Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Marionette ❯ Chapter Twelve ( Chapter 12 )

CHAPTER TWELVE

"This will be your new home, Gojyo," Gyumao told the handsome clone at his side, reaching down to give that shapely thigh an eager squeeze.

Innocent as he was, Gojyo didn't find anything obscene in that gesture. Besides that, he was too awe-struck by the sight of the towering building of black granite and steel that was, as Gyumao said, his new home. For a moment, he thought he even saw the shadow of someone standing at one of the windows on the top floor, as if awaiting their arrival. When he blinked, however, the shadow was gone.

"WOW!" the marionette gasped out. "It's so big and tall!" A concerned frown creased his brow. "I don't think I can clean this whole place up in a day." Remembering that he was with his new owner and desiring to make a good impression, he reassured, "Don't worry, Mr. Gyumao. I'll try my darned best to make your home spic and span."

"Don't be ridiculous! My home is at the penthouse of this building. The lower floors are all offices in my corporation. There are people whom I pay to maintain this place." Gyumao gave the clone a sly glance. "You were not created to be my servant, Gojyo."

The marionette beamed, determined to please the rich man. "Maybe I could cook for you. I'm a great cook!"

"No need. I have a complete household staff in my penthouse. You are not to do any menial chores." Gyumao caressed the prominent bone of Gojyo's cheek. "You are here to serve me, and I will tell you what you are going to do for me."

Gojyo suppressed his mannerism of head tilting. In stopping that gesture, the question he was about to ask was halted in his throat. There was a dark red aura surrounding the multimillionaire. He seriously doubted if Gyumao would have the patience to answer his queries as Hakkai had.

At the memory of his former guardian, sorrow crossed the clone's handsome features.

Is this how it feels to mourn for a lost loved one? Gojyo mused, remembering the scientist and the friends he had left behind. He hugged his precious toys to his face to stop the strange, wet sensation in his eyes. It's only been a few minutes, but I miss them so much already.

Probably surmising where his precious marionette's mind had drifted off to, Gyumao pinched Gojyo's chin, bidding the clone to look at his new owner.

"Forget about Hakkai and his mad menagerie, Gojyo," Gyumao ordered firmly. "You won't be seeing them again."

The marionette was unable to hide his dismay at the rich man's command. Crestfallen, he whined, "You mean I can't visit them? Even once a month?" Gojyo begged with a bat of his eyelashes, "How about every two months? Quarterly? Once a year?"

The hopeful expression in his pretty eyes faded in an instant as cruel fingers tightened at his jaw.

"Gojyo, I own you," Gyumao repeated between gritted teeth. "This means you will obey my every order. And my first command is that I forbid you from ever seeing Cho Hakkai. Do I make myself clear?"

With tears of pain welling up in his eyes, Gojyo nodded, more for the purpose of relieving the pressure of those fingers on his jaw than as an answer to the multimillionaire's query. When Gyumao thankfully released him, the clone lapsed into fearful silence, biting down on his lip to quell the outflow of his sorrow.

Curiosity won over sadness, however, when they drove up the driveway, stopping at the Main Lobby of Houtou Enterprises. As the concierge pulled open the car door, Gojyo jumped out of the limousine before Gyumao could stop him. With a bright smile on his face, he gave the rich man's surprised security men cheerful greetings of "Good evening!"

Then, the marionette's eyes fell upon the two men standing in wait before the glass doors. The first was a somber-looking young fellow dressed in a dark blue business suit and freshly pressed trousers. His long red hair branched into three ponytails behind him, reaching down to his waist. The second man was a bit older than him, wearing a long white lab coat. Unlike the younger man, he had a welcoming smile on his face.

Gojyo ambled towards them. Bowing before the men, the marionette introduced, "Good evening! I'm Gojyo."

There was a startled look on the younger man's face as he gazed at his approaching employer.

"You heard him, Kougaiji," Gyumao declared with an impatient wave of his hand. "His name is Gojyo. Did you think him to be someone else?"

" 'Someone else'?" Gojyo inquired at that curious question.

