Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Marionette ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

CHAPTER ONE:

"Do you watch 'Saiyuki', Hakkai-sensei?"

Dr. Cho Hakkai cocked an eyebrow up as he stole a quick glance at the man at his side. This question caught him totally off-guard.

"No, Gyumao-sama," he politely replied to the billionaire, already pondering if answering in the negative had doomed his grant. "I'm afraid I don't watch television, sir."

"I'm not surprised," Gyumao said nonchalantly. "You're the type of man who's obsessed with your work. Well, my obsession is this wonderful television show about four young men who are traveling to the west to stop the resurrection of an evil Demon King. The actor who portrays one of the characters is quite…superb."

Hakkai didn't miss the innuendo in Gyumao's words. Unlike him, the billionaire had no qualms about the world's knowing where his sexual preferences lay.

Gyumao clucked his tongue in disappointment. "Handsome fellow. It's a pity he's not…" His words drifted off.

So, Hakkai thought smugly. Finally, you meet someone who couldn't be bought by your riches. This actor…he's either a very smart man or a fool. Maybe I should check out this TV show. I'd like to see what he looks like.

Reaching the lab deep within the catacombs underneath his manor, Hakkai opened the doors for his benefactor, who has a dreamy smile on his face. The good doctor didn't have to guess who he was thinking of.

However, when Gyumao beheld the elaborate set-up of the cloning apparatus, the billionaire snapped to alertness.

"Is this where…?" he asked in awe, unable to continue.

"Yes, sir," Hakkai nodded his head. Pressing his hand to the huge cylindrical glass chamber, he continued, "This is the cloning chamber."

"How does it work?"

"The computer first creates a robotic template of the donor specimen in which the tissue sample would grow. The template would serve as the skeleton. Wire filaments will function as nerves that will be controlled by a master circuit in the brain. We then put the tissue sample inside the chamber and the computer totally immerses it in nurturing fluid. The computer then monitors the cyborg's development and you could see it on the monitor."

"Amazing!" Gyumao declared eagerly. "This…process? What specimens have you been successful in creating?"

"Well, I started out with the usual, a laboratory mouse. There were more misses than hits during those first trials and I had to destroy the mutations. They were more machine than organic, you see. When I finally got it right, I tried the procedure on cat and dog specimens with the same success. I'll be trying the monkey next." Hakkai deliberately did not tell Gyumao that he had already experimented on a monkey specimen, but like the mouse specimens, it mutated. Unfortunately, the monkey escaped before he had a chance to kill and study it.

The billionaire quickly shook his head, running his fingers on the computer's console. "No, no, no! Let's skip the monkey." There was a gleam in Gyumao's eye. "We can go ahead to the final phase."

Hakkai stared at him in shock. "Create a human?" Shaking his head, he declared, "I'm sorry, Gyumao-sama, but things are not done that way. We have to do more tests."

"Would you rather that you lose your grant? I've had a lot invested in you, Hakkai-sensei. I know how eccentric and selfish you are with regards to your work. That is why I agreed to your recommendation that all operations be moved to your home here in these mountains. There will be no prying eyes here. No stiff-necked scientists and hypocritical moralists watching your every move."

Despite his apprehensions, Hakkai had to admit he was interested to proceed ahead of schedule. "Well, I'm going to need blood samples and MRI scans for the template. Maybe I could start with my own body and then…"

"No need." Gyumao opened his briefcase to reveal three test tubes filled with blood. "I've had these specimens mixed with the correct proportions of the primordial serum samples you've given me." Pointing to the black box inside, he added, "These disks contain the MRI scans for your template."

The scientist looked questioningly at his benefactor.

Gyumao laughed. "No, they're not mine."

"Then who's the donor?"

But the billionaire didn't answer his query. "Hakkai-sensei," he began in all seriousness, "this…cyborg…you are going to create. He is mine. I don't want you to botch things up. Cryptically, he added, "Opportunities like these come only once in a lifetime."

"Gyumao-sama, there are no guarantees that I would succeed," Hakkai argued with him. "A human is a complex being."

"YOU WILL NOT FAIL!" Gyumao then pulled out a CD. "Program him with this. This contains all he will need to know so he could function effectively."

Hakkai took the blood samples and the disk, eyeing them dubiously.

"Can I count on you, Hakkai-sensei?" It was not a question.

