Twilight

Chapter 2: And He Smiled

Standard Disclaimer Applies

Deeply sighing, a young brunette stood outside a large house, fumbling in his coat pocket for something. The cold weather was beginning to clearly take its toll on him; his pale, slender cheekbones had turned pink upon the edges, and ever so often, he would breathe onto ungloved hands.

"Goodness, why NOW of all days does Father have to lock the door? Worst of all, I can't find my house key...at this rate, I might just wind up climbing through the second floor window. Well, I suppose the sewage pole will have to serve as a ladder...although, for the record, I doubt it will be very steady..."

"Now THERE'S a sight I'd like to see. Cho Hakkai climbing to get into his house...heh. Bet the news reporters'd have a field day over that one."

With a quiet gasp, Hakkai whirled around to find a startlingly familiar face. "Gojyo! Why are you out here?"

The red-haired adult grinned slightly, poking his best friend and superior on the nose. "I followed you, dummy. I wouldn't be a very good bodyguard if I wasn't watchin' over you, right?"

"You're right...without a doubt, you're correct." Hakkai chuckled. "I should have remembered how overprotective you are."

"Oi, oi...don't put the blame on me. YOU'RE the one who lost the keys." Gojyo smirked, poking his friend's nose yet again.

"Please don't put the blame on me, then. And stop that. The poking, I mean." Hakkai replied with flawless smile. "Now, a key to our house, if you will."

Mock-frowning, Gojyo reluctantly shuffled in his own pockets for the prompted item. "And here I was thinking I could stall you for a while longer, just to hear you start begging me for it."

"Hentai."

"Overly polite bastard."

Hakkai started laughing once again. "Aha-ha...I'll take that as a compliment."

Gojyo handed the brown-haired male the key. "Same here."

Upon the door being opened, a soft courteous voice, much like Hakkai's own, floated through the main corridor. "Welcome home, Hakkai-kun; Gojyo-kun. Did your shopping trip go well?"

Hakkai placed his coat on the rack, and brought Gojyo's over, as well. "Yes, it was perfectly fine...Gojyo secretly followed me to the store, however, even if the end result was that he saved me from being frozen out in the snow."

A youthful-looking adult with light blonde hair leaned out from the living area, a considerate smile on his face. "Oh, really? And how is that so? Did you loose your house key again, Hakkai-kun?"

Abashed, the young man scratched the nape of his neck. "Ah...yes, unfortunately. I certainly don't have much luck with keys, it seems...I'm sorry that I've been so careless, Father."

Suhara Houshi, wealthy bachelor of Jiken and surrogate father of Hakkai, merely tossed another easy grin his, 'son's,' way. "Not at all...its understandable to lose a few things here and there...although after living with you for three years, Hakkai-kun, I know this has happened more than once...you're always such an absent-minded one!"

"Sumimasen..."

Gojyo snickered quietly to himself. "You two are way too close in personality...everyone's gonna think you're his son, 'Kai."

"I doubt it, actually. Father's hair and eye color are much different than mind, so looks alone should prove as enough to convince people that we aren't biologically connected."

The eldest male nodded, pale blue eyes sparkling. "Many have said that I look like a foreigner, haven't they? I suppose it's only natural...most people here are either dark-haired or have dyed hair, and as for me...I've always had flaxen locks from as long as I could remember."

Gojyo shrugged. "Well, that's not really all that important right now...c'mon, 'Kai; let's get those bags of yours where they belong...unless you're putting them in that mess of a place you call a closet?"

Emerald eyes sparkled with obvious mirth. "No, no, we won't be putting anything else in there, Gojyo; don't worry...we'll just unpack the bags and keep the items in my room, alright?"

The redhead appeared quite relieved, as he led the other male up the stairs. "Well, at least we've got some good news...I heard something really weird around the streets today. Some woman told me."

Hakkai frowned at the sight of such seriousness displayed on his underling's visage. "...What do you mean, Gojyo-san?"

"Hey, we won't be havin' any of those honorifics, got it? I'M supposed to be YOUR subordinate, remember?" He reminded the ever mannerly Hakkai.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Go on, Gojyo."

They stopped for a moment to open the bedroom door in silence; Hakkai left the shopping bags next to the door, and Gojyo flung himself down on the bed. The brunette quietly did the same, though he was sitting up.

"Some youkai are plannin' to raid the Sanzou temple...and I also heard that a demon is planning on sharing room and board with our favorite monk over there."

Hakkai's eyes widened. "Then, are you saying that Sanzou is in danger?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?" Gojyo reached into his jeans for something, most likely a cigarette. "There was a demon servant living with the last generation's Sanzou priest, too, so they might just be bringing Sanzou a slave...the War Prince was there with the youkai, as well."

"War Prince Nataku...? But why?"

"Like I said, I don't know all the details...they could all be just rumors floating around the small human population of the town to stir up some interest, y'know? God knows we could use it...this city's so gloomy without a bit of fun added into the mix." The young man took a quite drag on the already-lit cigarette. "Everything's messed up to the way it was three years ago. At least back then, we had some good left."

The brunette nodded slowly, jade orbs dimming. "Hai..."

Three years ago, the world had not yet fallen into chaos. Three years ago, I had just been starting to live my live anew. And three years ago...was when I met Gojyo.

"But I suppose even that time held a purpose, correct?" Hakkai mused out loud.

The other adult seemed to understand the meaning behind his words. "Yeah... maybe this year'll be important, too. After all, if the pattern of me meeting people continued, then I'm hopin' for something good this year."

And he smiled. "Sou desu ne..."

"Master Sanzou...there's someone in the main living quarters...a boy who says he wants to speak with you."

The blonde's dark violet eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I don't know any kids...what the hell does he want, exactly?"

