Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Marionette ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

CHAPTER FOUR

Hakkai was having difficulty stifling his grin, seeing how the marionette "ooh"-ed and "aah"-ed as he set up the colored television in the living room. Five days have passed and he was far from finishing repairs on the master computer since he was constantly being interrupted by Gojyo's good-natured interrogation. The good doctor thought that there was no better distraction for the inquisitive clone than television.

While Gojyo was awe-struck by the 20-inch black box, Jiroushin could barely disguise his anticipation. With tail wagging rapidly like a metronome at full speed, the Golden Retriever was pacing back and forth before the television that the irritated marionette had to push him away. Kwannon couldn't care less, comfy as she was on the Lazy Boy. When Hakkai switched on the TV, the more the clone's sweet doe eyes widened, as the colorful images of the Cartoon Network filled the screen.

"WOW!" Gojyo muttered, his smile growing, as the PowerPuff Girls zipped through the toon sky to save Townsville from a maniacal talking monkey named Mojo Jojo. He waved his ever-loyal companion Teddy before the screen. "Do you see that, Teddy?"

"Do you like that, Gojyo?" Hakkai asked. A very stupid query though. Anyone could see just how pleased the marionette was. "There are a lot of great programs on TV. I've set it to change to another channel when another good show comes on."

"Am I going to see those pretty naked women with the big boobies?"

The geneticist stared at the marionette in shock. "Gojyo! That's a terrible thing to say!"

"It wasn't me!" Gojyo said defensively. "I was only repeating what Jiroushin's been babbling since you brought down the TV. He says that there are a lot of naked ladies with big boobies on the Playboy Channel."

"Well, stop repeating everything Jiroushin is telling you. It's rude, obscene! If any woman hears you saying that, she'd slap you in the face." Hakkai glared at the dog, who had suddenly chosen to lie down. "As for you, shut up!"

A sound like a low growl came from the Lazy Boy. Gojyo's head whipped around to glare at the lounging Persian. Furious, he hurled a cushion at the haughty cat, but Kwannon had seen it coming. Swiftly, she leaped onto the backrest before the cushion could hit her. Kwannon was about to jump back down on the seat and settle down comfily on the cushion when another pillow knocked her off the chair. An angry Jiroushin promptly chased the errant cat out of the living room.

"You are so bad, Kwannon!" Gojyo retorted, his lower lip jutting out in a full pout, unaware that the pesky feline had already made her retreat. "You never say anything nice!" The clone grimaced, his eyes narrowed into slits, lips pressed tightly. "She's so mean! She makes me feel so...so..." Clenching his hands into fists, Gojyo exhaled sharply with an exaggerated shake of his head, the sound coming out as an "Oomph!"

"Angry?" the scientist concluded Gojyo's statement for him, his brows raised in surprise at the marionette's exhibition of emotion.

"Is that what this...feeling...is? I don't like it. It's just as bad as being sad. I understand now how you felt, Hakkai, when...you know. It's like you want to explode. But I can't help it, because Kwannon never shuts up!"

"Angel, what's wrong?" Hakkai ran his fingers soothingly through the sulking marionette's hair. "What did Kwannon tell you?"

"That only a couple of idiots like me and Jiroushin would drool over the idiot box. That we're a couple of boobs looking for boobies on the boob tube." There was a quizzical expression on the clone's face. "What's that supposed to mean? I know idiot is a bad word. I take it boob is a bad word too?"

"When used in that context, and the way Jiroushin used the word to describe a certain portion of a female's anatomy, yes, it is bad."

Gojyo tilted his head to the side. "I don't get it."

"What, Angel?" Hakkai was already anticipating a sudden change in the topic. That was how quick the marionette's mind worked. It would start with one subject and then jump to the next, all the changes marked by this charming tilting of his head.

"What's the difference between men and women? I've read the encyclopedia, but without any pictures, I'm clueless."

"But I thought you read Linchei's books. They have pictures."

"Hakkai," Gojyo patiently began, as though he were the wiser one and not the good doctor, "the pictures do not correspond with what I've read in the encyclopedia. According to the description, the pictures in Linchei's books are that of girls, not women."

The geneticist fell silent, unsure of how he should answer.

"Hakkai?" Gojyo persisted. "What do women look like?" With great hesitation, he asked, "Is a woman like the person in the picture you've got hidden in your dresser upstairs?" Noticing the startled glance that Hakkai gave him, the marionette quickly shook his head, fearing the scientist's anger. "Forget I asked. I'm sorry, Hakkai. I didn't mean to go through your things. Please don't be mad at me."

"No, I'm not mad at you." Hakkai stood up and went toward the display cabinet. Pulling out a key from inside his lab coat, he opened one of the drawers and took out a framed picture. As the scientist handed him the photo, Gojyo's face brightened, seeing that it was the same person in the picture he found in the bedroom.

