Junyi

“Kaikao, wake up! It’s already past noon.”

Gold eyes creaked open for half a second to focus on the heavily painted face of Amelia before Kaikao groaned, pulling a pillow over his head. “Which means at least six more hours till there’s any business.”

The woman rolled her eyes as she snatched the pillow away. “Which means that you need to get out of bed and help with the chores. What would your Mama say if she could see you like this?”

Another groan escaped the young man, but he obediently sat up, wincing slightly as he did so. “Last night’s customer wasn’t exactly gentle. Can’t I get another hour?”

“Fraid not. Quinn wants this place spic and span before the customers start showing up tonight, and you know she already wants a reason to get rid of you. If it weren’t for your Mama-”

“I know, I know. If it weren’t for Mama I’d be in the streets or in jail instead of having a roof over my head and a bed to sleep on.”

“That’s right! Now hurry up, if she finds you slacking she’ll go to Trent.”

That seemed to encourage the man out of the bed, taking only enough time to pull on the clothing that had been scattered across the floor the night before and yanking it on before he was following the scent of perfume Amelia had left behind.

Getting the saloon ready for the day was always hard and tedious work, especially since he was the only male who worked there. All the women expected him to do the heavy lifting, and by the time customers started arriving Kaikao was already worn out. He took his place behind the bar however, serving up drinks as the girls flirted and charmed the customers they had left. It was a dangerous game, prostitution wasn’t as profitable as it had been when Kaikao had been a youngster and the gold was simply there for whoever could take it, and the new laws meant plenty of their money went straight to the hands of the police so they could continue running, but the Wild Snake Saloon was one of the last brothels left in business, and they’d earned a special niche in the world.

“There he is. Kaikao, it’s been too long.”

Kaikao looked up as a familiar voice broke his thoughts, an actual smile crossing over the young man’s face. “Ethan. I thought you weren’t supposed to be back for another week.”

The man laughed, and Kaikao took a moment to enjoy the sound, wondering once again if the once gold digger, now successful businessman actually was his father like his mother had always said. Too many of his features came from his mother, his long black hair, and the golden eyes were completely her, though his features were a pleasant mix, neither Chinese nor white. An artist who had rented him just to draw had commented that it made him a very difficult subject, though the man had finally left with something he’d been satisfied with.

“The markets were favorable. I got you a present.” An orange was passed to the young bartender, who took a moment to inhale the rich scent. “And I brought a few people back from China that I think you should meet. Maybe we can make some time in the next couple of days?”

Kaikao grinned as he set the orange safely on one of the shelves behind him. “Sure Ethan. That sounds wonderful.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Ethan had brought other businessmen who showed interest in Kaikao, though Ethan never used the young man himself, preferring the women he worked with. Still, the men brought good money, and Kaikao was certain it was one of the main reasons he was still allowed his place at the saloon.

Ethan smiled at that. “Good. I’ll send for you when we have time.”

Kaikao gave a happy nod as his possible father walked out of the saloon, his attention once more turning to serving up different drinks, even making sure the girls were given tea that looked like whatever drink their partners had ordered for them to keep them from getting drunk and to help the saloon save some of their money.

The place fell silent for a moment as the town’s sheriff walked in, though the man gave a little wave of his hand for the women to resume their flirting before he walked to the counter where Kaikao was cleaning a glass, pointedly keeping his gaze off of the large, grizzled man. The sheriff’s eyes narrowed at the obvious gesture, though he let it slide for the time being. “Trent is late on your payments. Where is he?”

Kaikao’s brow lifted slightly at the sheriff’s tone. “Why, I don’t know. Perhaps you should try his home, since he lives there and all.”

The sheriff gave a low growl at the obvious disrespect, one of his large hands darting out to grab Kaikao’s arm. “I think you and I need to go upstairs and have a talk.”

Silently one of the girls who hadn’t already found a partner for the evening stepped behind the counter, everyone pointedly ignoring the sight of the sheriff pulling the reluctant Kaikao from behind the bar and up to one of the rooms. The grizzled man’s fist connected with his face almost as soon as they entered the room, the blow strong enough to knock the bartender to the floor. “Disgusting. How can any man sell himself like a whore? They should have drowned you at birth.”

