AN: ^^;; I guess I forgot to mention in my summery that this fic was Alternative History… Considering I knew I was going to go off the RK timeline, but anyway…

Going back to italics for when Kenshin speaks to Battousai/Battousai speaks to Kenshin…

Disclaimer: I own no one.

Still the Same to Me
Chapter Nine

"Please Battousai...don't forget that you need to see Kenshin eye to eye, and to keep his vow never to kill again…while staying alive."

Battousai had heard those words, his stance tensing. "Sanosuke..." he murmured, then narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him. Sanosuke wouldn't dare get involved; Battousai had strictly told him not to. Sanosuke isn't one to listen to reason, Battousai, you know that. "I know, Kenshin," Battousai muttered.

The man in front of him laughed. "Talking to yourself? I bet you're scared shitless of me. Do you know who I am?"

"I know that you came here with the intent to harm those who live here. For that, I mustn't let anyone die here tonight," Battousai responded, his voice perfectly even. "Do you know who I am?" he tossed back, sheathing his sword and getting into his Battoujutsu stance. He wanted to get this over with; to fend off the evil and to do so in one blow.

"Red hair...golden eyes... I say you're the ever-so-famous Hitokiri Battousai. The same Hitokiri with a silly vow never to kill again. How do you expect to defeat me without killing me?" the man rasped, getting into a stance that Battousai had rarely seen before.

The man in front of him obviously had developed a style of his own, meaning that every move that Battousai was going to see tonight would be altered from something else, if not something completely unrecognizable to the current sword styles he had seen. Battousai did not tense his stance and hid his unease. Battousai was glad that he had taken care of the man's lackeys; having distractions now could be deadly.

Aren't Sano and Yahiko considered a distraction, Battousai? Kenshin asked softly, causing Battousai to glance fleetingly over his shoulder. The two mentioned by Kenshin were standing behind him, Sanosuke looking determined to jump into the fight and Yahiko was wielding that pathetic bamboo sword of his.

"Friends of yours?" the man asked, leaning over Battousai's shoulder. How the man got there without Battousai noticing was beyond him, but he knew better than to tense.

"You could say that," Battousai responded, his tone filled with crushed ice. "You will not touch them unless you defeat me," he ordered, backing away from the man, "Do you hear me?"

"Why should I listen to you? A hitokiri who doesn't kill doesn't deserve respect from me."

Battousai fixed the man with one of his best glares; his lips set in a firm line and his eyes flashing. "Touch them and my vow never to kill again will break." Battousai! No! This man won't respond to threats the way you wish him to, that he will not. "I don't care, Kenshin," Battousai muttered, "if he hurts Sanosuke or Yahiko, he will die."

"Talking to yourself again? Is that all you can do?"

"Oi! Battousai's the best swordsman around! He'll kick your ass!" Yahiko called from behind them.

The man just smirked, taking slow steps towards Yahiko. Battousai's eyes never left him, narrowing, as the man grew closer to the boy. Even in the darkness Battousai could make out the shine of the sword in the man's hands; could sense his next move even before he would strike. "Leave him alone," Battousai rasped, his voice sounding more like Kenshin's than his own.

"Why shouldn't I kill the boy?" the man turned around and smirked at Battousai, causing Battousai's skin to crawl and tighten around him. He noticed, for the first time, that the man's eyes were a startling green.

"He is too young to die; too young to look at death," Battousai explained. He gave one fleeting apologetic look to Sanosuke, who looked back at him quizzically. Did he notice Battousai's tone was different—that it was softer, more relaxed than defensive? "I told you if you're going to attack anyone tonight, it will be me. Not Soujiro; that particular young man has gone through enough battles as it is."

"A speech? I came here to dispose of the brat who escaped years ago—and to see if the rumors were true. The rumors are true and the brat is here, yet you don't want to fight, Battousai?"

"Himura," Battousai murmured. "Refer to me as Himura." It was odd; Kenshin was slowly taking over and Battousai wasn't fighting it one bit. It was more of a relief not to fight the urge to hold onto the power of control. He knew Kenshin would let him control the body's movements, somehow, and he took a step forward, raising his hand and waving the man towards him. "If you want to fight me," it was Kenshin who had control of what they were saying, he realized, "then come. I will not sit around and waste my time with your foolishness."

Battousai almost felt as if Kenshin's presence was around him, Kenshin's hands wrapped around his own as he held tightly onto the sakabato. To make sure you don't go for the kill, Kenshin whispered, and Battousai nodded. He knew that he and Kenshin were ready now. He knew that nothing would stop them from winning.

However, the man had taken his offer to come, and Battousai nearly found himself caught off guard. Escaping within no more than an inch of his life, Battousai felt a trickle of blood run down his neck. A small scrape, he realized, disregarding it and going in to attack the man. It was almost too easy for the man to sidestep him, just as it was almost too easy for the man to catch him in the back with the blunt edge of the sword. Battousai ignored the fleeting pain, jumped up, and attempted to pull off a Ryu Tsui Sen, but found it to be blocked. He's good, Kenshin commented, and Battousai found himself nodding in agreement.

