Episode 9: "It's all so mysterious! Who are these two strangers, anyway?!"
Momiji fluttered her eyes open to see a young man with long red hair that she vaguely recognized warmly smiling down on her.
"You're…you're Yusuke's friend…" she began in a sleepy daze. "Kurama…" He gave her a kind chuckle.
"Yes, I am. You remember me, I see." She nodded weakly.
"But…what are you doing here…?" Where am I…?"
"You were wounded and passed out," Kurama explained. "Yusuke and his friend Serena brought you back to the human world. You're now in Yusuke's bedroom."
"Oh…"
"Is she awake yet?" Yusuke asked Kurama as he entered his bedroom. Momiji sat up and studied him in puzzlement.
"Yusuke…" she started, still rather dazed. "You're not a girl anymore…" Yusuke's face turned slightly pink as Kurama gave him a confused look.
"I don't think Yusuke's ever been a girl before," Kurama told Momiji quizzically, although his bewildered eyes were still set on Yusuke. "At least, not that I know of…" Yusuke broke in with an awkward laugh.
"Ah, don't listen to her, Kurama! It was probably just a stupid dream." He then shot Momiji a look of daggers. "RIGHT, Momiji?"
"OH!" she exclaimed, snapping to her senses and laughing nervously. "Right! Right! Just a stupid dream!" Luckily, Kurama brushed it off right away, not making much of it and quickly changing the topic.
"Fortunately, the fire only grazed her back," he told them, standing up. "It wasn't too hard to heal - it was only a minor burn. Though, I suppose for a young girl, it may seem a lot worse. But she should be feeling better now."
"Hey!" Momiji exclaimed with a wide grin. She stood up excitedly. "I DO feel better!" And Kurama let out a warm laugh.
Serena then barged in, smiling wildly and carrying a tray full of cookies in her hand. "Hey, everyone! Who wants cookies?" She extended the tray to Kurama. "Would you like some?"
"No, no, thank you," he answered politely, heading toward the door. "I really must be going, actually. I'm glad I could be of some help." He then left. Serena shrugged casually then.
"Suit yourself," she said as Kurama left and began to devour the cookies on the plate. Yusuke glared at her in annoyance.
"SERENA," he scolded through gritted teeth. "Those cookies are supposed to be for MOMIJI - you know, the girl who just got injured by a dragon? They're NOT for YOU."
"Well, it's not like she wants them, right, Momiji?" Serena asked.
"Well -"
"See?" Serena interrupted Momiji with a grin. "I told you she wouldn't want any." Momiji frowned in disappointment as Serena began greedily gulp downing the cookies again as Yusuke sighed in disgust.
"ANYWAY," he began with a frustrated look in his eyes. "Now what?"
"Uh…" Momiji began and then bit her lip with a whimper, unable to think of an answer. Serena swallowed the last cookie from the tray and frowned. They were all silent for a moment, without one answer among them. "Well…" Momiji finally spoke slowly. "You COULD tell us about Danjuro, Yusuke."
"Yeah!" Serena declared in a demanding voice, placing a hand on her hip. "What's with you keeping secrets from us, huh?!" Yusuke glanced away sheepishly.
"I was GOING to tell you guys…" he insisted, sounding hardly convincing. "I just never got around to it, I guess…"
"Well, now's the perfect time!" Serena decided, placing down her tray on the bed and then taking Yusuke by the arm and sitting him down at his desk. "SO?! Go on!" And Momiji nodded eagerly.
"He's just some guy," Yusuke began, rubbing the scar on his forehead. He then added rather quickly, "Who happens to have sent all those demons after us for killing the first Baken-Ai…"
"WHAT?!" Both girls cried.
"How could you not have told us?!" Serena questioned.
"Well, it's not my fault that I was too busy saving your sorry ass from being eaten by some dragon to tell you about it!" Yusuke defended himself. Serena looked highly offended, but Momiji stepped in before she had the chance to rebuttal.
"But why would he want to do that?" she inquired inquisitively. "Why does he care so much about the Baken-Ai?"
"I don't know…" Yusuke answered honestly, scratching the back of his head. "He said that I was a threat to both him and Torazo - the really powerful demon the three Baken-Ai are supposed to rise. I figured that maybe he's working for Torazo or something…" He gave a shrug. "He didn't really tell me much other than that he wasn't too happy about me killing the stupid demons he created."
"Did he say anything about us?" Momiji asked nervously. Yusuke shook his head.
"Not really…he said I was the only one who was a 'real' threat."
"Hey!" Serena protested. "Me and Momiji are a threat!"
"You wish you were," Yusuke muttered and Serena stuck her tongue out at him. Yusuke scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, THAT'S mature…"
"What else did he tell you, Yusuke?" Momiji interrupted their argument again.
"Nothing that I can remember…" Yusuke's voice trailed off uneasily as he looked away. "It was a long time ago, I guess…being yesterday and all..."
"Yesterday's NOT a long time ago!" Serena argued. "Even I know that!"
"Well…"
"Did you try to fight him?" Momiji questioned anxiously. 'Did he try to fight you?"
"Uh…" He let out an uncomfortable laugh and scratched the back of his head. "He said he didn't want to fight…guess he was scared or something…"
"Well, if you didn't get to fight him, you AT LEAST told him off, right?" Serena interrogated now. "I mean, you seem really good at ridiculing people anyway."
"I…uh…" Yusuke's face became even more troubled as he stammered to find the right words. "Yeah…yeah, I told him off…" he said, although the tone of his voice told both girls something quite different.
"You mean, you didn't?!" Serena questioned. "Why not?!"
"BECAUSE…" Yusuke began again, trying to find a decent excuse. "I was trying to, you know…uh…listen to what he had to say. You know, get some clues…"
"And…?" Serena asked. "What clues did you get?"
"Well, he didn't tell me all that much…"
"But I thought he was scared of you," Momiji came in now curiously. "If he was so scared, couldn't you have just threatened him with that Spirit Gun of yours and he would have confessed everything to you?"
"Uh…well…I didn't say he was SCARED exactly," Yusuke began to rationalize, averting his eyes to the ceiling. "I mean, I just said that could have been the reason he didn't want to fight me…"
"Well, what are the other reasons you think then?" Momiji asked innocently.
"Well…" Yusuke trailed off as Danjuro's cruel voice came into his head, speaking the same callous words he spoke to him the other day: "You're just a child to me. A weak, worthless nothing."
"Yeah, Yusuke!" Serena chimed in. "What are the other reasons?"
Danjuro's voice echoed in Yusuke's mind again, "Now, don't look at me like that. Just because I told you what you are - a weak, worthless nothing - doesn't mean you have to get so angry. Besides, I don't fight weak, worthless nothings anyway; they're simply not worth my time. Not to mention that I can't help pitying them now and again."
Momiji frowned now, noticing a painful fear in Yusuke's eyes. She asked in concern, "Yusuke?"
"What's the matter, Yusuke?" Serena inquired herself.
"You may have been able to rescue those two pathetic girls, but I suppose you never thought who'd rescue you," Danjuro's voice repeated in his mind and Yusuke shut his eyes tightly, screaming on the top of his lungs:
"SHUT UP!" Both girls took a startled jump back. They each had frightened looks of worry on their faces as they stared at Yusuke in shock. Yusuke, calming down quite a bit, opened his eyes and stared at them in silence, an embarrassed expression forming across his face. Quickly, he decided to try and change the topic. "I mean…I…uh…Momiji…don't you have to tell Serena about the…uh…little kid or something…?"
