Memories of a Life Gone By pt. 14 The Rain
The rain pounded on their umbrellas as they trudged through the mud. Grunting, Miyuki pulled her sunken foot from the mud.
"Ick," she grimaced as she watched Goku manage to run ahead. "No traction..."
Gojyo smirked as a grin grew on his face.
"My dear..." he began as his grin grew wider. "Traction is a very valuable thing... You wouldn't want to lose it ne? But... You always seem to lose it when it's... wet.."
Miyuki blinked as she turned to him chuckling.
"What are you talking about, Gojyo?" she winked and bantered. "You know I've always managed to keep a firm grip..."
Gojyo chuckled.
"You have... But either way my dear..." he began. "Traction is still a very valuable thing... Wouldn't you agree, Hakkai?"
"... I should think so..." he twitched. "But I get the feeling you two aren't actually talking about the rain and mud..."
"Why, Hakkai," Gojyo scolded in a mocking tone. "Do you really think that a 'gentleman' such as myself would imply such things in front of a lady?"
Miyuki giggled. Hakkai's ears quickly began to focus on the pittering and pattering of raindrops on his umbrella. His eyes watched Goku as he slipped in a puddle of mud.
"Goku..." Hakkai called out sternly and worriedly. "Please be careful... I don't want you dropping our food..."
"Stop worrying, Hakkai!" Goku called back as he ran slipping again in another puddle of mud.
Goku continued running quickly ahead ignoring Hakkai's plea. Hakkai, Miyuki, and Gojyo watched.
"Dumb ass," Gojyo muttered.
"Don't be too hard on him," Hakkai replied sighing a short sigh. "He's worried about Sanzo."
"Devil meets his match, eh?" Gojyo asked with a grin.
He sat in the dark room as he watched the rain through the large windows. A cigarette slowly burned away in between his fingers. The door suddenly burst open.
"Hey Sanzo!" Goku smiled as he ran to the small table in the room. "How ya feeling? I got you some peaches! And a mask! And you should probably lay off the cigarettes too... It's probably not good for your health."
Sanzo turned to him with a glare. He snuffed out his shortened cigarette in his ashtray.
"I'm not sick," he muttered bitterly as he pulled out another cigarette and flicked on his lighter.
"Hey!" Goku called out as he rushed over. "I said lay off the cigarettes!"
Goku placed his hand on Sanzo's forehead looking for a temperature. Sanzo stared up at him with frigid and glaring violet eyes.
"Well..." Goku began. "You don't seem to have a fever..."
With a light growl, Sanzo slapped Goku's hand away harshly. Goku winced and rubbed his sore hand.
"I said I'm not sick!" he glared angrily. "This has nothing to do with you."
"Yes it does!" Goku cried. "I can tell it does!... Did I do something to make you mad?"
"Shut up," he said his voice frigid. "And get out..."
Goku stared down at him shocked.
"What the heck, Sanzo?" he pleaded. "I'm just worried about you..."
"And who asked you to be?" the monk replied with a deep growl in his voice. "Now get out."
Goku's jaw fell to the floor as the deafening rain splattered and crashed on the windows.
Hakkai, Gojyo, and Miyuki slowly walked through the dark forest as the rain pounded on their umbrellas. The warm and inviting light shined through the inn windows. The door opened stretching a long shaft of light onto the dark and wet forest path. Goku's silhouette stepped into the light.
"Goku?" Hakkai asked worriedly.
Goku began running ignoring his question.
"Hey, monkey!" Gojyo cried.
"Where are you---" Hakkai began futilely as he and the others watched Goku continue to run away.
"Ch," Gojyo began as he reached for one of the egg rolls sitting on the tray of food. "This happens all the time. Let's just leave him alone."
"Well," Hakkai started to reply as he snatched the egg roll away with a pair of chopsticks. "I thought that too, but we can't leave him alone either..."
With the tray of food, Hakkai walked out of the dim kitchen and closed the door behind him. Gojyo snorted. Miyuki smiled.
