King Rat: Our Kingdom

Author Notes: And here begins the final arc of Act I. I'm so excited I could do a twirl. In fact, since I'm on the other side of a computer screen and none of you can see me, I just might.

This chapter has some discussion and reference to Japanese culture, as Shangri-La is kind of a delicious melange of Japanese and Chinese culture and the events of this arc relate to a Japanese tradition. If you are confused by anything you see, just hit F3 and type in "Culture Notes" or the unfamiliar term for a little explanation. I included a few other notes as well because I'm running on peanut butter and caffeine right now and I'm feeling talky. If I have missed something or if you have any questions, shoot me a PM and I'd be happy to explain!

Disclaimer: Saiyuki and its characters are not mine.


25: The Festival- Prelude

The school year didn't end until few days before Christmas, though the flower shop had already long shut for the season by then. Hakkai had left to find winter work in Zhengzou via caravan, leaving Gojyo with Hakuryu to make filling their special orders easier, and he mailed money back every few days. With Sanzo busy during the morning and the children all at school, Gojyo had time to himself again.

He had never realized that after more than four years working to someone else's schedule, it would be impossible for him to go back to filling his time his way like he used to. He couldn't just go back to sleep- after being awake long enough to get the boys fed, dressed, to the school and back, he was in no mood to shut his eyes again. His four hours of solitude were in the morning, so all the card houses were closed. He didn't want to go drinking- it was before noon, and besides, he had nobody with whom to drink. He could get some girly magazines and go to town, but for one, that would only entertain him for fifteen to thirty minutes (tops,) two, Sanzo would wring his neck if he caught him, and for three, he could think about Sanzo for free.

And boy is there a lot to think about. Might as well wait for the real thing to get home tonight.

Instead, Gojyo would take the time to do some laundry, pick up the house a little, and even gave Hakuryu a bath one morning. He wasn't nearly as good of a housekeeper as Hakkai, and the mess did slowly build up in little piles of disorganized papers on some of the surfaces and plates left in the sink overnight, but he kept things in working order. Other than that, he would go to the library during the day to read over current floral design magazines, and sometimes would practice new techniques on silk or paper flowers. He also, somehow or other, took a fancy to reading cheap, cheesy romance novels from the library: "Like a real housewife," he sneered to Nuo during a Saturday coffee meet on the last day of school.

She laughed at him, as he took up a biscuit from the tin in the middle of the table. "I read when I have time myself, though it's rare. I'd be happy to loan you my favorite one!"

"Favorite, eh? Which?" Gojyo leaned forward with catty interest, as she swirled her coffee in her mug.

"It's an old play, actually- Autumn in the Palace of Han. It's a very sad story, all about romance in the nobility." She clasped her hands under her chin and sighed reminiscently. "Poor, sad Zhaojun, romanced by the emperor only to be driven apart by the machinations of the wicked Mao Yanshou!"

"Hey, spoilers!" Gojyo snickered and took another gulp of his coffee. "You know, loan it to me, I'll give it a read sometime- like nap time. The boys' soccer group is moving indoors, I might have a chance to read during huddles."

"I miss nap time, back when both of them took it." Nuo giggled into her palm. "But at least Ya can go outside on her own, and Tai can get his nap, and Mama can have a moment's peace on her days off. Just not when it's so cold!" She rolled her eyes and flapped a hand. "I do hope Miss Feng is going to run her winter daycare again- she and some of the other teachers do it for a little extra money."

"Money's a little tight on our end." Gojyo did the math in his head- the orders from the temple covered their basics, and the money Hakkai sent was put aside for emergencies. Nuo's head inclined a touch as she seemed to calculate something as well.

"That's right, your last winter was very difficult, wasn't it?"

"We're okay this year, but if I waste any money, it'll be trouble." Gojyo set his elbow on the table and his cheek on his palm. "So, we try and do stuff that doesn't cost any money, you know?"

"Wise enough." She shrugged her shoulders side to side, and he chuckled. "Well, I'll happily bring Tai to visit- perhaps his cousin Long, too! With his little baby brother around, he could use a little more attention." She chuckled softly, but the soft melody of her voice was interrupted by Hakuryu's screes from his little cat castle beside the front window. Nuo jumped, but Gojyo turned to look at the kitchen clock.

"Is it that late already?" He got to his feet. "Thanks for keeping time, buddy!" He broke off a piece of biscotti and tossed it to him, which he caught and ate with the same bone-crunching enthusiasm he would a mouse. "Let's go see how our babies fared on their last day of their first year of school, eh?" He took his scarf down off the peg by the door, as Nuo tossed a few scandalized glares at Hakuryu over her shoulder.

"Very strange pet you fellows have. Is he safe around your little ones?"

"Oh, as safe as any dragon would be," he chuckled. "Plus, he tells time and watches the front door for the mailman!"

"How safe is the mailman?" Her voice quavered insecurely, and Gojyo laughed again.

"As safe as any mailman, as long as Hakuryu stays up here." He put his mug in the sink and escorted Nuo past a scrutinizing Hakuryu to the front door. He watched them leave through narrow red eyes, then fluttered to the table to snack on the leftover tea biscuits.

The boys' improvement in school had only continued. Since their fourth birthday, it had become more obvious, and while they still weren't perfect (for fear of becoming boring) Eiji and Yohei were average students. They still ran around, they broke things sometimes, they were rambunctious, but they were no worse than any other student. While preschool was young for grades, their progress reports were glowing. "Looks like your Most Improved awards stuck!" Gojyo teased the boys as he looked at the two new awards attached to their reports, shaking a bit of falling snow off of the page before it could melt. Nuo read Tai's as they walked around snowdrifts and little ice slicks, smoothing his hair with her free hand. "Man, you guys are gonna be all set for full-day preschool next year!"

"Tai's gotten an award for Best Manners. How lovely." She patted his topknot, then tapped his back to let him jog ahead and walk with the twins, as the trio continued their game of "Featherman Rangers" from recess that day.

"School year just flew by, right?" Gojyo let Nuo take a step ahead so he could light up a cigarette without making her cough, and exhaled a few smoke rings as they strolled along. "Seems like just a few days ago we were worrying about buying new school clothes and keeping them from burning the place down, but the Reg started last week!"

"Ah, is that so?" Nuo cocked her head back towards him. "I thought it was starting up soon, I just didn't remember the date!"

"Hey, maybe we should all meet up one day and go in a big group!" Gojyo grinned, teeth holding the butt end of his cigarette at a jaunty angle from his lower lip. "That way, the kids can entertain each other. I'll even bring Ichi. Just a pity Kai's not here- you remember Kai, right?"

"Yes, yes I do." Nuo's cheeks took a hint of pink as she spun back around, and Gojyo hid a snicker, having subtly realized why Hakkai had been reluctant to tell him he was dating. He noticed Eiji dipping off the sidewalk, and whistled.

"Ei, stay close to Daddy, okay?" He glanced into the street as a rickshaw sped past, a noble-looking passenger perched on its bench. "Never know what's gonna come by, right?"

