Author's note:
Here is the latest installment of my story. Yufa is now ready to go back in time! Just read and don't forget my ever favorite reviews… But first, let me thank the two people who had given their time to review…
Razvanor: Thanks a lot for reviewing. I sure hope you would be able to create a time-travel story. This is also my first time to do something like this. And I've checked my grammar. I've already fixed it -
Night-Owl123: I'll have Yufa protect both side and I'd really try hard to finish this story - Please continue to support and I'd be happy to receive more comments from you people -
So, after those heart-felt thanks, on with the story! -
Disclaimer:
Rurouni Kenshin characters are positively and by using common sense, are definitely not mine! Sighs Too bad…
Previously on "Believe in the 'me' of tomorrow":
"I've thought about it Kyo-san…" She mumbled, panting still. "I'll take the job and find these people and save them from the hands of the Jinposai!" She said finally, wiping her eyes with the palm of her hands, then to their surprise, with the exception of Kyo, she beamed them a bright and determined smile.
'I don't know where I'm heading when I reach Edo or what will happen to me after that but I'm a member of Kei Yakume and I have to do it if I want to find out who killed my family…' Yufa thought as she stared at the half-blank screen in front of her. 'My journey to past shall begin soon… and I will come back… Alive…' She thought again, looking at Ginrou, Amaru, Kyo, Faye and Reika. 'I have too much treasure here… They are the ones why I should return home and the reason why I must succeed…'
Believe in the 'me' of tomorrow
Chapter Three
Yufa faced the full-length mirror and looked at her image. She smoothed the hakama she was wearing and placed her katana (sword) on the special sheath made inside her get-up. Her hakama's top was colored in pale lavender with pale sakuras (cherry blossom) drawn on the right side. Her hakama's bottom was in plain dark lavender. She arranged her katana inside her clothing. She frowned as she found it disturbing.
"Why do they have to ban the carrying of swords in Edo?" She asked Faye and Reika, who were helping her pack the things she needs.
Reika sighed and looked at her. "For the same reason why they don't allow people to walk with swords here baka (idiot)! Safety! DUH?!" She answered sarcastically. Faye saw Yufa's vein start to pop out from the side of her head. She just sighed and shook her head. To their surprise, Yufa held her temper and mentally counted form one to ten.
"I'll let that slide…" She smirked. "Ka-san". Yufa continued and Reika started shouting at her. It was just a silly nickname Yufa made for Rei'KA-SAN'. Not that they hate each other but just for the simple reason that Kyo was real close to Yufa and obviously, Reika was jealous of her. As much as she denies it, it was quite obvious in her part. "Stop yelling KA-SAN. Kyo might hear you…" She added, causing Reika to raise her voice more. Yufa and Faye were both laughing when they saw Reika blush.
As if it was planned by the gods, Kyo appeared immediately in the room, wearing a simple white shirt and black jeans. His hair was tied back in a low ponytail. He had a frown on his face. He hated noise in the morning and 7AM is an early morning in Kyo's vocabulary. "What's going on here?" He asked Yufa, who in reply gave a giggle. He then turned to Reika. "Why are you shouting so early in the morning?" Reika blushed more as Faye and Yufa hid their giggles. "And why are you red?" Kyo asked the obvious, causing Yufa and Faye to let out their laugh, leaving Reika to blush and explain the situation. Kyo raised a hand, indicating her to forget it. "If you're ready Yufa, you have to go."
At this, Yufa stopped laughing and looked at the ground. She was going to do this and she will return. Alive. Faye placed a concerned hand over hers and Yufa smiled at her. Faye was like her little sister. Though not related by blood, she cared for Faye a lot. Reika gave Yufa an assuring smile and at this, Yufa nodded and felt relieved. She grabbed the pack they had prepared. It was a huge cloth with her things inside. She only brought things essential and available during the Edo period. She placed it over her shoulder and walked outside.
On their way, Kyo handed her a list of names. Yufa looked at him inquiringly. "They are the people you have to look after. They made history in Edo and it's your duty to find then first and guard them. Without them knowing of course." Yufa nodded in understanding. "Most of them are swordsmen. Others are related to the swordsmen as wither friends or a relation." Yufa nodded again and looked at the list.
She gaped as she looked at the list. She never thought that the people she has to find would be this long. "Hmm… quite a list." She muttered as she looked at it, reading the names one by one. "Kenshin Himura, Yahiko, Kaoru Kamiya, Tsubame, Suzy, Tae, Ayame, Aoshi Shinomori, Sanosuke Sagara, Misao Makimachi, Megumi, Oniwabanshu-gumi, Saito Hajime, Dr. Gensai, Tokio, Chou, Soujiro Seta, Kamatari, Hiko Soujiro, Yutaro". She sweat dropped. And I have to search for them and guard then one-by-one?!" She asked Kyo and he nodded, smiling at her. Her shoulders sagged and she sighed. "The things I have to do for Kei Yakume…"
When she reached the lobby, Ginrou and Amaru were already there. Amaru moved towards her and gave a brotherly hug. In response, Yufa hugged back and quickly jumped up when she felt his hand on her rear. She whacked his head with her pack. Reika's slap, Ginrou's punch and Kyo's another whack on the head accompanied it. "You'd never change…" Yufa said as Amaru gave her his well-known smile. "Hentai…" Yufa muttered as she walked towards Ginrou.
