Identity Confusion: Who is the Hitokiri Batousai

None of the characters used in this fiction is my own, all rights reserved to their respective creators.

This maybe more cuitable as a crossover, however, I placed it here because majority of the story did evolve around the PoT characters and mere mentions of Rurouni Kenshin's characters. Although I did put a scene involving the RK characters at the end just for fun. Sorry.

-oOo-

Boys have this hyperactive imagination, like, really hyperactive imaginations. Especially boys forced to go on a time out, a time out when they are forbidden to hold tennis rackets. No balls, no nets, no nothing! Just themselves, which of course they can spend with either staring at each other, annoying each other, maybe biting off each others' heads; Or—they could just tell stories.

"What are you reading?" Toyama poked his head over Kirihara'a shoulder.

"Get away from me you annoying monkey." Kirihara scrawled.

"Mou! Kirihara-san so mean." Toyama stomped his feet.

"Stop acting like a spoiled brat, Shiraishi ain't here to defend you." Kirihara flicked Toyama on his forehead and continued to read his manga.

"Rurouni." Momoshiro read out loud.

"Kenshin." Ootori finished off.

"Sugoi! You read that too?" Momoshiro jumped up and grabbed the manga that the Rikkai junior had in his hand.

"Hai. I've completed the whole series." Kirihara replied proudly.

"Hontou? I only finished until the part where Himura went back to his Shishou to learn the succession technique." Momoshiro admitted.

"Che, you're too slow, Momo-senpai." Echizen commented from the window as he sipped from his Ponta can.

"What? You've finished it already Echizen?" Momoshiro snapped back at their super rookie.

"Hmn. Mada mada dane senpai." Echizen smuggling replied.

"E-chi-zen! Why didn't you tell me you had the complete series?" Momoshiro shook the younger player violently.

"Be quiet! Baka peach!" Kaidoh hissed as he lay on the couch.

"I still think it sucks that Himura dies in the OVA." Zaizen commented.

"You've finished it too Zaizen-san?" Ootori inquired.

"Yeah, a long time ago, I even watched the anime and OVAs." Zaizen replied nonchalantly.

"It doesn't interest me much to read about samurais and martial artist, I prefer practicing the art itself. But I did also read that one in particular." Hiyoshi bitterly commented.

Toyama who could not follow what the rest of the group was talking about simply listened and turned his head to whoever was speaking.

"Wouldn't it be so cool if we could apply the nine attacks of kenjutsu in tennis?" Momoshiro commented as he waved his hands as if swinging a sword.

"Yeah, like how Sanada-fukubuchou applied the Furinkaazan in his techniques." Kirihara added his eyes glimmering.

"I prefer to make my own techniques." Echizen smugly commented.

"Fsssshh." Kaidoh agreed indirectly.

"Hiyoshi-kun has applied his martial arts techniques into his tennis skills as well." Ootori proudly joined in the discussion.

"Yeah, and Echizen beat him to pulp." Zaizen so frankly shot the kind hearted Hyotei player.

The group chuckled from the comment, except Hiyoshi who was rather pissed at Zaizen; and Ootori who felt a little embarrassed about the whole thing.

"Anyway, it seemed so lame that the only thing that Himura lacked was the will to live and he could have mastered the Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki earlier." Kirihara continued the discussion.

"Just like your buchou lacked the 'fun' part of tennis, that why Echizen beat him to pulp during their match in the Nationals." Zaizen again commented.

"Oi!" Kirihara was about to throw a fist at Zaizen for insulting his beloved buchou.

"Oi, oi, no fighting, you guys want to get us all in trouble." Momoshiro tried to stop Kirihara from striking the Shitenhouji junior.

"What wrong Kirihara? Can't handle the truth?" Zaizen pestered some more.

"Zaizen, yamero, I don't want to lose dinner, you heard what the scary old lady said, if we get into trouble no dinner for us." Toyama pleaded his senpai to shut up already.

"That scary old lady happens to be our sensei." Kaidoh hissed at the simple minded ichnen from Shitenhouji.

"Gomen, gomen." Toyama backed down a little.

"Ne, what if there was a Hitokiri Batousai running around the streets right now?" Echizen asked.