Kaikao half sat, glaring at the man as he pressed the back of his sleeve to the cut that had formed on his lower lip. “If you turn the law against me you have to use it against every one of the women here, which means Trent won’t be paying you any more.”

Anger filled the sheriff’s gaze, and he grabbed hold of Kaikao’s waist length hair, using it to fling the smaller male onto the bed. “Act like a whore, you’ll get treated like one.” Large hands grasped Kaikao’s belt, the sheriff ignoring the young man’s struggles as he forced his pants down around Kaikao’s knees before flipping the young man onto his stomach, legs hanging off the edge of the bed. One of the large hands held Kaikao in place with firm pressure on the middle of his back, while the other freed the sheriff’s cock from his pants. “Treat you like a fucking whore.”

Kaikao bit into his own arm deeply as the sheriff forced his way into the young man without any stretching or oils, and tears filled the golden eyes. He could feel the passage slickening as the sheriff continued thrusting into him, certain that it was blood from the tears he was sure the large shaft was causing. Whatever it was, it only seemed to encourage the grizzled man to thrust more violently, and Kaikao cried out at the pain, though he knew no one would come to help him.

Finally the sheriff jerked out of him, fisting the blood coated cock for a moment before spurts of cum shot over his clothed body and black hair.

Again Kaikao felt a jerk on his long hair as the sheriff used it to wipe himself clean. “Tell your employer you just earned him an extra week to come up with the money. If I don’t have it by then I’ll have no choice but to shut this place down.”

Kaikao didn’t move until after the door had closed behind the sheriff, gingerly trying to feel how bad the damage was, only to wince at each movement. He froze when the door creaked open, only to relax at the sound of Amelia’s voice. “Kaikao? Are you okay?”

As the door opened fully she was able to see the young man as he started trying to stand, the woman wincing in sympathy. “Oh, Kaikao... Ellie’s customer wanted a bath. We were planning on sharing the remains in the morning, but I think you need it now.”

She moved forward, carefully helping him stand and pull his pants back up about his waist. “Thank you Amelia.”

The woman simply tutted as she hauled him toward the bathing room, soon helping him strip off his clothing once more and easing him into the still lukewarm water. “Don’t thank me yet. Quinn had first dibs on the bath.”

Kaikao groaned, both from the water washing about his body and for the thought of how furious Quinn was going to be with him. “Maybe she won’t notice?”

“Kaikao, you’re turning the water pink. She’s going to notice.”

“Great. At least I bought a week of time before we need to pay the sheriff.”

“An entire week? I’m impressed. Maybe we should let the sheriff abuse you more often.” Her tone was teasing, though Kaikao’s glare in response made her laugh. “You’ll be fine Kaikao. You’ve been through worse.”

Kaikao spent the next three days in his bed, the women making sure he had everything he needed while he recovered. Finally Amelia came into his room, arms crossing as she looked down at him. “Alright, enough sulking. It’s time to get up and get back to work. Your favorite customer sent a message. Apparently he has some business associates who want to meet you.”

Kaikao groaned, but sat up gingerly. “Alright, alright. Where did he say he wanted to meet me?”

“He said his home.”

Kaikao paused, surprise crossing his face. Ethan’s home, a place he had never seen, at least, not up close. The house was one of the largest in town, drawing everyone’s eye, though Ethan kept his wife and children there. They had to be out of town for some reason, it was the only thing that Kaikao could think of that would have Ethan invite him there.

“When did he want me to arrive?”

“Apparently as soon as is convenient. You had better hurry.”

Kaikao groaned as he stood, but made a point of getting ready as quickly as he could, making sure to gingerly slick his still tender passage with an oil coated finger. He knew his body probably needed more time to heal properly, but the amount of money he would pass up if he didn’t put on whatever show they wanted wasn’t worth the extra time. He had to start making money again if he wanted to keep the protection the saloon offered him.

