Disclaimer: I have not, do not, and will not ever own either "Yu-Gi-Oh!" or "Rurouni Kenshin."

Chapter 11

The next day, Kenshin felt something as he and Yugi entered the classroom. Someone in there had very strong ki. Looking around, he pinpointed which person exuded this aura. It was a brown-haired boy sitting in the back of the class. He wore a purple trench coat over his school uniform, and was sitting there with a mixed expression of boredom and annoyance on his face. He seemed to think that attending school was beneath him, which might explain his absence the past two days. Yugi noticed that Kenshin had stopped in the doorway, and walked back to him.

"You alright?" Yugi asked.

Kenshin nodded. "Who's that? I haven't seen him before," Kenshin said, pointing to the boy.

Yugi looked where Kenshin was pointing. "That's Kaiba. He's the president of Kaiba Corporations, and so he doesn't always have time to attend school, but he comes as often as he can," Yugi explained.

Kenshin nodded. "He's a good fighter," he stated absently, talking more to himself than to Yugi.

Yugi looked a little confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Sorry," Kenshin said, quickly covering his mistake. "On the flyer for the tournament, it said that the defending champion was named Seto Kaiba. That person over there, the one you called Kaiba, looks like he could be the champion. I was merely wondering if they were indeed one and the same."

"I don't know. I didn't know Kaiba was into kendo. Let's go and ask him," Yugi said, pulling Kenshin to the back of the class.

"Well, if it isn't little Yugi and his short friend. Where's the mutt, did you finally ship him off to the pound?" Kaiba asked, smirking.

Yugi ignored his comments. "Kaiba, this is Kenshin. He's staying with me and Grandpa for awhile--" Yugi started, before he was interrupted by Kaiba.

"Why do I care who this nobody is?" Kaiba said, scathingly.

"And," Yugi continued as if he'd never been interrupted, "we were wondering if you were the one who won the kendo tournament last year," Yugi finished.

Kaiba smirked. "Yeah, that was me. What of it? You taking up kendo now, Yugi?"

Kenshin surprised them both by suddenly bowing to Kaiba. "It will be a pleasure to fight with you in the tournament on Saturday," Kenshin said, straightening up with a smile.

Kaiba just looked at him like he was stupid. "You're fighting in the tournament? Don't make me laugh! A little girlie boy like you? It takes strength to win a kendo tournament! A short, scrawny boy like you wouldn't last two seconds! Why don't you save yourself a lot of embarrassment and not show up at all!" Kaiba said, standing up to his full height, which was a head above Kenshin, and looking down at him disdainfully.

//Oh, I am so gonna enjoy shutting his big mouth!// Battousai said, with glee.

Kenshin returned Kaiba's gaze calmly, not at all intimidated. "Being smaller and lighter makes me faster and more agile. I think you will be surprised at my abilities," Kenshin replied, still smiling.

"Whatever. If you want to get beaten to a bloody pulp, so be it. Not my business," Kaiba said, sitting back down.

Just then the teacher entered the classroom, so Yugi and Kenshin quickly found their seats, and class began.

~*~

At lunch, Yugi had managed to slip away from his friends to talk privately with Ryou. They were sitting outside the cafeteria, in the shadow of a tree. It was the beginning of the lunch period, so not many people had come outside yet. Ryou looked at Yugi curiously.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Ryou inquired.

Yugi was absently plucking blades of grass from the ground. "Last night, after I left the park, I met up with Kenshin on my way home. While we were walking, someone came and put a knife to Kenshin's neck, trying to rob us. There was nothing Yami could do to help, because he couldn't use his shadow powers without hitting Kenshin. Kenshin told me to run, and he'd meet up with me when he got home. He seemed really confident, even smiling, as if nothing was wrong! I did take off, but I came back around the block, to try and get behind them. It only took a few minutes, but when I came around the corner, the guy was kneeling on the ground. Kenshin was standing in front of him, a few feet away. They were just staring at each other. I think Kenshin was doing something to him because when Kenshin broke eye contact, the man took off running in the opposite direction, screaming. But, Yami couldn't sense any shadow powers. We can't figure out what happened. I asked Kenshin, but he says he doesn't know. I don't entirely believe that to be true, but there's no way that we can force the answer out of him," Yugi explained, looking at Ryou.

