Standard Disclaimer: I do not own RK or any of it's character. Please do not sue me! As you see, I'm a person with little to no real life outside of college lol, so I have no cash!

Hi all!

I promised a devoted reader of this story that I would re-publish/finish this fiction. I have written up to 4 chapters, just as long as this one. The story has changed quite a bit, but follows the same idea as before. And I will finish this one even if it kills me.

Summary: History doesn't always repeat itself but it rhymes. Can Shinta remember his past self, so he can save his future? Will he be able to right once went wrong during the Meiji? Will the past repeat itself? Will he lose his life again, and will he lose his one true love?

Kaoru has dreams about a man in a purplish/pink kimono who vows to protect her at any cost, even his life, which he devotedly gives. Only thing is, when she wakes from her dream, she never fully remembers the dream, just a sense of loss.

Reincarnation/time-travel fic.

Characters:

Future/ age /Past/age

Shinta /17/Kenshin/28

Kaoru/17/Kaoru/18

Makoto Shishiro/17/Makoto Shishio/31

Goro Fujita/30/Saitou Hijime/33

Ayumi/16/Yumi/19

Daisuke/17/Sanosuke/19

Megan/17/Megumi/20

Note: Shishio did not get burned or shot in this fic. His is a perfectly normal psychopath. He plays the part of Past Kaoru's Fiancée. He bought Kaoru from her father, and treats her rather poorly.

Yes, in the past he did succeed Battousai. But as said before, he did not get torched. Oh well, it will fall into place

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Chapter One: Recollection

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A light misty rain fell from the heavens, soaking into a dying mans torn purple kimono. Deep auburn hair clung to his face and blood gushed from his abdomen like crimson tides.

Shadowy figures hovered over him. His heart raced, he knew his life was over and hell had sent its angels to take him to the underworld.

He met many fem fatales in his life, but none like her. Soft skin and azure eyes started it all. He hadn't know that she was someone's fiancée until recent, even when he found out, he did not care. He came back for more, finding the woman too hard to let go; she was a tough habit to break.

"Kaoru..." He groaned.

Tears sprang from her eyes and landed subtly on his cross scar, from there they descended down his face.

Kaoru looked up from her motionless lover. "How dare you steal my happiness."

"How dare you defy me!" His sword cut through the air and into Kaoru's body. She slumped forward, over Kenshin's dying form.

Kaoru opened her eyes, and realized she had once again dozed off in the middle of advanced history class. It was going for three in the afternoon; class was nearly over.

Mr. Goro sighed and shook his head. "Kaoru, please stay after class."

She lowered her head, it was the second time she had been reprimanded for this behavior.

The students began to push away from their desks and empty into the hallway, only exception was Kaoru, whose nails dug subtly into the sides of the desk.

Professor Goro was an intimidating man. His eyes were dark, like a wolf's glare, tinged with yellow highlights amongst chestnut speckles.

He passed the front of her desk and leaned onto his own. That same carnivorous glance shadowed her and made her shiver in fear.

"This is the second time this week, Kaoru," He said, coldly and inhibited of any emotion.

"I... I'm sorry."

"In stead of some sever punishment, I want you to go home and write an essay on the importance of history and what it means to you."

"How long does it have to be?"

"At least a page," Mr. Goro turned and picked up the test paper he had recently grades. "This is the reason why I'm going easy on you."

He turned the paper over and showed her the grade. She blinked when she realized it was her test score.

"You are the only student in 8th period who managed to get an A."

Kaoru sighed in relief. Mr. Goro returned the paper to the stack of d's and c's behind him. "You may go now."

Kaoru exasperatingly moaned in the hallway. She forgot her dream the moment she awoke in class. A part of her wished she could remember, but it seemed forever lost.

She stopped thinking about her situation and decided she should go to the library. She knew he'd be there, If anyone who could help her out of a jam, Shinta would.

Shinta was just a normal boy attending Kyoto City High School. He was now in his senior year of his education and totally consumed by his future goals. There were so many things he wanted to see and do that he had hardly enough time to sit and take a breather.

