Author's note: Hi everyone! This is my first RKenshin fanfict, so I hope you will enjoy it. English is not my first language, and for this reason, you might find some grammar mistakes. But please forgive me, I try my bests!

The Lonely Tiger -Chapter One

(1863, Kyoto )

The town was quiet. The houses retired into the shell of darkness. The street was illuminated merely by the moonlight. It was a pleasant summer night, everything was calm and quiet. From one of the corners, restless whispering was heard, then three men appeared pacing rapidly. They looked around carefully, then they entered into the moonlight from the gloom.

They sighed with relief, when one of them fell off suddenly, and another swish of a sword ended the other two men's lives, too. A man with a grin on his face appeared, wiping his sword. He went through the dead's pockets carefully, hoping to find something interesting. He kicked the corpses with his mouth sardonically curled down while murmuring something. He was to leave when he heard some noise from the corner. With a rapid movement, he turned round and leaped towards the noise. Nestled close to the wall, an old woman and a young lady with a child was crouching. He started smirking in a wicked way and caught the arm of the lady.

'Please don't! My daughter ... ' cried the old woman, but she shut up in fear on seeing the blade flashing. The efforts of the girl to escape from the tightly grasping ironhands were futile.

'Just be frisking, if you like! You won't get away from me!! '

He was most startled when the child crouching at the wall stood up with a colourless face and stepped in front of him. The robber stared at the filthy kid in a stunned way, as it was standing with strangely glittering eyes, dumbly, in front of him.

For some reason, he became nervous because of this icy look, and started shouting at the child:

' Get away from here!' He began, and hit the kid on the face, who fell over.

Instead of crying and running away though, the kid managed to stand up slowly and wiped its bleeding mouth, stood in front of the robber again with wilful fire burning in the eyes.

' I said, get away!' grunt nervously, but then a sharp blade through his body and silently fell. A young man was standing behind him. He had amber eyes reminding of a wolf. The woman ran to her mother, and she huged her wheeping. Saitou, for he was the saviour who suddenly appeared, was watching the scene indifferently, then he glanced at the dirty child. He could see no fear, nor disgust on the kid's face, who was gazing at the corpses in a cold and senseless way. The small fists were clenched tightly. The kid turned to Saitou with a calm, nearly automatic movement, and stared straight into his eyes with a piercing, searching look. The man was surprised first, but then he started to smile and asked:

' What's your name, kid?'

'I have no name' – answered the child self-confidently, at which point an unsightly cut became visible on the child's face, which extended from the cheek even to the forehead.

(1878, Kyoto )

' Demme.. Kenshin! For what the hell are we doing this?!' grumbled Sano, carrying a huge bunch of vegetables.

'We're just helping Kaoru-dono!' turned back Kenshin, packed up neatly as well.

'Don't be complainning all the time' Kaoru scolded them.' You could really do this, bearing in mind that Misao gave us accomodation for such a long time!'

' That's true! Anyway, why didn't that itachi-musume come with us?'

'You might well know that she is hanging about her beloved Aoshi all day!' said Megumi next to them, flapping with a fan.

' Oh, we were only missing this fox!' sighed Sano, but Megumi hit him onto his head with her fan. The quarrel was interrupted by a familiar voice:

'Jare, jare... ahou-ga!'

' Saitou!?' they all turned around surprised.

' What the hell are you doing here?' Sano gazed at him, taken a back.

'Hmm... after all you can thank to me, you could behave more politely. '

'Demme!'

' Relax, Sano!' Kenshin had to hold back his friend, who was stamping his feet angrily.

'I'm waiting for someone, by the way' said calmly and looked some little trinket.

'Oro?'

'An old friend of mine is coming to visit me... This one, please!'- he told the seller pointing at a small tiger carved of wood.

'A friend of yours? ..I didn't even know you had things like that!' - turned to him Sano with a wicked smirk, but the other just smiled.

One of the stalls, they heard a loud shout and the people thronged to there. A drunken man threw the owner to the wall and paced towards the owner's wife:

'Come on Miume-chan! Make a little fun!'

'You're drunk! Please go away!'

Before he could touched her, a stranger was appeared in front of him. An about 18-years-old young man faced him.He dressed like a samurai with a katana on his left side. The thick, dark green hair was hid his face. When he slowly looked up, they could saw his attractive, a bit girlish feature, but a deep cut ran through the right side of his face, which extended from the cheek even to the forehead. The almost black, dark violet eyes calmly stared at the man.

'Hhee?' gazed stupidly the drunk man 'What'a hell do you want? Would you feel my fists on your pretty face?'

Immediately swung his fist, but it stopped still in the air. The stranger, with only a light, incredible fast movement hit his opponent on his stomack. The man just gave him a surprised look, then he slowly fell. The enthusiastic crowd claped the exhibition. and the owner's wife thankfuly turned to her rescuer, but he silently walked away... Namely just should set out, because a familiar voice stopped him:

'I see you keep your old form, Odora-kun!'

The young man quickly turned and looked at Saitou. The strange samurai smiled and his glance wasn't so grim as a little while ago. His face was also much more kinder, when he stepped towards Saitou.

'Long time no see you, isn't it? ...I know that you're no longer a child..' began the older man, and passed him the wooden tiger ..But I thought I buy you a little present in memory of the old good times.'

The young man took the toy with a childish joy in his eyes, and said:

'Arigato.. Saitou!' just then noticed the others, and glanced a bit distrustful at his friend.

