The Flower of the Other Shore

A Gensomaden Saiyuki Fanfiction

By: Tyner Twine

Part 1:Late Summer

Chapter 1: The Sound of the River

Disclaimer:Gensomaden Saiyuki is owned by Kazuya Minekura-sensei.

"There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it."
― George Bernard Shaw, from "Man and Superman"

The Goddess of Mercy sat on her throne in front of the lotus pond ignoring the gentle whispers of the lower world from the water. Instead, she looked down at the offending red blossom in her hand and sighed. How can something so vibrant and beautiful be so tragic and fascinating at the same time? How can something that starts in death, ends not in death, but a whole new cycle of death…and death?

She caught her train of thought just in time to pull herself out of her musings.

How…amusing. That someone as great as she would be reduced into sighing her helplessness away would indeed be a sight to see for her never-ending list of detractors in the rotting marble floors of the Jade Palace. Well, she pondered pensively, "So there are days like this, too."

The Spider Lily in her hand rustled as she moved her fingers to crush the vibrant flower.

"Spider Lilies, my lady?"

Kanzeon Bosastu turned to her long-time servant, Jiroushin, who had just entered the area bringing tea. The older man looked at the flower resting so delicately on the goddess's palm and said, "I must admit that it is a strange sight, my lady, to see you holding any other blossom than your favorite lotus flower."

"Yes," She conceded wistfully. "It is quite curious, is it not? How its offending red color captures the eyes and pulls you in… as if it is casting a spell from which you cannot escape. This must be why the humans have a weird fondness for a blossom that symbolizes everything that is lonely."

"I am aware that this particular species of flora have been planted in graveyards for the longest time. It's part of the reason why it has been associated with death. However, it has a tragic, romantic story behind it as well."

There was a slight flicker of emotion in the older man's eyes. And if the Merciful One ever discerned what it was, she chose to not say something about it. Instead, she gave him a grin and said:

"Your fondness for the lower world's flora and the mythology behind them, Jiroushin, is very surprising."

"It's because of thousands of years of boredom, my Lady."

"And what handy motivator boredom is, my faithful servant. Are you sure that it is not because of old age?"

Jiroushin noticed the glint in his Lady's eyes and caught his tongue before he dredged up something that was not worth remembering.

"Speak for yourself, My Lady." He responded as he moved towards the small table where he and the goddess have partaken tea and played shogi multiple times. For a moment, there was a pregnant silence. And then, he said:

"There is a known romance tale about Spider Lilies in the human world."

"Oh?" The Goddess said, watching her servant as he laid out the tray on the table beside her throne. Jiroushin nodded and as if trying to reach for it at the very distant recesses of his memory, rested his gaze on a lotus in the pond.

"It's about the lovers who were eternally separated by the heavens for violating its will thus, making the blossom symbolize a love that can never be. For the blossom dies before it meets the leaves, and the leaves grow out without seeing the beauty of its blossom."

"A blossom that never sees its leaves, and leaves that never will see the beauty of its blossom. How very fitting…" Kanzeon reiterated softly, looking once more at the blossom in her hand.

"I beg your pardon, My Lady?"

"Nothing." She replied rising from her seat and heading towards the edge of the pond. Kneeling, she closed her eyes and, whether she was uttering a soft prayer or lost in her thoughts, Jiroushin chose to leave her be.

"Never stop hoping, young flower. One day, you shall meet him too. The leaves you have desperately longed to see." Kanzeon lets the red spider lily blossom drift onto the waters and stop in the middle of a patch of four lotuses.

"Jiroushin, tea." She said, finally standing up.

"Certainly, My Lady." Her servant replied preparing a serving for the goddess.

…

Just a little more…

Zhu Karin told herself as she forced her aching body to move forward. She didn't know what happened, or where she was, but one thing was evident:

She was dying.

Up ahead, she could hear the sound of the river. Maybe there are fishermen there. Or maybe there's a family who happened to be camping… Either way, she has much better luck finding civilization if she's near the water. Given the option of staying in the vast expanse of this unknown forest and the risk of running onto the predators that live here, being near the water is the lesser of the two evils. That and the water will at least help her wash her wound. Gingerly, she lifted an arm and threw it forward to crawl to safety.

She dug her fists into the dry earth and tried to inch her body forward. The pain that shot from the laceration on her abdomen made her clench her teeth and stifle a scream. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, causing the dirt to stick to it and abrade the smooth surface of her skin. The small abrasions on her face are nothing compared to the sensation of crawling on her belly with a deep, bleeding wound on her stomach.

She has to live. No matter what.