"Right…" Momiji said, slowly easing back into conversation. She turned to Serena. "You know that little kid who the Baken-Ai was trying to kill?" Serena nodded, still looking a bit nervous because of Yusuke's outburst. "Well, I saw him when me and Yusuke were in the Keiki Kingdom on our way to King Korenaga's castle."
"Really?" Serena asked in surprise. Momiji nodded. "But how'd he get there?" Momiji looked to Yusuke for the answer and he shrugged in response.
"We don't know," Momiji answered sincerely.
"Oh, I know!" Serena then cried excitedly. "Maybe Danjuro kidnapped him and brought him there!" Yusuke snorted, slowly going back to his old self.
"You idiot," he insulted her. "Why would Danjuro bring that little kid there just so he can wander around without any supervision whatsoever and then just easily run away?"
"Well…I don't know!" Serena exclaimed. "I was only making a SUGGESTION! How am I supposed to know all these details, anyway?! I wasn't even there!" Yusuke sighed, shaking his head and looking away.
"You're still an idiot," he commented coldly.
"Hey! I resent that!" Serena shouted, placing both hands on her hips in rage.
"He mustn't be an ordinary little boy…" Momiji then thought aloud, placing a pensive hand to her chin and the other two turned to her inquisitively.
"Hmm…Momiji's right!" Serena decided. "He must not be any ordinary little boy! He must be…uh…well, I don't know what he is, but he's not ordinary, that's for sure!" Momiji frowned at this redundant conclusion and Yusuke laughed out loud in spite of her.
"I told you were an idiot," he stated with a snicker.
"Well, than YOU tell us what he is then, hmm?" Serena asked haughtily.
"I…uh…well, how am I supposed to know!" Yusuke shouted in frustration, crossing his arms furiously and glaring away.
"See! I'm no more stupider than you!" she exclaimed. Momiji sighed in disappointment.
"I guess I ought to be going," she told them, picking up her duffel bag that laid beside Yusuke's bed. "Tell your friend Kurama thanks again for helping me with my wound, but it's getting really late and I have school tomorrow."
"Yeah, me, too!" Serena realized and then her mouth dropped open in horror as she noticed how late it really was. "And I still haven't done any of my homework yet!"
"Well, this question and answer session didn't amount to much of anything, huh?" Yusuke muttered bitterly. "I think we're worse off than from where we started."
"I wouldn't say THAT," Momiji insisted. "I mean, we just defeated a big dragon today! That's got to amount to SOMETHING, right." Yusuke scoffed.
"Not really," he grumbled. "Besides, I'M the one who defeated the dragon; not you guys."
"We helped!" Serena protested.
"Yeah, because being chained to a sacrificial altar's a BIG help," he said sarcastically.
"And I guess getting injured wasn't all too helpful either…" Momiji mumbled miserably looking down at her feet.
"It was kind of noble, I guess," Yusuke stated reluctantly. "But I was going to jump out of the way anyway, so it really wasn't all that necessary."
"Oh…" Momiji frowned, near ready to sulk. Serena leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear:
"He only says that because he's so full of himself." Yusuke glowered at her.
"What was that, Serena?" he questioned bitterly. Serena just let out a shrill nervous laugh.
"Oh, nothing!" She took Momiji by the arm. "Come on, Momiji! Time to go!" They then went for the door.
"Wait. Hold on a second," Yusuke commanded in a menacing voice. They both turned to him fearfully.
"Yes…?" they asked simultaneously.
"Come back here," he ordered. "We have to make a pact."
"Pact…?" they then questioned warily, the two girls exchanging glances of worry.
"Yes - a pact," he repeated flatly. "You two have to promise that you won't say ANYTHING to ANYONE about me being dressed up today as…YOLANDA - " he cringed at the name - "Otherwise I'll make sure I rip out both of your tongues." A look of terror spread across both Momiji and Serena's face as they imagined Yusuke ripping out their tongues and, realizing that he was dead serious, hastily nodded in agreement.
"We won't tell anyone! We promise!" Momiji exclaimed anxiously.
"We wouldn't tell anyone, anyway, even if you DIDN'T threaten us!" Serena insisted and then added, "Well, maybe I would, but I know for sure Momiji wouldn't!" Momiji frowned and Serena let out an "eep" as Yusuke gave her a murderous scowl. "Right…we'll…uh…be going now…And we promise; it's our little secret!" She then proceeded to pulling Momiji out the door. "Come ON, Momiji!" she told her impatiently through gritted teeth, eyeing Yusuke nervously as he continued staring at her vindictively.
"Oh, right!" Momiji exclaimed and gave Yusuke a wave. "Bye, Yusuke!" And then the two girls were gone and Yusuke sighed in relief, realizing that he had somehow managed to survive an entire day with Momiji and Serena.
The next day, Serena walked pleasantly to school; she actually was on time, it seemed. Humming cheerfully to herself and munching on her donuts that were left over from breakfast, she skipped along, without a care in the world. That is, until, a little boy appeared in the road - a little boy that she just happened to recognize.
"HEY!" she exclaimed, as she stopped her chewing and opened her mouth wide in surprise. She then swallowed the last bite of her donut and continued, "You're that little boy from before! That the first Baken-Ai wanted to kill!" With a nod, the little boy smiled and giggled. "But, what are you doing here?!" He shrugged in response. Serena placed her hands on her hips crossly. "Well, what kind of answer is that?!" He giggled again. "Could you at least tell me why the Baken-Ai want to kill you?"
"No," he answered simply with a snicker.
"Why not?!" Serena whined in annoyance.
"Because."
"That's not a good enough answer, either!" she complained. "And what about the Keiki Kingdom, hmm? How'd a little boy like YOU get there?"
"I don't know," he answered with a knowing smirk. "Do you?"
"NO!" Serena exclaimed angrily. "Why would I ask you if I knew?!"
"I don't know; why would you?" Serena let out a frustrated sigh.
"Why are you being so difficult?!" she cried in exasperation. "And why won't you tell me the answers to my questions?!"
"Because," he answered again.
"'Because' why?" Serena questioned.
"Because I don't want to."
"And WHY don't you want to?"
"Because I think you're ugly," the little boy replied and began to laugh. Serena's face dropped in rage.
"'UGLY?!' Why you little brat!" she shouted furiously, clenching her fist and shaking it at him.
"Serena!" a familiar voice called out to her and Serena looked up to see Amy standing at the gates of the school, quite a distance in front of her. "Come on, Serena! If you don't hurry, you're going to be late!" Then Amy disappeared, running off into the schoolyard.
"'Late?'" Serena asked aloud to herself, looking at her watch. She then gasped in horror. "Oh, my gosh! I AM going to be late!" She went to run, but stopped, realizing that she still had to yell at that little boy for calling her ugly. "And as for YOU - " However, when she turned around, Serena found that the little boy had gone missing. "Huh?" she questioned quizzically. "But…where'd he go?" She looked around frantically. "Hey! Where'd you go…uh…little boy?" The bell for her school then sounded and she let out a panicked yelp. "Oh, no! I'm late!" She then began running as fast as she could toward her school.
Serena sat in class miserably, slouched in her desk as she jiggled her pencil in her hand, feeling very bored and very depressed. I can't believe I got in trouble, she thought, sitting up, and all because of that little brat!
And then, surprisingly, the little boy appeared again, but this time in front of the classroom.
"Hmm?" she wondered, leaning forward and staring curiously at the smiling boy. She then looked back and forth at her fellow peers; they didn't seem to notice the stranger that had mysteriously entered the room. Neither did Miss Haruna. Serena frowned and turned back to the boy, who gave her a wave. Am I the only one who sees him, she wondered.
