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Youtou Shinnoken
A Yuyu Hakusho/Rurouni Kenshin fic
By Chester Casta�eda 
gab_ab@edsamail.com.ph
and Danyal Herder
dherder222@hotmail.com
Original concept by SeventhOne
chadjill@ms3.hinet.net
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1377336

Second chapter... this is sort of easier since there
are two authors writing this... but it is also 
harder for the very same reason (Ne, Danyal? ^_~).
So without further adieu... Chapter 2!

A few more notes before proceeding:

< > indicates character thoughts
" " indicates character speech


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Chapter 2: Over the Horizon
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     Kenshin's corporeal form seemed to fade a bit as time passed by.
"Oro?" he elucidated confusedly, looking warily at his fading presence. 
"My pardons, Koenma-dono, but it seems that my visage is already 
dissipating for some reason."

     <Perfect timing,> Koenma silently cheered to himself, maintaining a
facade of concern at Kenshin's strange condition. "Himura-san, it seems 
that your physical form can only be maintained by constant exposure to 
Yusuke's particular ki-signature... otherwise, you'll come back to your 
default form, which is the sword... Jorge!"

     The blue-skinned demon stood up in attention. "Yes, Koenma-sama!
What is your bidding?"

     "Find Yusuke and Botan and give the sword back to Yusuke... I 
didn't realize at first that Himura-san still needed Yusuke's constant
presence to survive, but now that we know inform him immediately and 
tell him also that he must _always_ have the Demon's Sword by his 
side... understand?"

     "Yessir! I'll do my very, very best, sir!" Jorge said, plucking the
sword out of Kenshin's hand.

     "You moron! Don't do that! It'll..." Koenma started.

     With one last "Oro?!" Kenshin was already gone.

     "You shouldn't have taken the Demon's Sword away from Himura-san,
you dimwitted... dimwit! Now look what you've--"

      "I'M SORRY, KOENMA-SAMA. IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN," Jorge boomed
apologetically, twiddling his thumbs sheepishly, the sheathed Demon's 
Sword looking like a fancy toothpick in his hands.

     "...." Koenma wittily replied as he looked at the now-mammoth-sized
blue oni... Jorge's muscle and body mass at that point rivaled that of 
the Younger Toguro at a hundred and fifty percent strength. "I-it seems 
that the sword can induce varied reactions to all its holders... even to 
oni like you, Jorge."

     Jorge immediately bowed in regret, accidentally creating a large 
crater on the floor in the process. Koenma could only sweatdrop at the
queer spectacle his assistant was making. "I'M SOOOOO SORRY! I REALLY
DIDN'T KNOW! WA-AHH! POOR HIMURA-SAN! IF ONLY I KNEW...."

     The administrator of the dead coughed loudly before saying, "It's
alright, Jorge... just bring the sword back to Yusuke and I'm sure
everything will be fine. Himura-san will come back to his physical
self and aid Yusuke in... whatever endeavor they may face. Understand?
Good. Now go, Jorge!"

     Jorge practically beamed like the sun upon hearing that he won't
have to be punished... by means of clapping and jumping around 
cheerfully. Alas, there was little left of the floor but debris 
afterwards. "I'M SO GLAD, KOENMA-SAMA! I'LL GO TO IT RIGHT AWAY!"

     Before Koenma could make any other complaint or contention, Jorge 
was already off, cheerfully skipping around, whistling a happy tune as
he unwittingly demolished half of the Reikai administrative office.
"LALALALALA!!!" the oni... er... sung.

     "...." The toddler sighed. "At last... I got rid of them all."

     The seemingly child-like administrator opened the contents of
Kurama's report, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes flaring in a way
that was not typical of the young child he appeared to be. "It seems you
really have come through for me again, Kurama... but half of me wishes 
that you didn't."

    Those were the last words Koenma said aloud as he sullenly read
the rest of the letter.




***




     "What's the problem now, Botan?" Yusuke asked skeptically, quite
sure that this was another one of those special mission directives shit
of Koenma. The hundreds-of-years-old tyke usually sent Botan to tell 
Yusuke about the sensitive parts of the mission, instead of telling 
the spirit detective outright.

     Naturally, Yusuke doesn't have that much respect for that... as
much as he doesn't have much respect for people who insist on becoming
martyrs and some such for the sake of 'protection' and some moralist
shit... but he digressed.

     "Yusuke... don't you think..." Botan breathed deeply as she braced
herself, "don't you think that Koenma-sama's acting just a little bit 
strange nowadays? I know that he may have been terribly traumatized by
what happened during the Meikai incident, but he has had time to 
recover, and I'm worried that he may be hiding something this time...."

     Yusuke yawned.

     Botan smacked Yusuke.

     Botan got Yusuke's full attention this time.

     "What the fuck was that for?!" Yusuke exclaimed incredulously. 

     "I was pouring my heart out, and you _yawned_ at me?! How am I 
supposed to react to that, huh?!?" Botan screamed. Her eyes then 
glimmered. "I thought you were my friend, Yusuke...."

