Story A/N: This fanfic was initially inspired by the random stuff flying around in the Yuletide Smut Friending Meme way back in 2007. In 2012, I decided that I needed to re-write the earlier chapters because my writing style had dramatically changed. And also because it physically hurt to read some of the older stuff I'd written. It's taken a long time to finish, but this is probably going to be one of my personal favorites for a long time.

Multiple prompts from multiple LJ/DW communities were used throughout the story. Thanks to rroselavy for suggesting I put Homura in the fanfic and helping me through a sticky spot in the plot, to whymzycal for agreeing to beta this akfhskjfhj fanfic (not only the re-write, but also some of the original chapters), and to mls_addxn for giving me random Chinese names when I asked for them. E=mc2 by K.A. Rose played a huge part in bunnying me to write Sanzo/Kougaiji fanfic that involves reincarnation.

All the Chinese names are either nabbed either from the Internet or from mls_addxn. Same goes with the honorifics and stuff.

Chen ('preserved for a long time') Jinhai ('golden sea') – Sanzo's reincarnation
Allen Bomber – Kenren's reincarnation
Richard "Rick" Fenway – Tenpou's reincarnation
Guang Long ('bright dragon') – Homura's reincarnation
Wei – Shien's reincarnation

"-ge" or "-gege" is the Chinese equivalent for "-niisan"
"-xian sheng" is the Chinese equivalent for "-san"

The fanfic itself is meant to be set in the year 21xx—feel free to insert the last two digits as you see fit.

Last but not least: For everyone who stayed with me until the end, thank you so much! You guys are awesome~ And yes, there is a reason for all the weird chapter titles.

Pairings/Characters (for this chapter): Genjo Sanzo's reincarnation, Kougaiji, Kanzeon Bosatsu
Prompts (for this chapter): "3. Hand phone; cell phone; mobile phone (~a call from heaven)" from 30_angsts, "20. Memory" from 30_deathfics
Rating (for this chapter): PG
Chapter summary: While on duty, Jinhai meets an old friend of a past incarnation.
Word count (for this chapter): ~1,323

Chapter One: Divine Intervention

"You know, it's really handy that I can reach you on this." The voice crackled over the line, crystal clear, as if an indefinable amount of distance didn't separate him from the woman on the other end of the line. "Teleporting to Earth nowadays is quite a hassle."

"Can you get to the point?" he snapped, tightening his grip on his umbrella as another gust of wind blew past him. Rain fell against the pavement, droplets of water splashing his pants leg.

"Dear Konzen, you're still such an impatient man."

"How many times do I have to tell you? My name is Jinhai."

A laugh. He felt like throwing the cell phone against a hard surface. "You have no idea how well that name suits you."

After a few moment of silence, he snapped, "I haven't got all day. Got something important you need to say?"

"Actually, I don't have anything to tell you. Can't I check up on my favorite employee from time to time without needing a reason to?"

"Employee implies that I get paid for the shit I go through."

Kanzeon Bosatsu laughed. In the background, Jinhai heard another voice interrupting her. There was a short, whispered conversation before she spoke into the phone again. "Alas, Jiroushin informs me I have important matters to attend to. Do be careful, darling." The line died before Jinhai could say anything.

"Stupid fucking deity," he muttered before he pressed the 'End' button on his phone and stowed it away in his pants pocket. He used his free hand to hold his trench coat tighter around himself.

By the time he found the church, he was soaking wet and his umbrella had turned inside-out. Muttering curses about useless Heavenly beings who gave useless directions, he shook his head, scattering droplets of water around him. He tossed his umbrella to one side and took off his coat, bunching it up and holding it in one hand. It dripped steadily onto the stone floor. The church was a really old one, dating back more than a hundred years.

Jinhai's first impression was that the church was empty. However, a sneeze from somewhere near the front pews proved him wrong. A middle-aged redhead was sitting there, his clothes wet as well, though not as thoroughly drenched as Jinhai's—he'd probably entered the church before the downpour outside showed its fangs.

I can't do my searching with him in here. Jinhai frowned, his eyes narrowing in annoyance as he tried to think of a way to get rid of the stranger. After a few minutes, he had an idea. Clearing his throat loudly, he walked up to the front.

Jinhai stood beside the stranger and flashed his badge. "Excuse me, sir. But the church is closed today." Being a police officer had its perks, and Jinhai wasn't above using his advantages when he had them.

