#general kenren

[cosmicgardencreative]

DTIYS of an illustration by Kazuya Minekura. Needed a subject that I wanted to experiment with workflow and brushes. Plus, meditating over old fandom is so therapeutic.

TL;DR: Life is short. Just go ahead and write your story and draw your art. If you want to do something with your art, know that it won't be easy but it's possible as long as you keep learning, make good connections, and don't stop.

(Reflection of current art journey under read more)

This is of one of my favorite illustrations by Kazuya Minekura. If there's one big, major influence in my art journey, it's the creator of Gensomaden Saiyuki. I was maybe in 5th grade when I discovered the manga, which coincided with me seeing the anime on cable. A retelling of a Chinese folktale with a Japanese perspective: this was so appealing to me from harmonizing different cultures into one story, to beautiful men getting mixed with supernatural horror. This may as well have been my queer awakening then.

There was so much to be introspective about while drawing this… like how 6th grade me couldn't comprehend why people treated gay/queer as different from straight, my love for Asian folklore and mythology, and this burning desire to draw anything and everything. It only seemed appropriate that I'd gravitate towards Minekura as an art idol. And despite people's criticism for it, this is a foundation that I have no regrets in.

I remembered how much I wanted to emulate Minekura when I was younger. It's such a striking style! Unfortunately, my art journey has seen a lot of stop-and-go to the point I couldn't comprehend the progress made. There have been times where I just resented my art because I felt directionless with my creativity. Thanks to Ismaire and some art friends, though, I'm actually happy lately to see how much my "art style" evolved to where it is today.

[***]

While I was finishing up the rendering, I couldn't help wondering how Ms. Minekura had been doing since I last read Saiyuki Reload Vol. 4. Was she even still around? What about her other works, like Wild Adapter? I knew that she had a blog, but whenever I took a look at it in the past, the updates were sporadic then that it may as well have been a dead blog.

Then, after one more bout of curiosity, I came across her twitter/X profile.

It was both relieving and energizing to see so many works that I didn't know she had drawn then! I was so happy to see she seems to be thriving with her works, but I was surprised to see that she was still contending with many health problems. I had to pause in my scrolling through her profile at one point. How she could sound so positive and cheerful while she's dealing with Cushing's syndrome now? Last I heard anything major, she was about to undergo surgery for a tumor on her jaw -- and I only found out about that update through an online fan news years back o-o;;

I can't assume too much about Minekura's personal life, but with what she was willing to share with her fans online, I have a more nuanced respect for her as an adult creator.

It's so reassuring to see a creator like Minekura continue growing her creativity. I only hope to aspire to her level of good attitude despite IRL hurdles, while having the means to share such a prolific world for everyone else to enjoy.

[bijectiveandinvertible]

Goujun/Elf

The Dragon King of the West glowered at the General and the Marshall of the Western Army. 

“Explain—” he demanded, “How exactly did you both manage to destroy an entire hectare of the Jade Empresses’s Garden when you were supposed to be escorting the Goddess Freyja around the palace.”

“Well—“ Marshall Tenpou started explain. But he was interrupted by General Kenren, “See we may have angered the God Óðr by comparing the Goddess with Konzen.”

“Konzen? Konzen Douji?” Goujun’s eyes bugged out.

“We were just making conversation.” Kenren defended himself.

“We merely told the Goddess that she and Konzen had the same hair colour,” Tenpou explained.

“And when the Goddess asked about Konzen—“

“One of the guards may have made regrettable comments about Konzen—“

“— and Óðr may have overheard.”

“And when the God of Frenzy hears something that might sound like an insult towards his wife—“

Goujun glared harder, his spiked ears flicking in anger.

Kenren brightened before commenting, “You know… Goujun, you have the same ears as the Goddess Freyja. Are you also a Vanir?”

——————

A few hours later

“Explain—” Konzen demanded, aghast at the amount of paperwork in front of him, “How exactly did you both manage to destroy an entire building by angering the Dragon King of the West into reverting to his true form!”

----------

Written for @monthlyminekura Christmas Edition. Day 11: Elf

A/N: The Vanir's are basically elves in Norse Mythology from what I understand. Or rather Tolkein took the concept from here.... Look not a lot is known about norse Mythos in general as little records exist. But google tells me that Óðr is the God of Madness/Violent Anger (?) maybe.

[honmyoseagull]

(My shoulder is still killing me when I type, so, late and probably only offer for the Monthly Minekura Christmas challenge. Too bad, Seemed like such a nice challenge @monthlyminekura was offering. I loved when it crossed my dash.)

Obviously late for Day 1: Bells

Fanfic - Saiyuki Gaiden.

Jingle in Paradise

Sekai, down below, is a messy place, a chaotic place. This is why dreams exist, some divinities surmise, to allow the pathetic creatures living there to try and make sense of their absurd world and meaningless lives in their sleep…

Whereas Tenkai? Beautiful. Quiet. Orderly and perfect. Souls are blessed and untroubled, there.

Therefore, kamis don’t dream.

(Usually.)

For a while, Kenren-taishou hadn’t even had the words for this fake reality invading his sleep and leaving behind a strange taste to his waking hours…

Always the same images.

The overpowering sound of the falling rain, its cold hitting his bare shoulders as he walks. Darkness, the road, the man on the ground. Lying there, face down. Bleeding. He knows who it is. At once. Kenren just… knows. And when the wounded man reveals his face, and smiles… It’s even worse to be proven right.

