Hiya. This is the second, hopefully improved, version of my very first fanfic, that recently got deleted at for using the script style, back when I didn't know any better. I'll make it a proper AU story now. The original had 11 chapters, and so will this version. Hope you like it.

As per usual, I don't own RK, and I don't own James Cameron's awesome work, which despite all the mushiness I really like, and on which this story is quite a bad parody of.

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Sometime in the late twentieth century, in a dojo not far away...Kaoru already has a grandson. The chap has stayed a while at his grandmother's house, on vacation from college. Trying to learn more about his "roots", so he says. During these times of enlightenment, he has convinced her to get a television set, a telephone, and electric lights. Maybe even a radio, but obaa-san was already quite happy with the other contraptions. Oh, yes! The loving grandson didn't forget to buy a new stove—so his grandmother won't have so much trouble cooking....

"Obaa-san!" the grandson yelled for her. "Hurry! Take a look at this!"

"Coming, coming!" the grandmother hobbled quickly to him. "What is it?"

The young man had the television on to a news report, given in typical fast government Japanese. He pointed to the picture of a grand ship. "It's about that ship you were on years ago, the one that sank? It seems like they got artifacts from the ship....there's this picture that's so nice...."

Kaoru painfully sat down beside him. "What picture?" she asked.

"Look..."

The divers were proudly displaying a box safe that they found. Upon opening, they removed bank account files, documents---and a beautiful portrait of a young woman.

"Obaa-san, anou, it looks a little like you, ne?"

Kaoru stared at the television, and at the picture. It did look like her. She stared more intently at the television. "Wait a minute......THAT IS ME IN THE PICTURE!"

"Nan' desu ka?!" (What?!) Her grandson literally fell off the chair he sat on.

"Get your coat, my child, you're driving," she stood up resolutely, and headed for the door. "...we have to go there....we have to claim a lost part of my history....."

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40 years ago, at a nearby gambling hall, two young men were placing bets on a table.

"Go for the 7," one said quietly, a redhead in a brown hat.

"If you say so!" the taller man happily did as he was told. "I'm SO glad I brought you along, your instincts with these things are unbelievable!"

The redhead in a brown hat did turn out to be right. His friend, a tall swanky fellow with nothing to lose, raked in the money. But from their working-class clothes, one can tell that these men have had tough luck for a long while.

After a few more minutes of exultant back-slapping, the swanky fellow whispered to his friend, "Good, we have enough dough....now all we need are the tickets..."

"Tickets...de gozaru ka?" the redhead whispered back.

"Of course, Kenshin! We want to get on that ship to America, right? Well then, we need tickets!"

"How, Sano?"

"Like so...." Sanosuke turned and addressed their gambling buddies. "Listen, boys, with such good luck as we've been having, we're bound to lose the next one. How about it? You've nothing left for us, except maybe your tickets. Put 'em down! We're putting down all our cash. You win, you're winners on the way to the land of liberty!"

Kenshin whispered quickly to his friend, "Anou....are you sure about this?"

Sanosuke did not answer, pulled the tickets from off the hands of his opponent and slapped them onto the table. A third man started dealing out the cards.

It was quite an even game up to the end. None of the spectators knew who had the upper hand. Soon, the players were at their last few cards.

"What'll it be, pal?" Sanosuke nudged Kenshin, two cards left in hand.

He looked at the knitted brows of their fellow gamblers with concern.

"Stop worrying," Sanosuke assured him, "Now call!"

The redhead called. "Five."

Even Sanosuke was rather nervous as he lowered the five card. Then half a minute of silence followed. Finally, their opponent hung his head, and threw down his last few cards.

The redhead had been right. They won. His eyes opened wide, staring at the tickets.

"We're going to America!! Yahoo!" His tall friend hooted.

"Well...now...." He kept his eyes glued on the tickets.

Sanosuke pulled Kenshin up. "What are you waiting for? Let's get our bags and split this joint! Our boat's boarding right now!" He then yanked him and started him running.

