Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki.

A/N: No, I'm not dead yet! Sorry for such a long delay…Short summary for those who have had the patience to follow the story so far:

Taiko Nii, reincarnation of the infamous Dr Nii, has undertaken a new project. Aided by the diary of one of his ancestors and his own intelligence and ambition, Dr Nii believes it is time for 'his side' to win. Genjo Sanzo, now known as Koryou, is being brought up by the scientist after being rescued from the mountain village where he was born. Cho Hakkai and Sha Goyjo are bought orphans at the Saint Joseph's Orphanage in Tokyo.

V.

Undisclosed Location;

1994

"Dr Bellacci was rather… upset because you didn't do the work she set."

Quite an understatement, Nii thought wryly, as he lit up his third cigarette of the day. Anita Bellacci had burst into his office cursing profusely (very extensive vocabulary she's got, I must admit), swearing that she'd trash the little bastard to hell and back if Nii wouldn't discipline him himself. She'd screeched and waved her arms up in the air for about fifteen minutes growing redder and redder in the face, matching her crimson shirt (horrible contrast with the bright pink lipstick she always wore).

Mediterranean temperament, thought Nii, as he stabbed out his unfinished cigarette absentmindedly. In the end, Nii had ended up promising her an abject apology from Koryou and she left, still fuming.

"I did do it!" Koryou answered indignantly.

Nii raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Where is it then?"

Koryou pushed a sheet of paper towards him, and the scientist looked down at it. 'Write 3 sentences in Italian' the title read. Written in Koryou's careful script were, as he said, 3 impeccable sentences.

"Il rosso e il rosa sono due colori molto belli quando visti separatamente, ma orribili insieme."

"L'alito puzzolente è curabile."

"Gli specchi sono li per essere utilizzati."

- Red and pink are two colour which are very beautiful when seen separately, but horrible together.

- Bad breath is curable.

- Mirrors are there to be used.

Nii put the paper down, trying to stop his lips from twitching. You had to admire the little bugger, Nii thought. His innate talent of irritating people was quite extraordinary. "Ah," he said looking at Koryou who stared back innocently. "You have to apologise to her you know."

"Why?" Koryou crossed his arms defiantly and blew his fringe out of his eyes. Nii sighed. He didn't quite see the need of punishing Koryou himself, but then he didn't want Bellacci storming back into his office, piercing his sensitive eardrums with her voice. Even worse, he didn't want her perching her scraggy bottom on his desk, in a supposedly seductive pose, fluttering her fake eyelashes. Nii shuddered at the thought and lit another cigarette.

"You were rude to her."

"I was truthful."

"But rude."

Koryou still looked as though he didn't quite understand the concept. "She says I'm phe-no-me-nal-ly infuriating," he said, pronouncing the words carefully.

"Well, it's true you know," Nii grinned. "You can be infuriating."

"Why isn't that rude?

Nii rubbed his temples. "I don't quite understand the difference myself," he admitted. "But if having you apologising means I get to have a bit of peace, then I'm all in favour of you apologising."

Koryou sighed. "But she'll know I'm lying when I say I'm sorry."

Nii shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Just do it."

Koryou nodded, a martyred look on his face. "I will, sensei."

Suddenly, his expression changed into a thoughtful one. "Why does she blink at you so much when you're in the room? Do you think that she's got a nervous tick in her eye?"

Nii rubbed his temples wondering how long it would be until Anita came storming into his lab because the imp inserted a couple of lines about people who couldn't help blinking. "No, I don't think she does, and I wouldn't mention it to her if I were you."

"Why does she do it then?"

The dark haired man leaned towards the blond boy. "Women, my boy," he said conspiratorially, "Are strange creatures. An explanation for their bizarre behaviour has not yet been found"

"Ah," answered Ryou with a wise expression on his face. Nii grinned. He simply couldn't help it. Children, notwithstanding their millions of irritating habits, were infinitely more amusing than toy rabbits.

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

"He has no idea of how to behave around people!"

Nii leant back into his chair, and took up a plush bunny in his hands. He juggled it around, making it wave its paws and jump over a variety of books, before he threw it down on the floor.

"He has no idea of how to behave around people," he repeated thoughtfully.

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

"Guess what day it is today?"

"Saturday"

"And?"

Koryou stared back blankly at the scientist. "I'm sorry, sensei," he said. "but I don't know."

"It's your anniversary."

Koryou looked puzzled.

"I brought you here four years ago."

"Oh!"

"Wouldn't you say it's time to see the world?"

"You mean, go outside?"

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

"Please children, do be quiet and stay in line!"

Hakkai winked at Gojyo. Please, children, DO be quiet and stay in line, he mouthed. Gojyo put his hand to his mouth to stifle a giggle as Miss Uzuma bustled by, looking red and flustered. He felt a bubble of excitement swell in him. He hadn't been out of the orphanages for ages, and had never gone to a fun park before. He grinned at Hakkai who smiled back.

It was going to be a good day.

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

It had been due time to take the boy out, Nii thought to himself, watching the child as he tried to take in the cacophony of sounds, smells and views which presented themselves to him. Ryou had known nothing but a dozen rooms and a smaller number of people for most of his life – the outside world was a daunting place, no matter how much he tried to hide it.

"Take hold of my hand," Nii directed and Koryou did so, as they stepped off the pavement into another world.

