Chapter 18: Seijuro and Sojiro, a black rider appears in Kyoto

A carriage arrived at the Kyoto police department. A police officer came out the front door, and saluted as two people came out of the carriage. In the chief's office…

A knock came on the chief's door…

"Come in," said the chief.

"Sir!" the officer saluted, "Lord Yamagata and Commissioner Kawaji are here sir."

Aritomo Yamagata had short light brown hair, and wore a flowing mustache, standing proud and tall in his military uniform. Toshiyoshi Kawaji had a shorter build than Yamagata did. He had short black hair and had a short mustache, wearing his police uniform as proudly as Yamagata's uniform.

The Chief stood up in their presence and said, "it is an honor to have you here, Lord Yamagata."

"Chief," Yamagata spoke, "what are your latest reports concerning this incident?"

"So far," the chief explained, "all of these attacks have not yet reached Kyoto. We've sent our best officers to counter them. For some reason… our operations have failed. There have been other reported attacks near Mt. Arashi and Mt. Higashi.

"However," the chief went on, forebodingly, "the people are filled with panic. They all fear that this is an omen of doom, like it’s the end of the world or something. We don't know where these… things are coming from."

"If you ask me, chief," interjected Kawaji, "its something out of a fairy tale. I think that it's some rebel plot to overthrow the government, like Shishio had."

"And we all know that Shishio died," said Yamagata, "we were able to avoid military action at that time, but now… it may not be so easy."

"I still think we don't need any military assistance," Kawaji insisted, "the patrolling protection of the cities is duly the responsibility of the Police."

"But with all due respect commissioner," the chief interjected, "these times are desperate. It's like whoever or whatever is behind these attacks is trying to overrun Kyoto or something. And the sky gets darker each day. I feel a bad chill upon my back… something disastrous is coming, I can sense it."

"We need not fear darkness, chief," came a voice…

And a police officer, dressed so smoothly came into the office, his hair was long and black, and had the charm of an angel.

"Darkness is but an absence of light," the officer went on, "it is a part of us, like Yin and Yang."

"Officer Kanama, you should knock on the door before you speak!" the Chief scolded Kanama.

"Please, forgive me, that will never happen again," Kanama said his apologies, as he humbly bowed.

"There's nothing to forgive, just have more firm discipline," said Yamagata, "now, what is it you wish to say?"

"I'm just saying," said Kanama, "that we need not fear what we do not know. Fear is merely a state of mind. The people's fears are fed because of the chaos of the Revolution. Simply because the sky is black, does not necessarily mean that doom is upon us."

"Perhaps," replied Yamagata, "but some part of me agrees that something disastrous is coming… something that's worse than when the imperialists fought against the Tokugawa shogunate, 10 years ago."

"Do you really believe that Mr. Yamagata?" asked Kawaji incredulously.

"…Yes, Kawaji," answered Yamagata, "at times like this, I would've looked for Himura, but it seems that I can't find him anywhere. It's like this time… he has disappeared from the face of the earth. For 10 years, I searched for and found Himura, and he refused to be a part of the military. He told me his reasons, and I respect them. And he has served this country well, as a free wanderer."

"If I may ask your pardon," said Kanama, "why would you depend on a wanderer. He is only one man, after all."

Yamagata paused before he replied, "…yes, perhaps you're right. I have told Himura that not even one man can accomplish anything. But I'm sure you didn't come here for a social call. Do you have anything to report yourself, officer?"

"Yes sir," said Kanama, "I have just received a report that these creatures were attacking an old man's cottage at Katsura River, near Mt. Arashi."

"Sheesh, they're attacking old men now?" Kawaji said contemptuously.

"Have any men been sent?" asked Yamagata.

"I sent one of our spies, Chou the Swordhunter, to check it out," said Kanama, he is going to gather other officers to assist him."

"I never thought that you would consider sending Chou," said the chief, "naturally, you two don't get along very well."

"Personally, I find the man to be insufferable," Kanama replied bitterly, "his attitude could try the patience of a saint!"

"Even so, you must put your personal resentments aside for now, Kanama," said Yamagata firmly.

"Your pardon," bowed Kanama.

"Thank you for your report, officer Kanama," said the chief, and dismissed him, "you may go now."

"Sir," saluted Kanama as he went away.

Kawaji looked in the direction of the departed officer and said, "I don't know who's more insufferable… him or Chou. He couldn't even knock on the door or show the proper respect towards his superiors when he introduces himself."

Kawaji turned to the chief and asked, "how long has he been here, chief?"