He considered taking a cab, though the carriage ride simply seemed like it would be too bumpy and likely hurt more than the walk, and there was always a chance that stretching his legs could help the pain ebb away. At the very least it hadn’t made him feel worse, and Kaikao was soon standing on the large home’s front step, hesitating before he knocked.

The door swung open almost instantly, and Kaikao was relieved to find Ethan on the other side. “Oh good, you’re here. Come on in Kaikao. My friends are looking forward to meeting you.”

He was lead to a large sitting room, gold eyes sweeping over the crowd in slight confusion. None of them looked like business men, unless Asian businessmen usually wore robes. Ethan ignored his confusion as he spoke to the men. “This is the candidate I was telling you all about. Is he suitable?”

The group of older men stood, starting to circle Kaikao, obviously having no issues with personal boundaries as they felt his hair, checked his eyes, and trailed fingers over his body. When one tried to check his teeth Kaikao pulled back, his gaze shifting to Ethan in confusion. “It’s alright Kaikao. They are just determining how close you are to what we need.”

“What do you mean, what you need? What’s going on Ethan?”

One of the older men spoke before Ethan could answer him. “He is suitable. Perhaps this one will survive the process better than his mother.”

Kaikao froze at the words for a moment before turning to bolt for the door. He’d never really known what had happened to his mother, the woman had simply disappeared one day while he was still in his teens. However, he was certain that whatever it was that had forced the woman away from him, it wasn’t something he wanted to be a part of himself.

Kaikao didn’t get far, the tenderness slowing him, though even if he’d been at full speed the two men waiting at the door wouldn’t have had any issues grabbing hold of him. The whore struggled, cursing at the men as he tried to escape, only to hear a thunk and go limp as blinding pain split across his head.

When Kaikao came to he found himself in a tub once more, though this time he was surrounded by the old men, who were scrubbing his body and hair with perfumed soaps. As he shifted he could feel the throbbing in the back of his head, as well as something heavy at his neck. Gingerly he lifted a hand, fingers soon touching against what could only be a collar, connected to a thick chain that had been attached to the clawed foot of the tub. “What the hell? What’s going on?”

One of the men tisked before hushing him. “Junyi will be quiet.”

“My name is Kaikao.” Golden eyes glared at the man who had hushed him, only to yelp in surprise and pain when the old man slapped his face hard enough to sting.

“Junyi will be quiet.” The order was firmer this time, and followed by nods from the other older men. Kaikao kept quiet this time, watching in confusion as they continued to scrub at his skin until it was pink, getting him cleaner than he could ever remember being.

“Junyi stand.” He thought of ignoring the order, but a glance to the old man’s sharp eyes changed his mind, and Kaikao stood carefully, moving to the stool he was directed to that was just inside his range. The men started drying him with towels, one coming forward with a small box once they were happy with how dried he was, and another starting to comb out his waist length black hair.

“Junyi will hold still.” He wasn’t about to argue, at least, not until the box was opened, showing a collection of needles, inks, and gold jewelry. Instantly he tried to pull back away from the man before him, only to be brought to a halt by the heavy chain he was attached to. Some of the other men came forward, placing their hands on Kaikao to help keep him still as the one with the needle turned his focus on an ear.

Kaikao whimpered as the needle was forced through his flesh, followed by a small golden hoop. The old man muttered something under his breath once the ring was in place, only to turn to the other ear and repeat the process. Another of the men soon brought a cup to Kaikao, holding it to his lips as he spoke. “Junyi will drink.”

Whatever the drink was it smelled horrible, and Kaikao tried to shake his head, though the hands forced his mouth open, pinching his nose as the drink was poured into his mouth, forcing him to either suffocate or swallow. The bitter stuff finally went down, and it didn’t take long before the headache faded, followed by what he could only describe as a pleasant buzz. Another mouthful of the stuff was forced down his throat before the man with the cup stepped back to let the piercer resume his position.

Whatever had been in the drink was slowing his thoughts, and when the piercer started tugging and twisting at his nipples to get the right angle it seemed to connect directly to Kaikao’s cock. Even the pain of having the needle forced through the skin had him whimpering in a mix of pain and pleasure. As the golden ring was closed and the words mumbled again Kaikao was sure he felt a little buzzing from each of the piercings, and as the fourth was sealed he was sure it was growing stronger, as if the little golden rings were almost burning.

