All standard disclaimers apply.
Words in italics are characters' thoughts.
~ Fishes ~
"Ne, Ten-chan, what's this?" Goku asked, pointing to a kanji character. He was helping Tenpou to clean up the latter's room again. Actually, he was just flipping open books and putting them down again where he found them. On the floor.
"Sakana desu, Goku," Tenpou answered good-naturedly. He didn't mind Goku being there and getting in his way. Goku's presence helped to filled in the silence. Especially since Kenren and Konzen were not there.
Goku continued to flip open books. Then he asked, "Why are there no fishes in Heaven, Ten-chan?"
"Well, first of all, Gods don't eat meat. And secondly, there are no place to rear fishes here. Fishes need water to live, Goku." Tenpou explained as simply as he could.
"I remember….there were a lot of fishes in the rivers on Mount Kaka. They were always swimming so quickly, and I always chase and catch them…" Goku reflected back at his past. "I…sort of…miss them."
Tenpou noticed Goku's sadness. "Do you want to see the fishes again, Goku?"
"Hai!" Goku said cheerfully.
"Hmm…why not? Kenren has an off-day tomorrow and I'm sure we can drag Konzen with us," Tenpou said thoughtfully.
"Eh? Where are we going, Ten-chan?" Goku asked.
"On a trip to see fishes, Goku," Tenpou answered, smiling.
~ That night ~
"Sure, why not?" Kenren said, agreeing with Tenpou's plan.
"We have to find a way to persuade Konzen to join us, though," Tenpou pointed out.
Kenren thought for a while. The two of them were in Tenpou's newly-cleaned room. Tenpou had told Kenren about his plan and the Taishou had agreed immediately.
"Well, I'll leave that to you. After all, you're the one with all the brains. You get the blonde, I'll get the food. Fair?" Kenren said.
The marshal smiled.
~ Next morning ~
"Ne, Konzen, can I follow Ten-chan on a trip today?" Goku asked Konzen eagerly.
"Where?" Konzen replied distractedly. He had a large pile of documents to stamp.
"Ten-chan said it's a secret so I don't know."
That got Konzen's attention. If Tenpou's got something he wants to keep secret, something's going to happen.
"But Ten-chan said it's going to be fun. Ken nii-chan is going too," Goku said confirming Konzen's fear. "Ten-chan also said that you can come, if you want to."
Konzen pondered over this. With Tenpou and Kenren, something's bound to happen. And if the saru gets involved……there will be a lot of trouble heading my way……I have no choice but to keep an eye on them……
"Fine, I'll follow you so that you don't get into trouble," Konzen got up from his chair.
"Yay! Konzen is coming too~" Goku shouted happily. The two of them walked to the planned meeting place. Tenpou and Kenren were already there. Kenren was carrying a few bottles of sake and a bag most probably containing food. At the sight of both of them, Goku happily shouted.
"Ten-chan, you were right! Konzen agreed to come after I said 'it's a secret'!"
"Nani?" Konzen realized that he had been tricked. Too late.
~ Later ~
"Oi, Kenren! How much further do we have to go?" Konzen asked angrily. They had been trekking through a forest to a place that Kenren said he remembered from a sortie for more than an hour now. Goku had ran energetically ahead and Tenpou, showing amazing stamina, had followed him.
'Not far, not far. Why did you have to wear high heels anyway?" Kenren said impatiently. ( Has anyone ever noticed that Konzen either goes bare-feet or wear high heels? I wonder why…)
"No one told me we were going hiking through a damned forest!" Konzen shouted, recalling how he was tricked into this.
"Ne, Konzen! Hayaku deba!!" Goku shouted from the front. "We've already reached the place!"
"Bakasaru." Konzen walked to Tenpou's and Goku's side and was greeted by the sound of running water.
"Kirei na," said Tenpou.
The place was indeed beautiful. They were at the bend of the river. The river was not very deep but quite wide and crystal clear water flowed swiftly with occasional ripples and splashes. Pine trees grow on both sides of the river bank, providing adequate shade. Here and there, brightly coloured flowers grow in patches amidst the green grass. For the four of them, who are used to the divine beauty of Heaven, the beauty of the place was of a different beauty, an earthly beauty.
