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
Chapter Four, folks! This is Danyal again, and unlike the previous
chapters, this one was written completely by yours truly. Chester is on
something of a break, but he'll be back in time to work on Chapter five,
which we should begin work on in the near future. Anyway, all 8232 words of
this are because of me, so direct all praise (Or more likely, criticism) my
way. :)
A few more notes before proceeding:
< > indicates character thoughts
" " indicates character speech
_________________________________________________
Chapter 4: Wishes Fulfilled
_________________________________________________
Koenma sighed and continued sifting through the seemingly endless papers
strewn about on his desk, a process he actually enjoyed every once in a
while. It was an excellent way to pass time as painfully boring as this,
and also gave the impression of doing work in case one of his rude servants,
of which there were many, barged in without knocking first. Still, it could
still become dull in itself, and after an hour and a half of doing it, the
sound of rustling papers began to grate on his ears. Finally, the prince of
hell resigned himself to leaning in the back of his chair and thinking about
what his next command would be, another way to distract himself from
imminent dilemmas.
Finally, after countless glances at his clock and idle twiddling of his
thumbs, there was a timid knock at his door. His head snapped to attention.
�Is that you, Jorge?�
�Yes, Koenma-san. I�ve found the humans you were searching for, but they
came somewhat reluctantly, and I...�
�Whatever, whatever.� Koenma shouted hurriedly. �Just get in here!�
�Yes, Koenma-san!� The double doors swung open and Jorge rushed in, panting
and face drenched in sweat. As soon as he came into the room, he doubled
over to help catch air. The scene caused Koenma to arch an eyebrow. �What
the heck happened to you?� He asked.
He heard a laugh from the hallway. �You should keep your little slaves in
better shape, pal. If some demons invaded, you and your little friends
would be toast.�
�Don�t tell me how to run this operation!� Koenma screamed. �I recognize
that stupid voice. Get in here, Sanosuke!�
The double doors opened again and in walked in a very tall human,
apparently in his late 20s. His wild, dark brown hair was arranged in
spikes on his head, and a red bandanna hung just over his eyes. Aside from
white sweats and an extremely loose white jacket, complete with �aku�
adorned on the back, his torso was wrapped in bandages. He laughed. �Come
on. I�ve busted gambling halls with twice the security you�ve got around
this place. It�s pretty pathetic, really.�
Koenma, fuming at the sight of a ningen insulting his management skills,
pulled his pacifier out of his mouth. �I wouldn�t be so quick to mock the
ruler of the world you inhabit, Sagara. I can always transfer you to a less
desirable area, you know.� He hissed.
�Koenma-san, you know that Sanosuke�s talking out of his ass, like usual.�
Another voice said as the door to Koenma�s office pushed open once again.
This time the figure that entered was a much darker-skinned man looking
several years younger, but with the same unruly hair style that Sanosuke
wore. A long katana was strapped to the back of his blue kimono, and he
smiled at the sight of Koenma. �Good to see you again, Koenma-san. It�s
been quite a while since I last saw you.�
The prince of hell jumped onto his desk. �Yes, it has. Jorge, would you
please excuse us? I have some private things to discuss with these two
gentlemen.�
Jorge nodded. �Yes, sir.� Without another word, he hastily exited, content
that he could find something else to occupy his time with.
Sanosuke watched the ogre leave and rolled his eyes. �What a dork.� He
turned to Koenma. �So what�s this all about? Last I heard, heaven didn�t
include being dragged out of a perfectly good nap by that goon and forced
into this stupid place.�
�Reikai isn�t your personal playground, Sanosuke. I�m sorry to see that a
century of peace hasn�t taught you a little more respect for your elders.�
�Just shut up, pal.� Yahiko scolded. �It�s not like you�ve suffered from a
lack of sleep, anyway.� He looked at Koenma, who was now pacing back and
forth on his desk. �So what�s the deal, Koenma-san? It must be important
for you to call us in here.�
�Well, yes and no.� Koenma said slowly, unsure of the correct way to focus
the conversation. �You see, one of my spirit detectives came across a
powerful sword today, one that I had feared could fall into the wrong hands.
He was indeed attacked by some demons, but he repelled them. Anyway, the
sword�s safe at the moment, but...�
�What does this have to do with us?� Yahiko interrupted. �If the sword�s on
Earth, we can�t help protect it. We�re dead.�
Koenma groaned and shook his head. �I know that, you idiot. Just let me
finish. Anyway, the sword has the power to drastically amplify the power of
whoever wields it. The reason it�s able to do this is because it holds an
incredibly powerful spirit inside of it, one who has recently been
unleashed.�
Sanosuke threw his fists together. �And you want us to get rid of that
stupid-ass spirit?�
�Not unless you�re interested in destroying your old friend Himura
Kenshin.� Koenma smiled, waiting to see what the reaction of the two spirits
would be.