Currently, he was under the tutelage of a Mr. Fujita Goro, PhD. The same Dr. Goro who was known by the high school students as Wolf-man. Shinta just happened to be his prized pupil.

Dr. Goro was obsessed with the legends of the Meiji era, to the point he devoted his life to the studies of the revolution and restoration of Japan. Shinta often helped with finding records or any little articles that could be of use in return for pay.

The library was a huge three floor structure; gigantic glass windows allowed plenty of light. Shinta sat at an old oak table, leaning over a hundred and thirty year old book. His perfect amethyst eyes followed as he read each word silently to himself.

Shinta was obsessed with the legends of manslayers and their journeys. He was so obsessed with knowledge, He barely had any friends, or time for them. That part alone made Kaoru understand why he got along with Dr. Goro when no one else even liked the guy.

Kaoru just happened to be walking through the library at that moment.

Unlike Shinta, a social outcast; she was very popular and hardly ever alone. She saw Shinta sitting by himself at a table. Kaoru felt sorry for him. How hard it must be for him to live each day with his nose stuck in a book.

Stealthily she came up behind him. "Shinta!" She growled. "I thought you were going to help me with math today?"

Shinta turned and tilted his head up and smiled a facade. "Gomen... I just found this book and couldn't take my eyes off it."

Kaoru sighed and placed her hands onto her hips. "When are you going to live in today and not the Meiji?"

"As long as I'm working with Dr. Goro, I must do as he asks," Shinta turned back to his book. "Besides, I'm almost finished."

Kaoru reached over his shoulder and snatched up the leather bound book from the table. "Manslayers of the Revolution?" She questioned. "When is this required reading?" Kaoru glanced down at him with a suggestive wink.

"Give it back!" Shinta hissed. She held it up over her head. "Only if you promise to help me with my math."

"I'll do it, just give me the book!"

She lowered it into his hands. "What's so special about this book, anyway?"

She plopped down into an oak chair and crossed her legs. Her heavy pack fell to the side of the chair, fell over and brushed against her leg. Kaoru slouched forward and awaited his answer.

"It's just... The paper I'm writing will get me an easy A in my Advanced History class."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Some answer. You never have any fun, do you? Besides, Goro is a very scary man, I don't even see how you can work with the guy, let alone understand him."

He blushed, "Why? Are you asking me out on a date?"

She shook her head and blushed, her face turned as red as Shinta's hair. She turned away so he couldn't see, but it didn't really matter if she turned or not, his face was still buried into the pages of his book.

Kaoru finally realized that he wasn't paying any attention to her; he was ensnared in the frail pages of his antique reference. She gingerly reached out and pulled the book away from his face.

"Hey! When you're talking to someone, you really should look them in the eyes. It's the polite thing to do."

Shinta looked up at her in utter boredom. "Would it please you if I told you what exactly I'm looking for?"

Kaoru gently nodded. "It would make me feel better to know why you're avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you," He sighed. "It's just; I found something that's really worth while."

She sat back, "What is it?"

He flipped through the pages of his book until he stopped on page 210 of the thousand page guide. He placed his finger near a picture of a sword. "This... the legendary sakabatou."

"Here we go again," Kaoru looked up at the red head. "The Battousai! Come on Shinta, the guy is a myth. You've never found any proof of his existence."

"He was real!" Shinta grumbled. "Explain this picture." He handed her the book and Kaoru began to read.

"The Sakabatou (picture above) known to be the sword of Kenshin Himura, the Battousai. Circa date 1878.10.06. (Year, Day, Month) The Sakabatou became a Meitou and was sent to an unknown shrine near Kyoto. Reports say that the Sakabatou was stolen soon after. This is the only known photograph." Kaoru scratched her head.

"Ok... so if this sword existed, how do they know that the sword was stolen? I mean, they didn't know the name of the shrine that had it in its possession, or the name of the person who put it in their care."