These were the halcyon days Gojyo had longed for during their entire journey- sure, life could be humdrum and boring sometimes, but the peace of walking with the children for whom he'd suffered and fought for years and returning home to see the man to whom he was attached was worth every moment. Every scar, every fight, every trial and tribulation, all of it led to this peaceful walk down a snow-ridden street in the cozy little city they called home. Gojyo couldn't be more thankful for that. Even the pale sorrow of separating from Nuo to head down divergent streets was brightened by a sun-yellow head of hair bobbing outside their shop window and peering in around the gold paint on the bay window. Gojyo lifted a hand to hail Sanzo as the three approached, and jogged to meet him.

"Hey, Kou, what're you doing here?" He panted soft steam as the boys caught up with him and jumped towards him. Sanzo caught Eiji and hugged him, then wrapped a free arm around Yohei. He spoke to Gojyo without looking at him.

"Without Lord Akio to keep me there at the gate, there's nothing to keep me from taking an extended lunch break." Sanzo touched his nose to an earlobe on each of the boys, and finally tilted his head up to meet Gojyo's eyes. "I hadn't expected you to take so long walking back."

"Why didn't you let yourself in?" Gojyo began to dig in his pockets. Sanzo's brow lowered, lips forming a thin, even line.

"I don't have a key."

"You don- oh." Gojyo's face twisted as he pulled his house keys out, and Sanzo couldn't quite read what his knit brow and downturned lips meant- guilt or disappointment. "Well, I got it now." He heaved a soft sigh and threw the door wide. "Everyone into the nice, warm house."

With few exceptions, the family had come back together after their separation as easily as if it had never happened. The boys seemed to have forgotten that there was a time Sanzo wasn't there most nights. He didn't sleep over all of them, and he always returned to the temple to take care of his work in the morning, but the nights he was there were a pleasure for the children and paradise for Gojyo. The private moments the two shared were soft bliss, spent in tender embrace. For the hard face Sanzo still presented to the outside, Gojyo was sure more and more that there was a soft edge to him, one that was showing more and more outside of the hard shell that he'd nurtured for years before Gojyo had started working him out of it. The soft little smiles he doled out to the boys and even to him were all the reassurance he needed that things were getting better all the time. This one little issue with Sanzo not yet having the house key aside, there was contentment in their home. This was only increased by the little detail Sanzo had just let slip:

"Hey, Lord Asshole's gone, huh?" Gojyo beamed as he removed his coat and knelt to help Yohei with his shoes. "Without him pouring work onto you, you might be able to get away with staying for breakfast more often."

"Hmph. I must attend to my duties at some time; besides, he'll be back soon, and as much of a pain in my neck as before." Sanzo tossed his hair back, eying Gojyo's back as he hung the coats and picked up all three pairs of shoes. "It won't change that there are things I must do. You don't begrudge me my work, do you?"

"Never." Gojyo grinned and flipped his hair back as he stood. Sanzo nodded, satisfied with the little realization that Gojyo's hair was back to shoulder length, just as it had been before he'd chopped it all off when the boys were infants.

Sanzo had noticed the change in Gojyo as well- he now very much resembled the man he had met more than a decade ago now, with a cocky smirk as his neutral expression and a roguish tilt to his every motion, a cock in his hips and a slant to his shoulders. Sanzo couldn't remember the last time Gojyo had flinched at his touch. Sanzo was sure there was still some vestiges of the corruption in his mind, but he hadn't seen it for a long time. This was enough for him. Being able to reach out and take a strand of Gojyo's hair between his fingers and not receive a flinch in return was a pleasure he never thought he'd have to be thankful for.

"Hey, hands off!" Gojyo laughed and shook his hair out, and Sanzo chuckled, his head inclining as Gojyo spun past him up the stairs. "Come on, kids, what do we want for lunch?"

"Ramen noodles!" Yohei bounded up a few stairs, jumping up and down as he waited for the others to follow.

"Hnn, I just want a bento box," Eiji mumbled, trudging back behind him. "An' hot cocoa."

"Do we have any curry powder?" Gojyo glanced back as Sanzo asked this, and cocked his eyebrow.

"Hey, I might be a housewife, but I wouldn't know what to do with that stuff unless it's 'just add water.' Ramen noodles it is." Gojyo grinned to himself, and Sanzo rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps you ought take some of this spare time you have to learn to cook."

"And perhaps you ought'a quit complaining about food you ain't cookin'." Gojyo shrugged his shoulders, smirking with a crooked mouth as Sanzo rolled his eyes again, harder.

"Lazy smart-ass."

"Your smart ass." Gojyo turned his head over his shoulder and winked, and Sanzo cracked one of his small, soft smiles. Gojyo remembered when those looks had been exceedingly, painfully rare.

This happiness was growing by the day, and Gojyo didn't think things could get any better.


As promised, Gojyo met up with Nuo and Tai near the temple a few days later to go through the registration. Though they arrived early, the line was already down the steps and running all the way down the block, six people thick and crawling. "Up here, Gojyo! Hurry along!" Nuo waved as she saw Gojyo approaching, Ryuichi in tow and one of the twins holding each hand. "Goodness, but this is a pain!" She stomped her feet lightly in the snow, indicating her displeasure with a toss of her head like an impatient horse.

"I know it's the law, but yeah, you're right." Gojyo sighed and folded his arms. "Guess we can take a little comfort in knowing we're not the only miserable ones out here." He leaned to the side, surveying the long line ahead of them, stretching far out of his sight in the low December mist that lingered around in a harbinger of impending sleet.

"Down at the Bureau, there's talks of restarting negotiations with the Emperor to try and lighten restrictions and relax some of the rules. It really is unbearable." Nuo sniffed. "But it's all talk, and I doubt we'll really accomplish much at all." She glanced left and right, then put her mouth beside Gojyo's ear. "There's even more talk of using force if things don't start changing soon. Anti-discrimination laws and the like- the income gap's growing, youkai homelessness is on the rise, and the high incarceration rate- it's grinding some nerves." She backed away, and spoke at a more natural volume. "Again- all talk."

"Sheesh. I hadn't thought there was anything wrong, since I ain't been listening, but..." Gojyo spit to the side, then turned away to light up a smoke. "I'm all for fixing the problems, but that ain't gonna solve a damn thing."

"Oh, I agree wholeheartedly!" She bobbed her head up and down quickly. "It's just talk, anyway."

"Right. Hey, didn't you say your little girl was coming?" Gojyo peered around her pointedly, and her body subconsciously shifted to turn her hindquarters away from his view. "Where is she?"

"She's with a friend a block up. She said she'd come back to me once they got to the stairs." Nuo sighed in a soft puff of steam, and Gojyo matched it with a stream of smoke. "They grow up so fast, don't they?" Eiji suddenly tugged on Gojyo's sleeve.

"Daddy, you dropped this." Gojyo looked, as he held up a red cigarette box with a white stripe on it. Gojyo took it and turned it over in his hand a few times.

"These aren't mine, kiddo. Daddy smokes the blue box, remember?" He reached down and fluffed Eiji's hair. "Hey, you guys can play, but don't go far, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy!" Eiji grinned, and he and Yohei skipped into the street. Gojyo whipped around to face Ryuichi, and Nuo could smell sulfur.