The reaction was a mixture of awe and complete disbelief on the part of the
two men. �What the hell are you talking about? Kenshin�s trapped in a
freaking sword?� Yahiko hollered. �That�s impossible! Kenshin�s way too
powerful to get imprisoned like that!�
�I know that he�s very strong; I saw him fight during the Bakumatsu. And,
to be honest, I don�t know the complete story of how he became one with the
blade. But what I do is that Yusuke - my detective - has unleashed him, and
this very act is a sure sign that people who should never have access to the
sword are trying to get their hands on it. As both a ruler and protector, I
can�t allow that.�
Sanosuke and Yahiko looked at each other, shrugging simultaneously. �Well,
okay, I can believe that,� Sanosuke finally said, �But again, even with
Kenshin running around, what does that really have to do with us? You said
that that Yusuke or whatever was on the case, why can�t he handle it? I�m
sure Kenshin will help him out in any way possible.�
�Because Yusuke and Kenshin, for all their great strength, could well be in
over their heads this time. I�m not exactly sure of who�s behind this, but
one of my other detectives found some...unsettling news.� Koenma shuddered,
remembering Kurama�s letter from just a few hours ago.
�What�d it say?� Yahiko asked.
�You wouldn�t understand all the details of it, but in a nutshell an
unknown spirit destroyed a demon I knew to be very, very powerful, and I
received word that he�s sending his subordinates to retrieve the sword, and
to all worlds. As you can understand, this makes me very nervous.�
Sanosuke sighed. �This is all utterly fascinating.� He said sarcastically.
�But you�re forgetting, Koenma-san, that we�re dead.� He barked the last
word. �It�s not like we can just jump back onto Earth and crack some more
skulls.�
Koenma smiled. �Actually, it is.�
�What?� Sanosuke and Yahiko called out, again at the same time.
Koenma folded his arms together. �It�s not a process I like to use very
often, but I�d be lying if I said this wasn�t bothering me a bit. Look, I
know that you both led very honest and honorable lives when you walked
Ningenkai, and you certainly deserve eternal comfort as a reward for all
that hard work. But if you�re willing to risk losing your souls by saving
all three worlds from this threat, I can send you back to Nin...back to
Earth indefinitely, until the threat is gone. The decision is completely
yours.�
Yahiko stepped forward instantly. �If humanity is in danger, they can
always count on Myoujin Yahiko to save them!� He shouted.
�Excellent!� Koenma grinned. �I knew you�d be up to the task, Yahiko.
You�re truly one of the finest of Reikai�s spirits.� He cocked his head and
glanced at Sanosuke. �And what about you, Sano? Go back to your nap,
oblivious to all the suffering going on around you, or take a stand and
eradicate those who would kill innocent mortals?�
After thinking about it for a few seconds, Sanosuke sighed deeply. �God,
one second I�m in the middle of a nice sleep, and the next...� He glared at
Koenma. �What are you looking at? You know what my answer�s gonna be. I�ll
help, of course.�
�Yes!� Koenma said, jumping in the air gleefully. �Wonderful! Fantastic!�
When he saw Yahiko and Sanosuke looking at him through arched eyebrows,
however, he straightened himself up. �Well, I�m very pleased that you two
have decided to loan your help to me.� He said in a dignified manner,
plopping back onto his chair.
�Hey, if you�re going to send us back onto Earth, why not the rest of our
friends?� Yahiko asked. �There�s Kaoru and Aoshi and Misao and Seijuro and
even Saito. They�d all be able to kick some demon ass too, you know.�
Koenma shrugged. �I�m not yet at the point where I think it�s necessary,
and as I said before, I�m going to try and avoid sending dead spirits back
to Ningenkai if possible. I�ve had a pretty good track record in the time
that I�ve been running this place, and I�d like to keep it that way.�
�Whatever. So where�re you taking us? Back to Japan?� Sanosuke asked.
�Yes. Tokyo, to be exact. Though I must warn you both: In the very short
time since you departed, Tokyo has changed very much from the Tokyo you
knew. Technology now runs people�s lives, and you�ll more than likely have
to learn how to operate some of those machines.
Yahiko nodded. �Yeah, I�ve seen some of the newer spirits in Reikai. They
wear some really weird clothes now, from what I�ve seen.�
Koenma snapped his fingers. �Ah, there�s that to consider as well, yes.
You two can�t be running around in those outfits.� A glowing yellow light
flashed above Koenma�s hand, and after a moment a huge wad of paper bills
appeared in it. He tossed half of them to Sanosuke and the other half to
Yahiko. �That should be enough money to get you two set up. If you don�t
find Yusuke or Kenshin in the first day, just crash at a hotel. There�s a
million of them in Tokyo.
�Right.� Sanosuke said, pocketing the money. �Hey, while we�re on the
subject, how�re we going to find Kenshin and that Yusuke? Tokyo was big
when we were last there, by now it�s probably huge.�
�Twenty-six million people, to be exact. And you�re correct.� Koenma said,
proceeding to open one of his desk drawers and rifle through it hurriedly.
Within five seconds, he had slammed two small black devices, complete with
antenna and radar screen, on his main writing area. Hopping off his desk,
he handed one to each of his newly enlisted fighters.
�These,� He began, �Are spirit energy trackers. Not particularly advanced,
but still far better than nothing at all. I�m going to send you to the home
of another one of my detectives - Kazuma Kuwabara, Yusuke�s best friend. If
he or his sister is there, just say that I sent you and they�ll help you
out. After you get set up, you�ll be able to trace large amounts of spirit
energy waves with those trackers. You could be led to Kenshin and his
sword, or demons; unfortunately, those trackers aren�t advanced enough to
tell the different kinds of energy apart. Still, either way you�ll be able
to find out more information.� He grinned, hoping Sanosuke and Yahiko
wouldn�t be annoyed at this fact. They were.
