Hot. That’s what was on everyone’s mind. The desert’s heat was too unbearable for Sanzo and his friends to take it as they were seriously injured by an underground desert demon guarding the Evil Sutra. Hakuryu’s constant ‘kyuuuu’ was annoying to Sanzo. Though being injured, he shouted “Urusai!” But before he could ‘click’ his gun, they fainted onto the burning hot soft sand. Wind blew hard and they were nearly buried by the sand. Sanzo could hardly open his eyes.
“Baka… We’re dying too soon…” Sanzo took his last breath and suddenly, before he closes his eyes, he saw a bright glowing white light appeared in front of him. It was a blurred vision of an angel-like woman standing above him. She had long black hair, which seems never-ending. He raised his gun at her.
“Who… ”
“Shhh… …” The woman replied with a healing smile. She touched him and he closed his eyes, feeling quite healed already as though the touch was so magical. Before he could even ask who she was, he blacked out.

Morning came and birds chirped cheerfully outside the window. The sun was as hot as ever. The air smelled of dried hot sand. Sanzo opened his eyes and searched the ceiling for a while before coming to his senses that he was in a room.
“Good to see you’re awake for after 3 days.” Hakkai smiled at him.
“What happened? Where are we?”
“We are in a nearby village. A boy told us that a goddess came to rescue us and brought us to here. All he could remember about her was black hair.” This pricked Sanzo’s ears.
“Black hair” Just like what he remembered seeing before passing out.
“Where’s that boy?” Sanzo asked as he got up. “Arghh…my injuries still’s not healed.” He lied back down again.
“Maa Maa…Don’t get so worked up. I’ll go get the boy.” Hakkai replied before leaving the room. Sanzo lay quietly on the bed, listening to the annoying conversation in the next room. Two veins popped up while listening to it [water-dropped].
“Get off my bed you stupid shriveled-up water monster!” Goku insisted. Goyjo just stuck his tongue out at him.
“Here’s the boy Sanzo. Why you need him?” The boy entered the room with fresh bandages on a tray. There is also a strange holy bottle of medicine with it too.
“You said that you saw a woman bringing us to your village right? Does she have long hair?”
“Yes! It is black too. She looks like a goddess!! She has strange symbols with her. But she told me to be quiet about it. I guess I’ve broken the promise.” The boy told with enthusiasm, handing them their medicine and bandages.
“Oh! I’ve just remembered! This bottle of healing potion is for you Sanzo. She specially gave this to me to pass it to you to use it on your wounds. As for the rest, she has already healed all your wounds.” The boy showed the bottle to him.
“Drink it, not apply. I have to go now.” The boy said before leaving the room, leaving the tray behind.
“She’s so good to us. Rescued us, heal us and even gave you a potion to heal your wound even faster. She might really be a goddess.”
“I have a feeling she is.” Sanzo replied, placing his hand on the wounds to get up and see the bottle. He took it with some trouble [together with some help from Hakkai] and examined it closely.
“It is indeed a bottle from a goddess. Look at these heavenly symbols carved rounds it.” Sanzo pointed out. Hakkai looked at it closely too and saw it was true.
“Well, I’ll drink it now to see if it really is a potion or poison.” Sanzo replied. Hakkai looked disbelief.
“Don’t be so negative. Just drink it as a potion.” Hakkai sweat-dropped as Sanzo drank it in a big gulp. “Ahhhh!”
“Well?”
“I don’t know. Don’t feel any different. Must be a fake one.” Sanzo threw the bottle away and got off the bed without any difficulties.
“Look! You can get off the bed!”
“So?”
“Think!!!”
“Oh…! Let me take off those bandages too.” Sanzo tore them off and the wounds are magically gone.
“There! This proves she’s a goddess.”

