(insert song: "Dark Star" from Slayers)

Crawford smirked at Koinosuke. " Of all people, you figure it out. "

Koinosuke held himself stiffly, on guard. There was a distinctly creepy feeling in the air, some kind of an evil aura around the man Wufei had bumped into. Koinosuke didn't like it, in this rare moment where he wasn't completely clueless he was wary of his own realization.

It was the eyes - like a hardened, shining version of his own, magnified slightly by the glasses set over them. It was the glasses that had solidified the theory in the first place. Riva had called him 'goshujin' after putting Sanzou's glasses on his face to add to the resemblance. The reflection Koinosuke had seen in the window with those glasses on could very well have been standing in front of him now.

If anything, Koinosuke had a good memory for detail.

" Well? What are you going to do about it? " Crawford asked.

The serious air about Koinosuke crumbled. " Uh-- "

" I'll tell you what I'm gonna do about it! " Wufei took over. " I'm gonna make sure you tell us just what the hell's going on! What kind of quest is this? "

" If I told you now, it would ruin things. "

" Nani? "

" Is that why Riva can't remember anything? " Wufei demanded.

" No, that was Schuldich's little game with her. I didn't care, so long as she was serving my purpose. " He started to leave. " Now if you will excuse me. "

Wufei grabbed him by the arm and stopped his passing. " Are you saying you don't care about her at all? " He asked in a dangerously low tone.Wufei may have hated women, but he hated even more the men who mistreated them.

There was a pause, during which Koinosuke held his breath. Then Crawford answered with a smile on his face, " That's exactly right. " He chuckled as Wufei's grip on his arm tightened, " But what are you going to do about it? Without me, you don't ever get home. "

**

(insert song: "Epitaph" by Weiss)

Riva sat slouched down in her seat in a cafe. When the waitress set her cafe mocha in front of her she thanked her quietly and wrapped her fingers around the warm mug.

" You know, " she said to her coffee, " bravado only lasts so long. It's a lot easier to say things like 'I'm gonna find everyone' and 'I won't be beaten' and 'It's all for Goshujin-sama' than it is to actually act them out. What was I thinking? That I'd just stumble across them all and then Goshujin-sama would appear and say 'Good work Riva-kun, now come here so I can kiss you' and we'd do whatever it was that we were supposed to do and everyone would be happy? " She sipped at her coffee and sniffled, " More likely than not Sanzou would hit me and Duo would insult me and Schu would just delete everything from my mind. " Another sip. " Dammit. "

Riva blinked when she felt something lightly tap her on the head. She blinked again when Duo sat across from her and rested his chin on his hands.

" Baka, " he said.

Sanzou pulled a chair over from another table and sat down as well, setting his paper fan down on the table. " Things not going well? "

" Sanzou... Duo... " She blinked back tears and smiled. " Have you tried the mocha? It's good. "

Sanzou smacked her for real this time. " Bakazou! Are you saying you'd rather talk to a mug of coffee?! "

Riva giggled and put up her hands in defence. " Gomen gomen! "

**

(insert song: "Birth" by Masami Okui)

Inu Yasha smiled evilly. " You can try to pin the blame on Kagome all you want Sesshoumaru, but I'm blaming you. Now take us back or feel the blade of the Tetsusaiga. "

Sesshoumaru folded his arms and commented, " You always were lacking in the logic department, dear brother. "

" Yay, a family feud, " Tasuki stated in a bored tone. " Which do you think Ryuuichi? "

Ryuuichi sat on a stool and observed the set up. " Hmmmmmmm. I'd say it's a tough call. "

Kagome turned on them angrily. " This isn't a betting match! This is serious! "

Tasuki yawned and rubbed the back of his head, " Yeah yeah, whatever. So long as they aren't on Riva's list, I couldn't care less what happens. "

Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru stopped mid-attack and stared at Tasuki.

" What do you mean? " Sesshoumaru asked, narrowing his eyes.

" Riva's list, " Inu Yasha added.

