Finally got to the Jinei part, one of my favorite episodes, read and review and enjoy, will Kenshin's apprentice be able to stand up to the former manslayer?
Derek woke with a start, sweat pouring down his face as he stumbled to his feet. Trying not to wake anyone he quietly slid open the door to his room, stepping out onto the porch of the dojo.
The rain was falling hard, lightning and thunder raged across the sky, at first he assumed this was what awoke him, though inside he knew better.
An eerie feeling was surging within him, one he knew little about yet was with him constantly.
"What is this…" he whispered, though he already knew. He had had this feeling several times before, yet he knew what it was, for he had felt it his first day in Japan ten years ago.
This feeling of death, many people had died this night.
The following morning the aura of peace continued to permeate from the Kamiya dojo, as if the horrendous storm from the following night had never occurred.
The whole gang; Derek, Yahiko, Kenshin, Sanosuke, and even Doctor Gensai's granddaughters Ayame and Suzume were gathered around a pot, awaiting the meal Kaoru had prepared for us.
"Dig in!" she shouted, presenting us each with bowls filled with the stew she had made.
Each of them took a bite almost simultaneously, everyone's eyes popped open to their fullest extent, save for Kenshin who continued to munch on his with a happy grin on his face.
"So how is it?" Kaoru asked, most looked away at her question. "I really worked hard on this."
"It's um…it's," Derek stuttered, though Sanosuke interrupted him.
"Disgusting."
Kaoru's eyes flew open with rage at this remark, however Yahiko, Ayame and Suzume put in their two cents.
"It's salty," Ayame complained, Suzume simply nodded, still trying to swallow Kaoru's cooking.
"Don't complain," Yahiko said, still munching on his food. "In order to become stronger you must learn to tolerate things, no matter how foul."
"Kenshin," Sanosuke whispered. "How can you stand to eat this everyday?"
"It's no trouble at all," Kenshin replied in between bites. "Miss Kaoru's cooking tastes better every time I try it that it does."
"Yea, your right sensei," Derek added, hesitantly taking another bite.
"If you have complaints about it don't eat it!" Kaoru shouted, throwing numerous vegetables at Sanosuke, in the confusion Derek swiftly emptied his bowl into a nearby bush.
Sanosuke was ducking and dodging the incoming food stuffs, using kenshin as a human shield. Poor Kenshin took several hits for Sanosuke, however in Miss Kaoru's anger she threw a bucket, knocking Kenshin silly.
A resounding "OOOOO," echoed across Derek, Yahiko, Ayame, and Suzume as the bucket impacted Kenshin's head.
The bucket bounced off Kenshin, rolling towards the entrance to the dojo, where a man stood, waiting for them to notice him.
He was dressed in a police uniform, a thin mustache was present on his face.
"The police chief?" Derek asked, remembering him from the Akabeko incident only a few days ago.
"Mr. Himura," the chief said, bowing low in respect. "We need your assistance."
"Oro?" Kenshin asked, as we showed the chief inside the dojo.
Everyone gathered around a pot of tea Derek had made as they awaited the chief's statement, except for Ayame and Suzume who had been sent home.
"We have a problem with federal security," he started, taking a sip of tea. "This has been going on for ten years, and has been kept out of the paper…we need you to defeat a serial murderer!"
Everyone's eyes widened at his last comment, save for Kenshin's who remained stoic throughout the chief's speech.
The feeling of death swept through Derek once again.
"He is an amazing swordsmen we have named Kurogasa, he targets only former imperialists, and has been killing off high level government politicians for the last ten years. He is so sure of his abilities that he even announces who he will kill before he does so!"
"What about guards?" Derek asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.
"Futile," the chief continued. "No matter how many men we post he cuts right through them and hits his target, he even kills bystanders in the area including women and children."
"That's awful!" Yahiko shouted. "Why don't you just shoot him?"
"The chief sweat dropped at this. "We have had gunman stationed at every event, however they are killed before even being able to fire a single shot."
"He must have god-like speed," Sanosuke remarked, glancing over at Kenshin.
"This man," Kenshin started at least. "Must have been a manslayer like myself during the revolution. Yet still after ten years of this new era he still yearns for the smell and look of blood. He is a sad man that he is."
"Kenshin…" Kaoru whispered, realizing that his face was devoid of his usual smile.
"We request your assistance tonight!" the chief interrupted. "He has targeted a government official staying in town up at his mansion."
"Then let's go get this guy!" Yahiko shouted, jumping to his feet.
"No Yahiko!" Kenshin shouted, startling the boy. "This man is far too dangerous for you to face that he most certainly is. Please, stay at the dojo with Miss Kaoru."
"The three of us can take this guy," Sanosuke said, balling up his fists.
"We will be fine Yahiko," Derek said, patting him on the head. "There is no need to worry and I'm sure we will be able to handle him swiftly."
Yahiko grumbled as Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Derek followed the policed chief to the mansion.
Nightfall came quickly, already the moon was high in the sky, a thick fog had settled eerily around the mansion.
