Just a work of fanfiction. I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or Rurouni Kenshin. I am just using the ideas and characters of such. Please refrain from suing.

"Class, today we will be learning about a very special period in Japan's history…"

Whoopee! thought class 2-A, More Second Impact!

"The Bakamatsu."

"WHAT!?" They were actually going to learn about something other than Second Impact? Hell yeah! Even Rei Ayanami was looking at the teacher.

"In the year Genji 1, or 1864, Kyoto, home of the Choshu clan, was beset by a rash of killings. In each case, a Shogunate official, a samurai, was killed during the night, along with the bodyguards he might have with him. These killings were attributed to a hitokiri, whose only recorded name is Battousai. This is obviously a professional name. He was obviously working for revolutionary elements in the Choshu clan. But after an attack on a revolutionary meeting in Kyoto by a group know as the Shinsengumi, the killings stop. Soon, a group called the Kihei-tai, lead by a man called Tasugi, rises and fights the Shogunate army in Kyoto. During the fighting, Kyoto is burned to the ground. Purges sweep through the Choshu clan and, for a year, there is very little revolutionary activity. At the end of that year, a Shogunate trap to kill the Battousai is sprung. Three Niuwaban-shu ninja are killed along with the Shogunate field chief who set the trap up.

"Not a month after this, the revolutionaries, lead by the reemergence of the Kihei-tai, sweep across much of Japan. The forces of the so-called 'patriots' are led by Tasugi, and Kogoro Katsura, the disgraced leader of the Choshu clan. Though hitokiri-linked killings are rampant, the Hitokiri Battousai is never involved. He becomes a guardian angel for revolutionary forces and a great power when he is used as a front-line soldier. During this time period, we finally get a good description of the man known as Battousai. He was a short man of maybe 18-20 years old, with a cross-shaped scar on his cheek and red hair. He is described as very good looking. His fighting style was identified as Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, a style apparently founded during the Sengoku period. It was said that it pitted 'one against many', and was considered to be the most powerful form of kenjutsu. In any case, it let him "slay men like a demon", to quote a historian of the period. Interestingly, at the end of the revolution, Battousai, disappears without a trace.

"You are probably wondering why I am telling you about this. Battousai, I told you about as he is considered by many to be the most interesting and important figure of the revolution. The Bakamatsu, as we will be doing a project. You will be split up into pairs. Each pair will then be given a subject relating to the Bakamatsu, and the first ten years of Meji. You will, in two months time, give us an interesting and informative presentation on your subject. That means, no standing up in front of the class and talking. We will want something creative for full marks. During this one month, you will not be required to come to school." The jaws of the class dropped open. "But at the end of the two months, for two weeks, we will have one presentation a day. This grade is very important, and if you fail, you will most likely fail the semester."

The class started murmuring nervously. "Sensei, when was this approved?"

"At the beginning of the quarter Ms. Horaki. Now, after lunch I will assign you groups, but now, I believe, it is time for lunch."

The bell rang and the class filed out. As surprising as everything in class had been, the thoughts of the elderly teacher would've given the class a heart attack. I'm glad I finally got a proposal past those censors. I'm fucking tired of talking about Second Impact! Nice of that Katsuragi woman. I wonder about her 'conditions' though.

"Wow," said Kensuke as he and Shinji sat down to eat lunch. "Can you believe it? A two-month project. And not about Second Impact. I wonder what I'll do mine on?"

"And who with?" asked Shinji.

"Yeah, that too. Say, what happened to the demon? I haven't seen her in a week."

"She got sent to NERV Berlin for six months."

"Why?"

"I don't know, and neither does Misato."

"You want me to find out?"

"Nah."

"What? Shinji, don't you want to know why your girlfriend got sent away?"

Shinji sighed. "Kensuke, we broke up a week ago."

"Oh…I didn't know."

Shinji shook his head. "No reason for you to. We didn't really tell anyone if they didn't ask."

"Oh. Why, if you don't mind?"

Shinji shook his head. "Maybe in a while, but not now." Shinji hadn't been entirely truthful in that conversation. He knew exactly why Asuka had left, but he wasn't telling why. The files said it was to expand protection against the Angels, but that was complete BS. After the Ninth Angel, the Angels had simply stopped coming. After half a year, Gendo Ikari had committed suicide. No reason was ever found. Evangelion production continued nonetheless, giving each major city (city with a NERV base) an Evangelion. Only four places had multiples: Tokyo-3 (00, 01), Berlin (02, MP11), the Massachusetts facility (03, MP16), and the Arizona facility (04, MP07). The UN became an almost world government.

Just before their breakup, Asuka had requested a transfer back to Germany. NERV Berlin was delighted to get one of the original combat pilots and immediately approved the request. Shinji and Asuka had ended their relationship just before she left. And she wasn't coming back after six months either.

Kensuke's voice jolted him out of his reverie. "I wish Touji would sit with us, at least some of the time."

"We could go over to them, you know."

"I just never know what to say to him when he's near Hikari. He's like a different person."