He'd need to find a way to defeat the man in front of him without getting Sanosuke or Yahiko involved. This much he owed Kenshin; he didn't want Kenshin to lose any one else who was close to him. He didn't want to lose Sanosuke, either, because the younger man was finally warming up to him. Dying wasn't an option for anyone, tonight.

But Battousai realized, as he continued to fight the man, that the man was not tiring, nor was he dropping his defense at any time. He was skilled and Battousai knew that it would be hard for him to win and not to aim to kill the man in front of him. We have to win, Battousai. We have to protect Soujiro, Yahiko, and Sano. Sano and Yahiko aren't going to stand a chance against this man in battle, and Soujiro himself would have a tough time defeating him. If we die…

"They die, too," Battousai rasped to himself, managing to land a hit on the man in front of him. The man smirked as Battousai jumped away, putting a considerable amount of distance between them.

"That didn't even hurt."

Battousai straightened himself out, staring coolly at the man in front of him. The man's stance was strong, no sign of pain laced through his features. Not for a second did Battousai believe him. "Oh really? It didn't hurt?" The man's eyes narrowed at him. Battousai smirked in response. "Care to take another blow to prove that it didn't hurt?"

Growling, the man charged at him, his free hand nearly reaching for his left side, the side Battousai had struck. His speed, Battousai noticed, had slowed, and he sidestepped the man easily, and without any pause he got the man in the back with his sakabato. "If it didn't hurt," Battousai began, kicking the back of the man's knees, "then why did it slow you down?"

"Himura-san, don't make him any angrier!"

"Soujiro, stay out of this. This is my battle," Battousai murmured, turning to the young man. Soujiro's eyes were shadowed. Battousai, move!

It was too late. A flash of searing hot pain ran through his body, causing him to grimace and shout out in pain. His back…he could feel the blood running down his back freely. Damnit, Battousai! Even I know better than to let my guard down while facing an opponent. "Quiet, Kenshin…" Battousai hissed through his teeth, jumping away before the man could inflict any other injuries. He continued to hold up his sword, glaring at the man.

The man smirked. "I just don't like it when people think they've won. I wouldn't have cut you so bad if you hadn't thought you were good enough to turn around and talk to someone else."

Battousai narrowed his eyes, lowering his sword. His body relaxed into the Battoujutsu position. "We need to end this now, Kenshin," he whispered above the wind. Rain started to fall, mixing painfully with his blood, stinging his back. But he didn't care. He felt Kenshin nod to him, felt Sanosuke watching his every single move, and felt Soujiro breathing harshly. Slowly he lowered himself, and the man raised an eyebrow, his green eyes glittering in the flash of lightening.

"Battoujutsu?" the man asked above the crash of lightening. "Are you really so stupid as to come at me with your fastest attack when you're as injured as you are? Are you asking for death?"

"If anyone is going to fall from this attack, it will be you, not me, I'm afraid," Battousai muttered, keeping his voice a deadly whisper. The storm going around him was nothing like the one going on in his soul; the soul he and Kenshin had shared and twisted and pulled apart…the soul that was trying to complete itself again. With one last fleeting glance towards Sanosuke, Kenshin took over long enough to whisper, I'm sorry as he tightly clasped the hilt of his sakabato.

"What are you waiting for, Battousai?" the man growled. There was an edginess to his voice that Battousai hadn't heard before. He furrowed his brow but ignored the tone, concentrating on reasons to stay alive, why he could not lose this battle.

"Come," the word was breathed, and Battousai felt a calm bestow upon him like never before. A calm he thought only Kenshin was able to feel—but now, for the first time in his entire short existence, he felt it, and watched as the man grew closer, his steps quickening. He stayed in place, then charged at the last second, closing his eyes, swinging and pushing through with his left foot.

The pain came instantaneously. Kenshin collapsed, panting and bleeding. The man…had not dodged, but had managed to land an attack across his chest before he had. Bracing himself against his sakabato, Kenshin glanced over his shoulder, relieved to find the man was on the ground, still breathing, but unable to move otherwise. "I…won…" he began, "and I didn't…need to kill you…"

"Kenshin! Are you all right?!"

Sanosuke…"Sano…I'll be fine, that I will…" Kenshin coughed into his hand, ignoring the metallic taste of blood. Or so we hope… Arms wrapped around him from behind, and Kenshin leaned into them, glad to feel the warmth of Sanosuke's chest against his back.

"Himura-san! What are you going to do about him?" Soujiro asked, rushing to his side, taking the sakabato out of Kenshin's hands. His hands were loose around the hilt, and Soujiro did not need to pry it from his hand.

"Hand him to the police, that we will. There is no need for anymore unnecessary blood shed, that there is not," Kenshin said softly, smiling slightly at Soujiro. Soujiro nodded to him, quickly moving out of sight and gathering the man up. "Soujiro…take care of yourself."

"…I will, Himura-san," and with that Soujiro disposed of the man's sword, bound his wrists and dragged him along the road, out of sight.

"Kenshin…I thought I was gonna lose you again…" Sanosuke whispered softly into his ear. Sanosuke's next words were lost as Kenshin slipped into unconsciousness, safe and secure in Sanosuke's arms.