Main Characters- Himura Kenshin, Himura Battosai, the wanderer

Title- Return of the Greatest Imperialist

Summary- After the fight with Hajime Saito the group has become aware of Kenshin’s true strength and inner nature. The strength of the strongest manslayer of the revolution, something that no one should provoke, lest it bring about the chaos and uproar of the revolution.

Italics refer to the voice in your head, like a split personality

'One quotation on each side of the content refers to the other side of the personality or the character's thoughts.'

Disclamer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, I wish I did.

Return of the Greatest Imperialist

Act I. Battosai and Rurouni

“Kenshin… Are you okay?” Kaoru asked, she and Yahiko stopped practicing to look back at the crimson haired samurai. Kenshin was looking up in to the sky his expression was nearly blank.

“Yeah, you even stopped washing the same shirt over again even,” Yahiko had felt compelled to yell this at him. Kenshin looked at him with his sad smile, Yahiko felt ashamed to have yelled at him for spacing off. How could he have forgotten why Kenshin smiled all the time?

“Miss Kaoru?” she looked at him, admiring his smile, “I finished the washing laundry after I hang it all I’m going for a walk.” Kaoru nodded, it was all she could do to keep for asking why he was uneasy.

“Yahiko, let’s continue at the shrine. If Sano comes tell him where we are please,” Kenshin nodded as he started hanging the laundry on its wire cable, he didn’t say anymore on the matter. The two them left leaving Kenshin to the laundry, as soon as the gate was shut he looked around. He knew someone was there, he had felt their presence a little while ago.

“Come out, I know you’re here,” Kenshin said in a cold tone, Hajime Saito stepped out from the shadows.

“Wise choice Battosai, I didn’t think you get them to leave,” Saito replied, his narrow eyes locked on Kenshin.

“What do you want Saito?” he returned to the laundry, Saito spat at the ground.

“You have become rather weak Battosai, normally you’d slay the person before they knew where you were. Apparently you are far weaker than I thought,” the Wolf said, Kenshin turned to glare at him and found a blade at his neck.

“Kenshin!” that was Sanosuke’s voice; Saito disappeared into the shadows again. The door was opened just after the wolf had left. Saito was gone for now, but was his point in coming? Sanosuke stepped into the dojo looking extremely suspicious; he looked over to where the wolf had just been hiding, then back to Kenshin. He noted that Kenshin’s sword was on his belt while he was hanging laundry. That in its self was odd.

“Hey Sano, Miss Kaoru and Yahiko are at the shrine training,” Kenshin said quietly, Sanosuke could see how tense he was. He was still hanging up laundry

“Someone was just here weren’t they?” Sanosuke asked, Kenshin started to hang the last piece up, “who was here Kenshin? Who has you so tense?”

“Sano… I will warn you only once, do not try to fight the Wolf of Mibu,” Kenshin turned around, his eyes were exceedingly narrow, “Saito is not a person you want to anger.” Kenshin tucked his arms in his sleeves and walked right out of the dojo. Kenshin shut the doors behind him, leaving Sanosuke there alone. Sano just stared at the door, listening to the familiar scrapping of shoes fade away…

Kenshin was not defiantly not ready, for ten years he had fought off the other side of his personality. The other side was starting to win, each day the urges became stronger, he was fighting to keep the Battosai from truly emerging. Two times already he had let the Battosai win, but he could afford to do that again. What if next time he could regain control? What would happen to Kaoru and the others if he didn’t? Would the Battosai within slay them? Or would they share the same fate as Tomoe?

Either choice meant he was running out of time and options. On one hand he could let the Battosai win on purpose and deal with it the next day, and on the other was being in another near death battle and while the Rurouni was distracted and tired he might take over. Both of his choices frightened him… Letting the Battosai roam Tokyo for a day was not in the Rurouni’s interests, he had a vow to keep whether the Battosai liked it or not.

Kenshin wandered to the riverbank and sat down on a log. His vague expression didn’t reveal a single thing to anyone who might have passed by, but he started to remember something. It was a young girl’s face her own features as pale as his own; her light auburn hairs in lavender ribbon that matched their eyes. She was thin and petite as anyone he had ever seen, the innocent girl version of himself.

He was just about to be swallowed into himself when he heard Kaoru’s gentle voice; he was torn from his memories with a fury of lights and sounds. Kaoru was standing in front of him next to Yahiko; the two of them were staring at him in an odd fashion. Kaoru’s was a look of worry, while Yahiko wore a look of fright.

