Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Saiyuki characters, but all others I do.
A/N: This is my first fanfic being uploaded to Please be kind? I'm also not very good at summaries, sorry. Any criticism is appreciated except for flames, they're just funny. Don't worry, no yaoi…at least not yet…
Changing Faces
The day started out about the same as any other day for Sanzo and his group. Luckily the heat had died down and a cool breeze was wafting through the forest trees. Sanzo was finally able to take a cat nap now that the Kappa and Baka stopped arguing over the last Pop Tart. (Sanzo had shot it out of their hands.)
Goku sat in the backseat as usual with Gojyo, the both of them nodding off. Hakkai drove, lost in his own thoughts. After a few hours Gojyo woke, stretching and yawning, accidentally kicking Goku. Gojyo stared at Goku for a few minutes and kicked him a little harder.
"Hey Hakkai, Goku's sleeping with his eyes open again." Gojyo was simply amazed by what Goku could do in his sleep.
"Well, best to just let him sleep Gojyo, it's been a nice quiet ride with the two of you asleep." Hakkai smiled.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Gojyo folded his arms behind his head and leaned back to enjoy the light breeze.
A few hours later Goku woke up and looked around in confusion.
"Where the hell am I?"
"You're where you usually are, you dumb monkey. Riding in Jeep keeping the rest of us awake with your damn snoring." Gojyo complained.
"I am not a monkey…Gojyo!" Goku stared incredulously at the red-haired water sprite.
"What's your problem?"
"You're Gojyo right?" Goku looked amazed and looked around at his fellow travelers. "This is too weird."
"Goku are you OK? Did you have a nightmare?" Hakkai asked, concern straining his voice.
"Nightmare?" Goku looked Gojyo up and down and smiled. "No, I wouldn't consider this a nightmare."
"Sanzo, your pet monkey is creeping me out. He looks like he wants to eat me!" Gojyo said as he inched as far away from Goku as possible.
"Shut up." Was Sanzo's only reply.
"I apologize Gojyo; I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Goku smiled sweetly.
Sanzo pulled out his gun and turned in one fluid motion, aiming it at Goku.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Don't aim that at me please." Goku pushed the gun away from his direction
Hakkai stopped Jeep and turned to look at Goku with the same amazed expression as Gojyo. Sanzo's eyes narrowed as he leveled his sights on Goku once more.
Big, golden eyes met the priest's cold, angry glare
"Listen Buddha boy, you keep aiming that thing at me and I'm gonna stomp a mud hole in your ass and walk it dry."
Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo were all dumbfounded. Unable to put into words the shock they felt at hearing those words come out of Goku's mouth. Sanzo lowered the gun, gritting his teeth. He didn't like taking orders from anybody, let alone this little baka saru. Gojyo couldn't help but bust out laughing.
"Stomp a mud hole in your ass! That's funny."
Sanzo leveled the Smith & Wesson at Gojyo as the Kappa wiped the tears from his eyes, and fell silent.
"Fine, now who are you?"
"My name is Tiyanna; I am the High Protector of the Mal'innodraal Empire, holder of the Crowned Shield." Was Goku's reply.
"What the fuck does that mean?" Sanzo interjected.
"It means that I don't belong here, and if it weren't for a certain wizards' twisted sense of humor, I wouldn't be here."
"Isn't Tiyanna a girl's name?" Asked Gojyo.
"Ever the perceptive one, huh Gojyo?" Tiyanna smiled.
"What does this all have to do with us, and where is Goku?" Sanzo snarled.
"Well, nothing exactly. But apparently the old man wizard didn't appreciate me reading a comic book during my magical training. So he cast a spell which transferred my soul with one of the comic book characters', namely Goku. Don't worry; the spell should be over at sundown, when our souls are returned to their rightful places."
Hakkai looked amused and intrigued by the situation.
"So you are stuck here for the afternoon to learn a lesson then?"
"I guess so. Hell if I know what this is supposed to teach me though."
Goku's stomach growled loudly.
"Damn! I'm hungry, you wouldn't happen to have anything to eat would you?"
"Well it may not be Goku's soul, but that is definitely his body." Gojyo laughed.
"We'll be in the next village in about an hour. Do you think you could wait that long?" Hakkai asked.
"Yes, thank you Hakkai."
Sanzo turned to look at their new guest.
"Can you fight?"
"Yes."
"Can you use Goku's staff?"
"Uh…I don't know." Tiyanna stretched her arm out and willed the rod into being; at least that's how she assumed Goku did it. Comic books just don't go into enough detail for this sort of thing. Luckily, it appeared in her outstretched hand.
"Good," Sanzo grunted. "But can you use it?"
"Extend!" Tiyanna commanded, sending both ends shooting out an extra 10 ft. Unfortunately, the one end extended right into Gojyo's chest, knocking him out of the jeep and onto the forest's dirt road.
"Oh my Gods! Hakkai please stop the jeep!" Tiyanna cried as she jumped out and ran to see if the Kappa was hurt. She kneeled down next to him, trying to subdue a chuckle.
"Gojyo, are you alright? I am SOOO sorry; I wasn't paying attention to where I was aiming that thing." Gojyo smiled ruefully at her as she helped him up.
"I guess I'll live, too bad you're in Goku's body. I'd love for you to nurse me back to health."
"Back to health? But you seem fine, what would I have to nurse?"
