Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Harry Potter.
Ahem...yes well...as you can see, I've decided to start another story.
Yes, I know I need to focus on my first one, but this idea have been bugging me like a persistent fly and so, I've decided to bring it out before I go insane.
So...another crossover (I love them)...
Enjoy!
The once green field was littered with corpses, the ground stained crimson. Overhead, dark clouds hung, blocking out the evening moonlight. Four figures stood, three against one, two groups facing each other over a short distance.
"Okita, stand aside."
"No, I will not. After all, I am a captain of the Shinsengumi's first squad," a young man of average height and brown hair tied back in a ponytail lifted his katana, a soft smile still in his face.
"Souji – nii," a pale hand halted Okita as his other hand went towards his wakizashi. "Please stop. You are in no condition to fight anymore, much less the Battousai himself."
The speaker was a petite male with unruly raven hair also pulled back in a high ponytail, intense green eyes pleading with his surrogate older brother, "Souji – nii, you have tuberculosis, please take good care of your body."
"Listen to the fourth squad captain, Okita," the third member of the group took a step forward, eyeing the still unmoving shadow of the infamous assassin. "I, the captain if the Shinsengumi's third squad, Saitou Hajime, will kill the Hitokiri Battousai."
The tallest of the three captains moved forward again, eyes still closed in a false smile, "Come, Battousai, this place will be your burial ground."
The two fighters slid into their unique battle stance.
"Let's go!"
"KENSHIN!"
Said man blinked. For a moment his hands clenched around the hilt of his sakabato, unconsciously thinking that he was still stuck in the past.
"Hey, wake up. Practise is over, Kenshin."
The voice was oddly familiar, but wasn't he about to be attacked? None of the three facing him were female, so why was one calling his name?
"You dummy! Are you going to space out all day long? I want to go home!"
"Oro?" the short red haired swordsman squeaked as his face was flattened between two unforgivable palms.
"Come on, we are going home."
Kenshin allowed himself to be dragged out of the dojo, all the while contemplating the meaning behind his remembrance of that particular memory.
"Er… Kaoru-dono, you can let go of me now."
With a huff, the female kendo instructor released her grip on his kimono, enabling the swordsman to walk on his own.
"Hey, Kenshin, you are usually a very light sleeper, but you are totally out of it today. Are you alright?"
"Ah, I am. Don't worry, it just the past finally catching up to me. It has been a while since I have thought about those days," he glanced sideways at the woman as the trio trekked through the vegetation. "Have you heard about the Shinsengumi?"
Yahiko frowned thoughtfully, "The Shinsengumi? Do you mean the famous group who rivalled the Ishin-Shishi?"
"Yes, I crossed swords with them many times, perhaps too many to count."
But that was not all, Himura Kenshin knew. The Shinsengumi were protectors of Kyoto, enemies in the eyes of the Ishin-Shishi, who at the time were bend on making Kyoto a city of blood and violence. The members rallied under the scarlet flag bearing the character for loyalty, their uniforms striped blue jackets. They were the greatest fighting force in the history of Japan, renowned for their elite swordsmanship and having no fear of death. Everyone of them were elite members whom ordinary samurais would stand no chance against. That was a well known fact...until the appearance of deadly guns.
"I heard that they prefer fighting in groups. Doesn't that make them cowardly?" Kaoru asked, curious.
"They couldn't fight proper battles as they mainly focused on keeping the peace. Therefore, they aim to take the enemies down as swiftly as possible. And of course, the strength of each individual varies. However, the ten squad captains were undeniably strong, especially the first four," the red head paused, tilting his head back to gaze at the calm afternoon sky. "The first four captains…no matter how many times we faced each other, we were always at a tie."
"I heard that most of them have passed on already," the boy piped up.
Giving Yahiko a small smile, Himura nodded, "It's sad, really. I wouldn't have minded to meet up with the captains once more."
Lapsing into a companionable silence, the trio continued their way.
But why now? I haven't even dreamt about anything in such a long time, so why did I remember the past now?
Edo...no, Tokyo…it has changed so much since then…
The streets of the city were bustling with people haggling with store owners, children playing as their parents kept a close eye on them. Everywhere, there were bright colours and joyful laughter, something the petite figure wandering aimlessly down the street had not heard in a long time.
His midnight blue kimono carefully concealed the dark crimson hilt of his katana, but those who caught sight of the weapon made sure to steer clear of his path. The man did not seem to care, ignoring the stares he got and the whispers in his wake. Unearthly green eyes scanned the area, before the figure turned down the path, steps silent as he ghosted over the loose cobblestones.
It was well into the evening, and a sighed escaped the man. His feet were sore from the long walk here and he did not feel like asking the locals for the location of a nearby tavern. Tugging thoughtfully at his high ponytail, the swordsman glance around, before something made his head snap up, all traces of fatigue vanishing. Cursing mentally, the raven-haired sprinted towards the direction two very strong and murderous ki were coming from. As he neared, he could hear the familiar clashing of swords and frantic screams.
