Memories of Life Gone By pt. 2 The Influence of Fate

Quickly, Sanzo rose and pointed his silver pistol at her head.

"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously as he glared. "And who sent you?"

"I'm no one!" she cried panicked. "I'm Miyuki! That's just it! Forgive me!"

Glaring, he pulled his gun away.

"Now, now, Konzen!" a loud voice cried as a figure popped up behing him. "No need to be so harsh."

"What do you want now, Kanzeon!" Sanzo glared.

"Oh nothing," she replied grinning mischeviously as she wrapped an arm around Miyuki's shoulders. "I just wanted to mention the addition to your little group. I'd almost forgot about her, but thankfully you found her for me!"

Sanzo growled in frustration. Hakkai smiled sweatdropping. Gojyo grinned. Goku continued eating.

"Don't worry," she smiled. "They'll all remember you in time, Megumi."

Gojyo's ears perked picking up on her name. He grinned chuckling as his mind slowly spun in conspiration.

"Kenren!" Kanzeon called out smiling. "Make sure you treat her as good as you did back then. From what I saw you always knew how to keep things interesting in the bedroom."

Kanzeon smiled as she disappeared into the air. Miyuki blushed. Gojyo's grin grew.

"Well," Sanzo snorted. "I don't really care as this fiasco is nothing but a bad field trip, but you will need to be explaining a few things if you don't mind."

Miyuki nodded as she sat down at the table with the others.

"I've only had these dreams recently," she began quietly. "They started at during the first time when the other youkai started going insane. I didn't want to become like them so I had my powers limited. I couldn't be like them."

Her fingers traced around the gold bracelet on her arm. Hakkai smiled placing a comforting hand on hers.

"It's all right," he smiled leaning back in his chair his hand moving away. "I think you've proved you've got a strong sense of self enough."

"Why are you living alone when you've got all this room?" Sanzo asked supiciously.

She lowered her head as she let out a sad sigh.

"I used to have four roommates," she began as she pointed to a small and dusty picture resting quietly on a shelf. "They died some months ago. That's them over there."

Gojyo walked over and picked up the small frame. He gasped quietly. As he shot the others a knowing look, he passed around the picture. Hakkai paled. Goku began choking no his meatbun. She sighed.

"My God," she smiled as she took the picture with a light sprinkle of tears in her eyes. "It's hard to believe that Shunhua, Xiahua, Donghua, and Quihua were only here a few months ago."

Hakkai smiled a comforting smile.

"What happened to them?" Sanzo asked as he played along.

"I don't know much," she began again. "But... They had go to take care of something.. From what I've heard, they contracted the disease of a parasite demon, and... Someone helped them out of their misery..."

Hakkai, Goku, and Gojyo remained silent.

"How sad," Sanzo replied as he nodded.

"Yea," she sighed. "I'm sure they're in someplace better..."

Sanzo nodded. The others nodded after a moment of hesitation.

"Hn," the blonde priest snorted as he turned away . "I'm going to get some rest. I'm getting sick of you all."

"Don't mind him," Hakkai smiled as he stood and started to leave the room. "He's always like that."

Goku continued eating as he walked off to his room.

"Thanks for the food!" he grinned as the food in his mouth went flying.

She smiled. Gojyo pulled up a chair beside her.

"Well," he grinned. "It looks like it's just you and me darling."

She smiled. He placed a hand on her knee. She gasped quietly. It's that familiar feeling again... Why? She wondered to herself.

"So..." Gojyo began smoothly as a smile slowly grew on his face. "How do you know this Kenren person?"

"Ah..." she blushed. "From my dreams..."

He nodded.

"And may I ask what goes on in these dreams with him?" he smirked as he stood and positioned himself behind her.

His body heat flushed her face. His bare hands rested on her shoulders gently massaging them. Oh my... She thought blurhing brightly. There's a man wearing nothing but a towel behind me, and he's massaging me!

"Ah... Uh..." she began fidgeting as his hands roamed down her back in gentle firm caresses. "Well... I can't say.. It's rather... Private..."

"Why?" he suddenly whispered sensously in her ear making her gasp. "Is he making love to your beautiful body with a wild passion and making you cry out in that pretty little voice of yours for more and more?"

He smirked as her blush turned redder. Grinning, he picked her up in his arms and started walking off to her room with a smirk.

"Shall we see if I can compete with my past incarnation?" he grinned leaning close to her ear. "Despite how hard you try, you feel comfortable. There's something familiar in my company isn't there?"

Blushing, she nodded. Gently, he set her down.

"I know," he smiled gently as he opened her door and lead her inside. "I can feel it too..."

The door shut behind them quietly as Gojyo placed his lips on hers.

Hakkai smiled sweatdropping.

"My, my that poor woman," he said quietly to himself as he looked up from his book. "I hope Gojyo isn't giving her too much trouble now."

Goku surveyed the small room with a small bed by the window. He flopped down and buried his face in the pillow catching small traces of a fading femine scent.

