Disclaimers: I do not own Saiyuki, though if you want to sell it I'm up for the deal! :heart: I do not own any of the characters (still willing to buy) But I do own the Sashin family.
I know that 'original characters' are frowned on, but in Saiyuki bad guys never last very long y'know :3 All of the old characters are included, don't worry. Now then:
The Man From Yesterday
Chapter 1
The smoky bar was calm and still, it seemed completely normal, all except the four cloaked men sitting closest to the door.
"Get offa me you dumb ass monkey!!" Gojyo yelled, pushing Goku by his face to the floor.
"I blame you, Gojyo. I told you not to let him drink." Hakkai said in his I-told-you-so manner, the smirk not leaving his face.
"Do you even know how old he is?! It was time for his first drink!" Gojyo exclaimed, pushing Goku away again. "How th' hell was I supposed to know he was such a lightweight?!"
"All three of you shut the hell up!" Sanzo growled. As usual the priest craved the quiet. His head was pounding hard. It took all of his will to take his twitching hand off of his banishing gun. Shooting them would make it silent, but what a mess it would be.
"Well iffu wanted quiet whydju come to a bar?" Goku asked, his words slurred. He smiled childishly as he hanged from Gojyo.
Sanzo's eyes twitched. He put his cigarette butt out in an ashtray, right next to the fifteen he had smoked before. He sighed deeply, trying to keep his composure, his purple eyes failing to hide his annoyance. He lit up cigarette number seventeen and took a hit.
"Answer my question, preisty" Goku said, getting testy in his drunken state.
"Shut yer mouth!." Sanzo snapped back at him, but he dropped it there.
"Damn! If that were me you'da shot me in a second! Why th' hell is he so special?!"Gojyo asked, struggling to pull Goku off of him.
"Shut the hell up before I shoot you both!!" Sanzo yelled. "Hakkai, would you keep them under control?!" He glared back at the ashtray and took a long hit off of his cigarette.
Hakkai sighed, his smile never leaving his lips. He was trapped as the mother figure to a fighting Kappa and Monkey, and worse then that he is the keeper of a gun weilding grouch.
How delightful.
When they finally got Goku to settle down Gojyo got a plan. He hated being nice to Goku when he could be mean, so Gojyo lit up a cigaratte and inhaled deeply before blowing the smoke into Goku's face. Gojyo truly couldn't stay civil.
"Hey watch it, ass hole!!" Goku yelled, coughing.
Gojyo laughed for a long moment, but then somthing interesting cought his eye. There, in the oposite corner of the bar was a woman wearing a very familure cloak and glasses get up, and, fortunatly for him, she was alone. Gojyo didn't hide his devious smile. He took another drink from his glass and stood up. He handed his cigarette to the drunken Goku and he walked towords the unsuspecting woman.
Gojyo sat next to the woman with a blatant disregard for what she wanted. He shot his famous 'hello, I'm Gojyo, the man of your dreams' smile before he spoke to her.
"Hey beautiful, what's your name?" he said, not realizing how buzzed he sounded.
The woman looked at him, complete shocked for a moment.
"K….Kuro…" she replied after a moment. Her voice shook, almost as if she was afraid.
"So, could I buy you a drink?" Gojyo asked, alcohol still on his mind.
The woman still looked uneasy, like she was trying to hide something, but when she looked over his shoulder and her eyes landed on Sanzo her composure changed. She smirked devilishly back at Gojyo.
"Sure you can, but first.. what's your name?" she shot him her best smile.
Gojyo looked shocked that he didn't get slapped.
"My name? It's Gojyo, Sha Gojyo." He smirked as he spoke.
As Gojyo stood to order the drinks Kuro's eyes left him and went back to Sanzo. Her devilish grin met her lips again.
Suddenly Hakkai raised his voice.
"What ARE you doing Goku?!" he yelled.
This got Gojyo's attention. Usually when people yelled it was to say he did something wrong. Kuro and Gojyo both starred at him, a little surprised.