Kamiya Kaoru prided herself as a strong woman in the current Meji Era, but now, she hated herself for feeling so useless. She was the instructor of the kendo school, dammit! However, seeing the fight unfolding before her eyes made her realise, not for the first time that her skills were nothing compared to the two fighting in front of her. Tears blurred her vision as she watched the nice, kind man she knew revert to the cold assassin Battousai.
"SOMEONE STOP THEM! PLEASE!"
"It's no use, Jo-chan."
Her widened gaze landed on the wounded form of Sagara Sanosuke, Megumi supporting him to walk.
"They are not in the Meji Tokyo anymore. Their minds have reverted back to their final battle in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu. No matter how loud you shout, your voice will never reach them," the fight merchant lowered himself gingerly onto the floor beside Kaoru. "Only someone who has lived through the chaos and took part in the destruction of Kyoto during the Bakumatsu have any hope of stopping them."
All talk was cut off when Saitou charged at Battousai, striking at the unprotected side of the smaller warrior. In an instant, the blade was stopped with a bare forearm, the assassin not even wincing at the deep wound. A return counter attack got the former captain on the shoulder, and both disengaged once again, panting hard and ignoring the profusely bleeding wounds each sported.
"Neither of them has any strength to keep going," Sagara observed. "This fight has gone on for a little more than an hour. The next strike will be the last."
"It's about time we finished this," Saitou announced, readying his broken sword.
Hitokiri Battousai did not reply, merely lifting his sakabato in a ready position.
"STOP!" Kaoru screamed as they charged each other for the last time.
Horror made her entire body numb, and the woman could only stare in terror as both men aimed to kill the other. Only, their hits did not land on their supposed targets.
A blur of blue and silver flashed across the dojo in a matter of seconds, smoothly inserting itself between the two fighters. By her side, Sanosuke's jaw dropped as the intruder managed to not only stop the two powerful blows from the strongest men he had ever seen, but remain unscathed.
Two swords, one broken and one not, struck the ground by the duellers' feet. Everything froze for a moment, allowing the occupants to take a good look at the stranger. At first glance, he looked like a young boy. However, the darkness in the green eyes made him seem far older, like Kenshin. A dark crimson hilt katana was in his hands, still sheathed. However, the sword was a little longer and thinner than the average katana, making it look unique.
Six pairs of eyes watched as the man stood calmly from his crouch and slowly slid the sword through the folds of his obi. Green eyes assessed the assassin wordlessly, before it landed on the former Shinsengumi captain. Finally, the stranger spoke.
"Hajime-san, it's been a long time," the voice was surprisingly soft, and not too deep.
On his side, Saitou's eyes went wide, "Yoshida? Yoshida Hideaki?"
The newly named Hideaki smiled, "Ah, you remember, Hajime-san."
"What are you doing here, Yoshida?"
"I came to find you. I heard that you were still selling medicines, but imagine by surprise when I found you fighting the Hitokiri Battousai," a non-threatening smile was sent his direction when said assassin stiffened. "Don't worry, Battousai. I have not come here to fight."
A yellow sash was brought out from a pouch hanging at the Yoshida's side, and offered to the motionless former third captain, "Here, I've been trying to get this to you for the last two years."
A hand lifted the old fabric, surprisingly gentle fingers closing around it, "So he's gone as well, huh?"
The raven-haired man's expression saddened, "Ah, we may the only ones still living now."
Further conversations were impossible as the dojo doors slammed open once more, revealing a pug-faced officer, who blinked in confusion at the sight before him.
"W-what the – "
"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise," another voice drawled from behind the officer. "I thought that both combatants would be on the verge of killing each other off by now. To think that someone else managed to get to them in time…"
"Okubo Toshimichi," Hideaki's fingers twitched, as if trying to restrain himself from attacking the finely dressed man.
At this point, Battousai added, "So you are the man pulling the strings from behind, Director of the Department of Internal Affairs and one of the original Ishin-Shishi from Satsuma."
The most powerful man in Japan acknowledged Yoshida with a nod, before turning to the redhead, "I apologise for Saitou's treatment, but we needed to see how strong you are right now. And I guess Yoshida-san would like to know what he has stumbled into. I hope the both of you would listen to what I have to say."
"Start talking," the green-eyed man spoke, a commanding edge in his voice despite his friendly and seemingly vulnerable demeanour.
A glance from Okubo dismissed Saitou, who snorted in disgust, "Our fight will be put on hold for now, Hitokiri."
"Saitou, report," barked the chubby officer.
"Himura Kenshin is of no use to us. Himura Battousai has some potential, however, I cannot judge due to unexpected interruption. End of report."
"Hajime-san – "
"Save it, Yoshida. Your life is your own, now that you have returned. I won't drag you into anything again." With that, he left.
