Elvengirl: Wow...I hope I haven't been forgotten. I'm sorry I've been taking so long, Being in grade 12, it's quite difficult. I've been going through some high stress periods lately as well, and my computer-access is kinda limited these days. Still, I hope this chapter makes up for it.


Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sama and Fire Emblem to Nintendo


"Alright! I'm home!" Leila yelled joyfully, skipping down the bustling streets of Kyoto.

Kyoto - a city in the plains of the kinki region. A center of arts, crafts and of Buddhism as well. It has been over one thousand years since the capital was moved elsewhere (In 794). Thus, its other name Sen'nenoki ("Millenium King's Castle")

'Kyoto,' Karel thought, 'After ten years of wandering, I find myself here once again.'

"Hey Himura! This way!" Leila yelled from down the street.

'They say that Kyoto's beauty is unrivaled in Japan, no matter what the season is. But behind its beauty lurk the memories of evil. Restless spirits echoing the famine and war known for centuries. During the Bakumatsu, Kyoto knew no end to the bloodshed and war. It was truly a portrait of hell.

Absently, Karel looked down an empty street. An image of himself from ten years ago, he as the Sword Demon, appeared. The Sword Demon faced a unit of of the Shinsengumi, Saitou Ephidel amoung them. Karel's hand went to his left cheek, rubbing the bandage that he had placed over his scar to keep his identity hidden.

"Hey Himura!" Leila yelled again, this time right now in front of his face.

"Oro?" Karel jumped, not expecting the abruptness.

"Don't you "oro?" me. You've been acting weird since we entered Kyoto. And can't you do something ti hide your sword? I don't want to attract attention."

"Maybe if Leila-dono changes her clothes," Karel offered as a respite. Leila glared at him.

"What. Did. You..."

Karel turned to run. They were already attracting attention.

"Monster bird kick of rage!" Leila yelled, jumping and slamming her foot into the back of Karel's head.

"Oro?!"


Conclusion: It's the two of them together that's the problem.


"Shouldn't Leila-dono be heading home now?" Karel asked, after they had come to a settlement, "I'm srue your caretakers are worried about you. Where do you live, anyway?"

"Right there," said Leila, pointing to an inn, bearing the name Aoiya.

"You live at an inn?"

"Yup, we're pretty famous here in Kyoto and...hey Gramps!" Leila yelled to an old man, sweeping the front walkway. The man looked up.

"Leila, you're home!" He grinned. He had the look of a wizened old man, one who had lived through the Bakumatsu. He had short purple hair and a monocle in one eye.

"Indeed I am!" Leila smiled, leaping for an embrace. The older man caught her in a bear-hug. proving he was stronger than he looked.

"We were terrified! This is for scaring us!" The man applied more pressure.

"Ack! Sorry...I...was...delayed...Gramps...you're choking me!"

'Funny way of showing anger,' Karel thought with a nod.

"So, you walked our Leila home?" The man asked, turning his attention to Karel, and away from the semi-concious Leila, "Must've been hard."

"Not really...though it was awful..." Karel gave a nervous laugh. The man laughed heartily, clapping Karel on the back.

The door opened suddenly, revealing four people, two male, two female.

"Oh, Leila-chan's home," said one of the females, and the four ran out to the dizzy ninja.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me," Karel said, with a bow, intending to depart.

"But I haven't properly thanked you yet," said the man.

"It's not nesscary," Karel replied.

"No Himura, please stay. Shiro and Kuro will make their best dinner for you," Leila insisited, snapping back to life.

"She's asking you to stay, so please make youself at home, Sword Demon." The man gazed at him with a crafty look in his eye.

"You knew?" Karel grumbled, a glare settling on his face.

"Even if you hide your scars, those who can tell, can tell. We'll talking inside. Please, come in."


Meanwhile, Lyn and Guy have arrived in Kyoto...

Guy looked around nervously. Kyoto was so foriegn to him. Nothing looked right, smelled right, sounded right. It just wasn't right.

"Guy, stop fooling around and help me," Lyn snapped, trying to figure out her map. Rebecca had suggested they stay at her family's home, to save money, but it was proving to be difficult.

"Kyoto all looks the same. How are we gonna find it?" Guy whined.

"If we can't even find a place to stay, how can we even find one person?" Lyn sighed.

"Don't think like that! IDIOT! Don't you dare lose the energy you had! I'll got look for Rebecca's family. You watch people and matbe we'll get lucky and Karel will walk by!!!"

CHING!

The familier ring of a sword. Lyn and Guy looked up, hopeful to see that familer head of brown hair amoung the crowd. Karel was no where to be seen.

"I was getting my hopes up to," Lyn sighed, looking down at the ground.

"What...is that man doing in Kyoto?" Guy gasped, his voice tense.

It was Shinomori Jaffar.


