Author: babyg@babygxpress

Note: This is another back-in-the-past, for Gojou this time.

Akai Hana

"What a mist. I can't even see anything in front. Hoi, Hakkai, when are we going to get out of here?" Gojou asked leaning against the backseat, looking bored.

"Aa, I think we have to wait for this mist to dissolve. I can't seem to be able to find a way out." Hakkai answered, rubbing the back of his head.

"Whhh-aat! That'll take soooo long! Sanzo, hungry, HUNGRY!!" Goku pulled the back of Sanzo's robe.

Veins appear at the back of Sanzo's head. He turned and with his infamous fan, went *Whh-aack*!

"Shut up or I will kill you!"

Hakkai suddenly stomped on the brakes. The jeep turned around crazily. Sanzo, who was still standing up, hit the windscreen and Gojou, who was behind him flew frontward, and hit Sanzo face first at his...... erm.... *private* place.

Sanzo's gun immediately hit Gojou's temple.

"Do you want to die?!"

"No, thank you." Gojou sprang backwards. Goku burst out laughing and even Hakkai couldn't resist letting out a smile.

"What's with braking like that, Hakkai!" Sanzo glared at him. (Sometimes I think he enjoys making a fool out of me!)

"Aa....ah, I just noticed that tree, " he pointed to a particular tree, "We passed it three times already and I was feeling suspicious."

"Was that enough REASON to BRAKE like THAT!!!" Gojou yelled. (What's wrong with this guy?!?!?!)

"Hahaha, ero-kappa, you had a nice landing anyway!" Goku doubled over, laughing.

"What did you say, monkey?"

"What, you want to fight?"

"Come on then. I'm not afraid of a monkey."

Both of them got involved in a mouth-pulling fight. Suddenly, Gojou jumped of the jeep.

"I'm not going to wait here meaninglessly. If you don't want to find a way out, I will. Ja." He turned and walked off, lifting up a hand. He disappeared through the trees.

"Daijoubuu, ka, Sanzo? If we let him go around like that." Hakkai asked worriedly.

"Let him do what he wants. I'm not his caretaker." Sanzo folded his arms angrily.

Hakkai.... *sweatdrops* (Is he still mad about that?)

Gojou walked on, occasionally bending tree branches that were in his way.

"Ch', when will this mist ever disappear. It's irritating me like hell." He grumbled as he walked on. Suddenly, dark rain clouds gathered and in a split second, heavy rain fell.

"Damn." Gojou saw a cave opening and quickly rushed for shelter. There, he stood out and looked at the rain. He suddenly noticed something.

"Aka hana....surrounded by the mist...." I've seen this before.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Aa-ah, Gojou-san! You're winning again!." A girl cooed happily. The other three girls around him did the same thing

Gojou sat at one end of a round table, his hand holding a fan of cards, and he stared triumphantly at his opponent. The guy groaned, " Not another time!" He slapped down the money and got up.

"Ne, o-chan, don't you want to play somemore?" Gojou grinned.

"Urusai! You've made me lose all my money which was supposed to be used for dinner! Now, what am I going to tell my wife??" the poor man groaned as he ran out.

"Eeh, that's your own fault."

"Gojou-san, you're so clever!"

"Yeah, fancy winning 10 times in a row!"

The girls all crowded around him.

"What beautiful red hair you have, Gojou-san." A girl suddenly commented.

He stiffened.

"Yeah, and beautiful ruby-colored eyes too.... hey! Where did he go?" The girls stared at the swinging doors, puzzled.

"He hates red, you know. You shouldn't have said that." the female innkeeper winked as she went by.

"Aww....but it was beautiful."

Gojou walked on the street, slumping, hands in pockets. They don't know what this cursed color means. Just as well as they don't. This color, the result of my bad childhood.... A girl from some distance away, was running backwards towards him.

"Ooumph! Itai!" The girl bumped full force into Gojou and both of them fell down, the girl on top of him.

"Nani....!" Gojou yelled as she tried to get up, only succeeding in stepping all over him before falling on top of him again.

"Chien Li! Don't try to get away!" A big, fat rolypoly man appeared in front of them, casting a shadow over them. The girl gave a squeal, and then tried to get up, but the rolypoly picked her up by the back of her shirt easily.