And then the little boy walked forward, right toward Serena's seat and she whimpered nervously, looking around again, hoping SOMEONE would notice; they didn't. So, she leaned toward him and whispered harshly, "What are you doing here?! Can't you see I'm in the middle of class?! It's bad enough you made me late!"
"I'm here because I think you're next," he answered with a mischievous giggle.
"'Next?' 'Next,' what?" Serena questioned.
"Just next," he replied curtly. Serena glared at him coldly.
"Okay, then - why do you think I'm 'next' then of whatever you're talking about?" she further questioned with a cruel grin.
"Because you are," he simply answered. He then snickered. "And because I think you're ugly." Serena's face reddened with rage.
"WHAT?!"
"Serena!" Miss Haruna's voice snapped from behind her. Serena froze, fear seizing her face, replacing her wrathful expression. Then, fearfully, she turned around to see her furious teacher towering over her with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Just WHO do you think you're talking to?"
"Well - I - " Serena stuttered nervously and pointed to her right. "There's this little boy and - "
"SERENA," Miss Haruna cut her off callously. "There's no little boy!"
"But - " She turned to her right and seeing that the mysterious child had disappeared, cried out, "But he was here just a second ago!"
"I'm SO sure, Serena," she sarcastically stated.
"But he was!" Serena insisted. "Someone MUST have seen him!" The rest of the class, however, seemed baffled.
"I know what happened, Serena," Miss Haruna began crossly. "You must have dozed off in class AGAIN and were having a silly dream. You always do have a way of TALKING in your sleep." The rest of the class burst into laughter and Serena frowned, face turning a bright shade of pink as she slumped in her seat as far as she could, trying to have her desk hide her humiliated face. Then, Miss Haruna turned from Serena and headed to the front of the class with a smirk of victory as she began teaching the lesson again.
Serena sat outside for lunch, sulking loudly to herself. "It's not fair!" she exclaimed angrily and then muttered, "Stupid little brat…"
"Hey, Serena," the friendly voice of Amy came to her and she looked up to see her friends Amy and Lita walking toward her.
"Hey, Amy; hey, Lita," Serena mumbled sounding miserable. Both Amy and Lita gave each other a frown before sitting down beside Serena.
"Serena; what's wrong?" Lita asked, taking out her lunch.
"You're not upset about being late for class today, are you?" Amy asked. "Because you're always late for class, Serena, and you've never been that upset about it before…"
"Or maybe it's because you fell asleep in class today," Lita added. "And you were talking in your sleep - that's what I heard, anyway."
"But Serena always falls asleep in class, too…" Amy replied with a frown.
"It's not either of those!" Serena cried. She then corrected herself, saying, "Well, it is - but it wasn't my fault this time!" Both Lita and Amy seemed confused.
"What do you mean, Serena?" Lita asked.
"Well, this morning - I WAS on time!" Serena explained. "Really, I was! And then this little BRAT shows up and starts saying I'm ugly and - "
"'Little brat?'" Amy inquired, interrupting.
"Yeah!" Serena cried. "And then he shows up in Miss Haruna's class, too! And he says I'm ugly AGAIN and says I'm the 'next' of something, but he doesn't bother to say of what! And no one even sees him! No one in the entire class but me! But I KNOW he's real! I know because he's the one the Baken-Ai was trying to kill and come to think of it, I kind of wish that the Baken-Ai had killed the annoying little brat!" Serena then crossed her arms in a furious huff, pouting indignantly. Both Amy and Lita frowned in dismay.
"Serena, you really shouldn't say that about a poor little kid…" Amy commented, voice trailing off awkwardly.
"Well, he shouldn't say that I'm ugly, then!" Serena cried in defense and then mumbled for the umpteenth time, "Stupid little brat…"
"You've never been good with kids, have you, Serena?" Lita then remarked, shaking her head. She then became quizzical. "But wait a second - what's this Baken-Ai thing again?"
"Yes, Serena," Amy continued. "You haven't told us much about it."
'Well, I don't know what it is!" Serena whined pitifully. "Yusuke doesn't bother to tell me anything, that jerk!"
"That's that boy who has to kill all three Baken-Ai, right?" Amy inquired, recalling what little information Serena had given her previously.
"I wonder if he's cute," Lita pondered and grew dreamy-eyed. "I bet he looks just like my last boyfriend!" Serena then let out an aggravated sigh and rose to her feet, fist clenched and face enraged.
"I bet this is all HIS fault!"
"Hmm?" both Lita and Amy inquired in confusion.
"If it wasn't for Yusuke I bet that little brat wouldn't be following me around and calling me ugly all the time!" Serena continued on, ignoring her friends' puzzlement. "If it wasn't for him, the first Baken-Ai would have killed that annoying little kid and he wouldn't have been able to drag me into this whole mess!" Of course, Serena failed to mention the fact that the Baken-Ai were planning to rise an evil demon nor did she tell her friends that Yusuke had blatantly told both her and Momiji that destroying the Baken-Ai was HIS assignment, not theirs, and that he really REALLY didn't want either girl to get involved.
"Serena - " Amy went to reason, but Serena cut her off.
"Oh, my God!" she cried, her anger subsiding into surprise as she pointed toward the right. "It's that little brat again!" She then resolutely narrowed her eyes, lowered her arm, and fiercely marched off. Lita and Amy blinked in bewilderment as they watched Serena march off.
"I don't see any little boy…" Amy stated awkwardly.
"Neither do I…" Lita replied. Amy then frowned in bafflement as Lita scratched the back of her head, equally perplexed.
"What are you doing here, hmm?" Serena questioned as she approached the child. He turned to her with a smile as she halted abruptly, a severe look of anger in her eyes. "AGAIN?!"
"Hello," the boy greeted her amiably, but Serena was not impressed.
"Don't give me that innocent look!" she scolded, placing her hands on her hips and bending down a bit in order to get a closer look at him. "I know that you're really just a brat!"
The child simply chuckled and smugly remarked, "Don't be angry at me because you're next." He smirked. "And because you're ugly."
"Hey!" Serena exclaimed furiously.
"It's not my fault," he added, ignoring Serena.
"So is that why you're still here?" Serena asked bitterly, crossing her arms and standing up straight. "Just so you can insult me some more and tell me I'm 'next,' but not bother telling me what that even means?!" The little boy shrugged and smiled, causing Serena to let out an exasperated sigh. "You know something, I don't even know why we bothered to save you! You won't even TRY to help us! And after we risked our lives to save your miserable butt!"
"But I am helping you," the boy insisted. "The way I want to help you."
"But you're NOT helping us!" Serena argued.
"I told you that you were next."
'Yeah, whatever that means!" Serena shouted irritably. She then turned her head from him indignantly. "You're only hurting yourself, you know. The less you tell us, the harder it'll be for us to save you the next time a Baken-Ai tries to kill you!" The little boy burst into a fit of horrible laughter and Serena let out a low growl of annoyance. "It's not funny!" she exclaimed and turned to the child vindictively. However, the child had strangely disappeared, leaving Serena both vexed and confused.
Momiji was enjoying herself as she pleasantly walked home from school, briefcase swaying on her side as she strode along with a smile on her face. Out of nowhere it seemed, a man stepped in front of her and her body slammed into his. She groaned as she stumbled back, her briefcase crashing to the ground and bursting open; luckily, she at least maintained her balance. "Sorry," she mumbled, face turning a slight shade of pink in embarrassment. Not bothering to look up at the man out of sheer humiliation, she averted her eyes to the sidewalk and bent down hastily too pick up her belongings, shoving her books and papers into her briefcase without a sense of organization, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.