     "Hey! No fair! No waterworks!" Yusuke exclaimed, this time in a 
different and much more alarmed manner. "Look... after all this time, 
I've gotten used to the fact that that pacifier-sucking brat is... many 
things at once. He could be a toddler, he could be Enma's son, he could 
be a coward, he could be brave.. how can you tell that he's acting 
weirdly? I mean, so what? He's been acting weird since day one!"

     Botan crossed her arms. "If you're trying to cheer me up, then you
should really, _really_ try better, Urameshi Yusuke."

     Yusuke rubbed his head sheepishly. "Er... how about this? Are you
really sure that he's recovered from the incident in with the Meikai 
realm? Don't you remember that it's you who he trusts the most... he
entrusted you the Meikai crystal, for Enma's sake! Are you really sure 
he's hiding something? Why do you care so much?"

     Botan blushed a bit upon hearing the last bit of Yusuke's frank
queries, but she soon easily recovered her serious demeanor. Achieving 
that, she quietly replied, "I guess you're right... but I just have this
gut feeling that something is wrong and... you yourself know a lot about
gut feelings, don't you, Yusuke?"

     Yusuke was amazed at how Botan suddenly turned the conversation
around. "Yeah, well... I dunno. You'll just have to trust him as much
as he trusted you, I guess." The sleek-haired lad's eyes darted back 
and forth in obvious discomfort. <Man, I hate this sappy stuff. Gimme
fighting and brawling any day... maybe I should have taken up that
mission Kuwabara is in... dammit.>
     
     "AH! BOTAN! YUSUKE! KOENMA-SAMA HAS SENT ME TO GIVE THIS TO YOU!"
the titanic Jorge roared as he entered through a newly-made doorway 
on the wall care of him. He dusted himself off as he grinned with total 
abandon at the startled Yusuke and Botan.

     Perhaps startled wasn't the word.

     "REI-KOU-DAN!!!"

     Scared spitless would be more like it, it seemed.

     The twitching remains of Jorge gently extricated its hand toward
Yusuke as it offered the Demon's Sword back to the errant adolescent. 
"K-K-KOENMA-SAMA SAID THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER LEAVE THIS SWORD OUT OF 
YOUR SIGHT... OWIE... YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BLAME THE MESSENGER...."

     "Well, you shouldn't have scared us like that, Jorge!" Botan 
exclaimed as she whapped the blue-skinned ogre on the head with her
oar. To herself, she said, <Koenma-sama's all alone in that office of
his again... dammit, he should open up more to us. What are we to
him anyway? Chopped liver?> The ferry-girl then blinked.

     "Er... Jorge... what has happened to you? Why are you as large
as ten steroid-drugged oxen combined?"

     Jorge shrugged... or made the near facsimile of a shrug seeing his
mangled state. "IT'S AN EFFECT OF THE SWORD, KOENMA-SAMA'S GUESSING. 
IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE SWORD AFFECTS NINGEN, ONI, AND YOUKAI IN VERY
DIFFERENT WAYS... AT LEAST, AS FAR AS KOENMA-SAMA CAN TELL. IT SEEMS 
THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO TAKE THE SWORD AND FEED IT WITH YOUR REIKI, 
YUSUKE, OR ELSE HIMURA-SAN'S EARLIER PHYSICAL FORM WILL FADE AWAY."

     Yusuke eyed the sword warily before he sighed and took it anyway.
Jorge immediately shrunk back to normal size, though he was still 
incapacitated and some such.

     "Tadaima!" Kenshin cheered as he appeared in his human form again. 
"My pardons, but being a hard, stiff and unfeeling sword can be taxing
to one's constitution... sessha is thrilled to be back in the world of
the living. Sessha...."

     Kenshin got whapped on the head by his own sword soon afterwards,
followed by a baritone, "Okaeri," from Yusuke. 

     "Seems like I'm stuck with you again, you moralist scrub. Oh 
well... guess I'll have to deal."

     "This unworthy one is... unworthy of your attention, but is glad
that he will now embark upon learning your modern culture by means of
finally watching the phenomenon known as movies."

     Yusuke took the sword yet again and whapped Kenshin for the second
time upon hearing the swordsman's assessment. "Who says that _we're_ 
going?! _I_ ain't going to no stinkin' movie... Keiko is only...er... 
forcin' me... and I don't see how _you_ fit into that equation, really."

     Kenshin grinned with abandon and cheer. "This unworthy one is 
supposed to be always at your side in corporeal form as an experiment by 
the Spirit World... and, if memory serves me correctly, tantei are 
always bound by the rules and regulations of the Spirit World. 
Therefore, in a simpler sense, this unworthy one is going to see this 
'movie' with you and Keiko-dono whether you like it or not."     

     Yusuke grumbled incoherently before shouting, "What's with the 
Keiko-_dono_ crap, eh?!"

     Botan couldn't resist... it was the best time for payback, after
all. "Why Yusuke... since when did you care? Perhaps there's meaning 
to that little statement of yours?"

     Yusuke just threw his hands up in frustration as he shouted, "Fine!
Go! Let's go to that crappy gaijin love story shit Keiko wants to see!
I don't fuckin' care! If you wanna go then go ahead... but I won't be 
lugging that sword for you! If you don't want to disappear, then you 
should keep up with me!"