The rest of the group fell silent, thinking, what if there truly was Hitokiri running loose, bearing a Katana in his belt. And like what I said earlier, boys have a very hyperactive imagination, thus.

"Aaaahhhhhhh!" The group began to scramble about the room trying to hide behind each others' back, except one person.

"Ne, what's a Hitokiri Batousai?" Toyama asked innocently as the rest of the group was scrambling about.

They blinked, a couple of times maybe, before anyone could even react.

Zaizen knowing exactly how simple minded his kohai was had a grin on his face, a grin that immediately spotted by the rest of the group, including Echizen, who still had a score to settle with the redhead for eating Sakuno's rice balls back in the Nationals.

"Eto, Toyama-kun a Hitokiri—." Ootori began but was cut off by Kirihara and Momoshiro's hands covering his mouth.

"Ootori, why don't you and Kabaji go see if dinner is ready." Momoshiro told the taller boy.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm quite hungry now." Kirihara added.

"Oh, then why don't you go with me Kirihara-kun?" Ootori politely answered the Rikkai ace.

"Iie, I think Kabaji should go with you, besides, he hasn't said anything since a while ago. Right Kabaji?" Hiyoshi replied knowing perfectly what the others had in mind.

"Usu." Kabaji replied, which was pretty much what he will say.

"I'll tag along; I don't want to get involved in this." Kaidoh hissed.

"Get involved in what?" Ootori asked not getting what the aggressive baseliner was saying.

"Just get a move on already." Kaidoh pushed Ootori out of the room, Kabaji walking closely behind them.

"I'm hungry too!" Toyama jumped up and was about to run after the three when Zaizen grabbed him by the collar and sat him down on a chair.

"Don't you want to know what Hitokiri Batousai is first?" Zaizen asked with an evil grin.

"Oh, ah, yeah! Sure!" Toyama replied excited to learn something new.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Hiyoshi moves closer to the younger boy.

"Ah, yeah." Toyama nodded enthusiastically.

"Are you sure?" Momoshiro asked in an eerie voice.

"I'm sure." Toyama replied smiling, not realizing what the rest was planning.

"Well, then shall I begin telling you who Hitokiri Batousai is?" Echizen asked lowering his cap.

"Koshimae, hontouni?" Toyama asked excited.

"Hitokiri Batousai was a swordsman who killed in the dark, unnoticed, he carries a katana on his belt. He lived in Kyoto. At the end of the Bakumatsu he became a rurouni and carried a sakabatou instead. He tried his best to suppress the killer inside of him, but whenever one of his enemies provokes him, the killer inside of him struggles to get out." Echizen told the redhead in his best scary voice.

Toyama swallowed his saliva.

"When he became a rurouni, the samurai man slayer became this friendly, care-free, cheerful swordsman who fell in-love with a young lady in Tokyo, however, old and new enemies kept coming." Hiyoshi whispered in Toyama's ears.

"How'd he get to Tokyo if he lived in Kyoto?" Toyama asked; breaking the eerie atmosphere the group was trying to make.

"He rode the train." Kirihara replied irate.

"I'm never riding the train again!" Toyama declared in fear.

"Baka! There were no trains during the Meiji era, he rode a boat." Momoshiro snapped at Kirihara.

"Baka! There is more land than water covering the path between Kyoto and Tokyo, he went on foot!" Zaizen argued.

"I am never walking alone in the streets again!" Toyama screamed in fear.

"Anyway, back to the explanation. The Hitokiri Batousai became a wanderer, his name was Himura Kenshin, and he bore a cross shaped scar on his face. He had gentle eyes and a warm smile, but inside of him, hiding, was the man slayer Hitokiri Batousai." Kirihara continued.

Toyama's eyes widened.

"And although, he had vowed never to kill again, many enemies have tried to challenge him to break his vow, some of which have either killed themselves or were killed by someone else." Momoshiro added.

"It is said that because the Hitokiri had not completed atoning for all the people he had killed, each time he dies, he just keeps getting reincarnated, until he had atoned for each soul that he killed." Zaizen stated then darted a scary aura towards his kohai.

"H-H-H-Hountou?" Toyama's body began to shake.

"Legend has it that the Hitokiri has almost completed his atonement, and this was his last lifetime, before he could finally rest in peace." Echizen who was looking out the window declared with a sigh.

