Authoress here. Where else would I be? I'm connected to my computer.
'Ello, ever-faithful readers! I felt like writing a new story, so I decided that perhaps Saiyuki could be fun. For those of you who have never seen the show, I can give you a quick ((ha, ha, ha.)) briefing on the characters and the plot. The information below was taken directly from the first manga, with the exception of anything I have put in double parentheses, to make things less confusing. For those of you who have read the book or seen part of the show, I apologize for wasting your time. Feel free to skip to where the chapter starts.
Disclaimer: The manga, anime, and all the information below, save my comments, are the full property of Kazuya Minekura and reprinted for the use of readers who are confused. In no way, shape, or form do I own any of the reprinted information. (Rabid Lawyers sink into the ground, looking gloomy.)
Genjyo Sanzo: A very brutal, worldly priest. He drinks, smokes, gambles, and carries a gun, which is pushing it even for normal people (let alone Buddhist monks). He's searching for the stolen Sutra of his mentor and father figure, Priest Koumyou Sanzo ((Sanzo is the name given to all the high priests, which is why Genjyo Sanzo carries it. All Sazno priests also have a red chakra on their foreheads)), who was killed in Sanzo's youth by a mob of murderous Youkai. Sanzo is egotistical, haughty, and can be very cruel, yet our 23-year-old hero also has calm judgment, unwavering intensity, and surprising charisma. His favorite phrases, incidentally, are "Die," and "I'll kill you." His weapons of choice are the magical Maten Sutra, a handgun ((his gun is a banishing gun, which all Youkai fear. One shot and a demon dies)), and a paper fan for idiots. He is approximately 5' 10", and is often noted for his good looks ((including blonde hair)) and drooping purple eyes.
Cho Hakkai: A rather perplexing young man. Hakkai is usually quite pleasant and polite and is known for his smile, but he can be so off-putting it's hard to tell when he's serious...there's a chance he's a straight man ((which I highly believe he is, considering the fact that he had been married at one point)), but that's open to debate. His occasionally sharp gaze--strongly in contrast with his warm expressions-- is symbolic of his dark, closed past. As Jeep ((a dragon named Hakuryu that can transform into a jeep at will, just usually called Jeep by the others when he takes that form)) belongs to him, he often drives when the group is riding. He uses chi (or life spirit) manipulation as his weapon in battle. He, like Gojyo, is 22 years old, but stands at a slightly shorter height of 5' 11". His eyes are deep green and his right is nearly blind. The cuffs he wears on his left ear are Youkai power limiters, but they can also be appreciated as an ancient Chinese fashion statement.
Son Goku: A cheerful little monkey...or an unholy child born from the rocks where the aura of the Earth was gathered. As his brain is full of thoughts of food and games, it would seem there's not much room for deep thought. To pay for crimes he committed when he was young, he was imprisoned in the rocks for 500 years without ageing. Because of his optimistic personality, he's become the mascot character of the group; this healthy 18-year old is made fun of by Gojyo, yelled at by Sanzo, and watched over by Hakkai. He is approximately 5' 4". His main weapon is the Nyoi-Bo, which can also become a sensekkon. ((In plainer and simpler terms, he uses something to the extent of a long staff, but it can split into 3 connected parts))
Sha Gojyo: Gojyo is a flirtatious, sly, and (let's face it) flat-out horny rogue. His behavior may seem rough and vulgar at first (and it is), but to the friends who know him, he's the dependable older brother. He's best friends with Hakkai, sparring partners with Goku, and...strained acquaintances with Sanzo. Although his love for the ladies sometimes leads to problems, he seems to be searching for someone in particular, and it's not necessarily a woman. He doesn't need a power limiter to blend with the humans because of his unusual heritage. His favorite weapon is his shakujou staff ((it is like a long staff with a crescent moon shaped blade on the end that is connected to a chain and maneuvers seemingly to suit his will)) that uses a chain to control its blade- a messy piece in battle to be sure. He is about 6' tall, has scarlet hair and eyes ((the sign of a half- Youkai)), and at 22, smokes like a chimney with a burning lust for cancer.