Swallowing hard, Hakkai had no choice but to answer, "Yes, sir!"

~~~~~

Two months had passed since that meeting with Gyumao. While he monitored the development of the cyborg through the main computer, this was the first time Hakkai had the opportunity to peruse the contents of his benefactor's program disk.

"Filthy son of a bitch!" he muttered under his breath, shutting the CD-ROM drive off in disgust.

Originally, Hakkai thought Gyumao wanted the cyborg to be his personal bodyguard. As it turned out, he was totally way, way off from his assumption. What the billionaire desired was his very own sex toy, someone close to being human but does not have the foibles that were a part of humanity. The CD contained a sordid amount of information on sexual acts that would make even the most hardened prostitute squirm.

Gazing up sadly at the glass chamber, Hakkai couldn't see the cyborg that was developing within the thick ooze of the primordial serum.

No, not a cyborg, he mused. A marionette. A simple toy whose strings will be pulled by a dirty old man. Hakkai breathed in deeply. When he developed this cloning procedure, this was not what he intended for his work. He saw the advantages it would have in the medical field. Maybe, if he had progressed a lot faster, he would have been able to save his son. Now, however, his scientific breakthrough was being held hostage by the whims of a pervert.

The scientist felt the tears well up in his eyes at the memory of his little boy. It's been three years, but why is it so difficult to get over it? Wiping away his tears, he looked at the chamber once more. "I'm so sorry about this," he told the being inside. "But I'm afraid that I have no other choice. This is what your master wanted you to be."

With much reluctance, Hakkai downloaded the contents of the disk into the computer. For this specific cyborg, he had created a special back-up circuit within its chest cavity.

So engrossed was he in his work that Hakkai had no idea that a lightning storm was brewing outside his home. All he could think about was making certain that the marionette was programmed to Gyumao's specifications. Even when thunder began to rumble in the heavens, Hakkai was bent over his work.

Suddenly, a lightning bolt snaked down from the sky and struck the power generator. A strong electrical surge shorted out the circuits of the computer. Before Hakkai could get away, the monitors exploded, sending him flying. As he fell to the floor unconscious, the scientist didn't see the electrical surge whiz up the cables of the cloning chamber. The glass walls burst into sharp shards that the primordial serum splashed down on the floor, carrying with it a distinctly human form.

When the chaos died down, for a moment, there was silence. Then, the marionette's fingers moved. Slowly, it picked itself up, standing on wobbly legs.

Seeing Hakkai lying on the floor, the marionette went towards him, looking at the scientist curiously and poking the still form with his toe. It then lifted Hakkai up in its arms and laid him on the couch. It even tucked him in with his lab coat.

When Hakkai was comfortable, the marionette strode outside the lab, going inside the house, closing the doors quietly behind it.

~~~~~

Hakkai woke up with a start. He winced, feeling a sharp ache in the back of his head. At the sight of the destruction around him, a groan escaped his lips.

Weakly, he sat up from the couch and went towards the computer. To his dismay, Gyumao's precious program diskette had melted away.

"Gyumao's going to kill me!" he exclaimed in dismay, looking around him.

Then, Hakkai's eyes widened, seeing the shattered remains of the cloning chamber.

"Shit!" Quickly, he ran out of the lab, fearful that a mutation had escaped from him. Hakkai searched all over the house, but he found nothing.

Going to his room on the second floor, he went out to the porch. As he gazed out into the grounds, Hakkai saw something lying in the middle of the rose garden. Grabbing his gun, he hurried down.

Carefully, the scientist made his way through the rose bushes, his weapon raised in case a monster should jump him. What Hakkai found, however, was an angel.

Gyumao's marionette was a very handsome man. He has a lovely face -- high cheekbones, full roseate lips, long satiny lashes. His head was crowned by a luxurious red mane that reached down to the small of his back. His body was well-proportioned, the firm muscles giving curves to all the right places. Hakkai felt his mouth water at the sight of those rounded buttocks and the smooth thighs. The man turned slightly on his back to reveal his impressive genitals.

It was then that those long-lashed eyelids fluttered open, revealing beautiful crimson eyes. The marionette looked curiously at Hakkai, tilting his head from side to side. As he sat up, the scientist saw that the cloning process wasn't completed. There were seams on his upper arms and thighs, just two inches above the elbows and knees. At his nape, there were three sockets, arranged to form a small triangle -- with two sockets at the base and one at the peak.

For a moment, Hakkai was frozen in place, unable to speak or move, his gun still pointed at his creation.