"Koshimae! You mean to say this man slayer has been reincarnated in this time and is alive somewhere?" Toyama grabbed Echizen by the shoulder and screamed at his face.

"If my calculations are correct, the Hitokiri Batousai's reincarnated form would be about the age of the senpai-tachi." Zaizen declared.

"Nani?" Toyama screamed in fear backing up to the wall.

Just then, the doors opened and a smiling Ootori greeted them, "Dinner is ready minna-san!" he declared, completely spoiling the peak of the moment.

"Mou! Ootori!" Kirihara whined.

"Nande?" Ootori blinked a few times at the group reaction.

"Whatever, let's go eat dinner." Echizen walked out of the room with the rest following him, Toyama trailing behind the group.

During dinner, the usually rowdy Toyama Kintaro was quiet, almost not touching his food; which was weird, because pretty much like Momoshiro he would devour the serving, plate included if it was ever possible. And after dinner, Toyama kept silent while the rest of the group was chatting away at how the punishment was going to be lifted the following day which was also the last day of the camp. Toyama was lifeless and practically jumpy at every whimper or snicker that he heard. That night as they went to sleep, in futons sharing one large room, Ootori and Kabaji were fast asleep, while Kaidoh was lying on his side, the rest of the group were either chatting or goofing around.

"A-Ano, minna." Toyama hesitantly began.

The group stopped whatever nonsense they were doing and turned their eyes towards Toyama, except the two who were already sleeping and Kaidoh who was still pretending to be sleeping because he was not interested in ghost stories or anything frightening at that.

"A-About the Hitokiri Batousai—d-do you really think he walks around today, still, s-su-suppressing the manslayer within him?" Toyama had fear written all over his face.

Everyone was silent for a moment, until Zaizen grinned again, which of course stirred up their hyperactive imaginations once more. Like I said, these boys have a very hyperactive imagination.

"He's about our senpai-tachi's age, and what's worse is, that his old enemies; they keep getting reincarnated too, to challenge the rurouni, and bring the hitokiri out once more." Zaizen replied with an eerie voice.

"H-His enemies get reincarnated too?" Toyama clasped his blanket and felt a shill up his spine.

"Do you want to know Himura Kenshin's old enemies Toyama?" Kirihara asked the boy with a dangerous smile.

"You should listen, so you would know what to watch out for." Hiyoshi added.

"You do want to be ready right? After all you'll never know if maybe in this lifetime they'll succeed in waking the hitokiri within." Momoshiro grinned.

"Or maybe you're just too scared to listen." Echizen teased.

"I am not scared!" Toyama shot up, "Tell me, I'll listen!"

"If you say so." Zaizen replied and moved closer to his kohai, the others following closely.

"Shall we start with Shishio Makoto?" asked Kirihara.

"Shi-Shi-Shishio? Isn't that Ootori-san's doubles partner?" Toyama clarified.

"Baka! That's Shishido!" Momoshiro snaps on Toyama's nape.

"Oh, right." Toyama smiled awkwardly.

"So about Shishio Makoto, he was the Hitokiri's successor, and he was strong. He aspired to conquer all Japan by starting a revolution against the Meiji government; he was arrogant and had a faction who served as his henchmen. He has style, and was really good with the sword; he was the Hitokiri's successor after all." Kirihara continued.

"S-So, who do you think he's been reincarnated to?" Toyama fearfully asked.

The group was silent for a moment, they haven't actually thought of it yet.

"I think Shishio Makoto, is Atobe-buchou." Hiyoshi stated without having second thoughts.

"Y-You mean, Atobe-san is—." Toyama backed up a little.

"He could be." Hiyoshi replied, only intending to scare the younger tennis player even more.

"Didn't Shishio had that teenager dude who was always smiling, but was really good with the sword?" Momoshiro asked; just to stir up curiosity.

"Ah, yes, Seta Sojiro, Shishio Makoto's protégé." Kirihara replied while rubbing his chin.

"I don't know how to say this, demo—." Echizen butted in looking at the floor.

"What is it Koshimae?" Toyama jumped on Echizen.

"I think Seta Sojiro; he's been reincarnated as one of the senpai as well." Echizen dramatically paused for effect.

"Who Koshimae? Who do you think he was reincarnated into?" Toyama shook Echizen violently.