     Botan giggled daintily as Yusuke stalked off, but she then noticed
the lonely look Kenshin had all of a sudden. She slapped his back 
amicably, asking, "What's wrong, Ke... Himura-san?" She then 
sweatdropped as the redhead suddenly fell on his face from her slap. 
<My, he really is a wimp, isn't he?>

     "My pardons... this lowly one is alright," Kenshin assured. "Sessha
was just thinking about his past and what could have happened... just 
silly thoughts, really. And please, do call me Kenshin, Botan-dono. 
Sessha would be honored to be called so... Koenma-dono is much too 
formal, de gozaru yo."

     "Alright... Kenshin," Botan addressed awkwardly at first, but soon
her demeanor became more relaxed. "You really are quite a person, 
Kenshin... one of a kind." She then grinned. "Well, we better get going 
to the Human World then, for Yusuke's date."

     Kenshin rubbed the back of his head. "Perhaps it would be better for
me to go back to being a...."

     Botan would not have any of that. She remembered the lonely look on 
Kenshin's face... just this one time, at least, he needs companionship.
"Yusuke doesn't really mind! Besides, we could make their little date 
into a group thing, if you want! There's no need for you to be so 
uptight about it." She took Kenshin's hand and ran toward the stomping, 
sulking Yusuke. "Let's go!"

     A small smile crawled on Kenshin's lips as he nodded, following the
excitable ferry-girl's passionate pace.

     "...."

     "Anooooo... help? Anyone? Please?" the disabled Jorge said in 
futility to the diminishing figures in the horizon.
 



***




     "Kenshin! How does this taste?"

     "Hey! Jo-chan! Don't poison Kenshin with that stuff!"

     "Hell yeah! Kenshin still has to teach me some more defensive 
techniques! He can't teach me anything while he's bed-ridden!"

      Two loud cracks from a shinai was heard, followed by course 
language that shouldn't be heard from a prim and proper lady.

      Kenshin sighed... how he missed them... how he missed them all.




***




     Randou smirked at Kuwabara as he wiped the blood from his face... 
but inside, he was really seething in anger. <A mere human... a mere 
human is doing this to me? Unforgivable... absolutely unforgivable... 
but what's more mortifying is... the fact that... the fact that....>

     "I have heard rumors of Yusuke's other companions... the powerful 
Jaganshi Hiei and his Kokuryuha technique... the cruel Youko Kurama and 
his demonic plant manipulation... now those are worthy opponents to 
beat. But you...." Randou sneered. "You're nothing... less than nothing. 
Disappear from my midst."

     The red-haired youkai merely tuned out the oncoming exclamations 
from the curly-haired boy afterwards. He then lightly looked at the 
wiped blood on his thumb... blood from the wound he got from Kuwabara's 
kick. "Feh."

    <Once upon a time, a mere kick like that wouldn't have affected me 
at all... physical force isn't enough to even faze me... only spiritual 
force can get me. But now... now....> Randou clenched his fist in pure
frustration as he finally prepared his next technique. <My imprisonment 
has taken it's toll on my constitution... damn you, Urameshi Yusuke!>

     "I must admit, I didn't think you'd last as long as you have, 
human,"  Randou spoke aloud, trying to hide his heavy breathing as best 
he could. "I can see now how you were able to survive the Ankoku 
Bujutsukai...."

     "Shut up and fight, asshole!" The human boy apparently tried to 
take advantage of Randou's supposed musings and charged at him, sword 
again outstretched like a lance. The demon laughed and leaped into the 
air so fast it was nearly impossible for Kuwabara to detect.

     Kuwabara whipped his head around. "Wha..." he could only mutter as 
the thunderous right fist of Randou slammed square on his chest.
Kuwabara was flung back, landing three somersaults away before regaining 
his composure and settling back on his feet.

     Randou laughed, this time genuinely. "But no matter how strong you 
are, it doesn't matter if you come charging at me like a bull.  It makes 
reading your next attack painfully easy." As he taunted Kuwabara, a beam 
of light energy appeared in front of him, this time a light green hue.
The energy seemed to hover in mid-air, about two feet from Randou, and 
had settled into a flat horizontal shape, much like a piece of paper 
laying on a desk.

     Creating another spirit sword, Kuwabara grunted. "Whatever. Is that
little thing part of your next trick?" He said, eyes narrowing.

     Randou smirked. "You could say that. This is one of my strongest 
attacks, I must admit.  Observe." Apparently confident enough in himself 
to turn away from his opponent, Randou and his new energy wave turned to 
their left. Kuwabara, content for a second of rest, decided to watch 
what Randou wanted to show off with.

     "Spirit Guillotine!" Randou suddenly roared. The flat energy ripped 
in front of him, charging forward like a furious wave. After traveling 
about twenty feet, it disappeared instantly and reappeared next to 
Randou.

