Part two, yup. I can guarantee that this chapter will be longer. Sry bout the other one, it was just a 'pilot' so to speak. Summary of Last Chapter: Seta Soujirou, ex-member of the Juppon Gatana, is plotting to bring Kenshin down. Blah-blah-blah he yells at some guy and that's about it. Here's more!!!

********************

Chapter 2 - Hanging Up My Sword

"Oro!" Kenshin wheels around clutching his head. "What was that for?" He looked up to see an angry Kaoru brandishing her Shinai. "KENSHIN!" she yelled into his face. "Oro-ro!" mumbled Kenshin. "What is it, what did I do?" "I sent you out an hour ago to get food and I find you here playing with your sword!" "Er.. Sorry? But Kaoru-dona it's not actually my sword any more." Kaoru looked confused. Kenshin lifted the sword. "I've decided to give it to Yahiko." Kaoru stood in silence for a moment. "Oh well. er, what if you need it again?" Kenshin looked into the sky. "I don't think I'll need it again." He paused then smiled. "Kaoru, I'm getting older. I might not look it but my body just isn't up to what it used to be up to." "So you are going to just sit here on your ass all day!" Yelled Kaoru and started smacking him again. "I think it is time . that I hung up my sword . and lived a more peaceful life." Kaoru hesitated. "Isn't that what you said 15 years ago at the end of the Bakumatsu. You said you would never fight again and - "Never kill again, not fight. I would still fight to defend others and myself but now . it's different. I've had enough excitement for my life so I'm going to spend the rest of my life . living a quite life." Finished Kenshin. Kaoru breathed in, ready for another round of nagging, then sighed it out. "If that's what you want." She turned and walked back inside. Kenshin sat there looking at the birds flying overhead. 'I wish I had wings so I could fly away from my past.'

**************************

Meanwhile, somewhere in China there are ten men gathered in an underground room. They are wearing long red hooded cloaks. They stood in line waiting anxiously.

Tip, tap, tip, tap.

They heard footsteps coming down the stairs outside. The door opened. There in a dark red cloak was a small, young man. He lowered his hood and smiled. "Good morning." The men boomed back. "GOOD MORNING, SIR." Seta Soujirou smiled again. "Good, now down to business." They all sat down at a long table with Soujirou at the far end. "Kushira? Any news on Hajime." A man rose up from the table. He was tall and had long dark hair. He spoke in a slow, fluid voice. "Yes, sir. We have located Mr. Saito Hajime under the pseudonym Fujita Goro. He is currently working in Tokyo. Where he lives is still unknown." Kushira Gohachi sat down. Soujirou smiled again. "Very good. Now we know where the targets are but we need someway to bring them together. We shall send a letter to Mr. Aoshi Shinamori. We will make it look like it is addressed from Battousai and we shall tell him to go to Tokyo then they are all together . and we can start our plan: Vengeance for the Fallen." The men all cheered. Then Seta Soujirou did something out of turn; he smiled, only this time his eyes opened up to the men at the table. It wasn't happiness in those eyes, but the hate that he had saved up for Battousai. The men looked at each other "Then we, the Juppon Gatana will destroy Battousai and his friends! And his blood will be poured upon the graves of the previous Juppon Gatana and his head on a spike before Lord Shishio's Shrine!" The Juppon Gatana cheered again and started clapping. Soujirou went back to his normal smile and just said, "Thank you."