Title: Different Lives
Author: tir-synni
A/N: A little note mentioned in the beautiful RK yaoi story He Who Chases Demons, written by Kentaro, was the inspiration for this fic. Very simply, the note stated that there was an excellent chance Kenshin would have ended up with Sanosuke if he had met him first. This fic explores that from a blatantly biased perspective.
Beta: (offers almond-coated pocky to Arete)
Addy: relisprince(at)hotmail(dot)com

Prologue

Again, someone had taken up the infamous name of Battousai. Ten years after the war had ended and the legendary assassin had vanished, rumors still existed. Predators preyed upon those rumors, twisting and manipulating them to their advantage. With these rumors in their arsenal, many had attempted to claim the awesome title of Hitokiri Battousai. In the end, their inevitable defeat silenced all. As Himura Kenshin traveled throughout Japan, his slender feet traversing old paths and sometimes creating new ones, he heard many of these rumors. After a while, he grew to expect them, morbidly amused at the physical descriptions of the various imposters—all easily over six feet—and their wild, fiery, bloodthirsty behavior. With that same morbid amusement, he mentally compared those descriptions to the truth and wondered which came up lacking.

When his restless feet carried Kenshin to Tokyo, he received the news of the latest warrior taking up the name of Battousai with weariness and exasperation. As followed the norm, this "Battousai" towered over the "common" people, his form demonic with the fierce strength contained in his powerful build. He called out his name for all to hear, his maniacal cries echoing through the street. Hardly the attitude befitting an assassin, Kenshin thought cynically. Strangely enough, no one caught onto that.

Fortunately, before Kenshin could convince his tired conscience that it was his responsibility to take out this newest threat, a new rumor spread of a young thug wiping out the imposter and his followers. Nothing new, as street fighters were always eager to up their fame by taking on the infamous Battousai. Kenshin had noted this fact idly, mostly relieved that he would not have to part from his beloved obscurity. In the end, Tokyo would be just another town in a long list of towns.

And so, Kenshin walked through the crowded streets, his sharp eyes through a deliberate shroud of crimson idly picking up the similarities between this town and every other town he had seen on his journey. The few differences and local variations he saw lightened his heart, a freedom allowed to these people in the Meiji Era. However, no one picked up on his light smiles through the wild red locks. The bloody strands served another purpose, hiding his telltale scar from the surrounding gossipers. No matter where he went, people gossiped, and while he rarely stayed around long enough to fully understand the import of the gossip, he had discovered during his manslayer days that it was always good to know what was going on around one's self . . . and even better if no one suspected one of doing it.

"Ugh! All those innocent people that man killed. . . . Can you imagine? An assassin in this day and age?"

"Those poor people he murdered. Was the school affected by it? Did they lose any customers?"

"No, he took care of that monster quick enough. And so publicly! Personally, he frightens me almost as much as that assassin did. Have you heard what he wears?"

"No, what?"

"The kanji for 'evil' on his back. How horrid!"

And thus all talk ran. The current topic of Battousai and the young thug who had stopped him enthralled the citizens of Tokyo. Against his will, Kenshin found himself intrigued. This great strength they spoke of the thug possessing. . . . He sounded like an interesting person. Too bad Kenshin would not get the chance to meet him.

Indigo eyes averted, Kenshin unassumingly plodded on. No one noticed the petite redhead slipping through the crowd. Hardly anyone ever did. This was simply the newest town in Kenshin's journey. He would be leaving it soon.