"Really, Ichi?" He shook the box at Ryuichi. "Really? You're smoking?" Ryuichi flinched, and grinned nervously.

"Well, ah, you do it, right?"

"That don't mean it's okay! Gods' sake, kid, you're only sixteen, how the fuck did you even get these?!"

"My, uh, my coworkers bought 'em for me." Ryuichi reached for the box, and Gojyo slapped his hand away.

"You're goddamn lucky I didn't bring a damn book, because now I've got time to tell you every single fucking reason this is fucking wrong!"

Nuo giggled to herself, between keeping an eye on the three boys playing with some other children, as Gojyo started to full-out scold Ryuichi for sneaking around, buying and smoking cigarettes, destroying his young lungs, and berating him over all the things smoking could do to your health. Subsequently, the time seemed to fly as they walked up through the line. He almost seemed to wind down as they closed in on the stairs: "And for fuck's sake- Winstons?! Winstons are shit! They're gritty and the filter's too thick and the tobacco is cheap! If you're gonna kill yourself, at least do it with something good, like Hi-Lites or Lucky Strikes or something that doesn't suck!"

"But those are expensive!" Ryuichi threw his hands up. "I don't get paid that much at the post office!"

"Then save your damn money for cookies and cake and that other sweet junk you like!" Gojyo elbowed him in the ribs, eliciting a soft laugh from Nuo. "Shit, I wouldn't care if you were fat, it's better than puttin' you down for cancer!"

"But, Gojyo-" Ryuichi rubbed his chest and hunched over to protect his middle. "What if you get cancer?"

"Kid, I'm a damn cockroach. You need something heavy like a boot or something to kill a guy like me." Gojyo shoved his hands in his pockets, shoving Ryuichi's box with them. Ryuichi's hand snaked forward to try and swipe them back, but Gojyo slapped it away and sneered at the kid. "Watch your ass. We're gonna deal with this when I'm not pissed."

"Ah! Look alive!" Nuo hopped up and down and waved, and Gojyo realized just how close they'd come to the stairs. "Ya! Mama's over here!" She waved as hard as she could, and Gojyo chuckled and straightened himself up. A young girl, aged around seven, jogged up to them from ahead in line, and Gojyo vaguely recognized the toddler who'd approached him three years ago- the pigtails were the same, at least, long to her mid-chest and set over each of her shoulders. She had the same high brow and eyebrows as Nuo, though her bangs were trimmed straight across her forehead to disguise it, the same round, upturned nose, and the same fishlike round eyes. All in all, Li Ya was nearly a clone of her mother, though Gojyo was sure he'd never seen Nuo go quite so pink as Ya was while staring at him. "Ya, do you remember Mister Gojyo?" Nuo patted her back, encouraging her a step closer. "You're the reason we met, and that's why Tai has playmates!" Ya gawked, jaw slack, eyes going wider than tea saucers as she stared unnervingly up at him. Nuo pushed her towards him again. "Introduce yourself."

In some of the cheap romance novels he'd been reading, Gojyo had seen the unfortunate turn of phrase "blushing quietly." He wasn't a language expert, but he was pretty sure that blushing in and of itself was a silent activity, and that the writer probably meant something to the effect of "blushing and clamming his (or her) lips shut to keep from embarrassing him (or her) self." However, if there was such a thing as "blushing quietly," Ya was blushing as loudly as one possibly could. Her mouth opened and shut a few times, and she finally clamped her hands over both of her lips as her face turned the color of his hair. Gojyo chuckled and crouched to look her in the face.

"Don'cha remember me, missy? You weren't this shy last time we met." He extended a hand, and she took it between two fingers and gave him a gentle shake. She then ducked behind her mother, and Gojyo chuckled and stood upright again. "She's a cutie."

"She's not like this! Honestly, Ya, don't be rude!" Nuo gave one of her pigtails a light tug, and Ya turned her gaze to Gojyo for another second, then hid away again.

The little party started to ascend the steps, and the three children rejoined them. They were all starting to get tired, slouching and moaning until Gojyo agreed to carry them. He managed to hoist both Tai and Eiji over his shoulders, and Ryuichi cradled Yohei in his arms. Tai and Yohei had fallen out completely, and Eiji was only just awake as they continued their way through the line. Nuo's eyes sparked as they neared the top of the steps.

"Pardon me a moment. I have something to take care of. Ya, stay with Mister Sha, alright?" Nuo strutted up the steps, setting her shoulders back. Gojyo glanced down to Ya.

"Where is she going?"

"Um- er- ah!" Ya turned pink again, fidgeting with the bottom of her skirt and looking at the ruffles on her socks. "Well, M-Mama always talks to the man at the top of the steps."

"Does she now?" Gojyo rose his eyebrows as they continued to climb, but he could hear Sanzo as they neared:

"And what can I do for you today, Mrs. Li?" He sounded exhausted, and Gojyo had the feeling he'd been both expecting and dreading her. They reached the top, and Gojyo saw Nuo start to wag her finger at Sanzo.

"High Priest, why haven't you done anything about all this yet? This is completely inexcusable and you know it!"

"Ah, crap, I haven't introduced them yet." He shook the boys on his shoulders awake and passed Tai down to Ya. "Tai, stay with your sister. Boys, with me." He led them to Sanzo's side as Nuo started to scold a disabused and disgusted Sanzo the way only a middle-aged mama bear could. "Nuo! Sanzo!" He clapped them both on the shoulders, forcing a big grin between them. "I'm so glad you two have met!"

"Eh?" Nuo's chest puffed out with a sharp intake of breath.

"Hm?" Sanzo rose an eyebrow, not shifting his eyes from the small woman still glaring up at him.

"Sanzo, this is the guys' friend's mama- and my coffee buddy- Nuo." He pulled her in a step closer to him, and her hands flew from her hips, arms rigid at her sides. "Nuo, this is my close friend, Sanzo." He shifted a hand forward to pull Sanzo closer as well. "You know. We met over that thing I did a few years back?"

"Oh."

"Oh!" Nuo jerked back. "Goodness- I-" She looked down and away. "I had completely forgotten you two were-"

"Yeah, we know each other." He grinned so widely his scars shifted upwards towards his eyes. "So, whatcha guys talkin' about?"

"N-nothing!" Nuo twisted away from Gojyo, her cheeks pinking. Gojyo chuckled; he'd never seen her quite so flustered before.

Sanzo seemed unimpressed, arms folding tight again."Hrm. Mrs. Li, desk twelve is open." Ya and Tai joined Nuo as she rushed into the sanctuary. Gojyo watched her hurry away, and looked back to Sanzo.

"I had no idea she gave you grief like that."

"It's fine, really. None of the youkai are happy with this." Sanzo scratched the top of his head and took a cigarette out of his robe pocket to light up. "I understand- after all, I've been 'reasoned with' a thousand million times now- but the divide seems to be growing greater all the time." Sanzo glanced around casually, as though surveying the line, as the hand that wasn't holding the cigarette fished into his pocket again. "Take this." He took out a small envelope, and Gojyo opened it, to see a small sum of money in paper bills inside. "They're blitzing you with registration fees. Some youkai know about it because their friends have gone through already, which is what your friend was giving me grief over."

