Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction / Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Ginga GIRI GIRI! The Universe is in Danger! ❯ Students and Masters ( Chapter 61 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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Ginga GIRI GIRI! The Universe is in Danger!
By SSJ Heero (http://animenext.knorf.net)
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---- Recap ----

[Chibi characters of the five appear in the foreground as scenes from the last episode play
in the background. Though, you can't see 'cause this is text. Haha!]

Amiko: Last time! On GINGA GIRI GIRI! There's just a bunch of talking!

Kensou: We run into the Hokuten, who offer to give Amiko the strongest wind spell in the
world.

TM: Meanwhile, Hayden and Kino finish their deal, and they go their separate ways.

Cindy: Hayden goes to Century City as Kino makes a declaration to the world.

Davis: And so, on with the show!

---- Chapter 61: Students and Masters ----

The birds above were happily singing and playing, much different from the darkly serious
boats of the Outlaws and the Hokuten. They solemnly sat in place, five persons sitting in a
large, mostly empty boat, and another five sitting on a large charm with the kanji for
"float" upon it.

Up ahead, there was a large city on the river banks. No, it wasn't Century City- that was a
little ways further on land. The two groups were silent as they drifted down with the
current, Red Mountains gone in the horizon. The clans sped towards the city, and with all
their strength, the two boats curved towards the docks, where the waters were calm for once.

The arrival of the two groups no doubt surprised all of the people in the docks. There were
the Outlaws, nearing Rantmon's destination. Though, they were surprised to learn that one
of them was gone and replaced by an older, yet strangely familiar man. With the Outlaws
were the Hokuten, who would have been unnoticed if not for the charm they had ridden on.

Anya stretched her arms and legs upon the docks as the rest of her crew stepped off.
"Aaahh!" she uttered as she stretched out her muscles. "Being cramped on a small vessel
gets to you!" She turned to the others, who were looking about the area. Anya followed
their gaze.

All around, people were going out of the city. They were headed away from the center of the
action, and certainly, things would get real dangerous real fast. Even a few strong looking
people were fleeing, not even heading to challenge Rantmon. Anya saw Paul shake in his
armor. "Paul!" she said. "Have a cold?" She patted his back as he turned to her.

"Those fools," he replied on the contrary. "They're cowardly running for safety... They
deserve no safety if they're not willing to fight for it."

"I agree," said Lee as he pulled out a cigarette from its box. He placed it in his mouth
and lit it up with a lighter he pulled from his pocket. "But it doesn't matter. Their
mistake shall be apparent soon enough... I feel that something might happen during this
war." Everyone glanced at Lee before looking back upon the Outlaws, who had just finished
unloading their boat.

Amiko sighed as she opened her pack and allowed Tenpi out. He had been sitting in there for
a long while, though as she placed him upon the ground, Tenpi still had enough energy to
leap into the water and dash along the top of it. Amiko smiled. He still had energy, even
if she didn't have much.

A thought that had occurred in Amiko's head, and as Tenpi dashed along the water, Amiko
looked to the center of the Hokuten's group, where Anya was lightheartedly speaking. Amiko
stood and stepped up the Hokuten, who slowly stopped and looked at her. "How is it," Amiko
began. "How is it that you're still alive? Weren't you stabbed in the heart by that Shadow?"

The Hokuten were suddenly silent. They looked among each other, as if struggling to make up
an explanation. Amiko just gave them a darkly serious look before Anya finally replied,
"It'd be too hard to explain. Let's just say it's in my genes." Amiko frowned at the poor
explanation.

She then heard footsteps that slowly died. She turned, and there was Kensou stepping away
without saying a word. "Kensou!" she called, suddenly feeling anxious. Kensou stopped and
looked back at her over his shoulder. "You're going now?"

Kensou smiled. "I'll go alone to Century City from here. I'll meet my master in a few
hours, and I need to prepare for it." Amiko waved, but got nothing in return. With that, he
disappeared within the crowd.

Amiko suddenly felt a rumbling on her belt. A bishie ball shook, and out bursted Hiko,
surprising Amiko. "Hiko-san?" Amiko asked as she looked up at the tall swordsman.

Hiko smiled at her and patted her on her shoulder before he turned to TM, tying the boat
down to the dock. "We must go," Hiko told.

"Eh?" TM blurted out, not knowing what to expect.

"It is time," Hiko continued. "You must master the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu for this battle.
The succession technique has to be passed down to you."