((And now for the plot...)) It was a time of chaos, where Heaven and Earth were as one, and humans and demons- the Youkai-- lived together in peace. The foundations of civilization and religion were raised and reinforced in this land of Togenkyo, the paradise known as Shangri-la.
But now, a great evil threatens harmony in this great land. Far to the west, in India, someone is attempting to resurrect the Youkai lord Gyumaoh by mixing human science and Youkai magic. This forbidden practice has created a Minus Wave of negative energy that is spreading across Shangri- la, poisoning the souls of the Youkai and turning them into mindless monsters. The only hope lies in four legendary heroes:
Genjyo Sanzo, a high priest with low morals. Son Goku, the hungry and mischievous Monkey King, released from 500 years of imprisonment. Sha Gojyo, a water sprite with an addiction for good smokes and bad women. Cho Hakkai, the legendary demon slayer, and his transforming dragon Hakuryu.
To save Shangri-la, these four unlikely companions, untied by fate, must travel together...into the West!
Okay, all that was directly from the book, and a pain in the (censor demon makes loud bleeping noise to drown out the swearing) to type, so I hope it was helpful for people who wanted to know about the characters and the plot.
(rubs sore fingers) Wow. Two whole pages of just the stupid intro. I'm talented.
START CHAPTER
"What the hell?" Predictably, the first words of High Priest Genjyo Sanzo as the group sometimes known as the Asinine Assassins came upon the wreckage of what had been the town of Solla.
Gojyo stared out at the ruins of the once prosperous city as the jeep rolled slowly along. Burning buildings crumbling to the earth, charred bodies scattered across the roadway to the point where Hakkai had to stop the vehicle, and a mound of corpses where the Town Hall had been, surely to mock how pathetically easy killing the townspeople was. "What happened here?" he wondered aloud.
Hakkai, being the most levelheaded among them at the moment, said quietly, "We should check for survivors."
The rest nodded, and clambered from the jeep to search the city for anyone left alive who could tell them what had happened.
Picking his was carefully through the dead bodies and pools of blood, Gojyo was disgusted to see that not one of the townspeople had died clutching a weapon. This had surely been a dishonorable attack on an unsuspecting group who never had a chance to fight back. Quite suddenly, his eyes fell upon the corpse of a Youkai, a demon. He shouted to the others, who were at his side in a moments notice.
"A Youkai?" Goku asked wonderingly, letting his eyes, a mix of brown and amber, roam around the ground, searching. "Hey!" He raised a clawed hand and pointed. "Another one! There's a bunch of them!"
The three men followed Goku's unsteady finger, and it was Gojyo that spied it first: a scraped and burned, but undeniably female hand sticking out from underneath the remains of a building wall, right beside a pile of Youkai corpses. As he watched the hand, the fingers curled just slightly, a surefire sign that whoever was trapped was still alive, if only just.
Not speaking a word to his companions, he jogged towards the woman (or so he hoped) and attempted to lift the debris from off her. When he failed, the large slab proving to be too heavy for him to lift alone, he turned to his friends and called, "Can I get a little help here? I think whoever's under this wall is still alive."
The others were helping lift the wall a second later, and when it was finally out of the way, he crouched beside the figure who had been trapped underneath.
She was in bad shape, that much was apparent at first glance. Both of her hands were badly burned, but the one that lay beside her face was the worse of the two. It seemed that she had tried to protect her face from the flames. Cuts and scrapes covered her body, but the worst was four shallows slashes across her back by way of Youkai claws.
Hakkai pushed her short brown locks, uneven from what looked like a slash by a sword or other sharp metal weapon and miraculously undamaged by the flames, back from her face, and breathed a sigh of relief. Aside from a cut across one cheek and a few scrapes, her face and neck were mostly unhurt. "She's alive," he said quietly, pressing two fingers to and uninjured part of her neck and feeling a slow but steady pulse. "This is one lucky girl."
"I don't think luck," Goku said, nudging a sword on the ground with his foot that was splattered with the blood of countless Youkai. "Had anything to do with it."
With a nod, Gojyo added, "It's safe to assume that she fought back, considering that she's the only one alive here."
