Shinku no En: The Crimson Bond
by UltraM2000
Disclaimer: Don't own Saiyuki…and never will. This is for all of you who wanted to see Kougaiji-ikkou in the story.
"He's WHAT?! You're kidding us, Hisa!"
"I wish I WAS, Saffie!" wailed the woman distraughtly, valiantly trying to drown her sorrows in a tankard of the bartender's best beer. "Yin-chan told me about it, and I asked the girl herself in the market! I SAW THE RING!"
"Is it nice?"
"Terribly. 24 k gold with two diamonds in it," she pouted jealously.
"…I think I know that one. Isn't it the ring in Kyouseki Jewellers' window display?"
"The very same."
"Uwaaah. What kind of money did Gojyo come into?"
"Sankyu na, Wong. You were a great help."
"No problem. You're a better worker than you look!"
Gojyo smirked, flexing a bicep. "I've been keeping in shape. And besides…one gets tired of the easy life once in a while. I'm perverse. I have to make things hard for myself."
Wong Kai, proprietor of the Itsutsumi Restaurant [1], laughed heartily. "IS that so? Well! What I'm really surprised at, though, is how nobody managed to find out about your working here."
"It's not hard to conceal when all you do is odd jobs," Gojyo shrugged. "At least through your help and Yin's, I managed to get enough money to put down the deposit on that ring."
"…Yin? Tsubame Yin that real-estate woman?"
"That's right. I work for you from twelve noon to twelve midnight. The mornings I used to deliver her circulars and deeds to her clients."
"I see. No wonder you came to work sometimes looking like you'd been dragged through a hedge backwards. May Lady Luck always smile on you, Sha. If you ever need a job, there's always a place here for you."
"Oh, she does, Wong. What were you thinking about doing with me, now?"
"A place as a waiter, after the New Year when one of my men leaves. You get to keep 50 percent of your tips…huh?! But why suddenly?"
"I have my woman to support now, don't I?"
Far to the West, in the land of Tenjiku, lay the ruins of the once-infallible Houtoujou. Centuries ago, this had been where the fighting god Nataku had battled Gyuumaou, and sealed him in permanent slumber. Up till three years ago, this was where a venomous concubine of the latter had fought to resurrect him. Now, Houtoujou was a heap of rubble, grass overgrowing the shattered bricks and old computers. There was no more castle. No more Gyuumaou. No more technology. No more stolen sutras. Mo more oily Gyokumen Koushu, twisted Ni Jyeni, harried Dr. Hwang or anal Wang Roushi. [2] No nothing.
Only four demons survived the fall of Houtoujou, and that was by turning against what they had served for so long. When Houtoujou fell, they were amongst the last ones standing—Kougaiji, the son of Gyuumaou and his wife Rasetsunyo, his stepsister Lirin, born from the womb of Gyokumen, and his two followers, Yaone the healer and Dokugakuji the strong arm. Released from the taboo spellbind placed upon him by Gyokumen [3], Kougaiji had watched Sanzo leave, and then turn his back on his home.
"Kou!" Doku called to him, surprised. "You're leaving?"
"There is nothing here for us now," Kougaiji had said with conviction. His father had been sealed—all for the better, Kou thought. His birth mother, the ill-fated Rasetsunyo, had died not long after her release from the stone pillar that had trapped her for 500 years and more, but not before she had slain that foul fox Gyokumen Koushu with her own hands. Houtoujou was no longer home to him—it was a place of darkness, no matter how many years of his 520-odd years he had spent there. "We will make new lives for ourselves," he said as he lifted his head to the starry sky like a wolf catching a scent, "but it will not be here. Perhaps it is time that we travelled away from here…or at least, perhaps it is time I did. I cannot stop either of you from leaving, or staying by my side. However, there is a boon I would like to ask of Yaone."
"Y-yes, Kougaiji-sama?" the pharmacist had asked. She was immensely surprised when Kougaiji took her hand in his own.
"I ask that you do not go, but remain with me—and I don't mean as my subordinate."
So it was, then. Kougaiji, Lirin, Yaone and Dokugaku (who chose to stay by his master) had migrated, and after about six months of travel by Hiryuu, [4] reached a town called Tsurukame, some five days from Chouan. It was there that they had gone their separate ways, although the four kept in close touch.