"I think—Seta Sojiro is Fuji-senpai." Echizen vividly stated.

"Iie!" Toyama screamed being fond of Fuji.

"But it doesn't end there." Kirihara declared.

"Nani? There's more? Please stop!" Toyama begged.

"Are you scared, Kin-chan?" Zaizen grinned at his kohai.

"Zaizen, this is all true right? You're not just playing with me right?" Toyama shook his senpai's shoulder.

"Why would I do that Kin-chan?" Zaizen replied in his most convincing voice.

"Demo, Himura didn't just have enemies he also had allies who despite challenging him, fought beside him as well." Echizen dramatically declared.

"Hontouni?" Toyama's eyes flickered with hope, "Tell me about them too!"

"Saito Hajime, he was the leader of the third squad of the Shinsengumi during the revolution. He had a long standing rivalry with Himura Kenshin and firmly believes in 'swift death to evil'." Zaizen explained.

"Demo, I thought he was his ally, why does he have a rivalry with Himura-san?" Toyama asked desperately.

"Like I told you he had allies who also challenged him but at the same time fought alongside him." Echizen repeated.

"Saito Hajime is this serious dude who has this weird way of handling the sword right?" Momoshiro confirmed, being the only one who hadn't completed the manga yet.

"Hai, he's the one, and do you know who I think he's been reincarnated to?" Hiyoshi asked, pause for dramatic effect.

"Could it be?" Kirihara's eyes widened.

"I think we're thinking of the same person." Hiyoshi smirked at Kirihara.

"Sanada-fukubuchou!" Kirihara said in a surprised tone, a very convincing surprised tone.

"Sanada-san?" Toyama said in shock.

"That is a very strong possibility." Momoshiro agreed.

"Chotto matte!" Toyama reacted, "Why not Yukimura-san?"

"Because Yukimura-buchou is a demigod, hence, he does not need to be reincarnated." Kirihara argued.

"Good point." Toyama quickly agreed.

How stupid could you get kid? Kaidoh, who was still pretending to be sleeping, asked himself at how easy Toyama was convinced with the argument.

"Shall we move on?" Zaizen asked his kohai.

"More allies?" Toyama asked with a hopeful expression.

"Hai." Zaizen nodded with serious face, again, very convincing acting here.

"Shinomori Aoshi, was the leader of the Oniwabanshu, a skilled swordsman highly respected by his comrades. He wanted the title of the strongest and tried to kill Himura, but in the end he was revived and fought alongside him as well." Kirihara smugly continued.

"Who do you think he was reincarnated into?" Toyama jumped in front of the Rikkai ace.

"I could b e wrong, demo, it just fits him perfectly." Momoshiro rubbed his chin.

"Who? Who? Tell me Momoshiro-kun!" Toyama demanded the power player.

"I think—." Pause for effect, "its Tezuka-buchou." Momoshiro declared, and you could hear a 'tada!' sound effect on the background.

"Ooooohhh." Toyama said in amazement.

"And the strong street fighter who became Himura's best friend, Sagara Sanosuke, I think I know who he is in this lifetime." Zaizen declared in a peculiar voice.

"Who? Who?" Toyama jumped on Zaizen.

"I think, it's Kenya-senpai." Zaizen declared.

Toyama covered his mouth in shock, he could not believe it.

"If Oshitari-san is Sagara Sanosuke incarnate then could it be?" Echizen asked indefinitely.

"It's a possibility." Hiyoshi agreed completely getting the flow of the story.

"Then Toyama-kun is—." Momoshiro added.

Everyone looked at Toyama.

"Iie, I can't be the Hitokiri Batousai, I could never kill anyone!" Toyama argued as he backed up to the wall with fearful eyes.

"You wish!" Kirihara scoffed.

"You must be Myoji Yahiko's reincarnation!" Zaizen theatrically pointed at his kohai.

"Who's that?" Toyama asked confused about the new name he just heard.

"Myoji Yahiko was an orphan who Himura Kenshin rescued and eventually became a student of Kamiya Kaoru, he then inherited the sakabatou on his fifteenth birthday."

"Who's Kamiya Kaoru?" Toyama being even more confused.

"Himura's second wife." Kirihara replied like it was nothing.