TM stared at Hiko with wide eyes. This really was the real deal. He was serious about this.
TM just stammered, "N-Now?! I... Can I... No, is it possible for me to do it?!"

"Yes," Hiko said back. "If you master this technique, your body won't become stronger
alone, but your mind will as well." With that, Hiko walked after Kensou. The other three
Outlaws just looked to TM. TM said nothing as he looked on the ground. TM didn't want to
leave them now... Not like SSJ or Kensou... Still, he had no choice. He raised his head and
put on his determined face. Now wasn't a time for selfish desires. He had to go.

TM got to his feet and turned to his friends. "Take care!" he said. "I'll be back soon
enough!" And despite the protests of the others, TM followed Hiko through the crowd. He was
gone. The last three of the Outlaws stood there, seeing how much their group had diminished.

Davis then took the spotlight as he said, "Let's get to Century City." The others agreed,
and following the Hokuten, they got upon a rather large monorail towards the East. There
the large group sat as the grass and trees sped by at an amazing rate. In fact, they were
about the only people on the monorail; most of the riders already left to go as far from
the Rift as possible.

So, the Outlaws looked about the monorail and looked about the area. The technology was
beyond everything else! There were planes of all kind speeding through the air, some even
dropping from space without experiencing the friction!

As the three stared out the window at the technology never before seen, Anya's voice moved
through the area, "Century City is home to a great variety of new technologies. The people
there have mastered space travel, molecular manipulation, and travel at the speed of light,
among other things. They have managed to make conventional use of light speed, allowing the
city to stretch beyond limits."

Cindy faced away from the window and towards Anya. "Then, how come we haven't seen any of
that elsewhere?"

"Patents," was all Anya said, and Cindy sweatdropped. "In any case, the technology in
Century City costs a lot, and only a few lucrative businessmen had enough money to finance
a huge transportation system in Century City... And they became bankrupt at that, for the
costs were immense with little payback."

"So, the technology is way ahead of its time," Davis rationalized without looking away.
"It's almost as if it shouldn't be here yet..." Suddenly, the views of the grass cut off,
replaced by towers of glass and steel. Davis and Amiko just blinked at the sudden change,
turned away from the windows, and sat in their seats.

The monorail began to slow. The people felt themselves about to fly forward as the vehicle
slowed down, and soon enough, they came to a complete halt. The few people emptied out of
the monorail and dispersed into the city. Eight people stayed as a group, three of them
looking throughout the city.

It was at that time that Anya seriously said, "Let's go, Amiko." Who were left of the
Outlaws looked to her serious face. "If you wish to master this spell, come with us. Alone."

Amiko froze. Another one was forced to leave the group! Anya continued, "Let us all go our
own ways in order to seek our own paths. Come, Amiko. The spell is not something to be
witnessed by them." With that, Anya nodded at the other members of the Hokuten. Paul and
Lee immediately walked away as Orion and Risika headed their own direction. "We must go."
Anya then followed her own path. Amiko turned to Tenpi, dashing around along the cement
around her. She reached and picked him up, hugging him to her chest.

Amiko turned to the others and weakly smiled. "That's the way it goes, huh?" she muttered.

Davis and Cindy just grinned. "This'll be no problem!" said Davis with a raised thumb.

"We'll be okay!" asserted Cindy. Amiko smiled. "This is just a small time! We're gonna
defeat Rantmon and we'll go home!"

Amiko stared at her two friends. She genuinely smiled then. "Ja, ittekimasu! [1]" Amiko
declared. ("Then, I'm going!") She then dashed after Anya, already a distance away,
pressing Tenpi close to her.

"That's right," Davis muttered. "This is no problem. We'll all be alright, and we'll go
home just fine." Davis then turned to Cindy. "Let's go!" Cindy smiled, and the two went
their own way as well.

***

Elsewhere some distance from Century City, there was a small shack lay by the shores of
Lake Sen. Nothing came from the single brick chimney, made by skilled, yet aging hands. It
was there that Kensou stepped up, cloak hanging from his shoulder. As the still waters of
the lake reflected the sky, Kensou got to thinking. Where did his new comrades come from?
Why had they come? They never said that much, but they had strong ties to the world...

He wondered about how he had come to join them. How had he come to be a part of their
history? His thoughts turned to the shack of straw, sticks, and brick. Even if he had his
friends, his master was the only person who he could trust... His master had been there for
him when his father had been ruling the world...

