Rurouni

2165

Summary: Kenshin Himura, Battousai the Manslayer's body was never recovered when he returned from Main land China. He left behind a wife and son, but what if he didn't die? Someone knew his final prayer and decided he could use a former swordsman. AU RK/KKM

Author Note: I never really cared for the ending of "Rurouni Kenshin – Reflections" which is the beginning of this story. It did, however, give me a wonderful way to bring these two crossovers together.

I once wrote this during NaNoWrMo and then lost it in a hard-drive crash a couple of years ago. So, I am rewriting this story again. I remember the plot and how I wanted to write it. I just hope I do a better job this time around.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and Kyou Kara Moah belong to their respective creators, writers, artists and producers. I don't own. Please do not sue.

See more details of the Japanese war in the notes below.

Japanese terms are also at the bottom.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Rurouni Maou

The Japanese-Qing was over; it had only lasted six months. An aged Japanese merchant trawler rocked in the storm, as waves crashed over the bow as it tried to head across the East Sea, back to its native homeland.

The storm had come on fast and hard. Such storms were common that time of year in the seas between China and Japan. The captain was praying to every god he could think of that he and his ship would make it, as another huge wave erupted cross his bow.

A short, red-haired man, Kenshin Himura, with a crossed shaped scar on his cheek stood on top of the stairs that led towards to the bow of the ship. He had been watching as a crew member struggled on the catwalk, trying to tie off a rope that had come loose.

A huge, white-foam-laden wave rose from the ocean to tower over the crew man, as Kenshin hurried along the catwalk. The wave came crashing down, sweeping both into the boiling sea below.

Kenshin's last thoughts as darkness engulfed him were on his wife. He was too weak from consumption and malaria he had contracted in the mainland of China to fight the current and rise to the surface.

'Kaoru, koishii. Kenji, my son. I'm sorry. I can't keep my promises to you,' were his only thoughts as water entered his lungs; he offered the only prayer he could remember. A prayer his mother whispered before she died. 'Shinou*. May you accept my soul into your care. Great One. May you protect my family as I cannot.'

Under him, a black hole opened, drawing him into it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"A hundred and fifty some years ago, in the midst of chaos and bloodshed of the Tokugawa regime, there was an Imperialist swordsman in Kyoto called the "Battousai the Manslayer." Amid the bloodshed, he carved the way to a new Meiji era. It was said, he was undefeatable. And then one day as the screams faded and the dust became settled, he disappeared into thin air as the chaos came to a close. His whereabouts remain a mystery to this day..."(*from "Rurouni Kenshin", espisode 1: The Handsome Swordsman of Legend)

A fifteen-year-old junior high school student started to read his report. "How does this relate to my personal history report, you ask? Well. . ."

As he read his speech, behind him, on a tri-fold poster board, were black and white photos, drawings, and documents. He prayed to the Great One that he got a good grade on this. After all, this was his family history on display. The good thing about this presentation: he was used to public speaking. He sent a silent thank you to his very flighty mentor.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Mom! I'm home!" Shibuya Yuri called, as he entered the kitchen and took a deep sniff of the smells of her spicy curry percolating on the stove.

"Yu-chan, dinner's almost ready. You have time for a bath. And call me Ma-ma!" she called back.

Yuri sighed. He hated calling her that. He wasn't four, after all, and although he loved his mother, she still treated him like a baby. She even dressed him as a girl until he started pre-school. He hated it and the teasing he got from it.

The black-haired, black-eyed teen went upstairs to his room to change. He had taken a shower at school after his two practices, but he was still a bit hot and sweating.

He had decided last term to take up two sports – baseball and kendo and loved both. But of the two club practices, Yuri preferred baseball, which he had played since he was ten. He had lately taken up the bokken and joined the kendo club for a very special reason – to offset his other life. Life in another world.

Speaking of his other life... Yuri had just settled into the hot water to relax, and suddenly the still water under him started to bubble and swirl.

He took a deep breathe as he was pulled into the dimensional portal behind him.

Well, never a dull moment. Sadly, he had been looking forward for his mother's curry and telling her how well he had done on his project.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Walking through a long stone carved hallway, Yuri, dressed in a black uniform based off of his school's uniform, was being escorted happily through the hallway along by a tall, lean, brown eyed and brown-haired soldier, Conrart "Conrad" Weller. Yuri was telling his honorary godfather about his time with his parents and school work.

"So, why was I brought back to Shin Mazoku, Conrad? I have three tests next week to study for," Yuri finally asked. The teenager led a duel life; in one world, he was a normal Japanese teenager, and in another he was the young half-human Demon King of the Great Demon Kingdom.

Conrad smiled. He was not only Yuri's most trusted adviser, he was also Yuri's chief body guard and god-father. "Heika, we must go to the Great One's Temple. He has asked for you to come as soon as possible."

"It's Yuri," the teen corrected him, but the tall soldier just smiled down at him. "Let's go."

Waiting for them to exit the castle were three men on horseback. One had long pale lavender hair, and smiled dreamily at the young king – Lord Günter von Kleist. The other was a stern charcoal-haired man wearing a green over coat – Lord Gwendal von Voltaire. The third was a young blond-haired man – Lord Wolfram Bielefeld.

