Yes, I'm back! And with a new fic! I hope that you all enjoy it and please drop me a comment!
Disclaimer: I may wish I owned RuroKen but I don't. I just write about him.
This is set approximately a year after Tomoe's death and 2 years before the end of the revolution.
((())) Kyoto, 1866 ((()))
It had been a normal night in Kyoto. Of course, what passed as a normal night for Kenshin Himura, better known as the legendary Battousai the Manslayer, did not pass as normal for others.
However, tonight, like all nights, the streets of Kyoto had been awash in a sea of blood, from both those sided with the Shogunate and the Imperialists.
Kogoro Katsura, leader of the Choshu clan, had just returned to the Kohagiya inn, run by a woman by the name of Okami. She had chastised both him and Kenshin for getting into a dangerous situation, and then sent Katsura out so she could tend to Kenshin's wounds.
Now, only an hour after they had returned, Kenshin and Katsura sat together in the same room. Kenshin's wounds were not serious and would heal within a day or two provided he didn't strain them.
"Take two days off," suggested Katsura. Kenshin merely nodded and then, after receiving a weary smile and a small nod from his commander, left the room.
Katsura would be lying if he said he wasn't worried. Not about the wounds, they would be fine, but about his heart, soul and spirit. Ever since Tomoe died, Kenshin had been withdrawing into a deeper shell. Considering he wasn't all that sociable to begin with, this wasn't good.
Even tonight, all Kenshin had said the entire night was; "Go, I'll take care of them." He hadn't even responded to Okami's chastising. It almost seemed as though he were drawing into himself. And with Tomoe, the one woman he loved, gone, there was nothing Katsura could do to stop him.
"Katsura-san?" Katsura was interrupted from his musings by the soft voice of Okami. He turned around to face her. He knew she would have the same worries as him, for she had known Kenshin from the very beginning. She knew him as a passionate youth and to see him so dispatched worried her.
"Did you need something?" asked Katsura.
"No. However one of the men found a sword at the place they were supposed to be raiding. Apparently it was quite odd and gave off a strange ki, they thought that you might want to have a look at it," answered Okami, holding out a sword to the commander.
At first glance it was a normal Japanese katana but if you looked closer you would notice minute differences. It was obviously very old, and seemed to glow with an odd power. It was a beautifully crafted sword, rivaling the work of Shakku Arai himself.
Katsura was immediately drawn to it. It was no ordinary sword. Okami placed it in front of him and he immediately began to examine it. Okami also looked it over. Usually she didn't interfere with the workings of the clan, but the sword intrigued her. As she was carrying it, she felt odd, like it held some kind of hidden power.
Both Okami and Katsura noticed the same thing at the same time. The name of the sword, Dawn Soul, and underneath that an inscription. They had to wince slightly to see it properly, for it had faded with age, but after a few minutes they found out what it said.
Tempus Vehere
"Tempus Vehere? What does that mean, Katsura-san?" asked Okami, puzzled. This was completely unlike her, but the words had spiked her interest.
"I'm afraid I don't know. However it doesn't really seem of that much importance at the moment. I will look into it, but I think that at the moment, the Shinsengumi is our main problem," said Katsura with a sigh.
"I suppose. What are you going to with the sword?" she asked.
"I don't know. Why do you ask, do you have an idea?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. Okami didn't usually impart any words of wisdom, so when she did, it was usually good.
"I though that perhaps you could give it to Himura-kun. It might be a good way for him to have something different in life instead of just routine," suggested Okami, allowing a hint of sadness lace into her voice. She did care about the young killer, and she was one of the people that had warned Katsura against using him.
Katsura nodded in agreement. It definitely wouldn't come anywhere near the comfort that Tomoe had brought him, but it was the best he could do. Perhaps the mystery behind Dawn Soul would make him come out of his shell and do something other than eat, sleep and fight.
"I agree with you Okami-san. I wish I knew what the future has in store for Kenshin. I would wish him to live a long and happy life, but with his reputation as the shadow assassin spreading more by the day, I just don't know whether it's possible," confessed Katsura. He didn't know what was making him say this now, when it was something that he only ever admitted to himself. Perhaps it was the sword and it somehow calming ki, or perhaps it was because he was talking to the only other person who seemed to care about Kenshin's welfare.
"I have the same thoughts Katsura-san. But…will the Imperialists betray him?" she asked hesitantly. It wasn't her place to question the workings of the Choshu clan, but she really wanted to know.
Katsura answered slowly but surely, "For as long as it is in my power, I shall make sure he is not betrayed."
Okami nodded, pleased with the answer. "All right then, I shall give this to Himura-kun tomorrow morning. She then turned and left the room, taking the sword with her.
That night both Okami and Katsura only had one thought running through their heads: Just what did the future hold for the young assassin.
Nobody noticed the words Tempus Vehere glow brightly on the sword.
And in the morning…let's just say that they were in for one hell of a surprise!
((())) Author Notes ((()))
Hey, I finally have a new fic in the progress! In case you hadn't noticed this is a time travel fic where Katsura and Okami go to the future!
Since my reviewers from my last story requested I do more Hiko and Kenshin interaction, this will have Hiko. Along with Saito, Misao, Aoshi, Kaoru, Sanosuke, Yahiko and Megumi.
I will be updating this story a minimum of once a week, hopefully twice if my workloads good. I'll also hopefully make longer chapters but since this is the prologue, it's slightly shorter.
One more thing: If you have any requests, like how you want Okami and Katsura to run into someone then please tell me, and I'll try to fit it in!
Thank you for reading and please review!