…

"Hakkai, stop the car." The command was spoken so softly that Cho Hakkai would not have heard it over their two other companion's current verbal sparring in the back seat. Trying to tune them out, he focused his green eyes on the blonde monk who sat beside him in the passenger's seat.

"Is something the matter, Sanzo?" He inquired, as he pushed on the brakes of the jeep and halted the vehicle. The monk glared at him and then proceeded to scratch his ear with his pinky finger. It was not uncharacteristic of the monk to be in a bad mood since he's always been a very moody person. What was totally out of character, Hakkai observed, was the conflicted look on the monk's usually irritated face and the air of quietness around him. It was as though he was genuinely deciding whether or not to tell him what the immediate issue was.

That, and the fact that he has done absolutely nothing to stop the argument in the back seat.

So there are days like this, too. He mused thoughtfully. I'm not sure I'm liking it.

"Hey Hakkai, is something wrong?" The youngest member of the group, Son Goku said, finally noticing that they have stopped moving. He turned to the priest and saw his expression. "Sanzo, you alright?"

"Yeah, man, what's got your boxers in a knot?" Sha Gojyo asked, even as he dug the pocket of his vest for a pack of cigarettes. "You didn't even point the damn gun on us when we were tryin' to kill each other here in the back." Flipping his long red locks off his shoulder, he put the cancer stick between his lips, lit it, took a good long drag, and then exhaled.

Sanzo decidedly ignored their questions and turned to the direction of the forest. "Hakkai."

"Yes, sir?"

"Is there a river nearby?"

Deciding that the only way to know what was going on was to play along with him, he pulled the map from the dashboard and unfolded it. Quickly pinpointing where they were currently at, he lifted his gaze to meet the other man's expectant amethyst eyes and replied:

"There should be one close by but it's going to be out of our way."

"We're going to the direction of the river." The blonde monk said flatly. He turned to the direction of the thick foliage. "Lead the way, Hakkai."

"Seriously, guys. What the hell is going on?" Goku said irascibly, frustrated at not being let in on what seemed to be an important conversation between Hakkai and Sanzo.

"Just shut up and start moving. We don't have much time." The blonde snapped, glaring at the chimp.

"Now hold it for a moment, cleric!" Gojyo interjected, hopping off the jeep and stomping over to Sanzo. "We've been out here in the wilderness for days and the next village is a full day away from where we are right now. I don't know about you but I am sick of sleeping on the ground and eating food rations...no offense intended." The man added, focusing his crimson eyes on Hakkai's hurt expression. Turning to the monk again he continued, "Anyway if you're going to extend our suffering you can at least tell us what went up and died in your ass or give us a pretty good reason why we're postponing things for whatever's gotten you in knots today."

If Sanzo felt cornered, he did a good job of hiding it. Instead, the irritated priest let out a frustrated sigh and started walking towards the forest.

"Hey, don't turn your back on me!"

"If you don't want to come, fine. I don't have time for this bullshit." He answered acerbically.

"Hey Sanzo, wait for me!" Goku exclaimed, hopping off the jeep and running after his retreating figure.

"Why that son of a—" Gojyo sputtered, intending to stomp over to the monk again and beat the crap out of him.

"Gojyo." Hakkai's soft but firm tone and his hand on his left shoulder made him stop the train of murderous thoughts towards the blonde. "I say we go along with him for now."

"What, seriously, Hakkai? You're siding with that pompous bastard?" The redhead answered turning to look at his best friend's serious expression.

"Frankly I'm completely not up for it but he said something that concerned me." Hakkai watched Sanzo's retreating figure and moved to follow suit. "He said it twice it was uncharacteristic for a moody person like him who does not waste words on pointless conversations." He raised his hand and the jeep that they were riding in transformed into a miniature white dragon who landed gracefully on its master's shoulder with a happy 'squee'.

"Well, I must have missed it then." Gojyo, who was left with no choice, started walking alongside his best friend, his eyes, trained on the monk and the monkey before them.

"Considering that you were more focused on complaining about the lack of creature comforts, I don't blame you."

"Come on, man, sarcasm much? You are so blaming me here it's hurtin' my feelings."

"That point aside, didn't you hear what he said? He said that he 'didn't have much time' and that he 'didn't have time for this' when you confronted him. Whatever it is," The green-eyed scholar pondered thoughtfully, "I'm pretty sure that his reasons for suddenly wanting to head towards the river that was out of our way are not petty."

"Let's just hope so. I'm so tired of going along with him every single time."

"You have no right to say anything, Gojyo," Hakkai replied poignantly.

