Declaimer: RK does not belong to me.

Author's notes: I have finally decided to begin revising my first fanfiction "Dark Side" to possibly weed out some of the major and minor flaws. I just can't write "the Soaring Dragons" wholeheartedly if I know that my first fic still has many flaws, so, read on!

Dark Side

Chapter 1

The night was dark. It was a new moon during the Meiji revolution. Battousai strode along in the shadows of Kyoto…

He had assassinated the shogun's top commander that night. The imperialists are in full control of the war now that the leader of the shogun's forces is dead.

He had slain countless men that guarded his target as they were crossing the bridge, their skills were rendered useless against his godlike speed. They fell one by one lifelessly on to the ground while Battousai weaved through their ranks effortlessly; the blood of countless men stained the river red.

Horses reared in terror as the red haired assassin's bloodied sword decapitated their rider. The Commander's parade instantly became panicked as they could not see the assailant. All that was visible was a red blur in the dark of the new moon that continued to devour the lives of men as it came upon them. Before they even knew it the red "ghost" had reached the middle of the parade where the commander struggled to stay seated on his panicking horse. The blur suddenly became airborne and reached its vertex in an instant.

That was the only time that they saw him. He was a very small, red haired man that wore a blue gi covered in a long over coat, which soared around him; they were covered in a thick layer of already dried blood. But those things were forgotten as the attention was fixed upon his angry pupils that glowed a deathly gold color. They were locked on to the very surprised pupil of his target. The man disappeared again after that one moment of visibility. He descended upon his objective rapidly. And then, the clashing of metal rang above the terrified soldiers.

In the middle of the countless guards of the commander, two warriors faced off fiercely, one was a tall and large man covered in beautifully made armor plated in gold. He moved with power and grace. His strikes were precise and fierce. The other warrior was a short and thin, red haired man that could barely be seen, his movements were swift and silent, His sword danced in his grasp. The two warriors seemingly weaved around each other in fierce combat as sparks flew around them. The soldiers only watched on in awe as their commander fought an assassin that equaled or even surpassed his skill, the protocol said that while a commander fights, no one is to interfere. And no one had the courage to interfere. Now the fate of the Shogunates would ride on this very important duel.

The sickening sound of flesh tearing apart suddenly eminated from the battle. The assassin was crouched in the stance after performing a Battoujutsu. The tip of his sword formed a straight line behind him with his arm and his front leg was bent so much that his knee touched his chest. The broken tip of his opponent's sword embedded itself into the ground after rotating countless times in the air and it's previous user's chest burst open while his hands reached for the sky…


The Shogunates will now fall apart, and soon, the emperor's army will move into Kyoto and destroy the remaining enemies.

Battousai stopped, no one would have noticed for he was so well hidden. He sensed a dangerous and imposing presence. He wrinkled his nose; it was Hajime Saitou, the leader of the third squad of the Shinsengumi, they had faced off 2 times already and both duels ended in a draw. Battousai pushed his long sword out of its sheath with his thumb numbly for just about an inch and stood in the shadows motionlessly, waiting…

"So we meet again Battousai." a harsh voice shot from the shadows.

"What do you want Saitou?" Battousai asked but without emotion, but the voice was so cold it would have made one chilly on a hot summer day.

"Your death." Saitou replied firmly. "It's a shame that we of the Shinsengumi couldn't have saved our commander, but who would've thought that those guards would be so useless." The speaker's voice almost rang a frustrated tone but it was kept in check. "Now that the leader is dead, we, the wolves of Mibu will have to take control of the situation. And our first objective will be to kill off the ishin Shishi, our worst enemy." Saitou stepped out of the shadows and drew his sword with his left hand. "Prepare for your just execution Battousai." Battousai replied by coming out of the shadows also.

Saitou stood in the middle of the deserted street and carefully analyzed his opponent, and then he crouched into a battle stance.

"I will kill you tonight, and the Ishin Shi Shi will be rid of one more nuisance." Battousai's cold voice was as menacing as ever.

