PROLOGUE

(IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE STORY, YOU MUST READ THIS!)

The evil Makoto Shishio is ruling the land with unexplainable evil.

History says that the previous king of the land had been murdered unexplainably, and Shishio, as his brother, took over. The king had a son named Shinta, but he was too young to take the throne.

A year after the king's death, Shinta was kidnapped by rebels when he, his uncle Shishio, and aunt Yumi, were in a carriage returning home from a visit to a foreign land.

However, the prince Shinta didn't die. He was taken in by the group of bandits; beaten, starved, and scrawny. Then one day, the thieves crossed the wrong person--Hiko Seijuurou, and half of them were slaughtered. To save themselves, they threw Kenshin at Hiko's feet and fled. Shinta's head hit a rock, and he fell unconscious. Hiko took him home.

When Shinta woke, Hiko didn't kill the boy; instead, he asked him his name. Shinta told him he couldn't remember, trembling. Hiko asked certain questions, and the answers brought Hiko to believe that Shinta had amnesia. However, the sparks of a swordsman spirit showed brightly. Hiko renamed Shinta Kenshin, and kept him as his apprentice.

At the age of twenty, Kenshin set off to find out who he really is; armed with only a sword, two weeks of food and water, and a small pouch of money.

The land is now wrought with famine, disease, and poverty, and also hopelessness. Orphanages, shops, schools, doctor's offices, and businesses of any sort are outlawed, unless approved by Shishio. The people, deprived of jobs, work in fields to make produce for trade. A small portion is evenly divided among the thousands of workers.

Sagara Sanosuke is one of the workers in the field; an unmarried man of seventeen and one of the very few people left with hope of happiness.

When a child's parents die, the child is usually worked to death or shot by officials on the spot, considered soon to die anyways. Sanosuke saves the kids he can, claiming to be of some relation and taking them home. He now has a small orphanage in his apartment in an abandoned building. When Sano is gone working, his father Souzou takes care of the kids. There are six children altogether.

Were it so that the officials found out about Sanosuke's orphanage, they'd kill both Souzou and Sanosuke, and take the children away to the Fields. But Sano is not aware of the mysterious being underneath his apartment; watching, waiting for the time to reveal himself…

Kamiya Kaoru is a rebellious thief; the best of the best. Her capture, dead or alive, is worth thousands. At her side is her little half-brother Yahiko, who is the reason Kaoru fights so strongly and pushes herself so hard to steal food and necessities. She will not lower herself and Yahiko to work for the government swine; and in a sense, Kaoru is holding a revolt all by herself. However, there is something very strange about Kaoru's little brother...

Takani Megumi is an illegal doctor in a small village just outside of the main city. People bring their sick to her in secret, and do not tell of Megumi's practices because she alone can cure their loved ones.

However, when the demand of Megumi's talent becomes too great; too many people cluster about her home to see her, Megumi's secret gets out. Government T.S.C. (Ten Swords Corporation, a division something like what we would call the police or F.B.I) set fire to her entire village as punishment for harboring a lawbreaker.

How will these five people band together to save the kingdom, and return the heir to his throne? How will these five people defeat Lord Shishio and his minions, and restore peace and justice to the land? A tale of love, hatred, rivalry, friendship, revenge, secrecy, the crashing of fists,and the crossing of swords…

Revolution & Restoration is rated T for violence and language. It is considered an action/adventure/romance fiction, and will contain the eventual pairings of Kaoru/Kenshin and Sano/Megumi. Slight angst (in the author's view--I don't think I can write angst to an extreme level….).

Revolution & Restoration

Bakumatsu & Meiji

Chapter 1: Blue Skies

"Sometimes, the clearest part of the sky is furthest away, so that we will always strive to reach it." -Takasuki Gentatsu, Samurai X: the Motion Picture

The soft moss growing on the rocks sunk beneath his feet as he leapt across the raging river, even though his steps were light. The crushing noise of a waterfall rifted the air.

Kenshin leapt to the last mossy stepping stone, then jumping off of it and onto the other shore. His midnight cape made a small whooshing noise as he turned around to check to see if anyone was following him.

When all was safe, Kenshin took off through the forest ahead of him, leaving the river behind.

It was a gorgeous evening. The birds twittered their goodnight songs, and the sky amid the tree branches was turning a stale dark blue. The sun, though Kenshin couldn't see it, was sinking beyond the horizon. A strange chill sabotaged Kenshin's skin, causing the man to shiver in his apprehension.

I will not stop tonight, Kenshin decided, quickening his pace. This forest is evil.

A large animal suddenly darted across Kenshin's path. He came to a halt, whipping out his sword and waiting for the attack. The beast had been a giant boar, he was sure. The boar demon was a vicious creature; one that hated to let a wanderer pass by alive.

Sure enough, the beast burst again from the hedge with a feral roar. Kenshin waited for the boar until it was no less than five feet from him, before dodging in a roll to the left. Standing with speed that almost seemed inhuman, Kenshin buried his blade in the boar's side until the creature's fur brushed against the hilt.

Fire exploded inside the boar, and the beast died before it knew what had happened.

Kenshin retrieved his flaming sword, letting the inferno die out. It was a deep secret of his soul; whatever weapon he held, he could cast it aflame and scorch his enemies. Usually it happened without Kenshin trying, which was a problem in his training of the sword.

Leaving the dead boar behind, Kenshin returned his blade and continued walking like nothing had happened.