"Oh." Toyama replied, before the statement sank in and reacted, "Matte! Second wife? Did he get a divorce or something?"

"He killed his first wife." Zaizen again replied like it was nothing.

"Nani?" Toyama's jaw dropped to the ground.

"He didn't mean to." Hiyoshi butted in.

"Demo, demo, demo—." Toyama was getting dizzy.

"But the more important question is—." Momoshiro stood and walked towards the window before turning around to the group and theatrically asking, like in those detective shows, "Who is the reincarnation of Hitokiri Batousai?"

Everyone gasped, for effect of course. But Toyama was pretty much convinced.

"Himura did live with Kaoru-dono and their son Kenji in Tokyo." Echizen analyzed.

"He had a son?" Toyama asked but was ignored.

"Demo, he was originally from Kyoto." Hiyoshi argued.

"And this is his supposed last reincarnation for atonement right? So wouldn't it be easier if he was reincarnated somewhere closer to Kyoto? Tokyo is a bit far." Kirihara debated.

"Hyotei and Seigaku are in Tokyo, Rikkai is in Kanagawa, the closest to Kyoto which is in Osaka is Shitenhouji." Zaizen declared with wide eyes.

"What do you mean Zaizen?" Toyama was seriously buying the analysis.

"We've established that Oshitari Kenya is the reincarnation of Sagara Sanosuke." Hiyoshi added.

"And Toyama is the reincarnation of Myojin Yahiko." Momoshiro added.

"Could it be?" Echizen stared.

"The Hitokiri Batousai—." Kirihara continued.

"The last reincarnation of the rurouni, Himura Kenshin—." Zaizen added.

"Who? Who?" Toyama asked but was already backed up of the wall with eyes wide open in fear.

The group crawled closer to the now almost crying Toyama Kintaro and all together declared, "Is Shiraishi Kuranosuke!"

Toyama covered his ears and screamed, "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooo!"

To cut it short, none of them got a good night's sleep because of their hyperactive imaginations. The following day, after the activities were done and the closing ceremonies had been held they all went back to their respective senpai's who were waiting for them with proud looks on their faces. Hyotei, being the host of the training camp, Atobe, being the fashionable narcissist that he was approached the juniors first.

"Ore-sama greets you all for completing this training camp." He goes on and on about something that was just air to the junior players ears, except Ootori who was happily listening to his buchou's endless words, and Kabaji who kept responding with 'Usu' each time Atobe prompts him.

Toyama who had been keeping things boiled up inside of him was shaking furiously at the sight of Atobe, until the simple-minded baka from Shitenhouji couldn't hold it in anymore and began shouting at Atobe, "Shishio Makoto, don't you dare go near Shiraishi! I tell you, if you even dare go near Shiraishi I am going to hurt you!" then runs away.

Atobe who was flabbergasted at the younger boys' outrage and who had no idea who Shishio Makoto was, was frozen for a moment, Ootori too, since he was asleep the night before, whilst Kaidoh kept shaking his head, having overheard everything that was told to Toyama the night before.

Toyama who was trying to get away from Shishio Makoto, I mean, Atobe Keigo kept running until he bumped into a frail feminine figure who supported him from falling over, a gentle smile on his face. "Daijabou desu ka, Toyama-kun?" Fuji asked the younger boy.

"Hoi, hoi, you better be more careful Toyama-kun." Eiji gleefully reminded the boy.

"Fuji-san, Fuji-san I beg of you, do not go near Atobe-san, he is really Shishio Makoto reincarnate, and he'll turn you evil. I beg of you Fuji-san stay away from him." Toyama begged the tensai, who had no idea what the younger boy was saying.

"I-Iiyo." Was all he could respond.

"Arigato Fuji-san, Arigato, promise me, promise you will not let Shishio awaken the Seta Sojiro within you." Toyama shook Fuji.

"Iiyo, iiyo, if that would put you at peace Toyama-kun." Fuji smiled and assured the boy, although, he still had no idea what he was talking about.

"Arigato Fuji-san!" Toyama bowed before running towards the Rikkai seniors gathered not far from where they were standing.

"What was that about?" Fuji asked the astounded Eiji beside him.

"I don't even want to know." Eiji replied his mouth still pretty much wide open.

