Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine.

Vocabulary:

Shishō: old way to address to the one who taught swordsmanship to a disciple.

Furoshiki: square of cloth used for carrying things.

Watashi no chikai: My vow

Ryū: Sword style, school of swordsmanship.

Ri: 2.4 miles.

Baka deshi: Foolish apprentice. That's what Seijūrō Hiko usually called Kenshin while he was under his guidance.

Bakufu: shogunate.

Obi:a sash. The men's obi is rather narrow, 10 centimeters (3.9 in) wide at most.

Iie: no.

Hakama: traditional Japanese clothing.

Hour of the Monkey: roughly, between 3 and 5 PM.

Sake: alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice.

Tsuka: hilt of the sword.

Ano…: "Um; Well".

Gomen nasai: "I'm sorry".

Hontō ni, sumimasen: "I'm truly sorry".

Dōitashimashite: "My pleasure".

Author note: This work is un-beta-ed, I'm trying to find someone to correct the possible gramma and spelling mistakes. If you have time and you're good at it, just PM me. Thanks a lot.

Watashi no chikai

By Reira-Layla

Chapter 1: Departure and encounter

He didn't look back. The words exchanged in the heat of the discussion still echoing in Kenshin's head as his steps led him down the hideout that had given them the necessary privacy for his training. Seven years… Seven years of his life had been spent learning the ways of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryū.

He knew that it was selfish to run away, that maybe he should've tried to understand what his shishō was trying to tell him, to listen more carefully his advices, but… How could he stand by while all those people were suffering? How to idly await for the war to be over if he could do something to help? Besides, all of this was being made in hopes for a better life for the whole country, wasn't it? What did it matter if the victory for the side he chose was guaranteed? All the better.

The young man left the hill with no more than what he was wearing. Not a furoshiki containing supplies, nothing. But he didn't really care. He knew that there was a town not too far from there. He had gone down with shishō enough times to know the way by heart.

His eyebrows were furrowed, still in the bad mood the discussion had left him into. Well, wasn't his fault if the man was mad at him. What if he was a baka deshi? He had called him that from the moment he had taken him in. That would make no difference, right?

But as his feet led him farther and farther from his master's side, the guilty feeling was making his stomach twist and turn. He tried to convince himself that it was because he was hungry, making up excuses that the last meal he had had was very early that morning and hadn't eaten since.

Liar, a severe, husky voice called in his mind. Shishō's voice. Couldn't he leave him alone even when he was several ri apart from him? Kenshin shook his head, trying to shake that nagging voice that kept insisting for him to turn back, to climb up again and apologize. But he didn't. He wouldn't.

None of it made sense. Maybe it was because he was naïve and young, maybe because he was too stubborn. However, so was his shishō. How could someone overlook others' suffering? His master also had his sword and his ryū, why would someone rather spend time teaching to another while people died and suffered from the bakufu's oppression? He didn't get it. He couldn't get it at all.

Kenshin's hands clenched in fists, his knuckles turning white from the pressure and his nails digging in his skin. But he didn't mind the pain, he rather welcomed it as a reminder of all the people he had lost up until now. His parents, his siblings, Akane, Sakura, Kasumi. He would not forget them. Ever. If he could do something for the people that were still suffering and if his skills could lead to a new era where fighting wasn't anymore necessary… He would.

Of course it would've been better if shishō had given him his blessings, but it couldn't be helped. He'd have to get over it.

There were too many things running through his mind and no way to stop his thoughts as they ran havoc. He was partly beginning to regret leaving as he had, but he was also determined to help as much as he could to bring the new era where no one would have to suffer anymore.

Night was falling upon him. Surely he wouldn't be able to reach the village by the time the moon and stars would rise so he looked for a place where to settle down for the night, finding a small clearing in the woods. He found a big tree where he could lean on, grabbed his katana and sat down, resting it against the shoulder as he closed his eyes.