Observing the tensed figure of the obnoxious cleric before him and (weirdly) expecting a gunshot for having said such comment, the red-headed half-breed grudgingly conceded when his expectation was unfounded. What's worse than a bruised ego? He thought sardonically. Not having one because you're deceased. Damn it, I hate being in the wrong.

"Well, shit. He's troubled about something, isn't he?" He finally said.

"How it took you this long for things to finally realize he wasn't purposely being insensitive even if he almost always is, is beyond me. But then again, that's a good thing since your head is still intact."

"Yeah, and I suppose you aren't being callous by saying such unkind things to me, Hakkai."

The scholar just gave him an innocent look. "I'm merely stating facts, Gojyo."

"Whatever, man." Taking another drag from his cigarette, he exhaled wearily. "Ugh. I so hate this."

"I understand that he has a reason," The dark-haired man adjusted his monocle. "But I share your sentiment. At least, at the moment."

"Good, and you both will be thankful for sharing the same opinions when I send you two to the afterlife." Hearing Sanzo's biting response and seeing that he has fixed his eyes, sinister in the gleam that currently graced it, the two long-time friends proceeded walking onto the forest path with their mouths shut.

"Sanzo…" The young brunette finally said, sniffing the air around them.

"What is it?" The monk said, turning his attention to Goku. The teen gave him an uneasy stare then said, "I smell blood…and I smell the river." Whatever ire he felt for the two conversing bastards behind him dissipated in place of the sudden feeling of…somethingakin to fear.

"Blood?" Hakkai asked, suddenly alarmed he turned to look at the cleric's expression. So he sensed this even before realizing what it may be. That explains it.

"Which direction?" Sanzo demanded. Goku flinched at the other man's tone, unaccustomed to his sudden loss of composure. Geez. Sanzo's never gone this crazy even when he was angry with me for spilling juice on his monk robes."Goku, where?" The blonde repeated impatiently, effectively bringing the chimp out of his stupor. Giving himself a mental shake, he turned to the general direction of the scent.

"This way." He responded starting towards the thick foliage up ahead. "It seems to be coming from where the river is at.

The blonde monk turned to Hakkai and the scholarly man nodded at the wordless request—or command—behind his glance.

"What do you think it could be, Sanzo?"

"I don't know. The aura that I am sensing is neither benevolent nor evil but one thing is for sure: whatever it is, it is dying. And its voice is slowly fading."

They continued walking in the trail that Goku was leading them to until they could hear the river. Then, there was the soft rustling when the teen pushed the vegetation that impeded their sight of the clearing.

Damn it. Sanzo thought as he stepped into the open space. The sound of the river was present. But whatever motivated him to walk towards it seemed to be nowhere in sight—

"S-Sanzo, Hakkai, over here!" Goku yelled, filled with both fear and the sense of urgency at the teen's panicked tone, all three adults headed over to the large boulder where their youngest companion was currently standing.

…

"Help me….Anyone…help me… I don't want to die…I have to live no matter what…Somebody save me…"

"Shut up. I have come to lay your fears to rest. So stop being afraid; it's annoying."

…Who are you?

"Live, and you'll know. I can't be bothered to read sutras for the dead."

And for a moment, in his mind's eye, Sanzo saw a red flower blooming, as though it was expressing its joy to feel his presence.

I'm sorry for frightening you…came the whisper as soft and as gentle as the sound of the flowing river.

The monk closed his eyes and tried to visualize a red string. When he saw it, he entwined his fingers around it and held on then said nothing else.

…

"Hakkai!" Goku pleaded, even as his gentle companion was kneeling towards the bleeding, crumpled form of the girl. She had long dark hair, almost the same shade as his but he could not see her face because it acted as a curtain and covered it.

"I'm right here, Goku. The blood is coming from her abdomen. It's a stab wound. She's been bleeding for a while. Here," he ordered the teen urgently. "Help me turn her to her back gently; hurry." He urged, touching the girl's clammy skin and feeling for the girl's pulse. Not good. It's fading."We don't have time. Gojyo, I need you to get and wet some towels so we can wash her wound. Also, please get the bandages and the antiseptic." The redhead nodded and turned to hastily retrieve the requested items from their luggage and do as his friend said.

Rolling his sleeves and muttering a silent apology to the mysterious foreigner, he proceeded to unbutton the woman's blouse. He came upon the area where her injury was and lifted his hand expectantly towards the redhead behind him. Gojyo handed him one of the damp fabrics and he proceeded on wiping the blood and disinfecting the injured area. "Okay," He finally said when he could see the extent of the damage caused by the injury. "It didn't seem to have punctured any vital organs. I can close her wound with my Chi."

