Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Shades of Time ❯ Crime and Punishment ( Chapter 24 )

 

Several weeks passed and Shi-ne was back to training on a daily basis with her squad as though nothing had happened. She was putting the newer members through their paces when Major Thies approached her.

 

“Ma'am,” Thies said, trying hard to avoid smiling.

 

“Yes? What is it?” Shi asked, turning around to face her second in command.

 

“I've just been informed that certain people have been released from medical care and are now considered fit for duty.”

 

“Oh, really?” Shi said, a wicked smile suddenly forming on her lips. “Well, then we should welcome them back. You have everything ready like I asked?”

 

“Yes, Ma'am. Everyone is on standby as well. Permission to speak freely, Ma'am.”

 

“You know you always have it.”

 

“Might I just say you are the most evil and vicious officer I have ever had the privilege to serve under.”

 

“Why thank you, Thies. I'll try to live up to your bad expectations of me.”

 

Thies laughed. “I'm quite sure you will, Ma'am.”

 

***

Tenpou sighed and ran his hands through his already messy hair. For some reason he just couldn't concentrate on the scroll unrolled in front of him. He should have reveled in the peace and serenity to be had just now. Kenren was out on maneuvers but should be reporting in at any given moment. Goku was on lockdown for putting a frog in the Merciful Goddess' favorite chair, which se promptly sat on and squished, making a huge bloody mess. Konzen was buried in paperwork up to his eyebrows as usual. And Shi.

 

It had been weeks since Shi had invaded his office in any way, shape or form. He supposed he should be happy about that but it just felt . . . unnatural. Plus it was too damn quiet. He had seen her in passing and had barely gotten a nod to acknowledge his presence before she went on about her own way. It was just damn odd that she wasn't plaguing his every step, he thought. Before he could further ponder that thought a stunning revelation hit him hard. He missed her. He missed her presence, the sound of her voice. He missed she and Goku turning his office into a playground or picnic space. He missed watching her move around her kitchen while Konzen fussed that she wasn't well enough to cook yet. Which she had blatantly ignored. He missed watching her try, unsuccessfully, to teach Goku how to play simple things on the piano. He missed watching her put Kenren to work cutting fresh herbs and flowers from her garden. Missed watching her dance in the garden when she thought no one else was looking. He just missed her. It hadn't really registered how much time and space she had occupied in his life. That space was now glaringly and obviously empty without her in it.

 

***

“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” one of the soldiers who had beaten Goku asked Lt. Perth after he had informed them of exactly what they'd be doing as punishment.

 

“Hardly,” Perth said, schooling his features into a perfectly blank mask. “You're perfectly welcome to take any complaints you have with the situation to General Kai.”

 

Everyone visibly shook at that statement.

 

“No. No, it's fine,” the man hastily assured him.

 

Perth shrugged. “Like I care. But let me inform you boys of one little thing though. If something like this <i>ever</i> happens again or if I ever hear that you've slandered my General in any way, shape or form I won't bother to hurt you. I'll just slit your throat while you sleep.”

 

“You can't threaten us like that!”

 

“Oh, it isn't a threat. Count on it,” Perth said, staring the man down with one of the nastiest smiles any of them had ever seen.

 

***

Kenren burst into Tenpou's office an hour or so later, laughing so hysterically that Tenpou couldn't get anything coherent out of him for a few minutes.

 

He finally wheezed out through fits of laughter. “You've . . . got to . . . come and . . . see this.”

 

“See what?”

 

“The ones . . . who hurt . . . Goku. Shi has . . . them in . . . her . . . clutches. Out . . . on the . . . parade . . . grounds,” he finally got out before bursting into laughter again so hard he couldn't breathe properly.

 

“I'm almost afraid for them,” Tenpou deadpanned.

 

“You . . . should . . . be.”

 

“Let's go,” Tenpou said, leading the way out of the office and halfheartedly listening to Kenren cackling behind him.

 

They reached the parade grounds, following the sounds of catcalls and laughter. They came to a halt next to Konzen and Goku, who were already watching from a small hilltop overlooking the grounds. Tenpou immediately saw why everyone was laughing. Shi had evidently contacted every female who had been harassed by the men while they were drunk, apparently there were a <i>lot</i> of them, and informed them to be out on the parade grounds at this time. They were lined up in rows up and down the grounds and were laughing as the men were forced to run between the rows while the women pinched and smacked them on the behinds as they passed. This embarrassment was compounded by the fact that they had all been forced to wear evening dresses and heels to add insult to injury. Shi herself was standing at the end of the grounds with a large wooden paddle in her hands, forcing the men to stop at the end of the grounds, bend over and be whacked before making another circuit through the other women.

 

Goku was staring wide eyed at the whole scene while Konzen looked on with his lips twitching in amusement. Kenren was literally rolling on the ground clutching his stomach and laughing hysterically.

 

Kenren sat up a few moments later, tears streaming down his face and said, “Gods, I just love Shi.”

 

Tenpou smiled a little thinking, So do I. He paused and a look of shock passed over his face as that stunning realization really hit him.