"Yeah. They'll probably get married."

"Well, they'll be happy."

"Heh. So what do you want to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe something about the weapons during that time period."

"Military otaku."

"Always have been. Actually, I'd like to do something on pirates during that time period."

"You can hope."

"I dropped hints about pirates all school year. He'll probably give it to me," said Kensuke, grinning. "What do you want to do?"

"Huh. I don't know. Maybe something about the food then, or the culture?"

"Asuka was right. House-broken male."

"Sheesh," said Shinji, eating some of the sushi he had taken the extra time to make. "Least I can cook for myself. Without the microwave." He added before Kensuke said it.

"Instant food is the ambrosia of the gods."

Shinji shuddered. "Right." He finished off his sushi. "We'd better get heading back."

Kensuke scarfed down the last of his bento box. "Okay."

"Kensuke Adia and Mana Kirishma, you will be doing a report on pirate groups during the Genji and early Meji years."

Kensuke looked over at Shinji and mouthed 'I told you so.'

"Touji Suzuhara and Hikari Horaki, you will be working on foods and dress of the period. And finally, Rei Ayanami and Shinji Ikari will be working on fighting styles."

Shinji's eyes bugged. Fighting styles! What did he know about…never mind. And he supposed it would be nice to talk to Rei again. They were…had been fairly good friends, but Asuka had taken up so much of his time…he could hardly be blamed.

"Now, get into your groups and start brainstorming. If you want to consult with me on something after today, just come to school, but for the most part, anything goes."

As everyone got up to work with their partners, Shinji walked over to Rei. "Hello, Rei."

"Hello, Shinji."

"Rei, gomen nasai."

She looked at him inquisitively.

"I haven't been talking to you much lately. Gomen."

She shook her head, almost imperceptibly. Shinji, out of long experience, could read her body language and facial expressions, and caught it. "You had your reasons. There is nothing to apologize for."

"Thank you," mumbled Shinji. Rei was understanding like that. "So what should we do our project on?"

"Fighting styles," stated Rei bluntly.

"Not what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

"Well, we might want to restrict our research to one weapon."

"What about the sword?" suggested the sensei, standing behind them.

"What do you mean?" asked Shinji.

"The dai-sho set of the samurai," clarified the teacher, "And possibly kempo."

"Sir?" asked Rei.

"This project was approved by Ms. Katsuragi. She asked that I put you two together as her conditions. I decided that you two should be assigned a project related to your job. Hence, fighting styles. I suggest you two learn kempo, along with a sword style of your choosing, and give us a demonstration after telling us about some common sword styles."

Rei considered this for a moment. "Acceptable. What do you think of the teacher's recommendation?"

Shinji stared. She's going to kick my ass in that demonstration. But Misato has been asking me to take self-defense classes, and I suppose I could do with being less helpless. "Sure."

The sensei handed them a book on sword styles "Here, this should help you."

"Sensei?" asked Shinji, "Why are you helping us?"

"Gratitude, I suppose," said the old man, "I hate talking about Second Impact."

The class thought they'd never see Rei Ayanami faint. They were wrong.

"Rei, are you alright?"

Rei opened her eyes to see Shinji's concerned face. "Fine."

"That's good. You remember what happened today?"

"Yes. I would never had thought he had disliked talking about Second Impact."

"I know. I just woke up a few minutes ago." Shinji held up the book the sensei had given them. "I flipped through this, and it's got a bunch of good stuff." He looked into the book. "Tenshen Rishen-ryu, Jigen-ryu, there's even styles for strange swords in here."

"Very good. How are we going to learn sword styles? There are no teachers of kenjutsu in Tokyo-3."

"Company town," muttered Shinji. "I'll ask Misato about that. I'll call you if we find anything."

"I will keep my cell phone on. Good day, Shinji."

"Goodbye, Rei."

"Huh," mused Misato, "That teacher of yours has a point. You sure you want to do this?"

"Not really, but it would be a good idea, right?"

"Yeah, it would be. Though I personally find it unlikely that there'll be any more Angels, it wouldn't hurt for you to learn some advanced combat skills. Nothing like job security, eh Shinji?"

Shinji gave a small smile. He was set for life as the pilot of Unit-01. "Yeah. It is nice, isn't it?" Misato was also set.

"Well, I'll see about finding you two teachers. Kaji can teach you kempo."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's pretty good. You two want to learn different sword styles, right?"

"I guess."

"And I'll try to find a place close to Tokyo-3, where you two can train in separate styles near to each other. I think I can do that. Go call Rei."

"Right."

AN: Due to my love of NGE and RK, and the severe lack of crossover between the two (I have only seen one), I am trying my hand at one. No definite pairing yet, outside of the Hikari/Touji that was implied during this chapter (and even that might change). But it looks like due to the story's plot it will be Rei/Shinji. We'll see. This is set in an AU. After the Ninth Angel, the Angels stopped. Gendo has committed suicide, and the UN has become a world government, with NERV and governmental militaries as it's peacekeeping force. Other changes are described in story. The main characters are 15 now.