Okay! Since I'm re-editing this at the ripe old age of 19, the T/PG-13 rating is now no longer for safety. Actually, if I had my choice I'd make it M, but I know what it's like when you're reading a story and the rating is changed and you don't feel like you should be reading something rated M or whatever…so I'll keep it PG-13 for you guys. But be warned, this will be an actual "T" rating – I no longer feel guilty for saying bad words, like I did when I was 13. Nor do I feel guilty describing (tastefully, to stick with the rating) some adult situations. Warnings aside, enjoy this re-edit of the second chapter, and don't forget to review – I've added a lot of stuff! I've also removed a lot of the Japanese. It just seems less necessary now, plus I don't remember half of it. It's been a while.

Chapter Two : In which they meet again

Ten years in the future.

"Maeve! Get over here now!"

"Coming!"

All around her, people were talking. The noise was enough to drive a girl insane in five minutes. That incessant chatter. Mei shook her head fretfully and tucked a straying strand of curled brown hair behind her ear. If she didn't need the money so badly, she would be away from this place in a heartbeat. The slave driver of a manager was known for miles around as one of the meanest employers this side of the river, but what could she do? There weren't many employment opportunities for a self-educated woman of twenty-one.

"MAEVE!"

"Alright, already! I'm comin'!"

Yeah, when I get the money...

"Hey, miss, we're ready to order! Miss!"

Mei glanced over to the source of the shout and saw three men and a boy sitting at a table in the corner. The boy was waving his hand frantically to get her attention, his backside floating inches off the chair as he strained for more visibility. She walked over to take their order, her heels clacking on the wood floors and her notepad and pen in hand. As soon as she arrived, the boy started spitting out requests at an alarming speed. After about ten seconds of trying to scribble down the order as fast as he was talking she gave up and held up a hand, stopping him.

"Um..sorry, but could you repeat that, slower, please?"

He looked surprised but repeated what he had just said, more slowly this time. She finished taking their order with no trouble after that. She recopied down the scribbles from her first attempt which were, at best, illegible, and headed for the kitchen to drop off their orders, paying little attention to the crowd of the restaurant.

When she returned, she set the food carefully on the table. After setting the plates gently down on the table, she heard a voice coming from a few tables down.

"Hey, little girl, c'mere!"

In a flash, she stiffened and dug her heeled shoes into the paneling of the floor, producing a grinding noise. Her jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed at the man who was leering at her and gesturing with one finger for her to approach.

Mei saw red just then. Her legs tensed and she readied herself to charge straight at that misogynistic bastard who was grinning at her, when a hand grabbed at her collar and pulled her back. She turned around and nearly fell to the floor in shock. There was a split second of silence where she worked out the situation, then she turned back toward the man a few tables down and strained against the hand holding her back.

"Lemme go, Kouryuu! I'm gonna get him for that!" she spit out. There would be a tearful reunion in a few moments, surely, but now was not the time for that – she had her dignity to avenge. Reunions be damned, that smug son-of-a-bitch two tables down was smirking at her.

Sanzo didn't move his hand, but understanding was slowly dawning on him. He still didn't let go, instead pulling her back. She stumbled backwards but kept her balance. She turned and gave him her meanest glare then smacked him.

Seeing this, Goku jumped up, ready for a fight, but was stopped by Sanzo holding up his hand. Sanzo held onto the girl's collar for a few more moments until he felt her muscles relax slightly. As soon as his hand was off her collar, she stormed off toward the back room, muttering obscenities under her breath and rubbing at the spot on her collar bone where her shirt collar had dug into the skin. She didn't come out until the group had finished eating, and then she was pushed out by a mean-looking man with a red face and a mustache. Upon reaching their table, she gave them a bright though strained smile, and said simply

"Here's your check! Thank you for dining with us, we hope to see you again." She placed the small folder containing the check in front of Sanzo, and walked away, the angry-looking man shadowing her all the way back while the rest of the diners looked on in amusement.

Sanzo opened the folder to find the check. He took it out and a piece of blue paper hidden underneath it caught his eye. It said simply '3:00. 43 Front St.' in loopy, feminine handwriting.

Gojyo leaned over and looked at the extra piece of paper. He grinned. "Wow, man, you scored!" This was met with a smack upside the head from the irate priest, who pocketed the paper carefully.

A few hours later, they were headed down the main road of the town. The sun was beating down on them, Goku was beginning once again to complain of hunger, and Gojyo was occasionally looking at Sanzo – apparently nonchalant - and snickering. The tension in the car was mounting to unbearable levels by the time they pulled up in front of a small house with the number '43' hanging off rusty nails to the right of the door.

The group tailed Sanzo up to the door, and waited for a moment after he knocked on the door, until a pair of telltale clacking footsteps approached the door, and a latch came open. The door swung open slowly, revealing the figure within. She stared at each of them for a moment before stepping away from the door."

"Come in."

The filed in silently. The room was oppressively quiet for a moment, until Goku's stomach conveniently growled. All eyes turned to him, and he smiled sheepishly. Mei cracked a smile from her position across the room from them.

"I'll go get some food," she said simply and left for the kitchen. When she returned, the group was sitting with varying degrees of comfort on a sofa against one wall. She put a plate with some finger-foods on the small table in front of the sofa, and pushed it in Goku's direction gently.

"Eat up. Sorry it's not much. I only have what I take home from the restaurant."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as Goku started in on the food, then Sanzo, much to the group's surprise, cracked a smile and said

"You still can't cook, can you, Mei?"

She looked at her lap where her hands were folded. "I suppose so. It's good to see you again, Kouryuu."

"Good to see you again, as well," he replied politely. Gojyo was staring at him as though he had grown a second head, and Hakkai was politely studying the room, though it was obvious that he too was listening carefully to the exchange. Another moment passed in silence then Mei heaved a sigh and said

"I suppose you'll be wanting to know a few things."