(Note: for all those wondering, for Minekura's great job at doing Saiyuki, I am paying homage to her in this chapter. Of course, the Minekura in this world may be VERY different from the one in GS)

~

"Sakura, sakura, are you alright..."

"Ungghh...Ohgami ?"

"It's me. Miraculously, only I remained unaffected."

Sakura smiled, before falling back to sleep.

In another room, Sumire was trying her best to get up.

"Stupid fever.... I have to go out. I have acting to do, photo shoots to be in...why must I be sick..."

As she said this, she caught the eye of an incredibly handsome man.

He had red hair, was lean of build, and wore a blue vest, a simple white shirt, and brown pants. NMost unsually, but attractive, he had red eyes.

"Wow.. who is that man ?"

Sumire now had another reason to get better.

~

"Japan ?"

"That is correct. And I suspect that the world we currently in is Shintoistic in nature"

"Shin..what ?"

"Shintoism. I suppose you're not familiar with Minekura. She did a couple of books on a fantasy world, filled with Samurai and Ronin, set in a land called Japan. The world she created was incredibly vivid, and different from our own, yet based on our own."

"Oh..."

"She created a term known as Shintoism, and it was the worship of the pantheon of deities in her world. Apparently, we seem to be in some form of world like the one Minekura created."

"Correct Sanzo. (Sigh) This reminds me of Tolkien..."

"Who's that ?"

"You guys don't read, do you ?"

"Sure we read ! I always read the monthly issues of Playboy ! Oh, and there's the comics in the newspaper !"

"Reading ? What's that ?"

Sanzo started to mutter. Idiots....

"Say, why do you bother with imaginary world anyway ? Why not just be contented with living in one REAL world ?"

"Gojyo, you're forgeting something. We ARE in a fantasy world."

"That's right Hakkai. And besides, we can learn many a moral and value in a storybook. It is a great skill to be able to read."

"Whatever.."

And Sanzo cursed, underneath his own breath, at Gojyo's lack of interest in reading.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Sanzo !"

"That's us."

"The manager requests to see you."

~

"WHAT ?!"

"I said you're hired. However, we need to create a new team, since the Floral Assault Troupe is sick..."

"Then, we'll call ourselves.... Team Mokey !"

"Hey ! Hakkai !"

"Don't worry Goku ! It's a cute name !"

"Whatever.... look, you all decided a name, whatever you want it to be. However, we have another problem, and that's acting."

"Ay ?"

"Y'see, being a troupe, they're all professional actresses. However, since they're sick, we have to keep the theatre running, or we won't be able to generate some revenue.."

"Wait... you never asked us..."

"But I'm afraid so. One of the members of the troupe, a man.."

"You had one man amongst an entire team of women ?"

"Yes. he was the leader. Anyway, he can't act either, so, he's joining you lot. One of the girls will be helping you in your acting. Those from the Floral Assault Troupe's sister troupe will be sewing you your battle unforms.."

"Uniforms ?"

"Yes."

Sanzo stared to curse, again.

"Bloody *****"

~

"Sanzo, this your room, Here are the beds, fit for a king !"

"Thanks, but I'm a monk. Monks live in conditions that are like **** !"

"Umm.. yes. Anyway, your friends rooms are along the corridor. Downstairs is the kitchen, dining room, and the assembly area, along with the engine room and the deck where the kobus are kept."

"Right."

"I leave you now."

Sanzo stared at the oom.

It was grand. Well, not that grand, but, he had been through so much, not to mention the simple beds he usually had in an inn, this bedroom seemed to be a palace of a sort.

As he closed the door, he felt a disticnt movement.

"Who's there ?"

"Woah.. sir, do put down your gun."

"Ay ?"

"I am Ensign Ohgami, leader of the Floral Assault Troupe. Yeah, I am the only, but my job's a really small one. I am responsible for the tactics, etc."

"I see....."

"Now that I will have to domore of the fighting, I guess I have to join you all in acting."

"Fine then."

~

A few hours later, the members of Sanzo's party, along with Ohgami, were at the stage.

"Gee, you guys. We've all never acted before. How are we gonna do it ?"

"Simple dude, check out the moneky over there. He's a real actor !"

'I AM NOT A MONKEY, COCKROACH !"

"See what I mean ?"

"Acting requires skill, emotion, care..."

"Hakkai, I never hear you say this before."

"Oh, I did act, once.."

"Oh ?"

"In the school play."

"......"

Long pause.

Just then, there was a distinct cough.

"Good *cough* morning everyone"

"Good morning"

~

Sakura eyed the lot. They were truly a mix bunch.

There was one incredibly handsome man, with red hair,wearing a simple white shirt and brown pants, having left his vest in his room. Nearby was a young teenager, about her age, in an odd outfit. Nearby seemed to be a jovial, easy-going young man, wearing a monocle on his left eye. He seemed nice, no, he was nice. And next to all of them was the 'monk', who seemed less of a monk than a ganster of some sort. Maybe from America ! He wore an odd black outfit, one Sakura never saw before, as the cloth was stretched out, and connected, to two ringss, on both of his forefringers. He had jeans, like the type cowboys wore in all those Westerns. Except that these were blue

In turn, the group were all eyeing Sakura.

Gojyo though to himself, another young kid. Heck, she looks better than Goku, a LOT better.

"Alright then.. erm.. acting lessons, first, streching excercises *couch*"

"What do we do ?"

"Erm, stretch ?"

~

"Okay, erm... do voice excercises !"

"What's that ?"

"Copy me."

"A.E.I.O..A.E.I.O.U.I.O.E.A.E.U..A.E.A.I.U."

"What on earth was that nonsense you said?"

"Just yell out the vowels"

"Okay.. ay.. ee...ooo...aahh.."

"Too soft.

"AAAHHH ! AAAAYYYY !!! EEEEEEE !!!!"

"TOO LOUD !"

~

"What's next ?"

"Voice acting. We'll do this one by one..."

~

"Goku, pretend you're a hungry"

"I'm hungry !"

"Now, pretend you're hungry and you're busy"

"distractedI feel hungry"

"Pretend you're mad you didn't get food."

"I DEMAND FOOD ! I'M HUNGRY"

"Pretend that you are happy, so happy that you want food"

"(jumps around) Lunch time ! I'M HUNGRY !"

~

"Pretend that you've seen a pretty girl, and that you were busy doing something else"

"distracted What a pretty girl..."

~

"Pretend that you're pissed off with everyone else, and you think that everyone is stupid."

"Everyone is stupid."

~

That night, the men were all sleeping in their rooms, soundly.

Making very distinctive souds, that is.

"I'm Hungry...snore..."

"Check out that girl...snore.."

"everyone is so stupid....snore...."

~

The new members of the Monkey Assault Troupe were only having a taste, of the coming times.