Hakkai sighed grimly. "Still, when she recovers, she can tell us what happened here. But," he continued, shooting a glance at the others. "That may take awhile. In order to learn why this city was demolished, we have to bring her with us on our travels until she is well enough to go off on her own again."
"No," was Sanzo's instant and icy reply. "The jeep only seats four, and we don't have time to worry about some little girl wounded in battle. The information she has for us may not be helpful anyway. It's entirely possible that she doesn't know a damn thing about any of this."
"But we can't chance it," Hakkai countered reasonably.
"She must be a pretty skilled fighter if she can hold her own against a troop of Youkai," Goku remarked, looking around at the multiple demon bodies. "I wonder how many there were?"
Hakkai shrugged slightly. "That much we may never know."
"Wait a minute." Gojyo stood up swiftly, his eyes quickly moving from the bloody sword and raking the ground. "None of the others had weapons with them," he said slowly, remembering his previous observation. His next words were greeted with silence. "Is it possible that she knew this was coming?"
END CHAPTER
Okay, I want to know what people thought of this chapter, which I know looks ridiculously short when compared to the introduction information. If I get some good reviews, I'll type up a second chapter and update it ASAP. Otherwise, my hard work will have been for nothing. Also, if I get some nice reviews (no flames on this story, please), I'll thank the people I got them from at the bottom of each chapter. I actually have something to put down here already, but it's not really a thank you. It's more of an apology, and the last sentence is directed toward not only her, but to all others where it applies.
PenPusherM: I hope you liked this, considering that you had to probably do some research or just read all the stuff at the top to understand what the bloody hell I was ranting on about. Sorry if reading this gave you eyestrain.
One last thing I would like to make totally and crystal clear is that I am fully aware that the information about the characters and the plot were taken directly from the front cover and back pages of the first manga, and I have already given credit where credit is due. I do not own Saiyuki, and the information was only there to be helpful for those who have never read Saiyuki or need to freshen up their knowledge of the series. Saiyuki belongs to the wonderfully talented Kazuya Minekura, like I said.
Now I'm off to rest my tired, sore hands.
Send in those reviews!
Authoress out.
'Ello, ever-faithful readers! I felt like writing a new story, so I decided that perhaps Saiyuki could be fun. For those of you who have never seen the show, I can give you a quick ((ha, ha, ha.)) briefing on the characters and the plot. The information below was taken directly from the first manga, with the exception of anything I have put in double parentheses, to make things less confusing. For those of you who have read the book or seen part of the show, I apologize for wasting your time. Feel free to skip to where the chapter starts.
Disclaimer: The manga, anime, and all the information below, save my comments, are the full property of Kazuya Minekura and reprinted for the use of readers who are confused. In no way, shape, or form do I own any of the reprinted information. (Rabid Lawyers sink into the ground, looking gloomy.)
Genjyo Sanzo: A very brutal, worldly priest. He drinks, smokes, gambles, and carries a gun, which is pushing it even for normal people (let alone Buddhist monks). He's searching for the stolen Sutra of his mentor and father figure, Priest Koumyou Sanzo ((Sanzo is the name given to all the high priests, which is why Genjyo Sanzo carries it. All Sazno priests also have a red chakra on their foreheads)), who was killed in Sanzo's youth by a mob of murderous Youkai. Sanzo is egotistical, haughty, and can be very cruel, yet our 23-year-old hero also has calm judgment, unwavering intensity, and surprising charisma. His favorite phrases, incidentally, are "Die," and "I'll kill you." His weapons of choice are the magical Maten Sutra, a handgun ((his gun is a banishing gun, which all Youkai fear. One shot and a demon dies)), and a paper fan for idiots. He is approximately 5' 10", and is often noted for his good looks ((including blonde hair)) and drooping purple eyes.