Sanosuke looked at the device for a moment, grunted and stuffed it into his
jacket as well. �Whatever. Look, enough of this talk, Koenma. Just tell me
whose face I need to smash in, and I�ll do it. I�m a simple kind of guy
that way.�
�Is it really that hard to address me as Koenma-san, Sano? I know you�ve
got something of an issue taking orders from people higher up than you, but
you really ought to have more respect for the prince of the world you live
in.� He said, arching an eyebrow.
�Just ignore him, Koenma. Sanosuke can be like that sometimes. Right,
rooster-head?� Yahiko said, knowing that the name would get a rise out of
him.
Instead, Sanosuke just kept his rage bottled up and glared at the other
two. �Just get us back to Earth, Koenma...Or Koenma-san, whichever you
like.� He grunted.
�Fantastic. That�s all I need to say to you two, then. Just keep your
eyes closed, and I�ll take care of the rest of the process. You have
nothing at all to fear.� Koenma said.
Yahiko and Sanosuke obliged by closing their eyes, though Sanosuke peeked
to see Koenma clasping his hands around his head, apparently to help him
concentrate. �Hey, Sano,� Yahiko said. Hearing his friend, Sanosuke closed
his eyes again. �Yeah?� He replied.
�Isn�t this weird? In the span of less than an hour, we�ve gone from total
peace to being about to get our mortal bodies back, going back to Earth and
save mankind from a hideous evil...again. Funny how time works, isn�t it?�
�Definitely.� Sanosuke answered. �You think you�ll be able to handle it?�
Yahiko laughed. �Of course. Picnics with Tsubame are nice, but once in a
while I need to kick some evil ass.� He flashed a roguish grin. �Besides, I
became the most powerful samurai in Japan in the span of five years. I
wonder how good I�ve gotten after 125 years of practice.�
Before Sanosuke could reply, a huge blast of white light shot out from
Koenma�s hand and engulfed the two spirits, preventing either of them from
speaking. The light formed a large sphere around them and began to tear
away at the air around them. After about ten seconds, the light began to
dim from Koenma�s view. Within another half-minute of watching silently,
the orb of energy, along with Sanosuke and Yahiko, had completely vanished
from Koenma�s office. In another few seconds they would find themselves in
front of Kuwabara's television set.
----------------
The world of Makai had countless strongholds and castles built for
individuals who commanded enough power to warrant their own living space.
The most notable home was that of the current ruler, Enki, for all the
official business of Makai was done there. Still, if one were to wander
about the land for just a few hours, several more could be found, giving
demons and their legions a base to train and pursue whatever their agendas
happened to be. Because they so often held such powerful creatures, they
were rarely disturbed by thuggish or thieving minor youkai, and could be
left unguarded.
Such was the case with one of the many bases just a few hours away from
Enki�s home. It was a magnificent home, capable of housing hundreds of
demons comfortably. It was set aside from the streets of everyday activity
with its own field of dozens of acres for training grounds. The building
itself was constructed of a white compound that contrasted with the dreary
sky that permanently drifted above it.
A fire roared through one of the rooms on the top floor, which stood three
stories above ground level. Inside, a demon with eternally closed eyes but
six constantly twitching ears sat in a luxurious red chair, head facing the
ceiling and locked in a deep meditation. He was alone in the room, but wind
could be heard clanging across the window. Nothing had disturbed the being
for hours, and nothing did until a miniscule sound above him caught his
attention. He stood up, using his fantastic aural ability to trace where
the sounds he heard were coming from. After a few seconds of listening, he
threw his head down and chuckled.
�You may appear now, Mukuro. I can tell that�s you.� He said.
A flash of red light flared in front of him, and a red-haired woman with
the right side of her face wrapped in bandages emerged from it. She had no
right eye, but instead a black orb that was wired to an apparatus that hung
all the way below her neck. Taking a seat at a chair across the table from
the six-eared demon, she brushed a bit of dust off her sleeve. �It took you
over three seconds to realize that it was me, Yomi. I hope you haven�t
gotten complacent in these few months of peace.� She said.
Yomi snorted. �Nonsense. I�m just not used to people running around on the
roof of my home. Forgive me for this...complacency, as you put it.� He
finished sarcastically. �Now, why have you requested an audience with me?�
Mukuro sighed. �All right, there�s no point in beating around the bush.
After all, I�m sure you know that I wouldn�t ask to speak with you if it
wasn�t important.� She shrugged, unsure if Yomi would be able to notice her
minute body movements. �Hiei�s been doing an excellent job of patrolling
our lands and finding those that should not be in Makai. However, he�s also
come across some bits of information here and there that could prove
interesting if not addressed.�
�Oh?� Yomi asked, leaning back in his chair and folding his left leg over
his right. �What makes this information special? You know that I�ve got
agents working for me as well, and they�re always bringing me news, but it�s
worthless. What makes Hiei�s findings unique?�
�Nothing earth-shattering, at least not yet. But he�s encountered a fair
number of demons - five or six, if I�m not mistaken - that all tell the same
story of some being attempting to cross over worlds and take over Reikai,
than Ningenkai. If it was just one or two wretches claiming to work for
this spirit or such, Hiei would not have brought it to my attention.�
Yomi shook his head. �Nonsense. If that�s all you have, than you have
wasted my time. Even if you think this is worth noting, you should discuss
it with Enma, or even...� His small smile disappeared into a look of
disgust, �Our lord, Enki.�
�Don�t say such infuriating things.� Mukuro snapped back. �We both know
that Enki won that tournament based purely on dumb luck of the brackets. He
could never have beaten me if I hadn�t just fought Hiei, or you after just
fighting Yusuke. As such, I refuse to acknowledge him as the lord of Makai,
and I suggest you do the same.�
�Your jealousy over the outcome of the match is amusing, I must admit.�
Yomi�s grin resumed. �But still, you are correct that we are the most
powerful beings in the universe. Enma is little more than a figurehead, and
since Ningenkai has no true ruler, that leaves just the two of us.� He
stood up. �Does this mean you think this tale of a multi-dimensional,
power-hungry madman is so great that you think we should fight? If that�s
the case, my dear, than it is you and not I who has grown complacent in this
era.�
The fist of Mukuro slammed on the table. �Stop putting words into my
mouth.� She snarled. �How I would have loved to battle you in the finals of
the Bujutsukai...� Her voice trailed off for a second before resuming again.