"Sorry?" The redhead looked up at him. A sudden, nagging feeling appeared at the back of Jinhai's mind, but he shoved it to one side and concentrated on his acting.

"I said, the church is closed today," Jinhai repeated. "They're going to restore the interior later, and people aren't allowed inside."

"I'm sorry," the man replied. "But I'm just praying. Surely I can stay a few more minutes?" A small earring glinted in the dim light from the light fixtures about them.

Jinhai brushed a few strands of hair out of his eyes. "Can you make it quick? The people who're going to do the restoration are about to arrive."

The redhead opened his mouth to say something when his eyes suddenly widened. He tilted his head and peered at Jinhai's face. There was a moment of tense silence between them where Jinhai thought that the man would do something violent. Instead, the stranger simply shook his head, a wry smile appearing on his face. "Even your reincarnation is rude," he said as he stood up.

Before Jinhai could respond, the man turned around and walked towards the exit.

"Weirdo," he muttered as soon as the stranger was gone. He then began his search, looking for the sutra that was supposedly hidden away in the church's altar. Thirty minutes of looking brought up nothing. Jinhai fought the urge to kick over the altar and shoot it full of holes.

"Still looking for the sutras, Sanzo?"

At the sound of the voice, Jinhai whirled around, his gun aimed at whoever had snuck up on him.

The redhead stood there, only this time his ears were long and pointed. Youkai.

"My name's not Sanzo," Jinhai replied. "And who said I was looking for a sutra?"

"Your gun looks almost exactly the same as the old one," the redhead said evenly, not answering the question. "Is it still a Smith and Wesson?"

Jinhai was getting even more unnerved as the conversation went on. How did this youkai know the brand of his gun?

"You really don't remember me, do you?" the youkai continued. The look on his face was one of resignation and sadness. "What was I expecting? How long has it been? A millennium?"

Jinhai's phone rang, startling him. The only calls it ever received were from Kanzen Bosatsu. Keeping an eye on the redhead, he pulled the phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"His name's Kougaiji. He can help you," she said the moment he pressed the phone to his ear.

"How the fuck do you know that?" Jinhai hissed, his gun and eyes still aimed at Kougaiji.

The only response he got was a steady beeping. Kanzeon had ended the call. Jinhai glared at the phone before stuffing it into his pocket, lowering the gun from where it was pointed at Kougaiji's heart.

"The sutra was here roughly twenty years ago," Kougaiji said when he saw the gun being holstered. "During a coup d' etat, this church was one of the places the soldiers hid. One soldier found the sutra and pocketed it, thinking that he might get some money on the market for a 'rare and valuable ancient scroll.'" Kougaiji sat down on the front pew again. "That's all I know so far."

Jinhai looked at him suspiciously, his purple eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "And how do you know all this?"

"I'm the youkai emperor. I've got connections in the highest and strangest places." Kougaiji looked straight into Jinhai's eyes. "I was Sanzo's friend."

Jinhai snorted. Youkai emperor? The youkai emperor was featured on the news often, but they had never aired a picture before, or given a name. What was the proof that Kougaiji was actually who he claimed to be? Then again, there was nothing to be gained by lying. And truth be told, Jinhai didn't give a rat's ass if Kougaiji really was the youkai emperor or just some random nut job with delusions of grandeur.

The muffled sound of the rain outside was the only thing that broke the silence in the old church. Jinhai was tired and he wanted to rest; he had been part of a raid yesterday and had gotten little sleep last night. He moved to sit on the pew across from Kougaiji's.

"Sanzo hated the rain," Kougaiji said softly.

"Well, I'm not Sanzo," Jinhai snapped. "I'm Chen Jinhai. Not Sanzo, not Konzen. Jinhai." He was tired of being called a variety of names. Names that belonged to people that weren't him. "I may be his reincarnation, but he's still a different person."

"I've come across enough reincarnations to know that," Kougaiji answered. "I was just saying that he hated the rain." His neutral tone of voice should have been pissing Jinhai off, but it didn't.

Silence again.

"Do you really remember nothing? Don't you remember me?"

The tone of voice made Jinhai look at the youkai curiously. After a few moments, he asked, "Am I supposed to?"

Kougaiji smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I suppose not."