Author's note: Hi! Here is the next chapter. I hope you'll like it!;p

The Lonely Tiger - Chapter Two

The next dawn, the rays of the rising sun gently ran through the sleeping city. The streets still empty, only some stretching cats or hungry dogs were there. The houses were in silence, too. The birds snappyly singing and cherfully took a bathe in the dew drops, wich were stayed on the green leaves. The fresh breeze lightly rumpled Odora's hair. He leant against the pillar, while he set on the porch. His sword laid next to him. With half lidded eyes, he enjoyed the owerflowing sunshine as it warming his face. The others still asleep. On the opposite tree, a bird carefully fed the starving youngs. Odora watched them with a sad smile. He took out a dirty, creased paper of his clothes and gazed the drawing.

'Your girlfriend?' said a voice behind him.

The man turned and angrily stared at her. Megumi frightendly steped back and began with a confused tone:

'I didn't want to... I mean, I can't sleep and...'

Odora dejectedly turned, and put away the picture.

'Would you like to sit down?'

Megumi silently settled down to the floor. She stared at the bright sky, while began haltingly:

'That girl.. is really lucky...' since he didn't answered, she changed the subject. 'You could't sleep, too... Odora-san?'

'I wasn't tired.'

'I wonder... If I clearly understood, you came here from Osaka, didn't you?'

'I did much more longer distances before...'

'Hn.. so you are some kind of rurouni, like Ken-san... And, what say your family,.. or your girlfriend? They must be a little upset..'

'I haven't got any family.' answered dryly and looked the other way.

She gazed at him pityingly.. he's so lonely,as she was before. There was something mystery around him, but what? She truly wanted to knew that. Somehow, he didn't looks like a red-handed murderer...

'A little cosy talk..?' Saitou was appeared, with a sarcastic smile.

'That's not your buisness!' stood up with a flushed face.

'I want to talk you.' turned to Odora earnestlyMegumi silently went to the house, but she left the door opened

Saitou leant against the wall and lighted a cigarett.He knew Saitou very well, so he looked at him expectantly.

'I went after your buisness a little..' began, without looking up. 'Yoro Karasu is in the city.'

When he heard that name, Odora wincedTensely listened every words, and his eyes shined dangerously

'My man saw him a few days ago... That's why I called you here.'

The young man wildly smiled and now, he looked really tremendously. Demented vindictiveness circled around his whole body. Saitou stared at him sadly. Odora discerned that, and slowly looked the other way. They stood like that for a moment, when the young samurai began with a low voice:

'Do you know something... about her?'

Saitou didn't answered instantly.They gazed each other.

'From what I heard, she was with him...'

Odora jumped up and fervently caught his sword:

'Tell me where is he!'

'No.' answered hardly

'What?... But I thought...'

'I'm not allowed you there alone... Otherwise, if you attacked them now...'

'I easily finished them all!' interrupted him quickly. 'I don't need your help any longer, I...'

'Enough! I don't argue with such an idiot like you. You'll stay here!'

'We'll see!' he grabed the swordbut before he could do anything, Saitou simply hit himHe turned slowly to Saitou and now, his always defiant eyes were full of distress. But it held just a moment. He recovered his calm, and quickly wiped his bleeding mouth.

'Fine... I'll do it myself!' said with that low, cold voice, whereby Sano was so frightened last night. Hastily left the petrified Saitou alone. Behin the door, Megumi watched the scene with a great shock. But what was much more amazing, that Saitou nervously hissed, and followed him. Megumi apprehensively stepped forward and hurriedly ran to Kenshin...

A few hours later, they all sat together in the room. Surprisingly, Aoshi was there, too( just because it was raining heavily outside ). They nervously waited, except Misao, who didn't give up to watched her beloved Aoshi.

'Shouldn't we went after them?' asked worriedly Megumi.

'What's that new interest on that yerk?' grumbled Sano.

'You are jealous, don't you?' turned to him simperingly Yahiko, then he found himself in the wall.

'You cannot be gainsaid it!' claped confidently Misao. 'Hmm, if I expected... he's pretty handsome...'

Megumi smiled at her maliciously

'Well... I think, poor Aoshi will restless nights, because of this...'

'Hee? Aoshi-sama is the only one for me!' cried, but immediately covered her mouth with her hands, and became deep redAoshi perplexedly coughed and the others laughed at them. Suddenly, an angry voice came from the door:

'What the hell am I doing here?...' entered Hiko Seijuuro and wiggled his wet cloak.

'Shishou!'

'Hahaha... I forgot to tell you, that we invited Hiko-san, too.. Hehehe..' she rubed her hair perplexedly.

'Shishou!' enthused Kenshin, while Hiko settled among them, and Okon filled him some sake.

'So, if that guy is Kenshin's master,... that means he's stronger than him?' thought Sano.

'Of course.' Said confidently Hiko. ' My stupid pupil never could match my genious.