�In any case, I had no intention of having the two of us become personally
involved. However, with both of our second-in-commands being very close to
Reikai and its current head of affairs...�
�You want me to summon Kurama and have him work with Hiei for the time
being, and investigate it.� Yomi finished. �I truly don�t see why such an
event would be gathering, what with Koenma doubtless having enlisted Yusuke
already, but...� He hesitated for a moment. �Very well. In the interest of
full disclosure, Kurama has already done a bit of research on this subject;
I gather that Hiei or Koenma told him about it earlier.�
Mukuro arched her only eyebrow. �Did he tell you anything worth noting?�
�Not much more than I already knew.� Yomi shook his head. �But I must tell
you, Mukuro, that I don�t wish to become directly involved in this...ordeal,
whatever comes of it. Not only would it terribly annoying to deal with,
tracking down some whelp upstart, but I also have no intention of making it
appear that we�re the police force of Makai, Ningenkai and Reikai.� He took
a small cup of tea off the table and sipped it. �Do you concur, Mukuro?�
�Yes.� The woman nodded. �It�ll be much easier to send Kurama and Hiei
covertly to Koenma and say that they�ll be helping him. Kurama probably
won�t even need to be convinced by you; he�s got so many connections in all
three worlds, I can�t imagine him disregarding the request.�
Yomi laughed. �I don�t know how you deal with your subordinates, Mukuro,
but my men take orders from me. If I order Kurama to take this matter into
his hands, he�ll do so,� He lowered his head. �And while we�re on that
subject...attack.�
In a flash, Mukuro saw an opening in the adjacent wall turn sideways, and a
long green object fly towards her. Acting on pure instinct, she jumped onto
the table and thrust her right leg forward, snapping the object in two. It
fell to the ground, not moving. Mukuro jumped down back to the floor to
examine it. When she realized what it was, she laughed.
�Still trying to entrap me, Yomi?� She said. �The feud is supposed to be
over, mind you.�
Yomi laughed as well. �Yes, yes, but I cannot resist meeting with you
without being sure you aren�t on your toes. After all, we�ve tried killing
each other countless times in the past.� He turned to the wall, leaving
Mukuro to sit down again. �Kurama! Please come in here.�
With the section in the wall still open, a medium-sized man with green eyes
and incredibly long, red hair gingerly stepped inside, bowing to both Yomi
and Mukuro. �Forgive me for the attack, Mukuro-san, but Yomi insisted.� He
said, allowing a small grin.
�Not at all.� Mukuro chuckled. �It almost comforts me to know that Yomi
hasn�t changed, even in these times. But now, back to the matter at hand,�
She noticed the section of the wall close as she continued speaking. �You no
doubt heard all that we discussed, correct?�
Kurama nodded. �Yes, and you were also correct to note that I would have
taken part even if my lord Yomi hadn�t ordered me to,� He inhaled. �I�ve
spent too much time in Makai lately, anyway. I should like to immerse
myself in human culture again.�
�One thing Mukuro and I can always agree on, Kurama, is that neither of us
can understand your fascination with those creatures.� Yomi shook his head.
�Do you think you�ll be able to find Hiei, Kurama?� Mukuro asked. �I�m
quite lenient with his assignments, so he could honestly be anywhere on
Makai right now. If you need help, I�d be happy to provide it to you.�
Kurama shook his head. �I know Hiei well enough to be able to guess where
he is. But I thank you very much, Mukuro-san.� He bowed. �If you would be
so kind, I could like to have a private word with my lord.�
�Of course not.� Mukuro stood up. �I have other things to tend to, anyway.
It was excellent seeing you again, Kurama,� She bowed and turned to Yomi.
�And as for you, my eternal rival, it is never too long before our paths
cross again, but I wish you a farewell all the same.� She bowed.
Yomi bowed himself. �And I you, Mukuro.� A flash of the same red light
surrounded Mukuro, and in an instant she was gone.
Kurama picked up a piece of paper that had fallen from the table and set it
neatly back on. �It was good to see Mukuro-san again. Hiei speaks often of
her, but I can never find the time to keep in touch with her on a decent
basis.� He mused, more to himself than Yomi.
