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They changed. It was what made them interesting.

Nataku was in the marketplace, with a brown paper bag of apples and milk in one arm. So many people. He actually felt nauseous the first time, but then, a few drinks set him to rights.

Now, where do they sold peaches again?

Waltzing around as Ukoku was fun. Especially in Changan, with all the monks who still remembered the Sanzo who killed his mentor. They all looked at him as if he was the fungus between their toes. A smile from him made them look away in fear or grimace even more, and Ukoku had to stop himself from giggling.

"Looking for something?"

Ukoku flashed a friendly smile at the yellow-eyed young man. He had seen the boy walking around for nearly a minute now, and those yellow eyes caught his attention. And that aura...Ukoku might not have been a model monk when it came to character, but he had the spiritual power of one, and that entitled him the ability to sense someone's spiritual power- something he learned over time. This one was very interesting.

"Looking for something?"

Nataku looked up, feigned surprise.

"I was wondering where you sold peaches? The big ones?"

"I was wondering where you sold peaches? The big ones?"

"Peaches?" he repeated, glancing around. He hadn't been to that marketplace in ten years, but perhaps the fruit stands were still in roughly the same spot. When his eyes caught a cart full of apples that stood at a corner, he returned his gaze to the younger man and smiled. "Interested in everlasting life, are you?* They're over here."

Ukoku went on ahead and walked in the direction of the cart; there should be a row of fruit stands just around the corner.


----------------------------------------------------


*reference to Asian myth:

"Peaches?"

AHA. Now I remember you. Interesting guy...really interesting guy. But Nataku kept to his original intent - that is, to find peaches.

The Tentei smiled to himself, though.

"Interested in everlasting life, are you?* They're over here."

Nataku followed him, his own steps light and seemingly not touching the ground. They rounded a corner and...

"Ahh. Thank you."

Peaches. A whole load of them. <3 He hadn't had peaches in forever!

Nataku immediately bought eight huge ones. He turned to the guy beside him.

"Sure you don't want one?"

He was right about the peaches. The young man bought his fruits, and in the meantime Ukoku studied him more closely. There was a conflict of auras, demonic and holy. Humans had a touch of good and evil in them, but they were in harmony, not like this.

So. He wasn't human. How amusing.

"Sure you don't want one?"

"No, thank you." The Sanzo shook his head, and then added with a meaningful grin, "I won't say no to dried persimmon, though."

"No, thank you." The Sanzo shook his head, and then added with a meaningful grin, "I won't say no to dried persimmon, though."

Nataku grinned widely. "Suit yourself. My treat." He said, jerking his head toward the adjacent stand. His ponytailed hair danced.

For a moment he shifted the paper bag he was holding and crammed the peaches into it, one fruit already in his hand. He followed the monk as he went to choose his persimmon.

"Suit yourself. My treat." the boy said, jerking his head toward the adjacent stand.

It wasn't the season for persimmon, but dried ones were abundant most of the year. Ukoku gladly walked over to the next stand and picked a piece from a basket. The man behind the stand opened his mouth to protest as the monk popped the fruit into his mouth.

"Hmm. Quite good." Ukoku stated, licking his fingers. "One hundred grams of this, please." He turned to the boy in the ponytail. "Is that alright?"

"One hundred grams of this, please. Is that alright?"

Nataku was already fishing for a third peach.

"As many as you like."

He turned his head to look about.

"......I want a drink. Do you?"

"As many as you like."

Ukoku's smile was genuine; persimmon was his favorite. Though he didn't forget what he really came to Changan. There was just too many distractions that day...

"......I want a drink. Do you?"

"Sake? Of course."

A more polite person would have refused, but not him. It was too good to refuse, and he wanted to talk to the young man a little more.

"Sake? Of course."

Nataku led the way this time, not bothering to stop licking his lips. He had always wanted a shot of sake, but then, he'd been to small to drink. And they all thought he'd never grow up. But now...

8D

The bar was scantily crowded, a few shady men here and there. Nataku took to the high chairs by the counter and immediately ordered for the finest brew.

When the sake came he didn't bother pouring it into a cup - he just drank straight off.

"It's good!" He exclaimed. "Never have this kind of brew back at home~"

He could tell the young man was a bit too eager to get a drink. Ukoku smiled amusedly and reached into his bag of persimmon.

It wasn't too crowded a place, which suited him just fine. He just hoped the lack of customers didn't mean low quality wine...

"It's good! Never have this kind of brew back at home~"

"That's nice to hear." The monk remarked, pouring himself a cup. The sake was in fact not bad at all, though given his tastes, not THAT good. "Where IS your home, anyway?"

"Where IS your home, anyway?"

Nataku reached for a second bottle and drank it straight, unflinching.

"Overseas. Really nice place with white-sand beaches and weird houses of stone."

"Overseas. Really nice place with white-sand beaches and weird houses of stone."

"Really?" Ukoku poured himself another cup. "Tell me, are there more like you back home? Ones who are half demons and half heavenly beings?"

"Really?" Ukoku poured himself another cup. "Tell me, are there more like you back home? Ones who are half demons and half heavenly beings?"

Nataku let out a particularly loud laugh at that one. So amusing...

"Oh no!" He said. "I'm unique. The only one. My father was too much of a bastard to let taboos get to his ambitions. Hahahahaha."