Shinta shook his head. "You're wrong. I found an old article on it. The sword was given to the Kohei Temple by a Yahiko Myojin shortly after Kenshin Himura's death."

"How can you be sure that this article you found isn't some fake?" Kaoru discredited.

"I don't know. The only way to be sure is to find the sword."

Kaoru closed the book. "The only way you'll be able to back up your paper is to find the Sakabatou."

Shinta nodded. "I know what you're thinking."

"What am I thinking?"

"I'm in over my head."

"I never thought that, I just hate seeing people waste time." She stood up. "Well, are you coming?"

"Can I have a little longer?" Shinta picked the book up. "I'd like to check this book out at the desk and see if I can find any books on the Kohei Shrine."

She backed away. "I'll make you a deal, Shinta."

"What's that?" He stood up from his chair.

"I'll help you with detective work." She raised a brow. "In return, you'll have to go out with me tonight."

Shinta straightened and a tinge of pink crossed his cheeks. Kaoru dropped her pack and raised her hands.

"No, no, not what you're thinking!" She shyly murmured. "I mean, I'm having a party and it would be great if you came."

"What about your math test?"

"It's still a week away; we can work on that tomorrow. In return, you'll have yourself a well organized secretary who can keep secrets." She got close and elbowed him. "You won't have to do this all alone."

Shinta grinned. "I think you're really getting into this whole Battousai legend."

"In your dreams." Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I think this whole thing is one big yawn fest."

Shinta shook his head. "I think just a little part of you wants to know the truth."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

"Why else would you want to hang out with me?"

"Now that you mention it, I really don't know. You're such a complete nerd! You always have your nose stuffed in a book!" She reached down and picked her pack up.

Shinta walked beside her. "I should be the one refusing to hang out with you. You're such a snob."

"I met you a full four months ago, Shinta. You know me so well," She stated sarcastically with a laugh.

They headed for the front desk so Shinta could check the book out.

The little old lady pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "You two need to be quieter while in the library," She snapped as she took the book from Shinta's hands.

The librarian took her hand held scanner and ran the red laser over the bar code.

"Yes ma'am." Shinta replied. "Um... do you think you have anymore books like this one? Possibly something on Kyoto shrines and temples?"

"As a matter of fact..." She turned around and began to hastily fumble and paw through a pile of books that had been loaded onto a return cart. She pulled out an even older book than the one Shinta already had. "Someone donated this book to the library the other day." She handed it to Shinta for a closer look. Carefully, he flipped the fragile pages.

"This isn't a reference book, it's a diary...." Shinta was skeptical of it at first, but instinct told him to flip further through it. "Hmm... Tomoe Yukishiro...."

For some reason the name felt so familiar. He kept reading. The diary was mostly about a broken hearted woman surviving the revolution. Then talk of a man slayer started to become more evident in the script. "I think I'll borrow it."

"Fine." The desk clerk took the book and proceeded to scan it and enter the data into the computer system. Shinta gathered the two books and began to walk toward the door with Kaoru at his side.

Just as Shinta strolled toward the exit, the sweet scent of white plum came over his senses and followed him closely out the door.

Shinta stopped dead in his tracks; the familiar aroma was intoxicating his nervous system. "Do you smell that?" He reached for Kaoru's hand and pulled her to a complete halt.

"What?" She glanced at him nervously, like he was acting psychotic.

"White plum." He muttered, looking around to see where it was coming from.

She sniffed the air carefully, and then shook her head. "I don't smell anything."

Shinta shrugged and began walking to his car. "Need a lift?" he questioned. Kaoru nodded. "I walked here, so if you don't mind?"

"Of course I don't." His monotone voice seemed oddly plain. He was back to the Shinta she met. What ever it was that had overcome him, he had seemingly been forgotten.

Shinta started the car. "I need to drop these books off at my apartment. Do you mind if we stop there first?"

"No, I don't." Kaoru turned her head to look out the window. She leaned back into the seat and relaxed a little. Shinta cleared his throat. "Seat belt!"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot…" She reached for the buckle and snapped it into the locking mechanism at her side. He swiftly turned the car, more or less showing off his driving skills as he pulled out of the library parking lot, and skidded out onto the main street.