"Well it's about time you showed up, you wimp," Wolfram snarked. "Honestly, you can be late for your own funeral."

"Don't call me that!" Yuri protested.

The young king climbed up onto his black stallion Ao and sighed.

"Give me a break, Wolfram. I had just gotten home from school and two club meetings when I was pulled into castle's hot springs. I had to get dressed, you know."

The others just chuckled at the very familiar by-play of the young pair.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The quartet were ushered into the main chamber of the Great One's Tomb. It was a very stark chamber with only a dais and several elongated candle stands, forming an aisle walkway. On the dais rested four large wooden empty boxes. On one of the boxes sat a tiny man, dressed in blue and white fur and was about 8 inches high.

"Welcome, Heika, gentlemen," the small spirit greeted. "You wonder why I've brought you here?"

The quartet smiled and gave a slight bow to the spirit of the greatest ruler, founder and first moau of Shin Mazoku. No one remembered his true name or clan affiliation. To everyone he was and remained "The Great One" – Shinou.

"Some time ago, I received a dying prayer from one of the descendants of Christel Wincott as he was drowning in a stormy sea. He used the right invocations and caught my interest. He was once a man of great swordsmanship and prowess a match for any Wellers of the time," the petite blond-haired spirit started to explain. "I was very intrigued, plus I thought I might have need of someone like him, if the plans I have made…needed an extra push."

"However, he forgot about him," came the voice of another beside them. smiled. Ken Murata, a spectacled black-haired teen, once known as the 'Great Double-Black Wise-man.'

"And I forgot about him," the diminutive spirit agreed with a sigh and stood up on the box.

"Murata? What's going on?" Yuri asked, turning to the newcomer, as he came to stand by Yuri. He was a close friend to Yuri and a former classmate. They had remained friends through the years.

"It seems Shinou forgot he had rescued one of the many half-demons that lived on Earth. When you, Shibuya, were talking about doing your history project to Conrad and he was reminded that he still had him in storage, as it were."

"My history project? Storage?" Yuri asked, confused.

"Come and I'll show you."

They were led to a side room. It was very apparent it was a sick room. On the single bed was a very pale red-haired man with a cross-shaped scar on his cheek. A white sheet covered him from the waist down. His torso and arms were covered with scars, clearly showing everyone that he was no stranger to using a sword.

A green-haired woman in a white uniform knelt beside the bed. A green glow radiated from her hand as she held it over his bare chest.

"How's he doing, Giesela?" Murata asked, coming to stand behind her. Beside him was a very petite woman wearing a white and red priestess outfit. She, too, was helping the healer.

"He was in a very bad way, Geika. Heika, this man has a very bad disease that was poorly treated, plus he had water on his lungs. He almost drowned. However, he'll recover," she replied, standing, reaching for a clean towel. "I was able to reverse the disease and heal the damage."

Ulrika, the priestess of the Great One's Tomb, spoke up. "If he has the will, that is. Hello, Heika. He was found in the koi pond in the courtyard, startling the guards."

"It can't be," Yuri exclaimed as he stood at the foot of the bed, looking on the ill man. "It's impossible."

"Who is he, Heika?" asked Conrad.

"You know him, Heika?" Lady Ulrika asked.

"He's my mother's ancestor. He was -er- is . . . Himura Kenshin, once known as 'Battousai the Manslayer,' during the Tokugawa War between the Imperialists and the Tokugawa shogunate. When the war was over and the Imperialist won, he walked away from all that and vowed never to kill again. He kept that vow, until the day he disappeared. He's my many times grandfather, on my mother's side. She's very proud of her family history. As far as I know, there isn't any demon blood, on her side of the family. At least, that's what we've always been told. Bob has all the records, according to dad."

"Seems you're wrong," Shinou spoke up, as he appeared on Murata's shoulder. "He's part demon. I can see it from here. Not sure he's half or not, though."

Yuri sighed as he moved to sit beside his ancestor. What was he going to do?

A hand on his shoulder caused him to look up. "He needs a reason to live, as well as a will to live, Heika. Don't forget that," Gisela told him. "I can heal the disease and undo the damage to his body, but without a will to survive, my work will be in vain."

Yuri frowned as he turned back to the man in the bed. It was a waiting game, now.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

A/N: According to the author Nobuhiro Watsuki, who didn't care for the OVA – Kenshin contracted an unknown disease when he finally died. Because of the time line and era that Kenshin was supposedly living in, consumption, leprosy and several other diseases ran rampant. So I just picked one and ran with it.

I know I did some switching of First Name/Last Name. In Japan, I understand it is Last Name first, then given. I took some liberty and used proper English grammar when in Shin Mazoku ( or the Great Demon Kingdom). Sorry for the confusion.

I still am looking for a beta for this. Miriam is great but doesn't have the anime background for this crossover. She's great for grammar and such and I love her for it. However, she is clueless on plot.

Battousai – means the art of drawing a katana and slashing with it all in one movement.

Maou – king

Heika – an honorific that means – your majesty

Geika – an honorific that means – your grace (eminence)

"The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895), was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over the influence of Joseon Korea. . . In Japan, it is called the Japan-Qing War" from Wikipedia, First Sino-Japanese War