"I'm gonna take a bath," Leila announced, heading down another hallway with a wave. Karel waved back, the proceeded to follow the older man.

"On the road, did Leila mention the Onmitsu Oniwabanshu?" He asked, pausing to open a door. Karel nodded.

"So...you're..."

"Indeed. I was a member of the Oniwabanshu during the Bakamatsu. Canas is my name. You see, when the Black ships led by Perry came to Uraga in the third year of Kaei, the former Okashira quickly realised that incident would raise questions between the Emporor and the nobles about the control of Japan. What he foresaw was that Kyoto would be the center of the struggle, and entrusted me with building an information network of our own. I opened the Aoiya as headquaters, but ironically the Edo government fell first. After the revolution this place became a haven for our comrades to run to." Canas finished his explaination with a sigh.

"So, that's why Jaffar left Leila here," Karel noted.

"You know Jaffar-sama?" Canas asked.

"Yes...and there is something you should know."


By the time Karel has completed his story, evening had desceded. Canas had sat stone-faced through the entire thing, only asking a few questions here and there.

"I see. Nergal and the rest dead, and Jaffar-sama missing," He nodded gravely.

"I would suggest keeping this from Leila-dono, for a bit longer at least," Karel added. This story would only break Leila's heart. A girl her age should not have to expierience such sorrow. Not yet anyway.

"Now, Sword De - er - Himura-dono, would your sudden reappearence in Kyoto have anything to do with the emergence of your successor, Shishio Kishuna?"

Karel jumped. Canas's eyes twinkled.

"This network is every bit alive as it was ten years ago. Whatever happens in Kyoto, inside and out, I know about it. Consider it a hobby. When I heard that man was still alive and up to something, I mearly passed it off as rumour. However, your reappearence has added some truth to the matter. So," Canas's voice changed quickly, "For bringing Leila home safely, I hearby extend the hand of friendship." He held out his hand.

"Oro?" Where was the grave, serious, man he was just talking to? Who was this crazy person?
"I like today's Kyoto, so once again I shall protect this city."

"Wait a second - " Karel attempted to protest.

"You've no need to worry about the Aoi-ya. Each of the staff here is an ex-Oniwabanshu. They can take care of themselves."

"Still..."

"Not another word. I raised Leila after all, you know. "

Karel sighed. He should have known it right away.

"Weird...yet strangely persuasive," Karel remarked.

"Got that right," Canas laughed.

"Then consider your offer accepted. However...I need your network to find two people for me."

"Sure. What are their names?"

"Arai Shakku and Hiko Seijuro. Please find them as soon as you can."


And the second day in Kyoto dawns...

"Hey Himura, it's time to get up!" said Leila in a singsong voice, opening the dorr to Karel's room. Karel smiled at her, picking up his sword. "Oh...you're already up."

"Indeed. Oh, Leila-dono, you've switched your outfit."

"Yup. This is my everyday outfit. The other one's my shinobi outfit," Leila explained. She now wore a blue t-shirt with stiched sleeves and blue shorts. Both contianed pink trim.

"If you're ready, Himura-kun, we can go," said Canas, coming up behind them.

"Oro?"

"Kyoto's changed over the past ten years. If you're going to be here for awhile, you might as well know your way around. We'll grab lunch at the local hot pot, Shirobeko."

Karel blinked. The name bore a resemblance to the Akabeko, and he wondered if there was any relations. 'I'll probably find out when we get there,' he nodded to himself.

"Canas-dono, wait. Kishuna's men could attack me at anytime and - "

"Kishuna is your opponent, and eventually you will face him," Canas replied, cutting Karel off, "You fight for the sake of the country, so live with pride, as all righteous men do." Canas walked off laughing. Karel at him, confused.

"You know Himura, Gramps might not look it, but he was once a candidate for Okashira. But he gave it up to Jaffar-sama saying that the younger generation needed to take charge," Leila explained.

"Oh yes, about the people you're looking for. I've made arrangements during the night."

"Huh? What people?" Leila asked.

"It's none of your concern," Karel repleid. Leila gave him a hard punch to the face. Karel glared at her, rubbing his cheek. She was so violent. He thought of Lyn, and then suddenly shrank in fear of what Lyn could do to him. While Leila and Karel continued in this manner, Kuro opened a door and handed a paper to Canas.

"Looks like we'll have to cut out the Shirobeko today," Canas sighed,"We've found one of the men you're looking for Himura, or rather, we've confirmed his death. Arai Shakku, the man who forged your sword, died eight years ago."

"Oh, I get it. You were gonna get your sword fixed...but if he's dead...then the reverse-blade wo dao can never be fixed."


"Here it is Guy. Rebecca's family home, the Shirobeko," said Lyn, pointing a somewhat-familier building. The Shirobeko's outside design, was almost identical to the Akabeko.

"I'm coming," Guy replied, still a little unnerved.