'Don't worry.. these idiots are feebles..'

'Who called you idiots?!' they all jumped up, except Kenshin. He stared at the stranger with a bit odd face.

'Hai, hai...' waved his hand grandiosely 'This boy is Sabishi Odora-kun.'

'I'm happy to meet you! My name is Himura Kenshin.' the young man's eyes narrowed for a moment, but he politely greeted him as well. One after the otherthey introduce themselfs, and when Megumi followed, she blushed a little.

'You surely must be tired.. if you mind, you should come with us to the Aoiya restaurant! Our friends gladly accomodate you Sabishi-san!' said kindly Kaoru.

'Of course, we don't force it..' grumbled Sano, who had misgivings about that stranger.

The samurai looked at Saitou shakily. The Wolf hove a sigh and shruged:

'I will accompany you just this once!'

Misao thoroughly measure him, then cheerfully exclaimed:

'He looks like a nice guy!' Odora gave her a bleak smile because of the establishing.

'I'm Makimachi Misao, the leader of the Oniwabanshu!'drew herself up proudly, waited for the acknowledgement,but instead of this, she met Odora's astounded face:

'It seems the Oniwabanshu truly became weak, if it can command by a little girl...' whispered to Saitou, who brust out laughing

'What's so funny?!' she took out her kunais angrily, while the two man just smiled at her.

'Maa, maa..' Kenshin tried to calm her down, but suddenly Aoshi stepped out to the house. He calmly passed by them and gave a little nod.

'Aoshi-sama! Wait for meee!' ran after him Misao.

'Hm... baka!' Odora said with a sneer.

'Hey, I think you're only a guest here, so...' cried Sano angrily, but Megumi interrupted him, when she hit his face with a bag of cookies:

'Shut up Rooster-head!'

'He's right, I'm sorry for my improperness!' bowed apologizingly the samurai.

'Oh, don't care about him!'- she took his arm shyly.- 'Do you like Ohagi?'

Sano angrily looked at them and offendedly turned. He was just like an inflated turky.

'Ahou-ga...'

The dinner was quite peaceful. The mambers of the Oniwabanshu cooked a really delicious meal for the guests. Meanwhile they ate, the others asked many questions to Odora:

'Since how long do you know Saitou-san?' began Kaoru 'I mean, you're good friends, aren't you?'

'Hai... Saitou was my master.He teached me, how to use the sword.' answered in a low voice, while he played with the little wooden tiger. Saitou bowed his head and began to smile.

'Hn... or how can kill..' muttered Sano.

'I think, you're not an angel, too. Am I right Himura-san?' smiled him wildly. Misao cheerful voice broke the strained atmospere

'Really.. I have an interesting question! How old are you exactly?'

'Hm? I don't know why is so important, but I'm 24.'

'24???' jumped up Misao and Yahiko at the same time. Megumi secretly smiled and stealthily searched the young man.

'That's not fair! Everybody looks younger, as they truly are!'

'You shouldn't be worried about this Misao-chan!' chuckled Kaoru and Misao turned deep red.

'So... what's your job?' asked Yahiko.

'Which is necessary.'

'Oro?'

'Mmm.. that rice is very delicious!' he changed the subject and turned to Shiro 'I haven't eaten like that for a long time!'

'Arigato!' answered Shiro with a great embarrasment.

A few hours later the humour turned very cheerful. Sano was a bit drunked, and looked warlikely at Saitou:

'Come on Saitou! I challenge you!' swung the sake jug under his nose.

'Sorry, but I'm not drink alcohol.'

'Hee?.. Ah, you're boring!' then he turned to Odora provocatively. 'What about you?Are you a coward. too?'

Odora gave him a scornful look and turned back to his drink. Sano exclaimed angrily and grasped his clothes. The young samurai narrowed his eyes and began to speak with a low, cold voice:

'Take off your hand on me!'

Sano never felt like that before. His strength simply left him, when he looked into those eyes... The pitiless, insensible cold eyes, which were saw to much pain, fear and death.

'Odora!'- Saitou's hard voice brought back him to reality. Odora obediently stepped back.

'I think, you must be exhausted by the long trip.' said calmly Okina, but his face was unusualy stern. 'Shiro showed you your room.'

'Arigato!' bowed silently and followed the man.

Saitou wanted to leave, too, but Kenshin stopped him:

'Why is he here Saitou?' the older man didn't answered. 'If he tryed to hurt anyone in the Aoiya, I will stopped him. I hope you know that, don't you?'

'Don't worry Battousai! Odora is not so vicious as he looks like.'

'I'd like to belive you Saitou.' said Kenshin, when the Wolf passed out of the room.

'Are you all right Sanosuke?' asked Kaoru worriedly.

'Yeah... I'm fine.'

'Who the hell is that psycho bastard?' cried nervously Yahiko.

'You know him right... Kenshin?'

'Yes Kaoru-dono. I know him... During the Revolution, the other Ishinshishis often talked about a very young samurai, who killed so many imperialists. They called him as a Lonely Tiger. He was really a merciless killer... I was fighting him as well, and I must admit, that he was nearly so strong as I was.'

'But... he was only a kid in those times, wasn't he?' interrupted him Misao excitedly. 'How could he did such a things? It's... it's so terrible!'

'You're right Misao-dono, but those were different times as now...'

Odora stood silently at the porch and leant against the wall. He gazed at the bright stars absently. His glance was full of ache and sorrow. He hove a deep sigh and slowly closed his eyes...

- To Be Continued-