Kenren dumped the food and sake bottles under a tree and joined Goku by the river while Tenpou sat beside Konzen under the same tree.
Konzen gave Tenpou his usual glare. "Why did you do all this?"
"I thought it would be good for you to get out of that stuffy room of yours once in a while. Breathe some fresh air, see new stuff… And also," the brunette added, looking at Goku, "that kid shouldn't be shut up in Heaven the whole time. This is what he originally was, a free creature."
Konzen looked at Goku. "That's…true," he said softly.
"Besides," Tenpou said, grinning, " aren't you having fun?"
"Ch'."
From the river bank, Goku's voice drifted over. "Ne, Ken nii-chan, what fish is this?"
"Err….I don't know. I only know how to eat it," Kenren answered nonchalantly.
"Eh? But Ten-chan said Gods don't eat meat," Goku looked at him questioningly.
"Well…," Kenren didn't know how to answer this. "It's something like drinking and smoking. Technically, it's not allowed but nobody cares."
"Sou ka."
"Never mind all that. Let me teach you how to catch fish, instead."
"Okay."
Kenren and Goku waded into the middle of the river and started dipping their hands into the water. Konzen and Tenpou strolled to the river bank to watch them.
"Ne, Kenren, you won't catch any fish this way, you know. You will just scare all the fishes away," Tenpou said.
"So what? It's more fun this way. And besides, oh, there's a big one!" Kenren went after the fish and accidentally lost his balance. He fell down with a big splash and soak Konzen from top to toe.
"Teme……" (veins popping out)
"I got the fish~" Kenren held the fish up triumphantly. The fish struggled in his hands and suddenly squirted a stream of water at his face. " Hey! Damned fish!" The said fish took advantage of his surprise to jump out of Kenren's grip and landed right into Goku's hands
"Ha, Ken nii-chan, I won! I got a fish first!!"
"Hey, the fish's mine. Give it back!" Kenren started chasing Goku.
After many minutes and fishes later, Kenren and Goku waded up the river bank and laid their catches side by side on the grass. Goku then began counting them.
"Ichi, ni, san……err…..what's after san, Ken nii-chan?"
"Dunno, ask Tenpou."
~ Heaven ~
"What? Tenpou and his gang went down to earth?" Litouten asked.
"Yes, Litouten-sama. I saw them on my way back," the subordinate answered.
Litouten leaned back in his chair. This was not good. Tenpou was a smart man and would never do anything without a sound motive. Going to earth suddenly, and with Kenren and Konzen……
"Did you see where they were going to?"
"No, Litouten-sama. I met them on their way down. I only heard something about 'many fishes'.
Litouten pondered over this. Fishes? What is Tenpou doing with fishes? Then, something clicked in his mind. Wait, I've read something about fish youkais before……Is Tenpou going to lead an army of fish youkais into Heaven? An image of a thousand fish fillets marching towards Heaven crossed Litouten's mind. I must check this out……
"Send a scout group to investigate this," he ordered.
"I'm sorry, Litouten-sama. Today is an off-day for all army members. No one will work today." The subordinate wished that the interrogation was over so that he can enjoy his holiday, too.
"What? Useless fools. I have no choice. Nataku!" Litouten called his son who was beside him the whole time.
"Yes, father?" Nataku knelt down in front of his father.
"I want you to investigate what Tenpou is doing in the world below. And don't come back until you've got a full report!"
"Yes, father. I will go at once." And as usual, Nataku went to fulfill his father's demands.
~ Back on earth ~
Goku was happily splashing around in the stream. Tenpou was on the bank, naming the fishes Goku pointed at. Konzen was beside him, staying away from Kenren and drying his hair in growing frustration. The fishes caught earlier were slowing cooking by a small fire. Everything was peaceful until suddenly-
"Ahh!!!! * Splash! * Teme...." Konzen growled, spluttering.
Kenren grinned. He had always wanted to do that. Getting Konzen soaked from top to toe twice a day was a big accomplishment. Now, it was Tenpou's turn. The Taishou turned towards his adjutant and started towards him with a lecherous grin on his face. "Come on, Tenpou. Time for your weekly bath~"
Tenpou, knowing Kenren's intention, decided to play his part, After all, he didn't mind getting wet.
