Disclaimer: If I owned either "Rurouni Kenshin" or "Yu-Gi-Oh!" then you would be seeing this in the manga or anime as opposed to ff net.

Chapter 42

Kenshin opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. From what he could tell, he was leaning against the wall in a back alley in … Kyoto? Kenshin thought, staring hard at the buildings surrounding him. He did recognize this alley - he had used it as an escape route many times as a shadow assassin. He stood up and walked to the front of the alley, keeping to the shadows so he could watch the street without being seen. Two women passed by the mouth of the alley. They were dressed in kimonos and discussing the outcome of the battle at Toba Fushimi. Kenshin allowed himself to sigh in relief. He was finally back.

He walked deeper into the alley, trying to contact Battousai. When Kenshin got no response, he tried searching for Battousai's ki. It was in the Mask but indicated the spirit was sleeping, probably worn out from casting the spell with such precision. I thought he couldn't control where he ended up, Kenshin thought, making a mental note to ask Battousai about it later.

Deciding that the clothes from Yugi's time would make him stand out even more than he usually did, Kenshin opted to take the scenic route back to the Inn where Katsura had stationed him before the final battle. He leapt and landed gracefully on the rooftop, not even alerting the occupants of the building to his presence. He quickly got his bearings and headed for the Inn. No one on the streets below noticed as the shadow flitted from roof to roof, not making a sound.

Kenshin landed on the roof of the Inn and moved until he stood above his room. He cast out his senses, making sure the room was empty, before flipping off the roof and in through the open window. He slid the shoji closed to give himself a little more privacy, and changed into his spare gi and hakama.

It felt good to be back in his old clothes. He left the discarded clothes on the floor, and went in search of Katsura. Technically, Kenshin was still in his service and he wasn't sure how much time had passed between the end of the battle and now. Katsura would be worried as to the fate of his favorite hitokiri.

Wondering if Katsura was still at the Inn, Kenshin searched for the ki of the older man. Kenshin smiled as he found Katsura apparently in his room, and made his way through the Inn. As he neared the door, he saw a guard who was obviously bored out of his mind sitting in front of the door. He was drawing patterns on the ground with his finger to entertain himself. Obviously, he thought that since the battle had been won there was no longer a need to guard Katsura. Kenshin almost berated him for his ignorance.

Kenshin stopped several feet from the guard, his emotionless mask unconsciously falling into place. His voice was quiet when he spoke. "Is Katsura in?"

"He's not seeing anyone right now," the guard replied, not looking up. "Come back later."

"You would do well to look at those with which you speak. It could give you adequate warning, should they decided to attack," Kenshin lectured, his voice low. The guard was on his feet instantly, drawing his sword as he lunged at Kenshin. Kenshin sighed, side-stepping the attack easily. He grabbed the blade and used the guard's momentum to plunge the sword deep into one of the wooden beams that supported the ceiling. The guard tried pulling it out, but all his efforts were in vain. The sword was stuck fast.

"It is also wise to ascertain whether a person is a friend or foe before attacking," Kenshin said, continuing his lecture as if he hadn't been interrupted. The guard finally got his first good look at Kenshin and became very pale. Although he had never met Kenshin in person, the guard recognized the red hair and the cross-shaped scar. He had just attacked the Hitokiri Battousai. He dropped to his knees, bowing before Kenshin.

"Gomen nasai, Himura! Moshi wake arimasen!" the guard cried, not raising his head from the floor. He hoped the hitokiri would accept his apology, but believed his head would soon be parted from his shoulders.

Kenshin, feeling the guards terror, sighed. However, before either one of them could act, the shoji the guard had been sitting in front of opened.

"What's going on out here?" Katsura inquired to anyone within hearing range. He had heard a scuffle take place outside his door, and had become alarmed when the guard had not reported what had happened. His eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. A sword was thrust in the wall and the guard was bowing on the ground in front of…

"Himura!" Katsura said, his eyes conveying his disbelief. He regained his composure quickly and motioned Kenshin into the room. "Come. I wish to speak with you," he said, walking back into his room. Kenshin followed, stepping around the still-bowing guard, and closed the shoji behind him.