The place was a veritable fortress, guards were stationed at every entrance point and all around the courtyard. In the main room of the mansion the official cowered in his chair, fifteen men surrounded him, others that had been convinced to assist in his defense, most for less than reputable reasons.
The clock stood at five to twelve, Kurogasa had sworn to kill the man at the stroke of midnight.
"Sensei," Derek said, approaching Kenshin. "Do you know who this man Kurogasa is?"
"I have a good guess that I do," Kenshin replied, his hand gripping his sword hilt. "I never faced him during the revolution, but I heard of him."
"Soon!" the official shouted, as the clocked neared the midnight mark.
The tension in the air had grown thicker, the heavy breaths of the thirty mercenaries could be heard loudest, Kenshin, Derek, and Sanosuke kept themselves calm as the clock chimed.
Midnight had arrived.
As if almost in response a blood curdling scream could be heard from outside, many more followed it as the seconds passed.
Throwing open a window Kenshin and his apprentice gazed out, immediately seeing the source of the scream.
The yard was littered with bodies, all the police gunman had been killed, and the clock had not even chimed a fifth time.
"His is coming!" Kenshin shouted, taking a stand before the door. "Derek, Sanosuke and I shall take the front!"
We faced the door, our hands on our swords, awaiting the killer.
After several moments nothing happened, the mercenaries let out pent up sighs.
"What…what was it?" a man asked.
In response to his question a sword bisected him from behind, blood splattered across the walls.
Kurogasa had come in from the window.
He wore a long greenish male Kimono, tied off with a black belt. His face was concealed by a rather large hat, though white hair could be seen swaying underneath it.
"Ah, the bugs with no lives," he muttered as if to himself, pointing out at the fifteen men before the official. "Scurrying to their deaths, only fifteen? I expected more, which shall I kill first?"
"Those eyes…" Sanosuke whispered, noticing how the killer's eyes gleamed from experience in killing. "These guys can't handle him."
"Protect Mr. Tani," Kenshin said, motioning towards the official. "Derek and I shall handle him."
However before they could approach him Mr. Tani's fear took him, jumping up he pointed at Kurogasa.
"Kill him!" he shouted. "Whoever does so shall be paid whatever they want, and I'll make you an officer in the army!"
Tempted by the rewards the fourteen remaining men rushed Kurogasa, each shouting how they wished to kill him.
"Don't be idiots!" Sanosuke shouted. "Will you really throw your lives away for money?" However it was too late to stop them.
Kurogasa swung his sword with such speed it could scarcely be seen, the first three men to approach him dropped dead.
The remaining men staggered backwards, looking as if they were ready to run.
"Now now, "he said, lifting his hat towards them, revealing his eyes fully. "There will be none of that!"
With a mere blink of his eyes everyone in the room was paralyzed, including Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Derek.
"Wh…what is this?" Derek asked, never having seen such ability.
"I can't…move," Sanosuke grunted, obviously trying to move his stone-like body.
"You drew your swords," the killer said, walking slowly towards his paralyzed victims. "By doing so you have challenged me, and can't be allowed to run away."
"Now you boy," he said, approaching the paralyzed Derek. "You have the look of a skilled swordsman in your eye, not like these other chumps.
"Hey!" Sanosuke shouted through gritted teeth. "What about me?"
"I think I'll kill you first," he said, drawing his sword, moving towards Derek.
"I know that technique….the Shin-no-ippou!" shouted someone behind Derek."
It was Kenshin, leaping over his pupil he swung at kurogasa; however the killer parried his blade in time, jumping back to a safe distance.
"I figured it was you," he said, turning to face the killer. "In Kyoto during the revolution I heard of a man who could freeze his opponents with fear simply by looking at them. The now rogue manslayer…Jinei Udoh!"
"And you," the killer now known as Jinei said, turning to face Kenshin. "Are the legendary imperialist Battousai the manslayer, I thought that was you I saw the other night. Known by his use of Hiten Mitsurugi and the cross shaped scar on his left cheek."
Jinei burst out into a hideous laugh, the paralyzed men in the room mentally cringed in fear at the sound.
"To think that I would actually get to fight you battousai Himura. You are a more worthy target than pigs who sit in seats of power and greed, my new target…is you!" With a single glance he used his technique on Kenshin, paralyzing him.
"Sensei!" Derek shouted, still unable to move, however his fears were unfounded.
With a simple thrust of his arms, Kenshin was free again.
"Shin-no-ippou is a test of will," Kenshin started, taking an offensive stance. "If my swordsmanship spirit is at par with yours then it will have no effect on me!"
"Swordsman's spirit?" Derek whispered, still trying to move.
"You are still a manslayer Jinei," Kenshin continued. "Yet now is a time of peace, there is no use for manslayers anymore that there isn't."
"Please," Jinei interrupted. "I don't believe that the legendary manslayer would ever turn…"
"NO!" Sanosuke shouted, breaking the shin-no-ippou on himself. "Kenshin is no longer a manslayer." In his anger he reached for a nearby statue, positioning to throw it at Jinei.
A hand caught his arm, stopping his action.
"Derek," Sanosuke muttered, for it had been Derek who stopped him, having freed himself from the shin-no-ippou.
