Rating: M

Parings: 39, 58

Warnings: Gender bender, lemon, bad '20's slang, Gangsta Gojyo.

A/N: Thank you for clicking on Checkmate! I hope you enjoy the show. And since the Prologue is so short I'll post up the first chapter with it. I would very much appreciate it if you could leave your comments as you read. Please and thank you!

Checkmate

Prologue: Game Start

There's a funny thing about religion, once it's in your life, it never gets out. I'm not saying that if you're introduced to a religion in your childhood you will stay devoted and loyal for the rest of your life. Some people are like that, but others might turn away, for whatever reason. But onceit has been introduced to you, it'll always be there. Whether you grow to resent it, or love it, embrace it or accept it, religion flows through your blood forevermore.

This seems to hold true for reincarnation as well. I've noticed throughout my lifetime and othersthat we're all entwined. There are a few things I've noticed that do this, but for the sake of my tale, we shall focus on religion.

First, let me introduce you to our cast and crew you know all too well. Our little Genjyo Sanzo, mighty Buddhist priest, is now only eighteen wee years old in this tale. Isn't that funny? When he was reincarnated, he was given the name James Goldman. But for the sake of our tale, I'll just call him Sanzo. You probably know him better as that.

The second actor on our stage would be none other than little Son Goku, who is no older than seventeen in our tale. His name is Alex McClain in this lifetime, but, again I shall simply refer to him as Goku. It'll be less confusing in the long run.

There are other actors who will enter and exit our stage as our little drama of murder and religion continues to play out. However, for now, we will focus on these two. They always seem so good at getting into trouble, don't they? Well, it wouldn't be any fun if they didn't now.

Who am I, you may ask? Good question, good question. For now, all I will say is that you know me, and you know me well. Rack your brains to figure out who. I can already tell you it's not who you're expecting.

But that won't come 'till later.

On with the story, but where to begin? Oh yes, I remember. New York City, 1929.