The Tenpou Sequence Chapter 1: Bitter DISCLAIMER: I'd rather Saiyuki didn't belong to anyone else other than Minekura Kazuya. Heh. This fic grew from a doujin that I published at deviantart.com by the same name. When Tenpou met Kenren.

***

War is like a river. It starts out small, and then sweeps away everything in its path.

Those who drink of it are forever assuaged. Yet it is good for one thing: it leads to the spring in every man's heart.

***

War. One of the necessary evils in this Heaven's field. We have the sun- drenched meadows and everlasting cherry blossoms that garland the dreams of mortals in the World Below.

But the Seihougun has been sent down for a different purpose.

Kenren Taishou. So much had been said about him that eventually it became so little. The man and the god himself went so much more than rumours or files ever could.

I could see that he was gorgeous. Tall, randy and purposefully rebellious-- judging by his masterfully unbuckled uniform. A rancour of sweat, blood and sake assails my nostrils. He smoked: the only thing that we had in common.

"Tenpou Gensui?"

"Yes."

The general seemed impatient for some reason. Blotches and streaks of fresh blood decorated his face and a plaster (a souvenir from the medic's tent) perched on the bridge of his nose.

I unfolded the map. "Shall we begin, Taishou?"

"Yeah, but what's this red dot?"

A long finger darts out to tap on the red sticker pasted on the map. He removes it--leaving a smear of brown--and crosses his arms restlessly.

"Our forces met heavy resistance there. We lost almost half the men."

A frown appears instantly. The general quickly shows his moods. So brash; so unlike other gods or generals. . . so interesting.

***

The sake is intermittently sweet, bathed in rosaries of delicacy that can never be achieved by a mortal hand. Yet it is almost as pure as water with the subtle aromas and flavours only perceived by gods.

"Good stuff, eh, Marshal?" He interrupts my personal discourse so casually. He pops himself another round.

The discussion had finally whittled down to a few cups of sake before bed. We are smoking again. I think we must have gone through 3 packs each because of nervousness.

"Shouldn't you clean up first?" I ask him. I would prefer my officers weren't all bloody when we plotted out battle plans.

"Nah, it's a mark of bravery."

I smile thinly. "The men are wary of you, Taishou."

"Those fogeys? You're too cautious, Gensui."

"Hai hai."

***

War. One of the necessary evils in this Heaven's field. We have the sun- drenched meadows and everlasting cherry blossoms that garland the dreams of mortals in the World Below.

"Gensui-sama, the third division is ready to leave. Shall I give the order?"

"Matte."

The winter sun crafts a blinding halo over the snowfall in the pass. Too cautious? We shall see, Kenren Taishou.

"Iza."