The rich man ignored the marionette's query. Gesturing to the stern redhead, Gyumao introduced in turn, "This is Kougaiji, my bastard son and personal secretary." He saw his son's eyes narrow in anger, but thankfully chose not to speak. "As for this man here..." Gyumao waved to the man beside Kougaiji. "His name is Dokugakuji. He'll be your systems analyst from now on. If you need anything, they're here to help you."

"I saw someone looking at us from the top floor window, Mr. Gyumao," Gojyo eagerly mentioned to the rich man. "Is he here?"

Kougaiji and Dokugakuji looked at each other, obviously disturbed, but Gyumao answered dismissingly, "It must have been one of the janitors. You shouldn't concern yourself about it."

The clone's head tilted to the side as he gazed intently at the rich man's son. "Why do you look so serious, Kougaiji? You'll end up getting wrinkles, and you're not as old as the folks in the old folks home."

"Call me 'Kou'," Kougaiji found himself smiling at the inquisitive marionette. "Sorry, but I'm not really used to smiling."

"Well, you should! You have no idea how handsome you are when you smile." Gojyo quickly offered. "Still, if you end up getting wrinkles, I could ask Hakkai to give you a facelift. He's a real good doctor and…" However, noting the scowl on Gyumao's face, he lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Before Gyumao could scold his property, Dokugakuji asked his employer, " "Is he the clone you've been telling me about, Mr. Gyumao?" With great interest, he looked the marionette over from head to toe.

"Actually," Gojyo began with a proud raise of his chin, "I'd like to think of myself as an advanced human being."

That comment elicited smiles from everyone, including the rich man's stern bodyguards. His cheerful nature, Gyumao noted, readily won the hearts of his men. This might prove to be a problem. In contrast, Chin Issou, who was walking up to them, having come from the van, rolled his eyes heavenwards in disgust.

"Boy, Gojyo!" exclaimed Dokugakuji, rubbing his hands together in eagerness. "I can't wait to examine you!"

But Gyumao shook his head. "You'll have plenty of time to do a complete systems check on him. After all, he is going to be living with us from now on." A sly grin lifted on the corners of his mouth. "This evening, I intend to teach Gojyo exactly how he would be serving me."

"Mr. Gyumao?" came the timid voice of the marionette followed by a tap on his shoulder.

"Yes, Gojyo?"

"What you're going to teach me... It's not going to hurt now, is it? It...it wouldn't be like...like what Chin tried to teach me earlier?"

Chin Issou blanched as Gyumao's sharp eyes focused on him. Obeying a silent command from their master, the bodyguards immediately surrounded him, grabbing his arms so that he would not be able to escape.

"I didn't do anything, Mr. Gyumao. I swear!" Chin stammered, his fear growing. Turning to the marionette, he begged, "Tell him I didn't do anything to you!"

For a moment, Gojyo hesitated, seeing the disturbing aura surrounding the man who had earlier tried to rape him. Is this fear? he thought. Why would he be so afraid of Mr. Gyumao? Still, the goodness inside his heart bade him to speak. "That's true, Mr. Gyumao. Nothing happened."

"Oh, I know nothing happened, Gojyo," Gyumao stated, his voice ominous. "Don't worry. I'm simply having my men escort him to my office. His money is waiting for him there." Nodding to his henchmen, he ordered, "Take him!"

Chin Issou was about to plead for mercy, but a swift blow to the back of his head with a gun knocked him out. Distracted as he was by the aura of flames surrounding Gyumao's head, Gojyo did not notice the bodyguards drag an unconscious Chin inside the building.

Kou's hand reached out, tightening around the rich man's arm. "Don't do this, father!" he hissed in the man's ear.

Yanking, his arm out of his son's grasp, Gyumao simply stated, "I already have." Turning to the clone, he said, "Come with me, Gojyo!"

With a shy wave and a "Bye!" to a disturbed Kougaiji and a now equally perturbed Dokugakuji, Gojyo swiftly followed his master inside, the security men following close behind them. Silently, they entered the elevator, going up to the penthouse, which comprised the top two floors of the building, where his servants immediately greeted them. With a quick order to his men and household staff not to disturb him for anything, Gyumao ushered the marionette inside his penthouse.