Ryuuichi stood on the stool and gladly told them, " Rivachan is searching for people to help her on a quest. We don't know what kind of quest, but after thinking about it and given certain circumstances such as your appearance we assume that this world is our intended destination. Also, since you have appeared, we can assume that one of you, well, except for the girl, given past patterns, are here to be enlisted to aid in this quest. "

" Rivachan, huh? " Miroku considered this, " I wonder if she would have my child... "

Kagome shot him a sidelong look of exasperation. " One track mind... "

Shippou placed himself on Kagome's shoulder. " No one wants to have your kid. "

" What was that? "

Sesshoumaru laughed humorlessly. " Should you and your companions be left here to suffer, it would be a good thing for me. Let's see who can find this 'Riva' first, hm? " The youkai then gracefully dashed through the door.

Inu Yasha's face pinched in insult. " Sesshoumaru!! "

The chase was on.

**

(insert song: "The Minority" by Miki Shin'ichirou)

The first thing that allerted the four in the air that something was wrong below was the car that nearly sent Hisoka into orbit. Descending, they found a battle going on in the streets.

Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru faced off in the middle of a street, holding off traffic with the threat that any other morons would follow the first into outer space. Inu Yasha held the Tetsusaiga in full transformed mode with both hands, ready to take another swipe.

In turn, Sesshoumaru stood looking perfectly relaxed, his hands at his side. But anyone who paid attention and had good knowledge of both the series and fighting, would note that not only did Sesshoumaru almost never show anything beside being impassive, but he held his hand bent slightly at the wrist, with his fingers curled slightly, ready to strike with 'Dokkasou' (1) at any given time.

But Trunks cared more about two of the spectators. " Tasuki! Ryuuichi! " He descended and hung in the air over them.

Kagome snapped attention at him, readying an arrow and accusing. " Youkai! "

" Excuse me?! "

" No no no! Kagome-chan! That's Trunks, he's a friend. A friend! " Ryuuichi protested.

" Heyyy Trunks, how goes it? Subaru's not with ya? Life's cruel, huh? " Tasuki greeted.

Trunks would have said something, had his ki sense not hit him in the back of the head. Spinning around he appeared between Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru, sword drawn to hold off the Tetsusaiga and his other hand clamped firmly around Sesshoumaru's wrist. Crystalling blue eyes caught first Inu Yasha's then Sesshoumaru's attention. " Play nice, eh? There's no need for these innocent people to be hurt. "

Xellos clapped his hands from over head, while Tsuzuki and Hisoka gaped at the sudden display of power from the half-Saiyajin.

" How dare you-- " Sesshoumaru began to intone warningly.

" Please know that I am right now nowhere near my full power. You wouldn't stand a chance against me, " Trunks gave him a warning of his own.

" Take that one-arm! " Shippou taunted, then hid in Kagome's hair when he received the answering glare.

**

(insert song: "Nemuro Memorial Hall" from Shoujo Kakumei Utena)

It's not every day a car drops from the sky. So it's understandable that when one does, it draws attention. Which it did. Everyone in the cafe stood and gaped at the vehicle as it landed upside down on the sidewalk in a noisy mashing of metal and glass.

Riva immediately started looking around, noting the people's movements and the cloud of smoke that was rising from what was roughly a few blocks away. Making some broad assumptions and putting two and two together to maybe get four, she slapped money down on the table next to her unfinished cafe mocha and leaped over the partition. " Come on guys! "

Duo and Sanzou quickly paid for their drinks and followed in hot pursuit.

Noting that they had caught up, Riva explained, " Even if it's not one of us, it's guaranteed to draw attention. We stand a good chance of at least finding someone there. "

" Let's hurry up then, " Duo suggested.

Riva and Sanzou nodded, giving mutual, 'right's before all three of them put on speed.

**

(insert song: "Megumi ni naritai" by Masami Okui)

Koinosuke's attention was drawn from the tense situation between Wufei and Crawford to across the street, or rather, three people who where running headlong down the sidewalk across the street.