"Well you win some you lose some, my dear," she began as she stood and headed for the door. "... I'll be up in the room, this is getting too depressing for my blood..."
Sanzo continued to stare out into the foreboding rain. Flashes of memories splashed around in his vision to the inconstant and fast rhythm of the rain.
"If only it would stop raining soon," Hakkai's sudden voice broke through the darkness. "Then you would feel better, ne?"
"Don't treat me like I'm sick..." he muttered coldly his cigarette bobbing on his lips.
"I know..." he replied. "I'm like that too..."
Sanzo turned to him. The room's door slowly shut blocking out the light in the hallway.
In the room dimly lit by a small table lamp, Miyuki looked up from her suitcase resting openly on the table and stared out into the rain. She sighed as she laid out a fresh set of clothes for the morning.
"Well this is a depressing night now isn't it, old girl?" she asked herself as she walked over to the window and gazed out into the dreary night.
A light rapping resounded from the door. She turned and walked over. She creaked the door open slowly. A maid's face came into the dim light.
"There was a message for you at the desk," she said as she held out a folded letter to her. "The man said you'll know what to do with it when you get this."
A man? She thought worriedly as she took the letter nervously.
"All right..." she replied quietly as she began closing the door. "Thank you."
She sucked in a shallow breath as she broke the ying and yang wax seal on the letter. She shook as she read the two lines written on the paper.
A new world, powerless to be born, I wait in limbo and wander forlorn. An earth that begs and borrows, is the worst world one will ever know. Soon, all will reap what they sow.
"Homura..." she whispered as she quickly grabbed her umbrella and rushed out the door.
She skidded to a halt just outside the inn kitchen door. Gojyo and Hakkai's voices wafted to her ears.
"So the monkey's been kidnapped huh?" Gojyo commented idly as he started out the door.
"Wait!" Hakkai called out worriedly. "Where are you going?"
"To get some cigarettes," he replied casually as he stood on the small covered stoop.
"But we have cigarettes," Hakkai said.
"I'm picky about my brands," Gojyo replied as he shut the door behind him.
Stay calm, old girl... Stay calm... She thought. Just stay calm... Slowly, she walked into the kitchen preparing to open her umbrella as she headed for the door. She smiled as she spotted Hakkai.
"Oh Miyuki-san," he smiled. "You've just missed Gojyo... He's stepped out for some cigarettes..."
She smiled letting out a light chuckle.
"It's all right," she replied as she headed for the door trying to pace her steps. "I'll probably run into him when I go out anyway. I forgot a few things... I'll be back."
She stepped out into the rain quickly opening her umbrella as she began to run. Homura.. What are you planning to do now! She thought worriedly. Her beating heart thundered with the rain in her ears.
Goku slowly awoke to the sound of dripping water falling through the cracks in the ceiling. Limply, he hung from a set of chains. He winced his body covered in bruises and scratches. He looked around the darkened room with small shafts of light shining just around him. Memories of the rock prison flooded his vision. He began to struggle in the chains.
"Are you awake?" A familiar deep voice asked as the of clonking of footsteps echoed through the room.
"You Bastard!" Goku sneered as he watched Homura walk through the fragments of light scattered around the room.
Homura walked up to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You should grit your teeth now..." he warned as he popped Goku's shoulder from it's socket.
Goku cried out in pain.
"D-damn you!" he sneered again wincing in pain. "What do you want? Why don't you just kill me?"
"Nothing," Homura calmly replied as he began walking away.
Goku watched as he disappeared and reappeared in the shafts of light.
"Damn it! Let me go, you bastard!" he cried futilely.
Miyuki watched from a darkened corner.
Gojyo surveyed the site turning from the waterfall to the broken Buddha daibutsu.
"Looks like the monkey's gotten into a bit of a fight..." he said to himself idly.
"You looking for the pipsqueak?" Zenon's cold and scratchy voice asked as he stepped out of the bushes. "Give it up... You're not gonna get him back."