Despite the metallic sleekness and elegance of his new home, the clone found everything around him so artificial, so cold. There were no beautiful flowers in vases. No dark brown wooden furniture. Just metal chairs with padded cushions and abstract works of art that made no sense to him. Gojyo found his new surroundings so lifeless.

However, as Gyumao led him up the stairs, his interest was piqued once more when the multimillionaire opened the door of one room. Gojyo's sweet eyes widened at the sight of the large wooden bed with its goose down pillows and colorful AstroBoy quilts. The small room was literally filled with toys of all shapes and sizes.

"WOW!" the marionette gasped, running toward a huge stuffed Pikachu and giving it a tender hug. "Look at all these pretty toys!"

"They're all yours, Gojyo. Among my many businesses, I'm also a toy manufacturer, in case you didn't know," Gyumao said, grinning. "In fact, this is going to be your room...if we're not busy." His dark eyes fell upon the old Teddy Bear and the chattering teeth. "Those toys you have do not compare with all these stuff."

"Yes, that's true," Gojyo answered. Hugging his two precious belongings, however, he begged in earnest, "But I'd still like to keep them anyway. Please, Mr. Gyumao? Please?"

"I'll tell you what. I'll let you keep them...as long as you could please me tonight."

"Oh, I'll do anything to make you happy, Mr. Gyumao. That's what I'm here for. I'm here to serve you."

Hearing that reply, the rich man raised a hand to the marionette. "If that's the case, then leave your toys here and come with me."

Eager to obey, Gojyo tucked Teddy and the chattering teeth side by side on the bed. Bussing both of the toys, he whispered, "Sleep tight, Teddy. I'll be going with Mr. Gyumao now."

As he took his owner's hand, the clone almost jumped at the sound of screaming outside the window. As he turned to look, a body zipped past the window, plummeting to the ground.

"What was that?" Gojyo asked, about to run toward the window but the multimillionaire grabbed his arm. Still, he craned his neck to peer over the windowsill. "It sounded like Chin Issou."

"It's nothing," Gyumao reassured the marionette. "If it's Chin, he's probably happy with the...payment...I had given him. Any fool would scream when given their just reward."

"Why's that? Is Chin very poor?"

"No, Gojyo. He's a very greedy man who thought he could pull the wool over my eyes."

"What does greedy mean?"

"Ask me again tomorrow," said Gyumao impatiently. "Let's go, Gojyo."

Shrugging, the clone followed the rich man through the side door, leading to the adjoining suite, which belonged to his new owner. Innocent as he was, he did not realize the tragic fate that awaited him within.

