Memories of a Life Gone By pt. 8 After the Rain
Worriedly under a tree, Hakkai, Sanzo, and Goku watched the rain. Grinning, Goku gorged on a pair of meat buns.
"There's something weird about this forest," Hakkai began. "First the fog lifts and now this rain..."
"It seems that someone doesn't want us to leave," Sanzo replied.
"Why would anyone want to leave?" he asked as he ate hungrily. "We got lots and lots of food!"
Sanzo's fan went flying into his head.
"Will you think with that brain of yours for once!" he cried angrily.
"Ow!" he winced.
Wincing as she ran her fingers over the wound on her shoulder, Miyuki slowly stood. She turned to him glaring. Yosui cast her a sadistically happy grin. Growling, she pounced on him. Angry tears fell from her eyes.
"You killed him! You killed him!" she growled as she wrapped her fingers around his throat.
Yosui laughed.
"You are going soft!" he cried howling with laughter.
He pushed her off easily pulling her to her feet and tossing her into a wall. She winced feeling the blood and the slime pouring from her wound as it throbbed. Yosui continued grinning. You'll be eating for two for a while, he thought grinning as he placed himself on this throne. That egg inside you will need some time to mature and grow strong before it hatches... A knocking came from the floor. Yosui watched confused. The shakujo's crescent blade burst throught the floor creating a foutain of water that quickly flooded the room. Miyuki gasped.
"Well, well, well," Gojyo grinned as he hopped out from the whole in the floor. "Looks like you can find weaknesses just by knocking."
"What!" Yosui cried. "But you were killed by the other man! I saw it!"
"Gojyo!" she grinned.
Yosui glared.
"Then this was nothing more than a monkey show!" he growled standing.
"For your information," he smirked. "Miyuki and I left the monkey in the forest!"
Gojyo charged.
"Water beasts!" Yosui called out.
Two lipless and grinning beasts rose from the water chasing after him. Gojyo grinned.
"You're too slow!" he cried as the large crescent blade ran Yosui through. "And you're all wet."
Yosui grinned.
"The other man should've run out of air by now, and I've done all I needed to do," he sneered. "I can face Homura without shame..."
Quickly, he disappeared turning into dust. Quickly, Gojyo turned and ran for the hole in the floor he had made.
"Dokugakuji!" he called out as he dove in splashing the water loudly.
Miyuki quickly followed swimming deep into the dark depths. She winced feeling the cold water sting her wound and her lungs burning for air. She and Gojyo swam going deeper into the dark waterfilled room. They turned as they felt a tug on their hair. Dokugakuji smiled as he fell unconscious.
"Dokugakuji!" Gojyo cried in a burst of bubbles as he caught his body as it sank.
The shakujo slipped from Gojyo's fingers and fell to the metal room's floor with a muffled clank.
The sun shone down on the forest as they walked out of the dark tunnel sodden and cold. Dokugakuji hung his weight on Miyuki and Gojyo's shoulders. The red blossoms on the forest floor stared up at them shining with innocent dew drops.
"Red flowers always brought me bad luck," Gojyo muttered.
"I'll easily believe that theory," Miyuki said as she pulled the sodden flower from behind her ear and tossed it to the ground.
"I always kinda liked them," Dokugakuji replied chuckling.
"You're such a pansy," Gojyo remarked grinning.
"Gojyo! Miyuki!" Hakkai suddenly called out as he drove up with Sanzo and Goku.
Dokugakuji dropped his his arms around them. He undid the bandanna from his arm and held it out to the other man.
"I'll withdraw from our little rivalry for today," he began. "Your ride's here."
Smiling, he turned to her.
"It was nice meeting you," he began. "Beware this brat's a handful."
"Oi!" Gojyo protested grinning. "Now you can't mean that brother. Unless you mean a hand of well endowed c-"
A banishing gun shot flew past his head. He ducked.
"We don't wanna hear it!" Sanzo sneered as Dokugakuji walked off chuckling. "Now you two just get in and lets get moving!"
Hey, He thought. I never got that last coin back... Eh.. I'll just swipe one from the monkey one of these days.
Hakuryuu flew down the beaten forest path. As she sat turned away from them, Miyuki stared up into the clear blue after rain sky. The fast wind blew her hair in her face as she tried to keep it away from her wound. Her cheong sam hung open on her wounded shoulder as she struggled bandaging herself.