"Sanada-san!" Toyama shouted at the Rikkai fukubuchou who turned to find the panting Shitenhouji ichnen in front of him.

"Doushita Toyama-kun?" Sanada asked the boy.

"I know you have a score to settle against Himura, but please, I beg of you, don't kill him, you've fought so many battles together, wouldn't it be better if it stayed that way? I know you feel him, I know you feel the Saito Hajime inside of you screaming for a final duel between you two. But please, please, contain him. Don't hurt Shiraishi!" Toyama begged the Rikkai fukubuchou.

Niou, Marui, Jackal, Yagyuu, Yanagi and Yukimura who have all read the manga knew exactly what the boy was talking about; but Sanada, who had no idea what the boy was saying stared blankly at the boy.

"I know there is still good in your heart Saito-san, so please, promise me that you won't try to hurt Himura Kenshin." Toyama begged Sanada.

At this point Marui and Niou could no longer contain themselves and dropped to the ground almost dying of laughter.

"Ma, ma, Sanada, just promise the boy already." Yukimura patted his best friend's shoulder.

"Iiyo." Sanada replied, although still unsure what it was all about.

"Arigato Sanada-san!" Toyama jumped up and ran towards the huddle of Seigaku seniors.

Sanada was left there still very much confused.

Meanwhile, Zaizen, Kirihara, Echizen, Hiyoshi and Momoshiro were all watching these events from a distance, while Ootori kept asking what they were laughing about and Kaidoh kept mumbling how stupid they were for saying all those things to the idiot kid from Shitenhouji.

Toyama then ran to Tezuka and bowed.

Tezuka who was surprised at the sudden appearance of the Shitenhouji's super rookie stepped back a little.

"Tezuka-san, I know that you feel the urge of the Shinomori Aoshi inside of you to still grab the title of being the strongest, and I know that you tried to kill Himura once; demo, please remember the renewed you, the one that fought alongside Himura. I beg of you, please don't try to kill Shiraishi again." Toyama bowed lower than he did before.

Tezuka felt a headache coming, and frankly he already had enough problems with his own team ,he was not particularly happy about the Shitenhouji ichnen going all nuts in front of him.

"Onegaishimasu." Toyama still not getting up from his bowed position.

Tezuka then held the boy by his shoulder and straightened him, before patiently speaking, "I would never think of killing Shiraishi."

Toyama's eyes lit up and bowed repeatedly, "You're a good man Tezuka-san!" then left to find his team mates.

Tezuka then turned to Oishi who was standing right beside him.

"That boy, has serious identity issues." Oishi told the confused Tezuka.

"Kenya! Kenya!" Toyama waved at his senpai.

"Oi! Kin-chan, did you enjoy the camp?" Kenya ruffled the boy's hair.

"You are an awesome and strong street fighter! Keep fighting alongside Himura-san, you and I together, we will never let Shiraishi awaken the Hitokiri Batousai sleeping inside of him." Toyama proudly declared.

Kenya who got confused with what his kohai was talking about was about to ask when Shiraishi walked towards them.

"Oi! Kin-chan, doushita? Did you learn a lot from the camp? Zaizen didn't bully you right?" Shiraishi inquired with a smile.

"Shiraishi! Shiraishi! I, Myojin Yahiko, will study the art of the sword the saves lives under the tutorage of your wife Kaoru-dono! And I will be the best student!" Toyama proudly declared.

"My wife?" Shiraishi asked confused.

"Who-dono?" Kenya added.

"Shiraishi, promise me, that you will never let the Hitokiri Batousai awaken, that you will remain to be the rurouni Himura Kenshin who is friendly and always smiles, and is a defender of truth." Toyama grabbed Shiraishi by the shirt and begged.

"Hito—Batou—what?" Kenya asked now getting really confused.

"Who's Himura?" Shiraishi asked.

"Whenever you feel the urge that the Hitokiri is awakening, think of Kenji, think of your son Kenji!" Toyama tightened his grip on Shiraishi's shirt.

"You have a son?" Kenya asked Shiraishi.

"Of course I don't! I'm only fourteen!" Shiraishi irately replied.

"Shiraishi—promise me! Promise me!" Toyama shook his buchou to the point of almost ripping apart his shirt.