“Kenshin are you alright? You look like you have something troubling you,” Kaoru said as she sat down beside him, her bright blue eyes full of worry.

“Kenshin how long are you going to glare like that?” Yahiko asked. Kenshin blinked and sat up, he walked over to stream that ran in front of him. He looked into it to see the other side of his personality; the Battosai staring at him, the glare enough was enough to scare everyone on the bridge and more.

“I should have known…” Kenshin said quietly, his words were cold enough to freeze the water he was looking into. He closed his eyes and sensed where Kaoru was and walked over, he sat down next her without a second thought. He was going to let him out, only until sunset when he would have enough strength to push the Battosai back.

“Should have known what? Kenshin what’s wrong,” she asked, still Kenshin did not open his eyes.

“There is no time to explain, you need to go before he comes,” Kenshin replied, his words soft and slightly warmer than before, “I cannot keep him from taking over, you need to run before the Battosai wins.”

“Before the Battosai—” Kaoru cut off Yahiko.

“Wins? I thought you were the Battosai,” Kaoru barely finished her sentence when his eyes opened again. They weren’t their warm normal lavender anymore; they were dark deep and Gold. His eyes showed no emotion other than hate, Yahiko took off for the dojo out of fear, Kaoru nearly stopped breathing at the sight of his eyes.

“He even warned you, how foolish are you girl?” the voice that came from Kenshin was not his, but much older and colder than normal, “I let him warn you and you still don’t listen to him. You are much more stubborn than the Rurouni gave you credit for, but your foolishness will be the end of you Kaoru.” He stood up stiffly; he untied his hair then retied it higher up.

“Who are you and what have you done with Kenshin?” she said glaring at him, his normal look was enough to disperse her glare, “what are you?”

“The Rurouni isn’t gone not yet, he barely has the strength to fend me off,” the Battosai smiled dangerously, “you have until sunset to convince me why I shouldn’t kill you.”

“Far enough, and you have until then to decide, but if you do I’ll find Saito and tell him your weakness,” Kaoru said coldly, ‘even though I don’t know his weakness… Only the Rurouni knows, and I can’t ask him now.’ The Battosai flinched, he hated Hajime Saito the leader of the third squad of Shinsengumi, but he was starting to hate this girl more. She knew more about the Rurouni than he thought; she must have figured it out during the battle with Jin-e Udo.

“You have no idea what you got yourself into when you invited us to stay with you that day,” the Battosai’s eyes narrowed, he had a feeling that she didn’t know about what happened to Tomoe yet. He smiled wicked smile, then felt the Rurouni fighting him about telling her. He drew himself to his center where the Rurouni waited.

Tell her and I will take back what is mine… She has no reason about that, tell her one word and I’ll take control back before sunset. The Rurouni glared at the Battosai, there was no topic of greater hostility then Tomoe. The Battosai felt the girl pulling their sleeve; he felt the liquid run down his arm as she cried. Give me your word Battosai, or you shall never see the sun again.

‘Why should I?’ the Battosai yelled, the Rurouni looked through their blank eyes, ‘the girl is important to you isn’t she? In that case I’ll let her live for now…’ The Battosai was tired of compromising with the Rurouni, he was far too careful. Then again there was the Tomoe incident where they had both let their guard down, and it had cost them dearly. She was dead due to the Battosai and haunted them because of the Rurouni. He felt the arms of the Zanza the fighter for hire, as he was carried to the Kamiya dojo.

Give me your word that you won’t kill anyone or tell a soul about Tomoe.

‘What if they ask about her Rurouni?’

Let me deal with that… Now do you swear to uphold our vow Battosai?

‘I don’t see any choice with this sword your carrying…’

Swear on your honor Battosai!

‘Not on my honor, but on the girl’s life.’

What? Why on Miss Kaoru’s life?

‘If she dies I reserve the right to kill again.’

Why?

‘If she dies by anyone who is against us I want to be able to kick their rear.’

Fine… Just keep her safe and I won’t complain, but try not to scare my friends anymore Battosai…

‘I’ll try, you annoying Rurouni, but I better get more time,’ the Battosai thought. Finally no reply, that meant the Rurouni was content for now. That also meant he was free of his dark prison only until sunset.

End of Act I. Battosai and Rurouni