"Who would've thought that the exit was just right here?" Goku grinned as he stared up into the blue sky.
"You just weren't looking hard enough, monkey," Gojyo replied as he ate a soft pink meat bun.
"Hey!" Goku cried turning to him. "You were looking too!"
"Yea but you were busy looking with your stomach to help," he glared.
"But you should know that I always think with my stomach by now, Gojyo!" he cried as Miyuki let out a quiet giggle.
"Will you two shut up!" Sanzo growled as his fan smacked the Goku and Gojyo in the head.
Hakkai smiled.
"Well he does have a point now, Gojyo," he added his smile growing.
Gojyo sighed in defeat. She turned him smiling a comforting smile.
"I'd say something," Miyuki began giggling as she continued fiddling with the bandages. "But I honestly don't know what to say."
Gojyo chuckled sliding over to her. His calloused fingers wrapped themselves around her blowing and billowing hair and held the damp strands out of her way.
"Don't worry about it," he smiled. "I'm not so weak as to let a few insults get to me."
She nodded as she wrapped the bandages around her shoulder with two hands.
"I know," she smiled as she tied her bandages.
"She's different isn't she?" Hakkai suddenly asked as he and Gojyo stared at the baskets of fruit at the stand.
Gojyo turned.
"What you mean, Hakkai?" he asked confused. "She's like any other girl... Well minus the fact she's tighter than most of the others..."
Hakkai sweat dropped as the fruits fell from his twitching hand. Gojyo grinned.
"No.." he continued smiling. "What I meant was--"
Quickly, he stopped and picked up several bags of supplies as Miyuki slowly walked up.
"Gojyo, Miyuki-san," he smiled politely. "Take these back to the inn will you? I'll take Goku and finish the rest of the shopping."
Smiling, she nodded taking the bags. Gojyo grumbled with a sigh and followed her as she walked off. You can't fool me, Gojyo, Hakkai thought smiling. After all... I've been in love before... I know what it's like...
They walked down the quiet street of the town in a slightly awkward silence. The bags of supplies weighed heavily in their hands. Moving his bag from one hand to another, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She smiled resting her head on his shoulder as they continued walking. Is she really like the others? He wondered. Other curious thoughts ran through his head.
"I can't believe Hakkai made us do part of the supply shopping," Gojyo whined breaking the silence. "That's suppose to be his job."
"Well," she began looking up into the twilight painted sky. "Maybe he planned this?"
He chuckled.
"Now what makes you say that interesting little thought?" He asked ruffling her hair.
She giggled smoothing her dark locks as she stared off into the sunset.
"Well..." she began. "You did say you wanted to be alone with me more... And I should think Hakkai knows your mannerisms better than I or the others. You two seem to be quite the best friends."
Chuckling, he nodded in agreement. She smiled staring off into the dying light. She lowered her head and turned away. A small smile lit her face.
"So.." she began as they stopped staring at the distant horizon. "Would it be cliché of me to say that I thought I had almost you?"
He smiled as he pulled out his cigarette and lit it.
"Nah," he grinned blowing out a long white trail of smoke. "We all say our clichés from time to time. Some.. Just more than others."
She chuckled setting down the bags and sitting as she watched the sunset. Another grey white cloud of smoke flew from his lips and into the air.
"After all," he said as the cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth. "I could almost say the same thing about you."
She looked up to him smiling a light blush on her cheeks. He sat down beside her placing the bags aside. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his lap. She giggled as he placed his lips on hers. She purred entangling her fingers in his hair. His hands ran down her legs. His mouth quickly moved to her neck.
"Gojyo," she purred as he suckled on her neck. "Shouldn't we be getting back we'll be missed..."
"Screw them," he grinned whispering into her ear. "I intend to have a little fun before we go back to see those prudes."
She giggled.
"Out here?" she whispered. "Gojyo! We're in public..."
He grinned suddenly lifting her into his arms and walking off into a large set of bushes.
"Not any more," he smirked his lips curling upward eagerly. "Hope you don't mind doing it in the bushes..."
"Tadaima (I'm back/home)," Hakkai called out smiling as he and Goku walked in with bags in their arms.
From his paper, Sanzo looked up.