"You didn't tell me at h-"

"I didn't want you to worry." Sanzo's focus shifted away. "The youkai are getting more and more frustrated- the biggest complaint I've heard, aside from all the new rules and regulations, is that the youkai feel like they don't belong." Gojyo's ears stung, as he was reminded of something he'd heard from someone he no longer wanted to talk to anymore. "There's always been a divide, a line that couldn't or wouldn't be crossed, but it's only getting worse as the youkai are subject to more and more special rules."

"It is a bunch of crap, isn't it?" Gojyo folded his arms behind his head. "But that ain't your fault, is it? Still, maybe there's something we can do." He got on tiptoes to look behind Sanzo, and Sanzo turned around.

"Ah." He gestured to wave them on. "Desk sixteen. Go on, we can talk later."

"Sure. And while I'm at it, I'll do your job for ya." He winked at Sanzo, and unbuttoned his jacket as they entered the brightly lit sanctuary. Sanzo didn't have the time nor presence of mind to quip back at him, instead wondering just what Gojyo had going through his mind.


"It's like this- you say the complaint is that youkai don't feel so welcome, right?" The nights Gojyo could spent with Sanzo were another little luxury that he was ever more grateful for. Even if Sanzo only stayed for a few rounds of Go (which Gojyo always lost, but he didn't care) or if he stayed overnight, Gojyo was happy. This night, Sanzo had helped put the boys to bed and now lay in bed with his head against the headboard and Gojyo sprawled over his breast, reading the paper but listening as Gojyo talked. "You know this ain't a new problem, right?" Sanzo's nostrils flared, but he lowered one hand from the edge of the paper to tangle it in his hair. Gojyo inhaled, then exhaled into a smile at the feeling of Sanzo's fingertips dabbing a curving path into the skin on his head. He sucked on the end of his cigarette, and lifted it out to continue. "S'been like this forever, y'know. Youkai have always been the underclass, the less-thans. It's better in Shangri-La than it is in the West from what I hear, but that don't mean it's good. I mean, ain't you wondered why some youkai kinda went along with it when they started tryin' to revive Gyuumaoh?"

"I thought they were mad with the Minus Wave." Sanzo adjusted his reading glasses, then returned to stroking Gojyo's hair.

"Sure they were, but once the initial shock wore off, the power was intoxicating." Gojyo's eyelids sunk shut as he recalled one of the darker chapters of their journey. "We met some of these guys once- it was that time we were all split up, after Goku nearly got killed by that crazy rabbit guy." He opened his eyes and lifted his gaze to meet Sanzo's eyes as they roved the newsprint. "I think they felt like they could actually deal with the human-dominated governments by force, though they were still getting owned because the humans controlled the land and had the better weapons. When they weren't frenzied, they were still getting ruined. Then when they did come down from the Minus Wave and come to their senses, realized how many people they'd hurt for nothing..."

"Guilt?"

"Hell if I know, I'm just thinkin' out loud." Gojyo beamed up at Sanzo. "Anyway, my point is, I dunno how much of a community there ever has been between the humans and youkai. So, maybe we ought'a start building one." He abruptly sat up, knocking Sanzo's paper from his hands. Sanzo scoffed, but made no motion to pick the papers from the floor. "It ain't gonna be overnight, but we gotta start somewhere. I'm thinkin' block party."

"Block... party?" Sanzo repeated it slowly, as though being sure he hadn't dreamed what sounded like such a stupid idea on the surface.

"Yeah! Or a festival, or a carnival, somethin' like that! It's been years since Chang'an had a full-on Matsuri!" Gojyo grinned, scooting closer to Sanzo, then wrapping an arm around him. "Hell, I don't even think I went to the last one. It used to be held in fall, after the rice harvest- I think they got canceled when the Minus Wave started. We oughta lobby to get the festivals started again!"

"And how, exactly, would that help?"

"Eh, I dunno." He lowered his head sheepishly, and ran his fingers over the back of his neck. "I just remember when I was little, my brother would tell me about 'em, like they were some big thing. In the little backwater town where we lived, there was a huge festival every year at the start of Spring." His head tilted back, eyes turning up. "People would get all dressed up in kimonos, and there was a parade, and there were masks, and games and food and contests and dancing." He looked to Sanzo, pointedly. "But everyone was invited, so pretty much everyone went. Hell, you were weird if you didn't go! Humans and youkai would all go together. One big happy family!"

"Hm." Sanzo propped his legs up over the quilt, and lengthened his back as his mind scoured the details. "I think there was something like that before the Minus Wave started, but I never went. I'd just stay inside and ignore the noise out there." He lowered his eyes as Gojyo. "What sort of games or contests did they have at your festival?"

"I dunno. Mother would never let me go, just my brother." Gojyo drew his hands onto his lap. "He would always bring me back a balloon, though." There was a beat of silence, and Sanzo's hand slipped over Gojyo's and squeezed. He withdrew it as Gojyo perked up and started to gesticulate again. "But me an' Kai went to one of the festivals in Chang'an once!" He grinned, and Sanzo relaxed incrementally as Gojyo went on. "Yeah, I dragged him out to the Yozakura night viewing during the sakura bloom- biggest night around these parts. Prob'ly cause they treat it like a regular Matsuri." Gojyo chuckled into the back of his hand, toes curling in as he drew his knees in. "Poor Hakkai, he was shy as hell about it, though, probably still embarrassed about bein' in public over the shit he did." He rubbed his hands together, feet bouncing off the mattress as he kept talking. "But there was this game where you tried to catch fish in a paper net, and food and drinks- lots of drinks, I must'a had like a dozen different kinds of sake! But there was a ring toss, and lotteries, and lots of cool stuff for kids. And fireworks! Man, I'd never even seen fireworks like that..."

Sanzo was all too easily drawn in as Gojyo went on. Not only was restarting this old tradition a good idea for making the two communities in Chang'an one, he wasn't sure when he'd last seen this sort of childlike glee in Gojyo's affect, or if he ever had at all.


For the next several weeks, when Sanzo wasn't busy at the registration lines, he was at the library looking through the newspaper archives or looking through travel guides to gather as much information as he could about the previous festivals. He could find records of many in Chang'an- Obon, Setsubun, and hanami, of course, but the numbers had dwindled over the years. "No Obons for fifteen years. No Setsubuns for seven. The last hanami was six years ago, just after the start of the calamity- and almost immediately after Lord Akio took his father's place." He frowned and scratched his head at the revelation, and folded the newspapers up. "I suppose I can understand why Lord Akio wouldn't want to restart them immediately, but why not now?"

He gathered information about other festivals around Shangri-La, then wrote down what little he remembered from the festivals they'd seen on the road. He compiled more day by day, slowly building his understanding. He even dared share his research with Gojyo, who looked it over with a squint and a cocked brow.

"I never partook in festivals, but this helps me know what they're like, correct?" Sanzo folded his hands behind his back as Gojyo flipped through, scratching his head and squinting where Sanzo's pen had slipped.

"Uh, Kou, how's your travel journal coming?" Gojyo put the papers down, and Sanzo jerked upright.