The marionette blinked at the gun barrel. Then, he gazed into Hakkai's eyes, a charming smile on his lips.

"Hello!" he greeted, his rich baritone voice filled with good cheer.

Hakkai couldn't speak at first.

The marionette smiled again. "Hello!" he repeated. Playfully, he peered into the barrel of the gun. "Hello?"

Hakkai's jaw dropped, but still no words would come out.

The smile disappeared from the marionette's face, changing into a sad, little pout. He lowered his gaze, staring at a single rose blossom between his outstretched legs.

"hello?" he said softly, almost a whisper. His fingers caressed the soft petals.

Hakkai's brain was kickstarted by that sorrowful query. "Uh…hello!" he stammered.

The marionette beamed. To Hakkai's shock, the marionette wrapped his arms eagerly around the scientist, cuddling close to his chest. As he was tackled to the ground, the gun in his hand accidentally fired into the air. The loud bang startled the marionette. With a mewling cry, he released Hakkai and curled up into a tight ball, hands held tightly over his ears, eyes wide in fear.

"No, no! Don't be afraid!" Hakkai said soothingly as he holstered his gun. Easing the trembling hands off his ears, he whispered, smiling, "I'm sorry I frightened you! It won't happen again. Promise!"

Liquid red eyes stared up at him. "Promise?"

Though he wasn't certain whether or not the marionette understood the meaning of the word, just the same, Hakkai swore, "Promise!" Placing a hand over his chest, he introduced himself. "My name is Hakkai. Hak-kai."

"Hak…hai," the marionette murmured, making it sound like a hacking cough. Pointing to the scientist, he queried, "Hakkai?"

"Yes, that's right! I'm Hakkai!"

The marionette pointed to himself. "Name? Hakkai?"

"No, that's not your name." Hakkai was relieved that he had checked out Gyumao's disk. The name Gyumao wanted the marionette to be called was there. "Your name is Gojyo. Gojyo."

A pout formed on the marionette's lips. "G…g…Go…Gojyo? Gojyo?

Hakkai grinned at his beautiful creation. "Yes. Hello, Gojyo!"

The marionette smiled sweetly. "Hello, Hakkai!"

Hakkai felt his heart warmed by that pure smile. "Let's get back inside the house. It's rather cold out here."

"Cold?"

"You know, it's like…" The geneticist demonstrated by rubbing his arms briskly and making a "brrr" sound.

Gojyo gave Hakkai a quizzical glance and aped the man's gestures, automatically shivering as he did so.

Hakkai could see that Gojyo was feeling cold by the way the goose bumps rose on his skin. But the marionette didn't understand the concept of temperature. To his chagrin, Gojyo even raised his arm to peer curiously at the tiny bumps with the hairs standing on end. At once, the marionette burst into delighted giggles at the sight, running his fingers playfully over the hairs.

Then, Hakkai noticed that it wasn't just the goose bumps that had risen from the cold. A deep flush went up his cheeks as he hastened to wrap the marionette up in his lab coat.

When he saw Gojyo slowly raise the hem of the lab coat, wanting to peer at the remarkable phenomenon between his legs, Hakkai grabbed his hand.

"Come on, Gojyo!" he urged the marionette, "I'm feeling very chilly."

The marionette grinned at Hakkai, and suddenly popped his left thumb inside his mouth.

"Ugghhh!" Hakkai explained in disgust. Taking the marionette's wrist, he pried the thumb out of those full lips. "Don't do that, Gojyo! Your hand's dirty. I still have to run tests on you. I don't know if you've got an active immune system."

Gojyo blinked at the scientist. "Ugghhh?" he queried.

Hakkai groaned. "Yes, putting this…" He raised the wet thumb. "…Inside your mouth…" He then touched the luscious lips. "…Is 'ughhh'. Now, come on. You need to bathe. You stink from the serum."