Katsura kneeled on a mat and gestured for Kenshin to kneel on the mat across from him. Kenshin did so, bowing to Katsura as a sign of respect. He waited for the barrage of questions that was sure to come.

"Kenshin," Katsura started, having difficulty with what to ask the red head first, "What happened at Toba Fushimi? There are reports of you fighting a tall man wearing a white cape, but no one could say what had happened to you or your opponent."

Kenshin sighed mentally. This is where it was going to get tricky. "I did fight the swordsman of which you speak. Technically, he did defeat me, but I was able to escape before the final attack landed," Kenshin explained, a little vaguely. Katsura's eyebrow went up, questioningly.

"He must have been a formidable opponent to defeat you. Do you know who his is?" Katsura asked. After all, there could be future problems for Kenshin if this person was held a grudge against the red head. Of course, if this person could defeat Kenshin, then there wasn't much Katsura could do to help the boy.

Kenshin's face betrayed nothing of what he was thinking. "I was already tired from the day of fighting, but he is a formidable opponent. He is Sejiro Hiko XIII - my master," Kenshin answered, his face still emotionless. That was not the response Katsura was expecting. His eye's widened in surprise.

"Your master?"

"Yes. I left him before my training was complete, but he has his own reasons for wanting me dead. I'd rather not go into them right now," Kenshin said, subtly asking Katsura not to ask. Katsura respected his wishes, and changed the subject.

"Where did you go after you escaped?"

Another tricky question. Time for a lie. "I was wounded from my battle with Shishou. During my escape I fell into the river. When I woke up, I was in an old man's cottage in the woods. Apparently, he had pulled me out of the river and cared for my wounds as well as a fever I had developed. He wouldn't tell me how long I was delirious. As soon as I was strong enough to travel, I decided to come back and report to you. I'm not even sure how long ago the battle at Toba Fushimi was fought," Kenshin admitted. He hoped that it had been long enough for the events of his story to have taken place.

Katsura nodded his head in acceptance of the tale. "It has been a little over a month since the battle at Toba Fushimi was won," Katsura informed the boy. "The true revolution shall now begin. Toba Fushimi was the deciding factor on which side would win. Now, we must rebuild the government from scratch, laying the corner stone of the society for which we have been fighting to create. Kenshin, you are freed from your services as a manslayer," Katsura said, smiling.

Even though Kenshin knew as much from his research in the library in Yugi's time, Katsura's words still had a huge affect on him. It was one thing to read about the war ending, signifying the dismissal of your services, but to actually hear your superior say those words was something Kenshin was not prepared for. He sat there dazed, unable to articulate any form of speech for a moment. He could not think of a single thing to say.

Katsura just continued smiling at Kenshin's obvious shock. Finally, Kenshin's face broke into a smile. "Thank you, Katsura," he said, bowing again, his voice was thick with emotion.

"Kenshin, although the vast majority of the fighting is finished, it would still benefit us greatly if you stayed. True, there will be many small skirmishes here and there, but that is not why I am asking you to stay. You have been a great asset to us, and we very well may have failed had it not been for your skill with a sword. You shall have a high-ranking position, should you choose to stay. You will be able to influence the government directly - to help us create the society we have fought for. What do you say?"

Kenshin looked up, his smile wavering, but not disappearing completely. "I do not wish to have a government position as a reward for manslaughter," he said quietly.

Katsura nodded, dismissing Kenshin, and the now ex-hitokiri stood and left the room.

