From: "P. Rico" Hi all, My first fic of the Year 2000! (Note: I'm one of the ppl who believe that the new millenium does not start until next year). Well, this is a crossover of types. I'll explain how I got the idea at the end of the fic. Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or The Shadow. ********************** The Shadow By P.Rico Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! --- "Did you hear?" asked Okon as she and the other residents of the Aoiya were eating lunch. "They're saying The Shadow caught those gang of thieves that was breaking into stores." "Really?" said Misao. Okon nodded. "That's the third time this week alone an criminal apprehension has been attributed to The Shadow," mused Okina. "I'd really like to meet him," said Omasu. "He's so brave and I bet he's handsome, too." "I wonder who he is, or where he's from?" muttered Shiro. "Nobody's ever seen him clearly, he could be any body," commented Kuro. "What do you think, Aoshi-sama?" Every body turned to Aoshi. He merely shrugged and calmly began sipping his tea. Aoshi listened as the other's began debating their different theories about The Shadow. He looked down at his tea, and wondered if he should tell them the truth. ***Flashback*** Aoshi sat in the temple meditating as he did every day since he returned from Shishio's base. The sun was rapidly setting when a monk silently entered and lighted some candles. He left quickly and Aoshi was again alone. At least, that's how it appeared. He felt that there was somebody else in the room watching him. He quickly scanned the room but saw nobody. He rose to his feet. "Who's there?" In reply, the room was plunged in total darkness on that moonless night when the candles were suddenly extinguished. Aoshi closed his eyes and began concentrating on his surroundings. Behind him! Aoshi spun around, swinging out his fist, only to have an unseen hand catch his wrist in a vise-like grip. "Very good," said a disembodied voice. "Most impressive." The grip relaxed and Aoshi stepped back a few feet. He watched in silent amazement as a man suddenly appeared before him. He was small, his bald head barely coming up to Aoshi's shoulders, and he wore monk-like attire, though not like any of the other monks Aoshi had seen in the temple. "Who..?" "My name is not important," said the small man. "I came to talk about you." Aoshi eyed the man warily. "You are suspicious of me, that is understandable." The monk mover toward him; Aoshi instinctively moved back. "What are you?" "Just a simple monk," came the reply. "I find that difficult to believe." The man smiled. "You are no doubt wondering how I am able to make myself invisible. It is because I can cloud men's minds, among other things." "Cloud men's minds?" "Yes, most men are simple creatures who are very suceptable to suggestion. I simply suggest that I am not there, and they can't see me. The only thing I cannot hide, thought, is my shadow." "That's why you extinguished the candles." The man nodded. "Even so, you were able to pinpoint my location. You have much potential." He began walking around the still darkened room. "I have heard a lot about you Shinomori Aoshi, and I've been watching you for some time. You are fully aware of the evil that lurks in the hearts of men, because you have possessed this evil yourself. Even now, that evil has not been completely purged from your soul. That is why you meditate." Aoshi didn't like this one bit. The monk knew far too much about him. "What, exactly, are you getting at?" "I can help you," the monk stated calmly. "Why would you want to help me?" "Because I have searched long and hard, and you are the first man I have seen whom I believe is worthy to be my pupil." Aoshi was silent. "My only condition, is that you use the abilities I teach you to atone for you're past sins." Aoshi sighed wearily and closed his eyes. He remained this way for a long time. The monk patiently waited for a reply. Finally, Aoshi opened his eyes and said, "Very well, I will agree to you're terms." ***End flashback*** Aoshi remembered the months that followed. In the morning, he would meditate as usual. But at night, he would train under the nameless monk. He had learned to cloud men's minds, and to move objects mentally. The monk had also taught him some new fighting techniques. The monk had been pleased that Aoshi was learning so quickly. It wasn't long before the monk sent Aoshi out to begin guarding the streets of Kyoto. The monk disappeared soon after. When Aoshi inquired about him at the temple, none of the monks remembered him. It was as if he never existed. So Aoshi just continued to patrol Kyoto at night, protecting the innocent. He had several times considered telling the Oniwabanshuu, or at least Okina, about his new double life. But the monk had told him that he should keep all this a secret from as many people as possible. "The don't need to know," he decided. "At least, not now." Aoshi politely excused himself from the table and went to his room to prepare for the night. To be continued. ******************** I blame this all on my brother. It all began when I was looking through my brother's sketches and came upon a picture of The Shadow (that old radio drama, tv show, comic book, novel series, and Alec Baldwin movie). I decided to try and draw him and it ended up looking like Aoshi in The Shadow's outfit. http://www.angelfire.com/or/roro/images/shadow.JPG Sooo, the preceeding fic was born. Thanks for reading. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- GRAB THE GATOR! FREE SOFTWARE DOES ALL THE TYPING FOR YOU! Tired of filling out forms and remembering passwords? Gator fills in forms and passwords with just one click! 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