�You needn�t worry; Mukuro and I have spent centuries upon centuries
dueling. By now we no doubt know every last quirk about each other.� He
smiled. �So what did you want to ask me? Is it that you think Mukuro knew
more than she was telling me? I certainly think she was.�
�You are far too quick to judge, Yomi. No, I wanted to ask you how
personally involved you plan to get in this matter. Unless absolutely
necessary, I�d advise against it. Other demons could look upon you
trouncing a new firebrand as a sign of weakness, and I...�
Kurama was interrupted by Yomi�s laughter. �You needn�t tell me of these
things, Kurama; and you should know me better than that. I have absolutely
no intention of getting any more involved than by sending you out to work
with Hiei. If it doesn�t explicit involve Makai, than I could not possibly
care less. I�m sure Mukuro feels the same way; she�s just a bit more
cautious than I.� He lowered his head. �In any event, what are your plans?�
�I�m not entirely sure.� Kurama admitted. �Of course, the most obvious
concern is to track down Hiei, but I also sent a note to Koenma a short
while ago; if his servants work with any efficiency he should have it by
now. There�s also Yusuke. I should be busy for a while.� He smiled.
Yomi nodded. �That�s fine, but I must ask you something: So far, you and
Mukuro have cited what our allies and contacts have said, but information
from the enemy itself has been very limited, restricted only to the lowest
on the chain of command. Are you really sure this threat is warranted based
on such little information.�
�Forgive me, Yomi, but you don�t know all the details behind this, and I
wouldn�t dare bore you with all of them. We can just leave it at me
thinking that this is indeed a credible threat. As for a lack of
informants, all that means is that our enemy is very mysterious, and
extremely methodical. He�s likely planned every event that�s happened so
far.�
Yomi thought for a moment. �Very well. You have your orders then, my
second-in-command Kurama,� He said in a bit of mock formality. �Find Hiei
and eliminate the threat.�
Kurama laughed. �I shall do my best, lord Yomi...Or should I say,
�partner?�� He asked as he exited the room. Yomi considered answering him,
but left it there and sat back down in his chair, content to resume his deep
meditation.
----------------
Snow puttered onto the surface of the frosty hill, and a nearby village of
about five thousand humans could be seen from some of the more scenic
footholds. The sun, already dim from the thick clouds spouting forth snow,
was just beginning to set down into the horizon, causing the bottom of the
sky to morph from its usual blue hues into an amalgam of bright colors.
Usually a popular spot for backpacking and hiking, on this particular day no
humans appeared to have chosen the hill for their adventuring, and it lay
mostly bare, with only the occasional bird fluttering past.
That tranquility was soon broken when a very large figure approached the
base of the hill from a worn road that would eventually lead back into the
village. Entirely garbed in a brown trench-coat that the being even had
covering his face, the only distinguishing figure the naked eye could see
was a pair of drown brown, hairy feet with unusually sharp toenails. Gloves
concealed the large hands of the figure, and one could only see patches of
his legs and face as he emerged from a car that had been smashed into a tree
and meandered toward the hill in apparently a disorienting daze.
Beginning a slow and steady stumble up the small mountain, the creature
paused after a few minutes of climbing and looked over the view that the
effort had given him. Right in front of him was a small batch of forested
area, and a bit further yielded the first houses of the human village.
Surveying the situation briefly, the being concluded that more effort would
not be necessary, at least not for the moment. Shedding the trench-coat and
dropping it to the bottom of the hill, the creature revealed himself to be a
seven-foot tall demon with a skin shade the same color as his feet. Various
horns were adorned on his body, and he wore nothing more than his gloves
besides a small, plain loincloth.
Turning away and preparing to beginning venturing further up the hill to
find a speck of shelter, he heard something rustling nearby and turned his
head around quickly. He saw a bird skyrocket out of a small tree nearby and
shoot into the sky. The demon breathed a sigh of relief.
�That was a good scare there.� He said to himself, sighing, �I must relax
more. I am safe, at least for the moment.�
�Can you be sure of that, Urez?� Another voice from below caused the heart
of the demon to sink deep into the snowy ground. In the blink of an eye, a
flash of black streaked out of the tree so fast Urez could barely detect its
movement. When it stopped, Urez took a step back. Not ten feet in front of
him was a very small demon, glaring at him with burning eyes. His black and
white hair swayed against the wind, as did the simple black robe he wore.
Urez continued stepping back until he felt his backside hit a natural wall.
Sweat began dripping down his face, �How...How did you find me, Hiei? I
fled Makai a week ago. Have you spent this whole time tracking me?�
Hiei snorted. �Of course not. I�ve got far better things to do with my
time. Do you think I�m so incompetent as to not be able to find you in
Ningenkai? It doesn�t matter if you�re in Makai or in the farthest corner
of the human world, for if I search for you, I will find you.� He lowered
his eyes and put a hand on his sheath, �And I will also kill you.�
�But...But...This is the place humans call Alaska, a place of freezing
temperatures. How are you able to stand it up here?� Urez asked, hoping to
buy some time to think of a way of escaping the situation with his life.
Again, a grunt of discontent came from Hiei. �You insult me once more. You
would assume that just because I belong to the element of fire, that I would
be somehow vulnerable in this icy land? If you believed that, than you are
even stupider than I had thought.� He moved into a charging position.
�Prepare to die.�
�No! Please!� Urez bawled, holding his hands up, �I swear that I don�t
know anything about a takeover of Makai! Oh, please! How many times do I
have to tell you before you believe me, Hiei? Just don�t kill me, please!�
A chuckle from the mouth of the smaller demon emerged. �Seeing that you�re
facing the final moments of your worthless existence, I suppose it would be
fair to reveal my intentions.� He released his sword from his sheath, �I
know that you have nothing to do with the alleged plan to take over Makai.