Waking up, heart pounding, breathing hard. Reaching for the pack of cigarettes to chase the smell of wet earth and metallic blood still very present in his nostrils… It’s his morning routine, now…

Yume. He’s found the word in one of Tenpou’s beloved books. Dream.

But having a name to put on the phenomena doesn’t really help. So he distracts himself some other ways, accepts to run ridiculous errands for Tenpou on Earth below to fill his days between military missions and duties. So he forgets to sleep. (After all, kamis don’t really need to.)

That day, when he comes back home, with a small stock of Tenpou’s favourite cigarette’s brand, he’s in a reasonably high mood. Doesn’t even knock before making his way into Tenpou’s library. Still stops dead, though.

Obviously a tree standing in Tenpou’s office is not the weirdest thing Kenren-taishou has seen in his superior officer’s place. Plus he’s the one who got ropped into dragging it in here a few days ago, so, there’s that. (Yes, Tenpou had tried to explain. No, Kenren is still not sure he gets this Sekai “Chrissmass” thing and the point of it. Though he kinda liked the way the word had curled the marshal’s lips, so unfamiliar on his tongue, and the twinkle of delight it created in the man’s green eyes.) What’s more incongruous is the treatment Goku is inflicting on it. He must have zoned out when Tenpou explained, because he can’t fathom why the gaki is basically dressing the poor piece of vegetation in tinsel and adorning it with shiny stuff…

While the kid, back to him and still unaware of his presence, chatters his heart out to his Ten-chaaaaan!, asking of him his thoughts on his efforts, Tenpou stands right there, a faint contented smile floating on his lips and curling around an unlit cigarette.

Kenren sighs indulgently (he sometimes suspects Tenpou would forget his head weren’t it attached to his body), drops his package on a low table and draws closer to his superior officer in order to offer him his lighter.

Tenpou, after bending his neck a little to meet the flame, smiles his thanks, expression for once uncomplicated and somewhat almost blinding for it.

Kenren reflexively smiles back.

“Tadaima,” the general says, a tad too soft.

“Okaeri,” Tenpou replies, oddly solemn, and oh-so warm…

And sometimes, they just don’t need more words. Both lapse into silence, watching Goku have his fun.

There’s a soft sound, then, that comes from a corner of the room. The one of a page turned.

Oh, the blond grouch his there, too.

Curled on Tenpou’s office chair, his long legs tucked under him in a slightly bizarre way, at Tenpou’s desk, nose deep in one of Tenpou’s books. Kenren can’t help but think he’s out of place here. But where would Konzen-douji be if not far from his little charge, right?

Must have felt the weight of the general’s gaze, too, because the blond sourpuss raises his eyes after a few seconds.

His nose does this frowning thing, and Konzen glares a bit, too, as if he objected to the just lit cigarettes: he has a vague gesture of the hand as if to chase the delicate smoke that hasn’t even reached him yet, Kenren is sure.

Heaven forbid Konzen would look like he was enjoying himself being here, right, once he’d noticed he was watched…

But Kenren had seen.

For once there’d been this inabitual bubble of calm around Kanzeon-bosatsu’s nephew, very unlike this ever present buzz of irritation surrounding the man at any given time that often gets under Kenren’s skin.

The general could go at it, needle the man a bit. Changes his mind, though, and turns his attention back to Tenpou.

“Hey,” he simply calls, reaching for something tiny in his leather coat’s pocket and throwing it in the marshal’s direction.

He brings back little odd things from down below Tenpou hasn’t asked for, sometimes. Can’t help it, the marshal is so easily delighted…

The marshal snatches it from mid-air without much effort, in spite of his sloppy appearance. People forget, sometimes, that Tenpou is a soldier, a very good fighter at that, with the good reflexes it entails.

In his palm, a little sphere, something golden and delicately inlaid, with only a tiny slit on the metal and a tiny little ring to hang it, probably. Tenpou grabs it with two fingers to raise it closer to his eyes.

And they have drawn the kid’s attention too, now :

“A new christmas ornament? How did you know!” Goku exclaims, already reaching for the little thing.

But Kenren grabs him by the scruff of his scrawny neck. He loves the kid. To pieces. Still… and it feels ridiculous to say it out loud, but :

“It was for you,” he tells the marshal who was about to let the itan child have the gift. “It sings,” he awkwardly adds, then.

With his chibi saru-free hand, the general sends a finger nudge the thing in Tenpou’s grasp, and as he knew it would, the little ball hidden inside the golden shell moves, eliciting a delicate little sound.

“Yes, it would be wasted, just hanging still on a branch,” the marshal eventually acquiesces, brows already furrowed in reflexion, eyes invisible behind the harsh reflexion off his glasses. And without warning, he’s a flurry of activity. In three strides, he’s near a startled Konzen, reaching over him for a drawer, fishing into it, of all things, for a little ball of thin but solid wire and a little pincer.

It takes him hardly three seconds to figure out a way to fasten the sphere on the wire and create a little hook at the other end. Then, the marshal’s hands fly to the side of his head.

Not even a hint of hesitation, and he’s piercing skin and flesh pushing the metal through the little round part, till the gold orb hangs at his ear.

