Standard Disclaimers Apply. Yanagi Hinode, Helena Alexandria, Hyoko Hiyama, Tsubaki Midori and Kotori Mizumaki belong to me

Yanagi slept soundly on the futon as the wind blew across the dojo's garden. Near the gates a hooded figure in black dissolved into a black mist. It crawled under the door and floated to Yanagi's room. When the black mist reached Yanagi's room, the figure took it's original shape. "Perfect. Just what Master Chaos wants, a fine warrior. I'll be promoted. Fufufufu!" The figure removed her hood to reveal a woman with black lipstick, long moon-colored hair and red eyes. "Time to take your soul, dearie." The lady raised her black gloved hand and a black ray shot at Yanagi. The ray expanded to a giant bubble and enclosed Yanagi. The bubble then dissolved into a small ball with a minature Yanagi in it. The lady then left in a black mist.

"Whoa!" Ken suddenly woke up. "Doushite, Ken?" asked Kari lazily. "I feel like a part of me just got torn out." replied Ken. "You mean something happened to Yanagi?" "I'll see." Ken got up and went to Yanagi's room. "Onee-chan. Are you asleep? Onee-san?" Ken found her futon empty.

"What happened to Yanagi?" Kazuki asked Ken when he found the futon empty. "When I saw this place, she was gone." "Maybe she went to the bamboo grove in the forest. She always goes there to practice." Hyoko said calmly. "She showed us where it was. Actually, Kotori went there a while ago." Just then, Kotori came back. "Kotori-chan, was Yanagi there?" asked Kari. "Actually, no." answered Kotori. 'Must be Night.' Kotori thought as she turned to inspect Yanagi's room. "Say, Ken, did you spot any trace of a dark, powerful aura here last night?" "Well," Ken started, "I felt something dark then something mysterious." "Must have been Night." Helena appeared. "I'm familiar with their auras. Night's aren't powerful but it leaves a strange feeling. Erebus's leaves a scary aura which make you shiver. Chaos' is powerful it kinda draws you away from him. By the way, I know where they reside. Just suit up and meet me outside."

Yanagi woke up to see Night sitting on her throne adding black lipstick. "So, you finally awoke, eh?" "Obviously. Tell me why I'm here you bitch!" Yanagi replied with mixed emotions. One side wanted to stay calm. The other wanted to rage. "What did you do to me!" "Well. I made your other half a bit stronger but after a little fix-up, you'll be as good as your old self! Fufufufu! Darkness! Shadow! Pin her to the wall!" Two black hooded men came up and chained Yanagi to a nearby wall. Night raised her hand, "Yanagi. Lift your head." Yanagi's head raised even if Yanagi didn't force it. "Good. Trance!" Yanagi's sparkling green eyes misted. Night's hand moved to the right. Yanagi's head followed. "Yanagi. People have changed..."

People have changed, Yanagi. Yanagi saw herself in a dark world. Look. All they want is power. Bombings, invasions, wars. All flashed before Yanagi. Music isn't what is used to be...They have turned it into a strip show. Just for the money... Preformers in sexy outfits flash. Evil has posessed the world... Crime, corruption. Yanagi's head spun is deliria. And to think that you have done some. You can't trust anyone, Yanagi. Everyone is evil. Kill to bring the world to peace, then. Kill yourself, too.

"Awaken, Yanagi." "I don't take orders from a bitch like you." Yanagi replied harshly. "You don't own me." "I do now!" Night replied. A sphere of darkness enloped Yanagi. "Go ahead and kill me you bitch! Then the world will be one evil less!" "Don't be in a rush, I want you to kill some other souls first."

"Kari. Are you ready?" Ken asked Kari after she put on a pair of pants and a green turtleneck. "Nearly, Ken. Could you hand me that special katana Kotori gave me? It's a bit lighter but not as light as a bokken." "You mean the one with gold markings?" "Yeah." "Won't you bring the emblem?" asked Ken. "Iie. I don't need to. Helena told me that I don't need an emblem to cast attacks. Emblems are only used for other people." Kari answered. She stepped out of the room and headed for the van Helena drove. "Hang on to your seats! This is going to be a long rough ride!" Helena reved the van and zoomed off.

Later that day, they reached a clearing in the woods. In a nearby cave, there stood a door. Hyoko stepped out of the van, "Oi! Sammy. Could you break down this door?" "Alright! Get ready Dark Bakas! I'm gonna pound you to bits! Futae no Kiwami!" Instead of Sammy breaking in, Sammy fell through and landed in a pile of leeches. Sammy jumped out and pulled the icky creatures off him. "Teme! What a lame trap, putting a pile of leeches in the entrance! I'm gonna kill that jerk!" Yuri looked at one of the dead leeches. "Oh my, these are poisonous ones. Although their venom isn't very strong, they can kill a human." "We've gotta remove the poison!" Helena cried out. She took out her baton from her back and held it in front of Sammy. Then, Ken stopped her. "Let me handle this. I can do something to heal Sammy." Ken held his palm out to Sammy and cried, "Healing Herbs!" A green beam shot out of Ken's palm and rid Sammy of his poison. "Well, let's just try to cross this thing without getting hit." said Miki cooly.

"Kuso!" Cried Miki as she kicked a giant leech out of the way. "I've had it up to here with battling stupid leeches! Can't those stupid Dark Dumbos think of anything else?" They continued walking in a single file with Miki, Andrew and Sammy punching and slashing away huge slugs, leeches and worms. "Oro? It's pitch black up ahead." Ken exclaimed. "I'll lighten this path. Shining Light!" Kari swung her arm and a bright light filled the cave. "So. Where can we find Night's throne?" Kazuki questioned. "They say that Night sets up traps. So we have to be careful." Helena said. "Hn. There's a hole here." She threw a stone into the pit. After a long while they heard the stone hit something. "Let's go investigate." So, Helena jumped into the pit, followed by Ken and Kari followed by the three students of Yanagi and followed by Yuri, Sammy, Andrew and Miki.