Kensou stepped to the door and knocked upon it, hearing no sound from inside. Kensou stood
there, thinking about how his master may react... No one answered. Kensou stood by the
door, wondering what was taking his master so long. He then thought of another thing, why
hadn't his master sensed his power and come out before he reached the door?

Kensou went against what he was taught as a child, turning the knob and barging into his
master's house. It was dark. The drapes were shut tightly; dust collected on every surface,
and everything was neatly packed and tidied... His master had left? Kensou suddenly felt
heavy...

He then saw a note by the fireplace, where nothing lay but long burnt-out ashes. He walked
up to the note, nailed to the wall, and ripped it from its place. It read, "Kensou- I knew
you would return. It has been long since we last met, but I doubt we will ever meet again.
This is fate. We are destined to go our separate ways. I shall say nothing more about that.

"I know why you have come. I already knew, but you don't need me there to learn my final
lesson. The Nidachi Nitou Ryuu is a simple kenjutsu style, relying on surprise of the many
blades your weapon holds in secret. There are unique strategies based on how many blades
you have shown, of course. With this, you should solve the puzzle: 'Revenge is never a
straight line. It is a forest. And like a forest, it is easy to lose your way.'"

Kensou turned the note around, for that was where the note stopped. Nothing else. There was
nothing else. 'What?!' Kensou thought. 'What had happened? Wasn't he in exile?!' Kensou
looked about the room for a clue. 'I'll have to decipher the riddle...'

Kensou stepped about the small shack, the dust slowly getting to him. He stepped to the
right of the open door, where there was a counter and a small kitchen. All the knives were
in their places, the dishes were neatly packed away, and the window locked tightly. It was
as if he had gone on a trip...

Kensou then spotted something. Across from the window were sheets hanging from the
ceiling... His master never hung anything indoors to dry. Kensou stepped to the sheet,
tense and prepared for whatever it was hiding. He reached and wrapped his fingers around
the fabric... Then he gave a hard tug.

The sheet came down, and Kensou just froze. He lost his breath as he saw what was on the
wall. Carved into the wall, seemingly with fingernails, were hundreds upon hundreds of
kanji. All were the same. "Sushin [2]?!" Kensou read aloud.

***

Far from Kensou, in the meantime, there was a place by a line of short mountains. (They
were nothing as massive as the Red Mountains, of course.) They weren't as worn down with
age, nor were they really threatening. It was there in the peaceful mountains that Hiko
dragged TM. TM looked around the area, seeing grass all around with the occasional tree
dotting the plains. "So," asked TM, "any real reason why we had to go all the way here?"

Hiko just glared back at TM. "I have a vacation home here," explained Hiko. TM sweatdropped
from that startling fact. Following TM was Kaoru and Megumi, for they had seen the
succession technique quite a few times. So the group headed towards a single house at the
bottom of a small valley, surrounded by rivers and waterfalls.

Hiko then came to a stop. TM heard Hiko speak, "You know the ideals behind the Hiten
Mitsurugi Ryuu?"

TM replied after thoroughly studying the Kenshin anime, "The will to live is the most
powerful will of all. As long as I have that, I can accomplish the succession technique."

Hiko turned around, smiling at TM's foresight. "Correct. Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu is the
perfect kenjutsu style. It leaves no opening during your attacks and keeps you at the
advantage. But, that only lasts until you stop having the will to live." Hiko paused and
looked up at the sky, clouds forming in the air. Hiko turned back to TM, "I will ask you
this question: even if odds are against you, even if the world hates you, even if the fight
is impossible, will you still fight to live?"

TM's gaze fell to the ground. He thought about what had to be done. He thought about the
possibilities. He thought about every single situation that would force this thought.
Finally, TM replied, "Yes!"

Hiko smiled. He turned to Kaoru, standing away from them, and signaled to her. She gave him
a bokken, a wooden sword, and he tested it for its strength. He smiled and aimed the tip at
TM. 'Kuzu Ryuu Sen?!' thought TM.

"The Kuzu Ryuu Sen is an immensely difficult technique to parry. A perfect defense is able
to stop the blow, but it takes skill to block it with an offensive technique! You have a
few attempts. Figure it out."

TM looked at his master. He was seriously going to go at him?! Hiko was seriously going to
attack?! "Make no mistake," said Hiko. "The answer is sometimes bitter. In a fight against
Rantmon, there is no easy answer." TM and Hiko locked their stares. Hiko shut his eyes and
sighed. "I'm commencing!" Hiko sped forward, straight at TM.