The wind and night had become slightly cold but was a pleasant feeling after so many days being so hot and humid. He opened his eyes as he rested his head against the trunk of the tree and his gaze watched as some clouds were driven above him. The moon was half full tonight and the stars were so bright… It seemed ever so mysterious to him. Even when there was war all around and people suffering, the sky was always so alien to all of it…

His eyes slowly fluttered open when the first rays of the morning light shone on his face. After so many days laying flat on the wooden floor of the small hut he and shishō lived in, the posture he had fallen sleep into made his back and neck ache the slightest bit. He moved his legs, stretching them in front of him as he tried to drive away the stiffness on his shoulders and back.

Kenshin looked around him as the colorful picture unfolded in front of his eyes. The dim early light was beginning to dye the shadows of the night in pale blues and soft orange and pink as the sun rose from the western point. The sound of the stream could be heard from where he was and with some luck he would be able to get a fish or two. That would serve as breakfast before he restarted his journey towards the nearby village and to his new destiny.

Standing up and putting the katana back into his obi, stretching his limbs to relief the tension on his muscles after so many hours sitting on the floor. At first, it had seemed a good idea. Not as much now, but it couldn't be helped.

Kenshin let the noise of the stream guide him, carefully stepping on the leaf-covered floor of the forest. His hand on the hilt of his katana in case he needed to quickly unsheathe it to defend himself, even though it was unlikely for it to happen.

Along his way he retrieved a long fallen branch from a tree and tied a long thread to it so he could fish if he was lucky enough to find any. Once on the bank, he pulled the katana out of the obi and knelt down, leaving it beside him, close enough to reach for it but not too much so it wouldn't disturb him. He pushed his hands in the water and splashed some of it on his face to wake up further, washing his hands as well. He looked around and found a couple of rocks not too far from where he was. A small smile tucked at his lips as he got to his feet, katana in hand, stick on the other and once he got there, proceeded to find some kind of bug that would serve as bait and when he found one sat down on the nearest rock to the stream and prayed for some food to bite.

His thoughts went back to the first time shishō had had him come down with him to learn how to fish.

It was one of those hot and humid days. The sun was still rising on the horizon when his master burst into the hut and kicked him on the side to roughly wake him up. He was used to it by then, but it didn't make him less annoyed.

"Wake up, baka deshi!" he had yelled, harshly. "We have work to do."

Kenshin groaned and pushed himself into a seated position, looking at his shishō with a stern look. How could someone that had taken him in be so mean? He didn't know, didn't understand but he swallowed his complaint. Nothing good would come out of it and it was impossible to reason with the man. Pushing the thin blanket off him he scrambled to his feet and went outside to wash his face.

Once done he approached the older man.

"What are we doing today, shishō?" he asked in a serious and low tone, always respectful even though he still felt moody after the way he'd been woken up.

"Fishing. Unless you think you can spend the whole day without a meal." Seijūrō Hiko's brows raised, expectantly.

"Iie. That's fine," Kenshin answered, arranging his hakama properly.

"Alright, let's go."

While they were on their way down the hideout where they were staying, the both of them kept silent. Not a single word being spoken. As they reached the stream, shishō had turned towards him and handed him the hand-made pole.

"You'll have to find your own bait. There should be enough worms around the roots of the trees or under some rocks along the stream. You just need to put it in the hook and I'll teach you how to fish."

Grabbing the pole, Kenshin nodded and began his search for what he'd use as bait. It didn't take him too long to get what he needed and once the worm was secured on the hook he turned towards his shishō.

The man had been studying him the whole time, not a word being said and once the kid had it done, he nodded towards some rocks near the stream, signaling for him to follow. The youth did as he was told and once Hiko was sitting, so did Kenshin.

"Pull the pole to your back and then push it forward. Like this," the man said as he showed how it was done.

It took him several tries until he got it right but no praise came from his master. Nothing.

A pull on his rode snapped him out of his memory and he began to roll the thread as he prayed for the fish not to escape or the thread to break as he tried to pull his breakfast out of the stream. It didn't take him too long until the fish was hanging a couple feet above the water. His hand pushed forward to grab the thread and to get the fish on the rock beside him, which was jumping and thrashing desperately to get back in the water.