"Helena! Behind you!" Kari shreiked as a shadowy figure went to stab Helena from the back. "Darkness blast!" "Kari!" Ken jumped in front of Kari. The blast of black power wounded Ken's right shoulder. "The leader is weak. That'll make Night's new pawn overpower all of you. Oh yeah. I used to hear stories. I think that well or not, you can't win against Night's pawn." Darkness laughed from his post. His face was hidden by a black mask and he was thin but wore a long robe. His brother, Shadow, appeared beside him. "Die. Once we kill you, the whole world will succomb to the Dark Sorcerers overwhelming power. As long as Hope, Serenity and Freedom are down or under the sorcerers control, the world shall become an eternal battlefield!" Shadow said. "Minna. Go to Night. Me, Kotori, Tsubaki and Hyoko will take care of these goons." Miki readied her kunai as everyone else rushed to a tunnel leading to Night's throne leaving Kotori, Tsubaki, Hyoko and Miki behind. Kotori went for the first blow, "Hinode Ten Ryuu! Do-Kasumi-Sen!" Black dirt flew blinding the dark henchmen. "Million Flames!" Miki threw kunai of pure fire towards the enemy. As the mist faded. They saw nothing. When suddenly, Tsubaki guarded against an attack behind her. Shadow tried to stab her with his Aikuchi Tanto. Shadow countered with a kick. Tsubaki fliped backward and stabbed Shadow. "Hyoko! Now!" Hyoko positioned herself and as Shadow tumbled backward, he fell into to blade of Hyoko's nagitana. "It's not over, little shinobi." Darkness attacked from above Miki. Miki sidestepped and with a fist full of kunai, punched Darkness. Darkness fell backward and said, "I don't care whether I die with all of you. Die now! Dark!" His words were cut short as Miki's kunai struck him. "Yoshi. Let's go." Miki and the others ran through a cave tunnel leading to Night's throne.

"So. There you are." Ken snarled at Night once they got to the throne room. "Ohoho. Thinking you can defeat me right now?" Night mocked and beckoned for someone to come in. At first they heard footsteps. Then, they saw a figure clad in black leather pants, jacket and wore a katana. The figure's eyes were closed and behind a mask with designs of the wind. The eyes opened to reveal thin, yellow eyes. "Scum. You shouldn't be free to do evil. So as I had used to do before, in the past life or in the present. I shall now deliver Tenchuu." The figure removed her mask to reveal Yanagi in a bloodthirsty mood. "Hinode Yanagi. Best female hitokiri of the Ishinshishi Niban. If you can remember, I'm also Himura Kenshin. One of the most feared hitokiris of the Tokugawa era. Face me and meet your maker, scum." "Yanagi. Please. Can't you snap out of it. It's me, Ken. I'm your brother and your other half! Yanagi-neesan." Ken pleaded to his older sister. "It can't be helped. Die." Yanagi drew her katana quick enough to wound Ken. "You're almost as fast as I am." Then Ken's voice rang, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu! Ryu-Tsui-Sen!" Ken missed Yanagi. Yanagi was far away. Then, she crouched low. Using the extra force of the wind, she sped. Suddenly, Kari came in front of Ken, shouting, "Yanagi! Don't do it! Please, for me." But it was too late. Yanagi's katana hit Kari. Yanagi stopped and dropped to the ground as her eyes widened in a surprised green tint. Holding the bloody blade in her hands she screamed, "Naze! No, this can't be true." she cried, "I killed her. Oh, Kami-sama, what have I done. I should have done what I should have done a long time ago." Yanagi positioned the katana before her heart. 'Reversed Shin-Ken. The tip of the blade facing me. One swift thrust and it's over.' "Sayonara, tomodachi..." Before Ken could stop Yanagi, the blade went through her heart. She winced as blood spilled from her back. Crying tears of blood she smiled and finally, she died. As Yanagi fell, Reiko caught her. "Too bad. She was a great fighter. I was hoping we could have had a rematch. For once, I feel sorry for you, Hinode-san." "I hate you! You killed both of them! It's your fault!" Ken sobbed and screamed at Night. "Bitch! How could you do this! You killed two people close to our hearts. Jou-chan was one of my closest friends and Yanagi was there in times that we needed help and now, Night, are you planning to kill all of us? In this dark cave? I'd rather be killed with everyone right now instead of living my whole life without any of my friends! Speak up, bitch, did the cat get your tounge?" Sammy spat out. Night withdrawed and faced them. Her face seemed to show worry and regret. "I'm not sure if Master Chaos will punish me but..." she turned to a small camera near a tunnel and destroyed it with her boot. "I'll tell you one thing. Ever since we took Hades hostage, Erebus has been keeping all of the souls that have died. He plans to release their fury. Well, in this situation, Yanagi's soul cannot be moved by anger or any emotion. Kari's soul will only react to the one she loves. Isn't it you?" she pointed to Ken. Ken nodded in reply. "Go through that tunnel. You'll find the souls in the pool of souls. After that, come here with the souls. Only denities like me and the three angels can restore souls. So, let me reseal the souls. Don't worry about me." Night assured. "Why are you helping us?" asked Kazuki. Night closed her eyes,"I'll tell you my story..."

Night started her story...

"I was five years old back then. My name then used to be Celeste. I was French. Since I was an orphan I was living on the streets selling cigarettes. Until one day, a man with black hair, black eyes and wearing black from head to toe. He examined my face and said, "Finally. I found Night's lost soul." He took me in as his new daughter. When I saw my room, I found another child playing. I asked his name. He said his name used to be Greco, he was Spanish. But ever since the man named Chaos found him, he has been called Erebus. My name changed, too. The man named Chaos never called me Celeste. Instead, he called me Night. He trained us in the dark arts. Yet, he never treated us like children. He never gave us sweets. He was cold and harsh. Only Erebus and I called each other our true names. One day, he showed us a picture of two people. One was a young lady. The other was a young man. The lady looked like me and the man looked like Greco.