"What did you say!" Gojyo challenged.
"Homura's got him now..." Zenon grinned.
Gojyo turned to face him.
"But His Highness already has you blokes..." he began. "What does he need another pet for?... Tell me what you did with him!"
Zenon snickered.
"Tell me!" Gojyo cried angrily as he charged at Zenon launching his fist.
Zenon dodged and disappeared into the dark and rainy night. Gojyo looked around his brow furrowing with worry.
"You say Homura has him?" Hakkai asked his voice tinted with worry. "It sounds like he's still alive at least..."
"Probably..." Gojyo began. "But what are we gonna do, Sanzo? I mean... We can't just let people come and take our monkey... Well.. Not without paying for it at least..."
Sanzo remained silent.
"Sanzo?" Hakkai asked.
"Leave it be..." Sanzo muttered still staring out into the dreary rain. "I see no reason to get him back."
Hakkai and Gojyo gasped.
"You..." Hakkai began shocked. "Don't think Goku actually betrayed us, do you?"
"Betrayed?" He replied bitterly mocking. "It's not like Goku actually owes us anything..."
"Hey now..." Gojyo began.
"Do what you want," Hakkai chided sternly. "But we're going to look for, Goku... And I do understand why you're acting this way. You may not admit it to yourself, but I bet you feel pretty bad for how you lashed out at Goku earlier, but this going sold anything either. You know that."
Hakkai and Gojyo walked out shutting the door behind them.
"Hey..." Gojyo suddenly asked breaking the tension. "Where's Miyuki?"
Hakkai turned blinking in slight confusion.
"She mentioned she was going out to get a few things she had forgotten..." He replied. "But I suppose she's been gone for an awfully long time..."
Gojyo smiled.
"... She's probably waiting out the storm in a fairly safe place," Gojyo said after some thought. "Let's just leave her a message at the desk in case she gets back before we do. No need to have her worry her pretty little head off."
Hakkai nodded in agreement as they headed off.
Homura stepped through the darkness clutching a plump meat bun in his hand.
"How's the shoulder?" he asked smiling as Goku flinched and turned away frightened. "You look hungry.."
He offered the meat bun. The warm sweet smell wafted to Goku's nose. A rare nausea washed over him mixing with his fear.
"Look here," Homura said in a seemingly kind voice. "This is for you.. Don't be stubborn; why are you so afraid?"
"I'm not afraid!" Goku bit back. "I'm not afraid of anything!"
Homura chuckled.
"Is that so?" he retorted as he slammed a palm against the wall and leaned in close. "What about on that mountain, Goku? Did you laugh at your prison? Did you curse the petty gods who put you there? Were you pleased to have your memories locked away?"
The ancient image of a gray haired boy in white and gold robes flew in his eyes. The gray haired boy turned to him matching his wide gold eyes with his. Goku screamed.
"Bastard!" he sneered.
"Don't you want to have infinite power?" Homura asked.
"I can do that myself!" he replied glaring. "I don't need you for that!"
"But what if you can't?" Homura asked again. "You are just as I am. A solitary abominable existence.. That's why you cling to Sanzo.. He validates your existence."
"No!" Goku cried.
"And what of Sanzo?" Homura questioned again. "What does he think of you? Does he see you as nothing more than a servant?"
"Shut up!" he continued to cry.
"You are far more important than that.." Homura continued. "You sense it too... How lonely you must feel."
"You're crazy! Like hell! You're crazy!" Goku wailed.
As Homura ran his hand down a length of chain, Miyuki watched from her dark corner her claws digging worriedly into the palms of her balled fists.
"And all you have to do is come with me..." He offered temptingly. "I'll protect you..."
His hand rested on the shackle preparing to unlock it. Miyuki rushed forward.
"Homura!" she cried angrily. "Stop! Do you have any idea what you're doing with this boy's head!"
Smirking, Homura turned.
"Well, well, well," he smiled. "Looks like we have a visitor, Goku. Welcome, Megumi..."