"It's all right. Here - let me help you," the man's voice insisted kindly and he bent down to help. As his hand touched hers, her head shot up, her eyes directly locking onto the man's. And her face grew red beat red because of this.
"Tha-thanks," she stammered as she looked at the smiling handsome man, gathering the last of her papers into her briefcase.
"Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Danjuro." Momiji gasped with wide eyes, recognizing the name immediately. She quickly slammed her briefcase closed and darted up, withdrawing her briefcase close to her chest as if some sort of shield, and took a frightened step back.
"You're - you're - " she stammered again, only this time out of fear, not embarrassment. Danjuro rose gracefully to his feet, smiling sinisterly.
"Don't be so scared; it's really pathetic."
"I'm not!" she exclaimed and went to take a step forward in defiance, but shrunk back and swallowed hard. Danjuro let out a cruel laugh in response.
"I'm not here to kill you, if that's what you're worried about," he then informed her. Changing the subject, he continued on, "So you know who I am. Did Yusuke tell you? Or was it that idiot, Serena?"
"Serena's not an idiot!" Momiji defended her friend. "And it was both of them."
"I see," he replied. With a shake of his head, he sighed. "I've been going about this all wrong. I've figured that out now."
"'All wrong?'" Momiji questioned, easing up a bit and stepping forward slightly. He nodded.
"Yes. All wrong," he repeated. "Yusuke's the problem; I already knew that from the beginning. But I simply underestimated everything about him. Everything." Momiji frowned in perplexity as Danjuro began to chuckle in spite of himself. "I couldn't believe it myself!" he exclaimed through his laughter. "In that school girl's uniform!"
Momiji grimaced, thinking, Yusuke's not going to be too happy that Danjuro knows about Yolanda, too…
"Did you convince him to wear that outfit?" Danjuro questioned, breaking Momiji's thoughts.
"Huh? Oh…yes; it was my uniform even."
"Yours?" He chuckled even harder, causing Momiji to frown again. His laughter dying out, he stated, "You're a clever girl, you know that, to come up with such an ingenious plan to get into King Korenaga's castle."
"Not really…" Momiji muttered in disagreement, but Danjuro ignored her.
"And that's why I've got a riddle for you!" he told her, lifting a finger in front of her face.
"'Riddle…?'" Momiji inquired, not liking the sound of it. He grinned a wide, vicious grin as he leaned very close to her, making her feel very uncomfortable.
"How do you beat someone like Yusuke Urameshi?" Momiji frowned awkwardly, stumped, and slowly shrugged with a shake of her head. "Brute force won't work, right?"
"Well, I guess it hasn't worked so far…" Momiji reasoned.
"Exactly!" Danjuro exclaimed eagerly. "You could send as many as demons as you like and they could all rip him to pieces, yet a boy like Yusuke Urameshi's just going to come back at you. Almost like a cat - that boy's got nine lives, wouldn't you say? "
'I guess so…" Momiji answered weakly.
"So what else is there to do, then? After all, there's more than one way to skin a cat."
"I don't know," Momiji replied sincerely and then added hopefully, "You could just give up?" Danjuro sighed again, stepping away from her, much to Momiji's relief, and shook his head.
"No," he remarked. "You rip out his heart, that's what you do."
"Oh…" Momiji answered, but frowned, even more confused than before. "But, wait a second! That's the same thing as brute force! Isn't it…?"
"A skirt!" Danjuro exclaimed, ignoring Momiji's comment. "I can't believe he did that for that Serena girl! Really, it takes a remarkable man to humiliate himself like that." He chuckled to himself. "Ah…but I suppose that women always make men weak."
"Hey!" Momiji protested. "I may not be all that useful as a fighter, but I - "
"I'm not talking about you," Danjuro interrupted. "Or your stupid friend Serena, for that matter."
"You're not?"
"No."
"Then who are you - "
"Let's just say…women in general. What a man is willing to do to save a woman is so extraordinary that it's pathetic. A man is willing to do anything - that's the weakness. He'll be willing to die, if that's what the circumstances require, or perhaps let the entire world perish for her sole existence. He will fight and yet, at the same time, he could simply be fighting himself, forcing himself not to kill the very person who puts her very life in jeopardy. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Momiji shook her head. Danjuro smiled. "I guessed you wouldn't. But it doesn't matter; it's all really idle prattle."
"Oh…it is?"
"I suppose so…" He shrugged with a cocky grin and turned to leave. Momiji, however, bravely took hold of his arm to stop him, and then swiftly stepped in front of him.
"Wait! I can't allow you to hurt Yusuke!" she declared and Danjuro just chuckled.
"I already told you I wasn't going to hurt him, remember? That simply won't work," he stated matter-of-factly. He then added, "I'm simply going to rip out his heart."
"But that's the same thing!" Momiji argued, but then frowned in puzzlement. "Isn't it?" She scrunched her eyebrows in dismay. "I'm confused." Placing a hand on her shoulder, Danjuro leaned close to her, a smirk spread across his face.
"You see, that's the riddle," he whispered. He then stood up straight and released a very bewildered Momiji. As he began to walk away, he called to her, "Once you figure out the riddle, tell Yusuke that if he plans to keep his heart intact, he'll forget all about the Baken-Ai and Torazo. In fact, I think I'd like it better if he'd just kill himself so I needn't worry about his constant meddling. Yes, tell him to do that." Momiji's face became one of horror at such a request, but she remained silent, finding herself speechless.
"Oh, and Momiji," he then said as he stopped and turned his eyes callously to hers. "Do tell Yusuke that I think he looked absolutely adorable in that little school girl uniform of his. I think Serena was absolutely right; it was simply hilarious." He snickered sardonically and then disappeared into nothingness.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Momiji: This sucks! Just what does the riddle mean?!
Serena: Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually, Momiji! I'm just glad that that little brat is gone!
Yusuke: For now, anyway…
Serena: Wait a second! You mean, he comes back?!
Momiji: Come on, Serena! He wasn't all that bad! Besides, he's just a kid!
Serena: He has no right to call me ugly, that jerk!
Yusuke: Why not? You ARE ugly.
Serena: WHAT?!
Momiji: Anyway, how am I going to solve this riddle? What could it possibly mean?
Yusuke: I don't know, but you better figure it out before the end of the next episode!
Serena: Don't worry! She will!
Momiji: But what if I can't?! Then something terrible might happen!
Serena: What I want to know is what I'm 'next' of!
Yusuke: Don't you think you're getting ahead of yourself, Serena?
Momiji: Wait! That's what Danjuro meant?! I can't believe it!
Yusuke: I'm going to pulverize him if he even thinks about -
Serena: Hold on a second! What did Danjuro mean?!
Momiji: You mean, you don't know?
Serena: No!
Momiji: Well, it's just awful! At least Kusanagi's there to give a helping hand!
Yusuke: If you expect me to be grateful to that moron, you've got another thing coming.
Serena: Kusanagi?! In the next episode?! Now I'm interested! But wait a second; how come you both know the answer to the riddle and I don't?!
Yusuke: That's the way the cookie crumbles, I guess.
Serena: Hey! That's my line!
Yusuke: You really want to know the answer to the riddle?
Serena: Yes! Tell me! I just have to know what's going to happen next?!
Yusuke: Well, you're just going to have to wait until the next episode!
Serena: Wait?! That's not fair!
Yusuke: Well, if you want the answer you're going to HAVE to wait and watch the next all-new, suspenseful episode of "What's My Line Again…?," Episode 10, "An Attack! But on who?! Momiji solves the riddle!"