When I turned sixteen, Chaos kept us under his iron grip. I was forced to control men to do Chaos' bidding. Greco was forced to control souls in the underworld. Then one day, Chaos moved Greco to a lower pit. There he was to torture souls in the pool of souls. But sometimes, he spares them but they still suffer. He has remained loyal to Chaos. He has become like that ever since Chaos punished him for trying to run away. So if you must. Please, if Greco challenges you to fight, then you must tell him I sent you here. He shall spare you. Then, at once, slay Chaos before he kills us! You must free us from this iron grip! Or all is lost. He says that when he takes over the world, we are to be killed. He says that the strong shall live and the weak must die."

Kazuki touched Celeste's shoulder, "Don't worry, Celeste. We'll free you." "You will?" Celeste smiled, "Merciboucou, Monsieur Kazuki! I'll never forget this! So I bid you adeiu. Good luck in returning Yanagi and Kari!" Celeste encouraged the group. "And Monsieur Ken," Ken stopped in his tracks, "Pardone moi in asking for personal stuff but aren't you Kari's beau?" Ken's face turned red at the hearing of this, "Um. Yes." "Well then, when 'tis is over, please invite me to your wedding. Adeiu!" Celeste laughed. Ken continued on...

As the group went down to Erebus' land, Miki and Sammy faced again the icky, slimy leeches. "I really wished that this had better foes." Miki muttered under her breath as she spin kicked a leech into oblivion. "Teme. Why in hell does it have to be leeches?" Sammy snarled as he knocked out a leech with one blow. "Look!" Hyoko pointed out. It was a man with green hair and gray eyes wearing black as all the dark sorcerers do. "So, you are Greco?" asked Andrew with his usual icy expression. "How did you know my true name?" asked Erebus. "Celeste sent us." Andrew replied. Erebus smiled, "Well then," he broke a nearby camera with a blast of dark power. "The name's Greco De Luna. What's your buisness here?" "Well, we are looking for two souls." Ken pointed out, "One is Hikari Kamioka. The other is Yanagi Hinode. Can you tell me where they are?" "Well," Greco thought deeply, "That Hikari girl you speak of is in the pool of beloved souls. All the souls there can only be taken by one who loves that person. Senorita Yanagi is in that hall there. They call it the hall of tormented souls. They can only be freed by one of the flowers in Hades' garden. But the only kind of person that can pick them is one of the souls in the Elysian Fields. If I were you, I'll save the tormented one first. Take that boat there, that boat shall take you to the Elysian Fields. Some of the souls there won't hear you but some will. I'll take you now to Yanagi's soul." So the group walked on to the hall. As they passed by, they saw souls being tortured by memories. Later on, Ken found the soul of his mother. "Stop. Please, let me see what torture was given to her." Greco unlocked the door and Ken saw what she has been going through. Her soul was watching a T.V. replaying the news of his father's death. "Okaa-san." "I'm sorry, Ken. But your mother's soul cannot be returned. Her body has now decomposed." Greco said sadly. "But there is hope for your friend." Greco unlocked another door. Behind the door, they saw Yanagi. She was chained to the floor. She was surrounded by mirrors. Everytime she looked into one, she saw either her or Battousai killing someone. And everytime she looked at the floor, she could see Kari in a pool of blood. And when she looked at the ceiling she will see a blade pointing down to her, dripping with blood. "Please. Don't torture me anymore. Please free me." she sobbed. "She couldn't take the pain anymore. I'd like to take her to the hall on the other side where they can rest but cannot be awakened anymore. But it wasn't time for her to go yet. She still has hope. Go to the boat now. Find the flower and save this tormented soul. Right, amigos?" Greco told the group, "Oh, by the way. Best that you just let Ken go. The boat is only strong enough for one mortal." Ken followed what Greco said.

As the boat sailed away, Ken saw bones littered on the bottom of the river. Then as he sailed further, strange nymphs helped his boat reach land. As he reached land, he saw that the Elysian Fields was a peaceful meadow with heroes and great minds. No one seemed to notice him until..."You look worried. Could I help you with something?" Ken turned around. He saw a young lady who looked a lot like Kari. "Aren't you Ken Hayashi?" "Um, yes. Aren't you Kaoru Kamiya?" The lady nodded. "Actually, I was sent back here when Hikari died." "What happened to Kenshin?" Ken asked. "He can't be here until his full self has died. That leaves me alone here. Perhaps you are looking for a flower from Hades' garden to free your other half?" Ken nodded in reply. "Do you know where it is?" asked Ken. Kaoru smiled. "I'll show you but I say that you may not have any hope to find another." "Naze?" Ken asked. "Chaos has destroyed the flowers. And the flowers will not grow unless Hades is freed or if Chaos was destroyed. I have faith in you and I know that you will defeat him." So they both boarded the boat then, Ken asked, "I thought only one is enough for a boat." "Well, actually, us souls are weightless. But souls put into different places have only one feeling. In the pool of the beloved, they all feel at peace. In the hall of tormented souls, all they feel is pain. Here in the Elysian fields, we feel every emotion." Kaoru replied.

Finally, they landed on dry shore. As they walked to a gloomy garden, Ken found that every flower in the garden has died. "Oh no. This is hopeless. I can bring back Kari, but I cannot relive Yanagi from her pain." Ken said in shock.