Kenren stays stunned for a full second. He hadn’t seen this one coming. But in the little things like the big, Tenpou is sometimes reckless to a point that could scare a lesser man than the general. (Who he is he kidding? Totally and indubitably scares him when he ventures to think about it.)

“What do you think? You said it was for me, right?” Tenpou says, smiling a bit like a proud loon around this cigarette he has managed to keep between his lips all along. He turns his head a little on his slender neck to show off, and a little ringing sound comes out the little sphere as if to gently underline the gesture.

It allows for Kenren’s hand to find the side of this face, on the pretence of angling it for a better sight.

A pearl of redness gathers at the puncture wound and collapses on itself, truly miniscule rivulet down the abused lobe.

It’s  nothing, but it’s like a jolt to Kenren…

And the familiar images come, unbidden, while he’s still wide awake this time.

The overpowering sound of the falling rain, its cold hitting his bare shoulders—

Gravity makes its office, and the scarlet drop hits the shoulder of Tenpou’s labcoat. (Shocking) little flower.

“Chi.” Goku says, his little face raised to them. Tone odd.

There’s something in the way the kid’s nostril flare. Something flinty, for a second, obscures his golden gaze, suddenly metallic instead of warm. He’s like a different being for a second, one who could could inspire terror.

But the flash on the gaki’s features is so brief it feels like Kenren has just imagined this, that he can blame his already frayed nerves…

And the general doesn’t know what takes over him. He gathers the marshal to him by way of grabbing his labcoat, and leans in, on an impulse, towards the man. Till his lips are on Tenpou’s earlobe. The iron-y salt of blood and the tiniest hint of a real metal’s taste mingle on his tongue. He feels his officer still. And tense. Tenpou’s hand is suddenly on his arm, its message unclear. Stop. Or… Don’t you dare stop. Kenren wouldn’t know. Maybe Tenpou doesn’t either.

Goku, oblivious anew, saves them from public awkwardness, dragging his Ten-chan back to their tree… Since they are not conversing anymore, it must be alright for him to get back his friend to keep him to himself.

Kenren decides not to acknowledge how suddenly bereft he feels.

Also, now it’s on his tongue that the taste of blood lingers.

The overpowering sound of the falling rain, its cold hitting his bare shoulders, the darkness the road and the dying man, bleeding and smi—

Stop, the general tells himself, feeling uneasy. Now the dark thoughts hunt him even awake… What the hell is happening to him?

He feels a gaze on him and, whip-sharp, his head turns on his neck, catching Konzen’s eyes.

It’s a frown subtly different from the usual scowl, on the blond’s face. More considering. Almost… worried. And directed at him.

How odd, Kenren thinks.

But already the divine bureaucrat is averting his eyes. He has surprised Konzen’s eyes on him, and the blond god is probably as embarrassed at having been caught looking as Kenren himself is by his own lapse of attention, by how he has let his own discomfort show…

But he’s a soldier. He knows tactics. He knows… diversion.

He pastes his patented shit-eating grin on his face, and with a jerk of his chin, indicates Tenpou.

“Ever told you how I met him, Goldie?” And Konzen frowns a little, not entirely duped but curious nonetheless. “Came into his office and found him buried under piles of his own books.”

The great Konzen-douji can’t help a particularly unelegant snort.

“That would have been such a stupid way to lose him,” Konzen manages to offer. His book is definitively forgotten on his crossed legs.

“Heh. There an intelligent way?” Kenren needles.

It’s a just glance, that’s thrown his way. A flash of violet. But with a might and a steel you wouldn’t be used to, thinking of the spoiled nephew of the great Kanzeon-bosatsu. Surpringly, it cows Kenren the tiniest little bit.

“Yeah, no way we’re losing Tenpou,” the general weakly agrees, hardly above a whisper. Because the alternative is unthinkable. “Not that this itan kid of yours is better anyway at staying out of trouble,” he still feels the need to retaliate.

Over there near the tree, the marshal is giving a boost to the heretic child in question so he can reach the higher branches. Tenpou’s move makes the little sphere at his ear tinkle again.

It derails them both a little:

“Like a bell on a cat,” Konzen unexpectedly comments, and there’s something speculative in his gaze as it then flies to his charge, like it gives him an idea, and in a way, Kenren gets why. How tempting it would be to be able to always know where the kid is, be sure to be able not to lose him.

Kenren has spoken about this with Tenpou more than once. They’re just like Konzen. The three of them feel it, that unclear menace gathering around this kid. Even in this perfect place Heaven is supposed to be.

When has Paradise stopped being Paradise?

But then Goku says something that unexpectedly wrenches a surprised laugh out of Tenpou, and as the marshal’s body shakes in delighted mirth and he throws his head back, the little bell once again jingles.

And for a second, Kenren is able to forget the disturbing thoughts. He just drinks the sight.

Tenkai is paradise once again. A place where souls are supposed to be blessed and untroubled.

The End

[geraniumplant]

𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 @healingbrews ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯　

𖤓 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ He was beneath the cherry blossom tree, thumbing the golden band crafted with amethyst. It had occurred to Konzen Douji that Kanzeon Bosatsu had chosen the stone that was often compared to his eyes. Konzen's aunt really liked to toy with him, even pushing him into an arranged marriage.

