By the way, both Rurouni Kenshin and the characters of Polgara and Beldaran don't belong to me. Rurouni Kenshin was written by and belongs to Watsuki Nobuhiro, while Polgara and Beldaran are the creations of David Eddings (even though I did change their characters a bit) I guess that ends the legality stuff =D
Chapter 1: Visitor by Moonlight
"One step at a time, one hope then another. Who knows where this road may go? Back to who I was, on to find my future, things my heart still needs to know "
-Journey to the Past, Aaliyah
“Help…I need your help…please…”
A slim hand reached towards him through the swirling fog. That sound, sweet, yet hauntingly familiar, seemed to strike a chord within him as he desperately searched for the source of the voice. Suddenly the mist began to clear and his eyes distinguished the outline of a figure in the shadows. A young girl stood before him, dressed in a blue kimono tied in place with a purple obi. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a high ponytail with a blue ribbon, which matched her eyes perfectly. Those eyes immediately captured his attention…they were deep, pleading…and desperate.
“Kenshin…help me please…”
“Who are you? What do you want from me?” he called frantically.
“I’ll be waiting…please help me…”
The voice faded into an eerie whisper until nothing else could be heard. Nothing but the rapid pounding of his heart in the center of a thickening mist…
RIIIIIINGGGGG!!!!
“Oro…! Kenji sat up with a start, gasping for air. Instinctively reaching over to press the snooze button on his alarm clock, he sleepily blinked as the adrenaline from the dream gradually wore off. He leaned back against his pillows and tried to sort through the confusion in his brain caused by the nightmare. Silently chastising himself for getting upset over such nonsense, he climbed out of bed and readied himself for class.
-------------------
"Yo!!! Kenji!!!" A tall, brown haired figure raced down the busy street. Shohei Tomikuza pushed through the crowd as he tried to gain the attention of his friend. Finally catching up with another young man, he heaved a sigh as he reached out to tap the other boy on the shoulder. Without any warning, the young man turned and executed a perfect foot sweep, sending Shohei flying backwards.
“AHHHHGGGH!!!” Shohei found himself sprawled on his back, lying on the pavement. “Geez, Kenji, what the hell do you think you’re doing? Take it easy…” He wiped the dust off the white shirt of his uniform and tried to stand up, rolling his eyes at his friend.
“Sorry Shohei…you startled me,” replied the other boy sheepishly, his violet eyes wide with recognition as he stretched out a hand to help his friend up. He grinned ruefully as he rubbed the back of his head in a gesture that conveyed obvious embarrassment. With his long red hair tied back in a ponytail, a quiet voice, short stature, and slim frame, one could easily mistake Kenji Komiyama for a girl. That is, until one saw him best guys twice his size during kendo and judo practice. Despite the lack of height, Kenji was both strong and quick, but usually his kendo opponents realized it too late.
“You’ve really got to watch those martial arts reflexes of yours, man. They’re gonna get you in trouble some day,” muttered Shohei irritatedly.
Standing almost a foot taller than his friend, Shohei was both masculine and rugged. His short brown hair was given to curl (actually it resembled more of a rooster’s head at times) and his brown eyes twinkled with mischief all the time. With his devil-may-care attitude and harsh voice, he was the complete opposite of his friend. It was a wonder how the two ever met in the first place. However opposites do attract, and Shohei shared Kenji’s love for kendo and judo. Shohei’s kendo skills almost rivaled those of his friend. Almost.
“I thought I was gonna be late to class again,” continued Sho with a jaunty grin as both boys continued walking. As college juniors, both Kenji and Yuuno attended Tokyo International University.
“Yeah…I was running late this morning too,” replied Kenji. “Pretty rough night. But we still have some time and at least economics class is a large lecture. Nobody will notice if we’re a bit late.”
“You look like you didn’t get any sleep at all. Don’t tell me you were up all night studying again…or were you perfecting your kesa getame for the upcoming judo tournament?” Shohei gave his friend a sidelong glance.
“Actually, I kept having this weird dream…but it’s probably nothing. We’d better hurry or we’ll be late.”
Both Kenji and Shohei quickened their pace as the tall university building
came into site.