Momiji: I just hope I solve it in time!
Momiji fluttered her eyes open to see a young man with long red hair that she vaguely recognized warmly smiling down on her.
"You're…you're Yusuke's friend…" she began in a sleepy daze. "Kurama…" He gave her a kind chuckle.
"Yes, I am. You remember me, I see." She nodded weakly.
"But…what are you doing here…?" Where am I…?"
"You were wounded and passed out," Kurama explained. "Yusuke and his friend Serena brought you back to the human world. You're now in Yusuke's bedroom."
"Oh…"
"Is she awake yet?" Yusuke asked Kurama as he entered his bedroom. Momiji sat up and studied him in puzzlement.
"Yusuke…" she started, still rather dazed. "You're not a girl anymore…" Yusuke's face turned slightly pink as Kurama gave him a confused look.
"I don't think Yusuke's ever been a girl before," Kurama told Momiji quizzically, although his bewildered eyes were still set on Yusuke. "At least, not that I know of…" Yusuke broke in with an awkward laugh.
"Ah, don't listen to her, Kurama! It was probably just a stupid dream." He then shot Momiji a look of daggers. "RIGHT, Momiji?"
"OH!" she exclaimed, snapping to her senses and laughing nervously. "Right! Right! Just a stupid dream!" Luckily, Kurama brushed it off right away, not making much of it and quickly changing the topic.
"Fortunately, the fire only grazed her back," he told them, standing up. "It wasn't too hard to heal - it was only a minor burn. Though, I suppose for a young girl, it may seem a lot worse. But she should be feeling better now."
"Hey!" Momiji exclaimed with a wide grin. She stood up excitedly. "I DO feel better!" And Kurama let out a warm laugh.
Serena then barged in, smiling wildly and carrying a tray full of cookies in her hand. "Hey, everyone! Who wants cookies?" She extended the tray to Kurama. "Would you like some?"
"No, no, thank you," he answered politely, heading toward the door. "I really must be going, actually. I'm glad I could be of some help." He then left. Serena shrugged casually then.
"Suit yourself," she said as Kurama left and began to devour the cookies on the plate. Yusuke glared at her in annoyance.
"SERENA," he scolded through gritted teeth. "Those cookies are supposed to be for MOMIJI - you know, the girl who just got injured by a dragon? They're NOT for YOU."
"Well, it's not like she wants them, right, Momiji?" Serena asked.
"Well -"
"See?" Serena interrupted Momiji with a grin. "I told you she wouldn't want any." Momiji frowned in disappointment as Serena began greedily gulp downing the cookies again as Yusuke sighed in disgust.
"ANYWAY," he began with a frustrated look in his eyes. "Now what?"
"Uh…" Momiji began and then bit her lip with a whimper, unable to think of an answer. Serena swallowed the last cookie from the tray and frowned. They were all silent for a moment, without one answer among them. "Well…" Momiji finally spoke slowly. "You COULD tell us about Danjuro, Yusuke."
"Yeah!" Serena declared in a demanding voice, placing a hand on her hip. "What's with you keeping secrets from us, huh?!" Yusuke glanced away sheepishly.
"I was GOING to tell you guys…" he insisted, sounding hardly convincing. "I just never got around to it, I guess…"
"Well, now's the perfect time!" Serena decided, placing down her tray on the bed and then taking Yusuke by the arm and sitting him down at his desk. "SO?! Go on!" And Momiji nodded eagerly.
"He's just some guy," Yusuke began, rubbing the scar on his forehead. He then added rather quickly, "Who happens to have sent all those demons after us for killing the first Baken-Ai…"
"WHAT?!" Both girls cried.
"How could you not have told us?!" Serena questioned.
"Well, it's not my fault that I was too busy saving your sorry ass from being eaten by some dragon to tell you about it!" Yusuke defended himself. Serena looked highly offended, but Momiji stepped in before she had the chance to rebuttal.
"But why would he want to do that?" she inquired inquisitively. "Why does he care so much about the Baken-Ai?"
"I don't know…" Yusuke answered honestly, scratching the back of his head. "He said that I was a threat to both him and Torazo - the really powerful demon the three Baken-Ai are supposed to rise. I figured that maybe he's working for Torazo or something…" He gave a shrug. "He didn't really tell me much other than that he wasn't too happy about me killing the stupid demons he created."
"Did he say anything about us?" Momiji asked nervously. Yusuke shook his head.
"Not really…he said I was the only one who was a 'real' threat."
"Hey!" Serena protested. "Me and Momiji are a threat!"
"You wish you were," Yusuke muttered and Serena stuck her tongue out at him. Yusuke scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, THAT'S mature…"
"What else did he tell you, Yusuke?" Momiji interrupted their argument again.
"Nothing that I can remember…" Yusuke's voice trailed off uneasily as he looked away. "It was a long time ago, I guess…being yesterday and all..."
"Yesterday's NOT a long time ago!" Serena argued. "Even I know that!"
"Well…"
"Did you try to fight him?" Momiji questioned anxiously. 'Did he try to fight you?"
"Uh…" He let out an uncomfortable laugh and scratched the back of his head. "He said he didn't want to fight…guess he was scared or something…"
"Well, if you didn't get to fight him, you AT LEAST told him off, right?" Serena interrogated now. "I mean, you seem really good at ridiculing people anyway."
"I…uh…" Yusuke's face became even more troubled as he stammered to find the right words. "Yeah…yeah, I told him off…" he said, although the tone of his voice told both girls something quite different.
"You mean, you didn't?!" Serena questioned. "Why not?!"
"BECAUSE…" Yusuke began again, trying to find a decent excuse. "I was trying to, you know…uh…listen to what he had to say. You know, get some clues…"
"And…?" Serena asked. "What clues did you get?"
"Well, he didn't tell me all that much…"
"But I thought he was scared of you," Momiji came in now curiously. "If he was so scared, couldn't you have just threatened him with that Spirit Gun of yours and he would have confessed everything to you?"
"Uh…well…I didn't say he was SCARED exactly," Yusuke began to rationalize, averting his eyes to the ceiling. "I mean, I just said that could have been the reason he didn't want to fight me…"
"Well, what are the other reasons you think then?" Momiji asked innocently.
"Well…" Yusuke trailed off as Danjuro's cruel voice came into his head, speaking the same callous words he spoke to him the other day: "You're just a child to me. A weak, worthless nothing."
"Yeah, Yusuke!" Serena chimed in. "What are the other reasons?"
Danjuro's voice echoed in Yusuke's mind again, "Now, don't look at me like that. Just because I told you what you are - a weak, worthless nothing - doesn't mean you have to get so angry. Besides, I don't fight weak, worthless nothings anyway; they're simply not worth my time. Not to mention that I can't help pitying them now and again."
Momiji frowned now, noticing a painful fear in Yusuke's eyes. She asked in concern, "Yusuke?"
"What's the matter, Yusuke?" Serena inquired herself.
"You may have been able to rescue those two pathetic girls, but I suppose you never thought who'd rescue you," Danjuro's voice repeated in his mind and Yusuke shut his eyes tightly, screaming on the top of his lungs:
"SHUT UP!" Both girls took a startled jump back. They each had frightened looks of worry on their faces as they stared at Yusuke in shock. Yusuke, calming down quite a bit, opened his eyes and stared at them in silence, an embarrassed expression forming across his face. Quickly, he decided to try and change the topic. "I mean…I…uh…Momiji…don't you have to tell Serena about the…uh…little kid or something…?"