The only kind of marriage for him. Konzen assumed it was because women found him boring. Oh sure, they fawned over his looks, his smoldering gaze. But Konzen found their company stodgy, uninterested in entertaining their self-importance. Men also gave him looks, but Konzen was too preoccupied with work to bother glancing their way, let alone humor them. The only time he felt a pinch of excitement was in the form of a fresh new ink pad, or the exotic smokes General Kenren would sneak him. He could probably use a smoke now. His future bride might as well know what she's getting into. He might as well show her the man he is; having a taste for cherry tobacco & alcohol & a nose for citrus incense.

"Either she's late, or I'm early," Konzen mutters, pressing his back against the smooth trunk of the tree. He could hear his aunt berating him for slouching.

Do you think your bride wants to see you hunched over?!

You look so pitiful, dearest nephew.

Try smiling for once!

Nevermind. It doesn't suit you.

[krankittoeleven]

Fanfic Tag Game

Thank you thank you for the tag @brasideios! I think some things have changed since last time I did this and there's some new peeps around so here we go!

1. How many fics do you have on AO3? 18

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 226,152

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently JJK, Trigun, Assassin's Creed and Final Fantasy 12 (LMAO) are fandoms I have fics in progress for that will likely see the light of day. That's generally what I consider a fandom I "write for".

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

1. But Like a Refugee (Trigun 98, Vashwood, E) 2. Because the Night (Trigun Stampede, Kniveswood, E) 3. we were hungry before (JJK, Nanago, E) 4. Sweets for the Sweet (Trigun 98, Vashwood, T) 5. a prelude to infinity (JJK, Nanago, M, WIP)

Jeez, Trigun and JJK really just told all my other fandoms to move over lol

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yep 99% of the time. If I miss something it's not intentional.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't really think I have one posted at the moment. I usually resolve my angst or give a fic at least a hopeful ending. Some things coming down the pipeline might fit in future iterations of this post, though. lol

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Sweets for the Sweet, probably. It's pure, unadulterated Vashwood fluff.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not specifically on AO3, but I've gotten anon hate here (that seems fic related) and I just snort, delete and move on.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes, these days I tend to write fairly explicit but still vanilla sex. Haven't felt like writing anything particularly wild lately, but not against it.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I wrote a GO/Cosmic Horror fic ages ago that is lost to time and space (fried hard drive and purges). Other than that I have started a ton of crossovers but never finished any. I am however nearing the completion of a Trigun/JJK crossover (Midvalley the Hornfreak/Nanami Kento for the 2 people in the world this might interest LOL) It was supposed to be crack for cracks sake but it became crack treated seriously. LMAO

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No I don't think so.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Not yet, but maybe soon?! Got asked for permission in regards to we were hungry before, so we'll see if that happens! :D

13. Have you ever co-written a fic?

No but wouldn't be adverse to it. I've done writer/Artist collabs before, though.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I refuse to pick only one, deal with it. :D Kenren/Tenpou (Saiyuki Gaiden), Ineffable Husbands (GO), Vashwood (Trigun), Kakairu (Naruto), Shaytham (AC Rogue), Ubba/Vili (AC Valhalla), Nanago (JJK), Balthier/Basch (FF12), Ignoct (FF15). Throughout every fandom I will apparently fall face first into the ground for any variation of the stoic introvert/excitable extrovert pair.

15. What’s a fic you’d like to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I will not doom any of my WIPS to that fate. I remain optimistic that I'll finished them all.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Writing dialogue, banter & humor.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I know I have plenty of technical weaknesses with writing, but my true weaknesses are just not executing the idea I started with and terrible follow through/commitment to finishing.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

Whatever someone wants to do with their fic is fine by me. I do what I need to do to get certain points across.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Saiyuki

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

We were hungry before (JJK, Nanago, E) and Water of Life (AC Valhalla, Ubba/Vili, E, WIP) because I've put my blood sweat and tears into both of them (lots of tears, for real). Also, they both take me home (JJK, GetoNanaGo, M) because, for once, a fic turned out EXACTLY like I wanted it to.

I will tag @madnessmadness, @beelzebby666, @lifewtr, @akashadarkblade, @troublemakingrebel, @vault-heck. I think most of my other writing mutuals have been tagged. If I missed you feel free to join in, I've truly lost track of who does and doesn't write these days.

[shouga-nai]

@featherchan said:

/ ♢ / Mi Yue n Tenpou?

Send one for my muse’s reaction to your muse — || Accepting!

♢ = reading them a story .

It wasn't all too common for him to have company in his little library like this. Not that he minded. In fact, Mi Yue's presence always was refreshing and insightful. A breath of fresh air, so to speak. Their mutual interests in books and fascination towards the lower world likely contributed to that. Luckily the place wasn't too untidy, thanks to General Kenren's intervention.

So there she was, settled down with a book in hand, reading out the tale of adventures and valiant battles. It wasn't his usual genre, but it's a nice change of pace. Despite it being mere fiction, hearing about the characters' endeavors and challenges could very well get one completely immersed and pulled into the plot.

— Only the Field Marshal had laid back, eyes closed, appearing to have dozed off... or hadn't he?

Noting a pause in her narration, he spoke-

"Don't worry, I'm still listening." Lips curved to a smile in assurance while eyes remained closed. He truly was interested to know how the protagonist was going to handle that predicament.

[gentrychild]

Ask and you shall receive. Can be taken as a separate AU altogether.

