Rurouni Kenshin: Return of the Greatest Imperialist

Main Characters- Himura Kenshin & Himura Battosai

Revised Summary- After the fight with Hajime Saito the group has become aware of Kenshin's true strength and inner nature. The strength of the strongest manslayer of the revolution, something that no one should provoke, lest it bring about the chaos and uproar of the revolution. Then there's the places that people shouldn't go. Will Kenshin and the gang make it through an OC's wrath? Or will they be trapped in a forest of death forever. Review if you would please, this chap has been revised.

Italics refer to the voice in your head, like a split personality

'One quotation on each side of the content refers to the other side of the personality or the character's thoughts.'

Disclamer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, I wish I did.

Acts Chapters

Act I. Battosai and Rurouni

"Kenshin… Are you okay?" Kaoru asked, she and Yahiko stopped practicing to look back at the crimson haired samurai. Kenshin was looking up in to the sky his expression was nearly blank.

"Yeah, you even stopped washing the same shirt over again even," Yahiko had felt compelled to yell this at him. Kenshin looked at him with his sad smile, Yahiko gave himself a guilt trip upon seeing it. How could he have known why Kenshin smiled all the time? It wasn't really something you go up and randomly ask your depressed idol.

"Miss Kaoru?" she looked at him, admiring his smile but she could see it was phony, "I finished the washing laundry after I hang it all I'm going for a walk." Kaoru nodded, it was all she could do to keep for asking why he was so sad and uneasy.

"Yahiko, let's continue at the shrine. If Sano comes tell him where we are please Kenshin," Kenshin nodded as he started hanging the laundry on its wire cable, he didn't say anymore on the matter. The two them left leaving Kenshin to the laundry, as soon as the gate was shut he stood up with his hand on the sakabato hilt. He knew someone was there, he had felt their presence just a little while ago. It was small, but it was very dark chi.

"Come out, I know you're here Saito," Kenshin said in a cold tone, the tall gangly policeman with the face of a wolf stepped out from the shadows.

"Wise choice Battosai, I didn't think you get them to leave so easily," Saito replied, his narrow eyes locked on Kenshin. He was ready to draw his katana, Kenshin pushed his blade barely out of the sheath with his thumb. Ready to draw at the shortest notice.

"What do you want Saito?" he asked bluntly, Saito spat at the ground.

"To finish our match of course Battosai, are you ready?" the Wolf said, Kenshin drew his blade and glared at him from his position. If Saito moved even one centimeter he would strike, the stalemate lasted until there was a loud obnoxious knock at the dojo entrance. The two of them had their eyes locked on one another until the door flew open.

"Kenshin!" that was Sanosuke's voice; Saito disappeared into the shadows again. Sanosuke slammed the door equally loudly as the wolf had left. Kenshin sheathed his blade and finished up the laundry unamused by his rude guests.

Saito was gone for now, but why would he come for Kenshin now in the middle of the day when everyone was rushing past the dojo? Sanosuke had stepped into the dojo looking extremely suspicious. He had felt the chi as well and had come to check on Kenshin. That and he wanted to mooch some food off Kaoru for lunch. He looked over to where the wolf had just been hiding, then back to Kenshin. He noted that Kenshin's sword was on his belt while he was hanging laundry. That in its self was odd.

"Hey Sano, Miss Kaoru and Yahiko are at the shrine training," Kenshin said quietly, Sanosuke could see Kenshin's nerves relax as he walked closer, Sanosuke knew something was up because his loud entrances never had that reaction before. Kenshin continued hanging up laundry even though Sanosuke had seen through his efforts to calm down.

"Someone was just here… Who?" Sanosuke asked. Kenshin started to hang the last piece up, "who was here Kenshin? Who had you so tense?"