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

Koryou licked his fingers appreciatively as Nii smoked. He liked the sweet taste of the candyfloss, something which he'd never tasted before. The day had been imbued with new discoveries, and he was still trying to take everything in.

The golden-haired child watched a leaf fluttering down, coming into a puddle of water. He was accustomed to whitewashed walls, silence and routine. This world made up of sunlight, noise and colours was one which he did not know, and Koryou disliked not knowing. It put him at a disadvantage. But he wanted this day to last as long as possible, for when would another chance like this come up, away from the Bellacci and her shrill voice, the doctors who always wanted to perform more tests, their looks of pointed curiosity and whispers, a day alone with Nii-sensei?

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

Nii stood up and stretched his arms.

"Wait for me here," he said.

Koryou looked up, startled. "Can't I come?"

Nii shook his head. "I'm just going to buy some cigarettes. No sense in both of us going." The boy nodded slowly. The dark haired manpaused before leaving."Don't talk to anyone while I'm gone, Ryou."

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

Koryou scuffed the ground with his trainers. He wondered how long Nii was going to take. He did not like waiting there alone. This place was still alien to him and he would have much rather gone with Nii. Not that he'd admit to it of course. And he wasn't uneasy, he was just…

Suddenly a shadow loomed over him, and he looked up, expecting to see the doctor. Instead, a large woman with a wide smile plastered on her face, was towering over him. Koryou's heart sank.

"Where's mummy dear?" she asked, looking around.

Koryou looked at her. Don't talk to anyone, Nii had said, and he was not about to disobey him. Mummy indeed! This woman talked to him as though he were nothing more than a baby! The woman's smile wavered slightly. He had already acquired a haughty air which amused Nii hugely.

"Oh dear," she muttered, as he continued to sit there mutely, patting the untidy bun on top of her head, "Do you understand Japanese?" Koryou tried to ignore her, but it was becoming harder as she spoke again, raising her voice. "You no speak Japanese? Mummy? You lost?"

Koryou could feel himself going red with embarrassment as he realised that they were drawing the attention of quite a number of people.

She waved her hands about, undaunted by his lack of responsiveness. "What – is – your – name?" she said, speaking slowly. "Mother? Father?" Koryou wondered if she was mentally imbalanced. He could feel the amused stares of people watched the woman gesture and trying to make him speak, and wished desperately that Nii would hurry up.

"Oh dear," she muttered, "perhaps I had better take you to the police station. It's not right for you to be alone." She reached out, as though to take his arm and Koryou instinctively moved back.

"Excuse me"

Both Koryou and the woman looked up. Nii, stood there, a cigarette dangling loosed from his lips. Koryou sprang up. The woman looked from him to Nii.

"Is he your son?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yes he is. He wandered off and I was looking for him." Nii put a warning hand on Koryou's shoulder.

"I knew he was lost." The woman looked rather flustered. "I tried to ask him but he wouldn't…Doesn't he speak Japanese?"

"I'm afraid not." Nii smiled engagingly and for some reason, she blushed. "My ex-wife's American and he's lived there all his life."

"Oh! That explains it!" She beamed. "He's a handsome boy aren't you dear?" She patted Koryou's head. "Don't wander away from daddy again, dear." He glared at her and she quickly removed her hand. "Oh dear," she laughed nervously, "Not very friendly is he?"

Nii shrugged and smiled. "Kids," he said.

She tittered and patted Koryou on the head again. "Well, I must be off then, I'm taking care of quite a few children myself. Bye bye, your stay enjoy yes?" She waddled off and Koryou and Nii both followed her with their eyes. Two nuns with a group of children, aligned two by two, were standing near the fun-park gates. Koryou watched as the woman scurried back to them pausing to say something to one of the nuns. Then he saw them.

That feeling of déjà vu… His, mine, theirs, green, violet, red, and a jolt seemed to pass through his body and images flashed through his mind, too fast, too blurred green eyes red eyes golden eyes and he's confused because there are no golden eyes but he can see blood and too many images and his head is hurting and he…

"Ryou? Ryou!" He looked up and met another pair of eyes, looking at him queerly.

I'm sorry Koryou tried to say, but his mouth was suddenly dry and his tongue slow in moving. He felt Nii lift him.

"I'll give you a ride, brat, probably too much excitement for one day," Nii said crisply. No, not that, Koryou wanted to say. Something else. He felt too exhausted to argue however, and his head ached hard. What had that been? A dream? Should he tell Nii? But the memories were already fading fast and what would he tell him? He didn't want his sensei to think that he was being silly.

The boy closed his eyes and thought of something else.

"That woman…"

Nii chuckled. "Wouldn't leave you alone, would she? Interfering busybody."

"You…lied to her."

"Information shouldn't be given for nothing, Ryou." Nii paused, and then laughed. "Besides, it's more fun than always keeping strictly to the truth." Koryou smiled slightly as he let his head rest on the man's shoulder, inhaling the scent of tobacco and Nii. He felt safe at last.

¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬.¬

The scientist watched the children – from Saint Joseph's Orphanage, their name-tags proclaimed - walk away with the nuns and the fat woman.

Nii smiled.

I'm very sorry about recent lack of updates. I mean to finish the story, but it's becoming very difficult to find enough time to write. :-/ Thanks to everyone who's had the patience to keep reading this rather long update:0) Reviews as always, are much appreciated.