Disclaimer: This is a story I wrote from when I saw "Night on the Galactic Railroad", I thought it would be an interesting story. I don't own either "Night on the Galactic Railroad" or "Rurouni Kenshin"
Part 1: The Milky Way
"You know why they used to think that the sky was covered with a river of milk at night?" Kenshin stared up at the stars one night; he smiled turning his head. "Because they didn't know that all those things were stars. At least that was what was in Yahiko's book."
Stars? Sanosuke had not thought about the fact, he sighed looking at the first clear sky for awhile, it rained so much the past few weeks that clouds covered the sky most of the nights, making seeing stars impossible. It was the first day of summer, he realized when he saw Kenshin in his new gi and hakama that Kaoru had bought.
Kenshin had become skinnier over the last few years, his scarred face looked much cleaner, the scar seemed to have been fading. He smiled holding Rei, his daughter who took more after Kenshin than Kaoru.
Sanosuke had watched the family for close to ten years, he had seen many adventures with Kenshin, now he seemed happy to not have so many. He sat down looking out over the sea toward China and then looked over at his friend who stared out at the ocean as if it was going to kill him. "Someday Kenshin, I might go to America, I heard that Saitou went already, he is learning about the American colleges and education. Don't you think that's exciting?"
"It is, I wish I could go, I would love to see it."
Sanosuke wondered though if Kenshin knew what was going on, he seemed more spaced out, then again, Kenshin was always spaced out. "Did you know about the Summer Festival?"
"Hai, Kaoru-koishii bought me a gi for it," Kenshin looked over his shoulder and then turned. "Rei-chan don't get close to the river like that." He ran over picking up his daughter who was almost going to fall in. "Rei-chan, you know Chichi wants you safe, that he does."
The festival was in full swing, Kenshin was with Kaoru who was sitting under a tree, Sanosuke walked away and into the field. He wondered why felt something fearful about this night, like he was going to lose someone he cared about. He walked over to Dr. Gensai's house and found Megumi going out in her brand new kimono, she turned and smiled. "Hello Sanosuke, what are you doing?"
"Its too crowd in the square for me, I'm going to take a walk in the field."
"I see, I have to go, I promised Ken-san to watch Rei and Kenji tonight," she smiled and walked down the street toward the festival.
The field was peaceful, almost serene with no one there, lovely new flowers started to bloom even at night, he lay down on the ground staring up at sky. His gaze was forever on the Milky Way, he remembered hearing Kenshin talk about it, as if his friend wanted to fall into it and swim.
Sanosuke sat up hearing a strange sound, he wondered what was going on, he saw a light in the distance becoming bigger, almost like a steam train's light. He bolted up to his feet and saw the large steam train right in front of him, he wondered what was going on, that was until he saw Kenshin climbing onto the train. "Kenshin?" he called and climbed after him and noticed that Kenshin was not there.
Sitting down in the nearest seat, Sanosuke looked out the window at the field which slowly started to move, he looked back at the empty seat and saw Kenshin sitting there holding Rei who quickly faded from his arms. "She's saved, I'm glad," Kenshin muttered to himself and turned to look at Sanosuke, he was holding in his hands a strange looking map. "You decided to come with me?"
"Kenshin?" He blinked and noticed that his friend was completely covered in dew that shimmered like small stars, his friend stood dusting the dew off.
"Kaoru-koishii couldn't keep up with me, that she could not, I remember seeing her running after me, but she couldn't keep up," Kenshin looked out the window and it looked as if the train was underwater, Sanosuke could see another Kenshin kicking struggling to keep his head above water, but somehow the current was too strong for him. "I hope she isn't angry with me."
"Kenshin?"
Something bolted through Sanosuke, was Kenshin dead or something? He did not sound like himself at all, it was kind of like he was being overly thoughtful. "I'm glad you're here, I didn't want to go by myself, I was scared I would be alone, that was why the Galactic station gave me two tickets," Kenshin sounded sad, his eyes closing, his red gi now was completely dry, his sakabatou was leaning against his shoulder as he looked out the train. "Are you angry at me for wishing you would come?"
"Where are we going?"
"To see her," the samurai whispered looking outside the train. "To see Oka-san, I missed her, that I did. Now I will be with her again."
He wants to see his mother, he seems so sincere that I come with him, Sanosuke thought fighting his own fear of the train which lurched a little forward. Kenshin continued to look out the window, his eyes on the scenery, which would shift from grounds to shapes, he seemed, absorbed into it. He turned to look at his friend and smiled. "Do you think about your mother?"
"Sometimes, Kenshin, I don't remember her that well."
