Disclaimer: As yet, I have not received any notice informing me that I'm the proud owner of Saiyuki.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
II. (Year 1987)
Excerpts from the diary of Kaninshi Nii, Year 1549AD
(Volume I)
'Have you never had a feeling of déjà vu? It is the cycle of reincarnation - we are all reborn time after time; sometimes here, sometimes there, meeting various people, encountering different situations… But then comes the time where there are no random events, where the full circle is completed and the starting point is reached again. There exists a time when a number of beings are reborn in the same era, destined to follow the same path they followed before.
During the past years of my life, I have been witness to an event which has repeated itself for the past millennia again and again… I am sure it is destined to continue repeating itself for many more years.
Four beings will reunite, and together they fight against an opposing power which arises during their lifetime. Each time, they win. My research has accomplished one thing – It shows that this is no coincidence. Every five hundred years the cycle of events is repeated. My ancestors, I have and my descendents will join the forces which the four beings oppose. Inevitably, we have lost and again we shall lose.
This diary has one purpose, to prevent this from occurring again. I believe that it is time for things to go differently… indeed, it is time for us win.'
(Vol I: 35-38)
¬.¬.¬
What makes these four beings so powerful? Their unity. Breaking this group, making one of them take the side of the opposing force… This idea has long been with me and I believe that taking this course of action would lead us to eventual victory.
The illustration is simple… Take a bundle of reeds and try to break it. You will not succeed. Each reed is a slender and fragile being, but when united with other reeds it becomes invincible. The moral of the story is this; try to defeat them when united and you will not succeed. Separate them, confuse them, eliminate them one by one, and voila! You have won.
(Vol I: 94-95)
¬.¬.¬
A plant grown where water is scarce and nutrients few will grown small and weak, whereas a plant given the right conditions grows tall and strong. Children are like these plants - their development depends on the environment they grow in.
I have travelled far and wide after the final battle was lost. I left my country to travel to a maddened Europe where science is heresy and God almighty. Indeed it is difficult to conduct any kind of scientific research, but this at least I was able to do – I observed how twins, separated at birth and grown by families of different social status grew, matured and differed. Andrea, brought up by a high-class family is cultured, intelligent, sociable and snobbish. Gianni, brought up (or dragged up) by a poor family of ignorant contadini is taciturn and sullen and hates la nobbiltá. Andrea who is rich is a wastrel; Gianni who has known want, is thrifty. I contrived to bring these two together – two men who were born of the same womb, who share the strongest tie… They hated and despised each other.
I have conducted experiments on several plant species which confirms my suspicions that characteristics are inherited from the parents.If this were true, Andrea and Gianni should be completely identical, and yet, look at them! These twins, though perfectly identical in face and figure have no interests, opinions or beliefs which concur. His research only serves to confirm my theory and encourage my hopes.
Can you not understand what I mean? Taking one of aforesaid beings at a young age and rearing it according to one's ideals… Can you not see that one can model it according to what one wants? The first reed would be removed from the pile… its strength lessened. Consider this carefully. I am offering you a chance to thwart destiny…
(Vol I: 119-122)
¬.¬.¬
"Clever fellow wasn't he?" Dr Nii grinned at his assistant, a sharp-faced woman with thick glasses and thin lips, who was listening to him carefully. "And very persuasive I might add…"
"Quite astonishing that he had already understood the Nature and Nuture principle really," she replied briskly as she adjusted her glasses. "He also surpassed Mendel by about 3 or 4 centuries. What I don't understand is how you managed to find that book… I mean, it has been written quite some time ago. And how did you decide that it wasn't just a fake?"
"Ah…sometimes, I ask that very question myself." Nii laughed and flicked another thick book, the second volume. "This isn't merely a diary you know. He also kindly supplied a wonderfully detailed account of every one of the four's character and particular traits, plus an extraordinarily well-preserved sketch of each one. Look." Nii gave her the book. Her eyes widened. She peered closely at the yellowed pages as though she could not believe what she was seeing.
"Why, it's… brilliant." She glanced through the window into the adjacent room and looked back at the picture. "It's just like him, only older."
Nii took the book back and smiled. "You can see why I understood it was decidedly no coincidence."