"I will NOT allow this!!" He yelled taking a cigarette from a coughing Goku, dropping it to the floor, and stomping it out. "I have a hard enough time dealing with Sanzo and Gojyo's smoking like freight trains!! I will NOT allow you to start!!."
"Ok MOM, shut the hell up!" Goku grabbed the sides of his head. The hangover was starting to come.
Sanzo, who looked very annoyed, stood and walked outside, you could hear him yelling on the way out: "You jerks damage my reputation everyday!!"
Gojyo couldn't help but laugh.
"I can't believe the monkey took a hit!"
He walked over and handed the drink to the mysterious woman. He sat down and took a drink of his own. She was smiling, clearly amused by the outburst. She smiled down at her drink, and then over at Gojyo, but then her lips turned into a frown. Almost like she was shocked by something. It was then that she brought the cup to her lips and drank the whole drink in one gulp. Gojyo almost choked on his drink, he was so amazed by it..
"I think I like you." He said grinning.
She shot a smile back. "Let's step outside." She replied in a small voice.
At this point Gojyo would go anywhere with her. He was thinking with the wrong head. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and the best part was, she still didn't slap him. To him, it was a good day.
Together they walked past Hakkai and Goku and out the door. Hakkai and Goku exchanged glances as if to say 'we need to save her' and the two of them walked out behind Gojyo and Kuro.
"I came out here to here to get away from you people. Who th' hell is she?" Sanzo growled dropping cigarette seventeen on the ground and stomping on it.
"Oh, Gojyo, who is this?" Hakkai asked with a smile, trying to be polite where Sanzo failed to be.
"My name is Kuro." She replied with a smile on her face, but for some reason she looked like she was uneasy being that close to Gojyo.
Hakkai watched her intently. She seemed suspicious.
"And where are you from?" Hakkai asked her, smiling idly.
She looked nerves.
"Oh, I'm from a little village not to far from here." She replied waving her hand a little. She hoped it would stop the conversation. "And where are you four from?"
"Well--" Hakkai started to speak but was interrupted by Goku.
"The mountains." He was eager to talk to the girl, she struck his interest. He smiled widely, like a child. His cheeks were reddening from the alcohol.
"The mountains, huh? I bet it was fantastic!!" She replied, her smile intact.
"Not really." Goku replied. His interest switched to Sanzo as he tried to mimic the way he was standing. "It was hell actually." Goku said finally. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms like Sanzo, who looked annoyed.
"And where are you from?" Kuro asked, giggling lightly at Goku's behavior.
Hakkai and Gojyo both opened their mouths, taking the chance to reply to her, but Sanzo beat them to it.
"Tch.. Earth." The priest said, his arms still crossed. You could tell he just wanted to find a hotel and go to bed.
"That's kind of vague, don'tcha think?" she said back, frowning.
"What the hell does it matter where we came from? We're here now that's all that matters." Sanzo replied.
She grew quiet. You couldn't fight Sanzo's logic.
Gojyo noticed that she was admireing him, watching him closely. This made him slightly jealous, he was the one she was supposed to be flirting with. He pulled her attention back to him by running his fingers through the long black strand of hair in front of her face. Kuro's eyes grew wide and she grew uneasy. It was then that Hakkai noticed her eyes past her sun glasses.
"Those are beautiful red eyes you have, m'am." He said, bringing it to everyone's attention.
She froze, looking almost paralyzed.
"So we have us a youkai lady do we?" Gojyo asked with a smile on his face. He revealed his own red eyes to make sure she didn't worry and run away.
"They don't like youkai around here." She whispered. "I was ran out of my village, that's why I'm in disguise, and why I dye my hair."
Gojyo found an opening in her words.
"Hey, maybe you should come with us." He slid himself infront of Kuro and brushed the hair from her face. "I will protect you."