"Oh, I could find something that was aching, I'm sure."
Gojyo winced at the impact from Sanzo's fan.
"What the hell did you do that for, you stupid monk?" Gojyo railed at the monk, screaming a string of obscenities at the holy priest.
"Get in the car, we're leaving." Sanzo and Hakkai started for the Jeep.
"Uhhmmm….guys?"
"What is it now? Gotta take a piss?" Sanzo sneered, hating to be kept waiting by anyone.
"Actually? Yes!"
"Then use a tree and hurry up."
"With you guys here?"
"Don't worry doll," the Kappa smiled. "I don't care to watch guys relieving themselves. I'm pretty sure the others feel the same way." Again, Gojyo was attacked from behind by the ever present paper fan.
"OW! Now what?"
"That's for insinuating I was gay." The monk replied as he got into the Jeep.
"How would I know if you were gay? You're still a virgin!"
The gunshot rang through the trees. Gojyo stood stone still for a moment taking mental inventory of any extra ventilation holes. Tiyanna just smiled and walked further into the trees to relieve the tremendous pressure in her bladder. Listening to Gojyo yell at Sanzo about the dangers of shooting without looking where he was aiming.
The newcomer leaned forward against a tree trying to stifle the blush that came to her cheeks after having to actually handle Goku's package.
"Remember sweetheart, shake once-you're rushing it, shake twice-you're fine, shake three times-you're playing with it."
"I thought you didn't care to watch guys relieving themselves?"
"I had to go myself, and thought you could use some sage advice."
Tiyanna fought the urge to look in Gojyo's direction. Not that she wanted to watch him pee, that would be gross. She was just curious how Gojyo "measured up" to Goku. OK so she's no angel. Taking care to only shake twice, she replaced the strange appendage and joined the others.
The rest of the trip to the village was filled with questions from Hakkai on what her world was like and how the spell worked, etc. Gojyo asked his questions too, but they were more on the sexual side. Even though she was in Goku's body, the pervy water sprite had no problem flirting with her; he just wouldn't look at her while he did it.
They entered the village around noon, stopping at the first inn they came to. The group went in, sitting at one of the empty tables and order some food. Gojyo was happy to see that their guest didn't have the same appetite as their friend, so he didn't have to fight for his share of the food. Sanzo went to the owner of the establishment to arrange for some rooms.
"I'm afraid I can only offer you two rooms sir. You see, the town is having a Harvest Festival for the next two days, so we are pretty much booked up." The innkeeper looked very ashamed at not being able to accommodate such a high ranking monk.
"Fine, whatever. Just give me the keys." He grumped.
Sanzo sat down at the table and sipped his tea.
"Well?" asked Gojyo, "How many rooms did you get?"
Sanzo tossed the two keys on the table. Gojyo grinned slyly at Tiyanna/Goku.
"Looks like we'll have to share a room then."
"Looks like we won't. Remember, the spell is over at sundown." Tiyanna said in a not altogether pleased voice.
"Will you two get a room?" Sanzo was getting frustrated with listening to the pervy youki hit on Goku, or at least Goku's body. He wasn't jealous, it just seemed weird.
Gojyo looked at the keys for a moment, and then looked at Tiyanna. He couldn't get passed the fact that he wasn't looking into her eyes, but Goku's.
"Nah."
Tiyanna stared out the window at the slowly setting sun. She had had fun with the guys for the short time she was there, but it seemed so short-lived. She stood up and grabbed one of the keys.
"I guess I'll be going soon. I'll take your friends body up stairs to the room so he doesn't make a scene when he returns. It's been fun." She smiled sadly. "You might want to bring some food up to him. Most likely, he'll be hungry."
"I'll come with you and keep you company." Hakkai rose to join her. The couple went up the stairs leaving Sanzo and Gojyo alone at the table.
"I hate to see a woman cry." Gojyo mumbled as he lit up a smoke.
"You didn't see a woman cry, you saw Goku cry." Sanzo snapped, lighting his own cigarette.
"You know what I mean. She seems sweet. Maybe not innocent like the monkey, but sweet."
"Can't you think of anything but sex you stupid water fairy?"
"Yeah, but it's not near as much fun!"
Hakkai unlocked the door to the room and let Tiyanna in. She was trying hard not to look sad. Such a great adventure and she had to leave before it ever got started. Taking a seat near the window, Tiya watched the colors of the sky change as the sun sank down towards the horizon.
"It was very nice meeting you Tiyanna, I enjoyed are conversation earlier."
"Thank you Hakkai, I enjoyed it too." She smiled.
"You can't fool me you know. I have mastered the enigmatic smile, to hide feelings. What's wrong?"
"I just wish I could have stayed a little longer and gotten to have some fun with you guys." Her sigh actually made Hakkai's heart ache.
"Maybe it's for the best. Imagine what Goku's going through! You said yourself that you have a lot of responsibility, that a lot is expected of you." Hakkai reasoned. "Goku just isn't very good at responsibility."
"I know you're right, but I just enjoyed getting a break from it I guess."
Hakkai sat next to her and watched the sunset quietly with his arm around her shoulder. Tiya sighed and rested her head against Hakkai's chest. When barely a sliver of the sun was visible, she looked up at Hakkai, kissed his cheek and smiled.
"I guess this is it…Goodbye my friend."
"Goodbye." Hakkai returned the sad smile.