Ken almost gave up until Kaoru touched his shoulder and said, "I'll give you the last flower in the garden." Ken looked up and saw Kaoru taking something from her kimono. It was a beautiful silver-rimmed flower with petals of gold. "This was Kenshin's last gift to me before we were reincarnated. I've treasured it for a long time. About 19 years I guess. Even if you are here right now, I wish that he would be here, with me. If I could control time, I could have rewinded it to a time when we were together and stay like that forever." Ken took the flower from Kaoru's hands. Ken took a hanky from his pocket and dabbed Kaoru's tears away. Kaoru wrapped Ken in a light embrace. "I only wish that you were him. Not the reincarnated one. The real one." "Arigato, Kaoru. I'll remember this." Ken pulled back and stared into Kaoru's cerulean eyes. "Kenshin says, Aishiteru, Kaoru-dono." and he kissed her. Nymphs of the underworld momentarily took Ken's body away from Kenshin's soul. All that was left was two souls who were separated 19 years ago just to be together again 19 years later. "I'd really wish that we were still in the Meiji era. When we were still together. If time was under my control, I could have let it stop in the Meiji era. If I could ask a favor from Kami-sama then, I could wish all of us in the Meiji era to stay there in peace. And maybe, I could separate Battousai from me forever. But it would be sad to see Yanagi go away. She meant a lot to us. Come to think of it, I wish that Battousai would have been erased by her. Just to leave a sweet, kind girl of 26." "Come to think of it, in the Meiji era, she'd be younger than you." replied Kaoru. "That would make me the real Onii-san." laughed Kenshin. "Just remember this, Kaoru-dono. Someday, we'll see peace again and we'll be together again. Aishiteru, Kaoru, koishii." Kenshin then wrapped her in a sweet embrace it seemed like spring came. Then, as Ken's body was returned to Kenshin's soul, Kaoru was already taken by the nymphs back to the Elysian Fields. Ken sailed back to Greco's land where Greco and the rest of the group were waiting. "So, Ken, my amigo, did you get the flower?" Ken showed him the flower. Greco took it and rushed to Yanagi's cell. Greco cut the flower and put the sap in a small container. Then, he gave it to Yanagi. Yanagi drank it and immediately, she was freed from the curse. But as soon as she was freed, she fainted. "Sammy, take Yanagi's soul, I'll get Kari." Ken left again to head for the pool of the beloved. Once there, he dived beneath the surface and searched for Kari's soul...

Later, as Andrew paced for the fifth time, Ken came back with Kari's soul. "Finally! Let's go back to Celeste. She'll fix this mess." Andrew nodded in reply.

"By the power in me, I restore thy souls into thy bodies!" Celeste meditated to restore both girls. Once the two were alive again, Celeste sighed, "Whew. I did it. That was wonderful." She smiled. "So, having a fine day, eh?" a low voice was heard in the room. Celeste gasped as the figure came into view. "Master...Chaos." "Night, you are an imbecile to disobey me. You deserve to be killed." Chaos raised his lance. "But," he put his sword down, "I'll just punish these 'friends' of yours first." Chaos pointed his sword to a wall. The wall opened to reveal a vortex. "This is the portal leading to the past. Once you enter this path, you shall temporarily live in the Meiji era as your old selves. As for the split siblings over there, they will emerge as twins when they get out of the portal although I think I'll let Yanagi be turned into her old self." Chaos laughed. "You must be kidding. It's not nice if a girl like me shall emerge as a man in the other world." Yanagi twitched in annoyance. "Okay. I'll only spare this amusing punishment just this once. You'll emerge as a girl in the other world." Chaos mocked. "Open the portal now!" the vortex sucked the group into it's depths...

Yanagi woke up. 'What happened?' the question rang in her head. She looked around. 'Tatami doors. A futon. And an ink painting behind. Looks like one of the dojo rooms.' She slid open the door and looked outside. She then saw Kari in a kimono welcoming a European who looked like Helena inside. "Helena-chan." Yanagi started, "What happened?" Helena came close to the two girls who looked quite confused of what happened when the portal was opened. "To start off with, you are not Hikari Kamioka and Yanagi Hinode. And Ken Hayashi and the rest aren't themselves, too." Helena spoke, "You have all switched places with your souls. Well, the real you isn't even here. Actually, all your old memories will come right about...now. And by the way, Yanagi-chan, you were supposed to be fused with Ken if you were a man but, we decided you'd keep your gender here. And just tell Ken that in this world, you're his twin sister." "What would be my name then?" asked Yanagi. "Himura Kazero." answered Helena. "Ken is Himura Kenshin. Might as well call him Onii-chan. He came out first." Helena left. "Oh," Yanagi sighed, "So I'm the imouto now." Right at that moment, a very sleepy Kenshin just came into the scene. "Ohayo gozaimasu, minna. I'll be off to do breakfast de gozaru." Kazero instantly recieved a brainstorm to bring the two lovebirds together, "Oi! Oi! Oi! Let me cook, Onii-chan. Really, you need more sleep than I need. Just go to your sweet Kaoru, ne Onii-chan?" "Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin nodded in reply still lolling his head back in sleep. Then, suddenly..."Yanagi-dono, why are you calling me Onii-chan? Am I not supposed to be 18 years old? And why do I find myself saying de gozaru and dono?" "Simple," Yanagi (who if you can remember is Kazero.) said, "We are in the past and we are twins. You came out first. And by the way, my name's Kazero, Onii-chan." So, Kazero skipped happily to the kitchen when suddenly..."Kazero, how old are we?" "Helena said we were both 28. Kaoru-chan's 18." Then..."Nani! I'm having a love affair with someone 10 years younger than me???" Kazero nodded. "Oro. Why am I so handsome?" "Beats me, Onii-chan." Kazero shrugged, "I'm wondering why I'm still kawaii. Anyone with a taste for onigiri?" All hands rose in the air...

'Where am I?' Sammy's head questioned as he tried to get up. Then, a doctor who looked like Yuri came into the scene. "Oi. What happened, kitsune-onna?" Yuri tried to sigh Sammy's name in irritation but what came out was..."Sano you imbecile. Weren't we sucked into that vortex? This is the past. If I can remember my name in this world is...Megumi Takani. And you are Sanosuke Sagara, ne? I'll be off to the dojo for breakfast. I'm certain that you're coming." "Demo, Megumi, what happened to Yanagi?" Sano asked. "If I were the one to choose. Probably she was fused with Ken-san to be 100% Kenshin Himura. But knowing Yanagi's mind, she'd keep her body demo, I think her name was changed..." Megumi thought. "Well, knowing that both are one soul, Yanagi might be the same age as Ken and the both are now considered..." "Fraternal twins." Megumi finished. "Are you coming?" Sano stood up. "Of course, who wouldn't miss Kenshin's cooking?"