     Kuwabara scratched his shoulder.  "Doesn't seem so spec..." His 
voice grew fainter when he saw the result of the attack. About fifteen 
trees had been caught in the range of Randou's attack. Kuwabara watched
in shock as all fifteen trees tumbled to the ground helplessly. All of 
their trunks had been sliced perfectly by the attack, creating smooth 
stumps that caused the rest of the upper-halves of the trunks to 
collapse noisily all around the surrounding area.

     The red-haired demon remained motionless, though it was obvious he 
was enjoying himself. "My Spirit Guillotine is one of my finest 
techniques, I must admit. It's faster and more powerful than any blade 
in existence. It can sever anything, particularly human flesh," he said, 
eyeing the human to gauge his reaction.

     "Whatever," Kuwabara repeated. "You're going down now, bastard."

     Randou readied himself as well.  This was one of his most powerful 
attacks, and if it failed the demon was unsure what to do.  After all, 
he had said that this Kuwabara was very powerful, but he didn't even 
imagine that it would be on this scale. Randou shook his head. <No 
matter... all the more reason for me to destroy this human now.> He 
had commanded it, and Randou would comply. He raised his left fist and 
clenched it. "Come on, human!"




***




     After a few minutes of teleportation and flying around, the trio of
Yusuke, Botan and Kenshin arrived in a small, grassy field about two 
miles outside of Tokyo; Botan knew that Kenshin was still very new to 
this modern world, and wanted him to soak up as much as he could before 
being blown away by what Tokyo had become. Kenshin, as Yusuke had 
requested, was carrying the special sword but tried to remain within ten 
feet of Yusuke at all times, just to make sure that another accident 
didn't occur.

     "Well, here we are!  Back on Earth!" Botan giggled, making her oar 
disappear in a flash.  Kenshin smiled and took a deep breath, inhaling 
all the air. "Oh, this is truly wonderful, Botan-dono." He took a few 
steps forward and began examining the insect life on the ground, 
watching in apparent total glee as an army of ants munched on a decaying 
bird.

     Yusuke rolled his eyes. "You're getting a lot out of stuff like 
this, aren't you?" he asked, only the smallest bit curious. He was 
looking to just get the whole movie thing done with as soon as possible 
so he could hit the arcade or something.

     Kenshin stood up and nodded. "My apologies for keeping you waiting.
We can go now." He said, noticing something in the sky and looking at it, 
mystified. It looked something like a bird, but it was moving incredibly 
fast and making a lot of noise. Botan tried explaining what it was, but 
she had to wait before it passed over them completely to avoid the huge 
amount of noise it created.

     When it had passed, Kenshin looked at his two new companions. "What 
was that flying metal bird, pardon my asking? More technology from this century?"

     Botan nodded, grinning ear to ear. "That's called an airplane, and 
it's the way most humans travel when going long distances.  They're able
to fly those all over the world now, and much quicker than a ship or 
train.  I was on one once, just to see what it would be like." She 
giggled again. "It was fun."

     Kenshin nodded. "What do they run on?  It can't be coal like trains 
do."

     "Jet engines." Yusuke said, a bit impatiently.

     The answer prompted a confused look from Kenshin.  "...Jet?  Pardon 
me, but sessha does not know of what you speak of."

     Yusuke looked down in despair.  "It's another kind of.... Look, 
iit'll take a century just to tell you about the stuff from this 
century, so let's leave it for later, alright?"  Just as before, Yusuke 
wasn't particularly interested in lectures on everyday things like 
microwaves and arcade machines.

     Kenshin nodded politely. "My pardons, this lowly one did not mean 
to be so pushy with regard to these new inventions.  Sessha is ready to
go."

     The three departed for a rarely used backroad that would lead to 
Tokyo... as Botan had explained. The ferry-girl and Yusuke walked in 
front, while Kenshin stayed behind to continue observing everything.

     "You know, Yusuke," Botan started quietly as Kenshin enjoyed gazing
at a bird fluttering from tree to tree, "it really wouldn't take too
much out of you to treat Kenshin a little nicer. Don't you think that if
you got transported to 2093, you'd want to know about what's happened 
since then?"

     Yusuke sighed. "Maybe, but there are thousands of things that are 
around that weren't when that guy was alive, and I just don't want to 
become his science teacher.

     "You don't have to, but when we get to Tokyo you know he'll have a 
lot of questions for you, so just know it off. If I..." Botan stopped 
when she saw Kenshin glancing at the two of them and smiling. 
Sweatdropping, the ferry-girl hoped that Kenshin hadn't heard what they 
were saying.

     "Ah!  Here we are!" Botan exclaimed, catching both of her 
companions' attentions.

     "What is it, Botan?" Yusuke asked.

     Botan walked away from the road, which led further down the small 
hill they were on. Instead, she headed for a small cliff that had formed 
and was used as a parking lot for people passing through.  She waved for 
the two men to join her.  As they did, she smiled. "Nice view, isn't it?  
You can see a good area of the city from here."

     Kenshin, able to see for several miles in front of him, was 
speechless. As he gazed at the incredible sight in front of him, his 
mouth dropped, as if what he saw totally stupefied him.  "Thi... this 
is..." was all he could muster. Botan, knowing that that would be his 
reaction, giggled.

