I was on the verge of melting from all this heat!" exclaimed a 16 year-old boy to the priest.
"The oracles appointed us on a mission. We should make our way to meet Hakkai and Gojyo." Sanzo replied not showing any emotion on his pale face.
"Yuppy! It's been long since we saw them last." Goku said hopping down from the bolder on which he had been waiting for Sanzo. His messy mop of brown hair glistened in the scourging sun and his golden eyes showed all his joyfulness at the prospect of meeting his old friends.

Sanzo was silent. He crossed his hands and began his way down the path, every step took him further apart from the Oracle's Palace. "Sanzo wait I'm hungry!" Goku whined as he raced up to catch up with the young priest.
"You'll have to wait until we are back to town."
"But Sanzo, I'm hungry now. My stomach is empty. I haven't touched any food since this morning!" He put his hands round his stomach as a grumble of protest was heard, "See! It's empty!"
"Shut up you Monkey. Do you see any food here? No. Wait till we get back town then you'll eat. One more word and I shoot you." Replied the Priest as he pointed his "Smith and Wesson" to Goku's head.

The boy could not do anything besides following Sanzo silently down the winding path back to town. After an hour of walking in the sun, there still was no trace of the town. "Sanzo?"
"Yes Goku?" asked the Priest irritation clear in his voice.
"How long do we have to walk till we are there?"
"Some 30 more minutes I think."
"What is the mission about?" the boy was curious. It was Sanzo's habit not to reveal anything if not asked. The priest explained everything briefly to Goku who nodded silently.
"We'll go there, find who is behind the experiments and tell them to stop. Piece of cake!" Goku laughed.
"Hopeless.." Sanzo was stunned and a sweat drop appeared on his head. It was impossible to talk seriously with this boy.
Their walk continued a little more until Sanzo heard some rustling coming from the nearby bushes. "Who's there?" cried out Goku, and down came two Youkai. "NYOI-BO!" and Goku's red stick appeared in his hand and used it to protect Sanzo and himself from the Youkai. One of the latter had also a stick to combat with and he took Goku away from Sanzo who was attacked from the other Youkai.
"Take this Priest." Said the Youkai as it rushed forward, punch outstretched ready to hit Sanzo, but the priest shifted with easy to the side, thus missing the attack.
"too slow…"
"What..?" cried the Youkai not able to finish his sentenced as he received a deathly kick in the abdomen by Sanzo who smirking.

In the mean time, Goku had also finished of his Youkai. Goku rejoined Sanzo only to discover… "Are they all …"
"Youkai that joined forces with Gyumaoh? Yes." Replied Sanzo. The two were surrounded by what seemed to be a whole army of Youkai, round fifty. Their eyes were blank, showing their madness clearly.
"Tasty humans!"
"Let's eat them!" comments like this were heard coming from this mad band. All with their fangs out, some already licking their lips from the prospect of tasting, what to them was, tasty human flesh.
"Damn I let my guard down… and now look how many they are." Said Sanzo under his breath so as only Goku could hear.

The Youkai came forward ready to attack. Goku pulled his stick closer while Sanzo took out his gun, but the Youkai's attack was stopped, as nearly half of them were slaughtered, all in one go.
"What is going on!?" exclaimed Goku surprised. Sanzo looked up the hill.
"So it's true that the Youkai have gone berserk, finally I got to see it first hand..." Said a young man with long wine coloured hair as he clutched back in his hand his dual-bladed "shakujou" , a cresecent blade attached to a chain with which he can aim and kill accurety from long distances.
"and this is why we have been called to stop it!" he continued.

Introduction Part 2

"Hey Gojyo!" "hello Hakkai!" exclaimed Goku as he met the gaze of his old two friends up the hill.
"Long time no see." Greeted Hakkai giving his companions one of his cheerful smiles. Perched on his shoulder was his little white dragon named Hakuryu, who also squeked.
"Well if it's not the bad tempered Monk and his Monkey sidekick!" greeted Gojyo laughing, as he and Hakkai joined Sanzo and Goku down the hill.

"Don't call me Monkey! You perverted Kappa!" Goku shouted back at Gojyo.
"Then Midget Monkey or Chibi-Chimp?" retorted back the wine headed water spirit.
"Now, Now you two." Smiled at them Hakkai trying to calm the two down.
"Idiots" simply replied Sanzo as he gave them his back ignoring their infantile habits of always quarrelling.

"By the way Hakkai, how did you know where we were?" asked Sanzo as he rubbed his head.
"It was easy. What turned the Youkai to their original nature has also created a negative aura which I can easily detect."
"It seems that only Hakkai, Goku and myself are the only Youkai still sane in the whole of Shangri-La…" said Gojyo who turned to join his friend's discussion leaving Goku fuming alone, only to be interrupted,
"Surprise attack!"
"Heh!"
with a swift move Gojyo took the Youkai's head and smashed against the side of the hill.
"what did you think you are doing? I'm million's of years ahead of you, wait… you can not hear me any more, can you? Pity!" smirked Gojyo as he turned to face the remaining Youkai.