Miyuki glared. Goku's jaw dropped. He thrashed in his chains as a possible thought came to mind.
"Homura! You bastard!" he cried thrashing loudly in his chains. "What did you capture her for! I thought you only wanted me! Let her go!"
Homura chuckled.
"Do you really think, Goku, that she has really been working for you all this time?" he asked with a charmingly devious smile. "Did you not find it odd that there's another demon who retains her sense of self that is not you, Tenpou, or Kenren?"
Goku's eyes grew wider. He turned to Miyuki glaring as he bared his fangs. His chains rattled with fury as he continued his struggling and thrashing.
"You traitor! We trusted you! We trusted you!" He screamed and kicked. "What about Gojyo! You little traitor!"
Miyuki winced at his words. Homura smirked slowly walking off into the darkness to watch. She continued to watch him struggle. Slowly, his thrashing stopped. He stared at the ground defeated. As she walked, her heels clacked and resounded through the darkened room.
"Goku," she said sadly and comfortingly. "You will be let out of here... But I will make sure that you will not be able to remember seeing me here... For now... This is the best option..."
From a small pouch, she pulled out a small cloth and a vile. She poured a poignant and sour liquid into her cloth and reached for his face. A sharp set of fangs dug into her hand as she yelped. As he grinned at his small victory, she rushed in and cupped his face forcing the blood-soaked cloth into his nose. The room began swimming in Goku's vision. He fell limp in his chains asMiyuki let out a despairing sigh.
Memories of a Life Gone By Side Story: Romancing the Memories Pt. 13 A Moment's Peace
Humming, she ran the brush through her wet, wavy locks as she stared at her reflection in the steamy mirror. A damp set of arms wrapped themselves around her. She stared at Kenren's beaming face in the mirror. His smile turned to a devious smirk.
"I think that must have been one of the best showers I've had in a very long time..." He grinned burying his nose into her wet and fragrant hair.
She rolled her eyes walking off and smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress.
"Don't you have to work?" She asked slightly curious as she began fixing the mussed bedsheets as he dressed.
"No," He lied with his convincing smile as he wrapped his arms around her. "We can have all day to do whatever we want..."
She smiled.
"Good," she replied as a soft knocking came from the door.
As she opened the door, she smiled. Tenpou walked inside with a cigarette hanging idly from his lips. Goku bounded in after him laughing as he his chains rattled and clanked.
"Kenren-niichan!" Goku cried. "Tenpou said we should all go out for breakfast! Could we please!"
"Please say yes," Konzen grumbled as he followed them in. "It'll make him shut up."
Megumi smiled. Kenren shot the others a flat look. He sighed.
"All right..." He conceded rubbing the back of his head. "You've only put a light damper on my plans... For now at least..."
"Now, now, Kenren," Tenpou chided lightly. "There will be plenty of time later for you and Megumi-san to have some 'alone time,' but for now why don't we have some breakfast and train your troops... Like you were suppose to for the past several weeks..."
Megumi shot the general an amused but disapproving look. Kenren grinned.
In a large dining hall, they sat. Megumi stared out the large windows overlooking the vast landscape of Chinese rooftops and blooming sakura trees. This is like an eternal spring... She thought idly running her fingers around the rim of her cup. Does nothing ever change here? Sighing annoyed, Konzen set down his cup and stood. The others looked up.
"I'm leaving," he said blandly. "I've got a lot of busywork to do for the old woman. You coming, Goku?"
"Hm..." Goku thought as his eyes shifted from his plate of food to Konzen.
"I can watch over him," Megumi volunteered smiling. "After all.. It seems as though everyone has work to do... And I currently don't have anything to do for the day..."
Goku continued to hum in thought. He grinned.
"Thanks for the offer Megumi-neechan!" he cried as he bounded out of his chair and to Konzen's side. "But I wanna stay with Konzen!"
Konzen sighed a despairing sigh.
"All right," she said with a laugh. "I understand."