     "Surprised, huh?" She said, taking his hand.  "It's changed since 
you were last here, if you couldn't tell. Kenshin, welcome back to Tokyo."




***



     Kenshin looked dumbstruck for a bit as he looked at Botan's hand, 
his mouth forming a little 'o' of shock. He smiled a bit, as if somehow 
this was what was supposed to happen in his life... his past life... the
sort of thing that _should_ have happened after he fought Shishio.

     Regrets... so many 'if onlys.' But they had no place in his 
so-called life now. Yet, it could have happened this way, if only he 
could have survived Shishio, then perhaps....




***




     They went as one toward the dojo... Kenshin remembered each and 
everyone of them well... his friends, his family. Sanosuke was there 
with his manly swagger and uncouthe demeanor... then there was Yahiko, 
who was currently trying to put up a posture that was worthy of a Tokyo 
Samurai descendant... then there was Kaoru, who was looking wistfully 
at the horizon....

     Or perhaps she was actually gazing at the nearby grove... a grove 
populated seasonally with hundreds of fireflies, the grove where he and 
she.... 

     Kenshin sighed, a mixture of guilt and nostalgia in him.
  
     Then Kaoru looked toward him, and smiled a heartbreaking smile. She
tilted her head and offered her hand, saying, "Welcome back, Kenshin."

     Kenshin smiled a small smile, took hold of Kaoru's hand and said,
"I'm home."

     Yes... perhaps it could have happened that way, couldn't it?


***
 



     Yusuke could only stare at the ferry-girl his samurai companion in
dumbstruck silence as Kenshin held Botan's hand, smiling. The Reikai
tantei shook his head as if to clear before declaring sarcastically, 
"Oi, you two finished there?"

     Botan quickly let go of Kenshin's hand, all the while blushing 
furiously. She then quickly pushed Kenshin reflexively in embarrassment
as she looked away, her heart palpitating...

     "ORO!?!"

     ...And not realizing that she had just pushed Kenshin to a nearby
tree. A low thud was heard as head connected to bark, as well as several 
incongruous "Oro?!" sounds. 

     "Oh my! Kenshin! Are you alright? I'm so sorry!" Botan worriedly 
and apologetically inquired to the swirly-eyed former wanderer.

     Yusuke sighed. "What a wimp," he murmured sullenly as he slowly 
trudged away from the comedic scene, towards his dreaded, sissy date 
with Keiko.     




***




     Kuwabara clutched his leg and his shoulder to keep more of his 
blood from spilling out. He was beginning to sense the onset of shock 
and panic as has arm began to become limp and his leg numbed. He was 
afraid that the muscles and tendons of his appendages might be 
permanently damaged, all because of a fight with one youkai that just 
refused to die.

     "What's the matter, human?" Randou said, smirking. "Why don't you 
block my special attack with your negligibly useful Rei-Ken?" The demon 
cackled. "My Spirit Guillotine attack was developed to counter even 
Urameshi's Rei-Gan... a superior technique than yours! It can cut 
through even Rei! How could you stand a chance against me now?"

     "SHUT... THE FUCK... UP!!!" Kuwabara roared as he awkwardly 
sprinted and limped toward Randou, summoning yet another Rei-Ken in 
hopes of getting close enough for a strike.
 
     "Spirit Guillotine," Randou simply said, gently savoring the words 
delectably. He then easily sliced through the Rei-Ken and most of the 
flesh of Kuwabara's forearm. Kuwabara howled in utter pain.

     "Fool. You knew that it can even cut through Rei... you never stood
a chance." Randou smirked, though he sweated profusely from all his 
efforts. <Good... I have the human where I want him. My strength is near 
depleted. Too bad he has no new attacks for me to steal, but just as 
well... he is, after all, the weak link of the so-called Urameshi Team. 
Feh.>

     "Damn... you... I... can... take you... on... just... you... 
wait..." Kuwbara rasped as his blood was spilled mercilessly on the 
ground. <Damn... I thought he'd still be just a lower class youkai... I 
never realized that he'd improve so much... but still....>

     "Finally, I shall get my revenge on Urameshi," Randou declared 
proudly as he dramatically summoned yet another Spirit Guillotine. "It's
time for you to die, human."

     "You bastard... why did you attack this area first if you're really
that hell-bent on getting Urameshi? From what I can see, most of your 
attacks still mean less that nothing to me... hell, I was able to get a 
hit! You think you can actually survive Urameshi, knowing that you can 
barely survive me?" Kuwabara reasoned, finally regaining most of his 
composure back.

     "Is that so?" Randou hissed through his gritted teeth as he began
cutting up Kuwabara anew, nearly mutilating the hapless Spirit 
Detective... but the adolescent didn't even give him the benefit of a
scream of pain this time.

     "Actually... I see it all in a more different light," Randou
sneered after he was finished with his merciless act, the smell of burnt 
flesh emanating all around the area. "I'm just following the code and 
edicts of the Art of War... attack the weak link of the enemy first."

     Now it was Kuwabara's turn to hiss. "You bastard...."