"Right…" Momiji said, slowly easing back into conversation. She turned to Serena. "You know that little kid who the Baken-Ai was trying to kill?" Serena nodded, still looking a bit nervous because of Yusuke's outburst. "Well, I saw him when me and Yusuke were in the Keiki Kingdom on our way to King Korenaga's castle."
"Really?" Serena asked in surprise. Momiji nodded. "But how'd he get there?" Momiji looked to Yusuke for the answer and he shrugged in response.
"We don't know," Momiji answered sincerely.
"Oh, I know!" Serena then cried excitedly. "Maybe Danjuro kidnapped him and brought him there!" Yusuke snorted, slowly going back to his old self.
"You idiot," he insulted her. "Why would Danjuro bring that little kid there just so he can wander around without any supervision whatsoever and then just easily run away?"
"Well…I don't know!" Serena exclaimed. "I was only making a SUGGESTION! How am I supposed to know all these details, anyway?! I wasn't even there!" Yusuke sighed, shaking his head and looking away.
"You're still an idiot," he commented coldly.
"Hey! I resent that!" Serena shouted, placing both hands on her hips in rage.
"He mustn't be an ordinary little boy…" Momiji then thought aloud, placing a pensive hand to her chin and the other two turned to her inquisitively.
"Hmm…Momiji's right!" Serena decided. "He must not be any ordinary little boy! He must be…uh…well, I don't know what he is, but he's not ordinary, that's for sure!" Momiji frowned at this redundant conclusion and Yusuke laughed out loud in spite of her.
"I told you were an idiot," he stated with a snicker.
"Well, than YOU tell us what he is then, hmm?" Serena asked haughtily.
"I…uh…well, how am I supposed to know!" Yusuke shouted in frustration, crossing his arms furiously and glaring away.
"See! I'm no more stupider than you!" she exclaimed. Momiji sighed in disappointment.
"I guess I ought to be going," she told them, picking up her duffel bag that laid beside Yusuke's bed. "Tell your friend Kurama thanks again for helping me with my wound, but it's getting really late and I have school tomorrow."
"Yeah, me, too!" Serena realized and then her mouth dropped open in horror as she noticed how late it really was. "And I still haven't done any of my homework yet!"
"Well, this question and answer session didn't amount to much of anything, huh?" Yusuke muttered bitterly. "I think we're worse off than from where we started."
"I wouldn't say THAT," Momiji insisted. "I mean, we just defeated a big dragon today! That's got to amount to SOMETHING, right." Yusuke scoffed.
"Not really," he grumbled. "Besides, I'M the one who defeated the dragon; not you guys."
"We helped!" Serena protested.
"Yeah, because being chained to a sacrificial altar's a BIG help," he said sarcastically.
"And I guess getting injured wasn't all too helpful either…" Momiji mumbled miserably looking down at her feet.
"It was kind of noble, I guess," Yusuke stated reluctantly. "But I was going to jump out of the way anyway, so it really wasn't all that necessary."
"Oh…" Momiji frowned, near ready to sulk. Serena leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear:
"He only says that because he's so full of himself." Yusuke glowered at her.
"What was that, Serena?" he questioned bitterly. Serena just let out a shrill nervous laugh.
"Oh, nothing!" She took Momiji by the arm. "Come on, Momiji! Time to go!" They then went for the door.
"Wait. Hold on a second," Yusuke commanded in a menacing voice. They both turned to him fearfully.
"Yes…?" they asked simultaneously.
"Come back here," he ordered. "We have to make a pact."
"Pact…?" they then questioned warily, the two girls exchanging glances of worry.
"Yes - a pact," he repeated flatly. "You two have to promise that you won't say ANYTHING to ANYONE about me being dressed up today as…YOLANDA - " he cringed at the name - "Otherwise I'll make sure I rip out both of your tongues." A look of terror spread across both Momiji and Serena's face as they imagined Yusuke ripping out their tongues and, realizing that he was dead serious, hastily nodded in agreement.
"We won't tell anyone! We promise!" Momiji exclaimed anxiously.
"We wouldn't tell anyone, anyway, even if you DIDN'T threaten us!" Serena insisted and then added, "Well, maybe I would, but I know for sure Momiji wouldn't!" Momiji frowned and Serena let out an "eep" as Yusuke gave her a murderous scowl. "Right…we'll…uh…be going now…And we promise; it's our little secret!" She then proceeded to pulling Momiji out the door. "Come ON, Momiji!" she told her impatiently through gritted teeth, eyeing Yusuke nervously as he continued staring at her vindictively.
"Oh, right!" Momiji exclaimed and gave Yusuke a wave. "Bye, Yusuke!" And then the two girls were gone and Yusuke sighed in relief, realizing that he had somehow managed to survive an entire day with Momiji and Serena.
The next day, Serena walked pleasantly to school; she actually was on time, it seemed. Humming cheerfully to herself and munching on her donuts that were left over from breakfast, she skipped along, without a care in the world. That is, until, a little boy appeared in the road - a little boy that she just happened to recognize.
"HEY!" she exclaimed, as she stopped her chewing and opened her mouth wide in surprise. She then swallowed the last bite of her donut and continued, "You're that little boy from before! That the first Baken-Ai wanted to kill!" With a nod, the little boy smiled and giggled. "But, what are you doing here?!" He shrugged in response. Serena placed her hands on her hips crossly. "Well, what kind of answer is that?!" He giggled again. "Could you at least tell me why the Baken-Ai want to kill you?"
"No," he answered simply with a snicker.
"Why not?!" Serena whined in annoyance.
"Because."
"That's not a good enough answer, either!" she complained. "And what about the Keiki Kingdom, hmm? How'd a little boy like YOU get there?"
"I don't know," he answered with a knowing smirk. "Do you?"
"NO!" Serena exclaimed angrily. "Why would I ask you if I knew?!"
"I don't know; why would you?" Serena let out a frustrated sigh.
"Why are you being so difficult?!" she cried in exasperation. "And why won't you tell me the answers to my questions?!"
"Because," he answered again.
"'Because' why?" Serena questioned.
"Because I don't want to."
"And WHY don't you want to?"
"Because I think you're ugly," the little boy replied and began to laugh. Serena's face dropped in rage.
"'UGLY?!' Why you little brat!" she shouted furiously, clenching her fist and shaking it at him.
"Serena!" a familiar voice called out to her and Serena looked up to see Amy standing at the gates of the school, quite a distance in front of her. "Come on, Serena! If you don't hurry, you're going to be late!" Then Amy disappeared, running off into the schoolyard.
"'Late?'" Serena asked aloud to herself, looking at her watch. She then gasped in horror. "Oh, my gosh! I AM going to be late!" She went to run, but stopped, realizing that she still had to yell at that little boy for calling her ugly. "And as for YOU - " However, when she turned around, Serena found that the little boy had gone missing. "Huh?" she questioned quizzically. "But…where'd he go?" She looked around frantically. "Hey! Where'd you go…uh…little boy?" The bell for her school then sounded and she let out a panicked yelp. "Oh, no! I'm late!" She then began running as fast as she could toward her school.
Serena sat in class miserably, slouched in her desk as she jiggled her pencil in her hand, feeling very bored and very depressed. I can't believe I got in trouble, she thought, sitting up, and all because of that little brat!
And then, surprisingly, the little boy appeared again, but this time in front of the classroom.
"Hmm?" she wondered, leaning forward and staring curiously at the smiling boy. She then looked back and forth at her fellow peers; they didn't seem to notice the stranger that had mysteriously entered the room. Neither did Miss Haruna. Serena frowned and turned back to the boy, who gave her a wave. Am I the only one who sees him, she wondered.