Kenshin looked at him with big eyes. Okon approved and her face went red,. They heard, that someone knocked urgently. Okina surprisedly went out and a few minutes later excitedly came back, with two silent shade behind him. In the light, they finally recognised the clompetely drenched Odora and Saitou.

'At long last! We are worried about you!' began Kaoru, but suddenly stopped.

Just now relised the two man's raunchy clothes and fresh wounds. Saitou's forehead rived and a deep cut ran through his chest. Odora seemed unharmed, only some scratch covared him, but Megumi frightenedly jumped up. The wather weeping in his clothes, but in the drops, there was blood too. A deep, long cut was on her hand.

'What's happened?' stared Misao with big eyes.

'Just a little scrum.' answered bleakly Saitou.

'We must immediately atteneded your wounds!' stepped Megumi in front of them.

'Hn, these are only scratches... But you should saw that idiot's hand.

Odora silently set down, then Megumi looked at his wound.

'It's very bad! I have to whip that!' she said and bringed out the needle. Odora just stared at the floor. He thought about the evening...

- Flashback –

Odora excitedlywalked on the street. He felt the blood ran quickly in his veins. Finelly, he could take revenge... Saitou's angry voice stopped him:

'Odora!...'

'Did you come to stop me?' asked mockingly.

'I think I told you before... And if it don't go otherwise...' said Saitou and slowly drew his sword. Odora turned to him with a colourless face. He didn't care how long they were friends. He only thought one thing... revenge. The two sword met each other, the blades sparked. Saitou used his Gatotsu, and Odora did the same. Saitou despised the younger man. He became stronger, than they last met. Odora gazed at him coldly. He was now the real Tiger. They clashed over and over again.

'Sorry, but you forced me...'

Than came the 3rd Stance Gatotsu... They both gasping, when they stared each other. Saitou had a deep cut on his chest, but Odora's right hand become nearly useless.

'Was that enough?' asked Saitou, but the other just smiled.

'Do you think me so weak?You know very well... I never give up!' he grasped the hilt with his left hand and immediately attacked. Saitou dodged it, and than began the real fight. Odora became furiously. He must beat him, no matter what. He missed, Saitou caught his right hand, and almost crushed it. The wound unbearably pained...

'Use your brains! Karasu has a lot of henchmen, you can't defeat them all...'

'I don't care! I just want her back!I don't care If I die, or not, but I will rescue her!'

'No, you will kill her... You really don't understand? If you attack them, you'll die and maybe she's, too! Don't be such an idiot!'

'But I'm tired for waiting! Every single night I saw him in my dreams... His damn smirk, when he raped her! I heard his evil laugh, the screams, the prays and I couldn't helped... You haven't got any imagine, what I felt! I'll slowly go crazy, if I can't take revenge...'

Saitou stared at his friend silently. He knew him for a long while, but he never told him, what happened that night. He looked into Odora's painful eyes. He never saw him like that, only once.

'Fine. I'll help you, but first we go back to the Aoiya..' began quietly 'Your hand looks bad...'

- End flashback -

Meanwhile, Saitou noticed Hiko, who set next to Kenshin.

'I don't remember, that we know each other..'

'He's Kenshin's master, Hiko Seijuuro!' interrupted him Yahiko enthusiasticly.

'I see.'

'That demonic guy here is the former captain of the Shinsengumi's 3rd Squad, Saitou Hajime.'

'Thank you for thepresent Itachi, I really couldn't do it myself.'

'Don't call me Itachi!!!'

'So, you are Kenshin's rival, if I don't mistake?' The two men widely smiled. They could easily measured each other's strength.

When Odora heard this name, he immediately shuddered and stared at him. Fear, amazement and anger trembled in his eyes.Hiko noticed that change, too. Curiously turned to the young man. They looked each other steadly in the eyes for a moment, but Odora quickly turned his head away, and slowly stood up.

'I.. I need.. some fresh air... Sorry!' said, and automatically, but a bit staggerly passed out. Hiko gazed after him and crossed his arms around his chest. Saitou silently sat on the floor. Suddenly, Megumi jumped up and worriedly ran towards the door:

'His hand... I forgot to bandage it!'

'What's wrong with him?' Yahiko asked to Saitou, but he didn't answere.

Megumi cautiously drew off the door and steped in the room. Odora stood in front of the wall and clenched his fists. His whole body shivered and heavily breathed. He heard the door closed and than the soft steps, but he didn't moved. Megumi gently touched his shoulder, and began with a suppressed tone:

'What happened?.. Why did you leave?... I, I'd like to help you.'

'I don't need your help.' Answered coldly.

'Why are you so rude?... I don't want to see you like that, I...' she stoppedHer facewere deep red. She slowly clung to his back. ' ...I think... I fall in love in...'

'Please leave me alone!' he said hardly, and moved her away.

But suddenly, they heard a loud shout, than Sano wildly rushed in...