"Sano do not try to fight the Wolf of Mibu, you may not survive your next encounter with him…" Kenshin warned as he turned around, his eyes were exceedingly narrow, "Saito is not a person you want to fight, he's one person you should run from." Kenshin tucked his arms in his sleeves and walked right out of the dojo. He shut the doors behind him harshly indicating his displeasure at the questions. That left Sanosuke in the dojo alone. He stood dumbstruck as the familiar sound of the Rurouni's shoes scrapping the road faded away…

Kenshin was not defiantly not ready, for ten years he had staved off the other side of his personality. Despite the people like Saito and the psycho Ji-ne who tried their damnedest to get him back to his old ways. Saito unfortunately was semi successful; his self control over the Battosai was dwindling… The Battosai was starting to fight back again, each day the urges became stronger, he had used up a lot of self control a few hours ago to keep the Battosai from truly emerging to finish the match with Saito. Two times already he had let the Battosai win, but he could afford to do that again. What if next time he couldn't regain control? What would happen to Kaoru and the others if he didn't? Would the Battosai within slay them mercilessly? Or would they just share the same fate as Tomoe as they die trying to protect him from his enemies?

Either choice meant he was running out of time and options. On one hand he could let the Battosai win on purpose and deal with it later after he had enough energy to contest him, and on the other hand was being in another near death battle and while he was distracted the Battosai might take over. Both of his choices frightened him… Letting the Battosai roam Tokyo for a day was not in the Rurouni's interests, he had a vow to keep whether the Battosai liked it or not.

Kenshin wandered to the riverbank where Ji-ne had kidnapped Kaoru and the Battosai had influenced him for the first time in ten years. He sat down on the very log he had before and breathed a sigh of relief that Ji-ne had killed himself. His vague expression didn't reveal a single thing to anyone who might have passed by, but he was started to remember something. It was a young girl's face her own features as pale as his own; her dark midnight hairs in magenta ribbon and deep brown eyes that concealed such misery. She was thin and petite as anyone he had ever seen, the innocent girl he had once known over thirteen years ago.

He was just about to be swallowed into himself when he heard Kaoru's gentle voice. It was soft and scared, but strangely comforting despite her uneasiness. He was torn from his memories with a fury of lights and sounds, making him almost dizzy in the process. Kaoru was standing in front of him next to Yahiko. The two of them were staring at him in an odd fashion, they were looking directly at his face too, not at anything else. Kaoru's was a look of worry, while Yahiko went pale as if he'd seen a ghost he almost considered hiding behind his Raccoon instructor.

"Kenshin are you alright? You look like you have something troubling you," Kaoru said as she sat down beside him, her bright sapphire eyes full of worry.

"Kenshin how long are you going to glare like that?" Yahiko asked, his voice was very shakey. Kenshin blinked and sat up, he looked over at stream that ran in front of them. He looked into it to see the other side of his personality. The Battosai's golden eyes were staring straight back at him, the glare enough was enough to scare everyone on the bridge and more.

"I should have known…" Kenshin muttered under his breath, the words were chilling enough to scare the bravest men. His vision alone would have made most wet themselves. He closed his eyes to sense where Kaoru was and walked over to her. He sat down next her without a word, still lost in his thoughts from before. He was going to have to let him out sooner or later at this rate. He figured that by sunset he would have enough strength to push the Battosai back into his dark prison in the depths of their soul.

"Should have known what? Kenshin what's wrong with you, you've been acting so distant from us lately. Why… Is something wrong?" she asked, still Kenshin did not open his eyes.

"There is no time to explain. I cannot contain him any longer without jeopardizing my vow not to kill," Kenshin told them quietly, his words soft and slightly warmer than before, "I cannot keep him from taking over, you need to run before the Battosai emerges."

"Before the Battosai—" Kaoru cut off Yahiko.

"Emerges? I thought you were the Battosai," Kaoru barely finished her sentence when her friend's eyes opened again. The eyes however that appeared were the same as before, a hardened paralyzing gold. The warmth slowly disappeared as the gold deepened. The glossy eyes showed no emotion other than hate, Yahiko took off for the dojo out of fear, Kaoru nearly stopped breathing at the sight of his eyes.