"Er- that is-"

"Like shit, huh?" Gojyo cracked a grin and snickered. "Yeah, you're still holding it all at a distance. Same with this. Look," he paused to tap the papers against the kitchen table. "This? This might help you understand what festivals are and what people do at a festival, but you ain't gonna understand it if you don't experience it." He handed the papers back to him. "So, what'cha gonna do now?"

Sanzo had an answer, but it was another question. He just needed the person to ask. Lord Akio returned to Chang'an in February, a few weeks after the registration ended, and once he'd settled in again, he happily entertained a informal audience with Sanzo.

"Lord Akio, it's come to my attention that the divide between humans and youkai is still growing." Akio listened from his work desk with arms folded in his lap, making eye contact and very clearly listening as Sanzo laid bare his thoughts from the door. "Shangri-La is meant to be a country where humans and youkai live side by side in harmony, but as things grow worse for them, we are starting to look unpleasantly like our Western neighbors."

"My, Lord Sanzo- I suppose I should have expected this from you." Akio smiled patronizingly. He seemed to be in an almost uncharacteristically good mood, though Sanzo was getting the feeling he was not being taken seriously. "Even those who have bruised you still receive your pity."

"I view humans and youkai equally- neutrally." Sanzo's upper lip curled, but he folded his arms to his chest and squared his hips, holding his ground firm. "The onus is on us- you as this province's leader, and myself as..." He trailed off, realizing what he was about to say. I don't buy into this, do I? He shook it off and picked up: "As a hero, of sorts, to try and mend some of these ills. My first proposal is some community-building activities- namely, to restart the festivals."

"Ah." Lord Akio's inflection lifted with surprise, his eyebrows tilting upwards. "That is to say- inviting the youkai back into town square."

"Precisely." Sanzo handed Akio his research. "I've looked into it, and there have been no celebrations of community since the start of the Minus Wave." Akio began to flip over a few pages, smiling with mild amusement. "It's high time we all came together to enjoy something. What say you?"

"Lord Sanzo, you've been attacked and threatened, and yet you still invite these creatures closer?" Akio held the stack of papers out to him again, and Sanzo's gaze narrowed. "Rest assured, I know what these papers say. I do have some fond festival memories from my youth." His sarcastic smile softened. Sanzo reluctantly took his research back into hand, and Akio sat back. "I am, shall we say, cautious about holding such a large event in the wake of the trouble that has come by, as you are correct in that many wounds have not healed. It could be dangerous for all involved."

"How would you propose healing these wounds?" Sanzo felt the edge of the papers crumple in his clenched fingers. "I've done other research. You have no youkai advisers nor liaisons outside of the head of the Bureau of Youkai-Human relations- who happens to be human- there are no youkai parliament members representing Shaanxi, and you have not endorsed a single youkai politician for city council. If you want to have a whole community- and for the sake of the city, I should hope you do- should you not perhaps put your racism aside?"

"Racism?!" Akio sat upright, still smiling but holding a hand to his mouth as though scandalized. "Lord Sanzo, you shouldn't accuse me so! I'm merely cautious- I know what the youkai are capable of, and I think I am right to fear it." He sank back down, as Sanzo continued to glower down at him, having not budged an inch. "But you have made your point. As spiritual leader of Chang'an, you would seek unity and community. You're right. Besides, I suppose some levity might lighten tensions after the end of this year's registration." He glanced to his illustrated calendar- Sanzo found it curious that he would have such fascination with woodblock prints of herons, but he let it go as a quirk. "Setsubun would have been a week ago now, so we're rather late. Why don't we begin with the April Hanami?" He flipped two pages over, to April and a heron with a fish in its beak. "In this city, they usually bloom about two weeks after the start of spring. Wednesday the fourth through the eighteenth would be ideal- and we could hold Yozakura evening festivities over the thirteenth and fourteenth." He smiled. "The blossoms would be at their peak then, and it'll be just warm enough to enjoy the evening but cool enough that everyone could break out their finery." He turned around to Sanzo again, folding his hands before his heart, smiling like the cat that had cornered the mouse. "We have two months to organize and plan it. Sounds ideal, yes?"

"Yes. And thank you." Sanzo bowed at the waist. "If you don't mind, I'd like to begin."

"Don't bother yourself too much. I'll set up a council to advertise and recruit vendors immediately." Akio beamed, and rose from his chair. "It's nice to see you in high spirits, Lord Sanzo."

"Erm." Sanzo was not quite sure how to respond, but bowed his head again. "If you'll excuse me, then." He turned on his heel and left, and couldn't help but feel unnerved.

He insists on calling me Lord Sanzo. How stuffy can a man be? Lord Sanzo- and he does always wear black, doesn't he? But why would he... He shook it from his mind. All conjecture, and that was years ago now anyway. But... I will have to keep my eyes on him. As fixed as his opinion on me is, he would have cause to watch my wards closely, wouldn't he? His fist clenched. Nobleman or no, I would never let his opinion put them in harm's way.


Festival planning began, and the moment the first fliers went up, Sanzo started to hear the chatter. He didn't hear even one word that was remotely negative or contrary, only excitement that "things are getting back to normal!" Gojyo, however, realized that there were children who had never even seen a festival, including his, and their eagerness was contagious.

"So, it's like a big party?" Eiji asked Gojyo again as he plastered a few posters on the shop's big bay window.

"Kid, it's like the biggest party ever!" Gojyo grinned as he spun around on his heel, and scooped Eiji up. "There's gonna be games an' prizes an' food, an' picnics an'-"

"An' sake an' shops an' dango an' masks an' kimonos..." Yohei joined in from the stairs over the storybook in his lap, grinning as Gojyo recounted it again. Sanzo chuckled.

"An' everyone's invited!" Gojyo concluded. "You guys, an' me, and Uncle and Cousin and Papa and Ichi and all your little school friends and their mamas and daddies, and all the monks at the temple, and Ichi's friends and your teacher and pretty much everyone you've ever seen ever!" Ryuichi opened the door and slunk past, and Gojyo promptly put Eiji down to seize Ryuichi's collar. "'Cept 'Ichi, if he doesn't quit smoking!"

"Oh, come on, bro!" Ryuichi moaned and jerked from Gojyo's hand.

"At least try Hi-Lites! Shit, even K- Sanzo's Marlboro Reds are better than Winstons!"

"Is Uncle Ji gonna come to the party?" Eiji piped in, and Ryuichi frowned.

"Who's Uncle Ji?" Gojyo's lips froze as Ryuichi studied his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're what, two cigs a day habit? What kind of Winstons you smoke? I'll get you like a year's worth if you forget that name."

Ryuichi's lips set to the same flat line as Gojyo's. "Uh. Winston Red 100's. What name?" He forced a nervous smile, and Gojyo set a smug grin in place.

"S'what I thought." He folded his arms, and Ryuichi put his bag down and tied his shop apron on to start sweeping. "Betcha we'll be real busy the day before the Yozakura- you can bet that's gonna be a hot date night, eh?"

"Date?" Eiji tugged on Gojyo's leg. "Daddy, what's a date?"

"S'where two people who like each other a lot go out somewhere and eat and have fun." His eyes lit with inspiration. "Hey, maybe Uncle Ha will get a date! How 'bout you, Ichi? Any girls at your school?"