Once more the cup was held to his lips, and Kaikao drank the heady liquid. Everything was starting to get hazy, and he could swear the other old men were all muttering, though he couldn’t understand what they were saying. The flash of the needle caught his gaze as the piercer moved forward once more, Kaikao’s brow wrinkling as he tried to focus on what was happening. The old man’s hand closed on his half hard shaft, and instantly Kaikao tried to force him away, finding himself once more pinned in place by a dozen hands. He whimpered before the needle even touched his skin, shaking his head and even starting to bed. “Please, just let me go.”

“Junyi will be silent.” The piercer ordered sharply before the needle slowly was forced through the head of his shaft. Instantly Kaikao’s screams and pleading filled the room, though the men holding him seemed to be chanting now, ignoring his cries.

Finally the needle was through, followed by yet another of the gold rings, the piercer muttering something to it as he had the others, and the burning from the five points seemed to only grow. The old man finally looked up to Kaikao, a hand touching one of the rings on his nipples. “Five rings for the five points, the five limbs. The Junyi is a star within a star.” He smiled almost proudly at Kaikao as he patted the boy’s cheek, only to turn back to the box, pulling out a different set of needles along with a bottle of ink.

The tattooing took hours, though they paused often to force more of the drink into Kaikao. The other men continued to hold him down, maneuvering his body this way and that as they continued to chant, and Kaikao finally went limp in their hands, crying softly to himself. The man with the cup gently touched his cheek this time, his words holding a heavier accent than the piercer’s. “Junyi should not cry. Should be proud.”

By the time the tattoo equipment was finally put away the left side of his body had been covered with black marks, some simple symbols and shapes, some obviously words written in some unfamiliar language, every mark precise. The man who had done it had even taken measurements as he worked, making sure each symbol was in exactly the place it should be.

After that was completed his hair was brushed out once more, carefully trimmed as the chanting about him ceased. Finally he was helped to his feet and lead from the bathroom, golden eyes darting around for some hope of escape, only to pause when he caught sight of Ethan. “Is he ready?”

The man who had tattooed and pierced Kaikao nodded. “He must be dressed, then we will connect him to his weizie. You have chosen one?”

Ethan nodded at that, motioning to the miner’s lantern on a small end table. “Not as fancy as what we tried with his mother, but it shouldn’t draw as much attention either.”

The old man studied it critically, a frown on his face. “It is not respectful for a Junyi.”

“It will serve the purpose though, will it not?”

Ethan received a nod for his question, and Kaikao finally spoke up, his voice quivering. “Ethan, please, whatever this is, just let me go.”

The businessman raised a brow at the pleading tone. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that. Perhaps if your mother hadn’t died we wouldn’t have been forced to turn to you, but as soon as you were born your eyes sealed your fate.”

Kaikao shook his head in confusion, trying to force his mind to work through the muddled mess the drink had turned it into. What did his eyes have to do with anything? He wasn’t given the chance to ask however, instead finding that he was being lead away once more, the old men soon turning their attention to dressing him, though the actual clothing clearly wasn’t to protect him from the elements. Black harem pants kept pressure off of the now sensitive cock head, and the matching vest they pulled over his shoulders only just brushed against his burning nipples. A delicate golden arm cuff was slid up over his bicep, and for a moment the swirls of the precious metal against his skin caught his eye, soon drawing attention to the delicate golden needlework along the right side of the clothing. The patterns seemed similar to the black tattoos on his other side, though Kaikao wasn’t given much of a chance to think of that as the men herded him out of that room as well.

Kaikao blinked in surprise as they made their way outside, the full moon lighting their way as he was forced into a carriage. The men all piled in as well, and Kaikao found himself seated by Ethan as the carriage jerked into movement.

The trip seemed to take forever, though Kaikao suspected that the drug they kept forcing down his throat and the resumed chanting influenced his perception of time. Once they finally stopped Kaikao took his chance to make a break for it, an elbow flying into the stomach of the old man who had tried to grab hold of him before he hit the carriage door, flinging himself out of it. Bare feet flew along weeds and rocks, though Kaikao didn’t get far before he realized that he had no idea where they were. Besides the carriage there was nothing but rocky cliffs, bushes, a few trees, nothing he could use to find his way home.