" Ho? Riva-dono... "

" What? " Wufei snapped his head around, verifying with his own eyes what Koinosuke saw. Switching his grip so that he had a good hold on Crawford's wrist, he took off across the street after them with Crawford in tow. " Let's follow them Koinosuke. "

" Right! " Koinosuke ran after them. " Ano... why are we bringing him? " He pointed at Crawford, who wasn't looking very happy about the fact that he was being dragged down the street by a fifteen year old boy.

" Because, maybe seeing him will jar Riva's memory back or something. I don't know! I just think it's a good idea to bring him along. Maybe Riva can even get him to tell us something. " Wufei reasoned aloud.

" Don't count on it, " Crawford sneered.

" Shut up and run faster!! " Wufei put on speed, forcing Crawford and Koinosuke to do the same. " Koinosuke, he's slowing me down, wanna run ahead and let Riva, Duo, and Sanzou know we're coming? "

" Un, " Koinosuke nodded and put on speed, leaving a trail of dust as he caught up to the other three in no time flat. " Riva-dono!! "

" Koinosuke! " Riva called back happily.

Duo gaped. " Where did you come from? "

" Wufei and I were across the street and saw you three go by! What's the big rush? " Koinosuke chatted happily.

" We think there might be others at whatever's causing the ruckus up ahead, " Duo explained.

" Ah, good idea! Um, Wufei's coming too, he's dragging along someone we met up with on the street; you'll never guess who! "

Sanzou looked at him critically, " Who? "

Koinosuke grinned like a child with a secret. " Your mast--! " He was cut off when he wasn't watching where he was going and smacked into a telephone pole.

Riva mentally ran though the possible ways to finish his last word. It wasn't very long until she hit the right one. " Goshujin-sama? " Now that she wasn't watching where she was going, Riva tripped over a garbage can and landed flat on her face.

Duo and Sanzou stopped without incident and sweatdropped.

" Who didn't see that one coming? " Duo commented dully.

" Here comes Wufei, " Sanzou pointed in the direction they'd come from.

Sure enough, Wufei caught up to them, Crawford still in tow. He threw Crawford at Sanzou. " Hold him, would ya. This guy is Riva's 'goshujin.' He admitted it himself. But that's about all he's admitting. "

Duo raised an eyebrow. " This guy?? " He walked up to Crawford and studied him intently. " He doesn't look so--GAH! " Duo ducked as Crawford took a swipe at him. He dodged and evaded punches, stepping backwards away from the taller man's advances.

Wufei leaped forward to attack, but Crawford spun, knocking him away with one blow, then turned back and grabbed Duo by the throat, lifting him up and pushing him roughly against a telephone pole.

" You were saying? "

Riva sat up and rubbed at her sore nose with a groan. She squinted at the going ons before her and inquired,
" Goshujin-sama? "

Crawford dropped Duo and turned to face Riva. " Riva-kun. What's taking you so long to find everyone I asked you to? "

The faces of all present darkened at that. Except for Riva's.

Scrambling to her feet, she bowed low and apologized quickly, " Please forgive me, Goshujin-sama. I blame Schu for splitting us up in the first place. I'm working very very hard. "

Crawford walked over and gently placed his hand on Riva's head. " Daijoubu, Riva-kun. Nagi's brought the last two worlds to us this time. "

Riva looked up at him, eyes shining. " Hontou desu ka? "

" Yes, " he nodded, " really. However... "

" However? "

" You only have until the end of next chapter to find the last two people we need. " He told her serenely, his hand stroking the long violet hair that cascaded down the back of her neck to twist over the shoulder.

" ... oh. " Riva pondered this. " Well... when does this chapter end? "

" Right now. "

**

Notes on this chapter:

1) 'Dokkasou' is Sesshoumaru's trademark attack. Basically the poison in his claws melts everything it touches. I think it roughly translates to 'Toxic Flower Claw'

Nex chapter: Two in One is a Long Shot