Author's note:

Konnichiwa minna-san! Kei-san here! I'm the author of the long forgotten Weiss Kreuz (Knight Hunters) story entitled Marionette Experiment 00: Satori Ikagawa. It was pure stupidity why I wasn't able to update the story for a loooooooooooooooooooooong (how come this word makes me remind of Google?) time... One is that I'm really busy in College (Try being a third year Computer Science student, fanfiction writer, student leader rolled into one) and second, I forgot my account's name and password.... Hides from flying veggies I'm sorry but I'll make up for it and update soon! I have the story in my head (and scribbles in a whole notebook) and it's done.

Anyway... Coughs I'm writing a Rurouni Kenshin fanfiction (as you can all see) and it's like the past and present combined... How? Find out in my story! The typical Kenshin/Kaoru, Sanosuke/Megumi, Aoshi/Misao story. This story mostly encircles the Shijiro (Seta)/OC story. Hides from several glares then sweatdrops Hey! Try to read it first okay! I'm sure you'll like it anyway... So, read on and reviews please...Flames accepted...Arigatou!

Disclaimer:

Rurouni Kenshin characters and some bits and pieces of this story are not mine 'cuz they are all owned by the one and only (one of my faves) Nobuhiro Watsuki Claps but other characters all came from my vividly wild imagination...

Believe in the 'me' of tomorrow

Chapter One

A messy bed is the usual set-up for a 19-year-old female with waist-length red locks. Yufa-san, as some of the students below junior class calls her. Typical female who studies at a typical university and had a not so typical background and life. How? You'll soon find out...

The alarm clock went off, ringing like crazy. Yufa cringed at the sound and tried to press the snooze button. Yufa was not really a morning person...Irritated, she grasped the alarm clock and threw it outside the window, hearing the smashing sounds of the clock her smile inwardly and went back to sleep. After several seconds, her personal phone rang. Dejectedly, she sat up on the bed, glared at the phone and squinted to see who was calling through her caller ID. Instantly, she grabbed the phone out of its handle and answered in a very icy voice.

"This better be important Kyo-san." She muttered groggily. "You made me waste another hour of sleep..." She heard a deep laugh form the other side of the phone and sighed. "It's my day-off..."

"I know Yufa." The so-called Kyo replied. "But this is really important." He heard Yufa sigh again and flopped on the bed. "I just thought you may be interested in this one." He added, his voice turning serious. "Powell escaped last night." He heard a slight movement and knew that he got Yufa's undivided attention. "Somebody helped him out and if our sources are correct, they already started their first move." Yufa muttered something unintelligible. A habit she obtained whenever she's placed in a tight position. "And you know what this means..." Kyo added warningly.

Yufa gave a slight nod. "Yeah...a rope around my neck, if I'm not careful and a muddled history." She said gravely. "I'll be there in an hour." With that she hanged-up and sat on the edge of her bed. Fully awake. Powell is not an easy enemy. The primary reason why she was able to put him into jail was by pure luck. And this time, she needed a lot of luck. She knew instantly that the organization would assign her again for this job. Fighting with anyone within Powell's circle is an event Yufa wanted to forget.

Yufa showered and did several things to get ready in just 20 minutes then grabbed a white t-shirt and black jeans. She quickly wore her sneakers and headed to her family in a form of an organization named "Kei Yakume" or Punishment Duty. Whenever the government cannot handle serious and deadly situations, they call on Kei Yakume to finish off their jobs and to her luck, Minamori Yufa was the group's head assassin. Yes an assassin but she doesn't kill without reason. This organization made her a person again after what happened to her in the past. Another episode she decided to forget.

A white ruined, abandoned building was made as a front of the organization. Who'll ever think that an abandoned building would hold a group of deadly people who mostly means business? Yufa ducked to enter the already rotting wooden door and reached up the door pane to press a button. Automatically, a passage appeared and she walked through it, still thinking of the news she received from Kyo as the passage closed behind her. After a minute, she reached the organization's lobby. People smiled at her, as if they were working in an office and in a polite gesture, she gave every smile back, hiding her real emotions. Something she was really good at.