"Ne, ne, I didn't do it! Let me go! Let me go!" The girl kicked and tried to punch rolypoly.

"Don't be naughty, small girl. Hand me my money back, and I'll let you go."

The girl stuck out her tongue.

"*sweatdrop* WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!" Rolypoly shouted.

He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around.

"Ah, what's this I see in front of me? Mr. Rolypoly bullying a small kiddie?" Gojou stood behind him, arms crossed.

"Kakkoi, ougi-chan!" The girl gave a thumbs-up sign.

"Onii-chan, O-NII-chan!" A vein appeared.

"Don't play around with me, if you don't want to get hurt." Mr Rolypoly answered, taking a menacing step.

"Oh, you want to play?"

*BANG*WHHACK*BIISHH* (Oww! lemmego!) *CRASH*

Gojou brushed his hands, standing on top of Mr Rolypoly and his thugs who were completely...flattened. He grinned sneakily, then walked away.

The girl ran behind him. "Ougi-chan, matte!"

Gojou turned around. "O-NII-CHAN! CALL ME O-NII-CHAN!"

The girl stopped running, and stared at him innocently. "Ougi-chan, thanks for saving me!"

Gojou clenched his teeth. "Na, it was nothing. Ja." He turned and walked to the right. The girl followed. He suddenly swerved to the left. The girl followed. He turned right again. So did the girl.

He stopped suddenly. "WHAT DO YOU WANT!!" He stared down at two huge shining eyes.

"Ne, Ougi-chan.... can I follow you?"

"No, you cannot!"

"I want to!"

"But you can't!"

"Minna-san! Tasukete kure!! Ougi-chan is trying to molest me!!" The girl jumped up on Gojou's back and waved and shouted. Everyone around them began whispering.

"Look at that man! What cheek!"

" And so young a girl too!"

"Where were the morals we used to have during those days!"

Sweatdrops began appearing on Gojou.

"A-re..... minna-san, it's just misunderstanding. Goodbye!" He carried the girl on his shoulders, and ran away.

Gojou sat on the table, staring boredly at the girl. She stared back at him, and suddenly smiled.

"After eating, you better get back home."

"Hai!"

"Excuse me, may I help you?" A pretty waitress stood, her pen poised. Gojou's jaws dropped open.

"Hai! May I have ramen, soba, fish fillet, pau, mantou, bread, soup.....blablabla..."

"Hoi! Do you think I'm that rich, kid!" Gojou shouted momentarily before his jaws dropped open again.

"And that will be all. Thank you." The girl smiled, then reached across the table and slammed Gojou's jaws up (who by this time was drooling all over his chin!).

"*sweatdrop* Ha-hai....coming right up." The waitress hurried off.

The girl suddenly pouted. "Why did you leave your mouth open like that?"

"None of your business!"

Gojou suddenly noticed the girl's hair. Red, just like mine. Her eyes.... PINK????

"Hoi, kid, your name's Chien Li?"

"Hai! Just call me Li. Ougi-chan namae wa?"

"Gojou."

"Ooooh.... that's a nice name." Li leaned forward.

Gojou stared, entranced. I've never seen eyes like that before.

"Excuse me. Your food has arrived." The same waitress came balancing a heavy laden tray.

"Yay!"

"Ano onna....do you want to... MMMppph!" Li covered Gojou's mouth tightly, and smiled innocently at the waitress.

"I'm sorry, he's a little (turns finger by the side of her head)......"

"O-oh, I understand. Enjoy your meal." The waitress hurried off.

Gojou pulled her hand off. "What's the big deal!?"

"Umrpm....yumm....nuffing......yeth...futh... fun...."

"DON'T TALK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL!" Why am I stuck with a kid?

"*gulp* Sorry, its just that I'm hungry."

"Great. So you've finished. Take care. Bye." Gojou left some coins on the table, got up and walked to the exit.

"But....." Li stared after him, her expression changing from hurt to silent anger.

After a few moments of walking, Gojou started to feel a tinge of regret. You shouldn't have left her there like that, a miniature Gojou angel appeared in front of him.

"She doesn't have the o-kane I need, tenshi."

That's the way to answer a stupid good-for-nothing angel, Gojou my boy, a Gojou devil popped up.

Gojou, you have compassion, and from deep down you care for what might happen to her. Why leave her like that? You don't know what might happen to her, the angel Gojou bugged.