"U-uh!" Ryuichi's cheeks turned pink again, and Gojyo snickered.

"Man, one day I'm coaching you through your first hard-on- boy, you're lucky Miss Feng always makes eye contact- then you start smoking, and now you're actually getting into girls. Growin' up so fast! Did I give you the birds and bees yet, kiddo?"

"Daddy, what's a har-"

"Eiji, forget that word." Gojyo narrowed his eyes down at him, as Ryuichi recovered, gripping his broom with white knuckles.

"How about you, bro?" He spoke slowly, clearly struggling against the blood in his cheeks. "Are you gonna get a date?"

"Who knows?" Gojyo shrugged, and put the last poster up. "I'll probably end up taking the boys around instead- they can be my date!"

"But aren't dates for two people?" Yohei leaned from around the edge of the steps again, curious. "You said so!" Gojyo chuckled.

"Guess it depends on what kinda date you wanna have."

Hakkai arrived back in town a week after the start of March and the night before school was set to start again, and was extraordinarily surprised to see the posters all over town and in the shop window. "Goodness, I hadn't heard about this!" His hands flew to his pinking cheeks when Gojyo explained. "This is so exciting- it'll really feel like spring again!"

"I know, right?" Gojyo smiled, then looked over his shoulder. After greeting Hakkai with the enthusiasm Gojyo had only ever seen in the twins when they saw Sanzo after a few weeks of separation, Hakuryu was wired, and the boys were entertaining Hakuryu with childish eagerness. He'd happily engaged them in a light wrestling match, snaking and squirming in and out of their grips. "The guys'll have fun, and we'll have fun, and it'll be amazing all around!" Hakuryu yelped as Yohei tugged his mane, and Yohei squealed back. Hakkai and Hakuryu both seemed to jerk their attention towards him, and Gojyo rose his eyebrow. "Uh, you okay?"

"Y-yes, fine!" Hakkai smiled back at them, ignoring Hakuryu's urgent chattering as he squirmed from the boys' grip and landed on his shoulder. "Now, now, I can fix your hair later." Hakuryu stomped his feet, claws sticking on Hakkai's shirt. "Shh. We'll talk later." Hakuryu quieted after a few more chirps, and Hakkai looked back to Gojyo. "I suppose Sanzo's been helping plan?"

"It's all he seems to talk about while he's here." Gojyo grinned, nodding to a folder left on the counter. "He reads the notes on the council meetings, and it seems it's goin' pretty well. He says stuff's on schedule, lots of shops agreed to open booths for picnickers and the big Yozakura festival. Especially the big night!" Gojyo gestured with his arms wide. "There's gonna be paper lanterns and games and everything!"

"That does sound lovely, does it not?" Hakkai giggled, taking a step back to hoist his duffel bag up again. "Ah, we shall have to have special sales and everything!" Gojyo grinned- the excitement really was contagious.

Sanzo did keep busy with planning, but he was still at the house most afternoons and at nights for dinner. Gojyo was just happy to see him so interested in something, as he shared the details of the planning progress every night over dinner between Gojyo's talks of the books he'd been reading and the boys' happy chatter.

"... It's crazy, I mean, I've read cheesy romances, but the dialogue is just so stilted!" Gojyo chuckled, waving a hand in the air. "I mean, could the guy be a more obvious villain? 'I have a hawk's claws, a vulture's beak, I deceive the great and oppress the weak.' This Mao Yanshou guy- it sucks that he kinda won at the end."

Hakkai giggled, and refilled the adults' teacups around the table. This March night, the entire crew was together, and Gojyo had finished another book. Hakkai seemed impressed as he settled back down. "Autumn in the Palace of Han? I had no idea you'd gotten into dramas!"

"Well, the girly romances are sort of a guilty pleasure; quick and easy reads, and I get a good laugh at most of it." He sat back and grinned. "I was thinking, maybe I oughta try some real literature. I'm not a big reader, but when I got time, it's actually kinda fun."

"I'm impressed," Sanzo muttered, and blew cool air over his tea before taking a gulp. "Yohei, what were you saying about a race? Something from school today?"

"Oh, uh, Miss Feng says there's gonna be a race during the Hanami!" Yohei grinned, bouncing in his chair. "Is gonna be fun! Me an' Ei an' all the all-day students are gonna run around the school just to see who's fastest!" Sanzo smiled as Eiji pitched in what he knew.

"Yeah, there's gonna be a race for us and then for the first an' second grade, and then the third an' fourth, an'-"

"And all the other grades separately, correct?" Hakkai looked into Eiji's cup, and refilled it with fruit juice. Eiji nodded.

"Is the morning-only class running?" Sanzo asked.

"Uh-uh, just the all-days." Yohei answered as Eiji took a long slurp of his juice.

"Do you like all-day school?"

"Uh-huh!" Eiji put his juice down and licked his lips. "We get to do science class now! Miss Feng says we're gonna do writing, too!"

"That sounds wonderful." Hakkai smiled, then refilled both Goku and Yohei's cups with juice. "Sanzo, speaking of the Hanami-"

"Ah, yes." Sanzo turned and took his folder off the kitchen counter. "I did want to ask you all a few things. There's a meeting tomorrow morning, I was going to attend to ensure we hit all of our bases."

"Whatcha mean?" Gojyo leaned forward over his mostly-empty plate.

"We were planning the event booths for the Yozakura festival, deciding what sorts of vendors and such we need to recruit." Sanzo took up a pen. "What sort of games or events should we ensure are there?"

"Well, how should I know?" Gojyo chuckled. "I told you, it's been years since I really went to a festival around here. Hey- how about sake drinking contests?"

"No." Sanzo's eyes narrowed.

"Burlesque shows?" Gojyo's eyes sparked even brighter.

"Hell no."

"Ah, killjoy." Gojyo stuck his tongue out at Sanzo. "What about sake tasting? You know, brews and blends from around Shangri-La."

"That could be doable." Sanzo scribbled it down.

"Ooh! I know!" Goku thrust his hand straight into the air. "If we don't have sake drinking contests, how about meat bun eating contests?"

"You'd win. Contest over." Sanzo snorted as Goku's hand sunk and head fell to the table. "Hakkai?"

"My- perhaps the traditional ones are all I'd like to see." Hakkai shrugged as he sat back down. "Fish catching would be lovely- I've been thinking of remodeling the backyard with a little pond and garden, or at least tear down that bullet-riddled fence." He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Ah!" He smiled and tapped the table. "Perhaps a flower arrangement competition."

"I don't think professionals would be allowed to compete." Sanzo cocked his eyebrow, and Hakkai shook his head.

"Oh, no, not for us to compete, but we could perhaps sponsor, or help supply flowers and vases and the like." His eyes glinted. "For a slight upcharge on our regular fees."

"I'll keep it in mind." Sanzo noted it down.

"Oh yes, and a prayer tree."

"Aren't those normally for the New Year's festival, or was that Setsubun?" Sanzo flipped back through his folder for his notes, and Hakkai chuckled.

"They are, but since it's the first festival in many years, we should indulge. Plus, it is the start of a new year."