Kazero tied her long flame-red hair into a high ponytail using a thin, yellow ribbon as she started on breakfast. "It feels so good to be cooking breakfast. Come to think of it, who taught me how to cook?" Kazero looked at the ceiling. "Oto-san taught me some ways to, my friend Niji taught me several, Tomo and I took cooking lessons aand the rest just came into my mind. Demo, it seems like everything Oto-san taught me, I already knew. Probably, it was the same things Kenshin cooked too." So she continued on her onigiri and formed them into several shapes shaping one onigiri that was meant for Kaoru into a bunny rabbit. "Why do I feel something when I think of Kaoru? Sometimes I feel so warm when she's with either Kenshin or me demo, I feel so cold when the thought of losing her comes into mind. Is this the way my old self felt?" Kazero murmured. "I bet everyone's hungry. I'll really have to bring these in...And why do I feel like Sano will gobble up the whole box of onigiri that I am going to give both him and Megumi?"

"Ah! Ohayo, minna!" Kaoru genkily waved at Megumi and Sano as they came through the dojo gates. "Where's breakfast?" Sano asked as a bum would always do... "One box and four plates of onigiri!" Kazero happily carried one box with two plates atop in one hand, a plate on her head and another plate on the other hand. "Where's Kenshin?" "Waiting for breakfast on the floor." all heads turned to a sleeping Kenshin on the dojo floor. "I hear Yahiko went to the Akabeko early in the morning to earn a few." Megumi smiled, "Let's wake Ken-san up with something surprising." Sano shoved a sleeping Kenshin to a surprised Kaoru. When she finally caught him, his body slipped out of Kaoru's hands leaving his head near Kaoru's bosom. "What a soft, silk pillow." Kenshin murmured as he slowly opened his eyes and suddenly his eyes grew wide as he realized where his head was resting. Suddenly, he was begging at Kaoru's feet wailing, "Gomen de gozaru, Kaoru-dono!" 'Man that was pervertish but I feel kinda great...' Kenshin and Kaoru thought of the same thing. "Ahem." Kazero broke the pervertish thought. Everyone looked at her. "Are you going to have breakfast?" "Gomen." Everyone took their plates (and boxes) and began to chow down...

Meanwhile at Helena's house...

"What?" Helena said through the phone, "A conference? Concerning the Kenshin-gumi? Okay, I'll be there ASAP." Helena put down the phone and clasped her hands together. She murmured a prayer and a beam shone down on her beaming her to heaven. As she reached her destination, she wasn't wearing the European clothes of the Meiji Era. She was dressed in a white greek robe which had the matching angel wings and the sandals with the wings on them. "Finally, our messanger angel-in-training. How is the Kenshin-gumi?" An angel with cherry-red hair and olive eyes said from the other side...

Standard Disclaimers Apply. Yanagi Hinode (Kazero Himura), Sakura Mist, all the angels mentioned and Helena Alexandria belongs to me. I would like to thank the ff. for appearing: Guin-chan (guin_averra@hotmail.com) Jill (sodina_at_bozby@angelfire.com)

"What took you so long?" The cherry haired angel asked. "Um, sorry Sakura, I had so much stuff to do there..." Helena scratched her head as she sat down next to a few more messanger angels. "I can see that you've braided your hair again." "Nothing, just feel like braiding it. Attendance." Sakura fished out a scroll from underneath the table. "Helena Alexandria." "Here." "Guin." "I'm here already." "Agua?" "Present." "How about your sister?" Sakura asked. "Fiagra?" Agua replied as her water-colored eyes widened in surprise, "She's coming with Luna and Jill." "Hola!" A flame-eyed girl who looked like Agua came in with a two other girls. "Let's see now... Helena from Greece, Guin from Korea, Agua and Fiagra from South America, Luna from Europe and Jill. Where's Dimitri, Fei, Luisa, Daisy, Lily and Boran?" Sakura checked her list. Then five angels appeared. One was brown-haired and had a Russian accent, one girl wore a Chinese robe, one had a cellphone in her grasp and looked asian, two others were blonde and one had dark skin. "Finally, Dimitri from Russia, Fei from Asia, Luisa from the Philippines, Daisy from Australia, Lily from Britain and Boran from Africa. Let's begin."

"So, Sakura, why are all of us here?" Agua asked. "Was there something crazy going on between our religions?" Dimitri asked. "Well, Satan was killed so Hades took over." "Wait, Sakura, isn't there anything concerning the Kenshin-gumi?" Guin asked. "Well," Sakura took out a sheet of yellow paper, "The only way the Kenshin-gumi will go back to the future is for them to find what they've been looking for." "Then what will that be?" asked Jill. Helena thought, "I bet that Megumi and Sano should find the reason why they're together, Aoshi must find out why Misao loves him, Kazero must find what binds her to Kenshin not only by her looks but by her thoughts and Kenshin and Kaoru must find the truth...did Kenshin let go of the past and if Kaoru can free him from the darkness." "I guess you have read Sakura Mist's mind again." Lily said. "Well then," Sakura said looking up from the paper, "I'll be assigning each of you to help them out. Helena, you're with Sano. Agua, you're with Megumi. Fiagra, you're with Aoshi. Jill, you're with Kaoru. Guin, you'll be with Kenshin. I'll go with Kazero. Luna, you're in-charge for now. Let's go."