The short trip to Shinta's apartment was quiet and stiffly uncomfortable. Finally, they reached the ancient building where Shinta lived.

"You live up there?" Kaoru gasped as they pulled into the parking lot under the old building.

"It's not much, but it's ideal for low income students." He pulled the car into his designated parking space and opened the driver's door.

"I'm not only Dr. Goro's student, I also work for him. He pays me for any good research findings. He pays pretty well." He walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door for Kaoru.

"Apparently not good enough," Kaoru murmured to herself and she eyed the interior of the parking garage. She quietly thought, "If a really big earthquake ever were to strike, this building would probably be the first to go."

Shinta grabbed his book bag. "You said you wanted a tour..." He smiled. Kaoru nodded happily and quickly followed at his side.

"I guess you're not as snobbish as I thought," He interjected.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because any true snob wouldn't have even come into the parking lot, let alone the building," Shinta laughed lightly.

When they reached his apartment, he stuck the key into the keyhole and pushed open the door, allowing Kaoru access first.

Kaoru entered the tidy studio apartment. The first thing that entered her mind was 'This guy must be gay.' Her face paled. Here he was, living alone, his apartment was spotless, even the floor was polished to a perfect sheen. 'He probably even does laundry.' There was no way that this guy could be so perfect and be attracted to women. Then her mind changed. She looked toward the wall where a katana hung.

"What's this?" She asked as she ran her fingers over the sheath.

"That was the first sword given to me... by my father." Shinta's eyes lowered away from the weapon. "I graduated from Nakamura-Ryu Battou-Do ("The way of the drawing sword"). I met an older gentleman who knew the ultimate style of swordsmanship, the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. This style was perfected by a Hiko Seijuro, the 13th master of the fighting style during the revolution."

Shinta began making some tea. He leaned over the stove top and placed a brass-plated kettle onto a burner. He backed away and carefully turned the stove on by a simple turn of a knob.

"Not much is known about Hiten Mitsurugi. Just a few moves were ever recorded and those are the ones that I learned. A lot was lost. It's a shame that Hiko's pupils never passed on the style."

The kettle began to whistle and Shinta poured some water into two cups. The liquid started to turn light ruby-brown and then he brought them over to the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Please sit down..." He politely asked, also taking a place on the couch. "The man who taught me the few moves he possessed died shortly after passing them on to me."

"How tragic," Kaoru replied.

"I barely knew him," Shinta took a sip of tea and sat the hot cup on a coaster. He quickly got up and padded toward his bedroom; Kaoru was surprised by the action. When Shinta returned, he carried a huge box of paperwork.

"Remember your promise…" He grinned and sat the box down at her feet. "You said you would help me out, and believe me when I say I have terrible organizational skills."

"All this?" Kaoru groaned.

"I'm a very busy man. I'm sure there are plenty of other people who'd love my help." He started for the box.

"No, that's ok." Kaoru stated quickly. "It won't take me long to figure out this mess." She began to look through the papers. "How do you want it organized? By dates? By title?"

"I think dates and topic are fine." Kaoru reached for the tea cup in front of her. She drank half of it a put it back. "Now, you have to keep your end of the bargain; One night of fun. No thinking about books or studying."

Shinta closed his eyes. "Fine." He sighed and picked up his tea cup, finishing the last three swallows. "But, I do have homework I need to do."

"So do I, but that doesn't stop me," Kaoru replied. "I got in trouble at Dr. Goro's class."

"For what?"

"I fell asleep," She laughed.

Shinta rolled his eyes, "You should know better."

She latched onto his arm, "Let's go back to my house. I have a party to start."

The two walked out the door and headed for Shinta's automobile and drove away down the street.

Tbc…

AN: Well, that's the end of chapter one- Hope you liked it. I need to work on chapter 2 a bit more, just to fine tune it. It will probably take a week to get it perfect.