"Donghua..." he whispered as he slowly drifted off.

In his own room, Sanzo slept in a deep sleep. His scripture rested quietly on the nightstand.

Entwined in her sheets, they let out the sounds of an old and familiar passion as their instincts and wills acted on their own accord. Fervent kisses laced their skin as they clung tightly to one another. With a hard passionate sigh, they fell to the sheets still clinging to one another. She ran her hand through his long red locks as she stared deep into familiar crimson eyes as the visions of a similar but different man flashed before her eyes. He watched as her silver eyes changed to gold and her panting form changing into another as brief flashes of dreams danced in his eyes.

This is... Familiar, she thought. Very familiar... He smiled locking his lips with hers as he pulled her close. Quickly, they fell asleep in the lulling silence of the nightlit room. Dreams and memories danced in their heads.

Author's note: well that's the second chapter's ending. But as a special here's a little inside look at what happened in the Gaiden when Miyuki's past life form, Megumi was around. Spoilers included! Enjoy!

Memories of a Life Gone By Side Story: Romancing the Memories pt. 1 Mysterious Meetings

In a dark room in a secluded part of the castle, two golden eyed boys chatted and laughed loudly and innocently. One boy winced as he lay in his bed covered with bandages.

"Ow," he chuckled as he grinned. "It hurts to laugh."

"Should I get someone, Nataku?" the other boy asked worriedly.

"Nah, it's fine, Goku," he smiled sadly and faintly. "... You know how they are..."

Goku nodded. Quietly, the door opened. The soft rustling of cloth and jingling of chains walked inside. Her gold eyes shifted to silver as she surveyed the dark room. She smiled as she slowly walked to the bed. Her shoes tapped the floor lightly as she walked. In curiosity, Goku stared up at her. Long, black, and ankle length hair flowed behind her in long pigtails. A black fox tail swished with her long white servant's dress. Her black fox ears stood at the top of her head twitching to the soft sounds in the room.

"Nataku-sama," she said offering her hand to the boy. "Come. It's time to change those bandages."

Nataku nodded as he placed his hand in hers.

"Bye, Goku," he said sadly as he walked out shutting the door behind him.

In the darkness, Goku sat before rushing back to his master.

"Konzen! Konzen!" he cried as he burst into an office.

A bitter blonde man looked up annoyed from his pile of papers and rubber stamps.

"What is it now monkey?" he asked gritting his teeth. "I'm busy."

"But I wanna know who the woman in chains that's taking care of Nataku is!" he replied as he tugged on Konzen's arm in a fevor.

Konzen shot him a strange look. Woman in chains? He thought to himself. There's not such thing.. Goku and Nataku are the only ones chained up here...

"What have you been getting yourself into now?" he scolded. "There is no such woman as that."

"But I saw her!" he whined. "She's real!"

Konzen sighed in frustration.

"Get out. Go find Tenpou or Kenren to bother will you?" he said as he continued stamping and signing the papers on his desk.

With a light pout, Goku rushed from the room and ran back to the other palace.

In a tree, a redhead sat sipping sake while under, a man with brown hair and glasses sat reading. They turned hearing the sound of clanking chains.

"Ten-chan! Kenren-niichan!" Goku cried as he ran up.

Kenren and Tenpou smiled.

"Hello, Goku," the brown haired man smiled. "You came here in quite a rush how may we help you?"

"Ten-chan!" he began as he tugged on Tenpou's sleeves. "Who's the woman in chains taking care of Nataku?"

Tenpou shot him a confused look. He looked up at Kenren. Kenren shrugged as he grinned pervertedly. Woman in chains huh? He asked himself smiling. I must keep that in mind for the next time I've got a woman in my bed...

"I don't think there is such a woman," he smiled back. "Are you all right, Goku? Did you hit your head or something?"

Comically, Goku fumed.

"No!" he cried. "She's real! Nataku went off with her to change his bandages!"

Smiling, Tenpou patted his head.

"Now, now," he smiled as he tried to play along. "I'm sure Nataku is off with the actual doctor, not this mysterious woman you speak of."

"Yea," Kenren agreed. "Believe me, Goku. If I don't know her, then she's not real. Besides... I 'know' almost every woman here..."

"And you know them so... Intimately too," Tenpou bantered as Kenren grinned.

Confused, Goku stared up at them. They smiled.

"Come on, Goku," Tenpou smiled. "Why don't we either get some ice for that bump on your head. Or perhaps you haven't eaten yet? Maybe that's why you're acting like this."

Goku growled.

"Ooo!" he whined pouting an exaggerated pout. "I didn't hit my head! I am hungry, but I know she's there!"

Tenpou smiled.

"Then lets get you some food, ne?" he asked. "I'm sure you'll be much better after some."

"O.k." he smiled a small smile as he walked off with Tenpou.

Kenren smirked as he chuckled to hmself. That poor kid, he thought. I wonder if Konzen's feeding him properly...