"For almost 7 months, commissioner," answered the chief, "he's one of my best officers, but he is not without charm. He doesn't get out much, and has his own private office. But the funny thing is… he wasn't as worried as the rest of us were since this whole crisis started. He says that he's concerned, but I have a strange feeling about that man that I can't put my finger on.

"…One of the thing's I've noticed was… that he seemed to dislike sunlight," finished the chief, in a perplexed manner.

A pause…

"…We shall discuss Kanama at a later date," interjected Yamagata, "right now, we have to concentrate on this situation. Chief, how many men do you have in your precinct?"

"About 3000, sir," the chief answered, "how many men do you have ready to assist?"

"At the most, 9000," stated Yamagata, "our other troops are needed to defend the waterfront."

"Alright," interjected Kawaji, "so we wait until we have another reported attack?"

"That would be the most accurate course of action, Kawaji," said Yamagata, "but we don't know when they may strike next. We need to strike at their base, if they have one."

"According to some sources, it may be at Mt. Hiei, where Shishio's hideout was. One of my best men, Saito, went there one night, but never returned. For all we know, he might be dead this time."

"Hmm," pondered Yamagata, "two men, who have fought in the Revolution, but were on different sides, have disappeared suddenly. Even though it may be coincidence… I can't help feeling that things are going to get worse."

Meanwhile, in the mountains… a man in a white, flamboyant cape sat in front of a kiln, that was currently heating a piece of pottery. The white-caped potter focused deeply on the piece of pottery that was burning inside the kiln, waiting for it to be finished. He had made many pieces of pottery, vases, bottles, cups, and so forth.

As the potter concentrated on his work… his eyes tweaked a little, as if he was sensing something nearby…

"You don't need to sneak up on me you know," said the potter, as he turned his head… to see a boyish-looking person, with an innocent-looking smile on his face.

"I'm sorry," the boy said, with a sheepish smile, "please forgive me for being so sneaky."

"Heh," grunted the potter, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think that you've been spending time with my idiot apprentice."

"Dumb apprentice?" wondered the young stranger, "if you mean by Mr. Himura, I have had the chance to cross paths with him sir."

"You always smile like you have no care in the world," observed the potter, "I guess you must be that kid that was working for Shishio. Sojiro Seta, was it?"

"I am," nodded the young stranger called Sojiro, "and you must be Mr. Seijuro Hiko, successor of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style."

"Hmm," the potter smirked, revealed as Seijuro Hiko, "it seems you're also as observant as Kenshin. I usually don't bother with talking to people much… but why don't you come in and we'll have a drink."

"Okay," nodded Sojiro, "that is, if you have any tea."

Seijuro Hiko wasn't the type of person to drink tea. He rather preferred Sake. However, he did have some tea stowed away somewhere, thinking it would be the perfect time not to let anything go to waste. Inside the swordsman's hut, Sojiro told Hiko about how he was defeated by Kenshin and how he decided to leave Shishio and wander Japan for 10 years to find his own path and truth, since believing so long in what Shishio said to be true, about survival of the fittest.

"I see," said Hiko, "since you were fiercely brutalized by your family, you had to kill them with the sword that Shishio gave you, and since then you've believed that Shishio's beliefs were the absolute truth. And after being defeated by Kenshin, he told you that it wasn't simple for anyone to be right by just being strong."

Hiko then took a drink of his bottle of Sake and continued, "Sojiro, it is indeed very difficult for anyone to be truly correct about anything. Not even a person's happiness is simple either. As time goes on… you will find that everything in life will be hard. Even my dumb apprentice realized this fact.

"Kenshin was involved in a similar situation like you were, Sojiro, except that he was attacked by bandits, and not by an abusive family. When he was the only one left alive, I killed all the thugs that slaughtered those who were with him at the time. I was surprised when he decided to make graves for all of the bandits, as well as for the women he was with. It was then that I took him in and taught him the Hiten Mitsurugi Style…

"That was until he decided to go off to be a manslayer fifteen years ago," finished the sword master, with an annoyed expression, which made Sojiro giggle a bit.

"It looks like that even you have problems with Mr. Himura, sir," said Sojiro, with a sheepish grin, taking another sip of his tea.

"That's true," Hiko coolly admitted, "…however I doubt that someone like you would just come back to Kyoto just for a friendly visit. It's very likely that you're still a fugitive from the Police, since you were associated with Shishio."

"Uh… yeah," answered Sojiro, as he nervously scratched the back of his head, "I surely can't hide anything from you sir."

"Then why have you come back to Kyoto?"