By this point Zaizen, Kirihara, Momoshiro, Hiyoshi and Echizen who were watching from afar were already rolling on the ground, probably dying of lack of oxygen, or maybe wetting their pants and having abdominal muscle spasms from what they were seeing. This however was not hidden from Himura, I mean, Shiraishi's eyes.

"Zaizen! What have you been telling Kin-chan?" Shiraishi angrily shouted at his kohai, with Toyama still gripping his shirt and wouldn't let go until he promised him that he would never awaken he Hitokiri Batousai within.

Well, after all the debacle and Toyama's mental break down, and being punished by their respective buchou's for playing with Toyama's already unstable mind; each of them went home. But there was one particular person who's coming home was worth following.

"Tadaima!" Echizen called out as he removed his shoes and entered their home.

"Ah, shounen, your home, here." Nanjiro threw a tennis racket at his son.

"What do you want Oyaji?" Echizen irately asked his father.

"Play with me a while, you've been at that camp and I had no one to play tennis with." Nanjiro stubbornly walked to the tennis court.

But like always, Nanjiro never played his son seriously which ended up with Ryoma being irritated and either insulting his dad or just simply walking away.

"Baka Oyaji! And you call yourself a samurai!" the younger Echizen stomped away from his father and entered the house.

Nanjiro smirked as he watched his son walk away from him, "Ryoma that samurai blood flows in your veins as well."

*Meanwhile in some other Manga Universe.

"Kenshin."

No reaction.

"Kenshin."

Still staring at thin air.

"Kenshin!" throws something at his husband.

"Oro!"

"What are you thinking about? You've been staring at thin air for some time now." Kaoru asked as she carried the four year old Kenji in her arms.

"Betsuni, I just felt like someone was talking about us, about me specifically." Kenshin replied and took Kenji from his mother.

"Can you look after Kenji for a while? I'm going to go visit Tae-san, and I need to speak with Yahiko about our students in the dojo."

"Otousan, put me down!" Kenji pulled on his father's hair.

"Iiyo, iiyo." Kenshin placed his son down and kissed his wife of the forehead, "You take care walking to Tae-san's."

"I always do, oh, by the way Kenshin, I've noticed something weird about Kenji lately." Kaoru wiped her hands on a rag.

"Doushite?" Kenshin asked his wife.

"Lately he's been using his shinai to hit his toy ball into the wall and just kept swinging at it." Kauro told his husband of his observation.

"Sa, he's just being a kid." Kenshin shoved it off as nothing.

"Do you really think so?" Kauro asked worried.

"Outou-san play with me." Kenji tugged on his father.

"Iiyo Kenji, what do you want to play?" Kenshin obliged happily, after all, it was not always that his son had a liking for him. More so, play with him.

"He really is like a miniature you Kenshin." Kaoru stared lovingly at her family, "Ja, I'll be going now."

Father and son waved at the Kaoru then went back to playing.

"You hit the ball, when it bounces back you hit it again." Kenji hands his father a shinai and shows him how he wanted to play.

"Like this?" Kenshin asked his son.

Before long father and son were exchanging returns of the ball they were playing with, and although Kenshin known Kaoru would probably strangulate him for playing with the shinai in the dojo, he wanted to cherish this time with his son. They were quite enjoying themselves, until Kenshin, clumsy as he was at times, slipped on the rag that Kaoru used to wiped her hands before she left.

"Oro!" Kenshin fell face flat on the floor.

"Otousan!" Kenji ran to his father.

"Daijabou, daijabou, no need to worry." Kenshin assured his son.

"You need to practice more Otousan." Kenji scolded his father, note, he was only four.

"Hai." Kenshin replied and slowly stood up.

"Otousan." Kenji called his father.

"Hai?" Kenshin turned to find his son glaring at him for being clumsy.

"Mada mada dane." Kenji then walked away from his father.

Kenshin watched as his son was walking away and all he could say was, "Oro?"

-oOo-

First off, I don't believe in reincarnation, but it was fun playing with Kin-chan's brain that way. And it was just plain funny how the Kenshin-Kenji and Nanjiro-Ryoma relationship was a bit alike. And lastly, forgive me for the epic cross-over failure with Rurouni Kenshin, it is my second favorite Manga next to Prince of Tennis and I just wanted to write something a little different and light. I hope you enjoyed reading.