I�ve known that from the start.�
�W, w, what?� Urez sputtered, �But if you knew that, why have you been
hunting me to the ends of two earths?�
�Because I haven�t had a hunt this enjoyable for a very long time.� Hiei
said, the thin smile on his face growing slightly wider, �A while back, you
made a comment insulting my master Mukuro to some friends of yours. I�ve
since killed them all for their own words, and I considered killing you then
and being done with it.� He readied his sword, �But you proved to be such a
pathetic runaway that I tracked you down every step of the way, just to see
how amusing it would be.� The smile dropped from his face, �I am no longer
amused. And so, you die now.�
Urez closed his eyes. �V...Very well, Hiei. If you must kill me, you must
kill me. But you would do that even though I have done nothing to you
except made a rude comment about your lord, a comment for which I am truly,
truly sorry?�
�You are only sorry when a sword is being pointed at you.� Hiei grasped his
sword in both hands, �Goodbye, Urez.� Charged forward at a blinding speed
even faster than before, Urez never felt the blow from Hiei that would slice
him in half cleanly, nor would he even slightly sense his upper body
toppling to the ground lifelessly.
Hiei bent down and wiped a patch of snowy liquid across his blade, wiping
most of the blood off of it. Deciding that he could clean it more
thoroughly later, he looked at the corpse of Urez, cut into two pieces and
spraying multicolored fluids on the rocks nearby. For the slightest part of
a second Hiei felt a bit of remorse that maybe he had acted too harshly for
an unkind word on his master, but it was quickly replaced for a righteous
sense of doing everything he could to protect the well-being of his master,
and any sympathy within the fire demon was erased.
Sliding his sword back in his sheath, Hiei turned his eyes away from Urez
and towards the view of the village the small cliff gave him. He was able
to see an automobile or two roam through the streets and pass the small
buildings.
He sighed. �So this is the place they call Alaska.� He mused, �Yukina would
like it here. I should take her to his place sometime.� He looked at the
sky, watching for a few moments as the snow stopped coming down and the
night sky began to emerge, �I had best get back to Makai.� Without another
word, he disappeared from view.
------------
�Ah, I never get tired of visiting this place.� Botan said, kicking her
feet and stretching out on a wooden bench overlooking a patch of grass,
�It�s just so peaceful here. No wonder Genkai-baasan decided to set up her
dojo on the peak of a mountain. I�d love to live up here.�
Yusuke grunted, walking down the main path towards the dojo�s front door .
�You�d think the old hag could have a road run up here rather than about
eighteen thousand stairs. But nooo...� He flung his arms in the air,
causing Kenshin to look on curiously, �She just had to keep the �peace and
tranquility� of stairs. Makes me sick.�
�My pardons, Yusuke, but perhaps she prefers steps because it keeps people
from her home?� Kenshin asked, looking around, �It certainly seems as though
Genkai-baasan likes to keep her privacy, but this is still a gorgeous
place.�
Keiko nodded. �It is. I�ll check to see if she�s home.� She proceeded to
hop up the few steps in front of the door and knock. After a few seconds,
the door creaked open slowly. A short figure could be spotted investigating
who was at the door, and soon after the door flung open.
�Ah, Keiko!� The figure cried happily. It was an extremely short, elderly
woman with frail hair of a pinkish hue and wearing a red variation of a
karate gi. �How are you today?�
�Fine, fine, Genkai-baasan.� Keiko smiled.
�Excellent.� Genkai leaped out onto the grass and studied the rest of her
guests, And Botan and my idiot pupil and...� Her gaze settled on Kenshin,
�...And someone who I�ve never met before.�
Botan hurried off the bench and bowed to Genkai. �Greetings, Genkai-baasan.
How are you on this fine day?�
Genkai nodded. �Fantastic. I just received my own copy of �Street Fighter
2� earlier. I�ll have to show it to all of you.� Her attention turned to
Yusuke, who was staring at the sky, �Well, Urameshi? Aren�t you going to
bother introducing me to your new friend.�
Yusuke shrugged. �Whatever.� Botan, shocked that Yusuke would still be so
rude to her master, pushed Kenshin forward.
This...� She motioned to him, who waved stupidly, �...Is Himura Kenshin, a
samurai spirit who wanted to know if you might help him find some old
friends of his.�
�A samurai spirit?� Genkai asked, looking at Kenshin more closely. �You
must be several centuries old, then. Were you originally human?�
Kenshin nodded. �Yes, sessha was born a human, but I was also born only
about 150 years ago. I was separated from my friends in 1878, and...�
Genkai held up her hands. �Wait, wait, let�s at least go inside. It sounds
like we have much to discuss here.� She said, turning to Botan, who nodded,
�Come. I prepared some tea a short while ago, so I�d love for you all to
join me inside.�
Together the five made their way into the main room of the dojo, where
Genkai set about gathering some pillows and spreading them out in a line in
front of the pillow she planned to use. Keiko went around to the back of
the dojo to look for Puu. Yusuke, meanwhile, lay against a wall and sulked,
waiting for when he�d be able to go home. Botan and Kenshin spent the time
deciding on the best way to explain the situation to Genkai.
Finally, Genkai had the pillows and tea set up, and motioned for Kenshin,
Botan and Yusuke to sit, which they obliged. Shortly afterward, Keiko
walked back into the room from the back entrance while a massive blue
creature followed her. It was easily fifteen feet long, and had a beak-like
mouth which it was smacking back and forth.