The lobby was completely white. Aside from the black office doors which can be found on the walls and a huge screen which made them see the outside world. Tokyo. A place which could be turned upside down or worse, wiped out if they didn't act quick on this Powell matter. She reached for her magnetic card on her pocket and swiped it on one of the doors. After several computer verifications, the door opened with a 'swish' and she entered the main office, where Kyo, Amaru, Faye, Reika and Ginrou were waiting for her. She eyed her family and a small smile made their way to her lips. This may be the last time she may see her friends/family. Yufa hoped that what she thought may not come true.

Kyo, the present head of Kei Yakume was talking over the phone. Another important asset. Kyo was 24-year-old, a good guy and whom Yufa thought as her older brother since he was the one who brought her here. He had raven locks which reaches his amber eyes. Amber eyes which can be very gentle everytime he was comforting her and at the same time, can be very nerve-shattering when he's angry at something or someone. He mastered the use of the silver-bladed boomerang. A weapon especially made by his late father, for him.

On the other hand, the master of every fire weaponry, meaning guns, Amaru, Kyo's younger brother, aged 21, who was currently trying to get to Reika's good graces, was the easy-going type of guy. He's the main reason why Kyo would just place his face on his palm and mentally count one to ten. Though he can be depended on a lot of things, his attitude made Kyo nervous whenever they cast him on a mission. When Yufa had no difficulty in admiring his brother Kyo, she was having quite a hard time with this blue-haired, also amber eyed teen. To be exact, his over-wandering hands. Wandering in terms of chests and butts, female's that is...

Faye, the one tinkering with a small compact-looking kind of machine, is the youngest member of the group. At the age 16, she was able to create electronic gadgets which helped them in ways more than one. This pink-haired girl with blue eyes may fool everyone with her naïve and innocent outlook and physique but this girl, to Yufa's surprise, was able to master the arts, not only of electronics, technology and gadgets, but also of the bows and arrows. She had keen eyes of a hawk whenever she's shooting. Both in practice and during missions.

Yufa winced a bit as she heard Reika's shouts of threats and slaps which were all concentrated to Amaru. Reika, who was now beet red was only a year older than her, mastered the use of the bladed string. A weapon which can look and feel harmless but when is the hands of Reika, may turn into a bloody weapon. At age 20, Reika was the newest recruit of the organization. A busty woman with brown locks and green eyes. Eyes which now glared daggers to Amaru after slapping his face and threatened him that she'll cut something from him that will never ever return. Earning a throaty chuckle from Amaru.

Lastly, Ginrou, the guy with orange-hair and deep brown eyes, about the age of 22, was the group's brain when it comes to strategy. His plans of attacks and defense nerver failed the organization. His mastery in the psychic ability called "Miru" or gaze can make the attackers believe in whatever illusion he had placed before them which may end them as either dead or mentally disoriented. He gave her a small smile when she met his glance and Yufa blushed a bit, causing him to give her a slight wink and chuckle. Of all the people in the group, Ginrou was the one closest to Yufa. Next to Kyo of course.

Yufa, the second to the youngest, as said before, with the age of 19 mastered the use of katana. Her swordsmanship techniques are envied by sword assassin around Japan, if they only knew her. It may not be obvious in her physique but she's able to move with god-like speed and her deep set of purple eyes were able to analyze every attacker's movement in a short time that she will be able to counter attack them. The sword goddess, Kyo would sometimes call her as he saw her practice, was very suitable for her abilities. She had learned by heart all the art of sword but there is one technique she concentrated with. 10 years to be exact and she feels that there's still something missing. The Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is not an easy technique to learn. The technique was passed to her by her father before heavens took him away and she promised that if she will ever had a chance to meet the person who caused his death, she will use the learned succession to finish him off.

"A bit more fist clenching Yufa and I'm, sure your blood will stop circulating from your hand." Amaru called to her. She suddenly snapped out from her reverie and saw that her knuckles were white. She relaxed her hand and sat on Kyo's desk. She saw a note jutting out from his envelop and grabbed it, reading the information inside made her eyes widen and her heart pound faster. "Oh-oh... Not a good sign..." Amaru added as Yufa placed the note back on Kyo's desk.