Ginrou handed her a compact and she looked at it. "I thought no future gadgets…" She said, looking at him, opening the compact device. It was like a mobile phone only with additional buttons and screens.
Ginrou shrugged. "Kyo said it is better if you would bring that. That is a communicator and at the same time, the time piece. That thing would take you to Edo, make us able to talk to you and at the same time, help us bring you back here when your mission's done." Ginrou finished. Yufa nodded and she was surprised when Ginrou suddenly gave her a tight hug. "Be careful and come back soon." He said and if possible, held her closer. "Come back alive okay? Promise me!"
Yufa's eyes teared and nodded. "I will. I promise." She mumbled at him and smiled when Ginrou released her. To her surprise, it was the first time she saw him blush.
She then said her good-byes to Faye, hugging her and telling her to take care of herself; to Reika, telling her to take care of the guys and Faye. She also advised her to tell Kyo what she felt, earning a blush from Reika and a laugh from Faye; to Amaru, whom she said to behave and slapped his hand as they tried to grope her again; to Ginrou, whom she promised to be back; and lastly to Kyo, whom she hugged, thanked and told not to worry about her.
"I'll call you guys as often as I can." She promised as Faye activated the time piece. "Don't worry about me!" She winked at them as the light shone brighter every second. "I'm Yufa Minamino! I've been through a lot of missions and I'll never let this one take me down!" She added and as she began to fade, she finished off. "I'll be back! I promise!" With that, she faded and Kyo sat on his chair.
"Do you think she can do it?" Reika asked, worried about Yufa.
Kyo smiled at her. "She is Yufa Minamino. She'd been through a hell lot of missions and she'll never let this one take her down. She'll be back…" Kyo repeated. "She has to. She promised." Kyo added as he took a glance at the picture of him and Yufa. She was smiling and had that 'I'm-the-best-look' on her. He closed his eyes and looked at Ginrou and Faye. "Faye, open the monitoring screen. Yufa may call anytime. We have to be alert at all times. Ginrou, try to hold and hack the Jinposai's Time Machine project. Hack into their system or whatever. Make sure they will not finish their plans in time." Faye and Ginrou nodded, acting right away. Amaru and Reika smiled inwardly relieved that they're back in business.
The group sat inside their office. Kyo was pacing the room and Faye was staring non-stop at the monitor. Finally, after two hours, a signal can be seen on Faye's monitor. "Kyo-san! Look!" Everybody went to the screen. At first it gave lines and slowly, a blurry figure started to appear. They all held their breath, hoping it is what they all wanted to hear. Minutes passed by and it seemed like hour to them.
"How do you adjust this stupid thing?!?!?!" Yufa snarled on the other side and they cheered. Glad that they finally head something from Yufa. "Ei! Don't be excited yet! I'm having a difficult time adjusting this thing!" When she finally adjusted the time piece's signal, she waved at them and smiled. "Oi! I'm here at Edo! Safe and had a bit stinging sensation from the journey but arrived whole. I had a hard time using this thing. But I managed to find out how."
Kyo shoved Amaru out of the way, sending Amaru to Reika's lap, earning a scream from Reika and a sounding slap for Amaru. Amaru fell off her lap, eyes dizzy and Yufa panting from the experience. Call it an instant reaction whenever Amaru's around. Faye laughed as Ginrou shook his head. Yufa blinked at the monitor and laughed, not missing any of the scene. "Where are you? Why's it dark there?" Kyo asked, nervous that Yufa might already be in danger.
Yufa sighed. "Kyo-san. You don't expect me to walk around Edo, talking to you and holding this thing right? I'm in an alley or sort of an alley..."
Reika then fired the next question. "How's the situation there?"
Yufa looked around. "Oh. It's fine." They gave a relieved sigh. "There's an old man who sells kimonos real cheap. And vegetables here are fresh. Weapons are quite cheap and useless if you'd asked me. Women here have real great looking kimonos. I envy them… And…" When Yufa looked at the monitor. She saw them staring back at her. She sweat dropped and gave a laugh. "Sorry. Got carried away. But seriously, all's well. Actually I was bout to find the people on my list and…"
"Oh… look! A female in a dark alley… Are you in distress, miss?" Yufa hid the time piece from their sight and looked back. She saw five men looking at her. They were smirking and looking down at her. "Maybe she's lost or maybe she needs money…" One of them added. "How much do you cost miss?" Yufa raised an eyebrow at them. She hated this kind of conversation.
She raised the time piece to her mouth and whispered. "I'll call you soon. It's time for me to have my daily exercise. Bashing perverts out of my way…" She murmured and smiled. As she closes the time piece, she saw them looking at her knowingly. Faye mouthing her 'Be careful' warning. Yufa smiled and stood up, smirking. 'They should be the one who should be careful…' She thought as she faced the five men, smirking.
"Well? Are you ready to face your doom, losers?" She drawled icily and slowly then added, "Or are you just waiting for your moms to pick you up here? Shame on you… At that age you're still able to lose your way?" She shook head and as expected, she earned a frown and popping veins from the five men. One started to move towards her and she just stood there, not worrying. She sighed. 'Perverts here and from my time are really same….' She thought as she lunged at the first man who touched her.
"One down… Four to go!" She said, smirking chillingly at them.
AN:
Ha! Adventure ending! Reviews please… Next episode! Yufa met two people on her list! Reviews please!