1 - Sadly, Tenpou, Konzen and Kenren die. Not killing Li Touten turns out to be a mistake, those three eventually sacrifice themselves. Nataku is dragged back to heaven screaming. Goku is imprisoned and honestly, isn’t responsive much by the time they manage to drag him to that cell. Heaven is really happy that they have managed to take care of the traitors, they are celebrating Nataku’s return, and things in general aren’t great. 

2 - Goku spends three days at the very most in his prison because Nataku escapes heaven (Gojun and Homura helped. Homura doesn’t know he helped) and broke him out. Since Nataku didn’t have the fancy “the bars and the chains are just breaking on their own” effect, he brought a sword and a mass. Had to carry Goku out too.  (I won’t lie to you, Goku had about several weeks when he didn’t manage to get out of bed. But eventually, thanks to the knowledge that those three will be reborn, he manages to drag himself out of it.)

3 - I don’t know how much time has passed but I can tell you that Goku and Nataku will spend less time waiting for the rest of the Sanzou party to be born than they lived with those three disaster gods. In the meantime, they occupy their time by waging absolute war on the heaven. Li Touten doesn’t make it. The high ranked gods don’t make it. Actually, anyone who stayed up there and didn’t take a nice vacation plainly didn’t make it. They launched multiple raids and made an absolute carnage. Pure revenge time. Several gods are genuinely mourning Konzen, Kenren and Tenpou because they were apparently the only thing standing on the way of homicidal overpowered children. (For Plot Reasons, they left enough alive for them to be a nuisance in the future.)

4 - Now, Goku isn’t aware of the details of everyone’s tragic backstories because they are pretty private people and do not share much but he knows that everyone has a tragic backstory. The plan was always to collect all the other party members before they could get adequately traumatized. Unfortunately, Nataku and Goku got distracted by something else and Sanzou, Gojyo and Hakkai went through some stuff (Hakkai, not so much, though). In any case, none of then is a day over 20 when what they suspect to be two overpowered yokai with limiters that aren’t doing their jobs barge into their lives and refuse to live.

5 - Eventually, the heavens orders Sanzou and two men that are trusted with this mission (Gojyo and Hakkai do not understand why they are trusted, they do not want to go, why???) to find two monsters who terrorized Heaven: a fallen war god and the great sage equaling Heaven (at this point, all three men are pointing out that there must be someone more qualified to take care of those guys). In any case, they go on that journey, with Nataku and Goku on the backseat of the jeep and I want you to imagine their faces as they slowly realize who those two dumb and crazily OP teenagers are.

+ 1 - Since Gojoun is alive, Jeep is not a white dragon but a familiar bear with golden eyes. For some reason, he is always trying to take a bite out of Gojyo.

+ 2 - There is at least one instance when Sanzou, Hakkai and Gojyo must team up to save Gojoun who was taken hostage by Nataku and Goku. Not only do Goku and Nataku not want the guy as a hostage but the team-up fails so hard that Gojoun has to be the one to save them.

5 headcanons for a Saiyuki AU where Goku gets send back in time to his younger body. It's up to you if this happens before or after the 500 years of imprisonment, but it's definitely before the main events of Saiyuki canon. Thank you!

Ugh, choices, choices. If I pick Goku in the heaven era, odds are that he isn't remembering a thing? If I pick Goku a little before the main events, he knows stuff but he will have to go through several years of solitary confinement, at the very least, and it's the one thing I don't want to do to him.

You know what? Seiten Taisei ex machina!

1 - So, for some reasons, when Goku is sent back in time to his younger body, his diadem was off. (I am going to guess that he was too powerful to be neutralized in any of the usual ways so the collision of several sutras that were used to banish him sent him back in time.) When he wakes up, he is in heaven, he has just recovered all of his memories, and he is freaking out. Also, he is weaker and smaller, which isn't cool.

2 - This is not a "Goku remembers the future the first time he sees Konzen and starts crying" or something story. This is a story where Konzen woke up in the middle of the night then screamed because Goku was standing over the edge of the bed, looking at him with golden eyes that slightly glow in the dark. Once Konzen recovers from a very literal heart attack (he's a god, he will be fine), Goku, who is more serious that Konzen has ever seen him, informs him Tenpou, Kenren and the both of them need to leave Heaven about yesterday. The mortal world is lovely this time of the year. Also, they are kidnapping... bringing Nataku along with them.

3 - Once Goku recovers from the paper fan-induced-concussion of all paper-fan-induced concussions, Konzen is actually worried about him? That is completely unlike Goku, after all. He talks about it with Kenren and Tenpou and they kinda assume that the stress of living among a bunch of asshole gods is starting to get to Goku. Tenpou argues that a vacation might be good for Goku but Konzen says he can't just drop everything.

4 - I know the exact way Konzen snaps. This is a very quiet snap, btw. He is complaining to Tenpou about Goku who keeps telling him they need to relocate NOW and while they are walking, a god who isn't talking softly enough is "Yes, the new heretic one would make a good war god to counterbalance Li Touten's power." Konzen doesn't say anything. He just turns heels, grabs Goku, and they are out, with Tenpou and Kenren trailing after them (Nataku is hidden under Kenren's coat, he has been waiting YEARS for an occasion to kidnap himself a new little brother, it's ON).