***

The towers of Century City reached up into the sky, seeming to never end. Amiko glanced
this way and that with peculiar amazement. The cylindrical shape of the buildings was
something she didn't see every day, and the many pipelines of different colors- blue, red,
and yellow- carried people around as they sat on a single circular rest [3].

There was a wide array of pipelines heading in every direction. If there weren't pipelines,
there were instead large concrete walkways held high over the ground that ran everywhere
between buildings. It was truly a massive, amazing city. Amiko then saw that among the
immense buildings, one still stood out and towered above all.

Amiko turned to Anya and asked, "What's the tall tower?"

Anya looked up from the somewhat empty walkway. She saw Amiko point at the gigantic
building. "Oh, that's one of the terminals for Century City's light-speed pipelines," Anya
explained.

"What's with the pipelines?" asked Amiko. "Where I come from, cars are the most used form
of transportation."

Anya somewhat chuckled. "Your home must be pretty backward compared to here."

"Hey!"

Anya chuckled again. "Yeah, yeah, I apologize. Well, decades and decades ago, pollution in
Century City was so terrible that something had to be done. Hardly anyone could breathe,
let alone live here. It was then that the first major product of Century City's was made,
the pipeline. With it, emissions and all of that were eliminated, and because of the speed,
it allowed the city to stretch beyond fathomable limits.

"The city got so huge that even with the pipelines; it took more than an hour to get from
one side to the other. So, the light-speed pipelines were invented, allowing the city to
stretch even further. There are eight of those towers throughout the City. It'll probably
be another few years for enough money to be amassed to make another tower."

Amiko looked up at the pipeline tower. "Wow," she muttered. As she looked up at the tower,
she suddenly bumped into Anya. Amiko stepped back and saw Anya standing in place, looking
up at one building.

"This is it," said Anya as she turned to Amiko. "Are you ready?" Amiko nodded. "No chance
to back out now. Let's go." Anya shoved open the door, which seemed medieval, compared to
all of the technology, and stepped into the building. Amiko followed.

Inside was a single room, unfurnished, unclean, and uninteresting. There was nothing in it,
save for dust that suddenly shifted with the new air current. Anya stepped into the room,
and Amiko followed. Upon putting down her first step, she felt that the ground was soft...
It was a mat. "It's an old, abandoned dojo," explained Anya. "I'll show you the 'Fall of
the Sky' soon enough."

Amiko's face became starkly serious. "Would I be able to survive it now?" she asked.

Amiko felt Anya stare straight at her with her dark brown eyes. "No," Anya blankly replied.
Amiko just stared back at Anya with surprise. Before Amiko could even ask the point then,
Anya said, "We don't have ten days for nothing. I'm sure you've figured it out, but we've
got close ties with Mauzel. She has told us about the mana you have flowing in you."

"You'll unlock it?"

Anya smiled. "No. You will."

***

Elsewhere in Century City, Davis and Cindy sped through the pipelines, looking out at the
blue-tinted city. The more they watched the more they were amazed. Air and spacecrafts were
all speeding through the air, heading to buildings of every kind. It made the city seem
like it was still lively.

But the walkways held very little people than what the city suggested. No one could be
excited with Rantmon slowly heading towards the Rift. Time was slowly hurtling to
destruction, and understandably, no one felt much like having fun. "This is it," Davis said
to strike up conversation. "It's all coming to an end... We'll free Frank's avatar and with
it this world..."

Cindy glanced at Davis, seeing his very unnerving serious face. She looked back among the
immense city and replied, "Yeah... We seem to be heading to the end of our journey. This'll
probably the most important moments of our lives."

Davis nodded, and the two returned to staring out the windows at the city that spread in
all directions towards the horizon. Their seat flew on, past the many buildings towards
some place they knew not of where it was or why they were going. They just sat there,
thinking about what to do.

They came to the end of a pipeline, where the seat came to a rest just at the mouth of
several other pipelines. Davis and Cindy got up, not caring about anything in particular.
Mokona sat upon Cindy's head, looking around as the two Outlaws wandered through the town.

They noticed something different. More sun than they had noticed before was hitting the
concrete walkway they stood upon. They looked around and saw that the buildings seemed
shorter... They stepped to the edge of the walkway, where tall barred railings stood at the
edges. They saw that the towers weren't shorter, but they were higher above the ground.

"Wow!" gasped Cindy in surprise as she got a better view of the city. From above it looked
even more incredible! As Cindy looked down on the town, Davis just looked around the area,
searching for anything that might help their quest. Suddenly, Cindy began yelling, "Hey,
Davis! Come here!"