Now, Dokugakuji lived alone, earning his living as a kendo teacher of the local children, and boarding at the Shin Koujinryuu Goubukan [5]. He wondered, sometimes, what Gojyo was doing now. Almost fifteen years had passed until they'd met again, and, and although he'd written his little brother with his address, he hadn't received a letter from him. What was the now not-so-little brat up to?
"Dokugakuji? This came for you in the post," the dojo's shihan interrupted his thoughts, dropping a letter into his lap.
"Ah. Thanks, Dai-san," he replied, wincing as he felt the bruise on his shin from the envelope. It seemed fully packed, and he decided to open it somewhere private instead of the porch where he was watching his charges practicing. "Drop swords and take a rest, you lot!" he called over his shoulder before shutting himself in his room.
Demon claws served the place of letter opener, and Doku tipped the envelope upside down. A shower of paper and photos cascaded onto the tatami and his futon, along with a white card trimmed with gold and red. Looking at the card strangely, the demon decided to first read the thick letter in his lap.
Hey. How are you? I'm fine. Right, now that the greetings are settled, there's a reason why I haven't written. Here it is…
Doku leaned against the wall and began to read the rest of the letter. Gojyo told him, in a letter that spanned both sides of about four pages, what had been happening since they had last met. He told him about Avici, and the first date that almost went wrong. Doku laughed, imagining the what-ifs and what-thens of such a situation with Kou and Yaone, and Lirin suddenly interrupting. He thought Kou might smile too, if he heard. Maybe. The 'master plan' also completely cracked the older demon up.
"It looks like the little gaki has finally grown up," he chortled, wiping the tears away from his eyes. "And look at all of these photos he stuck in here. Hey, she's cute. He'll be inviting me to their wedding next."
…The card, aniki, is for you. I hope you can make it, because if you don't come, sure as hell I'm not sending you wedding cake through the post. Not only that, the saru would probably eat your share.
Gojyo
P.S. – If Kougaiji, Yaone and the other brat are still around, they're welcome to come too. And bring your girlfriend if you have one. ;)
…Oh. Oh, boy.
Doku was silent for a short while after that. He reread the letter and the invitation, slid the photo and everything else back into his envelope, tucked it under his pillow and went to see the dojo's shihan.
"Err, Dai-san, I have a rather large boon to ask of you…"
The big day dawned at last, a few days before the New Year. Gojyo, smart as you please in a white tuxedo with a tie that matched his hair, tried to peek into apartment 5-7 to see Houran in her wedding dress—white, but bordering on pink if the light hit it just right, with her hair in an elaborate bun-braid combination and her face behind the veil. One of the townswomen, however, spotted him and started swatting him with some newspapers.
"Ow ow ow ow ow! Watch the hair, auntie!"
"You are NOT supposed to see the bride until the wedding! Now go, shoo!" she scolded and closed the door in his face, but not before his bride could call out "Gojyo, you look very nice!"
Tha half-demon snorted softly and strode off. "Cheesh. I picked a good time to get married—it seems every other woman is getting middle-aged and grumpy."
Hakkai laughed as he adjusted his tie—emerald, to match the suit and jacket. He'd attempted to use gel on his unruly hair, but had met with limited success. "You can't blame them for being superstitious, Gojyo. Comb?"
"Thanks…"
"Naa, Sanzo, this thing's pinching my neck! Can't I unbutton it?"
"…No. Shut up."
"But Sanzo—! Can I at least loosen the tie?" He pointed to the orange object of his displeasure.
"What part of 'No' is so hard to understand, eh, saru?" Sanzo exploded, whipping out the trademark harisen and swatting the monkey. For some reason, however, the crisp thwack of paper and skull meeting was somewhat more subdued today.
"Goku…how much hair gel did you use?!"
"Eh? Hakkai said I could take as much as I needed."
Sanzo brandished his sticky, gel-splattered paper fan. "Is 'as much as you need' the whole BLOODY F---ING JAR?!"
"Minasan, we should go," Hakkai interrupted their 'conversation', snatching a quick look at his wristwatch. "I think Hakuryuu is getting a little impatient." Sanzo looked out the window, where their trusty transport was waiting, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Y'know, this has to be a first in wedding traditions," mused the monk after a pause.
"Hey, Hakuryuu, it's a pity you can't transform into a limousine."
"He's tried, Goku. It didn't work."