5 - So obviously, half of heaven gets really mad about it and send people after them. Said people get utterly obliterated since pretty much no one except for Tenpou and Kenren has fought any battles since Nataku's birth. Also, Nataku and Goku are very OP. About a century of shenanigans ensue where Homura is catapulted as the new prince of war and tasked with the very undignified task of chasing after them. He tries to find some common ground with Goku about both of them being heretics and talks a lot but Goku absolutely doesn't care. Also, Goujun always ends up as the traitors' hostage. They do not take him hostage. The universe decides that he will be the hostage of Goku and co. He is really tired.

+ 1 - I don't know who it will be but someone will adopt Bear Nataku.

[momos-writing-blog]

[Walkie Talkie]

[Author’s Note: I was supposed to be writing out the family relationships in this so anyone who reads this gets a clear picture but...that stopped being fun. Anyway I’ll finish that later and add it to this tag! So it’s fine! You’ll totally get a clear picture later..!! I will say that in my AU, Kenren is the sha family patriach and a police officer. Also Nataku is his youngest son (yes he was adopted.)]

                                                     ◙ * ◙

 The officer was worried. Gojyo had been moody lately; when he thought no one was looking there’d be a frown on his lips. It even looked as if he had to remind himself to laugh and crack jokes, something that had usually come naturally to him. Even more concerning, he teased people less,which---given how their family operated---was enough to have Kenren, Jien and Nataku consider taking Gojyo to the hospital. But despite how they tried to hint that they would be willing to listen, (or even outright ask in the case of Nataku) Gojyo wouldn’t tell them what was wrong.    

  Gojyo was more successful with keeping it hidden now that he was older, but he was often a bundle of anxiety on the inside. Kenren being the attentive father that he is, he is still able to spy when worries are brewing deep in the heart of his second son. Still he didn’t ever speak on it these days, not unless Gojyo approached him first about something. As much as Kenren would love to rush to his child’s aid immediately, he knew his son’s personality enough to know he’d play it off as nothing, even tease the old man about being a worrywart.

 Honestly, this little game the two had to play in order for Gojyo to admit anything was wrong could be tiring, but Kenren knew he couldn’t complain. He was certain this was a trait Gojyo had gotten from himself. In fact, both Jien and Nataku---Kenren’s two other sons---exhibited the same traits. Kenren sighed, brushing a hand against his forehead, he sure hoped that, if his own kids had any of their own in the future, that they would raise them to speak on their feelings more clearly. Or at all.

  Kenren found his eyes slowly shifting to the walkie talkie on his desk. It was clearly old but Kenren always made sure it was working properly. He remembered when he had gotten a pair for him and Gojyo when Gojyo was really young. About 7 or so? He remembered the teasing he got from the people in the precinct, it was embarrassing but he didn’t mind. In spite of how Kenren behaved, to him being a good father was something he prided himself on. Something he was always striving to be, if that led to some good natured teasing then so be it. Kenren’s eye softened.

 Gojyo’s anxiety was something Kenren had noticed when he was a child, but even then the little guy was slow to give up any information regarding his worries. At his current age, Kenren assumed part of why he kept his mouth shut was due to wanting to keep a ‘cool image’, and also him deciding it was something he could handle on his own, but back then Kenren was sure the reason was because Gojyo looked up to Jien and wanted to emulate him.

 Unlike Gojyo, Jien seemed like a rock who could withstand any obstacle, a guy with a strong heart and fire to match (this, of course, was how Gojyo saw his brother.) Gojyo had always looked at his brother with starry eyes, eyes that continue to follow his dear big brother to this day. It was due to thinking this way that Gojyo tried to keep his sadness and worries in check, he’d rather run off then allow anyone to see the tears beginning to well up in his young eyes. Knowing this, and knowing it was best to tread lightly, both Jien and Kenren had taken a different approach to lightening the younger boy’s mood. For Jien it’d involve making him laugh until he forgot, but Kenren decided to buy the boy a walkie talkie. He made sure it looked similar to his own (as similar as a toy could get anyway,) because he knew that’d be something Gojyo would’ve looked for.

“Why do you have your walkie talkie, dad...?” Gojyo had asked. Gojyo blinked his tears back hoping that his dad would take this as him emphasizing his confusion.

“It’s not mine,” Kenren started, a grin on his face. “It’s yours.”

Gojyo’s brows furrowed, “why...?”

“So we can chat any time! Why else?” Another laugh left his lips when he saw the instant joy that flickered across his son’s eyes.

However this was soon replaced with a pout once more, “...why,” he emphasized strongly. There was a pause as he fought the urge to puff his cheeks up, “I don’t think Jien has one, right...?” Gojyo’s round hands pulled at the bottom of his shorts. Inside Gojyo was happy, but there was also sadness mixed with that happiness. Did his dad think he needed him more? If that was the case...how was he supposed to catch up to his big brother? It made him feel like he took three steps back. Gojyo’s shoulders hunched.

“Heeey, now, kiddo.” Kenren reached over and ruffled the boy’s hair, “what’cha getting so sad for? Didn’t you say you wanted to be a cop before?”

Gojyo blinked, when had he said that? He then remembered when he mentioned he was playing the cop in a game of Cop and Robbers. “That was a game!”

“Yeah but you said ‘I’m like you, dad!’ And this old man’s heart was so moved I had to get us matching walkie talkies,” he feigned a sob before pulling out a second one. Once again joy flickered in Gojyo’s eyes, but he didn’t get a chance to reply before Kenren continued. “Or what, you don’t want to be able to be able to share reports with me?”