Ryou looked thoughtful. "Well, I'm not sure what to make of that. Apparently, Kenshin is more powerful than we gave him credit for. However, I don't think that he is our enemy. I mean, that guy had a knife to his throat, and Bakura was probably trying to seal his soul and steal his body. I was wondering what happened to his neck," Ryou said, making a reference to the cut on Kenshin's neck. Kenshin had tied his hair back at the base of his neck once he had gotten to school (after Kaiba's comment about looking 'girlie'). "As for not remembering, it's possible that he doesn't know he has a yami that takes over his body on occasion," Ryou suggested.

"I guess you're right. Yami's still a little wary, but he hasn't threatened us in any way. It's kinda nice to have more allies than enemies," Yugi said, smiling.

"Yes. Well, we'd better get back inside before the others start to wonder where we are," Ryou said, rising to his feet and helping Yugi up. They made their way back inside the cafeteria.

Just as Kenshin was the only one who noticed their exit, he was the only one who noticed their return. Tristan and Joey were busy arguing about some unimportant subject, while Tea was busy trying to play the peacemaker. Kenshin had stopped listening to their meaningless conversation.

Ryou and Yugi walked up to the table, taking their seats quietly. They both seemed relieved. A tough decision had finally been made and an agreement reached between the two. Kenshin wasn't sure if this boded well for him.

~*~

After school, Kenshin decided to go to the library and find out what happened after he left the Bakumatsu. Yugi accompanied him, and showed Kenshin how to look up things on the computer before leaving Kenshin to study privately.

Kenshin found out that Toba Fushimi had indeed been the last battle. Yamagata had risen up to become the general commanding all of Japan's armed forces, and had died after he retired. Katsura had died shortly after the Bakumatsu ended, and Okubo had been assassinated in the eleventh year of the Meiji. Deciding to see what had become of his foes, Kenshin looked up the Shinsengumi. Okita had succumbed to his sickness shortly after the Bakumatsu, but Saito changed his name to Goro Fujita and started working for the Meiji government as a police officer. Kenshin chuckled at that--Saito working for the very government he'd tried so hard to keep from rising to power. But...

/Fujita? Why does that name sound familiar?/ Kenshin asked his darker half.

//Beats me.// Battousai was not very helpful.

Kenshin decided to read some more about what happened to his old nemesis.

"After the Bakumatsu, Goro and Tokio Fujita stayed in Kyoto until 1889, when they moved to a smaller province to live out the rest of their lives in a peaceful setting."

//Wait a minute--Tokio Fujita? Saito was MARRIED?!// Battousai exclaimed.

/It appears so,/ Kenshin said, equally surprised. /Who would've thought?/

Kenshin continued reading.

"There, Goro's son, Kenshin Fujita, started a dojo, teaching Mizoguchi Haiitou Ryu."

/Wait just a minute. Kenshin Fujita? He named his SON after me?!/ Kenshin exclaimed, thoroughly shocked.

Battousai laughed. //Apparently, he thought very highly of us. Probably wanted his son to be as good a swordsman as we are,// Battousai said, still chuckling.

"The dojo was very successful, and is still teaching kendo today in Domino City."

/That's it! Fujita! Kiyni Fujita, the master of that dojo. That means...I'm practicing my kendo in Saito's dojo. How can it get any more ironic than that?!/

Kenshin got up. He knew that everyone he had ever met had died long ago, but it was still depressing to read about it. That, coupled with all the surprises he'd received from Saito, caused Kenshin to decide that he'd had enough for one day. His mind was a bit overwhelmed at all the discoveries, and he needed a nice, long workout to clear his head. He started walking to the dojo.