He was handsome. Kenshin's long, slinky red hair fell down his back like silk, restrained in an inexpensive tie. His black cape enclosed his entire body, unless he was running, and thus covered the sword at his side. From behind the locks of red, two violet eyes shone out, and a vibrant x-shaped scar marred his left cheek. His mark in no way lessened his complexion.

Kenshin traveled through the night, never slowing and never quickening his steps. He didn't know where he was going. Wherever his sword pointed, Kenshin went. And the hilt of his blade always pointed forwards.

So forwards Kenshin went.

Prince Shinta…

-

"Oi!"

A young man ran over the Fields where the workers planted and harvested for the Lord Shishio's trade company. He stopped to confront two guards with guns, who pointed the weapons at a lifeless father and a small, sobbing daughter.

The man had obviously died from fatigue (or perhaps starvation, to provide his family with more food), which left the little girl by herself. She was small and frail, hardly able to work at all. The guards deemed the child worthless, and were about to shoot her when the young man intervened. He couldn't stand to watch the girl get killed-she had done nothing wrong.

He was in his late teens, tall and sinuous. Stubborn locks of spiky, wonton hair covered his head, and a few persistent stands fell in his bright eyes. A bandanna concealed the sweat on his brow, and the boy had obviously been working without a shirt. This was allowed, but disapproved.

"What?" one guard spat at the young man. "Who are you?"

"Erm," the young man cast a wary glance at the sobbing little girl. "I'm her uncle, and my name's Sanosuke, sir."

The pair of guards exchanged glances. "Really?" one sneered. "Then what's her name, boy?"

By the look in the soldiers' eyes, the young man could tell they didn't know, either. So Sanosuke said, as though it was obvious, "Her name is Magdalia."

The little girl gave him a weird look, but then realized what Sanosuke was trying to do, and nodded. "My name is Magdalia," she repeated.

"Shut up!" one of the guards barked, and she immediately fell silent.

An angry twinge formed in Sanosuke's stomach, but he didn't act on it. Instead, he stared at the soldiers with patient, unreadable eyes as they tried to figure out what to do.

"Fine, take her," one growled, seizing the little girl by the hair. Sanosuke was about to shout angrily, but restrained himself and caught the agonized child when the guard threw her. She buried her face in Sanosuke's chest, openly crying.

Sanosuke bowed slightly. "Thank you," he said bitterly, and walked away.

Once they were out of earshot, Sanosuke rubbed the little girl's back. "Hey, it's okay," he murmured, knowing all too well the pain she felt. As a young boy, Sano had seen his mother shot to death by soldiers as well. Luckily, his father, Sagara Souzou, had been there to protect him.

"N-No it's not," the child replied, sobbing some more. "D-Daddy's dead and Momma's dead and everyone's dead and there's no one alive!"

Sanosuke didn't blame the little girl for her incoherence. She had the right to be traumatized. "I know," he mumbled. "I know. But I'm going to take you home with me, okay? There are other kids there that you can play with, and you won't have to come back to the Fields. Ever."

"R-Really?" she said softly, her voice choked by tears. "Is it nice?"

He nodded. "Yeah...maa maa dez," said Sanosuke. "So, what's your name? I can't call you Magdalia if it's not your real name, ya know."

"Kyoko."

"Well, then, Kyoko-chan," whispered Sanosuke. "My name is Sanosuke. My shift is almost over, so can you wait for me while I finish?"

She hesitated, but then nodded her little head. "Yes, Sanosuke-san."

"Sano." he corrected.

"Sano-san?" she tried.

He chuckled as he set the small child on the ground. "Cute, Kyoko-chan. Now wait for me right here, I just have to get something, and then you can come home with me."

Kyoko grimaced. "I'm scared, Sano-san." She decided that she liked this man, and would trust him. But his comforting presence didn't mean Kyoko was unafraid.

Sanosuke's expression softened. "All right. Let's go, Kyoko-chan."

Picking Kyoko up again, Sanosuke carried her out into the field, stepping carefully around working people and plants. When he reached the place he had been working before, Sanosuke stooped and picked up his jacket, which Sanosuke had hidden so no one would steal it. Unknown to all, a small dagger was inside the sleeve. Only for protection, of course.

"Can ya stand for a minute?" Sanosuke asked Kyoko, who nodded. After putting on his jacket, Sanosuke again scooped up the torn little girl, ruffled her hair encouragingly, and set off.

"Sano-san?"

"Nani, Kyoko-chan?"

"…Why is the sky blue?"

Sanosuke paused, but didn't stop walking. He wanted to leave the accursed Fields as bad as Kyoko did. "Well…" Sanosuke replied after a bit, unsure of how to answer; simply because he didn't know. "I'd say it's because…ano… what do you think?"

Kyoko smiled, closing her eyes. "My daddy told me the reason the sky was blue was because, when God looks down on us, he cries because he wants to help us out of our sadness and problems. His tears gather up on the outside of the sky, and they turn it blue. Daddy also said that, in a way, the blue sky is a promise that God would send someone to help us one day."

Sanosuke wasn't sure of what to say, so he replied, "Oh?"

"Yeah, Sano-san. I think my tousan was talking about you."

A painful twinge encased Sanosuke's heart, and his eyes filled with tears. I wish, Kyoko-chan…I wish.

End of Chapter 1

MadiSano: I'll see you in a bit-as long as I get reviews, of course…if no one likes the idea then I suppose there's no point in continuing the story, right? Also, those who are pining for SanoMeg and KenKao, you're going to have to wait a few chapters. I think it's worth it, butI'm only the authoress! SanoMeg will start in the chapter after the next, and KenKao the chapterafter that. Okay?Ja ne!