"You're right." Sanzo noted it down. "There's a great big cherry tree in the temple gardens. I'll dress it up myself." He glanced to Ryuichi. "How about you, young man?"

"Ah..." Ryuichi looked down, fidgeting with his fingers in his lap. "I dunno. I've never been to a festival either. I guess... Maybe desserts made with cherry blossoms, or something?"

"That does sound like a good idea. I'll see if we can't put a call out to our pastry vendors to come up with some recipes." Sanzo made the note, and Gojyo's back hit his seat back, his eyes wide, as Ryuichi smiled, clearly proud of receiving Sanzo's approval. "I suppose that's all. But I would like to give something in return." He took an envelope out from the back of the folder. "As you know, kimonos are going to be the expected dress code for the Yozakura night festival. I want all of you to get some, but I know that with the shop not opening until the first day of Spring, the cost may be prohibitive. As such-" He passed the envelope to Hakkai, but Gojyo nipped a hand in to swipe it and looked over its contents.

"That's a fat stack of cash." His eyebrows rose up to his hairline. "This is too much."

"Gojyo, please-"

"Why not come with us? We'll go on Sunday." He passed the envelope back. "That way, you know what you're getting." He smiled at Sanzo, and Sanzo's expression matched it.

"As you wish."


The trip out to the clothiers with everyone but Goku (who hadn't woken up that morning but had a note pinned to his chest promising he'd return before the start of the festival) was much easier than Gojyo could have anticipated, perhaps because Sanzo had given the boys a close, quiet talk before they even left the house: "This is a very nice place, and we will be getting you something very nice. However, if you cannot be on your very best behavior, you will leave, you will get nothing, and you will not be able to go to the party. Do you understand?" They had understood, and only squirmed a little when the tailor measured the two of them at the chest and hip, then by height. Eiji wiggled when he stood on the tailor's pedestal, shivering as the tailor pinned a hem onto the purple and blue cat-printed kimono Gojyo had selected for him. He looked pleadingly to Sanzo, who watched from beside the mirror.

"Papa, it's heavy!" He wiggled his arms in little circles, waving the long sleeves around as the tailor reminded him 'straight out at your sides, please.'

"It's only because there's so much fabric on the bottom." Sanzo smiled wearily and stepped forward to pat his head. "You're doing fine." He looked to the next stall, where Gojyo watched Ryuichi get fit in a gold and red kimono, with imprints of gingko leaves. "Ah, that's a nice choice. Gojyo, did you pick it?"

"Nah, Ichi did." Gojyo grinned as Ryuichi sulked and looked at his sleeves.

"I'm not comfortable in fancy clothes like this. I've never worn anything more sophisticated than a button-down shirt."

"At least you look real good, kiddo!" Gojyo snickered and slapped him on the back. "Plus, them big pants are nice. You can shove more cigarettes in those pockets than you can even imagine." Ryuichi chuckled, and lifted his arms at his tailor's quiet urging.

"Here we are!" Hakkai announced from the changing room, and emerged with Yohei in his arms, both fully dressed. Yohei's kimono was red with gold, green-eyed dragons, tied with a gold obi, in stark contrast to Hakkai's beige and green kimono with its pattern of vines. Yohei waved to Gojyo with both arms.

"Daddy, it's so pretty! Can I wear it to school, please?"

"No way, kiddo!" Gojyo laughed and fluffed his hair. "This is for nice days and parties and festivals only. If your school has a fancy dress party, then you can wear it to that."

"Aww." Yohei stuck his lower lip out, and Hakkai set him down and looked at Gojyo

"I'm not sure, Gojyo." He looked down at his kimono, tugging at the seams. "Do you think this suits me?" He spread his arms and turned, and the silk embroidered vines shimmered against his back. Gojyo smiled slowly.

"Damn right, bro. It's perfect."

"I like it too," Sanzo admitted, then glanced back to where Eiji was still biting his lip, then back again. "And Yohei, you look like a gentleman."

"Thank you, Papa!" Yohei bowed at the waist, the best he could do with his kimono tied on so tight.

"Let's take these off before they get messy, Mister Yohei." Hakkai giggled and started leading him back towards the dressing room, and Sanzo closed the distance between him and Gojyo to whisper in his ear:

"When he's done, pick one out for you."

"Hah!" Gojyo snorted and stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. "No way."

"You have to- it'll be nice." Sanzo sounded dismayed, but his voice started to pick up heat. "I want to see you in one. Maybe purple, like Eiji, or blue, or gold." His voice dropped in volume. "I've never seen you wear anything fancy."

Gojyo started to whisper back. "I don't need to, Kou. I'm dead sexy as it is- ain't nobody cares what I look like other than that."

"I do. You're fine as you are, but this, I want to see." His fingers drifted to the inside of Gojyo's elbow and traced little circles there. "Please?"

"Tell you what." Gojyo sighed and relented with a smile, not quite turning around but still feeling the warmth and heat from Sanzo's eyes. "You take the boys and get 'em some snacks when they're all done. I'll do it, but you ain't gonna see it 'til the night of the festival."

"But- I'm not that patient."

"Nuh-uh." Gojyo grinned and turned around to come eye to eye with Sanzo. "You want it, you'll get it, but I wanna surprise you."

"If that's what it takes." Both Sanzo and Gojyo left their eyes drift over their shoulder for a second to find that the tailors were both preoccupied with their charges, and there was nobody else in the store. Gojyo dove forward for a quick, sweet kiss, and backed off with a sly grin. Sanzo wiped his lips and turned back around to Eiji, and addressed the tailor in his normal, flat speaking voice. "Is he all set?"

"Yes sir!" The tailor stepped back with a smile, and Eiji wiggled his arms again.

"Papa?"

"Very handsome," Sanzo affirmed, and crouched to kiss him. "Alright, let's put you back in your street clothes, and then we'll go for some treats."

Hakkai stayed with Gojyo while Sanzo took all three of the children to a nearby bakery, and when they finished, the two paid with the money Sanzo had given them, and left with the kimonos all in a black, opaque garment bag slung over Gojyo's shoulder. Gojyo was still chuckling. "Can't believe he suckered me into getting one of those. Shit, this is like wedding or funeral wear!"

"Oh, it's not so bad!" Hakkai laughed, folding his hands behind his back. "You did look nice, that I can promise you."

"Yeah, well." Gojyo hid the warmth in his cheeks by turning his head away. "I wasn't worried about that. I look good in anything, and better in nothing." He winked, and Hakkai laughed again.

"Now, I don't really think pink is your color! Certainly not for a night like this."

"Kiddin'. I was more surprised that, well, Sanzo really wanted me to have this." Gojyo's head inclined down, and his sarcastic smile softened to being just the wrong side of demure. "You know, he's... he's gotten so much warmer. Softer. Happier. I think getting into something like this is makin' him better."

"It has been a while since you two had a big fight," Hakkai conceded, and ducked his head to try and meet Gojyo's eyes. "But he's been changing for a while, hasn't he? It's been slow, but I think he's started to open up- like a flower in the sun." He giggled and straightened up. "True, he may be the sun to others, but I think that you're his light."

"Please." Gojyo folded his arms. "He don't need me like that."

