- Title: Eclipse - chapter 5
- Author: Meicdon13
- Pairing(s): Kougaiji x Sanzo
- Rating: PG-13
- Summary: Sanzo's reincarnation works for Kanzeon
Bosatsu. While he searches for the three remaining sutras, he comes across
someone else from the past that might be able to help him out. What he doesn't
know is exactly what Kougaiji was to his past life.
- Website: http://meicdon13.livejournal.com/
- Notes: Lakshanya, means "one who
achieves". Like most of the info I'm basing this fic on, I just got it off
the Internet. Beta by purpleicicles.
I'm…having a bit of trouble over this chapter. Lirin doesn't call Kougaiji
anything but ''niisan' and while they're supposed to come from
"-xian sheng" the Chinese equivalent of "-san".
Chapter Five : Backtrack
Jinhai and Kougaiji stood under the large ornate archway that decorated the
front of the church. The rain was slowing down to a drizzle as Jinhai watched
the youkai emperor make a call on his cell phone.
"Yes, that big stone church…I know, you don't have to remind
me…What? Why is she—? Never mind. Just hurry up." The redhead slid the
phone shut and into his pocket, a slightly exasperated look on his face.
"We'll be sharing the car with someone."
The policeman shrugged, not really caring either way. He shifted the coat and
umbrella he was holding in one hand and tried not tap his foot impatiently. He
tried to ignore the way the fading afternoon sunlight slanted across Kougaiji's
features and kept his eyes peeled for a sign of a car.
When one finally pulled up to the front of the church, Jinhai had to blink a
couple of times before he remembered that he was with the youkai emperor.
Hard to do that when he seemed so…nondescript.
The car that pulled up in front of them was black, sleek, and hovered five
inches above the ground on the latest hovercraft technology. Soft blue light
came from the suspensors installed in lieu of wheels. It wasn't quite big
enough to be called a limousine but it seemed pretty roomy. Jinhai didn't doubt
that the tinted windows were also bulletproof.
The policeman expected that the driver was going to hop out of the car and open
the door for Kougaiji but instead, the redhead reached out and opened it for
himself, revealing a backseat that was all dark leather. A young woman with
bright orange hair was sitting inside the car, looking at her PDA. She looked
up when the door opened and smiled. "Yo, 'niisan."
"Lirin," the emperor replied, a smile on his face. He got in the car
and settled down beside the woman, who was apparently also a youkai, judging by
her ears. Jinhai followed suit and closed the door behind him, feeling an odd
sense of finality at the sound.
"Where to, sir?" the driver asked, not even turning around.
Kougaiji glanced at Jinhai and the raven-haired policeman cleared his throat
and spoke up, giving the driver the address. He couldn't help but notice how
Lirin looked at him curiously with her bright green eyes. Not feeling
comfortable at all, what with Lirin practically staring at him at Kougaiji's
closeness, the raven-haired policeman crossed his arms and slouched back in his
seat.
"'Niisan," Lirin said, "you've got a meeting later this
evening." She brandished her PDA in Kougaiji's face. "And you can't
make me or Lakshanya go in your place again. The lords want to meet with you
and they'll be offended if you send a proxy."
Kougaiji sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know. But those
meetings are completely boring."
Feeling decidedly left out, Jinhai watched the scenery flit past through the
windows. They were only a few minutes away from their destination and he
wondered what he would tell his superiors when he appeared with a youkai in
tow. He was supposed to be bringing back a sutra or information about a sutra.
Not a member of youkai royalty.
"Oh, I forgot," Kougaiji suddenly said, sitting up a bit straighter.
"Jinhai, this is my younger sister, Lirin. Lirin, police officer Chen
Jinhai."
"Hi," Lirin said cheerfully, reaching across her brother to offer her
hand to Jinhai. "Nice to meet you, Chen-xian sheng."
Jinhai mumbled a reply and let Lirin's hand go after barely holding it.
Something about the female youkai seemed to trigger something at the back of
his mind. Ignoring the nagging feeling, Jinhai glanced out the window and
looked at the buildings they passed. It felt as if they weren't moving at all
and that it was the world that was moving around them.
He ended up staring at the back of the passenger seat while Kougaiji and Lirin
talked.
"We're here," the driver said a few minutes later. The car came to a
stop that Jinhai didn't even feel and he quickly opened the door and stepped
out. Kougaiji followed and paused on the sidewalk, glancing at Lirin.
"I'll just wait in the car, 'niisan," the younger youkai said, eyes
riveted on whatever she was doing on her PDA.
"You'd better stay here too," Jinhai told Kougaiji. "I'll be
back soon enough." The youkai emperor began to protest but the policeman
cut him off. "I don't think the monks inside this temple would appreciate
a youkai entering it." The redhead shut his mouth and simply sent the raven-haired
man a look before climbing back into the car and closing the door.
Jinhai walked up to the front of the nondescript building in front of him and
pressed the 'doorbell'. It processed his fingerprint and there was an audible
click as front door was automatically unlocked. Jinhai opened it and entered
the building, pausing just inside to let his eyes adjust to the bright
fluorescent lights. The hall was made even brighter by the light reflecting off
of the steel walls.
The raven-haired policeman made his way down one hall and turned right at an
intersection of hallways before stopping in front of the head monk's office. He
knocked on the door and waited for a response, crossing his arms in front of
his chest. After a few minutes with no answer, he knocked again, tapping his
foot impatiently.
"I see you're back."
A young man walked up to Jinhai, a smile on his face. He was wearing the
traditional robes of a monk and he held a sheaf of papers under one arm.
"I wasn't expecting you back until later this evening. Is everything
alright?" He opened the door to his office and stepped inside. Jinhai
followed and closed the door behind him.
"Everything's fine, sir," Jinhai replied evenly. "I just wanted
to report that the sutra that was supposedly at the church wasn't there.
Kanzeon Bosatsu's tip wasn't reliable at all—"
"Even gods can be mistaken sometimes," the head monk replied
serenely. He smiled as he sat down behind his desk and Jinhai scowled. No
matter how many times he told his superior that they should stop listening to
Kanzeon's "helpful tips", the younger man refused to listen.
"Besides, the sutra that had been there was already reclaimed by another
one of our people."
"What?" Jinhai looked at the monk, his eyes wide in disbelief.
The younger man shrugged apologetically. "We received it this morning,
right after you went off to look for it. And the rain messed up the commlink
frequencies so we couldn't contact you using that." The monk shuffled the
papers on his desk and added, "Sorry, Jinhai."
"It's okay, sir," the policeman said. "If there's no other lead
I need to follow up on…?"
"Actually, there is," the monk beamed. "Computers picked up
traces of spiritual energy somewhere to the northeast; I'm not sure where yet
but they should have the exact location on the info sheet. They believe that it
may be another one of the sutras."
Jinhai nodded. "I'll go check it out."
"We'll send in your copy to take over your work for you. This one may take
some time."
"Thank you, sir." With one last bow, the head monk handed him a
folder with needed details about the sutra and gave Jinhai a pat on the
shoulder. The policeman stepped outside the office and made his way back to the
front of the building.
Kougaiji's car sat idling on the street. The door to the backseat opened before
Jinhai could reach it and he got in without saying anything.
"Well?" Kougaiji asked. Lirin glanced up at him from her PDA,
curiosity evident on her face.
"I'm going to the