Gojyo’s ears perked up. Report...? This reminded him of school work, and the thought made him want to twist his face. His dad looked hopeful, so maybe that wasn’t the case. “Do adults do reports too?” He asked, hesitant, he really hoped not.

“Yeah--”

Gojyo’s heart dropped. He had to look forward to that?

“But don’t worry, reports are cooler when police are doing it.”

Gojyo raised his brows, “howcome?”

Kenren straightened up, he brimmed with confidence. “Because! Reports are how police know when something bad happened! That’s how they know to fix the problem.”

Gojyo could practically hear the exclamation points in his head, Oh! That made sense to him.

Seeing his son was now interested, Kenren gently shook the walkie talkie in front of his face. “Sooo...want to share reports with dad? You tell me when something is wrong, I’ll tell you when something is wrong, and together we can fix any trouble that shows up!”

An odd feeling filled Gojyo’s tiny chest, he felt happy but it hurt too. He wanted to put a hand to his chest but he kept his hands where it was, “really...?” He softly asked. There was a pause. Kenren had to keep himself from scooping his son up, and was secretly relieved when Gojyo spoke up once more. “Okay.”

There was a tiny smile on his face and Kenren found himself mirroring it.

“You good?”

“I’m good!”

“You’re ready?”

Gojyo laughed, “I’m ready”

“Good,” Kenren then handed Gojyo the walkie talkie. “Remember to report anything bad!”

“Anything bad...?” Gojyo was a bit unsure what he meant, that was a vague statement after all. He then wondered if he should start wandering outside to see if anything suspicious was happening but it was evening and there was no way dad would let him out now.

“Anything! Did you know that...we police can even take care of problems when it’s inside? Like, when someone is reaaaally sad. We try our best to help those problems too.”

Gojyo tilted his head to look his dad in the eyes, “really...?” He paused. “I thought that was the teacher’s job.”

“It’s everyone’s! We all have a job to try and help each other when we’re sad,so, that means you need to report that too,okay?”

Gojyo nodded, “okay.” His brows furrowed firmly, “you too, okay?”

Kenren looked taken aback, he hadn’t expected this to be turned around on him. Kenren could feel his emotions getting the better of him and so he nodded, “okay.”

Gojyo grinned, “good!”

Kenren chuckled, “all right, go to bed.” Tucking Gojyo into bed, Kenren gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, grinning when he noticed how tightly Gojyo held the walkie talkie in his tiny hands. “Keep that safe.”

Gojyo nodded.

Kenren’s eyes were closed, wistful smile on his face as he remembered that day. That was one of the many treasured memories he had of his children, just thinking abut how much they’ve grown made him want to cry. “Ah shit...!” He laughed, “I’m really getting old.” He groaned.

The crackling of a walkie talkie alerted him, he immediately turned to find his police talkie when he heard Gojyo’s voice.

“...Dad?”

Kenren was startled, it had been a long time since he heard Gojyo through the walkie talkie, there was a part of him who wondered if it was his head playing tricks on him due to his nostalgia.

“Dad...are you there...?”

Kenren snatched the walkie talkie up, to think Gojyo really reached out to him on it again. “Y-yeah?” Kenren laughed, masking his surprise. “What’s up?”

There was a pause before Gojyo continued, “yeah...I got a report.”

Kenren was worried, but that worry was washed away by relief. “Tell me all about it.”

                                                      ◙ * ◙

[Author’s Note]: Dun dun duuun, the first thing I’ve written in a long time~! This was something I was playing in my head for a while. Gojyo still uses the walkie talkie everyone once and a while, it’s just been a loooooong time since then, and it’s never as frequently as it was when he was younger.

Also I like to think that when Jien has a problem, he’ll talk to Kenren but he’d tag “man to man” at the end. Like “dad, can we have a talk? Man to man.”

As for Nataku...Nataku just be like, “dad, can I ask you something?” HE’S THE CLOSET TO BEING ABLE TO SAY IT WITHOUT GIVING A RUN AROUND. Though I imagine it’s slowly getting harder for him as he gets older so Ken is already thinking about how he’ll get his youngest to spill his heart out to him.

[incorrect-saiyuki-quotes]

Kenren, to Goku: Call your dad this instant and tell him that you are spending the night at a friend's house, okay? Lying: it's the responsible thing to do.

[cefrlyne]

With different hair color they do look quite different, but the straightforward attitude remains the same for both Gojyo and General Kenren.

[sonnets-and-snowdrops]

Saiyuki Inktober 2017, Day 4 - “Mascot”

Fandom: Saiyuki Pairing: None Rating: T Word Count: Approx. 750 Author’s Note: I’m just... not gonna do Inktober on a schedule this year, I think. I’m okay with that, actually, if you guys are. Real Life (™) is pretty busy for me at the moment. Also, I’m pretty sure Inktober is more about being creative and having fun than sticking super, super tightly to a schedule. On that note, I had loads of fun with this one. I didn’t even include everything I initially planned to - if I had, the piece would have gotten too expansive, and the main point would have gotten lost, probably - so it’s pretty likely that I’ll revisit it at some point in the future so that I can explore the components that I decided to leave out this time around. Contains spoilers for Gaiden. As in, the whole thing is basically one big, massive spoiler for, like, at least 50% of Gaiden. Probably more. Basically, if you want to avoid Gaiden spoilers, don’t read this fic. P.S. Jeep kinda counts as the Sanzo Ikkou’s mascot, right...? :)

“All that possesses form eventually breaks.”