The six reappeared at Helena's house. Sakura near some cherry trees wearing a green kimono, her usually cherry hair now in a sakura pink color. Fiagra appeared beside the fireplace wearing the type of European dress Helena wore. Agua appeared near the fish pond near the cherry trees. Guin and Jill appeared in two different guest rooms. "Time to do the job." Jill announced drowsily. "Oi! Sano-kun." Helena called cheerfully as Sano was lounging at Megumi's clinic. Sano looked at Helena's companion, she had white skin with deep brown hair and water-colored eyes. "I've brought aa friend of mine along. Her name's Agua Milagros." "Well then, nice to meet 'cha." Sano answered lazily. "Would you like to go to the Akabeko with me? It's on the house." Helena asked Sano. Suddenly, Sano jumped in joy and said, "I'll go! I'll go!" "That's good. See you later Agua!" So, Agua walked off to see Megumi. "I guess you're Miss Megumi Takani?" Agua asked as she spotted her. "I'll ask you a few questions..." "Are you Aoshi Shinomori? The okashira of the Oniwabannshu?" A girl with deep brown hair and flame-colored eyes approched the meditating Aoshi. "I'm Fiagra Milagros. I'm like Helena, one of the several messengers from Kami-sama, Yahweh, Buddah, Zeus or whatever you call God. I'm here to ask some questions..."

"Yoshi. Time to take action!" Guin said as she approached Kenshin sleeping on the porch, dreaming about fine food. "Oi! Himura-san!" Kenshin's eyes grew wide as he saw who woke him up. A young girl who sort of looks like the same age of another angel who he think he already saw......................... "Um...you're kinda young, are you applying to be one of Kaoru-dono's students?" "I think you said the same thing when you met Sakura Mist when she was still a mortal. Crazy one, kept on confusing everyone with her name and hair always changing. I bet the last time you saw her, she interchanged the Mist and the sakura and deleted the sakura translated the mist and kept her last name." "Hold it. You are one of those Kami-sama's messengers, ne? I thought you were still a guardian angel!" Kenshin asked puzzled. "We are falling into another fic." Guin said literarily pissed off. "And don't even ask why the hell I've been promoted into being a messanger of Kami-sama. That again is another fic. This dialouge is just going to confuse everyone else. So, lemme ask you some questions..." Kaoru finished a few rounds of kendo warm-ups with Yahiko and Kazero when two girls (one sort of tired) appeared in the doorway. "Konichiwa!" Sakura said genkily. "E? I thought you were the so-called crazy director who did 'Memory'?" Kaoru asked. "Please don't ask," Jill slumped down on the floor, "that, my friends is another fic..." "Oh well, let's get to work. Jill, take Kaoru to the patio, I'll talk to Kazero here."

Note: The Kasumi (Sakura) mentioned is my demented self. Don't think it's really me. Btw, Kazero will become very violent somewhere around this fic...

"So then, Himura-san, here's a fact," Guin smiled as she talked to a puzzled Kenshin, "Did it ever happen that someone mentioned that you and Kaoru are married?" "Oro?!?" Kenshin jumped in shock, "So that means..." His face turned sour. Guin continued smiling, "That Kaoru is..." "PREGNANT!?!?!?!" Kaoru yelled, "Jill-san, are you lying?" "Let me ask Sakura," Jill went inside the dojo after a while she came back and nodded, "Two days." "Demo...This is a good opportunity to get close to a surprised rurouni," Kaoru snickered. "Oh well, during the time you are trapped in this vortex, you'll have to focus on this question, could you free Kenshin from the darkness of his past?"

"Did you hear something?" Agua asked Megumi, "Um...no." Megumi calmly answered. "Well, the only question I'm gonna ask would be...do you like Sano?" "That is something I'll have to find out in a year or so." Megumi answered. "So, Sano, how was the teriyaki?" Helena asked, "Perfect," Sano mumbled with several ramen noodles stuck in his face, "Sano, did it ever come to ya that you liked Megumi?" "Maybe yes, maybe no. That's sumthin' I've gotta think about in I guess a f**kin' period of time."

"Sakura-kun, you've been my guardian angel for ten years and you've screwed up with cha-cha-cha's, mind-controling devices, Pokemon antics, crazy doujinshi, cute girls, stupid men, confused rurounis, strange musicals and everything in between. Never would I think that the once hell-bound Kasumi would go to heaven, change her name, become my guardian angel, drive the devils crazy, accidentally cut one of Satan's horns with your chainsaw, kill a devil who refused to pay his debt and unfortunately become one of Kami-sama's messangers. You're screwed, crazy, posessed, cruel, moronic, high-profiled, low-lying and one of the most annoying angels I've met. Yet I still trust you. What are you going to ask?" Kazero said to Sakura who has been beaten up by Yahiko who still remembers 'Memory', "Itai desu ne? You'll find your question in a thought tomorrow. Stop it already you brat! Gabriel gave me a permit to weild a weapon! Your shinai is useless against the Hinode Ten Ryuu style of weilding a dagger!" Sakura cried. 'Hinode Ten Ryuu? Does that mean that my variation of the Hiten Mitsurugi is really what Sakura uses to fend off devils? I remember one of those nights when I was 10...'

*Flashback*
Chaos came to bring Yanagi (who you know is Kazero) to the dark side when all of a sudden, Sakura bringing a chainsaw and her trusty dagger came along sighing, "Ah! I've just cut Satan's horn with a chainsaw. No big deal. Mike killed a thousand devils. I'm so inferior. But hell, I can destroy the future Satan," So she threw away the chainsaw and drew out her dagger, "I can't use the technique using a chainsaw, but I can use my dagger." Sakura's eyes glistened with happiness and jumped. "Hinoiri Sen!" Sakura's dagger sliced Chaos' arm. "Here's my favorite." Sakura pointed her dagger to Chaos' heart and cried out, "Sempu Yaiba!" A whirlwind appeared and started to head for Chaos. But Chaos' countered it. Before the whirlwind hit Sakura, she teleported away in a flurry of sakura petals. She left the chainsaw behind and magically, it started to chase Chaos out of the house. Yanagi laughed watching Chaos being chased by a crazy chainsaw. 'Sakura you're foxy. Your chainsaw is running after the scary man. But thanks anyway.'
*End of Flashback*

"Say. Did you say that you have a question for me?" asked Aoshi. "As I used to say when I was a guardian angel, I cannot give you the question nor the answer, but I can guide you to it. Me and the other messangers will take care of any harm." Fiagra assured Aoshi. The next day, Kazero decided to let Kenshin take care of the house while she helped Kaoru with the groceries. The two in kimonos were headed towards the market when suddenly, Kaoru was taken away by an unknown man. "Kaoru-chan!" Kazero ran after the man.