"Look that one seems weak." Pointed a Youkai towards Hakkai while motioning to his friends to attack as a group.
"Hakuryu, it is better to go over there in those trees, it is getting dangerous over here," said Hakkai to his pet dragon. Hakuryu, squeked in reply and left. Sensing the Youkai behind him, Hakkai easyily did a back flip/jump and threw an chi blast towards te Youkai while still in the air.
"HAH!" screamed the Youkai before falling death to the ground.
"I saw it somewhere and thought I'd try it!" laughed out Hakkai modestly. "It's quiet good, don't you agree?"
"Don' t tell me you've never tried it before…" sweatdropped Goku.

Not all of the Youkai were banished yet. "Those ear cuffs, and Golden Hair band… Those are Youkai power limiters!" exclaimed a dark haired Youkai.
"Hey you three are Youkai!" Another one said pointing towards Gojyo, Goku and Hakkai…
"Why do you fight against us?"
"Give me a minute amd I'll tell you… if you are still alive!" and at that point all three of them attacked the remaining Youkai, finishing them all.

 

*flashback 2 hours before*

Chang-an Palace

"Sorry to ask, but why have you chosen three Youkai for this mission acknoledge their force, but until there is Youkai blood flowing in their veins, there is still the chance to turn against us." Stated Sanzo.
"We know, but they alone have the power needed to comabt the Youkai and suprress the negative force within. " relpied the Oracles.<br>
"Still, my lords, it could be suicide to rely on them."
"Wheter you belive it, Sanzo, they are our only hope. We must trust them."
"I trust only myself, even though I may have faltered as a Buddhist… after I lost what was unreplaceable…"
"Sanzo you should try and learn to trust the eyes of your heart." Said one of the Oracles.
"Eyes of my heart?"
"Go and join the others… watch with those eyes… and see what you should believe."

*End Flash Back*

 

"Oh Yeah!"
"We rock" and Gojyo and Goku hi fived.
<i>"The eyes of my heart?" thought Sanzo as he watched the youkai drop death infront of him.
"wait we are brothers… how could you betray your own race and fight alongside those arrogant humns?" caughed a dieing Youkai… "You've chosen the wrong side, come and join us. LONG LIVE THE YOUKAI RACE!"
"Take this!" said Gojyo as with a hard chick smashed the Youkai's head to the ground, helped by Goku and Hakkai.
"He just didn't know when to shut up!" replied simply Hakkai smiling at Sanzo who was still watching them intently.

"as long as I live…."
"From the day I was born…"
"Till the end…"
"We will always remain on the Human's side" the three Youkai chorused.
"Let's go… to the WEST" concluded Sanzo as the sun set, spreading amber light through out the sky.

{Houtou Castle, India}

A beautiful young wowen with long violet hair tied back in a horsetail came forwared to adresse a fellow young man with long red/orange hair and grey eyes, both Youkai.
"Lord Kougaiji."
"Yes Yaone?"
"There is movement in the East."
"Iknow. I won't let them get in my way for no chance." Smirked the Youkai prince from his thrown. "Dokugakuji, Yaone, go pack your things, we're going to the East"
"Yes sir" chorused Yaone, and the man hidden in the shadows, Dokugakuji.

Kougaiji left the thrown room of the castle to enter another room, one darker than the previous one. On the far wall a women was trapped in the wall, a women turned into stone as her consort 500 years ago… "mother, I do this for you." Said Kougaiji, as he reached the figure.

Both sides, East and West, prepared for their journey to the place where the sun rises, the sun sets…

*Few days after the Sanzo Ikkou met the Youkai*

The Sanzo group had prepared all that was neccesary for their Journey. Hakkai had as always, asked Hakuryu, corteusely, to turn himself in green jeep, so that the four of them could travel faster than by walking. Hakkai was driver, Sanzo took the front passenger seat and Goku and Gojyo took te back seats.

"Yammy, Yammy! Dried squid! My favorite!" called Goku as he sat to eat his 4th lunch of the day.
"hey check out the stash Goku!" cried Gojyo as the monkey had shuffeled through all their provisions severaly times and they were now a mess. "The Beer Goku, mind the Beer."
"Hey, this ain't no field trip, dammit!" shouted Sanzo at the two at the back.
"Oh, it's not? Well… It still looks like one though!" stated Hakkai.

{HEAVEN}

"We've received information from the Sanbutsushin (the three aspects of Buddha, the Oracles), that Sanzo and companions have left headded west."
"Hm?..."
"Finally it begins, Kanzeon Bosatsu."
"No, you're wrong… this all started a long time ago… 500 years ago to be exact."

*Mt. Kaka. 500 years ago, the birth place of Son Goku, the Monkey King.*