On the rooftop

“Of course I am…” Yue replied quietly to herself. She was just on the rooftop and overheard the conversation. As she was about to get up and leave, she accidentally dropped one of her crests. All the more it dropped into the room in which, they were occupying.
“Oh no…just what I needed. Some appearance.” Yue noted with reluctance.
“Look! What’s that on the floor?” Goku asked curiously, and hopped happily towards it and picked it up. He turned and asked Gojyo again.
“It’s mine… ” Yue replied.
“Oh… …Ahhh??!!!” Goku was shocked inside out. “Who… …Who ARE you???”
“I can’t tell you…please return the Earth Crest to me.” Yue stretched out her hand to get it back. Goku was practically rooted to the ground, staring at her endlessly. Gojyo took the opportunity to seduce Yue. He run his hand through his hair and suddenly looked so shining and sparkling like every other times with a woman. Goku turn to a corner and vomited all his half-digested buns out. Gojyo looked at him with a spark in his eyes and raised his weapon threateningly at him. [Goku shrinks in fear and sweats-dropped.] Yue covered her mouth and giggled quietly.
“Baka!! Shi-ne you people!” Sanzo shouted angrily as he pushed the door opened. Yue looked quite taken aback. She got a shock when she saw Sanzo. He reminded her of Konzen. Time seemed to pause momentarily for both of them. She realized and quickly looked away from him and took the fallen crest from Goku’s hand on the floor and ‘escaped’ through the window, in the nick of time before Sanzo could try to grab her ends of her dress, calling, “Wait Yue!”

Night came and they were at the same inn eating their dinner before turning in for the night. Goku was busy stuffing himself with buns, not caring about the conversation Hakkai, Gojyo and Sanzo were having.
“Who’s Yue? You haven’t told us a single thing about her?” Gojyo asked.
“… … … …” Sanzo kept quiet.
“C’mon… …” Gojyo pressed the matter on. Sanzo didn’t look quite happy when he got ready his fan. Gojyo sweat-drops. Hakkai just smiled.
“She looks just like a friend I used to know from somewhere. But, it’s a long ago story… …I don’t want to bring it up again.” Sanzo just answered flatly, waving his fingers round his glass of wine.
“Night. I’m turning in.” Sanzo stood up and left straight away without any further ado. Others just went back to their dinner.
Air was so cool like water from the river that allowed everybody to sleep like logs. Sanzo was having a terrible nightmare of a strangely familiar god.

Or is it really a just nightmare?

“Konzen Konzen Konzen! Wait up!” Young Yue [not really young, but certainly younger than Konzen] shouted after him breathlessly, for running for so long just to catch up with him.
“Nani?!” Konzen asked irritatingly.
“Look at this! Isn’t this cute?” She showed him a newborn yellow baby chick. Homura happened to be around but he hid behind a pillar, watching them.
“It’s very cute Yue. Now, I need to go somewhere important ok?”
“Like skipping from your duty Konzen?” Yue said haughtily. Konzen just smiled a little and went away hurriedly. Yue just stuck her tongue out at him. She turns to return back to her room, only to see her future match-made husband [from some rumors] behind the pillar.
“What are you doing with him? Aren’t you supposed to be practicing the combination with me?” Homura questioned her. Yue looked unhappy but was thinking of something to say. However, Homura walked towards her and hugged her instead.
“It’s ok. Just be sure that don’t be with Konzen that often.” Homura whispered gently while he played with her hair. Yue was quite puffed up when she heard, “Don’t go near Konzen that often” and so, she pushed him away and said, on the verge to cry, “You just don’t understand anything about me at all!! You still love Rinrei with all your heart! I can still feel it in your heart and soul. Don’t ever come near me again!” With this, she ran away with the frightened chick, tears silently flowing out as she ran. Homura could just be rooted there and watch her run.

Things happen to fast…sometimes you can’t make it right in time.

Sanzo got up with a shock, and further shock to see a woman on him, well, actually beside him.
“Who are you?”
“Come outside with me. It’s much easier to talk outside.”
“What’s so important that we’ve got to be alone?” Sanzo grumbled but in a flash, he was transported outside. He looked around suspiciously.
“It’s no use fighting against the power of gods.”
“What’s the important matter you need to tell me in private? Make it snappy.” Sanzo said unhappily.
“Your journey in the future will be more entertained now. There’ll be somebody warming up your loneliness from now on.” Kanzeon Bosatsu replied, with a company behind her before disappearing away.
“She is Yue, Goddess of Peace and Love.” Her bodiless voice trailed away, leaving Sanzo alone with a complete stranger.
“Thank you Kanzeon Bosatsu.” Yue appeared from the shadows and made a holy sign before him.
“Yue? The Goddess of Peace and Love?” Sanzo asked in a bored tone.
“You still remember me? Konzen?” Yue asked. Sanzo turned and shook his head, added something nasty to her, “Get lost. I don’t want to have another burden with me.” Yue looked hurt, but in her heart she knows his attitude, his original attitude. She replied with a smile, “Fine if that’s what you want. Bye then.” She turned and walked slowly away.

~T.B.C~
Disclaimer: Obviously not me.
Reviews will be entertained! It gives me the inspiration to continue and better my articles. Jaa ne!
Next chapter’s title: Morning Came & Went