"Run, please…" Kenshin begged as he fell forward, his eyes still open. Kaoru put a hand on his back and leaned forward, she felt his harsh breathing dissipate to long deep breaths that slowed to normal. He sat back up, his muscles tensing automatically, Kaoru jumped to the side as he looked straight into her eyes with pure chaos.

"You… you're the cry baby from that dojo. He must have warned you to run, just how foolish are you girl?" the voice that came from Kenshin was not his the one from before, but much older and colder than normal, "he warns you and you still don't listen to him. You are much more stubborn than the fool gave you credit for, but your own foolishness will be the end of you Kaoru." He stood up stiffly, he flexed his arm outwards to see how stiff it was. After which he retied his hair higher up so it was out of his face. She had to admit it made him that much more handsome.

"What have you done to Kenshin you blood thirsty monster?!?" she said trying to glare at him, but his normal look was enough to disperse her fiercest glare, "just what are you?"

"I haven't done anything you stupid girl. He just faded letting me breathe a little, which means I can have some fun no … that is since he doesn't have the energy to fend me off," the Battosai smiled dangerously, "you have until sunset to convince me why I shouldn't kill you."

"Far enough, you have until then to decide, but if you do I'll tell Hajime Saito tell him your weakness," Kaoru bluffed coldly, 'even though I don't know his weakness… Only the Rurouni knows, and I can't ask him now.' Good thing she had a terrific poker face or she might have had a serious problem. The Battosai flinched, he hated Hajime Saito the leader of the third squad of Shinsengumi a lot, but he was starting to hate this girl more. She knew more about the Rurouni than he thought; she must have figured it out during the battle with Jin-e Udo.

"You have no idea what type of hell you got yourself into when you invited him to stay with you that day," the Battosai's eyes narrowed, he had a feeling that she didn't know about their past yet. Nor did he really intend on telling her about his greatest mistake of all time, but like she wouldn't cry for him anyways… He felt the Rurouni side tugging at him, he retreated to their mind annoyed.

'What the hell do you want now pest?' the Battosai glared. The Rurouni looked at the stream then at the Battosai.

Don't tell her and I won't suppress you right away… She has no reason about that, tell her one word and I'll make this you last hours in the sunlight. The Rurouni threatened, he knew Kaoru was bluffing, he could tell, but he wasn't about to let the Battosai know. Between them there would be no topic of greater hostility then Tomoe. The Battosai felt the girl pulling their sleeve; he felt the liquid run down his arm as she cried. Give me your word Battosai, or you shall never see the world let alone the sun again. Ever.

'Why should I?' the Battosai inquired, the Rurouni looked through their blank eyes, 'the girl, you just don't want her to know what a monster we truly are… Is she really that important to you pest?' The Battosai was tired of compromising with the Rurouni, he was far too careful. Then again there was the Tomoe incident where they had both let their guard down, and it had cost them dearly. She was dead due to the Battosai and haunted them because of the Rurouni. He felt the arms of the Zanza the fighter for hire, as they were carried to the Kamiya dojo.

Give me your word that you won't kill anyone or tell a soul about Tomoe.

'What if they ask?'

I'll deal with that… Now do you swear to uphold my vow Battosai?

'I don't see any choice with this sword you're carrying…'

Swear Battosai! We don't have time for these stupid games.

'Not on my honor pest, but on the girl's life.'

What? Why on Miss Kaoru's life?

'If she dies I reserve the right to kill again, as for the incident… it shall be classified.'

You still haven't answered me… Why?

'If she dies that means I'd be in considerable trouble.'

Fine… Just keep her safe and I won't complain, but try not to scare my friends anymore Battosai…

'I'll try, you annoying pest, but I better get more time,' the Battosai thought. Finally no reply, that meant the Rurouni was content for now. That also meant he was free of his dark prison for longer than he figured.

End of Act I. Battosai and Rurouni