Saiyuki: Check Mate (Saiyuki Fan-fiction)

Chapter 4

((Dreaming))

I opened my eyes, and I was chained tightly to a chair. The room was extremely dark, but there appeared to be a girl with long green hair and lively eyes. I recognized those colors and her body form. She was in chains too, but instead of in a chair, she was attached to a wall. She lightly opened her eyes and smiled at me. "Seichi..." I knew who she was now. I couldn't speak or move. A cold tear slipped down the side of my cheek. "Ganah..." I thought to myself as I smiled. It appeared that she knew that I had realized who she was, and she began struggling to separate herself from the chains, but they were too tight. "Seichi... I just wanna say that I'm sorry... I'm resting up inside the Mansion, but... N-nevermind. Don't come after me..." She hesitated to say. "I don't deserve to be saved." I gave her a solemn and confused look. "No matter what you hear... No matter what I do... I'll always love you, Seichi!" She began to cry and wail uncontrollably. 

((Present Time))

I opened my eyes again, but Hakkai was patting me on the shoulder urging me to wake up. "Seichi? It's time to get up. It's past 12, and you should really get something in your stomach." I felt stiff and groggy like I was paralyzed. I shifted my gaze to Hakkai's direction, but I saw Ganah's face in place of his. "Hm? What's going on... Ganah?" I squinted my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Ganah gave me a confused look and her image suddenly faded away back into Hakkai. The man glared at me in a worried manner. "Ganah?" I forced myself to sit up. "Oh, sorry Hakkai!" I yelled as I fully realized who he was. "I didn't mean... to call you... What did I say?" I asked while scratching my head. I instantly forgot what we were talking about. Hakkai gently placed his hand on my forehead; he looked even more concerned than he already was. "It's alright; you called me Ganah by mistake." He said with a smile. "But on a more serious note, you're running a bad fever." I was losing myself in the conversation, making it very hard for me to understand what he was saying. "So that means I have to go catch it, right?" Hakkai shot me another worried look. "... You'd better take it easy. I have a feeling this fever won't give up so soon." I looked around the room searching for the others, but me and Hakkai were the only ones in the room. 'Where have the others gone?" I asked while wiping my forehead. I suddenly realized I was sweating heavily. "They went to the restaurant across from here." My heart slowly relaxed at the fact of knowing the others were okay. "Oh." I sighed. "We should go join them!" Hakkai stood up and crossed his arms. "You're in no condition to go anywhere right now." I gave Hakkai the sad puppy eyes; I really wanted to go meet the others and see how they were holding up... and I was kind of hungry, too. "Hakkai, I'll be fine. I promise." I lied to him; I had to do it. I felt the need to prove that I'm not the weakest link OR the parasite to the team. Hakkai stared at me for a moment as if in thought. I was trying to study him and figure out where his mind was at. "Please Hakkai." I pleaded. "I'm trying to show you that I don't need you to baby me..." I felt like I hurt Hakkai's pride, but it was the truth. I didn't want him to baby me. I want to be independent and self-serving. "Is that what this is about?" He smiled. "You don't have to prove anything to me. I know that you're strong-willed." He began. "But sometimes, strong people need a helping hand." I gave him a cheerful smile. "Thanks Hakkai." He nodded his head and wrapped my arm over his shoulder. "Well what are we waiting for?" I gazed into his eyes and giggled. As I tried to stand up, it felt like needles were poking every vertebrae in my body. It took all my mental strength not to make a sound. 

[At the restaurant]

Hakkai pushed opened the double doors and a loud ring was heard from above us. Gojyo and Goku both shifted their glance in our direction with a wide smile. "Seichi! You're finally up!" Greeted Gojyo. "Haha, yeah!" I replied as I scratched my head. Hakkai pulled out a chair right next to Sanzo and gestured for me to sit down with a smile. I returned his smile and sat down. I then rested my forehead onto my palms, staring straight down at the table. Me? Sitting right next to Sanzo? I wonder what he's thinking about. "Seichi?" asked Hakkai, as he grabbed my attention."Would you like me to place an order for you? Soup, perhaps?" I lifted my head and gave Hakkai the fake-st smile yet. "Thank you, Hakkai... But no. I probably wouldn't eat it, anyway." I hesitated. "I'm... Not hungry."Hakkai gave me a look of concern. "Are you sure, Seichi? You should really get something in your stomach." I shook my head, signaling that I was just fine and resumed to staring back at the table. I noticed that five drops of sweat had already fallen onto the table top. Maybe I just have a head cold. What else would it be? It could be that barrier... Or the Spirit that possessed me... Maybe this is how I'm recovering from that event that happened yesterday. I slumped down deep into my chair and threw down my arms."Mmmm! This food is SO yummy!" Yelled Goku, while munching on an Onigiri. "You damn monkey! You just ate my Onigiri!" Pitched Gojyo."Hey! It was for everyone, and I just so happened to get it first!"Goku began to grab the plate with egg rolls on them. "Oh yeah?"challenged Gojyo, as he snatched all the egg rolls off of the plate and dished them directly into his mouth. "Heh heh." He smirked. Goku became very aggravated. "Hey! Those were mine!" Gojyo patted Goku on the head."Well, I didn't see your name on them!" Goku slapped his hand away."How am I supposed to write my name on food?!" Two gun shots fired and the whole cafeteria fell dead silent. "Shut up! You're giving me a headache!" Roared Sanzo while still aiming his gun at the both of them."Yipe!" They exclaimed, and quickly continued to eat, peacefully. After a few moments passed, the cafeteria slowly started to get noisy and rowdy again."Hey, have you heard about that Mansion in the middle of nowhere?" Asked a random man talking with his friend. "Yeah. Rumor says that there's a sweet hottie that lives there!" Informed the other man. "Yeah, but don't let looks deceive you! They also say that she killed her parents, and all of her siblings except for ONE!" They both laughed among themselves. "I wonder what was so special about the one she kept alive." he smirked."Maybe the girl was hotter than she was, so she wants to torture the living day light out of her!" That's it. I have to get back in that Mansion. Ganah must be in there. I know that she didn't want to be saved, but still! She's my sister and I care for my family. She's the reason I joined the Sanzo Party. I'll never forget that note they sent me of her being kidnapped. I quickly got out of my seat and started for the exit. "Where the hell d'you think you're going?" Asked Sanzo, while hissing out a cloud of smoke. I slowly turned around and glared at Sanzo."To that Mansion..." I simply replied. Hakkai gave me a look of concern. "Are you sure that you're feeling up to it?" I brushed my bang behind my ear. "Yeah, it's... Something I have to do..." I exited the room and headed for the mansion. "What shall we do, Sanzo?" Gojyo stood up, and exited with his last words. "I'm going with her." Goku started rushing up after him with a meat bun in his hand. "W-wait for me, Gojyo!" Sanzo and Hakkai both sat there in silence for a while. "Well..." announced green eyed Demon as he stood up, dusting off his clothing and wiped his mouth. "I guess we should go with them." The Priest crushed his Cigar between his two fingers."Tch." Demon opened the exit door and said to Sanzo, "We wouldn't want to relive the predicament we were in with Gojyo running off, now would we?"