Davis looked to Cindy and stepped over to her. "What?" he asked as he stepped to the
railing. He saw Cindy point at a walkway a good distance away and below them. "Huh?"

"Doesn't that look...like Hayden?" Cindy asked excitedly. Davis squinted his eyes for a
better look.

He sort of recognized the hair... It looked somewhat like Hayden's... But then Davis
noticed the bow around the guy's shoulder. "No," Davis replied. "Hayden doesn't do archery.
As a matter of fact, he hates archery."

"Aw! I thought Hayden came here for a second there... Kind of funny that some guy could
look so much like Hayden..."

***

Down and away from TM and Cindy, the man traveling along the bridge suddenly stopped. He
looked up at the sky, thinking he heard people mentioning him. He looked around himself,
rubbing his left arm. He pulled his hand away, revealing the tattoo of the kanji for "West"
upon his forearm.

He looked up and finally noticed the two kids, walking away from him along their own
bridge. He smiled. So, they had come. They had come already. He walked along the path, down
steps and past more bridges until he finally reached one specific building at the center of
Century City.

Thrice he knocked upon the door, the dull noise clearly audible. The door clicked and swung
open, revealing the familiar face of Suzaku. Suzaku smiled. "Any news, Seiryuu?" asked the
leader of the Nishiten.

Seiryuu stepped into the building, hands shoved in pockets. Seiryuu replied, "Nothing much
is happening around the city. Everyone is cowering in fear of Rantmon. No one is willing to
do anything. And not only that, but the Outlaws already have come. I've seen two of their
members. It's the perfect time to start the plan."

"Wait," suddenly called another voice. The other two turned and saw Daedalus sitting there
upon a very cushioned chair.

Seiryuu stiffened. "Master Daedalus!" he said suddenly. "I didn't see you there."

"Never mind that, but could you confirm that all of them were there?" Daedalus looked
straight at Seiryuu, prying into his eyes.

Seiryuu averted his eyes and replied, "They have always kept together to this point, and I
don't think anything is powerful enough to get these fools to move independently. I believe
all of the Outlaws are in the city."

Daedalus thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "We shall prepare, then. If they survive Rantmon's
war, whatever's left will be taken out by us. Then, if he's alive, too, we assassinate Kino
Tsumuji." The two androids grinned. Daedalus only smirked. His plan was going to swing into
action soon enough. He picked up a bottle of wine and poured a small some into a small
glass. It tasted better than it normally did.

---- To Be Continued ----

- ENDING SONG: DEEP FREEZE - Aiuchi Rina -

Kitto nanika ga kawari wa hajimetemo daremo
Motomeru ai no sugata dake wa kawaranai yo
Fuyuzora no shita kanashimaseru sugari tsukeru
Sonna fukaku kooritsuku mono de kegashite
Sore demo arukitakatta no wa
Kimi ni sukoshi demo chikazukeru watashi ni naritakatta kara

Deep Freeze kooeru kimi o mamoritakute
Tayori soette mitemo
Honto wa ooki na taion ni atatamerareteru watashi nanda
Deep Freeze hajimete kimi ga
Konna fukiyou ni umaretsuita
Watashi no tame kawaranu ai o miseyou toshite kureta
Broken Deep Freeze

---- Preview ----

["Last Wolf Suite" from the Kenshin soundtrack plays in background. The five appear as
chibi style, and random scenes from the next episode play, though you can't see because
this is text. Haha!]

Amiko: Next! With us all separated, our answers come one by one!

Kensou: My riddle is solved as Amiko takes the "Fall of the Sky."

TM: I master the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu with much difficulty.

Cindy: I train with Mokona, only to be interrupted.

Davis: A dragon comes next, making the days suck ass.

All: Next! On GINGA GIRI GIRI! "Questions and Answers"

----

Author's Note:

[1] "Ja, ittekimasu!" - "Ja" is Japanese for "Well, then..." while "Ittekimasu!" is an
expression the Japanese use when they leave home. They have an expression for returning,
"tadaima", and before eating, "itadakimasu". I think "ittekimasu" has its own meaning, much
like "itadakimasu" has a literal meaning of "to receive".

[2] "Sushin" - The four gods of the directions in Chinese mythology: Suzaku, Seiryuu,
Genbu, and Byakko. Featured in Fushigi Yuugi, Rurouni Kenshin, and Yu Yu Hakusho.

[3] Think Esthar from FFVIII here.