(insert song: "Toki wo Koete" by Shoko Inoue)

Ohtori Academy was a school famous for it's expansive, labyrinth campus. Amazingly enough, students never seemed to get lost, however. The School was like a city in itself, having classes from first-year elementary to high-level university. Uniforms were a plain green, hovering somewhere between aquamarine and olive, and girls wore a red ribbon around their necks. The only exceptions were those members of the Student Counsil, who got white uniforms, and a certain student who lived by her own rules.

It was in a quiet wing on balcony where Trunks decided to have a little meeting with Subaru to see how things were going in the middle school. He stood at the railing, leaning over slightly and watching Yukito happily join in on the archery club. The wind playfully teased his unbound lavendar hair.

" Konnichiwa, Trunkskun, " Subaru greeted, standing next to him at the railing.

" How are things in the middle school? "

" Good, " the younger boy answered, " Riva and Duo make friends fast. Wufei is, well, he's himself. We have a few people pegged as possibly being who we're looking for. Whenever Duo queries Riva about who's really behind all this or anything to do with the quest she avoids it. I don't think Sanzou can go for much longer before killing some students. "

" What about you? "

" Me? " Subaru blinked.

" I don't like that Student Counsil President. I've seen him around, he seems to be a bit of a womanizer, if you ask me. " Trunks looked sympathetically at the younger boy. " I understand, Subby, that you see Seishirou but-- "

Subaru's gloved hands had pulled into fists on the balcony rail. " Rivachan... explained to me, why she did what she did... but I still... still... " He jerked away from Trunks' touch. " Gomen nasai. I've told you what's going on. I'm meeting Kiryuu-sempai at the kendo club... "

Trunks smiled dangerously. " What a coincidence, 'Kiryuu-sempai' also invited me. He'd heard from Kenshin that he and I are swordsmen ourselves. " He pushed away from the balcony and escorted Subaru from the balcony. " How 'bout I show him how it's done, ah? "

**

(insert song: not present)

" Did you hear? Did you hear? " A-ko inquired cheerily.

B-ko wavered a prop sword. " How dare you challenge me in my own kingdom! I will destroy you, dark knight from the outside world! "

A-ko spun on her toe. " You are so relaxed here in your familiar environment. Can you do that? "

Feigning injury, B-ko staggered towards A-ko. " Augh, you got me! I can't believe it! "

A-ko pointed a patronizing finger. " Be careful, outsider, those familiar still have an advantage, Can you win? Can you? "

Utena closed her locker door. " I'm not dueling today. "

**

(insert song: "Wounded Wings" by Ikebukuro)

Juri observed the kendo club with an impassive face. " Funny, I didn't think Touga liked boys... "

Miki blinked at the scene across the room. " Ara? That's Sumeragi-kun. He told me in Biology that Touga reminds him of someone he used to know. "

Utena walked up to them with Anshii and commented, " Touga will go for anything with two legs that's willing. Trunks-sempai isn't very pleased, I heard. "

Juri nodded. " I'm sitting in because I heard Trunks and Kenshin were going to be doing a demonstration. They're both experts, or so Kenshin says. "

" I wonder if they will become duelists, " said Anshii with a small smile.

No one could comment as Trunks and Kenshin each entered the ring at the middle of the students. All attention in the room was on them.

Kenshin got into stance and stated formally, " Hiten Mitsurugi ken no Himura Kenshin. "

Trunks pointed the kendo sword, which was far lighter than what he was used to, at Kenshin with one hand and shrugged.
" Self taught swordsman, Trunks Briefs. Sorry Kenshin, it's the best I can do to honor your traditions. "

Kenshin nodded and led the attack.

" Wai! I love sword fights!! " Riva exclaimed. " First fencing and now kendo... this school kicks ass! " She stood on her tiptoes and peered over the crowd.

Miki smiled at her. " You like swords, Rivachan? "

" Hai hai! Very much! " She laughed. " Last time I tried using one I got my ass kicked tho. " She looked back across the room at Subaru, who was standing next to Touga. " It's kinda my fault I guess that Subbykun's sad. "

" What was your first clue? " Duo muttered.