And then the little boy walked forward, right toward Serena's seat and she whimpered nervously, looking around again, hoping SOMEONE would notice; they didn't. So, she leaned toward him and whispered harshly, "What are you doing here?! Can't you see I'm in the middle of class?! It's bad enough you made me late!"
"I'm here because I think you're next," he answered with a mischievous giggle.
"'Next?' 'Next,' what?" Serena questioned.
"Just next," he replied curtly. Serena glared at him coldly.
"Okay, then - why do you think I'm 'next' then of whatever you're talking about?" she further questioned with a cruel grin.
"Because you are," he simply answered. He then snickered. "And because I think you're ugly." Serena's face reddened with rage.
"WHAT?!"
"Serena!" Miss Haruna's voice snapped from behind her. Serena froze, fear seizing her face, replacing her wrathful expression. Then, fearfully, she turned around to see her furious teacher towering over her with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Just WHO do you think you're talking to?"
"Well - I - " Serena stuttered nervously and pointed to her right. "There's this little boy and - "
"SERENA," Miss Haruna cut her off callously. "There's no little boy!"
"But - " She turned to her right and seeing that the mysterious child had disappeared, cried out, "But he was here just a second ago!"
"I'm SO sure, Serena," she sarcastically stated.
"But he was!" Serena insisted. "Someone MUST have seen him!" The rest of the class, however, seemed baffled.
"I know what happened, Serena," Miss Haruna began crossly. "You must have dozed off in class AGAIN and were having a silly dream. You always do have a way of TALKING in your sleep." The rest of the class burst into laughter and Serena frowned, face turning a bright shade of pink as she slumped in her seat as far as she could, trying to have her desk hide her humiliated face. Then, Miss Haruna turned from Serena and headed to the front of the class with a smirk of victory as she began teaching the lesson again.
Serena sat outside for lunch, sulking loudly to herself. "It's not fair!" she exclaimed angrily and then muttered, "Stupid little brat…"
"Hey, Serena," the friendly voice of Amy came to her and she looked up to see her friends Amy and Lita walking toward her.
"Hey, Amy; hey, Lita," Serena mumbled sounding miserable. Both Amy and Lita gave each other a frown before sitting down beside Serena.
"Serena; what's wrong?" Lita asked, taking out her lunch.
"You're not upset about being late for class today, are you?" Amy asked. "Because you're always late for class, Serena, and you've never been that upset about it before…"
"Or maybe it's because you fell asleep in class today," Lita added. "And you were talking in your sleep - that's what I heard, anyway."
"But Serena always falls asleep in class, too…" Amy replied with a frown.
"It's not either of those!" Serena cried. She then corrected herself, saying, "Well, it is - but it wasn't my fault this time!" Both Lita and Amy seemed confused.
"What do you mean, Serena?" Lita asked.
"Well, this morning - I WAS on time!" Serena explained. "Really, I was! And then this little BRAT shows up and starts saying I'm ugly and - "
"'Little brat?'" Amy inquired, interrupting.
"Yeah!" Serena cried. "And then he shows up in Miss Haruna's class, too! And he says I'm ugly AGAIN and says I'm the 'next' of something, but he doesn't bother to say of what! And no one even sees him! No one in the entire class but me! But I KNOW he's real! I know because he's the one the Baken-Ai was trying to kill and come to think of it, I kind of wish that the Baken-Ai had killed the annoying little brat!" Serena then crossed her arms in a furious huff, pouting indignantly. Both Amy and Lita frowned in dismay.
"Serena, you really shouldn't say that about a poor little kid…" Amy commented, voice trailing off awkwardly.
"Well, he shouldn't say that I'm ugly, then!" Serena cried in defense and then mumbled for the umpteenth time, "Stupid little brat…"
"You've never been good with kids, have you, Serena?" Lita then remarked, shaking her head. She then became quizzical. "But wait a second - what's this Baken-Ai thing again?"
"Yes, Serena," Amy continued. "You haven't told us much about it."
'Well, I don't know what it is!" Serena whined pitifully. "Yusuke doesn't bother to tell me anything, that jerk!"
"That's that boy who has to kill all three Baken-Ai, right?" Amy inquired, recalling what little information Serena had given her previously.
"I wonder if he's cute," Lita pondered and grew dreamy-eyed. "I bet he looks just like my last boyfriend!" Serena then let out an aggravated sigh and rose to her feet, fist clenched and face enraged.
"I bet this is all HIS fault!"
"Hmm?" both Lita and Amy inquired in confusion.
"If it wasn't for Yusuke I bet that little brat wouldn't be following me around and calling me ugly all the time!" Serena continued on, ignoring her friends' puzzlement. "If it wasn't for him, the first Baken-Ai would have killed that annoying little kid and he wouldn't have been able to drag me into this whole mess!" Of course, Serena failed to mention the fact that the Baken-Ai were planning to rise an evil demon nor did she tell her friends that Yusuke had blatantly told both her and Momiji that destroying the Baken-Ai was HIS assignment, not theirs, and that he really REALLY didn't want either girl to get involved.
"Serena - " Amy went to reason, but Serena cut her off.
"Oh, my God!" she cried, her anger subsiding into surprise as she pointed toward the right. "It's that little brat again!" She then resolutely narrowed her eyes, lowered her arm, and fiercely marched off. Lita and Amy blinked in bewilderment as they watched Serena march off.
"I don't see any little boy…" Amy stated awkwardly.
"Neither do I…" Lita replied. Amy then frowned in bafflement as Lita scratched the back of her head, equally perplexed.
"What are you doing here, hmm?" Serena questioned as she approached the child. He turned to her with a smile as she halted abruptly, a severe look of anger in her eyes. "AGAIN?!"
"Hello," the boy greeted her amiably, but Serena was not impressed.
"Don't give me that innocent look!" she scolded, placing her hands on her hips and bending down a bit in order to get a closer look at him. "I know that you're really just a brat!"
The child simply chuckled and smugly remarked, "Don't be angry at me because you're next." He smirked. "And because you're ugly."
"Hey!" Serena exclaimed furiously.
"It's not my fault," he added, ignoring Serena.
"So is that why you're still here?" Serena asked bitterly, crossing her arms and standing up straight. "Just so you can insult me some more and tell me I'm 'next,' but not bother telling me what that even means?!" The little boy shrugged and smiled, causing Serena to let out an exasperated sigh. "You know something, I don't even know why we bothered to save you! You won't even TRY to help us! And after we risked our lives to save your miserable butt!"
"But I am helping you," the boy insisted. "The way I want to help you."
"But you're NOT helping us!" Serena argued.
"I told you that you were next."
'Yeah, whatever that means!" Serena shouted irritably. She then turned her head from him indignantly. "You're only hurting yourself, you know. The less you tell us, the harder it'll be for us to save you the next time a Baken-Ai tries to kill you!" The little boy burst into a fit of horrible laughter and Serena let out a low growl of annoyance. "It's not funny!" she exclaimed and turned to the child vindictively. However, the child had strangely disappeared, leaving Serena both vexed and confused.
Momiji was enjoying herself as she pleasantly walked home from school, briefcase swaying on her side as she strode along with a smile on her face. Out of nowhere it seemed, a man stepped in front of her and her body slammed into his. She groaned as she stumbled back, her briefcase crashing to the ground and bursting open; luckily, she at least maintained her balance. "Sorry," she mumbled, face turning a slight shade of pink in embarrassment. Not bothering to look up at the man out of sheer humiliation, she averted her eyes to the sidewalk and bent down hastily too pick up her belongings, shoving her books and papers into her briefcase without a sense of organization, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.