She's old enough to take care of herself, Gojou my boy. Now lets go find a real woman who has the money to pay for your rented room tonight, said devil Gojou.

"Aa-ah...hoi.....but..."

You wouldn't like anything bad to happen to her right?

Nothing bad will happen to her.

You never know.

And vice versa.

The two guardians glared at each other.

"Have you guys come to a conclusion yet?" Gojou suddenly interrupted, speaking a little loudly and frowned.

Take my advice, Gojou.

Forget the angel, boy. Listen to ME.

"OH SHUT UP ALREADY!" Gojou lifted his hands high up in the air and glared at either side of him. The two visions disappeared and was replaced by..... people around him, pointing and whispering at him.

"That guy has gone slightly crazy..."

"Yeah talking to himself..?"

" People nowadays don't keep sane anymore."

"Oh, what is the world coming to?"

*huge sweatdrop appears* on Gojou.

Gojou finally reached the inn which he had rented a room in without any more problems. Now if I use the money I won to pay for the room tomorrow, I won't get any breakfast..... *sigh* Yoshi! Then I'll get myself an extra nice dinner today!

Gojou ordered some food from the 'beautiful' innkeeper's daughter and then went upstairs to his room. He decided to take a quick shower before his food turned up.

"Aah, what a nice shower that was! Time to enjoy." He rubbed his hair with a towel, then stopped suddenly. His door was slightly ajar, and light was flowing through.

"What the hell....?" He pushed opened the door angrily, and stopped still in surprise.

"Yo! Go-chan!" Li looked up and waved from the bed where she was playing with something. Empty plates with what looked like the remains of his food lay on the floor, neatly stacked.

"A-re?!?! Waaahhhh! My food!!!" Gojou's eyes popped out.

" ??? Oh that. I found it on the floor and thought you already ate." Li grinned happily.

"THAT was my dinner!!! Baka zaru!!!!" A-re? Why did I just call her that?

"Hon-tou??? Gomen ne!!!" Li's grin faded, and she jumped off the bed, looking very apologetic.

Don't look at me like that. " Are you satisfied now? Get out of my room, you bring nothing but trouble!"

Li's eyes drooped sadly and she took slow steps towards him, towards the door. Gojou kept his angry expression, wishing she would just disappear.

Suddenly Li ran the last few steps and hugged him tightly and sobbed. Gojou looked completely taken aback.

"Gomen Go-chan! I never thought you haven't eaten! Please don't ask me to go away! I have no home! No one wants me! And.....*sobs loudly* now, you want to shoo me away!! You're the only one...who *sob sob* was kind to me..."

"There, there. Don't start a crying fest on me. Stay then if you want. I don't care." Great. Now not only have I not had dinner, I have to give up my bed.

"*sniff* Really?? *sniff sniff* Thank you, thank you...."

"*SIGH* It's getting late. Do you want to bathe or anything like that first?"

Li looked up at with huge eyes.

"*blushes deep red* I mean, anything to get comfortable before going to sleep."

"No, thank you."

"So, get into bed then. I'll sleep on the floor."

He half carried Li across the room and plonked her gently on the bed. Then he laid himself on the floor, cursing under his breath at the hard surface. He lay on his back and placed a hand behind his head.

"Ah...hoi.... Li-chan..."

"Hai?" Li's head popped over, looked down at Gojou her eyes wide.

"Eh... eh.... Your red hair... is unusual?"

"So's yours *smiles* But that makes us unique! How many people would have red hair like ours right??"

Right. Unique. More out-of-place to me.

"Oh.....then...oyasumi."

"Oyasumi nasai!" her head disappeared.

He glanced up at the bed, suddenly feeling something strange.... a bit like the way when he gave his stepmother the red flowers and she praised it for a split second.. before she....... He shook the feeling off. No, she doesn't mean anything and she's harmless. I'm not in love with her, neither is she going to do anything to me. She's just a kid.

Up above him, on the bed, Li lay slightly curled to the side. Her mouth slowly parted into a nasty grin......unique huh.....

***********************************************************************************

babyg: This was originally supposed to be one-shot, just like "Sanzo- A part of his Untold Past." Unfortunately, it seems that its just too long! I had to break this up into two chapters.... so please, stay tuned for the 2nd part of Akai Hana!!