Cho Hakkai: A rather perplexing young man. Hakkai is usually quite pleasant and polite and is known for his smile, but he can be so off-putting it's hard to tell when he's serious...there's a chance he's a straight man ((which I highly believe he is, considering the fact that he had been married at one point)), but that's open to debate. His occasionally sharp gaze--strongly in contrast with his warm expressions-- is symbolic of his dark, closed past. As Jeep ((a dragon named Hakuryu that can transform into a jeep at will, just usually called Jeep by the others when he takes that form)) belongs to him, he often drives when the group is riding. He uses chi (or life spirit) manipulation as his weapon in battle. He, like Gojyo, is 22 years old, but stands at a slightly shorter height of 5' 11". His eyes are deep green and his right is nearly blind. The cuffs he wears on his left ear are Youkai power limiters, but they can also be appreciated as an ancient Chinese fashion statement.
Son Goku: A cheerful little monkey...or an unholy child born from the rocks where the aura of the Earth was gathered. As his brain is full of thoughts of food and games, it would seem there's not much room for deep thought. To pay for crimes he committed when he was young, he was imprisoned in the rocks for 500 years without ageing. Because of his optimistic personality, he's become the mascot character of the group; this healthy 18-year old is made fun of by Gojyo, yelled at by Sanzo, and watched over by Hakkai. He is approximately 5' 4". His main weapon is the Nyoi-Bo, which can also become a sensekkon. ((In plainer and simpler terms, he uses something to the extent of a long staff, but it can split into 3 connected parts))
Sha Gojyo: Gojyo is a flirtatious, sly, and (let's face it) flat-out horny rogue. His behavior may seem rough and vulgar at first (and it is), but to the friends who know him, he's the dependable older brother. He's best friends with Hakkai, sparring partners with Goku, and...strained acquaintances with Sanzo. Although his love for the ladies sometimes leads to problems, he seems to be searching for someone in particular, and it's not necessarily a woman. He doesn't need a power limiter to blend with the humans because of his unusual heritage. His favorite weapon is his shakujou staff ((it is like a long staff with a crescent moon shaped blade on the end that is connected to a chain and maneuvers seemingly to suit his will)) that uses a chain to control its blade- a messy piece in battle to be sure. He is about 6' tall, has scarlet hair and eyes ((the sign of a half- Youkai)), and at 22, smokes like a chimney with a burning lust for cancer.
((And now for the plot...)) It was a time of chaos, where Heaven and Earth were as one, and humans and demons- the Youkai-- lived together in peace. The foundations of civilization and religion were raised and reinforced in this land of Togenkyo, the paradise known as Shangri-la.
But now, a great evil threatens harmony in this great land. Far to the west, in India, someone is attempting to resurrect the Youkai lord Gyumaoh by mixing human science and Youkai magic. This forbidden practice has created a Minus Wave of negative energy that is spreading across Shangri- la, poisoning the souls of the Youkai and turning them into mindless monsters. The only hope lies in four legendary heroes:
Genjyo Sanzo, a high priest with low morals. Son Goku, the hungry and mischievous Monkey King, released from 500 years of imprisonment. Sha Gojyo, a water sprite with an addiction for good smokes and bad women. Cho Hakkai, the legendary demon slayer, and his transforming dragon Hakuryu.
To save Shangri-la, these four unlikely companions, untied by fate, must travel together...into the West!
Okay, all that was directly from the book, and a pain in the (censor demon makes loud bleeping noise to drown out the swearing) to type, so I hope it was helpful for people who wanted to know about the characters and the plot.
(rubs sore fingers) Wow. Two whole pages of just the stupid intro. I'm talented.
START CHAPTER
"What the hell?" Predictably, the first words of High Priest Genjyo Sanzo as the group sometimes known as the Asinine Assassins came upon the wreckage of what had been the town of Solla.
Gojyo stared out at the ruins of the once prosperous city as the jeep rolled slowly along. Burning buildings crumbling to the earth, charred bodies scattered across the roadway to the point where Hakkai had to stop the vehicle, and a mound of corpses where the Town Hall had been, surely to mock how pathetically easy killing the townspeople was. "What happened here?" he wondered aloud.
Hakkai, being the most levelheaded among them at the moment, said quietly, "We should check for survivors."
The rest nodded, and clambered from the jeep to search the city for anyone left alive who could tell them what had happened.