"I remember mine, at least I think I did, I wonder if I pleased her enough. I know that I must have been a horrible son for all the things I have done in the past. I wonder if Kaoru-koishii will be alright, I hope she will be."
"Don't say such a thing, Kenshin, you must have been happy with her. You might have made her really happy too."
The conversation stopped when Kenshin looked at the other people on the train, Sanosuke didn't seem to notice them until they were standing right there talking to him. "Mind if I sit next to you, son?" an old man smiled and sat down next to him. "It seems you two are traveling together." This old man was dressed in a long white coat, his hair was wild and he had a large bag slung over one shoulder.
"Hai, we are," the Samurai smiled at him, his eyes were bright and happy. He continued to look out the window and pointed to some white bird. "Cranes?"
"Herons, my boy, herons," the old man laughed putting his hand on Kenshin's shoulder. "I catch them you know, people love them for meals."
"People can't eat herons, that's not good," Sanosuke muttered and saw the old man handing Kenshin a small leg which he gave a quick bite and smiled.
"It, it is candy, that it is!"
It was strange, something was different about this train, he didn't hear the engine. "What kind of train is this?"
"This is the Galactic Railroad," the old man smiled. "It is a special train, only a few people are allowed on it. Look at your friend there, he received his ticket same as the rest of us."
Kenshin just stared out the window, his eyes were discolored and he smiled. "Look at all the birds. Are you going to catch them?"
The old man was gone, he was in the flock putting one bird then another into his bag which had been slung over his shoulder. He appeared as quickly as he vanished right in the other seat talking to another strange person who was dressed in an old Shinsengumi uniform which seemed brand new. "Okita?" Kenshin stood up and walked toward the man who jumped a little and smiled.
"Hai, I see that the Battosai is coming with us this time, how many times have you received your tickets?" Okita looked to be in his early twenties, he sighed putting his hands down away from his Katana. "You look different."
Kenshin nodded and looked at Sanosuke. "You have received tickets for this train?"
"Many times, Sano, many times, but it wasn't my time to leave you and Kaoru-koishii, now though it is."
The trip went on silently as if somehow the shadows were coming to close in on the world. Suddenly the train jolted to a stop and Okita was gone, so were the other people. Kenshin sprang to his feet and began to follow the people out of the train. "Twenty minute layover," there came an announcement from nowhere.
"Kenshin, where are you going?"
"I'm thirsty," Kenshin said with a drowsy look on his face, he walked into the station and stopped in his tracks. "Where is everyone?" He looked around and continued to walk around the strange station.
"I don't know," Sano breathed heavily and noticed a tunnel in front of them. "Kenshin which way should we go?"
"Straight ahead," the Samurai just started to walk as if Sano was not there. He walked down a long flight of stairs and was now standing there staring at the Kamiya dojo, the main house looked empty.
Kenshin continued past it like it was not there and found some other stairs inside the shed leading down. He walked faster wandering through an almost sandy beach which was called, "Time Stream Bay." He sat down on the sand and looked out at the clear water, Sanosuke knelt down as if to get a drink and notice that the entire lake in this area had crystal sand. He turned his head to look at Kenshin who was holding in his hands a large rock that resembled an acorn. "Kenshin look at the water, it looks like diamonds."
"I see it," Kenshin turned his head and looked around, he blinked then squinted his eyes. "Someone is here!" He got up and was running up to a cave, inside the cave was a man who looked like Saitou yelling at a bunch of other men.
"I said to be careful, we have to examine these carefully, you're going to break the bones!" Saitou snapped, his face was not as squinty as it was when he was in Tokyo, in fact he didn't look really like the real Saitou at all. "You there, you're holding an acorn that is 1.2 billion years old, please have a care and put it back."
Kenshin dropped the acorn at his feet and blinked. "Hai, we will put it back! What are you digging up?"
"Not digging really, just examining, this place is full of old rocks and fossils. These will be excellent to mark when something died."
"Will you take these to a museum?" Sanosuke wondered out loud.
"Heavens no, it wouldn't make sense, best to leave it well enough alone," the other samurai laughed and turned his head to a man with a shovel. "Don't use that, use your hands, you idiot!"
"Right sir," a man got onto his knees and began to dig up with his hands pulling up an old bone.
Kenshin turned to walk away, Sanosuke picked up the acorn and ran after him. "Kenshin, where are you going?"
"Train, we have to get back to the train, put the acorn down," Kenshin muttered an started to run as fast as he could up the stairs, they made it back to the Kamiya dojo which was now as gray as stone. Sano dropped the acorn as he ran after Kenshin who was taking no notice of the dojo and the climbed onto the train without a word.