"Where's the kappa and the fox?" he asked grumpily.
Hakkai sweatdropped setting the bags down.
"Odd," he began. "I sent them back here to drop off the supplies..."
"You mean our food is gone!" Goku cried panicking. "I'm gonna kill you Gojyo!"
Quickly, Goku ran out. His booted feet tromped down the hallway as he screamed. The other guests looked out worriedly.
"Gojyo! Where are you! I'm gonna kill you!" he cried running through the inn hallways and out the door. "Give us back the food!"
Hakkai sighed. Sanzo threw down his paper and stood snuffing out his cigarette.
"Well we might as well find him," he muttered bitterly. "Otherwise we'll never hear the end of it from Goku."
"Gojyo! Miyuki-san!" Hakkai called out as they walked down the street looking for the others.
"Hakkai!" Goku grinned as he pounced on a set of bags. "It's the food! Oh you beautiful food!"
Sanzo snorted. Idly, Hakkai scratched his cheek in thought. A quiet rustling came from the bushes.
"They're here," she whispered giggling quietly.
"Shh," he quieted her as he placed a finger on his lips.
The bushes rustled. Speechless, Hakkai stared as an annoying red stain started growing on his face. He gulped slowly finding his voice.
"I hate to interrupt..." Hakkai whispered as he looked over the bushes sweat dropping. "But... Could you please stop?"
Miyuki blushed. Gojyo grinned. Sanzo walked over and sent his fan flying.
"Ow!" Miyuki and Gojyo winced.
"Ch. Do you have any shame you damn perverts!" Sanzo sneered as he rested his fan on his shoulder. "This is a public place! Your pervertedness sickens me."
Gojyo grinned.
"Can I help it if I'm totally irresistable?" he replied sarcastically. "Not to mention, with a woman as pretty as this around. How could I not?"
Annoyed, Sanzo sighed. As he looked up from digging into the bags, Goku turned.
"Hey did I miss something?" he asked as he quickly made his way over. "What's happening?"
Sanzo slapped him with his fan.
"Shut up you, stupid monkey!" he growled. "This is none of your business!"
"Ow!" Goku winced. "How could it not be! Gojyo took all the food!"
Hakkai smiled.
"Goku," he began still smiling. "I'll explain when you're older."
Memories of a Life Gone By Side Story: Romancing the Memories pt. 7 Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Sitting on windowsill, Kenren stared blankly into the clear depths of his filled sake cup. The open library window invited a warm breeze inside making his short red locks billow. A small snowing flower petal gently landed in his cup rippingly the the liquid. His full sake bottle sat at his feet.
Tenpou looked up from his book. He let out a quiet sigh.
"So she left you, huh?" He began.
"I don't wanna talk about it, Tenpou," he interjected. "I'm over it."
"Then if you're over it, why are you sulking?" he asked sternly.
"I'm not sulking!" he snapped. "I'm just..."
"Missing her?" Tenpou finished as Kenren trailed off.
He smirked letting out a chuckle as he threw his head back lightly smacking it on the wall.
"Am I that obvious?" he asked sighing.
Tenpou nodded smiling as his cigarette hung from the corner of his lips. He grasped his cigarette between two fingers and removed from his mouth blowing a white puff into the breeze.
"You know," he began taking a long drag and blowing out another white puff of smoke. "I never thought that I would see the day that you'd be weak enough to let Li Touten win."
"Shut up, Tenpou," he began as he turned away staring out the window into the cherry trees scattering the palace grounds. "Just shut up..."
She lay in her bed her face buried in her pillows as her tears gushed from her eyes. Pounding resounded in her ears as she listened. Through a small crevice in her folded arms, she watched as two carpenters boarded the doors to her balcony. Slowly, the bright sunlight stopped flowing into her quickly blackening room. Smirking, Li Touten walked inside and sat beside her.
"Welcome back to your old room, my dear," He grinned petting her hair. "I hope you like you old and rotted sheets and the dirty walls. After all, I'm sure you could never get used to that splendorous military life anyway. It's just not cut out for you. You were best at taking care of Nataku."
She didn't reply burying her face deeper into her rough sheeted pillows.