Kuro was quiet for a long moment, almost like she was fighting laughing… or screaming. Finally she jumped back away from Gojyo.
"Damn!! This is way to awkward!!" Kuro said in a more masculine voice. Kuro took off the glasses and dropped them and then pulled off his cloak, revealing himself as a boy.
He was wearing a baggy outfit, he had short red hair and one long black strand for bangs it fully showed his pointed youkai ears. His red eyes shone.
Gojyo was shocked.
"Who taught you manners, Sha Gojyo!!" Kuro yelled, rubbing his arms, trying to wipe the awkwardness from his body. "That was way to fast! Did I look that easy?!"
It finally sunk in for Gojyo. All those thoughts he had in the bar came rushing back to him.
"Oh son of a bitch!!" He yelled leaning on the way, not looking very well. He put his hand on his forehead. "Man that's gay!!"
"I KNEW you were gay!!" Goku laughed at him.
"I knew you were hiding something, Kuro." Hakkai said, being the only one to attack the real issue.
"My name is Kuroryu! Gojyo's punk ass wouldn't let me finish it!" Kuroryu replied. "I'm surprised you don't remember me." He added with a laugh.
"What do you mean 'remember'?" Sanzo asked.
"Sha Gojyo!! You disappoint me!!" Kuroryu said, ignoring Sanzo's question. "What are you doing hanging around with humans?! And a priest none the less!!"
"Pardon! We're not all humans!!" Goku said, forgetting the important part of the argument.
"Oh please! You're no better then one!! You cling to them for dear life, like they actually care about you! They don't care about you, you're a monster to them! This is a game!" Kuroryu cackled.
"You don't know a damn thing about us, ass hole!" Sanzo snapped at him. "And what the hell do you mean this is a 'game'?"
"My, my! Watch your mouth Genjyo Sanzo, perhaps you should pay attention to your little pet Goku, he looks like he's going to fall over!" Kuroryu laughed again.
Everyone else got quiet. They had stayed so quiet lately, people had stopped talking about them. Kuroryu noticed they're silence but turned to Hakkai who opened his mouth to ask a quiestion.
"What's wrong Cho Hakkai? Did you think I would challenge a group of people without doing my homework?" He kicked a rock pretending to pout. "Honestly I don't see what's so great about the 'fierce' Sanzo party. You don't seem all that strong to me." He grinned at the scowling group. "But, none-the-less... hold tight to that maten sutra of yours Genjyo Sanzo, I'll be back for it."
Kuroryu turned his back on the group and red wings tore through the skin of his back. Just as quick as a flash the man was gone, up into the sky.
They all starred for a moment, mourning the fact that they can't catch a break. Then Sanzo hauled off and punched Gojyo in the back of his head.
"Damn it! Why th' hell did you have to go gay and flirt with a man?!" He yelled.
"Don't remind me, damn it!" Gojyo rubbed the back of his head. "Don't you think I've been punished enough?! Whadda buzz kill! Jeez..."
Nothing could kill Goku's buzz, however. He cheerfully threw one arm over Gojyo's shoulder and the other around Sanzo's.
"Don't worry guys! It's just another big mouthed enemy! If we can handle Lirin we can handle this guy!! Even if Gojyo has a thing for him!" Goku laughed.
"Shut the hell up! Keep me out of your gay fantasies!!" Gojyo pushed Goku away again.
"It's been a long day everyone, lets find a hotel and get some rest." Hakkai said, trying to calm everyone down so he could have a moment to think.
They all followed behind him, Sanzo was pissed, and Gojyo and Goku were fussing. So luckily for Hakkai it wasn't hard to find a hotel in this city, the only problem was they had to get one room with four beds.
That meant that Sanzo would be stuck with them all... all night.
When they walked into the one bedroom, one bathroom, one kitchen hotel room Goku immediatly claimed his bed by jumping up and down on it and throwing himself back on the pillow. Hakkai, who was taking his cloak off, looked at Hakuryu who had been resting on his shoulders. Hakkai's eyes told the message. Hakuryu flew over and landed on Goku. He was supposed to calm the drunken monkey down in some way.