Finally, Kyo placed the receiver back and eyed her warily. "Now you have seen our situation." Yufa nodded. "And it's not something we could be proud about." Yufa shook her head; a frown at once marred her usual calm face. "And it is also something YOU have to fix." At this, Yufa stood up, paced around then sat heavily on the chair in front of Kyo's desk. "I know you're not at all thrilled about this girl, but you're the only one who can match up with their tricks." Kyo said finally. Amaru and Ginrou nodded as Faye and Reika exchanged confused looks.

"Um... Mind enlightening us here?" Reika said, quite pissed off that she was not informed about anything. She and Faye are the newest recruits and they were not present when Yufa had her face-to-face fight with Powell. "We're completely clueless with whatever you're talking about..."

Faye nodded enthusiastically. "And why in the world do I have to build this..." Faye said as she grabbed the compact looking thing on her hands for the group to see. "Time Controller? I've been working with this for about 5 months and still, no one told me why I have to build this." Faye complained, placing finishing touches to the Time Controller.

Kyo leaned back on his chair. "Looks like we have to start from the beginning for Reika and Faye's benefit." He said. "But first, Yufa, get your kimonos, sandal and cloth bag ready." All of them looked at him like he had grown another head. Amaru smiled and was about to say something but Kyo stopped him, raising a hand up. "No, beloved brother of mine. We're not going to any Japanese restaurant or parties to spy around..." Amaru face fell and Reika gave a small laughter at his face.

Yufa blinked at him. "Then why would I need my kimonos and pack? I'm not going anywhere... Powell's here and..."

"No. He's not here." Kyo cut in through her mid-sentence.

Ginrou gave a confused frown. "But you didn't tell us that he left Japan."

Kyo nodded. "He is still in Japan all right." The group looked at him incredulously again. "Okay...let me get this straight...Powell and his head minions are still in Japan. Tokyo to be exact but the problem is..." He said, grimacing. "He's not in this time. He's in the Meiji era. And he's going to finish off all known samurais, get back here and start a god-knows-what country in a not-so-good way." He finished, looking at each of them for reaction. All of them were gaping.

Reika closed her mouth and shook her head. "Okay...I'm completely out of line here... I don't understand... Yufa, what do you...?" Reika stopped mid-sentence as she saw Yufa's reaction. Faye, Ginrou and Amaru were surprised at her reaction. She was the cool and calm type when this type of news reaches her. So, there must be a strong reason behind why she was acting this way. Kyo just looked at her apologetically.

Yufa was gazing at Kyo, as if she was in a nightmare. The time she was trying to avoid had come and she has to face it. She knew what will happen if she wasn't able to help those so-called samurais and she visibly shivered at the mere thought of it. Blood everywhere, abuses and corruption. 'Why didn't I thought of it before? Of course! The time controller...' Yufa thought as she looked at the compact device. Her father had warned her about this, before he died but she was not able to understand it since she was only 8.

Kyo walked up to her and knelt before her, placing a brotherly hand over hers, grasping it. "This is a huge mission Yufa." Kyo said gravely. "In your hands lies not only Powell's failure but also Japan's history. Think about it real well. When we go through this, there's no turning back." Kyo added, standing up, pulling Yufa, and also making her stand. "Give me the answer tomorrow. Think about it real well."

Yufa nodded and left the office, not saying anything and not glancing at anyone. Ginrou stared after her. Worried. "Okay Kyo, I thought Amaru and I knew everything but I have this feeling that there's something missing. How come Yufa seems to know about this and we don't? Why don't you explain everything again? From the start."

Kyo nodded and stared outside the window, seeing Yufa heading to a nearby bench. She sat there, looking rejected. "Okay. This is a bit complex to understand so listen real well..." Kyo started in a deep voice he seldom used while talking to them. And so, Kei Yakuma's job is now starting and they all knew...It wasn't something they had handled before.....

AN:

So, whatcha think, whatcha think? Like it? Review! You don't like it? Flame! Any suggestions, reactions, violent reactions or whatever? Comment! Chapter two is close. I'm working on it. So, please wait for it to come -