Later, Kazero nailed him in an deserted warehouse. "So then, another b**ch comes along to save one, ne. You'll make a nice treat for my friends." the man growled and fourteen men with gleaming katanas came out to face Kazero. The first man came up and held up Kazero's chin, "My, my, my. What a beauty we have here. Would you at least give me your name before I send you to hell?" "Have you heard of Himura Battousai?" Kazero asked. The man grinned slyly in reply, "What about that man?" "Have you seen him fight?" Kazero asked again. "Yes. I used to witness him kill a Shinsengumi member." "Would you like to see that technique up-close?" Kazero asked again secretly taking his katana out of his sheath. "I bet you can't exactly duplicate that move! I belive the move that he used was called the Ryu-Tsui-Sen. He said the name before he killed him." The man drew away reaching for his katana. His face showed shock when he saw that it was gone. "Looking for this?" Kazero asked waving the sword. "I'll show you that move right now! Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Ryu-Tsui-Sen!" Kazero leaped into the air and knocked her enemy out using the backside of the katana. "How did you know that move?" The other henchmen asked Kazero, "Simple. The name's Himura. Himura Kazero. I'm Battousai's sister. I'll kill all of you quickly." In a flash, Kazero disappeared and as she reappeared the men dropped to the ground. "Now you've got to face me!" The head of the Yakuza boomed, "One step and I'll kill this girl with no hesitation!" "Kaoru!" Kazero cried in shock. "That's it! I'm not gonna let her die! You're going to go to hell!" Kazero's eyes turned feral yellow as she positioned for battle. A soft breeze rippled through the warehouse. The leader looked at the female ready for battle. "You're one mean b**ch. You've killed my gangmates and stole a sword. Now you're making me feel weak in the knees with that face of yours." Kazero's face was set in a cruel smile. Her eyes were yellow, her high ponytail was dancing in the air, her face was as white as a china doll. "Now I can say that even if you're snarling you're making a bloody warfield look like a red ocean at sunset." "Enough with the mindless talk! I'll kill you to save the wife of my brother!" "Really? I'm dealing with two b**ches who are close to Battousai. It'll be a honor to kill both of you. I used to be with the Ishinshishi then I moved to oppose the government." "Hn. You really don't know who you are really talking to, ne you dirty b****rd! Dou-Ryu-Sen!" The man got knocked out by a chunk of concrete that flew toward him. "Stop right there, Battousai." Kazero heard a male voice that reminded her of Reiko. "Officer, you must be mistaken. I'm not my brother. Demo, you can say that I'm his equal in the usage of the blade. Why would you that the Battousai would be wearing something as feminine as a yellow kimono?" "I don't belive you. Your voice sounds like the last time I heard you." "That's because I'm snarling!" Kazero turned SD and snarled at Saito. Saito looked at Kazero's physique. "What are you staring at?" Kazero said. "You've got a nice physique. Kinda feminine. More curves than usual. Um...do you have breasts?" "NANI!!!!!" Kazero fumed at the former Shinsengumi, "You...you...PERVERT! What are you trying to say?!? Are you telling me that you're gonna cheat your wife for one night just to see if I really a female?!?! Teme! B****rd! You indecent fool! I'm a female and that's final!" "Um...Kazero. Mind untying me?" Kaoru asked from the other side of the warehouse. "Gomen ne, Kaoru-chan." Strange. I feel so happy when I'm close to her...am I a lesbian? Wow. I guess this is the thing that binds me to my brother...

Chapter 9: Return To The Future

Standard Disclaimers Apply. Yanagi Hinode (Kazero Himura), Sakura Mist, all the angels mentioned and Helena Alexandria, the Hinode Ten Ryuu belongs to me. I would like to thank the ff. for appearing: Guin-chan (guin_averra@hotmail.com) Jill (sodina_at_bozby@angelfire.com) Please excuse my language...

Note: The Kasumi (Sakura) mentioned is my demented self. Don't think it's really me.

The time was pushed forward to a year later. The Kaoru and Kenshin have their son Kenji, Kazero is proud being Kenji's aunt. Sano and Megumi are still fighting verbally, Yahiko went to tour Japan, Aoshi is still on his usual routine. The six messangers are still guiding them. Then, one night, Sakura woke up. She looked outside the window and called the others to come with their weapons. "Kiara! I know it's you," Sakura cried out to a hooded lady. "Sakura Mist, you still aren't convinced that I'll come back right? I'm Night, the bringer of death." Kiara wielded a scythe. "Leone, I thought you were still with us?" Agua asked another hooded person, "Sorry, Agua. Just got tired of being an angel." "You're not going to kill them!" Jill cried out. "We won't let you!" Fiagra threatened the flame in her eyes growing stronger. "It's us against you. I know you'll all lose." Chaos appeared in between the two others. Chaos had metal fists, Leone was armed with metal claws. Sakura had her usual dagger, Guin was armed with a katana, Helena held her trusty baton, Jill wielded a twin katana and the sisters, Agua and Fiagra, were armed with the halbard and the lance. "Me and Fiagra will handle Night. Sakura and Helena go for Chaos, Jill and Agua, defeat Erebus. Let's go!" Guin said as they headed for their opponents.

"That puny lance of yours won't scratch me!" Kiara taunted Fiagra as she hurled her scythe at her. Fiagra jumped high to dodge the blow. "Can't catch me!" Guin taunted as she distracted Kiara on the other side. She spun around to hit Kiara but Kiara blocked it. "Why don't you give up you brat!" Kiara said as Guin smiled evily. "Um, I think those words must backfire." "How come?" "Because of this!" Fiagra slashed Kiara from behind. "You're cornered! Time for us to kill you!" Guin spun around and killed Kiara with one blow.