"Oh, hello there. You must be Rebecca's friends from Tokyo."

"Rebecca? What are you doing here?" Lyn and Guy gasped. The person who had greeted them could almost have been considered a Rebecca-clone.

"Oh, I'm not Rebecca. I'm her twin sister, Ruby. Rebecca told me told me you were coming, and you're most welcome to stay here." Ruby grinned.

"That's great. Now all we need to do is find Karel before Kishuna, or Jaffar," Guy nodded.


"Arai Shakku. He was highly honoured weapons master during the revolution. After awhile he stopped forging "cutting blades" and focused on "killing blades." This move caused him to get shunned by the rest of the sword-forging community," Canas explained.

"So a smith who focused on killing swords forged a blade that couldn't cut? I don't get it," Leila sighed.

"Contradictions lie everywhere," Canas smiled with a twinkle in his eye, "Right Himura-kun?"

Karel nodded in reply.

"Anyway, our sourced reported that Shakku had one son who is his complete succesor. Though he had the capability to become a master swordsmith, the Meijii era had no need. Instead he makes a living selling tools, such as kitchen knives. Perhaps, Shakku's son, Arai Seiko, can forge the new reverse-blade wo dao."

The group approached a small booth, connected to a larger house. They walked under the awning."Pardon the...interuption?"

They found themselves staring at a small toddler, not more than two years old.

"Is that...Seiku?" Karel asked, confused.

"Shake...shake..." the toddler squeeked, waving his hands in front of him. Karel blinked.

"Shake hands," Leila interpretted.

"Oh...right," Karel smiled, sheepishly, taking the toddler's small hand in his large one and shaking it.

"Iori, stop bothering the customers," said a young woman, smiling at the child. "Wecome. How can I help you?" She asked.

"May I see a kitchen knife?" asked Karel.

"Of course. Here." She picked up a knife from the display table and handed it to him hilt first. Karel nodded, taking out a white daikon radish. With a swift motion, he sliced the radish in two, then placed the halves back together. The cut disappeared. The radish was whole again.

"That is the first time I've ever seen a reversing cute," Canas noted, staring at the radish in wonder."By cutting without damaging the structure, the halves can be put back together without showing a trace of the original cute. Only a master swordsman, cutting with the finest of blades, can preform such a skill. And since this is accomplished by a kitchen knife, I'd say Shakku's son is good."

"All right! Then he can remake the reverse-blade wo dao," Leila yelled, triumphantly.

"Ma'am, is Seiku-dono free right now?"

"Yes..."
"If Seiku-dono could recraft a sword, it would be a fine thing indeed."

"Yes, but...oh Seiku?" The woman turned around, looking at someone who was somewhat skulking behind the booth. He walked out, revealing himself to be a young man, in his late twenties. He was plain, and his eyes were tired.

"Hello, I'm Arai Seiku," He introduced himself.

"You don't seem like him," said Leila, eyeing him critically.

"I get that alot," Seiku replied, "Anyway, I heard your story from outside. It seems you'd like me to forge a sword for you. I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, I have quit making swords. Please go somewhere else." Seiku bowed apologetically.

"What?" Leila was mad.

"May we hear your reason?" Canas asked, restraining Leila.

"If you came to get a sword from me, that means you know of my father, Arai Shakku, who created weapons of death. Father used to say, all the time, that his swords would create a new ear. I never liked my father's philosophy. The swords created for that new age took many lives. What kinda of new age comes from human blood? That I could never understand. Maybe in a terrible time such as back then it was alright, but now it is Mejii and at kast we have peace. The samurai have given up their swords, and I have given up sword-making."

"I see. So your philosophy is peace, as opposed to the view of your father," Karel nodded.

"I don't know about philosophy, but I do like peace," Seiku replied, "Doesn't everyone?"

'If only you knew,' Karel thought, grimly.

"You naive idiot-!" Leila yelled, before being smothered by Karel.

"Sorry to have asked, Seiku-dono. We'll be leaving now. Thank you for your time." Karel bowed politely, and then helped Canas drag Leila out of the store.

"Himura-a-a!" Leila whined, as they walked away for the Arai family.

"From his heart, Seiku-dono wishes for peace. Even if it is a reverse-blade wo dao, and not for killing, it is still a weapon, and it would have been wrong to ask him. We'll just have to start over, on the search for a new sword."

"The Swordsman came here looking for you. What if he's in some dire need?" Seiku's wife asked, "Even if you hadn't forged it, couldn't you have given him your father's last work?"

"No," Seiku replied, lifting up his son, "It's the Meijii now. There's no need for swords."


"The Sword Demon has been spotted. Report to Kishuna-sama immediatly."

"At last."


And Now I get into the good parts. Again, I apologize for taking so long with chapter. Stress has really been getting to me, and with my math diploma on Monday...Hopefully I'll get the next chapter up soon. Promise on that.