"Come," the director commanded. "There's a carriage waiting for you outside."
"I'm not the only one wrapped up in this," Battousai – no, Kenshin, answered, his expression reverting back to the kind and peaceful rurouni, "This matter does not involve only me. All of us here will hear what you have to say."
Five minutes later, all eight sat in a small room, Okubo Toshimichi facing them with a serious face, "I'm not one to beat around the bush, so I'll get right to the point. Yoshida, Himura, this will apply to you more than any other. Shishio is plotting a rebellion in Kyoto."
"Shishio Makoto," everyone unconsciously tensed as a small amount of killing intent leaked from the petite, gentle, green-eyed swordsman. "Himura-san's successor, wasn't it?"
Sanosuke's jaw dropped for the second time this night, "Kenshin's successor? How come no one has ever heard of him?"
This time, it was Kenshin who provided the answer, "He hid himself so well during the chaos so not many knew he existed. Even this one hasn't seen him face to face. However, this one heard that he died ten years ago in the Boshin war."
Silence accompanied his words, until Hideaki spoke what was running through the red head's mind, "He wasn't killed in battle. He was eliminated by his people. Except…you failed to finish him."
For the first time since his appearance, Toshimichi's calm façade slipped a little, betraying his irritation, "We were sure he died, boiling oil was even tipped onto his body for good measure! But he managed to survive it all."
"Then you should have taken his head! Years ago, my comrades and I made the mistake of thinking him taken down so easily, we ended up paying the price," the raven-haired swordsman said softly, his eyes darkening.
"And that is why we need your help, Himura. Now is the time to take him down. With your strength, in addition to the fourth captain of the Shinsengumi's prowess, we can put an end to Shishio once and for all. For the sake of Japan, please go to Kyoto, the both of you."
"So you are basically asking Kenshin and the other to assassinate this guy?" Sagara snapped.
To his right, Kaoru lifted her chin, "You require the help of Hitokiri Battousai, but Kenshin is not him anymore. I'm sorry, but we will not allow our friend to go to Kyoto. Yoshida-san may take up your offer, but we will not."
"You fools! You have no idea how important – " the officer shouted, before he was cut off by a polite voice.
"Okubo-san, may we have a little time before our answers are given?" Although phrased as a question, the rurouni could hear the edge of authority in it. Deep violet eyes evaluated the seemingly innocent man. Yoshida was formidable, that he knew through experience, but right now, all he sensed from the fourth captain was a peaceful feeling, much like his own. The man wasn't a treat to his precious people here, and so he allowed himself to relax.
"Of course, Yoshida. I will be back on the fourteenth, one week from now to hear your decisions."
Hideaki watched silently as the former Ishin-Shishi left, then stood himself.
Plastering a small smile on his face, the swordsman gave a short bow to the others, "I apologise for intruding so rudely. I'll excuse myself right now."
"Hold it."
Green eyes blinked in confusion, "Himura-san?"
"Do you have a place to stay, Yoshida-san?"
"Ah, I'll hunt Hajime-san down at his place. Don't worry about me, Himura-san."
"It's a long walk to the centre of Tokyo, Yoshida-san. There's still spare rooms in the dojo free for use." Kaoru agreed readily, trusting Kenshin's judgement.
The Shinsengumi captain was genuinely taken back, "Do you really trust total strangers immediately? For all you know, I could kill you all in your sleep."
"But you wouldn't, Yoshida-san. That kind of action goes against your principles. I've crossed blades with you a few times, lesser than the others definitely, but enough for me to judge your character."
Hideaki gave a sheepish grin, "Then if you don't mind, Kamiya-san, I accept. Thank you very much."
"So, Kenshin," said man looked up as his three friends gathered around. "What kind of a guy is this Yoshida?"
"Hmm…let's see," the rurouni tilted his head back thoughtfully. "Yoshida Hideaki was the captain of the fourth squad in the Shinsengumi. He is a formidable opponent, and they said that his swordsmanship is on par with the first squad captain, and is able to surpass the rest, and is famed for his flawless 'Yagyu Shinkage-ryu' technique. However, he does not like unnecessary killings or pointless battles. While the others strive to prove their capabilities, he uses his skills to truly protect Kyoto. That's the reason I rarely crossed swords with him during the Bakumatsu."
"What are his intentions?" Kaoru asked. "He isn't here to harm anyone, is he?"
"No. I sense no ill intention from him, but…I truly think he is going to Kyoto."
"Why?" Yahiko frowned. "Why would he do that if he doesn't like fighting?"
That earned him a painful bob on the head from his teacher, "Stupid student. Didn't you see his reaction towards Shishio's name? Maybe he has a grudge to settle with the man."
As his friends bickered, Kenshin gripped his sakabato, mind churning with doubts and worries.
That's it for now. More background on Yoshida Hideaki will be revealed next time.
Please let me know what you think of it!
Later!
Kagetsuki-taicho