"Is there anything else that we can do?" Goku asked trying to avert his eyes from the half-naked girl.

"Pray," Hakkai replied somberly. "She's lost a lot of blood and unless she gets a transfusion, she will die." Directing the center of his palms at the opened laceration on her abdomen, he began directing his life force to it.

Moments later, he lifted his bloodied hand, the ball of Chi which glowed like an orb from the center of his palms, now gone. Turning to Sanzo, the healer glanced at the monk, and he, in turn, turned towards the river. "You've done all you could. Now we wait."

"She's brave," Gojyo commented as he looked at the bloodstained outfit of the girl to the trail of blood that came up to the line of foliage a few feet from the edge of the river. "She must have crawled all the way here thinking that there was a better chance of finding help. I wonder what she looks like."

"I'd say stupid," Sanzo replied. He might have spoken with the girl's soul but she wasn't out of imminent danger yet. His violet eyes traced the trail of blood from her pale, limp body to the border of the vegetation where they came from.

"I hope she'll be alright…" Goku mumbled, his cheeks still stained beet red.

"Ha! What is this?! Someone's looking red!" Gojyo blurted out, bemusedly.

"Shut up you red-headed cockroach!" The brunette fired back, trying to conceal his face with his sleeve.

"Oh, fuck! You blushing!?" The red-head guffawed. "Seen more than what you're used to? Oh my, our little munchkin monkey is finally growing up—"

"Wha— of course, I'm blushing! She's—she's a girl!" The chimp cut in trying to fight his way out of the older man's playful headlock. "Besides he had to…" He stuttered blushing even more deeply. "Hakkai had to…to…" he closed his eyes and tried to look away from the dirty, bloodied pile of clothes by the tent's entrance.

"Stupid chimp." The redhead replied, still amused by the teen's reaction. He released the brunette from his arm and then patted his head. His voice was almost gentle. "We had no choice. Hakkai had no choice. He's a healer, and no matter what, he had to make sure that she is alright. That everything is alright. So take your monkey brain off the gutter. Hakkai's not that kind of man."

"Oh, but you are." The brunette sneered and gave him a pointed stare which resulted in him being put in a headlock once again. "Hey! Let me go! Let me go, damn it!"

"Idiot! What sort of person do you think I am, you red-faced chimp?"

"You're that kind of person! The hell are you offended for, ya damn kappa!? I was just tellin' the truth!"

"Why you…"

Clink!

The sound of metal cap closing drew both Gojyo and Goku's attention to the blond monk who, up until that very the point, had not uttered a single word.

From where he was sitting, Sanzo lit a cigarette, took a drag from it, and then exhaled. When he said nothing, both Goku and Gojyo turned to him, surprised that he hadn't even tried to stop their brief squabble. The blonde, in turn, gave them and irritated stare as he stores his silver lighter in his sleeve then said:

"I don't have it in me right now to babysit you fucks while you poke fun at her wardrobe situation. There is still a possibility we'll deal with disposing of a corpse in the morning." He snapped, taking a long drag from his cig. "If you can't sit still at the site of bloodied woman's clothes, then fucking look the other way and shut it. The night is not over."

Having been verbally slapped by the grimness of the situation and the intensity of the monk's response, both the chimp and the red-head sat back down and said no more.

"Goku, can you please help set up camp with Gojyo. Sanzo, please fetch me some blankets so we can cover her. I'll tend to her more superficial wounds." Hakkai said as he stood up and headed over to the water to wash the blood from his hands and moisten another piece of cloth to tend to the abrasions on her hands, knees, feet, and her face.

I guess Sanzo is not the only one out of character today.

Hakkai thought, bending down towards the girl and gently lifting her hand to wipe the grime from it. Normally, Goku and Gojyo would start arguing and Sanzo would have lost his cool and shoot at them. And as for me… He continued as he took the girl's other arm to wipe it. No good. We'll need to get her some ointment to prevent scarring. She has really pretty skin too.

Sighing, he moved to brush the tendrils of dark hair from her face.

Then froze.

"H-how can this be?" He muttered turning as white as a sheet. "Kanan…"

A/n: The Flower of the Other Shore is a longer name for Spider Lilies. This flower has been associated with death because, as Jiroushin said, they have been planted in graveyards. The reasoning for this is because the flower's bulb is very poisonous and is, therefore, an effective deterrent to vermin so that the people's departed would not be eaten or desecrated.

I would like to hear what you thought of this first chapter so far. Thank you for reading!