A/N

A/N. YoYoYo, and all that Jazz. New story. Saiyuki. Not mine – I wish – Etc.

Enjoy.

Chapter One – Back to the temple

They were surrounded by darkness; and she was cold. A tiny young girl, with eyes full of fear and anxiousness, a blanket wrapped around her petite form, comforting her, yet doing little for her desperate shivers. She backed away from him as he made his slow advance; holding his hand towards her, beckoning her forwards towards him. She stopped her retreat hesitantly, she was petrified of him, though he smiled with sincerity; she had no proof he was a friend.

The man reached into his robes and pulled out what little he had with him, a handful of the sweets he so loved to chew on during the most monotonous of days; a guilty pleasure, he supposed. He pushed them towards her on the ground – hoping she would understand the gesture as that of friendship, and sat down, his legs crossed, on the sandy ground. He smiled at her still.

Her big eyes betrayed her fear as the girl leant out towards the food desperately, still unsure if he was an enemy, the moment her hands clasped around a sweet, she yanked it back, pealing the wrapper away with shaking hands, before shoving it hastily in her starving mouth. She looked nervously up at him again. He just smiled encouragingly and gestured towards the food with his hands, pulling them down into his lap again when he was done.

The child reached forwards again, but this time she moved her whole body closer. The blanket dropped from around her as she attempted to get as much of the food in her, as fast as possible. When she was done, she realised that she had dropped the garment, and hastily yanked it around her again. Reverting back to her shivering. The damage was already done though, he'd seen her scars. She was wearing barely anything beneath the blanket, a small dress, ripped from her wandering, and dirtied from her days outside. She had scars and bruises along her arms, so many that one may believe she wore skin tight clothing. Though nothing could fit so snugly.

She was watching him anxiously again. Her eyes were less wide than before, and she looked a little more confident. He held out his and to her.

It was nothing to say that he was at least a little surprised when she accepted this gesture. She leaned forward a little, and touched his hand. He let her, she traced his hands with her fingertips, getting used to the roughness of a grown man's hand against her own, before she gently wrapped her small hand around the side of his own. It was a sign of trust. He smiled warmly at her.

They sat there with their hands in an embrace for a little while; the morning light was beginning to shine through the night, their breath formed small clouds in the dark, the sun was beginning to rise. The man sighed, and began to rise; the girl hesitantly followed suit. He had known she would. He turned around to head back to the temple; minutes away from where they now sat. The sun's warm rays fell down upon both of them as they walked away from the spot where he had found the girl. A smile lit his face as he heard the little girl's small steps behind him, following him.

It took longer than it usually would have to get back to the temple. He had had to slow his pace a little, so that the girl would be able to keep up with him. She tripped several times, picking herself up again, as if she had tripped many times in the past. Each time she did so, a feeling pierced his heart; one which he couldn't place. It was like misery, mixed with uncertainty. He had no idea what the feeling of – he was sure he would recognise it soon.

The sun had fully risen by the time the pair had reached the temple. He glanced behind him to see her reaction to the place. Her eyes were wide, and she had slowed from apprehension. Her hands still clutched at the blanket – out of chill, or fear, he was unsure. It was probably a bit of both.

He turned, smiling, he was sure she would enjoy her life here. She was sure to be a good friend to his latest student. She looked a little younger than him; but only by a few months; she was surely around five years old. He would ask her later; but he was unsure if she would know. She had hardly been well cared for.

Looked towards the temple to see the gates opening for him, and he smiled; picking up his pace a little out of habit, before the little girl reached out from behind him and held onto his robes, he turned back towards her, and looked down; smiling, so as to reassure her. It seemed to work, she relaxed her hold on him, but did not let go. He didn't mind, he started walking again, but this time a little slower.

As he approached the temple, he recognised the monks who had opened the door for them; Kazuo, and Kin. It wasn't too much longer, merely a few seconds, before he reached the door, the child still standing behind him. He greeted the two at the gate as custom, before looking down at the girl to see that she was peeking out from behind his robes, looking towards the inside of the temple, and at the men in front of them – she was anxious again.

He watched as the men finally noticed the little girl. He stood and calmly watched as they took in her dishevelled, and unkempt state. Her fiery red hair, which was dirtied, and filled with nature; such as the leaves which graced the left side of her head. He watched more closely at their reactions as they took in her red eyes, which left them stunned, for seconds, before finally their eyes swept over the dirty blanket which protected the rest of her innocent, small body from their probing eyes.

It was Kin who finally found the nerve to speak, his eyes looking up at him. "K-k-komyou Sanzo!" He finally stuttered out. "You cannot be serious! You, you can't bring that, that, that, thing! Into this sacred temple!"

Komyou Sanzo merely smiled back at the man. Sometimes it is disconcerting how far a smile will take you.

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