The slowed pace was enough for Ethan to catch up with him, Kaikao yelling and kicking as he felt strong arms wrap about him and lift him from the ground. There was little he could do as he was carried back toward the old men, who were still chanting, not seeming to be put off at all by the struggles. Instead they surrounded Kaikao once more, forcing more of the drink down his throat before herding him along a small trail and to a cleared area.

He was left in the center of the clearing, the older men surrounding him in two levels, five fairly close, the other five farther back. Ethan stood just outside of the rings, the lantern hanging from his hand as the chanting grew louder. One of the men came forward, forcing yet another cup of the drink down Kaikao’s throat as the rest of the inner ring stepped forward to hold him in place, the outer ring reaching out to touch each other’s hands.

The odd chanting continued as the extra drink washed through Kaikao’s system, his golden eyes starting to glaze over, though he tried to force them to focus when he saw a flash of gold that looked suspiciously like a knife. His weak struggles weren’t enough to break away from the grips of the other four men, and the tip of the blade touched at the outer corner of each eye, drawing a drop of blood from each place and bringing tears to his eyes. Both the blood and tears were gathered into a golden bowl before the blade was brought lower, a small cut made just over his pounding heart. The bowl was pressed against his chest, collecting the blood before the lantern was passed up.

The knife was used to etch two stars into the base of the lantern, one inside of the other, before the lantern was opened, the blood from the bowl poured in where the kerosene should go. The other men had lifted their voices, though the one who had made the cut, the one Kaikao recognized as the same man who had pierced and tattooed him, was chanting something else entirely. Suddenly a flicker of flame appeared above his hand, and Kaikao watched, gold eyes unable to leave the little flame as it was directed into the lantern, finally touching the wick.

Kaikao shrieked as his piercings suddenly felt as though they had caught fire as well, struggling against the hands that were still holding him in hopes of finding some kind of relief. The dark tattoos on his skin felt heavy for a moment before heavy black smoke seemed to pour off of the whore from each of the tattoos. The chanting seemed all he could hear, even though his throat was raw from screaming. The almost greasy black smoke seemed to cling to him, covering his eyes, his mouth, his nose, even working it’s way into his throat. Then he felt what could only be described as a rushing of wind traveling through him, followed by nothing.

It was as if he no longer existed, as if nothing existed. He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, couldn’t even feel himself, as if he’d forgotten what a body was. Time didn’t seem to exist either, he felt as though he’d been there for only seconds, and he felt like he had always been there. That he was simply part of the nothingness and always had been.

Then the rushing wind flowed through him again, and he was himself once more, the black smoke pouring off of him and into the now unlit lantern that Ethan held. Gold eyes were wide as he looked about at the group of men, all watching him excitedly. “What the hell was all of that?” Whatever had happened had forced the drug from his system at least.

“Junyi, tell me your name.”

Something about the tone or the words drew the golden eyes to Ethan, and Kaikao found himself answering before he had even fully registered the words. “Kaikao.”

Around him the men seemed to be getting more excited, though Ethan’s gaze never strayed from Kaikao as he picked up a rock from the ground. “I wish for this rock to be turned to gold.”

It was as if his piercings had caught fire again, and Kaikao’s breath caught in his lungs, unable to get the words out of his mind. Suddenly he whimpered, feeling something wrenching itself from him as the rock did just what Ethan had wished for. Instantly the men around them were laughing and congratulating each other, and even Ethan looked rather pleased, though Kaikao was simply confused.

“Well gentlemen, it seems that you have achieved what I hired you for and you failed to do years ago. Pity you couldn’t have gotten it right the first time, though I suppose there’s no reason I should own two of them.”

Kaikao spoke, his words pleading. “I don’t understand. What’s going on?”

“Junyi, do not speak.” Again, the order rushed through Kaikao, and he found himself unable to disobey, no matter how hard he tried. “Now gentlemen, it’s time to celebrate. After you.”