Sojiro lowered his tea as he explained, "to tell the truth… I have heard rumors when I was wandering up north about some monster attacks in Kyoto. But before that… I've been sensing something… something very dark and ominous."

"Heh, I should've thought it was something like that," replied Hiko, "I've sort of sensed the same thing… a darkness that I've never sensed before in my life. I've felt it grow in these many months, since the attacks began. On one occasion, I've had the pleasure of running into these creatures. They were like giant wolves or something, with some goblin-like creatures riding on them."

Hiko then lifted his arm, showing a bit of a scratch mark as he added, "I nearly came out of it unscathed."

Sojiro observed the mark, almost gasping. It was as if a very large wolf had made those marks.

Hiko lowered his arm and continued, "somehow… this darkness that's all around us is just the beginning… of something really catastrophic. And there can be no doubt in my mind that my stupid apprentice is probably involving himself, like he usually does. I told him that I wouldn't help him out if he got into another fight."

"So, you don't wish to involve yourself then?" wondered Sojiro.

"I said that I wouldn't help him out," Hiko smirked in clarification, "however, if it was someone I've never met, like you… that would be a different story, wouldn't it?"

Sojiro paused before he slowly nodded in affirmation.

Hiko continued, "the Hiten Mitsurugi Style is taught to protect people from times of pain… but it must be done freely without the influence of any power. I told him that his involvement in the Revolution would be like the arrival of the Black Ship fleet in 1853. I also sense that this darkness would be the same thing.

However… I must choose to fight against it because if it wins… then all Japan would suffer from it. I've been in conflict with myself on whether I should act. On some part… I did agree with what Kenshin said about how he could see all the pain in front of his eyes. The darkness that's around us is just teeming with pain, like it wants to cover us all like an uncomfortable blanket of eternal blackness."

"And chaos would reign once again," Sojiro finished for Hiko, "it was something that Shishio wanted to do as well, to bring back chaos to Japan as he felt it should be. I can also sense that this darkness is just like Shishio… perhaps even worse than he was."

Back at the restaurant, a man with broom-shaped hair, with only one eye open as he smiled, dressed in burgundy-red garb, with a collection of swords on his back entered, heading toward the police officers at their table.

"Hey guys," said the broom-headed man, in a business-like manner.

"What is it, Chou?" asked Tanaka.

"There's been another report of a sighting of these wolf creatures, at some old man's hut in the woods at Mt. Arashi, near Katsura River," answered Chou, "the chief wants us to investigate."

Evening approached as Chou the Sword hunter, Tanaka, Ikeda, Yukimura, and Ikari went to Mt. Arashi, at the foot of Katsura River. They all looked around for any signs of a struggle, particularly with the giant Wolf creatures that were seen, to which Ikari thought differently.

Chou looked inside the cottage, proceeding with caution, checking every nook and cranny within the old hut. But it seemed… that nobody was at home. And on top of that… there weren't any signs that anyone had taken residence… the cottage was empty. Chou had the feeling that someone was setting him up. Either that… or the report he received was false.

Kanama had entered his private office and locked the door. He went over to his desk, reached into one of the drawers…

Pulling out a black shiny globe that he placed on top of the desk. Kanama held his hand over the globe…

And fire seemed to appear from within the stone… that formed into an eye… an eye filled with malice, hate, and domination over all living things. Kanama concentrated, with his thoughts, communicating with the fiery eye that was speaking a strange form of language.

From within the fiery globe…

Was a vision of Chou and his fellow officers arriving at the cottage at Katsura River, finding no signs of any attack.

Chou came out of the cottage as he said, "guys, I checked the shack. It doesn't look like anyone's lived here for some time."

"Its like I said," interjected Ikari, "it must be some rebel nonsense. Where did you get the report, Chou?"

"To tell the truth," answered Chou, "I received the report from some guy named Kanama. He's the one who told me about this wild goose chase. But he said that the chief told him to tell me. Kanama and I don't get along very well. The man dresses like he's some official or something. He's always looking good… maybe too good to be true."

"However," said Tanaka, "we have to report this to the chief."

"None of you scum will be reporting anything!" came a nasty-sounding voice…

Everyone looked up to see… that a horrid-looking creature, holding a strange shaped sword in its hand.

"Whoever you are, surrender immediately, this is the police!" yelled Tanaka.

"Police?" the creature mocked Tanaka, "heh! We are Orcs of Mordor! You will never leave this place alive!"

Then… more of the Orcs came from the woods, in great numbers, surrounding the Police and Chou.

"We're the Police!" Tanaka hollered as he drew his sword, "you're all under arrest! Put your weapons down now!"