It wasn't too big, but too small either, so it would make a good meal for now. He left the improvised pole right there and got up, pushing the katana back in the obi and the fish on his hand. He tracked his way back to the clearing and left the food a moment on the floor as he went to gather some stones and wood to start a fire to roast the fare.

Kenshin avoided the main road as much as he could. With all the chaos reigning in the country, he evaded as much trouble as possible. Bandits were running havoc and it was worse than seven years ago when he and the group of slavers he traveled with when he was sold by the village he used to live in, were attacked. He now knew how to defense himself but wasn't as sure as to how to deal with people.

He had been isolated for these past years, his only company that of his shishō and sometimes their errands led them to the nearest villages and towns, but that had been all his contact with other human beings.

By now, his walking had reached a good rhythm. Now that he had had something to eat and knew it was morning, he could take his time to get to the village but he couldn't stay forever in the forest. If he wanted to lend his powers as a swordsman he needed to hurry to help as many as he possibly could.

A sigh escaped his lips as he reached his forehead with his forearm and wiped the sweat off it. Damn, it was hot. Even though fall was near, the weather was still sticky. He slapped his face with both his hands to wake up. "Let's do this," he whispered as he began walking again.

His thoughts wandered back to that hill where he had left shishō. Would he be alright? True that he had been able to take care of himself before he had taken him in, but… what about now? Would he seek a new student for the Hiten Mitsurugi? Would he give up on teaching it to anyone else? Kenshin could only wonder.

By the hour of the Monkey he could get a glimpse of the silhouette of the village. He felt relieved but didn't actually know if there would be some recruiter there. He could only hope and pray. If not, he'd have to get to the next town. He stopped short as he heard the sound of a dried out branch being stepped on and his right hand flew to the hilt of his katana, positioning himself in the battōjutsu stance in case he needed a quick draw.

His eyes were scanning the area, ready for any kind of attack that may befall him. The bushes nearby trembled.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" he snapped. As the bushes shook again, Kenshin clenched his teeth and his hand did the same against the hilt.

However, what jumped out of the bushes was just a rabbit. Kenshin sighed in relief and shook his head. Why was he so edgy? It wasn't like he'd made any enemies up until now. But, honestly, nowadays you never knew what kind of trouble you could face.

He straightened up, his hand leaving the hilt to hang at his side. The animal raised its ears and watched him curiously before getting scared and running away at full speed.

The boy looked as the rodent disappeared and then restarted his way to Fushimi, the nearest town to his shishō's hut. They had often gone there to get supplies of sake for him. In all honesty, he didn't know how he could drink so much and still be able to teach him swordsmanship.

When the town was on his sight, he came out of the woods and onto the road. There wasn't many people heading there, but didn't pay much attention to it. Kenshin needed to find clues about where he had to go to get recruited and still felt a pang of guilt after leaving the way he did. However, he shook that thought aside and advanced.

It wouldn't be easy. The "rebels" were kind of on the open, but also hidden. Once he got in town, Kenshin watched his surroundings, trying to figure out a way to ask without attracting unneeded attention. Both sides, the bakufu and the Shishi, knew about each other and he didn't need the mistake to make himself noticed by the wrong people.

What to do, then?

"Hey, boy!" Kenshin turned his head towards the voice. Was he calling for him? "Are you a rōnin?"

The red-haired boy looked at the small group for a moment. Was he a rōnin? Well, probably he was. He was wielding a katana and wasn't under any daimyo's guidance.

"Ano… I think I am, o-samurai-san," he answered, his left hand going automatically to the tsuka of the katana. It was more a precaution than a threat.

"What are you looking for?" the man asked, impressed with the politeness of the kid. For him to be a rōnin, he had manners.

"Depends who's asking." Kenshin had to be careful. If he wanted to help the Bakumatsu, he couldn't get caught by the bakufu.

"Takasugi."

Takasugi…? He's…

"Gomen nasai," he apologized as he bowed low. Well, he found what he was looking for. What a lucky day. "Hontō ni, sumimasen."

"Iie. More importantly, would you mind if we had a talk?" Takasugi said as he made a gesture for him to follow them.

"Dōitashimashite," he answered, bowing again. He straightened up and began following the small group.