Outside the room the guard, who was still trying to get his sword out of the wall, cringed when he saw Kenshin exit the room. Kenshin, however, couldn't seem to wipe that smile off his face and didn't even seem to notice the guard as he walked by. The guard just stared after him, confused. What could Katsura have said that would make an emotionless hitokiri walk around smiling as if he were the happiest man in the world? The guard didn't know of any upcoming battles that would require the Battousai's skill. In fact, he couldn't think of one thing they still need a hitokiri for. But then, why was the red haired boy so happy? The guard shrugged and went back to trying to free his sword from the wall, counting himself lucky that the Battousai was too preoccupied to remember the earlier incident.

~*~

Kenshin left the Inn, never planning to return. He was still smiling - he just couldn't seem to make himself stop - as he walked around aimlessly. Even though his energy seemed to be particularly high today, he resisted the rather strong urges to run and jump around, yelling and screaming at the sheer delight he felt. Not having any particular destinations in mind, he just wandered through the streets enjoying being back in his time and especially enjoying the knowledge that he would never have to take another life for as long as he lived.

He stopped and turned when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"So, I suppose you're leaving the Imperialists, Himura," said Shaku Ari, a master swords smith that had sided with the Imperialists. He was resting a sheathed sword carelessly on his shoulder. "They just won the first battle at Toba Fushimi. The true revolution is just around the corner and you decided to quit. And you don't even have a sword! Where do you think you're going?"

"Sir Shaku. I'm heading out in search of a path where I can protect those living in this new era without having to resort to violence," Kenshin responded. He realized how contradictory his statement was going to sound when he asked the sword smith to forge him a special sword. However, Kenshin would more than likely need a means by which to defend himself and others while still upholding a vow to never kill again. He had sworn to Tomoe as he watched their house burn, consuming her corpse within it, that after the Bakumatsu was over he would never kill again. He intended to keep his vow.

"Hmph. If such a path exists, I would very much like you to show it to me. Listen to me, Himura. Do not run away now, after killing so many men. You must live by the sword and die by the sword. Take this," he said, tossing a sheathed sword. Kenshin caught it, his gaze never leaving Shaku's eyes. "It's just a piece of scrap, but it's more than enough for you as you stand now. Try being a swordsman with that thing on your belt. You'll find out the hard way that your idealistic notions are nothing more than worthless dreams! If that piece of scrap metal ever breaks, and if you still believe in such idealistic nonsense at that time, then return once more to Kyoto. And come to see me," Shaku said, walking away.

A little confused, Kenshin looked at the sword he held in his hands. Wondering what Shaku had meant, he pulled it out of its sheath. His eye's widened as he gazed upon it.

In his hands he held a perfect replica of the sakabato he had seen in Kaiba's virtual world. /How had he known…?/ Kenshin wondered, staring at the sword.

//Katsura knew about the vow you were going to take after the war was over, right? He probably told Shaku about it and asked him to make it for you.//

Kenshin jumped, not expecting to hear Battousai's voice. /Well, it seems you're back among the living. You know what's happened since we got back?/

//Yeah, I looked through your memories. So, you're a free man. What are you going to do now?// Battousai asked.

Kenshin resumed walking, a new destination in mind. /Actually, I have a few questions for you. If memory serves me correctly, I recall you claiming that you couldn't control where we ended up in time. How did we get back here?/

//Well, I didn't realize that I could pull us toward someone who has Millennium Item until we traveled to Yugi's time. It's really quite simple, actually. Going back in time, I searched until I felt the energy signature of the Millennium Mask. I pulled us towards it until we were about to reach it and ended the spell just before we did. Basically, had I pulled us completely to the Mask, we would've re-entered the time stream sometime during the battle at Toba Fushimi, probably when we were fighting with Hiko.//

/So, you used the Mask, which I was wearing before we traveled to the future, as an anchor of sorts and pulled us towards it back in time? How did you know when to end the spell? You could have landed us years in the future had you ended it too soon,/ Kenshin commented. He had now left the city far behind and was walking through a familiar forest. Battousai didn't notice the change in scenery.