Only Kenshin was shocked at the appearance of it. �What...What is that?
I�ve never seen a creature like that.�
Keiko giggled. �This is Puu, a representation of Yusuke�s inner spirit.
Isn�t that right, Yusuke?� She grinned.
Yusuke rolled his eyes and looked at Kenshin. �Long story. Just think of
Puu as my pet, alright? It�ll make things much easier.�
�Your pet?� Genkai laughed. �I�m the one who that took her off your hands.
You were ready to leave him to fend for herself.� Her laugh was replaced by
a look of seriousness, �But enough small talk.� She said as Keiko took a
seat in front of her as well, while Puu laid down to continue his rest.
Genkai quickly surveyed the four in front of him, her eyes settling on
Kenshin. �You said you�re a human samurai that became a spirit. What do you
mean by that? I doubt Koenma would make an error in leaving you in
Ningenkai.�
Kenshin shook his head. �No, no, Genkai-baasan, it�s nothing like that.� He
thought for a moment before continuing, �You see, I come from the 1860s and
1870s, when Japan was going through a period of restoration and reform. I
fought for the Ishin Shishi in the Bakumatsu, and brought about the Meiji
government. Unfortunately, even ten years into our relative peace, there
were those who wished to go back to the ways of old, and wanted to destroy
the new Japanese government.�
�Bastards.� Yusuke muttered, only to be whacked on the head by Botan.
�Don�t interrupt, you jerk,� She growled, only to have a smile on her face
a moment later addressing Kenshin. �Sorry about that. Please continue,
Kenshin.�
Kenshin smiled. �Of course, Botan-dono. Anyway, right before he was
assassinated, lord Okubo asked me if I would quell the uprising of a
particularly nasty man seeking revenge, and I accepted. My friends and I
succeeded in thwarting his plans, but in our final duel we died at each
other�s hands.� He shrugged. �To be honest, I don�t entirely know what
happened next, but I found my spirit had been encased in the sword I always
used. I remained in there for 125 years until Yusuke found the blade and
released me.� He looked at Yusuke. �Thank you again, Yusuke-san.�
�Don�t mention it.� Yusuke said.
Genkai continued her piercing glare at Kenshin. �You have quite a tale to
tell, Himura Kenshin.� She said, �But tell me: Why did Okubo select you
among all the samurai in Japan to deal with such a plan? Did he think
highly of you?�
Kenshin looked down at the ground, debating whether he should reveal
everything to Genkai. Finally he looked at her again. �Yes, he did. He
selected me because I was the Hitokiri Battousai, and the person I was to
assassinate was my successor, Makoto Shishio.�
Genkai�s eyes widened. �You were a Battousai?� She blinked several times in
surprise. �Were you the only one then with such a title?�
�Yes.� Kenshin nodded.
�Why, is that a big deal or something?� Yusuke asked half-heartedly. �Does
that mean he was really powerful or something?�
�Shut up, Urameshi.� Genkai snarled, eager to hear more from Kenshin.
�Please continue, Himura-san.�
Kenshin continued a bit hesitantly. �Well...I retired after Japan�s civil
war ended, and Shishio took my place. He...Didn�t entirely work out with
the government, and they betrayed him. In trying to kill him, however, they
failed and only fueled his desire for revenge. That is why I was sent to
destroy him.� A smile formed on his lips. �But that�s all in the past now,
Genkai-baasan. All I truly wish to do now is find out what became of my
friends. I came to you because I was hoping you might be able to provide me
with some information, since they might still have been alive when you were
young...� Only after finishing did Kenshin realize how rude that statement.
Genkai only laughed, however. �Just how old did Botan tell you I was?� She
said.
�My most sincere apologies, Genkai-baasan. I...� Kenshin began.
�Don�t be sorry, Himura-san. I�ve had people call me far worse things,
even from my worthless student there.� She pointed to Yusuke.
�Hey!� Yusuke shouted. �Just what did I ever do to you, you old hag? You
could lighten up once in a while, you know.� He folded his arms.
Botan tapped Kenshin�s shoulder. �Um, excuse me, Kenshin, but my Japanese
history is a little rusty. Could you explain just what a...Battousai is?�
Kenshin smiled. �Of course, Botan-dono. It means that I was the top
assassin in Japan at the time.� He shook his head. �A dubious thing to be
known for, but I was. I killed countless numbers of people, and only after
I lost what I truly head dear did I realize my error and vow never to kill
again.� He looked at Yusuke, �That is why I would not let you slay any of
those demons, Yusuke-san. I hate seeing the life drain out of a corpse, no
matter how vicious he may have been.�
�No problem.� Yusuke said. �I don�t really care, as long as I get the job
done.�
As he finished, the five felt a massive tremor deep within the ground
beneath them. It was small at first, but gradually grew larger and larger
until Keiko even fell over, prompting Yusuke to rush over and pick her up.
�Ah! I hate earthquakes!� Botan cried, grabbing onto Puu, who managed to
stay upright due to his huge weight.
�No, this isn�t an earthquake. This is something much more powerful.�
Genkai shook her head and ran to the front door, where she could feel the
vibrations of unnatural energy being used. Kicking the door open swiftly,
she scurried onto her grassy lawn with Yusuke and Kenshin right behind her,
hoping to see if she could figure out what was causing the trembling.