The green jeep squeaked indignantly and beeped its horn.
"Come on, feet, get me to the church on time!" pleaded Dokugaku as he galloped through the gates of Chouan. For obvious reasons, there was no way he could park a Hiryuu outside the church in which the wedding was held. "Scuse me, mister! Yeah, you! Where's the church?"
Gouran spotted the demon's pointed ears, and immediately grew guarded. "Why should I tell you? You're probably out for his blood like the rest of 'em! Why don'tcha all give it a rest, eh? The boy's been through enough already!"
That made the fifth time someone was refusing to give directions. Already at his breaking point, Doku summoned Seiryuutou and pointed it at Gouran. "Listen, jijii, I've been running around for twenty minutes through Chouan and I think I'm already late! I'm hot, irritated and sick and tired of explaining this to people, so I'm only saying this once—I am Sha Gojyo's brother, and I fully intend on seeing that little squirt get hitched! Now will you give me directions, or not?"
A very frightened pawnbroker pointed a trembling figure up a southbound avenue. Indeed, Doku could see church spires in the distance.
"Sheesh! Thank you!"
Gojyo discreetly sneaked a peek at his wristwatch. Twenty past ten. Some of the guests were rather late in coming, and Gojyo was getting a little worried. There was someone in particular he was hoping would come, but if he wasn't here by now, then he wouldn't be.
Ah well…I suppose he's busy. Can't blame him...
"Ow ow ow! Hoi, gerroff! I have an invitation, damn you lot! We ALL do!" A very angry male voice cut into his thoughts.
Gojyo turned, walking at first, then almost running towards the church entrance. Yin saw him, and tried to stop him. "Gojyo-san, get back! There're demons outside, and one of them is claiming he's your brother! He's got a freaky sword…"
"Does it have an eyeball in it?"
"The sword? Uh, yeah."
"Does he have birthmarks like so?" He described a V-shape across his forehead and the bridge of his nose.
"Yeah! You know him?"
"Know him? He's my brother! Let him through!"
At his call, the crowd reluctantly melted away from Dokugaku…and Kougaiji, a rather pregnant Yaone, and Lirin. The demon dusted himself off and straightened his attire before turning towards his brother. "Well!" he gasped, glaring down at Gojyo not altogether unpleasantly. "If I'd known this was gonna happen, squirt, I wouldn't have showed up!"
"And if I'd known y'were going to be this late, Dokugakuji, I wouldn't have bothered inviting you! What is with that piddling ponytail you're keeping?!"
"Chi'! It's my fashion sense, not yours! Some gentleman you turned out to be!"
"Whoever said I was a gentleman, eh? I'm not the kid you left behind all those years back, you know."
Doku looked at Gojyo for a long minute, hard grey-violet eyes meeting the deep red ones, before he raised his arm and rested his hand on Gojyo's head.
"No, I suppose you aren't, are you, Gojyo…"
"…Jien?…"
"So! Where do I get to sit, eh?" Doku boomed, ruffling his brother's hair with a laugh. Gojyo yelled, furiously trying to swat Doku's hand away.
"Oi! The hair! Geez, you can't even leave me alone on my wedding day."
"Tough luck, Gojyo," Doku said with a mild grin, "I've been behind on my teasing for years now."
"Chi'," Gojyo looked exasperatedly at his brother as he flattened his unruly tresses. "Ah, hell, I'm still glad you came," he added as he showed Doku to an unoccupied seat.
"I didn't come alone." Doku jerked a thumb towards the door. Almost instantly, an orange and red blur bounced through the door and threw herself upon a certain blonde monk.
"Ya-hooo!!! Hage Sanzo! Hage Sanzo! Ne, Baldie Sanzo, still remember me?" Lirin chirped. She was dressed in a simple red dress, with her now-longer hair done up in a simple braid and a hibiscus in her hair.
"…Get, off, me," snarled Sanzo in reply.
"Hakkai-dono, good day."
"The same to you, Yaone-san. When's the baby due?"
"Hello, Son Goku. It appears we finally meet OFF the battlefield."
"Hiya Kougaiji!"
"…Get your sister off my head, youkai!"
"Hey, you all made it then!" Gojyo exclaimed. "That means I have a lot to catch up on with you three later. There's just one thing missing, though…"
"Oh?"