**

(insert song: "Gessekai" by Buck-Tick)

Sanzou frowned at his scrawled markings on the blackboard. He could see that relying on the 'students' wasn't going to get them out of here anytime soon. He'd narrowed the possibiliteies down to the student counsil members and a few other students. So the possibilities ran as such:

Kiryuu Touga, Arisugawa Juri, Kaoru Miki, Kiryuu Nanami, Tenjou Utena, and that boy in the math class that Riva liked so much.

He'd already ruled out the student council vice president, since the boy had been expelled before they got there. He crossed off the Math-boy, since he couldn't remember his name and therefore decreased his value. He crossed off Nanami, Utena, and Juri, going by the pattern that so far they'd all been male. That left two names. Kiryuu Touga and Kaoru Miki.

" We believe it to be Miki, " Yukito commented, sitting himself down on Sanzou's desk.

Ryuuichi nodded in agreement.

" Why? " Sanzou asked.

" Touga-san is one of those people with the reoccuring voice. Nobody so far has had that voice. Going by patterns, it shouldn't be him. " Ryuuichi pointed out.

" Besides, " Yukito amended. " Trunks doesn't like him around Subaru. "

Sanzou vehemently crossed off Touga and circled Miki. " Kaorukun it is. Let's go find Riva and the others and get the hell out of here. "

Yukito cheerily quoted, " 'Kaorukun'? It's good that you enjoyed your role as teacher, Sanzou-san. "

" Shut up. "

**

(insert song: "Knock 'em Out" by Move)

The practice sword went flying and the victor stood with the tip of his sword resting on his opponents forehead. The crowd went wild, having been captivated by the beautiful duel between the two new students.

Trunks lowered his sword and offered a hand to Kenshin. " Good match. It's not often I get to fight a good opponent like
you. "

Kenshin took his hand and stood. " Arigatou. "

" Very good, " Touga commented, leaving Subaru's side and walking up to them. He picked up and tossed Trunks a kitana.
" Why don't you fight me and we'll make things more interesting? "

Trunks eyed him cautiously as the president picked up his own kitana and shed his uniform shirt. " I thought fighting was forbidden on school grounds. "

Touga shrugged. " There are exceptions to every rule. " He unsheathed the sword and lunged.

Trunks blocked with the sheath and threw Touga back. In the second he had before Touga attacked again, he had unsheathed the sword and tossed the sheath to Kenshin. If he could beat Kenshin in a sparring match, beating this long haired playboy shouldn't be hard at all.

So it was that a loud chorus began singing 'Knock 'em Out' instead of Move and Subaru was suddenly seen wearing a red dress with green trim, and Trunks received power from a floating, glowing, upside down castle to defeat Touga.

Actually, everyone stayed the same, and Trunks won in a simple case of strength paired with skill. He disarmed Touga and caught the other's sword as it hit it's descent. Noting Sanzou, Yukito, and Ryuuichi entering, Trunks handed the kitana back to him and said, " Sorry Touga, I don't think I'll be around for a rematch. " He sheathed his sword and handed it off to a random student. " Subaru, Kenshin, let's go. "

Utena looked at Juri. " What did he mean? Not being around for a rematch? "

Juri furrowed her brow. " I'm not sure. "

" Ara? " Utena looked around. " Where's Miki? "

**

(insert song: "Route Venus" from Sailormoon)

Riva pulled an envelope from the air and handed it to Miki. " This is for you. "

Duo's jaw dropped yet again. " I thought you said -- I mean - and - letter -and- but - the- "

Wufei smacked him.

" You said no more letters!! "

" I meant at the beginning. "

" Then Nothing Has Really Changed AT ALL Has It?! "

" Except that now I don't even know who we're looking for, " Riva pointed out, being far too happy about it than Duo could take.

" Why you... "

Sanzou crossed his arms. " If you don't know who, then how come even Miki's letter is written by you? Isn't that a bit more of a passable plothole? "

" Well you see, my master had me write the letters... and then for some reason I started forgetting who they were for and stuff. " Riva explained, scratching her head as she confused herself slightly.

Sanzou raised an eyebrow. " Who's this 'master' of yours? "

" I have no idea! "

Cue sweatdrops all around.

Miki clicked his stopwatch and asked, " Where to next? "

" Back to the Tenth Street District of Tokyo! "

Duo and Wufei shouted, " WHAT?! " in unision.

" Only a different place in time! " Riva said triumphantly.

Wufei scowled and headed off. " Let's just go get the others and get this over with already. "

**

Next Chapter: Angel Wings for the Damned