They saw a familiar figure blowing into a flute of some kind. Behind him
were three massive figures, all a bit hard to distinguish because they were
climbing the stairs leading up to the dojo, but their presence soon became
known. When the flute-blower noticed the Genkai glaring at him, he smiled
and slipped the flute in his pocket, causing the tremors to stop. He
couldn�t keep a wicked grin off his face as he looked at Genkai, than
Yusuke.
�That flute�s really something.� He mused, This is absolutely wondrous. I
never thought that...�
�Shut the fuck up, Randou!� Yusuke cried. �What the fuck are you doing
here? You should be in prison right now, rotting away the rest of your
fucking life!�
�Such naughty words.� Randou grinned. �Prison is for the worthless
lowlifes of the spirit world. I belong to a much higher state of being.�
Randou turned his attention back to Genkai. �And you, you little bitch, I
swear that by the end of the day your corpse will be crawling with ants
after I�m done with you. I�ll kill you both, as well as whoever the hell
this is!� He pointed at Kenshin.
�No, Randou. You can have the others, but Urameshi is mine.� An enormously
deep voice said from behind Randou. Stepping forward out of the shadows,
the creature revealed himself as a giant stone golem, over twelve feet tall
and resembling a tortoise. Spikes and claws seemed to be have chiseled into
the naked monster�s physique, and jagged teeth morphed into a twisted grin
when he looked at Yusuke.
The spirit detective took a deep step back, totally shocked. �Genbu? What
the fuck? Kurama tore you to pieces almost three years ago!�
�That was in the past, Urameshi. This is now, and we�re going to return
the favor.� Another voice said, that of an incredibly obese blue-white
tiger, adorned with only a brown loincloth wrapped around his waist. At
least twelve feet tall like Genbu, the tiger�s massive size made it appear
as though he should have trouble simply stepping forward, but he didn�t
appear to be in any discomfort. �We�ve been waiting for this day to come,
and our powers have grown much greater. That trick your friend pulled on me
so long ago won�t work now.�
�Byakko...� Yusuke groaned. He looked at Genkai, �This isn�t good, sensei.
Something must have happened to resurrect these bastards. Maybe it was
even Randou.�
Genkai nodded. �Possibly. His eyes burn with a desire for revenge I
haven�t seen in a very long time.� She said.
�How do you know these monsters?� Kenshin asked, placing a hand on his
sheath. �If they threaten us, I won�t hesitate to fight.�
Yusuke rolled his eyes. �Of course they�re here to threaten us, you idiot!
Genkai, right after your training Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei and I fought these
jerks. It was a long, long time ago and we thought we had destroyed them
back then.�
The final of the giant beasts stepped forward as well. �You did actually
kill us, Urameshi. You and the rest of your pathetic brood somehow managed
to defeat us. But now we have been revived and are ready to exact revenge.�
The same height as Genbu and Byakko, this figure took the form of a human
with greenish skin and dark black skin. He only wore a pair of loose, dark
blue sweat pants, and a tattoo of an ice dragon extended all around his
torso and arms.
�But how did...� Kenshin�s thought was interrupted by Yusuke.
�Wait a second. I see Genbu, Byakko and Seiryu, but where�s Suzaku? Let
him come out and face the guy who kicked the crap out of him!� He shouted.
Randou laughed. �Unfortunately, Suzaku had other business to attend to.
But he allowed us the great pleasure of destroying all of you.�
�So Suzaku�s the one behind all of this?� Yusuke shouted again. �Never
mind, then! I�ll just tear the shit out of all of you!�
�Yusuke!� Genkai hissed. �Be very careful. I can tell Randou�s power has
increased greatly since we last saw him, and no doubt the other three have
grown more powerful than when you encountered them last as well.�
�Yusuke? Genkai? Kenshin? What�s going on?� Botan asked as she and Keiko
emerged from the dojo. When they saw the four monsters standing at the top
of the stairs, they both screamed and ran behind Kenshin and Yusuke.
Genkai allowed herself to glance at them quickly. �Girls, get back!
There�s not going to be a lot of my lawn left by the time we�re finished
with these beasts.�
Genbu grunted. �You�re awfully confident, you old bitch. It�s four on
three. Do you honestly think that you can defeat all of us?�
Kenshin leaned into Genkai�s ear. �My pardons, Genkai-baasan, but he has a
point. We should create some sort of plan.� He whispered.
�There�s no need for that.� Yusuke shook his head, �It�s simple. I�ll
love destroying Randou again, so I�ll take him on. You two can handle his
goons. They were pieces of shit the last time; They can�t be anything else
now.�
Genkai nodded. �That�s the best way to do it. I get the greatest energy
waves from Randou, so he�s likely the strongest of them.�
�Enough of this talk!� Randou shrieked, taking a step forward. He looked
at Genbu, Byakko and Seiryu, all of whom were leaning forward and poised to
attack. �Our time for vengeance has come! Attack!�
***
To be Continued...
Next: The myriad of fights.
Hope you enjoyed that, folks. Chapter Five will contain the all-out brawl
that I just set up, so it'll surely be worth checking out. Not only that,
but we've got a few extra surprises in store as to what's going to happen.
Not sure about new characters, though - This chapter saw the introduction of
eight characters from both shows, so we have more than enough to work with
for now. :)
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. Street Fighter 2 is
the property of Capcom. Don't sue us please, we are very poor.
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