The indentured servant started slightly at Sanzou's insight. "Well...we don't really know much. He looked quite upset when he came into the temple, though...and the child really is one of the strangest things we've ever come across. Perhaps he's a itinerant son looking for shelter, but...I've never seen gold eyes on a person before."

He may not have shown it, but Sanzou was vaguely interested now. "Golden eyes, huh...? Fine, I'll take a look at the brat...maybe get him to leave if I talk with him."

There really aren't a lot of people with gold eyes...the only beings around who would have such a trait would be a youkai or a heretical being...dammit, if that kid's the spy of some demon organization out for my head, I'm gonna kill him the most painful way possible. I REALLY don't need this shit right now...

Reaching the living area, Sanzou immediately knew who he was looking for: a young male sitting on a sofa with his gaze cast upon the wooden flooring. His line of vision seemed shadowed, but Sanzou could tell three things about him already: he had messy brown hair, could be estimated to be in his teen years due to his stature, and his clothes were very scruffy. He probably is some kind of homeless child, the blonde decided, but knew that there was only one way to find out.

"Hey. Someone told me you wanted to talk with me, kid. Who are you, and what the hell do you want?"

The teen looked up, and Sanzou nearly gasped in shock. Damn, that kid's eyes really ARE gold, was the only processed thought he could muster, as his stare caught with the wide yellow one of this child. They were eyes too old for someone of his age; too experienced and jaded to belong to such a person. But shoot through the dark like a ray of sunlight, he could see the shine within them; alive and vivid.

But the rest of this kid's body looks normal...what the hell is up with him?

"You're...the Sanzou priest here, right?" The boy ogled at him openly, his gaze much like a deer caught in headlights. "...Your name is Sanzou?"

"Hnn...so what if it is?" This kid doesn't seem like he's a spy...but his youkai aura is enormous. He's probably one of those harmless ones, from the looks of it.

"The...the Sanzou priest before you w-was Komyou Sanzou, right?!" He chattered excitedly, leaping up from his spot on the couch.

Sanzou was, quite honestly, floored. "...How the fuck do you know my Master's name?"

"You don't remember me? It's me, Goku! I was Komyou Sanzou's charge for a really long time...that's what the people told me, anyway, 'cause they had to erase my memories! At least, that's what Nataku told me..." Goku sheepishly scratched his head, grinning. "This probably isn't making much sense to you, but, umm..."

This kid...I remember now...that's right, he WAS Master's servant...I used to see him sometimes bringing him food or other things...Master used to tell me how pure and loyal Goku was to him...said I would have a charge one day just like him, and that his charge might even become mine when I took on his title...

So why...why does this kid say his memories were erased? Was he closer to my Master than I, so much that they had to do it in order to preserve peace? Or was there another reason...another reason they withheld his past memories? Was Goku involved in my master's death?

Goddammit...this is so fucking confusing...

Tightly holding his forehead, Sanzou sighed. "Listen, kid...no, you're name's Goku, right?" The teen nodded in agreement, and he went on. "Look, I DO remember you and how you used to tag along with my Master...dammit; I don't even know what to do with you! And stop looking at me with that dumb face of yours; it's getting on my nerves!"

Bowing his head in a disconsolate manner, Goku nodded again, though less enthusiastically. "Oh...sorry, Sanzou-sama."

"Quit callin' me that." This stupid kid...this messed-up kid is changing everything now...what the hell are those gods up there trying to do to me; force me to commit suicide?! Shit...

"Then...what should I call you, Master? I don't mind what you call me, but I need to have a name for you..." Goku's luminous eyes shone in the moonlight that pooled in from the nearby window.

Che...well, I guess I don't have a choice in the matter, now do I? Master, if this was one of your bright ideas to annoy me, I swear that you'd have to be one of the most twisted men in the world... "Fine, then, saru. You can stay, and call me Sanzou alright? And also, shut up for right now; I've got a major headache and your annoying voice is beginning to really get on my fucking nerves."

And he smiled. "...Okay. Sankyuu, Sanzou!"

It was a dark room, with almost no windows to let light filter in, not that it really needed it. The overhead lamps, though not garish or overly obstructive, served their purpose well enough. Because there were no typical furniture to be seen, one perceptive and cultured enough could assume all of the items in the room appeared to be of a foreign establishment. Even despite this, however, they proved to be as intricately made as the throne in the very back of this vast space was.

A tall, broad-shouldered figure sat in this monstrosity of a chair; it was a male, for certain, and one at least in his early twenties. Dark hair that, while it was cut fairly short, hung down at the bangs, hid a mismatched pair of eyes. In fact, it was probably considered one of the wildest creations of a human: one was a piercing, icy cerulean, and the other was much akin to unsullied, sophisticated gold. Or, perhaps, he was not human, as it would not be uncommon to find a supernatural being in these parts of the world. He was not dressed elaborately, despite the environment he resided in; for a tightly-fit tank top of a dark blue color and light blue jeans would not have stuck out much in a crowd. Not in a city of today's caliber or status, anyway.

The smug smile on the young man's face was curious enough—it was as if something secret had greatly amused him to no end, and that thing had just walked into the room with it's grand presence. Or, perhaps, one might think such a smirk was down putting and derisive, even; though he might have denied such if anyone had questioned it.

"Homura." A sudden voice prompted politely, far off to the entrance of the room. "We have found the location of our subject...he is living with a demon slayer in the city farthest east to us, Jiken. We believe his master is a Sanzou priest."

"Is that so...? Thank you, Shien. Knowing this helps us greatly...and the fact that he's with a Sanzou priest makes things all the more interesting."

It will only be a matter of time now...soon, I will have the key to create a new world of this soiled Earth, as well as a proper army to overthrow the Heavens with. Soon, Son Goku...

Soon, you will be mine.

And he smiled.