Gojyo leaned over the back of the seat and grinned irritatingly at Jien before speaking in a voice of boyish pitch. "Aniki, don't you have a girlfriend?"
So it was that Chouan's most notorious playboy tied the knot and settled down just a few days before Christmas. We shall skip over how many other people turned up, including the bargirls mourning the death of a great Casanova and two women from out of town, Shunrei and Yang Ming. We shall mention only in passing how utterly sweet Dokugakuji looked as, in place of Houmaou, he walked Houran up the isle. We shall even gloss over how the young lass called Meihou, no older than sixteen or seventeen, caught the bouquet of white roses. Two inches to the left, and it might have fallen into Sanzo's unwilling palms. We shall also skip over the reception, which was a merry affair, during which Goku got to see what a French kiss looked like ("Ne, Sanzo, why are they doing that? Is Houran's face tasty?") and Dokugakuji caught up on fifteen years of vital history. Instead, we shall go straight to the end of everything, when all were preparing to go home. This was when Gojyo took Hakkai aside and asked if they could talk.
"Certainly, Gojyo. What is it?"
"Y'know, something's always bugged me since the time we fought in Avici, but it never crossed my mind to ask you—why did you go back and check on Houran, when I was so sure she was dead? I saw the axe slice her up."
Hakkai looked a little surprised, then smiled. "You told me, once, that she was made a shikigami whilst alive, didn't you? I figured that if the spell of the shikigami was broken, her life force would then be able to resume its due course. It was just a matter of not letting her die back there. She is alive, Gojyo, truly alive and you know it." He squeezed Gojyo's shoulder. "I wish you the best of luck in future. Keep me posted on things, ne?"
Gojyo laughed as enlightenment dawned "Oh? Ah, I knew that."
"Sure you did, Gojyo-san. Never doubt the healer."
"I don't think that's the only reason you did it, though. Your smile is a little too wide for that."
Hakkai pretended to look hurt. "Why, Gojyo, how could you even think that? I just happen to like a happy ending once in a while."
And that's pretty much what it looked like.
[1] Itsutsumi – 'Five Flavours'. That would be sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, the fifth being a very Japanese term (MSG and Ajinomoto is said to bring out the umami in food). The proprietor could have used go for '5' instead of itsutsu, but who would want to eat at a restaurant whose name means 'rubbish'? XP
[2] The only demon in Gyokumen's laboratory. He's the old, balding guy with the cables sticking out of him and apparently connected to the ceiling somewhere, and the one who cackles evilly when Ni pokes fun at Hwang. We otherwise don't know what the hell he's there for.
[3]
MANGA SPOILER! MANGA SPOILER! MANGA SPOILER! MANGA SPOILER!
Kougaiji was 'brainwashed' by Ni and Gyokumen after
the horrendous fight with Goku in the desert. He became a cold and heartless
killing machine, which is very NOT Kougaiji at all.
MANGA SPOILER END! MANGA SPOILER END! MANGA SPOILER
END!
[4] Hiryuu – 'Flying Dragon'. Hakuryuu's bigger 'brothers' in the series.
[5] Something else I took from Midou Kazuhiko—in this instance, (Ultraman) Dyna-shihan's dojo in Ultra Ninja Manual: Kotobuki #3 and onwards, not to mention its location. I believe Tsurukame may be where Tokyo now sits. Hmm, wonder if Dyna ever considered kendo as a subsidiary of the Savage God Style...;)
Before I thank my last reviewers, shouts go out to those who helped me flesh my story out and were the guinea pigs for various bits-- Gu Bak Wan, Firnheledien and D.M. Jewelle @ JV (not on FF.Net). Your feedback helped immensely, especially when I was stuck over some issues, and your quotes spiced up the story, too. A shout out also goes to another Gojyo fan, K-mey Sha.
konzen -- You're welcome, and thank you.
D. Chan -- You're welcome too. I feel deeply satisfied that the chapter had that effect for you. ^_^
Kairi-chan -- Whoa girl, calm down! *LOL* You don't wanna wet those tuxedoes...if they shrink Sanzou-tachi are going to be VERY uncomfy.
Ashura Akuma -- I know she didn't review this chap BUT...A.A., I saw your friend at AXN AF! The friend that went knew this other friend of mine during high school, so we met coincidentally! ^_^ Please come to CF 2003 if you can make it!