But the lead Orc laughed with vicious ridicule and cried out, "we're gonna cut your filthy little heads off!"

The lead Orc and his company charged mercilessly at the Police, who drew their saber swords and fought against the foul creatures of doom. Chou drew the two swords that were on his back… and put them together to form a double-bladed sword, the Renbatou.

The Sword collector fiercely attacked the Orcs, dodging their attacks left and right and giving them massive wounds that caused instant death. The Orcs kept rushing toward Chou and his double-bladed sword… but he kept dodging, gaining the upper hand against them.

Tanaka, Ikari, and all the other officers had also fared well against the Orcs as one officer covered the other, and assisted to kill the Orcs. Thought the Orcs were many, Chou was able to deal out the Orcs with his Renbatou, killing each creature. The Orcs were in disarray, feeling that they were powerless against the broom-headed sword collector.

But then…

A loud, sickening screech came out of the woods in the dark… as a black horse, with a rider clothed in black from head to toe… appeared out of the darkness, with a foreboding look of evil about him. Tanaka, Ikari, Yukimura, and Ikeda trembled before the black rider, as he drew his threatening-looking blade, ready to strike at the Police officers.

Chou, however, hardened his expression, ready to face this new adversary.

"And just who the heck are your, partner?" he said.

"…Fools," replied the rider, wickedly, in a death-like voice, "it is useless to resist. You all are to serve the Lord of Mordor."

"Hey partner," said Chou, "I only serve one master… and that's me, buddy!"

Chou then took off the top of his kimono… revealing a piece of steel wrapped around his waist, with a handle attached to it. The eager sword collector grabbed the handle, letting the steel loosen from his waist… and stretched out like a bullwhip, heading towards the black rider.

However…

The black rider dodged the attack Chou threw at him. Chou twisted the whip-like sword again… and managed to hit the rider across the back and fell from the horse.

Pleased with his feat, Chou smirked greatly as he said mockingly, "so, how'd you like that, being hit by my Hakujin no Tachi sword! I guess you're aren't as good as you thought you were."

But… the black rider stood from the ground, defiant in Chou's presence…

"…Your attacks are weak against me," said the black rider, darkly, "…I cannot be killed by a living man as yourself."

"Oh yeah!" Chou replied defiantly as he whipped his Hakujin no Tachi at the black rider…

But was countered by the rider's sword and ran forth, with blade poised at his prey…

STAB!

"AAAARRRGGHHH!!!!" Ikari screamed in agony, being the first to be stabbed by the rider.

"IKARI!" Tanaka cried out as he vengefully stabbed the rider with his sword… but broke easily like a piece of thin wood as his hand went numb from the pain he received from delivering the blow… as if his hand had turned cold… deathly cold.

Wincing from the pain that Tanaka gave him… the rider stood once again, towering over Tanaka… and stabbed him in retaliation, making the second officer cry out in pain like Ikari.

"Let's get 'em guys!" Chou cried out to Yukimura and Ikeda as they charged at the seemingly deathless rider…

The ominous, baneful black rider fought back grudgingly, despite being cornered by Ikeda, Yukimura, and Chou. The sinister enemy then swiftly stabbed Yukimura, just below the chest… and stabbed Ikeda in the shoulder, just below the neck. However, Chou, was grabbed at the neck, as the black rider lifted him high from the ground.

"You insignificant worm," the black rider hissed at Chou as he began to choke him, "did you think to best the Lord of the Nazgûl with your tricks? You are like dust beneath my feet."

Chou continued struggling against the fiercely strong black rider…

"You have met your end," the rider said, deathly…

"Is that how you treat your victims?" a firm, calm voice came out of the shadows, "by torturing them to death…?"

"Who dares?" the rider asked contemptuously, as he looked behind…

And saw two people, alone without any police with them. It was Seijuro Hiko, wearing a majestic white cape… and Sojiro Seta, with the most boyish, yet innocent smile that he gained ever since being brutalized by his family.

"Just a couple of strangers, who don't like being bothered… by costumed clowns like you," answered Hiko, with an arrogant smirk.

Angered, the black rider hissed his orders to the remaining Orcs, "kill them both!"

The Orcs charged against the defiant Seijuro and Sojiro. But the muscled master of Hiten Mitsurugi struck back against the Orcs fiercely, slicing them down with just a fling of his sword. As another crowd of Orcs rushed toward Sojiro…

The boyish individual quickly dodged the Orcs, moving like a swift phantom that none of the Orcs could see. Suddenly… one of the Orcs had his sword snatched from out of nowhere, and was stabbed in the back… by Sojiro.