"Agua, you distract Erebus. I'll attack him from above." Jill said to Agua as she jumped on a roof. "Over here! I bet you can't catch me!" Agua said as she kept on disappearing in a pool of liquid. "Ichi. Ni. San. Touriyaaaa!" Jill cried as she hit Erebus in the head. "Angels rule. Evil sucks." She happily stuck her tounge out.

"Grr. The iniquity of it all!" Helena said as she faced Chaos. "Are you thinking that little stick of yours will kill me? You're a fool to think that." Chaos growled at Helena. "Excuse me, but that stick is one of the six elemental weapons. They've got a reputation of being the second to the highest form of weaponry," Sakura fought back verbally, "The six are the Silver Tornado Dagger, the River Axe Halbard, the Flame Blade Lance, the Rock Breaker Katana, the Twin Rose Daisho and the Lifebringer Baton." "Let's get this fight over with!" Helena growled. She backflipped and cast an enlengthen spell on her baton. The baton made itself longer and hit Chaos straight in the abdomen. Chaos puked blood. "This shall not be my demise!" From Chaos' blood, two blood demons ran off in different directions. After that, Chaos planted his metal fist into the ground and released a great violet sphere of energy. "Shi-ne!" he shouted. His roar was like thunder and as the sphere grew bigger it exploded. "Retreat!" Sakura said as she disappeared in a flurry of sakura petals. The angels left leaving the people in the houses surrounding the battlefield and Chaos' comrades dead. "We failed." Helena cried as they returned to headquarters. "We failed to protect them." "Helena." Sakura put her hand on Helena's shoulder. "This was meant to happen. I saw this incident before, when I was still that naughty angel who liked doing mischeif." "I'm sure they'll find the truth in the tradgedy. As the Greek Myth says, 'Out of darkness and death, Love ,on wings of silver, came to be.'" Fiagra said. "I guess you're right. We'll just have to count on the Elite angels. I forgot who they were." Jill said. "Love, Day and Peace." Guin answered.

In the Aoi-ya, Misao's snores could be heard. A blood demon came and finally, the snoring could be heard no more...

"Kenshin," Kaoru talked to Kenshin in their room, "I'm scared. I've recived news of those strangers who wear black. Could they be them?" "I don't know, koishii. But far as I'm concerned. I'll be here to protect you no matter what." Kenshin knelt down and blew the lights out. He snuggled beside his wife in their futon. "Oyasumi, koishii. Aishiteru itsu made mo." "Itsu made mo?" "Hai. I'll love you forever." and they shared a small kiss. 'Finally, I am able to put the past behind me. I'm freed from my darkness thanks to Kaoru.' Kenshin thought as he held Kaoru in his arms. 'He's happy now. I'm happy to know I have freed him from his long nightmare. Now he can sleep well.' Kaoru thought happily.

"Yoshi. He's asleep. Now I can sleep now." Kazero said after telling Kenji some bedtime stories and singing some lullabies. "I hope Ken-nii would be happy tonight. It'll make me happy, too." She closed her eyes and fell asleep. But the worst was to occur, a blood demon appeared and as it slowly opened the shoji to the couples room, he silently took Kaoru's life away...

"Kaoru. This can't be true. Tell me you're just asleep, onegai? Onegai, koishii." Kenshin wept early the next day. He closed her in a tight embrace but it was too late, all that was left was a dead corpse. "Kaoru. I'll follow you wherever you go. I'll love you whatever happens. I musn't let death separate us. Kaoru, I'll see you again, koishii." Kenshin wept as he brought out his sakabatou... "Onii-san!" Kazero awakened with a bolt. But as she woke up, the sharp tip of the sakabatou passed through Kenshin's heart. Kazero's eyes dimmed as her head lolled to one side, her mouth dripping blood. The sword has taken its toll again, this time, it has taken two souls with one slash. The hitokiri and the rurouni...

Sano wept as he took Kenshin off the ground in a forceful grab. He was angry and sad. Angry 'cause he died without thinking about what will happen to his son and sad 'cause he slipped away, taking Kazero's life with him. "Ken-san died because he loved Kaoru with all his heart. I think if Kazero was a separate soul, she would have done the same since she'd be ashamed to lose the life she promised to take care of for her brother. All of them didn't deserve to die. But the question remains, who will take care of Kenji?" "Megumi, I have a question to ask you. Will you...marry me? I've loved you so much, yet I've hid them in my heart. Let's get married, then let's take care of Kenji together." Megumi was frozen in her tracks. "Sanosuke Sagara...I love you, too!" She threw her arms around Sano's neck. "You hear that, Kenshin! I'll take over for you! I'd swear for you, I'll take care of your kid and lead him to a good life!" "Sano, look." Megumi found Helena standing in the doorway as an angel. Her wings were folded and her heavenly glow seemed to fade. "I have bad news," Helena said solemnly, "Misao has died." Megumi turned her head to Sano's chest. "Our closest friends have slipped away. First, Kaoru, then Ken-san and Kazero, now Misao." "Don't worry. This is not the end. The vortex shall open again and you'll all return to the future." Helena assured the couple. "I'm sure Aoshi's heart is broken..."

"Misao!" Aoshi sobbed, "Why...why did you die?" Aoshi looked up and realized why he was sobbing so deeply, he loved her dearly. "I finally see why she loves me. She was was thankful that I was there to bring her up. I don't hold anything against her. In fact, I can say that I love her..." Aoshi spoke through the sobs. Suddenly, the sky grew dark and a vortex swallowed Aoshi up.

Coming up...End of Our Adventure Chapter 1: Chaos' Demise

Author's notes: Ah! Finally, the Dark arc has finished. I think that the last arc would be the easiest arc of all. Only thing is I'm still outlining the Final arc. I guess that the timeline would be Chaos' Demise, What Happens Now, Together At Last and finally, Better Days. ^-^

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