"An action like that will do nothing to harm this man," Derek started. "Please leave him to my sensei and I, protect Mr. Tani for now."
Kenshin lunged at Jinei, slashing with his sword using tremendous speed; however the rogue manslayer was slightly faster.
After several parries Jinei delivered a swift kick to Kenshin's chest, sending him flying into a wall.
"Sensei!" Derek shouted, propelling himself in Jinei's direction to defend his teacher.
Jinei spun around, stopping Derek's blade with his own, Derek immediately jumped upward as his blade was stopped.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Style! Ryutsuisen!" He shouted; bringing his blade down hard on Jinei, using gravity to increase the strength of the attack.
Unfortunately Jinei stopped his sword once again with his own, acting as if the powerful attack hadn't fazed him.
'Hiten mitsurugi style I see," Jinei muttered, parrying the sword to the side, grabbing a hold of Derek's throat while he was defenseless in mid air. "Your skill is impressive boy make no mistake, but you lack the smell of blood about you and without that…you have no hope against me.
With that he threw Derek as hard as he could into the wall, Kenshin barely grabbed him before he impacted.
"Pupil," he started. "You must stay back now as well. It appears that he is too much for you that he is."
"But sensei," Derek began, however Jinei interrupted them both.
"Boring, so boring," Jinei croaked. "In your present state Battousai you cannot hope to defeat me, the skills you have taught your pupil tells me that better than a thousand battles could. Become the manslayer you once were and face me again!"
With that he leapt out the open window, gone.
Feeling embarrassed Derek refused help in treating his injuries, bandaging the wounds on his neck himself.
"Don't worry Kenshin," Sanosuke started, approaching his friend. "We'll get this guy."
"He has a point you know," Kenshin sighed.
"What point?"
"That in my present state I am no match for him that I'm not," Sanosuke's eyes widened at this statement.
"But sensei, surely together we can defeat him; he can't take both of us!"
"I am sorry Derek, you have been a good student over the years that you have, but this is something I must do alone."
Derek and Sanosuke lowered their faces, defeated.
The following day Kenshin had gone off, thinking of ways to defeat Jinei alone, Kaoru was searching for him, determined to help. Derek found himself wandering around the river near the dojo; the storm had caused the waters to act like a rapid, moving incredibly fast down the stream.
"He was so strong," Derek whispered to himself, recounting the fight of the previous night in his head.
He had used every lesson Kenshin-sensei had taught him, he even used his god-like speed in performing the Ryutsuisen, yet Jinei had stopped it like it was nothing.
"How can I hope to help sensei defeat him?"
"You can't," came a voice from behind him. Derek quickly spun around to face the unexpected visitor.
It was Jinei.
Derek's hand immediately fell upon his sword, Jinei made no move against him.
"You like what you saw last night didn't you boy?" Jinei hissed, his voice graded against Derek's ears.
"What are you talking about?"
"My strength, my power, I mopped the floor with you and your sensei last night without even breaking a sweat. Would you like to know the secret?"
Derek contemplated these words before answering.
"Yes."
"The urge to kill boy, that is what brings out ones true power, without it you shall never reach your ultimate potential." He lit a cigarette as he spoke.
"You're wrong! One can become strong without killing, and I will never kill Jinei!" Derek shouted, glaring at Jinei with intense hatred. "I swore to Kenshin-sensei I would never take a life!"
"And that is why you are standing still, in his present state the battousai can't beat me, and thus you never can. Only by reverting to who he once was can he hope to stand against me. Being his apprentice I am sure you can entice this trait out of him," Jinei sneered evilly beneath his hat as he spoke.
"I would never do that to Kenshin-sensei! He is happy now living in peace with Miss Kaoru at…" He threw his hands over his mouth, realizing what he had said.
"Miss Kaoru?" Jinei asked, throwing aside his cigarette. "Maybe she can entice the manslayer out of him."
Derek rushed Jinei, drawing his sword. "You will not lay a finger on Miss Kaoru!"
He swung his blade, however Jinei easily jumped to avoid it, landing on a small boat tied to a pole in the raging river, only the rope kept it from being swept away in the torrential water.
"I shall have to pay them a visit," with that Jinei slashed the rope, causing his boat to sail down the river at a fantastic speed.
"NO!" Derek shouted, chasing after the raft, however it was simple too fast.
Continuing to chase it Derek used all his strength to keep on its tail from a distance.
"Miss Kaoru!" he heard someone shout ahead. It was Kenshin.
"No," Derek whispered, seeing the scene in front of him.
Jinei had sped passed Kenshin and Kaoru who had been sitting by the river, and grabbed Miss Kaoru before Kenshin could stop him.
"Be angry at me Battousai!" Jinei shouted as the boat carried him and the captured Miss Kaoru far away. "Become the manslayer you once were!"
"JINEI!!!" Kenshin shouted as the boat disappeared.
"What have I done?" Derek thought, rushing towards his master.
So because of Kenshin's apprentice Miss Kaoru is kidnapped by Jinei, will the two of them be able to rescue her? Stay tuned and review. If you can, check my profile and see if any of my ideas are worthy of writing a fan fiction about, thx a bunch )