The men hurriedly boarded the third-class sections of the ship, disappearing quickly, half-afraid the tickets would be taken back from them. They found the beds assigned to the original ticket holders. They plopped onto them and laughed heartily at their good fortune.

Their baggage in place, they strolled the deck to see who else was riding their ship.

The taller man leaned over the railings, and eagerly scanned the port. "Oi, Kenshin! Take a look down there!"

A rich carriage had just stopped. A smartly-dressed man with completely white hair and small purple sunglasses stepped out.

Sanosuke elbowed his friend, and made him look. "Isn't that Enishi, um, Yukishiro? The business tycoon?"

Kenshin was not paying attention. But within a few minutes he was nudging his friend back, as he pointed back at the carriage. "Wh—Who's THAT?"

Stepping out of the same carriage was a pretty young lady in a beautiful Western-style traveling dress. Her hair was rich and dark, tied up in a ponytail at the back. As the lady moved back her hat and looked at the ship, the men had a good look at her face.

"KAORU?! –Dono?!" the redhead stepped back and pointed at her in shock.

"You mean the jo-chan from the dojo?" Sanosuke clucked. "Classy! First time I've seen her in anything but a kendo uniform! How come you know her at sight?"

"I DID live in her dojo for some time, de gozaru," he explained. "When I was new in town."

"First time you've seen her this pretty, too, I suppose. Wonder what she's doing with that tycoon. Anyway, they're not in our level, so let's look at ladies OUR caliber."

As they left, out of the carriage also popped out a little boy...a servant of sorts.

"WHY do I have to be your servant, you little pesky raccoon?!"

"Just for a while, OK, Yahiko?" the young lady tried to appease the boy. "I'll make it up to you in America. But we have to stay classy for the white-hair, and I need your help. This hat refuses to stay on!"

The boy tossed his head and harrumphed. "How did this guy know you anyway?"

The lady shrugged. "He says I look like his sister...I guess it's a good thing."

"You just want to live the rich life, you hag," the boy grumbled. "And you'll kowtow to anyone to have it........"

Kaoru shot daggers to his eyes, and raised a fist.

A classy older woman snapped a fan at them both from behind. "Quit your talking and move on! Of all the women my son chooses, it has to be her!"

"Yes, Lady Megumi, hurrying...." The younger woman dragged her shoes toward the ship's stairs for first-class passengers.

At the captain's quarters, the crew was making final adjustments and checks. The departure of this ship was a monumental event. There would be no mistakes, at any time.

The captain of the grand cruise ship was a man who maintained only the most essential of words and movement. He silently inspected all aspects of the ship. He gave curt final instructions to the crew with him on the bridge.

"Are we ready to leave now?" he asked as he took the wheel.

"Just about," a young lady chirped beside him, and began to ogle him. "Captain, my captain...."

"Why didn't you just stay home with your grandfather, Misao?" the captain asked with slight irritation.

"And miss all this fun of being with you? Not a chance!" Misao beamed at him.

The captain sighed and looked up in desperation.

She tugged at his tails of his uniform. "Let's raise the anchor now! I'm so excited to be going!" She shouted down the communication tube, "RAISE THE ANCHOR ALREADY!"

A high-pitched male voice came up from the communication tube. "Awaiting orders, Captain Shinomori."

The captain took up the tube, "If everything is in order, Seta, do as she says."

Crew from the lower decks started to raise the anchor. Passengers began to wave at friends and family left on the shore.

The tall third-class passenger shook his redhaired friend out of his reverie at the top deck. "Say goodbye to Japan, my friend. It'll be a while before we see it again."

"Aren't you afraid something might happen to us?" Kenshin asked him.

"Then let it happen," Sanosuke gave him a sound slap on the back.

The ship was leaving port.

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Thanks for reading! Expect updates every once in a while. Not too quickly, though, since I do have to think up the additions to the original fic. Suggestions and comments are always welcome, so send them over, thanks!