In the distance, a loud gong rang. Her ears twitched at the sound. Kenren and Tenpou's chairs let out a low scratch as they scraped across the wooden floor.
"Well..." Tenpou began as he set down his coffee mug and stood. "That's our cue Megumi-san... Coming Kenren? The troops should be getting for their morning training right around now..."
Kenren sighed as he stood. She smiled.
"I'll be back soon," he winked after he pecked her cheek. "Then I'll make sure to make up for lost time."
She laughed waving as she watched them walk away. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the window. She held her cup in her hands as she relaxed. It's been such a long time since I've had a decent moment's peace... She thought smiling a half smile. I hope this will go on for a good while... No more Li Touten... And no more servitude..
The chair across from her suddenly loudly scraped the floor. She turned and growled. Of course... The irony of it all... She thought bitterly as she glared at the bearded man in front of her.
"Why hello, Megumi," Li Touten greeted his voice dripping in sarcasm. "Fancy meeting you here..."
She glared as she crossed her arms and her legs. As she did so, she purposely kicked his shins.
"What is it, Li Touten?" she growled dangerously as various eyes in the room turned toward her. "Are you still sulking over your lost 'assets?'"
"Oh you'll be sulking soon my dear!" he sneered his voice going down to a threatening whisper. "After Kenren dumps you right out on the street, you'll be crawling back to me! A heretic like you, will never make here on your own!"
She growled. She opened her mouth to speak. Suddenly, a hand slammed down on the table. They turned. Megumi arched her eyebrow at the seeming woman with long dark hair and a sheer white dress.
"Why, Li Touten," she began in a stern but gentle regal voice. "I did not think you would be the type to stoop so low and pick on young and defenseless women..."
Glaring, he stood and stormed away. Megumi sighed as the "woman" sat down across from her.
"Thank you," she bowed her head with a relieved sigh.
The woman smiled.
"By the way..." she began. "I am the Great Kanzeon Bosatsu... It's finally nice to meet you, Megumi..."
Megumi shot her a cautious look.
"What?" she smiled leaning back in her chair nonchalantly. "You don't think I haven't heard all the gossip? You've chosen a rather... Rambunctious set of gentlemen to be seen with..."
She smiled a nervous smile. As the sun brightened, her eyes turned to the window and slowly wandered to the dancing dust swimming in the streaming sunlight. She turned back to Kanzeon Bosatsu and started fidgeting in her seat. Her dress is completely see through... She thought with a nervous twitch. Do Gods' personalities really vary to this extreme? She turned her eyes in another direction watching as the other army men ate.
"So tell me I heard you also happen to be screwing the General of the Western Army...," she smiled again watching as Megumi's ears twitched at the sound of his name. "How is Kenren in that department? I hear that the girls are absolutely raving about his skills!"
She turned cautiously.
"Anou (Uh...)..." she replied unsure. "I hate to offend Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama... But that matter is mine and Kenren's alone..."
"You know," Kanzeon continued to rant. "There are times when I would like to compare my own package's abilities to his! I wonder how I could do!"
She twitched.
"Y-Yours?" she questioned cautiously.
"Oh yes!" she grinned. "It's not as big, I'm sure, but I'm sure it's all in how you 'handle it'... For lack of better wording. Wouldn't you say that's how Kenren does it?"
Her eyes went wide. She shuddered in trepidation. But in the Lower World... Kanzeon Bosatsu is a woman! She thought. Oh if this ever got out in the Lower World...
Kenren sipped his sake and sighed in relaxation as a light breeze flew over him as two soldiers fanned him. Leisurely, he adjusted his dark sunglasses. A soldier looked up at him as he cleaned his general's shoes.
"Uh.. Sir.." the soldier began. "How is this suppose to help us with our training again?"
"It's teaching you to follow orders, soldier!" he barked grinning. "Now get back to cleaning my boots. I didn't give you the order to ask questions now!"
"Y-Yes sir!" the soldier obediently replied as he went back to vigorously polishing Kenren's boots.