"It's all right. Here - let me help you," the man's voice insisted kindly and he bent down to help. As his hand touched hers, her head shot up, her eyes directly locking onto the man's. And her face grew red beat red because of this.
"Tha-thanks," she stammered as she looked at the smiling handsome man, gathering the last of her papers into her briefcase.
"Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Danjuro." Momiji gasped with wide eyes, recognizing the name immediately. She quickly slammed her briefcase closed and darted up, withdrawing her briefcase close to her chest as if some sort of shield, and took a frightened step back.
"You're - you're - " she stammered again, only this time out of fear, not embarrassment. Danjuro rose gracefully to his feet, smiling sinisterly.
"Don't be so scared; it's really pathetic."
"I'm not!" she exclaimed and went to take a step forward in defiance, but shrunk back and swallowed hard. Danjuro let out a cruel laugh in response.
"I'm not here to kill you, if that's what you're worried about," he then informed her. Changing the subject, he continued on, "So you know who I am. Did Yusuke tell you? Or was it that idiot, Serena?"
"Serena's not an idiot!" Momiji defended her friend. "And it was both of them."
"I see," he replied. With a shake of his head, he sighed. "I've been going about this all wrong. I've figured that out now."
"'All wrong?'" Momiji questioned, easing up a bit and stepping forward slightly. He nodded.
"Yes. All wrong," he repeated. "Yusuke's the problem; I already knew that from the beginning. But I simply underestimated everything about him. Everything." Momiji frowned in perplexity as Danjuro began to chuckle in spite of himself. "I couldn't believe it myself!" he exclaimed through his laughter. "In that school girl's uniform!"
Momiji grimaced, thinking, Yusuke's not going to be too happy that Danjuro knows about Yolanda, too…
"Did you convince him to wear that outfit?" Danjuro questioned, breaking Momiji's thoughts.
"Huh? Oh…yes; it was my uniform even."
"Yours?" He chuckled even harder, causing Momiji to frown again. His laughter dying out, he stated, "You're a clever girl, you know that, to come up with such an ingenious plan to get into King Korenaga's castle."
"Not really…" Momiji muttered in disagreement, but Danjuro ignored her.
"And that's why I've got a riddle for you!" he told her, lifting a finger in front of her face.
"'Riddle…?'" Momiji inquired, not liking the sound of it. He grinned a wide, vicious grin as he leaned very close to her, making her feel very uncomfortable.
"How do you beat someone like Yusuke Urameshi?" Momiji frowned awkwardly, stumped, and slowly shrugged with a shake of her head. "Brute force won't work, right?"
"Well, I guess it hasn't worked so far…" Momiji reasoned.
"Exactly!" Danjuro exclaimed eagerly. "You could send as many as demons as you like and they could all rip him to pieces, yet a boy like Yusuke Urameshi's just going to come back at you. Almost like a cat - that boy's got nine lives, wouldn't you say? "
'I guess so…" Momiji answered weakly.
"So what else is there to do, then? After all, there's more than one way to skin a cat."
"I don't know," Momiji replied sincerely and then added hopefully, "You could just give up?" Danjuro sighed again, stepping away from her, much to Momiji's relief, and shook his head.
"No," he remarked. "You rip out his heart, that's what you do."
"Oh…" Momiji answered, but frowned, even more confused than before. "But, wait a second! That's the same thing as brute force! Isn't it…?"
"A skirt!" Danjuro exclaimed, ignoring Momiji's comment. "I can't believe he did that for that Serena girl! Really, it takes a remarkable man to humiliate himself like that." He chuckled to himself. "Ah…but I suppose that women always make men weak."
"Hey!" Momiji protested. "I may not be all that useful as a fighter, but I - "
"I'm not talking about you," Danjuro interrupted. "Or your stupid friend Serena, for that matter."
"You're not?"
"No."
"Then who are you - "
"Let's just say…women in general. What a man is willing to do to save a woman is so extraordinary that it's pathetic. A man is willing to do anything - that's the weakness. He'll be willing to die, if that's what the circumstances require, or perhaps let the entire world perish for her sole existence. He will fight and yet, at the same time, he could simply be fighting himself, forcing himself not to kill the very person who puts her very life in jeopardy. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" Momiji shook her head. Danjuro smiled. "I guessed you wouldn't. But it doesn't matter; it's all really idle prattle."
"Oh…it is?"
"I suppose so…" He shrugged with a cocky grin and turned to leave. Momiji, however, bravely took hold of his arm to stop him, and then swiftly stepped in front of him.
"Wait! I can't allow you to hurt Yusuke!" she declared and Danjuro just chuckled.
"I already told you I wasn't going to hurt him, remember? That simply won't work," he stated matter-of-factly. He then added, "I'm simply going to rip out his heart."
"But that's the same thing!" Momiji argued, but then frowned in puzzlement. "Isn't it?" She scrunched her eyebrows in dismay. "I'm confused." Placing a hand on her shoulder, Danjuro leaned close to her, a smirk spread across his face.
"You see, that's the riddle," he whispered. He then stood up straight and released a very bewildered Momiji. As he began to walk away, he called to her, "Once you figure out the riddle, tell Yusuke that if he plans to keep his heart intact, he'll forget all about the Baken-Ai and Torazo. In fact, I think I'd like it better if he'd just kill himself so I needn't worry about his constant meddling. Yes, tell him to do that." Momiji's face became one of horror at such a request, but she remained silent, finding herself speechless.
"Oh, and Momiji," he then said as he stopped and turned his eyes callously to hers. "Do tell Yusuke that I think he looked absolutely adorable in that little school girl uniform of his. I think Serena was absolutely right; it was simply hilarious." He snickered sardonically and then disappeared into nothingness.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Momiji: This sucks! Just what does the riddle mean?!
Serena: Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually, Momiji! I'm just glad that that little brat is gone!
Yusuke: For now, anyway…
Serena: Wait a second! You mean, he comes back?!
Momiji: Come on, Serena! He wasn't all that bad! Besides, he's just a kid!
Serena: He has no right to call me ugly, that jerk!
Yusuke: Why not? You ARE ugly.
Serena: WHAT?!
Momiji: Anyway, how am I going to solve this riddle? What could it possibly mean?
Yusuke: I don't know, but you better figure it out before the end of the next episode!
Serena: Don't worry! She will!
Momiji: But what if I can't?! Then something terrible might happen!
Serena: What I want to know is what I'm 'next' of!
Yusuke: Don't you think you're getting ahead of yourself, Serena?
Momiji: Wait! That's what Danjuro meant?! I can't believe it!
Yusuke: I'm going to pulverize him if he even thinks about -
Serena: Hold on a second! What did Danjuro mean?!
Momiji: You mean, you don't know?
Serena: No!
Momiji: Well, it's just awful! At least Kusanagi's there to give a helping hand!
Yusuke: If you expect me to be grateful to that moron, you've got another thing coming.
Serena: Kusanagi?! In the next episode?! Now I'm interested! But wait a second; how come you both know the answer to the riddle and I don't?!
Yusuke: That's the way the cookie crumbles, I guess.
Serena: Hey! That's my line!
Yusuke: You really want to know the answer to the riddle?
Serena: Yes! Tell me! I just have to know what's going to happen next?!
Yusuke: Well, you're just going to have to wait until the next episode!
Serena: Wait?! That's not fair!
Yusuke: Well, if you want the answer you're going to HAVE to wait and watch the next all-new, suspenseful episode of "What's My Line Again…?," Episode 10, "An Attack! But on who?! Momiji solves the riddle!"
Momiji: I just hope I solve it in time!