Picking his was carefully through the dead bodies and pools of blood, Gojyo was disgusted to see that not one of the townspeople had died clutching a weapon. This had surely been a dishonorable attack on an unsuspecting group who never had a chance to fight back. Quite suddenly, his eyes fell upon the corpse of a Youkai, a demon. He shouted to the others, who were at his side in a moments notice.
"A Youkai?" Goku asked wonderingly, letting his eyes, a mix of brown and amber, roam around the ground, searching. "Hey!" He raised a clawed hand and pointed. "Another one! There's a bunch of them!"
The three men followed Goku's unsteady finger, and it was Gojyo that spied it first: a scraped and burned, but undeniably female hand sticking out from underneath the remains of a building wall, right beside a pile of Youkai corpses. As he watched the hand, the fingers curled just slightly, a surefire sign that whoever was trapped was still alive, if only just.
Not speaking a word to his companions, he jogged towards the woman (or so he hoped) and attempted to lift the debris from off her. When he failed, the large slab proving to be too heavy for him to lift alone, he turned to his friends and called, "Can I get a little help here? I think whoever's under this wall is still alive."
The others were helping lift the wall a second later, and when it was finally out of the way, he crouched beside the figure who had been trapped underneath.
She was in bad shape, that much was apparent at first glance. Both of her hands were badly burned, but the one that lay beside her face was the worse of the two. It seemed that she had tried to protect her face from the flames. Cuts and scrapes covered her body, but the worst was four shallows slashes across her back by way of Youkai claws.
Hakkai pushed her short brown locks, uneven from what looked like a slash by a sword or other sharp metal weapon and miraculously undamaged by the flames, back from her face, and breathed a sigh of relief. Aside from a cut across one cheek and a few scrapes, her face and neck were mostly unhurt. "She's alive," he said quietly, pressing two fingers to and uninjured part of her neck and feeling a slow but steady pulse. "This is one lucky girl."
"I don't think luck," Goku said, nudging a sword on the ground with his foot that was splattered with the blood of countless Youkai. "Had anything to do with it."
With a nod, Gojyo added, "It's safe to assume that she fought back, considering that she's the only one alive here."
Hakkai sighed grimly. "Still, when she recovers, she can tell us what happened here. But," he continued, shooting a glance at the others. "That may take awhile. In order to learn why this city was demolished, we have to bring her with us on our travels until she is well enough to go off on her own again."
"No," was Sanzo's instant and icy reply. "The jeep only seats four, and we don't have time to worry about some little girl wounded in battle. The information she has for us may not be helpful anyway. It's entirely possible that she doesn't know a damn thing about any of this."
"But we can't chance it," Hakkai countered reasonably.
"She must be a pretty skilled fighter if she can hold her own against a troop of Youkai," Goku remarked, looking around at the multiple demon bodies. "I wonder how many there were?"
Hakkai shrugged slightly. "That much we may never know."
"Wait a minute." Gojyo stood up swiftly, his eyes quickly moving from the bloody sword and raking the ground. "None of the others had weapons with them," he said slowly, remembering his previous observation. His next words were greeted with silence. "Is it possible that she knew this was coming?"
END CHAPTER
Okay, I want to know what people thought of this chapter, which I know looks ridiculously short when compared to the introduction information. If I get some good reviews, I'll type up a second chapter and update it ASAP. Otherwise, my hard work will have been for nothing. Also, if I get some nice reviews (no flames on this story, please), I'll thank the people I got them from at the bottom of each chapter. I actually have something to put down here already, but it's not really a thank you. It's more of an apology, and the last sentence is directed toward not only her, but to all others where it applies.
PenPusherM: I hope you liked this, considering that you had to probably do some research or just read all the stuff at the top to understand what the bloody hell I was ranting on about. Sorry if reading this gave you eyestrain.
One last thing I would like to make totally and crystal clear is that I am fully aware that the information about the characters and the plot were taken directly from the front cover and back pages of the first manga, and I have already given credit where credit is due. I do not own Saiyuki, and the information was only there to be helpful for those who have never read Saiyuki or need to freshen up their knowledge of the series. Saiyuki belongs to the wonderfully talented Kazuya Minekura, like I said.
Now I'm off to rest my tired, sore hands.
Send in those reviews!
Authoress out.