Chapter 2: Supernatural Encounters
"There, out in the darkness, a fugitive running, fallen from grace, fallen from grace "
-Stars, Les Miserables
Kenji shuddered involuntarily as the feeling of being watched slowly crept over him. Looking up from his book, he took a quick glance around the library, but saw nobody. The eerie stillness increased his discomfort, forcing Kenji to leave the desk he had been working at. Standing up from where he was almost hidden by the horrendous number of book shelves, he turned and gave his surroundings a quick look. It was Friday night, and the library (or at least the third floor) appeared deserted, with no living soul in sight. The screeching of his chair against the tiled floor grated against his ears as he slipped past the stacks, the echoes of his footsteps magnified by the oppressive silence. Cold moonlight filtered in through the windows, signifying the lateness of the hour.
Step by step, Kenji found himself moving involuntarily closer to a more abandoned section of the library. Lights began to grow dim and the books on the shelves gradually took on a more ancient look. In a daze, he found himself mysteriously drawn to a particular shelf of history books. Not quite knowing what possessed him, Kenji reached up and pulled a thick volume titled “History of the Meiji” off one of the upper shelves. Its thick dusty cover was gray with age, and the edges of the pages were a moldy yellow. As he flipped through the book somewhat gingerly, his breath froze in his throat as an old black and white photo grabbed his attention. Violet eyes grew wide as he stared at the book in shock, not quite believing what he saw. A pair of large eyes stared back at him. They belonged to young girl wearing a kimono, her dark hair tied back with a long ribbon. Almost dropping the book, Kenji’s hand began to tremble as he turned the faded page and began to read.
“It’s her!” screamed a voice inside his head, elated with recognition. “The girl from my dreams…”
He read on quickly, his eyes following a finger that gradually slid across the page, line after line, as if in a trance. The girl had been the owner of a particular dojo during the early Meiji era, but unfortunately she had been murdered at the age of eighteen by a young man named Enishi. Wondering why everything suddenly seemed to sound so right and familiar, Kenji shook his head disbelievingly as he stared at the girl’s name.
“Kamiya Kaoru” he murmered to himself, rolling the name on his tongue. It seemed foreign yet familiar at the same time. Turning back a few pages, he continued to stare at the picture for an increasingly long while. Suddenly, without any warning, an eerie green light began emanating from the book, gradually growing brighter with each passing second. A soft buzzing filled Kenji’s ears.
“Kenshin….,” The sound reached him on a soft whisper.
Spinning around in shock, Kenji turned to find the source of the voice…and
saw nobody. A strange sense of foreboding crept over him as his skin grew
cold and clammy. After a moment’s hesitation the young man quickly reshelved
the book and hurried back to gather his things. In his haste to leave, he
never noticed the sharp golden eyes that followed his every movement from
a shadowed corner of the room. Those unwavering eyes continued to stare after
Kenji’s retreating form, even after the door slammed shut behind him.
Chapter 3: Divine Intervention
"There can be miracles when you believe, though hope is frail it’s hard to kill"
- When You Believe, The Prince of Egypt
Beldaran sighed and shifted her feet as she plopped down on the Forum’s marble steps. Resembling the Acropolis of Athens to the very last stone, the Forum of Heaven was both awe-inspiring and grand. It’s surface gleamed pure white, while the building itself appeared to rise beyond the clouds. It even came complete with its own fountain. However, Beldaran wasn’t inclined to admire the architecture as she waited to be summoned for her briefing. Dark brown eyes grew unfocused and dazed with impatience. With long curly dark hair and a willowy figure, Beldaran had an almost exotic look. Her sleeveless, v-necked gown fell all the way to her ankles, allowing only a tiny peek at the sandals strapped on her feet. A pair of wings extended gracefully from her back, the feathers fluttering in the gentle breeze.
As an apprentice guardian angel, Beldaran’s duty included aiding the other angels of higher rank with the various “earth” missions they received from God himself. That included helping the Angel Michael watch over hostage negotiations in the Middle East, playing errand girl for the Angel Gabriel, and even aiding the with the dead whose spirits temporarily passed though Heaven while awaiting reincarnation. Another sigh escaped her as she drummed her fingers on the marble floor in quiet rhythm, allowing her mind to wander. She had even set her alarm clock two hours earlier so she would be on time! A lot of good that did me, she thought to herself.