He crouched into his favourite Battoujutsu stance.

The two stared each other down while the night grew steadily darker and colder.

Then, in an instant, it began.

Saitou launched forward with such a speed that he disappeared for a moment only to rematerialize right in front of Battousai with the tip of his sword merely an inch away from Battousai's face. The assassin was caught off guard by the speed and had to draw his sword at that precise moment to avoid being impaled, his sword grated harshly at its sheath from the sheer speed and force of the draw while making a brilliant arc of light when it finally came out. Metal clashed upon metal. A blinding flash was seen and a clear ring was heard then the two opponents were meters apart facing away from each other. Clouds of dirt flew up from the ground as an after effect.

Battousai's neck began to bleed from a thin cutand he kneeled on the ground. The attack was deflected just in time. His eyes narrowed.

They deftly turned around and assumed their attack stances once again. Saitou crouched into the same stance and the waiting game began once again.

Just then the sound of footsteps came into the night disengaging both opponents, it sounded like there were more than a few people.

"Hmm… " Saitou relaxed from his postion and sheathed his sword. Battousai took one glance behind his opponent and saw eight people dressed the same as Saitou's checkered haori and knew who they were.

"Your death is belated once again." Battousai said and quickly escaped into the shadows. He disappeared with a last sliver of silver as he sheathed his worn longsword.

Saitou took out a toothpick and began chewing on it as he looked on in the direction that his most dangerous enemy had disappeared into. Then, as the footsteps came closer, he turned and saw the other eight squad leaders of the Shinsengumi fast approaching.

"You are late." Saitou said with a grave face and tone.


Battousai was on his way back to the Ishin Shi Shi's headquarters when, suddenly, a war cry stopped him in his tracks. It sounded like a woman, but what would a girl be doing in Kyoto at a time like this?

Battousai gave a barely audible grunt and began to run towards where he thought the sound came from. The closer he got to the source, the more he was sure that it was a woman.

A hopeless scene greeted him after he turned a corner. There was a young girl in white gi and blue hakama with a wooden sword, standing in the middle of a group of 4 men who were at least two times her size each and they had katanas. It looked hopeless for the fiery girl but there were at least a dozen men on the ground probably unconscious. The girl lounged towards one of the men without warning and caught him under the chin with the tip of her sword.

The ruffian went flying back into a wall and didn't get back up. Then, the other three all began slashing at the girl with animalistic yells, they were on all sides, and the female warrior couldn't defend herself. A slash caught her in the back and another made her right shoulder bleed, she some how managed to dodge the third one. The girl fell to the ground like a fallen angel bleeding. Dark stains began to spread on her pale white Gi.

"Stop it please!"A childish voice rang out. Battousai looked towards the sound and found a spiky haired, very badly beaten boy. The three remaining men ignored the boy and one of them picked up the now beaten girl and nudged her delicate chin with the sweaty hilt of his sword.

"You knocked out 6 of our men so now you will pay with every thing you have girl!" the other two began laughing in a sick way.

"You creep." the girl managed to croak out as if she sensed the fate that awaited her.

"You should have considered the consequences before you took us on for that little brat back there!" the man began to laugh himself. A tear rolled down the girl's smooth cheek. The men began to walk away.

Before they could even take one step, all three were dead, their headless bodies fell forward onto the ground sickeningly. The girl watched in facination. Her hair whirled around her pale face as she fell backwards onto the dirt road. Shepushed herself of the groundholding her shoulder and eyed her Savior, he gave her a side glance and was just fast enough to catch her as she fell unconscious. Her head rested on his shoulders gently.

"Thank, you."

To be continued

Author's note: Hmm, I hope you liked that revision, I just can't write any stories wholeheartedly while thinking that my first one still has many flaws (which has been said before somewhere), so I will completely revise "Dark Side" before I continue with "The Soaring Dragons" Chapter 2 revision will be coming up soon.