     Randou smirked. <No... I don't need to worry about the condition of
my body... I can take on this human. I'll have enough strength to bring
him down, the jaganshi, the youko and the hanyou known as Urameshi 
Yusuke... I can take them all on!> To Kuwabara, he says, "It's now time 
for my final strike," as he aimed his technique directly towards 
Kuwabara's head.




***




     "You're late!" Keiko berated, tapping her foot impatiently while
her arms were crossed. Her dress billowed in the wind dramatically. 

     "Yeah, well Koenma had me do some more of his stupid missions...
geez, ya think he could have just let go of me after the Makai
tournament, but nooooo...." Yusuke's face then brightened. "Oh yeah! 
Then we don't have to watch that stupid romantic movie? All right!"

     The crackle of a painful slap was heard a block away.

     "The hell you will! You won't skip out on me this time, Urameshi
Yusuke!" Keiko said determinedly, flinging a wicker basket in front
of Yusuke's hand-imprinted face. 

     "Eh? What's this for?" Yusuke queried, blinking confusedly.

     "See? I planned ahead... we're going on a picnic," Keiko cheered, 
her demeanor immediately changing. 

     Yusuke simply groaned at his overly sappy girlfriend. <Oh man. 
Well... maybe I could get something out of this date. Maybe after the
picnic....> He then noticed the inquiring look on his girlfriend's face. 
"Eh? What is it, Keiko?"

     "Who's your red-haired friend, Yusuke? Is he one of your 
acquaintances from one of those tournaments of yours?" Keiko inquired 
curiously, her head tilted inquisitively at the apparent stranger.

     <Oh boy... how am I going to explain this one?> Yusuke thought as 
he looked at the awkwardness of both Kenshin and Botan, each looking
at the opposite direction of each other in apparent unease.




***




     "It's now time for my final strike," Randou suddenly declared as he
let the Spirit Guillotine fall towards his opponent's direction. 

     As the long, thin ki-blade neared Kuwabara's neck, the orange-haired
boy's life metaphorically passed before his eyes, freezing in one particular
moment in time... one memory that was forever etched in his mind. 

     A vision of Yusuke soon appeared in Kuwabara's mind's eye.

     <Am I really the weak link?>

     It was a familiar apparition from a familiar memory.

     <Am I really just in everybody's way?>

     It was the memory of Yusuke walking away from him after one of their
fights which Kuwabara usually lost.

     <Answer me, Urameshi!>

     "You dickwad asswipe... didn't you know that I've never held back 
on you on any of our fights? That's the only reason you lost...." 
Yusuke seemed to say inside Kuwabara's head.

     Kuwabara smirked. That was the very thing he wanted to know as he 
held up one hand and shouted...

     "JIGEN TOU!"

     


***




     Seeing the puzzled, inquisitive look on Keiko's face, Yusuke 
chose that particular moment to fill in his significant other on
some of the details of his last mission.

     "Long story. He's a guardian of some powerful Reikai artifact and 
shit, if you could believe that. Koenma sent me to babysit him and his 
lame ass sword for a while, and..." Yusuke stopped in mid-sentence as he 
saw the shadow of a glare on Keiko's usually soft features. <Uh-oh.
I don't know what's going on, but I don't like that glare.>

     <Oh boy... I knew it. Keiko's giving Yusuke her 'three or more is 
a crowd' glare, and the clueless, moronic and insensitive oaf might just
blow it by making yet another one of his 'witty' comments,> Botan 
reckoned as she worriedly looked at Yusuke's slowly opening mouth. 
<Uh-oh! It's almost 'foot in his mouth' time for Yusuke! Better act 
fast....>

     Not really thinking about what she was doing, Botan suddenly 
grabbed Kenshin by the arm and blurted out, "It's okay, Keiko-chan! He's
with me! Kenshin and I are going to double date with you!"
      
     Stray leaves floated past the two silent 'couples.'

     "Er... my pardons... Keiko-dono, correct? This lowly one is known 
as Himura Kenshin... it's a pleasure to meet you, de gozaru yo," Kenshin 
immediately interjected as he did his best to allay Botan's sudden
accidental outburst. 

     "Y-yes... it's a pleasure to meet you too... er... Himura-san," 
Keiko said uncertainly, her eyes darting back and forth at the strange
red-haired person and Botan. <Eh? Double date?> 

     "My pardons, Keiko-dono... you need not be so formal. This lowly 
one would be perfectly happy to simply be referred to as Kenshin," 
Kenshin assured. 

     Keiko smiled as her cheeks became pink upon hearing Kenshin's 
avowal, eliciting a slight and unconscious frown on Yusuke's mouth.

     "Sometimes I wish you could be as polite as Botan's date is," Keiko 
berated jokingly, a light blush on her cheeks as Yusuke merely rolled
his eyes... though he did have enough decency to discreetly squeeze 
Keiko's hand in acknowledgement to her request.

     Speaking of couples holding hands, Botan was quite painfully aware
of _that_ and the fact that Keiko called Kenshin her date. Blushing 
profusely, she hissed to Kenshin, "This is all for Keiko-chan and 
Yusuke's  sake... don't get any funny ideas, samurai."