The group started back to where the carriage was waiting, though Ethan hung back slightly. “Follow me.”

Again Kaikao couldn’t disobey, padding after Ethan in silence as tears starting to escape his eyes and fear clutched his heart.

Ethan waited calmly as the group of men entered the carriage before he spoke, his voice cold. “Kaikao, I wish for everyone inside of that carriage to die now.”

The burning returned, though this time Kaikao found it a little easier to force the strange feeling out of him to do as Ethan had ordered, the young man trembling slightly at the sound of bodies falling to the carriage floor. “Good. Now I wish for the bodies in that carriage to be at the bottom of the ocean.”

This time he was actually ready for the burning feeling, and for the build up and force out of pressure, finding it easier and easier each time it happened. “After they killed your mother I truly didn’t think they were capable of creating a genie, but I certainly don’t plan on letting them make another. Now, Junyi, back into the lantern.”

Even if Kaikao could speak he wouldn’t have had the chance, the wind sweeping him back into the empty limbo.

Over time the life that had been thrust upon Kaikao became more and more clear, though Ethan never explained it. Still, he had heard stories when he was a child about genies, lamps, and wishes. What the stories didn’t tell him was how horrible the time in the lantern was, how years could pass without him even knowing, or how a genie could not forcefully take their lantern from their owner. When he had tried the thing had actually burnt his hands, though they were healed by the time he was pulled from the lantern again.

Most of his time was spent in the lantern, any of his voiceless pleading for anything else doing Kaikao no good. When he was summoned it was often to simply preform whatever task Ethan had for him before he was sent back to the lantern. It was clear by how Ethan was aging that time was passing, though for Kaikao it still seemed as if it was the same day, the time spent in the lantern erasing any real sense of time for him.

He was sure it had to be a good twenty years after he’d been turned into a genie when it happened, Ethan summoning him from the lantern. For a moment the old man simply studied Kaikao tiredly before he spoke. “My wife died last week.”

Kaikao’s brow wrinkled slightly at the information, not sure why Ethan was confiding in him, though he was unable to say anything in response, hadn’t been since Ethan had ordered him not to talk.

Ethan didn’t seem to notice the lack of response however, simply continuing to hold his one sided conversation. “We buried her today. Her body is in the ground and she left me here alone.” It was clear the man had been drinking, though his eyes suddenly lit with a firey passion as he caught hold of Kaikao’s lantern once more. “Kaikao, I wish to have my wife at my side for the rest of my life.”

Something about the magic coursing into him felt different this time, almost violent, and Kaikao embraced the feeling, building it up before he finally let it lash out at Ethan. The magic engulfed the man, and for a moment he looked thrilled, only for it to turn to horror as he was pulled away, into the ground beside his wife.

Kaikao stayed where he was, watching the lantern for nearly half an hour before it happened. The black of the tattoos shifted to smoke once more, though instead of dragging Kaikao with them, this time the smoke retreated into the lantern itself. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from him, and Kaikao actually laughed when he figured it out. “He’s dead. The asshole is dead!”

His own voice was like music to his ears, and Kaikao danced about, yelling and singing in joy until he tired himself out. Only then did he realize he was still wearing the pathetic outfit, and he set about the house, trying to find a change of clothing. Once he found what he was sure was Ethan’s room Kaikao stripped, trying to wiggle one of the nipple rings free, only to realize that the piercing had formed into a solid gold ring through his flesh. Giving up on that he dressed, trying to think of what he may need now that he was free once more, even pocketing the money he found in a clip near the bed. It was more money than he’d ever seen before he had been kidnapped, and he had no doubt it would last him quite some time. He found a suitcase as well, packing it up with some of the clothing and a few items that looked like they may be worth something before starting for the door of the house, only to pause at the door of the room where the lantern sat forgotten.

He didn’t know what possessed him to snatch the thing, whether it was for the memories or a fear that someone could use it to imprison him again. Something in him simply said it had to come with, and he wasn’t about to argue with such a feeling. Soon the genie was out the door, not even glancing back as he started down unfamiliar streets.