"Don't go off sneaking and sleeping around again, now," he continued grinning. "After all, I'm sure Kenren has already put you out of his mind. He's hates relationships. Never sleeps with a girl more than once. Heh. You were probably nothing more than a little screw toy to be tossed aside like the rest of them... He's known for it here. It's just too bad you fell for it like every other woman. You poor thing."
She felt her bed shift as he stood. Her tears began falling faster. No.. She whimpered. It just can't be true... It didn't feel that way.. Not all...
Nataku, Megumi, and Li Touten knelt and bowed low at the Jade Emperor's feet. The emperor stared down on them sternly. A pair of crimson eyes stared at her.
"Another campaign?" a soldier muttered. "Man! Heaven's having a lot of them these days..."
"Yea," another soldier replied. "But hey we got a War Prince. We can just sit around all we like while he does the job for us."
"If you're gonna say something," Kenren began as he clamped his hands over the two soldiers' mouths. "Say it loud."
"Yes sir!" the two soldiers replied muffledly.
Another campaign! Megumi thought worriedly as she listened to the Emperor's droning. But he's barely recovered as it is!
"Jade Emperor if I may," she suddenly called out. "Nataku is barely recovered! Doing this would not be wise!"
"You insolent fool!" Li Touten cried as he stood backhanding her hard. "Don't you dare go against the Jade Emperor's word!"
She winced as he threw her to the ground grinding her face into the floor. Quickly, Kenren pushed through the crowds and stepped out into the aisle. He knelt and bowed.
"I hate to intrude," he began smirking. "But please let me and my troops go in Nataku's place."
Li Touten glared turning to him.
"My son is the best warrior in Heaven bar none, Kenren Taisho," Li Touten sneered. "And his patriotism can never be matched! And even Megumi! She'll obey my every order! She thinks of no one by my and Nataku's well being."
Megumi growled quietly.
"Well," Kenren smirked as he stood. "If she cares for no one but you and your son's well being, why do you abuse and beat her right here where all can see you? At least I don't tell my troops to obey through blackmail and threats!"
The room gasped as quiet whispers ran through the crowd.
"What are you proposing, General!" the Emperor cried as he stood.
Kenren grinned.
"Why I'm proposing exactly what it sounds like, Your Highness," he continued grinning.
"Your Highness!" Li Touten turned to him pleadingly. "You most certainly cannot take this man's word! Think of all the trouble he's caused his own army!"
The emperor rubbed his chin in thought as he sat back down on his throne.
"Very well, Li Touten," he began. "You are right. After all, Kenren's caused much trouble for both the Western and Eastern armies. You are dismissed."
Li Touten grinned triumphantly as he bowed. Roughly, he pulled Megumi to her feet and pushed her ahead. Nataku walked past them. As he watched Nataku walk by, he felt a hard pain in his leg.
"Thank you," Nataku whispered and quickly walked off.
He turned watching her as she walked by with sad gold eyes. She turned to him casting him a fleeting glance in a silver set of orbs. A rare longing shined in his eyes. A painful pang shot through them.
"I'm sorry," she mouthed teary eyed as she continued walking.
Li Touten stood in the room grinning.
"And you, Kenren Taishou," he began. "You will be 'confined to quarters...'"
The cold chains bit into his wrists. The dusty and cold stone walls stung his whipped wounds.
"'Confined to quarters my ass!'" Kenren cried in the dungeons. "This is more like torture and imprisonment!"
Booted tapping echoed down the hall as a tall pale white scaled and white haired man stopped outside his door. His red and yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"If you wanted to create a scene like that," he began as he tossed him a set of metal keys. "You should've come to me. The Emperor would've at least considered my proposal. You've really done it now. I think just about everyone in Heaven heard you laughing through your torture."
Kenren chuckled as he caught the keys in his toes.
"That torture was only a tickle compared to that punch of Nataku's, Gojun," he replied as he unlocked his hands and rested them idly on his knees. "What probably hurts the most... Is the fact that the kid can't even say it hurts..."
That.. He began as he sighed inwardly. And the fact that she's just out of my reach when I want her so badly...
"So what's with you and Li Touten's woman?" the white figure asked. "Is there something going on?"
He turned away.
"It's nothing," he began as he stood wincing. "Nothing that you need to know."
Slowly, he limped out from the cell tossing the keys into Gojun's hand and started limping from the dungeons. He let out a quiet sigh.
