Horse and Sword
A Ranma ½ and Rurouni Kenshin crossover
Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I don't own Ranma ½ or Rurouni Kenshin. Damn it…
A/N: Okay peoples! This is my own original work that I made up entirely myself! It's a R1/2 and RK X-over 'cuz I don't see many of those out there. Please review!
Chapter One
Into the Past
Monday. The day for all children and teens to go back into the pits of hel- I mean learning. The day for the "wonders of education" to get drilled into their little minds. Literally.
On this day, a certain pig-tailed martial artist was making his way to school, with his fiancée in tow. With only half a minute left until the bell, they rushed towards Furinkan High, arguing as usual.
"C'mon Akane, we're gonna be late!" yelled Ranma.
"Well, if you hadn't left that Chinese bimbo on you we wouldn't be!" retorted Akane.
"What was I supposed ta do?" asked Ranma. "Push her into the canal?"
"Exactly!"
BRRIINNG! The bell rung just as the two made it on to the school grounds. However, just as they were about to enter the building, a certain kendoist appeared.
"Ah, the beauteous Akane Tendo!" spouted Kuno. "Come, leap into my-urk!"
Kuno fell flat with a footprint planted squarely in his jaw, courtesy of Akane. After kicking him, Akane strode angrily into the school, leaving Ranma behind with the stunned swordsman.
"Y'know Kuno," said Ranma to the dazed kendoist. "Ya could change your lines or somethin'. It's gettin' boring listenin' to you saying the same thing over and over every single day."
And so, a normal (or what passed for normal in Nerima) school day went on in Furinkan high. The last period for Ranma was history, usually one of the most boring classes ever for him. But today, they were studying the Bakumatsu, which caught his attention.
"One of the main people in the Bakumatsu was the Hitokiri Battousai," droned the teacher. "He was a feared assassin, and killed many, many people. His sword skills were amazing and he was said to have the speed of a god. However, after the First Battle of Hoshi, he suddenly disappeared. He reappeared later as Himura Kenshin, a rurouni who helped protect the new age."
Speed of a god, eh? thought Ranma. Bet he can't compare ta me. I mean, my Amiguriken is probably faster and I bet I can outrun him too. And his sword probably couldn't stand up ta my fists.
"Saotome!" yelled the teacher.
"Wha?" said Ranma as he snapped out of his thinking.
"Did you hear what I just said?"
"Um, no?"
"I said that you are to do a report on the Battousai for this unit, if you do not, your already atrocious grade will plummet even lower!"
"Er, okay…" Ranma looked a little sheepish.
"Good, perhaps you will actually find this interesting, given your apparent interest in martial arts."
"…"
After another half hour of pointless lecturing, the teacher dismissed class. Ranma and Akane were walking home from school when the all-dreaded pervert Happosai jumped out of nowhere.
"SWEETO!"
POW!
With one outstretched fist, Ranma sent the perverted master flying. Into a horde of angry women. With many, many sharp and pointy objects. Not to mention the occasional AK-47…
"Nice," remarked Akane. "That was a good hit, Ranma."
"Yeah," replied Ranma. "He had it coming."
The day continued on as normal, and the evening found Ranma running through some katas in the dojo. Suddenly, an ear-splitting cry of anger and rage sliced through the air.
"RRAAANNNMMAAAA!"
"Uh-oh…" said Ranma.
Happosai reappeared in the dojo doorway as a broken wreck. Some of his limbs were bent a sickening way, his eyes were blood-red and his clothes were on fire.
"Wow," said an amazed Ranma. "Those women sure did a number on ya, you old freak."
"You shall pay for this Ranma!" screamed Happosai. "I will send you to the pits of hell!"
"Are you sure you weren't there first?" snickered Ranma.
Happosai let out an inhuman roar and pulled out an old scroll form his tunic. Laughing manically, he vanished into thin air. Ranma felt a few taps along his neck but could not do anything as he soon fell, immobilized, on the floor.
"What the hell?" cried Ranma as he was paralyzed.
"You shall suffer for what you did to me Ranma!" roared Happousai, while still laughing. "I shall send you to the time of demons, where you shall be pulverized into NOTHING! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!"
With Ranma disabled, Happosai quickly prepared his ritual without hassle. However, unbeknownst to him, Akane had just arrived and seeing Ranma lying face-down on the floor, she rushed to help, with her trusty mallet that is. However, Happosai had nearly finished the spell and as Akane struck him, a portal opened up and sucked all three of them in.
Meiji Era, Japan
Another beautiful day in Japan. With nothing to do, a red-haired swordsman flopped down on the front porch of the Dojo to rest. Sighing, he enjoyed the view of the pretty flowers and birds in the trees above him. In this idle state, Himura Kenshin's thoughts drifted to the past events of the past days. Shishio had been brutal and difficult to beat without having to resort to breaking his vow. Sighing, he hoped that this was the last hurdle he would have to jump until reaching a peaceful life.
However, the rurouni's thoughts were soon lost as he heard a splash and then a scream nearby…
One moment, Ranma was laying face-down, disabled and hoping that someone would come. The next, he found himself over a pool of water. With a splash, the pig-tailed martial artist fell into the water and changed gender. The shock of cold water restarted her body and she found that she could move. Getting up, she found that she was the only one around. Until Akane fell from above, screaming, into her arms. Then Happosai bounced off the both of them and into the surrounding forest.
"Ooookay," said Ranma, still holding on to Akane. "That was weird."
"Yeah," replied Akane. "And mind putting me down, PERVERT!" She emphasized that last point with a blow from her trusty mallet.
"I try ta save you and this is the thanks I get?!" retaliated Ranma, leaping up from the water.
"You were just trying to cop a cheap feel!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Am n-" Ranma's latest comment was cut short by Kenshin coming into view.
"Are you two okay?" asked Kenshin.
"Relatively speaking," replied Akane. "Yes."
"Who are you?" asked Ranma, suspicious.
"Himura Kenshin."
Ranma's eyes widened as he heard this statement. She motioned at Akane.
"Get behind me!" Ranma said, her voice filled with urgency.
"Oro?" said Kenshin, confused.
"You wanna fight, buster?" growled Ranma, as she went into a loose fighting stance.
"This one has no desire to-"
"Yeah right! I heard about what you did in the Bakumatsu. You're trying to kill us, aren't you?"
"I said, this one has no desire to fight!"
"Why should I believe-"
"Ranma…" cut in Akane.
"What?" replied the redhead.
"I don't think he's lying, look at his eyes."
Ranma looked, and saw nothing in the violet eyes of Kenshin except confusion. Inwardly cursing herself for jumping to conclusions again, she adopted an embarrassed look.
"Aheh, I'm Ranma Saotome… Sorry about this…"