The same woman answered the door when he arrived. She recognized him as the special case Master Fujita had told her about and let him in without question.

Kenshin walked to the main dojo and, seeing it empty, placed his coat and katana by the wall, picked a bokken, and started his routine. He had determined yesterday that he could use all of his attacks at full strength without re-opening his wounds, but now he needed to see if the speed at which they were executed would cause a problem. He started out slowly at first, then sped up, gaining momentum as he went. He was a blur as he slashed and parried, dodged and attacked imaginary foes. After a few minutes, he sensed Fujita walking down the hallway, and slowed his speed down to that of a normal man's. No reason to give a possible sparring partner more displays of his ability. Kenshin stopped completely when Fujita entered the dojo.

"Don't want me to watch, eh?" Fujita said, jokingly.

"Actually, I was wondering if you would spar with me," Kenshin asked, sounding more like a statement.

Fujita was a little taken back by the request, but he soon recovered. "It would be my pleasure," he said, walking over and choosing a bokken with which to fight. "I'm not going to go easy on you," Fujita warned.

Kenshin smirked. "I don't expect you to. Begin." With that, Kenshin rushed forward at a slow pace to him, fast to normal people, and attacked. Fujita parried the blow, and it began. They both exchanged blows, neither managing to hit anything but the other's bokken. Kenshin was slowly increasing the speed of his attacks. He wanted to know just how much of the Mizoguchi Haiitou had changed--for the better or worse. Fujita kept pace with him, slowly increasing his speed as well. Their bokkens met with a loud clack, and they stood locked together, neither one of them relenting. As if by some unseen signal, they both jumped apart, each landing and studying the other.

Fujita smiled. "You're very good, my boy. But let's see how well you handle this." Fujita sank into the stance for the Gatoutsu.

//Here it comes.//

Fujita lunged forward towards Kenshin, expecting to catch him slightly off guard. Kenshin jumped up to avoid it, but Fujita changed to a Gatoutsu that stabbed upwards. Kenshin managed to avoid it, but Fujita changed again to a sweeping side attack, hitting Kenshin's left side hard and sending him crashing into a wall. Kenshin slowly stood up, eyes closed, with his left hand clutching his side, and his breathing ragged. His hair tie had snapped when he hit the wall and his hair fell forward, hiding most of his face. He took a moment to calm his breathing and let the pain subside somewhat. Fujita was about to suggest they quit for the day when Kenshin opened his eyes.

"Let's go," Kenshin said, rushing to attack again. Fujita prepared for another Gatoutsu, but Kenshin dodged to the side. Fujita tried another side slash attack, but Kenshin blocked it with his bokken, crouching down. He then spun around, rising to his feet, and brought his bokken up, gaining momentum, and felt it connect with the back of Fujita's head. The master was sent crashing into the wall opposite the one Kenshin had hit only moments before.

Fujita slowly rose to his feet. "You're good, far better than I expected. The same move doesn't work twice on you," he noted, admiration showing in his eyes.

Just then, the woman who answered the door came into the dojo. "Master Fujita, your class has arrived," she said.

"Thank you, Naomi. I'll be there shortly."

Naomi bowed, and left the room. Fujita turned to Kenshin. "Well, it seems this practice session has come to an end. I look forward to facing you again," Fujita said, bowing to Kenshin. Kenshin returned the bow. "Now, I must be going. I have a class to teach. I would invite you to join the class, but I don't think that there is anything that I can teach you. Ill see you later." Fujita exited the room, following Naomi.

Kenshin walked over and collected his coat and sword. That had been an exciting practice session. Apparently, Mizoguchi Haiitou hadn't changed that much in 100 years, after all.

Kenshin left the dojo and headed home. When he arrived, his side was still throbbing, so he went to the bathroom, and checked the bandages. His wound had opened once again.