Smiling, he stared up into the pink cherry blossoms.

As the day continued, Goku ran from palace to palace inquiring of the strange woman to everyone's dismay. I'm gonna get that boy on a leash when he gets back, Konzen thought muttering obscenities to himself.

"You seem to have been the talk of heaven recently, Megumi," a stern man with brown hair and a beard glared at her. "I hope you haven't been making yourself known."

She suppressed her anger as she glared back at him.

"Of course I haven't," she replied in a slightly biting tone. "I've followed everything you've told me to do since you brought me here."

Quickly, he stood and slapped her hard across her face. She winced.

"Watch your tone with me, woman!" he snarled as he grabbed her head forcefully and turned her to him. "You should be honored to be here! Not many that look like you, are welcome here!"

She glared at him through her shifting eyes.

"And you should be honored you're still around! We don't take kindly to your kind around here," he threatened. "For you are weak, and of no use to me other than your skills with medicinal herbs... Besides, all you probably did down in that underworld was lie on your back and keep your legs open like all those other women of your kind down there!"

He smirked as he backed off his hands examining her slowly bruising cheek in an uncharacteristically gentle manner.

"Go get some ice for that," he smiled in a false kindness. "You don't want your so called 'pretty face' looking ugly with a nasty bruise do you? Enjoy what freedom you've got now, because it's only a matter of time before I become emperor and when you'll be locked away. Forever."

With a quiet growl, she turned away storming off. What's it matter, Li Touten? She thought growling as she ran her fingers over the divine mark he had forceably given her. You've already locked me away in a prison... You'll get what's coming to you. I know you wil. Nataku stared after her sadly.

"Son," he began. "Beware. Women are all the same. Despite their proper attitudes and mannerisms, they're nothing but whores and sluts underneath. Especially those foxes..."

Nataku nodded slowly as he watched with sad eyes. Yes father, he thought obidiently.

Hiding from his troops and avoiding his duties, Kenren sat up in his usual cherry tree, sipping sake.

"Yare, yare, (Good grief)" he sighed to himself. "Goku sure caused quite the ruckus yesterday talking about some woman that doesn't even exist. Poor Konzen."
He chuckled to himself as he stared up into the cherry tree. A door and balcony hidden by the branches and blossoms slowly opened. Huh? He thought confused. I thought no one lived in that room... He climbed quietly moving to a better viewing spot.

On the balcony, small fragrant pots of herbs and plants grew as a woman in a white dress and chains stood among them watering their fragrant leaves. Guess Goku wasn't lying after all, he thought grinning as he climbed higher. Slowly, she turned to the cherry branches. She leaned over her balcony reaching for the blossoms just out of her reach. Kenren grinned as he plucked a small twig covered in pink flowers and climbed up to her.

"Hi!" he grinned as his head suddenly popped out from the branches she was reaching for and offered her the torn twig of flowers. "Flowers?"

"Ah!" she cried in surprise as she jumped back and fell flat on her balcony.

She winced massaging a sore backside. Eagerly, he hopped on to her balcony and helped her up. She stared at him with a surprised and frightened look in her gold eyes as they turned silver. Quickly, she turned and ran to her balcony door.

"Hold it!" he cried smiling as he grabbed her chained wrist. "Don't I get a little 'Hello, why thank you for helping up from my fall?' Or 'Why thank you so much for the flowers?'"

She turned to him tugging her wrists frantically and nervously. He stood and watched her amusedly keeping a firm grip on her wrist.

"Please leave!" she panicked pulling at her wrists. "Someone might see!"

"Nah," he smiled as he placed the twig of flowers in one of her pigtails. "This room has nothing but a view of a big tree, and the heaven outside has no view of this room."

She continued panicking and pulling at her wrists.

"Please leave!" she worried.

Kenren stared at her face finding a dark bruise covered by a light film of make-up.

"Not until you tell me your name, sweetheart," he grinned.

"It's Megumi..." she sighed. "Now leave.. Please."

"That's good enough!" he said as he dropped her wrist.

She turned away and slowly opened her door pulling the flowers out of her hair.

"Now," he said smiling kindly as he stood on her balcony railing. "You come to me if some jerk gives you another bruise."

She turned to him as he leapt back into the tree and slowly disappeared in the pink laced branches. Li Touten's words rang in her head. We don't take kindly to your kind around here, she thought as she sighed staring at the pink flowers in her hand.

"Come to you?" she murmured to herself. "After so much unkindness, could I even trust you..."

Quickly, Kenren rushed to find the others.

"Tenpou! Goku! Konzen!" he cried grinning. "I've found her! She's actually real!"

"Ha! I knew it!" Goku cheered.

Konzen shook his head sighing in annoyance. Tenpou placed a hand on Kenren and Goku's heads.

"Well you two don't feel like you have a fever," he began. "Kenren, how much sake have you had?"

Kenren sweatdropped.