That was what the Field Marshal had said.

His cracked lips twitch, in what could almost have been a smile.

The wise Field Marshal’s words were, as ever, proving to be true.

With each passing day, his body has grown more cumbersome. His legs will not move. His heavy tongue will not obey his mind when he is seized by the desire to speak. His flesh burns, seething and slow, and sharp fire pricks in his lungs each time he draws breath - traits which would, he acknowledges grimly, usually become the one who bears the title of Dragon King. He can only lie, lolling and listless and useless, and await the end of his life.

Useless, he reflects. He supposes it is fitting, that he should waste away like this. I am as useless in my death as I was in my life. Pain lances anew up his spine, and he cringes. I could not help you, Field Marshal. Nor you, General, he adds, begrudgingly - and, to his vague surprise, he feels his heart jerk with pride as he remembers the General’s last, lopsided smile, flashing like some strange, bloody beacon through the bowels of the palace.

It won’t be long now, he knows, before I join you, General. And you, Field Marshal. His eyelids feel thick, hanging weightier above his narrow eyes than sodden rainclouds above the earth on a dismal spring day. He lets them drop closed, too weak, and not willful enough, to resist. I am not long for this world...

Strangely, at that, his heart jerks once more.

This world…

The thought gives him pause.

If any man has a right to reincarnation, surely, surely, that man is not him. He did little enough with the vast amount of time he was given; he would be a fool to pretend otherwise. He did his duty, and nothing more. He did his duty so well that he had been willing to overlook the wiles of a madman and the maltreatment of a child, and had allowed the two most brilliant officers under his command to rush, headlong and unhindered, to their deaths.

Still… if I could go back…

Fresh pain, unprecedented and fierce, rips through his chest. Liquid heat floods his throat and the taste of bitter copper fills his mouth. He coughs, and he splutters, and he twists like a sharp blade stuck in the gut of an unlucky adversary, making a mess of his bedsheets by tangling them up with his ankles and staining them bright red with his blood.

No, he realizes, as his vision begins to go dark, I do not wish to go back. Not to that life. Dimly, he hears the thick sliding of wood on wood - his attendants, no doubt, throwing open his chamber door and rushing like the obedient little drones they are to his bedside. No, he concludes. He can’t explain it, but he is suddenly more certain of this than he has ever been of anything. I do not wish to go back.

I wish to go forward.

He would not dream of asking Field Marshal Tenpou or General Kenren to forgive him. He is perfectly aware that he is unworthy of such generosity as that. The wrongs of this world have been done, and they cannot be undone, and that is a fact even stronger and imbued with even more integrity than walls of sturdy stone.

If he is to make amends, he must do so not in this life, but in his next.

He has seen firsthand what little good the gods of this universe can wreak, but old habits are hard to break; despite himself, he offers one final, hopeful prayer.

Please, he prays, grant me the opportunity to start again. I have made my mistakes, and I know this well. I only ask for this chance so that I may right them. This time, he resolves, I will help you. I will help you, Marshal Tenpou... and yes, you too, General Kenren. I will traverse miles and miles for you, if that is what it takes... I will carry you upon my back, if that is what I must do...

With that, he feels oddly satisfied. He feels cool cloths upon his brow, and he hears soft voices in his ear, but he ignores them; he has no need for such mundane things, now that he has found this peace.

It is a curious thing, but it is sometimes said in Heaven that Goujun, Dragon King of the Western Sea, died smiling.

[msdbzbabe]

Saiyuki Reload Blast Opening!!

[icanbeyourbutterfly]

[ichigokage]

Just look at how much our sweet monkey has grown! I love him!

[geraniumplant]

@shouga-nai 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐱 & 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 ~

‧˚❀‧˚. ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ The fox pounced through the snow, freshly fallen & thinning beneath the early spring sun. He's a flash of golden-red, a bundle of energy & determination. No other creature was faster than Vash. That is why he knows he is the only one capable of the task.

Shimada Castle was an empire of its own. It stood tall & proud in the Hanamura mountains. Vash easily scaled its stone walls, slipping past its army of archers. He liked to think he knew the place well enough after studying it for many moons, for it was many moons ago that the Shimada family came into the possession of three powerful weapons -- weapons that were crafted in the heavens. There was the sword of Tenpou Gensui, the gun of Konzen Douji, & the bladed staff of General Kenren.

He would go for the sword first.

Climbing through an open window the fox slipped into the armory & dashed behind a tapestry. What came out on the other side wasn't the golden-furred fox, but a human foot. Toes pointed daintily to the floor, followed by the heel. The rest of the body emgured, revealing a man clocked in red.

This was it.

Vash strode across the room, his bare feet as quiet as when he was in fox form. Before him was the sword of Tenpou Gensui displayed on the wall. Careful hands reach to delicately remove the weapon from it's stand.

Was it supposed to be this easy?

[shouga-nai]

VERSE ADDED!

Field Marshal of Heaven’s Western Army || Tenpou Gensui

A past incarnation of Cho Hakkai, Marshal Tenpou is known to be Tenkai’s finest military tactician, despite his odd habits and unkempt appearance. He works alongside General Kenren, and officially declared himself an enemy of Heaven by protecting Konzen and his Heretic charge, Son Goku.