“I could’ve been in bed sleeping,” she muttered under her breath as she tapped her foot against the white marble steps. “What could be taking so long? Uggghhh….all this nervous energy is going to drive me insane before I even find out what my new mission is. Maybe I shouldn’t have drunk that extra cup of mocha frappuccino this morning.”
Suddenly a young messenger boy rushed out of the Forum and gestured to Beldaran wildly.
“Finally,” she murmered as she stood up. Adjusting the golden circlet resting upon her head and smoothing back her dark hair (it tended to get frizzy if not taken care of properly) Beldaran quickened her steps, following the messenger through the Forum’s winding halls. Reaching giant pair of bronze doors, the messenger knocked timidly.
“ENTER!” boomed a great voice. The boy flinched as he pushed open the heavy doors.
“Apprentice Beldaran,” the messenger announced as he stepped aside for the young angel to enter. Seated at the farthest end of a large circular meeting table was God, while the highest ranking angels occupied the remaining seats. The Angel Zachriel, ruler of memory, winked at Beldaran cheerfully as she stepped forward. Beldaran gave a formal bow, showing her respect for God and what was generally termed “The Council of Archangels”
“Guardian Angel Apprentice Beldaran reporting for her next assignment,” she stated clearly.
“Good, you’re right on time,” replied God. “Now, let’s get down to business. Since you did such a great job helping the Angel Habbiel with her last mission, I’ve decided to let you assist the Angel Cadmiel with his next task on Earth. Do you remember anything about the Meiji period?”
“Yes. The Bakamatsu, the fight between the ShinsenGumi and the Ishinshishi…but that was a while ago.”
“About a hundred years to be precise,” replied Eth, the Angel of time, with a dry grin. The Archangel Gabriel glared at him to be quiet as God continued.
“Well your next particular assignment deals with one of the reincarnations of Himura Kenshin, a member of the Ishinshishi group during the war. He has recently been reborn in Tokyo and he now goes by the name Komiyama Kenji. It seems our little rurouni has been visited by some ghosts from the spirit world lately.”
“Who’s ghost?” asked Beldaran curiously.
“Kamiya Kaoru’s.”
“Wasn’t she killed by that madman Enishi? It was such a shame, Kaoru and Kenshin made such a perfect couple!” interjected Opiel wistfully. With her child-like innocence and pure heart, the young angel was chosen centuries ago to rule over the domain of love. Beldaran tried to stifle a grin, realizing that the Angel still found it hard to pass up a matchmaking opportunity.
“Yes, and that’s why Kenji needs Cadmiel and Beldaran to deal with what lies ahead. We all know Enishi didn’t act alone. All his anger allowed him to be used as a tool by one of the spirit world’s greatest demons. The fact is, the same evil demon that possessed Enishi has returned to Earth.”
“But I thought handling spirits and demons was beyond Heaven’s jurisdiction. We only deal with the mortals on Earth. Isn’t this a job for the Immortal Realm?”
“It’s true that restless spirits who cannot be reincarnated are usually dealt with by the Immortals. But since this involves Kenji, who’s human, we’ve decided to become involved,” explained Death.
“So what am I to do?” asked Beldaran suspiciously.
Cadmiel, the Angel of Fate, cleared his throat and spoke up. “Your job is to go to Earth and find out what the demons and spirits want with Kenshin. Then we’re going to have to find a way to fix things, and fast. We cannot allow a supernatural being to freely terrorize humanity, otherwise the delicate balance between heaven, earth, and the spirit world could be disrupted.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” exclaimed Beldaran. “Go to Earth to fight a demon? How? I’d cause a commotion just by walking down the street! In case you haven’t noticed, guardian angels don’t exactly look human.” She glanced at her wings pointedly.
The angel Manu burst out laughing. “No, no, no silly. You’ll assume a new identity on Earth of course. From this point on, you’ll be known as Usagi Takana, a college junior at Tokyo International University.”
“Great,” complained Beldaran. “So when does this assignment start?”
The Angel Mordad, ruler over the domain of death, gifted the young apprentice with a sympathetic smile. “Now,” she replied.