Author's Notes: Well, I'm back. Never say that vacation is supposed to be relaxing and restful. Not to me. Mine was awful. Little sleep, dealing with petty squables, sand in my shoes, etc. Not my cup of tea. I'm relieved to be home. Sorta. Anyways, thanks for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Disclaimer: No tengo nada. I own nothing and am making no profit (that means no money, presents, bribes, etc. are coming my way) off of this little story. Or any of my others to be truthful, but let's not go there either...All review responses from now on will be put on my profile. Check it out, I have the responses for chapter ten there now.

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While the residents of the Kamiya dojo slept, the rakshasa met with the older swordsman who smelled so strange. They did not stand there for very long sizing up the others' defenses before speaking. "What are you?" Bai Ru asked bluntly. The best way to get answers, sometimes, is to charge straight to the heart of the matter. Dancing around topics is for politics, not interrogation.

"I'm a chiang-shi," Hiko answered truthfully. "One who sucks chi from its victims, you might say."

"A deadly predator, I'm sure," Bai Ru commented.

"You are rakshasa, correct?" Hiko questioned, already certain of the answer.

"Yes," Bai Ru confirmed. "You've met some before?"

"I am used to encountering other non-ningen creatures as well as mixed bloods, so either you were rakshasa or a strange form of henge. Both are so similar, they could almost be the same," Hiko said. Feeling a tickling hair on his cheek, he absent-mindedly brushed an errant strand of hair from his face.

"What is your purpose for being here?" Bai Ru could not understand why the strange creature would want to visit humans and not feed on them. Hiko's actions puzzled him, for what predator does not take advantage of an easy meal? Great swordsman or no, Kenshin probably would not be able to protect his family from the man, he was too powerful.

Hiko wondered if he should divulge his baka deshi's secrets, then decided that the rakshasa could possibly aid him in his goal, therefore he could tell a little at least to them. "Kenshin once was my student, I taught him the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu techniques." Pausing for a moment to gather his details, he continued, "Due to the powers that come from learning the art, Kenshin at the moment he learned the succession technique and used it for the first time, he became a chiang-shi by the succession ritual. The only thing is, because I did not perish as planned, Kenshin never activated his powers fully. He also has never fed upon chi. I am here to show him what he is and I am hoping to convince him to train his son as well. Either he does, I will have to. The line must continue in time, a new successor for each age, for lack of change could destroy the line."

"I see. It does present a problem for you, doesn't it? By his son's own hand, Kenshin could die, couldn't he?"

"Yes, possibly, but Kenshin did stumble upon something that could let him survive, just as I did. The sakabatou, the reverse-bladed katana could allow a student to master Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu and leave his instructor alive."

"Interesting." Tilting his head to the side, Bai Ru asked, "You do know that Sanosuke is partially a rakshasa, correct?"

"When I first met him, I was not aware of his heritage, but now I do sense within him a new power. Is there a story behind that?"

"When we first met Sano, he was unaware of his ancestors' origins. He remembered being the son of a low-class farmer, but knew nothing else of his ancestry. But, the day I met him I could sense something to him I was curious about, so I allowed him to join our group. We all uncovered the secret in a few weeks and we found a way for him to tap into his powers. Unfortunately, he still cannot change his shape." Taking a breath, he finished, saying, "We fear he never will."

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Mornings never were Saitoh's favorite times, the afternoon and night being his favored hours, but today he had some urgent duties to attend to. Buckling his sword to his belt, he left his room at a modest, yet comfortable inn.

Walking the streets, he kept his eyes, ears, and nose open for anything strange. Too much was happening in Tokyo these days, Saitoh felt he could blame it all on the wiry red-headed rival of his from the old days. Not to diss the younger man, but whenever something dangerous, troublesome, and destructive happened, it usually involved the petite swordsman. The kami truely must be messing with the kid, he was far too popular a target for natural conventions.

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Author's Notes: End of another chapter. It is longer than the other one, right? More exciting? I hope so. (crosses fingers) Be prepared for another Omakeextra soon! Too many people demanding my attention now, so I had to leave it at that.Gomen! (bows) Namaste, all!