Stories of the Meiji
Chapter: 1
The Wanderer
This idea came out of my mind switching on while looking at books and manga while in a book store in Kyoto, Japan. I guess I can describe this as an AU but it is somewhat of a crossover (though I hate to call it that). You'll see a lot of similarities to ruroni kenshin but with all kinds of goofs and an original story line. Let's just say that Lina could be described as the Kenshin character but a bit more cutthroat. ruroni kenshin has a lot of factual piece so a lot of the info comes from it...but I'm making up my own little story here. Hope you enjoy. I've tried to stick the slayers characters in roles that fit them though some didn't completely work out.
She ducked into a side alley as she tried to escape the violence. Who knew that the day of her departure from the ranks of the Ishin Shishi the town would be raided by the Shinsengumi. She caught her breath before continuing down the alley way while trying not to make a sound. The zori on her feet moved silently through the alley as she tried to escape detection. After a few more minutes she came to the end of the alleyway. She pressed herself against the side and peaked out to make sure no one was around. After clearing the area she turned and walked towards the closest exit to the town. As she was about to step out onto the open road she heard, "Where do you think you're going," from behind.
She sighed. She knew that voice all too well. She slowly lowered her hand as she replied, "Leaving. I'm done with this now just let me leave and you can continue killing."
She could feel his gaze upon her and heard his zori crash on the ground as he ran at her. She quickly spun while drawing her sword. The two clashed in the middle of their swings locked in a test of might. They glared at each other. Red ruby eyes that burned with fire glaring back into the ice cold blue sapphire. The two combatants continued to struggle before separating. They stood with swords at the ready while waiting for the next move. He made the move that both were waiting for. He dropped his stance low and brought his blade back so that the tip pointed at his opponent. He widened the space between his feet before exploding towards his target with unseen speed. She waited, the first time he had unleashed this attack it had caught her by surprise, but not this time, and swung as he came into range. She parried the katana to the side before spinning and catching him in the back of the head. She stood from her stance before sheathing the bloodless sword. She looked down at her opponent before thinking, 'You're lucky I decided to throw away my old blade. Continue the war if you want but you will not fight me again old foe.'
She walked out of town leaving him in the dirt. Hours later he awoke only to find it was night and the only trace left of his foe was a few strands of silky red hair. He looked to the sky and let out with a roar, "Inverse!"
Lina sat up quickly as she awoke from her dream. She grabbed her head as she tried to rid herself of memory of those days. 'Why did I dream of that? It has been ten years since the end of the boshin wars,' she thought as to explain the odd dream.
It was not odd that she remembered the war but it was off that she remembered that fight so well. Lina had not given the fight a second thought for ages and now here she was dreaming about it. Lina decided that walking would do here some good, so she slipped out the back of the rice cart she had stowed away in, and began to walk down the road. The zori on her feet clacked against the dirt road as she walked with the sword hung from its place by her side. After a few minutes she came over the hill and saw the capital city of Tokyo in front of her. "Must've slept longer than I thought I did," she commented to herself as she headed into town.
After a small hike Lina came into the city streets she began to slow her pace and take in the city as she had not visited its streets since the days of the boshin wars. She let out a small whistle as some of the newer building came into sight. "They've been busy these past ten years," she said to herself.
As Lina continued her walk her ears picked up someone running towards her. She placed her hand on the hilt of her katana out of habit. "Stop thief! Give me back my money," came a cry from behind the person that was running.
'Money,' was Lina's only thought as she placed her hand lower on the actual sheath.
She waited until the footsteps sounded like they were in range and spun on her foot. With speed as fast as any swordsman Lina drew the sword, sheath and all, out of her obi and swung at the offender. Without missing a beat the sheathed katana connected with the thief's head and he was knocked to the ground. Lina looked down to see the man was unconscious and grabbed the money pouch before sarcastically saying, "Thank you please come again."
As Lina stood back up she was greeted with a small girl standing there huffing from the run she had just broken from. Lina looked the girl over as she stood there. The young girl was a little bit shorter than Lina with black hair that came out in wings on the side of her head. Lina could not help but notice that the young girl was quite busty for someone her side and it caused an inward grumble. After another moment the young girl stood up to her full height and looked at Lina before saying, "Thank you for stopping that evil villain."
Lina blinked at the odd response before saying, "While he is a thief you don't have to go into such dramatics about it."
The young girl looked at Lina as she steeled herself and said, "Of I do. If this criminal had gotten away not only would I be out of money but he would be able to strike again."
Lina felt her stomach want to tie into a knot at that speech. She put the pouch in the young girl's hands and replied, "Here take it and go."
The young girl accepted the pouch and placed it back in her kimono before she turn and said, "Thank you Miss..."
The young girl continued to look Lina over as if she just noticed how she was dressed. Lina was dressed in a crimson red haori with black hakama. The crimson and black obi tied around her waist kept everything in order and matched well with the outfit. The final piece was the under kimono that was yellow and shown slightly from inside the haori. It was then that the young girl finally notice what was in Lina's hand and said, "Hey, that's a real sword."
Lina shrugged before placing the sword back in its place in the obi. "Real swords have been outlawed since the first year of the Meiji. How can you justify carrying one in board day light?"
Lina looked at the girl with a look that dared her to do something before saying, "I don't really care."
"But, for someone who acted so just to brazenly break the law just does not make sense," came the reply.
Lina shivered at that before saying loudly, "Look, I only did that because it reflex when I hear someone running my way. Stop with this justice kick and go!"
The girl shook her head and said, "Nope. Not until I have properly thanked you. I'm sure daddy would be happy to buy dinner for someone that..."
The invitation was not finished as Lina had grabbed the girl and speed off in hopes of a free meal. Many people were left scratching their heads at the two odd women they had just seen on the streets.
He sighed as he walked onto the scene. He fixed his hat so that it would sit lower on his head before approaching. "What have you got for me this time Mizuno," he asked in a bored voice that said he hoped it was not a waste of time. Policeman Mizuno stood up and replied, "A robbery sir. Looks like someone attack the thief and then returned the stolen item as according to witnesses."
He glared at the police officers before asking slowly, "Then why have I been called here?"
Mizuno gulped as he talked with his direct superior Goro Fujita a man that was said could freeze water just by staring at it. The man in front of Mizuno was rather tall with short blue hair. The hair came out in wings at the side of his head and a small bit of it hung down over his right eye. Goro was dressed in a police sergeants uniform and carried a katana at his side. Everyone in the police force knew that Goro was an excellent swordsman and had heard rumors that he was an ex-samurai. Mizuno breathed deep as the cold sapphire eyes glared at him before saying, "We...Well sir. The witnesses report seeing a young girl with long red hair carrying a real sword sir."
At that report the bored, and angered face of Goro Fujita changed to what looked like almost a smirk of glee. He walked past Mizuno and kneeled in from of the the unconscious man. He picked up a piece of red hair that had been left at the scene before thinking to himself. 'Can it be? After all these years are we about to cross again? If so I hope you want make this boring,' he thought before standing and saying, "Keep me posted if she is spotted again."
"Yes sir," Mizuno replied before going back to his work.
Goro began to walk down the street as he could help but flash back to that time ten years ago. 'You got away once...but not this time. I will find you...Lina Inverse.'
Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from The Slayers do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.
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