Gojyo made his way to the table. He took a swig of vodka he had seemingly taken from the bar and hid in his cloak. Hakkai just shook his head at the kappa. He could tell somthing was distressing him, which didn't happen often. If somthing was bothering Gojyo usually he could hide it better. He took another swig of the drink and then lay his head on the table and covered his face with his arms. He was deep in thought. Somthing about that man bothered him. It brought back bad memories, but he couldn't figure out why.
Sanzo sat at the oposite corner of the table and lit up a cigarette, and watched Gojyo. Hakkai leaned on a wall, his arms folded, and he did the same.
Gojyo could feel them starring and he hated it. He knew what they wanted, but he couldn't help them. They wanted him to remember, but that's why he started drinking. To forget.
Finally Hakkai spoke.
"So, who is he Gojyo?" He asked bluntly.
Gojyo glared over his arm. Slowly he tipped the vodka bottle and took another drink, ignoring Hakkai's question.
"Are you going to say somthing?" Sanzo asked in his normal tone.
Gojyo sighed angrily before speaking.
"I don't know who in the fuck he is! But his name... his damn name sounds familure." he glared up at them again. "I knew him when I was a child, if I knew him at all."
"But you don't remember anything?" Hakkai asked.
"All I remember is.." he paused for a moment, "His name is Kuroryu Sashin.. I think... and he makes everything into a game." he buried his head again, trying to think of more.
"And that's all you remember?" Hakkai asked.
"Yes." Gojyo growled back.
"Maybe you'll remember more if you're sober." Sanzo said, yanking the vodka from Gojyo's hand and putting it upside down in the sink. He didn't like the way he was snapping at them for no reason. It got on Sanzo's nerves.
"Screw you, priest." Gojyo said angrily looking at his empty hand.
Sanzo ignored him and walked over to the closest bed and collapsed on it.
"I still don't understand why the hell I got stuck with you people." Sanzo said aloud to no one in particular. "Now everyone shut up so I can sleep." And with that Sanzo rolled over, facing the wall, and covered himself up. He had a headache, second hand hangover, and now he had another little pest following him around. Sleep was the perfect way out.
Gojyo stayed at the table trying to think. The only sound in the house was Goku's small snore and the strange sound Hakuryu makes when he sleeps. It didn't take them long to fall asleep. Or passout.
Hakkai was still watching Gojyo closely. Finally he took a deep breath and spoke again..
"Don't worry too much about it Gojyo, and stop beating yoruself up over it." he starred at the unresponsive Gojyo. "Just... get some sleep then.. you look tired." He finished. You could hear the weariness in his voice. He flashed his motherly smile by instict and headed to his own be, flipping off the light switch and laying down.
It was quiet again, and Gojyo was left alone in the dark.
This is past the point of 'not worrying' he thought to himself.
There was somthing about Kuroryu that bothered him terribly. He could remember the face, and he could remember the name, but he couldn't remember anything else. He was having flashed from his childhood. Kuroryu was there, but the backgrounds were blurred around him. He didn't know what was going on or why they knew eachother. Gojyo could feel his heartbeat in his head and he had a queaziness in his stomach. The alcohol was catching with him, so he did as Hakkai suggested. He made his way to the last bed and and layed down.
He tossed and turned trying to find a way to be comfertable, but no matter what he did he couldn't get that way. Finally he just stopped moving and closed his eyes, trying to chase today from his thoughts. He could still hear the cackling in his head, almost as if it was happening right next to his head. He didn't know who Kuroryu was or what Kuroryu wanted from him, but before he could think anymore into it sleep found him, it didn't take long for his memories to haunt his slumber.
Memories?
To him.. they were more like nightmares.
The Man From Yesterday Chapter 1:
End
(what do you think?)