As the door closed with a soft click, Teddy fell to the side as if offering a comforting paw or drawing the chattering teeth close to him. Whether the moisture came from the air conditioner above the bed or elsewhere, a crystal drop formed in the corner of Teddy's button eye, which trickled upon the teeth that seemed to have lost its sparkling smile.

~~~~~

"Mr. Gyumao, please! Not so fast! It hurts so much! Please! Please do it slowly! I can't...I can't...."

Kougaiji turned his head away in pity and disgust, gritting his teeth in helpless frustration. Unable to take what he was witnessing on the security monitor, Dokugakuji spun his swivel chair around to address Gyumao's bastard son. He saw that Kou's hands were clenched into tight fists, his knuckles turning white from the strain.

"Is that what Gojyo is to Gyumao?" the computer geek asked softly. "He's a cybernetic clone, the perfect fusion between man and machine. Gojyo is a scientific miracle, Kou. Is he to be nothing more than a..." Dokugakuji was unable to finish what he was going to say. With a sigh, he added, "If I were Gyumao, I would protect Gojyo. Take care of him as if he were a true human being. I wouldn't treat him like...like..."

Kou rubbed his eyes with trembling fingers. He wanted so much to weep at the waste. Just a few short minutes, and already he had given his heart to the charming marionette. It was obvious from Dokugakuji's reaction that even the systems analyst shared his opinions and his sentiments.

"That's what he was created for, Dokugakuji," Kou said with deep regret and sorrow. "There's nothing we can do about it."

Suddenly, the electronic doors of the security room slid open and the two men whirled to behold the angry figure storming towards them.

"Shut that fucking thing off!" their unexpected visitor roared in fury, which Dokugakuji was only too happy to obey.

"We're sorry," Kougaiji told the young man who was breathing heavily as he stared at the now black screen. "You know we have to do what Gyumao tells us."

An angry fist pounded on the console, causing Dokugakuji to jump in his seat. As he looked up cautiously at that furious face, he asked, "You've seen everything?"

"Of course I have!" their visitor spat back. "From the minute they arrived to…to THAT…. That fucking bastard makes me sick! He told me he was waiting for a…replacement, but I never expected that!"

Kougaiji began hesitantly, "If…if only you hadn't gone against my father's wishes…."

"Are you telling me that I should've allowed him to continue to take liberties on my person? That one time was enough. He had damaged me…permanently." He lifted his trembling hand to the two scars on his left cheek. "The only reason why I stayed was because he threatened to do the same to my brother. Against my will, he used my body for his lust and his experiments, and now…"

The two men jerked back at that fierce glare. "I want you to tell Gyumao. Now that he has his precious…replacement, tell him to let me go! I want to go back to my brother! I want to go home!"

Saying this, he ran out of the security room before Kougaiji and Dokugakuji could stop him. Behind him, he could hear his guards giving chase, thinking he was planning to escape again. Instead, he ran for his suite, blindly punching in the code and dashing inside, the doors closing in the faces of the surprised guards.

His guts churning with sudden nausea, he went straight inside the bathroom and retched into the commode, until he could no longer vomit up anything.

As he flushed the toilet, he curled up in a ball in the corner. Staring insanely at the ceiling, he mumbled, "At least it's not me! It's not me that Gyumao is fucking this time! Better that it's someone else and not me!"

But then, he remembered the sweet smile on the marionette's face when he arrived, followed by the image of those glistening tears and the sounds of those pitiful entreaties as his owner raped him. How could he bear to see that face that was the same as his?

Pressing his face to his knees, he sobbed, "Damn you, Cho Hakkai! Why did you make him so like me? Why did you make Gojyo so damned human?!"

~~~~~

Miles away in the mountain manor, the same thought as well as a host of others were running through Hakkai's mind as he sat in his son's bedroom, drowning his sorrows in whiskey.

"Why? WHY?" he asked the darkness again and again. "Why do I always hurt and lose all I love? Why? Why do I always fuck up?" Burying his face in his hands, Hakkai wept bitterly, "Gojyo, I'm so sorry I did this to you! I should never have made you so human!"

"It wasn't you, Hakkai," a voice spoke quietly over the speaker.

Lifting his head, he saw Goku, Hakuryu, Jiroushin and Kwannon standing at the crack of the doorway. Pushing the door wide open, the monkey clone walked inside.

"You may have created him, Hakkai, Goku continued, "but a higher power sought to grant him a soul. Something that neither you nor science could ever give him. Hakkai, you were given a gift. Why did you have to throw it all away again?"

Hakkai shook his head despairingly. "I don't know, Goku. I really don't know."

Surprisingly, it was the tough-as-nails Persian who went towards the weeping scientist, curling up in a ball of comfort on Hakkai's lap. Jiroushin followed suit, lying down on his master's left side. Hakkai saw that both animals' faces were wet with their tears. Even Hakuryu was crying as he wrapped his flexible body around the scientist's neck.

"I know how you feel, Jiroushin, Kwannon, Hakuryu," Hakkai's voice trembled as the tears poured from his eyes once more. Patting his beloved pets, the scientist sobbed, "God, Goku! I miss him so damned much!"

Goku went towards his best friend. Standing tiptoe on Hakkai's thigh, he wiped away those streaming tears with his paws.

"Yes, Hakkai," Goku whispered comfortingly. "I know you do."

* * * * * * * * * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Because Intora sounded so frustrated and it's taking a hell of a long time for the printers to release the layouts, I found a little time to post these two chapters. Next Thursday, two chapters of "Fire And Earth".
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