     Kenshin merely gave the blue-haired girl a heartwarming smile. 
"Hai, hai, de gozaru yo," earning him a discreet yet brief small smile 
from his receptive audience. 

     A flash of Kaoru's face was superimposed on Botan's face in 
Kenshin's mind.

     The tangible apparition shook his head from his brief reverie. 
<Silly thoughts... things to be done, things already done. I cannot go
back to my past anymore... what's done is done, after all. But....> He 
uunconsciousl squeezed Botan's hand as the two followed Yusuke and 
Keiko's lead toward the park. <But... let me enjoy this 'what if' even 
for a little while longer.>

     Due to the present circumstances, the four didn't at all notice the 
crimson eyes that espied them the entire time, it's orbs filled with
malicious intent.




***




     Randou barely had time to avoid the powerful blade's trajectory as 
it cut through his precious Spirit Guillotine like it was made out of 
paper. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" 

     "This..." Kuwabara rasped as he struggled to get up, "is what's 
going to cut you up to ribbons."

     "Impossible...! You merely swung your strange, new sword at thin 
air, and yet it was still able to destroy my Spirit Guillotine and split
the ground in half?! What is this supposed Dimensional Sword?!"

     Kuwabara snorted derisively, though at this point he could barely 
still stand up as it was. "Figure it out, ass. The name says it all."

     <I know what it is, your fucking human... it's a sword that can cut 
through spaces and dimensions... it can cut through far away objects. In
fact, it can cut up _anything_ that occupies space.> Randou narrowed his 
eyes. <What I don't get is how a mere human could develop such a 
high-level attack. Perhaps he's not the small fry I thought he was after
all.>

     "Give up and go back to your prison, Randou," Kuwabara said as he
pointed the Jigen Tou at Randou's face. "You look smart enough to figure
out the secret of this sword... so know you now that at this point you 
couldn't even defeat the 'weakest link' of Urameshi team... which only 
means that you're even weaker than the weakest link. It's over."

     The red-haired, pasty-skinned youkai looked dumbstruck for a bit
before he chuckled darkly. "No... not yet. Not until I've tried it for
myself."
     
     "What?!" Kuwabara said as he prepared his weapon for another 
strike. "You want it the hard way? Fine! I'll give you..."

     "JIGEN TOU!" Randou said as he formed his own version of Kuwabara's
attack, swinging it directly at the trajectory of the Reikai Tantei's 
own reflexive strike. 




***




     "Boss Iehik! We found the sword again! It's in the hands of that
pesky human from before," a blue-eyed, blonde-haired, fair-skinned demon
reported.
     
     "Very good, Bi... your ability to blend into a human backdrop is 
commendable. Now off with you... my brother and I have important things
to discuss," Iehik said, waving off his spy offhandedly. To Iehog, he 
inquired, "I really don't see how human's could consider the like's of 
Bi as 'attractive'... blech. Did you see that pale, soft skin? 
Ridiculous."

     "Whatever, big brother... but what about the sword? That really 
powerful half-demon still has it! What are we going to do?!" Iehog 
demanded, slamming his fist on a nearby boulder, breaking it into many, 
many pieces.

     "Patience, little one... patience," Iehik said, grinning. "We'll 
get our due... besides, like I've said...."

     Iehog rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes... you have a plan. But you sure 
are taking your sweet time in executing this supposed plan of yours," he 
bitterly retorted.

     Iehik cackled maniacally. "It's alright, little brother... one of 
oou employers is currently gathering information for us already... all 
we have to do is wait for him and his further instructions and we'll all 
be set."

     Iehog seemed to consider this. "Well, I've got to admit... if we 
have backup... yeah, you do think of everything, big brother."

     Iehik harrumphed. "But of course I would."




***




     Kuwabara looked numbly at his Jigen Tou as its broken pieces 
dissipated into thin air. <My strongest attack... defeated by that 
asshole's copycat technique!? Dammit!> His wounds flared in pain yet 
again as he cautiously eyed the thicker-looking Jigen Tou Randou was 
currently sporting, with only one word on his lips... "How...?"

     Randou smirked. "You look like a smart lad. Figure it out for 
yourself."

     Kuwabara's head raced with many wild conclusions, but the most 
apparent one was Randou's basic copycat techniques. "Yaro... that Spirit 
Guillotine shit of yours is a combination of all the ki-sword techniques
you've seen, including my Rei-Ken. Now you've stolen my Jigen Tou 
technique and fused it with your lame-ass one!"

     "Correct," Randou said proudly. "My Jigen Tou is superior to yours 
because it can cut through Rei, which is what your Jigen Tou is made 
off." He then chuckled maliciously. "It's now definitely over now... for
you."

     "Baka yaro! You can't even create your own lines! You're a copycat 
through and through!" Kuwabara sneered, even though his heavily-damaged 
body was now shaking like a leaf. 

     "Yeah? Well this copycat is about to send you back to your 
employer, Koenma. Good-bye!"