Sojiro now had a weapon in which he used to kill the Orcs, swiftly dealing them out, one by one. As he and Hiko finished off the last Orc, they turned to the black rider, who was even more angered at their interference.

"It looks like that its just us now," said Hiko.

"Yes," replied the black leader, "but you still have no chance against the Nazgûl… you will die."

"Heh," Hiko smirked, "not in this lifetime."

The black-hooded figured charged at Seijuro Hiko. Hiko fought the rider left and right, blocking and parrying each blow that the rider gave to him. The rider screeched in agony, as he seemed to be outmatched by the master of Hiten Mitsurugi. He never had fought against someone with excellent sword skills such as Seijuro Hiko.

When he felt he had enough… Hiko kicked the Nazgûl aside, landing roughly onto the ground.

"I must admit," said Hiko firmly, "you're really something. You seem to be without energy. I could easily sense the look of death within you. For all I know, anyone could mistake you for the grim reaper himself.

"You may be many things my friend… but you're not invincible," concluded Hiko.

"Do you think you have beaten me… or Sauron himself?" the Nazgûl lord said, contemptuously, "this is just the beginning! You haven't won anything."

More screeching came out of the night… from the sky as a pair of winged monsters, bearing more Nazgûl flew towards their lord… and picked up the bodies of the police officers that were stabbed, flying off. The lead Nazgûl however, picked up the officer named Ikari and mounted upon his horse… as a portal slowly appeared behind him, that made Hiko and Sojiro gasp in awe and fascination.

The Lord of the Nazgûl then said, "give this message to your people… you and all the inhabitants of this world will pledge their allegiance to Sauron, or you will be destroyed."

With that… the black rider then went through the portal and disappeared out of Kyoto, and out of the world in which they were.

Chou started to lift himself from the ground, as he eyed the boyish Sojiro.

"Sojiro?" queried Chou, "well aren't you a sight for sore eyes. What are you doing back in Kyoto? You're still wanted, you know."

"Chou," replied Sojiro, with a bright smile, "it's been a long time."

"Save the reunions for later," said Hiko, "right now, we have to think about what we're dealing with here. I believed that black-hooded jerk when he said that I couldn't beat him. I could sense it."

"Master Hiko," said Sojiro, as he picked up one of the Nazgûl's blades, "I think that this blade belonged to one of those black riders."

But then…

The blade quickly and completely dissolved into dust, leaving the hilt and handle untouched.

"Whoa, did you guys see that?" asked a bemused Chou, "that knife just crumbled into dust."

"We all know that," said Hiko, stating the obvious, "that just proves that we cannot do this alone."

"I had heard that those Oniwaban fellows were on this case," offered Chou, "looking around to see if any of these creeps showed their ugly faces in Kyoto."

"Indeed," agreed Hiko, "then that means that we're going to have to go over to the Aoiya… to see what they've been up to."

Back in Kanama's office, his hand was over the fiery stone, in which he was observing what had happened with Chou and the other officers, who were trapped by the Ringwraiths, rescued by Hiko and Sojiro.

'So, there are more fools who wish to stand against the great power of Sauron,' Kanama rasped in his thoughts, '…the force of Mordor cannot be abated.'

'Indeed,' a voice interjected, that of an gauntly-voiced old man…

'Master Saruman,' gasped Kanama, responding to Saruman, whose hand was over his Palantir, also observing what happened in Kyoto.

'All men are weak, despite all the warriors who are gathering together,' said Saruman wickedly, 'as we speak, Sauron's powers are growing… and all will suffer under his might, no matter whatever world may do to resist. First, the people of Rohan will fall before my Uruk-Hai, who are now marching to Helm's Deep to kill all who dwell there… hoping for safety, which they will have none…

Not only was Saruman overseeing Kyoto… he was overseeing Helm's Deep, tucked deep into the gorge of Aglarond, packed with all the wearied, oppressed people of Rohan, who suffered much under Saruman's assaults.

Resting inside the fortress… the people were still unaware of the incoming march of Uruk-Hai, intending to wipe them out…

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Lord of the Rings. RK is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Lord of the Rings is the property of Professor J. R. R. Tolkien.

A/n: Well, what did you think of these two new chapters? I hope you guys liked them. Yuei got his wish with Sojiro Seta and Seijuro Hiko being involved, its like I have another person who's been reading my mind, besides X-over. I hope to hear from you, even though, I won't be able to from my computer. But in the meantime, I'm still going to be looking for a job, nonetheless.

And in the next chapter, as you've read the last lines of this chapter, will focus on the coming battle of Helm's Deep… so…

Please read and review.