"Iyaaaaa!!!!!!" he screamed in mock fear. "Get away from me, you hentai!"
Kenren played along. "Hora, hora! You belong to me now~" and he reached out to push Tenpou into the river when he suddenly felt Tenpou's hands on his collar. Tenpou grinned at him and said-
"Yes, master. Let's bath." And he pulled both of them into the water.
Kenren's head broke the water surface as he gasped for air. He saw 1. Tenpou grinning like a Chesiere Cat, combing back his wet hair with his hand and 2. Konzen glaring at him with a murderous look.
"Die...." the blonde said, reaching out to punish the redhead.
"Matte, Konzen. Calm- * bubble * bubble *" Konzen had put one hand on Kenren's head and dunked him far below the water line.
"Maa maa, Konzen, don't be too harsh on him," Tenpou said. "I'm sure he's 'regretting' his actions now." He looked at Kenren who was sending frantic SOS signals underwater.
"Ch'." Konzen released Kenren and started towards the river bank.
"Ne, where's Goku?" Tenpou asked, splashing Kenren.
Konzen looked around. The saru was nowhere to be seen. "Oi, bakasaru!" he yelled for Goku.
"I'm here~" All heads turned towards Goku who was acting like a true saru, swinging round and round a tree branch. "Anpanchi™!" And he launched himself through the air and landed squarely on Konzen. And for the third time in a day, the blonde's face made harsh contact with water.
Goku looked around before looking up at Tenpou. "Ne, Ten-chan. I thought I heard Konzen calling me."
Tenpou stared at Goku, and then he lowered his gaze to Konzen. Goku followed Tenpou's look….. and saw his owner.
"Oops."
And that was how Nataku found them. Konzen alternating between hitting Goku and trying desperately to get to dry land with Goku pulling him back, "Ne, Konzen, play with me..." and Kenren and Tenpou splashing each other like little kids. "I'll get you for that, Tenpou!" No sign of fish youkais anywhere. There were a few fishes half-cooked beside a small fire, though.
"Hey, guys!" Nataku waved to them.
"It's Nataku!" Goku, overjoyed to see his friend, let go of Konzen and the blonde's momentum made him fell splash into the stream. Goku didn't notice this.
"Ne, Nataku, join us!"
"Sure!" Nataku jumped into the river, clothes and all. He quickly joined Goku in pulling Konzen back and splashing both Kenren and Tenpou (and Konzen along with them). This was the best fun he had in ages.
~ Later ~
The fishes had been consumed (Goku was finishing the last one) and everyone (including Konzen) had had a good drink from Kenren's sake bottles.
"So, Nataku. What made your father agree to let you mix with us 'uncivilised ruffians'? Kenren asked.
"He wanted me to check how many fish youkais Tenpou was leading into Heaven," Nataku answered absent-mindedly, cheeks slightly red from the sake.
"Fish youkais?" Tenpou asked, taking a long drag on his cigarette.
"Ne, what's that? Is it as delicious as those fishes we ate?" Goku licked his fingers.
"You can't eat them, bakasaru." Konzen leaned back dizzily. He was not used too sake.
Kenren sighed contentedly. This is life. Good sake, good friends and a good scenery. No woman needed. He leaned back and breathed in the pine-scented air. Everyone was happy, although Konzen still have that displeased look on his face. Unlike Heaven, where constant pretending was needed to protect yourself, here, he could relax. He was among friends. Tenpou glanced at him and said, "This is life, ne?"
Kenren smiled drunkenly back at him. Cancel the 'no woman needed'. There was a beautiful one right in front of him now. He started towards Tenpou who was regarding him with a wary look.
"Kenren, I think you are very drunk. Why don't we all go back now?" Tenpou took a step back. "Hey! What do you think you're doing? Let me go!!!" (what happened afterwards is up to your imagination, guys and gals, but bear in mind that they're in public now, albeit a drunk one.^_~)
~ That night ~
"So, do you have anything to report, Nataku?" Litouten asked eagerly.
"Yes, father. I found the fish youkais' hideout before Tenpou did and I killed them all off. That's why I'm so wet now."
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Nataku probably wouldn't dare lie to his father, but heck, I hate Litouten.
Review if you like it.