//Yes, well, decades of practice have honed my skills…//

/In other words you just guessed?/

//Basically.//

Kenshin chuckled at his darker half. /Well, we got lucky and ended up approximately where we were supposed to be./

//Yes. Anyway, I don't mean to sound repetitive, but you avoided my earlier question.//

/Oh? And what was that, exactly?/ Kenshin asked, innocently. Battousai sighed in annoyance.

//Don't act stupid, Kenshin - it doesn't suit you.//

The smile finally slid off Kenshin's face. /I think I need to go settle things with Shishou,/ Kenshin said finally. Battousai reacted very predictably.

//What?!// he practically shouted. //He'll kill you for sure!//

/Oh, you do care about me!/ Kenshin teased. Battousai was not amused.

//Kenshin, this isn't a laughing matter,// Battousai said, his tone reprimanding. Kenshin was usually very serious. Had his brief visit to the future changed him so much? Why did he suddenly feel the need to hide behind a mask of cheerfulness and playfulness? His emotionless mask had worked fine before, and had been easier to deal with in Battousai's opinion. It seemed that he became distracted too easily, and Battousai had to keep dragging Kenshin back to the subject at hand.

Kenshin sighed, becoming serious again. /I know, Battousai. Hiko thinks your possessing me by force, and propelling me to kill against my will. Like me, he can sense you. That is why I must face him alone./

Battousai was a little shocked by Kenshin's decision. He absently realized that Kenshin hadn't been distracted - he had in fact already made his decision and was just stalling. He knew how Battousai would react, after he got over the initial shock of Kenshin basically abandoning him.

//ARE YOU CRAZY?! HIKO WILL KILL YOU FOR SURE! HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK OF LEAVING ME BEHIND?!//

Kenshin winced as Battousai's voice tore through his mind. /Battousai please, calm down,/ he said in a placating tone. Battousai lowered his voice to a less painful level, but did nothing to lessen the intensity of his emotions.

//Kenshin, you are no match for your master. You know that, I know that, and he knows that. The only way that you stand a chance against him is if I use the Millennium Mask! Please, be rational!// Battousai pleaded. He did not wish for his hikari to die, but he realized that the ultimate decision would be Kenshin's.

Kenshin's decision was unaffected. /I'm sorry, Battousai, but I cannot do that. You are basically the reason that Shishou is currently trying to kill me. That would only escalate the problem further - it would not solve anything. This is something that I have to do alone. Please understand./

//Why do you have to face him at all? We disappeared in front of his eyes and he hasn't been able to find us for a month. Who's to say he hasn't given up and gone home?//

Kenshin smiled. /You've known Shishou as long as I have. You know better than to think he would do such a thing. He is still searching for us, and will continue to hunt us until he dies. It is better to resolve this now. Please understand,/ Kenshin said. He felt Battousai's will to argue fade into resignation.

/Thank you,/ he said, seriously. Battousai snorted.

//So, where are you planning on stashing me in the mean time?// he inquired idly.

Upon finally reaching his destination, Kenshin stopped. Noticing this, Battousai peered through Kenshin's eyes and looked around. //What are we doing here?// he asked, a little confused.

All around Kenshin stood uneven rows of simple wooden crosses. Most were worn from being exposed to the elements for several years. One cross, behind three worn stones, looked significantly less worn and made by more experienced hands. This cross was adorned by a simple blue ribbon, making it stand out from the other crosses. Kenshin walked up to it.

Kneeling in front of the cross, he bowed and prayed, as was customary when visiting someone's gravesite. Although there was no body buried beneath it Kenshin had placed it here as a memorial, next to the only other people who had cared for him. He removed the Mask from around his neck.

/This is where you'll be staying until I return or, in the case of my death, until someone else finds you,/ Kenshin explained, hanging the Mask around the cross. He wrapped the end of the ribbon around it, concealing the golden artifact from view in case anyone happened to pass by the graveyard. When he was satisfied, he turned and made his way towards the home of his master.

~*~

Japanese terms:

moshi wake arimasen - I make no excuse for my self (a formal way of apologizing)

shishou - master