The woman was very pretty, a gentle smile on her face. Her light brown hair was tied in a long braid at her back, held by a ribbon. She was seated on a large armchair. On her lap was a smiling little boy with dark brown hair. Cradled in his arms was Teddy.

"Oh, oh! Is this Linchei, Hakkai? He's so cute!" Gojyo gushed sincerely. "But who is this? Is she a...woman?"

"A very beautiful woman," Hakkai smiled sadly. "She's my wife, Kanan."

"Wife?" Curiosity was written on the marionette's face. "Where is she? Isn't Miss Kanan supposed to be living here with you? Is she with Linchei?"

"With Linchei.... Yes, you could say that."

"Where did they go, Hakkai? Why did they leave you here all alone?"

Pain lanced through the geneticist's heart at those innocent queries. It was a tremendous effort on his part to retain his composure. Playfully pinching Gojyo's nose, he remarked in mock banter, "You ask so many questions, you know that."

"I'm sorry," Gojyo apologized. "I could see that my questions made you sad. There's a kinda blue haze around your head whenever you're sad."

He must have been analyzing my thermal readings, thought Hakkai. There was no other way to explain the aura that the clone had seen. Sighing, he reassured the clone, "No, it's all right. It's been three years since they...left. Perhaps I'll tell you about it sometime." Inwardly, he added in deep sorrow, When it no longer hurts so much.

The scientist paused, realizing that he no longer had the marionette's attention. Gojyo was staring intently at the picture. His head whipped to the side to look at Hakkai, before turning back to the photo. This happened three times, each time, the clone's eyes moved lower and lower.

Innocently, the marionette pointed to the conical prominences on Kanan's chest. "Are these the boobies? Hakkai, how come you don't have boobies? Come to think of it!" Gojyo peeked under his shirt. "I don't have boobies too, except for these tiny round pink things."

Sighing, the scientist took the picture from the clone's hands. "I thought I told you not to use that word. Think, Gojyo. What is the right term?"

The marionette laid a fingertip on his chin, as though thinking, and then answered, "Breasts?"

"Very good. Men have breasts too actually, although not as protruding as in females. I'll tell you what. Rather than have you ogling my wife's breasts, I think I'll lend you a simple book on human anatomy. I was saving it for Linchei when he was older."

"Does it have pictures?"

"Uh, huh. Once you're through with it, I'll give you something a bit more complicated. I have to warn you though. Some of the pictures in the second book that I'll be lending you aren't pretty. But now is not the time for study. Why don't you just sit here, relax and enjoy some TV shows."

"May I borrow the cookbooks in the bookcase too? I've seen the covers and the food looks absolutely delicious!"

"All right, Angel!" laughed Hakkai. "I'll lend you the anatomy books AND the cookbooks tomorrow."

The scientist stood up to continue his work in the lab, when the marionette shyly called out his name. "Hakkai?"

"Anything else I can do for you, Angel?"

A delightful blush rose on Gojyo's cheeks. "Thank you for calling me 'Angel'."

"Do you like it, Gojyo?"

"Yes," Gojyo nodded, smiling sweetly. "Very much!"

Hakkai couldn't help but grin as well. "I'm glad you do. That's my pet name for you."

"Pet name? It's not the same as Jiroushin or Kwannon, is it? I mean, those two are your pets."

"Of course not! A pet name is a name you give someone you care about."

"Oh!" the marionette nodded again in understanding. "If that's the case, then I'd better think of a pet name for you too."

Hakkai grimaced. "Better not. I like it when you call me 'Hakkai'."

"Oh, okay...Hakkai. Maybe I can just shorten it to Kai. Would that be, okay?"

"Whatever. Now, I have to get back to work. Have fun, okay?"

"Okay!" the marionette chimed in, leaning back comfortably on the couch, with his long legs tucked under him, his arms wrapped around Teddy.

Then, Jiroushin reappeared and settled down beside Gojyo, his head laid on the clone's lap. Judging from the disappointed expression on the dog's face, Hakkai could tell that Jiroushin did not like the present viewing fare.

"Be good, you two," Hakkai admonished, more for the Golden Retriever's benefit than Gojyo's. As Jiroushin puffed out a grudging assent, the marionette began swaying his head, singing the cartoon's theme song.

Satisfied that the clone would be so engrossed with his TV viewing to disturb him while he repaired the computer, Hakkai headed down to the basement, whistling "The PowerPuff Girls" theme as well.