Tenpou shook his head.
"This is ridiculous..." He muttered with a sigh as he adjusted his glasses. "I want you men and the other troops to go around the obstacle course ten times!"
"Sir! Yes, sir!" the men echoed as they dropped their things and ran off.
"Well..." Kenren began. "It was about time I plowed into Megumi-chan again anyway."
Kenren grinned at Tenpou's reaction. Tenpou let out a light cough.
"I do wonder; where is Megumi-san, anyway?" he questioned curiously. "I haven't seen her since breakfast..."
"Well..." Kenren began as he stood and began walking. "It's back to the Dining Hall I go."
Sighing, as his lips twisted upward guided by a force of their own, Tenpou watched Kenren walk away with a large smile on his lips as his cigarette wafted its light gray smoke.
Megumi fidgeted in her seat as Kanzeon Bosatsu continued her ranting and raving on her sordid sexual escapades.
"... Boy was that solider ever surprised that night!" she exclaimed laughing as Megumi twitched. "I'm quite sure that look on his face was stuck there for a good few hours!"
Megumi pretended to laugh.
Kenren shuddered as he listened to Kanzeon Bosatsu's loud and one-sided conversation. Quickly, he ran over suddenly pulling Megumi's chair out from under her and throwing her over his shoulder.
"Well I'm sure you guys were having a rather good time and all, but I need Megumi-chan for the next few hours!" he chirped as he ran out of the dining hall leaving Kanzeon Bosatsu with an annoyed look on her face.
"Kenren!" Megumi complained as Kenren grunted under weight. "You can put me down now! We've gotten away from Kanzeon Bosatsu."
Kenren grinned.
"I'm not putting you down until we get to our room!" He grinned. "You and I are taking the day off and using this day to it's fullest potential!"
"You mean we'll be having sex all day..." she said flatly.
Kenren smirked.
"You got it," he replied.
"Kenren!"
Homura looked to the other side of the promenade watching as Kenren walked with a woman in his arms. He arched an eyebrow.
"So this is how they treat their women here in heaven..." He murmured to himself with a slight shake of his head.
He watched as Kenren walked by with the woman still hanging over his shoulder. The woman stared up to him with a blush on her cheeks. Her eyes turned gold and locked with his.
A heretic... They seemed to think at the same time as the looks on their faces turned into a set of slightly surprised looks.
Hmm... Homura thought again. This is something that I must look into...
Megumi strolled along the promenade looking out into the vast water garden filled with lotus blossoms, cypress trees, and lily pads. She stopped and stood staring of into the flower covered water.
A figure walked up behind her.
"If you would pardon my interruption.., Onee-san..." A deep voice began making her turn. "But may I ask why General Kenren was treating you that way earlier? Is this how women in Heaven are often treated?"
Megumi's silver eyes flashed gold as she stood face to face with the heretic she had seen earlier.
"Me?" she replied slightly surprised. "Oh no... That's just the way Kenren is..."
"Then this Kenren must be an awfully bad person..." he said.
"Oh no!" she cried. "He treats me so well! He is kind to me, and he provides me with all that I may need."
"If he treats you so well, then why does he keep you constantly over his shoulder and not have you walking by his side?" he asked annoyed as he grabbed her shoulders. "How could you be treated so well! You are not even a heavenly being!"
Megumi pushed him away and slapped him hard on his face.
"You have no right to judge," she replied angrily trying hard to keep the searing rage out of her voice. "You do not know Kenren as well I do, nor do I know you... Nor after this, I do not wish to see you again."
Turning on her heels, Megumi stormed away leaving Homura staring after with a thoughtful look on his face. His thoughtful look turned into a scowl.
"It's just as I figured," He muttered to himself bitterly. "There is the virus of hypocrisy running in the veins of these beings of heaven where one heretic is treated with the worst that 'Heaven' has to offer while other heretics are given the best of everything... I should have seen this from the very beginning... May the hypocrites of this off-white world pay for their sins in the near future..."