"I think you'd be surprised."

"Oh, whatever!" Gojyo rolled his eyes, and stopped when he noticed that Hakkai had. Sanzo was sitting in the bakery with the three boys, and Gojyo smiled when he saw Sanzo cover his mouth to chuckle at something Yohei had said. "Still... This is gonna sound kinda gay, but I sorta feel like a bride with that thing." He glanced to Hakkai. "What with him askin' me to wear it, you know, for him. The kimono, and all." He looked down to the ground, smiling, though his brow was lifted in what looked like sadness. "I know. Totally gay. Almost makes me wish he would just put a ring on it, right? I know he can't, but..."

"Oh, you never know." Hakkai set an arm over his shoulder. "There are all sorts of surprises at a festival."

"Guess you're right." Gojyo chuckled and straightened his back. "We'll find out, won't we?" He stepped away from Hakkai to cross the street to rejoin his family. Though Gojyo knew the festival was meant to bring the community closer together, he felt it was bringing his family closer too, and nothing could have been better. He only eagerly awaited what wonders the festival could bring.


In the temple sanctuary, Avadhuti released his hands from the lotus position and rose his head with a deep gasp as his mind returned to his body, and accepted the cup of tea Akio offered from where he was seated before him.

"Was Lord Sanzo with them again?" Akio seemed to barely wait for Avadhuti to wipe his brow and catch his breath before quizzing him. Avadhuti seemed not to mind, sipping the tea before finding an answer.

"He was. Like any father with his children, friends, and precious wife." His brow wrinkled, and Akio swallowed foul spit.

"Ugh! Why must I parent this wayward priest?" He rubbed his forehead. "I suppose leaving them to their own devices while I dealt with my other business didn't help, but I have no choice."

"You expected this, my lord." Avadhuti took another sip, and slowly unfolded his legs onto the sanctuary floor. The noise of his heavy legs echoed on the darkened walls and around the unlit torches.

"It doesn't mean I'm not eternally an optimist." Akio sighed and rose to his feet. "But perhaps that's a fault in my stars." He shook it off and took a few paces towards the sanctuary door, staring at the gingko tree by the gate. It was starting to come into bloom, and had begun to reek as any female of its species did, but Akio knew that there would be beautiful, fan-shaped leaves in the rancid blossoms' place soon enough. "It's fine. It's no matter. I saw this coming. This is why we woke our sleeper. After all..." He folded his hands behind his back, and a deep sigh colored his words gray with reluctant sorrow. "It's not a party without a crasher."


Culture Notes: "Autumn in the Palace of Han" is a real Chinese play from the late 13th century. Yes, really. I read it in college. The text is available for free on the web, just put the title into your Google machine if you've got an hour to spare. You don't need to, but if you do, you can say you've read something older than dirt. Later, Gojyo does directly quote the villain, Mao Yanshou, during his second scene. It's sort of a convention of Chinese dramas, from what I can tell- the characters introduce themselves at the start of their every scene, and narrate what they're doing.

I don't read cheesy romance novels. I don't know if any of them are contrived enough to use the phrase "blushing quietly." I have, however, read a lot of rather silly fanfiction that uses said phrase...

I admit to being a little creative with the depiction of festivals and the kimonos worn. Matsuri is probably a familiar phrase to anyone who reads manga or watches anime set in modern Japan, or near-modern Japan- but just in case, a Matsuri is a street festival. Setsubun is held on February 3rd, and it's a celebration of the new year. Obon is a fall festival, celebrating the end of the rice-growing season. Hanami literally means "flower viewing," and is usually celebrated with group picnics. Yozakura (and you have no idea how many times I typed Yozakuro. Go away, Zakuro, you're not in this story!) is the name for night-time sakura blossom viewing. I've decided they treat it like a full-blown festival here because, well, creative license, though not necessarily culturally accurate. Plus, due to reasons, I need fireworks to happen during the festival, so it's got to be at night. Plus, this isn't actually Japan, and the only Matsuri I know of in my tri-state area takes place during the Cherry Blossom Festival.

A burlesque show- one of Gojyo's event requests- is... well... it's pretty much a strip show. I've attended two cosplay burlesques at conventions I've attended, which involves people in cosplay using their bodies to entertain, removing articles of clothing, dancing, and showing off impressive bodily feats and flexibility, often with a theme or retaining some form of character. For example, one of the shows I attended had an act that involved a Kurama cosplayer (from Yu Yu Hakusho) showing off with his whip while discarding clothing. He even invited Hiei onstage to join him. Burlesques do not go full nudity, but they will often go close, with women wearing only pasties on the top and bottoms, and men going down to (often skimpy!) underwear. While they're not getting full frontal, the shows are highly sexual in nature and not really family fare.

Prayer tree- I've seen this in a couple anime. During Japanese New Year's festivities, as part of their first trip to their local shrine, people will write a wish on a talisman and tie it to a tree. I may have the name wrong, for which I apologize. Feel free to correct me!

Kimonos! If you don't know what kimonos are, then welcome to anime fandom! Kimonos are those pretty silk robes that Japanese women wear for fancy occasions, with the big sash around the middle and a bow in the back. Now, kimonos are unisex, though the men's kimonos are styled differently. For early spring, kimonos would be better suited than summer yukata, the chief difference being the thickness of fabric and the pattern. However, I admit in my mind, I'm styling them more like yukata. Obis are the sashes used to tie a kimono. The guys are wearing informal komon-style kimono, with a small repeated pattern in the brocade. This is one error- the komon pattern is really more for women, and men would wear an unpatterned kimono. That aside, the main error I'm making is that men's kimonos are traditionally in subdued colors- browns, blues, greens, and sometimes purples. Gold and red would probably be colors you only saw on women! Hakkai is probably the only one even close to being accurately dressed. However, the colors and patterns are somewhat symbolic for each of the characters, so I'm running with it. Again, this is creative license with a world that is somewhat like ours yet still different, and if anyone's offended, then I do apologize. It's not my intention to misappropriate Japanese culture, and to paraphrase MST3K- it's just a story, you should really just relax!

"Pink isn't your color-" Not that Gojyo wouldn't look gorgeous in pink, but the pink Hakkai is alluding to is skin. One implication of the phrase "pretty in pink" is "looks good naked," sometimes with the additional implication that nudity is all the recipient of such a comment is good for. Boy, I bet I just ruined an 80's movie for someone...

Last, gingko trees and the smell. Gingko (or ginkgo) trees are famous for their leaves' medicinal use as supplements (gingko biloba, anyone?) However, they are notorious for another reason. Gingko trees come in separate sexes, and during their flowering season, the females of the species, for lack of a better word, reek. The smell has been described as being akin to a rotting corpse, leading some communities to try and eradicate the females. The trouble is that the trees can also switch sexes, so even if you plant exclusively males or chop down all the females in an area, you will still get that smell when the male trees start getting lonely. Akio's been hanging with the smelly son of a bitch all this story, so I can only imagine what that robe smells like...

End Notes: This arc is a planned 3 chapters (so 2 more,) and then the Act I finale. I am sticking to this goddamn plan. So, two weeks from now, the festival begins! Don't forget to review, and see you all at the party!