Unknown to the geneticist, at the window, shining golden eyes peered through the space between the curtains. As it observed the singing marionette, those eyes glinted with mischief.

~~~~~

Two hours had passed. Hakkai was lying on his back, connecting wires inside the console of the master computer. Suddenly, an outraged shriek pierced the stillness of the manor. In his surprise, the scientist sat up, ending up banging his head on the edge of the console. As he gingerly rubbed the growing lump on his head, the source of that horrendous scream barged inside the lab, his handsome face scrunched up in sheer disgust.

"HAKKAI, HAKKAI!" Gojyo cried, stomping his feet in a full-blown tantrum.

Mumbling, Hakkai commented, "Angel, we should do something about that scream of yours."

The marionette ignored that remark, determined to voice out his complaint to his guardian. "He's so bad, Hakkai! He's oh so bad!"

Inching out of the console, the scientist asked, "Who is 'oh so bad'? What did he do to you? Was it Jiroushin? Or was it Kwannon?"

"Neither. It was that nasty little creep, Goku!"

Goku. That name again. The name Gojyo had scrawled on the sand. The name of a person that the geneticist knew and loved.

Frowning, Hakkai queried, "Gojyo, where did you hear that name? Who is Goku?"

"Goku is a dirty ape!" the marionette retorted in righteous indignation. "I was watching this real nice cartoon called 'Akazukin Cha Cha', about a little witch with clothes like Little Red Riding Hood."

Hearing that last, it was only then that the good doctor got a close look at the clone's attire. Gojyo had taken the red tablecloth from the dining table and wrapped it around him, just like a hooded cloak. Hakkai would've laughed at the marionette's impromptu costume, but Gojyo was clearly distressed about this mysterious Goku.

"Calm down, Angel," Hakkai said soothingly, urging the clone to sit down on a swivel chair. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted the approach of Jiroushin and Kwannon. "Now, tell me. What did Goku do?"

"It was at the part where Cha Cha was fighting the bad sorcerer, Daimaru, when Goku changed the channel!" Gojyo whined. "Oh, it was awful, Hakkai! All those women and they were jiggling their boobies!" The marionette even stood up and demonstrated, cupping his hands under his thrust out pectorals, bouncing up and down. With a wide sweeping gesture with his hands, he added, "One woman had boobies the size of papayas!" He then pointed an accusing finger at a guilty Jiroushin. "You are just as bad as Goku, Jiroushin! Shame on you! All you did was run around, dripping drool over the living room, saying, 'Boobies! Boobies! More boobies!' "

A nagging suspicion formed on the scientist's head, hearing the clone's complaint. He suspected that perhaps it was the clever marionette himself who switched the channel.

How convenient, mused Hakkai. Rather than have the blame laid on his head whenever he gets into mischief, Gojyo created an imaginary friend to serve as a scapegoat. Then again, where did he get this notion of an imaginary friend in the first place? And where did he learn the name 'Goku'?

Looking at the clone suspiciously, he asked, "Angel, are you sure it wasn't you who changed the channel?"

"Of course not!" the marionette exclaimed, shocked that Hakkai had even suggested it. "I like Cha Cha more than those women with jiggling boobies!"

"And what did you do when the channel was changed?"

"I covered my eyes, of course! It was sooooo gross!" Gojyo demonstrated by placing his hands over his eyes.

"But, Angel, if you closed your eyes, how did you know those women's boobies were jiggling? And how did you know that one of those women had breasts the size of papayas?"

There was a soft purring at his feet. Glancing down, Hakkai saw Kwannon lie down on the floor and placed her paws over her eyes. However, the cat's paws were slightly raised that she could still see what was in front of her.

As Gojyo glared at the snitch of a feline, the scientist remarked, "Oh, I see. You watched the program."

"I did not!" The marionette paused. Reluctantly, he admitted, "Okay, let's just say I peeked." He raised his right hand, creating a tiny space between his thumb and index finger. "This little." Gojyo then shook his head. "But I'm not going to peek at that stuff anymore. No, sirree, Hakkai. No more watching women with jiggling boobies. No, definitely no more women for me. Uh, uh!"

Somehow, there was a tinge of perverse satisfaction in the geneticist's heart at that last statement. If it weren't for Gyumao, he wanted to have this sweet marionette all to himself. Recalling that he was in the middle of a discipline session, he declared, "And no more lying."

"What's that?"

"When you say something that isn't true. You were actually the one who changed the channel, but you're saying that it was someone named Goku who did it."

"But it was Goku who did it!" the marionette insisted. "I'm telling the truth!"

Hakkai, however, remained unconvinced. "I'll let you off easy this time, Angel. Next time, I'll have to punish you."

"But it wasn't me!" Gojyo bit his lower lip to stop its trembling. "I'm telling you the truth, Hakkai! Why won't you believe me?"

At this outburst, the marionette turned on his heels and fled from the laboratory. Jiroushin glared balefully at Hakkai and the snooty Persian before running after the distraught clone.