¬.¬.¬
The child read the sentences slowly, occasionally stumbling on some of the longer words. Reika nodded encouragingly when he stopped to look at her, seeking her approval. He had progressed much since she had started teaching him. Initially, the boy could only communicate using a Chinese dialect which even she, a language expert, had found rather difficult to comprehend. Now, only a couple of months later, he had already mastered some basic English and Japanese.
Reika glanced briefly at the mirror and smiled. She knew quite well that on the other side were Dr Nii and Dr Shinaka, observing every move, listening to every word. Why they placed so much importance on this child she could not tell, nor was it her place to enquire. She bent down again to follow her young pupil.
¬.¬.¬
Continued - Excerpts from the diary of Kaninshi Nii, Year 1549AD
(Volume II)
The First Battle
Genjo Sanzo (Subject 1)
High ranking monk, also believed to be a reincarnation of one of the gods. Brought to Komyou Sanzo by a river, parentage unknown. As a child was…. (Here follows the history of Genjo Sanzo and the ensuing meeting with Son Goku, Sha Gojyo and Cho Hakkai. A detailed description of the enemies faced and the final battle against Gyumaho is also supplied)
Appendix 1 describes ensuing reincarnations and battles. It is very evident that a similar pattern is followed every time – Compare for instance, the battle against Gyumaho with the battle against the sorceress Niasha. Observe the similarities between the course of action taken by Genjo Sanzo and Soraya Kenshi, the latter being a reincarnation (who was a devilishly attractive woman too, by all accounts!). Compare their history and their life .Whatever the time, whatever the place, the man (or woman) will prove to be the same.
This is what I ask you to seek; a child, male or female with a pale visage, golden hair and violet eyes The sketches enclosed will give all the guidance needed when searching for the child – I have searched far and wide and found pictures and portraits of Genjo Sanzo's reincarnations and they are all the same. I offer the following points as a guide to what this personage is like, characteristics particular to him or her.
Notice the intense attachment formed to person's in his or her childhood. The child is always abandoned at birth – It seaches for love desperately and will willingly lay down it's life for the first one who shows any sign of kindness towards it. (Thus the importance of getting hold of the child early on in life) Once the child's trust is given, it is given for ever.
Note also that this child is cold and quiet and rarely lets its emotions show. How can one combine so many traits in a simple sentence? Subject 1 can be selfish, uncooperative and unforgiving, strong, intelligent, shrewd and determined, yet it has a tendency to brood on the past, blame itself for past events and tends to get too attached to the past, a tendency which can be used to your advantage.. Generally he or she proves to be a good judge of human character and has high spiritual strength. Subject 1 always forms a strong attachment to Son Goku and is the undisputed leader of the group. He or she, somehow keeps this group of unlikely people together. He or she can be understanding in his or her own way as can easily understands other's feelings; still tries to keep emotional detachment.
(Vol II Para 12)
¬.¬.¬
Nii had stopped reading the diaries to Dr Shinaka who was leafing through some notes they had made. He had not shown her the whole volume – after all it was his and only his; he had never believed in dispersing knowledge so easily.
He smiled briefly as he caressed the second volume absentmindedly. He knew since the first time that he had seen it, that it held in it the ways and means to change his destiny; he had read it time after time until he knew it nearly all by heart. He watched the blond child through the window and nodded slowly as though answering a question.
Take the strongest reed out and you will weaken the bunch considerably…
He knew he had made the right choice.
Contadini - farmers
La nobbilt - the nobility
Mendel - Mendel, (1822-1884) the first person to trace the characteristics of successive generations of a living thing was an Augustinian monk who taught natural science to high school students. From his studies, Mendel derived certain basic laws of heredity.
Nature and Nurture - Two theories about our character etc say that (1) what we are and how we develop is solely due to our genes or (2) that the environment is the only this which determines our development.Now, most scientists believe that what influences children's development, apart from their genes (nature) is the environment in which they are brought up (nurture)
Thank you to all reveiwers! I am presently without a personal computer I'm afraid, so delays are unavoidable...
curiouzkatt, OptiMoose,Chelle86 ,Hanae da Firefly : Thanks you for your comments! I hope you liked this chapter.
Attiqah Gensui: blushes thanks! The others will make an appearance in later years... the cycle of reincarnation must continue...
Shades05Black: Now that I come to think of it, he does sound like Igor... grin well, we've go rid of him now. Hope this chapter answers your question :)