As she sat crying in her pitch black room, a soft rapping came from her door. She stood drying her eyes. She opened her door and gasped.
"Goku. Tenpou-san," she murmured shocked. "What are you doing here?"
"Kenren needs a doctor," Tenpou said bluntly.
She gasped. Kenren! She thought worriedly as she lowered her head. Sadly, she turned away and took a step into her dark room.
"I can't," she whimpered as she brushed her tears away. "You've got to find someone else..."
She took another step stopping as she felt a tug on her dress. She turned. Goku held to her dress in his balled fist. His long brown hair covered his face.
"Please," Goku pleaded quietly. "Ken-niichan misses you. And Li Touten hurt him real badly!"
Megumi sighed as she knelt to his left and ruffled his hair. A small smile came to her face.
"All right," she murmured. "I'll get my things."
Goku grinned.
"Yay!" he cried dancing around the room. "Megumi-neechan's coming back!"
Tenpou smiled a small smile.
Kenren laid turned away on his bed. An ashtray sat near him the cigarette inside slowly burning away. Sharp jagged cuts ran on his skin. He sighed staring out at the window watching the late afternoon sun slowly descend. His door opened. He continued staring. She walked inside staying silent. Her gold eyes ran over his cuts as they turned to a worried silver.
"It's about time, Tenpou," he muttered as he picked up his cigarette and took a long drag. "I thought you disappeared on me."
She knelt at his bedside and pulled out her bandages. He pulled himself up. She placed a hand on his side as she started wrapping his bandages. She swallowed quietly as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Tenpou's not going to be here tonight," she whispered longingly.
Kenren's eyes widened as her voice fell on his ears. He looked down from the window watching as a feminine pair of hands wound themselves around him wrapping the bandages. He turned. She looked up to him smiling a small smile the bandages slipping from her grasp. He reached out placing a hand on her cheek smiling. His cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth. She nuzzled into his hand her tears leaking onto her lashes. Gently, he brushed them away smiling.
"Don't," he began quietly as she rested her hand on his. "I don't like seeing such a pretty girl cry."
She chuckled as she brushed her tears away.
"How could I not?" she smiled her eyes shining and swollen. "I've lost you..."
His smile faded as he dropped his hand. He pulled out his cigarette and blew out a long trail of smoke. He tapped his ashes into the ashtray.
"I didn't know..." he began turning away. "That you thought I was that weak."
"What?" she asked disbelieving. "I've never thought that!"
He turned back to her grabbing onto her shoulders and pulling her into him passionately. His fingers quickly entangled themselves into her long locks.
"I know what this is about," he smirked running his fingers through the strands. "You're a 'heretic,' and I'm not. But I'm not so weak to let them take me without a fight."
She looked up to him smiling.
"I'm sure," she smiled sadly. "But... I can't stand the thought of it happening. Li Touten knows!"
He ran his fingers through his red locks with a smiling sigh.
"Then you know what?" he grinned. "Let that bastard know. And let all of Heaven know while you're at it."
She stared at him shocked as she let out a quiet chuckle. He rested his forehead on her hers looking into her eyes. She blushed as piercing eyes didn't turn away. He chuckled leaning back on his bed nonchalantly.
"There's something different about you, Megumi-chan" he smiled as she pulled herself up beside him and continued wrapping his wounds. "I don't know what it is, but I like it."
She smiled chuckling quietly.
"So what makes me different than all the other women you've slept with and tossed aside?" she smiled as she watched his shocked reaction.
Kenren sweat dropped smiling nervously.
"Oh..." he chuckled nervously. "So you've heard..."
"I was bound to find out," she replied continuing to wrap his bandages as she ran her fingers through his hair with a smile. "You said yourself you were surprised I didn't know of it."
Kenren chuckled resting his hand on her cheek. He smiled placing his lips on hers. He placed a kiss on her cheek as he inhaled her familiar scent. Her arms wrapped around him tightly. She smiled as his warm musk and smoke filled her nose.
"I've missed you..." she whispered into his ear.
He grinned.
"And I you," he purred into hers as he promptly latched his mouth onto her neck his hands quickly working his way into her dress.
She grinned giggling. I wonder what I would do... His thoughts began as he quickly pulled her dress away and wrapped his arms around her. If I ever lost you... A sickening feeling settled into his stomach at the thought.