For a moment, Hakkai was at a loss on what to do. Breathing in deeply, he followed the marionette upstairs. The scientist found Gojyo sulking in the guest room, back turned to the door. Peeking over the clone's drooping shoulder was one beady eye of Teddy. Jiroushin had his forepaws laid on the edge of the bed. Whimpering in apology, the dog was licking the unresponsive marionette's face.

"Gojyo?" Hakkai reluctantly ventured.

Gojyo, however, curled up into a tight ball. "I don't want to talk to you, Hakkai. You're mad at me again, but this time I didn't do anything bad."

The geneticist sat down on the bed and laid a gentle hand on the clone's shoulder. Gojyo shrugged it off. Breathing in deeply, Hakkai said, "I'm not mad at you, Angel. I just wish you wouldn't make up these stories about Goku."

"Goku's real!" Gojyo insisted strongly. "Why should I lie about someone who's real? You'll see, Hakkai. One of these days, you'll know that I was telling the truth."

Hakkai fell silent. Softly, he remarked, "It seems you're mad at me."

Hearing these words, Gojyo immediately sat up to look at the scientist, a glimmer of moisture in his expressive crimson eyes. "I'm not mad at you, Hakkai. Well, maybe a bit sore. But I'm not angry. I could never be mad at you. It's just that I wish you would believe me."

"All right! I want to meet this Goku. If you see him again, tell him that I want to talk to him."

To Hakkai's surprise, the marionette answered firmly, "Yes, I'll do that." Again, there was silence between them, followed by that telltale tilt of his head. Timidly, Gojyo inquired, "May I ask you something, Hakkai?"

"Sure, Angel. W hat do you want to know?"

"What is crying?" Gojyo asked curiously. "For the past few minutes, Jiroushin has been telling me not to cry. How could I do something I don't know? Is crying something bad?"

"No, crying is not bad. It's a function of the body that helps relieve stress." Hakkai lifted an index finger and pointed to the corner of the marionette's left eye. "When you're sad, or sometimes when you're mad, the glands in the eyes produce salt water called tears. Usually, tears keep the eyes moist, but in times of stress, the tear glands produce more tears than usual."

"Well, I am under stress, but why am I not crying?"

"Then perhaps your stress is not that bad as to make you want to cry."

"Or maybe my tear glands aren't functioning well. Or maybe I don't have any glands at all." Gojyo shrugged his shoulders. "At least that's what Jiroushin says." The marionette tilted his head again. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Hakkai didn't answer. Since the computer hasn't been fixed yet, he still hasn't been able to conduct tests on the marionette. More machine than human, he seriously doubted if Gojyo had the necessary physiological functions. For the past five days, although the clone ate heartily, he hasn't seen the marionette perform any excretory activities. What was his greater concern was the programming of the master circuit inside Gojyo's head. As of now, the marionette has been getting knowledge from inadequate resources like books, television and questionable genetically-engineered animals, if his suspicions about Jiroushin's and Kwannon's possessing intelligence would prove correct. All of these would be rectified once the master computer has been repaired. However, data processing and assimilation...that was all that the master circuit could do. Certainly not these displays of emotion. Hakkai wondered if there was a malfunction in the back up circuit inside the marionette's chest. But he wouldn't know if there was a glitch in the system unless he fixed the computer.

"Yoo hoo? Hakkai?" Gojyo gingerly rapped his head with his knuckles, drawing his attention. "Are you still in there?"

Grinning sheepishly, the geneticist said, "Sorry about that. I was just thinking. Your question was about your tear glands. I can't answer it without my computer. Let me fix it so that I could run some tests on you."

"Oh, that's all right!" the marionette reassured him. "I'm sure nothing's wrong with me. Even if there is something wrong, I'm sure you can cure me."

"Cure you?"

"Yeah! You're a scientist, a great doctor!" Again, that adorable smile formed on Gojyo's face. "You cure humans like me. Right?"

Hakkai stared in stunned silence at the cheerful marionette before him. He had completely forgotten about the fact that Gojyo didn't know what he was. Despite Kwannon's exhortations to the contrary, that they were 'siblings', the clone merely dismissed the cat's claims as an act of nastiness. Given that his form was similar to Hakkai's, it was logical for the marionette to assume that he was, like the geneticist, a human being. If he knew the truth, that he was a clone and, as that haughty feline claimed, the whore of a perverted multimillionaire...

To think I just scolded him for lying. Hakkai cursed himself inwardly. Damn it!

"Hakkai?" Gojyo asked curiously, seeing that his guardian's thoughts had drifted again. "Are you listening to me?"

It was the marionette's turn to be surprised when the good doctor suddenly embraced him. A blissful smile quirked up his lips, as he leaned into that hug. He could get used to these sweet embraces. It felt so nice.

"Yes, Angel," Hakkai whispered in his ear. "I'll cure all your ills because I am a doctor, and you are a human being."


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