***
 



     Botan felt a bit akward at Kenshin's presence, but she tried 
desperately to compose herself. <Just because he did that... weird... 
holding-hands thing upon seeing Tokyo and stuff doesn't mean that he's 
actually interested in me or anything. Anyway....> She sighed. <I wish 
that sometimes Koenma-sama would....>

     "Oro?! Incredible! Horseless carriages!" Kenshin said, his eyes
as wide as saucers. "What great developments de gozaru! This new century 
really is quite a sight to behold... so many developments in 
technology de gozaru yo! This lowly one wonders how those cars run... 
do you have any idea, Yusuke-dono?"

     "Yusuke don't know," Yusuke offhandedly said, eyes half-lidded as 
he deliberately ignored Kenshin's excited pleas and inquiries. 
<Sheesh... people would think that he was raised and trained in the 
mountains or something.> To Kenshin, he said, "I never really had any 
interest with those kind of things."

     "Actually, Kenshin-san... the reason they're running is because 
they are powered by fossil fuels," Keiko explained matter-of-factly. 
"I'm surprised you didn't know this."

     "It's because he's... er... been under a rock, so to speak," Botan 
explained, thinking, <Or stuck to a rock on an altar inside a remote 
cave in Japan... but never mind that....>

     "Oro? Fossil fuels?" Kenshin further inquired, blinking. "What are 
those?"

     "Oh... y'know... crude oil? The by-products of that can be used for
many things."

     "Oil... sessha understands now," Kenshin said, his expression 
turning grim. <It's the the black, inky substance in Shishio's battle 
arena... he predicted that the industrialized countries are going to 
make good use of it to spearhead an industrial revolution... it seems 
that he was right on that part all along.>

     "Oi, Kenshin... whatsamatter?" Yusuke said, getting an evil glint 
in his eyes. "Are you imagining what Botan would look like nude?"

     That little statement earned Yusuke a paddling from Botan. "WHAT 
THE HELL IS IN THAT DIRTY LITTLE MIND OF YOURS!? WHY THE HELL WOULD HE
THINK THAT!?"

     "Geez! Relax, will ya! It's normal for guys to think that, even if 
they are hundred-year-old spirits and stuff. Why, I was just thinking 
the same thing about Keiko just now...."

     A noise akin to that of the crack of a whip was heard as a flat 
hand connected to an already reddened cheek. "Pervert!"

     "Ow! Don't hit me on the same cheek!"

     "Oro!? Look at that! It's yet another large, flying metal bird! 
It's called a jet, is it not? Incredible, de gozaru yo!" 

     Botan could only sigh in dismay under the given circumstances.




***




     Randou stopped at mid-strike as he realized something was wrong...
something was very wrong. "Oh shit."

     His body was suddenly cut in half, blood spurting everywhere.

     <That Jigen Tou... that Jigen Tou of the human has already cut me 
in half all along and I didn't even realize it!>

     Kuwabara, in a sudden burst of desperation upon seeing that small
window of opportunity, charged toward the nearly mutilated Randou, his 
fists flailing wildly. "Your time has run out, you low-class demon!"

     Randou felt the reserves of his ki drop dramatically upon receiving 
the pummeling blows of his opponent. He had no choice this time... 
though it would result as a great sacrifice to his constitution, he had 
to do that one desperate final attack.

     Tapping upon the energy stored within his tainted blood, he chanted
a sutra which ended with the phrase, "BLOOD WIND!!!" 




***




     "Boss Iehik, the employer is here!"

     Iehik nodded to Bi. "So... where is he already?"




***




     Kuwabara tiredly scoured all of his bloodied surroundings, the 
uprooted trees and even the inside of the spiral-shaped crater that 
resulted from his nemesis' last attack, but there was simply no sign of 
his opponent. "Dammit... mission failed. Some Class-C... that demon's at 
least a fucking Class...."

     Soon exhaustion caught up with him as he collapsed at the center of
the crater, the darkness quickly overwhelming his vision.




***




     "Don't toy with me, Bi! I have no more patience left for this! 
Where is our great benefactor and employer?!" Iehik irritably said, 
several large veins already pulsating on his considerable forehead.

     Bi merely scratched the back of his head as he said, "Here he is," 
showing his open palm and revealing a six-inch sized little demon with 
pasty white skin and red hair.

     Iehik could only stare in shock. "R-Randou-sama?!?"




***



 
To be Continued...


Next: The immortal wolf, and more secrets surrounding the
demon's sword revealed.

Ah... yes. My first cooperative, round-robin fanfic. ^-^ Feels
good to get back to writing after such a long sabbatical due to
college life and stuff. 

Many thanks go to my co-author Danyal Herder for writing half of 
the stuff here in the first chapter of Youto Shinnoken and for
the "Yahiko's Sakabatou" manga forwards. Much coolness, dude... 
much coolness. 

I dedicate this fic to the original author... SeventhOne, this 
concept rocks. ^-^ 

Disclaimer: Yuyu Hakusho is the rightful property of Yoshishiro 
Togashi, Shueisha, Fuji TV and St. Pierrot. Rurouni Kenshin is the
rightful property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Sony. Don't sue me please, 
I'm very poor.

Ja ne!
C. Casta�eda


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