A grimace formed on Hakkai's face when the marionette wrapped his fingers around his wrist, his thumb still wet with saliva. Rolling his eyes heavenwards, the geneticist pulled the marionette along, totally unaware that Gojyo had stuck his right thumb back inside his mouth and was suckling on it greedily.

~~~~~

A few minutes later, Gojyo was sitting quietly in the middle of the bathtub, his eyes roaming all over the pristine white room.

"Just sit tight," Hakkai told the marionette. "I'll see if I could find something for you to wear. I'll be right back."

Going to the master bedroom, he was able to find an oversized T-shirt and a pair of pajamas that had once belonged to his father. He then got a towel and hurried back to the bathroom.

Hakkai paused at the doorway, seeing the tub filled with suds, an empty bottle of his son's favorite bubble bath on the floor.

"Gojyo?" he asked curiously.

From the edge of the tub, teary red eyes stared at him, before going back down, disappearing amidst the bubbles.

Hakkai slowly went towards the tub, feeling apprehensive. His precious monkey specimen seemed normal at the beginning, only to mutate rapidly in just a few minutes. Right now, he wondered if it was still roaming the nooks and crannies of the manor. Hakkai feared that the marionette might be undergoing a similar mutation.

Curses! he thought nervously. I shouldn't have left my gun in the bedroom.

"Gojyo?" he asked again, peering down into the suds, but he couldn't make anything out. "What are you doing in there?"

Suddenly, an arm reached out and grabbed his shirt. With a surprised cry, Hakkai was pulled into the soapy water. As he emerged, sputtering and gasping for breath, he heard laughter. Gojyo sat before him, suds in his hair, giggling merrily.

"That's not funny, Gojyo!" Hakkai growled menacingly.

Sensing the scientist's displeasure, the marionette edged closer to him. He embraced Hakkai, cuddling close to his chest. Then, Gojyo looked up, batting obscenely long lashes at him

The geneticist felt a tug in his heart. Caressing that beautiful face, Hakkai said, "Let me remove my clothes for a sec, and I'll give you a bath."

Actually, they ended up bathing each other. Hakkai washed the marionette thoroughly, removing the gunk of the primordial serum from his skin. The scientist took pleasure in running his fingers through the silky crimson hair. As Hakkai bathed him, Gojyo was contented to sit close to his maker, gazing up at him in fascination.

If the circumstances had been different, Hakkai would have already reacted to having a gorgeous young man in such close proximity. But to his relief, his body didn't respond to the physical beauty of the marionette. Partly it was because of the painful memories that resulted from his being unable to control his urges. There's also the matter of Gyumao. His stomach recoiled at the mere thought of this innocent creature in Gyumao's perverted clutches. However, Hakkai knew that Gojyo could never be his. It was this last that kept his passions in check.

Still, Hakkai couldn't resist giving the marionette a gentle kiss on the brow. As Gojyo murmured questioningly at him, Hakkai said, "Let's dry both of us up and go to bed."

After toweling the marionette up, Hakkai led Gojyo to the guestroom. Bidding him to lie down, the geneticist tucked him in with the blanket, and lightly pressed his fingers over the eyelids, closing them. Hakkai waited for a few minutes until the marionette was still before shutting off the light and going to his own room.

Just as he got settled in, the door burst open with a bang and a bulky figure jumped into bed beside him. Hakkai didn't have to guess who it was.

"Gojyo, you're not supposed to sleep here with me," he declared in mild exasperation, as he turned to face the marionette. "You've got your own bed."

Then, Hakkai felt his heart skip a beat, seeing that sweet smile on those lovely lips.

"Hello, Hakkai!" Gojyo greeted softly, though he yawned sleepily.

Sighing in resignation, the scientist smiled back. "Not 'hello.' Good night, Gojyo."

As Hakkai bid the marionette to close his eyes, Gojyo whispered, "Good night, Hakkai."

* * * * * * * * * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story was inspired by the Japanese anime series titled Saber Marionette J. Originally, this was intended to be a "Highlander" fanfic, but certain people in that fandom have made some very annoying comments ("You should stick to canon", "Don't put the actors in the story", blah blah blah) that stopped me from continuing this fic altogether. I was scrounging for some old documents when I stumbled upon this, and I found myself reading it all over again. Needless to say, I realized that I was doing this story an injustice by not continuing it, so I decided to resurrect it as a Saiyuki fic.

Now, I'm doing something that I swore I would never do, which is to start a fic while I still have others in progress. But this story held a good place in my heart, still does, judging from that warm, fuzzy feeling I got while I was reading it. So please bear with me. This time, I would appreciate reviews for this one. There are actually 17 chapters of Marionette completed although still in the "Highlander" format. If you want me to continue on, please do leave a review or write to me at roryheadmavatyahoodotcom.

Again, thank you very much for reading my stories. I'm really happy that the people in this fandom are much nicer compared to that other one. It's a great pleasure writing for all of you!





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